ver 1 2 3 4 5. c. That was a prophane Feast and had its End even in great Discontent ver 12 c. But this is an Holy Feast having not only good Chear but also good Company and good Discourse yea and the King himself present at the Table Cant. 1.12 And this Feast doth last longer than that of an hundred and Eighty Days yea and ends with Joy and Comfort yea 't is a Feast without any End it lasts for ever to wit unto all Ages and Generations this Calf lasts long N. B. There be formal Provisions now indeed in some places among formal Professors and Worshippers of God in forms only that seems to be Food but are not really so they feed upon the Skin of this fatted Calf only But to all such as Worship God in Spirit and Truth John 4.23 24. The flesh of this fatted Calf is Meat indeed and his Blood is Drink indeed John 6.55 Those do dwell in Christ and Christ in them ver 56. Here is mutual Complacency on the one part Christ Rejoycing in the Habitable parts of his Earth Prov. 8.31 And Delighting in his People Isa 62. ver 4. And on the other part his People Delighting themselves in the Lord Ps 37.4 Zech. 9.9 as they are round about God Ps 76.11 And a People near to him Ps 148.14 Revel 4.4 and both Eat and Drink in his Presence Luke 14.15 Say with Peter 't is good being here for us Matth. 17.4 He spake nothing of Building a Tabernacle for himself as he did for his Master and for Moses and Elias no he could have been content to lie out of Doors so he might but partake of the grace and glory of Christ Oh then let us Account God lets down a whole sheetfull of Dainties to us in his Gospel Ordinances as he did for this same Peter Acts 10.13 That Sheet was taken up into Heaven again ver 16. But only that it might be let down again to us Daily Therefore the Father saith here Let us Eat and be Merry ver 23. Luke 15. Fourthly The Cooks for Dressing this Feast upon the fatted Calf are Gospel Preachers and Pastors Ministers are compared to most necessary Matters as to Bread Salt Light Water Physick c. As here in this Parable to Cooks 't is the Cursed Jews that were as Servants to the Secret Will of the Father in killing this fatted Calf so Godly Ministers are indeed Servants to the Revealed Will of him in Cooking and Dressing this fatted Calf that True Penitents may feed and feast upon him Ministers must not be as Cooks in this Sense as sometimes they Dress Meat for others and do not partake of any part of it themselves but they must Preach Jesus Christ Acts 5.42 and 17.3 From their own Experiences of that savour and sweetness they themselves have found in him saying What our Eyes have seen what our Ears have heard and what our Hands have handled do we declare unto you 1 John 1.2 3. Those are the Cooks that make the most Savoury Meat for the Souls of their Hearers saying to them as Jacob did Gen. 27.19 Arise and eat of my Venison that your Souls may bless me This is the way to raise up Seed to our Elder Brother the neglect whereof may cause God to spit in our Faces Deut. 25.9 Yet must we know there is Cura officii the Care of Duty and Cura Eventus the Care of Success Now the Office or Duty may be faithfully performed yet not prove successful as Isa 49 4. My Work is with God though I have laboured in vain c. Such Ministers as God makes Fathers of Spiritual Children cannot but be careful Cooks to nourish up with the best Food those they have begotten by the Gospel otherwise they would be worse than Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 Yea Soul starvers and God will Require their Blood at careless Watchmens Hands Ezek. 3.18 19. As Laban made Jacob Answer for all lost Gen. 31.39 Fifthly The Guests invited to this Feast are such as this Son was who came to himself Luke 15.17 Who Repented of his sin and returned to his Father ver 18 19. whom his Father Kissed ver 20. and to whom his Father gave a Robe for his Back a Ring for his Hand and Shooes for his Feet we may not come to this Feast to Jesus with Old Shoes as the Gibeonites did to Joshua Jos 9.5 We cannot persevere and hold out to the end if our shoes be patched with our own Righteousness Christ is our All c. These Christ calls Friends c. Cant. 5.1 and John 15.14 15. Abraham is called three times the Friend of God 2 Chron. 20.7 Isa 41.8 and Jam. 2.23 So are the Sons and Daughters of Abraham and the Beloved Disciple John leaned upon his Lords Bosom at the Supper John 13.23 25. and 21 20. Oh! That we could do so at the Lords Supper where a Sancta crapula a free and full feeding and feasting upon the fatted Calf is Holily expected We should come to an Ordinance as Leviathan to Jordan Job 40.23 as if we could drink it all up Christ commands his Friends to fall on Lustily and his Beloved to Drink abundantly Cant. 5.1 Till they be filled with the Spirit Eph. 5.18 Yea and Holily drunk with Loves John 2.10 Cant. 7.12 The Angel bad Elijah Eat two Meals together and feed heartily because his Journey was too great for him 1 Kin. 19.6 7. And he went in the Strength of that double Meal fourty Days ver 8. but our Journey is greater c. We must fetch hearty Draughts the Deeper the Sweeter and we must pray that our Spiritual Food may be turned in Succum Sanguinem into Juice and Blood that we may lift up our feet and go lustily as Jacob did after was refreshed with his Vision of the Ladder Gen. 28.12 29.1 Sixthly The Master of this Feast is the Father of the Family Thus God is the Father of the Families of Israel Jer. 31.1 9. and Mal. 2.10 In the Peace-offering under the Law all the Fat was the Lords as before the People must not in any wise eat it Levit. 3.16 17. So the lean part belongeth to them as before but Blessed be God that his Gospel hath amended the Peoples Commons in putting his fat part unto our lean part making us a Feast of fat things full of Marrow and a Feast of Wines on the Lees well Refined Isa 25.6 The Gospel lets down from Heaven a great Sheetfull of all manner of Dainties Flesh and Fowl Acts 10.11 12. This was done thrice to Peter and then the Vessel was received up again into Heaven ver 16. on purpose that it might be let down again where God hath any Hungry Children as Peter was ver 10. Met together to Worship him with their Spirits in the Gospel of his Son Rom. 1.9 God now in the Gospel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 't is said of Job who would not Eat his Morsell
Tumult against him Those carnal men whose gain was their God which they adored and their Godliness too soon took fire at this spark and speech began tumultuously to defend their wicked Trade Covetousness as it self is Idolatry Col. 3.5 so it upholds Idolatry as here under a pretence of piety where there is Utility Men think there is piety The Papists are sound in those points that touch not upon their profit as in the Doctrine of the Trinity c. The eleventh Remark is 'T is the Lot and Portion of Gospel-Preachers and professors to be loaded with Accusations by the Adversaries thereof set on by the Accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12.10 as here in order to get them condemned and executed for their Supposed Sacriledge and Blasphemy N.B. No better tendency had Demetrius's Invective Oration to his Fellow-artificers verse 26 27 28 c. To those he urgeth many Arguments As 1st That of Profit which Paul's preaching against our Gods made with hands hath already greatly damnified Our Patent and Monopoly for the Manufacture of making Silver Medals will soon be insignificant Our Trade will quickly be under disgrace and die This was the Achilles or most Cogent and Pungent of all his arguments hath not Paul's preaching Intrenched upon their profit in all probability he would not have been so much concerned as to have stirred out of Doors against it N.B. Thus Erasmus wittily told the Elector of Saxony that the principal Reasons why Luther was so much set against by the Romanists was Because he meddled with the Pope's Tripple Crown and the Monks fat Panches 2dly He added to his Argument of profit a pretence of piety Not only are we like to lose our Trade and Liveli-hood but our Religion also our Goddess Diana will be despised our Temple its worship will be lessened yea levelled by their light of the gospel this is madea great aggravation by those Idolatrous worshippers how much more by those who worship God in spirit truth seeing they have a more sure word for their foundation 3dly He inforces another leading motive from the Universality and common consent of worshippers as well as pretended Antiquity hereby he easily heated the Rabble's blood and heaved them into an hideous outrage as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 28. signifies so that never Examining the truth of the case cause they put it to popularity and to a Tumultuous uproar and outcrys crying for two hours together N.B. which was more painful than to hear a Sermon so long yet most hearers think that too long to hear verse 28 and 34. great is Diana of the Ephesians to shew their abhorrency of Paul's preaching down their Grand Idol which they were resolved to perpetuate in her splendour and glory against the Gospel and in this Hurly-burly and confusion of the whole City wherein the greater part as in all popular Tumults knew not wherefore they were come together ver 32. and 't is well if it be better among the multitude of common hearers in Publick Church-assemblies Gaius and Aristarchus the two companions of Paul were caught hold of and carry'd in an Hurry to their great Theatre where their plays were seen their Orations heard and their Malefactors tryed and punished for which end these two Fellow-Travellers of Paul were Hurryed vers◠29. The twelfth Remark is Divine providence can never be enough adored seeing God works Deliverances for his Servants in danger one way or other sometimes by their Friends and sometimes by their Foes made to become Friends as here from v. 29. to the 41. N.B. To say nothing of the deliverance of Gaius and Aristarchus out of that Eminent Danger they were involved into when caught hold of by the Rude rabble and pushing headlong into the Theatre to which they all rushed with one accord Verse 29. because the Scripture speaks nothing expresly how these two were delivered out of their violent and murdering hands yet is this therein necessary implyed because the Scripture doth mention how after this uproar Gaius and Aristarchus did accompany Paul into Asia Acts 20.4 again mention is made of Gaius as Paul's Host and the host of the whole Church Col. 4.10 and of Aristarchus twice after this once as Paul's Fellow-Passenger at Sea and Shipwrack Acts 27.27 and again as Paul's Fellow-prisoner Rom. 16.23 N.B. So that 't is manifest these two Good Ministers who are supposed to be the Messengers of the Churches mentioned 2 Cor. 8.18 19 23. were not now torn in pieces by the outragious rabble of those Insolent Idolaters in this Tumult N.B. But Paul's deliverance out of the most Imminent Danger is expresly Illustrated by the Holy Ghost in three Eminent Circumstances The first is when Paul would have entered in among this rude Rabble not only the Disciples suffered him not for the life of him from whom they had received the Faith was more dear to them than their own a blessed pattern for good people to preserve their Pastors verse 30. but also some of the chief of Asia supposed to be Heathen Priests who usually were Masters of those plays and shows in honour of their Idol-Gods or Princes of the Country do add to the Disciples intreaties their requests sent to him not to adventure himself among such an inraged Rabble such an head-strong ungovernable company that bellua multorum Capitum the beast with many heads or mad multitude verse 31. Whether these chief men who sent this saving Message to Paul were Princes or Priests it matters not However it was a mighty work of God's Providence in over-ruling those Heathens hearts and inclining them to countenance and favour persecuted Paul though these men were bad enough especially if as Beza saith they were such Idolatrous Priests as composed Stage-plays for their deified Diana yet the Father of Spirits made them shew some good affections towards Paul if not towards the Christian Religion The same God who made many Legal Priests obedient to the Faith Acts 6 7. might make these Idolatrous Priests thus far obedient also Christ can either find or make Friends to his Gospel and Ministers even among the worst of their Foes N.B. The second Circumstance was that of Alexander verse 33 34. whom some suppose to be the same man of whom Paul complains in his 2 Tim. 4.14 15 16. That he did him much wrong upon these three Grounds 1. That Paul wrote this Epistle to Timothy who was then at Ephesus c. 2. That same Alexander was of Demetrius's calling a Copper-Smith for they made Copper-Shrines of Diana and her Temple for the poor to buy as well as Silver ones for the Richer sort 3. This Alexander was an Ephesian N.B. But others Judge him to be another of that name yet a Disciple of Paul's at the first for which the mad Mobile caught him and carried him to the Theatre c. However all agree that he was a Jew because the Jews pushed him forward to make a Vindication of their
not so bad as to live without a Calling in the World Of this before at large The second Divine Truth Moses teacheth in this History is That every Man beside his particular Calling must mind his general Calling also There be some Atheistical Persons that stick not to say Let those that have leisure from secular Employs such as Church-men are attend upon the Service of God such as have nothing else to do let them Pray Hear Read and mind Matters of Religion we have other things to heed and to trouble our Head withal we must not Neglect our Callings Dare such Men make themselves worse than Cain who though he had his Calling yet could he as well as Abel set some time apart for the Service of God And so ought all Men to do the particular Calling must not justle out the general for the former is sanctified by the latter as Gen. 24.13 27. Psal 90. last 1 Cor. 10.31 The Duties of our general Calling are to help us in the Duties of our particular as Christs being in the Temple among the Doctors was not any hinderance to him from going home to be subject to his Parents Luke 2.46 51. There is a proper Season for both and every thing is beautiful in its peculiar Season Subordinate things are not contrary but may and must consist together Christs conversing in the Temple rather qualified him for than obstructed him in his filial Subjection so our conversing with Christ in the Temple in ways of Religion which is our general Calling as Gods Servants must make us return home better Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants Ministers People in all the Duties of our particular Calling we lose that sanctifying Influence of Sermons Suppers Sabbaths when we do not carry home some more sweetness of Spirit to our Relations from them than we brought with us to them As the Merchant going out in a Morning about his Merchandizing if he meet with some bad Bargain or disappointment in his Traffick and Trading he returns home in so morose an Humour that none of his Family can please him no not though they all do their Duty so to do but if on the contrary this same Merchant meet another Morning with some brave Bargains that will advance his Estate and fill his Coffers Oh with what Candour and sweetness of Spirit doth he return home then is he all Honey and Love no Action no Relation can displease or disoblige him he takes all things that are done by the right Handle and putteth a most Candid Construction even upon Deeds done amiss to himself yea carries sweetly to all all that day unless or until another bad Bargain happen in losses and crosses to unhinge his Spirit again and to make him uneasie in himself Just so it is with a Christian that Spiritual Merchant Mat. 13.45 Let him go out in a Morning to the Ordinances of God if he there meet with a purchase of the Pearl of price Oh what an Heart-changing and a Life-changing Work is wrought upon that Man he may then say Ego non sum ego I am not the same Man I was as one once said to his tempting Curtizan he returns home filâ—'d with meekness and lowliness which he hath learnt from Christ by his conversing with him in his Ordinances Mat. 11.28 29. But if any return home from Gods Worship with sourness of Spirit 't is an Infallible Evidence that they have made no good Bargains for their Souls at that time for 't is an undeniable truth that the Duties of our general Calling should better dispose us for the Duties of our particular Callings No Man is Born principally to serve himself in his particular Calling but his God and himself in Subordination to God and so the particular Calling must be Subordinate to the general and Prayer which is a duty of the general Calling must every Morning fetch down a Blessing upon the Duties of the particular Yea 't is not enough to pray for Gods Blessing upon our Labours in the Morning only and so walk with a carnal careless frame of Heart all the day in our worldly Affairs no but we should drive on the Trade of godliness as well as our own Trades in holy Ejaculations all the day long so shall we be both in Gods fear and in Gods favour all the day Prov. 23.17 and this is dividing aright for God He is a wise Merchant indeed that can drive a Trade in both Indies but he is wiser that can drive on his particular Calling on Earth and his general in Heaven Those two Sons of Adam are mindful of both those Trades and Callings and their practice is for us a pattern as is apparent from those particulars 1. Cain and Abel lived not in the State of Innocency but in that of the Fall as we do Had Man never sinned God expected some solemn Service from him how much more needful is our serving God since the Fall for testifying our Repentance and for Sueing out our Pardons and for seeking Reconciliation with God from whom we have faln and with whom we have faln out even into an enmity against him Rom. 8.7 Col. 1.21 These two Sons of Adam were in the same State we are in the faln State and what they did for recovery out of that State we ought likewise to do the same 2. This Service of theirs was after the promise of Christ in the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 that first Gospel which ever was Preached so 't was Gospel-service which Cain and Abel performed here and surely Evangelical Duties concern us as well as them yea us more than them seeing Christ was only promised to them but he is manifested to us and preached to all Nations therefore we should abound in our Religious Service more than they 3. This Service of Cain and Abel was before Moses long before the Law so it doth not concern the Jews only but us Gentiles also even all Men in general to the end of the World This Service of those two Sons Adam was a natural Duty long before it was written in the Moral Law was a Law written in their Hearts to acknowledge Gods Soveraignty over them and their Dependency upon him Rom. 2.15 so that none of Adam's Off-spring can plead exemption from this natural Duty but all Jews and Gentiles that have been are or shall be are equally bound by the very Law of Nature to this Moral Duty of some Spiritual Service and Worship to God 4. And Lastly This Service of theirs was done per modum Sacrificii by way of Sacrifice and so it representeth to us the great Sacrifice for sin to wit Christ upon the Cross and it also remindeth us of all those Spiritual Sacrifices which we must offer up to God in Gospel-times to wit the Sacrifices of a broken Heart and of a contrite Spirit bleeding for sin Psal 51.17 yea and Sacrifices of praise our Thank-offerings to God for his providing us such a Saviour Psal
Baal exceedeth a better zeal for the true God yea and Cain's zeal as bad as he was outvies the zeal of too many that neither have a Sheaf nor a Sheep for Gods Worship oh how most men abuse those words of Christ I will have mercy and not Sacrifice spoke in reference to Gods tenderness to his Creatures yet they misconstrue it in favour of their own penuriousness saying they must rather have mercy on themselves and their purses than be at too much cost in Sacrificing to the Lord Mat. 9.13 The fourth property of their Service is There was unity in their Worship As they were Twins in their Births so they were Twins in their Offerings There was an Harmony and happy Conjunction in both Cain did not Build one Altar and Abel another but one serv'd both they both Offer'd in one place and at one time yea and the place is supposed to be that very place as is aforesaid where Solomon Built the Temple Hence observe It makes much for the Honour of Religious VVorship when 't is perform'd in the Spirit of Unity The first Inference is Oh let it not be told in Gath nor published in Askelon that there is Altar against Altar and Prayer against Prayer amongst Professors in our Day The Apostle presseth to Unity with many Arguments Eph. 4.3 4 c. We have all one Faith and we have all one Father we be all Sons of one Man as Gen. 42.11 or rather of one God why should we fall out by the way in our going home to our fathers house Gen. 45.24 'T were certainly a great happiness if all Professors could serve God after one manner but this as one saith potitùs optandum quà m sperandum est may rather be desired than expected for Divisions must be Luke 12.51 1 Cor. 11.19 and no unity of faith can be had until we all come to the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ Eph. 4.13 There is a wonderful variety of faces and voices amongst Mankind yet as it doth most marvellously set off the Wisdom of the Creator so it doth not destroy Humane Society in the Creation but consists well together and is very useful for distinction of Persons one from another Thus also opinionum varietas opinantium unitas non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the variety of Professions and Unity of Professors may well enough consist together without breach of Peace The second Inference is Yet Unity without Verity is not Unity but Conspiracy There is no true Concord but in Truth That is no right means which destroys the proper end Those are bad means that are destructive to a good end That Contention which promoteth Holiness is better than that Peace or Unity which would destroy it but Unity against God and Holiness is as two sticks becoming one in the Devils Hand not in Gods as Herod and Pilate united against Christ we must not part with Truth for Peace that is a buying Gold too dear We are bid to follow peace with all men Heb. 12.14 But 't is only usque ad Aras so far as will consist with Holiness as that place sheweth The third Inference is That narrow Principles undo Unity could we but own and embrace Saints as Saints 't would much advance it but this loving our own Image better than Christs cuts the very Staff both of Bands and of Beauty Zech. 11.7 10.14 And we verily do no less than love our own Image better than Christs if we can love only those of our own Opinion and not others of another Perswasion though the Image of Christ shine forth never so convincingly in them The fifth Property 'T was equally a solemn Service by way of Sacrifice both these Sons paid their Homage to their Maker the one in a Sheaf and the other in a Sheep Hence observe Holy Sacrifices and Services have been tendered and rendered up to the great God in all Ages of the VVorld by the Church of God Adam Noah Moses David c. all Offer'd Sacrifices and attended upon Gods Service Sacrificium quass sacrum factum a Sacrifice is a sacred Fact solemnly performed by the Creature to the Creator and the Solemnity of this Service consists in four Respects 1. As the Sacrifice was a real acknowledgment of Gods Soveraignty over the Sacrificer Isa 16.1 Even Moab it self should send a Lamb to the Ruler of the VVorld And Psal 118.27 Because God is the Lord therefore bind the Sacrifice 2. As it was a sad Remembrancer of the Sacrificers sin to wit that he deserv'd to be Burnt as his Burnt-offering was even in Everlasting Burnings Hence the sin of the Sacrificer was transmitted to his Sacrifice by laying his Hand upon the Head of the Beast Thus God laid upon Christ the iniquities of us all Isa 53.6 as they transfer'd their sins upon their Sacrifice 3. As it was a solemn protestation of their Faith in Christ whom all their Sacrifices did prefigure as he was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the VVorld Revel 13.18 Abel's Lamb and Moses Paschal Lamb were but Types of that Antitype the Lamb of God who was to take away the sins of the VVorld John 1.29 36. All their Sacrifices were stays to their Faith in Christ Thus Abel Offered his Lamb in Faith Heb. 11.4 His Sacrifice was not only a Confession of his demerit of Death for his sin but 't was also a Profession of his Faith in Christ whereby his Death he deserved was transferred upon his Head Christ who died for him Alas every Man hath eaten Forbidden Fruit and must die for it either by himself or by his surety either our Blood or Christs must go for it and 't is not enough that Christs Blood be shed for us unless it also be sprinkled upon us Heb. 9.19 21. and 10.22 for cleansing our Consciences 4. As it was also an Offering of Thankfulness those Sacrifices were Eucharistical as well as Propitiatory Thank-offerings as well as Sin-offerings VVhat shall I render saith David Psal 116.12 He had nothing to give 't was but a render and he had nothing good enough to render unto God c. Enquiry Why have we no such Sacrifices under the Gospel no such Ceremonies as they had under the Law Answer the first They were all Carnal Ordinances during the date of the Pedagogy of Moses and until the time of Reformation by Christ Heb. 9.10 11. Therefore such as would introduce the Abrogated Jewish Ceremonies may at the same Door bring in the Abrogated Jewish Sacrifices also as Tilham did Circumcision c. first in England and then in Germany and thereby put such a chargeable heavy Yoke in Offering Sheep and Oxen c. upon Christs Disciples which neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear Acts 15.10 much less we And if those very Ceremonies which were of Gods own ordaining be not to be observed much less those of poor Mans devising Surely God respects his own more than Mans by much Gal.
Mark 7.37 Now let us consider the congruity betwixt the Type and the Antitype 'twixt the Ark and the Church 1. As the Ark. so the Church hath but one Door to wit Christ John 10.7 9. There is no way to be saved from the Eternal Deluge of Divine Wrath but by entring in at this Door Acts 4.12 Isa 43.11 2. As by this one Door all Creatures entred clean or unclean of all sorts so by this one Faith Eph. 4.4 in Christ both the Jews and the Gentiles yea all sorts of Persons and Nations enter into the Church 3. As the Door of the Ark took in the greater and the lesser Cattel So Christ is the Door both for Pastor and for People to enter into the Church therefore Christ calls himself the Door twice over upon this account John 10.7 9. 4. As the Door of the Ark was wide enough to take in the most over-grown Creatures as above So Christ is a Door wide enough to let in to the Church the greatest and most over-grown sinners Such as Manasseh who defied God murdered Men and worshipped Devils and Mary Magdalen who had seven Devils cast out of her though they be swoln up with sin as big as Elephants Christ will in no wise cast them out upon their coming to him by Faith and Repentance John 6.37 5. As the Door of the Ark did let out as well as in from Bondage to Liberty So Christ is such a Door of going out as well as in John 10.7 9. out of the Sheep-fold into the Pasture where they shall feed daily and daintily as Psal 23. quite through yea and at last out of the Kingdom of Grace into the Kingdom of Glory 6. As this Door was in the lowest Story of the Ark at the very bottom of it that so the shortest-legg'd Creature might easily enter So Christ is a Door that is placed very low even in the very Foundation hence is he call'd the Foundation Stone for stooping so low to bear us up Isa 28.16 and so may be called the Foundation Door where the shortest-legg'd Believer may easily step in and enter even the poor in spirit which is the lowest Round in the eight Beatitudes Matth. 5.3 7. As the Scoffers in that Day were smitten with Blindness not unlike to those Sodomites Gen. 19.11 so that they groped to find the Door but could not So concerning this Door Christ by which both People enter into the Church and Pastors unto the People Alas what groping-work do we behold in the World Many are so smitten with Blindness that they miss the Door and make ways of their own besides the Door 8. As many Beasts went in unclean and came out unclean at this Door yet not too many for it was the Appointment of God to preserve them in their kind But alas too many unclean Hypocrites come in pretending at this Door into the Church and go out as unclean as they went in but their last Doom is Depart from me I know you not Matth. 7.22 9. Suppose any of those Old-World-Scoffers when they saw the Floud came in earnest upon them would have by many Intreaties and Bounces at the Door made their entrance yet after God had shut the Door there was no entring nor climbing up though the Jewish Fable say The Giant Og saved himself by getting astride upon the Ark which many no doubt at the last endeavoured So there be too many at this Day such foolish Virgins that perswade themselves they have yet long to live and some more fair Summers to see that there is no such haste but hereafter may be time enough c. Thus they keep dallying and delaying until the Door he shut Matth. 25.10 The wise Virgins wait for the Bridegroom who they well knew would not wait their leisure and that opportunity is head-long if once lost 't is irrecoverable This the foolish Virgins found true who came all too late v. 11. Trifling about Had I wist and suturing their Repentance till they fool away their Salvation Though they then come Bouncing at the Door crying presumptuously Lord Open open yet are they shut out for ever with a Dreadful Sentence such as will not only make their Ears tingle but their Heart-strings crack and their very Hearts break asunder Matth. 7.22 29. Luke 13.25 26. 10. As this Door was shut by God himself and therefore was it well shut as before yea so well that though it being in the lowest Floor of the Ark was under Water a whole twelve-month all the time of the Floud yet the great God had with so much power wisdom and goodness so shut up the Door and shut Noah in Gen. 7.16 that it sprang not one Leak all that long time to endanger the sinking of the Ark. This may teach us That 1. In cases of necessity we need not question but our God whom we sincerely serve will shew all readiness to do to us any good Office as he did to Noah here in shutting the Door after him so long as we retain our Integrity as Job did Job 27.6 and be found Righteous in our generation as Noah was Gen. 7.1 And 2. It teacheth us that seeing there is the Door of our Mouths and the Door of our Hearts Psal 141.3 Rev. 3.20 we should all intreat the Lord to be the Key-turner to us for both these Doors as he was to Noah Oh! thrice happy are they who have their God to shut and open for them both these Doors and which should never be shut or open'd but when God would have them so We must pray with David Lord keep the door of my lips and of my heart too open it for thy self and for thy Son and Spirit but shut it and keep it shut against Sin and Satan If God shut the Door the sinking water of sin cannot leak into the Soul and upon this very account we have need to be pitch'd or plaistered within and without as the Ark was Gen. 6.14 Exod. 2.3 to make us close and tight the Hebr. word Copher signifies to cover from whence our English word comes intimating how every hole seam and cranny should be covered with Plaister to make it impenetrable This God could have done without such means but God will have Man to use Means where he doth not promise Miracles Blessed are they that are plaistered over with the Merit and Spirit of Christ The Merit of Christ keeps out the waters of Gods Wrath and the Spirit of Christ keeps out the waters of the Devils Wrath to wit Temptations to sin c. The 5. Remark in the Ark is The several Stories and Orders of its Cells for containing every Creature The Stories were three answering 1. The three Rooms both in the Tabernacle and in the Temple to wit the Outward Court the Holy Place and the Most Holy 2. The three Diversities in the Church 1. Diversities of Gifts 1 Cor. 12.4 2. Diversities of Administrations v. 5. 3. Diversities of Operations v. 6.
Parents learn from hence to further and not to hinder their Children in the good ways of God Honour is the Reward of the former but Dishonour if no more of the latter The second Choice Remark or Mystery is Though Children be hindred by their Parents from following the Lord fully as Numb 14.24 yet must they not cast off that Duty the Fifth Commandment enjoins them to honour them c. God in many cases requireth Mercy rather than Sacrifice Parents may stand in more need of Childrens Mercy sometimes than God can of their Sacrifice at any time Mat. 9.13 c. The Scripture teacheth that Children should nourish their Parents in their old Age Gen. 47.12 Ruth 4.15 and 1 Tim. 5.4 c. yet the old Pharisees did by their Corban or Devoted things License Children to deny their Parents any further Succour Mark 7.11 12. The same our new Pharisees the Papists do who say That a Monk may not leave his Consecrated Cloyster to relieve his Father but must rather see and suffer him to die for Hunger in the Streets Lyra that Famous English Jew but an Arrant Papist as most were then in the Thirteenth Century hath these words Filius per professionem in Religione factam à parentibus subveniendo excusatur As if a Son Consecrated to God might be excused to do execrable things to Parents Thus they do Ungod as it were God himself and make his Fifth Commandment of no Effect such are of their Father the Devil rather than of Abraham's John 8.44 who nourish'd his old Father in Haran till he died and would not leave or lurch him though under a pretence of his Call to Canaan No Child of Abraham should leap over such a Block as a Parent in his way but should wait as Abraham did at Haran till God remove it out of the way The third Choice Remark or Mystery is Mans Heart needeth many pulls from Gods hand before Man can compleat his Obedience to God Here God gives Abraham two calls or pulls before he pull'd him to the Land of Promise The first pull bringeth him only from Ur to Haran there he setleth and gathereth much Goods Gen. 12.5 Thus Sampson follow'd his Parents till he met with the Hony-comb Judg. 14.8 9 10. So doth the Dog his Master until he meet with some Carrion Though these simile's suit not with Abraham yet they do with too many Professors that Would seem to be the Sons of Abraham Gods second pull at this Holy Patriarch Abraham was an effectual pull it brought him to Gods Foot Isa 41.2 it brought him from Haran to Canaan because he was both called and chosen The fourth Choice Remark or Mystery in the History is As Abraham was call'd 1. From Ur which Hebr. signifies Fire And 2. From Haran or Charan which Hebr. signifies Wrath so God calleth every Child of Abraham from the Fire of Hell and from the State of Nature whereby all are Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 He plucks us as Brands out of the Fire Zech. 3.3 and pulleth us out of the Fire Jude ver 23. as the Angel pulled Lot out of the Fire of Sodom Thus by Grace such as are Born Vessels of VVrath are made Vessels of Mercy The fifth Mystery in the History is As Abraham was call'd from his Fathers House as well as from an Idolatrous Countrey so are all the Children of Abraham call'd to come out of Babylon Revel 18.4 that Land of Graven Images Jer. 50.38 God maketh a Proclamation that his Children should make haste hence and Home Zech. 2.6 Ho Ho Come forth Get ye away this is not your rest for it is polluted Mic. 2.10 See Isa 48.20 and Jer. 50.8 and 51.6 and 45. This Literal Babylon was the Chief City of the Chaldees from whence Abraham was called and his Children are called from their Fathers House as he was Luke 14.26 c. when it stands in Competition with Gods Command as that Noble Italian Marquess Galeacius told his Popish Father solliciting him to Apostacy that his Body and Estate were his Fathers but his Conscience was the Lords All Carnal Respects must be subject to the Spiritual and all Carnal Relations must be bewailed Deut. 21.11 12. yea and relinquished Psal 47.10 So shall their Souls become Christs Spouses and the King Delight in their Beauty ver 11. Give any thing of Man but nothing of God for peace The sixth Mystery in the History Chaldea was an Idolatrous Countrey which Worshipp'd Fire as a God as the word Ur signifies because possibly they had seen Coelestial Fire come down from God to consume the Sacrifices of the Patriarchs and thereupon they would Worship that Element The Jewish Fable is false that Abraham was cast into the Fire or Ur because he would not Worship Fire as a God in the days of Nimrod but was saved by his Faith But 1. He was not Born in Nimrod's Time 2. Then Moses or Hebrews 11. or Ecclesiasticus the 45th or Josephus or Philo would have Recorded it all writing of Abraham's Faith and Life But God brought Abraham from this Fire-worshipping place and acquaints him with himself who is devouring and consuming Fire Isa 33.14 Heb. 12.29 Thus men place their Worship upon a wrong Object when they adore as well as admire the Fire of their own Zeal or Fervency of Spirit instead of God from whence those Flames do flow Isa 4.4 and Acts 2.2 3 c. The seventh Mystery or Remark in this History is Divine Vocation and Adoption floweth wholly and solely from Free Grace Nimrod's Church as one saith had almost swallow'd up Abraham Speciosa Chaldaeorum Superstitione erat inductus sed non seductus while he was young serving other Gods as well as Nahor and Terah who as some Rabbins say got his living by Making and Selling of Images Yet out of this Root so Idolatrous both on Father and Mothers side the whole stock of Israel sprang to be an Adapted people to God and in Covenant with him Therefore to humble this people God minds them of the Rock from whence they were hewed Isa 51.1 and telleth them their Father was an Hittite and their Mother an Amorite Ezek. 16.3 and upon this account some think Abraham is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ungodly Rom. 4.5 as he was at first an Idolater until God call'd and justified him Abraham's Fore-fathers were the Builders of the Tower of Babel they were but newly come down from Mount Ararat whereon Noah's Ark rested into the Plains of Shinar Gen. 10.2 20 21. and Gen. 11.2 where it appeareth that Seventy Families were Born to Noah's three Sons whence the Antients currently concur that the Nations were afterwards distinguished by so many Tongues and Countreys Gen. 10.32 Note here 1. Though the World was newly wash'd with the Floud yet Chaldea was notoriously Idolatrous in Building Babel c. 2. Cursed Cham had a more numerous Off-spring and more sweetly situated than his two better Brethren Shem and Japhet who
place or private corner which had been a little more tolerable but it must be upon an open Theatre a publick Stage upon a Mountain in the sight and view of the World 11. This perplexed Patriarch as he might not consult with his own reason which certainly would have put him to a stand so he must not consult with his own Wife though she had an equal interest in Isaac who might haply have hung about his neck and hindered him as Zipporah did Moses to the hazarding of his life Exod. 4.24 25. 12. But the greatest conflict of all was that the Messiah was promised to come of Isaac and so the Salvation of the World did seem to perish in Isaac's perishing Notwithstanding all these aforesaid twelve difficulties the Actor Abraham acts his part of obedience with all 1. Alacrity 2. Constancy 3. Prudence and 4. Confidence All which four shew the Excellency of Abrahams Obedience of Faith as before the Difficulty of it in the next place is the third Enquiry How all these were in this Act. Ans 1. With all Alacrity and readiness to obey he rose up early Gen. 12.3 Making no delatory work about it Thus David did saying I made haste and delayed not Psal 119.60 We read of Balaam how he made the like haste to do evil he rose up early Numb 22.21 And shall not we do so for doing good Our Lord Christ rose up early to pray for us Mark 1.35 And shall not we do so for our selves Holy David made it his resolve saying I my self will awake right early Psal 108.2 We should do so every day Especially the Sabbat-day as Joshuah and Israel did Josh 6.12 15. If we would have the Walls of cursed Jericho to fall before us as v. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is not meet for a man that either gives or takes good Counsel to sleep the whole night or too much saith Homer Sanctificat Sanat Ditat quoque Surgere Manè To rise betimes maketh men Holy Healthy and Wealthy Abraham here rose up early to be gone about his work The Sun ariseth and then man goeth forth to his labour Psal 104.12 23. Abraham here stays not to consult with his beloved Sarah lest her affections should have hindred the operations of his Faith nor with his own corrupt reason or natural affections that Old Beldam which is both the Mother and Nurse of all our Disorders and Extravagancies for he was renewed in the Spirit of his mind Eph. 4.23 Cassianus tells us of a young man receiving Letters from his Parents to disswade him from Chistianity cast them into the Fire not daring to tempt himself with reading them so should we do with all those carnal reasonings suggested by our own corrupt hearts or carnal relations to us otherwise we shall never Rest nor Feast in Abrahams Bosom 2. The Constancy and Continuance of this his ready Obedience 't is a wonder how his heart was kept in such an obediential frame for three days together all the time of his Travelling from Beershebah to Mount Moriah which some derive from Marah bitter 't was no other to Abraham in this bitter Tryal while he went all this long-way until on the third day he saw the Hill afar off Gen. 22.4 He could not but in his mind see his Dear Son as it were bleeding upon the Altar all along as he Journeyed thither and so he dwelt with his thoughts upon an Expectation of so heart-breaking an evil all this three days Journey which seemeth worse than the evil it self praestat semel mori quà m semper metuere 't is better to die at once than to be so long a dying a speedy Execution doth mitigate misery whereas delay aggravates it How he paused and pondered all the while upon this Bloody and Barbarous yet Commanded Enterprize We know not yet surely his Faith did so over-rule all his unruly affections as to extricate this blessed Patriarch out of his present perplexities and in all his Ploddings of Mind and Misgiving of heart kept him all along Tight Steady and Constant to continue his resolves in obeying Gods Command to the End Thus we should not ponder the Cross too much then 't will prove too heavy we must not chew the Physical Pill at all 't will tast too bitter we may not plodd too much upon the harshness of Divine Commands then they will appear hard sayings Joh. 6.50 Whereas none of them are indeed grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 As we ought to swallow our purging Pills whole so we should not plodd with our minds below but ply the Throne of Grace above for a good Use a good End and Issue of all our Tryals both in Tribulations and Temptations 3. Abrahams Prudence in leaving his Servants and the Ass at the Foot of the Hill v. 5. Shebu lachem Expectate hic Tarry ye here this he said fearing lest they being present at the top of the Hill might hinder him in his Obedience and Oblation And as he left them there so did he leave his natural affections and his carnal Ratiocinations contrary to Gods Command with them there that he might serve the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 Oh that we could learn from Abraham to leave our Servants and the Ass to wit whatever may distract us at the foot of the Hill while we go up into the Mount to Worship God Even whatever is carnal that we may be Spiritual and so Worship God who is a Spirit in Spirit without Formality and in Truth without Hypocrisie for the Father seeketh such to Worship him Joh. 4.23 But alas our Carnal Affections though they be the fittest Companions for the Ass are not so much our Servants as our Masters and they will whether we will or no go up with us into the Mount we cannot with Moses and Joshuah put off those dirty Shoes of wandering thoughts and Earthly imaginations to come clean to the most Holy God with clean hearts before his Throne of Grace for they cleave as close to us as our Skin to our Flesh and we are not cleansed from that Blood Joel 3.21 Nor from the iniquity of Peor until this day Josh 22.17 No nor yet from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit for the perfecting holiness in the Fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 And as we ought to leave the Servants and the Ass below So much less must we our selves stay with the Ass below this is to make our selves Spiritual Asses indeed while we should with our Father Abraham go up to God above 4. Abrahams Confidence herein 1. Speaking Prophetically we will both of us come again to God Gen. 21.5 And 2. God will provide himself a Lamb v. 8. As to the 1. Of these Some Popish Casuists say that Abraham here uttered an untruth or more plainly told a lye seeing he went with a purpose to do that to Isaac which would certainly hinder him from returning again This is wickedly said concerning the Father of those Children who will not
which indeed is not to be found any where but in the Church My Dove is but one Cant. 6.9 that Amity found in the World is rather Conspiracy than Unity as that of Herod and Pilate against our Lord. And it teaches also how lesser and almost scattered Churches may lawfully joyn themselves to other Churches that stand their ground in enjoying the Lords Supper c. The Fourth Qualification is This House must hold the Partakers of the Paschal Lamb all the Night long until the Morning No man must go forth Exod. 12.22 to mingle among the Egyptians any more The like Command God gives us to shut our selves in our Chambers until the Indignation be over-past Isa 26.20 21. Noah was saved by keeping in the Ark and Raâ—aâ— by staying in her House Let such as forsake the holy Assemblies beware that they wiâ—hdraw not to perdition c. Heb. 10.25 39. when as Christ and his Blood preserveth those that continue in the Apâ—stles Doctrine and fellowship Act. 2.47 1 Joh. 2.19 The Tâ—â—rd Circumstance in the Matter of this Paschal Feast First It must be a Lamb or in some Cases a Kid Exod. 12.3 5. Qui ovem habet Agnum Immolet qui verò ove caret Haedum the Hebrew word Sheh signifies either of them Such as had not Means to bring a Lamb a Kid was allowed using the same Rites 2 Chron. 35.7 Oh the Tenderness of Divine Goodness towards us in accepting such as we can get according to cur Ability Levit. 5.7 11. and 14.22 and Deut. 16 17. where there in a willing Mind 2 Cor. 8.12 God looks more at the willingness of the Offerer than at the worthiness of the Offering The Godly Jews did notwihstanding this Divine Condescension in allowing a Kid more frequently and more freely offer up a Lamb both the Lamb and the Kid were types of Christ who as a Lamb in Innocency Meekness Patience Profitableness c. yet was he as a Kid taken from the Goats ver 5. to shew that he suffered as a Sinner though in himself he was without Sin 2 Cor. 5.21 Heb. 4.15 and was separate from Sinners Heb. 7.26 both by way of Imputation as God made â—ur Sins to meet upon him and by way of Reputation as he was numbred among Transgressors and made his Grave with the wicked Isa 53.6 9 12. Though the Law leave it seemingly indifferent to the choice of either Lamb or Kid only when they were now in a confused state say some yet Use and Custom made it more common to furnish the Paschal Supper with a Lamb and accordingly did our Saviour celebrate his last Passeover for the Lamb did more livelily represent Christ who is the true Lamb of God so called Joh. 1.29 c. and is by figurative speech call'd also our Passeover 1 Cor. 5.7 Secondly This Lamb must be Thamim Zakor an unblemish'd Male not exceeding a year old ver 5. though it might be offered within the year even at eight days old Exod. 23.19 but being a year old it was come to its full vigour which typified Christ 1. to be the spotless Lamb of God as he is styled 1 Pet. 1.19 and all other Sacrifices that were Types of him were to be without blemish Levit. 1.3 10. c. that is to have neither deficiency nor superfluity not Blind Broken Maimed Scurvy Scabbed c. Levit. 22.22 Mal. 1.8 c. And 2. This Immaculate Lamb being a Male of about a year old then come to its vigour signified that though Christ was of a Lamb-like Meekness yet had he a Masculine vigour especially when he alone whipt such a number of sturdy Money-Merchants out of the Temple c. Thus likewise a Lamb at his full vigour sacrificed did more fully express the vigour and efficacious vertue of the Sacrifice of Christ Some say God chused a Lamb for this Paschal-Sacrifice in detestation of the Egyptians Idolatry who worshipped their Pagan God Jupiter in the shape of a Ram or Lamb. The Fourth Circumstance is the manner how namely this Paschal-Lamb must be Kill'd roasted whole in the night eaten up all and nothing remaining with unleavened Bread and sour Herbs c. the Posture of the Persons in eating it is referred to the Seventh Rite Vers 8 9 10. The manner how consists of Seven several Rites The first is The Lamb was kill'd that his Blood might be shed and sprinkled as before So Christ the Lamb Rev. 5.6 was Crucified that his Blood might be shed for without blood-shedding there is no Remission Heb. 9.22 1 Pet. 1.2 and sprinkled also upon the door-posts of our hearts as above Heb. 9.14 to wit by the Hyssop-bunch of our Faith Secondly As the Lamb must be roasted with fire this is twice commanded ver 8 9. which was not to be done because now Israel was in haste to be gone only and therefore the most expeditious manner was most requisite for it would be sooner roasted than boiled but more especially that the Type might carry a more congruous Conformity and Correspondency with the Antitype in our Saviour's Sufferings as the fire the most Active of all the four Elements was a figure of God's Spirit which is compared to fire Matth. 3.11 and call'd the Spirit of burning Isa 4.4 wherewith Christ was inflamed in his most ardent Affections towards us insomuch that he cryed Oh how am I straitned till my Sacrifice for you be accomplished Luk. 12.50 and through this eternal Spirit he offered up himself to God for us Heb. 9.14 So it signified how the Lamb of God was roasted in the fire of his Father's wrath upon the spit of his Cross while he was made a Curse for us by his Death Gal. 3.13 Jer. 4.4 Lam. 1.13 and 2.4 Wrath is call'd fire c. The Third Rite It must not be sodden or boiled at all nor so much as perboiled and then roasted for in seething the water mixeth it self with the matter seethed therefore this Prohibition seemeth to signifie that Holy Simplicity which was found in Christ and which should be found in us that we know nothing but Christ and him crucified 2 Cor. 11.3 and 1 Cor. 2.2 c. The Fourth Rite Much less may it be eaten Raw which seems to be a superfluous Prohibition as likewise was that reiterated Command it shall be roasted with fire ver 9. were there not some more mystical meaning implied therein which seemeth to be this Seeing the Paschal-Lamb was a type of Christ Joh. 19.36 As that Lamb must not be boiled because much of the Moisture and Substance of the Meat boiled goes out into the Water as well as much of the Water goeth into the Meat as before which prohibited implicitly all mixtures in Religion and Religious Worship as Levit. 19.19 the Inventions of Men ought not to be mingled with the Institutions of God our own Good works must not be jumbled in our Justification with our Faith in Christ This is forbidden Gal. 2.16 and 3.9 10 11 12. So
Apostle calls The wages of wickedness 2 Pet. 2.15 it being for a wicked Art and for a wicked End as thinking to bribe him with Gifts that he might curse Israel c. 3. By what Motives beside the Money is Balam's first call seconded Answ Those Princes the Messengers back their Suit to him with two Arguments the first is drawn from their own and their Master's Danger because they saw Israel mightier than they which was the fruit of God's Blessing upon his People according to his Promise Gen. 18.18 and according to his Performance also Psal 105.24 as their Enemies did acknowledge Exod. 1.9 c. the more molested the more multiplied in the very Land of their Affliction and so while wandring in the Wilderness This Balak look'd on without cause as threatning his Kingdom 's Ruin Their second Reason or Argument was from the Facility of the enterprize 't was easie for Balaam to curse Israel which done it would be easie for the King to destroy them ascribing to this Sorcerer an infallible Power of Cursing whom he pleased which is only the Work of the great God Gen. 3.17 18. and 4.12 Mar. 11.21 c. No doubt but herein either Balak flatter'd Balaam greatly or God had suffered to Balak's Knowledge Balaam's Sorceries to be very successful in such Cases as God did to those of Simon-Magus Act. 8.9 10. and among the Pagans such magical publick and particular Imprecations and Execrations against their Enemies did by Divine Permission oft prevail in War by raising up Infernal Spirits which they call'd their Tutelar Gods to annoy their Adversaries by some damnable Contract and implicit if not explicit Covenant with the Devil the Lord judicially suffering them thus to erre in their ways and giving them up to believe the lies of Diabolical Divination Yea and among those blind Heathens the Devil to drive the more subtle Trade for Hell used to play a double Game imploying the Familiars of Magicians not only to lay on Evils as Evil Spirits but also to take those Evils off by Collusion that they might seem to be good Spirits and here this Soothsayer must bless Balak and curse Israel the Devil doing Evil both as an Angel of Light and as a Prince of Darkness and more hurt by resembling the former than by being really the latter and had God suffered the like success here Balak's design was most dangerous for obtaining his Desire could Balaam have compass'd a Curse from God upon Israel they had been easily vanquish'd for whom God blesseth their Enemies flee and whom he curseth they become a Prey to their Adversaries Deut. 28.7 25 33. and Psal 37.22 This Sorcerer had the Devil on his side and at his beck but the God of Israel would not be so as afterwards The Fourth Inquiry is What was the Issue of Balaam's first call by Balak Answ When Balaam had received such an honourable Embassage ver 7. He suspended his Answer to it until the next Morning ver 8. for that Night he took as time little enough to consult with his Diabolical Oracles though this Prophet of the Devil pretended to receive his Revelation from Jehovah the better to impose upon the credulity of those Embassadors that he consulted with God and not with the Devil Hereupon some Rabby's say that his pretending to consult with Jehovah was the Reason why the Princes of Moab are here only mentioned for the Princes of Midian mentioned in Conjunction with those of Moab ver 7. hearing that he would consult with God did thereupon withdraw themselves as despairing of Success For they knew from Jethro their Prince that God would never Consent to the Destruction of that People who were so near and dear to him But suppose it was not the Devil who is call'd the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 and might be this Sorcerer's God that He promis'd those Princes He would consult with that Night but Jehovah the true God which may well enough be supposed 1. Because the business Balaam was courted about concerned the People of Jehovah whom Balak sought to turn God's Favour from and to bring God's curse upon them by this Inchanter's means therefore of him he must make his Inquiry 2. The true God might come to this wicked Man by Night as 't is said ver 9. and 20. who used to speak to the true Prophets by Dreams and Visions of the Night Numb 12.6 Job 4.13 and 33.14 15. Jerem. 23.25 28. And sometimes God revealed his Counsels for his People's sake to wicked Men of old in Dreams by Night as to Abimelech Gen. 20.3 to Laban Gen. 31.24 to Pharaoh Gen. 41.25 to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2.45 and 4.21 22. so still God gives Gifts of Prophecie to those no better than Workers of Iniquity Mat. 7.22 23. and 24.24 and 2 Tim. 3.8 c. But it may not a little be admired and doubted how this Soothsayer could be thus Confident to have the true God at his Beck that he should have God's Counsel that Night so bring the result next Morning to the Princes because 1. This Spelman of Satan could not be in Coverant with God so as to command him concerning the Work of his Hands Isa 45.11 Though undoubtedly he was in Covenant with the Devil and had his Familiars at his Call and Command Nor 2. Was Prophecy any constant Gift or an abiding Quality by which even the true Prophets might always operate in their Prophesying Work and as often as they pleased but their particular Revelations did absolutely depend upon God's good Will and Pleasure To this I Answer 1. That the ground of this Mad Prophet's as he is call'd 2 Pet. 2.16 Confidence was by Reason of the Experience he had divers times of Divine Revelations granted unto him upon his former Requests 2 Pet. 1.21 Answer 2. Balaam being a Prophet of the Devil and a Magician as Basil Chrysostom Origen Augustin c. prove him to be 1. From his being call'd a Soothsayer Josh 13.22 2. From his using Inchantments Numb 24.1 with 23.23 therefore He built so many Altars c. 3. From his endeavouring to Curse Israel c. He was undoubtedly in contract with that Prince of Darkness and by Vertue of that Covenant He could command the God of Ekron Beelzebub though not the God of Israel according to that of the Poet Flectere si nequeo superos Acheronta movebo Though God might not come at his Call he knew the Devil would And though He had some Knowledge of the true God yet was it notoriously jumbled and mingled with Pagan Superstitions and Diabolical Witchcrafts while he covered the practick Part of his Worship with a fair pretence of Divine Revelations Answer 3. Though the Spirit of God came upon this wicked Man in Divine Revelations that Night as 't is said was done Numb 24.2 yet was it for glorious Ends to discover the Rottenness and Hypocrisie of this mad Prophet who was courted by Foreign Nations as the great Power of God
only Mortal Men but common Ghosts yet ascending out of the Earth as if he came again from the state of the Dead N. B. Saul hereupon asks her what is his form Hebr. v. 14. which implieth that the Witch did practice her Witchcraft in a private place where the Spectrum first appeared to her and Saul was not an eye-witness at the first nor as yet saw the Apparition while he made this double enquiry The Witch tells him his form that he asked after namely it is an Old Man that cometh up and he is covered with a Mantle that is the same Mantle he used to wear when he was Israel's Judge and Prophet yea the same that Saul did rend Chap. 15.27 and that wherein he was Buried saith Lyra at random when Saul perceived it was Samuel he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed himself Osiander's Opinion here is with others that Saul saw nothing like Samuel when he thus Worshiped but as the Witch only saw the form but heard not the voice so Saul heard the voice only but saw not the form yet he Worshiped from the words of the Witch that inform'd him it was Samuel but 't is more probable that Saul both saw him and heard him preach his Funeral Sermon to himself notwithstanding his Worshipful Cringes towards this mock Samuel for this was that the Devil chiefly aimed at to delude Saul in his Adoring Satan instead of Samuel well knowing that Saul regarded not Samuel while he was alive yet is now made so mad for his Advice in his Distress that he will give him that Adoration which is due to the Lord only may he but have him raised from the dead N. B. After this Discourse betwixt Saul and his Dame she calls him into her Conjuring Room to see this supposed Samuel and then was the time of Saul's bowing to him at his first entrance and when the Witch had brought them two together she tho' Vilis Operaria a poor Pains taker as Josephus calls her yet had so much good manners as to withdraw from them and to leave them to themselves to debate their Secrets as appeareth from v. 21. she came to Saul Before we come to the Dialogue betwixt Saul and Mock Samuel v. 15. which is the Ninth Remark this Grand and Grave Enquiry is first to be answered to wit N. B. Note well Who was the other party that spake to Saul Answer the First Some Popish and other Writers do affirm it was the true Samuel upon these Arguments As First 'T is said that Samuel Prophesied after his Death Ecclesiasticus 46.21 To which we say that is but an Apocryphal Argument and therefore cannot be a Canonical Proof Besides that Author begs Pardon for his Darkness in his beginning of that Book Their Second Argument is That he is oft called Samuel in this Story To this we say He is called so because both Saul and the Witch thought him to be so though really he was not so as the Sun and Moon are called the two Great Lights though some Stars are really bigger yet seem not so to us As an Actor of a King in a Play is call'd the King but really may be a Rogue Their Third Argument is He foretold future contingents which come not within the compass of Satan's cognizance but belongs to God alone Isa 41.22 23 and to whom God reveals them To this we say Such is Satan's Sagacity from his long Experience that he can foresee such Events as are come to their working Causes He knew Saul's Rejection and David's Election the Philistines Courage and Israel's Despondency therefore might give a shrew'd guess what would be the end of such means that were now at work towards it Moreover the Lord sometimes useth the Ministry of an Evil Spirit revealing future things to him as 1 Kings 22.21 22 23. Judg. 18.6 Answer the Second It was certainly Satan in the similitude of Samuel which appeareth evident upon these grounds as First Briefly The Souls of the Saints do immediately at Death go up to God to Rest there Rev. 14.13 and their Bodies are laid up in the Grave as in God's Repository until the Resurrection God keeps his Servants Bones Psal 34.20 So that neither the Philistines could break David's Bones saith Abenezra nor could the cursed Jews break the Bones of Christ Joh. 19.36 And they cannot be Raised up but by the Almighty power of God and therefore not by any power of the Devil or his Imps. Secondly 'T is altogether improbable that the Lord who so lately refused to Answer Saul by those means of God's own appointment Saul himself being a witness hereof chap. 28.6 should now Answer him or suffer Samuel to Answer here by such means as by Witchcraft which God both Contemned and Condemned Thirdly The very Circumstances of this Relation do discover this Party in the Dialogue to be no good but an Evil Spirit as 1. That he receives that Worship from Saul V. 14. which a Good Spirit would not own Rev. 19.10 and 22.8 9. God only is to be Worshipped 2. This Spirit pretends to be disquieted by Saul and his Witch which is not only absurd but impossible for a Good Spirit to be that is returned to God Eccles 12.7 Entred into peace Isa 57.2 Lodged in Abraham 's Bosom Luk. 16.22 And at Rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 Being made perfect in Heaven Heb. 12.23 The Fourth Argument is Had this been the true Samuel who was so zealous of God's Honour and so faithful a reprover of sin in Saul Amongst his other sins for which he reproves him here he would not have omitted this heinous sin of his asking counsel from this Witch for which great Transgression with others he is expresly said to be Slain by the Lord 1 Chron. 10.13 14. The Fifth Argument is Had it been the true Samuel then either he came on his own accord and so he consented to the Power of this Witches Magick Art when she called him up by Conjuration which is absurd to imagine Or he came unwillingly and if so then the Devil must have a power over the Glorified Souls of Saints to dragg them whither he pleaseth which is a Blasphemous Supposition The Sixth Argument is If it were the true Samuel then must he come by the will of God or by the power of Satan in this Witch He could not come by God's will at the call of a Witch for God had forbidden Witchcraft in many Scriptures aforementioned but in none doth he warrant it nor could he come against God's Will by the force of Magick for then the Devil must be more mighty than Almighty God Here is Saul's Will and the Witches Will but not one word of God's Will Had God sent Samuel he would not have called obedience his disturbance The Seventh Argument is This Spectrum's coming in a Mantle makes it manifest to be a meer Cheat and a Mock Samuel for the true Samuel had now no Mantle to bring with him
and Grotius Jeroboam's Golden Calf there had turned Beth-el the House of God into Beth-aven Hos 10.5 an House of Wickedness as their Names Hebr. do signifie The filthy Dust of those Mawmets must not be allowed to lie near Jerusalem saith Lavater but it was carried about eight Miles from thence to disgrace that Idolatrous City Bethel Mark 2. This zealous King Deposed the Idolatrous Priests c. ver 5. call'd Chemarims Hebr. not only because they wore black Cloaths as the word signifies after a Superstitious fashion which is the concurrent opinion of Junius Piscator Mercerus Munsterus Montanus Pagnin c. but also because they were Tinged Singed and burnt black inwardly with an Hell-fire-fervency for a false Religion saith Avenarius c. N. B. The Prophet Hosea speaks of those Priests Hebr. Chemarims Hos 10.5 affecting a black Habit Sanctimoniae Ergô for Sanctimony's sake And the Prophet Zephany saith in Josiah's Day that God will cut off the Name of the Chemarims Zeph. 1.4 namely Baal's Chimney Chaplains black Sooty Fellows like those Greasie Mass-Priests or Abby-Lubbers in the Romish Church Elias in Tisbi saith these Atratei Black-coats were shut up in Cloysters and the Jewish Rabbins call the Monks Chemarims Many Men addicted to Idolatry entertained those Chemarims in Josiah's time Jer. 3.6 Zeph. 1.1 4. as too many do Harbour Mass-Priests in our Times those Josiah cut off according to Zephany's Prophecy c. Mark 3. Josiah Destroyed the Idolatrous Grove ver 6. either that Grove which was planted nigh the Temple as Flaccherus supposeth wherein the Image of Baal was Worshipped after the manner of the Gentiles who Worshipped Priapus in Groves after which they committed all lascivious Beastiality in promiscuous Copulations therefore the Lord forbade by his Law the Planting of any such Groves Deut. 16.21 because it was the practice of Idolaters 1 Kings 15.13 and might be the occasion of reviving that abominable Idolatry Or rather this was a Representation of that Grove or the Image of it because 't is said He brought out the Grove from the House of the Lord ver 6. and we read of an Image with a Carved Grove about it 2 Kings 21.7 that not God in the Temple but the Devil in the Grove might be Worshipped saith Sanctius And this Image he stamp'd small to Powder at the Brook Kidron and the Powder thereof he poured upon the Groves of that Rascality which had been set on Mischief as Exod. 32.22 23. and which had Worship'd the Groves 2 Chron. 34.4 And this Bastardly Brood so call'd was probably Buried in this infamous place as a brand of Ignominy put upon them saith Tirinus All this was done saith Junius in detestation of Idolatry and for Caution to them that still lived Mark 4. Josiah extirpated the cursed Cells or Seats of the Sodomites ver 7. those abominable Brothel-Houses in which Males prostitute their Bodies to Males which was both a Punishment of Idolatry Rom. 1.23 24 27. and a part of their idol-Idol-worship practised at the Instigation of that impure and diabolical Spirit worship'd in the Idol saith Lavater from 1 Kings 15.12 13. and wickedness was so far spread in this Time saith Sanctius that those heinous Sodomites drove a gainful Trade even in the Temple it self and their spiritual Pollution involved them into such carnal Lusts as the very Women were not ashamed say Sanctius and Osiander to Weave Curtains for hiding the Mens shameless Sodomy acted even by the Priests of the Groves c. Remark the Second Josiah's Reformation after the Temple in City and Countrey Mark 1. He demolish'd all the High Places from the North to the South Coast of the Countrey without Partiality ver 8. neither sparing those Priests of Aaron's Line though they sacrificed not to Idols saith Menochius but to the true God yet because they did it in a forbidden Place Deut. 12.11 therefore he deposed them from their Offices Nor did he spare the Rich more than the Poor saith Junius for when he had polluted all the high Places in other Cities to take away their supposed Sanctity saith Grotius he found an High Place erected by Joshun the Governour of the City at the very Gate after the manner of the Pagans who placed their Tutelar or guardian-Gods at the Gates of their Cities This Joshua in Josiah's Day was a great Man and had a good Name Heb but was a bad Man and of a superstitious Nature He had complied with the Iniquity of former times in setting up an high Place at the Gate nigh his Palace yet Josiah's Zeal spar'd it not Mark 2. Josiah's candour toward those Priests descended from Aaron ver 9. for though they had not kept the charge of the Lord but had foully apostatized in sacrificing to God in forbidden Places either for fear or for favour becoming Time servers and comporting with Idolatrous Kings and therefore must bear their Iniquity namely they and their Posterity must be degraded from their Priestly Functions as a Punishment thereof saith Menochius N.B. Other faults saith Grotius in the Priests were pardoned if they proved Penitent he did not remove them from their Sacerdotal Offices but for Idolatry and Worshipping God in unlawful Places did Degrade them yet because these were 1. Levites of Aaron's Race though lapsed and hurried down the stream of Temptation in former Times And 2. They were Penitents falling by Infirmity but rising again by Repentance Poena or Punishment and Penitency are near of kin being Words of the same Derivation therefore for the Honour of the Priesthood this Pious King takes care of their maintenance when laid aside from the Service of God's Altar as Neh. 13.28 Such an one was that temporizing Priest Nehemiah chased from him But a fuller Example hereof is in Ezek. 44.10 11 12 13 14. they yet were to live out of that allowance for the Priest ver 29 30. Lev. 2.4 5 10 11. and 24.5 6 c. Junius well observeth that their spiritual Blemish put them into the very same State which corporal Blemishes brought them into Lev. 21.17 18. Mark 3. Josiah defiled Topheth ver 10. a pleasant Valley near Jerusalem wherein Idolatrous Kings had cruelly tortur'd and tormented their own Children by burning them to Molech Chap. 16.3 Jer. 7.31 call'd Topheth saith Junius from Toph a Drum which was there beaten lest the Father should hear the most horrible howlings of his Child burning in the Fire N.B. From this abominable abuse of this Valley of Hinnom Tophet was taken for Hell Isa 30.33 which in Matth. 5.22 is call'd Gehenna from this Valley of Hinnom representing that place of Torment without End and past Imagination This fruitful Valley zealous Josiah defiled by Dung and dead Mens Bones c. saith Lavater to prevent the like abuses for ever Mark 4. He likewise took away the Horses of the Sun c. ver 11. which were either 1. Carved Horses to which were adjoined a carved Chariot with the Picture of the Sun according
of the Spirit is with him Mal. 2.15 Rev. 3.1 c. The 5th Cause of Christ's Ascension was to send the Comforter to wit the Holy Ghost John 16.7 I will send him unto you This promise our Lord oft repeateth that his Disconsolate Disciples might once be relieved by it Our Saviour sweetly proceeds in his Swan-like Song before he died John 14.1 Saying Let not your hearts be troubled c. Christ was their comforter while he lived with them Therefore when they heard of his departure from them then sorrow filled their hearts Jo. 16.6 So that they became both uncounsellable and uncomfortable Hereupon he makes his last Sermon takes much pains to convince them of the Expediency of his Departure that if he did not go away the Comforter would not come v. 7. And he had told and taught them before that he could not be so unkind to them as not to tell them the truth were it not so I would have told you John 14.2 It consists not with Christ's Candour to feed his Disciples with the false hopes of an Vtopian felicity as the Devil deals with his Drudges whom he deludes by bringing them into a Fools Paradice and as Mohomet doth with his Musulmans to whom he promises all sensual pleasures when they die in his cause c. No our Lord is no such impostor but tells them truly that he would pray to the Father and the Father would give them another Comforter instead of him their Comforter while he conversed with them and was now departing from them who shall abide with the Disciples for ever John 14.16 The Devil is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Accuser Rev. 12.10 for his accusing the Saints to God as he did Job Chap. 1.9 10. c. the Holy Spirit in direct opposition to the Devil's name is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pleader Advocate or Comforter whose Office is to bring in promises into believers hearts effectually applying them Eph. 1.13 14. to help our infirmities in prayer making Intercession for us Rom. 8.26 27. To discover to us our graces and evidences for Heaven 1 Cor. 2.12 Rom. 8.28 Whereby we know that we are predestinated unto Glory verse 29.30 31 c. So that such as do refuse to read over their evidences and to rest upon them do no better in that refusal than help Satan the Accuser taking his part against themselves and pleading the Devil's cause against the Holy Ghost their Comforter Yea in a word the Office of the Spirit is to be Christ's Vicar general with whom Christ leaves us by whom he abides with us as he promiseth Matth. 28.20 To the end of the World For he dwelleth in all the Saints John 14.17 which we may never wonder at enough for next to that Divine condescension of Christ's the Son of God's dwelleth in our fain humane nature is this wonderful vouchasafement that the Holy Spirit should not being the Third person in the Holy Trinity disdain to dwell in such dark and dirty Dog-holes as our unholy Hearts and defiled Souls 'T is undoubtedly an Inestimable Favour which is promised Joel 2.28 That God will pour out his Spirit upon all flesh What is so vile as flesh Hosea 8.13 'T is there a name of Contempt And what is so precious as Spirit 'T is the Quintessence and Excellency of the best things Extracted from the courser unrefined Sediments The precious graces God gives us are call'd the Spirit Gal. 5.17 and the Fruits of the Spirit verse 22. And when God gives us his Spirit Luke 11.13 He is said to give us all good things in that one gift Matth. 7.11 Hence Christ tells the Disciples he would not leave them Orphans or Darklings John 14.18 But they should have the supplies of his Spirit as Phil. 1.29 phraseth it to be their best teacher of truth teaching nothing but what is consonant to the Holy Scriptures John 14.26 which distinguisheth him from the Spirit of Errour This comforter Christ sendeth as he saith John 15.26 From the Father for Christ hath satisfied the Father's wrath and now the Father and the Son as reconciled join both together in sending the Spirit as the fruit of both their loves and as an earnest which is a part of the total Sum the Spirit is the best guide to godliness John 16.13 and the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness righteousness and truth Eph. 5.9 Note Though Christ promised to send the Spirit which was performed ten days after his Ascension at Pentecost c. to his Disconsolate Disciples yet may we not think that they had not the Holy Ghost before he Ascended for they could not have the smallest measure of Grace but it must be by the Spirit of Grace No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 12.3 that is with a fiducial assent of the heart none can acknowledge Christ to be Lord the only Lord to be worshipped but by the Revelations and suggestions of the Spirit and this these Disciples had oft done before Beside 't is said Christ breathed upon them saying Receive ye the Holy Ghost John 20.22 whereby they might know that they received of the same Spirit that was in Christ to fit them for the Ministry without which who can be sufficient 2 Cor. 2.16 Seeing 't is a work that will Burden the Back of an Angel and make him tremble saith Chrysostom Yet the full measure of Grace and the great gift of the Holy Ghost was not given till Pentecost when Christ the King of Kings was installed in his Kingdom Acts 2.2 c. These were reserved till that time as 't is said The Holy Ghost was not yet given for Christ was not yet glorified John 7.39 Though before this they had received some Love-tokens from Christ before his departure to live upon as the Dear Wife from the Loving Husband till the grand promised portion of the Father came for which they were to tarry at Jerusalem ten days Luke 24.49 Learn we hence 1. If the Holy Spirit be so good a gift of God yea all good things be contained therein then we should ask this gift of God above all as Elijah before his Ascension bids Elisha ask what he would He answer That thy Spirit may be doubled upon me 2 Kings 2.9 And it was done accordingly so Christ bids us ask what we will John 16.24 We must answer Lord let thy Spirit be doubled upon me that I may receive double Grace to that I now have c. 2. Then we should prepare an honourable Room in our hearts for entertaining such an honourable guest in as the Holy Spirit is Res Delicata est Spiritus Dei so some read Psal 143.10 the Spirit is a cleanly and delicate thing and loves to live in a clean house or heart c. As the Shunamitish Woman said to her Husband Let us make a little Chamber for the man of God when he comes to us c. 2 Kings
for working such a notable Miracle as all the Countrey rang of yet loth they were to seem to be so Therefore consult they how to palliate it before men with whom they valued their own Credit more than keeping a good Conscience towards God or the Salvation of their own or others Souls 2. The Concomitants when they had thus conferred in this Cabal about finding out the best Expedient for stifling the Gospel the Result of clubbing their Wits together was to lay their thteatning Charge upon the Apostles 1. Not to Preach publickly or privately in the Name of the Lord Jesus Nor 2. To Pray in his Name Nor 3. To work any more Miracles by it Thus those Unjust Judges pretended to be so far good-natur'd as to pass by the former fault provided the Apostles would promise to do so no more but be bound to their Good-behaviour for time to come yet intended by this principal piece of Policy to keep the People in Ignorance most mischievously lessening their Light as Cheats use to do that Spectators might more easily be gulled and beguiled by their Legerdemain-Tricks without discovery verse 16 17 18. Both Peter and John agreed in one and the same Answer as being acted by one and the same Spirit saying We are not concerned at your Threats and Edicts nor solicitous what will best bring us off at present out of your hands but we do appeal to your own Consciences whether God will excuse us If we against his Commands do obey yours Will ye bear us harmless against the Woe God denounceth against us if we Preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 Ye command us that which is morally impossible unless our Tongues were cut out c. verse 19 20. They were now filled with the new Wine of the Spirit and their Vessels therefore must either vent or burst See Jer. 20.9 Psal 116.16 and Acts 17.16 This Authority of God being thus opposed to Man's these Rulers were over-ruled to dismiss the Apostles not from any sense of their own Sin or dread of Divine Wrath but for fear of losing the People's Favour verse 21. God used this means to Restrain these Ruler's Rage c. 3dly The Consequents hereof 1. The Apostles thus marvelously delivered and dismissed Return to the Church and relate to them their marvelous Deliverance v. 23. incouraging them to hope for the like Salvation in the like service and suffering 2. This occasioned the Church's Prayer in Joint-Communion Wherein God's Omnipotency in Creating and Governing the World doth afford their first comfort against their present sufferings and future also verse 24. This Master-controuler will manage all for his own Glory and his Church's good Rom. 8 28. Then do they apply the Prophetick Oracle of David Psal 2.12 to their own State at this juncture Act. 4.25 26 27 28. shewing what a meer madness it is in Men whether Jews or Gentiles to oppose Christ for he will prevail mangre the Malice of angry Men and inraged Devils Hence the Psalmist begins that Psalm with an abrupt Leâ—â—â—d or why in an angry Interrogation as if he had said What are ye all mad ye many and ye mighty to attempt a Design whereof ye can render no good Reason nor ever expect any good success c Then they petition that God above would behold Men's threatnings below c. Act. 4.29 and that Christ might magnifie himself not them both by their Oracles and Miracles verse 30. The effect of it was a gracious Answer from Christ testified both by an Earthquake and a fresh Effusion of the Spirit verse 31. Note Thus the Gospel grew by opposition and would do so now were we but awakened by our Dangers to a more fervent praying as they were here The Conclusion is the present State of the Church 1. In its Teachers many Miracles unrecorded were wrought by them beside their Magnanimity in Preaching 2. In the Hearers both Unanimity as if one Soul had moved all the Bodies of that Multitude and Liberality in contributing the Manner how the Matter how much and the End for what use verse 32 33 34 35. more particularly in Barnabas verse 36 37 Many Believers lived far from Jerusalem which was shortly to be destroyed therefore this Act was peculiar to this time and place 3. Great Grace was upon all verse 33. as if dropp'd down from Heaven both gratis data gratum faciens that Grace freely given and that also which makes truly gracious shining forth in the carriages and countenances in the speeches and actions of both Apostles and Auditors so that all call'd them blessed c. Isa 61.9 c. CHAP. V. Of Ananias and Saphira 's Sin and Death THE Church is ever like the Land of Canaan which was a Land of Hills and Valleys Deut. 11.11 So is she sometimes up and sometimes down now abased and now exalted by the turning Wheel of Providence Now that Envious One the Devil envying the great Grace which gave a great Grandure to this primo primitive Church began to sow his cursed Tares The Perils and Impediments of this growing Gospel-Church became now twofold 1. Internal and 2. External 1. The Internal was the Hypocrisie and Perfidiousness of Ananias and Saphira in their committing Sacrilege The matter and form of the sin of these two Sacrilegious persons were that they both Man and Wifâ— conspired to defraud the Church of part of the price of their sold Possession c. Acts 5.1 2. The Adjuncts of this Sacrilege wherein is comprehended the punishment of it are expressed by their Quality upon the Offenders and by the Effects in the Church The Quality of the Punishment is described 1. Upon Ananias the Husband whom Peter first accuseth for lying at the instigation of the Devil and in defiance of the Holy Ghost verse 3 4. and then for Theft which he also aggravates from his own propriety by right of Law therein verse 4. whereupon follow the convicted Man's sudden Death verse 5. and after that his immediate Burial v. 6. which struck all the Auditors and Spectators with a dreadful Awe after verse 10. Then 2. Upon Saphira the Wife whom the over-ruling hand of God brought in at that juncture when all these things had happened to her Husband verse 7. She upon examination confesseth the deed verse 8. for which she is condemned verse 9. and immediately executed verse 10. This produced wonderful Effects as those without the Church wondered at and magnified this Discipline so those within were marvelously strengthened and the Church by these and other Miracles wonderfully increased verse 12 13 14 16. The Remarks and Mysteries held out in all those Histories thus analysed may more distinctly and particularly be thus amplified and inlarged upon That concerning Anania's Story concerning his sin and punishment for it hath this 1st Remark relating to his Name the same with Jer. 28.1 which signifies the Grace of God so Canan-Jah signifies in the Hebrew Language Conveniunt rebus nomina saepe suis
be either Hector'd by threatnings or allured by Flatteries to lay down his ministry and desist from his preaching-work No doubt but his silence would have been his security both against the malice of the adverse Jews and against the power of the Idolatrous Pagans But a Necessity was laid upon him and a wo unto him if he preached not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 which himself denounced Fourthly This he did also with all confidence and with an undaunted Courage for his love to Christ was somewhat like Christ's love to him stronger than death Cant. 8.6 As Christ had dyed for him so was he ready to dye for Christ Acts 21.13 and he was the more confident because none were found so fool-hardy to attempt the making him timerous and diffident as followeth Fifthly no man forbidding him not because the Jews wanted malice or the Pagans power but because God who setteth bounds to the raging Sea Job 38.11 who suffered not a Dog to bark at Israel's coming so calmly out of inraged Aegypt Exod. 11. v. 7. and who shut the Mouths of the hungry Lions that they hurt not Daniel Dan. 6. v. 22. did deliver Paul both from Nero and from the Jews So that it was then even in Rome-Heathen as impossible to hinder the progress of the Gospel as to stop the Sun from shining or the Wind from blowing Yet such attempts are in Rome-Anti-christian at this day Wherein the contrary to all the afore-said may easily be exemplified Joseph did indeed provide a Granary or store-house of Corn in every City and Village against the famine that lay on the Land of Aegypt But popish Countries want such a Joseph Publick Statutes are made to forbid Christians of the Reformed Religion from having either publick or private places of meeting into worship God and no man incouraging contrary to this here where there 's no man forbiding The Supplement after the last of Acts 28. CHAP. XXIX A Scripture account of Paul while at Rome c. VVHERE Luke the Evangelist tho' guided by the good Spirit of God yet thought it his duty to desist from giving any farther account of the History of the Apostles Lives and Acts and more especially of the Apostle Paul's with whom he was a constant companion in Rome There must I begin this my Supplement N.B. Wherein because Ecclesiastical History having only an humane Testimony is found both various and uncertain about the lives and deaths of the Apostles therefore I shall not dare to confine my following Discourse unto what is Recorded by Nicephorus Eusebius and others from whose Conjectural Relations nothing can be positively and with undenyable evidence asserted N.B. Now that the Sequel and Supplement of this Apostolical History may be as Harmonious Homogeneal and Symbolizing with the former foregoing twenty eight Chapters as the matter may admit I have thought of this Expedient to bottom my Assertions still upon such Historical Hints as are found scattered here and there in the Sacred Scriptures namely in the Canonical Epistles of the Divinely Inspired Apostles themselves which they wrote upon several occasions as they were guided by the Holy Ghost to give an infallible Account N. B. Hitherto we have had lent us by the Lord a Divine Clew of Thread to lead us through this vast Labyrinth of writing the History of the Apostles Lives so far as Luke who wrote their Acts so called hath led us which Book of the Acts might as well be called The Wonders of the Apostles considering what Wonders it containeth not only such Wonders as were wrought by the Apostles but also for them to deliver preserve and incourage them in their prodigious Apostolical Work Insomuch as all the Attempts both of the Tempter himself the Red Dragon and of all his many and mighty Tools which he imployed for silencing the Apostles and for stopping the progress of Christianity which was every where spoken against Acts 28 22. were confoundingly disappointed N.B. We may well therefore call that History of the Apostles not only the Acts a name wherewith that holy Pen-man Luke the Apostles themselves modestly contented themselves but also the Wonder of Wonders wherein the Truth and Power of God did so wonderfully appear that the Gospel should be so irresistibly propagated by them when all men generally both Jews and Gentiles in all Places and of all Ranks both Princes and Peasants opposed it So that the Doctrine of Christianity which the Apostles taught had the multitude the Powers and Authority the Wisdom of the whole World yea and if all the seeming Sanctity that then was in the World to wit among the Jews all these every where were against it Christ was a Sign spoken against as was foretold of him Luke 2.34 in all places by all people N.B. Now what could rationally be expected in such a desperate case and concern which the Apostles undertook and entred upon but that every natural man would at the least suspect that which all the World so generally condemned Notwithstanding all this universal opposition yet did the Gospel prevail and run through the World like a Sun-beam yea and did so much so universally and so constantly flourish in despite of both Angry Men and of Inraged Devils that indeed this became by the mighty Power of God no less than a wonder of Wonders N.B. Now waving Ecclesiastical History let us still stick to the Sacred Scriptures so far as they give light to this Apostolical History Re-assuming the passages of Providence that attended Paul after his coming to Rome The first Remark farther concerning Paul is His writing several Epistles during his Imprisonment at Rome to several Churches and Persons Luke who accompany'd Paul to Rome as appeareth by his phrase We all along Acts 27. and more expresly in Acts 28. And when we came to Rome verse 16 c. gives no farther account of him but only of his lying a Prisoner there for two whole years and Preaching c. Acts 28.30 31. N.B. As it cannot be supposed that Paul spent all this two whole years time in his Preaching work for this would have wearied hoth himself and his Auditors but that there must be a due Interval betwixt one exercise and another not so much for his private Preparations in his Study because he had an extraordinary Apostolical gift c. So nor may it be imagined that such an Indefatigable Labourer in God's Vineyard could carelesly omit the Improvement of his Horae succisivae or spare hours in this two whole years time and therefore 't is no more than rational to affirm that during this his long Confinement he wrote sundry Epistles c. as above But beside the rationality hereof some Scripture-Light may confirm it Note As 1. His Epistle to the Galatians he wrote from Rome this is render'd the more probable 1. From the Postscript of that Epistle unto the Galatians written from Rome tho' this be no part of the Canonical Scripture for in other Postscripts to some