the Father did more fully evidence himself than here Not as if Christ as God were not present on earth as well as in heaven but that he went from them in his Humane Nature into the heavens from whence he shall come to judge the world * 1017. Joh. 8.19 You neither know me Joh. 7.28 And you know me You know me not as to my Divinity you know me as to my Humanity 1018. Joh. 8.23 Ye are of this world Chap. 15.19 Ye are not of this world To be of the world is to be in darkness and to lead a wicked life Not to be of the world is to acknowledge Christ and to live godly The first place therefore respects the unbelieving Jews and carnal men the latter respects all the faithful the children of God and elected to salvation 1019. Joh. 8.26 I have many things to say and to judge of you Chap. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already In the first place the present-tense is put for the future For we must all of us appear before Christs Tribunal Rom. 14.10 that every man may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 * Joh. 8.26 with 3.18 The first place tells us that Christ had many things whereof he might judge them and accuse them but that at present was not his work he came to convince them by his Preaching and Miracles who he was and afterwards to die for them as for judging them it was at present his Fathers work who was true The second place that he that believeth not is in a condemned estate and his conscience upon a serious inquest will condemn him and the Law will judge him as condemned thoâ—gh the sentence of condemnation is not already solemnly pronounced against him as it will be at the last day 1020. Joh. 8.28 I do nothing of my self Chap. 10.18 I have power c. Christ of himself that is without the Father or against his Fathers authority did nothing 1021. Joh. 8.33 We be Abrahams seed Ver. 44. Ye are of your Father the devil There are sons carnal and sons spiritual the carnal Jews were the seed of Abraham in respect of corporal propagation Spiritual are such as are guided by a good or evil spirit sons by a good Spirit are all the faithful who are of the seed of Abraham by faith in Christ who gave to believing Abraham that he should be câ—â—led the Father of believers Christ saith the Jews were from an evil spirit who did not the works of Abraham but of the devil in respect of their malice imitation and he that doth the works of another may be called his son 1022. Joh. 8.35 The servant abideth not in the house for ever 1 Thes 4.17 We shall ever be with the Lord. In the first place is spoken of a servant of sin in the latter of the faithful who shall be delivered from all bondage being made free by the Son Joh. 8.36 * Joh. 8.35 with 1 Thes 4.17 The former place speaketh of the condition of a servant in general whether it be meant of a bodily service or otherwise He remains not alwaies in the Masters house but as soon as the daies of his servitude are past he goeth to live of himself And this place compares a son and a servant the one stayeth a time the other for ever They were not spiritually and really Sons though externally and carnally sons but really and spiritually servants The second place speaks of those who were not servants to sin or the Law but sons I call you no more servants but sons and so they may as the sons of God spiritually in Christ remain in the house for ever 1023. Joh. 8.36 Ye shall be free indeed Rom. 7.23 Paul was a captive under the law of sin The faithful are free from sin in respect of condemnation dominion and perfect liberty which they shall enjoy in the next life they are said to be captive under sin by reason of inherent sin which begets ill desires in them against their wills * 1024. Joh. 8.36 You are free indeed Rom. 7.16 I am sold under sin A Christian is free from the Ceremonies of the Law and from the damning power of the Moral Law as he is in Christ and he is free from the power of sin that is free from sins damnation and free from sins dominion i. e. when he begins to believe the Lord enables him more freely to resist sin than formerly and so dayly enlargeth his heart till in the conclusion this freedom is perfected and yet St. Paul might speak of his being in his own apprehension so troubled with sin as if he were sold under it though he were in part free and was going on to perfect freedom from sin It is one thing what Christ spake as to the right and portion of a Christian another thing what Paul speaks out of his hatred and detestation of the weight and lusting of sin within him A child of God takes the longing of his spirit after sins grievously and complains he is sold under sin when he finds sin strongly tempt him * 1025. Joh. 8.44 He was a murtherer from the beginning Joh. 1.1 In the beginning was the word This word beginning hath several considerations It is not to be taken from the first absolute beginning for then Satan had no being not from his own beginning For at his creation he was good as all things else were but so soon as ever Man was he resolved to destroy man and with reference to that intention he was a man-slayer or murderer of Man from the beginning of Man So that this place is meant of Mans beginning and the second place is meant simply the beginning of the world 1026. Joh. 8.46 Which of you convinvinceth me of sin Chap. 9.24 We know that this man is a sinner Christ speaks of firm proof that no man could convince him of sin The Jews for despight and calumny said falsely that he was a sinner * Joh. 8.46 with 9.24 The former place put by way of Question implies a Negative that none could justly convince him The latter place tells us not that they did convince him of sin but they behind his back would scandalize him to be a sinner in the general without implying any particular sin that he was guilty of Only they being ignorant of his birth and thinking him to be begot after the ordinary manner of men and consequently guilty of original sin do call him a sinner but this doth not in the least convince him of this or that sin 1027. Joh. 8.50 I seek not mine own glory Vers 12. I am the light of the world He means glory acquired from his Father not affected glory and he cals himself the Light of the world truly confessing what he is and not by hunting after vain-glory * Joh. 8.50 with 12. A man may speak what he is and what he hath without
The right of living is one thing the possession another Abraham had the right to the land and he had the possession but it was in his seed and posterity 69. Gen. 13.16 I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth 2 Sam. 24.9 And Joab gave up the summe of the number of the people unto the King The posterity of Abraham which were and are before the numbring David made cannot be numbred nor had David the compleat number of the people from Joab who gave the King a lesse number of the people than they were * 70. Gen. 14.13 And these were confederate with Abraham 2 Chron. 19. Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that help the Lord. The Law of God forbids leagues with Infidels and wicked men but not all leagues those are condemned only which are against true Religion Marriages or joyning in armes except in the case of publick necessity as Asa with Benadab Josaphat with Achab c. but such leagues as are concerning the defending of their Countrey preserving neighbourhood of not making inroads of prâ—serving the publick peace or mutuall commerce where Religion is not hurt are not forbidden but are adjudged lawfull and necessary such a league was this of Abraham with the neighbouring Cananites * 71. Gen. 15.6 Whereby shall I know this Matth. 12.39 An evill and adulterous generation seeks after a sign It is one thing to ask a sing for the confirmation of temporall promises where the thing was obscure and altogether hid another thing to ask a sign to demonstrate a thing which might otherwise be known Abraham seeking a sign was a speciall motion of Gods Spirit which Christ condemns not for it hath been permitted to some by a peculiar favour as to Gideon and Hezekiah which they did not so much out of incredulity as out of a desire to be forfeited against humane infirmity or he asked this Question not so much doubting of the thing promised as desiring to know somewhat more particularly of the manner of performance Abraham might well seek a sign in a thing which he had no promise on before nor no footstep of the manner of the comming of it discovered there being many difficulties to encounter withall before it could be effected The Jews they might have sought the Scriptures and found so clear evidences that Jesus was the Christ that they need not seek any signes concerning him 72. Gen. 15.6 Abraham believed God and he counted it unto him for righteousnesse James 2.21 Abraham was justified by works Abraham before God was justified by faith and was declared to be just by his works before men offering up his son Isaac upon the Altar 73. Gen. 15.13 Thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them 400 years Exod. 12.40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Aegypt was 430 years In the Scripture the years are not alwayes precisely numbred the lesser number is omitted and here under the greater round number the lesse is comprehended * Gen. 15.13 with Exod. 12.40 In a great summe so small a number comes under no particular account as the 72 Interpreters are called the 70 and this account is not to begin lower than the giving of the promise to Abraham to the deliverance of the Israelites out of Aegypt and the giving of the Law were 430 years Exod. 12.40 Gal. 3.13 of which neither 405 nor 400 nor 430 was spent under the Egyptian persecution for though the account end with their parting thence it did not begin with their coming thither but so much of the time was run before Jacob's coming thither and so much after that peaceably passed on untill the death of Joseph so as some account the time of their rigid servitude to an 140 some to a 121 at the most the summe of 430 equally divided the one half spent before their going into Aegypt the other half in their abiding there 215 before their going into Aegypt reckoned thus from the promise given to Abraham to the birth of Isaac 25 from the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob 60 years from thence to their coming into Aegypt 130 in all 215 the other 215 thus 94 before the death of Levi 121 betwixt his death and their deliverance out of Aegypt Chrys hom 36. in Gen. 74. Gen. 15.15 Thou shalt go to thy Fathers in peace Joshua 24.2 Terah and his fathers served other Gods To go to his Fathers that is to die it is an Hebrew phrase Also by the name of Fathers here may be understood Adam Abel Noah c. to whom he went by faith * 75. Gen. 15.16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again 1 Chro. There are reckoned six in the Tribe of Judah from Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah Phares Hezron Chaleb so in the Tribe of Levi from Abraham to Moses are reckoned six from Abraham Isaac Jacob Levi Cahath Amram Moses Answ In the fourth generation that is in the 400 year 100 year to a generation or somewhat about this which for evennesse and rotundity is not reckoned Or Secondly By the fourth generation is meant the fourth geniture or birth of the Father and the Son so the fourth generation is to be reckoned from the descent of the sonnes of Jacob into Aegypt to their entrance into Canaan as in the Tribe of Judah from Judah to Phares from Phares to Hesron from Hesron to Caleb so in Levi Levi Cahath Amram Moses Thirdly It is one thing to begin the reckoning of four generations from the day that God made this promise to Abraham at which time Abraham had none at all and another thing to begin their account from the time that their servitude in a strange Nation which God foretold should determine before ever God promised the returning of any fourth generations he told Abraham they must first fojourne in a strange Land then in the fourth generation of them whom God brings out thence they shall return to this Land which account Moses set down Exod. 6.16 reckoning from Levi whose first generation was Coath the second was Amram the third Aaron the fourth Eliazar who divided the Land at the time God had foretold Abraham 76. Gen. 16.9 The Angel of the Lord said unto Hagar Return to thy Mistress Chap. 21.12 God commands Abraham to send Hagar away First Hagar flying of her own accord was commanded to return to her Mistresse Gal. 4.22 Chap. 31. then being thrust out by force she staid in the desert the Apostle expounds that figure and applies it to the Old and New Testament 77. Gen. 17.12 God appointed circumcision 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing Circumcision by divine institution in the Old Testament was a sacrament to the coming of Christ but in the New Testament it is nothing nor is profitable to our salvation we must therefore distinguish the times of the Old and New Testament 78. Gen. 18.25 Thou shalt not kill the righteous with the
should walk after God with all their heart The Prophesie by a legall commination moved both King and people to manifest their zeal But he frighted the wicked Hypocrites and such as were averse from God by threatning them that so they might forsake their sins 733. Zeph. 1.7 The day of the Lord is at hand 2 Thes 2.3 Be not terrified as though the day of the Lord were at hand In the former place by the day of the Lord is understood the neernesse of the Babylonish captivity In the latter the coming of the Lord to Judgement the time whereof is not for us to know 734. Zeph. 3.7 I said surely thou wilt fear me Vers 7. But they corrupted their own doing I said The Lord useth that word after the manner of men not as though he had failed of his hope for all things are known to him before they be but as if he should say Who would think you should be so hardned that my very threatnings should not move you HAGGAI HIS PROPHESIE HE upbraids the Jews for that they did not rebuild the Temple and exhorts them to build it and he describes the magnificence of the second Temple He prophesied after the captivity of Babylon under Darius Hystaspes in the year 3444. 735. HAggai 1.8 Bring wood and build the house Isai 66.1 Thus saith the Lord Heaven is my seat and the earth is my footestole what house is that you will build unto me The rebuilding of the Temple was accepted with God for the holy convocation and the worship in it to Gods glory that was with the Priesthood and Leviticall Rites a Type of Christ unto whose coming only it was to endure 736. Haggai 2.3 You that saw this house in its first glory and how do you see it now Is it not in comparison of it as nothing Verse 9. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former house saith the Lord of Hosts The structure indeed of this house did not answer the Majesty of the first house built by Solomon Yet the spirituall glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former house because the Lord himself came into it and preached in it disputed and wrought great miracles there 737. Haggai 2.4 Do so for I am with you saith the Lord of Hosts Zach. 1.12 O Lord of Hosts how long will it be ere thou have pitty on Jerusalem In the first place the Prophet comforts the people by the hope of promises in Christ promising that God would be present there with his people after the captivity of Babylon In the latter Christ intercedes for his Church which hath sinned against God and was punished by a just judgement of God with a Babylonian captivity for seventy years * 738. Haggai 2.4 with Zach. 1.12 The former place is conditionall I am with you if you do so The latter shews that they were in affliction and so it implies they had broken their condition 739. Haggai 2.6 Yet a little while and I will shake the Heaven and the Earth and the desire of all Nations shall come This Prophesie was fulfilled after five hundred yeares under Augustus Caesar Luk. 2.11 With God a thousand yeares are but as one day or one watch in the night ZECHARIAH HIS PROPHESIE THE sonne of Barachiah He warns the Jewes to repent to build the Temple he makes mention of his Visions and explains them by the effusion of the Spirit of grace and prayer He prophesied after the returne from Babylon in the year of the world 3456. 740. Zech. 1.3 Turn unto me and I will turn unto you Joh. 6.44 No man comes unto me unlesse my Father draw him The first place is legall requiring of us what we ought and not what we can do The latter is Evangelicall for no man comes unto God unless God draw him by his Spirit Jer. 31.18 Therefore we must pray diligently Convert me ô Lord that I may be converted because thou ô Lord are my God 741. Zech. 1.17 Chap. 2.10 The Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet chose Jerusalem Eph. 1.4 God the Father chose us in Christ before the foundations of the world The election of a certain people to be a visible Church in the first place is taken metonymically for by that deed God sheweth that he hath confirmed the election of Jerusalem In the latter God speaks of our election unto eternall life 742. Zech. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye Isa 3.1 Behold the Lord of hosts doth take away from Jerusalem the whole stay of bread In the first place is contained the promise of God to the faithfull that keep his Covenant in the latter is the pronouncing of judgement against the obstinate Jews God is said to have kept his people as the apple of his eye so long as they were obedient Deut. 32.10 Psal 17.8 But temporall punishments inflicted on the wicked do not infringe the truth of his promise and of divine performance 743. Zech. 3.9 I will remove the iniquity of his land in one day Rev. 13.8 Christ slain from the beginning of the world In one day is the performance of Christs passion who dying for our sins restored us unto life But he was slain from the beginning of the world in Gods determinations by election virtue eficacy and acceptation and in respect of the fruits of it which redounded to the Church under the Old Testament 744. Zech. 6.13 He shall sit and rulâ— upon his throne Isa 9 7. He shall sit upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdome Luk. 1.33 Christ in respect of his divine nature hath his throne from everlasting to everlasting But in respect of his humanity being he is born of the seed of David according to the flesh the Lord God hath given him a throne that he may reign over the house of Jacob for ever 745. Zech. 11.12 They weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver Matth. 27.9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the Prophet they took thirty pieces of silver the price of him that was valued whom they did value Eusebius saith De Demonstrat l. 10. c. 4. that Jeremiahs name was put for Zechariahs name by the errour of the Scrivener Out of Jeremiah some make the computation where he makes mention of seventeen shekels which make thirty pieces of silver Jer. 32.9 746. Zech. 13.7 Awake ô sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered Joh. 10.10 No man takes away my life from me The Prophet mentioneth God the Father commanding in the name of the whole Trinity whose words outwardly are common to the three Persons and undivided that his shepherd namely Christ should be slain that contradicts not Christs words who willingly laid down his life for us 747. Zech. 13.7 The sheep shall be scattered Joh. 17.12 Those that thou gavâ—st unto me I
for Sepulchres a common thing in Scripture 3. He useth an Elepsis a cutting off a Conjunction And. So that the senâ—e seems to be And Jacob and our Fathers died and were removed to Shichem and were laid in Sepulchres in that which Abraham bought for money and in that was bought from the Sons of Emmor the father of Shichem 1109. Acts 7.38 Moses received in mount Sinai the lively Oracles 2 Cor. 3.7 Paul calls the Law the ministration of death The words of the Law were words of life because the Law hath life in it self and leads us to Christ it is not the Ministration of death in it self but in respect of mens infirmities and our corrupt nature Acts 7.38 with 2 Cor. 3.7 That which Moses received was lively Oracles for they were lively delivered to him and not only written as some part was they were lively because the Moral and Ceremonial Laws together brings a man to life for the Moral Law lets us see our infirmities and necessity of a Saviour to take us from our sins and the Ceremonial shewed Christ the Messiah which would take us from our sins Paul calls the Law the ministration of death not that of it self and qua Lex brings death but that it pronounceth and worketh a sense of death to and in the disobedient and rebellious * 1110. Acts 7.43 Ye took up the Tabernacle of Molech c. Amos. 5.26 The Tabernacle of Molech In Amos it is Succuth Malkekim which is rendred by some Succuth the King or the Tabernacle of the King or the observance of your King Moloch was the Idol of the children of Ammon 1 Kin. 11.17 And singularly prohibited to Israel Lev. 18.20 20.2 This Image was without Jerusalem and set within seven Chappels which seven Chappels help us to understand what is meant by Molechs Tabernacle he is called Succuth or the Covert God because he was retired within so many Cancelli before one could come at him You took up Succuth or the Covert God your King which is the Tabernacle of Molech that Idol you prize as highly as the chiefest King Molech Molech Milcham or Malcham are the same Baal And the Star of your God Rempham Amos saith Chijim your Images the star of your God Chijim is either taken as the proper name of an Idol as Hercules which by the Aegyptians was called Chon Or Saturn which by the Arabians was called Chevan Or else Chijim is an appellative word and so it signifies the whole host of heaven which one Idoll cannot do Malchom Besides Chijim Tsalmecon the latter word in the Plural number and as it seemeth by the very posture of it the latter of two Substantive and not in apposition for if Chijim were but one Idol it is somewhat improper to say Chijim your Images as speaking of more Chijim may be construed for the ordering or disposing of their Images Stephen saith they had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or representations of the whole heaven and host of it in one Series or in one body beset with variety of stars and figures representing this or that Planet and this or that Constellation Amos saiâ—h You took up Succuth your King and the frame or disposal of your Images in one compact piece the stars of your God which you have made to your selves Remphan upon this word are several conjectures The seventy have rendred Chijim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mistaking one piece of a Letter reading ד for ב but to omit these it seems 1. That Stephen doth something follow the seventy in this word as well as he doth in the rest of the Text for the New Testament to follow them differently from the Hebrew Text is no wonder 2. That Stephen doth adde a letter to the word or doth a little change it from those very syllables that the Septuâ—gint use that he might give the sense of the Prophet the more clearly and plainly As the Prophet in the word Chijim expressed the Fabrick of the Host of heaven which the Idolatrous people had wrought and represented in one piece so should Stephen speak to the very same sense and therefore forsaketh the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he found in the seventy and taketh up or formeth it into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the high face or high representation or that whole peece that represented the whole heaven which he calleth their God because in that they adored all the Stars and Hosts of heaven at once and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but one number put for another one Star for many And I will carry you beyond Babylon in Amos it is beyond Damascus and so in the seventy which Stephen seems purposely to have changed beyond Babylon because that as he had treated in the beginning of the Chapter of Abrahams coming out of those parts into that Land he would now shew e contra how they for their Idolatry should be carried out of that Land into those parts again 1111. Acts 7.51 You do alwaies resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did Rom. 9.19 Who hath resisted his will To resist the Holy Ghost is not to hear him in the Word of God so the Jews rejected grace proffered unto them and despised it revealed in the Word and so were the cause of their own damnation The Apostle speaks of Gods absolute will according to that he doth all things to which we must be subject * 1112. Acts 7.56 Jesus standing at the right hand of God Mar. 16.19 And Jesus sat at the right hand of God Sitting and standing are not words properly used no more than the word at the right hand of God These Metaphorical Phrases must not be strained to signifie several things He saw him standing that is he saw Christ as an Advocate standing to plead his cause with God the Father And Jesus sat that is He was now sitting to judge and order the actions and sins of men 1113. Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my spirit Luk. 16.22 Lazarus was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome All the godly and faithful children of Abraham must commend their spirits into the hands of the Son of God who enlivens us there is that bosome and the soul of Abraham rests there 1114. Acts 8.1 And they were all scattered abroad throughout the Region of Judah and Samaria except the Apostles Mar. 16.15 Go into all the world and preach the Gospel The beginning of the Apostles preaching was at Jerusalem where they suffered persecutions building a Church unto Christ before they went to other Nations * Acts 8.1 with Mar. 16.15 The former place shews de facto how they were dispersed The latter shews how de jure they ought to disperse themselves to preach the Gospel The former place shews how Providence offered an opportunity and the latter that they ought to make use of all opportunities in any place to preach the Gospel Though the latter place did tye them to the performing of the duty yet it did