into the state of Grace must be born of the Spirit Baptism is Gods Ordinance for the former purpose and it is necessary for that end ratione praecepti and we must obey God in it The Spirit is Gods operation for the latter purpose and it is necessary ratione medii and we must attend on him in his way for it Vers. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh Christ in the former words had declared the manner of the New birth and here he speaks of its dignity comparing it with the birth-priviledge of descent from Abraham For though as to outward honour and prerogative that had something and that not a little in it yet that birth was but according to the flesh and what conduced it towards entring into the Kingdom of Heaven which was spiritual But he that is born of the Spirit is spiritual c. And thus he is still winding up Nicodemus higher from his gross and carnal apprehensions concerning the Kingdom of God and days of Messias Vers. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth c. For the clearing of our Saviours argumentation here which is somewhat obscure we are to observe these things 1. That by this comparison he goeth about both to confirm the truth of the doctrine of the New birth which he had delivered and also something to clear the manner of its being or coming to pass 2. The comparison seemeth not made between the wind and the new birth but between the wind and one anew born for observe the application So is not the birth of the Spirit but every one that is born of the Spirit yet is the application to that work it self not to be excluded The comparison therefore runneth thus As the wind blowing at its own liberty thou hearest the sound of it and so art sensible of the stirring of such a thing but knowest not how it blows or what becomes of it even so is every one that is born of the Spirit the Spirit worketh this product of the new birth in whom and when it pleaseth and he upon whom the thing is wrought findeth by the change and effects in himself that such a thing is done but he cannot tell how it is come to pass and actuated and to what progress and efficiency it will grow And so doth Christ explain to the sensual and gross understanding of Nicodemus the truth of the things that he had spoken in as plain notions as they could be uttered First He asserteth the truth and reality of the New birth a thing to be as well perceived by the fruits and consequences of it as the wind by the sound 2. That the Spirit doth work this by as free an agency and unlimited activity as the wind doth blow at its own liberty without confinement or restraining 3. That this work is inscrutable and past the fadoming of humane reason as is the way of the wind where it begins and where it terminates Vers. 10. Art thou a Teacher of Israel c. Talmud Torah or the teaching of the Law in Israel was in so high esteem amongst them and that most deservedly had they gone the right way to work that they prized nothing at a higher value nay nothing of an equal dignity with it They esteemed it the most precious of all the three Crowns that the Lord had bestowed upon Israel The Crown of the Kingdom the Crown of the Law and the Crown of the Priesthood They weighed it against any one of the Commandments nay against all the Commandments and it out weighed them all For they had this received position 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amongst all the Commandments there is not one Commandment that is parallel to the learning and teaching of the Law but that is equal to all the Commandments put together Maym. in Talm. torah per. 3. Now there were four sorts of Teachers and teaching of the Law among them 1. In every City and Town there was a School where Children were taught to read the Law and if there were any Town where there was not such a School the men of the place stood excommunicate till such a one was erected 2. There were the publick Preachers and Teachers of the Law in their Synagogues Act. 15. 21. most commonly the fixed and setled Ministers and Angeli Ecclesiae and sometime learned men that came in occasionally as Act. 13. 14. 3. There were those that had their Midrashoth or kept Divinity Schools in which they expounded the Law to their Scholars or Disciples of which there is exceeding frequent mention among the Jewish writers especially of the Schools of Hillel and Shammai Such a Divinity professor was Gamaliel Act. 22. 3. 4. And lastly The whole Sanhedrin in its Sessions was as the great School of the Nation as well as the great Judicatory For it set the sense of the Law especially in matters practical and expounded Moses with such authority that their gloss and determination was an ipse dixit a positive exposition and rule that might not be questioned or gainsaid Of this company of the great Doctors and Teachers of the Sanhedrin Nicodemus was one and it may very well be conceived that he kept a Divinity School as other of the great Doctors did and so he was doubly a Teacher of Israel and yet knew not these first principles of Religion But whether he kept a Divinity School or no as he was a member of the Sanhedrin he was in place of the highest Teachers of the Nation and this retortion that our Saviour puts upon him is parallel to that that the Apostle useth Rom. 2. 21. Thou that teachest others teachest thou not thy self §. And knowest not these things The Divinity of the Jews which they taught and heard in their Schools was as far out of the rode of such doctrine as Christ teacheth here as it is from England to Jerusalem For though some of them stuck not to say that the Law might be expounded 72 ways yet in all their Expositions the Doctrine of Regeneration and the work of Grace was little thought on or looked after To omit their manner of expounding by Rashe sophe tebhoth Gematria Notericon Atbash Kabbalah and such wild kind of commenting as was ordinary among them the best Divinity that was to be had with them was but to instruct them in carnal rites and to heighten their Spirits to Legal performances They would speak and teach indeed concerning repentance and mortification and such kind of Doctrines but all was to promote their own Legal righteousness in such things and actions the more Their Divinity that they taught and learned was generally to this tenour To build upon their birth priviledge from Abraham Mar. 3. 9. To rest in the Law Rom. 2. 17. To rely upon their own works Mark 19. 20. Luke 18. 11. Gal. 4. 21. 5. 4. To care for no other faith but historical Jam. 2. 19. To patter over prayers as efficacious ex opere operato Maym. In
birth of his mother to conduce to it For if Christ did use an undoubted word to signifie from above and Nicodemus did undoubtedly understand him to speak of being born from above yet certainly he could not understand it of being born from Heaven locally any more than when he saith that Christ was sent from God he understood that locally too which none will say he did And then if he did not understand this birth from above locally his answer though indeed improper in it self yet is as proper to that phrase of being born from above as to the other of being born again from above he cannot b b b b b b To see the Kingdom of God is to enter into it vers 5. or to partake of it as to see corruption Psal. 16. 10. to see Death Luke 2. 26. Joh. 8. 51. to see evil Psal. 90. 15. to see sorrow Rev. 18. 7. to see good Eccles. 6. 6. c. is to be in these estates or to partake of them See vers 36. To see life is to have life see the Kingdom of God 4. Nicodemus saith unto him How can a man be born c c c c c c Being old So is the Greek verbatim and being so rendred it leaveth the matter less scrupulous than being expressed when he is old for that might seem to restrain the new birth ever till a man be old The Syrian hath kept close to the sense given Can an old man be born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being old Can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born 5. Iesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit 7. Marvel not that I said unto thee d d d d d d Except a man be born in ver 3. is here explained Ye must be born And so doth not only shew a command included in a doctrinal lesson but also that the words We and Ye are sometimes to be taken indefinitely though they seem only to speak of a fixed number And so in vers 2. We know that thou art a Teacher the word we must be so taken compare Matth. 5. 3 4 5. c. where it is said blessed are they with Luke 6. 20 21. where blessed are ye Ye must be born again 8. The e e e e e e The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used hath been understood by some for the holy Spirit which word indeed is used constantly for it in the Scripture and some of that opinion have strengthened themselves in it by this because a voluntary action is ascribed unto it It bloweth where it listeth which cannot be ascribed say they unto the wind The word indeed in the Greek is of various signification as is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew and as it doth very commonly and very properly signifie the eternal Spirit the Holy Ghost and the created Spirits Angels and the souls of men so doth it also the sensible Spirits the breath of our mouths and the wind of Heaven In this last sense which is the sense that we have in hand it is taken by the Septuagint Gen. 8. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord brought a wind over the Earth And 1 King 18. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold a mighty strong wind c. but the Lord was not in the wind c. And so doth Aristotle confess that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. de Mund. And in that sense do Cyrill Chrysostome Theophylact his mouth and other of the Fathers take it here For 1. otherwise here would be no comparison which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So doth shew there is And to take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the holy Spirit in the beginning of the verse as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter end is to be taken in that sense would make a very harsh and rugged construction 2. It is very improper to say that Nicodemus now had heard the sound or voice of the Holy Ghost being as he was yet so far to seek in the things of Salvation And 3. whereas it is said the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bloweth where it listeth as if a voluntary action were ascribed to it it is but such another speech as when the Sun is said to know his going down Psal. 104. 19. Now there is as little knowledge in the Sun as there is voluntariness in the wind unless with the Jews we will hold the Sun Moon and Stars to be intellectual creatures and yet such an expression is used of it for elegancy and fulness of expression wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit 9. Nicodemus answered and said unto him How can these things be 10. Iesus answered and said unto him Art thou a master of Israel and knowest not these things 11. Verily verily I say unto thee we speak that we do know and testifie that we have seen and ye receive not our witness 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things 13. And no man hath ascended up into Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven 14. And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up 15. That whosoever believeth in him should no perish but have eternal life 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life 17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved 18. He that believeth on him is not condenined but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God 19. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil 20. For every one that g g g g g g By this he expresseth the Hebrew phrase so common in the Old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and which is used generally of all the Kings of Israel and of too many of the Kings of Judah He did evil in the sight of the Lord. doth evil hateth light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved 21. But he that h h h h h h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gen. 24. 49. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh. 2. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds might be manifest
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the priviledge of their descent and extraction from Abraham Insomuch that even upon that account they doubt not to reckon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That all Israel is to have share in the world to come Sanhedr ubi sup See Matth. 3. 9. John 8. 39. Act. 13 26. Now that fond reliance doth Christ oppose and confute in this speech and useth the very same method and matter of discourse with this Pharisee that John the Baptist doth with those that came to him Matth. 3. 9. to take him off from leaning on that broken staff and that whereas now he had spied some glimpse and dawning of the Kingdom of Heaven in the great and wondrous workings of Christ he should not think to slip into it and enjoy the happiness of it without more ado because he was an Israelite of the seed of Abraham for that earthly priviledge and pedegree and birth would not serve his turn but he must be born from above by a new and supernal birth or else he could not see the Kingdom of God And that Christ referreth to this their descent and birth of Abraham upon which they stood so much it is to be confirmed not only by comparing this his method of teaching with that of Johns but also by what is spoken by him in the sixth verse That which is born of the flesh is flesh It is true indeed that there were other principles in Nicodemus that had need to be met with a confutation as much as this as his reliance upon his own righteousness and legal performances and his gross conceptions about the Kingdom of Heaven but this was the first that lay in the way and which was first to be removed and upon which the other were not a little built and when this hath been spoken to in the beginning of Christs discourse he falls upon the other in the verses following Now whereas this construction of the words of Christ which makes them to face their reliance upon their birth of Abraham may seem to render them applicable only to the Jews and no nation else because they alone stood upon that priviledge it is easie to see by the rule of comparison how they reach to every man and woman under Heaven that desires to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven for if the Jews that had that priviledge and advantage of their birth yet in this matter were nothing at all priviledged and advantaged by it but must be born anew and from above much more must they be concluded under the necessity of a new birth that have not so much as that prerogative of birth at all but are of the root of the wild olive Vers. 4. How can a man be born being old Among that Nation they had this Maxim and Tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That A Gentile that is Proselyted and a servant that is set free behold he is as a child new born for all the kindred which he had whilest he was a Heathen and a servant he now must know no more for his kindred Maym. in Issure biah per. 14. Compare 2 Cor. 5. 6. Here is a new birth in a kind of a sense with which it is likely Nicodemus was acquainted but it is but low terrene and carnal about earthly affinity and relations but to hear of a new birth from above is a doctrine so new and strange in his ears that even a child might have made a pertinent a reply upon it as doth this great Teacher of Israel They were so satisfied with their birth from Abraham that they never cared to hearken after other and they were so taken up with earthly rites that any other doctrine was but a paradox Vers. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit We first here meet with the question whether water and the Spirit in these words are to be taken distinctly for two several things or whether they mean but one and the same thing There be that hold this manner of speech to be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only one thing meant by two expressions and that the conjunction And is only exegetical and they give the sense of the clause thus Except a man be born of water that is of the Spirit which is compared to water But others and those not without good reason and those also not the least among the learned have made a clear distinction betwixt water and the Spirit and by water do understand Baptism Chemnitius pleads this distinction very earnestly and fully and concludes Tota Antiquitas semper simplicissime haec verba Christi de Baptismo intellexit that all Antiquity hath clearly understood these words of Christ concerning Baptism I shall only produce two or three of the ancients where I might produce a whole cloud of witnesses Chrysostome Hom. 24. in Johan so understands it and he makes this Paraphrase upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I created man saith God whom he brings in so speaking of water and earth and the Creature became unprofitable and the vessel was mard I will no more create of water and earth but of water and the Spirit Cyrill Alexandrinus expounds the words so likewise and alludes the matter thus As man consists of two parts soul and body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so will he need a twofold cure for his regeneration His spirit is sanctified by the Spirit and his body by the water sanctified or set apart And he follows it with this comparison As water in a caldron set to the fire receives the force of the fire so the water of Baptism by the Spirit is raised to a divine and ineffable vertue Augustine construes water here also for Baptism and addeth this gloss That as the bowels of the Mother do avail for the breeding of a child once for the natural birth so the bowels of the Church towards the spiritual birth every one to be once baptized I might be endless in alledging names and glosses upon this place and matter all holding Baptism to be here meant and some comparing the Water to the Mother and the Spirit to the Father in the new birth some paralleling betwixt our birth of water by the power of the Spirit and the birth of Christ of a Virgin by the vertue of the Holy Ghost And some making one allusion or comparison upon the matter and some another and all peremptorily concluding and that not without very good ground that Baptism must needs be here understood For 1. Christ was opening to Nicodemus in this answer what was obscure to him in his other words and if he intended but one thing by water and the Spirit he spake in obscurity still and did but explain one difficulty with another 2. In the like expression He will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3. 11. though there be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confessed and it be construed Baptizabit spiritu igneo yet was the fire there a visible
thing and why should not the water here be taken for a visible thing also 3. John Baptist observed this course in his Ministery that he preached Baptism first and then baptized Luke 3. 3. c. And how can we conceive more properly of the Ministery of Christ than in the same divine method It is said afterward in this Chapter that Jesus baptized ver 2â— and did he not preach the doctrine of Baptism before he baptized It cannot be doubted that he did but if he did it not in this expression ye have not the least mention of it in all the Chapter 4. It is not improperly held by divers that the Apostle calls Baptism The washing of regeneration Tit. 3. 5. upon the warrant and style of these words of our Saviour 5. It is true indeed that water in divers places of Scripture is used to signifie the work and operation of the Spirit but then under under the notion of cooling purging or refreshing but to be born of water is a Phrase so different from any of these that the construction of the word water as meaning the Spirit in such places as are applicable to those actions or effects cannot be so proper a construction in reference to this especially when the Spirit is also expresly mentioned with it 6. The question in hand betwixt our Saviour and Nicodemus was about his entrance and introduction into the Kingdom of God or his coming under the days and benefit of Messias his appearing which he was sensible was now come And therefore Calvin mistakes and mis-states the question in this place which made him so resolutely to refuse the general exposition of water for Baptism Nullo modo adducor saith he ut Christum de Baptismo verba facere credam hoc enim esset intempestivum I can by no means be swayed to think that Christ speaketh of Baptism here for that would have been unseasonable And why unseasonable Why he gives this reason Because Christ was exhorting to newness of life But that is not the prime and proper question or theme in hand The matter in hand was about Nicodemus translation into the days of the Messias of which the Nation had so high thoughts that is as he thought into a changed state of happiness and as it was indeed into a changed principling and profession to come under new grounds of Religion and under a new manner of profession different from what he was under before Our Saviour tells him He must not think to slip into the participation of this Kingdom without any more ado than this now the days of the Messias are come I shall have my share of the happiness of them and they will even drop into my mouth but he must be newly molded out of his reliance upon his birth prerogative out of his legal righteousness out of his carnal performances and ceremonious services and by a new birth as it were must be introduced into this new world and condition Now even those that deny that Baptism is spoken of here yet cannot deny that Baptism was the way which Christ had appointed for introduction into this new profession and if the introduction thereunto was the question that was in agitation as indeed it was they can as little deny that Baptism is meant and spoken of here If Nicodemus were an Overseer of the waters of which there was a touch before then Christ speaketh to him from his own element when he speaketh of being born of water and if Christ did any miracles at Bethesday waters at this Passover as he did at the next this speech of new birth by water might have some allusion to the effect of those waters where he that first went in after the Angels moving was born as it were into a new healthy condition Now Christ addeth the mention of the Spirit to water or Baptism to difference Baptism from Pharisaical washings and legal purifications for those were carnal rites the efficacy of which they placed in opere operato but Baptism is of a more spiritual import and the vertue of it did not consist so much in the outward washing as in the inward efficacy of the Spirit as 1 Pet. 3. 21. The Phrase the Kingdom of God did primo intuitu in the first most common and most commonly known signification among the Jews mean and betoken the state and oeconomy of the times under the Messias in opposition to the state and oeconomy in the times that were before as hath been shewed and in this sense did Nicodemus look upon and for the Kingdom of God and accordingly in that sense first doth Christ apply his speech unto him But yet withal our Saviour and the Gospel-acceptation hath raised the expression to a higher and more spiritual signification than the Jews did take it in and that is to betoken the state of Grace and Sanctification in any person under this Oeconomy of the times of Messias or the Gospel And as the word The Church doth not only express the whole Church Visible though it do most commonly express that but also includes withal and speaks the Church invisible or those that are sanctified which most properly are the Church indeed so The Kingdom of Heaven doth not only intend the visible Kingdom of the Messias in the altered state of the oeconomy in his days and under the Gospel though that be the first and most large and common sense of it but also it denoteth the invisible Kingdom of Christ in the heart of his Saints where he reigns by his Grace which is most singularly and especially his Kingdom Our Saviour therefore in these words would drive the signification of the term the Kingdom of God to the head and so he doth also the doctrine of Baptism And as he speaketh of that Kingdom to the utmost extent namely both the external dispensation and the internal operation of Gods way of Salvation under the Messias so likewise doth he of the twofold birth from above which refers to them both namely an Ecclesiastical or new way of admission as a birth from above into that changed oeconomy and administration and that is by Baptism and a spiritual and new way of introduction as a birth from above into that blessed state of Grace and Sanctification and that is by an effectual work of the Spirit He would first inform Nicodemus of the outward way of admission into the Kingdom of Heaven as that signified the changed state of administrations under the Gospel and that saith he is by being born of water But then he would shew both that there was more to be looked after in the Kingdom of Heaven than only an outward change of dispensations and more to be looked after in Baptism than only the external washing and therefore he addeth and of the Spirit He that will enter into the Kingdom of God that is into the state of the Gospel he must be born of water but he that will enter into the Kingdom of God that is
to prove it When therefore there was so vehement and universal an expectation of the coming and reign of the Messiah amongst the Jews and when some token and indication of these times might appear to Nicodemus in the miracles that Christ had wrought our Saviour instructs him by what way and means he may be made apt and capable for seeing and entring into this Kingdom and enjoying the benefits and advantages of Messiah's days For II. The Jews had conceited that it was enough for them to have been of the seed of Abraham or the stock of Israel to make them fit subjects for the Kingdom of Heaven and the happiness that should accrue to them from the days of the Messiah Hence that passage h h h h h h Sanhedr fol. 90. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a part allotted to all Israel in the world to come That is in the participation of the Messiah But whence comes it that universal Israel claim such a part meerly because they are Israelites i. e. Meerly because they come of the stock and lineage of Israel Our Saviour sets himself against this error of theirs and teacheth that it is not enough for them to be the Children of Abraham or the Stock of Israel to give them any title to or interest in the Messiah but they must further be born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above they must claim it by an Heavenly not an Earthly birth These words of his seem to fall in and bear the same kind of sense with those of John Baptist Think not to say we have Abraham for our Father III. The Jews acknowledged in order to Proselytisme some kind of regeneration or new-birth absolutely necessary but then this was very slightly and easily attainable i i i i i i Jevamoth fol. 62. 1. 92 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any one become a Proselyte he is like a Child new born But in what sense is he so k k k k k k Maimoâ— Issurâ—i biaâ— câ—p 14. The Gentile that is made a Proselyte and the servant that is made free behold he is like a Child new born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all those relations he had whiles either Gentile or Servant they now cease from being so By the Law it is lawful for a Gentile to marry his Mother or the Sister of his Mother if they are Proselyted to the Jewish Religion But the wise men have forbidden this lest it should be said we go downward from a greater degree of sanctity to a less and that which was forbidden yesterday is allowable to day Compare this with 1 Cor. V. 1. Christ teaches another kind of new birth requisite for those that partake of the Kingdom of the Messiah beyond what they have either as Israelites or Proselytes viz. that they should be born from above or by a celestial generation which only makes them capable of the Kingdom of Heaven VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Can he enter the second time into his Mother's Womb THE common opinion of the Jews about the qualification of an Israelite qua Israelite still sticks in the mind of this Pharisee and although our Saviour useth that term which in the Jewish Language plainly enough intimates the necessity of being born from Heaven yet cannot he easily get off from his first prejudice about the Israelitish Generation Whereas the Israelites as they are Israelites have a right to be admitted into the Kingdom of the Messiah do you therefore mean by this expression of yours that it is necessary for any to enter a second time into his Mother's Womb that he may be an Israelite anew He knew and acknowledged as we have already said that there must be a sort of a new-birth in those that come over to the Jewish Religion but he never dreamt of any new proselytism requisite in one that had been born an Israelite He could not therefore conceive the manner of a new birth that he should be made an Israelite anew unless it were by entring into the Mother's Womb a second time which to him seemed an impossible thing VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit HE tells him that the Jew himself cannot be admitted into the Kingdom of the Messiah unless he first strip himself of his Judaism by Baptism and then put off his carnal and put on a spiritual state That by water here is meant Baptism I make no doubt nor do I much less question but our Saviour goes on from thence to the second Article of the Evangelical Doctrine And as he had taught that toward the participation of the benefits to be had by the Messiah it is of little or of no value for a man to be born of the seed of Abraham or to be originally an Israelite unless he was also born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or from above so he now further teacheth him that this admission is not to be obtained but by an absolute renunciation of Judaism and being Baptized into the profession of the Gospel For the tenor of Christian Baptism runs point blank against Judaism The Jewish Religion taught justification by works but Evangelical Baptism obliged to Repentance and alarum'd the sinner to look elsewhere for remission of sins so that to a Jew Baptism was indispensibly necessary in order to his admission into the Kingdom of the Messiah that by that Baptism of his he might wholly divest himself of his Jewish state VERS X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou a Master of Israel l l l l l l Echa rabbathi fol. 66. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou a wise man in Israel It was the answer of a Boy to R. Joshua when he asked him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is the shortest way to the City The Boy answered this is the shortest way though it is the longest and that is the longest way though it is the shortest R. Joshua took that way which was the shortest though the longest When he came very near the City he found Gardens and places of pleasure hedged in so that he could go no further He returned therefore to the Boy and said to him my Son is this the shortest way to the City The Boy answered art thou a wise man in Israel did I not thus say to thee That is the shortest way though the longest c. VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And as Moses lifted up the Serpent c. THE Jews dote horribly about this noble mystery There are those in Bemidbar rabba m m m m m m Sect. 19. that think that the Brazen Serpent was not affixed to a pole but thrown up into the Air by Moses and there to have settled without any other support n n n n n n Baal Turim in Numb XXI Moses put up the Serpent for 〈…〉 sign as he that
18. We look at things that are not seen 1284 5. 21. He hath made him sin for us 1243 GALATHIANS Ch. vers  Page 4. 6. ABBA Father what 354 EPHESIANS Ch. vers  Page 1 17. THE Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ. 1034 1047 2. 1. You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins 1057 1105 4. 9 Now that he ascended what is it but that he descended first into the lower parts of the Earth 1342  24. The new Man is created in righteousness and true holiness 1152  32. Be renewed in the Spirit of your mind 1286 5. 18 19. Be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs 1160 PHILIPPIANS Ch. vers  Page 3. 19. WHOSE God is their belly 184 COLOSSIANS Ch. vers  Page 2. 13. YOU being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh 1057 1 THESSALONIANS Ch. vers  Page 4. 13 14. I Would not have you ignorant concerning them that sleep that ye sorrow not as others without hope c. 1087 2 THESSALONIANS Ch. vers  Page 2. 2. AS that the day of Christ is at hand 626  3. The day of Christ shall not come except there come a falling away first 626  4. Concerning obedience to Magistrates 230 Text and Marg. 1 TIMOTHY Ch. vers  Page 3. 13. OFFICE of a Deacon 133 4. 1. In the later time interpreted of the end of the Jewish State 1074 1117  3. Forbidding to marry 695  8. Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come reconciled with Heb. 11. 36 37. 1053 2 TIMOTHY Ch. vers  Page 3. 1. IN the later days not for the end of the World but of Ierusalem 1074 1117  9. Jannes and Jambres 404 HEBREWS Ch. vers  Page 2. 2. IF the word spoken by Angels 1129  12. I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren c. 1037  13. And again I will put my trust in him ibid. 8. 6. He is the Mediator of a better Covenant established upon better promises 1332  11. They shall teach no more every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me 1071 9. 19. Moses took blood with water 619 10. 26. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin 1095 1096 1146 11. 32. Gedeon Sampson Japhtha 1215  36 37. Concerning the sufferings of Gods people in this life reconciled with the 1 Tim. 4. 8. 1053  40. That they without us should not be made perfect 1089 12. 11. Chastening yeildeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness 1226 13. 20. Christ was raised from the dead by the blood of the Covenant 1257 JAMES Ch. vers  Page 5. 9. BEhold the Iudge standeth before the door 626  14. Let the Elders of the Church pray for him that is sick anointing him with Oyl 162 343  17. Elias for the space of three years and six months 408 409 1 PETER Ch. vers  Page 1. 2. ELect according to the foreknowledge of God for the elect of the Jews 1146 2. 10. Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God ibid.  13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of God for the Lords sake c. 230 Text Marg. 3. 19. He went and preached unto the Spirits in prison 478 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand For the end of Ierusalem and the Jewish State 626 1074 1117  17. The time is come that judgment must begin at the House of God 241. Text Marg. 2 PETER Ch. vers  Page 2. 10. DEspise government speak evil of Dignities 230. Text Marg.  15. The way of Balaam the son of Boâ—â—r 1144 3. 3. There shall come in the last days For the days immediately foregoing the destruction of Ierusalem c. 1074 1117  10. The Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 626  13. We look for new Heavens and a new Earth 626 16. In Pauls Epistles there are some things hard to be understood 1243 1246 1 JOHN Ch. vers  Page 2. 16. THE lust of the eyes 162  18. It is the last time For the end of the Jewish State 626 1047  27. The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you 1071 5. 16. There is a sin unto death I do not say that he shall pray for it 1093 1904 JUDE  Vers.  Page  8. DEspise dominion speak evil of dignities 230. Text Marg.   Filthy dreamers 1297  12. Feasts of Charity 774 c. REVELATION Ch. vers  Page 1. 7. HE cometh with clouds c. 626 3. 17 18. Because thou saiest I am rich c. and knowest not that thou art wretched c. 1136 6. 12 14. The Sun became black as sackeloth of hair c. And the Heavens departed as a scroll c. 626 7. 14. They have washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 1076 11. 8. The Streets of the great City which Spiritually is called Sodom 1109 13. 2. The Dragon gave his Power and Seat and great authority unto the Beast 1108 1165  4. The Dragon which gave his Power unto the Beast 614 20. 3. Satan should deceive the Nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled 1056 1057 1233  5. This is the first Resurrection spoken of the calling of the Gentiles 1057 1105  7 8. When the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall go about to deceive the Nations Interpreted as fulfilled in the depth of Popery 1057   Gog an Enemy to true Religion 1247 22. 20. Behold I come quickly 626 An Appendix of some Places of Scripture differently Read from the ordinary Translation GENESIS Ch. vers  Page 1. 2. THE Spirit of God was carried upon the face of the waters 643  14. Let there be Light-fats or Light-vessels in the Firmament 1285 4. 1. Eve conceived and brought forth Cain and said I have possessed or obtained a Man the Lord. 792 DEUTERONOMY Ch. vers  Page 27. 4. IN Mount Gerizzim so read by the Samaritan Version 540 33. 2. From his right hand went the fire of a Law for them 1227 JOSHUA Ch. vers  Page 15. 61 62. DIfferently read by the Greek Interpreters 499 JUDGES Ch. vers  Page 4. 5. The Chaldee reads Deborah had white dust in the Kings Mountains 12 16. 3. He carried them to the top of a Mountainous place which is before Hebron 12 21. 19 c. The Daughters go over to the enemy 537 2 KINGS Ch. vers  Page 17. 18. THAT when my Master went c. 409 JOB Ch. vers  Page 19. 25. I Know that my Redeemer liveth and he
in its proper place and order cometh in the story of Jethro contained in the eighteenth of Exodus as may be evidenced by these observations First That that story lieth not in its proper place in the Book of Exodus may be concluded upon these two or three reasons first because there it is said Jethro took burnt-offerings and sacrifices for God ver 12. Now as the story lieth there the Law for burnt-offerings and sacrifices was not yet given 2. It is said that Moses sate to judge the people and made them know the Statutes of God and his Laws vers 13 16. Now as the story lieth there the Statutes and Laws are not as yet given to Moses and he himself knoweth them not 3. The chusing of Judges and Elders which was upon Jethro's counsel was not till their departing from Sinai Deut. 1. 7 8. And now as the story of Jethro lieth in the book of Exodus they are not as yet come to Sinai therefore that that story is misplaced as it lieth there there is evidence sufficient There remaineth only to see why it is laid there out of its proper place and where is the proper place to lay it the former may be resolved upon by looking back upon the curse that God denounceth upon Amalek in the 17 Chapter I will put out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven And the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation ver 14 16. Now that the Holy Ghost might shew that Jethro who dwelt among the Amalekites 1 Sam. 15. 16. did not fall under this curse he bringeth in the story of his coming into Israel in the very next place after that curse is related not thereby to conclude strictly that his coming was at that very time assoon as the curse was denounced but to shew that he once came and so avoideth and escapeth that curse Now that the proper place of that story is this that we have mentioned may be evidenced by these particulars First that Moses himself telleth Deut. 1. 7. that their choice of Judges which was by Jethro's counsel instantly upon his coming was so near their departure from Sinai which is metioned Num. 10. ver 11. that the warning of their departure was given him before 2. That the murmuring of Aaron and Miriam against Zipporah Moses wife which in all probability was upon her first coming among them and their converse with her or instantly after is set after their departure from Sinai 3. That the departure of Hobab or Jethro from them at Sinai is joyned so near to the place where we suppose this story of his coming is to be laid as that but a few Verses come between and compair that story with the latter end of Exodus 18. and it will help to confirm this place to be the proper place of its order CHAP. X. from Vers. 11. to the end World 2515 Moses 82 Redemption from Egypt 2 THE Cloud is taken up on the twentieth day of the second month and the Camp removeth from Sinai to the wilderness of Paran three days journy In the 35 Verse of this Chapter the letter Nun is written the wrong way in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Ark set forward and so is it also in the first Verse of the next Chapter in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they became as murtherers In the former is hinted as the Jews observe Gods gracious turning back towards the people in the latter the peoples ungracious turning away from God CHAP. XI AT their first incamping after Jethro's departure Moses findeth an occasion to chuse Judges and Elders to help to bear the burden with him and therefore the 24 25 26. Verses of Exodus 18. are to be reputed coincident with this time The Sanhedrin chosen by Moses and indued with the Spirit by God six of a Tribe made up the number and two over and these two were Eldad and Mâ—dad who were written for Elders but the lot cast them out that there might be but seventy yet did the Lord honour them with the Spirit of Prophecy CHAP. XII ZIpporah Moses wife called a Cushite for Arabia was the land of Cush for her sake Aaron and Miriam begin to rebel against Moses authority for which Miriam is struck with Leprosie but Aaron is not because he was the Judge of Leprosie and could not be tainted with it Their sin causeth the Cloud of glory to depart as the sin of the golden Calf had done before there Aaron had a hand in the sin also Moses vindicated by God himself It is said They removed from Hazeroth and pitched in the wilderness of Paran ver 16. that is they marched and pitched in that wilderness see Chap. 10. 12. CHAP. XIII THEY are now come not very far from the South-point of the land of Canaan compare Ver. 26. and Deut. 1. 2 19. and Moses at the desire of the people Deut. 1. 22. sendeth twelve men to spy the land Sethur the man for the Tribe of Asher ver 13. his name is in number 666. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 666. and in signification hidden or mystical it is toward the end of the year Stilo veteri when they search the land for grapes and figs are then ripe vers 20. CHAP. XIV THE decree and oath in Gods anger that they should not enter into his rest cometh forth and beginneth to seize upon some of them for the ten men that caused the people to murmur died by the plague as they were forty days in searching the land so the people must wander forty years ere they came to enjoy it that is eight and thirty years and an half to make up the year and half that had passed since their coming out of Egypt to be forty and in that time must all the men that were numbred at Sinai the Levites excepted be consumed in the wilderness and here is mans age cut short again as it had been at the Flood and building of Babel PSAL. XC UPON this sad decree of God against the people and upon his cutting short mans age Moses maketh the nintieth Psalm whose proper order is coincident with this story and there sadly sheweth how they were consumed by Gods anger for their impieties that now mans age is come to seventy or eighty years from those hundreds that men lived before c. CHAP. XV. XVI XVII XVIII XIX World 2516 Moses 83 Redemption from Egypt 3 THE place where the people murmured upon the return of the spies was Kadesh Barnea Numb 13. 26. 32. 8. Deut. 1. 19. This place was called Rithmah before Numb 33. 18. compared with Numb 12. 16. 13. 26. and it may be it was so called from the Juniper-trees that grew there as 1 Kings 19. 4. but now named Kadesh because the Lord was there sanctified upon the people as Chap. 20. 13. and Barnea or the wandering son because here was the decree made of their long
cavil and our Saviours words about it are the very same and yet the current of the history evinceth them for two several stories for as the Jews always carried the same malicious construction of his Miracles so doth he justly always return them the same answer as hath been observed already At ver 27. there is a link that chains the time and stories As he spake these things and another at ver 29. If compared with ver 16. and again at ver 37. where his denouncing wo against the Pharisees although it be much the same for sense with that in Matth. 23. yet that they were uttered at two several times and upon two several occasions will appear by that time that we come to that Chapter In Chap. XII He rehearseth many things that he had spoken before the same doctrine being needful to be inculcated over and over though to the same audience much more when new auditors were still coming in Therefore Christ towards his latter end did like Moses making his Deuteronomium rehearse the doctrine that he had taught before Chap. XIII The first verse beareth this link of connexion and continuance of story There were present at that season c. Pilates bloody Act in mingling some Galileans blood with their sacrifices cannot be looked for so properly in any place as at the Temple Josephus his story in Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 5. is far from it Siloam was in the midst of the City Jerus in Chagigah fol. 76. col 1. a place of great concourse where the fall of the Tower slew eighteen men SECTION LXI JOHN Chap. IX and Chap. X. all the Chapters A blind man from his bearth healed Christ the good shepherd The Feast of Dedication THat this healing of the blind man was at Jerusalem appeareth by this that Christ sends him to the pool of Siloam to wash ver 7. which lay upon the western part of the City For Christ was now come up to the Feast of Dedication Chap. 10. 22. so that this cleers the order and time He cures blind eyes on the Sabbath by putting clay upon them made of his spittle a ready way one would have thought to have put seeing eyes out Maym. in Shabb. per. 21. Fasting spittle is forbidden to be put so much as upon the eye on the Sabbath Maladies of Children that were extraordinary the Jews did very much ascribe to some sin of the Parents and the traditionaries used this conceit as a means to awe men to the observance of their traditions So they conceit of this man Chap. 9. 2 34. Thou wast altogether born in sins We alledged before their fancie about Shibta an evil Spirit that seised upon Children by the neck and shrunk up their sinnews And whence say they comes this And they give this answer If the mother come from the house of office and give the Child suck presently c. A fetch meerly to awe women to wash after such occasions and to put the more repute upon their traditions about washings The man upon whom the miracle is wrought taketh Jesus to be a Prophet upon it but as yet doth not know him for Messias ver 17. And when he saith to the Jews Will ye also be his Disciples ver 27. he speaketh it seriously and from a good heart urging them to own him for a Prophet as he did And when he was vehement with them in this pious asserting they cast him out of the Synagogue For they had agreed already that if any man did confess that he was the Messias he should be cast out of the Synagogue ver 22. A passage very well worth observing both towards some discovery of the nature of their excommunication and for illustration of several matters in this divine history Chap. X. Christ from Ezek. 34. and Zech. 11. asserteth himself the great Shepherd and condemneth the evil shepherds that undid the flock especially the three that his soul loathed Zech. 11. 8. The Pharisees Sadduces and Esseans He feeding his flock with two shepherds staves called Beauty and Bands at the last breaketh them His staff Beauty dissolving the Covenant of Peculiarity once made with Israel by which they alone were his people but that peculiarity now gone and the Gentiles taken in And his staff Bands dissolving the brootherhood twixt Israel and Judah that now there is a difference betwixt a true Israelite and a Jew and Israelites owning Christ and they that own him not are no more brethren It was at Jerusalem the feast of the Dedication ver 22. Under the second Temple when the Grecian Kings decreed decrees against Israel and abolished their Law and suffered them not to practise the Law and Commandments and laid their hands upon their goods and upon their daughters and went into the Temple and made breaches in it and defiled the pure things and Israel was in exceeding great straits because of them and they afflicted them with great affliction untill the Lord God of their Fathers had pitty on them and delivered them out of their hand and the Asmonean high Priests prevailed against them and slew them and delivered Israel out of their hands and set up a King of the Priests and the Kingdom returned to Israel more then two hundred years even to the second destruction And when Israel prevailed against their enemies and slew them it was the five and twentieth day of the month Cisleu and they went into the Temple and found not of pure Oyle in the Sanctuary but only one bottle and there was not in it so much as to light above one day yet they lighted the Lamps with it for eight days untill they had beaten their Olives and got pure Oyle And because of this the wise men that were in that generation ordained that those eight days beginning from the 25 th of Cisleu should be days of rejoycing and thanksgiving and they light up Candles on them in the evening at the doors of their houses every night of the eight for the declaring and setting forth of that miracle and those days are called the Dedication c. Maym. in Channuchah per. 1. See 1 Maccab. 4. 59. These eight days of Cisleu fell about the middle of our December And so by this intimation John hath kept the Clock of time going that we may tell how the story goes Since Christs being at the Feast of Tabernacles hitherto was about two months and somewhat more The three last verses of this tenth Chapter which mention Christs going beyond Jordan speak the same thing with Matth. 19. 1. and Mark 10. 1. and might very properly be set collateral with those texts but since it was somewhat longer after Christs departure from Jerusalem to his arival beyond Jordan these may be taken in here and understood as spoken of his setting forth from Jerusalem and shewing whether he intended to go SECTION LXII LUKE Chap. XIII Ver. 23. to the end of the Chapter And Chap. XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII to Ver. 15. THe order
punishments but they had of corporal namely of scourging to fourty stripes save one Hence it is that Christ foretels his Disciples In the Synagogues you shall be beaten Mark 13. 9. and hence had Paul his five scourgings 2 Cor. 11. 24. So that in every Synagogue there were Elders that ruled in Civil affairs and Elders that laboured in the Word and Doctrine And all things well considered it may not be so monstrous as it seems to some to say it might very well be so in those times in Christian Congregations For since as it might be shewed that Christ and his Apostles in platforming of the model of Christian Churches in those times did keep very close to the platform of the Synagogues and since the Romans in those times made no difference betwixt Jews in Judaism and Jews that were turned Christians nor betwixt those Religions for as yet there was no persecution raised against Christianity why might not Christian Congregations have and exercise that double Function of Ministry and Magistracy in them as well as the Jewish Synagogues And if that much controverted place 1 Tim. 5. 17. should be interpreted according to such a sense it were neither irrational nor improbable Nor to interpret Paul speaking to such a tenour here Only his appointing of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the less esteemed in the Church to be appointed for that work is of some scruple what if it allude to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Committee of private men Of which there is frequent mention among the Hebrew Doctors See Maymon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fol. 253. col 1. 3. It was the old Jewish garb when they went to pray to hide head and face with a vail to betoken their ashamedness and confusion of face wherewithal they appeared before God And hence is the conjunction of these two words so common in their Writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He vailed himself and prayed And this for a current rule The wise men and their schollars may not pray unless they be vailed Maymon in Tephillah per. 5. To which let us add that of Sueton. in Vitell. cap. 2. Lucius Vitellius saith he had an excellent faculty in flattering he first set afoot the worshipping of Caius Caesar for a God when returning out of Syria he durst not go to him but with his head vailed and then turning himself about he fell prostrate Again it was the custom of the Jewish women to go vailed or their faces covered whensoever they went into publick A woman saith Maymony may not go into publick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if she have not a vail on In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per. 24. And this the Talmudists call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Jewish Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The garb of modesty Chetubboth per. 7. and Alphes ibid. Where they say that that those women transgress the Jewish Law that go forth unvailed or that spin in the streets or that talk with every man Now in this Church of Corinth the men retained the Jewish custom that they prayed vailed or with their head and face covered but the women transgressed their Jewish Law for they went unvailed and bare faced into the publick Congregation and their reason was as it seemeth by the Apostles discourse because they in regard of their beauty and comly feature needed less to be ashamed before God in his worship then the men The Apostle reproves both and argues that if the man pray vailed who is the Image and glory of God then much more should the woman who is but the glory of the man But he cries down the mans praying vailed as dishonouring his head and exhorts that the woman have power on her head because of the Angels cap. 11. 10. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we observed instantly before out of Maymony signified a womans vail doth also signifie power or dominion and accordingly the Apostle speaketh Let the Woman have power on her head But what means he by Because of the Angels I should answer Because of the Devils for these he had called Angels also a few Chapters before viz. Chap. 6. 3. And his words may be construed to this sense that Women should not expose their faces openly in the Congregation lest the Devil make a bait of their beauty and thereby intangle the eyes and hearts of the men who should be then better imployed then gazing and longing after beauty There are that by Angels understood the Ministers and interpret it that Women should be vailed lest the Ministers eyes should be intangled by their faces which exposition if it be admitted it may speak for the admission of that also which we give which provides for the eyes of the whole congregation as well as of the Ministers 4. In the same eleventh Chapter he also blameth their disorder in receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the height of their heats and contestations Wherein they did not only not discern the Lords body a Symbole and tye of communion but they even transgressed that rule now Christians which those of them that were Jews would not have done in their Judaism It was then a Canon current and binding amongst them that none should eat and drink in their Synagogues and none should sleep Jerus in Megilla fol. 74. col 1. Maym. in Tephillah per. 11. and Gloss. in Maym. in Shabb. 30. But now as they ate and drank the Bread and the Cup in the Sacrament in their Churches and that warrantably so did they also presume unwarrantably to eat their own common Suppers there and that only in defiance one of another the rich to outface the poor and one party another with their good commons some banketing and feasting to the full whilst others sat hungry by and looked on See how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 21. signifies in the LXX Gen. 43. 34. Cant. 5. 1. Thus did they eat and drink judgement to themselves in the Sacrament whilst they would receive the symbole of communion and yet shew such signs and evidences of disunion at the very instant And the Lord accordingly overtook some of them with evident judgements weakness sickness and death avenging at once upon them the indignity done to his Sacrament and the indignity done to their brethren Much like surfeting Nabals case and end 5. And as the people were thus irregular in this part of worship in their publick assemblies so were their Ministers faulty in others namely about the managing of spiritual gifts there The pretence to the Spirit where indeed it was not hath alwaies been the great usherer in of all errour and delusion And to this the very unbelieving Jews pretended and often backed their pretences with magical impostures and of this the Apostle speaks Chap. 12. 3. No man speaking by the Spirit of God as these men took on them to do can call Jesus accursed as they called him And on the other hand some that had spiritual gifts indeed failed in
down of Idolatry and Heathenism in the Earth till the World was become Christian and then the Papacy arising doth Heathenize it again The destruction of which is set down vers 9. by fire from Heaven in allusion to Sodom or 2 King 1. 10 12. and it is set close to the end of the World the Devil and the Beast Rome imperial and the false Prophet Rome Papal are cast into fire and brimstone vers 10. where John speaks so as to shew his method which we have spoken of The Devil was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the Beast and the false Prophet are He had given the story of the beast and false Prophet the Devils agents and what became of them Chap. 19. vers 20. And now the story of the Devil himself for it was not possible to handle these two stories but apart and now he brings the confusion of all the three together and the confusion of all with them that bare their mark and whose names were not written in the Book of life REVEL CHAP. XXI THE Jerusalem from above described The phrase is used by Paul Gal. 4. 26. and it is used often by the Jews Zohar fol. 120. col 478. Rabbi Aba saith Luz is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jerusalem which is above which the holy blessed God gives for a possession where blessings are given by his hand in a pure Land but to an impure Land no blessings to be at all Compare Revel 21. 27 22. 15. Midras Till in Psal. 122. Jerusalem is built as a City that is compact together R. Jochanan saith The holy blessed God said I will not go into Jerusalem that is above until I have gone into Jerusalem that is below c. Ezekiels Jerusalem as we observed was of a double signification namely as promising the rebuilding of the City after the Captivity and foretelling of the spiritual Jerusalem the Church under the Gospel and that most especially At that John taketh at here and that is the Jerusalem that he describeth And from Isa. 65. 17 18. joyneth the creating new Heavens and a new Earth and so stateth the time of building this new Jerusalem namely at the coming in of the Gospel when all things are made new 2 Cor. 5. 17. A new People new Ordinances new Oeconomy and the old World of Israel dissolved Though the description of this new City be placed last in the Book yet the building of it was contemporary with the first things mentioned in it about the calling of the Gentiles When God pitched his Tabernacle amongst theâ—â— as he had done in the midst of Israel Levit. 26. 11 12. That Tabernacle is pitched in the fourth and fifth Chapters of this Book And now all tears wiped away and no more sorrow death nor pain vers 4. which if taken litterally could refer to nothing but the happy estate in Heaven of which the glory of this Jerusalem may indeed be a figure but here as the other things are it is to be taken mystically or spiritually to mean the taking away the curse of the Law and the sting of death and sin c. No condemnation to be to those that are in Christ Jesus The passages in describing the City are all in the Prophets phrase Ezekiel and Isaiah as compare these The Bride the Lambs wife vers 9. Sing O barren Heathen that didst not bear c. Thy Maker is thine Husband thy Redeemer c. Isa. 54. 1 5. Vers. 10. He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain Compare Ezek. 40. 2. That great City holy Jerusalem c. This refers to great dimensions of Ezekiels Jerusalem as also to the squareness the three gates of a side c. The glory of it described from thence and from Isa. 58. 8. 60. 2 3. 54. 11 12 c. The wall of it twelve thousand furlongs square or fifteen hundred miles upon every quarter East West North and South three thousand miles about and fifteen hundred miles high Wall of salvation Isa 26. 1. 60. 14. The foundations of the walls garnished with twelve precious stones see Isa. 54. 11. as the stones in the Ephod or holy Breastplate three upon every side as these were three and three in a row The first foundation stone here is the Jaspar the stone of Benjamin for Pauls sake the great agent about this building of the Church of the Gentiles The Jerus Talmud in Peah fol. 15. col 3. saith expresly that the Jaspar was Benjamins stone for it saith Benjamins Jaspar was once lost out of the Ephod and they said Who is there that hath another as good as it Some said Damah the son of Nethina hath one c. And I saw no Temple therein c. vers 22. here this Jerusalem differs from Ezekiels that had a Temple this none and it is observable there that the platform of the Temple is much of the measures and fashion that the second Temple was of but the City of a compass larger then all the Land which helpeth to clear what was said before of the double significancy of those things they promised them an earthly Temple which was built by Zerobabel but foretold a heavenly Jerusalem which is described here REVEL CHAP. XXII FROM Ezekiel Chap. 47. and from several passages of Scripture besides John doth still magnifie the glory happiness and holiness of the new Jerusalem Lively waters of clear Doctrine teaching Christ and life by him flowing through it continually Ezek. 7. 1 9. Cant. 4. 15. The Tree of Life lost to Adam and Paradise shut up against him to keep him from it here restored Then a curse here There shall be curse no more vers 3. See Zech. 14. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anathema non erit amplius c. He concludeth These sayings are faithful and true so he had said before at the marriage of the Lamb Chap. 19. 9. and again at his beginning of the story of the new Jerusalem Chap. 21. 5. referring to the several Prophesies that had been of these things and now all those sayings and Prophesies were come home in truth and faithfulness He is commanded not to seal his Book as Daniel was Dan. 12. 4. because the time of these things was instantly beginning and Christs coming to reveal his glory in avengement upon the Jewish Nation and casting them off and to take in the Gentiles in their stead was now at the door within three and an half or thereabout to come if we have conjectured the writing of this Book to its proper year There are two years more of Nero and one of confusion in the Roman Empire in the Wars of Otho Vitellius and Vespasian and the next year after Jerusalem falls And thus if this Book of the Revelation were written last of the Books of the New Testament as by the consent of all it was then may we say Now was the whole will of God revealed and committed to writing and from
bloods in the plural number That is not of the kindred descent or continued Pedegree from the Patriarchal line or the blood of Abraham Isaac Jacob and successively For John the Evangelist speaketh much to the same tenor here that John the Baptist doth Mat. 3. 9. That Christ would adopt the Heathen for the Sons of God as the Jews had been though they had no relation at all to the Jewish blood or stock Nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man The Evangelist hath traced Moses all along from the beginning of the Chapter and so he doth here He used the Phrase of the Sons of God in the Verse preceding from Gen. 6. 2. And this Clause that we have in hand he seemeth to take from the very next Verse after My Spirit shall no more strive with man because he also is flesh Where as Moses by flesh understandeth the brood of Cain men that followed the swing of lust sensuality and their own corruption and by Man the Family of Seth or Adam that was regulated by Religion and reason till that Family grew also fleshly like the other so doth John here the like For having in the next foregoing words excluded one main thing that was much stood upon from any claim or challenge towards the adopting of the Sons of God or forwarding of the new birth and that is descent from Abraham and from those holy men successively that had the promise So doth he here as much for two other which only can put in for title to the same and those are first the will of the flesh or ability of nature Secondly the will of man or power of morality Ver. 14. And the word became Flesh Now hath the Evangelist brought us to the Apollinaris from this clause the word became flesh would wickedly conclude that the word assumed not an humane soul but only humane flesh and that the Godhead served that flesh instead of a reasonable soul Conâ—uted Luke 5. 52. Mat. 26. 38. great Mystery of the Incarnation in the description of which may be observed First the two terms the word and Flesh expressing Christs two natures and the word was made or became their hypostatical union Secondly the word flesh is rather used by the Evangelist then the word man though oftentimes they signifie but the same thing as Gen. 6. 12. Psal. 65. 2. Isa. 40. 5 6. First to make the difference and distinction of the two natures in Christ the more conspicuous and that according to the common speech of the Jews who set flesh and blood in opposition to God as Matth. 16. 17. Gal. 1. 16. Secondly to magnifie the mercy of God in Christs incarnation the more in that flesh being in its own nature so far distant from the nature of God yet that he thus brought these two natures together as of them to make but one person for the reconciling of man and himself together Thirdly to confirm the truth of Christs humanity against future Heresies which have held that he had not a true and real humane body but only Fantastical or of the air Fourthly to explain what he said before that Believers became the Sons of God that is not by any change of their bodily substances but by participation of divine grace for Christ on the contrary became the Son of Man by assuming of flesh and not by changing into it Fifthly to shew the Plaister fitly applyed unto the Sore and the Physick to the Disease for whereas in us that is in our flesh there dwelleth no good but sin death and corruption he took upon him this very nature which we have so corrupted sequestring only the corruption from it that in the nature he might heal the corruption Sixthly he saith he was made or became flesh and not he was made man lest it should be conceived that Christ assumed a person for he took not the person of any man in particular but the nature of man in general Was made flesh Not by alteration but assumption not by turning of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the Manhood into God not by leaving what he was before that is to be God but by taking on him what he was not before that is to bo man And the Evangelist saith rather He was made flesh then he assumed it i. e. that he might set out the truth and mystery of the Incarnation to the life both for the hypostatical union of the two natures and their inseparablity being so united For first whereas Nestorius said that the word was not that man that was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary but that the Virgin indeed brought forth a man and he having obtained grace in all kind of vertue had the word of God united unto him which gave him power against unclean Spirits And so he made two several Sons and two several persons of the two natures his Heresie is plainly and strongly confuted by this phrase he was made flesh which by the other he assumed it might have had more pretext and colour Secondly whereas Eutyches Valentius and others averred that Christ had not a true humane body but only a body in appearance This also confuteth them home and taketh away all probability of any such thing which the word assumed might have left more doubtful since we know that Angels assumed bodies and those bodies were not truly humane So that in this manner of speech The word was made flesh is evidently taught First that there are two distinct natures in Christ the God-head and the Man-hood for he saith not the word was turned into but was made or became flesh Secondly that these two natures do not constitute two persons but only one Christ for he saith he was made flesh and not assumed it Thirdly that this union is hypostatical or personal for he saith the word was made flesh and not joyned to it And lastly that this union is indissoluble and never to be separated For Angels in assumed bodies laid them by again and were parted from them but the word being made flesh the union is personal and not to be dissolved And dwelt among us c. That is among us his Disciples for so the next clause we saw his glory importeth And this Evangelist speaketh the same thing more at large 1 Joh. 1. 1. Full of grace and truth For these words follow next in Grammatical construction and connection lying thus And the word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth The reason of the Parenthesis and we saw his glory may seem to be First because he would explain what he meant by Us before he left it viz. us Disciples that saw his glory Secondly because the Apostles beheld not the very fulness of his grace and truth till they had beheld the fulness of that glory which he shewed on earth Grace and truth As the Soul hath tow noble faculties the understanding and the will the objects of which are
hill Luke 4. 29. Nazaret in the Arabick Tongue signifieth Help in the Hebr. a Branch by which name our Saviour is called Esa. 11. 1. Vers. 27. To a Virgin Rabbi Oshua the Son of Levi said Israel was comforted in a Virgin as saith Jeremy The Lord â—roateth a new thing in the earth A Virgin shall compass a Man Jer. 31. 21. Beresh Rabb See also Lyra and Gloss. intenlin in loc Vers. 28. Highly favoured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is used by the Greek Scholiast in Psal. 18. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the word from which it is derived in Ephes. 1. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which let the indifferent Reader view and judge of the propriety of our English translation here in comparison of the vulgar Latine The Virgin had obtained the highest earthly favour that ever mortal did or must do to be the mother of the Redeemer and the Holy Ghost useth a singular word to express so much Superstition is ever too officious but it hath shewed it self more so to the Virgin Mary then to any other For as it hath deified her now she is in Heaven so hath it magnified her in all her actions while she was upon the earth So that no relation or story that concerneth her but it hath strained it to the utmost extremity to wring out of it her praises though very often to a senseless and too often to a blasphemous issue As in this story of the annuntiation there is not a word nor tittle that it thinketh will with all its shaping serve for such a purpose but it taketh advantage to patch up her Encomions where there is no use nor need nor indeed any truth of and in such a thing This word that is under hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bears the bell that ringeth lowdest with them to such a tune For having translated it in their vulgar Latine Gratia plena or full of grace they hence infer that she had all the seven gifts of the Spirit and all the Theological and moral vertues and such a fulness of the graces of the Holy Ghost as none ever had the like Whereas first The use of Scripture is when it speaketh of fulness of grace to express it by another phrase as Joh. 1. 14. Act. 6. 5. c. Secondly The Angel himself explaineth this word in the sense of our translation for favour received and not for grace inherent Vers. 30. Thou hast found favour with God Thirdly And so doth the Virgin her self also descant upon the same thing throughout her Song Fourthly Joseph her husband suspected her for an adultress Matth. 1. 18. which he could never have done if he had ever seen so infinite fulness of grace in her as the Romanists have spied and he was the likelier to have espied it of the two Fifthly Compare her with other renowned women and what difference but only this great favour of being the mother of the Messias They had the spirit of Prophesie as well as she they had the spirit of sanctification as well as she and she no more immunity from sin and death then they Sixthly She was one of the number of those that would have taken off Christ from preaching Mark 3. and this argued not such a fulness of grace Seventhly See Jansenius one of their own side expounding this word according to our reading of it in loc The Lord is with thee Many understand this of the Incarnation it self or of the Lords being in her womb Whereas first This is to take a common manner of speech out of the common manner of interpreting it Secondly The Lord was not at this very instant come in that manner into her womb But the words only mean the Lords being with her in regard of that favour and respect which he was about to shew her as Judg. 6. 12. And this among other things sheweth how senseless Popery is in its Ave Maries using these words for a Prayer and if occasion serve for it for a charm As first Turning a Salutation into a Prayer Secondly In fitting these words of an Angel that was sent and that spake them upon a special message to the mouth of every person and for every occasion Thirdly In applying these words to her now she is in Heaven which suited with her only while she was upon Earth As first to say full of grace to her that is full of glory And secondly to say The Lord is with thee to her that is with the Lord. Blessed art thou among women Not above but among them See Gen. 30. 13. Judg. 5. 24. Vers. 29. And when she saw him So readeth the Syrian Arabick and generally all other translations but only the vulgar Latin that swarving as it is to be suspected wilfully from the truth of the Original that hereby there might be the greater plea and colour for the Virgins familiarity with Angels Whereas indeed apparition of Angels till this very occasion to Zachary and the Virgin was either exceeding rare or just none at all What manner of salutation c. Judge how Superstition straineth the Text to the Virgin Maries praises when it infers from hence that she had never been saluted by a man in all her life before An opinion and gloss not worth the examining Vers. 31. Behold thou shalt conceive c. From Esa. 7. 14. the Angel giveth her to understand that she is the Virgin spoken of in that place and of her apprehension of this ariseth her question Vers. 4. And shalt call his Name This followeth the same Prophesie still and is one of the significations of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it hath more then one For first it denoteth the third person feminine as Deut. 31. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it is to be taken in that Prophesie And she shall call his Name Immanuel Secondly It betokeneth also the second person as the Chaldee the Lxx and the other two Greek translations render it and the Angel here And thou shalt call Thirdly It is also applied to the third person plural as in the Greek Matth. 1. 23. and in the Chaldee Esa. 60. 18. Jesus The same with Jehoshua in Hebrew as Act. 7. 45. Heb. 4. 8. and Joshua in Chaldee Ezra 2. 2. These were two renowned ones before the one whereof brought the people into Canaan after the death of Moses and the other that brought them thither out of Babel and so were both lively figures of our Jesus that bringeth his people to the heavenly Canaan Vers. 32. The Son of the Highest From 2 Sam. 7. 14. as it is explained Heb. 1. 5. the Angel now draweth the Virgin to remember that glorious promise made to David as the words following concerning an eternal Throne and Kingdom do evince and upon the rumination upon that to reflect upon her self and to consider that she was of the seed of David and so he leadeth her on by degrees to believe and
was not weaned if in this he followed the use and custom of the Jewish children as it is like he did but still sucked his Mothers breasts As he grew in body he grew much more in mind for so the phrase He waxed strong in Spirit seemeth to be understood by the Evangelist taking Spirit not so much for the Holy Ghost though it is past question he was filled with that as for his Soul or spiritual part of his humane nature And so he describeth his growth in both parts in the two expressions The child grew in body and waxed strong in intellect and soul filled with wisdom in an extraordinary manner above other children and a graciousness appeared in him both in person and actions Ver. 41. Now his Parents went to Jerusalem c. Joseph is called the Parent of Christ as Paul calleth preaching foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 21 23. because he was so commonly reputed by men And as for Womens going up to this Festival whereas the Law required only the Males appearance before the Lord three times in the year we shall have occasion to speak of it hereafter Ver. 42. And when he was twelve years old c. At what age our Saviour sheweth his admirable wisdom in the Temple among the Doctors in this Story at the same age had Solomon shewed his in the matter of the two Hostesses about the dead and living child 1 King 3. 25. 28. For that he was twelve years old at that time may be conceived upon these collections First Absalom began to rebel in the thirty seventh year of Davids Reign or three years before his death or thereabout This is to be picked out of that dateless reckoning of years 2 Sam. 15. 7. And after forty years Absalom said let me go pay my vow c. These forty years are counted from the time that Israel asked a King three of Sauls Reign 1 Sam. 13. 1. and seven and thirty of Davids and then began Absalom to challenge the Kingdom and the reckoning from that date giveth this hint and intimation that as their asking a King then did sore displease the Lord so now are they punished in the proper kind for it when they have so many Kings that they know not well which to follow and many of them perish in following the usurper Secondly Before his open rebellion Absalom had been two years in Jerusalem and not seen the Kings face 2 Sam. 14. 28. Thirdly Before that time he had been three years in deserved exile in Geshur 2 Sam. 13. 38. Fourthly And two years had passed betwixt the rape of Tamar and slaughter of Amnon which occasioned him into that exile 2 Sam. 13. 23. So that counting all these years together they appear clearly to be ten at the least betwixt the rape of Tamar and Davids death and so are they so many of Solomons age at the same time Now that there was some good space that passed betwixt these sums of time mentioned as betwixt the birth of Solomon and the rape of Tamar betwixt Absaloms seeing of the Kings face and his breaking out after into that rebellion and other spaces it cannot be denied upon serious and considerate casting up of the Story But to find out the exact space and measure of time is hardly possible and so is it to determine the age of our Saviour at the time of his disputing with the Doctors For though the Evangelist say that he was twelve years old yet hath he left it doubtful whether current or compleat and that it was a whole half year under or over it cannot be denied seeing that he was born about September and this his disputing was at the Passover about March or April So when we say Solomon was twelve years old when he began to Reign and when he determined the controversie of the two Hostesses it is not necessary punctually to pick out and shew that space of time to all exactness it sufficeth to shew that the Text bringeth him near to that age under or over See Ignat. Martyr in Epist. ad Magnes Vers. 43. The child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem and Joseph and his Mother knew not of it That morning that they were to depart to their own home it was the custom to go first to the Temple and to worship the Lord 1 Sam. 1. 19. Now the multitudes that went together at these times were exceeding great and many all the males of the Nation and very many of the females being constantly present at these occasions When therefore Joseph and Mary and the Galilean company that went along with them departed from the Temple to go their Journey it is likely that Christ stayed behind them in the Temple Court where also he haunted till they found him again Now he having been absent from them and in other companies sometimes before in the Festival week as it can hardly be doubted it is not to be wondred if they were not so punctually exact as to be sure to bring him with them in their sight out of the Temple and the City For they knew not nor could they conceive that he had any thing to do or how he could stay behind them when they were gone and therefore though they saw him not yet doubted they not but he was with some of his acquaintance or other in that vast and numerous multitude Yea so confident they were of this that when after a while they missed him yet did they not suspect his staying behind them in Jerusalem but went that days journey forward searching and inquiring for him among their kindred and acquaintance that went along with them for so are those words to be understood till they came to their lodging And by that time not having found him they resolve and accordingly do on the next morning return for Jerusalem It is conceived by some that the multitudes going to and from these festivals went the men by themselves and the women by themselves and the children indifferently with either parent as they thought good and so Mary supposed that Jesus was with Joseph and Joseph supposed that he was with Mary and by this mis-apprehension they went their first days journey till they met at their lodging before they mist him But if that were certain which is very doubtful that they thus travailed males and females apart yet it is clear by the Text that they jointly mist him in their first days journy and betimes in the journey long before they came to their Inn and yet would not return to seek him at Jerusalem where they could not so much as suspect that he would stay behind when he saw all the company setting homewards but they still go on their journey and inquire up and down in the company for him till their not meeting him at night resolves them that he was not in the company at all Vers. 46. After three days they found him in the Temple That is on the third day for one they spent in
and inrolled Vid. Suid. in voâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the service of the Temple their names being entred there and the name of their father To this custom the Evangelist seemeth to refer when he calleth John the Son of Zacharias in this place and at this time when he was to enter upon his Ministerial function which though he did not at the Temple as others used to do but had another kind of employment laid upon him by the Word of the Lord coming to him in the Wilderness in the place of his converse yet as had he been there he must have been inrolled and registred thus John the Son of Zacharias began his Ministration at such a time or to this purpose so doth the Holy Ghost inrol him here at his entrance into this his Ministry of another kind the word of the Lord came to John the son of Zacharias And the like passage we may observe in the same Evangelist concerning our Saviour at his being baptized and when he also entred upon his function Matth. 3. ver 1. Preaching in the Wilderness of Iudea That is in the Cities and Towns in the wilderness as Josh. 15. 61 62. 1 Sam. 23. 14. 24. some of which were probably within the territories and under the command of Hebron the place where John was born for there is mention of the Cities of Hebron 2 Sam. 2. 3. Mark 1. ver 4. John did baptize in the Wilderness It is the most likely that John began to preach in the place where he was born and from thence went to other places as he saw occasion and the Spirit moved him And indeed Hebron it self was in a manner a City of the Wilderness as well as the others mentioned though there be no such expression concerning it as is of them and if those words Luke 2. So He was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel were interpreted concerning his being in Hebron the interpretation might very well be justified though to avoid cavill and offence we have expounded it of places which the Scripture calleth Deserts or Wildernesses in express terms However be it in Hebron or out of Hebron that John was educated conversed and began to preach certain it is that he did the last of these in some Cities of the Wilderness not far from Hebron and if it be said that he baptized also in these Cities where he preached and as yet was not gone down to Jordan till Jerusalem and all Judea heard of him and came to be baptized and then he went thither for the conveniency of water I suppose it crosseth nothing either in the History or Mystery and it averreth no more concerning John now then we shall find him doing hereafter namely baptizing in other waters besides Jordan And indeed how can it rationally be understood otherwise then that John baptized first in these Cities and Towns before multitude of company drew him down unto the River For first it cannot be conceived that he walked or stood in the open fields near Jordan and there began to preach but that he betook himself to Towns or Cities where was concourse of people Secondly it can as little be conceived that when any people in this or that City embraced his Doctrine and desired to be baptized that he should bring them to the River which was sometime far off or delay them till all the multitude should meet him there together unless it could be shewed that the water of Jordan was only allowed to be baptized in and no other the contrary to which we shall seâ—â—non The Story therefore and progress of his Ministery and baptizing out of the three Evangelists may be compiled thus That first he came preaching in the Wilderness of Judea in the Towns and Cities that were there about the place of his education That he baptized there those that were converted by his preaching and that desired to be baptized by him That he went abroad from thence up and down all the Country round about Jordan and when his converts and the concourse were now grown numerous he baptized them in Jordan because there was water enough as John 3. 23. § And preach the baptism of Repentance The Evangelist useth this title or epithet in opposition to Circumcision and baptizing of Proselytes which had been the way and door of admission in to the Church before They might very fitly be called the Circumcision and baptism of perfomance as this the baptism of repentance For whosoever received circumcision was ingaged by it to the performance of the whole Law Gal. 5. 2. And the like was every Proselyte ingaged that received Baptism But this baptism of John or the baptism in the Christian Church is clean of another nature For whereas those two challenged of every one that went through those doors into the Church that they should stand debtors to the whole Law and be obliged to a legal righteousness our baptism requireth a clean contrary thing namely that we should be obliged to repentance in regard that the performance of the Law is a thing that is to us impossible and that we should be buried with Christ in his death and seek after his righteousness seeing that we have none of our own Hence appeareth clearly first a reason why the baptism of John is called the beginning of the Gospel for it opened a door and gave an inlet into the Church upon other terms then had ever been before And secondly that baptism belongeth to Children though it be the baptism of repentance and they know not what repentance means For it requireth not their repentance at their receiving of the Sacrament when they stand but in the door or entry of the Church but it ingageth them to repentance for the time to come or when they being now entred into the Church shall come to the use of reason and knowledg of the ingagement And so was it with the children that were circumcised for they when they underwent that Sacrament undertook obedience to the whole Law and yet they knew not what either obedience or the Law meant But that undertaking was what they were to do when they came to the years of knowledge and apprehension Matth. 3. Verse 2. And saying Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand The Phrase the Kingdom of Heaven which is so frequently and commonly used in the Gospel is taken from Dan. 2. 44. and 7. 14. And it meaneth the spiritual Kingdom of Christ in and under the Gospel as it is published and preached unto all Nations For though the phrase be generally and truely understood to mean the preaching of the Gospel yet doth it most properly and naturally signifie the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles or among all Nations as might be shewed by the signification of the word Heaven by the manner of speech here used that it is at hand and so again Mat. 4. 17. when the Gospel was now Preached already by the
Text of Daniel from whence the phrase is taken and by divers places in the Gospel where it is used but the full clearing of this I have chosen to refer to that difficult place which will call for it to be cleared when the Lord shall bring us thither Matth. 16. 19. To thee will I give the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven where I conceive Christ to have foretold to Peter that he should be the first that should Preach the Gospel and open the door of Faith unto the Gentiles as Acts 15. 7. and 10. Now The Kingdom of Heaven signifying thus not barely and simply the Preaching of the Gospel but the Preaching of it to the Gentiles and their conversion it sheweth how proper and pregnant an argument this was to inforce the doctrine and practice of Repentance upon the Jews because the calling of the Gentiles was near at hand which would prove their rejection and casting off if they did not repent as Deut. 32. 21. Before the coming of Christ these four Earthly Kingdoms that are mentioned by Daniel in the Chapters cited bare all the sway and domineered over all the world with cruelty and tyranny but when they were destroyed at his coming he set up a Kingdom of his own and swayed the Scepter of Righteousness over all Nations and ruled them with his word and Spirit And whereas before his coming also the Church consisted but of one Nation and Kingdom and was couched upon a small parcel of Earth the Land of Canaan â—nd had earthly promises and earthly rites when he came and published the Gospel he gathered a Church of all Kingdoms and Nations and Languages under Heaven and built it up with Heavenly and Spiritual promises and instructions and thus The Kingdom of Heaven may fitly be understood in opposition to these two earthly ones Luke 3. ver 5. Every valley shall be filled c. These borowed phrases intend the removing of obstacles and stumbling blocks out of the way and plaining and clearing the way for men to come to Christ and to the obedience of the Gospel The Jews conceive that the cloud of glory that led the people of Israel in the wilderness did really and according to the letter do what is here spoken of for facilitating of their march and journey as that it levelled Mountains raised vallies and laid all of a flat that it burnt up bushes and smoothed rocks and made all plain that they might travail without trouble or offence And some of them also say that when Jeroboam set up his goden calves and Idolatry in Bethel and Dan that he and his wicked agents laid ambushments and scouts in the ways to Jerusalem to catch up every one that should go thither to worship and to this purpose they apply that saying of the Prophet Hos. 5. 1. O ye Priests and O ye house of the King ye have been a snare on Mizpah and a net upon Tabor And the revolters are profound to make slaughter c. If either of these things were undoubtedly so as they suppose how properly might this passage of the Prophet Esay and of the Evangelist from him be thought to refer thereunto but since they be but surmisals it is safest to take the words for a borrowed speech to express what was said before the removing of obstacles in the way to Christ. Mat. 3. ver 6. Confessing their sins Not to John but to God For neither was it possible for John to hear their confessions nor was it necessary Not possible because of the vast multitudes that came to be baptized nor necessary for to tell him they had comitted such and such sins what conduced it either to their baptism or forgiveness Nor was this their confession of their sins before there being baptized but after For first if we should strictly take the Grammatical construction of the word that importeth their confessing it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which would have denoted that they had confessed before they were baptized but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both the Evangelists that speak of that matter Secondly It was far more agreeable to the end and doctrine of Baptism that their confession of sin should be after their baptizing then before in that they were baptized to repentance ver 11. and not e contra the Sacrament was more intentionally to enter them into repentance then repentance to enter them into the Sacrament For as was said before it obliged them more properly to repentance after the receiving of it then before Thirdly the gesture of our Saviour after his Baptism seemeth to have been according to the common custom and gesture of the people and as he coming out of the water fell to prayer so they when they came out used to do to make their penitent confession to the Lord. Mat. 3. ver 7. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Saduces coming to his baptism The Pharisees Sadduces and Esseans the three Sects of the Jews Josephus Antiq. lib. 13. c. 9. are those three Sheepherds spoken of Zech. 11. 8. whom our Saviour at his coming was to cut off The two former whom we have now in hand are very frequent in mention in the Gospel men of enmity one against another yet both joynt enemies to Christ and to his Apostles The original of the Pharisees is not so easie to go back unto as that of the Sadduces nor is the significancy of their name so readily determined and fixed upon as the other The Sadduces it is well known were so called from Sadoc the first Author of their Sect and he the Scholar of Antigonus Rabbi Nathan in his Aboth Perek 5. hath thus clearly given us their original Antigonus of Socoh saith he received his learning from Simeon the just This was his saying Be not as servants that serve their Master because of receiving Vid. Talm. Bab. Basileae tom 6. in fine * * * * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a portion a reward but be as servants that serve their Master not for the receiving of a reward but let the fear of God be upon you This Antigonus had two Scholars which changed his words they changed them to their Scholars and their Scholars to theirs They stood up and taught after them and said what saw our Fathers to say thus is it possible that a work-man may do his work all the day and not receive his wages at even But if our Fathers had known that there is a world to come and that there shall be a resurrection of the dead they would never have said thus They stood up and separated from the Law and from them broke out the two Sects the Sadduces and Baithusaeans the Sadduces after the name of Sadoc and the Baithusaeans after the name of Baithus So he Now this Antigonus whose good doctrine had this bad construction was Scholar to Simeon the just whom we shall have occasion to look after by and by But the time and
that they thereupon might the more confidently confirm the people And hereupon it is observable that while the Baptist was at liberty our Saviour contented himself with his testimony and preaching but when he was shut up then instantly chose he others Now if any doubt of the possibility of this and question how could John see and hear these things and the other company that was present not do so as well as he The answer may be readily given by example of Elishaes servant 2 King 6. 17. and the two men that went to Emmaus Luke 24. For the mountain was full of Horses and Chariots of fire and Elisha perceived them but his servant did not till his eyes were opened in a more special manner And Christ it is like was in the same shape and appearance upon the way when they knew him not that he was in the house when they did but till then their eyes were holden Yet if any one will suppose that the people saw the slashing of the opened Heaven and heard the noise of the voice that came from thence and took the one for lightning and the other for thunder as John 12. 29. we will not oppose it for now was the season of the year fit for lightning and thunder but that either they saw the Holy Ghost or distinguished the words of the voice any more then Pauls companions did Act. 9. 7. compared with Act. 22. 9. the reasons alledged do inforce to deny till better information Matth. 3. vers 16. And he saw the Spirit of God The Syntax and construction of Mark doth tye and fix these words He saw only to our Saviour as it did those before and both for the reason mentioned namely to shew the return and answer of his prayer But these words of Matthew are not so strict but that they may equally be applied unto John For first there may be observed a distinction in the verse and a kind of difference of speech betwixt what goeth before about the opening of the Heavens and this sight of the Holy Ghost For of that he speaketh thus And Jesus being baptized went straightway out of the water and lo the Heavens were opened unto him And then cometh he on with a distinct clause concerning the other And he saw the Spirit of God descending leaving it at the least in an indifferency whether to apply it to Christ or John But secondly it seemeth rather to be understood of John because he saith himself that this descending of the Holy Ghost was given to him for a sign and that he saw it and if it be not to be so taken here none of the three Evangelists have mentioned it in the story at all And thirdly the rather may it be taken of Johns seeing it because he saith He saw him descending and coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon him Had it been said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon himself it must needs have been understood of Christ upon whom the Spirit came that he saw the Spirit coming upon himself but since it i◠upon him without any reciprocation it may be the better applied to John that he saw it It is true indeed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifieth reciprocally himself as our Lexicons do give examples and as it is of force to be taken in Saint Mark in this place like as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes doth not signifie reciprocally as in the LXX in Judg. 7. 24. But why should we take the word out of its commonest and properest sense unless there were necessity to do it which in Matthew there is not though in Mark there be Fourthly and lastly These words he saw being understood of John it maketh that the three Evangelists being laid together the relation ariseth out of them the more full and the story more plain For Luke telling that the Heavens were opened and the Holy Ghost descended Mark addeth that Jesus saw this and Matthew that John Matth. 3. ver 16. The Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 2. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters in the beginning of the old world and so doth it here of the new It is needless to instance how oft in Scripture the Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of God as Gen. 41. 38. Exod. 31. 3. Numb 24. 2. and very many other places but it is most necessary to observe that wheresoever he is so called it is in the Hebrew the Spirit of Elohim in the plural number and sheweth his proceeding from more persons then one Contrary to the opinion of the Greek Church that holdeth that the Holy Ghost proceedeth not from the Father and the Son but from the Father only Luke 3. ver 22. The Holy Ghost As he is called the Spirit not so much in regard of his own nature as in regard of his manner of proceeding so also is he called Holy not so much in respect of his person for the Father and Son are Spirits and are holy as well as he but in regard of his Work and Office which is to sanctifie the Church of God And in this respect he is called by the Hebrews not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Spirit onely but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruahh hakkodesh the Spirit of Holiness for this phrase the Holy Ghost is taken from the common speech of the Jews And so is he called by Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 4. and so doth the Syrian call him Rubba dekudsha in this place §. The Holy Ghost descended This descending of the Holy Ghost was first partly for the sake of John for this token had been given him when he first began to preach and baptize whereby to know Christ when he should come Joh. 1. 33. Secondly Partly for Christ that he might thus receive his Consecration and Institution for the Office that he was now to enter upon the Preaching of the Gospel This was as his anointing to instal him into his Function as Aaaron and his Sons were with material oyl to enter them into theirs as Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me therefore hath he anointed me he hath sent me to Preach the Gospel And Thirdly Partly for the business and matter that was now to go in hand namely Christ beginning to preach accordingly For First The Gospel is the Spiritual Kingdom and Scepter of Christ in and by which he was to rule all Nations for ever and therefore it was agreeable that the Spiritualness of that should be sealed and confirmed by the Holy Spirits shewing himself even in the beginning of it The carnal rites of Moses were now to vanish and his Corporal and Ceremonial observances to be changed into a Spiritual Worship and neither at Jerusalem nor at mount Gerizim nor elsewhere must there be any more adoration with fleshly and earthly Ceremoniousness but he that will worship God must worship him in Spirit as Joh. 4. 21. Therefore it is no wonder if
Captain of our Salvation and such an one is he held out in this story and such an one is he offered to this combate by the Holy Ghost 1. That the work of the Redemption might begin to parallel the fall for both of them were with temptations 2. That Christ from the very first entrance into his function might be looked on as the subject of the promise Gen. 3. 15. That seed of the woman that shoul break the head of the Serpent in the end when he thus bruised him in the beginning 3. That this beginning of his Ministry might vindicate and glorifie his Ministry all along when the Prince of this world had come and found nothing in him And 4. that a greater than Adam in innocency might be acknowledged here for he by temptation had been overcom but this in temptation overcame Other reasons of Christ being tempted referring to men may be given diverse As 1. to shew that even the holiest of men cannot expect to be free from temptations 2. That Christ might teach us how to combate against the temptations of Satan namely with fasting prayer and the Word of God 3. To shew that we are to overcom through him who overcame temptations for us as he overcame death for us 4. For our assurance of help and succour in our trials since our Redeemer was tempted like unto us as Heb. 4. 15. See Aquin. part 3. quest 41. Art 1. Luke IV. ver 1. And Iesus being full of the Holy Ghost For the better understanding of these words there are two things very material to take into consideration The first is what need there was of Christs being now filled with the Holy Ghost when all the fulnese of the Godhead had dwelt in him hitherto And secondly in what the fulness of the Holy Ghost that was in Christ these gifts that were in him did differ from that fulness and from those that were in other men For the first it is to be observed 1. That by the term the Holy Ghost is to be understood the Prophetick gifts wherewithal Christ was filled for the preaching and publishing of the Gospel as the revealing of the will of God and working miracles The expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Holy Ghost is a phrase and manner of speech used by the Jews in their writings and very common and frequent there and from them must the sense of it be explained for from them it is taken and most commonly and constantly used in their sense in the New Testament Now the Jewish Authors do constantly mean by it the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit which he bestowed upon Prophets and Prophetick men enabling them for that employment unto which they were called As if we should go about to multiply examples from them to this purpose we might do it infinitely The Holy Ghost say they was one of the five things that were wanting in the second Temple Massecheth Ioma cap. 1. cited by R. Sol. and Kimchi on Hag. 1. 8. Thou hast shewed that the Holy Ghost dwelleth not on thee to know that I am not drunk Rasi on 1 Sam. 1. 13. The Holy Ghost was gone from Eli therefore prophecy came to Samuel D. Kimch on 1 Sam. 3. 2. The Holy Ghost was born in him from that day and forward and he uttered Psalms and Songs by the Holy Ghost that was born in him for under this general term the Spirit of the Lord is the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of power or strength understood Idem on 1 Sam. 16. 13. The Holy Ghost rested on the false Prophet Idem on 1 King 13. 20. Our Wisemen say before Elias was taken away the Holy Ghost was in Israel when he was taken away the Holy Ghost departed R. Sam. Lanjade on 2 Kings 2. In all which speeches and in divers others which might be produced it is apparent that the Jews by this phrase the Holy Ghost do constantly and continually intend Prophetick gifts wherewith men and women were indued either for the managing of some publique employment to which they were called or for the suiting to some singular and special occasion wherewithal they met And in this sense is the expression most constantly to be taken in the New Testament when it speaketh not of the third person in Trinity it self as Luke 1. 15 41 67. John 7. 3 9. Acts 2. 4. 8. 18. 10. 44. 13. 52. 19. 2. and in very many other places And so is it to be understood here that Christ being now to enter upon the publique Ministery of the Gospel and to act as the great Prophet of his Church and people he is at his baptism anointed and ever after filled with the gifts of the Holy Ghost befitting so great a work and befitting so great a Prophet Now 2. it is to be observed that these Prophetick gifts that the Holy Ghost bestowed upon some particular persons did really and very far differ from the grace of sanctification which he bestoweth upon all his Saints They might indeed sometimes be and very often they were in one and the same person but they were very far from being one and the same thing For 1. Prophetical gifts were sometimes in wicked and prophane men as in Balaam the false Prophet at Bethel Judas c. 2. These were given for the benefit of others rather than for his own that had them but sanctifying grace is given for his benefit chiefly that doth enjoy it 3. They did not make a man any whit the holier towards God but only the more able for some occasions amongst men So that by this expression Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost is not intended any addition of grace or sanctity which he had not before but the collation of Prophetick qualifications at the descent of the Holy Ghost upon him which he had not till then For though by the union of the humane nature to the Godhead that nature did partake of glorious and most excellent perfections arising and resulting from that union yet did it not partake of these gifts or perfections that we have in hand because these were not properly fruits of that union but of a donation And not things conducing to the satisfaction of God in the work of Redemption but to the satisfaction of men in his work of the Ministry The proper fruits of that union were the qualifying of the person of Christ so as that he should be absolutely without sin that he might exactly perform the Law and might be able to satisfie Gods justice and overcom death for these were the proper ends and reasons for which such an union was required but to work miracles to expound difficulties to heal diseases to teach divinity to foretel things to come and the like were not so properly the fruit of that union for even meer men have been enabled to do the same nor did they so directly tend to the most proper end of the incarnation namely the satisfaction of Gods justice
to be the proper reason why the Evangelist useth the preterimperfect tense which Beza could see no reason why he should because he speaketh of Christ which had been with John at Jordan and was but newly gone out of his sight So that the first verse of this Section according to this construction doth properly come in its order in the time between Christs baptizing and his getting into the wilderness and accordingly it might have been laid after the very first verse of the last Section and there have made this series of the Story And immediately after the baptism of Jesus the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness and when he was rapt away and but newly out of sight John bare witness and cried saying This was he of whom I spake but I was unwilling to part that story which lieth so joined and it is timely enough to give notice of the order in this place Now the next story in this Section of the discourse betwixt the messengers of the Jews and John they questioning who he was and what he meant to baptize it was just in the time while Christ was under the last temptation or as he was returning from the high mountain wheresoever it was to Jordan again for the Text telleth expresly that on the next day after this dispute Jesus appeareth at Jordan in the sight of John ver 29. and from thence forward the connexion of the stories following is so clear ver 35. 43. that it needeth no further demonstration Harmony and Explanation Ver. 15. Iohn bare witness of him and cried c. THE Evangelist from the beginning of the Chapter to this place and in it doth purposely go about to shew what declarations and demonstrations were given of Christ both before his coming in the flesh and after what before we shewed in their proper place upon the Chapter to the fourteenth vers what after is shewed in this verse and the next that follows In the fourteenth verse he tells that Christ declared himself to be the only begotten of the Father by conversing among his Disciples full of grace and truth And in this verse he sheweth how John declared and published him to all that came to be baptized and in the next verse how his Disciples received of his fulness c. Now Johns manner of testimony of him he expresseth by these two words He beareth witness and cried words of different tenses as was observed before and of some difference of sense in that diversity The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the present tense is properly to be understood 1. Of Johns whole Ministery Function and Office as vers 7. explaineth it He came for a witness not to be restrained to this or that particular vocal and verbal testimony that John gave of Christ no nor to all the vocal testimonies that he gave of Christ but to be dilated to Johns whole course and ministry that he beareth witness to Christ in that God raised up such a one to be his fore-runner And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the praeter tense is to be applied to the particular testimony that John gave of Christ in that his ministery so that the former word referreth to Johns person and his whole function and the latter only to the manner of his executing of one particular of that function 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may also include Johns martyrdom for the truth by which he beareth witness unto Christ even unto this time as Abel being dead yet speaketh as Heb. 11. 4. And in this sense should I understand those words of this same Evangelist in his first Epistle Chap. 5. vers 6 8. Jesus Christ came by water and blood and the Spirit beareth witness And there are three that bear witness in earth the Spirit and the Water and Blood that is the Spirit of Prophesie Baptism and Martyrdom all three agreeing in one testimony of Christ that he is he The Prophets speaking so jointly of him Baptism bringing in so many unto him and Martyrs sealing unto him with their dearest blood The scores that have prophesied of him the thousands that have suffered death for him and the many thousands that have been baptized into him bearing witness of him on earth as the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost do in heaven §. He that cometh after me is preferred before me We do not find that John had at any time before Christs baptism given any such testimony as these words He had said indeed A mightier than I cometh after me whose shoos I am not worthy to bear and whose shoo latchet I am not worthy to unloose as the other three Evangelists agree in the relating of it but these words He is preferr'd before me for he was before me we heard not of till now Yet is it to be conceived that the Baptist speaketh to the same sense now that he did before as vers 27. sheweth his intention though he have altered his expressions For it is a very common custom of Scripture in alledging of former speeches to give the sense but not to keep exactly to the words And yet it is not without its weight that whereas Johns constant testimony of Christ before his baptism was A mightier than I cometh he should as constantly after his baptism use this He coming after me is preferr'd before me as here and vers 27. 30. Now the reason of this seemeth to be because Christ had now appeared and no mighty work had been yet shewed among the people by him no nor any thing done in their eyes or hearing which might give them occasion to conceive that he was mightier or stronger than John The appearance of the Holy Ghost and the voice from heaven they had neither seen nor heard only his catching away from Jordan at this time it is probable they saw therefore John to clear their apprehensions from any carnal misconstruction of his words explains himself that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A mightier than I they were not so to understand as to look for any present visible demonstration of power or miraculousness from him but that they should take notice that he of whom he spake those words was before him in rank and dignity for he was before him in time and office nature and qualifications though he came after him §. Is preferr'd before me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar Latine hath dangerously translated Ante me factus est he was made before me and accordingly the Arians in ancient time made use of this place in this sense against the eternity of the Son Whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Beza well observeth it in the New Testament doth constantly refer to place and not to time as Mar. 1. 2. Matth. 17. 2. Luke 12. 8. 19. 27 28. and divers other places and therefore our English hath well expressed it with an intimation of such a thing is preferr'd before me For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
these two dates sometimes from his resurrection and sometimes from the destruction of Jerusalem from his resurrection whereby he was declared mightily to be the Son of God Rom. 1. 4. as Luke 22. 18. I will not drink of the fruit of the vine till the Kingdom of God be come meaning not till after his resurrection for then he eat and drank with them Act. 1. 4. Luke 24. 43 44. And from the destruction of Jerusalem Luke 21. 31 32. Matth. 16. 28. because then he triumphed over those that had despised his rule and he transferred his Kingdom to another people Matth. 21. 40 41 43. 2. It signifieth the changed administration of the way and things of Salvation from the Ceremonial and carnal rites which were appointed before to a worship of God in spirit and truth Not but that that spiritual service was inwrapped under those formalities if they could have found it out but that now the change was so apparent and so great that those outsides of Ceremonies were to be laid aside and the internal substance only to be looked after In this sense the Kingdom of Heaven is dated from the beginning of John Baptists Ministery when this change did first begin Luke 16. 16. and that time called the beginning of the Gospel Mark 1. 1. this change is called the regeneration Matth. 19. 28. And new Heavens and new Earth Esay 65. 16. 3. It signifieth the planting of the Gospel and of the spiritual Kingdom of Christ among the Gentiles Matth. 8. 11 12. 21. 43. 4. It signifieth the work of the Gospel grace wrought in the heart or the vertue and vigour of this spiritual Kingdom of Christ there Matth. 6. 33. 13. 46. 15. 3 c. 5. And sometimes it signifies the state of glory Luke 18. 18 24 25. And now to return to that enquiry that we were about concerning the connexion of our Saviours words to the words of Nicodemus and concerning the meaning of the words themselves we shall observe only these three particulars 1. That Nicodemus in his words in the verse before doth own some appearance and glimpse of the Kingdom of God or coming of the Messias in the wondrous miracles that Christ had wrought We shall not much dispute whether when he saith that Christ was a Teacher come from God he means that he was the Messias or that he was Elias his forerunner or that he was some Prophet that was as the dawning to the days of Messias certainly his argument from Christs miracles doth speak him as thinking those days near at hand and the Kingdom of God now beginning to appear Such arguments we find elsewhere producing such a conclusion and by the observing of them we may the better judge of this Nathaniel concludes Christ the King of Israel because he had wonderfully told him of some secret passage of his under a Fig-tree John 1. 49. And the woman of Samaria because he had told her of her secret villany resolves that he must needs be the Messias Joh. 4. 29. So when he had filled the people with five loaves and two fishes they make this undoubted conclusion Of a truth this is the Prophet and they would have crowned him for Messias John 6. 14 15. And our Saviour himself makes this an undeniable argument I by the Spirit of God do cast out Devils ergo No doubt the Kingdom of God is come among you Luke 11. 20. for such wonders cannot be expected but in the days of Messias Such like arguments are those John 7. 31. 9. 16. 11. 47 48. 15. 24. The blasphemous Jews of those times found these so evincing and undeniable evidences toward such a conclusion that they could find no other way to evade the dint of them but by that cursed tergiversation as sensless as it was impious That Christ wrought these wonders by the power of the Devil Luke 11. 15. John 10. 20. And as the blasphemous Jews in times succeeding have sought to evade them by this assertion that when Messias should come he would do no miracles Talm. in Sanhedr per. 10. Maym. in Melachim per. 11 12. 2. But this was Nicodemus his argumentation upon the miracles that he saw done that undoubtedly this could be nothing but a token of the days of the Messias or Kingdom of God now approached and so our Saviour easily reads his meaning and so the alledged like arguments shew that even any of the learned or observing ones of the Nation would readily have construed his words though he spake not so much in those very syllables and therefore it is needless to say that Christ knew it was in his thoughts to enquire about the Kingdom of Heaven it was legible enough in these very words that he acknowledged an undeniable evidence of the Kingdom of Heaven now demonstrated in those wondrous miracles that Christ wrought which reasoning may be heightned by these two circumstances in that miracles had been so long ceased and should now so break forth and that in the times when miracles were wrought none were wrought such as these 3. The connexion therefore of our Saviours words to his upon these considerations is of no difficulty or harshness at all but as direct and proper as was possible For as Nicodemus by these miracles could not but conclude upon the times of the Messias that they were now come so by his Judaical and Pharisaical principles he conceived that those glorious times that they expected under Messias should take the people as they were and they without any inward change of mind or heart at all should be translated into an outward changed condition of happiness and earthly glory as much as they could desire or imagine No saith Christ there is more required of and in him that desires to see and partake of the happiness of that Kingdom and those days he must also suffer a changedness in himself and in his principles and be cast into a new mold and be as if he were born anew And thus may we make out the connexion of this speech of Christ to that of Nicodemus and now there remains to examine the meaning of the speech it self It is not much material as to sense of the thing it self whether to read it Except a man be born again or Except a man be born from above either of the expressions will very well carry the sense our Saviour intendeth in it but to take it in the latter translation from above doth more properly and pertinently speak out the thing that is aimed at It was the great confidence and boasting of the Jews that they were born and descended of the seed of Abraham and upon this score and priviledge they relied so much that they accounted that very thing to estate them exceedingly in a happy condition as to the favour of God and welfare of their spiritual estate It were endless to shew out of Jewish Authors how great matters they speak of accrewing to them 〈◊〉
the time is now come that he that will be taken for a true worshipper must neither worship as the Jews do ceremoneously but in spirit nor as the Samaritans do erroneously but in truth Thus may we very well divide the two words Spirit and truth to serve these two purposes as thus to answer about the worship of either Nation the one whereof worshipped God altogether in external Rites and Ceremonies and the other worshipped they knew not what and they knew not how But generally the word Spirit and truth are taken by Expositors to signifie but one and the same thing and stand in opposition only to the carnal Rites and shadowy types in which their whole Worship in a manner did consist His using of the term Father for God is not so much in reference to the other persons in the Trinity or because the woman was acquainted with that mystery but because the Jews and it is like the Samaritans also used the word very commonly in their prayers and speeches as Our Father which art in Heaven do to us as thou hast promised by the Prophet And Let the prayers and requests of all the House of Israel be accepted before their Father which is in Heaven c. Maym. in Tephilloth Vers. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him c. Here ariseth a question upon the very first reading of the verse the words Spirit and truth being interpreted as is mentioned immediately before and that is why did God so punctually ordain and so long continue a Typical and Ceremonious Worship if those that worship him must worship in spirit and truth Answer That very worship was for this end and purpose that men should learn to worship God in spirit and truth For all these rites and types were but doctrines of the way of Salvation through Christ till Christ came and the very use of them was to this end that out of them men should spel this spiritual and true worship namely to worship God in Christ and to look after his benefits for their salvation which those rites doctrinally held unto them and which lesson the true worshippers or believers did attain unto Vers. 25. I know that Messiah cometh c. he will teach us all things The Samaritans had learned from the Jews to expect Messias and how the Jews expected this to be the time of his coming we have shewed before and it may be the woman speaketh this as meaning that she looked for Messias to come shortly which occasioned Christs answer I am he as taking at her words in that sense Thou sayest Messias will come shortly and resolve all things I tell thee Messias is come already and I am he Now her referring the resolution of this doubt to Messias his coming it sheweth she did not throughly digest and entertain Christs answer to her question although she took upon her to acknowledge him for a Prophet She had no mind the thing should be so as he had resolved and therefore she had no mind to believe it How Christ was expected as the great teacher we shall observe afterward Vers. 29. A man which hath told me all things that ever I did The Disciples having now bought all things that they would have for dinner for it was now dinner time return to the well to their Master and upon their return Christs discourse and the womans is broken off and she slips a way into the City and bids come see a man that hath told me all things that ever I did But Christ did not so for he told her only of one particular or two about her husbands but besides that the word All in Scripture is not always stretched to the utmost extent of its signification he had told her so much that she concludes that he that could tell her that could have told her also all things else such expressions as these in earnest and pathetical narrations are not strange Vers. 35. Say ye not there are yet four months c. The coherence and connexion of this verse with those before which is the first thing to be looked after in it lyeth thus The Disciples had been in the City and bought some meat and when they had set it ready they invite him to dine He answers No he hath other meat to feed upon than they are aware of and that was to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work And what work was that Why the very work that he had been just now about preaching the Gospel and converting a soul and which work he knew was increasing upon him by the coming of the Samaritans to hear him whom either he now saw coming in flocks towards him or knew they would come In these words therefore he answers his Disciples to this purpose You would have me to eat but I have somewhat else to do which is meat to me which is to finish my Fathers work in preaching the Gospel for look you yonder whereas ye say it is four months to harvest see what a Gospel harvest is coming yonder what a multitude of people is yonder coming to hear me ready for the harvest therefore it is not a time to talk of eating of meat that perisheth but to fall to this harvest work which is my meat in doing the will of him that sent me The harvest of the Jews began at the Passover for on the second day of the Passover the Law injoyned them to bring a sheaf of the first fruits of their harvest and wave it before the Lord and from that day they counted seven weeks to Pentecost See Levit. 23. 10. 15. Four months therefore before the Passover which was the fourteenth day of the first month falls to be towards the latter end of our November or thereabout as is easily cast by any This therefore helps to set the clock of the time reasonable well both for the reckoning of what times are past and for the better fixing of the next Passover that is to come As 1. It shews about what time Johns imprisonment befel and how long he preached namely from Passover was twelvemonth to this November a year and a half and a month and some days above for it is like that Christ stayed not long in Judea after Johns imprisoning 2. It shews that Christ had spent some eight months in Judea from the Passover hitherto and had in this time converted abundance of people to his doctrine 3. It will help to clear that the feast of the Jews spoken of in the next Chapter is the next Passover that was to come as we shall observe when we come there In the former part of the words Say ye not There are four months and then cometh harvest He speaketh literally of their harvest of corn but in the latter the fields are already white to harvest he speaketh parabolically or spiritually of the multitudes of people both among Jews and Gentiles that were ready to be reaped and gathered
by any of Sems sons was now past because of the late conquest but only of Aram the youngest who had no chalengers or children in the war of him was Eliezer descended who was Abrahams chief servant and whereas the title by Sems resignation was to descend to Abram and his heirs Eleazer was like to be next if Abram had no child of his own When this jealousie somewhat troubleth Abram God removeth it by the promise of a Son of his own Loyns and by a Covenant with sacrifice even of all manner of creatures that were to be sacrificed CHAP. XVI Abram assured of a son of his own body but not whether by Sarah or not taketh Hagar to compass the promise she wearied out by Sarai's strictness is travailing to her own Country Aegypt and by the way hath a vision of the Angel of the Covenant which was strange to her to have visions out of Abrams house therefore she called the Name of the Lord that spake unto her Thou art the God of vision for she said Did I here also look after a vision in a place so far distant from Abrams family And the well also where he spake unto her was called The well of the lively one of vision CHAP. XVII Circumcision instituted in Hebron and about the time of Easter the place and time of the year where and when the Baptist was born who was to bring in Baptism instead of Circumcision Abram and Sarah upon Circumcision saith Rabbi Menahem were as new creatures and therefore also must they have new names CHAP. XVIII The three Persons in the Trinity in the shape of three men appear to Abraham and dine with him and eat the First flesh that is mentioned eaten in all the Scripture Abraham beggeth for Sodom till he thought he had been gotten within the compass of righteous ones in Lots family and then he ceaseth CHAP. XIX The Son and the Holy Ghost come into Sodome to destroy it and now they are called Angels because they were sent by the Father Lots wife is struck dead with lightning and stiffened and fixed in the place where she stood and of a salt and brackish smell and therefore called a pillar of salt Sodom destroyed by a strange fire and the memorial of so great a Judgment preserved to this day by as strange a water Jordan before that time had an issue further but from that time it pleased God to stop it and to lay that valley up on a fatal pool Lot had two Daughters at the least that perished in the fire and brimstone as well as he had two that escaped It is observable how soon after the institution of Circumcision those Cities came to destruction which so hideously abused that member wherein the Covenant for the land was sealed CHAP. XX. XXI Abraham flitteth into the Land of the Philistims that Isaac might be born out of the Land of Canaan properly so called for the greater mystery to his birth God himself cometh in visible form as chap. 18. Sarah hath once a greater measure of the Spirit of Prophesie than Abraham namely in the matter of casting out the bond woman and her son There is good probability of Ismaels salvation Abraham consecrateth a grove at Beersheba that he might have hallowed wood for his sacrificing fires as well as holy fire for his sacrifices CHAP. XXII Abraham passed through ten temptations and the sacrificing of his son the last and greatest CHAP. XXIII When Rebeceahs son is risen in the last Chapter Sarah sets in this The first foot of Land and all the Land that Abraham hath in Canaan in possession is only a place of burial God by this very thing drawing him and his to look after the spiritual part of the promise CHAP. XXV At what time Abraham married Keturah is uncertain the Text hath laid it after Isaacs marriage because it was fit that all the actions of Abraham which any whit concerned the promise should be handled first and together before the other which either did not at all or did it the less But that Abraham was married to this woman long before Isaacs marriage or Sarahs death is probable upon these conjectures 1. He that held it strange to have a son at an hundred years old it is not like he would marry at an hundred and forty 2. In chap. 24. 36. when the servant is to make the match for Isaac he saith that Abraham had given all his estate to Isaac which had been unnecessary to mention had he had no more children but Ismael who was gone from his house long before Abrahams disposing of his sons into the East Countries or Arabia was not upon usurpation but upon just claim by conquest chap. 14. All these Countries were of the Land of Canaan and of the promise and therefore are circumcised ones seated in them instead of Canaanites When the Text hath recited these sons of Abraham and their settlement it bringeth him and Ismael to their graves Not that they died before the birth of Jacob and Esau as the Text hath laid it for Abraham lived till they were fifteen years old and Ismael till they were at their climacterical year of sixty three but now hath Moses no more to say of them and therefore he concludeth their story at once Esau born all hairy over like a Kid but of a reddish colour and therefore they called him Esau Factus made and perfected already as having both his beard and pubes as soon as he was born In a sore year of famine in the Land Esau selleth his birth-right for want of meat CHAP. XXVI The famine that had caused him to part with his birth-right causeth Isaac his father to part out of the Land of Canaan The Philistims Africans by descent Gen. 10. 14. and tawny like them do soon espy the beauty of Rebeccah a white woman CHAP. XXVII Isaac being arrived at the age of one hundred and thirty seven years at what age Ismael his brother had died by his example beginneth to think of his own death and to dispose himself for that He sendeth Esau to hunt for venison for a trial whether he should bless him or no for missing of venison before he had lost his birth-right and if he miss to day as he did then it would be a sure sign that he must lose the blessing And so though Isaac had passed away the main blessing at unawars yet when Esau cometh home sped of a prey he seeth that it was the will of God he should have some blessing and so blessed him also Esaus garments in which Jacob obtained the blessing were the garments of the Priesthood which belonged to the first born CHAP. XXIX XXX Jacob stronger than three men and rolleth away the stone from the wells mouth alone which they could not do with all their strength united he is deceived by Laban by a suborned person and imbraced Leah thinking he had imbraced Rahel as he deceived his father by a suborned person
is so little The Chaldee writes the name of God with two Jods above and a Vowel under thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From hence some have picked an expression of the Trinity In the two letters the Father and the Son and in the vowel the Holy Ghost proceeding from both And from the aequidistance of the Letters and Vowel they gather the distinction of the Persons and by the nearests of all the unity of Essence Such another conceit hath Bonfinius in his Hungarian History When the Heresie of Arrius saith he had got head almost over all the world and was dilated as well by persecution as by disputation a Town in Gaul was besieged because it held the Orthodox Faith of the Sons coequality with the Father God to confirm this their faith shewed this Miracle As the Priest was at high Mass at the Altar behold three drops of bloud fell from Heaven upon the Altar lying a while in an equal distance one from another to shew the distinction of the three Persons at last in sight of all the People they met together to shew the Unity of Essence so the story But we have a more sure word of Prophecy That there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Spirit and these three are one The Chaldee sometimes useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dehhila and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dahhalah fear or terrour for God because of the fear that is due to him So Jacob coming from Syria and being to swear to a Syrian swears according to the Syrian or Chaldee Phrase By the fear of his father Isaac Gen. 31. 53. or by the God that Isaac feared as Onkelos and Jonathan render it CHAP. III. Of the Phrase The Sons of God Gen. 6. and Iob 1. ALL take this Phrase in Job to mean the Angels and truly in which sense while they have taken it in the sixth of Genesis they spoil all For hence they think that Angels lay with Women and begat Children So can Jarchi almost find in his heart to think and so Tertullian Lactantius and others Some tell what evil Arts. these Angels taught Women and how they begat mighty Children of them How far this conceit is from true Philosophy let Aristotle censure Merlin in Geffry Monmouth is recorded to be such another hatch believe it who list His vein of Prophecying can make Alanus de Insulis think it is so but I must needs confess it comes not into my Creed As some conceit that the fallen Angels or Devils here begat Children of Women so the Jews most wickedly fable that Adam begat Children of Devils Those hundred and thirty years say they that Adam was separated from Eve Devils came to him and he engendered with them and begat Devils and Spirits and Friends And again Four women are the mothers of Shedhim or Devils Lilith Naamah Ogereth and Mahlath I believe both these alike for I believe that neither is likely Both the Chaldees Onkelos and Jonathan render the sons of Elohim the sons of the Potentates or Judges taking the word Elohim in the same sense that it is taken in the middlemost verse of the book of Exodus cap. 22. 28. Thou shalt not curse Elohim or the Judges This opinion is far better than the former but Christians have a better than this That the House and Progeny of holy Seth are the Sons of God or the Church and the brood of Cains females were the Daughters of Men. Cypriano di valera in his Spanish Translation of Gen. 4. and the last verse translates it thus Entonces commenciaron llamarse Then begun men to be called by the name of God or by the name of the Lord And in the Margin he explains himself thus that then the Men of Seths House began to be a Publick Church and to be distinguished from Cains Family and to be called the sons of God Gen. 6. 2. CHAP. IV. Of the Phrase Sons of Man THis Phrase is frequent in Scripture and Rabbin Hebrew but most frequent in Chaldee and Syrian Bene Anasha Bar nosho In the latter of which the Syrian usually writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but leaveth out the first letter as that tongue doth frequently in other words use the like ecclipsis writing not as they read as it is said of the French Ezekiel in his Prophecy in Scripture Hebrew is frequently called son of man Why so often he and no other Prophet should be so stiled reasons are given by divers To me though far inferiour to all them the ground work seemeth to be because his Prophecy was written in Chaldean Captivity he useth the Chaldean Phrase Son of man that is O man The same Phrase Daniel useth in Chaldea Dan. 10. 16. CHAP. V. Of Japhets Plantation by his son Javan JAvan is generally held to be Greece And the Greek Tongue is by all Hebrews called the speech of Javan The Arabians do so stile the same language The Syrian in Romans the first Chapter verse 16. calls the Graecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon what reason I cannot imagine Javan the son of Japhet is held to have planted or peopled this Country in memory of whose name the Jones are famous Monuments Moses saith he had four sons Elisha Tarshish Cittim and Dodonim which it is likely planted all the Country of Greece as far as into Italy Elisha and Dodonim dwelt at first near together and so did Tarshish and Cittim but their Posterity scattered far and near The Jerusalem and Babilon Targums do almost resolve us of these four Mens Plantations For Jonathan reads the fourth verse of the tenth of Genesis thus And the sons of Javan Elisha Elis Tarsus Acacia and Dardania Jeruselamy thus And the sons of Javan Elisha and the names of their Provinces Alastarasom and Dodonia Which last word Alastarasom I take to be mistaken by joyning two words together and missing the last letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mem for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samech which is easily done they be so like The word Alastarasom should without doubt be Alas or Elis Tarsus Elis frequent in all Authors Eilision in Homer in Baeot. Elensine in Plutarch in Theseo are places in Greece bearing the name of their old Planter Elisha Dodonim is registred in the name of old Dodona Tarshish left a memorial of himself in Cilicia in the City of Tarsus Which was as Pliny saith urbs libera a free City nat hist. lib. 5. and Saint Paul is free of that City Act. 22. Tarshish in Gen. 10. is the name of a man in Jonah 1. 3. in Chald. Paraphrase it is used for the Sea In Exod. 28. for a * * * The Pearl Tarshish in Ex. 28. 20. is rendred in English a Beryl in the Chalde Translations it is kâ—rmum iamma a Pearl of the Sâ—a Pliny speaks of kâ—ramides a Pearl near that name Terus Targum thinks Tarshish was Ashers stone but Jonathan that it was Zebulons And more likely
them 243 619 Sixth hour was twelve a Clock or high-noon the Jews used to pray evening morning and at noon so did the Apostles after Converts to the Gospel 844 Slaughter at one time five hundred thousand the greatest ever recorded in History 78 So how used 593 Marg. Sodomites besides the Men of Sodom 80 Solomon was but twelve years old when he made choice of Wisdom above all p. 73 125. He exceeded all Kings upon Earth in Wisdom Power Peace and Magnificence 47 Songs and Musick what was used on the Sabbath and at other times 923 924 Son variously used Page 659 Son of God in Scripture only applicable to Christ In the plural number it belongs to Saints p. 504. Christ called the Son of God 535 Sons of God in Gen. 6. and Job 1. what 995 Son of Man Christ so called often but only by himself to shew his humanity and his being the second Adam p. 471 491 537. Others called by that Name why p. 537. A Title given to Christ what p. 678. As opposed to the Son of David what p. 679. Son of Man is a Chaldean Phrase 996 Sosipater in all probability was Sopater of Berea 315 Souldiers their Duties 462 Space the utmost space within the great Wall was commonly called the first Temple 1089. * Spirit of God is often used in the Scriptures for the Holy Ghost but ever in the Hebrew the Spirit of Elohim plural to shew his descent from the Father and the Son against the Greek Church 482 Spirit being born of it what p. 571 573. In Scripture it is compared to Fire and Water the reasons 600 Spirits seven Spirits put for the Holy Ghost a common speech among the Jews 341 Standing was the posture of the Jewish people when they heard their Teachers 241 Star what it was the Wisemen saw where it was they saw it and how upon the sight of it they could conclude that it related to a King of the Jews 437 438 Stationary Men were Israelites that did attend the Temple Offerings and Service these stood to be a representative Congregation c. 924 925 Stephen his accusation before the Sanhedrim The Heads of his Vindication 279 280 Stile of the Jews much followed in the New Testament 213 214 Stocks in the House of the Lord what and of what use 2017. * Stoned what Criminals were to be stoned with the manner of it 282 Stoning a Capital punishment how used among the Jews 2007. * Strangers which was that part of the Temple into which strangers might not come 1089. * Strangled things about not eating them what 293 Strangling a Capital punishment among the Jews how performed 2006. * Stripes whipping or Scourging upon the censure of the Judges and the receiving forty or thirty nine stripes what 901 Study Ministers were to be fitted for their Ministry by Study so were the Priests and Levites accomplished Prophets and inspired Men were only occasional Teachers but those the constant for Prophesie was but sometimes and now and then long wanting as under the second Temple and the People could only be taught by Learned Men because then the Scriptures were in an unknown Tongue to the common people 357 Sufferings sometimes called Baptism 250 Sun and Moon being darkned signifies the Eclipsing the Glory and Prosperity of a Kingdom or a People 344 Sunsetting began and ended the day among the Jews 642 643 Suppers of Christ several p. 258. The Supper in which Satan entred into Judas was two days before the Passover day came 258 260 Shushan the Palace portraied on the East Gate and why 1052. * Swearing by the Temple the custom of the Jews 256 Swine hated by the Jews loved by the Romans 231 Sychar and Sichem the same p. 593 597. Sychar the reason of the name 597 Sycophants were at the first good Officers but afterwards the Term became a reproach 449. Marg. Synagogue in every great Town the Jews had a Synagogue and a Divinity School p. 299. In the Synagogue were had Prayers Reading and plain Sermons in the Divinity School were the high Dogmatical and Controversal Points about their Law p. 299. Every Synagogue had Civil as well as Sacred Governors and Rulers who Judged and Sentenced in Worldly Matters and that both within and without Judea p. 302. So that the Jews were generally judged by their own Magistrates p. 302. Episcopus an Overseer is a Synagogue Officers Term so are most of his Qualifications fetched thence mentioned in the 1 Tim. p. 308. There were four hundred and sixty Synagogues others say more in Jerusalem p. 363. The Land was full of Synagogues which were frequented every Sabbath day and the second and fifth Days of the Week p. 370. The Antiquity and Divine Institution of Synagogues p. 608 to 613. High Places were Synagogues p. 608. It s the Idolatry rather than the Places rebuked in Scripture p. 609. There were very many Synagogues Page 610 Synagogue Days or Times of meeting there were three every week viz. the second and the fifth Days of the week as well as the Sabbath besides Holy Days 291 610 611 Synagogue Officers how they sat in their Synagogues 611 Syria exceeding numerously inhabited by the Jews and in divers things privileged with Canaan some question whether after Davids conquest of it it was not a part of Canaan p. 219. From thence had Israel their greatest afflictions p. 425. It comprehended all the Country of the Jews both within and without Jordan by which we see the Heathens as well as the Jews came to Christ. 645 646 Syrian Language was the common speech of the Jews 419 T. TAbernacle its Form Idea Representation Dimensions Silver Foundation Walls and Juncture p. 716 717. The Curtains of it p. 718 719. Of the most Holy place p. 719. The Table of Shew-bread c. p. 720. The Motions and Stations of the Ark and Tabernacle p. 2060. 2062. * High places were lawful till the Tabernacle was set up in Shilo p. 2060. * How long it abode there p. 2060. * The removal of it from Shilo to Nob thence to Gibeon was by divine Warrant Page 2061. * Tabernacles The Feast thereof p. 243. Feast of Tabernacles the Nature Occasion and Reason of its Institution p. 477. The manner of the Celebration thereof p. 974 to 979. There was more rejoycing in this Feast than any other p. 974 c. The variety of Sacrifices then used 974 975. The Palm and Willow Branches p. 975 976. The Pomeâ—iteron Apples p. 976. The pouring out of Water with their Rejoycing and Rubrick of every days Service 977 to 979 Tables the two Tables the Golden and the Marble in the Porch described p. 1078. * The Shewbread Table with the manner of placing the Loaves upon it 1082. * Talmud of Jerusalem was compiled by R. Jochanan President of the Sanhedrim about A. C. 230. p. 369. The Talmud hath two parts the Mishneh and Gemera it is the Jews Council of Trent it s the sum of their Doctors
of Christ but a conjectural reason of the sudden and unexpected return of Peter I believe that Peter was going with Cleophas into Galilee and that being moved with the words of Christ told him by the women Say to his Disciples and Peter I go before you into Galilee Think with your self how doubtful Peter was and how he fluctuated within himself after his threefold denial and how he gasped to see the Lord again if he were risen and to cast himself an humble supplicant at his feet When therefore he heard these things from the women and he had heard it indeed from Christ himself while he was yet alive that when he arose he would go before them into Galilee and when the rest were very little moved with the report of his Resurrection nor as yet stirred from that place he will try a journy into Galilee and Alpheus with him Which when it was well known to the rest and saw him return so soon and so unexpectedly Certainly say they the Lord is risen and hath appeared to Peter otherwise he had not so soon come back again And yet when he and Cleopas open the whole matter they do not yet believe even them VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To every creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To every Creature a manner of speech most common among the Jews by which I. Are denoted all men f f f f f f Bab. Chetub fol. 17. 1. The wise Men say Let the mind of man always be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mingled or complacent to the creatures The Gloss there is To do with every man according to complacency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g g g g Midr. Till in Psal. CXXXV He makes the Holy Spirit to dwell upon the creatures that is Upon men h h h h h h Maimon in Sanhedr cap. 2. In every Judge in the Bench of three is required Prudence Mercy Religion hatred of mony Love of truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and love of the creatures that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The love of mankind II. But especially by that phrase the Gentiles are understood R. Jose i i i i i i Bab. Chagig fol. 12. 2. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wo to the Creatures which see and know not what they see which stand and know not upon what they stand namely upon what the earth stands c. He understands the Heathens especially who were not instructed concerning the creation of things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Beresh Rabba §. 13. The speech of all the Creatures that is of the Heathens is only of earthly things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all the prayers of the Creatures are for earthly things Lord let the Earth be fruitful let the Earth prosper But all the prayers of Israelites are only for the holy place Lord let the Temple be built c. Observe how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Creatures are opposed to Israelites And the parallel words of Matthew Chap. XXVIII do sufficiently prove this to be the sense of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every creature in this place that which in Mark is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preach to every creature in that place in Matthew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciple all Nations as those words also of S. Paul Coloss. I. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gospel that was preached in all the creation In the same sense you must of necessity understand the same phrase Rom. VIII 22. Where if you take the whole passage concerning the Gentiles breathing after the Evangelical liberty of the Sons of God you render the sense very easie and very agreeable to the mind of the Apostle and to the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Creature or Creation When they who render it otherwise dash upon I know not what rough and knoâ—ty sense Let me although t is out of my road thus paraphrase the whole place Vers. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For the earnest expectation of the Creature or of the Heathen World waiteth for the revelation of the Sons of God For God had promised and had very often pronounced by his Prophets that he would gather together and adopt to himself innumerable sons among the Gentiles Therefore the whole Gentile World doth now greedily expect the revelation and production of those sons Vers. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For the Creature the whole Heathen World was subjected to the vanity of their mind as Rom. I. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Became vain in their imaginations And Eph. I. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind not willingly but because of him that subjected it Vers. 21. Under hope because the Creature also or that Heathen World shall be freed from the servie of sinful corruption which is in the World through lust 2 Pet. I. 4. into the Gospel liberty of the Sons of God From the service of Satan of Idols and of Lusts into the liberty which the sons of God enjoy through the Gospel Vers. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For we know that the whole Creature or Heathen World groneth together and travaileth and as it were with a convex weight howeth down unto this very time to be born and brought forth Vers. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Neither the Gentiles only but we Jews also however we belong to a Nation envious of the Heathen to whom God hath granted the first fruits of the Spirit we sigh among our selves for their sakes waiting for the adoption that is the redemption of our Mystical body whereof the Gentiles make a very great part FINIS JEWISH AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS UPON THE Evangelist St. LUKE To which are premised some CHOROGRAPHICAL NOTES UPON THE Places mentioned in this EVANGELIST By JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. late Master of Katharine-Hall in the University of CAMBRIDGE LONDON Printed by William Rawlins for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXIV TO THE MOST REVEREND Father in CHRIST GILBERT BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY PRIMATE of all ENGLAND c. May it please your Grace HAVING at length finished in such a manner as it is this undertaking of mine upon the four Evangelists Religion Gratitude and Duty require it from me to commemorate and recognize the infinite mercy of God toward me in bringing me thus far continuing my life preserving to me that strength of Eye-sight vigor both of body and mind to and in so great a degree of old age To all which the same Divine mercy hath added this great benefit that it hath indulged me your Grace's Compassion Favour and Patronage This hath not a little sweetned all the rest securing to me so much leisure for Books tranquility in my Studies the settlement of my Family and an easie condition of life Without this my mind
had any ill design when they thus mangled this famous clause but surely there is at least some ground of suspition that they hardly referr the words to the right object R. Solomon assuredly doth not For so it ought to be said saith he to those that bring their first-fruits and go up to the Feasts 1. To come is oftentimes the same with them as to teach g g g g g g Joh. V. â—â— If any one shall come in his own name him ye will receive i. e. If any one shall teach And so it is frequently in the Jerusalem Talmud concerning this or the other Rabbin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he came and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he cometh Which if it be not to be understood of such an one teaching I confess I am am at a loss what it should mean else 2. Those Doctors did not come and teach in the name of the Lord but either in their own name or in the name of the traditions of some Father Hence nothing more familiar with them than R. N. in the name of R. N. saith as every leaf I may say almost every line of their writings witness If therefore by cutting short this clause they would be appropriating to themselves the blessing of the people whom they had taught to say Blessed be he that cometh letting that slip or omitting what follows in the name of the Lord they do indeed like themselves cunningly lying at catch and hunting after â—ame and vain-glory Let the Reader judge whether Christ might not look this way in these words However I shall not scruple to determine that they shall never see the Messiah as to any advantage to themselves till they have renounced the Doctrines of coming in their own name or in the name of the Traditions of their Fathers embracing his Doctrine who is come in the name of the Lord. Which whether they shall ever do or no let him determine who can determine whether that Nation shall ever be converted CHAP. XIV VERS 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To eat bread on the Sabbath day THE Jews tables were generally better spread on that day than on any others and that as they themselves reckoned upon the account of Religion and Piety I have spoken to this elsewhere take here a demonstration a a a a a a Schabb. fol. 119. 1. Rabba bar Rabh Honna went to the house of Rabba bar Rabh Nachman He set before him three measures of rich cake to whom he how did you know of my coming the other answered is there any thing more valuable to us than the Sabbath The Gloss is we do by no means preferr thee before the Sabbath We got these things ready in honour of the Sabbath not knowing any thing of thy coming Rabh Abba bought flesh of thirteen Butchers for thirteen staters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and paid them at the very hinge of the door The Gloss tells us That he bought of thirteen Butchers that he might be sure to taste the best and before they could come that should bring the flesh he had gotten his money ready for them and paid them at the very gate that he might hasten dinner and all this in honour of the Sabbath day R. Abhu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sate upon an Ivory throne and yet blew the fire That was toward the cooking of his dinner in honour of the Sabbath It ought not to be passed by without observation that Christ was at such a dinner and that in the house of a Pharisee who doubtless was observant enough of all Ceremonies of this kind VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is lawful to heal on the Sabbath day A Jew will be ready to cavil against the truth of the Evangelists upon the occasion of this and such like questions they report from our Saviour What need had he will such an one say to ask this question when he could not but know that in danger of life it was permitted them to do any thing toward the preservation of it Nay where there was no imminent danger they were allowed to apply Medicines Plasters c. especially which I must not omit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to apply leven even in the time of Passover to a Gumretha b b b b b b Hieros Schabb. fol. 14. 4. Avodah Zarab fol. 40. 4. some very burning distemper This is all true indeed and this no doubt our Saviour understood well enough but withal he could not but observe with how ill an eye they lookt at him and would not allow that in him which was lawful in another man He was always accused for healing on the Sabbath day which whiles he did it with a word speaking he could not violate so much as even their own Canons permitted him And wherefore then should they accuse him In mere hatred to his person and actions There are two little stories we meet with in places quoted before which perhaps may serve in some measure to illustrate this matter The Grandchild of R. Joshua ben Levi had some disease in his throat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There came one and mumbled to him in the name of Jesus the Son of Pandira and he was restored Here we see the vertue and operation of Jesus not so utterly exploded but they did allow of it When R. Eliezer ben Damah had been bitten with a Serpent and Jacobus Capharsamensis came in the name of Jesus the Son of Pandirah to heal him R. Ismael forbad it And so the sick man died VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which of you shall have an Ass or an Ox fallen into a pit c. IT being an undoubted maxim That they must deal mercifully with an Israelite's goods The Doctors in many things dispensed with the Sabbath for the preservation of a Beast c c c c c c Schab cap. 18. hal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do not play the midwives with a Beast that is bringing forth its young on a Feast-day but they help it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How do they help it They bear up the young one that it doth not fall upon the ground They bring wine and spirit it into the nostrils they rub the paunch of the damme so that it will suckle its young d d d d d d Bezah fol. 46. 1. A firstling if it fall into a ditch on a Feast-day or the Sabbath let the Mumcheh look into it and if there be any blemish in it let him take it out and kill it if not let him not kill it He draws it out however that it might not be lost And so they deal with other Beasts only the Mumcheh or he that is to try them for their blemishes is not made use of VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sit thou not down in the highest room THEY were ambitious of the highest room in honour of their wisdom e e
〈◊〉 declare that he understood all these things from Heaven and from above We have taken it in this last sense in our notes upon that place as being beyond all controversie that he was divinely inspir'd and the Spirit from above govern'd his pen while he was writing those things But whether it might not mean according to the second sense for the first we wholly disallow viz. that St. Luke was amongst those who adhered to our Saviour Christ from his very first preaching of the Gospel I leave it to the enquiry of the Reader to determine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Of all that Iesus began to do c. I am sensible that in the common dialect to begin to do and to do is one and the same thing But I suppose the phrase in this place is to be taken relatively q. d. In the former treatise I discours'd of all those things which Jesus himself began to do and to teach In this I am to give a relation of those things which were continu'd by his Apostles after him VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Through the Holy Ghost EXpositors place these words differently The Syriack one of the Arabick Copies Beza and the Italian place them next after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he had chosen that the sense according to them is after that he had given Commandment to the Apostles whom he had chosen through the Holy Ghost But the other Arabick as also the Vulgar the French and English translations retain the same order of the words as we find them in the Greek Text most rightly rendring it after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandment Which also of old had been done by God to the Prophets dictating to them by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit what they should Teach and Preach The Apostles had indeed cast out Devils and heal'd diseases through the Spirit but it is a question whether they had as yet taught any thing but what they had heard verbatim from the mouth of their great Master He had given them a promise that they should bind and loose the Law of Moses he had told them that there were several things yet behind that must be revealed to them which as yet they could not bear concerning which they should be further instructed by the inspiration of the Spirit When therefore he had risen and breath'd in their face saying receive ye the Holy Ghost from that time they were endu'd with the Spirit as the Prophets of old who dictated to them what they should preach what they should require and what they should ordain And now nothing was wanting but the gift of Tongues that what was dictated to them they might declare and make known to all men in their own Languages VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being seen of them forty days a a a a a a Sanhedr fol. 43. 1. IT is a tradition On the evening of the Passover they hang'd Jesus And a cryer went before him for forty days saying Behold the man condemn'd to be stoned because by the help of Magick he hath deceiv'd and drawn away Israel into an Apostasie Who ever hath any thing to alledge in testimony of his innocency let him come forth and bear witness But they found none that would be a witness in his behalf But he himself O thou Tongue fit to be cut out gives a sufficient testimony of his own innocence having for the space of forty days conversed amongst men after his Resurrection from death under the power of which he could not be kept by reason of his innocence b b b b b b Ibid. fol. 99. 1 It is a tradition R. Eliezer saith The days of the Messiah are forty years according as it is said Forty years 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall I be grieved with this generation The Gloss is Because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the future tense it is a sign the Prophesie is concerning the time to come It is ingenuously done however of these Jews that they parallel that faithless generation that were in the days of the Messiah with that perverse and rebellious generation that had been in the wilderness For they will both of them prove a lothing and offence to God for the space of forty years And as those forty years in the wilderness were numbered according to the forty days in which the Land had been searching Numb XIV 34. So also may those forty years of the Messiah be numbered according to the forty days wherein he was conversant amongst mankind after his Resurrection from â—he dead But you must compute warily lest you stumble at the threshold about the year of Tiberius wherein Christ rose again or at the close about the year of Vespasian wherein Jerusalem was taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Josephus c c c c c c De ex id lib. 6. cap 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jerusalem was taken in the second year of Vespasian's reign When indeed according to the Fasti Consulares it was taken in his first year but his second year from the time wherein he had been declared Emperor by the Army He is saluted Emperor by the Army in Egypt at the very Calends of July and the fifth of the Ides of July in Judaea So that his first year from the time of his being declared Emperor was compleat on the Calends of July the year following but indeed it was but half his first year according to the computation of the Fasti Now Jerusalem was sackt on the eighth of September following VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And being assembled together with them commanded them c. WE will make some enquiry both as to the place and time wherein these things were spoken and doâ—e I. We derive the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salt but from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Assembly or Congregation So the Lexicons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Congregation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Assembly d d d d d d Herodot Polymn cap. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When thou shalt give notice to the Persians to gather their forces together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrus having gathered together his fathers flocks and herds of Goats and Sheep and Oxen sacrificed them c. e e e e e e Id. Clio cap. 126. II. Our Saviour after his Resurrection never appeared amongst his Disciples but by surprize and unexpectedly excepting that one time in the Mountain of Galilee where he had appointed to meet with them Matth. XXVIII 16. So that I would refer these words therefore to that passage in Saint Matthew so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify his meeting with them in the Mountain of Galilee according to the appointment he had made Nor do those words hinder that it is said he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem c. as if
and Revelation in the knowledge of him And God gives this Spirit but in what sence Not to foresee things to come not to understand the Grammatical construction of Scripture without study not to preach by the Spirit but the Apostle explains himself vers 18. The eyes of their understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints So that the Revelation given to the Saints is this that God reveals the experience of those things that we have learned before in the Theory from Scripture a saving feeling of the hope of his calling and the riches of the glory of his inheritance Here let me speak three things 1. To feel the experience of Grace is not by new Light that was never known before but by application of what was known before As the Queen of Sheba first heard of the Fame of Solomon then found by experience Compare we our knowledge of Spiritual things to a Banquet to your Feast this day A man before Grace sees the banquet God hath provided for his people hath by the word learned the nature and definition of Faith Repentance Holiness Love of God and Love to God but as yet he does but see the banquet when Grace comes then he sees and tastes these things in experience and sence in his own Soul He had a light before from the Word now it is brought so near his heart that he feels warmness he feels life and sence and operation of these things is as it were changed into these things as in II Cor. III. 18. We with open face beholding as in a glâ—ss the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory Now this is noâ— the Spirit of Revelation in that sence that these take it in but t is so called because it is by a light and operation above natural light and operation As common grace is called grace because 't is above the ordinary working of nature so this is called revelation because above the work of common light 2. How do men come to assurance of pardon and salvation Not by the Spirit of revelation in their sence not by any immediate whispers from Heaven but another way As in Rom. XV. 4. Through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we have hope In Scripture is your comfort and in your own conscience and in them is your assurance A Saint makes this holy Syllogism Scripture Major He that repents believes loves God hath the pardon of his sins Conscience Minor Lord I believe Lord I love thee Saint from both makes the Conclusion Therefore I am assured of the pardon of my sins and my Salvation Thus Christ would bring S. Peter to assurance of his Estate after his denial by this trial Lovest thou me Not by any revelation that Christ loved him but it was assurance enough if he loved Christ. And here by the way let me speak one word for trial whether we have the Spirit of Sanctification that we be not deceived in the rest Never believe you have the Spirit of Sanctification unless your heart be changed to love God Among many signs this is the most sensible and undoubted I say unless the heart be changed and changed to love God Change of heart is the mother habit of all Graces God speaks enough in Ezek. XXXVI 26. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you In that question about perseverance and loss of grace as in the case of David Peter c. we say That the Act may be suspended and lost for the present but the Habit not Now by habit we mean not the particular seed of this or that Grace but the change of the Heart the materia prima of all Graces That is never unchanged back again the stone is taken away The heart indeed may freez into ice as Davids and Peters but never turn into stone again I say further To love God A man may feel some kind of change of heart in common grace Common grace is Gods ordinary way for working Saving grace his keys Illumination stirring of Conscience fear of Hell some kind of Grief Now though these go not so far as to come to saving grace yet saving grace comes not but by the inlet of these And here many are deceived if they have some such stirrings within them if startled pricked have some sorrow for sin though all from the Spirit of bondage yet think they have repentance godly sorrow enough And here were an insuperable difficulty of discerning a mans estate whether yet under common grace only but that this resolves it If I Love God Peters startling of Conscience grief tears were good signs but never sure signs had not this seasoned all Lord I Love thee So that a mans assurance of his happy estate is not by any Spirit of Revelation but of Sanctification not from Inspiration but from the work and testimony of a good Conscience the Spirit of God in grace bearing witness to our Spirits 3. I may add A Saint in Heaven finds nothing but what he knew before in little what he tasted before in little but then is filled As he hath heard so now he seeth in the City of God hath heard of the Beatifical Vision of partaking of God of Eternity now he enjoys it not by any new Revelation of the Spirit but by blessed experience So that the dearest Saint of God hath no further promise of Revelation then in this sence III. There is no promise in Scripture whereupon the Spirit of Revelation is to be expected after the fall of Jerusalem It is a delusion by which the men we speak of deceive themselves and others when they think and assert that what promises are made of Revelation or of great light are to be applied to these times How have these places been as it were worn thread-bare by them for this purpose Esay LIV. 13. All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and Jer. XXXI 33 34. And this is the Covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts c. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me c. and others as if they had been directly aimed for these very times and as if directly for England whereas I say again there is no promise upon which the Spirit of Revelation is to be expected after the fall of Jerusalem This assertion is more important and proveable than seems at first sight I limit Prophesie to expire at the fall of Jerusalem Whosoever saith not so will not know where to limit it and what that age was wherein it was extinguished And if no limit than how great is the danger we are in who live in these times when so many of contrary minds pretend to Prophesie and then
distinction is taught by phrases that speak both parties viz. them that profess and them that do not and sometimes by a single word that speaks them that profess only I will mention these few 1. 1 Cor. VII 12 13. But to the rest speak I not the Lord. If any brother hath a wife that believeth not and she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away And the woman which hath an husband which believeth not and if he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him Brother in opposition to unbeliever The Apostle here starts the point of Christians married with infidels whether they should divorse because of Religion and what rank their Children were in To the rest speak I not the Lord. He spake not without the Lord but he means that there was not a Text for this case in the Law See vers 10. And unto the married I command yet not I but the Lord. Let not the wife depart from her husband And see Chap. IX 8. Say I these things as a man or saith not the Law the same also If any brother i. e. Christian. See 1 Cor. V. 11. If any man that is called a brother be a Fornicator or Covetous c. whereby Brother is plainly meant a Christian. A wife that believeth not viz. a Pagan And so along The same case is handled 2 Cor. VI. 15. What concord hath Christ with Belial and what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel There Believer and Infidel are opposed Believer here is as large as professor in opposition to Jew or Pagan 2. Those Phrases Within and Without 1 Cor. V. 12. What have I to do to judge them that are without do not ye judge them that are within It is a Jewish phrase and they straiten the sence that take those that are without to be meant of Christians In one word sometime Believer alone the opposite not named Act. II. 44. And all that believed were together and had all things common And here whole families children and all are understood Sometime Disciples and Christians Act. XI 26. The Disciples were called Christians first at Antioch In this sence Church most commonly is taken viz. for the Professors of Christ in opposition to Jews and Pagans that professed him not XVI Matth. 18. Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church Which is meant of the Church of the Gentiles in general So III. Ephes. 10. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God So by Saints are meant nothing else but Professors of Christian Religion 1 Cor. VI. 1 2. Dare any of you having a matter against another go to Law befare the unjust and not before the Saints Do ye not know that the Saints shall Judge the World And VII Chap. 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband else were their children unclean but now are they holy Now are they Saints answering to the usual Hebrew phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Sanctitate Here is a study for a young Divine to be setled in the sense of these words There are great divisions and great misconstruction of one another from mistake of these things II. That God hath appointed Sacraments as external and visible marks whereby to sign out this distinction Badges of Homage as in the Text Disciple all Nations baptizing them So under the Law Circumcision served for that end to be a mark of a Jew and therefore the Heathen are called uncircumcised And when some of the circumcised seed degenerated that they wanted that mark to distinguish them then God ordained the Passover So under the Gospel Baptism is the Mark as in the Text. Children are baptized that there may be none in our families that bear not the badge of Homage Christ ordained it for this end to badge out the owning of his Power and to introduce into the Profession of him III. Gal. 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. See Joh. III. 5. Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Speech is there had of Christs Kingdom of Heaven upon Earth or the state under Christ. See vers 2 3. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and said unto him Rabbi we know thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles that thou dost except God be with him Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Where mark how Christs answer suits He observed in Nicodemus words signifying that he thought he saw the dawning of the Kingdom of Heaven and now it was that the Jews thought it would come upon them and this further confirmed him that Christ was the Messias To this therefore Christ answers and intimates to Nicodemus to be baptized Why would Christ himself be baptized Because he would own the proper way of introduction into the Gospel which he was now to preach So the Lords Supper is a badge of this distinction See 1 Cor. X. 14 16. Wherefore my dearly beloved flee from Idolatry The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ As much as if he should have said because we have the Sacrament of the Communion of the body and blood of Christ therefore avoid Idolatry It is the badge of those that profess Christ in opposition to Heathenism I might speak how the word Sacrament speaks such distinction but that is well enough known III. As Baptism hath several coordinate ends so all or most of them are suitable to that that we are speaking of viz. introducing into the Profession of Christ. Both Sacraments have several ends therefore it is proper in the dispute now about them to consider whether it is fit to apply them to one only end 1. Baptism hath a doctrinal end It is a visible word Loquitur Deus ut videas As it is a visible sign so a visible doctrine As God speaks in Jer. II. 31. O generation see ye the Word of the Lord. The Lord to come home to our capacity brings divine things to our eyes 1 Joh. I. 1. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon Thus Baptism when we see it administred reads the doctrine of our natural defilement and purging from it Ezek. XXXVI 25. is so understood Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you So circumcision in the member of generation shewed a check to our
turned into Glory Faith into fruition Sanctification into impeccability and there will be no need of the Spirit in our sense any more So that Having the Spirit is understood of man considered only under the Fall II. Having the Spirit speaks of having it for mans Recovery The Spirit is given for his Recovery viz. what God will have recovered Let us look back to the Creation That lesson is divine and pertinent Eccles. XII 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth There is more in it than every one observes It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Creators in the plural and teaches two things That as the first lesson Youth is to learn is to know his Creator so therewith to learn to know the Mystery of the Trinity that created him God created all things and man an Epitomy of all by the Word and Spirit Son and Holy Ghost XXXIII Psal. 6. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his Mouth Joh. I. 3. All things were made by him and without him was not any made that was made Job XXXIII 4. The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Now when Gods creation in man was spoiled by Son and Spirit it is repaired So that as Christ saith of himself I come to seek and to save that which was lost so the Spirit came to restore and repair what was decayed This is the meaning of the new creature 2 Cor. V. 17. If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature Eph. II. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Who works this Christ and the Spirit Something Christ doth by his blood viz. restores righteousness the rest by his Spirit viz. recovers holiness Nay I may add the Spirit is given only for mans Recovery The Spirit created man so perfect to try him Spiritus movens the Spirit moving is to try man outward administrations are to try him but when sanctification comes it hath a further purpose Compare man in innocency with man after the fall His state in which he then was was to try him But will the Spirit alway have his work of so uncertain issue Will he never act but for trial and leave the issue to the will of man God when he intended not innocency for the way of Salvation left man to himself Doth the Spirit the like in a way intended for Salvation Who then could be saved Spiritus movens the Spirit moving I said was given to try inhabitans inhabiting only and undoubtedly to Recover III. Having the Spirit presupposeth having of Christ vers 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of Christs contra If any have the Spirit he hath Christ. These terms are convertible He that hath Christ hath the Spirit and vice versa he that hath the Spirit hath Christ. As He that hath the Father hath the Son and he that hath the Son hath the Father also As Son and Spirit cooperated in mans creation so in his renovation Personal works are distinct but never separate Christ to Justifie the Spirit to Sanctifie but never one without the other The Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ is it possible then to have the Spirit absque Christo without having Christ And he is called his Spirit not only quia procedit a filio because he proceeded from the Son but because he gives him and is a purchase of his blood As the Spirit moved on the Waters so he moves on the blood of Christ he comes swimming in that and it is ex merito sanguinis from the merit of his blood whosoever hath him See Gods way of cleansing the Leper which is an Emblem of cleansing a sinner XIV Levit. 14 15 17. And the Priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and the Priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed c. And the Priest shall take some of the Log of oyl c. And the Priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear c. First Blood and then Oyl On whom is the unction of the Spirit on him is first the unction of blood As the person is accepted before his Service Gen IV. 4. The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering So the person is first Justified before Sanctified God doth not new-create a person whom he accepts not IV. He that hath the Spirit hath a twofold work of the Spirit common grace and sanctifying grace We may consider the Spirit as Creator and Sanctifier and thirdly acting in a Work between both When he teacheth man arts indues him with intellectual abilities he then works as Creator in bonum Universi for the good of the Universe When he sanctifieth he doth it for the recovery of the Soul Now there is a work between both that is more than he doth as Creator and less than as Sanctifier but in tendency to the latter but as yet it is not it viz. Common grace Such is Illumination to see ones Condition Conviction with feeling Conscience active thoughts of Soul This is called grace because more than nature Common because wicked men have it sometimes as appears by Heb. VI. 4. And you read of Felix his trembling at S. Pauls Sermon Now the Spirit never worketh sanctifying grace but first useth this to make way He plows the heart by common grace and so prepares it for sanctifying grace In this Chapter at vers 15. There was the Spirit of fear before that of adoption As the Law was given first so the work of the Law is first Rom. VII 9. When the Commandment came sin revived and I died As Moses delivered the people of Israel into the hand of Joshua so the Law when it hath sufficiently disciplined us commits us into the hand of Grace As in Gal. III. 17. The Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law c. cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect The Law is subservient to the promise so this work of the Law to Grace Is a meer work of the Law sanctifying Grace True the work of the Law goes along with grace hence many a gracious heart is under terrors But is the first work of the Law Grace No it is to fit the heart to receive Grace Many now a days say I have the Spirit How came they by it If they have it it is an unnatural birth not bred and born after Gods ordinary way To day debauched to morrow turn Sectary and then have the Spirit That was a wonder in the Prophet speaking of one that before she travailed was delivered such a wonder is this if it be so No God causeth this work of Common Grace to prepare and fit us for the reception of the Holy Spirit V. The Spirit worketh both these by the
Word The Spirit gave the Scriptures and he useth them for the end why they were given viz. mans Salvation The Spirit unhingeth not the Essential actings of the Soul but works with them Now the acting of the Soul is by reasoning and perswasion The Will chooseth being perswaded by the Understanding and the Understanding is perswaded by the object And so the Spirit does in the work of Grace Gen IX 27. God shall perswade Japhet 2 Cor. V. 11. We perswade men Now this is not done but by the Word The heart is moulded by the Spirit to receive perswasion but by the Word he works perswasion in us Common grace first grace growth of Grace are thus all wrought by the Word I mean Common grace where sanctification is to follow Sometime there is stirring of Conscience in wicked men from horror and affrightments and sometimes from the Law for the glorifying of it but where healing must come the wound is made by the Word and the healing is effected by the Word A man is perswaded and satisfied that he is in an undone condition How is he so perswaded By the Word The Law does it Rom. VII 9. before mentioned A man is perswaded to rest on Christ. The Word doth it Faith comes by hearing That in Joh. VI. 45. will illustrate this It is written in the Prophet And they shall be all taught of God Taught of God who had been taught of the Devil Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Cometh unto me as Teacher And how did they hear and learn from the father but from the Word of the Father Growth of grace also is built up by the Word 1 Pet. II. 2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby What sets man upon obedience and striving against sin longing after God c The Word continually applied Man lives by the Word grows by the Word This is the means that the Spirit useth They that speak of a Light within them that serves for all if they mean Light from the Word let them then own the Word if they mean the Light of nature that never yet lighted man to Heaven That was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World viz. The Gospel that went through the World t is clear that the Evangelist means that there Joh. I. 9. VI. Having the Spirit speaks not perfection in him that hath it It speaks Holiness not Sinlesness Take this in the mouth of two witnesses as holy as any First S. Paul Rom. VII 17. Sin dwelleth in me and 25. vers with the flesh I serve the Law of sin Secondly S. John 1 Ephes. I. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us To them that distinguish not betwixt holiness and perfection but say they are perfect because they think they are holy I say two things 1. They are little seen in their own hearts 2. Little seen in the Scripture and Divinity For the Scripture is abundant to the contrary and Divinity makes the contrary most plain and facil to be understood It is a Paradox Adam had perfection though not the Spirit a Believer hath the Spirit yet not perfection and yet the Believers imperfection is more excellent than Adams perfection I might instance First in the foundation of eithers holiness Adams from his Creation and nature a Believers from the Spirit and grace Secondly In the amissibleness of Adams Adams was liable to losing a Believers not Thirdly In the manner of Acting of which anon I cannot but observe that in Ephes. IV. 24. The new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred two ways and both to the present purpose The English well and according to the Hebrew Idiom reads true holiness and so the Apostle seems to compare the holiness of the new man with Adams His was true holiness but this truer and more excellent though imperfect It is rendred also The holiness of truth The Gospel is oft called Truth and if it be so to be rendred here then it means Evangelical holiness not only in opposition to Legal but to Adams Evangelical holiness is the holiness and that that indeed restores the Image of God After God created in righteousness and the holiness of truth Hence is that in 2 Pet. I. 4. That by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature Adam was not partaker of Gods holy nature but only of his creation if his holiness were any yet it was mans only but a Believer is partaker of the Spirit when he hath holiness Let me ask this Question and Answer it and that will clear all Why are we justified by perfect justification and righteousness for so we are because it is by the righteousness of Christ which is called the righteousness of God when we are not sanctified by perfect sanctification and holiness though sanctified by the Spirit of Christ I answer First It is needful that Justification be perfect for if we are not justified from every sin it is all one as if we were from none As break one Command and break all so unjustified from one sin and unjustified from all For 1. Such persons are not accepted of God 2. They are liable to condemnation therefore Justification must be perfect But in sanctification t is not so as I shall observe by and by A man may be truly though not perfectly holy Secondly It is Gods will and disposition to glorifie his grace in holiness by its living and acting in and against contrariety As it was Abrahams glory in Rom. IV. 18. Who against hope believed in hope Whether is it greater to be holy in the midst of sinfulness or as Adam to be holy when no sin touched him Which was greater for Lot to be holy in Sodome or in Abrahams house Compare a Believer with Adam Adam had Gods Image the Believer hath Gods Image restored What was Gods Image in Adam It consisted first in the Essence of his Soul and made him spiritual intellectual immortal and secondly in the qualification of his person and made him holy righteous The former is not lost nor extinguished by sin nor could only spoiled and soiled The Devils for all their sin yet are spiritual intellectual immortal substances The latter did embalm and keep fresh the former His holiness kept his spiritualness his intellectual nature in the right temper while he kept it Now to a Believer there is so much holiness as to do the same thing He is spiritual though he be flesh his Holiness makes his intellect right viz. To know God and love him and preserves him to immortality nay goes beyond Adam in operation As namely 1. He knows God in Christ which full revealing of God Adam did not attain to 2. He loves God more excellently than Adam did or could do Adam had no pul-back
best because each thought his course and faculty best Some thought best to spend the time in singing Psalms others thought the time better spent in delivering some doctrine others in speaking with strange Tongues c. 2. Or indeed rather in both these practises they Judaized As in Chap. XI they followed the customs and opinions of the Jews in praying vailed in wearing long hair and in their misconstruction of the Holy Sacrament so they did here both in speaking in a strange Tongue and in thus crowding to prophesie together The Jews read the Scriptures in the Hebrew Tongue and although it were unknown yet they would so read it and have an Interpreter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Doctor in his School whispered in the Hebrew If you conceive the strange Tongue here used by them to be Hebrew as there is the most reason to do so being a Church that Judaized in many other things and consisting in a great measure of Jews I need say no more to shew they Judaized in this So for many of the publick Ministers in their Synagogues to speak together to read interpret together their own records do so far assert it that they set the number how many together in each and in some allow good store In like manner you see in the Text how they thus crowded many speaking together confusedly in five distinct administrations One hath a Psalm others a Doctrine others a Tongue others a Revelation and some an Interpretation And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one means not that every one had all these but every one their something of these So every one must signifie if you read 1 Cor. I 12. Every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas i. e. some for one and some for another not each one for all And thus the second question is answered And now to proceed in the Explanation of the Text. The extraordinary gifts of the the Spirit are comprized under two heads in Scripture Tongues and Prophesie XIX Act. 6. The Holy Ghost came upon them and they spake with Tongues and prophesied And vers 1 2 3 c. of this Chap. Desire spiritual gifts but rather that ye may prophesie For he that speaketh in an unknown Tongue speaketh not unto men but unto God c. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort Where you see the Spiritual gifts in the first verse are divided into Tongues and Prophesie Now all these five are thus reduced to these two I. Speaking with Tongues That which is meant by it is couched under those two words Hath a Tongue hath an Interpretation That is Either to speak with strange Tongues himself or to Interpret them that do II. Prophesying What is comprized under that is explained by those three words Hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Revelation 1. The word Prophesying is taken for singing and praysing So 1 Sam. X. 5. Thou shalt meet a company of Prophets coming down from the high place with a Psaltery and a Tabret and a Pipe and a Harp before them and they shall prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chald. They shall praise him And Chap. XIX 24 25. And the Spirit of God was upon him also and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Rama 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he went on and praised And he stript off his cloths i. e. his royal robes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and praised 2. Prophesying means preaching declaring to the people the Doctrine of the Gospel So here hath a Doctrine The Apostles by the Imposition of hands ordained Ministers and gave them Spiritual abilities to prophesie or preach and unfold the Doctrine of Christ and Salvation So the Chaldee most commonly renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Scholar one learned and able and that taught the people So even that in 1 Sam. XIX ult Is Saul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Scholars or Ministers It is usually said of these extraordinary gifts that they are Tongues and Prophesie but see Act. X. 46. They heard them speak with Tongues and magnifie God This magnifying God is to the same sense with prophesying For they magnified God these two ways viz Singing or praysing and preaching the glorious things of the Gospel 3. Prophesying means speaking some heavenly Revelation So here hath a Revelation and thus the word Prophesie is taken in its proper sense as some had in those times either a Revelation of something to come for a warning to the Church as Agabus Act. XI 28. who signified by the Spirit that there should be a great dearth throughout all the World which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. And he is called a Prophet in 27. vers And you meet with him again in XXI Chap. 10. Or the Revelation was of something that God would have his Church to do as in Act. XIII 2. As they ministred unto the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Hence we may understand that in vers 29. Let the Prophets speak two or three That is one to sing prayse and one or two to preach But vers 30. If any have a Revelation let the first that had the Psalm give place and let him rather be heard as remembring that God might intend some special admonition to the Church by so special a Declaration To discourse of all these five would take five times as much time as is allotted me I shall therefore only meddle with the first at present Hath a Psalm and speak something concerning that great and heavenly work of singing of Psalms in Christian Congregations And that the rather because it hath been spoken against in the cross times that have gone over our heads wherein all Religion has been brought into dispute Although it is a question whether these Psalms mentioned in the Text were of their own dictating or penned by others the former whereof seems more probable yet the very mode and work of their singing Psalms shews that it was a practise in the Christian Church from its very beginning Nay though this place speak it not clear yet others do That it was the practise to sing Davids Psalms in the publick Congregation the whole Congregation together You know what arguments are brought against this our practise 1. That the Congregation is not holy enough to joyn with in the performance of this Duty the very same argument which some urge against the reception of the holy Sacrament 2. That they being set forms are too narrow to express our particular wants and thanksgivings 3. That every one doth not understand and we should sing with understanding vers 15. Therefore I shall take up this Discourse the rather to shew that singing of Davids Psalms is a Duty incumbent upon Christians For the clearing of this I shall First speak something
of the nature of this work which will speak it moral and upon that account fit to be used in the Christian Church And secondly the Evidence of the use of it in the first times And first of the Nature of this Duty Many things are spoken of the excellency of the book of Psalms and many may be spoken of the Excellency of singing Psalms I may allude to that expression Many daughters have done virtuously but thou excellest them all So may I say in reference to this Duty all Duties are excellent but this includes all In singing of Psalms there is what is in other Services and more Prayer is our duty Praise speaking of Gods works singing are our Duties but this last is all it is like the holy Incense mixt of all these perfumes The excellency of this duty will appear further under these four heads First It is an action that helps up and keeps up the heart in a Spiritual frame as much as any See the Apostle arguing for singing upon this account V. Ephes. 18 19. Be filled with the spirit Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. And V. James 13. Is any among you afflicted Let him pray Is any merry Let him sing Psalms If the heart would be up in mirth use this to help it up being not yet come into frame If it be up use this to keep it that it be not transported The Heart by spiritual musick is called up to beat in the right mean As David by his Harp calmed Sauls spirit so this is proper to beat down immoderate mirth And so on the other hand it is proper to free the mind of lumpishness and sadness as Elisha being put into a passion and disturbance at the sight of the King of Israel called for Temple Musick to pacifie and allay his discomposed mind 2 King III. 14 15. And Elisha said as the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat the King of Judah I would not look toward thee nor see thee But now bring me a Minstrel And it came to pass when the Minstrel played that the hand of the Lord came upon him See a strange passage in Jer. XX. at the 12. vers the Prophets heart is quite down O Lord of Hosts that tryest the righteous and seest the reins and the heart let me see thy vengeance on them for unto thee have I opened my cause At the 14 vers his heart is lower yet Cursed be the day wherein I was born let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed But in the midst of these sorrows and dejections he falls to praising and singing unto God At the 13 vers Sing unto the Lord praise ye the Lord. He strives to wind up his heart to a right pitch with Sing unto the Lord. As God requires outward and inward worship so a spiritual frame for inward worship may be forwarded by the outward composure Gazing drowsiness hinders the activity of the Soul but the contrary temper furthers and helps it Singing calls up the Soul into such a posture and doth as it were awaken it t is a lively rowzing up of the heart Secondly This is a work of the most meditation of any we perform in publick It keeps the heart longest upon the thing spoken Prayer and hearing pass quick from one Sentence to another this sticks long upon it Meditation must follow after hearing the word and praying with the Minister for new sentences still succeeding give not liberty in the instant well to muse and consider upon what is spoken But in this you pray and meditate praise and meditate speak of the things of God and meditate God hath so ordered this duty that while we are imployed in it we feed and chew the cud together Higgaion or Meditation is set upon some passages of the Psalms as IX Psal. 16. The same may be writ upon the whole duty and all parts of it viz. Meditation Set before you one in the posture to sing to the best advantage eyes lift up to Heaven denote his desire that his heart may be there too hath before him a line or verse of prayer mourning praise mention of Gods works how fairly now may his heart spred it self in Meditation on the thing while he is singing it over Our singing is measured in deliberate time not more for Musick than Meditation He that seeks not finds not this advantage in singing Psalms hath not yet learned what it means Thirdly This is a Service in which we profess delight in the thing we have in hand Yea even in sad mourning ditty we delight so to mourn Psal. C. 1. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye Lands serve the Lord with gladness T is a noise of joy and gladness It speaks that we delight in Gods Ordinances that we are about As Musick at Table shews we make a Feast of delight of what God hath provided Solatur voce laborem He that sings at his work shews that his work goes on with contentedness David at his harp and composing Psalms to the honour of God what delight did he take therein So that in singing there must be two things I. The Ditty to be applied by Meditation And II. Tuning the Voice to it in the best liveliness we can as delighting in the work Nay Fourthly This is a Service wherein one is cheared from another It is a joynt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One takes mirth life and warmth from another a holy servor and emulation as the Seraphins Esa. VI. strive to outvy one another in praising God Who is there but while he is joyning with the Congregation in this Duty feels such an impression and excitation his own string wound up by the consort of the Quire T is a story goes of St. Austin that it was one means of his conversion the hearing the heavenly singing of Psalms at Milan As all our Duties here in publick carry some bond and badge of communion we come to pray together hear together and so profess our selves Christians together we being all Scholars in the School of Christ so this of singing together more especially speaks it out But herein is not only a sign of communion but also mutual excitation As David speaks when he was at this work Psal XXXIV 3. O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together We do as it were joy one another to put on all as much as we can to joyn together in the praise and honour of God I need to say no more to shew that so excellent a Duty could not but be setled by Christ with others in the Christian Church the very nature of the thing may speak it I shall therefore only speak to three things I. The warrant of Christ for the observance of this Duty II. The admonitions of the Apostle for the same purpose And
III. An Instance or two of the practise of all the Church And all this will serve for illustrating the second thing I propounded for the clearing this Duty viz. Secondly The Evidence of the use of it in the first times I. Our Saviour the very next thing he did after signing sealing and sanctionating the New Testament was to sing a Psalm And who then can doubt of the institution of this as a New Testament-duty Matth. XXVI 28. 29 30. For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins But I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom And when they had sung an Hymn they went out into the Mount of Olives Let us stick here a little and from this singing of an hymne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may observe three things 1. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number Beza approves of Erasmus here for departing from the Vulgar That hath it Hymno dicto He cum cecinissent Beza hereupon Ut intelligatur Apostolos una cum Christo cecinisse That men might understand that the Apostles joyned with Christ in singing And very true for it was the custom among the Jews in all companies that celebrated the Passover so to do for though one chiefly rehearsed yet all had some share in the Quire And so in the case in the Text though the Psalm were of their own composing yet the Congregation bare some part in it as Miriam with Moses XV. Exod. 21. Apostolos cecinisse the Apostles sung Was Judas there or no I wonder it is not confessed by all the World it is so plain that he eat the Passover received the Sacrament and stayed the Psalm and was present till all rose from the Table And Christ knew him and yet gave the Psalm and sung with the whole Table And Peter and John knew him and yet it were peevishness to think that they joined not in the Quire when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they had sung What can they say to this that refuse to joyn with us in this exercise Will they can they say that Judas was not there But if that be granted that he was gone yet at the eating the Passover it is well known every company sung together without bogling 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having sung What The very same that every company did viz. The great Hallel as it was called which began at the CXIII Psalm and ended at the end of the CXVIII No expositor but grants this and no reason to the conrary for Christ complied with all the rites of the Passover and started not from them in this Here the Lord of David sings the Psalms of David What Christ saith by way of posing If David in Spirit call him Lord how is he his Son We may say the like by way of admiration If David in spirit call him Lord how did he descend to make use of his Poetry What says our Caviller now Set forms are too strait for the Spirit He that had the Spirit above measure thinks not so but useth such He that gave the Spirit to David to compose sings what he composed That All-blessed Copy of peace and order could have indited himself could have inspired every Disciple to have been a David but submits to order which God had appointed sings the Psalms of David and tenders the Peace of the Church and takes the same course the whole Church did 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having sung a Hymn In what Language Here is a question indeed and that might provoke a Scholastical dispute both in Divinity and Antiquity In Divinity Did they sing in the original Hebrew That was not now understood In Antiquity Had they a translation of the Psalms and Hagiographa now Yea they had the LXX But all that sung understood not the LXX But had they a Vulgar Translation in their own Tongue This draws into another question viz. What was their Tongue I should answer Not the Syriack we now read but the old Syriack or Chaldee which they call Turgumica And I should answer to the former question That they had the Hagiographa now in the Tongue as well as the Prophets of Jonathans translation and I find in both Talmuds that each speaks to it to confirm it However who thinks they sung in a Tongue they understood not or in any other but the Vulgar And here is our warrant for our framing the Psalms into our Tongue and Metre Thus have we seen the Example nay institution of our great Master II. Now let us hear our great Apostle the Apostle of the Gentiles In two places he speaks to this subject besides what he says in this Chapter Ephes. V. 18 19. Be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. And Col. III. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Where let us take up three things as we did in the former 1. Observe how spiritual a pitch he set this at and what elevation of Heart he ascribes to it Be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymus c. It is the very vent and issue whereby a spiritual frame breaks out in its chiefest demonstration The more we are filled with the Spirit the more we break out this way and a most fit vent it is to the Spirit when both Tongue and Heart speak and put forth themselves in their best vigor by singing to the praise of God when the heart is full of spiritual fervor this excellent way So in that place to the Colossians Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you When it does it will break out in all wisdom and in Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns c. 2. Observe the three Titles he useth Psalms Hymns Spiritual Songs They are variously indeed taken but very generally for the Psalms of David Psalms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Psalms upon any subject Hymns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Psalms of Praise Spiritual Songs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Cantica magis artificiosa Psalms about which is employed greater art and curiosity Others differ upon particulars but agree upon this that by these three are meant the Psalms of David and other Songs in Scripture What If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the Psalms of David upon any subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hymns be such Psalms as are picked out and used for special occasions as Hallel those of Degrees and for every day So that word seems to imply from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is used to express the Psalms that Christ and his Apostles
and the first temptation presented to him Now all the power and army of Hell is let loose all the machinations of the bottomless pit put in practise against the second Adam but all to no purpose he stands like a rock unmoved in his righteousness and obedience and by such a death destroys him that had the power over death the Devil II. As the Dâ—â—â—l must be conquered so God must be satisfied And as Christs obedience did the one work so it did the other Obedience was the debt of Adam and mankind and by disobedience they had forfeited their Bonds Then comes this great Undertaker and will satisfie the debt with full interest yea and measure heaped and running over Does not the Apostle speak thus much Rom. V. from vers 12. forward particularly at vers 19. By the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Nor was this all that mans debt must be paid but Gods honour lay at stake too and that must be vindicated God had created man his noblest creature that he might glorifie and honour his Creator by his obedience Satan brings him to disobey his Creator and to obey him How might Satan here triumph and the honour of God lie in the dust I have mastered the chief Creation of God might Satan boast and made him that carried the badge and livery of his image now to carry mine I have frustrated the end and honour of the Creator and now all is mine own How sad a time were those three hours or thereabouts that passed betwixt the Fall of Adam and the promise of Christ Adam in darkness and not the least glimpse of promise or comfort Satan triumphing and poor manking and Gods honour trampled underfoot But then the Sun of righteousness arose in the promise that the seed of the woman should break the head of the Serpent And shall this uncircumcised Philistin thus deâ—ie the honour and armies of the living God saith Christ shall Satan thus carry the day against man and against God I will pay obedience that shall fully satisfie to the vindication of Gods honour to confound Satan and to the payment of mans debt to his reinstating and recovery And that was it that he paid consummatively in his Obedience to the death and in it and to the shedding of his blood Of which to speak in the full dimensions of the height depth length bredth of it what tongue can suffice what time can serve T is a Theme the glorified Saints deservedly sing of to all Eternity I shall speak in little of that which can never be extolled enough these two things only I. That he died merely out of obedience The Apostle tells us in Phil. II. 8. He became obedient to the death the death of the Cross. And what can ye name that brought him thither but Obedience Christs dead body imagine lies before you Call together a whole College of Phisitians to diffect it and to tell you what it was of which he died And their Verdict will be Of nothing but Love to man and Obedience to God For Principles of death he had none in his nature And the reason of his death lay not in any mortality of his body as it does in ourâ— but in the willingness of his mind Nor was his death his wages of sin as it is ours Rom. VI. ult but it was his choise and delight Luke XII 50. I have a baptism to be baptised withal and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Ask the first Adam why he sinned when he had no principles of sin in him and the true answer must be Because he would sin And so ask the second Adam why he died when he had no principles of death in him his answer must be to the like tenor He would lay down his life because he would be obedient to the death He came purposely into the World that he might dye Behold I tell you a mystery Christ came purposely into the World that he might dye and so never did Man but himself never will man do but himself True that every Man that comes into the World must dye but never Man came purposely that he might dye but only He. And he saith no less than that he did so Joh. XII 27. Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour And John XVIII 37. For this cause came I into this World to bear witness to the Truth Even to bear witness to the Truth to Death and Martyrdom II. Now add to all this the dignity of his Person who performed this Obedience that he was God as well as Man That as he offered himself according to his Manhood so he offered himself by the Eternal Spirit or as he was God as this Apostle saith Chap. IX 14. And now his obedience his holiness that he shewed in his death is infinite And what need we say more So that lay all the disobedience of all men in the World on an heap as the dead frogs in Egypt were laid on heaps that they made the land to stink again yet here is an Obedience that out-vies them all For though they be infinite in number as to mans numbring yet lay them all together they are finite upon this account because committed by creatures finite But here is an Obedience a holiness paid down by him that is infinite And now Satan where is thy Triumph Thou broughtest the first Adam to fail of perfect Obedience that he should have paid his Creator and here the second Adam hath paid him for it infinite Obedience And what hast thou now gained Therefore to take account from whence comes that infinite Virtue of Christs blood and death that the Scripture so much and so deservedly extols and magnifies Because as the Evangelist â—aith Out of his side came water and blood so out of his wounds came obedience and blood holiness and blood righteousness and blood and that obedience holiness righteousness infinite because he that paid it down and performed it was infinite And now judge whether it may not very properly be said That Christ was sanctified by his own blood As Aaron was sanctified for his Priesthood by his Unction and Garments Christ was consecrated fitted capacitated by his infinite obedience and righteousness which he shewed to the death and in it to be an High Priest able to save to the uttermost all those that come to him For first as in reference to himself it is said by this Apostle that he was raised from the dead by the blood of the Covenant Chap. XIII 20. And it was not possible but he should be raised for when he had performed such obedience and righteousness as in it was infinite in its validity subdued Satan in its alsufficiency satisfied the justice of God it was impossible that he should be held of death which is the wages of sin and disobedience And as he was thus raised by
been blessed and honoured withal clean departed and gone away And hence it was that the Samaritans durst compare with the Jews for the better Religion and mount Gerizim at Sechem compares with Jerusalem as the truer and purer place of worship For the honour and ornaments of Jerusalem were gone her Prophets and the Spirit of Prophesy It is observable what is said in the last clause of the Text The Pharisees confess both III. Why He had spoken of three things that the Sadducees denyed The Resurrection Angel Spirit And therefore it seems more proper to have said The Pharisees confess all when he speaks of three than to say they confess both when he speaks of three But he makes these two later but as one and so distinguishes the things into two parts the Resurrection was one thing the Sadducees denied and Angels and Spirits was another one thing And so by the addition of the word Spirit he intimates that the Sadducee denyed all Angelical and Spiritual Substance And so Expositors observe upon this That he thought that even God himself is not a Spiritual but a Corporeal or bodily substance That the Good or Evil Angels that are mentioned mean nothing but good and evil motions of mens minds And that the Soul of man is not a Spirit but a Crasis or mixture of some certain humors and temperaments And that by the Spirit of God is meant only his Mind and by the Spirit of man his breath Strange and mad Divinity and Philosophy And a strangeworld that this man conceives A world that hath neither Angel in it nor Devil and only a Corporeal God in it Souls that are bodily in the midst of the body and that must dye as well as the body when the body dies And a world that must comprehend all that ever must be And that there is to be no world to come nor any other world but this Men of gross and thick and muddy minds that either could not believe but what they saw or could not but believe that what they saw not was like to what they saw That could not believe that there were Angels or Spirits because they saw them not and could not but believe that God and Souls were like to bodily thing that they saw Their sad and fatal case and blindness may justly give us warning and advise what clear minds we ought to get to judge of divine things and rightly to apprehend of things that are above sense or seeing The greatest things of our concernment are out of sight viz. God our Souls Guilt Grace Hell Heaven and Eternity to omit to speak of Angels and Devils We are not to look to the things that are seen but to the things that are not seen as the Apostle gives us intimation 2 Cor. IV. ult and in divers other places Now what are we to do in this case Not believe them because we do not see them This is Thomas his faith or infidelity rather not to believe that Christ is risen unless we see in his hands the print of the nayls Or shall we cavil with God for that he hath not made these things visible and not laid them conspicuous to our eyes as he hath done bodily things God would be loved served feared Why doth he not shew himself visibly to us that we might see him and so love and serve and fear him He would have us to avoid sin and guilt if he had made these things visible as a dangerous pit or gulph or precipice is visible we should then avoyd them But now we must avoid a thing we see not We are bidden to resist the Devil Why we cannot see him and we would not see him And we are bidden to take care of our Souls They are things invisible and we cannot see what they are and how they are Yes God hath given us an eye to see those things an invisible eye to see things invisible So it is said of Moses that he saw him that was invisible For the discerning of any thing there are three things requisite an Eye to see and Light to see by and a just or competent distance that the thing to be seen be not too far for then it is not to be seen God hath provided for us all these things for our seeing and knowing the things which it concerns us to know though they be invisible if we be not wanting to our selves How much is comprehended in those words of God which he uses when he is about to create man Let us make man after our own image And God made man after his own image Now you must refer this Image or Similitude more especially to the Soul for the Body can little be said to be the Image of God who is not a Body But in how many things doth the Soul resemble him God is Invisible And so is the Soul God is Spirit And so is the Soul God is Immortal And so is the Soul But more especially doth the Soul resemble God in the faculty and constitution of the mind God being a pure Intellect or Mind and all-knowing and the mind of man representing him in its great capacity of knowledge and understanding That the Soul represents God in being Invisible Spiritual Immortal as He is we may call it a passive representation of God pictured upon the constitution of the Soul But the Souls representing God in knowing understanding discerning of things we may very properly call an active representation of him laying forth in action as he also acteth The Serpent in tempting Eve concludes that the proper and most compleat resemblance of God is in Knowledge Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil And he guessed not amiss as relating to that representation of God that is in the Essence of the Soul For observe that of the Apostle Col. III. 10. And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him And the only specimen or evidence and declaration that Adam gave of the perfection of his nature while he stood in innocency was the demonstration of his wisdom or knowledge in that he could and did name all creatures according to their nature God brought all creatures to him to see what he would name them and he had the knowledge upon the very first sight of them to understand their nature and he named them according to their nature Knowledge and Understanding was natural and essential to Adam as he was a man a reasonable creature Therfore by his fall he did not lose that Faculty though he abated of the measure of it For it was essential to his Soul to be an understanding Soul and it could not be a Soul without it Let us compare the Angels that fell and Adam falling together They were both created holy and righteous alike For I make no question but Adam was created every whit as holy as those Angels were created And they were both created of great knowledge
but he tries whether the door will be opened to give him entertainment And in this regard it is no wonder if men be said to resist and quench the Spirit because he comes only to try whether they will imbrace or resist quench or cherish This work of his differs from the effectual working of grace when he comes resolvedly to overcome and overpower A SERMON PREACHED upon ROMANS IX 3. For I could wish that I my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the flesh A Dreadful passage at the first reading and which may make us even to tremble a man to wish himself to be accursed from Christ accursed from Christ The very words may make us to quake to think of such a thing And can we believe that a Paul should make such a wish that he might be accursed of Christ who knew so well what it was to be blessed of him Can he make such a wish Or rather can any one but such an one as he make such a wish upon such a ground upon such a condition upon such a warrant The Apostle is here beginning his Discourse concerning the casting off of the Jewish Nation and seed of Israel as at the nineteenth verse of the Chapter foregoing he is beginning his Discourse about the Calling of the Gentiles Them there he stiles by the title of the whole Creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an expression usual among the Jews to signifie in that construction These here he calls his Brethren and Kinsmen for so nature had made them he and they coming of the same stock and original He speaks there of some mourning out of desire that the Calling of the Gentiles should be accomplished Here he speaks of himself mourning out of grief for the casting off of his own Nation There the whole Creation of the Gentiles themselves groaning to be delivered from the bondage of their sinful corruption Here himself grieving for the not delivering of his own people from theirs at ver 2. he hath grief and great grief and sorrow and continual sorrow for them and could wish himself to be accursed from Christ on condition it might be better with them And one would think he had very small cause to be thus affected towards them if it be well considered how they had continually demeaned themselves toward him They had continually bred him trouble always persecuted him five times beaten him constantly sought his life and contrived his death And yet the good man grieves for them that grieved not for themselves and that always were grieving him and could wish himself to be accursed for them that could wish him cursed to the pit of Hell A strange wish and a strange charity that he himself might be accursed that they might not be so that he might be separated from Christ that so they might be united to him A passage so strange that it hath but one parallel viz. that of Moses Exod. XXXII 32. where he prays God to blot him out of his Book when God was now ready to cut off the seed of Israel A passage so strange that it seems directly to cross the whole course of his profession and practise He professeth Phil. III. 8. That all things in the world were but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus And yet here he can upon some condition be content to lose him He practiseth 1 Cor. IX ult to bring his body into subjection lest when he had preached to others he himself might be a cast-away And yet he could wish upon some condition to prove a cast-away So strange a passage that some Expositors cannot endure to look upon it in its full proportion but take as it were a diminishing glass to look upon it withal and they make those words of the Apostle to speak less a great deal than ever they meant They will have his meaning to be but this For my Brethrens sake the seed of Israel I could be content to be separate from Christ for a while and to continue upon earth from that glory that is prepared for me in Heaven that I might labour for their salvation Do you think that being Anathema or accursed from Christ means no more than this Others conceive that the Apostle only useth an high expression whereby to signifie how intirely he desireth the good of his own Nation As if he had needed so full and feeling an asseveration as I speak the truth in Christ Jesus my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost ver 1. to intimate that he so intirely desired their salvation But to omit more by this strong asseveration it is plain that he thinks as he speaks and speaks as he thinks For it was so strange a wish that he himself sees reason to use many asseverations to shew that he speaks in good earnest otherwise he would hardly be believed As First His double asseveration affirmatively and negatively ver 1. I speak the truth I lye not Secondly He lays his Conscience for earnest that he did not lye but spoke truth My Conscience bearing me witness Thirdly He doth as it were call Christ and the Holy Ghost to witness I speak the truth in Christ my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost And so under the attestation of three witnesses his Conscience Christ and the Holy Ghost he would have what he says to be confirmed for a truth and that he may be believed Well we believe that he speaks from his very heart and as he thinks that he wishes himself accursed from Christ for his Brethren his Kinsmen according to the flesh Doth he piously in so wishing or prudently St. Austin once wished that he might have heard him Preach but what would he have thought think you at such a wish as this Doth he not curse himself when he wisheth to be accursed And doth he not undervalue Christ when he could wish to be separate from Christ That passage My conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost doth plainly evidence that what he doth is neither rashly done nor impiously nor imprudently but from a good conscience good affection and not without the Warrant of the Holy Spirit Indeed at ver 38. of the Chapter next going before He is perswaded that neither life nor death nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor any creature is able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus And yet at this place he could wish that he were separate from Christ on the condition he proposeth Not that either he undervalueth his uniting to Christ or that he thought he should be separated from him or that he simply desired it but comparatively he could wish it on condition the seed of Israel his Brethren and Kinsmen might be united to him He could wish to be damned on condition they might be saved Which may seem a dreadful wish but so much doth he value the salvation of so
ye are of the murtherer Secondly The first man dying was Christ in figure as the first death that of Sacrifice was Christ in figure also The Jews say that when Cain killed his Brother he made wounds in his hands and feet Thirdly That Cain who was first born into the world should so miscarry So the first estate of Man miscarried Eve hoped well of him when she named him Cain saying I have gotten a man from the Lord or a man the Lord. But the first born miscarried And so Esau the first born lost his birth-right But to return to our subject He slew his Brother We may cry Murther Murther with a witness If it had been a stranger that had been slain or an enemy or one that had been too many in the world but a Brother an only Brother the only man in the world this vastly aggravates the crime Fratricide is horrid this without parallel or possibility of parallel It is justly said that he was of that Wicked one Else this story would have choaked all belief How think you was Adam amazed when he heard it but when he resolved it thus he is of him that murthered mankind this ceased his wonder From hence I raise this Doctrine How much devilishness can the Devil infuse into Mans Nature This story is set first after the Fall to shew how much of Devil breathed in our Nature and how far it may be enhanced to devilishness Seth was begotten in the image of Adam Cain of the Devil See against how many Divine and Humane Laws and bonds he did this Act. 1. It was besides reason There was room enough in the world for both It was not with them as it was afterwards with Lot and Abraham Gen. XIII 6. The Land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together Nor as it was after that with Jacob and Esau Chap. XXXVI 7. Their riches were more than that they might dwell together and the Land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their Cattel 2. It was contrary to reason 1. In that they should have been mutually helpful And 2. Why should not Abel live as well as he 3. It was contrary to Nature He was his Brother-twin with him 4. Contrary to the tender dealing of God 5. Contrary to all reason and Religion He slew him because his works were righteous As Caligula slew a man because he was a proper man But Cain was not alone I might shew as much Devilishness appearing in others as in Pharaoh Ahab Nero c. Men in all things like the Devil and Cain And the reasons of this are I. Because the Soul of Man is capable of all evil to all extremity Not only that Gen. VI. 5. that the wickedness of Man was great and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually but he is capable of all manner and degrees of evil Not only that in Matth. XV. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts Murthers Adulteries Fornications Thefts false-witness Blasphemies but these to the utmost extremity That in Rom. VII 18. In me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing is short of the utmost extremity by far 1. The Soul is large enough to hold all evil Immensity is part of the Image of God in it desires it hath never satisfied covetuousness voluptuousness never satisfied it is a gulph that never says Enough 2. The spawn of Original Sin contains all sin in it As a spark is enough to consume all if fuelled As the Mud after the overflowing of Nilus produceth all Monsters And the Leprosie spreads all over if let alone Consider these three things of our Nature First It being contrary to God contains all evil as he all good It is a question in the Schools whether sin is contrary to Gods Nature or Will Our sinful nature is contrary to both To his Will 1 Thess. IV. 3. For this is the will of God even your sanctification To his Nature He light but we are darkness He holiness but we sin and impurity Other Creatures are not contrary to God but divers and different from him but sinful Creature is contrary Our nature as evil is contrary to the Divine Nature Our misery is not only in the loss of the Image of God but in the obtaining the contrary Image Secondly There is nothing in our nature to limit its breaking out to evil It is an untamed Heifer will bear no yoke It is like waters running downwards without bounds Nay there is that in us that breaks all bounds as the stirring of Conscience the Motions of the Spirit Education Laws all bounds but those of Grace Our principle is to please self to have our own Wills Now this consists of an hundred unsatiable gulphs to satisfie Pride Covetousness Envy Lust. Self Conjures up these Devils but there is nothing in us to conjure them down again The body breeds a disease but can master it but the Soul cannot because it is overcome with content in its disease Thirdly These distempers of our Nature are boundless in themselves No bottom no stop but Grace or Death II. Another reason how it comes to pass that there is so much Devilishness in some Mens nature is because the Devil is still urging and never saith Enough As we are ever stirring evil in our selves so he is hatching evil in us We read of some that were taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. II. 26. But I will not insist any longer on the proof Let us consider in the next place what sins are most devilish and how men come up to them James III. 15. This wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish There are degrees of sin first earthly then sensual and lastly devilish The Devil himself is without an earthly mind and without sensuality He is not covetous he offers Christ all the Kingdoms of the world Matth. IV. Nor is he lascivious They misconstrue Gen. VI. 2. that thought from thence that the Angels lay with Women Nor is he luxurious No the Devil flies at higher game to defy God and damn souls All sin bears his stamp but some his picture As namely these that follow 1. Pride and to be puffed up against God and his charge and bounds which he hath set This is the Devils peculiar sin See 1 Tim. III. 6. Not a Novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil 2. Hatred and cruelty Satan is an Enemy a Murtherer Joh. VIII 44. a roaring Lion and devours them that serve him 3. Enmity against Righteousness and the ways of God See vers 10. of this Chapter His name is Satan that is an Enemy to what is good 4. Lying and falshood That appeared sufficiently in the story of the Fall And in Joh. VIII 44. He is a Lyar and the Father of it Now are not some as devilish as the Devil himself in these 1. In Pride Some will be
he shewed what was meant by that Levit. XVIII 5. viz. That by keeping the Commandments not only life here but Eternal life hereafter is obtained And so it is further cleared by his words in Luk. X. 28. This do and thou shalt life So that this here was not barely a temporal promise but had wrapped up in it a further promise of Life Eternal And so had the other temporal promises that were given them And so some of the Jews interpret that Levit. XXVI 11 12. And I will set my Tabernacle amongst you and my Soul shall not abhor you And I will walk among you and will be your God and ye shall be my people not only of God being among his people here but of his being in the midst of them and they about him in Heaven And so you find the word Heaven in Scripture sometimes to signifie the Church here as well as it signifies the state and place of glory hereafter Now if you ask why God since he meant spiritual things and eternal under these temporal promises did not speak out but used such promises as might prove occasions of missing of those promises through misimprovement And so we find that this very thing proved the ruine of the Jewish Nation they being moved hereby to look at temporal things and to neglect eternal They looked and still look for a temporal Kingdom of Christ pompous and resplendent with worldly Iustre And this stands as it were a Wood or a Fog betwixt them and the discerning of his spiritual Kingdom that they cannot will not see it This makes them look for their Canaan again and to be planted and â—ettled there anew With which opinion too many Christians do concurr and look for some such glorious thing among the Jews even this year sixty six Why I say did not God speak out spiritual and eternal things but only obscurely hinted them in such temporal promises as these I Answer Because God would use the most feeling perswasions to them Men are not so sensible of things spiritual as they be of bodily have not the feeling of things that concern Life Eternal as they have of this Life To have said Honour thy Father and Mother that thou mayst inherit eternal life had been a fair argument but it is not so feeling to flesh and blood No Man but is very desirous of long life here and it is but one of a City and two of a Tribe that more desires Life Eternal The Gadarens are more sensible of their Swine than Christ and not one in many but a promise of earthly prosperity or bodily welfare comes nearer his heart than a promise of everlasting and heavenly glory health of body than of soul showers of rain than of grace bags of mony than all the treasures of Christ. Therefore God gave such promises as might be most feeling and perswasive those that were most like to take As the Apostle I being crafty caught you with guile as the Jews describe it As one that gives his Child Nuts and Plums to bring him on to learn so God gave to them those things that he was sure would most please them The Church of the Jews was a Child under age Gal. IV. 1 2 3. and God deals with them as with Children giving Ordinances and promises according to its childhood feeds them with milk and not with strong meat because they were not so able to bear it It is commonly said they were not able to bear spiritual dispensations in their abstract simplicity and therefore God gave them such carnal Ordinances according as they were able to bear them It is true they were carnal enough about the worship of God but was it not because they had such carnal Ordinances from the first The use of these made them dote on them Are there not thousands among Christians as carnal about Gods service as they That dote as much upon Ceremony and outward formality in Gods worship as ever they did And that because they have been brought up in such Ceremonious way or cannot come up to worship in spirit And might not the Jews have been as capable of the same spiritual manner of Religion as the Gentiles were if God had set it up among them when he first took them for the Church Wherein then did the Childhood of the Church consist First That it was yet but small of stature in comparison of that full body and growth the Church of God was to come to See that Eph. IV. 12 13. For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. What is the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ It is the mystical body of Christ in its full proportion viz. Jew and Gentile joyned together How small a Babe was the Church of the Jews in comparison with what the Church was when the Gentiles of all Nations were become the Church Secondly That Church was a Child in knowledge in comparison of the Church under the Gospel Hence that promise Esai LXV 20. There shall be no more thence an Infant of days The Gospel should bring in such light and means of knowledge that none should be a Child or infant in knowledge if they had a mind to learn 'T is true they were so childish because God afforded no clearer means of knowledge And it is as true that in some sort it was needful the means of knowledge should be but as it was viz. that God by those means might make way to the knowledge and embracing of spiritual things under the Gospel when it came Consider their carnal ordinances and temporal promises God in the Gospel was to bring in a spiritual Worship and Religion A better way to make way for the embracing of that could not be used than by shewing before the unprofitableness the uneffectualness of their carnal worship This the Apostle speaks to at large in the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. IX 9. That gifts and offerings could not make him that did the service perfect That sprinkling the blood of Goats and Bulls could not purge the Conscience The experience of this was the way to make men harken after the Sacrifice of Christ that would do the work that blood of Christ that could purge to the utmost And the like might be instanced in other parts of that carnal service So God gave them especially promises of temporal things that he might teach them that they should not be losers by his service Their service was chargeable in gifts and offerings and in going up to Jerusalem c. Therefore it was needful that God should ply them with promises of temporal good that they should lose nothing by his service if they were faithful to it Observe that Exod. XXXIV 23. Thrice in the
they would argue from this reason God finished creating in Principio in the beginning therefore he creates not a Soul now I answer He finished creating genere specierum the kinds of all species but not Species generum the Species of all kinds When he brought Frogs and Lice on Egypt it was a creation of the things but the kind was created from the beginning The same must be said of Souls Let Christs Soul be the instance Was the Soul of the Messias created at the beginning If so what did it all the while till it was united to the Body Where was it What did it Was Christs Soul ever not acting for the good of his people As soon as ever it was put into the Body it began the work of Redemption viz. Christ there sanctifying our Nature by the Union of the humane nature to the Divine His Soul is now in Heaven in the work of mediation for his people It is hard to think that his Soul should be almost four thousand years in being and doing nothing for mens Salvation And we cannot call Christ Christ till he be compleated in our nature Soul and Body So that Christs Soul as ours was infused by immediate Creation in the Body which Body was prepared in the womb for the receiving of it So that though he was not like to us in regard of his begetting in the womb yet he was like in the Union of his Soul to his Body there For II. Christ had a Soul like ours in all things sin excepted It is a question Whether all Souls are equal There is some colour for it Psal. XXXIII 15. Hesashioneth their hearts alike And thence some argue the equality of Souls But I answer 1. That place may be taken thus That God alike is the Creator of all Souls rich and poor wise and foolish 2. It is undoubted all Souls are alike in regard of the ' Essentials of Souls they are all intellectual Spiritual immortal and in regard of their Essential faculties Whether they are alike as to the use and excellency of those faculties I shall not dispute Doubtless Christs Soul was the most excellent and yet like ours in all things that simply relate to the Essence of Souls or the humane nature I need not speak of the Essentials of a Soul he had the Infirmities of a humane Soul viz. those that in themselves are sinless I might so apply that Matth. VIII 17. Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses He was subject to grief in Soul Matth. XXVI 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Soul is exceeding sorrowful To fear Heb. V. 7. In that he feared Joh. XI 33. He groned in spirit and was troubled These are natural infirmities or affections to humane Souls Adam might have had these in innocency if occasion offered The Apostle makes comfortable use of this likeness of Christs Soul to ours Heb. IV. 15. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin And so may a Christian in sadness fear hunger persecution he may refuge to a High Priest that himself was sensible what these things were Non ignara mali c. Oh! what access hath God given to sinners Not only to one in their own nature but that partook of the very infirmities of nature Except sin Name but one that he had not A poor man dying assaulted with Satan fearing pains How comfortably may he refuge to Christ who by experience knew all these III. He was like other Souls in the manner of his departure out of the body and going to another World And this I shall speak to in three Particulars I. Although the reason of Christs death was different from the reason of the death of all other men yet the nature and definition of Christs death agrees withal Though the conception and birth of Christ was different from all others yet the nature of his death was not different the manner of dying indeed differed That in Heb. IX penult reacht Christ as well as others it was appointed for him to dye though upon a far different reason from what other men dye It is worth observing that Christs death was published and pronounced of before the death of Adam was denounced against him In Gen. III. 15. the death of Christ is mentioned in vers 19. the Death of Adam Which speaks that Christ died not of the Plague of mortality of which Adam and all his posterity dye but that his death was upon another kind of account Though Christ the second Adam was incomparably above the first in his innocence in regard of the Perfection of his nature and Person yet in regard of the certainty of Death as I may say he was beneath him For the excellency of his nature so far beyond him that whereas Adam was without sin Christ was without possibility of sinning But for certainty of dying so far otherwise that whereas Adam might not have dyed Christ could not but dye Socinians say Adam was created mortal because he was in a possibility to dye and because he died whereas indeed actually he was created immortal not as yet having any seeds or principles of mortality in his nature sin not being yet come there Christ was so much more without principles of mortality in him as that whereas Adam was sinless He could not sin and yet as I may say he had the principles of dying in him but not so much in his body as mind not in any failing of nature but in the holy bent of his own Will Death was not to him the wages of sin as it is to others nor to end sinning as it is to others but from clear contrary principles viz. Love to Man and Obedience to God The Death of Adam and of all other Men proceeded from disobedience the Death of Christ only from obedience The Death of Adam because he loved not himself nor his seed the death of Christ because he loved his people more than himself So that as to the reason of the death of Christ Jordan was driven back the stream ran a clean contrary way to the reason why other men dye and yet as to the nature and definition of his dying it agreed with the nature of the dying of other men For II. Define death What is it It is the separation of Soul from Body Mortal thou must once find this definition to be most true The Soul that that inliveneth the Body that gives it freshness of colour warmth life and motion when the Soul is departed all these are gone and the Body dead Here is the difference twixt death and a swoon or trance God shewed in Enoch and Elias what he would have done if man had continued innocent viz. Have translated Body and Soul to glory But when sin came in death came in and Soul and Body must be parted the Body to corruption the Soul into the World of
all to pieces and the noblest Creature to whom God put all other Creatures in subjection was himself become like the beasts that perish the beasts that were put in subjection to him and when Satan the enemy of God as well as man had thus broke all to pieces the chief work-manship of God here the world was mar'd as soon as made And as God in six days made Heaven and Earth and all things therein so before the sixth day went out Satan had mar'd and destroyed him for whom all these things were created God therefore coming in with the promise of Christ who should destroy Satan that had destroyed all and having now created a new world of grace and brought in a second Adam the root of all were to be saved and having restored Adam that not only from his lost condition but into a better condition than he was in before as having ingrafted him and all believers into Christ a surer foundation than natural perfection which he had by Creation but had now lost then he rested as having wrought a greater work than the Creation of nature But then you will say that the first Sabbath was of Evangelical institution not of moral that then the law for keeping of it was not written in Adams heart but was of Evangelical revelation I may answer truly that it was both For though Adam had not sinned yet must he have kept the Sabbath And to this purpose it is observable that the institution of the Sabbath is mentioned Gen. II. before the fall of Adam is mentioned Gen. III. partly because the Holy Ghost would mention all the seven days of the first week together and partly to intimate to us that even in innocency there must have been a Sabbath kept a Sabbath kept if Adam had continued in innocency and in that regard the Law of it to him was Moral and written in his heart as all the Laws of piety towards God were It is said Gen. II. 15. The Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress and keep it Now if Adam had continued in innocency do you think he must have been at work dressing and keeping the Garden on the Sabbath day as on the other six He had Gods own copy so laid before him of working six days and resting the seventh that he could not but see that it was laid before him for his Example But you will say All the Moral Law was written in Adams heart as soon as he was created now the Law to keep the Sabbath could not be because the Sabbath was not yet created nor come And by then the Sabbath came the Law in his heart was blurred by sin and his fall I answer The Law writ in Adams heart was not particularly every Command of the two Tables written as they were in two Tables line by line but this Law in general of piety and love toward God and of justice and love towards our neighbour And in these lay couched a Law to all particulars that concerned either to branch forth as occasion for the practice of them should arise As in our natural corruption brought in by sin there is couched every sin whatsoever too ready to bud forth when occasion is offered So in the Law in his heart of piety towards God was comprehended the practice of every thing that concerned love and piety towards God as occasion for the practice was offered Under this Law was couched a tie and Law to obey God in every thing he should command And so though the command Eat not of the forbidden fruit was a Positive and not a Moral Command yet was Adam bound to the obedience of it by virtue of the Moral Law written in his heart which tyed him to love God and to obey him in every thing he should command And so the Sabbath when it came although you look upon it as a positive command in its institution yet was it writ also in Adams heart to obey God in that Command especially when God had set him such a Copy by his own resting II. A second thing observable in that first Sabbath and which was transmitted to posterity as a Law to keep is that now it had several ends As in man there is something of the perfection of every Creature a Spirit as Angels Life as Beasts Growth as Trees a Body as Stones so the Sabbath hath something of the excellency and of the end of every Law that was or could be given There are four sorts of Laws which God hath given to men Moral Commentorative Evangelical and Typical Moral Laws are given in the Ten Commandments Commemorative Laws as the Law of the Passover to commemorate the delivery out of Egypt Pentecost to commemorate the giving of the Law Typical as Sacrifices Priesthood Purifications sprinkling of blood to signifie good things to come as the Apostle speaks and to have their accomplishing in Christ Evangelical such as repentance self-denial believing c. Now the Sabbath is partaker of all these Ends together and hath the several excellencies of all these ends included in its self And so had that first Sabbath appointed to Adam First The Moral end is to rest from labours So in this fourth Commandment six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work c. So Jer. XVII 21. Thus saith the Lord Take heed to your selves to bear no burthen on the Sabbath day nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem Neither bring forth a burthen out of your houses neither do you any work but hallow the Sabbath day as I commanded your fathers Oh! then I celebrate the Sabbath saith the Sabbath-breaker for I do no work but play and recreate and drink and sit still and do no work at all Friend dost thou think God ever established idleness and folly by a Law That he hallowed the Sabbath day to be a playing fooling sporting day But Christian how readest thou as a Christian The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God not a Sabbath for thy lust and laziness And in it thou shalt do no manner of work of thine own but the work of the Lord thy God And the rest that he hath commanded is not for idleness but for piety towards God for which end he gave all the Laws of the first Table viz. to leave communion with the world and worldly things that day and to have it with God as in Esai LVIII 13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy will on my holy days and call the Sabbath a delight As Moses to betake our selves to the mount of God and there to have communion with him To get into the Mount above the world and there to meet God and converse with him To be in the Spirit on the Lords day and not to recreate the Body but the Soul
To gather Spiritual strength for that which it may be hath been scattered in our wordly employment Secondly There is a commemorative end of the Sabbath to remember Gods creating the world Which Adam might very well nay must have been employed about though he had never fallen When he had been all the week upon his employment dressing the Garden and keeping it then on the Sabbath to set himself to meditate upon Gods creating of the world and to study his power and wisdom and goodness shewed in that glorious workmanship and to spend the day in prayers to him Observe the work of that day to us and the same it should have been to him in Psal. XCII which is intituled a Psalm for the Sabbath day It tells you what the work of the day is vers 1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy name O most High And upon what reason ver 4. For thou hast made me glad through thy works I will triumph in the works of thy hands This is a Sabbath days work after our sixs days work to make it our employment to think of Gods to meditate of his wondrous works of Creation and Preservation and there will come in the thoughts of our Creator and Preserver and may mind us of our engagement to praise him to whet our thankfulness and faith with these thoughts 1. When we have laboured all the week to think of our Creator that hath sustained us fed cloathed brought us hitherto And here is a right Sabbath employment to let our thoughts stream from our wordly employment to God and to the remembrance of him in whom we live and move and have our being 2. To trust God with our support though we labour not on the Sabbath but spend it wholly to him and not to our selves He that created all things and that hath fed and preserved us hitherto can support us without our working on his day nay and will do it for do his work and undoubtedly thou shalt not want thy wages What a lecture did God read in his raining of Manna that on the Sabbath day he rained none thereby to shew his own owning of his Sabbath and checking and chiding those that for greediness and distrust would go out and think to gather some on that day And when he provided them Manna on the sixth day for the Sabbath also what a lecture did he read that he that observes the Sabbath and does Gods Will ceasing from his own labour and doing his shall never be unprovided for Thirdly There is an Evangelical end of the Sabbath referring to Christ and that in Adams Sabbath as well as ours Let us begin with his I have shewed that on the sixth day Adam sinned and Christ was promised So that the last work of God in the days of Creation was the setting up Christ and restoring fallen man by him And here God rested viz. He had brought in his Son in whom his Soul delighted and made him heir of all things and thus he rested in Christ finished his work in Christ rested refreshed delighted himself in Christ. Now the next day when the Sabbath came in what had Adam to do in it but to remember the Creation to remember his new creating when he was broke all to pieces and spoiled To remember his Creator and Redeemer It is said Gen. III. 21. Unto Adam and his wife did the Lork God make coats of skins and cloathed them The Lord and Lady of all the world clad in Leather Which our silks and sattens now would scorn to think of but from so mean a garb comes all our gallantry though now we scorn it But whence came those Skins Most probably they were the skins of beasts that were sacrificed For That sacrifice was from the beginning may be observed from that that Christ is called The Lamb slain from the beginning of the world and that not only in prediction or that it was determined and foretold by God that he should be slain but in figure that sacrifice was offered from the beginning of the world which did presignifie his killing and offering up And this further appears from the sacrifices of Cain and Abel which rite and piece of Religion they had learned of their Father Adam Here then was work for Adam on the Sabbath to sacrifice in memory of Christ to be offered up for redemption and to praise God for creating the world but especially for vouchsafing Christ whereby a better world and Estate is created And would not Adam when he had a family preach to his family of these things upon the Sabbath day My Children learn to know and remember the Creator the blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Spirit who in six days made Heaven and Earth and on the sixth day made me and your Mother both of us in his own image perfectly holy and righteous and endued with power of perfect obedience and to resist all temptations But that day we were deceived by the Devil and fell and undid our selves and our posterity and came into a state of death and damnation But God suffered us to lye so but a few hours but promised his own Son to take our flesh and to dye to deliver us from death and damnation and taught us this duty of sacrifice in comemoration of Christs death and appoynted this day to commemorate these things and to be employed in such service and meditations Oh! my Children learn to know your Creator to believe in Christ your Redeemer and to observe his Sabbath Such employment as this had Adam with his family on the Sabbath day that it was even a Christian Sabbath to him as ours is to us and the very same work is ours and was his on the Sabbath day but only that he also sacrificed Fourthly There is a Typical end of the Sabbath to signify Eternal Rest. Heb. IV. 3. For we which have belived do enter into rest As he said I have sworn in my wrath if they shall enter into my Rest although the works were finished from the foundation of the world Where the Apostle signifies that the Sabbath hinted another rest to wit Gods Eternal Rest different from that rest when God ceased from the works of Creation The Sabbath typifies the end viz. Eternal Rest and the means viz. to rest in Christ. One end was to Adam in innocency both to us This is a lecture that may be read in the Sabbath in something that is visible to see something invisible as in the water to see the Sun This is a way to rest and resembles that great and last Rest as pleasant walks lead at length to the stately House at the end of them This is a fit thought for the Sabbath-day morning Now I rest from the world how shall I rest from it eternally Now I deal with God invisibly but one day visibly They who love Eternal Rest will certainly love the Sabbath To all these ends God