among common Malefactors and though they were fetched out from Prison by an holy Angel yet were they after beaten by these wicked men v. 40. Note Oh the Tenderness of God to his tender Servants while these Apostles were but tender Striplings and not yet grown up to maturity God stays the Rough Wind in the day of the East-Wind and lets it out of his fist as Prov. 30.4 not whole bushels of Affliction at once but only by peck and by peck as the Hebrew word signifies Isa 27.8 as his people are made able to bear 1 Cor. 10.13 They were but tender Plants at their being first filled with the Spirit Acts 2.4 so must not at the first be blown upon with the boisterous blasting and blustering Euroclydon Acts 27.14 or East-Wind of Persecution lest those Trees of Righteousness of God's planting and watering Isa 61.3 should be too much shaken or blowed down quite by the Roots But now after they were filled the second time with the Spirit Acts 4.31 and so better fitted for suffering work by the Spirit of Glory that rested on them 1 Pet. 4.14 they must now grapple with greater Sufferings at this time N.B. There is most comfortable Gospel in that Levitical Law What Vessel is not able to bear the purifying by Fire it shall suffice to rinse them by Water Numb 31.23 In God's great House there be various Vessels some of Wood as well as others of Gold c. 2 Tim. 2.20 21. The Psalmist speaks of both a passing through the Fire and also a passing through the Water Psal 66.10 12. So compassionate and tender-hearted is our heavenly Father toward us that rather than our spirit should fail in the day of our Affliction because our strength is small Prov. 24. v. 10. he will not over-afflict us with Fiery Trials it shall suffice to purifie us with brackish Waters c. He will suit the stroke to the strength he will proportion the burden to the back of the bearer Thus dealt God with David's Son gently chastizing him with the Rod of weak Men 2 Sam. 7.14 15. as tender Parents chasten their stubborn Children to break their stomachs but not their bones God will not scourge us with Scorpions nor crush us with the weight of his own mighty hand upon us The third Remark is that no Humane Misery can befal the Church and Children of God but there is a suitable Salvo of Divine Mercy They can meet with no kind of Malady upon Earth but what may have a more powerful and preponderating Remedy from Heaven Note God sometimes shifts hands and changes means and methods of his Church's Deliverance as here The first was by an Angel the second by Men he works both ways by Peter's Apology or by Gamaliel's Counsel he will be exalted in his own strength when not in the strength of the creature Psal 21.13 not by might but spirit Zech. 4.6 Here the foul Fiend of Hell the Devil by his Imps prevails so far as to cast the Apostles into Prison there he lodges and confines them But is the matter carried so No God sends an Angel who over-powers and out-pulls the Devil makes a forcible Entry with a Rescue and pulls the Prisoners out of Prison c. God could have delivered them by other means but he useth here the Ministry of Angels for the better confirmation of their new exercised Faith letting them see by experience that he had given his Angels charge over them Psal 91.11 And the same and no less is the priviledge of all that fear God The Angels incamp round about them Psal 34.7 They are ministring Spirits sent forth to minister to all Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 Suppose Satan as our Saviour saith Rev. 2.10 should cast some of us into Prison still God's hand is not shortned 't is God's Ordinance doubtless and the good we must now look for from Angels is as they are in the hands of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 They are all under Christ's Power Matth. 11.27 and 28.18 They ministred to him Matth. 4.11 and Rolled away the Stone from the mouth of his Sepulchre Mat. 28.2 They healed Bodies John 5.4 opened Prisons as here and Acts 12.7 N.B. And undoubtedly they do many signal and singular services for God's Servants still though their visible Apparitions be ceased yet their invisible Operations for Heirs of Salvation shall never cease Some have thought they have felft the touch of an Angel when they have been entring upon some evil Act and thereby have been reclaimed 'T was doubtless an Angel that spoke to Mr. Laremouth a Scotch Minister and Chaplain to the Lady Ann of Cleve and being praying in Prison in the Marian days saying once twice thrice Arise and go thy ways whereupon he arising from his knees and ending his prayer immediately a piece of the Prison-wall fell down whereby he not only was delivered from being crushed to pieces but also escaped beyond Sea c. N.B. God will now have us to live by Faith and not to walk by Sense and therefore we must not see those Ministring Angels yet ought we so to believe as to improve this Ordinance of God N. B. It may be God will make use of Angels to throw down Babylon with Violence and with a Vengeance Rev. 18.21 When Rome that Rueful Milstone which hath grounded to Powder so many Myriads of Saints shall be irreparably Ruined yea rather than the Everlasting Gospel should not be Preached perpetually but fail by the forced silence of holy Men's Ministry God may make an Angel Preach it c. Rev. 14.6 No doubt but Angels do now act for the Church and Children of God though invisibly their hands are under their wings Ezek. 1.8 They are not seen now because Christ governs his Church in a spiritual way yet have we communion with them by Christ though in an invisible manner Hec. 12.22 They are our Nurses to keep us in our way wherein while we abide they protect us c. This they do for us from our Birth to our Death and then as Nurses they carry home the Nurse-child to the Father's house at his command Luke 16.22 Holy Angels fight for us though the Devil and his Angels fight against us Rev. 12.7 This is comfort The 4th Remark is God works such convincing and such confounding Deliverances for his Church and Children that their Adversaries are non-plus'd and horribly perplexed thereby Thus was it with these Adversaries 't is said They doubted about these wonderful things that were done whereunto this Deliverance would grow Acts 5.24 The word translated They doubted is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to be thrust into inextricable straits to be profoundly perplexed so 't is read of Herod Luke 9 7. They as he did stood here amuzed and amazed they as it were stuck fast in the Mud and could find no way out and knew not which way to turn themselves They were in such doubt and fear as put them to a loss what
Mischief to Israel might perish by the Sword of Israel among the perishing Midianites who as some say sinned that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost because so much Light in God's Mysteries was given to him as above Thus as Shimei sought his Servants and lost his life so Balaam did by seeking his Wages c. He who had said God sees no sin in Jacob now saith They have sinned and now may be cursed and conquered yet God bafflies him herein and disappoints his own desire of dying the death of the righteous he dying among the wicked as Ezek. 32.27 28. Oh that God would cause the false Prophets and the Vnclean Spirit for whom they act and by whom they are acted to pass out of our Land according to his Promise Zech. 13.2 The Sixth Remark is The great Spoil and Prey both of things Animate and Inanimate which those Conquering Israelites the twelve thousand Souldiers obtained from the whole Nation of the Conquer'd Midianites v. 9 10 11. as appeareth more largely by the distribution thereof v. 32 33 34 35. wherein one half of the Prey was given to the twelve thousand Souldiers who had hazarded their lives in the War and the other half to the vast body of Israel that staid still in the Camp v. 25 26 27. So that tho' the two parts of the Prey were made equal yet the two Parties betwixt whom they were divided were very unequal for the twelve thousand Warriours had one half of the whole Prey whereas the other half was divided among almost six hundred thousand that warred not in this Expedition David did indeed decree another Order of Division concerning the Spoils of War as his part is that goeth down to the Battel so shall his part be that stays with the stuff they shall part alike 1 Sam. 30.24 25. where that Case was differing from this for there First David's Men did go forth with minds prepared to fight but being wearied with their March sat down to refresh themselves that after a little rest they might also fall on upon the Enemy Secondly Their staying with the Carriages so nigh the Enemy did expose them to the peril of their lives as well as if they had fought yea sometimes such are in greater danger than they that manage the Battel where the Enemy is more Covetous than Valorous and wheels about to plunder the Carriages c. The Seventh Remark is Israel's Army did also burn down all the Cities of Midian and all their Castles v. 10. which the Chaldee expoundeth their Temples being places of their Idolatrous Worship and Houses of Heathenish Adoration c. Two Reasons may be rendred why those were thus destroyed The First is Lest they should make use of those places again at another time for their Superstitious services for this Cause our Henry the Eighth demolished so many Monasteries saying Corvorum Nidos esse penitùs diruendos ne iterùm Corvi ad Cohabitandum convolent those Crow-Nests were utterly to be destroyed lest the Crows should rally again and flye together to a farther employing them for their foul work The Second Reason is rather Lest Sloth or Avarice should have drawn any of the Israelites to roost themselves in any of those Crow-Nests and thereby neglect to pass over into the Land of Promise therefore their Cities Castles and Temples were all destroyed The Eighth Remark is The Expiation of the Conquerours from their Ceremonial pollution contracted by blood-shed from v. 13 to 25. As Melchisedeoh met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings Gen. 14. so Moses meets those Children of Abraham returning from the slaughter of these Kings of Midian to Congratulate their return with Victorious Revenge and to receive a Rich Present for the Camp that went not out from the hands of those Conquerors v. 12 13. yet this stop'd not Moses's mouth as Bribes do too many Judges Hos 4.18 c. for he was wroth with the Captains for saving the Women alive saying that these were the tempting tools by Balaam's Counsel unto Israel v. 14 15 16. Tho' Moses was the meekest Man upon Earth in his own Matters yet was he blessedly blown up with zeal notwithstanding his transport of joy for the Victory in the matters of his God the Lord of Hosts to whom belonged the Victory Psal 98.1 he was a Lamb in his own Cause but a Lion in God's Holy Zeal is the Cream of all the Affections from hence he passed the Sentence saying Have ye saved those alive by whom ye so lately sinned and so lately suffered let all those Women who have known Man be killed v. 17. This was the first part of the Expiation which seemeth to have Cruelty in it that all those Captive Women who had known Man should be slain after quarter was given them but 't is probable the Souldiers had spared those Women not taking notice either of God's Command for sparing the Women c. Deut. 20 13. or they had no notice that this War was God's Vengeance upon the Women for their being so mischievous to the Camp of Israel Beside Women and Children being unable for War are not feared to fight the Conquerours and therefore are usually spared But Moses in this case might have a Warrant from God to give out this Command justly since all these by their sin are liable to God's justice at all times and are to give up their lives by what kind of death the Lord pleaseth God is the Lord both of life and death and can do nothing unjustly being justice it self and their little ones must be slain as a punishment to their Parents for their heinous wickedness and lest they should live to revenge their Parents slaughter but they reserved the Virgins whose Virginity might be known 1. By inspection of Matrons on the Tokens Deut. 22.15 17 c. 2. By their Age non apta Viro. uncapable to receive Man 3. By the Revelation of God 4. A probable Conjecture and no moral certainty was requisite yet this is one of Solomon's Secrets Prov. 30.19 Those Virgins were reserved either for Wives if Converted or for Servants or for Slaves to be sold c. The Ninth Remark is The second part of the Expiation which is purely legal as the former was seemingly cruel here Persons and things were purified by Ceremony only and herein appeared more Mercy than Cruelty from v. 19 to 26. War tho' lawful and taken up upon God's Command as this was yet v. 19. shews from God it hath a polluting property at least a Ceremonial uncleanness contracted by him that killeth as well as by him that toucheth the Party killed Numb 19.14 which should teach all Men not to have feet swift to shed blood Rom. 3.15 and things taken Captive as well as Persons must be purified v. 20 c. Beside the common Ordinance of Purifying by the water of purification Numb 19.9.12 15 19. Eleazdr here declares from God a particular law of purifying by fire those Vessels
will go forth against his Rebbels conquer them fetch them in and set his Feet of fine Brass Rev. 1.15 upon the necks of them as Joshua did upon the necks of the Conquered Kings both his and his Servant's feet Josh 10.24 Peter had also put hard upon this People to save themselves from this untoward Generation verse 40. charging them as Paul did Timothy 2 Tim. 2.14 in God's Name by his Authority whom he call'd in as a Witness against them if they refused and urging that no less than the Salvation of their Souls depended upon their abandoning the company of wicked persons in their prophane practices aâ—â—l how few do forsake the society of sinners when the whole World is said to wallow in wickedness 1 John 5.19 They were principally call'd from the company and communion of the Scribes and Pharisees who were the sworn Sword-men of Satan and most professed Enemies to Christ and his Kingdom This rouzing stinging Sermon took deep impression upon them made them cry out Oh! what shall we do not what shall we say or what shall we profess for Real Conversion goes farther than a Verbal Profession not in speech and word only but in heart and deed also They must needs know if any hope of pardon were for such sinners as they c. Thus this warm word of Peter's first Sermon had an abiding work upon those good Hearers hearts and fixed them in the Apostle's Fellowship c. so that it was with them as it was with the Philippians who no sooner had received the Gospel but they were in Fellowship to a day and stedfastly continued in it Paul thanks God for their Fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now Phil. 1.3 5. They continued stedfastly in the Communion of the Gospel and persevered in all Christian-Exercises from the first time of their receiving the Grace of Christ Note The Communion of Saints was not only an Article of their Belief but it was also a principal point of their practice therefore did the Apostle make request for them with joy verse 4. implying that such as persevere not in Fellowship do grieve the spirits of their faithful Ministers and as much as in them lies do quench the Spirit in their Pastors which cannot be done but to the prodigious detriment and disadvantage of the Apostates themselves who like Spiritual Vagabonds with Cain turn their backs from the presence of the Lord in his Ordinances Note Communion of Saints must needs be a very great priviledge upon Earth seeing it is like to be one of our greatest priviledges in Heaven Godly Society is the Symbolum sign or badge the distinguishing character of Saints from Sinners and their sinful Societies Psal 119.63 Nor is there in the whole World any such Fellowship Union und Communion as among the Saints Cant. 6.9 No such oneness or intireness any where Other Societies are but as the Clay in the Toes of Nebuchadnezzar's Image they may cleave together but cannot incorporate one into another As the Curtains of the Tabernacle were coupled together by Loops so the Saints by Love And as the Stones of the Temple were so closely cemented together that they seemed to be all but one Stone so ought it to be in the Church of Christ No good man can be content to go to Heaven alone c. Thus those new Converts did continue in the Apostle's Communion with all stedfastness and without any deviation or declinings c. which was a clear demonstration of the truth and reality of their Conversion that they were not as too many Temporary Professors or Stony-ground Hearers Mat. 13.20 21. who for the present are affected with what they hear and with a flashing Joy receive the Word but for want of the depth of Earth Mark 4.5 and of the Root of the matter Job 19.28 they soon spue up their Profession their stomachs are so squeezy as to be offended at opposition because they cannot divide Christ and his Cross let Christ keep his Heaven to himself for all them If it cannot be had upon any other terms But those here had Principles to maintain them they were enlightened not by flash of Lightening but by the Sun-beam so continued stedfast notwithstanding all the following Persecutions They through Grace weathered out the point and Rode out the Storms that arose after excepting Ananias c. Note Thus far of the Friends of this New Church now concerning its Enemies we have this account that God put such an Awe and Fear upon them that they durst not attempt to make the least opposition as yet against them None were found among the very Pharisees so fool-hardy as to molest or hinder their publick Exercises This new and miraculous estate and power of the Church the wonderful increase of it with three thousand Souls verse 41. and the Miracles which they saw or at least heard of verse 6. struck them with such a panick fear that they were plainly confounded verse 7. For this Restraint the Apostles praised God and for having so much favour among the People verse 47. Note After those special Effects follow those that were general to wit their community of goods both for the Body and for the Soul 1. As for the Body They had all things in common verse 44 45. not so as to destroy Property for then the Eight Commandment had been Repeal'd Christ came not to destroy the Law c. This was only a peculiar practice for that place and for that time wherein Charity and Hospitality much abounded by the abundance of the Spirit then Resting upon them After this Ananias's possession was call'd his own and so was the Money he received for the Sale of it Acts 5.4 So Mary had her own house Acts 12.12 and Lydia also Acts 15.15 2. As for the Soul they had not only Temporal things common but also Spiritual the same holy Exercises Ordinances in community verse 46. The Apostles Preaching in Solomon's Porch to a vast confluence of such as came to the Morning Sacrifice and Service so he spreading the Net of the Gospel where there were the greatest concourse of Fish hereby three thousand were caught the effect of Christ's prayer for them Luke 23.34 and they frequently enjoyed Breaking of Bread that sacred Rite Christ used Matth. 26.26 put for the Eucharist in conjunction with Preaching and Prayer Lastly The Doxology concludes in their praising God for this great Grace from himself on them and for the favour he gave them in the Eyes of those yet without as also for his adding daily to the Church the Elect coming into it this they impute not to Man's Ministry nor to Peter's powerful Preaching nor to the miraculous Tongues but to the Blessing and Power of God as 1 Cor. 3.7 8. and Isa 55.10 11. Note In a word the Rumour of this 120 speaking all Languages v. 5. made the multitude come tumultuously to them v. 6. All the dispersed Jews as well as Home-dwellers
Ceremonious and External Rites of the Nazarites Vow He only yielded thereto as yet indifferent Nor is it any other than Ridiculous for the Romanists to make this the Ground of their Religious Vows and for their shaven Crowns which is now so bald a Ceremony in France that some be ashamed of the Mark. CHAP. XIX Paul at Ephesus NOW come we to Paul's sixth and last Station before his return to Jerusalem in his Journey to which City he did visit many places as he returned thither as the sequel will show which was at Ephesus Acts 19.1 The Metropolis of the Lesser Asia where he made a long stay about the space of three years verse 10. and verse 22. in Asia that is in Ephesus he stayed still after the former two years which commendeth Paul's great diligence for the planting of the Gospel 'T is expresly said by the space of three years Acts 20.31 Here was that admirable door which he saith was opened for him 1 Cor. 16.9 and here it was that the famous Church which he wrote his Epistles to afterwards was gathered and likewise John wrote another to it from the mouth of Christ Rev. 2.1 2 c. and here Paul fought with Beasts after the manner of men 1 Cor. 15.32 N.B. Paul's Station at Ephesus presents to our prospect two principal parts First What he did there And secondly What he suffered there As to the first namely his Doings these may be considered either in a private or in a publick respect His Private actings there were twofold 1. His examining the believers he found in that place about the gifts of the Holy Ghost c. ver 2 3 4 with 5 6 and 7. 2. His determining with himself to return unto Jerusalem verse 21. giving notice of this his purpose to the Neighbouring Churches verse 22. by Timothy c. N.B. Then his Publick Actings there were twofold 1. His Preaching the Gospel And 2. His working Miracles there 1. He preached which is expressed in the Circumstances 1. Of place this is twofold 1. In the Jews Synagogue verse 8. Then 2. In the School of Tyrannus a Teacher of the Law Reading Law-Lectures there verse 9. And 2. Of time which was about the space of two years verse 10. And 2. His working-miracles this is amplified and Illustrated by a distribution of the whole into parts verse 11.12 that the power of Christ might be more clearly manifested in him N.B. Then Paul's sufferings for such good doings in this place are next specified and reducible to two heads 1. What opposition the Jewish Jugglers made against Paul's Ministry and Miracles verse 13. but the Devil in the possessed prevailed against the Devil in them v. 14 15 16. and when it was observed how God over-shot the Devil in his own bow this produced the wonderful effects 1. Of Confession of Sins Verse 17 18. And 2. Of Amendment of Manners and Reformation of life verse 19. in burning their books which taught Magick Astrology and charming of love c. Then 2. What from the Silver-Smiths of the City who made Shrines for Diana whose Captain in that uproar against Paul was Demetrius verse 24. who by a Starched Oration stirred up all the Rabble into Sedition and to the apprehending of Paul's Parteners and puting the whole City in to a Confusion verse 25 26 27 28 29. with 32 34. yet was all this Stir hushed by the wisdom of the Town-Clark which was indeavoured by Paul himself but was hindered by his Friends verse 30 31. at last effectually v. 35 to the end Those many heads of Resolves afford many famous Remarks The first Remark is 'T is a Transcendent Mercy of God to any Church of Christ that in the absence of one powerful Preacher they are well provided with another N.B. This was God's mercy to the Church of Corinth that when Paul had planted a famous Church there and was called away by the Spirit of God to go into Ephesus he left behind him such an able instrument as Apollos was to water his new plantation Acts 19.1 The Ability of Apollos whom some think to be the same with Apelles Rom. 16.10 is expressed Acts 18.24 where he is described 1. By his Name and Nation he was an Alexandrian-Jew by his Eloquence he was a Rational Prudent and Learned man and by his profound knowledge in the Sacred Scriptures he was a mighty Scripture-man both apt to teach the truth and able to maintain it 2. He is described by his Teachers Aquila and Priscilla who in private discourse contributed much to Apollos's further and fuller Instruction for tho' he was a man fervent in Spirit Improving to the utmost all those aforesaid Qualifications and taught diligently the things of the Lord in the Jews Synagogue yet knew he only the baptism of John who Baptized with water only but could not Baptize with the Holy Ghost Matth 3.11 N.B. Or the Doctrine of John who was a Preacher of Repentance and of Faith in Christ the Lamb of God he pointed at whose Baptism and Belief was the same with the Apostles afterwards for he baptized them and their Master too only after Christ's Ascension they received extraordinary Gifts Acts 2.4 and knew many truths more fully which had not been Revealed in the baptist's times N.B. And herein those two Tent-makers instructed Apollos not that they turned publick preachers for Paul saith 'T is not lawful for a woman to Teach that is Publickly 1 Tim. 2. v. 11 12. but Aquila and Priscilla having had so much Converse with Paul they were the more able in private conference to inform Apollos better than yet he knew with that knowledge they had learned from the Apostle N.B. And tho' Apollos was very skilful in the words of Scripture to expound them and had an excellent Elocution wherewith to express well his Exposition yet was he not puffed up herewith but condescends to be Catechized by these tent-makers an humble man can be content to learn from the meanest even a little Child shall lead him Isa 11.6 now he who had taught diligently according to the best skill he had attained before became far more accomplished to convince the Jews that the Messiah who was sent from God was the Saviour of the World and this he did both in Corinth which was in Achaia supplying Paul's absense and in Ephesus also Acts 18.25 26 27 28. Confuting gain-sayers and Confirming such as believed through grace The second Remark is The foundation of this Church at Ephesus was laid and those twelve members ver 7. were admitted into Church-Order by examination Paul asks them have ye received the Holy Ghost Acts 19.1 2. This Question was de primor diis Ecclesiae concerning its first Constitution for as yet these Disciples were not come up into any Ecclesiastick form or Discipline So that the Apostle asks them how they were grounded c. that it might appear they were Divinely called to become the foundation of that Church They Answer we
Holy Ghost Because 1. They were nominated and elected by a special ad immediate Instinct of the Spirit as Acts 1.24 and 13.2 c. 2. They were ordained by the Apostles who were filled with the Spirit whereby they were inabled to that work Acts 14.23 And also 3. Whosoever is set apart to that Office of over-seeing the Church according to the Rule of God's word is truly made an overseer by the Holy Ghost God concurring in owning and blessing his own Institutions and those are charged by the Apostle here to take heed unto themselves in the first place for he that is not mindful of his own Salvation can never be careful aright of the Salvation of others and then to all the flock committed to their charge inforcing this duty upon them by declaring how dear and costly the Church was to Christ and therefore should be dear and precious in their pains and care to them N.B. But alas saith Espenoaeus how many are Aposcopi rather than Episcopi by-seers rather than right over-seers How can Christ take it well at the hands of careless Ministers that they should be so negligent over those Souls which cost him his precious blood whom he pluck'd out of the Paw of the Roaring Lion bears in his Bosom c. Isa 40.11 The sixth Remark is Heretical Teachers as well as bloody persecutors are no better than Ravenous and Grievous Wolves for so both are branded with that beastly Name Verse 29. N.B. Still the Metaphor is caryed into an Allegory wherein true believers and Disciples of Christ are called Sheep or Lambs their Pastors Shepherds or over-seers and their Adversaries whether in Heresy or Persecution are stiled Wolves Nothing more plain than that cruel persecutors are Wolves call'd so by Christ Matth. 10. v. 16 17. whose Malice inclines them to destroy God's people as strongly as the Rapacious nature of the ravening Wolf doth that greedy Creature to worry a Flock of Sheep This all Martyrologists do make manifest in all ages of the Church N.B. But there be other Wolves so called even false Teachers by Christ himself also Matth. 7.15 Such as come among Christ's Flock in Sheeps cloathing The Devil usually begins with violence Force and Cruelty circulating the world like a Wolf or Lion seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 If this succeed not to take well then he betakes himself to his Wiles of fraud and crafty Counsels Herein he puts off his Wolfs Frock and makes his next Encounter in Sheeps cloathing yet retaining his Wolfish and worrying nature this is another dangerous Rock which the less careful and the over credulous may easily split against therefore Christ cryeth beware least while we are striving to Shun a Shelf we fall not on the other hand into a whirl-pool N.B. The old Church was sadly pester'd with false Prophets Deut. 13.13 Jer. 23. v. 16. Ezek. 34 c. And so is the New Matth. 24.4 Rom. 16.17 Ephes 5.6 Col. 2.8 1 John 4.1 This was Peter's prophecy that such shall bring in damnable Heresies privately c. 2 Pet. 2.1 and Paul predicteth the like here verse 29 30. a speaking preverse things c. while they pervert the Scripture in defence of their own devices These are as pernicious to the Soul as persecutors are to the body and wolves to the Sheep therefore the worst and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Paul useth for drawing Disciples not to Christ but to themselves c. signifies to tear them limb from limb as the Wolf doth with the seized Sheep c. but our Lord hath promised to punish those that push with the Horn and foul with feet Ezek. 34.19 so we need not fear c. Mic. 5.5 The last Remark here is Paul's Pathetical Valediction wherein First He Commends those Elders to God who alone was able to keep them in that approaching hour of Temptation and to the Gospel of Grace which the God of all Grace appointeth as a means to six them upon the Rock that they might not be removed by that future Tempest but be preserved for Glory verse 32. Secondly He gives his own example verse 33. and the command of Christ v. 34 35. for their Imitation to avoid covetousness which is the Root of all evil 1 â—im Chap. 6. verse 10. Especially in praelates John 12.6 and Matth. 26.15 as Moses did Numb 16.15 and Samuel 1 Sam. 12.3 5. and himself who Laboured with his hands for his own Liveli-hood Acts 18.3 and 1 Cor. 4.12 and 1 Thess 2. verse 9. and 2 Thess 3.8 where he gives this Account N.B. That he did not propose this his practice as a precept or precedent Law or Rule to all Ministers for he had not power to deprive them of what God had given them Levit. 27.32 Matth. 10.10 Luke 11.42 Prov. 3.9 10. Mal. 3.9 10. Tithes were paid by Abraham to Melchisedeck long before the Levitical Lawâ— So that there must be a moral equity in this Reciprocal duty both before the Law under the Law and after the Law under the Gospel And tho' Paul did thus in a juncture and case of necessity because of their present poverty had they been able more shame would it have been to them to let him Labour and because false teachers were watching all advantages against him yet doth he himself often assert his own priviledge 1 Corinth 9.14 Gal. 6.6 and Christ's words he urgeth might be collected out of Luke 6.38 and 16.9 c. yea the very Terms might be spoken by Christ for all he spake is not writ John 20.30 Thirdly He kneel'd down and prayed with them all verse 36. Here was a right Gospel manner of taking a final farewell Whereas the common custom of Carnal men is to bid Adieu one to another by drinking of Healths which Turpissima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or most filthy Healting Round and cursed Custom had its first original from some Sordid Court Parasites who would lick up the very Slaver of their Princes There is no parting now without such Circular potting yea the whole Cup up and off as well as round Those primo-primi-Christians did not so here but parted with prayer in a kneeling posture worshipping God both with their bodies and spirits 1 Cor. 6.20 Fourthly And here with tears with their prayers Verse 37 38. testifying hereby how they looked upon the loss of such a painful and faithful Pastor or Apostle a very great publick loss not only to themselves but also to all Asia And this was the cutting yea killing word that he told them by a prophetick Spirit that they should see his face no more Oh! How loth were they to part with Paul who had so indeared himself to them by his holiness humility and usefulness insomuch as they enjoy him as long and as far as they could accompaning him to the ship and when gone off to Sea gave their longest look after him Thus are we pull'd one from another in sad parting 's 〈◊〉 but we meet in
Or 3. The three Stories resemble the three great Graces in a Believers Soul to wit Faith Hope and Love 4. They represent also the three Rooms where the Spirit of Sanctification spreadeth as blessed Leaven particularly Understanding VVill and Memory or more generally the Body Soul and Spirit 1 Thes 5.23 Or lastly The three growths of a Christian the thirty sixty and an hundred fold higher and higher Children Young-men and Fathers The 6. Remark of the Ark is Its usefulness for preservation of Noah c. wherein it is a Type of the Church according to Austin's saying Extra Ecclesiam nulla est salus As all out of the Ark were drowned so all out of the Church are damned According to this Fathers notion 't is the undoubted duty of all Professors to joyn themselves as the phrase is Acts 5.13 to some Church of Christ or other and not live loose and at liberty without the Pale of the Church as a straying Sheep got out of the Sheep-fold or a wandring Bird got out of the Cage Snares and Temptations cannot but attend them Hence the Spouse sadly complaineth Tell me oh thou whom my Soul leveth where thou fâ—â—â—est c. for why should I be as a wanderer so the words may be read Cant. 1.7 8. This is certain that as in Moses Law the Mercy-Seat was no larger than the Ark so in the Messiah's Gospel Grace is no larger than the Covenant laid up in the Ark as is aforesaid Yea and it was strong consolation to a late Dying Martyr who said Seeing I may no longer live Gods Servant I am content to Die his Sacrifice and 't is my comfort that I die in my Bed Isa 57.2 as I die in Church-Fellowship Alas those that were saved in the Ark were but few in comparison of those that perished out of it by the Deluge Few there be that find the Narrow way of being confined within the narrow compass of the Ark as the Dove desired to be for Diet and Lodging but the unclean Ravens that feed upon stinking Carcasses are many that love to flutter abroad and like not any confinements in Church-Fellowship but would live as they list and after their lust finding the Broad way wherein they have Elbow-room enough for Licentiousness Mat. 7.13 14 Luke 13.24 Though there be much more Congruity betwixt the Ark and the Church whether Domestical as Rom. 16.5 1 Cor. 16.19 c. or Congregational as at Corinth Ephesus c. or Catholick it must 1. Be made of Gopher-wood which will not rot of Incorruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1.23 Gen. 6.14 2. Of Hewed Timber Hos 6.5 such as have the knots of corrupt Nature hewed off by â—he Ax of the Spirit of Mortification 3. Well plained by being renewed in the spirit of their minds Ephes 4.22 23. 4. VVell seamed to lye close together and keep tight together in the Unity of the Spirit which is the Bond of Peace Psal 133. 1. Eph. 4.3 13. 5. Well Plaistered as well as well Plained and well Seamed the Curtains of the Tabernacle were coupled close together with Golden Taches Exod. 26.6 c. so the Boards of the Ark were clinch'd close together yet must be plaister'd over too to make it more tight against the Deluge thus the Church and Children of God must be Plaister'd over with the Righteousness of Christ to secure them both against the scalding Inundations of Gods Indignation and against the scorching Fiery Darts of Satans Temptation The imputed Righteousness of Christ in our Justification preserves us from the former Phil. 3.9 and the imparted Righteousness of Christ in our Sanctification saves us safe from the latter Eph. 6.16 6. As the Ark lay flat though floating and steady upon the Waters being well Ballanc'd below yet with a little ridge above â—o shoot off Rain close joined at the Top the two sides of the covering leaned each against other so we should be constant in Christ both in Calms and Storms leaning upon our Beloved as the Spouse did Cant. 8.5 standing in the most advantagious posture both below and above that when we have done all we may still maintain our standing steady in all occurences Eph. 6.13 7. The Window was but a little light compared with that of the next life as above at large yet be sure it be large inward though narrow outward as the light of the Temple was 1 Kin. 6.4 This is the first work of the Spirit to let light into the Soul Acts 26.18 8. The Door as the wound in our Saviours side was large enough for the greatest Elephant in Sin to enter upon Repentance as before 9. As there was a great deal of Stench among all those preserved Creatures because of their Excrements cast out and couped up so long in the Ark So in the Church there cannot chuse but be found much Annoyance because of offences which will come Mat. 18.7 Luk. 17.1 Rom. 16.17 and of Heresies which will arise 1 Cor. 11.19 2 Pet. 2.1 that must needs offend them who have their senses exercised to discern Good and Evil Heb. 5.14 10. As after the long laying of Noahs Family in the Ark the Deluge dryed up the covering was removed after a double pause of sever days-stay Gen. 8.10 12. God let them ouâ— v. 16. and made them to multiply and increase exceedingly So the Church hath her hiding times lyes lurking sometimes in the Cleft of the Rock Cant. 2.14 and sometimes hid in the Wilderness Rev. 12.6 14. but when God saith to her as he said to Noah Go Forth then doth she grow up as Calves in the Stall Mal. 4.2 and inlargeth abundantly Acts 9.31 Thus the Congruity consider next the Disparity As 1. The Ark had neither Anchor to Stay her nor Stern to Steer her nor Mast to Poise her nor Sail to Move her nor Pilot to Guide and Govern her for Noah was an Husbandman and a Preacher so had no skill in the Art of Navigation which was not then found out how soon therefore might the Ark have dashed against the Rocky Mountains or the lofty Castles of the prodigious Giants of those Times had not Gods eye been upon it and the same hand that shut up the door of it had not been as an Helm to it from the beginning of the year to the end thereof Deut. 11.11 The glorious Arm of the Lord led the Ark safe through the Deluge as it did Israel through the Red Sea so that they did not stumble Isa 63.12 13 14. But God hath provided some better things for us Heb. 11.40 some better Tacklings for our Ship the Church as the Anchor of Hope to hold us the Ballast of Humility to Poise us Patience and Perserverance to keep us steady in our motions Christ himself the Master and Pilot of the Ship his Cross is the Mast and the Sails are Divine Inspirations upon our Humane made Divine Affections the Top Flag is Faith with this Motto writ in it premimur non opprimimur
Serpent or Dragon and his Seed shall be Chained up for a Thousand years Revel 20.2 This will be an happy time The third particular herein is Noah 's safety abode and progress in the Ark for a full year although the Waters of the Floud had such an extraordinary violence as some conceit in their covering the Earth as to rend some Islands from the Continent or main Land hereby some think England came to be divided from France by the narrow Channel and other like places although the Floud was as a Boiling-pot as before and prevailed most vehemently as the Hebrew word signifies Gen. 7.17 yet the Ark went upon the Face of the Waters v. 18. and was made able to live upon that rugged Surface Noah's Faith doth so fully relye upon his Pilot who shut him in that he neither fear'd nor felt but rode out the Storm even when sin had brought a second Chaos on the World reducing it to the confusion of the first Chaos Thus though Inundations of evil fill us with confusions yet God knows how to deliver the Righteous 2 Pet. 2.9 and to save his Ark the Church God brought a Beautiful World out of a confused Chaos at the first and he can a Beautiful Church out of the worst confusions now 'T is he that stilleth the rage of the Sea and the tumults of the people Psal 65.7 Man may stir strife but he can neither stint nor still it this is Gods work This brings to Noahs Egress The third Circumstance when God stinted and stiled the flood as he had stirred it up before God remembred Noah Gen. 8.1 he hath his book of remembrance Mal. 3.16 and forgets not man nor his labour Heb. 6.10 forgetfulness implies imperfection so can have no place in God the Butler may forget Joseph and Ahasuerus Mordecai but God will not his Servants the Spirit of Adoption in his Rom. 8.15 reminds him of his Isa 62.7 as 't is said after the manner of men 1. In order to his Egress three particulars are observable Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents 1. The Antecedents the Heavens clear up and the Rain is Restrained God keeps the Keys of the Womb Grave Rain and Heart in his own hand he opens and none can shut c. he gives the former and latter Rain and causeth it to Rain on one City and not on another Rev. 3.7 Joel 2.23 Zech. 10. 1. Jam. 5.7 Amos 4.7 2. The Waters sink down both by a drying wind and a summer Sun Gen. 8.2 God could have remov'd the Floud as he did the Plagues on Egypt in a moment of time as he at first Created the Waters in an instant but this decrease must be done by little and little for the exercise of Noah's Faith He that believes maketh not haste Isa 28.16 as Noah so we must stay some while under Gods Hand that we may prize Gods Mercy the more and not forget it 3. The Spies are sent out to discover the state of the Drowned World He that knew the time of his going in yet not of his going out of the Ark he sees the Sun shine and hears the wind blow this makes him long for liberty from Prison so sends out his Spies 1. A Raven because of a quick scent of a gross Food of a tough Constitution and when Tamed cannot easily forget his Station but will return to it NB. 1. The likeliest means always have not the best Success the Raven return'd not with Tidings but staid without to feed on Carcases So carnal Hearts like not the narrow Lists and Laws of Gospel-obedience but love better to feed upon the Carrion of carnal Pleasures in ways of Licentiousness c. NB. 2. The Raven represents the Law black with Terrour which being first sent out from the Ark or Church brings no Tidings of the abatement of the VVaters of Gods Wrath but with its harsh voice is to us as Jobs Messengers were to him a miserable Comforter The Law voce corvina curseth Gal. 3.10 but cannot comfort sinners The second Spy was the Dove both swift and simple Non leviter fallit fidem conjugii sed maturè studiosè ad nidum domum communem revertitur always faithful to its Mate and flying in great haste to its House or Columbary This second Spy the Dove like a true Citizen of the Ark returns with an Olive-leaf in its Mouth which as it signifies 1. The Gospel and the Preachers of it that do always allay the Terrours of the Law with the Comforts of the Gospel so more especially 2. The Comforting Spirit promis'd in the Gospel as Christ was the Grand Promise of the Old Testament so the Spirit both Comforters is of the New which descended as a Dove upon our Dear Redeemer Mat. 3. â—6 NB. 1. This Dove the Comforting Spirit hath indeed Wings wherewith to fly to us but none wherewith to fly from us unless sore grieved Eph. 4.30 and grievously vexed Isa 63.10 The Cherubims with the glory of the Lord do not lift up their Wings to be gone but upon great provocation by Adultery and Idolatry Ezek. 10.19 c. NB. 2. Josephus saith the Dove first returned empty with her Feet and Wings all wet and dirty but after with a Leaf of the Olive which is always Green and now more especially having lain under Water which shews that both Ministers and the Spirit which acts them must be patient proving if at any time either the first or second or third God will give them Repentance 2 Tim. 2.25 Melancthon at his beginning to Preach wondred that people would not be perswaded to the Obedience of Faith at his first pressing but he soon saw and said that old Adam was too strong for young Melancthon NB. 3. As Noah put forth his Hand to take in the Dove that brought the Olive Branch Gen. 8.9 11. so had we the Wings of a Dove Psal 55.6 to fly unto our blessed Ark carrying Green Graces along with us our Best Noah or Blessed Redeemer would certainly put forth his Hand to receive us Mat. 14.31 These were the Antecedents now the Concomitants 2. Consider his Egress it self 1. Noah doth not after his Twelve-month Confinement break out of Gods Prison nor devours his Release over-greedily though he could not but long yet he dare not too much tor Liberty and open Air but stays yet other seven days and again yet other seven days Gen. 8.10 12. all this time he staid before he open'd the Roof and two months longer before he went out and not then neither without a Divine Command The same Hand that had shut him in must also lead him and let him out NB. 1. Oh that we were thus wary to get a Divine Warrant for our Ingresses and Egresses for our goings out and comings in then the protection of Angels would be more peculiarly ours in our keeping the right Road-way Psal 91.11 12. NB. 2. As the Beasts and Birds c. came not confusedly out of the Ark all rushing
Parents learn from hence to further and not to hinder their Children in the good ways of God Honour is the Reward of the former but Dishonour if no more of the latter The second Choice Remark or Mystery is Though Children be hindred by their Parents from following the Lord fully as Numb 14.24 yet must they not cast off that Duty the Fifth Commandment enjoins them to honour them c. God in many cases requireth Mercy rather than Sacrifice Parents may stand in more need of Childrens Mercy sometimes than God can of their Sacrifice at any time Mat. 9.13 c. The Scripture teacheth that Children should nourish their Parents in their old Age Gen. 47.12 Ruth 4.15 and 1 Tim. 5.4 c. yet the old Pharisees did by their Corban or Devoted things License Children to deny their Parents any further Succour Mark 7.11 12. The same our new Pharisees the Papists do who say That a Monk may not leave his Consecrated Cloyster to relieve his Father but must rather see and suffer him to die for Hunger in the Streets Lyra that Famous English Jew but an Arrant Papist as most were then in the Thirteenth Century hath these words Filius per professionem in Religione factam à parentibus subveniendo excusatur As if a Son Consecrated to God might be excused to do execrable things to Parents Thus they do Ungod as it were God himself and make his Fifth Commandment of no Effect such are of their Father the Devil rather than of Abraham's John 8.44 who nourish'd his old Father in Haran till he died and would not leave or lurch him though under a pretence of his Call to Canaan No Child of Abraham should leap over such a Block as a Parent in his way but should wait as Abraham did at Haran till God remove it out of the way The third Choice Remark or Mystery is Mans Heart needeth many pulls from Gods hand before Man can compleat his Obedience to God Here God gives Abraham two calls or pulls before he pull'd him to the Land of Promise The first pull bringeth him only from Ur to Haran there he setleth and gathereth much Goods Gen. 12.5 Thus Sampson follow'd his Parents till he met with the Hony-comb Judg. 14.8 9 10. So doth the Dog his Master until he meet with some Carrion Though these simile's suit not with Abraham yet they do with too many Professors that Would seem to be the Sons of Abraham Gods second pull at this Holy Patriarch Abraham was an effectual pull it brought him to Gods Foot Isa 41.2 it brought him from Haran to Canaan because he was both called and chosen The fourth Choice Remark or Mystery in the History is As Abraham was call'd 1. From Ur which Hebr. signifies Fire And 2. From Haran or Charan which Hebr. signifies Wrath so God calleth every Child of Abraham from the Fire of Hell and from the State of Nature whereby all are Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 He plucks us as Brands out of the Fire Zech. 3.3 and pulleth us out of the Fire Jude ver 23. as the Angel pulled Lot out of the Fire of Sodom Thus by Grace such as are Born Vessels of VVrath are made Vessels of Mercy The fifth Mystery in the History is As Abraham was call'd from his Fathers House as well as from an Idolatrous Countrey so are all the Children of Abraham call'd to come out of Babylon Revel 18.4 that Land of Graven Images Jer. 50.38 God maketh a Proclamation that his Children should make haste hence and Home Zech. 2.6 Ho Ho Come forth Get ye away this is not your rest for it is polluted Mic. 2.10 See Isa 48.20 and Jer. 50.8 and 51.6 and 45. This Literal Babylon was the Chief City of the Chaldees from whence Abraham was called and his Children are called from their Fathers House as he was Luke 14.26 c. when it stands in Competition with Gods Command as that Noble Italian Marquess Galeacius told his Popish Father solliciting him to Apostacy that his Body and Estate were his Fathers but his Conscience was the Lords All Carnal Respects must be subject to the Spiritual and all Carnal Relations must be bewailed Deut. 21.11 12. yea and relinquished Psal 47.10 So shall their Souls become Christs Spouses and the King Delight in their Beauty ver 11. Give any thing of Man but nothing of God for peace The sixth Mystery in the History Chaldea was an Idolatrous Countrey which Worshipp'd Fire as a God as the word Ur signifies because possibly they had seen Coelestial Fire come down from God to consume the Sacrifices of the Patriarchs and thereupon they would Worship that Element The Jewish Fable is false that Abraham was cast into the Fire or Ur because he would not Worship Fire as a God in the days of Nimrod but was saved by his Faith But 1. He was not Born in Nimrod's Time 2. Then Moses or Hebrews 11. or Ecclesiasticus the 45th or Josephus or Philo would have Recorded it all writing of Abraham's Faith and Life But God brought Abraham from this Fire-worshipping place and acquaints him with himself who is devouring and consuming Fire Isa 33.14 Heb. 12.29 Thus men place their Worship upon a wrong Object when they adore as well as admire the Fire of their own Zeal or Fervency of Spirit instead of God from whence those Flames do flow Isa 4.4 and Acts 2.2 3 c. The seventh Mystery or Remark in this History is Divine Vocation and Adoption floweth wholly and solely from Free Grace Nimrod's Church as one saith had almost swallow'd up Abraham Speciosa Chaldaeorum Superstitione erat inductus sed non seductus while he was young serving other Gods as well as Nahor and Terah who as some Rabbins say got his living by Making and Selling of Images Yet out of this Root so Idolatrous both on Father and Mothers side the whole stock of Israel sprang to be an Adapted people to God and in Covenant with him Therefore to humble this people God minds them of the Rock from whence they were hewed Isa 51.1 and telleth them their Father was an Hittite and their Mother an Amorite Ezek. 16.3 and upon this account some think Abraham is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ungodly Rom. 4.5 as he was at first an Idolater until God call'd and justified him Abraham's Fore-fathers were the Builders of the Tower of Babel they were but newly come down from Mount Ararat whereon Noah's Ark rested into the Plains of Shinar Gen. 10.2 20 21. and Gen. 11.2 where it appeareth that Seventy Families were Born to Noah's three Sons whence the Antients currently concur that the Nations were afterwards distinguished by so many Tongues and Countreys Gen. 10.32 Note here 1. Though the World was newly wash'd with the Floud yet Chaldea was notoriously Idolatrous in Building Babel c. 2. Cursed Cham had a more numerous Off-spring and more sweetly situated than his two better Brethren Shem and Japhet who
in the Faith of it v. 13. It is the custom among men first to take Possession and afterwards to Inherit and Enjoy which may be some reversion only and personal peaceable possession may by some long Lease be Interrupted for some Generations This was Abrahams case yet took he Possession of the Land because of his Title to it which was threefold 1. By Promise 2. By Conquest 3. By Purchase 1. By way of Promise God made Canaan to belong unto Abraham by making a Promise of it to him no less than four times Gen. 12.7 and 13.15 and 15.7 and 17.8 This Promise of God being a fourfold Cord Abraham accounts his best Free-hold hereupon he left his present Possessions in Ur and in Haran though he saw not so much as a Foot of the Land of Canaan made over to him as an Inheritance in his day Act. 7.5 yet he look'd upon all as his own This History containeth a Mystery to wit thus it is with all the Faithful as it was with the Father of the Faithful such have the Spirit of Truth to assure them of their Interest in Divine Promise 2 Cor. 1.22 and 5.5 Eph. 1.14 't is an Earnest This makes them exceeding Rich though they see not the Actual Performance of them in their day The wealth of a man is not reckoned so much by the ready Cash he hath by him in his Coffers as by the substantial Bills and Bonds c. he is able to produce thus the greatest part of a Believers Wealth lyeth in good Bills and Bonds under Gods own Hand and Seal all Signed in his Word and Sealed by his Spirit He therefore accounts Heavenly Promises far better than Earthly Performances as Abraham did only take Possession of Canaan which afterwards he was to Inherit so a Christian takes Possession of Heaven with his Name written in it Luke 10.20 and with his Heart Panting towards it 2 Pet. 3.12 having his Conversation there while his Commoration is here and Abraham asked a Sign to assure him of his Inheritance Gen. 15.8 not because he believed not Gods Promise thrice made over to him before but that he might the better believe after How great is Gods Love to us in giving us his Sacraments wherein he maketh himself Visible as well as Audible to us Yet this is greater Love to give us the Privy Seal of his Spirit as well as the Broad Seal of his Sacraments for our better security 2. By way of Conquest Canaan belong'd to Abraham in his Conquering Chedarlaomer c. Gen. 14.4 15 17. This great King was the Son of Elam the Son of Shem Gen. 10.22 and According to Noahs Prophecy Canaan shall be Shem's Servant Gen. 9.26 this Chedarlaomer was Lord over the Canaanites and over those chief Cities which stood in the plains of Jordan Abraham conquers him in battel so Canaan became the Conquerours by Conquest he became the Heir of Canaan the History holds forth this Mystery that all Christians the Children of Abraham are by their New-Birth Born Heirs of Heaven the Celestial Canaan they should therefore be Valiant for it Jer. 9.3 And Violent to Storm it Mat. 11.12 'T is the meek that Inherit the Earth Mat. 5.6 but 't is the Violent that both wins and wears Heaven as above As Davids worthies brake through all Difficulties to come to the well of Bethlehem 2 Sam. 23.16 So the good Souldiers of Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 should endure all hardness and hold Heroick resolutions to have Heaven by Conquest whatever it cost them that they may be more than Conquerours even Triumphers Rom. 8.37 2 Cor. 2.14 what was said of Cyprus that the Richness of that Country did sollicit the Hungry Romans to attaque and overcome it may be much more said of Heaven in its bliss-ful Riches When Israel heard that Canaan was the glory of all Lands this made them run violently through all dangers to subdue and enjoy it when Joshuah saw the slackness of seven Tribes which had received no Inheritance nor cared to do so consulting their own case and not daring to wage a new War he severely checks them saying How long will ye be slack to go up c. Josh 18.2 3. So we must lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.19 3. By way of purchase Canaan was Abrahams Though all the Land was his by Promise yet he procures only a Burying place by purchase Gen. 23.16 â— not having a Foot of it for his own present possession This purchas'd Burying place was an earnest for all the rest hence all the Patriarchs Dying after desir'd to be Bury'd in it Gen. 47.30 and 50.25 a Sepulchre of ones own was a sign of firm possession Isa 22.16 As in Shebna's case who hewed out for himself a stately Sepulchre in Jerusalem as it he had been of the stock Royal and had a right there whereas he was but a stranger an exotick Plant and a meer Mushroom or Terrae-filius an up-start Forreigner yet died a disgraceful out-cast v 18. but Abraham's Assurance made to him of this Burying-place Gen. 23.20 was a Prophetical Sign of a certain future possession as Jeremy's was Jer. 32.7 10 15 43. Hence flow some Remarkable Inferences As 1. Abraham was the first Purchaser of Land that is mention'd in Scripture yet his Purchase was not a place to build on but to Bury in which teacheth us our chiefest care should not be for this present Life being only Pilgrims here and living only as in Tents but for the life to come the very Egyptians had some notions of this great Truth in their building but mean houses yet most costly Tombs but the Hebrews saw it more clearly in calling their burying-places Beth Cajim the House of the living Job 30.23 Isa 14.13 Psal 49.14 and 89.48 as Heaven is call'd the Congregation-House of the Souls of Just Men Heb. 12.23 So the Grave is the Congregation-House to Which the Bodies of all the Living are assign'd 'T is the publick or common meeting-place hence when Godly Men Die they are said to be gathered to their People Gen. 25.8 17. and 49.33 Numb 31.2 'T was the Jews custom to Hew out their Sepulchres long before their Death to be standing memorials of their mortality thus Joseph of Arimathea had his Tomb in his Garden that his choicest delights there might be moderated with meditations of Death whereof he was there also minded Mat. 27.57 60. The 2. Inference is Abraham is call'd the Heir of the World Rom. 4.13 much more must he be the Heir of this little Land of Canaan reputed no bigger than our Wales wherein he had now sojourned about sixty years yet purchased not one Foot of Inheritance save only this Burying-place in it at that time for his Dear Dead Sarah 't is not Improbable though that some of his Family so numerous might Die in so long a space of time yet we read not a word of his Carking care for purchasing Possessions wherein to entertain his numerous Family
without Man so the Spirit was promised by the same Covenant to transact all that was required for the Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth 2 Thes 2.13 from within Man appertaining to the Election of Grace The Holy Ghost therefore must be given as well as Christ who is one Comforter as another Comforter Joh. 14.16 17. The Father sends the Son and the Son from the Father sends the Spirit Joh. 15.26 Acts 2.2 The Spirit comes both as a VVitness as a Seal and as an Earnest to confirm this Covenant As Faith is Man's Seal so the Spirit is God's Seal Joh. 3.33 Eph. 4.30 not only by confirming the Promises of the Covenant to the Soul but also by engraving the Image of the Covenant in the Soul of Man And he is the Earnest also Eph. 1.14 2 Cor. 1.21 22. not only as binding the bargain but also as part of the payment so call'd the first-fruits thereof therefore Chrysostom saith Should not God give the Inheritance promised he would come to the loss in losing his Earnest How then ought we to love all the Three Persons in the Trinity seeing Opera Trinitatis not only ad extra but also in this respect ad intra too sunt indivisa they did all personally concur in this great work of Man's Redemption in the Eternal External and Internal part thereof 1. The Father first framed the main Model and made the first motion hereof calling things that are not as certain as if they were Rom. 4.17 he fore-ordaining as well as fore-knowing and fore-seeing Man's Fall said then out of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or love of God to Man Tit. 3.4 Deliver him front going down into the Pit I have found a Ransom Job 33.24 then was the Father gracious to man so as to find out his Son a Ransom an Atonement tor him or a Cover for his sin as a sore is covered with a Plaster or as the cursing Covenant of the Law was covered with the Mercy-seat the guilt and filth of his sin shall be forgiven him Jam. 5.15 and he shall not go down into the Infernal Pit to all this the Son 2. Gave his Hand as is the manner of contracting Covenants Ezek. 17.18 Jer. 50.15 to the Father that he would be the Grand Undertaker herein Isa 38.14 which is understood of the second Person to whom sick Hezekiah turneth from the Father in his Pathetical Prayer Thus Christ was the beginning of Gods way Prov. 8.22 The Fathers Covenant with the Son was the first out-going of God to his Creature Man and this was Christs delight ver 30. and thus he became the Lamb slain from yea before the Foundation of the World in this Eternal Covenant Revel 13.8 And for all this unutterable compliance in the Son to the Father touching this Covenant Christ expresly affirmeth that the Father loved him before the Worlds Foundation John 17.24 And 3. The Holy Spirit was concern'd in managing this Covenant of Redemption As 1. He must overshadow the Virgin Mary Mat. 1.20 Luke 1.35 as he had overshadow'd the confused Chaos in the Creation bringing all into form Gen. 1.3 so curiously framing Christs Body in her Womb she knew not how Eph. 4.9 Psal 139.14 15. 2. He must take up his Temple in all those whom the Father hath given to the Son 1 Cor. 3.16 and 6.17 and Rom. 8.11 14. and 2 Tim. 1.14 that he may preserve them both in Grace and for Glory and were it not for the indwelling of this Holy Spirit in Saints did he turn us over to be secured by Gifts of the Spirit only the Devil would make an hard shift to blast the best Gifts in the VVorld as he blasted those excellent Gifts in Adam at the beginning of the World which far excell'd in degree any Gifts we can receive Christ hath charg'd his Spirit with all his Redeemed in this Dark forlorn World and way-less Wilderness that none of his should be lost therein and this Spirit is a Spirit of Power 2 Tim. 1.7 and greater or stronger is he that is in them than he that is in the VVorld to wit the Devil call'd the God of this VVorld 2 Cor. 4.4 1 John 4.4 so that neither Men nor Devils can draw them away Totally and Finally from God God puts his Spirit into all his and causeth them to walk in his Statutes Ezek. 36.27 and if at any time as indeed many times they be dead this quickening Spirit doth quicken them in their way Psal 119.40 37 25 149. and 143.11 Rom. 8.11 and 1 Cor. 15.45 Christ sendeth the Spirit to dwell with us and to abide in us Joh. 14.16 17. Christ sets the Spirit at work and the Spirit sets Faith at work and by this mighty power of God we are preserved to his Heavenly Kingdom 1 Pet. 1.5 Timothy's transcendent Gifts would soon have evaporated had they not been kept by the Holy Ghost that dwelled in him 2 Tim. 1.14 This abiding Spirit carries on his work to perfection Isa 59.21 and Psal 138.8 and Phil. 1.6 He is a foolish Builder that cannot finish when he begins a Foundation Thus all the three be concern'd I meddle not with the Antelapsarian or Sublapsarian Notion for non datur prius posterius in Deo God beholds all things uno intuitu at one glance altogether NB. 1. The first Sin of Man was indeed primarily against God the Father as it was a Breach of his Command yet was it principally against God the Son as it was a vain Affectation of becoming like God in Knowledge and Wisdom which is only proper and peculiar to Christ in his Hypostatical Union call'd the Wisdom of God In the first Sin of Man was sown the Seed of that only unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost under the New Govenant therefore Christ and the Spirit are concern'd 2. Meditate how this Covenant was made 'twixt two Persons that cannot Lie and that before the World began Tit. 1.2 as Christ was God he cannot Lie no more than his Father to pray now for the coming of Christs Kingdom doth as much gratifie the Fathers Bowels as Joab's Requesting for Absalom 2 Sam. 13. last and 14.1 God will make good his Covenant to his Son Christ was Haeres Natus and is Haeres Constitutus a Born Heir and a Made Heir God will not let him want his Lordship of all Acts 10 36. 3. Meditate God loves his Saints from Eternity yea while Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 Amore Benevolentiae though not Complacentiae until called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Paul puts Purpose and Grace together 2 Tim. 1.9 Gods Eternal purpose is made to appear in calling to Grace Tit. 1.2 and 3.4 Decretum patriae ceu intentionis finis brings forth Decretum viae medii executionis making us first holy then happy Rom. 5.8 9 10. 4. Meditate Look on your selves in Christ as the Father doth who Elected us with him as well as in him God
meekness of Wisdom Jam. 3.13 It must he a wife meekness Wisdom must be both its cause and its quality It must be such as is only opposite to an heady and furious fierceness which knows no due bounds not to a well-grounded and well-guided Zeal and Fervency of Spirit Rom. 12.11 The Spirit appeared not only in the form of a Dove Mat. 3.16 but also in Cloven Tongues of Fire Acts 2.3 4. There is a blessed consistency of the Spirit of Power and of Love 2 Tim. 1.7 Nazianzen gives a good Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let meekness be mixed with wariness then is it wise meekness or meekness of VVisdom We must neither be Foxes for subtilness nor yet Asses for silliness couching under every Burden without complaint Meekness many times brings on Injuries God requires not we should be as the silly Sheep that suffers the Crow to stand upon her Back and to pull off Wooll from her side Paul wishes us wise to that which is good as well as simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Horns not Horned Beasts to push others to evil Rom. 16.19 A Second Objection or Doubt cloth arise to be answered As 1. Whether Rebekahs Device and Advice for circumventing Blind Isaac be excusable 1. Answ Negatively If this act he weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary the sacred Rule so far as her project was promoted by any transport of Carnal Affections and Private Respect to her beloved Jacob together with a particular prejudice or grudge against Esau 't is not Excusable For 1. She Sins against her Husband Isaac whom being blind she deludes laying a stumbling block before the Blind which the Laws calls a Cursed Act and Curseth the Actor Deur 27.18 2. She Sins against her Son Esau whom she designs to deceive of his Fathers Blessing which seemed to be his due as he was their first Born 3. She Sins against her Son Jacob whom she should have taught better things than to lye many lyâ—â— and thereby to deceive his own Father which moreover might have brought upon him his Fathers Curse as he feared and which must unavoidably expose him to his Brothers Implacable Hatred 4. She Sins against her self and agâ—â—â—st her own Soul Numb 16.38 in imprecating with a weak and Womanly precipitancy the Curse her Son feared upon her self v. 12 13. desiring his danger of the doubtful Issue of that deceit might be upon her 5. She Sins against God lastly in carrying on his Holy Counsel by Unholy Contrivances as Lying and Deceit not willing to wait till God make good his own Oracle but doing evil that good might come thereby contrary to the Apostles Rule Rom. 3.8 2. Answ Positively This fact of Rebekah may be excused though it seem a sinful project as in those live respects aforesaid yet in truth it might all flow from a strong Faith in her working wisely not so much to deceive her Husband as to correct his Errour in his acting contrary to Gods Oracle going about to give the Patriarchal Blessing to the wrong object Though all the Actions of Holy Men and Women cannot be excused but are set down in Scripture for Caution not for Imitation Yet in doubtful cases wherein probable reasons may be rendred Charity bids us chuse the better part and not to condemn without cause For clearing this point two things are considerable First The Matter of the fact to wit the translating of the Blessing upon Jacob herein Rebekahs Faith might manifestly operate upon solid grounds As 1. Upon the Divine Oracle The Elder shall serve the Younger 2. Upon that wonder at the Birth that Jacob took hold of Esau's Heel 3. Upon the sale of the Birth-right 4. Upon Esau's Profaneness and Departure from the Covenant in wicked Marriages The Second is The Manner of her translating the Blessing from Esau to Jacob seemeth most dubious as to the Quo Warranto in divers circumstances yea 't is the common opinion of the Antient Fathers that Rebekah did all by a Divine Instinct and Warranty from Heaven which notwithstanding makes not God the Author of fraud and lying For 1. There is a good craft as well as a bad the bad is when one thing is acted and another feigned for the hurt of him whom the design is to deceive this was not Rebekah's deceit but it was a good and an honest craft to reduce her Husband from a gross mistake such projects and politick practices are so far from being condemned that they are sometimes commended as in the Faithful Physitian who beguiles his fond Patient in order to his cure giving him some effectual remedies which if he knew them he would not take them So in the tender Mother who oft is constrained to cheat the froward child to bring it either to eat or sleep None condemn Pauls for using craft 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an high point of Heavenly Wisdom Dan. 12.3 to gain the Souls of the Corinthians 2 Cor. 12.16 nor Christ for seeming as if he would go further than Emmaus to stir up the Disciples desires for his abode with them Luke 24.18 29. As to the five Articles wherewith Rebekah is Arraigned in the first Branch they all may be thus answered in order 1. She did not lay a stumbling block before the Blind but rather remov'd one out of his way by directing Isaac into a right way of obeying and accomplishing Gods Oracle 2. 'T was no Injury to Esau for she design'd not to bereave him of any thing that was properly his due the Blessing belong'd not to him but goes with the Birth right 3. Neither did she corrupt her Son with pernicious counsel but rather corrects her Husband with pious prudence her honest advice and device did no damage to Isaac which he never complain'd of after to her but confirms it as profitable counsel to them both neither did it incur the danger of a Curse which Jacob feared as the event did demonstrate nor that deadly hatred of Esau against Jacob for this happen'd by accident from his malice 4. It was not Female rashness but certainty of Faith that made her Prophecy a good Issue saying Only obey and upon me be thy Curse thou vainly fears though as to second causes the counsel seem'd doubtful but she surely saw a good event from Gods Oracle which she believed 5. Neither did She act against God herein but according to God and his will declared to her in his Oracle besides other Providences to be spoke of in the last remark concurring to demonstrate the mind of God to her and therefore she was not to wait till God by some miracle should confer the Blessing on Jacob but upon this emergency uses those means an honest Wile to effect it it follows then she did not do evil to procure good and if she gave good counsel Jacob sin'd not to take it but more of this afterwards The Fifth Remark or remarkable means of Jacob's obtaining the Blessing was the over-ruling Providence of God
for God loves cheerfulness in his Service God loves both a cheerful giver and a cheerful liver See also Judg. 9.13 and Prov. 31.6 7 of VVines Exhilarating vertue though we may not be filled with it to excess Eph. 5.18 4. The last Opinion I shall mention is that Judicious Authors Doctor Lightfoot who saith that Isaac sending Esau for Venison was not because Meat and Drink would conduce any thing for that spiritual purpose of blessing his Son but he put Esau upon this work that he might know thereby whether he should bless him or no for his missing of Venison before had occasioned the loss of his Birthright and now should he miss of Venison again so have nothing either for himself or for his Father to feed upon it would be a sign to Isaac that God would have him also to lose the Blessing This to be Isaac's mind Rebekah easily knew and therefore she accordingly makes use of the like means for her beloved Jacob's advantage Whereupon Isaac likewise passeth some blessing upon Esau when he saw that he had sped of a Prey which he looked upon as a sign that God would have him to have some Blessing according to what he had proposed to himself before yet Jacob gets the Blessing by his Mothers means whose Intention was undoubtedly good though the Execution be at least seemingly Evil which yet God over-rules for good not suffering Isaac to sin or to Act against his own Oracle and Divine Promise by his preventing Grace could we but bring Savory Sincere service to our God who yet must provide himself a Sacrifice Gen. 22.8 he loves and likes his own best our Heavenly Father would certainly Bless us we must not appear before the Lord empty Deut. 16.16 Then sends he us empty away Here another Doubt ariseth whether Jacob did well in doing those things at his Mothers instigation to deceive his Blind Father and his Elder Brother c. Answer There be Various Opinions concerning this 1. Some say Negatively that he did not well but very ill in making no fewer than four Lyes three with one Breath to his Blind Father for which 't is observed he had scarce one Merry hour ever after until the day of his Death Sin will make the Sinner smart for it when it doth as it surely will find him out Numb 32.23 Jacob was a Man of Sorrows and Suffâ—ring all his days God followed him with one Sorrow after another till his Dying day Gen. 42.36 and 47.9 Few and Evil c. Some think that God Retaliated upon Jacob for telling these four lyes to Isaac 1. I am Esau who he was not 2. I have done as thou bad'st me to Hunt Venison whereas Jacob was neither bid to do so nor had he Hunted for any Venison 3. In Intituling God to his speedy helping him to it whereas he had taken a Kid from the Stall Gen. 27.19.20 Those were three Lyes uttered altogether as with one Breath Again 4. When asked once more If he were Esau he Answered I am ver 23. For this twisted Sin of Lying to his Father God paid him home in his own Coin when his own Sons flapp'd a great lye in Jacob their Fathers Face about his dear Son Joseph as if he had been devoured with Wild Beasts when they had sold him into the Hands of the Midianites whereby they plung'd their Old Father into a deep Despair and desire of a Preposterous Death Gen. 37.32 34. Yea and troubled this Isaac their Grand-Father too as Junius thinks from ver 35. For he lived Twelve Years after this and likely loved Joseph his Grand-Son best for his great towardliness By all which God taught Jacob and so he doth us what an Evil and bitter thing Sin is Jer. 2.19 How it insnares and insnarles the sinner at last So oft Jacob lyed and that Deliberately against his own Mind and Conscience for mentiri est contra mentem ire upon his own Head and not by any advice of his godly Mother who directed him what to do but not a word we find what he was to say she taught not her Son to lye in words whatever she taught him about those Deeds and therefore is excused as before though Modern Divines cannot altogether concur with Antient Fathers in excusing her judging that Rebekah might have taken a more justifiable course had she gone her self to her Husband and minded him of Gods Promise to Jacob and gently exhorted him to Act nothing against it and then to have intreated the Lord for the bending of his mind to the Obedience of Gods Will though it thwarted and cross'd his own such Sage Counsel backed with Arguments Cogent to him and pursued with Energetical and effectual Prayers to God for inclining Isaac's Heart to Obey his Oracle this had been Expedient beyâ—nd exception But the 2. Answ Posiâ—ively others do think that Jacob in the general is excusable and did well in all as all was done by a Divine Instinct and inspiration of Gods Spirit as well in him as in his Mother that instructed him acting all through a firm Faith on Gods Promise and Oracle Thus the Chaldee reads Rebekah's words to Jacob It was said unto me by Prophecy that the Curse shall not come upon thee my Son but the Blessing therefore they both do concur with confidence upon a perillous project Thus much doubtless may be safely said of Jacob that he sinned not in Obeying his Mother in those things wherein his Mother sinned not in commanding them as hath been before proved He sinned not in representing Esau by his rough Hands and Garments because this he did not by any Levity of his own but by the Advice of his Godly Mother Nor did he sin against his Godly Father by deceiving him so as to lead him into any Error of doing what ought not to be done but he finds his Father blind in his Love as well as Eyes in Mind as well as Body whereby he was so far from Judging aright that he mistook the mind of God hereupon he leads the Blind not out of the right way but into it that Isaac might Obey and accomplish the Oracle of God neither did Jacob sin against his Brother Esau for he took nothing from him which was properly due to him but only challengeth a right to himself what was his own by right So in the Garments of the Elder Brother now kept by Rebekah not by Esau's Wives in Jacob's right he having now bought the Birthright the Mother of the Family keeping those Garments of the Priesthood which the Hebrews call Vestes Desiderabiles Garments of desire gooâ—ly and fragrant puts them upon Jacob wherein he obtains the Blessing this was an Holy Type of our putting on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 The Fleece or Skin of the Lamb of God our Elder Brother that Robe of his Righteousness wherein only the Blessing of our not Blind but All seeing Father must be obtained Act. 4.12 Joh. 14.6 c. Those
did hear of Reuben's Incest Gen. 35.22 and Jacob heard of if to which the Greek Version addeth and it appeared evil in his sight this necessarily presupposeth a knowledge of it as likewise do Jacob's words to Simeon and Levi Gen. 34.30 Ye have made me to stink c. that he must therefore know of their Cruelties But we have no such Intimation of Jacob's knowing this notwithstanding all these five Reasons aforesaid The other Opinion That Jacob could not be altogether ignorant of the Transactions 'twixt Joseph and his Brethren in that horrid Conspiracy seems to me not so much improbable upon these Grounds 1. Jacob was a Prophet and he who knew things to come so far off as were about two Thousands of Years even to the coming of Shiloh Gen. 49.10 by his Spirit of Prophecy could not well but be able by that same Spirit to look back and behold that thing which was done comparatively but the other Day as the Prophet Elisha said to his Servant Went not my heart with thee c. 2 King 5.26 that is knowest thou not how I have an extraordinary Spirit whereby I know all thou doest in my Absence though thou seek to conceal it from me the same might Jacob say to his Sons that in Spirit he had discerned all they had done to Joseph 'T is true It may be objected here that the Prophets did not know all things at all times as 2 Sam. 7.3 and 1 Sam. 16.6 c. Yea Elisha himself saith The Lord hath hid this same thing from me 2 King 4.27 And again He knew not where the Hatchets Head was sunk 2 King 6.6 Answ It is readily granted that God might also hide this matter of Joseph's Mischief from his Father for Thirteen years together notwithstanding that Jewish Fable how Serah Asser's Daughter Gen. 46.17 so Jacob's Niece or Grandchild told Jacob her Grandfather that her Uncle Joseph was alive for which good office say the Hebrews she was translated alive into Paradise otherwise Jacob had not mourned for Joseph when his Sons did deceive him with the blood of a Kid in stead of Joseph's Blood as he had deceived his Father with the flesh and skin of a Kid in stead of the flesh of Venison and his own Skin Gen. 37.32 c. 27.16 and Thirteen Years after this had Jacob still known of this he would not have swooned at the Tidings of Joseph's Life Gen. 45.26 't was a long time for Jacob to be mourning for Joseph as if Dead which his unnatural Sons imposed upon their too credulous Father first they cause his woe and then came to comfort him Gen. 37.35 Miserable Comforters 2. Considering how Joseph nourished his Father and his Family seventeen years before his Fathers Death as his Father had nourish'd him seventeen years before his Sale Gen. 37.2 for Jacob was 130 years old when he had his happy meeting with Joseph Gen. 47.9 and living with him seventeen years after he was 147 years old when he died v. 28. now it can scarce be probable that though Jacob were kept in the dark the first Thirteen years about this Matter that it should be still concealed the next Seventeen years too which was the sweetest part of Jacob's Life seeing the Selling Sons repented and the Sold Son advanced as after Besides 3. 'T is probable also Jacob had a jealousie that his Sons had told him a Lie when they shew'd him Joseph's Coat as though some Beast had devoured him Gen. 37.32 and 't was but rational that he must suspect the truth of their Story herein seeing he could not be Ignorant both of their Envy against him for his Gifts and Goodness and of their Hatred to him Gen. 37.4 11. so that they could not speak peaceably to him The hated will be harmed by the haters when opportunity serveth Therefore Jacob was justly jealous that they consulted his Ruine which admits of a double Demonstration 1. This Jealousie of Jacob concerning his Sons is supposed to be one Reason why he was so loth to let Benjamin go with them to Egypt seeing his sending Joseph to them upon a Visit had such a sad Success Compare Gen. 37.13 18. with 42.36 38. He was afraid v. 4. lest mischief should befall him Judicious Pareus personates here distressed Jacob as speaking thus I have now none left of my dear Rachel but Benjamin I shrewdly suspect that ye have bereaved me both of Joseph and Simeon both whom I fear ye have Slain Suppose Simeon be alive and in Hold as ye say for a Spy yet hath he been a naughty Son in making me stink among all my Neighbours by his bloody Butchery upon Shechem Gen. 34.30 I will not therefore exchange my only Hopeful Son Benjamin for him besides the Journey is dangerous and ye are wicked who perhaps have kill'd Joseph who was sent to you your selves and now ye pretend that Simeon is Imprison'd by the Prince of Egypt whom possibly in some rude squabble ye have kill'd also and now ye design to take off Benjamin also as I never saw Joseph more after I sent him to you so shall I never see Benjamin more should I send him with you Let who will go and release Simeon my dear Benjamin I will not venture All this doth Evidence that Jacob was not altogether Ignorant but had at least a presumptive knowledge of their Treachery to him about Joseph which he makes more plain by saying Gen. 43.14 If I be Robbed of my Children I am Robbed As if he had spoke thus If by your Importunity as ye have Robbed me of both Joseph and Simeon so ye Rob me of my Benjamin also the will of the Lord be done Esth 4.16 Act. 21.14 But the second Evidence is Jacob look'd upon his ten Sons as a company of Liars in telling him that Tale that Joseph was Dead and therefore when they came to acquaint him with a Truth that Joseph was alive 't is expresly said that he believed them not Gen. 45.26 This is the just Reward upon all Liars that they shall not be believed when they tell the Truth They had crack'd their Credits with their Father in imposing upon his Credulity that some evil Beast had devoured Joseph and now he knows not how to give credit to them in a matter of truth which he can hardly believe partly upon this account and partly because he feared the News was too good to be true For Tarda solet Magnis Rebus adesse Fides Men especially Men in Misery very hardly have a Faith for an unexpected Mercy more especially if very Great The Fourth Ground of its probability that Jacob was not altogether ignorant of Joseph's Sale drawn from the sense that some put upon Joseph's Title or Epithete Jacob gives him in his Last Will and Testament slyling him one separate from his Brethren Gen. 49.26 that is Joseph was a Nazar in this that he did separate as the Hebr. signifies himself from the evil Manners of his
before and after him he was the Law-giver he was a Mediator though not of Redemption yet of Relation as he fetched Divine Laws from God to Israel and as he carried Devout Prayers from Israel to God Moreover this is very Remarkable and quite cross and contrary to that Popish Doctrine of their Monastick perfection The Romanists affirm that the Married Estate is far less Honourable than the Unmarried because say they the Apostle Paul who was an Unmarried Man had the Honour of going up to God in his Rapture into Paradise but passing by his own saying That he had power to lead about a Sister a Wife c. we Answer that this Moses who was a Married Man had a greater Honour confer'd upon him insomuch as God vouchsafed to come down to him 'T is much more condescention in a Mortal Prince to rise up from his Throne and come down Stairs to his poor Subject than if only he were call'd up to him And as to the latter respect God wrought many Miracles of Mercy upon Israel and of Plagues and Judgments upon Egypt by Moses's Hands whereby the Church of God was delivered out of the House of Bondage and carried through the Wilderness to the very Borders of Canaan No further doth Moses or the Law go 't is Joshua our Jesus leads us into the Land c. The Life of Moses consisted of an hundred and twenty years so that it may most aptly be divided into three distinct Forties In his first forty years he had his Deliverance from Pharaoh's Infanticide as above and lived all those years after as the Adopted Son of Pharaoh's Daughter who gave him that Advantage by the help of his Tutors as to a Princess's Sun to become so mighty in words and deeds as Stephen speaketh Acts 7.22 which Character he giveth Moses not from any express Scripture but by necessary consequence for it could no otherwise be conceived concerning the Adopted Son of a King and of a King of Egypt a Land abundantly addicted to Learning and Study Until he was Forty years old he lived in Pharaoh's Court as the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter and as some say was designed â—o succeed Pharaoh in the Throne He being now grown up to full Maturity of Stature Authority and all Accomplishments both as a great Orator and as a great Warriour was minded to visit his afflicted Brethren Exod. 2.11 This he did partly by Natural Inclination having a Sympathizing Spirit towards their Relief And partly by Divine Instigation intimating to them that he was raised and sent of God to deliver them Acts 7.23 25. The signal whereof was his slaying the Egyptian as a Judge appointed of God his Call thereto being manifested to his own Conscience Exod 2.12 13 14. Moses had Suck'd in such a Savour of Godliness with the Milk of his Mother who with his Father had instructed him that he was of the Seed of Abraham the Heir of the World c. that all the Court-pleasures and Treasures could not wear off Heb. 11.25 26. He refuseth his Courtiers Life offers to be his Brethrens Reconciler and Deliverer they not yet enough humbled refuse their own Deliverance and puts it back forty years longer Pharaoh heard what he had done and to secure himself from so dangerous a Person whom he suppos'd to be the Man foretold by his Priests that would be the Scourge of Egypt and the Deliverer of Israel sought to slay him Exod. 2.15 upon this Moses flies into Midian which brings us to the second forty years which time he tarried there when of an High Courtier he became a poor Shepherd and of a Student in Philosophy was turn'd a Student in Divinity yea and studied even God himself and while he was so doing hath that famous Vision of Christ in a Bush burning but not consumed Exod. 3.2 by the good will in it Deut. 33.16 In this Vision the Place Time and End are very Remarkable 1. The Place 't was not in Pharaoh's Court where he never had such a Vision as this for full forty years he lived therein but it was in the Wilderness When Man is satiating himself with the Honours and Pleasures of a Worldly Court there is no leisure to have or hold Commerce with the Court of Heaven Felix was for his more convenient Season Acts 24.25 Worldly Pomp and Vanity make such a noise in a Courtiers Ears that God may speak once and twice and he perceive it not Job 33.14 Hence Israel was allured into the Wilderness and there God spake kindly to her Heart Hos 2.14 there the Pillar of Glory came to them and walk'd with them from Stage to Stage in a Familiar manner Exod. 13.20 21. When they were in Aâ—tham Hebr. hard Ground God comes when distant from Egypt or the World When the Soul is drawn at distance from the Distractions of the World then is it in the fittest frame for the Visions of God Prov. 18.1 2. The time when relating 1. To Moses and 2 To Israel 1. As to Moses This Vision of the Bush was at the end of his second forty years Acts 7.30 so long had he lived a private Life as a poor Shepherd 'T is a wonder his former forty years Life of an Honourable Courtier had not put his Mouth out of taste for so long a Dishonourable Countrey Life But a good Heart is taught to condescend to all conditions and can be abased as well as Exalted as Paul Phil. 4.11 12. and David was call'd to be a Courtier yet content after to become a Shepherd till his Conquering of Goliath 2. As to Israel both Moses and Israel must wait long for this comforting Vision Moses finds Israel as the Messias did after in the sharpest part of their misery Duplicantur lateres venit Moses Though the Tyrant was dead Exod. 2.23 yet Tyranny was not one Pharaoh succeeds another as afterwards the Bloody Herods did and all of the same Brutish Bran Though Israel's Chief Oppressor was suppressed yet were they Oppressed still for another Pharaoh succeeded as great in Power and as grievous in Persecution They changed only their Master but not at all their Miseries which indeed grew greater and greater this made them sigh and groan and as it was with Job their stroke was heavier than their groaning Job 23.2 3. The final Cause wherefore This is double also not only for comforting Israel in their Bondage but also Moses in his Banishment who spent not his second forty years private Life in Idleness but in Divine Contemplations as above and in Writing the Book of Genesis and as some say the Book of Job for comforting his Countrey-men in Misery teaching them thereby to lean upon the Lord and to learn to live by Faith on the Promises made to their Forefathers the Holy Patriarchs Mens very Miseries cry to God as Hagar's did Gen. 16.11 when her self cried not The Lord knew their Soulâ—â—n Adversity Psal 31.7 Gods Eye saw what the wicked did to Moses and
for Omnipotency to have frozen this Sea into firm Ice in a Moment that Israel might pass over as upon a Christal Bridge but seeing Nature frequently freezes Waters gradually into a firm Floor or plain Pavement this Fact would have been more questionable and less glorious therefore the great God Works in a way far above the reach of Nature thereby the more to manifest his own matchless Glory how the Waters were congealed Exod. 15.8 is before explained from Job 10.10 Some say the soft and muddy Bottom might be frozen into a firm Floor c. But the Prophet makes this Way the more wonderful in his Poetical Ratures saying The Deep uttered his Voice and lifted up his Hand on high Hab. 3.10 Both Voicing and Voting with Waves and Walls lifted up as its hand in concurrence with it's Creator's Will in giving way and making a way for Israel's Passage and then for the Egyptians Ruine helping forward the Execution both of his Mercy to the one and of his Judgment to the other not as if God had been angry with it ver 8. did the Sea lift up it's Hand intreating God to spare it But ver 15. he saith God made a way through it for himself to walk in as well as for Israel through the heap of great Waters So that instead of Israel's being swallowed up they were preserved thereby Thus Habakkuk strengthens his Faith Thou Lord hast done this when all Hope failed and so I trust thou wilt open a fair Way for thy Servants safe Deliverance from inextricable Dangers when they stand in most need of thy Heavenly help Thou reservers thy Hold Hand for a Dead lift and wilt be seen of thine in the Mount Gen. 22.14 This Miracle was so memorable that it is oft Recorded that it might appear sufficient to fix our Faith on God's Omnipotency The Prophet Isaiah also insists upon this very Theme Awake awake thou arm of the Lord c. Isa 51.9 even that Arm which God had promised should protect his People ver 5. and that had dried the Sea ver 10. so could do it again in the like Case This is an excellent way of arguing with God in Prayer to wit from his Antient Acts and hereupon was grounded the Church's Confidence to say Therefore the Redeemed of the Lord shall return c. ver 11. which God accepts and effectually Answers I even I am he that comforteth you c. ver 12 13 14. be not heavy-Hearted I divided the Sea when it roared ver 15. much more the Rage of Man I can restrain Ps 76.10 and much more he saith of it Isa 63.11 12 13 14. leading Israel gently and leisurely through this Way c. see also Isa 50.2 3. It was marvelous in respect of the Journey as well as time and way God did not only make a plain Path for Israel and carried them safe in the depths of the Red Sea but also brought them safe out of the bottom of it to firm shore where they had Rest and Sang Praises to their Deliverer Isa 63.11 12 13 14 15. Exod. 14.29 30. and 15.5 8. This was one of the greatest Miracles that God ever wrought for his People which God himself therefore mentioneth as one of his Master piece works Isa 50.2 Behold at my Rebuke I dry up the Sea I have done it and can do it again Be not therefore faithless but believing Joh. 20.27 For this cause likewise this great work is so oft commemorated by God's People Neh. 9.11 Psal 66.6 and 68.22 and 77.19 and 78.13 and 106.9 and 114.3 5. and 136.13 14. especially in times of their greatest distresses and extremities as Psal 74.13 14. Isa 51.9 10 15. and 63.11 12 13 14. all intimating that God did not only divide the Sea to make for them a way through it for had he done no more they might have been stifled and buried in the Mud or have stumbled upon Stones and tumbled down head-long in the deep Descent on the one side or never been able to climb up the high and steep Ascent on the other side but God also made that muddy Soil as a firm Floor for their feet all along as well as the fluid Waters to be as solid Stone-walls on each side of them And this was the more marvelous if the length of their Journey be duly considered Ptolomy Chytraeus and others affirm that the breadth of the Red Sea where Israel passed thorough was twelve or fifteen German Miles which make thirty six of our English Miles and therefore required no fewer than four or five days time after an ordinary course for six hundred thousand Men together with many thousand of Women Children Strangers and much Cattle and Lumber all which together must needs march but a soft and slow pace to pass over so many Miles in Yet seeing the Scripture mentions but one night for doing all this it was the more extraordinary and miraculous to convey so much People and Cattle so long a Journey in so little a time This was the work saith the Prophet of God's glorious Arâ—â— leading Israel through the deeps as the Rider doth his Horse in the Plain without stumbling c. Isa 63.13 c. not one Israelite being lost either young or old in this long Journey as not one Egyptian was saved c. They were all enabled to travel through the Sea which waited so long upon them with its two Wills as Elijab was enabled to foot it so fast as to keep Pace with Ahab's swift Chariots 1 King 18. last and that promise was made good to them They shall run and not be weary walk and not faint Isa 40.31 4. Israel's Deliverance was as miraculous in respect of the means First God's Rod was the outward means or Instrument for dividing the Sea There is the Rod of God's Mouth Isa 11.4 and the Rod of God's Hand Isa 10.5 for correction in order to Instruction or Destruction but this was the Rod of his Power lifted up here Moses's Rod will do nothing unless it be God's Rod also The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon works wonders together The Arteries run along with the Veins as some say thoughout the Body animating the blood with spirits Thus the Spirit with the Word works wonderfully Acts 14.3 Luke 5.17 The Waters felt the Rod of God's Power striking them and at that Rebuke they fled away like persons dreadfully affrighted Psal 114.3 Hab. 3.8 15. tho' that stroke was not from anger to the Sea but from favour to Israel N.B. If it ran back at God's Rebuke dare we run on in sin when rebuked Secondly Israel's Faith was the Inward Means whereby they passed safe through the Sea Heb. 11.19 Every step they took from side to side in the Red Sea was an exercise of their Faith which was most eminently seated in Moses yet was there the concurrence of the Faith of Israel tho' there were many unbelievers among them 1 Cor. 10. v. 5 9. and all
Jews because of the commonness of entertainment But had she now been a known Harlot those two good Men the two Spies would not have adventured their Lives in Lodging with her lest some of her Gallants might do them mischief much less would Salmon that Prince of Judah have married an infamous Strumpet for his Wife and Princess as he did Math. 1.5 and least of all would the Redeemer of the World our Lord Jesus have descended from her as he did in that Genealogy 'T is true the Jews judged the hardlier of her because she kept a publick House of Hospitality yet had no Husband for she contracted with those two Spies for saving the lives of her Father Mother Brothers Sisters and Kindred but no mention is made of any Husband she had Josh 2.13 In a word whatever she had been before she was now become a Woman famous for Piety and eminent both for her Faith Hebr. 11.31 and for her works Jam. 2.25 For 1. She had a stronger Faith tho' but an Hostess in Jericho than six hundred thousand Men of Israel had who had seen the Wonders of the Lord wrought for them both in Egypt and in the Wilderness yet stagger'd they at Gods promise and more at the performance of his promise Whereas she upon a bare Hear-say and Report of those miraculous miracles for Israel believed in God Josh 2.9 She acted Faith in hiding the Spies Heb. 11.31 And so 2. became eminent for her works also not only in entertaining those Spies as Gods Angels for so the word is Jam. 2.25 and sent them safe away c. Had she only said to those Spies I do believe the God of Heaven and Earth hath given you this whole Land for your possession c. Yet dare I not shew you any Kindness in this City lest I betray my own Life in betraying my King and Country c. then had her Faith been a dead Faith but her Faith prevailed to works as James sheweth From hence may be inferred that Inn-Keepers and Victuallers may be good themselves tho' their Employs do daily expose them to manifold Evils tho' it be a Trade made up of many Temptations yet is it a Calling both lawful and necessary especially in Cities that are populous where there are many both Gentlemen and Tradesmen that cannot be House-keepers beside strangers and travellers c. Here Rahab teacheth them How they may be good Persons in suspicious and tempting if not bad Employments She renounceth her Paganism believeth in the God of Israel both as to his Divine promises to the Holy Israelites and his Divine Threatnings to the wicked Canaanites She useth Religious and Savoury discourse to her Guests obligeth Joshua to be her Friend by making much of Joshua's Messengers entertaining them as Angels c. I wish all Keepers of publick Houses would learn from this Hostess to oblige Jesus our Joshua that he may be their Friend by an amicable entertainment of his Messengers or Ministers Such Houses are worthy of them â—â—th 10.19 13. The second Remark is upon the Means she made use of in order to deliver the Spies from their danger of the Kings Pursevants It is said That she took the Spies upon the Alarm of their being discovered and hid them or Hebr. hid him that is hid each of them apart lest the Bulk of both their Bodies together laying under the Line-stalks which she dried in the Sun upon the Roof of her House should be easilier discerned by the Searchers who notwithstanding were over-ruled by providence never to attempt the searching of her House for them but were left to their own fond credulity to believe they were run away as she suggested to the King's Messengers and to pursue them vers 4 5 6 7. Some indeed would excuse Rahab and justify the means she used for saving the Spies judging she might have other guests in her Inn that night who were really gone away as she told the Kings Messengers so spoke her words in truth as to them c. But the truth is her whole speech was a continual Equivocation containing no fewer than four Masked Lies all uttered at one breath in the Branches of it and the best that can be made of her Answer to the King's Officers amounts only to an officious Lie Indeed at the first she made an ingenuous Confession that some Guests did come to her House whom she could not but look upon as honest Men therefore ought not be blamed for so doing seeing it was her way of livelihood Probably those Guests were observed to take up their lodging at Rahab's House by the Watch of the City-gate so she out of Policy freely acknowledged what could not possibly be denied designing to pain the better credit with those Sergeants that examin'd her in her following plausible and politick discourses wherewith she effectually diverted them from searching her House First Object If so much Sin was found in this Action of Rahab why is it so honourably mentioned in Scripture as a praise worthy Action Answer 1. to shew the mercy of God and the method of his mercy towards his chosen and called Ones in whom he findeth Truth and Sincerity for the main God hideth his Eyes from beholding evil circumstances in the good Actions of his Servants Rahab's Action herein is twice commended by God in his word Heb. 11.31 and Jam. 2.15 yet maketh he no mention at all of her beguiling or guileful Equivocations in either of those two Scriptures as the Limner that drew Alexander's picture who had a Scar upon his Face did cover the Scar with his Finger and so drew him as if he had no Scar So God as it were layeth the Finger of his Mercy upon the Scar of Rahab's frailty and thereby hideth it in both Scriptures above-quoted The like God doth for Sarah 1 Pet. 3.6 even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord the place alluded to is Gen. 18.12 where Sarah's whole sentence was full of Unbelief and there was but one good word in the whole which was that of Lord denoting her due Respect and Reverence to her Husband and that alone the Spirit of God taketh notice of The like is likewise done to Job Jam. 5.11 Ye have heard of the Patience of Job not at all mentioning any of his Murmurings or Impatiency in cursing the Day of his Birth c. Thus God Acts contrary to the wicked World which over-looks the good in Gods Servants and pitches only on their failings Second Answer Rahab was a a poor Ignorant Pagan and had as yet learnt no better Lessons but to look upon officious Lies as but a Light trivial matter yea Augustin himself saith That to make an officious Lie to be a downright Sin hath even wearied learned Men See more of this point in the first Volume upon the Midwives to Pharaoh Exod. 1.19 If Jacob himself told three Lies to his Father Gen. 27. c. What could better be expected from Rahab now but a New-Convert
this must require three or four Months for his Hair to grow again to its former length and thickness after it was clip'd off or shaven by Delilah's Barber N. B. The Third Reason is Samson must have some such time wherein to be throughly humbled for his heinous sins to renew his Unfeigned Repentance in accepting the Punishment of his iniquity Levit. 26.41 and to reinstate himself into his Vow of Nazariteship which he had so brutishly broken as was allowed for Nazarites to do Numb 6.9 c. but above all wherein to be reconciled to God and to recover his Favour which he had notoriously forfeited Now this must require some considerable time to be done in for 't is God's ordinary Method that there shall be some proportion betwixt Man's Sinning and Man's Sorrowing as Manasseh had sinned greatly in Defying of God in destroying and murdering of Men and in Deifying and Worshipping of Devils therefore must he sorrow greatly 2 Chron. 33.12 So Samson had a long time in Sinning greatly accordingly he must have a long time in Suffering and Sorrowing greatly as no doubt but he did for the loss of his Eyes and not only for that but also for his being fettered with Fetters of Iron which he was now too weak to break and which reminded him how he had suffered himself to be bound with the Green Withes of Sensual Pleasure but above all for his working like an Horse in the Mill for three or four Months together under the Philistines Lashes all this made him a praying ver 28. and a believing Penitent Hebr. 11.32 and beloved of God again after all The Second Circumstance is The place where Samson Died which was in Dagon's Temple great preparations were undoubtedly made in this three or four Months time to Celebrate this Customary Annual Feast and that with more splendid Solemnity because both Princes and People were now to offer a great Sacrifice to Dagon their God and to Rejoice together in their Praises to the Idol for delivering up their great Enemy Samson into their hands ver 23.24 N. B. This Dagon is supposed to be Triton one of the Pagan Sea-Gods with Neptune whose upper part was like a Man and whose lower part was like a Fish whence there is mention made of Dagon's Hands but none of his Feet 1 Sam. 5.4 and yet the Idol was call'd Dagon of Dag which signifies a Fish in the Hebrew Language because the Philistines lived upon the Sea Coast and not far from Egypt where some of their Gods were Worshiped in the form of Fishes they likewise must have a Sea-Idol whom they now met together in a Prodigious Assembly to Adore for this singular Favour in the Temple which they had Consecrated for his Worship The Third Circumstance is The Manner how Samson Died wherein those Particulars may be observed As First Samson is sent for after they had Feasted themselves to the full to make them Merry ver 25. this was done both Actively by putting upon him some Ridiculous Attire and Actions that he might act like a Natural Fool for their Sport and Pastime and Passively by making him the Subject of their Scorn and Laughter pointing the Finger each one at him saying Behold the Blind Fool what fine Sport he maketh us All which he patiently endured wherein he was a Type of Christ whom his Enemies made the Subject of their Scorn and Malice Matth 26.67 68. and 27.29 David complains he was the Song of the Drunkards Psal 69.12 N. B. 'T is a Wonder how such a Generous Soul as Samson was could submit to be their Fool in the Play and did not rather destroy himself as Cleopatra did her self from the greatness of her Spirit disdaining to be derided when she was to be led in Triumph by the Romans c. N. B. But we may well suppose that Samson here did not altogether unwillingly commit some mistakes in his acting the part of a Fool because he was Blind but might willingly also act some Foolish Actions to make them as blind as himself that they might not either discover or suspect his intended design they set him between the Pillars where he might best be seen of all but surely God had his Holy Hand in it for a farther Mischief to the Philistines so it much promoted Samson's private Project of bringing as we say an Old House over their Heads while he lull'd them asleep by his Complaisant Diversions between the Pillars whereby he prepared a way to his own intended design for their Destruction Secondly Observe Samson being placed between the two Main Pillars whereon the Temple stood though there might be many other lesser Pillars beside by the Lords of the Philistines themselves He now desires the Boy that led him as a Blind Man to put him in such a posture that he might reach both the Pillars with his hands spread abroad ver 26. pretending only that he might lean upon them having many Causes of much weariness not only by his continual grinding in the Prison-Mill and by their violent haling him in all haste beyond his usual pace to come and become a Pastime to them but also by his standing there to make them Sport a Work his Noble Mind must soon be weary of N. B. Nor may we wonder either First That Samson knew those two Pillars did bear up this Temple for he might before this have seen it so with his Eyes or heard it by the Relation of others Or Secondly That such a Malapert piece as this Philistine Boy that led him should not saucily scorn his Motion while the Lords looked upon him but so willingly complys and gratifies his Request this surely was from God who has all Hearts in his Hands Thirdly Observe Samson being sensible there were about Three Thousand Philistines got together within this House to Worship their Idol and to make a Mock of himself ver 27. as he leaned on the Pillars so he leaned upon the Lord also Prov. 3.5 and not upon hiâ— Hair new grown therefore prays God to give him new strength once more c. ver 28. which doubtless was a Prayer of Faith and the fruit of his true Repentance wherein he doth not seek Revenge as a private Person but as a publick Judge upon God's Enemies now Worshipping Dagon and Worrying himself N. B. Then God that hears not sinners Joh. 9.31 heard him and gratified him in the Effect Fourthly Observe Samson bowed himself with all his Might pull'd down the two Pillars and the House withal whereby all in it both Lords and Losels perished together and himself with them ver 29.30 Slaying more at his Death than he had done in his Life wherein he was a Type of Christ also Hebr. 2.14 Nor may we look upon Samson here as a Self-Murderer because he acted herein by an extraordinary Instinct of God's Holy Spirit that moved him to pray thus and from his fervent Zeal to become a Sacrifice for publick good next to God's greater Glory
three ways to spoil the Countrey v. 17 18. it seems not only Saul's Army which he summon'd in by sound of Trumpet v. 3. but also the Three Thousand for his and his Son's Life-guard v. 2. did all shrink away save these Six Hundred when they saw Samuel desert Saul in so high Displeasure and Saul hastening after him from Gilgal to Gibeah v. 15 16. hoping still and hanging upon him for some assistance from him N. B. Secondly In their want of Smiths to furnish them with Arms v. 19. this was the crafty Policy of those Tyrannical Philistines not only to take away all the old Arms of the Subdued Israelites but all their Artisicers also that should have made them new Arms lest they should Rebel with them The Caldeans did the like to Israel afterwards 2 Kings 24.14 to prevent Rebellion Thirdly In the want of all Instruments even for their Husbandry v. 20 21. nothing being allowed but the File and though they had divers Tools for Tillage yet were they so blunt that they were unfit for War as sometime had been used Judg. 3.31 and 5.8 c. and to be sure the Philistines Foges would not sharpen them for any such use much less furnish them with Instruments for Battle N. B. 'T is sad with the Protestant Church when we must go down to Popish Powers to sharpen our Tools for God's Husbandry c. Mark likewise There was such a want of Arms that no Weapon of War was in any hand but in Saul's and Jonathan's v. 22. the Six Hundred Men were Weaponless N. B. All which shews into what Slavery God's People may be plunged by being the Slaves of sin c. CHAP. XIV CHapter the Fourteenth holds forth 1. The Wonderful Victory God graciously granted to Israel by Jonathan in this very low condition as above And 2. Saul's Rashness in imposing an Oath whereby he not only prevented a compleating of that Glorious Conquest but also proclaimed his own Hypocrisie which till then laid lurking in his Bosome The First Remark upon the first part is The Noble and Resolute Undertaking of Jonathan in adventuring to wage War against the numberless Number of the Enemies Army with the Assistance only of his own Armour-Bearer from v. 1. to v. 17. N. B. Saul had dishonoured God as well as displeased Samuel and brought Israel into a desperate Estate now God comes to Honour Jonathan his Son by bestowing upon him a special Instinct of his Spirit and an extraordinary strong actuated Faith founded upon those Divine Promises of One chasing a Thousand c. Deut. 28.7 and 32.10 and possibly this good Son of a bad Father might act Faith upon that Promise God gave to Samuel I will send thee a Man that shall save Israel from the Philistines chap. 9.16 These were Jonathan's Encouragements for so daring an Adventure and indeed the right grounds of all true Valour and Magnanimity N. B. Should we reckon only by the Rules of common Reason this Attempt of Jonathan's would be judged a Fool-hardy Enterprize therefore 't is judged to be the force of his Faith and that which was corroborated by his former experience in Conquering a Garrison of the Philistines without his Father's Assistance chap. 13.3 and hereupon he acquaints not Saul though he was his Father King and General with his present design v. 2. lest he should have hindered him from it unto which he had an extraordinary Call from God to undertake as appeared by God's so signally owning him with Success He well knew his Timerous Father would call him a Temerarious Son c. N. B. Manlius Torquatus's Son lost his Life for Conquering his Foes without his General 's Order to fight though his own Father was the General c. N. B. Though Jonathan durst not acquaint his Father who was above him yet did he his Squire who was under him and he proved an Obsequious Servant resigning up his Will into the Will of his Master when he took in the real Impressions of his Master 's Religious Arguments saying to him Come let us go up to this Garrison of the Vncircumcised So he call'd them to strengthen his own Faith and the Faith of his Servant they are not in Covenant with God as we are so can have neither Hope in God nor Help from God as we may It may be the Lord will work for us which were not words of doubting the thing for he was assured by God's Promise that he would save his People and he felt himself stirred up by God's Spirit to this Exploit yet was not certain that God would do it at this time and in this way and by this means N. B. In all which he sedately submitteth to the Holy Will and Wisdom of God and yet his Faith was above his Fear believing There was no restraint with God to save by few or by many v. 6. Good Jonathan had learnt this Lesson from the experience of Gideon where God said The People are yet too many and used only Three Hundred Men and those Armed only with Trumpets Lamps and Pitchers Judg. 7.4 c. He knew what Shamgar alone did against the Philistines with an Oxe-Goad or a Plough-share Judg. 3.31 and what a Glorious Victory Samson alone had obtained with no other Weapon but the Jaw-bone of an Ass Judg. 15.15 yea and Deborah had done mighty things when Israel were almost as badly Armed as they were at this time Judg. 5.8 yea and that late famous Victory obtained by Samuel was not got by the strong Forces of Men but by the Thunderings of the great God 1 Sam. 7.10 God orders it so that through weaker means Men may see his greater strength the less of Man the more of God c. The Second Remark is Jonathan's putting into practice his designed though difficult Undertaking no sooner had he satisfied his Servant v. 7. who faithfully assured him he was resolv'd to live and die with his Master and embark himself in the same bottom with him then Jonathan having got Assurance of his Servants Assistance wants still some more Assurance of his God's Assistance also for though he had a General Promise of Victory yet wanted he a particular promise thereof and therefore he said only It may be the Lord will help us N. B. Hereupon for the farther fortifying of his Faith he begs a Sign from God which was when we shew our selves if they say Tarry till we come to you then we will proceed no farther but if they say Come up unto us Then the Lord hath delivered them into our hands which latter the Lord ordered as an Answer to his Prayer v. 8 9 10 11 12 13. N. B. Such extraordinary Impulses of God's Spirit for asking a Sign had been before now as in Eleazar Abraham's Servant Gen. 24 13 c. and in Gideon Judg. 6.37 c. which are no Presidents for us for we have the word written for our Rule which they wanted So Jonathan here by the Instinct of
upon him but he would accept a little of the best where better and more could not be expected from so mean a Man seeing Jacob long before him thought a little of the best sent to the Lord of the Land of Egypt would be acceptable to him Gen. 43.11 c. 'T is well known how that great King Artaxerxes did with a most grateful mind accept of an handful of Water hal'd hastily out of the River by a Rustick who had no better to bring him 4. Consider how â—aul so accepted of both the Present and of the Person that brought it insomuch that he conferr'd upon him a double Court-Office constituting David to be both the King's Musician and the King's Armour bearer v. 21. not judging the former Office to be Honour enough to him whom he so greatly loved but alas Saul's Love to David was too hot now to hold long 5. Consider Though Saul sent to Jesse that he would suffer his Son to continue in the King's Service v. 22. yet this lofty Kindness lasted not long for David was dismissed from the Court by Saul upon some occasion not mentioned N. B. Some conjecture that it was when Saul saw himself salved of his Melancholy by David's Musick so having no farther need of him he sent him home to comfort his kind Father with whom he had abode some considerable time before the War with the Philistines happened which is described in the next Chapter where David was unknown to Saul and Abner v. 55. for a little time might make a great change in a growing Youth especially coming after some distance of time not in the Garb of a Courtier but in the Habit of a Shepherd this seems a safer Sentiment than to admit of a transposition in Scripture which some say is of dangerous consequence but more of that in its proper place However almost all Expositors concur that David was sent from his Court-Life to his Countrey-Life Et magis Caulam quam Aulam diligebat He loved his Hook the better after he had been at and seen the Court where high Seats are very slippery and a vain thing to trust in Princes Psal 118.9 and 146.3 Better love little and love long c. 6. Saul loved David greatly for curing and procuring some lucid Intervals to his Melancholy by his Musick v. 23. which was not only an Ordinary effect as that on Elisha when discompos'd by the presence of a wicked Prince 2 Kings 3.14 15. but Extraordinary able to Master Saul's Devil by the Spirit of God which came upon David after his Unction and put him upon singing Psalms to his Harp as Josephus saith whereby Saul's Evil Spirit was Charmed N. B. This Effect was doubtless Supernatural respecting David whom God design'd by this means to bring into favour with King and Court and thereby smooth a way to future advancement yet this was only an intermission of Fits 'T was Fasting and Prayer that would have wrought a perfect Cure had Samuel been sent for as well as David Matth. 17.21 CHAP. XVII CHapter the Seventeenth is a Narrative of David's Duel with Goliah wherein likewise the Antecedents the Concomitants and the Consequents fall under Observation Remarks upon the Antecedents which is the first of this Chapter are as followeth The First is The Introduction of this signal Duel which was The Philistines wage a new and another War against Israel v. 1. to revenge their former great and shameful Deseat by the Valour of Jonathan and his Armour-bearer only chap. 14. at large and now their Lands were possessed by the Israelites whom they had heretofore often beaten in many former Battels N. B. Here was occasion enough of a new War and they had new Encouragements to this present undertaking namely First They heard of a breach between Saul and Samuel whose Piety and Prayers had been sometimes dreadful and hurtful to them and therefore now they need not fear Samuel who had forsaken Saul And Secondly They heard likewise that Saul was fallen into such Frantick Fits as did render him unable to head or lead an Army And Thirdly Above all though they had been basely Cowed with their former Discomfitures yet now they found Courage unanimously recovered in them to undertake this Expedition which God purposely gave them at this time for the Accomplishment of his own Glorious Ends. N. B. The time when the Philistines made this Invasion into the Land of Israel was after they had got those aforesaid Encouragements and as Dr. Lightfoot well observes David went from Harping to Saul when Saul went to this very War as is intimated v. 15. here And Josephus saith That in the commencing of this War Saul gave David his Dismission either as having no need of him at this juncture being well compos'd in mind or as tendring the Comfort of his Aged Father to whom he had sent for him at his need and who had now furnish'd him with three other of his Sons for Sodiers The Second Remark is The Philistines Champion that made the Challenge to the whole Army of Israel to a Monomachy or Duel v. 4. to v. 12. No sooner was the Army of Israel pitched upon one Mountain to oppose the Army of the Philistines that were pitched upon the other Mountain over against them having a Valley between them v. 2 3. but out comes Goliah that Monster of Mankind and who as some suppose was the Philistines General and offers a shorter way of deciding the Controversie about Soveraignty saying we face one another only with our Armies but fight none let the Dominion be determined by a Duel wherein less Blood shall be shed and the decision sooner done if I Conquer my Antagonist then the Dominion over you shall be ours but if I be Conquered on whom all my Nation leaneth and layeth their whole weight then are we content to become your Subjects c. N. B. Note well This Vncircumcised Philistine was the first Challenger to a Duel we find upon Record 'T is a shame so many that profess Christianity should dare to make him their Pattern for their desperate practice of Duelling and meerly upon pretended points of Honour The Holy Patriarchs are better Patterns whose Footsteps we should follow who through Faith and Patience do inherit the Promises Hebr. 6.12 This proud Challenger is described First By his Name Countrey and Stature v. 4. to be higher by a Yard and a Span than any ordinary Man a Mighty Monstrous Man of the Race of the Rephaims who were beaten out of Hebron by Joshua Josh 11.22 and now seated themselves about Gath of the Philistines Grotius and the Vulgar Latin reads the Hebr. Habbenaim a Bastard Josephus thinks that the old Gyants were the Devil's Brats begot by those Devils call'd commonly Incubi ab Incumbendo from their laying with Women in Gendring-work Secondly By his Helmet Coat of Maile Target and Leg-Harness c. v. 5 6. All Accoutrements of War suitable to his most Bulky Body the weight of
what he denies when pleased N. B. It seems the Lord in answer to David's prayers dropped down some assureance that his Child was saved and therefore he saith I must go to him not only with my Body into the Grave but also with my Soul into Heaven c. Mark Seventhly The mitigation of David's punishment v. 24 25. wherein First He comforted Bathsheba with the comforts wherewith God had comforted him 2 Cor. 1.4 to wit by telling her that the Child was saved Secondly Moreover God comforted David by making up his loss of a dead Child with the birth of a Wise Solomon born of Bathsheba of whom David had all his Best Sons because they were the fruit of their Parents solemn humiliation Thirdly Nathan who was sent to humble David is now sent to comfort him and to become Tutor to Solomon who must live tho' that in Adultery did dye now David signifying only beloved he hath a Son Jedediah signifying the beloved of the Lord. The last Remark upon this twelfth Chapter is the taking of Rabbah the Metropolis of the Ammonites from v. 26. to the end First in part then the whole c. Mark First Here Joab had laid close Siege to this strong City about Twelve months and now had taken that part of the City where the Royal Palace stood the place of the King's residence which was surrounded with water both for defence and for delight the whole City probably was supplied by Conduit-pipes from hence which therefore Joab the General took care to cut off v. 26 27. Mark Secondly When General Joab saw the City could not long hold out now for want of water he sends for David in all haste that he might have the glory of the Victory v. 28 29. This was a most generous act of General Joab In other of his Conquests he Conquered others only but in this act he Conquered himself to let the honour of all redound to David who had by his sin retarded his success for so many Months N. B. Learn we from Joab these two good Lessons the first is when in our Spiritual Warfare we would Conquer any Corruption we must cut off those Conduit-pipes of water that keep them alive c. The second is when through Grace we have Conquered any Corruption and mortified it by the Spirit Rom. 8.13 let Christ our Spiritual David have the whole glory of the Conquest as the Disciples did Acts 3.12 16. Mark Thirdly David hastens with an Additional Army having now as some suppose made his peace with God whereas while he lay in his sin he durst not look an Enemy in the face takes the City and the King's Crown from off his head which weighed a Talent of Gold c. and setteth it upon his own head v. 30. N. B. Yet the Crown of Glory laid up for David now reconciled to God is far more weighty 2 Cor. 4.17 and enambled with more precious Pearls Mark Fourthly He put the People to most barbarous torments for abusing his Embassadors v. 31. whom he tore in pieces with Saws and Harrows or burnt them in the Furnace of Moloch where they had burnt their own Children This Cruelty makes that Opinion more probable that David had not yet recover'd his mild temper and former tenderness toward Saul and others his heart was yet hardened with impenitency and he had not yet recovered the Spirit of Grace which would have taught him more Mercy and Moderation so there is a transposition of the Story c. N. B. If the Ammonites were so severely punished for abusing David's Embassadors Oh what severity may they expect that abuse the Embassadors of Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 God will strike through their loynes Deut. 33.11 never any such prospered Job 9.4 c. 2 Sam. CHAP. XIII THIS Chapter gives a Narrative how God's Justice which seemed to sleep a while after the death of the Child begotten in Adultery now awakeneth and shews it self in the Temporal punishments of David's foul offences of his Adultery and Murther retaliated upon him by the Adultery and Murther of his Eldest Son Amnon First in General Remarks are First The Lex talionis Divine Justice observed here in Writing David's Sin upon his Punishment As David had committed Adultery made Vriah drunk and then murthered him so his Eldest Son Amnon committed Incest is made drunk by Absolon and then is murthered Remark the Second From the general prospect of this Chapter Lavater noteth excellently from those three Names here mentioned Amnon signifies Stable and Faithful Tamar the Palm-Tree and Absolon his Father's peace but not one of them answered their own Names nisi per Antiphrasin unless by contraries Fallitur Augurio spes bona saepe suo Names and Natures do not always agree Now to the particular parts of this Chapter and first the Adultery or Incest of Amnon the Remarks are First The Agent was Amnon David's first born Chap. 3.2 who lusted after his Sister a Virgin so violently that he fell sick upon it because he could not accomplish his lustful desires v. 1 2. N. B. The reason of his sickness is rendred by some to be this The Affections are placed in the grossest part of Man's mind which hath the greatest affinity with the Body and thence it is that the vehemency of the Affections both those call'd Irascible and those call'd Concupiscible in Philosophy do so powerfully produce strange Distempers in the Body The Second Remark is The Patient Tamar a fair Woman whose Beauty was the bait of Amnon's Lust yet his Sister by the Father's side tho' Absolom's Sister both by Father and Mother Chap. 3.3 This Daughter of David and for any thing we find to the contrary the King 's only Daughter and being a Beautiful Virgin was strictly kept in from gadding abroad lest Dinah's danger Gen. 34. should thereby entangle her No doubt but this precious Jewel this sparkling Diamond David's dearest Darling went always well attended when her occasions call'd her from home This daily diligence of guarding her made Amnon despair of satisfying his lustful desires and therefore lay he down broyling upon the Gridiron of his own unbridled Concupiscence The Third Remark is The Instrument used for Amnon's ease v. 3 4 5. Satan soon found him out a Broker to bring him out of his Mulligrubs namely his Cousin Jonadab of a Serpentine subtilty so a fitter tool for that old Serpent the Devil to work with He being Ingeniose Nequam Wittily Wicked pumps out of Amnon the cause of his paleness and drooping so unlike a King's Son who well cannot have discontent saying Wil t thou not tell me thy Friend who can both keep Counsel and give Counsel Amnon answers I love Tamar my Brother Absolon's Sister he saith not my Sister for shame as he did after to David for obtaining his ends without suspicion v. 6. but here minces the matter of love to an half Sister now Jonadab gives his pestilent Advice A Friend and no Friend had he
Coasts But the Effects of this Royal and Godly Message were twofold for first many of the Ten Tribes Mocked the Messengers They had so long wanted the Meat of God's Ordinances that the generality of them had quite lost their Appetites thereunto they looked upon Religion as so light and frivolous a matter as to laugh those to scorn for so many Fools that stirr'd a foot out of their own Country upon that Account Thus prophane were they become to contemn the Worship of God N. B. 'T is a sad Symptom of a coming common Calamity when Religion is become a Matter not of Form only but of Scorn also Nor was this all if Josephus may be trusted for Truth who says Those Scoffing Israelites did not only Scorn but also Slew the Messengers that Invited them yea and the Prophets too that exhorted them to go up to the Passover at Jerusalem in defiance of Hezekiah's Authority because they lived out of his Dominions However they did thus Ripen fast and became Ready for that Ruine which came upon them a few Years after for this offer of Grace was in the first Year of Hezekiah and about five Years after this they were all carried away Captive in the sixth Year of Hezekiah 2 Kin. 18.10 11. Remark the Fourth But the King's Call and Invitation had a contrary and a more blessed Influence upon others of the Israelites for divers of Asher Manasseh and Zebulon Humbled themselves under the sense of their Sins and were more easily drawn to Jerusalem the place where they hoped to find Mercy And according to the Judgments of some Learned Men they did find so much Mercy with the Lord at the Celebration of this Solemn Passoever that the Lord hid them when the rest of the Scorners were all carry'd away Captive However preserved they were if not from the Common Destruction yet from the Common Distraction for God will save the Humble Person Job 22.9 Zeph. 2.3 but the Grace of God did more powerfully operate in Judah than in Israel ver 12. inclining their hearts to an unanimous Complyance to God's and the King's Call Oh how well is God called the Father of Spirits Heb. 12.9 who holds the Spirits of all Mortals in his own hand and turns them which way he pleaseth 'T is said the Lord stirred up the Spirits of Pul and Tilgath-Pileser c. 1 Chron. 5.26 and what a strange Change was wrought here in the Men of Judah's Spirits who so lately had universally complyed with the Idolatrous Orders of Impious Ahaz and now are made as mad and forward for God as ever they had been against him like Paul Acts 26.11 2 Cor. 5.13 Remark the Fifth The Time appointed for this Passover was the second Month ver 2 13 15. which was point blank against the Law of Moses requiring it to be kept in the first Month Exod. 12.2 6. but the Law of Necessity saith Piscator in Cases extraordinary did justifie this Act out of it's appointed Time as it had done before with God's Allowance Numb 9.10 11. The Impediments here saith Osiander were not unlike the Impediments there where the Divine Dispensation was granted for to keep the Passover in the first Month at this Time according to God's first Law was impracticable yea impossible now upon a threefold Account N. B. First The Temple was not purified before the fourteenth Day of the first Month was past seeing they were sixteen Days in cleansing it 2 Chron. 29.3 17. and till it was duely cleansed the Feast of unleavened Bread could not be kept in it Secondly A competent number of Priests could not be got prepared for so solemn a Festival against the first Month for 't is said The Priests were but few and not so forward and free-hearied as the Levites 2 Chron. 29.34 and here 't is said The Priests were not sufficiently sanctified ver 3. for so solemn a service so soon Thirdly Another hinderance from keeping the Passover in the first Month was because the People could not so soon be assembled for its Celebration ver 3. for they could not be summoned until the Temple was purged The Second Part of this Chapter is the observance of this Sacred Service so acceptable to the Lord. Remark the First The Actions of the People both coming up to Jerusalem in a prodigious concourse brought thither by the Holy Hand of Almighty God ver 12 13.53.1 it was a Day of God's Power which made them such a willing People Psalm 110.3 and so forth-bearing they were that the Priests and Levites were ashamed ver 15. and well they might saith Vatablus because they saw their own former backwardness to such a blessed Business Chap. 29.34 now so notoriously upbraided by the forwardness of the Common People nor was this all that was notable in them but the People likewise arose which Vatablus saith signifi'd their Alacrity and broke down all the Altars which Ahaz had erected in the Temple unto his Idols ver 14. Whereas God had but one Altar Baal had many in every Street of the City Jer. 11.13 Remark the Second The Actions of the Priests and Levites 1. 'T is said Then they killed the Passover ver 15. namely when all the Baggage and broken Altars of Idolatry were first cast into the Brook Kidron N. B. Oh that we could do so and then come clean to the Lord's Supper 2 Cor. 5.7 8. 2. The Levites held the Bason to receive the Blood of the Sacrifice and then the Priests sprinkl'd it ver 16. as a Type of that Blood of sprinkling that speaks better things Heb. 12.24 3. They supplied the defects of the unclean ver 17. by sanctifying those that came unsanctified having more of desire to partake of the Passover than they had of Diligence to prepare for it either through want of due time beforehand saith Osiander for the thing was done suddenly Chap. 29.36 or it was for want of due Instruction c. and this Work of sanctifying the unclean that God's Passover might not be polluted by the unprepared is Attributed here to the Levites because they were more upright in Heart to sanctifie themselves than the Priests Chap. 29.34 therefore the Levites did stay the Sacrifice fley it and lay it by piece-meal upon the Altar and offered it up to God for sanctifying the unclean which was a Work proper to the Priests but that they had not sanctified themselves sufficiently ver 3. here and again a great number of Priests sanctified themselves ver 24. having then both more Time and farther need to do so saith Vatablus being ashamed to come behind all whose place was to go before all c. Remark the Third The Actions of the King praying for the unclean ver 18 19. Mark 1. The occasion of his Prayer was many of the ten Tribes who had been a long time without God without Law and without a teaching Priest 2 Chron. 15.3 came rudely and irreverently to the Passover for which they some way or
her Life went like a Dagger to his Heart and she backs her prudent Petition with this Confirmation ver 4. saying 1. All our lives are sold by the Craft and Cruelty of that Man who offer'd ten thousand Talents to purchase our Destruction without any Exception of my own Person and she 2. Relates the very Words of that cruel Decree to make the King more sensible how Haman had supplanted him and what he had by Haman's wiles consented to And 3. She saith Had we been â—â—ld into Bondage only I had been Silent tho all Haman is worth cannot countervail the King's Damage thereby for then saith Osiander the King must lose his Queen whom he loveth but if all the Jews be slaughtered not only the Queen must lose her Life but also the King will lose an ineffable Tribute from that painful People Such variety of Arguments and cogent Expressions Esther here useth to make the deeper Impression upon the King's Mind Remark the Third Esther's Oration so incensed the King that from an enraged Mind he doubled his words Vaiomer Vaiomer Hebr. He Said and he Said ver 5. Who is that Sirrah and where is that Sirrah he that durst presume in his heart to do so It seems saith a Learned Expositor that the King did not yet by all Esther's Aggravations understand whom she meant so high an opinion he had of his Right Bye Haman Therefore not thinking this Presumer was so near at hand he hastily asks Esther c. Esther hereupon points him out as the Enemy present and points him out in his proper Colours ver 6. not at all fearing the Face of Haughty Haman then present saith Bonartius When she had found a fit season that God had put into her hands she takes hold of the opportunity strikes while the Iron was Hot and with great Courage calls Haman a Man made up of Mischief no word could she find bad enough for him unless it were Harang Hebr. which signifies the Naughtiest of all Naughts c. That she should speak thus to the King and of his so great Favourite too and that before Haman's very Face must undoubtedly be the work of her Faith and the fruit of her Fasting and Prayer c. Remark the Fourth The Effects of Esther's Oration 1. Upon Haman who being convinced in his own conscience that the Queen's Accusation was all true and that the King was conscious how Treacherous he had been in his greatest Trust this not only Muzzl'd his Mouth so that he had nothing to say for himself but also confounded his Mind ver 6. even at the Banquet whereof he had so boasted Chap. 5.12 This foul Storm fell upon him when he had promis'd to himself one of the fairest Days he ever had This is the Portion of the Wicked in the fulness of their sufficiency to fall into Straits Job 20.22 2ly The Effects upon the King He rose up in a Rage and slings away in a Chafe ver 7. as not enduring saith Drusius to look upon such a cursed Catiff he was no longer able to abide the presence of such a pestilent Person c. The King takes a turn or two in the Garden partly to cool his inflamed Spirits partly to consider within himself how he had lost his Love upon so unworthy a Wretch in over-rashly trusting him with so much Power which he had most Treacherously Abused to the hazarding of the Queen's Life and the Lives of millions of his Innocent Subjects And partly to bethink himself not only of the Heinousness of Haman's Crime but also what Punishment to inflict upon so prodigious a Criminal Remark the Fifth Haman while the King had in his fury withdrawn himself Humbles himself before the Queen to make Request for his Life ver 7. observing the violent commotions of the King's Passions this put him into a dreadful consternation concluding his doom of Destruction was determin'd Hereupon he falls down at the Queen's Feet saith Vatablus and catches hold of the Queen's Knees saith Athanasius begging her with his utmost earnestness to Intercede for him to the King but Esther knew Haman too well to befriend him so far That Pious Queen was undoubtedly acquainted with what Solomon had said A Man that doth violence to the blood of any Person shall flee to the Pit let no Man stay him Prov. 28.17 and Esther not mediating for Mercy in his desperate Case may be justified from that of the Apostle Let him have Judgment without Mercy that hath shew'd no Mercy Jam. 2.13 hence she saith Let him lie for me and die according to his deserts c. N. B. The wonderful Whirling about of that greatest Wheel of Divine Providence and that all upon the sudden even in a moment here Behold yesterday haughty Haman the Highest of all the Princes next to the King himself is this day fallen down groveling upon the ground before the Queen whom he had designed for Death Behold here saith an Interpreter he that had been bowed unto by all Men is now upon his Knees before a Woman He that was a proud profess'd Enemy to all the Jews is here an humble Supplicant to one Jewess He that had contriv'd and determin'd the Death of that whole People is now earnestly begging for his own Life And he that had provided a Gallows to hang Mordecai upon it fears nothing more now than that himself should be hanged thereon He felt his own Gallows groaning for his own Carcass Remark the Sixth The King returns out of his Palace-Garden when these Passages aforesaid were transacting ver 8. He finds Haman in this posture of cleaving close unto the Queen's Knees upon the Banqueting Bed as her humble Supplicant The angry King was willing to misinterpret this Action and to take all at the worst N. B. How oft might Haman have done so and more while he was in favour without being censured Actions are not the same when the Man alters and under any Alienation of Affections The King saith now of this grand Favourite Will he force the Queen before my face c. This he said saith A. Lapide partly out of Passion and partly out of Jealousie for Persian Kings saith Bonartius were always Jealous concerning their Wives and would not suffer them to be seen of Strangers so Josephus and Plutarch affirm Grotius observes Tho' the King were unjust in thus judging amiss of Haman yet God was Righteous in measuring to him as he had measured to others in his slandering so many Innocents whom he design'd to destroy yea the Queen her self he would have forced out of her Life These angry words of the King was the Messenger of Death to Haman the Courtiers presently cover his Face that the King might no more be incensed with the sight of him saith Lyra. Remark the Seventh Haman's Condemnation ver 9. whereof the covering of his Head was the fore-running Sign Not a Man among all the Courtiers opens his mouth for Haman but all against him being
three following Maladies for so soon as Nehemiah returned he found all the Frame which he before his departure had framed to be run out of Frame and notoriously disjointed so falls afresh to Reform that as the Devil and his Instruments had notably bestirr'd themselves in hurling all into a Confusion and Deforming during his short absence what he had Reformed so he upon his return as notably bestirrs himself to Reform what they had Deformed Remark the Fourth Some good Souls to free themselves from the guilt of sinful Silence inform Nehemiah what Eliashib had done This they did not to Disgrace but to Reclaim him and not suffer Sin to lie upon him this is Hatred Levit. 19.17 This Information put the good Man into a Paroxysm ver 7 8. into a pang of Passion that so Sacred a Place should be Polluted by Tobiah one who in many respects ought not to come there 1. being no Preiest 2. but a Stranger and not so much as an Israelite 3. One of the worst of Strangers a cursed Ammonite and 4. the worst of Ammonites a cruel Enemy to God's Church No wonder if his Spirit was moved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as blessed Paul's was at the Idolatry of Athens Acts 17.16 seeing this Pollution was performed by the permission of the High-Priest himself who ought to have punish'd the like Prophaneness in others and to Reform it c. Remark the Fifth Hereupon this Holy Man casts forth Tobiah's Vnholy Houshold-stuff out of the Holy Place tho' his Stuff was Stately and so Copious as to furnish many little Chambers of the Levites the Partitions whereof were all pull'd down by Eliashib's order to make only an Apartment for his Alley Tobiah a Room capacious enough to receive his Rich Furniture yet out all goes by this good Man and when thaâ—â—as done the Levites must Purifie it according to the Law Numb 19.9 and then fill it again with such Sacred Stuff ver 9. as God had appointed N. B. Oh that we could learn by this Example to empty our hearts of Sin and being Purified get them fill'd with Grace Acts 15.9 The Second Part of this Chapter relateth likewise the Second Malady together with a Second Remedy ver 10 to 14. Remark the First Relating to the Malady to wit God's Ministers were defrauded of their due Maintenance allowed them by God's Law As the People had heard out of Moses's Law that no Ammonite must enter God's House c. ver 1. this had startl'd them about Tobiah's Entertainment c. so they had solemnly Sworn that the Levites Portions should be duly and truely paid lest the House of God should be forsaken by them Chap. 10.37 39. Now is Nehemiah as much startl'd to find them guilty of gross Perjury in detaining the Levites Dues and forcing them thereby to forsake the City and shift as they could in the Country N. B. Want of maintenance forceth Ministers to leave their Charges saith Wolphius and pick up a livelihood out of Rustick labours c. Remark the Second Many Conjectures are made why the Portions of the Levites were not paid as 1st The People would not pay them tho' they had lately sworn to do it because the High-Priest Eliashib was now corrupted and they might think he had corrupted the Levites under him Like Priest like Levite therefore they detain'd their Portions that they might not be maintain'd in their corrupt courses 2ly They saw that Eliashib took those Portions paid in as he had done the Levites Chambers and converted them to his own private Service employing them for the entertainment of Tobiah and his other great Allies 3ly Saith Wolphius they might be sensible that Tobiah himself or some of Tobiah's Servants made a Seisure on them for their own proper Service which was a prophaning of Sacred things and therefore they abhorred the Offerings of God as others had done upon the like occasion 1 Sam. 2.17 When the High-Priest was so bad they might well think that the Levites were little better if the Head of a Fish do stink the Body soon catcheth the putrefaction c. But 4ly It might be saith Wolphius from the Covetousness of the People who took this occasion of advantage to reserve those Portions to themselves contrary to their late Solemn Covenant Chap. 10.37 N. B. Oh how apt are Men to Argue God out of his own Dues and how witty will Persons be with Excuses to save their Purses Remark the Third Those Levites that were thus defrauded of their Dues were truly Religious for 't is expresly said ver 10. that they did their Work and therefore were worthy of their Wages N. B. Even of that double Honour due to them 1 Tim. 5.17 the Honour of Countenance and the Honour of Maintenance which the Magistrate must manage or Religion will run towards Ruine as it did here till Reformed c. Remarks relating to the Remedy are First Nehemiah's Expostulation with the Rulers ver 11. wherein he sharply Reproved them for their Remissness and setting loose the Golden Reins of Ruledom swaying the Sword of Justice in vain which Wolphius calleth the chief cause of all this culpable Miscarriage insomuch as their passive connivence at least suffer'd all this Sacrilege Nor did Nehemiah rest in Words only but he added Deeds also in collecting all the scatter'd Levites from their Country Glebes into Jerusalem that Gods Service might no longer be neglected and his displeasure provoked for breaking their Covenant Chap. 10.38 39. setting them all in their own Stations to exercise their Offices Remark the Second This Remedy removed the Remora's ver 12. for then all Judah brought in the Portions of the Levites not only because they now were satisfied that they would be applied to their proper Use and no more Abused by Eliashib c. as before but more especially from that Veneration they bare to their good Governour 's Authority N. B. Luther complaineth If there were no Compulsory means by the Authority of Magistrates for the maintenance of Ministers and were they barely left to the Peoples Benevolence they would meet with a sorry pittance and be but poorly maintain'd But here Nehemiah's Authority brought in all sorts of Tythes into a Publick Treasury v. 12. a Place purposely appointed saith Piscator for their Reception Remark the Third Moreover Nehemiah constituted such Treasurers as were accounted faithful by common Fame for no Man saith Grotius can Deceive all Men because he had found the former Trustees perfidious in their Trust but these faithful Men he was confident would make a due Distribution ver 13. N. B. 'T is a point of very high Honour to be found faithful in Places of great Trust Numb 12.7 2 Kin. 12.15 and 22.7 2 Chron. 19.9 and 31.12 and 34.11 Neh. 7.2 and 't is Honourable to be accounted Faithful as here and 1 Tim. 1.12 to be so is the duty of all Stewards 1 Cor. 4.2 And those Treasurers here dealt faithfully 1. In Receiving readily 2. In
in all His Imitable Excellencies Our suitable Holy practice is the bese sort of Preaching forth Christ's praise The Image of this our Dearest Friend should not only be Hung up in the Private Closets of our Hearts but also in the most Conspicuous places of our Lives This is to walk in Christ Col. 2.6 not daring to take so much as one step out of Him who is the way to walk in the Truth to walk with and the Life to walk by John 14.6 And this is to walk as he walked treading in and following his Holy footsteps If we abide in him 1 John 2.6 In this General Discourse upon the Life of Christ there be three things next to be Discussed The Caution Counsel and Comfort hereof First The Caution It may not be Imagined unnecessary to build some Battlements about this lofty structure to secure Children and Fools from Toppling and Tumbling over Know then that the Actions of Christ's Life are of three sorts 1. Miraculous 2. Moral And 3. Mediatory As to the First which were Miraculous They are not set down in Scripture as Actions Imitable by us poor Mortals for some of them were personal as of the World's Redeemer Thus was he born of a Virgin which we cannot be He suffered upon the Cross for the World's Ransom and for Sin 's Expiation which we cannot Do. Nor can we Rise again the third Day as He did for our Justification and Ascended Triumphingly into Heaven lead Captivity Captive c. wherein we cannot Immitate Christ Those and such like were our Redeemer's Personal Actions and peculiar only to him as Incommunicable to any other There be other Actions of Christ beside those Personal which are not only Praeter-natural but also Supernatural As were His Fasting Forty Days His Giving sight to the Blind Life to the Dead c. Now for any Mortal to presume an Imitation of Christ in the Former of these is no better than Blasphemy These were the proper Prerogatives of Christ's Person And for any man to strive as presuming to follow Him in the Latter which were all Miraculous is a mere Impossibility Christ did such works as never any Man did Joh. 9.32 Therefore we are no where bid to make a new World to walk on the Sea c. as he did Secondly Next to Christ's Miraculous both Personal and Supernatural are his Moral Actions to be considered And these we are to Imitate our Lord in He commands us to learn from him the right Practice of those two Twin-Sister-Graces of Meekness and Lowliness Mat. 11.29 and to follow his very footsteps in the practick part of his Holy Life Christ is the Head of the Church which is the Body Eph. 1.22 23. Now as the Body Natural follows the Head naturally so ought the Body Mystical to follow Christ Spiritually in all his Morals though not in any of his Miracles especially in those two Moral Vertues or rather Evangelical Graces Meekness and Lowliness which so walk hand in hand together as they are there call'd Christ's Yoke The Yokes that the Flesh the World and the Devil lay upon Mankind are manifold but Christ's Yoke is but one not many All Gospel-Duties are reducible to one single Head Rom. 10.9 that is to Faith which worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 There is but one main Duty and this is the Whole Duty of Man Eccles 12.13 which hath Two Objects and Two Offices The two Objects be God and Man The Grace of Lowliness giveth to God his Due and the Grace of Meekness giveth also to Man his Due And the Two Offices do concern the Debt as the two Objects do the Due for Lowliness gives and Meekness forgives the Debt Both these in conjunction make up Christ's Yoke as one which while it is Green and we be unaccustomed to the Yoke Jer. 31.18 seems Heavy but when this Yoke of Christ comes to be Dryed Tryed and Worn a while then it proves Easie as Christ calls it Mat. 11.30 and very Light after a Man is once used a little to it though perhaps He cannot fadge so well with it at the first 't is then no more a Burden than Wings are to a Bird wherewith she flies aloft when and whither she listeth That which maketh this Yoke of Christ easie is that Christ beareth up the heaviest part of it upon his own Shoulders as He did the cross-burdensome end of his own Cross when Simon the Cyrenian bore only the Lower and Lighter end upon his Shoulders after Jesus Luke 23.26 And Christ gives his Spirit to help our Infirmities in all those Duties which He Himself Acted in his own Person for our Instruction and Imitation Hereby come we up to Delight in doing the Will of God Psal 40.8 This main Duty of Man is yet a Yoke lest any should Presume but still 't is a light and easie Yoke lest any should Despair This confuteth Carnal-Gospellers on the one Hand and the Monkish Merit-Mongers on the other hand assuredly our Lord Jesus by passing through all the parts of Active and Passive Obedience hath made all Gospel duties both easie Imitable and Delectable too now no command of God is grievous 1 John 5.3 c. N. B. Thus a serious Meditation upon the Meekness of Christ did most powerfully convert the Aethiopian Eunuch Acts 8.32 33 c. And we read of an Earl call'd Eleazar who being oft overcome with Immoderate Anger was cured of that Head-strong Passion and Inordinate Affection by his sedulous studying upon the Patience of Christ which consideration He never suffer'd to pass out of his meditating and musing mind before He found his Heart transformed into his Saviour's Similitude as Surius who writes this Earl's Lise tells the Story of this Passionate Prince Thirdly The Actions of Christ are not only Miraculous and Moral but also Mediatory as Christ's Dying Rising again and Ascending c. As we ought to Imitate Christ in his Moral Works by a Real Doing and Suffering as we have Him for Our Example So must we imitate him in his Mediatory Works by way of Similitude This is done by Translating that to our Spiritual Life which He did as our Mediator That is we must Dye to Sin Live to Righteousness Ascend up to God with our Desires and Sit down at his Right Hand with our Affections Besides this There is a Conformity to him in the framing of our Inward and Spiritual Life which consists not in a doing what Christ did upon the Cross c. but in Doing the like by a certain kind of imitation As 1. As Christ resign'd up himself an offering with strong Prayer and Tears c. so should we give up our selves to God as a Spiritual Oblation and as a Reasonable Sacrifice Ps 40.8 and Rom. 12.1 2. As He bare his own Cross c. so ought we to bear ours Luke 9.24 If it lays 'twixt us and our Duty 3. We must be like Him in Crucifying and Mortifying the Cursed Body of Sin as was done
his Candlestick c. Oh that we could cry to Christ Now if ever now or never before it be too late Vespera jam venit nobiscum Christe maneto Extingui Lucem nec patiare Tuam The Day is far spent and the Night is at hand c. The Night of Trouble is already come and how near the Night of Death is we know not Oh leave us not sweet Saviour Jer. 14.8 9. But if we grow cold and careless of the Gospel as Luke 12. v. 47. or dare to live in known sins as Ezek. 8.6 c. Christ will pack up his All and be gone if we lament not after the Ark as 1 Sam. 7.2 6 If we do not repent of our Sins and then do not take faster hold of Christ also as these two Disciples do here And as Jacob did long before and would not let him go without a blessing he had then let his Flocks and his Herds go his wives and his Children go when in his wrestling he said I will not let thee go Gen. 30.26 Thus likewise when the Lord told Moses that he would not go himself with Israel but turn them over to the Conduct of a Created Angel that himself might no longer be vexed with that stiff necked People Exod. 32.34 and 33.2.3 Moses will not lose his Lord so easily but cries out Lord let me die upon the spot here rather than that thy presence should not go with us c. Verse 12 15 16 17. wherein he challengeth God with his promise made Exod. 23 20. That God the Son that Angel and Lord of Angels might go along with them although the Justice of God the Father could not bear them nor forbear from destroying them He cannot be content to live or stir without some visible signs of God's gracious presence Oh that we were in such a holy frame of heart in all our Undertakings and Removals 'T is now become absolutely necessary for us to do as the People did who sought Christ out in a Desart place therein was their Faith they came up to him therein was their Hope and stayed him that he should not depart from them therein was their love to him Luke 4.42 If ever we have tasted how good the Lord is Psal 34 8. what a sweetness there is found in his gracious presence c. we cannot carelesly let him go as the indifferent World do that never tasted any good 1 Pet. 2.2 The 3d Remark is He went in and tarried with them and made Himself known to them in breaking of bread c. Luke 24.29 30 31. If we have but tasted the sweetness of Christ and of the Breast-milk of the Gospel and cannot be quiet without it even the Sincere milk of the Word of God but cries to Christ with good Abraham and like sons Daughters of old Abraham My Lord If now I have found savour in thy sight pass not away I pray thee from thy Servant Gen. 18.3 do not depart with thy Gospel from us for by these good things we live and herein is the life of our Spirits saith holy Hezekiah Isa 38.16 could we but Court Christ aright with both Fervency and Importunity as did the widow such an one is the Church if her Lord and Husband depart from her by a bill of Divorcement Luke 18.3 4 5 6 7. He would be prevail'd with to tarry as here and Matth. 15.22 to 29. Christ had no purpose to deny that woman's request who would not be said nay either by silence or sad Answers but at last grants her the Key of his Treasury and bids her go into it and please her self with any Mercy that she wanted c. So here he had no purpose to pass away from these Disciples though he made a shew of it by his posture not by his speech yet this was only to try their Affections and to prove how they prized his presence which once being demonstrated he went in and supped with them c yea turn'd their Supper into a Sacrament as the Romanists would have it to palliate their Dry Eucharist of Bread without Wine c. but it is most apparent to the contrary for an Inn was no proper place for it nor would Christ administer it to such persons as yet knew not who he was able or not able to minister it Nor would our Lord cross his own Rule in giving it to persons who had not examined themselves first 1 Cor. 11.28 nor made any preparation for it seeing Christ did not give any intimation that he was going about such a Celebration and for ought we know other Guests Supped with them in the Inn which could not be worthy Receivers N.B. Beside Christ never gave this Sacrament but once and that to the Twelve only now these two being of the 70 Disciples so had never seen him Administer that Ordinance could not possibly know Him by Breaking Sacramental Bread as Romanists say which they never saw before Indeed they had often seen his Customary practice in Blessing the Table and Breaking the Bread for common natural refreshment and though this were no more seeing moreover Christ used not here the words of Institution of the Holy Supper Take eat this is my Body which Romanists call the five words of Consecration for Transubstantiating the Bread into his Body N.B. Yet was it an extraordinary Priviledge to have Christ's presence in his glorified Body even at an ordinary Supper Happy are we when He will vouchsafe us his blessed presence at our common Meals but more happy shall we if we gravel with Christâ—â— Company the whoâ—e Day of our Lives in this lower World then at the Night of Death we shall be sure to sup with him in a Deâ—â—r Worldâ—s for so hath he promised us Luke 22.20 The 4th Remark is Christ made himself known to them 't is not said By breaking of Bread but in breaking c. Luke 24. v. 35. Nor is it said By a Form of thanksgiving that he constantly used Nor was it by working any wonder at the Table as some â—ay He broke the Bread so smooth and even as if it had been cut with a knife c but the particle in doth not denote the Cause But the Time to wit while he sâ—t at Table with them then was the Time when that which held their Eyes from knowing him hitherto was removed then the Lord opened their Eyes at the beginning of the Supper Which teacheth us 1. That we should never dare to eat unblest Bread c. 2. And to account it an high Divine favour that we have the free use of our senses How may our lives beheld as theirs was to hinder us from discerning one another And 3. That Christ may be present with us at Bed and Board at Home and Abroad and yet we may not be able to discern Him or his presence c. The 5th Remark is He vanished out of their sight not as a Spirit usually doth though it was a Spiritual Body
a wicked World casts upon them for so doing Thus those Holy men did here with the doors shut and thus they did after Acts 12.13 with ver 6.18 c. And 3. That the Zeal of God's glory and our Soul 's good should sometimes so eat us up as to make us forget to eat bread Thus was it with our Lord often Jo. 2.17 4.31 32 33 34. Matth. 21.18 c. And thus it was with the Apostles here who had a long fast for a Supper even the distance of time wherein the two Foot-men could foot it betwixt Emmaus and Jerusalem c. The Second Remark is the place where which in general was Jerusalem whence we may note that our Lord is oft better than his word of promise but never worse The promise was only that the Lord would go before them into Galilee Matth. 28.7 And there to make his Appearance to them yet better things were performed than were promised for no fewer than Five times had Christ now appeared to one or other of their Company either about nigh or in Jerusalem before that Solemn Appearance in Galilee afterward If inquiry be made why should Christ appear in Galilee according to that promise rather than in Judea 'T is answered for these Reasons 1st as Galilee Hebr. signifies Transmigration so herein was intimated the passing over of the Gospel of Christ from the Jews to the Gentiles mentioned Acts 13.46 2dly because he had more Disciples in Galilee than in Judea to whom he would have his Resurrection testified by Eye witnesses Acts 10.41 For there as some say he shewed himself to five hundred at once 1 Cor. 15.6 Christ was willing to satisfy many together and withal to confirm all 3dly Because in Galilee all his Disciples might meet more safely and freely than in Judea where they feared the Pharisees c. N.B. That place which bids Christ and his Gospel most welcome must be appointed the place of his meeting them But in particular the place was where there was a private House in Jerusalem and situated in some Retired part of it least obvious and exposed to publick View or Resort there were this Apostolical Society Assembled Secretly having the doors shut upon them for fear of the Jews John 20.19 Their fear that the malice of the Kill Christ's would were they discovered in their meetings break in upon them lay Sedition to their charge and much easilyer execute them than they had done their Master Therefore is the reason rendred both why they meet in the night time and why in a secret place and keeping the doors shut Teaching us 1st Not only that the Night time may be canonical hours for Divine Worship in case of persecution as well as the day as before for it was the practice of the primitive as well as of those primo-primitive Christians from fear in the Ten persecutions as Tertullian tells us and Pliny the Second in Traian's time speaks of cantus Antelucanos c. their singing Psalms together before the day did Dawn which was the greatest crime that Sage Heathen could find in them But also that God may be acceptably worshiped in private places when and where publick places are denyed c. For the Apostle's Rule is that men must pray every where 1 Tim. 2.8 He confines not God's worship to Temples God is as little a respecter of places as of persons hereby they had the Appearance of Christ among them according to his promise wherever two or three be gathered together in my name there will I be in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 whether the place be Publick or Private This 2dly Teacheth us that it is our duty to avoid all needless dangers The Apostles here well knew that those Jews who had Killed their Lord would make no scruple to Kill his Disciples therefore are they careful for their own security and not wittingly and willingly rush headlong into eminent and evident Hazards There is a Will-suffering as well as a Will-worshiping Though the Cross be needful and must be born when it lies betwixt us and our duty and God lays it on There is then no going aside from it or leaping over it yet must we have a care that we rush not or rashly run into needless Crosses and bring them without a call upon our own heads This is a tempting of God The care of the means belong to us but the care of the end belongs to God We loose the comfort of bearing the Cross which we wilfully wrest and wrestle our selves under This is to be righteous and wise overmuch and why shouldst thou destroy thy self Ecclus. 7.16 3dly It Teacheth us likewise how differing are the Actings of one and the same godly man according to the strength or weakness of Grace in him Thus it was with those Apostles while their Faith was weak they were for Absconding and creeping into corners c. But when their Faith was made strong by the powring out of the holy Spirit on Pentecost Day upon them then by the strength of their great Grace daily in the Temple as well as from house to house They ceased not to Teach and Preach Jesus Christ Acts 5.42 Even severe Stripes could not scare them from their duty now whom threatning words which brake no bones affrighted before Every man therefore must measure his own actings according to his strength or weakness The more or less strength a man hath accordingly is his courage more or less and none ought presumptuously to put forth themselves beyond the strength of their Grace received as is the man so is his strength Judges 8.21 and as is his strength so ought to be his undertakings and actings If we faint in our Spirits when in trouble then is our strength but small Pro. 24.10 That privacy in the Apostles here was no worse in their state of weakness but prudent piety but such a practice when grown up to a state of strength would have been no better than Pusillanimity where strength of Grace is there 't is better to stand the ground and rather die than fly But in case of weakness 't is safer to fly as that young man did Mark 14.51 52. than to dishonour God as poor Peter did in staying and then in denying his Lord. The 3d Remark is the manner how our Lord appeared to the Eleven This he did without giving any Indicant signs either of his approach by the Sound of his Foot-steps or of his enterance for the Doors were shut and no Key was heard to be turn'd nor any bolt drawn back to open them yet comes he in invisibly to them and stands in the midst of them though the way whereby he came was sensibly apparent to none There be divers opinions how this could be 1. Some say that Christ might slip in unseen when the Doors were opened to let in the two Disciples that came from Emmaus into the Room among them but this cannot correspond with the Scope of the
that trust in him Heb. 13.5 assuring his Apostles here that they should never want necessaries though superâ—â—â—ties they might want without prejudice Nature is content with little 〈◊〉 Grace with less Note But beside this miraculous Provision of Fish c. made by himself he also bids them bring some of their Fish which they had now caught He saith not which I have caused you to catch Thus is he pleased to give them and us the honour of his own Actings and to ascribe such and such good works to us when 't is himself that works all those works in us and for us Isa 26.12 This he doth not so much for pleasing us as for incouraging us in duty Note Nor did our Lord here bid them bring their Fish c. as if his own provision had not been sufficient for them for he could câ—filier have satisfied seven Men with this broiled Fish than he had done 9000 with some few small Fishes c. but it was his pleasure to joyn their labours with his own to honour them as Fellow labourers with him in furnishing this Feast that they might not neglect his Blessing upon their own labour nor lose that which he had helped them unto in the way of their Imploy nor that they should think their great Draught was only a Vision nor that they should tempt God in neglecting means by expecting Micracles Note No sooner had Peter heard his Lord bid bring hither the Fish c. but he always the first and the forwardest to obey his Master's commands runs to the Ship now brought to Shore and with the help of his Fellows brings 153 Fishes but of the Net verse 11. which was a figure of Solomon's Time wherein were found 153 thousand Proselytes 2 Chron. 2.17 Note Here was God's plenty for a Sabbath day Dinner to the tyred Disciples who had toiled all night and taken nothing to eat but this Joy came next morning Psal 30.5 Now the Lord invites them to Dinner saying to them as that King in the Parable said to his Guests Behold I have prepared my Dinner and all things are ready c. Matth. 22.4 When their labour and obedience was accomplished the Master calls them to Dinner to Dine both upon the Food that he had created and upon the Fish that they had caught by his Blessing for both were miraculously brought to hand and ordained for one and the same End Note And when they were sat down to Dinner verse 12 13. then shewed he himself as Master of the Family his Church as he had oft done before his Death distributing to each of them their Portion Matth. 25.14 Luke 12.42 himself Dining with them not that he now wanted Meat but this was done to assure them of the Truth of his Manhood and that he was no Spectrum or Phantasm nor was it only to feed his Disciples corporally but also spiritually in the grand Doctrine of the Resurrection for though they knew by his Face Voâ—â—â— and Actings that it was the Lord yet were not void of all scruples which against such clear evidences they were ashamed to propound Hence was it that Christ condescended to convince them of their groundless scruples by so many signs and circumstances Note As 1. His coming in twice among them when the Doors were shut shewed that his Body was now glorified and made spiritual 2. The Skars he still retained as Trophee-marks of his Triumph to which Paul alludes Gal. 5.17 shewed that it was the same Body which was Crucified 3. His Body being seen here standing upon the Shore shewed that his Resurrection had Landed him above the reach of Sea-storms for had they seen him walking upon the Waters as he did Matth. 14. they would have suspected him to be some Spirit as then they did verse 25 26 c. And now 4 He Dines with his Disciples that no longer any place of doubting might remain Acts 1.3 and 10.41 Christ saith Austin did really feed with his Disciples ex potentia not ex indigentia The Summer Sun by his hot Beams sucks up Water as well as the thirsty Earth the former doth it by power the latter for need No doubt but a glorified Body can eat though it need not do so For glorification cannot take away any power c. Briefly learn hence 1. When God will bless Man all second Causes shall cooperate and contribute their concurring help here the Net breaks not but when God will cross Man then the strongest sinew in his Arm shall crack and his most probable Projects shall have an Abortion He can curse our Blessings Mal. 2.2 and blast all our proceedings as King John confessed Since I subjected to Rome I never prospered 2. Hence learn that 't is Christ's method of Providence to exercise us with disappointments and discouragements for a while to prepare us the better thereby for some greater blessing Thus these Disciples caught nothing all night but the morning made amends for all their labour in vain before Thus Joseph and David were prepared for Advancement to the highest Dignities by many praeceding disappointments c. And thus Israel were long bewildered before brought to Canaan 3. Learn how this World is a Warfare no sooner out of one Trouble but into another Peter here was no sooner got safe through the Sea to Christ but presently his Lord bids him go into the Sea again and fetch the Fish c. Thus our Lord dealeth with us no sooner hath he delivered us out of one Temptation but immediately that we should not Rust for want of exercise he casts us into another yet leads us out and leaves us not in it 4. 'T is but a Dinner with Christ upon Earth until all our toil and travel in Trouble is over but it shall be a Supper with him in Heaven Rev. 19.9 Be we but now nigh the Shore of Deliverance 't will be our happiness to Dine with Christ in a more glorious Raised Dispensation Yet Unda supervenit Vndae one Wave follows another After Dinner before the night of Death come new Storms may overtake us but when we Land upon Death's Shore we rest from our Labours Rev. 14.13 no more Fears or Tears we shall sup and sleep with Christ for ever 5. Learn hence that we have all our Food from Christ and we are his Guests at our own or other's Table As we should receive all with thankfulness 1 Tim. 4.4 Deut. 8.10 c. so must we demean our selves as in his presence not seeding without fear Jude verse 12. not as the profane who have not God in their heads hearts words or works In a word learn hence lastly The Mystery of this whole History That the World is this Sea Preachers are the Fishers the Accoutrements necessary are the Ship the Church and the Net the Word of God The Fisher-men should strip themselves of secular Affairs and be naked with Peter of worldly cares They must be girt also with him yet without Christ they
upon the death of the other should become James the great and be brought into the same Rank Office and Imployment to which may be added how Antiquity did honour him with the Title of James the just who was among Believers espetially among those in Judaea of great Reputation and Authority The Tenth Appearance of Christ the last of all was That upon Mount Oliver St. Luke saith He lest them forâ—h as far as Bethany Luke 24.50 Bethany was near Jerusalem and bordering upon the Mount of Oliver Mark 11.1 and Act 's 1. 〈◊〉 At this Bethany his three dear Friends dwelt Laâ—drâ—s Mary and Martha From hence he went to his Cross and from hence also he would go to his Crown for from this place he ascended up to Heaven This last we may well suppose was the great grand and most general Appearance whereunto more than 500 were Assembled that Paul speaks of 1 Cor. 15.6 to take their fast farewel of their Ascending Saviour All his numerous Disciples but of Galilee as well as those fewer out of Judaea for the Disciples that met in Jerusalem were reckoned no more than one hundred and twenty Acts 1.15 however numerous that on Mount Tabor's meeting in Galilee was yet now when he remanded his Disciples back from Galilee to Jerusalem and there comes again to them leading them out thence to the Mount of Olives for more secresie from fresh uproars and became no wicked ones must be witnesses of his Ascension Acts 10.47 This last Manifestation upon Earth must be to a more numerous meeting This Opinion saith Peter Martyr on 1 Cor. 15.6 is backed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Above which respects place as well as number implying saith Grotius with Peter Martyr that Christ shewed himself on high as standing up upon some Rising ground or lifting up himself into the Air to be plainly viewed by this great Company so they all conspicuously beheld him in his own former figure and lineaments nor yet in the Majesty of his glorified Body lest they should mistake him for some glorious Angel and not as one who was Crucified dead and buried Note Therefore did he hide his Glory during the forty days rather for their sakes than for any want of it in himself for it was necessary for the Disciples that they see him so as to know him that they might the better Preach the great Truth of the Resurrection Pareus saith likewise with others that this last was the solemnest meeting it being Christ's Valedictory Appearance to above five hundred persons at once this must needs be a General Assembly for settling the great Fundamental Truths of the Christian Religion to be known believed and observed in the Gospel-Churches to the end of the World Note At this last meeting which Paul also mentions 1 Cor. 15.6 with five hundred Brethren Christ's last work was to settle a Gospel-Ministry then Baptism c. as is principally and largely described by Matthew and Mark and more briefly by Luke and John By all those Testimonies it is manifest that this numerous meeting was when all the Disciples were returned from Galilee to Jerusalem at which the Lord gave out his commissions to the Apostles and first Indued them with a full power of Preaching the Gospel to all the World and of Baptizing all Nations for remitting of sins also he gave them Ministerial Authority he likewise set them to the Rights about their Doting expectations of a Temporal Kingdom which they more especially looked for now that their Lord was Risen from the dead a work far above all his former Miracles while he was living and had now brought them to Jerusalem again with such a confluence of followers and where he taught them things pertaining to the Kingdom of God c. Acts 1.3 4 5 6 7 then gave he them commandment to tarry at Jerusalem till the Holy Spirit was sent them at length he led them forth as far as Bethany and they all looking on he Ascended into Heaven verse 9 c. The Grand Remarks that concern this last and most solemn meeting must be collected by piece-meal out of the four Evangelists The first out of Matthew chap. 28. verse 18 c. Jesus came near and spake to them c. This he did saith Grotius in his last Appearance as appeareth by comparing this place with John 21.15 c For Matthew makes a Compendium here of all the principal heads of Christ's Sermons that he Preached to his Apostles not only in that Mount but at Jerusalem both before and after when being at Bethany he was about to Ascend c. Then Christ came nearer and in a more familiar manner to do away at once all their doubts fully as he still draws nearer to all his weak doubting Disciples and communicates himself more familiarly to them plainly saying All power in Heaven is given to me He had it from Eternity as God Phil. 2.7 now 't is given him as Man for Redeeming Mankind at his Resurrection ver 8. Here Christ praemiseth his power yea and promiseth his presence Mat. 28.20 the better to perswade the Apostles to undertake this Work his great Work of subduing the World to the Obedience of Faith To incourage them therefore therein he faith I have all power in Heaven that is to send the Holy Spirit thence to you Asts 2.33 and to take you into Heaven when your Work is done Mat. 25.34 and on Earth too that is a power to gather my Church out of all Nations Ps 2.8 Mark 16.15 16. and to Rule as Lord over all Acts 10.36 43 Eph. 1.20 21 22. Rev. 17. ver 14 Dan. 7.14 go ye therefore forth in this my strength as Gideon did Jud. 6.14 execute your Office and Fear not the Face of Man doubt not of sucess for though ye be but Barley Cakes Course and Contemptible yet in my Name ye shall overthrow the Weak Tents of a Wicked World and the strong holds of the Subtle Serpent Jud. 7.13 Your despised Lamps and Pitchers shall Atchieve great matters ye shall Disciple all Nations deliver to them my Doctrine and Sacraments and reduce them from their Extravagances into an Universal Obedience the whole Man unto my whole Law and though your Work be hard and above any humane hand yet shall ye and your Succesors have my Divine presence to preserve you from your Enemies to prosper you in your Enterprizes and to perform for you whatever heart can wish or need require ver 19.20 This precious promise I will be with you includes to protect to direct to comfort us to carry on our Grace and to Crown us with Glory The 2d Remark is From the Evangelist Mark Chap. 16.14 c. Who Sums up all Christ's Appearances in one so useth his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Postremo or lastly Comprizing this last Appearance as well as those that went before his last charge to the Apostles go Preach the Gospel to every Creature ver 15. not in Judea
out of every Nation 1. Those led away captive by Salmanasser 1 Kings 17.6 and 18.11 these never returned into their own Countrey but occasionally as here and call'd Parthians Medes Elamites 2. By Nebuchadnezzar who are here call'd Mesopotamites And 3. By Ptolomy those were call'd Hellenists Beside these three were lesser Dispersions James 1.1 and almost in every City where the Apostles Preached among the Gentiles they found Jews there Now to many of these that were come to the Feast not only Peter but all the Eleven Preached For 1. 'T is said They stood up with him verse 14. 2. The Voice of a Stentor could not be heard by those Myriads out of which three thousand were Converts 3. These consult the other Apostles as well as Peter verse 37. 4. These continued not in Peter's only but 1. In the Apostle's Doctrine Preached 2. In their Fellowship for Communion and Conference 3. In Breaking Bread wherein Wine is synecdochically included And 4. In Prayers wherewith they besieged God who was saith a Father well pleased to have Heaven taken by force Matth. 11.12 Oh happy they that be so valiant and violent as to make a prey or a prize of the habitation of happy ones c. CHAP. III. The First Miracle HAving already declared the wonderful Constitution of the first Gospel-Church that ever was in the World in the next place follows the Discourse concerning the Fate and Fare which attended it wherein an intermixture of the Acts of some times all the Apostles and of sometimes some only as touching what they said what they did and what they suffered 't is summarily comprehended Note This Primitive Church being thus prodigiously planted Persecution presently was raised against it to root it up and ruine it Though God's Bridle had hitherto as before restrained the Devil's Instruments so that the very Pharisees and Chief Priests c. had seem'd to favour them as yet not daring to frown upon them But now the Grumbling of their Gizzards inwardly for fear of the loss of their Pharisaical Kingdom began to work up and break out outwardly Note Oh the depths of Divine wisdom in disposing of things thus that where-ever God hath a Church the Devil by God's unsearchable permission must have his Chappel and this cannot become a Chappel of Ease to the Devil's Chimney-Chaplains call'd Chemarim's Atrati or Black-Birds Zeph. 1.4 unless they find a free vent for their Spirit of Persecution which took its first Fire from Peter and John's healing of the Lame Beggar Acts 3.1 2 c. This was the first occasion of the first Persecution Hitherto all the Apostles had acted in conjunction with Peter 1. In their chusing Matthias by a Lot from the Lord to compleat their number of twelve Apostles 2. In their boldness of Preaching to the People when they had received the Holy Ghost 3. In providing for the Poor that received the Gospel for which the Jewish Synagogues out of which they had formerly been Relieved had now cast them out of their care whereof more afterwards As also 4. In their Joint Celebration of a Council and sending their Canons or Decrees to the several Churches c. But in this place here Peter and John only come into play by their going into the Temple at the Ninth Hour the hour of Prayer not to communicate with the Jews in their now Antiquated Worship but that they might have a larger Field for sowing their seed of the Gospel in which they could not miss of but meet with upon the Evening of this great Feast of Pentecost-day about three a Clock in the Afternoon which was the time of their Evening Sacrifice At their entring into the Gate not of the first Court of the Gentiles but of the second Court of the Jews they find the Lame man laid hoping for more Alms from his Countrey-men than from Strangers Note This same Cripple was born lame and was now forty years old therefore the harder to cure and when cured the more credible Witness against the Cavillers at his cure Acts 4.22 This man lay begging daily there and if he had begg'd in that place so many years it may well be wondered at that Christ himself had not cured him long ere this in his passing so frequently through this Porch seeing we do not find that our Lord ever refused any who came for cure To this it may be said that the Lord might reserve this Miracle for this very Time both for confirming the Truth of the Gospel and the Faith of the Apostles in Preaching it All Times and Seasons are in the Lord's hands who both justly forbears to send Salvation at one time and graciously vouchsafes it at another Note This now was the day of sending Salvation to the Cripple who asked Alms of these two Apostles God was better to him than his expectation and so he is to us daily giving us more than we can ask or think Eph. 3.20 Yea he presseth favours upon his Suitors as Naaman did upon Gehazi 2 Kings 5.23 Peter had no Gold to give him but he had Grace to wit a power from Christ wherewith to heal him which as he had freely received so he freely gave it to him when he first excited his expectation with Look on us that he might the more mind the means and the manner of his Cure and be the better prepared to give God the glory of it No sooner had Peter spoke In the Name of Jesus c. Rise up and walk but presently his Feet and his Ankle-bones received strength c. v. 4 5.6 7. Together with this word there went forth a power as Luke 5.17 then was fulfilled that Prophecy Isa 35.6 The Lame Man shall leap as an Hart The Lord raised up the Crooked Psal 146.8 as was this Cripple whose Inside and Soul was now healed as well as his Outside and Body for he went into the Temple with them not only to hang up his Crutches as it were there as Memorials of his Mercy but also to render Praises to the God of his Mercy He praised God not the Apostles Note Instruments must not rob the Author of his glory we may pay the Messenger but we must return Thanks principally to the sending Benefactor Yet this healed Cripple in an Extasie of Thankfulness to them held those his Healers till a great confluence of People came about them all astonished with the unexpected Miracle on this notoriously known Lame Beggar which when Peter saw he embraces this Golden Opportunity and Preacheth his second stinging Sermon to them whereby a great Increase was added again to the Church Not only this Cripple who had cause at last to bless God for his Lameness which brought him as divers Miseries do others to the knowledge of Christ and of Salvation through him a blind Eye hath help'd the healing of a blind Soul c. but also two thousand more believed as an addition to the three thousand Acts 2.41 at the least c. 'T
for working such a notable Miracle as all the Countrey rang of yet loth they were to seem to be so Therefore consult they how to palliate it before men with whom they valued their own Credit more than keeping a good Conscience towards God or the Salvation of their own or others Souls 2. The Concomitants when they had thus conferred in this Cabal about finding out the best Expedient for stifling the Gospel the Result of clubbing their Wits together was to lay their thteatning Charge upon the Apostles 1. Not to Preach publickly or privately in the Name of the Lord Jesus Nor 2. To Pray in his Name Nor 3. To work any more Miracles by it Thus those Unjust Judges pretended to be so far good-natur'd as to pass by the former fault provided the Apostles would promise to do so no more but be bound to their Good-behaviour for time to come yet intended by this principal piece of Policy to keep the People in Ignorance most mischievously lessening their Light as Cheats use to do that Spectators might more easily be gulled and beguiled by their Legerdemain-Tricks without discovery verse 16 17 18. Both Peter and John agreed in one and the same Answer as being acted by one and the same Spirit saying We are not concerned at your Threats and Edicts nor solicitous what will best bring us off at present out of your hands but we do appeal to your own Consciences whether God will excuse us If we against his Commands do obey yours Will ye bear us harmless against the Woe God denounceth against us if we Preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 Ye command us that which is morally impossible unless our Tongues were cut out c. verse 19 20. They were now filled with the new Wine of the Spirit and their Vessels therefore must either vent or burst See Jer. 20.9 Psal 116.16 and Acts 17.16 This Authority of God being thus opposed to Man's these Rulers were over-ruled to dismiss the Apostles not from any sense of their own Sin or dread of Divine Wrath but for fear of losing the People's Favour verse 21. God used this means to Restrain these Ruler's Rage c. 3dly The Consequents hereof 1. The Apostles thus marvelously delivered and dismissed Return to the Church and relate to them their marvelous Deliverance v. 23. incouraging them to hope for the like Salvation in the like service and suffering 2. This occasioned the Church's Prayer in Joint-Communion Wherein God's Omnipotency in Creating and Governing the World doth afford their first comfort against their present sufferings and future also verse 24. This Master-controuler will manage all for his own Glory and his Church's good Rom. 8 28. Then do they apply the Prophetick Oracle of David Psal 2.12 to their own State at this juncture Act. 4.25 26 27 28. shewing what a meer madness it is in Men whether Jews or Gentiles to oppose Christ for he will prevail mangre the Malice of angry Men and inraged Devils Hence the Psalmist begins that Psalm with an abrupt Leâ—â—â—d or why in an angry Interrogation as if he had said What are ye all mad ye many and ye mighty to attempt a Design whereof ye can render no good Reason nor ever expect any good success c Then they petition that God above would behold Men's threatnings below c. Act. 4.29 and that Christ might magnifie himself not them both by their Oracles and Miracles verse 30. The effect of it was a gracious Answer from Christ testified both by an Earthquake and a fresh Effusion of the Spirit verse 31. Note Thus the Gospel grew by opposition and would do so now were we but awakened by our Dangers to a more fervent praying as they were here The Conclusion is the present State of the Church 1. In its Teachers many Miracles unrecorded were wrought by them beside their Magnanimity in Preaching 2. In the Hearers both Unanimity as if one Soul had moved all the Bodies of that Multitude and Liberality in contributing the Manner how the Matter how much and the End for what use verse 32 33 34 35. more particularly in Barnabas verse 36 37 Many Believers lived far from Jerusalem which was shortly to be destroyed therefore this Act was peculiar to this time and place 3. Great Grace was upon all verse 33. as if dropp'd down from Heaven both gratis data gratum faciens that Grace freely given and that also which makes truly gracious shining forth in the carriages and countenances in the speeches and actions of both Apostles and Auditors so that all call'd them blessed c. Isa 61.9 c. CHAP. V. Of Ananias and Saphira 's Sin and Death THE Church is ever like the Land of Canaan which was a Land of Hills and Valleys Deut. 11.11 So is she sometimes up and sometimes down now abased and now exalted by the turning Wheel of Providence Now that Envious One the Devil envying the great Grace which gave a great Grandure to this primo primitive Church began to sow his cursed Tares The Perils and Impediments of this growing Gospel-Church became now twofold 1. Internal and 2. External 1. The Internal was the Hypocrisie and Perfidiousness of Ananias and Saphira in their committing Sacrilege The matter and form of the sin of these two Sacrilegious persons were that they both Man and Wifâ— conspired to defraud the Church of part of the price of their sold Possession c. Acts 5.1 2. The Adjuncts of this Sacrilege wherein is comprehended the punishment of it are expressed by their Quality upon the Offenders and by the Effects in the Church The Quality of the Punishment is described 1. Upon Ananias the Husband whom Peter first accuseth for lying at the instigation of the Devil and in defiance of the Holy Ghost verse 3 4. and then for Theft which he also aggravates from his own propriety by right of Law therein verse 4. whereupon follow the convicted Man's sudden Death verse 5. and after that his immediate Burial v. 6. which struck all the Auditors and Spectators with a dreadful Awe after verse 10. Then 2. Upon Saphira the Wife whom the over-ruling hand of God brought in at that juncture when all these things had happened to her Husband verse 7. She upon examination confesseth the deed verse 8. for which she is condemned verse 9. and immediately executed verse 10. This produced wonderful Effects as those without the Church wondered at and magnified this Discipline so those within were marvelously strengthened and the Church by these and other Miracles wonderfully increased verse 12 13 14 16. The Remarks and Mysteries held out in all those Histories thus analysed may more distinctly and particularly be thus amplified and inlarged upon That concerning Anania's Story concerning his sin and punishment for it hath this 1st Remark relating to his Name the same with Jer. 28.1 which signifies the Grace of God so Canan-Jah signifies in the Hebrew Language Conveniunt rebus nomina saepe suis
saith the Poet Names and Natures do oft agree but it holds not true in these two Hananiah's in whom not great Grace as Acts 4.33 but very little was to be found The Old Testament Hananiah was only a pretended Prophet Preaching plaâ—â—ntia pleasing things to the Prince and People through flattery and for filthy lucre likely He limits their Deliverance from Babylon to come within two years when the Lord by Jeremy had told them their Captivity should continue seventy years Now because this graceless false Prophet made the Prince and the People to trust in a Lye therefore within two months of his Lying Prediction God smote him that he died Jer. 28.1 3.15 17. Note So dangerous a matter it is for Ministers to teach People contrary to the Revealed Will of God and presumptuously to limit the Holy One of Israel to our time Psal 78.41 Event hath confuted and confounded such Lying Prophets in our Day according to Deut. 18.22 And this New Testament Chananiah is found here to have little more Grace c. than he had as will appear after in describing his sin c. How many Ships are named the Happy Success and the Good Speed c. yet make unhappy Shipwrack at Sea The Second Remark relateth to his State and Quality he was not an ordinary or common Person or Professor but probably as 't is thought a Minister of the Gospel who had received extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit and therefore mention is made of him next to Barnabas Acts 4.36 37. that Son of Consolation a good man and full of the Holy Ghost Acts 11.24 whereas alas this greatly gifted Minister was a bad man and full of the evil Devil for Satan is said to fill his heart top-full even from corner to corner Acts 5.3 As when the head is fill'd with the fumes of Strong-waters such a person is bold and daring c. So the Devil had so fill'd this man's heart with his Intoxicating Cup that he dare desperately venture to provoke God to his face Note This teacheth us 1. What are Gifts without Grace there the Handmaid wants the Mistress to manage her so miscarrieth And 2. The more light and love any Man or Minister is made partaker of his sin hath the more aggravation and is a falling Star c. The Third Remark is touching his Sin which was this he would ambitiously imitate blessed Barnabas in selling his Farm and devoting the whole price of the Possession by a solemn Vow to God and his Service but the Tempter by his Temptation meeting with and drawing forth this man's corruption perswades him to purloin and detain part of the vowed price for supplying his and his Wife's necessaries in their Old Age or in a time of Sickness or in some sad scattering Persecution that might arise after as indeed it did which they might lawfully enough have done keeping back part for such Ends as are aforesaid had they not vowed to give the whole to the use of the Church Thus there was a complication of many sins in this one as 1. Here was Ambition he would be thought as good as the best yea even as Barnabas himself c. 2. Hypocrisie pretending Holiness and Devotion to God but intending to serve his own ends c. 3. His Diffidence and Distrust in that God whom when he had made his Vow he seemed to dedicate himself and his whole substance unto and upon whom he professed to have his whole dependency for time to come And 4. Sacrilege in Robbing of God insomuch as he paid not down the whole that he had vowed to God contrary to the Law Mal 3.8 Lev. 27.10 and Deut. 23.21 22 23. The Fourth Remark relateth to his Punishment for the concurrence of these four sins in one No sooner had Peter told him of his belying God the Holy Ghost who had stirr'd up the first motion of selling his Possession but he had suffer'd Beelzebub the God of Flies or Master-Fly Satan soon to fly-blow and corrupt it c. but immediately he falls down and gave up the Ghost Acts 5.2 3 4 5. Note Thus as God graced the Jewish Church with some extraordinary Instances of his severe Judgments upon Sinners in the beginning of it such as were executed upon the Man that gathered Sticks on the Sabbath day Numb 15.35 and upon Nadab and Abihu for offering strange Fire Levit. 10.1 c. So did the Lord accordingly grace the beginnings of the Christian Church with the like Judgments upon Sinners that they might be set forth as Sea-marks for all who sail in the Sea of professing Christian-Religion to shun such sins and to learn that the great God with whom we have to do therein is greatly to be seared That we may be what we seem to be we must be to God what we seem to be to Men and we must be to God at all times what we seem to be to Men at any time That we worship God in spirit as opposed to Formality and in Truth as opposed to Hypocrisie John 4.24 God takes some Malefactors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very Theft or Act John 8.4 and hangs them up as it were in Gibbets that others warned thereby may hear fear and do no more any such wickedness Deut. 13.11 and 17.13 and 19.20 and 21.21 Alterius perditio tua fit cuntio seest thou another suffer Shipwrack then look well to thy own Tackling Note Christ had impowered his Apostles with this Commission Whosoever's sins ye remit or retain they are remitted or retained John 20.23 whereby they were invested with a power of Life and Death to inflict corporal Plagues upon the disgracers of the Gospel or to spare them as they were directed by the Holy Ghost which they now had received and whom Ananias and â—â—â—hira had here basely belied thinking their False-play could not be detected by that Divine Spirit as if he were not the Third Person in the Godhead which those that cursedly deny have cause to fear Ananias's Plagues Peter here being fully perswaded that his own sin of Lying against his Lord in denying him c. was assuredly pardoned doth dare thus signally to avenge a Lye against the Holy Ghost and thus doing in a 〈◊〉 Zeal for his Master whom he had denied Note This miraculous manner of punishing notorious Sinners in the Gospel-Church was accommodated only to those Primitive-Times wherein Magistrates were so far from defending the Church that they themselves were found the greatest offenders of it Therefore were those two Dissemblers extraordinarily erected by the extraordinary Apostles as lasting Pillars of Salt with Lot's Wife and everlasting Monuments to all Generations of the great God's just Indignation against the Despisers of the Spirit of Christ After the Husband's Death for his sin against the Holy Ghost followeth 2. The Story of his Wife wherein we have these Remarks likewise The first Remark is her Name was Sapphira which signifies specious or beautiful She might be so on
though he stayed among them but two days then verse 43. for he had forbid his Disciples to Preach in any City of Samaria which was no obliging Law to himself Matth. 10.5 because the fuller Calling of the Gentiles whereof this was only an Earnest was reserved to after times when the Partition Wall was broken down then did the Lord at his Ascension direct his Disciples to be Witnesses of him in the Cities of the Samaritans Acts 1.8 which was now done c. Thus have we dispatch'd the first particular to wit The Doctrine of this Deacon Philip in its Efficacy at this place and time Occasion will be offered to inlarge upon it in the sequel c. The second particular is Philip's Auditors after this Effect They were of two sorts 1. The False and Hypocritical who was Simon Magus verse 9. And 2. The True and Sound Auditor beside those Samaritan sound Believers and that was the Ethiopian Eunuch verse 27 28 c. First of the first and false One 1st Simon Magus is described 1. By his Countrey he was a Samaritan verse 9. It may easily be supposed that this Instrument of Satan must needs be a strong Impediment to the Success of Christ's Gospel in Samaria having such a strong Satanical Samaritan in the very Bowels of it 2. By his Condition or Occupation how he led his former life in exercising Magical Inchantments bewitching the whole City with his Sorceries insomuch that this Conjurer carried the Citizens generally out of themselves as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies so that they were more his than their own driving them into an amazing Extasie and affrighting them as if he had been one of the Heathen Gods verse 9 10 11. Having by God's permission and by the Devil's power wrought wonders among the People this was a mighty disadvantage to the Entertainment of the Gospel had not Christ been stronger than this strong Man to disarm him c. Luke 11.21 22. He is described 3. By his Manners or Behaviour 1. While his Hypocrisie was covered he takes upon him to believe with an Historical Faith only and is baptized v. 12 13. 2. When it was discovered even by the Sorcerer himself by bidding Money wherewith to buy the Holy Ghost for which 3. He was reproved by Peter for a Rotten Professor c. The Remarks hereupon are these 1. A Rotten Heart may go far in Reformation yet be in the gall of bitterness c. 'T is said here Then Simon himself believed also Acts 8.13 yet was in the bond of iniquity verse 23. N.B. He had only the Faith of Devils who believe their Doom shall be denounced against them to their Eternal Torment at the last day which belief makes them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frisk and tremble James 2.19 They give their bare Assent that there is a God to judge them so Simon did assent with his head but he believed not with his heart Acts 8.37 and Rom. 10.9 His Faith was only Historical believing it to be true that Christ indeed did many Miracles and was really Raised from the Dead c. He only took upon him to believe it was not given him of God whereas Faith is God's gift to us Ephes 2.8 and not to be taken up by us at our pleasure therefore was it not the Faith of God's Elect Titus 1.1 but a Tempory Faith only which serveth to breed Horrour as the Historical doth in Devils yet is but a meer flash in Hypocritical men and thereupon soon dwindles away Notwithstanding this Historical which was but Hypocritical Faith and his seeming Repentance professed verse 25. pray for me c. yet was he still in the State of sin and all his pretended Profession was as bitter to God's pallate as is the flesh of any creature corrupted with Gall to ours Deut. 29.18 32.32 He was yet fast bound like a Bondslave of Satan in the irrefragable Bonds of his own Hypocrisie Ambition and Avarice The second Remark is Hypocrites shall sooner or later be detected some men's sins go before hand to Judgment and some men's sins follow after no putrid Hypocrisie can be forever hid 1 Tim. 5.24 25. N.B. The great Judge of the World keeps his Petty-Sessions often in this life letting the Law pass upon some few reserving the rest till the great Assizes of the last Judgment Some men's sins are discovered and punish'd in this life before their persons appear at God's Tribunal In the discovery of Simon 's Hypocrisie there is the Occasion and the Manner thereof to be considered N.B. 1. The Occasion when the Apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had imbraced the Gospel by Philip's Ministry they sent Peter and John those two Pillars of the Church Gal. 2.9 as their Embassadors to confirm Philip's Doctrine and to constitute a Church there by their Apostolical Authority yea and to confer upon some men not on all nor on the Women who were Believers also verse 12. those extraordinary Gifts of Teaching Healing c. Acts 2.38 which was done only by the Apostles and not by Philip's Prayer and Imposition of Hands Acts 8.14 to 18. N.B. They all that believed had received the Saving Grace of the Holy Ghost saving this unsound Simon but none of them the extraordinary Gifts c. which were given for confirming this New Tender Church of the Samaritans This was the Occasion N.B. 2. The Manner of Simon 's discovering his Hypocrisie was when he saw those Gifts were conferr'd by Imposition of Hands he offers a price to purchase this power Hereby this Notorious Hypocrite discovered himself having taken a Profession upon him and counterfeiting that he believed only for base ends to wit both that he should not be deserted by his own Disciples who now were won over to Philip's Doctrine and also that thereby he might procure a power of working Miracles when he saw the Apostles had done far beyond what he was able to do verse 18 19. N.B. The unsoundness of his Soul and baseness of his Spirit appeared in his having such low estimations of the high things of God as if they were purchaseable by perishing Metals and as if these things of God had been vendible here as after was said to be at Rome where Simon 's Statue stood with this Inscription Simoni Deo Sancto in Claudius Caesar's time and where 't is now become a Proverb Romae omnia Venalia All things at Rome are soluble and saleable so Mantuan their own Poet testifieth c. N.B. And 't were well if the Sin of Simony were not found in other places as well as in Rome betwixt covetous Patrons and a corrupt Clergy so Crucifying Christ afresh between two Thieves Benefices being bestowed saith he non ubi optime sed ubi quaestuosissime to him who will give the most for them not who best deserve them As if a man should bestow so much Provender on his Horse because he is to Ride upon him c. It was Judas's
to dwell in the Tents of Shem or with the Believing Jews which signifies a friendly Association and Communion with them as when God is said to dwell with Men Rev. 21.3 and when the Wolf is said to dwell with the Lamb Isa 11.6 N.B. Nay it may note much more than this namely that the Call and Conversion of the Gentiles became the Rejection of the generality of the Jews which the Apostle demonstrates Rom. 11.7 8 c. how the carnal Jews were cast off and hardened by a Judiciary hardness stumbling at that Stone of offence in the Call of the Genriles so that the seed of Japhet did indeed succeed and took possession of those Tents of Shem wherein God formerly had dwelt among them in the days of the Patriarchs and Prophets Now this was so great a Mystery which had been hid from the beginning of the World Eph. 3.10 11. and which caused the holy Angels to stand at a gaze 1 Pet. 1.12 That the Gentiles should be saved by Christ insomuch that when it came to pass oh what a wonder this was that the Gentiles had Received the Word of God Acts 11.1 2 c. It was such a secret that the very Angels themselves could not understand it till the time fore-appointed of God came to accomplish it and therefore 't is the less to be wondred at that the carnal Jews yea and the spiritual too at the first did so wonder at this unsearchable Riches of Christ Eph. 2.8 toward the Gentiles N.B. And who must be the first Instrument in the hands of Christ to convey this great Grace unto such a forlorn posterity of Japhet and to fetch in the first-fruits of the Gentiles But the Apostle Peter unto whom Christ had committed the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven long before this time Matth. 16.19 and with this Divine Key as one of the Stewards of God's house 1 Cor. 4.1 Isa 22.22 He falls to work and was the first that by the conduct of the Holy Spirit opened such a Door of Faith to the Gentiles which never was shut at any time since that time nor ever will be shut by the utmost malice of Men and Devils while God will have a Church to be on the Earth The Gates of Hell cannot prevail against it Matth. 16.18 N.B. Though Christ had given the power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven for binding and loosing c. unto Peter not unto him exclusively and to no others but inclusively to the rest of the Apostles John 20. v. 23. Yet how loth was he to exert and exercise this power towards the poor Gentiles for absolving them from their sins in a Declarative and a Ministerial manner upon clear evidence of their Faith and Repentance by his Apostolical Authority Though Peter had a miraculous Vision that was every way so convincing and cogent for evidencing this great mysterious Truth yet how did he doubt and dispute the lawfulness of doing it One would think that the Vision made his Ministry among the Gentiles to be plain and necessary considering how the Sheet contained not only clean meat the Jews but also unclean meat the Gentiles in it and the Voice said Arise Peter kill and eat N.B. Whereby Peter was not taught to kill and slay in Battel as some of his pretended Successors of a Martial and Military temper have done such as Julius the Second who could turn himself both ways either to Peter's Keys or if that would not do to Paul's Sword Saying Cùm Petri nihil efficiant ad praelia claves Auxilio Pauli forsitan ensis erit Englished thus If Peter's Keys will not prevail I will try what Paul's Sword can do N.B. But the Voice of the Vision gave him only a Commission to kill that corruption of Gentilism which he found in the Gentiles by the Sword of the Spirit c. And that as Meat being eaten is digested into the parts of the Body so the Gentiles being converted by his Ministry should be incorporated with and become solid parts of the Church And though all this was done three times yet Peter hangs off still N.B. This gives us a prospect of a great seeming difference betwixt Peter and Abraham who obeyed God's command immediately and that in a matter far more difficult about offering up his only Son without asking God any Reason for laying so hard and unnatural a command upon him c. All we can say is this that the Spirit of God wrought more briskly in Abraham and more slowly in Peter who remained unresolved until Cornelius's Messenger came seasonably to satisfie him Acts 10.17 Now come we to the third part of Cornelius's Conversion namely the Idea or Specification of it which introduceth the two grand Accidents thereof or Circumstances 1. How Peter was expected of this Gentile Centurion And 2. How he was entertained by him Acts 10.24 25 26 27. N.B. Here it may be worth the while to compare together the Prophet Jonah at Joppa Jon. 1.3 and Simon Bar-Jonah as Peter is called Matth. 16.17 and John 21.15 at the same Joppa also Acts 10.5 as an Introduction of the first of these two Circumstances to wit how Peter was expected in this parallel of the Prophet with the Apostle as there is some congruity so there is also some disparity 1. The Congruity 1. In their Names both were Jonah's which signifies a Dove though the Prophetick Dove did not carry an Olive-branch in his mouth as Noah's Dove did to signifie to him that now God's Wrath was appeased and Peace was now come to the World for Jonah denounced dreadful Tydings against Nineveh and surely the Old Jonah had more of the Wasp than of the Dove in him being so oft angry c. But sure I am this Bar-Jonah was a Dove-like Messenger carrying the glad Tydings of the Gospel to Caesarea 2. In their Natures both were Sons of God's Truth Jonah the Prophet was the Son of Amittai Jon. 1.1 which in the Hebrew signifies my Truth and though his Message was a doleful Doom yet did he deliver it as God's Prophet and so was the Son of God's Truth and no less so was this Simon Bar-Jonah who Preached Christ that is Truth it self John 14.6 unto Cornelius c. 3. In their Objects or Places and People which they were sent as God's Messengers unto they both were sent unto the Gentiles though they themselves were both Jews The Prophet was sent to Nineveh the Metropolis of the Assyrian Kingdom and a City of the Gentiles and the Apostle was sent to Caesarea a City upon the Sea Coast formerly call'd Straton's Tower but now sumptuously built and beautified by Herod the Great who in honour of Caesar call'd it Caesarea and though it was mixedly inhabited by Jews and Gentiles yet here was the Roman Court which was the chief of the Gentiles and the Residence of the Roman Governour was ordinarily in this City N.B. So no fitter place could have been found in the whole Land
applied to Cornelius's case N.B. Which sheweth the mistake of those that so Tye up Grace and Salvation to the receiving of the Sacrament of Baptism as if none could fear God or be accepted of him and saved by him unless they be baptized The fourth Remark is True Peace with God is only purchased and procured and according to be Preached only by and through Jesus Christ v. 36. N.B. So. 1. Christ himself Preached in his own person for all quarters of the World Matth. 8.11 12. that he would draw all men unto him without distinction of Jew or Gentile Poor or Rich c. John 12.32 2. This Peace is Preached to be had by Christ or only through him by the very Angels themselves Luke 2.14 And 3. By all the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel Ephes 2.13 14. Acts 4.12 And 't is all one whether they be Jews or Greeks bond or free male or female they are all one in him Gal. 3. v. 28. who is all and in all Col. 3.11 Insomuch as all other Peace not founded upon the Rock Christ is not pax sed stupor not a right but a false Peace no better than stupefaction The fifth Remark is The Lord of All was Anointed by his Father as the Jewish Kings Priests and Prophets usually were to all those three Offices hence was he called Messiah in the Old Testament and Christ in the New both which names do signifies Anointed Acts 10. v. 36 38. N.B. Hence may we comfortably conclude that seeing Christ is the Lord of the Church and Lord of the World as he is Lord of all he will not suffer his Church to be wronged by the World nor will he be hindered by Devils or wicked men though never so many never so mighty from carrying on his own cause and concerns of his own glory but will gather his Elect both Jews and Gentiles out of all the quarters of the World Rom. 3.30 and 10.12 c. He will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 The sixth Remark is This mighty Mediator who had God with him in the fulness of the Godhead Col. 2.9 induing his Manhood with all might and mercy never exerted his might but in Miracles of Mercy He went about doing good but never any hurt for God was with him verse 38. He could as easily destroy those that would not believe on him as he did save those that willingly believed though often provoked thereunto Nay so far was our Lord from ruining any that when his Apostles asked his leave but to permit them by fire from Heaven to destroy the sawcy Samaritans yet would he not Luke 9.54 Though afterward he impowered Peter to strike Ananias and Sophira with death and also Paul to strike Elymas the Sorcerer with Blindness Acts 5. and 13 chapter N.B. Yet all the Miracles Christ himself wrought were Miracles of Mercy not of Judgments Healing all but harming or hurting none yea the worst sort of evils even such as were oppressed with the Devil Acts 10.38 to shew that he came as a Saviour and not as a Destroyer which is the Devil 's double name both in Hebrew and Greek Rev. 9.11 and that his Errand was to destroy the works of that destroying Devil Heb. 2.14 and 1 John 3.8 and to cast him out of the Souls of Men who were spiritually possessed by him O happy calamity that carries Man to seek a Saviour The seventh Remark is Oh how costly to Christ it was to save us from the Curse of the Law and from the damning power of Sin and Hell He therefore died a cursed Death was slain by the Jews and hanged on a Tree Acts 10. verse 39. Gal. 3.13 Deut. 21.23 that the blessing of Abraham hitherto mostly confined to the fleshly seed of that Patriarch the Jews might now come upon the Gentiles also Gal. 3.8 14. N.B. Therefore the Jews for being Kill-Christs might the less murmure at their Rejection and at the Gentile's Reception at this time who had not so rejected Christ as the Jews had done The eighth Remark is The Resurrection of Christ is the Fort-Royal of the Christian Religion's comfort c. Hereupon the Apostle Peter here Acts 10. v. 40. had no sooner mentioned Christ's Death but immediately he Preach'd his Resurrection also lest those Gentile-Auditors should have stumbled at his Cross and be discouraged to believe in a Dead Christ for that he was Raised from the Dead was a most unquestionable Truth though the Gentiles faith he might hear some rude Rumours hereof by a confused Report and common fame in the general Acts 10. v. 37. The word I say you know yet now let me tell you more particularly that this Truth hath been by all manner of ways proved for Christ hath been both seen and heard yea and felt too 1 John 1.1 after his Resurrection and we are and drank with him verse 41. whereby he was declared to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 and by consequence a Conquerour of both Death and Hell for us c. And hereupon the Apostle Paul also puts a rather of comfort upon this Doctrine of Christ's Resurrection Rom. 8.34 c. The ninth Remark is God's Truth is never starved for want of Witnesses As the Apostles were Eye and Ear-witnesses of all that was done both by Christ and against him Acts c. 10. v. 39. before and at his Death as likewife after his Resurrection to whom he appeared alive and to above five hundred of the Brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 those Apostles were therefore commanded to Preach Christ not only alive but that he would Judge the quick and dead Acts 10. v. 41 42. So the Prophets all testified the same Truth which was included in that first Prophecy of the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3. v. 15. and so downward from that time Jer. 31.34 Mich. 7.18 Luke 24.27 Acts 10. v. 43. Yea all the Ceremonies in the Sacrifices testified this Truth The tenth Remark is God giveth Testimony to the Word of his Grace where it is sincerely and ardently Preached and Heard Acts 14.3 Here the Holy Ghost accompanied the sincere Preaching and attentive ardent Hearing the Word and these Gentile Auditors being such had the visible signs of Fiery Tongues such as the Apostles had Acts 2.3 falling on them while Peter was speaking Acts 10.44 By which Miracle God declared that the price of Man's Redemption by Christ was paid for and belonged to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews and that the Spirit with the graces of Illumination Regeneration and the gift of Tongues c. thus coming down upon these Gentile-Converts before Baptism did plainly shew N. B. That the Righteousness of God is not attained by any external Ordinance without the internal operation of his Spirit which here came on Cornelius c. being neither circumcised nor baptized Acts 10.35 The eleventh Remark is They who have the Grace signified by Baptism ought to have the Seal of that Grace in being
Isaiah John Luke and Paul of the Judicial Act of God which is the higher but remoter cause importing thus much that God first sent them Moses and the Prophets by whom they might have seen and known his Will yet still they would not see nor hear nor understand nor convert nor be healed therefore did God at the last leave them to the Reprobation of their own minds even in the Prophet Isaiah's day Now saith our Saviour what was applicable to the Jews in the Prophet's time is much more applicable to you of whom Isaiah prophesied in my time The generality of the Jews have so despised the Grace of God that their Day of Grace is now over God is resolved he will not convert nor heal them They have had light they have seen me and my works they have heard both mine and the Baptist's Sermons but in seeing they would not see and in hearing they would not hear nor understand therefore are they fallen under a Judicial Hardness and Blindness N.B. This is a Judgment in some respect worse than Hell it self for beside that God inflicts it as a punishment for former Obstinacy this Hardness of Heart is one of the greatest sins and so a far greater evil than any of the greatest punishments Hence a Reverend Man of God had this saying I had rather be in Hell with a sensible spirit than live upon Earth with an hard heart and a reprobate mind Sin being a moral evil and punishment only a natural evil therefore there is worse evil in sin than in punishment for sin N.B. Thus the Allegory runs parallel in all parts As this obstinate Jew Elimas was struck blind at the Conversion of the Gentiles so the Generation of the Jews in general were smitten at that time with Judiciary Blindness And as Paul did not doom this perverse Jew to a perpetual Blindnese but only for a season he should not see the Sun Acts 13.11 So God hath doomed the Jews in general to a blindness in part only Rom. 11.25 'T is neither total nor perpetual as this Sorcerer saw after and perhaps a Convert c. So when God shall unite those two Sticks Ezek. 37.19 c. and makes way for the Kings of the East Rev. 16.12 then shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel Oh what hath God wrought Numb 23.23 at the Jews Conversion The sixth Remark is The bundle of Marvels in this first Miracle of blinding Elimas N.B. As 1. That it might not be objected against Paul what he spake and did was a pang and transport of unruly passion this is prudently preoccupated by that clause Paul being filled with the Holy Ghost verse 9. to signifie that what Paul said and did to this Sorcerer was not any products of that Ranting Devil Anger which makes many men mad both in their sayings and doings But all was managed under the conduct of the Holy Spirit of God N.B. 2. Paul set his Eyes upon this Sorcerer as if he would have looked through him verse 9 no doubt but with angry and burning Eyes sparkling out fiery Beams Godly Men especially Ministers have a daunting presence Acts 3.12 and 6.15 Here was just ground for Paul's holy Indignation when he saw on the one hand this Proconsul Sergius Paulus have some panting desires after the good ways of God and like a docible Disciple of Christ had already got both a listening Ear and a longing Heart after saving knowledge And on the other hand this pievish Conjurer indeavouring to blast those blessed and hopeful buddings which God hath promised to bless Isa 44.3 in the old Translation he could not but be more than a little concerned well knowing that the Conversion of a Great Man is of great consequence having many shadows to follow such a Body especially this first-fruits of the Gospel in order to the Gentiles Conversion therefore is it no wonder if Paul was so loth to lose this Governour of Cyprus who might have great Influence upon the Governed his Subjects N.B. 3. After this dazling Lightning which Paul's Incensed Eyes had darted out upon Elimas followed that terrible Thunder-crack mentioned verse 10. Oh full of all subtilty and of all mischief This was the first frightful crack Importing that this subtle Sorcerer by long dealing and trading in Sorcery had got a Dexterity in doing evil as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a facility and readiness to run the Devil's Errands The second Crack was Thou Child of the Devil John 8.44 Matth. 13.38 1 John 3.8 that not only will but must do what the Devil bids who is call'd the Destroyer and whose work it was to hinder the Salvation of this Deputy and his Family The third Crack was Thou Enemy of all Righteousness This is more than is found in any single Sinner The Adulterer is an Enemy to Chastity the Drunkard to Sobriety c. but he that hindereth others from Heaven is an Enemy to all Righteousness The fourth Crack was Wil t thou not cease to pervert the good ways of God The Greek word for pervert signifies a digging up or ditching over God's good ways so as to render them unpassable to represent them crooked which are straight in themselves this was devilish This Sorcerer lay what Rubbs he could in the way of this great Man to keep him from coming into and from continuing in the good ways of God N.B. But the fifth and last which was the loudest and most confounding Thunder-crack was in these words And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind and not see the Sun for a season and immediately there fell upon him a Mist and a Darkness and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand v. 11. Here the spire of Lightning fell effectually upon this Perverter and strikes him blind No sooner was the Doom denounced but it was immediately executed Verbum Déi est Factivum The hand of the Lord which is his Almighty Power either for Mercy or Judgment did presently accomplish what he had denounced against this Sorcerer by the mouth of his Servant N.B. Oh sad and doleful Doom If it be a pleasant thing to behold the Sun Eccles 11.7 then must it be very uncomfortable to be blind Life without light is called a lifeless life N.B. This was done at Paphos where Venus had her Temple and where their old blind Superstition doted upon their blind God Cupid Now this blind Magician was made to grope for his Fellow that same blind Cupid yet little Relief would he find therein could he have found him for if the blind lead the blind both fall into the Ditch and the Leader falls lowest and undermost so have the worst of it even the hottest place in Hell Matth. 1◠14 N.B. Thus the Lord smote those sinful Sodomites with Blindness so that they wearied themselves to find Lot's Door and found it not for their mischievous Intentions Gen. 19.11 And thus the Cavalry of the
by Persecution among them God would not permit evil to be unless he knew how to extract some good out of that evil He causeth the Sun when it forsaketh one part of the habitable World to shine upon another N.B. The Apostles coming to Lystra and Preaching here Paul observed a Poor Cripple extraordinary Attentive to the word he perceived thereby through his prophetick Spirit that he had faith to be healed tho' he was born lame and never had walked verse 8 9. tho' his Defect in nature was incurable by Art like the lame Man whom Peter healed Acts 3.2 c. yet had he Faith for his Cure which Unbelief would have hindered Matth. 13.58 Mark 6.5 To this Cripple Paul spake with a loud voice that all the People there present might hear and observe saying Stand upright on thy feet and he leaped and walked verse 10. N.B. For together with Paul's word there went forth a power the power of the Lord was present to heal him as Luke 5.17 the like was done by Peter Acts 3.6 8. and is promised to be done by God's holy Ordinances Ps 146.8 The Lord giveth Sight to the blind he raiseth up the Crooked he loveth the Righteous God loved this Lame Man so he restored him to the use of his Limbs so that he leaped for joy to shew that he was perfectly Cured for all the works of God as was this miraculous Cure are perfect Deut. 32.4 The sight of this miracle put the blind People to pay their Rent to the wrong Land-Lord for tho' Paul had Preached Christ unto them and had confirmed his Doctrine with such a singular miracle which by the light of their own natural Reason they might know that none but a Divine Power could have wrought it N.B. Yet such was the blind Superstition of those poor Pagans that they would needs ascribe the honour of it to their Dunghil-Deityes so forcible is an evil custom and a vain Conversation Received by Tradition from fore-fathers Jer. 10.3 1 Pet. 1.18 Those Pagan-Lycaonians had heard out of the Fables of their Poets that Jupiter and Mercury came down to visit Lycaon their Progenitour of old and that for the affront be offered them they transformed him into a Wolf Hereupon they used to offer Sacrifice to those two Pagan Gods by their Images which they had erected for appeasing them and now the People supposed that they had themselves come down in two humane shapes to work miracles among them N.B. So blind are the principles of Corrupt Reason in fallen Mankind compared unto the clearest Light of the Gospel which was now preached to them Hereupon both the common People adorn the Apostles who were but the Instruments of the miracle with both Divine honours ver 11. and with Names of their Gods verse 12. calling Barnabas Jupiter their chief God as the Heathens took him and Paul Mercurius whom they look'd upon as both the Messenger and the Interpreter of their seigned Gods which caused their applying of his name to Paul who was the Master of Speech as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies speaking much more to the People than Barnabas did who mostly stood silent yet in his Gravity might beckon upon Paul to speak as his Herauld as Jupiter did to Mercury N.B. Nor was this all but their Priest of Jupiter who should have had more wit brought Oxen trimmed with Garlands of Flowers according to their Heathenish Custom unto the gates of the house where the Apostles Lodged their Temple standing without the Town therefore brought they their Sacrifice to the supposed Gods themselves c. and there would have done Sacrifice to them ver 13. because they took Jupiter for the King of Kings and the principal Patron of the City This had been done if the Apostles had not run in among them and shewed the greatest detestation of such abominations telling them that they were but Men of like passions with themselves which plainly differenceth Man from the Divine Nature and therefore no such thing could be done without notorious Sacriledge and themselves be made Idols verse 14 15. Both which were such abominable Acts that the Apostles rent their Cloathes which was a sign of their greatest abhorrency of such detestable Actions and this gaue Paul a new occasion and opportunity to preach again to those Idolatrous Lystrians saying Sirs why do ye these things to such poor Mortals as we are who have need of Food and Raiment we are liable to diseases and death as well as you are so may we by no means either as Men or as Apostles allow of any such Idolatry to us whose Office is to extirpate all kind of Superstition much less to permit or countenance it N.B. Then he obviates two main objections which those Heathen Idolaters might make against the Gospel The first is drawn from the Antiquity of their Idolatry and the second from the Vniversality of it Answering both of them with Affirming that the Reason why so many and for so long a time had worshipped Idols which was a way of fallen Man 's own chusing and never of Gods Commanding was from the just Judgment of God upon them Psa 81.12 Rom. 1.24 28. and here verse 16. and then again in verse 17. He prevents a cavil that they could not plead Invincible Ignorance for their excuse for tho' they and their Ancestors had not the Book of Scripture yet had they the Book of Nature to instruct them that God only who createth all things and preserveth them by his providence in giving Rain Fruits Corn c. is only to be worshipped c. Yet all these Convincing Arguments of the Apostles were little enough to restrain those obstinate Idolaters from committing Idolatry So hard a matter it is to rectify such Rude mistakes in Religion which time custom and popular patterns had so rooted and firmly rivered in their carnal hearts verse 18. N.B. Now the Devil being put to his last shifts began to stir up his Instruments to use violence those were certain Jews that came from Antioch and Iconium who perswaded the People to stone Paul verse 19. Oh what a strange change is in the Mobile here that the same persons who had made a God of the Apostle and would need◠have Sacrificed to him as such a God would now in the twinkling of an eye as it were be for stoning him as a Devil Incarnate or the worst sort of Mankind Thus the Vulgar dealt with our Lord himself crying to him Hosanna one day and Crucify him the next day And behold here the restless malice of Satan against God's Ministers first Tempting them to become Idols of the People and to rob God of his Glory due to him alone and to accept of Divine worship wherein the Devil designed to destroy the Blessed Apostles Souls Now when this design failed him He exciteth the Jews and they the People to destroy their bodies by stoning them Oh what a slippery thing is all wordly honour N.B. Here they
that of James the Just verse 13 c. who not only seemed to be a Pillar but indeed was so Gal. 2.9 both of the Colledge of Apostles and of the Church at Jerusalem but much more as President of this great Council The Tendency of his Oration in the general was to propose a Golden Mean betwixt the two Extreams both of those that would have all the Mosaick Yokes imposed and of those that would have none at all Designing by this Medium that neither the Jews should be too much offended nor the Gentiles too heavily burdened Yet withal he subscribes to the Sentiments both of Peter and of Paul in giving his Sentence verse 19. which after his Exordium and Narrative verse 13 14. he confirms by Scripture that ought to over-rule all Debates verse 15 16 17 18. proposing not only what was to be omitted but also what for maintaing brotherly Love betwixt Jew and Gentile was to be observed verse 20. namely that the Gentiles might be required to rafrain from eating things offered to Idols and strangled and blood and fornication N.B. Which last is reckoned among indifferent things because the Gentiles then tho' falsly thought it so As he in Terence said Non est Flagitium mihi crede Adolescentem scortare c. 'T is no sin believe me for Youngsters to Whore c. But the three first however strictly they had been Imposed by the Law before were now become indifferent by the Death of Christ seeing now there was to be no more distinction of either Meats or Nations any more Yet because the Jews were so glewed to those Jewish Observances as they could not be quickly drawn to let them go v. 21. Therefore to decide this Controversie the whole Council upon this motion of James thought it meet that those Ceremonies should not be buried so soon as they were dead nor immediately dragg'd out of doors but that the Gentiles should thus far Judaize and purchase Unity with a charitable compliance till Time and fuller Acquaintance with the Gospel did more fully inform them concerning Christian Liberty whereby both the Jews and the Gentiles might be made willing to lay aside those now needless Niceties N.B. No contradiction to this Determination of the Controversie rose from any hand but there was an holy and no less happy Unity Letters are dispatched with the Decrees of this Synod wherein 1. The false Apostles are most sharply Rebuked verse 23 24. 2. Paul and Barnabas are highly commended for their Courage and Constancy verse 25 26. 3. Judas and Silas are join'd in Commission with them two that came from Antioch to assure the Church there that this Decree was not forged or counterfeited verse 27. 4. Nor was it any Humane Act but the Dictates of the Holy Ghost verse 28. And 5. That therefore it would conduce much to their Advantage if well observed and so it proved for their Joy verse 30 31. which being done Judas returned but Silas staid for farther benefit to that Church verse 32 33 34. it being enough that Judas acquainted the Apostles with this happy Issue c. Now Paul and Barnabas having staid a competent time to settle all Church Affairs at Antioch the Controversie about Circumcision being well composed they undertake their second Journey among those Gentiles where at their first Journey they had been sowing the good seed of the Word of God leaving many other faithful Teachers to carry on Gospel-work behind them thinking it not enough to sow the seed but they must take care lest it be plucked up in their absence and that Tares by the Envious One be not sown instead thereof verse 35 36. Redit labor actus in orbem An Husbandman's work is never at an end but runs in a Circle nor is that all of the Labourers in God's Vineyard there is weeding and watering-work as well as plowing and sowing before the Reaping of an Harvest 'T is supposed that at the Great Council at Jerusalem this Agreement was made betwixt Paul and Barnabas on the one party and Peter James and John on the other that those two should go among the Gentiles and these three should act among the Jews Gal. 2.9 In order hereunto James abode at Jerusalem as the Residentiary Apostle of the Countrey of Judea Gal. 2.13 and Acts 21.18 where at last he suffered Martyrdom But Peter and John went abroad among the scattered Jews who were dispersed into Forreign Countreys so that at last you find Peter at Babylon in the East 1 Pet. 5.13 and John at Patmos an Island in the West Rev. 1.9 And hereby we may conjecture how they divided their Apostolical Imployment among them N.B. But when Paul and Barnabas are about to set forth this second time the Devil starts a difference betwixt them about Mark 's going along with them as a Companion in the Ministry Barnabas being his Uncle Col. 4.10 was for preferring his Nephew and therefore desired to have his company verse 37. but Paul denied it because he had lurch'd them Acts 13.13 providing for his own ease when they were to take a Tedious Journey and an Hazardous Adventure over the high Hill Taurus which this John Mark disliked and so most timerously deserted them verse 38. This Exception seemed so weighty with Paul that he could not in Conscience give that Incouragement to such a Coward as durst not go along with them unto that work to which the Spirit of God had call'd them Acts 13.2 which was to offer life and salvation unto the Gentiles and to gather them into Christ's Sheep fold therefore stood he so stiff against Barnabas in his too much countenancing his Kinsman so that it rose to a bitter Contention between them verse 39. where Luke being a Physician useth that physical expression of a Paroxism which signifieth the hot and violent Fit of a Feaver N.B. This strife became so sharp as to the prevalent imbittering of their minds each to other and to their parting asunder each from other And it is questionable whether ever they saw the faces one of another again We read not that ever they joined together any more after this Barnabas takes Mark and Paul takes Silas and both go their several ways The Remarks from hence are these First That Satan is notoriously solicitous to sow seeds of Dissention among the Saints and will take all occasions to divide them as here and N. B Oh! what a sad story have we of the Devil 's sowing Differences betwixt Luther and Carolostadius c. both of them good men And another as sad among those that fled from Frankford in Queen Mary's Days Yea such grievous Breaches were found even among them that some of them sought to take away the life of famous Mr. Knox by picking forth some words reflecting against the Emperor out of a Sermon that he had Preached in England long before and now accusing him for that passage to the Magistrates of Frankford N.B. The Devil that Master of all
Tim. 3.16 even from that God who cannot lye Tit. 1.2 and they knew also that truth alone and not error is able to abide that Divine Test Those only are false Wares which need a dark Shop wherein to put them off to the too Credulous Chapmen N.B. They did all this laudable work in the way of Religion yet were not still truly and throughly Religious and Regenerated but were yet unconverted for after all this it is said of them verse 12. Therefore many of them believed both Jews and honourable women of the Gentiles and of men not a few N.B. Upon all those to whom God had given this preparation of the Heart in Attentive hearing in serious pondering and comparing with the Scripture what they heard c. God blessed his own Gifts he had given them and their improvement of the Talents bestowed on them and he gave still more unto them to that which they had according to his promise whosoever hath to him it shall be given Matth. 13.12 and 25.29 namely such Talents of Nature and providence which he hath received from God for imploying and improving in a way of practice but if persons prove lazy idle and negligent herein then their Right-arm and Right-eye which they seemed to have Luke 8.18 shall be dryed up and darkned Zechar. 11.17 the rust of whose Riches shal rise up against them James 5.3 God oft withdraws those gifts which he hath given to persons when they do not use them for God's Glory and the good of their own and others Souls the great ends for which we are betrusted with those Talents N.B. We are even in the faln Estate betrusted with some liberty in external Acts such as are resorting to Gods Ordainances hearing and reading his word c. and our indeavours ought to be Answerable in the use of this liberty would we lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save our souls James 1.21 we may find the Lord's hand not shortned but his word as powerful and piercing as ever it was to those Noble Bereans but if we hide our Talents with the bad Servant we cannot expect that Spirit of Sanctification which the Bereans found The third Remark is That Humane prudence and policy is lawfully Subservient to Divine piety It was an High Piece and Point of prudence in their not sending Paul the nearest and direct Road to Athens but round about by the Sea from avoiding the danger from those that lay in wait for his life 'T is written then immediately the Brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the Sea Acts 17. verse 14. yet those that conducted him and had undertaken to secure him from those murdering Jews brought him to Athens verse 15. This was pious policy to make towards the Sea-side as if Paul had designed to take shipping and be gone out of those parts quite away This was pretended and the rumour of it was reported abroad to hinder the malicious Jews from pursuing him any farther whereas a Journey to Athens in the same Countrey was really intended and it may well enough be supposed that Paul's implacable Adversaries pressed Horses to pursâ—â— after him towards Athens but Paul gave them a fair go-by by his taking the long Circumference round about towards the Sea on foot in the by-foot paths that he might disappoint his pursuers by his going on foot to Athens Tho' Silas and Timotheus stayed at Berea still not only because they were less maligned than Paul but also because they had some Kins-folks in Macedonia N.B. Thus our Lord doth allow as much of the Serpent as of the Dove in us in his saying be wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves Matth 10.16 17. The Sagacity of Serpents may be imitated in our Christian prudence so far as it consisteth with the Dove's Innocency Piety without policy is too simple to be safe and policy without piety is too subtle to be good Christ would not have his sheep so simple as to stand still and let the Crows stand upon their backs and pull off their wool from their sides There is a Sanctified subtilty and sagacity in foreseeing evils and hiding from them Prov. 22.3 we may not willfully cast our selves upon the needless dangers a Serpent's eye is a singular ornament in a Dove's head Our meekness must be mixt with wariness that it way be the meekness of Wisdom James 3.13 As we may not be crafty Foxes on the one hand to deceive others c. So nor must we be dull Asses that couch under every burden without necessity on the the other hand The Dove without the Serpent is easily caught and the Serpent without the Dove doth sting most deadly The Dove never provokes the Hawk nor projects revenge yet when pursued saves it self if it cannot by fight yet by flight as Paul did here c. Now come we to the fourth Station of Paul in Greece lying in Europe which was in Athens as before in Philippi Thessalonica and Berea Thus the Providence of God over-ruled all the Devil's-mischievous attempts to suppress the Gospel so as thereby the Gospel was much more spread abroad from one City to another until at last it came to this famous University The Relation of Paul's fourth Station which was at Athens hath two grand parts First the Resolves of it And Secondly The Remarks upon it First The whole Narrative hereof Admits of this Analysis or Resolution What Paul acted at Athens may be thus resolued First There is his preparation to preach there wherein we may consider the causes moving him thereunto which were twofold External and Internal for beside the opportunity of a large Auditory and such as were learned yet inviters of him to preach as they had an Itch after Novelties and were curious Inquirers after News these were outward motives there was also another cause more inward namely the Divine Zeal of this Blessed Apostle who beholding the vain Superstition and abominable Idolatry of that famous and learned City could not bear it nor restrain himself from declaring the vanity of it verse 16 17 18 19 20 21. Secondly The Sermon which Paul preached consists 1. Of an Exordium or Preface and Prologue wherein he useth a pious Insinuation for Captivating the Ears and Hearts of his Hearers to attend diligently unto his discourse verse 22 23. 2. Of the Principal Proposition that the True God is only to be worshipped and tho' as he granted they did worship the true God among their Idols as to the matter of worship yet did they do it after a false and vitious manner therefore doth he make known this their Vnknown God to them by declaring to them God's Attributes and his works of Creation and Providence obviating an objection drawn from their fore-fathers Ignorance as also by putting them into a dread that even that same Christ who was crucified should become the most dreadful Judge of Quick
Tumult against him Those carnal men whose gain was their God which they adored and their Godliness too soon took fire at this spark and speech began tumultuously to defend their wicked Trade Covetousness as it self is Idolatry Col. 3.5 so it upholds Idolatry as here under a pretence of piety where there is Utility Men think there is piety The Papists are sound in those points that touch not upon their profit as in the Doctrine of the Trinity c. The eleventh Remark is 'T is the Lot and Portion of Gospel-Preachers and professors to be loaded with Accusations by the Adversaries thereof set on by the Accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12.10 as here in order to get them condemned and executed for their Supposed Sacriledge and Blasphemy N.B. No better tendency had Demetrius's Invective Oration to his Fellow-artificers verse 26 27 28 c. To those he urgeth many Arguments As 1st That of Profit which Paul's preaching against our Gods made with hands hath already greatly damnified Our Patent and Monopoly for the Manufacture of making Silver Medals will soon be insignificant Our Trade will quickly be under disgrace and die This was the Achilles or most Cogent and Pungent of all his arguments hath not Paul's preaching Intrenched upon their profit in all probability he would not have been so much concerned as to have stirred out of Doors against it N.B. Thus Erasmus wittily told the Elector of Saxony that the principal Reasons why Luther was so much set against by the Romanists was Because he meddled with the Pope's Tripple Crown and the Monks fat Panches 2dly He added to his Argument of profit a pretence of piety Not only are we like to lose our Trade and Liveli-hood but our Religion also our Goddess Diana will be despised our Temple its worship will be lessened yea levelled by their light of the gospel this is madea great aggravation by those Idolatrous worshippers how much more by those who worship God in spirit truth seeing they have a more sure word for their foundation 3dly He inforces another leading motive from the Universality and common consent of worshippers as well as pretended Antiquity hereby he easily heated the Rabble's blood and heaved them into an hideous outrage as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 28. signifies so that never Examining the truth of the case cause they put it to popularity and to a Tumultuous uproar and outcrys crying for two hours together N.B. which was more painful than to hear a Sermon so long yet most hearers think that too long to hear verse 28 and 34. great is Diana of the Ephesians to shew their abhorrency of Paul's preaching down their Grand Idol which they were resolved to perpetuate in her splendour and glory against the Gospel and in this Hurly-burly and confusion of the whole City wherein the greater part as in all popular Tumults knew not wherefore they were come together ver 32. and 't is well if it be better among the multitude of common hearers in Publick Church-assemblies Gaius and Aristarchus the two companions of Paul were caught hold of and carry'd in an Hurry to their great Theatre where their plays were seen their Orations heard and their Malefactors tryed and punished for which end these two Fellow-Travellers of Paul were Hurryed vers◠29. The twelfth Remark is Divine providence can never be enough adored seeing God works Deliverances for his Servants in danger one way or other sometimes by their Friends and sometimes by their Foes made to become Friends as here from v. 29. to the 41. N.B. To say nothing of the deliverance of Gaius and Aristarchus out of that Eminent Danger they were involved into when caught hold of by the Rude rabble and pushing headlong into the Theatre to which they all rushed with one accord Verse 29. because the Scripture speaks nothing expresly how these two were delivered out of their violent and murdering hands yet is this therein necessary implyed because the Scripture doth mention how after this uproar Gaius and Aristarchus did accompany Paul into Asia Acts 20.4 again mention is made of Gaius as Paul's Host and the host of the whole Church Col. 4.10 and of Aristarchus twice after this once as Paul's Fellow-Passenger at Sea and Shipwrack Acts 27.27 and again as Paul's Fellow-prisoner Rom. 16.23 N.B. So that 't is manifest these two Good Ministers who are supposed to be the Messengers of the Churches mentioned 2 Cor. 8.18 19 23. were not now torn in pieces by the outragious rabble of those Insolent Idolaters in this Tumult N.B. But Paul's deliverance out of the most Imminent Danger is expresly Illustrated by the Holy Ghost in three Eminent Circumstances The first is when Paul would have entered in among this rude Rabble not only the Disciples suffered him not for the life of him from whom they had received the Faith was more dear to them than their own a blessed pattern for good people to preserve their Pastors verse 30. but also some of the chief of Asia supposed to be Heathen Priests who usually were Masters of those plays and shows in honour of their Idol-Gods or Princes of the Country do add to the Disciples intreaties their requests sent to him not to adventure himself among such an inraged Rabble such an head-strong ungovernable company that bellua multorum Capitum the beast with many heads or mad multitude verse 31. Whether these chief men who sent this saving Message to Paul were Princes or Priests it matters not However it was a mighty work of God's Providence in over-ruling those Heathens hearts and inclining them to countenance and favour persecuted Paul though these men were bad enough especially if as Beza saith they were such Idolatrous Priests as composed Stage-plays for their deified Diana yet the Father of Spirits made them shew some good affections towards Paul if not towards the Christian Religion The same God who made many Legal Priests obedient to the Faith Acts 6 7. might make these Idolatrous Priests thus far obedient also Christ can either find or make Friends to his Gospel and Ministers even among the worst of their Foes N.B. The second Circumstance was that of Alexander verse 33 34. whom some suppose to be the same man of whom Paul complains in his 2 Tim. 4.14 15 16. That he did him much wrong upon these three Grounds 1. That Paul wrote this Epistle to Timothy who was then at Ephesus c. 2. That same Alexander was of Demetrius's calling a Copper-Smith for they made Copper-Shrines of Diana and her Temple for the poor to buy as well as Silver ones for the Richer sort 3. This Alexander was an Ephesian N.B. But others Judge him to be another of that name yet a Disciple of Paul's at the first for which the mad Mobile caught him and carried him to the Theatre c. However all agree that he was a Jew because the Jews pushed him forward to make a Vindication of their
Nation who were equally obnoxious to the rage of this Rabble for their opposing Heathenish Idolatry as well as the Christians So 't is easie to Conjecture what would have been the tendency of his Defence namely to lay the load upon Paul and his Company as the only occasion of that Tumult and to have excused the Jews as making no disturbance though they worshipped only the true God c. And therefore ought not to be fal'n upon by the Ephesians but mark how it pleased God to provide for the Apostles safety for this Tumultuous people would not suffer this Alexander to make any Apology for the Jews nor to impute all the blame upon Paul c. v. 33.34 N.B. There is yet a third opinion which takes this Hypothesis for granted that these were two persons yet do strangely convenire in tertio concur in a third denomination many ways As 1. in Name both were Alexanders 2. In Trade both were Smiths tho' the one a Silver-Smith and the other but a Copper-Smith 3. In Nature and Manners both bad enough to wit in the same malignity and opposition against Paul And 4. Both were Adversaries to this Apostle upon one and the same provocation because he taught they were no Gods that were made with hands whereby he hinderd their Handi-Craft and Mar'd their gainful Trade wherein they made Shrines or Images to the Heathen Gods and Goddesses the one of Silver the other of Copper N.B. But supposing them to be but both one person with Calvin he was first a Proselyte to Paul a professor Martyrio propinquus near to Martyrdom here in Paul's cause but afterwards foully Apostatized making Shipwrack of the faith for which he was Excommunicated by the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.19 20. which might probably provoke him to do all that evil to Paul which he complains of 2 Tim. 4.14 c. but whether this wrong was done him at Ephesus or Rome it is not said Hence Learn we a glorious professor may turn a furious persecutor This Alexander did not only withstand Paul's person but his preaching also which was a foul fault of an high and heinous nature 1 Thess 4.8 even against God himself Exod. 16.8 therefore let him that thinks he stands take heed least he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 N.B. The third Circumstance is Concerning the Town-Clark who Registred all the City's Acts and was constantly present at all their publick meetings and lawful Assemblies His appearance and eloquence God made use of to appease the Tumult v. 35. and to dismiss the Assembly verse 41. wherein we may Note these particulars 1. Tho' this Assembly was full of Confusion yet it is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church v. 32. N.B. God bless us from such a state of the Church wherein some cryed one thing and some another as they did in this confused convention which was rather a popular Tumult than any lawful Assembly much less a Church because not call'd by the Magistrates Authority tho' possibly it was made a legal meeting by the Magistrates resorting thither whose mouth this Town Clark was The second Note is This Town-Clark's Starched Oration to the Rabble savoured more of Carnal Wisdom and crafty policy than of any Patronage to true piety For he tells a most loud lye verse 37. that Paul was no Blasphemer of their Goddess whereas Demetrius had more truly told what was Paul's Doctrine verse 26. but Polititians think they may lawfully lye for peace-sake that any untruth may be told to redeem the appeasing of a Tumult and as this insinuation that none quarrel'd with Diana or her worship was more cunning than honest So no less Fallacious was his telling them that tho' Paul c. were against Idols made with hands yet their Image was no such thing but it was dropped down from heaven verse 36. Tho' it be Recorded Plin. Lib. 16. chap. 40. that one Canetias made it yet the crafty Priests persuaded the Credulous people that it fell down from Jupiter to get more Veneration to their Idol and more pounds into their own purses The third Note is He with no less policy gives a diversion to Demetrius from the tumult which indangered the loss of their liberties c. to the open law which is the best Decider of Controversies and Appeaser of Tumults which he promised v. 38 and 39. The fourth Note is He prudently propounds the danger of that days Tumult seeing such a concourse of confusion was a Capital Crime adjudged in the Roman Court under whom they were The last Note is God made use of the Wordly and somewhat wicked Eloquence of this Heathen to preserve Paul c. The Rabble quietly depart home God's hand is not shortened he can save by foes still Oh that we could hush our passions thus by saying 1. Do nothing rashly as he v. 36.2 As the law is open verse 38. So is God's Ear to our crys 3. We are in danger to be questioned v. 46. Thus may we compose our unruly Spirits and dismiss them as he did the Rabble ver 41. CHAP XX. Paul's Travel toward Jerusalem NOw come we to Paul's return towards Jerusalem a Journey which he was moved by the Holy Ghost to undertake his Resolution for undertaking this Journey and for seeing Rome also we have an account of Acts 19.21 22 which Scripture shews how this determination of Paul's return to Jerusalem and of visiting Macedonia and Achaia in his way thither had the Guidance of the infallible Spirit of God and therefore would he not be dehorted from it by all the importunity of his Friends who foresaw what dangers he would be exposed unto there Acts 20.22 c. how Paul travelled through those Countries and visited several Cities where he might scatter the Seed of the Gospel so far abroad because he hoped to have yet a larger Harvest the sequel of this History in a continued Series will demonstrate While Paul stayed in Ephesus before this disturbance by Demetrius last mentioned which was in Asia N.B. Before he began his Journey towards Jerusalem he sent his Messengers before him into Macedonia Acts 19 22. not as if those men there named did Minister unto him for that great Apostle practiced no such Prelatical popish State but it was out of necessity being unable himself to attend all the Offices of the Church They were imployed by Paul not so much to accommodate him with convenient quarters when he came thither in person but to further the Collection for the poor brethren at Jerusalem whether he was now bending his Course 2. Cor. 9.3 4. It was indeed Paul's Resolution to have staid at Ephesus which was his sixth and last Station and where he had stayed for three years Acts 20.31 until Pentecost following had he not been disturb'd by Demetrius 1 Cor. 16.8 but now that uproar being over he saw a necessity to pack off sooner so taking a solemn farewel of his Friends at Ephesus he departed for to go into Macedonia Acts
Heaven with joy not to part any more c CHAP. XXI Paul 's going to Jerusalem NOW come we to Paul's Passage from Miletum unto Jerusalem Acts 21. where those places through which he passed thither are mentioned As 1. To Coos and the next day to Rhodes two Islands in the Mediterranean Sea verse 1. 2. Then to Phenicia bordering upon Palestine yet in the Country of Syria whose chief City was Tyre and there he landed with his Company and stayed seven days verse 2 3 4. where he was foretold what should befal him at Jerusalem and from whence after he had spent one Lord's day with the Disciples of that City and after prayer at parting with those that Accompany'd him out of the City He 3. Passed on to Ptolemais a City and Sea-Town of Phenicia where he abode with the Brethren but one day verse 5 6 7. Then 4. From whence he passed to Cesarea a City in Palestine mentioned Acts 10.1 and 18.22 where he lodged with Philip the Evangelist and tarry'd there many days till he was told again of the fate that should befall him in Jerusalem yet all cannot diswade him from his Journey thither verse 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. 5. From Cesarea he passeth on to Jerusalem which was his Terminus ad quem the place to which as Miletum was his Terminus a quo the place from whence he went In his return from the last mentioned Peregrination through many parts both of Europe and Asia now is Paul got to the end of his Journey namely to Jerusalem verse 15. His Host that lodged him when Lodging could not but be very scarce at Pentecost seeing all the Males in Judea were Summoned thither Mnason an old Disciple verse 16. Then follows his acceptance in general with the whole Church v. 17. and in special with James and the Elders verse 18.19 to whom he gives a full Narrative of what God had wrought by him among the Gentiles for which they glorified God verse 20. N.B. Yet because the believing Jews who being wonderful many by the blessing upon the Gospel were still zealous for the Rites of Moses not understanding their freedom from them by the Messias throughly c. Those Elders persuade Paul to take off that prejudicate opinion which the Vbelieving Jews out of Asia had instilled into the minds of these Believing Jews at Jerusalem against him verse 21 22 23 24. This Paul doing at their persuasion verse 26. A Tumult ariseth by the instigation of the Vnbelieving Jews of Asia verse 27. Paul is Apprehended Accused and in Danger of his life verse 28 29 30. but rescued by the chief Captain verse 31 32. yet he bound him to make his defence ver 33. to v. 40. N.B. From those Resolves of Paul's passage by several Stages and Journeys to Jerusalem do flow those few following Remarks The first is Dearest Friends and Relations not only those in the Flesh but more especially those related in the Spirit have a most sad sorrowful and a most involuntary parting one from another as here Acts 21. v. 1. N.B. Luke useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after that we were pulled from them The same word he had used Acts 20.30 for Heretical Teachers drawing away Disciples that is tearing them Limb meal as the Greek word signifies by a violent avulsion and destraction of one Limb from another as Wolves do with the worried Lamb they devour compelling them by their forcible persuations to Imbrace such distorted Doctrines as produce at length sad and dolorous Convulsions of Conscience while they thrust their Proselytes out of God's way Deut. 13.5.6 13. and as Jereboam did drive Jsrael from following the Lord 2 Kin. 17.21 N.B. Thus were those dear and Spiritual Relations pull'd in pieces here at their parting with Paul it was as if the head had been driven off from the body whose face they must see no more with great difficulty and reluctancy And thus we part with our dying as well as departing Friends who dye in the Lord and fall asleep in Jesus Yet this consideration may comfort us we do but bid such dear Friends good night for we must hope to see them again in the morning of the Resurrection as these did Paul c. here The second Remark is As Paul passed with a straight course towards the old Jerusalem verse 1. so would to God we could do so towards the New-Jerusalem which cometh down from Heaven Gal. 4.25 26. Heb. 12.22 Rev. 3.12 and 21.2 10. N.B. We are commanded to make straight our paths Hebr. 12.12 13. our ways may not be Hubby and Rough no more than crooked ways least our weak and Lame Legs stumble upon some Stumbling stone whereby we may be turned out of God's way which leads directly to this Jerusalem Such as turn aside to crooked paths shall be led forth with the workers of iniquity Psal 125.5 All by-ways from holiness are but high-ways to Hell We should not leap over the hedge of any Commandment for escaping any piece of foul way least the Old Serpent bite us Eccles. 10.8 N.B. But we should do as those Kine of the Philistines did which tho' they had Calves at home yet held straight on their way with the Ark of God to Bethshemesh that house of the Sun as that name signifies 1 Sam. 6.12 Oh that we could do so toward Heaven that house of the Sun of Righteousnes Tho' we have divers objects in our way to divert us Solomon directs us to keep a direct course saying Let thine eyes look right on Pro. 4.25 oculum irretortum in metam Get your eyes fixt upon the right Mark and Object without wandring from it This requires a Patriarch's eye well skill'd in Moses's Opticks Heb. 11.27 we ought not intently to look upon that which we may not lawfully love He that would not hear the bell must not meddle with the Rope c. ponder the paths of thy feet verse 26. namely by the weights of the word and turn not to the right hand c. verse 27. Keep the Kings high way Do as those Mariners with Paul here kept a straight course having their eye on the Star and their hand on the Stern c. The third Remark is The Spirit of Prophecy doth not reveal all things to those upon whom it cometh Thus was it here some of those Disciples at Tyre told Paul through the Spirit that he should not go to Jerusalem verse 4. foretelling by the Spirit of prophecy of his sufferings in that City as Agabus the Prophet did after at Cesarea v. 10 and 11. which afterwards did truly come to pass It seems those prophetick Disciples did but know in part N.B. This same Apostle saith we know in part and we prophecy in part 1 Cor. 13.9 that is we our selves have but a short and imperfect communication of matters from the Spirit of Prophecy we can therefore communicate but an imperfect degree of knowledge to others we know but imperfectly
because we are taught or at least learn but imperfectly Thus those good men being ignorant of that special command Paul had to go this Journey to Jerusalem Acts 19.21 and 20.22 c. they did according to what they knew out of mere Commiseration and true Charity diswade Paul from that Journey But it may be Objected N.B. These good men knowing that the Spirit by which they spake of Paul 's sufferings at that City was infallible and could not Err or be mistaken How come they to diswade him from going to Jerusalem N.B. This Objection hath a double Answer First It was with him as it had been with Elisha in another case saying The Lord hath hid it from me and hath not told me 2 Kin. 4.17 He knew not all things at all times So here the Lord and his Spirit had not told these prophecying Disciples far short of that Eminent Prophet who had a double portion of the Spirit of Elija upon him whereby he wrought a double number to his Master's miracles How Paul went bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem but thinking it to be his own Voluntary choice and understanding by Divine Revelation how much this Enterprize would indanger him they out of their own private Spirit of compassion and humane affection toward him but not from any special command of the Spirit of God desired him not to venture himself thither The 2d Answer is Those men might probably think also that this prediction of Paul's sufferings there was only conditional in case he ventured to Jerusalem in like manner David was told that the men of Keilah would deliver him up to Saul 1 Sam. 23. v. 11 12. to wit in case he had been so fool-hardy as to betrust himself among and with them Thus it is apparent that the Spirit of truth never crosseth or contradicteth himself in any of his Revelations The fourth Remark is Believers come under a double denomination here They are called Disciples verse 4 and Brethren verse 7. N.B. This Reason may be rendred for it Believers in Ptolemais were gathered to-together into Church-Order and had Church-Meetings so are call'd Brethren but not so at Tyre where they lived under no Church-power c. So are call'd Disciples only NB. Where the number of Believers are dispersed and not yet Collected into Church Fellowish with Order and Officers there they are called Disciples or Schollars of Christ only as Beza observeth but when they joyn themselves into Church-Union and Communion then are they honoured with that highest Title of brethren as both in verse 7. and 17. Then the Staff of Bands and the Staff of Beauty Zech. 11. verse 7. are both together Where the bands of the Communion of Saints are found there is far more beauty of holiness than where Christians live in a scattered condition one from another The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or being of Christianity may be there in the former where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or well-being of it cannot be found as in the latter N.B. The Flowers of the Garden may be indeed flowers yea and Fragrant flowers too in themselves while they grow in the several beds or pots at distance one from another but they become much more fragrant and odoriferous when they are gathered together and bound up in a Nose-gay and so presented according to this Apostle's own phrase 2 Cor. 11.2 as an incorrupted Virgin to Christ that the smell of her Graces may refresh his eye and ravish his heart Cant. 4.9 10. The fifth Remark is Those Primitive-Gospel-times God most highly honoured with the powrings out of his spirit upon all Flesh N.B. For under the Law God gave out of his spirit but in lesser measures and comparatively by drops only But under the Gospel and the first fruits thereof our blessed Messiah powred out his spirit not here a little and there a little as before but now more largly and plentifully as it were whole pales full at once yea even to an overflow were the fillings of the Spirit at that time they were filled therewith over and over again Acts 2.4 and 4 31. And this was done upon all sorts of Mortals as well on Gentiles as Jews N.B. Contrary to their proud conceit that God gave himself to no people out of the Land of Israel yea and that without distinction of Sex or Rank as he had promised that Sons and Daughters yea Servants and Hand-maids should have the Spirit and Prophecy Joel 2.28 and in part fulfilled Acts 2.17 18. N.B. More particularly upon the Female Sex as upon Anna the Prophetess Luke 2.36 and upon those four Daughters of Philip here Acts 21.8 9. whereby God shewed the inlargement of his loving-kindness which he reserved for the first Gospel-times Here both the Father and his four Daughters are honourably Recorded in their high Advancement For 1. The Father was but a Deacon Acts 6.5 who preaching so successfully at Samaria Acts 8 and discharging his Deacon-ship so well that he purchased to himself this higher degree according to the Apostle's own Rule 1 Tim. 3.13 of being an Evangelist which was an Office placed next to Apostles and above Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 and who were not confined to any place and people as the ordinary Officers are but to preach the Gospel every where as Timothy was exhorted to do 2 Tim. Ch. 4. v. 5. N.B. This Philip was honoured to be the Apostle's Host at Cesarea Acts 21.8 2 His four Daughters are Recorded to be Virgins to wit by their Fathers and their own voluntary consent as 1 Corinth 7.37 not as the Popish Votary-Nuns it is not said that they continued in that state but that they were also prophetesses in foretelling things to come not publick preachers contrary to 1 Corinth 14.34 and 1 Tim. 2.12 c. The sixth Remark is The Sufferings of the Saints and Servants of God are not fortuitous as comming by chance or casualty nor are they only from the power of persecutors but they are all fore known ordained and ordered by the most wise God N.B. Thus was it with Paul in his persecutions they Sprang not out of the Dust Job 5 6. but were determined by a Divine decree as his Lords and Masters were Acts 2.23 and 4.28 against whom Pilate could not have prevailed unless power had been given him from above John 19.11 Thus all the sufferings of Christ's Servants are the matter of God's prescience council and providence as well as purpose from all eternity Eph. 3.11 As Paul's sufferings were fore-ordained by God so they were foretold both by and from God N.B. Thus the Lord said at Paul's first Call and Conversion I will shew him how greatly he must suffer for my name's sake Acts 9.16 even as great things as ever he himself caused others to suffer both by the malice of the Jews his own Country-men and by the fury of Gentiles Whereof we have a Catalogue from himself 2 Cor. 11. verse 23. and this was made known
to him by the Holy Ghost Acts 20.23 and by Men inspired with the Spirit Acts 21.4 and here again by the Prophet Agabus ver 10 and 11. who took Paul 's Girdle wherewith he bound him both hands and teet c. By which outward sign and symbol parallel to that of Jer. 27.2 and ordinary exemplifications of the prophets as Isa 20.2 Jer. 13.1 Ezek. 12.5 which custom the false Prophets also took up 1 Kings 22.11 and Jer. 28.10 11. he fore-shewed what should befal Paul as it were fulfilled verse 33. N.B. This Agabus did not so much for Paul's sake who knew it before but for others sake Accordingly it is foretold to us what we must expect in the way to Heaven which is not a Milky but a Bloody way Acts 14.22 and 2 Tim. 3.12 The seventh Remark is The constancy of holy sufferers in undergoing those Sufferings God calls them unto is a great confirmation to other believers N.B. Thus it was here when those believers at Cesarea heard what was foretold would befall Paul at Jerusalem they out of tender Compassion toward him and out a deep sense what a grievous loss it would be to lose so great a Light do importune him with tears to forbear his Journey to Jerusalem verse 12. tho' their tears did melt Paul into tears also insomuch that there began a strange strife as betwixt David and Jonathan 1 Sam. 20.40 c. whither should out weep each other he grieving to see them so grieved Yet holds he his right Roman yea true Christian Resolution of being obedient to the Conduct of the Holy Spirit tide good or tide Evil to him verse 13. 'T was a brave Speech of great Pompey necesse est ut eam nou ut Vivam 'T is necessary I should go not that I should live but Braver in this undaunted Champion who said Acts 20.24 He counted not his Life dear to him N.B. And here What mean ye to weep and to break my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus verse 13. Thus he who seemed to be altogether insensible of his own griefs which waited for him every where as he knew and said Acts 20.23 was out of an Holy Sympathy exceedingly grieved at this grief of his Friends and thereby bore a double burden both his own and theirs that thus Recoiled upon him Thus as Christ's Love to him was stronger than Death Cant. 8.6 So aqué non aequaliter as well tho' not as much was his love strong to Christ back again and there ought to be the like Reciprocation of love in us to Christ also or it is not of the Same nature with his not begoten by it N B. When those Believers saw such a most Masculine disingaged and most couragious Zeal and resolvedness in him this confirmed their faith and they commit the event to God verse 14. Crying The will of the Lord be done according to the third Petition in the Lord's Prayer at Christ's command Mat. 6.10 and Luke 11.2 and according to Christ's own Example in his own case Matth. 26.42 and Luke 22.42 N.B. Here we ought in all our Perturbations of mind by crosses losses c. to Centre our souls when God's will is done our will must be done also We must say Amen to God's Amen and put our fiat and our places to God's we must have the same mind and Spirit that was in Christ Phil. 2.5 making our lives as so many Sermons upon the life of Christ in resigning our wills to God 1 Pet. 2.9 otherwise we are none of his Rom. 8.9 The eighth Remark is True faith is not daunted at the sight of the Cross but couragiously goeth forward and resolutely follows the call of God as here v. 15. N.B. Paul and his companions who had so passionately and so compassionately diswaded him from his designed Journey make up their packs put on bag and baggage trudge away with their truss'd up fardles as all ready prest and prepared to face any danger in Jerusalem unto which place they resolved to travel and cast themselves upon the Lord whom they knew was able to preserve them This did Paul tho' he was foretold of his sufferings and did certainly fore know even of such and so many-reckon'd up by himself 2 Cor. 11. N.B. As scarce ever were heaped upon any one man's back excepting Christ yet go he will and preach the Gospel he will even in Jerusalem it self amongst those murderers of Christ whom he loved much because Christ had forgiven him much Luke 7.47 and he thought that he could never do nor suffer enough for Christ who had done and suffered much more for him Who now called him hereunto N.B. With the like Spirit said Famous Luther I will surely go to the City Wormes seeing I am sent for thither by the Emperor tho' I knew there were so many Devils to resist me as there are Tiles to cover the Citizens houses c. This he said to Spalatinus who asked him if he would adventure Yea and those friends of Paul were so warmed with his lively coal that they give over to diswade him and resolve to take their own share with him in the danger The ninth Remark is When the Lord calleth any of his Servants to suffering-work he leaves them not altogether destitute even of some Creature-comforts in their way thither Thus was it here with Paul when posting in all hast to meet with his Cross N.B. there went with him certain of the Disciples of Cesarea besides his own other companions who brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus an old Disciple with whom we should Lodge ver 16. This Mnason our translation intimateth was in that company which Journyed with Paul now to Jerusalem but some rather suppose that those Disciples of Cesarea conducted Paul and his company to Mnason's house in Jerusalem for tho' he was of Cyprus and supposed to be converted when Paul and Barnabas were there Acts 13. verse 4. yet had he now an house in this great City who was willing to entertain Paul and to be as another Gaius the host of the Church Rom. 16.23 N.B. Take it in the former sense and it was no small incouragement to Paul to have his Host along with him in company from Cesarea to Jerusalem or in the latter sense for considering the vast confluence of Country-men coming up from all parts of the Country to this Annual Solemnity of Pentecost at Jerusalem it cannot be imagin'd but Lodgings in the City must needs be mighty Scarce and it was therefore no small kindness in Mnason to provide convenient Lodgings for Paul and his company N.B. So that in both senses Paul wanted not his due incouragment especially not to be turned out of Doors but to find Lodging with an old Disciple a Gray-headed experienced Christian a Father in Israel one beyond a babe or Child-hood yea beyond youth a Father 1 John 2.13 and such
the King had opened his mouth to make his Defence so he would not suffer any to stop it till he had done being confident that Agrippa's opinion and Judgment could not but prevail much with Festus while he pleaded for his own life and therefore doth he principally crave the King 's patient Audience stiling it his happiness yet Paul well knew that the true happiness is to find favour with God in the Remission of Sin Ps 32.1 2. and assuredly had not God over-ruled matters and Paul had not been so eminent by his sufferings Agrippa who came into the Court in such a princely pomp Acts 25.23 Especially Festus could never have vouchsafed him attention with so much silence and patience The third Remark is A blameless life from our youth upward is a brave incouragement when we come to suffer for Righteousness-sake Thus Paul here v. 4 5. makes a confident appeal as be had done to Caesar's Court so to his accusers consciences whether they could Justly charge him with any enormities while he was of their Strict Pharisaical persuasion Hereby he vindicated his Christian Religion from the prejudice of the Jews who cast such calumnies upon Paul as if he had imbraced Christianity as a subterfuge from the abuse of his Pharisaism in former times This he wisely washeth off and convincingly urgeth that it was not for any misdemeanors done by him but for his imbracing the Christian Religion which had rendred him so odious and obnoxious to them Now the Testimony of Paul's good Conscience was a strong cordial to support him in all these Tryals which he had before Faelix Festus and King Agrippa over and above his Divine Revelation The fourth Remark is The Doctrine of the Resurrection is no incredible Doctrine This Paul asserts as the foundation of all Religion which he calls the hope of the promise v. 6. for which the 12. Tribes instantly served God and all little enough to obtain a better Resurrection and everlasting life verse 7. and for which Article of the Faith those Degenerate Children of the 12. Tribes do saith Paul persecute me to Death Yet it is a Credible Doctrine which Pagans such as Festus was and Sadduces ought not to deny v. 8. and the Credibility of it is evidently Demonstrated both by God's works of Creation wherein God gave life to that which had it not before therefore he can more easily restore life where it once hath been and by his works of Providence seeing every spring is a Resurrection of Plants that seem dead in winter The fifth Remark is The great ends and effects for which Christ did Institute and Commissionate a Gospel Ministry are principally five for working 1. Conversion 2. Faith 3. Remision of sins 4. Sanctification And. 5. Salvation N.B. All these five be famously specified in Paul's Commission from a greater High-Priest The Lord Jesus to preach the Gospel than the whited wall Ananias was who had before given him a Commission to persecute the Preachers of it and who now did persecute Paul for Preaching it as Paul tells King Agrippa here after he had given him the whole narrative of his wonderful Conversion whereon Remarks have been already made upon Acts 9.3 c. And upon Acts 22.6 As also upon Acts 8.3 from Acts 26.9 10 11 c. to verse 18. where this excellent discription is N. B. Now tho' these five great works of Conversion c. be properly and principally yea only the work of Christ who alone can open the eyes of the blind both of souls and bodies as he had opend Pauls c. yet is he pleased to put this great honour upon his poor Instruments in his ministry's by whom he ordinarily works them and hence are they called co-workers with God 1 Cor. 3 5 6. And 2 Cor. 6.1 The sixth Remark is How abominable it is that among those that profess themselves to be God's peculiar people True obedience to the Great God should be reckoned no better than real Rebellion and Treason against sorry mortal man Thus Paul tells Agrippa verse 19. the Jews who pretend themselves to be God's peculiar people can find no other fault in me but that I durst not be disobedient to this heavenly Vision but I preached the Gospel at God's command verse 20 21. from whose fury God hath hitherto preserved me verse 22 23. Intimating for his own vindication that he had done nothing but what became a man grateful to God for his daily preservation which is not granted to nourish Idleness but labour as also that the truths of the Gospel concern'd Agrippa himself and all princes as well as the meanest people for all are one in Christ Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 The seventh Remark is Carnal minds even of mighty men do pass very uncharitable Censures upon spiritual persons and things Thus the Pagan Judge Festus Judged Paul a mad man verse 24. as the Captains did Gods prophet that came to Jehu 2 Kings 9.11 and the Friends of Christ did Christ himself Mark 3.21 Nor can it be otherwise because of contrary apprehensions for bad men call evil good and good evil Isaiah 5.20 21. They blasphemously conceive the Gospel to be the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1.18 It seemeth so to them that perish but to them that shall be saved it is the power and wisdom of God Rom. 1.16 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Therefore is it a most dangerous symptome thus profanely to mistake and to distast the Gospel of Christ as Festus did here thinking that Paul had over-studied himself and by meddling with matters too high for his Capacity and too deep for his understanding he had brought himself into a mad melancholy so he broke forth into this idle and long Tittle-Tattle c. The eighth Remark is 'T is a blessed Attainment for a man to be master of himself when highly provoked and to be regulated by right reason only and not hurryed by unruly passions Thus it was with Paul here verse 25. making his answer with all meekness with due terms of respect to a Revileing Judge wherein he well observed Solomon's saying a soft answer turns away wrath Prov. 15.1 Festus had spoke truly so far as to say Paul had much learning for he was reckoned an excellent linguist being skilful by his acquired learning besides that infused by the Holy Ghost in the Hebrew Syraick Greek and Latine Tongues well acquainted with the Pagan Poets and a most fluent and Charming Orator speaking and writing Greek in such a Compt florid and elegant style so that Demosthenes's Orations are but dull pieces compared to some of his Epistles yet Festus was extravagant in censuring that Paul's much learning made him mad perhaps he might feel some strange Infleunce upon Paul's Discourse and could not ascribe it to the Right cause the Holy Spirit but to the spirit of madness c. N. B. 'T is true indeed Paul himself confesseth that he had been exceeding mad in persecuting the Truth Acts 26.11 And there were
baptized Peter's Question was without Question Can any man forbid Water c Acts 10.47 He argueth from the thing signified to the sign and his Question in effect is a vehement Assertion and a most cogent Argument as it is improved by him afterwards Acts 11.17 importing that such as God hath granted Inward Baptism unto no Man no Minister must deny the Outward N. B. As he that hath a right to and a propriety in an Inheritance cannot without manifest injury and injustice be denied the Writings and Seals thereunto appertaining Because these Gentiles had the Grace signified and promised in Baptism and so had got the Inward part therefore to deny them the Outward part could not but be a very injurious Act Hereupon they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Acts 10.48 which was not a differing practice from Christ's precept In the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 for under that title the Lord is meant not only Christ the Anointed but also the Father who Anointed him and the Spirit by whom he was Anointed So the same phrase Acts 2.38 and 19.2 5. Rom. 6.3 and Gal. 3.27 is understood N. B. Thus also the Sacrament of Baptism seals up Adoption in Infants born of believing Parents and pronounced holy 1 Cor. 7.14 having thereby the Inward Grace they have a right to the Outward Sign as it doth Seal up Faith in those of Riper years c. The twelfth Remark is The Call and Conversion of the Gentiles became a dreadful stumbling-block to the Jews yea to the Believers as well as Unbelievers We read how They of the Circumcision who believed were astonished c. Acts 10.45 Those were the six Brethren who accompanied Peter from Joppa to Caesarea Acts 11.12 N. B. Peter acted prudently in taking so many men of the Jews with him to bear a full Testimony by so many mouths concerning the Grace of God given to the Gentiles foreseeing what an offence it would prove to the Jews But these six Companions of Peter were only amazed at this and well they might beholding the Holy Ghost bestowed upon the Gentiles this first time in the like manner as it was at its bestowing upon the Jewish Nation Acts 2.4 namely by immediate Infusion Whereas at all other times where any mention is made of giving the Gifts of the Spirit we find a mention also of Imposition of Hands used in order to obtain that extraordinary grace this made those six men astonished not yet understanding the mystery of the Call of the Gentiles but thinking that Christ and his Grace had only been promised to the Jews But the very Apostles and Brethren in Judaea only hearing of these things but not seeing them were down-right offended at Peter when he returned the second time to Jerusalem and plainly quarrelled with him for going to the Gentiles and eating with them Acts 11.1 2 3 c. Now comes in that great Point to be disputed Whether Peter did well in admitting the Gentiles into Gospel-Communion without Circumcision This is justified by two Topicks The first is the Argument pressed in Peter's Apology to those who took him to Task for his Baptizing Cornelius c. And the second is drawn from the commendable and successful Edification of the Gentile-Church at Antioch As to the first it consists of two parts the Offence of the one party and the Defence of the other First The Offence was too captiously taken but not really given so it was Scandalum acceptum not datum This conversing with the Gentiles or Heathens was look'd upon as a piacular and detestable crime among the Jews as not only contrary to the Tradition of their Elders and Precepts of their wise men but also to those Scripture allusions Let him be to thee as on Heathen Matth. 18.17 and not to keep company or to eat with Idolaters 1 Cor. 5.10 11. therefore the Apostles Brethren and Jews of the Circumcision charge Peter home for violation of their Law N. B. We may well wonder here that those Believers who had not only one God to their Father but also one Church to their Mother yea were born of the same Spirit and were fed by the same Milk of the Word of God should yet quarrel upon this occasion because the Gentiles were not only informed of the Truth but also reformed from their Errours yea and plainly transformed into the same Image of the Word which they had through grace now received as if the Jews designed to make a Monopoly of a whole Jesus to themselves from the Gentiles We may wonder the more at this contention N. B. Because we find no such quarrel at Peter and John for their going down to Samaria though the Samaritans were odious enough to the Jewish Nation c. This only may be said to qualifie that Journey beside their Commission from Christ Acts 1.8 because the Samaritans were neither uncircumcised nor Idolaters both which they knew the Heathens or Gentiles were and therefore more detestable to them N. B. There was indeed a partition-wall betwixt Jew and Gentile of God's own erecting that the former might not have any familiar converse especially in Marriages with the latter and the â—abbi's made this wall larger than God had made it making it unlawful to eat with or enter into the house of a Gentile hence arose this Objection of theirs against Peter's practice Acts 11.3 Whereas the Law of God forbad not all commerce with the Gentiles much less that whereby they might be gained to God but that only which might corrupt the Jews and withdraw them from God And Peter himself who is now cavilled at professeth his conscientious observation of that Law of God Acts 10.28 to Cornelius c. and to God himself verse 14. Yea and of the very Traditions of the Elders also over and above the Law of God John 4.9 and 18.28 c. till God convinced him by a Vision Acts 10.15 c. First These Believing Jews who contended with Peter here were all zealous of the Law Acts 21.20 21. in Paul's case there as now in Peter's here and still were so weak as to be too much addicted to Jewish Ceremonies insomuch that they thought Circumcision simply necessary to Salvation Acts 15.1 5. and would have the Believing Gentiles also circumcised until they were better instructed as there by the Decrees of the Church Acts 15.29 So here by the Relation of Peter as here followeth for their farther and fuller satisfaction Nor did those Zealots of the Legal Rites object against Peter saying Why hast thou Baptized the Gentiles or why didst thou Preach to them For this would have been an injurious affront to Christ and contrary to his express command Mat. 28 19 Acts 1.8 c. Secondly The Defence Peter maketh to their offence objected from ver 4. to v. 18. Acts 11. wherein Peter not pretending any preheminence over the Church as his pretended Successors do at this day willingly submitteth himself and