man Rom 10.13 whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved it includes repentance humiliation joy in Goods goodness 1 Pet. 1.17 Psal 72.20 the prayers of David are ended that is his instructions his thanksgivings his confessions his humiliations 16 It s thy self gains by prayer God gets nothing thereby and if thou omit it or carelesly perform it thy self hast the loss thereby Job 22.3 17 It s one of Gods titles to hear prayer Psal 65.20 Thou that hearest prayers or thou that art hearing prayers as some translate it as if it were a continual work in God to hear prayers princes will not lose any part of their title but if thou calls not on God thou doest do what in thee lyes to deprive God of one of his titles 18 Prayer is in some sence a Christians utmost refuge though a man have been a grievous sinner yea a relapsed sinner yet if he can pray there 's hope A beggar that hath nothing to live by but begging had need begg hard so we have nothing to live on but praying I mean nothing to be done on our part to obtain mercies the promises of God and the sence of Gods love are made over to us in the use of prayer When a man hath nothing to maintain himself his wife and children but his fingers ends will he not be toyling all the day Prayer is a Christians fingers ends 19 It s the hardest of all works harder then preaching expounding c. 2 Be exhorted to pray in a right manner but how is that 1 By fixing our faith aright upon God as 1 behold him invisible hence he used a voice but shewed no similitude Deut. 4.15 because a voice was such a thing as could not be pourtrayed Esa 40.18 2 Beholding the Father subsisting in the Son and the Son in the Father and the Spirit in the Father and in the Son John 14.7 8. 3 Apprehend the fulness of the Godhead to dwell in Christ bodily Col. 2.9 4 That vve may direct our prayers either to Father Son or Spirit according as our necessities shall require yet vve are to vvorship the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity they are Eternal Almighty and Incomprehensible yet are there not three Eternals Almighties or Incomprehensibles There is one God of this are all things knovvn known in Father Son and holy Spirit for why did the Father beget the Son of his own substance and out of the same brought forth the Spirit which partake of one and the same essence and are esteem'd worthy of one and the same godhead But some wil say doth not that which begets differ from that which is begotten and that which proceeds from that whence it proceeds because the Father is not begotten from whom the Son is begotten and the holy Spirit proceeds therefore the Son and Spirit are not the same with the Father The unbegotten and begotten and proceeding are not names of essence but the manners of existence and the manner of existence is denoted by these names Justin Martyr expos fidei p. 292. We are to look upon the Father that he is made of none neither created nor begotten the Son is of the Father alone not made nor created but begotten The holy Ghost is of the Father and Son neither made nor begotten but proceeding Joh. 15.26 So there is one Father not three Fathers one Son not three Sons one holy Ghost not three holy Ghosts And in this Trinity none is afore or after another none is greater or less then another but they are co-eternal and co-equal co-essential and concausal and though there be three subsistences yet is there but one essence We are to profess one God the knowledge of whom is in the Father and Son and Spirit wherein the Father Son and Spirit are acknowledging the existences of one godhead but whereby God doth understand the communion of existences according to nature and essence for the unity is understood in the Trinity and the Trinity is acknowledged in the unity but after what manner that is I will neither ask it of others neither can I perswade my self the manner of these hid and unspeakable things that I dare speak them with my filthy flesh Ib. 297. 1 Jo. 5.7 These three are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing or essence not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one person 5 Do not so direct your prayer to any subsistence in the Trinity as to exclude the other but to include them 6 In singling out any one subsistence in the Trinity we are to pitch most usually upon the Father as he to whom we direct our prayers through the mediation of Christ and by the help of the Spirit Joh. 16.23 1 Pet. 1.17 If you call upon the Father c. not in respect of any superiority of power or glory but in respect of his firstness of order in subsisting Yet even then will it be very safe to look upon the Father essentially rather then personally yet in respect of order the Father is first mentioned Matth. 28.19 1 John 5.7 7 Forasmuch as Christ promiseth to grant the requests of his people John 14.13 14. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name I will do it it 's twice repeated for futher confirmation hence we may call upon Christ The Saints are described by this note that they call on the name of Christ Acts 9.14 1 Cor. 1.2 Acts 7.59 8 Forasmuch as we are baptized into the name of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 and he it is that sanctifies us Rom. 15.16 and renews us Titus 3.5 and makes the covenant of grace with us Heb. 10.15 16 17. and is not a bare motion or inspiration but a willing working subsistence who powrs grace into our hearts Rom. 5.5 who sends forth Apostles Acts 13.2 4. and bindes the conscience Acts 15.28 and gives his gifts as he pleaseth 1 Cor. 12.11 inabling so many to speak with tongues which they had never learned We may also call upon the Holy Ghost Thus did the Seraphims Esai 6.1 3. Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts also Psal 95.7 8. compared with Heb. 3.7 him whom Paul calls the Holy Ghost in the Psalm is called God and the Prophet calls Come let us worship and kneel down before the Lord our maker Revel 1.4 5. John prayes to each subsistence in the Trinity Grace and Peace be to you from him which is and was and is to come and from the seven spirits of God and from Jesus Christ The Spirit is called by the name of seven spirits from his manifold gifts and operations by spirits cannot be meant Angels who still refused worship Apoc. 19.10 Rev. 22.8 9. Besides the Spirit hath incommunicable properties of God as to search all things yea the deep things of God yea to know the things of God as the spirit of a man knowes the things of a man 1 Cor. 2.10.11 also the Spirit is said to be omnipresent Psal 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy
accompanied his Baptism which were three 1 The opening or cleaving of the Heavens so that something might be beheld above the Stars and Planets 2 The Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him v. 16. 3 A Voice from Heaven testifying that Christ was the welbeloved Son of the Father in whom he was well pleased V. 13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John to be baptized of him To be baptized Quest Why doth Christ come to be baptized seeing he had no sin and John's Baptism was a Baptism of Remission of sins Answ 1 For the fulfilling of all Righteousness that is all the righteous promises of God Matth. 3.15 2 To allow of John's Baptism as instituted by God which was cavilled at by many 3 That in Baptism Christ might have the testimony of the Holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove that he was the Son of God and therefore to be believed on 4 Because Christ took our sins upon him and therefore as a guilty person and a penitent he offers himself to John's Baptism that being baptized by him he might as it were wash away our sins in himself he did as it were bury the old Adam under Water in his Burying and rising up from under the Water he did as it were lift up the World of Believers that were drowned 5 That for as much as baptized ones were the Subjects of his Kingdom that he might be like his Brethren in all things hence he took up Baptism to be imbodied with his People that he and they might be one Body 6 To bring in credit such a hazardous and contemptible Ordinance 7 That as God had instituted Circumcision the sign of the old Church so Christ would ordain Baptism as the sign of the new Church and that not onely by word but also by deed 8 That the Baptist might then declare unto the Multitude that this baptized person was the Messias so long hoped for John 1.29 30 31 32 33 34. Then When the Baptist had been a while preaching and baptizing and preparing the People for Christ and had told them that the Messias was speedily to be manifested to them and the people were on fire to have him manifested and as the people were in expectation and all men mused in their hearts whether John were the Christ then comes Jesus to Jordan where not onely signs from Heaven manifested him to be the Messias but John also openly declared him partly because the people were apt to think John the Messias to clear himself thereof and partly to make the Messias known being it was fully revealed to him John 1.33 The people being therefore instant that he would shew the Messias whom he preacht to come after him John answers that he had not seen him by face but onely had received this answer from God That he should in his Baptism be manifested to Israel and in this manner that the Holy Ghost in the bodily shape of a Dove should descend upon him See John 1.29 to v. 35. From Galilee The 2 thing is the circumstance of place Christ comes from Nazareth in Galilee least any should think the business was carried politickly betwixt John and Christ therefore providence orders it that till the 30th year of their age they live and are brought up in diverse places that John could say I knew him not Joh. 1.32 and when John began his ministry about Jordan Jesus did not adjoyn himself to him but abode in Galilee that John might know and preach this that the Messias was come into the world but was not yet made manifest and that he knew him not by face but that he should be manifested in his Baptism Moreover Christ when he comes to John doth not talk familiarly with him before he desires Baptism but then when he desired baptism he came out of Nazareth of Galilee Neither was Christ baptised in secret but when all the multitude were baptized Christ was Baptized Now it appears when Jesus was Baptized all the multitude was baptized Luke 3.21 It was the providence of God that a great concourse of people should be Baptized when Jesus was Baptized that so besides Johns testimony they might see the visible signs confirming him to be the Messias all which did so clearly confirm it that this was called his manifestation unto Israel Joh. 1 3â— In Jordan Christs Baptism is set down from the place viz Jordan It was that River through which the people were brought into the Land of Promise Not as if Baptism were confined to a River but that it may be adminstred in a Pond or Lake or Sea or Brook or in any other water wherein there may be burying V. 14 But John forbad him saying I have need to be Baptized of thee and comest thou to me But John forbad him saying I have need to be Baptized of thee as if he should say if one of us must be Baptized I have more need to be Baptized of thee as the most worthy person then thou of me Quest But how doth this agree with that Joh. 1.31 33. I knew him not but he that sent me said unto me upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending like a Dove and remaining on him the same is he that baptizeth with the holy Ghost Ans That phrase of I knew him not must be limited to that circumstance of time before his coming out of Galilee when it was that the spirit revealed Christ to John I have need to be Baptized of thee as if he should say I le give reason of my refusal 1 My Baptism is a Baptism of Remission of sins but thou hast no sin therefore thou hast no need of Repentance nor no need of Baptism and I am afraid of prophaning Baptism if I should dispense it otherwise then it is appointed 2 Thou art not onely without sin but thou takest away the sin of others and into the Faith of thee others are Baptized for Remission of sins 3 It 's thy spirit onely that applies the Grace given in Baptism and I of my self cannot deserve it and therefore I have need to be Baptized of thee with the spirit and thou hâ—st no need to be Baptized of me with water Obs Holy Persons are sensible of their own corruption yea the more holy the more sensible 2 Obs The holiest Persons have need to be Baptized of Christ that is to be washed from their sins with the bloud and Spirit of Christ Joh. 3.5 3 Obs Though water Baptism must be but once yet the Baptism of the Spirit ought to be repeated again and again 2 Cor. 4.16 V. 15. And Jesus answering said unto him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness then he suffered him Suffer it to be so now We have here Christs Reply acknowledging Johns arguments to be true in respect of his person but in respect of his office it being a state of emptying and abasement and humiliation therefore I
the spirit of truth that in all his decrees and determinations he cannot erre on the other side the French cry him out of his infallible chair and conclude him subject to errour and deposable by a general counsel yet in this brawling there 's no universal breaking of communion why then should not private communion be granted among those that fear God 7 The multiplicity of relations that tyes Christians to peace worship of the same God profession of the same faith expectation of the same hope suffering for the same cause begotten by the same word children of the same father have the same comfort of love the same fellowship of the Spirit Phil. 2.1 8 The benefits that come by it 1 The kingdome of God consists in it Rom. 14.17 Some Christians thought that others could not come to heaven if they did not eat such meats as they but Paul tells them The kingdome of God consists not in meat and drink but in righteousness and peace and joy of the holy Ghost 2 It 's the way to a long and an happy life 1 Pet. 3.11 3 The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace Jam. 3.21 q. d the crop of grace and glory is not reap'd of proud and contentious persons of such as make rents in Churches and would be many masters of which he speaks v. 1. nor of those who boasting of themselves and their opinions would alone seem to be wise but it will be reap'd of peaceable Christians who being of a peaceable spirit themselves endeavour to make peace among others and sow the seed of peaceable discourses in order thereto 4 By peace we resemble God for when in God there are three subsistences yet there is one will one love and one consent whereas in contention weresemble the Babel builders 5. Peace is the way to have the presence of God with us 2 Cor. 13.11 Live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you Some creatures are by artificial means invited as Pigeons by looking glasses and Larkes by the resemblance of the Sun in a looking glass by peace the God of peace is invited who unites those one to another that are united to him John 17.21 I le conclude with Bernards Distich Nullum turbavi discordes pacificavi Laesus sustinui nec mihi complacui 6 The peaceable carriage of you to others will cause others to carry peaceably to you Judg. 8.3 Gideon peaceably answering the men of Ephraim who did unjustly in proud wrath chide him their spirits abated towards him For they shall be called the children of God that is they who evidence their Christianity out of conscience of the command by stablishing peace among them with whom they live are and ought to be acknowledged among men as regenerate and thereupon called Gods children 1 They are his children in likeness as God sent his Son into the world to make peace 2 Cor. 5.19 so do they 2 They are like Christ who being God and man made peace with the blood of his cross Eph. 2.14 Col. 1.20 and took away all enmity betwixt God and us 3 They shall be called the children of God in heaven though sometimes in this world they are not seen nor acknowledged 1 John 3.1 4 They shall be so called because having first made peace with God they feeling the sweetness of it make peace with men Ob. But how can such as make peace with men be called Gods children seeing we find many carnal men good arbitrators and make-peaces among neighbours Ans 1 Such persons do it not out of conscience of the command but either out of vain glory or to keep themselves imployed in business and so to keep off their consciences or at most out of a principle of good neighbourhood whereas Gods children do it from the command 2 They make peace not out of the sence of inward peace they have with God but out of the beneficial concernment of neighbourly peace 3 Carnal men making peace it 's usual in matters of claim betwixt man in meum and tuum but peace-makers to whom the promise belongs make peace where there are heart boylings and sinister conceptions and heart grudges betwixt man and man 4 Carnal peace makers are stir'd up to do what they do upon sollicitations and intreaties but those to whom the promise is made are stirred up to their duty by the belief of the promise and it is done many times in secret where no man knows what they aime at but themselves know that they aime at a right understanding betwixt neighbour and neighbour Christian and Christian in order to peace Use Exhort to peace-making that this promise may belong to you as God is called the God of peace Rom. 16.20 1 Cor. 14 33.2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 4.9 1 Thess 5.23 2 Thess 3.16 Heb. 13.20 So by endeavouring after peace you shall be like unto him V. 10. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven In this verse 3 things 1 The suffering its persecution 2 The cause not for wickedness but for righteousness sake 3 The crown theirs is the kingdom of heaven Quest What is meant by righteousness Answ Neither universal or paticular morral righteousness for many of the heathens suffered for honest interests and for righteous causes but spiritual righteousness is here meant as for the profession of their faith for conscience towards God 1 Pet. 2.19 This is thank worthy if a man for conscience towards God suffer wrongfully and endure grief So that righteousness signifies obedience to all the commands of God Here is inrightment to blessedness when we will rather suffer then transgress the commandment of God Observ They that are persecuted for Christ and his cause and commandements are blessed persons Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the crown For Application 1 Be exhorted to suffer persecution 1 For Christ's sake 1 Hereby thou wilt prove thy soundness of heart Dan 3.17 18 Shadrach Meshech and Abednego and Daniel cap. 6 shewed their sincerity herein unsound men will not suffer Persecution Gal 6.12 The denying of Circumcision was the Object of Persecution hence the false Teachers would have the Galatians circumcised lest they should suffer Persecution Matth 13.21 See it in the Stony Ground 2 This is the principal difficulty in Christianity to witness truth before Kings Psalm 119.46 and Councils Matth 10.17 To resist to Bloud Heb 12.4 and not to love our Lives so much as our Duty to God Luke 14.26 27 Rev 12.11 17 3 In all Persecutions for Christ thou shalt have wisdom to answer the Persecutour Luke 21.15 I le give you a Mouth and a Tongue that your Adversaries shall not be able to gainsay Acts 6.10 They that reasoned against Stephen were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit in Stephen 4 Thou shalt have strength to overcome the Persecutours 1 John 4.4 Greater is he that is in you
reverend boldness and confidence but when we are doubting timorous and fearfull it 's a sign we come in our own names Christ hath a golden Censer wherein is much Incense which he offers with the prayers of all Saints Revel 8 3. as the high Priest of old did who put Incense on his Censer when he made an atonement for the people Numb 16.46 2 Pray with the Spirit We have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Rom. 8.15 Also v. 26. The spirit makes request for us with groanings that cannot be uttered The grones of the spirit are strong cries which so fills heaven and earth that besides it God hears nothing saith Luther If in tentation or trouble we shall onely sigh to God and say Jesus Christ come and help me or else I am undone for ever we shall finde often ease hereupon All the sons of God have the spirit of his Son in their hearts crying Abba Father God grants not that often which is in the top of the heart and in the froth of words but according to the depth of the sigh to which often words answer very barely or not at all How many worldly wise men are there that might they have a world to continue one quarter of an hour in ripping up their hearts in conceived prayer they were not able to do it Some short wishes they have as God be thanked for his blessings God send us rain Others there are who have learnt the art of prayer or the gift but they have not the grace of prayer they pray artificial prayers and give artificial life to them as if the spirit accompanied them but in the mean time their hearts are neither warmed nor melted But those prayers wherein God delights are stir'd up by the holy Ghost Jude 20. Eph. 6.18 Praying with all supplication in the spirit Without this spirit we may speak of God but not unto God indeed the best of our prayers are but as the stammering voices of infants begging bread or meat at the Table yet these chatterings or stammerings coming from the spirit he that searcheth the heart must needs know what they mean because he maketh intercession for the Saints now he intercedes not by way of merit as Christ doth nor by way of supplication but by stirring us up to cry to God Rom. 8.27 Do the bowels of a father yern towards an infant groaning and panting and unable to tell where his pain is and will not God be moved with the sighs and groans of his children When Moses spake never a word yet he is said to cry to God Exo. 14.15 Hanna's voice was not heard 1 Sam. 1.13 yet she is said to powr out her heart v. 15. the sighs of the godly are as so many beams of the spirit which tyrants cannot hinder from ascending heaven though they should cut out their tongues Asaph groaned when he could not speak Psal 77.4 Now that this praying with sighs and groans comes from the spirit appears because when the spirit ceases from working upon our hearts we become dull and heavie and weary of the dutie that it becomes a very penance to us the soul then is like a becalmed ship All Saints that pray aright even Paul himself pray by this spirit Rom. 8.15 By this spirit we present such sighs as cannot be expressed and utter such words as are not able to be repeated The sighings of the needy God hears Psal 12.5 Now though carnal men sometimes groan and that to God yet are these groans a fruit of nature as the bruits do under feeling of a pressing weight the groans of saints come not onely from feeling of pain but from sorrow for sin 2 The groans in Saints lifts up their hearts to heaven and brings back chearing and sence of Gods love 3 There 's usually a sweet satisfaction comes in those groans which doth not in the groans of wicked men Those that have this spirit of prayer they have many ejaculations amidst their callings Nehemiah when he was speaking to the King prayed to the God of heaven Neh. 2.4 they frequently dart out many broken sighs to quench the sprowtings of lust as pride unclean desires revenge c. and have many invisible springings of heart upon the receipt of blessings on themselves or others Many zealous wrastlings for removal of corruptions and supply of grace To powr out the soul out of sense of spiritual wants in that form or phrase which groanings and meltings of the spirit doth indite and frame is beyond the ordinary reach of unregeneration Yea thus to pray is the hardest of all works because it cannot be effected without the spirit This spirit of prayer is of more worth then the world especially when a Christian hath by any scandalous sin or relapse or sin against conscience turn'd away Gods favour for hereby he hath restitution into Gods favour and the return of Gods countenance Jon. 2.4 7. Infinite more fruits the spirit of prayer works as many secret exultations and rejoycings spiritual ravishments strong though silent cries passionate meltings unutterable groans zealous longings which are riddles to prophane men but known to the children of God 3 Thirdly the person must be righteous Hear my prayer for I am holy Psal 86.2 The prayer of the wicked is abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 A holy man may make a carnal prayer as when the flesh gets the upper hand but a carnal man cannot make a spiritual prayer I mean a prayer prevailing for spiritual things Jon. 9.31 God heareth not sinners but if any man be a doer of his will him he hears The righteous cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth him out of all his troubles Psal 34.15 The prayer of a righteous man avails much Jam. 5.16 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you Joh. 15.7 8. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight 1 Joh. 3.22 The spirit of prayer is called the spirit of grace if thou hast not the spirit of grace thou canst not pray Zach. 12.10 yet know the righteousness of a person may consist with variety of passions as he instances in Eliah Jam. 5.17 In all begging it's a great matter who it is that begs if it be a sturdy beggar we have nothing for such so in prayer if a wicked man pray for any spiritual blessing saith God I have nothing for you but if it be a believer Christ saith be of good chear to such Luke 8.48 if thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hands towards him if iniquity be in thine hand put it far away Job 11.13 14. He will fullfil the desire of them that fear him Psal 145.19 Contrary when a man inclines to wickedness in his heart the Lord will not hear him Psal 66.18 The Pagans had so much divinity as to say the gods
spirit The Spirit is extended as far as the presence of God and therefore is every where Yea this one Spirit dwells in all the Saints where ever they live Eph. 2.18 as in a Temple 1 Cor. 3.17.6.19 The Spirit dwels not onely by gifts but in respect of substance he doth not so give his gifts that he should be elsewhere but he is present to the gifts of his creature by preserving governing adding strength Luth. Tom. 4. pag. 402. Yea the actions proper to God are ascribed to the Spirit as to create Job 33.4 Psal 33.6 and to inspire the Prophets and Apostles pen-men of Scripture Acts 28.15 the Holy Ghost spake by Isaiah the Prophet yea Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Yea the Spirit is said to be one in essence with the Father hence the Spirit is to be called upon 9 This God whom we eye in praier we are not to imagine subject to composition or division as though the Father had one part of the god-head the Son another and the Holy Ghost a third but the whole entire god-head is communicated from the Father to the Son and from Father and Son to the Holy Ghost so that there is no division but only a distinction without separation Matth. 3.16 17. The Spirit like a Dove lighted upon him and a voice from heaven said This is my beloved Son 2 We must rightly apprehend Jesus Christ that as in the Creed of Athanasius we believe our Lord Jesus Christ to be the Son of God Rom. 8.3 32. so we believe him to be God and man God of the substance of the Father begotten before the worlds and man of the substance of his mother born in the world perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soul and humane flesh subsisting equal to the Father as touching his god-head Phil. 2.6 and inferiour to the Father touching his manhood who although he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ one not by conversion of the god-head into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God One altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of person for as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ who died and rose again and appears at Gods right hand in our behalf Heb. 9.24 After the union of the light with the body of the Sun no man can separate one from another to call this severally the Sun and that severally the light but we call one Sun the light so after the union no man will call this the Son the word of God this the Son to wit man but will understand both to be one and the same as one light and one Sun now as one light and one Sun are two natures one of the light and another of the body of the Sun in like manner this Son and Lord and Christ and Onely begotten is one but the natures are two one which is above us the other ours Just Mart. expos fidei p. 302. Through this Lord Jesus we have access with boldness to come to God Joh. 14.6 Ephes 3.12 Heb. 10.22 The Sun shines alike to all every day but they that are quick of sight receive more of its beams but they that have weak eys by reason of their weakness cannot behold it so the Sun of righteousness communicates his substance equally to all as God near at hand but we being blinded with sins by reason of our blindness cannot endure the presence of his light Just Mar. ib. 305. 2 We must pray in a right order first for spiritual blessings and then for temporal first for pardon of sin then for removing of judgement 2 Sam. 24.10 first for the Kingdome of God and it's righteousness and then for other things Matth. 6.33 first for the light of Gods countenance Psal 4.6 then for corn and wine 3 Keep your heart always in a praying frame 1 Thes 5.17 Pray continually that is if any present occasion shall offer it self you may be fit for the duty hence have your hearts so set upon the world that whensoever there shall be need you may call them off from the world 4 Come with shame and abasedness of spirit into the presence of God Ephraim Jer. 34.19 20. the Prodigal Luke 15.17 18. the Publican Luke 18.13 Ezra 9.6 Ezra blusheth and was ashamed when he came before the Lord in prayer Nehemiah much confounded for his own sins and the sins of his fathers house Neh. 1.6 7. David often Psa 51.2 3. Psal 130.1 2 3.143.2 God is wont to fill such empty souls with comfort Luke 1.48 Job 22.29 the soul is then in the most praying frame when most abased then doth the soul most go out of it self and magnifie grace Matth. 6.9 After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name After this manner therefore pray ye As it 's not enough for a Gardiner to weed out evil weeds but also he plants good plants and flowers or for a workman to pull down a ruinous house but he must also set up a firm house so Christ doth not onely taxe the faults that were committed in prayer but also prescribes a right manner of prayer Q. But seeing you have laid down a manner of prayer and Christ sets forth another and there is but one manner of calling upon God aright how can this manner and the manner laid down be consistent together A. In the manner of prayer already prescribed prayer hath been handled as to the particular requisites and qualifications thereof which Christ doth not here insist upon at all or if at all it is in very generals which I have endeavoured to digest into particulars already laid down But here Christ sets forth the manner of prayer as to order and end 1 To order first to ask those things which concern the glory of God as in the three first Petitions and then the things which concern our good in the three last 2 To end there are two ends of prayer 1 That God may be honoured of us 2 That we may obtain of him the good things needfull for this life and the life to come Q. Whether did Christ use this prescription about the manner of prayer twice A. It 's likely forasmuch as Matthew and Luke set forth divers occasions that Christ delivered it twice here it 's set down to rectifie prayer from the Pharisees corruptions there it 's set down upon the request of a certain disciple who said Lord teach us to pray as John taught his disciples Luke 11.1 2. 2 Q. Whether did Christ prescribe this as a rule after which our prayers are to be squared or did he prescribe it as a form that must be used and no other A. Christ prescribes it as a rule according to which our petitions are to be directed not as a form to the continual use whereof we are obliged I will not take upon me to
of his humane Nature for his divine Nature is unspeakable Isai 53.8 3. For as much as Generation is taken for Life Gen. 6.9 Noah was perfect in his Generation that is in all parts of his Life hence Matthew intends to set down the Life of Christ Of Jesus Christ that is here is the Generation not of a common man or an ordinary Noble-man but of Jesus Christ Jesus signifies a Saviour Christ signifies Anointed for he was anointed King Priest and Prophet of his Church Heb. 1.9 The Son of David the son of Abraham the Evangelist names two of the most excellent Progenitours of Christ because the Promises of the Messiah were especially made to these for the Jews knew that the Messias they were to believe on was to descend from the Linage of Abraham and David David is set before Abraham not because he was before him in Faith but in kingly Dignity and though the Jews were counted the children of Abraham yet the Messias was called the Son of David Matth. 15.22 V. 2. Abraham begat Isaak and Isaak begat Jacob and Jacob begat Judas and his Brethren Here is a Description of Christ's Genealogy from Abraham to Christ in a direct Line Abraham begat Isaak Isaak begat Jacob Jacob begat Judas and his Brethren that is Jacob begat not onely Judah but the other eleven Patriarchs who were in a collateral Line the Evangelist goes no higher than Abraham to derive Christ's Pedigree because he counted it sufficient to shew that Christ according to the flesh was the Son of Abraham and David to whole Families the Promise of the Messias was bound Gen. 22.18 In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed 2 Sam. 7.12 13. When thou shall sleep with thy Fathers I will set up thy Seed after thee and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom for ever V. 3. And Judas begat Pharez and Zara of Thamar and Pharez begat Ezrom and Ezrom begat Aram. The Evangelist goes on in the Line of Christ shewing Judah begat Pharez and Zara of Thamar he names four Women that were great Sinners as Thamar Bathsheba and Rahab and Ruth that was a Moabitess or Gentile because these Women were not joyned to their Husbands in an ordinary manner but an extraordinary Thamar deceitfully prostituted her self to Judah Gen. 38.10 to v. 27. Bathshâ—ba was first joyned to David by Adultery and then by Wedlock Salmon maried Rahab because she received the Spies Ruth maried Boas who had been a stranger in the Land of Moab and came back poor into Judea Christ that came to put away sin was born of Sinners to teach us what a vanity there is in Pedegrees in any Pedegree should we look some Generations past there are some wicked and scandalous Judah begat Pharez and Zara Gen. 38.28 29 30. Pharez begat Ezrom called also Hezron Ruth 4.18 1 Chron. 2 5. Ezrom begat Aram called Ram Ruth 4.18 V. 4. And Aram begat Aminadab and Aminadab begat Naasson and Naasson begat Salmon and Salmon begat Boas of Rachab and Boas begat Obed of Ruth and Obed begat Jesse These Generations are fetcht out of Ruth 4.18 Qu. How could Salmon mary Rahab being a Harlot and a Stranger seeing it 's said Deut. 7.3 Thou shalt make no Mariages with them Also Deut. 23.17 There shall be no Whore of the Daughters of Israel Answ She had been a Harlot but now was not Secondly it was not unlawfull to mary Strangers because they were Strangers but because they were Idolaters which she now was not Josh 2.11 Exod. 34.16 Take not of their Daughters to thy Sons lest they make thy Sons go a whoring after their Gods The same we may say of Ruth though a Moabitess Thy People shall be my People and thy God my God Ruth 1.16 Obed begat Jesse Maldonate moves another Question Quest How it could be that betwixt Salmon and David there could come betwixt them onely three men 1 Kings 6.1 when 366. years came betwixt for the Temple began to be built in the 480 year after the People came out of Egypt and the fourth year of Solomon's Reign so that take out the four years of Solomon's Reign and the seventy years of David's Life and the forty years the People were in the Wilderness before they past over Jordan to take Jericho the remainder will be 366. years Answ It 's not incredible that four men of that time wherein man's life was so extended by nature and temperance should live 366. years for Salmon marying young with Rahab they might all live under an hundred years and at the same time Moses though much spent in labour lived 120. years Deut. 34.7 V. 6. And Jesse begat David the King and David the King begat Solomon of her that had been the Wife of Urias Jesse was of low condition 1 Sam. 20.27 Saul called David the Son of Jesse by contempt yet was he the Root from which Christ sprang Isai 11.1 Begat David the King this word added for honour sake of her that was the Wife of Uriah to signifie that God did not repent of his Promise made to David because of his Adultery with Bathsheba V. 7 8. And Solomon begat Roboam and Roboam begat Abia and Abia begat Asa and Asa begat Jehosaphat and Jehosaphat begat Joram and Joram begat Ozias Joram begat Ozias three Generations coming betwixt 1 Chron 3.11 which were Ahaziah Joas and Amaziah who begat Ozias called also Uzziah 2 Chron. 26. and Azariah If you ask why these three were omitted It may be answered because Jehoram joyned himself to the house of Ahab and Jezabel taking Ahab's Daughter to Wife 2 Chron. 21.6 Now God had threatened to make Ahab's posterity like Jeroboam's 1 Kings 21.22 that is utterly to extinguish them Now a wicked man's Posterity is reckoned to the third or fourth Generation Exod. 20.5 If these three had been reckoned there had been seventeen Generations they are excluded because born of the seed of Ahab V. 9 10. And Ozias begat Joatham and Joatham begat Achas and Achas begat Ezekias and Ezekias begat Manasses and Manasses begat Amon and Amon begat Josias Ozias begat Joatham he is said to become mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God 2 Chron. 27.6 Jotham begat Achas he was an horrible Idolater 2 Chron. 28.2 3. He made molten Images for Baalim and burnt his Children in the Fire and sacrificed under every green Tree Achas begat Hezekias he was a Prince of strong confidence in God none of the Kings of Judah equalled him in this grace 2 Kings 18.5 6. and of much sincerity and brokenness of heart Isai 38.3 5. Ezekias begat Manasses who did after the abomination of the Heathen 2 Kings 21.2 build the high places which Hezekiah destroyed and worshipped all the Host of Heaven v. 3. and made his Sons pass through the fire and dealt with Familiar Spirits v. 6. but he humbled himself greatly for these and other evils 2 Chron. 33.12 13.
Manasses begat Amon who had a short Reign and a wicked he reigned two years 2 Kings 21.20 21. and trespassed more and more without humiliation 2 Chron. 33.23 V. 11. And Josias begat Jechonias and his Brethren abou the time they were carried away to Babylon Josias begat Jechonias this Josias is said to walk in all the ways of David and not turn aside 2 Kings 23.2 his heart was humbled and tender at Gods threatnings against Jerusalem v. 19. he turned to God with all his heart soul and might 2 Kings 24.25 Josias had four Sons Johanan Joakim Zedekiah and Sallum 1 Chron. 3.15 now none of his Sons are called Jechonias Hierom on the first of Daniel saith that Porphiry objected this place to the Christians so did Julian as Hierom mentions on Matth. 1. Some think the fault was in the Libraries who being deceived with the likeness of the words Jojakim who was Josiah's Son and Jojacin who was his Grand-childe razed out the former as superfluous not considering that they lost one of the two and forty Generations hereby but this fault was not in all the Copies for Robert Stephan out of ancient Books restores the place thus Josias begat Jakim Jakim begat Jechonias and his Brethren and the very matter it self speaks forth the truth of Stephan's Copy so that the reading is to be restored Josias begat Jakim and his Brethren and Jakim begat Jechonias which lineal Descent appears Jer. 22.18 where Jehojakim is called the Son of Josiah and Coniah the Son of Jehojakim v. 24. the word Jah being taken from his name as some have thought in contempt About the time they were carried to Babylon there were two carryings away into Captivity in the first whereof Jehojakim was carried away captive 2 Kings 24 12. this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Transmigration when Jehojachim yielded himself to the King of Babylon freely whether upon the perswasion of Jeremy or otherwise The second was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Captivity when Zedekiah rebelled against the King of Babylon so that Jerusalem was taken by force Jer. 39.7 Three several times the People were carried away in the Captivity at that time See Jer. 52.27 28 29 30. V. 12. And after they were brought to Babylon Jechonias begat Salathiel and Salathiel begat Zerubbabel Jechonias begat Salathiel which appears Hag. 1.1 14. Obj. But Jechoniah is writ childless Jer. 22.10 Answ He is not said to be childless because he had no Children for it appears he had v. 28. but childless in respect of the Kingdom because none of his Posterity were to sit upon the Throne of David v. 30. Besides it appears Jeconiah had eight Sons whereof Salathiel was one 1 Chron. 3.17 18. Salathiel begat Zerubbabel this Zerubbabel brought the Jews out of Babylon into Judea Zach. 4.6 9 10. a Type of Christ who brings his People out of mystical Babylon to Sion V. 13. Moreover Zerubbabel begat Abiud Abiud begat Eliakim Eliakim begat Azor. In this last Tesseradecas or fourteenth Generation are reckoned up not Kings but chief Rulers they that followed Salathiel in Luke are supposed to have had two names according to Philo till you come to Simeon so that Neri is the same with Jechonias and Melchi with Joakim V. 14 15. And Azor begat Sadoc and Sadoc begat Achim and Achim begat Eliud and Eliud begat Eleazar and Eleazar begat Matthan and Matthan begat Jacob. There 's nothing spoken of these nine Generations in Scripture but it 's like the Evangelist took them out of the Tables of the Families preserved in Captivity or rather that the Spirit did inspire the Evangelist herein V. 16. And Jacob begat Joseph the Husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus which is called Christ Jacob begat Joseph the Husband of Mary the Pagans and Jews have vented sundry Questions against this as Celsus in Origen l. 2. and Julian and others mentioned in Maldonate They reason either Jesus was naturally begotten of Joseph and so could not be the son of God naturally or else the Genealogy of Joseph proves nothing concerning the generation of Christ that he was of the linage of David Answ Though Joseph were the supposed father of Christ yet his genealogy proves that Jesus was the son of David because Mary his mother was of the Tribe of Judah and family of David which appears because Joseph was a just man and fearing God therefore he maried a wife of the same Tribe and she also feared God and so the bond of a command of God lay upon both their consciences which is mentioned Numb 36.6 7 8. Let them marry to whom they think best onely to the Tribe of the family of their father shall they marry so shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from Tribe to Tribe and every daughter that possesseth an inheritance shall be wife unto one of the family of her father that the children of Israel may every one enjoy the inheritance of his father 2 Before Joseph and Mary came together Mary was with childe of Jesus Matth. 1.18 she remaining still a Virgin vers 23. Now vers 1. Jesus is said to be the son of David the son of Abraham Matth. 1.1 therefore Christ must needs be the son of David by the mother therefore Mary his mother was the daughter of David which further appears Luk 1.32 he shall be called the son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David Quest But why doth Matthew reckon up the Genealogy of Joseph rather then Mary Answ It was a custom among the Jews that the Genealogies of the men not of the women should be reckoned up 2 He could not so well have set down the Genealogy of Mary if he had not also set down Joseph her husband who was of the Tribe of Judah which proved her being a godly woman to be also of the same Tribe because it was not lawfull to marry otherwise 3 It appears that Mary as well as Joseph was of the same Tribe and linage for though the Jewish women might marry to one of another Tribe yet if in their fathers house there was no heir male and so the females happened to succeed in the inheritance to keep the inheritance in the same Tribe and that it might not pass to another the inheriting woman was bound to marry one of her own Tribe Numb 27.7 4 Because Christ was born after the espousing of Joseph and Mary therefore Christ might be ascribed to Joseph and Mary he had as it were power of the body of the Virgin and therefore of the fruit of her body Besides the off spring that is born in wedlock whensoever or howsoever begotten is ascribed by all Civil Laws unto the husband and wife so married Therefore as Christ is truly the son of Mary though he be not naturally but supernaturally born of her so is he also the son of Joseph because God attributes this fruit unto him as a reward
Josephs knowing her so to be but Joseph was slow in believing her till the Angel appeared to him Qu. Is there no use to be made of dreams now Answ 1 There are d vers sorts of dreams as 1 Natural so the things which the sense on the day time carries over to the understanding being more deeply setled there are sent back again to the fancy or common sense and this not only in men but in bruits A dream cometh through multitude of business Eccles 5.3 2 Moral which arises from wise discourses and reading books 3 Diabolical which come from Satan such are filthy dreams of which Jude 8 against these the ancient Church prayed Hâ—stemque nostrum comprime ne polluantur corpora Bridle our enemy that our bodies be not defiled 4 Divine so God appeared to Solomon 2 Chron. 7.12 13. Sometimes God hath appeared thus twice Job 33.14 15. twice he appeared thus to Paul Acts 16.9.18.9 and so he appeared to Pilates wife Matth. 27.19 2 There may be use made of dreams as the Urine or Pulse are signes of sickness or health so dreams may shew us what our natural complexion is and what humour is predominant where yellow Choler abounds there we dream of fire strife and fightings where black Choler abounds men dream of smoke darkness funerals where Phlegme abounds men dream of showers of rain wells of water rivers and such things as have a cold moisture where Bloud abounds men dream of things beautifull clear and sweet Martyr out of Galen tells of a man that dream'd he had a thigh of stone and in a few days after he fell into a palsey and of another that dream'd he fell into a cistern of bloud which signified aboundance of bloud and that he stood in need of bloud letting Sometimes in sleep men seem to have such a burthen they cannot bear it sometimes to be so light that they do as it were flye which is nothing else but the excess and defect of humours To conclude dreams of preferment do too much point out ambition in us unclean dreams do too much point out wandring imaginations on the day time or excess of gluttony at night terrible dreams may put us in minde what we might look for if God were not more merciful favorable and successful dreams may put us in minde what we might expect if our sins did not stand in the way But for Divine dreams when they are it s like the understanding on the day time hath been well employed in Divine things and the frequenter they are they denote perhaps a better frame of spirit aspiring after Divine things Yet as we are not to expect direction from them God having spoken cleerly by his Son so are we not altogether to slight them seeing God hath formerly manifested himself by them besides God hath not lost any of his prerogative but that he can manifest himself by them yet The third part is the ground of Josephs consolation which is For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost because fear will not be cast out by words but by reasons the Angel gives a reason why Joseph should not fear viz. because that which Joseph feared was an act of adultery was of the Holy Ghost and therefore he had cause rather to rejoyce then to grieve because of his spouse Mary the long lookt-for Messias was now to be born Such a message Joseph had at another time when he was in his fear Luk. 2.10 the Angel said Fear not for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy for unto you is born in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And therefore thou Joseph mayest take her from her friends or kindred to be thy wife and thou mayest with a quiet conscience live with her Moreover the Angel calls him the Son of David to raise up Josephs heart to consider that he as well as his wife was of that family to descend from whom the Messias was promised to all the believers of the Old Testament and so he the said Joseph should have the honour to be the civil father of this Messias as the Virgin his wife had the honour to be his natural mother And therefore vers 16. it s said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which in the feminine gender Christ was begotten not of whom to prove that Joseph was onely a civil father provided to take care of the Virgin and the Messias she went with V. 21. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Here is a second ground to quiet Josephs heart taken from the quality or excellency of this son whom the Virgin should bring forth he should be a Saviour to save his people Bring forth a son Not as the Valentinians who taught that Christ brought a heavenly body from heaven and passed through the Virgin as a channel but as the Virgin truly conceived Christ so she brought him forth according to Esa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and shall bring forth a son and therefore thy spouse is not an adultress but a most pure Virgin This the Angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary Luk. 1.31 That she should bring forth a son and call his name Jesus and here the Angel tells the same in effect to Joseph And thou shalt call his name Jesus Fathers usually gave names to their children Jacob called his son Benjamin though his mother called him Benoni Gen. 35.18 Zacharias named his son John Luk. 1.63 yet sometimes the mother as Hanna called her son Samuel 1 Sam. 1.20 His name Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his saving Christ is the name of his Office Jesus of his Nature and Person the name in the Old Testament is Jehoscua ascribed unto Joshua the Captain and to Joshua the Priest in the Type but to Christ in the truth because he is the alone Saviour of his People Acts 4.12 Heb. 7.25 He is able to save them that come unto God by him for though Baptism is said to save 1 Peter 3.21 and Preachers 1 Tim. 4.16 Baptism doth save by way of signification Preachers as Instruments by way of publication For he shall save his People from their sins three things are considerable 1. Whom Christ saves Resp All Believers because by faith alone this salvation is received all his Body for he is called the Saviour of the body Ephes 5.23 2. From what Christ saves Resp From their sins which would bring them to Hell as a Physician brings a Potion to his Patient not to kill Death but to kill the Disease that would bring the Patient unto Death so Christ came not to quench the Flames of Hell but to save his People from their sins which would bring them to Hell Now Jesus saveth us 1. From the power of sin Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under
grace 2. From the punishment of sin 1 Thess 1.10 Jesus who delivered us from the wrath to come 3. From the guilt of sin Rom. 8.1 There 's no condemnation to them that are in Jesus 4. From the weariness and burden of sin Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden I will give you rest 5. From the remainders of sin this will be in another World Rom. 7.24 25. Who shall deliver me from this body of death I thank God through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 3. The means whereby Christ sayes viz. his Death and Intercession If when we were Enemies we were reconciled by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Rom. 5.10 1. By his living to make Intercession for us as it is expounded Heb. 7.25 wherefore he is able to save to the utmost them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them This is one Argument of Christ his Godhead to save his People from sin for it 's applied to Jehova Psalm 130.8 He shall redeem his People from all their iniquities If there were a Physician in the World that could save a man from all Diseases multitudes of Patients would come to him how should Believers then come to Christ who saves his People from all their sins Psalm 103.1 2. As the Woman that had the Bloudy Issue touching Christ was healed so we touching Christ by the hand of faith the bleeding wounds of our sins are stanched This is true tidings of joy to all believing souls that such a Saviour is born Luke 2.10 11. V. 22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying The Evangelist sets down a third ground to stablish Joseph's heart and together with him the hearts of all other Believers viz. that this Prediction of a Virgins bringing forth was foretold seven or eight hundred years ago in the Reign of King Ahaz Isai 7.14 Joseph at first was ready to be startled at these strange News the Angel told him but when he heard that all that the Angel told him was confirmed by the Scriptures this brought full satisfaction The sum of the Promise was that not onely that God would save the House of David Isai 7.13 from the Syrians and Men of Israel their Enemies v. 8 9. but that also he would save the believers among them from their spiritual Enemies and because the matter seems hard to believe the Lord gives them a sign to confirm it viz. Behold a Virgin remaining a Virgin still shall be with childeâ— so that as in Painting or Building there are first rude Lines or Draughts made by the Painters who after by degrees perfect that which they had conceived in their mindes according to the Idaea therein so as the Lord had prophesied of a Virgins conceiving so now he perfects and fulfils it so that as the calling of the Israelites out of Egypt Hosea 11.1 was a Shadow of the Deliverance of the Sons of God out of the spiritual Egypt of Hell so these things told then by Isai did shadow out what was now fulfilled V. 23. Bernard thinks the Devil fell out of envy envying men that Dignity that God should become Man Behold a Virgin shall be with childe and shall bring forth a Son and they shall call his Name Emmanuel which being interpreted is God with us The Evangelist sets forth not onely the sum of the Prophesie but the wonderfulness of it Behold this Adverb still points out attention and admiration Behold as if he should say Men and Angels wonder at this strange unheard of thing that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth Emmanuel that is God-Man Jer. 31.22 The Lord hath created a new thing upon earth A Womam shall compass a man Some men will not wonder at any thing to conceal their own ignorance but here is a providence to admire all And they shall call his Name Emmanuel that is being interpreted God with us that is not onely spiritually that is reconciled to us 2 Cor. 5.19 but because the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us John 1.14 They shall call all the saithfull and many others shall so call him God with us for this Pronoun Relative they hath respect unto a plurality See Luke 12.20 Luke 16.9 Quest How can Jesus be called Emmanuel Resp Not in sound but in sense Christ was called Emmanuel from the Dignity of his Person and he was called Jesus from his Office and effects of it and in all this it sell out that the Prophesie of Esaias was fulfilled Shut your eys without Christ and say that you know no other God but he that was in the bosom of Mary and suckt her Breasts Where that God Christ Jesus is there is whole God or the whole Divinity found the Father and the Spirit Luth. in Ps 130. I shall also add what a late Writer adds to interpret this Prophesie viz. that within a space of time wherein a Virgin might marry and conceive and bring forth and the Childe come to the distinguishing of good and evil Isai 7.14 15. Rezin and Pekah Ahaz his two Enemies should be brought low and from this he calls an high improved sense over and above the vulgar sense which belonged to the words that from this place the Spirit should gather that a Virgin should bring forth a Son V. 24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him and took unto him his Wife Here we have Joseph's obedience to the Angel seen first in taking unto him his Wife as the Angel bad him When we are convinced of Gods Commands we must neither dispute them nor delay them Psalm 119.60 now Joseph takes both Mother and Childe into his tuition V. 25. And knew her not untill she brought forth her first-born Son and called his Name Jesus Here is the second thing wherein Joseph's obedience to the Angel was seen viz. in not knowing his Wife he means in a matrimonial way as it is taken Gen. 4.1 to make it appear that Christ was not conceived of Joseph but of the Holy Ghost So the phrase is taken Num. 31.35 1 Sam. 1.19 No doubt the Angel had given Joseph command herein not to know her because he did as the Angel commanded this was done as for the stablishing of our Faith on Jesus Christ as being conceived in such a wonderfull manner so for to verifie the Promise that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 Untill she brought forth her first-born Son It is not for us to contend to finde whether the Virgin Mary were a Virgin ever after she brought forth her first-begotten Son it is curious to seek and more curious directly to define that son is said to be the first-born before whom there was none though he were the onely begotten This word untill oft signifies an
Egypt Because it was a Country near at hand whereunto the journey would be less And be thou there until I bring thee word Gods command should be the rule of our motion As the souldier is not to leave his station without the command of his Officer no more are we without Gods command For Herod will seek the young childe to destroy him The Angel knew this by divine revelation For God knowes the thoughts of mens hearts a far off Psal 139.2 And the motions of our wills Though the Angel might suspect it from the cruel and proud disposition of Herod yet onely he knew it from revelation There is no wisedome nor counsel can stand against God Prov. 21.30 The Angel saith not Herod will destroy but onely seek to destroy Psal 37.32 V. 14. When he arose he took the young childe and his mother by night and departed into Egypt Here is the obedience of Joseph We must go from Country friends and kindred when God calls so Abraham Gen. 12.1 2 though we know not whither Here was a long and dangerous journey for Joseph an old man to carry a woman that had lately lain in and an infant of about forty days old above two hundred miles through a vast Wilderness into Egypt to sojourn among persons utterly unknown whose language probably he knew not and that in the depth of Winter but faith overcomes all difficulties he believes the Angel that he would bring him word when it was fit to remove as he said v. 13. Faith in Joseph swallows up carnal fears 15. And was there till the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Out of Egypt have I called my son And was there till the death of Herod Here 's the second branch of Josephs obedience We must not onely go whither God will have us but tarry there as long as he will have have us How long Christ was in Egypt and in what place and what miracles he did the Scripture is silent herein That it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Out of Egypt have I called my son The Scripture is fulfilled four ways 1 When that which is plainly fore-told is fulfilled as that a Virgin shall conceive a childe Esa 7.14 compar'd with Matth. 1.23 2 When the Scripture prophesies in general of such and such persons it may be applied to every particular as when wicked men contemned Isaiahs Ministry the Lord sends the Prophet Isaiah cap. 6.9 to preach That they should hear but not understand see but not perceive To such contemners Christ at several times applies it as Matth. 13.13 14 15. Joh. 12.39 40. and the Apostle applies it to such Jews Act. 28.26 27. so Rom. 11.8 as it is written God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear to this day which though spoken by Esaias and aiming at the wicked that then lived under his ministry yet being spoken in general falls upon all that have a spirit of slumber 3 Analogically or by way of proportion So this Scripture Out of Egypt have I called my Son which is taken out of Hosea 11.1 That place cannot literally be meant of Christ because that Israel there meant the Prophet upbraids with unthankfulness therefore it 's meant by way of similitude As Israel the adopted Children of God were called out of Egypt by the Ministry of Moses so was Christ the natural Son of God called out of Egypt by the Ministry of the Angel the Members were called out in Hosea The Head here 4 Prophesies are fulfilled by way of Type when the thing typified answers to the Type So the Prophets phrase of calling my Son out of Egypt being spoken singularly was a Type of the Son of God who was to be called out of Egypt by the Angel neither needs this seem strange for Sinah and Sion Hagar and Sarah which signifie the two Testaments are more unusual Types and further fetcht The third part of the Chapter V. 16. Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men was exceeding wrath and sent forth and slew all the Children that were in Bethlem and in all the Coasts thereof from two years old and under according to the time that he had diligently inquired of the Wise-men We have here the History of Herod's Cruelty from v. 16. to v. 19. set down 1 From the outward cause of it viz. his being mocked of the Wise-men 2 From the inward cause viz. an exceeding Wrath he conceived in his heart partly for the Indignity he conceived the Wise-men had done him and partly to hear that there was one born that should be Heir of his Kingdom and he not know who he was 3 From the cruel Edict or Command he sent forth to slay all the Infants of Bethlem two years old and under 4 From the prophetical Prediction thereof Jeremy prophesied In Rama was there a voice heard Lamentation Weeping and Mourning Rachel weeping for her Children Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the Wisemen We have the outward cause of Herod's cruelty viz. his being mocked of the Wise-men for they promised they would return unto him but God having admonished them of his Treachery returned not to him neither did Herod presently go to murder the Infants for about thirty days after Christ was presented in the Temple Luke 2.22 which was about eighteen days after the Wise-men came and a little while after dwelt at Nazareth in Galilee Luke 2.39 And likewise it is probable the Tyrant Herod had endeavoured to finde Christ that he might kill him alone before he would kill so many Infants which thing he knew would render him odious to all Moreover there was a common Report that when Joseph and Mary came to present Christ to the Lord at the time when Mary was purified that the Childe Jesus was openly declared by Simeon and Anna to be the Messias and from thence Herod supposed the Wise-men had deceived him Was exceeding wroth and sent forth and slew all the Infants in Bethlem and in all the Coasts thereof from two years old and under Because the Report of the Wise-men and the Witness of Simoon and Hanna in the Temple stuck much in the mindes of men so that Herod could not without fear of a Tumult vent his Malice against Christ he deferr'd his Malice to a fitter time and hearing of his being presented in the Temple began to inquire where his abode was but when he could not finde him in all Judea he thought he was hid for fear he dissembled the matter a while thinking hereby that his Parents fearing nothing would bring him out of the place where he was hid but when after his long dissembling the Childe was no where to be found in Judea the second year when he saw his opportunity he endeavours to take away the Life of the Childe but
therefore Matthew Mark and Luke say As a Dove and like a Dove It 's like it was of a fiery matter as the fiery Tongues were The Spirit appears in the likeness of a Dove to shew that that Spirit that was in Christ was full of meekness Isai 42.1 2 3. I have put my Spirit upon him the bruised Reed shall he not break nor smoaking Flax shall he not quench See Matth. 11.29 Again a Dove represents the Graces of the Spirit Isai 11.2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him to shew the innocency purity and charity in Christ A Dove was the sign of the Reparation of the World after the Floud and here it is a sign of Reconciliation by Christ This Dove was a fit Resemblance to this Lamb of God for as the Lamb is most harmless among Beasts so is the Dove among Birds The Flight of this Dove denotes the divine Influence of the Spirit coming from Heaven into the Members of Christ as well as into the Head Mahomet by putting Corn into his Ear accustomed a Dove to fly to his Ear which eat what was there put by this way he perswaded the People the Spirit of God was familiar with him and suggested to him his Alcoran Yet must we not think this substance or body resembled by a Dove to be hypostatically united to the Spirit of God as the humane nature of Christ was to Christ but as Angels oftentimes took humane bodies and appeared to men with them and laid aside those bodies afterwards so did the Spirit of God As the Heavens were opened unto Christ to shew his Doctrine was not earthly but heavenly so did the Spirit come upon him to shew his Doctrine was the Ministry of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 called The glorious Ministration of the Spirit this visible Appearance of the Spirit could not but send divers of the Spectators to the perusals of those places of the Prophets forementioned Isai 11.2.42.1 2 3.61.1 especially Christ so interpreting the visible descent of the Spirit upon him Luke 4 18. To conclude by this visible sign of a Dove is shewn that Christ is that harmless one in whom the Spirit hath his constant residence in and through whom alone we are to receive of the gifts of his Spirit for whose sake rather than for his own in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily this Spirit descended upon him and especially for John's sake to whom this sign was promised whereby he should be certified in a most absolute clearness of the person of the Messiah John 1.32 On whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending like a Dove that same is he This Spirit John is said to see not essentially but believingly for by a Metonymie the name of the spiritual thing is given to the visible sign V. 17. And lo a Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased We have here the third sign confirming the Call of Christ and his Instalment into his Office viz. a voice from Heaven when the Heavens clove that voice sounded It was the voice of the Father doubtless in that he saith This is my beloved Son here was the first clear Revelation of the Trinity under the New Testament the Father shews himself in a voice the Son in the flesh or humane nature the Spirit in the likeness of a Dove This is my beloved Son Not an adoptive but onely begotten my onely everlasting and coequal Son These words are partly taken out of the second Psalm v. 7. I will declare the Decree the Lord said unto me Thou art my Son By this forementioned voice he made his Son King upon Sion That Psalm is to be referred to this Of this beloved Son Isaak was a Type Gen. 22.2 Take thy son thy onely son thy son whom thou lovest And so was Solomon called Jedidiah or the beloved of the Lord. Oft was Christ called Beloved in the Book of Canticles the Fathers voice might have respect to these Figures Of this Christ speaks John 17.26 I pray that the love wherewith thou lovest me may be in them Ephes 1.6 We are said to be accepted in this Beloved In whom I am well pleased The same with that In whom my soul is well pleased Matth. 12.18 As if he should say Thou my Son onely and chiefly beloved pleasest me in all things and that infinitely and no man pleases me but by thee yea by thee am I appeased with all them I have given thee at whom I was offended by the sin of Adam and there is nothing in thee that displeases me Enoch pleased me Heb. 11.5 but not so as thou dost for in thee I am appeased and reconciled to the World of Believers The shew of a Dove was a dumb thing therefore here 's a voice to make all things concerning the Messiah out of question and also opening the whole Mystery of our Redemption for what is our Redemption but this whereas formerly we were at enmity with God now God is well pleased with us in Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself These words are taken out of Isai 42.1 and in that Chapter is the calling and sending of Christ to his Ministry described and indeed the whole Scripture whence some words are taken should be lookt into To this in the Transfiguration was added Hear him not Plato Socrates Moses further than he Witnesses of Christ but hear him who being in my bosom John 1.18 shall reveal my Mysteries which have been hid from the foundation of the world He shall open the way to Heaven to you CHAP. IV. IN this Chapter there are four parts 1 Christ his Tentation from v. 1. to v. 12. 2 Christ's Preaching in Galilee from v. 12. to v. 18. 3 Christ's calling of four Disciples Peter Andrew James John 4 The Confirmation of his Doctrine by Miracles v. 23 24 25. In the Temptation observe 1 The Time v. 1. immediately after Baptism 2 The Place in the Wilderness v. 1. 3 The efficient Cause viz. the Spirit of God 4 The End to be tempted of the Devil v. 1. 5 The kindes of the Temptations which are three 1 To Unbelief v. 2 3. 2 To Presumption v. 5 6. Cast thy self down for he shall give his Angels charge of thee 3 To the vain glory of the glory of the World v. 7 8 9. 6 The Victory Christ got over these Temptations so that the Devil was forced to give ground v 11. amplified from the Weapon wherewith Christ overcame him which was the Word of God 7 The comfort Christ had after the Temptation was over The Angels came and ministred to him V. 1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil This Temptation of Christ is set down 1 From the Time Then When Even presently after his Baptism Mark 1.12 Immediately the Spirit driveth him into the Wilderness and being full of the Holy Ghost he was led by
words in what thing every Kingdom excelled Others think the Devil flew with Christ through all the Kingdoms of the World and in a little time shewed them to him But the Text saith The Devil took him into an high Mountain and shewed them to him Some think the Devil by an imaginary Vision presented all the Kingdoms of the World But this Tentation was outward not inward Therefore I lean to the first that the Devil from that high Mountain shewed Christ onely the coast and situation of all the quarters and Kingdoms of the World saying this is Europe this is Africk this Asia this England this France Spain c. And because he shewed him the glory of them it 's like the Devil like a Painter represented unto Christ all the glorious things that were in every Kingdom by thickening of the air wherein the Devil made certain Images of things which were no less apparent to Christ than Colours in the Rain-bowe to us for neither were the eys nor imagination of Christ deluded 3 Satan shewed the Kingoms of the World by way of proportion shewing the wealth pomp and glory of some one Kingdom that was nigh that high Mountain For the Kingdoms of the World have onely a greater quantity of that which may be seen in one Kingdom We may by the way observe the order of the Tentations The first Tentation was of Distrust from which Satan being driven away by the Promise the Devil sets upon Christ by a second which was If thou ascribe so much to the Promise then cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his Angels charge over thee His third Tentation was taken out of Psalm 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession which though it were the speech of the Father to Christ yet so much Satan gathered that all the Nations of the World belonged to Christ The Devil therefore shews them to him as if he should say to Christ That way thou goest in humbling thy self thou shalt never subject the Kingdoms of the World to thy self for thou seest they are possest of them that are my Servants therefore if thou wilt worship me thou mayst become Lord and Heir of all these Kingdoms more easily speedily and surely than if thou trustest to that voice that sounded unto thee from Heaven V. 9. And saith unto him All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Here is the Devils proffer to Christ All these things will I give thee The condition If thou wilt fall down worship me All these things will I give thee In this Proffer see the Devils Lyes 1 He challenges that to be his which belongs to Christ for he is Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 All power is given unto him in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28.19 2 That he had power to give the Kingdoms of the World to whom he will as Luke sets it down Whereas this onely is Gods property Dan. 4.25 for though Satan be called the Prince of the World John 12.31.14.30 and the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 yet this is meant onely of the World of the Wicked in whom he reigns Ephes 2.2 Not that he is Proprietary of any Kingdom of the World Quest But how durst Satan to have the impudence to speak thus to Christ Answ Because he had seen Christ again and again to forbear to do any Miracle though sollicited thereto therefore Satan began more certainly to think he was not the Son of God 2 Because he feigned himself to be the Son of God and to be God in that he says The Kingdoms of the World were delivered to him and that he gives them to whomsoever he will Luke 4.6 3 He was blinded with the ambition of God-head even from the first and therefore he desires so to be worshipped 4 He hereby thought to try whether Christ were the Son of God for it 's like he reasoned thus If this Christ be the Son of God he will be angry at me for taking his Dignity from him and counterfeiting my self to be Gods Son wherefore being angry he will reply whence is this arrogance of thine how dares thou thus blasphemously speak thou proud and lying spirit I am the Son of God thou art Satan it 's thy duty to worship me how dares thou then require me to worship thee If thou wilt fall down and worship me Here is the condition None get any thing of the Devil at a cheap rate For falling down in worship it was the manner of the Eastern People not onely to their Kings but to their God yea it was the manner of the Jews so to worship God Psalm 95.6 Dan. 3.7 Ezra 9.5 Nathan speaking to David about Adonisah's reigning he fell on his face to the ground 1 Kings 1.23 That outward sign of Reverence was not proper to divine worship when it was used out of divine worship We may know when it is done â—ightly or otherwise by the meaning of him that gives it and of him that requires it therefore Grotius out of Sozomen praises a certain Christian who having worshipped the King of Persia in a civil way being after sollicited to fall off from Christ in the same manner to worship the King again he refused Now there being no manner of Worship neither civil nor divine due to Satan Christ abhorred so much as to give him civil Worship Now for the Tentations wherein he tempted Christ they were 1 To Covetousness for the Devil knows how unsatiable the heart of man is after earthly things and to many the Devil need not proffer so largely neither a house-full of Gold as Balaam nor all the Kingdoms of the World for a handfull of Gold nay a far less matter will serve the turn Also the Devil tempts Christ to a false faith thâ—â—â—e may believe him to be the Son of God also to Idolatry that he might worship him as God also to Pride If thou wilt worship me I le make thee the greatest King in the World Now whereas most men among us would spit in their faces that should say they worship the Devil know that when thou art overcome of Covetousness and Pride in the reign thereof thou worships the Devil and on this condition Satan helps many men to glory and riches From Christ his Repulse of Satan learn we to drive him back drive back his Temptations of Unbelief by faith in God and in his providence his Temptation to Presumption by keeping our selves in the fear of God and the duties of our callings his Temptations of Covetousness and Ambition by a weaned affection to the world Not to love the World or the things thereof 1 Joh. 2.16 His Temptation to Idolatry by giving God both inward and outward worship V. 10 Then Jesus said unto him Get thee behinde me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt
Luke sets down all the Apostles were called together cap. 6.13 Mar. 3.19 John sets down c. 1.40 41. first Andrew was called then Peter therefore we must remember the fore-mentioned distinction of Discipleship and Apostleship Casting their nets into the sea for they were fishers The calls of Christ usually meet persons when they are employed in their lawful callings V. 19. And he saith unto them Follow me and I will make you fishers of men Christ doth not call the learned men of the world the eloquent Orator the subtile Logician for to make his own power more manifest whiles he had such weak and simple instruments 1 Cor. 1.23 Where is the wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of this world Follow me Leave not onely your lusts but your ordinary imployments that you may be instructed in the way that leads to life And I will make you fishers of men It 's a metaphor the sea is the world the fishes men the net the Gospel Math. 13.47 the fishers are the preachers Preachers are compared to fishers 1 For their painfulness fishermen must rise at all hours and undergo many hard storms so must preachers 2 For their watchfulness they must rise at all hours so preachers 3 For diligence Fishers must let down their net at all hours whether they take something or nothing so must preachers Men are like unto Fishes 1 As fish stands need of salt to keep it from putrifaction so do men stand need to be seasoned with the Gospel and with gracious discourse Col. 4.6 2 As fishes are begotten of water and live in it Rondel l. de pise c. 13. and are nourished by it and die without it so if you be taken by the Gospel You must be born of water and the spirit Joh. 3.5 of the bloud of Christ compared to water Ezek. 36.25 Rev. 7.14 and of the spirit of Christ without which you can neither live nor be nourished 3 As the greater fishes devour the less and the great Whale devours all so the great men of the world devour the smaller and the devil devours all unless rescued by Christ 4 Fishes as soon as they perceive the net swim away from it so natural men put away the Gospel from them Job 21.14 Acts 13.46 5 As fishes are not taken unless they take the bait so are not souls unless they receive the glorious things of the Gospel Rom. 1.16 6 As fishes wander in the sea confusedly until they be taken and put into fish-ponds so do natural men in the sea of this world till they be converted and brought into the Church V. 20. And they straightway left their nets and followed him The powerful work of Christ upon their hearts was so great that they leave their ship and nets to follow Christ yea every enjoyment they had as servants kindred calling There should nothing be too much for us to leave when Christ calls for it Luk. 14.33 we cannot else be Christs Disciples yea our very lives are to be left for Christ Matth. 10.39 God forbid we should rejoyce in any thing save Christ Gal. 6.14 Moreover what obedience they performed to Christ was speedy and present When God calls we must give present obedience so Abraham in sacrificing Isaac Exo. 22.29 Psal 119.60 we must not consider the issues and events of things when we have a clear command of God before us V. 21. And going from thence he saw other two brethren James the son of Zebedee and John his brother in a ship with Zebedee their father mending their nets and he called them We have here two called more from their Fisher-craft to be Christs Disciples whom he retains a good while with him about the doctrine of the Gospel For though men of mean parts and callings may teach yet not before they have learned themselves In that he calls poor Fisher-men we may admire the free grace of God and the greatness of his power who by such weak means could overcome the world 2 Cor. 4.7 The treasure of the Gospel was in such earthen Vessels That the excellency of the power might be of God 1 Cor. 1.26 27. V. 22. And they straightway left the ship and their father and followed him We may see 1 Their dependance upon the providence of Christ for they did not reason how shall we do to live if we leave our callings 2 All worldly things must be held with a disposition to part with them when Christ calls for them they presently left their nets This besides the command of God and example of Saints should move us that what we part with for Christs sake We shall have an hundred fold in this present world and life everlasting hereafter Matth. 19 27. 3 From their not going till they had 〈…〉 we should learn when we attempt any thing hazarâ—ious 〈◊〉 to see our call Heb. 11.8 Abraham being called 〈…〉 went not knowing whither he went The children of Fâ—â—â—â—aim going against their enemies without a call turned their backs in the day of battel Ps 79.9 compared with 1 Chron. 7.21 22. So Israel going up against the Canaanites when God forbad them by Moses to go were smitten by them Numb 14.41 42 43 44 45. 4 In that they leave ship and father learn that matters of affection as well as matters of profit must give way to Christ Gen. 12.1 2. V. 23. And Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the People We have in this last part to the end of the Chapter two things 1 The diligence of Christ in preaching and working Miracles v. 23. 2 The effect hereof viz. Multitudes followed him bringing their sick unto him He went about all Galilee Persons that are not fixt to the oversight of one Church but have a Call to go into the World must not content themselves to tarry in any one place Christ went about all Galilee preaching in their Synagogues Where the seed is cast among much ground it 's probable some of it will take root and bring forth fruit And preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom That is the glad Message of the Kingdom of Heaven and the way to attain it If any man ask how Christ could be permitted to preach in the Synagogues it was partly because grave and godly and knowing men either known so to be or commanded by others were so permitted to speak so the chief Ruler of the Synagogue permitted Paul to speak unto the People Acts 13.15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them saying Ye men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation to the People say on Besides Christ confirmed his Doctrine with Miracles and so all men whom malice blinded not might see that he was a Teacher come from God and therefore might easily have access into the Synagogue Now a Synagogue is the same
sinn'd he should dye 2 Renewed whereby we are angry at our own or other mens sins so Moses Exod. 32.32 he was so angry that he slew three thousand who were actors in the golden Calf Phineas slew Zimri and Cosbi Numb 25.7 8. so we may have a just anger when our own name or state or wife or life is violated 2 There is an unjust anger which is when we have a desire of revenge stirr'd up in us upon unjust causes Jon. 3. Now that thy anger may be just and not sinful consider 1 The properties of holy anger 2 The remedies against sinful anger 1 The properties of holy anger as 1 It must have a just cause Exo. 11.8 Moses went from Pharaoh in a great anger Lot was angry with the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 2 It must be proportioned to the fault We must not bring a club to kill a flye nor set an house on fire to rost an egg Here Jonah fail'd who was so angry for a gourd and the Disciples who for a contempt would have had fire come down from heaven Luk. 9.53 3 With love of those with whom we are angry so Moses pray'd for Israel when he was so angry at their golden Calf Exod. 32.11 4 In matters of importance not for trifles There 's more justice then love in such a carriage 1 Cor. 13.5 6. 5 It must be short the Sun must not go down upon it lest it boyl up into malice Eph. 4.26 and so much the shorter as we see signes of repentance in the person offending Absaloms long retained anger turn'd into malice and in fine to murther 6 It must be moderate Not as Simoon and Levi who slew innocent as well as guilty Gen. 34.25 Some are like cruel hangmen who having a just cause to execute the office to wit the Judges command do in the execution thereof use all cruelty So persons being commanded to be angry with the sins of their brethren seem glad they have got such an occasion to show their fury though too many can swallow the same evil in a friend Remedies against unjust anger 1 Take heed we be not abused by false imaginations as to be angry for a man 's not saluting us when perhaps he never saw us or to think a man bears us no good will when he discovers no ill will against us To think a man loves us not because he comes not so oft to our house when perhaps his business will not permit or because we see a man laugh to think he laughs at us 2 Consider thy own vileness Carry meekly to others for thou wast as bad as they Tit. 3.3 Jam. 3.2 3 Consider Gods patience how many imperfections he patiently bears in us 10000 talents let us bear with pence Matth. 18. ult He is over thee as thou art over others 4 Avoid occasions of anger as contentious companions Prov. 22.24 drunken company Prov. 23.29 too much affecting any thing for when we lose it it will cause much anger As we keep gunpowder and tow far from fire let us avoid occasions of anger 5 Consider nothing befals thee but by the providence of God This kept David from anger when Shimei curst 2 Sam. 16. and Job c. 1.22 he raged not against the devil nor the Sabeans but lookt at God and quieted his heart and though you have not deserved it at their hands yet have you deserved much more at Gods hand Gen. 50.20 21. it was not ye but God sent me hither 6 Behold anger in another how odious it is Should a man see himself in a looking-glass when he is in a Bedlam fit how ugly would he look to himself 7 It makes us unfit to duties as to prayer 1 Tim. 2.8 Lift up holy hands without wrath to hearing receive with meekness the ingrafted word Jam. 1.21 to receiving 1 Cor. 11.17 18. to Church-communion 1 Cor. 1.10 to mutual edifying hence Paul and Barnabas parted companies Acts 15. 8 Angry men take that which is proper to God which is vengeance Rom. 12.19 Vengeance is mine and not thine An angry man makes himself to be Judge and would have God to be his Executioner 9 Interpose reason and deliberation without this the soul is like a ship without Compass or Pilot let reason teach thee not to be hasty in thy answers Theodosius was taught by Ambrose to take thirty days respit before he punisht any offence because in that space his anger might be asswaged and his judgement rectified It 's as absurd for passions to lord over reason as for an intemperate scold to justle out a reverend Judge It 's not comely to be angry for it is a kinde of madness but if it shall seize upon us let us so use it that it be for the correction and amendment of our neighbour he that uses it besides reason hates himself and his neighbour by troubling himself and grieving his neighbour Justin ad Zen. Seren. p. 395. 10 Consider the loveliness of a meek spirit both with God and man 1 Pet. 3.4 it 's an ornament of great price It 's the sinews of all delightfull societie and drawes like a Loadstone the iron the spirits of men to it 11 The scandal Every blinde man can see the evil of a waspish cholerick spirit this made Jacob and his sons to stink Gen. 34. ult 12 Get out of the company of those who have offended us as Jonathan did 1 Sam. 20.34 besides thou shalt hereby cover thy sin which moves thy adversary to scorn and laughter and thy friends to sorrow and pity Also hereby shalt thou appease thy anger by removing the object Prov. 12.16 13 Suffer not anger to lodg with you We cannot sometimes keep it from entering but from lodging Eccles 7.9 anger rests what in a wise mans heart no in the besome of fools though we be sometimes touchy let us not be heavily disposed as Absalom 2 Sam. 13.23 Let anger be like a fire of thorns quickly extinct A spark or coal of fire if it light on us it will not hurt us if it be presently shook off but if it lye still it causeth burning so will our anger if we let it alone we give place to the devil who will boil it into malice by amplifying the indignity done to us and the unworthiness of the person Usually the devil chuses an angry passionate heart to act his designes as we see in Saul and Cain Anger is a young twig envy is a tree and a great beam Luth. 14 Look on the bad effects in nature it casts into a fever dries up radical moisture hastens consumptions It makes the minde drunk In passion reason that should govern us is like a key to a lock that is jumbled it makes men to be angry with the bruits as Balaam with his Ass Num. 24.10 to throw things out of their hand which after they are forced to take up 15 Suppress anger in thine heart though it do not boil out many are like rivers which are most
will trust in thee Fervent prayer we see is wont to excite the Lord to help us in our distress Jesu Christe fer opem aut actum est de salute meâ was a saying of Luther which I have often used to the Lord saying Jesus Christ come and help me or else I am undone for ever This is according to the promise Psalm 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee Psalm 12.5 We perish They lay open their misery before Christ Psalm 142.1 2. I poured my complaint before him I shewed before him my trouble Isai 26.17 2 Chron. 20.12 13. They cry not to the heathen Neptune nor Aeolus which Heathens thought gods of Windes and Seas but to Christ Psal 89.9 nor cry they to Nicholas Mary Barbara and Christopher to whom Papists think government of waters is committed Chem. in loc The grounds why in trouble we lay open our misery to the Lord is 1 Because of our own helplesness Hosea 14.3 Ashur shall not save us Psalm 108.12 Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man 2 Because of the fulness of salvation in God Psalm 3.8 Salvation is of the Lord Psalm 44.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 3 Because of the insufficiency of all outward helps in time of danger Psalm 142.4 5. I looked on my right hand and behold refuge failed me then cried I unto thee O Lord. 4 Gods peoples extremities are Gods opportunities for deliverance and salvation Psalm 102.18 19. From Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth to loose those that are appointed to death Judges 20.26 27 28. V. 26. And he said unto them Why are ye fearfull O ye of little faith then he arose and rebuked the Windes and Seas and there was a great Calm Here is a third circumstance in the journey Christ reproves them Why are ye fearfull O ye of little faith Much fear argues little faith Faith foresees evils before they come and opposes Christ against all Prov. 22.3 The prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself so that he is not affraid of evil tidings Psalm 112.7 Not as if Christ condemns little faith but reprehends it in them who had great means of a strong faith and had seen many of Christs miracles and heard many of his Sermons Little faith brings to Heaven but not without doubts and fears Their faith was little 1 In that they did not so fully believe his divine nature Joh. 14.1 Also 2 In that they did not believe in his providence as they ought from the experiences they had of him 3 That they thought Christ being asleep in his humane nature could not help them in his divine nature 4 In that they doubted of Christ his care of them 1 Peter 5.7 Casting all your care on him Quest Whether is all fear contrary to faith Answ No true filial fear is duty Blessed is the man that feareth always Prov. 28.14 It springs from faith Heb. 11.7 By faith Noah was moved with fear but perplexing and solicitous fear when in times of danger we cannot rest on God with quiet and confidence which is so much more because God will keep him in perfect peace whose heart is staid on him Isai 26.4 5. This perplexing fear doth not declare we have no faith but that we have a weak faith Obs Persons may be Believers and yet be fearfull Psal 119.120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am affraid of thy judgments Psalm 55 4. My heart is sore pained within me and the terrours of death are fallen upon me Heb. 12.21 Moses exceedingly feared and quaked 2 Cor. 7.5 Without were fightings within were fears These terrours are compared to Souldiers set in battel array Job 6.4 The arrows of the Almighty stick in me the terrours of God do set themselves in array against me Yea Christ was not exempted from these sears Mark 14.33 He began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy There 's a twofold fear 1 Natural with this was Christ affected This was in Moses Heb. 12.21 2 Sinfull this is 1 Perplexing 2 Discouraging 1 Perplexing Job 9.34 Let not his fear terrifie me 2 Cor. 4.8 Perplexed but not in despair Esai 7.2 The people of Judah by reason of Israel and Syria's coming against them were moved as the trees of the Wood are moved with the winde This is a sore judgement Deut. 28.65 The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and sorrow of minde and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night in the morning thou shalt say would God it were evening and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning for the fear of thy heart wherewith thou shalt fear 2 Discouraging Heb. 12.13 14. Lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees Now this discouraging fear is when a soul looks upon the approaching evil above it's strength not looking on the strength of God as when a man meets with a Lion or a subject contests with his Prince both tremble in their spirits because the strength of a man is not comparable to a Lion nor the strength of a subject to a Prince Thus the Spies were discouraged looking on the sons of Anak and comparing themselves with them Num. 13.28 The mischief of discouraging fear is this that a man hath no heart to put forth his strength in time of danger The Israelites being dismaid with Goliath durst not make head against him but fled before him 1 Sam. 17.11.24 hence when God gave Joshua his command he bade him not be afraid nor dismayed Jos 1.9 Use 1. Raise up your hearts if not above perplexing fears yet above discouraging Luke 21.9 Christ bids the Disciples when they should hear of wars and commotions not to be terrified These discouraging fears are a great judgment Levit. 26.36 I le send a faintness into their hearts and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them These Disciples were affected with perplexing fear and a little spice they had of discouraging fear 3 Grounds against discouraging fear 1 The promise of Gods assistance in all troubles Esai 41.10 Fear not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God Heb. 13.6 We may boldly say The Lord is our helper and not fear what flesh can do unto us 2 From the respect God hath to the strength of his people 1 Cor. 10.13 He will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able Jer. 46.28 Yea the cup what ever it be comes from a fathers hand Joh. 18.11 3 Because there 's no troubles can make a Christian truly miserable because no troubles can sever him from the love of God Rom. 8.35 38. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed or straitned but that a door of deliverance is opened we are perplexed or void of counsel and troubled with fear yet do we not despair as Judas and Achitophel did cast down like a man by his adversary but not destroyed
to sin Rehoboam was carried away by foolish young men 2 Chron. 24.17 18. Joash when he lost his good acquaintance Jehoiada and came to be acquainted with idolatrous young Princes forsook Gods worship and wrath came upon Judah Sarah seeing the prophaneness of Ishmael Gen. 21.9 10. was earnest to have him cast out for fear he might draw away her son Isaac 7 Where Gods law forbids any sin it forbids all occasions thereof as where it forbids uncleanness it forbids wanton gazing mixt dancing dalliance So friendship with wicked men is an occasion of wickedness therefore to be avoided Matth. 5.29 If thy right hand offend thee cut it off by hand is meant any man or thing that may draw us away from God as Chrysostom observes on the place If we cut a rotten member from the body lest the rest be infected much more may we nay must we cut off one who is wickedly joyned unto it Yea though a kinsman or friend 8 Such wicked company will quench in the thoughts of good and cool thy devotion How cold was Jehosaphat in Ahabs company 1 Kings 22.8 Though he justified Micaiah against Ahab yet was it faintly Let not the King say so 9 Such companions are mostly treacherous to their friends and Allies Ahab bade Jehosaphat put on his Princely robes but himself would go disguised knowing the Syrian Army had order onely to fight against the King 10 The many snares and dangers among such company as 1 Danger of calling good evil and evil good to which there is a wo Isai 5.20 When they shall praise wicked men and wicked actions we shall be apt to sooth them up or at least to be silent when they shall decry good men and actions we shall be apt not to bear a full testimony 2 Proneness to learn their wayes Psal 106 35. They were mingled with the Heathen and learned their wayes 3 Hazard of being exposed to Gods vengeance How near was Jehosaphat to destruction joyning with Ahab at Ramoth Gilead 2 Chr. 18.31 Also for joyning in making a fleet to go to Tarshish together with Ahaziah the Lord broke his works 2 Chron. 20.35 36 37. To what danger was Lot exposed in Sodom and Gods people in Babylon Come out of her my people come out of her Rev. 18.4 lest ye be partakers of her sins and so of her plagues 4 In such company we are in danger either of denying the truth or of blushingly confessing it Peter being in the High Priest's Hall denied Christ It 's bad being in harms way we should desire to be among such persons and places where we may boldly confess the truth of God Acts 4.29 Grant unto thy servants that with all boldnes they may speak thy word We are to witness to the truth of God in the midst of an adulterous generation Mar. 8.38 It lies upon every son of wisdom to justifie wisdom which if we do men wil be apt to fall foul upon us Though the Samaritans were not altogether so wicked being they acknowledged the books of Moses yet for these and such like ends would not the Jews have dealing with them John 4.9 5 Danger Wicked company will be apt to be hinderances to us in our Christian course Psalm 119.115 Away from me ye wicked for I will keep the commandements of my God q.d. I cannot keep Gods commandements so long as you are with me How is it possible to keep the commandement of sobriety among drunkards of charity among the contentious of chastity among the lascivious 11 The last ground of disswasion is the singular care Gods people have had to eschew such company Psal 26.4 5. I have not sat with vain persons neither will I go in with dissemblers I have hated the congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the wicked He saith he hath not nor he will not though a man should invite him Yea good men are thus noted Psal 1.1 That they walk not in the counsel of the ungodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of the scornful Woful then must needs be the condition of wicked men when God shall bid his children forbear their company V. 12. But when Jesus heard that he said unto them They that be whole need not a Physician but they that are sick We have here Christs second answer to the proud conceited Pharisees concerning the question put by the Pharisees to Christs Disciples viz. Why eateth your master with Publicans Jesus heard that That is by the relation of his Disciples for the Pharisees durst not object it to Christ themselves Christ therefore hearing of it both defends the deed and discovers their ignorance he defends it 1 From the rule of correlation sick persons and a Physician are fittest to be together Sick persons are the proper object of a Physician and the end of Medicinal Physick is the healing sick persons They that be whole need not a Physician but they that are sick The words are a Proverb q.d. It 's no disgrace for a Physician to be with sick persons for to cure them no more is it for me to be with sinners for their cure But for you Pharisees you are whole in your own apprehension you were never wounded in the sight of your sins but being full of your own self-righteousness think you need not me for your Physician Rom. 7.11 Not as if the Pharisees were whole indeed but Christ speaks to them by way of supposition q.d. If you be such as you would seem to be you need not my help but indeed you are not such but they that indeed are wounded for their sins to them I am precious Act. 2.37 38 41. Joh. 3.14 15 16. Matth. 11.28 Luk. 4.18 As they that are sick cannot help themselves no more can sick souls help themselves without me now if you ask what that Diacatholicon or universal Medicine is it is the atonement of Christ upon the Cross Heb. 9.12.10.22 applyed by the Spirit and faith Gal. 2.20 1 Cor. 6.10 11. For as other medicines are not effectual till they be applyed and received no more is this Joh. 1.12 As many as received him meaning into their hearts to them he gave power to become the Sons of God Act. 4.12 He is the true Samaritan who took care of the wounded man Luk. 10.33 He is not like a covetous Physician who will not go to any but to those that can pay him 1 But he is a free Physician who calls all to come to him without money and without price Isa 55.1 Matth. 11.28 2 He is a sympathizing Physician and therefore likeliest to do us good He is touched with the feeling of our wants Heb. 4.15 3 He is an able Physician How great soever the disease was if it were curable he could cure it Heb. 2.18 In that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted There 's much talking of the Panacea or Universal Medicine but he hath it
believers are called Israel Gal. 6.17 And in particular it is a consolation to Preachers of the Gospel who when cast out by one people will be received by another I rather expound this place of the second sending than of the first because in the first sending the Apostles were used courteously Luke 10.17 and they came rejoycingly telling Christ the Devils were subject to them And no such hardships happened to them that we reade of We may learn three things 1 That Saints must prepare for persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 All godly must suffer it As he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit so is it now Gal. 4.29 If the Son of God were persecuted John 15.20 Saints must not look to go free John 15.20 Hence in or about the same year Christ spoke this there broke out a Persecution against the Church Acts 8.1 2. after the death of Stephen 2 When Gods people see themselves persecuted in one City they have a call to fly into another City Matth. 23.34 3 There will be some Saints and Cities that will be ready to receive persecuted Saints untill the coming of Christ 2 Cor. 4.9 Persecuted but not forsaken 2 Tim. 3.11 Prov. 14.26 V. 24. The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. V. 25. It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Christ brings here a second Reason why Christians in general and Preachers in particular should patiently endure persecution because herein it is no otherwise with them than was with their Master Christ which Christ backs with a twofold Reason 1 The Scholar thinks it honourable to be made equal to his Master 2 Servants refuse not that condition which their Masters patiently endure So that Christ reasons that if he had suffered reproaches and slanders from the Jews and lookt to suffer greater even the death of the Cross then must you my Disciples prepare for the like It much tends to patience to know the evils that hang over us which Christ hath foretold us and hath gone before us by example in All ingenuous Christians are much troubled with reproaches hereby to be rendered odious but it is with them no otherwise than with Christ It would be counted an absurd thing to see a General of an Army going on foot and all the private Souldiers riding in Coaches and on horseback so will it be to see Christ the Captain of our salvation to lie under the reproaches of glutton drunkard deceiver devil and in the mean time we his Souldiers to be in honour with the world If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Beelzebub was the god of Ekron 2 Kings 1.3 Is it not because there is not a god in Israel that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron See also v. 6. The learned render it to signifie the Lord of a Fly or having a Fly because he was worshipped and called upon against a Plague of Flies because they believed he expelled and destroyed those Flies which infested And Nazianzen against Julian witnesseth that Beelzebub was made in fashion of a Fly Hence the Septuagint translate Beelzebub deum Muscam the god Fly Now the Jews partly out of scorn and partly out of abomination called the Prince of the Devils the god Fly which name took its rise in this manner The ancient Jews with great consent declare among other Privileges which God bestowed on his Temple at Jerusalem this was one that when such a number of sacrifices was daily slaughtered there was never any Fly beheld in the Temple which when Jupiter who was most famous among the Heathens could not do but always his Temple did abound with multitudes of Flies Grot. in loc therefore he was called the Jupiter of Flies Now the Jews learning from the Prophets that the gods of the Gentiles were Devils and the Predictions they foretold to be the works of unclean spirits they called the Prince of the Devils by that name wherewith the Prince of the supposed gods was called as we see Matth. 12.24 Now the Pharisees would perswade the people that the Miracles that Christ did were done by the power of the Prince of the Devils therefore most blasphemously they called Christ Beelzebub as if he were his Vicar and Deputy So that Christ reasons If they have called me the Master of the house Beelzebub much more you of my houshold Therefore seeing I patiently bear their reproaches See John 8.48 49. Do you also in like manner Christ should not onely be to us a Patern of Holiness but of Sufferings We may also see the near relations betwixt Christ and us he is the Master we his Scholars he is our Lord and we are his Servants he is the Master of the house Believers his houshold V. 26. Fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known The words are an answer to an Objection in the mindes of the Disciples viz. we could easily contemn the reproaches of the wicked if our innocency did appear unto others now we lie under suspition and we have no defence To this Christ answers Fear not their reproaches your innocency covered over with slanders shall one day be revealed 3 So that here 's a third Reason I fear them not in all their reproaches malice blasphemy therefore do not ye fear them 4 There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed Here is a fourth Reason your innocency howsoever now aspersed shall be cleared up the slanders of the Jews concerning the magical arts of Christ and his Apostles the horrible Lyes of the Pagans concerning the incestuous Copulations of the Christians and their drinking mans bloud were in time discovered what they were Obs Secrecy of sin will not privilege it David committed Adultery secretly but God revealed it before the Sun 2 Sam. 12.12 Cains Murder and Jezebels Murder of Naboth clouded innocency comes forth as in Joseph slandered by his Mistris and David slandered by Sauls Courtiers So covered iniquity shall not always be hid Psal 90.8 Heb. 4.13 1 Tim. 5.24 25. Sometimes both innocency and wickedness are brought forth in this life Psalm 37.6 He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy just dealing as the noon-day And as innocency so secret wickedness Prov. 26.26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit his wickedness shall be revealed before the whole congregation And as in this life so especially shall they be brought forth at the Day of Judgment Eccles 12.14 God will bring every secret thing to judgment 1 Cor. 4.5 Then will God manifest the counsels of the heart 2 Cor. 5.10 Luke 12.2 Some expound it thus Fear not to preach my Gospel though few
Brethren with many words So in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 14.1 c. In the Church of Ephesus Ephes 4.11 gave some Prophets In the Church at Thessalonica 1 Thess 5.17 Despise not prophesying Yea we finde Prophets in the Church when Babylon shall be destroyed Revel 18.20 Rejoyce over her ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her he means such Prophets as the Beast made to prophesie in sack-cloath 1260. days Rev. 11.3 Now of these Prophets there were two sorts in the New Testament 1 Those that did foretell things to come such was Agabus Acts 11.28 under this kinde came the Prophetesses Philip had four daughters which were Prophetesses Acts 21.9 of this Acts 2.17 This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel saying I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams And of this it 's probable 1 Cor. 11.5 6. Every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head and every man prophesying with his head covered dishonoureth his head that is with his head covered with Ribbons and Garlands after the manner of the Heathen and the women prophesied after the manner of the Sybills with their hair hanging down and so dishonoured their head Christ Of which heathenish custom Lucan in his fifth Book speaks who lived a little after Christs time Bacchatur demens aliena per antrum Colla ferens vittásque dei Phaebeáque serta Erectas discussa comas per inania templi Ancipiti cervice rotat spargÃtque vaganti Obstantes tripodas magnóque exaestuat igne Iratum te Phoebe ferens In English thus The frantick Beldam raging through her den Bearing strange necks the heads of sundry men Adorn'd with Ribbons and with Garlands fair To Phoebus honour flownc'd her gastly hair Wheels here and there through temples empty spaces Shaking her doubtfull head here there she faces c. These Prophets told things past and future to persons as Christ did to the Woman of Samaria John 4.29 and Elisha to Gehezi 2 Kings 5.26 Irenaeus 1.6 saith himself had known and heard many Brethren that could discover the hidden things of men he means such secrets as could not be known by the power of mans wit From the revelation of which secrets it is supposed the Ideot or Heathen falls down and worships your God reporting that God is in you of a truth 1 Cor. 14.24 25. 2 Those that did expound the prophetical places of Scripture prophesying according to the proportion of faith Rom. 12.6 and did apply their doctrines to exhortation and confirmation so Judas and Silas Acts 15.32 to edification and comfort 1 Cor. 14.3 If any man ask whether prophesying be the same with preaching I answer no. 1 The words in Greeek are diverse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to preach and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prophesie Besides 2 Preaching is to be performed to every creature prophesying is to be performed onely to the Church 1 Cor. 14.22 Now if you ask what these Prophets were I dare not determine them to be Officers in Churches unless I could prove the manner of their call to make out which I can finde nothing but that they are put in the order and rank of men who are called by Office Eph. 4.11 As Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers which is something in order to prove them Officers but not full proof Some think them to be grown brethren such as are called perfect men 1 Cor. 2.6 Fathers 1 Joh. 2.13 Clemens makes three sorts of Christians 1 They that are turned from the Gentiles 2 They that are going up towards knowledge 3 They that are chiefly knowing It may fall out sometimes there may be some such knowing men in Churches who are by virtue of a gift as able to teach as a person in office pity such gifts should be quenched for want of exercise though I doubt not the fault of the times is on the contrary hand in that upon pretence of gifted Brethrens prophesying those that are not gifted in too many places are prest hereto verifying too much that conceipt that hath been cast by some viz. that ignorance impudence and a Concordance were all the accoutrements some had for preaching I speak not this to quench any gift where it is real but to sober those who may perhaps think of themselves more then is meet Prophets then if any such be out of office they are such as are perfect or well-grown Christians Heb. 5.14 Strong meat belongs to them that are perfect the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who by reason of habit have their senses exercised to difference good and evil But let Prophets be what they will be a Church can no more comfortably be without Ministers then a body without eye and hand Luth. Tom. 4.374 I shall conclude this with one querie Whether it be required by the word of God that a weak Brother that hath but a little measure of the Spirit and so consequently can pray but weakly and but weak parts both in the Analizing Explaining and Dividing the Scriptures and so must needs teach much more weakly be required to be a mouth for the Church at a Church-meeting especially in a Church where there are Brethren of better parts to be had And whether the exercising such weak Brethren be a mean for them to obtain the gift of prophesie or whether there be not some other way thereto As taking direction from some experienced Preacher and reading besides the Scriptures godly books chosen by the direction of some godly Teacher For which studies as also for the study of their own heart they are to set time apart and whether the company of the faithful are to set times apart on the Week day and to meet together on the Lords day onely to help a weak Brother to increase his gifts or rather to try whether he can by exercise increase them by our hearing of him or whether the faithfull whether Lambs or Sheep are not to meet to hear such persons as are able to feed them with knowledg and understanding and whether the faithfull come not for that very end unto hearing to obtain spiritual nourishment in the knowledg of duty and to obtain quickening from their deadness of heart by lively and powerfull notions and also growth by a higher measure of knowledg and information then hitherto they have had and whether such weak Brethren are able to give such information many whereof are onely babes in Christ many of the hearers being strong And whether the best means of edifying a Church be not to be followed And whether established Teachers in Churches reserving the liberty of Prophets and prophesie be not onely more creditable for the honour of the Gospel and edifying the souls of believers by many degrees then the having such weak Brethren to exercise who besides that they cannot
doth these things shall live by them and live in them Gal. 3.12 Contrarily fail in one point and be under the curse Gal. 3.10 cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to do them A sinner is not justified unless he be condemned viz. by the Law he is not quickned unless he be slain he doth not ascend to heaven unless he descend into hell Luth. Tom. 2.57 Thus no man was ever justified save Adam in his state of innocency and Jesus Christ and the Angels By this righteousness no man living is justified Job 9.20 If I justifie myself my own mouth shall condemn me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse Also v. 30.31 If I wash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and my own clothes shall abhor me The meaning is if I were the purest man alive and God should call me to his tribunal I must needs condemn my self and whatsoever is near unto me would condemn me Psalm 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest be exeream to mark what is done a miss who might stand Psalm 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified We are not able to fulfill one branch of any command by reason of indwelling corruption so that I appeal to the conscience of any man whether in the perfectest action that ever he did he durst stand to Gods severe trial thereof much less are we able to fulfill the whole law and therefore cannot hope for righteousness by it as the Prophet saith in another case Esa 28.20 The bed is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering narrower then that he can wrap himself in it So say I of mans righteousness We cannot fulfill the whole law and therefore cannot hope for righteousness from it The Law requires a two-fold righteousness 1 Habitual in the inherent holiness of a mans whole person 2 Actual in the exercise of all good works enjoyned by the Law and Gospel and forbearance of the contrary evil works both in the thoughts of the heart words of the mouth and actions of the whole life so that every man in the world incurs damnation by his deeds and therefore cannot remain justified by his habits Nay he is more guilty that having an habit of inherent righteousness produces acts of unrighteousness as we see in the fallen Angels and Adam What man is there can perform these two commands to love God with all the heart and not to covet Yea look upon man in a state of regeneration we shall see weakness in his faith Mark 9.24 sinkings in his hope Psalm 43.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul Esa 64.6 The Prophet doubts not to pronounce of all our righteousnesses which were inherent in our persons compared with the righteousness of God and his law they were as filthy rags Obj. If our best performances be stained Esa 64.6 Why should we perform any good work Answ Though they be stained there is some good in them there is gold in the oar There is so much good that God pardons the ill and accepts the good a sick man must eat to strengthen nature though much of what he eats turns to putrifaction This righteousness of works cannot justify us 1 Because it s not so large as the Law of God so that he that hath the greatest measure of it hath much indwelling corruption 2 Saints ascribe all to the mercy of God in Christ Rom. 5.9 Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath See we are not justified by inherent holiness but by his blood Inherent righteousness is not a cause of our son-ship but onely a consequent of it Gal. 4.6 he sayes not ye are received for sons because the spirit hath stampt upon you inherent holiness but because by and in Christ ye are received for sons ye are indued with the spirit and graces thereof 3 No man in pangs of conscience and agony of death can trust to his own righteousness Psalm 130.3 4. 4 Because the law promises life upon an impossible condition Rom. 10.5 and so leaves the conscience doubtfull and trembling 2 The second righteousness whereby persons stand righteous is the righteousness of Christ which is when God declares men who are wicked and sinners by nature but by grace true believers to be freed and absolved from eternal death and to have right to eternal life for the righteousness of Christ Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. 1 Thes 5.9 When that mercifull father did see us to be opprest with the curse of the Law he sent his son into the world and cast upon him all the sins of all he means the elect saying Be thou Peter that denier Paul that persecutor David that adulterer that sinner that are the apple in Paradice that thief on the cross Luth. Tom. 4.94 Let the Law rule over the Flesh and the Promise sweetly reign in the conscience Now concerning Justification consider 1 The efficient cause 1 Generally the whole Trinity Rom. 3.30 It is one God who shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the Uncircumcision through Faith Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness In particular the Father justifies us pronunciatively because we have imputative Righteousness and his Justice is thereby satisfied for a sinner is not just before God because he is justified but he is therefore justified because he is some way or other just for upon the creatures righteousness the act of God in Justification proceeds For upon the beholding of a righteousness for us the Father justifies us pronunciatively the Son justifies us meritoriously being made unto us of God righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 Ephes 5.2 The Spirit justifies us by applying unto us Christs satisfaction 1 Cor. 6.11 Ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 2 The material cause of our Justification was the Bloud and Death of Christ Matth. 20.28 He gave his Life a Ransom for many Luke 22.20 This Cup is the New Testament in my Bloud Acts 2.28 The whole Church is said to be purchased with the Bloud of Christ Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be the Propitiation for our sins through Faith in his Bloud When we teach we do no other thing than that we scatter and divide the virtue of Christs Bloud among the People Luth. in Gen. 49. Col. 1.14 20. In whom we have Redemption through his Bloud and having made peace by the Bloud of his Cross Also v. 22. You that were Enemies hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death Heb. 9.12 speaking of the Levitical Priests he saith They entered into the holy place by the bloud of goats but Christ entered into Heaven by his own bloud having obtained eternal Redemption for us yea