thought not so honorably of any Version as they did of the Hebrew Bible 803 804 Village a Village was where there was no Synagogue 87 Villages Cities and Towns distinguished 333 334 Vine whether not that Tree in Paradise which was forbidden to Adam 346 Vinegar was the common drink of the Roman Souldiers 477 Virgins Saint Austin's determination about chaste Matrons and Virgins ravished by the Enemy when they broke into the City what 1095 Umanus a Mountain where situate 516 Uncircumcised many among the Jews both Priests and People were uncircumcised Page 760 Unclean with a touch what p. 164. Of all uncleanness Leprosie was the greatest p. 165. Meats unclean what p. 199 200. Unclean and Prophane or Polluted distinguished 199 200 Universities the Cities of the Levites were Universities the Priests were maintained there by Tyths 86 Unlearned Men how they may know the Truth among various and different opinions 1287 Unregenerate Men whether all alike may be said to be of the Devil 1307 Until signifies either concluding or excluding 1235 Vow of Jephtha how to be understood whether he did or did not Sacrifice his Daughter p. 1215 to 1218. Very great care prudence and piety should be used in making a Vow p. 1218. The Vow in Baptism whether obligatory to Infants 1221 Vows difficult to be kept the Casuist Rabbins did easily absolve p. 703. Vows of Consecration and Obligation or Prohibition what 200 201 Urim and Thummim p. 336. What they were and the manner of the inquiry by them p. 1067. Urim and Thummim Prophesie and Revelation were gone from the Jews for four hundred years before Christ came 1284 1288 1289 Usha famed for Decrees made and other things done there by the Jewish Doctors 76 W. WAshing of Hands this was a great mystery of Pharisaism and abounded with nicities p. 199 200. Washing and plunging their Hands what and how they differ p. 344 345. Washing of Hands of how great esteem among the Jews p. 431. Washing of Cups and Platters what p. 431 432. Washing after touching a dead body what Page 790 Watches in the night were three 198 Water the custom of fetching water at the Fountain Siloam and pouring it on the Altar what 1039 Water Gate where situate 510 Water Offering used at the Feast of Tabernacles how performed whence derived and what the meaning of it 560 Water Purifying how curious the Jews were in performing it 34 Ways in the Land of Israel their breadth 323 Wedding to go to a Wedding was reckoned among the works of mercy 246 Week the Days thereof how reckoned by the Jews by the name of first and second of the Sabbath and so on 274 Whiting of the Sepulchres what 235 Whoredom strangely committed under the pretence of Burial 323 Wicked their prosperity did once occasion both weeping and laughing 706 Wicked Men's sins are set down in Scripture that we may avoid them p. 1306. Their wicked Actions shew they be of the Devil p. 1307. Wicked Men long suffered of God is sometimes not the goodness of God to them 1311 Wicked One that wicked One put for the Devil and why he is so called 1306 1307 Widdow gadding about what and what wickedness such run upon p. 123. Widdow where she dwelt in her widowhood 309 Wild-beasts why God did not drive them out of Canaan as well as he did the Canaanites p. 1224. England happy in wanting Wild-beasts p. 1224. Wood devoured is put for Wild-beasts devoured 1224 Wilderness sometimes signifies Fields or Country in opposition to the City sometimes a Campain Country where the ground was not distinguished by Fences sometimes the deserts p. 113 294 295. Wilderness of Judah and of Judea distinguished p. 295 c. A Scheme of the Wilderness of Judah or Idumea adjacent p. 296 297. The Wilderness of Judea where John Baptist was what It was full of Inhabitants Page 296 297 Will and Power of God being well understood and submitted to take off carnal Atheistical Disputes 1320 1321 Wine the Jewish Doctors say that to drink a quart of Wine makes one drunk and so much every one of them drank in their Sacred Feasts judge then how soberly they carried it in those Feasts if they mingled not much water with their Wine p. 61. Wine and Myrrhe used to be given to those that were to dye to make them insensible 267 Wisdom fourfold what 743 Wisemen from the East what their Names and what their Country p. 108 109. Wisemen they were in likelihood Doctors and Scribes in the Sanhedrim but not Members of it like our Judges in the House of Lords 422 Wish Paul wisheth himself accursed for his Brethren the Israelites a strange wish what the meaning of it 1293 1294 1296 Witches a famous Story of eight Witches at Ascalon 14 15 Witness or Testimony was of three sorts vain standing and of the words of them that agreed 355 357 Witnesses false Witnesses what p. 262. They were to suffer the same things which their perjury designed to have brought upon others 263 Women as well as Men under the vail of Sanctity and Devotion practised all manner of wickedness p. 123. Women were exempt from very many Rites in the Jewish Religion which the Men were obliged to p. 123. The Women in Israel were generally Sorceresses p. 244. Whether Women had any Office in the Temple p. 394. There were Women of ill Name among the Jews and several sorts of them p. 414. Women labouring in the Lord and being Servants of the Church what p. 775. What a reproach it was for Women not to be married 1216 1217 Wonder Man is a wonder 1225 Wood devoured put for Wild-beasts devoured 1224 Word as Christ is called The Word of the Lord doth frequently occur amongst the Targumists p. 519 5â—0 How the Spirit worketh by the Word 1152 Word of God not his Providence is the Rule for Men to go by 1276 Working or not working on the Passover Eves the Galileans differed from the Jews about it 78 World how the Jews divided it p. 1. World put for the Gentiles p. 1. How taken by the Jewish Schools p. 534. The World was to be renued at the coming of the Messias p. 220. Saints judging the World expounded against the Fifth Monarchists p. 753. Old and New World doth generally signifie in Scripture the Old Law and New Gospel proved p. 1074 1075. The original of the World strangely misapprehended by some Heathen Philosophers p. 1320 1321. Why God made the World seeing he will mar it in time p. 1322. The World was created in September p. 1322 c. World to come this was a Phrase in common use to oppose the Heresie of the Sadducees who denied immortality it always signified the times of the Messias 190 240 Worms to be devoured by Worms was reckoned an accursed thing only befalling Men of greatest impiety Page 684 Worship of the Jews in the Temple was Sacrificing Washing Purifying c. and worship in the Synagogues was Reading Preaching Hearing and Praying
turned into Glory Faith into fruition Sanctification into impeccability and there will be no need of the Spirit in our sense any more So that Having the Spirit is understood of man considered only under the Fall II. Having the Spirit speaks of having it for mans Recovery The Spirit is given for his Recovery viz. what God will have recovered Let us look back to the Creation That lesson is divine and pertinent Eccles. XII 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth There is more in it than every one observes It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Creators in the plural and teaches two things That as the first lesson Youth is to learn is to know his Creator so therewith to learn to know the Mystery of the Trinity that created him God created all things and man an Epitomy of all by the Word and Spirit Son and Holy Ghost XXXIII Psal. 6. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his Mouth Joh. I. 3. All things were made by him and without him was not any made that was made Job XXXIII 4. The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Now when Gods creation in man was spoiled by Son and Spirit it is repaired So that as Christ saith of himself I come to seek and to save that which was lost so the Spirit came to restore and repair what was decayed This is the meaning of the new creature 2 Cor. V. 17. If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature Eph. II. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Who works this Christ and the Spirit Something Christ doth by his blood viz. restores righteousness the rest by his Spirit viz. recovers holiness Nay I may add the Spirit is given only for mans Recovery The Spirit created man so perfect to try him Spiritus movens the Spirit moving is to try man outward administrations are to try him but when sanctification comes it hath a further purpose Compare man in innocency with man after the fall His state in which he then was was to try him But will the Spirit alway have his work of so uncertain issue Will he never act but for trial and leave the issue to the will of man God when he intended not innocency for the way of Salvation left man to himself Doth the Spirit the like in a way intended for Salvation Who then could be saved Spiritus movens the Spirit moving I said was given to try inhabitans inhabiting only and undoubtedly to Recover III. Having the Spirit presupposeth having of Christ vers 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of Christs contra If any have the Spirit he hath Christ. These terms are convertible He that hath Christ hath the Spirit and vice versa he that hath the Spirit hath Christ. As He that hath the Father hath the Son and he that hath the Son hath the Father also As Son and Spirit cooperated in mans creation so in his renovation Personal works are distinct but never separate Christ to Justifie the Spirit to Sanctifie but never one without the other The Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ is it possible then to have the Spirit absque Christo without having Christ And he is called his Spirit not only quia procedit a filio because he proceeded from the Son but because he gives him and is a purchase of his blood As the Spirit moved on the Waters so he moves on the blood of Christ he comes swimming in that and it is ex merito sanguinis from the merit of his blood whosoever hath him See Gods way of cleansing the Leper which is an Emblem of cleansing a sinner XIV Levit. 14 15 17. And the Priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and the Priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed c. And the Priest shall take some of the Log of oyl c. And the Priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear c. First Blood and then Oyl On whom is the unction of the Spirit on him is first the unction of blood As the person is accepted before his Service Gen IV. 4. The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering So the person is first Justified before Sanctified God doth not new-create a person whom he accepts not IV. He that hath the Spirit hath a twofold work of the Spirit common grace and sanctifying grace We may consider the Spirit as Creator and Sanctifier and thirdly acting in a Work between both When he teacheth man arts indues him with intellectual abilities he then works as Creator in bonum Universi for the good of the Universe When he sanctifieth he doth it for the recovery of the Soul Now there is a work between both that is more than he doth as Creator and less than as Sanctifier but in tendency to the latter but as yet it is not it viz. Common grace Such is Illumination to see ones Condition Conviction with feeling Conscience active thoughts of Soul This is called grace because more than nature Common because wicked men have it sometimes as appears by Heb. VI. 4. And you read of Felix his trembling at S. Pauls Sermon Now the Spirit never worketh sanctifying grace but first useth this to make way He plows the heart by common grace and so prepares it for sanctifying grace In this Chapter at vers 15. There was the Spirit of fear before that of adoption As the Law was given first so the work of the Law is first Rom. VII 9. When the Commandment came sin revived and I died As Moses delivered the people of Israel into the hand of Joshua so the Law when it hath sufficiently disciplined us commits us into the hand of Grace As in Gal. III. 17. The Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law c. cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect The Law is subservient to the promise so this work of the Law to Grace Is a meer work of the Law sanctifying Grace True the work of the Law goes along with grace hence many a gracious heart is under terrors But is the first work of the Law Grace No it is to fit the heart to receive Grace Many now a days say I have the Spirit How came they by it If they have it it is an unnatural birth not bred and born after Gods ordinary way To day debauched to morrow turn Sectary and then have the Spirit That was a wonder in the Prophet speaking of one that before she travailed was delivered such a wonder is this if it be so No God causeth this work of Common Grace to prepare and fit us for the reception of the Holy Spirit V. The Spirit worketh both these by the Word The Spirit gave the Scriptures and he useth them for the end why they were given viz. mans Salvation The Spirit unhingeth not the Essential actings of the Soul but works with
them Now the acting of the Soul is by reasoning and perswasion The Will chooseth being perswaded by the Understanding and the Understanding is perswaded by the object And so the Spirit does in the work of Grace Gen IX 27. God shall perswade Japhet 2 Cor. V. 11. We perswade men Now this is not done but by the Word The heart is moulded by the Spirit to receive perswasion but by the Word he works perswasion in us Common grace first grace growth of Grace are thus all wrought by the Word I mean Common grace where sanctification is to follow Sometime there is stirring of Conscience in wicked men from horror and affrightments and sometimes from the Law for the glorifying of it but where healing must come the wound is made by the Word and the healing is effected by the Word A man is perswaded and satisfied that he is in an undone condition How is he so perswaded By the Word The Law does it Rom. VII 9. before mentioned A man is perswaded to rest on Christ. The Word doth it Faith comes by hearing That in Joh. VI. 45. will illustrate this It is written in the Prophet And they shall be all taught of God Taught of God who had been taught of the Devil Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Cometh unto me as Teacher And how did they hear and learn from the father but from the Word of the Father Growth of grace also is built up by the Word 1 Pet. II. 2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby What sets man upon obedience and striving against sin longing after God c The Word continually applied Man lives by the Word grows by the Word This is the means that the Spirit useth They that speak of a Light within them that serves for all if they mean Light from the Word let them then own the Word if they mean the Light of nature that never yet lighted man to Heaven That was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World viz. The Gospel that went through the World t is clear that the Evangelist means that there Joh. I. 9. VI. Having the Spirit speaks not perfection in him that hath it It speaks Holiness not Sinlesness Take this in the mouth of two witnesses as holy as any First S. Paul Rom. VII 17. Sin dwelleth in me and 25. vers with the flesh I serve the Law of sin Secondly S. John 1 Ephes. I. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us To them that distinguish not betwixt holiness and perfection but say they are perfect because they think they are holy I say two things 1. They are little seen in their own hearts 2. Little seen in the Scripture and Divinity For the Scripture is abundant to the contrary and Divinity makes the contrary most plain and facil to be understood It is a Paradox Adam had perfection though not the Spirit a Believer hath the Spirit yet not perfection and yet the Believers imperfection is more excellent than Adams perfection I might instance First in the foundation of eithers holiness Adams from his Creation and nature a Believers from the Spirit and grace Secondly In the amissibleness of Adams Adams was liable to losing a Believers not Thirdly In the manner of Acting of which anon I cannot but observe that in Ephes. IV. 24. The new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred two ways and both to the present purpose The English well and according to the Hebrew Idiom reads true holiness and so the Apostle seems to compare the holiness of the new man with Adams His was true holiness but this truer and more excellent though imperfect It is rendred also The holiness of truth The Gospel is oft called Truth and if it be so to be rendred here then it means Evangelical holiness not only in opposition to Legal but to Adams Evangelical holiness is the holiness and that that indeed restores the Image of God After God created in righteousness and the holiness of truth Hence is that in 2 Pet. I. 4. That by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature Adam was not partaker of Gods holy nature but only of his creation if his holiness were any yet it was mans only but a Believer is partaker of the Spirit when he hath holiness Let me ask this Question and Answer it and that will clear all Why are we justified by perfect justification and righteousness for so we are because it is by the righteousness of Christ which is called the righteousness of God when we are not sanctified by perfect sanctification and holiness though sanctified by the Spirit of Christ I answer First It is needful that Justification be perfect for if we are not justified from every sin it is all one as if we were from none As break one Command and break all so unjustified from one sin and unjustified from all For 1. Such persons are not accepted of God 2. They are liable to condemnation therefore Justification must be perfect But in sanctification t is not so as I shall observe by and by A man may be truly though not perfectly holy Secondly It is Gods will and disposition to glorifie his grace in holiness by its living and acting in and against contrariety As it was Abrahams glory in Rom. IV. 18. Who against hope believed in hope Whether is it greater to be holy in the midst of sinfulness or as Adam to be holy when no sin touched him Which was greater for Lot to be holy in Sodome or in Abrahams house Compare a Believer with Adam Adam had Gods Image the Believer hath Gods Image restored What was Gods Image in Adam It consisted first in the Essence of his Soul and made him spiritual intellectual immortal and secondly in the qualification of his person and made him holy righteous The former is not lost nor extinguished by sin nor could only spoiled and soiled The Devils for all their sin yet are spiritual intellectual immortal substances The latter did embalm and keep fresh the former His holiness kept his spiritualness his intellectual nature in the right temper while he kept it Now to a Believer there is so much holiness as to do the same thing He is spiritual though he be flesh his Holiness makes his intellect right viz. To know God and love him and preserves him to immortality nay goes beyond Adam in operation As namely 1. He knows God in Christ which full revealing of God Adam did not attain to 2. He loves God more excellently than Adam did or could do Adam had no pul-back
of the Souls of Men after death believed by the Jews 1283 Spirit of Prophesie and the Holy Spirit ceased from Israel from the death of the later Prophets p. 802. The false pretenders to the Spirit how they may be discovered p. 1046. Spirit of Revelation not necessarily inferred or begotten by any degree of Holiness whatever the truth of this proved at large p. 1046. The Spirit of Holiness and the Spirit of Revelation how they differed p. 1046. The Spirit of Sanctification how to know whether a Man hath it or no. p. 1047. What it is to have the Spirit p. 1150 1151 1152 c. Adam had not the Spirit of Sanctification nor of Prophesie p. 1150. Saints in Glory have not the Spirit p. 1150. How the Spirit worketh by the Word The having of it implies not perfection p. 1152. The several conditions of having the Spirit p. 1151 1152 c. The Spirit never leaves them that have it p. 1153. To have the Spirit implies not the Gift of Prophesie p. 1153. The difference between the Spirit of Sanctification and Prophesie p. 1154. The Enthusiasts about every one having the Spirit and the ground of it refuted p. 1156. The Spirit of Prophesie and Revelation and the Spirit of Grace and Holyness are greatly differing p. 1290. The Spirit of God can and does overpower the Hearts Tongues and Actions of Men so as to serve the design of God's Glory 1290 1291 1292 Spirits unclean what p. 175. Spirits evil and unclean the Jews supposed the first inflicted Diseases the second haunted Burying places p. 441 442. Spirits Angels and Demons distinguished among the Jews p. 483. The Sadducees denied the being of Spirits p. 1282 1284. Spirits and Angels how distinguished Page 1283 Spittle was accounted wholsom by the Jews for fore Eyes 570 Stationary Men what 278 Stock of Israel to be of the Stock of Israel the Jews supposed was sufficient to fit them for the Kingdom of Heaven 533 Stoned what sort of Persons or Criminals were to be stoned among the Jews 579 746 Stoning and other executions were without the City and why p. 266. How performed p. 349. The whole proceeding of it among the Jews 675 Strangled things what the meaning of the Apostolick Prohibition concerning them 697 Strato's Tower what 54 Streets some were memorable in Jerusalem 34 35 Stripes what number Malefactors were to be beaten with and what kind of Scourge 439 Subterraneous places as Mines and Caves were in the Land of Israel 88 Swearing among the Jewish Doctors little set by unless it amounted to forswearing 148 149 Sychem the Metropolis of Samaria called Neapolis the Jews in scorn called it Sychar 52 53 Synagogue or Synagogues a Synagogue was only formed where there were ten Learned Men of which number Three bore the Magistracy the next was the publick Minister of it called the Angel or Bishop then three Deacons or Almoners the eighth Man was the Interpreter the two last less known p. 132 to 134. Synagogue days were the seventh second and fifth in every week Synagogues were anciently builded in Fields but following times brought them into Cities and built them higher than the rest of the Houses every one was to frequent them at the stated times of prayer p. 134. On the Sabbath the Minister in the Synagogue called out any seven whom he pleased to read the Law there was also Prayer Catchising and Sermons in the afternoon a Divinity Lecture p. 135 136. There was a Synagogue in the Temple p. 395. In the Synagogue they read standing up p. 405. He that read was appointed by the Ruler of the Synagogue and called Maphtir and was to read one and twenty verses p. 406 Christ read and expounded as was usual in that Synagogue of which he was a Member p. 406. The Minister of the Synagogue kept the Sacred Books and brought them out to be read when the company was met together p. 407. A Synagogue might be made of a dwelling House an Heathen might build a Synagogue p. 413 414. The Synagogue Minister or Bishop of the Synagogue and Ruler how differing p. 172. There were in Jerusalem four hundred and sixty Synagogues or four hundred and eighty as say others p. 35 664. Synagogue of the Alexandrians what p. 36. In every Synagogue there were three Magistrates who judged of matters of contest arising within the place p. 179 180. Whether lawful to alienate a Synagogue from a sacred to a common use 664 Syriack or Aramtan Language under the second Temple was that which went under the Name of the Hebrew 659 Syrophenician what 202 T. TABERNACLE of the Levitical Priesthood why those that serve there have no right to eat at the Altar that Christians have Page 1264 Tabernacles the Feast of Tabernacles the preparation for it and the parts of it p. 554 555. How and wherefore the eighth Day was computed great by the Jews 559 560 Tabernae or Shops where things were fold for the Temple where situate 512 Tabitha is of eternal memory in Acts 9. and in the Pages of the Talmudists p. 18. Every Maid Servant of Rabban Gamaliel was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Mother Tabitha p. 18. Tabitha Kumi what it signifies 342 Table Gesture or the manner of the Jews sitting there with the form of the Table 595 596 Table second The Commands of the Second Table chiefly injoyned in the Gospel and why 1064 Tables of Mony Changers in the Temple which our Saviour overthrew what 1204 Tabor was not the Mount where Christ was transfigured p. 346. Mount Tabor what and where situate 495 c. Talent what 468 Talith was a Cloak which the Jews used to wear made of Linnin 355 417 Talmud of Jerusalem and it may be the Talmudick Mishna was written at Tiberias p. 72 73. The Jerusalem Talmud is like them that made it 73 74 Tamar and Engedi are the same 7 Tarichet was a City thirty furlongs from Tiberias 71 Tarnegola the upper called Gebar or Gabara by the Rabbins 77 Tarsus was a famous Greek Academy 644 Tauros a Mountain where situate 516 Teachers of the Law and Lawyers what p. 433 434. Teachers used to sit down when they had done reading while they taught 689 Teaching was even by the Jewish Doctors sometimes performed out of the Synagogues in Streets and ways 410 Temple of Jerusalem ten wonders referring to it p. 21. It s breadth and length p. 33 34. In easing nature within the view of the Temple though at a great distance immodest Parts were to be turned the contrary way p. 41. There was a constant Market in the Temple and Shops for that end p. 224. Some hints of the condition of the Second Temple p. 512 513 514 How long it was in building by Solomon Zorobabel and especially by Herod p. 529 530. How much the Second Temple came behind the first p. 530. There were three Temples one at Jerusalem another on Mount Gerizzim and a third in Egypt p. 540 541. The Second
per. 2. A man which is troubled with an evil spirit and saith when the sickness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begins upon him Write a bill of Divorcement to my Wife he saith as good as nothing because he is not compossui And so likewise a drunken man when he comes neer the drunkenness of Lot c. He calls the evil spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a sickness and by it he means Lunacy or Distractedness that had its lucida intervalla So the Jews speak of a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is possessessed by Cordicus which they interpret to be a spirit that seizeth on him that drinketh too much Wine out of the Winepress Talm. in Gittin per. 7. Vid. R. Sol. and Nissim ibi And to spare more because the story in hand is of a Child take but this example of an evil Spirit which they conceived did seize upon Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shibta say they is an evil spirit that seizeth upon Children by the neck even upon the sinnews behind the neck and drieth them up from their use and strength till it kill him And the time of it is from the Childs being two months old and the danger of it is till the Child be seven years old Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which seemeth to mean nothing else but Convulsion fits or shrinking of sinnews or some such like thing a natural malady Now in this Child there were not only these fits of Convulsions or the Falling sickness and the like but he was really possessed with the Devil indeed So that though the Disciples had healed several persons of maladies which the Jews in their language and conceptions called possessings with evil Spirits and the Evangelists speak their language yet this is a subject to work upon of a further difficulty by far the devil being bodily in this Child indeed 2. Granting for we dare not deny that they had cast out Devils indeed before yet this case carried some extraordinary matter in it above other times They were then preaching up and down and their Commission gave them power to cast out Devils to confirm their Doctrine but now they were not in that imployment They were also now set upon by the Scribes and Pharisees with a possessed person of an extraordinary example as being possessed from an Infant purposely that they might puzzle them and that in the fairer opportunity when their Master and three of the chief of their company Peter and James and John were absent Therefore if by all these concurrents of disadvantage their Faith were somewhat shaken it is to be the less wondred at by how much the more the ease was more strange and unusual to them and they had not been put to such a trial before SECTION LIV. MATTH Chap. XVII Ver. 24 25 26 27. CHRIST payeth money miraculously gotten MARKS words in the beginning of the next Section laid to the first verse of this will be evidence sufficient for the order of both Christ is demanded the half shekel that every Israelite was bound by the Law annually to pay for the redemption of his life Exod. 30. 13. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaks that Now the proper time of collecting that began a little before the Passover as we have observed before out of the Treatise Shekalim And though it were now almost half a year past the Passover yet is this the first time that Jesus had been at his own house in Capernaum since the time of gathering that Money had come in This half shekel that every Israelite paid yearly went to the repair of the Temple and to the buying of things needful for the service there Christ pays his Church Duties therefore here though as his own words argue he being the Son of the great King for whom that Tribute was demanded might have pleaded immunity for Kings take Tribute of strangers not of their own Children His paying it by a miraculous compassing of it out of a Fishes mouth sheweth at once his Divine power that could make all things serve his ends and his great care to discharge his due paymentss and to avoid offence and withal his poverty when he is put to a Miracle for such a little sum of money for he would not work Miracles where there was not need His paying for Peter with him was because he was of the same Town and so was under the same demand of payment and he knew that he was in the same want of money The other Disciples were to pay in the places of their several houses When Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Jews were commanded to pay this half half shekel yearly to Jupiter Capitolinus Xiphilin apud Dion lib. 66. Joseph de Bell. lib. 7. cap. 27. SECTION LV. MARK Chap. IX from V. 33. to the end of the Chapter MATTH Chap. XVIII all the Chapter LUKE Chap. IX from Ver. 46. to Ver. 51. A dispute who greatest One casting out Devils and yet not following Christ Dic Ecclesiae c. THe order needeth no demonstration the seeming difference between Matthew and Mark in the beginning of the Section needeth animadversion rather Mark saith their dispute who should be greatest was as they went in the way towards Capernaum and when Christ asked them at Capernaum what their discourse had been they held their peace But Matthew saith At the same time namely while Christ was at Capernaum the Disciples came to him and asked him Who is the greatest c. in which relation he briefly coucheth the two stories that Mark speaketh of into one namely their talking by the way who should be greatest and this question coming before Christ. It may be Christs so lately taking Peter and James and John into the mount apart from the rest gave occasion to this debate which he determineth by setting a Child in the middest c. They that have held this Child to have been Ignatius in his infancy who was afterward the Martyr as see Niceph. lib. 2. c. 3. Baron ad Annum Christ 71. Marg. de la Bign in Ignat. in Biblioth Patr. tom 1. sure did not well observe his own words if they be his own in his Epistle to the Church of Smyrna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I do not only know that Christ is come in the flesh by his being born and being crucified but I saw him in the flesh after his resurrection For so the Latine renders it Vidieum in carne or be it I knew him in the flesh after his resurrection it may seem very strange that he that was so very a Child as Christ to take him in his arms this year almost at the feast of Tabernacles and the next year at Easter which was but within half a years space to become so intelligent as to take notice of his being risen Upon Christs speaking of receiving those that come in his Name John propounds a dubious case of one
as Egypts did through dreadful apparitions in the dark The drying up of Euphrates for the Kings of the East under the sixth Vial seems to speak much to the tenor of the sixth Trumpet the loosing of the four Angels which were bound at Euphrates Those we conceived the Turks to plague Christendom these we may conceive enemies to plague Antichrist The allusion in the former seems to be to the four Kings from beyond Euphrates that came to scourge Canaan Gen. 14. this to the draining of Euphrates for Cyrus and Darius to take Babylon For having to treat here of a Babylon as ver 19. the scene is best represented as being laid at the old Babylon Now the Historians that mention the taking of Babylon by Cyrus tell us it was by draining the great stream of Euphrates by cutting it into many little channels The Egyptian plague of Frogs is here translated into another tenour and that more dangerous three unclean Spirits like Frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet Spirits of Devils working miracles c. This is named betwixt the sixth and seventh Vial though the acting of the delusions by miracles were all the time of the Beast and false Prophet because of the judgment now coming for though all deluders and deluded received their judgments in their several ages yet being here speaking of the last judgments of Antichrist they are all summed together He is here called the false Prophet as being the great deluder of all The fruit of all these delusions is to set men to fight against God whose end is set forth by allusion to the Army of Jabin King of Canaan Judg. 5. 19. broken at the waters of Megiddo The word Armageddon signifies a mountain of men cut in pieces Here that solemn caution is inserted Behold I come as a thief Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments The Priest that walked the round of the Temple guards by night had torches born before him and if he found any asleep upon the guard he burnt his clothes with the torches Middoth per. 1. halac 2. The seventh Vial concludes the Beasts destruction The great City is said to be divided into three parts either as Jerusalem was Ezek. 5. 11 12. a third part to pestilence a third part to the sword and a third part to dispersion and destruction in it or because there is mention of an Earthquake this speaks its ruining in general as Zech. 14. 4 5. A tenth part of it fell before Chap. 11. 13. and now the nine parts remaining fall in a tripartite ruine REVEL CHAP. XVII MYSTICAL Babylon pictured with the colours of the old Babylon Rome so called as being the mother of Idolatry as Babel was the beginning of Heathenism and the mother of persecution Babylon destroyed Jerusalem so did Rome and made havock of the Church continually She is resembled to a woman deckt with gold c. as Isa. 14. 4. sitting upon a seven-headed and ten-horned Beast as Chap. 13. 1. Which Beast was and is not and yet is it shall ascend out of the bottomless pit and shall go to perdition Rome under the Papacy was not the same Rome it had been and yet it was Not Rome Heathen and Imperial as it had been before and yet for all evil Idolatry persecution c. the same Rome to all purposes It is plainly described as sitting upon seven hills upon which there is hardly a Roman Poet or Historian but makes a clear comment The seven heads denoted also seven Kings or kinds of Government that had passed in that City Five are fallen vers 10. Kings Consuls Tribunes Dictators Triumvirs and one then was when John wrote namely Emperors And one not yet come Christian Emperors which continued but a short space before the Beast came which was and is not He is the eight and he of the seven They that hold Rome to be the fourth Monarchy in Daniel cannot but also hold from this place that that Monarchy is not yet extinct The ten horns upon the Beast in Dan. 7. 24. are ten Kings arising and succeeding one another in the same Kingdom but here at ver 12. they are ten several Kingdoms all subject to the Beasts both Imperial and Papal but at last shall rise up against the mystical Whore and destroy her It is like there must yet be conversion of some Kingdoms from the Papacy before it fall REVEL CHAP. XVIII XIX to Vers. 11. AN Elegy and a Triumph upon the fall of Babylon The former Chap. 18. almost verbatim from Isa. 13. 14. 21. 34. Jer. 51. Ezek. 27. The later also Chap. 19. the phrase taken from the Old Testament almost every word The triumphant Song begins with Halleluja several times over The word is first used at the later end of Psal. 104. where destruction of the wicked being first prayed for Let the sinners be consumed out of the Earth and let the wicked be no more he concludes with Bless thou the Lord O my soul. Hallelujah The observation of the peoples saying over the great Hallel at the Temple or their great Song of praise doth illustrate this The Hallel consisted of several Psalms viz. from the one hundred and thirteenth to the end of the one hundred and eighteenth and at very many passages in that Song as the Priests said the verses of the Psalms all the people still answered Hallelujah Only here is one thing of some difference from their course there for here is Amen Hallelujah ver 4. whereas It is a tradition That they answered not Amen in the Temple at all What said they then Blessed be the Name of the glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever Jerus in Beracoth fol. 13. col 3. But the promises of God which are Yea and Amen being now performed this is justly inserted as Christ for the same cause in this Book is called Amen Chap. 3. 14. The marriage of the Lamb is now come and his Wife is ready ver 7. the Church now compleated REVEL CHAP. XIX from Ver. 11. to the end of the Chapter HERE begins a new Vision as it appeareth by the first words And I saw Heaven opened and here John begins upon his whole subject again to sum up in brief what he had been upon before Observe what is said in vers 19. I saw the Beast and the Kings of the Earth and their Armies gathered together to make war against him that sate on the Horse and against his Army and observe withal that there is the story of the destruction of the Beast before Chap. 18. and of the marriage and marriage Supper of the Lamb before Chap. 19. 7 8 9. therefore the things mentioned here cannot be thought to occur after those this therefore is a brief rehearsal of what he had spoken from the twelfth Chapter hither about the battel of Michael and his Angels with the Dragon and his Angels REVEL CHAP. XX. THE preceding Section spake what
into the state of Grace must be born of the Spirit Baptism is Gods Ordinance for the former purpose and it is necessary for that end ratione praecepti and we must obey God in it The Spirit is Gods operation for the latter purpose and it is necessary ratione medii and we must attend on him in his way for it Vers. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh Christ in the former words had declared the manner of the New birth and here he speaks of its dignity comparing it with the birth-priviledge of descent from Abraham For though as to outward honour and prerogative that had something and that not a little in it yet that birth was but according to the flesh and what conduced it towards entring into the Kingdom of Heaven which was spiritual But he that is born of the Spirit is spiritual c. And thus he is still winding up Nicodemus higher from his gross and carnal apprehensions concerning the Kingdom of God and days of Messias Vers. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth c. For the clearing of our Saviours argumentation here which is somewhat obscure we are to observe these things 1. That by this comparison he goeth about both to confirm the truth of the doctrine of the New birth which he had delivered and also something to clear the manner of its being or coming to pass 2. The comparison seemeth not made between the wind and the new birth but between the wind and one anew born for observe the application So is not the birth of the Spirit but every one that is born of the Spirit yet is the application to that work it self not to be excluded The comparison therefore runneth thus As the wind blowing at its own liberty thou hearest the sound of it and so art sensible of the stirring of such a thing but knowest not how it blows or what becomes of it even so is every one that is born of the Spirit the Spirit worketh this product of the new birth in whom and when it pleaseth and he upon whom the thing is wrought findeth by the change and effects in himself that such a thing is done but he cannot tell how it is come to pass and actuated and to what progress and efficiency it will grow And so doth Christ explain to the sensual and gross understanding of Nicodemus the truth of the things that he had spoken in as plain notions as they could be uttered First He asserteth the truth and reality of the New birth a thing to be as well perceived by the fruits and consequences of it as the wind by the sound 2. That the Spirit doth work this by as free an agency and unlimited activity as the wind doth blow at its own liberty without confinement or restraining 3. That this work is inscrutable and past the fadoming of humane reason as is the way of the wind where it begins and where it terminates Vers. 10. Art thou a Teacher of Israel c. Talmud Torah or the teaching of the Law in Israel was in so high esteem amongst them and that most deservedly had they gone the right way to work that they prized nothing at a higher value nay nothing of an equal dignity with it They esteemed it the most precious of all the three Crowns that the Lord had bestowed upon Israel The Crown of the Kingdom the Crown of the Law and the Crown of the Priesthood They weighed it against any one of the Commandments nay against all the Commandments and it out weighed them all For they had this received position 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amongst all the Commandments there is not one Commandment that is parallel to the learning and teaching of the Law but that is equal to all the Commandments put together Maym. in Talm. torah per. 3. Now there were four sorts of Teachers and teaching of the Law among them 1. In every City and Town there was a School where Children were taught to read the Law and if there were any Town where there was not such a School the men of the place stood excommunicate till such a one was erected 2. There were the publick Preachers and Teachers of the Law in their Synagogues Act. 15. 21. most commonly the fixed and setled Ministers and Angeli Ecclesiae and sometime learned men that came in occasionally as Act. 13. 14. 3. There were those that had their Midrashoth or kept Divinity Schools in which they expounded the Law to their Scholars or Disciples of which there is exceeding frequent mention among the Jewish writers especially of the Schools of Hillel and Shammai Such a Divinity professor was Gamaliel Act. 22. 3. 4. And lastly The whole Sanhedrin in its Sessions was as the great School of the Nation as well as the great Judicatory For it set the sense of the Law especially in matters practical and expounded Moses with such authority that their gloss and determination was an ipse dixit a positive exposition and rule that might not be questioned or gainsaid Of this company of the great Doctors and Teachers of the Sanhedrin Nicodemus was one and it may very well be conceived that he kept a Divinity School as other of the great Doctors did and so he was doubly a Teacher of Israel and yet knew not these first principles of Religion But whether he kept a Divinity School or no as he was a member of the Sanhedrin he was in place of the highest Teachers of the Nation and this retortion that our Saviour puts upon him is parallel to that that the Apostle useth Rom. 2. 21. Thou that teachest others teachest thou not thy self §. And knowest not these things The Divinity of the Jews which they taught and heard in their Schools was as far out of the rode of such doctrine as Christ teacheth here as it is from England to Jerusalem For though some of them stuck not to say that the Law might be expounded 72 ways yet in all their Expositions the Doctrine of Regeneration and the work of Grace was little thought on or looked after To omit their manner of expounding by Rashe sophe tebhoth Gematria Notericon Atbash Kabbalah and such wild kind of commenting as was ordinary among them the best Divinity that was to be had with them was but to instruct them in carnal rites and to heighten their Spirits to Legal performances They would speak and teach indeed concerning repentance and mortification and such kind of Doctrines but all was to promote their own Legal righteousness in such things and actions the more Their Divinity that they taught and learned was generally to this tenour To build upon their birth priviledge from Abraham Mar. 3. 9. To rest in the Law Rom. 2. 17. To rely upon their own works Mark 19. 20. Luke 18. 11. Gal. 4. 21. 5. 4. To care for no other faith but historical Jam. 2. 19. To patter over prayers as efficacious ex opere operato Maym. In
curiously wrought in rich Curtains It is not fit every eye should see so rich a room therefore to prevent this the East end had a hanging like the vail within of the same dimensions and of the same materials wrought with needle This was hung upon five Pillars of Shittim wood overlaid with Gold each Pillar was fastned in a base of brass and at the top had a golden hook on which the covering hung Quest. Whether was the vail hung within the Pillars or without Answ. Without so that it hid the Pillars from the view of the people else had not the building been uniform all the Timber of the house being hid with hangings and this not Thus was the Tabernacle made with all the furniture of it Now are we to consider the outmost part of it or the Court of the people SECTION XLII Of the Court of the people THIS Fabrick of the Tabernacle was inclosed with another pale of curtains hanging round about it On the South side of the house twenty cubits distant from the house were set a row of Shittim Pillars twenty in number Each Pillar was set in a base of brass distant from each other five cubits counting from the middle of one Pillar to another So that the twenty made a length of an hundred cubits in each Pillar was struck a hook of silver and each Pillar had a border of silver wrought about it Thus were they on the South side just so were they on the North. At the West end thirty five cubits from the house were set ten Pillars in the same manner and distance making the breadth of the Court fifty cubits at either end for just in the middle the house took up ten cubits breadth just so were the Pillars set at the East end at the same distance from the house and from one another On the sides upon the hooks of the Pillars were hangings fastned made of linnen well twisted of an hundred cubits in legnth and sive in height At the West end were the like just half so long and just so high At the East end there was some difference for that had three pieces to make it up On either side of the entrance was a piece hung of fifteen cubits long and of the same height Just in the middle was a piece of twenty cubits long of the same height with the other hangings but of more rich stuff for whereas the other were made only of linnen this was of the same stuff that the rich curtains were curiously wrought with the needle To fasten these hangings that they might not flie up in the lower end there were cords fastned to them and these cords tied to brasen pins which pins were fastned in the ground and so made all sure Thus were also the curtains that covered the house served with pins of the same metal with cords fastned to them in like manner to prevent the like inconvenience So was the Court called the Court of the People because into this the people had entrance as well as the Priests and Levites SECTION XLIII Of the Altar of Burnt Offerings IN the Court of the people stood the Altar of burnt sacrifice up toward the Tabernacle that the people might stand to behold the sacrifice offered with their faces toward the holy place only the Laver stood above the Altar between it and the Tabernacle This Altar was made of Shittim wood five cubits or two yards and a half long and as much broad and one yard and a half high thus made First a strong frame like the frame of a Table of these dimensions The open places in the frame were made up with boards All this bulk was overlaid with brass at each corner was a horn made of the same wood and piece that each corner post was of Thus stood it hollow and within the hollow just in the middle between bottom and top was set a brasen grate made in manner of a net that the Ashes might fall through upon this grate the fire burnt continually and never went out At each corner of this grate was a brasen ring which at each corner came through the Altar frame and hung out of the frame in these rings were staves of Shittim wood overlaid with brass put which made the frame and the grate sure together and so were they also carried together To this Altar belonged divers appurtenances made of brass As first brasen Pans in which they carryed forth the Ashes of the Altar As also brasen shovels to scrape the Ashes together Then brasen basons wherein to take the blood of the sacrifice Brasen hooks with which they turned the burning pieces into the fire if any part lay out that so every part might be surely burnt Lastly brasen dishes or Censors in which the Priests took burning coals from the Altar to carry into the Holy place there to offer Incense SECTION XLIV Of the Laver for water IN this Court also stood a vessel of brass upon a foot or base of brass in which vessel water was kept for the Priests washing themselves c. The form of this is not expressed in the Text therefore we will look only at the matter and the end This vessel was made of brasen bright pieces which the women used to look their faces in and out of this piece water was taken when a suspected woman was to be tryed The end why this was set so nigh the Altar was that the Priests might wash themselves when they went about the Service of the Tabernacle and that they might wash some part of the Sacrifices This Laver fitly resembled the water of Baptism that admits us to sacred Mysteries and chiefly the blood of Christ that cleanseth us from all filthiness of flesh and spirit SECTION XLVI High Priests Garments NEXT unto his flesh he had a coat wrought checker work this reacht down to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heels such a coat as this each one of his Sons had Exod. 39. 27. This was made of fine linnen and it was girded to him about his loyns with a needle wrought girdle of divers colours About this he put another coat called the coat of the Ephod because the Ephod being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put upon this did gird it This coat was of all one stuff and colour namely of fine yarn dyed purple This coat he put not on after the ordinary fashion of putting on coats which were open before but this he put on like a Surpless over his head for it had a hole in the top where-through he put his head and this hole was edged about with an edging of the same stuff woven in that the hole should not rent At the skirts of this coat were made Pomegranates of linnen and woollen of divers colours and Bells of gold so that there were a Bell and a Pomegranate a Bell and a Pomegranate round about This coat was not so long as the under coat for then the Bells would have drawn on
that he saith he knew not that day and hour of the destruction of Jerusalem yea it excellently agrees with his Office and Deputation who being the Fathers Servant Messenger and Minister followed the orders of the Father and obeyed him in all things The Son knoweth not that is It is not revealed to him from the Father to reveal to the Church Revel I. 1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to him We omit enquiring concerning the Knowledge of Christ being now raised from death whether and how far it exceeded his knowledg while yet he conversed on earth It is without doubt that being now raised from the dead he merited all kind of Revelation See Revel V. 9. And they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain c. and that he conversing on earth before his death acted with the vigor of the Holy Spirit and of that unspeakable holiness which flowed from the Union of the Humane Nature with the Divine the Divine Nature in the mean time suspending its infinite activity of Omnipotence So that Christ might work miracles and know things to come in the same manner as the Prophets also did namely by the Holy Ghost but in a larger measure and might overcome the Devil not so much by the Omnipotence of the Divine Nature as by the infinite holiness of his Person and of his obedience So that if you either look upon him as the Minister and Servant of God or if you look upon the constitution as I may so call it and condition of his Person These words of his Of that day and hour knoweth not the Son also carry nothing of incongruity along with them yea do excellently speak out his substitution as a Servant and the constitution of his Person as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man The reason why the Divine Wisdom would have the time of the destruction of Jerusalem so concealed is well known to it self but by men since the time of it was unsearchable the reason certainly is not easie to be searched We may conjecture that the time was hid partly lest the Godly might be terrified with the sound of it as 2 Thes. II. 2. partly that the Ungodly and those that would be secure might be taken in the snares of their own security as Mat. XXIV 38. But let secret things belong to God CHAP. XIV VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Spikenard WHAT if I should render it Nardinum Balaninum Nardin of Balanus Nardin a a a a a a Pliny lib. 13. cap. 1. consists of Omphacium Balaninum Bulrush Nard Amomum Myrrhe Balsame c. And again b b b b b b Idem lib. 12. cap. 21. Myrobalanum is common to the Troglodytes and to Thebais and to that part of Arabia which divides Judea from Egypt a growing oyntment as appears by the very name whereby also is shewn that it is the maste of a tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as all know among the Greeks is Glans Maste or an Acorn so also is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pistaca among the Talmudists There are prescribed by the Talmudists c c c c c c Bab. Gittin fol. 69. 1. various remedies for various diseases among others this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For a Pluriâ—ie or as others will have it A certain disease of the head Take to the quantity of the Maste of Aâ—moniac The Gloss is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the maste of Cedar The Aruch saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the grain of a fruit which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glans The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nard is Hebrew from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nerd and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Syriac from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pistaca So that the Oyntment might be called Unguentum Balaninum Balanine oyntment in the composition of which Nard and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maste or Myrobalane were the chief ingredients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Poured it upon his head In Talmâ—dic Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d d d d d d Bab. Chetubh fol. 17. 2. What are the Testimonies that the woman married is a Virgin If she goes forth to be married 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a veil let down over her eyes yet with her head not veiled The scattering of nâ—ts is also a testimony These are in Judea but what are in Babylon Rabh saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If oyntment be â—pon the head of the Rabbins The Gloss is the women poured oyntment upon the heads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Scholars and anoynted them Rabh Papa said to Abai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Does that Doctor speak of the aromatic oyntment used in bridg-chambers The Gloss is Are the Rabbins such to be anoynted with such Oyntments He answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Orphan that is O thou unacquainted with the Customs Did not thy â—other pour out oyntment for you at thy wedding upon the heads of the Rabins Thus a certain Rabâ—in got a wife for his son in the house of Rabbah bar Ulla and they said to him Rabbah bar ulla also got a wife in the house of a certain Rabbin for his Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he poured out oyntment upon the heads of the Rabbins From the Tradition produced it may be asked whether it were customary in Judea to wet the heads of the Rabbins with oyntments in the marriages of Virgins as it was in Babylon Or whether it were so customary otherwise to anoynt their heads as that such an anoynting at weddings were not so memorable a matter as it was in Babylon Certainly in both places however they anoynted mens heads for healths sake it was accounted unfitting for Rabbins to smell of aromatical oyntments e e e e e e Hieros Berac fol. 11. 2. It is undecent say the Jerusalem Talmudists for a Scholar of the Wise men to smell of spices And you have the judgment of the Babylonians in this very place when it is enquired among them and that as it were with a certain kind of disatisfaction whether Rabbins be such as that they should be anoynted with aromatical oyntments as the more nice sort are wont to be anoynted From this opinion every where received among them you may more aptly understand why the other Disciples as well as Judas did bear the lavish of the oyntment with some indignation He out of wicked covetousness but they partly as not willing that so precious a thing should be lost and partly as not liking so nice a custom should be used towards their Master from which the Masters of the Jews themselves were so averse And our Saviour taking off the envy of what was done applies this anoynting to his burial both in his intention and in the intention of the woman that it might not seem to be done out
Shâ—moth rab Sect. 9. Ezekiah c. require a sign much more the wicked and ungodly Since there had been so many no less than four hundred years past from the time that the Holy Spirit had departed from that Nation and Prophecies had ceased in which space there had not appear'd any one person that pretended to the gift either of Prophesying or working miracles it is no wonder if they were suspicious of one that now claim'd the character and requir'd a sign of him VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Destroy this Temple I. CHrist sheweth them no sign that was meer sign Mat. XII 39. The turning of Moses his Rod into a Serpent and returning the Serpent into a Rod again the hand becoming leprous and restor'd to its proper temperament again these were meer signs those wonders which Moses afterward wrought in Egypt were not meer signs but miraculous judgments and those stupendous things which our Saviour wrought were not meer signs but beneficent miracles and whoever would not believe upon those infinite miracles which he wrought would much less have believ'd upon meer signs And indeed it was unbecoming our Blessed Lord so far to indulge to their obstinate incredulity to be shewing new signs still at every beck of theirs who would not believe upon those infinite numbers he put forth upon every proper occasion II. Mat. XII 39 40. when they had requir'd a sign Christ remits them to the sign of the Prophet Jonah and he points at the very same sense in these words Destroy this Temple c. That is my Resurrection from the dead will be a sign beyond all denial proving and affirming that what I do I act upon Divine authority and that I am he who is to come Rom. I. 4. further than this you must expect no other sign from me If you believe me not while I do such works at least believe me when I arise from the dead He acted here whiles he is purging the Temple under that notion as he was the authoriz'd Messiah Mal. III. 1 3. and expresly calls it his fathers house v. 16. Shew us therefore some sign say the Jews by which it may appear that thou art the Messiah the Son of God at least that thou art a Prophet I will shew you a sufficient sign saith Christ Destroy this Temple viz. of my body and I will raise it from the dead again a thing which was never yet done nor could be done by any of the Prophets VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forty and six years I. THAT this was spoken of the Temple as beautify'd and repair'd by Herod not as built by Zorobabel these reasons seem to sway with me I. That these things were done and discours'd betwixt Christ and the Jews in Herod's Temple II. That the account if meant of the Temple of Zorobabel will not fall in either with the years of the Kings of Persia or those seven weeks mention'd Dan. IX 26. in which Jerusalem was to be built even in troublous times For whoever reckons by the Kings of Persia he must necessarily attribute at least thirty years to Cyrus which they willingly do that are fond of this account which thirty years too if they do not reckon to him after the time that he had taken Babylon and subverted that Monarchy they prove nothing as to this computation at all a a a a a a Euseb. in Chronic. Cyrus destroy'd the Empire of the Medes and reign'd over Persia having overthrown Astyages the King of the Medes And from thence he reckons to Cyrus thirty years But by what authority he ascribes the Jews being set at liberty from their captivity to that very same year I cannot tell For Cyrus could not release the Jews from their captivity in Babylon before he had conquer'd Babylon for himself and this was a great while after he had subdu'd the Medes as appears from all that have treated upon the subversion of that Empire which how they agree with Xenophon I shall not enquire at this time content at present with this that it doth not appear amongst any Historians that have committed the acts of Cyrus to memory that they have given thirty or twenty no not ten years to him after he had taken Babylon Leunclavius in his Chronolog Xenoph. gives him but eight years and Xenophon himself seems to have given him but seven So that this account of forty and six years falls plainly to the ground as not being able to stand but with the whole thirty years of Cyrus included into the number Their opinion is more probable who make these forty and six years parallel with the seven weeks in Dan. IX 26. But the building of the Temple ceast for more years than wherein it was built and in truth if we compute the times wherein any work was done upon the Temple it was really built within the space of ten years II. This number of forty six years fits well enough with Herod's Temple for Josephus tells us that b b b b b b Antiq. lib. 15. cap. 14. Herod began the work in the eighteenth year of his reign nor does he contradict himself when c c c c c c De Bell. lib. â— cap. 16. he tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the fifteenth year of his reign he repair'd the Temple because the fifteenth year of his reign alone after he had conquer'd Antigonus was the eighteenth year from the time wherein he had been declar'd King by the Romans Now Herod as the same Josephus relates d d d d d d Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 10. liv'd thirty seven years from the time that the Romans had declar'd him King and in his thirty fifth year Christ was born and he was now thirty years old when he had this discourse with the Jews So that between the eighteenth of Herod and the thirtieth of Christ exclusively there were just forty six years compleat III. The words of our Evangelist therefore may be thus render'd in English Forty and six years hath this Temple been in building and this Version seems warranted by Josephus e e e e e e Antiq. lib. 20 cap. 8. who beginning the History of G. Florus the Procurator of Judea about the 11th of Nero hath this passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From that time particularly our City began to languish all things growing worse and worse He tells us further that Albinus when he went off from his Government set open all the Goals and dismist the Prisoners and so filled the whole Province with Thieves and Robberies withal that King Agrippa permitted the Levite singing men to go about as they pleased in their Linnen Garments and at length concludes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And now was the Temple finished as may be observed wherefore the people seeing the workmen to the number of eighteen thousand were at a stand having nothing to do besought the King that he would repair the Porch upon the
men were wont to wash themselves in Siloam not the Fountain but the Pool p p p p p p Midras Coheleth fol. 95. 3. Simeon Sicuensis dug Wells Cisterns and Caves in Jerusalem saith Rabban Jochanan ben Zacchai if a woman should come to thee and ask thee about her Menstrua Thou saist to her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dip thy self in this Well for the waters thereof will purifie III. Those five Porches therefore seem to be the several entrances by which the unclean went down into the waters to be washed and in which before washing they might lay up their Cloths and after it put them on again being there always protected from the rain And perhaps they had their different entrances and descents according to the different sorts of uncleanness that all those that were one and the same way defiled should have one and the same entrance and descent into the Pool That this was the first design and use of these Porches I do not at all doubt though afterward there was another use for them brought in And as to the washing of the unclean in this Pool let me also superadd this one remark That when they allowed and that of necessity because of the multitudes of unclean persons the lesser gatherings of waters viz. forty Seah's of water in a place fitted on purpose both for bredth and depth if there was no greater plenty of water then we must not suppose that they would by any means neglect the Ponds and Pools VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Angel went down at a certain season IT is hardly imaginable that these impotent people lay day and night throughout the whole year at this Pool It seems rather that the troubling of the waters and healing the sick was usual only at the solemn Feasts probably only the Feasts of the Passover And so it may not be â—miss to interpret the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with this restriction it was a Feast of the Jews and an Angel went down at that certain season into the Pool c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And troubled the water We have this Story or rather this Tale concerning a certain Fountain troubled by an evil Angel f f f f f f Vajicra rabba sect 24. It is a Story in our City concerning Abba Joses saith R. Berechiah in the name of R. Simeon that when he sate at the Fountain and required something there appear'd to him the Spirit that resided there and said you know well enough how many years I have dwelt in this place and how your selves and your Wives have come and returned without any damage done to you But now you must know that an evil Spirit endeavours to supply my room who would prove very mischievous amongst you He saith to him what must we do then He answered him and said Go and tell the Towns people that whoever hath an Hammer and an Iron Pinn or Bolt let him come hither to morrow morning and have his eyes intent upon the waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when you see the waters troubled then let them knock with the Iron and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the victory is ours and so let them not go back till they see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thick drops of blood upon the face of the waters The Gloss is By this sign it will appear that the Spirit was conquered and killed And so they rest of the Legend tells us that they did as was commanded and did not depart till they saw the thick drops of blood upon the waters Let them enjoy themselves in their doughty victory When the time was not afar off wherein there should be a Fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness Zech. XIII 1. viz. The Fountain of the blood of Christ divine Providence would have it that a thing of that inconceiveable excellency and benefit should not want some notable prognostick and forerunner And therefore amongst all the Fountains and Pools that were in Jerusalem for washing the unclean he chose the most noble and celebrated Pool of Bethesda or Siloam that in that might appear some prefiguration of his blood that should heal the world Those waters therefore that had been only cleansing before were made healing now that by their purifying and healing quality they might prefigure and proclaim that that true and living Fountain was not far off who should both purge and heal mankind in the highest degree How many years before our Saviour's suffering this miraculous vertue of the Pool discovered its self the Holy Story doth not tell us and as for the traditional Books I do not find that they once mention the thing although I have turned over not a few of their Writings if possible to have met with it From what Epocha therefore to date the beginning of it would seem rashness in us to undertake the determining Whether from the first structure of the Sheep-gate by Eliashib as some persons of great note judge or whether from the extinction of the Asmonean Family or the rebuilding of the Temple by Herod or from the Nativity of our Saviour or from any other time let the Reader make his own choice What if we should date it from that great Earth-quake of which Josephus g hath this passage About that time about the Battel of Actium betwixt â— Antiqu. lib. 15. cap. 7. Cesar and Antony the seventh year of the Reign of King Herod there was a mighty Earthquake in Judea that made an infinite slaughter of Beasts in that Country and near ten thousand people slain by the fall of Houses Perhaps in that ruine the Tower of Siloam fell of which Luke XIII 4. and what if then the Angel made his descent first into the Pool as Matth. XXVIII 2. There was a great Earthquake for the Angel of the Lord descended c. But in this matter I had rather learn than dogmatize It might be further enquired at what time it was first known that the healing quality followed the troubling of the waters but this is as dark and obscure as the former especially when the Spirit of Prophecy appearance of Angels and working of Miracles had been things so long unwonted in that Nation The Masters attribute such a kind of an healing virtue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the fountain of Miriam as they call it in the Sea of Tiberias h h h h h h Midras Coheleth 97. 2. The Story is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a certain Ulcerous Man who went down to the Sea of Tiberias that he might dip himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it happened to be the time when the Well of Miriam flowed so that he swam there and was healed They have a fiction about a certain Well that opened it self to the Israelites in the Wilderness for the merits of Miriam which at her departure disappeared They suppose also as it should seem that a certain Well or gulph in some part of the Sea
dreadful accomplishment of that denuntiation The other Texts I mentioned they shew the natural and genuine product of the Gospel They shall beat their swords into plow shares c. But when will that be Never according to universal obtaining Ever have been Wars and ever will be because ever will be Lusts. And yet these are fulfilled in the sence proposed by the Prophets viz. that God hath fully afforded means for this The Gospel hath enough in it to move men to peace but the fault is in themselves God hath not failed but men fail As it is in Rom. III. 3. What if some did not believe shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect So what if some be unpeaceable shall their divisions make the Gospel of peace of none effect So in other prophesies to make like construction Jer. XXXI 34. They shall no more teach every man his neighbour for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest It never was never will be Esa. LXV 20. There shall be no more thence an Infant of days nor an old man that hath not filled his days It never was nor will be Yet God hath accomplished what he promised He hath afforded means that it might be so Let me therefore leave this great copy of peaceableness and communion with you A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE Staffordshire-Natives At St. Mary Wolchurch LONDON Novemb. 22. 1660. S. JUDE Vers. 12. These are spots in your Feasts of Charity I Must take up that Stile and Strain of excuse to begin withal that St. Paul doth to his Countrymen about his Appeal unto Coesar I have nothing saith he to accuse my Nation of though I have been put upon it to make such an Appeal So I I have nothing Dear Country-men to accuse this your Feast of Charity of nor nothing to accuse any of that are to come to it though I have chosen these words that speak so point blank of spots that occurred in such kind of Feasts But I have fixed upon the words partly that I might speak in some kind of parity to that discourse that I made to you at our last meeting upon this occasion and chiefly that I might give you caution against such that to Feasts are spots to Charity destructive and to all meetings dangerous Who they were that our Apostle meaneth I shall clear to you by these two Observations I. That as it was foretold by the Holy Spirit in the Prophets that the best and most comfortable things that ever should accrue to the Church of the Jews should accrue to them in the last days that is of Jerusalem For so is that expression the last days in most places of Scripture to be understood So was it also foretold by the same Spirit that the worst things that ever should accrue to it should be in those last days also It was foretold that in those last days Esa. II. 2. That the mountain of the Lords house should be established in the top of the mountains and should be exalted above the hills and that all Nations should flow unto it That in those last days Joel II. 29 30 c. God would pour out his Spirit upon the servants and upon the handmaids and that he would shew wonders in the Heavens and in the Earth c. That in those last days Hos. III. 5. the Children of Israel should return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and should fear the Lord and his goodness And all other things of the greatest comfort So it was also foretold That in those last days perilous times and persons should come II Tim. III. 1. In those last days there should come scoffers walking after their own lusts II Pet. III. 3. In those last days there should be many Antichrists I Joh. II. 18. And by this we know that it is the last time Among all other the sad things that befel in those last days of Jerusalem and the Commonwealth of the Jews one of the greatest was that there was a most horrid and very general Apostacy or falling away from Faith in the most Churches of the Jews that had embraced the Gospel they turning back to their old Judaism and vain Traditions again Of this the Spirit had spoken expresly I Tim. IV. 1. Of this our Saviour had foretold in that sad application of the Parable Matth. XII 45. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none Then he saith I will return into my house from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation The Devil had been cast out of a very great part of the Nation of the Jews He thought to find rest there but found none such notable success had the Gospel of Christ found in that Nation Upon which the Devil marshalleth up all his malice strength and subtility taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself and so he at last prevails to cause a grievous defection in the People from Christianity they enter in and dwell there and their last state was worse than their first So was it with that generation Of this he had foretold Matth. XXIV 12. And because iniquity shall abound the Love of many shall wax cold Of this the Apostle speaketh II Thess. II. That before the terrible day of the Lord and his vengeance against Jerusalem for â—â— that phrase doth signifie almost continually there should be a falling away Of this you find sad footings in the Church of Galatia Gal. III. 3. IV. 9 10. of Colosse Col. II. 20. of Ephesus Revel II. 4. And indeed you may track the footing of it in all the Epistles of the Apostles II. The chief cursed promoters and procurers of this backsliding was that multitude of false Teachers of the Jewish Nation that went about pretending to have the Spirit of Prophesie and Revelation and many of them working Miracles by the power of Magick so shaâ—â—ing the minds of men and drawing them away from the Faith of the Gospel of Christ. Of these our Saviour had foretold when he foretold of the miseries that should occur in those last days of Jerusalem Matth. XXIV 24. Of these the Apostle foretold when he spake of the Jewish Antichrist for of the Jew he speaks II Thes. II. and saith he would come after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders vers 9. And of these the same Apostle speaks in that obscure place I Cor. XII 3. No man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed For divers went about pretending to the Spirit and yet cursed our Lord Jesus Mention and footing of these you may
such as I described unto you false Teachers that pretended to the Spirit and to preach and work Miracles by the Spirit And I shall discourse a little concerning the great delusion that is by pretence of the Spirit and this the rather that I may speak something like in subsequence to that I treated upon at our last Meeting Then I exhorted you to hold Communion by the example of Christ. For separation I then told you was the undoing of our Church Now I give caution against the pretence of those that Preach and Expound Scripture by the Spirit For that is the cause of Separation and hath proved the ruine of Religion And although this change of times doth seem to promise that this delusion in time will dye so that the present discourse may seem not so very pertinent yet doth that mischief now live move delude and captivate silly souls little less than it hath done all along Therefore give me leave a little to discover this delusion to you that you may not only be the better fenced against it that it do not deceive you but that you may be the better furnished to stop the mouths of those that pretend to it For the prosecuting this argument you must distinguish between the false pretence to the Spirit of Sanctification and to the Spirit of Revelation By the former men deceive themselves by the latter others They deceive themselves by conceiving they have the former because they have something like it but these deceive others by the pretence of the latter though they have nothing like it There is no grace but there is a false coin minted by the Devil to dissemble it As the Harlot takes the live-child from the unwitting mother and fosters the dead one in the room and so lyes the poor woman deceived and so the poor man is deceived and thinks he hath saving grace when t is but common and the Spirit of Sanctification when t is but the Spirit of Bondage But I shall not insist on this But proceed to the other pretence viz. to the Spirit of Revelation and Prophesie whereby these in the Text deceived others I shall not need to shew you how this hath been the great cheat in all times There were false Prophets before the captivity and false Prophets after it such pretenders almost in all times I shall strip this delusion naked and whip it before you by observing these four things I. No degree of holiness whatsoever doth necessarily beget and infer the Spirit of Revelation as the cause produceth the effect It is the first cheat that these men put upon themselves and others by concluding I am a Saint therefore I have the Spirit and I preach and expound Scripture by the Spirit whereas I say no degree of Sanctification doth necessarily beget and produce that of Revelation I clear this from the nature of the thing it self and by examples First From the nature of the thing The Spirit of Holiness and Revelation are far different therefore the one is not the cause of the other The cause and the effect have a parity and similitude one with another but these are far from being so 1. They are impartible to different subjects Holiness only to holy men the Spirit of Revelation sometimes to wicked men So it was imparted to Balaam Numb XXIII so likewise to Judas and Caiaphas 2. They are bestowed upon different ends Holiness for the good of him that hath it Revelation for the benefit of others 3. They are of different manners and operations The Spirit of Sanctification changeth the heart Paul is a Saul no more Revelation doth not Judas is Judas still 4. They are of different Diffusion in the Soul Sanctification is quite through I Thess. V. 23. Revelation only in the understanding 5. They are of different Effects Sanctification never produceth but what is good Revelation may produce what is evil Knowledge puffeth up Now see what a cheat they are in This to themselves if they believe it themselves and to others that believe it in this argumentation I am holy therefore I have the Spirit of Revelation To the further confuting of this add but two Examples 1. The first Adam He was as holy as created nature could be and yet had he the Spirit of Revelation Not the Spirit at all He was most holy yet had not the Spirit of Sanctification most full of knowledge yet had not the Spirit of Revelation but all his holiness was founded only in his nature as he was created God made him holy and left him to stand upon his own holiness and had not the assistance of the Spirit at all So he had great knowledge yet not the Spirit of Revelation either to know things to come or to know things beyond their natures and causes But 2. Consider the second Adam He was holiness it self yet had he not the Spirit of Revelation by that holiness In Christ there were two things The holiness of his person by union with the Godhead and the Indowment of the Spirit upon his person He was so holy that he was not only without sin but he was impeccable Rom. VIII 2. as we are a Law that cannot but sin so he contra Now this holiness of Christs person or nature is to a clean different end to what the guifts of the Spirit upon him were His person was so holy that he might perform the Law satisfie justice pay obedience conquer Satan But the guifts of the Spirit were to fit him for Mediatorship to cast out Devils to reveal the will of God to work Miracles to confirm that Doctrine As these differ in their ends so are they from different originals holiness from the purity of his nature indowments by extraordinary donation If he had the Spirit in extraordinary guifts of Revelation and Miracles by vertue of his holy nature why was that Spirit given so visible Matth. III. and given when he was to begin his Mediation Consider his own words Mark XIII 32. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in Heaven neither the Son but the Father Some are ashamed to confess their ignorance of any thing yet he doth it plainly For the Divine Nature in Christ acted not to the utmost of its power T is clear from this passage of Christ that by his nature he had not the Spirit of Revelation but he had it by the immediate guift of God For it pleased not God so to reveal that day and hour to him while he was here on Earth So that by this example you may see much more the fallacy of that argument I am a Saint therefore I have the Spirit of Revelation Whereas Christ himself could not say so II. The Spirit of Revelation is given indeed to Saints but means little that sence that these men speak of but is of a clean different nature The Apostle prays Ephes. I. 17. That God would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom
to hinder him from the Love of God the Believer hath Sin the World the Flesh the Devil nay Deum Visum iratum God himself when he seems to be angry yet he loves God through all these Whereas Adam fell in the first opposition 3. A Believers obedience is more excellent than Adam did or could perform Adam had no hindrance nay he was not in a condition of passive obedience A Believer obeys through poverty sadness pains nay to death it self Thus Having the Spirit speaks not perfection yet at last brings to perfection in Heaven Adam begun in perfection and grew imperfect Holiness begins and sojourns in imperfection here and ends in perfection hereafter VII Having the Spirit speaks having it for ever XIII Joh. 1. Having loved his own which were in the World he loved them unto the end The falls of them that have the Spirit as for example of Peter of David speaks not the loss of the Spirit nor the weakness of the Spirit but only the Spirits disposing Every sickness is not loss of life so every fall is not the loss of the Spirit I might illustrate this from the Spirits acting in ruling and guiding the course of nature The Spirit as Creator preserves the Universe in its being and order How In that he hath set rules in the course of nature that there should be such seasons such productions such causes to produce such effects that warmth and nearness of the Sun should cause Spring and Summer and so contra And the Spirit sits above all and gives influence So when Nature is inverted that there happen winter-weather in Summer and contra Summer-weather in Winter the Spirit is not departed from his work nor is he become weak but so disposes and that after his own Rule viz. Northern cold winds and rain to breed cold though in Summer thick cloudy air and sky warmth even in Winter So though he fails of the Rule set in regard of the seasons yet not of the Rule set of such causes producing such effects So the Spirit hath set a Rule in Course in the work of Grace that such cause produce such effect that it should be Summer or Winter with the Christian as the Sun of Righteousness is near or far off And in Winter we have not lost the Sun though he be not so near Now when the Course of Grace is inverted and man falls the Spirit is not lost but this is according to the Rule set of causes and effects care of mens ways to produce growth and comfort neglect thereof to produce failings But yet the Spirit is not quite gone from his work VIII Having the Spirit speaks not having the gift of Prophesie As some did not distinguish before concerning the Indowments of the Spirit so do others not distinguish here or at least confound Hence some will say I believe therefore I have the Spirit of prophesie Of all men I believe least they have the Spirit that boast of it But to this I shall only say two things First Did the very holiness of Christs person necessarily indue him with the Spirit of Prophesie If so then what need had he of the gift of the Spirit It is said of John Luke I. 15. That he should be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mothers womb But it is not said so of Christ. Nor was John Baptist filled with the Holy Ghost in that sense Secondly These are of so different natures that one is not the cause of the other 1. The Spirit of Sanctification is only to help our infirmities c. the Spirit of Prophesie not 2. The Spirit of Sanctification is beneficial to the person in order to his Salvation the other not 3. The Spirit of Sanctification only proves good the other may be the occasion of evil S. Pauls revelations were in danger to puff him up 2 Cor. XII 7. Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations there was given unto me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me 4. The Spirit of Sanctification changeth the heart the other not 5. It goeth through the whole soul the other not And thus I have done with the eight Observations I named which may serve as good directions for our understanding what it is to have the Spirit and what is the nature of his operations I might add more As First One may have the Spirit and not know it Secondly One may have a great measure of the Spirit and yet doubt whether he have it at all Thirdly The Spirit is not had upon courtesie of mans will but by the over-powering of Gods grace Fourthly The chief way of the working of the Spirit is to work Faith and Love and to build up Christians by Faith and Love A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARIES Cambridge June 24. 1660. 1 COR. XIV 26. How is it then Brethren When ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation let all things be done to edifying THE last time I spoke of one abuse in the Publick Assembly of this Church of Corinth and that was misjudging and misreceiving the Holy Sacrament Here in the Text is another disorder and confusedness in the exercise of the Publick Ministry from what arising uncertain but certainly ending in non-edification as the Apostle intimates by the conclusion of the verse Such confusion indeed in their business that we know not where to find them and indeed the Chapter is very hard very hard either to find out what it was they did or what it is the Apostle would have them do or whence proceeded that enormity that he doth correct We will inquire after it the best we can and keep as near as we can to the words of the Text. In it are three parts I. What to do in a certain case How is it then Brethren II. The case propounded When ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation III. The Determination given Let all things be done to edifying I. What to do in a certain case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a School-phrase and if I be not much deceived the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word used infinitely in the Talmud and in Tanchum of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word occurs a thousand times It means most commonly What is to be done in this case or May such a thing be done Either will serve here Every one hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue c. What is to be done in this case Or may we do thus and keep to this Custom The Apostle resolves the case in the end of the Verse Let all things be done to edifying And so vers 15. compared with vers 14. If I pray in an unknown Tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitful And then comes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is
and obtained life Let us now in the next place view the means of their believing II. A New Covenant was made with them They were under two Covenants in one day As Noah saw two Worlds so Adam saw an old Creation and a new As it was said of him Idem dies vidit Consulem exulem The same day saw him Consul and a banished man So the same day saw Adam under two vastly different conditions according to the tenor of the two Covenants The form of either Covenant was not exprest plainly but resulting The Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Works both somewhat obscure to him But I. The enjoyment of God was necessarily intimated in both not the enjoyment of the Creature Adam was made a reasonable Soul for this purpose II. Obedience was the way This is a Duty to God and this is the way of the enjoyment of him when we conform to God III. He saw he had now lost obedience and the power of obedience He had lost God and the power of the enjoyment of him IV. God held out one that should recover him And he 1. A root of a seed as Adam was 2. Of an infinite Righteousness and Obedience beyond Adam 3. One that should by Obedience destroy the works of the Devil for his own seed V. Adam saw no way of recovery but by trusting in him God must be satisfied he could not do it obeyed he could not obey Therefore he had no way but to cast himself on Christs obedience VI. The Covenant only held out Christ to be trusted and believed on Obedience was required even by the Law of Nature and creatureship Faith was therefore enforced because they could not perfectly obey VII The Promise given in the curse of Satan that God would put enmity between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent and that the Womans seed should bruise the Serpents head this had that effect upon them that they set themselves to defy Satan and cleave to the seed promised VIII That Mercy that created them in an instant so perfect recovered them in an instant Let us now in the third place view their condition under believing III. I. They were now representative no more as they were of mankind before the Fall They were stated in another representative Christ. Now they acted for themselves and he for them Hence their Faith was not imputed to posterity though their sin was II. They were built on another foundation than they were before Then it was on Nature Self-holiness Freedom of Will sandy foundations because changeable Now on a Rock Grace and the Righteousness of Christ. III. Now they have the Spirit of God working in them With Christ God gave his Spirit whereas before they had only natural abilities IV. Now they were under a Promise before not That Christ should break the head of the Serpent contained the promise of all good things V. They were under such Evangelical revealings that they wanted nothing needful for Salvation The Improvement of this discourse shall be in two or three Uses I. This magnifies Gods Grace to them and mankind How great is this Grace which will appear if you consider these things 1. There was as much done to provoke God for ever as was possible Compute the sin of Adam with all its circumstances 2. Here was greater Mercy than to the Angels that fell 3. Nay than to the Angels that fell not 4. Grace restored man to a better condition than he was in before We may admire all this and resolve all into Grace What comfort then is here to poor sinners Look on an Example that of St. Paul who was the chief of sinners yet Grace was exceeding abundant towards him 1 Tim. I. 14 15. He was a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious Here were sins like scarlet yet forgiven You that are under the pangs of conscience consider this Grace Thou canst not sin so hainously as Adam did if thou addest not wilfulness and impenitency nor fall so high nor damn posterity as he did and yet he obtained pardon Take one Example more There were some pardoned that Crucified the second Adam II. See the wretchedness of the sin of Devils that is beyond pardon Their unpardonableness in what lay it In these two things 1. They sinned of pride and malice Adam and Eve of ignorance and weakness Take heed of sinning proudly and presumptuously 2. They were in the state of Eternity therefore their change to evil was unchangable Man carried the plea of weakness in his nature they not III. There is the same Grace Christ Promise Covenant from the beginning A SERMON PREACHED upon 1 JOHN III. 12. Not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his Brother and wherefore slew he him Because his own works were evil and his Brothers righteous THESE words refer to vers 11. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning that we should love one another and indeed to the tenor of all John's Epistles every where exhorting to love and not to be as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his Brother He had given two marks of one not born of God vers 10. Whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother They are both here in Cain Who was so far from love and righteousness that he hated his Brother and slew him Wicked mens sins are set down that we may avoid them as Rocks 1 Cor. X. 6. These things were our Examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted But Cain's sin reads more It is the first story after the Fall And it shews I. The enmity 'twixt the seeds II. What poison Satan bad breathed into mans nature The Holy Ghost in that story bids us look on him Thou art the Man This is Man fallen Of Seth it is said Gen. V. 3. that he was begot in Adam's image here it needs not be said it is so plain In the words we have a description of the Father and the eldest son viz. the Devil and Cain I. The Devil described by a most proper denomination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wicked one II. Cain by his extraction and action He was of the wicked one and slew his Brother We will first clear these and then make some observations from them I. The denomination of the Devil That wicked one So he is stiled Matth. XII 45. Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other Spirits more wicked than himself Eph. VI. 16. Taking the shield of Faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the siery darts of the wicked So some understand that petition in the Lords Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deliver us from Evil that is the Evil one Nay Ephes. VI. 12. the Devil is called Wickedness in the Abstract We wrestle c. against spiritual wickedness in high places First He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉