Christ it is in the Heart and Spirit and there for ever II. This is the Church Militant here Much is spoken of the Church Militant And Scripture Warrants such a Title Ye sight against Principalities and Powers And As a good Soldier of Jesus Christ. Now how many Thousands are there in the visible Church that never strike Stroke that are Lookers on nay scarce so much that mind not the Christian Warfare at all and that never resist the Flesh the World or the Devil II. I come now to the second Question How far to believe the Church As the Church is sometimes taken for Councils Synods or Convocations or Primitive Fathers I mean not barely the Colliar's Faith to believe as the Church believes tho' he knew not what it was but knowing throughly the Determinations of these whether it be absolutely necessary for us to believe them because they are the Determinations of the Church The Romanist saith Yes And he that believes not what Holy Mother Church determines is a Heretick He that believes not according to what the Council of Trent hath determined let him be Anathema 〈◊〉 answer We first begin here That the Scriptureâ— coâ—ntain all things needful for Faith and Life 〈◊〉 in Es. viii 19 20. And when they shall say unto you seek unto them that have familiar Spirits and unto Wizzards that peep and that Mutter Should not a People seek unto their God To the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them So may I say also in this case if they say to you Seek to Councils Fathers Canons Determinations of the Church To the Law and to the Testimony to Scripture and Holy Writ that contains every thing you need to enquire after for Salvation What to be believed and what to be done Psal. cxix 105 Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path. VVhithersoever you need to walk for the pleasing of God doing your duty to Men or to your own Souls the VVord of God is a Light sufficient In the Place before-mentioned Es. viii 19 20. Should not a People seek unto their God For the living to the dead To the Law and to the Testimony It is curiosity to enquire after Necromancy But if we desire to know what is fit and needful To the Law and to the Testimony Mal. iv 4 Remember ye the Law of Moses my Servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Judgments Prophecy was then ceasing People might complain what shall we do for Instruction VVhy go to the VVord of God which you have in your Hands to the Law of Moses that will teach you Luke xvi ult Dives desires Abraham to send one from the Dead to teach his Brethren that they might escape that Place of Torment No that needs not Moses and the Prophets will teach all things needful They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them The Apostle speaks this fully 2 Tim. iii. 16 17. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness That the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works The Papist saith it is not sufficient to instruct in all things of Religion True not of the Romish Religion For the Rags that patch that you must go to some Broker For the Divine VVardrobe of Scripture hath none such viz. the Orders of Monks and Friars Pilgrimages single Life of the Clergy Salt Oil Spittle in Baptism Tapers at the Communion Processions Praying to and for the Dead and a Thousand other Trinklements and Trumperies Scripture never knew such base VVare we must go to some other kind of Shop for it And that Pedlar with them is Tradition VVhen they cannot find Authority to warrant them by Scripture then they have Recourse to some Tradition VVhen they have some Bastard-Doctrine or Practice and want Scripture to father it then they go to some old rotten Tradition Just so did the Jews and these are so like them that Egg to Egg is not more You know Christ's Accusation of those Mat. xv 8 9. This People draweth nigh unto me with their Mouth and honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me But in vain they do worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. And the very same Quarrel hath he against these The Jews pretended a Thousand Traditions of the Fathers so do these they equalled them with Scripture so do these they spoiled all Religion and made the VVord of God of none Effect and so do these As if God were a Niggard in his VVord and did not afford Food for Salvation but we must seek it in Dunghills The Scriptures are called the Scriptures of Truth the Word of Grace of Salvation able to make Man perfect throughly furnished to every good Work and yet these forsooth must be patch'd out with Traditions or they avail nothing As Argo was patch'd till there was nothing of the old Ship left So these Men have patch'd up a VVord of God till there is nothing of the VVord of God left in it Secondly The Scriptures are to be believed for themselves and they need not fetch their Credit from any thing else Dan. x. 21 I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scripture of Truth They are the TRUTH See John v. 39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they that testifie of me Observe the Bent of Christ's Discourse To clear that he was the Messias he produceth the VVitness of John ver 33. Ye sent unto John and he bare Witness unto the Truth His own VVorks v. 36. But I have a greater Witness than that of John for the Works which the Father hath given me to finish the same Works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me A Voice from Heaven ver 37. And the Father himself which hath sent me hath born witness of me But he concludes in Scripture as the most undeniable Testimony Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they that testifie of me See also 2 Pet. i. 17 18 19. For he received from God the Father Honour and Glory when there came such a Voice to him from the excellent Glory This is my beloved Son c. And this Voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy A Voice from Heaven might possibly deceive the Jews feigned such but the Word of prophecy is sure that is a more sure Word The Reason of the Scriptures Credibility is because they are the Word of God 1 Thess. ii 13 When ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the Word of Men but as it
Communion III. This Communion is twofold Doctrinal and Spiritual 1. Doctrinal As they do communicate in one and the same Faith or Profession of one and the same Religion So all Protestant Churches hold Communion in one and the same Doctrine of Faith and in regard of that Disunion with the Church of Rome Holland and We tho' so disunited in regard of civil Converse yet we are at Communion as Christians in the Profession of the same Religion But this is not the Communion the Article means It speaks of Communion of Saints Now every prophane carnal Protestant may hold such Communion in outward Profession of the same Religion Thousands of prophane Persons in England hold Communion thus even with the preciousest Saints viz. That they acknowledge the same Articles of Religion and yet are far from the Communion of Saints here spoken of Therefore the Communion of Saints is II. Spiritual A hidden Manna a Communion that the World knows not a Spiritual Interest and Communicating which they only partake of and which they only are sensible of Which we may discern the better by observing these things 1. That there is one and the same Spirit in every true Saint of God in the World 1 Cor. xii 4 There are Diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit True there are Diversities of Degrees of Grace and of Operations but one and the same Spirit that worketh all in all As Kinsmen have Communion in Kindred because the same Blood runs in all their Veins so Saints have Spiritual Communion because the same Spirit dwells in them all As in that Comparison that they are Members of the same Body because the same Spirit of Life is in every one of the Members It was the Custom with the Jews to enter into Communion by eating of the same Bread To which the Apostle alludes 1 Cor. x. 17 For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread And hereupon they might not eat with those with whom they might not have Communion So Christ feasts all his with the same Spirit 1 Cor. xii 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit That it is that that gives their Souls Life and Growth because they are all fed with the same Spirit This is the Hunger and Thirst of a Child of God to be filled and refresh'd with his Spirit And this is the feeding and refreshing God affords them John vi 55 63. For my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The Words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life And John vii 37 39. If any Man thirst let him come unto me and drink But this spake he of the SPIRIT which they that believe on him should receive This was David's Hunger and Thirst when his Soul was almost starved by his great Fall Psal. li. 11 12. Cast me not away from thy Presence and take not thine Holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit And this is a Trial whether a Soul be alive and healthy and whether a Person be a Saint or no by his longing and hungring for the Spirit of God Examine your Stomach what craves it Lord give me Corn and Cattel After these things the Gentiles seek not the Saints of God But Lord give me thy Spirit fill me with thy Grace support my fainting Soul with the Spirit of Grace This is a blessed hungring and thirsting which shall be blessedly satisfied Matth. v. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled Thus in the first place Saints have all Communion in the same Spirit of Christ drink of the same Fountain eat and feed upon the same Manna 2. Thus all communicating of the same Spirit of God they have by that Spirit Communion with God himself 1 John i. 3 And truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. A high Saying blessed Apostle Fellowship with God and Christ Let Haman brag of his great Friendship with Ahashuerosh Let Men bâ—â—st of their accompanying with this and that great Man their Friendship and Acquaintance with this or that noble Person it is enough if I can say I am acquainted with God I have Friendship and Fellowship with God and his Son Jesus Christ. Acquainted with God Communion with Christ Brave Company That Man can never be alone never want excellent Company Ah! poor Paul how dost thou do for Company in a dark lonely Prison Daniel how solitary art thou in a Den of Lions when thou hast no Company but those cruel Creatures Oh! nunquam minus solus quam cum solus I have God and Christ with me they keep me Company and I can have no better And so God himself hath promised When thou goest thro' the Waters I will be with thee Observe that Promise Matth. xxviii ult I will be with you always even unto the end of the World Alas we shall be in Prisons in Stocks Ay but then ye shall not be alone for I will be with you to the end of the World What mean such Expressions but that God is present near to his own People in an extraordinary manner different from common Providence That Expression Walking with God doth hint special Intercourse and Converse 'twixt God and the Saint as 'twixt two Friends walking together Observe a feeling Exposition of it Psal. lxxiii 23 24 c. Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by thy Right Hand Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterward receive me to Glory Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth I desire besides thee Here let us stay and we may stand amazed that poor sinful Men may have the Honour and Happiness of Communion with God Will God dwell upon Earth It was Solomon's Wonder So may we wonder at this that God should Converse be in Fellowship and in Familiarity with Men. If God should take Advantage of that Be not unequally yoked how far may this speak contrary to such Communion For what infinite Inequality is thâ—â—e 'twixt God and Man Creator and Creature Dust and Glory An Expression of this Communion you have Rev. iii. 20 If any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me And another Es. lxvi 1 2. Thus saith the Lord The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool Where is the House that ye build unto me And where is the Place of my Rest For all those things hath mine Hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord. But to this Man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite
Subscription to the Orders of the Church which a great many of them had refused But Lightfoot honestly said that this was the Question betwixt our Saviour and the Woman of Samaria And if she had directly asked him whether the Church of the Jews were the true Church he would doubtless directly have answered it was For otherwise God had no Church in the World And yet was the Church of the Jews at that time in a worse Condition than any of them could think the Church of England then was 2. He was no Innovator He sat indeed in the Assembly of Divines called together by the Parliament to consult upon Matters of Religion and he came thither in the simplicity of his Heart contributing his Service towards the Correcting of supposed Abuses in Religion But still he had a respect to the good Laws of the Church and disliked and declared against many Propositions brought in for Reformation and opposed several things attempted to be introduced not only by Independents and Antinomians but such as were for transcribing the Model of the Scotch and Geneva Discipline In their settling a Set Form for Religious Worship the Parliament having laid aside the Common-Prayer-Book Lightfoot had an Eye to former Rubricks and Canons To give one Instance hereof When in the Directory for Baptism the giving Ministers warning when any Children were to be Baptized was omitted he moved that that might be taken order for seeing that in our old Rubrick said he it is enjoyned that warning should be given the Night before And now he shewed there was more need since the Minister by the Directory was to make an Exhortation and to give some Instructions concerning Baptism Whereupon this Clause was added Warning being given to the Ministers the Day before Again he utterly disliked the bringing in a Rank of Women for Officers in the Church viz. Widows Which some had urged grounding themselves upon that of the Apostle Let not a Widow be taken into the number under Sixty Years old Where Lightfoot shewed that for that very thing he could not be of that Opinion For that it was contrary to the Old Testament where the Officers of the Temple were to be dismist at Fifty Years Old And when Goodwin answered that the Priests indeed were discharged of their Service at those Years because of the Burthen of their Service As particularly carrying of the Ark and the Labour of Sacrificing Lightfoot replied that the Ark was fixed after Solomon's time So that there was no more Occasion to carry that Neither were the Sacrifices any such Burthen the Courses of the Priests were so full as that no less than Eighty opposed Vzziah And he shewed it from Josephus and that there were Five Thousand apiece at least in each Course and that their Service was but one Week in half a Year And therefore they could not be overladen with Work Nevertheless when after much Debate it was brought to the Vote whether Widows were Church Officers it was voted in the affirmative Yet only by one Voice Lightfoot being then absent which he calls in his Journal His Misfortune and adds that the Proposition was utterly against his Mind and far different from his Judgment 3. He set himself especially against such as made use of Religion to supersede the Duties of Morality and who upon pretence of higher Attainments in Christianity overlookt Truth Honestly and Righteousness He could not bear such as made Religion a Pander to Sin And such Sects there were that shewed their Faces in his Time There were some that had refined Religion to that Degree that they went all upon Illuminations Revelations and Spiritual Raptures and talked of nothing but of their being acted by the Spirit of God and doing all by some mighty Influences of that Spirit Poring so much upon these Fancies that they measured their own and others Religion according as they were endued with these Enthusiastical Flights In the mean time made little or no account of Moral Duties and were much addicted to Unpeaceableness Covetousness Fraud Lying Deceiving Slandering and such like There was one considerable Sect that then appeared and got much ground which was known and distinguished by this Doctrine That Christians were not obliged by the Moral Law Against this Party great complaints were at length brought into the Assembly of Divines many of whom among which was our Divine saw well to what a Decay all true Religion would soon come if Men of this Opinion were tolerated For to shew them a little to the present Age these were Doctrines contained in the Books or Speeches of three of them collected by Dr. Temple and offered to the Assembly as I find them in Lightfoot's Journal 1. That the Moral Law is of no use at all to Believers No Rule to walk by nor to examine their Lives by And that Believers are freed from the Mandatory Power of it 2. That it is as possible for Christ to Sin as for a Child of God 3. That a Child of God needs not nay ought not to ask Pardon for Sin and that it is no less than Blasphemy to ask Pardon for our Sin And one of them being told that David asked Forgiveness of Sins it was answered it was his Weakness 4. That God doth not chastise any of his for Sin Let Believers Sin as fast as they can there is a Fountain open for them to wash in That not for the Sin of God's People but for Swearers and Drunkards the Land is punisht 5. That there ought to be no Fasting Days under the Gospel and Men ought not to afflict their Souls no not in a Day of Humiliation And it being asked one of them whether he Fasted in obedience to the Civil Command he answered That were to be the Servants of Men. 6. That this Doctrine is false If you Fast and Pray and Humble your selves unto God then God will turn away his Judgments Yea if you Pray by the Spirit you are not hereupon to expect deliverance from Judgments 7. That when Abraham in outward appearance seemed to Lye in his Distrust Lying Dissembling and Equivocating even then truly all his Thoughts Words and Deeds were perfectly Holy and Righteous from all Spot of Sin in the sight of God 8. That if a Man by the Spirit know himself to be in a State of Grace though he commit Murder or Drunkenness yet God doth see no Sin in him Lightfoot with divers others of the soberer sort in the Assembly were hugely concerned at these Men and their Doctrines Because they well saw and urged to the rest how these Opinions opened a Gap to all manner of Licentiousness struck at the very obedience due to the Civil Magistrate horribly scandalized all the Doctrine of Free-Grace and Justification endeavoured to blast all Faithful Ministers calling them Legal Preachers And that this Sect was the more dangerous because their Preachers crept into the Favour of the Souldiers And it was observable that when the Definition
he that trains not up his Child to God for whom does he train him up but the Devil For is there any Mean between What Complaint God taketh up against Israel about their giving up their Children to Moloch may he not take up against Thousands in the World upon this Account Thou hast taken my Children and delivered them up to make them pass through the Fire That is the Children which I have given thee and which should have been mine He warned Men against Lying and False-speaking by the Example of Ananians and Sapphira that were struck dead for it Which he called a fearful Judgment set up as a Pillar of Salt at the very entrance of the Gospel into the World that Men might see and hear and fear and not dare to Lie under the Gospel of Truth especially not to the Spirit of Truth And if you look upon Ananias his doing you see him Deceiving and Lying and if you observe Peter's Words you may see he referrs his Lying and Deceiving to their proper Original Viz. That they both are the Work of the Devil Why hath SATAN filled thy Heart to lye and filled thy Heart to deceive and keep back part of the Price of the Land That if you will trace his Wickedness to the Spring-head his Intent to deceive made him lye and his base Covetousness made him deceive and the Devil caused all He gave this Rule concerning Apparel and for the avoiding Pride in what Men put on God allows Men to wear good Cloths according to their Quality and Degree but if Pride be there it is beside his Allowance God allows us Cloths to keep us warm He allows us Cloths to adorn our Rank and Quality but if we lace and trim our Wear with Pride there is a Leprosie got into the Warp and Woof that rots all God appointed the Jews to wear Fringes upon their Garments to make them still to be remembring the Law I am afraid the Fringing and Finery of two many have a clean contrary Effect It doth but puff them up and make them proud And again If any should ask What Cloths and Hair and Garb may I wear this may be a very direct and satisfactory Answer Wear what you think good so it be without Pride And this I believe will shut out of Doors 1. Wearing a Garb above one's Rank and Degree For I question whether one can wear a Garb above his Rank without Pride And 2. Affecting foreign and strange and few fangled Fashions For tho' it may be possible for a Person to be in the Fashion without Pride because he would not be hooted at for Singularity yet certainly it is hardly possible to affect new fangled Fashions without Pride It is one thing to put on the Fashion to avoid Reproach and another thing to dote upon Fashions and to make them Bravery He that makes his Cloths his Bravery it is very suspicious he makes them his Vainglory and he that dotes on the Fashion it is to be doubted he dotes on the Pride of the Fashion THESE Instances are enough to shew what a plain but fruitful Method of Teaching and Preaching Dr. Lightfoot took But he also took care of his People's Principles to preserve them from warping from the National Church as hath been taken notice of before and from the Church consider'd as Protestant Of which I shall proceed to a few Instances To arm his Auditors against Popery thus he taught them Our Histories tell us That when Austin the Monk came hither into Britain from the Pope as to settle Religion and when some of the British Christians consulted with a grave prudent Man whether they should close with him and submit to his Rules Yes saith he if he be humble do But if he be proud he is not of God Would you take a Measure of true Religion no surer Token than these two Humility and Charity They talk they will prove the Truth of their Religion by Antiquity Universality and I know not what Let them shew it by the Humility and Mercifulness of it and we shall desire no more But I doubt that Religion that teacheth the Merits of a Man's Works is too proud against God to be the true Religion and that that teacheth that the Pope is above all Princes is too proud against Men. And I doubt that Religion that stirs up Mâ—n to murder Princes Nobles People that will not be of that Religion is not the true Religion I am sure Christ and his Apostles were never either of such Pride or Cruelty but further from these Principles of Rome than it is 'twixt Rome and Jerusalem And as he warned them against Popery in general so particularly Against a blind Zeal Zeal without Knowledge or Zeal in a wrong Way It is good always to be zealous in a good Matter but mischievous to be zealous in a bad There was a great deal of Religious Zeal for those Parents to offer their Children to Moloch to be burnt alive in his Arms in Devotion to that God of theirs But it was blind Zeal mad Religion distracted Devotion Their God was the Devil St. Paul in one Place saith That in Zeal he persecuted the Church But in another Place he saith He was exceeding mad against the Church That Zeal of his was mere Madness It was blind and mad cared not whither it went nor what it did Rom. x. The Jew hath Zeal but without Knowledge and that made him so to set himself against the Truth You remember that They that kill you shall think they do God Service It was great Zeal but as blind as a Beetle It runs upon it cares not what as a blind Man runs upon every Post and falls into every Pit And against Cruelty The Papists plead stoutly that theirs and none but theirs is the true Religion If that should be tryed by this very Touchstone Is that can that be true Religion that makes it Religion to murder Men None of you but have heard of the bloody Days of Queen Mary and how many poor innocent holy Men were then put to the Fire and there ended their Lives And this forsooth done by the Papists out of Zeal for Religion Just such a Religion as they were spurred by that offered their Children to Moloch For compare the things together and what can be liker Those Wretches out of that Devotion and Religion as they took on them made their poor innocent Children pass through the Fire a Sacrifice to Moloch These Wretches out of that Devotion and Religion as they took on them made these poor innocent Souls pass through the Fire a Sacrifice to the Pope The Cruelty much alike the Manner of the Death they put them to much alike And were they not Religious think you much alike Such a Sacrifice to their Moloch would they have offered of innocent ones when they would have sent away our Parliament out of the World in Fire and Gunpowder and this forsooth out of Zeal to Religion
these two Marks ¶ and †at pag. 7. the former referrs to p. 47. the latter to p 87. THE CONTENTS OF THE Rules for a Student of the Holy Scriptures SECTION I. THE Language of Scripture one help for the explaining of it pag. 3 To lay the Books and Chapters in their due Order another 4 The Way to come to this Skill is to cast the Bible into a continued Chronicle Ib. The Benefit of it Ib. Eight Literal Observations for this Purpose 5 SECT II. The Number of the Canonical Books 11 The Apocrypha the Work of some Jews Ib. Some Observations thereon 12 SECT III. The Old Testament The Method of reading the whole Book of GENESIS with Explanations and Cursory Observations upon each Chapter beginning at p. 12 The Order of reading JOB 28 SECT IV. The Method of reading the Book of EXODUS with Explanations and Cursory Observations throughout the whole Book beginning at p. 29 The Departure of Israel out of Egypt laid Kalendar-wise 31 c. The Tabernacle and Types of it 37 c. The giving of the Law 40 SECT V. The Method of reading the Book of LEVITICUS with some useful Instructions concerning the Ceremonies enjoyned therein The Laws of Leprosie what they imported 48 49 SECT VI. Notes and Explanations upon each Chapter of the Book of NUMBERS 49 A Summary of the Book of DEUTERONOMY 52 SECT VIII A Declaration of the Matters contained in the Book of JOSHUA Chapter by Chapter 53 54 The Story of Caleb's taking of KiriÌ„ath Sepher Chap. xv why rehearsed in Judg. i. 54 SECT IX The true Order for reading of the Book of JUDGES with Explanations 55 c. The Book of RUTH to be read near the beginning of this Book 58 SECT X. Directions for the Methodical reading of the Books of SAMUEL KINGS and CHRONICLES with Cursory Obâ—â—â—vations Instructions where the PSALMS PROVERBS CANTICLES ECCLESIASTES and JONAH fall in to be read Some special Notes concerning the Book of PSALMS 59 c. SECT XI The Prophetical Books A Rule where and how to lay them as to Order of Time And as to the Precedency of the Prophets living under the same Reign How to read the Prophets unto the Captivity The Captivity-Books to be cast into a Chronicle Scripture Chronology will direct to find what is not possible to express And particularly the beginning of the Seventy Years Captivity 65 66 SECT XII The New Testament The Spirit and Glory of the Old Testament light upon the New 66 Two things of singular Vse in reading of the New Testament 1. In the Evangelists to search out the true and exact Order 2. In reading the New Testament never to take the Eye off the Old 67 SECT XIII Evangelium Mosaico-Propheticum The Gospel and History of Christ to be traced in Moses and the Prophets 68 SECT XIV The Order of the Evangelists The Four Evangelists laid in an intire continued Story till within a Twelvemonth of Christ's Death A Note concerning the Supper in the Nineteenth Chapter of S. John 72 73 The rest of the Tract in Forty-four Sections shew orderly and distinctly how each Evangelist is to be read according to the Order of Time together with Notes and Observations to prove the Order RULES FOR A STUDENT OF THE Holy Scriptures With Directions how to read the History of the Bible Methodically according to the true Order of Time and consequently for the better Understanding and more Profit RULES FOR A STUDENT OF THE Holy Scriptures SECT I. THAT the Scripture is the best Expositor of its self none ever deny'd but they that would not have the Scriptures expounded The helps that it affords for explaining of its self are various The first to be lookt after is the Language The Spirit of God upon the same Occasions using the same Words in the Original This observed which in Translations cannot be so well expressed giveth Light to Things which otherwise were obscure The Groundwork of the Two Testaments is Hebrew and Greek but upon Occasion flourisht with Chaldee Arabic Syrian Latine c. The Holy Spirit seldom or never using these but intimating something of Note if our Eyes be but serious So in Hos. V. 5. speaking of Israel's seeking God in Affliction he useth the Chaldee Form to teach where that Affliction and Seeking must be So Psal. cxvi 12 the Benefits of God there spoken of are in Chaldee Form for the same reason To spare more the very Language wherein the Doom of Babel is written on the Wall Mene Tekel Upharsin the fullest Piece that ever the World saw in so few Words imports a great deal of Divine Wisdom But every one that desires to read the Bible with Profit cannot see this The first thing then for them that only read Translations to be looked after in reading the Scriptures is to lay the Books and Chapters in their true Order The Holy Spirit hath in divers Places purposely and divinely laid Stories and Passages out of their proper Places for special Ends The Evangelists especially witness this Here the Skill of the Reader is first to reduce each thing to his own Place And secondly to seek the Divine Reason why it is misplaced The only way to come to this Skill is by casting the Story of the Bible into a continued Chronicle Which as the Spirit hath given undoubted Helps to draw so being drawn it is the most Satisfactory Delightsome and Confirmative of the Understanding Mind and Memory that may be This settles Histories in your Mind This brings the things as iâ— done before your Eyes This makes you mark what else you would not and this suffers you not to slip over the least Tittle of a Word And sometimes in things of Doubt and Scruple this Strikes all out of Question The great Doubts in the Primitive Church about Methuselah's living in the Year of the Flood and of Sem's being Melchisedek as they grew from this Course so from this Course had it been truly followed they had been soon resolved I will not anticipate your Study else could I shew in Hab. iii. 2 Joh. xiii and other Places Doubts to be raised not to be answered but bâ— Skill in Scripture Chronicle and being so answered of great Weight and Sweetness Two or Three Hours Oral Instructions from one that hath gone this way would give more Readiness in Scripture-text than whole Days before For the present take these literal Observations with you which may something ease and further you in your Entry upon this Course I. Observe That the Scripture of the Old Testament hath in gross Sums chained the Times together from the beginning of the World to the Death of Christ. These are easie to find and upon the finding it is no hard Task to find out the several or special manner of reckoning of every Link As between the Creation and Flood the Years are reckoned compleat In the paralleling of Judah's and Israel's Kingdom most commonly current but sometimes otherwise II. The Jewish
xvi 31 from Esay viii 19 20. Upon [i] Luke ix Mount Tabor a place once of Offence Hos. v. 1 the Cloud of Glory that departed at Moses Death is restored and out of that Cloud a Voice proclaimeth him that great Prophet to whom all must hearken Deut. xviii When he had lived Thirty-two Years and an half the time that David reigned in Jerusalem 2 Sam. v. 5 and had preached and opened the Kingdom of Heaven Three Years and Six Months the time that Elias shut Heaven by Prayer Luke iv 25 he is sold by his Disciple Judas as Joseph was by his Brother Judah Gen. xxxvii for Thirty Pieces of Silver the Price of a Servant Exod. xxi 32 Is apprehended among †Gethsemani in Hebrew signifies A Press for Olives to press out the Oil. the Oil-presses under Mount Olivet And from thence begins to tread the Wine-press alone Esa. lxiii 3 He is condemned by the Policy of Rome Num. xxiv 24 Rev. xi 8 Is delivered up to be crucified at the time of Adam's Creation and setting in Eden Is nailed to his Cross at the time of Adam's Fall Dieth at the time of Adam's Censure Is Six and Thirty Hours under Death the length of the first Day of the World to one part of it His Grave is as the Ark with an Angel at either end He riseth the third Day after the Passover and is as the first Fruits of the Dead Liveth Forty Days after on Earth and breatheth on his Disciples the Holy Spirit as he had done upon Adam the Spirit of Life Is taken up visibly as Elias and now offers up our Prayers to God as the Priest did incense after Sacrifice c. These things raptim But a deliberate sad Eye with Leisure might bring all the New Testament or the most both for Words and Sense from the Old And this I ever held the surest way to expound both SECT XIV The Order of the Evangelists THE proper Order of the Evangelists as they should be laid to make an entire continued Story I have laid before you till you come within a Twelvemonth of Christ's Death That last Years Story you will find to be like Moses his last Months Work a Deuteronomy or a Rehearsal of divers things that went before Ingenuity needeth not always to be led by the Hand For the search of the last Year of Christ's Life I have left to your self By this you will conclude what it cost to lay the rest But when you have done the Work it self will pay you for your Pains Among other things as you go have a special Eye to the Thirteenth of John about the Supper there mentioned Which not well marked hath lost Men themselves while they have gone about to find what is not there to be found Great Doctors having ex professo undertaken to write of that Chapter have missed the first Verse and so spoiled all Concluding the Supper there spoken of to be the Passover Supper when the first Verse plainly tells it was before the Passover and two Days as St. Matthew explains The Popish Tenet of Judas his real receiving of Christ had been choaked here had Men but had Eyes and Minds to see and embrace Truth SECTION I. Luke CHAP. I. from the beginning of the Chapter to ver 5. Section 1. Seeing that none of the Evangelists use a Preface but St. Luke his may fitly be a general Preface to them all SECT II. John CHAP. i. from the beginning to ver 15. Sect. 2. The Preface being made the Story is to begin And most properly Christ's Divine Nature is first to be handled SECT III. Luke CHAP. i. from ver 5 to ver 57. Sect. 3. The Order here shews it self SECT IV. Matth. CHAP. i. all the Chapter Sect. 4. The reason of the Order is to be seen by the Texture of the Story Mary upon the Words of the Angel presently conceives with Child She goes to her Cosin Elizabeth to see the Truth of the Angel's Words Thy Cousin Elizabeth hath conceived She stays with her Three Months Luke i. 56 Then returning to Joseph from whom she had been so long absent he perceiveth her great Belly as Gen. xxxviii 24 So that it is plain to see how properly the 18th Versâ— of Mat. i. follows in order of time the 56th Verse of Luke i. The â—vangelist lays the Genealogy before that every Reader might be his own Expositor upon those Words of the Angel ver 20. Joseph thou Son of David The last Verse He knew her not c. is all that this Evangelist speaks about the Birth of Christ. This may be as a brief Relation upon which suppose the two next Sections to be as Expositions SECT V. Luke CHAP. i. from ver 57 to the end of the Chapter Sect. 5. When Mary departs to her own House her Cosin Elizabeth hath but one Month to go with Child This makes this Dependance necessary SECT VI. Luke CHAP. ii from the beginning to ver 40. Sect. 6. The Coherence here is apparent of it self SECT VII Mat. CHAP. ii all the Chapter Sect. 7. Observe that Christ was Two Years old when the wise Men come to him ver 16. and your own Eye will shew and justifie the Order What St. Luke saith Ch. ii 39 They returned to Nazareth mean the same time that that of Matthew doth Ch. ii 23 But Luke speaks briefly because he hath no more to say of Christ till at Twelve Years old he bring him from Nazareth to dispute in the Temple SECT VIII Luke CHAP. ii from ver 40 to the end of the Chapter Sect. 8. From Christ's Return from Egypt to Nazareth till he was Twelve Years old the Gospel mentioneth nothing of him This makes the Dependance plain SECT IX Mat. iii. all Mark i. from the beginning to ver 12. Luke iii. from the beginning to ver 23. Only the 18 19 and 20. Verses about John's Imprisonment are to be reserved to another place Sect. 9. Compare the three Evangelists together One will help to explain another You see the Gospel it self doth inforce this Order by relating nothing since Christ's Twelfth Year old till his Baptism when he was Nine and Twenty complete or Thirty current All the time of his Youth till now Christ was a Carpenter But did now and then some Miracles privately in the House for enlarging their Commons when they were short He is now Baptized in Tisri SECT X. Luke iii. from v. 23 to the end of the Chapter Sect. 10. How divinely S. Luke placeth this Genealogy at Christ's Baptism is to be seen by looking on the Promise Gen. iii. 15 Upon which this and that which follows in the next Chapter is a Glorious Exposition The Seed of the Woman shall break the Head of the Serpent by the Power of the Gospel Which Gospel when Christ beginneth to preach as from his Baptism he doth the Evangelist shews thro' Seventy-five Descents even from Adam that he was that Seed promised to
Comfort of some good Men under any Scruples or Fears of Conscience occasioned hence consider two Things I. When God requires Holiness as he justly requires it he requires not of you what Holiness is possible for Man but what Holiness is possible for you There are Degrees of Holiness and God requires not that every one should come up to every Degree but every one to what Degree he can Not every one to be a Bezaleel to contribute so incomparable skilful Work towards the Tabernacle but every one to contribute the best he can God measures Holiness that he requires from us not by any Men's Measure but by the thing it self He saith not to us Be holy as Enoch as Abraham as David as Paul but he saith Be ye holy for I am holy It is true the Apostle speaks of perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God 2 Cor. vii 1 but his Meaning is not to bring it to as great Perfection as ever any did but to bring it to as great Perfection as you are able There hath been many a good Soul that hath sitten down in much Sadness because they could not find they were so holy so zealous so fervent so very pious as others they have had their Eyes upon That as it was the Pharisee's Pride God I thank thee that I am not as other Men So it is their Sadness on the other Hand Lord it grieves me that I am not so good as such other Men. Such Emulation and Imitation is a good Perswader but it is not a good Rule It is a good Imitation to Holiness but it is not a good Judgment concerning a Man's Estate The Rule of so judging must be another Way I may compare Holiness to the Manna gathered and measured in the Wilderness He that had gathered less than another when it came to be measured had as much as the other The poor Christian that hath not so much Holiness as another yet if he have true Holiness it bears as full Measure in God's measuring as he that hath more For God judgeth by the Truth and Reality of Holiness not barely by the Degree And II. For Truth and Reality he looks at the Heart rather than the Action As our Saviour look'd at the Heart with which the Widow in the Gospel offered her Mites rather than at the Value of the Gift it self which indeed was as good as nothing And in that Passage of our Saviour to his Disciples when they were asleep while they should have been watching with him in his great Exigent had he judged them by the Action their Sleeping it had been Wo with them but he judgeth by their Heart and Spirit The Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak And in his Words you see that the Willingness of the Heart is that that he looks after And the Holiness of a Man brought into that Circle is reckoned according as his Will stands to Holiness so is he Holy or not Holy And if his Failing be not in his Will God passeth by the Failing of his Action II. An Explanation of those Words of Christ That Servant that knew his Lord's Will and prepared not himself neither did according to his Will shall be beaten with many Stripes but he that knew not and did commit Things worthy of Stripes shall be beaten with few Stripes Luke xii 47 48. PREPARED not himself In the Greek it is only Prepared not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Word Himself not there So that some construe it Prepared not for his Lord those Things that his Lord would have him to prepare for him But the Sense that our English gives it may very well justifie it self viz. That prepared not nor set himself to do his Lord's Will Nor did it As intimating to this Purpose that tho' he was not able to do his Lord's VVill completely as he should have done yet did he prepare and set himself to do it the best he could No he did not And the Syriac Translator leaving out the next Clause Neither did it shews that he understood this in this Sense and that his doing his Master's VVill had been fair if he had but set and prepared himself the best he could to do it VVe might hence observe that Men that will do the VVill of God must prepare bend and set themselves to do it They must take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Jews oft speak Full Bentness and Purpose of Heart to do the VVill of God if they ever hope to do it acceptably Many and few Stripes The mention of these may cause us to think of that Law that seems to stint Stripes to a set and certain Number Deut. xxv 2 If the wicked Man shall be worthy to be beaten the Judge shall cause him to lye down and to be beaten before his Face according to his Fault by a certain Number Forty Stripes he may give him and not exceed Upon which Passage let us observe one or two things I. That whereas it is said The Judge shall cause him to lye down and to be beaten the Psalmist alludes to it when he saith The Wicked or Ungodly shall not RISE UP in Judgment Psal. i. 5 For so the VVords are in the Original they shall not rise up Upon which some have concluded that there shall be no Resurrection for wicked Men and it were the better for them if there were not But the VVords are to be taken as speaking in Allusion to that Practice The Malefactor that was to be beaten was to be laid or bowed down and so beaten And in Allusion to the same is that Rom. xi 10 Bow down their Backs always as the Malefactors is when he is to be beaten II. VVhereas there is Speech of Forty Stripes it means not that whosoever was beaten had so many Stripes laid upon him but for no Offence they were to exceed that number And they when they went to the highest yet ever abated one of that Number lest they should exceed 2 Cor. xi 24 Of the Jews five times received I Forty Stripes save one For they had three Cords of the same length tied to a Handle and with that threefold Lash they gave Thirteen Strokes which made Nine and Thirty Lashings But there was Abatement of Stripes according to the Abatement of the Offence and the greater Offence had more Strokes and the less fewer As it was a greater Offence for a Servant not to do his Master's VVill when he knew it therefore to be beaten with many Stripes than to transgress against it when he knew it not Therefore that Servant was to be beaten with less Stripes III. He saith He that knew his Lord's Will and did it not But he saith not He that knew not his Lord's Will and did it not For it was not likely he should do it when he knew it not But he saith He that knew not his Lord's Will and committed things worthy of Stripes For he can do no otherwise that knows not his
WERE and cannot Now we are So in this Case God be thanked that ye were the Servants of Sin that it may be said Ye were but that now ye are not But II. Since there is mention of Servants take a Parallel viz. an Israelite saying thus God be thanked that ye were Bondmen in Egypt His meaning is especially to thank God for their Delivery out of Egypt and what accrued to them upon their being Bondmen there They had never seen so great Wonders never seen so great Deliverance had they not been Bondmen And he thanks not God barely for their Bondage but for the Good and Mercy that followed it So God be thanked that ye were the Servants of Sin Else ye had never known the Riches of the Grace of God else ye had never come to prize the Infiniteness of his Mercy in your Deliverance Ye had never been so careful to be Servants of Righteousness but that ye have known what Slavery it is to be Servants of Sin So that he gives not God Thanks barely for their Slavery to Sin but especially for what was come to pass with them upon their Sinfulness He would not say to any upon Earth God be thanked that ye ARE so sinful but he says God be thanked that ye VVERE and are not That God made your great Sinfulness his Opportunity to shew you Mercy X. The Papists the Millenaries and the Traditionary Jews confuted from that Place Whom the Heavens must contain until the Times of Restitution of all things c. Act. iii. 21 HE shall send Jesus Christ to you Act. iii. 20 And yet the Heavens must contain him A Paradox unless Christ could be in many Places at once VVhich the Papists would fain justifie that they may have his Body in every Sacrament And yet there is a great Truth in this Paradox if we distinguish 'twixt the very Person of Christ and the Influence that proceeds from him As God dwelleth in the highest Heaven and yet dwelleth in an humble Heart As the Sun is in the Firmament and yet the Sun in his Influence is on the Earth also So Christ in his Body and Person is in Heaven and the Heaven must contain him till the Restitution of all things and yet Christ is among Men in the Vertue of his VVord and Influence of his Spirit As the Prince is on his Throne and yet the Diffusion of his Power Justice Clemency is thro' his whole Kingdom The Presence of Christ is everywhere as he is God and his VVord and Spirit everywhere where he pleaseth to send them But that the BODY of Christ should be everywhere is utterly against all Philosophy Divinity Scripture and the Nature of a Body And the Doctrine that Christ's very Body is received by every one that receiveth the Sacrament is clean against all these and against the very Nature of a Sacrament But the thing is not worth insisting on tho' an Argument is commonly taken hence to confute that Doctrine Restitution This is a VVord of Difficulty and requires some Resolution and which being resolved will help the better to understand the rest of the Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Restitution or Restoring of all things Times of Restoring of all things Restitution To what To their old Estate Or to a new and a better Estate This Expression breeds the main Difficulty in this Place And this encourages the Millenary to dream of Christ's reigning here on Earth a Thousand Years before the final End of the VVorld For then they conceive the Jews shall be restored to be a People again universal Peace to be restored to all the VVorld and Swords beaten into Plow-shares and Spears into Pruning hooks Then an universal Peace Concord and Tranquility to be restored to the Church and all the Glorious Things the Prophets have spoken of to come to pass and be settled I. The VVord indeed in Greek Authors commonly signifies Restoration to a former Estate Hence Circuitus Solis the Course of the Sun from the Vernal Equinox to that Point again is called the Restoration of the Year And so is that to be understood Acts i. 6 Lord wilt thou at this Time restore the Kingdom to Israel That is that Israel shall have a Kingdom as heretofore But how does this Sense agree here The restoring of all things in the Prophets to their former Estate What former Estate can here be meant to be the Pattern of another to come And the Millenary will not agree to this Interpretation who dreams not of restoring to any former Estate but to such an one as never was before II. Therefore there may be Restoration or Restitution to a better Estate As Mat. xvii 11 Elias truly shall first come and restore all things Now Elias in the Baptist restored not all things to the former Estate but to a new and better And it is said He restored all things Yet here all things are to be restored still and the Restoration not yet effected Therefore that Restoration cannot be the Restoration here meant neither Therefore III. The meaning is Making good Accomplishing all things So Elias Baptist made good all things written of him and that concerned his Office And the Times are coming when there shall be an accomplishing and making good all Things in the Prophets And so the Arabic reads Until the Times which shall confirm the fulfilling of all those things God hath spoken by the Prophets And the Syriac not much unlike But it will be demanded then When are those Times when all things spoken by the Prophets shall be fulfilled Truly Reason it self may answer At the end of the World For have not the Prophets spoke of the end of all things and of the Resurrection both of the Just and Unjust and of the Eternal Reward of both Till that time then the Heavens must contain Christ. And where should we look for Christ at any time in any Generation but in Heaven All things that God hath spoken by the Mouth of his Holy Prophets The Apostle in so saying seems to face the saying of the Jews Traditions in this Case To give you a brief Story of their Traditions 1. Before the Captivity they had Prophets Urim Visions of God Apparitions of Angels So that in Matters of Doubt they resorted to a Prophet as Saul and his Servant to Samuel In Matters of State to Urim as David did 2. After the Captivity these ceased viz. After the first Generation No Vision no Prophet more So that in how changed a Condition were they now How destitute of their great Priviledge 3. Then the Devil saw his Opportunity and stirred up some Instruments to foist Traditions upon them instead of Oracles And they taught that God gave a written Law but an unwritten Exposition of it And some Glosses that they had invented themselves they imposed as the very Words of God to Moses at Sinai So that every fond Invention of Men now went current as the Oracles of God And this is
Holy Men that truly fear God Sursum corda then lift up your Hearts First To be affected with the Goodness and good Providence of God that picketh out and preserveth such a Company to himself Not to think of the Church on Earth but to have such a thought also towards Heaven hereat to observe admire and be affected with God's wonderful Goodness in that regard Such are the Apostle's Thoughts upon the Thoughts of the Church He looks on the Church of Corinth once such a People as he describes 1 Cor. vi 9 10. Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effeminate Abusers of themselves with Mankind Thieves Covetous Drunkards Revilers Extortioners But now Washed Sanctified Justified And where are his Thoughts Up toward God 1 Cor. i. 4 I thank God always on your Behalf for the Grace of God which is given you So he looks on the Church of the Ephesians Chap. i. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings c. So on that of the Philippians Ch. i. 3 I thank my God upon every Remembrance of you And so to the Thessalonians 2 Thess. i. 2 We give Thanks to God always for you all And so should a Christian presly thinking of the Church of God have his Heart in Heaven blessing the infinite Goodness for chusing and preserving such a People to himself In the Inundation of Sin and Damnation to pick out a Number for himself to escape Sin and Damnation and in all the Tumblings and Storms of the World to keep a Church undrowned and unoverwhelmed an Handful in Noah's Ark in the midst of the Deluge of Sin and Troubles Secondly To be affected with the Condition and Estate of the Members of the Church He that truly knows that and them cannot but take up that of the Psalmist Psal. cxliv. 15 Happy are the People that are in such a case yea happy is that People who have the Lord for their God When you rehearse this The Holy Catholick Church in the Creed let your Thoughts first recoyl to your Bibles and see how the Holy Ghost pictures them there Lam. iv 2 The precious Sons of Zion comparable to fine Gold Mal. iii. 17 And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in the Day when I make up my Jewels Then that Psal. lxxxiii 3 They have consulted against thy hidden ones They are the Treasure of the Lord's Cabinet laid up with him tho' not minded of Men. Nay yet the Divine Limner lays on more precious Colours Joh. xv 15 I have called you Friends Nay 2 Pet. i. 4 Partakers of the Divine Nature Nay further 1 John iii. 4 We are the Sons of God And that is not all but more if more may be We shall be like to himself Now Christian when thou repeatest this Article write this Exposition of the Word Church in the Margin These are the Lord 's precious Ones His Jewels His Friends His Sons His own Similitude These are His Delight His Portion His Chosen and the very Apple of his own Eye Deut. xxxii 10 And art thou not affected with their happy Condition And affected for thine own Soul's Interest I believe the Holy Catholick Church that is such a Happy Blessed Glorious Company and dost thou not stir O my Soul No Life no Holy Emulation no striving to be like to these A poor miserable Beggar sees the Wealth and Bravery of the great Ones and he may haply envy it but he cannot emulate or hope to equal it But God hath shewn thee a Way that thou mayest be like to these and Partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light and art thou not moved Alexander weeps because He was not so famous as Achilles Julius Caesar because not so famous as Alexander And hast thou not a holy Emulation in thee O Christian Such and such Holy Blessed Dear to God and hast thou no Emulation to be so too Ponder but that Title Friend of Christ and that Title Child of God and do we profess Christ and God And are we not moved at it To be a Child of God carried in the Bosom of his dearest Affections To be a Friend of Christ always in his tender Affections and Remembrances and smiled on by him at the great Day and Heart art thou so lumpish as not to be warmed with such Thoughts This very Hint may answer the Question before us viz. Is every one to believe that he is of the true Church Answer Every Heart here is he not to believe that he should be of this Church that it is not well if he be not so Nay further that he is to strive with all his Endeavour to be of it or else he is not what he should be Set this Church before you in the Picture of it Mat. xxv 33 standing on the Right Hand and Christ smiling upon it Do you not believe you should be of that number Do you not believe you ought to give all Diligence to be of it This it the thing the Article calls to you for when you repeat it And let me be a little further its Interpreter to shew you yet this Church its Meaning I. It would mind you that that is the Church that is a Church for ever The Church of God is that that shall be the Church of God when the World shall be no more I may compare the Church visible and invisible to the Body and the Soul The Body is visible and at last shall come to Dust. But the Soul is invisible and is immortal Visible Churches have died Generation after Generation Where are the visible Churches of Asia Judea c. and time will come when all the visible Churches of Europe must come to nothing But still there was an immortal Soul in those Churches a Company of Holy Ones that go to be a Church of God in another World to praise glorifie and have Communion with God for ever This Church in the World is like the Heart in the Body of Man Primum vivens ultimum moriens The first that lives and the last that dies It began to live in Adam and Eve when they embraced Christ and when it dies the World must die with it When the last Saint is gathered then even the Soul of the World and of the visible Church is gone and they die too The Life of the visible Church is the Word and Sacraments and Ordinances Wheresoever these are there the Church is alive But if these are not rightly administred the Candlestick is removed it hath but a Name that it liveth but is dead And how hath God or may God remove these But the Life of the invisible Church is the Word and Spirit and neither of these are ever to be removed For both are settled in Heaven Observable is that Phrase Jam. i. 21 The ingrafted Word It is fast joyned and growing in the Heart In the visible Church it is in the Hands but to the true Flock of
is in Truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe They received it as the Word of God How knew they that From the Scriptures themselves Therefore it is said that they are the Formal Object of Faith as well as the Material They contain what is to be believed and the reason why to believe them And that is especially twofold I. The Majesty of the Spirit of God speaking in them II. Their powerful Working I. The Majesty of the Spirit of God speaking in them such things as Man cannot speak 1 Cor. ii 10 The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God And we may say the deep things of Man yea and the Depths of Satan as Rev. ii 24 1. How impossible is it for Man to reveal the deep Mysteries of Salvation i. e. the Mind of God 1 Cor. ii 16 Who hath known the Mind of the Lord that he may instruct him But we have the Mind of Christ. In Scripture we have it And ver 7 8 9. of that Chapter But we speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before the World unto our Glory Which none of the Princes of this World knew For had they known it they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard c. The hidden Wisdom of God Let all the Wits in the World have conspired together could they have told the secret Wisdom and Mind of God about Salvation God Christ and the Divine Operation of his Spirit the Fruits of Grace and the Weight of Eternal Glory How blind was the Wisdom of all the World to these Mysteries So far that when they were revealed they were accounted but Folly 1 Cor. i. 25 Because the Foolishness of God is wiser than Men and the Weakness of God is stronger than Men. That is as they took them And that Opinion is transplanted into Papacy which will find out a wiser Way to Salvation than the Scriptures have directed Herein the Majesty of Scripture shews it self because it speaks of those sublime Divine hidden things that Men's Wisdom could never find out As they John vii 46 are convinced that Christ was more than other Men because he spake as never Man spake so the Majesty of the Scriptures declares that they are the Divine Word of God because Men never spake Men cannot speak as they speak 2. The Majesty of the Spirit in Scripture appears in that it reveals the very Thoughts and commands the very Heart of Man Heb. iv 12 The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart And 1 Cor. xiv 24 25. But if all Prophesie and there come in one that believeth not or one unlearned he is convinced of all he is judged of all And thus are the Secrets of his Heart made manifest and so falling down on his Face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a Truth It can discover a Hypocrite can make an Atheist tremble can pierce to the very Thoughts and Imaginations of the Heart That as the Woman of Samaria said because Christ had told her the secret Wickedness of her Life John iv 29 Come see a Man which told me all things that ever I did So we must conclude of this it is able to discern check regulate the very Thoughts of the Heart Therefore not the Invention of Men but the Powerful Divine Searching Word of God 3. The Majesty of the Scriptures appears in that it discovers the very Subtilties of Satan We are not ignorant of his Wiles saith the Apostle How come we to know them This Divine Light hath shewed them It would have been hard to have known that there is a Devil had not this discovered it And it would have been impossible to have discovered his Plots and Malice and Temptations else This Divine Word hath done it in despite of Satan Would he ever have had his Plots discovered if he could have hindred That Men should know his Mischief and Malice and Subtilty He would gladly have walked as an Angel of Light that Men might not suspect his Delusions but this Divine Word hath pulled off his Vizar and shewed his Designs in open Light It madded the King of Syria that all his secret Stratagems against the King of Israel were discovered by the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings vi 11 12. It vexeth this King of Darkness that his private Policies and Actings should be laid open But this Sacred Word doth it and he cannot prevent it Thus doth the Scripture reveal it self to be the Word of God by its Divine Majesty wherein it speaketh and by the Wisdom wherein it shews it self II. In its powerful Working breaking Hearts converting Souls conquering the Kingdom of Satan How have the Scriptures gone through the World and made Nations bow before them and have cast out Satan and his Power So that if we should say as they did What Sign shewest thou that thou art Christ So what Sign shew ye that ye are the Word of God They may answer Look through the World how many Thousands have been converted and saved how is the Idolatry and Blindness of the Heathen cast out how hath Satan been bound and many poor Souls taught and armed to resist all his Power Papists talk much what the Sign of the Cross and Holy Water can do for mastering the Devil Fabulae aniles But Thousands of Experiences have shewed what the Divine Word of God in Scripture can do against him And thus do they evidence themselves to be the Word of God and so to be believed for themselves because they are the VVord of God Then is no Man no Company of Men to be believed but as what they say is agreeable to Scripture No Council Father Church If they speak not according to Scripture it is because there is no Light in them and not to be believed Let God be true and every Man a Lyar saith the Apostle So we are to say in this case VVhosoever speaks not according to the Truth of God in Scripture he is but a Lyar and the Truth is not in him You understand that I speak of things of Faith and Religion In Historical Natural Civil Moral Things we deny not but that they speak much Truth But that is to be tryed by our Reading and Reason But in the things of Divine Concernment there is no Truth but that of Scripture or what speaks agreeable to it Gal. i. 8 Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed I might instance how the Fathers themselves harp upon this String Non quid Augustinus nec quid Hieronymus sed quid Scriptura Not that which
Heart and trembleth at my Word I will look to such have a friendly Regard and Respect to him Nay I will come and converse and sup and dwell with him This was David's Desire Psal. ci 2 Oh when wilt thou come unto me I will walk in my House with a perfect Heart I will walk in my House when wilt thou come and walk and dwell with me Now this Communion 'twixt God and Saints we may consider in the Rise of it the Nature of it and the Means and Manner of it I. The Rise of it It ariseth from the Union that is 'twixt God and the Saint We can never have Fellowship with God unless we be at one with God Abraham was the Friend of God and so he and God conversed There is no Communion 'twixt Enemies Es. lix 1 2. Behold the Lord's Hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his Ear heavy that it cannot hear But your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your Sins have hid his Face from you that he will not hear Why is God such a Stranger to you You are his Enemies But turn to me saith the Lord and I will turn unto you Es. i. 16 17 18. Wash ye make you clean put away the Evil of your Doings from before mine Eyes cease to do Evil learn to do well seek Judgment relieve the oppressed judge the Fatherless plead for the Widow Come now and let us reason together II. The Nature of this Communion is that God imparts himself to the Saint and the Saint to God I your God you my People There is no Strangeness 'twixt them They do freely give up Hearts one to another as they that are in Friendship and tell their Minds one to another III. The Means of this Communion is by God's Ordinances and by his Spirit 1. It is impossible to have Communion with God but by way of his Ordinances the Word Prayer Sacraments and Meditation upon all Communion is more than Union A Man in walking holily walks in Union with God but to come in Communion or converse with God is something more Two Friends apart are at one but their Converse together is by Letter or Conference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set-Festivals signifie Meetings also People meeting in Communion with themselves and with God in these Appointments Thou meetest him c. Es. lxiv. 5 As it is impossible to have Union with God but in virtue of his Covenant so to have Communion but in the Administrations of the Covenant Exod. xxiv 11 And upon the Nobles of the Children of Israel he laid not his Hand Also they saw God and did eat and drink By virtue of the Covenant spoken of just before they were at Peace with God so that he laid not his Hand on them and by the Administration of the Covenant they were in Communion They eat and drank with him There is a further striving in Attendance upon Ordinances than meerly to do Work to hear to patter out some Prayers and the like but to taste and feel God in his Word to send up the Heart to God and to lay hold on him Do you not do it here and in your Closet in Prayer and in Reading This is not to draw near to God and hold Communion with him How heartily doth a true Saint pour out his Heart tell his Mind to God his Failings his Wants as one Friend to another This is the reason why we should pray tho' God knows our Wants Your Heavenly Father knows that ye have need of these things Why then have we need to tell him That we may shew our Communion with God and that we trust him with our Hearts and Estates How doth a true Saint lay hold on every Word of God as Benhadad's Servants by Ahab's Oh! this Instruction this Reproof this Exhortation is God's Mind to me This is as a Letter or Message sent to me for my Good He owns God as in Love and Friendship imputing his Mind to him This is Communion with God in Ordinances to tell God all our Soul in Prayer to taste the Mind of God to us-ward in hearing and Attendance upon Sermons But 2. Communion with God is by his Spirit 2 Cor. xiii 14 The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all What does the Apostle wish for in these Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communion of the Spirit That they always may have the Fellowship of the Spirit and also by Communion of the Spirit Fellowship with God Take one Example Rom. viii 26 The Spirit it self maketh Intercession Where is this Spirit In Heaven No the Spirit of God in the Soul stirring up and enlarging the Heart The Spirit of Grace and Supplication Zach. xii 10 Here is the double Communion of the Spirit spoken of the Spirit always with the Saint and the Spirit helping him to converse with God in Prayer bringing the Heart and God together The Spirit maketh Intercession Oh! how comfortable are the Prayers of a Saint He hath a twofold Intercessor Viz. The Spirit in his Heart enabling him to pray and Christ in Heaven praying or interceding for him So for Communion in other Ordinances The Eucharist is called the Communion not only of Receivers among themselves but of the true Receiver with God and Christ. God in it holds out the Benefits of Christ. The Holy Receiver by the Spirit and Grace of God thanks him for those Befits takes hold of them and receives them at the Hand of God and tastes the Sweetness of God's Gifts in them So in Hearing the Heart owns God speaking counselling comforting Oh! this is the Voice of my Beloved And the Heart all along gives up it self to God's Counsel Correction and Administration This is Spiritual Communion with God in his Ordinances Besides what I have already said upon this Argument consider but two Expressions whereby Scripture sets forth the Union of a Saint with God and then judge of the Communion I. Under the Notion of Marriage 'twixt the Soul and God Es. liv 5 For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his Name Hos. ii 19 I will betroth thee to my self for ever Oh! what Tydings are these to a poor Soul The Lord espouse it be an Husband to it Awake up put on thine Ornaments O my Soul Behold thy Bridegroom coming go forth to meet him Ah! dull dirty Souls of ours why do we sit among the Pots and marry our selves to Earth and Dunghills when a Soul may have the Lord for an Husband and be espoused to him for ever Now Experience tells what Communion there is 'twixt Wife and Husband as well as Scripture tells us what Union Communion of Heart of Estates of Affections neither is their own but one another's Such is the Communion 'twixt a Holy Soul and God They are married together their Hearts as I may say are interchanged and intirely each others Hos.