and of Grace in its nature and end But that that I shall insist upon shall be to consider something concerning the Spirits overpowering of Men their Actions Tongues Hearts or all And though here was no overpowering the Heart of this wretch but of his Tongue only yet I shall speak more especially of overpowering of â—â—e Heart as most material in this subject and which understood the Spirits overpowering of the Tongue and Action will be understood with little ado I shall couch what I have to speak under these following Obrvations I. I may take up that Gen. VI. 3. And the Lord said My Spirit shall not always strive with man He saith not with this or that or the other man in particular but with man in general Because the Spirit of God strives with every man in the World at some time and in some degree or other Act. VII 51. Ye stif-necked and uncircumcised in Heart and Ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost The Spirit strove with those wretches though this striving was to no purpose or effect because of their resistance And so in that exhortation 1 Thes. V. 19. Quench not the Spirit is intimated that they that quench the Spirit and let not his sparks grow to any thing yet that they have these sparks striving together if they would let them alone Christian I shall not be solicitous to prove this because it needs not And I must tell thee it is not so well and right with thee as it should if thou findst not the proof and experience of this truth in thine own Heart if thou find not some knocking 's at that door that calls and tells It is time to awake out of sleep and set to work some checkings of Conscience when thou goest about knowingly to sin and some reprovings of Conscience when thou hast so sinned some stirrings of Heart upon hearing the threatnings and curses of the Law of God in a powerful Ministry some trouble of Soul upon sight of Gods judgments upon thy self or others in a word if thou find not thy Conscience as a voice behind thee calling after thee This is the way walk in it If thou find any such things listen and improve them It is the voice of my beloved putting as it were his finger in at the hole of the door to see whether thou wilt open It is the Spirit of God striving with thy Heart But if thou find not any such thing take heed lest thou hast wearied the Spirit of God that he will strive no more II. The Spirit is able to overpower any Heart that he strives withal I need not to prove this neither to any that understand what the Spirit of God is which I hope you all understand A Macedonian or Socinian that denies the Godhead of the Holy Ghost yet I see not how he can deny this if he do but confess the Holy Ghost to be the Spirit of God Let me even challenge of you that have been better taught to attest this truth with me and to look up towards Heaven with due consideration of the sacred Spirit and to acknowledge in the words of Job Chap. XLII 2. I know thou canst do all things and that no thought can be holden from thee God in Jer. XXXII 27. proclaims Behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh Is there any thing too hard for me If we should take the words as spoken particularly of the holy Spirit are they not most true to every tittle Is not the Holy Ghost Jehovah Is he not the Lord Is he not the God of all flesh and all Mens Spirits And then can any thing can any Heart be too hard for him But if any desire a particular proof of the thing we assert viz. That the Holy Spirit is able to overpower any Heart whatsoever that he strives withal Let him either look at a prophane wretch that always resisted the strivings of the Spirit now come under horror of Conscience Or let him well ponder upon the state of the damned in Hell who were such resisters while they were here And first let him read that Esa. XXX 33. The breath or Spirit of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it In that horrid torture of Conscience of theirs where the worm ever gnaweth and never dieth do you not think their Hearts are overpowered Are not now those brazen gates and iron doors that would bar out the overcomings of the Spirit broke open and broke all to pieces Vicisti Galilaee as Julian once so do not they everlastingly confess that God is proved too hard for them And how is this alto-shattering of their Hearts and Consciences come upon them The breath or Spirit of the Lord like a river of brimstone is gushed in upon them and overflows them with horror and they cannot resist It is the everlasting vengeance of the Spirit of God upon them thus to crush their Consciences with everlasting confusion and torture because they did they would resist his strivings while they were here No no resist damned Souls now resist and keep the doors fast barred that the power the vengeance of the Spirit cannot break in No it will not be the Spirit is all powerful if he will is able to overpower any Heart he strives with here he will with vengeance do it to him that resists hereafter III. The first aim of the Spirit in his striving is to try men It is apparent by Scripture that God by the motions of his Spirit comes to try those men who he knows will not receive the motions of his Spirit As in 2 Chron. XXXII 31. In the business of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon God left him to try him that he might know all that was in his Heart God withdrew or suspended the acting of the Spirit of grace to try him So God doth on the other hand employ some actings of the Spirit to try whether men will entertain them God tries men by his Word whether they will obey him or no Exod. XX. 20. God is come to prove you and that his fear may be before your faces that ye sin not saith Moses to the people of Israel concerning Gods giving them his Law Mat. XXIII 37. O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets c. how often would I have gathered thy children together as a hen gâ—thereth her chickins under her wings and ye would not I tried whether thou wouldest be gathered but thou wouldest not He tries men likewise by his Providences how they will demean themselves under them Deut. VIII 2. Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the Wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thine Heart whether thou wouldest keep his Commandments or no. So he doth by his Spirit in that noted place Revel III. 18. Behold I stand at the door and knock He that stands at the door could break down the door
henceforth must Vision and Prophesie and Inspiration cease for ever These had been used and imparted all along for the drawing up of the mind of God into writing as also the appearing of Angels had been used for the further and further still revealing of his will and when the full revelation of that was compleated their appearing and revelations to men must be no more So that this Revelation to John was the topping up and finishing of all revelations The Lord had promised that in the last days of Jerusalem he would pour down of his Spirit upon all flesh Act. 2. 17. And Christ promised to his Apostles that he would lead them into all truth John 16. 12 13. To look for therefore the giving of those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit beyond the fall of Jerusalem there is no warrant and there is no need since when the inspired penmen had written all that the Holy Ghost directed to write All truth was written It is not to be denied indeed that those that had these extraordinary gifts before the fall of Jerusalem if they lived after had them after for the promoting of these ends for which they were given but there is neither ground nor reason whereupon to believe that they were restored to the next generation or were or are to be imparted to any generation for ever For as it was in Israel at the first setling of their Church so was it in this case in the first setling of the Gospel The first fathers of the Sanhedrin in the wilderness were indued with Divine gifts such as we are speaking of Numb 11. 25. but when that generation was expired those that were to succeed in that Function and Imployment were such as were qualified for it by education study and parts acquired So was it with this first age of the Gospel and the ages succeeding At the first dispersing of the Gospel it was absolutely needful that the first planters should be furnished with such extraordinary gifts or else it was not possible it should be planted As this may appear by a plain instance Paul comes to a place where the Gospel had never come he stays a month or two and begets a Church and then he is to go his way and to leave them Who now in this Church is fit to be their Minister They being all alike but very children in the Gospel but Paul is directed by the Holy Ghost to lay his hands upon such and such of them and that bestows upon them the gift of Tongues and Prophesying and now they are able to be Ministers and to teach the Congregation But after that generation when the Gospel was setled in all the world and committed to writing and written to be read and studied then was studdy of the Scriptures the way to inable men to unfold the Scriptures and fit them to be Ministers to instruct others and Revelations and Inspirations neither needful nor safe to be looked after nor hopeful to be attained unto And this was the reason why Paul coming but newly out of Ephesus and Crete when he could have ordained and qualified Ministers with abilities by the imposition of his hands would not do it but left Timothy and Titus to Ordain though they could not bestow those gifts because he knew the way that the Lord had appointed Ministers thenceforward to be inabled for the Ministry not by extraordinary infusions of the Spirit but by serious study of the Scriptures not by a miraculous but by an ordinary Ordination And accordingly he gives Timothy himself counsel to study 1 Tim. 4. 13. though he were plentifully indued with these extraordinary indowments 1 Tim. 4. 14. And Paul himself had his Books for study or he had them to no purpose 2 Tim. 4. 13. And indeed it had been the way of God he hath instructed his people by a studious and learned Ministry ever since he gave a written word to instruct them in 1. Who were the standing Ministry of Israel all the time from the giving of the Law to the Captivity into Babel Not Prophets or those inspired men for they were but occasional Teachers and there were often long spaces of time wherein no Prophet appeared but the Priests and Levites that became Learned in the Law by study Deut. 33. 10. Hos. 46. Mal. 2. 7. And for this end as hath been touched they were disposed into forty eight Cities of their own as so many Universities where they studied the Law together and from thence were sent out into the several Synagogues to teach the people and had the Tithes paid them for their maintenance whilest they studied in the Universities and for their preaching in the Synagogues And it may be observed that even they that had the prophetick spirit did not only study the Scriptures themselves Josh. 1. 8. Dan. 9. 1. but sent the people for instruction to the Priests who were students and the standing Ministry Hag. 2. 11. Mal. 2. 7. 2. If you consider the times under the second Temple then it was utterly impossible that the people should be taught but by a studious and learned Ministry for the spirit of Prophesie was departed and the Scriptures were then in an unknown Tongue to all but Students And hence they had an interpreter in every Synagogue to render into the Vulgar what was read in the Law and the Prophets in the Original So that the Spirit of God inspired certain persons whom he pleased to be the revealers of his will till he had imparted and committed to writing what he thought fit to reveal under the Old Testament and when he had compleated that the Holy Ghost departed and such inspirations ceased And when the Gospel was to come in then the Spirit was restored again and bestowed upon several persons for the revealing further of the mind of God and compleating the work he had to do for the setling of the Gospel and penning of the New Testament and that being done these gifts and inspirations cease and may no more be expected then we may expect some other Gospel yet to come PARERGON Concerning the FALL of JERUSALEM AND The Condition of the JEWS in that Land after BEING come so near to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem as that it is but three years and an half and a little more from the time we have concluded with unto it and having so frequent occasion to mention that destruction and vengeance upon that Nation as we have had It may not be amiss to drive so for further as to take a view of such a spectacle not that we go about to write the History of their Wars and ruine which were but to transcribe Josephus who is in every mans hand but to take a brief account of the times thither and of the condition of the Nation in that Land afterward the History of which is not altogether so obvious as the other by both which we may not only see the performance of those threatnings of
all it will be pertinent here to take up the meaning of it once for all and to consider these two particulars concerning it 1. What our Saviour doth properly intend and mean by Amen when he useth it so oft And 2. Why John the Evangelist doth constantly use it doubled when the other three never use it so at all 1 As to the first it is to be observed and that is well enough known that the word Amen is an Hebrew word and is very commonly used in the old Testament but this withall is to be observed which it may be is not so commonly noted that it is never used in the Old Testament but by way of wishing or apprecation the sixteenth verse of Esay 65. only excepted of which anon As when it cometh single as Deut. 27 twelve times over where the LXX render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be it done 1 Kings 1. 36. where the LXX have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so be it Nehem. 5. 13. Jer. 28. 6. Psal. 106. 48 c. Or when it cometh double Numb 5. 22. Psal. 41. 13. 72. 19. 89. 52. which the LXX express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be it done be it done or so be it so be it In all these places it is used by way of prayer or imprecation according as the subject matter was to which it was applyed as David Kimchi expresseth it in Micol in the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is spoken saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either by way of prayer or by way of undertaking as that they take upon them a curse if they transgress But in these utterances of our Saviour the sense of it is altered from precatory to assertory or from the way of wishing to the way of affirming for what one Evangelist expresseth Amen I say unto you This poor widdow c. Mar. 12. 43. another uttereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of a truth I say unto you c. Luke 21. 2. Mathew saith Amen I say unto you That some that stand here c. which Luke giveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of a truth I say unto you Luke 9. 27. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Matth. 23. 36. is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly Luke 11. 51. c. For indeed the word Amen doth properly betoken and signifie truth at is apparent by the construction of that verse forementioned Esay 65. 16. He who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the God of truth and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the God of truth as not only our English but also R. Sol. and David Kimchi do well render it and the gloss of Kimchi upon the place is worth the citing He saith in the earth saith he because in all the world there shall be one truth and that shall be the truth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God of truth Now Christ is called Amen Rev. 13. 14. as being not only the faithful and true witness but even he in whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. and even truth it self Therefore when he cometh to publish the Gospel which is that one truth that should be in all the world for the prophet Esay speaketh there apparently concerning the times of the Gospel he speaketh of his own as he saith the Devil doth when he speaketh a lye Joh. 8. 44. and useth a different stile from the Prophets which used to authorize their truths with Thus saith the Lord and speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon his own Authority as the God of truth Amen I say unto you In this word therefore is included two things namely the truth spoken and the truth speaking it and the expression doth not only import the certainty of the things delivered but also recalleth to consider that he that delivers it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amen the God of truth and truth it self And this consideration will help to give a resolution to the second scruple that was proposed and that is why John alone doth use the word doubled and none other of the Evangelists I am but little satisfied with that gloss that is given by some upon this matter namely that John doth constantly double this word because the matters spoken by him are of a more celestial and sublime strain than the matters spoken by the other Evangelists and therefore the greater attention is challenged to them by this gemination for neither can I see nor dare I think of any such superiority and inferiority in the writings of the Evangelists Nor do I suppose that Christ used this gemination himself for it is very strange that in those speeches that this Evangelist mentioneth he should do so and in the speeches that the others mention he should not do so when it may be sometimes it was the very same speech but I conceive that the Evangelist hath doubled the word that he might express the double sense which the single word in our Saviours mouth and in the other Evangelists includeth And so he addeth nothing to what Christ spake but explaineth his speech to the utmost extent He saith in the other Evangelists Amen singly but he meaneth thus doubly This is truth and I am truth that speak it Now John that he might clear this double meaning doth double the word Amen Amen the one whereof doth refer to the thing that is spoken and the other to the person that speaketh it But the question proposed is not yet resolved why John should do thus rather than any of the other but the same answer that resolveth why John should relate so many things that none of the other three do ever mention will resolve this namely that it was Gods will and disposal that there should be four that should write the Gospel and that some writing one thing and some another some after one manner some another the Story should be divinely made up to its full perfection Now John wrote last and he had warrant and opportunity to relate what the others had omitted And as for the particular in hand he saw that the other had only produced this word single as Christ indeed had continually uttered it and that they had some of them expounded it in a place or two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that it was to be taken in these speeches in a meaning different from that precatory strain in which it was constantly used in the Old Testament but yet that there was something more included in the word and therefore he is warranted by the holy Ghost to explain it to the full in two words Amen Amen And thus the counsels of the Lord of old uttered and revealed by the Prophets do in the preaching of the Gospel by our Saviour prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth truth Esay 25. 1. § Hereafâ—er ye shall see Heaven opened Observe the manner of our Saviours answer the text saith
saith to him That is not lawful For as the Law was given in fear and terror so must it be used with fear and terror The same man went into a Synagogue and saw the Angelus Ecclesiae reading and setting no man by him no Interpreter as Alphesi expounds it He saith to him That is unlawful for it was given by the hand of a Mediator so is it to be used by the hand of a Mediator He also went into a Synagogue and saw a Scribe reading his interpreting out of a Book He saith to him That is unlawful for what by word of mouth by word of mouth and what out of the book out of the book The Reader of the Haphtaroth or portion out of the Prophets was ordinarily one of the number of those that had read the Law he was called out to read by the Minister of the Congregation he went up into the desk had the Book of the Prophet given him began with Prayer and had an Interpreter even as it was with them that read the Law And under these Synagogue rulers are we to understand Christs reading in the Synagoue at this time namely as a member of the Synagogue called out by the Minister reading according to the accustomed order the portion in the Prophet when the Law was read and it is like he had read some part of the Law before and having an Interpreter by him to render into Syriack the Text he read he then begins in Syriack to preach upon it Now if it be questioned Under what notion may the Minister of the Congregation be thought to call him out to read It may be answered 1. It is possible he had done so many a time before while Christ lived amongst them as a private man for though none but men learned and in orders might Preach and Teach in their Synagogues yet might even boys and servants if need were read there if so be they were found able to read well And Christ though his education was but mean according to the condition of his parents John 7. 15. yet it is almost past peradventure that he was brought up so as to read as generally all the children of the Nation were 2. Christ in other parts of Galilee had shewed his wisdom and his works and his fame was spread abroad and no doubt was got to Nazareth where he was best known and this would readily get him such a publick tryal in the Synagogue if he had never been upon that imployment before to see what evidences he would give of what was so much reported of him Vers. 17. And there was delivered to him the Book of Esaias It is a tradition and so it was their practice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they read not in the Synagogues in the five books of Moses bound together but every book of the five single by it self And so also may it be conceived they did by the Prophets that the three great Prophets Esay Jeremy Ezekiel were every one single and the twelve small Prophets bound together And we may conclude upon this the rather because they had also this Tradition and practice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Maphtir or he that read in the Prophets might skip from passage to passage that is from one text to another for illustration of the matter he read upon but he might not skip from Prophet to Prophet but only in the twelve small Prophets The delivering of the Book unto him by the Minister to whom he also delivers it again when he hath read vers 20. doth confirm what was said before that Christ stood up to read as a member of the Synagogue and in the ordinary way of reading used there for so it was the custom of the Minister to give the book to those that did so read But if Christ had gone about to read beside or contrary to the common custom of the place it can little be thought that the Minister would so far have complied with him as to give him the Book that he might read irregularly or beside the custom To which may also be added that if our Saviour intended only to rehearse this passage of Esay that he might take it for his text to ground his discourse upon he could have done that by heart and had not needed the Book but it sheweth that he was the Reader of the second Lesson or of the Prophets this day in the ordinary way as it is used to be read by some or other of that Synagogue every Sabbath § He found the place where it was written c. Not by chance but intentionally turned to it Now whether this place that he fixed on were the proper lesson for the day may require some dispute They that shall peruse the Haphtaroth or Lessons in the Prophets which were precisely appointed for every Sabbath to be read will find some cause to doubt whether this portion of the Prophet that our Saviour read were by appointment to be read in the Synagogue at all But not to insist upon this scrutiny in the reading of the Prophets they were not so very punctual as they were in the reading of the Law R. Alphes ubi supr but they might both read less than was appointed and they might skip and read other where than was appointed And so whether our Saviour began in some other portion of the Prophet and thence passed hither to illustrate what he read there though the Evangelist hath only mentioned this place as most punctual and pertinent to Christs discourse or whether he fixed only upon this place and read no more than what Luke hath mentioned it is not much material to controvert his reading was so as gave not offence to the Synagogue and it is like it was so as was not unusual in the Synagogue He that read in the Prophets was to read at the least one and twenty verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if he finished the sense in less he needed not to read so many Megill Maym. ubi ante Vers. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me The Jews in the interpretation of this Scripture do generally apply the sense and truth of it to the Prophet himself as the Eunuch was ready to apply another place in this same Prophet Acts 8. 34. So the Chaldee renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Prophet saith The spirit of Prophecy from before the Lord is upon me And David Kimchi These are the words of the Prophet concerning himself In which application they did not much amiss to bring the meaning of the words to Esay himself if they did not confine and limit the truth of them there For the words do very well speak the function of the Prophet his calling and Ministery being to those very ends and purposes that are named here but to restrain it to him only is to lose the full and vigorous sense of it which the words hold out and which the Prophet could not reach unto to have
it self viz. a blessing from the Spirit of Messias which is the Spirit of God Let us observe these things gradually or in order I. That whereas the Jews expected Messias in his Personal and pompous presence he resolves them that his Presence is by his Spirit and his Victory by his Spirit See that John XVI 7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient that I go away from you for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you He speaks there in reference to the Jews opinion that called Messias Menahem Comforter and looked for earthly comforts from him No saith he It is expedient for me to go away and my Spirit shall supply comforts unto you To that purpose is that Joh. XX. 17. Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father Greg. Nyssen for Adveniat regnum tuum speaks of Lukes having it Adveniat Spiritus sanctus tuus insted of Thy Kingdom come let thy Holy Spirit come The thing is true though the authority questionable II. For the justifying and evidencing this that his Presence is by his Spirit and so his Rule he sent his Spirit in powerful Demonstrations as you read in the Acts of the Apostles that by the sight of his Spirit men might come to own him Observe that passage Joh. XIV 12. Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do because I go unto my Father You my Disciples shall do greater things than I do why so For the magnifying of the Spirit Hence that in Mark III. 28 29. He that should speak against the Son should be pardoned but not he that should speak against the Holy Ghost He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness Because the Son appeared in meanness and his personal presence was not to be insisted on but the Holy Ghost came in all powerful and convincing Demonstration Hence Ananias and Sapphyra were so severely punisht because their sin was against the Holy Ghost Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lye to the Holy Ghost V. Act. 3. III. The Spirit did by these demonstrations of power assert the Deity and authority of Christ and his own as sent by him and to be his Spirit See Joh. XVI 8 9 10. And when he the Spirit is come he will reprove the World of sin and of righteousness and of judgment Of sin because they believe not on me Of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more Of judgment because the Prince of this World is judged And by that very thing is shewed Christs Rule and Work in his Church by his Spirit IV. That as the Spirit by these Demonstrations was to assert Jesus so the Apostles at that time baptized only in the Name of Jesus And accordingly the gift of the Spirit was given at Baptism See Act. XIX 2. He said unto them have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed Signifying that the receiving of the Holy Ghost followed upon Baptism As the Spirit of God that is the Holy Ghost rested on Christ at his Baptism so the Spirit of Christ that is the Holy Ghost rested on His at their Baptism Not on all Why Because he was come for that end to inable the Disciples to teach and preach and to assert Jesus V. When the Doctrine of Jesus and the Spirit were thus manifested then it was ripe to baptize in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Each Person had demonstratively approved his Godhead The Father under the Old Testament Hence is the tenor of Christs speech John V. 19 20. The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do for what things soever he doth these also doth the Son likewise For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that himself doth and he will shew him greater works than these that ye may marvel The Son hath demonstrated his Godhead by his conversation among us Joh. I. 14. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father And by his Resurrection Rom. I. 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead And lastly by pouring down of his Spirit when he was ascended The Holy Ghost demonstrated his Godhead by his powerful actings VI. Turn your minds back to Babel Gen. XI there the Heathen lost the knowledge of the true God Rom. I. 21. c. Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imagination and their foolish heart was darkned And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man c. Thence forward consider what was done in that peculiar people whom God had chosen for revealing the true God Father Son and Holy Ghost And when all those revealings were full than it was ripe to bring that manifestation of God among the Heathen Go and teach all Nations baptizing them c. It is as much as if Christ should have said to his Apostles The Heathens have lost the knowledge of the true God now bring that knowledge among them again and baptize them in the Name of the true God Father Son and Holy Ghost As Baptism was in the Name of Jesus among the Jews where the question was about the true Messias so among the Gentiles where the question was about the true God Baptism was in the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost Lay Rom. I. 25. to this Text. Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator The casting off the Gentiles was because they worshipped the Creature What was their Recovery in the Text Was it to bring the worship of the Creature among them again as the Arian and Socinian gloss No but to bring the knowledge and worship of the Creator among them of the true God and that was Father Son and Holy Ghost I shall not go about to confute those cursed opinions the Lord rebuke them I shall only observe these things upon them First That as they blaspheme the greatest so the plainest truths in the Bible I cannot but wonder at the denial of the Godhead of Christ and though the God-head of the Holy Ghost is not in so plain terms yet it is in as plain Evidences as can be Secondly That they go clean cross to the stream of Scripture The main purpose of that is to extol Christ and the Holy Ghost the main purpose of these to abase them Thirdly Grant them what they would have they set themselves further from Heaven and Hope when the Redeemer and Sanctifier are but Creatures Fourthly Observe here the Spirit of old Antichrist and how it hath descended First The Jews began and
other standers by reviled him with If he be Christ let him come down from the Cross And let God deliver him if he will have him And so it doth magnifie Divine grace the more if it checkt him in his very reviling and made that tongue that reproached Christ in the very next instant to confess and adore him So Saul was happily checked even while he was breathing rage and revenge against the Church and he brought to be a most special member and minister in it The cause of this mans Conversion we must all ascribe to Gods infinite grace and goodness But the means that that grace and goodness used for his conversion I cannot but ascribe to these two things a Doctrine and a Miracle as in those times Doctrines and Miracles went very commonly together I. I cannot but suppose that the darkness that then began to be over all the Land wrought something with this man to bring him to some consideration with himself of the present case which he had not before His fellow Thief it seems was not moved with it at all but I cannot but believe that This was so deeply affected with it that it proved a means of his Conversion They both of them knew very well that Jesus suffered meerly because he professed himself to be the Christ. That is plain by their saying to him If thou be the Christ save thy self and us And now this man seeing so strange an occurence as had been not seen or heard of at any mans Execution before begins to be convinced that he was the Christ indeed for whom such a wondrous miracle was wrought and manifested And then II. It may very probably be conceived that he remembred those passages of the Prophet Esay describing his Passion and suffering Chap. LIII and particularly that vers 12. He was numbred with the transgressors A clause which the Jewish Expositors wrest some one way some another because they cannot abide to hear of Messias sufferings But which we may very well think that as Divine grace brought his Soul to the acknowledgment of Christ so it brought also that prediction of Christs sufferings and with such company to his remembrance as a means to work him to that acknowledgment For how might he argue This Jesus after all the great miracles that he hath done agreeable to the working of Messiah hath asserted and maintained that he is Messiah to the very death this strange and wondrous darkness that is begun over all the Land cannot but bear witness to such a thing And when it is so plainly prophesied by the Prophet Esay that he should suffer and be numbred with such Malefactors as I and my fellow are I am past all doubting that this Jesus is the promised Messiah Therefore He said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom A great faith that can see the Sun under so thick a Cloud that can discover a Christ a Saviour under such a poor scorned despised crucified Jesus and call him Lord. A great Faith that when he sees Jesus struggling for his own life and no deliverer come to him yet sees reason to cast himself upon him for his Eternal state and Everlasting condition and pray to him Lord remember me A great Faith that could see Christs Kingdom through his cross and grave and death and where there was so little sign of a Kingdom and pray to be remembred in that Kingdom I doubt the Apostles reached not to such a Faith in all particulars They acknowledged Jesus indeed to be Christ while he lived but when he is dead they are at it We trusted that it had been he that should have redeemed Israel Luk. XXIV 21. But now they could not tell what to make of it But this man when he is dying doth so stoutly own him They looked for a Kingdom that Christ should have indeed but they little looked that Christ should suffer and so enter into his kingdom as it is intimated in the same Chapter vers 26. But this man looks for it through and after his sufferings That it is no wonder if he sped at the hands of Christ when he brings so strong a Faith with him and that when he pours out his Prayer Lord remember me c. in such strength of believing it is no wonder if he hear from him in whom he so believes Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And could such a Faith be without a parallel and sutable measure of Repentance Our Saviour very well saw that it was not And the Evangelist gives some intimation that it was not For he tells that he confessed his own fault which is one sign of his Repentance We are here justly and receive the due reward of our doings And that he reproveth his fellow and would fain have reduced him which is another Fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation And that he pleadeth for the innocency of Christ which is a third This man hath done nothing amiss And in what words and meditations he spent the three or four hours more that he hung alive upon the Cross it is easie to conjecture though the Evangelist hath spoken nothing of it The great sum and tenor of the Gospel is Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved And as Christ himself did seal the truth of the Gospel with his own death so was he pleased that that main truth of the Gospel should be proved and confirmed by this noble and notable example even whilst he was dying And accordingly it hath pleased the Spirit of God to give a demonstration of this mans believing in the Lord Jesus Christ more copiously and apparently than of his repantence though he hath given very fair demonstration of that also That as all posterity was to read that great Doctrine of Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ for Salvation so they might have this illustrious and lively Commentary of the truth and proof of it in this mans believing and in his Salvation And now having seen this great monument of Faith and Repentance and Pardon What say we to it As the Evangelists tell us that they that had seen the passages at Christs death returned from the Cross striking upon their breasts and no doubt very full of cogitations So what are the thoughts of our hearts upon this passage which was not the least remarkable among them A great matter that the light of the Suu should be so darkned and not a small that such a dark soul should be so enlightned A great matter that the Earth should quake the Rocks rent and the Vail of the Temple be torn from top to bottom and not a small matter that such a stupid soul should be moved that such a strong heart should be dissolved broken and brought to softness The spactators then present considered of those things Our present work is to consider of these and what do we think of them I
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
our iniquities shall be forgiven for his sake and vers 6. 7. In the Chaldee c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. we all of us have been scattered like Sheep every one strayed and wandred in his own way But it hath seemed good to God to forgive us all our sins for his sake he prayed and was heard nay before he opened his mouth he was accepted It may indeed be some doubt whether the Paraphrast by this He who shall interceed understands the Messias or some other because those things which are spoken from vers 13. of Chap. LII to vers 4. of Chap. LIII He seems to mean them confusedly sometimes of the Messias and sometimes of the people of Israel as many of their modern Authors do But the doubt may soon be resolved by observing that he attributes remission of sins to the same person of whom he saith That he shall gather the captivity of Israel and shall send the wicked to Hell But this cannot be meant of the people of Israel and consequently it must be understood of the Messias Nor is it any wonder that the Jews should do this honour to the Messias when they give so great a part of it to their Ancestors Abraham Isaac c. The Jerusalem Targum Gen. XXII 14. introduceth Abraham desiring of God that when the children of Israel should address themselves to him in time of necessity he would remember Isaac's voluntary oblation of himself to be a sacrifice for so they think it was and pardon them and forgive their sins And in T. B. Ber. 7. 1. there is one Rabi who interprets those words in Daniel's prayer Dan. IX 17. for the Lords sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. for Abrahams sake But the plainest and clearest place to this purpose as if it had been written by a Christian under the disguise of a Jewish style is extant in a book of great repute among the Jews for its Antiquity Though for some reasons I conjecture the Author lived after Mahomets time called Pesikta It is quoted in Jalkut on Isa. LX. 1. Buxtorf hath already given us this place largely translated into Latine in Arc. foed cap. 14. I 'le here set down as little as may be of it for brevity sake with an observation or two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God beginning to make a Covenant with him the Messias thus bespake him Those whose iniquities are hid with you will put you into an iron yoke with which they 'l make you like an heifer almost blind with labour and strangle you for the cause of their iniquities your Tongue shall cleave with grief and drought to the roof of your Mouth Do such things as these like you To which the Messias answers Perhaps those afflictions and sorrows may last for many years God tells him That he had decreed him to suffer them for a whole week of years but if he did not consent thereto he would presently remove them To whom the Messias returns That he would most willingly undergo them upon condition that not one Israelite should perish but that all of them should be saved Those who lived and dyed in his days those who were hid in the Earth those who were dead since Adam even all embryo's and untimely births finally all who had been or should be created Are not these expressions very near the Christian Doctrine of the Messias suffering for the sins of all mankind or of Christs being a propitiation for the sins of the whole World Only these true Jews according to their wonted uncharitableness and arrogance restrain the benefit to themselves Again the same Author Pesikta tells us That it is a tradition of their Masters that in the month Nisan their forefathers are to rise up and say to the Messias O Messias Although we are your Ancestours yet thou art more excellent than we because thou hast born the iniquity of our sons and harder and heavier afflictions have passed over thee than ever yet happened or shall happen to any man c. Is it your pleasure that our children should enjoy the benefits which God will bestow upon them For peradventure because thou sufferest even from them while they cast thee into prison he came unto his own and his own received him not John I. 11. thou mayst be less favourable unto them To whom the Messias answered That what he had done he had done it for the sake of them and their children What 's all this but what the Christians teach that the Messias was to be a person despised 't is there one instance of his condition afflicted and cruelly used even by his own Kindred and Country-men It is true in the same place of the same Author we have two traditions likewise of the victorious pompous splendid and prosperous state of the Messias at last but they are different traditions of different persons the one of R. Isaac the other of R. Simeon And then suppose they had been of the same persons yet still the Messias was to have been a man of mighty sufferings and no marvel if they withal retained their inveterate Opinion of his temporal Power and Greatness In the same place a little before they feign a short Colloquy according to their fashion between God and Satan where God tells Satan That the light which he saw under his Throne of Glory belonged to him who should in time confound him with shame and that Satan when he saw it fell down and trembled crying out that He truly was the Messias who was to cast him and all the Heathen people into Gehenna For this purpose was the Son of God manifested saith St. John I. 3 8. that he might destroy the works of the Devil Much more might be observed and transcribed in this quotation and many more instances might be brought but I am to remember I am writing a Preface not a Treatise But lastly The principal use of Talmudical and Rabbinical Authors is yet behind namely the right interpretation of the Holy Scriptures especially of the New Testament Inspired writings are an inestimable treasure to mankind for so many sentences so many truths but then the true sense of them must be known otherwise so many sentences so many Authorized falshoods Whatever therefore contributes to the finding out of that must in proportion be valuable And no greater help to do it with ease speed and plainness than the knowledge of the Phrases Opinions Laws Rites and Customs as well as other circumstances of the Jews at the time of those writings This appears from the great and frequent ignorance or mistakes of many both ancient and modern interpreters who had as great a share of piety parts and wit and other sutable qualities as other men but wanted this assistance and even Jerom and Origen who had the most skill would have done better if they had had more of it In this age all Commentaries are full of this kind of Learning and none hath more frequently and perhaps
Lightfootii Talmudice Doctissimi c. In these I do very often make use of the Works of Doctor Lightfoot a man well studied in Talmudical Learning c. What Doctor Worthington contributed to this Work besides the using his interest with his Learned Friends for the same purpose let me mention though not so much to our present Theam At the Library at S. James's there was a Josephus in Greek Printed at Basil probably once belonging to the very Learned Isaac Casaubon for in the Margin were various Lections written by his hand which he had gathered out of MSS. and some conjectures and hints of his own there were also marked in it other Notes of Patrick Young written most in Greek These the aforesaid Doctor transcribed and numbred the Pages and the Lines which made three Sheets of Paper close written a matter of no small pains and sent them over to the said Monseir Le Moyn But to return to our Author III. Some account of him as a Divine HE gave no small specimen of his skill also in Divinity as well as in Oriental and other Learning when he proceeded Doctor which was Anno 1652. The Question upon which he disputed was Post Canonem Scripturae consignatum non sunt novae Revelationes expectandae Which he managed against the Enthusiasts against whom he by all means opposed himself as being greatly sensible how that Sect tended to the overthrow of the Holy Scriptures which were his dearest Care and Delight He managed this Question by discoursing first Concerning the Sealing of the Canon of the Holy Scriptures And secondly Concerning not expecting Revelations after it was once Sealed His meaning he stated in these three particulars That now after the Scripture Canon is sealed Revelations are not to be expected I. To reveal new Doctrines of Faith Nor II. To discover the sense of the Scriptures or to explain the Doctrines of Faith Nor III. To direct our Lives and Manners And among other Arguments whereby he proved his Question he produced two Historical passages for that purpose The one was That in those very Times wherein Revelations Inspirations and Prophesies abounded even then Men were directed to the written Word Yea which is more and most worthy of notice from the first founding of the Church of Israel unto the expiration of it though for the most part Prophets and Men inspired were at hand yet God ordained not these for the standing and constant Ministry whereby the People were to be instructed but Priests that were skilled in the Law and studied the Scripture How far do our Enthusiasts saith he swerve from this Divine Institution concerning the publick Ministry Who suffer none to be a Minister who is Learned and Studious but he only who is inspired with the Spirit and who can preach by the Spirit The other is That the Apostle S. Paul after the first age of the Gospel in which Revelations were often very necessary would no longer use the Imposition of his hands which conferred the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost because he well knew that God saw good no further to make use of such a Ministry and therefore placeth Timothy in Ephesus and Titus in Creet and other excellent Men elsewhere who though they could not confer the Spirit yet they ordained Ministers not inspired by the Spirit but Learned by Study He the next day determined Learnedly upon that Question An mors Christi fuerit in Redemptionem universalem His Clerum which he Preached was upon 1 Cor. XVI 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sum whereof was afterward by him published in his Horae upon the first Epistle to the Corinthians And since we are considering him now as a Learned Divine having before taken notice of him as a Learned Man let us hear him arguing and shewing his great abilities among the Divines at Westminster Whose notions he did not seldom oppose even to a chalenge sometimes by the strength and clearness of his reasonings and evidence of Scripture for he seemed to deserve that character that was given to Apollos a Man mighty in the Scriptures he turned the whole Assembly and sometimes such was his honesty and courage he would in some cases dissent from the whole Company and be the only Negative in the Assembly Some passages of his judgment in that Assembly are related in the Account of his Life there are divers more that deserve to be recorded to his fame and memory Doctor Lightfoots judgment was for general admission to the Holy Sacrament and spake for it by these arguments I. That though the Law forbid the unclean to come ad Sacra yet it gave not power to any to repel those that offered themselves to come Nor find we any such example II. That in Matth. VII Sanctum canibus Give not that which is holy to the Dogs is spoken in reference to the Apostles safety For the Jews themselves who use this Proverb by Dogs and Swine understand the bitter Enemies and Persecutors of the truth And so our Saviour hereby warrants his Disciples though they Preach not to Persecutors and Enemies lest it cost them their lives III. Circumcision was indifferently ministred to all the Seed of Abraham Ergo. IV. Judas received the Sacrament Ergo. And when Mr. G. instanced in Uzziah his being repelled our Doctor answered That it was ab Officio loco and withal said Grant the Priest did and might repel the unclean yet the case was different For that uncleanness was external and it might be known whether they were purified or no. But so cannot a Minister now judge of a Mans Conscience For though he were scandalous yesterday yet may his repentance be unfeigned by to day for ought he knows Dr. B. urged That though Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet Judas his Villany was not now known among the Disciples Our Doctor answered Christ had publickly marked him out for a Traitor before Dr. H. urged After the sop he went out The Doctor answered That was no Passover nor Sacrament but before it Upon this the matter arose to a great heat for he seemed herein to oppose the whole Assembly and leave was publickly given to our Author and Mr. P. to debate the point about Judas And they did it somewhat largely And the next day Dr. H. offered to dispute the same matter against him but the Assembly thought fit not to allow it Again Matth. VII was taken up which Dr. Lightfoot again opposed and desired that the verse might be taken in this sense which they would have Give not the Sacrament to Dogs lest they rend you and then that they would consider how doth this agree And further urged that Dogs in Scripture doth most constantly signifie An Enemy and where Dog once signifies a prophane Man at large it signifies many time for that one either those without or utter enemies of the Truth Mr. S. pleaded for the place thus The Ordinances are not to be administred where they will be
bespoke him an old Man indeed In which regard none was freer from that which Seneca makes the great reproach of old age viz. when there is nothing to compute age by but years Nihil turpius est saith he quam grandis natu senex qui nullum aliud habet argumentum quo se probet diu vixisse praeter aetatem His body was brought from Ely to his beloved Munden where he had been Minister near two and thirty years and was there buried Mr. Gervase Fulwood formerly a Fellow of Katharine Hall and who had long known him preaching his Funeral Sermon He was interred greatly beloved and greatly lamented by all that knew him and especially his Parishioners who took their last leave of him with many sighs and tears XV. His Temper and Spirit Piety and Vertues AND thus having gone through the most remarkable stages of his Life and labours in an historical way let us now stop a little and by way of reflection look back upon the Man the subject of this long discourse and take some notice of his Temper Course and manner of Life He was of a comly Person and a full and sizable proportion of a mild and somewhat ruddy Countenance and a most strong and hail constitution good signatures of his mind Easie of access grave but yet affable and courteous in his deportment and of a sweet obliging innocent and communicative conversation And though he was plain and unaffected yet there appeared somewhat of a becoming gentility in his behaviour When he light into company of ingenious and good Men he was free and discoursive but if he happened to be present where rude idle or debauched talk was he was silent and most uneasie and would take his leave as soon as he could He was very temperate and abstemious in his diet the noblest part of Physick as Queen Elizabeth used to call it his Food was plain and coarse Wine he altogether abstained from and likewise from Beer and Ale abroad drinking only Water except he were at home where he had his Beer brewed for him which was very small and that he delighted in drinking it also very new He eat seldom above once a day namely a Dinner on the week days and a Supper on Sundays Whereby he redeemed the more time for his Studies and preserved himself in such a constant good plight of health He was of a Genius more curious than ordinary affecting an inquiry into hidden things and to tread unbeaten ways as may be sufficiently judged by the Studies that he followed He seemed to be inquisitive into the nature of Spirits and concerning the apparitions of deceased persons There was a long account of the appearance of a Spirit in Driffeild a Town in Yorkshire which was sent to Dr. Burton when fellow of Magdalen College in Cambridge by a friend of his formerly his Collegian he receiving the Relation from the Woman her self to whom this Spirit often appeared This Letter Dr. Burton communicated to our Doctor who transcribed it with his own Hand though it filled almost a sheet of paper as not only pleasing his curiosity and satisfying him of the Truth of apparitions but also surprizing him by the various and strange discourse that that Spirit used too long here to be repeated He was of a very meek and tender spirit easily discouraged often melting into tears I have been told that being to give a publick Admonition to a lad of his College for being guilty of some high misdemeanors The College Bell being rung and the Students met together in the Hall the Master gave the Scholar his admonition with much gravity and with as much compassion tears being observed to stand in his Eyes while he did it This soft disposition made him easily discouraged I know not to what better to attribute that passage whereby the World had almost been deprived of his excellent Tract of the Temple Which was this as he himself tells it That going that very morning that he began his Description of the Temple to see a piece of Land but a mile off from his House which he had been owner of many years but never saw he chose to take direction and so to go alone by himself for meditation sake But in fine mist his way and lost himself Here his Heart he said took him to task and called him fool so studiously to search into things remote and that so little concerned his interest and so neglective of what was near him in place and that so particularly concerned him and a fool again to go about to describe to others places and buildings that lay so many hundred miles off as from hence to Canaan and under so many hundred years ruines and yet not able to know or find the way to a field of his own that lay so near And this so far prevailed upon him that it put him upon a resolution to lay by that work and so he did for some time till afterward his Bookish mind made him take it in hand again So easily and upon such little accidents are generous Spirits sometimes daunted No Man was more sensible of favours than he and none more apt to pass by injuries being of a calm settled and undisturbed Spirit He was also wary and discreet in his purposes duly weighing circumstances and peircing into the consequences of things This appeared in the Arguments he made use of against certain City Ministers many years ago more zealous than wise and some of them Assembly Men who earnestly advised to lay aside the Celebration of Christmas day When besides reasons taken from Religion as that the thing was in it self lawful and that our Saviour preached at the Feast of Dedication which had an humane Original he urged the inconveniences of it in point of prudence as That it would bring an Odium upon the Assembly That it would certainly breed a Tumult and that it would be safer to let such things alone to Authority than for them to meddle in Which bespake him to be a well advised Man as well as one not affecting novelties And another thing shewed his acuteness as well as his prudence That it being moved in the Assembly that when any went out of the Assembly before all rose he should solemnly make his obeysance that the better notice I suppose should be taken of such as went out this being even ready to pass our Doctor desired that they might not leave it upon their Records to posterity that this Assembly had need to take order for common Reverence and Civility Upon which it was laid by and the Order reversed But his spiritual endowments as he was a Minister and a Christian rendred him more illustrious than all his natural and acquired These made him beloved of God as the others valued and admired of Men. He took a good course at first for the better preparing himself for the Ministry For after his departure from Cambridge having spent two or three years in the County
clearly and therefore it was neither when Uzziah was made leprous nor in the year when he died as the Jews conjecture but it was before After this came a Plague of more misery but of lesser terrour and that was of fearful and horrid Locusts Caterpillars and Cankerworms whose like the oldest men alive had never seen Joel 1 2 3 c. These came towards harvest time in the beginning of the growth after mowing Amos 7. 1. And then were the fields and trees laden with corn and fruit but these laid the vines waste and barked the fig-trees Joel 1. 7. And causeth the harvest of the field to perish and the trees to wither so that there was not corn and wine sufficient for a meet Offering and drink Offering in the House of the Lord ver 10 11 12. then did the Cattel groan ver 18. and the beast of the field did languish Hos. 4. 3. This heavy Plague of Locusts was at last removed by prayer but the sins of the people called for another Therefore the Lord called to contend by fire Amos 7. 4. namely by an extreme drought with which were mingled fearful flashes of fire which fell from Heaven as in Egypt Eccl. 9. 23. and devoured all the pastures of the wilderness and the flame burnt up all the trees of the field Joel 1. 19. and some Cities were consumed by fire from Heaven as was Sodome Amos 4. 11. Esay 1. 9. And the rivers of water were dryed up Joel 1. 2. yea even the great deep was devoured by the heat and part of it eaten up Amos 7. 4. and the fishes destroyed Hos. 4. 3. After all these judgments when they prevailed not but the people were still the same God set a line upon his people and decreed that the high places of Isaac should be desolate and the Sanctuaries of Israel should be laid waste Amos 7. 9. yet did not the Lord leave himself without witness but against and in these times of Judgment and successively and continually did the Lord raise up a race of Prophets among them both in Israel and Judah that gave them warning threatning instruction and exhortation from time to time and did not this only by word of mouth but also committed the same to writing and to posterity that all generations to come might see the abomination and ingratitude of that people written as it were with a pen of Iron and a point of a Diamond and might read and fear and not do the like The Prophesie of HOSEA CHAP. I II III IV. THE first Prophet of this race was Hosea and so he testifieth of himself chap. 1. vers 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord spake first by Hosea And thus as under an Hosea Israel did enter into the Land of Canaan Numb 13. 16. and under an Hosea were captived out 2 King 17. So did the Lord raise up an Hosea the first of these Prophets to tax their unthankfulness for the one and to foretel the fearfulness of the other His Prophesie is common both to Israel and Judah even as was his adulterous wife a mate as unfit for so holy a Prophet as her actions were fit to resemble such a wicked people The date of his Prophesie tells us that he began in the days of Uzziah and continued till the days of Ezekiah and so was a Preacher at the least seventy years and so saw the truth of his Prophesie fulfilled upon captived Israel Of all the Sermons that he made and threatnings and admonitions that he gave in so long a time only this small parcel is reserved which is contained in his little Book the Lord reserving only what his divine Wisdom saw to be most pertinent for those present times and most profitable for the time to come That being to be accounted canonical Scripture not what every Prophet delivered in his whole time but what the Lord saw good to commit to writing for posterity To fit every Prophesie of this Book whether Chapter or part of Chapter to its proper year when it was delivered is so far impossible as that it is not possible to fit them certainly to the Kings reign and therefore the Reader can but conceive of their time in gross as they were delivered by him in the time of his Preaching which was exceeding long only these two or three considerations and conjectures may not be unprofitable towards the casting up of some of the times and towards the better understanding of his Prophesie in some particular 1. He began to Prophesie in the days of Uzziah and began first of any that were Prophets in his reign as were Joel Amos and Esaiah Jonah was a Prophet in these times but there is no Prophesie of his left against Israel or Judah the second Verse of the first Chapter cited even now cannot be understood so properly in any sence as this that God now raising up in the days of Uzziah a generation of Prophets that should continue in a succession till the captivity and that should leave their Prophesies behind them in writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord spake first of all these by Hosea Therefore whereas it is apparent that Amos by the date of his Prophesie ver 1. lived in those days of Uzziah which were contemporary with the days of Jeroboam so also is it apparent by this passage of Hosea that he himself began in some time of those concurrent years of Uzziah and Jeroboam which were fifteen and somewhat before the beginning of Amos. 2. His two first Chapters seem to be uttered by him in the very beginning of his Preaching of the first there can be no doubt nor controversie and the other two may be well conceived to be of the same date as appeareth by the matter In the first Chapter under the parable of his marrying an adulterous wife which he names Gomer the daughter of Diblaim either for that there was some notorious whorish wife in those times of that name or for the significansie of the words for they import corruption of figs as Jer. 24. 3. as our Saviour in a parable nameth a begger Lazarus either because there was some noted poor needy wretch of that name in those times or for the significansie of the word Lazarus signifying God help me as proper a name for a begger as could be given under this Parable I say of his marrying an adulterous wife and begetting children of her he foretels first the ruine of the house of Jehu this typified by a Son she bears called Jezrael then the ruine of the ten Tribes this typified by a daughter she bears which he calls Lo-ruchamah or unpitied for in these times of Jeroboam when Hosea began to Prophesie the Lord had pittied Israel exceedingly and eased them much of their trouble and oppressions 2 King 24 26 27. but now he would do so no more but Judah he would yet pitty and save them not by bow and sword but by an Angel in the days of Ezekiah
Hillel Out of which as they relate there came thousands of Scholars but fourscore especially of most renown Hillel the old they are the words of the Talmud had fourscore Scholars Thirty of them were fit in whom the divine Majesty should rest as it did on Moses Thirty of them were worthy for whom the Sun should stand still as it did for Joshua and twenty were of a middle rank between The greatest of them all was Jonathan ben Uzziel that Paraphrased the Prophets in the Chaldee Tongue and the lowest of them was Johannan the son of Zaccai Such a Father had this our Simeon and so renowned but himself infinitely more renowned in the thing that is now in hand and in his having the Saviour of the world in his arms and heart Now this is the Genealogy of this man as it is Recorded by the Jews themselves Hillel begat Simeon who was first titled Rabban Rabban Simeon begat Rabban Gamaliel the Tutor of Paul Rabban Gamaliel begat Rabban Simeon the second Rabban Simeon the second begat Rabban Gamaliel the second Rabban Gamaliel begat Rabban Simeon the third Rabban Simeon the third begat Rabbi Juda the holy Rabbi Juda begat Rabban Gamaliel the third These six Rabbans were of the line of Hillel besides whom there was a seventh that bare the same title of another stock Rabban Johanan ben Zaccai But it may be justly questioned if Simeon were the man we suppose namely the Son of Hillel and the Father of Gamaliel and if he were so holy and devout a man and confessed Christ as this Evangelist relateth of him how came it to pass that his Son Gamaliel was so far contrary as appeareth by the education of Paul in Pharisaical righteousness and persecution of the Truth Answ. First It is no strange thing for holy Fathers to have wicked Children witness Eli David Josaphat and common experience Secondly It was thirty years from Simeons acknowledging of Christ to Gamaliels education of Paul or little less and so much time might wear out the notice of his Fathers action if he had taken any notice of it especially his Father dying shortly after he had made so glorious a confession §. Waiting for the consolation of Israel It is an Article of the Jewish Creed To believe the coming of the Messias and to wait and wait for his coming although he defer it which foolishly they do even to this day after sixteen hundred years expired since he came But Simeons expectation is neither so vain nor so uncertain For besides the general expectation of the whole Nation that the Messias should appear about that time Luke 19. 11. he had it by a special and assured revelation ver 26. The coming of Christ is called The consolation of Israel from Isa. 49. 13. 52. 9. 66. 13. Jer. 31. 13. Zech. 1. 17. and such like places which the Jews do not only apply to the coming of the Messias but also in their Talmud questioning what his name should be when as he came some conclude it to be Menahem The Comforter from Lam. 1. 16. In Sanhedr Ver. 26. That he should not see * * * * * * As Psal. 89. 48 and to see corruption Psal. 16. 10. death before he had seen the Lords Christ. This was the time when the Nation expected that Messias should appear Luke 19. 11. and began to look for redemption near at hand Luke 2. 38. The Angel Gabriel to Daniel and he to the people had so determinately pointed out the time Dan. 9. 26 27. that not only Jews of all Nations are gathered to Jerusalem against the expiring of that Prophesie Act. 2. but also all the East was possessed with an opinion of a Prince to rise about these times of supereminent honour glory and dominion Baron in Appar c. Sueton. Virgil c. Simeon having learned the time with the rest of the studious of the Nation out of the Scripture hath the certainty of it sealed up to him by the spirit of Prophesie which assured him that the time of so great expectation was so near at hand that he though he were old yet should not die till he had seen what he desired And thus Prophesie that was departed from Israel so long ago is returning and dawning to it again to be as the morning Star to tell that the Sun of righteousness would rise ere long Ver. 35. Yea a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also These words seem to be of the same tenor and intent with those of our Saviour to Peter Joh. 21. 18. and to tell Mary of her suffering martyrdom for Christ and the Gospel as those do of his For Simeon having in the preceding verse related how Christ both in his person and in the Gospel should be as a sign to be spoken against persecuted and opposed yea saith he and thou his Mother also for his and the Gospels sake shalt drink of the same cup and partake of the same lot for the sword of persecution shall go through thy life also for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth often signifie §. That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed This clause is linked to the latter end of the verse preceding and reacheth beyond the Parenthesis that lieth before it and in conjuncture with the clause before that it maketh this sense that Christs being set up for a sign to be spoken against or persecution for the Gospels sake should detect many mens tempers and affections which were not descried nor revealed before and discover what malignity or sincerity to him and to his cause is in their hearts as Matth. 13. 21. and as it is at this day Vers. 36. The daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser Hannah a Widdow indeed as 1 Tim. 5. 3 5. that is not by divorce but by the death of her husband and now of above an hundred years of age is chosen also and actuated by the Holy Ghost to give testimony of Christ as Simeon had done that out of the mouth of two such witnesses of either sex one the thing might be established and the party witnessed unto might be the more taken notice of Her Father Phanuel is named as either being a noted and well known man in those times or for the significancy of his name made good in her in that she now beholdeth the Lord face to face as Gen. 32. 30 31. And thus the New Testament doth by this Prophetess as the Old Testament doth by divers of the Prophets in naming her and her Father with her as Isa. 1. 1. Jer. 1. 1. Joel 1. 1. c. Phanuel her Father was a Galilean for in Galilee lay the Tribe of Aser and from thence cometh a Prophetess now to declare and publish the great Prophet that must once appear thence to the wonder of the Nation Ver. 37. Which departed not from the Temple Her constant continuance there might be either because she was a poor Widow and so
Region round about Jordan Preaching the baptism of repentance Luke 3. 3. And Matthew of the former thus There went out unto him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the Region round about Jordan and were baptized of him A space of ground not to be travelled over with resting in many places by the way and a number of people not to be baptized in a short space of time Now the reasons why Christ that needed no cleansing being purity it self would be baptized are given divers As first that by this Symbole he might enter himself into the society and fraternity of the Christians as by Circumcision he did of the Jews like a King it is Jansenius his comparison that to unite and indear himself to any City of his Subjects condescendeth to be made a freeman of it as are the ordinary Citizens Secondly that he might bear witness to the preaching and baptism of John and might receive testimony from him again Thirdly that by his own baptism he might sanctifie the waters of baptism to his Church Fourthly that he might give example himself of the performance of that which he injoyned to others and by his own coming to be baptized teach others not to refuse that Sacrament Fifthly that he might receive testimony from heaven that he was the son of God Sixtly that he might occasion the revealing of the Trinity Seventhly that he might shew the descending of the Holy Ghost on the waters of Baptism But eightly the main reason of all and that which is equal to these all is that which is given by Christ himself namely that he might fulfill all righteousness of which anon Ver. 14. But Iohn forbad him So Peter forbad Christ to wash his feet not in any surly frowardness but in an holy humility having an eye upon his own unworthiness This refusal of John being of the same nature seemeth to have had respect to three things according to the several persons there present Christ the people and himself First in regard of Christ because he needeth no baptism in that he needed neither repentance nor remission of sins Secondly in regard of the people lest they might mistake and seeing Christ baptized as well as they might judge him sinful as well as themselves Thirdly in regard of the Baptist himself who had told the people so oft and so constantly of him that came after him that he was greater then he and that his baptism was more excellent then his and how would this cross that testimony of his in the eyes and hearts of the people when they should see him as an inferiour come to be baptized of John But Fourthly and chiefly this his reluctancy proceeded from his true and right comparing of Christ and himself together the Majesty and purity of him with the baseness and sinfulness of himself and therefore he saith I have need to baptized of thee c. Not refusing the service nor crossing the will of Christ but confessing the unworthyness of himself and ponderating the inequality of the persons But it may not unfitly nor unseasonably be questioned here how the Baptist knew that this was Christ seeing that he saith himself I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me on whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding on him the same is he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost Joh. 1. 33. Now the descending of the Holy Ghost was after he was baptized and these words I have need to be baptized of thee were spoken before To this doubt and scruple many answers are given but not so many resolutions First some take the words I knew him not c. to be spoken by John to make his testimony to be without suspition For John and Jesus being a kin by birth for their Mothers were Cousins Luke 1. 36. it might be surmised that John gave so high and large a testimony of him for kindred and affections sake therefore he protesteth that he knew him not in any such a way but only by divine revelation Thus Chrysostome and Theophylact In which answer if there be any satisfaction at all which is but little yet is it not to our whole quaere but only to the least part of it Secondly some thus that John before his baptism knew that he was the Christ but not that it was he that should baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire till he saw the Spirit descend upon him and thus Theophylact again and upon this he fixeth as on the most genuine and proper resolution which is very hard to apprehend or collect out of the words of John in his whole Sermon for this maketh him to distinguish betwixt Christ and him that should baptize with the Holy Ghost and to make them two distinct persons in his opinion whereas both his own words and no doubt the expectation of the people did take him for one and the same to be Christ. Thirdly their opinion is yeâ— far more strange that think that the Baptist took not Christ for Christ when he gain-sayeth his being baptized by him but for some extraordinary holy man and continued in this opinion till the descending of the holy Ghost confimed him in the Truth that he was the Messias For it is not imaginable that John having the peculiar Commission from God to baptize all that should come unto him should himself desire to be baptized by another man And again his words I have need to be baptized by thee shew that he understood that it was he that Baptized with the Holy Ghost as will appear by and by Fourthly little less improper and equally strained is the Exposition of Augustine that John knew indeed that he was the Christ and that it was he that should baptize with the Holy Ghost but till he saw the descending of the Holy Ghost he knew not that it was only he that should baptize with the Holy Ghost or that he reserved the propriety of the power of baptizing to himself alone and did not communicate it to his Ministers And this propriety the Schools make to consist in these four particulars 1. That he reserved to himself the power of instituting baptism though he communicated the power of baptizing to others 2. That he can confer the grace or effect of Baptism without the administration of the Sacrament which the Ministers cannot 3. That he giveth efficacy to baptism by his death 4. That Baptism is administred and given in his name Which gloss as the Father strained out of the Text to retort upon the Donatists that maintained that this Sacrament administred by a wicked minister availed nothing so is it but strained and that strangely too for how can it possibly be collected that John should collect any such thing from the descending of the Holy Ghost Fifthly More plausible is their resolution that hold that John knew Christ indeed in some measure before his baptism but not so fully as after when the Holy
as to the instruction conviction benefit and advantage of men And therefore although the humane nature of Christ through the uniting of it to the Godhead did abound in all holiness and wisdom and graces as to the knowing of God and the best things to the enjoyment of the vision of God and communion with him to the being and persisting absolutely without the least corruption to the entire performing of the whole Law and to a non-possibility of committing sin all which capacities tended towards the satisfaction of Gods justice and mans redemption yet for the ministration of the Gospel and for his working upon the bodies minds and affections of men by teaching preaching and working miracles he is indued with the immediate gifts of the Spirit as it was the way of God to deal with Prophets and prophetick men which gifts did not so properly accrew from the union of the two natures as from the unction of the Spirit The result of the union of the two natures being more properly acceptance with God in the work of Redemption and the fruits of this unction being to the acceptance with men in the work of the Ministery And whereas it is not to be denied but that Christ before the Holy Ghost came upon him at his baptism had the power of miracles and Prophetick wisdom in him as appeareth by his disputing with the Doctors at twelve years old this was through the fulness of the Holy Ghost that was in him even from his mothers womb as it was and much more than it was with John the Baptist Luke 1. 15. and that with this difference from what it is now that it was then upon him as one to be ordained and now upon him as ordained already to the Ministery Now the difference of the fulness of the Holy Ghost in Christ from other men who are also said to have been filled with the Holy Ghost as Luke 1. 67. Acts 6. 5. may appear in these particulars 1. In the measure which may be measured by consideration of the difference of the persons and of their employments for Christ was more capable by infinite degrees of the fulness of the Holy Ghost than meer men were or could be and his employment being also so infinitely beyond the employment of men the measure of the Holy Ghosts fulness in him must needs be accordingly beyond all measure 2. In the manner and vigor of acting The power of the Prophets in working of miracles was exceeding great indeed and wondrous and their descrying and discovering the will of God and things to come was exceeding wonderful and sublime but they could neither do nor tell all things nor could they act upon all occasions but had always their bounds and had sometimes a recess of the Spirit or departure of it from them As Isaac can see what shall befal Jacob and Esau many hundred years after yet cannot know Jacob from Esau when he is in his arms And Jacob can tell what shall become of all his sons in the last time to come yet cannot tell what is become of his best son Joseph in his own time for 13 years together So Moses hath power over Egypt yet hath not power over his own stammering and the Prophet at Bethel can command the Altar that it rent it self but cannot command the Lion not to rent him Thus to this great gift of Prophecy on men as to the Ocean God set its bound which it might not pass and so far might the operating of it go and might go no further but with Christ it was not so He could work what miracles he would when he would how he would and on whom he would he could reveal all truths resolve all doubts clear all difficulties know all thoughts and had no limit of the vigor and acting of the Spirit upon him but his own will §. Was led by the Spirit into the wilderness Namely into the wilderness of Judea For 1. that was in mention in the story next preceding Matth. 3. 2 3. and a wilderness being here spoken of without any further mention what wilderness it was none can so properly be understood as that of Judea which was last named before 2. It is said by Luke that Jesus returned from Jordan by the word returned importing that he came back when he went to his temptation on the same side Jordan on which he was baptized Now that the wilderness of Judea lay on that side is more evident than needeth any demonstration Chemnitius indeed hath supposed this wilderness where our Saviour was tempted to have been the great desert of Horeb or Sinai and he giveth these three reasons for it 1. Because other wildernesses have their distinguishing titles as of Ziph 2 Sam. 23. 14. Shur Exod. 15. 22. Engedi 1 Sam. 24. 11. c. but this wilderness of Horeb is called the wilderness by a special emphasis without any other addition and so is the wilderness mentioned in this story But this is easily answered that it wants its distinctive title here because it was named by it a little before and called the wilderness of Judea 2. Because saith he Mark saith that Christ in this wilderness was with the wild beasts now in other wildernesses there are either dwellings of men here and there or they are not altogether remote from the converse of men but in the great desart of Horeb there were only wild beasts as there are mentioned to have been here Ans. Mark when he saith Christ was with wild beasts doth not therefore inforce that that wilderness was without either men or dwellings But first That Christ for that time avoided both the one and the other and kept himself in the wildest places and most retired from humane society And secondly the Evangelist seemeth to regard rather the state of Christ than the state of the place and to shew Christ to be the second Adam as in the temptation which he was now about so in his safety and security among the wild beasts as Adam in innocency had been and they hurt him not The wilderness of Judea had indeed both cities and villages and dwellings of men in it but withall it had some places wild in it without any such habitations and it had wild beasts in it in those places 1 Sam. 17. 28. 34. 2 Sam. 23. 20. Jer. 49. 19. 3. By this supposal he addeth that this wilderness where Christ was tempted was the great desart of Horeb there is a fair answerableness found out between this story and the story of Israel in that place and betwixt this fasting of Christ and of Moses and Elias in the same desart Answer it is true there would be so indeed but the being of the thing cannot be grounded upon this correspondency but this correspendency must be built upon the thing first found so to be and if this may argue for Horeb desart we may as well argue for Judea wilderness for there the sore tryals of David under the persecution
grace some another De Dieu taketh it one grace because of another the latter because of the former the first grace is the cause of the second and the second of a third and so on Some take for one grace upon another or graces multiplied Others for grace in us agreeable to the grace in Christ the like in kind though not in degree And for conclusion there is that supposeth that grace for grace meaneth only grace freely bestowed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth only interpret the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or gratis All which interpretations are Indeed true in regard of the matter contained in them yet whether they are pregnant expositions of this place the scope of the place and the intention of the Evangelist in it may give occasion to doubt and scruple For the Evangelist is apparently hitherto and here speaking of manifold declarations that were of Christ or of the several ways and means by which he was revealed as hath been observed and therefore it is the surest way to interpret these words suitable to that scope and intention And accordingly I cannot but apprehend and render these words so as that the word grace in the first place should signifie the grace of Apostleship and grace in the latter place mean grace in the hearts of the hearers and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or for should denote the final cause which construction being taken up in this paraphrase will more easily be understood And of his fulness all we his Disciples have received exceeding full and eminent gifts and withal we have received the grace of Apostleship for the doctrine of the free grace of God and for the propagating of grace in the hearts of others And as the scope of the Evangelist draweth the verse unto such a sense so doth the force and vertue of the language justifie it For first the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometime in Scripture applied to such a construction as we put upon it in the first part of the clause as Rom. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have received grace the very word used here and Apostleship which Beza well glosseth Gratiam Apostolatum id est gratiam Apostolatus that is the grace of Apostleship Beneficium eximiae plane liberalitatis quod alibi vocat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 1. 6. And in the same sense the Apostle speaking 1 Cor. 15. 9. I am the least of the Apostles which am not worthy to be called an Apostle he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace on me was not in vain c. Secondly The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometimes and very properly denote the end and intention of a thing and hath regard to the final cause as 1 Cor. 11. 15. Hair is given to a woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may be a covering Heb. 12. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because of the joy that lay before him Matth. 20. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A redemption in behalf of many c. And so among prophane Authors it is not seldom used in the sense of Gratia or for the sake as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cujus gratia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non nullius gratia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hujus doctrinae gratia c. And so may it very fitly be interpreted in this place we received grace because of or for the sake of grace or in behalf of grace that is that it may be advanced in the thoughts and propagated and wrought in the hearts of others Ver. 17. For the Law was given by Moses c. He had in the verses preceding treated concerning the declaration of Christ before his coming and after it both in the Law and under the Gospel And in the three last verses before he had handled this latter head viz. how he was declared in the Gospel after his coming 1. In his own person and converse vers 14. The Word became flesh and dwelt in us full of grace and truth and we saw his glory c. 2. In the Ministery of John the Baptist ver 15. John bare witness of him and cried saying c. 3. In the Ministery of the Apostles ver 16. Of his fulness we have all received c. And now he cometh to weigh the tenor of the Law and of the Gospel in both which Christ was thus declared and to compare them together and the two persons that were the chief Ministers in the exhibition of them Christ and Moses the two persons in regard of their Ministery of the doctrine of salvation and the two things in regard of their tenor clearness and exhibition of that doctrine The word For in the beginning of the verse joyneth this verse and that that went before together and it pieceth either to the whole verse to make up this sense We received the grace of Apostleship for the preaching of the Gospel as Moses did the Law or rather to the last word grace to the result of this sense we received Apostleship for the propagation and advancement of grace whereas Moses gave the Law for the advancement of works for so the opposition that is in this verse doth hold it out as may be observed §. But grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. These two words grace and truth stand here in Antithesis or opposition to the moral and ceremonial Law which was given by Moses For though Christ was the giver of the Law as well as of the Gospel and though the giving of the Law was a work of grace and the doctrine of the Law a work of truth yet if the tenor of the Law and the Gospel be compared together they will be found to differ mainly in these particulars though there be a grace and truth to be found in either of them First The Law indeed held out the doctrine of Salvation and taught of good things to come but it was so darkly and obscurely and in such vailed types and shadows that it was rather groped after than seen and therefore those things are called darkness at the fifth verse of this Chapter and the Jews that lived under them yea and gained salvation from the knowledge of them yet are said to be not perfect without us Heb. 11. 40. that is imperfect in the knowledge of the doctrine of Salvation till the Gospel brought us Gentiles in But the Gospel revealed Christ and the way of salvation so clearly and in so evident and plain a manner that all those types shadows predictions and representations received their equity accomplishment and fulfilling and it shewed apparently what was the substance and intention of them so that what the Law held out in figures the Gospel did in truth Secondly Although the Law were in the spirit and marrow of it a Doctrine of Faith yet in the letter and outward administration of it it was
and not like Enoch and Elias as is plain by the Text for that speaketh of shutting up heaven turning water into blood and plaguing the earth which had been the actings of Elias and Moses and none but they and no mention of Enochs ever doing such a thing at all We have therefore from that place as little warrant to look for Elias his bodily coming before the end of the world as we have for the bodily coming of Moses 3. The proper meaning of that Prophesie concerning the two Witnesses is to set forth the state of the Church towards the end of the world when the Jews shall be called and knit together into one Church with the Gentiles shewing that God will raise up a powerful Ministery among either people which the Holy Ghost characters by Moses the first Minister and Prophet of the Jews and Elias the first Minister and Prophet of the Gentiles These two people and this double Ministery are as two olive trees and two candlesticks standing before the Lord of the whole earth This Ministery shall be opposed by Antichrist and almost destroyed and brought to nothing And as Antichrist hath caused a general defection and apostasie already in the world having even slain Religion and the preaching of the Truth till in the age last past they revived again So shall he cause a defection and falling away for a season in the Church of the Jews after their calling so that Religion and the truth shall be in a manner extinguisht among them that Antichrist may make the measure of his iniquity full And as Rome in her heathenish power did first destroy the old Jerusalem and then persecute the new so must she do in her Antichristian power and mischievousness first undo the Christian Church consisting of Heathens only as it hath done already in the dark time of Popery over all the world and then undo the Church consisting of Gentiles and Jews united together but God shall revive it and then the true Religion and the Ministery of the Truth shall live again by the power and Spirit of God put into them That this is the aim of that prophecy in the eleventh of the Revelation might be shewed if it were seasonable by many arguments and consequently that the expectation of Enoch and Elias to come bodily and to fight with Antichrist c. hath not the least colour or ground from thence at all but this is not a place to dispute that Text. §. Art thou that Prophet There is some question whether to read it in the force of the Article or no there are some that do read it so and some that do not The Syriack and the Vulgar Latine take no notice of the Article at all but read it as if it were without Art thou a Prophet And so doth the margin of our English Bible But others with our English Text do interpret the words as speaking of some peculiar Prophet which was neither Christ nor Elias but some other pointed at and intended by that prediction Deut. 18. 15. Vid. Cyril and Chrysost. c. It is hard to guess at the mind of these Jews that speak these words we have in hand for both the Greek expression in this Text and the Jews exposition of that in Deuteronomy do so indifferently carry it either to a Prophet in general or to some singular Prophet in particular that it may be an equilibrious case whether to take it the one way or the other I rather take it the former and cannot but apprehend that their questioning of the Baptist in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is indefinitely meant art thou a Prophet Not this or that Prophet but art thou a Prophet at all For prophesie had been long decayed amongst them and when they saw one appear now of so prophetical a character as the Baptist was and when he had resolved them he was neither Christ nor Elias their properest question then was art thou then any other Prophet come after so long a time as there have been no Prophets among us And he answers No that is not in their sense not a Prophet of the same Ministery with those in the Old Testament but of another nature or not one of those Prophets of the Old Testament revived as Matth. 16. 14. but a Minister foretold of by one of those Prophets as Esay 40. 3. The reason that I refuse the strict interpretation of this question Art thou that Prophet as if they spake of some particular man is partly because the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not always to be construed in such a strictness as pointing out a particular thing or person but is very commonly nay most commonly of a more large and general signification But chiefly because I find not in the Jewish Writers any particular Prophet mentioned whom they expected to come as they did Christ and Elias and for ought I find they do not interpret that place in Deut. 18. 15. of any such a particular person but of the succession of Prophets in generall It is true indeed that Aben Ezra understands it of Joshua and Rab. Sol. on Jer. 1. understands it of Jeremy but this was of Joshua and Jeremy in their times but of any such singular person that they expected in the last times I find no mention unless the Priest of righteousness spoken of a little before or Messias ben Joseph should be reduced under this notion and name of That Prophet Ver. 25. Why baptizest thou then It is observable that they never question what he meant by his baptism but what he meant to baptize they inquire not concerning the thing but concerning his person and authority And in all the time of his course and ministery we never find that they made the least scruple what his Baptism was or what it meant but only they look on him and wonder and question what he hath to do to baptize And the reason of this was because the rite and custom of baptizing had been in common and ordinary practice and use among that Nation many hundreds of years before John ever appeared among them And as this common and known custom of Baptism used among them continually and ordinarily so long before and then made them that they never wonder nor question nor make strange of Johns baptizing as to the thing it self so the consideration of this very thing may give us much light and satisfaction in that controversie that is now afoot among us concerning the baptizing or not baptizing of Infants It is urged by those that deny Infants baptism that there is neither command for it nor example of it in the Scripture as there was for Infants circumcision Now this consideration giveth one ready answer if there were no other to be given If baptism and baptizing of Infants had been as strange and unseen and unheard of a thing in the world till John Baptist came as circumcision was till God appointed it to Abraham there is no
it might not be contrary either to truth or to good sense so to construe it But the phrase We know is often taken to import that such a thing is commonly and certainly known not so much with regard to such or such particular or definite persons knowing of it but with regard to the thing it self that it is well known and of open cognisance and so it is clearest to understand it here see the phrase Joh. 4. 22. 9. 31. 1 Joh. 5. 18. c. Vers. 3. Except a man be born Expositors do use great variety of piecings to tie these words of our Saviour to those of Nicodemus before in some sutableness or conformity together Chrysostome thus Thou holdest me for a Prophet only here thou comest exceeding far short of the full truth and art not come so much as into the utmost porch of a right knowledge Verily I say unto thee except thou partake of the Spirit by the laver of regeneration thou canst not have a right judgement concerning me And much in the same steps treadeth Theophylact. Cyrill thus Nicodemus thought he had done enough in coming to Christ and confessing him but this is not enough saith Christ but thou must also be born again And much after the same manner goeth Tolet Augustine thus Nicodemus thou comest to me as to a Teacher come from God but I tell thee there is no trusting my self and the Gospel with thee unless thou be born again Beza conceiveth that Christ saw that it was in Nicodemus his thoughts to enquire of him about the Doctrine of Regeneration and he prevents his question Jansenius that he did inquire concerning the way to eternal life but the Evangelist hath not mentioned it and divers more like offertures of connexion between the words of Nicodemus and our Saviviours might be produced which are tendered by several expositors but I shall spare more alleadging and first take up the consideration of what is meant by the Kingdom of God and that understood the connexion that appears so difficult will be made the better §. The Kingdom of God 1. This phrase and The Kingdom of Heaven are but one and the same in sense though they differ in a word as will plainly and easily appear by comparing these places Matth. 4. 7. Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matth. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 19. 14. Suffer little children c. for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 19. 23. A rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 11. 11 12. The least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than be Matth. 13. 11. To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Vers. 3. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustardseed Vers. 33. The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven Mark 1. 15. The Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye Luke 6. 20. Blessed be ye poor for yours is the Kingdom of God Mark 10. 14. Suffer little children c. for of such is the Kingdom of God Luk. 18. 24. How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God Luk. 7. 28. The least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he Luk. 8. To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God Luk. 13. 18 19. The Kingdom of God is like a grain of mustardseed Vers. 20 21. The Kingdom of God is like leaven And many more such like parallel places in the Evangelists might be produced in which by the indifferent use of these expressions they shew abundantly that The Kingdom of Heaven and The Kingdom of God do mean and signifie but one and the same thing And the reason of this indifferent use of it is because the Jews usually called God Heaven as Dan. 4. 25. Matth. 21. 25. Luke 15. 21. Joh. 3. 27. and their Authors infinitely in such passages as these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man is to fear his Teacher as he is to fear Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a one casts off the fear of Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The service of Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death by the hand of Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let a man always fear Heaven in secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The name of Heaven is blasphèmed c. And they call God Heaven saith Elias Levita because Heaven is the place of his Habitation In Tishbi The Talmudick writers do sometimes use the term or phrase of The Kingdom of Heaven in a wild sense for the strictness height and pompousness of their Ceremoniousness in Religion and most especially about the business of their Phylacteries Rabbi Joshua the son of Korchah saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let a man first take upon him the Kingdom of Heaven and afterward let him take upon him the yoke of the command Thus the Mishueh of the Jerusalem Talmud readeth in Beracoth per. 2. and so likewise doth R. Alphes But the Babylon Mishueh hath it let him first take upon him the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven c. which saying meaneth but this Let a man but first put on his Phylacteries and then fall to his Devotions And so the Gemara in the place cited doth expound it Rabbi Joshua saith He that will take on him the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven let him wash his hands put up his Phylacteries rehearse the sentences of them over say his prayer and this is the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven complete On whose words Alphesi glosseth and descanteth thus Since he reads And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be frontlets between thine eyes If he put not his Phylacteries on he is found bearing false witness against himself for what he saith is not true And although he perform the command of saying his prayers so as to discharge his duty of saying over his Phylactery sentences yet he transgresseth on the other hand because he witnesseth falsly against himself And Rabbi Jochanan meaneth that even the command is not perfectly done if he take not on him the Kingdom of Heaven And he is like to one that offereth a Thanks offering without a meat offering because he rehearseth those sentences without taking on him the Kingdom of Heaven In the same place is another story related and to be understood in the same sense concerning Rabban Gamaliel who on his wedding day at night said over his Phylacteries His Disciples said unto him Sir hast not thou taught us that a Bridegroom is free from saying over his Phylacteries the first night He saith unto them I will not hearken unto you to lay from me the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven no not one hour And the same construction is to be made of that which the Author of Juchasin records of Rabbi Akiba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he died taking on him the yoke of the Kingdom of
these two dates sometimes from his resurrection and sometimes from the destruction of Jerusalem from his resurrection whereby he was declared mightily to be the Son of God Rom. 1. 4. as Luke 22. 18. I will not drink of the fruit of the vine till the Kingdom of God be come meaning not till after his resurrection for then he eat and drank with them Act. 1. 4. Luke 24. 43 44. And from the destruction of Jerusalem Luke 21. 31 32. Matth. 16. 28. because then he triumphed over those that had despised his rule and he transferred his Kingdom to another people Matth. 21. 40 41 43. 2. It signifieth the changed administration of the way and things of Salvation from the Ceremonial and carnal rites which were appointed before to a worship of God in spirit and truth Not but that that spiritual service was inwrapped under those formalities if they could have found it out but that now the change was so apparent and so great that those outsides of Ceremonies were to be laid aside and the internal substance only to be looked after In this sense the Kingdom of Heaven is dated from the beginning of John Baptists Ministery when this change did first begin Luke 16. 16. and that time called the beginning of the Gospel Mark 1. 1. this change is called the regeneration Matth. 19. 28. And new Heavens and new Earth Esay 65. 16. 3. It signifieth the planting of the Gospel and of the spiritual Kingdom of Christ among the Gentiles Matth. 8. 11 12. 21. 43. 4. It signifieth the work of the Gospel grace wrought in the heart or the vertue and vigour of this spiritual Kingdom of Christ there Matth. 6. 33. 13. 46. 15. 3 c. 5. And sometimes it signifies the state of glory Luke 18. 18 24 25. And now to return to that enquiry that we were about concerning the connexion of our Saviours words to the words of Nicodemus and concerning the meaning of the words themselves we shall observe only these three particulars 1. That Nicodemus in his words in the verse before doth own some appearance and glimpse of the Kingdom of God or coming of the Messias in the wondrous miracles that Christ had wrought We shall not much dispute whether when he saith that Christ was a Teacher come from God he means that he was the Messias or that he was Elias his forerunner or that he was some Prophet that was as the dawning to the days of Messias certainly his argument from Christs miracles doth speak him as thinking those days near at hand and the Kingdom of God now beginning to appear Such arguments we find elsewhere producing such a conclusion and by the observing of them we may the better judge of this Nathaniel concludes Christ the King of Israel because he had wonderfully told him of some secret passage of his under a Fig-tree John 1. 49. And the woman of Samaria because he had told her of her secret villany resolves that he must needs be the Messias Joh. 4. 29. So when he had filled the people with five loaves and two fishes they make this undoubted conclusion Of a truth this is the Prophet and they would have crowned him for Messias John 6. 14 15. And our Saviour himself makes this an undeniable argument I by the Spirit of God do cast out Devils ergo No doubt the Kingdom of God is come among you Luke 11. 20. for such wonders cannot be expected but in the days of Messias Such like arguments are those John 7. 31. 9. 16. 11. 47 48. 15. 24. The blasphemous Jews of those times found these so evincing and undeniable evidences toward such a conclusion that they could find no other way to evade the dint of them but by that cursed tergiversation as sensless as it was impious That Christ wrought these wonders by the power of the Devil Luke 11. 15. John 10. 20. And as the blasphemous Jews in times succeeding have sought to evade them by this assertion that when Messias should come he would do no miracles Talm. in Sanhedr per. 10. Maym. in Melachim per. 11 12. 2. But this was Nicodemus his argumentation upon the miracles that he saw done that undoubtedly this could be nothing but a token of the days of the Messias or Kingdom of God now approached and so our Saviour easily reads his meaning and so the alledged like arguments shew that even any of the learned or observing ones of the Nation would readily have construed his words though he spake not so much in those very syllables and therefore it is needless to say that Christ knew it was in his thoughts to enquire about the Kingdom of Heaven it was legible enough in these very words that he acknowledged an undeniable evidence of the Kingdom of Heaven now demonstrated in those wondrous miracles that Christ wrought which reasoning may be heightned by these two circumstances in that miracles had been so long ceased and should now so break forth and that in the times when miracles were wrought none were wrought such as these 3. The connexion therefore of our Saviours words to his upon these considerations is of no difficulty or harshness at all but as direct and proper as was possible For as Nicodemus by these miracles could not but conclude upon the times of the Messias that they were now come so by his Judaical and Pharisaical principles he conceived that those glorious times that they expected under Messias should take the people as they were and they without any inward change of mind or heart at all should be translated into an outward changed condition of happiness and earthly glory as much as they could desire or imagine No saith Christ there is more required of and in him that desires to see and partake of the happiness of that Kingdom and those days he must also suffer a changedness in himself and in his principles and be cast into a new mold and be as if he were born anew And thus may we make out the connexion of this speech of Christ to that of Nicodemus and now there remains to examine the meaning of the speech it self It is not much material as to sense of the thing it self whether to read it Except a man be born again or Except a man be born from above either of the expressions will very well carry the sense our Saviour intendeth in it but to take it in the latter translation from above doth more properly and pertinently speak out the thing that is aimed at It was the great confidence and boasting of the Jews that they were born and descended of the seed of Abraham and upon this score and priviledge they relied so much that they accounted that very thing to estate them exceedingly in a happy condition as to the favour of God and welfare of their spiritual estate It were endless to shew out of Jewish Authors how great matters they speak of accrewing to them 〈◊〉
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
12. that is who shall ascend into Heaven to fetch the knowledge of the Word from thence or the Doctrine of the Gospel the Word of Faith Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And so upon the observation of these three things thus laid down the connexion of this verse that we have in hand with the former and the sense of it in its self doth easily and evidently arise to this sense Ye believe not when I speak to you but the familiar and visible things of the Kingdom of Heaven and how then will you believe if I should speak of the highest and most heavenly mysteries of it And yet from me alone are those things to be learned and known for none can go up to Heaven to fetch the knowledge of them from thence but I came down from Heaven to reveal the will of God and to declare the Doctrine and Mysteries of Salvation and therefore if you believe not what I speak unto you you will never attain to the knowledge of the things of the Kingdom of Heaven And thus doth Christ tax Nicodemus and the Jews for a double unbelief 1. As in reference to him the Teacher whom they believed not though he alone was he who could and who was come to teach and reveal the great mysteries of the Gospel 2. As in reference to the things now taught which they believed not though they were the most visible and facil things of the Kingdom of Heaven And withal he holdeth out unto them a double instruction 1. That they should believe him about these heavenly things because he came down from Heaven And 2. That if they would not believe him in these things they must never expect to know them for none could go up to Heaven to fetch them thence The very same thing in sense with that in Chap. 1. 18. §. But he that came down from Heaven Here doth Christ speak one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken of in the verse preceding a most heavenly point of the doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven and that is about his own incarnation and he doth clearly shew the distinction of his two natures in one person his humane nature intimated in the title The Son of man the Divine Nature in that he saith he came down from Heaven and the union of these two when he saith that the Son of man is in Heaven Now Christ is said to come down from Heaven as Joh. 6. 51. first to intimate his Divine Nature and to shew that he was more than a meer man and so the Apostle interprets and applies the phrase 1 Cor. 15. 47. The first man is of the earth earthly The second man is the Lord from Heaven And so likewise when it is said of Christ that he was the Manna that came down from Heaven Joh. 6. 58. it sheweth and meaneth that he was a bread of a more high and eminent nature than the Manna that the Israelites eat in the wilderness and yet that was rained from Heaven too Neh. 9. 15. but Heaven here and in that place admitteth of a differing construction Secondly It is the usual speech of Scripture when it is relating the appearing of any of the persons in the Trinity in a visible evidence to say that God came down Exod. 3. 8. Exod. 19. 18. the Holy Ghost came down Luke 3. 22. c. And so may it be used of Christ in humane flesh when the Son of God appeared so visibly amongst men as that he conversed with them in their own nature it may very significantly be said of him that he came down from Heaven Not that the Godhead can change places which filleth all things nor that Christ brought his humane nature locally out of Heaven as hath been erred by some nor yet only because he was conceived by the Holy Ghost as it is construed by others but because he being the invisible God did appear visibly and in humane nature among the Sons of men §. The Son of man which is in Heaven Here is the truth and reality asserted both of his manhood and of his Godhead his manhood in that he is called The Son of man His Godhead in that he is said to be in Heaven And this doth not only confute those Heresies that have maintained that either Christ had not a real humane body or that he had not a real humane soul or that he consisted not of two distinct natures or that he was two distinct persons but this doth also set a plain and large difference detween the appearing of Angels in humane shapes and the appearing of Christ in humane flesh They were indeed in the shape of men but they were not the Sons of men but Christ was they when they were apparent upon earth in such shapes were not then in Heaven but he was Now how the Son of man may be said to be in Heaven whilest he was now speaking to Nicodemus on Earth may be resolved with a double answer 1. Because his conversation all the while he was upon the earth was intirely in Heaven For so is the conversation of the Saints of God on Earth said to be Phil. 3. 20. Et quanto magis Christi qui semper inspexerit Patris intima And how much more saith Grotius was the conversation of Christ there who always beheld the very bosom of the Father As Joh. 1. 18. And so doth Cajetan understand it that Christs humane soul did enjoy the beatifical vision of God continually and therefore he may well be said to be in Heaven even whilest he was on Earth But secondly this may properly be understood per communicationem idiomatum as Divines express it that is in such a sense as the Scripture intends when it applies the several properties of the two distinct natures in Christ indifferently to the whole person For the understanding of which and for the construing of this and divers other places of this nature these things may be taken into consideration 1. That as in the blessed Trinity there is distinction of persons but not distinction of natures so on the contrary in our blessed Saviour there is distinction of natures but not distinction of persons His Divine Nature one thing his Humane another but the person but one as in the constitution and being of our selves the soul is one thing and the body another and yet they constitute and make up but one man 2. That these two distinct natures in our Saviour had their distinct and several properties which were not communicable from the one to the other essentially as the manhood did not rise to infinity like the Godhead nor to those properties that are essential to infinity nor the Godhead descend to infirmity like the manhood nor to those properties that are essential to the infirmity of manhood 3. That though there were in Christ these really distinct natures and really distinct properties of these natures yet in regard of their union in his one person the Scripture doth not seldom
of himself and other men 1. That Christ came from Heaven but he and others are but earthly men 2. That Christ was above all men and all things for so the Greek word may indifferently be rendred but himself and others were but of earthly and low esteem and glory And 3. that Christ spake the words of God the things which he had heard and seen but himself and others spake of the earth and could not reach to Divine things So that the first clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is of the earth is of the earth may be understood He that is of an earthly original is of an earthly temper and glory as vers 6. He that is born of the flesh is flesh And the latter clause He speaketh of the earth may be understood two ways and the better understood by laying it in opposition to Christ. 1. Christ speaketh the words of God for he could do no other the purity of his nature could not utter a vain idle or earthly word but all Divine But he that is a meer earthly man cannot speak but earthly things altogether and not heavenly things at all as 1 Cor. 2. 14. 2 Cor. 3. 5. And herein it seemeth the strength and sense of this Antithesis betwixt Christ and meer mortals lieth and that this is the proper meaning of the Baptist for as he holds out this clear difference betwixt Christ and mortals in regard of their Original that Christ is from Heaven they from earth so doth he as clear a difference in regard of their constitution that Christ could not naturally but speak the words of God but they cannot naturally speak any such words but of the earth And 2. If the men here spoken of be of the Prophetick rank as John Baptist himself was then the Antithesis lies in this that what Revelation they have of Divine things is but obscure in comparison of what Christ hath for he witnesseth what he hath seen and heard and he hath not the Spirit by measure and what they speak of Divine things is but low and slender and by earthly expressions in comparison of the high and sublime Doctrines that he uttereth But I take the former interpretation to be the more genuine Vers. 33. Hath set to his Seal that God is true Christ spake and testified nothing but what he had seen and heard of the Father as Chap. 1. 18. 5. 20. as Moses saw and heard from God what he delivered to Israel And no man receiveth his testimony that is very few as All seek their own and none the things of Christ when neither the Jews no nor Johns Disciples would entertain it But those few that did or do they seal to the truth of God for whosoever believeth the Word of God doth as it were subscribe and set to his seal that the Word is true and God true that gave it And so they that received the testimony of Christ did both seal to the truth of his Words and also to the truth of all the promises that God had made concerning Christ see 1 Joh. 5. 10. and thus is there a mutual sealing to the covenant of Grace betwixt God and man God sealeth the truth of it by the Sacraments and man by believing Vers. 34. For God giveth not the Spirit by measure Those translations that add the words To him as divers do do readily fix the sense of it upon Christ that God poured the Spirit upon him above measure but that expression To him is not in the Original and therefore some do understand it generally of all the Prophets whom the Lord sent that they spake the words of God every one of them for God had abundance of Spirit to pour upon them had they been never so many and he measured not out the same stint of the Spirit to every one of them but what measure seemed good to his good pleasure And to bring it up to the drift and scope of Johns speech in this place they apply it thus Think not much of the honour of Christ which troubles you because it seems to eclipse mine Although I have much of Gods Spirit why may not he have more For God giveth not the Spirit by measure But the Baptist seemeth to aim the speech concerning Christ alone SECTION XV. St. LUKE Chap. III. Vers. 18. AND many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people 19. But Herod the Tetrarch being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philips wife and for all the evils which Herod had done 20. Added yet this above all that he shut up Iohn in prison Reason of the Order NOW that John is no more to appear in publick being committed close prisoner by Herod as this Section relateth the very looking back to the preceding Section which concludeth with a solemn speech of Johns and the casting forward that there is not one speech more of his to be found henceforth in all the Evangelists this doth sufficiently prove and assert the proper order and subsequence of this Section to the former especially this being added and observed that all the Evangelists do unanimously relate that our Saviours journey into Galilee which is the very next thing that any of them do mention was not till after John was shut up in prison John speaks it the least plain and yet he speaks it plain enough as shall be observed at the next Section Now if it be scrupled or wondred at why Luke should mention Johns imprisonment before the mention of Christs being baptized by him the considerate observing of Lukes method will give an answer to that doubt for there the Evangelist in one story comprehendeth the whole Ministery of John having no more to speak of it in all his Gospel He relateth what John preached to all that came to be baptized by him and what particularly to the Pharisees what to the Publicans and what to the Souldiers and divers other things saith he besides those particulars mentioned He preached to the people And he was also as plain and round with Herod as he had been with the rest of the people so that Herod at last shut him up in prison And so he compileth and wrappeth up the story of the tenour and success of Johns Ministery in general to all sorts of people in that brief relation and then he cometh to the particular relation of his baptizing Christ. And if it be scrupled again why I take not in the very fame story with this of this Section which is related in Matth. 14. 3 4 5. and Mark 6. 17 18 19 20. as most Harmonists of the Evangelists do it is because that relation will fall and come in very pertinently and methodically as the story of a thing past in the place where it lies and seeing that this Section tells the story very full the bringing of those Texts of Matthew and Mark hither would inevitably cause a chasma or hiatus in the story there when we come to
19. 48. 22. Sychar near to the parcel of ground that Iacob gave to his son Ioseph 6. Now Iacobs well was there Iesus therefore being wearied with his journy sate f f f f f f Sate thus that is in a weary posture or after the manner as tired men use to sit down De Dieu taketh it only for an elegancy in the Greek which might well be omitted and accordingly the Syriack hath omitted it and not owned it at all But see it Emphatical in other places also 1 Sam. 9. 13. Samuel is come this day to the City for the people have a sacrifice in the high place and when you are come into the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you shall So find him that is newly come to Town and going to a sacrifice 1 King 2. 7. Shew kindness to the sons of Barzilla c. for So they came to me that is they came kindly to me Act. 7. 8. he gave him the covenant of circumcision and so Abraham begat Isaac that is he begat him in circumcision c. thus on the well And it was about the sixth hour 7. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water Iesus saith unto her Give me to drink 8. For his Disciples were gone away into the City to buy meat 9. Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him How is it that thou being a Iew askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria For the Iews have no dealing with the Samaritans 10. Iesus answered and said unto her If thou knowest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living water 11. The woman saith unto him Sir thou hast nothing g g g g g g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camerarius out of Plautus Latins this Situlam Beza out of Austin Hauritorium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew Esa. 40. 15. Numb 24. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Kimchi in Michol A vessel where withal they drew water the Septuagint in the former place cited renders it Cadus and in the latter they translate the metaphorical sense It seems they brought their buckets with them to draw with as well as their vessels to carry water in unless they made the same vessel serve for both uses by letting it down to draw with a cord to draw with and the well is deep from whence then hast thou that h h h h h h Springing or running water was called by the Hebrew living water Gen. 26. 19. Isaacs servants digged in the valley and found there a well of living water The Chaldee renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 springing water for the bubbling of the spring is like the lively beating of the heart or pulse And hence it was that this woman did so readily mistake our Saviours meaning He spake of the lively waters of grace that spring up in him that hath them to eternal life but she interpreted him according to the propriety of the language as if he had spoken only of waters out of a spring And so had Nicodemus misinterpreted another expression in the former Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or living waters were taken in opposition to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gathering of waters as Rambam evidenceth saying thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Any waters saith he are fit for the purifying of the Priests hands and feet whether living springing or running waters or waters gathered together In biath hammikdas◠per. 5. By waters gathered together he meaneth ponds or cisterns gathered of rain water or any waters that did not spring or run The Latinists also used the like expression to the Hebr. for springing or running water as in the Poet Donec me flumine vivo Abluero Virg. Aeneid 2. living water 12. Art thou greater than our Father Iacob which gave us the well and drank thereof himself and his children and his cattel 13. Iesus answered and said unto her Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again 14. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life 15. The woman saith unto him Sir give me this water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw 16. Iesus saith unto her Go call thy husband and come hither 17. The woman answered and said I have no husband Iesus said unto her Thou hast well said I have no husband 18. For thou hast had five husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thine husband in that saidst thou truly 19. The woman saith unto him Sir I perceive that thou art a Prophet 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this mountain and ye say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship 21. Iesus saith unto her woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Ierusalem worship the Father 22. Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Iews 23. But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth 25. The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh * * * * * * These are the words of the Evangelist interpreting the word Messias to the reader and not the words of the woman interpreting it to Christ the Syriack translater hath omitted these words as not necessary to a Syrian reader which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things 26. Iesus saith unto her I that speak unto thee am he 27. And upon this came his Disciples and marvailed that he talked with i i i i i i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The various construction of the word either with the strength of the article or without hath caused various causes to be conceived of the Disciples wondring at his talking with her Some read it without the force of the Article thus they marvailed that he talked with a woman as unfit say some and uncapable of his serious and divine discourse but others ascribe their wonder to this that he was thus entred into discourse with a strange woman alone and no company near And they that so understand it are confirmed by this because they think it was no more to be wondred at that he should talk with a Samaritan woman than it was that they should go into a Samaritan City to buy provision for why might not he as well talk with a woman as they with the men or women of whom they bought meat if her being a Samaritan were all the matter But the case was not the same for the Jews might buy meat of them and sell meat to them with whom they might
for he that is watered with grace doth thirst for the same water of grace again and again but he saith whosoever shall drink of this water which I shall give him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall never so thirst as to fail or perish by it but this water shall preserve him to eternal life Compare Esay 41. 17. Vers. 15. The woman saith Sir give me of this water c. The woman doth now fall from questioning as vers 11 12. to plain mocking and derision for this can be construed no other in her I know these words of hers are taken by divers to intimate her inclining to and imbracing this doctrine of Christ though she knew not well how to understand it and they shew say some Simplicitatem credendi her simplicity or sincerity of believing who so soon doubted not to ask for this so excellent water But be it considered 1. That as yet she took Christ but for an ordinary man until he hath told her of her secret villanies and then she takes him for a Prophet vers 19. And 2. that taking him for an ordinary man she talks with him as a Samaritan huswife would do with a common Jew between whom there was so deadly a scorn and fewd 3. The thing that Christ spake of of giving water after which the party that had it should never thirst were things so strange and would seem so ridiculous to any Samaritan nay to any flesh and blood that knew no more of him than as yet she did those words proceeding from so mean a man as he seemed to be that her words in reply thereunto Sir give me of this water c. can be no other but a jeer and scorn of what he had spoken And her calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sir doth no whit take off this construction since that was but a word of ordinary compellation or if she used it in a higher sense she used it but in the higher scorn Vers. 17. I have no husband The reason why Christ bids her call her husband may be supposed to be partly that he might check and stop her jeering by minding her of her own faults and chiefly that he might shew her that he was another kind of person then she judged of him by telling her of such things as she knew he could not tell her but divinely Now her denial that she had any husband is ascribed by some to her modesty to conceal her adultery by others to this because she knew not what Christ would do with her husband but till it can be shewed why a Samaritan quean should talk with any reverence or civility with an ordinary Jew for she took Christ for no other as yet especially when he spake to her of such unlikely things as he did it is the most proper and undisputable interpretation of her words I have no husband to take them for a scoffing and regardless answer to a question and to a person that she was careless whether she gave any any answer to or no. Vers. 18. He whom thou now hast is not thine husband It seemeth by the numerousness of her former husbands and by the same expression used concerning them and this thou hast had five and this that thou hast that she was a divorced woman and now lived in an adulterous marriage and it may be married to him who had adulterated her in her former husbands days But be it either thus or that she lived in adultery out of wedlock her conscience is convinced of the truth of the thing that Christ speaketh and withal she findeth that he had told her that which a meer stranger could not tell her but by the spirit of Prophecy and therefore she owns him for a Prophet Vers. 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this Mount Conceiving him to be a Prophet she sodainly desireth to hear what he will determine upon that great dispute that was between the Jews and the Samaritans continually namely whether was the truer and righter place of worship Jerusalem or Mount Gerizim She called Jacob Our Father Jacob ver 12. for so the Samaritans would be a kin to the Jews when they thought good but the Fathers she speaks of here were as far from the Religion and Worship that Jacob used as Jacob was from the Religion of Hamor and Sichem Josephus tells one story that gives this woman but little cause to boast of her Fathers worshipping in that Mount and that is this That when Antiochus Epiphanes did so heavily oppress the Jews and persecute their Religion these Samaritans thinking that their Religion also looked somewhat like that of the Jews and that Antiochus might happily suspect that they and the Jews and both their Religions were something a kin and so they suffer as well as the other they fairly send to Antiochus and betime disclaim any such kindred And whereas indeed they could not deny but they had a Temple they besought him that it might be dedicated to the Grecian Jupiter and called by his name and so by the Kings command it was Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 7. Here was worshipping in that Mount with a witness and much to be bragd of but see the impudence of Hereticks when such a Temple shall compare with the Temple at Jerusalem Abraham Zaccuth saith This Temple of Gerizim was destroyed by Jochanan the son of Simeon the son of Mattathias and the Hereticks slain Juchas fol. 14. Vers. 21. Woman believe me The Hour cometh c. As she owned him for a Prophet so he challengeth to be believed of her as a Prophet and as a Prophet he foretels her of what was now ready to come to pass namely that Ceremonious Worship should cease and be no more confined to particular place or Nation That there should be no Sacrifice at Jerusalem no Image at Samaria no Ephod at Jerusalem no Teraphim at Samaria as Hos. 3. 4. but that those places and that manner of worship should fail and be abolished And so he answers her question in the first place to this purpose that it was needless for her or any other to trouble themselves about that dispute whether Jerusalem or Gerizim were the more eminent place of Worship for the time was just now in coming when neither the one nor the other should be the place of worship at all And then he determins the question indeed that Jerusalem had ever been and was at that present the right place of worship but Gerizim a Temple of error and usurpation and he proves his determination by this reason We know what we worship c. Vers. 23. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth In the term The true worshippers he looketh at the womans question and the two Nations controversie They tugged for it and she inquires about it whether of the people had the true worship amongst them why saith Christ ere long there shall be no worship at all either among the one or the other And
the time is now come that he that will be taken for a true worshipper must neither worship as the Jews do ceremoneously but in spirit nor as the Samaritans do erroneously but in truth Thus may we very well divide the two words Spirit and truth to serve these two purposes as thus to answer about the worship of either Nation the one whereof worshipped God altogether in external Rites and Ceremonies and the other worshipped they knew not what and they knew not how But generally the word Spirit and truth are taken by Expositors to signifie but one and the same thing and stand in opposition only to the carnal Rites and shadowy types in which their whole Worship in a manner did consist His using of the term Father for God is not so much in reference to the other persons in the Trinity or because the woman was acquainted with that mystery but because the Jews and it is like the Samaritans also used the word very commonly in their prayers and speeches as Our Father which art in Heaven do to us as thou hast promised by the Prophet And Let the prayers and requests of all the House of Israel be accepted before their Father which is in Heaven c. Maym. in Tephilloth Vers. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him c. Here ariseth a question upon the very first reading of the verse the words Spirit and truth being interpreted as is mentioned immediately before and that is why did God so punctually ordain and so long continue a Typical and Ceremonious Worship if those that worship him must worship in spirit and truth Answer That very worship was for this end and purpose that men should learn to worship God in spirit and truth For all these rites and types were but doctrines of the way of Salvation through Christ till Christ came and the very use of them was to this end that out of them men should spel this spiritual and true worship namely to worship God in Christ and to look after his benefits for their salvation which those rites doctrinally held unto them and which lesson the true worshippers or believers did attain unto Vers. 25. I know that Messiah cometh c. he will teach us all things The Samaritans had learned from the Jews to expect Messias and how the Jews expected this to be the time of his coming we have shewed before and it may be the woman speaketh this as meaning that she looked for Messias to come shortly which occasioned Christs answer I am he as taking at her words in that sense Thou sayest Messias will come shortly and resolve all things I tell thee Messias is come already and I am he Now her referring the resolution of this doubt to Messias his coming it sheweth she did not throughly digest and entertain Christs answer to her question although she took upon her to acknowledge him for a Prophet She had no mind the thing should be so as he had resolved and therefore she had no mind to believe it How Christ was expected as the great teacher we shall observe afterward Vers. 29. A man which hath told me all things that ever I did The Disciples having now bought all things that they would have for dinner for it was now dinner time return to the well to their Master and upon their return Christs discourse and the womans is broken off and she slips a way into the City and bids come see a man that hath told me all things that ever I did But Christ did not so for he told her only of one particular or two about her husbands but besides that the word All in Scripture is not always stretched to the utmost extent of its signification he had told her so much that she concludes that he that could tell her that could have told her also all things else such expressions as these in earnest and pathetical narrations are not strange Vers. 35. Say ye not there are yet four months c. The coherence and connexion of this verse with those before which is the first thing to be looked after in it lyeth thus The Disciples had been in the City and bought some meat and when they had set it ready they invite him to dine He answers No he hath other meat to feed upon than they are aware of and that was to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work And what work was that Why the very work that he had been just now about preaching the Gospel and converting a soul and which work he knew was increasing upon him by the coming of the Samaritans to hear him whom either he now saw coming in flocks towards him or knew they would come In these words therefore he answers his Disciples to this purpose You would have me to eat but I have somewhat else to do which is meat to me which is to finish my Fathers work in preaching the Gospel for look you yonder whereas ye say it is four months to harvest see what a Gospel harvest is coming yonder what a multitude of people is yonder coming to hear me ready for the harvest therefore it is not a time to talk of eating of meat that perisheth but to fall to this harvest work which is my meat in doing the will of him that sent me The harvest of the Jews began at the Passover for on the second day of the Passover the Law injoyned them to bring a sheaf of the first fruits of their harvest and wave it before the Lord and from that day they counted seven weeks to Pentecost See Levit. 23. 10. 15. Four months therefore before the Passover which was the fourteenth day of the first month falls to be towards the latter end of our November or thereabout as is easily cast by any This therefore helps to set the clock of the time reasonable well both for the reckoning of what times are past and for the better fixing of the next Passover that is to come As 1. It shews about what time Johns imprisonment befel and how long he preached namely from Passover was twelvemonth to this November a year and a half and a month and some days above for it is like that Christ stayed not long in Judea after Johns imprisoning 2. It shews that Christ had spent some eight months in Judea from the Passover hitherto and had in this time converted abundance of people to his doctrine 3. It will help to clear that the feast of the Jews spoken of in the next Chapter is the next Passover that was to come as we shall observe when we come there In the former part of the words Say ye not There are four months and then cometh harvest He speaketh literally of their harvest of corn but in the latter the fields are already white to harvest he speaketh parabolically or spiritually of the multitudes of people both among Jews and Gentiles that were ready to be reaped and gathered
the sound and powerful and self-grounded word of God And in that he doth so constantly avouch his own Authority Verily verily I say unto you and But I say unto you c. he doth not only assert his divine and oracular authority of delivering the truth but he also faceth that common manner of teaching of theirs which was pinned upon the sleeve of other mens traditions And when he biddeth call no man Father that is Teacher upon Earth he crosseth that vain Divinity that they taught which was but the Traditions of their Fathers that is their Doctors 2. All the teaching of the Scribes was especially about external carnal and trivial rites ceremonies and demeanours as appeareth infinitely in their Talmudical Pandect which was but hay straw stubble nothing in comparison of the sound doctrines of Salvation Hardly a word in all their Traditions that spake any thing but bodily and carnal matter as he that shall read their Talmuds from end to end will find but little discourse but tending to such a purpose And we need not to go far for a patern of what kind of divinity it was that these great Doctors of the people taught these places in the Gospel give copy enough Matth. 15. 1 2. 23. 16 18 23 25. John 18. 28. Acts 10. 28. Col. 2. 21. c. But the tenor of Christs teaching was the spiritual and soul-saving doctrine of Faith Repentance Renovation Charity Self-denial and such heavenly things as these which by how much the more they had been strangers in the pulpits of the Scribes and never heard of before by so much the more did they now take the people with affecting and admiration being delivered in power and piercing and pressing upon the heart 3. The teaching of the Scribes was litigious and in endless disputes as Rom. 14. 1. 1 Tim. 6. 5. Their Doctors and Traditionaries whom they took upon them to build upon were of so many and so different minds that they that followed them knew not what to follow He that is never so little versed in the Talmuds will easily see such experience in this matter that he will find it readier to tell what those Doctors severally held than to choose what to hold from them if one would follow them But our Saviour taught one only constant and undivided truth plain convincing and so agreeing with the Doctrine of the Old Testament that it was the same but only in a brighter and a clearer garnish The people therefore in this great difference of teaching between their own Doctors and Christ would easily perceive an alteration and by how much the more our Saviours doctrine was more spiritual and speaking to the concernment of the Soul and by how much more it was delivered in the demonstration of a divine power by so much the more it could not but convine the hearers of its own value and dignity and work in them an astonishment at so high and so powerful truths Vers. 23. And there was in their Synagogue a man with an unclean spirit c. Here is the first place in the story of our Saviour where we meet with mention of any possessed or seised on bodily by the Devil and therefore it will be something needful to speak a little in general concerning this case of which we have very frequent example in the process of the Evangelical story I. It cannot but be observed how common this sad condition of being possessed by the Devil was in the time of our Saviours ministery and thereabout above all the times of the old Testament and beyond any examples in any other Nation See Mat. 4. 24. 8. 28. 9. 32. 10. 8. 12. 22. 15. 22. 17. 18. Mark 1. 39. 3. 11. Luke 10. 17. Acts 10. 38. c. Which whether it were 1. In regard that the Spirit of Prophesie had been so long departed from them as 1 Sam. 16. 14. Or 2. that the Lord would in justice confute by this dreadful experience the cursed doctrine of the Sadduces that was now rife among them that there was no spirit Acts 23. 8. Or 3. that he did evidence his great displeasure against the sinfulness and erroneousness of those times which was now grown extream by this visible delivery over of so many to the power of the father of sin and error Or 4. that he would by this doleful experience read to all men a Lecture what misery it is to be in the power and subjection of Satan and so make them more intent to hearken after him that was to break the head of the Serpent or were it all these together Certainly 5. it did highly redound to the honour of Christ and to the magnifying of his divine power and did mightily evidence that he was come the destroyer of the works of the Devil when finding so very many that lay so visibly under his power he inlarged them all and brought them from under his force and bound the strong one and he could not resist And the same tendency to his glory had the like powerful working of his Apostles by derived vertue from himself Mat. 10. 8. Luke 10. 17. Acts 8. 7. 19. 12. II. It is observable that we do not find that any were healed of this sad malady till Christ came and began the work It is true indeed that David by the power of the Prophetick Spirit that was upon him did calm the raging of Sauls evil Spirit when he grew turbulent but neither did he nor any other at any time till now cast either his or any other evil spirit out You must give Josephus leave to tell his story of Solomons skill which he left behind him of driving out the Devil out of the possessed by applying a certain root unto his nostrils Antiq. lib. 8. cap. 2. pag. apud me 230. as well as the Apocrypha of Tobit hath had leave a long time to tell of the Devil smoked away with the broyling of a fish liver Tob. 8. 3. but you may easily smell them both what sent and sense they carry with them As it was reserved for Christ utterly to break and bruise the head of the Devil so was it reserved to him to shew this mastery first upon him by casting him out where he had taken possession and no man might nor could do it before him I have observed in another place that as the two first miracles wrought in the World which were turning a rod into a Serpent and the Serpent into a Rod again the hand into leprosie and the leprosie into soundness again did shew the great power of him in whose power they were wrought and did refer to the present occasion which Moses was then going about so did they more singularly refer to the miracles of Christ To whom as it belonged to cast the Devil the old Serpent out of the Soul and to heal the leprosie of sin so to him was it reserved to cast the Devil out of the
Thirdly To the Holy Ghost compare Esay 6. 8 9 10. with Act. 28. 25 26. For he is the Spirit of Truth and giver of being to the promise The name Jehovah and the significancy of it to the utmost did the holy Fathers know before Moses But they saw not experience of the last signification named namely the faithfulness of God in his promise made to Abraham concerning his delivery of his seed from bondage and bringing them into a Land flowing with milk and honey God gave them the promise by the name of El Shaddai God Omnipotent and they relied upon his omnipotency because he that promised was able to perform but they beheld it afar of and tasted not of my performance of it but now will I shew my self Jehovah faithful to bring to pass and accomplish what I promised SECTION XI Putiel Exod. 6. 25. MANY and the most of them far fetcht notations are given upon this name and when all is said of it that can be said the last resolution lieth but in a conjecture and then may we guess as well as others Eliezer married his wife in Egypt and of the Egyptian Idiom doth this name of her Father seem as probably to sound as of any other Now among the Egyptian names or titles these two things may be observed First That among them Gentry Nobility and Royalty seem to have been denoted and distinguished by these increasing Syllables Phar Phara and Phara-oh The Gentry by Phar as Poti-phar a Captain Gen. 41. 45. The Nobility by Phara as Poti-phara a Prince Gen. 41. 45. And Majesty by Phara-oh the common name of all their Kings There was another title of dignity given to the Governour of the Jews in Alexandria in that Land in after times namely Alabarcha as is to be seen in Josephus which though he and others would derive from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salt yet since we are yet to seâ—k for the latter part of the word it may as probably be conceived to be compounded of the Article All so common in the Arabick tongue and Abrech which hath relation to dignity and honour Exod. 41. 43. Secondly The Egyptians delighted to affix or joyn to their names and titles the word Poti or Puti whether in memorial of their Uncle Put Gen. 10. 6. or in reverence of some Diety of that name or for what else is not so easily resolved as it may be conceived they did the thing by the names forecited Potiphar and Potiphara and of the same nature seemeth to be Putiel the word that is now in hand This Putiel therefore may seem to have been some convert Egyptian imagine him to have been of the posterity of Puti-phera among whom Joseph had sowed the seeds of true Religion who changing his Idolatry and irreligiousness for the worship of the true God did also change the latter part of his name Phera into the name of that God which he now professed and instead of Puti-phera to be called Puti-el The best resolution as was said before that can be given in this point can be but conjectures and in a matter of this nature it is as excusable if we err as difficult to hit a right SECTION XII Of Moses words Glory over me Exod. 8. 9. THE Plagues of Egypt began answerable to their sins the waters wherein the childrens blood had been shed and they poor souls sprawled for life are now turned into blood and sprawle with Frogs The former Plague of blood was not so smart as the other of Frogs for by digging they found fresh water and so had that remedy against that Plague But they had none against the Frogs for they came into every place and seised upon all the victuals that lay in their way and devoured them nay they spared not to raven upon men themselves Therefore the Psalmist saith Frogs destroyed them Yet for all this doth Pharaoh make but a mock at Jehovah in all this his doing and scornfully and in derision bids Moses and Aaron try what Jehovah could do for the removing of them To whom Moses answers Glory over me mock me hardly with my Jehovah yet appoint when I shall pray and I will pray that thou mayest know that there is none like my Jehovah And Pharaoh appoints him the next day for his prayer which he would never have put off so long had he in earnest thought that Jehovah could have removed them upon Moses prayer SECTION XIII The Plague of Lice The speech of the Sorcerers This is the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. not a confession of the Lord but an hideous and horrid blasphemy AT the Plague of Lice the Sorcerers are put to a non-plus and in the least creature can do nothing for besides that it was the will of God to bring their devices to nought and to shew himself maximum in minimis if they should have imitated this miracle they must have done two things first they must have produced dust and then of the dust Lice for the Text saith That all the dust of the Land became Lice throughout all the Land of Egypt vers 17. Neither of which they can do and therefore say This is the finger of God For the understanding of these their words observe these things First That in the two foregoing Plagues of blood and Frogs Moses gave warning of them before they came but of this he did not Secondly That the Lice were also in the land where Israel dwelt as well as in other parts of Egypt for there is no severing betwixt Goshen and Egypt mentioned till the next Plagues of Flies In that day I will sever the Land of Goshen in which my people dwell And I will put a division between my people and thy people vers 22 23. whereas none had been put before For when Moses turned the waters of Egypt into blood the Sorcerers did so also with their inchantments and turned the waters of Goshen into blood likewise Here Pharaoh thinketh his Sorcerers have matched the Jehovah that Moses so talked of and that they could do as much against his people as he could do against theirs And so when Moses from Jehovah brought Frogs upon Egypt the Magitians also by their inchantments bring Frogs likewise upon Goshen and still they think their God is hard enough for Israels Jehovah Thus is blood and Frogs through all the Land of Goshen but neither were these real Blood or Frogs nor was this any punishment at all upon Israel for it was not from the Lord but only vain delusions permitted by the Lord that at last he might catch the crafty in their own net But when the Plague of Lice cometh it cometh also upon Goshen from the Lord himself and this is a Plague indeed upon his own people laid upon them by him as well as upon Egypt For Israel that had partaken in so many of Egypts sins must also think to partake in some of her punishments For this it is why the man of God in
is done in writing as might be proved by many examples I shall only give one as parallel to the phrase that we have in hand as the Author himself is unparallel to our Evangelists in matter of truth and that is Lucian in his title of the first book of true History 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now the Evangelist at his entry into this History mentioneth the former Treatise of his Gospel because this Treatise of The Acts of the Apostles taketh at that and as that contained the Life and Doctrine of our Saviour himself so doth this the like of his Apostles And therefore the words immediately following Of all that Jesus began to do may not unfitly be interpreted to such a meaning that Jesus began and his Apostles finished though it is true indeed that in Scripture phrase to begin to do and to do do sound to one and the same sense as Matth. 12. 1. compared with Luke 6. 1. Mark 6. 2. compared with Matth. 13. 54. c. Now the method that the Evangelist prescribes unto himself and followeth in this Book is plainly this From the beginning of the Book to the end of the twelfth Chapter he discourseth the state of the Church and Gospel among the Jews and from thence forward to the end of the Book he doth the like of the same among the Gentiles and therfore accordingly although the title of the Book be The Acts of the Apostles as of the Apostles in general yet doth he more singularly set himself to follow the story of the two Apostles Peter and Paul Peters to the 13 Chapter and Pauls after because that these two were more peculiarly the fixed Ministers of the circumcision and of the uncircumcision Gal. 2. 8. and so doth Moses intitle a reckoning of the heads of the Fathers houses of all the Tribes of Israel in general Exod. 6. â—4 and yet he fixeth at the Tribe of Levi and goeth no further because the subject of his Story lay especially in that Tribe in Moses and Aaron §. Of all that Jesus began to do and to teach Not that Luke wrote all things that Jesus did nor indeed could they be written John 21. 25. but that 1. He wrote all those things that were necessary and not to be omitted Theophylact and Calvin 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all for many as it is frequently done in Scripture 3. And chiefly that he wrote something of all the heads of Christs actions and doctrine for he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camerarius Or 4. As the woman of Samaria saith that Christ had told her all things that ever she did Joh. 4. 29. whereas he told her but some few particulars but they were such as whereby she was convinced he could tell her all So though Luke did not specifie all and every action and doctrine of Christ that ever he did and taught yet did he write of such as whereby it was most clear that Christ was the Messias Vers. 2. After that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments to the Apostles whom he had chosen There is some diversity in pointing and reading this Verse some take it in the order and posture that our English hath it applying the words through the Holy Ghost to Christs giving commandments and read it thus after â—â— had given commandments through the Holy Ghost and so doth the Vulgar Latine Theophylact Marâ—rat and indeed the pointing in the best Copies Others as the Syrian Arabick and Beza with them conjoyn it thus Giving commandments to the Apostles whom he had chosen by the Holy Ghost Now in the main thing it self there is not so much difference as to make any great scruple or matter how the words are pointed for Christ may as well be said to command his Disciples by the Holy Ghost as to chuse them by the Holy Ghost and so e contra But it is material to consider First That it is more proper by far to conceive Christ acting the Holy Ghost upon the Disciples and that when they were called than his acting him in himself in calling them Secondly That there is no mention at all of such an acting of the Holy Ghost in the Disciples choosing but there is expresly at their receiving their charge and therefore not only the pointing of the Text and the consent of divers Copies Expositors and Interpreters that read as our English doth but even the very thing it self and truth and evidence of Story require that it should be so read Now why Christ should be said to give commandment through the Holy Ghost and what commandment this was that was so given to them is much in controversie There is mention indeed of Christ breathing of the Holy Ghost upon them Joh. â—0 22. and of a commandment or two given them afterward as To go teach all Nations Matth. 28. 19. and to abide at Jerusalem till the promise of the Father Act. 1. 4. And the exposition and interpretation that is commonly given of these words doth sense them thus That Christ by the vertue of the Holy Ghost in himself did give them these commands Whereas it is far more agreeable to the stile and phrase of Scripture to expound them in another sense namely that Christ by the Holy Ghost infused into his Disciples did command them not by the words of his own mouth but by the direction of his Spirit within them and so the Prophets were commanded Zech. 1. 6. where the LXX use the same Greek word For first else to what purpose did he breath the Holy Ghost upon them and bid them receive it Sure they had something beside the Ceremony of breathing bestowed upon them and what can that be conceived to be if not the Holy Ghost to inform them of what they yet knew not and to direct them what he would have them to do Secondly It is therefore observable that on Pentecost day they received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 8. and Luke 24. 49. Power and abilities to execute their charge for indeed their charge was given them by Christ before Now Christ was not with them continually to talk with them and to instruct them but came by times among them and away again and therefore on the very first night that he appeared unto them he distributed the Holy Ghost among them to be their constant instructer and injoyner what they were to do in that calling and employment to which they were ingaged and the fruit of one of these instructions and injunctions by the Holy Ghost within them was the choosing of Matthias Vers. 3. To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs §. The History of the resurrection and Christs several apparitions after it On the first day of the week a a a Luke 24. 1. very early in the morning b b b Matt. 28. 1. when it began to dawn
the New Testament beside and by how the more frequently in this Story It is used in reference to the twelve Apostles alone Chap. 1. 15. it is used here in reference to the whole hundred and twenty and to the whole number of believers Chap. 2. 46. Now the reason why the Evangelist doth so often harp upon this string and circumstance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of their conversing together with one accord may be either in respect of the twelve and one hundred and twenty or in respect of all the believers First The Apostles had been exceedingly subject in the lifetime of Christ to quarelsomness and contention about priority and who should be the chiefest as Mark 9. 34. Mark 20. 24. Yea even at the very Table of the Lords last Passover and Supper Luke 22. 24. And therefore it hath its singular weight and significancy and sheweth a peculiar fruit of Christs breathing the Holy Ghost upon them Joh. 20. 22. when it is related that they now so sweetly and unanimously converse together without emulation discord or comparisons Secondly The 108 Disciples were in a subordinate or lower form in regard of some particulars to the twelve Apostles and yet was there no heart-burning scorning or envying no disdaining defying or controlling of any one towards another but all their demeanor carried in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of Peace Thirdly If those two places in Chap. 2. 46. 5. 12. be to be applied to the whole multitude of believers of the latter there may be some scruple the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there doth singularly set out the sweet union that the Gospel had made among them though they were of several Countries several conditions and several Sects yet in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in singleness of heart as they did convenire in the tertio of the Gospel so did they convenire affectionately inter se. And this began to be the accomplishment of those prophesies that had foretold the peacemaking of the Gospel as Esa. 11. 6. 60. 18. 65. 25. 66. 42. Zeph. 3. 9. c. and it was an eminent fruit of Christs doctrine Joh. 15. 12. of his prayer Joh. 12. 17. and of his legacy Joh. 14. 27. Vers. 2. Cloven Tongues like as of fire Vers. 3. They began to speak with other Tongues §. Of the gift of Tongues The confusion of Tongues was the casting off of the Heathen Gen. 11. For when they had lost that language in which alone God was spoken of and preached they lost the knowledge of God and Religion utterly and fell to worship the Creature in stead of the Creator Rom. 1. Two thousand two hundred and three years had now passed since that sad and fatal curse upon the world the confusion of Languages and millions of souls had it plunged in Error Idolatry and Confusion And now the Lord in the fulness of time is providing by the gifts of Tongues at Sion to repair the knowledge of himself among those Nations that had lost that Jewel by the confusion of Tongues at Babel The manner of exhibiting this gift was in Tongues of fire that the giving of the Holy Ghost at the initiating of the Christian Church might answer and parallel the giving of the Law at the initiating of the Jewish and so it did both in time and manner that being given at Pentecost and in appearing of fire and so likewise this as was said before Vers. 5. And there were dwelling at Ierusalem Iews c. It was indeed the Feast of Pentecost at this time at Jerusalem but it was not the Feast of Pentecost that drew those Jews from all Nations thither First It was not required by the Law that these Jews that dwelt dispersed in other Nations should appear at Jerusalem at these Feasts Secondly It was not possible they should so do for then must they have done nothing else but go up thither and get home again Thirdly These Jews are said to dwell at Jerusalem and they had taken up their residence and habitation there but those that came up to the Festivals stayed there but a few days and so departed to their own homes The occasion therefore of these mens flocking so unanimously from all the Nations of the world was not the Feast of Pentecost but the general knowledge and expectation of the whole Nation of the Jews that this was the time of Messias his appearing and coming among them This they had learned so fully from the Scriptures of the Old Testament especially from Dan. 9. that both the Gospel and their own writers witness that this was the expectation of the whole Nation that the Messias was now ready to appear In the Scripture these passages assert this matter Luke 2. 26. 38. 3. 15. 19. 11. and Joh. 1. 20 21. In the Hebrews own writings we may find divers that speak to the same matter as that The Son of David shall come about the time when the Romans have reigned over Israel nine months from Mic. 5. 3. that his appearing shall be under the second Temple that it shall be not very long before Jerusalem should be destroyed and many such passages fixing the time of the Messias his coming to the very time that Jesus of Nazaret did appear and approve himself to be the Christ as may be seen in Sanhedrin cap. Helek Galat. lib. 4. Jeronym a Sancta Fide Mornaeus de Veritat Christ. rel And this so clearly and undeniably that when the wretched and blasphemous Jews cannot tell what to say to their own Doctors that assert the time so punctually agreeable to the time of Christs appearing they have found out this damnable and cursed way to suppress that truth as to curse all those that shall be industrious to compute these times for they have this common execration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let their spirit burst or expire that compute the times And to these assertions of the Jews own Authors concerning this opinion of their Nation we may add also the testimony of Suetonius affirming the very same thing Percrebuerat Oriente toto saith he vetus constans opinio esse in fatis ut eo tempore Judea profecti rerum potirentur In Vespas And so likewise Tacitus Pluribus persuasio inerat antiquis sacerdotum literis contineri eo ipso tempore fore ut valesceret Oriens profectique Judea rerum potirentur Histor. lib. 5. That is An old and constant opinion had grown through the whole East that it was foretold that at that time some coming out of Judea should obtain the rule of things And many were perswaded that it was contained in the old records of the Priests that at that very time the East should prevail and some coming out of Judea should obtain the rule which though the blind Authors apply to Uespasian and Titus their obtaining of the Empire yet there can be no Christian eye but will observe that this opinion that was so prevalent
Pharisees for the Sanhedrim And 2. From those words of Christ to the Woman Hath no man condemned thee Which seem to imply that those that brought her had power to judge and condemn her To give one instance more In the Handful of Gleanings upon Exod. Sect. XLIX he treats of the manner of giving forth the Oracle of Urim and Thummim and so he does also in his Sermon upon Judg. XX. 27 28. but with this variety there he relates it to be by an Audible Voice from the Lord from off the Propitiatory and this being heard by the Priest was told to the people But here he corrects his former thoughts telling us it was by no heavenly Voice but that God presently inspired the High Priest with the Spirit of Prophesie and by that he resolved the doubt and question put to God by the people Which we may conclude to be his last and ripest thoughts in that matter I need not particularize any other passages in these Sermons where notions mentioned elsewhere in the Authors Books are repeated with no small advantage And where they are not so they are either wholly left out where it might be done without making a chasm and break in the thread of the discourse or where it could not without that inconvenience they are only mentioned briefly in transitu Perhaps some few passages may be censured as seeming to reflect upon the Doctrine or practice of our Church But to this I answer That they only seem to do so And if the Reader will but calmly and deliberately view those passages again he will find that they may admit of a very fair construction and the most that they speak is against placing the sum of Religion in Ceremonies and outward Formalities or the needless multiplying of them not against a sober and intelligent use of the Rites of the Church as they are appointed to be used for the preserving decency and order and promoting edification And he is very severe that will not overlook some things and pass a favourable construction upon others considering the times wherein our Author lived and what Doctrines then prevailed and carried away many good though unwary Men as with a strong and scarcely to be resisted torrent And allowance may the more reasonably be given to some few things seemingly obnoxious to censure for the sake of many others which do greatly inculcate peace and conformity and the Authority of the Church and decry separation from the National established Church I instance only in that excellent Sermon Preached in the late unhappy times in a publick Audience upon John X. 22. Where the argument of our Saviours holding communion with the Jewish Church in the publick exercise of Religion is so fully and incomparably managed that it was within these few years almost resolved to be made publick by it self for the use and information of our Dissenters which if read and considered by them with a candid and unprejudiced mind would certainly set them clear of their scruples and bring them with abundance of satisfaction into the bosom and Communion of our Church And beside that in his Sermon upon Jude vers 12. he discourseth against Praying by the Spirit and Enthusiastical pretences to revelation In that upon Luke XI 2. He argues most excellenty for set Forms of Prayer and particularly for the use of the Lords Prayer that was at that time ready to be quite justled out of Gods Worship And it was observable at that time that the Doctor ended both his Prayers both before and after that Sermon with the Lords Prayer In that Sermon speaking about casting away Religious usages because abused he hath these remarkable words Now I cannot but think how wild it is to reject a good thing in its self because another hath used it evilly This is just as if a Man should cut down Vines to avoid drunkenness How subject is he that makes it all his Religion to run from superstition to run he knows not whither And again in the same Sermon I know not what reformers should more study than to observe how near Christ complied with things used in the Jewish religious practice and civil converse that were lawful Once more in his Discourse upon 1 Cor. XIV 26. towards the conclusion he propounds two things to be considered by them who scrupled at the Religious exercise of singing Psalms because it is no where commanded to sing after that manner and with those circumstances that we do 1. That there is no plain grounds why to refrain but most plain why to sing 2. Where a duty is commanded and a scruple ariseth from some circumstance it is safer to go with the command than from it The reason I have selected these passages is to shew how our Author stood affected to the Church And indeed by these and many other expressions that are scattered in his Sermons we may plainly see that peaceableness and keeping Communion with the Church was his great principle and that his great aim in the late times was to keep up the honour of the publick Ordinances and the publick Ministry in reputation and to maintain the necessity of good Works against Antinomianism and the divine Authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures and the necessity of humane Learning in the Clergy against Enthusiasm then the great prevailing Errors And I make no doubt that by such means and Doctrines as these the blessing of God accompanying our Author did very good service to Religion and Truth then and did educate and train up young Students in the University and other Christians his Auditors into a readier and more chearful conformity to our present Church In a word All his Sermons breath a true Spirit of piety and inward goodness and an intire desire to be instrumental to the right understanding of the Holy Scriptures for the propagation of Gods glory and the building up of Christians in real substantial piety and true saving knowledge And they carry a plain easie unaffected strain of humble Oratory condescending to the meanest capacity and which hath something peculiar in it to raise attention and to make a wonderful impression upon the affections I mean by offering frequently something new and surprizing and intermixing sudden Apostrophes and affectionate and close Interrogations And now in the last place I must account for my self and for what I have done in the publishing these discourses Mr. John Duckfield Rector of Aspeden in Hertfordshire the Authors Son in Law and one of his Executors to whom the World is in the first place beholden for permitting them to be made publick kindly imparted to me the deceased learned Mans scattered Papers and MSS. and among the rest his Sermon-notes From the love and honour I had to his memory and his Learning I diligently set my self to the perusal of them and being not a little pleased with many of the Notes I resolved to select a few out of a great many with a design to let them see
Heathens that is lost p p p p p p Nedarin cap. 3. hal 4. It is lawful for Publicans to swear that is an Oblation which is not that you are of the Kings retinue when you are not c. that is Publicans may deceive and that by Oath VERS XVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth c. THESE words depend upon the former he had been speaking concerning being loosed from the office of a brother in a particular case now he speaks of the Authority and Power of the Apostles of loosing and binding any thing whatsoever seemed them good being guided in all things by the Holy Ghost We have explained the sense of this Phrase at Chap. XVI and he gives the same Authority in respect of this to all the Apostles here as he did to Peter there who were all to be partakers of the same Spirit and of the same Gifts This power was built upon that noble and most self-sufficient Foundation Joh. XVI 13. The Spirit of Truth shall lead you into all Truth There lies an Emphasis in those words Into all truth I deny that any one any where at any time was led or to be led into all Truth from the Ascension of Christ unto the worlds end beside the Apostles Every holy man certainly is led into all truth necessary to him for salvation but the Apostles were led into all truth necessary both for themselves and the whole Church because they were to deliver a rule of Faith and Manners to the whole Church throughout all Ages Hence whatsoever they should confirm in the Law was to be confirmed whatsoever they should abolish was to abolished since they were endowed as to all things with a Spirit of Infalibillity guiding them by the hand into all truth VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That if two of you shall agree upon earth c. AND these words do closely agree with those that went before There the speech was concerning the Apostles determination in all things respecting men Here concerning their Grace and Power of obtaining things from God I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two of you Hence Peter and John act joyntly together among the Jews Acts II. III. c. and they act joyntly among the Samaritans Acts VIII 14. and Paul and Barnabas among the Gentiles Acts XIII 2. This bond being broke by Barnabas the spirit is doubled as it were upon Paul II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agree together That is to obtain something from God which appears also from the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Touching any thing that they shall ask suppose concerning conferring the Spirit by the imposition of hands of doing this or that Miracle c. VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of them THE like do the Rabbins speak of two or three sitting in Judgment that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The divine presence is in the midst of them VERS XXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall I forgive him until seven times THIS Question of Peter respects the words of our Saviour Ver. 15. How far shall I forgive my brother before I proceed to the Extremity What Seven times he thought that he had measured out by these words a large Charity being in a manner double to that which was prescribed by the Schools q He that is wronged ◠Maimon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 5. say they is forbidden to be difficult to pardon for that is not the manner of the seed of Israel But when the offender implores him once and again and it appears he repents of his deed let him pardon him and whosoever is most ready to pardon is most praise worthy It is well but there lies a snake under it r r r r r r Bab. Jomah fol. 86. ◠For say they they pardon a man once that sins against another Secondly they pardon him Thirdly they pardon him Fourthly they do not pardon him c. CHAP. XIX VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He came unto the coasts of Iudea beyond Iordan IF it were barely said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Coasts of Judea beyond Jordan by the Coasts of Judea one might understand the bounds of the Jews beyond Jordan Nor does such a construction want its parallel in Josephus for Hyrcanus saith he built a fortification the name of which was Tyre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Between Arabia and Judea beyond Jordan not far from Essebonitis a a a a a a Antiq. lib. 12. chap. 5. But see Mark here Chap. X. 1 relating the same storie with this our Evangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He came saith he into the coasts of Judea taking a journey from Galilee along the Country beyond Jordan VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause OF the causes ridiculous shall I call them or wicked for which they put away their wives we have spoke at Chap. V. ver 31. We will produce only one example here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When Rabh went to Darsis whither as the Gloss saith he often went he made a public proclamation What woman will have me for a day Rabh Nachman when he went to Sacnezib made a public proclamation What woman will have me for a day The Gloss is Is there any woman who will be my wife while ◠tarry in this place The Question here propounded by the Pharisees was disputed in the Schools and they divided into parties concerning it as we have noted before For the School of Shammai permitted not divorces but only in the case of Adultery the School of Hillel otherwise b b b b b b See Hierof Sotah fol. 16. 2. VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Because Moses for the hardness of your hearts suffered c. INterpreters ordinarily understand this of the unkindness of men towards their wives and that not illy but at first sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hardness of heart for the most part in Scripture denotes rather obduration against God than against men Examples occur every where Nor does this sense want its fitness in this place not to exclude the other but to be joyned with it here I. That God delivered that rebellious people for the hardness of their hearts to spiritual fornication that is to Idolatry sufficiently appears out of sacred Story and particularly from these words of the first Martyr Stephen Acts VII 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. God turne d and gave them up to worship the host of heaven c. And they seem not less given up to carnal fornication if you observe the horrid records of their Adulteries in the holy Scripture and their not less horrid allowances of divorces and polygamies in the books of the Talmudists so that the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
by the forsaking of those rites partly by the bringing in of different manners and observances a Christian might be distinguished from a Jew The Law was not more solicitous to mark out and separate a Jew from an Heathen by Circumcision than the Gospel hath been that by the same Circumcision a christian should not Judaize And the same care it hath deservedly taken about the Sabbath For since the Jews among other marks of distinction were made of a different colour as it were from all nations by their keeping the Sabbath It was necessary that by the bringing in of another Sabbath since of necessity a Sabbath must be kept up that Christians might be of a different colour from the Jews VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Hail IN the vulgar Dialect of the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t t t t t t Hieros Taaniâ—â— fol. 64. 2. The Rabbins saw a certain holy man of Caphar Immi and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All hail u u u u u u Ib. Sheviith â— 35. 2. 36. 1 How do they salute an Israelite All hail uu uu uu uu uu uu Id. Gittin fol. 47. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They held him by the feet This seems to have been done to kiss his feet So 2 Kings IV. 27. For this was not unusual As R. Janni and R. Jonathan were sitting together a certain man came and kissed the feet of R. Jonathan x x x x x x Hieros Kiddâ—shin â— 61. 3. Compare the Evangelists here and you will find that this was done by Mary Magdalen only who formerly had kissed Christs feet and who had gone twice to the Sepulchre however Matthew makes mention but of once going The story in short is thus to be laid together At the first dawning of the morning Christ arose a great earthquake hapning at that time About the same time Magdalen and the other women left their houses to go to the Sepulchre While they met together and made all things ready and took their journey to the Tomb the Sun was up When they were come they are informed by the Angels of his resurrection and sent back to the Disciples The matter being told to the Disciples Peter and John run to the Sepulchre Magdalen also followed after them They having seen the signs of the resurrection return to their company but she stayes there Being ready to return back Christ appears to her taking him for the Gardiner As soon as she knew him she worships him and embracing his feet kisseth them and this is the history before us which Matthew relates in the plural number running it over briefly and compendiously according to his manner VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them c. I. THE enclosure is now thrown down whereby the Apostles were kept in from preaching the Gospel to all the Gentiles Matth. X. 5. For first The Jews had now lost their priviledge nor were they hence forward to be counted a peculiar people nay they were now become Lo-ammi They had exceeded the Heathens in singing they had slighted trampled upon and crucified the Creator himself appearing visibly before their eyes in humane flesh while the Heathens had only conceived amiss of the Creator whom they neither had seen nor could see and thereby fallen to worship the creature Secondly Christ had now by his blood paid a price for the Heathens also Thirdly he had overcome Satan who held them captive Fourthly he had taken away the wall of Partition And fifthly had exhibited an infinite righteousness II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is make Disciples Bring them in by baptism that they may be taught They are very much out who from these words cry down Infant-baptism and assert that it is necessary for those that are to be baptized to be taught before they are baptized 1. Observe the words here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make Disciples and then after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teaching in the twentieth verse 2. Among the Jews and also with us and in all nations those are made Disciples that they may be taught * * * * * * Bab. Schab fol. 31. 1. A certain Heathen came to the great Hillel and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Make me a Proselyte that thou maist teach me He was first to be Proselyted and then to be taught Thus first make them Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by baptism and then Teach them to observe all things c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptizing There are divers ends of Baptism 1. According to the nature of a Sacrament it visibly teacheth invisible things that is the washing of us from all our pollutions by the blood of Christ and by the cleansing of grace Ezek. XXXVI 25. 2. According to the nature of a Sacrament it is a Seal of divine truth So circumsion is called Rom. IV. 11. And he received the sign of Circumcision the Seal of the righteousness of Faith c. So the Jews when they circumcised their children gave this very title to circumcision The words used when a child was circumcised you have in their Talmâ—d y y y y y y Hieros Berac fol. 13. 1. Among other things he who is to bless the action saith thus Blessed be he who sanctified him that was beloved from the womb and set a sign in his flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sealed his children with the sign of the holy Covenant c. But in what sense are Sacraments to be called Seals Not that they seal or confirm to the receiver his righteousness but that they seal the divine truth of the covenant and promise Thus the Apostle calls Circumcision the Seal of the righteousness of Faith that is it is the Seal of this truth and doctrine that Justification is by Faith which justice Abraham had when he was yet uncircumcised And that is the way whereby Sacraments confirm Faith namely because they do doctrinally exhibite the invisible things of the Covenant and like Seals do by divine appoyntment sign the doctrine and truth of the Covenant 3. According to the nature of a Sacrament it obligeth the receivers to the terms of the Covenant for as the Covenant it self is of mutual obligation between God and man So the Sacraments the Seals of the Covenant are of like obligation 4. According to its nature it is an introductory into the visible Church And 5. it is a distinguishing sign between a Christian and no Christian namely between those who acknowledg and profess Christ and Jews Turks and Pagans who do not acknowledg him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciple all nations baptizing When they are under baptism they are no longer under Heathenism and this Sacrament puts a difference between those who are under the discipleship of Christ and those who are not 6. Baptism also brings its priviledge along with it while it
of Christ but a conjectural reason of the sudden and unexpected return of Peter I believe that Peter was going with Cleophas into Galilee and that being moved with the words of Christ told him by the women Say to his Disciples and Peter I go before you into Galilee Think with your self how doubtful Peter was and how he fluctuated within himself after his threefold denial and how he gasped to see the Lord again if he were risen and to cast himself an humble supplicant at his feet When therefore he heard these things from the women and he had heard it indeed from Christ himself while he was yet alive that when he arose he would go before them into Galilee and when the rest were very little moved with the report of his Resurrection nor as yet stirred from that place he will try a journy into Galilee and Alpheus with him Which when it was well known to the rest and saw him return so soon and so unexpectedly Certainly say they the Lord is risen and hath appeared to Peter otherwise he had not so soon come back again And yet when he and Cleopas open the whole matter they do not yet believe even them VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To every creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To every Creature a manner of speech most common among the Jews by which I. Are denoted all men f f f f f f Bab. Chetub fol. 17. 1. The wise Men say Let the mind of man always be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mingled or complacent to the creatures The Gloss there is To do with every man according to complacency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g g g g Midr. Till in Psal. CXXXV He makes the Holy Spirit to dwell upon the creatures that is Upon men h h h h h h Maimon in Sanhedr cap. 2. In every Judge in the Bench of three is required Prudence Mercy Religion hatred of mony Love of truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and love of the creatures that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The love of mankind II. But especially by that phrase the Gentiles are understood R. Jose i i i i i i Bab. Chagig fol. 12. 2. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wo to the Creatures which see and know not what they see which stand and know not upon what they stand namely upon what the earth stands c. He understands the Heathens especially who were not instructed concerning the creation of things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Beresh Rabba §. 13. The speech of all the Creatures that is of the Heathens is only of earthly things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all the prayers of the Creatures are for earthly things Lord let the Earth be fruitful let the Earth prosper But all the prayers of Israelites are only for the holy place Lord let the Temple be built c. Observe how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Creatures are opposed to Israelites And the parallel words of Matthew Chap. XXVIII do sufficiently prove this to be the sense of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every creature in this place that which in Mark is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preach to every creature in that place in Matthew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciple all Nations as those words also of S. Paul Coloss. I. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gospel that was preached in all the creation In the same sense you must of necessity understand the same phrase Rom. VIII 22. Where if you take the whole passage concerning the Gentiles breathing after the Evangelical liberty of the Sons of God you render the sense very easie and very agreeable to the mind of the Apostle and to the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Creature or Creation When they who render it otherwise dash upon I know not what rough and knoâ—ty sense Let me although t is out of my road thus paraphrase the whole place Vers. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For the earnest expectation of the Creature or of the Heathen World waiteth for the revelation of the Sons of God For God had promised and had very often pronounced by his Prophets that he would gather together and adopt to himself innumerable sons among the Gentiles Therefore the whole Gentile World doth now greedily expect the revelation and production of those sons Vers. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For the Creature the whole Heathen World was subjected to the vanity of their mind as Rom. I. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Became vain in their imaginations And Eph. I. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind not willingly but because of him that subjected it Vers. 21. Under hope because the Creature also or that Heathen World shall be freed from the servie of sinful corruption which is in the World through lust 2 Pet. I. 4. into the Gospel liberty of the Sons of God From the service of Satan of Idols and of Lusts into the liberty which the sons of God enjoy through the Gospel Vers. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For we know that the whole Creature or Heathen World groneth together and travaileth and as it were with a convex weight howeth down unto this very time to be born and brought forth Vers. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Neither the Gentiles only but we Jews also however we belong to a Nation envious of the Heathen to whom God hath granted the first fruits of the Spirit we sigh among our selves for their sakes waiting for the adoption that is the redemption of our Mystical body whereof the Gentiles make a very great part FINIS JEWISH AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS UPON THE Evangelist St. LUKE To which are premised some CHOROGRAPHICAL NOTES UPON THE Places mentioned in this EVANGELIST By JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. late Master of Katharine-Hall in the University of CAMBRIDGE LONDON Printed by William Rawlins for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXIV TO THE MOST REVEREND Father in CHRIST GILBERT BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY PRIMATE of all ENGLAND c. May it please your Grace HAVING at length finished in such a manner as it is this undertaking of mine upon the four Evangelists Religion Gratitude and Duty require it from me to commemorate and recognize the infinite mercy of God toward me in bringing me thus far continuing my life preserving to me that strength of Eye-sight vigor both of body and mind to and in so great a degree of old age To all which the same Divine mercy hath added this great benefit that it hath indulged me your Grace's Compassion Favour and Patronage This hath not a little sweetned all the rest securing to me so much leisure for Books tranquility in my Studies the settlement of my Family and an easie condition of life Without this my mind
VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings TWO Sparrows were sold for one farthing d d d d d d Mat. X. 29. and five for two We find that Doves were sold in the Temple upon the account of women in child-bed and their issues of blood by whom a pair of Turtles and young pigeons were to be offer'd if they had not wherewithal to present a more costly sacrifice so probably the Sparrows were likely to be sold upon the account of lepers in the cleansing of whom they were made use of e e e e e e Levit. XIV 4. I confess the Greek Version in this place hath not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two sparrows but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two little birds And yet if you will believe the far-fetcht reason that R. Solomon gives you will easily imagine that they are sparrows that are pointed at The leprosie saith he came upon mankind for an evil tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for too much garrulity of words and therefore in the cleansing of it they used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sparrows that are always chirping and chattering with their voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not one of them is forgotten before God f f f f f f Beresh rabb fol. 88. 4. R. Simeon ben Jachai standing at the mouth of his Cave wherein he lay hid for the space of thirteen years he saw a certain man catching of birds And when he heard Bath Kol out of Heaven saying mercy mercy the birds escaped But when he heard Bath Kol saying the pain of death then was the bird taken He saith therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A bird is not taken without God much less the life of a man This passage is also recited in Midras Tillen g g g g g g Fol. 15. 1. but the circumstances vary VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But he that denyeth me c. COnsider whether in these words and in the following Verse our Blessed Saviour do not point at those two unpardonable sins Apostacy or denying and renouncing of Christ and Blasphemy or the sin against the Holy Ghost The first is called a sin unto death h h h h h h 1 Joh. V. 16. And so in truth and in the event is the latter too I find them indeed confounded by some who discourse upon the sin against the Holy Ghost when yet this difference may be observed viz. that Apostacy cannot properly be charged on any but who have already profest Christianity but Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost was uttered by the Scribes and Pharisees at that time that they disowned and rejected Christ. VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he divide the inheritance with me I. IN the titles of brethren this obtained amongst them that as the eldest was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first born so the younger was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simple because without the title of first-born It seems to be only two brethren here betwixt whom the complaint is made but which of them is the complainant it is not so easie to determine You will say the younger most probably because it is more likely that the first-born should wrong the younger than the younger the first-born And yet in that Court of Judicature which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Court of thou draw and I 'll draw the younger might be troublesome to the first-born as well as the first-born to the younger That matter was thus i i i i i i Baâ—a bathra fol. 13. 1. When a Father had bequeathed to his first-born and younger Son a servant and an unclean beast which could not be parted in two then saith the one to the other do thou draw or I 'll draw that is do thou redeem thy share or I will redeem mine Now here the younger brother may be perverse and as well hinder the redemption as the first-born II. In the division of inheritances how many vexations and quarrels may arise both reason and common experience do abundantly teach us The Rabbins are very large upon this head and suppose that great controversies may arise either from the Testament of the Father or the nature of the inheritance or the quality of the Sons as if the younger Son be a Disciple of the Wise-men and the elder not if the younger be made a Proselyte the elder a Gentile c. But in the instance now before us the complaint or controversie is not about dividing but about not dividing because the first-born most probably would not gratifie the younger in that thing The Judges in that case was the Bench of the Triumviri these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judges in the Controversie and decreed concerning the right or equity of dividing And either some were appointed by them or some chosen by those between whom the cause depended as arbiters in the case and these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dividers those that took care as to the equality of the division Now we cannot easily suppose what should move this man to appeal to our Saviour as judge in this matter unless either himself or Brother or both were of the number of his Disciples VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Soul take thine ease eat drink c. k k k k k k Tâ—anith fol. 11. 1. WHen the Church is in distress let not any man then say I will go into mine house and will eat and drink 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and peace be to thee O my soul. For if any one shall so do it is written of him behold joy and gladness staying Oxen and killing Sheep eating flesh and drinking wine Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye But what follows It was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged away from you till you dye And what if he should so say and do when the Church is not in distress VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This night shall thy soul be required of thee HOwever this following story hath something in it that may be laught at yet hath it something in it that is serious enough l l l l l l Elleh Haddehbarim rabb fol. 300. 1. The Rabbins say It fell out in the days of R. Simeon ben Chalaphta that he went to a certain Circumcision and there feasted The Father of the infant gave them old wine wine of seven years old to drink and said unto them with this wine will I grow old in the joy of my Son They feasted together till midnight R. Simeon ben Chalaphta trusting to his own vertue went out at midnight to go into the City In the way he finds the Angel of death and observes him very sad Saith he to him who art thou He saith I am the messenger of the Lord And why then saith
instances Those Treatises which are called Rabboth are made up of that kind of expositions viz. Mystical and Allegorical CHAP. VI. VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Passover was nigh a a a a a a Pesachin fol. 6. IT is a Tradition They enquire and discourse about the rites of the Passover thirty days before the Feast b b b b b b Hiero Shekalim cap. 3. hal 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is half That is half of those thirty days before the Feast wherein they discourse of the rites of it From the entrance of these thirty days and so onward this Feast was in the eyes and mouth of this people but especially in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fifteen days immediately before the Passover Hence perhaps we may take the meaning of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Passover was nigh From the entrance or beginning of these thirty days viz. From the fifteenth day of the month Adar they repaired the ways the Streets the Bridges the Pools 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dispatched all other publick businesses they painted the Sepulchres and proceeded about matters of an Heterogeneous nature c c c c c c Shekal cap. 1. hal 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d d d d d d Gemar Hierosol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are all the businesses of the publick they judged all pecuniary faults those also that were Capital and those for which the offenders were scourged They redeemed devoted things They made the suspected Wife drink They burnt the red Heifer They boared the Ear of the Hebrew Servant They cleansed the Lepers and removed the covers from the Well that every one might be at liberty to drink The Gloss is And some that were deputed in that affair went abroad to see if the the fields were sowen with Corn and the Vineyards planted with Heterogeneous Trees VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Five Barley Loaves COmpare 2 Kings IV. 42. and see Chetub e where the Masters enhaunce the number ◠Fol. 105. 2. 1 6. 9. of men fed by Elisha to two thousand two hundred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every hundred men had their single loaf set before them The Gloss is Twenty Loaves and the Loaf of the first fruits behold one and twenty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The green ear behold two and twenty these were all singly set each of them before an hundred men and so behold there were two thousand and two hundred fed By the same proportion in our Saviour's miraculous feeding the people one single loaf must serve for a thousand VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fragments that remain IT was a custom and rule that when they eat together they should leave something to those that served which remnant was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peah And it is remarked upon R. Joshua that upon a journey having something provided for him by an hospitable Widow he eat all up and left nothing to her that ministred f f f f f f Echah rabba◠thi fol. 62. 2. Where the Gloss Every one leaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little portion in the dish and gives it to those that serve which is called the Servitors part Although I would not confound the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor would affirm that what was left was in observation of this rule and custom yet we may observe that the twelve Baskets full of Fragments left at this time answered to the number of the twelve Apostles that ministred It is otherwise elsewhere VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They also took Ship THEY had gone afoot from Capernaum to the Desert of Bethsaida Mark VI. 33. by the Bridge of Chammath near Tiberias but they Sail back in ships partly that they might follow Jesus with the greater speed and perhaps that they might reach time enough at the Synagogue for that was the day in which they assembled in their Synagogues VERS XXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For him hath God the Father sealed THE Jews speak much of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The seal of God which may not be impertinently remembred at this time g g g g g g Hieros Sanhedr fol. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is the seal of the Holy blessed God R. Bibai in the name of R. Reuben saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what is truth R. Bon saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living God and King Eternal Rosh Lachish saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first Letter of the Alphabet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the middle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last q. d. I the Lord am the first I received nothing of any one and beside me there is no God For there is not any that intermingles with me and I am with the last h h h h h h Bab. Sanhedr fol. 64. 1. Joma f. 69. 2. There is a Story of the great Synagogue weeping praying and fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At length there was a little scroll fell from the Firmament to them in which was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth R. Chaninah saith hence learn that truth is the Seal of God We may easily apply all this to Christ who is the way the TRUTH and the life Joh. XIV 8. he is the express image of his Father the truth of the Father whom the Father by his Seal and Diploma hath confirmed and ratified as the great Ruler both of his Kingdom and Family VERS XXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What shall we do that we might work the works of God OBserve first the rule about Workmen or Labourers i i i i i i Bava Mezia fol. 83. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is granted by the allowance of the Law that the Labourer shall eat of those things wherein he laboureth If he works in the Vintage let him eat of the Grapes if in gathering the Fig-trees let him eat of the Figs if in the Harvest let him eat of the ears of the Corn c. Nay further 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is lawful for the workman to eat of those things wherein he worketh a Melon to the value of a Peny and Dates to the value of a peny c. Compare these passages with what our Saviour speaks Labour saith he for that meat which endureth to everlasting life Now what is that work of God which we should do that might entitle us to eat of that Food Believe in Christ and ye shall feed on him VERS XXXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Fathers did eat Manna I. THEY seek a sign of him worthy the Messiah in general they seem to look toward those dainties which that Nation fondly dreamed their Messiah would bring along with him when he should come but more particularly they expect Manna Ye seek
Religion because himself is the way the truth and the life in a sense much more proper and more sublime than the Law could be said to be It had been happier for the Jew if he could have discerned more judiciously concerning the Law if he could have distinguished between coming to God in the Law and coming to God by the Law as also between living in the Law and living by the Law It is beyond all doubt there is no way of coming to God but in his Law for what Out-law or one that still wanders out of the paths of God's Commandments can come unto him So also it is impossible that any one should have life but in the Law of God For who is it can have life that doth not walk according to the rule of his Laws But to obtain admission to the favour of God by the Law and to have life by the Law that is to be justified by the works of the Law this sounds quite another thing For it is by Christ only that we live and are justified by him alone that we have access to God These are the fictions of the Rabins There was one shewed a certain Rabbin the place where Corah and his Company were swallowed up and listen saith he what they say So they heard them saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses and his Law are the truth Upon the Calends b Bava bathra fol. 74. 1. Bemidb. rabb fol 271. 1. of every Month Hell rolls them about as flesh rolls in the Cauldron Hell still saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses and his Law are truth a It is indeed a great truth what is uttered in this most false and ridiculous legend that the Law of Moses is truth But the Jews might if they would attain to a much more sound way of judging concerning the truth of it and consider that the Law is not the summ and ultimate of all truth but that Christ is the very truth of the truth of Moses Joh. I. 17. The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. VERS VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If ye had known me c. IT was a very difficult thing to spell out the knowledge of the Messiah from the Law and the Prophets under the first Temple but it was doubly more difficult under the second For under the first Temple Moses had only his own veil over him and the Prophets only their own proper and original obscurity but under the second Temple the obscurity is doubled by the darkness and smoke of Traditions which had not only beclouded the true Doctrines of Faith and Religon but had also brought in other Doctrines diametrically contrary to the chief and principal Articles of Faith those for instance concerning Justification the Person Reign and Office of the Messiah c. What measures of darkness these mists of Tradition had covered the minds of the Apostles with it is both difficult and might be presumptuous to determine They did indeed own Jesus for the true Messiah Joh. I. 41. Matth. XVI 16. But if in some things they judged amiss concerning his Office undertaking and government we must put it upon the score of that epidemical distemper of the whole Nation which they still did in some measure labour under And to this may this clause have some reference If ye had known me and had judged aright concerning the Office undertaking and Authority of the Messiah ye would in all these things which I teach and do have known the Will Command and Authority of the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And from henceforth ye know him We may render it Henceforward therefore know him Henceforward acknowledge the Father in all that I have done brought in and am to introduce still and set your hearts at rest in it believing that you see the Father in me and in the things that I do VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shew us the Father and it sufficeth us WHEN the Law was given to Moses the Israelites saw God in his glory do thou therefore now that thou art bringing in a new Law and Oeconomy amongst us do thou shew us the Father and his glory and it will suffice us so that we will have no more doubt about it VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall give you another comforter ALthough the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in frequent use amongst the Jews to signifie an Advocate and that very sense may be allowed to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place yet may it seem more fit and proper to render it by comforter at present For I. Amongst all the names and titles given to the Messiah in the Jewish Writers that of Menahem or the Comforter hath chiefly obtained and the days of the Messiah amongst them are stiled the days of Consolation c c c c c c Bab. Sanhedr fol. 98. 2. The names of Messiah are reckoned up viz. Shiloh Jinnon Chaninah Menahem And in Jerusalem Beracoth d d d d d d Fol. 5. 1. we are told how the Messiah had been born in Bethlehem under the name of Menahem Luke II. 25. Waiting for the consolation of Israel Targumist upon Jerem. XXXI 6. Those that desire or long for the years of consolation to come This they were wont to swear by viz. the desire they had of seeing this Consolation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So let me see the Consolation Now therefore bring these words of our Saviour to what hath been said q. d. You expect with the rest of this Nation the Consolation in the Messiah and in his presence Well I must depart and withdraw my presence from you but I will send you in my stead another Comforter II. The minds of the Disciples at present were greatly distressed and troubled so that the promise of a Comforter seems more suitable than that of an Advocate to their present state and circumstances VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of truth LET us but observe how the whole world at this time lay in falsehood and error the Gentiles under a Spirit of delusion the Jews under the cheat and imposture of Traditions and then the reason of this title of the Spirit of truth will appear as also how seasonable and necessary a thing it was that such a spirit should be sent into the world VERS XXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall teach you all things SO Chap. XVI 13. He shall lead you into all truth Here it might be very fitly enquired whether any ever beside the Apostles themselves were taught all things or led into all truth It is no question but that every believer is led into all truth necessary for himself and his own happiness but it was the Apostles lot only to be led into all truth necessary both for themselves and the whole Church VERS XXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Prince of this world cometh SEEING this
that particularly by very impious vows they would be making We have a little hint of it Mat. XV. 5. and more in the Treatise Nedarim See also Mat. V. 43. Thou shalt hate thine enemy This rule obtain'd in the Jewish Schools And upon that precept Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self let us see the mighty charitable Gloss in Chetubb c c c c c c Fol. 8. 2. Thou shalt love thy neighhour as thy self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is decree him to an easie death namely when he is adjudg'd by the Sanhedrin to die When you consider the frequent repetition of this precept Love one another consider also that passage Mat. X. 34. I came not to send peace but a sword and then having reflected on those horrid seditions and mutual slaughters wherewith the Jewish Nation raging within its self in most bloody discords and intestine broils was even by its self wasted and overwhelmed you will more clearly see the necessity and reasonableness of this command of loving one another as also the great truth of that expression By this they shall know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But I have call'd you friends because all things c. Thus is it said of Abraham the friend of God Gen. XVIII 19. VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye have not chosen me FOR it was a custom amongst the Jews that the Disciple should chuse to himself his own Master d d d d d d Avoth cap. 1. hal 6. Joshuah ben Perachiah said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chuse to thy self a master and get a Colleague VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They had not had sin So also ver 24. in both places the passage is to be understood of that peculiar sin of rejecting the Messiah If I had not spoken to them and done those things that made it demonstrably evident that I was the Messiah they had not had sin that is they had not been guilty of this sin of rejecting me But when I have done such things amongst them it is but too plain that they do what they do in meer hatred to me and to my Father Our Saviour explains what sin he here meaneth in Chap. XVI 9. CHAP. XVI VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall put you out of the Synagogues THIS I presume must be understood of a casting out from the whole Congregation of Israel because I know the Jews always proceeded in that manner against the Samaritans and certainly the Disciples of Jesus were full as hateful to them as the Samaritans could be Nay they often call the Christians by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuthites as well as those Those that were cast out of the Church they despoil'd of all their goods according to Ezra X. 8. which they also did to those that were Shammatiz'd e e e e e e Moed-katon fol. 81. 2. whence it may be a question whether Shammaetizing did not cast out of the whole Congregation and again whether one cast out of the whole Congregation might be ever readmitted We may take notice of what is said in Avodah Zarah f f f f f f Fol. 7. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No one that relapseth may be receiv'd again for ever The Gloss tells us that the passage concerns the Plebeians or Laicks who having taken upon themselves any religious rule of life go back again from that profession they do not admit them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into that order and society again Whether therefore those that fell off from the Gospel returning to their Judaism again were ever admitted into the Jewish Church after they had voluntarily forsaken it might be an enquiry but these things only by the by There was in truth a twofold Epocha of the persecution of the Apostolical Church namely both before that Apostacy of which we have such frequent mention and also after it Our Saviour had foretold the Apostacy in that tremendous Parable about the unclean spirit cast out and returning again with seven worse So shall it be also saith he with this wicked generation Mat. XII 45. The footsteps of this we may discern almost in every Epistle of the Apostles It is worthy observation that of 2 Thes. II. 3. This day of the Lord shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed The day of the Lord here spoken of was that wherein Christ should come and reveal himself in that remarkable vengeance against Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation of which kind of expression we shall say more on Chap. XXI 22. The Apostacy or falling away and revelation of the man of sin was to precede that day which might be easily made out by a History of those times if I were to do the business either of an Historian or a Chronologer When therefore the severe and cruel persecution was first rais'd by the unbelieving Jews before this falling away of Christians it must needs be greatly encreas'd afterward by them and the Apostates together Which distinction we may easily observe out of this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will think that he doth God service So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Zealots of whom we have mention in Sanhedr g g g g g g Fol. 81. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Zealots kill him Gloss. These are those good men who are endued with zeal in the cause of God Such who with their own hands immediately slew the transgressor not staying for the judgment of the Sanhedrin So in the place before quoted The Priest that ministers at the Altar in his uncleanness they do not bring before the Sanhedrin but they bring him out into the Court and there brain him with the pieces of wood provided to maintain the fire upon the Altar What infinite mischiefs and effusion of blood such pretexts of zeal toward God might occasion it is easie to imagin and very direful instances have already witnessed to the world Hence was it that they so often went about to have ston'd our Saviour Hence those forty and more that had conspir'd against St. Paul And those Zealots whose butcherly cruelties are so infamous in the Jewish story took the occasion of their horrid madness first from this liberty From such kind of Villains as these the Disciples of Christ could have little safeguard indeed they were greatly endanger'd upon a threefold account I. From the stroke of Excommunication by which they were spoiled of their goods and estates Heb. X. 34. II. From the sentence of the Sanhedrin dooming them either to be scourg'd or slain III. From these Assasins for by this name a name too well known in Europe we will call them We pronounce Assasine and Assasination Gul. Tyrius calls them Assysins whom it may be worth the while to consult about the original of that name
not but see but those Books would at last though they were never so unwilling come forth in the Vulgar Language nor could they hinder but they would every where happen into the hands of the Heathen therefore that it would be far better that a Version should come forth by their care and authority which might be according to their pleasures than that some should come forth in one place and some in another which perhaps might turn to the disgrace of the Holy Text or to the danger and reproach of the Nation or might too much lay open the Holy Mysteries among the Heathen By these Authors and by these reasons I confess ingenuously it is my opinion that that Version was made which goes about under the name of the Seventy Nor are there some things wanting in the Version it self which hint some such counsil in the publishing of it For IV. Even a blear Eye may see clearly enough that it was hammered out and dressed with more caution than conscience more craft than sincerity 1. That as much as might be the Holy Books might remain free from any reproach or cavilling of the Heathen 2. That they might soften some things which might be injurious to the Jewish Nation either as to their peace or reputation or which might create offence to the Gentiles 3. That the mysteries and the bare truth of the Holy Books might be revealed as little as possibly could be to the Heathen All which might be demonstrated by such numberless examples as to leave no occasion to doubt of that matter behind it By these and the like cautions and subtilties was that Version made where in the Translators had less care that the Interpretation should come out sincere and true but provision was chiefly made that any thing should be thrust upon the Gentiles so it were without danger and that the Glory and safety of the Jewish Nation might be maintained And may it be allowed me to speak out what I think Among the various Copies and Editions of this Version which go about I do not esteem that Copy for the most genuine which comes nearest to the Hebrew Text but that which comes nearest to the mind of the Translators in such like cautions It is said as we saw before that when the five Elders had turned the Law That day was bitter to Israel as the day wherein the Golden Calf was made And why Because the Law could not be turned according to all things convenient to it Did their grief arise hence because it was not turned nor could not be clearly exactly and evidently enough that the Heathen might see the full and open light of it Who will believe that this ever was the Jews desire or wish But their trouble proceeded rather from hence that those five had not Translated it cunningly warily and craftily enough as the Gentiles were to be dealt withal Of this matter there was care enough taken in this Version the Authors setting all their strength and wits on work that according to their own pleasures it might come forth such as they would have it and might serve their purpose both as to themselves and as to the Gentiles This they established and strengthned by their own authority not as a pure Version and such as was to be recommended to their Countrymen but as fit enough to stop the mouths and satisfie the curiosity of the Heathen and lest any among them might attempt another in which those cautions and provisions might not be sufficiently observed This they laid up in their Sanhedrins and Synagogues that it might be ready and shewn to the Heathen as a Symbol and token of the Jewish Law Faith and Religion if at any time the matter and necessity called for some such thing We grant therefore to Justin Martyr that that Version was in the Synagogues and hands of the Jews but one would not conclude from that that it was read in the Synagogue instead of the Hebrew Text. And we will yield also to Tertullian that that Version was read at Rome in his age in the Synagogues of the Jews but being compelled so to do by that suspicion whereof we spake namely that it might be known to all what the Law and Religion of the Jews was whether it consisted with the Roman Government Our Question is whether the Hellenists chose to themselves the reading of the Greek Version and neglected the Hebrew Text and seeing for the most part they lived by their own Laws and Ordinances you will hardly any where shew me especially in the times of the Apostles concerning which we speak or in the times before them that they were compelled to reject the one and to read the other And as to that which is objected concerning Philo and Josephus t is no wonder if they writing for the Heathen followed that Version which was designedly made for the Heathen But that is of the greatest weight of all which is objected concerning the Evangelists and Apostles who embraced that Version in their quotations out of the Old Testament To which the Answer is very easie Namely Those Holy Writers had to do with two sorts of men Jews and Gentiles the Volume of the New Testament was in the hands of both A Gentile desires to examine the quotations which are brought out of the Old Testament But not understanding the Hebrew whether should he go but to the Greek Version which he understands So that it was not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of condescension that those Holy Writers followed the Greek Version but out of pure necessity for otherwise it was impossible that their allegations out of the Law and the Prophets could be examined by the Gentiles And if a Jew having the New Testament in his hand should complain and quarrel that in their quotations they departed from the Hebrew Text they had an answer ready viz. This very Version which is cited is that very same which ye have writ published and propounded to the World as the Symbol and token of your Law and Religion and as your own very Bible If we would designedly attempt a full disquisition concerning that Version we might it may be more at large demonstrate all these things which have been spoken by various instances reasons and methods But let this suffice at present This discourse was raised by occasion of the mention of the unknown Tongue Chap. XIV which we suppose was Hebrew formerly used in the Hellenistical Synagogue of the Corinthians and which they would retain being now converted to the Gospel too much wresting to Judaism the gift of Tongues in the same manner as they did the other privileges and ordinances of the Gospel and using an unknown Language so much the rather because the gift of Tongues was granted from Heaven using it to an end plainly contrary to the gift it self unhappily perverting it and not requiring not admitting now an Interpreter which before was done by them as if they thought God had
True indeed the Adults that were baptized confessed their sins but this restrains not baptism to them alone because there are several ends of it applicable to those that know not especially that in the next particular As to the second That Baptism belongs to none but such as are in the Covenant and that it is a seal of our righteousness This phrase is fetched from IV. Rom. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the Faith Which place is expounded to mean a seal of the persons righteousness that receives it But to examine this place 1. It is said to be a sign now a sign is to help unbelief and to confirm doctrine Exod. IV. Moses miracles there mentioned were to be signs to make the Israelites believe his message 1 Cor. XIV 22. Tongues are for a sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not And to that purpose is that of our Saviour Except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe 2. The Doctrines there delivered are well worth such a Confirmation namely first That a sinner upon his believing in Christ becomes righteous this is the greatest truth Secondly That he becomes righteous by another this was a wonder to the Jews Thirdly That it is by a better righteousness than Adams Fourthly That it is by a righteousness infinite viz. A righteousness that outvies condemning righteousness and that very same righteousness that God gives to Christ. So that the meaning of those words the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the Faith is that it was a Seal to confirm that great Doctrine So Sacraments are to Seal the truth of God He hath put to his Seal in the Sacrament as a Seal to a Dead confirms the truth of it So that Circumcision is a Seal of the same truth to Esau Judas c. else it loses its nature which is to confirm Gods truth And so the Sacraments are Seals of Gods truth Baptism seals that truth that washing by the blood of Christ cleanseth us from our sins So that though children know not what baptism means yet it hath this nature III. They were all baptized unto Moses i. e. unto his discipline They were circumcised unto God viz. unto true religion Now they are baptized into Moses that is into his Way Baptism is to enter us into the true profession Matth. XXVIII 19. Baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost that is into the profession of the true God So in the Name of Jesus that is into his belief and religion Hence also Infants are capable of Baptism as it is a distinctive body that marks us out for Christians And therefore we are said to be all baptized into one body 1 Cor. XII 13. So the children of Israel were circumoised though they were born Israelites that they might be marked for Gods people As to the fourth observable in the Text baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea I cannot now insist on that The Conclusion is that we retain this Sacrament without doubting It carries its warrant in its institution and in its own nature I will leave two directions with you I. Rest not in a negative Religion only II. Let the practise of the Church have authority with you A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARIES Cambridge Febr. 24. 1655 6. LUKE XI 2. When ye pray say Our Father which art in Heaven THE words are our Saviours And they are a sweet condescention to a pious request in the verse before where Christ praying publickly as it seems among his Disciples one affected with it prays Lord teach us to pray Where was this Disciple at the Sermon in the Mount Matth. VI. 9. where Christ had taught them to pray Was he absent or had he forgot Or did he not rightly understand However it was Christ yields to his request and gives the same directions again here as he had done there There it is After this manner pray ye Here When ye pray say In the Text are two things contained The one is Christs giving a Platform of prayer When ye pray say The other is The form given Our Father which art in Heaven c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When leaves us not at liberty but commands us and is of the same import with another saying of our Saviour when he instituted his holy Supper As oft as ye do this do it in remembrance of me Out of the former I Observe two things I. That we had need to pray II. That we had need to be taught to pray Two truths confirmed by three witnesses John this Disciple and Christ. Ask John why he taught his Disciples to pray he will answer these two things viz. because they had need to pray and because they had need to be taught to pray Ask the Disciple why he asked Christ to teach him to pray he will answer so Ask Christ why he taught his Disciples to pray he will answer so also As there are many Comments on these subjects so there is as copious handling them So that I shall not handle them at large but speak to them in a few illustrations and so pass to insist rather on the second viz. The Form it self I. That we had need to pray And that first because of our Duty Secondly Because of our Wants In regard of what we owe to God and in regard of what we expect from him These both draw and drive us Accordingly the Lords Prayer consists of two general parts first we pray in adoration to his Name Kingdom Will in the three first petitions and then for our wants in the last I shall not now speak how Prayer is Adoration of God nor how it is commanded by Scripture on that account I shall only at present shew First That it is a duty and that we had need pray because of our Duty And for ◠that purpose observe 1. It is a Duty written in nature That in Gen. IV. ult Then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord however understood shews it from the beginning Hence the Heathen prayed though they mistook in the manner of praying Matth. VI. 7. 2. It is a Duty for every man and woman in the World to perform All flesh come to thee LXV Psal. 2. And Psal. CL. ult Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. T is a Duty due upon our creature-ship It is the Duty of the holiest men Psal. XXXII 6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee And of the wickedest also even Magus was to pray to God Act. VIII 22. It is so a Duty for the holiest that it lay upon Adam in innocency It lay upon Christ in the Flesh he prayed both because of his Duty and because of his wants V. Heb. 7. Who in the days of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save
him from death and was heard in that he feared It lies upon glorified Saints in one part of it viz. Thanksgiving It is so a Duty for the unholiest that though they sin in their prayers yet they sin worse if they pray not Your prayers are not sin as to the Act but because of other things External adoration is absolutely required to be given to God by all his creatures and if that be not yielded they doubtless sin This the wicked man when he prays gives to God They mistake foul that say Pray not till the Spirit move you Truth saith Pray because Duty requires you and in doing your duty wait for the Spirit 3. It is a Duty that makes out and sanctifies all our duties As 1 Tim. IV. 5. Every creature of God is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer So is every religious duty that we perform What is our hearing reading meditation if we pray not that God would sanctifie it and make it beneficial to holy ends and purposes to us 4. We had need to pray in reference to our Duty lest God turn us out of all and own us not for Tenants because we pay not our Rent You read in XXX Exod. 12. c. That every Israelite was to give half a shekel for the Redemption of his Soul the rich was not to give more nor the poor less This Christ himself paid Matth. XVII 24. c. Prayer is that half shekel to us The rich can give no more and the poor hath this to give viz. To make our humble acknowledgments to God for our lives and our comforts This is the greatest owning of our homage and none is so poor as to be without it The words that signifie Prayer speak this viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judging our selves and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Depending upon grace We hold all upon grace The acknowledgment of this is the payment of our Homage to our Creator Would you comfortably enjoy your Houses Lands Studies Comforts pay your Rent Pray Pray Pray See what becomes of them that pay not this Homage Jerem. X. 25. Pour out thy sury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name Secondly We had need pray because of our wants This is the only way for our supply II. This is the bucket to draw our Water Ask and you shall have Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee Yea though God know our wants we must pray for the supply of them That is a strange motive to prayer in Matth. VI. 8. Your heavenly Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask them What need then is there to tell them If he will give he will give whether we ask or ask not Yes pray for what ye stand in need of though ye are sure of the grant of those things Daniel prayed for the restoration of the Captivity which he knew certain David for the pardon of his sin which he knew God would pardon And that for these reasons First God will have his Homage T is reason Elias should have his cake first that provides meal for the maintenance of the whole family 1 Kings XVII 13. Secondly We pray not to shew God our wants as if he were ignorant of them but to shew that we are sensible of them and to signifie that we know he only is able to supply them Saints are called poor because they know their wants and know they live on Gods Alms. See Rev. III. 17 18. Because thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked I counsil thee to buy of me gold tryed in the fire that thou mayest be rich c. God would that this Church of Laodicca should know her wants and buy by prayer the supply of them Thirdly I may add We had need to pray because of our advantage and benefit yea though we receive not particularly what we pray for Though as Psal. XXII 2. We cry in the day time and God heareth not and in the night season we take no rest Though God seem as in Psal. LXXXVIII 14. to cast off our Soul and hide his face from us yet we had need to pray still because we still want and if we never receive particularly what we pray for yet these benefits we shall reap by our prayers 1. We keep up and refresh our communion with God Constant prayer hath this advantage that it suffereth not God to forget us Lord why hast thou forgotten me saith David Prayer permits not God to forget no more than a Mother can forget a crying child He that prays is Gods Remembrancer and gives him no rest 2. The more we pray the better God will know our faces at the day of judgment I know you not shall Christ say to some why They never looked towards him Psal. XIV 2 3. The Lord looked down from Heaven to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside c. And I. Esay 4. There t is said of wicked men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are estranged backward or turned backward To these methinks the great Judge will say another day Ye were always strangers to me such as turned their backs upon me I could never see your face and therefore verily I know you not But on the contrary he that now confesses Christ and makes himself known to him by prayers and humble addresses he will know and confess him at the day of Judgment 3. The more we pray the more the heart is in Heaven and with God So that Prayer it self is a blessed benefit Phil. III. 20. Our Conversation is in Heaven This of all other Conversations is the heavenly Conversation As Christ when he prayed was transfigured Luke IX 29. So in prayer the Christians heart is changed the soul is winged and mounts up till it gets hold of God as Jacob had him in his arms when he prayed 4. Time will come that all our prayers and tears shall meet us God puts our tears in his Bottle God reserves our prayers not one of them is left and we shall in time receive the fruit of them In 1 Kings VIII 59. There Solomon prays Let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night that he maintain the cause of his Servant c. Prayers are nigh unto God And thus I have finished the first Observation viz. That we had need to pray I come to the second II. That we had need to be taught to pray There is no doing spiritual work but according to the Patern in the Mount God prescribed Forms As at the offering of the first-fruits of the Land of Canaan XXVI Deut. 3 4. c. Thou shalt go unto the Priest that shall be in those days and
construe it according to their own ignorance and to frame stories upon it according to their construction I shall give but one Example and that big enough for many viz. that huge story of John the Evangelist his being boyled in scalding oyl and yet not kild and when buried at Ephesus yet his grave beating as if he lived within it If you trace to the proper spring head you will find it founded upon ignorance of the meaning of those words in XXI John 22. If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee Which were mistaken when first spoken as if that Apostle should not dye I might speak how ignorance in other Stories and Sciences hath brought in multitudes of falsities as Domitians killing Davids line c. A second original is over-officiousness of the Relator And that hath outshot the other many bow-lengths Ignorance hath bred its thousands but this its ten thousands The undoing of History is the overdoing When Historians over-sedulous and over-officious to advance the honour of Religion and religious men have thought they could never say enough and said they cared not what and like Poets have never thought enough said till so much is said as none can believe I shall give but one example and that in the very beginning of Ecclesiasticul History Menologia Surius c. will afford thousands The example is this that there is hardly one named in the New Testament with any credit or without a brand but in Ecclesiastical Story he is made either a Planter of Religion in some Country or a Bishop or a Martyr or all See Dorotheus his Synopsis and other Histories of those times and you will find this so Now this is not true neither is it from Ignorance nor indeed from their believing it was so who first asserted it but from officiousness to do these men honour that they might have more than bare naming in the New Testament There is a particular fabulousness in Ecclesiastical History that I know not whether to refer to ignoronce or this or to make it a mungrel of both Such as that That Christ laid in a manger betwixt an Ox and an Asse because it is said Esa. I. 3. The Ox knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib And that That the wise men Matth. II. were three Kings because it is said Psal. LXX 10. The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring Presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts Whether this was the effect of ignorance or officiousness or both its Father was an Amorite and its Mother a Hittite Thirdly A third original of this is studium partium favour to a party This is officiousness sworn and engaged to a side What this hath done in all stories he knows but little of story that hath not observed Officiousness to Religion in general and to good Men in general who were unknown and unrelated to hath done much this more When Writers in their Relations were minded to honour singular places persons actions t is hard to find them keeping within bounds He is an Historian indeed that can keep ab odio procul favore free from envy and affection especially when he writes near that time of those persons and actions which he writes of When I read Eusebius de Vita Constantini and Sozomen and Julian in Coesaribus De Constantino I cannot but be suspitious on both hands that studium partium odium favor have made the contrary parties lay on so much black and white that it is impossible to discern the true visage Thousands of such Relations thus tainted might be produced Hence are more Martyrs in the Calendar than ever were in the World and more miracles than ever men of reason especially that knew Scripture did or well or can believe But to pitch near the case in hand How hath it ever been a partiality and Studium sui in Countries and Cities to father their original upon some transcendent person or other the Heathens on some Deity So Livy Datur haec venia antiquitati ut miscendo humana divinis primordia urbium augustiora fiant Christian Cities or Countries have the like ambition to refer the original of their Religion to some chief Apostle Saint or Martyr Fourthly A fourth origine of falshood in Ecclesiastical history is Animus decipiendi a mind and purpose to deceive And this hath been sometimes done pia fraude out of an holy craft because histories do affect and men are led by example And therefore if Piety and Religion be promoted no matter whether it be done by truth or falshood But sometimes this hath been done impiissima impudentia out of a most wicked shamelesness Some there have been who have made it a trade to impose upon the belief of mankind either to amuse mens minds or to abuse them or to interrupt their study and believing of better things II. Now which of these four originals shall we refer this opinion unto It is no doubt but animus decipiendi in this last and worst sence hath maintained that St. Peter was at Rome but that was not the first cause of that Position Therefore let us try the Original of it by the three forementioned First Might it not be occasioned by ignorance and misconstruction of Scripture To make this appear the more probably to be a cause of it let me preface these few things 1. That from the death of Peter to the asserting of this opinion by authors of less suspition was not an hundred and fifty years 2. Observe that the Scripture is silent of the place of Peters death unless it be to be collected from hence 3. Credulity in those times was better cheap partly because deceit was not then suspected nor discovered partly because neither were Copies of the New Testament so common nor generally were men so well versed in them 4. How easie was it to misconstrue this place and take Babylon to signifie Rome and so to use it as an argument to confirm Peters being there And this mistake might be the original of that opinion But however this might administer some occasion to this error I should ascribe more influence to the two other things before mentioned viz. Officiousness to Peter and a study to advance Rome For observe First In story we find that the Church of Rome was always much spoken of and of great authority And Secondly Observe therefore how History that it might dignifie that Church in respect of its Original hath brought Paul and Peter to be martyred at Rome and John near it and he undoubtedly had been brought thither and Martyred had not the misconstruction of Joh. XXI 22. hindred supposing from that Text that he never died I presume James would have been brought thither too but that Josephus had prevented it by his story relating he was slain at Jerusalem And Ignatius is brought thither from Antioch Thirdly It was thought an honour to have such Patrons And Rome being chief
out its own Eyes and chuse to be blind and live in darkness when it hath Eyes and light A doleful thing that men should be killed because they will not be fools Think of the hundreds that have gone to the fire and faggot because they could not believe Transubstantion because they could not believe that which is contrary to Reason Religion and the trial of the Sences therefore they must be put to a most cruel death Poor England because she will not be Popish must be no more because she will not lose her wits she must lose her life Poor Abel must be murthered because he will not be such a wretch hypocrite and vilain as Cain This is all the quarrel they had against us because we would not be of such a Religion as they are of and had no mind to build our Salvation upon straw and stubble Think of this and of the constant practise of Rome to seek to destroy those that will not be of her mind and Religion then guess who is the Gog and Magog in the Text that takes up persecution and fighting against those that will not be deceived by Satan as they themselves are The design of this day engageth us to hate Popery that must be maintained and propagated with blood and force I shall not dispute which is the true Religion the Protestant or the Popish Only set Jacob and Esau before you whether of the two is more lovely Popery is rough and rugged witness the Inquisition the Massacre the Marian days and the fift of November Think of these and hate Popery Let me enlarge my self a little upon this subject what a great cheat Satan puts on men when he deceives them to become enemies to true Religion There was hardly ever any persecutor of the truth in the World but he would confess this truth so that I might need no other proof of it but the confession of such enemies Paul when he murthered the members of Christ without mercy or measure he would be ready enough to say Oh! it s a cursed cheat the Devil puts upon men when he sets them to be enemies to persecute the true Religion but this Sect of Nazarens that I persecute they are Hereticks Apostates and t is a good deed to persecute them for they are fallen from the Religion of their Fathers Bonner that Butcher of Hell that so bloodily murthered so many of the Saints of God in Queen Maries time he would be ready enough to say Oh! it s a cursed cheat of the Devil to set men upon persecuting true Religion but these Lollards these Protestants are desperate Hereticks horrid Apostates that have fallen away from holy Mother Church of Rome and it is fit such men should not live And none that hates and persecutes another for Religion but he will be ready to say in the like kind this being one arrand and very general cheat of Satan to make all men though of the falsest worst and most damnable Religion or profession of Religion to believe theirs is the best The greatest Dispute in the World is which is the true Religion and as the Apostles upon Christs speaking of one betraying him every one asked Is it I So will every Religion in the World upon this Question Which is the true Religion answer It is I. The Jew saith His the Turk His the Papist His the Protestant His one Protestant his manner of worship and profession is best another His and a third His. Like the two Hostesses before Solomon about the living and dead child one saith the dead Religion is thine and the living mine and another nay my Religion is the living but thine the dead How is it possible to determine this controversie about which there hath been so much quarreling and so many many vast Volumes written And if we do not determine which is true Religion we can make nothing of the Doctrine before us which speaks of Sataus cheating men to be enemies to it It would speak high to undertake to determine when dispute is betwixt so Learned Men. But let me give you these two marks of it which also may help to give some caution against being enemy to it I. That is the true Religion and true Religiousness that the Devil hates most That is the King of Israel that the Captains of the Syrians bend themselves most to fight against 1 Kings XXII Need I to tell you how the Devil in the Revelations is continually fighting against the true Saints of God and their Religion It hath been his quarrel ever since God set the enmity between the Womans seed and him Gen. III. 15. Now certainly it may be a very pregnant mark of discerning what a mans Religion and Religiousness is by computing whether the Devil have reason to hate it or no. In the great question twixt Papists and us whether is the true Religion Bring them to the touchstone hath the Devil any cause to hate worshiping of Images to hate the casting away the Scripture and taking up the wretched Traditions of Men to hate their nurseling of the people in Ignorance and the blind leading the blind into the ditch to hate the Popes pride and arrogance against God and Christ and Kings and Princes the Clergies domineering over the Consciences of Men to keep them blind and so as they may make a prey of them In a word hath the Devil any reason to hate that Religion that is nothing but paint and show and outside and no life of Religion at all in it These things make for him and are on his side and bring him Souls to Hell heaps upon heaps and he hath no reason to be an enemy to these Hath the Devil reason to hate or hinder the Religion and Devotion of him that is huge devout in the Church in all ceremonial and formal appearance and they would take him for a Saint or an Angel but out of the Church he is loose covetous malicious cruel prophane and no better than a Devil Such mens Religion will never do the Devil any disadvantage or be any diminishment to his Kingdom But that Religion that gives God his due in holy and spiritual Worship in holy and spiritual walking that devotion that serves God in Spirit and Truth that Ministry that in care and constancy and conscientiousness is always striving to bring Souls to God and to bring them beyond the form to the power of godliness and to deliver them from the power of darkness to the Kingdom of Gods dear son Let any man of reason and understanding guess whether Satan do not cannot choose but hate such a Religion Devotion Ministry So that as Solomon judged this live child is that Womans because her bowels earn towards it so may we very well judge that to be the true and best Religion and Religiousness that the Devils bowels earn against that he cannot but hate and be enemy to II. That is the best and truest Religion and Religiousness that sheweth forth
These most abominable ones in that most abominable generation we have been speaking of and the Text speaks of were such as had been once in the right way in the profession of the Gospel but now were utterly revolted from it and become most contrary to it And so our Saviour shews the very topping up of the wickedness of that generation in that Parable of the Devil cast out by the Gospel but come in again with seven evil Spirits worse than himself So saith he shall it be with this generation Mat. XII 45. Of such the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. IV. 1. Some that should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and doctrines of Devils And he saith that such a falling away would discover the man of sin and child of perdition 1 Thes. II. 3. And the Apostle 1 Joh. II. 19. saith that many Antichrists were abroad come out from them that professed the Gospel but now were become Antichrists And this our Apostle in this Chapter vers 2. intimates that they had once known the way of righteousness but were turned from the holy commandment that was delivered to them And being thus turned out of the way and fallen from the truth they were fallen into all manner of abomination Read but this Chapter and the Epistle of Jude at your leisure and you will see the full Character of them In little take this account of them 1. That like Balaam for love of filthy lucre they made merchandize of souls and cared not what became of them that they might get gain And accordingly 2. That they led them into all loosness and libertinism to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to Idols to â—iot in the day time and indeed to account any thing lawful I might produce Scriptures for all these but I suppose you remember them 3. They were direct enemies to the power and purity of the Gospel and bitter persecutors of the sincere professors of it The Apostle gives evidence enough of this in those few words 2 Tim. III. 8. As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth I shall spare more picturing of them read but the places I have cited and you will see them in very sad colours And now let us look upon them as very justly we may as a very sad spectacle such another as the spectacle of the fallen Angels once Angels but now Devils these once Christians but now brute beasts Atheists Devils incarnate In the cursed copy and example before us Balaam and these his disciples or followers we may see the fruits of two as cursed trees as any grows by the lake of Sodom Covetousness in Balaam and Covetousness and Apostacy or revolting from the truth in these that came after him Covetousness that makes him to sell a whole Nation to Gods curse and plague and their own ruine for the wages of unrighteousnes He hath got a bag of mony and twenty four thousand men of Israel are destroyed for it and the anger of the Lord brought upon the whole Camp And what cares Balaam for all this so long as he hath got the mony Oh the cursed fruits of covetousness that might be reckoned heaps upon heaps I shall but mention one and that may be enough Covetousness made Judas sell the very son of God for mony A monster of villany that the very Devils themselves might stand amazed at but that he played their own game And as for Apostacy or revolting from the truth how horrid fruits and effects have followed and do follow upon it Scripture and History give such evidence and instance that to speak of them would take up more time then even this whole day would afford us We shall only speak of one perticular wherein all Apostacy and all the fruits of Apostacy are met and convened and that is that which this day gives us occasion to commemorate and remember viz. the Church of Rome When you read of those that have forsaken the right way and gone astray remember Rome for who is there that hath done so more and when you read of following the way of Balaam and loving the wages of unrighteousness remember that Church and City for who hath done the one and who doth the other more than she she cavils at us as if we had forsaken the right way when we forsook her but we most truly answer that we forsook her because she hath forsaken the right way The Church at Rome was once in the right way indeed and celebrated for it through the whole world as the Apostle tells us Rom. 1. 8. But how long did it continue in that way I may very well answer as long as it was built upon the rock Christ but when it began to build it self upon Peter then and thenceforward did it forsake the right way For certainly he forsakes the right way that leaves to build upon the sure foundation Christ and builds upon the sand the person of a meer man If I were to render an account of my belief concerning the first Founders of a Church at Rome I should have recourse to that passage Act. II. 10. That there were at Jerusalem at the feast of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost was poured upon the Apostles Strangers of Rome Jewes and Proselytes Did not some of these believe and returning to Rome carried the Gospel thither with them If any doubt it I shall name two of them that did Rom XVI 7. The Apostle from Corinth saluting the Church that was then at Rome among others names there Salute Andronicus and Junius my kinsmen and Fellow-prisoners who are renowned among the Apostles and who were in Christ before me Here are two men that were very highly respected among the Apostles and that before Paul was an Apostle and where and when could this possibly be but at that time at Jerusalem these being of those that are mentioned in those words There were then at Jerusalem Strangers of Rome Jews and Proselytes By these men and some other that we cannot name a Romanist must give me leave to believe that the Gospel was first planted in Rome and a Church first founded there And I must believe that the Church by them planted there was watered by Paul and that before ever he came to Rome That ye may think a Solaecism to say that he watered the Church of Rome before ever he came at it But the Church came to him For if you observe that Act. XVIII 2. That Claudius had expelled all the Jews out of Rome and that the Apostle met with Priscilla and Aquila and divers others of that Church mentioned Rom. XVI you must conclude that when they returned to Rome again after the death of Claudius as it is plain they did they returned fully furnished with the doctrins and instructions of that blessed Apostle and so there is a Church there then pure and holy and in the right way and renowned as the Apostle tells us through the world but how
condemnation The ceremonial Law was given by Moses a ministration of types and shadows but truth came by Jesus Christ substantiating and resolving all III. Look into the Gospel it self It is the greatest and most Divine truth that can be given And as the Devil when he brought in the Heathen Religion brought in the greatest lie that could be imposed upon men So when God brought in the Gospel he brought in the greatest Truth that could be received by men And should I exceed my bounds if I said The greatest Truth that could be revealed by God For what could God reveal to mortal men more than he hath done in it himself his Son his Spirit his Grace his Salvation More than what is revealed in the Gospel shall never be revealed to men on this side Heaven And is not Heaven it self revealed very plainly in it And yet there are men in the Text and men in the World that make it their work to resist this Truth This light to lighten Gentiles they would put out This glory of the people Israel they would corrupt and this great and Divine Oracle of God they would silence and stop its mouth Very fitly resembled in the Emblem where the candle being lighted and set up the Devil the Turk the Pope and a company of Hereticks and Persecutors set with all their earnestness and indeavour to blow it out More than an Emblem of such an indeavour was the great plot and design of this day from the stroke of which we are here met to render our acknowledgment and thanksgiving An indeavour to have blown up and blown out the Truth of God and the purity and power of the Gospel out of this nation for ever In the words before us you plainly see two things an Act and the Agents resisting of the Truth and the men that resisted it But do you not also observe one out of sight or behind the vail viz. the providence of God looking on and permitting such a thing to be done A mystery of iniquity in the cursed acting of the persons and a mystery of providence and dispensing in suffering them so to act I. Concerning the persons and their acting The Truth might take up the complaint and expostulation of David It was not an open enemy that did me this evil for then I should have born it neither was it an open adversary that magnified himself against me for then peradventure I might have hid my self from him but it was thou my companion and familiar which took counsel with me together and we walked to the House of God as friends He that eateth at my table hath lift up his heel against me These men and the Truth or Gospel had been old acquaintance they had conversed and been familiar together they had taken counsel together and gone to Church too as friends but now they become her enemies because she is Truth They had approved the Gospel been initiated into it profest it and it may be some of them had preached it but now they become its enemy because she is Truth They had once received the knowledge of the Truth but now they wilfully sin against it Heb. X. 26. They had once known the way of Righteousness but now were utterly turned away from it 2 Pet. II. 21. They had once run well as Gal. III. but now they run clear counter to what they had done and seek to destroy the Gospel which they had once professed and resist the Truth with as much nay more fervency and earnestness than ever they owned it It was Pauls honour and comfort that He now preached the Gospel which he once destroyed Gal. I. 22. but it was these wretches dread and condemnation that they destroyed the Gospel which they once preached That general Apostasie or revolting from Truth that was then in the Church brought forth twins of a clear contrary complexion as different as Jacob and Esau if I may use Jacobs name with such persons when both of them are of the manners and conditions of Esau and you could hardly tell which of them was the worse For some Apostatized to pure Judaisme some to meer or worse than Heathenism some to dote upon the rites of Moses and to look to be justified by the works of the Law and to betake themselves to a Pharisaical austerity hoping thereby to be justified Others revolted to all loosness of life and Atheism abusing the liberty of the Gospel to libertinism and turning the grace of God into wantonness and accounting all things lawful that might content the flesh and please a carnal mind Now the Apostles give intimation of both these and sadly complain and invey against them I need not to particularize he that runs may read it more especially in the Epistle to the Galatians concerning the former and in 2 Pet. II. and Jude concerning the latter I might speak how these wretches did resist the Gospel or what instruments or machinations they used for the opposing of it As 1. Venting damnable Heresies and Doctrines of Devils as our two Apostles tell us 1 Tim. III. 1. 2 Pet. II. 2. Using the trade of Jannes and Jambres conjuration and sorcery and lying miracles as our Law had foretold Matth. XXIV 24. That they should shew signs and wonders to deceive the very elect if it were possible And the Apostle tells it was so as our Saviour had foretold 2 Thes. II. 9. That the coming of this mystery of iniquity was according to the working of Satan in all power and signs and lying wonders 3. They used the trade that the Roman Emperors afterward used of bitter sharp and cruel persecution Of which you have several memorials in the Epistles ravening Wolves breaking into the Church in sheeps clothing and making sad havock of the flock all before them This was the judgment that begun at the house of God 1 Pet. IV. 17. The hour of temptation that came upon all the Earth Rev. III. 10. I might by the way observe How far a man may fall from the true profession of the Gospel viz. so far as to become the worst of men and the Gospels most bitter enemy And that the bitterest enemies of the Gospel have ever been some that have pretended to the Gospel Persecution never did that mischief in the Church that Heresie hath done And the sorest wounds that the Gospel ever received were like his in Zach. in the house of her friends but this I shall not insist on You see Jannes and Jambres have here met with their match but is there any match to be found for these men that have matched them Yes look at Rome and you find them there As many Protestants and Papists by the last days do indeed understand the last days of the World So many Protestant Divines do attribute all the characters of those wretched men to the Papacy And indeed they are so like that it is no wonder if they be not clearly discerned asunder Though the Papacy would
most dearly beloved Truth thus to be abused and spurned against His most divine Truth sealed with the blood of his dear Son thus to be persecuted afflicted tormented The name of Rome in Rev. XVII is Mystery Babylon And that indeed not only because it is Babylon in a Mystery but that it is a great Mystery that God permits such a Babylon so cruel bloody inhumane a persecutor of his Truth so continual a disturber and vexation and firebrand to the World Such a Deceiver Seducer and Destroyer of Souls We may take up that Jerem. XII 1. Righteous art thou O Lord if I plead with thee yet may we plead with thee concerning thy judgments why doth the way of the wicked prosper And why is it so well with those that work iniquity Why is it so successful with Popery Heresie Error and Ignorance That that is aloft and prevaileth domineers and tyrannizes while Truth is troden down and the poor Gospel trampled under foot I might speak at large how God permits things to go thus upon very Divine reasons As First For the trial of his own people that profess his Truth how they will stick to his Truth under opposition how they will cleave to a poor persecuted despised Gospel how they will own a Truth that brings in no Mony no Worldly profit nor Honour nor Preferment but Loss of all things to gain Eternity The Gospel is the fan of Christ whereby he purgeth his floor and separates wheat and chaff asunder Secondly He permits wicked men to resist â—is Truth that they may make up the measure of their iniquities They think they avenge themselves of the Truth whereas God avengeth himself on them in giving them up to so reprobate a mind To refuse the Truth is bad enough to disobey the Truth this is worse to deny it and apostatize from it this is bad of bads but resisting and persecuting it this is worst of all Some count this the sin against the Holy Ghost In these men it might be for they had seen his miracles But however it was a sin unto death in them Thirdly God permits this because he knows Truth at last will conquer As God turned Christ loose to combate Satan and withdrew his Divine acting because he knew Christ would at last come off a conqueror As it was said of Gad Gad a troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last XLIX Gen. 17. So it is with Truth it may be opposed oppressed trodden under yet it will overcome at last Truth is a heavy stone whosoever falls upon it will be broken but whomsoever it falls upon it will grind him to powder If Truth triumph not in the conversion of men it will triumph in their condemnation When there were persecuting Emperors how doth Truth triumph over them And so the time of Rome is coming when the Truth and Gospel which she hath so bitterly resisted and persecuted shall triumph and clap their hands at her confusion and ruine when Babylon shall sink as a milstone in the midst of the Sea and rise no more And all those divine Truths in the Gospel that she hath opposed resisted persecuted shall everlastingly rise up in judgment against her and load her with torments and condemnation So let Babylon come in remembrance before the Lord and he plead the cause of his Truth Gospel People Interest and reward her as she hath done to all these and as she would have done to poor England on the fifth of November And let all the people say Amen A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARIES Cambridge Novemb. V. MDCLXXIV ACT. XIII 9 10. Then Saul who also is called Paul filled with the Holy Ghost set his Eyes on him And said O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou child of the Devil thou enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord A Dreadful and dismal character to be given to a man by an Apostle and an Apostle now filled with the Holy Ghost to give it Take out but that little great clause Thou child of the Devil and there needs not much more to the picturing of the Devil himself in his proper colours and full proportion Full of all subtilty full of all mischief enemy of all righteousness and the uncessant perverter of the right ways of the Lord. How little needs there more to the limning out the Prince of darkness himself in his blackest complexion What is it for these titles to be given to any man But our Apostle could very well discern between a Brother and a Sorcerer between a true Christian and a false Prophet between a Professor of the Gospel and a professed perverter of the ways of the Lord. The Text tells us he set his Eyes upon him and sees him through he discovers what he is to the very bottom and accordingly is warranted by the Holy Ghost with whom he is filled to give him these brands O thou full of all subtilty and of all mischief thou child of the Devil and enemy of all righteousness The two Parties in mention were as different and contrary as light and darkness as Hell and Heaven the one an Apostle the other a Sorcerer the one a most near servant of God the other as near a servant of the Devil the one full of the Holy Ghost the other full of all subtilty and mischief and all the agreement that was between them if that be any was that either of them had a double name for Saul he was also called Paul and Bar Jesus he was also called Elymas The reason of the Apostles double name I should look no further for than to his double relation as he was a Jew born and as he was a freeborn Roman His Hebrew name Saul relates to his Hebrew original and his Roman name Paul to his Roman privilege And whereas he had been called by his Jewish name Saul all along the story hitherto while he had been conversing among the Jewish Nation he being now appointed Apostle of the Gentiles and now set out upon that employment he is called by his Gentile name all along hence forward Paul and Saul no more But the resolution about the Conjurers double name is not so easie and we shall not find Esau in this matter so smooth as Jacob. First As concerning his name Bar Jesus I believe it was almost as far from the signification of that Blessed Name that we adore as he himself was from adoring him and I believe it was a very great way from the letters of that Blessed Name In the Arabick translation indeed that we have in our Polyglot Bible it is written with the very same letters But in the translation in that Language published by Erpâ—â—â—us it is written otherwise and better I doubt not and yet I question whether with the letters proper for it or no I should devine his name Jesus from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ain inchoante which signifies
Apostles and Disciples and should pick out a man that we all know was no Apostle that no one knows whether he were a Disciple or no. But II. It is agreeable to all reason to conceive that as the man to whom God vouchsafed the revelation and discovery of the times and occurrences that were to intervene betwixt his own times and the fall of Jerusalem was Daniel a man greatly beloved so that the John to whom Christ would vouchsafe the revelation and discovery of the times and occurrences that were to intervene betwixt the Fall of Jerusalem and the end of the World was John the Disciple greatly beloved III. Of that Disciple Christ had intimated that he would that he should tarry till â—e came Joh. XXI 22. that is till he should come in vengeance against the Jewish Nation and their City to destroy them for that his coming both in that place and in divers other places in the New Testament doth mean in that sense it were very easie to make evident should we take that subject to insist upon Now as our Saviour vouchsafed to preserve him alive to see the Fall and destruction of that City so also did he vouchsafe to him the sight of a new Jerusalem instead of the old when that was ruined laid in ashes and come to nothing He saw it in Vision we see it in the Text and upon that let us six our Eyes and Discourse for we need not speak more of him that saw it In the verse before he sees a new Heaven and a new Earth and in this verse a new Jerusalem I. Something parallel to which is that in Esa. LXV 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth And in the verse next following Behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing The expressions intimate the great change of affairs that should be in the World under the Gospel from what had been before A new Heaven or a change of Church and Religion from a Jewish to a Gentile Church and from Mosaick to Evangelical Religion A new Earth or a change in the World as to the management or rule of it from Heathenism to Christianity and from the rule of the four Heathen Monarchies Dan. VII to the Saints or Christians to iudge the World 1 Cor. VI. 2. or being Rulers or Magistrates in it And the new Jerusalem is the emblem and Epitome of all these things under this change as the old Jerusalem had been before the change came There is none but knoweth that Jerusalem in Scripture language is very commonly taken for the whole Church then being as well as it is taken particularly and literally for the City it self then standing That City was the Church in little because there were eminently in it all those things that do make and constitute a true Church viz. the administration of the Word and divine Ordinances the Assemblies of the Saints the Worship of the true God by his own appointment and the presence of God himself in the midst of all And can any doubt but that the new Jerusalem meaneth in the like sense and upon the like reason The Church of God under the Gospel this inriched with all those excellencis and privileges that that was yea and much more There was the Doctrine of Salvation but wrapped up in Types and Figures and dark Prophesies but here unfolded to the view of every Eye and Moses vail taken off his face There Ordinances of divine Worship but mingled with multitudes of carnal rites here pure adoration in Spirit and Truth There an assembly only of one People and Nation here a general assembly compacted of all Nations There God present in a cloud upon the Ark here God present in the communication of his Spirit Therefore it is the less wonder that it is called the holy City because of these things II. which is the second circumstance considerable in the words I saw the new Jerusalem The holy City It is observable that the second old Jerusalem for so let me call the Jerusalem that was built and inhabited after the return out of Captivity was called the holy City when goodness and holiness were clean banished out of the City and become a stranger there When the Temple had lost its choisest ornaments and endowments that contributed so much to the holiness of the place and City The Ark the cloud of Glory upon it the Oracle by Urim and Thummim the fire from Heaven upon the Altar these were all gone and Prophesie was utterly ceased from the City and Nation yet even then it is called the holy City in this her nakedness Nay when the Temple was become a Den of Thieves and Jerusalem no better if not worse when she had persecuted the Prophets and stoned those that were sent unto her when she had turned all Religion upside down and out of doors and worshiped God only according to inventions of men yet even then and when she is in that case she is termed the holy City Matth. IV. 5. Then the Devil taketh him up into the Holy City and setteth him on a pinacle of the Temple Nay when that holy Evangelist had given the story of her crucifying the Holy of Holies the Lord of life and glory even then he calls her the holy City Chap. XXVII 53. The bodies of many Saints which slept arose and came out of their graves after his Resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared to many Call me not Naomi but call me Marah might she very well have said then and so might others say of her for it might seem very incongruous to call the holy City when she was a City so very unholy She was indeed simply and absolutely in her self most unholy and yet comparatively The holy City because there was not a place under Heaven besides which God had chosen to place his Name there and there he had and that was it that gave her that name and title And while she kept the peculiarity of the thing she kept the name but at last forfeited both and then God finds out another City where to place his Name A new Jerusalem A holy City a holier City her younger sister fairer than she Holy under the same notion with the other because God hath placed his Name only III. there Holier than she because he hath placed it there in a more heavenly and spiritual manner than in her as was touched before And Holier still because she shall never lose her holiness as the other did as we shall touch hereafter And she cannot but be holy as I said before when she comes down from Heaven and is sent thence by God And this is the third thing remarkable in the Text I saw the new Jerusalem coming down from Heaven The Apostle S. Paul calls her Jerusalem which is above Gal. IV. 26. Our Apostle sees her coming down from above and the Prophet Ezekiel in his fortieth Chapter and forward seeth her pitched here below when she is
him What could be said to the comfort of such a bleeding soul Should a soul wounded with these words of the Apostle cry out as that Prophet in another case My bowels my bowels I am pained at the very heart my liver is cut through as with a javelin to hear that there is no sacrifice for sin that sinneth wilfully after receiving the Knowledge of the Truth and I have sinned so of and so wilfully against that Knowledge and Truth as I have done What plaister What lenitive could be applied to allay the aking smart and torture of so sad a cut As our Saviour of the smarting and cutting days of affliction before the ruine of Jerusalem Except those days should be shortned no flesh should be saved So if there were no allay to the foreness of such a stroke and case what flesh could but perish But there is some allay and that is this That the Apostle speaks not of that common willing or wilful sinning to which who is not incident at one time or other in one degree or other But of a willing wilful total apostatizing and revolting from the Truth and Gospel once professed and received If you observe in the Epistles of the Apostles and in the story of the New Testament you will find that the very topping up of the wickedness of the Jewish Nation and of their perdition was this that as the unbelieving part of the Nation continued enemies to Christ and his Gospel so those that had believed did by infinite numbers and drovâ—s revolt and apostatize from what they had belived and became if possible worse enemies than the others and drew as many of the believing Gentiles as they could into the same Apostasie and condemnation with themselves I might evidence this by instances heaps upon heaps And hardly any one of the Apostolick Epistles but it is so plain in it that he that runs may read it I shall only give you three passages instead of scores that might be given First Weigh that 1 Joh. II. 18. Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists And who were they vers 17. They went out from us but were not of us Once Professors and following the Apostles now revolting and fallen from them once Disciples and now Apostates and Antichrists Secondly Who can pass that of the Apostle without serious observing 2 Tim. I. 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia are turned away from me A sad Apostasie Ah poor Paul all turned away from thee Where now hast thou any friend Nay rather Ah poor souls ah unhappy souls that turned away from S. Paul and the blessed Gospel that he brought with him Thirdly And that for all How sadly does our Saviour foretel this in the Parable of the Devil cast out of the possessed but comes again with seven other spirits worse than himself and repossesses And observe the cadence at Matth. XII 45. Even so shall it be also with this wicked generation The Application is easie Of such Apostasie it is the Apostle speaks at vers 26. where he calls it wilful sinning after receiving the knowledge of the Truth And of such an Apostate he speaks in this verse when he saith He hath trod underfoot the Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing Many think that the Apostle speaks here of the sin against the Holy Ghost I am sure he speaks of that sin unto death of which the Apostle John hath mention 1 Joh. V. 16. Not but that the sin against the Holy Ghost is a sin unto death but the sin unto death may be distinguisht from the sin against the Holy Ghost in this respect that the Scribes and Pharisees whom our Saviour layeth under the guilt of sinning against the Holy Ghost never received the knowledge of the Truth and acknowledgment of the Gospel But this wretch that sins this sin unto death had received that knowledge but was apostatized and revolted from it Their Apostasie or falling back from the Truth was into a two fold gulf Some fell to horrible Libertinism to abuse the liberty of the Gospel to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication Of which you have intimation in several places of the Epistles and particularly in Revel II. 15. But the most general Apostatizing was from the true liberty of the Gospel to the slavery of Judaism again to seek justification by the works of the Law Against this you find the Apostle speaking copiously almost in all the Epistles and particularly S. Paul the pen-man of this Epistle For I make no doubt at all to ascribe it to him sets himself purposely to stay the Hebrews to whom he writes from staggering and falling in such Apostasie And you may observe how in the whole current of his discourse he bends himself to shew that those Mosaick ceremonies and services by which they thought and looked to be justified and saved were but shaddows that did but signifie greater things to come but shaddows that were but for a time and were to fade away The same subject that he is upon at this portion of Scripture he is handling in Chap. VI. 4 5 6. Where we may have an exposition of some words or passages in our Text. Receiving the knowledge of the Truth he calls there Being inlightned tasting of the heavenly gift of the good Word of God of the powers of the World to come Sinning wilfully here is falling away there with him and the fate and punishment of such a wretch here is no sacrifice for sin there in few words it is impossible to renew them again to repentance His wickedness in this verse is threefold and his judgment in the verses before threefold also I. He hath trodden under foot the Son of God For as the Apostasie generally was from the grace of the Gospel to seek to be justified by their own works then what need of Christ at all What value is he of to such wretches any more than the mire under their feet As S. Paul Act. XIV was first accounted a God then presently stoned So these wretches used Christ not much unlike First They professed him embraced him looked to be justified and saved by him presently they looked to be justified by the works of the Law and cast away Christ and scornfully trample upon him as a thing altogether useless II. He accounted the blood of the Covenant a thing unholy or a thing common as the Greek word most strictly signifies Not so holy not so valuable as the blood of Goats and Calves For that blood was shed for something but this wretch makes Christs blood shed for nothing And indeed what was his blood shed for if men can justifie and save themselves III. He hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace Or hath reproached despised the Spirit of grace and the grace of the Spirit he is now
and the first temptation presented to him Now all the power and army of Hell is let loose all the machinations of the bottomless pit put in practise against the second Adam but all to no purpose he stands like a rock unmoved in his righteousness and obedience and by such a death destroys him that had the power over death the Devil II. As the Dâ—â—â—l must be conquered so God must be satisfied And as Christs obedience did the one work so it did the other Obedience was the debt of Adam and mankind and by disobedience they had forfeited their Bonds Then comes this great Undertaker and will satisfie the debt with full interest yea and measure heaped and running over Does not the Apostle speak thus much Rom. V. from vers 12. forward particularly at vers 19. By the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Nor was this all that mans debt must be paid but Gods honour lay at stake too and that must be vindicated God had created man his noblest creature that he might glorifie and honour his Creator by his obedience Satan brings him to disobey his Creator and to obey him How might Satan here triumph and the honour of God lie in the dust I have mastered the chief Creation of God might Satan boast and made him that carried the badge and livery of his image now to carry mine I have frustrated the end and honour of the Creator and now all is mine own How sad a time were those three hours or thereabouts that passed betwixt the Fall of Adam and the promise of Christ Adam in darkness and not the least glimpse of promise or comfort Satan triumphing and poor manking and Gods honour trampled underfoot But then the Sun of righteousness arose in the promise that the seed of the woman should break the head of the Serpent And shall this uncircumcised Philistin thus deâ—ie the honour and armies of the living God saith Christ shall Satan thus carry the day against man and against God I will pay obedience that shall fully satisfie to the vindication of Gods honour to confound Satan and to the payment of mans debt to his reinstating and recovery And that was it that he paid consummatively in his Obedience to the death and in it and to the shedding of his blood Of which to speak in the full dimensions of the height depth length bredth of it what tongue can suffice what time can serve T is a Theme the glorified Saints deservedly sing of to all Eternity I shall speak in little of that which can never be extolled enough these two things only I. That he died merely out of obedience The Apostle tells us in Phil. II. 8. He became obedient to the death the death of the Cross. And what can ye name that brought him thither but Obedience Christs dead body imagine lies before you Call together a whole College of Phisitians to diffect it and to tell you what it was of which he died And their Verdict will be Of nothing but Love to man and Obedience to God For Principles of death he had none in his nature And the reason of his death lay not in any mortality of his body as it does in ourâ— but in the willingness of his mind Nor was his death his wages of sin as it is ours Rom. VI. ult but it was his choise and delight Luke XII 50. I have a baptism to be baptised withal and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Ask the first Adam why he sinned when he had no principles of sin in him and the true answer must be Because he would sin And so ask the second Adam why he died when he had no principles of death in him his answer must be to the like tenor He would lay down his life because he would be obedient to the death He came purposely into the World that he might dye Behold I tell you a mystery Christ came purposely into the World that he might dye and so never did Man but himself never will man do but himself True that every Man that comes into the World must dye but never Man came purposely that he might dye but only He. And he saith no less than that he did so Joh. XII 27. Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour And John XVIII 37. For this cause came I into this World to bear witness to the Truth Even to bear witness to the Truth to Death and Martyrdom II. Now add to all this the dignity of his Person who performed this Obedience that he was God as well as Man That as he offered himself according to his Manhood so he offered himself by the Eternal Spirit or as he was God as this Apostle saith Chap. IX 14. And now his obedience his holiness that he shewed in his death is infinite And what need we say more So that lay all the disobedience of all men in the World on an heap as the dead frogs in Egypt were laid on heaps that they made the land to stink again yet here is an Obedience that out-vies them all For though they be infinite in number as to mans numbring yet lay them all together they are finite upon this account because committed by creatures finite But here is an Obedience a holiness paid down by him that is infinite And now Satan where is thy Triumph Thou broughtest the first Adam to fail of perfect Obedience that he should have paid his Creator and here the second Adam hath paid him for it infinite Obedience And what hast thou now gained Therefore to take account from whence comes that infinite Virtue of Christs blood and death that the Scripture so much and so deservedly extols and magnifies Because as the Evangelist â—aith Out of his side came water and blood so out of his wounds came obedience and blood holiness and blood righteousness and blood and that obedience holiness righteousness infinite because he that paid it down and performed it was infinite And now judge whether it may not very properly be said That Christ was sanctified by his own blood As Aaron was sanctified for his Priesthood by his Unction and Garments Christ was consecrated fitted capacitated by his infinite obedience and righteousness which he shewed to the death and in it to be an High Priest able to save to the uttermost all those that come to him For first as in reference to himself it is said by this Apostle that he was raised from the dead by the blood of the Covenant Chap. XIII 20. And it was not possible but he should be raised for when he had performed such obedience and righteousness as in it was infinite in its validity subdued Satan in its alsufficiency satisfied the justice of God it was impossible that he should be held of death which is the wages of sin and disobedience And as he was thus raised by
the gift of God as well as Pardon It is he that pours out the spirit of grace and supplication Zech. XII 10. Him God hath exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Act. V. 31. Therefore that man takes the interest of God and Christ out of their hands that presumes he shall give himself Repentance and that when he pleaseth Can such a man give himself life when God will not give it health when God will not give it And can he give himself Repentance when God will not give it They in the Apostle James that say To day or to morrow we will go into such or such a City c. are justly confuted by the uncertainty of their life that can so little maintain it that cannot tell how long or little it shall be maintained So those that promise to themselves repentance the next year or the other besides that they cannot promise to themselves to live to such a time and if they do can they any more give themselves repentance then than they can now Or can they presume God will give them repentance then any more than now I remember that passage of the Apostle 2 Tim. II. 15. If peradventure God will give them repentance If the Apostle put it to a Peradventure whether God will give them repentance I dare say it is past all peradventure they cannot give it themselves It is God that gives repentance as well as he gives pardon For he and he only is the giver of all grace and repentance is the gift of sanctifying grace as pardon is of justifying 2. He that hath set conditions upon which to give repentance a rule whereby to come to repentance as well as he hath set repentance the rule whereby to come to pardon And his rule is Take Gods time as well as take Gods way His way is to attend upon his word that calls for repentance to cast away every thing that may hinder repentance So his time is Betake to repentance when God calls for repentance And that is this day this very hour every day every hour We hear of to day and while it is called to day in the claiming of mans duty but we never hear of to morrow or the next day much less of the next month or next year or I know not how long to come How ever this man in the Text neglected Gods time all his life and yet sped well enough at his later end because God would make him a singular example of Gods mercy and Christ's Purchase and triumph yet canst thou find no reason in the world to expect the like mercy if thou neglectest Gods time unless thou canst think of Gods setting thy name in the Bible for a monument to all posterity as he did this mans The Rule of our duty that we go by and not by Providence especially miraculous and extraordinary Now the rule of our duty teacheth that we delay not any time but to it to day while it is called to day And as our Saviour's lesson is about not taking care for to morrow in respect of food and clothing so we may say We are not to put off the care till to morrow in respect of repentance and amendment Object But do you think that Death-bed repentance never speeds well There have been many that have not betaken themselves to repentance nay nor never thought of repenting till death hath been ready to seize on them and yet then have shewed great tokens of repentance and have made a very hopeful end Answer We must distinguish the rule of our duty and the rule of judging others The rule of our duty is plain and legible the rule of our judging others is not so plain if so be we have any rule at all besides the rule of Charity which not seldom is mistaken It is not for us in such cases to be so wise as either to limit God or to be too confident of our own determinations or too ready to judge The words of our Saviour may hint unto us a good caution in this case Joh. XXI 22. What is that to thee follow thou me Be not inquisitive after other mens occasions but mind thine own And this may be very pertinent counsel Venture not Salvation upon such late Repentance and venture not to have the question determined in your case but keep to the stated and fixed Rule A SERMON PREACHED upon ACTS XXIII 8. For the Sadducees say that there is no Resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit But the Pharisees confess both TWO Parties mentioned in the Text that are oft mentioned and oft mentioned together in several other places in the New Testament viz. The Pharisees and Sadducees Simeon and Levi. Brethren in evil though at enmity among themselves Samsons Foxes looking with their faces several ways but their tails meeting together in heresie and mischiaf Their Doctrine different in many particulars but both corrupt leaven and equally to be taken heed of Mat. XVI 12. Their manners different and their hearts envious one against another yet both agreeing to be vexatious to Christ and both proving alike a generation of Vipers Matth. III. 7. Parties that differed not only about this Article of Religion viz. The resurrection and the World to come but that differed even about the whole Frame of Religion For the Pharisees would have their Religion to be built upon Traditions and the Sadducees would admit of no Tradition at all The Pharisees admitted all the Books of the old Testament to be read in the Synagogue the Sadducees the Books of Moses only The Sadducees sound in this particular that they would not admit of Traditions as the Pharisees did But as unsound again in that they would not acknowledge the Resurrection The Pharisees sound in that particular in that they acknowledged the Resurrection which the Sadducees did not But as unsound again in that they so denoted upon Traditions as they did Both erring from the truth and not a little and both maintaining opinions directly contrary to the way of Salvation and directly contrary to one another It is a saying of the Jewish writers and is very true That after the death of the later Prophets Zechary and Malachi the Spirit of Prophesie departed from Israel and went up So that there was no Prophet thenceforward among them no Vision no Revelation no Oracle by Urim and Thummim at the least for four hundred years till the rising of the Gospel Ah! poor nation how art thou not stript of thy great jewel and priviledge the Spirit of Prophesie and Revelation What will now become of thee when thy Prophts are gone and such divine Guids and Teachers are no more Time was when thou mightest in thy doubting have recourse to them and they could resolve thee in thy fear have recourse to their prayers and they would prevail for thee in thy desire to know the mind of God and they would inform thee But now what
what is contrary to Right and Good Sometimes Heresie is bred of ignorance sometimes of too much knowledge sometimes of too much carlesness about the word of God sometimes of too much curiosity sometimes of leaning too much to sence and sometimes too much to carnal reason most commonly of pride of mens seeking themselves of crosness of boldness about divine things and ever of mens wilfulness to have their own minds Might I not instance and give example in all these things And hath not the Church had too sad experience of these things in all generations Weeds ever creeping up in that garden out of one peice of cursed ground or other and is never free of them There must be Heresies saith the Apostle there have been Heresies saith Experience and there will be Heresies saith the corrupt nature and heart of man that will be seeking it self and hath no mind of obeying the truth Weighty is that saying of the Apostle 2 Thes. II. 10 11. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved For this cause God sends them strong delusion that they should believe a lie It is more proper to say and it is more commonly done that men rather fall into Heresie than that Heresie falls upon them That is that they rather choose it themselves than that they are any way inforced to it Heresie is a Greek word put into an English dress And the word in Greek as Grammarians will tell you signifies a Wish a choise Heresie is a thing that a man takes up of his own wish and choice And I think it might be a disputable poynt Whether a Heretic ever took up and maintained his opinions purely out of conscience The great Heresie abroad in one party is Popery And can I or you believe that the ring-leaders of that Religion that lead the poor silly people blindfold do maintain that Religion purely out of the principles of a good conscience when we see they make no conscience of Massacres Powder-Plots killing Kings and disquieting Kingdoms The great Heresie abroad in another party is Socinianism And can I think or believe that the ring-leaders in that doctrine do maintain that doctrine purely out of the principles of conscience when even the whole System and Body of that Divinity doth clearly speak it self to be a crossing even all the Articles of Religion of what hath been received for sound and orthodox in the Church in all ages And I must be excused if I take Quakerism to be a direful Heresie and that it is hard to find out that the ring-leaders in it do maintain it purely out of the principles of conscience while they are so bitter high cross and censorious You remember the saying of the Apostle The Wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated Jam. III. 17. If their wisdom or profession carry those marks and if their Doctrine carry even any badg of Truth we do not yet understand it or them And as for the Heresie that the Text speaks of the Sadducees denying those great Articles of Religion The Resurrection Angels and Spirits Can we think they maintained their opinions meerly out of the princiâ—ples of conscience and not rather out of Faction Sectarism or some other by respect and regard Our Saviour chargeth them with Ignorance in the Scripture and in judging concerning God Do ye not err saith he not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God And it is not very suspicious that there was wilfulness in the matter too that they were resolved to stick to their opinion for some by-ends that they had of their own Let us a little consider of the Persons and then of their Opinions I. Of the Persons We read not of Sadducees but under the second Temple or after the return out of Captivity but when and how they rose then is something questionable Some think there were Sadducees in the time of Ezra and the Prophets that lived after the Captivity Haggai Zechariah and Malachi And they think that those words Mal. III. 13. Your words are stout against me do refer to the Sadducees And there are of the Jewish Writers that say that in the time of Ezra there were Sadducees that denyed the World to come And therefore to affront that Heresie they of the great Council ordained that in the end of some prayers instead of saying Amen they should say for ever and ever As instead of Blessed be the Lord Amen they should say Blessed be the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For ever and ever or as the words do properly signifie To worlds of worlds or to ages of ages Others ascribe the original of Sadducees to a later date and that one Sadoc was the first author of the Heresie divers years after these holy Prophets were dead and gone Which opinion is most embraced both by Jews and Christians II. Well be it the one way or the other the first singularity of this sect was that they would receive no poynt of Faith but what they could see plainly grounded in the Books of Moses For the other Books of the Old Testament they admitted not of to be of such authority as were the Books of Moses And because they could not find the I. Resurrection and the World to come spoke of in plain terms in all Moses therefore they would not take those Articles into their Creed They would be their own choosers and what they will have to be Scripture must be Scripture and what they would not have must not be The great cause of Heresie which we mentioned before mens wilfulness to have their own minds It is a blessed thing to be led by Scripture for that will lead to Truth and to Heaven But on the contrary a cursed thing to lead the Scripture whether a man would have it For that will certainly end in error and miscarriage It is but too common a thing for men to take up an opinion or doctrine of their own heads or minds and as please themselves and then to lead and strain the Scripture to speak to their opinion and to maintain it to make the divine Oracles of God to truckle to their fancies Like that that Solomon accounts so absurd and preposterous to set Servants on horseback and Princes to lacquy by their horse side and to trudge afoot These Sadducees had learned from their Master Sadoc that there was no Resurrection nor world to come And to maintain that opinion they will make so bold with Scripture that that which speaks not plainly of those things shall be Scripture but that that does shall not be at all How the Church of Rome dealeth in this kind is very well known That Church hath taken up cursed and abominable Opinions and Doctrins and she cries down the Scriptures and would not have them meddled with And you know who among us talk so much of the light within them as all-sufficient for their guidance and salvation and
but he tries whether the door will be opened to give him entertainment And in this regard it is no wonder if men be said to resist and quench the Spirit because he comes only to try whether they will imbrace or resist quench or cherish This work of his differs from the effectual working of grace when he comes resolvedly to overcome and overpower A SERMON PREACHED upon ROMANS IX 3. For I could wish that I my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the flesh A Dreadful passage at the first reading and which may make us even to tremble a man to wish himself to be accursed from Christ accursed from Christ The very words may make us to quake to think of such a thing And can we believe that a Paul should make such a wish that he might be accursed of Christ who knew so well what it was to be blessed of him Can he make such a wish Or rather can any one but such an one as he make such a wish upon such a ground upon such a condition upon such a warrant The Apostle is here beginning his Discourse concerning the casting off of the Jewish Nation and seed of Israel as at the nineteenth verse of the Chapter foregoing he is beginning his Discourse about the Calling of the Gentiles Them there he stiles by the title of the whole Creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an expression usual among the Jews to signifie in that construction These here he calls his Brethren and Kinsmen for so nature had made them he and they coming of the same stock and original He speaks there of some mourning out of desire that the Calling of the Gentiles should be accomplished Here he speaks of himself mourning out of grief for the casting off of his own Nation There the whole Creation of the Gentiles themselves groaning to be delivered from the bondage of their sinful corruption Here himself grieving for the not delivering of his own people from theirs at ver 2. he hath grief and great grief and sorrow and continual sorrow for them and could wish himself to be accursed from Christ on condition it might be better with them And one would think he had very small cause to be thus affected towards them if it be well considered how they had continually demeaned themselves toward him They had continually bred him trouble always persecuted him five times beaten him constantly sought his life and contrived his death And yet the good man grieves for them that grieved not for themselves and that always were grieving him and could wish himself to be accursed for them that could wish him cursed to the pit of Hell A strange wish and a strange charity that he himself might be accursed that they might not be so that he might be separated from Christ that so they might be united to him A passage so strange that it hath but one parallel viz. that of Moses Exod. XXXII 32. where he prays God to blot him out of his Book when God was now ready to cut off the seed of Israel A passage so strange that it seems directly to cross the whole course of his profession and practise He professeth Phil. III. 8. That all things in the world were but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus And yet here he can upon some condition be content to lose him He practiseth 1 Cor. IX ult to bring his body into subjection lest when he had preached to others he himself might be a cast-away And yet he could wish upon some condition to prove a cast-away So strange a passage that some Expositors cannot endure to look upon it in its full proportion but take as it were a diminishing glass to look upon it withal and they make those words of the Apostle to speak less a great deal than ever they meant They will have his meaning to be but this For my Brethrens sake the seed of Israel I could be content to be separate from Christ for a while and to continue upon earth from that glory that is prepared for me in Heaven that I might labour for their salvation Do you think that being Anathema or accursed from Christ means no more than this Others conceive that the Apostle only useth an high expression whereby to signifie how intirely he desireth the good of his own Nation As if he had needed so full and feeling an asseveration as I speak the truth in Christ Jesus my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost ver 1. to intimate that he so intirely desired their salvation But to omit more by this strong asseveration it is plain that he thinks as he speaks and speaks as he thinks For it was so strange a wish that he himself sees reason to use many asseverations to shew that he speaks in good earnest otherwise he would hardly be believed As First His double asseveration affirmatively and negatively ver 1. I speak the truth I lye not Secondly He lays his Conscience for earnest that he did not lye but spoke truth My Conscience bearing me witness Thirdly He doth as it were call Christ and the Holy Ghost to witness I speak the truth in Christ my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost And so under the attestation of three witnesses his Conscience Christ and the Holy Ghost he would have what he says to be confirmed for a truth and that he may be believed Well we believe that he speaks from his very heart and as he thinks that he wishes himself accursed from Christ for his Brethren his Kinsmen according to the flesh Doth he piously in so wishing or prudently St. Austin once wished that he might have heard him Preach but what would he have thought think you at such a wish as this Doth he not curse himself when he wisheth to be accursed And doth he not undervalue Christ when he could wish to be separate from Christ That passage My conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost doth plainly evidence that what he doth is neither rashly done nor impiously nor imprudently but from a good conscience good affection and not without the Warrant of the Holy Spirit Indeed at ver 38. of the Chapter next going before He is perswaded that neither life nor death nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor any creature is able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus And yet at this place he could wish that he were separate from Christ on the condition he proposeth Not that either he undervalueth his uniting to Christ or that he thought he should be separated from him or that he simply desired it but comparatively he could wish it on condition the seed of Israel his Brethren and Kinsmen might be united to him He could wish to be damned on condition they might be saved Which may seem a dreadful wish but so much doth he value the salvation of so
hard thing to make a fair probability of the truth of it So that as he was rapt into Heaven to attain to his revelations so he is wrapt as it were into an altitude and sublimity of these two things above other men when he prefers Gods glory in saving his Nation before his own salvation and the Souls of his Nation before his own Soul And this abounding superabounding Zeal and Charity is that that moves him to make such a Wish and his Conscience and the Holy Ghost warrant it I speak the truth in Christ I lye not My Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost that I could wish my self accursed c. But to return then to the former Question Must an ordinary Christian write after this copy and come up to such a pitch of Charity and Zeal I might answer the occasion is extraordinary the person extraordinary the measure of Charity and Zeal extraordinary And therefore it cannot serve for an ordinary Rule Again I might briefly answer as we sometimes answer Children For pardon me if I take up that homely and familiar comparison It is ordinary with Children when they have meat in their hand to be greedy and think they have not enough but they cry for more But we commonly still them with bidding them first eat up that they have and then they shall have more God hath put thy task into thy hand Christian viz. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Ply take out digest that task and then it may be seasonable to ask What must I do more Here the love of the Apostle to others is more than to himself God requires of thee to love thy Neighbour as thy self Go and do that and never trouble thy self to question what thou hast more to do toward thy Neighbour till thou hast done that Keep but pace with the Apostle as he paceth like a Christian this is the task God requires of us He requires not that we keep pace with him as he paceth like an Apostle We poor Children cannot expect to keep even pace with so great a Father of the Church as this Apostle was It is our work to follow his steps though Non passibus oequis though not with even pace yet as well as we can But to consider of this case more particularly and distinctly Concerning our Duty or what we are to do we are to consider What is possible what is lawful and what is required For that may be lawful which is not possible and that may be lawful which is not required For example it were very lawful for a man to be as wise as Solomon if he could attain to it but that is impossible So it is very lawful for a man to speak with the tongue of Men and of Angels if he could do it but it is not possible to be done So on the other hand It is very lawful for a man to spend all his life in study and reading of Books but this is not required of all because they have other just and lawful callings to follow So it is very lawful for a Man as Timothy to drink nothing but water but it is not required since God hath afforded other wholesome Drinks and every creature of God is good being received with thanksgiving So as to our Duty or what we are to do we are to determine what is lawful by what is required I speak of our Christian Duty for as to our Christian Liberty that is not to be determined by what is required but by what is warranted Now as to the thing before us I. It is impossible we should reach to that height of Grace that this great Apostle attained to We cannot look that our poor spark of Grace if it be any should shine so bright as this glorious star of the first magnitude nor that we poor worms creeping altogether upon the Earth should soar to that pitch that he did that was rapt into the third Heaven And therefore not being in the same capacity with him in Grace we cannot think we are in the capacity of making the same wish with him which came merely from the abounding Grace of Zeal and Charity that was in him II. Then which we must especially look after is it required from us that we should wish such a wish to our selves to be accursed from Christ for any mans salvation Is it either our Christian Duty and we bound to do it or is it with in our Christian Liberty and we licenced to it I check my self for that I go about to discuss such a case as this when there is a great deal more need to bewail the sad want of common Duty that the Apostle passed through to come to that pitch he did Which when any man hath passed through then if he have warrant as the Apostle had let him wish as he did The pitch that he came to was to love his Neighbour above himself when he could wish so much evil to himself for their good But the way that he went up thither was by loving his Neighbour as himself And this is the way that we are to set into and to keep in and to write after him in this though we cannot nor are required to do in the other There are then three steps or degrees of the Apostles Charity First He hated no man in the world Secondly He loved his Neighbour as himself Thirdly He loved him above himself Now it is without all doubt in the two former of these we are all absolutely bound to follow him I. to hate no man in the world to be enemy to none That Gloss that the Jews made upon the Command Matth. V. 43. Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and hate thine Enemy was a Gloss from Hell and not from Heaven from Satan and not from God And how our Saviour confutes it and how he teaches what a Christian is to do in that case you may see there Love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you As he of old said He knew not what to morrow meant because he looked upon every present day as his last So a true Christian knows not what enmity or hatred to any Man means because he looks upon every Man as his Brother And it was a most noble commendation that one gives of another Our Friend Sturmius hated no Man but only Vice Wickedness Heresie and the Devil A true Christian hates no Man upon his own quarrel David professeth to God Do not I hate them that hate thee Yes I hate them with a perfect hatred But it was upon no quarel of his own but because they hated God Nor was it their Persons he hated but their Qualities So this Apostle would have those that loved not the Lord Jesus to be accursed 1 Cor. XVI 22. It was not because they loved not him or he them but because they loved not Christ. There is nothing in the world more common than the hate of
Temple at Jerusalem wanted the Divine Presence the Ark the Cherubims the Urim and Thummim and the Spirit of Prophesie 541 Temptation the method the Devil used in tempting Christ. 129 130 Ten the Nation of the Jews delighted mightily in the number Ten. 246 Ten Tribes they were placed in Assyria and Babilon p. 800 801. The Seats Cities and Countries of the Ten Tribes were well known to the Talmudists and much more so in the times of the Apostles 801. Tera Abraham's Father his place of Residence Religion and time of Death wrong computed by the Rabbins 666 Testament the New Testament revealeth the Old it requires Study to unfold it rather than Revelation and why p. 1034 The New Testament Phrases and Passages the surest and safest way to understand them is not by framing a sense of out own which we think fair and probable but by observing how they were understood by them to whom they were uttered Page 1041 1042 Testimony or Witness was of three sorts Vain Standing and of the words of them that agreed 335 337 Text of Scripture usually varied or inverted by the Reader or Preacher in the Pulpit or Schools among the Jews with the reason thereof p. 673. When read to them that understood not the Language it was interpreted into the Mother Tongue 688 689 Thamna three of the Name 373 Thanks before meat the manner of it 23 Thessalonians the first Epistle to them was Writ the first of all the Epistles 1145 Theives of Israel were esteemed by the Jewish Doctors to be the People of God so not punished 612 Thousand years the opinion of the Millinaries concerning it refuted by shewing that the Thousand years which they expect are already expired p. 1056 1057 1171 1172. The Jews themselves expected that the Messias should raign amongst them a Thousand years 1057 Threatnings of God some are like Thunderclaps 1295 Three years and an half often made use of to express things affective and sorrowful 513 Throne of Christ put for his judgment in his entrance upon his Evangelical Government 220 Tiberias a fortified City from the days of Joshua then called Rakkath p. 67. The situation of Tiberias is ill placed in the Maps p. 67 68. The Rabbins of Tiberias what p. 73 74. Tiberias very delightfully seated built in honour to Tiberius the Emperor after some time it became the chief City of the Land of Israel p. 72. Talmudick Mishna and the Jerusalem Talmud was written there 72 73 Times and affairs of Men how God knows and dates them 1250 c. Timnath three of the Name 373 Tisri was ennobled before Christs time by many excellent things done in it p. 107. This Month is drawn down from its beginning to the Feast of Tabernacles 554 555 Tongue Mother Tongue when the Text of Scripture was read to them that understood not the Language it was interpreted into the Mother Tongue 688 689 Tongues the Gift of them was general upon all the Disciples p. 643. The Holy Ghost in his extraordinary Gifts and Tongues could only be communicated by the Apostles p. 678. Tongues and speaking with Tongues what is meant thereby p. 1157. Tongues was one of the two extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit 1157 Towns were fortified places p. 87. Towns Cities and Villages distinguished 333 334 Trachon or Trachonitis what and where 81 82 364 Tradition managed all among the Scribes and Pharisees even all the common things of Seedtime Harvest and Vintage 87 88 Traditions were valued by the Jews above the Word of God p. 199 They were valued above Miracles p. 345. They were as much esteemed and desired by the Jews when they returned from their captivity as Idolatry was before p. 1113. They were more destructive to the Jews than Idolatry was p. 1113. How they deceived the Jews to their own destruction p. 1193 1194. The Traditions of Rome and of Old Jerusalem of what simeâ—ry or likeness and effect they are 1200 Traditionarians refer the first conception of their Traditions to the times of Ezra 124 Transmigration or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Souls also their Pre-existence were the opinion of the Jews 569 Transubstantiation not believed how punished 117â— Treasury called Corban what p. 299. Where it was 301 Tree in Paradise which was forbidden to Adam what 382 Tribes the Ten Tribes were placed in Asyria and Babilon p. 800 801. The Seats Cities and Countries of the Ten Tribes were well known to the Talmudists and much more so in the times of the Apostles p. 801. Two of the Jewish Tribes were dispersed before our Saviours time and the other Ten not the reason of this Page 1145 Tribute money what two things perswade that it was the half Shekel paid yearly in the Temple 211 212 Tribute God requires some Tribute of Men for their preservation 1208 Trinity the Doctrine of it by degrees grew up to a full maturity p. 275. The Trinity proved from the Scripture p. 1128. This Doctrine was intimated by the Holy Ghost in expressing the most great Actions in Scripture 1128 Truma how the Galileans and Jews differed about it 78 Trumpet whether a Trumpet was sounded when the Jews did their Alms 154 155 Truth why the Gospel is so called p. 1187. Who are the great resisters of it p. 1189. Why God permits wicked Men to resist the Truth p. 1190. The cause of Ignorance and Error is because Men will not know and imbrace the Truth p. 1286 1287. Truth is to be laboured after and kept p. 1287. How to know it among the various Opinions that are abroad 1287 Tsok a Rock twelve miles from Jerusalem 50 Twilight distinguished among the Rabbins into four Parts which will easily reconcile the four Phrases of the Four Evangelists about the Resurrection of Christ. 359 Tyre was the Name of diverse Towns because built in rocky places 80 Tyths the Priests and Levites always lived upon Tyths when they Studied in the Universities Preached in the Synagogues and attended on the Temple Service p. 86. Out of what Tyths were paid 235 Tything of Lambs how performed by the Jews 575 V. U The Syriack Tongue affects the letter U in the first Syllable of Words Page 694 Vail with which Women Christian Women were covered was not for a sign of subjection to their Husbands 771 772 773 Vailing or covering the head why used by the Jews in Prayers and Fasts c. 769 770 771 Valley of Crafts-Men what p. 325. Of Hinnon used Historically in the Old Testament metaphorically in the New it was the common sink of Jerusalem there was a constant fire to burn up the bones and filth of the City p. 38. Valley of Jehosophat what p. 39. Valley of Rimmon what 52 Vanity the Gentile World was subject to vanity of mind 708 Veil of the Temple what 268 269 Vengeance The day of Vengeance put for Christ's coming with vengeance to judge the Jewish Nation six differing ways of expressing it 346 Venus Bath of Venus in Aecon 60 Version the Jews
the light with the other Works of the Doctor that were then reprinting thinking it pity that the World should lose many excellent Notions as they seemed to me and Expositions of hard places of Scripture that were dispersed up and down in those Notes and that at least some of his pains in the Pulpit as well as in his Study might be preserved to posterity I have transcribed them as I found them neither contracting but where the same matters that were in other Sermons were repeated or in the closes of them where the practical Improvements were somewhat large and long nor adding unless in these cases either where references were made to Texts of Scripture which I have writ out at large a thing necessary for the clearer understanding of the tenour and contexture of the discourse or where any Hebrew Greek or Latine occurred which I have translated for the benefit of Vulgar Readers Indeed in some few places I have left the Hebrew words without any interpretation as I found them not well knowing what to make of them either through mine own ignorance or the Authors mistake in his hasty writing I was sometime in a hesitation whether to leave them wholly out or to insert them as I found them writ in the MSS. The later of which I resolved to do that they might lie open to the conjecture of the more Learned and that nothing might be presented maimed but as intire as might be To give one instance in the Sermon upon Luke XI 2. not far from the end we meet with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether or no it be a mistake of the Authors pen for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The curses against Hereticks which the Jews used to add to their Prayers Lastly in some discourses written in very short notes and with some cs I have been forced to insert words now and then to supply and make the sense compleat This I was sensible was a very nice and tender point and therefore I used not only all faithfulness and the best skill I had but diligently consulted other Notes where the same notions were more fully set down and have sometimes supplied my self from thence But otherwise I have chosen rather to leave some places imperfect than to fill up by mine own bare conjecture The Sermons of this sort are those generally that bear the antienter date but towards the later end of his life the Notes were more fully and fairly written The Doctor probably not daring then to trust to his memory so much as he had done in his younger days The Discourse upon Luke XI 2. and that upon Matth. XXVIII 19. are of this kind Which however I have used my best care and caution to copy so at least as to render the main lines of the discourses clear yet I am afraid the Reader will want many things to make them speak out the full sense and meaning of the Author Which indeed is great pity because they are of those Sermons that have some great strokes in them and the fame of them is still fresh in the memory of many now alive that heard them Preached at S. Maries in Cambridge The later of which viz. that which treats of Baptism confirmed a late Reverend and very Learned Divine of the Church of England in the Doctrine of Infant-baptism who as himself confessed was not well reconciled to it But upon the hearing those Sermons for they were two though they stand now digested into one continued Discourse sent a letter expressive of great thanks to our Author for them and acknowledged that he had settled him more in the Orthodox Doctrine than all his reading upon that subject ever before had and earnestly desired the favour of a Copy of them which was accordingly sent him from the Doctor And here is a proper place to beg the Readers excuse if he meet sometimes with gaps and breaks and passages that are not so perfect and full as it were to be wished and to beseech him to pardon many things in these Discourses as that some break off abruptly and that the style of others are so plain and homely being transcribed out of his own rough papers not polished and smoothed reviewed and embellished for the sight of the publick but intended only as his own private remembrancers when he Preached them As to the ranking and disposing them I have not been very curious only placing the Occasional Sermons first and to each I have added the place where they were delivered and the time when But to the other I have neither mentioned place nor date neither of which seeming much material But if any be desirous to know they were preached either at Ely where his dignity was or at Munden where his Parsonage most of them between the year 1660 many between 1670 and the time of his death And so his maturest and ripest thoughts and judgment At the end of the Sermon upon Matth. XXVIII 19. I have adjoyned some few notes of another Preached at Aspeden seemingly out of its due place The reason I did so was because it treated of the same subject and might as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serve to make the former discourse compleat and that what was omitted in the one might be supplied from the other The MS. Sermon upon 2 Sam. XIX 29. hath neither mention of place where nor date when preached The reason I suppose was becausehe either distrusted his own thoughts or was loath to disclose them when they ran counter to the general current of Expositors And so it is exposed to the Readers view In the Sermon upon the Prophet slain by a Lion at the beginning the Author propounds several difficulties in and about this story which he might be expected to have resolved but he doth not in any of those notes that have come to my hands though probably they were assoyled by him in others but they cannot be retrieved And so we must be thankful for what we have and be contented in the want of the rest And that nothing might be wanting to render both Parts of this Book the more compleat and useful there are four distinct Tables subjoyned compiled with commendable pains and accuracy And if the preparing these and the Maps and some other things hath somewhat retarded the Publication hereof the Reader will I trust the more readily pardon it seeing it hath been only to render the whole Work the more compleat and serviceable And thus I have given some account of this Volume It needs none to commend it both the Author and the Design do sufficiently commend themselves the Author being a Person of known Worth and Learning and whose name is celebrated not only within the narrow limits of our own Country but also among Forainers who have his Works in so great value that they are now Printing them all as I hear in the Latine and in the French Tongues and the Design great and noble viz. To explain the Holy Scriptures the
great Pandect of our Faith and Religion and to promote Truth and Goodness And now nothing remains but to beseech God to grant a good success to the Labours of this Reverend and Learned Man that Mens minds being more freed from ignorance and prejudice and instructed in a right understanding of the Word of God the blessed effects thereof may be Piety and Peace That Men may better know and practice their duty to God and their Neighbour to the Church in whose bosom they were born and to their Prince under whose happy and peaceable influence they dwell Low Leighton Jan. 3. 1683. IOHN STRYPE The Reader is desired to add this at the end of the Hebrew Exercitations upon the Evangelist S. John which by an oversight was omitted in its place PAge 545. line 37. After He burnt it and said c. add And let that he well considered in Siphra * Fol. 18. 1 where a Dispute is had upon those words Levit. VI. 27. If the blood of the sacrifice for sin be sprinkled upon a garment c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the discourse is of a garment I would understand it of nothing but a garment Whence is to be added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The skin when it is pulled off The Text saith Upon whatsover the blood shall be sprinkled ye shall wash Perhaps therefore one may add the skin before it is pulled off The Text saith A garment As a garment that is capable of uncleanness so whatsoever is capable of uncleanness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Except the skin before it be pulled off They are the words of R. Juda. Mark the skin as yet cleaving to the beasts back and not flayed off is not capable of uncleanness HORAE Hebraicae Talmudicae HEBREW AND TALMUDIC EXERCITATIONS I. Upon the CHOROGRAPHY of the LAND of ISRAEL II. Upon the GOSPEL of St. MATTHEW By JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. and Master of Katharine-Hall or College in the University of CAMBRIDGE LONDON Printed by William Rawlins for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXIV THE PREFACE AMONG all those who have either published their own Chorographical Tables of the Land Canaan or have corrected others you can hardly find any that have consulted with the Writers of the Talmud in this matter Whereas certainly their Consent is by no means in this case to be despised if indeed it be not rather especially to be regarded For besides that they above all other men do most curiously enquire of the affairs and of the places of that Land all the Doctors of the Mishnah and the Gemarists also of Hierusalem were inhabitants and dwellers there and not a few also of those of Babylon well viewed it Eye witnesses and who any Reader being Iudge could not but have beyond all others a most familiar knowledg of that Land dwelling in it and not only so but being such as thought themselves bound by a religious necessity to inquire after the Situation and Nature of the places in that Land and to trace them out with an exact search and curiosity Let Reason therefore determine whether they above all others are either justly or prudently cast aside in the business of Chorography Whether among all the means used for the correcting and polishing this the means that the Talmud affords should with any merit or equity be only refused Why the Jewish Chorography of the Jewish Country should not be admitted Certainly it is unjust out of prejudice to reject or out of ignorance not to entertain those things which either might yield us the Profit of the Chorography of that Land or stir up no unprofitable search into it If a man would engrave Maps of Palestine surely it is very fit that he should together with others consult those Authors as being the nearest witnesses inhabiters of the Country and such who most studiously and most religiously describe it And though you esteem them not worthy of credit because they are Jews yet certainly they are worthy of examination and may have leave to relate as they are Chorographers When in the reading of these Writers I collected all those things which I met with relating hitherto and compared them with the Maps and Tracts already published I plainly saw if my eyes deceived me not that very many things might be fetched and drawn out of these Authors which might correct the Maps very many things which might discover places unknown very many which might fix those that were uncertain very many which might illustrate those that were certain and infinite things which might some way or other hold out a light to Chorography And if any dextrous and happy Artist versed in the Talmudic writings and skilled in Chorography would undertake a task and work of this nature I should expect from such a hand a more polite and correct Map and a more full plain and certain description of the Lands of Israel than any the Christian World hath yet seen We are far from daring to enter upon such a thing Nor is our Hand sufficiently taught for so great a Work or indeed teachable That only which we have attempted in the following Century was this that by some instance we might a little demonstrate those things which we speak concerning the Writers of the Talmud and that some specimen might be set before our eyes whereby the Reader may judge of their study style use benefit in the thing propounded Nor did we think it the part of Modesty to burthen the Reader with too much of those things which perhaps are of dubious acceptation with him nor the part of prudence to expose and commit together at once all that we have to one wind and fortune From our Study May the XXII MDCLVIII We have quoted Josephus according to the distinction of Chapters in the Greek Edition of Frobenius Anno MDXLIV A Chorographical Century SEARCHING Out some more memorable places of the Land of Israel chiefly by the light of the Talmud CHAP. I. The Division of the land THE Jewish Writers divide the whole World into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The land of Israel and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without the land that is the Countries of the Heathen Both which phrases the Book of the Gospel owns The land of Israel Matth. II. 20. And it calls the Heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are without 1 Cor. V. 13. 1 Tim. III. 7. c. And sometimes the unbelieving Jewes themselves as Mark IV. II. They distinguish all the People of the World into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israelites and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nations of the World The Book of the Gospel ownes that Phrase also Mat. VI. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After all these things do the Gentiles or Nations seek Which in Luke XII 30. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Nations of the World Hence the word World is most commonly used for the Gentiles Joh. III. 16 17. 1 Joh. II. 2 c. Somewhere