was no King in Israel every one did that which was good in his own eyes Now Elisha was dead and buried and the Moabites who abuse the Law of the Father signified by Lot the hidden Word of God they are the true Moabites the children of their father the Devil as S. Augustine interprets the Moabites Then also the Syrians ver 22. Pride and deceit and the curse of God upon the sinful soul such spiritually are the Aramites or Syrians these and all other inward enemies oppress Israel What remedy is there for this Let such a man be cast into the grave of Elisha let him be dead and buried with Christ God the Saviour He is now a man lost in the world he is become as a dead man When a man hath left his sin he is not Gen. 5.24 the sinners leave him and he them When he is dead to the sin what remaines but that he should be buried But where it is said they let him down we shall finde no such matter either in the Hebrew or Greek or Chaldee or Latin Translation The Hebrew text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he went The LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went The Chaldee Paraphrast hath he descended The Syriac he went into the Sepulchre So Tremelius and the Spanish translation and the Italian of Diodati Martin Luther also and two Low Dutch translations As for the Tigurin Bible that hath Devolutus he was rolled into the grave of Elisha So the French translation So likewise two of our old English translations But Coverdale thus renders the word when he was therein and the Geneva Bible turns it when he was down our last translation lets him down gently The Tigurin French and some of our old English translations tumble him down for haste But what need all this curiosity I dare not depart from the letter of the Scripture or fasten mine own sense upon it as many of these have done And indeed it is neer a contradiction to themselves For first they say They cast the man into the Sepulchre which must be in part for fear of the Moabites and then they say they let him down which must be gently and leisurely The holy Spirit of God oftentimes intends a mystery and so leaves the letter seemingly absurd Such seeming absurdities as these are lest for the honour of Gods Spirit which clears the difficulties and sets all right This man is called twice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Emphasis That man And although they go about to bury him he is never said to be through dead The words are thus to be rendred And the man went and touched the bones of Elisha First He went Secondly He touched 1. He went Here is set before us a figure of one who was dead in trespasses and sins who is now dead unto sin and buried with Christ The fallen man is not wholly destitute of all strength as I shew elsewhere Therefore the man is said here to go and touch There must be some conformity between Christ and us if we touch him The man is accessary and must be so to his own death unto sin and his own burial of all sin and iniquity It s said of this man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went and touched the bones of Elisha The Lord requires of us not only a mortification and dying unto sin but also a burial of all sin They are two Articles of the Faith 1. That Christ was dead 2. That he was buried And so through the Spirit the sin must be put to death Rom. 8.13 and buried by holiness and love Ye have both together Psal 22.1 whose unrighteousness is forgiven the word signifies taken away and removed as dead and then whose sin is covered there 's the burial of it This is that which the Apostle teacheth us that love covers a multitude of sins yea all sins Prov. 10 12. The 2d Act of the dead man he touched the bones of Elisha 1. What bones of Elisha were these what is it to touch the bones of Elisha For it seems by this text that Elisha was very lately buried and so his bones could not yet be touched By the bones of Elisha we understand the strength of God the Saviour so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here rendred bones signifies strengths That man is said to touch into his bones when he became a member of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes ◠When he became flesh of his flesh that is of a tender heart of flesh to receive impressions of the Spirit and bone of his bone when he became strong and able to effectuate those impressions A vertual touching is here meant even the drawing neer unto the Lord Jesus by faith hope and love For so Hebr. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidei fulness of faith And Hebr. 7.19 That better hope whereby we draw near unto God And love is affectus unionis that affection of union whereby we cleave unto God dwell in him 1 John 4.8 and become one spirit with him 2 Cor. 5. draw grace life and vertue from him For so he who hath the Son hath life 1 John 5.12 By this and many like examples it may appear how necessary it is that we preserve the Letter of the Scripture intire how unconvenient yea how absurd soever it seem to our carnal reason as here that a dead carkase should walk or go c. The letter may be the foundation of a spiritual meaning however happly what that is for the present we understand not And lest this Translation before us should seem so exact as many have conceived that it needs no Essay toward the amendment of it I shall propound unto the judicious Reader the Heads of many frequent mistakes which they may finde in it few of which I shall mention in the ensuing Essay Whereof some possibly will not be thought to change the sense of the Scripture but the Word only and retain the sense others pervert the sense also Examples of the former kinde are Metaphores mistaken and used one for another as when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to blot out as having reference to an Image or Picture or to a Writing it s rendred to destroy as Gen. 7.4 which is taken from building Thus Metaphores are waived and the supposed proper sense taken in lieu of them Josh 2. v. 9. as Josh 2.9 The inhabitants of the land melt from or before your faces Our Translators turnn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faint which there and often elsewhere signifies to be melted And the holy Spirit explains the metaphorical use of it Psal 22.14 Ezech. 21.7 Herein although haply the same sense may be intended yet it is not safe to vary that Metaphore which the holy Spirit intends and dictates So although to spoil in the English tongue Col. 2. v. 15. may signifie to disrobe or devest yet that will not so
hidden and invisible Church as those names signifie Obs 2. What is principally to be partaken of in Christ his Head his ruling part we are to receive him as our Prince our Ruler and Governour This is that which is aimed at first in these words Many can be content to partake of him as a Prophet as a Priest as a Sacrifice but few as an Head few as a Prince Head and Governour As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Col. 2.6 Obs 3. What part of the word is principally intended by the Head what else but the ruling part the Head-sum of the Law and Faith even love out of a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 Reproof 1. Those who aim at a Church like the Cyclops a Common-wealth without an Head without order of the members superiour and inferiour Reproof 2. Who reject Christ and will none of him as their Head We will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19.14 2. His Legs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have their name in the Hebrew from bowing or being bowed They have analogie and proportion to the arms and legs of a man which are the instruments of motions and actions And therefore commonly by the feet and legs we mystically understand the passions and affections which move and carry out the soul and the whole man and put him upon actions which are signified by the hands and arms The eating therefore of the legs of the Paschal Lamb is having communion with Christ in motions and actions to walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 So S. Paul walked and he tels the Corinthians of his wayes that were in Christ 1 Cor. 4.17 Communion in power and strength signified by the Arm which is Christ Esay 40.10 and 53.1 By the Feet of the Lamb we may understand the lesse Commandements as by the Head the greater Hos 8.12 These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may signifie the great things of the Law in regard of the lesse Matth. 23.23 For the Commandements of God are not all of one cise Whence it follows That Obs 1. There are degrees of the word and Commandements of God some greater some lesse 2. Both greater and less must be kept Head and feet of the Lamb must be eaten Axiom 3. His appurtenance The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his inwards The word properly signifies all the intrails more specially the Heart And by the Heart the will love and mercy is to be understood The eating then of the inwards of the Pascal Lamb is the partaking of the will of Christ that it may be our meat to do his will John 4.34 S. Paul had Christs love and mercy in him I long after you saith he in the bowels of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.8 Obs 1. All the Commandements prohibitions promises and threatnings are to be received fed upon by faith and inwardly digested into life Observe all things whatsoever I command you Matth. 28.20 Believe all things which the Prophets have written Luke 24.25 To receive the most intimate requiring of the Law inwardly and to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with the spirit of our minde Obs 2. The participation of Christ is not outward onely but also inward His words are spirit and life John 6.63 His law is spiritual Rom. 7.14 The law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. His whole worship is spiritual John 4.23 24. Hitherto we have considered these members a part Come we now to the handling of them joyntly And here let us inquire Why must these three be eaten The whole Lamb must be eaten And why is there more special mention made of these three parts 1. They are the three parts which specially suffered in the true Pascal Lamb. His Head crowned with Thorns His Hands and Feet pierced with Nails and his Side with a Spear 2. We have been wounded in all these in our Head our intellectuals in our inwards our morals in our actions and affections From the sole of the foot even to the head Esay 1.6 3. We have wounded him in all these we have crowned his head with our thorny cares In his hand is the hiding of his power Hab. 3.4 But what are these wounds in thy hands These with which I was wounded in the house of my friends Zach. 13.6 even in those who enfeeble Christs power under pretence of infirmity and weakness of the Saints Obs 1. All our motions and actions which are signified by the outward members these are directed by the Head by the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 All our inward willing and nilling all our love hope desire fear joy grief all the actions proceeding from these these are guided by the minde and understanding by the Head Christ And therefore the words in the text if truly translated are very observable Ye shall eat the head with the legs and the purtenance thereof The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Head above the legs and above the purtenance thereof The head must rule the legs and feet all the motions and actions The head must be above the inwards it must guide the passions and motions and affections of the heart Though these parts be specially enjoyned the whole Lamb must be eaten Obs 2. The holy Spirit of God implies and requires our whole conformity to Jesus Christ under the names 1. of eating and drinking unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you John 6.53 His flesh is his Word the Word made flesh John 1.14 His Spirit is drink He hath made us to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 Hence is our spiritual life Christ our life Col. 3.4 To me to live is Christ Phil. 1.21 2. The Spirit requires our conformity unto him in clothing put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Yea we must be armed with him what the Apostle calls the armour of light Rom. 13.12 13 14. he explains and calls the Lord Jesus Christ Reproof 1. Who will eat the Head who will be contemplative Christians but not the legs and feet they are not practical not affectionate Such an one was Judas he knew Christ and preached him but his bowels gushed out he had no mercy Reproof 2. Those who are practical and perform some outward work materially good without the inwards As the Pharisees would perform some outward duties without the inward and spiritual commandment Our Lord saith Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven Matth. 5.20 Nor is that Authors tenent other then Pharisaical who writing a work of Wisdom adviseth men to supply the necessities of the poor and miserable but not to be moved or troubled at their miseries His reason Because saith he it damps a noble spirit I know not wherein he placeth the nobility of spirit unless with Aristotle he account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Taking up the Cross 1. Self-denyall stands as a Porter to keep the dore of the heart And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn to keep signifies all the Porters duty in three acts Observare Cohibere prohibere 1. To observe who comes in and who goes out For so every one ought to take heed what thoughts enter into his heart and what desires run out 2. To keep the heart at home that it go not after the eyes Num. 15.39 3. To award and keep off temptations Job 31.1 2. The Cross and patience of Jesus Christ is as a strong dore with locks and barrs to withstand and bear off all forcible entry And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Prison-house Gen. 40.3 According to our Lords precept Luke 21. v. 19. Luke 21.19 In or by your patience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possess ye or gain ye the possession of your souls Such diligent heed must be taken for the avoiding of great evills that otherwise will follow That 's the third divine Axiom 3. Israel ought to take heed to himself and keep his soul diligently lest he forget the words which his eyes have seen and lest they depart from his heart This point adds to the former the consideration of the ends why Israel ought to take heed to himself and keep his soul and these ends are powerful reasons of this important duty from the great and imminent danger which will ensue upon the neglect of it Wherein we have 1. The caution or warning only take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently 2. The peril and danger that otherwise will follow lest thou forget the words which thine eyes have seen and this danger brings in another lest these words depart from thine heart Herein we must enquire what forgetfulness is which because its a privation and privatives are best known by their positives we must first learn what memory is and what it is to remember which according to Plato Speusippus and others of that School is Cogitationes conservare to keep our thoughts And they say that the better memory is Dispositio animae inhaerentem veritatem custodiens a disposition and frame of the soul keeping truth inherent in it But these descriptions seem too strait for the nature of memory Others therefore ascribe two offices unto it others three 1. To lay up in memory 2. To retain 3. To recall to minde The two former may be reduced to one 1. As to keep and retain the thoughts 2. To recal them when they are lost or in danger of losing when we have use of them Thus Jacob 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laid up and kept in his memory the dreams of his son Joseph Gen. 37.11 So did Mary keep in her heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the words which were spoken of Christ by the Shepherds Luke 2.19 Luke 2. v. 19.51 And again v. 51. His Mother kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these words Our Translators turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former place things in the later more advisedly sayings And as to remember is to commit and retain our thoughts in memory so likewise it signifies to recal them as Luke 22.61 Peter remembred the words of the Lord Luke 24.6 7 8. To forget therefore is to lose our thoughts and let them slip out of our custody and keeping So the Apostle understood forgetfulness Hebr. 2.1 If we inquire into the reason of this warning it proceeds from the great love of God toward his Israel 1. He knowes the excellency of the words and things committed to our trust and the custody of our memories even the holy and blessed Trinity and the work of our creation Eccles 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Creators the Law of God the Father Malac. 4.4 The Redemption by Jesus figured by bringing Israel out of Egypt Deut. 16.3 Jude v. 5. Vulg. Lat. Sins committed against so great grace Deut. 9.7 Ceasing from our sins figured by the Sabbath Exod. 20.8 and many the like which is not a bare memory but such as puts us upon sutable duty Verba sensuum innuunt affectum effectum words of sense inward and outward import affection and effect answerable thereunto as Deut. 8.18 19 20. Psalm 22.27 and many the like 2. These are too sublime and of too high a nature for the foolish heart of man left to it self to contain Prov. 24.7 And there is in us by corrupt nature a stupidity and dulness in regard of spiritual things Hebr. 5.11 And Satan with his evil spirits interpreted by our Saviour the fowls of the air is watchful to catch the Word of God out of the heart when it is sowen Matth. 13.19 He is ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to drink and swallow up the precious liquor of the spiritual doctrine if we let it slip and it run out of our vessels 1 Pet. 5. v. 8. Hebr. 2.1 1 Pet. 5.8 3. The memory it self is frail and weak as a vessel that has got a fall that 's crackt and riven So saith the Wiseman that the inward parts of a Fool are like a broken vessel he will hold no knowledge as long as he liveth Ecclus 21.14 4. The memory is too often full of somewhat else and so intùs existens prohibet extraneum a vessel full of one liquor will not hold another Non datur penetratio dimensionum two bodies cannot be in one place nor two contrary spirits in one soul The Fool full of his own knowledge cannot receive divine understanding Proverbs 30.22 Great need therefore there was that the Lord should warn us of this danger 1. Whence we may observe the Lord hath given us the tutelage and gardianship of our selves our souls our hearts and what is that but our memories whereby we retain holy thoughts and the divine words which our eyes have seen Plato tells us that Mnemosyne is the Mother of the Muses The meaning is that the memory brings forth and nourisheth all the good thoughts It is the true inward Eve the Mother of all the Living ones which brings forth unto us spiritual Children According to which whosoever doth the will of God he is the Mother of Christ Matth. 12.50 For all the senses outward and inward were made for the life especially the two disciplinary senses Seeing and Hearing The Lord hath given them both for this end And therefore the eye is a seeing eye when a man sees the divine Words and discerns aright what the will of the Lord is and the ear is an hearing ear when he obeyes the commands of God And therefore the wiseman tells us that the hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them Prov. 20.12 Whence our Lord he that hath an ear to hear saith he let him hear Matth. 13.9 Rev. 13.9 Thus the retentive memory and the heedfull thoughts are given unto man as his meet help before him Ephes 1.4 Thus the woman was created for the
virtutis nihil energiae quicquam sunt habitura Quod enim à carne oritur id etiam caro est dicente Domino quod autem est à spiritu profectum id ipsum etiam spiritus est Neque locutus unquam priùs ad populum propheta quà m verbum Domini ad populum venisse memoratur Ita fiet uti qui loquimur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proque ut ipse spiritus eloqui dat eloquamur Acts 2.4 1 Pet. 4.11 At à Clero tandem sermonem ad populum convertamus O Israel take these same words to heart and let them be in thine heart and whet them sharpen them inculcate and repeat them often to thy sons These same words for want of use are become even rusty they have been laid by and out of the way as unprofitable and useless things are cast into a corner and not at all regarded 2 Kings 22.8 Hilkiah the high Priest found the book of the Law in the house of the Lord and he tels Shaphan of it as of a strange thing The book of the Law had been lost all the reign of Manasseh and Amon Cum blattis tinis it lay among the Worms and Moths and now in the time of Josiah Hilkiah findes it And truly it is even so All the time that Manasseh and Amon reigns while we forforget the Lord and are true to our own false knowledge and the lusts of our own hearts ther 's Manasseh and Amon the book of the Law is lost forgotten and quite out of minde it lies as commonly our Bibles do all the week long upon the dusty shelf till the first peal remembers us to keep the Sabbath with it But when Josiah the fire and spirit of the Lord rules that 's Josiah then Hilkiah that Divinae particula aurae that portion of the Lord in us findes the book of the Law and brings it out of the dust and rust and rubbish of forgetfulness The book of Gods Law is become like an old Statute repeald and out of date so saith the Psalmist They have made void thy law Psal 119.126 And therefore he saith its time for the Lord to work In the dayes of Josiah the fire and spirit of the Lord the law of the spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus our Lord its furbished and made bright It comes out of Sion its sharpned and made fit to pierce and cut Hebr. 4.12 these same words are sharp to prick unto the heart and as a two edged sword to cut off the known sin and the false righteousness both the outward and inward iniquity the filthiness both of flesh and spirit And blessed be the Lord there are in these dayes of Josiah in the dayes of the spirit some who are pricked to the heart with these same sharp words Acts 2.37 who have suffered unto blood striving against sin whom these same words have pierced and let-out the life-blood of sin and iniquity and lodged themselves in their hearts And these are as Noah and his family were before the deluge O Israel save thy self from the untoward generation while the preaching of Gods true righteousness lasteth The overflowing scourge certainly draweth nigh 2 Kings 23. Ye read of the reformation that Josiah had made and many no doubt had received these same words as for Josiah himself let them who say that these same words are impossibie read and be ashamed to read what effect they had in him v. 25. He turnd to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to all the law of Moses Notwithstanding maugre all that glorious reformation mark what the Scripture saith ver 26. Nevertheless the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah 2 Kings 23. v. 26. because of all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrathful provocations wherewith Manasseh had wrathfully provoked him And may not we justly expect that for the sin of Manasseh for our forgetfulness of these same words the fierceness of Gods great wrath will be kindled against us also If the real reformation of Josiah could not avert the anger of the Lord shall our hypocritical and pretended reformation turn his wrath away The Lord will not cleanse him who takes his Name in vain as hath been shewen And will he convert them Amos 2. v. 4. or give them repentance who continue in their sins and in contempt of these same words The Prophet assures us from the Lord For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not turn them or cause them to repent because they have despised the law of the Lord and not kept the Commandements but their eyes have caused them to erre after which their fathers have walked Such traditional lies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have caused our Judah to erre as that the Law is impossible to be performed yea by those who are in Christ c. Remember what the Lord saith Deut. 32.41 If I whet my glittering Sword and my hand take hold on judgement I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me c. And certainly that of Psal 7.12 is most true if he turn not if the man who hath forgotten his God and these same words and returns not unto God and to his fear as the Chald. Paraphrast explaines it if he admit not these same words to be sharpned upon him the Lord will whet his Sword pierce him to the heart and cut off his iniquities he hath bent his Bow and made it ready O Israel Because the Lord saith he will do thus and thus let us timely prevent him let us prepare to meet our God O Israel Let us return unto him Let us believe in the mighty power of our God who will enable us to do all these same words Phil. 4.13 and write them in our hearts Hebr. 8.10 Let us believe the doctrine of the old holy Fathers who taught that if any one should say that God commands any thing impossible let him be accursed Let us unbelieve the traditions received from our forefathers of yesterday who taught their sons a Lesson quite contrary to these same words and let us say with that believing Father Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help mine unbelief Lord help us to unbelieve the false principles received from our late fathers Help us to believe in Christ thy power enabling us to do thy will This is the doctrine of the holy Church received from the antient holy Fathers And this doctrine hath been delivered unto this Church whose sons we are in many of her Homilies and her pious Liturgie Let us conclude with one or other of her prayers one in Prose That all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to do alwayes that which is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us adde one also in Meeter commanded by the authority of the Church to be used and accordingly practised in
reason which had enslaved him from the bondage of his own false and erroneous principles whereon his heart was bound The bondage of his own lusts whereunto he was a servant Iohn 8.32 33 34 35 36. The bondage of sin and the law of sin which had enthralled him And being set free from all this bondage the true free-dom is the addicting ones whole self Rom. 6.7.18 and 8.2 understanding reason will affections actions life unto God and his righteousness This freedom is wrought by the Lord Jesus Christ his word and Spirit and Truth So that True freedom is a power to will and do what is good without any hindrance without any resistance in him who wills or does it And thus God is most free 2 Iohn 3.9 and 5.18 Thus he is free who is fully born of God Nor can he sin because he is born of God Thus Laban had no power or Just freedom to hurt Jacob if he had hurt him it had been from a false freedom from licence not from true libertie The Magistrate hath no power to hurt an innocent man if he hurt him it is not according to his office nor according to the rule of true freedom given him of God and Christ 2 Cor. 13.8.10 We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth Pauls power was to edification and not to destruction This is a free-dom according to which the most free-men are servants Acts 13.36 and 10.36 as David And Jesus Christ who is Lord of all and so most free He took upon him the form of a servant Yea this is a free-dom according to which the meanest servant may yet be free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So S. Chrysost For a man may be a servant yet not servile he may be a free man yet a servant Joseph was a servant yet not yielding to his own lusts or his Ladies he was a free-man His Mistris a free-woman yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a servant of servants a slave to her own servant because a vassal to hir own lusts For the will of the fallen man being more prone to evill than good is much better and more free unto good being under the command and direction of another especially if it be justa servitus a just or moderate servitude than if it were wholly left unto it self In which case that of Job is true Job 11.12 Man is born like a wild asses colt Art thou called a servant care not for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. Lat. Sed etsi but although thou mayest be made free 1 Cor. 7.21 22 use it that is thy just service rather and the reason proves it in the following words For he that is called c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Nestor it is better to obey These are the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Freemen the Princes the Noblemen the Gentlemen A man may according to this freedom be a good servant to an evill Master Obadiah was over Ahabs house 1. King 18.3 Joseph the servant of Potiphar Jacob to Labam Naaman now a Proselyte yet servant unto the King of Syria Daniel and the other Captives to Nabucadnezzar Nehemiah to Artaxerxes Saints in Cesars houshold Phil. 4.22 Ephes 6.5.6.7 3. Doubt If Canaan in person were not the servant of Shem then must he be in his posterity But where shall we find that Canaans posterity or the Canaanites were servants unto Shem or the Shemites Surely we read of Canaans posteritie how ingenious in all or most Liberal Arts some of them were in the time of peace and how securely they lived how powerfull and terrible to their enimies some of them were in their warrs which seems not to agree with the Condition of servants How securely they lived in peace and how ingenious they were in most Liberal and Mechanicall Arts 't is evident in that Arithmetick with Astronomie came from the Zidonians who were from Zidon Canaans first born unto the Grecians But their cheif excellency was in regard of Mechanick Arts mixture of purple is ascribed to the Tyrians Making of Glasse and weaving of Silk to the Zidonianes They were excellent Carpenters 1. King 5.6 Therefore Homer calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what ever witty invention in Garments or Vessells and what ever it was wont to be attributed unto the industry of the Zidonians By those Arts they grew extream Rich and secure Judg. 18.7 The Hittites were formidable and terrible in their wars as appears 2. Kings 7.6 The Jebusites were not inferior unto the Hittites who kept Jerusalem and Mount Zion maugre all the power of Jsrael till Davids time And when he went to beseige them in contempt of him they set no other guard to keep the gates then the Blind and the Lame 2 Sam. 5.8 The Amorites are reported to be as tall as Cedars and as strong as Oaks their Land a Land of Gyants Deut. 2.20 Zamzmmim the bedsted of Og one of them is described Deut. 3.11 much might be said of the other sonns of Canaan All which seems not to suit with servitude unto which Ham and Canaan were accursed by Noah For answer here unto I have shewen how according to the history the curse of Noah laid hold on Ham and the Egyptians As for the Canaanites 't is true they were very ingenious and witty in finding out of Trades and herein more industrious then either Shem or Japhet But this hindred not but that they might yet well be of a base and servile disposition as Cain and his posterity before the flood were exceeding cunning and were the first inventors of founding metalls and working in Iron making of tents building Cities inventing instruments of Musick All which although they be necessary for mans life and though they may be and doubtless are well used by the seed of Sheth and Enoch and Noah and Shem Yet the holy Ghost shewing that the seed of Cain before the flood were inventors of these things as also the seed of Canaan after the flood it 's an evident argument that these things were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the main business wherein the Cainites and the Canaanites imployed themselves While mean time Sheth Enoch Noah Shem and their seed busied themselves in Divine matters In a word the Cainites and Canaanites busied themselves wholly about things belonging onely unto this life The Shethites and Shemites were and are taken up wholly or principally with matters of the life to come Let us now reflect upon our selves if our whole mind thoughts and desires be taken up about the things of this life earthly things c. What are we better then they we are even as they were Cainites and Canaanites For according to a mans thoughts will affections and actions he is to be esteemed Yea and according to them his reward shall be Matth. 22.5.6 not onely they who reproached and slew the servants sent to invite them are held unworthy to tast of the Marriage
considered who confine the eternal Deity of the Son of God unto his temporal dispensation and manifestation in the flesh Surely they would judge otherwise if they remembred that the Father hath never been without his Son the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word which hath spoken all things from the Father and the infinite works which he hath wrought whereof S. John speaks John 21.25 2. These same words shall be in thine heart or rather upon thine heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Arias Montanus Munster and the Spanish Translation Martin Luther and two Low Duch Translations express this phrase by Nemen ter herten which Coverdale turns take them to heart The words may be considered as a precept and so Piscator explains In corde erunt by Sunto in corde let them be in your heart and Castellio turns them imperatively In corde habetote have ye them in your heart And they have good reason so to render them from the parallel place Deut. 11.18 Deut. 11. v. 18. Ye shall put or put ye these my words upon your heart and upon your soul Howbeit because these same words are so beneficial unto us nor can we our selves of our selves put them upon our own hearts and because the Lord hath said I will put my Law or Lawes in their inward parts or minde and I will write it or them upon their hearts Jer. 31.33 Hebr. 8.10 I doubt not to call these same words a promise also They are a precept which puts us upon our utmost endeavour to be obedient and to use all meanes for the effecting of it And they are a promise importing thus much that when we have done our utmost endeavour we we have done all we have done and God himself also does what he does out of grace when he puts these same words in or upon our hearts So that the parts of that distinction that Ronum is either officii or praemii good is is either of duty or of reward may coincidere meet in one and the same sentence as here they do We have a phrase among us that such or such a thing is upon our spirits when we say so our meaning is that we have actual and present thoughts of it And so these same words are to be understood here to be upon our hearts and upon our Spirits when we actually think of them have them present in our mindes wills and affections and are in a readiness to do them It we inquire into the reason why these same words must be in or upon our hearts we shall finde them exceedingly necessary and behoofull for us For indeed through our fall we have a dark heart and blinde eyes Yee were darkness Ephes 5. and he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth Joh. 12.35 And therefore there is great need of the pure and holy commandement of the Lord which is a Lamp and the law a light Prov. 6.23 Which is inlightning the eyes Psal 19.8 2. And whereas the heart and soule has gon a stray and lost it self the law of the Lord is perfect converting or restoring the soul 3. And whereas the heart is defiled and who can say for he is a very rare man who can say my heart is clean these same words bring with them the fear of God Exod. 20.20 Which is clean Psal 19. and cleanseth the heart Ephes 5.26 and perfects the holyness and purity of it 2 Cor. 7.1 4. And whereas there is a kinde of Acidia as it 's called in the School a deadness and laziness in regard of our cold affections unto any spiritual good these same words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fiery words such as come out of the fire tryed and proved Deut. 4.33 And therefore they are called a fiery law Deut. 33.2 Even the law of the spirit which is as fire Rom. 8.2 These same fiery words enflame the heart and make it zealous and ready to every good work 5. And least the heart should be transported with an heady zeal without a guide which is a kind of wild fire or Ignis fatuus these same words regulate our zeal Gal. 4.18 They stere the course of our whole life and therefore they are said to be our life Prov. 3.22 6. And as the naturall heart is seated as a King in the midst of the body So these same words sit in the heart and rule it with divine wisdom and make it a wise and understanding heart These same words satisfy the soul which is commonly taken for the desire And because the affections are seated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the irrational part of the soul these same words quiet the tumultuous perturbations and passions of the heart So that when the affections begin to mutany the love and peace of God empires all differences according to Col. 3.15 But touching these same words in or upon the heart I spake somewhat on Deut. 4.9 Come we now to the transmitting of these same words unto posterity And that 's the third divine sentence 3. These same words which I am commanding thee this day shall be in or upon thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children I turn them rather thou shalt whet them upon thy sons For why should we loose so elegant a metaphore chosen by the spirit of God For although to whet be diligently to teach as the phrase is explained Deut. 11.19 yet is it not the native signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here is used which R. Solomon interprets by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sharpen or whet And so Luther and Piscator and one low Dutch translation Tremellius also turns it acutè ingeres thou shalt sharply put into and one of our old English Munster recensebis Pagnin turns the word repetes so the Spanish and the French thou shalt recite them Castellio inculcatote and the Tigurin Bible hath the same word Two things are to be inquired into 1. what these children are which indeed are to be turned sons 2. What it is to whet 1. By sons whether natural or spiritual we are to understand such as are to be begotten unto God by the immortal seed of the word such are disciples Thus R. Solomon interprets them the sons of the Prophets And so John Baptist had his sons thus Simon is called the son of Jonah Josh 1.42 Jonah is the Syriack contraction of Johanna as may appear from hence that whereas our Lord had called Peter Simon son of Jonah he calls him thrice without contraction Simon son of John so St. Hierom Joh. 21.15 16 17. Simon fili Johannis And accordingly Nonnus in his paraphrase hath those words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simon thou son of John father divine The ministers of God are fathers unto those whom they beget unto God and Christ thus St. Paul calls the Corinthians his sons 1 Cor. 4.14 as my beloved sons I warn you For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ yet ye have not many
v. 15. O how contrary to this is the love of our God! when his love has touched our heart with his finger that is with his spirit when he drawes us with the cords of his love when he manifests himself unto us The more near we draw unto him by so much our love more and more increaseth toward him and in his presence is the fulness of joy and at his right hand pleasures for ever more Psalm 16.11 This Commandement is said to be the first by our Saviour Mat. 22. and that both in regard of the Lawgiver and in respect of man to whom the Law is given 1. In regard of the Lawgiver he is the first and chief good Since therefore love is naturally carried unto goodness and first in order of dignity unto the first and chief good there is good reason why we should first love him and consequently that this should be the first Commandement Yea first it is in order of intention or the end which the Lawgiver aims at and that 's love 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the Commandement is love For howsoever the knowledge of God must precede in order of time because Ignoti nulla cupido there is no desire of that which is unknown no nor love nor hope nor fear nor joy no affection at all toward that whereof there is first no knowledge nor can we love desire hope in or fear God unless first we know him yet this is to be understood in order of time As for the order of intention which God aimes at he would not that the man should rest in a contemplative knowledge of himself but that he should be affected according to his knowledge which must cease but love must remain 1 Cor. 13. Charitas intrat ubi scientia foris stat Charity enters when Knowledge stands without doores Yea although fear go before love Primus in orbe deos fecit timor and that it is Prima mensura divinitatis the first measure of the Deity yet this is to be understood in regard of the man 's fallen estate For fear of punishment had never been unless first sin had entred into the World as appears Gen. 3. Yea and initial fear makes way for love as a serviceable means for that end which being obtained and perfected as being principally intended fear is cast out as being used only as a means to obtain the end with which it cannot consist as Physick having brought us to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or good habitude of body is it self purged out and the Needle is cut off when it hath drawn in the threed and united the cloath And therefore the Wiseman saith that fear is the beginning of love Ecclus 25.12 2. In regard of man to whom this Law is given this Commandement is first and that in respect 1. Of mans obligation to act and 2. In respect of his principle of action 1. Gods work of creation and preservation whereby he prevents the man layes the first obligation and tye upon the man to love and to be thankful unto his God which truth the Gentiles held in unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 21. 2. In regard of the principle of action in the man For howsoever there be diverse principles whence the observation of the Commandements is said to proceed as Fear Faith Hope yet none of them either severally or joyntly brings forth that obedience to the Commandements which God requires but love For howsoever faith be the fundamental saving principle yet that works not but by love Gal. 5.6 Which principle we finde in the promulgation of the Law Exod. 20.5 6. And the same method our Lord observes in the Gospel John 14.15 If ye love me keep my Commandements He saith not if ye fear believe or trust in me The Apostle gives the reason of it 1 Tim. 1.5 the end of the Commandement is charity Now if charity be the end that is the perfection of the Commandement then is it the first and chief principle out of which obedience to the Commandements must proceed Sapiens incipit à fine a wise man begins from the end Yea till the man keep the Commandements out of this principle he cannot be said to keep the covenant of his God nor God to keep covenant with the man But when the man loves his God and out of that love obeyes his God then the Lord keeps covenant with him So Dan. 9.4 O Lord the great and dreadful God keeping the Covenant and mercy towards them that love him and keep his Commandement c. As this is the first Commandement so it is also called by our Lord the great Commandement And whereas a thing is said to be great Quantitate molis or quantitate virtutis in regard of bulk or power and vertue this later way this Commandement is said to be great or the greatest according to S. Hierom by reason of the vertue power and efficacy of it and that both in respect of the subject and of the duty it self 1. In regard of the subject whoever thus loves God with all his heart his heart and minde must be enabled thereunto by the Spirit of God 1 Tim. 1.5 It is the first fruit and strength of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 And the Lord so circumciseth his heart that he may so love him with all his heart and with all thy soul and keep the Commandements and live Deut. 30.6 Zach. 11.19 20. Rom. 6.11 13. 2. The duty it self is most required and best accepted by our God For as love is in nature the first of all the affections which like the great wheel of the Clock turns about all the rest For so we desire rejoyce in fear hope for grieve for c. some thing which we love such is the divine love to all other graces The Spirit of God in this great wheel actuates and moves all the other graces Yea and this divine love swallowes up all other inferiour affections all other love concupiscence and desire As the Serpent of Moses devoured all the Serpents of the Egyptian Magicians For he who loves God with all his heart and keeps all this Commandement he can love nothing repugnant unto God nothing but in order unto God he loves himself only in order unto God and for God He loves his neighbour out of his love of God even as he loves himself that is in order unto God So he loves his neighbour that he is of one heart and one soul with his neighbour Acts 4.32 So that his love of his neighbour and of himself are no way contrary to the intire love of God Yea howsoever many other duties are enjoyned us beside this Commandement yet this of all the rest is the greatest and most excellent 1 Cor. 12. ult and that for two reasons 1. It s most durable and outlasts all the rest and therefore it s preferred before Prophesie Tongues Knowledge yea before Faith and Hope it self 1 Cor. 13. ult 2. The love of God is the Seisin and the common
and violence of passions wherewithall the carnall man is lead or driven the flesh lusteth against the Spirit Esau thinks he shall die if he have not his Mess of Pottage Gen. 25. 5. Observe how poor and beggerly the carnall man is how he wants all temporall things For although he has many things yet he cannot be said to be rich for he is not rich who possesseth many things but he who wanteth not But the earthly carnal man is allwayes needy alwayes of an having disposition alwayes lusting 6 Hence note the deplorable condition of all those who have not the Spirit of God to give check and curb to their exorbitant and unruly affections and lusts Axiom 2. The Spirit lusts against the flesh What Spirit is here to be understood Surely according to the difference of men answer is here to be made For that Spirit of the natural man that is in him lusts against the flesh and the lusts of it whence it is that by nature he does the things of the law Rom. 2. But the Apostle wrote here unto the Galathians who had received the Spirit of God in some measure as appeares Gal. 3.2 The reason is that it may give check to the natural motions This we may understand by the story that Jacob took Esau by the heel Jacob is a figure of the heavenly man Esau or Edom of the earthly man Now such is the goodness of the heavenly man He suffers not the earthly to break forth and to have his whole liberty to do what he lists or to have his full swinge He struggles with him before and though he break out yet he apprehends him and layes hold on him and stayes him in his carreer he limits his proceedings he binds him with cords of the law Psal 2. And when he breakes them and casts them from him he so hedges him in with one impediment or other that he cannot freely pursue his lusts Hos 2.5.6.7 When notwithstanding he breaks the hedg and committes a trespass and builds up himself with strong reasonings 2 Cor. 10. Edom shall build saith the Lord but I will destroy Malach. 1.4 So that he who sins freely and without remorse or cheek hath broken through manifold lets and hindrances hath broken the hedg of providence about him and is a great trespasser 3. The flesh indeed lusteth against the Spirit but the Spirit lusteth against the flesh Such is the goodness of God unto men He hath not left us to be governed by our carnal appetites Wherefore take heed that we be not deceived with the error of the wicked who contrary to the lusting of the Spirit follow the lusts of their flesh and for a short and momentary seeming present good part with the incorruptible and eternal good 4. These are contrary the one to the other Here is than a cruel and long-lasting inward war The parties contending Satan the father of lies the son of perdition and the Spirit of error against the God and father of Jesus Christ the true God the Son the Saviour and the Spirit of truth Here are flesh and it's lusts contending against the Spirit and the will of God Here is engaged darkness against light death against life Reason against reason will against will It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a war wherein the parties can never be reconciled one must be subdued and overcome But what do they quarrel for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for a toy or trifle no the Harlot Iniquity hunts for the pretious soul the business concerns life thy life yea the eternal life the life of God This discovers a most dangerous mistake and that in a business of the greatest moment in the World and yet which is most of all to be lamented daily and almost universally practised The lucts of the flesh are our deadly enemies yet most men account them their dearest friends The wills and lustings of the Spirit are indeed our nearest friends yet are these accounted by most men their greatest enemies The man carries his most malitious enemies and his best friends about him his sinful flesh with the lusts of it the Evil one the Boutefeu and Incendiary who blows the fire of concupiscence to kindle his lusts and appetites in the sinful flesh He has also Christ and his Spirit revealing and requiring and enabling to do the will of God These adverse contraries so diametrically opposite one to other cannot but act one against the other Exod. 2. Moses grown great smote the Egyptian the next day Moses reproved the Hebrew that did his brother wrong But do we look for these things without us These things are or may be daily acted in us There is an old tradition that one of the Thieves crucified with our Lord was an Egyptian a black Thief this was the Evil Thief the other an Edomite a red Thief whom they call the good Thief The former the black Thief the Egyptian the sin perished the Edomite the first man of the Earth was saved These things works the mortifying spirit of the Lord Jesus Rom. 8.13 This justly reproves those who follow their own carnal lusts against the dictates of their own reason which perswades the contrary like her who said Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor Reuben the son of vision saw the Holy Land and approved it that it was good yet he chose to live on this side Jordan he was taken with Id bruti that was good for cattle Numb 32. What can companions of Fools hope or such as follow their foolish lusts but destruction Prov. 13.20 Not only the Fools but also the companion of Fools shall be destroyed 5. The Spirit lusteth against the flesh that we may not do the things of the flesh which otherwise we would do In these words lies the principal difference between the two Translations And that especially in two things 1. Whether cannot or may not be the better translation 2. What 's here meant by the things that we would do As to the first we must know that there is no Verb in the Greek Text here that answers to cannot or may not but that is only a signe of a Mood in our English tongue as all learned in the Greek tongue easily understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly what are the things that we would do where the Text saith The Spirit lusteth against the flesh that ye cannot or may not do the things that ye would Surely either both the things which both flesh and Spirit lust for or some one of them If both the things which the flesh and Spirit lust for then by reason of the contrarietys of flesh and Spirit a man comes off hardly in the performing the lusts either of the flesh or of the Spirit He cannot or may not freely do the things that he would which the flesh lusts for because the Spirit lusts against the flesh And he cannot freely do the things that he would which the Spirit lusts for because the flesh lusts against