had any ill design when they thus mangled this famous clause but surely there is at least some ground of suspition that they hardly referr the words to the right object R. Solomon assuredly doth not For so it ought to be said saith he to those that bring their first-fruits and go up to the Feasts 1. To come is oftentimes the same with them as to teach g g g g g g Joh. V. â—â— If any one shall come in his own name him ye will receive i. e. If any one shall teach And so it is frequently in the Jerusalem Talmud concerning this or the other Rabbin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he came and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he cometh Which if it be not to be understood of such an one teaching I confess I am am at a loss what it should mean else 2. Those Doctors did not come and teach in the name of the Lord but either in their own name or in the name of the traditions of some Father Hence nothing more familiar with them than R. N. in the name of R. N. saith as every leaf I may say almost every line of their writings witness If therefore by cutting short this clause they would be appropriating to themselves the blessing of the people whom they had taught to say Blessed be he that cometh letting that slip or omitting what follows in the name of the Lord they do indeed like themselves cunningly lying at catch and hunting after â—ame and vain-glory Let the Reader judge whether Christ might not look this way in these words However I shall not scruple to determine that they shall never see the Messiah as to any advantage to themselves till they have renounced the Doctrines of coming in their own name or in the name of the Traditions of their Fathers embracing his Doctrine who is come in the name of the Lord. Which whether they shall ever do or no let him determine who can determine whether that Nation shall ever be converted CHAP. XIV VERS 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To eat bread on the Sabbath day THE Jews tables were generally better spread on that day than on any others and that as they themselves reckoned upon the account of Religion and Piety I have spoken to this elsewhere take here a demonstration a a a a a a Schabb. fol. 119. 1. Rabba bar Rabh Honna went to the house of Rabba bar Rabh Nachman He set before him three measures of rich cake to whom he how did you know of my coming the other answered is there any thing more valuable to us than the Sabbath The Gloss is we do by no means preferr thee before the Sabbath We got these things ready in honour of the Sabbath not knowing any thing of thy coming Rabh Abba bought flesh of thirteen Butchers for thirteen staters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and paid them at the very hinge of the door The Gloss tells us That he bought of thirteen Butchers that he might be sure to taste the best and before they could come that should bring the flesh he had gotten his money ready for them and paid them at the very gate that he might hasten dinner and all this in honour of the Sabbath day R. Abhu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sate upon an Ivory throne and yet blew the fire That was toward the cooking of his dinner in honour of the Sabbath It ought not to be passed by without observation that Christ was at such a dinner and that in the house of a Pharisee who doubtless was observant enough of all Ceremonies of this kind VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is lawful to heal on the Sabbath day A Jew will be ready to cavil against the truth of the Evangelists upon the occasion of this and such like questions they report from our Saviour What need had he will such an one say to ask this question when he could not but know that in danger of life it was permitted them to do any thing toward the preservation of it Nay where there was no imminent danger they were allowed to apply Medicines Plasters c. especially which I must not omit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to apply leven even in the time of Passover to a Gumretha b b b b b b Hieros Schabb. fol. 14. 4. Avodah Zarab fol. 40. 4. some very burning distemper This is all true indeed and this no doubt our Saviour understood well enough but withal he could not but observe with how ill an eye they lookt at him and would not allow that in him which was lawful in another man He was always accused for healing on the Sabbath day which whiles he did it with a word speaking he could not violate so much as even their own Canons permitted him And wherefore then should they accuse him In mere hatred to his person and actions There are two little stories we meet with in places quoted before which perhaps may serve in some measure to illustrate this matter The Grandchild of R. Joshua ben Levi had some disease in his throat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There came one and mumbled to him in the name of Jesus the Son of Pandira and he was restored Here we see the vertue and operation of Jesus not so utterly exploded but they did allow of it When R. Eliezer ben Damah had been bitten with a Serpent and Jacobus Capharsamensis came in the name of Jesus the Son of Pandirah to heal him R. Ismael forbad it And so the sick man died VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which of you shall have an Ass or an Ox fallen into a pit c. IT being an undoubted maxim That they must deal mercifully with an Israelite's goods The Doctors in many things dispensed with the Sabbath for the preservation of a Beast c c c c c c Schab cap. 18. hal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do not play the midwives with a Beast that is bringing forth its young on a Feast-day but they help it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How do they help it They bear up the young one that it doth not fall upon the ground They bring wine and spirit it into the nostrils they rub the paunch of the damme so that it will suckle its young d d d d d d Bezah fol. 46. 1. A firstling if it fall into a ditch on a Feast-day or the Sabbath let the Mumcheh look into it and if there be any blemish in it let him take it out and kill it if not let him not kill it He draws it out however that it might not be lost And so they deal with other Beasts only the Mumcheh or he that is to try them for their blemishes is not made use of VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sit thou not down in the highest room THEY were ambitious of the highest room in honour of their wisdom e e
five thousand four hundred for it particulareth only those that were of a greater size but summeth up both the great and little for 2 Chron. 36. 18. it is said that the King of Babel brought all the Vessels of the House of God both great and small to Babel vid. Joseph Antiq. 11. 1. EZRA II. THIS Chapter reckoneth the number of the Jews that returned out of Captivity it first nameth the chief Conductors and Princes among the people and then the several Families and number of Persons the seventh Chapter of Nehemiah hath this Catalogue over again but with abundance of difference some reason whereof shall be given there The Commanders and Rulers in chief were twelve 1. Zerubabel the Prince of Judah 2. Jesus the son of Jozedek the High Priest 3. Nehemiah the builder and repairer of Jerusalem afterward 4. Seraiah or Azariah as he is called Neh. 7. 7. probably Ezra who is called Seraiah after the name of his father 5. Realiah called Raamiah Neh. 7. the difference of the name agreeing in the sence for Realiah signifieth The Lords terrour and Raamiah the Lords thunder 6. Mordecay the Uncle of Esther and over-thrower of Haman 7. Nachamani he is mentioned in the Book of Nehemiah but omitted here For he came not up now but at some other time before Nehemiah taketh his Catalogue 8. Bilshan 9. Mispar or Mispeseth 10. Bigudi 11. Rehum or Nehum 12. Baanah The number of the people was 42360 their servants and maids proselyted 7337. EZRA III. IN the seventh month the returned Jews meet at Jerusalem build up the Altar keep the Feast of Tabernacles offer Sacrifices but yet have no Temple World 3472 Cyrus 2 In the second year of Cyrus and of the peoples return in the second month of the year or Ijar the foundation of the Temple is laid Divers are present at it that had seen the former Temple for it was but fifty three years since it was destroyed and they mourn as fast to see how short that building was like to come of that Temple they had seen as the others rejoyce to see a Temple toward that had seen none before EZRA IV. World 3473 Cyrus 3 ARTAXERXES reigneth in the third year of Cyrus and here let us take up the consideration of the Persian Kings and these times a little since there is not a little obscurity and difficulty about the reckoning and computing of them 1. At the conquest of Babylon Cyrus and Darius were Partners as was observed before Darius only named in the Scripture at that expedition because the elder and Cyrus only named in Heathen Authors because the founder of the Persian Monarchy These two reigned together two years saith Metasthenes if we may believe that Author but whether they did so or no it is past all doubt that their years were they two or more or less were reckoned together for the first year of Darius when the Decree of the building Jerusalem came out Dan. 9. 1. 23. was the first of Cyrus also Ezra 1. 1. 2. Cyrus is generally held by Heathen Writers to have reigned about thirty years Herodot Triginta annis Just. c. Now the question as to the matter we have now in hand is not how long Cyrus reigned in all but how long he reigned after the Persian Monarchy began in him or after that year that the Scripture calls his first year namely when the Lord had given him all the Kingdoms of the Earth and when he restored the Jews to their own home again Here prophane Writers the most of them say nothing towards a resolution and those that go about it speak some one thing some another The Scripture hath given us this satisfaction in this matter that either Cyrus reigned but three years after or if he lived longer yet that his ingagement in his wars abroad caused him to leave his son Artaxerxes Viceroy at home to rule what he had got whilest he was busie to conquer more Either of these two supposed doth serve our purpose to lead on the times that we have in hand Now for the concluding of the one of these the Scripture giveth us this argument It is said in Ezra 4. vers 5. that the enemies of the Jews hired counsellors against them all the days of Cyrus even until the reign of Darius King of Persia to frustrate their purpose of building the Temple and at last compassed their desire and design by information to Artaxerxes Cyrus all his days did not plainly or openly revoke nor cross his own Decree and if he connived at the crossing of it by his Son his fatal end by Tomyris was but of just reward but in the beginning of the reign of his son Artaxerxes the enemy had his desire and the building ceased Now this was in the third year of Cyrus Cyrus being either now dead as Daniels vision in Persia is said to be in the third year of Belshazzar Dan. 8. Belshazzar being dead a while before as was observed there as Artaxerxes governing as Vice-Roy and the time now reckoned by him as it is in other places of Scripture the like For in the third year of Cyrus Daniel mourned three weeks together nor did he eat any pleasant bread nor flesh or wine came into his mouth nor did he annoint himself at all Dan. 10. 2 3. And what was the reason Because of the hindrance of the building of the Temple for according to Daniels fasting and mourning one and twenty days the Angel saith That the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia had withstood him one and twenty not that an earthly King hath any power over an Angel but that this new King of Persia by hindring the Temple had hindred those good tidings which otherwise he should have brought and that the misery of Daniels people was the cause of his affliction is apparent by vers 15. because that when the Angel had told him that the vision concerning his people was for many days he is dumb for sorrow and his spirit faints within him so that the stoppage of the Temples building by Artaxerxes was in Cyrus his third year in some part of that year and continued so till the second year of Darius 3. Now how long this space was is more obscure then the matter before and that upon these two difficulties 1. Because we cannot readily determine what number of Kings came between And 2. When we have done that then are we utterly to seek how long a time those Kings reigned But for answer to these two doubts to adhere to Scripture and not to intricate our selves with the various and perplexed relations of the Heathen Writers about the Persian Kings we shall observe two or three particulars as we go along and as we have occasion to take them up and for the present this That as he that set the building of the Temple afoot again after its long stop is called both Darius and Artaxerxes vers 14 15. so that he that caused that stop
at the last be brought into the Gospel as the Protestant party hath been yet that to the end numerous multitudes also shall continue in the Antichristian spirit of unbelief and opposition and blaspheming and both parts of Antichrist the Roman and this so to perish together Nor doth this opinion any whit cross any place of Scripture that is produced about the calling of the Jews but rather settle its sense and explain it That eminent place of the Apostle Rom. 11. carrieth such a limitation throughout and the very intent of his discourse speaketh to such a tenour all along For his drift in that Chapter is not to determine whether all the Jews should be once called but whether all the Jews were wholly cast off and this he states that there is a remnant ver 5. that the election hath obtained but the rest are blinded ver 7. and that blindness in part is happened to Israel c. v. 25. And this is the mystery that he there speaketh of and not as some would wrest it their universal conversion A mystery indeed that God should cast off his old Covenanted people and that they that had always had the light and only seen of all the Nations of the world should now sit in darkness and be blind and that the Gentiles by their blindness should come to see It is remarkable in this place and others of the Apostles Epistles that though the destruction of Jerusalem were the most signal time and evidence of Gods casting them off yet that they were indeed cast off long before as to spare more allegations may be observed in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians Ch. 2. ver 15 16. which was the first Epistle that the Apostle wrote Whence punctually to date their rejection whether from the death of Christ or from the first sending the Gospel among the Gentiles is not much material to inquire after here it is enough for our present purpose to observe that they are given for cast off so early in the dispersion of the Gospel So that the Apostle doth clearly include their conversion even at that first spreading of the Gospel as well as their conversion in future times He saith their casting off was the riches of the Gentiles and the reconciling of the world and their fulness should much more inrich the Gentiles and be as life from the dead By their fulness not meaning the whole number of their Nation but the full number of Gods Elect of them when they should be brought in The casting off of the Nation inriched the Gentiles in that they came in to be the Lords people in their stead but much more shall it be an inriching to them when the full number of them that belong to God shall come in also and be joyned to the Gentiles and help to make their body up This is apparently the drift of the Apostle in those words which that opinion is exceedingly wide of that holds that the calling of the Jews shall not be till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in It is true indeed that he saith that blindness in part is happened to Israel till that time v. 25. and so our Saviour saith that Jerusalem shall be troden down of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled Luke 21. 24. but this means her final desolation and the final blindness of that part that is blinded not that Jerusalem should be built again when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in which the Jews conceit nor that then the Jews should be unblindfolded and become a Gospel Church as the Gentiles had been for what a strange world doth such a supposal imagine And how often doth the Gospel gainsay any such distinctiveness and peculiarity As we need not to go far for instance that very place of the Apostle that is under our hands doth hold out all along that the Gentiles and the Jews that belong to the election of grace do make up but one Body And that very passage that is chiefly pleaded for their universal Call And so all Israel shall be saved means no other Therefore though it may be hoped that God hath multitudes of them yet to be brought in from under their Antichristian darkness and opposition of the Gospel yet that they shall be generally called and no Antichristian party left behind and that not till Antichrist of Rome be fallen and the fulness of the Gentiles be come in as some circumstantiate the thing needeth clearer evidence of Scripture to evince then yet hath been produced FINIS THE HARMONY OF THE Four Evangelists Among themselves and with the OLD TESTAMENT The First Part. FROM THE Beginning of the Gospels TO THE BAPTISM of our SAVIOUR WITH An Explanation of the Chiefest DIFFICULTIES both in LANGUAGE and SENSE By JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. LONDON Printed by W. R. for Robert Scott Thomas Basset John Wright and Richard Chiswell MDCLXXXII The Epistle to the READER Gentle Reader THE veil of the Sanctuary was supported by four pillars and wrought with great variety of works and colours So is the Story of the veil of Christs flesh by the four Evangelists and the Texture of it of like variety For one relateth what another hath omitted one more largely what another more brief one more plain what another less one before what another after one after one manner and another after another And so they bring their several pieces of Imbroidery differing in colours but not in substance various in workmanship but not in the ground-work to constitute and make up a perfect and sacred Tapestry and Furniture in the House of the Lord And carrying several faces in the manner of their writing and composal like those living Creatures in Ezekiel and the Revelation yet they sweetly and Harmoniously meet together in the one body and compacture of a perfect Story To sew these parcels together into one piece and so to dispose and place them in their proper order as the continuance and Chronical method of the History doth require is hic labor hoc opus a thing of no small pains and difficulty and yet a thing that with pains and industry may be brought to pass For in many passages and dislocations the Text hath shewed the proper place of such dislocated parcels and the proper way and manner to join them where they should be joined so plainly and in all places it hath hinted this so surely though sometimes more obscurely that serious study and mature deliberation may certainly fix and settle them Divers great and learned Pens have laboured in this work both Ancient and Modern both Romish and Protestant but hardly any if any at all in our own mother Tongue so fully and largely as a Work of this nature doth require this hath incited me though the unfittest of all others for a task of so much Learning Iudgment and Seriousness to attempt this work and if possibly my dimness might to give some light and facility to the History
bloods in the plural number That is not of the kindred descent or continued Pedegree from the Patriarchal line or the blood of Abraham Isaac Jacob and successively For John the Evangelist speaketh much to the same tenor here that John the Baptist doth Mat. 3. 9. That Christ would adopt the Heathen for the Sons of God as the Jews had been though they had no relation at all to the Jewish blood or stock Nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man The Evangelist hath traced Moses all along from the beginning of the Chapter and so he doth here He used the Phrase of the Sons of God in the Verse preceding from Gen. 6. 2. And this Clause that we have in hand he seemeth to take from the very next Verse after My Spirit shall no more strive with man because he also is flesh Where as Moses by flesh understandeth the brood of Cain men that followed the swing of lust sensuality and their own corruption and by Man the Family of Seth or Adam that was regulated by Religion and reason till that Family grew also fleshly like the other so doth John here the like For having in the next foregoing words excluded one main thing that was much stood upon from any claim or challenge towards the adopting of the Sons of God or forwarding of the new birth and that is descent from Abraham and from those holy men successively that had the promise So doth he here as much for two other which only can put in for title to the same and those are first the will of the flesh or ability of nature Secondly the will of man or power of morality Ver. 14. And the word became Flesh Now hath the Evangelist brought us to the Apollinaris from this clause the word became flesh would wickedly conclude that the word assumed not an humane soul but only humane flesh and that the Godhead served that flesh instead of a reasonable soul Conâ—uted Luke 5. 52. Mat. 26. 38. great Mystery of the Incarnation in the description of which may be observed First the two terms the word and Flesh expressing Christs two natures and the word was made or became their hypostatical union Secondly the word flesh is rather used by the Evangelist then the word man though oftentimes they signifie but the same thing as Gen. 6. 12. Psal. 65. 2. Isa. 40. 5 6. First to make the difference and distinction of the two natures in Christ the more conspicuous and that according to the common speech of the Jews who set flesh and blood in opposition to God as Matth. 16. 17. Gal. 1. 16. Secondly to magnifie the mercy of God in Christs incarnation the more in that flesh being in its own nature so far distant from the nature of God yet that he thus brought these two natures together as of them to make but one person for the reconciling of man and himself together Thirdly to confirm the truth of Christs humanity against future Heresies which have held that he had not a true and real humane body but only Fantastical or of the air Fourthly to explain what he said before that Believers became the Sons of God that is not by any change of their bodily substances but by participation of divine grace for Christ on the contrary became the Son of Man by assuming of flesh and not by changing into it Fifthly to shew the Plaister fitly applyed unto the Sore and the Physick to the Disease for whereas in us that is in our flesh there dwelleth no good but sin death and corruption he took upon him this very nature which we have so corrupted sequestring only the corruption from it that in the nature he might heal the corruption Sixthly he saith he was made or became flesh and not he was made man lest it should be conceived that Christ assumed a person for he took not the person of any man in particular but the nature of man in general Was made flesh Not by alteration but assumption not by turning of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the Manhood into God not by leaving what he was before that is to be God but by taking on him what he was not before that is to bo man And the Evangelist saith rather He was made flesh then he assumed it i. e. that he might set out the truth and mystery of the Incarnation to the life both for the hypostatical union of the two natures and their inseparablity being so united For first whereas Nestorius said that the word was not that man that was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary but that the Virgin indeed brought forth a man and he having obtained grace in all kind of vertue had the word of God united unto him which gave him power against unclean Spirits And so he made two several Sons and two several persons of the two natures his Heresie is plainly and strongly confuted by this phrase he was made flesh which by the other he assumed it might have had more pretext and colour Secondly whereas Eutyches Valentius and others averred that Christ had not a true humane body but only a body in appearance This also confuteth them home and taketh away all probability of any such thing which the word assumed might have left more doubtful since we know that Angels assumed bodies and those bodies were not truly humane So that in this manner of speech The word was made flesh is evidently taught First that there are two distinct natures in Christ the God-head and the Man-hood for he saith not the word was turned into but was made or became flesh Secondly that these two natures do not constitute two persons but only one Christ for he saith he was made flesh and not assumed it Thirdly that this union is hypostatical or personal for he saith the word was made flesh and not joyned to it And lastly that this union is indissoluble and never to be separated For Angels in assumed bodies laid them by again and were parted from them but the word being made flesh the union is personal and not to be dissolved And dwelt among us c. That is among us his Disciples for so the next clause we saw his glory importeth And this Evangelist speaketh the same thing more at large 1 Joh. 1. 1. Full of grace and truth For these words follow next in Grammatical construction and connection lying thus And the word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth The reason of the Parenthesis and we saw his glory may seem to be First because he would explain what he meant by Us before he left it viz. us Disciples that saw his glory Secondly because the Apostles beheld not the very fulness of his grace and truth till they had beheld the fulness of that glory which he shewed on earth Grace and truth As the Soul hath tow noble faculties the understanding and the will the objects of which are
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the priviledge of their descent and extraction from Abraham Insomuch that even upon that account they doubt not to reckon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That all Israel is to have share in the world to come Sanhedr ubi sup See Matth. 3. 9. John 8. 39. Act. 13 26. Now that fond reliance doth Christ oppose and confute in this speech and useth the very same method and matter of discourse with this Pharisee that John the Baptist doth with those that came to him Matth. 3. 9. to take him off from leaning on that broken staff and that whereas now he had spied some glimpse and dawning of the Kingdom of Heaven in the great and wondrous workings of Christ he should not think to slip into it and enjoy the happiness of it without more ado because he was an Israelite of the seed of Abraham for that earthly priviledge and pedegree and birth would not serve his turn but he must be born from above by a new and supernal birth or else he could not see the Kingdom of God And that Christ referreth to this their descent and birth of Abraham upon which they stood so much it is to be confirmed not only by comparing this his method of teaching with that of Johns but also by what is spoken by him in the sixth verse That which is born of the flesh is flesh It is true indeed that there were other principles in Nicodemus that had need to be met with a confutation as much as this as his reliance upon his own righteousness and legal performances and his gross conceptions about the Kingdom of Heaven but this was the first that lay in the way and which was first to be removed and upon which the other were not a little built and when this hath been spoken to in the beginning of Christs discourse he falls upon the other in the verses following Now whereas this construction of the words of Christ which makes them to face their reliance upon their birth of Abraham may seem to render them applicable only to the Jews and no nation else because they alone stood upon that priviledge it is easie to see by the rule of comparison how they reach to every man and woman under Heaven that desires to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven for if the Jews that had that priviledge and advantage of their birth yet in this matter were nothing at all priviledged and advantaged by it but must be born anew and from above much more must they be concluded under the necessity of a new birth that have not so much as that prerogative of birth at all but are of the root of the wild olive Vers. 4. How can a man be born being old Among that Nation they had this Maxim and Tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That A Gentile that is Proselyted and a servant that is set free behold he is as a child new born for all the kindred which he had whilest he was a Heathen and a servant he now must know no more for his kindred Maym. in Issure biah per. 14. Compare 2 Cor. 5. 6. Here is a new birth in a kind of a sense with which it is likely Nicodemus was acquainted but it is but low terrene and carnal about earthly affinity and relations but to hear of a new birth from above is a doctrine so new and strange in his ears that even a child might have made a pertinent a reply upon it as doth this great Teacher of Israel They were so satisfied with their birth from Abraham that they never cared to hearken after other and they were so taken up with earthly rites that any other doctrine was but a paradox Vers. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit We first here meet with the question whether water and the Spirit in these words are to be taken distinctly for two several things or whether they mean but one and the same thing There be that hold this manner of speech to be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only one thing meant by two expressions and that the conjunction And is only exegetical and they give the sense of the clause thus Except a man be born of water that is of the Spirit which is compared to water But others and those not without good reason and those also not the least among the learned have made a clear distinction betwixt water and the Spirit and by water do understand Baptism Chemnitius pleads this distinction very earnestly and fully and concludes Tota Antiquitas semper simplicissime haec verba Christi de Baptismo intellexit that all Antiquity hath clearly understood these words of Christ concerning Baptism I shall only produce two or three of the ancients where I might produce a whole cloud of witnesses Chrysostome Hom. 24. in Johan so understands it and he makes this Paraphrase upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I created man saith God whom he brings in so speaking of water and earth and the Creature became unprofitable and the vessel was mard I will no more create of water and earth but of water and the Spirit Cyrill Alexandrinus expounds the words so likewise and alludes the matter thus As man consists of two parts soul and body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so will he need a twofold cure for his regeneration His spirit is sanctified by the Spirit and his body by the water sanctified or set apart And he follows it with this comparison As water in a caldron set to the fire receives the force of the fire so the water of Baptism by the Spirit is raised to a divine and ineffable vertue Augustine construes water here also for Baptism and addeth this gloss That as the bowels of the Mother do avail for the breeding of a child once for the natural birth so the bowels of the Church towards the spiritual birth every one to be once baptized I might be endless in alledging names and glosses upon this place and matter all holding Baptism to be here meant and some comparing the Water to the Mother and the Spirit to the Father in the new birth some paralleling betwixt our birth of water by the power of the Spirit and the birth of Christ of a Virgin by the vertue of the Holy Ghost And some making one allusion or comparison upon the matter and some another and all peremptorily concluding and that not without very good ground that Baptism must needs be here understood For 1. Christ was opening to Nicodemus in this answer what was obscure to him in his other words and if he intended but one thing by water and the Spirit he spake in obscurity still and did but explain one difficulty with another 2. In the like expression He will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3. 11. though there be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confessed and it be construed Baptizabit spiritu igneo yet was the fire there a visible
of himself and other men 1. That Christ came from Heaven but he and others are but earthly men 2. That Christ was above all men and all things for so the Greek word may indifferently be rendred but himself and others were but of earthly and low esteem and glory And 3. that Christ spake the words of God the things which he had heard and seen but himself and others spake of the earth and could not reach to Divine things So that the first clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is of the earth is of the earth may be understood He that is of an earthly original is of an earthly temper and glory as vers 6. He that is born of the flesh is flesh And the latter clause He speaketh of the earth may be understood two ways and the better understood by laying it in opposition to Christ. 1. Christ speaketh the words of God for he could do no other the purity of his nature could not utter a vain idle or earthly word but all Divine But he that is a meer earthly man cannot speak but earthly things altogether and not heavenly things at all as 1 Cor. 2. 14. 2 Cor. 3. 5. And herein it seemeth the strength and sense of this Antithesis betwixt Christ and meer mortals lieth and that this is the proper meaning of the Baptist for as he holds out this clear difference betwixt Christ and mortals in regard of their Original that Christ is from Heaven they from earth so doth he as clear a difference in regard of their constitution that Christ could not naturally but speak the words of God but they cannot naturally speak any such words but of the earth And 2. If the men here spoken of be of the Prophetick rank as John Baptist himself was then the Antithesis lies in this that what Revelation they have of Divine things is but obscure in comparison of what Christ hath for he witnesseth what he hath seen and heard and he hath not the Spirit by measure and what they speak of Divine things is but low and slender and by earthly expressions in comparison of the high and sublime Doctrines that he uttereth But I take the former interpretation to be the more genuine Vers. 33. Hath set to his Seal that God is true Christ spake and testified nothing but what he had seen and heard of the Father as Chap. 1. 18. 5. 20. as Moses saw and heard from God what he delivered to Israel And no man receiveth his testimony that is very few as All seek their own and none the things of Christ when neither the Jews no nor Johns Disciples would entertain it But those few that did or do they seal to the truth of God for whosoever believeth the Word of God doth as it were subscribe and set to his seal that the Word is true and God true that gave it And so they that received the testimony of Christ did both seal to the truth of his Words and also to the truth of all the promises that God had made concerning Christ see 1 Joh. 5. 10. and thus is there a mutual sealing to the covenant of Grace betwixt God and man God sealeth the truth of it by the Sacraments and man by believing Vers. 34. For God giveth not the Spirit by measure Those translations that add the words To him as divers do do readily fix the sense of it upon Christ that God poured the Spirit upon him above measure but that expression To him is not in the Original and therefore some do understand it generally of all the Prophets whom the Lord sent that they spake the words of God every one of them for God had abundance of Spirit to pour upon them had they been never so many and he measured not out the same stint of the Spirit to every one of them but what measure seemed good to his good pleasure And to bring it up to the drift and scope of Johns speech in this place they apply it thus Think not much of the honour of Christ which troubles you because it seems to eclipse mine Although I have much of Gods Spirit why may not he have more For God giveth not the Spirit by measure But the Baptist seemeth to aim the speech concerning Christ alone SECTION XV. St. LUKE Chap. III. Vers. 18. AND many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people 19. But Herod the Tetrarch being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philips wife and for all the evils which Herod had done 20. Added yet this above all that he shut up Iohn in prison Reason of the Order NOW that John is no more to appear in publick being committed close prisoner by Herod as this Section relateth the very looking back to the preceding Section which concludeth with a solemn speech of Johns and the casting forward that there is not one speech more of his to be found henceforth in all the Evangelists this doth sufficiently prove and assert the proper order and subsequence of this Section to the former especially this being added and observed that all the Evangelists do unanimously relate that our Saviours journey into Galilee which is the very next thing that any of them do mention was not till after John was shut up in prison John speaks it the least plain and yet he speaks it plain enough as shall be observed at the next Section Now if it be scrupled or wondred at why Luke should mention Johns imprisonment before the mention of Christs being baptized by him the considerate observing of Lukes method will give an answer to that doubt for there the Evangelist in one story comprehendeth the whole Ministery of John having no more to speak of it in all his Gospel He relateth what John preached to all that came to be baptized by him and what particularly to the Pharisees what to the Publicans and what to the Souldiers and divers other things saith he besides those particulars mentioned He preached to the people And he was also as plain and round with Herod as he had been with the rest of the people so that Herod at last shut him up in prison And so he compileth and wrappeth up the story of the tenour and success of Johns Ministery in general to all sorts of people in that brief relation and then he cometh to the particular relation of his baptizing Christ. And if it be scrupled again why I take not in the very fame story with this of this Section which is related in Matth. 14. 3 4 5. and Mark 6. 17 18 19 20. as most Harmonists of the Evangelists do it is because that relation will fall and come in very pertinently and methodically as the story of a thing past in the place where it lies and seeing that this Section tells the story very full the bringing of those Texts of Matthew and Mark hither would inevitably cause a chasma or hiatus in the story there when we come to
12. 1 5. 10 11. Mar. 1. 21. from the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read 17. And there was delivered unto him the the Book of the Prophet Esaias and when he had c c c c c c Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is when he had unfolded the book for their books in those times were not bound as ours are now to open and turn over leaves but they were rould up as a Roul of paper And hence were their books called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exekiel 2. 9. Esay 8. 1. opened the Book he found the place where it was written 18. d d d d d d The Evangelist in this quotation from Esay doth follow the translation of the Septuagint verbatim but only in that clause To set at liberty them that are bruised The differences betwixt the Greek and the Hebrew text are not great they are only these 1. In the Hebrew it is The Spirit of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord Jehovah is upon me which the Greek hath uttered by the single word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it commonly useth that word to translate both Adonai and Jehovah by 2. Whereas the Hebrew repeateth the word Jehovah again in the next clause because the Lord hath anointed me the Greek hath omitted it the sense being clear enough though it do leave it out 3. The Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to bind up it hath rendred to Heal bringing the word up to its full sense 4. The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the humble it hath rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor for it meaneth The poor in Spirit which is the same with Humble The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the Poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised 19. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20. And he closed the book and gave it again to the Minister and sate down and the eyes of all them that were in the Synagouge were fastened on him 21. And he began to say unto them This day is the Scripture fulfilled in your ears 22. And all bare him wintess and wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth and they said Is not this Iosephs son 23. And he said unto them Ye will surely say to me this Proverb e e e e e e Physician heal thy self This Proverb the Jews commonly utter thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phycisian heal thine own lameness Tanchumah hath it in a legendary story of a Dialogue betwixt Adam and Lamechs wives They fell out with their Husband and would no more associate with him yet they would go to Adam to ask his counsel Adam adviseth them to hearken to their Husband They answer him with this Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Physitian heal thine own lameness Thou partedst from thy mate an hundred and thirty years and dost thou teach us otherwise Tanch fol. 4. col 2. Physitian heal thy self whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum do here also in thine own Country 24. And he said Verily I said unto you No Prophet is accepted in his own Country 25. But I tell you of a truth Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias when the Heaven was shut up three years and six months when great famine was throughout all the land 26. But unto none of them was Elias sent save only unto Sarepta a city of Sidon unto a woman that was a widdow 27. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elizeus the Prophet and none of them was cleansed save Naaman the Syrian 28. And all they in the Synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath 29. And rose up and thrust him out of the City and led him unto the brow of the hill wheron their City was built that they might cast him down headlong 30. But he passing through the midst of them went his way St. MATTH CHAP. IV. Vers. 12. NOW when Iesus had heard that Iohn was cast into prison he departed into Galilee St. MARKE CHAP. I. Vers. 14. NOW after that Iohn was put into prison Iesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God Reason of the Order TO clear the subsequence of this Section to that preceding needeth no more ado but seriously to consider the progress of the story hither and to observe the progress of it from hence a step or two forward For although Luke hath laid it so close to the story of the temptation as if it did immediately follow and as if it were the first journey that Christ took into Galilee after yet is the parallel story in Matth. 4. 12. so plainly pointed out to have been after Christ heard that John was imprisoned that it leaves no more doubting of the method and of the time of this story Jesus indeed departed into Galilee presently after his temptation in the wilderness of which we have the story John 1. 43. and there he turned water into wine at Cana Joh. 2. 16. c. and abideth a while at Capernaum verse 11. and from thence goeth to the Passover at Hierusalem vers 13 c. and there and in Judea he stayeth till towards the latter end of our November as was observed before and all this while was John the Baptist preaching at liberty John 3. 23. but then Jesus heard of his imprisonment and foresaw his own danger if he should continue in Judea therefore he makes for Galilee and goeth through Samaria John 4. 1. c. comes up to Cana in Galilee and there healeth the Rulers Servant at distance vers 43 46. and now begins to be famous by these miracles and so begins to preach in their Synagogues So that the beginning of this Section may be supposed as an Epiphonema to the story foregoing the first word being changed from And to Thus. Thus Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee and the like of Matthew Thus when Jesus heard that John was committed to prison he returned to Galilee Nor is it a strange thing in Scripture to lay stories so close together as Luke hath done these two when yet there was a long space of time and a large Catalogue of occurences came between as in this Evangelist Acts 9. 25 26. compared with Gal. 1. 17 18. Mat. 19. 1. compared with John 7. 10. to John 10. 40. and in other places And as the order of this Section is thus cleared and asserted by the current of the story hitherto so will it be the more confirmed by the continuance of it henceforward it being observed how Matthew Mark and Luke fall in together at the next Section in one and
Septuagint Psal. 10. 13. 22. 27. as well as here 2. To heal the broken hearted here is the heart a degree lower than in the former expression and the operation of the Gospel a degree higher Every broken hearted soul is also poor in spirit but not e contra for an humble and poor spirited soul may yet some time be free from these breakings of heart which many a one hath met withall and which it self may meet withall at another time For being brought poor in spirit and made sensible of its own unrighteousness by the Preaching of the Law and so intertaining the Gospel it is by degrees even broken also by the Gospel the heart melting in the sense and apprehension of the dear love of God to sinners and of its own sinfulness and untowardness towards him 3. To Preach deliverance to the Captives This may very well allude to the Jews expectation who looked for and do still a bodily deliverance from all their captivities and calamities by the coming of Messiah now Christ came to Preach deliverance to captived ones but not in this sense but in a higher in as much as he was a higher Saviour than their ordinary deliverers 4. Recovering of sight to the blind This may look also at the Gentiles who sate in the darkness of all manner of ignorance Error and Idolatry And though it be most true that every one naturally is blind as to the things of Heaven and that the Gospel giveth new sight to those that receive it yet since the Heathen are especially set out as sitting in blindness this clause may very well be applyed to them as in a singular propriety The Evangelist doth here somewhat differ from Esays Text as also do the Septuagint whom he followeth for Esay hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And opening of prison to those that are bound as our English translates it There is some scruple among translators about rendering the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what to make of them but the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth plainly enough and without all difficulty signifie Bound and yet the Greek hath uttered it blind 1. The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are taken by divers to be not two but one word doubled as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and many other of the like nature and that it signifieth by the duplication the more emphatically and eminently which opinion is the more justified by this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter part of it by it self can be made nothing of such a word not being to be found again in Scripture but uncertain and unprofitable conjectures only are given of it As that it should signifie a prison as is the conceit of Dav. Kimchies Father or that it should signifie a taking out of Prison as is fancyed by Kimchi himself and both taking away the first syllable in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mint this word but by what warrant and after what example they do not shew 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly refer to opening of the eyes and it is hard I believe to find where it signifies any other kind of opening and therefore the Chaldee Paraphrast to close as near with the very propriety of it as he thought the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would suffer him hath given it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 revealing to the light 3. Observe that this clause in the Prophet is of a higher tenor than that next before for there was mention of captivity but here of imprisonment in captivity for it is a sad thing to be captived into a strange land but it is a sadder to be bound in chains or lockt up in a prison there Now the Evangelist as he translates the Prophet speaks of a higher degree of misery still and that is to be imprisoned having his eyes put out as it was the case of Sampson Judg. 16. 2. and Zedekiah 2 Kings 25. 7. and as it was the custom much in those eastern parts and is at this day in Turkey The Evangelist therefore willing to render the Prophet to the Highest comfortable sense that might be useth an expression that meeteth with the highest misery that was couched and included in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that is when men were not only shut up in a blind prison where they could see no light but when they had also their eyes put out that they could not see light if there were any He telleth therefore that Christ should not only Preach deliverance to captives but also restoring of light to captive prisoners nay yet more recovery of sight to blinded prisoners and so doth he sweetly set out Christs delivery of men from the captivity of Satan chains of corruption and blinding of ignorance and so he doth not cross the Prophets expression but explain it to the highest sweetness 5. To set at liberty them that are bruised This clause is not verbatim in that Text in the Prophet from whence the rest are alleadged yet is it generally in all copies here and in all Translations How it came into this Text some are very bold and indeed uncivil with the Text in imagining that it crept in out of the margin of the Septuagint being set there by some body that thought he had met with a fit parallel to that that was in the Text. Sed quisquis hunc locum primus annotavit ad marginem saith Beza res sane dissimillimas inter se comparavit Poterat autem quisquis ille fuit alium locum prorsus similem conferre ex cap. 42. 7. I should rather confess my own ignorance and say I cannot understand how this came into the Text or rather bewray my own folly in giving some conjecture at it some other way than in thus down-right tearms to conclude that it came in from the marginal notes of some one or other that knew not well what he noted I would give some aim at it the result whereof shall be to the undervaluing of my judgment rather than thus to determine to the undervaluing of the sacred Text. It was allowed and used in their Synagogues as was toucht even now in the reading of the Prophets to skip from Text to Text upon occasion take the tradition at the full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that readeth in the Prophets may skip from one Text to another but he may not leap out of one Prophet into another but in the twelve small Prophets only And he may not leap from the end of a Book to the beginning of it And whosoever leapeth thus must not stay on the Text whither he skips longer than the Interpreter gives the interpretation of it Maymon in Tephillah per. 12. Now I should rather think that Christ as he read in the Prophet skipped into another Text of the same Prophet and brought it in hither than to think it crept out of the margin of the Septuagint of I know not whose setting there This their
daughter he suffered no man to follow him but Peter and James and John Mark 5. 37. when he went to his transfiguration he taketh only Peter and James and John Matth. 17. 1. and when he went to his agony he taketh only with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee Matth. 26. 37. And thus to these three only a part from all the rest did he shew himself in his greatest power glory and combat the reason of which may be supposed to have been twofold 1. Because he had designed these three in a more singular manner for the ministry of the Circumcision James in Judea Peter to the dispersion in the East and John in the West The Apostle in Gal. 2. 9. nameth James and Cephas and John together as pillars and agents in such a ministration where the James indeed that he mentioneth was not the same that we have in hand for he was James the less but he was one that came into that place and ministration in stead of James the great when he was dead For why should Herod in Act. 12. lay hands upon James the brother of John and destroy him first rather and sooner than any other of the Apostles but because there was appearance of singular and peculiar activity of James in that place in the ministration among the circumcised 2. Because Christ had designed these three for martyrdom and for the eminentest witnesses of him of all the rest He readeth Peters doom to that purpose Joh. 21. 18 19. and so he doth to James and John Matth. 20. 23. The martyrdom of James is recorded Act. 12. 2. and when he was thus taken a way James the less came in his stead as special Minister and Apostle to the Jews or Circumcision within their own Land And hence it is that he is named first of the three Gal. 2. 9. and that he is named with such peculiarity Act. 15. 13. 12. 17. 21. 18. c. Peter after a long stay at Hierusalem and thereabout was gotten at the last to the Eastern Babylon the old place of Idolatry and persecution but now a Church 1 Pet. 5. 13. Although there were many thousands of Jews that returned again out of the Captivity of Babylon under the Proclamation of Cyrus yet were there exceeding many also that staid behind and returned not insomuch that they came to have their Universities in Babylonia and their publick Schools and teachers there as well as in Judea and were in a kind of a Common-wealth there as well as in their own Country Among these Peter is sent as a Minister and among these it is like he sealed his Ministry with his blood see 2 Pet. 1. 13 14. We read of Johns being in the Isle Patmos but further Westward we find him not in all the Scripture where he ended his life and sealed the Gospel with his blood it is hard to determine Histories have brought him to Rome in which it may be they have not missed the mark very much had not some of them told wild stories of him there It may be as both James's the Ministers of the Circumcision in Judea were martyred at Jerusalem so Peter the Minister of the Eastern dispersion was martyred in the Eastern Babylon and John the Minister of the Western in Babylon in the West What became of Zebedee the father of these two eminent Apostles when his sons were called away from him the Scripture is silent It saith his sons left him in the Ship with the hired servants and followed the call that Christ had given them It is not to be thought that they sleighted their father when they left him but only they complied with that imployment that he that called them would put them upon which their father possibly by reason of his age was unable to do Nor can we think that they left their father in his Judaism and unbelief or that he so continued certain it is their mother Salome was a constant and zealous follower of Christ Matth. 26. 56. and we have no reason to think of any less faith or piety in Zebedee himself only whether he followed Christ as his sons and wife did or followed still his lawful calling and imployment it is not revealed in Scripture nor is it much material to enquire after The name Zabdi or Zebedee is a name that is exceeding frequent in mention among the Talmudicks SECTION XX. St. MATTH Chap. VIII Vers. 14. AND when Iesus was come into Peters house he saw his wives mother laid and sick of a Fever 15. And he touched her hand and the Fever lâ—ft her And she arose and minstred unto them 16. When the Even was come they brought unto him many that were possessed with Devils and he cast out the spirits with his word and healed all that were sick 17. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses St. MARK Chap. 1. Vers. 21. AND they went into Capernaum and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the Synagogue and taught 22. And they were astonished at his doctrine for he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes 23. And there was in their Synagogue a man with an unclean Spirit and he cryeed out 24. Saying Let us alone what have we to do with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroy us I know who thou art The holy one of God 25. And Iesus rebuked him saying Hold thy peace and come out of him 26. And when the unclean Spirit had torn him and cried with a loud voice he came out of him 27. And they were all amazed insomuch that they questioned among themselves saying What thing is this What new doctrine is this For with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits and they obey him 28. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee 29. And forthwith when they were come out of the Synagogue they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew with Iames and Iohn 30. But Simons wives mother lay sick of a fever and anon they tell him of her 31. And he came and took her by the hand and lift her up and immediately the Fever left her and she ministred unto them 32. And at Even when the Sun did set they brought unto him all that were diseased and them that were possessed with Devils 33. And all the City was gathered together at the door 34. And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases and cast out many Devils and suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him 35. And in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed 36. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him 37. And when they had found him they said unto him All men seek thee 38. And he said unto them Let us go into the next towns
the Land of Canaun much more might they in forain Countries Samuel a Levite was born upon his Fathers own Land which had been purchased by his great Grandfather Zuph 1 Sam. 1. 1. 9. 5. Now Barnabas had one motive more to sell his Land than other of the common believers had namely those words of our Saviour to those Disciples that were to be Preachers Provide neither silver nor gold c. Matth. 10. 9 10. and this was the ground of Peters answer Silver and gold have I none Chap. 3. 6. ACTS CHAP. V. Vers. 1. But a certain man named Ananias AMong the offerings of others that sold their Lands there ereepeth in the hypocrisie of Ananias and Saphira a couple that at once would have served God and Mammon Vain-glory or Policy or both did here strive with covetousness and distrust or rather to speak truly indeed did conspire They had the formality to sell their Lands as others did but they had not the sincerity to part with the money as others had Their double dealing both in word and deed is fearfully punished with suddain death at this beginning of the Christian Church as Nadab Abihu and the Sabbath-breaker were at the beginning of the Jewish that future times might learn from this to beware dissembling with God and not to dishonour and shame the gifts of the Holy Ghost Vers. 3. To lye to the Holy Ghost or rather to belie the Holy Ghost It was not the sin only barely and simply considered that provoked and procured so fearful a Judgment upon him but the sin as it was circumstantiated and aggravated by some respects For it seemeth that Ananias was not a common or ordinary believer but one of the Ministerial rank and one that had received the gift of the Holy Ghost as well as the rest of the 120. And considerable to this purpose are these two things First That as soon as the Evangelist hath mentioned the pious and upright dealing of Barnabas which was a Preacher in the sale of his Lands he cometh to the story of Ananias as a man of the same function and relateth his wretchedness in the sale of his Secondly That though it be said in vers 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he lied to God yet is he said in the third verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To belie the Holy Ghost By which Phrase it seemeth that he had received the Holy Ghost among the rest that did receive it and yet for all that excellent gift in himself and the excellent gift that he knew in the Apostles he durst by this base dissembling belie and shame the gifts that were in himself and tempt the power of the Holy Ghost that was in Peter And thus was Ananias much like Judas exceedingly qualified and eminently gifted with the gifts of the Spirit but like him undone with covetousness and for it perished by an exemplary end There was none among all the twelve so fit to give sentence upon this fact as Peter as who might hereby shew his own repentance for his lying and perjury in denying his Master and that he was intirely repaired and recovered from it when he durst pass so heavy a doom and judgment upon a lie Vers. 13. And of the rest none durst joyn himself unto them It is some difficulty to resolve who these rest were that durst not knit themselves to the Apostles the matter may be construed so many ways that it is hard to fix which is the right First It is understood by Beza of such as were as yet out of the Church and yet not strangers to the Kingdom of God but such as for fear durst not shew themselves either because of the Jews or because of the judgment afflicted on Ananias Secondly It may be understood of those that were within the Church yet durst not joyn themselves in Consistory or Presbyterial society with the 120 Disciples but kept their distance in regard of judging though they knit with them in communion Or thirdly It may be understood of the 108 Disciples that were appointed by Christ to be Ministers and kept in continual society and consistorial association with the Apostles yet durst not joyn themselves to them in the form or dignity of Apostleship nor durst offer to parallel themselves to that rank yet the people magnified them also And this I take to be the very meaning of the place and that upon these grounds First Because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemeth to import a residue or the rest of their own company and not the people that were out of the Church for of them it had been more proper to have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the skilful in the Greek language will readily judge Secondly The joyning here spoken of in regard of the object to whom is to the Apostles and not to the Church as is apparent by the very Grammatical construction Especially thirdly The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vers 12. being understood not of the Congregation or whole company of believers but of the Apostles as the words immediately before might argue or rather of the whole number of the 120 as it is taken Chap. 2. 1. And so the sense of all redounds to this that besides that terrible and dreadful work that was done by Peter upon Ananias and Sapphira all the other eleven Apostles did great and wondrous miracles among the people and the whole College and Presbytery of the 120 were unanimously in Solomons Porch joyning together in association and advancing the Gospel but the rest of the 120 durst not one of them joyn themselves to the twelve in the peculiar office and dignity of Apostleship properly so called having seen so lately the dreadful judgment that one of the twelve had brought upon Ananias one of their own number and seeing the continual wonders that they did in an extraordinary manner among the people howbeit the people magnified them also they also having the admirable and wondrous gifts of the Spirit upon them Vers. 15. §. Peters shadow Many miracles were wrought by the Apostles hands and many as it seemeth by Peters shadow but the Text hath left it so indifferent that it is hard to determine whether it is to be taken in a good sense or a bad and indeed some that have taken it the better way have made it the worst of all Luke saith only thus They brought forth the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and couches that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them But it neither telleth who they were that laid them nor a word at all that those were healed that were laid And it may be thought they were unbelieving Jews that laid them as well as otherwise for believers might have brought them to the Apostles or brought the Apostles to them And it may possibly be thought that they laid them there either out of a superstitious
of at the confusion of Babel and had lain so long in darkness sin superstition and Idolatry strangers to God and aliens from the congregation of Israel bondslaves of Satan and under his dominion and even all the world Israel only execepted become the Kingdom of Hell and the Devil Sixthly Satan had by this very time brought his Kingdom among these Heathens to the very Apex and perfection when he had gotten one into the throne of the Roman Empire which was now over all the world who by the very sword and power will force the people to adore him for a God and had the sword and power in his own hand to force them to adore him as we saw by Caius even now And here I cannot but look back from Caius as he sate in his throne as an ungodly Deity when the Gentiles began to be called in to the first Idol that they proposed and set up for themselves to adore at Babel as he is described by the Jerusalem Targum at their first casting off For thus doth it Paraphrase those Rebels plot and conspiracy for the building of that Idolatrous City Gen. 11. 3. And they said Come let us build a City and a Tower whose top may reach to heaven and in the midst of it let us build a Chappel and an Idol in the head of it with a sword in his hand to fight for us that we be not scattered Nor can I but look forward also from the same Caius Deifying himself and that in the Temple of God as we shall see ere long to the succeeding times of the Gentile Church which is now beginning wherein a man of sin the successor of Caius Caligula a thousand fold more likely than the successor of Simon Peter hath set up himself to be adored and exalts himself above every thing that is called God Seventhly the instrument of the first introducing of the Gentiles by the bringing in of Cornelius was Peter not for any Primacy or universal Bishopship that he was invested withall but rather because he was the most singular minister of the Circumcision for his bringing in of the Gentiles would stop the mouth of the Judaizing believers the more Eightly and for this thing he had a special ingagement and deputation from our Saviour a good while ago as he himsef speaketh Acts 15. 7. And that was when Christ giveth him the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 16. 19. that is putteth into his hand the peculiar priviledge to open the door of Faith and the Gospel to the Gentiles and giveth him power withall to bind and to loose the use of Moses Law among the Heathens when he brought the Gospel among them some of it to fall and some to stand according as the Spirit should direct him and accordingly it should he ratified in Heaven And that this is the genuine proper and only meaning of that so much disputed place will be undeniable to him that shall consider what is the proper meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven in Scripture and of binding and loosing in Jewish authors from whom that Phrase is taken Vers. 1. In Caesarea Called of old Turris Stratonis Stratons Tower but new built by Herod the great and named Caesarea in honour of Augustus It lay upon the Sea shore betwixt Joppa * * * Doâ— and Dorae saith Josephus Antiq. lib. 15. cap. 13. where he describeth at large § The Italian Band. Not to spend time in inquiring what Italian band this was whether Ferrata or Dives or Voluntariorum or the like it seemeth to me that the consideration of the place it self where Cornelius was will help to understand what Luke intendeth by it For Caesarea was the place where the Roman Governour or Proconsul resided as appeareth Acts 23. 23 24. and 24. 6. and that partly for the bravery of the City and chiefly for the commodiousness of the haven Now this Italian band may very properly be understood of that band that attended the Governors person or were his life-guard and which had come out of Italy for this purpose to be his defence and the defence of the City where he lay Vers. 2. A devoâ—t man c. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man that worshipped the true God and followed not Idolatry And a man that feared God indeed as well as he worshipped him in profession § Which gave much alms to the people To the Jews to whom alms was not unclean though given by a heathen to which thing our Saviour seemeth to allude in that speech Luke 11. 41. But rather give alms of such things as ye have and behold all things are clean unto you And upon this respect it is like that alms are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness so commonly among the Jewish authors and used by the Syriack and Arabick here because they lost not their nature or quality of cleaness or purity and righteousness though they came even from an unclean yea a heathen person § And prayed to God alway Beza hath made this clause the beginning of the next verse and that as he saith with the warrant of one copy The Arabick doth the like They think they mend the sense with it in which they mistake because they mind not the scope For it is the intent of the Holy Ghost to shew the constant carriage of Cornelius in his devoutness as vers 4. and not his devoutness as occasion of his vision Vers. 3. He saw in a vision evidently The word evidently or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to shew that he saw it waking and with his bodily eyes for there were visions in dreams as Gen. 20. 3. and 28. 12. Job 4. 13. § About the ninth hour The hour of the evening sacrifice three a clock after noon compare Dan. 5. 21. Cornelius though he were not yet proselyted by circumcision to the Jewish Church yet followed he their manner and form of worship Vers. 9. To pray about the sixth hour About twelve a clock or high noon and this was the time of the Minchah gedolah as the Jews called it or the very beginning of it And so do they expound Dan. 6. 10. and Psal. 55. 17. accordingly Daniel prayed three times a day that is say R. Saadias and R. Solomon Morning Evening and at the Minchah And Evening and Morning and at noon will I pray R. Sol. Evening Morning and at Minchah the three times of prayer Now this Minchah time is described by their Doctors thus Minchah gedolah is the beginning of the time of the dayly sacrifice between the two Evenings when the Sun begins to decline which is from the sixth hour and forward until night some say from the sixth hour and an half which was according to our Phrase in hand about the sixth hour Now this their accounting was not for that they always began to fall about their evening sacrifice at twelve a clock or half an hour after but because that it was lawful then to
Pharisees for the Sanhedrim And 2. From those words of Christ to the Woman Hath no man condemned thee Which seem to imply that those that brought her had power to judge and condemn her To give one instance more In the Handful of Gleanings upon Exod. Sect. XLIX he treats of the manner of giving forth the Oracle of Urim and Thummim and so he does also in his Sermon upon Judg. XX. 27 28. but with this variety there he relates it to be by an Audible Voice from the Lord from off the Propitiatory and this being heard by the Priest was told to the people But here he corrects his former thoughts telling us it was by no heavenly Voice but that God presently inspired the High Priest with the Spirit of Prophesie and by that he resolved the doubt and question put to God by the people Which we may conclude to be his last and ripest thoughts in that matter I need not particularize any other passages in these Sermons where notions mentioned elsewhere in the Authors Books are repeated with no small advantage And where they are not so they are either wholly left out where it might be done without making a chasm and break in the thread of the discourse or where it could not without that inconvenience they are only mentioned briefly in transitu Perhaps some few passages may be censured as seeming to reflect upon the Doctrine or practice of our Church But to this I answer That they only seem to do so And if the Reader will but calmly and deliberately view those passages again he will find that they may admit of a very fair construction and the most that they speak is against placing the sum of Religion in Ceremonies and outward Formalities or the needless multiplying of them not against a sober and intelligent use of the Rites of the Church as they are appointed to be used for the preserving decency and order and promoting edification And he is very severe that will not overlook some things and pass a favourable construction upon others considering the times wherein our Author lived and what Doctrines then prevailed and carried away many good though unwary Men as with a strong and scarcely to be resisted torrent And allowance may the more reasonably be given to some few things seemingly obnoxious to censure for the sake of many others which do greatly inculcate peace and conformity and the Authority of the Church and decry separation from the National established Church I instance only in that excellent Sermon Preached in the late unhappy times in a publick Audience upon John X. 22. Where the argument of our Saviours holding communion with the Jewish Church in the publick exercise of Religion is so fully and incomparably managed that it was within these few years almost resolved to be made publick by it self for the use and information of our Dissenters which if read and considered by them with a candid and unprejudiced mind would certainly set them clear of their scruples and bring them with abundance of satisfaction into the bosom and Communion of our Church And beside that in his Sermon upon Jude vers 12. he discourseth against Praying by the Spirit and Enthusiastical pretences to revelation In that upon Luke XI 2. He argues most excellenty for set Forms of Prayer and particularly for the use of the Lords Prayer that was at that time ready to be quite justled out of Gods Worship And it was observable at that time that the Doctor ended both his Prayers both before and after that Sermon with the Lords Prayer In that Sermon speaking about casting away Religious usages because abused he hath these remarkable words Now I cannot but think how wild it is to reject a good thing in its self because another hath used it evilly This is just as if a Man should cut down Vines to avoid drunkenness How subject is he that makes it all his Religion to run from superstition to run he knows not whither And again in the same Sermon I know not what reformers should more study than to observe how near Christ complied with things used in the Jewish religious practice and civil converse that were lawful Once more in his Discourse upon 1 Cor. XIV 26. towards the conclusion he propounds two things to be considered by them who scrupled at the Religious exercise of singing Psalms because it is no where commanded to sing after that manner and with those circumstances that we do 1. That there is no plain grounds why to refrain but most plain why to sing 2. Where a duty is commanded and a scruple ariseth from some circumstance it is safer to go with the command than from it The reason I have selected these passages is to shew how our Author stood affected to the Church And indeed by these and many other expressions that are scattered in his Sermons we may plainly see that peaceableness and keeping Communion with the Church was his great principle and that his great aim in the late times was to keep up the honour of the publick Ordinances and the publick Ministry in reputation and to maintain the necessity of good Works against Antinomianism and the divine Authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures and the necessity of humane Learning in the Clergy against Enthusiasm then the great prevailing Errors And I make no doubt that by such means and Doctrines as these the blessing of God accompanying our Author did very good service to Religion and Truth then and did educate and train up young Students in the University and other Christians his Auditors into a readier and more chearful conformity to our present Church In a word All his Sermons breath a true Spirit of piety and inward goodness and an intire desire to be instrumental to the right understanding of the Holy Scriptures for the propagation of Gods glory and the building up of Christians in real substantial piety and true saving knowledge And they carry a plain easie unaffected strain of humble Oratory condescending to the meanest capacity and which hath something peculiar in it to raise attention and to make a wonderful impression upon the affections I mean by offering frequently something new and surprizing and intermixing sudden Apostrophes and affectionate and close Interrogations And now in the last place I must account for my self and for what I have done in the publishing these discourses Mr. John Duckfield Rector of Aspeden in Hertfordshire the Authors Son in Law and one of his Executors to whom the World is in the first place beholden for permitting them to be made publick kindly imparted to me the deceased learned Mans scattered Papers and MSS. and among the rest his Sermon-notes From the love and honour I had to his memory and his Learning I diligently set my self to the perusal of them and being not a little pleased with many of the Notes I resolved to select a few out of a great many with a design to let them see
Luke XXII 30. Rev. XXI 12 14. These were called the Twelve Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Talmudick Language under which title Moses and Aaron are marked by the Chaldee Paraphrast Jer. II. 1. A word that does not barely speak a Messenger but such a Messenger as represents the Person of him that sends him For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a a a a Bab. Berac fol. 34. 2. The Apostle of any one is as he himself from whom he is deputed See the fortieth verse of this Chapter If you read over the Tract of Maimonides here intitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messengers and Companions perhaps you will not repent your labour For these ends were these twelve chosen as the Evangelists relate I. That they might be with him eye-witnesses of his Works and Students of his Doctrine For they did not presently betake themselves to Preach from the time they were first admitted Disciples no nor from the time they were first chosen but they sat a long while at the feet of their Master and imbibed from his mouth that Doctrine which they were to Preach II. That they might be his Prophets both to Preach and to do Miracles Thence it comes to pass that the gift of Miracles which of a long time had ceased is now restored to them The seven Shepherds and eight principal men Mich. V. 5. are the Disciples of the Messias according to Kimchi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power of unclean spirits That is Over or Upon unclean spirits which therefore are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unclean spirits that by a clearer Antithesis they might be opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Spirit the Spirit of Purity More particularly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The unclean spirit Zech. XIII 2. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unclean spirits Revel XVI 13 14. are Diabolical spirits in false Prophets deceiving Pythons By a more particular name yet according to the Talmudists concerning this business b b b b b b Bab. Sanhedrs fol. 65. 2. There shall not be with thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Necromancer Deut. XVIII 11. He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Necromancer who mortifies himself with hunger and goes and lodges a nights among the burying places for that end that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unclean spirit may dwell upon him When R. Akibah read that verse he wept Does the unclean spirit saith he come upon him that fasts for that very end that the unclean spirit may come upon him Much more would the Holy Spirit come upon him that fasts for that end that the Holy Spirit might come upon him But what shall I do When our sins have brought that on us which is said Your sins separate between you and your God Where the Gloss thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the unclean spirit dwell upon him that is that the Demon of the Burial-place may love him and may help him in his inchantments When I consider with my self that numberless number of Demoniacs which the Evangelists mention the like to which no History affords and the Old Testament produceth hardly one or two examples I cannot but suspect these two things especially for the cause of it First That the Jewish people now arriving to the very top of impiety now also arrived to the very top of those curses which are recited Levit. XXVI and Deut. XXVIII Secondly That the Nation beyond measure addicted to Magical arts did even affect Devils and invited them to dwell with them VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simon is a name very usual among the Talmudists for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simeon By which name our Apostle is also called Act. XV. 14. Let these words be taken notice of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c c c c c c Hieros Schab fol. 11. 2. R. Eliezer enquired of R. Simon concerning a certain thing but he answered him not He enquired of R. Joshua ben Levi and he answered R. Eliezer was enraged that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Simeon answered him not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peter Christ changed the names of three Disciples with whom he held more inward familiarity Simon James and John Simon was called by him Peter or Petrosus that is referring to a Rock because he should contribute not only very much assistance to the Church that was to be built on a Rock but the very first assistance when the keies being committed to him he opened the door of faith to Cornelius and so first let in the Gospel among the Gentiles Of which matter afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Andrew This also was no strange Name among the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d d d d d d Hieros Megill cap. 4. Andrew bar Chinna VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bartholomew COmpare the order wherein the Disciples are called Joh. I. with the order wherein they are for the most part reckoned and you will find Bartholomew falling in at the same place with Nathaniel so that one may think he was the same with him called Nathaniel by his own name and Bartholomew by his fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The son of Talmai For the Greek Interpreters render Talmai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tolmi 2 Sam. XIII 37. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tholomaeus occurs in e e e e e e Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 1. Josephus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Alpheus The Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occurs also in the Talmudists a word that may admit a double pronuntiation namely either to sound Alphai or Cleophi Hence that Alpheus who was the Father of four Apostles is also called Cleopas Luke XXIV which sufficiently appears from hence that she who is called Mary the Mother of James the less and Joses Mark XV. 40. by John is called Mary the wife of Cleopas Joh. XIX 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lebbeus whose surname was Thaddeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thaddai was a name known also to the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f f f f f f Masseth Dâ—rech Arets c. 1 R. Jose the son of Thaddeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g g g g Hieros Kilaim fol. 27. 2. Schabb. fol. 5. 2. See Juchasin fol. 105. 2. Eliezer ben Thaddeus It is a warping of the name Judas that this Apostle might be the better distinguished from Iscariot He was called Lebbeus I suppose from the Town Lebba a Sea coast Town of Galilee of which Pliny speaks h h h h h h Lib. 5. cap. 19 The Promontory Carmel and in the Mountain a Town of the same name heretofore called Ecbatana Near by Getta Lebba c. VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simon the Cananite IN Luke it is Zelotes See who are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zelots in Josephus Of whose Sect if you should say this Simon was before his Conversion perhaps you
shall say when their disease did first invade him write a Bill of Divorce for my wife c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l â—ittin cap. 7 Hal. 1. If any whom Kordicus vexeth say Write a Bill of Divorce for my wife c. Kordicus say the Glossers is a Demon which rules over those that drink too much new Wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is Kordicus Samuel saith When new Wine out of the press hath caught any one m m m m m m Gemar Bab. which see Rambam upon the place hath these words Kordicus is a disease generated from the repletion of the Vessels of the Brain whereby the understanding is confounded and it is a kind of Falling-sickness Behold the same a Demon and a disease to which the Gemarists applied Exorcisms and a Diet. See n n n n n n Fol. 67. 2. Bab. Gittin o o o o o o Aruch In Shibta Shibta is an evil Spirit who taking hold on the necks of infants dries up and contracts their nerves p p p p p p Bab. Berac fol. 51. 2. He that drinks up double cups 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is punished by the Devil From this Vulgar opinion of the Nation namely That Devils are the Authors of such kind of diseases one Evangelist brings in the Father of this child saying of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is lunatick another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath a spirit He had been dumb and deaf from his birth to that misery was added a phrensie or a Lycanthropy which kind of disease it was not unusual with the Nation to attribute to the Devil and here in truth a Devil was present VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. O faithless and perverse generation c. THE edge of these words is levelled especially against the Scribes See Mark IX 14. and yet the Disciples escaped not altogether untouched Christ and his three prime Disciples being absent this child is brought to the rest to be healed they cannot heal him partly because the Devil was really in him partly because this evil had adhered to him from his very birth Upon this the Scribes insult and scoff at them and their Master A faithless and perverse generation which is neither overcome by Miracles when they are done and vilifie when they are not done The faith of the Disciples vers 20. wavered by the plain difficulty of the thing which seemed impossible to be overcome when so many evils were digested into one deafness dumbness phrensie and possession of the Devil and all these from the cradle VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Faith as a grain of mustard seed c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As a seed of Mustard or As a drop of Mustard in Talmudick Language See Chap. XIII vers 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ye shall say to this mountain c. See what we note at Chap. XXI vers 21. VERS XXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting IT is not much unlike this which is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q q q q q q Bab. Taanith fol. 22. 2. By reason of an evil spirit a singular or religious man may afflict himself with fastings VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that receive the Didrachma tribute-money TWO things perswade me that this is to be understood of the Half Shekel to be yearly paid into the Treasury of the Temple 1. The word it self whereby this tribute is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning this thus Josephus writes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * * * * * * De bell lib. 7. cap. 27. He laid a tax upon all the Jews wheresoever they were namely two Drachmes commanding every one of what ever age to bring it into the Capitol as before they had paid it into the Temple at Jerusalem And Dion Cassius of the same thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. r r r r r r Lib. 66. He commanded all to bring the Didrachm yearly to Jupiter Capitolinus The Seventy Interpreters indeed upon Exod. XXX 13. render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Half a didrachm but adding this moreover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is according to the holy didrachm Be it so the whole Shekel was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy didrachm then let the half shekel be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The common didrachm However the thing is he that paid the half Shekel in the vulgar dialect was called He that paid the Shekels and that which is here said by Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that receive the Didrachm the Talmudists express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that demand or collect the Shekels The Targumists render that place Exod. XXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The half of the Shekel the reason of which see if you please in * * * * * * Shekal cap. 1. Maimonides The Shekel saith he concerning which the Law speaks did weigh three hundred and twenty grains of barley but the wise men sometime added to that weight and made it to be of the same value with the money 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Selah under the second Temple that is three hundred eighty four midling grains of barley See the place and the Gloss. 2. The answer of Christ sufficiently argues that the discourse is concerning this Tax when he saith He is the son of that King for whose use that Tribute was demanded for from thence were bought the dayly and additional sacrifices and their drink offerings the sheaf the two loaves Levit. XXIII 17. the Shew bread all the sacrifices of the Congregation the red Cow the scape Goat and the crimson Tongue which was between his horns s s s s s s Shekal cap. 4 Hal 1. 2. c. But here this Objection occurs which is not so easie to answer t t t t t t Shekal cap. 1. Hal. 3. The time of the payment of the half Shekel was about the feast of the Passover but now that time was far gone and the feast of Tabernacles at hand It may be answered 1. That Matthew who recites this Story observed not the course and order of time which was not unusual with him as being he among all the Evangelists that most disjoynts the times of the Stories But let it be granted that the order of the History in him is right and proper here It is answered 2. Either Christ was scarcely present at the Passover last past or if he were present by reason of the danger he was in by the snares of the Jews he could not perform this payment in that manner as it ought to have been Consider those words which John speaks of the Passover last past Chap. VI. 4. The Passover a feast of the Jews was near and Chap. VII 1.
of Christ but a conjectural reason of the sudden and unexpected return of Peter I believe that Peter was going with Cleophas into Galilee and that being moved with the words of Christ told him by the women Say to his Disciples and Peter I go before you into Galilee Think with your self how doubtful Peter was and how he fluctuated within himself after his threefold denial and how he gasped to see the Lord again if he were risen and to cast himself an humble supplicant at his feet When therefore he heard these things from the women and he had heard it indeed from Christ himself while he was yet alive that when he arose he would go before them into Galilee and when the rest were very little moved with the report of his Resurrection nor as yet stirred from that place he will try a journy into Galilee and Alpheus with him Which when it was well known to the rest and saw him return so soon and so unexpectedly Certainly say they the Lord is risen and hath appeared to Peter otherwise he had not so soon come back again And yet when he and Cleopas open the whole matter they do not yet believe even them VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To every creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To every Creature a manner of speech most common among the Jews by which I. Are denoted all men f f f f f f Bab. Chetub fol. 17. 1. The wise Men say Let the mind of man always be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mingled or complacent to the creatures The Gloss there is To do with every man according to complacency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g g g g Midr. Till in Psal. CXXXV He makes the Holy Spirit to dwell upon the creatures that is Upon men h h h h h h Maimon in Sanhedr cap. 2. In every Judge in the Bench of three is required Prudence Mercy Religion hatred of mony Love of truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and love of the creatures that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The love of mankind II. But especially by that phrase the Gentiles are understood R. Jose i i i i i i Bab. Chagig fol. 12. 2. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wo to the Creatures which see and know not what they see which stand and know not upon what they stand namely upon what the earth stands c. He understands the Heathens especially who were not instructed concerning the creation of things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Beresh Rabba §. 13. The speech of all the Creatures that is of the Heathens is only of earthly things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all the prayers of the Creatures are for earthly things Lord let the Earth be fruitful let the Earth prosper But all the prayers of Israelites are only for the holy place Lord let the Temple be built c. Observe how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Creatures are opposed to Israelites And the parallel words of Matthew Chap. XXVIII do sufficiently prove this to be the sense of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every creature in this place that which in Mark is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preach to every creature in that place in Matthew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciple all Nations as those words also of S. Paul Coloss. I. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gospel that was preached in all the creation In the same sense you must of necessity understand the same phrase Rom. VIII 22. Where if you take the whole passage concerning the Gentiles breathing after the Evangelical liberty of the Sons of God you render the sense very easie and very agreeable to the mind of the Apostle and to the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Creature or Creation When they who render it otherwise dash upon I know not what rough and knoâ—ty sense Let me although t is out of my road thus paraphrase the whole place Vers. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For the earnest expectation of the Creature or of the Heathen World waiteth for the revelation of the Sons of God For God had promised and had very often pronounced by his Prophets that he would gather together and adopt to himself innumerable sons among the Gentiles Therefore the whole Gentile World doth now greedily expect the revelation and production of those sons Vers. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For the Creature the whole Heathen World was subjected to the vanity of their mind as Rom. I. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Became vain in their imaginations And Eph. I. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind not willingly but because of him that subjected it Vers. 21. Under hope because the Creature also or that Heathen World shall be freed from the servie of sinful corruption which is in the World through lust 2 Pet. I. 4. into the Gospel liberty of the Sons of God From the service of Satan of Idols and of Lusts into the liberty which the sons of God enjoy through the Gospel Vers. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For we know that the whole Creature or Heathen World groneth together and travaileth and as it were with a convex weight howeth down unto this very time to be born and brought forth Vers. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Neither the Gentiles only but we Jews also however we belong to a Nation envious of the Heathen to whom God hath granted the first fruits of the Spirit we sigh among our selves for their sakes waiting for the adoption that is the redemption of our Mystical body whereof the Gentiles make a very great part FINIS JEWISH AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS UPON THE Evangelist St. LUKE To which are premised some CHOROGRAPHICAL NOTES UPON THE Places mentioned in this EVANGELIST By JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. late Master of Katharine-Hall in the University of CAMBRIDGE LONDON Printed by William Rawlins for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXIV TO THE MOST REVEREND Father in CHRIST GILBERT BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY PRIMATE of all ENGLAND c. May it please your Grace HAVING at length finished in such a manner as it is this undertaking of mine upon the four Evangelists Religion Gratitude and Duty require it from me to commemorate and recognize the infinite mercy of God toward me in bringing me thus far continuing my life preserving to me that strength of Eye-sight vigor both of body and mind to and in so great a degree of old age To all which the same Divine mercy hath added this great benefit that it hath indulged me your Grace's Compassion Favour and Patronage This hath not a little sweetned all the rest securing to me so much leisure for Books tranquility in my Studies the settlement of my Family and an easie condition of life Without this my mind
cap. 4. hal 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For every Course there was a Stationary Assembly of Priests Levites and Israelites at Jerusalem When the time came wherein the Course must go up the Priests and the Levites went up to Jerusalem but the Israelites that were within that Course all met within their own Cities and read the History of the Creation Gen. I. The Stationary men fasting four days in that week viz. from the second to the fifth Glosse There was a Stationary Assembly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for every Course stated and placed in Jerusalem who should assist in the Sacrifices of their brethren besides these that were stated in Jerusalem there was a Stationary Assembly in every City All Israel was divided into Twenty four Stations according to the Twenty four Courses There was the station of Priests Levites and Israelites at Jerusalem the Priests of the Course went up to Jerusalem to their Service the Levites to their Singing and of all the Stations there were some appointed and settled at Jerusalem that were to assist at the Sacrifices of their Brethren The rest assembled in their own Cities poured out Prayers that the Sacrifices of their Brethren might be accepted Fasting and bringing forth the Book of the Law on their Fast-day c. So the glosse hath it The reason of this Institution as to Stationary Men is given us in the Mishnah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For how could every mans offering be made if he himself were not present Now whereas the daily sacrifice and some other offerings were made for all Israel and it was not possible that all Israel should be present these Stationaries were instituted who in the stead of all Israel should put their hands upon the daily Sacrifice and should be present at the other Offerings that were offered for all Israel And while these were performing this at Jerusalem there were other Stationaries in every Course who by Prayers and Fasting in their own Cities helpt forward as much as they could the Services of their Brethren that were at Jerusalem k k k k k k Sipâ—ra sol 3. 2. The Children of Israel lay on their hands but the Gentiles do not The Men of Israel lay on their hands but the Women do not R. Jose saith Abba Eliezer said to me we had once a Calf for a Peace-offering and bringing it into the Court of the Women the Women put their hands upon it not that this belonged to the Women so to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that the Womens spirits might be appeased A remarkable thing The Priests throughout all the Courses grew into a prodigious number if that be true in Jerusalem Taanith l l l l l l Fol. 69. 1. R. Zeora in the name of Rabh Honnah said that the least of all the Courses brought forth Eighty five thousand branches of Priests A thing not to be credited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And his Wife was of the Daughters of Aaron In the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Priestess viz. one born of the lineage of Priests It was lawful for a Priest to marry a Levitess or indeed a Daughter of Israel m m m m m m Kiddushin cap. 4. hal 1. But it was most commendable of all to marry one of the Priests line Hence that Story in Taanith ubi supr Fouscore pair of Brethren-Priests took to Wife fourscore pair of Sister-Pristesses in Gophne all in one night There was hardly any thing among the Jews with greater care and caution lookt after than the marrying of their Priests viz. that the Wives they took should not by any means stain and defile their Priestly blood and that all things which were fit for their eating should be hallowed Hence that usual phrase for an excellent Woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She deserves to marry with a Priest n n n n n n Joseph cont Appion lib. 1. pag. mihi 918. Josephus speaks much of this care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the whole priestly Generation might be preserved pure and unblended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elizabeth The Seventy give this name to Aarons Wife Exod. VI. 23. VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In all the Commandments and Ordinances c. SO Numb XXXVI 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the Commandments and judgments It would perhaps seem a little too fine and curious to restrain the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Decalogue or Ten Commandments and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Ceremonial and judicial Laws though this does not wholly want foundation It is certain the precepts delivered after the Decalogue from Exod. XXI to Chap. XXIV are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgments or ordinances Exod. XXI 1. XXIV 3. The Vulgar can hardly give any good account why he should render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by justifications much less the followers of that Translation why they should from thence fetch an Argument for justification upon observation of the Commands when the commands and institutions of men are by foreign Authors called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay the corrupt customs that had been wickedly taken up have the same word 1 Sam. II. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Priests custom with the people was c. 2 Kings XVII 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And walked in the Statutes of the Heathen The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently rendered by those Interpreters from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which to wave all other instances may abundantly appear from Psalm CXIX and the very things which the Jews speak of the Hebrew word obtain also in the Greek a a a a a a R. Solomon in Numb XIX Perhaps Satan and the Gentiles will question with Israel what this or that Command means and what should be the reason of it the answer that ought to be made in this case is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is ordained it is a Law given by God and it becomes not thee to cavil b b b b b b Joma fol. 67. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye shall observe my statutes That is even those which Satan and the Nations of the World do cavil at Such are those Laws about eating Swines flesh heterogeneous cloathing the nearest Kinsman's putting off the Shoe the cleansing of the Leper and the scape Goat If perhaps it should be said that these precepts are vain and needless the Text saith I am the Lord. I the Lord have ordained these things and it doth not become thee to dispute them They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just and equal deriving their equity from the authority of him that ordained them VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the order of his course a a a a a a Hieros Taanith ubi supr THE heads of the Courses stood forth and divided
But read and read again the whole story Act. XIX and there is not a syllable of any wrong that Paul at that time endured in his person VERS XXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fool. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would the Talmudists say Sot mad man g g g g g g Gloss. In Taanith fol. 1â— 1. Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai answered the Baithuseans denying also the Resurrection of the dead and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fools whence did this happen to you c. VERS XLV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so it is written c. OF the former no doubt is made for it is written Gen. XI 7. But where is the latter Throughout the whole sacred book thence the Jews speak so many things and so great of the Spirit of Messias and of Messias quickning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last Adam was made a quickning Spirit Job XIX 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand in the latter day upon the earth Job seems to me in this place in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak in the same sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last Adam Of the former Adam it was said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return And I know saith Job that my Redeemer liveth and he shall arise from the dust another or a latter and I shall see the Lord made of the same flesh that I am of c. Intimating the Incarnation of the Messiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A quickning Spirit The Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters Gen. I. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Spirit of King Messias So the Jews speak very frequently And also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messias shall quicken those that dwell in the dust It cannot be past over without Observation by what authority Paul applies those words of Psal. XCII Thou Lord in the beginning hast founded the earth c. to the Messias Heb. I. 10. to prove his Deity and dignity But thou art deceived O Paul would a Hebrew say These words are to be applied to God the Father not to the Messias The Apostle hath what to reply from the very confession of the Jewish Nation You acknowledge that Spirit which was present at and president over the Creation was the Spirit of the Messias It ought not also be past by without observation that Adam receiving from him the promise of Christ and believing it named his wife Chava that is Life So the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Adam called his wives name Life Gen. III. 20. What Is she called life that brought in death But Adam perceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last Adam exhibited to him in the Promise to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A quickning Spirit and had brought in a better life of the Soul and at length should bring in a better of the body Hence is that Joh. I. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In him was life VERS XLVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second man is the Lord. GEn. IV. 1. Eve conceived and brought forth Cain and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have possessed or obtained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man the Lord that is That the Lord himself should become man For let me so turn it depending upon these reasons I. That this Interpretation is without any manner of wresting the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea it is according to its most proper signification and use II. That without doubt Eve had respect to the promise of Christ when she named her son as Adam had respect to the promise in the denomination of Eve VERS LV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. O death where is thy c. HOs XIII 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Seventy read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where is thy revenge O Death And thus speaks Aben Ezra There are some which invert the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be as though it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where And very truly as it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 10. Where is thy King Where the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not I will be thy King but Where is thy King So that the Greek Interpreters and the Apostle after them translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where properly and truly The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Prophet is rendred by the Targumist and the Rabbins to signifie A Word but some as Kimchi acknowledges understand it to signifie The Plague and that upon good ground because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Destruction is joyned with it as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Destruction and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Plague are joyned together Psal XCI Where see the Targum and R. Solomon and compare the Greek Interpreters with them CHAP. XVI VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now concerning the Collection for the Saints UNLESS I am much deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Jerusalem Writers denotes in the like sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Collection for the wise men They have this story a a a a a a Hoâ—aioth fol. 48. 1. R. Eliezer R. Josua and R. Akiba went up to Chelath of Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Employed in the Collection for the wise Men. One Abba Judah was there who performed the Law with a good Eye Being now reduced to poverty when he saw the Rabbins he was dejected He went home with a sad countenance His wife said to him Why doth thy countenance languish He answered The Rabbins are come and I know not what to do She said to him You have one field left Go and sell half of it and give to them Which he did And when they were departed he went to plow in the half of his field and found a great treasure c. I produce this the more willingly that it may be observed that collections were made among the Jews in forrain Nations for the poor Rabbins dwelling in Judea in the same manner as they were made among Christians in forrain Nations for the poor Jews converted to Christianity in Judea VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the first day of the Week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the first of the Sabbath would the Talmudists say I. That day was every where celebrated for the Christian Sabbath and which is not to be past over without observing as far as appears from Scripture there is no where any dispute of that matter There was controversie concerning circumcision and other points of the Jewish Religion whether they were to be retained or not retained but no where as we read concerning the changing of the Sabbath There were indeed some Jews converted to the Gospel who as in some other things they retained a smatch of their old Judaism so they did in the observation of days Rom. XIV 5. Gal. IV. 10. but yet not rejecting or neglecting the
and Revelation in the knowledge of him And God gives this Spirit but in what sence Not to foresee things to come not to understand the Grammatical construction of Scripture without study not to preach by the Spirit but the Apostle explains himself vers 18. The eyes of their understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints So that the Revelation given to the Saints is this that God reveals the experience of those things that we have learned before in the Theory from Scripture a saving feeling of the hope of his calling and the riches of the glory of his inheritance Here let me speak three things 1. To feel the experience of Grace is not by new Light that was never known before but by application of what was known before As the Queen of Sheba first heard of the Fame of Solomon then found by experience Compare we our knowledge of Spiritual things to a Banquet to your Feast this day A man before Grace sees the banquet God hath provided for his people hath by the word learned the nature and definition of Faith Repentance Holiness Love of God and Love to God but as yet he does but see the banquet when Grace comes then he sees and tastes these things in experience and sence in his own Soul He had a light before from the Word now it is brought so near his heart that he feels warmness he feels life and sence and operation of these things is as it were changed into these things as in II Cor. III. 18. We with open face beholding as in a glâ—ss the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory Now this is noâ— the Spirit of Revelation in that sence that these take it in but t is so called because it is by a light and operation above natural light and operation As common grace is called grace because 't is above the ordinary working of nature so this is called revelation because above the work of common light 2. How do men come to assurance of pardon and salvation Not by the Spirit of revelation in their sence not by any immediate whispers from Heaven but another way As in Rom. XV. 4. Through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we have hope In Scripture is your comfort and in your own conscience and in them is your assurance A Saint makes this holy Syllogism Scripture Major He that repents believes loves God hath the pardon of his sins Conscience Minor Lord I believe Lord I love thee Saint from both makes the Conclusion Therefore I am assured of the pardon of my sins and my Salvation Thus Christ would bring S. Peter to assurance of his Estate after his denial by this trial Lovest thou me Not by any revelation that Christ loved him but it was assurance enough if he loved Christ. And here by the way let me speak one word for trial whether we have the Spirit of Sanctification that we be not deceived in the rest Never believe you have the Spirit of Sanctification unless your heart be changed to love God Among many signs this is the most sensible and undoubted I say unless the heart be changed and changed to love God Change of heart is the mother habit of all Graces God speaks enough in Ezek. XXXVI 26. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you In that question about perseverance and loss of grace as in the case of David Peter c. we say That the Act may be suspended and lost for the present but the Habit not Now by habit we mean not the particular seed of this or that Grace but the change of the Heart the materia prima of all Graces That is never unchanged back again the stone is taken away The heart indeed may freez into ice as Davids and Peters but never turn into stone again I say further To love God A man may feel some kind of change of heart in common grace Common grace is Gods ordinary way for working Saving grace his keys Illumination stirring of Conscience fear of Hell some kind of Grief Now though these go not so far as to come to saving grace yet saving grace comes not but by the inlet of these And here many are deceived if they have some such stirrings within them if startled pricked have some sorrow for sin though all from the Spirit of bondage yet think they have repentance godly sorrow enough And here were an insuperable difficulty of discerning a mans estate whether yet under common grace only but that this resolves it If I Love God Peters startling of Conscience grief tears were good signs but never sure signs had not this seasoned all Lord I Love thee So that a mans assurance of his happy estate is not by any Spirit of Revelation but of Sanctification not from Inspiration but from the work and testimony of a good Conscience the Spirit of God in grace bearing witness to our Spirits 3. I may add A Saint in Heaven finds nothing but what he knew before in little what he tasted before in little but then is filled As he hath heard so now he seeth in the City of God hath heard of the Beatifical Vision of partaking of God of Eternity now he enjoys it not by any new Revelation of the Spirit but by blessed experience So that the dearest Saint of God hath no further promise of Revelation then in this sence III. There is no promise in Scripture whereupon the Spirit of Revelation is to be expected after the fall of Jerusalem It is a delusion by which the men we speak of deceive themselves and others when they think and assert that what promises are made of Revelation or of great light are to be applied to these times How have these places been as it were worn thread-bare by them for this purpose Esay LIV. 13. All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and Jer. XXXI 33 34. And this is the Covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts c. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me c. and others as if they had been directly aimed for these very times and as if directly for England whereas I say again there is no promise upon which the Spirit of Revelation is to be expected after the fall of Jerusalem This assertion is more important and proveable than seems at first sight I limit Prophesie to expire at the fall of Jerusalem Whosoever saith not so will not know where to limit it and what that age was wherein it was extinguished And if no limit than how great is the danger we are in who live in these times when so many of contrary minds pretend to Prophesie and then
there were no age but there would be some persons Oracular as Moses If any limit then where is it fixed I say at the fall of Jerusalem And I will prove it by what they bring to prove Prophesie for these days Act. II. 17. And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and their sons and their daughters shall Prophesie c. By the last days they would understand it of the World I of Jerusalem So in divers places besides That it is so to be understood in the place S. Peters application makes out Who applies this place of the Old Testament unto himself and the Christians at that time upon occasion of their speaking strange Languages What absurdity would there also be in his applying this place The old Oeconomy is as the old World the Evangelical is the new Heaven and the new Earth So that the last days of the old World are the last days of the old Oeconomy Hence the destruction of Jerusalem is spoke of as the destruction of the old World and Christs coming is said to be in the last days So that if we take not the pouring out of the Spirit in the last days in that sence we swerve from the sence of the phrase in Scripture And hence it appears that Spirit to be in those last days and that it was affixed to them from propriety of phrase To this we might add the manner of imparting the Spirit in those times It was either by effusion upon many together Act. II. X. or by imposition of hands upon some single ones Now who dares think that ever was since the fall of Jerusalem such manner of giving or ever will be And these are the only ways of imparting the Spirit that are spoke of since Christ ascended To all we might add that at the fall of Jerusalem all Scripture was written and Gods full will revealed so that there was no further need of Prophesie and Revelation Therefore those places they cite are misapplied both as to the time and also as to the proper sence of them So that here is a discovery of the third delusion that Prophesie still continues whereas it was to cease at the fall of Jerusalem and there is no promise whereupon any hath reason to expect it in these times IV. The standing Ministry is the ordinary Method that God hath used for the instruction of his Church It has ever been Gods way since he first wrote words to teach his Church by a studious learned Ministry who were to explain the Scripture by study not by the Spirit Mistake not this Ministry consisted not of Prophets they were occasional and of necessity but of Priests and Levites We are sent to them Hag. II. 11. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts ask now the Priests concerning the Law Mal. II. 7. For the Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts We have mention made of the sons of the Prophets in the Old Testament these were not inspired but understanding was instilled into them by Elias and they sat at his feet such were those of Issachar So the Disciples sat at the feet of Christ. The true Apostles indeed were inspired because there was a necessity of it But when the New Testament was written there was no further need of inspiration And then the Church was sufficiently instructed by ordinary Ministers therefore was Timothy left at Ephesus Titus in Creet Thefore was the Imposition of Hands Hebrews VI. 2. I conclude all with that suitable advise of St. John I Chap. IV. 1. Beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the World A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE Staffordshire-Natives At St. Michaels Cornhil LONDON Novemb. 26. 1663. ROM V. Vers. 1. Being justified by Faith we have peace with God THIS Text may seem very unsuitable to this occasion but certainly to no occasion no company no season can it be unsuitable can it be unseasonable to speak hear meditate of the infinite mercy of God in justifying men and of the unexpressible happiness of man in having peace with God But I have chosen this Subject to treat upon in a methodical succession to what I have discoursed upon heretofore being called to this Employment At my first being upon this task before you from those words in X. Joh. 22 23. which speaks of Christs being at Jerusalem at the Feast of Dedication I shewed you at large how our Saviour held Communion with the Church of the Jews and thereupon I spake of such unity against Schism At my second from those words Jud. vers 12. These are spots in your Feasts of Charity I shewed that the spots spoken of were false Teachers that went abroad pretending to the Spirit and so deceiving and thereupon I spake of taking heed of such delusions against Heresie and Error And now what can I more orderly and methodically speak upon after speaking of keeping Peace with the Church and keeping Peace with the Truth than of having Peace with God Yes you will say To have taken in first having peace one with another True that might not have been immethodical But you speak that in my stead this Loving Friendly Brotherly meeting discourses that for me and makes a visible Sermon of your peace one with another And I have made that as it were a Text whereupon to raise an occasional meditation to the tenor of that which the Text that I have read speaks And let me raise it thus If it be so good and pleasant and happy a thing to see brethren thus live together in unity thus to meet together to walk together to Feast together in Love Unity and Peace Sursum corda lift up your hearts and from this lustre you see of the Sun shining in this water below look up to the light that is in the body of the Sun it self and meditate how excellent how pleasant how happy a thing it is to have peace with God to walk in peace with God in his own ways to converse in peace with God in his own House to Feast in peace with God at his own Table and at night to lie down and sleep in peace with with God in his own Bosom This is the last Epistle the Apostle wrote before his apprehension and imprisonment He wrote it from Corinth where he touched in his journy to Jerusalem his last journy thither He wrote it in the second year of Nero immediately after Easter when Claudius who had hindred the Mystery of iniquity from its working in its full scope by his discountenancing the Jewish Nation had now been taken away above a year and an half ago And now that mystery did find it self loose and acted in its full activity those of that Nation that had not embraced the Gospel persecuting it with all
oppressed to pull the unjust gotten prey from the jaws of the cruel to punish the evil to incourage the good and to cause Righteousness to run down like a stream and Judgment like a running brook If any desire further proof I must remit him to such Prophetick prediction as these Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers c. And I will give them Judges of themselves and Rulers of their own people And let them but compare the difference of the Jews condition when they were under the Government of Heathens in their own Land Persians Grecians Romans and when they were under the Government of those of their own Blood and Nation And it deserves more observation than most men bestow upon it that Paul appealed from the Bench of his own Nation to a Heathen tribunal a thing I believe hardly ever paralleld in that Nation but it shews what a wretched condition they were then come unto Now I call that a Gospel Mercy 1. That is for the benefit of those that profess the Gospel And that Christian Magistracy is so he knows not the meaning of Christianity and Christiâ—â— Magistracy that can deny it 2. That is a Gospel Mercy that is dispensed by Christ in a Gospel way of dispensation and that Christian Magistracy is so I shall evidence to you by this demonstration There is a Magistracy in Turkey China and Tartary as well as in England and there were a Senate at Rome as well as a Parliament in England and all disposed by Christ who is made Lord of all but there is as much difference betwixt the way of dispensation as there is betwixt Christs ruling over all the World as he was Creator and dispensing common bounty and his ruling in his Church as Mediator and dispensing peculiar mercy As much as betwixt his ruling in all Nations as the Conqueror of all Gods enemies and his ruling in his Church as the Saviour and Mediator of his people God hath made him Lord and Christ Act. II. 36. There is more distinction in the words than many are aware of He is Lord over all He is Christ to his own chosen 3. That is a Gospel Mercy that doth promote and advance the efficacy of the Gospel And that a Christian Magistracy doth so if it need any proof I shall shew it by this one instance There are great promises in the Prophets of mercy to be exhibited under the Gospel which seem incredible and which some look for still to be accomplished according to the letter and hence their expectation of such glorious times to come whereas they are accomplished long ago and accomplishing daily but never were nor ever shall be according to the letter Such are That in Esa. II. 4. They shall beat their swords into plough-shares And that in Esa. XI 6. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb And that in Esa. LXV 20. There shall be no more thence an Infant of days c. What shall we say to these things Were they ever fulfilled according to the letter No nor ever shall be And yet God is faithful and hath performed his promise he hath done his part of what was promised and his own people partake of the promise and why should we look for any further There will be warrings in the World whilst there are lusts in the World for warrings come from lusts Jam. IV. 1. And there will be lusts in the World while there are men in the World for every imagination of the thoughts of mens hearts are evil only evil and evil continually Gen. VI. 5. But God hath done his part he brought the Gospel of peace into the World that might have taught men and wrought men to better but it is their own faults and wretchedness that they are not better And though Saints of God have this promise accomplished in themselves and they are knit together in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of Peace and what accomplishment more can be expected And so there will be Woolvish and Serpentine affections and actions of men in the World where there is sin in the World and there will be ignorance in the World and men will be infants in understanding whilst there is Fleshliness and Worldliness in the World yet God hath done his part he hath brought the Gospel into the World that might tame mens brutish affections and curb their actions and the Saints of God have this effect wrought upon them but some men will be Wolves and Lions still He hath brought the light and knowledge of the Gospel into the World that men need not to be infants in understanding and the Saints of God that imbrace the Gospel come to be aged men in knowledge but men will be ignorant still Hath not God therefore performed his promise As Esa. V. 4. What could God have done more to this purpose than he hath done in affording the means for the effecting of this as much as could be afforded And here comes in the work and imployment of the Magistracy God is so fully a performer of his promise that he hath left the issue not only to the bare preaching of the Word but he hath ordained also the Sword and Authority of the Magistracy to restrain men from their fightings and brutishness and to force them out of their wilful ignorance when the only preaching of the Word will not perswade them As when the Priests with the sounding of their Trumpets will not serve the turn to subdue Jericho an host of men of arms must be ready to assist the work and to do it It is in mercy to mens Souls that God hath ordained Magistracy as well as it in mercy to their Estates and for the securing of their Persons It is a bond of love whereby he would draw men from their own ruine and the ruining of others a holy tender and loving violence whereby when the Ministry of the Gospel cannot perswade them to be good he would restrain them from being evil and would constrain them to be better than they are A holy violence that would make men good whether they will or no. Such a mercy is a Christian Magistracy An Ordinance stamped with Christs own Kingly picture and sent for a token to his Church of special love and mercy As Aaron in his brest-plate of Judgment carried Urim and Thummim Light and Perfection So Magistrates in the Brest-plate of Judgment they always carry about with them have written there as it were with Christs own finger Power and Mercy Power derived from Christ to them and mercy derived from Christ by them to the Church The Pagans and Infidels Magistracy that is among them it is true is an ordinance of Christ Rom. XIII 2. The powers that be are ordained of God But these are but crums that fall from his Table of common providence as he is the great Ruler of all the World But Christian Magistracy is a full furnisht Table of mercy from him as the Father and cherisher of his
eleven hundred shekels of silver of every Philistin Prince Chap. XVI 5. And then look at the eleven hundred shekels of silver consecrated for making Micahs Idol Chap. XVII 2. which was set up in the Tribe of Dan Chap. XVIII 29. And you may easily perceive that the Holy Ghost hath laid these stories thus together that their sin in Dan and shame in the fall of Sampson of Dan might be cast up together Their last Judge Sampson of Dan came to so fatal and unhappy an end and no wonder for their first Idolatry was in Dan. And thus you see how Phinehas is still alive in this story and he named because they inquired by him and the Ark named because he enquired at the Ark. Which is the third inquiry III. But how enquired he By Urim and Thummim So was Gods direction to them Numb XXVII 21. And Joshua shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall ask counsil for him after the Judgment of Urim before the Lord. As Joshua the chief Commander in his time did enquire by Eleazar the father so did the chief commander now by Phinehas the son and both by the judgment of Urim and Thummim But how was that There are so many opinions about what Urim and Thummim was and so great obscurities made how the Oracle was given by it that it may seem to require another Oracle to tell how that Oracle was given I shall not tire you with diversities of opinions I shall briefly lay down some particulars concerning this thing upon which I my self am abundantly satisfied about it and upon which I suppose any that is not over curious may receive satisfaction 1. None but knows the Dress of the High Priest Exod. XXVIII and particularly the brest-plate the twelve stones and the names of the twelve Tribes ingraven in upon them And then it is said at vers 30. And thou shalt put in the brest-plate of judgment the Urim and Thummim By the brest-plate there is meant as in vers 15 16. viz. that piece of imbroidred work foursquare and doubled of a span square in which the twelve precious stones were to be set And by the Urim and Thummim is meant the twelve precious stones themselves which are called Urim or Lights or Brightness because of their shineing Lustre and Thummim or Perfections because with most exact and perfect compacture they were all set and fixed in a plate and border of gold in that embroidred piece or that piece of cloth of gold 2. The inquiry by Urim and Thummim was not upon any private occasion nor by a private man but by the Prince or Commander in chief and that in some matter that concerned the whole Nation This might be largely cleared but needeth not only this I cannot but observe that till Solomons time there is mention and example of this enquiring by Urim by Joshua here in the Text by Saul by David but after Solomons time no such mention not because the Oracle then failed but because till David had done the work the whole Land in the full extent that God had promised namely to Euphrates was not conquered And therefore in those times this Oracle was stirring for the direction of the Prince or chief Commander in that expedition and employment 3. There was no enquiring of any Priest by Urim who was not inspired by the Spirit of Prophesie And hence it is that as the Jews well observe after the first generation after the return out of Captivity the Oracle by Urim and Thummim was not under the second Temple at all because thenceforward there never was any High Priest that had the Spirit of Prophesie or divine Inspiration The case of Caiaphas was singular and it was but once XI Joh. 51. Being High Priest that year he prophesied The emphasis and main reason lies in that year that year when Vision and Prophesie should be sealed that year when the Spirit should be poured down in so abundant a measure as it was Act. II. He being High Priest that year had one drop of that showre of divine Inspiration that fell that year and he Prophesied But before him had there been no High Priest that was indued with the Spirit of Prophesie from the times of Nehemiah Chap. VII 65. and accordingly not the Oracle by Urim and Thummim 4. That Oracle therefore was not given by any audible Voice from off the Ark nor by rising of the letters of the Names of the Tribes in the precious stones that should spel out the answer for two or three letters in the Alphabet were wanting in those Names nor was it by change of Colour in the letters or stones as is conceited by some but the manner of inquiring and receiving answer was thus The High Priest with all his Habiliments on particularly the Brest-plate with the twelve precious stones in it upon his brest the Names of the twelve Tribes ingraven in the stones stood before the Ark only the Vail between and so he presented the Names and represented the Persons of the twelve Tribes before God He proposed the thing that was inquired as Phinehas here in the Name of the People shall I go up against my Brethren And the Lord presently inspired him with immediate Revelation discovering to him what was his mind in that case and so he told it the people As Phinehas here Go up now against Benjamin again and you shall prevail And thus have we done with the Historical concernment of the Text. And now instead of any doctrinal Observations upon it I might take into Consideration three material inquiries which lie fairly hinted in the three parts I have spoken to I. From the first part that speaks of the Children of Israels inquiring of the Lord we may be justly moved to inquire how the Children of England may inquire of the Lord in their doubtings or perplexities as Israel did II. From the second part that speaks of the Ark being there in those days it may justly call upon us to consider why or whereupon the Ark carried that Name and Title that it doth here and in many other places viz. The Ark of the Covenant III. From the third and last part that speaks of their enquiring by Phinehas the High Priest it may justly move this Quaere whether the High Priest were Prophetick or Oracular by his Function I take the hint for this from the Rhemists note upon Caiaphas his Prophesying Joh. XI 50. where they say that the gifts of the Holy Ghost followed his Order and Office though he were so wicked and so bring it home to Peters chair that the Pope sitting there cannot want the Spirit I shall especially pitch upon the two first Namely to take up that Inquiry Why the Ark was called the Ark of the Covenant And the resolution of that Quaere will help not a little to resolve the first as to the mainest things that we are to enquire of the Lord about How frequently the Ark is called by this title The Ark
of spirit Why to east down thy thirty pieces of Silver which thou hadst got so notoriously and bought so duly Oh! Conviction of mine own Conscience which bears me down and lies heavier on my Soul than a thousand thousand milstones They shall say to the Rocks fall on us and to the Hills cover us And those weights seem lighter than the burden of Conscience that lies upon them Here is Conviction of Conscience overpowering ad ultimum quod sic as far as possible in that kind and as far as possible in this World a man so throughly convinced of his lost undone damnable condition that his Conviction is his Hell already and he cannot suffer or feel more of Hell till he come there But Secondly There is a Conviction of Conscience overpowering to the utmost effect of Conviction that is smoother like Jacob and not such a rough thing as this Esau a child of the freewoman and of the promise and not of this spirit of horror and bondage and that is when a man is so convinced in Conscience concerning his duty that he cannot but with all earnestness set to it and keep to it As in Jer. XX. 9. The word of the Lord was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones that I was weary of forbearing and could not stay This I shall illustrate to you by looking into a case or state of Conscience referring something to the Conviction spoken of last before and also to this we are speaking of now Many a dear child of God walks in darkness and sees no light from the time of his new birth to his grave he walks in brokenness of Heart and dejection of Spirit and never sees good day His example may be instance enough for all others in Psal. LXXXVIII 15 16 17. I am afflicted and ready to die even from my youth up I suffer thy terrors I am distracted Thy fierce wrath goeth over me and thy terrors have cut me off They came round about me daily like waters they compassed me about together Now what is that that bears such a Soul up that it does not sink under despondency and despair It is a wonder that such a one can live and what is it that he lives upon Upon the strong and overpowering Conviction and sence of his duty Every child of God that is born to God by the new birth is in Rebecca's case with a Jacob and Esau struggling in her but the younger overcoms the elder He hath a twofold overpowering of Conscience in him namely concerning his lost condition and concerning his duty and the latter overcoms the former He hath those pangs and anguishes of Conscience through the sight of his sins and sence of Gods displeasure that it brings him to the very brink of Hell and of the gulph of dispair but he hath withal so strong an impression of his duty that that keeps him from sinking or falling in A travailer towards Heaven walks upon two legs Hope and Sence of his duty Now many and many a time his hope like Jacobs thigh is sinnew-shrunk and lame and hath no strength at all in it yet he makes shift to bear upon his other leg the sence of his duty that Jacob-like at last he limps out to his journies end The hope of a good Soul may be in the dark that he cannot see the glimmering of the least spark of it but the sence of his duty is always in his sâ—ght that he cannot but look on it and walk after it The case of Jonah in the Whales belly Jon. II. 4. I said I am â—â—t off from the light Why Jonah then thy case is desperate and there is no hope But I will yet look toward thy holy Temple That is my duty and I must not give out from it That good man in Psal. LXXXVIII thou seest thou hast waited and prayed and laboured for comfort all thy time and no comfort comes there is no hope strive no longer I but it is my duty to wait and pray and labour and I must hold to that and not give out Job dost thou not see thy hopeless case dost thou still hold thine integrity blessing God and dying Ah! thou speakest like a fool saith he though God kill me yet will I trust in him I will wait on him this is my duty and I must do it Oh! This is worth your laying to heart If ever your case come to despond in hopes and comforts yet to â—ear up with this Though I cannot see it is the Will of God to shew me comfort yet I am sure it is his Will that I should hold out in doing my duty I long for assurance of pardon of my sins and cannot find it I pray and wait and labour for grace and hope and comfort and cannot feel it My heart is as sad as ever as dull as slippery as incumbred as ever yet come what will I must not leave my hold I must pray and wait and labour still it is my Duty Thus hath many a sad Soul been born up under despondencies that have seen no light hope nor comfort that it hath been a wonder how they have holden up yet have lived upon a hidden manna as in Revel II. 17. have been born up upon this crutch the overpowering Conviction of their Conscience concerning their Duty IV. Fourthly Every Conscience in the World must at one time or other come to such ultimate Conviction in the one kind or other either to confusion and horror or to conversion and setting to his duty Cain if thou do well shalt thou not be accepted but if thou do not well sin lies at the door Gen. IV. 7. The word in the Original â—â—â—â—â—fies sin but more commonly a sin-offering and that laid at the door And that I take to be the meaning of the place and this to be the first doctrine of Repentance in the Bible Though thou do not well yet there is a sin-offering to make thy peace repent and thou shalt be pardoned but if thou do not repent sin and vengeance lies at the door ready to seize upon thee Sinner if thou improvest trying Conviction as thou oughtest to do thou mayest come to the kindly overpowering Conviction to set thee to thy duty for thy everlasting comfort but if not expect overpowering Conviction at one time or other to thy eternal horror And to this sence could I easily be induced to believe those borrowed expressions of Daniel mean Dan. XII 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth Joh. V. 28 29 shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt A resurrection of dead Consciences as well as dead bodies Conscience of it self is one of the sleepiest things in the World if God would let it sleep but he will suffer no Conscience to sleep for ever But up sluggard Jonah why sleepest thou either call upon thy God or betake thy self to thy duty or into the
blasphemed Christ 1 John II. 22. Who is ◠lyar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son And that then was the Jew Secondly When they were destroyed then Rome began to persecute till Constantine Thirdly When that was quieted then the Arian and the Macedonian appeared in the Jewish Spirit Fourthly That cursed Spirit was hardly laid but then the Papacy begins t◠rise and brings in all Judaism against the honour of Christ. And Fifthly That unmasked in the Reformation the Jewish Spirit appears again in the Socinian A SERMON PREACHED AT ASPEDEN April 5. 1660. 1 COR. X. 2. And were all baptised unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea ONE great breach in England is the breach about the Sacraments It is the policy of the Devil to divide Christians even there where there is the greatest bond of Communion As poison is to our Victuals which makes that which in its own nature is the great means of the preservation of our health and lives to become the destroyer of it Our knitting together must be in these Sacraments but they are made the means of our disuniting Therefore if the present occasion called not for it yet the present necessity of our Nation does to inform our selves about these bonds For your instruction in the Sacrament or Bond of Baptism I have chosen these words Wherein we may observe these four things I. Israel was Baptized II. All were baptized III. Unto Moses IV. In the Cloud and in the Sea I. Israel was baptized when they came out of Egypt From whence I make this Doctrine That Baptism was no new thing when Christ ordained it in the Church of the Gospel This Observation is of excellent use It is said concerning the times of the Gospel that there should be new Heavens and a new Earth All new When God set aside that old people he chose him a new people viz. The Gentiles This change of new for old consisted in two things First Some things were laid aside And Secondly some old things were reserved but the end of them changed All the Ceremonial Law laid aside but the Moral reserved and the Doctrine cleared The publick Worship of the Temple laid aside of the Synagogue reserved But some old things were reserved and changed At the Passover the Lamb was laid aside Bread and Wine reserved but the end changed And in this Sacrament where Baptism was added to Circumcision Circumcision was laid aside Baptism received The first mention of Baptism is in Gen. XXXV 2. And Jacob said unto his houshold and unto all that were with him Put away the strange Gods that are among you and be clean and change your garments Be clean the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mundate vos That Baptism is meant here is confest by the Jews The next mention is this in the Text They were all Baptized unto Moses c. And this is the more considerable that they should be Baptized now when they were but newly circumcised to wit in the three days darkness that was upon the Egyptians during which time Israel was circumcised to qualifie them to eat the Passover For no uncircumcised Person may eat thereof Exod. XII A third mention of Baptism is at Sinai So the Jews And they speak of Proselytes Admission now The Anabaptists will not hear this nothing but the letter of Scripture But that is a dangerous Text. T is true we are to require it for the foundation of Faith but by ininsisting upon it too rigorously for other matters we lose infinite profit that may accrue to us by Examples and Explications But let us reason with them that Baptism could be no new thing in those times First The Scribes and Pharisees were not so easie to be brought to follow Novelty But they came in multitudes to Johns Baptism Matth. III. 7. Secondly See I. Joh. 25. The Jews sent Pharisees to John the Baptist and they asked him why baptisest thou then if thou be not that Christ Whereby you may see they never questioned the thing and shewed also that they were easily perswaded that the Messias would make use of their rite of baptizing for the admitting Disciples Take this in the dispute about Poedobaptism They tell us that there is no example in the Scripture of children baptized I answer True but no such example needed to be recorded for Christ took up Baptism as he found it in the Jewish Church and they baptized Infants as well as grown persons And if Christ would not that Baptism should have been administred to children he would have forbidden it Therefore there is no Rule or Example given in Scripture of baptising children Luke wrote enough in XVI Act. 15. 32. where he tells us of the Baptism of Lydia and her houshold and of the Jaylor and all his Now one reading these passages in Judaea how would he have understood it Undoubtedly according to the ordinary practise of Baptism as it was used among them in admitting of their Proselytes which was that when the Master of the house was baptized for a Proselyte all his family children and all were baptized too T is the best rule to come to the understanding of the Phrases of Scripture to consider in what sence they were taken in that Country and among that People where they were written II. They were All baptized Who All our Fathers vers 1. All passed through the Sea Were there not children here How Was there no child in arms did they carry none on their backs when they passed through the Sea What say the Anabaptists here This Text saith All were baptized They say None ought to be baptized that are children because they are not capable of understanding the Ordinance What then Were the Jewish children more capable than the children of Christians There are two opinions of the Anabaptists which we are to be informed in else we may fall into mistake First That Baptism is not to be administred to any that are without knowledge Secondly That it is not to be administred to any unless he be verus filius foederis a true son of the Covenant To these I will put answer into your mouths To the first God never ordained Sacraments that their nature should be changed pro captu recipientis according to the capacity of him that received them Ordinances retain their nature whosoever receives them As sin is sin though not felt and the Word is the Word of God though he that hears it is not benefitted by it So Sacraments are Sacraments as to their nature whatsoever the Receivers be T is true their fruit is pro captu recipientis but not their nature The Sacrament is a seal whosoever receives it Again You read of Baptism without knowledge in Matth. XXVIII 19 20. Go and Disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name c. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you c. Baptize and Teach
turned into Glory Faith into fruition Sanctification into impeccability and there will be no need of the Spirit in our sense any more So that Having the Spirit is understood of man considered only under the Fall II. Having the Spirit speaks of having it for mans Recovery The Spirit is given for his Recovery viz. what God will have recovered Let us look back to the Creation That lesson is divine and pertinent Eccles. XII 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth There is more in it than every one observes It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Creators in the plural and teaches two things That as the first lesson Youth is to learn is to know his Creator so therewith to learn to know the Mystery of the Trinity that created him God created all things and man an Epitomy of all by the Word and Spirit Son and Holy Ghost XXXIII Psal. 6. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his Mouth Joh. I. 3. All things were made by him and without him was not any made that was made Job XXXIII 4. The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Now when Gods creation in man was spoiled by Son and Spirit it is repaired So that as Christ saith of himself I come to seek and to save that which was lost so the Spirit came to restore and repair what was decayed This is the meaning of the new creature 2 Cor. V. 17. If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature Eph. II. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Who works this Christ and the Spirit Something Christ doth by his blood viz. restores righteousness the rest by his Spirit viz. recovers holiness Nay I may add the Spirit is given only for mans Recovery The Spirit created man so perfect to try him Spiritus movens the Spirit moving is to try man outward administrations are to try him but when sanctification comes it hath a further purpose Compare man in innocency with man after the fall His state in which he then was was to try him But will the Spirit alway have his work of so uncertain issue Will he never act but for trial and leave the issue to the will of man God when he intended not innocency for the way of Salvation left man to himself Doth the Spirit the like in a way intended for Salvation Who then could be saved Spiritus movens the Spirit moving I said was given to try inhabitans inhabiting only and undoubtedly to Recover III. Having the Spirit presupposeth having of Christ vers 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of Christs contra If any have the Spirit he hath Christ. These terms are convertible He that hath Christ hath the Spirit and vice versa he that hath the Spirit hath Christ. As He that hath the Father hath the Son and he that hath the Son hath the Father also As Son and Spirit cooperated in mans creation so in his renovation Personal works are distinct but never separate Christ to Justifie the Spirit to Sanctifie but never one without the other The Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ is it possible then to have the Spirit absque Christo without having Christ And he is called his Spirit not only quia procedit a filio because he proceeded from the Son but because he gives him and is a purchase of his blood As the Spirit moved on the Waters so he moves on the blood of Christ he comes swimming in that and it is ex merito sanguinis from the merit of his blood whosoever hath him See Gods way of cleansing the Leper which is an Emblem of cleansing a sinner XIV Levit. 14 15 17. And the Priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and the Priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed c. And the Priest shall take some of the Log of oyl c. And the Priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear c. First Blood and then Oyl On whom is the unction of the Spirit on him is first the unction of blood As the person is accepted before his Service Gen IV. 4. The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering So the person is first Justified before Sanctified God doth not new-create a person whom he accepts not IV. He that hath the Spirit hath a twofold work of the Spirit common grace and sanctifying grace We may consider the Spirit as Creator and Sanctifier and thirdly acting in a Work between both When he teacheth man arts indues him with intellectual abilities he then works as Creator in bonum Universi for the good of the Universe When he sanctifieth he doth it for the recovery of the Soul Now there is a work between both that is more than he doth as Creator and less than as Sanctifier but in tendency to the latter but as yet it is not it viz. Common grace Such is Illumination to see ones Condition Conviction with feeling Conscience active thoughts of Soul This is called grace because more than nature Common because wicked men have it sometimes as appears by Heb. VI. 4. And you read of Felix his trembling at S. Pauls Sermon Now the Spirit never worketh sanctifying grace but first useth this to make way He plows the heart by common grace and so prepares it for sanctifying grace In this Chapter at vers 15. There was the Spirit of fear before that of adoption As the Law was given first so the work of the Law is first Rom. VII 9. When the Commandment came sin revived and I died As Moses delivered the people of Israel into the hand of Joshua so the Law when it hath sufficiently disciplined us commits us into the hand of Grace As in Gal. III. 17. The Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law c. cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect The Law is subservient to the promise so this work of the Law to Grace Is a meer work of the Law sanctifying Grace True the work of the Law goes along with grace hence many a gracious heart is under terrors But is the first work of the Law Grace No it is to fit the heart to receive Grace Many now a days say I have the Spirit How came they by it If they have it it is an unnatural birth not bred and born after Gods ordinary way To day debauched to morrow turn Sectary and then have the Spirit That was a wonder in the Prophet speaking of one that before she travailed was delivered such a wonder is this if it be so No God causeth this work of Common Grace to prepare and fit us for the reception of the Holy Spirit V. The Spirit worketh both these by the
to hinder him from the Love of God the Believer hath Sin the World the Flesh the Devil nay Deum Visum iratum God himself when he seems to be angry yet he loves God through all these Whereas Adam fell in the first opposition 3. A Believers obedience is more excellent than Adam did or could perform Adam had no hindrance nay he was not in a condition of passive obedience A Believer obeys through poverty sadness pains nay to death it self Thus Having the Spirit speaks not perfection yet at last brings to perfection in Heaven Adam begun in perfection and grew imperfect Holiness begins and sojourns in imperfection here and ends in perfection hereafter VII Having the Spirit speaks having it for ever XIII Joh. 1. Having loved his own which were in the World he loved them unto the end The falls of them that have the Spirit as for example of Peter of David speaks not the loss of the Spirit nor the weakness of the Spirit but only the Spirits disposing Every sickness is not loss of life so every fall is not the loss of the Spirit I might illustrate this from the Spirits acting in ruling and guiding the course of nature The Spirit as Creator preserves the Universe in its being and order How In that he hath set rules in the course of nature that there should be such seasons such productions such causes to produce such effects that warmth and nearness of the Sun should cause Spring and Summer and so contra And the Spirit sits above all and gives influence So when Nature is inverted that there happen winter-weather in Summer and contra Summer-weather in Winter the Spirit is not departed from his work nor is he become weak but so disposes and that after his own Rule viz. Northern cold winds and rain to breed cold though in Summer thick cloudy air and sky warmth even in Winter So though he fails of the Rule set in regard of the seasons yet not of the Rule set of such causes producing such effects So the Spirit hath set a Rule in Course in the work of Grace that such cause produce such effect that it should be Summer or Winter with the Christian as the Sun of Righteousness is near or far off And in Winter we have not lost the Sun though he be not so near Now when the Course of Grace is inverted and man falls the Spirit is not lost but this is according to the Rule set of causes and effects care of mens ways to produce growth and comfort neglect thereof to produce failings But yet the Spirit is not quite gone from his work VIII Having the Spirit speaks not having the gift of Prophesie As some did not distinguish before concerning the Indowments of the Spirit so do others not distinguish here or at least confound Hence some will say I believe therefore I have the Spirit of prophesie Of all men I believe least they have the Spirit that boast of it But to this I shall only say two things First Did the very holiness of Christs person necessarily indue him with the Spirit of Prophesie If so then what need had he of the gift of the Spirit It is said of John Luke I. 15. That he should be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mothers womb But it is not said so of Christ. Nor was John Baptist filled with the Holy Ghost in that sense Secondly These are of so different natures that one is not the cause of the other 1. The Spirit of Sanctification is only to help our infirmities c. the Spirit of Prophesie not 2. The Spirit of Sanctification is beneficial to the person in order to his Salvation the other not 3. The Spirit of Sanctification only proves good the other may be the occasion of evil S. Pauls revelations were in danger to puff him up 2 Cor. XII 7. Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations there was given unto me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me 4. The Spirit of Sanctification changeth the heart the other not 5. It goeth through the whole soul the other not And thus I have done with the eight Observations I named which may serve as good directions for our understanding what it is to have the Spirit and what is the nature of his operations I might add more As First One may have the Spirit and not know it Secondly One may have a great measure of the Spirit and yet doubt whether he have it at all Thirdly The Spirit is not had upon courtesie of mans will but by the over-powering of Gods grace Fourthly The chief way of the working of the Spirit is to work Faith and Love and to build up Christians by Faith and Love A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARIES Cambridge June 24. 1660. 1 COR. XIV 26. How is it then Brethren When ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation let all things be done to edifying THE last time I spoke of one abuse in the Publick Assembly of this Church of Corinth and that was misjudging and misreceiving the Holy Sacrament Here in the Text is another disorder and confusedness in the exercise of the Publick Ministry from what arising uncertain but certainly ending in non-edification as the Apostle intimates by the conclusion of the verse Such confusion indeed in their business that we know not where to find them and indeed the Chapter is very hard very hard either to find out what it was they did or what it is the Apostle would have them do or whence proceeded that enormity that he doth correct We will inquire after it the best we can and keep as near as we can to the words of the Text. In it are three parts I. What to do in a certain case How is it then Brethren II. The case propounded When ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation III. The Determination given Let all things be done to edifying I. What to do in a certain case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a School-phrase and if I be not much deceived the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word used infinitely in the Talmud and in Tanchum of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word occurs a thousand times It means most commonly What is to be done in this case or May such a thing be done Either will serve here Every one hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue c. What is to be done in this case Or may we do thus and keep to this Custom The Apostle resolves the case in the end of the Verse Let all things be done to edifying And so vers 15. compared with vers 14. If I pray in an unknown Tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitful And then comes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is
condemnation The ceremonial Law was given by Moses a ministration of types and shadows but truth came by Jesus Christ substantiating and resolving all III. Look into the Gospel it self It is the greatest and most Divine truth that can be given And as the Devil when he brought in the Heathen Religion brought in the greatest lie that could be imposed upon men So when God brought in the Gospel he brought in the greatest Truth that could be received by men And should I exceed my bounds if I said The greatest Truth that could be revealed by God For what could God reveal to mortal men more than he hath done in it himself his Son his Spirit his Grace his Salvation More than what is revealed in the Gospel shall never be revealed to men on this side Heaven And is not Heaven it self revealed very plainly in it And yet there are men in the Text and men in the World that make it their work to resist this Truth This light to lighten Gentiles they would put out This glory of the people Israel they would corrupt and this great and Divine Oracle of God they would silence and stop its mouth Very fitly resembled in the Emblem where the candle being lighted and set up the Devil the Turk the Pope and a company of Hereticks and Persecutors set with all their earnestness and indeavour to blow it out More than an Emblem of such an indeavour was the great plot and design of this day from the stroke of which we are here met to render our acknowledgment and thanksgiving An indeavour to have blown up and blown out the Truth of God and the purity and power of the Gospel out of this nation for ever In the words before us you plainly see two things an Act and the Agents resisting of the Truth and the men that resisted it But do you not also observe one out of sight or behind the vail viz. the providence of God looking on and permitting such a thing to be done A mystery of iniquity in the cursed acting of the persons and a mystery of providence and dispensing in suffering them so to act I. Concerning the persons and their acting The Truth might take up the complaint and expostulation of David It was not an open enemy that did me this evil for then I should have born it neither was it an open adversary that magnified himself against me for then peradventure I might have hid my self from him but it was thou my companion and familiar which took counsel with me together and we walked to the House of God as friends He that eateth at my table hath lift up his heel against me These men and the Truth or Gospel had been old acquaintance they had conversed and been familiar together they had taken counsel together and gone to Church too as friends but now they become her enemies because she is Truth They had approved the Gospel been initiated into it profest it and it may be some of them had preached it but now they become its enemy because she is Truth They had once received the knowledge of the Truth but now they wilfully sin against it Heb. X. 26. They had once known the way of Righteousness but now were utterly turned away from it 2 Pet. II. 21. They had once run well as Gal. III. but now they run clear counter to what they had done and seek to destroy the Gospel which they had once professed and resist the Truth with as much nay more fervency and earnestness than ever they owned it It was Pauls honour and comfort that He now preached the Gospel which he once destroyed Gal. I. 22. but it was these wretches dread and condemnation that they destroyed the Gospel which they once preached That general Apostasie or revolting from Truth that was then in the Church brought forth twins of a clear contrary complexion as different as Jacob and Esau if I may use Jacobs name with such persons when both of them are of the manners and conditions of Esau and you could hardly tell which of them was the worse For some Apostatized to pure Judaisme some to meer or worse than Heathenism some to dote upon the rites of Moses and to look to be justified by the works of the Law and to betake themselves to a Pharisaical austerity hoping thereby to be justified Others revolted to all loosness of life and Atheism abusing the liberty of the Gospel to libertinism and turning the grace of God into wantonness and accounting all things lawful that might content the flesh and please a carnal mind Now the Apostles give intimation of both these and sadly complain and invey against them I need not to particularize he that runs may read it more especially in the Epistle to the Galatians concerning the former and in 2 Pet. II. and Jude concerning the latter I might speak how these wretches did resist the Gospel or what instruments or machinations they used for the opposing of it As 1. Venting damnable Heresies and Doctrines of Devils as our two Apostles tell us 1 Tim. III. 1. 2 Pet. II. 2. Using the trade of Jannes and Jambres conjuration and sorcery and lying miracles as our Law had foretold Matth. XXIV 24. That they should shew signs and wonders to deceive the very elect if it were possible And the Apostle tells it was so as our Saviour had foretold 2 Thes. II. 9. That the coming of this mystery of iniquity was according to the working of Satan in all power and signs and lying wonders 3. They used the trade that the Roman Emperors afterward used of bitter sharp and cruel persecution Of which you have several memorials in the Epistles ravening Wolves breaking into the Church in sheeps clothing and making sad havock of the flock all before them This was the judgment that begun at the house of God 1 Pet. IV. 17. The hour of temptation that came upon all the Earth Rev. III. 10. I might by the way observe How far a man may fall from the true profession of the Gospel viz. so far as to become the worst of men and the Gospels most bitter enemy And that the bitterest enemies of the Gospel have ever been some that have pretended to the Gospel Persecution never did that mischief in the Church that Heresie hath done And the sorest wounds that the Gospel ever received were like his in Zach. in the house of her friends but this I shall not insist on You see Jannes and Jambres have here met with their match but is there any match to be found for these men that have matched them Yes look at Rome and you find them there As many Protestants and Papists by the last days do indeed understand the last days of the World So many Protestant Divines do attribute all the characters of those wretched men to the Papacy And indeed they are so like that it is no wonder if they be not clearly discerned asunder Though the Papacy would
to oppose whatsoever was not according to that Dream And that that caused both these was their drinking in the inchantments of their Traditions Which drunkenness cast them into a deep sleep and which made them rave and rage whilst they thus slept It is very observable again how Satan and the Nation it self did shift and change the manner and means of their undoing Before their Captivity into Babylon they were all for Idolatry and the Devil cheated them with his great lie as he did the Heathen to worship and sacrifice to Devils instead of God But after that Captivity he something changed his temptation and they became the means of their undoing he perswading them to embrace another great lie that of Traditions instead of that of Idolatry and they embracing it They had so sorely smarted by the seventy years captivity for their Idolatry that it was not so easie to bring them to that again but he found it easie to foist upon them this other great lie to make them believe that every doting Tradition the invention of foolish men was a divine Oracle delivered to Moses at mount Sinai and so from hand to hand to all posterity The Nation had been used to divine Oracles by Visions by Prophets by Urim and Thummim all along But now all these under the second Temple were ceased and gone and how should a people that had been always used to such Oracles do without them Here Satan saw his opportunity to cheat them with a Leah instead of Rachel to impose upon them the famed oracularity of Traditions instead of the lively Oracles of God like the deceitful Harlot in the Book of Kings to lay a dead Child in their bosom instead of a living and this they wing and cherish and make much of as if it were the lâ—ving Child even to this day Now how these Traditions wrought with them I may very well spare my labour to demonstrate the Gospels and Epistles do it so abundantly That by their Traditions they transgressed the commandments of God Matth. XV. 3. That by their Traditions they made the Word of God of none effect vers 6. That by their Traditions they worshipped God in vain teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men vers 9. And in a word that they were led into a vain conversation by the traditions received from their Fathers 1 Pet. I. 18. Thus was it as to their effect in general instances of particulars might be endless I shall only mention three and those that may be called the first three as Davids three Champions were if I may mention so noble persons and so base things together First These Traditions of theirs made them dream that Messias should be a pompous temporal Prince arrayed with all earthly royalty and glory and crowned with all terrene victoriousness and triumph And this dream under the spirit of slumber cast them also under the spirit of opposition against the true Messias when he came Poor Jesus looked so unlike the gallant Messias they dreamed of that by the very principles of their Traditions and Religion they could do no less to him than what they did persecute afflict torment crucifie him For he was not the Messias they looked for but a false Christ forsooth a false Prophet a deceiver a seducer of the Nation Secondly Their Traditions made them dream that Messias and his Law and Doctrine that he should bring with him should be so far from abating or abolishing any of the ceremonies of Moses that he should rather add to them heighten and enhance them And this dream under that spirit of slumber cast them also under the spirit of opposition against the Gospel That is not for their turn but against it that cries down those ceremonies and that justification they expected by them that lays those shadows aside and does as it were bury Moses as Christ did his body in the vally of Beth Peor So that with them you cannot be a friend to Moses unless you be an enemy to the Doctrine of Jesus Thirdly and lastly Their Traditions made them dream that they were the only beloved of God of all people that the seventy Nations of the World were abhorred hated cursed of him and were to be destroyed But oh dearly loves he the seed of Israel how intirely does he affect the Children of Abraham And this dream under the spirit of slumber casts them also under the spirit of contradiction against the calling of the other Nations What must those dogs eat of the Childrens bread Must these Children of the bond woman come to be heirs with the Children of the free They forbid us to speak unto the Gentiles that they might be saved saith the Apostle in that place to the Thessalonians before quoted And our Saviour must be cast down the steep hill and dashed all to pieces by his Townsmen of Nazaret for but hinting the calling of the Gentiles in the story of Elias sent to the widdow of Sarepta and Naaman the Syrian sent to Elisha and healed And thus briefly from this short scantling we may see how this wretch before us was principled to oppose the Gospel and to resist the Deputies conversion by the very dictates of his Religion as he was a Jew How he might be forwarded and helped in his so acting by being a false Prophet and a Sorcerer by his subtilty and mischievousness and by the rest of his devilish accommodations for such a purpose I need not insist to demonstrate the thing it self speaks it sufficiently So much therefore be spoken concerning his Person and his Qualities and Conditions Nor need we to stand gazing only upon him since this day hath discovered some too like unto him In the verses after my Text it is related that this varlet was struck blind and that he went up and down groping for some that might take him by the hand and lead him The memorial of this day may direct him where to find some that may go hand in hand with him and whether leads the other it is no great matter for whethersoever does it is but the blind leading of the blind The day commemorates a Fact and Design as black as all this wretches Titles It commemorates men full of subtilty and mischief as well as he men that opposed the Gospel as well as he and that were principled by their very Religion to oppose it as well as he And men who while they stile themselves The Society of Jesus by their principles and practises give suspition that they relate more to this Bar Jesus which we have had in hand than to him upon whom they would father their denomination Men I say that are principled by the very dictates and elements of their Religion to oppose the Gospel and the sincere profession of it And indeed you can expect no better from Rome from whence these mens principles came either from the Place or from the Religion I. For the Place The Holy Ghost hath spoken out
him What could be said to the comfort of such a bleeding soul Should a soul wounded with these words of the Apostle cry out as that Prophet in another case My bowels my bowels I am pained at the very heart my liver is cut through as with a javelin to hear that there is no sacrifice for sin that sinneth wilfully after receiving the Knowledge of the Truth and I have sinned so of and so wilfully against that Knowledge and Truth as I have done What plaister What lenitive could be applied to allay the aking smart and torture of so sad a cut As our Saviour of the smarting and cutting days of affliction before the ruine of Jerusalem Except those days should be shortned no flesh should be saved So if there were no allay to the foreness of such a stroke and case what flesh could but perish But there is some allay and that is this That the Apostle speaks not of that common willing or wilful sinning to which who is not incident at one time or other in one degree or other But of a willing wilful total apostatizing and revolting from the Truth and Gospel once professed and received If you observe in the Epistles of the Apostles and in the story of the New Testament you will find that the very topping up of the wickedness of the Jewish Nation and of their perdition was this that as the unbelieving part of the Nation continued enemies to Christ and his Gospel so those that had believed did by infinite numbers and drovâ—s revolt and apostatize from what they had belived and became if possible worse enemies than the others and drew as many of the believing Gentiles as they could into the same Apostasie and condemnation with themselves I might evidence this by instances heaps upon heaps And hardly any one of the Apostolick Epistles but it is so plain in it that he that runs may read it I shall only give you three passages instead of scores that might be given First Weigh that 1 Joh. II. 18. Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists And who were they vers 17. They went out from us but were not of us Once Professors and following the Apostles now revolting and fallen from them once Disciples and now Apostates and Antichrists Secondly Who can pass that of the Apostle without serious observing 2 Tim. I. 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia are turned away from me A sad Apostasie Ah poor Paul all turned away from thee Where now hast thou any friend Nay rather Ah poor souls ah unhappy souls that turned away from S. Paul and the blessed Gospel that he brought with him Thirdly And that for all How sadly does our Saviour foretel this in the Parable of the Devil cast out of the possessed but comes again with seven other spirits worse than himself and repossesses And observe the cadence at Matth. XII 45. Even so shall it be also with this wicked generation The Application is easie Of such Apostasie it is the Apostle speaks at vers 26. where he calls it wilful sinning after receiving the knowledge of the Truth And of such an Apostate he speaks in this verse when he saith He hath trod underfoot the Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing Many think that the Apostle speaks here of the sin against the Holy Ghost I am sure he speaks of that sin unto death of which the Apostle John hath mention 1 Joh. V. 16. Not but that the sin against the Holy Ghost is a sin unto death but the sin unto death may be distinguisht from the sin against the Holy Ghost in this respect that the Scribes and Pharisees whom our Saviour layeth under the guilt of sinning against the Holy Ghost never received the knowledge of the Truth and acknowledgment of the Gospel But this wretch that sins this sin unto death had received that knowledge but was apostatized and revolted from it Their Apostasie or falling back from the Truth was into a two fold gulf Some fell to horrible Libertinism to abuse the liberty of the Gospel to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication Of which you have intimation in several places of the Epistles and particularly in Revel II. 15. But the most general Apostatizing was from the true liberty of the Gospel to the slavery of Judaism again to seek justification by the works of the Law Against this you find the Apostle speaking copiously almost in all the Epistles and particularly S. Paul the pen-man of this Epistle For I make no doubt at all to ascribe it to him sets himself purposely to stay the Hebrews to whom he writes from staggering and falling in such Apostasie And you may observe how in the whole current of his discourse he bends himself to shew that those Mosaick ceremonies and services by which they thought and looked to be justified and saved were but shaddows that did but signifie greater things to come but shaddows that were but for a time and were to fade away The same subject that he is upon at this portion of Scripture he is handling in Chap. VI. 4 5 6. Where we may have an exposition of some words or passages in our Text. Receiving the knowledge of the Truth he calls there Being inlightned tasting of the heavenly gift of the good Word of God of the powers of the World to come Sinning wilfully here is falling away there with him and the fate and punishment of such a wretch here is no sacrifice for sin there in few words it is impossible to renew them again to repentance His wickedness in this verse is threefold and his judgment in the verses before threefold also I. He hath trodden under foot the Son of God For as the Apostasie generally was from the grace of the Gospel to seek to be justified by their own works then what need of Christ at all What value is he of to such wretches any more than the mire under their feet As S. Paul Act. XIV was first accounted a God then presently stoned So these wretches used Christ not much unlike First They professed him embraced him looked to be justified and saved by him presently they looked to be justified by the works of the Law and cast away Christ and scornfully trample upon him as a thing altogether useless II. He accounted the blood of the Covenant a thing unholy or a thing common as the Greek word most strictly signifies Not so holy not so valuable as the blood of Goats and Calves For that blood was shed for something but this wretch makes Christs blood shed for nothing And indeed what was his blood shed for if men can justifie and save themselves III. He hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace Or hath reproached despised the Spirit of grace and the grace of the Spirit he is now
The whole Quire of Angels sang and shouted for joy to see that great work of the Creator to go so wonderfully And it was worthy of all their shouting and singing and rejoycing But here is a business that God himself joyns himself with the Quire and rejoyces and triumphs with Angels too And what can move God and Christ and Angels to rejoyce but this Think seriously of this question What could move them to rejoyce but only this Look all the World through and think what in it might move joy in Heaven but this Gold and silver and wealth and earthly pomp is but a drug as we say reputed there And bring tidings of that and what is that to Heaven That that we so dote on that we are ready to venture Soul Body Eternity all for i. e. the pelf and prosperity of the World offer it to God Christ Angels or glorified Spirits by bags barns by heaps by mountains what are all these to Heaven As much despised as Earth is below Heaven No it could be none of these earthly treasures that moved the joy of Heaven nothing but the repentance of a sinner Most true God and Christ would be never the less blessed and holy and glorious if never man in the World should repent For God receiveth no addition from man but man from God And the blessed Angels would be never the less blessed and happy if never Person should repent For their happiness is Primitive and Original to them and not Accidental If all the World were in Hell what were God less in Majesty and Glory And what were the Angels less in blessedness and purity And therefore it is the more ravishing a consideration that God and Angels should rejoyce when any come to Heaven But the Repentance and Salvation of men is not a thing that God could not be without For he was the same God before there was a World that he will be for ever Nor is it a thing the Angels could not be without For the Angels were what they are before man was in being But God would not Angels would not be without mens repentance and salvation and as I may say with reverence they are not satisfied will not be satisfied without mens salvation The principle of this desiring is in the goodness of their own will not in any pinching urgency in their own want A poor miserable begger a poor miserable prisoner that the one should come to a better estate and the other obtain his liberty if we have any whit Divine or Angelick hearts we should wish it should be so and we should rejoyce if it were so but this not out of any pinching need we have of the bettering of their estate for we are not the worse while they are in poverty and prison and we should not be bettered by their being out But something within of Love Charity Pity and Goodness is that that moves us to desire their bettering at least should do And how many inward Principles as with reverence I may call them there are to move God and Christ and Angels so to desire mans repentance the way to his salvation not a small time would serve to discourse I shall only observe these two things concerning it First God created the World for Man and Man in the World more especially to shew and communicate his Goodness Consult Psal. CXXXVI and it will inform that the bottom of Gods design in creating all things was to impart his Mercy He made the Heavens Why Because his Mercy endureth for ever He stretcheth the Earth upon the Waters Why Because his Mercy endureth for ever That made two great Lights Because his Mercy endureth for ever c. Shewing all along that that which moved God to create the World was Mercy and because he would impart Mercy to the Creature especially Man for whom he created all things It is true that he Created the world to shew his Eternal Power and Godhead and so the Apostle intimates Rom. I. 20. But he created the World more especially to shew that which he meant to communicate which was his Mercy whereas his Eternal Power and Godhead he cannot so communicate But Secondly By the fall of man the brave workmanship and design of God is ruined Man that he created to be his servant is now become the Devils bondslave and he to whom he intended his mercy hath now utterly lost his mercy and is under the worst of misery Satan hath now got the day and all is his own but the Zeal of the Lord of Hosts will not suffer it Mercy doth not forsake poor man in misery but doth double it self and become Grace Mercy had made him of a condition happy Grace restores him from a condition miserable Mercy had made him able to do for himself and when that was lost Grace raiseth up Christ to do and suffer for him Mercy had made him partaker of the Divine Image Grace makes him partaker of the Divine Nature There is a Principle in God as I may call it that cannot but be moving for the good of man And a Principle in Angels that cannot but delight in that Principle of God I say that cannot but be moving when indeed the wheel that stirs all and necessitates that notion is only the goodness of God and the Love of Angels to Men. As the moving so the reason of the moving is within themselves Object Why then are not all men saved If there be such an essential moving in God for the good of Man why do not all men partake of that goodness And if such joy in Heaven for a sinners repentance why doth not God bring all the World to repentance For if he would he could do it and if he so delight in it why doth he not do it Answer I remember the saying of the Prophet The Lord is pleased for his righteousness sake to magnifie the Law and make it glorious As the Lord is pleased to magnifie his Grace in mans Salvation so God is pleased to magnifie the means of Grace and that man should magnifie the means of Grace or no Salvation God never intended that men should leap into Heaven without more ado but that they should take Jacobs ladder the means that he hath appointed to get up thither In that opposition that God sets in the Prophet betwixt his ways and mens ways Are not my ways equal are not your ways unequal he plainly directs to take his ways whosoever intends to come to him For it is not mans ways it is no other way that will bring to him Now the means of Grace and Salvation we may distinguish into what God hath afforded for mans direction and forewarning and what a man is to practise according to that direction The Word and Ordinances of God is that that God hath afforded for direction and forwarding And for the Practical means I shall mention but these three instead of more A mans striving to get clear from Satan his labouring to
averse to embrace and receive that that their mind doth or might know In a natural and unregenerate Soul the Will generally sways both Understanding and Conscience But in a good Soul Understanding and Conscience sways the Will it is moved by those wheels but it moves not them You remember that saying of the Apostle they would not receive the love of the truth therefore c. And this is a very common cause of ignorance and error because men will not know and embrace the truth My people love to have it so as God complains in the Prophet There is no ignorance like the ignorance that is wilful and none so blind as he that will not see but will put out his own eyes These Sadducees might have seen better might have known better but they would not know nor see The Pharisees might have taught them better in those poynts about which they erred but they scorned to be taught by them The Word of God would have taught them better if they would have embraced it But they were prejudiced against it and forestalled by their own opinion They had drunk in their error about No resurrection and no Angel nor Spirit from their Teachers and from their Youth and to that they will stick and hear nothing against it As he of old Though I see reason in that thou teachest when one taught the Gospel yet I have been taught and trained up otherways and there I must and will hold And this is all the reason that the most in the Romish Religion can give of their Religion It is the old Religion the Religion in which their Fathers Grandfathers and Ancestors were born bred lived and dyed and by no means must they forsake their Fathers Religion As he in the story that professed that he would go to Hell whether he was told his Ancestors were gone because they were Heathen rather than to go to Heaven alone In enumerating the immediate causes of heresie and error this comes not in the last rank of them that men are and will be wedded to their own opinion and will not be moved from the fancy that they have enclined to and taken up And those words of the Apostle may hint another cause and reason of it 2 Pet. III. 5. For this they are willingly ignorant of And that willing and wilful ignorance is most commonly the parent of such a paradox and strange brood The only Inference I shall make from the whole discourse is that we labour to know the truth and to keep it Christians it is not a small promise that our Saviour maketh Joh. VIII 32. Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free There is a wheel within a wheel one promise within another First the truth shall make you free Secondly Ye shall know the truth without which the other promise would little avail them The freedom he speaks of is freedom from sin as he shews in his discourse following and the way the only way to come to attain this freedom is by the knowledge of the truth So great a thing is it to know the truth to embrace the truth and to keep in it And it is not so slight and small a thing as men commonly make of it to take up new opinions either impertinent to the truth or contrary to it By our standing to the truth or falling from it we must stand or fall And as we have stood to it or fallen from it we must be judged at the last day But in the different and various opinions that are abroad in the world how shall I do to pitch upon the right I am unlearned and cannot sist differing opinions with reason and argument as learned men can and therefore how should I do to chuse the right and keep in it An objection that a stander by at Jerusalem that was neither Pharisee nor Sadducee might have made about the poynts in controversie between these two Sects The Pharisee says There is a Resurrection of the dead there are Angels and Spirits And the Sadducee denies both How should I that am unlearned know whether side to take and whether opinion to cleave to The first answer I should make not to wade into any Scholastic dispute upon this matter should be Pray earnestly to God for his direction to the God of truth that he would direct you into the way of truth At the Tabernacle and Temple when the Lamps were dressed and mended Incense also was offered at the same time Prayer is to go along with the dressing of the candle of our minds It was Davids constant prayer for himself that God would inlighten his understanding and it was the Apostles prayer for Timothy The Lord give thee understanding in all things It was the Profession once of a very good man and a very learned I ever obtained more knowledge of divine things by prayer than by all my study He took the right way to attain knowledge following the rule prescribed by the Holy Apostle If any man want wisdom let him ask it of God Jam. I. 5. And he had Solomons copy before him Lord give me wisdom And it is not the least cause of the ignorance that is in the world that men do no more pray for understanding How needful is such prayer every Lords day morning but how few do conscientiously make it We think we are wise enough and know enough and that a little ado will help us to stock enough of understanding So did the great wise ones among the Jews They were called the Wise men and they thought they were Wise men And This people that knoweth nâ—t the Law are cursed but they knew it And The people are blind but Are we blind also And yet those Wise men knew not the things of their Peace nor the day of their Visitation Secondly A means and an only means to know truth to avoid error and to judge clearly of the things we ought to know is to get and keep our minds clear from lusts If thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light And 2 Pet. III. 1. Stir up your pure minds Such minds are likely to receive the truth in love As the pure in heart shall see God So they shall see the things of God Lusts like coloured glass make men misjudge Heresie seldom proceeds from bare ignorance but from one lust or other A SERMON PREACHED upon JOHN XI 51. This spake be not of himself but being High Priest that year be Prophesied That Iesus should dye for that people AND is Caiphas among the Prophets And is his counsil among the Prophesies He the wickedest man then upon Earth excepting Judas Iscariot and His the wickedest counsil that ever was given since the Serpent counselled Eve to destroy mankind Had not the Spirit of Prophesie by the pen of this our Evangelist made this Interpretation of it who could ever have thought it of such a construction If it may be wished I would the same
he shewed what was meant by that Levit. XVIII 5. viz. That by keeping the Commandments not only life here but Eternal life hereafter is obtained And so it is further cleared by his words in Luk. X. 28. This do and thou shalt life So that this here was not barely a temporal promise but had wrapped up in it a further promise of Life Eternal And so had the other temporal promises that were given them And so some of the Jews interpret that Levit. XXVI 11 12. And I will set my Tabernacle amongst you and my Soul shall not abhor you And I will walk among you and will be your God and ye shall be my people not only of God being among his people here but of his being in the midst of them and they about him in Heaven And so you find the word Heaven in Scripture sometimes to signifie the Church here as well as it signifies the state and place of glory hereafter Now if you ask why God since he meant spiritual things and eternal under these temporal promises did not speak out but used such promises as might prove occasions of missing of those promises through misimprovement And so we find that this very thing proved the ruine of the Jewish Nation they being moved hereby to look at temporal things and to neglect eternal They looked and still look for a temporal Kingdom of Christ pompous and resplendent with worldly Iustre And this stands as it were a Wood or a Fog betwixt them and the discerning of his spiritual Kingdom that they cannot will not see it This makes them look for their Canaan again and to be planted and â—ettled there anew With which opinion too many Christians do concurr and look for some such glorious thing among the Jews even this year sixty six Why I say did not God speak out spiritual and eternal things but only obscurely hinted them in such temporal promises as these I Answer Because God would use the most feeling perswasions to them Men are not so sensible of things spiritual as they be of bodily have not the feeling of things that concern Life Eternal as they have of this Life To have said Honour thy Father and Mother that thou mayst inherit eternal life had been a fair argument but it is not so feeling to flesh and blood No Man but is very desirous of long life here and it is but one of a City and two of a Tribe that more desires Life Eternal The Gadarens are more sensible of their Swine than Christ and not one in many but a promise of earthly prosperity or bodily welfare comes nearer his heart than a promise of everlasting and heavenly glory health of body than of soul showers of rain than of grace bags of mony than all the treasures of Christ. Therefore God gave such promises as might be most feeling and perswasive those that were most like to take As the Apostle I being crafty caught you with guile as the Jews describe it As one that gives his Child Nuts and Plums to bring him on to learn so God gave to them those things that he was sure would most please them The Church of the Jews was a Child under age Gal. IV. 1 2 3. and God deals with them as with Children giving Ordinances and promises according to its childhood feeds them with milk and not with strong meat because they were not so able to bear it It is commonly said they were not able to bear spiritual dispensations in their abstract simplicity and therefore God gave them such carnal Ordinances according as they were able to bear them It is true they were carnal enough about the worship of God but was it not because they had such carnal Ordinances from the first The use of these made them dote on them Are there not thousands among Christians as carnal about Gods service as they That dote as much upon Ceremony and outward formality in Gods worship as ever they did And that because they have been brought up in such Ceremonious way or cannot come up to worship in spirit And might not the Jews have been as capable of the same spiritual manner of Religion as the Gentiles were if God had set it up among them when he first took them for the Church Wherein then did the Childhood of the Church consist First That it was yet but small of stature in comparison of that full body and growth the Church of God was to come to See that Eph. IV. 12 13. For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. What is the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ It is the mystical body of Christ in its full proportion viz. Jew and Gentile joyned together How small a Babe was the Church of the Jews in comparison with what the Church was when the Gentiles of all Nations were become the Church Secondly That Church was a Child in knowledge in comparison of the Church under the Gospel Hence that promise Esai LXV 20. There shall be no more thence an Infant of days The Gospel should bring in such light and means of knowledge that none should be a Child or infant in knowledge if they had a mind to learn 'T is true they were so childish because God afforded no clearer means of knowledge And it is as true that in some sort it was needful the means of knowledge should be but as it was viz. that God by those means might make way to the knowledge and embracing of spiritual things under the Gospel when it came Consider their carnal ordinances and temporal promises God in the Gospel was to bring in a spiritual Worship and Religion A better way to make way for the embracing of that could not be used than by shewing before the unprofitableness the uneffectualness of their carnal worship This the Apostle speaks to at large in the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. IX 9. That gifts and offerings could not make him that did the service perfect That sprinkling the blood of Goats and Bulls could not purge the Conscience The experience of this was the way to make men harken after the Sacrifice of Christ that would do the work that blood of Christ that could purge to the utmost And the like might be instanced in other parts of that carnal service So God gave them especially promises of temporal things that he might teach them that they should not be losers by his service Their service was chargeable in gifts and offerings and in going up to Jerusalem c. Therefore it was needful that God should ply them with promises of temporal good that they should lose nothing by his service if they were faithful to it Observe that Exod. XXXIV 23. Thrice in the
how they undervalue the Scriptures by that very opinion But yet will own and wrest and strain the Scriptures where they think it may serve their opinion Men will have their own minds and would have every thing to serve their humor and to maintain their conceits The Arian and Socinian will have Christ to be a Creature and not God the Holy Ghost a Creature and not God What do they gain by this toward Heaven Do they not set themselves further off when they make him that should redeem them but a Creature like themselves and him that should sanctifie them to be but a Creature like themselves But they must have their own minds These Sadducees what gained they by their opinion against the Resurrection and world to come What either profit or credit or comfort could their opinion carry with it that men should die like dogs or other beasts and there is an endof them But they must have their own minds And it is like they were well content there should be no Resurrection nor World to come For this opinion might very well serve a voluptuous life For a man to live as he pleased in all voluptuousness and pleasure and to hear no more of it never to be judged or called to account for what he had done This is a brave opinion to maintain lust and loosness and all manner of villany They in Esai XXII cry Let us eat and drink for to morrow we die One would think they should have been in another tune when they thought death was so near and left their jovializing to day when they think they must dye to morrow But dying was all the business they looked on and looked no further That was bitter to think of when they must perish with all their delights and pleasures and braveries but beyond death they little thought of any thing And so Historians report of the Egyptians that when they were feasting and in the height of their frolic and joviality a man brought in a dead mans skull and shewed to every one of them with these words added Eat and drink and make merry for you know not how soon you may be like to this One would think that the sight of such a spectacle should have called them to repentance and mourning and weeping and girding with sackcloth But they aimed it a clean contrary way viz. that since they were sure they should die they should take as much pleasure as they could while they lived and lose no time from their voluptuousness because they knew not how long or short their time might be and how soon they might be cut off from those delights It is more than probable that the Sadducees maintained their opinion to the like purpose and were very well content to forgoe the world to come that they might the freer and with less disquieture enjoy this The Pharisee fasted and was of a strict and severe life and conversation but the Sadducee thought it more delightsome to live more at large and not to deprive himself of those contents and pleasures that he might have here And it is more than probable that he so maintained his opinion upon that account at least his opinion did suite most properly with such a course The Sadducees denying of the Resurrection may justly mind us to make it our Hope and Awe unless we also should be Sadducees Let me use the strain of Paul to Agrippa Men and Brethren do you believe a Resurrection I know you believe it May I add and say I know you remember it This I dare say that if you do not I know you have no cause not to remmember it A thing of the greatest concernment that ever will befal you a thing as sure to come to you as you are sure you have come hitherto a thing that you can as little avoyd as you can avoyd death and a thing that must determine of your eternal state And do you not remember it I am sure we have all cause to remember it The Prayer of Moses for the people is very reasonable pathetical and affectionate Deut. XXXII 29. O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their later end Do you not consider this out of these words That they that are not wise do not consider this and out of the thing it self we are speaking of that the Resurrection is our later end beyond our later end Death is our later end but the Resurrection is a later end beyond it And if the continual remembrance of death be needful as who will deny it the continual remembrance of the Resurrection is as needful I had almost said is more needful according to the rate that most men think of death Oh! how bitter is the remembrance of death to them that are at ease and in earthly prosperity But upon what account Because they must part with all their delights here and must be no more as they have been jocund and jovial and florid The Roman Emperor of old spoke not only his own sense but the sense of others when dying he cryed out Ah! poor soul wither must thou go now Thou must never jest more nor enjoy thy pleasures more as thou hast done So they thought of death but as an end and determining of their bravery here But the Resurrection must determine of their state for ever hereafter And if Solomons whips be whips Rehoboams whips are scorpions If death be so sharp to them to part them from their present delights what will the Resurrection be that will state them in a state undelightsome for ever Oh! how many sins might we have avoided in the course of our lives if we had had the serious remembrance and apprehension of the Resurrection And how many might we yet avoid In the midst of all our security and mirth and musick to have this as Belshhazzars hand writing upon the Wall in our eye But will this hold in the day of Resurrection Will this follow me in another world In the midst of our Pride and Bravery to think shall I be so drest at the Resurrection at the last day And will this Gallantry stand me in any stead in that day I cannot but fancy how a Sadducee that denies the Resurrection or any that are mindless of it will be surprized at that day He thought none should ever rise from the dead at all and he himself will be raised whether he will or no. Oh! let me lye still in the dust will his heart cry Let the earth cover me and the Mountains and rocks lie upon me No will the alarm of the great Trump sound Arise thou wretch and come to judgment And thou must come and no avoyding Eccles. X. 9 Know that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgment He will do it and thou canst not hinder him And so much concerning the first Article that a Sadducee put out of his Creed He II. would not own that there will be
any Resurrection It follows Neither Angel nor Spirit Now why he should deny this is a great deal harder to find out than to find out why he denyed the Resurrection For that he denyed because he could not find mention of it in plain terms in all Moses But he finds mention of Angels and Spirits in terms plain enough there There is indeed no mention in Moses of the creation of Angels in the History of the Creation And that might haply give the Sadducee occasion to think there were no such creatures made But then what will he say when he meets with the mention of Angels so frequently after Gen. XXXII 1. Jacob went on his way and the Angels of God met him And Jacob called the name of that place Mahanaim that is two Armies viz. The army of the Angels that met him and the other army or great train of his own Family An Army of Angels then and not one now Thousands of Angels at Sinai Deut. XXXIII 2. and not one extant now What could a Sadducee think was become of those Angels of which there is so frequent mention in Moses Were they dead and not in being or were they confined to Heaven and no more to converse with men It is not easie to unriddle an Hereticks fancy a Sadducees mistery And it is very excusable ignorance to be ignorant of the depths of Satan of the depths of a Sadducean Heretick There is not indeed mention of Spirits in Moses in such plain terms but only of the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Men. But though there were no more yet one would have thought that enough to have stopped his mouth that he should not say There was no Spirit when it is said in the very second verse in all Moses The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters And Numb XXVII 16. Let the Lord the God of the Spirits of all flesh set a man over the congregation The First that offers it self to our consideration in this case is The distinction that is I. here made twixt Angels and Spirits Neither Angel nor Spirit And in the next verse The Pharisees cry out We find no evil in this man but if a Spirit or Angel have spoken to him let us not fight against God Where the question is What is meant by a Spirit thus distinguisht from Angels when the Angels themselves are called Spirits A further distinction of the Jews may help to clear this They in their writings thus distinguish Angels and Spirits and Devils And among other sayings that hold out this distinction they have this All things are subservient to the will and command of the Holy Blessed God Angels and Spirits and Devils Where what is meant by Angels and Devils is easie to understand but what is meant by Spirit when so distinguisht from both viz. walking Ghosts of the dead as they supposed or Spectra appearing in the shape of this or that Person that was dead So the appearing of a representation of Samuel raised by the Witch of Endor they would account a Spirit And that remarkable passage Luke XXIV 36 37. As they thus spake Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and saith unto them Peace be unto you But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed they had seen a Spirit That is They did not think that it was Jesus in his own person that stood in the midst of them but some apparition only in his shape Now the Pharisees thought there were such Ghosts and Apparitions And so did the Heathen also conceive And Tully a Heathen from that very thing doth plead the Immortality of the Soul For saith he since men that are dead appear to the living it is a sign that they also live though they be dead and that they are not quite extinguished That there have been and may be such Apparitions there is no question and Histories give us some instances in this kind As one among many that famous story of the Ghost of Julius Cesar after his being murthered in the Senate appearing to Brutus who had had a chief hand in the murther and telling him Videâ—is me apud Philippos Thou shalt see me again at Philippi And so he did And the very forbidding of Necromancy in Scripture doth argue that there may be such Apparitions Deut. XVIII 10 11. There shall not be found among you an Inchanter or a Witch or a Charmer or a consulter with familiar Spirits or a Wizzard or a Necromancer Now what is a Necromancer The very Greek word speaks it that it is one that consults or asks Council of the Dead as the Witch of Endor would do of Samuel And there is a hint of such a thing Esai VIII 19. should not a people seek unto their God should they seek for the living to the dead Now though the Pharisees with the Law condemned this wickedness and witchcraft of consulting the dead yet if any such Apparition offered it self voluntary without such calling forth by Sorcery they accounted it to be harkened to Therefore they say If a Spirit or an Angel have spoken to him let us not fight against God But the Sadducees denied there was any such thing as Spirit or Angel Where a Second question ariseth Whether they thought there were no such Incorporeal II. substances as Angels or Spirits Or whether their meaning was that the appearing of Angels and Spirits was now ceased and to be no more There is an expression something like this later Joh. VII 39. The Holy Ghost was not yet because Jesus was not yet glorified The Holy Ghost was not yet for so the original Greek hath it exactly And was there ever a time when the Holy Ghost was not in being Our English hath well resolved it in adding one word The Holy Ghost was not yet given He was in being from all Eternity but he was not given and bestowed upon men as he was to be when Jesus should be glorified And so in that answer of certain Ephesians to Paul Act. 19. 2. We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost Yes they had heard that a thousand times over that there was an Holy Ghost But their meaning is we have not heard whether he be restored again to Israel since his departing away after the death of Zechary and Malachi and those last Prophets So if the Sadducees did acknowledg such things in being as Angels and Spirits yet they might deny that such things were in acting then No appearing of Angels and Spirits then for that was clean vanished It was most true that after the death of those last Prophets the Spirit of Prophesie and Revelation departed from Israel till the coming in of the Gospel For a matter of four hundred years no Vision no Prophesie no appearing of Angels no Oracle by Urim and Thummim no extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost Samsons locks and strength shaved off and gone And those great privileges that that people had