righteousness Ye have this Reddition almost in the same terms vers 17. and vers 21. What is here meant by life what else but the spirit of God called expresly the spirit of Life Rom. 8.2 the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus c. where it is opposed to sin and death and vers 6. to be spiritually minded is life and vers 10. the spirit is life the second Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit that gives life 1 Cor. 15.45 This life shall reign The Holy Ghost makes not the Reddition in the same tense as I shewed in the opening of the first point accordingly 1. Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive the reign of Life is here future the Apostle could not say Life doth reign but it shall reign Reason In regard of God the living God and Men sinful men dead in trespasses and sins 1. God the Father who hath life in himself and out of that fulness of life he gives to the Son to have life in himself Joh. 5.25 26. The Son is the Prince of life Acts 3.15 the way the truth and the life and he gives the spirit of life which quickens and makes alive 2. In regard of sinful men dead in trespasses and sins there is no disposition at all in them to life Psal 49.14 15. They lie in the hell like sheep death shall feed on them and reign over them if ever they be raised from death and freed from the dominion of sin it must be by the power of him who is stronger than death and therefore it followeth The righteous shall have dominion over them in the morning God shall redeem my soul from the power of the Grave or Hell for he shall receive me Ye find this method observed by the Apostle Ephes 2.1 5. But how doth the Prince of Life recover his Kingdom That the Prince of Life may reign he must first subdue the tyrant and usurper Pharaoh must be overcome before Israel be delivered which is ascribed to the Lord Jesus Jude vers 5. Thus Joshua overcame the Kings of Canaan the true Joshua overcomes all those who have ruled over us Isa 26.13 the other Lords Thus Jehu smote the house of Ahab that idolatrous house Jehu qui est he who was and is and is to come a figure of Christ the second Adam He must cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall i. e. omnem cognoscentem cognitionem 2 King 9.8 All the proud knowing knowledge of the first Adam 1 Cor. 8. And Jezebel must be the dogs meat she brought in Baal into Israel Jehojadah caused Athaliah to be slain and then Joash reigned the true Jehojadah the knowledge of the Lord He who by the knowledge of him shall justifie many Isa 53.11 The true Jehu He who was and is and is to come the true Joshuah who is called Jesus Heb. 4. He shall subdue every enemy who detains his Dominion from him Luk. 11.21 22. The strong man keepeth his Palace c. Isa 40.10 Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand and his Arm i. e. his Christ shall rule for him The Lord God shall come with strong hand or as it is in the margin He shall come against the strong man that keeps the Palace Thus I understand 1 Cor. 15.24 25. He shall put down all Rule and all Authority and Power i. e. all such as opposeth the Rule the Authority and Power of Christ the Life Thus we understand the last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death the Saints corporal death and that body of death Rom. 7. that inward anguish pain and torment preceding the Saints Conquest and Comfort from Heaven The Author of all that torment Sathan understood by the Ancients to be the last enemy and he is the last we read of to be destroyed Revel 20.10 Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help How is that vers 10. I will be thy King vers 14. I will ransom them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction Joh. 5.25 26 27. Cum marg The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live And the Reason is added for as the father hath life in himself c. to execute judgement Joh. 12.32 Now is the judgement now shall the prince of this world be judged Thus Josuah subdues the King of Jarmuth Jos 10.23 fitly and home to this purpose speaks the Apostle Heb. 2.14 15. There is great equity for all this it is just with God to grant the times of refreshing Act. 3.19 20 21. And most unreasonable it is that since the beasts had their time of Rule in the World and in every one of us which we understand by the four Monarchies typified by the four Beasts Dan. 7. whereof David complains Psal 3.1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That now the fifth Kingdom be reserved for the son of man the prince of life Dan. 7.13 This was meant by the reign of all the good Kings of Judah Mezentius had bound Mortua corpora vivis Christ unlooseth the works of the Devil Life shall reign over them who shall be righteous after the similitude of the second Adams righteousness The Scribe taught unto the Kindom of God brings out of his treasury things new and old the new i. e. the Spiritual the old that is the Letter the new i. e. the Gospel the old i. e. the Law According to that measure of the Spirit whereunto I have attained I shewed lately out of the Old Testament the Original of Rulers and Elders and sought for what answered unto these in the New Testament And as I then shewed I found no place so evident as that 1 Tim. 5.17 Whence it appears that all Elders of old were not ordained to teach in the Word and Doctrine but some to Rule This some have traduced and misreported as if I should say there were no mention of Ruling Elders who were not Teachers in all the New Testament An untruth so notorious that I believe I may attest and call to witness the most of ye now present Shall I call this ignorance or malice or by a more milde expression inadvertency or want of heeding what was then delivered For to what other purpose were these words that the neglect of the Old Testament hath rendred many things in the New Testament obscure unto us and among them Elders to which purpose I quoted Numb 11. where they are first ordained by God though before that we read of Elders So that if men dare so boldly vent untrue Testimonies the very next day it 's no marvel that they are confident in false reports after a year yea more than two three four or five years for more than so long yea ever since the
is false doctrine because it 's strange unto us The Ismaelites thought strange of Gods Commandments Do we obey do we live it do we observe the great things of the Law do we live justly do we love mercy do we walk humbly with our God If we do these things then we shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no and not till then otherwise for men to hear and then to go away and tell other things this or that is strange doctrine and not practise it So long as men are estranged from the life of God they must needs think strange of the will of God Sin estrangeth man from his God We may learn from hence a good Rule not to be too hasty in judging any tenent to be strange Doctrine or Heresie and condemning men as Hereticks until we our selves have made tryal of the Doctrine whether it be of God Most men speak evil of things and persons whom they know not The Jews for this reason rejected Christ Joh. 5. because they had not heard the voice of the Father his Law nor seen his shape and therefore how could they receive the Son and his Doctrine when they rejected the Father and his Doctrine of his Law that ought to precede While we are averse from our God his Law is an enemy unto us and therefore it was ordained after the Fall Gen. 3. Eph. 2. Coloss 2. Dehort Let not the Commandment seem strange unto us It is connatural it is conformable unto the Law of Nature that is born with us Rom. 2. Means Cease from thine own wisdom Those who would have the Law written in their hearts they must not kick against it Moses wrote Deuteronomy he tells us after Sehon King of the Amorites was overcome when rebellion and kicking against the Law when all scoffing and jeering at those who urge and lay the Law to us hath ceased That 's Ogg the King of Basan This Sehon dwelt at Heshbon i. e. in the mans own thoughts and these are they which make us think strange of the Law 't is the word in the Text and the Psalmist useth the very same argument Psal 94.11 The thoughts of men are vain Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law Thou hast restrained prayer from the Almighty Job 15.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acquaint now thy self with God and be at peace so good things shall come unto thee Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth and lay up his words in thy heart Job 22.21 22. This is the way to be acquainted with thy God Isai 1.16 18. and 30.19.64.24 Jer. 33.3 Call upon me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things such as thou knowest not NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VIII 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead will also quicken even your mortal bodies by or because of his spirit that dwelleth in you THe Wise Man moves an Objection concerning Festival Dayes When all the light of every day is from the Sun he answers it himself by the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished and he altered seasons and appointed feasts some of them hath he made high dayes and hallowed them and some of them hath he made ordinary dayes as the like reason is of men and persons all men are from the ground saith he and Adam was Created of earth he answers the Objection In much knowledge the Lord hath divided them and made their wayes divers Ecclus. 33 7 8 9. As for Festival dayes howsoever the Apostles thought meet to wave and neglect many which the Jews observed according to the Law of Moses yet some they retained as being more mysterious such as are the Passover Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles whereof the first prefigured the Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus the second the giving of the Holy Ghost and the third the Feast of the Lords Nativity For the Prophet Zachary tells us that the Feast of Tabernacles shall be kept and thus Tertullian and divers of the Ancient Fathers understood the Apostle Coloss 2.16 Let no man judge you in meat and drink or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in part of a feast as the word signifies in part of a feast for one part of it was Judaical and Ceremonial and to be abolish'd another part of it Spiritual and Câ—â—istian and to be retained Nor doth this any way thwart what the Apostle writes Rom. 14.5 One man esteems a day above a day but another man esteems every day 5.9 it 's evident that the Apostle speaks of the weak and strong Christian but come we to the words propounded The Apostle having in the seventh Chapter described the condition of a man as yet under the Law which some foully mistake and pittifully abuse as if it were a description of a perfect Regenerate Man when yet nor Christ nor his Spirit are once mentioned throughout all the dispute from the fifth verse to the 25th In the eighth Chapter he deciphers the state of those who are under the Grace of Christ wherein there is no condemnation as who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit In these the Spirit of Grace works Life and Peace in the inward Man That they may know whether they have Christ and his Spirit in them or not that body in which sin lived reigned and ruled is dead because of sin now dead in it but the Spirit lives in it because of Righteousness received by the Grace of God and living in it Now the Spirit of God which raised up Christ from the dead not only raiseth up the inward Man but the outward also not the Soul only dead in trespasses and sins but the mortal Body also if that Spirit dwell in us which is the purport of the Text and hath accordingly two parts which are the two Divine Axioms which I shall consider in the Text. 1. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The Spirit of the Father raised up Christ from the dead 2. If the Spirit of Him the Father that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you He who raised up Christ from the dead will quicken even your mortal Bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you 1. The Spirit of the Father raised up Christ from the dead We find the Resurrection of Christ attributed unto the Father and His Spirit often elsewhere in Scripture Acts 2.24 Whom God raised up having loosed the pains of death And again vers 32. This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all witnesses So Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with power accordiâ—g to the Spirit of Holyness by the Resurrection from the dead And Chapt. 6.4 5. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory
prove as much 4. Besides the last Resurrection as most men understand is of the dead Bodies not of the mortal bodies which are here spoken off 5. The last Resurrection is in a moment in the twinkling of an eye saith St. Paul But this first is gradual and in time the last is the work of God only who raiseth the dead But in the first the works of Faith is required on our parts as I shall shew anon what then is here meant by the mortal Body The Body here is not that which our Apostle calls the Body of sin for that is not to be quickned but to be destroyed Rom. 6. nor is it the mortuum Corpus but mortale not dead but mortal liable to death The Bodies here meant are our natural Bodies even those which we bear about us liable to natural or violent death The Spirit is not said to quicken this Body with a vegetative or sensitive or rational life which it is supposed to have already But with such a life as is to be advanced unto and as it were spiritualized by the Spirit of God For although our natural Bodies live the inferior life vegetative and sensitive yet by a gracious redundance and overflowing of the Heavenly life in the inward man our Bodies are all to be purged and purified from all sinful pollution and sanctified and beautified with all those graces whereof they are capable which although they have their root and original in the Soul and Spirit yet have they their exercise in our mortal Bodies as sobriety temperance charity continency moderation c. for by the actions of our mortal Bodies is manifest what life we live Yea by what other means can we discover the life but by the exercise of it in our mortal Bodies for hereby is made known whether our Members be the Lords or an Harlots 1 Cor. 6.13 The Apostle having said The Body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the Body He adds God hath raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power know ye not that your Bodies are the Members of Christ So Eccles 19.20.32 A man may be known by his look and one that hath understanding by his countenance when thou meetest him A mans attire and excessive laughter and gate shews what he is The Apostle speaks home to this 2 Cor. 10.11 Alwayes bearing about in our Bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ that the life of Jesus may appear in our mortal Body for we who live are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal body or flesh Reason of this may be 1. In regard of God the Father 2. Of Christ 3. And those who are Christs For God the Father he is not once named in this Text though he be mainly concerned in it and the reason is both in this and many other Scriptures lest by frequent use it might become less venerable and so be prophaned for the same reason God is not named in the whole Book of Esther although his Providence Preservation and Government of his Church in that History be wonderfully declared His great Name signifies Being and that was not often mentioned among the Jews The Lord would rather his Being and works should be known than his Name too frequently taken into our lips and may we not learn the like by the same omission not to call our selves too often by Titles and Names of Gods People but rather to let our lives and actions speak what we are But to return from this digression in this reason 2. What is held forth unto us In the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ is signified and required as in the exemplary cause and pattern to be pourtrayed and copied out in the Church and every Member of it If Jesus Christ be raised up from the dead then must the Church be raised up with him from the death of sin and therefore the Apostle reasons from the one to the other negatively and affirmatively If there be no Resurrection from the dead then is Christ not raised 1 Cor. 15.13 and Vers 15. If God raised not up Christ then the dead are not raised God hath raised up the Lord Jesus and will also raise us up by his own power 1 Cor. 6.14 They are one Body and one Spirit acts in both 3. In regard of his Office he is the Saviour of his Body and as the Body is for the Lord so is the Lord for the Body 1 Cor. 6. 2. Again in regard of the Spirit which raised up Christ from the dead it s an Eternal Spirit a mighty powerful Spirit for whereas a Spirit is that whereby every thing is powerful and active that Spirit which hath less matter hath more power how much more the Spirit of God who is a Spirit Besides the more lustful sluggish and idle the object is whereon the Spirit works the more power is required The mortal Body therefore requires a mighty Spirit to quicken and enliven it 3. They who are Christs must be like unto him as his Spouse holy in Body and Spirit 1 Cor. 7.34 Bear his Cross crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts be conformed unto his Image Rom. 8.29 Obs 1. This is a fruitful way of meditating and speaking of our Lords Resurrection Col. 3.1 Obs 2. As there is a renovation or renewing in the spirit of our mind whereby we are raised up by the Spirit of God to think and will to love and desire those things which are above so is there also a renewing or renovation in the mortal Bodies of those who are raised up with Christ and renewed in the spirit of their mind for as the Body partakes of the punishment for iniquity as the Prophet complains there is no soundness in my flesh by reason of my sin Psal 38.7 so both cry out for help unto God Psal 16.9 My heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope Obs 3. Note hence we are by corruption of Nature become dead in trespasses and sins Ephes 2. Examples whereof we have of the wanton Widow and the prodigal Son as well as our own experience Wherefore to be raised with Christ is to be changed from the Spiritual death in sin to the righteous and holy life wherein we have great reason to admire the unspeakable love and mercy of our God Col. 3. This takes away all excuses men are wont to use when in defence of themselves yet lying in their fall and living in their sins they say they have mortal bodies bodies of clay and how can these be quickened to the life of righteousness Did the Apostle think we suppose we had immortal Bodies when he exhorts Rom. 6.19 I speak saith he after the manner of Men because of the infirmity of your flesh as ye have yielded your Members Servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity eveâ— so now
Angel Luke 2. What need then have we to be innocent patient perfect holy and righteous Christs righteousness is a perfect righteousness and God hath given him and he hath given himself unto us Certainly if this were all that is to be done it were a very easie thing to be a Christian but we must know that Gods giving infers our receiving But you will say That is easily done for what is more easie then to receive a gift And what gift would we receive more willingly than this Paschal Lamb that he may be ours But we must further know that neither every giving nor every receiving makes this Passover ours for as the Lawyers distinguish there is Donatio mera modalis or ob causam interpositam Donatio mera or meer gift is the transferring the Dominion of a thing without prescribing what shall be done with it or for it so that the Donatarius or he to whom it is given is free and at liberty and may do what he list God gives not his Son upon these terms 2. The Modal giving or giving for some cause is not to be understood for some cause precedent for then it were not free gift but recompense rather or requital But we cannot be before hand with God according to the Apostles challenge Who hath first given unto him and â—t shall be recompenced unto him again For of him and from him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11.35 36. But Gods giving for some cause is meant for some end to be obtained in us this end the Father intends when he gives his Son God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have the everlasting life Joh. 3. And the same end is also intended by the Son when he gives himself for the Church that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the laver of water in the word of life Eph. 5.26 Thus ye perceive that every giving will not make this Passover ours nor will every receiving make this Passover ours For to receive this Passover or Paschal Lamb is to believe on him so receiving is expounded by believing by St. John To as many a received him gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Joh. 1.12 But that 's an easie matter too for who believes not that Christ is his And indeed if every Man may be his own Judge it is a harder matter to find an unbeliever than a believer one who hath not this Passover or Paschal Lamb for his own than one that hath it But every belief makes not this Passover ours for the Devils believe saith St. James and tremble because this Passover is not theirs Nay this belief alone was not sufficient for the holy Apostles themselves to make this Passover theirs for therefore St. Peter exhorts the believers such as were partakers of the same holy Faith with the holy Apostles themselves to add unto their faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly love Charity Wherefore the rather since we may have a false perswasion that Christ is ours when he is not let us give all diligence to make our calling and election sure and so much the rather let us be exhorted in the fear of God to make sure of this Passover that it is truly ours If any of our Temporal estates be called in question what Right and Title we have to what we have Oh how careful we are to make good our Tenure yea so careful we are that we scarce sleep quietly till we make all sure Are we so anxious for the assurance of a temporal estate which we may either be deceived of by fraud or may be wrested from us by violence an estate that can endure with us no longer than for our life which as St. James saith is but a vapour and shall we not much more make sure of our Eternal Inheritance our Right and Title to this Paschal Lamb to make it sure unto us It 's a terrible speech that which St. Paul hath 2 Cor. 13. Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates I I that 's the surest way of having Christ to have him in us and unless we have him so we are Reprobates and Christ is not our Passover But would we be assured that Christ is ours indeed then let us be his indeed My beloved is mine saith the Lambs Wife of the Lamb Cant. 2.16 how doth that appear she adds and I am his And if we can truly say that the Lamb is ours as truly and by the law of Relatives we must say that we are his as in Unity and Love so also in likeness for Amor transformat amantem in rem amatam the love of the lover makes him like the party loved wherefore as the Lamb is innocent so must we be 1 Cor. 18. as he is patient so must we be also 1 Pet. 2.20 as he was perfect so must we be also Luk. 6.40 as he is strong against sin so we also 2 Tim. 2.1 as the Lamb is holy so is the Lambs Wife also Apoc. 19.10 and in a word such as the Lamb is such also must we be shewing forth the Virtues of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Now try thy self therefore by these signs and marks of the Lord Jesus whether he be thine and thou his or no for if thou be mischievous and hurtful if impatient and furious if unholy and unclean the Swine the Serpent the Dragon the Lion the Bear and the Wolf may be thine the Lamb is not thine unless it be to tear him to devour him to crucifie him anew If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and if Christ be in us the body is dead because of sin and the Spirit is life by reason of righteousness And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in us he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in us Rom. 8.9 10 11. But to the end that no man might be deceived but know infallibly whose he is he speaks it painly Gal. 5.19 c. The works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness c. But the fruit of the spirit of Christ is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness c. It may be these signs have discovered some man unto himself at least that this Paschal Lamb belongs not to him or at least he is not so sure of it as he seemed to be before 3. Christ our Passover is killed for us or sacrificed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth both 1. It was kill'd till they had a Temple and Tabernacle Deut.
expiation of the guilt and punishment of sin Hebr. 10.14 If all this be true as certainly it is how saith our Lord that his flesh profiteth nothing The flesh profiteth nothing i. e. either to the quickning and giving life to the Soul dead in trespasses and sins it profits nothing to the feeding and nourishing of the Soul unto eternal life these are the works of the Spirit for it is the Spirit that quickens The bread which is here propounded to be eaten and consequently the wine it comes down from heaven vers 58. but the natural flesh of Christ came not down from heaven The bread to be fed upon is sometime called his body sometime his flesh sometime meat the Manna This is not Natural but Spiritual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Notes on Gen. 25. and such must be the partaking and receiving of them What then is the Bread but the Word of God as often in Scripture Deut. 8.3 Matth. 4.4 and speaking of the Manna see Exod. 16.16 Job 23.12 Jer. 3.15 and 15.16 Amos 8.11 As for the Cup 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's Metonymically taken for the wine in it which signifieth the blood of Christ i. e. his Life and Power his Spirit of Life Rom. 8. the Spirit that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that quickneth and giveth life Of this blood ye read Hebr. 9.14 and 10.29 and 13.20 21. cum Rom. 1.4 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Revel 7.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 5.8 This bread our Lord had broken unto them and given them his blood to drink Joh. 14.17 1 Cor. 12.13 This Cup signifieth his passion Lord if it be possible let this Cup pass by me and our imitation of it by enduring the like inward and outward sufferings Matth. 20.21 23. Doubt Why doth the Lord propound these Mysteries under these outward Elements Love is defined affectus unionis an affection of union oneness and sameness with another Now because he who saves another cannot really be one and the same with him Disparata non possunt fieri unum he imparts something to him wherewith he may be in a sort one and the same with him such is that which enters into us as meat and drink and such as is neerest to us as our garments and what else is needful for the preservation of our being Thus Jonathan when he loved David 1 Sam. 18.1 3 4. their souls were in a sort one But how did Jonathan express that He stript himself Does the Scripture think we intend only to express humane passions Jonathan figures the holy Spirit so his Name signifieth the gift of the Lord and he cloaths David as when Judg. 6.34 the Spirit of the Lord is said to come upon Gideon the Hebrew Text saith the Spirit cloathed Gideon Marg. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thess 2.8 There is no Love without Communication of something from the party loving to the party loved thus Joh. 3.16 Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himself for me Ephes 5.2.25 And thus the Lord Jesus Christ to testifie his intimate love unto us He Communicates himself unto us by the Sacrament of his body and blood which is called therefore Sacramentum Vnionis whereby he affectionately imparts himself unto us Joh. 6.55 56 57. Observ 1. Terms of Art are as weights wherewith we weigh silver and gold such are the Sacraments and Virtues in them Observ 2. Take notice that he who examines himself hath a command to receive the Holy Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ 3. Hence also it followeth that they who dispense and Administer the Sacrament they virtually from hence have a Command to give the Sacrament unto those who have examined themselves for if they who have examined themselves must eat and drink then must the Minister give them to eat and drink Observ 4. The mans greatest business is about himself This was the first Precept that God gave to Abraham See Notes on Gen. 6. Observ 5. There is a warrantable Self-love Exhort Examine our selves and so let us eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup When we have so examined our selves so purged out the dross we shall then become a vessel fit for our Masters use fit to bear his Name in as Paul was That we may bear God in our bodies 1 Cor. 6. Vulg. Lat. So let him eat and so let him drink so i. e. having examined proved tryed searched and approved himself so let him eat so i. e. rectè answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Notes on Psal 90.12 The Believer hath in him his Judicatory his Examination-office his fire is in Sion and his furnace in Jerusalem Isai 31.9 Exhort Let us examine our selves and so let us eat How industrious is the Evil One to examine search sift us and all that 's good and of God out of us See Notes on Zeph. 2.1 2. It 's impossible otherwise to partake of the Lord Jesus the Lord will examine us and search us with candles appeal to the Lord and desire him to do it Psal 139. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON I CORINTHIANS XIII 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have no Charity I am nothing I Will not derogate from the due praise of the Ancients touching the division of the Scripture into Chapters it was a laudable attempt and succeeds very happily in the most yet it had been to be wished among other oversights that this 13th Chapter being the Epistle for this day had not been so violently rent from the 12th the last words of the 12th Chap. being in nature a part of this 13th and that a principal one as the head is in respect of the body deriving an influence into the whole body of this Chapter and therefore being taken from it it 's as if the head were cut off from the body 't will appear no less to you if ye consider That the Apostle having discoursed at large in the former Chapter of those Graces which they call Gratiae gratis datae as the gift of Tongues Prophecy Wisdom Knowledge c. lest they should stint their desires in these which are not desirable for themselves in the end of that Chapter Covet earnestly saith he the best gifts or rather according to Photius Oecol in locum Theodoret and others of the Greek Fathers because they desired greater gifts than these were they read the words interrogatively Do ye covet greater gifts than these if so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall shew ye moreover the most excellent way by far and what is that way but Charity which is one of those Graces which they call Gratiae gratum facientes And that this way of Charity is of all other the most excellent the Apostle proves in this Chapter by three general Arguments both 1. From the necessity because without it all
things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons unto Glory to make the Captain of our Salvation perfect through Sufferings Heb. 2.9 10. Wherefore Beloved in the Lord Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that easily besets us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God 2. The Colossians were raised with Christ For the unfolding of this we must first know what the Resurrection here mentioned is And then 2. How the Colossians may be said to be raised with Christ 1. The Resurrection here meant is that which St. John Apoc. 20.5 6. Calls the first resurrection which is nothing else but a change from the death of sin to the life of Righteousness 2. But how were the Colossians raised with Christ As Christ arose from death to life by inchoation Profession and Worship as ye have heard before so the Colossians and all the Faithful with them are raised from sin the true death of the soul unto righteousness which is the true life so much the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 6.4.5 We are buried saith he with him i. e. Christ by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the Glory of the Father even so we should walk in newness of life for if we have been planted with him in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection This Resurrection being in the nature of it a motion it is to be considered according to the terms or extremes of it or according to the tending way or passage from one term or extreme unto another The terms and extremes of it are two spiritual death and life 1. Spiritual death is a separation of God from the Soul as natural death is a separation of the Soul from the body Now as natural death may be considered either in it self or as proceeding from such or such a wound or disease even so spiritual death may be considered either 1. In it self as it is a privation of spiritual life and being dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.12 A being without God in the world Eph. 2.12 Or 2. As coming from this or that wound or malady of sin and thus so many several sins so many several deaths Thus Idol-worshipers are dead Hos 13.1 When Ephraim offended in Baal he died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wanton widow is dead whilest she lives 1 Tim. 5.6 And the prodigal Son was dead saith his Father of him when he spent his Substance with riotous living Luke 15.14 And so ye have a description of the first term or extreme of this spiritual Resurrection i. e. spiritual death 2. The opposite term is spiritual life the life of righteousness which accordingly may be considered either 1. In it self or 2. The causes of it 1. In it self And thus obedience and life are all one Deut. 32.47 Moses tells the Children of Israel that the observation of the Commandments is no vain thing because saith he it is your life godliness and life are all one 2 Pet. 1.3 His Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness 2. This life may be considered in the causes of it So to know God is eternal life John 17.3 and to believe To obey is to believe John 20.31 to repent Acts 11.15 And the Prodigal Son returning i. e. the sinner repenting is alive again Luke 15. ult O that we considered aright that every act of obedience tends to eternal life And thus we have considered this spiritual Resurrection in the terms or extremes of it 2. This Resurrection being considered in the tending or way from one extreme unto another it is the passage from death unto life of which our Saviour speaks John 5.24 This passage from death to life may have reference to both extremes 1. From reference to the extreme or term from which i. e. spiritual death or sin This Resurrection is the crucifying of the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 6. The killing the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit Rom. 8.13 2. From reference to the other extreme or term to which this Resurrection is the bringing forth fruit worthy of amendment of life Matth. 3.8 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 6.9 Such good works as accompany Salvation or are near unto it or touch or lay hold upon it as the word properly signifieth Such as are not far from the Kingdom of God Mark 12.34 And thus the Colossians are here said to be raised with Christ from the spiritual death of sin unto the spiritual life of righteousness Which because it is evident 1. by consequence Chap. 1. and 2. in so many words Chap. 2.12 let us rather enquire into the causes of this Spiritual Resurrection And these we may consider either 1. In Thesi as common to the Colossians with other Christians or else 2. In Hypothesi and in special belonging unto them 1. The common cause is God who raiseth the dead God the Father Son and Spirit for Man by his Fall is so deeply plunged and sunk in sin that not only he cannot rise alone but stands in need also of the whole Trinity to raise him Therefore the Lord raised up a witness in Jacob and a Law in Israel Psal 78.5 which because it is weak through the flesh Rom. 8. and made nothing perfect Hebr. 7.19 nor could give life Gal. 3.21 He raised up Jesus and together with him raiseth up the dead and quickens them And the Son quickens whom he will Joh. 5.21 and so doth the Holy Spirit also Joh. 6.63 But how doth God raise them by an outward or an inward Call for as in the last day the trump shall sound saith St. Paul and the dead shall rise so likewise in this spiritual rising from the dead the Preacher lifts up his Voice like a Trumpet and calls to every one Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead And unto this outward Call is annexed as the power and vertue of it the inward Call the voice of Christ speaking from him Hebr. 12.25 and lifting up his voice aloud unto us like a Cryer as to such as are dead as to Lazarus in the grave or as to such as are afar off Ephes 2.17 whereunto we assenting and believing arise from the dead and Christ giveth us life This lest any one should question Christ himself confirms it over and over with a double asseveration Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my words and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Verily verily I say unto you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they
for themselves in times of extremity though they have no express particular Promise yet know they how to descend à genere ad speciem if God will deliver in the day of trouble when we call upon him then in this day They have no particular experience that comes home to their case yet they know how to reason à pari so did they John 11.37 Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind have caused that even this man should not have died So the Disciples here cannot he who did so many Miracles by Land do the like by Sea Thus Holy David reasons 1 Sam. 17.37 The Lord that delivered me out of the Paw of the Lion and out of the Paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistin Thus the Saints are wont to improve their grounds of Faith and Hope and so to gather in upon Christ and win more and more upon him God hath delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us 2 Cor. 1.10 And thus the Disciples come to Christ by Faith and Hope they come also by obedience of Faith Thus the Prophet expounds it Esay 55.1 Ho! every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters come ye buy and eat vers 2.3 The Prophet renders Hearken diligently unto me incline your ear and come And our Saviour Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that travail and are heavy laden vers 29. he expounds Take my yoke upon you Thus to be coming is to be plyable and yielding and they who thus come to Christ are only welcome Psal 40. I shall briefly name the Reason why they come unto him 't was his Example drove them into this imminent danger vers 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he entred into a ship and his Disciples followed him whence we pray take notice That 1. All storms and tempests are raised against the Disciples because they follow Christ's steps it is the voice of the Church we are hated of all men for thy sake and for thy sake we are killed all the day long But 2. The Disciples of Christ must not refuse to follow him because dangers may befall them because tempests may arise they must not follow him only by Land and forsake him when he goes to Sea they must not follow him in a calm and forsake him in a storm this is their comfort when storms approach they may approach to him And he who thus comes unto him he will in no wise cast out John 6.37 And such an one is the only fit man to awaken Christ in a tempest as Bildad instructs Job 8.6 If thou wert pure and upright surely God would now awake for thee which leads me to the second part of the Text The Disciples importunity and that in the first act of it They awakened him Herein we must consider 1. The state and condition wherein he now was He was asleep 2. The kind or manner of awakening him 1. As for the state and condition wherein he now was He was asleep The sleep of Christ is either 1. Natural or 2. Spiritual and Mystical 1. How Christ may be said naturally either to sleep or wake is not difficult only we may observe from hence the truth of Christ's humanity He had all natural infirmities incident unto the bodies of men one of the Fathers who urgeth an austere life affirms that our Saviour slept only this once but under his favour that may seem a dream for how could he then be like unto his Brethren in all things as he is said to be Heb. 2.17 2. Touching Christ's mystical sleep howsoever it be true that he that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps yet in respect of his Oeconomy and Government of his Church we may consider a two-fold sleep of Christ either That into which we cast him or That into which he falls himself 1. That sleep into which we cast him is a kind of dead sleep in us Non quòd Christus in somnum relaxetur sed quòd somno nostro consopiatur à nobis It is our sin that casts Christ and his Righteousness asleep in us for sleep being ligatio sensuum the binding of the senses and Christ being the head of all our spiritual life and senses and all the fresh springs of them and the spirit of life it self being in him He is said then to sleep when spiritually and experimentally we neither see nor hear nor have any other spiritual senses exercised to discern between good and evil 2. Another kind of sleep he seems to fall into himself and that either in regard Of the Godly or Of Ungodly men 1. In regard of the Godly His sleep is either Dilationis of delaying or Desertionis desertion 1. Dilationis when he suspends and delayes the accomplishment of his Promises made unto us till we be fit to receive them though he tarry tarry he will yet wait for it Hab. 2.3 God is not slack as some men account slackness 2 Pet. 3.9 Thus the Apostle tells the Hebrews That they had need of patience that having done the will of God they might receive the Promise for yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10.36 Out of this sleep we must not awaken Christ until he please Cant. 2.7 This sleep I call dilationis of delaying 2. Another kind of sleep in regard of Godly men is desertionis when he seems to neglect his Church and withdraws himself from it for a time as in the forlorn estate of which the Psalmist complains Psal 44.24 Thus we may understand that God sleeps when he is said to hide his face and to awaken out of sleep when he shews the light of his countenance upon us These kinds of sleep are in respect of the Saints At non sic omnibus dormuit 2. God sleeps not thus toward Ungodly men when he connives and seems to take no notice of their sins but mean time endures with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction whose judgement now a long time lingreth not and their damnation slumbereth not 2 Pet. 2.3 This kind of sleeping is God's Patience his awakening is to vengeance 2. Thus ye have the state or condition wherein Christ was when his Disciples came unto him He was asleep come we now to the Disciples manner of awakening him and that 's two-fold 1. Personal and inward when the Disciples and every one of them pro se quisque awakens Christ in himself for his own health and salvation 2. General and outward when all the Disciples joyntly and every one severally calls mightily upon God for common deliverances common safety common blessings as Peace and Truth to the whole Church That we may be able to awaken Christ for outward deliverances as Halcyon days Calmes Peace and Truth to the whole Church it 's necessary that Christ be first awakened in every one of our souls As the
Spirit Love and Obedience in the Lamps of Faith and Knowledge such defect such want is not alone such want hath shame and reproach following it It 's a true saying Ad damnum accedit infamia They that want the oyl of the Spirit Love and good Works in the lamps of their Faith and Knowledge are fools 4. If they be reputed fools and that by the wisdom it self that cannot err who have kept under their bodies have been holy in body and spirit c. If these are justly accounted fools for want of the oyl of the Spirit the Spirit of Love and Obedience how much more are they to be esteemed fools who have not as yet learned the beginning of wisdom Even the fear of God but live in the lusts of concupiscence as the Gentiles who know not God 1 Thess 4 5. Who walk according to the Prince of the air c. who sees not how rise these are consider 2 Pet. 2. 5. The Virgins are not blamed for want of Knowledge or for want of Faith they have their Lamps they have their Knowledge but falsly so called they have their Faith such as it is which ye read of in 2 Thess 2.10 In all deceivableness and unrighteousness among them that perish because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe lies See they are blamed and counted foolish for want of Love and good Works they had a dead Faith but the true Lamp hath in it the Oyl or Spirit of Love the Body hath a Soul Life and Spirit of Love and good Works It is not Faith alone without Love and other Graces that saves us therefore add to your Faith Virtue c. 2 Pet. 5. Repreh Hence may be reproved our want of true Faith our great unbelief which is the reason of the present Judgements and other following Judgements coming upon us because of the want of the oyl of Love God gives many up to believe a lye the contrary whereof we may observe in Faithful Abraham Gen. 15.6 He believed God and it was counted to him for Righteousness 6. Take notice hence who may be truly called foolish and unwise not they who are needy or in want not they who want subtilty to dispute and talk nor they who are not Book-learned but the disobedient man is the very fool Thus the slanderer is a fool Prov. 10.18 And he that committeth Adultery lacketh understanding Prov. 6.12 and therefore Schechem having committed Whoredom and defiled Jacobs Daughter is said to have wrought folly in Israel Gen. 34.7 and Thamar diswading her Brother Ammon from Incest saith do not thou this folly and as for thee thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel 2 Sam. 13.13 they who are disobedient to Parents are foolish so Prov. 15.20 A foolish man despiseth his Mother and 17.25 a foolish Son is a grief to his Father the angry man is a fool Job 5.2 Wrath killeth the foolish man and generally the Galatians are fools because they obey not the Truth Gal. 3.1 NOTES and OBSERVATIONS on MAT. 25.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the wise took oyl in their Vessels with their Lamps IT remains here to be enquired what 's meant by the Vessels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are large words in all these Languages Howbeit that which most properly fits this place seems to be the vessel of our Bodies and Souls wherein we have the Lamp of Faith and Knowledge and the oyl of the Spirit of Love 1 Thess 4.4 That every one of us should know how to possess his vessel in holiness and honour even as Gideons Soldiers had their pitchers and in them their lamps burning Judg. 7.16 Observ 1. Here we may note what is the True Living Justifying Faith what else but the Lamp with oyl in the Lamp let your Lamps be burning Luk. 12.35 It is not a bare a naked Faith O no but a living operative Faith that worketh by Love Observ 2. Mark hence what renders us truly wise not the lamp of Knowledge and Faith c. but the oyl in the lamp the spirit of Love or the spirit of God which is Love or whatsoever disposes us thereunto The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and hereby men depart from evil Job 28.28 And unto man he said Behold the fear of the Lord is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding By obeying the Commandments of God we become wise Deut. 4.6 Keep them therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and your understanding so Psal 111.10 A good understanding have all they that do his Commandments Hence it is that the head is not said to be wise but the heart 1 King 3. Give me a wise and an understanding heart 3. Observe here a broad difference between the true and false Church signified by the truly wise and the foolish Virgins the true Church and people of God the wise have the oyl of the spirit and the first fruits of the spirit Love and Joy Gal. 5.22 and the obedience of Love and good Works The foolish have only dark and empty Lamps dead Faith and unfruitful Knowledge without the spirit and the obedience of Love The Wise Man notes this difference in Prov. 21.20 In the house of the wise is a pleasant treasure and oyl but a foolish man devoureth it there is treasure and oyl acquired in their dwellings in this earthly Tabernacle in their earthly Vessels which they possess in holiness and honour but the foolish man spends it up he wasts it upon himself Hos 10.1 Israel is an empty Vine he bringeth forth fruit to himself Again the wise have this oyl of the Spirit Love and good works even while they are yet in the body They have this treasure even in their earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.10 11. We bear about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life of Jesus might also be made manifest in our bodies for we that live are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh But the foolish hope for it when their earthly vessel is broken 1 Cor. 15.49 which speaks Consolation This happily may discourage many a chast Virgin Soul which hath a Lamp and a little oyl in her Lamp Faith and some small measure of Love but alas little or no means to do good Works See what St. James saith Chap. 1. Vers 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God even the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their adversities and to keep himself unspotted of the world Wherefore be we exhorted to go forth to meet the Bridegroom with our Lamps burning Gen. 12. in example of Abraham the Father of the Faithful NOTES and OBSERVATIONS on MAT. 25.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbred and slept NOw follows
of Tenents and opinions 2. The sinfulness of their lives by the uprightness of their own Contraria juxta se posita magis elucescunt Contraries set together appear the more 3. They hold forth the Divine life unto the enemies of Christ which though most amiable and lovely in its self yet is the most hated by evil men who love and hate according to whatsoever themselves are wherefore did Cain kill Abel because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous Men love darkness more than light because their works are evil 2. Even the enemies of Christ kill one another the one hath appearance of Truth which is opposite to the persecutor as two crooked lines are opposite one to other and both to the Truth As the Pharisees were against the Sadducees and the Sadducees against the Pharisees and both against Christ The inhabitants on both sides the river Gambra were both alike evil yet at strife When mankind grows too numerous and burdens the earth it 's one of Gods wayes to put an evil Spirit among the wicked the greatest burdens of it and set their swords one against another and destroy one another Observ 3. Learn hence the goodness of God who hath not permitted the whole man to the power of man as well knowing how mischievous man is to man in his degenerate estate O the Apostatical state of man In the beginning God made the man keeper of his brother Cain asked as of a strange thing but the wise man tells us it was not so Ecclus. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was so then one man was a God unto another but now homo homini lupus of your own selves saith the Apostle there shall arise up grievous wolves that shall devour the flock Act. 20. Yea many interpret that Greek Proverb in the worst sence One man is a Devil to another Repreh Men can kill the body by divine permission and ordination Vitae suae prodigus Dominus est alienae vitae which discovers our great vanity in carking and caring and plotting and contriving c. and all for the belly all for the support of the body which is one of those things which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are not in our power as the Stoick saith well In cute curanda plus aequo operata juventus Who bestow so much of their short time in the world in trimming and dressing and crisping and curling and powdering and complexioning and spottings dum moliuntur dum comantur annus est what is it all but to plaister and trim a mud-wall which may and must be thrown down and if not will of its self e're long fall down I am not ignorant what is wont to be said in defence of this vanity that our bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost much might be said in answer to this true it is that Spirit and Soul and Body ought to be sanctified wholly 1 Thess 5.23 and we ought to bear God in our bodies Paul was a chosen vessel to bear Gods name and yet is that earthly body but the outward Court of the Temple The Temple wherein God is worshipped is the spirit Joh. 4. as for our outward and material Temples of our bodies how strong how beautiful soever let us remember what our Lord saith of the Temple Luk. 21.5 6. as for the proud decking of this Temple quis requisivit who hath required it ye have seen a spider a long time weaving a curious webb and a maid with a broom suddenly swept it and the weaver of it with it into the dust 'T is the peremptory doom upon Adam and every Son of Adam Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return Here is Consolation unto the poor Soul that although so much they can do yet they have no power more that they can do That the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God What though the Lord suffer the Sword to prevail to the death of the body why should it seem strange unto us he deals no worse with us than with his own Son Zach. 13.7 even the intimate friend of God the Father how much more his poor friends if in the green tree how much more in the dry God reserves to himself our better part Psal 97.10 The Lord preserveth the souls of his Saints he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked Wisd 3.1 The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God and there shall no torment touch them But we must not omit the consideration of the parallel Scripture Mat. 10.29 where instead of They have no more that they can do we read They cannot kill the soul whence we may note what that is whereof we ought to have the greatest care and most tender regard what is it but the Soul so the Soul be safe it matters not what becomes of body goods name all This appears by comparing this Text with Mat. 10.28 But can the Soul be killed What think we of those who are said to be dead while they are yet alive dead according to the Soul but alive according to their body as the wanton widow is dead while she liveth 1 Tim. for is not God our life Deut. 30.10 Is not Christ our life Col. 3. Is not the spirit our life because of righteousness Rom. 8.10 If therefore a separation can be made between God and the Soul Christ and the Soul the holy Spirit and the Soul then may the Soul be killed when the Lord is separated from it Thus froward thoughts separate from God Wisd 1.3 and to be carnally minded is death Rom. 8.6 and as there are bodily enemies which can kill the body so are there spiritual enemies which can kill the soul Psal 17.9 Hence David prays keep me from the face of the wicked that oppress me from mine enemies in the soul that compass me about and what other enemies are they but the foolish and hurtful lusts which fight against the soul 1 Pet. 2.11 What is turned a dead body Numb 6.6 is indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul so vers 11. and elsewhere often for it is the Soul which by separation from the life of God is truly dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2. Observ 1. Hence it appears that we have spiritual enemies which may kill the Soul Exhort Since this they can do let us labour to live such a life as they cannot take from us See Notes on Jam. 4.14 Let us be possest of such wealth as the Soldier cannot plunder us of But respice titulum remember to whom our Lord speaks to his frends who do whatsoever he commands them otherwise we find men desperately careless of their lives Because they can do no more therefore fear not them that kill the body Reason Great evils raise great fears this evil is not such yea because they kill and cannot detain in torments after death therefore fear them not but by how much they torment by so much the
In respect of a greater measure of it and 2. In regard of more glorious effects and signs then of it than ever were before and therefore before the spirit was given Peter denied his Lord but afterward he preach'd him with notable magnanimity confidence and boldness As for the Fathers of the Old Testament they had the real pledges of the spirit in outward blessings and faithful promises of the spirit in signs and figures 1. They had the real pledges of the spirit in outward blessings houses full of all good things Deut. 6.11 fulness of strength children dayes and other like temporal blessings 2. We read also Promises in the Old Testament That God would fill his house or Temple with his glory Hag. 2.7 i. e. the souls of his Children for they are his House and Temple with his Spirit the like we find 1 King 8.10 2 Chron. 5.14 and 7.1 2. Isa 6.1.4 and Ezek. 10.4 which were types and figures of that which was here fulfilled and performed Joel 2. Yea we have an express promise of it Numb 14.21 As truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord Indeed some small measure they had of the Holy Spirit it self whose fulness was reserved for the times of the New Testament but it was only as the little drops before a great showre of rain and therefore in the Old Testament the Prophets phrase to signifie the preaching of the Word and conveyance of the Spirit was to drop their word but under the Gospel it was poured out in showers Under the Law the measure of the Spirit was like the widows oyl in the cruze but under the Gospel like the same oyl filling all the vessels in the house Under the Law they had sufficiency of the Spiri◠according to Divine Oeconomy and dispensation of that time but under the Gospel they have redundancy of the Spirit Tit. 3.6 And the reason is the fulness of the Spirit was reserved for the honour of the Son of God upon whom the spirit of God was to rest Isa 11. which was the token whereby John the Baptist was taught of God to know Christ Joh. 1.32 for under the Law howsoever the Spirit of God was given to all the Prophets yet neither in any large measure nor for any long continuance for he that shall read of the most zealous Prophet Elijah reproving Ahab to his face causing four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal to be put to death 1 King 18. shall read him at Chap. 19. flying for his life and desiring to dye at the threats of a woman This point is useful for Instruction Reprehension Consolation Exhortation 1. Observe then the truth of the Spirit inhabiting That Spirit of the Lord which fills the whole earth saith the Wise Man which fills heaven and earth saith the Prophet Jeremiah doth in a more special manner fill his own Temple i. e. our Souls and Bodies God is in you of a truth Rom. 8.11 If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you If ens dependens cannot ne ad momentum quidem temporis be separate from ens independens If the dependent Being cannot for the least moment of time be separate from the only independent essence surely the Spirit of God and God himself being that only independent Spirit it is impossible that we should be separate from it since we wholly depend upon him live and move and have our being in him 2. Observe Man is a Vessel this vessel was intended to bear Gods Name in Act. 9. and therefore the Saints are exhorted to bear Gods Name in their bodies 1 Cor. 6. ult Portate Deum in corpore vestro This vessel is his body 1 Sam. 21.5 2 Cor. 4.7 O how much more is his Soul the precious Soul Prov. 6.26 how much more excellent is the Spirit an excellent Spirit his Soul is such Ecclus. 21.14 Cor fatui vas fictile the inward parts of a fool they are like a broken vessel 3. A vessel is full of something emptiness of all things is as absurd in Divinity as in Philosophy 4. The Apostolique and Disciple-like kind of filling is with the Holy Ghost the best liquor is put into the best vessels the Spirit of God in Scripture is compared to Wine and Oyl the new wine and the oyl of gladness The new wine must be put into new vessels and the oyl of gladness into the Virgins Lamps that are trimmed or made ready 5. Observe Gods faithfulness and truth in performance of his great Promise Repleti Apostoli impleta est Scriptura the Apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost and Gods promise was fulfilled 'T is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of excellency The Promise I send the Promise of my Father Luk. 24.49 And the Apostles are commanded to stay at Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the father Act. 1.4 with Act. 2.33 St. Peter interprets it the Promise of the Holy Ghost and St. Paul the Holy Spirit of Promise Ephes 1.13 He who is faithful in performance of his great Promise will also be faithful in performance of less Godliness hath the promise both of this life and that which is to come therefore our Saviour exhorts to seek the performance of the great Promise and the less shall be cast in as the advantage Matth. 6.33 Observ 6. Every one of the Apostles and Disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost and therefore in that respect were all equal one with other yet this assertion brings not in absolute parity and equality into the Church of Christ as some would hence infer For although there be aequalitas ejusdem ordinis equality among men of the same order yet there may be and is inaequalitas diversorum ordinum although they of the same order as the Apostles among themselves were equal yet there being divers orders in the Church those orders are not equal among themselves for waving the controversie whether Bishops and Presbyters were all of one order as it cannot be denied but that sometimes the one is taken for the other yet without doubt the Apostles and Deacons were of divers orders as appears Act. 6. and the same is as clear in regard of other orders of the Church 1 Cor. 12. Ephes 4. Yet men of unequal and different orders were herein equal that they all had received the Holy Spirit the Text is clear for the Apostles and Act. 6. is as evident a proof of the Deacons Observ 7. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost The word All is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implyes a conjunction and joyning all together as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such an union is required among them who may hope to receive the Holy Spirit as vers 1. When the day of Pentecost was fully come
as had gotten such an habit of swearing and cursing and blaspheming that they knew not when they swore And so of the like I pray God there be none such among us and by this means they have lost the principle of examination a duty proper to those who make their address to the Lords Table they are given to a reprobate mind a mind that hath lost discrimen honestorum turpium that cannot discern between good and bad A most fearful condition how dreadfully doth the Apostle censure such a man Act. 13.10 O thou full of all subtilty and mischief thou enemy of all righteousness thou child of the Devil Consol 1. But I should too much wrong this Text should I not make use of it to the Consolation of those who have though but a small and scanty measure of the Spirit For who hath despised the day of small things Zach. 4. Ne parva aversaris inest sua gratia pervis Though they are not full yet they are not empty Our good God rejects not the least measure of his Spirit in any of his servants Esa 65.8 The new wine is found in the clusters and one saith destroy it not there is a blessing in it Thus God took notice of the weak beginnings of his Spirits in Jeroboam's son He only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave because in him there is found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam 1 King 14.13 Hag. 2.3 Saith of the House of God Is it not as nothing yet be strong O Zerubbabel and be strong O Joshuah according to the word that I commanded you when ye came out of Egypt So my Spirit remains among you in medio fear ye not 2. But much more comfort may I speak to those who have a greater measure of the Spirit they have the Comforter himself with them who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath his name from Comforting What though thou want some of those outward things which the world call their goods Hast thou the Spirit of thy God Thou hast in him whatever can be called GOOD Confer Matth. 7.11 with Luk. 11.13 What though thou be oppressed with that which the world calls and accounts the only evil There is no evil so great but its over-poised and weighed down with the greater good For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so also do the consolations What if the Sun of persecution So our Saviour calls it if we compare Matth. 13. verse 6. with 21. What if that Sun be up and wax hot at noon-day if the cool wind blow and allay the heat of it what hurt doth it The Sun is always hot and extreme hot between the Tropicks so that the old Poets conceived the World was not habitable in those parts but our Geographers and experience of many have taught us the contrary and the reason is that heat 's allayed by a constant general wind that blows there from the East to West and such an heavenly gale refresheth and cools the heat of persecution This was figured unto us by Joseph a Type of Christ who dined with his brethren at high-noon Gen. 43.16 He who is not ashamed to call us brethren vouchsafes to dine with us to feed upon our Faith Prayer and Praises and the will of him that sent him which is his food Joh. 4. He vouchsafes to feed us with his flesh and blood his holy Word and Spirit that we may be filled with all fulness of God Exhort I shall conclude this point with an Exhortation to us all that we would labour to be filled with the Spirit of God And that we may the better be moved hereunto what is there in this World useful for the life of man which the Spirit of God somewhere in Scripture borrows not a name from The Wiseman reckons up among the principal things for the whole use of mans life water fire and blood of the grapes oyl and cloathing Ecclus. 39.26 And the Spirit of God is all these 1. Water A well of water springing up unto the everlasting life Joh. 4. and 7. this he spake of the Spirit 2. 'T is fire As John the Baptist speaks of our Saviour He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3. Where and is exegetical and explains the Nature of the Spirit like unto fire This is the Fire whereof our Lord speaks Luk. 12.49 I came to send fire on the earth and what will I if it be already kindled And I would to God it were kindled in every one of our heart◠that it might consume every sinful lust there and be a light of life unto us 3. 'T is Wine So we may understand St. Peter Act. 2.15 16 17. These are not drunk as ye suppose but this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel I will pour out my Spirit they are not drunk with wine wherein is excess but they are filled with the Spirit Eph. 5.18 Musto Spirituali with Spiritual new Wine saith the Gloss 4. 'T is Oyl So the Prophet Esa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me Why because the Lord hath anoynted me The Vnction from the holy One 1 Joh. 2. 5. 'T is Cloathing Tarry saith our Saviour at Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 until ye be endued or cloathed with power from on high Luk. 24.49 i. e. with the holy Ghost Jud. 6.34 The Spirit of the Lord cloathed Gideon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such and so principally useful is the holy Spirit of God unto the spiritual life as these are to the natural and therefore 't is called the Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 So extremely necessary it is That if a man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 This is that Spirit that quickens enlivens enlightens teacheth reneweth governeth comforteth purgeth and uniteth us unto our God As for notes or signs of this Spirit in us should a man question almost any one whether he had a portion in him of Gods Spirit or no he might be in danger to be answered as Machaiah was by Zedekiah 1 King 22.24 With a blow on the cheek and a taunt which way went the Spirit of God from me to speak unto thee Certainly Ahab's Prophets were perswaded they had the Spirit of God as partial opinon and self-love perswades most men though they give heed to spirits of errour 1 Tim. 4.1 were we to try a vessel whether full or no we would not judge it to be so by the great noise it makes Empty vessels ye know sound most when the full are silent and the shallow rivulets make a greater noise than the deepest and fullest stream The waters of Shiloah go softly i. e. the Spirit of Shilo or Christ Esa 8. And therefore they who try the Spirit by our boasting and ostentation of it They who try the Spirit by this mark take their mark amiss The Spirit of God hath left us more certain
Esau and came into the world immediately after it as I shewed thee before Where the Apostle saith I lived without the law once The meaning is he was so to the Law as if the Law were not as if the Law had been dead to him and this Metaphor he useth vers 4. ye are become dead to the law Where he compares the Law to the Man and those under the Law to the woman He should seem therefore rather to have said the Law is dead unto you than we are dead unto the Law For the similitude was thus as the Woman is free when her Husband is dead so are ye free when the Law is dead But that had been an odious speech to the Jews to say the Law is dead unto you and therefore he saith ye are dead in the law and it comes all to one and the same purpose As thus Ye are dead to the law and the law is dead unto you So that ye have nothing to do with the Law and the Law hath nothing to do with you no more than living men have to do with those that are dead I was alive without the law the Law was as it were dead unto me whence is appears what life he lived without the Law of Nature or Law of God where we must take notice of a threefold life 1. Of Nature 2. Of Grace And 3. Of Sin 1. Of Nature when a man lives according to the Law of Nature 2. Of Grace when a man lives according to the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus 3. Of Sin When he lives according to the law of his members according to iniquity which is a Law unto him I lived according to mine own will and pleasure I thought I lusted I loved I hated I feared I rejoyced I spake I did I left undone all what I would in a word I thought lusted spake did what I listed I had no curb no check no tye of the Law upon me I was a free-man I was alive without the Law For thus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn to live or be alive signifieth neither natural life nor spiritual life here but the life of sin which is improperly called life and more truly a death Thus the life of the man is that wherein he is more principally imployed The life of a drunkard is to be drunk vivere est bibere of a Gamster to game of a covetous man to covet c. and the nature of the man is so deeply moulded in sin that it seems to be his nature envy pride is the nature and life of the envious man the proud man Thus life is taken in the Scripture Thus walking which is conversation living in which ye walked while ye lived in them Col. 3.7 The Prophet David complains Psal 38.19 Mine enemies live and are mighty live i. e. they are lusty sound cheerful merry frolick in their sins and live without the law why doth the living man complain A man who lives in his sin Lam. 3.39 Vivamus mea Lesbia Eccles 6.8 What hath the wise man more than the fool What hath the poor that knoweth to walk before the living i. e. before the rich as the opposition intimates before rich and voluptuous livers Thus to live is taken 1 Sam. 5. vers 6. where David instructs his young men whom he sent to Nabal Thus shall ye say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him that lives that Vatablus understands as if David should say Do they fare well as long as thou livest as a flatterer said to Claudius that set out the Ludi Seculares which were kept every hundred year and fell in Claudius his days Saepe facias But David is understood to speak otherwise by our Interpreters who add a proper supplement Thus shall ye say to him that liveth in posterity for so to live is taken by the voluptuous Poet. Vivamus Sera nimis vita est crastina vive hodie Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used 1 King 1.25 They eat and drink before him and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let King Adoniah live Chald. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him prosper Psal 22.27 your heart shall live for ever i. e. ye shall be merry and joyful This appears also by the contrary as in the story of Nabal 1 Sam. 25.37 His heart died in the midst of him all his mirth and sport had an end The Reason 1. In regard of the man There is a necessity that his natural and earthly life precede The first man Adam was made a living soul the last man Adam was made a quickning Spirit Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and then that which is spiritual 1 Cor. 15.45 46 47. Seeing therefore the Law is spiritual and tends to the advancement of the spiritual life The natural life must precede so that he must necessarily say I lived without the law once 2. A second Reason is in regard of the Law for that was ordained for the lawless saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.9 as the means are ordained for their end and therefore the end must be before the means the lawless man living before the Law So that had there not been a man who had lived lawlesly and without the Law there had been no need of a Law But what we say of positive Laws is true also of Gods Law Ex malis moribus ortae sunt bonae leges The man is first diseased and then Physick is prepared for him First the man lives without Law lawlesly and disobediently that of the soul is the most deadly disease and then the sound and healing doctrine of the Law is prepared for him for the law was added saith the Apostle because of transgression Gal. 3.19 transgression therefore must precede and the man must first live without the Law 3. In regard of the Law-giver who is the only wise God and therefore well knows how needful a Law was for the man so long as he lived for had Christ and his righteousness lived in the man or had the man believed in Christ who is the power of God and loved Christ who is the righteousness of God there had been then no need at all of a Law to compel him thereunto Why Because the man then through faith in Christ the power of God and through love of Christ the righteousness of God should live in the righteousness of God witnessed by the Law and the Prophets which is that life which God requires Now if the man lived that life which God requireth what need he a Law to compel him so to live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saith he in Homer Why dost thou spurr a free-horse The law was not made for the righteous man 1 Tim. 1.9 But whereas that the Lord saw that the man had no will unto the righteousness of God nor faith in Christ Jesus but was wholly inclined unto his own lusts and his own will and that sin
meditate on c. And shall we think thou lovest the Law when thou thinkest of it but one day in a week Means Pray to the Lord. Thou art good and doest good O teach me thy statutes Psal 119.68 This discovers the false judgement of evil and lawless men both of things and persons of things they call good evil and evil good they speak evil of things that they know not so of persons Some said of our Lord He is a good man others said he perverteth the people No wise man will esteem himself by the judgement of evil men the Law is the measure of goodness to the Law to the Testimony Let every man prove his own work proving and trying is by a Rule Gal. last NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VII 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know that the Law is spiritual THis Epithet or Adjunct of the Law qualifies the inward man The words are considerable 1. in themselves 2. in relation to the former In themselves they contain these two points 1. The Law is spiritual 2. We know that the Law is spiritual 1. The Law signifieth not only the Ceremonial Judicial and Moral Law but all what ever Ordinances Statutes Judgements Commandments Decrees c. have gone forth from the holy God the Law-giver even from the beginning whatever doctrine or institution it 's called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Septuagint and our Apostle here render by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Law what ever that Law in the latitude and extent of it is it 's spiritual The Spirit is sometime opposed to the flesh letter 1. To the flesh as in the next words so spirit and flesh are opposed as weak and strong Isa 31.3 1 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal or weak but mighty through God 2. It 's opposed sometimes to the Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 God hath made us able Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit In both these respects the Law is Spiritual both as Spiritual is opposed to the flesh and as it is opposed to the Letter For our better understanding of this we must know that the Law being our guide and schoolmaster unto Christ hath in it accordingly a letter proportionable to the flesh of Christ and a spirit proportionable to the spirit of Christ And as the letter of the Law so the flesh of Christ tends to the death of sin so the spirit of the Law or the spiritual Law the spirit of Christ tends to the quickning and enlivening of the inward man of God in Jesus Christ according to the spirit for the letter killeth namely sin in the man but the spirit quickneth or giveth life 2 Cor. 3. And as Christ was partaker of flesh and blood that he might die and arise again by the quickning spirit Heb. 2. So the believers in Christ out of the obedience of faith become conformable unto the death of Christ and by the power of his spirit are raised unto newness of life Now that the Law is spiritual appears by manifold proofs such was the Law of Circumcision so expounded by Moses Deut. 10.16 So was the Law of the Passover and was so expounded by St. Paul 2 Cor. 5. so is the whole Ceremonial Law and Judicial also as hath been shewed in part and the Moral Law too which in special is here said to be spiritual this was meant Exod. 32.15 where we read the Tables were written on both their sides on the one side and on the other were they written so was Ezechiel's Roll written within and without Ezech. 2.10 and St. John's Book Rev. 5.1 The outside is the Letter the inside is the Spiritual meaning of it And David is so to be understood when he saith Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and thy Law is the truth Psal 119.142 for whereas the figurative righteousness of the Ceremonial Law is not a righteousness which lasted for ever but until their types were fulfilled the spiritual and inward righteousness in them and all other Laws that is for ever and thy Law is the truth i. e. it is spiritual for the Spirit is the Truth 1 Joh. 5.6 The reason why the Law is spiritual is considerable 1. Partly in regard of the Law-giver 2. Partly in regard of the object unto whom the Law is given 3. Partly in respect of the end whereat the Law aims in regard of sin to be discovered by the Law 1. In regard of the Law-giver He is a spirit Joh. 4. and he wrote the Law with his finger and gave it unto Moses Ezod 31. he wrote it with his finger i. e. with his spirit as one Evangelist interprets another If I by the spirit of God cast out Devils Matth. 12.28 with St. Luk. 11.20 If I with the finger of God cast out devils Now since God himself is a spirit and will be worshipped according to himself that Law of worshipping whereby the man worships his God must have some proportion unto him and be also spiritual This Law therefore is directed unto the spirit of the man the highest and most noble part of the man which the Lord had made capable of such a Law by breathing into his nostrils the breath of life Gen. 2. and 3. This is necessary in regard of Gods end in giving his Law for as the Platonists themselves could say it is impossible that the man should otherwise live unto his God or understand the mind and will of his God unless he had such a principle imparted to him by the God of life So Paul tells us Act. 17.28 In him we live and move and have our being As the carnal Commandment is needful for the discovery of the carnal sin so the spiritual Law is necessary for the discovery of the spiritual sin since by the Law is the knowledge of sin It was necessary there should be a spiritual Law for the detection of spiritual wickedness in heavenly things yea for the conquest of it for spiritual things whether good or ill they are strong and by how much the more spiritual the more strong the good God would not be wanting to any Since therefore many live according to the flesh and are carnally minded there is a carnal Commandment for them sith others are spiritually minded there is also for them the Law of the spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. This was figured by the Queen of Sheba's coming to Solomon Sheba is in Arabia where the Law was given she came to Solomon to be resolved of her hard questions It was the custom of the East when people met together to propound hard questions in nature not as now when men meet they cannot part without tipling she propounded her hard questions See Georg. Ven. 230. b. 283. a. The Lord came from Sinai and arose up from Seir unto them He came with ten thousands of his Saints from his right hand went a fiery
of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life For if we have been planted together in the likeness of is Death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection And 1 Cor. 6.14 And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power Besides many other places So that the reason why our Lord Jesus was raised from the dead is considerable in regard of God the Father Col. 3.1 If ye then he risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God But here may meet us an Objection Our Lord Jesus Christ hath asserted unto himself as the laying down his own Life so the raising it up again Joh. 10.17 I lay down my life that I may take it again No Man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take is up again Why then saith the Apostle here that the Spirit of the Father raised up Christ from the dead when Christ himself hath power to raise himself To which I answer The Apostle well knew that worship and honour and glory and wisdom and life in a word that all things which the Father hath are also the Sons Joh. 16.15 And that he thought it no robbery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be equal in all things with God Phil. 2. All this he knew yet he knew also that the Head of Christ is God 1 Cor. 11.3 And that there is a due oeconomy and order of working from the Father through the Son as the Son usually speaks as elsewhere so Joh. 5.26 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son also to have life in himself And he saith He lives by the Father Yea the Son refers all he speaks or doth unto the Father And where he saith He hath power to lay down his life and hath power to take it up again He premiseth this Therefore doth my Father love me saith he because I lay down my life that I may take it up again Joh. 10.17 And when he had said He had power to lay down his life and take it again he presently adds This Commandement have I of my Father Verse 18. Whence 1. Observe the truth of Christs Divinity 2. A pledg and earnest of the Resurrection from the dead Col. 3.1 3. How true and faithful the Lord is in performance of his great promise 4. The Authority and Soveraignity of our Saviour Jesus Christ Who hath power to lay down his life and to take it up again 5. The mighty power of our Lord Jesus Who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light Mystically then In these words we have the truth of many Types the Mystery of many Histories the accomplishment and fulfilling of many Prophesies concerning the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the Resurrection of his Disciples with him Our Lord proving his Resurrection to the two Disciples travelling to Emmaus Luke 24.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Fools saith he and slow of heart to believe ought not Christ to suffer and so enter into his glory and beginning from Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself And Verse 44. All things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me And Saint Paul preaching said No other things than the Prophets and Moses did say should come that Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead And 1 Cor. 15.3 4. the Apostle tells us That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and rose again according to the Scriptures Our Lord tells us that his Resurrection was foreshewed by Moses and the Prophets and in the Psalms so the Apostle cites Moses and the Prophets and here he quotes the Scriptures and again the Scriptures Yet neither our Lord nor his Apostles tell us where Moses or the Prophets or the Psalmist or other Pen-men of the Scriptures foretel Christs Resurrection Surely neither Moses nor the Prophets nor the Psalmist nor any Pen-man of the Scripture hath left us any express and literal testimony concerning Christs Resurrection What then is there to be done what else but with humble and docible hearts to enquire into the writings of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms and search the Scriptures for Mystical and Spiritual testimonies concerning our Lords Resurrection Such we shall find in Moses Adam cast into a deep sleep and other testimonies might be alledged of Samson David Elijah Elisha c. But come we to Rites and Ceremonies which express the same things Christs Death and Resurrection must be expressed by two things two Birds so the Fathers add the example of the Palm-tree and the Phoenix But that of our Lord is the most fit Joh. 12.24 Verily verily I say unto you except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die it abideth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much fruit Some of the Prophets foreshewed this in their own Persons as Daniel and Jonah also some in their testimonies as Esa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me c. So Jer. 23.5 6. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise up unto David a righteous Branch c. The like may be observed in all the other Prophets and out of the Psalms St. Peter in the 2 Acts 23. cites Psal 16. Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell nor suffer thine Holy one to see corruption And many the like places prefiguring our Lords humiliation and exaltation as Psal 22. But these you will say are Allegories and so they are wherein one thing seems to be spoken in the Letter and History and another meant in the truth and mystery And when was ever that way of expounding Scripture blamed by any who knew and understood the Scriptures So frequent in the word it self is that way of teaching likewise in all the Fathers and practised also by all learned Men from the beginning Let them who are otherwise minded advisedly consider what our Lord speaks to the two Disciples going to Emaus when about to open the Scripture this way for there was no other way touching his Resurrection and Ascension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he O Fools the word signifies properly such as want understanding of Spiritual things who know not how to extract the Spiritual understanding out of the letter therefore it follows and slow of heart to believe Axiom 2. If the Spirit of him that raised Christ from the dead dwell in you he who raised up Christ from the dead will quicken even your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you These words may be understood either conditionally as the antecedent infers the consequent and so
they make a connex axiom or conditional proposition or they may be considered as affine connexo an axiom sentence or proposition in form like to a conditional proposition but materially and indeed supposing that to be which seems only to be conditioned As where the Apostle saiâ—h to the Colossians 3.1 If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above It 's all one as if he had said because ye are risen with Christ seek those things above so Acts 26.23 for Col. 2.12 he had said expresly in whom ye are risen and the like supposition may be understood here The believing Romans were in Christ Jesus and walked not after the flesh but after or in the Spirit and that the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwelt in them That we may understand this we must know that all men and every man by Creation was designed for an House or Habitation of God and Christ alwayes provided that they believed in God and Christ for Christ dwells in the heart by Faith Thus saith he who is creating the Heavens even God himself who is forming the Earth and making it and stablishing it He hath not created it in vain he made it to be inhabited both the Earth as a race and the Heavens as a prize Esay 45.18 And Wisdom rejoyceth in the habitable part of the Earth and her delights are with the Sons of Men Prov. 8.31 And the Apostle tells the believing Hebrews His house are we if we hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of hope firm unto the end Hebr. 3.6 So that the true Believers are an House or Temple of God and Christ who dwells in them Such Believers were the Romans unto whom St. Paul here wrote yea such believers they were That their Faith was spoken of through the whole World Therefore we may resolve the words in this second Axiom into three particulars and say of them as of all Believers 1. They are the Mansions or House of God and Christ 2. And that God and Christ dwell in them and in every of them 3. That the Spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead will quicken and enliven his dwelling place will quicken their mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in them The first of these is necessarily supposed that Believers are an House of God and Christ an House is a dwelling or a place of abode 2. One Spirit or other dwells in acts and drives every Man whether it be his own innate and natural Spirit of which the Apostle speaks No man knows the things of a man but the Spirit of the man which dwells in him or whether it be the Spirit of this World the Spirit of Antichrist of Error or what other titles the Spirits of Devils have Rev. 16. Or whether it be the Spirit of God which may be distinguished according to divers preparations and operations this is that which is here supposed to dwell in his Believers Ephes 2.10 Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone Whence we may note The Lord and his Spirit dwells in his Believers and consider the honour and dignity of true Believers how near the Lord is unto them This justly reproves those who deny that the Christ of God or his Spirit dwells in those who are Christs yet will they affirm it when they say that the Christ of God and his Spirit dwells in those who are Christs by his graces and the influence of his graces what a bold addition is this to the Word of God where in all the holy Scripture do they find any such explication of Christ or the Spirits inhabiting in his People the Lord and his Spirit dwelling in his Believers Exod. 25.8 and 29.45 46. is turned among them Men are not willing that God should be so near unto them therefore render it among them and therefore unless enforced so to render it they will not turn it in you as 2 Cor. 13.5 It was a principle taken for granted in the primitive times that all knew 1 Cor. 3.17 and 6.19 Men consider not how they thwart those testimonies of the Spirits indwelling recited before But what reason do they alledge for this bold presumption They think it dishonourable unto the Divine Nature and being to dwell essentially and beingly in his People It is true it is a great condescent of the great God and therefore Solomon admires it 1 Kings 8.27 But will the Lord indeed dwell on the Earth behold the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee how much less this House that I have built The Apostle interprets this Temple to be the Church of God 1 Cor. 3. But while they pretend reverence and wonder at Gods great condescent they consider not that they rob him of his Omni-presency Hence are to be reproved those who disturb the Lord in his dwelling and such who boast of a false gift that they are the House of Gods Spirit yet Satans lusts rule in them But what shall we say to those who deride and mock such as have or endeavour to have the indwelling Spirit in them How dare they scoff at the promise of the great and faithful God hath not the Lord promised his Spirit unto those who pray for it Luke 11. and obey the motions of it Acts 5.32 Do they not know that sleighting is the cause of wrath and indignation that deriding and mocking is the very worst and basest degree of sleighting Impius cum venerit in profundum Peccatorum contemnit The wicked Man rests him in the Scorners chair And dare these men deride the great God and his People Nay do they not know that hereby they discover themselves that they are not of Gods People not meet for the Spirit of God to inhabite And he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8. And if they be none of Christs to whom belong they to whom but Belial There is no medium Christs or Belials they are they are not Christs for they have not nor hope for but deride his Spirit therefore are they Belials i. e. the Devils as the Scripture turns it 2 Cor. 6 This speaks consolation to the Believers and obedient ones they are Gods House his Temple and he will be their dwelling place for evermore receive ye therefore the Lord Jesus into his own House 3. He that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken even your mortal Body by his Spirit that dwelleth in you It 's strange that some both Ancient and Modern Interpreters understand these words of the last Resurrection when it is clear by the context that the Apostles main scope is the first Resurrection and renovation of the man which first he proves cannot be effected by the Law Rom. 7. then he proves the renewing of the life to be wrought by the Spirit of God in this eighth Chapter and this inference from the Text vers 12 13.
yield your Members Servants to righteousness unto holyness So shall it come to pass that if the Spirit dwells in us that he who raised up the Lord Jesus from the dead will also quicken or make alive even our mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwells in us 4. Observe hence There is a due regard to be had a due care to be taken of our mortal Bodies they are a part of our selves they are mortal and liable unto death and they are to be quickned and enlivened by the Holy Spirit Wherefore we must feed them with food convenient for them use Physick for preservation of them in health cloath them decently repair our health decayed by too much austerity St. Paul adviseth Timothy Drink no more water but use a little Wine for thy stomachs sake and thy frequent infirmities 1 Tim. 5.23 They are to be the foot-stool of the Lord as the Earth to the Heavenly Man The Temples of the Holy Ghost the Body is for the Lord as the Lord for the Body Obs 5. But what warrant is this for our excessive eating and drinking our unreasonable pampering and glutting or surfeiting of our Bodies as if we layed up store and provision for a Siege If there had been such surfeiting and drunkenness in the Apostles time as is now in our Age surely he would have counselled us to drink water and but a little wine for our stomachs sake and our frequent infirmities whereof we often complain and are the causes of them our selves Again our Bodies are to be cloathed decently and what warrant is all this for our crisping and curling our pampering or perfuming our spotting or painting our superfluous adorning according to every new fantastick mode they labour not nor do they spin nay they are bound and pinion'd from all labour even so much as dressing themselves yet are they cloathed like to the Lillyes and Tulips Solomon in all his glory was not to be compared to one of these It is true care is to be taken of our Bodies but what warrant for all this superfluity and vanity Alas our heathenish cares What we shall eat what we shall drink or wherewithal we shall be cloathed these steal away our heart and ravel out our time aâ—e not these those things after which the Gentiles seek Is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul more then meat and the Body then rayment Matth. 6.25 What Spirit think we dwells in these Bodies they fare deliciously they are sensual and voluptuous therefore they have not the Spirit Jude vers 19. They are filled with Wine wherein there is excess Therefore they cannot be filled with the Spirit of God Ephes 5.18 But let us be exhorted to lay aside all this wanton superfluity it is a reasonable and equal Exhortation of the Apostle Rom. 6.19 This justly reprovâ—s too many at this day who presume upon their Faith and that their heart is right towards God anâ— that they are well rooted and grounded and built up in Christ in the inward Man and upon presumption of this take to themselves a freedom in outward things living in jollity and looseness in regard of the outward life Who conceive that the Lord is so well pleased with their inward and Spiritual life of the inward Man that he regards not the outward acts of the Body and this persuasion hath prevailed so far with some that they have let loose the reigns to all lasciviousness and not heeded the curbs and checks of the Spirit It was a foolish speech and a false of the Epigrammatist Lasciva est nobis pagina vita proba est Our Writings saith he are loose and lascivious but our life is chast Does not the mouth speak out of the abundance of the heart Yea doth not the tongue utter the hand act the feet walk yea the whole Body move according to the dictat of the heart If therefore the words and actions and motions of our Bodies are sinful and evil sure the inward thoughts wills desires and other affections are sinful and evil also Doth not our Lord say That by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt he condemned Matth. 12.36 If the inward life wherewith the Spirit quickens our Souls and Spirit were sufficient why does our Apostle here tell us The Spirit of God shall quicken and enliven our mortal Bodies How can we glorify God by our good works The inward they cannot see but by the outward they may judg what Christians we are Must not our light so shine before Men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which as in Heaven Mat. 5. Let us be exhorted therefore more strictly to consider our wayes before the Lord and so prepare our walking with our God in truth and holyness and love and charity to each other that he may be delighted to dwell in us to make us his Temples to raise us up from the mortality from the death of sin to the life of righteousness that we walking in the Spirit like loving and obedient Children to our God there may accrue no condemnation to us who walk or live not according to the flesh viz. in our sensual sinful life which God of his grace and great mercy cause to happen to every Soul of us For consolation to the poor disconsolate soul let us consider the Apostle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.30 31. wherein we have the testimony taken from his own Person and that confirmed by Oath wherein he professeth in behalf of himself and all Believers with him that he died daily which may be understood for our comfort of those daily perils and dangers of a bodily death whereunto he daily exposed himself by preaching the Gospel or rather of the daily Mortification of sin in hope of the Resurrection and life for the Christian life however it may be thought easie in our profession it is most difficult in practice Yet the Apostle had great rejoycing and glorying therein in Christ Jesus our Saviour which glorying and rejoycing proceeds from the Pattern Christs sufferings and our conformity thereunto Heb. 12.2 Who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross c. So that all the afflictions both outward and inward which befal us in our way and course of Mortification are counterpoysed by joy rejoycing and glorying for that daily dying to sin that daily ceasing from sin from his own wisdom and knowledge that he might be wise with the wisdom of God that daily mortifying his earthly Members fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry who knew this but the Lord and his own Spirit From all which we may gather that true Believers the People of God have great joy and comfort in their proficiency in the good life though accompanied with many sorrows and conflicts St. Paul died daily and rejoyced daily and invites us to rejoyce alwayes Phil. 4.4 There is no dolour no sorrow in this death nor ought
vessel is filled full of something 4. We are all esteemed empty and void until we be filled by Jesus Christ for though we be filled or full of such fruits as we think good yet if we fail either in the Principle or in the end if we bring them not forth from the true Stock Jesus Christ and to the true end the glory of our God we are accounted empty of good fruits the Apostle speaks home to both Phil. 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God That emptiness and voidness which the Lord discovers Gen. 1.2 The earth was empty and void The same he plainly discovers in the very same words Jer. 4.23 In vain and empty men who have not the Spirit of God I beheld the earth and behold it was void without form c. and this he declares to be the cause of his peoples misery as questionless it is of ours vers 19-23 Thus Job 11. Vain and empty man would be wise though he be born like a wild Ass Colt As we are accounted empty for want of the true Principle so for want of the true end Hos 10.1 Israel is an empty Vine he brings forth fruit to himself he brings forth fruit yet he is empty yea and so must be reputed while he brings forth fruit to himself until he bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.4 5. The best kind of filling is with the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ c. 6. Observe the truth of the Spirits filling us which by Divines is called Spiritus Inhabitans And the Apostle Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Jesus from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you which is the rather to be observed because some of the Ancients as Basil and others are wont to interpret filling and fulness of the Holy Spirit often mentioned in Scripture to be understood not of the Spirit apart but only of the Charismata the gifts and graces of the Spirit contrary to a most certain Rule Ens dependens for if the Spirit of the Lord fill the whole earth how much more the Divine Man contrary to the express testimonies of the Word The Word of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Rom. 5.5 Tit. 3.5 6. God the Father according to his Mercy hath saved us by the washing of Regeneration and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he hath shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour 7. Observe Gods faithfulness and truth in performing his great Promise Ephes 4.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might fulfill all things It is a good Rule which the Ancients followed in their Expositions of the holy Scripture that if the same word or phrase in the Original would admit of many or more than one signification and all were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Analogy of Faith agreeing with the rest of Gods Word all significations might have their use And the Reason is of weight for if some one signification were admitted and the rest excluded which are as well consonant unto the rest of Gods Word there might be danger by reason of our weak and corrupt understanding lest that very sence which the Holy Ghost principally intended might be neglected and another not so proper made choice of which errour lest we run into I shall remember ye of diverse significations which this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affords us which the Holy Ghost makes use of often in the New Testament 1. By it the Greek Interpreters turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fill or fulfil 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to end or put an end unto 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pacifie 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to satiate or satisfie 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to finish or make perfect Of the first I spake in part before Christ ascended that he might fill all things with his spirit Our Translators put another word in the Margin which is to fulfil There is a truth in this as well as the former as also in all the following sences so that all these are Divine Truths Christ ascended that he might 1. fulfil 2. put an end unto 3. pacifie 4. satiate or satisfie and 5. make perfect all things I shall through Gods assistance and your patience speak somewhat of every one of these 1. Of the first Doctrinally 2. Of the rest by way of Application 1. Christ ascended that he might fulfil all things i. e. Omnia quae de illo prophetantur saith Anselm but that is too strait a Gloss for this place The Scripture may be said to be fulfilled diverse wayes but more properly to our purpose 1. When that which was commanded in the Law is fulfilled 2. When that which was foretold by the Prophets is accomplished 3. when that which was promised is performed 4. When that which was typified and shadowed out in a figure is made good by the antitype and truth of it Now Christ ascended that he might fulfil all things all these wayes 1. He fulfilled the Law Matth. 5.17 He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it 2. He accomplished all the prophecies which went before of him it were too large a discourse to shew the accomplishment of all prophecies in Christ See our Lords testimony Luk. 24.44 All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me 3 He fulfilled the Promises for all the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us 2 Cor. 1.20 4. He fulfilled all the types and figures Col. 2.16 17. Let no man condemn ye in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath dayes which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ for the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Grace for the fulfilling of the Moral Law and Truth for the fulfilling of the Ceremonial Law Joh. 1.17 The Reason why Christ fulfills all things is considerable 1. In regard of the things to be fulfilled And 2. In regard of the fulfillers of them And 3. In respect of those to whom they are fulfilled 1. The things to be fulfilled are the Holy Scriptures especially the Judgements Prophecies Promises and Types all which aim at their accomplishment which is their end and that is Christ 1 Cor. 15.24 for whereas one jot and one tittle must not pass from the Law till all be fulfilled Mat. 5.18 1. Therefore of the Law Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness Rom. 10.4 2. In regard of the fulfilling and accomplishment of Prophecies Promises and Types 1. 'T is for the glory of Divine prescience and foreknowledge of God when
things are so accomplished as they were foretold and therefore we read often in the Gospel that such and such things were done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Word of the Lord might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Matth. 1.22 2. 'T is for the glory of Gods faithfulness and truth as truth is opposed to falsehood and lies when things promised are performed according to his promises So Tit. 1.2 God who cannot lie hath promised eternal life and Hebr. 10.2 3. He is faithful that hath promised and therefore Solomon blessed God 1 King 8.56 3. 'T is for the discovery of Gods Truth as opposed to types and figures when the shadow vanisheth at the presence of the body Col. 2. the veil of Ceremonies remains to the Jews untaken away in reading of the Old Testament which veil is done away in Christ 2 Cor. 3.14 Ceremoniale aboletur spirituale manet 3. In regard of us to whom they are fulfilled 't is for the confirmation and establishing of our Faith when that which was commanded prophecied promised and typified hath obtained the real accomplishment for us to us and in us Thus the Lord tells Moses Exod. 6.3 That by his name Jehovah he was not known to their Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob that name imports the Being of God and giving Being unto what he commands foretells promiseth and typifieth as it imports Gods Being God had reveiled himself to the Fathers by that Name 1. To Abraham Gen. 15.7 8. I am Jehovah that brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees 2. To Isaac Gen. 26.25 Isaac built an Altar and called upon the name of Jehovah 3. To Jacob Gen. 28.13 I am Jehovah the God of Abraham thy Father 2. But as it signifieth the giving of Being to and fulfilling his commands prophecies promises and types he was not known to them but to their Seed when he really brought them out of Aegypt and seated them in the Land of Canaan therefore Moses must say unto the Children of Israel I am Jehovah and I will bring ye out from under the burdens of the Aegyptians and I will bring you into the Land which I promised to give it to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and I will give it to you for an inheritance I am Jehovah Exod. 6.6 7 8. 1. Doubt Quaere Notes in Jam. 1.22 2. Whereas it is said that such and such things were fulfilled as that of Isai 7.14 touching the conception and birth of Christ Matth. 1.22 that touching Christs curing our infirmities Matth. 8.17 Joh. 19.30 here it may be questioned had the Lord then accomplished all his prophecies promises and types when he fulfilled all these unto the Sons of Israel 1. All the prophecies and visions which concerned Christs first coming were determined and fulfilled by him in his first coming Dan. 9.24 In the end of seventy weeks the vision must be sealed up as letters being finished are sealed and confirmed so Christ told the two Disciples who travelled with him to Emmaus Luk. 24. It was necessary that all things should be fulfilled c. 2. The Old Philosopher had a true saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as true omnia sunt in omnibus though all had their accomplishments in their times thus all was fulfilled to them when they came into the Land of Promise ut justificetur consummatum est yet all that ever was fulfilled and accomplished in a degree to them was as a prophecy promise and type to us We are then brought out of Aegypt when freed from the thraldom of sin and slavery under the spiritual Pharaoh We are brought into the Holy Land when we have entred into the true Rest Hebr. 4. into which Joshuah did not bring the Israelites according to the flesh but the true rest remain'd for the Israel of God vers 9 10 11. Christ's conception is fulfilled to us when he is formed in us Gal. 4.19 His birth is fulfilled when the woman the Church and her believers have brought forth Christ the second time Revel 12. Then the true Israel of God dwells safely in their Land when they dwell in God and God in them when the Lord is to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their dwelling place Psal 90.1 then they know that Jehovah is their God Ezech. 28.26 Quaere Is all prophecy fulfilled What saith our Lord in the forenamed place Luk. 24. Necesse fuit impleri omnia But if all prophecy were then fulfilled what did John prophecy of in his Revelation All things therefore were fulfilled concerning the first coming of Christ but John prophecied of his second coming and of the mystical Christ coming in his members destroying Babylon the City of Whoredom and Antichrist of the erecting the Kingdom and the City of God the heavenly Jerusalem And touching this many Oracles of the Prophets are to be understood which yet want their accomplishment and fulfilling then that of Isai 11.4 shall be fulfilled With the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked one compared with 2 Thess 2.8 which the Lord shall destroy with the Spirit of his mouth then the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid vers 6. The Lord hath been long and is yet fulfilling that of Zephany 3.8 which done then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord to serve him with one shoulder in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ Revel 1.9 10 11 12 13. When the kingdom shall be restored to Israel Act. 1. Object But if Christ have ascended thus and fulfilled all things then is the Law fulfilled and all things done and suffered for us and we saved we know not how if we can but believe it Answered often Christ is dead and we are dead with him when the body is dead because of sin He is risen when the Spirit is life because of righteousness Rom. 8.10 Observ 1. The Scripture is empty until Christ fulfil it with the Spirit of Truth All the promises are empty unless Christ fulfil them for Christ is the true Isaac the Seed of Promise in whom all nations bless themselves Gen. 22.17 He that shall bless himself in the earth shall bless himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the God of mercy Esay 65.16 or Christ in whom all the promises of God are Amen accomplished ratified and true 2 Cor. 1.19 This Amen Amen He who is the truth of truth This is Christ the Amen Apoc. 3.14 This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 5. ult That Amen in whom and through whom we pray and call upon the God of Truth for the ratifying of all the promises by whom and through whom all the promises of God are fulfilled and in whom all the promises of God are fulfilled and in whom the Lord performs all our petitions in the Lords Prayer which therefore we seal with Amen 2. All the Types and Figures are empty until Christ fulfill them For what
in misery adviseth them to supply their wants that 's well yet but he would not that they should be inwardly afflicted with their wants His Reason O it damps a noble Spirit This is counsel I am sure that savours not of a Christian spirit I hope none of our Gentlemen follow it though the book be in most mens hands This is to be cloathed with the lofty spirit and merciless bowels of the old man not with the tender bowels and compassions of the new Man He that is of this mind judgeth himself at least implicitly that he is no member of the Body of Christ That requires not only the drawing out of the purse but the drawing out of thy soul to the hungry and satisfying the afflicted soul Esay 58.10 That requires not only the outward clothing of mercy but the inward and largest bowels of it Yet well it were for poor and miserable men were there more of his mind as ye know St. Paul would have the Gospel preached upon any terms And the like we may say of putting on this outward coat of mercy for surely 't is a more comely habit than theirs who put on a gay outward coat of mercifulness yet have an inward cloak of unmercifulness Such hypocrites as do their alms and all their good works only to be seen of men Matth. 6.1 Who draw near unto God with their hands but their hearts are far from him These are like some Gallants I have heard of who make all the shifts they can to get a fair sute that they may be fine though they want a shirt under it I am sure we may say truly of this Garment of mercy that the worst piece is in the midst Yet I know not whether I should prefer these before such as have both inward and outward Garments of mercy yet they extend their bowels only unto some few and those only of their own Sect and Fraternity and are morose and churlish towards all others Would God this were not a moth fretting the garment even of religious profession O Beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A good man is a common good So Aquinas calls justice and mercy bona alterius I know Beloved there is a difference to be observed as I told you before for all men are not capable of the same mercy nor of mercy in the same degree especially spiritual of some have compassion Jud. 22 23. Yet mercy is to be shewn in some kinds unto all especially by the Saints of God who are to be lights in a crooked generation which give light though not so much yet light they give to those who are afar off And as when we look wishly upon some one thing which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Act. 1.10 and 3.4 we look also upon all things about that one thing we behold so earnestly we must look with the eye of pity upon all afflicted though we look most wishly upon the houshold of Faith And in this sence as I conceive St. Peter bid us add unto brotherly love charity or love unto all men 2 Pet. 1. And our Saviour gives us a reason If ye love them saith he which love you what thank have ye Luk. 6.32 For sinners also love those that love them and if ye do good to them which do good to you what thank have ye For sinners also do even the same and if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive what thank have ye For sinners also lend to sinners and receive as much again But love ye your enemies and do good and lend hoping for nothing again and your reward shall be great and ye shall be the children of the highest for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is merciful We have many merciful as many Fathers and Mothers are who can afford all outward necessaries yea and superfluities unto their Children sometimes beyond their rank meerly to please their own eye pamper their Childrens bodies with dainty fair and fit them early for the entertainment of sensual lusts and make them proud betimes with gay clothes and like the old Ape spoil their Children with cockering them fat them like Sheep for the slaughter Such as can perhaps afford the poor also convenient supply of things necessary for the maintenance of their bodies as bread and meat that perisheth and yet mean time not care how miserable how poor how blind how naked their souls are How destitute of that food which endures unto everlasting life Joh. 6. These are evil mercies to pamper the body and starve the soul Beloved What know we whether a little good counsel given with our alms though never so small suppose two mites may convey sight to the blind hearing unto the deaf feet to the lame saving health unto the soul-sick man and to the dead in trespasses and sins eternal life Whether the Garment of mercy may save the soul from death and cover a multitude of sins Jam. 5.20 Thus thus to feed the poor 't is to give him Angels food to make him drink into one spirit with us Thus to cloth him 't is to array him with a robe of righteousness This is to supply his natural and spiritual wants his wants of body and soul both This is to be merciful as our Father which is in heaven is merciful But there are many counterfeits Hath not thy cruelty made them such saith St. Chrysostom There are many idle Then let them not eat I am not cruel in denying such their food Even the God of mercies who takes a special care of the poor of all other he commands that he that labours not should not eat Yet here is a difference to be made between those evils which move our pity whether they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 troublesome or deadly If thus let us be merciful as our Father which is in heaven is merciful he would have no man perish Wherefore in this case we must not be too inquisitive as whether he fell into his poverty by idleness unthriftiness or lewdness or rather by casualty Whether he called for it or it came upon him unsent for like an armed man The house may be burnt down while we stand inquiring how the fire was kindled whether by chance or wilfully Rather let us like a good Physician as speedily as we can cure a dangerous disease than make enquiry whether the patient fell into it by his own fault or no All these though otherwise blame-worthy yet are merciful in some degree But others there are who have no bowels at all but think 't is mercy enough to have a velleity half a will to be merciful and fondly conceive that the merciful God accepts that will for the deed I pray God that there be not such a conceit among those who pretend Religion But let such know that God then only accepts the will for the deed when the deed cannot be done These
there was this difference between them Moses appeared terrible unto his beholders Christ amiable unto his wherefore 't is added Mark 9.15 They were greatly amazed and running to him saluted him Observe then the ground of that Majesty which is conspicuous in Kings and Princes Christ himself saith by me Kings Reign He hath imprinted in Kings Princes and Governours multum Dei saith Aquinas See Notes on Psal 112. 2. God calls us by the Ministration of his Spirit which is Glory 2 Cor. 3.8 where again we have glorious for so Christ was raised from the dead by the Glory of the Father Rom. 6.4 That Glory of the Father is the Spirit of the Father Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you By this Glory and Virtue i. e. by the Spirit and Power the Lord calls us to be partakers of his Glory Christ himself hath promised it Joh. 17.24 Father I will that all they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory All the Saints partake of it even in this life in some good measure more or less for as any body is more or less lucid and capable of light so it reflects it and discovers it unto others So all and every Saint of God according to that capacity receive of this Glory and Majesty as being all called by glory and vertue 2 Pet. 1. for so it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Glory of Moses figuring the Law was formidable The people durst not behold the face of Moses That of Christ is amiable and lovely The people were astonished at first sight but then they ran unto him and saluted him Marc. 9.15 And therefore when Moses prayes the Lord to shew his Glory i. e. his face which is Christ Exod. 33.18 vers 19. The Lord faith I will make all my glory to pass before thee Exhort To aspire to behold that Majesty this was the ambition of Moses Exod. 33.18 I beseech thee shew me thy glory This Spirit is that wisdom of a man which makes his face to shine Eccles 8.1 As they who beheld Stephen saw his face shine gloriously as it had been the face of an Angel Act. 6. last This the Apostle speaks plainly 2 Cor. 3.18 We all behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord with his open face So it is opposed to Moses that put a veil upon his face So all our old Translations and the Reformed Churches and are transformed into the same image from glory unto glory even by the Spirit of the Lord which is his glory This is that which in a figure the Lord promised Hag. 2.7 That the desire of all nations should come i. e. Christ and fill this house with glory i. e. believers who are his house Heb. 3.6 Whose house are we for know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost These temples be will fill with glory and majesty Act. 13.15 When Paul and Barnabas entred into the Synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia the Rulers sent to them saying Men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation to the people say on They call the Sermon wont to be made in the Synagogue by the name of Exhortation And surely it is or ought to be the drift of all our Sermons to exhort unto the duties of the Christian Life and such most what must be my discourse at this time because having not finished this Text the next words contain clean a different matter Sign Every man thinks he hath a store in this self-love makes men conceive all the priviledges of the Saints to belong to them but without holiness no man shall see the Lord A wicked man shall not see the Majesty of the Lord Esay 26.10 Means Is this possible that any man should see the Majesty of the Lord There is a rude draught of Gods Majesty in the creature Rom. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that 's enough to make men inexcusable who hold that truth in unrighteousness for no man hath seen God at any time The only begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh 1.18 So that no man knows the Father but the Son Matth. 11.27 In Christ therefore we see the Father As the splendor or Majesty of the Sun cannot be seen in its self but in a glass as through a cloud it may be seen So neither can the Majesty of the Father be seen in himself but in Christ who is the brightness of the everlasting light the unspotted mirrour or glass of the power of God and the image of his goodness saith the Wiseman Sapient 7.16 In him he may be seen But how in him since no man can see God and live Exod. 33.20 Is this sight of Gods Majesty after this life Respon He must first dye that precious death of the Saints Psal 116. He must be dead with Christ he must be conformable to his death and so he shall see the Father And therefore the Lord saith to Moses Exod. 33.21 when he had desired him to shew him his glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold there is a place with me or by me as neer as could be That place is Christ himself for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one of the names of God And so that place was by him indeed or in him rather as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie as the Father is in the Son And therefore it presently follows thou shalt stand upon the rock now the rock is Christ 1 Cor. 10. And therefore it shall come to pass saith the Lord when my glory shall pass by I will put thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a elift of the rock the word in the Syriack Matth. 27. is used for the Sepulchre of the Lord when we are conformahle unto his death and have all affections and lusts dead as it were buried with him then we see the Lord We bear about in our bodies the dyings of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest and appear and be seen in our mortal body This is one means and a second is mutual love and charity 1 Joh. 4.12 No man hath seen God at any time if we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us Thus eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man i. e the natural man what God hath prepared for them that love him 3. On the right hand in the highest Let us aspire unto this highest eminency to sit with Christ in the highest God the Father hath set Christ with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 1 20-21 And he sets all true Christians there Eph. 2.6 'T is wonderful what the force of imagination is Men fancy to themselves that they are in heaven though they live in their sins and their earthly mind This
or hath been justified without works Abraham was justified by works he justified not himself by whom then was he justified by whom else but by God himself It is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 He justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4.5 by taking away his ungodliness from him he justifieth the Righteous 1 King 8.32 by making him more righteous and pronouncing him to be righteous whom he hath made righteous And thus the work of justification is not divided between God and us nor between faith and works but is entirely to be ascribed unto God who justifieth the ungodly who believeth in Jesus whose gift faith is Eph. 2. who works all our works in us Isa 26.12 And thus God hath all the Glory and Man none at all Thus St. Paul and St. James are reconciled who indeed never differ'd but seemed only so to do NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON JAMES II. 22 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God FRom Vers 14. ad finem is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communication whereof this is a part indicatively or interrogatively Thou seest or seest thou how faith wrought by his works c In these words we have 1. The Co-operation of Faith with Works 2. The consummation of Faith by Works 3. Attestatio 1. Faith wrought by Abrahams works 2. Abrahams Faith was perfected by Works Thou seest 1. Faith wrought by Abrahams works Quaere what is meant by 1. Faith 2. Works 3. how said to have wrought by works 1. Faith is here understood according to the Apostles description of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11.1 Marg. Confidence It is somewhat an hard expression that Faith should work by works The nature of Faith is not here abstractly taken but as it is manifest concrete with hope so confidence Marg. Hebr. 11.1 and patience as Ephes 6.17 the shield of faith and joyned with Love in the work of it without which it cannot work St. Paul seems to open the phrase Gal. 5.6 By Faith then working by works we may understand the concrete of Faith with Hope Patience and Love working Reason Why Faith so wrought the reason is from the object whereunto it is and the end of our Faith joyned in the work of it 1. Faith receiveth the object into it self whereunto it is carried Joh. 1.12 As many as received him to them he gave power to as many as believed in his Name and that is the power of God for things joyned and mixed together partake mutually of one anothers vertue and power Hebr. 4.2 and therefore things mixed are in a sort the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6.17 2 Cor. 13.5 2. The end of our faith is the salvation of our souls 1 Pet. 1.9 of this end Christ himself is the finisher Hebr. 12.2 Hebr. 5.9 Of this eternal salvation Christ is the Author unto those that obey him who ever believeth this it cannot be but his faith must be operative in the works of obedience Eternal salvation is the summum bonum the chief good which every one desires yea naturally every one desires to be happy And although few men be obedient unto Jesus Christ it is not because they desire not happiness but either 1. because they do not know or consider not wherein true happiness consists or 2. what means they ought to use that they may attain unto it or 3. because they believe it not But if a man believe that Christ is the Author of eternal salvation and everlasting happiness and that this is obtained by obedience unto him he who truly believes this must also be obedient otherwise it will follow that the chief good and means to it clearly believed should not powerfully and effectually move men to desire and endeavour to obtain it yea it would follow that the chief good should not be desired that a man wittingly and willingly should refuse to be blessed and happy which are things most absurd in common reason for if that be good which all things desire which were easily proved by induction of infinite particulars then that which is better must be more desired and that which is best of all the summum bonum must be most of all desired Observ 1. Hence it appears that Abraham's Faith was no idle no lazy Faith but such a Faith as wrought by works all that large catalogue of Believers Hebr. 11. unto which might be added all who ever were from the beginning their Faith was an operative a working Faith By Faith Abel c. Hebr. 11.17 The offering up of Isaac is here ascribed to Abraham which yet no doubt he had not done but purely out of Faith Observ 2. As Faith wrought with Abraham's works so it works also with the works of every Son of Abraham with the works of every Believer for whatsoever he doth as a Son of Abraham is from Faith he prays in Faith he walks by Faith he lives by Faith Observ 3. The reason of those mighty works which are wrought by Believers Joh. 1.12 Faith works by them which hath the mighty power of Christ Eph. 1.19 Believers are raised from the dead by that mighty power and therefore mighty works declare forth themselves in them as once Herod reasoned Gal. 3.2 The Galatians had received the spirit of life and righteousness by the hearing i. e. obeying of Faith and that Spirit wrought mighty works in them That Grain of Mustard seed which removeth Mountains That foolishness which destroyeth wisdom 1 Cor. 1.19 20. How doth the Lord this but when he enlightens with a greater light than that of nature or reason whereby they believe those things which the world by their wisdom accounted foolishness as to hope for an innumerable off-spring from barren Sarah hope against hope that the dead Isaac should live the dead Christ be raised yea so great is the power of Faith that 1 Joh. 5.4 Yea the Prince of this world for S. Peter arms us with Faith against him 1 Pet. 5. As remembring the words of our Lord that the power of Faith should be so great that the gates of Hell should not prevail against it Matth. 16.18 Observ 4. The Apostle speaking of justifying Faith he tells us not that Abraham wrought but that Faith wrought why Because it is God that justifieth Rom. 8. and therefore the effect is given to Faith not to Abraham 1 Joh. 5.4 It is properly the Grace that works Rom. 5.1 2 3 4 5. Not I but thy pound hath gained ten pounds Luk. 19.16 Not I but the Grace of God with me 1 Cor. 15.10 So the Prophet tells us that the work of righteousness is peace Esay 32.17 So we find an increase of Graces proceeding originally from Faith 2 Pet. 1. Observ 5.
came that we might have life and that more abundantly Joh. 10.10 2 Pet. 1. That we become trees of Righteousness Isai 61.3 that we be full of the fruits of Righteousness which are in Christ Jesus to the praise and glory of God Phil. 1.11 Ezech. 37. The Lord sets the Prophet in the middest of a valley full of dry bones Beloved what are we by corrupt Nature but even dry bones void of the life of God and the Righteousness of Jesus Christ sensual having not the spirit until the Lord put his spirit of peace and unity into us The Preacher of Righteousness therefore must first enquire whether the son of peace be in the house bone comes unto its bone then come the sinews even power and strength to corroborate union and love among men to break the power of ungodliness What we turn trees of Righteousness is Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vul. Lat. fortes justitiae Isa 61.3 Then comes flesh upon him the tender flesh whereby he may commiserate and compassionate all the afflictions and miseries of others For therefore is the man clad with flesh that he might have a fellow-feeling of his brothers miseries his infirmities poverty sickness c. Hebr. universal Righteousness is preserved with Mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the skin covers the flesh even the beauty and comliness of the outward Life and Righteousness but all this was done yet was there no breath in them vers 8. The Preacher therefore of Righteousness who is a Minister of the Spirit is here necessary who may pray for the Spirit of Holiness and Righteousness that the dead ones may live the life of God Untill this come to pass whatever and howsoever we have our natural gifts and parts as wit memory reason eloquence all this while the body is but dead and naked all is but barrenness c. untill the spirit of life and holiness be poured upon us from on high c. Isai 32.14 15. Then judgement shall dwell in the wilderness and righteousness remain in the fruitful field It is not the small measure of Righteousness that the Preacher of Righteousness requires of us namely that Righteousness of Will and Desire which many having attained unto think themselves as good men as Paul was Rom. 7. This is no more than the Righteousness and Holiness of the Child the same which the people had in the wilderness See Notes on Exod. 20.8 Cadesh barnea but that we be holy as he is holy merciful pure perfect When the Apostle Hebr. 13.18 had spoken largely of himself that he had a Conscience of all things willing to live honestly and having prayed as largely for them vers 21. he adds a request in the end which may imply that they might take offence at what he had said I beseech you brethren suffer the word of Exhortation c. Many cannot endure to be exhorted to the exactness and perfection of their duty though the Scripture evidently requires such exactness of us but are ready to impute this Doctrine to some Sect or other and to call the Preachers of this Righteousness by the name of one or other Sect because we hear not the same Doctrine ordinarily urged by others Beloved as heretofore I have in the presence of God and many present protested my disengagement unto any Sect in the Christian world So now howbeit in the great difference of Judgements that are now aflote in this time of the overflowing scourge I hope no man will be wanting to himself so far to neglect his own safety as to reject good counsel from whomsoever it comes Should a person of great Quality lie desperately sick and a Colledge of Physicians meet about him if some one plain man offer a precious and a soveraign Receipt and hath a probatum est that it never failed surely the Patient would not reject the counsel of that one man he would not ask him whether he had gratiam practicandi Prov. 10.2 Righteousness delivereth from death and 12.28 in the way of Righteousness is life Rom. 5.10 Or should you be in danger to suffer shipwrack and one come and help you would you ask him of what Opinion he is and if he did not think as you think would you refuse his help As concerning faith have suffered shipwrack 1 Tim. 1.16 or suppose your house on fire and one should come and offer his help to quench it would you first know what he holds concerning the controversies of the time and if he differ'd from you in Opinion would you none of his help Iniquity is a fire O beloved take good counsel from whencesoever it comes Dan. 4.27 Do away thy sins by Righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Repreh The world of the ungodly which pretend Religion holiness and piety yet really and truly are acted by their own perverse will they are constant and faithful to that See Notes on Jer. 23.5 Here is Soveraign Doctrine for all times for these times times when according to our Lords Prophecy iniquity abounds times when there is great danger of war times when all or the most are weary of war and desire peace times when iniquity abounds all manner of iniquity in high in low in rich in poor universal iniquity contrary to the universal righteousness Then is the Preacher of Righteousness most suitable It is even so for the times are such as in the dayes of Noah saith our Saviour Matth. 24. and what times are they all flesh had corrupted his way The spirit of God Gen. 6. names that which was then and I believe is now most common among all men intemperancy incontinency lasciviousness As for other sins they may be and I believe are very common also but more properly and usually found among some sorts of men as pride commonly followeth high places and men in Authority especially those who never were in Authority before Covetousness however it be too general so that Mammon is one of the great City Gods yet it 's thought to be most rise among Officers who very often are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takers of bribes Envy though it be a sin now epidemical and hides it self under the name of Zeal yet it 's most usually found among men of Sciences and Faculties and so it is Academical and being once sought in hell was found in Monasteries and Colledges surely extortion and oppression however it be now general yet it more commonly harbours among Citizens Simony is between the Patron and the Priest Hypocrisie is among men Religious Deceit fraud circumvention among Merchants But intemperancy incontinency looseness voluptuousness and sensuality is common to all men the Subject as the Prince the learned as the ignorant the poor as the rich the wise as the foolish how needful then how useful how seasonable doctrine is universal Righteousness When danger of war to put on the whole armour of God armour of Righteousness on the right hand and the left 2 Cor. 6.7 When
nearly concerns us all For hereby know ye the Spirit of God Every spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but this is that spirit of Antichrist 1 John 4.2 3. And know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. But if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin and the spirit is life because of righteousness If Christ be born in us he is born in us at least as a Child 1. Where is then his innocency If uncleanness fornication adultery or adulterous thoughts be in us innocency is not in us we are then become not the members of Christ but the members of an Harlot and he that toucheth her shall not be innocent Prov. 6.29 2. If Covetousness be born in us Christ's innocency is not in us He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent Prov. 28.20 3. If Rebellion or Sedition be born in us Barabbas may be born in us Christ's innocency cannot be born in us So Daniel reasoned Dan. 6.22 2. If Christ be a Child born in us where is his simplicity If subtilty deceit and fraud be in us if we go beyond and circumvent our Brother bargaining in any matter we are so far from having Christ's simplicity born in us that we know not God his Father who is the avenger of all such 1 Thes 4.5 6. Then the Serpent hath beguiled us and corrupted our minds from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 3. If Christ be a Child born in us where is his Humility If our heart be lifted up in us if we be proud of wealth or honours where 's our Humility And therefore the Blessed Virgin when she magnifieth the Lord for Christ born in her He hath regarded saith she the low estate of his handmaiden Luke 1. Drunkards are wont to acquit themselves from being proud for drunkenness makes a confusion of all ranks and estates as Abihu and Nadab sought to do and equals the Master with the Servant But the Prophet Habakkuk tells him 't is otherwise Habakkuk 2.5 Because he transgresseth by Wine he is a proud man and he adds another mark of a Drunkard he keeps not at home but at the Tavern or the Alehouse These proud tippling fools they are so swollen with pride and so full of wine that there 's no room for the Spirit of God no room for Christ's humility If neither the innocency nor simplicity nor humility of Christ be born in us how is Christ born in us so much as a Child 'T is true indeed these are but weak where Christ is but new born But let them consider this who think they ought alwayes to be so weak and place their strength of Religion in complaining of their weakness Does the Child continue alwayes a Child or grows it up to riper years Let them also consider this who although they want the innocency simplicity and humility of Christ yet presume themselves able and well grown Christians why Because they find the flesh rebells against the spirit and the spirit agianst the flesh which they take for a sign of a perfect regenerate man He that thus judgeth of himself let him know that he is but yet a little Child if so much in Christianity and for proof of this compare I pray ye Gal. 4.19 with Chapt. 5.17 But though Christ be born but a Child yet is he then a King Is Christ a King in thee Where Christ is born a King there he must rule and reign Esai 9.6 Doth this King bear rule and reign in thee Where he reigns the wild passions the brutish and savage affections as hatred variance emulation wrath strife touchiness and peevishness c. they are tamed and brought under the subjection of the Child that 's born a King though but a Child for Esay 11.6 in the dayes of Christ so 't is in the Chaldee Paraphrast The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them And therefore Christ is called the King of the Jews Why what is that to us The true Jews are they who praise and glorifie God Gen. 30.35 And he is not a Jew who is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart and spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29. 1. Let them now consider this who are altogether for an outward worship of Christ Are their affections and passions thus brought under and tamed Do they thus in their heart and spirit acknowledge Christ to be their King and Governour Certainly if so they give him his full and complete worship He made both soul and body and most fit it is he have the reverence of both if otherwise they are but hypocrites but Players so the word signifieth and they make Christ like a King in a Play even such as they were Matth. 27.29 who plaited a Crown of thorns and put it upon his head and a reed in his hand and bowed the knee before him and mocked him saying Hail King of the Jews 2. Let them also consider this who are altogether for an inward worship of Christ and refuse to give him any outward reverence Are their affections so tame Are they thus brought under this Rule Are they such Jews If so yet they are diligent in their obedience Christ made both give him the reverence of both if it be within what hinders but that it be expressed outwardly and because it is not expressed outwardly we may shrewdly suspect it is not inwardly if otherwise they are worse than hypocrites who allow him an outward subjection but these none at all Ye perceive therefore how nearly this Question of the Wise-men concerns us all So do their Reasons 1. They saw his Star whence we may observe the method of our God in bringing men unto Christ He takes men at their work The Shepherds were feeding of their flocks by night and the Angel of the Lord brought them the first glad tidings of Christ come in the flesh Luke 2. The Apostles were at their trade of fishing and Christ called them These Wise-men were beholding the Stars and giving glory to God and God by the Star leads them unto Christ 2. That 's another observation God's gracious condescent unto mankind in taking men by their work by their profession Psal 78.70 He chose David and took him from the sheep-folds from following the Ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his Inheritance He took the Apostles being fishers and made them fishers of men Thus Dionysius the Areopagite as Suidas reports was first brought on
4. But in regard of the first and original fatherhood so as there is one God and Father of all so whether Natural or Spiritual Fathers they are instruments unto our Heavenly Father 2. Specially this is spoken to the Disciples who are begotten anew unto the hope of Life and therefore our Lord saith Call not your Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your He would our hearts should be raised up unto the Everlasting Father of whom the whole family of Heaven and Earth is named Eph. 3. Thus John 1.12 13. As many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God Who are born not of blood nor of the will of man but of God NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW V. 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he maketh his Sun to rise on the Evil and on the Good and sendeth rain on the Just and on the Vnjust HItherto we have heard the Law of Love come we now to the Reason of that Law The Reason see in the Analysis There are many things contained in these words which might be insisted on more particularly I shall speak of them only according to their scope 1. God is our Father in Heaven as before 2. Our Father in Heaven makes his Sun to rise upon the Evil and upon the Good 3. He rains upon the Just and the Unjust 4. Our Lord commands his Disciples to love their Enemies to bless them that curse them do good to them that hate them pray for them that despightfully use them and persecute them that they may be the Children of their Father for he causeth his Sun to rise upon the Evil and upon the Good c. 2. Our Father makes his Sun to rise upon the Evil and the Good The Sun is here called God the Father's Sun because he Created it and hath power to dispose of it and the motions of it The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred to make to rise is used in a transitive sence otherwhere very seldom and that it is here so used is by an Hebraism according to which Neuters and Intransitives are used as if in Hiphel as Transitives The Reason in regard of 1. God 2. the Creatures 1. His common Providence over all He hateth nothing that he hath made Wisd 11.24 and 12 13. Neither is there any God but thou that carest for all things His Power and Authority is over the Sun 2. The necessity in the Creatures the need they have of light and life his mercy over all his Creatures and his love to mans eternal welfare His compassion on all who are degenerate and turned from him that this his goodness may lead them to repentance Rom. 2.4 Doubt That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven c. It 's forcibly implied that ye are his children when he is called your Father how otherwise can he be your Father unless ye be his children and if ye be his children already when he is said to be your Father what need is there that ye should love your enemies bless them that curse you do good c. that ye may be the children of your Father It 's answered by some that this is by way of convicton that ye may approve your selves to be his children by being like unto him But farther God is said to be our Father and we his children divers wayes and in divers degrees according to that ineffable and unexpressable Generation of the Son of God and the process of the Holy Spirit Of his own will he begat us Jam. 1. We read of Children born from the dead such as have died unto their sin and so become the children of the Everlasting Father even of Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of Eternity After his Resurrection from the dead he calls them children I go to my Father and your Father There are also Children who are born of the Spirit of this Son-ship speaks John 1 John 3.1 Now are we the Sons of God but it appears not what we shall be but we know when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall be like him Obser 1. Literally Spiritually 1. Literally The Sun is God's his Creature and to be disposed of by him as he makes it rise and set so to stand still so to go back God hath Power and Authority over it the most Glorious Body of light it hath therefore the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Servant because it serves God and the Creatures of God It 's better thus to follow the Scripture than to trouble mens minds with other Contemplations in Nature Obser 2. What a dignation what a condescention is it for him whose the Sun and Moon and Stars are to regard man It is the argument of Moses Deut. 10.14 15. and David Psal 8.3 4. and 24.1 2. and 144.3 Lord what is man yea what a great Grace is it to the Church of God to Israel to the surrogate Israel Deut. 10.14 The heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord 's thy God the earth also and all that is therein Obser 3. The God of heaven is our Father if we be Christ's Disciples your Father The heaven of heavens are the Lord's the earth he hath given to the children of men A ground of contentation in our own estate what ever it is abide with God 1 Cor. 7. Your heavenly Father knows ye have need of these things cast all your care upon him for he careth for you 1 Pet. 5.7 Obser 4. The Soveraign Power Authority and Love which all the children of God may hope and expect from their Father Pater est nomen potestatis pietatis saith Tertullian Psal 115.3 As for our God he is in heaven he hath done whatsoever he will The Lord hath Soveraign Power also over the earth and all things in it The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof Psal 24.1 Yet he is pleased rather to be stiled our heavenly Father and our Father which is in heaven Obser 5. There are some who may be truly called good men our Lord calleth them so who may be called Just men and such as need no repentance Luk. 15.17 This is the rather to be heeded because some are wont to take and mistake certain places of Scripture which they make Rules to all the rest As there is none that doth good no not one c. where the Apostle speaks of the Apostate state of the Church Quaere Whether of these two tend more to Faith and Obedience whether to say that some there are good and just men or to say there is not a just man upon earth which the wise man speaks only of possibility of sinning as I have heretofore shewn These Meditations and such as these may be gathered out of the words but their main scope is to shew our heavenly Father loves his enemies doth
Lord Our Lord's admonition is serious Luke 21.34 Nor do I speak these things as if I thought you ignorant of them O no Out of the serious consideration of our short uncertain life which is a vapour I press upon my self and upon you the life and practise of these things as Peter's penitential Cock awakes and stirs up himself and then calls and rouzeth up others Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead lest thou sleep in death Awake to Righteousness and sin not Obser 5. Sins are the infirmities weaknesses and sicknesses of the Soul The Aegyptians are sick of a Vertigo Esay 19.14 Miscuit spiritum vertiginis he mingled a spirit of giddiness The Covetous man is sick of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a greedy Disease venter impiorum insaturabilis Prov. 13.25 A covetous mans eye is not satisfied with his portion Ecclus. 14.9 Prov. 27.20 The Prophet Esay Chap. 1.5 6. describes the deplorable estate of the Church in his Time and compares it to one desperately sick The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint from the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it Obser 6. Sin is a burden to the Lord Jesus Obser 7. The Love of Christ He becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a curse for us Obser 8. Here is then a Mighty Power imparted to our Nature for as Christ himself had this Power in himself so he gave unto his followers Behold I give you power to tread upon Scorpions And he is said to give his Disciples power over unclean spirits They marvelled and glorified God Mat. 9.8 who had given such power unto men Obser 9. If Jesus Christ take away our sins even the sins of Believers what necessity then is there that sins must remain as commonly men say That sins must remain if he take them away and bear them away this must this necessity is not on Christ's part this must is for the Devil this must is for some of his reigning and ruling lusts Obser 10. See the accomplishment of all those types and figures All these have their truth in the Text and the fruit of all these is the taking away sin Esay 27.9 which all these could not do Hebr. 9.10 14. Esay 53.4 Verè languores nostros ipse tulit He himself took our infirmities not the offering of Goats or Sheep could do it Heb. 10 4-9 For it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin Obser 11. The vanity of an imaginary Faith Repreh 1. Who say that their sins and infirmities cannot possibly be taken away No not by Christ The Apostle tells us that the weakness of God is stronger than men But these say that the weakness and infirmity of men is stronger than God Repreh 2. If Christ bear our infirmities then are they to blame who will not bear the infirmities of others who are even weaker than themselves God can bear thou wilt not bear Christ can bear thee thou canst not bear thy Brother He remits to thee the debt of an hundred Talents thou with rigour requirest of thy Brother a few Pence Repreh 3. Who heap the burdens of their sins upon the Lord Jesus Christ and pity themselves as poor weak and feeble souls As for Christ he is strong and able and we will try his strength when we lay all our load upon him Thus we continue in our sin while the Grace of Christ abounds and the Old Man grows strong in us while the New Man bears all the burden As I have told you of the Italian Proverb That this old Cart lasts longer than the new Alas the old Cart is crazy and weak as for the new Cart men lay all the load upon that even till it crack again as the New Man complains in Amos. And doth the Lord Jesus bear the burden of our sins that we may still live in sin or rather that we should cease from sin 1 Pet. 2.22 Exhort Believe in the Mighty Power of the Lord Jesus this casts out Devils this heals all diseases They who believe in Christ they have this power in them they cast out the Spirits with his powerful Word How powerful is his Word in thee Vide Notes on Heb. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credenti omnia possibilia All things are possible to him that believes Let us bear one anothers burdens Ephes 5.1 2. 1 John 3. Let us lay down our lives for the Brethren Be Anathema as Moses Paul A sign of this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the healing Doctrine If my people that are called by my Name do humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their evil wayes they shall find that the word of God is an Vniversal Medicine NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW VIII 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And his Disciples came to him and awoke him saying Lord save us we perish ALL the Actions and Passions of our Lord and Saviour in the days of his flesh according to St. Gregory and Venerable Bede have beside their Litteral a Mystical and Spiritual sence As for the whole History from v. 23. to 27. whereof this Text is part 't is understood by all Expositors that I have seen Allegorically and so it is too fit for the time for which indeed I made choice of it before others that I might speak a word in season When the Disciples of Christ the Saints of God embarked in the common danger and following the Example of their Lord and Saviour are tossed to and fro in the troublesome and tempestuous Sea of this world and threatned every hour to be over-whelmed with the waves and floods of ungodly men have their recourse unto their only able and skilful Pilot for their safety They come unto him they awaken him and say unto him Lord save us we perish The whole Chapter may be stiled by his Name who is the subject of it and the whole Gospel Wonderful for in it throughout He alone doth wondrous things exerciseth his Almighty Power in working Miracles by Land and Sea 1. By Land in curing Diseases and casting out Devils 2. By Sea in rebuking the winds and the raging of the water In this latter ye have the Miracle it self and the event of it In the Miracle ye have the imminent danger and the miraculous deliverance The danger is described by the cause or occasion of it He entred into a ship and his Disciples followed him 2. By the kind of it a storm or tempest and the degree of it 1. In regard of intension a great tempest 2. In regard of extension in the effect of it The ship was covered with the waves 3. A danger notable in respect of both Behold there arose a great tempest in the Sed insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves which yet 4. Was more notably perillous because the danger appeared remediless He who might have prevented or remedied it seemed now to neglect it He was
Cock first claps his own wings beats his own breast and rowseth up himself before he crows and awakens others Thus the Apostle Exhorts us 1 Cor. 15.34 Awake to Righteousness and sin not He tells us also that Christ ought to live in us and his life to be made manifest in our mortal body 2 Cor. 4.10 It is our sleep in sin that causeth Christ and his Righteousness to sleep in us It is our envy our hatred our malice and all uncharitableness that like an Opium causeth Christ's love to grow cold in us Mat. 24. It is our pride and haughtiness of spirit that keeps under Christ's humility it is our covetousness aviditas à non videndo that shuts Christ's bountiful eye toward us It is our anger and wrath that stops the passage of the spirit of meekness in us It is our surfetting and drunkenness that hath given him a drink of deadly wine it is our slothfulness and sluggishness to obedience our deadness and dulness that hath cast Christ into a dead sleep in us It is our continuance in sin that wearieth his patience it is our bloody zeal that disquiets his loving spirit of mercy compassion and long suffering It is our pretence of weakness and infirmity that treacherously betrayeth the strength of Christ and makes him weary and weak in us who is the very power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 which otherwise would awake and put on strength In a word it is our iniquity that holds his Truth captive all these and more than these bind up our Spiritual life and senses in us O Beloved let us loose these cords of wickedness and let the oppressed go free This is the best kind of Fast we can keep unto our God Let God arise let Christ arise and let his enemies be scattered What hinders him from rising but the weight and burden of our sins Let us call upon him and pray unto him Awake awake put on strength O Arm of the Lord i. e. Christ Esay 51. What weakens his Arm his Christ what wearieth him but our sins Let us O let us with the Wise Virgins awake to Righteousness trim our Lamps and meet the Bride-groom But how should we awaken Christ in us unless Christ first of all awaken us 'T is most true nor am I of those who go about to prevent God's preventing Grace but whereas they who are asleep are wont to be awakened by noises or motions or light or the like Who Beloved of us all hath not had these means to raise him out of his sleep in sin and to awaken Christ and his Righteousness in him While the Bride-groom tarried all the Virgins wise and foolish all slumbered and slept But there was a cry made Behold the Bride-groom cometh And who of us all hath not felt the motions of the Spirit in his own heart Vpon whom hath not God's light that light which enlightens every man that comes into the world upon whom hath not that light arisen yet who prepares himself to meet the Bride-groom Who hath engaged his heart to approach unto Christ Who stirs up the Grace of God that is in him that he may find Grace to help in time of need Who will suffer his light the light or Christ of God which he keeps in darkness to break forth and shine before men Who will let God arise that his enemies may be scattered O Beloved we are unfit to awaken Christ in others or for others unless first we be awakened in Christ and Christ in us Acti agimus excitati excitamus when we our selves are awakened unto Righteousness then and then only are we fit to awaken Christ Observe we hence Beloved what boldness faith and obedience of faith begets in Christ's Disciples they awoke him so much love so much boldness and if the love be perfect it casts out fear But was not this too much presumption No our Lord reproves them not in that behalf he accounts it not undutifulness nay duty rather in a storm or tempest by Faith Obedience and Prayer to disturb and disquiet him as he who willingly suffers a kind of holy violence at their hands who believe and obey him As he who for the peace of the Church is willing to have his own sweet sleep broken But who are they that awaken him They are the Disciples The loudness of the wind and the noise of the waves a man would think should have awakened him but he 's not awake till his Disciples call him they are the only fit men to awaken Christ for themselves and others A Philosopher being in a storm and having within the ship a known wicked man would not suffer him to call upon God Take heed saith he lest God hear thee and we perish with thee Men may and doubtless now do call and cry unto Christ and think by their cryes to awaken Christ but he hears them not They are not his Disciples they cry not unto him from their heart they are like them Hos 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds They assemble themselves for Corn and for Wine and rebel against me And what do they else who are sensible only of outward wants as decay of trade and weakness of their estates in the world These cry not to God as the Disciples did No nor did Israel in their passage out of Aegypt Exod. 14.10 They cryed out unto the Lord but God takes no notice of their cry But when Moses had said nothing at all to the Lord the Lord said unto him Why dost thou cry unto me He cryed like a Disciple by inward sorrows and sighs and the Lord awakened unto him But why did they awaken him The end of their awakening of Christ was to petition him that 's their next act wherein their importunity is considerable they said Lord save us we perish And herein we have 1. The Person Petitioned unto Lord 2. The Petition it self save us 3. The Motive or enforcement of the petition we perish Of all these very briefly In the parallel Gospels there 's some variety Mark 4.38 they call him Master in St. Luke Master Master and here Lord. They are both extreamly endearing names The name of Master in reference to his Disciples imprints an indelible character The name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord answers to the great nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah which is rendred by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Old Testament almost every where And this Name reminds his Servants of their Lords power and might as the Name Master imports unto them his wisdom and goodness all which are sure grounds of affiance and confidence in these Petitioners Observe we from hence that in all our petitions unto God we ought throughly to inform our selves and strengthen our Faith in God's Wisdom Goodness and Power for the effecting of what we pray for Look into David's Psalms Jehosaphat's and Jeremiah's Prayers yea the whole Word of God
enemy is in sowing his Tares in stealing the good Seed out of mens hearts He knows how ill grounded men come to hear the word and receive the Seed what a forward harvest there was in Herod Mark 6.20 What a hopeful growth of Grace there was in Agrippa Act. 26.27 yet in neither of them the Seed thrived Mat. 13.5 cum 20.21 Job 8.17 He knows with what thorny cares of this world the ground of mens hearts is encombred he knows how deceitful riches choak the Seed of the Word so that it becometh unfruitful He well knoweth how luxuriant and excessive some proud earth and ashes is He knoweth how some ground bringeth forth no fruit to perfection Luke 8.14 He knoweth also what good success his labours have in some mens honest and good hearts into what good ground they receive the good Seed of the Word how understandingly they receive it how fruitful the soil is with what patience they bring forth fruit with what increase of God some an hundred fold some sixty some thirty Mat. 13.19 23. Obser 4. The Lord Jesus at his coming finds ripe Corn he finds an harvest he finds such as have been taught of the Father and are docible and teachable of the Son such as are willing and ready to seek God his Righteousness and Kingdom These are the Church in God the Father who of his own will hath begotten them Jam. 1.18 and made them men of good will Luk. 2. such are Sons of Peace such are peaceable ones these are the field which the Lord hath blessed Obser 5. Hence we may take notice of the Fathers dispensation preceding that of the Son whereby he prevents us with his Grace his Correction and Discipline his Fatherly instruction Heb. 12. Psal 94. See Notes on Psal 94.12 Obser 6. Where God's Grace precedes where John i. e. the Grace of the Lord goes before Christ which is his due place there usually followeth a plentiful an ample harvest a large crop of good willing of well affected souls So our Lord tells us Mat. 11.12 From the dayes of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence After the Fathers harvest of good willing ones follows the harvest of the Son When the Evil One sowes also his Tares together with the Wheat Mat. 13.30 Whence we may take notice of the Fathers and Sons dispensations See Notes on Act. 11.26 As the dispensation of the Father leads unto the Son and where-ever that precedes the Son finds a plenteous harvest so where-ever the dispensation of the Son precedes there followeth the dispensation of the Spirit Joh. 14. v. 15 16 17 25 26. and 15.26 27. and 16.7 24. Under this dispensation men serve not God in the oldness of the Letter but in the newness of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 When the Spirit of God shall be poured upon all flesh Joel 2. which was not fully accomplished Act. 2. as appears Act. 1. when the number of them who were gathered together to receive the Spirit was only one hundred and twenty But that Promise shall be fulfilled when the Spirit shall be poured upon all flesh And that 's the harvest of the Spirit a plenteous harvest These three harvests have their proportionable joyful feasts Exod. 23.14 15 16. Abib Spica an ear of Corn which hath the name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper to the Father when we go out of Aegypt and forsake our sinful life which must be done in sincerity and therefore it 's called the feast of unleavened bread as St. Paul interprets Sincerity 1 Cor. 5. 2. The second the feast of harvest that 's the Sons feast who cuts down the iniquity that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the harvest Therefore where they are dead to their sin the harvest followeth as Rev. 14.13 14 15 16. Esay 9.3 in the Margin 3. The third the feast of in-gathering the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the feast of perfection even the fulness of the Spirit in the end of the year even the acceptable year of the Lord 2 Cor. 6.1 Repreh The Tares which hinder the growth of God's harvest the Tares are the Children of the wicked one Mat. 13.38 When the blade of the good Seed springs up then appear the Tares to hinder their growth When their iniquity is full these have their harvest Joel 3.13 Put in the sickle for the harvest is ripe Rev. 14. Exhort Grow we up in Grace and let us become an acceptable and plenteous harvest unto our God in Jesus Christ continue we in the good will and sincerity let us offer our first fruits unto God Alas we have no helpers the labourers are few when we are ripe the Lord will send one labourer or other to be helpfull to us Philip was sent to the Eunuch Acts 8. Ananias was sent to Saul Acts 9. Peter was sent to Cornelius Acts 10. Paul was sent to Macedonia Acts 16. Nor let us not doubt but if we continue in good will and sincerity the Lord of the harvest will send some labourers or other to us to cut us off our earthly root to bind us together in love and carry us into our Masters Barn 2. The Labourers are few Labourers in Scripture are either such as are afflicted with their sins as Mat. 11. they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labourers or else such as take pains with and about others as an harvester about the corn so St. Paul of himself and fellow Apostles 1 Cor. 3.9 We are labourers together with God about what or whom It presently follows Ye are God's husbandry The labourers imployed in God's husbandry are either under the Law or under the Gospel under the Law the Levites Priests and Prophets they in outward Ceremonial Services these in express terms foreshewed the coming of the Messiah and conversion of the people unto him and prepared the way unto the Kingdom of God of whom saith St. Peter They ministred not unto themselves but to us 1 Pet. 1.12 The Levites Priests and Prophets under the Law laboured until John Mat. 11.13 administring the Ceremonial Services and the Letter of the Law All in their several ranks and degrees were labourers The Prophets made known the Will of God sowing the Word in the hearts of the people John the Baptist he prepares the soil wherein the Seed shall be sown and warns men to bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life Luk. 1.17 All these 1 Pet. 1.12 ministred the things that are now reported unto us 2. Other Labourers there are who enter into the field when these have done their work and reap that which the former have laboured in of both our Lord speaks John 4.37 38. Such labourers were the Apostles and all true Ministers of the Gospel They ripen them Eph. 4.11 12. These when it is ripe put in the sickle of mortification whereby they cut men off their earthly root These bind men in the perfect bond of love they bear them with patience as
spiritual goods profit none but those who have them Herein is seen a notable point of folly in the foolish Virgins Abraham made intercession for Sodom and obtained Lot's deliverance this was in the way but in the end it 's otherwise Abraham would not afford one drop of water to cool the rich mans Tongue Whence note the false Unction in time of need when the Bridegroom cometh will not give light and therefore they desire Give us of your Oil. Hereby is decyphered unto us an improvident secure and negligent Generation in regard of their spiritual Estate such as ill husbands are in regard of their temporal Goods too many in these days who waste their own and other mens Substance also with riotous living such are these in the Text who consume their stock of Grace they think and go about to recover it by the Providence and Piety of others a lazy sort of people 2. Hence consider the vain and foolish dependence upon others for that good which will not profit at all unless it become our own ye shall hear some boast of their good Parents what a religious Father he had what a good Mother what store of Oyl they had in their Lamps what 's all this to thee that they were good if thou be evil if that good be not in thee also 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned if these be not in thee also But above all how vainly do men glory in men their Ministers whom they hear their precious men as they call them What is Paul and what is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believe As the Stoick said well Tell me not saith he what Philosophers thou hast heard but shew me what thou hast learned so usually men enquire not in what pasture the Sheep hath fed if she bring a thick Fleece and a full Bag. Be we exhorted to have our Lamps burning in our hands it 's our Lord's Exhortation sutable unto the duty in the Text Luk. 12.35 36. shine forth by your good works Solomon described the vertuous Woman Prov. 31.18 Her candle goes not out by night but the light of good works cannot shine forth for want of the Oyl of the Spirit in our Lamps which nourisheth and feeds them We read 2 Kings 4.6 when there was no vessel left to receive then the Oyl ceased so on the other side the want of good works causeth the Oyl of the Spirit to fail As Zedekiah's Sons were slain before his eyes were put out even so when good works which are our Children fail the Lamps are extinct and fail also 3. Hence observe what is the Christian life inwardly the Oyl or Spirit of God it self so 1 Joh. 1. the Spirit is life this burns as a fire as the Spirit is called Matth. 3.11 and this Oyl Spirit and Fire shines forth in a Flame of Works of Love and Mercy unto the World Let your light so shine before men so that God the Father Son and Spirit and the wise Virgin-souls all shine by one and the same Light unto the dark world for God is Light 1 Joh. 1.5 so I am the light of the world saith the Son and so is the Lord the Spirit which Light of Life shines forth in the Virgin-souls Isai 60.1 2. Arise be enlightned or shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee for behold the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people But the Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee where what in Vers 1. is called Light and Glory in the 2. Verse is called the Lord himself whence it is that the Saints of God the pure Virgin-souls they are also called the light of the world Matth. 5.14 4. Note here the dismal darkness of the sinful Soul when the light of the divine Spirit is extinguished when the Lamp is gone out The candle of the wicked shall be put out as he that hath lost a light is in greater darkness than he was before Job 18.6 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle and his candle or lamp shall be put out with him So again 21.17 How is the lamp or candle of the wicked put out the light that is in them is darkness and then how great is that darkness 5. Hence it appears that wicked men and fools which are the same are spiritually dead even while they live dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins Hos 13.1 When Ephraim offended in Baal he died So 1 Tim. 5.6 She that liveth in pleasure or delicately is dead while she liveth Luk. 15.24 for this my son was dead and is alive again Yea such foolish Virgins are twice dead the first Life was one and the same with the living God for God made man upright saith the Wise man Eccles 7.29 Notes on Rom. 7. they therefore who are recalled again to the participation of Light and Life 1 Pet. 2.9 and have kept under their bodies and mortified their carnal lusts and appetites yet retain not the Oyl of the Spirit in their Lamps but improvidently and negligently let them go out yea quench that holy sire kindled in them 1 Thes 5.19 These are trees whose fruit withers nay without fruit twice dead pluckt up by the roots operam oleum perdiderunt they have lost all the Oyl of the Spirit of light and life all their labour of love their Lamps are gone out the only reason of these absurd and unreasonable deeds of darkness which at this day are committed by those who yet would be thought to walk in the light both national and personal Such are the national engagements of Christians in bloody Wars who rather should be the Light of the World The like we may say of those whose deeds of darkness extend not to the whole Nation yet much eclipse the light of the Christian Name in many what 's the reason but the reason in the Text their Lamps are gone out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the dark all colours are alike there are who profess that all Women are alike to them all mens goods are to them as their own their Lamps are out they have lost that discrimen honestorum turpium that Light whereby they might discern between things that differ and the Light that is in them is darkness the Apostle refers these actions to the same cause Eph. 4.17 They walk as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind having their understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance or blindness that is in them because of the hardness of their hearts How came it to pass that their Lamps were gone out They trimmed them not they neglected them and their time they arose not from their slumbering and sleeping so that from him that hath not shall be taken away
13.35 Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh whether at even or at midnight or at the cock-crowing or in the morning lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping There are who understand these several times of watching literally and from thence have gathered proper hours of watching in the night Psal 63.6 I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches Surely our Lord would not have pointed at those special times of watching nor would the Devil have disswaded Macarius from the observation of those times of watching unless there were something in them tending to the destruction of the Kingdom of Satan and the advancement of the Kingdom of God 4. Whereas the foolish Virgins slumbred and slept and for want of Oyl were excluded from the Bride-chamber at the coming of the Bridegroom watch ye therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh We remember a twofold object of watchfulness propounded evil to be prevented and that not expected good to be kept and obtained that we may enter into the Bride-chamber The evil to be prevented is near us irrepens incidens 1. Malum irrepens the inconvenience that evil of sin which easily besets us and secretly steals upon us as a thief in the night 2. The Malum incidens the mischief it is the evil of punishment the judgment that suddenly comes upon us as a robber as an an armed man 1. The malum irrepens the evil that steals upon us is the National Sin whatever that is of which we must be watchful and wary that we avoid it and be not guilty of it lest the malum incidens the terrible judgment of God seize upon us The National Sin no doubt is either the empty Lamp the fruitless Oyl empty dead Faith without the Oyl of the Spirit of Faith and Love and without the Oyl of good Works and Works of Mercy Or the Lamp full of the false Unction Oyl or Spirit from Antichrist that accursed Oyl or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that enters into the bones of ungodly men whereby they are wise and strong to do evil but to do good they know not that abundance of iniquity whence according to our Lords reasoning proceeds want of love and mercy these and such as these are mala irrepentia the National sins But hence may spring an Use of comfort to the humble Soul it s not held an Error to hope for the Unction from the holy One to hope for the Spirit of God the Oyl in our Lamps of Faith to burn and shine in good works of Mercy I say It 's not held an Error to hope for this Spirit since the Lord promises it if we pray for it and the Apostle tells us the promise is made to all that are afar off and that he gives his Spirit to those who obey him Act. 5.32 As for the Oyl of good works and works of Mercy wherewithal our Lamps of Faith ought to shine is it not commonly said to be Arminianism or Popery to urge the exercise of good works and works of Mercy But Beloved is it not the end whereunto we are made Eph. 2.10 are we not created unto good works that we should walk in them Are they not as necessary to our Faith that it may be a living Faith as the Soul is to the Body that it may live See Jam. 2.1 So that Faith and Obedience are inseparable in Christians oft-times being taken the one for the other Observ Hence also an use of reprehension if the Lamp of Faith and Knowledge be so empty of good the Spirit of God and works of mercy what shall we say of the fulness of evil the false Faith full of the false Unction if they who have not the Unction from the holy One if they who have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his whose are they who have the Spirit of Antichrist Giddyness Rebellion Whoredoms Dissention Uncleanness If he know not those who are empty of good Works and works of Mercy how shall he know those who are full of evil Works and works of Unmercifulness Rom. 1 28 31. If they who are called Virgins as they who in some measure have abstained from the polutions of the flesh if these were excluded from the Marriage shall not the adulterous Generation be exclusissima What saith the Apostle Eph. 5.3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not be once named among you as becometh saints Verse 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience there 's malum incidens the mischief that shall suddenly fall wherefore Eph. 5.4 he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead arise from those dead works watch and pray for the prevention of those National evils which hang over our heads lest the Judgment suddenly overtake thee As there is now a time that the Gate of Mercy which now will easily be open at the knocking of sighs and tears and groans and prayers of the penitent now the time is wherein our Lord saith whoever cometh to me I will not cast out the gate stands open for Traytors Adulterers Idolaters for sinners of all sorts for David after his Murder and Adultery for Mary Magdalen after her Whoredom for Matthew after his receipt of Custom for Peter after his threefold denial for Saul after his persecution of the Church And there will be a time when that door is once shut it will not be opened neither by prayers or sighs or tears or groans O beloved as knowing the terror of the Lord I presume to exhort now now now the gate of mercy may be opened unto you now knock now watch now pray for if the gate be shut against thee the Lord will seal and ratifie the Exclusion of Fools with Amen Note hence their great peril who have all things at their own will both outward and inward the strong man keeps the Palace and his goods are in peace but while they say peace cometh sudden destruction O the perversness of mans corrupt nature that which should be to us a reason why we ought daily to watch and pray to wit because we know neither the day nor the hour when he Son of man cometh this verily is a reason to many why they are negligent slumber and sleep long naps in known sins as they of old The Lord sees not the Lord deferrs his coming Not minding Satan our adversary that roaring Lyon going about seeking whom he may swallow up or drink up he I say daily watches his opportunity when he spies us negligent or the windows of our Senses open then casts he in his darts or temptations some delightful object or other whereby he may perswade or draw us off from our duty to sin and vanity and make us to neglect our guard But watching looks at an object worth obtaining and well
and Christ stand in opposition one to other so that he who will come unto Christ must deny himself renounce himself take up his cross crucifie his flesh with the affections and lusts for there is no agreement between Christ and Belial 2 Cor. 6. Repreh That dangerous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and disorder in this doctrine concerning self-denial and taking up the Cross and following the Lord Jesus it 's placed in the last place and left to us to do by way of thanksgiving or thankfulness whereas we see our Lord propounds it to the multitude as the first lesson they should learn and practise but the common way is first to know a mans misery secondly his deliverance from it by Christ dying for us whereby he is justified thirdly thanksgiving for that deliverance Self-denial and taking up the Cross and renouncing all ungodliness c. are every where in Scripture so evident that the Devil himself if he would make a body of Divinity he would not leave holiness out but these men have put it in a place that the Devil himself could not have chosen one more to his advantage for when men believe that they are already delivered from their enemies the world the flesh and the Devil and are already justified and saved from their sins will they be forward to repent them of their sins by way of thankfulness will they then think we cut off the offending foot or hand c. such thankfulness so expressed would be very rare but even like unto fidlers and begging strangers that are sometimes but troublesome guests so c. 2. Those hence are to be reproved who think it Religion enough to be Orthodox to hold true Principles and Opinions as if it did suffice herein only to follow our Lord who think the way wherein to follow our Lord consists in tenents without the life 3. They who would pretend to follow the Lord Jesus yet deny not themselves nor take not up their Cross daily Men have soon done with hard duties they take a great deal of pains in self-denial and taking up the Cross and consider not that it 's a daily duty but self-seeking returns the sin returns and oftentimes the latter end is worse than the beginning see examples of this kind some because they have gotten a step or two before others in the way of life Rom. 12.16 become wise in their own conceits the like we read of Vzziah 2 Chron. 26.16 When he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction Nay we may say the same of others who have made greater proficiency in Religion than these had done yet self-seeking gets in and endangers the ravelling all they have done Hezechiah when he had attained to so great Grace how was his heart lifted up 2. Exhortation unto that which is our daily duty let it be our argument and subject by our experience in the process of this duty to treat upon it in this our day in this part of the day of our life which yet remains Hitherto I have spoken of this Text or of these words in themselves The words are now to be handled according to their reference unto the former In the 18th verse our Lord requires of his Disciples whom the multitude said he was to which in the 19th verse they answer according to different judgements and in the 20th verse he enquires whom they say he was to whom they answer by St. Peter the Christ of God whom he chargeth to reveil that to no man and gives for reason that the Son of man should be rejected by the Elders and High Priests and Scribes and be killed and the third day to be raised from the dead The reason of this is 1. This he spake to his Disciples for their satisfaction to prevent the scandal and offence which might come upon them by his death 2. And that his hardened and blinded enemies might proceed in their malice and ignorance to do that which God by them had determined to be done for the salvation of men Observ 1. The Lord spake mysteries secrets unto his Disciples which he would not have made known to all men because not qualified but what was of publick concernment and belonged to all men he said unto all If any man will come after me let him deny himself c. whence note we ought to learn to distinguish what and to whom we speak The conjectures of the multitude concerning Christ though otherwise erroneous yet were all honourable some that he was John the Baptist others that he was a Prophet or more than a Prophet or that he was Elias who prefigured the same John the Baptist a zealous Prophet that he was a Prophet of the old ones raised from the dead suppose Elisha who was endued with a double spirit of Elijah and had miraculously fed a multitude as our Lord had done though far short of the Lord Jesus as types alwayes fall short of the truth typified and in all these there was truth for our Lord Jesus was that great Prophet that was to come that great Grace of the Lord which is John that true Elijah God the Lord that true Elisha God the Saviour And so ought we to demean our selves that though we ought to pass through good report and evil report we may gain by our holy conversation a good report among them that are without that they may say no evil of us justly but only good as the multitudes said of our Lord though they knew him not that he was John the Baptist or Elias or one of the old Prophets A word of Consolation to the weak but yet willing follower of Jesus Christ the spirit indeed is willing though the flesh be weak I say persist in that good will 1 Joh. 5.4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith But alas I find my self too weak to withstand my lusts to deny them too weak to bear the Cross against so strong temptations pray unto the Lord for Divine Power for Divine Virtue for strength from above for patience that through faith and patience we may inherit the promise Let us be exhorted therefore to come after the Lord Jesus Christ to follow him in his way this is the old way wherein all the holy Men and Saints of God have walked even from the beginning Jeremiah implyes it was hidden and lost in his time and therefore he exhorts the people to seek it Jer. 6. and our Lord tells us that few there are that find it and much fewer that walk in it our Lord saith of Abraham that he would teach it his Children to walk in his wayes to do justice and judgement for our invitation hereunto our Lord will go before us and behind us Isa 51. and 58. follow the example of our Lord Phil. 2. Let the same mind be in us 1 Pet. 4. Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered in the flesh arm your selves
a sharp Reproof which I beseech ye let every one of us look how neerly it concerns us Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of this world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God and Christ who formerly judged others more so to be Consol Unto the poor friends of Jesus Christ who by reason of their sins are discouraged and conceive themselves friendless and helpless He is not falsly called a friend of Publicans and Sinners such Publicans as crave mercy of him Lord be merciful unto me a sinner such sinners as confess and forsake their sins such find mercy He is not called the friend of the Scribes and Pharisees or said to love them at all they were proud and covetous the two beginnings of all sin the second of the greatest though so usual among us that they are hardly thought to be sins He is the friend of the Publicans and Sinners Alas I have none to help me He is not said in vain to love Lazarus i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that hath no helper Truly so long as we have any helper or such as we conceive able helpers we will not come to Christ I have waited long on the Lord and yet he hath not helped me True but that 's no argument but that he may be thy friend yea it is an argument rather that he is thy friend Joh. 11.5 6. He is a very ill Master who provides not for his Servants yea the good man is merciful to his beast the evil Father provides for his Child Luk. 11. he provides for his swine meat and harbour in a storm how much more loving is he to his friends who is THE LOVE IT SELF 1 Joh. Isa 26. 2 Chron. 20 1-7 But alas how can I be a fit guest and one of our Lords friends He invites those our Lord's friends are they to whom he reveils his Fathers will these he calls his friends But alas I am ignorant I am blind He calls those his friends he invites those who do whatsoever he commands them I am weak and impotent the blind and the lame are they who are hated of Davids soul 2 Sam. 5.8 Dost thou hate David's Soul dost thou hate the will i. e. the Soul of the true David i. e. Christ though thou do not whatsoever he commands thee yet dost thou hate his commands his will O no God forbid O how I love thy Law I love David He is the love it self whom having not seen ye love 1 Pet. 1.8 If thou hate not him he hates not thee the LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. Lat. Coecos Claudos odientes animam David the blind and the lame who hate Davids soul and the Original Hebrew is of very doubtful reading Such blind ones as say they see Joh. 9. the blind Pharisees as our Saviour calls them the blind leaders of the blind Mat. 15. such lame ones as halt in viâ morum in the way of life who make void the Commandments of God by their tradition Halt before their best friends such as pretend infirmity and weakness when indeed they are unwilling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walk with a right foot in the way of God's Commandments such as these hate Davids soul such as these come not into the house of God but if thou love David and cry unto him as the blind man did Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me If thou be such a lame one as hast cut off thine offending foot that thou mayest enter into life such blind and lame come into the Temple and he heals them Mat. 21.14 To such as these we may speak comfort be of good cheer he calleth thee The true David invites such poor such maimed and halt and blind Luk. 14.21 He invites those who are rejected and cast out of men Joh. 9.35 the fatherless and motherless Psal 45.10 those who are no body in the world Enochs who walk with God and are not crucified to the world and the world crucified to us lacking both our feet in desire he invites Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9. Lowly in our own eyes such as are ashamed and blush and cannot lift up our face such an one Mephibosheth signifieth by name What am I that David should look upon such a dead dog as I am Such as are Jonathans Sons as Mephibosheth was i. e. born of the Spirit Joh. 3. To such as these the true David saith Thou shalt eat bread at my Table continually Consol To them that suffer persecution for Christ's sake Christ suffers with them Joseph dined with his brethren at noon Act. 9. think not this to be so strange the Sword must smite even the friend of God the Father Zach. 13. how much more his poor friends if done in the green tree how much more in the dry I say unto you my friends fear not them Luk. 12.4 Exhort To such as pretend to be the Disciples of Christ that they would be his real and true friends that they would come to his Table partake of his death that we may partake of his resurrection there is not such a friend in the whole world This is love that a man lay down his life for his friend These and such as these are the most welcom guests unto the Lords Table Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly my well beloved Cant. 5.1 our great friend the Feast-maker he thus welcomes his guests with most precious viands the food of Angels the bread of Life the hidden Manna the word of God a lasting meat 1 Cor. 10.2 our Fathers fed on the same it 's a substantial meat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6.11 Christ himself an everlasting meat Joh. 6.25 a satisfying meat Joh. 6.35 the Spirit of God the blood of Christ the new Wine Exhort 2. If Jesus Christ be our friend then let us use him as a friend the true lovers of Christ are dead with him This is our profession when we approach the Lords Table As often as we eat this bread we shew forth the Lords death so dear a friend unto us that he died for us and if we be his friends we must also dye with him this argument will be powerful with every friend of Jesus Christ if he shall consider that he himself was the death of his friend while we were sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 Isa 53.4 so it is whether we think so or no Jam. 5.6 Ye have live in pleasures on the earth and been wanton ye have condemned and killed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the just one and he resisteth you not The innocent Lamb is dumb and opens not his mouth slain from the beginning of the world the righteousness wisdom and power of God hath been so slain his wisdom reputed foolishness his righteousness sin and iniquity his power impotency Ever since the world began in thine heart he hath been slain in thee what ever is in the
some why a few for answer to this doubt we must here distinguish between Christ in the flesh and in the dayes of his flesh and Christ in the spirit and his dayes in the spirit It is true that the Word being made flesh is straitned and such as the flesh is such also is the letter to the spirit and as the one so the other straitens it and obscures it that it is received and believed but by a few It 's said when all the Disciples forsook Christ at his passion the Church was resolved into the Virgin Mary and St. John But Christ in the dayes of his spirit is enlarged and far more believe on him and receive him this was figured by Joseph Exod. 11. All the Sons of Jacob were Seventy and Joseph died and all his Brethren and that Generation after Joseph's death the Children of Israel were fruitful and encreased abundantly they encreased like fish While the Lord Jesus the true Joseph lived his believers were but few but according to his own prophesie Joh. 12. When I am lifted up I shall draw all men to me Peter the fisher-man and fisher of men caught them by thousands Act. 2. And the reason is where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and largeness And those who preached Christ had Commission to go forth into all the world Matth. 28. and Rom. 10.18 Their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world And he who receiveth you receiveth me Faith is offered unto all by the Lord in that he hath raised up Christ from the dead Act. 17.31 In the dayes of Christs Spirit they who have pierced him and wounded him and slain him in their ignorance they look upon him whom they have pierced and crucifie their sins whereby they had crucified Christ believe on him receive him All which is a just upbraiding of this present Generation who receive not the true Christ of God but rather his enemy as our Lord tells the Jews Joh. 5.43 I am come in my fathers name and ye receive me not when another shall come in his own name him ye will receive The Son of God comes in his Fathers name nature being power authority to fulfill all the promises which in Christ are Yea and Amen to be Immanuel Wisdom Righteousness Power Mercy c. Such a Christ this Generation receives not But if another a false Christ come in his own name as an envious Christ a proud Christ a covetous Christ a wrathful Christ i. e. such a Christ as will bear with and likes well all these and account them very good Christians this is Antichrist and he proves it vers 44. How can ye believe who receive honour one of another and not the honour that comes of God only How can ye believe who are envious and esteem not the love of God i. e. Christ Col. 1. proud and not humble Matth. 11. wrathful and not meek as Christ Matth. 11. Repreh The vain conceit of too many in this Generation that they have received Jesus Christ and believed on him that he hath done and suffered all things for them and that his obedience and righteousnes avails before God to all intents and purposes as effectually as if they themselves had done and suffered the same in their own persons Whence proceeds this vain perswasion but from abundance of self-love and a strong imagination Say you so but doth not the Apostle say Christ died for me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 It is true St. Paul saith so and wherefore did Christ die for him was it not for this that he being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24 And wherefore did Christ give himself for him was it not that he might sanctifie him and cleanse him by the washing of water by the Word Ephes 5.26 O when will men leave citing the Scripture as the Devil did Matth. 4.6 Is thy case the same with St Pauls his former words are I am crucified together with Christ Is it so with thee then hast thou crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts I live saith St. Paul yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life which I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who died for me and gave himself for me And is this thy case it is much to be feared that thou layest claim to what Christ hath done for thee but art slow enough in performance of thy duty unto Christ There are many Scriptures so made to our mouths as this is that if we can but pronounce them whatever our condition is we are perswaded by a strong fancy and self-love that they belong to us when indeed the case is much otherwise When Christ is received by such imagination he brings no comfort with him but fear and perplexity as Matth. 14.26 When the Disciples saw Christ walking on the sea they were troubled saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was a fancy But he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn be of good cheer as they turn John 16. They were much for good cheer the word signifieth confidite fiduciam habete have faith and confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am there 's a sure ground of faith and confidence and receiving Christ no fancy but a real being When he was come into the ship the wind ceased and when we receive him not a fancy instead of him the flood of ungodliness ceaseth and the evil spirit is quieted and there followeth a great calm Consol Though some and they but few received Christ yet let not those few despair because few there may be many more than thou knowest of Elias thought he was alone when the Lord told him he had many thousands besides him though but few the Lord takes care of those few Act. 16. Paul and Silas are called by a Vision into Macedonia and there to Philippi and the work that the presidential Angel invited them to is only Lydia and afterward the Gaoler yea the divine wisdom preventeth those who desire her yea she goes about seeking such as are worthy of her sheweth her self favourably unto them in the wayes and meeteth them in every thought Wisd 6. And the wisdom of God confirms this The true worshippers worship the Father in spirit and in truth and the father seeketh such to worship him Joh. 4.23 3. So many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even as many as believed on his name Wherein we must enquire 1. What these Sons of God are And 2. How the Lord Jesus gives power to those who receive him to become the Sons of God The Sons of God are Natural Adopted 1. The Natural he is to whom the Father saith Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psal 2. 2. The Adopted Sons are here to be understood to whom the Lord gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Power Right Authority
more properly understood by the word paenitentia Ye have most of these together Joel 2.12 13. Turn ye even to me c. This sorrow was figured by the sowre herbs which they must eat when they kept the passover at their coming out of Egypt i. e. In transitu à peccato ad justitiam In the passage from sin to righteousness A potentia Satanae ad Deum From the power of Sathan to God A Pharaone spirituali ad Jesum From spiritual Pharaoh to Jesus which is the true Pesac It is necessary we be then afflicted and mourn for the loss of our delights and pleasures we have parted withal for all our sins committed against our God For our parting with our dearest friends in the flesh as the milch-kine carrying the Ark lowed as they went toward Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6.12 our last translation refers to this Text and that upon good grounds then this is fulfilled Zach. 12.10 11 12. Hadadrimmon is a loud out-cry and Megiddo is the Gospel When the Gospel is first preached and the only Son of God known to be slain by us it causeth Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Josiah is slain the Christ of God in the Spirit is slain among us Revel 1.7 There former sorrow was a sorrow to repentance and preceding it Godly sorrow causeth repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 The other sorrow is the Concomitant or attendant on repentance The Reason of this Duty is considerable either 1. In regard of God from whom we have deeply revolted Esay 31.6 who invites us again unto himself Jer. 4.1 2. In regard of us who have a double necessity lying upon us both 1. Of Duty which answers to that which is called necessitas praecepti 2. And of means which is called necessitas medii 't is a means so necessary to Salvation that without it its impossible to be obtained as he who is the Author and Dispenser of it forewarns his Disciples Matth. 18.3 Now whereas there is a dispute whether Faith or Repentance precede This I conceive may reconcile the difference that so much Faith is necessary as to believe that without Repentance we cannot be saved Numb 14. Heb. 3. Thus the Ninevites Repentance is famous but it 's said expresly that first they believed God We must know therefore that there is a kind of legal Faith which propounds the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God unto us That God is Heb. 11.6 which belief must necessarily precede And therefore of the Gentiles that Faith is necessarily prerequired Thus of the Ninevites and of the Jaylor in the same condition with these in the Text Act. 16. yet him Paul bids believe and Peter bids repent He knew not God these did Act. 3. ult A Memoire worthy the transmitting to Posterity DR Jo. Wincop in a Sermon before the House of Commons at the Fast Jan. 29. 1664. being the Day before the Treaty atVxbridge began published by Order of that House the Text was Esay 22.12 printed by Robert Leyburn for Samuel Man in Paul's Church-yard at the Swan 1645. pag. 10. hath these words We all talk of Reformation But still where is it Shew me one lust thou hast mastered one passion thou hast conquered c. Talk not of Reformation only but shew it was there ever more lying cousening malice oppression than now Nay God be merciful to us I know not what kind of new cheat and hypocrisie the father of falshood hath taught some kind of men whereby to cloak all their fraud and villanies by a new way of pretending they are for the Cause Then they think all is well thereby discrediting a good Cause dishonouring a good God abusing your good intentions to work their own sinister ends by Let not men talk of Reformation only but shew it indeed and in truth NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ACTS II. 47. And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved The Original Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which word for word sound thus in our English But the Lord added to the Church daily those who were saved A Translation that differs very much from the other But it is the Wisemans counsel Blame not before thou hast examined the truth Ecclus. 11.7 which that we may the better do we look back to vers 14. from whence to the end of vers 40. we have either two Speeches of St. Peter to the Jews or one interrupted vers 37. In the former St. Peter after he had desired attention vers 14. he removes and confutes their slaunder who mock'd the Apostles and other Disciples and said They were full of new wine 2. He informs them in the truth 1. That the Apostles spake by the holy Ghost 2. That God had raised up Jesus from the dead whom they had crucified 3. That he was ascended into heaven and sate at the right hand of God 4. That he had poured forth his holy Spirit upon the Apostles 5. That God had made that same Jesus whom they had crucified both Lord and Christ And these or most of these the Apostle confirms by divine Testimony out of the Prophets The effect of this speech was compunction vers 37. sorrow and fear which fear because it is Consiliativus and puts men upon enquiry how they may escape the evil which they fear They desire Peters and the rest of the Apostles counsel what they should do Then follows Peters advice That they repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins If this they should do they should receive the holy Ghost which promise belonged to them and to all a far off c. vers 38 39. And that they might perform those duties and receive the promised Spirit â—he concludes his speech with exhortation to be saved or as we render the words Save your selves from this untoward generation The effect of this exhortation in these new Converts is seen in a new conversation and that for the present vers 41. They who gladly received the word repented and were baptized and saved themselves from the untoward Generation and so were added to the Church daily vers 41 47. and for the future they who according to the Apostles counsel were saved or saved themselves from the untoward generation they accordingly obtained a like gracious act from the Lord to that which was vouchsafed unto others before vers 4. The Lord added to the Church daily such as were saved or saved themselves from the untoward Generation Thus the Syriack Interpreter and Martin Luther understood and turned the words The Lord added to the Congregation those who were saved and Piscator so the Low-Dutch Translation hath it thus the Old English Manuscript The Lord encreased them that were made safe each day And the truth of this appears Act. 5.14 Believers were more added to the Lord multitudes of men and women And Act. 11.21 And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. In the
Righteousness of Faith saith If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved The Apostle in the same Epistle Chap. 8. makes all plain Christ is able to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7.25 to the uttermost Object If every one who believes be justified then what need any thing but faith what need any obedience The whole Word of God must be true and every part of it stand firm with other Know we therefore the true Faith hath obedience involved in the nature of it whence to believe and obey are taken for the same thing See Notes on Isa 3.10 add ye Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. where is set down the very difference between the Law and Faith Observ 1. All who believe Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that believeth As particular Faith is required of every man so particular Justification is promised unto every believer our Translation here is plural all that believe but the Greek is singular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one who believeth this is no fair dealing for whereas these words are put in the plural number there is place left for distinction whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that believeth implyes Faith required in every one and a particular promise and assurance of Justification made unto every man Such untrue dealing with the holy Word of God may be observed in our former English Translators as Hebr. 2.9 should taste of death for all another hath it for all men so some of our Latin Translations pro omnibus pro cunctis whereas the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our last Translation hath it That he should taste death for every man What is the difference Dolosus versatur in generalibus So that if we or any one urge the universality of Christ's death he died not pro singulis generum sed pro generibus singulorum He died for all kinds not for every man which yet the Scripture saith expresly Observ 2. Faith in Christ is a purging sanctifying and cleansing Faith Act. 15.9 and 26.18 Observ 3. Christ is the Author of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.2 Observ 4. Christ is the Author of Justification 1 Cor. 6.11 Gal. 2.16 Observ 5. Every one who believes in Christ and is justified by Christ is in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ 6. The Gospel of Salvation the glad tidings of justification and sanctification c. is universal to every one that believeth Christ's birth is joy to all people Luk. 2.10 The Grace of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.11 Marg. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jud. vers 3. God would have all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2.4 As he was born to the joy of all people so he died for the benefit of all He suffered death for every man Hebr. 2.9 No man is excluded who doth not exclude himself Observ 7. God is no respecter of persons See Notes in Joh. 1.12 Observ 8. Faith in Christ purgeth justifieth and cleanseth from all sin all things are possible to him that believeth Mar. 9.23 1 Joh. 5.4 Observ 9. The difference between the Righteousness of the Law and Faith in Jesus Christ Rom. 10.5 6. cum Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. Observ 10. Remission of sins and justification cleansing purging from sins go together 1 Joh. 1.9 Observ 11. Faith is not a fancy but a real receiving of Christ and hath through him a real work in it Observ 12. What kind of people believers are they are a cleansed and purged people See Notes in Hebr. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repreh 1. Those who detract from the power of Christ in cleansing from sin they ascribe unto their own death more than to Christs death more to the unclean Devil than to the most holy God and his spirit Repreh 2. Who fancy themselves justified when yet they continue and live in their sins Repreh 3. Who ascribe all the cleansing and justifying of Christ from sin to what Christ hath done so many Ages since and not to his working in us Moses is alledged by St. Paul Deut. 30. in that very place mark what Moses saith No good makes us good unless it be in us as è contra no evil evil unless in us Exhort Receive and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ the justifier and sanctifier Doubt How can we be exhorted to receive him who is already in us 2 Cor. 13.5 Can a man be exhorted to receive him whom already he hath He is in us and we believe he is in us For Answer See Notes in Jam. 1.21 The Prayer O Lord thou hast called us with an holy Calling unto the belief of the Truth by the Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ And thou hast made unto us great and precious Promises that we should be partakers of thy Divine Nature But thou requirest that first we escape the corruption that is in the world through lust That having received these precious Promises we should purifie our selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit Thou offerest Faith unto us all by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ But we have not walked worthy of so holy a Calling we have contented our selves with a dead Faith not considering that the Faith that justifieth purifieth the heart that it is obedience that the spirit of God accompanieth it But although our sins be multiplyed against thee yet deal with us in mercy O give us grace to flee out of the false Hypocritical Jerusalem That we may hear the noise of the Trumpet and take warning and be admonished by the fire of the Spirit in the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts Set open the Fountain to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness that may purge out of us that source and fountain of wickedness And vouchsafe unto us that Living Faith that we may believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Scripture hath said That out of our heart may flow the Rivers of Living Waters Amen NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS V. 12 13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned For until the law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed when there is no law Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that was to come OUR general scope and aim is the discovery of Christ yesterday Heb. 13. i. e. in all that tract of time before his manifestation in the flesh Having therefore found his eternal generation Mich. 5.1 His goings forth from everlasting and his growing up as the tree of life in the paradise of God Rom. 2.7 That Paradise of
3.1 2. And St. John discovers some who said they were Jews and were not but lyed Revel 2.9 and others who had a name that they lived and were dead Revel 3.1 The holy Spirit can distinguish these maugre all the pretences and names that men put upon themselves that tells us that he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous and vers 10. That he that doth not righteousness is not of God whatsoever he pretends and howsoever he perswades himself and suffers himself to be perswaded by others This is a great and dangerous mistake and whither can we refer it but to the grand imposture the old Deceiver that deceives all the world Rev. 12. And to his Agents in the world the false Prophets who in all ages have flattered the people or taught them to call good evil and evil good to call sin righteousness and righteousness sin life death and death life The Lord speaks compassionately unto his people Isai 3.12 O my people they who lead thee cause thee to erre Margin They who flatter thee and call thee blessed So Diodati those who serve not God but their own bellies Ezech. 13.10 19. And therefore the Prophet Jeremy refers the ruine of Jerusalem to the Priests and Prophets Lam. 4.13 Observ 2. Here then is the promise of that life from which we are alienated by the first Adam the Life of God which all men shall live who are partakers of the second Adam Ephes 4. A new face of the world 2 Pet. 3.13 The times of refreshing Act. 3.19 21. The Gospel commanded to be preached to every creature Reasonable this is most reasonable it is that when now the Devil's life in envy pride c. and the Beasts life in gluttony lasciviousness and sloath hath been so long in the world The life of God should once more appear that life that must last for ever Observ 3. Behold a new face of the world a new state of things to be hoped for New heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 The Gospel is commanded to be preached unto every Creature which though I understand to be principally meant of man who is the Compendium and Abridgement of the greater World and made up of all the Creatures whence he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Creature yet it may likewise be meant of the whole Creation which suffered vanity by the fall of the first Adam and shall be delivered from it by the second Rom. 8.19 20 21 22 These are the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord and the times of the restitution of all things Act. 3.19 21. Repreh 1. Us of our unbelief who cannot be perswaded that ever there shall be such glorious times that all the people shall be righteous That life shall pass over all men Why See Notes in Jerem. 23. Though the time be at hand even at the door yet we believe it not but put it off till hereafter like the people in Haggies time Haggie 1.2 The time is not come say they c. Though all believed That the Temple was to be rebuilded yet they believed not that the time was come though they believed that the Messiah must come yet when he came they believed not in him the time was not yet come though he tells them plainly the time was then fulfilled And when the time was come that the Gospel was to be preached to every Creature yet all believed it not though the Apostle speaks plainly this is the Accepted time c. And though the time of the restitution of all things be now at hand who believes it One had endeavoured to teach a crow to speak these words to Domitian the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnia bene All things are well The Crow spake rather in the Dorick Dialect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things shall be well The Epigrammatist observes Est bene non potuit dicere dixit erit The Crow could not say all is well but all shall be well While Domitian the most proud and intemperate and most cruel Emperour reigns who can truly say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repreh 2. Us of our sinister opinion we conceive that God is glorified by our sins The Wise man observed this fallacy wherewith many at this day deceive their own souls as if they honoured God by their sins Ecclus. 15.11 12. Rom. 3.5 8. Is it for the glory of God that his people whom he had created and chosen that they should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes 1.4 whom he hath created unto good works that they should walk in them Ephes 2.10 Is it for his glory that this his people should live in any one the least sin Is it not rather to the glory of God that his people approve of things excellent Phil. 10.11 Is it not for the glory of Christ that his Spouse for whom he hath given himself that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it c Is it for his glory that this his Spouse should have either spot of sin or wrinkle of the old Adam in her or any such thing O but if there should not the reliques of sin remain in us we should be proud And therefore God would that these should remain I appeal to those who are of this mind where they read this in the whole Word of God This is a tenet sutable to the lusts of the Old Adam and therefore it is readily received by most men and believed more readily a great deal than the express Word of God See Notes in Col. 2.12 Repreh A most absurd tenet As if a Physician would that the reliques of a disease should remain lest his patient should be sick Thus we fear where no fear is and where the greatest fear is there are we fearless See Notes in Phil. 2.8 Let us be exhorted to lay hold upon the eternal Life Elijah applys himself unto us Let us cast our selves into Elishas's tomb 2. To love life Repreh 3. Those who pretend excuses for their sins all are sinners and if we say we have not sinned we deceive our selves c. Mean time we forget that Christ is come into the world to save sinners That he is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world That he offered up himself a ransom for all That if any man sin we have an Advocate c. 1 Joh. 2.1 2 3. Whatever we pretend the truth is we are unwilling to be rid of our sins and to have them taken from us More NOTES on Rom. 5.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For until the Law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed or reputed while there is no law HItherto ye have heard the Protasis or proposition The first part of the similitude with the Apodosis or Reddition or latter part of it supplyed but understood in the last words of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now followeth the Prolepsis The words contain
foolish heart was darkned professing themselves wise they became fools they were alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart which ignorance proceeds either 1. From the fallacy of the Devil who casts a fair varnish and sets a false gloss upon the Object which begets a mistake and misapprehension in the understanding hence it is that riches become deceitful Mar. 4.19 Or 2. From the sleight of men and their cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive Eph. 4.14 For every sinful man desires and endeavours to make another like himself Or 3. From that deceitfulness of lust it self that flattering pleasing Harlot in our own bosoms which with much fair speech causeth us to yield and with flattering of her lips she forceth us Prov. 7.21 All which laid together may make up a sufficient reason of this point why we have yielded our members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity and withall make way for application of it unto our selves 1. It discovers unto us the odious and abominable nature of sin its uncleanness what would we call a thing to make it odious and loathsom The spirit of God forbears not to call sin such whatever it is 1. What is it Spots and blemishes Is not sin such 2 Pet. 2.13 Spots they are and blemishes These the eye abhors indeed but not so much the fancie 2. What then corruption Is not sin such The corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 2.19 They are servants of corruption Or 3. Mire and Vomit And is not sin the same 2 Pet. 2.22 The dog is returned to his vomit and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Or 4. Is it filth and defilement Sin is such too 2 Cor. 7.1 filthiness of flesh and spirit 5. Pollution and such is sin This is not your Rest it is polluted Mich. 2.10 6. What more filthy and loathsom to man than the excrement of a man Yet sin is such Prov. 30.12 they are not cleansed from their excrement So 't is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or 7. The rottenness of graves yet sin is such Matth. 23.27 the Scribes and Pharisees are like unto graves full of dead mens bones and all uncleanness Or 8. The putrefaction of sores such is sin too Esay 1.6 wounds and bruises and putrifying sores 9. The menstruous cloath of an unclean woman sin is such Esay 30.22 thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloath Thus and thus the Spirit of God calls sin to make it as odious unto us as it is unto God And I suppose there 's nothing else so abominable to our outward sense or fancy which the Scripture borroweth not a name from But these you will say should not have been named they are so loathsom Even so loathsom ought sin this spiritual uncleanness to be unto us For fornication and all uncleanness and covetousness and foolish talking and jesting which are not convenient Let them not be once named amongst you as becometh Saints Ephes 5.34 namely abstinere à factis cogitationibus ac dictis immundis to abstain from unclean acts thoughts or words Yea so loathsom are some sins that they are not named among the Gentiles 1 Cor. 5.1 how much less ought they to be committed by us Christians yet I would to God we did as truly loath and abhor sin which is the only true uncleanness and filthiness in the sight of God as we abhor and loath these things we should not questionless so easily yield our members servants thereunto 2. And a foul service no doubt it is to be a vassal unto uncleanness that 's a second observation A service like that of the Israelites whom the Egyptians made to serve with rigour and made their lives bitter with hard bondage in Mortar and in Brick and in all manner of service in the earth Opera carnis terrena opera opera seculi actus terrae lutea explere ministeria saith Origen A service like that of the prodigal Luk. 15.15 to serve and feed swine Such is the service of uncleanness 3. And such a foul hard service every sinful man serves that 's a third observation He is a servant of corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 a very drudge unto divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 as the drunkard is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.3 he is not his own man a sworn servant to the pot whom his ruling Master lust useth as it lists like him that was possessed by the foul Devil Mar. 9. It casts him sometimes into the fire and sometimes into the water to destroy him And the covetous wretch a very drudg unto filthy lucre Col. 2. Like those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which St. Austin writes Lib. de Civitate Dei cap. 10. That they extremely love and keep the gold in Scythia Europea and hinder all men from coming there to it but use it not themselves as if they were made only to serve it or like Gardiners Dogs as it is in the Italian Proverb Neither eat they herbs themselves nor suffer others Such a slave is the filthy Letcher how free soever otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostom and he gives instance of both Joseph was a servant yet not yielding to his own nor to his Mistress lusts was a free-man His Mistress was a free-woman yet more servile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all slaves the greatest slave to her own servant because a very slave to her own lusts 4. And as the service of sin is a foul service so a most unjust one it must needs be For 't is a service and slavery to iniquity A sinful man obeys unrighteousness Rom. 2.8 5. Yet how foul soever a servitude how unjust a slavery so ever this is such servants such slaves we have all been For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 Among whom we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh Eph. 2.2 1 Cor. 6.11 Col. 3.7 And if we say we have not sinned and whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin we make him a lyar and his word is not in us 6. Notwithstanding if we say we must needs sin we are lyars and make him a lyar and his word is not in us who saith that we have yielded our members servants to uncleanness and iniquity Sin is a free voluntary act this is the condemnation men love darkness because their deeds are evil a yielding of the members servants to uncleanness and iniquity A man commits sin because he loves it and loves it because he commits it Joh. 2. It proceeds not from any Fatal Necessity or influence of the Stars as Tertullian reports of ignorant men Thus Tully to excuse his Rebellion against Caesar laid the blame upon Fatal Necessity Deonerant seipsos mentis malae impetus vel fato vel astris imputant much less from
and the Vulg. Latin Castellio and Erasmus have reâ—ixit and the ancientest English Manuscript that I believe is extant turns the Text thus When the Commandment was comen sin lived again which may be understood according to the mans knowledge of it Jerem. 31. according to the power and strength of sin 1 Cor. 15. Sin therefore is said to revive when having been dead as it were she now puts forth her strength and sheweth her self to be alive but how upon the coming of the Commandment doth sin revive Not as if the Commandment caused the life of sin and so positively quickened it and enlivened it as a cause of it for the Law is the greatest enemy of sin and most contrary to it and in all things opposeth it and tends to the destruction of it but as by Antiperistasis one contrary is by another intends and strengthens another as in the summer time while the weather is hot the heat of the fire doth not put forth it self but when the cold winter comes then the heat encreaseth so while we live without the check and correction of the Law sin puts not forth it self in its strength but when the Law comes which is contrary to the sin as cold to heat then the heat of concupiscence discovers it self The fire lies hid and raked up in the ashes and appears not but if you cast water on it then it discovers it contrary nature And as contrary is the Law to sin as water is to the fire and though it lie hid while the man lives without the Law yet when the Law comes then sin shews it self then iniquity burns like a fire as the Prophet speaks The Lion when he walks as also the Cat which resembles him he puts not forth his talents but when a prey appears The reason in regard of Satan all his goods are in peace Luk. 11.21 till the Law come to disturb his possession and then he perceives that his kingdom in the man is toward an end and that he hath but a short time Revel 12.12 which is not to be understood only of some certain time of the Church though so it be very true but in respect of every man it 's when he rules and the Law comes therefore he bestirs himself the more his free-hold the mans mind heart and will is called into question and therefore so he deals with us as we with him Mar. 9.17 20. He cast down him that was possessed and some said he was dead In regard of his Serpentine subtilty for whereas the Law consists most what of prohibitions forbidding such and such acts to be done Thou shalt not steal commit adultery covet c. The subtle spirit in the man suggests unto him a suspicion it is not for any evil in the act forbidden but rather surely it must be some notable good pleasure profit or credit in the doing that act which is prohibited otherwise it would not be forbidden him and that it is not love but envy in the Law-giver which made him forbid the act unto him As for example in positive Lawes if men of mean rank and quality being forbidden to play at Cards or Tables which others of greater rank might do should suspect that it is not for any evil in the Game but rather there might be some singular pleasure in them which therefore the great men envied them and would keep proper to themselves Such a suspicion as this was conceived by the Mother of all Living and is inherited by her Apostate Children who live without the Law The Serpent deceives us also by his subtilty and makes us suspect that the Law-giver inhibits us the eating of the forbidden fruit meerly out of envy lest our eyes should be opened and we should be as Gods knowing good and evil and so we should be too wise and therefore maugre all prohibitions we will taste of the forbidden fruit though it cost us a Fall as it cost them 2. In regard of this false assumed freedom for the man that lives without the Law is impatient of any curb or check from a Law but conceits that the most equal and just laws of God infringe the liberty of the Subject and this is the condition of our first birth we are born as the wild Asses Colt saith Zophar Job 11.12 and we can by no means endure to be tyed by the bonds of the Law but when they are laid upon us then we will not be bound See Notes in Psal 94.12 3. In regard of the Law which howsoever weak and impotent and not able to expel sin yet an enemy it is unto the sin and though not able altogether to rout it yet it can discover it trouble it and tye it provoke it and stir it up like a weak purger c. As it is said that the children of Israel could not drive out the inhabitants of the Land which were too strong for them Josh 13. Observ 1. Observe here how the Scripture warily distinguisheth between a true cause properly so called and an occasion the Commandment coming is not a cause that sin revives but an occasion only for if we look at it as a cause being directly adverse and contrary to sin it would rather kill the sin then quicken it and give life unto it and therefore the Apostle saith not That the Commandment coming gives life or quickens the sin but upon the coming or appearing of the Commandment sin revived This distinction is of great consequence and for want of observing it we are subject to run into manifold and great errours for oftentimes it comes to pass that the Lord puts an occasion into our hands which for want of right distinction we take for a cause Thus the King of Babylon's Present was the occasion not the cause of Ezechiah's Fall 2 King 20.12 Deut. 13.1 2 3. The Prophet perswades to other Gods and this he doth by giving a sign and this sign comes to pass is not here then a fair occasion of following of other Gods No saith the Lord for the Lord your God tryeth you c. For this end the Lord left of the Canaanites to prove the children of Israel Judg. 2.22 whether they would continue in the ways of the Lord and walk therein as their fathers had yea or no and Judg. 3.1 5. Did this concern them only or us also Surely these things were written for our Examples which yet we understand not aright but mistake these as if they were a cause which indeed are only an occasion for what is more ordinary than to say that the reliques of sin which are the Nations remaining in our Land are left to humble us The Lord saith otherwise as that they were left as occcasions thereby to prove Israel whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein as their Fathers did or not They were left there to prove Israel by them That the children of Israel might know and teach them war Judg. 3.1 2. For though the
spiritual understanding and strength and might according to his glorious power And this is more observable in this Epistle because the Colossians were in this condition wherein the man in the Text declares himself Col. 3.3 ye are dead saith he and your life is hid with Christ in God Observ 2. Sin is a stranger to our nature for howsoever through long custom in sin sin and the man becomes all one yet one they cannot be because one and the same cannot be at one time alive and dead Now sin revives and lives and the man dies therefore surely they are not one This was couched in Nathans parable to David 2 Sam. 12.2 where David's lust is represented by a traveller who came to the rich man Vngodly men invite it unto them Wisd 1.12 16. and 2.24 through the envy of the Devil came death into the world it was he that brought it into Judas and then Satan entred into Judas Luk. 22.3 for even Judas the Traytor himself was not all one with it but Satan had darted covetousness and treason into his heart Joh. 13.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immisisset he had darted Ambition was a stranger to the Apostles There arose a reasoning among them which of them should be the greatest Luk. 9.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there entred a dispute among them and vulgar Latin intravit cogitatio the thought came into them it was none of the house Observ 3. Take heed of judging or condemning any one in whom the motions of sin appear especially if the man dye unto them The humours in the body must be moved and flow before they can be expelled The best Saints of God yea all of them pass through the same purgatory into heaven Observ 4. We see then from hence the energie and power of the Law how far it extends it kills it s a killing letter Thus what the murmuring Jews upbraided Moses and Aaron withall is in some sort true ye have killed the people of the Lord Numb 16.41 It cannot give life Gal. 3.21 This was figured by Elisha who sent his servant with his staff to revive the child but it would not be 2 King 3.29 The law of the Lord is a staff so where the Psalmist Psal 23.4 saith Thy rod and thy staff the Chaldee Paraphr puts thy law This staff Elisha sent by his servant to raise the dead child Elisha Who is that See Notes in Col. 3.1 This is that staff of bread which nourisheth not for ever nor so satifieth but that he who eats it hungers and thirsts again so saith the Initial Wisdom which is the wisdom of the Law Ecclus. 24.21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry and they who drink me shall be thirsty Then presently the Wisdom adds all these things are the commandments of the most high even the Law which Moses commanded But our Lord speaks otherwise of the water of life Joh. 4.13 whosoever shall drink of this water shall thirst again but he that drinketh of this water that I shall give him shall never thirst He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst Joh. 6.35 This was figured by Manna which was the food of the people in the wilderness and they gathered it every morning Exod. 16.21 But when they came into the Land of Canaan the Manna ceased Jos 5.12 And they eat of the corn of the Land of Canaan Christ is the true bread and the true land of Canaan the Manna ceased upon the next day after the passover after the death the manna ceaseth The Jews challenged our Lord with this Moses gave us bread from heaven Joh. 6.31 and again vers 49.50 Your fathers did eat Manna and are dead c. and 58. Consol Here is great need of comfort to the disconsolate soul dejected and cast down by the sight of his sins for whereas upon the approach of the Law sin revives and groweth strong in the man yet the Law bringeth no power with it for the subduing of the sin but a guilt and obligation unto death Alas what shall the silly man do but complain I am in trouble my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing my strength faileth because of mine iniquity and my bones are consumed c. Psal 31.10 Psal 116.3 4.5 The sorrows of death compassed me about and the pains of bell-gate hold on me And 142.5 6 7. I cryed unto thee O Lord and said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living Thus the Law is a killing letter the ministration of death the ministration of condemnation 2 Cor. 3. This was figured Numb 17.10 where the Lord said to Moses Bring Aarons rod before the Testimony When Aarons rod appears and awakens us when the Law figured by Aarons rod of the Almond-tree appears it threatens judgement unto all who rebel against it and therefore the Lord denouncing his judgements against Israel Jer. 1.10 I have set thee to root out and pull down to destroy and throw down the Lord confirms it with a sign saying Jeremiah what seest thou And he saith I see a rod of an Almond-tree Then said the Lord thou hast well seen for I will hasten my word to perform it As the Almond-tree blossoms first of all the trees and hastens the flowers and awakens as it were after a winters sleep as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth so hastily shall vengeance awake and come upon transgressors When therefore weak Jacob sees the Rod of the Almond-tree flourish when the Law goes out of Sion he foresees the judgement hastens and therefore cryeth out we perish we die we all perish we are but dead men But to the comfort of such dying souls be it spoken the Lord in mercy provides a sovereign Remedy for such dying men for upon the complaint of the dying people Chap. 17.12 13. in Chap. 18.1 The Lord said unto Aaron Thou and thy sons and thy fathers house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary The care of the Sanctuary lies upon Aaron that the people might not sin die and perish The terrours of Conscience wrought by the Law are relieved and quieted by Faith in Jesus Christ He is the true High Priest of whom Aaron was but a figure He it is who through death destroyes him who had the power of death i. e. the Devil and delivers them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject unto bondage Hebr. 2.14 15. And therefore the Redeemer comforts them against their sins Isai 41 10-16 Therefore to those who are thus dead unto sin and the motions of sin living in them the Gospel and gladtidings of Salvation is preached so we understand that obscure place 1 Pet. 4.6 The Gospel is preached unto them that are dead that they may be judged indeed according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit For so these dead men are judged for dead in the flesh
as the Prophet David complains I am as a dead man out of mind Of such dead men as these the Wise Man speaks Wisd 3.2 In the sight of the unwise they seem to dye and their departure is taken for misery for though they be afflicted in the sight of men yet their hope is full of immortality These Righteous have hope in their death Prov. 14.31 They walk with God as Enoch and Noah did and are not they are in no account at all among men but God takes them to himself Psal 65.34 These these are the dead these blessed dead ones who dye in the Lord Revel 14.13 Exhort That they who live would dye An hard task it is to perswade one to dye no man need to be perswaded to live because life is one of the things which pro se appetuntur which are desired for themselves and therefore death one of those things quae pro se vitantur which are abhorred for themselves But beloved if this life be such as we ought not to live an assumed life then surely to this life we ought to dye but such is this life in sin it 's none of ours it hath no right at all unto us we have nothing to do with it nor it with us Rom. 8.12 Brethren we are debtors but not to the flesh to live after the flesh for if ye live after the flesh which would have a life in ye ye shall dye but if ye through the spirit shall mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live This life cannot be lived but we must be estranged from the life of our God Ephes 4.18 19 20. for when the Law of this life comes lasciviousness and all uncleanness revives and appears in us which if we give our selves over unto we are estranged and alienated from the life of our God Yea when we live this life we dye unto and put to death the Author of Life Rom. 5.8 While we were yet sinners Christ died for us We cannot entertain such a guest but it will cost us so much When the Traveller came to the rich man he entertained him not with any of his own flocks and herds but with the poor mans Lamb. When we receive and entertain our lusts that are strangers to our nature the flocks and herds of Satan they die not no the innocent Lamb that that must die in us Besides there 's a double necessity lies on us both Precepti and Medii There 's a command lies upon us and that one of the first that ever was given by God to man Gen. 2. Where having set man in the Paradise He gives him a Command to eat of all the Trees in the Garden i. e. the trees of Righteousness and forbad them all unrighteousness as the Wise Man speaking of the same Argument saith The Lord said unto them beware of all unrighteousness But in case they sinned he provided a Remedy to die unto the sin for so the words may be understood so that he now begins to be obedient unto one of the first Precepts to die in his affections unto sin according to that Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death For so I had rather read the words as a Command than as a commination or threatning for there 's much trouble to reconcile that speech of the Lord unto the Truth and to make it agree with that which follow In the day wherein thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die the death when yet Adam lived above eight hundred years after that day There is besides Necessitas Medii No man shall see me and live Means That they live not in us stop them at their entrance yield thy self to be killed by the Law and Prophets The Law is a killing letter The Prophets they hew us as Solomon's workmen hewed the stones before they were joyned unto the Temple Hos 6.5 I have bewed them by my Prophets slain them by the word of my mouth Arise Peter kill and eat It 's said to all the Ministers of God So understand that of the Prophet Him shall Elisha slay Sign He that is dead hath ceased from sin Corporis vitam ex motu dignoscimus Bern. Let us examine our motions our walkings if we walk in lusts we live in them it 's the argument Col. 3.7 having reckoned up certain fleshly lusts fornication uncleanness c. in which ye also walked sometimes while ye lived in them We do not walk when we are dead 2. Breathing Joshua put to death every thing that breathed the first motions unto sin 3. Try thy self by the objects of sin which when sin revives by the Law continually present themselves unto thee Thy neighbour thrives in the world or in the gifts and graces of the Spirit now envy offers it self Thou art vilified and despised wrath and fierceness offers it self to thee Thou hast done some notable exploit done some good service to God now pride comes and offers it self to thee These all these and many more arise up in the best of us Nunc specimen specitur nunc certamen cernitur Sisne necne ut esse oportet bonus malus cujusmodi Now is the tryal whether thou be dead or alive if thou consent and agree to the motion thou art alive they are thy life or rather the true death thou art one with them If thou be dead to them they move thee no more than if they were propounded to a dead man NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VII 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good THese words are the conclusion of the Apostles Answer to the Doubt and Objection vers 7. Is the Law sin so it seemed from vers 5. for there he saith that there are passions and motions of sin by the Law which bring forth fruit unto death This Objection he answers 1. By shewing the proper effect or the effect per se of the Law it discovers and prohibits sin therefore it is not sin vers 7. 2. By shewing the events or effects by accident of the Law and they are the reviving of sin increase of all manner of concupiscence 3. Deceiving the man and killing him These are the events of the Law coming to the Man as the Apostle speaks warily not proper effects of it for the Law was by the Law-giver and according to the nature of the Law ordained to life ex fine agentis rei But whereas the Law comes to the Man and finds him living another life a life contrary to the Law it proves a death unto him convincing him of transgression and condemning him as guilty of death and so terrifies the man that it mortifies and kills his desires and affections unto sin Thus the Sun enlightens rejoyceth and enlivens as it were the sight of a sound man but it extreamly offends blear and blood-shot eyes Wine makes glad the heart of all healthful men but it 's deadly wine unto
must not grosly conceive any corporal or bodily participation of the one or the other as the Jews did Joh. 6.52 How can this fellow give us that flesh of his to eat But we are to understand it according to that Analogie which earthly and bodily things have to heavenly and spiritual Edere est credere to believe is to receive the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Thus we call Communicating receiving when we believe receive and partake of that Mystical and heavenly food But here we must say as the Deacon did Sursum corda The Deity stoops low when it condescends to our ordinary natural actions We must here conceive a mystical partaking of Christ for the more distinct understanding of this we may consider the mystical eating the Body and drinking the Blood of Christ both 1. In similitude And 2. Dissimilitude unto the partaking of earthly and bodily food 1. To eat it is to partake of the nourishment 1 Cor. 10.17 18. As for the similitude unto the participation of bodily food the Bread Flesh or Meat you know is first masticated or ground with the teeth whence it 's conveyed into the stomach where by the heat partly of it and of the neighbour parts it looseth it self and is turned into Chyle and thence after discretion or separation made of the good from the bad it 's transmitted into every part as every part hath need 2. As for the Wine or whatsoever liquor else we drink it goes down as we say without chewing and after a like change and distinction made in the stomach it accompanieth the more solid meat throughout the body Even thus the heavenly Manna is to be received that is believed Joh. 1. Col. 2. Thus it is to be chewed and ruminated and meditated upon as the Isralites said of their Mannah What is it And so transmitted into the judgement the stomach as it were of the Soul which destributes to every part and faculty supply of the heavenly food For the enlivening and convenience of this food The Spirit accompanieth it For it is the Spirit that quickens Joh. 6. and helps our weakness of concoction Rom. 8. as Wine helps to digest solid meat Thus far they agree and many more resemblances might be found between them But the dissimilitude is greater For 1. Although our corporal food be turned into our bodies and receives a life from them yet Christ the Spiritual food is not so to be transformed into our Souls nor does he receive life from them But contrariwise this heavenly nourishment transforms our Souls and Assimilates them unto it self as the Cion or Graft suppose of an Apple or a Pear is not changed into the Nature of the stock which parhaps is a Thorn or a Crab but it turns the stock into its own Nature So saith St. James Chap. 1.21 Receive with meekness saith he the engrafted word which is able to save your souls To this purpose is that of the Apostle By one Spirit saith he we are all baptized into one body c. And we have been all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 2. Nor doth this nourishment receive life from us but gives life unto us for the case is different in this exceedingly Our bodies must first live before they can be nourished for a dead body cannot be nourished But except ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you saith our Saviour Joh. 6.53 And the bread that I will give him is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world vers 51. And he that eateth me even he shall live by me vers 57. 3. A third dissimilitude is the Belly cleanseth Meats Mar. 7.19 But this Meat cleanseth us Bodies and Souls Joh. 13. 5. To shew forth the Lords death what is it but to be conformable thereunto as the Apostle speaks Phil. 3. It also seems to have respect unto that custom of the Jews in the Passover To reveil the Mysteries of it unto their Children which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schindl in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how by eating this Bread and drinking this Cup do we shew forth the Lords death The Analogie seems to be this The Bread we eat and Drink we drink looseth its own Nature and becomes of the same Nature with our Bodies to which they are adjoyned Even so by eating the Flesh of the Son of God and drinking his Blood we become one with him and he one with us and being thus joyned unto him we become conformable unto his death The cause of this why they who eat the Flesh of the Son of God and drink his Blood shew forth the Lords death till he come who can it be but God himself who as he alone can give the thing signified so also to him alone it belongeth to appoint the signs 1. Learn from hence who are the worthy Communicants The Text teacheth us who but they who shew forth the Lords death 2. What the Christian calling is which Christ invites us unto What else but the imitating of his death Joh. 12 23 24. Rom. 6.3 Phil. 3. 3. The Christian Profession is no easie Profession strait is the gate narrow is the way compared to the pangs of Child-bearing Joh. 16.21 4. Our Profession of Christ's death it must be made known shew forth the Lords death The like exhortation ye have elsewhere Let your light so shine before men Let your moderation be known unto all men By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Exhort Shew forth the Lords death The words may be read thus as others We may be moved thereunto by these Arguments 1. Argument It 's but Reason Rom. 12. 2. Argument It 's most necessary For if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him 3. Argument It 's an Argument that we love God no greater love than to dye for another 2. Till he come This imports continuation without interruption and extent until Christ come 1. Of the first speak these places Matth. 16. Thou must take up thy cross daily 1 Cor. 15.31 Dye daily proper te mortificamur toto Die Rom. 8. 2. Thou must always bear about in thy body the dying of the Lord Jesus We who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4.2 Phil. 1.6 Gal. 4.19 1 Tim. 6.14 2 Pet. 1.19 Repreh 1. It reproves those who have quickly done shewing forth the Lords death They must remember it was the task laid upon us Moriendo morieris and Crucifixion is a long lingering death Far easier it is to dye so than to dye and dye eternally as otherwise we must Repreh 2. It reproves those who will needs be shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called them before they have shewn forth the death of Christ NOTES on 1 ROR. XI 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But let a man examine himself and so let him eat
exhorted to let these old things pass away to put off these old rags that we may be new clad that all may become new in us The Motives to enforce this duty might be many I shall name only such as I conceive most forcible and they are these 1. Our Love to the New Christian life 2. Our desire of increase of knowledge 3. Our desire of assurance of Faith 4. Our hope of prosperous success in our affairs 1. Our Love to the new Christian life which if we truly love we will hate and part withall things contrary thereunto Cleombrotus having read in Plato that excellent state of the Soul separated from the body was impatient of any longer stay in the body but leaped into the Sea and drown'd himself that he might the sooner obtain that good he hoped for But Beloved we perswade not men to destroy no nor hurt themselves that they may attain unto the new the blessed life no let the Papists meagre and scourge themselves as they do in Lent But do thy self no harm saith Paul to the Jaylor that would have slain himself Act. 16. That we may obtain this new life we must not part with our natural but our old our sinful life 'T is like the casting out of the unclean Devil The Devil threw the man down that was possessed but hurt him not saith St. Luk 4. And so our Apostle we are cast down saith he but not destroyed as dying and bebold we live as parting with the old life and cloathed with the new for this love of Christ who is our life constraineth us that we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him who dyed and rose again 2 Cor. 5.14 15. As therefore we love the new Life let us dye unto the old That 's the first 2. As we desire increase of knowledge for indeed there is no true understanding of Divine Truth unless first we suffer these old things to pass away So Daniel confesseth Dan. 4.13 We made not our prayer before the Lord our God that we might turn from our iniquities and understand thy truth confer Rom. 12.2 Psal 53.4 3. As we desire assurance of Faith For if we believe that we shall live with Christ we must first believe that we must dye with him Thus our Apostle Rom. 6.8 If we be dead with Christ we believe also that we shall live with him and Chap. 8. of that Epistle vers 13. If we by the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body we shall live And this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithful saying or a saying of faith our precious Faith for so truly to believe will cost us our life our sinful life If we dye with him we shall also live with him we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. 4. As we hope to perform any duty with Gods acceptance as we hope to obtain any new Grace and Mercy of God First go and be reconciled to thy brother first do away the old hatred as the Prophet calls it and then come and offer thy gift Matth. 5.24 First pluck out the beam out of thine own eye and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye Matth. 7.5 No hope of new Mercy otherwise First we must forgive them that trespass against us and then we may hope that God will forgive us our trespasses No hope otherwise of any blessing from God upon our designs When the Israelites were smitten before the men of Ai and Josuah enquired of the Lord what the reason might be The Lord answers him Jos 7.13 There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee Thou canst not stand before thine enemies until ye take away the accursed thing from among you The Lords answer is as true if applyed to any one of us When we would enquire of the Lord what the cause might be that we want good success in our affairs when God blesseth not our endeavours in any kind we need not look for a Reason without us There is an accursed old thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in you So LXX here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in your hearts your minds your spirits your thoughts So the LXX often render that word 'Till that accursed old thing whatever it is and whatever that is every one of us best knows for every one knows the plague of his own heart saith Solomon 1 King 8.38 till that accursed old thing be taken away from the midst of thee hope not for any blessing upon any thine affairs or designs hope not for any mercy hope not that any thing will become new in thee But 2. When these old things shall be passed away then behold all things shall become new That 's the second Point which I shall soon finish and so end this Text. 1. When the Ceremonial old things shall pass away Behold all things shall become new This as befits the Word of God hath two edges and strikes at two extreams 1. It reproves those who please themselves extreamly that they have no Ceremonies and yet they have no new thing that 's better neither Spirit nor Truth nor Life they thank God that they are not superstitious when they dishonour God in that they are hypocritical or prophane I hope it is not the condition of any one of us 2. Others it reproves who dote upon the old Ceremonial shadows in the new clear day of the Gospel yea who esteem them above the Truth it self it is the fault not only of those who are popishly affected but of some in all Sects I shall tell you a plain and homely but a very fit similitude A Nut is cracked and the shells fly one piece one way another another every one pretends to look after the kernel and one leads his followers this way another that way one saith here it is another there it is one saith lo here is Christ another saith lo there one saith he is in this Congregation another saith no he is in that and why here and why there and why there and not here Oh because here one sits while another stands there there one kneels while another sits here O Beloved in the Lord what are these but meer shells and no better is there more self-denial here than there is there more meekness more gentleness more faith more virtue more knowledge more temperance is there more patience here than there Is there more godliness is there more brotherly kindness is there more charity is there more mercy is there more long-suffering is there more righteousness is there more holiness is there more obedience c These these and such as these are the new things these are the kernel and these lie still in the midst and are neglected and few regard them but run after the shells and husks
with you in it Here 's the opening of that hidden Mystery or the further clearing it That great mystery of godliness God made manifest in the flesh The end of the Law and tenour of the Gospel unto mankind secretly shut up in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth flesh whence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evangelizavit to preach the glad tydings of God made manifest in the flesh to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery which is Christ in you saith the Apostle Col. 1.27 Here 's a Christmas that lasts all the year even all that acceptable year of the Lord as the time of Christ is called Here 's a nearer Union with Christ than the common sort of Christians dream of Christ formed in us unless Christ be in us Christ without us profits us nothing unless Christ be in us we are reprobates 2 Cor. 13. Here 's an higher pitch of Christianity than Christians ordinarily attain nay aspire unto Christ not only to be known not only to be talked of Christian Religion consists not in tittle tatle Christ not only to be believed on not only to be desired not only to be called upon but Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith Christ Emmanuel Christ one with us and we one with him Joh. 17.21 Christ formed in us and we conformed to him both in his sufferings and in his Resurrection Phil. 3.10 O suffer then I beseech you the word of exhortation not to content your selves with the childhood and minority of Christ not to stint our selves in the very nonage of Christianity but to grow up unto riper age from grace to grace from strength to strength from virtue to virtue until we be perfect men in Christ Jesus and Christ Jesus be perfectly formed in us O glorious state this yea this is that high pitch of Christianity this is that mature age of Christ which all the Saints of God do and ever have aspired unto this all the Ministers of God setting aside all jarring and jangling Controversies do or ought to preach and warn every man and teach every man in all wisdom that they may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1.27 This our Apostle longed for till it were formed in the Galatians But so many pretences there are so many outward shews and counterfeit forms of godliness so many false Christs in the world as our Saviour foretold and growths in them that it 's a very difficult thing to perswade almost any man but that Christ is indeed formed in him But I beseech you since it so nearly concerns every soul consider with me Can the form of Christ be in the body of sin If Christ be in you the Body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of Righteousness Rom. 8. He that is Christs hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Do lusts war in thy members and yet are they crucified and yet are they dead Can the most lively action for even such is war proceed from a body of sin that 's dead He in whom Christ is formed as he hath a fellowship with Christ in his sufferings suffering as a Christian 1 Pet. 4. and is made conformable unto his death by dying to sin Phil. 3.10 So also is he raised up again with Christ unto newness of life Rom. 6. He lives the life of Christ and Christ is a life to him and lives in him the life of all Virtues and Graces of Love of Joy of Peace of Long-suffering of Gentleness of Goodness of Faith of Meekness of Temperance of Patience of Godliness of Brotherly kindness of Mercy of Humbleness of Mind of Moderation of Obedience and Subjection unto Governmen Here yea here 's a form of Christ indeed in how few alas to be found though we seek it I speak it to our shame even among the crowd of our seeming most forward Christians for when we place the power of Christ in us in hatred in variance in heady undiscreet zeal in wars in strife in sedition in despising of Dominion in presumptuousness in self-will in speaking evil of Dignities in bitter Invectives against Authority in scribling of Pamphlets to disturb the common peace Is Christ formed in us so much as according to Youth much less according to Old Age Alas we are yet but Children For whereas there is among you envyings and strifes saith the Apostle and divisions and factions are ye not carnal and walk according to man the old Adam and not according to Christ for while one saith I am of Paul another I am of Apollos one I am for this Sect and this man another I am for that Sect and that man are ye not carnal The Apostle appeals to their own Conscience in this matter when they called themselves after the names of Paul and Apollos how much more may I appeal unto yours whom ever it concerns who have taken up Leaders far inferour and perhaps some contrary unto Paul and Apollos I appeal unto your own consciences are ye not carnal These dissentions come not of him that calleth you No no the Apostle reduceth them to their own Original Whence come wars and fightings or brawlings among you come they not hence even from your lusts that war in your members wherefore I cannot speak unto you saith St. Paul as unto spiritual those in whom Christ is formed but as unto carnal even unto babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3. But if there be among us as I doubt not but there are many who long as earnestly for Christ to be formed in their souls as those ancient holy women in the Old Testament desired to bear him in their wombs to those I will propound some means and helps for the forming of him and those both before conception of the Seed in the womb and after it 1. And before Conception it 's necessary that if we would have Christ formed in us we be chast Virgins like the holy Virgin Mary I mean untainted and unpolluted by the Serpents Seed 2 Cor. 11.23 that is unperverted by our own worldly wisdom Isa 47.10 a wisdom by which the world comes not to know God 1 Cor. 1.21 Hebr. 10.35 36. 2. And the heart or womb of the Soul as it were thus emptied and prepared must receive the Seed of the Word Matth. 13. the Seed of God 1 Joh. 3.9 to the fit receiving of which faith's required as when the Angel told the Virgin Mary that the holy Ghost should come upon her and the power of the most High should overshadow her she believed Luk. 1.45 and so must every one of us who would have Christ formed in us we must believe the message of the Angel or Messenger of God unto us 2. We must have a good will and desire to entertain this holy Seed such a desire was also in the same Virgin Mary so saith she unto the Angel Be it unto me as thou hast spoken and so must every one of us
was the Tree of Life but the truth and life of it Rev. 2.7 What Melchizedeck but the true King of Righteousness and King of Peace Heb. 7.2 What Joseph called Zaphnath Panneah Gen. 41.45 But as the vulgar there hath it Salvator mundi the Saviour of the world This is the true David the love of God Col. 1.13 The same who is his love the true Solomon the peace of God he who is our peace Eph. 2.14 But examples of this kind are infinite 1. This reproves those who dote about Types and Figures and look not for the fulfilling of them in themselves by Christ A great deal of this kind of dotage there is in the Church of Rome that I say not among us also who gaze upon the outward braveries of Religion which they read of in the Jews story Such is that of the curious Antiquaries who are impertinently anxious and inquisitive what became of all those Vessels and other monuments of the said Temple the rich vail c. The Colossians were herein too blame and all who follow them superstitious observers of meats and drinks holy days new Moons and Sabbaths which though they serve as patterns and types of heavenly things saith the Apostle Heb. 8. Yet are they in themselves but weak and beggarly elements shadows saith the same Apostle Gal. 4. Whereas the body is of Christ 2. For the Reproof of those who look for the accomplishment of Gods promises otherwhere than in Christ himself as outwardly temporally and literally not discerning the difference of providence under the Law and under the Gospel for whereas under the Law we read of great outward promises unto the obedient Riches and plenteousness are in his house The most of Deut. 28. and Levit. 26. are spent upon this Argument And God promiseth people wells that they digged not vineyards that they planted not and houses that they builded not c. These and such Scriptures some apply now unto themselves not considering that these were the rewards of the people under the Law and that the Gospel is established upon better promises than these are That God then blessed Abraham and Job and others when he gave them sheep and oxen and men-servants and maid-servants Gen. 24. Job 1.2 But God having raised up his son Jesus he hath sent him to bless us in turning every one away from his iniquities Act. 3. ult And God hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly things Eph. 1.3 And therefore Esay 65.16 hath mentioned the promises fulfilled in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former things were to instruct us that those legal promises were narrow houses full are empty if compared with the Spirit of God Corn and Wine and Oyl are poor blessings if compared with Christ the bread of life the true wine and the oyl of gladness the Spirit of God They who look so low as these earthly things for the accomplishment of Gods promises put themselves in a far inferiour condition to that wherein they presume themselves to be The Sadduces looked for the fulfilling of Gods promises in these things yea the Turks at this day look for these blessings yea many of them look for higher and things above these And shall we call our selves Christians beginning in the Spirit and end in the flesh begin with the heavenly and end with the earthly Shall we who are Christians hope for any thing less than Christian promises Yea the holy Patriarchs and Fathers of the old Testament received these temporal blessings no otherwise than as Pledges and Types of the holy Spirit of promise what else were their houses full of all good things Deut. 6.11 but the fulness of the Spirit And what he promised that he would fill his house or temple with his glory Hag. 2.7 What understand we but the bodies souls and spirits of his Saints who are his Temples with his holy Spirit It is too gross a conceit of some Fathers that the holy Patriarchs were pasti ad saginam fed as it were to be fat with the outward blessings and looked no farther Truly I doubt not but many of them had more clear and distinct understanding of the Spiritual things and a more full fruition of them than most of us have Abraham to whom the promise of the Land of Canaan was made enjoyed not so much of it as to set his foot on Act. 7.5 But sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise The Promise was made to him yet he never enjoyed the earthly but looked for a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Hebr. 11.9 10. they enjoyed not the earthly Canaan but a better Countrey that is an heavenly vers 16. And shall we who call our selves heirs of Heaven dishonour our high calling and abase our hopes by fastening them upon the earth and earthly promises Exhort To receive the Spirit of Christ It 's the Apostles Exhortation Ephes 5.18 Be ye filled with the Spirit A most reasonable Exhortation when the Lord fulfills unto us the greatest of his Promises that we receive it and that it may appear worth the receiving I beseech ye consider 1. The Spirit of Christ finisheth and puts an end unto all sin Dan. 9.24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon the holy City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's signified also by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn fill or fulfill to put an end unto sin it 's the work of the whole Trinity the Father discovers it by his Law shews the foulness and ugliness of it The Son dies for it and washeth us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1.9 The stronger man binds the strong man and takes away his armour from him yet he hath power to tempt and hath life in him still therefore the Apostle tells the believing Hebrews who had gone thus far ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin Hebr. 12.4 The life-blood of sin is not yet drawn out therefore Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself up to God purgeth the conscience from dead works to serve the living God Hebr. 9.14 Thus Josiah must destroy all that breatheth the brats and little ones of Babylon If the Spirit fill all things in the world beside and fill not us what benefit is it unto us that he fills all things He who hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his When sin is ended and taken away then peace is made between God and us by Christ the Peace-Maker that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When Sheba the Son of Bicri the man of Belial his head is cast over the wall 2 Sam. 20. the City of Abel hath peace When Sheba the seven evil spirits the seven capital sins which are the spawn of Bicâ—i the first-born or Son of perdition as Bicri signifieth the man of Belial the Devil himself when his head is
without patience 'T is true Faith leads the dance but then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leads on the rest in their rank and order 't is St. Peters Metaphor Add unto your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity where 't is most observable that the Apostle directs this Exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to those who had obtained equally precious faith with St. Peter himself and the rest of the Apostles And therefore Faith in Scripture is ordinarily concrete with patience and sometimes expresly joyned with it for where Faith is called a shield it 's not precisely to be understood of Faith but as it is concrete with patience whose property agrees with that of the shield as to defend and keep possession of the Soul and where St. John saith this is the victory whereby we overcome the world even our faith patience must needs be understood together with Faith For Faith in its own nature and of it self includes no such action but vincit qui patitur and where 't is said be faithful unto the death patience is involved in Faith for Faith abstractly taken imports not perseverance or pertinacious enduring Hence it is that Faith and Patience are often expresly joyned together as means necessary to Salvation for so the Saints by faith and patience inherit the promises saith the Apostle And cast not away your confidence for ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may inherit the promise Heb. 6.12 and 10.35 36. Yea Abraham himself the Father of the faithful did not inherit the promise without patience for after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise Heb. 6.15 But lest hereby we seem to derogate from our precious Faith or intimate that Faith alone in our Churches sence saves not I beseech ye consider that a lively saving Faith hath patience and suffering with Christ for a part of the object and ground of it For if we be dead with Christ saith our Apostle we believe that we shall also live with him Rom. 6.8 And this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithful saying or a word of faith that if we be dead with him we shall live with him if we suffer with him we shall reign with him 2 Tim. 2.10 Now to believe that God accepts Christ's sufferings for ours so that we need not suffer when yet he commands us to take up our Cross and suffer with him Or to believe that our old man is crucified with him when yet our conscience tells us that indeed it is not but that he is yet alive in us What is this but out of an over-weening self-love and a strong fancy to believe a lye For whether God accept Christ's sufferings for ours without ours let St. Peter judge for hereunto are ye called us because Christ also suffered for leaving us an example that we should follow his steps who did no sin nor was their guil found in his mouth who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2. And whether we have followed his example or no whether we are dead with him whether our old man be crucified with him let St. Paul judge He that is dead saith he hath ceased from sin St. Austin gives us a description of him that 's so dead He is like a man saith he that lyes in his grave he detracts from no man does violence to no man oppresses no man He neither eats too much nor drinks too much he is not puffed up with pride nor vain-glory In a word such he is to sin and the temptations unto sin as a dead man is to life And are we thus dead unto sin Is our old man thus crucified crucified he is alive and a crafty deceitful old man he is Wise to do evil but to do good he knows not an old lascivious Letcher a pettish angry malicious envious covetous contentious old man Nay he is as active as malicious his feet are swift to shed blood the work of violence is in his hands he serves in the war of the members and fights against the Spirit Serves nay he is a Commander he reigns and rules in the members he hath cast down many wounded and many strong men have been slain by him Will any man living say this man is dead Are not his works manifest adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witch-craft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revellings and such like without doubt this man 's not dead he is a lusty vigorous old man he is alive and like to live many a fair day if he be not put to death if he be not hang'd if he be not crucified But perhaps God accounts him as if he were dead or if he yet live yet God reputes these but as infirmities and weaknesses of the Saints Yes as if to be dead unto sin were only to be thought so and to be baptized into Christ's death were only to have our sins called by a new name as weaknesses or frailties which were deadly sins before we imagined they were crucified By this means we shall have wicked mens couzenage murder drunkenness and adultery and the Saints couzenage their murder their adultery their drunkenness the same only fancied otherwise new christened and called by another name and many like prodigious unheard of distinctions of sins O Beloved I beseech ye Let us not be deceived for God is not he cannot be deceived he always accounts sin sin He never accounts a covetous man liberal nor a drunkard sober nor a letcher chaste nor an angry man patient He judgeth righteous judgement Shall I account them pure with the wicked ballances and with the bag of deceitful weights saith the Lord Mich. 6.11 No this is the time foretold by the Prophet Esay when the vile person shall be no more called liberal nor the churl bountiful But the liberal deviseth liberal things and by liberal things shall he stand Esay 32.8 For if we be crucified with Christ we bring forth fruit worthy of amendment of life Joh. 12.24 as our Saviour speaks of himself under a parable of a grain of wheat If it dye saith he it brings forth much fruit And if we be dead unto sin we also have our fruit unto holiness saith our Apostle Rom. 6. and the good ground brings forth fruit with patience such fruit as St. Paul requires of those who had mortified and crucified the old man Bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another Col. 3.5.13 And so we pray for Infants being Baptized into Christ's death that all carnal affections being dead in them all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in them And do these fruits of the Spirit these spiritual
Serpent there must be a more saving and healing vertue in Cratere Superiori He which came to destroy the works of the Devil follows him and conquers him even in the grave Benaiah 2 Sam. 2.3 20. The true Benaiah is the Son of the Lord God who slew the lyon in the pit the devil the roaring lion in the grave and then triumphs According to that of the Prophet Hos 13.14 O death I will be thy plagues O grave or O hell I will be thy destruction And blessed be God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 Observ 1. Christ was buried 'T is therefore rather a Cynical than a Christian Principle that it matters not what becomes of our bodies when they are dead Diogenes is one of the first I read of who neglected his own burial When his friends coming to him in his sickness importuned him about it He at length in a kind of jeer bid them set a staff by him to keep away the dogs and birds Look through the whole Word of God and ye shall find the Saints careful about their burials And generally it was held a good work to bury the dead A blessing to go to the grave in peace and sleep with their fathers And a curse to be buried with the burial of an Ass that is no burial at all as the Lord denounceth against Jehojakin Jer. 12.19 I spare examples of both kinds because they are well known in Scripture It is the saying of a most pious and ancient Father Solas rationales animas honorare novimus earum instrumenta solenni sepulturae honore dignatur We so far honour the instruments of our immortal souls as to design them honest burial for the house of the reasonable and immortal soul saith he yea the temple of the holy Ghost it 's more worthy than without any respect to be cast out and tumbled into an hole like a dead dog or the carkass of an horse or ass Against those old and new Cynicks I oppose that of the Wiseman Ecclus 38.36 My Son let tears fall over the dead Cover his body according to the custom and neglect not his burial And the Example of our Lord who according to the Prophesie going before of him made his grave with the wicked and the rich in his death Esay 53.9 Even Christ himself was buried Observ 2. Behold the accomplishment and fulfilling of all Types and Figures of Christ's burial Joseph cast into the pit Gen. 37. Committed to prison Gen. 39. Embalmed and coffined up in Egypt Josuah going the way of all the earth David in the cave of Adullam Jonas a type of the Lords own chusing 2. The Saints are buried with Christ The burial of Christ considered according to the Majesty and with accommodation unto us imports and signifieth something unto us and requires something from us 1. It imports unto us the burial of a twofold carkas 1. One Moral or Immoral rather 2. The other Ceremonial 1. The Moral all earthly and carnal thoughts imaginations wills and self-love lusts and pleasures For whereas Christ is made and reputed sin for us his burial must import the burial of all sin 2. It signifieth also the burial of all judicial Ceremonies according to that of the Father Ceremoniae post Christum passum sunt cum honore Sepeliendae For as sin it self is compared to the dead body so the ceremonial services may be compared to the winding-sheet 2. It requires also of us the abolishing of all sin in conformity unto the burial of Jesus Christ and the mortifying and burying of all ceremonial shews which want the true substantial life in them This in Analogy and resemblance unto one that 's buried supposeth 1. The body of sin to be dead And 2. That they who are said to be dead are freed from sin And 3. That the body of sin so dead and buried is quite forgotten 1. The body of sin must be dead for no body is supposed to be buried alive 2. They who are thus dead are freed from sin Rom. 6. 3. They are quite forgotten as a dead man out of mind Psal 31.13 or Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the heart when all the delight and pleasures of sin are forgotten as if they never had been and so extirpate and rooted out of the heart as if they never had been there for the remembrance of the dead is forgotten Eccles 9.5 And therefore the grave is called the land of forgetfulness Psal 88.13 When therefore all our earthly thoughts imaginations own wills c. are ceased that the mind of Christ and the Spirit of God may live rule will and work in us what and how it will then and not till then we may be said to be buried with Christ The Reason why the Saints are buried with Christ is considerable 1. In regard of the substantial parts of our dear Lords Humiliation when they are conformable to every part thereof according to which all the followers of Christ are humbled obedient crucified dead and buried with him 2. In regard of the circumstantial parts whereof there is not one needless and without a due signification 1. In a new Sepulchre importing a new heart And 2. This cut out of the rock the new heart is from Jesus Christ the rock 3. And this in a garden where sin was first committed where it was expiated and committed it was by us with delight and with delight the paradice and garden of delight it must be buried in oblivion 4. In that Sepulchre he lay three days and three days we rest in hope of union with the glorious Trinity in the God-head 1. In conformity unto the Fathers Law which is a light 2. To the light of faith in the Son which is light of light And 3. The light of love in the holy Ghost which is the perfect light now shining in a dark place had we eyes to see it These are the three days He lay also three nights in the grave and we rest with him for the abolishing and destroying the Trinity in the Devil-head 1. The father of lies Joh. 8. 2. The son of perdition 2 Thess 2. And 3. The spirit of errour to work an inconformity unto all their works that the body of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawlesness and sin might be destroyed Rom. 6. That we abide no longer in unbelief Rom. 11.25 and that the envy hatred and malice the principal work of the father of lies the son perdition and the spirit of error which at this day rule in the sons of disobedience to the ruine and destruction of mankind may through the powerful operation of Gods Spirit cease and that great Abaddon and Apollyon may himself with all his works be abolished and utterly destroyed 3. In regard of the end 1. That we may keep the true Sabbath and rest from our own works as God rested from his Heb. 4. 2. That we may obtain the true rest in Christ as
Verse 19. He subdues our iniquities and casts all our sins into the depth of the Sea The River Jordan makes three Lakes or Seas as the Hebrews call them The Lake of Tiberias Genesaret and the Dead Sea And what is the river of Jordan but the river of Judgment as the word signifieth And figureth Christ unto us who for judgment came into this world and washeth away our sins by the Spirit of Judgment Esay 4.4 and commands us to judge our selves that we be not judged of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11. 1. The first Lake is Tiberias which signifieth according to the Hebrew a good and clear sight by the Divine illumination or according to the Chaldee contrition a broken Spirit the breaking of our hearts for our sins past and the breaking off our sins by repentance and amendment of life This is the water of life this is the true Tiberias the first Lake which flows into the second 2. The second is Genesaret which signifieth saith Georgius Venetus principium nativitatis the new birth of which our Saviour speaks Except a man be born again be cannot see the Kingdom of God John 3.3 How must he be born Verse 5. 't is of water why what 's the water what else but Christ For as the first Generation was of Water and of the Spirit moving upon the water Gen. 1. Aqua à qua omnia unda unde omnia as the old Philosophers taught according to that place of Genesis and 2 Pet. 3.5 so is the second or new Generation of water i. e. of the Son of God and Spirit of God Thus our Apostle Titus 3.5 According to his mercy he saved us how by the washing of regeneration i. e. by his Son who washeth us and cleanseth us from our sins and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost This is the pure clean and strong water the Law is a weak water such as water alone is unto the fine cloaths it only discovers the filth in them it hath not strength to purge it out By the Law is the knowledge of sin but it 's a weak water and cannot wash it out it 's like the Scurvy-grass which many use in the Spring it provokes and raiseth the corrupt humours of sin When the Commandment came sin revived Rom. 7. Christ therefore the pure and strong water makes a second Lather Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness And thus our Lord is compared to the Fullers Sope or rather Fullers herb which throughly purgeth out the filth Malach. 3.2 And this is meant by the second Lake of Genasereth 3. The third is mare mortuum the dead Sea and into this Jordan flows and there ceaseth and disappears though indeed it passeth hence under ground into Arabia But is not Jordan an happy river and a figure of Christs Baptism How then doth it bode so ill as to be called a dead Sea Christ himself was set for the fall and rising of many in Israel Luke 2 And he himself saith of himself He that falls upon this stone shall be broken but upon whom it shall fall it shall grind him to powder Thus the body and blood of Christ in this Sacrament is life to the worthy death to the unworthy receivers He who eats this bread and drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.27 and verse 29. He eats and drinks damnation or judgment It s a Jordan a river of Judgment unto him Thus also the water of Baptism it 's a deadly water unto all impenitent unbelieving and disobedient men who break their solemn vow made in Baptism but it washeth away the sins of repentant believing and obedient men yet it 's a mare mortuum a dead Sea unto their sins they are cast into the bottom of the Sea and never appear again Mich. 7.19 as the foul water of the Laundress her Lather is emptied in the sink and appears no more Thus our Lord cast out the seven Devils out of Mary Magdalen But thus far our Lord is compared to water in regard of carnal lusts Our filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness which is washed off thereby 2. We have also spiritual sins as envy pride covetousness hatred malice c. which are compared to the dross of metals Psal 119.119 And therefore the spirit of the Lord in respect of them as compared to the fire Alas Beloved These are deeply rooted in our Spirits and so intricately mix'd with them and united to them that without a fire and that a subtil fire too they cannot be severed from our spirits themselves and consumed out of them In respect of this dross which cleaves so closely to our spirits our Lord is compared unto the refiners fire Malach. 3.2 Or rather to the hot furnace of fire Herein he tryes the sons of Levi and purgeth them as gold and silver even all those who cleave unto him as the true Levites So the Apostle speaks of himself and all those who are entrusted with Gods word 1 Thess 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are tryed of God to be put in trust The Lord tries us before he trusts us not as pleasing men but God who tryeth our hearts This is that fire of Purgatory whereof the Papists have made a gainful fable That fiery tryal which is to try us 1 Pet. 4.12 A fiery tryal indeed and who ever makes tryal of it shall find it so Thus the Lord leads us through fire and water into an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wealthy place a place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in refrigerium the refreshing and consolation of the holy Spirit Consol Here is Consolation to the dead and buried Their sins are washed away really and truly Washed away What if they be accounted as if they were not as one that 's buried and lies in the grave These are the sanctified ones the holy ones the peculiar people The Religion is pure and undefiled What though they have aspersions cast upon them from black mouthed men who have not yet learned to speak well Who ever travels through the narrow way shall be sure to have many a dash from those who travel in the broad way But they themselves travel not in it and so keep themselves unspotted from the world They fear not that which is more terrible to all others They fear not their sins they are dead to them they are buried out of their sight out of their love desire pleasure memory They are buried out of Gods sight quite forgotten cast into the sea They are burnt up and consumed Death and hell are cast into the lake of fire Apoc. 20.14 Their sins are washed away Though now for a season if need be they be in heaviness through manifold temptations yet the time comes when he who hath washed away their sins shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Revel 21.4 The Egyptians were dead upon the sea
Jews which St. Paul foretold 2 Chron. 3.16 That when they should turn to the Lord the veil should be taken from their heart St. John Revel 11. saw the two witnesses slain and lye dead for a time which some understand of the two Testaments St. Paul calls the Old Testament without the Spirit a dead letter But here through the abundance of the Spirit which he had received he deals with it as Elias did by the widows son whom by calling upon God he restored to life again 3. This Epistle is a full System or body of Divinity treating of God his works of Creation Providence Redemption Sanctification Glorification of the Creator and all Creatures visible and invisible of Gods Counsel and Will in saving mankind of the way of Salvation most distinctly clearly and fully 4. This Epistle treats of many Arguments which are not touched elsewhere in the New Testament at least not so plainly as the Priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchizedech 5. Whereas it would not have been delightful but irksome to him to read the Books of Leviticus and other parts of the Pentateuch yea of all the Old Testament concerning the Tabernacle and Vessels Minister and Services He hath in this Epistle set up such a light that we may behold them with great comfort and contentment 6. That the Scripture is Gods Letter sent from Heaven to men Gregory more properly agrees to this Epistle And therefore peradventure it was not without Divine Providence that this Epistle carrieth with it no Inscription of mans that it might be received as the immediate Letter Epistle and hand-writing of God directed to the Hebrews i. e. his peculiar people 7. For further recommendation of this Epistle one conjectures that for the conversion of the Jews no Scripture of the Old or New Testament will be so serviceable as this being as an hook baited with the Law wherein they are so zealous and wherewith they are so much delighted For all these reasons I hope this Epistle will not be unacceptable or unwelcome unto us proceeding from our own Apostle and Teacher The Teacher of the Gentiles who as he had a greater circuit or circumference than all other Apostles So this Epistle may be called the Center of all his writings without doubt it is his Master piece and in it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A portable Bible of the least Volume In this Epistle St. Paul is to us a spiritual Plutarch it containing nothing but Divine Parallels and Morals In the first and second Chapter a Parallel between the Dispensers of the Law i. e. the Angels and the Dispenser of the Gospel i. e. The Son of God In the third a parallel between Christ and Moses In the fourth between Canaan and the Sabbath each whereof was a typical rest of the Kingdom of God which is a true Sabhatism or Rest As also between Joshuah and Jesus Christ between David and our blessed Saviour In the fifth between the calling of Aaron and Christ In the sixth between two sorts of Earth good and bad And two sorts of men believers and unbelievers In the seventh between Melchizedeck and Christ In the eighth between the Priesthood of Aaron and Christ also between the first and second Covenant In part of the ninth between the Tabernacle of Moses and that whereof Christ is the Minister In the rest of the ninth and tenth between the Levitical Sacrifices and Christ's Sacrifice In the eleventh between the Faith of the Patriarchs and Ours and fruits and differences of both ours preheminent and better than theirs In the twelfth between the Law and the Gospel between the two spiritual estates figured by Mount Sinai and Sion or Jerusalem In the thirteenth between the heifer or bullock burnt without the camp and Christ suffering without the city Out of all which the Apostle draws Moral consequences and instructions and so ye have the summ of the whole Epistle We may divide this Epistle into two parts 1. A description of Christ 2. A description of Christianity due and endebted thereunto Or this Epistle is 1. For the form Didascalical or Doctrinal 2. For the Scope Proleptical or hortatory where the Apostle exhorts the believing Jews first to perseverance in the Faith in them in the twelve first Chapters And secondly to bring forth the fruits of Faith Chapter the thirteenth First perseverance in Faith is urged from the instrument and general object of Faith the Gospel far preferred before the Law Chapters 1 2 4 8. Secondly from the special object of Faith Christ described in his person and three-fold Offices Thirdly from the end of Faith Gods promised Rest and our Salvation Chapter the third and fourth Fourthly from the description and commendation of Faith it self in its manifold and wonderful effects and the honourable Persons and Subjects in whom it was conferred Chapter eleventh More particularly In the first Chapter we have the Commendation and Prelation of the New Testament above the Old in regard of the dispensers of the one and other and an exhortation grounded thereupon Chapter 2 c. In the first we have a Collation in the second an Illation or Inference a Parallel or Corollary The Collation is twofold First between the manner of dispensing the Old and New Testament Verse 1.2 Secondly between Christ and the Angels in the rest of the Chapter An Epistle full of Divine Mysteries full of Spiritual and Heavenly Consolations O how beautiful are the feet of those who bring such Glad Tydings True Beloved if they belong to us let us look upon the Superscription of the Epistle it is written to the Hebrews ye may remember that great Lord in Samaria 2 Kings 7. he heard news of great plenty yea he saw it with his eyes but eat not of it And Pharaoh's Baker was over-joyed when he heard the interpretation of his fellows Dream and hoped the like of his own but it proved quite contrary his fellow was exalted to his place in the Court but he to the Gallows Gen. 40. Many there are who dream themselves into a blessed condition but when they awake all is but a Dream Esay 29.8 They are Hebrews to whom this Epistle is directed they are spiritual Hebrews not carnal are we such spiritual Hebrews God grant we be yet let it not be tedious unto us to try and examine our selves whether we be such or no The Spiritual Believers are those of the Circumcision they are true Jews they are the Israel of God they are true Hebrews if we be such this Epistle will be dedicated unto us 1. They are those of the Circumcision Now we know that in the Old Testament the Heathen who would adjoin themselves to Gods people and so become Jews must circumcise themselves to the Lord the true Circumcision worship God in the Spirit Philip. 3.3 They put off the body of the sins of the flesh Col. 2.11 2. The true Jew is such inwardly who praiseth God and whose praise is of God
restoring man in special to his well being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He made the purging of our sins by himself Thus as Christ is α and ω so his commendation begins with his Riches and Dominion he is heir of all things and ends with exaltation unto honour and is set at the right hand of the Majesty on high Begin we then with our Saviours Riches God hath appointed him heir of all things wherein we have two points considerable 1. Christ is heir of all things 2. God the Father hath appointed him heir of all things Three things considerable here 1. What an heir is 2. How Christ is an heir 3. How heir of all things 1. What an heir is Haeres est qui defuncto succedit in jus universum An heir is he who succeeds one deceased in all his right This is the description of the Civil Lawyers But it is not to our purpose because God is eternal and immortal and therefore the Son of God cannot be said succedere defuncto That of our common Lawyers fits our turn better Haeredem nonnulli dictum volunt quod haeres sit i. e. Dominus terrarum for he whom we call an heir is Dominus Lord owner and possessor of that whereof he is said to be heir Thus also Justin lib. 2. Instit tit 19. Pro haerede se gerere est pro Domino se gerere veteres enim haeredes pro Dominis appellabant Abstuli hunc cujus haeres nunquam erit post hunc diem Plato Thus also the Scripture speaks Jer. 8.10 Your fields to Lords or Owners Mich. 1.15 I will bring an Heir i. e. a Lord unto thee O thou inhabitant of Maresha Paranomasia Zach. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is properly an heir But 2. How is Christ an Heir the Heir had three Prerogatives 1. A double portion of goods Deut. 21.17 Gen. 49.3 2. The Priesthood Numb 8 14-17 Psal 78.51 Mal. 2.5 6 7. Mal. 3.3 3. Dominion Government and Saveraignty Gen. 27.29 2. Chron. 21.1 And in all these respects Christ may be said to be an Heir who is said to be the first-born of every Creature and the first-born of the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence Coloss 1 15-18 For whereas an heir had a double portion of his fathers goods Christ had his Fathers goods without measure Joh. 3.34 i. e. his fathers Spirit Confer Matth. 7.11 cum Luk. 11.13 Therefore Elisha desiring in a figure to be Elijah's Heir 2 King 2.9 desired a double portion of his spirit And whereas the first-born was a Priest this our Apostle is more copious in proving Chap. 7. in that Christ is a Priest according to the Order of Melchizedech Hebr. 13.15 Lastly whereas the Heir is said to have Dominion and Soveraignty this is peculiar unto Christ so God the Father speaks of David in the figure Psal 89.27 I will make him my first-born higher than all the Kings of the earth Apoc. 1.5 As he who hath all power in heaven and in earth Matth. 28. 1 Tim. 1.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King Eternal but better King of the worlds The grounds and reasons of this Lordship over all things are 1. Partly contained in this point and 2. Partly in those which follow for as the Son according to the Civil Law had right both to what he himself got especially by the hazard and loss of his own blood which the Lawyers call peculium castrense and to what his Ancestor or Father gives him So Christ the Son of God hath right unto the world which he Made and Renewed and Redeemed by his blood and which his Father hath given him by appointing him heir of all things 3. How is Christ Heir and Lord of all things since Abraham had the Promise to be heir of the world Rom. 4.13 The Promise made to Abraham was That in his Seed all Nations should be blessed Gen. 22.18 This Promise was made to Abraham the Father of the Faithful in the right of Christ who is his Son who shall inherit all Nations Psal 82.8 Psal 2.8 Abraham also may be said to be the Heir of the world in that he hath all the world for his Sons who either have or ever shall believe A large a bountiful reward of the obedience of Faith Abraham believed God who called him out of his Country and left that little Inheritance he had in Vr of the Chaldees and for that God gave him the inheritance of all the Land of Canaan yea of all the world so liberal so bountiful is God if we leave our Vr of the Chaldees 1. Observe how great a Lord and Governour our Lord and Saviour is the high God possessor of heaven and earth Gen. 14 19-23 He is Lord of all Act. 10.36 This is a greater Lord than a Ruler or Governour Joseph was Ruler over all Aegypt Gen. 41.41 42. Psal 105.21 22. But to be an Heir of All is more than to rule over All That power a Servant may have under his Lord as Joseph had under Potiphar then under Pharaoh Thus Moses was faithful in all Gods house and a King in it yet faithful as a servant but Christ as a Son as our Apostle argues Hebr. Thus Isaac was a lively type of our Saviour Gen. 24.35 36. There is no such rich matter in the whole world to be had as Christ is and therefore his Ministers should do as Abraham's Servants did declare what a match this Spiritual Isaac is Consol what an happiness it is to be a younger Brother unto Christ for we shall not only receive large gifts with Abraham's younger Sons Gen. 25.5 6. but such is Christ's goodness that he admits us to be co-heirs with himself Rom. 8.17 Gal. 4.4.7 no more a servant but a son on heir c. Tit. 3.6 7. heirs according to the hope of eternal life Jam. 2.5 heirs of the kingdom Apoc. 3.21 Apoc. 21.7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things That which few Brothers will yield unto upon earth Luk. 12.13 Christ bountifully and freely imparts to his Brethren he makes us not only Priests but Kings also with him Apoc. 1.6 What a priviledge then hath the Church that She may make her Sons Princes in all Lands Psal 45.16 So that as Christ's People are his inheritance so Christ is the inheritance of his people Gods people are his inheritance and God is the inheritance of his people Jer. 10.16 Jer. 51.19 Psal 16.5 so that the Scripture speaks both wayes The Reason of this is that through and intimate Union between Christ and his Church so that as we say of natural things conspiring into mutual union one with other that the water is in the wine and the wine is in the water the fire in the iron and the iron in the fire so Christ in believers and believers in Christ Christ his peoples inheritance and Christs people his inheritance Deut. 32.9 Some friends have been so intimate as to use their names interchangeably 2.
calls them luces intellectuales 3. He makes i. e. producit or else promotes as the Lord made Moses and Aaron 1 Sam. 2.6 He made twelve Mark 3.14 I have Created him for my Glory I have formed him yea I have made him Isa 43.7 The word here may be understood both wayes 1. He made those whom he used as Messengers Spirits Or 2. He advanced Spirits to the dignity of being his Messengers and both are true and why should any truth be lost Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the Lord sometimes hides himself Deus latens sometimes reveils himself Deus patens so the several emanations by the Angels are fitted unto these Two 1. First he hides himself so he hath subtle Spirits 2. Secondly he reveils himself and so he hath fire and light his Ministers as flaming fire Δ The Unity is identity or oneness and singularity the Angel alteritas or compounded of two as the Pillar before the Israelites consisted of a cloud and fire the cloud or air a bodily instrument therein receiving the fire and light This sometimes is called an Angel as a Creature Exod. 23.20 Sometime the Lord himself as the Creator in and with it Exod. 13.21 The Lord before them in a pillar of a cloud Deut. 1.33 The several truths contained herein are these 1. The Lord makes his Angels Spirits 2. He makes his Ministers a flame of fire 3. He saith this of the Angels who makes c. 1. An Angel is a Power or powerful essence intermediate or middle between God and inferiour Nature by which such works are wrought in the Creatures which their Nature either could not do or could not so do middle between the Unity of the Deity and the composition of the Creature as duplicity is between one and three Δ It is called an Angel or Messenger because sent and commanded to reveil the will of God to Men. 2. They are called Spirits in regard of their existence or essence and their similitude and likeness because their consistence or substance is pure and subtil and clear whence Dionysius Areopagita calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as most clear mirrours or pure glasses reflecting and conveying the Divine Light from God unto men 2. In similitude unto the most subtil bodies known to us So he makes his Angels Spirits winds i. e. ut supra The Angels are Good of light of God and Evil of darkness of Satan 3. Of what kind of Spirits good or evil Gods or Satans Angels is this to be understood Surely both That we may the better understand this we must know That God alone is the one and only worker of all things Isa 44.24 I am the Lord that maketh all things that stretcheth forth the heavens alone that spreadeth abroad the earth by my self Dan. 4.35 Ipse juxta voluntatem suam facit in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand and say what dost thou In him we live and move and have our being our being intellectual The Spirit of the Almighty gives the man understanding Job 32.8 our sensitive-faculty in whom we move our vital faculty He it is who quickneth all things 1 Tim. 6. He is the actor and worker in our vital and animal faculties In him we live and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Job 33.4 whence we conclude Operatur omnia in omnibus 1 Cor. 12. He is the fountain of all being and actions Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end Now God the Father worketh all things by his Eternal Coessential Word who is that great Angel of the Covenant Psal 33.6 By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth This is that universal Agent who worketh in all inferiour Agents whom Plato understood by the Soul of the world who is the only begotten of the Father by whom all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth are made 1 Cor. 8. To us there is one God the Father of whom are all things and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things More specially for evil Angels we read that the Lord makes use of them Psal 78.49 He sent evil Angels among them by these he afflicteth and chasteneth his Saints Job 1 16-16 by these he smites his enemies The Reason why the Lord makes his Angels Spirits is from the consideration of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that supreme Authority of the highest God who worketh all things in all things for whereas there are two wayes of working 1. One befitting our humane weakness when we must put to our hand otherwise the work will not be done 2. The other when by our command or intimation or word the business is done so that by how much every Agent is more powerful by so much his way of working is more absolute Hence it is that since the Father does all things by his Son the Father and Son by the Angels both in Heaven and in Earth the Son is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1. That word by which all things were made Dixit factum est Let there be light and it was light Hence it is that when God is said to say or do any thing in the Old Testament the Chaldee Paraphrast adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore Hos 1.7 Servabo I will save them by Jehovah their God Chaldee Paraphrast I will redeem them by the Word of the Lord your God This is that great Angel of the Covenant in whom God the Fathers Name is Exod. 23. 2. Another Reason is in regard of the Angels which are instrumental unto the great and sole Agent unto whom by how much one draws nearer than other by so much it 's the more serviceable quick and expedite and ready to comply with the commands of the Supreme God 3. In regard of Man and his Sanctification Preservation and Salvation The will of God is the mans Sanctification 1 Thess 4. and Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Niss Summa voluntatis Dei the whole summ of Gods will is the salvation of men Tertul. And the Angels do his pleasure Psal 103. Consol To the holy ones of God He makes his angels spirits i. e. quick expedite and ready to help and succour all his Saints Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for himself or as the Chaldee Paraphrast for him that obeys him God hath made even the Angels themselves Spirits for their aid against all evil He that dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty He who dwells in God and works all his works in God Joh. 3. Such an one is safe at home and safe abroad Unto such an one speaks the Psalmist Psal 91. vers 11. He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways O what a precious thing is an obedient
not so for we never read that he was sick or that he laughed because these are not common to all men for some are of so happy a constitution of body and mind and healthful that they are never sick nor is that so generally true that the Philosophers should define a man by it unless it be meant of the power to laugh because some are reported very seldom or never to have laughed and were therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But a more special reason there was why our Lord Jesus never laughed Among the manifold ends of his incarnation this was one and a principal one he came to be an example unto us of mortification and therefore though the Scripture propound him to us to be followed as our pattern in Love John 15. Eph. 5. in humility and meekness Matth. 11.28 John 15. S. Peter singles out mortification as that wherein he is principally to be imitated 1 Pet. 2 21. Hence we understand that though Christ according to his Divine nature be the power of God and wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 yet as he takes part of flesh and blood he partakes also of the infirmities and frailties of flesh and blood as to us a child is born Esay 9. So as a child he is said to be weak 2 Cor. 13.4 We are weak with him and he is said not to know some things as a man Object But some will say what need any one labour to prove that Christ was incarnate or made man this Article of Faith is so well known that it needs neither proof nor explication No although it were well known and to all yet the declaration of it were not needless for things well known are commanded yet to be declared as the Passover Exod. 12.26 27. Christs death 1 Cor. 11. Shew forth the Lords death until he come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what if we say that Christ's incarnation is not yet well known Then surely it will be needful to explain it and declare it Now certain it is that Christ's incarnation is not well known to all for mysteries great mysteries are properly of things hidden See Notes on Matth. 13.11 Do ye not read of a Mystery of God and of Christ Col. 2.2 which Paul very highly esteemed of Eph. 3.4 Now Christs incarnation is a mystery and therefore not so well known as men commonly conceive 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of godliness God made manifest in the flesh c Beloved all which is commonly known and spoken of Christs incarnation as his manifestation in the flesh amounts not to a mystery but is so easie that a child of eight or nine years old may understand it and if they who call themselves the Ministers of the Gospel teach the Doctrine of Christs incarnation no otherwise I know not how they will approve themselves such as they would be accounted 1 Cor. 4.1 It is a Mystery of Godliness Christ made manifest in the flesh Christs taking part of our flesh and blood I say of our flesh and blood for whereas a main benefit is here intended to the children of God if he took flesh only in his humane person what would that profit the children what benefit to you and me ye remember John 15.45 Abide in me and I in you and he that abideth in me and I in him c. There is a mutual communication and participation between Christ and those that are Christs and therefore when he takes part of flesh and blood with us and becomes man he mans us with himself inwardly and outwardly 1. Inwardly and that passively with a soft meek suffering spirit 2. Actively imparting to us an heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 Zach. 12.10 This is no other than that like mind of suffering wherewith the Apostle exhorts us to arm our selves for the spiritual battel 1 Pet. 4.1 He suffers of us and in us for our sins cause with us and bears all the weakness and injuries of flesh and blood in not resisting sin yet in conspiring with it Gal. 3.1 2 3. James 5.6 Ye have condemned and killed the just one i. e. the Lord Jesus Christ Rev. 13.8 The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Esay 53.5 He was wounded of our transgressions and bruised of our sins and iniquities He suffers with us hath a sympathy and fellow-feeling with us when we suffer sorrows for our sins or failings and the remaining of our enemies In all your afflictions he was afflicted Psalm 80.15 also when we mourn for the absence of the Bridegroom Esay 63.9 Revel 3.20 2. He mans us also actively when he works in us what is pleasing in his sight when he speaks in us 2 Cor. 13.3 prays in us Rom. 8.15 We have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father praiseth in us the Father Heb. 2.12 I will sing praise to thee in the midst of the Church He takes part also of our flesh and blood outwardly when by his spiritual incarnation in us we become his Temple 1 Cor. 3.17 and 6.19 a portable Temple Verse 20. When we become members of his body Verse 15. yea of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.20 yea so far his as not our own 1 Cor. 6.20 yea so far as to maintain life of his flesh and blood He gives his own flesh and blood from Heaven John 6.53 Which truly may justly blame very many of us I fear who though the Lord Jesus bring his flesh and blood and offer us participation of it yet we yield to him as little of our flesh and blood as may be Thy Brother thine own flesh and blood hath offended thee now what saith the Spirit of Jesus Put on as the elect of God bowels of mercy forgiving one another c. Col. 3.12 13. He that is not ashamed to call thee Brother he inwardly speaks unto thee to shew compassion towards thy Brother he tells thee vengeance is not thine but his But dost thou reply flesh and blood cannot endure such an affront such an injury Nor shall flesh and blood enter the Kingdom of God Many are content that Christ should take part of their flesh ond blood so far as to take away their sins or rather to cover their sinful flesh and blood with his holy flesh and blood but remember that though men bless themselves c. Esay 32.1 There is a woe denounced to the covering that is not of his spirit Esay 30.1 Exhort Let us yield our flesh and blood unto the Lord Jesus let him take part of us what is it unto us if he take part of all other if not of us receive him If he have taken part of our flesh and blood then is he in us and if Christ be in us the body is dead because of sin the spirit is life because of righteousness Rom. 8.10 Christ if so in us is not idle in us but works in us the spiritual Circumcision Col. 2.11 So that wheresoever and in whomsoever
washed my feet how can I foul them again Cant. Means Consider the filthiness of that from which thou art to be cleansed and sanctified See Notes on Psal 26. One means which I may call a Catholicon by reason of the universal operation it hath in the Soul it 's the Holy Word of God not only that which sounds in our ears nor only that which runs into our eyes this is but a dead letter being alone but as it is quickned and enlivened by the holy the purging Spirit not but that hearing and reading are necessary means hereunto of this Living Word our Lord speaks Joh. 15.3 Now ye are clean or holy through the Word that I have spoken unto you Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth O Beloved it might justly be expected if Holiness be wrought by the Word that we should be the most holy people in the world not the hearers but the doers But that this Holy Word may purge and sanctifie and make us holy it must be mixed with faith Hebr. 4.2 so mixed that we become one with the Word Margin Being so mixed it applyes unto us the blood and spirit of Christ Hebr. 9.13 14. The Law maketh nothing perfect but Christ doth He purgeth like to the refiners fire and to the fullers sope Malac. 3.2 And he shall sit like a refiner and purifier of silver This cleansing and sanctifying is operative in us like the two lathers of the laundress by chastening and correcting us and happy we if we endure chastening Psal 94. To this purpose our Apostle Hebr. 12 5-10 This chastening Word is grievous and tedious to us for the present vers 11. and that grief and sorrow works fear 2 Cor. 11. As correction is to a child but by these stripes we are healed Isai 53.5 Prov. 20.30 The blewness of a wound cleanseth away evil so do stripes the inward parts of the belly By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil Prov. 16.6 Thus the fear of the Lord is clean Psal 19.9 That fear drives out the evil and works holiness 2 Cor. 7.1 Verebar omnia opera mea I feared all my works saith an Holy Man Unto all these add Prayer unto the Lord that he would correct us and chasten us Follow Peace and Holiness Having spoken more largely of both these severally and a part the less remains for the joynt handling of them Wherein I shall thus proceed 1. I shall prove the union between Peace and Holiness 2. Shew the ground and reason of it 3. Answer a doubt 4. Make use of it unto our selves The Reason of this joynt prosecution of Peace and Holiness is considerable 1. In respect of these Graces in themselves And 2. In respect of God 1. In themselves considered Peace is the effect of Holiness and holiness the cause of peace Isai 32.17 The work of righteousness is peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever The wisdom that is from above is first pure or holy then peaceable and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by them that make peace Jam. 3.17 This was figured by the Apostle in Melchizedeck Hebr. 7.1 2. Melchizedeck saith he was first by interpretation King of Righteousness and after that also King of Salem which is King of Peace 2. In respect of God He is the God of both holiness and peace and equally commands the prosecution of both Hence it is that Psal 85.9 God speaks peace unto his people who are they presently he adds and to his Saints and is there exegetical and explains which are his people to whom he speaks peace to those whom he makes righteous by faith he speaketh peace Rom. 5.1 Hence it is that the Apostles in their Prefaces to their Epistles premise Grace and Peace therefore as soon as Christ the true Righteousness and Holiness was born the Angels sung Glory to God in the highest peace on earth and to men good will Luk. 2.14 This was figured Josh 18.1 where it is said That the Congregation of Israel were gathered together in Shilo and set up the Tabernacle of the Congregation there Shilo signifieth Peace here there is the Tabernacle God our Righteousness dwells there Gods Saints and Holy Ones dwell there Quest Whether a follower after Holiness may or ought to follow peace with unholy and ungodly men Answ This is made a question rather by our contrary practice than out of any difficulty in the Word of God concerning it for truly Beloved I speak it from grief of heart when I consider many who follow after holiness who straiten their bowels towards their brethren that he may yea ought so to do in some sort is evident out of the express command of the Holy Ghost in the Text. But for our better understanding of this I must remember ye that as there is a twofold Love the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or brotherly Love the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or common Love 2 Pet. 1. So is there a twofold Peace arising proportionably from these 1. That Peace which ariseth from brotherly love is to be maintained with the Saints with whom they ought to live peaceably and brotherly such a loving and peaceable conversation we find described Act. 2. 2. That Peace which proceeds from common love ought to be extended unto all men though wicked though strangers though enemies even with these the Saints and Holy Ones of God must live peaceably if possibly they can and therefore they ought to use all means possible to promote even the best Peace with them these the Apostle sets down Rom. 12.14 These Precepts are very difficult unto flesh and blood but flesh and blood shall not enter into the kingdom of God yet how difficult soever they seem we find them practised both before the Law and under the Law 1. Before the Law Gen. 21. Abraham enters a Covenant with Abimelech the Philistim for three Generations vers 23 24-32 though Abimelech had injured Abraham vers 25. Observe also his peaceable conversation with the men of Heth Gen. 23. I am saith he a stranger and a sojourner with you vers 4. And he bowed himself to the people of the Land even the children of Heth vers 7. and again vers 12. Isaac followed his Fathers Example Gen. 26. and entred a Covenant of Love and Peace even with Abimelech who hated him vers 27. so did Jacob with Laban Gen. 31. And David so dealt with Saul 1 Sam. 24. when he sought his life Upon this ground depends the lawfulness of Leagues between Princes and States though of different Religions Upon this ground we maintain Peace with the Turks the Persians and Moscovites so do the French the Low Country men and Venetians which the Spaniards will by no means entertain but maintain a deadly feud with them under pretence of Infidelity but it is enough for us to say to them as our Lord did to the bloody minded Jews Joh. 8. so did not
for God must first be known which is an act of wisdom and being known be worshipped which is a duty of Religion therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being taken for the first of these is defined by Mercurius Trismegistus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Stoicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to use the Apostles words the doctrine which is according to Godliness because it doth instruct us how to think of God aright and how to live according to his Law in holiness But being taken for the second this knowledge is reduced to practice for thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the doing of the work which in the sight of God is acceptable Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in sence though not in sound the same for pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father doth consist in doing good and in eschewing evil 1 Pet. 3.11 in works of Charity and to use the School-mens phrase in works of innocency for to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction is reduced to the one and to keep himself unspotted of the world is referred to the other 1. The first thing in which pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father doth consist is this to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction for religion saith Alexander de Hales makes us conformable unto him to whom our religion tends now to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction is in the Father and the Son to whom we do direct our service a work most eminent for God is pleased to stile himself a Father of the fatherless and a judge of the widow Psal 68.5 for as a Father he provideth for their relief and maintenance Psal 146.9 And as a Righteous Judge he doth protect the Widow and defend the Orphan Deut. 10.18 For ye shall not afflict any widow nor any fatherless Child saith the Lord for if ye afflict them in any wise and they cry unto me I will surely hear their cry and my wrath shall wax hot against you And ye shall perish with the sword and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless Exod. 22.24 The Prophet Baruch proves that the Gentiles Gods are Idols because they can shew no mercy to the widow nor do good to the fatherless But there are three which bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Be as a father unto the fatherless and as an husband unto their mother so shalt thou be as the Son of the most high and he shall love thee more than thy mother doth Ecclus. 4.10 The fatherless and widows are the fittest objects of compassion for such are most exposed to misery and in their tribulation to shew mercy and do good to such God doth both command and recompence And seeing Love unfeigned is pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father St. James doth instance in this particular work of Mercy as in a singular act of Charity which doth include the other duties which brotherly Love requires for by visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction the bodily and spiritual works of Mercy yea the doing of good to all that are in want yea our whole duty to our neighbour saith the Gloss is signified all which is fulfilled in this saying Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Gal. 5.14 But some having swerved from this are turned aside unto vain jangling and think that faith can make them pure and undefiled though Charity which is the life thereof be wanting But though I have all Faith saith St. Paul so that I could remove mountains if I have not Charity I am nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith is dead if Love which is the life of faith be absent For if a man have no works what doth it profit him to say he hath faith can faith save him Jam. 2. Our hearts I do confess by faith are purified according to the Apostles Doctrine Act. 15.9 but this is not a dead but a living faith this is not faith alone but faith which works by Charity Gal. 5. For ye have purified your souls saith St. Peter in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren 1 Pet. 1.22 Therefore if a brother or sister have need being naked or destitute of daily food and he which hath this worlds goods shutteth up his bowels of compassion from them how hath he the faith which maketh the conscience pure how dwelleth the love of God in him how can he conceive himself Religious who hath no Charity in which Religion stands therefore farre litet qui thure non potest let every one stretch forth his hand unto the needy and according to his power exercise himself in works of mercy Let every one when he hath opportunity do good to all but especially to the Saints which are upon earth even unto such as do excell in virtue For as there is a curse denounced to such as do devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers to such as exercise themselves in oppression wrong and violence under a pretence of Religion Zeal or Sanctity so unto such as are merciful as their heavenly father is merciful there is pronounced a blessing For unto such the Truth will say Come ye blessed children of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I was hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Then shall the Righteous answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink when saw we thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and cloathed thee or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee And the King shall answer and say unto them Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Matt. 25. 2. Secondly the second thing wherein consists the upright service performed to the God of Truth is innocency The pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father is this To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted of the world It is not that which is without but that which is within which doth defile the man Therefore not the outward world but the inward world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the world of which the Apostle in the Text doth speak For all that is in this world is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1 Joh. 2.16 That is luxury covetousness and pride for this world is wholly set in wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 Now the end why Christ our
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an hyperbolical greatness of power towards us who believe according to the working of Gods mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Ephes 1.19 7. To believe that the world and other enemies of our Salvation are overcome to our hand without our operative our fighting and overcoming Faith so that we need not overcome them through Faith is to believe a manifest lye And therefore we may justly reprove 1. Those who overcome not the world who pretend it cannot be done and 't is no marvel if they find it otherwise who give the reign unto their lusts and keep under the motions of Christ's Spirit as if we had such a custom as the Jews had at Easter and let loose Barrabbas and hold Christ the truth of God in iniquity 2. Those who overcome not the best part of it struggle they do a little and are a little perswaded to be Christians but Herod was more valiant in God's cause and had more Faith than these men he heard John gladly and did many things Mar. 6.20 3. But others are so impotent and weak and so far they are from over-coming the world that they cannot over-come the least part of it not a toy A little gain though never so little over-comes them and they betray their strength they accuse Judas for betraying his Lord for thirty pieces these think themselves good Christians yet betray him for far less A cup of wine or strong drink over-comes them even to drunkenness and the least injury nay it may be but a seeming injury makes them yield to their passions and lay down the bucklers and cast away the shield of Faith Oh how weak is thine heart Ezeck 16. 4. But what shall we say to those who joyn with the world conform themselves unto it are in league and friendship with it yet notwithstanding perswade themselves that they are born of God O the foolish and fantastical perswasion of these men The world overcomes them yet such fools they are they think that they have overcome the world they think they are born of God when indeed they are born of the Devil Joh. 8. But the very worst sort of men of all other that are overcome are they who joyn with the world eo nomine to oppose the Saints of God yet would they seem to be born of God as that Sorcerer and false Prophet was called Barjesus who withstood Paul seeking to turn away the Deputy from the faith Act. 13.6 7 8. But the Apostle stiles him rightly vers 10. O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou child of the devil wilt thou not cease to pervert the straight ways of the Lord What should we think of such as being sent to war with the rebels if they should joyn with them make the case thine own thou art by thy Baptism engaged in a war against the Devil the world and the flesh and instead of opposing them thou sidest with them Mean time let us all be exhorted to fight the good fight of faith that we may overcome the world The world is weak and the prime enemy we have to deal with is the flesh now to be fleshly and to be weak is all one Esay 31.3 The Egyptians are men and not God their horses flesh and not spirit But the weapons of our warfare are not carnal not weak but mighty through God c. 2 Cor. 10. The Devil hath his darts his temptations Joh. 13.2 Ephes 6.16 But by faith we quench these darts nos cognoscamus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satanae 2 Cor. 2.11 2 Thess 2.9 10 11. Faith overcomes the Devil 1 Joh. 5.4 5. Sic ars deluditur arte when St. Paul was overcome by the Archers David bad them teach the children of Israel the use of the bow This is written in the Book of Jasher or the upright as the Margin hath it By Faith Shall the Lord find any of this faith in the earth This is true 1. Really And 2. Personally 1. Really so that thing which is born of God overcomes the world This was signified as by other so especially by those Types of Christ Gideon and Jonathan For so as Gideon and his Soldiers with their pitchers Judg. 7.22 and lights overcame the Midianites So Christ born in us overcomes the world for we have that treasure of light in earthen vessels saith the Apostle So also when Jonathan went against the Philistins so the power of Christ in us proceeds in the conquest of our sins for Jonathans name signifies the gift of God which is the same with Christ who calls himself the gift of God Joh. 4. Now as in both these fights every ones sword was against his fellow 1 Sam. 14.20 So it is in the spiritual combat contrary vices overcome one another covetousness overcomes luxury c. These victories are Christ's but more remotely but more nearly the spirit and the flesh fight together in us good and evil when we would do good evil is present with us and when we would do evil good is present with us And God saith to St. Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee And he exhhorts us to overcome the evil with good Rom. 12.21 And therefore Christ's victory over the enemies of Salvation is said to be according to the day of Midian when every one overcame his fellow Esay 9.4 for so sobriety overcomes drunkenness liberality coveteousness piety hypocrisie patience anger and pievishness The efficient cause of this is God's Spirit the Spirit of Christ Gal. 5.17 lusteth against the flesh that ye cannot do the things that ye would The end Gods Glory 1 Cor. 1.27 and 31. God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise That he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Sign Whether we have overcome the world or no The Apostle expresseth this otherwayes by crucifying the world by crucifying the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 6.14 The world is crucified unto me and I unto the world If lusts now war in our members how are they crucified If we walk in divers ungodly lusts how are they dead do they walk when they are dead do they fight when they are dead It 's no good argument then of a perfect regenerate man that the spirit rebels against the flesh and the flesh rebels against the spirit as some would have it to be for the Apostle applies this measure of regeneration unto those whom he calls little children Look I beseech you if it be not so See Gal. 4.19 cum vers 5.17 Means of being born of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ the natural Son of God was so from all eternity the adopted Sons of God are not from all eternity such though foreseen they may be to be such and therefore some means are necessary to the effecting of this these ye read Ecclus. 4.10 Matth. 5.43 to
That we ought to suffer with him 1. Christ is the Lamb slain from the beginning Rev. 13. It is evident we are not able before Regeneration to think speak do any thing that is good when therefore we crucifie good thoughts purposes intentions before Regeneration what else do we but crucifie Christ himself in us 2. Frangendum corpus peccati The body of sin is to be broken Effundendus sanguis vitae pristinae The blood of our former life is to be poured out Mourn for the affliction of Joseph Amos 6.6 Consider 1 Sam. 22.1 2 3. What is the meaning of the Cave and who went into it after him but miserable men and men in debt and whom doth he invite else Matth. 11. There are two questions of great moment 1. What have I done the Prophet complains of this Jer. 8.6 2. What shall I do of this Paul Act. 9. the Jaylor Act. 16.30 the multitude Act. 2.37 Means Pray to the Lord to light our candle and set it on our head Job 29.3 Psal 18.28 2. To try us himself Psal 139.23 24. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat c. I have spoken heretofore of these words which as then I might have told you had a double consideration 1. Absolute Let a man examine himself 2. With a note of distinction or diversity in respect of the words before But let a man examine himself In the Verse before the Apostle had told the Corinthians the danger of unworthy Receiving which that it might not seem a discouragement in the words of the Text he prescribes a means for the due and worthy Receiving of it He that eats But let a man c. Observ 1. The nature of sin is here compared to dross that it 's incorporate with metals as elsewhere the Holy Ghost compares it to dust to stubble Psal 119.119 Prov. 25.4 See Notes on Jam. 1. Jer. 6.28 Ezech. 22.18 Observ 2. As there is dross in us to be consumed so is there something as precious yea more precious than Gold that is tryed 1 Pet. 6.7 See Notes in verba supra Therefore is Christ called the Remnant which is left after all unless the Lord of hosts had left us a Remnant a Seed Rom. 9. the Balsamum Naturale when all the chaff and husk is consumed that brings all to life again as Isai 1.25 26 27. that is thus is Jesus Christ our hope spes in ima pixidis hope in the bottom of the box Observ 3. Because the Sacrament is compared to meat and drink it 's often to be Received See Notes on 1 Cor. 10. Repreh 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so who quarrel about the way of trying some conceive that unless others try us we are not fit guests for the Lords Table The Mistriss of the house bid her Maids sweep the house Wisdom hath her maids Prov. 9. she knows that will not dwell in a body that is subject unto sin Repreh 2. Who measure and try themselves by themselves the Scripture saith such are not wise Repreh 3. Who try themselves by the Opinions of others it 's possible to deceive all Examiners Repreh 4. Who try themselves by Scripture but wrested to their own sense who examine themselves by the end of the Sacrament remembrance of Christ's death not the imitation of it Means of tryal the fire of the Spirit that which hath been tryed by the fire is approved 1. Such is the fire of the Spirit 2. The Word Psal 119.140 Let him eat of that bread Bread is either Natural Food 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Spiritual and that either 1. Good and wholesom such as strengthens the inward man Prov. 9.5 Or 2. Hurtful and destructive unto it Prov. 4.17 The outward and natural food is not here understood as all agree for since it is a Sacrament what is visible is representative and significative of some thing invisible as the outward and natural both bread and wine signifie something inward answering to both what those are all agree to be the body and blood of Christ Now what body that is which we eat what blood that is which we drink is a very great question in the Church of Christ and not determined only the most agree that the natural body of Christ which suffered on the Cross and the blood then shed is that which is here understood But how we eat that body and how we drink that blood the great Disputers of the world fall asunder into Three Parties according to their several Opinions 1. Some say that the outward Elements of Bread and Wine are really changed into the body and blood of Christ which we must believe to be so though we see the colours smell the scent taste the relish of the outward elements this they call Transubstantiation 2. Others say that in under with or together with the outward elements of Bread and Wine the body and blood of Christ is eaten and drunk and this is called Consubstantiation But this if well considered overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament 3. A third sort are they who understand as both the former do the natural body and blood of Christ but received both by Faith But the Question is not de Modo but de Objecto not touching the manner how the body and blood of Christ is received but concerning the body and blood it self whether natural or spiritual and mystical and such as is truly called spiritual meat and spiritual drink When our Lord Jesus had treated at large of his body and flesh and blood the eating of the one and drinking of the other and some said how can this man give us his flesh to eat Joh. 6.52 These three divided Parties answer that question 1. The first by Transubstantiation 2. The second by Consubstantiation 3. The other by Faith If the Natural Body of Christ Crucified be here understood then surely the Capernabites were in the right it was to be eaten bodily and his blood bodily drunk As spiritual things are spiritually received and not otherwise if therefore the Natural Body of Christ were here understood it must be received according to its nature bodily Therefore our Lord perceived the gross mistake of the Capernahites as elsewhere they understood him Joh. 2.19 and 3.4 that which all these three take for granted our Saviour expresly denies all these suppose the natural body to be that which is fed upon Our Lord tells them and us if we will believe him that the flesh profiteth nothing he speaks of his own flesh of which they made mention The words saith he which I speak they are Spirit and they are Life Doth the flesh profit nothing did not Christ suffer for us in the flesh did he not by his death pay an inestimable price for our Redemption from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Hebr. 9.27 28. Did he not by his holy Life in the flesh as also by his death leave us an example Is not the death of Christ necessary for the
as Heb. 10.29 They tread under foot the Son of God Repreh 3. Who prefer and honour flesh and blood before the Lord Jesus as Eli his sons 1 Sam. 2. and 3. Repreh 4. Those who make the Saints coequal with Christ in Honour and Glory are not thâ—â— the house and is it not their greatest honour that they are the house of Christ the houshold of faith and love and is not he the Maker and Builder of that house are not all the Relations wherâ—â—n Christ stands towards his Church opposite hereunto He a vine they branches he the head they the body he the husband they the wife he a king priest and prophet Repreh 5. Those who pretend to honour Christ above all yet much dishonour the greatest Mr. Builder and expose him to derision as not able to finish the work he hath undertaken to do our Lord accounts it so as appears Luk. 14.28 29. even such a rash builder they make the Lord Jesus who say they cannot be made a complete and perfect building no not by any power vouchsafed to man in this life See Notes on Rom. 5. Exhort 1. Give Honour to the Lord Jesus See Notes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 1. Dehort Assume not Glory or Honour to our selves from any thing without us See Notes on Zephany 1.11 12. Exhort Honour him most who is most honourable NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS III. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For every house is builded by some man but he that built all things is God THese words contain the second disparity and dissimilitude between Christ and Moses Moses was but a man but Christ was God 1. This disparity may be more largely extended as by comparing objects with objects one or more or all houses what are they to all things Acts with acts What is the making of one or more or all houses to the creating the whole world Cause with cause what is the creature to the Creatour Man to God But such is the comparison of Christ and Moses In the words are these three Divine truths 1. Every house is builded by some man 2. He who hath built all things is God 3. From the diversity Every house is built by some man but he who hath built all things is God 1. Every house is built by some man The enumeration of all those things which can be either properly or Metonymically or Metaphorically called houses or buildings whether first dwelling Houses or Tabernacles or Temples or Familes or Tribes or Nations for all these are either properly or figuratively called Houses have their Founders and Builders either artificial as those Houses which are well known by that name made of Wood and Stone or natural as the Father of a Family is the builder of it He shall tell thee words whereby thou and thy House shall be saved Act. 11.14 and 16.31 So we read often of the house of Judah and the house of Levi of which Tribes Judah and Levi were Founders and the house of Israel whereof Jacob surnamed Israel was the Builder This may be further proved by this rule in Metaphysicks that nothing can make it self and the reason is what ever is in potentia and hath a passive power or possibility to be brought to act or actual being it requires something that is in act already to bring it unto actual being otherwise the same thing should be simul in actu potentia be and not be in regard of the same which is a contradiction Repreh Vain men who assume Glory to themselves against nature sense reason Ezech. 29.3 Ego feci memetipsum as the Athenians boasted that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aborigines Observ Though the Lord sends man naked into the world yet he hath given him skill to make himself a dwelling 2. He that hath made all things is God Wherein are two things 1. That Christ is God 2. That Christ who is God is the builder and maker of all things 1. That Christ is God he is so called expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these words Psalm 45.6 Thy throne O God is for ever and ever c. This is expresly understood of Christ by our Apostle here Heb. 1.8 Vnto the Son he saith thy throne c. Esay 9.6 His name shall be called wonderful the mighty one God c. They are the Titles of Honour belonging unto Christ Hos 1.7 I will save them by the Lord their God i. e. by God the Son the Saviour of the world and as expresly and with greater Emphasis S. John calls him God 1 John 5.20 These and the like proofs would be altogether needless were there not some in these days who among other damnable Heresies have denyed the Deity of the Lord Jesus who in the Text is called not implicitely or by consequence but expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Since Christ is God hence it follows that what is proper to the Deity be attributed and ascribed unto him Philip. 2.6 Who being in the form of God he thought it no robbery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be equal things or equalnesses with God And these may be reduced to these Three 1. what God is 2. what God doth 3. what is done to God 1. What God is 1. Hence it is that as the Father is called Light 1 Joh. 1. so is the Son also called Light Joh. 1.6 And although John Baptist be called a burning and shining light yet the Evangelist speaking of John Baptist saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He i. e. John was not that Light vers 8. that Light was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Light that true Light 2. Hence as the Father is called Life and our Life Deut. 30.20 So is the Son called Life and our Life Coloss 3. the Eterternal Life 1 Joh. 5.20 This is the True God and Eternal Life 3. God is LOVE 1 Joh. 4.8.16 so is the Son Coloss 1.13 4. Hence as God the Father is the Truth and True so the Son is the truth and true He is the way the truth and the life Joh. 14. 1 Joh. 5.20 5. Hence as God the Father is the Wisdom and the only wise God so is the Son also the Wisdom Prov. 8. and he is made unto us wisdom 6. Hence as the Father is Righteousness and God of our Righteousness Psal so is the Son also Righteousness the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23. and made unto us Righteousness 7. As the Father is the Power at the right hand of Power Matth. 14.62 which is the right hand of God so is the Son also the Power 8. The name Jehovah in the Old Testament is turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and given to the Son in the New Testament 2. What the Father doth the Son doth 1. The same works which are done by the Father are ascribed unto the Son Exod. 20.2 which Jude vers 5. is attributed unto Jesus expresly in the Vul. Lat. 2. As the Father raiseth the dead so the Son quickens whom he will
Joh. 3. The Father giveth gifts unto men Psal 68.19 which the Son is said to do Ephes 4.7 8 9. 4. The Father gives the Spirit Joel 2. vers 27-32 which St. Peter applyes unto Christ Act. 2 16-24 5. The Father made the world Gen. 1.1 Psal 102.25 which is attributed to the Son Hebr. 1.10 3. What is done to the Father is done to the Son 1. David exhorts Psal 95.6 O come let us worship and fall down e. To day if ye will hear his voice c. This our Apostle in this Chapter applyeth unto Christ 2. The Angels cry Holy Holy Holy and give the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Father Isai 6. which St. John applyes to the Son Joh. 12 37-41 3. Every knee must be bowed to the Father Isai 45. which is to be done to the Son Rom. 14.10 11. Philip. 2. 4. Honour is given to the Father and the same is to be given the Son Joh. 5.23 5. Belief is re-reposed in the Father and the same is to be reposed in the Son Joh. 14.1 And there is no doubt but all the parts of the inward worship which are given to the Father are given to the Son also The making of all things is 1. Sometime ascribed unto the Father as Gen. 1.1 2. Sometime to the Son as here and Hebr. 1.10 The Lord in the beginning 3. And sometime to the Spirit Psal 33.6 See Notes on Hebr. 1.3 4. And sometime the Father is said to make all things by the Son Hebr. 1.3 2. Jesus Christ who is God is the builder and maker of all things all things visible and invisible outward and inward 1. All things outward the heaven and earth and the sea and all things in them Exod. 20.11 2. All things inward and invisible See Notes on Hebr. 1.3 Reason 1. Why the Lord made all things See Notes above on Hebr. 1.3 Reason 2. Why the Heavens ibid. Observ 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those all things are not from eternity God is said to have made them See Notes ubi supra and in Hebr. 1.10 Observ 3. Observ 2. God is from eternity à parte ante post ibid. and in Hebr. 1.10 Observ 5. Observ 3. His transcendent fulness See Notes on Hebr. 1.10 Observ 4. Note who is the true owner of all things Psal 24.1 2. and 89.11 See Notes on Hebr. 1.10 Observ 6. Observ 5. By what Authority the Lord disposeth of all these things Hebr. 1.10 Observ 4. Observ 6. If we may judge of the workman by his work how great is he who made this great fabrick c. See as before on Hebr. 1.10 Observ 2. Observ 7. If Christ made all these things who hath so much right as he to redeem them ibid. Observ 8. If Christ made all things heaven and earth c. then we see whither we are to have recourse for the creating of the new heaven c. ibid. Observ 9. What right the people of God have to the Creatures c. ibid. Observ 10. The Love of God ibid. Observ 11. If God made all things then are they all in their kind perfect Deut. 32. it hath a foundation c. See Notes on Hebr. 1.10 Observ 5. He laid not the foundation and so left it but c. See ut supra Observ 12. A strong Argument for the confirmation of our faith in God the Son whose Deity is much opposed in these dayes by some add hereunto Hebr. 1.10 which the Psalmist spake of the Son Repreh 1. If Christ hath made all things reprehend those who marr them ibid. Repreh 2. Those who trouble the earth ibid. Repreh 3. The destroyers of it ibid. Consol To the true Christians they serve him who hath made all things See Notes ubi supra and Hebr. 2. 3. Axiom From the diversity Every house is builded by some man but he that made all things is God This imparity may proceed from that great inequality of working for whosoever builds an house he makes it ex praeexistente materia and herein Art is inferiour to Nature and only an Ape and imitator of it yea nature it self comes short of Divine Operation for in Nature ex nihilo nihil fit But Divine working is so transcendent that he can and doth make even out of nothing for howsoever it be true that to Create doth not alwayes enforce a making out of nothing yet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Chaos and Mass whereof the world was made was Created out of Nothing NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS III. 5 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after But Christ as a Son over his own house whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end THese words contain the third imparity and inequality between Christ and Moses Christ a Son Moses a servant Christ was faithful as a Son over his own house Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant where we have the end of that serviceable faithfulness it was for a testimony of things that should be spoken afterward 1. Moses was faithful in all Gods house as a servant 2. Moses was faithful as a servant for the testimony of things that should afterward be spoken of 3. Christ was faithful as a Son over his own house 4. Moses indeed was faithful c. but Christ c. 1. In the first two things are contained 1. That Moses was a servant of the Lord. 2. That Moses was faithful in all Gods house as a servant 1. Moses was a servant of the Lord wherein two things 1. what is a servant 2. what kind of servant Moses was 1. What is a servant See Notes on Rom. 6.19 2. what kind of servant 1. the word 2. the thing 1. A Servant is a relative name to a Lord we read of servants of sin or men of the Lord of Righteousness Who was Moses's Master who but the Lord himself and his Righteousness but Moses is called a servant and his Lord is not here expressed Moses is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is from an old Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to serve and to take care of as a servant takes care of his Masters person and goods such a care as a Physitian hath of his Patient for so the word likewise signifieth There are divers words in the Hebrew tongue which signifie a servant as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his labour and business 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his youthfulness fit for labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juniores ad labores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we may turn Minister Moses is often called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not any where that I read of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses renounced all relations of honour He refused to be called the Son of