the Altars literally it may be understood of those Altars built by the Prophets extraordinarily after the Temple was built as Elias built an Altar in mount Carmel The Iewes adde farther that all the times that they sacrificed upon these Altars they sacrificed a female and not a male 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 7.9 vajagnalehu obtulit ipsum but the critickes of the Iewes the Masoreth readeth it vajagnaleah that is they offered a female upon these Altars and not a male It was a fault to offer in the high places after the Temple was builded Offering of sacrifice upon the high places was found fault with after the Temple was built Iehosaphat is blamed for this that he tooke not away the highplaces 1 King 22.43 and likewise Asa 1 King 15.14 because he tooke not away the high places but the Lord commended Ezekiah much for taking away the high places yet Rabsache blamed him for taking away these high places and Altars Esay 36.7 Conclusion The Conclusion of this is the Lord by degrees withdrew his typicall presence from the Iewes first he separated the Arke and the Tabernacle secondly the Arke from the Temple thirdly hee destroyed the Temple that they might looke onely to him who was both the Arke the Tabernacle and the Temple EXERCITAT VI. Of the situation of the Citie of Jerusalem A ceremoniall appendix of Command 2. Psal 48. Beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion on the sides of the north the City of the great king IErusalem was compassed about with Hils and Valleyes the Hiles were Gareb Calvarie Gihon Aceldamae The Hils compassed Ierusalem Olivet the Valleyes were the Valley of dead Carkases Tyropaeum the Valley of Iehosophat or hinnon or the Kings dale The Citie it selfe stood upon foure Hils The Hils upon which Ierusalem stood Sion towards the south Akra towards the north upon which Salem stood Moriah betwixt Sion and Akra and Bezetha betwixt Akra and Moriah and betwixt Sion and Moriah lay the great gulfe of Millo Vpon every one of these hills there is some notable thing to be observed Some memorable things done on every one of the Hils upon mount Gareb all the Lepers were put therefore it is called the hill of Scabbes Iere. 31.39 upon mount Calvarie Christ was crucified upon Gihon Salomon was anoynted King In Aceldama was the potters field which was bought with the price of the just one for the buriall of strangers Amos 2.6 Act. 1.19 upon mount Olivet Christ was taken up to Heaven Vpon mount Sion stood the fort of the Iebusites The Citie of David stood in Sion which David taking in afterwards called it the Citie of David there he built his house In mount Akra stood the old Citie Salem where Melchizedeck dwelt and it is called Akra from hakkara 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obviam veniens obviam venit because there hee met Abraham and blessed him when he returned from the slaughter of the Kings In mount Moriah Abraham would have offered his sonne Gen. 14.19 Vpon mount Moriah Abraham would have offered his sonne Isaac Gen. 22 and here the Angell stood with a drawne sword in his hand above the threshing floore of Arauna the Iebusite and upon this mount afterwards was the Temple of Salomon builded The new towne of Ierusalem stood in Bezetha called the upper Mercat In Bezetha was builded the new towne of Ierusalem called forum inferius in respect of forum superius that was in Sion To the north of Bezetha and Akra stood the new towne builded by Hezekiah which he compassed round about with a wall called murus tertius for the first wall was builded by David round about Sion even to the Sheep-gate the second wall was builded by Salomon round about Bezetha and joyned with the first wall at the Sheepe-gate the third wall was builded by Hezekiah joyning it to the old wall of the City Salem and compassed round about mount Akra to the water gate where it joyned with the second wall The gulfe Millo Millo was a deepe gulfe lying to the north of Sion to the south of Moriah this gulfe Salomon filled up when he builded his owne house the Queenes house and the house of Lebanon Mount Sion in which the City of David stood was called the upper towne and the rest that were towards the north of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ierusalem superior 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ierusalem inferior Salem and Bezetha were called the nether towne and to this the Apostle alludeth Gal. 4.25 Ierusalem which is beneath and Ierusalem which is above Ierusalem which is above signified anogogicallie the triumphant Church but allegorically the free children begotten within the covenant of grace and Ierusalem below signified the children of the bond woman and for this cause it is put in the duall number Ierusalaijm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it consisteth of two Cities which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Iacobs armie is called mahanaijm consisting of two armies one heavenly another earthly to these two Salomon compareth the Church Cant 6.13 what will yee see in the Shulamite as it were the company of Manaham or two armies shee consisted partly of Citizens in the triumphant Church and partly of Citizens in the militant Ierusalem is sometimes called Sion Ierusalem is sometimes called Sion and sometimes Moriah and sometimes Moriah and Sion is called the hill of God Psal 68.15 that is an excellent hill for the Hebrewes wanting the superlative they supply it by adding the name God by which they understand that which is most excellent and great in that kind Psal 80.11 The trees of it were like the Cedars of God that is excellent Cedars So 1 Sam. 18.10 the evill spirit of the Lord came upon Saul that is a very evill spirit So Ierusalem is called the daughter of Sion that is Sion herselfe as the Sonne of man that is a man When Ierusalem and Sion are set together Ierusalem and Sion put together for the more earnest expression they are so to be understood as a repetition of the selfe-same thing for the more earnest expression as Zach. 9.9 O daughter of Sion O daughter of Ierusalem here the explaining of the one word by the other carieth a great weight with it So Psal 92.9 For loe thine enemies O Lord for loe thine enemies O Lord shall perish that is they shall surely perish Moriah is also taken for all the hils whereupon the City stood Gen. 22.2 Goe to the Land of vision that is Moriah taken largely for all the hils in Ierusalem to the land of Moriah but Abraham seeing that excellent vision vers 14. of which Christ spake Ioh. 8.56 Abraham rejoyced to see my day he appropriated the generall name particularly to this mountaine and called it Moriah Quest How is David sayd to bring the head of Goliah to Ierusalem 1 Sam. 17.54
more wicked than others they are not then called worse spirits because they are moe in number onely but they are worse because they are more malicious they are all bad spirits but some exceed others in malice and wickednesse many men doe mistake Satan and his Angels they thinke that some of them are spirits which doe no harme but they are all sworne enemies to mans salvation therefore Satan is called the red Dragon the red Dragon delighteth not onely to kill men for hunger but also for sport to kill them what can we looke for then of those infernall spirits of destruction And the last end of that man is worse than the first The end of the wicked is worse than their beginning three wayes His last end is worse than his beginning in three respects first in respect of God secondly in respect of himselfe thirdly in respect of Satan First in respect of God who justly punisheth him this wise by giving him up unto a reprobate sense because he loved not the truth secondly his last end is worse in respect of himselfe because he is dyed over againe with sinne those sinnes in the Scripture are called Scarlet sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scarlet is called Shani or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is twice dyed So men when they fall backe they are dyed anew againe and as recidivatio in morbis est periculosa so is the falling into sinne anew againe So it is worse in respect of himselfe because after that a man is illuminated he is more readie to become prophane Simile if he be not sanctified Take water and heat it and set it in the ayre it will freeze sooner than cold water So if a man be illuminated and haue some taste of sanctification and then fall backe againe he is in a worse case than he was in before Thirdly he is worse in respect of Satan for when Satan catcheth him againe he maketh him twice more the childe of hell A Iailor hath a prisoner fettered by the hands necke and feete the prisoner beggeth of him that he would release him he releaseth him all to the foote he slippeth his foote out of the fetters and escapeth if the Iailor catch him againe he layeth a double weight upon him and fettereth him twice as sure as he was before so when a sinner seemeth to escape from Satan being enlightned and in some shew sanctified it he fall backe againe he bringeth seven worse spirits with him The application of the Parable is The application of the Parable Even so shall it be also unto this wicked Generation As if Christ should say when I came amongst you yee were in darkenesse but by my ministerie yee haue beene illuminated but maliciously now yee impugne this truth and yee are possessed with seven worse spirits than before therefore your end must be worse than your beginning FINIS ¶ An Addition Pag. 122. line 11. TO raise up seed to the brother that is to the eldest brother Deut. 25.5 If brethren dwell together and one of them die that is if the first or eldest die and haue no seede then his second brother was bound to raise up seede to him if he were not married for the Law speaketh of brethren dwelling together and not married or forisfamiliate an example of this we haue in Er and Onan Gen. 38. Secondly if he had no brethren then his neerest Kinsman was bound to performe this duty to him if he had not beene married But it seemeth that this dutie is required of N. Rut. 4. Object although he had children for he saith then I should marre mine owne inheritance It is onely required of him here to redeeme the inheritance but not to marrie his Cousins wife Answ this was onely stare super nomen defuncti that is to make his childe to be reputed as the childe of the dead and so the childe should not be counted his sonne but the sonne of Chilion thus his inheritance should haue beene marr'd and his name rased out and this made N. to refuse but if the Cousin were not married then he was bound to marry the wife of his Kinsman Erratum Page 166. line 13. Dele not EXERCITATIONS DIVINE Containing diverse Questions and Solutions for the right understanding of the Scriptures Proving the necessitie majestie integritie perspicuitie and sense thereof As also shewing the singular prerogatiues wherewith the Lord indued those whom he appointed to bee the pen-men of them Together with the excellencie and use of Divinitie above all humane Sciences All which are cleared out of the Hebrew and Greeke the two originall languages in which the Scriptures were first written by comparing them with the Samaritane Chaldie and Syriack Copies and with the Greeke Interpretors and vulgar Latine translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viatici parum via longinqua est By Iohn Weemse of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Christs Gospell LONDON Printed by T. Cotes for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO The Right Honorable Sr. Thomas Coventrie Knight Lord Coventrie Baron of Alesborough Lord Keeper of his Majesties Great Seale of ENGLAND Most Honorable and my very good Lord IOB the wisest and the richest Prince in the East Iob. 28.7 searching where wisedome might be found he could not finde the place thereof He could not finde it in the land of the living the depth saith it is not with me and the Sea saith it is not with me the Vultures eye hath not seene it for all his sharpe sight and for the worth of it it cannot be gotten for Gold neyther can Silver be weighed for the price thereof then hee subjoyneth God understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof for he looketh to the ends of the earth and seeth under the whole heaven The wisedome which Job speaketh of here is Gods secret wisedome in his workes of nature which none of the world although they were as sharpe sighted as the Eagle can understand Now if man be so ignorant in Gods woTkes of nature much more is he in the workes of grace and he may say as Agur sayd when he considered Jthiel and Vcal Iesus Christ the wisedome of the Father surely I am more brutish then any man Pro. 30.2 and have not the understanding of a man David when he lookt upon the heavens Psal 19.1 the workes of Gods hands he sayd The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handy worke then he telleth how they declare his glory and what sort of Preachers they be The vniversality of their preaching their line is gone out through all the earth even to the ends of the world Then their diligence in preaching both day and night Lastly how plainely they preach n all languages Yet this their preaching is but an indistinct fort of preaching in respect of the preaching of
by the revelation of Iesus Christ they had not their calling from man but immediatly from God They had their calling intuitu Ecclesiae Vocatio vel est intuitu ecclesiae intervetu eccles 1 Cor. 3.2 sed non interventu Ecclesiae that is God ordained these offices for the good of the Church and it was for the Church cause that he appointed them but they had not their calling from the Church But Preachers now have their calling both intuitu Ecclesiae interventu Ecclesiae Immediata suppositi virtutis There is immedietas ratione suppositi immedietas ratione virtutis the first is when the person is immediatly separated by God to such a calling the second is when the graces and calling are immediatly given by God When Ministers are called they have their gifts immediatly from God and so they have their calling there interveneth no suppositum or midst betweene God and them but for the appointing and designing of them to such places that they have from the Church But the Apostles were called immediatly both ratione suppositi vÃrtutis they had their gifts immediatly from God neyther were they designed to such and such plaees as the Ministers are now The Prophets and Apostles were immediatly called by God and therefore Matthias was chosen by lot to be an Apostle because the lot is immediatly directed by the hand of God but Preachers now should not be chosen by lot Zeno the Emperor tempted God in this case laying a paper upon the Altar that God might write in the paper the name of him who should be Bishop of Constantinople Nicepherus Lib. 2. but Flavitius corrupting the Sexton of the Church caused him to write in his name and so was made Bishop of Constantinople Object But Moyses learned from the Egyptians and Daniel from the Chaldeans therefore it may seeme that they had not their calling immediatly from God Answ The Apostles and Prophets learned their humane Sciences and Artes from men but not their divine knowledge They had the learning of humane sciences and trades from men as Paul learned from men to be a Tent maker so Moyses learned these humane sciences from the Egyptians Daniel from the Chaldeans but their knowledge as Prophets Apostles imediatly was froÌ„ God Although they had their divine knowledge immediately from God Simile The Prophets knowledge was kept by reading Dan. 2.9 and 1 Tim. 4.13 yet they were to entertaine it by reading As the fyre that came from heaven upon the Altar was miraculous yet when it was once kindled they kept it in with wood as wee doe our fire So the Prophets knowledge was preserved by reading as ours is Prorogative 2 Their second prerogative was the measure of knowledge they had in matters Divine The measure of the Prophets and Apostles knowledge Their knowledge far differed froÌ„ the knowledge of Christ this was visio vnionis this excelled the knowledge of all creatures even of the Angels this was not called prophesie as he was comprehensor but as he was viator here upon the earth this his illumination is called Prophesie he is called the great Prophet Deut. 18.15 and in this sort of knowledge hee excelled both men and Angels Secondly their knowledge differed from the knowledge of Angels and the glorified Spirits for prophesie as Peter saith Visio vnionis gloria raptus prophetiae 2 Pet. 1.19 is like a light shining in a darke place but in Heaven there is no darkenesse Thirdly their knowledge differed from the knowledge that Paul had when he was taken up to the third heaven and this was called visio raptus their knowledge was farre inferiour to all these sorts of knowledge but it farre exceeded all the knowledge that we have Quest Whether had the Prophets of God and the Secretaries of the holy Ghost this their Prophesie and divine knowledge by way of habit or no The Prophets had not the gift of prophesie by habite Answ They had not this gift of prophesie by way of habit as the children of God have their faith and as Bezaliell and Aholiab although they had their knowledge immediatly from God to worke all curious workes in the Tabernacle yet they kept still this their knowledge as an ordinary habit but this gift of prophesie the Prophets had it not as a habit but they had neede still of new illumination when they prophesied Peter compareth prophesie to a light shining in a darke place 2 Pet. 1.19 how long continueth light in a darke house no longer then a candle is there so this coruscation Simile or glimpse of the Spirit continued no longer with them but when the Spirit was illuminating them and teaching them they had the gift of prophesie even as they had the gift of healing but they could not heale when and where they pleased Paul saith I have left Trophimus sicke at Miletum 2 Tim 4 20. So they could not prophesie when and where they pleased 2 King 4.27 The Lord hath hid it from me and hath not told it me they had not this prophesie as a permanent habit but as that which was now and then revealed unto them Ier. 42.7 And it came to passe after ten dayes here the Prophets behoved to attend untill he got a new revelation from the Lord and sometimes they waited longer and sometimes shorter for this revelation Quest How differed the Prophets then from other men when they prophesied not Ans First yee shall see a difference betweene them and others who prophesied Num. 17. It is sayd of those Prophets Prophetia momentanea prophetarunt non addiderunt that is they prophesied but that day onely that the Spirit came upon them but never after as the Hebrews expound it but the Prophets of the Lord prophesied often So 2 King 2.3 The children of the Prophets came forth they prophesied but this gift of the prophesie continued not with them but these Prophets of the Lord often prophesied And although they had not the habit of prophecie yet they were separate by God for that purpose to expect still for new illumination Prorogative 3 The third prerogative which the holy men of God had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was this that they could not erre in their writing 2 Pet. 1.21 The holy men of God spake as they were inspired by the holy Ghost The Peophets erred not in writing the Scriptures Matth. 10 2. Luk. 21.15 Luk. 1.17 therefore the Prophets were called the mouth of God Luk. 1.18 Ier. 15.19 thou shalt be as my mouth Hee spake not onely by their mouthes The Prophets are called the mouth of God but also they were his mouth And contrary to this is that lieing Spirit in the mouth of the false Prophets 1 King 22.22 The secretaries of the holy Ghost erred sometimes in some of their purposes Wherein the Prophets and Apostles erred and in some circumstances of their calling but in
translated from the family of Phinehas to Ithamars posterity Ob. for Eli was of the posterity of Ithamar and not of Phinehas and from Eli it came to his sonne Phimehas and then to Achitub and then to Achiaz the brother of Ahimelech and then it was restored to Zadoc see 1 Chron. 24.3 for foure generations the posteritie of Phinehas wanted the Priesthood Elies posterity had it de facto et non de jure Ans therefore it is to be marked what bad successe most of them had in the Priesthood Eli brake his necke his sonne Phinehas was killed in the battell Abiathar was put from the Priesthood and his soone Ahimelech was slaine by Doeg and all this time when they wanted the Priesthood the posterity of Elcazer farre surpassed the posterity of Ithamar 1 Chron. 24.4 Againe it was promised to Phinehas posterity conditionally if they should walke in their fathers wayes This promise of the Priesthood was not made so absolutely to Phinehas but that Phinehas posterity for their sinnes might be deprived of it for a time even as the promise made to David that the Kingdome should continue with his posterity for ever did not exclude the captivity of Babylon and the overthrow of the kingdome for a time yet by vertue of this promise made to Phinehas his posterity could not want it for ever And thirdly it is so promised to his posterity that it should not be taken for ever from him as it was from the posterity of Eli. This rod brought forth Almonds without a roote the fathers reason out of this place against the Iewes who will not beleeve that the Virgin could beare a sonne why will ye beleeve this say they that Aarons rod brought forth Almonds without a roote and cannot beleeve that a Virgin can beare a sonne ye beleeve that Eva was created out of the side of Adam and that Adam was created out of the dust why may yee not beleeve this likewise that God can create a child in the Wombe of the Virgin Yee beleeve that Sara an old withered stocke conceived by the power of God and why ye will not beleeve this that God by his power created the Child in the Wombe of the Virgin The tree blossomed although it was withered Hence we may gather that the withered tree the Church of the Iewes shall flourish againe a man looking with a naturall eye upon that heape of dry bones Ezek. 37. would never thinke that they should rise againe but the Lord by the mighty wind of his Spirit gathered these bones together and made them to live so the Lord by his mighty power shall make the withered tree of the Iewes to flourish againe Obj. But ye will say that Christ cursed the figtree which represented the Church of the Iewes and said Never fruit grow upon thee henceforth Mat. 21.19 Then it may seeme that this tree shall never flourish againe Answ That figtree that was accursed by Christ never to beare fruit againe represented the Iewes who lived then and those who shall live till the conversion of the Iewes but when the wrath of God is come upon them to the full as the Apostle speakes then the Lord shall call them and their rod shall flourish againe Quest Whether kept this rod still the buds blossomes and Almonds when it was laid up before the Lord or not No question it did Answ for the Lord commandeth to lay it up as a testimony against the rebels now when it kept the buds blossomes and Almonds it testified the more vively against them and as the Manna lasted so many hundreth yeares in the golden pot so did this rod keepe the blossomes and Almonds When Aarons rod budded it was a token to him that he was called of the Lord he that runneth and is not sent by the Lord shall never doe good in that holy Calling these Agrippa who were borne with their feet formost it was a bad token of their evill government to follow as it fell out in Herod Agrippa who was a very bad Governour so when a Preacher is not sent by God to his people and the Lord doth not make his rod to bud he shall never be a profitable Minister in his Calling Of the priviledges of the first borne under the Law and what he was bound to doe to his brethren and kinsmen Matth. 22.24 If a man die having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto him AFter that the Pharisees had tempted Christ the same day the Sadduces came to tempt him who denyed the Resurrection and they reason with Christ ab absurdo if there were a Resurrection then this absurdity would follow that seven men should have one wife at the Resurrection but this is absurd therefore c. and thus they goe about to ground upon Moses Law For Moses commanded in the Law that if a man dye without seed then his brother should raise up his seed unto him Deut. 35.5 Now there fell out a case among us that a man married a wife and dyed without children his brother married his wife and he dyed without children also and seven brethren had her to wife Whose wife then shall she be in the Resurrection Our Lord answereth that they erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for in the Resurrection men neither marry nor give in marriage but are like the Angels of God The Sadduces who denyed the Resurrection put this question to Christ He that denyeth the immortality of the soule cannot hold one sound point in Religion the Sadduces denyed the immortality of the soule they held the soule to be like Quickesilver which made the body to stirre or like Salt that kept the body from corruption as Epicurus held and the best that they made of it they said it was an exact temperature of the humours of the body and then for the Angels they said they were but good thoughts but not subsisting spirits Now if the soule be not an immortall substance the body cannot be joyned to it againe for the weale of the body dependeth upon the soules immortality they held the soule to be mortall and therefore of necessity they behoved to deny the resurrection Tertullian called the Marcionites and Valentinians qui credebant reditum animae non corporis partiarios Saducaeos We who professe our selves to be Christians say the Creed and repeate this Article often I beleeve the resurruction of the body but yet if we will looke to the lives of most part of men we shall heare than say no other thing but that which the Sadduces and Epicures said 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eate let us drinke for to morrow we shall dye that is be quite extinguished in soule and body as if there were no more of us after our death thā beasts when they are knockt on the head when the Pharises reasoned with the Sadduces they said unto thē Why study ye to keep the Law seeing ye beleeve not the immortality
himselfe and rejoyce when he is glorified Tâ—â— Angels are not ordainâ— to be ministring â—pirâ—ts to the wicked The Angels sing praise to God for the hardning of the hearts of the wicked and they are not sad for that the reason of this is because they are not ordained to be ministring spirits to such and therefore it was no griefe to them to see them condemned they rejoyce to see the godly converted because they are committed to their charge but Ministers have both the good and the bad in their charge and therefore at the first cannot be but grieved that they should miscarry as Samuel mourned for Saul 1 Sam. 15.35 The travell of the Minister is not alwayes lost But we are to marke if a Preacher be faithfull and painfull in his calling although his Ministery be not effectuall to the conversion of all yet it shall alwayes serve to the conversion of some Esaias ministery was to make the hearts of that people fat yet there was a remnant seed left unto him Esay 1.9 If he refused to raise up seed to his brother then the woman spit in his face Great shame to unprofitable Ministers Great shall be the shame and confusion that shall befall unprofitable and wicked Ministers in the day of the Lord who refused to raise up seed to their eldest brother Marke but the circumstances of spitting in the face and ye shall see how great a disgrace it was First we use to spit upon a dogge and not upon a man Secondly Num. 12.4 the Lord saith If her father had spit upon her face would she not have beene ashamed for seven dayes Where the Lord compareth Miriams leprosie to a father spitting upon his child so the Lord spit as it were Spitting in the face a great disgrace upon Miriam when he strucke her with leprosie and Onkelos paraphraseth it Si increpando increpasset eam pater ejus The woman the weaker Sexe did spit here in the mans face but what a shame is it for a childe to have his father to spit upon him Thirdly the place aggravates the shame it was in the publike meeting in the gates of the City it was a great matter to be praised in the gates of the City Prov. 30.23 The husband when he was well apparelled sitting among the Elders in the gates of the City then his wife is praised this was her greatest credit so it was the greatest credit of the Father when he had store of children then he was not ashamed to plead with his enemies in the gates of the City Psal 137. therefore to be put to publike shame and disgrace in that place what shame and confusion would that breed Lastly that she should spit in his face the face is the most excellent place in the body the most honourable and not a part of dishonour The Apostle Paul saith If a man smite you in the face 2 Cor. 11.20 If it was a greater shame to be smitten in the face than any other part of the body then it is a greater shame to be spit upon the face than any other part of the body Great shame to have the father spit in their faces and if it was such a shame in Israel for a woman to spit in a mans face in their solemne and publike meetings what shame shall it be for Preachers if the Lord spit in their faces in the sight of Christ and his Angels and if it was a shame to the daughter when the father did spit in her face what shame shall it be if the Lord who is the father of all and of whom all fatherhood is called Eph. 3.5 if he spit in the face of those who are negligent in their Callings if she was separated out of her fathers sight for seven dayes what is it to be separated out of his sight for ever There is no argument more forcible to move an unregenerate man to abstaine from sinne Shame a bridle to an unregenerate man than shame what saith Tamar to Amnon 1 Sam. 13.13 And I whither shall I cause my shame to goe and as for thee thou shall be counted as one of the fooles in Israel Saul had rather kill himselfe than fall into the hands of the Philistines and abide that shame 1 Sam. 31. When such doe heare the faithfull Pastors praised in the gates of the City what griefe will this breed to them and when they see those who have converted others shine like starres in the firmament Dan. 22.3 And themselves like darke and blacke clouds Iude. 12. What shame shall this be to them The naturall brother who refused to raise up seed to his eldest brother then the woman who complained did spit in his face but if he was a Cousin German or another kinsman they did not spit in his face because he had not such a neere interest as the naturall brother had to raise up seede yet the holy Ghost Ruth 4.1 doth not expresse his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but calleth him Pelone al moni which implieth some disgrace the Lord would not name him here by his name as he did Boaz. Onan was killed because he refused to raise up seede to his brother Er this Er was a wicked man yet because Onan refused to raise up seede to him the Lord killed him What will he doe then to those who refuse to raise up seed to their elder Brother Iesus Christ who is holy blamelesse and worthy of all honor The putting on of the shooe a signe of possession They pulled off his shooe this was a signe that he lost his inheritance for when they tooke possession of the land they put a shooe upon their foot and when they lost their inheritance the shooe was pulled off their foote The principall and chiefe regard that a man should have is that hee lose not his inheritance a man in Israel for necessity sometimes morgaged his inheritance and sometimes by violence put from his inheritance and sometimes through negligence and slothfulnesse did suffer bryers and thornes to grow up in his inheritance but unlesse he had beene a runnagate like Esau he never sold his inheritance looke what regard Ieremiah had to that little peece of ground in Anathoth which he redeemed from Hanameel his Vncles sonne What care Ieremiah had of his inheritance to secure himselfe in that inheritance Iere. 32. First he bought the field then he weighed the silver and gave seventeene shekles for it then he subscribed the evidence and sealed it and he tooke witnesses and tooke the double of the evidence of the purchase both that which was sealed according to the Law and custome and that which was open than he gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the sonne of Nerijah in the sight of Hanameel his uncles sonne and last hee bids take these evidences and put then in an earthen vessell that they might continue there for many dayes had Ieremiah such
prevaile against it The Lord hath chosen Ierusalem although the Lord made choise of Ierusalem yet this notable vine which he planted degenerated Iere. 2.21 and then he rejected it and brought great desolations upon it Esay 29.1 I will make Ierusalem like Ariel when Ierusalem killed the Prophets then he sprinkled it with blood like Ariel the Altar which was sprinkled with blood Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire As if the Lord would say he is new brought out of the captivity and therefore no mervell though his cloathes be yet soiled There are three sorts of wants in the Church First Three sorts of wants in the Church wants of necessity Secondly occasionall wants Thirdly contracted wants wants of necessity are these when God with-draweth the meanes Wants of necessity what that the Church cannot have them when the people were in the Wildernesse and sacrificed there they had neither wine nor oyle to joyne to their sacrifice yet their sacrifice was accepted because it was a want of necessity The anointed of the Lord. so the Highpriest in the second Temple he wanted Vrim and Thummim and he wanted the holy oyle therefore he was not called in the second Temple Vnctus Iehovae but vir multarum vestium the man with the many cloathes because he had five ornaments belonging to him which none of the rest of the Priests had although he wanted this holy oyle yet he was accepted and his sacrifice because this was a want of necessity Secondly occasionall wants are these when men for the time cannot so conveniently have their defects supplyed as Num. 10. Eleazar and Ithamar when they should have eaten the sinne offering in the holy place they forgot to eate it and suffered it to burne because they were in such griefe for Nadab and Abihu Aaron taketh the defence of them in this case and sayeth such things have befallen me this day and no mervaile that both I and my sonnes should have forgotten to eate the sinne offering in the holy place Num. 10. Occasionall wants what if wee being in our sinne should have taken upon us to purge the sinnes of the people should it have beene accepted in the sight of the Lord Moses accepteth of this occasionall want because they were in great griefe it was no mervaile that they forgot to eate it So they now lately comming out of the captivity no mervaile that Ioshua was not so handsomely dressed as hee should have beene for in their captivities they contracted much corruption as in Egypt they forgot their Circumcision and that was called opprobrium Egâ—pti Iosh 5. Vnder Antiochus attrahebant praeputium for feare they drew the skin of their prepuce that they might not bee knowne to be Iewes The Israelits learne corruption in the captivity and the Apostle alludes to this Circumcisus es noli attrahere praputium 1 Cor. 7.18 And when they were in Babylon they married strange women and no mervaile that his cloathes were now soiled and foule when he was lately come out of the captivity a man that is newly risen out of the ague no mervaile that his colour be not good and if hee be weake and fall we excuse him Contracted wants what Thirdly there are contracted wants and these are not excusable if a man should drinke untill he were drunke and then stagger and fall no man will excuse him as they doe him who falleth through sicknesse the Lord that excuseth Ioshua here for his occasionall want he will not excuse Vrijah the Highpriest when he brings the paterne of the Altar of Damascus to Ierusalem 2 King 18.11 This is a contracted guilt and not occasionall when our forefathers came out of popery first no mervaile that there were great wants amongst them and that they savoured of the dregges of Rome but now when we have lived so long out of popery and yet desire to be backe againe to Egypt what a shame is that the Lord will not be beholden to idolatrous Egypt to borrow any thing from her Christ stands here for the occasionall wants of the Highpriest but not for the contracted wants our father 's lived in constituenda ecclesia and we live in constituta ecclesia and that which was tolerable in them may be abhomination in us God accepted of their little knowledge but he craves a greater measure of knowledge of us because we live in the sunne shine of the day And he answered and spake to them that stood before him saying take away these filthy Garments And he answered that is To answer is to begin to speake he began to speake according to the manner of the Hebrewes for no speach passed betwixt him and the Angels before Thomas marketh well that Christ speaketh after one manner to the Angels and the Angels speake another way to Christ for when Christ speakes to them he is sicut agens illuminans revelans but when the Angel speakes to Christ he is Velut passum admirans consulens accipiens revelationem ab eo And he spake to those that stood before him That is ministred unto him The Angels serve Christs but attend us The Angels are ministering spirits to serve Christ but they are ministering spirits to attend vs as a Nurse doth her young infant they attend not Christ to defend and protect him in danger for he is their head they onely Minister to him therefore when the devill cited the Psalme to Christ Cast thy selfe downe for he hath given his Angels charge to keepe thee this place was falsely cited two wayes by Satan First he leaveth out in all thy wayes Secondly he applyed it falsely to Christ they shall keepe thee this part onely belonged to Christus mysticus to Christs members they keepe Christs members in all their wayes but they keepe not Christ himselfe Christ hath procured this their ministery to us and he is that Ladder up which they goe up and downe to serve us Gen 28.12 Take away the filthy garments from him It may be asked here Quest how the Angels could take away Ioshua's filthy garments seeing they have no hand in our justification or sanctification Christ the mediator justifieth us and the holy spirit sanctifieth us Answ God speakes oftentimes after the manner of men This is but spoken humanitus after the manner of men for as men cause their servants to take away the foule cloathes off the person which is to be brought before them and put new apparell upon him as Ioseph was brought before Pharao so doth the Lord speake heare after the manner of men Some parts of Prophesies and visions are not to be expounded literally Those parts of visions and Prophecies which seeme contrary to other parts of Scripture we are not to expound them literally but we are to hold that they were onely done in vision Example Ieremiah is commanded to carry his girdle to Babel and there to hide it beside Euphrates Iere. 13.4 these words
stood foaming and roaring before them but hurt them not and therfore they were glad to put the skinnes of wild beasts upon them to make the Lyons runne upon them and teare them Thou that art a wicked man and hast no part of this Image of God to defend thee no marvaile if thy dogge bite thee thy horse braine thee or thy oxe gore thee Let us studie then for to haue this Image repaired in us if we would be in league with the beasts of the field Beasts surpasse man in many duties The dogges came and licked his sores The beasts many times out-strip man in many duties The Kine of Bethshemesh went streight forward with the Arke and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left but man many times declineth either to the right hand or to the left and he keepeth not this midst The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doe not consider Esay 1.3 and Ier. 8.7 Yea the storke in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. And the Lord sendeth man to the Ant to learne wisedome Prov. 6.6 Goe to the ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise Balaams Asse saw the Angell sooner then Balaam himselfe and therefore is it that the Scripture calleth men beasts and sendeth them to be taught by beasts which sheweth how farre man is degenerated from his first estate and what a low forme hee is in when the beasts are set to teach him Why God gaue his children a small portion in this life It may seeme strange why the Lord distributeth things so that he giveth such plentie and abundance to the rich glutton and so little to Lazarus seeing the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 God who doth all things in wisdome doth not this without good reason The Lord dealeth with his children in this life Simile as he did with the Israelites when he brought them to Canaan Numb 13.17 When he brought them to Canaan South a barren Countrey he made them to goe Southward into the Mountaines the South was a dry and barren part Iudg. 1.15 Thou hast given me a South-land giue me also springs of water so Psal 126.4 Turne againe our captivitie O Lord as the streames in the South hee prayeth that the Lord would refresh them now in the midst of bondage as the waters refreshed the dry and barren South And Iarchi noteth that the Lord did with his people here as Merchants doe who shew the worst cloath first Simile so dealeth the Lord with his children hee sheweth them the worst first and as at the wedding in Cana of Galilie the last wine was the best so is it here the Lord sheweth his children great afflictions and troubles the South part as it were at first but afterwards he bringeth them to the Land that floweth with milke and honey Secondly he bestoweth these outward and temporarie things but sparingly upon his children that hee may draw their hearts to the consideration of better things he giveth the wicked their portion in this life Psal 17.14 Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Luke 16.25 but he reserveth the good things for his owne children that is the holy Ghost the graces of the Spirit Luk. 11.9 It is a matter of great consequence to discerne what are the gifts of Gods favour Great skill required in discerning the gifts of Gods right hand many men thinke because they haue wealth and prosperitie they are the gifts of Gods favour and they seeme to stand under the Lords right hand but they are deceived Simile When Ephraim and Manasseh were brought before Iacob Ephraim was set at Iacobs left hand and Manasseh at his right hand but Iacob crossed his hands and laid his right hand upon Ephraims head and his left upon the head of Manasseh Gen. 48. So many men who seeme to stand at the Lords right hand shall be set at his left hand and many who seeme to stand at his left hand shall be set at his right hand Lazarus seemeth to stand now at his left hand but stay till you see him die and the Angels carry him to glory and then yee shall see him stand at the Lords right hand It is a point of great wisedome to know the Lords dispensing hand David prayeth Psal 17.7 separa benignitates tuas as if he should say giue us something O Lord that we may be discerned to be thy children from the wicked for by these outward favours wee shall never be knowne to be thy children The Lord careth not to throw a portion of this world to a wicked man as if one should throw a bone to a dogge but he will know well to whom hee giveth this rich gift of eternall life Death separateth the godly from the wicked And it came to passe that the beggar dyed and the rich man also dyed Death maketh a full separation betwixt the children of God and the wicked the sheepe and the goates may feed together for a while but the shepheard separateth them the wheat and the chaffe may lie in one floore together but the fanne separateth them and the good and the bad fish may be both in one net untill they be drawne to the land and the tares and the wheat may grow in one field for a while until the time of harvest so may the godly and the wicked liue together here for a while Simile but death maketh a totall and full separation Moses said to the Israelites stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which hee will shew to you to day for the Egyptians whom yee haue seene to day yee shall see them no more for ever Exod. 14.13 the red Sea made a separation betwixt the Israelites and the Egyptians for ever So death separateth the children of God from the wicked that they shall never meete againe Betwixt us and you there is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to us Gods children should haue little medling with the world that would come from thence Luk. 16.26 This should teach the children of God to haue little medling with the wicked why because one day there shall be a totall and finall separation and this is a great comfort to his children oftentimes now they are afraid of the incursions of the wicked and of their bloodie hands but then they shall never be afraid of them The gates of the new Ierusalem were not shut at all Revel 21.25 to signifie that there shall be no feare of the enemie there And he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Here consider three things first how it commeth that the Angels are ministring spirits to man secondly what
of the Compasse trembleth alwayes untill it stand to the North-Pole so the soule hath no rest untill it be set upon the right object God himselfe The rich man said soule take thy rest when he had his Barnes full Luk. 12 9. But riches cannot bring rest to the soule for the more that a covetous man hath the more he coveteth an example of this we see in gold-thirstie Babel Esa 14.4 the more they had the more they coveted the soules of the wicked are in a sling 1 Sam. 25. a stone in a sling is violently tossed about so are their soules and they shall get no rest day nor night Rev. 14.11 So David compareth the wicked to a wheele which alwayes turneth about Psal 83.13 and to a drunken man that lyeth upon the top of a Mast How to finde true rest Prov. 23.24 If thou wouldst haue true rest to thy soule disburden it of sinne Looke how the poore shippe was tossed so long as Ionas was in her but when he was throwne into the Sea the storme was calmed so cast out sinne and then thou mayest haue rest When a man entertaineth his sinne he is like a man that is sicke on the Sea he runneth from this place to that place to seeke rest but all in vaine because he hath the sicknesse within himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel sapius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per antiphra sin quasi illocalis infinitus qui nullo loco capitur sed omnibus rebus locum dat God is called by the Hebrewes Makom locus because he containeth all things and is contained of none every thing is kept in its owne place God is the place for the soule to rest in the Philosophers say Bonum ex integra causa consistit malum ex quolibet defectu Goodnesse cannot consist without the integritie of all the parts but evill is a defect of any of them that a man be in good health it is necessary that every humour keepe his just temper and proportion but to make a man sicke it is enough that one humour onely be distempered the rest of the soule is GOD who is all goodnesse but any griefe will disquiet the soule the soule is a disturbed thing therefore we must admire his power who can settle it when Christ calmed the winde and the Sea they said Who is he that both Sea and winds obey so we may say when God calmeth the soule and putteth it to its rest Why Satan can haue no rest who is this that the unsetled soule doth obey Satan being so farre from God who is the place of rest he cannot finde rest Then he saith Quest I will returne vnto my house from whence I came out How can Satan returne to that place out of which he hath beene cast Satan is cast out two wayes Answ either partially or totally Partially he is cast out by illumination totally by sanctification this partiall casting out of Satan A twofold casting out of Satan is wrought sundry wayes first by civill education as Nero was very meeke the first fiue yeares of his Raigne because he was brought up under Seneca a good Master so Iulian so long as he was a Reader in the Church Satan was cast out of him partially and sometimes by the constitution of the bodie Wicked men how restrained from sinne as some abstaine from some sinnes because of the constitution of their bodies as they abstaine from drinke because they haue a weake braine and sometimes by shame and sometimes by the restraining power of God but it is easie for Satan to enter in againe when he hath but such barres to hold him out but where there is a totall sanctification he cannot enter in againe there Now when we call it a totall sanctification it is meant totall here in parts but not in degrees that is there is no facultie in the soule but there is grace in it as well as there is sinne and therefore Satan cannot enter there againe Vnto mine house from whence I came Satan desires to goe backe into his ancient habitation No place can content him so well as his former habitation wherein he hath dwelt a long time and he glorieth more to repossesse himselfe in his former habitations than to purchase new places When Satan was dispossessed out of the people of the Iewes in the Wildernesse by the doctrine of Miracles which Moses wrought he sought to be repossessed againe first by Idolatrie secondly by Whoredome with the daughters of Moab and by rebellion so when hee was dispossessed out of the Christian Churches in the East first he sought to be repossessed again by schismes and heresies but especially by Arrianisme then he fully repossessed himselfe againe by Mahomet How to keepe us free from Satan that he enter not againe If thou be free from Satans possession looke not back againe as Lots wife did Satan is like a Raven when he is driven from a dead carkasse he fleeth but a little from it and is readie to returne to it againe Simile when a man commeth out of a Bathe the Physitians prescribe to him then that he looke well to himselfe for he is readie to catch cold because his pores are open so when Satan is cast out a man hath neede then to be very vigiâ—â—nt that Satan surprise him not againe For if after they haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ they are againe intangled and overcome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning 2 Pet 2.20 And when he is come he findeth it emptie swept and garnished This house was swept and hung but it was not well furnished within Obserue that God never commeth to the soule with a privation but as he taketh away sinne God commeth never with an emptie hand so he putteth in grace pull up the thornes and then sow the wheate Iere. 4.3 Cease to doe evill and then learne to doe good Esay 1. The Lord liketh not this privatiue Divinitie Curse yee Meroz because they came not to the helpe of the Lord Iudg. 5.23 So when I was an hungred yee gaue me no meat at all Mat. 25.42 Many men doe content themselues with this they will doe their enemy no harme they will haue no medling with him but this is the sweeping of the house onely but they come not to the positiue part I will doe him good and therefore Satan may get entrance againe Then goeth he and taketh seven other spirits with him more wicked than himselfe Here the question may be mooved Whether some Devils be worse than others whether some Devils be worse than others It may seeme there are because Beelzebub their Prince he is worst goe to the hel 's prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25.41 And as amongst the good Angels some are Powers Dominions and some Thrones so it seemeth that amongst the wicked Angels there are some