three first Chapters which as all agree contain many mysteries which therefore were inhibited unto Novices Nor is it every mans businesse to search after this Mine Ungodly men who turn not from their iniquities shall never understand Gods truth Dan. 9.13 and 12.10 the same Prophet denounceth their doom None of the wicked shall understand Who then it follows But the wise shall understand that is the godly wise the beginning of whose wisdom is the fear of God For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom and knowledge and joy Eccles 2.26 And our Lord Jesus John 7.17 promiseth That If any man will do the Lords will he shall know of the Doctrine that is if any man have a will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do the Law of God which is the will of God the Father Psal 40.8 he shall know of the Sons Doctrine which is the Gospel But let us come to the words propounded And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Gen. 1. Ver. 2. In this Chapter the holy and blessed Trinity meets for the Creation of the Macrocosm or greater World And the Microcosm or lesser World the compendium and breviat of the greater Verse 26 27. As concerning the Macrocosm or greater World the Thargum of Jerusalem turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning ver 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is In Wisdom which indeed is no other then what David Psal 104. having paraphrased on the works of God in the Creation Verse 24. he saith In wisdom hast thou made them all and the like Psal 136.5 6. To which may be added other like Scriptures This Wisdom is the Son of God and therefore the Interlineary Gloss interprets In Principio in the beginning in Filio sâ—o In his Son by whom all things were made John 1.3 Which also the Apostle ascribes unto the Son Col. 1.16 who saith he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Beginning So Revel 1.8 He is called the Beginning and 3.24 the Beginning of the creation of God Heaven and Earth the Interlineary Gloss expounds Spiritual Mon who meditate on heavenly things and Carnal Men who have not yet put off the earthly Man Alcuin briefly explaines the first Verse thus In the beginning The Son who being made Man it appeared who were heavenly who earthly so he And therefore it presently followes The Earth was without form and void Which very words Jer. 4.22 23. applies to the foolish people and sottish children who have no understanding until they receive the form of Doctrine So Gloss Ordin The Spirit of God moved The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the motion of a Bird while she hatcheth Eggs or moveth her self over her young ones We finde the same word so used Deat 32.11 which the Vulgar Latin hath Supervolitans flying over Arias Montanus turns Motitabit She will move her self often and our Translators render well She fluttereth And why the same word may not be here used I know not The Spirit of God is here said to flutter on the waters that is mystically saith the Ordinary Gloss noting hearts which have lost the rest of the minde In regard of the quickning power and tender love of God to his New Creatures he takes on him the affections and acts of Birds which are most loving to their young ones Thus in the place before named Deut. 32.11 God the Father is compared to an Eagle and to Birds flying Esay 31.5 The Son to an Hen 2 Esdr 1.30 I gathered you together as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her winge Which the Son applies to himself Matth. 23.37 And the Spirit of God appeared like a Dove Mat. 3.16 So that the Holy and Blessed Trinity is ingaged in the work of the outward and inward creation That this Translation may yet appear the more fit we may take notice that some of the best Philosophers have compared the Fire and Air to the Shell and White the Water and Earth to the yolk of an Egge upon which the Spirit of God here is said to sit and move it self The LXX hath here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tertullian turns Supervectabatur was carried over the waters The Chaldee Paraphrast here useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to breathe as proper to the Spirit which the Arabick follows But I adhere to the translation which I have already given For the Syriack Interpreter hath a word like that in the Hebrew which signifies the act of a Bird sitting upon Eggs and hatching young ones Nobilius turns the Syriack word Fovebat aquas the Spirit of God nourished the waters Martin Luther useth the word Schwebet as also Piscator which in his Latin Scholia he turns Incubabat the Spirit sat upon the waters as a Bird on Eggs cherisheth them and quickens them that young ones may be hatcht and brought forth out of them Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life which we may better turn word for word Gen. 1. Ver. 20. the living soul So the French Spanish and Italian Bibles have the words And the Tigurin translation and Pagnin The like we may say of Verse 21. and 24. where our Translators have every living creature the translations now named have according to the Hebrew Every living soul Thus that manner of speech may be made familiar which otherwise is uncouth 1 Cor. 15.45 The first man Adam was made a living soul Cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth I rather render the last word wild beast of the earth Gen. 1. Ver. 24. For although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie both the tame and wilde beast as the English word Beast may do when it is alone as 1 Sam. 17.46 Yet when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added as here it is this signifies tame that wilde So Genesis 8.1 Levit. 26.22 and in many other places GEN. 2.2 On the seventh day God ended his work IF thus we read the words it will follow Chap. 2. Verse 2. that God wrought also upon the seventh day for to finish a work is to work And if God finished his work on the seventh day then he did not rest the whole seventh day and so it should be said that God rested a part of the seventh day For the avoiding of this objection the LXX plainly corrupted the Text and instead of the seventh day put the sixth and read the words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God finished his works on the sixth day This seems to have been their constant reading For Hierom so read it in his time and it is so and no otherwise extant at this day According to the Letter this Knot may be loosed by saying that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Genesis 2.2 which we render ended Perfecit in the Preter tense may be as well turn'd into the Preterpluperfect tense Perfecerat He had ended because there is but one Preter
down 1. Positively They may approach unto the most holy things every one to receive and bear his burden 2. Negatively They shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they dye In the words are contained these divine sentences 1. The Cohathites may approach to the most holy things 2. Aaron and his sons shall appoint every one to his service and to his burden 3. The Cohathites shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they dye 1. The Cohathites may approach unto the most holy things What is here rendred the most holy things is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctitas Sanctitatum the Holiness of Holinesses which although it be an expression proper to the Hebrew tongue whereby the Superlative degree is to be understood yet is there more then a Grammatical consideration meant in these words as I shall shew when we have enquired and found what these most holy things are By the most holy things its plain from the former part of the Chapter we are to understand the Ark the Shew-bread the Candlestick the golden Altar and brazen Altar with the instruments and utensels belonging unto all these Which are not to be considered only in themselves but as they refer us to things far better then themselves whereof they were only types and examples and therefore Moses had a charge to make all things according to the patern shewed him in the Mount Exod. 25.40 which he exactly performed Chap. 39.42 43. The Apostle took notice of this Hebr. 8.5 and 9.23 He cals them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paterns of things in the heavens And those things are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavenly things These heavenly things signified by these paterns particularly to relate and explain would spend too much time and the Spirit of God contents it self with the general name of beavenly things The Ark by the Philistines is called 1. God himself 1 Sam. 4.6 7. 2. By the Wife of Phinees its called Glory that is the Son of God the brightness of Gods glory Hebr. 1.3 The glory of his people Israel Luke 2.32 By the Psalmist it s called the strength of God Psal 78.61 In the Preface of that Psalm he saith he will open his mouth in a Parable and utter dark sayings So that what he delivers in that Psalm are not only Stories but Mysteries The golden Altar signifies the Spirit of grace and supplications Zach. 12.10 teaching us and helping us to offer incense that is to pray unto the Father Psal 141.2 Rom. 8.26 The Shew-bread or the bread of faces so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies which the LXX call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports unto us the presence of God with his people and his people with him The Candlestick holding forth the Word and light of life which is performed by the Church Phil. 2.16 which is therefore called a Candlestick as particular Churches are called Revel 1.20 The brazen Altar signified the spirit of patience whereby we mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8.13 Christ himself is expresly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holiness of holinesses Dan. 9.24 Both because he is most holy in himself formaliter and because effectivè he makes others holy 1. In himself the Demoniac spake truly of him when he called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy One of God For so Luke 1.35 the Angel had said unto the blessed Virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God For the Lord Christ was known by this Title of honour Gods holy One Psal 16.10 Acts 2.27 Thou wilt not suffer thine holy One or merciful One to see corruption Thus Deut. 33.8 Esay 49.7 Hos 11.9 Acts 3.14 1 John 2.20 beside many other places 2. Effectivè effectively also he is The holy One as he who sanctifies and justifies the people of God so Hebr. 2.11 He is called Gods holy one Psal 16.10 And accordingly the word is rendred by S. Peter Acts 2.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctum tuum Psal 16. Ver. 10. Acts 2. Ver. 27. thine holy or merciful one in the singular number yet is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plural thine holy or merciful ones which secretly intimateth unto us what S. Paul saith to the believing and obedient souls Rom. 8.11 that if the spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he who raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you and many other places import the same conformity unto our Lords death and resurrection as 1 Cor. 6.14 2 Cor. 4.14 Ephes 2.6 Col. 2.12 We have heard what these holy things are Come we now to inquire who are they who may approach unto the most holy things Who but the Kohathites the sons of Kohath Kohath or Kehath hath his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies Obtusio obstupefactio stupidity and dulness according to Eccles 10.10 If the Iron be blunt and he do not whet the edge then must he put to more strength Metaphorically it imports that stupidity and dâ—lness that 's opposite unto acuteness and sharpness of wit Such dulness was supposed in the Kohathites because though they might approach unto the holiness of holinesses yet they might not touch them nakedly and without interposition of divers coverings Ver. 15. as I shall shew anon Whence note that 1. The God of glory his strength and power his Christ his Spirit his divine presence his light of life his spirit of patience these all these and infinitely more are here called the holiness of holinesses as being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I may so speak the essential holiness the Primum exemplare the subsistence the Idea of all what ever can be called holy 2. These holy things make all other things holy which they touch Thus the Altar sanctifieth the gift Matth. 23.19 The flesh of the sin-offering sanctisiâ—th him who toucheth it Levit. 6.27 And the true holiness imparts the likeness of it self unto whosoever worthily receives it He who receives the chastening of the Father receives also the holiness of the Father Hebr. 12.10 And so many as receive the Son the holy one of God receive also power to be sons of God John 1.12 And he who receives the spirit of holiness receives holiness also 3. That which is made holy is not such by imagination estimation imputation account or opinion only but by real and true participation of holiness The essential holiness imparts and communicates of its holiness unto it and makes it holy According to which he who is wise is so by wisdom imparted to him which is really and truly in him he who is righteous is such by righteousness which is truly and really communicated unto him and indeed in him And the like reason there is of all and every grace communicated unto us by the God
we must not come at or unto a dead soul we must go out of the world as the Apostle reasons 1 Cor. 5.10 To go in unto a dead soul is to have intimacy with it as Jacob speaks Gen. 49.6 O my soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word enter not into their secret Hence it appears there are dead souls For what is the natural death but the separation of the soul from the body And what is the spiritual death but the separation of the spirit of life from the soul according to what the Prophet speaks The soul that siuens that shall die Ezech. 18.4 For sin when it is perfected bringeth forth death James 1. And as the man is said to die of some one disease or other or of some wound or of old age even so the soul dies Thus the false teacher who consents not to wholesome or rather healing words 1 Tim. 6. v. 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliness he is proud knowing nothing but doting so our Translators turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is sick about questions and strifes of words And it is a deadly sickness for it followeth whence cometh envie and that slayeth the silly one Job 5.2 Yea envie is like the foul disease the rottenness of the bones Prov. 14.30 A consumption of the soul so Wisd 6.23 Neither will I go with consuming envie wrath is a feverish distemper that gives place to the destroyer Ephes 4. Covetousness is a dropsie Quò plus sunt potae plus sitiuntar aquae As much he drinks so much he thirsteth still And prodigality is a flâ—â—â— and looseness of life For the prodigal yong man was dead of it saith his father when he spent his substance with riotous living Luke 15.13.32 And there is the like reason of other spiritual diseases O that men would impartially look into their own spiritual estate and judge concerning themselves whether their souls be dead or alive It is of greatest importance whether so or not For he who hath not the spirit of life and spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 And we are saved by his life Rom. 5.10 We enquire not now into signes of the vegetative sensitive or rational life but what characters we finde in our selves of the divine life or life of God according to which the soul may be said to live If there be no sense or exercise of sense we know that naturally the man is dead at least if his taste if his touch be gone if he taste not that the Lord is gracious Phil. 1.9 I pray Phil. 1. v. 9. that your love may abound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in acknowledgement and all sense If there be no breathing there is no life if the heart pant not breathe not after the living God Cain hath then killed Abel the self love hath slain the breathing from and towards God Gen. 4. I place not talk and speech among the signes of life It s possible there may be a great deal of holy talk and yet but talk which our Lord the wisdom it self seems to wonder at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O generations of Vipers the word is plural how can ye that are evil speak good things Matth. 12.34 A man may live though he be speechless the true speech is from the life of God Matth. 12. v. 34. Psal 65.1 he that speaks as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 Silence is praise to thee saith David Psal 65.1 though ours turn it otherwise the silent persevering in well doing best praiseth and pleaseth God Psal 50.23 Psal 119.175 O let my soul live and it shall praise thee The Nazarite ought to come unto such living souls and his soul shall live 3. All the dayes that the Nazarite separates himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead soul What dayes of separation were these The learned Jews have caught that the time of the Nazerites now was thirty dayes a whole Moneth and this they understand to be meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 5. He shall be holy because in that word the number of thirty is contained Howbeit this was to be understood if he vowed himself a Nazarite and named no certain number of dayes Of these dayes we understand Acts 21. v. 26. Acts 21.26 where S. Luke mentions the accomplishment of the dayes of purification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Against this word Purificationis whereby Hierom renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drusius excepts and we may as well except against the same word here Englished purification and for the same reason Because purification is properly of those who were before unclean and impure whereas the Nazarites here mentioned had vowed against all uncleanness and had kept themselves pure and holy to the Lord. In place of it we may put sanctification There is reason enough for this in the precept He who gives it is Lord of all our time Herein the Christians vow of spiritual Nazariteship exceeds that of the Law That of the law might be temporary as for 30 dayes but our vow in Baptism whereby we are initiated into the Christian Nazariteship is a vow of far greater abstinence as to forsake the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanity of the wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh 2. Belief of all the Articles of the Christian faith 3. Of longer time to keep Gods holy will and Commandements and walk in the same all the dayes of our life O ye Nazarites ye who have separated your selves to the Lord come not at a dead soul all the dayes of your life It is the soul and spirit that is mainly to be heeded The holy Scripture reckons persons by their souls as Gen. 12.5 all the souls they had gotten in Haran and 46.26 all the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt and many the like whereas we account men rather according to their bodies as when we say no body some body a good body c. Vnde haec farrago loquendi venerit in linguas How come we to speak thus but from too little care of our souls which is helped on by mis-translation If we come at a dead soul and so defile our own souls all our former labour is utterly lost The dayes that were before shall fall because his separation was defiled Numb 6.12 He must begin again And there is the same reason with the spiritual Nazarite Ezech. 18.24 When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live All the righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed and in the sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die This no doubt is a very great restraint upon the Nazarite But a case may be put wherein he may seem to be released
7.14 Mat. 6.10 Wherefore be couragious O ye faithfull Israelites who march against your spiritual enemies ye have the promise of the Lord of hosts that ye shall eat up all the peoples which the Lord your God is giving to you Hearken not to the faint-hearted and unbelieving Spies who say that the people are greater and taller then ye are and that ye are as Grashoppers or rather as Locusts Num. 13. v. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in your own eyes and in the peoples eyes Numb 13.33 Let them not discourage or rather melt your heart Why should that significant metaphore be obscured and lost by mis-translation whereof the Spirit of God makes use as taken either from Ice resolved into water Josh 7.5 or from Wax melted Psal 22.15 Unbelief and fear soften and melt the heart which is strengthened by belief and courage Gen. 45.26 Psal 27.13 14. Believe the faithful and valiant Spies and witnesses of God Jehoshua the Lord the Saviour and Caleb the hearty and couragious man according to the heart of God these will assure us that we are well able to overcome and eat up the peoples For so they say Numb 14.9 Fear not ye the people of the land for they are bread for us If we be thus strong in the Lord the Lord will strengthen us Psal 31.24 and the Lord Jesus will take away the sin John 1.29 and the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the pretiousness of Lambs they shall consume into smoke Psalm 37.20 For so the Altar of Christs patience consumes and eats up the Sacrifices Therefore the Altar is called Ariel that is the Lion of God Ezech. 43.16 which devours the flesh of sin which is laid upon it And thus the spiritual enemies of the Lord and his people are consumed by the fire and spirit of love burning on the Altar the patience of Jesus Christ So the Prophet prayes Consume in wrath consume and let them not be He prayes against the sinnes not the persons of his enemies for ver 11. he had prayed slay them not He prayes that the Lord would consume the iniquity that it might not be For should he pray here against the sinners that they should not be how could he pray for them in the words next following Let them know that the Lord ruleth in Jacob and to the ends of the earth And to shew that what he had said is worth our consideration he adds Selah Which imports the suppressing of our earthly thoughts and raising up our heavenly meditations like that Psal 9.16 Higgaion or medidation Selah Even so O Lord impower us by thy mortifying spirit Rom. 8.13 which may kill eat up and consume all the wicked populacy all the seven nations the deadly sins which will otherwise eat up and consume us And quicken us unto the life of thee our God through the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Gods request unto his People SER. XV. OR Gods Petition of Right SERMON XV. Deuteronomie 10. ver 12 13. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his wayes and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul to keep the Commandements of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good SOme of these words are otherwise to be rendred as I shall shew in the particular handling of them Meantime we may know that they contain a summary comprehension These words are a summary comprehension of the peopses duty to their God inferred from the consideration of his goodness in renewing the Law continuance of the Priesthood and adding thereto the Levites Whence the words before us are deduced as a conclusion The 1. And is here collective as gathering all the promises together conclusive and illative as inferring from those promises Israels obedience and very emphatical as often elsewhere If for our better understanding of these words we take in the two following verses which depend upon the two former we shall finde that this Paragraph hath two parts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Request or Desire 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Rendring of a reason for that Desire and Request In the former which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Request and Desire is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing desired and requested and the end why it is requested and desired 1. The thing desired and requested is either the peoples holy affections or the sutable effects issuing from them Their holy affections are either the holy fear of the Lord whose effect is walking in all his wayes Or the holy and intire love of God whose effect is serving him with all the heart and with all the soul The common effect of both these holy affections is keeping Gods Commandements and Statutes 2. The End aimed at in all this is either Cujus as they call it for which the request is made that is for good or Cui for whose sake and for whose benefit this duty unto God is requested for thee 2. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reason of this Request and Desire is either negative implicitly set down not that the Lord needs thee O Israel or any thing of thine For behold the Heavens and the Heavens of Heavens are the Lords thy Gods the earth also with all that therein is 2. Positive and express the affection of God toward the holy Fathers only the Lord did cleave unto thy Fathers to love them Deut. 10. v. 16. out of which he chose their children above all other people Which was the special grace of Christ toward his Church Ephes 1.3 4 5. Ye perceive by this Analyse that the Text is Oratio argumentosa a speech full of Arguments and may afford manifold Axioms of greatest regard But I have elsewhere spoken to diverse of them The divine Axiomes contained in these words are either 1. Gods Requests unto his people or 2. Gods Requesting these of them or his servant Moses Requiring of them or the ends why the Lord requests and Moses requires these of Israel Gods Requests are that 1. Israel fear the Lord their God 2. That Israel walk in all his wayes 3. That Israel love him 4. That Israel serve the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul 5. That Israel keep the Commandements of the Lord and his Statutes 6. The Lord requires all these of Israel 7. Moses requstes or commands all these this day 8. The Lord requests nothing more nor does Moses require any thing more of Israel but these 9. For what end doth the Lord request or Moses require these of thee O Israel but for good and to thee O Israel I intend not to treat of all these having spoken to many of them upon their Texts of Scripture Wherefore I shall waive the Press handling of what I have formerly
was no King in Israel every one did that which was good in his own eyes Now Elisha was dead and buried and the Moabites who abuse the Law of the Father signified by Lot the hidden Word of God they are the true Moabites the children of their father the Devil as S. Augustine interprets the Moabites Then also the Syrians ver 22. Pride and deceit and the curse of God upon the sinful soul such spiritually are the Aramites or Syrians these and all other inward enemies oppress Israel What remedy is there for this Let such a man be cast into the grave of Elisha let him be dead and buried with Christ God the Saviour He is now a man lost in the world he is become as a dead man When a man hath left his sin he is not Gen. 5.24 the sinners leave him and he them When he is dead to the sin what remaines but that he should be buried But where it is said they let him down we shall finde no such matter either in the Hebrew or Greek or Chaldee or Latin Translation The Hebrew text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he went The LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went The Chaldee Paraphrast hath he descended The Syriac he went into the Sepulchre So Tremelius and the Spanish translation and the Italian of Diodati Martin Luther also and two Low Dutch translations As for the Tigurin Bible that hath Devolutus he was rolled into the grave of Elisha So the French translation So likewise two of our old English translations But Coverdale thus renders the word when he was therein and the Geneva Bible turns it when he was down our last translation lets him down gently The Tigurin French and some of our old English translations tumble him down for haste But what need all this curiosity I dare not depart from the letter of the Scripture or fasten mine own sense upon it as many of these have done And indeed it is neer a contradiction to themselves For first they say They cast the man into the Sepulchre which must be in part for fear of the Moabites and then they say they let him down which must be gently and leisurely The holy Spirit of God oftentimes intends a mystery and so leaves the letter seemingly absurd Such seeming absurdities as these are lest for the honour of Gods Spirit which clears the difficulties and sets all right This man is called twice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Emphasis That man And although they go about to bury him he is never said to be through dead The words are thus to be rendred And the man went and touched the bones of Elisha First He went Secondly He touched 1. He went Here is set before us a figure of one who was dead in trespasses and sins who is now dead unto sin and buried with Christ The fallen man is not wholly destitute of all strength as I shew elsewhere Therefore the man is said here to go and touch There must be some conformity between Christ and us if we touch him The man is accessary and must be so to his own death unto sin and his own burial of all sin and iniquity It s said of this man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went and touched the bones of Elisha The Lord requires of us not only a mortification and dying unto sin but also a burial of all sin They are two Articles of the Faith 1. That Christ was dead 2. That he was buried And so through the Spirit the sin must be put to death Rom. 8.13 and buried by holiness and love Ye have both together Psal 22.1 whose unrighteousness is forgiven the word signifies taken away and removed as dead and then whose sin is covered there 's the burial of it This is that which the Apostle teacheth us that love covers a multitude of sins yea all sins Prov. 10 12. The 2d Act of the dead man he touched the bones of Elisha 1. What bones of Elisha were these what is it to touch the bones of Elisha For it seems by this text that Elisha was very lately buried and so his bones could not yet be touched By the bones of Elisha we understand the strength of God the Saviour so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here rendred bones signifies strengths That man is said to touch into his bones when he became a member of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes ◠When he became flesh of his flesh that is of a tender heart of flesh to receive impressions of the Spirit and bone of his bone when he became strong and able to effectuate those impressions A vertual touching is here meant even the drawing neer unto the Lord Jesus by faith hope and love For so Hebr. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidei fulness of faith And Hebr. 7.19 That better hope whereby we draw near unto God And love is affectus unionis that affection of union whereby we cleave unto God dwell in him 1 John 4.8 and become one spirit with him 2 Cor. 5. draw grace life and vertue from him For so he who hath the Son hath life 1 John 5.12 By this and many like examples it may appear how necessary it is that we preserve the Letter of the Scripture intire how unconvenient yea how absurd soever it seem to our carnal reason as here that a dead carkase should walk or go c. The letter may be the foundation of a spiritual meaning however happly what that is for the present we understand not And lest this Translation before us should seem so exact as many have conceived that it needs no Essay toward the amendment of it I shall propound unto the judicious Reader the Heads of many frequent mistakes which they may finde in it few of which I shall mention in the ensuing Essay Whereof some possibly will not be thought to change the sense of the Scripture but the Word only and retain the sense others pervert the sense also Examples of the former kinde are Metaphores mistaken and used one for another as when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to blot out as having reference to an Image or Picture or to a Writing it s rendred to destroy as Gen. 7.4 which is taken from building Thus Metaphores are waived and the supposed proper sense taken in lieu of them Josh 2. v. 9. as Josh 2.9 The inhabitants of the land melt from or before your faces Our Translators turnn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faint which there and often elsewhere signifies to be melted And the holy Spirit explains the metaphorical use of it Psal 22.14 Ezech. 21.7 Herein although haply the same sense may be intended yet it is not safe to vary that Metaphore which the holy Spirit intends and dictates So although to spoil in the English tongue Col. 2. v. 15. may signifie to disrobe or devest yet that will not so
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Christ the power of God who inwardly inableth me saith S. Paul How is this possible To God only all things are possible yet the Scripture also saith to him that believes all things are possible Why because this belief in the truth and might of God Rom. 4.17 Gal. 3.1 6. Ephes 1.18 19. Rom. 8.10 11 makes men like unto God himself whom they believe even God who quickneth the dead Christ the son is dead in thee crucified in thee God quickens the dead And by this living faith there is a power in believers to raise up the dead in them Obs 2. Here is faith rightly placed on the due reall and proper object divine truth testified by God and Christ himself when the heart gives assent and credit unto the testimony of God that is the first and essentiall truth and which cannot lie Tit. 1.2 Iohn 3.33 then the soul closes with that and seales to it He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true This is the reason why that frequent preface to the prophesies Thus faith the Lord c. ought to be of more credit with us then all the demonstrations in the world Here is saith rightly placed upon the due personall obiect the power and might of God for the effecting of what he promises Iob 30.27 2 Kings 4.16 It 's true there may be pangs and throwes by reason of diffidence and distrust from consideration of our own impotency and weakness O my Lord do not lie unto thy servant saith the Shunamite unto Elisha when he had assured her Thou thy self shall imbrace a son Is there any thing too hard for the Lord 'T is true Idoll Gods Imaginations bring forth nothing but imaginations Esay 66 9. but V. Lat. Numquid ego qui alios parere facio ipse non pariam dicit Dominus shall not I who cause others to bring forth shall not I myself bring forth saith the Lord. Whosoever receives the seed of the word in an honest and good heart Matth. 12.50 shall certainly becom the mother of Christ Obs 3. See then Abrams faith and the faith of Abrams Sons and Daughters is no bare no naked faith but adorned with submission with humility with love with obedience Abrams daughters are clothed with good workes 1 Tim. 2.10 It is no dead faith it hath a form a soul a spirit a life And what are these but good workes Iam. 2.17.20.26 if the Apostle reason right he saith not that good workes are the fruits of faith as commonly they are called For so the tree may live and bear no fruit as in winter but the Apostle seemes to comprehend obedience and good workes in the very nature and essence of faith what else meaneth he when he compares faith without workes to the body without the soul and Abrams faith was made perfect by workes Verse 22.26 and as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also It 's evident therefore that the Apostle understood good workes to be the form soul spirit and life of faith And hence it is that an other Apostle having given a description of faith for examples of it he propounds only those faithfull men who were holy good just Godly and obedient men in their generations For other faith is altogether unprofitable to the chief end salvation What doth it profit if a man say he hath faith Hebr. 11. and have not works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potest fides illa can that faith save him So Beza turns that place well Obs 4. Hence we see who are the true believers who but they who walk in the steps of Abrams faith they who imitate and follow Abrams faith Rom. 4.12 which is in this place expressed Abram believed that God would give him an holy seed that is Christ as S. Paul explaines it This is or ought to be the belief of every one of us of every true and genuine son and daughter of Abram Gal. 3.16 That the Lord will give us the seed even the son that the Lord will raise up Jesus from the dead in us That this is or ought to be the belief of every son and daughter of Abram appeares from the Apostles reasoning upon the words of my Text where having said that it was not written for his that is Rom. 4.18.23 24. for Abrams sake alone c. but for us if we believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who raised up Jesus the Lord◠the word is in the Aorist indefinite as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath made and yet makes the purging of our sins so he raised up and yet raiseth up the Lord Jesus Hebr. 1.3 And the Lord offereth faith unto all having raised up or rasing Christ from the dead So he hath raised or doth raise up his son from the dead For our better understanding of this ye may be pleased to compare the example of believing Abram the father of the faithfull Acts 17.31 1 Thess 1.10 with any one of us who are his children and believers Rom. 4.18 Abram firmly believed which firm belief of Abrams is handled by the object or Subject the promise of God Abrams is handled by the object or Subject Gods ability to perform it Abrams is handled by the object or the diversity 1. The promise of God according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be 2. The ability of God what he had promised he was able to perform The diversity 1. With reference to a contrary object himself and his own body which was dead and the deadness of Sarahs womb neither of which he considered 2. With reference to the act of belief not weake but strong not weake in regard of his own body and the deadness of Sarahs womb which he considered not but strong in regard of God The like we may consider in a believer a son of Abram he believes in Gods promise which is the eternall life 1 Iohn 2.25 and 5.11 and this life is in his son 1. John 5.11 This is that life of God from which we are alienated and estranged Ephes 4.18 Rom. 5.8 Gal. 3.1 Tit. 1.2 This life of God hath been crucified and slain dead and buried in us while we were sinners which God that cannot lie hath promised Whosoever believe and hope in God for this life they consider not themselves so impotent and weak that they are not able to think one good thought of themselves and though their heart faint and fail them as is said of Jacob yet God is the strengh of their heart Gen. 45.26 Psal 73.26 Ephes 1.18 19. Mark 9.23 Psal 110.3 They believe in the mighty power of God whereby he raised up Christ from the dead This is the reason that to him that believes all things are possible This is the day of Gods power that
was called a Nazaren and hereby typified by Joseph the Nazarite of his brethren as some conceive who read Nazaren with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t s And truly these letters are sometime used promiscuously one for the other as 1 Chron. 16.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 96.12 thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and many the like They who read the word Nazaren with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understand hereby the Lord Jesus so devoted and dedicated unto God as the Nazarites of old were For whereas others sanctified somewhat of their goods as Sheep or Oxen unto God the Nazarites above all others devoted themselves unto God as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to separate after a wonderful manner as I shall shew which eminently and above all others was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ who devoted and offered himself without spot unto God Hebr. 9.14 and gave over himself to his Fathers will even to the death the shamful painful and infamous death of the Cross which is implyed in his speech John 17.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I sanctifie or devote my self The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devoted or sanctified is used by the LXX to signifie a Nazarite Therefore Philo Judaeus tells us that the Nazarites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. devote and sanctifie themselves hereby demonstrating holiness and the height of their love unto God For every man is to himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest and most precious thing he has And therefore he who offers up himself unto God as our Lord Jesus Christ did he no doubt offers up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great vow as the Nazarites vow was called And hence it is that our Lord is so often called a Nazaren Mat. 26.7 Mark 1.24 and 7.19 and 10.47 beside many other places Whence also his Disciples and followers are called Nazarens Acts 24.5 whence ipso nomine nos Judaei Nazaraeos appellant per cum saith Tertullian The Jews by him call us Christians Nazarites after that name Now although this be the opinion of very learned men yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle saith in regard of Plato from whom he differ'd in judgement its lawful and honest to prefer truth before our friends For whereas our Lord is called a Nazaren it is not from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to separate For the Nazarite was by his vow to separate himself from Wine and strong drink and not to come at the dead Numb 6.1 6. But our Lord Jesus both drank wine Luke 7.34 and touched the dead corps Luke 8.49 with ver â—4 And therefore although this vow of a Nazarite were fulfilled in Christ according to the truth and by the Spirit of holinesse yet was it not accomplished in him according to the letter of the carnal commandement Nor was our Lord from thence called a Nazaren from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virgultum a sprout or twig because he was brought up in the City of Nazareth or rather Natsareth as it s written in the Syriac Matth. 2.23 whence he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Natsaren as it was written in the title on his Cross which title they say they have at Rome Yet in the Greek tongue he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Nazaren because that as the French and some other Languages affect smoothnesse of pronunciation But was Joseph the Nazarite of his brethren for this end that his brethren should not be or rather that his brethren should be Nazarites whether so or no sure I am our Lord Jesus devoted and sanctified himself unto God by the Spirit of holinesse as a spiritual Nazarite that his brethren might be spiritual Nazarites also For so he saith expresly John 17.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their sakes I sanctifie devote and consecrate my self to God as a Nazarite that they also may be sanctified or become Nazarites For so what Amos 2.12 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazarites is turn'd by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sanctified ones Who ever shall thus willingly devote himself unto God for such a will the Lord requires who loves a cheerful giver especially of himself who gives himself unto God without doubt he shall be looked at as a strange man And therefore our Lord saith whosoever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wonderfully separates himself to vow a vow of a Nazarite to separate himself unto the Lord who ever doth so shall be wondred at and become a wonder or a Monster unto many as David saith of himself Psalm 71.7 And it is the condition of all such Esay 8.18 Zach. 3.8 And Saint Peter gives the reason Because they run not with the men of the evil world from which they have separated themselves 1 Pet. 4.4 into the same confusion of luxury as those words should be rendred Such as these are exemplary men in holinesse of life who shine forth as lights to the dark world in a wicked and perverse generation This concerns us O ye Nazarites who ever are dedicated and consecrated unto God it concerns us O ye Nazarens who grow up unto him in all things Ephes 4.15 who is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sprout or sucker out of the root of Jesse Esay 11.1 that every one of us endeavour to excel to the edifying of the Church 1 Cor. 14.12 and so to be a Nazarite of his brethren to abstain from wine wherein is excess and to be filled with the Spirit Not to pollute our selves with dead works not to come at a dead soul as the words signifie Numb 6.6 not to communicate with any how neer so ever unto us in their dead works to preserve and increase our holy thoughts To stir up our selves in these times of distresse to pray unto the Lord for our selves and our brethren So shall the blessings of our God descend upon us as they descended on the head of Joseph who was the Nazarite of his brethren EXODVS Chap. 1. Verse 3. All the soules that came out of the loynes of Jacob. VVHat in the context the Translators call the loynes they acknowledge in the margent to be the Thigh in the Hebrew as also they do Gen. 46.26 And why then should that be rejected which the Spirit of God dictates and that chosen which seems best to their own humane spirit when the Scripture saith the Thigh how dare we say the Loyns Imo haud longè hoc vocabulum ab ipsa re abludit cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utriusque sexûs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significet Gen. 46.26 Numb 5.21 Nimirum seminales venae tres è lumborum venis ortae antequam in crura descendunt per femora virorum ac mulierum recurrunt fecundumque semen in vasa generationis utrisque devehunt quod ferè Valesius ait cap. 13. sacrae philosophiae The
gold And such are the Sacraments and vertues in them and conveyed by them For whereas spiritual things have no proper name of their own saith Dion Areopagita its necessary that if we must know them they borrow the symbolical representations of themselves from outward and sensible things whereby they may be accommodated and fitted unto our understanding For it is impossible saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Divine Ray should otherwise shine unto us then as it is inveloped and hidden in variety of holy coverings Seeing therefore that which we partake of in the Sacrament inwardly is a spiritual thing and the very same spiritual grace whereof the Israelites were partakers in the Passover and even the Israelites and we Surrogatus Israel the true Christian Church eat of the same spiritual meat and drink the same spiritual drink 1 Cor. 10.3 4. The difference of the outward Elements makes no difference in the spiritual grace For Christ of whom we partake in the Sacrament is properly no more Bread and Wine then he is Manna and Water out of the Rock then he is the meat and drink Offering then he is a Pascal Lamb. All which signifie Christ The difference therefore is only in the outward signes Obs 1. As there is an inward hidden man of the heart a spiritual and heavenly man 1 Pet. 3.4 so in reason there must be an inward spiritual and heavenly food which he inwardly feeds upon and wherewithal he is inwardly nourished And therefore when our Lord had spoken of his body and blood to be fed upon and drunk he saith My words they are spirit and they are life even the truth of God Veritas est animae pabulum the divine truth is the food of the soul the Pascal Lamb the spiritual meat 1 Cor. 10.2 3. That bread of God which comes down from heaven John 6.33 That hidden Manna that food which endures unto the everlasting life All this is Christ the truth the spiritual Bread Meat Manna Pascal Lamb. And this is that which the true believer inwardly eats and feeds upon in the holy Sacrament This is that which our Lord meant when he said Matth. 26.26 This is my body this is my blood c. For surely his natural body his outward flesh and blood was present with them at the Table and of that he could not be understood to speak but of his inward and spiritual body and blood which he gave even his living Word and Spirit Of this he speaks fully John 6.48 58. Obs 2. As there is an inward and spiritual man and a proportionable food for him so must there be an inward and spiritual participation of that food For it is not possible corporally and bodily to eat that which is spiritual and heavenly And therefore what we read in the text Eat not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it Moses expresseth otherwise toward the end of this Chapter A stranger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not eat thereof what is turn'd thereof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in as Arias Montanus renders it exactly a stranger shall not eat in it And again when thou hast circumcised him then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall eat in it and so often in the following words The participation of Christ is inward in the Sacrament It is something inward that the believer feeds upon So the Psalmist dwell saith he in the land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pasce veritatem and feed on the truth Obs 3. Christ is to be partaken with and in his afflictions the Lamb must be eaten roasted the sawce is bitter herbs the bread is bread of affliction 1 Thes 1.5 6. the cup is of Christs passion Exhort Be we all exhorted not to eat of the Lamb raw nor sodden at all with water but roast with fire his head upon his legs and upon the purtenance thereof yea to eat the whole Lamb let us endeavour after a full communion with Christ 1 Cor. 1.13 Is Christ divided ver 30. He is made unto us wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Conform our selves to his minde motions actions life strength c. Whether do we thus communicate with him Whether are we strong against our spiritual enemies by Christ who is the power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 The Lord tels Joshuah Chap. 7. There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore thou canst not prevail against thine enemies There must no uncircumcised person eat of the Passeover There must of necessity therefore be an inward circumcision of the heart that the accursed thing may be removed a laying aside all filthiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and superfluity of naughtiness that we may receive with meekness the ingraffed word which is able to save our souls This is no hasty business 'T is true the circumcision of the flesh was soon dispatched but that of the Spirit is a long work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumcidendo circumcidetur Gen. 17.13 in circumcising he shall be circumcised It s long a doing as that which answers to it mortification moriendo morieris dying thou shalt die It s a long a lingring death That sinful life which we have lived in the flesh was not contracted in an instant no nor in a short time Nemo repente fit pessimus no man is stark naught upon a sudden but by little and little and by little and little is the sinful life to be deaded and destroyed and the holy life to be raised from the dead Nemo repente fit optimus no man becomes so good as he ought to be upon a sudden What the Lord promised Israel according to the flesh Exod. 23.27 28. and made it good to them outwardly the like he promiseth and makes good to Israel according to the Spirit inwardly He sends his fear before us and drives out the spiritual enemies for the fear of God driveth out the sin Ecclus 1.21 O but it 's better thou wilt say to die once then be alwayes a dying O how painful is it to die unto sin Every sin is a life such as it is and therefore to part with it must be painfull as death How tedious and irksom is the pain of circumcision It 's said of the Sichemites that they were sore on the third day Their pains then prevailed saith the Chald. Paraph. as all wounds are most sore on the third day But thy wounds may be sore thy two first dayes Hos 6.2 The law of the Father which brings in the fear Exod. 20.20 that has torment 1 John 4.18 The Gospel of the Son requires the mortification of sin Romans 6.8 But then followes the third day the quickning power of the Spirit But alas I am unclean and guilty to my self of many sins and how shall I eat the Pascal Lamb 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. A multitude of the people had not cleansed themselves yet did they eat the Passeover otherwise then it was written But Hezekiah prayed for them saying The
as well to the Lord to whom the burnt Sacrifice is offered as to the person who offereth it He shall offer it for grace or favour to himself from the Lord. And accordingly the Lord makes promise of acceptance verse 4. On the contrary the Prophet tells the Jews in the same expression Your whole burnt-offerings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not to acceptation Jer. 6.20 This hath been the most ancient translation of this Scripture So the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall bring it acceptable So the Chald. Par. the Syriac Arabic and Samaritan versions the Vulg. Lat. Martin Luther three Low Dutch translations the Tigurin Bible and Castellio and of our old English Coverdale and another And to this I rather encline because the whole burnt Sacrifice offered to the honour of God prefigured the body of sin to be destroyed and that service accepted through Jesus Christ of the Lord. But because the Lord loves a cheerful giver saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 9.7 I dare not reject that other translation Yea why may we not according to that admirable fulness of the holy Word admit of both Namely so that the mortifying Spirit of God excites the Good will of him who offereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his own will that the Son through whom we offer up all our Sacrifices Hebr. 13.15 meets him who offers willingly That the Father through the mediation of the Son accepts of him who so willingly offereth and his offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his grace and savour Thus is the service of God pourtrayed in the ceremonies of the Old Testament especially in this mystical Book ½ and lively represented in the New Since the Lord promiseth so gracious acceptation let us be encouraged willingly to come and bring our whole burnt offering the dally mortification of our sin through the mediation of the High Priest so shall we and our Oblation finde acceptance in the Beloved Ephes 1.6 If thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan Levit. 2. Ver. 5. it shall be of fine flower unleavened mingled with oyl It s much doubted what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is whether a Pan as it s here turn'd or a flat plate or a slice as it is in the margent or a Platter or a Gridiron For all these have their Authors and we are left to conjecture what it is or which of all these it is or whether none of all these I know all or most Expositors have herein followed the judgment of a learned Jew Howbeit since in doubtful things every man hath liberty to conjecture I believe that this vessel was neither slice nor flat plate much Iess a Gridiron but rather a baking or boyling or Frying-pan My reasons are 1. From the original of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which according to the most is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hide so that it seemes a vessel of some depth wherein the meat-offering was to be hidden But whereas some conceive that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we read 1 Chron. 23.29 We must 2. Further enquire concerning the use of this vessel which was that therein the meat-offering was to be baked or boyled or fryed Now since we read Levit. 6.14 15. that the meat-offering was thus offered the Priest shall take of it his handful of the flowre of the meat-offering and then is added and of the oyl thereof its apparent that the vessel wherein it was boyled or baked or fryed could not be a smooth plate or stice much less a Gridiron since such it must be that must hold the oyl as well as the meat-offering which therefore could be no other then some hollow pot or baking or boyling or Prying-pan Hierom renders the word by Sartago a Frying-pan So Pagnin Vatablus Munster Tremellius and the Tigurin Bible And whereas verse 7 we read o◠a meat-offering in a Frying-pan Hierom and the other Latin Translators there have Frixorium which differs from Sartago But what is this to us The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or meat-offering is rendred by the LXX sometime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sacrifice which is here used sometime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gift as Gen. 4.4 but that is most-what used for gifts given by Subjects to their Princes as 1 Kings 4.21 and elsewhere sometime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Oblation as Psal 40.6 This gift is offered unto God either by Christ himself or by those who are Christs 1. Christ himself gave himself unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Oblation and Sacrifice unto God both which words answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meat-offering Ephes 5.2 and thereby caused the legal Sacrifice and Oblation prefiguring him to cease Dan. 9.27 2. In vertue of Christs Sacrifice and Oblation they who are Christs offer up Sacrifices and Oblations unto God either immediately as their prayers so Psal 141.2 Let my prayer be directed unto thee as the incense and the lifting up of mine hands as the Evening Sacrifice Or mediately when men do good works unto men which God accepteth as done unto himself Phil. 4.18 Hebr. 13.15 Yea the converted Gentiles as the Prophet foretold Esay 66.20 were to be offered up as a meat-offering in a clean vessel which the Apostle as the Priest offered up Rom. 15.16 But whereof did the meat-offering consist Surely of fine flowre as appears Levit. 2.1 The flowre of that wheat which fell into the ground and died and brings forth much fruit John 12.24 which our Lord understood of himself and so decipher'd himself unto the Greeks who came to Jesus ver 20.21 They came to see his person and he shews the mystery of himself that he is the increase of God growing up in us even the pretious fruit of the earth James 5.7 8. which must be grownd or beaten so that the husk and bran must be purged from it For so Christ growes up in us according to the flesh and letter until we have been dead with him and risen with him we then attain unto some maturity and ripeness when as unto the flesh he disappears and we then begin to know him according to the Spirit 2 Cor. 5.17 and become new creatures Upon this unleavened sincere fine flowre the oyl is powred Levit. 2.1 That oyl is a figure of the holy Spirit and love of God that perfect gift which descends from the Father of lights James 1. For when Truth thus springs out of the earth Righteousness looks down from heaven Psal 85.11 This meat-offering must have Frankincense upon it even the incense of our prayers Psal 141.2 This meat-offering no doubt is a pretious gift and it requires a clean vessel which may hold it even a pure and clean heart Esay 66.20 The Lord is good unto such an Israel Psal 73.1 who are of a clean heart Such as these shall see God Mat. 5.8 Such a meat-offering such a clean vessel with all our
Nor must the Carkase of a Horse or Dog or the like be thrown into a Common rode But what if a dead Mouse be thrown there The answer is De minimis non curat Lex The Law takes no notice of things so small And some out of their Epicurean spirit would perswade us that Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse Jovi that God is not at leisure to heed small matters Under which pretence they plead for their infirmities and those of the largest cize and by that name they understand their gross habitual sins But the wise man tells us that he who neglects small things shall fall by little and little Ecclus 19.1 Surely our God neglects not but forbids and punishes even the smallest sins neglected and unrepented of and not forsaken Therefore vers 3. of this Chapter the Lord forbids the Nazarite not only the drinking of Wine and strong drink but also Vinegar of Wine Numb 6. ver 3. and Vinegar of strong drink neither shall he drink any liquor of Grapes c. Howbeit the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not the liquor or juice of Grapes For that was before forbidden in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wine For what is Wine but the juice or liquor of Grapes if the Wine be made of Grapes For Wine may be made of many other things as Diodorus Siculus writes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barley-wine What then may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifie but water wherein the Grapes have been steeped tinctured and moystened as in some sleight decoction And therefore Arias Montanus renders the word made factionem moystening The Lord here when he would prohibite the Nazarite the use of Wine he forbids all what ever belongs to it And thus some understand the Lord Jesus Mat. 5.33 when he saith swear not at all That he well knowing how frequent swearing and forswearing was among the people and how true it is Qui facilè jurat facilè pejerat He who easily swears easily forswears himself That therefore he might restrain men from that frequent sin of perjury he prohibites what usually leads men thereunto Thus the Lord having given strict charge to Adam that he should not eat of the forbidden fruit Adam gives charge to Eve that she should not touch it as we charge our children not to come neer the well And thus the wise man gives charge to his children Prov. 4.14 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked go not in the way of evil men avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away And the wise men of the Jews perswaded the Nazarites that they might the better observe their vows not to go into the Vineyards This no doubt is a great error in the sons of men they fear lest they should commit some great sins and regard not the less sins which insensibly dispose them to the committing of the greatest And therefore the Scripture warns us that we take great heed of the little sins A little leaven leavens the whole lump Gal. 5.9 And he who keeps the whole Law and offendeth in one point is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 O take heed lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled Heb. 12.15 Whence it appears that the will of the Lord is our sanctification in modico in magno our whole our thorow obedience For in this vow of a Nazarite was prefigured unto us the state of perfection such as was held forth unto us in the High Priest on whose forehead was the golden plate with this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holiness unto the Lord or The Holiness of the Lord Exod. 28.39 This type was really and in the Truth fulfilled in Christ the true Nazarite the true High Priest The same perfect life is held forth unto all and required of all who are Christs What else means the Apostle 2 Cor. 6.17 where he saith Come out from among them which is also the Prophets invitation and call unto us to come forth out of the confused spiritual Babel And be ye separate be true Nazarites separate your selves unto the Lord. Touch no unclean thing come not at any dead soul Be not so endeared unto Father or Mother or Brother or Sister when they are dead in trespasses and sins as to be defiled for them Though the Priest of the second order might be defiled the true Nazarites who are made like unto the great High Priest as he might not be defiled no not for his Father or for his Mother Levit. 21.10.11 So neither ought we out of natural endeerment or indulgence to be spiritually polluted no not for our Fathers and Mothers Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered in the flesh arm your selves with the same suffering minde For he who hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin He who doth the will of my Father which is in heaven he is now adopted into the Divine linage he shall be my Mother and Sister and Brother Mat. 12.50 And God the Father speaks unto such Nazarites who separate themselves to the Lord unto such Levites who in this case say to their Father and to their Mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor do they acknowledge their children for they have observed Gods word and kept his Covenant Deut. 33.9 Vnto such Levites unto such Nazarites such separated ones he saith Be ye separate own no father nor mother nor brother nor sister upon earth and I will receive you and I will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Be we exhorted to separate our selves unto the Lord to become true Nazarites that we may obtain the Crown of our God This seems to be the drift of the Apostles exhortation 2 Cor. 6. as I shewed before How shall we obtain this Crown of our God The Nazarite by wearing of his hair professed himself subject unto God as the woman hath power on her head 1 Cor. 7. This subjection is unto the will and law of God and he is in meditation of the law day and night Psal 1. Hereby he is rendred humble contrite and mortified endures temptations and so obtains the Crown of life James 1.12 See how this was prefigured in Esther the invisible and hidden Church Esther 2. She had neither father nor mother v. 7. they were both dead Such a virgin Church as the Psalmist speaks unto Hearken O daughter and consider forsake thine own people and thy fathers house Psal 45. But did she not make her self unclean by her father or her mother when they died No Mordecai took her for his daughter Mordecai who is that Amata contritio bitter contrition A figure of the holy Law which renders us contrite and humble the son of Jair the light Or Mordecai is docens contritionem teaching contrition He becomes the father of Esther or Myrrha contrita Myrrh contrite Myrrh is a principal
preservative against infection and contagion And Mordecai bitter contrition and teaching contrition Myrrh contrite preserves Esther from uncleanness of her father and her mother The law of God teaching and rendring us contrite and humble is a principal antidote against dead works Esther is commended unto Heghe the Keeper of the women Esth 2. And what is Heghe Meditation so Heghe signifies And Heghe is an excellent Tutor to the women the thoughts they are spiritually the woman 2 Cor. 11. I fear lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your thoughts should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Esther is a long time preparing And manifold preparations are required of the people of God Luke 1.17 to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. They were prepared before and John must yet make them ready Esther thus prepared is commended to Ahashuerus the Prince and the Head And he sets the Crown royal upon Esthers head Esther 2.17 The like promise is also made by the true Ahashuerus unto us that if we be prepared members of the invisible Church and bear the Cross we shall also wear the Crown For blessed is he that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him James 1.12 One spoon of ten shekels of gold The word here rendred a Spoon as also often in this Chapter Numb 7. v. 14. seems to be mistaken by our Translators as I have shewen on Exod. 25.29 or on Exod. 37.16 more fully The word rather seems to be a vessel for incense as it is here used which I prove by reasons there shewen Sprinkle water of purifying upon them Numb 8. v. 7. And let them shave all their flesh and let them wash their clothes and so make themselves clean The words contain the manner of purifying the Levites viz. by sprinkling water of purifying upon them But the words rendred water of purifying are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waters of sin or sin waters So that the Translators rather express the use and effect of these waters then render the words in their proper sense as Arias Montanus hath done who turns the words Aquas peccati waters of sin So the Tigurin Bible and Vatablus Martin Luther also turns them by one word Sundwasser so Piscator and one Low Dutch So Ainsworth And although the LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 water of purifying whom our old and new Translators follow yet cannot the words be so turnd without a trope Nor hath the Translator of the Chald. Paraphrast dealt candidly who turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquas lustrationis waters of purging which exactly answers the Hebrew waters of sin But what water is it that can purifie the man from his sin we read not yet that the water of separation is commanded to be made which is first enjoyn'd Numb 19. and not before The Jews have a good rule which is of use here Non est prius posterius in lege There is neither before nor after in the Law So that howsoever as yet the sin-water were not commanded to be made yet that which was typified by it the blood of Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 is the true holy water or sin-water Yea lest any age should want an expedient and effectual mean for the purging and cleansing from sin the Apostle applying this type unto the truth saith thus Hebr. 9.13 14. If the blood of Buls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot unto God purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God Whereby the Apostle holds forth unto us that everlasting sin-water the pretious blood and eternal Spirit of Christ which cleanseth us from all our sins 1 John 1.7 But as our Translators in the first part of the Levites cleansing make no mention at all of sin which is to be purged so neither in the second part of it do they express the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rasor which they must let pass over all their flesh But instead of this they put what they judged equipollent hereunto let them shave all their flesh which is not a genuine translation but an exposition And they cast the true translation of the words into the margent And what becomes of them and all the rest in the Pocket Bible The third part of the Levites cleansing Washing their clothes is tacitly implyed the whole mystery of sprinkling the sin-water and cutting off the hair viz. the purifying from the superfluity of naughtiness even the sinne it self So much is intimated in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their clothes which may as well be rendred their sins and wickednesses as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies O what an exact holiness and purity does the most holy God expect from us who profess our selves such as cleave unto him when he requires so many purifications of the sons of Levi as we read here and Malac. 3.3 Lord sprinkle us from an evil conscience Lord wash us thorowly from our iniquity multiply or rather wash me from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Psal 51.2 From the age of fifty years Numb 8. v. 25 26. they shall cease waiting on the service thereof and shall serve no more but shall minister with their brethren c. Our Lord himself tels Moses the argument of these words together with the former and those which follow Verse 23. The Lord spake unto Moses saying This is that belongeth to the Levites from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to war the warfare of the service of the Tabernacle of meâ—ting and from the age of fifty years they shall return from the warfare of the service thereof and shall serve no more but shall minister with their brethren c. So that the words contain the common term between the Levites service and their ministry which may be resolved into these divine sentences 1. The Levites waited on the service of the Tabernacle 2. From the age of fifty years they shall cease from waiting on the service of the Tabernacle 3. From the age of fifty years they shall minister with their brethren 4. From the age of fifty years they shall serve no more but they shall minister The Levites waited on the service of the Tabernacle of meeting The Levites may be understood either more specially according to their office or men generally all such as by faith and good will cleave unto God Psal 51. v 2. What is here turn'd waiting is indeed warring the warfare of the service of the Tabernacle of meeting He shall go in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to war the warfare of the service c. v. 24. So Tremellius
being the age of full strength they entred upon the second part of their warfare wherein they continued twenty years viz. until the fiftieth year of their age when the bodily strength of a man begins to fail him And the reason is evident Nature now weary requires ease and rest The souls of the Levites as well as others dwell in houses of clay Job 4.19 weak and brittle And although the soul in her other house her astral body be strong vigorous and able for action yet while it acts in and by an elementary body which daily moulders away in that case though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak Though there may be actûs eliciti actions drawn forth of the soul Yea and imperati actions commanded also by it yet they must needs be weakly performed when the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men bow themselves and the grinders fail because they grinde little and they that look out of the windowes be darkned c. Eccles 12.3 Whence we learn 1. That the Lord requires our full strength to be wholly spent in warring the warfare of his service The full strength of a man begins about the thirtieth year of his age At that age Joseph began to serve the Lord in the kingdom of Egypt Gen. 41.46 and David in the kingdom over Israel began his reign and the service of God and his generation at the same age 2 Sam. 5.4 Acts 13.36 And at the same age the Lord Jesus being the truth of both these types he began to serve the Lord in his temporal dispensation Luke 3.23 2. The Lord requires all our time of strength to be imployed in the spiritual warfare even from the full strength at thirty years until the decay of it at fifty Nor will any one who serves the Lord out of love which is the highest and most acceptable service Exod. 20.6 Otherwise conceive but that all that time is utterly mis-spent and lost which is imployed in any other service since the Lord requires all our strength and all our time to be spent in his service of love Luke 10.37 There is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enough and more then enough of our time wasted in the service of sin how little soever of our time hath perished in it And here I meet with a Scripture which I beleeve is much mistaken 1 Peter 4.1 2 3 4. Forasmuch therefore as Christ hath suffered in the flesh arm your selves with the same minde because he who hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that he should live no longer the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God The Apostle having propounded his general exhortation in the first words Arm your selves with the same minde according to the patern of Christs suffering in the flesh he explains what he means by suffering in the flesh viz. ceasing from sin which explication given he proceeds in his general exhortation interposing himself by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ye or we no longer should live the rest of your or our lifetime to the lusts of men but to the will of God For that second verse is not to be knit to the exegesis or explication in the next preceding words but to the general exhortation in the first words And so to be read as if they were put in a Parenthesis by themselves What some might doubt that the words in our translation are in the singular number and third person That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh c. I answer the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the Infinitive and so may be rendred according to either number and any person But it suits best with the general exhortation propounded in the plural Ver. 1. and so followed ver 3 4. as Dr. Hammond hath judiciously observed But let us resume our business 3. It is not the will of the Lord that his souldiers should be alwayes warring that they should alwayes be fighting Surely men fight not but with hope of overcoming and an end there must be of their fighting because the Lord of hosts engageth us in this battle and he does nothing in vain Yea we read that the Prophets must comfort Jerusalem and tell her that her warfare is accomplished Esay 40.2 4. There is a time when the spiritual Levite is discharged from warring the warfare of the Lord a time when he shall return from the warfare of the service Among the many opposite times for many businesses the Wiseman tells us of a time for war and a time for peace Eccles 3.8 5. The proper time of returning ceasing and resting from the spiritual warfare is the time of the Spirit Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty And this is the time hinted and figured in the text before us the age of fifty years Which if we render according to the Hebrew word for word they sound thus From a son of fifty years that is from a son born of the spirit figured by the number fifty For thus in type the Levites the Kohathites Gershonites and Merarites although for diverse reasons already shewen they began their service at different years of their age yet they all ended their service at fifty years of age as appears in them all Num. 4.15 And from fifty years of their age they must return from the warfare of the service More particularly as fourty years is the time of separation trial of faith obedience the time of sin punishment of sin humiliation and repentance and mortification of sin as I shall shortly shew if the Lord will So the number of fifty notes remission and pardon yea doing away of sin Whence it was that the 50 year was the year of Jubile the year of Release as it is called Levit. 25. It is very often in that Chapter called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the LXX remission of sins the time of giving the Law and giving the holy Spirit Acts 2.1 The time when they who have mortified their sins are born from the dead and become born of the Spirit Thus when David had now fought the Lords battles Solomon his son succeeded him a man of peace and rest 6. We may note from hence the Lords gracious dealing with those who labour in his service The Levites who had laboured twenty years in bearing burdens besides five years spent in preparation to their warfare had a time when they were milites emeriti as souldiers discharged from warring the warfare of the service when they must serve no more but minister with their brethren in the Tabernacle of the meeting to keep the charge and shall do no service Numb 8.25.26 And no doubt but some Analogie there is between the Levitical and Evangelical service in regard of time If they rested at fifty years the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and indulgence of the Gospel may allow an Evangelical Levit some ease
the expiation of sin contracted by the Red earthly man a Red Heiffer be made choise of to represent the white and ruddy heavenly man This Heiffer also must be perfect and without blemish which never hath born yoke For such is the Christ of God even the perfect one without spot or stain of sin which never bare the yoke of servitude unto sin Yet though innocent harmless undefiled and separate from sinners he must notwithstanding be slain because without shedding of blood there is no remission Hebr. 9.22 And slain this Heiffer must be without the Camp And that Jesus might sanctifie his people by his blood he suffered without the Camp Hebr. 13. For he came not to call the just who are within the Camp which is the Camp of the Saints Revel 20.9 but sinners which are without yea to seek and to save what was lost This Heiffer must be burnt by the fire taken off the Altar kindled from heaven For the heavenly man came to send fire on the earth even the heaven-born fire of love which might extinguish the iniquity which burns like a fire Esay 9.18 and so Extingueret ignibus ignes quench the infernal with the heavenly fire saith the Poet. With the ashes of this burnt Heiffer all who were defiled were sprinkled For nothing so sanctifies and purifies our Ruddy polluted humanity as the daily mortification and burning up the Holocaust the iniquity as the dross by the holy fire of divine love sent from heaven into our earthly manhood by the Christ of God the man from heaven heavenly And therefore was the female chosen being the weaker lest we should imagine that expiation could be made by any beast or earthly man The influence whereby the purging of sin is made is from the Divine Power to intimate this unto us not the stronger but the weaker sex the Red Cow must be slain And what spiritually is the Ezob or Rosmary what else but the holy faith whereby the heart is purified Acts 5.9 Of this Ezob three stalks or sprigs made the Aspergillum or Sin-water stock wherewith the sprinkling was made And the faith wherewith we are sprinkled is threefold or there are three branches of it Faith in the Father Son and holy Spirit And thus the Prophet foretold Esay 52.15 that the Christ of God now abased and brought low even to the dust and ashes of his humiliation ver 14. should sprinkle many nations Acts 17. v. 31. Mat. 28. v. 19. And indeed and truth God giveth or offereth faith unto all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.31 having raised up Christ from the dead And having received also power in heaven and earth he sprinkleth all nations and authorizeth his Apostles and true Ministers to sprinkle them by baptizing them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the name nature and Being of the Father the Son and the holy Spirit and sprinkles answerably unto them a sprinkling with water Ezech. 36.25 with Blood Numb 19.4 with Oyl Levit. 14.16 a known figure of the Spirit which are the three witnesses upon earth 1 John 5.8 And these testifie of three spiritual estates gradually differing one from other whereinto we are baptized and sprinkled from the pollutions of the World the Flesh and the Devil and so we become partakers of the divine nature having eskaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 And thus the Israel of God abased and brought low even to dust and ashes come forth of the Furnace of humiliation being refined and purified from their dross and are arayed in white robes Who are these and whence came they saith one of the Elders to S. John And he answered These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb Rev. 17.14 the Lambs blood is a white an innocent blood and become like unto him who is white and ruddy Cant. 5. For if the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heiffer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purity of the flesh so the Greek text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 9. v. 13. which signifies purity not purifying as our Translators render it how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot or fault unto God purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God The sprinkling of this blood cures the bitings of the old Serpent cleanseth the leprosie of sin expels that Morbus Daemoniacus that disease inflicted by the foul spirit dissolves all the works of the Devil Let us therefore draw near with a true heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in plenitudine in fulness of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having our body washed with pure water by that clean man Hebr. 10. v. 22. Numb 19.18 who hath promised to sprinkle clean water the water of his spirit upon us Ezech. 36.25 And let us hold fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the confession of our hope without wavering the Translators turn it faith which should be turn'd hope according to all Greek Copies I have yet seen Beside the Apostle in ver 22 23 24. hath the three Theological Graces in their order For he is faithful that hath promised and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Hebr. 10.22 23 24. The Lord so sprinkle us and purge us with the true Ezob the Herbarists call Hyssop Gratia Dei from the leprosie of our sins and strengthen us to do his holy will through Jesus Christ our Lord Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the King of Edom Numb 20. v. 14. Thus saith thy brother Israel Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie Travail but the Adjunct of it or the travailler labour Exod. 18.8 which they turn there travail all the travail that found them in the way Not so properly Since travailling is the act of him who journeyeth but labour and trouble is his adjunct which findes him in the way wherein he travails as the LXX render the word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labour So likewise the word may be understood here as also weariness the effect of travailing and labouring So the Translators themselves render the word Gen. 19.11 Esay 7.13 Mal. 1.12 Who bears the image of the earthly man and is not sensible of an heavie burden such is the burden of cares and thoughts what shall we eat and what shall we drink That earthly man is Edom as the name signifies This earthly man this Edom the Animalis homo the natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly the souly man â—ears in his journey towards the heavenly Canaan where he shall 〈◊〉 the image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15.49 And therefore not without cause here Israel saith to Edom Thou knowest all the weariness that hath found us Howbeit the
world that light of faith which precedes in our regress and return unto our God Deus lumen perfecit operibus suis 2. There follows Discrimen honestorum turpium that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Firmament dividing between those waters above and those waters beneath even that spirit of faith discerning whereby we know how to refuse the evil and choose the good to sever the spiritual and heavenly love from the carnal and earthly other wise the former as experience often proves would easily degenerate into the later Col. 2. v. 5. unless there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.5 A Firmament of faith and divine and spiritual wisdom to put difference between them 3. Thirdly there is a separation of the waters from the earth when the natural and sensual passions are gathered together and made subject to divine reason Then the minde free from sensual delights and other perturbations as the earth dryed from the waters must bring forth the Plants of Gods planting 4. Because the light must not be hid and put under a Bushel but on a Candlestick that may give light to all and shine before men two great lights the Sun to rule the day even the great light by which we see God the light In lumine tuo videbimus lucem and the less light to rule the night even humane wisdom to guide us in the affairs of this life which is but as the night in regard of the day light of Heaven The Stars are examples of the holy ones they who turn many to righteousness who shine as the Stars Dan. 12. to whom the children of Abraham are compared Gen. 1 5. 5. Moving creatures the motions and inspirations of Gods Spirit The gifts and graces of the holy Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charismata So one of the most ancient and pious Fathers understood that word By these we take the wings of a Dove and we flye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the face of the firmament by contemplation and elevation of the minde above all earthly things By these our soul escapes as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler 6. Then the earth brings forth the living souls even such as live unto God and are conformed unto him with whom God is so delighted that he approves it is good and cooperates with us saying Let us make Man after our image even male and female the female the thoughts 2 Cor. 11. which receive the seed of God A facie tua concepimus Domine peperimus spiritum salutis the male when he works according to grace received Thus the man being perfected is fruitful and multiplies and brings forth fruit and fills the earth even the earthly man with the gifts of Gods grace so that the heart and the flesh rejoyce in the living God Thus he brings under the earth and subdues it and all the beasts Thus the man after his six dayes egress returns and comes to the seventh and so both meet in the Sabbath the true rest Esay 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness that remembers thee in thy wayes Behold the glorious patern propounded to our imitation even God himself God goes out of himself by six dayes or degrees and rests in the seventh and man goes out of himself by six dayes and he also rests in the seventh But whereas there are two things in rest considerable rest from something and rest in something this is the first rest even rest with Christ according to the flesh being armed with the same minde and dying to him The second rest is in Christ according to the Spirit even in the eighth day when we return again into God as our Lord saith John 16.28 I come forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to my Father For we are also come forth from the same Father Luke 3. ult Acts 17. into this troublesome world that we may return by the like six dayes and then finde our rest in God Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours in Christ to whom they live who are dead unto the world and then arise with Christ unto a better life even the resurrection and the life of the eighth day I am come that they might have life and have it in more abundance 2. Hitherto we have considered these seven dayes preceding the eighth with reference to Gods creation and according to their mysterie let us now consider them more plainly and in reference to our duty And so we read of six legal dayes or lights of the Law which must fit and prepare us and lead us unto the seventh and eighth day I read them in a very pious Author who is called Hiel and stiled by Arias Montanus who himself was a great light of his age Christianae veritatis viventis testis cui nomen ipsa Christi virtus veritas Hiel indidit a witness of the Christian living truth to whom the power and truth of Christ gave the name Hiel The first six lights he names in this order 1. The Light 2. The Hearing 3. The Understanding 4. Confession 5. Obediencè 6. Delight and Pleasure in the law of God Which we may illustrate thus We have the two former Prov. 20.12 The seeming eye and the hearing ear the Lord hath made them both Leah is labour which brings forth Reuben the son of light and Simeon the hearing in the humanity Out of the mouth of the Lord comes understanding Prov. 2.6 or wisdom which is to fear the Lord and to depart from evil Job 28.28 Then follows confession of sin which we now forsake and finde mercy whence we take courage to be obedient unto righteousness Rom. 6.16 So that by frequency of obedient actions we attain to delight in the law of God according to the inward man Rom. 7.22 This is that they call a good will which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vigil Eve or preparation for the Sabbath day or rest from sin which is the dawning of the eighth day when the day-Star ariseth in our hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 O ye free-born Israelites Who desire the appearing of the last day the great day of the feast of Tabernacles let us finish our six dayes works and keep the seventh a holy Sabbath a restraint a rest from all our sins 2 Pet. 3. v. 11.12.18 and hasten the coming or presence of the eighth day the day of God in all holy conversations and godlinesses So shall the Day-Star arise in our hearts and the Son of God will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take up his Tabernacle with us To him be glory both now and to the day of eternity 2 Pet. 3.18 Deuteronomy These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan Deut. 1. ver 1 2. in the Wilderness in the Plain over against the Red Sea between Paran and Toph l and Laban and Hazeroth
joyn'd and continued unto him as one with him 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned unto the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agglutinatus glued as it were and intimately united unto the Lord he is one spirit the Syriac adds with him And therefore it must needs be irksom and painful to part from him as a bone dis-joynted and parted from its bone so the word in Jer. 6.8 signifies as the Translators acknowledge in the margent and it is so used Gen. 32.24 And indeed it most concerns us and in all reason we should be most sensible of it when our soul is dislocated and out of joynt and so it is when the Lord departs from it because we have first departed from him And therefore he complains Ezech. 6.9 I am broken with your whorish heart that hath departed from me And therefore the Lord out of his great love seems sensible of such paines as accompany dis-joynting or wounding or breaking of the body part from part Wherefore the Lord out of intense love exhorts us Be instructed or corrected or instruct thy self O Jerusalem Ne avellatur anima mea so Arias Montanus turns it lest my soul be violently pluckt away from thee as unwilling yet forced by thee to depart from thee And what will come of it lest I make thee as a Desart a wasted desolate land not inhabited These words must not depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life Thou hast no warrant to neglect the heeding of thy self or keeping of thy soul no not one day of thy life The reason is 1. Our God is the God of all our times all our dayes 2. His words are the words of this life Acts 5.20 Be exhorted O Israel only to take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the words which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life Solomon having exhorted his son or disciple to heed his words and give attention to his sayings Prov. 4.20 well knowing the common guise of hearers to let what they hear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slip or drop like water thorow a riven dish as that word properly signifies Hebr. 2.1 he adviseth his son to beware lest the wicked cause these words to depart from his eyes For so the word is in Hiphil and requires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be understood out of the verse before Prov. 4. v. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne recedere faciant let not the wicked cause them to depart from thine eyes but that he keep them in his heart as an hidden treasure laid up in the midst of his heart as most dear unto him This keeping of them will not be in vain for they are words of life to those who finde them v. 22. And whereas some Physical Receipt may be soveraign for the cure of some one or other disease this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Receipt or received doctrine as he calls it ver 2. of of that Chapter it s a Catholicon an universal medicine its health to all their flesh Which is literally and really true for the healing doctrine of the Word 1 Tim. 1. v. 10. as the Apostle calls it 1 Tim. 1.10 not only restraines the concupiscible from all excess and riot from all surfeting and drunkenness from all chambering and wantonness all foolish and hurtful lusts which betray the soul unto these exorbitancies but it moderates also the passions of the irafcible as anger fierceness indignation desire of revenge vain fears vain hopes Which spiritual maladies the learned Physitians in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly declare to be the causes of many bodily diseases But though the words of wisdom be attended unto though laid up in the heart yea in the midst of the heart yet unless the heart it self be well kept we are in danger to forget the words which our eyes have seen and they will depart from our heart To prevent so great an evil its needful that we learn an Art of memory a method and way to keep these words For certainly by corrupt nature we are not able to keep them Herein we must proceed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Somewhat that hinders must be removed and some positive helpful means used 1. As for the former I shall name some impediments of the natural memory and the removal of them with Analogy unto spiritual hindrances and removal of them also The corrupt animal spirit hurts the natural memory And many unclean spirits there are which destroy the remembrance of those words which our eyes have seen One ye read of in Mark 1. Yea Mark 5.2 there 's a whole Legion of them in one man who dwels in the tombs even in dead works He cannot be bound with the bands and fetters of the Law but he breaks them and casts them away Psal 2. Such unclean spirits ye read of who have destroyed the memory of God and his Word extreamly in these last dayes Revel 16.13 14. Jer. 23.14.27 How needful therefore is it to discern of the spirits whether they be of God or not 1 John 4. 2. The Physitians say Delirium phrenitis causat oblivionem when the reason is lost the memory is lost 'T is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guide and rudder of the soul The Prodigal for this reason forgat his fathers house as it is evident from hence that afterward he is said to come to himself Luke 15. 3. A third hurt of the memory is said to be negotiorum moles incombrance with many businesses Mark 4.19 the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things choak the word And therefore the Apostle exhorts us to lay aside every weight and the sin that besets us in every circumstance Hebr. 12.1 4. That which they say helps the natural memory hurts the spiritual namely images For experience hath proved that hereby forgetfulness of God and divine things hath crept into the Church of God Hereby the antient people of God were extreamly deceived They made an Idol to help their memory of God and thereby the lost it Psal 106.19 20 21. They made a Calf in Horeb and worshipped the molten image c. Then followes they forgat God their Saviour And it is a vain impiety to set men to look Pictures and Images of God the Father Son and Spirit which draw down the thoughts from conceiving a-right of God to be a Spirit unto corporeal and sensible things 2. Come we to positive helps Certain it is Quae curamus meminimus Those things which we take heed unto and take care of those even when we are old we remember especially when we fasten them in our souls by meditation on them day and night Psal 1. They are wont to preserve the natural memory with certain ointments applyed to the head Such a spiritual unction we receive from the holy One 1 John 2.20 which remembers us of all that ever we
it abides alone but if it die it brings forth much fruit There is remaining in the grain of Wheat now dead an active principle of life the Balsamum naturale the natural and radical balsum which recals and raiseth up the plant to life and multiplyes it John 12.24 But that this may be done the Lord calls upon us to plough up our fallow grounds to mortifie our earthly members To die daily unto sin for that 's implyed in the next words he that loves his life shall lose it c. Also that we believe in the mighty power of God who raiseth the dead And by this faith we are raised unto life as the Apostle testifies of the Colossians Col. 2. v. 12. wherein also ye are raised by faith in the operative power of God having raised him from the dead Col. 2.12 How justly therefore are many of this present generation to be blamed who being fallen into sins of intemperancy incontinency injustice oppression violence impiety and profaneness lie still like arrant Beasts and continue in them and expect a time when they shall receive such an irresistable power of grace as shall enforce them to arise out of the slow of their sins unto righteousness whether they will or not But surely the grace of God does not work with violence but gently and sweetly according to the fabrick of mans heart which God the maker of it best knowes and accordingly drawes men with the cords of a man even with loving kindness Hos 11.4 And therefore when this grace is withstood and resisted the Lord complains as Matth. 23.27 O Jerusalem how often would I and ye would not c. And Acts 7. O ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised of heart ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost c. And Esay 65.2 3. I have stretched out my hands all the day to a rebellious people c. Ezech. 18.31 Cast away from you all your transgressions c. Why will ye die c John 5.34 These things I say unto you that ye may be saved c. ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Esay 5.4 What could I have done more for my vineyard then I have done These and many like Scriptures there are wherein the Spirit of God complains that men resist the grace of God yield not obedience thereunto But we never read of any compulsion or force used to compel men to obedience For that should be contrary to Gods creation in the framing of mans heart so that it is not to be wrought upon otherwise then by perswasions Contrary to the nature of obedience which is never forced but is purely voluntary as appears in the example of Pauls conversion which if ever any should seem to be forced yet he saith expresly I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision Acts 26.19 Otherwise if the grace of God should force men to break off their sin to deny ungodliness c. this then would follow and I beseech you mark it That the grace of God should enforce men to be obedient and then reward them for being so which how absurd and against Gods dealing it would be ye that are wise men judge Besides this is contrary to the nature of a command that it should be directed by a wise King unto his Subjects to be performed and that upon pain of death which yet his Subject cannot choose but he must do being compelled by an irresistible power What else do they affirm who live in their sins and say That they wait for such grace from God as shall make them even against their wills to deny their ungodliness and worldly lusts c. and after this compulsion the only wise God shall reward them with everlasting bliss and salvation But does not the Apostle bid us to hope perfectly for the grace that shall come unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ T is true but what are the words immediately before Gird up the loyns of your minde be sober and hope to the end c. 1 Pet. 1.13 But Abraham hoped against hope It s true he hoped against the impotency and weakness of his own flesh in the mighty power of God who had promised and was able to perform Rom. 4. But Abraham when he thus hoped was obedient unto God and kept his charge his Commandements his Statutes and his Lawes Gen. 26.5 But what promise what word of God hast thou to hope in who livest in thy disobedience and contrary to the Commandement of God he who hopes for the grace that shall be revealed c. he purifies himself as God is pure 1 John 3.3 The grace of God to the fallen man supposeth a power in him to receive it and so to comply with it that he receive it not in vain 2 Cor. 6.1 Our brother raiseth us up with us Otherwise should we lie still in our fall and expect that he should raise us up without us it would be great folly and vain presumption and would prove us as much without understanding as the Asse or Ox or Horse or Mule Psal 32.9 Which was intended by that in the Fable of the Carter whose Wain was laid fast in a Bog he cryed out Hercules help me But he was well answered Fool set thy shoulder to the wheel and put on thy Horse and then God will help thee Wherefore brethren if any man be prevented or surprized in a fall or fault ye who are spiritual and strong restore such an one with the Spirit of meekness Gal. 6.1 We are commanded to raise up our brothers beast with him how much more our brother himself So let us bear one anothers burdens Let us stir up the gift of God that is in us Let us not receive the grace of God in vain Arise thou who art sleeping and stand up from the dead and Christ shall enlighten thee Ephes 5.14 Ephes 5. v. 14. Believe not that seducing spirit of unbelief which would perswade us that we have no power to arise from our fall To this seducing spirit the wicked man gives heed and believeth not to return out of darkness and is waited for by the sword Job 15.22 Job 15. v. 22. Rom. 5. v. 6. Such a spirit were they acted by who render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we were yet without strength Rom. 5.6 which is only we being weak To be without strength is a total deprivation and takes away all ability toward the raising of our selves when our brother would raise us with us we helping and working together with him though we be yet but weak Which yet implyes some strength As the good Samaritan found and had compassion on the wounded man who was not quite dead but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 half dead Luke 10.30 That good Samaritan drawes us with the cords of a man even with loving kindness It s heavie drawing at a dead weight Let us be coming yielding complying stirring up the graces of God in us and our God will be
between the flesh and the Spirit while we live here in this world I answer This is in every mans mouth almost But the Psalmist said All men are liars 1. It is true that the flesh lusts against the Spirit so long as the flesh lives But the lusting flesh is dead in the obedient and regenerate souls 2. The Spirit lusts against the flesh that we may not do the things that we would according to the flesh as those words ought to be read Gal. 5.16 17. Obj. 4. If we should attain to such an estate we should not need the mercy of God I answer that followes not But this is true that as sick men being heal'd of sickness need not to desire healing of that disease whereof they are cured So they who have obtained mercy of God that they are healed of their spiritual diseases they need not the same mercy in regard of the same diseases because that mercy of Christ is fulfilled in the spiritual cure of their maladies But that we are healed and saved it is from the free grace and mercy of God in Christ By grace ye are saved Ephes 2. and of his mercy he saved us But whereas these men will allow the Physitian his honour for perfecting his Patients bodily cure they will not allow the greatest Physitian of souls his honour who comes with healing in his wings that he should be able to make a man every whit whole and perfectly cured of his spiritual diseases Obs 1. We learn here a rule of prudence and discretion from S. Johns example how the spiritual teacher should behave himself towards yong Disciples to condescend and stoop unto their weakness to be even as one of them This wisdom S. John had learn'd of the Lord Jesus who so attemper'd his Doctrine to his Disciples as they were able to bear it John 16.12 Thus Elisha stretched himself upon the childe and brought him to life 2 Kings 4.34 And this is the practice of the true Elisha God the Saviour so Elisha signifies he applyes himself unto us and becomes as one with us Sic oculos sic ille manûs sic or a ferebat because the children are partakers of flesh and blood he takes part of the same Yea though he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mighty God or the strong God the Gyant Esay 9.6 yet to us while yet we are children he is born a childe Obs 2. Hence we have discovered unto us a refuge of lyes whereunto all ungodly men resort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as all Malefactors of old were wont to run to their Altars for refuge If we say we have no sin c. As if it ought to be so as if they should do amiss unless they did amiss as if they should sin unless they sinned As if there were no better no more eminent and holy estate to be aimed at and attained unto through the grace of God and power of his holy Spirit Obs 3. Hence we perceive how falsly some speak concerning the life and actions of Gods Saints that they sin in all and every thing they do and think and speak The Apostle expounds himself in the tenth verse how he would be understood in the eighth If we say we have not sinned he saith not that there is any necessity of sinning But if the Saints of God sin in every act how come they to be Saints Obs 4. We have hence matter enough to humble us if we consider our fore-past life our prevaricating nature our many frailties and weaknesses until the God of peace make us perfect in every good work to do his will working in us what is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord Hebr. 13.21 Such is the wisdom of the Lord Jesus and such he teaches his Apostles For when he gives S. Peter his charge his first and principal care is of his Lambs S. Paul had learned this lesson exactly and practised it most wisely and discreetly in his Epistle to the Romans Chap. 7. where he who is described as a childe the Apostle takes upon himself so likewise in his first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 2. v. 2 3. Such as they were such he became unto them For although he had wisdom secret and hidden truth to impart unto perfect men 1 Cor. 2.8 yet he behaved himself towards them according to their capacity He could not speak unto them as unto spiritual but as unto carnal even as unto babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3.1 2. This the Apostle did Ex professo 1 Cor. 4.6 and 9.19.22 Thus S. James Chap. 3. and thus S. John in my text These things Brethren I have in a figure transferred to my self and to Apollo for your sakes And 9.22 To the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some So S. James Chap. 3.1.2 My brethren be not many Masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation For in many things we offend all And ver 9. with the tongue bless we God even the Father and therewith curse we men And S. John useth the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and condescent unto his little children if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Much more might be written on this subject had not my worthy friends Dr. Thomas Drayton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mr. William Parker published a Treatise upon the same argument entituled A Revindication of the possibility of a total mortification of sin in this life And of the Saints perfect obedience to the Law of God to be the Orthodox Protestant Doctrine c. Now that we and many thousands more in this and other nations may not be thought Insanire sine ratione to differ from others in these points of doctrine without good reason I thought fit to annex hereunto a brief Catalogue cursorily gathered of such Scriptures as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and expresly or per evolutionem terminorum interpretativè by short and easie interpretation speak the same things as being such as prove a possibility of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having no sin and living a perfect life according to the will of God In which the most wise just God either commands these or threatens men for the want of these or promises rewards upon consideration of these Or else commends those who have been examples of these in their generations or have prayed for these which must be in faith of obtaining them or otherwise endeavouring after these which cannot be without hope the foundation of endeavour Or by some other testimony the Lord hath given his approbation to these truths and to those who lived or shall live them Now that Catalogue speaks thus Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just man perfect in his generation Noah walked with God Gen. 17.1 The Lord said to Abraham I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect Gen. 25.27 Jacob