unto Caesar being propounded to our Saviour who with all his Disciples came out of Galilee and so might be thought a favourer of that Sect it must needs be a very dangerous dilemma a parlous question which way soever he answered if that it were lawful he was in danger of his own Nation the Jews if that it were not lawful he was in imminent danger of Pilate and therefore they are instant with him to take one part of it shall we give or shall we not give but there is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. For whereas there are Two wayes whereby the Jews injured our Saviour 1. by open violence and 2. secret practices he avoided their open violence when they would have cast him down head-long he passed through the midst of them saith St. Luke and went his way Luk. 4.30 So likewise here when they went to lay waite for him in his word by propounding this dilemma this subtil question of dangerous parts he neither answers to one or other but passed through the midst of them so that they wondered how he escaped them and how he was gone and he escaped them by this answer Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars A good example to be followed by the preachers of the Word for no doubt there are as dangerous spirits now to deal withal as then there were I pass the first of these because a fairer occasion may offer it self hereafter and proceed to the second Render unto God the things that are Gods The things that are Gods are in correspondency to the things that are Caesars Sicut Caesar exigit imprimationem suae imaginis sic Deus animam luce sui vultus signatam As Caesar requires the money signed with his Image so doth God your souls your selves signed with the light of his countenance so the ordinary Gloss Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars i. e. saith St. Hierom Nummum Tributum Pecuniam your Coyn your Money your Tribute Vnto God the things that are Gods i. e. saith he Decimas Primitias Oblationes Victimas your Tenths First-fruits Offerings and Sacrifices Divitias vestras date Caesari Deo autem innocentiam conscientiae servate Give your riches unto Caesar preserve an innocent conscience for God saith St. Hilary And his reason is excellent Numisma Caesaris in auro est in quo est ejus imago depicta Dei autem Numisma homo est in quo Dei est imago figurata Caesars money or stamp of his money 't is in Gold or rather if we speak of the tribute money in Silver and in that money is the Image of Caesar Man is Gods money in whom is figured the image of God In a word as Caesar's Coyn is due to Caesar as is manifest both by his Image in it and his superscription upon it herein he writ himself Lord of Asia Syria and Judea so man is due unto God as is manifest by Gods Image in him and the superscription of his Name on him for God is in us and we are called by his Name Jer. 14.9 Having therefore spoken of Subjection to Caesar and all other Higher Powers let us speak of our Subjection unto God the Highest Power and as according to the earthly man we have born the Image of the earthly so let us according to the heavenly bear the Image of the heavenly But because in Scripture we may oftentimes be exhorted to give many things unto God besides the things of his Image and superscription let us humbly and in the fear of God make enquiry what the Image of God is wherein it consists and how far extended that so we may know what these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things of God are and the whole debt which we are owing and here commanded to render unto the Lord our God The Image of God is Christ the Son of God so he is called Hebr. 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imago figura substantiae ejus the express image of his person as it is well turned in our latter Translation This Image of God consists in Knowledge in Righteousness and holiness for he is made after or according unto God in Righteousness and Holiness Ephes 4.24 and Knowledge Col. 3.10 This Righteousness comprehends in it all the Virtues and Graces of God according to that verse as true in Divinity as in moral Philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Righteousness all Virtues are contained In this sence Christ is said to be made unto us Righteousness c. 1 Cor. 1.30 in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell Col. 1.19 And of this his fulness have we all received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even Grace for grace Joh. 1.16 every Grace in us answering to the counterpart of it self in Christ as every impression and print in the wax answers to every impression and print in the seal we being made unto the same Image of God Gen. 1. for thus St. Paul exhorts the Ephesians To put on the New Man who is thus Created after God in Righteousness and true Holiness And he saith that the Colossians had put on the New Man who is renewed in Knowledge according to the Image of him that Created him that is according to the Image of God the Father So that as Christ is the Image of his Father so the Saints are the Image of Christ The Strength Proportion Beauty Feature and Comliness are answerable in some sort to the like Virtues in the Image of God according to which St. Paul saith That the earthly man the First Adam was a type or figure of the Second Rom. 5.14 This Image of God is in the Soul yet so that per modum redundantiae by way of redundancy it extends it self also unto the body for as by an Image or picture we understand not only the lineamets and portraiture of him that 's drawn but also the Table it self wherein the picture is drawn And as we conceive by the Kings Image in his Coyn not only formally and a part the resemblance and figure of the King but also concretely and joyntly the Money the Silver or Gold wherein it is imprinted Even so the Image of God howsoever it be primarily in the Soul yet it may be said also to be in the body the seat of the Soul whose rectitude and straightness proper to it alone is an emblem of that inward rectitude and uprightness and an argument of Majesty and Soveraignty over all the Creatures As also because the Soul works by the Body conformable to the Image of God whence it is that the members of the Body are instruments of Righteousness unto God Rom. 6.13 Hence St. Paul saith That our Bodies and Spirits are Gods 1 Cor. 6.20 yea the Image of God extends it self so far that all the outward things belonging unto man may be said to belong in some sort unto the Image of God in man not only because Dei vestigium est in
be multiplied in infinitum everlastingly And 2. In regard of use this Grain nourishing and sustaining the Tabernacle of man's Soul Gold and Jewels and precious Stones only adorning and beautifying the outside of it And therefore God saith not to Israel thou shalt partake of the riches of the Land but thou shalt eat the bread of the â—â—nd Numb 15.19 And Psal 104.15 the Psalmist commends it unto us for strengthening of man's heart And the Reason is considerable in regard of God who makes bread to grow out of the Earth Psal 104. and feeds all flesh 2. And in regard of man's body which is like a ruinous building alwayes decaying and mouldring away and therefore alwayes hath need of reparation which the Holy Ghost implies in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to eat and to underpropa building as with a shore or buttress which the LXX turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judg. 19.5 Comfort or sustain and support thine heart with a morsel of bread 3. That 's a ground of a third reason in respect of the nourishment it self which is fit to support the natural life by recreating and repairing the decayes of blood the vital and animal Spirits which it doth by the aiery parts of it mixt with the quintessence or common Spirit which fills all the World Wisdom 1. whence it is called the stay of bread Esay 3.1 and the staff of bread Ezech. 4.16 and 5.16 But this discourse is fitter for a Physician especially if we add that other excellency that it 's fit for Medicine and the cure of mans body as well as the nourishment of it Nor doth my Text allow me to dwell long upon this Argument but implies only that a man lives a kind of life by bread though not by bread only And that will appear whether we consider bread in it self or in the effect of it enlivening or giving life 1. As for bread in it self it 's a mixt body compounded of the elements and howsoever it hath a kind of life in it self yet it cannot nourish the body of man unless first that life be corrupted and dye in it And how comes that quickned again but through the Spirit of life that gives life to all things that live Much more how comes it to enliven or give life and that not only vegetative but sensitive also as 1 Sam. 30.12 This proceeds not from the essential principles of bread nor is it in the power of bread or any corporal food alone But as that Spirit which fills the World of all the Creatures animal or such as have sense hath taken up man for his Temple 1 Cor. 3.17 as the most excellent of them all And as among all the mineral Creatures or those that want life he manifests his glory most in Gold so among all the vegetable Natures or Creatures that have life and want sense that Spirit hath seated it self in that Grain that 's fittest for bread especially that of Wheat which is concluded by the Physicians to be the most convenient and best fitted unto the temperament of man's body which therefore doth praesentem referre Deum Whence we may well conclude that bread alone enlivens not It is thy grace O Lord that nourisheth all things and not the growing of fruits that nourisheth man c. Wisd 10.25 26. An evident Argument that man lives not by bread alone no not the natural life Wherein we must necessarily distinguish between the Elementary body of bread and that heavenly blessing in it imperted unto it by the Spirit of life as the Scripture intimates Esay 65.8 Mal. 3.10 Which is a forcible reason to perswade us to pray for our dayly bread although we have our dayly bread to bless our Table and pray for our meat although we have our meat and it stand ready for us upon the Table since there is so broad a difference between the bread and the blessing in it Our late experience proves this to be true when God for our sins sent a dreadful Famine in the neck of a devouring Plague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he took the staffe of bread and took the blessing from it unless our health and plenty have made us forget our God grow fat and kick if so fear and tremble lest if we forget his Mercies he remember us again with Judgments An Argument to convince Idolaters yea Atheists St. Paul makes use of it Acts 14.15 The living God which made the Heaven and the Earth and the Sea and all things that are therein Who in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own wayes left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness Add hereunto Acts 17.25 He giveth unto all life and breath and all things v. 27. That they might seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him and find him for this is the end why he gives us his outward bread for how heinously does the Lord our God take it at those Atheists and wicked mens hands who eat the bread of God and call not upon God ye may read Psal 14. and 53. Whereas he expects that this riches of his goodness should lead to repentance Rom. 2. That this corporal food should point us to the spiritual that the outward bread should guide us to the inward Since man lives not by the outward bread only but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God That 's the second Point Man liveth by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Whether this word be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether the outward word of Commandment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and promise or the essential word of God 'T is true in both sences that man lives by every such word c. If we understand the word of commandment 't is either Mediate or Immediate 1. The mediate Commandment is a direction and injunction unto the Creature to feed man which Commandment in Scripture we find to be directed 1. Sometimes to the feeder And that either 1. Extraordinary as when God commanded the Ravens a Bird of Prey and fitter to feed upon our bodies than to feed them to bring bread and flesh to Eliah 1 Kings 17.4 5 6. or 2. More ordinary v. 9. When God commanded the Widow of Sarepta to sustain him 2. Sometimes this Commandment is directed to the nourishment it self as v. 14 15 16. Where thus saith the Lord God of Israel the Barrel of Meal shall not waste nor the Cruise of Oyle fail c. The like command no doubt the God of life gave unto that second meat which the same Prophet eat Chap. 19.6 7 8. For he went in the strength of that meat forty dayes and forty nights Such bread was Moses fed withall who stayed the same time in the Mount Sinai and neither eat outward bread or drank
give me neither poverty nor riches c. And whereas it is said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poor is never read to signifie humble and lowly it is not true for David so useth it Psal 40.17 I am poor and needy c. And 69.23 and 70.5 But therefore lest the word be mistaken some addition is made as in St. James Cap. 2.5 The poor of this world rich in faith c. And where the Apostle saith not many mighty not many noble are called he implies that some are called Although St. Luke 6.20 relate our Saviours Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed are the poor yet it 's observable to whom he spake Blessed are the poor He spake to his Disciples poor in spirit And although it may be objected that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye be not in the Text yet it is necessarily understood as the Primitive in the possessive immediately following for yours is c. What then is the true poverty in Spirit It is a work of the Spirit of God upon our Spirit shedding the love of God into it according to Rom. 5.5 Which love of God being a desire of our Union with God there ariseth a desire of devesting and laying aside what ever is contrary to the love of God in us as the love of the World and the things of the World 1 John 2. An abasement of our selves in his sight Prov. 29.23 Honour shall uphold the humble in spirit a fear of offending our God Vnto this man do I look who is poor and of a contrite spirit and who trembles at my word Esay 66.2 Who in his own judgment of himself is as it were without himself who hath emptied himself of himself and is as nothing in his own sight 2. What is Blessedness Vide Not. in Psal 94. pag. 1.2 Reason Why doth the Lord Jesus pronounce them blessed who are poor in spirit There is a principal reason in the following words which I shall consider in its due place mean time some reason may be given for this truth in it self considered The poor in Spirit have these humble thoughts of themselves that they have nothing of their own nothing proper to themselves but whatever they have received it is only of free gift from their blessed Father So that all Grace flows into such humble Souls and the God of all grace gives his grace and blessings unto the lowly Obs 1. Here hath been a great mistake touching poverty in Spirit as if it should consist in rejecting renouncing and casting away all a mans outward wealth and estate out of an opinion that a man cannot have outward wealth and be poor in Spirit This hath been the Religious Melancholy of many in former Ages and there have not been wanting some Birds of Prey who have been awake to such a booty who have won them to enter with their Estates into some Monastery or other And at this day some there are who would perswade men of Honour and Estate to renounce all they have and to be one of them But will it come unto so much A good Purchase especially in regard of them who have no Conscience to labour That 's a new kind of Conscience contrary to the Apostles Rule that he who will not labour should not eat Let it appear throughout the whole word of God where any man is bound to give over any honest Calling in the World wherein God by his providence hath placed him The contrary appears clearly 1 Cor. 7.20 Let every man abide in that calling wherein he is called and v. 24. Wherein any man is called let him therein abide with God Obs 2. This discovers their perverse imitation of our Lord's words in the Text who lay them as the foundation and ground-work of devout holy beggery for hence the Order of Mendicant Fryars have their Original for their Authour St. Francis would that his Monks should possess no temporal thing in the World that thereby they might the more expeditely follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ who said The Foxes have their holes and the Birds of the air their nests c. That speech was more divinely spoken than the Fryar understood it However let it appear where our Lord commanded his followers to devest themselves of all outward subsistence according to his example yea his example proves the contrary for he begged no man's Alms yea he and his society of Apostles had a Treasury out of which they gave unto the Poor Against this I oppose this assertion Poverty in spirit may consist with outward wealth and riches For when we so love God that no creature can separate us from the love of him yea that all the Creatures are helpful and further us in the love of him as Rom. 8. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God Such as these use the outward World and the riches of it as helpful instruments unto poverty in Spirit for no doubt such as in humility and the fear of God have and use for supply of their own necessities and others the outward goods their minds and spirits are far more expedite pure and free for the exercise of all Holy Duties Than they are or can be who want things necessary for support of life and are enforced to beg them from door to door Such as these are free and not brought under the power of any Creature or whatsoever is not God and abide in their poverty of Spirit and can say with the Apostle as having nothing yet possessing all things Benedict the Abbot saw this inconvenience and therefore he went contrary hereunto and ordained that his Monks should have plentiful Revenues and his reason was that they might more freely be vacant to their Speculations But we know well by experience that as the Franciscans might be distracted with Care and fear of want so might the Benedictines be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and both frustrate of their end of their Religious Retirement and Contemplation Large provisions are dangerous incentives unto lust especially to such as live idly and spend their time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even as it happens Surely as to poverty of Spirit the Religious World hath been and yet is very much mistaken in it for that looks at the Spirit and Mind whether a man be lowly or high-minded whether poor in Spirit or rich and proud of Spirit But as for the nature of true inward blessedness and poverty of Spirit there is no notice to be taken of outward poverty or outward riches the having them or the want of them Obs 3. Bliss and Happiness may in some good measure be obtained in this life c. Vide Not. in Psal 94.12 Obs 4. Hence we learn wherein the true bliss and happiness consists c. Vide Not. ubi supra Obs 5. Hence it follows undeniably that the Rich in Spirit are not blessed Proud Adam will be his own guide c. Vide Not. in Luke 9.23
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were at Jerusalem as appears Chap. 1.4 Where there is distinction division and confusion there is no hope of receiving the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 14.33 But the Lord commands them to tarry at Jerusalem the vision of Peace that they might receive the Promise of the Father and there they abode 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one mind and one heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altogether and so they received the Holy Ghost Observ 8. The wonderful dignation and condescent of our God the transcendent dignity of the believing man that the most High God should stoop so low as to take up his residence in our house of Clay Solomon wonders 1 King 8.27 And will indeed the Lord dwell on earth Behold the heavens cannot contain thee how much less this house Since wonderment proceeds from ignorance it must needs be very admirable and wonderful that a wise man the wisest of Kings wonders at Yet was that house the most Magnificent Structure in the world How much more wonderful is it that the Most High God who dwells in the High and Holy should dwell with the contrite and humble to revive the Spirit c The most High God accepts of thy Body Soul and Spirit as his outward Court His Holy and most Holy place above all Temples made with hands above all his other houses in Heaven and Earth Observ 9. The truth of God in the performance of his promises Repleti Apostoli impleta Scriptura a document to relie on him for less things as it is good reason with God He that is faithful in little is faithfull also in much then with man he that is faithful in much is faithful in the least outward things called these things Observ 10. The difference between the Law and the Gospel Rom. 8.3 4. Repreh 1. O how many of a common errour The Lord fills men with his Spirit it 's said expresly they were all filled with the Holy Ghost But the common Gloss is with his Gifts and Graces more abundant knowledge of mysteries greatness of mind and constancy gifts of tongues largeness of heart admirable utterance power and evidence of the Spirit in preaching and praying all this is true but none of all these are the Holy Ghost The Scripture saith they were filled they were all filled with the Holy Ghost O Beloved I fear we are unwilling to admit the Lord the Spirit to dwell in his own Temple And therefore we commonly interpret the endearing promises of his own presence with the Glosses of other things much below and less than himself Thus when the Scripture saith Christ is in you the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 the Gloss is Christ among you 2 Pet. 1.4 That ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature not the substance which is incommunicable saith the Gloss i. e. not the nature What boldness is this the Scripture saith the nature the Gloss saith not the substance not the nature what then excellent Graces whereby we are made like to God in wisdom and holiness Is not this to drive God from his habitation He would come and in a more special manner dwell in us and fill us with his Spirit and we are unwilling he should come so near us We rather choose some qualifications virtues graces gifts but as for God himself Christ himself the being and presence of God himself which yet we can well endure to be in Heaven and Earth and all the Creatures Enter presenter Deus hic ubique potentèr God himself his Divine Nature Christ the Holy Spirit men thrust from them and will not endure it in them Repreh 2. It lies upon us all as a great and heavy complaint of these last times That the Spirit of God is poured out in great measure yea beyond measure in the fulness of it yet men receive it not Let no man dare to confine the Promise of the Spirit only to those first times as if Joel's prophesie were so fulfilled then that it belonged not at all to us St. Peter understood it otherwise and so must we Act. 2.38 39. Repent saith he and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call And what was that promise that in the last dayes God would pour out his spirit upon all flesh vers 16 17. of that Chapter But so it is now as in the dayes of Christs flesh He came unto his own and his own received him not he pours out his Spirit and who receives it and what 's the reason the Prophet Joel tells us that in these dayes the Lord will pour out his spirit upon all flesh and St. Paul 2 Tim. 3.1 5. tells us That in these last dayes perilous times should come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power of it So that God pours out his Holy Spirit and the Devil pours out his Spirit God sheds forth the Holy Ghost from Heaven and Hell 's broke loose to oppose it and both these joyn issue and come to the shock and strive together whether of them should fill the heart and soul of the poor miserable man in these last dayes So that Beloved the reason is too too evident why we are not filled with the Spirit of God in â—hâ—se last dayes We are filled with the Spirit of the world that Spirit whereby men walk according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the 〈◊〉 the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 Intus existens prohibet extraneum we are filled with the Spirit of this world and that keeps out the Spirit of God the Spirit of Truth the world cannot receive saith our Saviour Joh. 14.17 For as one adequate and proper place cannot hold two bodies so neither can one Soul though capable of a legion of Spirits which agree hold two disagreeing aâ—d contrary Spirits as the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the world are That filâ—s us with unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness envy murder debate deceit Rom. 1.29 that fills us with rapine and excess Luk. 11. O Beloved let us not deceive our selves if we be thus filled there 's no room left for the Spirit of God O the fearful condition of those who are thus filled They are given up saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a reprobate mind a mind that cannot examine it self Some I have known so full of these that they were insensible of them such
from your sins ye became servants to God or else 2. By righteousness is here understood that which Divines and Philosophers call Universal Righteousness and so that which is here called Righteousness vers 16. is called Obedience Of this Righteousness the Poet speaks in that known Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In righteousness all virtues are contained which as that river which watered the Paradise of God divides it self into four streams these the Philosophers call the four cardinal Virtues the very same which Solomon summs up Wisd 8.7 Righteousness saith he teacheth temperance and prudence justice and fortitude In a word the Righteousness here meant is either 1. The God of our Righteousness Or 2. The Righteousness of our God Nor is it much material in whether of these two Notions we conceive of Righteousness when the Apostle exhorts us to yield our members servants thereunto since God and Christ cannot be served of us but by our service unto Righteousness and when we serve Righteousness then we serve God and Christ Thus much our Apostle teacheth Chap. 14. of this Epistle He that in these things i. e. in righteousness peace and joy serveth Christ he is accepted of God and approved of men and Zachary in his Hymn That we serve God saith he in holiness and righteousness Yet howsoever we take that phrase it 's but an improper speech for surely a Righteous man cannot properly be called a servant unto Righteousness since a servant is in bondage and obeyeth out of fear Rom. 8.15 Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear and by constraint and compulsion of the Law Gal. 4.3 When we were Children we were in bondage under the rudiments of the world But the Law was not made for a righteous man 1 Tim. 1. and he whom the Son makes free is free indeed So much we confess that his service is perfect freedom And St. Austin Liberalitèr servit qui Domini sui voluntatem libentèr facit therefore the Apostle excuseth this phrase in the beginning of this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh Such is your weakness you conceive in the beginning of your obedience that to work the works of Righteousness is a kind of servitude and bondage it is not so yet because your obedience comes off with pain and difficulty by reason of your weakness I call it service so Oecumenius and others understand it Unto this service we ought to yield our members The Metaphor I told you was taken from the plyable submission of the Beast the Horse or the Ass unto the rider And there is a double necessity enforceth this duty both 1. Praecepti of Command for 't is Gods command grounded on the right of Creation Preservation first Covenant and second Covenant and Redemption And 2. Necessitas Medii for having as it were cast our rider and said in effect that we will not have him to reign over us and so become like the Horse and Mule without understanding and like the beasts that perish Most necessary then it is that if we would recover our former lost happiness for it is the happiness of a beast to serve saith Aristotle we again submit our selves unto our God and become again unto him as a serviceable beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the patient Ass that our Saviour rode upon Such a Beast David professed himself Psal 73.22 I became even as a beast with thee and the New Jerusalem shall be filled with such men and such beasts Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of Men and Cattle This reproves the more than brutish restiveness of disobedient men who rather yield their members servants to uncleanness and iniquity than unto righteousness But this Point is a Theme too large to be fully handled at this time let us therefore use it only as the Apostle hath left it unto us by way of Exhortation unto our selves That we would yield our members servants unto righteousness Nothing hath been hitherto spoken but may serve for a reason inducing to the performance of this Duty whereunto we may add this consideration That since we must needs serve one of these two Masters Uncleanness and Iniquity or Righteousness and Holiness 1. How filthy and abominable how unjust the service of sin is it 's a service to uncleanness and to iniquity 2. It 's a fruitless service how shameful What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed the wise man answers There is no fruit no reward unto the evil man Prov. 24.20 3. What no reward at all the Apostle answers That the wages of sin is death let no man deceive you with vain words calling sin by names of diminution as infirmity frailty weakness tricks of youth for these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience Ephes 5.6 one such trick of youth cost all the men of Sechem their lives Gen. 34. and may cost us our souls 5. Add to this the Plagium what have we to do with anothers servants our members are not our own for know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ 1 Cor. 6.15 5. The justice and equity in giving God his own our members are his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.1 6. The dignity of his service gloriosum est sequi Deum it is to be truly free without his service all other freedom is slavery 7. The reward of his service it hath the fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Unto which many like motives might be added had we not already yielded our members servants unto righteousness yet seeing our eternal happiness or misery is concerned let us examine whether so or no. A servant is instrumentum and therefore because an instrument he is moved and directed wholly by the will of his Lord his Agent but he is animatum instrumentum a man he is and some active power he hath through God enabling to will or not to will to do or not to do somewhat that 's implyed in that he is exhorted to yield but being not sui juris but subditus alienae voluntati that power he hath of yielding is to be directed by his masters will and what he doth is with an eye to him and for his masters sake So that the obedient servant of Righteousness in all and every act he doth per se obeyes his masters will I say per se for if at any time he do otherwise it 's wholly beside his own will as a knife or axe hath a power to cut and cuts well if being guided by a discreet hand but being not guided by that hand may fall and cut what and how it should not but that is by accident and therefore the falls of the servants of righteousness are called by the names of such actions as argue contingency and such as no man of purpose would willingly do wherein
spiritual age which is the wisdom saith the wise man Solomon Wisd 4. Such an one was Moses who received the Tables of the Law written on both their sides Exod. 32.15 the outward letter and inward spirit in unity such were the Elders of Israel Numb 11.16 where God saith this to Moses Gather to me seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest that they are the Elders of of the peole It was no hard matter to know who was the eldest man and had lived longest in this outward world but that was not the age the Lord meant but saith such as thou knowest these take to the tent of the Congregation that they may stand there with thee with thee whence they gather they should be like Moses in wisdom fear of God piety meekness of such as these consisted the great Synagogue they were Priests Levites and the wisest and most pious Israelites unto these now apostatized and degenerate the Prophet speaks Mich. 3.1 Ye heads of Jacob is it not for you to know judgement such were the true Priests and Levites Mal. 2.6 7. the law of truth i. e. the spiritual law was in Levi's mouth the Priests lips should keep knowledge such was David and all the Prophets Ezech. 2.10 Liber scriptus intus foris intus per allegoriam foris per historiam Gregory The Apostles they knew that the Law is spiritual The reason may be conceived from the consideration of the father of spirits the father of lights from whom descends every good and perfect gift the lights are five c. See Notes on Matth. 16.17 By this light spiritual men are renewed in the spirit of their minds Ephes 4.23 for whereas the most noble and highest part of the man God hath imparted unto him when he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life was now depraved by the apostacy from his God it was necessary this should be repaired if the man should receive a spiritual Law from God for it was otherwise impossible of this the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God The Apostles and the Prophets before and all spiritual men were to Preach and Teach the law of the spirit of life being ministers of the spirit and therefore they must know that the law is spiritual Gal. 1.15 16. They must first receive the immortal seed before they sow it in the hearts of the people and when they have received it they propagate it by spiritual generation of others 1 Cor. 4.15 and 9.1 the work he wrought in them was in the Lord and from the Lord and before he wrought it he had seen the Lord it was necessary it should be so for the spiritual birth is not wrought by equivocal generation he that begets spiritual children must have received spiritual seed and therefore I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed Rom. 15.18 saith Paul Observ 1. If the Apostles and other spiritual men knew that the Law is spiritual this points us to the ground of the differences and strivings about the Law they proceed from ignorance for men differ not when they come to the knowledge of the Truth We dispute about idolatry and condemn the Papists for idolaters nor do I know how they can excuse themselves from the charge Mean time we know not and acknowledge not that there are idols in our own hearts we dispute about the Sabbath and condemn those who work in it in the interim we know not or consider not that we cease not from our own sins our own works which is the true keeping of the Sabbath See Notes on Matth. 13.11 As about the Letter of the Law so about the flesh of Christ great disputes Observ 2. The Law of our God is not so plain and easie as some conceive it to be thy testimonies saith the Psalmist Psal 119.129 they are wonderful now that is properly wonderful which is not known mirari veteres pro nescire and therefore we read him praying often Teach me thy Law O Lord thy judgements and statutes Mirari est interdum ignota causa Scalig. Observ 3. There is a spiritual sence of the Law This is that which our Saviour proves Mat. 5.6 where he goes about to free the Law from the false glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees This reproves those who limit their obedience within the outward letter of the Law these are Pharisaical men of whom I spake somewhat before a Disciple of the Pharisees ye read of Mar. 10.17 this young man thought he had kept all the Commandments because he had performed obedience unto the letter of them and therefore because he knew no better and performed that it 's said our Saviour loved him how far short come we young and old of that pharisaical young man who come short of the letter in our duty towards our neighbour He had observed all these Commandments from his youth had he not so done but had lied it would not have been added that our Saviour loved him for surely he loves no iniquity Psal 5. yet how far short came this young man of the true spiritual and inward Righteousness which must exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and therefore our Lord overthrows all he had said with one Precept he was not aware of Sell whatever thou hast and give to the poor c. For the Will and Commandment of our God is our Sanctification i. e. withdrawing all our will and affections heart soul and spirit from all the Creatures and applying our selves entirely withal we are or have obediently unto our God Now if we be otherwise minded and the heart and spirit run out after any creature we break all the Commandments of our God for when the heart is fixed upon any Creature without God there we have another God before him when we are covetous or proud we set up idols in our hearts though we worship no outward idol When we bear the Name of our God in profession yet walk unworthy of our God when we name the Lord Jesus Christ yet depart not from envy malice or any iniquity we take Gods Name in vain though we swear not at all These inward violations of the Spiritual Commandment are far worse than the outward as our Saviour speaks Matth. 12.43 44 45. Reproves Presumptuous men sensual men who have not the spirit of God yet judge of the Spiritual Law which is beyond their reach Levit. 10.9.10 11. after Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire the Lord gives a special Commandment drink not wine nor strong drink 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animalis homo the natural man who is not yet spiritual receives not the things of the spirit of God c. They speak evil of things which they know not vainly
full or not peaceable as the word signifieth Gen. 15.16 But when it was peaceable then God sent Josuah to destroy them Thus the people of Laish were quiet Judg. 18.27 and secure and then came the Tribe of Dan and smote them with the edge of the sword When people are quiet and secure in their sins then comes Dan i. e. Judgement as the Scripture interprets it Gen. 38.6 and doubtless it is our security and peace in our sins that hath brought Gods judgements upon us Thus before the flood they ate they drank c. and our Saviour foretells it shall be so in the end of the world Luk. 17.26 30. They were as a ship exposed without a Pilot or Rudder unto the waves and winds and then drowned in destruction and perdition Thus we understand 1 Thess 5.3 When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape But alas may some man say I would live peaceably with all men but for this cause I am opposed by all men I was even Peace it self unto them but when I spake unto them thereof they made them ready for battel O happy art thou thou sidest with God himself he is the God of Love and Peace yet who suffers more so much as he The differences and disputes in the world reach not to him nor to thee Babel was intended for heaven but it came short of it the Moon keeps on her constant course though all the dogs bark at her and so do thou thou art one of them that dwells on high Isai 33.16 Thou beholdest the king of kings in his beauty where is the wise where is the scribe where is the disputer of this world as the Apostle renders the next words 1 Cor. 1.20 He who dwells on high looks on all such differences as things below him As he who sits on an high mountain may behold how the clouds below him are drawn this way and that way by contrary winds The trees are moved and the sea roars Ipse interim non movetur Judaeus contra Gentes Circumcision against uncircumcision one Sect against another but the peaceable Christian the Christian the Peace-maker fits as an impartial Umpire and Arbitrator above all Sects which are all manifest works of the flesh An ill office it is to foment a difference between Man and Wife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the bird flyes hard against the window seeing light but observes not what hinders all desire union with the God of peace but few observe that their sins separate between them and their God Like curing of a wound skinning it it festers and breaks out again so doth the playster of many Ambassadors of Peace who run before they are sent They say peace peace where there is no peace Repreh The unpeaceable who fish in these troubled waters have nothing to lose but their lives and are like desperate Gamesters Let the sword-men take heed of shedding blood and let us all follow the things that make for peace and wherewith one may edifie another NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS XIII I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God IN the former Notes the ray and beam of that Star which shined at the Epiphany by the Ancients interpreted saving Faith directed the members of the body of Christ to union and agreement one with other and guided our feet into the way of peace Another ray or beam of the same Star directs the body so united and knit together under the subjection of an head as large a duty as the former 1. In that Peace was to be extended unto all men 2. In this all men are exhorted to subjection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers which contains a Precept and the reason of it 1. The Precept Let every soul be subject to the higher powers 2. The Reason 1. Negative there is not any power but of God 2. Affirmative the powers that are are of God 1. The words seem to be Metaphorical and borrowed from the martialling ranking and ordering of an Army Wherein 1. some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Superiour and in Authority 2. Others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inferiour and under Authority so spake the Centurion Luk. 7.8 nec discessit ab arte sua in a soldiers language I am a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordered under the power of another both the words of the Text whereof the first the Higher Powers are Governours appointed by God for the welfare of the people committed to their charge that they may live together a quiet and a peaceable life under them in godliness and honesty 2. In the Precept the higher powers here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the abstract put for the concrete for persons administring this power are generally according to the Province whereabout they are imployed of two sorts for whereas the whole Creature of God is bodily and spiritual and man is the compendium the brief and model of them both consisting of both body and spirit two sorts of Governours are needful in respect of both the Magistracy and Ministry and both are here meant by Potestatibus i. e. praelatis spiritualibus principibus terrenis saith the Gloss the Spiritual and Temporal Governours secularibus Ecclesiasticis so St. Anselm and Rhabanus read the Text thus Omnibus potestatibus sublimioribus subditi estote Be ye subject to all higher powers And these are either 1. simply the highest powers as the King or 2. subordinate unto the highest As the Roman Proconsuls and Presidents were under the Emperours of these St. Peter speaks 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him as these Officers were To these we are commanded to be subject What that duty is we shall know the better if we further consider in these Higher Powers that especially whereunto we ought to be subject which is Supereminency and Goodness 1. The Supereminency whereby they are in order above others And 2. The Goodness whereby they are diffusive and communicative unto others These two were signified by that Oyl wherewith the Kings and Priests were anciently Anointed which was fragrant and precious as appears by the ingredients Exod. 30. and holy and so appropriate only unto holy uses that it was unlawful to employ it otherwise than in the Anointing of holy Persons and holy things that is the Eminency which also supplies the Body as the Nature of Oil is and renders it able and nimble to act and so to import an influence of it self to others and that is the goodness 1. This Eminency of the higher Powers in their high ranck and order being disproportioned unto Inferiours begets admiration
lusts of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life vers 16. These are all that are in the world and these are the summ of all Moral old things Besides if Gods Creatures which are made of nothing because made of nothing propend and incline to their old nothing again Surely our Creatures if so we may call our sins they are of nothing and must tend to nothing Isai 41 24-29 2. A second Reason is in regard of the New Creature for the New Creature works out of it self whatsoever is contrary to it self As the Fountain purgeth it self from all filthiness mud and dirt and sends it downward and all Unctions uncleanness and work it upward and the New Wine settles the lees downward and purgeth upward all oily filthiness contracted from the nastiness of those who tread the Grapes Even so the New Creature purgeth it self from all polution of flesh all earthly all fleshly uncleanness and spirit all spiritual wickedness that old leaven that sowres all our actions and makes us swell with spiritual pride And therefore the Apostle exhorts the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5.6 7 8. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened for Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth 3. In regard of God the ancient of dayes who mainly opposeth himself against these Moral old things which oppose themselves against God all sensual and carnal lusts for God is the avenger of all such 1 Thes 4.6 All spiritual wickedness as that spirit of Antichrist which opposeth and exalteth it self above all that is called God and is worshipped whom the Lord shall destroy with the spirit of his mouth 2 Thess 2 4-8 Against all these Moral old things the Lord mainly opposeth himself His eyes are set against the kingdom of sin or sinful kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amos. 9.8 He shall tread that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan under the Saints feet Rom. 16.20 And he commands us to put off concerning our former conversation the old man Ephes 4.22 and to mortifie our earthly members Col. 3.5 And that which he commands us to do that he promiseth us power and assistance to do Behold I give you power to tread upon Serpents and Scorpions and all the power of the enemy Luk. 10.19 The lofty City the City of the Old Man he layeth it low he layeth it low even to the ground he bringeth it even to the dust the feet shall tread it down even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy Isai 26.6 Zach. 10.5 Whence it is most evident that it is not the will of God that any one of these old things should remain but that every one of them should perish and pass away indeed he permits them and of them some rather than other otherwise they could not be But for the better understanding of this we must know there are diverse degrees of permission as there are diverse kinds and degrees of sin Idolatry is one of the greatest sins and that which seems of all other to be most hated of God yet there are degrees of Idolatry for it is either 1. The worship of a false God against the first Commandment Or 2. The false worship of the true God against the second Commandment Acccording to these degrees of sin there are degrees of permission of sin in God for though God hate loath and abominate all sin and all and every degree of sin yet according to the diverse kinds and degrees of sin Gods hatred of sin and permission of sin is proportioned so that God hateth the greater sin more and permits it less and hates the less sin less and permits it more For Example The worship of Jeroboams Calves was a great and abominable sin the worship of Idols yea of Devils a sin which provoked Gods wrath exceedingly against his people wherewithal Jeroboams name is branded that he made Israel to sin Yet it is the Opinion and Assertion of some of the Jews grounded upon Exod. 32.34 In the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them That God after the first making of the Golden Calf by Aaron never punish'd Israel but in the punishment there was ever a limb of the Calf Notwithstanding howsoever really and in truth it were a very great sin and they truly Idolaters yet because they pretended the worship of the true God amongst all the Idolaters who worshipped false Gods it was a less sin than the worship of Baal which was a false God And therefore God and Baal God's worship and Baals God's servants and the servants of Baal are often opposed as elsewhere so specially 1 King 18.21 For the clearing of all this See 1 King 16.30 33. Ahad did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him for it came to pass as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat that he took to wife Jezabel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians and went and served Baal and worshipped him and he reared up an Altar for Baal and made a grove And Ahad did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him So that it 's manifest that the worship of the Calves was a less sin than the worship of Baal Yet when I say that God permitted that sin of the Calves or might seem to allow it or wink at it at least for a time I mean not that God did any way no not in the least degree approve or like of that gross palpable and abominable sin as if it were good or had any degree of goodness in it but only seemed a while to connive at it that he did not punish the Authors of it but patiently endured them suffered or bare or permitted the sin as a less evil than the worship of Baal or than no worship no acknowledgement of himself at all That we may the better understand this we must distinguish between the Church in the infancy and nonage of it and in the growth and more perfect age of it and the different providence of God in respect of both The Church of the Jews was but the child-hood and nonage of the Church So saith the Apostle Gal. 4. And therefore God led it as Jacob led his Flock Gen. 33.13 14. The children are tender and the flocks and herds with young are with me And if a man should over-drive them one day all the flock will dye I will lead on softly according as the Cattle that goeth before me and the children are able to endure It is in the original I will drive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foot by foot according to the foot of the cattle and according to the foot of
Earth and Whatsoever is in them is God's Creature 2. Strictly By a Creature we understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that little world as we call it in Philosophy that abridgement of all the Creatures Man Thus when we read the command given Marc. 16.15 and obeyed Col. 1.23 We understand man Man is called a Creature Both 1. Because the summ of all the Creatures 2. Because the most excellent of them all 1. The summ because whatsoever is in the World of Creatures without man is by Analogie and in a sort in man as some say of the land of Judea that it is a compendium and abridgement of all the Earth besides So that whatsoever kinds of Earth are in all the World may be found in it So we may say of man in regard of the creatures he is the summary and abridgement of them all And therefore as in our accounts after all the particulars we set down the summa totalis the total summ which contains them all So God our Creator after he had made all other creatures made man the brief and total summ and model of them all Gen. 1. 2. Man is called a creature because the best of all the creatures 1. Because of all the rest the first intended and last produced as the most excellent of them all 2. Beside he is the vinculum or bond of all corporeal and incorporeal visible and invisible natures So that whatsoever is excellent in them is excellent also in him 3. Again he was made with more deliberation than all the rest All the rest with a fiat as fiat lux c. Man with a faciamus Gen. 1. Let us make man 4. Lastly For the reasons precedent he was set over all the creatures as the most excellent of them all Psal 8.7 But when we speak of the new man we understand the man within the man the inward man the man of the heart So and so the Scripture speaks Thus the Philosopher could say that animus cujusque est quisque and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the Soul is often taken for the whole person And thus by the New Creature we understand the new man so called 1. In reference to the Old Creation 2. In similitude to the New Man 1. In reference to the Old Creation For 1. As in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth So in the beginning i. e. in his Son God creates new heavens and a new earth Esay 65.17 2. And as darkness was in the face of the deep So in the New Creation God finds the subject matter no otherwise disposed Jerem. 4.22 23. My people are foolish they have not known me they have no understanding they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge they are sottish children I beheld the earth and lo◠it was without form and void 3. And then as God said or commanded let there be light Gen. 1.3 So the Apostle saith of God in the New Creation 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 4. The Spirit of God it said to have moved upon the face of the waters Gen. 1.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly fluttered So in the new and spiritual Creation The holy Spirit as in form of a dove rested on the new man and the Father gave testimony unto him The whole Trinity is engaged in the New Creation Matth. 3.2 In similitude to the New Man Christ Who is the first-born of every creature Coloss 1. Thus when we are made new creatures we are said to put on the new man Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.24 And such an one is called a new creature because he never waxeth old but is renewed continually more and more Cajetan And these are the resemblances between the old Creation and the new And between Christ the new man and the new creature conformable unto him Let us now enquire into the reason and demonstration from the causes of this new Creation Our Apostle ascribes it unto God the Father who indeed truely and properly can create vers 18. The Syriack hath it thus Every new thing is of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ Jam. 1.18 The Son also saith of the Father My Father worketh hitherto and of himself I also work Joh. 5.17 For the Son perfects in those the work which his Father gave him to do Joh. 17.4 And this is the third point and the reason of this second because he is in Christ he is a new creature For so being the new man he makes all new that are joyned unto him Behold saith he I make all things new Revel 21.5 This new Creature the Father and the Son effect by the operation of the holy Spirit Joh. 3.5 2 Cor. 3.18 So that every Person of the holy and blessed Trinity hath a work in this new Creation Whence it is that the Scripture calls them all Creators in the plural which we render in the singular Eccles 12.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 54.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 35.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 149.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet may a doubt be made whether any thing may be said to be new or no And whether there be any new Creatures The School-men resolve the doubt thus That which is said to be New is either 1. That which swerves from the wonted course of Nature Or 2. That which hath neither seed out of which nor pattern according to which it is produced Lomb. lib. 2. dict 15. Et in locum Bonavent 1. And according to the first of these ways he that is in Christ may be said to be a new Creature for so after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the six days work The Son speaks of this new Creation My Father saith he worketh hitherto and I also work Joh. 5.17 2. As for the latter kind of novelty the Wiseman is to be understood of it When he saith That there is no new thing under the sun For surely the new Creature hath both seed out of which and pattern according to which it is created The Seed is the holy Word of God Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.23 and of the same seed St. John speaks 1 Joh. 3.9 He that is born of God that 's the New Creature doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him he is one of the trees of Righteousness Isai 61.3 figured by those trees Gen. 1.12 whose Seed was in it self an holy and incorruptible Seed 2. And as they have a Seed out of which so a pattern according to which they are Created for as Christ the new Man is Created according to God in righteousness and true holiness so the new Creatures are created according to the New Man Ephes 4.22
dove-like innocency and simplicity of the new Creature to the craftiness and wiliness of the Old Serpent St. Paul was afraid lest the Corinthians should be so deceived 2 Cor. 11. A dangerous deceit for they who so prostitute the simplicity of the new Creature in themselves use their subtilty to go beyond defraud and over-reach others and God is the avenger of all such 1 Thess 4.6 2. Others there are who prostitute the sobriety of the new Creature unto brutish sensuality as the beastly drunkards these yield the rule of themselves to the filthy Swine 3. Others yield the chastity of the new Creature to uncleanness and suffer themselves to be governed by the lascivious incontinent Goat 4. Others betray the temperance of the new Creature to the unsatiable and greedy dog Isa 56.11 5. Others the Lamb-like meekness of the new Creature to the savageness of the Wolf Mat. 7.15 A most shameful abasing of the Man the Noble new Creature to the vassalage and servitude of the beast The same complaint which the Psalmist makes Psal 49.12 Mawbeing in honour the honourable Creature Man understood not his own honour and dignity and so became like the beasts that perish Which may be the ground of an heavenly Meditation when ever we are tempted unto sin Shall I take the members of the new Man the new Creature and make them the members of a Serpent a Swine a Goat a Dog a Wolf God forbid O Beloved the new Creature is too Noble and Honourable to be made subject to any the Lord of the new Creature only excepted the Creator of it Belluinus es homo amando talia qualia Belluae saith St. Austin libr. de doctr Christi Vid. Paris pag. 250. Because there is a defect of a Verb there is a diverse reading of the Text the former ye have heard Whosoever is in Christ is a new Creature so it is read in the Text the latter If a man be in Christ let him be a new Creature so the Margin And this second is an Use of Exhortation to the first and so I intend to handle it But here I meet with an Objection Exhortations are made to Duties feasible and such as may be done by us not to things to us impossible we exhort men to support the weak to be patient toward all men to follow that which is good c. We do not exhort men to fly or to work Miracles because these are beyond our power and is it not alike beyond mans power to be a New Creature How then can we Exhort Men to be New Creatures I Answer the Scripture exhorts us often to those Duties which we of our selves have not any ability to perform God himself commanding and exhorting us together with the command gives a power to obey whence it is that the same act is attributed unto God and Man Thus Faith is Gods gift yet we are exhorted to believe Repentance is Gods gift yet we are exhorted to Repent Repent and believe the Gospel God turns us from our sins yet he exhorts us to turn from them God gives us an heart to walk in his Statutes and keep his Ordinances Ezech. 11.19 20. yet what more frequent than Exhortations to walk in Gods Statutes and to keep his Ordinances Gods command is to Love him with all our heart and with all our soul yet he himself circumâ—iseth the heart that we may love the Lord and Deut. 30.6 His command is that we worship no strange God no graven Image no work of our own hands and he promiseth if we hearken unto him there shall be no strange God in us neither shall we worship any strange God Psal 81.8 9. And that he will cut off graven Images out of the midst of us and that we shall no more worship the work of our own hands Mich. 5.13 Whence it plainly appears that God commands us many things which yet he himself doth and promiseth to do because together with his command he gives us a power to do them and requires us to comply with that power We saith the Apostle as workers together with him beseech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain 2 Cor. 6.1 1 Cor. 15.10 And look diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God Heb. 12.15 Thus in case of the present duty God commands Ezech. 18.30 Make ye a new heart and a new spirit What 's that but the new Creature and adds a forcible Motive as strong as death Why will ye dye O house of Israel Yet the same prophet Chap. 36.26 I will give ye saith he a new heart and a new spirit in the midst of you I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh What 's that but to become new Creatures The Lord saith A new heart and a new spirit will I create in the midst of you c. i. e. I will make ye new Creatures 2. But if God make us new Creatures and indeed he alone can make us What need we busie our selves we ought rather to let God Almighty alone with his own work 'T is a known speech Qui fecit te sine te non salvabit te sine te he that made thee without thy help will not new-make thee or make thee a new Creature without thine own endeavour And though God be the worker yet must we be workers together with God as the Apostle speaks I will instruct thee saith the Lord to the new Creature Psal 32.8 and teach thee the way that thou shalt go and I will guide thee with mine eye He speaks to the man his best creature not to the beasts no it presently followeth in the next verse Be not like the horse and mule which have no understanding whose mouths must be held with bit and bridle lest they fall upon thee Nay Beloved to satisfie this doubt more fully and to prove it undeniably that God requires our utmost endeavour toward this new Creature I pray you compare Gal. 6.15 with 1 Cor. 7.9 that which in the forementioned place is a new Creature in the other is the keeping the commandments of God But can we then keep the commandments of God Yes by Faith and Love and therefore I pray thee add to the two former places Gal. 5.6 where the new Creature is faith that worketh by love 3. But if he who is in Christ be a new Creature already what need exhortation to be so I Answer He is a new Creature Either by profession only or really and true 1. If by profession there 's great need of exhortation that he be really that which he professeth himself to be Rom. 6.1 2 3. Gal. 5.24 confer Rom. 6.6 2. If really he be a new Creature that he continue so to be and that he make progress and go on according to the degrees of it The new Creature Gods building wants hewing c. Gods Vineyard pruning c. The first Creation was they
say in an instant but in this second man's co-operation is required is not so Motives From consideration of the blessed estate of the new Creature 1. In it self as conformable to God and as made and formed by God 2. In the effects From the miserable condition of those who are not These doubts being cleared let us now proceed to the exhortation it self That he who is in Christ would endeavour to become a new Creature that we may be the better perswaded hereunto Let us consider 1. The blessed estate of these new Creatures And 2. The deplorable and miserable condition of all others 1. The blessed estate of the new Creatures 1. To be a new Creature is to be conformable unto God himself the Creator 'T is to be a follower of God Ephes 5.1 Christ the New Man is the Image of God like to him that created him and the new Creature is predestinated to be conformable unto Christ Rom. 8.29 So that it 's no otherwise than if many pictures were drawn according to one original pattern or many faces expressed in one and the same glass 2 Cor. 3. Whom would we be like Children are best beloved when most like their Parents But an image is little better than a shadow of that which is true and real Is the new Creature no otherwise like unto God than a shadow to the substance Yes Beloved 2 Pet. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the excellency of this estate is indiscernable before we draw near to it as we see not the height of the highest Hills mean time we see them in their effects Esay 43.7 Now as this is a most glorious condition in it self so of all other it most glorifieth God as being his principal handy work Whereon as I may so say he hath most shewn his skill and workmanship And therefore howsoever the work honours the workman The heavens are the work of his hands Esay 40.16 And they declare his glory Psal 8.4 and all the earth is full of his glory Esay 6.3 and his praise is above heaven and earth Psal 149. Ask the beasts and they shall teach thee Job 12.7 And so every creature glorifieth the Creator in its degree and kind yet because every creature by how much the more excellent it is by so much the more it honours the Creator The new Creature being as it were Gods Master-piece from it must the greatest honour redound unto God the Creator because made for this end and purpose to shew forth Gods praise Psal 102.18 The people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. Again though all creatures be of God the Creators making yet the new Creature is of a more special make made after a more noble and more eminent way So Samuel speaks The Lord that made Moses and Aaron 1 Sam. 12.6 Did not the Lord make evety man every creature even the vilest Yes but he casts his new Creature in a more excellent mold The Chaldy Paraphrast explains it He wrought miracles and wonders when he made Moses and Aaron Esay 8.28 for signs and wonders So Christ and his Disciples Heb. 2.13 Zach. 3.8 Josuah and his company are monstrous persons i. e. Jesus and his Disciples Thus Esay 29.7 Jacob shall see his children saith the Lord the work of my hand in the midst of him Jacobs children the new Creatures are the work of Gods hands Psal 100.3 Diodati He hath made us i. e. new made us and recreated us by his Spirit Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Thus the new Creature is made to glorifie God Esay 43.7 I have created him for my glory I have formed him yea I have made him Would not one of these have served the turn No these several original words note several degrees of Gods workmanship 1. He created him when he brought him out of nothing and gave him a being 2. He formed him when he gave him his form an immortal soul 3. He made him when he gave him the complement and perfection of his Spirit 1 Thess 2.35 This people I have formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise So the Apostle to the Ephes Eph. 1.12 That we should be to the praise of the glorious grace Thus Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all those Worthies Heb. 11. were to the praise of Gods power and faithfulness Job was to the praise of Gods patience ye have heard of the patience of Job Moses of meekness St. Peter generally of all the new Creatures and all the virtues and praises of God 1 Pet. 2.9 As all the creatures in their several kinds praise the Lord Sun moon and stars of light and heaven of heavens and dragons and deeps rain and hail snow and vapors stormy wind mountains and all hills fruitful trees and all cedars beasts and all cattle creeping things and flying fowl as all these praise and glorifie God saith the Psalmist Psal 148. So especially and principally all his Saints praise him The children of Israel the people that draw near unto him his new Creatures For as the earth bringeth forth bud so out of these Esay 61.11 Beloved This is the new Creatures work and that whereby it most of all and last of all glorifieth the Creator Gen. 29.35 She called his name Judah i. e. praise and left bearing Rom. 2.29 Whose praise is not of men but of God The last song which is sung in heaven These are songs which David invites us to sing 2. As they glorifie God themselves so they give occasion to others to glorifie God by them and for them Esay 29.23 So when Saul was become Paul when of a persecutor he became a new Creature and preached that Faith which before he destroyed they glorified God in me saith he Gal. 1.14 He saith not saith Theophilact that they wondred at me but they glorified God in me Because the whole Work of Regeneration is to be ascribed intirely unto the grace of God As the new Creatures glorifie God both in themselves and by others So when they degenerate from that glorious estate they most of all dishonour him Corruptio optimi est pessima 'T is a double dishonour unto God that they who glory in the Law dishonour him 'T is a great aggravation to the Jews Thou who gloriest in the law by transgression of the law dishonourest thou God Rom. 2.23 But if applyed to us Christians the aggravation is much heavier Thou who pretendest thy self to be a new Creature thou who gloriest in the Gospel by transgressing the Rule of the Gospel by a life unworthy of the Gospel dishonourest thou God And as truly it may be said of us that which followeth That the name of God is blasphemed by us among the Gentiles vers 24. And a Father gives the reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They who see these corrupt and degenerate men may justly say Are these fit to be beloved of God
nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Deut. 4.7 He is omnipresent every where His name as the Angel saith shall be called Emmanuel not that ever ye read him in the Old and New Testament called by that name But his name is his nature and his nature and being is Emmanuel interpreted by that Matth. 1. God with us For know ye not that Jesus Christ is in us 2 Cor. 13.5 And can he be nearer to us But so he may be yet far enough from helping us Psal 22.1 Why hast thou forsaken me and art so far from helping me and our enemy near enough to annoy us But he is good and gracious and hath promised to help us Esay 41.10 He is a very present help in trouble Psal 46.1 with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battels therefore be strong and couragious 2 Chron. 32.7 8. True thus powerful thus wise thus all-present thus gracious he hath been and therefore the Wiseman makes a challenge Ecclus. 2.10 Look at the generations of old and see did ever any trust in the Lord and was confounded But may he not fail us at the length No we are exhorted to be strong in the Lord and by that reason he fails not I am the Lord saith he I change not Mal. 3.6 No there 's not so much as a shadow of change with him Jam. 1. Righteous in his promise Psal 92. as Ainsw He is faithful and will not suffer us to be overcome no not to be tempted above what we are able 1 Cor. 10.13 but will use his Power and his Wisdom and his Goodness and Omnipresency for the performance of all whatsoever he promiseth to such as are strong in him please you to observe all these crowded into one verse 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself in behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him insomuch as he is Deus desideriorum a God according to our own heart such a God as we would have him And therefore how just how reasonable yea how easie a duty is it which the Lord our God requires of us no other than we our selves if just and reasonable yea we our selves desire for what more reasonable than to repose the strength of our confidence in God who is the strength of our confidence to be strong in God who is the God of our strength Yea what present is more easie than to be commanded to do what we would do were we not commanded the same which we our selves desire yea did we not of our selves and in it self desire it yet our own necessities would constrain us thereunto If we respect our enemies whether the Law of God which is that Adversarius in via saith St. Bernard spoken of by our Saviour which chastens us for our good Psal 94. which once broken by us is never possible again to be kept by us but through his power and strength in us who first gives it to us Rom. 8.3 Or 2. Whether we consider the Law of our members the Law of sin iniquity it self which is a Law Psal The Law which is an enemy for our hurt Or 3. The Devil our Arch-enemy and his Angels Luk. 10. whole legions of evil Spirits spiritual wickedness temptations about heavenly things yea the spirituality of wickedness whereby saith Aquinas is understood plenitudo nequitiae the quintessence of it as Plato would call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wickedness it self spiritual wickedness a most dangerous enemy if considered as spiritual much more dangerous if considered as wicked also The Devil and his Angels are most dangerous enemies if considered as spiritual because the spiritual nature whether good or bad is the strongest as was shewn before out of Isai 31.3 and the most active and operative as may appear by all the Creatures which by how much they are of a more subtil and refined nature by so much they are the more powerful and operative both without us as the vapours which are the most subtil and nearest unto a Spirit cause Earthquakes and the Fire by how much it is the most subtil of all the Elements by so much it is the most operative and active of them all And within us among the humours of our bodies 't is the choler and of choler the thinnest and nearest unto a Spirit that doth us the greatest mischief not only because it most of all distempers our bodies as being the fuel of anger which whether good or bad saith St. Gregory is a great distemper of the Soul But also 2. Because through ill anger it shuts out the Sun of Righteousness and lets in the Devil into the Soul wherefore be angry but sin not saith St. Paul Let not the Sun the Sun of Righteousness our strong helper go down upon your wrath neither give place to the Devil that strong enemy strong because spiritual but more strong and more dangerous unto us because spiritual wickedness or a wicked spirit 2. Because by how much the more every thing is of a more excellent nature by so much the more it is the worse when it degenerates according to the Note Corruptio optimi est pessima quo melior eo deterior whence saith the Philosopher A wicked man is the very worst of all living Creatures And therefore the Angels by nature a degree above men Man being made lower than the Angels Psal 8. they being become apostate degenerate and wicked spirits must needs be worse than the very worst of men and therefore the most dangerous enemies Great reason therefore there is whether we consider the Lord our strong helper or our weak feeble selves or our strong enemies that we be strong in the Lord and the might of his power Whence follows 1. That of our selves we have no strength at all no not so much as to resist an evil thought or to think a good 2 Cor. 3.5 what erroneous Doctrine then must that needs be if any such be taught that weak feeble Nature can of it self do any thing that 's pleasing unto God without the strength of God Yet howsoever of our selves as of our selves we are so weak that we can do nothing yet in the Lord as in the Lord we are so strong that we can do all things This is if I may so speak a second kind of Omnipotency imparted unto the Saints both for the undoing the will of Satan and the doing the will of God The former of these our Lord promised his Apostles Luk. 10.19 Power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the enemy Act. 13.39 This power and victory of the Israel of God over all their spiritual enemies is intended by all the victories of the Israel according to the flesh And that all those victories aim at this appears by old Zacharies Exposition of them in the Sacred Hymn That we being delivered
and bear rule first in us therefore ye read 1 Chron. 1. there were Kings in Edom first before there were any in Israel Beside all this the lusts are worldly lusts and such as rule the most men in the world insomuch as that he who is not ruled by them provokes the whole world against him notwithstanding all this such is the power of Gods Grace that it enables him who will be taught by it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts one instance whereof we have in Joseph though a young man and having all opportunities yea provocations also from his Mistris said not as many do now how can I but do this but rather with great reluctancy how can I do this wickedness and sin against God ego nescia rerum Difficilem culpae suspicor esse viam Observ 6. The reason of these evil times which are really and justly come upon the evil world because men deny not themselves nor endeavour to follow our Lord Jesus Christ Luk. 9.23 no man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-taught to the Kingdom of God whence we may note the method and order of Gods Grace in teaching every man it teaches us to live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soberly temperately c. then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteously the Grace of God first teacher us to be good men secondly it teaches us to be Righteous men good Citizens and good Common-wealth's men Thirdly it teaches us to be good Citizens in the Common-wealth of Heaven a man cannot be either of the latter without the former he cannot be a good Citizen that is not a good man his private interest will disable him he cannot be a Citizen of the Common-wealth of Heaven unless he be a good man and a good neighbour for not only the unjust shall have no inheritance in the Kingdom of God but drunkards and intemperate also are excluded thence 1 Cor. 6 9 10. Hence they are to be reproved who neglect the Lessons of Gods Grace both negative and positive and say that Christ has learned these for them and impute Christ's Righteousness unto themselves so that they need not live soberly but may be drunk now and then because Christ was sober for them not chastly but now and then c. not justly but they may cheat c. they believe c. nor godly they may be prophane and ungodly Christ was sober chast godly for them Hence also may be reproved the impotency and weakness of many who suffer themselves to be hurried away with their worldly lusts and pleasures when yet the Grace of God is to be found in denying of themselves whither will the unbridled horse run But methinks I hear many a poor Soul complain I cannot profit by the means of Grace teaching and I also have persecuted those who in life and practice have learned the Doctrine of the Grace of God To these I say mark what a confession Paul makes who was a persecutor Act. 22.1 2 3 4. Paul after was converted surely Paul was a knotty piece of wood to make a Mercury of yet Ex quovis â—igno non fit Merourius the men of Lystra called Paul Mercurius Act. 14. Paul was then humbled cast down and directed to Ananias which signifies the Grace of God the same the Grace of God teaches us and gives us Paul's Example to learn by thou must first be cast down and humbled as Paul was that 's the work of the Law then pray to the Lord and go to Ananias i. e. the Grace of the Lord then the soales of false notions and misunderstanding will fall off As knotty a piece and self-wise as Paul was who was taken notice of for a persecutor yet was he made a healing Mercury and one who published the Grace of God Hence may be reproved the ingratitude of the present evil world toward the God of all Grace The Grace of God that brings salvation to all men appears and teaches all men to deny ungodliness c. But who learns this Lesson who receives not this Grace of God in vain We can easily take notice of Aristotle who after he had heard Plato and had been taught by him twenty years then ingratefully he turned from him whereupon Plato called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Colt that wantonly kicks the Dam I and many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Colts there are in these our dayes are not most men such in regard of their God Does not the Lord complain that Jeshurun is waxed fat and kicks Deut. 32. The Lord had led Israel about and instructed him vers 10. His Grace had taught Israel in the way that he should chuse and guided him with his eye but Jeshurun becomes like the Horse and Mule without understanding Psal 32. Jeshurun waxes fat and kicks And does not the true David complain that his own familiar friend in whom he trusted who did eat of his bread had lift up his heel against him Psal 41. The Lord Jesus is hereby understood to speak of unthankful Judas and may he not understand us also even all who profess his Name for Judas signifies a Professor to whom his Grace hath appeared and taught us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts to feed of wisdoms bread of Divine Doctrine and drink the wine of Consolation of his Spirit Prov. 9.5 6. wherefore if they were unexcusable who knew God only by the Creatures because they glorified not God nor were thankful Rom. 1.20 21. how much more shall we be unexcusable whom he teaches not only by the Creation but also by his written Word and by his Spirit of Grace if we prove non-proficients if we prove unthankful Reprove we here also ungodly loose and lascivious men who frustrate the Grace and Will of God continuing still in their fall improficients the Grace of God being reveiled to teach us to deny worldly lusts they sin against the Light But some will say these desires are natural and the Natural appetites or desires are not fobidden but only set in order to a better even the Divine Nature but these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath its name from Beauty and a man loves nothing better thus Nineveh a figure of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath the name from beauty and comliness the world being a well-favoured harlot yet although beauty and comliness be amiable and lovely what wise man will love them in a harlot But let us be exhorted to try the means offered us of God to become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children docible and taught of God that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the saving Grace may prevail with us for to live soberly righteously and godly though these I say are very short rules yet they contain much in them and since the Holy Ghost hath delivered them succinctly and briefly we ought to speak briefly of them and seriously to consider what kind of life the Grace of God teacheth us towards our selves towards another and towards our God even a sober a
restoring man in special to his well being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He made the purging of our sins by himself Thus as Christ is α and ω so his commendation begins with his Riches and Dominion he is heir of all things and ends with exaltation unto honour and is set at the right hand of the Majesty on high Begin we then with our Saviours Riches God hath appointed him heir of all things wherein we have two points considerable 1. Christ is heir of all things 2. God the Father hath appointed him heir of all things Three things considerable here 1. What an heir is 2. How Christ is an heir 3. How heir of all things 1. What an heir is Haeres est qui defuncto succedit in jus universum An heir is he who succeeds one deceased in all his right This is the description of the Civil Lawyers But it is not to our purpose because God is eternal and immortal and therefore the Son of God cannot be said succedere defuncto That of our common Lawyers fits our turn better Haeredem nonnulli dictum volunt quod haeres sit i. e. Dominus terrarum for he whom we call an heir is Dominus Lord owner and possessor of that whereof he is said to be heir Thus also Justin lib. 2. Instit tit 19. Pro haerede se gerere est pro Domino se gerere veteres enim haeredes pro Dominis appellabant Abstuli hunc cujus haeres nunquam erit post hunc diem Plato Thus also the Scripture speaks Jer. 8.10 Your fields to Lords or Owners Mich. 1.15 I will bring an Heir i. e. a Lord unto thee O thou inhabitant of Maresha Paranomasia Zach. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is properly an heir But 2. How is Christ an Heir the Heir had three Prerogatives 1. A double portion of goods Deut. 21.17 Gen. 49.3 2. The Priesthood Numb 8 14-17 Psal 78.51 Mal. 2.5 6 7. Mal. 3.3 3. Dominion Government and Saveraignty Gen. 27.29 2. Chron. 21.1 And in all these respects Christ may be said to be an Heir who is said to be the first-born of every Creature and the first-born of the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence Coloss 1 15-18 For whereas an heir had a double portion of his fathers goods Christ had his Fathers goods without measure Joh. 3.34 i. e. his fathers Spirit Confer Matth. 7.11 cum Luk. 11.13 Therefore Elisha desiring in a figure to be Elijah's Heir 2 King 2.9 desired a double portion of his spirit And whereas the first-born was a Priest this our Apostle is more copious in proving Chap. 7. in that Christ is a Priest according to the Order of Melchizedech Hebr. 13.15 Lastly whereas the Heir is said to have Dominion and Soveraignty this is peculiar unto Christ so God the Father speaks of David in the figure Psal 89.27 I will make him my first-born higher than all the Kings of the earth Apoc. 1.5 As he who hath all power in heaven and in earth Matth. 28. 1 Tim. 1.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King Eternal but better King of the worlds The grounds and reasons of this Lordship over all things are 1. Partly contained in this point and 2. Partly in those which follow for as the Son according to the Civil Law had right both to what he himself got especially by the hazard and loss of his own blood which the Lawyers call peculium castrense and to what his Ancestor or Father gives him So Christ the Son of God hath right unto the world which he Made and Renewed and Redeemed by his blood and which his Father hath given him by appointing him heir of all things 3. How is Christ Heir and Lord of all things since Abraham had the Promise to be heir of the world Rom. 4.13 The Promise made to Abraham was That in his Seed all Nations should be blessed Gen. 22.18 This Promise was made to Abraham the Father of the Faithful in the right of Christ who is his Son who shall inherit all Nations Psal 82.8 Psal 2.8 Abraham also may be said to be the Heir of the world in that he hath all the world for his Sons who either have or ever shall believe A large a bountiful reward of the obedience of Faith Abraham believed God who called him out of his Country and left that little Inheritance he had in Vr of the Chaldees and for that God gave him the inheritance of all the Land of Canaan yea of all the world so liberal so bountiful is God if we leave our Vr of the Chaldees 1. Observe how great a Lord and Governour our Lord and Saviour is the high God possessor of heaven and earth Gen. 14 19-23 He is Lord of all Act. 10.36 This is a greater Lord than a Ruler or Governour Joseph was Ruler over all Aegypt Gen. 41.41 42. Psal 105.21 22. But to be an Heir of All is more than to rule over All That power a Servant may have under his Lord as Joseph had under Potiphar then under Pharaoh Thus Moses was faithful in all Gods house and a King in it yet faithful as a servant but Christ as a Son as our Apostle argues Hebr. Thus Isaac was a lively type of our Saviour Gen. 24.35 36. There is no such rich matter in the whole world to be had as Christ is and therefore his Ministers should do as Abraham's Servants did declare what a match this Spiritual Isaac is Consol what an happiness it is to be a younger Brother unto Christ for we shall not only receive large gifts with Abraham's younger Sons Gen. 25.5 6. but such is Christ's goodness that he admits us to be co-heirs with himself Rom. 8.17 Gal. 4.4.7 no more a servant but a son on heir c. Tit. 3.6 7. heirs according to the hope of eternal life Jam. 2.5 heirs of the kingdom Apoc. 3.21 Apoc. 21.7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things That which few Brothers will yield unto upon earth Luk. 12.13 Christ bountifully and freely imparts to his Brethren he makes us not only Priests but Kings also with him Apoc. 1.6 What a priviledge then hath the Church that She may make her Sons Princes in all Lands Psal 45.16 So that as Christ's People are his inheritance so Christ is the inheritance of his people Gods people are his inheritance and God is the inheritance of his people Jer. 10.16 Jer. 51.19 Psal 16.5 so that the Scripture speaks both wayes The Reason of this is that through and intimate Union between Christ and his Church so that as we say of natural things conspiring into mutual union one with other that the water is in the wine and the wine is in the water the fire in the iron and the iron in the fire so Christ in believers and believers in Christ Christ his peoples inheritance and Christs people his inheritance Deut. 32.9 Some friends have been so intimate as to use their names interchangeably 2.
title unto all things God the father appointed him heir of all things Come we now to the second By whom he made the worlds Herein are contained these two points of Doctrine 1. God made the worlds 2. God by his Son made the worlds First of the first of these wherein we must first explain what is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then prove the point and shew the reason of it And lastly come to application The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn worlds is elsewhere turned ages or generations howbeit here we understand the word as we translate it worlds And so our Apostle useth it Heb. 3.11 By faith we believe that the worlds were made Thus 1 Tim. 1.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the king eternal is better turned king of the worlds Thus in the Jews Liturgy used in those days of our Saviour while he lived in the flesh God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord of the worlds Thus Primatus an ancient Father upon this place per secula debemus intelligere omnia quae facta sunt in tempore and upon the Epistle to the Ephesians Seculum homines seculi dicimus sicut Domum dicimus vel bâ—nam vel malam dum habitantes in ea intelligimus homines Yet not only man but all other creatures both superiour and inferiour unto men are here to be understood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worlds For there are Macrocosms and Microcosms great and little worlds The Macrocosms or greater worlds are of two sorts things visible and invisible Col. 1.16 1. That there is a visible world all acknowledge and sense it self is an eye and ear witness of it 2. That there is also an invisible or angelical world is clear out of that Col. 1.16 in the which Saints shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 22.30 Luk. 20.36 3. That there is an Hyper-angelical or divine world which the Angels are not created unto but is reserved for the Saints is clear also out of Heb. 2.5 Hence it is that there is a mention of a third heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 3. 2. That man is a Microcosm or little world is evident also Joh. 3.16 17. God so loved the world c. Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the world i. e. of men as Joh. 1.4 The life is the light of men as in the greater world the Sun so in the less the Sun of Righteousness is the light of it Joh. 12.46 I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darkness Now as Man is himself a Microcosme or little world so he hath representations in him correspondent unto the Macrocosmes or great worlds for as in his Body he answers to the outward and visible world so in his Soul and Spirit he answers to the Angelical and superangelical world whence the Wise Man saith That God hath set the world in mans heart Eccles 3.11 And that is 1. In his Soul he represents the Angelical world for the Angels are Servants and keep the Commandments of God Psal 103.20 21. Revel 22.9 and by them and out of their world came the dispensation of the Law to Moses Act. 7.53 We have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it Gal. 3.19 The Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Out of this Angelical world was the Soul Created according to the judgement of some Judicious and Learned Divines and therefore it hath the Conscience and the summ and substance of the Law written in it Rom. 2.14 15. This is the inward Man according to which St. Paul delighted in the Law of God Rom. 7.22 but the Law of his members which rebelled against this Law was in his flesh or animal part and of the outward world answerable to the brute Creatures 2. The Hyperangelical or Divine world in Man is that which is called the Spirit which one of the wisest Heathens calls Divinae particulam aurae this is that breath of life which God breathed into the man Gen. 2.7 Job 33.4 The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life And these are the worlds of which the Apostle here speaks which God made and though here plurally set down yet often we find them otherwise Now that God made the Worlds appears by many Scriptures the first Scripture of all Gen. 1.1 As an Artisan makes a Mold first a type of the word he intends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. that which St. Matth. 24.21 calls the world St. Mark 13.19 calls the Creature which God Created Thus before the world was made there was darkness emptiness Jer. 4.23 Deut. 32.10 Ephes 4.18 having their understanding darkened and 5.8 ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord Isai 51.16 That I may plant the heavens and lay anew the foundations of the earth a new heaven and a new earth and 65.17 18. Behold I Create new heavens and a new earth and 43.7 I have Created him for my Glory I have formed him yea I have made him Ephes 2.10 We are his workmanship-Created in Christ Jesus unto good works Apoc. 21.1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth hence it is that the regenerate man is called a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. Thus the Gentiles worshipping Idols are nothing as an Idol is nothing in the world and they are accounted as nothing Isa 40.17 therefore being converted they are new creatures This shall be written for the last generation Psal 102. And the people that shall be Created shall praise the Lord. Hence we perceive a Reason why the Rabbins forbid the Novices the reading of the three first Chapters of Genesis The Reason why God Created the worlds cannot be found any where out of God but is to be referred to his alone free bounty and goodness who being rich in himself and wanting nothing was pleased out of the Mass of Nothing to raise the beauteous Fabrick of the greater and lesser world to the praise and glory of his Wisdom Power and Goodness and that it might be a type of the inward world This clearly confutes our Peripatetick Philosophers who are so much in credit at this day who teach that there is but one and that outward world Aristotles reasons for one world are so ridiculous they are not worth the naming against them all we oppose this Article of the Apostolical Faith Hebr. 11.3 This further informs us of a plurality of great worlds as that there are more worlds than one This truth was figured by the diverse stories in Noah's Ark Gen. 6.16 By the forefront or porch the Holy the most holy of the Tabernacle and Temple These three worlds the Jews acknowledge Cameron in Hebr. 1.2 Of this secret the Platonick Philosophers were not ignorant who speak of an outward an intelligible and divine world this last is it in which God hath dwelt from all Eternity and to the
enjoying of which God out of his infinite Love and Grace hath chosen us in Christ this is that heaven which the Angels desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.11 12. Ephes 3.10 This informs us of a plurality of little worlds within us for although our Peripateticks make but Two parts of a man Soul and Body and too many Divines have followed that Tenent not considering that the Holy Ghost hath warned us to take heed of that vain Philosophy wherewith the present world is bewitched Coloss 8. Beware lest any man spoil ye through Philosophy yet the true Philosophy and old Divinity tells us of three little inward worlds Body Soul and Spirit answerable to the three parts of Gods Temple for the sanctification of all which the Apostle prayes 1 Thess 5.23 answerable to the three stories of Noah's Ark And Christ is that inward and living Word which divides the Soul and Spirit Hebr. 4.12 And Maries Magnificat witnesseth as much for she tells us That her Soul doth magnifie the Lord and her Spirit rejoyceth in God her Saviour Luk. 1.46 47. So that Man hath in him more worlds than one 1. Observe neither Visible nor Angelical world are eternal à parte ante as they speak as Aristotle to broach a novelty contrary to his Master Plato affirmed of all the world he knew Now though some doubt might be made concerning the Angelical world because we read no mention of the Angels Creation in the Narration of the visible worlds Creation Gen. 1.2 And because we read they were before the Creation of it as they who sang when the foundation of the world was laid Job 38.4 5 6. yet had they a beginning and that by Creation also and therefore they are mentioned in the Catalogue of things Created Coloss 1.16 Visible and invisible whether Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers Psal 104.4 Who made his Angels Spirits his Ministers a flaming fire 2. Observe a proof of Gods eternity both à parte ante and à parte post 1. A parte ante For as he that comes into a strange Country and sees fair and sumptuous buildings c. will conclude some body had been there 2. A parte post Thus Jeremy arms the people that were to go into Babylon where they should see the Babylonian Idols lest they should be polluted with Idolatry he gives them this sentence Jer. 10.11 Thus shall ye say unto them the Gods that have not made the heavens and the earth even they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens That sentence is only Chaldee of all Jeremiah's prophecy which the people were to learn being now to live among the Chaldeans But as for the true God the Prophet presently puts a diversity He hath made the earth by his power he hath established the world by his wisdom and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion and therefore he must not perish but be eternal 3. Observe a proof of Gods Omnisciency and all-searching wisdom he made the worlds and therefore knows what they are and what is in them doth not every Artisan know what is in his work By this Argument the Prophet Isai 29.15 16. convinceth the Atheism of the Jews who implicitely denied Gods Omnisciency Wo unto them who seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord and their works are in the dark and they say who seeth us and who knoweth us surely your turning things upside down shall be esteemed as potters clay for shall the work say of him that made it he made me not or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it he hath no understanding An Argument convincing their Ignorance and Atheism who say that God sees no sin in his People are they Gods People and of Gods making and shall not God know what is in them surely they are not Gods People but Atheists who say God sees no sin in his people Ah Lord God saith the Prophet Jeremiah chap. 32.17 behold thou hast made heaven and earth by thy great power and stretched-out-arm and there is nothing too hard or obscure or hidden from thee and vers 19. Thine eyes are open upon all the wayes of the Sons of men to give every one according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings Ecclus. 23.19 20. The like ye have Amos 9.2 3. Though they digg into hell thence shall mine hand take them though they climb up into heaven thence will I bring them down and his reason is vers 6. It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven and hath founded his troop in the earth he that calleth for the waters of the sea and poureth them out upon the face of the earth 4. Observe a ground of inexcusableness unto all Mankind That which can be known of God is made manifest unto them from the Creation of the world Mark how the Apostle reasons because that which can be known c. therefore they are without excuse so that the wrath of God is reveiled from heaven against them how much more shall we be without excuse how much more shall the wrath of God be reveiled against us who hold more and greater truth than this in iniquity who know the works of God by Creation Preservation Redemption Covenant therefore the Lord threatens the Jews Jer. 16.17 18. 5. Observe a ground of Faith Hebr. 11.3 Reproves Those who live after the guise of the outward world not considering that there are other worlds which God hath made such are they whose only care it is that their bodies be preserved that wake and sleep in cute curanda what they shall eat what they shall drink not considering that there are other worlds within them hungry and thirsty souls naked and troubled spirits they look without on the Creature a meer man-case an outside as if born only to pamper their flesh without any respect to Soul or Spirit but meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them 1 Cor. 6. and the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7.31 But what then must we not make provision for our life in this world O yea Beloved but so that the outward world serve the inward for our Apostle having told us that meat is for the belly presently adds that the body is for the Lord and know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ take then so much care for the body that it may be serviceable to the Lord and accounted worthy to obtain this end Luk. 20.35 That both Body and Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord that the body may be a member of Christ flesh of his flesh But far more are they to be blamed who as if God had not made worlds enough live and dwell in the Devils world why hath he a world too what think you of that world that lies in wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 Is not that Satans world surely it is none of Gods worlds
render thanks for all the Creatures and all their excellencies which God hath given them and for himself and all the excellencies in himself so that what worth there is in all the world and every Creature in it Man is a debtor unto God for it and what worth there is in himself and every part in him Man is a debtor unto God for it yea he hath one part in him better worth than all the world as our Saviour speaks As if a City had received great privileges from a Prince and there were in it but one wise Man who knew those privileges and their worth this man were bound to thankfulness more than all thus much the dumb Creatures witness 1. The Sun cryes unto thee that it shines not for it self but for thee that it gives thee light to watch and labour and retiring it self it gives thee darkness to rest and sleep It makes variety in the year for thy delight temperature of the Spring heat of Summer fulness of Autumn cold of Winter 2. The earth bears thee nourisheth thee strengthens thee with bread makes thy heart glad with wine 3. The water gives thee drink and purgeth away thy filth 4. The air gives thee free breathing 5. Earth air and water breed and bring thee up fish fowl and cattel for thy necessity thine use thy help thy delight thy comfort thy learning thine example Go to the pismire thou sluggard and learn her wayes and be wise Go to the Oxe and Ass and learn their wayes the Oxe knows his owner c. Go to the Stork and Turtle and Crane and Swallow and learn their wayes they know their time and teach thee thine Yea all the world the mute and brute Creatures though they know not their Creator yet shew him unto thee as an arrow shot at a mark sees not the mark 't is shot at yet directs and points unto it Now what doth the Lord thy God require of thee O man for all his outward worlds What else but that thou remember thy Creatour and be thankful for want of this and holding the knowledge of this truth in unrighteousness see what a deluge of sin and punishment for sin breaks in upon us Rom. 1.18 What doth the Lord require of thee for his inward worlds but that thou remember thy God the Son thy Creatour and that thou approve thy self his Workmanship his Creature created by Christ unto good works that thou mayest walk and live in them what else but that thou shew forth his virtues and praises who hath called thee out of darkness into his marvellous light NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS I. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who being the brightness of his glory THese words contain our Saviours Eternal Generation wherein Two things are to be explained 1. What 's meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn glory 2. What 's meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightness of glory 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glory of God is the excellency and eminency of all the attributes and works of God wrought either 1. Immediately by himself or 2. Mediately by his Creatures in regard of which God is said to be glorious Thus God is glorious in power Exod. 15.6 and vers 11. glorious in holiness and his Name i. e. his Nature is said to be glorious Deut. 28.58 The glory of God appears also in his works which he manifests both on the bodies of men as Matth. 15.30 31. Great multitudes came unto him having with them those who were lame blind dumb maimed and many others and cast them down at Jesus feet and he healed them insomuch that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak and they glorified the God of Israel And on the souls and spirits of men Thus the Disciples glorified God for his Grace vouchsafed to the Gentiles Act. 11.18 Thus they glorified God in Paul Gal. 1.24 This glory by reason of the lustre and manifestation of it is called light Thus Luk. 2. The glory of the Lord shined round about them And in the transfiguration when Christ manifested his glory his face shined as the Sun of which St. Peter speaking saith That they heard a voice from the excellent glory Thus 1 Cor. 15.41 There is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon and one Star differs from another in glory 2. Of this glory Christ is the brightness i. e. Such Christ is unto God the Father as light is unto the Sun light of his light brightness of his brightness clearness and lustre of his lustre and clearness For this lustre and brightness he himself prays unto his Father that it may be made manifest Joh. 17.5 for whereas especially are considerable in the Sun 1. The Planet which is as it were the body of the light 2. The brightness and clearness issuing from that body 3. An enlivening and quickning heat That body or fountain of light resembles God the Father the brightness and clearness thence issuing answers to God the Son who is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resplendescentia or the shining from the Father the enlivening or quickning heat descends from both and answers to the holy Spirit the spirit of life The same word is used by the Wise Man speaking of wisdom which is Christ Wisd 7.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The house was filled with a cloud and the Court which was the Gentiles was filled with the brightness of the Lords glory Ezeck 10.4 more fitly Mich. 5.2 Thou Bethlem Ephrata c. out of thee shall go forth HE who shall rule Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his shinings forth are from the beginning the word is proper to the shining of the Sun and applyed to Christs Eternal Generation Of this there can be given no Reason à priori as they speak God the Father and God the Son being the first and the beginning it self and therefore no Reason can be alledged to demonstrate as before either See Notes on Hebr. 1.5 wherein is seen the great difference between the filiation or sonship of Christ and Christians Christ being a Son by natural Generation and ab eterno Christians being Sons by Adoption and born in time Christ born by Nature as the light from the Sun Christians by Grace and the good will and pleasure of God Of his own will be begat us James This may be of use unto us divers ways which that ye may the better understand I shall first name such uses as flow from the absolute consideration of God and his Glory and Christ the brightness of his Glory Secondly Such as follow from the relative consideration of them 1. This acquaints us with the nature of God he is a Glorious God a God who dwells in light and there is no darkness in him a God whose eminency and excellency transcends all his creatures The God of Glory Acts 7. yea God and his Glory are taken one for the other The spirit of Glory and of God 1
Sacerdotes i. e. indelebiliter imprimatur Means 1. Overcome Revel 3.12 He that overcomes shall inherit all things Revel 21.7 Means 2. Pray that the Lords Name may be hallowed in us Reprove Those who obtain names by inheritance but far less noble than their Ancestors left them yet glory in an out-side a bare name and title Psal 47.5 Sign 1. Whether doest thou take Gods Name in vain in words thou swearest not 't is well but doest thou not curse We have heard some teach to curse of late dayes and that for Christ's sake when yet as he saith swear not at all so his Doctrine is also curse not at all Rom. 12.14 and lye not at all see the force of this Argument Ephes 4.20 25. He is properly the Saviour Jesus Christ to those who will not lye Isa 63.8 Children that will not lye so he was their Saviour Rom. 9.1 I speak the truth in Christ I lye not for no lye is of the truth 1 Joh. 2.21 not only known evil words but for every idle word he must be accountable 2. Doest thou do all to the Glory of God 1 Cor. 10.21 Confer with Coloss 3.17 If any suffer as a Christian for doing well let him glorifie God hoc nomine i. e. in the Christian name So Syriack Christ among the Romans was called Chrestus which yet is neer a kin to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being becoming Motives Now beloved if by either doing or suffering we make not good this worthy Name by which we are called we take it in vain for whosoever names Christ must depart from iniquity we cause Gods Name to be blasphemed Rich Christians by their Pride Covetousness Oppression cause the name of Christ to be blasphemed Jam. 2.7 as if he taught so we wrong our brethren for what is more ordinary than to say they are all such Creatures lying proud c. Christ obtained this most Excellent Name by Inheritance the Heir had a double portion so hath Christ as Elisha petitioned that Elias spirit might be doubled upon him so the Son brings a greater measure of Peace more Grace and Life in more abundance How great then is the humility of Christ yea how great his love toward us who humbled himself and made himself lower than the Angels yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea a worm and no man Psal 22.6 Object Is it possible for us to obtain so excellent a name Hear the Psalmist Psal 8. What is man saith he that thou remembrest him for thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels If the Psalmist wonder at Gods goodness toward man that he hath made him a little lower than the Angels shall we think that man can obtain so Excellent a Name that he should be more excellent than the Angels yea that he should obtain the same name with Christ We must therefore first enquire whether it be possible to be obtained before we exhort men hereunto For answer to this doubt we must consider a three-fold estate or condition in man according to which he may have a three-fold Name 1. an estate by Nature 2. an estate by Sin 3. an estate by Grace According to these three Estates he hath three names 1. According to his estate by nature he is earthly made of the earth and so called Adam from Adamah which signifieth the earth nor is this name only proper to the first man but common to his whole race and posterity Psal 36.7 Thou savest both Adam Man and Beast and Psal 39.6 Every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is altogether vanity 2. The second estate of man is his estate by sin that as it began in Adam's Apostacy so it continued and grew up with his Posterity and Misery with it which is an individual companion or attendant upon sin whence it is that man hath a second name a name of sin and misery by sin that 's Enosh which name is not proper to the Son of Seth only Gen. 4.26 but common to all such Lord what is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Psal 9.21 put them in fear that they may know themselves to be but men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Psal 144.3 This name implyed his sin it signifieth perverse and 't is added then men begun to call upon the Name of the Lord it may be rendered then profanely to call upon the Name of the Lord or profanely began in calling upon the name of the Lord but by reason of his perversness it signified miserable and sorrowful 3. The third estate of man is his estate by Grace and so he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name of dignity and nobility whereby man excelleth others of his kind as appears Psal 49.1 2. Hear ye this all ye people both sons of Adam and sons of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Sons of base men and of noble men i. e. according to the Chaldee the sinner and the righteous for it is Sin only that makes a man base and Grace only that makes a man truly noble We must therefore know that howsoever the earthly and much more the sinful man be inferiour to the Angels in estate name and dignity yet by Grace he is advanced to the same estate and name yea a more excellent name than the Angels themselves have 1. He is advanced to the same estate with the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they who shall be accounted worthy to obtain the new world are equal unto the Angels and are the children of God Luk. 20.36 2. The man by Grace shall be advanced unto a more excellent estate dignity and name than that of Angels for the Saints shall judge the Angels 1 Cor. 6.3 and we have great and precious promises whereby we are made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 1 Joh. 4.17 As God is so are we in this world Thus Adam was but a type of him that was to come Rom. 5.14 Adam was Lord of the Creatures which was but a figure of the Lord which the true Israel should obtain As we have born the Image of the earthly so we shall bear the Image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15.47 48 49. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Portemus so let us bear the Image of the heavenly so it is in a most ancient English Manuscript Translation Observe then who is the better man this question is soon answered according to Gods Heraldry the righteous man is better than his neighbour Prov. 12.26 where we may observe he saith not that he who imagines himself a righteous man is so but he who is righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Many there are who fancy themselves righteous men and would be accounted so and out of that strength of imagination prefer themselves before others and if they could perswade others to have as strong an imagination of them then they were righteous as they are in their own thought but the Apostle foresaw such a generation and forewarns us of it 1 Joh. 3.7
men Isai 53.3 4 c. yet God the Father who knew him did ever own him love and honour him and so much the more for his humility patience love and mercy towards men Isa 49.7 8. Thus saith the Lord to him whom man despiseth to him whom the nation abhorreth chap. 53.2 3-7 12. He hath neither form nor comliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him the words are in praeterito who hath seen any beauty in Holiness and Righteousness that is Christ from the beginning that hath been despised and rejected of men c. that hath been slain from the beginning of the world the life of God condemned and despised and slain in Abel Enoch Noah c. Observ 4. Observe the Supreme Dignity of God the Son and since the excellency of Religion ariseth from the eminency of the object whom we worship The Son of God is God himself even as he is the Son of God so the Apostle he thought it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2. To affirm himself to be a Son of God by Creation or Imitation they could have born it they affirmed the like of themselves Joh. 8. We have one Father even God but to be of one essence with the Father and so to be equal with God so Jesus Christ was the Son of God and so they understood him Joh. 5.18 Exhort 1. Kiss the Son Chald. accipite Disciplinam learn Doctrine of the Son Exhort 2. To walk worthy of our God that he may own us also for his Sons and Daughters and say even to every one of us Thou art my Son thou art my Daughter You will say that 's impossible for the Lord hath but one Son True but one Natural Son yet he hath made a precious promise to some that they should be partakers of his Divine Nature yea what is wanting by Nature is supplyed by Adoption and Grace and therefore Adoption is described to be Actus legitimus naturam imitans ad eorum qui liberos non habent solatium inventus A notable Argument of Gods Love unto us That though he hath a Natural Son yet vouchsafeth to take such as walk worthy of God into his houshold and account them for his Sons and Daughters What wonderful love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3.1 Syr. That he hath called us so and made us so he predestinates us unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ Ephes 1.5 What wonderful love the Son hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God as many as received him Joh. 1.11 12. He is not ashamed to call us brethren Heb. 2. LOVE is a sign of being begotten of God 1 Joh. 5.1 If therefore we hate those who are begotten and born of God we are not born of him An Aethiâ—pian woman brought forth a white Child whereupon her Husband hated her accused her of Adultery c. It is the condition of the true Christian Church She is black but comly as the Tents of Kedar She brings forth Andromeda the Wisdom the Son of God and so becomes hated and accused of Adultery persecuted unto death Revel 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are my people children that will not lye In the Ancient Comedies the children that were lost and came afterward to be known had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their proper marks by which they were known O Beloved we all arrogate and challenge this noble title of Children of God unto our selves when yet it 's much to be feared it belongs not unto us Let us therefore examine our selves by the marks of Gods Children by which he will know us and own us 1. Negative Phil. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are such who is there but some or other blame especially when men see all faults in others none in themselves but the meaning is the Children of God are such as no man can justly complain of otherwise who so blamed as Christ and his Apostles and the Christians every where spoken against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blameless Syriack without spot Ephes 5.27 Deut. 32.5 Your spot is not the spot of his children Trem. Vitiositas illorum aliena est à filiis Dei qui justus rectus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without rebuke in the midst of a perverse and crooked generation like Lot in Sodom Job in the Land of Vz especially Isa 63.8 They are my people children that will not lye The Apostle exhorting to conformity unto the Son of God the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Ephes 4.25 put away lying Among whom ye shine like lights in the world or shine ye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Affirmative whereof some evidence us to our selves as the spirit of Adoption or to others as Faith Hope Love Hope 1 Pet. 1.3 Hope purifieth the heart these render men like unto God Holy Merciful Pure 1 Joh. 5.1 He that believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God Easie the devils believed it This is a new Creature i. e. Faith worketh by Love and he that doth Righteousness is born of him 1 Joh. 2.29 We are the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 The Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.14 15 16. Brotherly Love by this shall all men know ye are my Disciples c. Joh. 13. 1 Joh. 5.1 Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one who loves him who begat loveth him also who is begotten of him according to that of our Saviour Joh. 8.42 If God were your father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God whether doth the spirit lead you into all Truth all Righteousness Gal. 5.22 23. Ephes 5.1 Be ye followers of God as dear children Here is great strife among Christians who should be the genuine and true Christians the true Sons of God there are no marks by which we can be so discerned as these no marks that our God will own us by like these The Jews would gladly have God father them but they easily discovered whose children they were Joh. 8.44 Ye are of your father the devil How doth he prove that For saith he the lusts of your father ye will do A man by this may soon discern whose Son he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have a lust to do them so they that will be rich 1 Tim. 6. A man è contra proves himself the Son of God by being willing to do his will Genuine Children imitate their Fathers Ephes 5.1 they will not endure them to be injured blasphemed they think highliest of them If a Prince smite a beggars child he will threaten to tell his Father He judges well of all his actions cutting fair boughs treading beautiful Grapes Media Geniti ex patre Joh. 1.12 They who were to be begotten unto God were sons of peace Matth. 5.9 enquire if the son
own impotency and weakness but consider his greatness and power what can an arm of flesh What can the Gates of Hell do against him or his Mark how the Lord encourageth his people Esay 41.10 Fear thou not for I am with thee Emanuel c. Verse 10.14 and 51.12 13. I say unto you my Friends fear not them that can kill the body This same I say unto you carries Majesty and terrour with it Esau the earthly man is afraid when God brings his Son out of Egypt Deut. 2.4 All people of the earth shall see and they shall be afraid of thee Deut. 28.10 Ainsw Motive He layeth not hold on the Angels but on the seed of Abraham Hebr. 22.16 The outward worship without the inward may strike a kind of reverence into the enemies of God but it is the inward worship daunts them the outward without it doth nothing The Philistines frighted with the presence of the Ark so were the Gauls frighted at the Roman Senate when they sate in the Senate House in their Robes but the Story saith of the Gauls that whom at first they feared as Gods they afterwards kill'd like Sheep what will all outside worship now profit us Worship him all ye men of God pay to him the homage of your being which ye owe equally with the Angels Did we consider the High Majesty of our God O how the Hills would melt at his presence How the Mountains would be moved How the high proud spirited world would come down How every reasoning would be brought under the obedience of Christ As when Joshua had passed over Jordan the Kings of the Amorites the great praters the Canaanites all covetous desires their heart melted away when the waters of pleasure ebb'd in mare mortuum what hath pride profited us You call me Lord would you take this at the hand of your servant The true worshippers worship him in Spirit that is his Temple and truth i. e. sincerely Men forget God and build Temples no men can say that Jesus is the Lord but from the Holy Spirit 3. When he brings his only begotten into the world then he saith let all the Angels worship him Intus usque ad corda hominum ducit eum in orbem terrae in reparatione humani generis ubique existentis Anselm O let us entertain him he comes and knocks at the door of our hearts Open to me c. He passeth by us and returns he goes up and down and seeking those who are worthy of him Wisdom 6.16 He seeks worshippers John 4. As Elisha passed by 2 Kings 4.8 And the woman constrained him to come in and mark how the woman detained him with her Let us make him a little chamber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cenaculum an upper chamber where the Disciples met Acts 1. where Peter walk'd Acts 10. our mind and spirit a bed to rest in an heart void of earthly cares such was Solomons bed Cant. 3. a Table the continual feast of a good conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Stool or Throne Candelabrum the body subject to the Spirit Job 29.3 Worship serve love honour him c. This worship will remain upon his Favourites so that he will make his abode with us 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or iterum hath a double sence for it is either referred unto the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it signifieth an iterated introduction of Christ into the world Or else 2. It may be referred unto the former sentence q. d. The Lord saith I will be to him a Father c. and again he saith Truly if we consider the structure of the words we shall incline rather to the former for it is not all one to say when again he brings in his Son and again when he brings in c. Our Translators followed the latter the Ancients as Chrysostom Ambrose Theodoret and others understand it in the former according to the structure of the words Iterum supponit semel Then the question will be which of these introductions is here meant 1. Whether when his Father brought him into the world at his incarnation 2. Or at his Resurrection Or 3. At the last Judgment Or 4. Which none of them once mention at the manifestation of his Glory in the thousand years Whether soever of these introductions be here meant a former must be understood for if he bring him into the world again it is supposed that he brought him in before For our better understanding of this we must know that of the manifold introductions of the first begotten into the world there are three more notable than the rest 1. At his Incarnation 2. At the thousand years 3. At the General Judgment And these three hold proportion with the threefold Kingdom of God 1. The Kingdom of Grace 2. The Kingdom of Glory and Lordliness 3. The eternal and everlasting Kingdom of God and Christ 1. At his incarnation the Father brought him into the world in the form of a servant not to be ministred unto but to minister made like unto us in all things sin only excepted yet made in the similitude of sinful flesh Rom. 8. This first bringing into the world hath proportion with the Kingdom of Grace wherein Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.21 And this is performed in this visible world 2. At the thousand years the Father will bring in his Son into the world for the quickening restoring and recovering of all what was lost in Adam free the creature from the curse and vanity bind Satan and all Israel shall be saved freed from their sins turned unto God and the Kingdom of Israel again erected when the spirit shall be poured upon all flesh and Christ with his holy ones shall be King and Priest and shall reign over all people Nations and Tongues And the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord when the Lord shall take off the veil from all nations and make his feast of fat things this is often called the day of the Lord And S. Peter tells us That one day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day This bringing in of Christ the first begotten into the world hath proportion with the Kingdom of Glory specially so called whereof there is special mention made as in the old Prophets so in the Prophecy of these last times Revelations 20.1 7. And this is to be performed in Paradice or the Angels world 3. Thirdly and Lastly God the Father will bring in his first begotten into the world at the last day of general Judgement when all the dead shall arise and be judged according to what they have done in the flesh whether it be good or evil when time shall be no more but swallowed up in everlasting eternity This hath proportion with the everlasting kingdom of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ when all things
judgement of men and their ill thoughts of Jesus Christ All the Angels of God worship him yet men think low and base thoughts of him as one that had a Devil and was mad They thought they said well when they so said Joh. 8. but this was the errour of that Age we have higher opinions and more worthy thoughts of God and Christ would God we had but do we not entertain as hard thoughts As when any thing is foretold except he be a man of our Opinion and Sect what ever that is we are ready to impute it to the Devil though he be as Isa 41.24 I will say that ye are Gods So when any thing is done that we wonder at men are wont to impute it to the Devil as unguentum Hopliatricum though Psal 72.18 Qui facit mirabilia solus Exhort To receive Christ when his Father brings him into the world Zach. 9.9 His coming in his kingdom of Grace is described unto us he comes Just the Just One and who makes all those Righteous and Just who receive him i. e. believe on him Joh. 1.12 He hath Salvation to save them from their sins he brings his reward with him He comes lowly and meek sitting upon an Ass and that borrowed He comes poor and without all worldy pomp and ostentation he makes choise of the base things of the world and things that are not All this is to discover unto us how we should entertain him not with our wisdom He comes on an Ass the most foolish of serviceable beasts even such nay worse hath the Man made himself by his Fall like the beasts worse than the beasts that perish Isaac going to be sacrificed rode on the Ass Dominus opus habet summa nostra stultitia But who alas who thus receives the first begotten brought into the world who bears contempt with the Wisdom crying and lying in the street when men shake their heads at him and cry fie upon him fie upon him Who takes pleasure in Christ when he seems so ugly and deformed in the eye of carnal wisdom Isa 53. who forsakes himself to go with Christ See Epist 2. Chap. 1. He comes among his own and his own receive him not c. Contend for Christ yea fight for him yet receive him not when we may have him for taking up in the streets Michal despised David naked and became childless We know not that he gives us our Wooll and our Flax c. When will he come Luk. 24.49 It is not for you to know the Times and Seasons They who wait for him Isa 25.9 Lo this is our God we have waited for him Isa 30.18 Blessed are they that wait for him Wait at Jerusalem I will wait upon thee in Righteousness Psal 63.2 That I may behold thy Power and Glory Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord The birds will return to their like so will truth to them that practice her Ecclus. 27.9 Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him he shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation Means I am in the midst of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 18.20 When two or three are gathered together in my name c. Mal. 3.16 They that feared the Lord spake one to another and the Lord heard c. Luk. 24. so to the travellers to Emaus then he will cast out the Prince of this world Because of the Angels Christ is in the Congregation of the Righteous NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS I. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And of the Angels he saith Who maketh his angels spirits HItherto the Apostle hath proved the Conclusion vers 5. by three Testimonies in regard of Christ he now proceeds to prove it in regard of the Angels The words are taken out of Psal 104.4 which Psalm is a glorious description of Gods Majesty Creation and Providence and are taken by the Apostle word for word out of the LXX Translation There is some difficulty in the words which I shall first endeavour to clear then observe what is generally observable in them then lay out the several truths contained in them In clearing the words let us 1. Examine whether they be placed in order or no Then 2. Whether there be a repetition of them of or no 3. What is meant by making his Angels Spirits c. 1. As for the disposition or placing of these words some would have them transposed and put in a diverse order thus Who makes those who by nature are Spirits his Angels or Messengers c. but howsoever this be a truth yet some Paraphrasts read the words without transposition as we find them laid down in the Text Besides the Fathers who were more learned in the Greek tongue than the other read the Text as we do and we are enforced by the Article in the Greek which is added to Angels and Ministers for when there is a doubt of two words whether should be the Subject which is the principal we look unto which the Article is added and that is the Subject 2. Whether there is a repetition in these words or no as when Israel came out of Aegypt c. See Notes in Rom. 15. There may be yet somewhat in the one which is not in the other By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Jews understand the winds so the Vulg. Lat. turns the word Ventos and so the meaning should be that the Lord makes the winds his messengers so the next words makes thunders and lightnings his Ministers But this fits not our Apostles purpose howsoever the speech be true for the Apostle here speaks not of the winds but of Angelical Spirits such as in the Verse before These words contain the Principles of the Angels whereof their nature consists whereby the Apostle shews the inferiority of the Angels unto Christ whatever is Created and not God is as meer and sound Reason teacheth compounded of Principles quid est quò est But this is all one as to confess they knew not whereof their Nature consists that therefore which Metaphysick ignorantly in general teacheth that the Word of God declares distinctly As Man and many other Creatures consist of three Principles Body Soul and Spirit so do the Angels 1. They have somewhat Analogical and proportionable to a body that 's wind so Vulg. Lat. facit Angelos suos ventos 2. To the Soul that 's fire ministros flammam ignis 3. To the Spirit that 's light This is manifest by their Creation on the first day when God made the light and those spirits of light hence it is that their appearing is accompanied with light Luk. 2.9 The Angel of the Lord came upon the Shepherds and the Glory of the Lord shone round about them there shined a light in the prison And hence it is that the Apostle saith that Satan is transformed into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 whence Damascene
calls them luces intellectuales 3. He makes i. e. producit or else promotes as the Lord made Moses and Aaron 1 Sam. 2.6 He made twelve Mark 3.14 I have Created him for my Glory I have formed him yea I have made him Isa 43.7 The word here may be understood both wayes 1. He made those whom he used as Messengers Spirits Or 2. He advanced Spirits to the dignity of being his Messengers and both are true and why should any truth be lost Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the Lord sometimes hides himself Deus latens sometimes reveils himself Deus patens so the several emanations by the Angels are fitted unto these Two 1. First he hides himself so he hath subtle Spirits 2. Secondly he reveils himself and so he hath fire and light his Ministers as flaming fire Δ The Unity is identity or oneness and singularity the Angel alteritas or compounded of two as the Pillar before the Israelites consisted of a cloud and fire the cloud or air a bodily instrument therein receiving the fire and light This sometimes is called an Angel as a Creature Exod. 23.20 Sometime the Lord himself as the Creator in and with it Exod. 13.21 The Lord before them in a pillar of a cloud Deut. 1.33 The several truths contained herein are these 1. The Lord makes his Angels Spirits 2. He makes his Ministers a flame of fire 3. He saith this of the Angels who makes c. 1. An Angel is a Power or powerful essence intermediate or middle between God and inferiour Nature by which such works are wrought in the Creatures which their Nature either could not do or could not so do middle between the Unity of the Deity and the composition of the Creature as duplicity is between one and three Δ It is called an Angel or Messenger because sent and commanded to reveil the will of God to Men. 2. They are called Spirits in regard of their existence or essence and their similitude and likeness because their consistence or substance is pure and subtil and clear whence Dionysius Areopagita calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as most clear mirrours or pure glasses reflecting and conveying the Divine Light from God unto men 2. In similitude unto the most subtil bodies known to us So he makes his Angels Spirits winds i. e. ut supra The Angels are Good of light of God and Evil of darkness of Satan 3. Of what kind of Spirits good or evil Gods or Satans Angels is this to be understood Surely both That we may the better understand this we must know That God alone is the one and only worker of all things Isa 44.24 I am the Lord that maketh all things that stretcheth forth the heavens alone that spreadeth abroad the earth by my self Dan. 4.35 Ipse juxta voluntatem suam facit in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand and say what dost thou In him we live and move and have our being our being intellectual The Spirit of the Almighty gives the man understanding Job 32.8 our sensitive-faculty in whom we move our vital faculty He it is who quickneth all things 1 Tim. 6. He is the actor and worker in our vital and animal faculties In him we live and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Job 33.4 whence we conclude Operatur omnia in omnibus 1 Cor. 12. He is the fountain of all being and actions Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end Now God the Father worketh all things by his Eternal Coessential Word who is that great Angel of the Covenant Psal 33.6 By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth This is that universal Agent who worketh in all inferiour Agents whom Plato understood by the Soul of the world who is the only begotten of the Father by whom all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth are made 1 Cor. 8. To us there is one God the Father of whom are all things and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things More specially for evil Angels we read that the Lord makes use of them Psal 78.49 He sent evil Angels among them by these he afflicteth and chasteneth his Saints Job 1 16-16 by these he smites his enemies The Reason why the Lord makes his Angels Spirits is from the consideration of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that supreme Authority of the highest God who worketh all things in all things for whereas there are two wayes of working 1. One befitting our humane weakness when we must put to our hand otherwise the work will not be done 2. The other when by our command or intimation or word the business is done so that by how much every Agent is more powerful by so much his way of working is more absolute Hence it is that since the Father does all things by his Son the Father and Son by the Angels both in Heaven and in Earth the Son is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1. That word by which all things were made Dixit factum est Let there be light and it was light Hence it is that when God is said to say or do any thing in the Old Testament the Chaldee Paraphrast adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore Hos 1.7 Servabo I will save them by Jehovah their God Chaldee Paraphrast I will redeem them by the Word of the Lord your God This is that great Angel of the Covenant in whom God the Fathers Name is Exod. 23. 2. Another Reason is in regard of the Angels which are instrumental unto the great and sole Agent unto whom by how much one draws nearer than other by so much it 's the more serviceable quick and expedite and ready to comply with the commands of the Supreme God 3. In regard of Man and his Sanctification Preservation and Salvation The will of God is the mans Sanctification 1 Thess 4. and Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Niss Summa voluntatis Dei the whole summ of Gods will is the salvation of men Tertul. And the Angels do his pleasure Psal 103. Consol To the holy ones of God He makes his angels spirits i. e. quick expedite and ready to help and succour all his Saints Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for himself or as the Chaldee Paraphrast for him that obeys him God hath made even the Angels themselves Spirits for their aid against all evil He that dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty He who dwells in God and works all his works in God Joh. 3. Such an one is safe at home and safe abroad Unto such an one speaks the Psalmist Psal 91. vers 11. He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways O what a precious thing is an obedient
what he hath done in the body 4. The Throne is the guerdon and reward which the Father gave him for his conquest of Sin Satan Death and Hell Rev. 3.21 Learn we from hence that vast difference and disproportion between Christ and the Angels yea even the highest Angels though there be some Analogie between the Creator and his best Creatures such as the Angels are As God is a Spirit and his Angels are Spirits God is a consuming fire and Angels are a flame of fire God is light and his Angels are Angels of light c. yet when they come to be compared together the disproportion and difference is far greater as between Creator and Creature finite and infinite mutable and immutable c we say in Philosophy there there is no proportion It is the duty and practice of the Pen-men of Gods Spirit to set forth this difference that the Creator may be exalted according to his infinite greatness and the Creature depressed according to its inferiour condition Some Angels have certain Countries allotted unto them to guard and keep as we read Dan. 9. of the Princes of Persia and Grecia and of Michael their Prince which the Ancients understood of Topical Angels Some of them are called Dominations either because they have Hierarchies of Angels under them as the word Archangel imports or else because God hath Dominion over them in a special manner Yea some of them are called thrones Coloss 1.16 Yea all of them are so unto God and Christ who sits and rules in them and doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth Whence they are also called Christs Chariots Dan. 35. in which he comes riding for the help of his Servants Psal 18.10 He rode upon a Cherub and did fly he came flying upon the wings of the wind This Testimony therefore is very fit to set forth the Transcendency and Superiority of Christ's Nature and the subordination and inferiority of the Angels Consol If the Son of God be God and God with us what can be against us but Judg. 6.12 c. Jer. 14.7 God is with you while you are with him I conclude with Consolation and I shall now proceed with it There is great need of Consolation in these tempestuous times to the soul sinking and there is no means to support it so convenient as the consideration of this point that Christ the Son of God is God This upheld the drooping and sinking Soul in the midst of all storms of temptations inward and outward Matth. 14.22 When the Disciples were upon the Sea and the ship was tossed with the waves because the wind was contrary the contrary spirit contrariae adversae potestates they oppose the ship that tends straight on to the true haven where we all would be But see when we are in the greatest and most imminent danger then comes Christ unto us walking on the waters so did not the Jews but through the Sea and through Jordan nor Elias nor Elisha but through Jordan Christ only as the spirit moved upon the waters so he walked upon them They said it is a phantasm In the night of temptations of storms and tempests we do not think the Lord to be what he is but otherwise than he is we think not God to be there when he afflicts us chastens us corrects us we lay the blame upon the Devil upon a Spirit But the Apostles teach that God is the same who afflicts and comforts who casts down and raiseth up c. See Palatium in Love Here here is the great Consolation EGO SVM the very â—ame message that Moses was to carry the Israelites into Aegypt I AM hath sent me unto you The same message I may bring unto you in this our common affliction Ego Sum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's an Exhortation with which I shall conclude this point O that we did believe this Truth that Jesus Christ the Son of God is God Motive By this means we become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 For this end was the Gospel written That ye may believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that ye may have life through his name Joh. 20.31 This is that Faith which overcomes the world 1 Joh. 5. When thou yieldest to the suggestions of Satan thou doest not believe that Christ is God In my Name they shall cast out Devils Out of their belly shall flow rivers of living waters Where doth the Devil work more at this day than among pretending Christians The Throne of Christ may be understood to endure for ever and ever considered either Absolutely or Relatively unto other Kingdomes which are not of the like duration and continuance This may help us to discover in these times of distraction who are the true Christians and truly Beloved there is great need of this when there is such contention for Christ here is Christ and there is Christ If the Son of God Jesus Christ be God surely those people are the true Christians who have most of God among them A true Christian man hath Christ living in him he is wise powerful holy Deut. 4.6 This great Nation is a wise and understanding people for what Nation is there so great that hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Can our God be nigher than in us The Son of God our God is Emmanuel God with us and in us Would we sit with the Lord in his Throne Pray to the Lord that he would erect his Throne in us that he would destroy his Corrival in us Regnum non habet socium Antichrist in us That the Son of God would destroy the Son of perdition in us That the Son of God who is God would dethrone and depose him who exalts himself above all that is called God and is worshipped That he would destroy him with the spirit of his mouth and the brightness of his coming That he would cast out the Prince of this world he began to do it Joh. 12. Now is the judgement now is the Prince of this world cast out That he would set up his Throne in our hearts and judge us in his strength Here he justifieth the ungodly Here he condemns sin for sin 'T is true there is a time when Christ is weak in us 2 Cor. 13. A time when the Sons of Zeruiah are too strong for him nor is it in vain said that the Lord shall give him the Throne of his Father David Alas how was he opposed and contradicted and sleighted c. and so is Christ but he endured the Cross and despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Hebr. 12.1 2. More NOTES on HEBREWS I. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever and ever THere is an Observation that goes for currant that where we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone it is most-what understood of a
into their Masters affections Do not the thing that I hate Jer. 'T is no hard matter to discover whether we love Righteousness yea or no That which we love our thoughts our desires and affections are upon it yea in that our actions are employed Amor meus pondus animae meae whatever we love the weight of our soul yea of our whole man propends and inclines that way our love is the byass of the whole man Look now impartially into thy self what are thy thoughts set upon Are thy thoughts thoughts of Righteousness or thoughts of iniquity Esay 59.7 Is our love toward Righteousness our hatred toward iniquity In a word examine thy self what thou art wont to be employed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to love is used also to signifie wont and custom What is thy wont Matth. 6.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The hypocrites love to pray standing in the Synagogue and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they love i. e. they are wont so to pray what men love to do they are wont oft to do Psal 129.97 O how I love thy law it is my meditation day and night If thou wilt not judge thy self by this sign others may Laudibus arguitur vini vinosus Homerus Homer often praiseth wine therefore men judge of him that he loved it well Another sign there is whereby thou mayst discover thy self best unto thy self and better than all the world besides Many men shew forth unto the world examples of good civil and moral actions They will not deceive or go beyond their brother in bargaining they will not be drunkards c. And I would to God that all who profess Religion were arrived at such a degree of civility for sure I am where there is not the exercise of such actions it s no great matter what Religion men profess Now 't is possible such actions may be feigned and hypocritical then they cannot last long Difficile est Dissimulare diu Yea how long soever they last if they proceed not from a good principle even from the love of Righteousness it self the man who performs them cannot be thought a good subject of this King he loves righteousness c. and so must all our actions proceed from the same Principle 1 Cor. 16.14 A man may do that which is materially righteous and yet not be a righteous man It is the love of Righteousness proceeding from Faith that renders the action truly righteous and the man righteous 'T is possible a man may perform that which is materially good and right for by respects and for sinister ends but it is the Love of Righteousness that makes him righteous Exhort To hate iniquity Hatred is affectus separationis 'T is totius generis Haman out of the hatred of Mordecay proceeded to hate all the Jews More NOTES upon HEBREWS I. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows IN these words are contained 1. Christ's Unction and Inauguration And 2. from whence he received his Unction and Inauguration The Donation and the Donour Christ's Unction is extraordinary in the 1. Kind of it it is with oyl of joy 2. Measure of it above his fellows Here we may enquire 1. How is God to be understood 2. Oyl 3. Gladness 4. Who are these fellows 1. How is God here to be understood personally or essentially Surely personally for in the holy blessed Trinity there is often expressed God and God and Lord and Lord as Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord But where God and Lord are so used it is easie to be discerned what persons are there to be understood Thus Gen. 19.24 The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstom and fire from the Lord out of heaven Hos 1.7 I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the Lord their God 2. What is meant by this Oyl What else but the holy Spirit of God according to the Prophets reasoning Esay 61.1 And Evangelists Luk. 4.18 Spiritualia non habent porprium nomen the Spirit it self is called by many names 1. Rivers of water out of his belly This he spake of the spirit 2. Fire He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost as with fire 3. The Comforter Joh. 14.16 4. The finger of God Luk. 11.5 The pledge of our inheritance Eph. 1. 6. Oyl as in the Text. The resemblance it hath with Oyl are either in regard of the qualities or effects of it 1. In regard of the qualities 1. It 's subtil and so piercing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are two Attributes of the Spirit Wisdom 7. 2. Of a spreading nature and so is the Spirit of God diffusive of it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are three other attributes of it 3. Not mixt with other things the spirit of God and God himself is in this sence called holy i. e. separate from all Creatures in his nature though infinitely present with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are three other attributes of the Spirit 4. Oyl swims aloft above all and Christ the anointed one is above all things Eph. 1.22 and in all things hath the preheminence Col. 1.18 2. Effects it nourisheth the flame 't is called the brightness of the eternal light 1. 'T is that which nourisheth the fire of Love which Christ kindles in the Soul yea it is the love of God poured into our hearts Rom. 8. 2. It heals so doth the Spirit Luk. 4.18 He hath anointed me he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted Luk. 5.17 power of the Lord endued with power from on high i. e. the Spirit present to heal the healing under Christs wings Mal. 4. 3. Easeth and asswageth pains 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the holy Ghost asswageth and easeth the trouble of the Soul Isa 10.27 And in reproaches which grieve the Soul 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ the spirit of glory and of God shall rest upon you 4. Makes chearful when thou fastest anoint thine head 5. Makes active God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy Ghost and with power Act. 10.38 The Sun of Righteousness rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race Psal 19.5 3. In these last respects it 's called oleum exultationis Lat. Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the oyl of joy and exultation the oyl of gladness which is meant of the inward joy which is a fruit of Gods Spirit Gal. 5. What is wont to be said that oyl makes the countenance chearful wisdom makes the face to shine These and the like expressions are not to be understood only of the outward countenance for all the oyl in the world cannot make the sad countenance appear chearful but 't is the merry heart that
the danger of travelling in regard of wars is now great yet gain makes men wade through all but here there is no danger in adeundo haereditatem but in not going the greatest danger yea we are not called out but called into our selves The Kingdom of God is within you Gen. 12. Hebr. 11.8 Yet who thinks it worth their labour Exhort See Notes on Hebr. 1. above thy fellows Observ 1. The Holy Ghost is a free a voluntary Agent a free Donor of his own gifts Agents or workers are of two sorts 1. Either natural which work necessarily and one only way Or 2. Voluntary which work freely and diversly which is called potestas ad utrumlibet The great God being Causa causarum and the Author of this difference of Agents or workers he is both these in a different respect 1. He acts necessarily ad modum naturae even as a natural Agent as toward himself and as thus he cannot but love himself the chief good he cannot deny himself he cannot lie 2. He acts freely and as a voluntary agent in regard of the creatures 1 Cor. 12.11 The same Spirit divides to every one severally as he will Howbeit sometimes God may act necessarily even in regard of the creature ex hypothesi upon supposition of a former free act toward the creature Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love c. He had freely promised a reward unto every one that works good Rom. 2. And therefore the necessity and immutability of his nature obligeth him to render unto them according to his promise Observ 2. The Holy Ghost bestows these gifts according to his own will that word which is here wanting in the Greek is supplied out of the Syriac Interpreter who hath the word Bestowed The only word here to be explained is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as in God so in man may be understood either 1. As a power or faculty whereby the Spirit willeth or nilleth any thing Dan. 4.35 He doth according to his will 2. Or as the act proceeding from that power 1 John 5.14 If we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us 3. Or as the object which it willeth Matth. 7.21 The will of my Father this is the will of God even your sanctification The Reason is considerable from the nature of a gift which according to the distinction is donatio est liberalis datio What so free as gift The nature of the Holy Spirit The Subjects Objects Donatarii the persons on whom these gifts are bestowed they are of different Spiritual ages and growths which no man can discern so well as the Spirit it self which therefore enters into the Holy Souls according to the ages Wisd and communicates it self and its gifts according to the capacities wrought in them and indeed what reason a priori can be given for that diversity of gifts which are in the Saints but the will of him who primarily and originally makes the difference Observ 3. A ground of bearing one with another in his weakness thou hast a great measure of Gods gifts and thy Brother hath a less neither is he nor art thou thine own carver but as God hath dealt to every man if therefore thou hast more thou oughtest to bear with him who hath received less Gal. 6.1 2. O how far is this present age from the observation of this precept When every man casts his burden upon another and no man will bear anothers burden Observ 4. Gods gifts do not befal us by chance no not any natural good He gives rain from Heaven c. how much less doth any spiritual good the dew of his Grace Neither one nor other by chance no but the division of the holy land was by lot and so by chance Acts 13.19 Joshua divided unto them their inheritance by lot yea the Heavenly inheritance is by lot t is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.4 Truly as to us what is more casual or hath more chance in it than lot Yet the less of man the more of God Prov. 16.33 yea where we are said to obtain our Heavenly inheritance by lot that very lot is disposed by the will of our God Eph. 1.11 Observ 5. The gifts of the Spirit are bestowed according to his will not according to fate and destiny Chrys See Notes on Mark 4.11 Observ 6. The gifts of the Spirit are not our due they are gifts they are not debts He bestows them according to his own will It is not said he pays them to whom they are owing to those who have deserved them Confer Notes as above Observ 7. No ground of priding our selves See as above Observ 8. A true ground of thankfulness unto God for all his gifts bestowed upon us according to his own will were it otherwise so that they did befal us by chance or by destiny or by desert we could not be so truly thankful for them but since they come freely we are to acknowledge them thankfully Observ 9. The Spirit then may bestow his gifts what in what measure and upon whom he will he gave gifts of Prophecie not to one Tribe but here and there as he was pleased Thus he gives gifts unto men Eph. 4. Repreh Those who limit the holy one of Israel unto their Opinions and Sects Christ shall be no longer Christ than he will observe what they observe John 9.16 Not of God because he keeps not the Sabbath Job 12.2 Ye are the people and wisdom shall die with you John forbad him that cast out Devils and commends his zeal to our Lord because he followed not with them Mark 9.38 39. If he be not one of us if he have never so great gifts and parts though he were St. Paul yet he shall be at the best but a civil man a moral man But if he be one of us whatever else he is he shall be as good as St. Paul and St. Peter too But does our Lord judge so O no vers 39. Forbid him not for there is no man that shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me Does a man cast out Devils Does he reprove back-biters the Devil and they have the same name Eph. 4.27 give not place to the back-biter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Does he cast out the unclean Devil that casts men into the fire and into the water The spirit of pride covetousness c. Forbid him not though he be not one of us Consol Many there are who complain that they want gifts the gift of Wisdom the gift of Prophecie to be able to instruct Are not all these the Lords May he not do what he will with his own Doth not the Spirit bestow these gifts according to his own will yet is not this will to be understood like that which is to be found too frequently among men a wilfulness or indeliberata voluntas O no the will of the spirit is deliberata the counsel of
man hath received Christ the honour that comes of God only he is in that respect thought worthy of honour as an house of God Axiom 4. Christ is accounted worthy more Glory than Moses Hitherto we have heard the three former Axioms opened which are contained in these words this fourth and last rests only to be explained in this first disparity between Christ and Moses wherein two things are to be opened 1. What is here meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. What it is to be counted worthy of Glory and Honour 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Opinion from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to think or esteem which because it may be as well for good as evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth more especially a good opinion and an honourable estimation had of one and as the light shines from bright and clear bodies so the good opinion honour and glory proceeds from good and virtuous souls Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth videor to be seen and appear as lucid and bright bodies appear and shine quodlibet visibile radiat every visible body sends forth a kind of beams and whoever hath the true light in him there is a lustre and glory which may be discerned by those who have eyes to see it as the Apostles had Joh. 1. We have seen his glory c. This Glory is all one with honour as many Examples prove See Notes on Rom. 15. In the Text what is first called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is presently afterwards called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. To be accounted worthy of this Glory is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which among other significations hath this to esteem and value as we are wont to esteem things by their weight whence Hesychius renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as what is of weight draws down the scale Thus the word which signifieth to honour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be of weight and that which is vile and despicable is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be light and of no weight we have this fully opened in a few words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That little affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Now who accounts Christ or Moses worthy of Honour or Glory who but God the Father the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the Glory it self Isa 60.1 he distributes the Crowns Zach. 6.14 He is the fountain of Glory and Honour and Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · Christ is accounted worthy of more Glory than Moses inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house Our Apostle reasons thus Christ made Moses and every believing and obedient Man and Woman his house therefore he is accounted worthy more Honour and Glory than the house The reason of this will appear from a Rule in the Art of Reasoning which is That every cause is as it is a cause better than the effect and much more the efficient cause which is the first cause aiming at and intending the end and uniting the matter and form and so in a sort may be called causa causarum as having an influence upon all the other causes as well as upon the effect whence it is in every kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first mover Now as this is true in every principal efficient cause acting univocally so much more is this true of Christ who by reason of his infinite Being and Perfection in working he infinitely excells whatsoever he makes and so is worthy of more Glory than any of his works Observ 1. Christ is accounted worthy of Glory and Honour This is included in the Text as the Positive in the Comparative this is acknowledged by every Creature in Heaven and Earth Revel 5.11 12 13. Observ 2. If Christ be accounted worthy more Glory than Moses then is the Ministry of Christ especially the Ministry of Christ according to the Spirit to be accounted more worthy of Glory than the Ministry of Moses The Apostle compares both these at large 2 Cor. 3.7 Moses was glorious the ministration of death was glorious such was the Law which was given with thunder the voice of a trumpet c. Exod. 19 16-19 Hebr. 17.8 Such Glory as a Judge coming to give sentence of death c. Yet this was glorious so was the Ministry of the Ceremonial Law How much more shall the Ministration of the Spirit and Righteousness exceed in Glory How Glorious was the Lord Jesus in his Ministration of Righteousness when he delivered the New Testament the New Law Matth. 5.1 Blessed are the poor in spirit c. How much more glorious was the Lord Jesus when he delivered his fiery Law as it is called Deut. 33.5 when he gave the Law of the spirit of life Act. 2. in fiery tongues c. Nor was this glorious appearance of the Spirit only in the day of Pentecost but also the like gifts were vouchsafed unto the Church afterward 1 Cor. 14.26 Yea and the same would yet be given were there fit pure and clean vessels to receive them for so the Apostle vers ult We all behold as in a glass the Glory of the Lord c. Tota vita Christi morum disciplina speculum fuit O how wise are they who are daily looking into this Glass and daily conform their life and manners thereunto and so are transformed into other men men heavenly holy angelical divine men and women Observ 3. Christs Glory and Honour was obtained by doing something worthy of it as hereby making of the house Philip. 2.8 Therefore God highly exalted him this ye read Psal 111.1 per totum Revel 4.11 And so no doubt what Glory and Honour is to be obtained by us it is by obedience by doing well and suffering evil They who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality unto these is the eternal life Rom. 2. and if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him Rom. 8. And the same Apostle tells us That life and salvation is wrought by enduring the same sufferings which he also suffered 2 Cor. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ 4. Here are honours and degrees of honours distinguished and approved of by our Apostle even in the Common-wealth of heaven Here like a Divine Herald he shews to whom less honour to whom more is due Thus as in the heavens there are Principalities and Powers Col. Angels and Arch-angels so in the earth distinctions there are and degrees of honours a Kingdom or Common-wealth cannot consist without them Rom. 13. Yea the God of Order hath established these degrees in his Church as in the Old Testament High Priest Priests and Levites so in the New Testament also the Father sets the Church in order 1 Cor. 12.28 and the Son also
that as there was an old world c. So there is a new world a new creation a new man within the man the new world in the renewed heart of man See Notes on 2 Cor. 5.17 Repreh 1. Those who spare that which God will not spare which he will have destroyed how dear are mens sins unto them Remember what the Prophet said to Ahab 1 King 20.42 Because thou hast let go the man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people The King of Syria is Benhadad the son of a noise the man of sin appointed to destruction Repreh 2. Those who would be thought new creatures inhabitants of the new world the new Heaven and the new earth wherein dwells righteousness yet fashion themselves according to the course of the old world in the vanity of their mind The Apostle tells of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 traditional false tenents who alledge antiquity for defence of old errours such were the Pharisees of old c. Vide Notes in 2 Cor. 5.17 These and such as these are the corrupt principles of the old world Repreh 3. There are also who pretend themselves to be new creatures and of the new world who have the same corrupt affections of the old world the lusts of the old world were either looseness and dissoluteness voluptuousness and sensuality carnal affections the lusts proper to the concupiscible Or 2. Wrath hatred envy c. which are proper to the irascible And who sees not how rise these are how rank how they abound in this present evil world wherein we see such people as the Apostle prophesied of 2 Tim. 3.1 2. Herein 't is worth the observing how subtilly the old Serpent and Prince of this world deals with us for we are not ignorant of his devices the subtil serpent first winds himself into our sensitive appetite and complies with the desires of it which most abound in young men as intemperancy incontinency and he perswades men that their nature requires these things non est scelus adolescenti scortari c. that these are pardonable tricks of youth though one such a trick cost all the Sechemites their lives Gen. 34. These were the sins of the old world Gen. 6.12 Matth. 24. They eat they drank they married wives c. they were wholly busied and taken up with these things And while men profess Religion and hold themselves of a party all these are accounted weaknesses and infirmities and frailties of the Saints and upheld by a misunderstanding of some Scriptures In many things we offend all c. All this while the unclean spirit keeps his palace these are sins of the old world which the Poet calls jucundum malum which though they tickle or delight the flesh before and in the act of committing them yet they leave a sting behind them wast the body make men infamous Besides they are chargeable sins and consume mens estates bring a man to a piece of bread yea want of it drowsiness cloaths a man with raggs and God in mercy sometimes by the memory and sence of these awakens the conscience so that the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 21.31 Yet herein how ordinarily doth the old Serpent beguile men when they have escaped the carnal pollutions of the old world he leads them into spiritual wickedness in Heavenly things 2 Esdr 7.7 when he hath escaped the deep waters he casts him into the fire Mark 9.22 when men have considered their old sins in their ignorance their bruitishness and sensuality O then they think they must be religious they must be godly and then they betake themselves to this Sect or that ye read Revel 13. Of a beast coming out of the Sea and then commonly all their Religion consists in opposing those who are of a contrary mind Hence ariseth envy wrath bitterness endless contention and strife reproaching and evil speaking and if they get power in their hand all the mischief they can do so that whereas they think themselves new creatures they are still of the old world ye see both sins Rom. 13.13 Not in surfeiting and drunkenness not in strife and envying ye see them so distinguished Col. 3.5 8. The unclean Spirit transforms himself into an Angel of Light and now he will be an Holy Devil as holy as he is yet he is a Devil still and makes men like himself he is a Serpent and they Serpents and Generations of Vipers and as the Serpent changeth his skin and then appears in a new skin he is yet a Serpent still and worse than before as more vigorous and active Matth. 23. They compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte c. He hath his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extrahere to draw out of the water or out of hell c. whether it be that they laded their conscience with more precepts than themselves could practise and so made them guilty of more sins Esau sold his Birthright there was his concupiscence and sensuality then sought his Blessing and then would kill his Brother This Beast is said to be Antichrist Vers 11. Another Beast appears like a Lamb and this is held by Interpreters to be Antichrist also for indeed there are many Antichrists 1 Joh. 2. The former Beast appears like a Leopard and like a Lion this appears like a Lamb meek gentle holy harmless innocent as if he had the mind of Christ and the simplicity of Christ whereas indeed with the Lambs skin he covers the drunkenness of the Leopard the ravening of the Bear the tyranny of the Lion the subtilty of the Serpent for when he speaks i. e. commands as Hos 13.1 He speaks like a Dragon All is but the old world disguised the Leopard the Bear the Lion the Dragon the Wolf under a Lambs skin The former comes out of the Sea of voluptuousness and sensuality this comes out of the earth the earthly mind both do the same things Now if God spare not the former old world will he spare the latter Rom. 2.3 Thinkest thou that thou shalt escape the just judgment of God For these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Eph. 5.6 Exhort 1. God spared not the old world take heed also that he spare not thee It is the Apostles like admonition Rom. 11.21 and S. Peter reasons so here vers 9. Ezech. 24.13 14. Quorum facta imitamur cur non eorum exitus exhorrescamus Exhort 2. Did not God spare the old world Let not us spare the old world of iniquity that 's the Devils world the old Serpents name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from searching he knows his own goods as they are called Luk. 11.21 not only his fornication c. but also his anger wrath malice blasphemy and which hath his special mark and image upon it his envy wouldst thou not be taken with them Col. 3.5 8. that we may say
O would God we could say it truly The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Joh. 14.30 2. The Lord saved Noah the eighth preacher of righteousness unto the old world I am bold so to read the Text for reasons that I have formerly given let me remember you that in speaking of these words Gen. 4. Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord I then turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render to call upon to preach Then men began to preach This Divine truth may be resolved into these three 1. Noah was a Preacher of Righteousness 2. He was the eighth Preacher 3. The Lord saved Noah the eighth Preacher Quaere What is Righteousness What is a Preacher of Righteousness 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn Righteousness it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hath divers significations It 's understood 1. Sometimes of God and Christ and so increata 2. Sometimes of the creature so creata 1. Jehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jerem. 23.6 as of God and Christ Rom. 6.19 Servants of righteousness vers 22. of God 2. Creata Wrought by God's Spirit for us upon us and in us and it is called our righteousness and so called by the Lord Jesus except your Righteousness c. Matth. 5.20 Righteousness specially taken is either distributive or commutative And this is the effect of universal righteousness Wisd 8.7 There is a primitive justice which is a branch of distributive which Noah might also have reference unto as Esay 10.22 The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness In this last sence righteousness and holiness are the same Vide Notes in Jerem. 23.5 Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to be here largely taken when indeed it rather notes mercy Vide Notes in Jer. 23.5 The righteous perisheth and merciful men are taken away c. Esay 57.1 Do away thy sins by righteousness and thy transgression by shewing mercy on the poor 1. Sometimes Remission and Pardon of Sin to Believers Rom. 4.1 9. 2. Quicquid ullam aequi atque honâ—sii habetrationem thus Matth. 3.15 It behoves us to fulfil all righteousness 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is called universal righteousness Justitia in sese virtutes continet omnes Thus righteousness and sin are opposed Prov. 14.15 Righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is the shame of any people When the Lord imparts all this righteousness unto us He is made unto us righteousness 1 Cor 1.30 And thus as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jerem. 23. and his name is so called so the name wherewith she the Church shall be called is the same Jerem. 33.16 1 Cor. 15.34 Awake to righteousness and sin not 3. The reward of righteousness which the righteous man shall receive from the Lord our righteousness so Psal 24.5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his Salvation Prov. 21.21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life righteousness and honour Dan. 9.24 Bring in everlasting righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 A crown of righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 A new Heaven wherein dwelleth righteousness The righteousness then here meant is the Lord our righteousness and righteousness of our Lord consisting 1. In the remission and pardon of sin 2. All Graces and Virtues especially equity mercy and goodness 3. Distributive Justice 4. Commutative Justice And 5. Justice the great reward of God himself 2. A Preacher is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui ante cauit vel annunciat quid est faciendum This is properly done at the command of the Magistrate as a Cryer makes Proclamation The Preacher is such God's Cryer who proclaims and makes known the will of the Lord the Syriack word here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 58.1 so that a Prophet and a Preacher in this sence are all one A Prophet is God's Truchman or Interpreter and a Preacher is he who declares the will and word of God unto men Noah was a Preacher of all this righteousness The Reason in regard of God who sent Noah the world to whom he sent him Righteousness which he preached Noah himself the preacher of righteousness 1. God ordained him a Preacher Joh. 3.27 No man can receive any thing or Marg. take any thing to himself except it be given him from Heaven saith John the Baptist who came in the same way of righteousness For no man takes this Honour unto bimself Hebr. 5.4 i. e. ought to take it How should they preach except they be sent Rom. 10.15 that is sent of God 2. The world wanted such a Preacher though unworthy of him for Josephus tells us that the wicked world hated Noah and sought to kill him and enforced him to change his dwelling which opposition encreased the Preachers zeal for the honour of his God opposition of ungodly men whets and inflames the zeal of God's Ministers Act. 17.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His spirit was stirred in him when he saw the City wholly given to Idolatry A great door and effectual is opened unto me and there are many adversaries 1 Cor. 16.9 And his zeal was such that he imprecates a curse vers 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-â—atha 3. In regard of righteousness which Noah preached there was great need of it the world was grown old in wickedness it was become a world of iniquity and so subject to the wrath of God and destruction from which righteousness was the only means of deliverance Prov. 10.2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing but righteousness delivereth from death And therefore righteousness was a necessary argument for the Preacher to insist upon 4. Noah himself was a Righteous man as the Scripture testifieth of him Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just man and perfect in his Generation and God himself testified it Gen. 7.1 Thee have I seen righteous before me in this Generation and therefore he was a very fit man to preach Righteousness unto the wicked world Observ 1. Behold the Preachers Text his Theme his Argument whereon he ought to preach his sphere wherein he must employ himself it is Righteousness John the Baptist came in the way of Righteousness Matth. 21.32 The Ministers of Christ are the Ministers of Righteousness 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Cor. 11.15 especially they who are Ministers of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.9 whose Office is the ministration of Righteousness Observ 2. As the Preachers Theme and Argument whereon he ought to treat is Righteousness so that is most seasonable in the time of Judgement Isa 26.9 In the time of the flood when now the universal deluge was about to overflow the old world then was Noah a preacher of Righteousness And doubtless it is a most seasonable time now for the Preacher to treat of the same Argument in this time of the overflowing scourge in this time