all have sinned and fallen short of the glory 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness or justice is conformity unto a Law They therefore who are conformable unto Gods Law are just as Noah Gen. 7.1 Zachariah and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 Lot 2 Pet. 2.8 But it s said Psal 143.2 In thy sight shall no man living be justified the like Rom. 3.20 Gal. 2.10 Resp There is a Legal and Evangelical justice or righteousness Which yet are not so distinguished that the Legal righteousness is performed by the mans own strength which the Pharisees endeavouring to establish fell short of the righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 But the Evangelical and Gospel-righteousness is wrought by the power of Christ in us Rom. 8.3 4. what the Law could not do c. Now because there are three degrees of those who are in Christ Children Young men and Old men 1 John 2. there is a justice proportionable unto these 1. That of the Childe which is here understood 2. That of the Yong man and 3. That of the Old man 1. Whether is not a just man in that state that doth good and may not sin The reason is from consideration of the God of our righteousness he is the God of order and therefore as he works his works in the outward world not all at once but gradually and successively from weak beginnings as we say Natura non facit saltum so he works his works in the inward world not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not altogether he makes his entrance into his greatest works with small and weak beginnings Mark 4.26 32. 2. Reason also may appear in regard of the just man himself He is made at first of an earthly mold and his mind and heart at first relish the principle of which he is made and therefore he is said to be upon earth There is not a just man upon earth c. And this is the earthly which is of Gods making whose image we bear before we bear the image of the heavenly 1. Cor. 15. And therefore our Lord who spake to Nicodemus concerning baptism of water and the Spirit saith he told him of of earthly things Joh. 3.12 and ver 31. John Baptist saith he speakes of the earth 1. Hence then we learn how untrue and in consequent collections and inferences are made from this and such like places as this is misunderstood viz. That the most righteous man â—hat is sin 's in every good work he doth This is untrue This Scripture speakes not of a just man in the highest degree of justice but of a just man in an in ferior dispensation Besides that is a fallacious and Sophisticall collection For whereas the Text saith that there is not a just man of the lowest dispensation under the fear of God but he may Sin these Sophisters infer that the just man doth sin in every good work he doth Lastly this is untrue For Job was a just man and one who had not attained unto the highest degree of perfection yet the Scripture testifies of him that upon so great provocation as the loss of all his goods and all his children he yet sinned not Job 1.22 Yea upon Satans inflicting exquisite cruelty upon him we have the like testimony recorded of Job Job 2.10 This Scripture rather speakes of a possibility of sinning then any actuall much lesse of an habituall sinning 2. Another would have us note from hence the imperfection of the Saints in this life This is no good inference from hence that the Saints are allwayes imperfect in this life but onely while they are under the first dispensation For we read 1. Cor. 2.8 That there were some perfect men among whom the Apostles spake wisdom He had taught the Corinthians Christ and him crucified not that he had no doctrin more eminent than that is but because they were capable of no greater mysteries and therefore he fed them with Milk 1 Cor. 3. those greater mysteries which he calls wisdom he spake among those which were perfect If any except and say that by perfect men he means no other then such Christian men as the Corinthians were to whom he wrote surely he would not call those perfect men whom in the next Chapter he calls babes and carnal that is rude and imperfect Besides if Christians at large as the Corinthians here were called perfect then they who are not Christians should be called imperfect But that 's absurd for no man can be said to be imperfect in any Art Science or Profession in whom nothing of it is begun but they who are no Christians in them Christianity is not yet begun therefore they are not imperfect 3. Another gathers from hence that these words are a full testimony of the imperfection of our inherent righteousness in this life And that even justified persons come very short of that exact and perfect obedience which the Law requireth This likewise is a fallacious inference A dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter because Solomon writes thus of a just man as yet in the lowest dispensation hence they gather that this is true of all just men in this life To this purpose they bring Rom. 7.14 inferring thence that even justified persons come short of that exact and perfect obedience which the Law requireth whereas that Scripture is to be understood of the childehood only of Christianity whereas if men look either to the Chapter before or that next following Rom. 8. they may perceive that a just man in his riper age at fuller growth hath the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in him Rom. 8.2 3 4. that the Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord hath made him free from the law of sin and death c. Unto all which we may adde that by the Earth and upon the Earth we are to understand the earthly condition of sin c. the unregenerate estate Jer. 17.13 they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth Col. 3. Mortifie your members on the earth And it is most true of these that there is not one to be found among them that doth good and sinneth not Obs 1. The initial and inchoative Iustice and righteousness or righteousnes under the first dispensation is an inconsistent an unstable unsetled righteousness This was the common state of the Jewes in the time of the law of which also Salomon speakes 1. King 8.46 2. Chron. 6.36 and St. James 3.2 and St. John 1. Joh. 1.8 This imitable state was figured by Kadeshbarnea the unsetled and unstable holynes of the childhood wherein so many sinned Num. 32.7 11. Such a righteous man falls seaven times saith Salomon Prov. 24.16 viz. into afflictions but he comes out of them again as it is clear by the context that Scripture is to be understood so that it can be no ground for that which is commonly said that the righteous man sinns seaven times a day Whence the author of that song called the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how will that suit with the history There is no doubt but the holy Spirit here aimed at the spiritual understanding of this history And therefore although the story of bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt and drowning the Egyptians be of all other most true and famous and accordingly it is thrice testified in the Preter tense ver 1. and 4. Yet was it not related onely for it self as if we should rest therein but that we ought to look at a greater mercy of God and a more general Therefore we read a promise of bringing the people of God out of Egypt many ages after Zach. 10.10 For our better understanding of this we must know That the Lord now about to manifest the great work of Redemption which he would make common unto all Nations which is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common salvation Jude v. 3. He was pleased to choose the Land of Canaan as a publick Theatre and in it Jerusalem the midst of the world then inhabited according to that of the Psalm 74.12 He wrought salvation in the midst of the earth This Jerusalem had two ill neighbours Egypt and Chaldea the one Southward the other Northward And with one or other of these the people of God were alwayes much afflicted and captived first in Egypt then in Chaldea And out of both the Lord delivered them This story is evident in the Scriptures Now let us call our thoughts from abroad and look homeward In our journey towards the Jerusalem which is above the mother of us all we have experience of two like evil neighbours of which the Israel of God speaks Psal 66.12 We have gone through the fire and through the water and thou hast brought us forth into a well watered land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the LXX turn the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Refreshing such as we hope for are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the times of refreshing which shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 Egypt is a muddy watry soil Chaldea is notorious for Ur now called Urchoa as appears in Ptolomys Maps which signifies fire out of which Abraham came Answerable to these two the Jewes tell us of two kindes of Spirits the one a dull Spirit delighting in uncleannesse which excites and stirs up to the carnal sin the other a subtil Spirit which takes pleasure in and moves unto the spiritual sin The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the animalish or souly man according to his living soul is obnoxious unto both these in respect of his concupiscible and irascible powers whereof I shall speak more in its proper place Eccles 11. ult Of these two Egypt typified the straits of the sensual lusts and pleasures wherein the brutish man is intangled and captived thus the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fell in the slime-pits Gen. 14.10 Of such ye read Prov. 23.27 Gal. 5.19 In the Land of Egypt say they we sat by the flesh-pots when we did eat to the full Exod. 16.3 Chaldea and Babylon prefigured the more witty and learned mans slavery under spiritual wickedness in heavenly things Ephes 6.12 Most men are first captived by their sensual and brutish lusts and therefore the Apostle calls them Youthful lusts 2 Tim. 2.22 because men commonly live the life of the beast before the life of the man And therefore as the first captivity is in Egypt so the first deliverance is out of Egypt Into Egypt they went without any compulsion and were received with feastings saith the Wiseman Wisd 19.16 And so Rom. 6.19 men yield their members servants to iniquity But the spiritual Pharaoh detains them in his straits that is Egypt as the Fowler entertains the Birds with a bait into his net but he will not let them go yea not by a mighty hand Exod. 4.19 and 6.6 and out-stretched arm that is the Son who is the Arm of the Lord Esay 40.10 who therefore is said to have brought the people out of Egypt Jude v. 5. V. Lat. and to have overwhelmed their enemies with the Sea This history speaks not only of those people and those times past but comes home to us and our present times also and declares the everlasting wayes of God and the spiritual estates of men in all ages That of the pious Father is most true Dum narrat gestum prodit mysterium while the Scripture tells us an history it reveals a mystery For what the Lord did then for his people according to the flesh was typical and representative of what he then did and now doth and ever will do for and in his people according to the Spirit especially in these later dayes And therefore the Verbs are both in the Future The depths shall cover them and they shall sink For warrant of this spiritual interpretation I desire the Reader who is spiritually minded to compare herewith what the Prophet Micah speaks of this argument expresly Mic. 7. per tot Having complained in the person of the Church and lamented the iniquity of all sorts of men he professeth his hope and confidence in the God of his salvation Then he recomforts himself in hope of deliverance and that such as formerly from the danger of Ogg King of Bashan and Pharaoh King of Egypt both together Psal 68.22 And both recorded by the Prophet Micah v. 14 15 19. The Lord be pleased to give us his spirit of grace that we may know the things which are freely given to us of God comparing spiritual things with spiritual 1 Cor. 2.12 13. He vouchsafes to shew us wonderful things to be wrought in us according to his peoples coming out of Egypt That he will subdue our iniquities even the choise of the spiritual Pharaohs Triarii His strongest and valiantest ones even all our mighty sins Amos 5.12 all our ruling lusts and that he will be pleased to cast all our sins into the depth of the Sea that we also may sing every one his part in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that triumphant long of Moses Exod. 15. Revel 15.3 Thou didst blow with thy winde the Sea covered them Exod. 15. Ver. 10. Since the whole story is allegorically to be expounded as appears by what hath been said on ver 4 5. we ought upon all occasions to transfer the history to a mystical meaning which these words hold forth And thus what we turn with thy winde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy spirit so the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou sentest forth thy spirit And the Chaldee Paraph. Thou didst say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy word So that Baptism is hereby signified according to which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 10.1 2. All passed thorow the Sea children and all Exod. 12.37 and were all baptized to Moses in the cloud and in the Sea Whereby was prefigured the baptism of Christ in his person and followers For so the
Spirit of God descended upon him and the voice from heaven testified of him Matth. 3.16 17. And by the same Spirit we are all baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 and that Spirit flutters over the waters as in the first creation Gen. 1.2 so in the second and makes the new creatures when the Egyptians are drowned Mich. 7.19 that is the body of sin is destroyed that hence-forth we should not serve sin Rom. 6.6 Consider this O ye Christian men and women who say ye are baptized into the Name of Christ yet live in your sins and flatter your selves that ye shall live for ever with Christ Know ye not that so many of us as are baptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into his death Rom. 6.3 If so ought any one sinne to live in us The Lord hath made a gracious promise that he will have compassion on us and that he will cast all our sins into the depths of the Sea Mic. 7.19 as he cast all the Egyptians Let us pray unto the Lord that he will send forth his Spirit into us whereby we may mortifie our sins and so live Rom. 8.13 For if we so die with him we then be believe that we shall also live with him Rom. 6.8 Then shall the truth of that which the Psalmist speaks be fulfilled in us Psal 106.11 The waters covered their enemies the Egyptians there was not one of them left Then believed they his words they sang his praise Thou in thy mercy hast led forth thy people Exod. 15. Ver. 13. Thou hast guided them in thy strength to the habitation of thy holiness The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Translators have quite left out the demonstrative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this The LXX read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they so here expresse it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This thy people So likewise the Chald. Par. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very often spoken of Israel though very often also they be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Jos 3.17 4.1 Zeph. 2.1 But when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a nation is opposed to the people of God then it signifies the Gentiles as Psal 115.2 and 126.2 And there is the like reason of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 people often spoken of the Jews and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most what understood of the Heathen Howbeit because the Jewes as many Christians also rather affect names and titles of Gods people then the reality and being of such and put off from themselves what names might diminish their honour and lay them on other people as they call Abimelech though but one person by the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 20.4 therefore God justly brands them with that infamous name if there be any infamy in it and multiplyes it upon them for their sin Ezech. 2.3 I send thee to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nations because a divided and a factious people As for like reason they are spoken of in the plural number Acts 4.27 Against thy holy childe Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the peoples of Israel c. For a disobedient people are not owned by the Lord for a people as Deut. 32.21 They have provoked me to jealousie by that which is not God and I will provoke them to jealousie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with those who are not a people Who are they but all nations who walk in their own wayes So the Apostle applies that Scripture Rom. 10.19 and 11.11 12. Otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a title honourable to the obedient people of God And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This increaseth that honour which S. Paul expresseth Acts 13.17 The God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this people Israel Would God that they and we who boast our selves to be Gods people would seriously endeavour to be such that it may be truly said of us what the Apostle speaks Ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness to his marvellous light who in time past were not a people but are now the people of God 1 Pet. 2.9 10. But let us proceed to the later part of the verse Thou hast guided them in thy strength to the habitation of thy holiness The words are metaphorical as the former and borrowed either from a Shepherd in regard of his Flock or a Father in respect of his Childe or a King in reference to his Subjects All which relations suppose or require as love and tenderness so likewise power and strength in the Shepherd Father and King in every one toward his respective charge And the Lord takes upon him out of wonderful condescent all these and other endeering names of a Shepherd Psal 80.1 Of a Father Deut. 32.6 Of a King Esay 43.15 Now as the Lord shewed his mercy and love in the former part of this verse Thou in thy mercy hast led forth this people whom thou hast redeemed so in the later part of this verse before us he declares his strength for so I would render these words Thou hast born them in thy strength for in this and other verses of like nature the later part adds somewhat to the former Since therefore in the former part of the verse Gods goodness is declared in leading forth his people so in this later his power and strength is manifested in bearing his weak and feeble flock children and people For though guiding in our English adds nothing to leading yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not onely to lead or guide but also to bear and support in guiding or leading And so the Chald. Par. hath here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Portâsti eum thou hast born them So likewise the Vulg. Lat. and Symmachus hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast carried them Martin Luther also and Piscator and three Low Dutch Translations as also five of our old English Translations have the word carry but whom ever they followed they misappy it to the former Verb which belongs to the later O Israel know thy Shepherd thy Father thy King They are all mutually winning titles of our God and signifie his goodness and power in guiding us and bearing us Whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prince has his name from Bearing And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a King is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foundation of his people And Kings are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Shepherds of their people Such a King such a Shepherd such a Father is our God unto us who bears us as a Father bears his childe Deut. 1.31 O let us not abuse his love and patience toward us let not us cause him to complain as he hath done of