Religions that we may not know the true So that the members which divide Religion according to St. James are two 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain Religion is the one 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure and undefiled Religion For neither is vain Religion pure nor pure Religion vain And seeing these two are contrary the comparing of these two together may be an illustration unto both 1. Vain Religion is such a service of God as is unprofitable such a service of God as doth not attain unto the end to which it tends for it is all one to serve God in vain and to have no profit by walking humbly with our God Mal. 3. Therefore this is that worship which from the event is termed by Tully Timor Deorum inanis From the Object or the manner of the action it 's called by others false Religion for it is false Religion ubi falsi coluntur Dii aut ubi falso cultu colitur Deus 1. It 's vain impure and false Religion if the Gods be vain impure and false which we adore it 's vain because vain Gods cannot recompense them that serve them whether they do good or evil Baruch 6. 2. Impure it is both 1. In respect of God And also 2. In respect of them that use it 1. In respect of God because it doth prophane his holy name who will not give his honour to another for it changeth the glory of the incorruptible God into a creature subject to corruption Therefore some expositors do thus interpret the words of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then began the name of the Lord to be prophaned Gen. 4.26 2. Impure also in respect of them that use it because they do corrupt themselves thereby Deut. 4.16 For the Lord spake unto his servant Moses saying Go get thee down for the people which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them they have made them a molten calf and have worshiped it and have sacrificed thereunto And said these be thy Gods O Israel which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt Exod. 32.7 2. Finally if the Gods we serve be false then our service i. e. our Religion cannot be true for whatsoever is done among them is false This also is the Prophet Baruch his argument whose Testimony in this case I hope will not be judged Apocrypha therefore that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which we have such frequent mention is referred unto this false impure and vain Religion Neither can the Religious worshipping of Angels nor the invocating of Saints departed be reduced to another head for though there is due unto those excellent creatures civil honour respect and reverence yet the truth it self concludes that the object of Religious worship is God alone for thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve St. Matth. 4.10 Therefore their Religion must needs be vain who make their belly their God and their glory their shame for that which is spoken of the Cyclops may be applied to them Haud ulla numina expavescunt Coelitum Sed victimas uni Deorum maximo Ventri offerunt Deos ignorant Caeteros In a word if we live according to the course of this wicked world in luxury covetousness or pride our Religion must needs be false because the Father of lyes the Devil the God of this wicked world is the Numen which we adore 2. Religion for the manner of the service may be false although the God whom we intend to serve be true This will appear most evident if we do observe what fruits ignorant zeal and needless fear brings forth for some among the Jews were strict observers of the legal Ceremonies and in observing of those outward Rites they placed their Righteousness but not knowing Christ the Truth whom they did signifie they were more zealous to confirm the figure than willing to obey the Truth They had indeed a zeal of God but not according to knowledge And being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness they submitted not themselves unto the righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 What should I speak of that fiery zeal of which our Saviour prophesied saying The time shall come that who so killeth you will think he doth God service that is who so putteth such as you to death will think he hath declared himself religious And what is the cause of this distemper but zealous ignorance For this will they do unto you saith our Saviour because they have not known the Father nor me St. Joh. 2. I will have mercy and not sacrifice but they are all for Sacrifice but not at all for Mercy 2. And what doth needless fear beget but disobedience to just commands for the men of this generation despise government fearing lest it should abridge their Christian or to speak more truly their carnal and antichristian liberty These fear they shall be over lorded where there is no parity therefore speak evil of dignities as though that policy swayed them more than Piety These though they know no evil in the Churches Discipline yet will not obey it lest they should admit an introduction to some new Religion Thus do they omit obedience unto Government honour unto Governours reverence unto God and good duties upon a vain suspicion but do not fear the contrary Acts as rebellion and disobedience clamorous and reviling speeches irreverend and rude behaviour although most manifest evils if therefore by the fruits the tree be known then by these works may all men know it is not pure and undefiled but false impure and vain Religion 2. Wherefore in the second place it followeth that pure and undefiled Religion is the upright service of the God of Truth ubi verus Deus vere colitur For the only true God whose pure eyes will not behold corruption is the only object unto which pure and undefiled Religion tends And that Religion by which the God of Truth is purely served is undefiled and pure 1. First the only true God whose pure eyes will not behold corruption is the only object unto which pure and undefiled Religion tends For thus spake Samuel unto all the house of Israel saying if ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts put away the strange Gods Baalim and Ashteroth from among you and prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistins Then the children of Israel put away Baalim and Ashteroth and served the Lord only 1 Sam. 7.3 Baalim and Ashteroth were in the East like Jupiter and Venus in the West names by which the Gentiles gods were signified the people by forsaking Baalim and Ashteroth and by serving of Jehovah only were required to renounce all false gods and to devote themselves unto the service of the true To this the ancient and laudable
but also in thoughts wills affections and actions Tit. 1.16 he who abstains from all sinful thoughts wills affections words and actions he denies himself He on the contrary who confesseth Christ he owns him in all these so that all his thoughts wills affections actions and words they are all of them a testimony of Christ yea and his whole life speaks both these see both these in the example of St. Paul I live saith he yet not I but Christ liveth in me for where he saith I live yet not I he denies himself and renounceth his own life where he saith Christ lives in me he confesseth that he hath received Christ to be his life that henceforth he lives in Christ in his wisdom in his righteousness in his holiness in the peace of God and in the power of God which worketh all these in him We have heard the first qualification of him who would be a follower of Jesus Christ self-denial Come we now to the consideration of the persons invited to the performance of this duty which brings me to the second Axiom of the Text for little things though never so small may be of great importance as a word though of small bulk yet of great power Axiom 2. He said unto all which is here turned he said unto them all which is not so them is not in the Text nor is it reasonable it should be for it would restrain the Precept which our Lord intended to be Universal in opposition to that which he had more particularly spoken to his Disciples in the 18th vers To his Disciples he spake what concern'd himself and others judgement and theirs of it and what should befall himself this he spake to his Disciples But He said unto all what concerns all men to know and that 's the Universal Duty He said unto all that they who would come after him must deny themselves And why does this duty concern all surely all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and he is the common Saviour from sin his salvation is common Jude His Grace is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2. bringing salvation to every man And because God would have all men to be saved from their sin and come to the knowledge of the Truth all ought to contribute their utmost endeavour toward their own salvation as to deny and renounce their sin Observ 1. Confessing and denying are opposite in Scripture Joh. 1. Tim. 1.16 since therefore all must deny themselves what must they confess surely if we all ought to deny unrighteousness we are to confess righteousness i. e. Christ who is made to us righteousness if we must deny foolishness we are to confess the wisdom which is Christ And generally he denies himself who forsakes his evil life by turning unto God and the life of God and real confession of Christ in that life of God so that as it is a general duty to deny our selves so consequently it is a general duty to confess Christ Beloved let us look and examine our selves if this be not the Christ which we are to confess Whence we may take occasion to reprove those who confess not but rather deny Christ it 's an universal reproof this present Generation is such a one as denies Christ they do not deny that he was conceived of the Holy Ghost but they deny the wisdom righteousness power humility meekness of Christ in whom these appear not they deny him Tit. 1.16 In word they confess him but in works they deny him being disobedient Note their preposterous zeal should a man deny Christ's person he should be accounted unworthy to live now men deny him in their life yet count themselves very good Christians Observ 2. Hence it appears that there hath been an universal apostacy and defection from Christ the wisdom righteousness truth power and goodness of God unto a self-chosen wisdom a self-chosen righteousness and holiness And according to what the Lord said to his Disciples and Apostles his professors are scattered every one to their own and have left him alone Joh. 16.32 for although there be many who at this day in many things deny themselves and are witnessing that self-denial against the evil world yet even in them there remains much of self which they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have received to hold fast but it will be hard for them to answer that question who required these things at your hands Observ 3. Note then hence how great need there is of a general invitation and examples of this kind for all men to deny themselves since the gainsaying world is so full of proud men scoffers and deriders Observ 4. No man is excluded from following our Lord Jesus and being his Disciple he saith unto all if any man will follow me let him deny himself his invitation is general so that his general invitation awards and prevents all envious and malicious exclusion As he would have all men to be saved so would he that all men should know i. e. make use of the means of salvation he would that all men should come to the knowledge of the Truth that all men should come to repentance that all men should deny themselves Observ 5. They who have denied themselves are now no more themselves ye were servants to sin or of sin but ye have obeyed that form of doctrine unto which ye were delivered Rom. 6.17 Such were some of you but ye are washed 1 Cor. 6.10 11. Col. 3.7 8. Tit. 3.4 5. He who hath denied ungodliness is now no more to be reputed an ungodly man c. He who according to the Law hath suffered for his crime is no more to be upbraided with his crime man must not account him such nor doth the Lord for ego non sum ego Observ 6. Note here all they who first and mainly endeavour to get assurance that their sins are forgiven them and their persons accepted and are in union with Christ before they have performed this hard precept this first general duty of Self-denial I say they begin their Religion at the wrong end Forgiveness of sins is the last part of the New Covenant Heb. 8. and can men hope for it while they are under the Old Covenant can they have forgiveness of sins while they live in their sins how can they hope for union with God while yet they are not separated from their sins What communion hath righteousness with unrighteousness how can they hope that themselves shall be accepted with Christ before they have denied themselves 1. Use hence may serve for Reprehension This general duty discovers a general neglect of it yea a contempt of it among us as a strait line manifests a crooked even this crooked generation which is turned into it self wholly minding self-interest The Apostles complaint is proper for this present Age all seek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of self not the things of Jesus Christ Phil. 2.21 Who humbles himself who conforms himself
together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other Psal 85.10 they are said to meet which before were asunder and separate one from another but wherever the Christian Religion prevails and hath the life of it in power and vigour there Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other He who hath truth and doth the truth as our Saviour speaks Joh. 3. He is merciful even as our Father which is in heaven is merciful and so much as he wants of mercy so much he wants of truth Thus he who hath Righteousness and doth Righteousness as St. John speaks he is peaceable and so far forth as he is unpeaceable so far forth he is unrighteous I deny not beloved but that there is a kind of peevish zeal which accompanieth almost every Opinion in Religion wherein one differs from another and this may sometime be born withall in a Disciple as James and John were but when it gets head it draws to it the malignant party of debate strife contention pride back-biting detraction and many of that rabble and this party led by blind and ignorant zeal eats out and consumes the Christian patience and long-suffering gentleness brotherly kindness mercy peaceableness yea Righteousness and Truth it self ordinarily is lost with striving for it yea zeal thus whetted and imbitter'd proves bloody and breaks out into wars and fightings with this or that Sect of men and makes men think of those who are otherwise minded ungodly unholy prophane men and unworthy to live and as Erasmus tells Paulus Volsius under pretence of the glory of God they go about to convert men with fire and sword Surely beloved the Christian Religion owns not nor doth Christ our Lord patronize any such heady ignorant and bloody zeal nor have they Christ's Spirit who are led by this be they what they will be for the Father sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world should be saved by him Joh. 3.17 And the Son of man came not to destroy mens lives but to give his own life a ransom for many Luk. 9.5 6. Consol But I know well that he who goes about to practice this Duty of being peaceable and making peace with all men meets with many rubs and discouragements as he who would part a fray oftentimes bears blows on both sides and what account do partial men make of such but esteem them neuters cold and lukewarm and therefore such an one hath great need of heavenly Consolation to support him Wherefore know this poor disconsolate Soul that all the servants of the God of peace have been and are such peaceable ones and have suffered the same afflictions and tryals that thou doest both in estate and reputation Gen. 34.21 22 23. 1. Moses why smitest thou thy fellow who made thee a Prince and a Judge over us Exod. 2.13 14. 2. David sent his Ambassadors of peace to Hanun and what came of it they were sent back with reproach 2 Sam. 20. He heavily complains of their unpeaceable disposition with whom he desired to live in peace Psal 120.6 7. and he gives this character of unpeaceable men Psal 35.20 that they devise deceitful things against them that are quiet in the land 3. And what and how many aspersions suffered the Apostles the messengers of peace and how contrary to their profession and practice that they were disturbers of the common peace deceivers enemies to government c. they were reviled defamed made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4.13 4. And when St. Peter was to break down that partition wall of the Ceremonial Law and so make peace between Jews and Gentiles he was accused for it and he put to his Apology Act. 11. 5. And when St. Paul went about to promote the same business what opposition he found from Jews and Gentiles scourged stoned imprisoned buffetted reviled persecuted accounted unworthy to live upon the earth for such is the cross disposition of most men they 'l rather live peaceably with the unpeaceable men than with the Sons of peace St. Paul found the Corinthians just in this temper as many a godly Minister finds his people 2 Cor. 11.20 Ye suffer fools gladly for ye suffer if a man bring ye into bondage if a man devour ye if a man take of ye if a man exalt himself if a man smite ye on the face they would rather endure these things from unpeaceable men than live peaceably with St. Paul Nay Christ himself the Prince of Peace and peace-maker what contradiction of sinners did he suffer against himself because he conversed with the Samaritans Say we not well say they that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil And doth he find better entertainment among us for I may use the words to you that St. Paul does to the Ephesians 2 12-17 Do we give him or his Disciples better entertainment than the Jews did they called him a Samaritan because he conversed with them and converted them and we will not allow him to any Sect but our own what ever that is Here is Christ saith one nay he is here saith another And thus we divide his Disciples and divide Christ himself He chose them two and two and sent the seventy forth by two and two to signifie that Unity and Peace that ought to be between them But one saying I am of Paul another I am of Apollo breaks that Unity 1 Cor. 1.12 13. Wherefore when the Ministers of God and other men suffer but the same things that all the Saints of God have done from the beginning yea that all the Prophets and Apostles yea the same things that Christ himself hath suffered why should we be offended 1. It is enough that the Disciple be as his Master is and the Servant as his Lord Nay O passuri graviora Ye shall suffer more heavy things than these Matth. 23.34 and Joh. 16 1-4 2. Nay how glorious a thing it is to be like them 3. And therefore set before thee the example of Christ and consider thou art like thy Lord in this Duty in a more eminent manner to be like that Corner stone that joyns the parts of the building together to be the salt of the earth to be the cement of men to be the binding chord in musick which reconcileth all jarring differences and maketh of them the sweetest harmony to be like to God himself the highest and most noble Being who hath his Name Jehovah as Christ his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 1. from Being in whose essence and being all particular essences contradistinct and disagreeing among themselves as friendly consent and agree together NOTES more at large on ROMANS XII 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men I Shall not be tedious unto you by repeating any thing formerly delivered in the handling of this Precept nor shall I be
Nations and heapeth up to himself all people if they appear for us and are on our side then they are sanctified they are purged all 's well not that they are so but we account them so if they be once of our party of our opinion of our side I know a man of great note censured for his faults whom when he was justly blamed for his pride covetousness perjury c. some of his party excused him saying I deny not but he was a carnal man and all you say But he was one of us one of the right side and stood for the cause of God But truly Beloved if a man may be an unclean person it matters not of what Religion he is God hath no need of such to defend his cause he is unclean and so no Saint no purged one as Gods are Thus every Sect esteems its self clean purged and purified and all that belong and joyn themselves to it if they can make most voices for it if they be fewer than others are then they draw that speech of our Saviour to favour their party then they are a little flock I confess I know no ground of Scripture to warrant us to kill one another that we may more securely enjoy our opinions but to wave that business for the present certainly Beloved without the purging of our sins we cannot so much as know either truth or peace Let such know that peace and holiness are coupled together Heb. 12.14 Peace and righteousness Psal 85.10 they have kissed each other I confess there is a great deal of zeal for the Truth and I would to God there were more But a great deal of that zeal is without knowledge But for the satisfaction of such as profess themselves for peace and truth let them know that not only peace and truth are coupled together but also truth and meekness Psal 45.4 mercy and truth Psal 85.10 These graces keep from shedding of blood Motives To suffer our selves to be purged from our sins 1. No unclean thing can enter into the heavenly Jerusalem I appeal to thee Drunkard Lecher art thou in thine uncleanness yea or no Dost thou think that those are uncleannesses if thou doubt it 1 Cor. 6. If thou perish in this condition what becomes of thine unclean soul that sin is purged by the death of the body is confuted by Micha 6.7 2. That which I know will be a most woful estate without this purging there is no Salvation Here is a great contention not for peace and truth were it so 't were worth contending for but whether peace or truth What an unhappiness it is they should be divided There is reason we should know what we contend for Peace and Truth the one the greatest of all other temporal Blessings and of the two truth is the more amiable and I much commend their zeal who prefer truth before peace without it But that question which Pilate asked our Saviour we read not answered John 18.38 What is truth What 's the reason Pilate was an unclean person and not fit to know it so saith the Prophet Daniel 9.13 We have not faith he turned from our iniquities that we might understand thy truth Pearls must not be given to unclean Swine the malicious Sodomites could not find the door Lot is the hidden Deity The Prophet having recited a Catalogue of sins which truly Beloved are very rife among us at length concludes the way of peace they know not Esay 59 2-8 The reason ye find Verse 13. Their hands were filled with blood and their fingers with iniquity Mark what a Purgatory the Saints of God must pass before they can attain to the clear fight of God and his truth 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind The pure in heart shall see God Shall we quarrel for truth and peace before we know what it is If thou be not yet purged from thy sin thou knowest not yet what truth is Whether thou be purged or no we shall enquire Object Do not I know what the Reformed Church holds and is not that truth and do not I hold that truth what not know the truth Have I lived so long under the means and yet do I not know the truth Yes but dost not thou hold that truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 The reason why Gods wrath is revealed from Heaven against us They spake evil of those things they knew not and what they know naturally as bruit Beasts in those things they corrupt themselves Jude Verse 10. And for that cause God gives men up to uncleanness And out of this uncleanness they will presume to judge of Gods truth and peace Rom. 1.24 Beloved suppose a company of men were fallen into a deep dungeon such an one as Jeremy was put into and they sunk in mire were it not a madness for these men to quarrel one with another and contend what was the best way to get out of this dungeon one saying this another that were it not a wiser course to procure some good Ebedmelech to help them out The case is just ours at this day we are sunk in the mire and filth of sin and we know not the way out and shall we contend one with another about the way how we should get out This is the way and that is the way Surely Beloved if we look impartially into our own hearts and discern our own pollutions and defilements there we shall bend our forces every one rather against himself than against another I dare be bold to say that he that is of another mind is a stranger at home This is Gods way of pacifying his peoples enemies A means prevalent for our Brethren in Ireland 2 Chron. 30.8 9. For our selves Esa 1.16 20. and 31.6 Jerem. 26.3 Ezech. 18.30 32. Joel 2.12 13. Jon. 3.8 9. Generally Where a mans ways please the Lord he makes his emies to be at peace with him Prov. 16.7 James 4.8 But I purged thee and thou wast not purged c. As if one should have been long purging of earthen vessels which were empty if after long purging they could not be cleansed he should dash them one against another We have a promise to be partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1. but having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself Had you a great Guest to entertain how you would make ready for him having therefore these promises let us purifie our selves from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit No unclean person hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of God Eph. 5.5 Means Confess and forsake thy sins and then thou shalt find mercy that will purge and cleanse thee there was confession of Sin before Baptism pray to the Lord Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin Exhort To suffer our selves to be purged of ignorance Yes of that altogether when yet we know but in part c. It 's
Salvation to lead us out and in out of our selves and then in That he may reign and rule in us 3. Jesus Christ is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a world or age and answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word for word he is the same for Ages or Generations for worlds to come So that as yesterday signifieth all time past and to day the present time so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever signifieth all time to come and that is the day of eternity so the Scripture speaketh though we do not English it so 2 Pet. 3. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Latin hath in diem aeternitatis for the day of eternity The truth of this appears evidently by manifold Scriptures which testifie this truth of Christ 1. Sometimes of himself 2. Sometimes of his offices in the Church 1. Of himself these and the like Scriptures witness which are spoken of Christ the mercies goodness righteousness truth of God c. His mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations Psal 100.5 Psal 119.42 Thy righteousness is everlasting i. e. thy Christ whose name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jerem. Psal 139.24 The everlasting way everlasting life 1 Joh. 5.20 Vulg. Lat. Pater futuri seculi Vatablus Pater aeternitatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 9.6 One of the names is the everlasting Father who is the Son of God and that Son abideth for ever Joh. 8.35 Heb. 7.24 This man continues for ever and vers 25. He ever liveth to make intercession I am with you to the end of the world c. There is no reason for this a priori according to the Divine nature of Christ for so he is God immutable and eternal aeterno nihil est prius But as God-man there is reason 1. On God's part the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his promise and oath Heb. 6.18 which oath is alledged as the ground of Christ's eternal Priesthood Hebr. 7.20 21. 2. On man's part the necessity of an eternal Saviour and Intercessour and of this the Apostle speaks Hebr. 7.25 Observ 1. Hence then it followeth that Christ is God it is a propriety of the Deity to be for ever Gen. 21.24 Abraham called upon the name of the Lord the everlasting God The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred the God of the world as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text signifieth also the world but the LXX here render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eternal God and the Apostle Rom. 16.26 ascribes that attribute unto God According to the commandment of the everlasting God thus Esay 9.6 Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the everlasting Father or Father of eternity And the Son of God abideth for ever Joh. 8.35 And in the Text is said To be the same for ever Observ 2. Christian Religion is of eternal duration and will last with the Subject and Author of it for ever contrary unto the assertion of some enemies of it in the primitive times fati fatui assertores as Marsil Ficinus calls them who durst foretel that it should last only three hundred sixty five years and then vanish The Reason of this appears from the duration of the object And the mercy of the Lord endureth for ever Psal 100.5 His truth is from generation to generation Psal 117.2 The truth of the Lord endureth for ever The Gospel is an everlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 And that a plain and simple truth no falshood in it it is composition and mixture that makes things less durable and lasting Now 2 Cor. 1.19 The Son of God Jesus Christ is not yea and nay there is not affirming and denying no there is no contradiction in him or in his Gospel but a constant asseveration and affirmation of truth In him was yea There is no lye of the truth 1 Joh. 2.21 27. The anointing is truth and is no lye Observ 3. Then neither is there nor shall there ever be any other Religion than the Christian Religion which shall last for ever And the reason is evident because it is not man's work and therefore it cannot but last for ever Act. 5.38 Gamaliel tells the Jews touching the Gospel If this counsel or this work be of men it will come to nought as the Doctrine of Theudas and Judas did ver 36.37 Such is the vanity and short continuance of humane inventions of what kind soever many old Heresies have nothing left of them but a name Some Writers have lived to see their own errours or have been so ingenious and honest as to write their retractations and acknowledge their errours Others in love with their own brain-work Natura dum nascentur probant have transmitted them to posterity they are taken up upon trust for truth which because they have gotten some years to credit them they have gotten withal some authority with us as if they were the truth it self whereas indeed their Authors have been in the dark and left their writings behind them to posterity as Rats and Mice and other Vermin in the night leave their dung behind them which afterwards is discovered by the day and the day of the Lord will discover these excrements of brain-sick men their false opinions their made holiness when they shall be swept out as dung The Apostle highly esteemed of his Circumcision and legal righteousness and his zeal so fervent that he persecuted the Church till the day appeared and then he esteemed all but dung that he might win Christ Phil. 3.8 Yea what one age yea perhaps a few days men cry up for a truth another if not the same decryes as fast as an errour and a lye The best of them are but the inventions of men or if there be any thing of God in them man's work put to it spoils all and they are but fruits of the tree of knowledge of good and evil fair to the eye but bitter to the tast Plants that are not of our Heavenly Fathers planting none of them fruits of the tree of life that 's Christ and his truth which lasts for ever This is worth our consideration in these days when so many cry out Truth Truth when God knows they know not what the truth is for since they live in their sins and depart not from them as 't is evident they do it is impossible that they should understand the truth 2 Esdr 5.1 Dan. 9.13 Yet 't is strange to see how violent many are in prosecution of that which they call truth even to the persecuting of truth it self if it be in their power so to do The Apostle gives a true character of such Jud. vers 10. They speak evil of those things which they know not but what they know naturally as bruit beasts therein they corrupt themselves But the time shall come when the glory of the truth shall confound the persecutors of it so that they shall for shame cast away
of the Law for them and apply his righteousness unto themselves and imagine that thereby their iniquities which yet are in them are hid and covered They are arrant hypocrits I say not that such are Pharisees or Pharisaical men for the Pharisees performed an outward righteousness and gave outward obedience unto the Law So that he who knew no better way of fulfilling the Law and acted according to his knowledge he was accepted and approved of So our Lord is said to have loved the Pharisaical young man Marke 10 17-21 But they who boast of Christ's fulfilling of the Law for them when yet by breaking the Law even outwardly they dishonour God These are worse hypocrits than the Scribes and Pharisees were Obs 4. The Lord Jesus came not to destroy but to fulfil This sentence what a world of men lay hold on and hence conclude that Jesus Christ hath done and suffered all things already to our hand c. Vide Not. in James 1.22 Repreh 1. Those Opinionists who think that Christ came to destroy the Law that the Law belongs not to them because they are Christians or imagine themselves to be so Dub. What reason is there that although our God hath so clearly manifested his will in his Law and Prophets and hath not spared his only begotten Son but yielded him up to death for us all yea hath raised him from the dead All which is come to pass that all men through the Son of God should be justified freed and saved from their sins And although the Son hath done all and bought men with a price that they being redeemed from their sins death devil and hell might live in righteousness and holiness before him all the dayes of their life Though the Father hath done all this though the Son hath done all this and suffered all this yet neither Law nor Prophets are fulfilled but sin and iniquity is fulfilled the will and lust of the Devil are fulfilled Answ I answer all what God and Christ hath done and suffered for men is made known unto them and why That they might believe on the Son and obey him and so be saved O how plentiful is the Scripture in Testimonies of this kind John 3.16.36 and 12.25 26. Matth. 16.24 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23 24. and 4.1 2. But though the God of truth so abundantly testifieth this in his Word yet alas how few are there in the World who believe him How few are there who believe in the light the wisdom of God the way the truth and the life which is Jesus Christ himself Yea do not most men believe contrary to the Scriptures Do they not believe and love the darkness more than the light the foolishness of the flesh rather than the wisdom of the Spirit Do they not obey the calling and drawing of the Father of lies unto their eternal destruction rather than the calling and the drawing of the God of truth to their everlasting salvation Thus did their Fathers before them Jer. 2.7 8.13 19.5 They follow their own choosing their own opinion not the Law of the Lord and his sure word of Prophesie 2 Pet. Wherefore they long not at all to be loosed and set free from their sins nor know nor consider that they are faln from the true light of life and the true belief of their Salvation and give heed to Spirits of errour and manifold false faiths and manifold chosen holinesses nor do they consider that they love the sin more than the righteousness the darkness rather than the light the falshood and lie more than the truth it self Yet even in this false faith which they have made choice of they boast themselves as if they were now free from the Law justified from their sins and become very good Christians They think and believe that the Abaddon and Apollion is stronger than Christ the Saviour That the Abaddon hath power enough to destroy the Law and fulfil all unrighteousness c. But they believe not that Christ is strong enough to destroy all unrighteousness Esay 53.1 Lord who hath believed our report To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed c. And therefore according to their faith or unbelief so it befals them Job 15.21 22. A dreadful sound is in his ears c. Repreh 1. Those who think and hold opinion that Christ came not to fulfil the Law Repreh 2. Those who condemn obedient men who fulfil the Law for phansies Exhort Since the Lord Jesus Christ came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets let not us who profess our selves his Disciples his Followers Christians let not us destroy them nor let us think that he came for any such end but since the Law is holy and just and good and our Lord Jesus Christ is holy just and good yea goodness it self Hos 3.5 Let us agree with the Law and consent unto it that it is holy just and good and become such And since there is an emptiness in the Law and Prophets until they be fulfilled by obedience since the narrow way of God's Commandments is forlorn and forsaken Even in the dayes of Shamgar that noble Stranger in the dayes of Christ in the flesh and in the dayes of Jael the dayes of the Church of Christ in the Spirit O let us turn us from the broad wayes and crooked wayes And as Hebers house though they had formerly made Covenant with Jabin and Sisara while they walked in the way of Cain So though formerly we have consented to the false knowledge of the subtle Serpent Though formerly we have walked in the way of Cain Jude v. 11. Yet let us with Jael sever our selves from Cain and walk in the narrow way of God's Commandments which leads unto the everlasting life Let us follow the Wise man's Counsel c. Vide Not. in James 4.14 in Supplement NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW V. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time that thou shalt not kill for whosoever killeth shall be in danger of the Judgment c. OUr Lord having made a special Preface to his Sermons v. 17 18 19. He now begins the Sermon it self And here we meet with a different Translation and understanding of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was said by them of old time so the Text or to them of old time so the Margin And the Greek words will indeed bear both sences Wherefore let us enquire whether of the two is the more probable They will say by them of old time as we read it in the Text they understood the Rabbins and Teachers of old as if our Lord should say ye have heard that the Rabbins of old have taught the people this Law and this penalty for breach of it But I say thus c. And this sense they rather incline unto because they conceive it our Lord 's main drift in this Sermon to confute the false Glosses and Expositions
peril liberasti animam tuam thou hast freed thine own Soul If it be possible as much as in you is have peace with all men Rom. 12.18 The Lord requires of us only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. See Notes on Rom. 12.18 ad finem 3. There ought to be a brotherly union among men especially those who profess themselves the people of God and Christ Obser 1. The nature of our God The God of Peace and Reconciliation and commands the exercise of it among men See Notes on Rom. 12.18 2. Note hence the nature and disposition of the Lord Jesus he perswades us to reconciliation and peace one with another See Notes on Heb. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Our Brothers offence makes a breach in this Union as one string out of tune 5. It lies much in thy power to make up this breach Reconciliare saith our Lord be reconciled Doubt 3. My Brother hath somewhat against me perhaps because I walk not in his way of Religion I do not worship his Idol perhaps the Preacher teacheth such doctrine as is simply necessary to salvation as dying to sin daily or he is offended at my strictness of life he hath as he thinks somewhat against thee Answ Hoc aliquid nihil est this is a certain Rule Nothing that is simply unlawful ought to be done for the avoiding of any mans offence nor that which is necessary to be done or taught ought to be omitted therefore because some or other take offence It is true regard is to be had to the weak and ignorant who are to be informed and supported but when men take offence because the truth and life of God thwarts their sinful practice and vain opinion in this case Scandaliza fortiter scandalize and spare not This is warranted by our Lords Doctrine Mat. 15. Knowest thou not say some to him that the Pharisees were offended at thy doctrine Let them alone saith he they are blind leaders of the blind i. e. their own malice hath blinded them and caused them to stumble and take offence Our Lord saw there was a necessity of teaching the doctrine of the Sacrament spiritually John 6. And we see and have seen what necessity there was for it since thousands understood the Sacrament amiss Our Lord therefore would not omit the doctrine though the Capernahites took offence at him Nor may we for that reason omit the same spiritual doctrine though the stream run the quite contrary way Error dum non resistitur approbatur there 's great danger that the truth of Life Righteousness and Doctrine may be oppressed or hidden and falshood and lies taken up and owned for the truth by our silence In this case therefore scandaliza fortiter offend and spare not Doubt 4. First go be reconciled unto thy Brother Some man will say I owe my Brother no grudge nor have I ought against him Why then should I go and be reconciled unto my Brother Or if my Brother have offended me I freely forgive him what need then is there that I first go and be reconciled unto my Brother I answer our Lords Speech relisheth of the Hebraism and is here to be understood in the reciprocal form or Hiphael so that be reconciled is as much as use diligence that thy Brother be reconciled to thee for that 's the business of the Text. Thou hast offended thy Brother and thy Brother hath something against thee it concerns thee therefore to go and pacifie thy offended Brother and be reconciled unto him This will appear the better by a like business 1 Cor. 7.11 The woman had departed from her husband the fail lay on her part let her be reconciled unto her husband i. e. let her use all means to pacifie her husband and so be reconciled unto him Obser 6. Reconciliation is a work to be speedily done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go go hence away about it so much the word imports as I shewed before Repreh 1. Those who will not be reconciled unto their Brother there are many such difficiles homines of an harsh and rugged disposition untractable men Little do such consider that condition wherein they are It is observed among the Jews ancient Customes that he who offended his Brother should endeavour to appease him if he will not be pacified he was then to take three of his friends who should make intercession for him and that twice or thrice if so he will not be reconciled he then goes his way and leaves him Such an one who will not be reconciled for that reason is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a Sinner This is no small blemish for to be called Sinners it 's the brand of notorious wicked men in Scripture Gen. 13.13 The men of Sodom were evil and sinners And the sinners the Amalakites 1 Sam. 15.18 Corah Dathan and Abiram the sinners Numb 16.38 Such were they accounted who would not admit of any reconciliation they were Sinners an Heathen and Publican Yea such a one declares himself to be no Son of Abraham he condescends and yields and parts with his right for peace sake He is no Son of Isaac he was facile gentle and yielding to reconciliation to Abimelech who had wronged him Gen. 26. He is no Son of Jacob or Israel they are easily pacified and reconciled and seek no revenge and therefore 1 Sam. 21. when the Gibeonites complained to David that Saul had slain some of them and desired therefore seven of his Sons to be hang'd to expiate the crime The Scripture lest these Gibeonites should be mistaken for the people of God tells us that those Gibeonites were not of the Children of Israel but of the Amorites The true Children of Israel would not be vindicative or revengeful they would easily be reconciled No these were Gibeonites Elevati iniquitate proud in their sins of the remnant of the Amorites bitter men and great talkers of Religion no true Israelites Such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no Sons of Abraham Isaac Jacob such Gibeonites and Amorites are all they who will not be reconciled unto their Brother Exhort Be reconciled unto thy Brother It is our Fathers Command that we be merciful it is his pattern and example that we be merciful as our Father which is in Heaven is merciful an argument of Gods unspeakable love See Notes on Hebr. 1. Yea though our God be pars laesa the party offended yet he O the wonderful condescent of our God! useth means and sues to us for reconciliation with us 2 Cor. 5.18 He hath reconciled us to himself yea consider his good nature towards us he hath revealed himself slow to anger Exod. 34. And when it is kindled it is soon out he keeps not his anger for ever Psal 183. nay for a small moment I have forsaken thee but with great mercies I will gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the
a man apprehend himself confined to one City yea to one Countrey 2. What present all horrible noisome accidents as nastines most offensive from man to man most infamous most chargeable to the purse as for company the worst of men and such only as are fit for such a place by all which we may make some conjecture of the infernal prison or the hell of the damned poena damni sensus want of all accommodations the rich man had not one drop of water To see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven and themselves shut out To let us know that this prison is not only literally to be understood outward prisons are not punishments saith the Lawyer but in order to them nor doth either Civil or Municipal Law allow any punishment to be inflicted on the debtor beside imprisonment But the spiritual prison which is hell it self hath all torments The Lord delivered him to the Tormenter till he should pay his debts Matth. 18.38 But some by this prison understand Purgatory and prove it by the authority of the Ancient Fathers Surely not St. Austin nor St. Hierom nor St. Cyprian though alledged for that purpose by some The former Fathers expresly understand this place of hell it self But why must it be understood of Purgatory Because it is said Thou shalt not depart hence untill thou hast paid the utmost farthing The utmost farthing therefore must be paid and then thou shalt depart thence but the nature of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn till or untill doth not imply this for howsoever Supponit antecedens tamen non semper infert consequens The Ancients give some instances of this as Psal 110. until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool until doth not imply that he should not sit on God's right hand afterward And where it is said of Michol that she had no child until the day of her death surely she had none afterward But whereas Purgatory is supposed to be found out for the purging of less or venial sins whereas he who will not be reconciled to his adversary whether a person or the Law he dieth without charity and therefore according to their Doctrine of Purgatory such a one cannot be said to be in Purgatory but in Hell it self because want of Charity is not according to them a venial but a mortal sin Doubt This seems to be unreasonable to compel men to pay debts which they have no ability to pay yea to be tormented till they pay The Turks seem more reasonable than thus who they say put none in prison for debt when they have nothing to pay This therefore should seem to be as unreasonable as a violent detention I Answer it is indeed unreasonable and it is but reasonable that it should be unreasonable Thou didst voluntarily depart from the reasonable service of thy God and therefore it is just to leave thee to the unreasonable service of the Devil Thou wert before in Eutopia in a Kingdom of Reason and Justice now the Just Judge hath delivered thee to the Officer who hath cast thee into his Atopia his Kingdom of unreasonableness 2 Thes 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou lived'st unreasonably among men now thou art in the Devil's power hee 'l match thee Doubt How then do we read that the Lord delivers even out of the pit wherein there is no water Zach. 9.11 The Messenians had an horrible prison which by an Euphemia they called Thesaurus where Philomena was God hath such a prison-ward where he hath those whom he reserves as his vessels of Wrath he hath also those whom he reserves for vessels of Glory Consider who he is to whom our Lord saith Thou shalt not depart hence It is he who by no means maugre all corrections and chastisements admonitions and instructions and those timely given while he is in the way with the Adversary yet he will by no means come to agreement These have hardned themselves against all they are desperate debtors But there are prisoners of hope Zach. 9.11 12. Obser 1. Note here what great need there is of a strong and mighty Redeemer It is a saying in our Law Nullum tempus occurrit Regi No time lapst hinders the King of his right and it is as true nullus locus nullus status no place no state hinders the Great King the Lord of Hosts from his right and he hath a right even to the lost man 2 Pet. 2. denying the Lord that bought them thy Brother for whom Christ died he died for him that is perished 1 Cor. 6. It is reckoned among the ends of his coming Luke 4.18 What a multitude of Captives there are some in the prison of the Law some in Christ's own prison some in the prison of Satan who want a Mighty Redeemer and the Mighty Redeemer is not wanting unto them who are not wanting to themselves The woman of Sychar a City of Samaria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are wont to say that after a long drought a good shower of rain delivers a multitude of prisoners they understand the corn imprisoned in the earth And when we are conformed unto the death of the Lord Jesus that grain of Wheat fallen into the ground and dead John 12. he bringeth forth much fruit in us No power prevails against him when the Angel comes to fetch Peter out of prison when we are utterly at a loss we cry who shall deliver me Obser 2. See here thy doom who ever thou art who walkest loosly licentiously and lewdly in the broad way The Great Judge hath his prison he straitens thee 'T is true persons of Quality saith the Lawyer they are in liberâ custodiâ they are in free prison But the Judge is without respect of persons The rich man was in hell torments Obser 3. See and wonder how the Noble Off-spring of God Created according to the Image of God in Wisdom Righteousness Holiness and Truth should so far degenerate that for want of Wisdom Righteousness Holiness and Truth though counselled by Divine Wisdom to agree with the Law of God though corrected and instructed by that Law yet should prove so infatuate that for want of Wisdom he should be cast like some unhandsome or loathsome thing out of the way and thrust into an hole and there pine away anâ— perish Obser 4. The prison of the damned is an unalterable and unchangeable condidition they are confirmati in malo Abraham tells the rich man in hell that there is a gulf pight Obs 5. There is a necessity of being conformed to the Lord Jesus Christ as well in suffering â—s in reigning yea first in suffering c. Rom. 8.29 Our Lord saith so to Jerusalem Esay 51.17 with v. 22. Awake awake O Jerusalem which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling and wrung them out yet thus saith thy Lord God even God that pleadeth the cause of his
Divine Testimony wherein we may take notice of that main motive whereby our Lord diswades from divorce lest it might be an occasion of sin See one main reason of Christ's appearing in the flesh to set all right again to reduce all things to their primitive and first institution thus he tells us that it behoves us to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 He speaks of John and himself as in the flesh but it 's most true of the second Elias and himself that they shall restore all things So he saith from the beginning it was not so but now in the end it must be so as it was in the beginning When we have departed from the unison what a jarring what a disharmony there is and no full concord 'till we come to the eighth therefore the eighth day is the Diapason wherein respondent ultima primis as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be Axiom 5. It hath been said indeed if a man shall put away his Wife c. but I say unto you c. Doubt 1. Did our Lord Jesus Christ then come to destroy the Law surely no he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it as he himself speaks Dovbt 2. But what then shall we say to permission did our Lord come to destroy that Permittere est concedere sinere to permit is to grant or suffer a thing to be for the vertue of a Law consists in these three acts to command forbid and permit or suffer to be done Ipsam Legum indulgentiam significat saith the Lawyer it signifieth the indulgence and favour of the Laws and therefore it implies that the thing permitted is unlawful according to that permitti dicitur illud quod illicitum est ut magis illicitum vitetur that which is unlawful is permitted that that which is more unlawful may be avoided whence it is that since evil is not nor can be perpetual therefore the permission of evil cannot be perpetual and so we shall understand the reason why our Lord abolisheth divorce except in case of fornication 1. It is evil and permitted for the avoiding of greater evil 2. It was not from the beginning and therefore it is not said it was said to them of old time but only it was said 3. Permissum ad certum tempus censetur exacto illo tempore prohibitum that which is permitted for a certain time when that time is past it 's judged to be forbidden 4. The Lord Jesus appeared for this end to take away this permission the evil permitted and the cause of that evil for whereas by reason of the hard heart Moses permitted men to put away their wives Mat. 19.8 which in the beginning was not so neither must it be so in the end when Christ comes to take away the hard and stony heart and give us an heart of flesh according to the promises Ezech. 36.26 Obser 1. Hence it appears that Christ came not to mollifie the Law or to abate any thing of the just requiring of it but to teach it and fulfil it truly and fully Obser 2. Hence observe in what estate thou art O man who ever thou art if a Christian man if a Disciple of Christ know that there is more required of thee then of those who were or yet are under the Law It is a false and groundless opinion that the Gospel is a doctrine of indulgence and favour and abates of that righteousness which the Law commands This proceeds meerly and soly out of self love True it is that in the Gospel the mercy of God is more revealed and more of the truth of God is made known also more strength and power is given yea grace and truth and peace and remission and pardon of sin comes by Jesus Christ but to whom surely to the penitent to the believers to the converts to the willing and to the obedient ones Here is a difference between the Law and the Gospel Mysticé Take notice how Grace through the Gospel superabounds Moses permitted men to put away their Wives the Lord Jesus hates putting away Mal. 2. yea he commands Hosea to marry an harlot that was put away Hos 1. and what is Hosea but the Saviour who invites the harlot that hath been put away Jer. 3. Thamar incestuous Thamar and Bathshebah the adulteress are both in our Lord's Genealogy Mat. 1. that it may appear that there is no sin no foul but the true Hosea the Saviour comes to take it away and purge us from it Repreh Those who abuse the Grace of the Gospel and the lenity of the Lord Jesus Christ It is true he hates putting away yet he hath rejected first Aholah then Aholibah Ezec. 23. And our Lord Jesus threatens the Jews that the Kingdom of God shall be taken from them and that their house shalt be left unto them desolate It is true the Lord hates putting away but he more hates idolatry ingratitude disobedience obstinacy and rebellion these may provoke him to do the thing that he hates even to do his work his strange work Esay 28. O think sadly of this who ever thou art who goest on still in thy sin Repreh 2. Who reject and divorce the true Spouse of Christ by reason of some blemish some uncleanness This was the Jews hardness of heart Deut. 24.1 as the Lord interprets it Mat. 19. Repreh 3. But much more are they to blame who reject and divorce the true Church of Christ and esteem her an adulteress and an harlot and that because of her purity and cleanness what else do they who condemn such for erronious and heretical who hope and endeavour to purifie themselves as Christ their husband is pure 1 John 3.3 There is a story in Heliodore of a black woman who brought forth a fair white Child many thereupon condemned her for an harlot and would have her to be put to death but equal Judges making enquiry into the business found that the picture of Andromeda a fair white picture hung in the chamber where she lay whereupon because phantasia habet opus reale the fancy produceth real effects they judged that the woman by her fancy in her conception had wrought like impression of colours and proportion in her child and thereupon acquitted the woman And truly a man would think that equal Judges such especially as pretend to purity and holiness if they shall consider that Christ is the pure and spotless mirrour the brightness of God's glory and the express image of his person and that he is the example and pattern set before us for our imitation if they consider this they should not censure those to be erronious and heretical who behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord with his open face and are translated into that image from glory to glory Surely if Christ be formed in them they are not harlots and adulteresses they are not erronious who bring him forth to life in them the more pure they
〈◊〉 our Translators render by the word false in the ninth Commandment Deut. 5.20 with Exod. 20.16 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false and Hos 10.4 swearing falsly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that what we commonly understand by taking God's name in vain a light rash and unadvised kind of swearing it is much otherwise and the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render in vain is to be enlarged to falshood and lying and so to false swearing or forswearing yea the Greek Interpreters very often render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn vain by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false or lying There shall be no more any vain vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezec. 12.24 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lying vision The like we have chap. 13.6 7 8 9. Hos 12.9 Howbeit he who swears what is indeed false he is not presently said to be a perjured person or to forswear himself unless he swear knowingly what is false with a purpose to deceive as he is not said to lie who speaks ignorantly what is false and untrue unless he know the thing which he speaks to be false and untrue yet speaks what is contrary to the thing and to his own mind for whereas truth is either in the things themselves as in their foundation and ground or else in the understanding as in their subject or in the speech as in the sign and expression of it surely truth and falshood in regard of converse with men is more properly in the mind and understanding than in the things themselves and speech of them so that if the mind and understanding be deceived and thereby the mans speech the interpreter of his mind and thoughts declare what is false according to the errour of his mind yet cannot he be said to be a liar because he thinks what he speaks nor can he be said to be a perjured or forsworn person although he swear what is false he swears according to his deceiv'd mind But when the mind and understanding is rightly informed yet the man speaking or swearing misinterpets his own mind to deceive another such an one is a liar and a perjured person Reason 1. As true swearing by the Name of God is to the honour of God which is the God of truth and knows the secrets of our hearts so to forswear is to God's dishonour where knowledge of secrets is taken from him and power to punish Lev. 19.12 2. It 's contrary to the profession of God's people for whereas every Nation walks in the Name of its God Mich. 4.5 and whatever the people of God do or say it ought to be said and done in the name of our God to forswear is contrary to the Name of our God who is the God of truth 3. Forswearing is contrary to the Image of God wherein the man was made namely in Righteousness and holiness of truth now forswearing is directly opposite unto truth Obser 1. Our Lord supposeth and the Law here implies That a man may swear provided that he sware truly but this will require a larger discourse and that proper to our Lord's Exposition of this Commandment Obser 2. The Lord requires that we swear not vainly nor falsly Obser 3. The Lord requires that his people be true men it is the title that the Sons of Jacob give to themselves Gen. We are true men See Notes on Esay 65.16 Obser 4. Take notice from hence what kind of swearing is forbidden in the Old Testament surely the vain and false swearing Lev. 19.12 Jer. 7.9 of that swearing the Prophet Hosea is to be understood to complain Hos 4.2 by swearing and lying they are coupled together Every one that sweareth shall be cut off Zach. 5.3 What kind of swearing is that it follows in the next verse It shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my Name v. 4. of this kind of swearers speaks Malach 3.5 false swearers for surely the merciful God graciously connived for a season at the Jews swearing so they sware not falsly by his name And therefore it is not said Thou shalt not swear but thou shalt not forswear that is swear falsly or vainly by the Name of God and that was a permission for the time and the reason was they lived among the Nations and therefore whereas all people walked every one in the Name of his God Mich. 4.3 The Lord condescended to be accounted as a Topical God for a time lest this people being mingled among the Nations should learn their works and swear by other Gods See the truth of this Jer. 12.14 15 16. Thus saith the Lord against all mine evil neighbours c. it shall come to pass if they shall diligently learn all the ways of my people to swear by my Name the Lord liveth as they have taught my people to swear by Baal then they shall be built up in the midst of my people We live mixt one among another and every one endeavours to assimilate another and render him like unto himself O that every one so far as he hath attained would endeavour to render another like to God Obser Hence it appears that they who themselves are great enemies to swearing cursing blaspheming may yet themselves be perjured and forsworn men whose name do they bear do they bear the name of the God of truth righteousness judgment in whose name do they walk Mich. 4.5 surely according to the name they bear and that name wherein they walk such they are unto God let them pretend otherwise what they will Jer. 5.2 2 Tim. 3.1 2. if a man walk in pride Leviathan is his God if in covetousness Mammon is his God He professeth you will say the true God Ad populum phaleras in what God doth he live in whose name doth he walk if he have any other than the God of Israel for his God he swears falsly Jer. 5.2 Mysticé Surely there is a secret kind of perjury or close way of false swearing and forswearing What do we commonly understand by taking God's name in vain but vain and false swearing what else do they who pretend to bear the name of the only true God yet really and truly bear the names of false Gods and so swear vainly and falsly Zeph. 1.5 The Prophet complains of those who worship and swear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Lord yet swear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they bear the name of the Lord in an outward profession mean time they are in Malcham they lead their life according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 Malcham signifieth their King their Prince that rules in them Some say it was Saturn others the Sun others a Constellation as Acts 7.42 God gave them up to worship the host of Heaven indeed however they were called by many names yet Molech Malcham Milcham all was one and the
communication must be Yea yea Nay nay That is it must be true without falshood and lies simple without swearing 1. Without falshood and lies so that if we say Yea if the speech be yea it is yea also in the thing if the speech be Nay it is nay also in the thing So that what we speak must be found conformable to the thing whereof we speak 2. Without swearing so James 5. because the Christian communication must be such as needs no Oath among Christian men 1. All living Creatures have their respective Societies especially Man-kind 2. Christianity doth not annul or take away Humane Society Yea 3. It teacheth rather the most pleasing Conversation and Society 4. Communion of Christian men among themselves is by Communication and Speech one with another 5. The Christian Communication must be with the fewest words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea yea Nay nay 6. Words are not nor shall go for wind By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned And of every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account in the day of judgment And if an account shall be given of idle words how much more of vain and idle Oaths 7. The Lord requires that our words be true that is that they be such as agree with our mind and heart and such as agree with the things themselves So the Logician speaks Verum est quod pronuntiat utì res est an Axiom or Sentence is true which pronounceth as the thing is if the things be agreeing and consentaneous one with another then the speech affirms them so to be if the thing be dissentaneous and disagree one with other then the speech denieth them to agree 8. The Lord requires that his people be a true people faithful in words and deeds Esay 63.8 a people that will not lye God is the God of truth It is the testimony that the Sons of Jacob give of themselves We are true men Gen. 42.11 The Son of God is true yea the truth it self They are in him that is true 9. The simple and plain life of Christians one with other with how few words do they communicate Abel is recorded to be a righteous man and Noah with how few words lived they out their time in the world 10. Take notice how far the present Generation is from that which they pretend upon the Christian life and conversation and communication see what is prophesied of them Zeph. 3.13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth No they have not so learned Christ c. See a Character of them Ephes 4 20-25 How far are thousands from this necessary character of a Christian Take away a deceitful tongue and take away withal many a mans trade and livelihood The just man lives by Faith these by Deceit and Fraud Repreh The lying Generation whose yea is not yea nor their nay nay but a great divorce between their heart and their words and between their words and the things they speak of their yea is nay and their nay yea St. John tells us that such there were and that in the Philadelphian Church Rev. 3.9 Who are of the Synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and are not but lye A Jew signifieth a Confessor or Professor who profess much Holiness and Righteousness who pretend to much Divine Knowledge and understanding of Divine things whereas their Knowledge is falsly so called and their Holiness is a counterfeit and false holiness The wise man tells us of such a Generation Prov. 30.12 Yet with a glozing tongue they cover all their abominations Such pretending Jews or Professors were found in Israel at their entrance into the Land of Canaan Josh 7.1 When Jericho was taken Achan then of the Tribe of Judah took of the accursed thing And what was the accursed thing v. 21. A goodly Babilonish garment two hundred shekels of Silver and a wedge of Gold And what are these to us The Babilonish garment what is it but the seeming but a false Holiness and Righteousness counterfeit shews of Religion without Reality and Truth He that doth righteousness is righteous even as God is righteous And what is the Silver but the knowledge falsly so called the treasures of meerly literal and deceitful knowledge what our Translators turn a wedge of Gold is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tongue of Gold a golden glozing tongue exercised in speaking words of mans wisdom 1 Cor. 2.1 2 3. He who covets these accursed things becomes accursed like them and shall end his dayes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the valley of Achor endless perturbation and trouble Mysticé These words have also their spiritual and mystical meaning for there is is an inward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inward interlocution speech or communication maintained daily hourly every moment by every man between him and one or other Speaker for either he maintains a conference with the Living Word and word of Life or with the word of Belial Christ himself is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word which speaks inwardly unto every soul from the beginning John 21.25 There is also a word of Belial which is spoken inwardly unto men Psal 101.3 The words are rendred no evil thing and in the Margent no thing of Belial In the Hebrew the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no word of Belial or of the Devil as they Syriack turns it 2 Cor. 6. When the word of Belial speaks in us to answer it with denial with nay Herein our first Mother was to blame who maintained long discourse with the Serpent Herein the best manners is to be unmannerly Grunniens dixit nolo to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts The Evil One will be suggesting and tempting us and it will be our wisdom not to comply not to answer his temptations but churlishly to deny them As they tell a story of Philip of Macedon that he sent an Ambassadour to Sparta with many words endeavouring to perswade their Friendship and Amity with them c. And to return their answer to him by his Ambassadour Their Answer was only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay Whereupon Philip returns his Messenger with another long Speech to perswade them who at length concluded with this Dilemmatical Querie whether they would receive Philip as a Friend or as an Enemy The Lacedemonians answered him in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither one nor the other Let us learn Wisdom of the Spartans so to answer our adversary the Devil who goes about seeking whom he may devour who would insinuate into our friendship answer him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no by no means And if he go about either to promise or threaten answer him as the Lacedemonians did Philip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having nothing to do with him have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness and the Prince of darkness the words are a
Rational Creature So we first bring forth the Blade even as the Grass then the Ear and that of Barly the courser grain before Wheat So when a great multitude followed him Joh. 6.2 and question was made how they should be fed v. 9. a Lad had five barly loaves the multitude is bruitish Thus Ruth came out of Moab in the beginning of barly-harvest Ruth is a figure of the Gentile Church under fear and trembling as Ruth signifieth through she were to be married to Boaz i. e. to Christ in whom is our strength yet she must first glean the Barly-harvest and then the Wheat-harvest Ruth 2.23 She must first bear the Animal before the Spiritual first be under the terrours of the Law then under the consolation of the Gospel Therefore hordeum is ab horrendo and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barly is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Terrible as the Law is Heb. 12. Except the grain of Wheat fall to the ground and die it abides alone John 12.24 Thou hast yet many sins unmortified Jam. 5.5 6 7 8. Unless this be the meaning how shall we understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore He would have those to pray who shall be heard obedient Disciples They who are already Spiritual labourers should pray that their Society and number may be increased that the harvest in gathering and crop may be the greater and that the work may go on with more facility Exhort 1. Pray to the Lord of the harvest He knows the state of his harvest what we need all our Spiritual wants and dangers 2. He hath compassion upon fainting souls Esay 57.16 3. Though no good willing souls do or can want the Shepherd's eye yet may they have great need of outward Shepherds to seek them lead call and feed them Numb 27.15 2. Let not the Lord of the harvest send forth his labourers in vain Hear the workers together with God Hear the Name of the great God the Lord of the harvest He will cause the Sun of Righteousness to arise unto such Mal. 4. Sign Hast thou attained unto that harvest of Righteousness There is nothing more ordinary than joy in harvest Hast thou that joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. That 's the joy of the Spiritual harvest yea hast thou that joy which followeth the harvest of Christ in the flesh Christ formed in thee for so Esay 9.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the next words prove this joy is such v. 6. the joy in believing Yea hast thou that joy which followeth the birth of John in thee as it 's said that many shall rejoyce at his birth a readiness and pliableness to do the Lords will even this harvest is acceptable unto the Lord of the harvest But do we hear the shoutings of God's harvest or of the Devils rather Esay 5.7 Exhor Praise the Lord of the harvest who hath begun his good work in us who accomplisheth it daily who fulfills it and perfects it until the day of Christ Jesus This is the Hallelujah which is the Hymn and last joyful Song to be sung by the Saints perfected Rev. 19.1 which answers to that Sacrifice wont to be offered at the end of the year Gen. 4. which afterward was commanded of God Exod. 23. which was wont to be kept by the Heathen saith Aristotle And the Christians now worse than the Heathen have turn'd it into hallowing and shouting in the end of harvest NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW X. 32 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven But whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven THe affirmative part of the Third Commandment the glorifying or sanctifying of God's Name consists of many Acts of which ye have heard the most there remains one the confessing of his Name whereof ye read in this Text Mat. 10.32 which words may be considered in themselves or with reference to the former 1. In themselves they contain an act proper to the affirmative part of the Third Commandment confessing God's Name amplified by the Antithesis the opposite which is proper to the negative part denial of Christ's Name both illustrated by their contrary effects As these words are considered in reference to the former we may take notice that the King of Kings sends forth his Embassadours and gives them instructions what they should do or teach and forewarns them what should befall them and how upon so doing or teaching and how they should behave themselves v. 16. These words are a Porisma or Corollary from his former instructions an incouragement unto our Lord's Apostles and Disciples who are to confess him before men and that raised from the Hypothesis to the Thesis from the particular instructions to the Apostles to the general instruction of all Christians What he saith to them he saith to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I also confess before my Father In the words we have an implicite 1. Precept 2. Prohibition both enforced by their explicite promise and threatning In the first we have these two points 1. Our Lords will is that we confess him before men 2. Those who confess him before men He will confess before his Father Quaere 1. Who is here to be confessed 2. What it is to confess him 3. What to confess him before men 1. Who is here to be confessed Answ The Christ of God the Image of the Living God in Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness God himself the Way the Truth and the Life Such a Christ is in us if we be Christians and not cast-awayes 2 Cor. 13.5 for such a Christ is the form of Christians Gal. 4.19 without which a Christian cannot be a Christian Forma est per quam res est id quod est denominatio sequitur esse as Album esse non potest sine albedine A thing cannot be white without whiteness A man cannot be Wise without Wisdom Holy without Holiness Righteous without Righteousness Powerful without Power True without Truth nor Living without Life So that a man cannot be a Christian without Christ that is without the Wisdom Holiness Righteousness Power Truth and Life of God This is a Truth so evident it needs no proving which yet the blind world nor knows nor takes notice of or if it does thinks it an Errour Such is Christ which is here to be confessed Now 2. What is it to confess him Answ The Scripture commending the Believers makes mention of a three-fold Confession 1. of Sin 2. of Faith 3. of Praise or Glory 1. Of Sin Lev. 26.40 If they shall confess their Iniquity 2. Of Faith Rom. 10.10 3. Of Praise Phil. 2.11 Every tongue shall confess that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father Heb. 13.15 By him let
1. The Lord Jesus invites unto himself all that labour and are heavy laden 2. Unto those he promiseth Rest 3. He requires that they take his yoke upon them 4. That they learn of him that he is meek and lowly 5. He promiseth that if they bear his yoke learn his meekness and lowliness they shall find rest for their Souls 6. He assures them that his yoke is easie and his burden is light 1. The Lord Jesus invites unto himself all who labour and are heavy laden For the understanding of this we must enquire 1. Who is the person inviting 2. To whom he makes invitation and who the persons invited are 3. And what it is to come unto him 1. The person inviting and to whom invitation is made is one and the same The Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man the Wisdom Righteousness and power of God the Way the Truth and the Life the Patience the Mercy the Love the Goodness of God This is he who invites and to whom he makes invitation 2. The persons invited are here described labourers and burdened ones all such where by labourers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are understood those who are yet under the Law labouring under the burden of their sins The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour answers to many words in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's sometimes used for that which is Natural as Eccles 6.7 All the labour of a man is for his mouth sometimes that which is Spiritual and that either good as Esay 53.11 the travels of his soul or evil and so the word signifieth iniquity Eccles 10.15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them The labour of iniquity and thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour answers to other words in the Hebrew which signifie extremity of labour and pains both of the body and mind for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to grieve a man yea to be sick with taking overmuch labour as Esay 33.24 to be faint and weary with over-toyling Deut. 25.18 it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be smitten or beaten to be wearied so that one is taken off his legs so that he stumbles it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be in straits and not to know what to do or which way to turn one self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 17.16 And all this labour in vain so that he is ashamed who hath thus toyled and spent his strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 30.5 For what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind Eccles 5.16 and such as these may be very well called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burdened ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render heavy laden viz. with the weight and burden of their sins as the Apostle explains it Heb. 12.1 Every weight and the sin that easily besets us the one of these explains the other yet we may distinguish them thus There are two kinds of evils the one we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a troublesome evil as a fly doth no great hurt but is only troublesome the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a corrupting and a destructive evil as a deadly disease With the former of these we may understand men to be said to labour as by the force and violence of temptations from which none are excepted By the latter which is the sin it self we understand men to be burdened as the Prophet complains in the person of such Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities are come over my head they are an heavy burden too heavy for me to bear and v. 6. returning to the same Metaphor I am troubled or as it is in the Margin I am wryed I am bound down greatly I go mourning all the day long These labourers these burdened ones ones our Lord invites to come i. e. to believe in him Joh. 6.35 and v. 40 with 44. He that cometh to me shall never hunger what meaneth he by coming that he explains in the latter part of the verse and he that believes on me shall never thirst and 7.37 38 39. This coming is twofold as also believing is twofold Joh. 14.1 for Heb. 11.6 He that comes unto God must believe that he is The coming to the Son is believing in him Rom. 6.8 if we dye with him we believe that we shall also live with him The reason why the Lord invites all who labour and are heavy laden unto himself we may first discover within the bounds of the Text all labour is undertaken for some thing better than it self and therefore our Lord having said v. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father Our Lord directs in these words unto the treasury and fountain of all good where the largest appetite may be satisfied and find rest even to himself unto whom all things are delivered of the Father for so it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell 2. Another reason may be conceived from the misery of these labouring and over-burdened ones the change of their condition brings most Glory to God They are restored as the Living from the Dead And therefore such living ones most of all praise God Esay 38.18 19. The grave cannot praise thee the Living the living he shall praise thee This is Baruchs reason in his prayer Baruc. 2.17 18. Open thine eyes and behold for the dead that are in their graves But the Soul that is greatly vexed which goeth stooping and feeble and the eyes that fail and the hungry Soul will give thee praise and righteousness O Lord. Obser 1. The Travellers drooping condition the state of those who are burdened in Soul is not to be abhorred as commonly men look at such in a deplorable and most miserable condition they are not so yea the Lord requires that as a qualification of such as he will give rest unto 'T is true indeed that the Apostle Phil. 4.4 Exhorts To rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and again saith he rejoyce But it 's worthy our heeding alwayes when places of Scripture are named to regard well to whom they were first properly spoken The Philippians were already come unto Christ chap. 1.1 such as in whom God had begun a good work v. 6. yea such they were who not only believed but suffered also for Christ's sake v. 29. such as were alwayes obedient chap. 2.12 and shined as lights in the world v. 15. And therefore well might the Apostle exhort such as them to rejoyce because as generally all joy so especially the true Spiritual and inward joy proceeds from the presence of that good which we rejoyce in or at lest from the removing and absence of that which principally causeth trouble and anxiety as when we obtain the inward peace of the Conscience and assurance that we shall not be seperated from our God however it goes with us in outward things But this belongs to the next point Now these who are
true Jephtah was a figure of him who openeth and no man shutteth Christ himself Messiah the Prince the Mighty God Esay 9. He is born of an Harlot or the soul that had played the harlot and now returned unto her first Husband He is born of a strange woman so we turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words signifie an after or second woman and imply the second birth for the first is that which is natural and then that which is spiritual The first Adam is of the Earth Earthly the second Adam is the Lord from Heaven Heavenly the Spiritual Heaven it self the God of Heaven This Spiritual birth this Heaven-born King in us His Brethren our carnal and earthly thoughts affections and lusts being grown great against him thrust him out of his own Dominion and he mean time is dumb and opens not his mouth he resists us not but flyes into the Land of Tob where 's that the good Land the Land of Goodness there the true Jephtah dwells Now when men have expelled the true King the Children of Ammon war against us God's the true Kings Kingdom and Monarchy degenerates into the very worst of all Governments A Democracy a popular State A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the Land The Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priests take into their hands What 's the reason of it Ammon prevails my people love to have it so that 's the true Ammon The people refuse the waters of Shiloah which signifieth Christ who is sent saith St. John and rejoyce in Rezin Esay 8.6 their own choice their own will and pleasure so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Esay 7.6 we choose for our King and reject and expell the true Christ of God who should Reign and Rule in us Thus what the Jews impudently answer to Jeremy pretending Gods right Jer. 44.16 we really and truly answer in our lives The word that thou hast spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth to burn incense unto the Queen of Heaven Thus we depose the King of Heaven whose right it is to Rule and set up the Queen of Heaven our own will pleasure and delight to rule and bear sway in us and every man doth what is good in his own eyes Mean time Jephtah is retired into the Land of Tob whence it is that all miseries are come upon us the Lord is retired to his place to Tob to the Land of Goodness O let us be exhorted to yield up the Government of our selves unto our own Natural and Lawful Liege Soveraign our true Lord and Governour Who can number up the Arguments to perswade us which are scattered every where in Scripture I shall name a few 1. The Prophets recommend that Golden Age unto us when God Reigns then all things which can make a Kingdom happy abounds 2. The main and principal foundation of his Throne are Justice and Judgment Psal 89.15 Righteousness and Judgment are the base and foundation of thy Throne Behold saith the Prophet Esay the King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes shall rule in judgment and lest that Government should be too severe and rigorous the Prophet David adds Mercy and Truth shall go before thy face 2. Safety the King is his Subjects Protector and Defender so is the King Christ Esay 32.2 The man shall be an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest 3. He makes the Subjects Princes Psal 45.16 Wisd 3.8 Eccles 4.15 4. Prosperity and abundance of all good things which are understood in Scripture under the Name of Peace Esay 66.12 Behold I will extend peace unto her like a River and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream where is no wrong nor violence there 's no injury no complaint All the people shall be righteous all shall be taught of God The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard with the Kid Esay 11.6 7 8 9. For all the People of that Kingdom are not like those said to be in England France and Spain Regnum Hominum Asinorum Diabolorum but they are all Kings and Priests But who can express the Glory Riches and Excellency of God's Kingdom but he who is a true subject of it Alas we do but hear reports of it now when his Kingdom shall come which we pray for daily we shall say as the Queen of Sheba did to Solomon 1 King 10. It was a true report which I heard in mine own Land of thy Acts and thy Wisdom howbeit I believed not the words until I came and mine eyes had seen it and behold the half was not told me This wisdom and prosperity exceeds the fame which I heard Happy are these thy Men and happy are these thy Servants which stand before thee and hear thy Wisdom Oh! who would not fear thee O King of Nations for to thee the Kingdom appertains Jer. 10.7 and Apoc. 15.4 Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou only art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee Here 's a great deal of strife and contention who should have his Will who should Reign who should prevail 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one would be Master we read the Apostles advise is Be not many Masters O that the like contention and strife were who should most submit unto the King of Nations Edward the Confessor having no Heir asked an holy Man who should reign after him He answered God himself had a peculiar care of this Kingdom and he would provide The King of Kings is retired into the Land of Tob and hence all infelicity and misery befall us O let us endeavour to bring him back again as the People did Jephtah Let us go into the Land of Tob Hos 5.3 Let us desire him to dwell among us to take up his residence with us to fight our battels in us it is the tenour of our Petition to him this day Look impartially into the word of God and ye shall find Christ's Government will discover it self two wayes 1. By the obedience of his Subjects 2. By the prosperity of his Subjects 1. By the obedience of his Subjects this followeth naturally from the Law of Relation and Correlation where Christ Reigns there must be subjection and obedience and the Apostle confirms it His Servants ye are whom ye obey Rom. 6.16 Now the question might be wherein should we obey him Let me yet remember ye wherein consists the Kingdom of God and Christ Rom. 14.17 If in these things ye obey Christ ye are his Subjects therefore it followeth immediately vers 18. He that in these things serveth Christ is accepted of God and approved of men There is much contention about the true service of Christ in his Church St. Paul tells us it is in Righteousness that implyes departing from all evil and doing all good Thus much every
vile person shall be no more called liberal nor the churle said to be bountiful For the vile person will speak villany and accordingly shall be accounted vile As his name is so is he Nabal is his name and folly is with him 1 Sam. 25.25 and v. 8. The liberal person deviseth liberal things and by liberal things he shall stand as his life is so he shall be accounted It was prophesied of him Esay 11.3 He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes if he had he would have judged the Scribes and Pharisees holy men according to their profession and glorious ostentation of holiness but he knew their hearts and inward thoughts accordingly denounced woes against them Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites He judged not according to the hearing of the ears for when some came to insinuate themselves into him under fair pretences Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any man nor regardest thou the persons of men though the words were true yet he judged not according to these pausible insinuations but he perceiving their wickedness said why tempt ye me ye Hypocrites Mat. 22.17.18 Obser 3. This discovers the false judgment of many who judge unjustly of things and persons as when we call an action in it self indifferent good by name and esteem our selves the better for performing of them Thus men call abstinence from meat which of it self and in it self is indifferent by the name of a fast whereas indeed abstinence from sin is the true fast and therefore the Lord justly reproves the Jews and I believe he may as justly many of us Esay 58. for their false judgment They seek me daily saith he and delight to know my wayes i. e. judgment and justice as a Nation that did Righteousness and forsook not the ordinance of their God They ask of me the Ordinances of Justice and delight in approaching to God And thence it was that they judged highly of themselves as if God in justice could not but respect them for it and just so do we we think we have done God some notable good service when we have kept such a fast as they did yea we are ready to expostulate with our God Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not wherefore have we afflicted our souls and thou takest no knowledge we expect God should upon these performances presently subdue all our enemies and return our prosperity But what 's the answer of the Lord unto them Behold saith he in the day of your fast ye find your own pleasure ye fast from meat and macerate your bodies mean time ye cocker and make much of your own lusts as covetousness and pride and wrath and fleshly delights and pleasures ye whip the the cart only and let the horses go free Is it not thus with many of us are not many of them more cholerick and passionate and proud after their day of humiliation than before and think it a great credit that they have sate so many hours and eat nothing not considering that in God's judgment a fast requires the emptying of our selves of our lusts and doing our Christian duties not only the abstinence from meat and therefore vers 4. Behold saith he ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness is this the fast that I have chosen for a man to afflict his soul for a day A like errour in judgment we commit when we call things in themselves good by the names of the best things as I observe it and you may that we call Prayer hearing the Word the receiving of the Sacrament by the names of God's Ordinances they are indeed ordained of God but I never read them called so in Scripture yet magnifie these under that name and judge highly of our selves for the performance of these yet as the Papists glory in opere operato as they call it while mean time we neglect those which the Lord calls his Ordinances i. e. his Commandments so ye shall find them called Levit. 18.4 Ezech. 11.2 Psal 99.7 See how the Lord discovers this false judgment and false righteousness they pleased themseves in their long Prayers Esay 1.15 20. hearing the word Ezech. 33.30 receiving the Sacrament Luk. 13.26 27. 3. Justice and judgment are fallen in the earth ye shall see the truth of this Esay 59. where the Prophet describes the state of things in the world before Christ's Kingdom be erected in judgment and justice and before he rules in us None calleth for justice nor any pleadeth for truth their works are works of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their paths The way of peace they know not and there is no judgment in their goings they have made them crooked paths whosoever goes therein shall not know peace Therefore is judgment far from us neither doth justice overtake us we look for judgment but there is none for salvation but it is far off from us In transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing away from our God Judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off for truth is fallen in the streets and equity cannot enter yea truth faileth and he that departs from evil maketh himself a prey or is accounted a mad man And the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgment It is somewhat a long but a most pertinent description of our times wherein we have lost the true estimate and judgment of things as the Prophet there complains Now when Judgment and Justice are fallen what is set up what else but spiritual wickedness in heavenly things spiritual pride and high mindedness high opinions of our own knowledge our own made-holiness outward shews of Religion whether they be pompous and glittering Ceremonies wherein some men place all their Religion or outward ostentation of zeal without knowledge or common honesty and what ever else exalts it self against the Justice and Judgment of Jesus Christ of all which our Lord passeth a common judgment Whatsoever is high among men is an abomination before God Luk. 16.15 Which is done commonly one of these wayes when either 1. We call an action indifferent by the name of an action simply good or 2. When we call a good action by the best name or 3. When we call that which is evil by a good name This discovers that abominable partiality which reigns among false Christians in place of the Judgment and Justice of Jesus Christ they judge unrighteous judgment and that both in respect of things and persons ye have this prophesied of to be under the Gospel whereas the Prophet Esay had described Christ's Kingdom chap. 4. chap. 5. He discovers their degenerate and apostate condition and denounceth a woe upon them for their covetousness v. 8. their drunkenness v. 11. and â— 20. Wo unto them that call evil good and good evil Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wâ—â— pronounce judgment of
and who is not in the state of Grace no man shall quietly possess any thing if a gracious man steals what is anothers his Grace is no Grace Hence will follow a prodigious distinction of Theft that which a gracious man commits and that which a graceless man commits There is a Spiritual thievery or robbing another of what is his and this either 1. forbidden of God or 2. commanded of or by him 1. Forbidden of God and that is robbery and stealing from God Our Neighbour The Devil And all these thieveries from the heart and self-love deeply rooted there for whereas love of another proceeds from love of our selves that due love whereby we love our selves in God and for God being corrupted is turned into such an inordinate love of the Creatures that the man loves the Creatures better than himself for 't is possible that a man may rob himself and be a thief of his own goods Solomon tells us of such a fool Eccles 6.2 Sunt mihi divitiae sed non conceditur uti An arrant fool yet in a sort we may truly say such an one is a just man because he allows himself as much as he is worth and that 's just nothing Such self-robbers were the Jews who had the Kingdom and the Priest-hood and the Prophesie yet enjoyed them not but left them for the believing people of the Gentiles to enjoy And are there not too many of us to whom God hath given the riches of the knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures the end of all which is the life of God yet wittingly and willingly we rob our selves of all that knowledge and live a quite contrary life as he who hid his Lords talent in the earth There is a Spiritual thievery which also proceeds out of the heart even the assuming and taking to ones self that which is properly Gods I shall not here spend time about that outward robbery of God which is called Sacriledge of which the Psalmist speaks Psal 83.12 and that of which the Prophet speaks Mal. 1. I leave these thefts for others to speak of There is a more close and hidden stealing and ruining the goods of God what are they See Notes on Mat. 22.21 There is a pilfering and stealing of these goods of God See Notes as before We are exhorted to put on the New Man and to be renewed in the spirit of our mind â—hat we may bear the Image of the Heavenly Man who after God is created in Righteousness and Holiness of Truth Phudices was to make the Statue of Minerva which he did but so cunningly he ingraved his own Image in it John 10.1 There is a robbery also of our Neighbours of this robbery they in special are guilty who are intrusted by God as his Stewards and these either such as have received this dispensation or at lest assume it to themselves as if they were stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 if they be indeed stewards of Gods mysteries why then do they give the people only the Letter and the History and reserve the Mystery unto themselves Every one of common Capacity can understand much of the History and Letter of the Scripture but there is a Mystery to be dispensed which all understand not if they did it were no Mystery they are unjust Stewards But there is another robbery whereof I fear too many are guilty and that is the robbery of the Poor when they whom God hath made stewards defraud them of their Charity Thus many a one is a thief and yet perhaps understands it not as when a man gives his goods to feed the poor yet hath no Charity 1 Cor. 13. he hath no love no good will There is a robbery even of the Devil himself for somewhat he hath we confess when we say give the Devil his due whose else are the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life St. John tells us 1 Joh. 2. That these are not of the Father but of this world whose then are they to whom do they belong but to the Prince of this world and therefore our Lord tells the Jews that they were of their Father the Devil and the lusts of their Father they were his lusts they would do Joh. 8.44 Lust unto murder lust unto lying is his When he speaks a lye he speaks of his own for he is a lyar and the father of it The Jews had rob'd their Father of his lies and they were so full of them that they had no place in them for belief of the Truth vers 45. Because I tell you the Truth ye believe me not 2 Thes 2.11 whose goods else are the false Righteousness and Holiness whose else is the knowledge falsly so called whose are these accursed things but the Devils Josh 7. We read of Achan that he stole a goodly Babylonish garment what 's this but the robe of false Righteousness as when men imagine and assume to themselves an Opinion that they are Righteous because Christ was Righteous as if a man thought himself sober because Christ was sober though he himself be an arrant drunkard This is the Righteousness of the confused Babel The Chaldeans report that this Babylonish Garment was woollen and it is likely enough for our Lord tells us of the Babylonish Prophets who come to us in sheeps cloathing Another part of the stoln goods are two hundred shekels of silver and what 's this silver but the false Knowledge like unto the true which the Wise Man bids us seek as silver Prov. 7. the treasury of Knowledge falsly so called 1 Tim. The false Achans the troublers of Israel they steal these with intent to vend them and put them off to others Laudat venales qui vult protrudere merces These Factors for Babel with glozing language cheat the poor simple people that 's meant by the wedge of God where in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tongue of Gold as it is in the Margin Repreh Who arrogate to themselves the means of obtaining the goods of God This is a spiritual gift whereof the Jews were guilty who would enter into life by keeping the Commandments which is indeed the means which our Lord prescribes but impossible by our own power But the Jews would keep them without faith which brings in the power This was the argument of St. Paul's dispute with them in the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians This was meant by the Gigantomachia when the Gyants would scale Heaven and take it by their own power of this we understand Joh. 10.1 Exhort 1. Rob those who have rob'd us that 's the honest theft I told you of such as is commanded of God Exod. 3.22 and 11 12. Exhort 2. Let us restore unto every one that which is his own Restitution is a part of Repentance there is no shame in it give the Devil his due the evil of evil it is his so is the evil of evil
be a Godly man unless also he love God no more than the Devil himself can be said to be Godly who knows God better than the most learned man And therefore St. Paul though I know saith he all mysteries and all knowledge and have not Charity I am nothing 1 Cor. 13. and the reason is Cognitum est in cognoscente per suam speciem We are carried in our understanding only to the representation of the thing we know but we are carried by love into the very thing it self we love we are only imaginarily united unto the thing we know but really united and joyned unto the thing we love and therefore saith the Prophet They are become abominable according as they loved Hos 9.10 Jer. 2.5 So on the contrary saith St. Paul He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit 2 Cor. 6. As a man that 's hungry may perhaps fansie a kind of satisfaction to his appetite and a man that 's thirsty may imagine a like satisfaction of his thirst but alas these are but dreams as Esay 29.8 it is not a speculative knowledge of God that will fill the hungry soul no it 's a real taste and relish of God If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2. And he that eateth me shall live by me Nor is it the fansie or thought of God which will satisfie the soul that is athirst for him My soul is athirst for God even for the Living God Psal 41. The soul that hungers and thirsts for God cannot be filled otherwise than with God himself as Psal 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thine house Nor doth the Lord require only that we fear him for perfect love casts out fear whence in our Liturgy we call Gods Service perfect freedom No nor doth the Lord require a barren or dead or devillish faith as St. James calls it which yet many wholly relie on but a faith that works by Love as St. Paul speaks Gal. 5.6 Lastly for I must not stand long in gathering Corollaries observe we hence the integrity of God's Service This Commandment lest any one conceive himself exempt from 't is propounded to him by name in a manner Thou shalt love the Lord thy God c. Both 1. because God looks at a whole People or Nation as if it were but one man And 2. because obedience to Gods Commands is required of every man in particular and therefore answerable hereunto we may frame such a general Exhortation which yet may descend unto every one That we would love the Lord our God with all our heart c. And a most ample field it is wherein quaelibet herba Deum Every Creature speaks the Author of it and invites us to the love of him all the motives which I will make use of may be referred to these Two generals 1. There is nothing more just and reasonable And 2. There is nothing more profitable than to love the Lord our God 1. How reasonable and just it will appear if we consider 1. Gods merit and desert at our hands and 2. our own duty For whether we consider 1. the object here commanded to be loved and that either 1. In himself the Lord or 2. In reference unto us our God or 3. The act of loving him with all our heart the subject required to love the Lord. These and every one of these will yield us reason sufficient why we should love the Lord our God c. 1. As for the Object in it self considered it 's the Lord or Jehovah See Ains in Deut. 6.5 the Essence Nature or Being of God But when I tell you that the Essence or Nature of God folded up in the word Jehovah or the Lord is most lovely in it self it is not mine intent to wind up your thoughts to a Seraphical contemplation of the Divine Nature Such knowledge is too wonderful and denied to Moses himself though he be said to have seen the Lord face to face we must look upon it as on the Sun-beams but so as quenched in the water or as through a glass darkly yet so as the Lord himself unfolded his own Name and Nature unto Moses Exod. 34. in it self most amiable and most lovely The Lord the Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering full of Goodness of Truth keepinging Mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin What more lovely than this name of Grace and Mercy to Israel to the Church of God being as yet in the nonage and subject unto many failings according to a like speech of St. John unto us and all Christians consideration in the like childhood I write unto you Children that your sins are forgiven you through his Name When the Church is grown up to riper years he propounds the amiableness and loveliness of his Essence and Nature in other Attributes as of Wisdom of Knowledge of Righteousness of Holiness of Truth of Patience of Goodness of Gentleness and the like and all to excite and stir up our Love and imitation of his most lovely Essence Nay Beloved Gods Essence and Nature is the Everlasting Fountain of all Goodness and Loveliness yea Goodness and Love it self 1 Joh. 4. whence all those drops of goodness and loveliness are distilled into the Creature there is nothing good amiable or lovely in the whole Creature whether it be Natural Moral or Spiritual which hath not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plato calls it the Idea the exemplary subsistence or pattern yea the Original and Fountain of it in God himself as Honour Praise Glory Power Authority Strength Profit Pleasure in a word what ever can be called good Whence it is that no man nor thing can be stiled Essentially Naturally and Originally Good but only God Luk. 18.19 This Consideration that God is the very best Being and the Essentiator or giver of Being to every thing ought to be so prevalent with us that even for this reason were there no more we ought to love love him best and so with all our heart according to our own Rule Vt se habet simplicitèr ad simplicitèr ita magìs ad magìs maximè ad maximè if I ought to love that which is good because 't is good I ought to love that more which is better and that the best of all which is the best of all and that is God and for this reason God loves himself Vide Theol. Germ. Especially if we consider to whom he is good surely such he is to us and every one of us and therefore stiled thy God who ever thou art Whether we be considered 1. In our meer natural estate as we are his Creatures or 2. In our estate elevated above meer Nature as his new Creatures And if in our meer natural estate whence have we I beseech you that our meer natural estate to say from our selves or from any Creature or not from God I know not whether I should call it rather
who have lived long among them affirm who have only the light of Nature they live soberly justly and honestly one with another are loving merciful and helpful one to another none must want what others have Somewhat I might add of their Religion That they acknowledge one Sovereign Power one most High God whom they worship and that there are manifold spirits as of the Fire and Water such as the Scripture also testifieth of yet they worship them not but this is not so proper to our purpose in hand If those having not the Law do by nature the things that are contained in the Law Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves vers 17. Behold thou art called a Jew a Christian and to the 24. Pudet haec opprobria nobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli O Beloved we have so much Religion so much Christianity such as it is among us that we have lost utterly lost the neighbourly love Obser 3. Observe the large sphere yea the boundless limits of neighbourly love it extends to all and every one friends enemies known unknown Confer Notes on Psal 112.9 v. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The good man loves and does good to all men 1 Thess 3.12 The Apostle prayeth that the Thessalonians may abound in love towards one another and towards all men and 5.15 follow that which is good both among your selves and to all men And St. Peter 2 Pet. 1. exhorts to add unto brotherly Love Charity or common Love as Coverdale turns the word Prayer is to be made for all Nations Esay 56.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we turn it well Mine house shall be called the house of prayer for all the People or for all People or Nations And why should we vary from it Mar. 11.17 I know not since the very same place of Esay is meant and the very same Greek words which are used in the Septuagint In that prayer in the Liturgy which hath the ground in the Apostle for Kings and all in Authority is there restrained to Christian Kings whereas in the Apostles times there was no King Christian but the first Christian King is said to be Lucius a King of this Island Obser 4. These are the last times Mat. 24.12 2 Tim. 3.2 It is the time that the Apostle also foretold when men should be lovers of themselves for whereas men commonly act according to that opinion which they have of God most men in these dayes make him like themselves extremely to love some few whom they love and to hate all other and accordingly they confine their love within the number of those who are of their own opinion what ever that is But our Lord requires common love love towards one another and towards all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what great matter do ye more than every man doth Our Lord requires and expects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abundance of love of those whom he loves unto salvation and who love him not that we confine our love within the number of a few for even Laban and Nabal loved their own See Notes on Psal 112. This reprehends this present age of all other which have gone before Our Lord foretells it as a character of this Generation That because iniquity shall abound in it the love of many shall grow cold That love of many I understand Objectivè not Subjectivè so that our love is cold towards the many haply our love may burn towards a few but our Lord requires the love of many and towards many See Notes on Psal 112.9 v. 40. We look upon one another for evil to see what we can discern amiss one in anothers life and conversation and if we observe one mans judgment of another such an one is proud such an one is covetous another a drunkard every man seeks matter from another to judge evil of him as the Spider draws poyson out of the sweetest flowers and with these every man pleaseth himself that such an one is evil and therefore approves himself as if he were good and as he ought to be 1. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 1. These words require our obedience unto that most excellent rule of Equity Mat. 7.12 Luk. 6.31 Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them A rule known to the Pythagoreans who thought it equal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That what we do to others we our selves wish to be done unto our selves we do the same to others The same which Severus the Emperour of Rome though a persecutor of the Christians yet took this rule from them Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris or from the Jews saith the Historian for we read it in the Apocrypha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rule which every mans conscience tells him is most equal yet few men I fear practice it and therefore somewhat they must have to say for themselves when they transgress this rule and deal unjustly with their neighbour they do they say as they would be done unto if they themselves were such as they are now when they deal unjustly This foolish pretence for it is no better may be answered briefly thus Our Lord Jesus propounding that rule of equity directs his speech unto his Disciples as appears by the two places named now they are such as deny themselves c. So our Lord here directs the great Commandment and this also to Israel even all such as walk according to his rule and unto such the whole word of God is directed And therefore it is no marvel that when we speak of exact walking with God and Men love God with all our heart and our neighbour as our selves If men take offence and say it 's impossible it cannot be done that doth not any way weaken the truths delivered but declare rather that they are not the men who are duly and fitly qualified for the receiving of these Truths As for the Minister he of all other is the most hated man he is proud saith one covetous saith another a malignant saith a third he preacheth and prayeth for peace saith a fourth that 's a new sin by which we may guess what our righteousness is What is the reason of this I hate him saith Ahab because he never prophesied good to me but evil Eliah is mine enemy a troubler of Israel Amos the Land cannot endure his words he speaks too much truth he goeth about to cast out the Spirit of Divination by which we have our wealth he is indeed mens enemy for no other reason than that unreasonable one because he tells the people the truth 1. A man hath in him the abridgment of three men 1. The first Adam 2. The second Adam 3. The Man of Sin who hath interposed himself between the first and second Adam and made a separation between Man
one to his Brother saying Come I pray you and let us hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord and they come unto thee as the people cometh and sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness and lo thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a very pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they hear thy words but they do them not but when this cometh to pass lo it will come then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them Yet all this while this people was a drowzy dull people their heart was asleep in which sleep they may talk of great things yet do little as appears here by the Prophet do we not perceive it many times in our selves when we are drowsie we can speak ask questions and give answers but the mouth of the stomach being open sends up abundance of vapours which stupifie the Senses and we may be then said to be even half asleep I fear it may be our own case that these things may happen even to our selves and yet we be asleep But how shall we know then when we are awake As Sleep is the binding up of the Senses so we are awake when all our Senses are loose and free when by reason of use or habit we have our senses well exercised to discern both good and evil Heb. 5.14 When we have an experimental sight hearing and feeling of the Word of God when we inwardly see feel and perceive the truth of the Word when we can say with St. John 1 Joh. 1.1 when our heart is awake and that freely sends forth good things words and actions when we awake to righteousness and sin not 1 Cor. 15. that this is the true spiritual watching and waking appears by Phil. 1.9 then is the heart awake when with the whole heart we speak the truth Then is our whole man awake when as Solomon saith Eccles 7.25 we apply our hearts to know and search and seek out wisdom and approve what is excellent I and my heart as the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 8.16 I gave my heart to know wisdom c. Note here a time of desertion the great occasion of slumbering and sleeping even in death by the long stay of the Bridegroom this occasion many of the Jews took of sinning in the Wilderness while they were not yet come to the holy Land whence we may take occasion to reprove those who abuse the patience and long-suffering of God like that evil servant ye read of in the 24. of Matth. 48. who says in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming and begins to smite his fellow-servants and eat and drink with the drunken c. Where also we may be exhorted to watching and prayer from the next Verse The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware c. NOTES and OBSERVATIONS on MAT. 25.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And at midnight there was a cry made Behold the Bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him 2. AT the Coming of the Bridegroom we have 1. The Proclamation of his Coming which is illustrated 1. By the Adjunct Time and 2. By the Effects of it the Time at Midnight common to all whether wise or foolish yet proper to the wise who enter into the Bride-chamber the joy of their Lord proper also to the foolish who are excluded even into the outer darkness 2. The Proclamation it self and that at midnight Behold the bridegroom cometh Obj. This Proclamation hath been made so many hundred years yet the Bridegroom is not come Answ Though Zeph. 1. we hear a long Proclamation and terrible threatning in time it will speak The Prophecy of Enoch had its fulfilling in the destruction of the old World and yet it was to be fulfilled in St. Jude's days Jude verse 14. Babylon how often is it said to be destroyed and Jabin is said to be utterly routed and cut off Jos 11.1 yet we read of him again Judg. 4. So saith St. John in his 12. chap. Now is the judgment of this world come yet are we to believe that He shall come again to judg both the quick and the dead Behold the Bridegroom cometh The Virgins are here called upon to go forth to meet him which Proclamation is made at midnight with an Emphasis Behold Wherein we must enquire 1. Something of his Coming and 2. Something of the Bridegroom himself 1. Of his Coming what kind of Coming it is by which the Coming of Christ the great Bridegroom is here understood viz. His second appearing which is spiritual and that either 1. Particular to every believing Soul or 2. General at the last judgment 1. Here is then the accomplishment of our Lord's promise Joh. 14.10 I will not leave you orphans I will come again unto you which our Lord afterwards makes good to St. John in special Joh. 21.22 vers 3. and 28. as St. John himself acknowledgeth Rev. 1.10 I was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet 2. The word Bridegroom by which we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so called either 1. From his waiting on his Bride or 2. From the Dutch word importing the keeping of her or 3. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the marrying of her it answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies one joyned to a Virgin by contract as also when two diverse Families are joyned together in kindred by the espousing of two persons So that Bridegroom is a relative name and to whom hath Christ the Bridegroom this near relation or reference but to his Church He himself is his Churches Bridegroom he is espoused unto her by mutual promises they are contracted one to other He is the Bridegroom or servant which the Bridegroom according to custom and to insinuate his love to his Spouse is wont to profess himself the servant to his Bride the same really does the Bridegroom perform he takes upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the form of a servant and waiter upon his Bride as 't is the custom among us and some other Nations that the Bridegroom performs this service our Lord promiseth also to do this really Luk. 12.37 Blessed are those Servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them He is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Bridegroom is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Hence we learn an Article of the Christian Faith that the Bridegroom shall come this pro se quisque every Christian man and woman professeth to believe for him and her self and for the
Fathers to the Children and the heart of the Children to their Fathers lest I come and smite the Earth with a Curse Now the cry that 's here meant is before the second coming of the Lord whereby is to be understood the publishing of the Gospel the second time Mat. 24.14 which is the everlasting Gospel which the Angel publishes and proclaims Rev. 14.6 The reason of this cry or loud noise made at midnight may be either 1. to men afar off or 2. in regard of other noises which hinder men from hearing or because they to whom the cry is made are asleep 1. Men are afar off for as Omne visibile radiat Every visible thing hath its rayes which have their bounds how far they can be seen so it 's true of all the sensible objects Omne audibile radiat Every audible thing hath certain rayes as I may say whereby the cry is carried and this cry must be great Eph. 2.13 and 17. Now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ and vers 17. came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to them that were nigh 2. There are other noises which hinder the hearing of this cry like as in Catadupa Esay 5. read 3. They to whom the cry is made are asleep they all slumbered and slept yet this cry is to the glory of all penitent souls but to the confusion and misery of all such as are foolish and impenitent This cry was made at midnight which came to pass by reason of its allusion to that ancient rite and custom of solemnizing Marriage in the night whence the custom long after remained of using Lamps and Torches at their Marriages But why is the time here definitely set down at midnight We read of Three other times named Mark 13.35 Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh whether at even or at midnight or at the cock-crowing or in the morning lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping Wherefore what I say unto you I say unto all watch so Luk. 12.38 whereby is signified the uncertainty of the time which is here set down as certain at midnight Hence 1. observe in the time of the greatest darkness warning is given of the coming or appearing of the greatest Light Luk. 2.8 read there is question made touching the time of our Lord 's appearing in the flesh I dare not recede from the known time though I conceive it was about the time when the Sun entered Capricorn in the time of the greatest darkness And as his coming in the flesh was at such a time so is his coming in the Spirit I come like a thief in the night and the Apostle tells the Thessalonians so much 1 Thess 5.2 For your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh so even as a thief in the night 2. Observe hence appears how dreadful and terrible the coming of the Lord must needs be unto all ungodly men unto impâ—udent and foolish Virgins who neither know nor desire nor wait for the appearing of the Lord the cry is made at midnight when men are at rest when they are most secure when all slumber and sleep when all say peace and safety then comes sudden destruction upon them as travel upon a woman with Child and they shall not escape 1 Thess 5.2 3. so Job 34.20 In a moment shall they dye and the people shall be troubled at midnight and pass away and they shall take away the mighty without hand 3. Observe the Lord would have his coming known to all who wait for it the cry is made at midnight when a noise is heard far and wide Rom. 10.18 Have they not heard Yes verily their sound went into all the Earth and their words unto the end of the world Psal 98.2 3. The Lord hath made known his Salvation his Righteousness hath he reveiled in the sight of the Heathen he hath remembred his Mercy and his Truth all the ends of the Earth have seen the salvation of our God 4. Observe there is no time at all wherein to be secure for when men are wont most securely to take their rest even at midnight then is the cry made Tiberius the Emperour being invited to Supper to a Noble Man in Rome he stayed while midnight before he came and the Historian gives the reason Vt expectatior veniret He knew he had Soveraign Power and he would try the obedience of his Subjects if he thought it noble how much more justly and with better decorum may the great and only Potentate stay his own time Before the preaching of the Everlasting Gospel which is the cry here meant Rev. 14.6 we find one prodigious beast coming out of the Sea and another out of the Earth both which are interpreted the same Antichrist exercising the power of darkness Revel 13. per totum when there were none but pure Virgins lest with the Lamb on Mount Sion Rev. 14.1 5. then was the cry made by the Angel flying in the midst of Heaven vers 6. Let us be exhorted then though he stay late though while midnight yet wait on him for that he tarries is no argument of his disaffection but rather of his love to us Joh. 11. yea it is for our safety 2 Pet. 3.15 Account that the long suffering of God is Salvation even as our Brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written in Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance Heb. 3.12 But exhort one another daily whilst 't is called to day Heb. 10.15 Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another so much the more as ye see the day approaching vers 36. For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the Promise Means hereunto Hasten to the coming of the day of God 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness looking for and hastening unto the day of God a strange speech we say Phosphore redde diem we wish for the day but can we hasten the day see Psal 94.12 13. For the Elects sakes those dayes are shortned Be we exhorted to hear the crying voice of the Angel Cant. 6.13 Return return O Shulamite return return it 's so read in the LXX and Vulg. Lat. though Shulamite also be a good sence O thou peaceable one or as it 's otherwise read O thou sleepy one Whence should the sleepy Virgin return and whither The Virgin Soul hath gone a whoring from her God Hos 9.1 Rejoyce not O Israel for joy as other people for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God and hast loved a reward in every corn floor In the latter dayes of the Church our Lord
be excluded of the Lord and shut out of the Marriage Chamber who seclude and shut out themselves Observ 5. Here take notice that the Lord sets bounds and limits unto his Mercy Patience and Long-suffering lest it should be abused and limits it with Justice and Severity These are termini licentiae bounds beseeming Gods Mercy Exod. 36.6 where the Lord declares his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he is gracious to all merciful to the evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he keeps mercy the ◠is in whom implying him the Lord shews mercy in even Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. bears ferens auferens the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he bounds these great Names of Goodness and mercy with Justice and Severity For should the gate of mercy stand always open no care or thought would be taken for entrance into that bliss and happiness and therefore the Lord requires our knocking by our utmost endeavours of Faith and Obedience and Prayer that it may be opened unto us and in justice he shuts the door of Faith against the despisers Act. 13.41 so that they shall in no wise believe though one declare truth unto them yea he shuts the door of utterance and makes those who should declare the truth dumb Ezek. 3.26 I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth that thou shalt be dumb and shalt not be a reproving to them for they are a rebellious house The reason of this is partly in regard of the wise and partly in regard of the foolish in regard of the wise it 's a door of inclusion to preserve and keep them safe within in regard of the foolish it 's a door of exclusion to keep them out In regard of the wise the shutting of the door of mercy is for their safety as the shutting of the door of the Ark was for the preservation of those in the Ark Gen. 7.16 God shut in Noah 2. In regard of the foolish the door was shut for their everlasting rejection and exclusion from bliss and happiness who had so long abused the mercy and patience and long-suffering of God and now justly come short of it 4. Observe here the everlasting safety of all those who are wise to salvation they are secure and safe when all the world about them was in perils this was represented by Noah safe in the Ark when all Mankind perished in the waters This is meant by that Evangelical Promise which we read so often in the Prophets my people shall dwell safely Observ 5. Here is an end of all molestation and trouble which is not to be looked for but by the wise the door is shut so true is that of our Lord in the world ye shall have trouble and tribulation Joh. 16. He speaks this to the men of the world but to his Disciples who by how much more obedient they are so much more opposition they meet with from the world which lies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the evil one which because it's contrary to the Wisdom of God and to his Righteousness and Truth it 's always troublesom and vexatious unto Gods people whence as the evil one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the troubler so wicked men his members are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as cause labour trouble and molestation unto the Saints of God insomuch as if any one walked as Christ walked as all ought to do who profess his Name 1 Thess 4.1 there is no security from the world until the door be shut Let us be hence exhorted to take the advice of the wise Virgins while it is time and before the time comes that it will be Ironical unto us let us buy the Oyl good husbands and wise men buy commodities when they are most cheap that they may vend them when they are dear The Lord here sets before us and all men in their generations the final state and condition of foolish and ungodly men that by their irremediable and unavoidable miseries we may timely beware and therefore the words are in the Present tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render in the Preter-tense things represented before our eyes as present oft-times make a deep impression Be we exhorted therefore to prepare our selves or make our selves ready that we may go in with the Bridegroom into the Marriage but alas what can we do can we move a hand or think a thought towards making our selves ready I answer we are first required to be passiive and suffer our selves to be wrought upon patere Deum whence it is that the Lord in Amos 4.11 12. requires this duty of us the word is passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prepare be prepared which we may note out of the Book of Esther how the Virgins were to be prepared whom Ahasuerus should own and accept of Our Lord in a Parable to the same effect Matth. 22. tells us of a Wedding-garment which he who had it not on was cast out what that Wedding-garment is many dispute I shall take it for granted that it is Charity which of all the holy Wardrobe ye read of in Col. 3.12 13 14. is the upper Garment above all those put on Charity But the putting on the upper Garment supposeth the putting on all the rest before And before we put on all the rest we must put off the filthy rags of the old Man vers 8. the very same method the Apostle observes Eph. 4.22 and 32. Now beloved if two Sutes be made exactly fit for one Body we cannot put on the one but we must first put off the other Let us therefore examine our selves whether we have put off the former the old Man otherwise how shall we put on the new And let us learn to keep our garments from spots and blemishes and stains if a garment be new we brush it lay it up charily Oh how long have we been putting off and that work 's not yet done what time can we assure our selves to put on 2 Pet. 1. The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they came afterward which implies a want or frustration as whereby negligent men are deprived of time and opportunity of doing what ought to be done Hence it appears by the practice of the most at this day the Verb is in the Present tense and speaks of the present Generation who 't is much to be feared wave fair opportunities of working out their own salvation whereof they will fall short in the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they say of the Plagians serò sapiunt they are wise when it is too late as Hesiod calls Epimetheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such are the Sons and Daughters of Epimetheus they come too late and fall short of entrance into the Wedding-chamber Heb. 3. the Apostle having propounded unto the Hebrews the Rest promised unto them and the dreadful example of
glory in tribulation also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us 1. Vse Hence is for Consolation many there are who complain they want the Gifts and Graces of God Consider Hebr. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him Alas but I am poor and hath not God chosen the poor rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom Let us be exhorted to be having to be covetous there is a good kind of covetousness as well as an evil for the Prophet Habakkuck 2.9 Wo to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house that he may set his nest on high that he may be delivered from the power of evil And the Apostle in 1 Cor. 14.1 exhorts us to covet spiritual gifts to be having them But for what use for our selves No that 's an evil covetousness he presently adds the end wherefore we should covet them viz. that we may prophesie The Jews have an excellent proverbial speech See Notes on Psal 112. Wherefore do men hoard and lay up wealth is it not that it might profit them in times of scarcity But the Wise Man tells us otherwise Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath it profits then to have had wealth i. e. to have used it well Thus the Lord teacheth us to profit 1 Tim. 6. Laying up for your selves and Godliness is profitable for all things so to him that hath shall be given Sign Whether have we these goods of our Master yea or no Have we the simplicity of Abel that breathing towards God or hath Cain the having or covetousness of the earthly man slain it in us Means Oportet credere quod implendum est direct and positive means are Faith and the prayer of Faith If any man lack wisdom let him ask it of God but let him ask in Faith We read of a firmament between the waters above and beneath it those waters above the firmament are say some the ideas the fountains and originals of all things to be produced our Lord calls the Holy Spirit by the name of Water and that Holy Spirit if it be obtained by Faith that 's the firmament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.5 and by Prayer Luk. 11.13 When by Faith and Prayer we have obtained these Talents let us use them and improve them to our Masters honour and his Servants benefit and blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing 2. He shall have abundance These words answer to the Lords bountiful rewarding of his faithful and industrious servants Which being the scope of these words will help us to the true understanding of them which the French Translation does not reach unto which turns the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall have so much more which beside that it does not turn the word but falls much short of the sence as shall be shewn Diodati turns it somewhat better in his Italian He shall superabound but neither doth he reach the full sence of the word Martin Luther in his Saxon Translation renders the word He shall have fulness and the Low Dutch Translation sounds to the same purpose He shall overflow but neither answer the word fully No nor any of our English Translations that I have seen whereof the most render the word as our last Translation has it He shall have abundance only the Manuscript hath He shall increase But indeed these seem rather to aim at the sence of the word than to render it as faithful Translators ought to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he shall have abundance word for word He shall be made to abound â—ugebitur for the word is Passive and so shews Gods act in rewarding his faithful and industrious servants 1. Reason of this will appear from the endeavour and industry of him that hath or useth well what he hath Prov. 21.5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness which is the wise mans riddle Prov. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth and there is that with-holdeth more than is meet but it tendeth to poverty but he that watereth shall be watered also himself 2. Reason of this also appears from the Mrs Justice and Equity in rewarding his Servants in that thing which they seek and follow after for whereas the rule is general That he that seeketh findeth and he that knocks it shall be opened unto him Surely if the God of all Grace concurrs in some sort with all endeavours of men how much more will he concurr and bless those endeavours and labours which are undertaken by his Servants for his honour and for the good of men Observ 1. Gods manner of rewarding his laborious and industrious servants he gives to all according to their works But how is that even according to their desires and endeavours at what they have aimed at they who have been busied about works of Mercy they shall obtain a suitable reward Blessed are the merciful for they shall find mercy He that followeth after righteousness and mercy he findeth life righteousness and honour Prov. 21.21 Observ 2. Note here how highly dignified and honoured they are of the Lord who have used their Talents well They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellent men men abundantly honoured of their Lord The Wise man about to rehearse a Catalogue of men famous in their Generations he commends them all not from what they knew only not from what they believed but from what they did Ecclus. 44.1 having given them praise according to several Virtues and Graces vers 10. He gives them one common attribute they were all such as had abounded these were all merciful men so that Ecclus. 27.8 9. If thou follow after righteousness thou shalt obtain her and put her on as a glorious long robe The birds will resort unto their like so will Truth return unto them who practise in her they who know the Truth and hold it not in unrighteousness but practise it they I say obtain the essential Truth which is Christ Joh. 14. so they who practise righteousness obtain a crown of righteousness and they who seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life Thus on the contrary when the desires endeavours and labours aim at iniquity men are rewarded with the fulness of it Rom. 1.27 28 29. unrighteous men receiving in themselves that recompence of their errour which was meet c. so Psal 109. 17 18. As he loved cursing so let it come unto him c. and Ecclus. â—7 As a Lion lyeth in wait for the prey so sin watcheth for him that worketh iniquity whose end shall be according to their deeds Phil. 3.19 Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly who
can come to me except my Father draw him unto which attraction whosoever obeys he yields up himself and is no more his own 2. A second necessity is Medii of Means conducing to the end whereunto self-denial tends for whereas we therefore come after Christ that he may bring us unto God it 's necessary that the sensual lusts and carnal mind be removed which is enmity against God Doubt But is this possible so to deny our selves That the will of our God should be done in us Not all at once the want of distinguishing the several degrees of proficiency in Christs School obscures many Divine Truths There are degrees of Self-denial according to three Classes or Forms of Christ's School 1. When we empty our selves of our selves that the Lord works only a will in us but little or no power As an obedient Child hath his Fathers will in his but no strength to effect it so Rom. 7. To will is present with vers 18. 2. When power is added as when the Child is grown up to a young man so Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you to will and to do 3. When they are wholly resigned up unto God to be disposed of so that such self-deniers have nothing at all left of propriety in themselves no intanglements at all with the Creatures insomuch that in such notable proficients that petition in the Lords Prayer is fulfilled and such as these become Gods heavens upon earth which declare his glory Psal 19. ye have these three as in many places of Scripture so altogether 1 John 2.12 13 14. Doubt 2. But if we must deny our selves how can we love our Neighbour as our selves Surely best of all when we love our selves only in God and in order unto God and so there is a lawful self-love according to which we love our neighbour as our selves according to this saith the Apostle No man ever hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it Eph. 5.29 This love is guided by our love to God Observ 1. As obedience is submission of ones own will unto the will of another so self-denial is the renouncing of our own reason will affections all we are that the will of our God may be fully done in us so that the will of God may have that full power in us that our own will had before and that our will may be transformed changed and emptied into Gods will for the spirit of God insinuating it self and emptying it self on the humbled and obedient soul consumes all our own misled reason and proper will also that we neither have nor use any other reason will or affections but resign up all unto the will of God Observ 2. The reason why there are so few true Disciples of Christ among the great crowd of his followers few you will say who is not a Disciple of Christ 't is such a question as ye read Mar. 5.30.31 and may be answered like that how few are there such that as she touch our Saviour and are healed by him Aristotle affirms that as the principal part of a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom since many Divines follow it is no marvel that there are so many so proud so self-loving and falsly called Disciples Observ 3. Observe what is the reason of these evil times 2 Tim. 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syriack Tempora dura hard times why for instead of self-deniers shall be self-lovers have there not been alwayes such yes but not in the Church we have now self-loving Christians that appears vers 5. They have a form of godliness but deny the power of it heretofore such were cast out of the Church now there 's no notice taken of pride covetousness and the like I do not remember that envy covetousness pride or wrath were enumerated among the sins which excluded men from the Communion men may be such yet very good Christians Well for these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience and these are the men that make the times evil Rom. 1. Notwithstanding the many changes that have been among us we are the same men and not changed as the Lord threatens Moab Jer. 48.11 We have been changed from vessel to vessel yet the ill taste and scent remains what is in this case to be feared surely that the Lord who rules this later age with a rod of iron will break us one upon another as a potters vessel wherein there is no pleasure Observ 4. The great love of our Lord and Saviour unto strayed man he will not suffer him to lose himself in a forreign and strange being and estate for as Plato required in those whom he admitted into his School so our Lord a greater then all Philosophers requires something in those whom he admits into his School Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato never came so high as self-denial Our Lord no man who denies not himself no man who takes not up his Cross daily two main duties which are often iterated by our Saviour in the Gospel But where Plato left there Christ begins Observ 5. Observe the ready way leading unto Christ the gnomen that directs unto him self-denial 't is not study nor reading nor meditating nor hearing though these may be good helps for man to know himself that he may deny himself none of these render a man worthy of Christ a man may do all these yet be no Disciple of Christ none of all these strikes at the great idol self 't is that which stands between us and Christ Repreh 1. This reproves disobedient men who flatter themselves with the name of Gods people when they live in a course of disobedience unto God there were such in the Apostles time Tit. 1.16 These deny not themselves and so are not followers and Disciples of Christ but they deny God himself Covetous men deny Christ 2 Pet. 2. Christ is Righteousness unrighteousness denies him he is wisdom folly denies him he is truth falshood and lies deny him he is holiness prophaneness denies him as often as we are overcome by any sin we deny our God so often as we overcome sin and deny our selves we praise God and confess him Psal 50. ult Repreh 2. This reproves proud Adam in the most of us every man would be his own guide counseller King God that suggestion of Satan yet sounds in our ears ye shall be as Gods Corrupt nature is inclined and bended unto it self recurva in seipsam seeks in it self its own rest and contentation loves all the Creatures for it self yea God himself for it self this was figured by the Woman whom Satan had bound she could never be loosed till Christ loosed her Satan binds up iniquity in the heart even of a child and we are never loosed from it until the rod of correction that is the law of the Father and his attraction and Christ's work in us loose us and set us free he came to dissolve the works of the Devil 1
unto the death of Christ who is content to become of no reputation for Christ who desires to be found in Christ in his death and in his life with the loss of all things who desires to be found in him not having his own righteousness which is by the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith who desires to find the power of his resurrection working in himself these and such as these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of Christ Who rather minds not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of self self-interest his own opinions and tenents his own supposed excellencies O how men are puft up at this day one against another what animosity what swelling there is one against another and that either for some chosen opinions taken up upon trust or for greatness of place and dignity As for the selfness of opinion see Ezek. 13. he found it among the Jews and the Apostle found that self also among the Colossians 2.18 They intruded into the things which they had not seen vainly puft up by their earthly mind Men of all divided Judgements take up their Principles upon trust from their several Leaders of their own respective Parties and for these they strive and contend and according to these they will be reputed Orthodox and that before they have experimentally tryed and examined those things How immethodically and disorderly herein do men proceed how contrary to our Lords method Joh. 7.17 If any man will do his i. e. the fathers will that is his Law he shall know of the doctrine And indeed who is there of us all but knows more of Divine Truth than he hath lived and practised and so found to be true in the mean time he doth but believe it to be true he does but perswade himself it is so but when he has taken courage to live and do what he believes then and not till then he knows what now he believes therefore St. Peter directs us to add to our faith virtue or courage to do what be believe and then add saith he in your virtue knowledge Before we come to such a certainty of Gods Truth all is but self-perswasion no more than hear-say some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some tradition received from some who have gone before us 2. Again what opinion is there of self-excellency what ambitious selfness how do men swell one against another and strive who should be the greatest such ye read of Luk. 22. yea in this Chapter after our Lord had taught this doctrine of Self-denial we read how little they had profited by this doctrine for in the 46. vers then there arose a reasoning among them who should be the greatest What tumours what swellings are there what ambition among us who should be the greatest I appeal to both Parties of them can they call those Christian actions can they sute with self-denial can they otherwise then condemn themselves in the things that they do O what extream need is there that the Lord should set a little Child among us as he there did that he would mind us of the child-like simplicity humility and innocency 3. Divine Axiom If any man will come after me let him deny himself After our Lord had premised a general invitation he descends to a particular yea as it may be understood a personal one if any man thou or I or he will come after Christ let him deny himself daily and take up his Cross c. 1. God who is most free and so made man after his own Image he would deal with man according to that free principle in him 2. As the man willingly and without any antecedent decree or coaction forsook the Lord so the Lord would by his invitation prevent the man that he might as willingly return unto him renounce and deny himself and so come after him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if any man will follow me and is' t no more than so if any man will if any man will There hath been of late years a great decrying of man's Free-will both by some learned and many unlearned when yet God forgive them neither know what they do That we may be better informed let us inquire what is the true freedom 1. What it is not 2. What it is 1. What it is not it is not a power to will or not to will not a power to do or not to do this or that which they call Libertas contradictionis No nor is it a power to will or do this or the contrary which they call Libertas contrarietatis as a power to love or hate to do good or evil to save life or to kill If either of these were the true fredom then were he truly free who hath a power to will or do what is good or not to will or do it he that hath a power to will or do what is good or to will or do what is contrary i. e. evil as where Laban said Gen. 31.29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt and Joh. 9.10 knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee if either of these were free then were they with whom they had to do not truly free or not so truly free as they then was Laban a more true free-man than Jacob yea Pilat should be a more free man than Christ Himself for Laban could have done Jacob hurt or not and Pilat could have crucified Christ or released Him Yea if this were to be free then could not God himself be said to be free who yet is Agens Liberrimus for God being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cannot but will good nor can he will or do that which is truly evil He cannot sin he cannot lye Were this true freedom then should not Christ be free Mar. 3.4 and he saith unto them Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath-day or to do evil to save life or to destroy This is not the true freedom 2. What then is the true free-will The true Liberty imports a releasing from a man 's own self-bondage the bondage of his own self-carnal reason which had enslaved him his own false and erroneous principles whereon his heart was bound the bondage of his own lusts whereunto he was a servant Joh. 8. the bondage of sin and the law of sin which hath enthrall'd him And being set free from all this bondage the true freedom is the addicting of ones whole self understanding reason will affections actions life unto God and his righteousness This freedom is brought by the Lord Jesus Christ his Word and his Spirit and Truth Joh. 8.32 36. Rom. 6.17 18. and 8 2. True power is a freedom to will and to do what is good without any hindrance without any resistance in him who wills or does it I know this is a paradox but surely the will of man being prone rather to evil than to
besets us and outwardly who lye in wait to destroy These all these were confederate against Israel according to the flesh and against Israel according to the Spirit And therefore David saith unto God the great friend of his Church they are confederate against thee And therefore Abijah in his Military Oration dehorts the Israelites not from fighting against Judah but from fighting against God 2 Chron. 13.12 And his Son Asa useth the like argument chap. 14.11 And his Son Jehoshaphat in his Prayer chap. 20.6 interests God in his quarrel and remembers him of his old friend Abraham vers 7. And God in all these examples so resents the business that he takes the injury done unto himself which is done unto his friends and gives them the victory Observ 5. Hence it follows that envious and malicious men are no friends of Jesus Christ His friends are Philadelphians of the Church of Philadelphia they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friends and lovers one of another and friends and lovers of Jesus Christ So our Lord saith to his Disciples of Lazarus Our friend Lazarus sleepeth Our friend not mine only Christ himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of God Col. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these wish all good may befal one to other and what good befals one its happiness unto the other What an abominable sin then must envy needs be that canker and rust of the Soul which is contracted from the good which is eminent in another See Notes on Exod. 20.3 4 5. Yet is that Monster gotten into the Temple of God Ezech. 8.3 the image 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of jealousie or envy in the entry Jealousie that makes God jealous as an Husband whose Wife hath entertained a Paramour an Adulterer into her bed Jam. 4.4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity against God yea 't is envy saith Basil that makes the Devil a Devil and it must needs be so for if God himself and Jesus Christ be Love its self surely envy is the Devil himself these cannot dwell together in one and the same house they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they cannot stand together O Beloved would God every one of us would impatiently search these Temples of God we bear about us our own hearts examine our selves Jam. 3.14 15 16. Did we look impartially into the glass of Righteousness the word of God as the Apostle compares it and discover our bitterness our envy and strife in our hearts the image of envy there in the Temple of God our lying against the truth when we call our selves Christians and friends of Christ we would be ashamed and blush and not dare to come to our friends Table These are no fit friends no guests fit for the Lords Table who eat their own Supper first who feed upon themselves Invidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis As the Polypus saith Aelian eats his own flesh but this is a feast of Love Yea it might be hoped the view or consideration of our own envy and malice the picture of the Devil himself would appear so ugly that through the grace of Christ we would reflect upon our selves and hate and loath our selves that this Diabolical nature might dye in us As they say of the Basilisk that whereas love is darted from one eye unto another that this Serpent is wont to dart death by the eyes yet when it looks upon a glass the venemous evaporation reflects from the glass and returns upon its own eye and kills the Basilisk Would God all envious and malicious men would look themselves in the Glass of Righteousness and that they were sensible of their own venemous disposition that so the reflexion and consideration of it in themselves might through Gods Grace mortifie and kill this envy in them Repr The adulterous generation the false friends of Jesus Christ who call themselves Christians and Christ's Disciples they who eat of his bread yet lift up their heel against him Psal 41.10 Such as eat and drink at his Table yet tread underfoot the Son of God The Supper of the Lord is an holy Feast instituted of Christ for his own friends not for his enemies for those who do his will and whatsoever he commands them not for those who do the lusts of the Devil 'T is meat for Disciples and Friends not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meat for dogs and swine The holy Scriptures testifieth that the Supper of the Lord is a feast of LOVE whereunto they only are invited who have tryed and examined themselves whether they be inwardly purged or purging from their sins and incorporated into the body of Christ by the Spirit of God and endeavour to mortifie all sin in themselves which is the end of this Sacrament if otherwise they eat and drink their own condemnation not discerning the Lords body O how is this feast of LOVE become Coena Cyclopica a meal of Cyclopick murderers such as they who hate one another 1 Joh. 4. O how is it made as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meat for dogs when they who bite and devour one another all flock unto it O how is it made as if it were swill for swine when the bruitish drunkards dare approach unto it Every one intending to cover his inward abominations with the flesh of Christ as if Christ were a cloak to cover knavery But O the blindness O the foolishness of this seeming knowing world we exclude one another from the Supper of the Lord for those open and gross sins which every Child can point at as whoring drunkenness stealing c. when yet we perceive not that we exclude our selves from the true inward Supper living in open enmity with our God spiritual whoredome spiritual fornication spiritual pride envy covetousness wrath malice implacable hatred and malice and all uncharitableness revenge unmercifulness worldly-mindedness we say that drunkenness whoredom fornication and gluttony they are of the beast yet we perceive not that envy pride covetousness c. are of the Devil the other have plus infamiae these plus peccati as Gregory saith well yet are these not at all regarded but the other looked at as the only sins O beloved would God that every one of us would impartially look into his own heart and search there what he doth whose will he doth and would thence judge himself what he is if this we would do how soon should we find not the mind and counsel of Christ our friend there but our own carnal opinions not complying with the will of God but delight and pleasure in our own will no new birth of the Spirit but the old lusts of the flesh no new life conformable to Christ but a conversation conformable to the world and the Prince of the world whence must needs follow that many of us who perhaps have thought our selves good Christians are indeed no friends but the very enemies of Christ Jam. 4.4 It 's
our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ See Notes on Gen. 11. He becomes all things to all men that by all means he might win all unto his love though few very few return to him reciprocal affection It is the Lot which his friends the true Ministers of the Word inherit with him and after him as St. Paul tells the Corinthians 2 Cor. 12.15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for you the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for your souls though saith he the more abundantly I love you the less I be loved for he came among his own and his own received him not Whence they are justly reproved who arrogate their great friends common Love which he extends to all his friends unto themselves only who impropriate the friendship of God unto their own strait laced company and no other Are there not in his Fathes house many mansions Hath he not other sheep that are not of this fold Joh. Are not they who fear God and work righteousness in every nation accepted of him A Picture looks indifferently at all and the Image of God who is the Son of God looks at all indifferently and would have all men be saved and all to come to the knowledge of his truth that all might know his Counsel and do his Will and be friends of God and is thine eye evil because God is good His friends are all Philadelphians Dehort Provoke not the Lord to kill us with those actions wherewith we go about to please him Observ God not named here nor Rom. 8.11 lest frequent use render it less venerable for that reason not named in the whole Book of Esther his providence preservation and government of his Church wonderfully declared his name being not often mentioned by the Jews he would that rather his being and works should be known than his name in our lips We learn by the same omission not to call our selves too often by the names and titles of Gods people but rather let our lives and actions speak what we are and whose people we are Observ Even the friends of Jesus Christ must fear God and fear Jesus Christ Jus reverentiale remitti non potest In the affirmative part we have 1. a Preface to the Precept 2. the Precept it self The words are a description of God the Judge an Emphatical inculcation and repetition of it according to his power and sovereignty and have in them a greater energie and vehemency than if we named him In them 1. we have a description of the Judge 2. A precept to fear him and a repetition of that precept all which we may resolve into these several Divine Truths 1. The Lord killeth 2. When he hath killed he hath power to cast into hell 3. Him we ought to fear 4. Yea I say unto you saith our Lord fear him 1. The Lord killeth The Lord may be said to kill either in regard of the divers 1. Ends of his killing 2. Ways and means of his killing 1. In regard of the divers ends of killing so the Lord either kills that he may save for as our best friend was put to death in the flesh but quickned in the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 even so must all his friends for his sake and for the enjoying of him who is our life we are killed all the day long But thus the Lord kills that he may save for so we perish not in death but arise from the dead and Christ gives us life Eph. 5. As dying and behold we live 2 Cor. 6.9 Of this we shall have some use in the handling of this point But the other killing is here principally meant The Lord kills that he may destroy for that which we have here after he hath killed he hath power to cast into hell Matth. 10. It is he is able to destroy body and soul in hell 2. In regard of the manner of killing The Lord kills 1. immediately 2. mediately 1. Not that absolutely the Lord useth no means in taking away the life but that oftentimes he himself is said to kill and the means are not named Thus Gen. 38. The Lord slew Er vers 7. and vers 10. The Lord slew Onan also Thus the Lord killeth and maketh alive 1 Sam. 2.6 2. He may be said to kill mediately when he useth any notable means whereby he takes away the life as those four notable judgements 1. the sword 2. the famine 3. the noisome pestilence and 4. the noisome beasts which are all of his sending Ezechiel 14.21 Zephany 2. ye shall be slain by my sword And thus sometimes the Lord delivers one man into anothers hand who kills him Exod. 21.13 for this reason he names himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only because he hath all power all plenty of good and all authority to bestow it but also because as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God the Judge the judge of all the world he hath soveraign Authority to punish and so he is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And accordingly Isai 13.6 Howl ye for the day of the Lord is at hand it shall come as a destroyer from the Almighty Reason He hath the sovereign power over soul and body they are both his creatures he is Dominus vitae necis The source and fountain of all authority am I a God to kill and make alive 2 King 5.7 He gives authority and power unto all chief Governours for rhe Majesty that God gave Nabuchadnezzar all People and Nations and Languages trembled and feared before him whom he would he killed c. Dan. 5.19 Pilat saith as much to our Saviour Joh. 19.10 Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee Jesus said Thou couldst do nothing unless it were given thee from above all power therefore is radically and originally in God himself In a great house much more in a City and Kingdom many things are done without notice of the Governour but it is not so in regard of God the Judge of all the World whatever good or evil is done or befalls it s not only by the power and knowledge but also by the guidance and ordering though not always by the approbation of the Lord our Governour Thus there is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done Amos 3.6 it s rightly conceived by all who consider the Context that the malum paenale the evil of punishment is principally to be understood Howbeit the Lord permits i. e. he doth not hinder that which is truly evil the evil of sin for if he permitted it not if he suffered it not to be it could not be because there is no evil that is infinite and therefore it 's limited by the infinite power of God Thus he is said to make peace and create evil Isa 45.7 and he hath his instruments whereby such evil is brought to pass as the lying spirit in the mouth of the Prophets 1 King 22.22 And by his
which should nourish us up into the everlasting life and so little notice taken of them that so great abundance God offers of them unto all yet so few come unto them and partake of them Whence is it that there is so little love to what is most lovely so little desire to that which is most desirable so little hunger or thirst after that which can only satisfie Joh. 4. He that drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst more but it shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life saith the Son of God But we live as if that dreadful doom were upon this Generation which Elisha denounced against that Noble Man on whose hand the King leaned 2 King 7.2 Thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof Hence those are to be reproved who slight the eternal life and the means leading thereunto who despise the wisdom the truth and life of God shining forth in his Saints and Believers under the name of Morality Hence also may be reproved the unbelieving Generation who believe not on the Son of God though witnessed by Moses all the writings of the Prophets testified by John Baptist here in the Text nay though confirmed by those works which the Father gave the Lord Jesus to do even for this very reason to beget faith in us all those miraculous works mentioned by the Prophet Esay as evident characters of the Son of God Isa 35. Hence likewise they are worthy reproof who make very diligent enquiry into the Word of God in Old and New Testament and spend much time in hearing the Word yet after all this inquisition after all this diligent search made believe not in the Son of God that they might have the eternal life This extreme curiosity and lost labour our Lord blames in the Jews Joh. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye search the Scriptures the words are not imperatively to be read but indicatively and in them you think to have eternal life and these are they which bear witness of me but you will not come unto me i. e. believe in me that you might have life Surely unbelieving men shall not understand they either distrust the power of God or the wisdom of God who knows all things and those which are needful for us or they credit not the will of God which is our holiness or they mistrust the goodness the righteousness and truth of God who is faithful Be we then exhorted to come believe drink of the living waters receive the holy spirit feed upon living bread the Eternal Word of God by which man lives partake of the life the righteousness the kingdom of God our righteousness life and salvation 't was his last word on the Cross Sitio I thirst and 't is the last exhortation Revel 22.7 The Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him come and take the water of life freely Now Christians shall judgement run down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream Amos 5.24 Shall the spirit of God be promised and be poured upon all flesh Shall the most precious promise be made that we shall be partakers of the Divine Nature Shall all these be exposed and freely offered unto every one and shall we have no share in them Where these are not there is no satisfaction but even as a hungry man dreams that he eateth and behold he is empty still Let us be perswaded to believe on the Son of God the greatest Motive in the whole Scripture is in the Text the Promise of the everlasting life All the whole New Testament was written for this end Joh. 20.31 These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that believing ye might have life in his Name However whether we believe or no 't is upon Divine Record the Scripture affords signs Mar. 16.17 These signs shall follow them that believe in my Name shall they cast out Devils and shall speak with new tongues They shall take away Serpents and if they shall drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover So Joh. 7.38 He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters And Joh. 14.12 He that believes on me the works that I do shall he do and greater works than these shall he do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sounds thus But he who disobeyeth the Son shall not see the life where we must enquire what it is to obey or disobey the Son and what it is to see life Negatives are measured by their Affirmatives that therefore we may know what it is not to obey the Son we must first enquire what it is to obey him Who Phil. 2.8 humbled himself and became obedient unto the death even the death of the Cross To obey the Son then is to comply with his Will and submit unto the doing of it as to deny our selves take up our Cross and follow him Not to obey the Son therefore is contrary to all these Now then from this opposition between him that believeth on the Son and him that obeyeth not the Son it 's clear and evident that the true Christian Faith is the obedience of Faith that is to say such a Faith as puts the Believer upon acts of obedience whence it is that the Holy Ghost in Scripture useth Faith and Obedience the one for the other Yea it cannot be but where there is a true belief it must produce obedience though be it so that saving Faith is an assent or consent of the heart Jam. 1.22 Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own souls The Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God is a Doctrine of Obedience We have here then that which we read in other words Mar. 16.16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned 2. He that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life The life is here the same with what in the former words is called the Everlasting Life That we may know what it is not to see this life We know the positive first what it is to see this life by seeing life we are not to understand the exercise or act of our outward sense but by seeing we understand the true knowing and enjoying that life not as our Lord said to the Jews Ye have seen me and not believed but as ye read 1 Pet. 3.10 He that will love life and see good dayes let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile 1. The reason of this is in regard of the double object in the Text the Son disobeyed the Life denied to be seen 2. In regard of the persons disobedient unto the Son and denied
they can keep in their wits But unto whom shall such have recourse Surely under this Kingdom of the Spirit Christ in the Spirit is the chief Teacher Come unto me and learn of me Matth. 11.28 29.30 Object But if repentance be the gift of God as hath been shewn how comes it to be the duty of man It is ordinary in Scripture for God and Man to concurr in one and the same act Believe yet faith is the gift of God Wash ye make ye clean I will cleanse you from all your sins I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean God requires that we make our selves new hearts and yet he promiseth to make us new hearts God doth what he doth out of meer grace preventing and enabling and man out of duty walking in that strength Draw me and I shall follow thee Cant. 1.4 Jerem. 31.18 Turn thou me O Lord and I shall be turned and more fully Lam. 5.21 The Church prayes Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned 2. Of us of all his creatures The Lord may justly expect this Duty Why because man alone is able to reflect upon his own act Scio me scire Now returning unto God and repenting is by a reflex Act. Hence the Prophet complains No man saith what have I done but go on as an horse to the battel Therefore the Prophets ask the people what they have done as Joseph examined his brethren What have ye done So Nathan examined David Observ 1. There hath been an Union between us and our God if we must return unto him we have been with him How otherwise can we be said to have faln unless we have first stood Ruth 1. Ruth is said ro return thither where she never was If we have forsaken the Fountain we have drunk of it Observ 2. Before we repent we are averse and turned away from our God we are turned away from the face of God from the light of Life and Holiness from the Truth and righteousness of God and turned unto our selves and divided among our selves we walk in darkness and know not whither we go So Cain impenitent Cain went out from the presence of God Gen. 4.16 and 11.2 The Apostate posterity of Noah departed from the East The story is true of the posterity of Nimrod departing from the Sun of righteousness from the true Light from him whose name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zach. 6.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They find a place in the land of Shinar which is called Chaldea so may it well enough Shinar signifieth the gnashing of teeth and Chaldea the land of Devils Here they build a City and Tower The City of the Devil Amoores Duo Duas Civitates extruxerunt Two Loves raised two Cities These are the divers Sects of opinionated men in the world who having forsaken the East the Sun of righteousness for their own glory and to get themselves a name every one puts to his helping hand to build up Babel and every several Company out of their zeal to their cause which every Sect calls Gods and makes a several formale Concordiae Articles of Argreement which they defend against others and this is their difference of Tongues they understand not one another A most dangerous generation which most men in the world are part of yet every man declaims against other and sees not that he himself is in the same Babel we all cry out against Rome as the true Babylon or Babel which is all one and surely I believe they have the greatest share of it and are the principal builders of it in the whole Christian world Yet every Sect and divided company of Christians they only excepted who are turned unto God with all their heart help to build up this Babel yet such is our common misery we conceive we have no part of it whereas indeed we see others in their darkness but discern not our own Like men in a Fogg or Mist we see others that they are encompassed with darkness but we discern not the very same condition in our selves especially if we are many who hold the same opinions for then we think to carry all before us by most voices Whereas indeed all the Congregation may be averse from God Levit. 4.13 and 16. And the truth known to a very few Ten of the twelve Spies and all the Congregation were averse from their God only Joshuah and Caleb clave unto him Observ 3. Amos 4.11 12. God's Israel his Church may be in such a condition averse and turn'd away from their God So St. Peter tells those to whom he writes The Church that is in Babylon salutes you 1 Pet. 5.13 such a people turned unto themselves Amos 5.25 Such a Church the Lord had in Babylon in Zacharies days Zach. 7.5 6. They fasted and mourned seventy years and all that time they turned not to God but to themselves such was the condition of Israel in the Text. Observ 4. Few men will believe that their condition is so bad that they are yet unconverted This followeth from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence the Prophet lifts up his voice like a trumpet to shew his people their sins Esay 58.1 2. And they say what are we blind also Joh. 9. Observ 5. There is no dissembling with God in point of conversion 'T is possible to dissemble with men But he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher of the heart he saith they have not returned unto him Repreh 1. Those who would be accounted true Converts and Penitent ones yet turn not from their sins Beloved I fear this is the condition of most of us for I fear that complaint of the Prophet may be applyed to us Jer. 8.5 Why is this people of Jerusalem sliden back by perpetual back-sliding they hold fast deceit they refuse to return they had many other sins no doubt besides deceit But he blames Jerusalem for deceit I am not ignorant that the original word may signifie all sin but the holy Ghost speaking to a City blames it for deceit Astutus they say comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a City Therefore the Psalmist complains of this Psal 55.9 10 11. Every Trade every Profession hath proper Mysteries and indirect ways of gaining These are advantageous and if we depart from these the hopes of our gain are gone Act. 16. Is' t not so Beloved And may I not then go on with the Prophet Jerem. vers 6.7 The very fowls of the heaven are wiser than we are they shun every climate as the Winter comes on and return at the Spring and Summer but we know not the Winter the judgement of the Lord his judgements are in the earth and yet we learn not righteousness And as if we would hasten the judgements of God to come upon us we divide our City and divide our Kingdom and that by those that should unite us together some are for truth some for peace whereas indeed we understand not
first Sermon I delivered out of this place have I been way-laid yea my whole life enquired into and that by some who have not well enquired into their own And truly it is a sad thing to consider and unworthy of the Christian name that a Minister of the Word should spend his time and strength and all to gain their Souls who mean time spend their time and pains and strength to entrap him And that the Art of Brachigraphy a precious gift of God whereby we may take notes whereon we may after ruminate and meditate that this gift of God should be so foully abused by the Scribes taught to a worse Kingdom than that of Heaven But thus the Prophets have been used in their Generation Jerem. and the Apostles in theirs and our Lord himself And I wish that they whom it concerns would consider what men they were in all ages who did this and whether ever they read of any honest or godly men that ever did thus But I return to the point in hand Life shall reign over them who shall be righteous after the similitude of the second Adams righteousness This is the Reddition to the proposition As Death hath reigned over all so Life shall reign I shewed before the reason of this and the manner how the Prince of life recovers his Dominion I proceed in the making application of this point only I beseech ye take notice what is here meant by life what else but the life of God in Righteousness and Holiness and Truth in Love in Peace and Joy in Mercy Patience and long-suffering and gentleness this is expresly called the holy Spirit Observ 1. Death or life reigns in every soul either Sathan sin and death with the curse or else Christ Righteousness and life with the blessing one or other of these must rule in the Soul not both They are contraria immediata Wouldst thou know whether reigns in whom Shew me the man in whom Faith lives hope is vigorous love unto God and man is ardent Shew me in whom Melchisedeck and Melchisalem rule shew me in whom righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost reigns where equity truth mercy c. bears sway there the life reigns and rules On the other side shew me where envy pride covetousness wrath gluttony however gilded over with specious names and pretences of infirmites there sin and death reign and he that hath the power of death the Devil Observ 2. Life shall reign in all life in the abstract Not this or that life or this or that man of this or that opinion of this or that sect It is not an opinion or a sect or a man that shall rule and reign but life the life of God which is Christ that shall rule and reign in the Ruler in him that reigns and rules And thus it is not so properly man that Rules or man that reigns but Christ who is Wisdom Righteousness Peace Christ that rules in man or if man be said to rule it is according to Wisdom Righteousness Peace Prov. 8.15 16. By me saith wisdom kings reign and princes decree justice by me princes rule and nobles even all the judges of the earth it is wisdom that rules them it is righteousness that rules Prov. 11.3 5. The integrity of the upright shall guide them the righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way Thus Esay 32.1 A king shall reign But how in righteousness And princes shall rule How in judgement i. e. in equity This is to rule with God when God rules in the Ruler Thus Gen. 32.28 God saith to Jacob when he gives him his name Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israel rules with God and Judah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezeck 34.24 I the Lord will be your God and my servant David a prince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of them Thus Hos 11.12 Judah rules How according to his own will Judah rules with God And thus our Apostle Rom. 5.17 They who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ Observ 3. Behold then the glorious Kingdom of life wherein Christ the Life and the Spirit of Life that therein Christ Jesus reigneth The true Melchisedeck the kingdom of righteousness and after that the kingdom of peace The true David the love of God and our neighbour The true Solomon the prince of peace The true Jedediah the love of the Lord. The true Abiah the will of the Lord. The true Asa the physician of Souls The true Jehosaphat the judgement of the Lord. The true Jehoram the high Lord. The true Joash the fire and spirit of the Lord. The true Vzziah the power and strength of the Lord. The true Hezekiah the power of the Lord. The true Josiah the fire of the Lord. This King hath his Priests 1. Melchisedeck priest of the most high God 2. Aaron the mountain of wisdom and understanding the great teacher 3. Eleazer the helper of God as workers together with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Abiathar an excellent contemplative father 5. Zadoc the righteous one All his priests are cloathed with righteousness cloathed with the holy Spirit 3. This King hath his wise and grave Senators his Ruling Elders such were Haggy the solemn feast of a good conscience Prov. Zachary the memory of the Lord. Malachy the Angel of the Lord These were three of the national Presbytery The great Synagogue Sanedrim after the Babylonian Captivity They were in their first institution and afterwards seventy persons consisting of Priests Levites Israelites These are all full of the holy Ghost These were called the Sanedrim or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They sit in the gate and judge of controversies in the Law This number was answerable to the LXX Nations So many ye find Gen. 10. if ye mark them well so many Languages there were proportionable to the Nations So many Angels set over the Nations Deut. 32.8 Act. 17.26 So many Souls went down to Egypt Gen. 46.27 So many Elders went up to the Lord in Mount Sinai Exod. 14.1 9. So many Disciples sent forth by our Lord to teach the seventy Nations Of this number were the Elders of Gods appointing Numb 11.16 Howbeit in every City of Israel were appointed according to their number in some three Elders in others more in the highest Court at Jerusalem seventy and one the President over these as Moses over the first seventy Elders All these were the wisest men in the whole Kingdom the most discreet fearing God hating evil full of the Spirit of Wisdom Meekness and Righteousness able to judge of controversies either of the judicial ceremonial or moral Laws and therefore they must know all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These sate in the gates of Cities Ruth 4.12 Amos 5.15 establishing judgement in the gate accordingly as they had behaved themselves worthily in any inferiour City they were afterward promoted to be Judges and Elders in the Mother-City Jerusalem
to be considered The Father as he begat his Son in his person so in his nature perpetually For as such as is the earthly such also are they that are earthly so 1 Cor. 15.47 Such as is the heavenly such are they that are heavenly And thus the second Adam is born not only to us but also in us according to which incorruptible seed we are born again Gal. 4.19 1 Pet. 1.23 Jam. 1.18 being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Here is the word made flesh and dwells in us Joh. 1.14 Zach. 2.10 Analogies of spiritual sonship 1. As God the Father of all imparted unto Adam his Essence his nourishment his education and an inheritance Even so the Father of our spirits imparts to his children the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.2 He nourisheth us with his flesh and blood the Word and Spirit of his Son 3. He instructs us and gives us the Vnction from the holy One whereby we know all things 4. He corrects and chastens us that we may be partakers of his holiness 5. He provides for us an inheritance Col. 1.12 Giving thanks to the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Object But the first Adam is a transgressor Rom. 5. And his posterity transgressors from the womb Esay 48.8 And how then can Adam be the son of God Surely this is not the spot of his children nor herein do they patrizare Adam had not this from his Father O no there is no unrighteousness in him Psal 92. ult The envious man hath done this Here then the third Adam hath intruded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which I told ye before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The son of Abaddon and Apollyon the son of the Devil Observ 1. So that I must here resume what I observed before That there are by the corrupt nature three births in us Two from God and the third from Sathan The two from God are 1. The living soul And 2. The quickning Spirit The third is the son of perdition 2 Thes 2.3 These three ye have typified in Shem Ham and Japhet Gen. 9. Shem the divine nature Japhet the humane perswaded to dwell in the Tents of Shem and the accursed Cham the youngest intruding between them the Son of perdition in the Egyptian whom the true Moses slew and rebuked the Hebrew Exod. 2.12 13. Ye have all three hanging on the Cross together Luk. 23.40 1. As the tradition hath it the one an Egyptian of the race of Cham. 2. The other an Edomite of the race of Esau when the Son of God is truly known crucified in us Gal. 3. He draws all men unto him But the Egyptian the man of sin whom he condemns crucifieth and mortifieth for ever The Edomite the natural man of flesh and blood who is crucified with him but in that day he is with him in Paradise Ye have all these three in prison together in Egypt The true Joseph free though bound restoring the Butler to his honour and hanging up the Baker Gen. 41.13 Observ 2. Note hence Gods order of procreation and begetting Children first the first Adam who is corrupted by the man of sin and then the second to drive him out Observ 3. This corrects a great mistake among us we are often deceived touching the birth of the second Adam in us we sometime take the first born instead of the younger as Samuel so 1 Sam. 16. He mistook Eliab i. e. God the Father the light of the Law Abinnadab a good will wrought by the Father yet is not the Son born Shimna 1 Chron. 2.13 i. e. heirs who 1 Sam. 16. is called Shamma a man of name The Son is not yet born Thus they think that the seed of promise is born Thus Eve when she brought forth Cain thought she had brought forth the promised seed I have gotten the man who is the Lord. But the child will not blame the Father when he lops the fruitful trees nor when he treads the beautiful grapes So God the Father dealeth with his Vine Joh. 15.1 c. his Church neither ought his children to complain Exhort Be ye followers of God as dear children A Fragment Ecclus. 33.14 15. Good is set against evil and life against death So look upon all the works of the most high and there are two and two one against another as therefore death and he that hath the power of death that is the Devil hath had his reign So life i. e. Christ and the prince of life i. e. the same Christ Act. 5. he also shall have his reign NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VI. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness THE two parts of Universal righteousness are set down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that sometimes in 1. Metaphorical terms as dying unto sin living unto righteousness and putting off and mortifying the old man putting on and quickning the new 2. Sometimes in proper and plain terms Depart from evil and do good and ceasing to do evil and learning to do well In the former part of this Chapter the Apostle hath insisted on the former of these largely dehorting and disswading from the service of sin 2. In this Text and thence to the end of the Chapter he presseth the performance of the latter the service of righteousness the doing of good For if ye please to take a view of the verse I have read it s a brief of the whole and contains in it an exhortation to the free service of righteousness That we would yield our members servants to righteousness unto holiness which duty is illustrated a pari from the like reason That as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity So now yield your members servants to righteousness and holiness Which words we may resolve into these several Truths 1. We have yielded our members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity 2. We have yielded them servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity 3. We ought to yield them servants to righteousness 4. We ought to yield them servants to righteousness unto holiness 5. As we have yielded our members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity So we must yield our members servants to righteousness unto holiness 1. That we have yielded our members servants unto uncleanness and to iniquity will appear if we explain 1. What these members are 2. What this uncleanness and iniquity is 3. What it is to yield our members servants to uncleanness and iniquity 1. What these members are As there is an inward and an outward man so in reason there must be parts and members of them both as an eye a foot an hand Matth. 18.8 9. if thine hand or thy foot offend thee cut
meditate on c. And shall we think thou lovest the Law when thou thinkest of it but one day in a week Means Pray to the Lord. Thou art good and doest good O teach me thy statutes Psal 119.68 This discovers the false judgement of evil and lawless men both of things and persons of things they call good evil and evil good they speak evil of things that they know not so of persons Some said of our Lord He is a good man others said he perverteth the people No wise man will esteem himself by the judgement of evil men the Law is the measure of goodness to the Law to the Testimony Let every man prove his own work proving and trying is by a Rule Gal. last NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS VII 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know that the Law is spiritual THis Epithet or Adjunct of the Law qualifies the inward man The words are considerable 1. in themselves 2. in relation to the former In themselves they contain these two points 1. The Law is spiritual 2. We know that the Law is spiritual 1. The Law signifieth not only the Ceremonial Judicial and Moral Law but all what ever Ordinances Statutes Judgements Commandments Decrees c. have gone forth from the holy God the Law-giver even from the beginning whatever doctrine or institution it 's called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Septuagint and our Apostle here render by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Law what ever that Law in the latitude and extent of it is it 's spiritual The Spirit is sometime opposed to the flesh letter 1. To the flesh as in the next words so spirit and flesh are opposed as weak and strong Isa 31.3 1 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal or weak but mighty through God 2. It 's opposed sometimes to the Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 God hath made us able Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit In both these respects the Law is Spiritual both as Spiritual is opposed to the flesh and as it is opposed to the Letter For our better understanding of this we must know that the Law being our guide and schoolmaster unto Christ hath in it accordingly a letter proportionable to the flesh of Christ and a spirit proportionable to the spirit of Christ And as the letter of the Law so the flesh of Christ tends to the death of sin so the spirit of the Law or the spiritual Law the spirit of Christ tends to the quickning and enlivening of the inward man of God in Jesus Christ according to the spirit for the letter killeth namely sin in the man but the spirit quickneth or giveth life 2 Cor. 3. And as Christ was partaker of flesh and blood that he might die and arise again by the quickning spirit Heb. 2. So the believers in Christ out of the obedience of faith become conformable unto the death of Christ and by the power of his spirit are raised unto newness of life Now that the Law is spiritual appears by manifold proofs such was the Law of Circumcision so expounded by Moses Deut. 10.16 So was the Law of the Passover and was so expounded by St. Paul 2 Cor. 5. so is the whole Ceremonial Law and Judicial also as hath been shewed in part and the Moral Law too which in special is here said to be spiritual this was meant Exod. 32.15 where we read the Tables were written on both their sides on the one side and on the other were they written so was Ezechiel's Roll written within and without Ezech. 2.10 and St. John's Book Rev. 5.1 The outside is the Letter the inside is the Spiritual meaning of it And David is so to be understood when he saith Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and thy Law is the truth Psal 119.142 for whereas the figurative righteousness of the Ceremonial Law is not a righteousness which lasted for ever but until their types were fulfilled the spiritual and inward righteousness in them and all other Laws that is for ever and thy Law is the truth i. e. it is spiritual for the Spirit is the Truth 1 Joh. 5.6 The reason why the Law is spiritual is considerable 1. Partly in regard of the Law-giver 2. Partly in regard of the object unto whom the Law is given 3. Partly in respect of the end whereat the Law aims in regard of sin to be discovered by the Law 1. In regard of the Law-giver He is a spirit Joh. 4. and he wrote the Law with his finger and gave it unto Moses Ezod 31. he wrote it with his finger i. e. with his spirit as one Evangelist interprets another If I by the spirit of God cast out Devils Matth. 12.28 with St. Luk. 11.20 If I with the finger of God cast out devils Now since God himself is a spirit and will be worshipped according to himself that Law of worshipping whereby the man worships his God must have some proportion unto him and be also spiritual This Law therefore is directed unto the spirit of the man the highest and most noble part of the man which the Lord had made capable of such a Law by breathing into his nostrils the breath of life Gen. 2. and 3. This is necessary in regard of Gods end in giving his Law for as the Platonists themselves could say it is impossible that the man should otherwise live unto his God or understand the mind and will of his God unless he had such a principle imparted to him by the God of life So Paul tells us Act. 17.28 In him we live and move and have our being As the carnal Commandment is needful for the discovery of the carnal sin so the spiritual Law is necessary for the discovery of the spiritual sin since by the Law is the knowledge of sin It was necessary there should be a spiritual Law for the detection of spiritual wickedness in heavenly things yea for the conquest of it for spiritual things whether good or ill they are strong and by how much the more spiritual the more strong the good God would not be wanting to any Since therefore many live according to the flesh and are carnally minded there is a carnal Commandment for them sith others are spiritually minded there is also for them the Law of the spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. This was figured by the Queen of Sheba's coming to Solomon Sheba is in Arabia where the Law was given she came to Solomon to be resolved of her hard questions It was the custom of the East when people met together to propound hard questions in nature not as now when men meet they cannot part without tipling she propounded her hard questions See Georg. Ven. 230. b. 283. a. The Lord came from Sinai and arose up from Seir unto them He came with ten thousands of his Saints from his right hand went a fiery
him Act. 9.23 24. their violent assaulting of him and stoning him Act. 14.19 their stirring up the people against him Act. 17.13 and again in the Temple at Jerusalem Act. 21.27 their binding themselves under a curse to kill him Act. 23.1 2 3. Yet how earnestly soever they sought his destruction he as earnestly desired to promote their salvation So that where the Spirit of God dwells and reigns men look not upon others as ill affected toward them but love them in the Lord and seek their temporal and eternal good with all earnestness Paul knew well what it was to be in Christ and preferred it before all things Phil. 3.8 9 10 11. yea he knew partly what it was to be in heaven 2 Cor. 2 3 4. yea he was not altogether ignorant what it was to be in hell 2 Cor. 5.11 So that this here was not a rash wish nor an ignorant one yet though he knew all this yet for the love of God and men he wisheth himself accursed from Christ Whence learn we that the eminent Saints of God love not to serve their God with that which costs them nothing or that which is of little price and esteem with them 2 Sam. 24.24 Hebr. 11.17.24 25 26 32 33. 1 Thess 2.8 Being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you not the Gospel of God only but also our own souls because ye were dear unto us None of Gods Commandments are impossible to him who hath an abundant measure of the Spirit of God that of loving our enemies praying for them recompensing them good for evil it is one of the hardest precepts Mat. 5.44 yet Stephen and Paul and many others attained unto it That of laying down our lives for the Brethren is an hard Commandment yet here Paul goes beyond it he layes down his eternal life and that not for his loving Brethren but for his profest and deadly enemies Exhort To imitate this heroical and generous love of our Apostle that every man put to his hand to the quenching of this fire which otherwise must burn to the consumption of the whole earth I say unto you love your enemies doest thou believe that this is the will of thy God Add to thy faith virtue O that we knew the value of a precious Soul This is the practice of true Patriots If he cannot do this in the world let him endeavour to do it in himself ye have too many boutefeus and incendiaries who blow the coals of this hellish and diabolical division O that I might be heard who plead for all your defence and preservation O that the fire of Love which our Lord came to kindle that holy Spirit were kindled in every one of our hearts that it might burn up all revenge and hatred and anger that so we might come to be imitators of God Ephes 5.1 Exhort 2. Unto this common brotherly national love consider the desolation of Germany and Ireland proximus Vcaligon yea of this Kingdom in two great parts of it already But how can I love my brethren with this national and common love are they not in open hostility Beloved I praise my God I hate no man living upon the face of the earth and I verily believe there is the like affection and disposition in many of you the Lord increase it Sure I am we have no warrant to hate any mans person But for answer to this doubt which I know troubles many surely our love and hatred must be carried to the objects of them in such order as God's love and hatred are carried unto their objects Now God's love is directed unto Righteousness Holiness and Truth which indeed are himself for the Righteous Lord loveth Righteousness 2. His Love is directed unto his Creature thus Job 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. for 1 Job 4.9 Herein was manifested the love of God towards us because God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him On the contrary God's hatred is directed unto all iniquity prophaneness ungodliness c. as most contrary and abhorring from his nature Zach. 8.16 2. The Lord also hates the misery of his Creature which consists most in separation from God and therefore the Lord hates divorce or putting away Malac. 2.16 Seeing therefore our God first and principally loves Righteousness and hateth all unrighteousness and iniquity and in the second degree loves his Creature and hates the misery of it Hence it follows that the Righteous God must needs hate even his Creature persevering contumaciously and rebelliously in iniquity Isai 27.11 It is a people that have no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them As he who should scoure a vessel as in Ezech. 24.13 Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee And thus must our love be proportioned and directed 1. Unto God then 2. to our Neighbour that so many may be made partakers of Gods Righteousness and Salvation 2. Our hatred must be guided against all sin c. And that 1. In our selves then 2. In our neighbours and never proceed to hate our neighbour no nor our enemy unless it do appear evidently unto us that they sin against Knowledge and Conscience and oppose themselves maliciously against God and his holy Spirit and it is an hard thing to know this and therefore a dangerous thing to hate the person of any man We have so manifest a precept that no Christian man can be ignorant of it Matth. 5.44 Love your enemies c. whereby our Lord shews that by anothers hatred of us his nature is not taken away nor ought our love to be alienated from him Mark how artificially he ariseth from affection to words from words to actions and what we our selves cannot by our affections words or actions do we must promote by our prayers This is a singular victory when the injury begins from our enemy that the benefit begin from our selves Bless them i. e. speak well unto them do not reproach or slander them or revile them so 1 Cor. 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being reviled we speak well again to those who revile us do good to them that hate you pray for them that despitefully use you calumniate you reproach you Thus did the Esseni or Hasidei the third and best part of the Jews who indeed were Christians in their prayers wherefore Remittite condonate omnibus qui vexant vos Remit and forgive all that vex ye Beloved I am not ignorant how cross how unwelcome this doctrine comes to some men it must needs do so since hell is broke loose and the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it lies in the Devil himself Mean time out of the bowels of love unto their Souls I beseech those who ever they are to consider in what
condition they are how far distant from what they ought to be whose children they be for if such as love their enemies c. be the children of our father c. undoubtedly it must follow that they who hate them c. must be the children of the Devil himself We all I hope aim at an honest good godly true Christian peace Now beloved I beseech you consider is it ever possible to be obtained otherwise than by Gods way Is not he the only Author of it The God of Peace and Love and Holiness and Truth and Righteousness that 's Gods way for the obtaining of peace even the way of Righteousness the way of Love that most excellent way Repreh The gross folly of some who part with their souls even for a thing of nought Judas sold Christ for thirty pieces doest not thou for less Esau his birthright for a mess of pottage Lysymachus for a draught of water yielded himself to the Scythians Postquam frigidam biberit quam brevis voluptatis causâ quantam deposui foelicitatem A man will not part with his Natural life but upon good terms Confer Act. 20.24 Job 13.13 Esth 4.16 Phil. 2.30 how much less his Spiritual We may stop the fury of unreasonable men but how pray to the Lord to deliver us out of their hands to break their teeth in their jaws NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ROMANS XII XVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si fieri potest quod ex vobis est cum omnibus hominibus pacem habentes If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men AS all the Prophets foretold our Saviours coming in the Flesh but especially the Prophet Esay and therefore the Church hath appointed that Prophesy to be read all the dayes of Advent before the day of his Nativity So all the Apostles bear witness that our Saviour is come into the Flesh but especially St. Paul and therefore the Church hath appointed his Epistles to be read all the dayes after his Epiphany or manifestation unto the Gentiles And that the rather because St. Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles and had the care of all the Churches and he most of all the rest declared unto the World the Christian Faith Which Faith according to the joint consent of all the Antients that I have read was signified by that Star which lead the wise Men unto Christ The blessed Apostle therefore having in the Epistle on the Feast of the Epiphany like the Orbis deferens presented unto us the Body of this Star this Faith that leads us unto Christ Eph. 3.8 9. Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is the grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make all Men see or enlighten them in this mystery vers 12. in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him As in that Epistle he shews the Body of this Star so in all the following Epistles after the Epiphany he shews the rayes and beams of that Star in love in patience in humility in prayer in diligence at our calling c. And in this Epistle for this day especially in PEACEABLENESS which in general is union and agreement for so the Etymologist tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to knit together in one and therefore it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a relative and in reference unto another whether it be our selves when the war of our affections and lusts is ended for so Esay 32. Or 2. Whether that other be God for so Rom. 5. Or 3. Whether that other be all other Men besides our selves And this peace especially is here meant which yet supposeth the two former 't is the Center of the Epistle for this day and whatsoever lines are on the one side or on the other of it hither they all tend and here they rest That if it be possible have peace with all Men which is a precept conditioned and limited 1. The precept is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have Peace or to exercise Peace so Castallio turns it Pacem exercete for 't is not a bare being content to have it but to endeavour also to get it So the Syriach turns the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pacem componite facite or colite So Junius and Budaeus expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pacare in pace continere The precept of making Peace is specified and enlarged by the object and universality of it it must be with men and with all men the Syriach hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Man Which precept because it is a kind of Covenant Selectae Leges in Pactum which lies not in the power of one party alone to fulfil Pactum est duorum pluriumve in idem placitum consensus unde etiam Pacis nomen appellatum A Covenant is the consent of two parties or more to the same thing whence the name of peace is derived Hence it requires to the fulfilling of it a caution and proviso in respect of both if it be possible as much as lyes in you c. The duty then commanded by this precept is Peace which is Tranquillitas ordinis cum omni homine ordinata Concordia saith St. Austin An orderly agreement of Men one with another Alstenstag Pax. And he proves it thus Vbi non est ordo ibi confusio ubi confusio ibi pacis perturbatio Order then it must be for where there is no order there is confusion where there is confusion there is disturbance of Peace Where there is strife and contention which is opposite unto Peace there is confusion saith St. James chap. 3. God is not the Author of confusion but of Peace 1 Cor. 14.33 Which I note the rather lest any disorderly and confused union should shelter it self under the name of peace Est enim quaedam pax malorum quae opponitur paci bonorum Saith the same Father The Peace here meant must not be such for that 's alwayes coupled with righteousness as Psal 58.10 Righteousness and Peace kiss each other So Rom. 14. Righteousness and Peace or with truth Peace and truth in my dayes Peace and pureness Jam. 3. And therefore 't is noted by the Apostle that Melchizedec King of righteousness was also the King of Peace Heb. 7.2 And that the very same Peace is here to be understood appears by the same Apostle Hebr. Follow Peace with all men and holyness This union and agreement proceeds from love which being two fold 1. Complacentiae of delight 2. Or Benevolentiae of good will 1. That whereby we love and affect one another Quia bonus Because he is already good and so love his virtuous and lovely qualities and conditions Or else 2. That whereby we love another Vt sit bonus that he may be good though he be bad and so love his Person not his qualities and
pleasing one another and procuring one another ease and quietness in the flesh a peace maintained by all men and with all men such as it is And for the greater confirmation of that peace the Priests and Prophets of that time had learned to sing placebo would God they had not also in our time complyed with carnal men for the promoting of their own and others temporal advantage and credit in the world whereas indeed this is no true peace nor such as is here commanded but a carnal security for so the Prophet describes it from the least of them to the greatest of them every one of them is given to covetousness and from the Prophet even to the Priest every one dealeth falsly They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people sleightly saying peace peace when there is no peace Christ came not to send such peace upon the earth nor is this the peace here commanded The Peace here commanded is joyned with Righteousness Psal 85. and 10. and Holiness Hebr. 12.14 and Truth Zach. 8.16 with joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 which Peace therefore is relative and in reference of one unto another whether 1. that other be our own Conscience when the war of our affections and lusts is ended for so the effect of righteousness is peace the peace of Conscience Isai 32.17 Or 2. whether that other be God himself for so being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 Or 3. whether that other be all other men beside our selves and this peace is especially here meant which yet supposeth the two former peace of Conscience and peace with God which I beseech ye to take notice of because I know well some are wont to sleight and wave this and other duties as only moral c. and accordingly give attention to what is spoken wherefore let them remember and know that this duty is founded in the peace of Conscience and peace of God for so the Saints of God are filled with this peace by believing Rom. 15.13 This peace we are to have maintain and exercise so one of our best Latin Translators renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text pacem exercete for 't is not a bare being content to have peace which is here enjoyned but to endeavour also by all means to get and keep it So the Syriack Interpreter turns the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make work labour and endeavour for peace and Budeus expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pacare in pace continere to appease the unpeaceable and keep those in peace who are peaceable answerably the Reformed Churches about us render the word One live in peace another have peace another hold peace This Precept of making exercising and labouring for peace is specified and enlarged by the object and the universality of it it must be with men and with all men the Syriack hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all or every son of man That we may the better understand this Precept we must know that this union and agreement hath love for the root of it which being twofold either Complacentiae or Benevolentiae either that whereby we love and affect another quia bonus because he is already good and so we love his virtues and lovely qualities and conditions 2. Or else that love wherewith we affect another ut sit bonus though he be for the present bad that he may be good and so we love his person not his ill qualities and conditions And to these 2. we may add a third kind of love Complacentiae Benevolentiae simul as when we love one who hath some beginnings of good wrought in him 1. According to the former kind of Love the Saints of God love their like such as are Saints and holy men Thus the Saints are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friends 3 Job vers 14. and this Love is such a bond of perfectness or such a perfect bond as the Apostle calls it Col. 3.14 that it knits and unites all the Saints of God together all the world over 2. According to the second kind of Love Benevolentiae a good man may love his ill neighbour and by his love win upon him and make him lovely 3. According to the third Compl. Benevol simul a good Father loves his towardly Child that he may grow in Grace and the amiable beauty of an holy Life and godly Conversation and so become in person and qualities every way lovely Answerably hereunto Peace which proceeds from love must be extended and proportioned unto men whereof because some are 1. Holy Gracious and Virtuous and may be truly called Christians 2. Others evil unholy ungracious and untoward and though called yet indeed falsly called Christians because they have not the life which should make them truly such 3. Others there are in a middle way between both with all these we must maintain an outward peace but differently 1. With the first we must maintain entire thorough and perfect peace which proceeds from the first kind of love the love of complacency 2. With the second we must exercise entire peace also but not so thorough so perfect so intimate as with the first but such only as they are capable of because this peace proceeds from the second kind of love the love of benevolence or bounty 3. With the third also we must maintain peace such as they are capable of a mixt kind of peace tempered with that which they call not lis but jurgium a friendly and loving strife or contention that they may be thorough lovely and capable of entire and thorough peace 1. As for the first kind of peace with good and godly men it may be easily preserved and maintained because there is a reciprocal affection and mutual complying and sweet harmony of Souls and Spirits maintained on both sides whether the parties so agreeing be near hand or farther off whether known or unknown unto us yet peace peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near Isai 57.19 As in Musick the greater and lesser strings though far off one from other yet have an harmonical agreement and are consonant one with the other whether in diapason or disdiapason the distance hinders not the agreement And the Reason is Quae conveniunt in uno tertio inter se quoque conveniunt Those that agree in one third agree also among themselves Now God the God of Order is the God of all the world and therefore the Saints however dispersed all the world over agreeing all in God agree also and exercise love and peace among themselves The same kind of peace we desire also to maintain with all men and we are bound so to do so far as they are capable of it and we able to exercise the same toward them according to the limitations expressed in the Text of which if the Lord will I shall speak in their due time Mean time the Lord enlarge our hearts to the
the Holy Ghost conditions if it be possible live peaceably with all men it supposeth that such times such places such persons may be that it will not be possible for the Saints of God to live peaceably in them and with them The Prophet Esay describes such an evil time Isa 59.2 15. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity your lips have spoken lies your tongue hath uttered perversness None calls for justice nor any pleadeth for truth they trust in vanity and speak lies they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity vers 7. Their feet run to evil and they make hast to shed innocent blood their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their paths The way of peace they know not and there is no judgement in their goings they have made them crooked wayes whosoever goeth therein shall not have peace The Prophet David fell into such times Psal 35.20 They speak not peace but devise deceitful matters against those who are quiet and peaceable in the land and Psal 120. vers 5. Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech and have my habitation in the Tents of Kedar My soul hath long dwelt with them that are enemies to peace When did David dwell in Mesech or Kedar They are in Arabia as appears Isai 21.13 17. and therefore the Chaldee Paraphrast here turns it the Arabians The Israelites among whom he lived were as unpeaceable as barbarous as implacable as the Arabians as Esay as Ezechiel calls them Sodom and Gomorrah so that they might seem not to be Israelites but rather Ismaelites as indeed the Kedarens were the posterity of Ismael Gen. 25.13 whose hand was against every man and every mans hand against him Gen. 16.12 And among these unpeaceable men David dwelt and so peaceably he lived among them that he was even peace it self unto them so he saith in the abstract I was even peace it self but when I spake unto them thereof they made them ready for battel That perillous time the Prophet tells of was under the Law and the like we find if not worse under the Gospel I shall not wrong our times if I say we live in them ye have them described 2 Tim. 3.1 O beloved let us look with a single and impartial eye upon our own times whether these tokens be not upon us The Apostle speaks not of those who were without for such were then and are without the pale of the Church but he speaks of such as are within such as pretend Christianity The Ambassadors of Peace what can they do in behalf of these the Lord sends not Peace unto such but a sword Matth. 10.34 but division Luk. 12.51 And what can they then do but bewail their hardness and impenitency as Jeremiah doth Jer. 13.17 If ye will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and mine eyes shall weep sore and run down with tears What can he do but bewail his own infelicity he hath spent his strength in vain as Esau complains and Jer. 15.10 Wo is me my mother that thou hast born me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth 2. Such times places and persons may be wherein it is not simply impossible to maintain peace with all men for were it simply impossible it could never be or if it should ever be it would involve a contradiction Thus the Scripture tells us that it is impossible for God to lye if therefore this should ever come to pass that God should lye it would involve a contradiction that God should be the essential truth so that let him be true and every man a lyar yet the essential truth should lye which is a contradiction and overthrows it self Thus if it were altogether impossible that Peace should be maintained with all men then such peace could never be or if ever it were it would involve a contradiction but the God of truth who cannot lye hath made us to hope that such times places and persons will be with whom we may maintain peace Isai 2.4 Such promises we find Isai 11.6 7 8 9. and 65.25 Besides another Reason there is why this common and universal Peace should not be altogether unpossible because the only wise God who is also the Righteousness it self hath commanded it which if simply impossible he would never have done for what father would command things altogether impossible unto his Children If we therefore being evil know how to command things possible and feasible to our Children how much more shall our heavenly Father command things only possible and feasible unto us It is an old Maxime among Divines Qui dicit deum praecipere aliquid impossibile Anathema esto He that shall say God commands any thing impossible let him be Anathema Repreh Those who are enemies unto peace and make it difficult and in a sort impossible and that they do two wayes either 1. by maintaining a false peace or 2. by opposing the true peace 1. Corrupt nature teacheth men to maintain a false peace amongst themselves for their mutual advantages and this false peace is to be found either 1. Generally among all men who live or have to do one with another or 2. More specially among certain orders of men 1. All men who live or have to do one with other these maintain a tacite Covenant among themselves which is not grounded upon Righteousness Truth and Love but indeed it is a kind of implicite conspiracy against it for whereas most men have as well a sting as honey in their mouths and almost every man is of Themistocles's mind he loves to hear himself well spoken of and of Saul's popularity he would be honoured before the people they therefore make a secret contract among themselves no way to disquiet or molest one another in their sins As if the pettish angry man should agree with the drunkard upbraid not me with mine anger peevishness I 'le not trouble thee with thy drunkenness Spare me saith the covetous wretch to the proud man and I 'le spare thee meddle not with my revengefulness saith the vindicative man and I 'le not trouble thee with thine unchastity Such Covenants as these seldom or never come above-board but are made by mutual tacite consent because most men extreamly love themselves and their credit in the world their ease and security in the flesh and while these contracts last all the devils goods are in peace his wrath his drunkenness his pride his covetousness his unchastity his revengefulness and all the rest And therefore this can be no true peace because not built on purity as St. James requires it should be Jam. 3. nor hath it holiness for it's companion as it ought to have Hebr. 12.14 nor hath it love for the ground of it for did this
it is the wisdom of a man makes his face to shine like Moses God in him who is light 1 Joh. 1. and our praise Deut. 10.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth praise it signifieth light too And our Saviours reason makes it good Let your light so shine before Men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven Matt. 5.16 The Saints of God having received this light of the Father of Lights like burning and shining lights shine it forth to others They shew forth the vertues and praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light Thus the Saints like the Heavens declare the glory of God Caelum est ubi culpa cessavit saith St. Austin The Saints are such For as he saith Chrysostom who looks upon the beauty of Heaven saith Glory be to thee O God so he that beholds these Heavens upon Earth the vertue of the Saints he praiseth God Thom. Aquinas Catena in Luke 11. They glorify God in us Gal. 1. ult Yea saith Chrysostom the virtue of the Saints more glorifieth God than the beauty of Heaven The business of the day deserves both our real and vocal praise and thanksgiving unto our God 'T is Peace 't is the great Mercy the great blessing of Peace in the Greek we call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which according to the derivation of the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knitting together of many in one A shadow of that great Union which we hope and pray for the gathering together of all Men unto Christ 2 Th. 2.1 The gathering of the People unto Shilo Gen. 49. That God may be All in All. And therefore Beloved this Peace being made between two Reformed Christian Nations it is presumed to be such as is orderly so it is defined tranquillitas Ordinis an orderly Peace such as God is the Author of such as is founded upon righteousness Righteousness and Peace kiss each other Psal So Rom. 14. Righteousness Peace and Joy or else with truth Peace and truth in my dayes or else with pureness Jam. 3. or holyness Follow Peace with all Men and holyness otherwise nihil boni est in unitate nisi unitas sit in bono if our sins continue our peace will hold but by a small thread if we maintain a Peace such as the World looks at a Peace only for promoting our temporal ends either removing evil or a gaining some temporal good as suppose an Enemy of State the Peace will last no longer than the ground of it as it is between Persons Vulgus Amicitias utilitate probat If the profit cease the friendship ceaseth too This I note the rather because peace and joy and love and mercy and many graces besides grow wild in the World as there is scarce any Herbe that grows in the Garden but it grows wild in the Field there is a kind of disorderly Peace a kind of brutish love a kind of sensual joy a joy of wild asses Now such as this Peace is such ought to be our praise and our thanksgiving for our Peace all orderly all as becomes Christians We must receive this Peace as Gods gift now God gives not his Peace to spend in Luxury in Idleness in Riot O Beloved I have long time mourned when others have feasted to see the extream disorder of our Festivals The Feast of Christ's Nativity wherein we Commemorate Christ born and given to us how do we praise God for him Observat If deliverance from suffering evil be praise worthy how much more is deliverance from doing evil an Argument of praise and thanksgiving The reason is this To do good and suffer evil is a Royal a Kingly condition Regium est nay Christianum est Who did more good who so much as our Lord He went about doing good c. and God was with him yet who suffered so much as he who so much as they who follow him in well doing So that to do good and suffer evil it is to be a Christian 1. Pet. 2.20.21 When ye do well and suffer for it and take it patiently this is acceptable with God for even hereunto are ye called c. It is praiseworthy and rewarded 1 Petr. 4.13.16 Let him glorify God in this behalf Blessed are they who suffer persecution Matth. 5.10 11 13. We account them happy who suffer Jam. It is a greater gift than Faith Phil 1.29 So that if deliverance from suffering evil be praise worthy it is because we might have suffered as evil doers yet God is merciful unto us or else because we are weak and should we suffer evil we should not be able to bear it but be in danger of doing evil Thus the Lord would not lead the People through the wilderness lest they should see war and return back to Egypt Exod. And therefore the rod of the wicked must not rest upon the lot of the righteous lest they put forth their hand unto wickedness Psal 125.3 The greater deliverance therefore of the righteous is from putting their hand unto wickedness that is the end why the rod of the wicked must not rest upon them lest as before Thus we find the Saints praising God for their deliverance from doing evil 1 Sam. 25.4.10 32 33 34. And thus even they who should have been Actors in design may keep Holy-day with us and praise our good God that so much bloodshed was prevented Observat 2. If it be Israels duty to praise God for their temporal deliverance how much more for their Spiritual Thou hast delivered my Soul from Hell saith David Observat 3. They who are to perform this duty are the Creatures of all kinds the Heavens and the Creatures in them Psal 148.1 2. Praise the Lord praise ye him all his Angels praise him all his Hosts Sun and Moon Stars of light Heaven of Heaven and Waters above the Heavens Descend we lower Fire and Hail Snow and Vapour stormy Wind fulfilling his word Yet lower Mountains and Hills fruitful Trees and all Cedars The brute Creatures Beasts and Cattle creeping things and flying Fowl The Reasonable Kings of the Earth and all People Princes and all Judges of the Land all degrees of Men all Ages young Men and Maidens old Men and Children 'T is the duty of all the Creatures but fitly and worthily performed by the Saints the Children of Israel the People that is near unto him Observat 4. Now as this Peace must be orderly so the Command and reason of our duty is his work of Creation Preservation and Government for he who exhorts us to love one another not in word but in deed he prevents and gives us Example of the like love he prevents us in our being continues our being by preservation O how many have been our preservations National and Personal this especially which we Commemorate this day you know it as well or better than my self it is no news to you or if it were I have
16.5 6 7. commanded performed 2 Chron. 35.1 2. 10 11. by the Priests and Levites 2. In the evening Exod. 12.6 when Christ was sacrificed Matth. 27 46-50 Mar. 15.25.33 34-37 And Christ is known to be slain in the evening in the end of time Hebr. 1.2 1 Pet. 1.19 20. It must be eaten 1. Not raw or living Exod. 12.9 2. Not sodden at all 3. But rosted There is no Communion with his life unless before with his death Not sodden because the water mixeth it self with the flesh the Law teaching the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 Rosted with fire to which the Spirit is compared Matth. 3.11 through which he offered himself up unto God Hebr. 9.14 This is the fire of Gods wrath which he suffered being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 Jer. 4.4 4. He must be all eaten Exhort Let us keep the feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How is that to be done what as Diogenes said with better cloaths and better food Shall we think that a Feast unto Christ is thus to be kept That God is pleased with mens eating of flesh by expression of outward joy and contentment in the flesh This Opinion and Practice hath brought all the Christian Festivals quite out of credit Nor do I urge the observation of dayes but lament the great mistake between many of them who stood for them and against them and truly I fear much they are both out The keeping of this Feast the Passover what is it but following of Chist in his sufferings imitation of his death and passion Therefore the Lamb must be rosted and it must have a sawce made for it of bitter herbs 1 Cor. 11.26 Phil. 3.10 2 Cor. 1.6 Col. 1.24 Rom. 6.3 Zach. 12.10 Revel 10.10 All was to be eaten up the head the legs and the purtenance thereof For our better understanding of this we must know 1. That Christ hath been crucified dead and buried in us Gal. 3.1 yet were they no Jews Hebr. 6.6 They crucifie to themselves the Son of God 2. Slain by entertaining Sin and Satan and chusing Barabbas before Christ These are Trees twice dead Jude vers 12. who have twice crucified the Life or Christ in them Revel 1.7 All Nations pierced him and vers 13. He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Zach. 12.10 They pierced the Father and the Son Thus he was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 Divine Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness hath been judged by the evil world unrighteousnâ—ss and errour by the learned and ungodly of the world 2 Thess 2.4 They said Christ was a deceiver one that had a devil so was Truth in Paul called Heresie We have called evil good and good evil c. Isai 5. Thus Isai 53. Christ hath suffered all this When we are exhorted to keep the Feast it is to suffer with him Thus the eating of his flesh c. it is shewing forth his death 1 Cor. 11. By repentance from dead works fighting against Sin and Satan suffering with Christ outward afflictions and inward grief and anguish in the leaving and crucifying of sin and coruption for we cannot part with any beloved thing without grief dying unto sin and crucifying the old Man Rom. 8.13 For as by the entrance and coming in of sin into us the life died in us so by the return and re-entrance of righteousness sin must die and be crucified in us Rom. 6. This is eating the passover with bitter herbs If we eat his flesh and drink his blood we dwell and live in him and he in us Joh. 6. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON I CORINTHIANS IX 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic currite ut comprehendatis so run that ye may obtain HOly things require holy preparations unto them and by how much the more holy by so much the greater preparation as therefore the Quadragesima and so the whole time of Lent was appointed by the Primitive Fathers as a preparation unto Easter as the Disciples prepared that they might eat the Passover with our Lord so Quinquagesima Sexagesima and this present Septuagesima are preparations unto that tempus Quadragesimale which we call Lent And the Epistle for this day out of which I have taken this Text presents us with a preparation most severe most laborious and most earnest such as is to be performed withall our might such as is the running of a race before the receiving of the prize such as is the striving for mastery and victory before the gaining of a Crown a wearisom and painful task For know ye not that they who run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize c. And every one that striveth far mastery is temperate in all things A painful a wearisom task yet no greater no heavier than our Apostle himself gives us example in himself of performing For I saith he so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the air yea and he shews us a means how we may perform it and that also in his own example for I keep under my body saith he and bring it into subjection c. Thus saith he I run and so run ye that ye may obtain So that ye perceive the Text is a continued Metaphor borrowed from the Olympick Games and exercises well known to the Corinthians to whom he wrote According to which in these words these Three points are contained 1. The Christian Life is a race 2. There is a Prize propounded to the runners of it 3. They who run it as they ought shall obtain the Prize The Two former shall make way to the third 1. Spiritual things have no name of their own but borrow their names from things obvious unto sense especially such as we see and hear Now of things obvious unto sense local motion or moving from place to place is the most common and best known whence it is as Aquinas observes that spiritual motions are most what signified by it The Spiritual life therefore consisting of manifold spiritual motions and actions is signified by this well known motion and action of running Wherein 1. Some things there are proportionable and answerable unto a race 2. Other things unlike and disproportionable unto it They both agree especially in these resemblances 1. A certain way and space was wont to be laid out and determined for those who ran a race which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about a furlong That which answers to this in the Christian Life is the Law and Commandment of God for that is a way and the Saints run that race I will run the way of thy Commandments saith David the same race which Christ himself and his Apostles ran Psal 19 3-6 and at the seventh verse he tells us what that race is The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul which Psal 18 he calls the perfect way vers 29. By thee I have run through a troop and by my God I have leaped over
in this it is given out of Grace the wages of sin indeed is death But St. Paul presently varies the phrase when he speaks of the reward The gift of God is eternal life Thou Lord art merciful for thou rewardest every man according to his works These and such as these are the Analogies and proportions and the disproportions and dissimililitudes between a Christian life and a Race and the prizes and rewards of both which are the two first points of this Text running for the prize and obtaining of it which make way for the third The manner of running effectual for the obtaining of the prize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. sic currite so run This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this so is not only the note or sign of the latter part of the similitude which we call Reddition but in Scripture it signifieth as much as aequum est par est officium est that which is equal fit and ones duty to do that which is just and ought to be done for so ye may observe it to be used in divers places of Scripture where there is no evident similitude which proceeds from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is of both significations Thus Numb 27.7 the daughters of Zelophead speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus the Lepers reprove themselves 2 King 7.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not so or the thing is not right which we do and 2 King 17.9 the Children of Israel did things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things which are not so wicked things things which were not right as we there turn it In this notion St. Matthew useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 24. Blessed is the servant whom his master when he cometh shall find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so doing i. e. doing his duty or doing as he ought to do so also St. Paul Phil. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even so stand in the Lord i. e. as ye ought and your bounden duty is persist and stand in the Lord And in this Text so run i. e. as ye ought and it is your duty to do But how is that 1. Sincerely without hypocrisie The Greeks had some Games which were called saith Pollux 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hypocritical Histrionical our Christian Race must not be such but sincere upright as in the sight of God God beholding us yea and we beholding God and eying him as our eternal reward as he told our Father Abraham Gen. 15.1 which cannot but produce patience and perseverance Moses endured beholding him who is invisible Hebr. 11.27 As also a good will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this contention in this Christian Race they say comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valde volo intimating great willingness to run and the intensions of the will command the feet the affections they are the feet and therefore all our heart is required all our strength a strong man to run a race Psal 19. Thus thus if we run we shall obtain the prize And great Reason there is so we should whether we consider 1. The great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great rewarder of the Christian runners he hath irrefragably decreed it and if we ascend higher we shall find reason for it in the nature of God for so his Righteousness inclines him that 's tutela bonitatis as Tertullian calls it the guardian of God's goodness whereby he manageth his bounty toward his Creature whence it is that he hath engaged his truth his word his promise the faith and credit of all his Prophets and Apostles his Oath his Son himself And all that he who sincerely couragiously patiently constantly and willingly runs this Christian Race shall undoubtedly obtain the prize I have finished my course henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which God the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not only to me but to every one who loves his appearing saith St. Paul 2 Tim. 4.8 which Justice or Righteousness is not according to the estimation of merit or desert but in correspondence and answer to his own promise For should God enter into judgement with his Servants and observe the weak hands and feeble knees the remisness and laziness of many true runners of this Race Lord who should stand much less run Psal 143.2 And therefore our gracious God who is here said to be a Righteous Judge and to render unto his runner the Crown of Righteousness is elsewhere said to crown his Saints with mercy and loving kindness Psal 103.4 and graciously tempers both together Thou Lord art merciful therefore thou rewardest every man according to his works which he doth to display his righteousness his grace his mercy his power and wisdom For the searching eye of that one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth easily pierce through the fair varnisht out-side of Piety and Religion common to true and hypocritical runners of this Christian Race and such as deceive and gull the most perspicatious and quick-sighted of us mortal men whose knowledge is bounded within the outward surface of things for even for this purpose the eyes of the Lord run to and fro thorough the earth saith Hanani the Seer 2 Chron. 16.9 to shew himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are perfect toward him These Reasons and the like may be considered in regard of God the judge of this Christian Race 2. In respect of the runners themselves there 's a double necessity lies on them Praecepti and Medii 1. 'T is Gods command in the Text and 2. The only means of obtaining the prize to run for it never yet was any man comprehensor but he was first viator Whence I can but wonder that any man should interpret this Race to be our natural life as if he had begun it who hath begun to live and breath the common air and he had finish'd it who had lived threescore and ten years and so died Little do they consider that place of Isai 65.20 That the Child according to natural life shall die an hundred years old according to spiritual life but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed They consider not that old Nicodemus who had now well nigh finished the course of his natural life was to begin the Race of his spiritual life Joh. 3. That young Enoch in comparison of his Son Methuselah being made perfect in a short time fulfilled a long time saith the Wise Man Wisd 4.13 Observ 1. The condition of men in their natural and sinful life they are runners Observ 2. The prize of the high calling of God in Christ it is not born with us 't is not at home with us but in a sort absent from us Hebr. 12.1 Vulg. Lat. Observ 3. Every endeavour will not serve the turn we must so run ad propositum nobis certamen Object But we ought not to
St. Clement unto the Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore was our Father Abraham blessed of God Was it not because he wrought Righteousness and Truth by Faith Hence then observe with me what kind of Prophecy what kind of Knowledge and what kind of Faith the Lord in Scripture commends unto us Prophecy not idle knowledge not contemplative not unprofitably swimming in the brain no nor that which vents it self at the mouth in eloquent words and phrases Though I speak with the tongues of men and Angels and have no Charity I am like sounding brass and like a tinkling Cymbal they make a noise when they are stricken and waste themselves and perhaps please others for the time as a man is delighted with hearing musick but they do themselves no good at all as Cleanthes in Laertius compares the Peripatetick Philosophers to Harps which make a pleasing noise and delight others but they themselves hear not their own musick and they do but please others they profit them not if without Charity as a man that hears an Harp is delighted only for the time and not profited at all Nay suppose he speak the most profound Oracles of God and such as are most profitable unto men so did Balaam whose prophecy concerning Christ Numb 24. is not only true and Canonical but one of the most glorious ones in all the Scripture yet what did these profit Balaam himself without Charity he himself was nothing What kind of Faith is that which the Scripture commends unto us not imaginary not fantastical not to get a few good words by heart As that Christ died for us and that through the mercy of God and merit of Christ our sins are pardoned and we justified c. Not to work our selves to a perswasion of this or the like that it 's true and there 's an end for this is a thing easily done by self-love and a strong fancy It 's a thorough Prophecy that God requires that they be his servants the Prophets Paul the servant of Jesus Christ and so of the rest serving God out of love to the doing of his Will and to the edification and salvation of the Church It 's a thorough Knowledge that God requires Jer. 22.15 16. Is not this to know me saith the Lord It 's a thorough Faith that God requires a faith that works by love such a faith and such a faithfull man is not nothing he is something indeed as the Scriptures stile it for so we find a diverse opposition unto that which is nothing 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but keeping the Commandments of God We have the same sentence repeated and varied only in the close Gal. 5.6 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but faith which works by love And the same again repeated and the varying only in the close Gal. 6.15 Circumcision is nothing c. but a new creature If we lay these together we shall perceive what that is which is not nothing with God The keeping of the Commandments of God they bring us unto Christ and faith in him faith working faith a faith that works by love and works us unto a New Creature then then we are extra nihil then we are not nothing then we are something indeed but till we thus keep the Commandments of God and till we have a faith working by love and till we so become New Creature be we else what we can be be we what we would be else we are nothing Observe then a broad difference between Gods true estimate and the vain Opinion of men touching the most excellent state of Christian men in this life God in Scripture points us unto Charity Men vain men who think themselves and would be thought of others the best of men point us only unto hearing unto knowledge unto faith fruitless faith Oh! a powerful Ministry 't is all in all and the Word frequently taught I say not how sincerely and truly 't is all the Christian happiness As I have heard some call divers such places in this Kingdom by the names of Heaven-gates and Paradise Heaven upon Earth and yet the men themselves notoriously covetous proud malicious vain-glorious c. Corazin and Bethsaida lifted up to Heaven by Knowledge and Faith and that a false Knowledge and false Faith also that they may be cast the deeper into hell Confer 1 Cor. 1. The great learned men therefore are not to be envied no nor those who brag much of the knowledge of Gods truth without learning who make the greatest noise in the world at this day Balaam was a Prophet and Caiphas and Saul and our Lord foretells of divers who shall say unto him in the last day Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out devils and in thy name have done many great works But I will then saith he profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquity Matth. 7.23 And therefore our blessed Apostle I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest when I have preached to others I my self might become a cast-away 1 Cor. 9. Nor is it altogether unworthy our Observation the humility of our Apostle he speaks in his own person Though I have prophecy though I know all mysteries So 1 Cor. 3. What is Paul and what Apollos These things saith he I have transferred unto my self and Apollos for your sakes But when he speaks of any dignity and excellency due unto himself he speaks by way of compulsion I speak foolishly saith he you have compelled me Otherwise he puts himself under another person I knew a man in Christ saith he about fourteen years ago Quite contrary to the fashion of many men who if they have done any thing that 's good we shall be sure to hear it first from themselves but let another praise thee and not thine own mouth Prov. Exhort To follow after Charity 1 Cor. 14.1 'T is the Apostles Exhortation after his Doctrinal Discourse in this Chapter I need add no motives to those in this Chapter the Three main Reasons may suffice Only because there are many who content them in a Faith without Love or Charity I will commend one place of Scripture unto you and I beseech you think of it and I pray God open their eyes whom it most concerns 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your Faith Virtue c. The Signs 1 Cor. 13. vers 4-7 NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON I CORINTHIANS XV. 30 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily THat the Believers may not morn for the dead as those without Hope the Apostle in this Chapter proves by many Arguments the Resurrection of the Dead and among them this is reckoned the fifth which is an Argument from Testimony common and proper The common Testimony is
Jews how pittifully did they afflict their Souls so that they marvelled God should take no notice of it Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest it not wherefore have we afflicted our Soul and thou takest no knowledge God answers them In the day of your fast ye find pleasure you fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness Isai 5.8 Fasting is nothing afflicting the Soul is nothing without abstinence and fasting from sin without repentance not to be repented of these avail nothing without the new Creature What a deal of preaching there was among the Jews and more than among us and a great deal of hearing so the Lord speaks to Ezech. 33.31 They come unto thee as the people come and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goes after their covetousness and thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they hear thy words but they do them not Preaching is nothing and hearing is nothing without obeying keeping of the Commandments of God is the new Creature where that 's wanting all 's nothing 1 Cor. 7.19 A great deal of Faith there is and a great increase of Faith but few fruits of Faith few good works issuing from our Faith Though I have all Faith so that I can remove mountains and have not Charity I am nothing Faith that works by Love is the new Creature Gal. 5.6 where that 's wanting all 's nothing Yea how many-Alms-deeds are done how much Martyrdom suffered yet all worth nothing For though I give all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing 1 Cor. 13. Faith working by Love is the new Creature where that is not all 's nothing A great deal of zeal and heat there is in turning of Tables up and turning them down again and up again and down again and side-wayes and end-wayes and I know not how many wayes A great deal of Devotion there is in bowing a great deal in not bowing the one accounted superstitious the other prophane both nothing Circumcision is nothing though the Creators Institution and are not these much more nothing being but the Creatures Institution if there be degrees of nothing without the new Creature O Beloved what a deal of pains of care of cost of trouble of fasting of preaching of hearing of faith of alms of martyrdom of zeal and devotion there is yet all in vain all nothing The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the effect and issue of all is wanting the keeping the Commandments of God faith that works by love the new Creature this alone is available before God where this is wanting all 's nothing These kinds of innovations have been troublesome to the Church and troublesom to the Authors of them but this kind of innovation or renovation who will hinder whom doth it trouble Who will harm ye if ye be followers of that which is good 1 Pet. 3.13 The new Man is Created in righteousness and holiness of truth Ephes 4.24 And we can do nothing saith the same Apostle against the truth but for the truth The New Man is Created in righteousness and holiness in love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance these are the new Creature and what can hinder us to be renewed in these What ever Law can be made against these 't is ipso facto null Against these saith the Apostle there is no Law Gal. 5.22 23. This is an innovation against which there is no Law yea against which nothing can prevail no Creature can annihilate that 's the property of the Creator only No Creature can prevail against the new Creature Thus saith the Lord that Created thee O Jacob and he that formed thee O Israel fear not when thou passest through the water I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee No Creature in the world can make the new Creature fall from Grace 2 Cor. 4.16 Col. 3.10 Isa 40.31 Psal 103.5 Lastly to name no more Motives 't is worth the considering how generally all men are taken and affected with that which is new 't is so common that we say 't is natural Est natura hominum novitatis avida if there be a new fashion happy he or she that can first get into it if there be any news stirring we are impatient till we hear it For although it be said Act. 17.21 that all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or hear some new thing yet this is not to be understood as if this quality were peculiar unto them but the degree that they were greater novellants than others were a thing without doubt lawful yea needful as to hearken how things go with the Churches of God abroad Gods new Creatures but of all news home-news most affects us because it most concerns us As we rather listen what the Parliament doth then what 's done in France or Spain And there 's great reason for it they move the Hinge of Affairs in the Church and Common-wealth and God guide and bless their Counsels But Beloved there is yet a kind of news which more neerly concerns us than these the news in our own bosomes what news at that home and how go matters there is the Old Man dead yet or is he dying Is he as pettish and froward as covetous and having as proud as revengeful as he was wont to be or are these old things passed away is the New Man the young man come to his inheritance Hath he got possession yet of his house his house are ye Hebr. 3. doth he rule there is he married yet thy Creator is thy husband Isai 54.5 David was a notable Novellant in this kind Repreh 1. The unbelieving world which lies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what happiness can those find in a Kingdom which is thought to be the compendium and breviat of all worldly happiness if they be in the Evil One and he in them The Kings of Sodom and Gomorrha were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. What Wisdom can be in those who are without the Divine Wisdom or Christ Jer. 8.9 They have forsaken the Word of the Lord i. e. Christ and what wisdom is in them such as these are called fools by Solomon 2. What goodness Berah Birsha 3. What strength against sin Gen. 49. Reuben how weak is thine heart He who names the name of the Lord Jesus Christ let him depart from iniquity Repreh 2. Pretenders unto Christianity and that they are in Christ when indeed they are not Such as live in
crucified in the Galatians 2. Jesus Christ was evidently set forth crucified in the Galatians 3. The Galatians did not obey the truth 4. Some or other had bewitched them that they did not obey the Truth 5. The Apostle for this reason calls them foolish Galatians This is a hard saying who can bear it But That this may appear to you we must enquire 1. What crucifixion is And 2. How the Lord Jesus was crucified 3. How and whether he was crucified among the Galatians or in the Galatians Crucifixion is that painful that lingering that shameful and that aâ—cursed death of the Cross unto which Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto Philip. 2.8 This painful lingering shameful accursed death of the Cross the Text saith our Lord suffered among the Galatians How among them Our English word among is borrowed of our Neighbours the Low Dutch word gemengt that is mixt or mingled so that some where in that Region of Galatia this was done and accordingly Martin Luther turns the word unter inter sometimes between us or among us so Piscator so the Low Dutch but they put in the Margin or in you and the French Bible and the Italian and Spanish Bibles all our Latin Translations that of Erasmus that of Castellio that of Beza only the Vulg. Latin hath in vobis in you All our English Translations Tyndal Coverdale and three others except one English Manuscript which hath in you And what else I beseech you signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek and in vobis in the Latin but in you in plain English But how do they make it good that Christ was crucified among the Galatians The Evangelists tell us He was Crucified in or near Jerusalem without the Gate and how then among the Galatians Galatia was a great way off Jerusalem It will make somewhat toward the opening of this Truth if we enquire what these Galatians were and where they dwelt They are said to have been a people which descended of the Gauls called therefore Gallograeci but first Gomoritae from Gomar the Son of Japhet saith Josephus lib. 1. They were Scituate in the Lesser Asia between Pamphilia on the South on the East Cappadocia on the North the Euxine Sea saith Ptolomy in his first Table of Asia These are the people among whom Christ was Crucified But how could this be that Christ should be Crucified at Jerusalem and yet among the Galatians Our Expositors have much ado to bring both together One and he no mean man answers thus Although Christ was Crucified at Jerusalem yet saith he Paul tells us then by my preaching his Passion Life and Cross He hath been so lively set forth that ye might even see him before your eyes as evidently as the Jews saw him on the Cross at Jerusalem among you saith he lately in your age as it were before your eyes and perhaps some of you at that very time were present at Jerusalem and beholding Christ on the Cross among you i. e. in your age in your time or in you saith he that is in vicina via near you in Judea almost among you and before your eyes Crucified I could weary you and my self too with the shifts that some both Ancient and Modern Expositors have found out to bring Galatia and Jerusalem together which are at least ten dayes journey one from other O Beloved how little hath Christ been known or yet is he known according to the Spirit how few of that multitude who repute themselves Christians can truly say with St. Paul Though I have known Jesus Christ according to the flesh yet now I know him so no more 2 Cor. 5. for is not Jesus Christ the wisdom of God and the power of God 1 Cor. 1. Is he not made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Is not the Truth in Jesus the putting off the old Man and putting on the new Ephes 4. Know we therefore that Christ is crucified and slain divers wayes 1. In Adam when his innocent Nature in us is murdered Revel 13.8 and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world 2. Crucified in the flesh upon the Cross 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures 3. In the Spirit as often as his good motions are suppressed in us For such crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Hebr. 8.6 So that it will be no hard matter to declare how Christ was Crucified in the Galatians nor will it be very difficult to find out yet even now where our Lord both was and is daily crucified and by whom alas poor Pilate was not the alone crucifier of Christ And first how can Christ be said to be crucified in the Galatians To which I answer when they yielded not unto the motions of his Spirit in themselves but withstood them resisted them when they withstood the holy inspirations of Christs Spirit striving with them when they grieved when they quenched the holy fire in themselves when they yielded unto the inward Antichrist usurping a power in them for both cannot live together Thus Vatablus explains the Vulg. Latin in vobis inter vobis spiritus sanctus c. Isai 53.5 He was wounded of our transgressions and bruised of our iniquities But can the true Christ of God be crucified and slain The Divine Image saith holy Bernard Non est deleta sed obruta it is not wholly wiped out but overwhelmed The sacred Emblem represents unto us in the Lion Rampant the Devil above and the Lamb below trodden under foot but looking up and expecting when he shall be owned and restored mean time as to them in whom he is crucified he lies as utterly dead for thus the Prophet Isa 59.14 tells us that Truth is fallen in the street what street is that Lata licentiosa carnalium vita saith Hierom that broad street and licentious way and life of carnal men which is that which St. John tells us of Revel 11.8 that the two witnesses the Law and the Prophets which witness of the Righteousness of God Rom. 3.21 They lye dead in the street of that great City which St. Austin understands to be the Devils City which is spiritually called Sodom and Aegypt where also our Lord was crucified Observ 1. Hence it follows that Christ is in all men either dead or alive either crucified or glorified Observ 2. Christ is and lives in Believers Col. 1.27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of Glory So 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And indeed how can Christ be and live otherwhere than in his believers since
in the Letter and outward part thereof Our Lord tells his Disciples That except their righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they shall by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven How could they exceed their Righteousness but by their obedience unto the spiritual Law of God Observ 4. The Preacher may preach and all in vain the Sacraments may be administred and yet in vain Jesus Christ may be set forth evidently before mens eyes crucified in them and all in vain After all is done it 's possible men may not obey the Truth and then all this labour is lost How often have Christians received the holy Communion yet have they not shewn forth the Lords death in dying to any one sin which yet is the end the principal end of this holy Sacrament Yea the end of all our coming to Church the end of all our reading hearing all our fasting humiliation receiving the holy Sacrament it is our obedience Yea the end of all Christs Humiliation Christs humbling himself to the death the painful lingering infamous accursed death of the Cross it is our obedience that the same obedient mind might be in us which was also in Christ Jesus who humbled himself c. Observ 5. Men are then said not to obey the Truth when they follow not when they imitate not the actions and passions dyings and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Thus Jesus Christ was manifest in the flesh This even the Devil knew and confessed But every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God That he is come in thy flesh and mine and formed in us for so the word was made flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Jesus Christ bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24 And forasmuch as Christ hath suffered in the flesh arm your selves with the same How is that For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 2. So 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins How does that follow The same Apostle tells us Rom. 8. If we dye with him we believe that we shall also live with him For the following of Christ in his Resurrection is rising from the death of sin unto the life of Righteousness And thus Christ dyed for our sins that we might also dye to them and rose again for our justification that we might arise unto Righteousness and a new Life So that if Christ be not risen and we with him we are yet in our sins and this is that which by some is called motus antitypi Axom 4. Some or other had bewitched the Galatians that they did not obey the truth The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence is derived the Latin word fascino which signifies either to bewitch or to envy and both may very well fit this place of Scripture 1. To envy and so the Apostle may expostulate with them what Jew yet in the state of servants hath envyed you the liberty of sons 2. Or who hath bewitched you who hath so cast a mist before your eyes who hath so dazled your sight with deceptio visus that ye think ye see what ye see not or cannot see that which is visible and easie to be seen for so no doubt the evil one being the prince of the air can make the Species and Images of things appear which really and truly are not and so intervert and turn aside the Images of things which are that to some they do not appear For if we consider him who bewitches them viz. the grand impostor the Devil we shall find that he according to the Degree of that Divine Power manifested or put forth in men by the Father Son and Spirit he also puts forth his power of darkness to oppose it for as there is the holy Trinity in the Divinity so is there also an infernal trinity in the Devils nature a father of lyes a son of perdition and a spirit of error As therefore when Moses came into Egypt the father of lyes sent forth Jannes and Jambres which withstood Moses So when the Lord Jesus sent forth his Disciples and Apostles to preach the Gospel of Christ crucified then the Devil sent forth Barjesus Act. 13.6 who transforms himself as if he were Jesus the Son of God to oppose them and therefore he is called Barjesus the son of Jesus For as Jesus the Son of God saves his people from their sins Matth. 1. So Barjesus this son of the Devil as he is called endeavours to delude and save the people from grace and righteousness vers 8. Observ 1. That the Lord is not the cause of our disobedience either by any antecedent Decree or by any present instinct nor motion inclining us unto sin O no the Wiseman warns us that we should not say or think so Ecclus 15.11 12. Say not thou it is through the Lord that I fell away for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth Say not thou he caused me to err for he hath no need of the sinful man No doubt were he the cause he would not reprove he would not punish eternally the disobedient souls Observ 2. Disobedience is a kind of witchery Samuel saith as much in so many words Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft 1 Sam. 15.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the Text which signifies to envy and to bewitch And the Wiseman tells us That by the envy of the Devil sin entred into the world The Devil himself is the grand Sorcerer by this envy of him also iniquity the great witch the old witch she came into the world So the Wiseman tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the witching of naughtiness or wickedness Wisd 4.12 This grand Sorcerer hath also his Ministers who are great Inchanters of the people 2 Cor. 11.4 Sometimes these bewitch the multitude with their doctrine as there are some plausible doctrines which bewitch Christians that they do not obey the truth such is that which would perswade us 1. That the Law of God belongs not unto those that are in Christ then if no law no transgression 2. That God sees no sin in his people where yet sin is to be seen Psal 50.21 22. 3. That Christ hath done all things already to our hands and left us nothing to do but believe it Matth. 7.21 4. That as soon as we have begun to do well there 's no fear of falling away when the Apostle faith Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall 5. That sin cannot be subdued no not by Christ in us while we live here when yet faith is the victory that overcomes the world 1 Joh. 5.4 Phil. 4.13 I can do all through Christ who strengthneth me These and such as these are obligamenta magica magical tyes which bind men from walking in
Christ enters into the holy souls according to the ages and our Apostle unto every one of us saith he is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ that is according to the measure of Christ who is that gift as the words import Ephes 4.7 1 Cor. 12.7 for so Christ calls himself the gift of God Joh. 4. as Socrates in Plato's Apologie for him calls himself the gift of God to the Athenians For as the visible Sun by few or many and often revolutions makes a like number of natural dayes and years in this outward and visible world after the same proportion in the invisible and spiritual world the Sun of Righteousness lifts up the light of his countenance on the souls of those that fear him upon whom only he ariseth Mal. 4.2 and accordingly makes some children of a few dayes others young men of more and others old men of perfect age For if in truth and in Gods computation they were old or young whom the world accounts as such who I beseech you should be fuller of dayes than Adam and Methuselah who yet are never in all the Scripture said to be old men or full of dayes but Abraham the Father of the faithful who had seen Christs day is said to die in good old age and Joshuah Job Jehojada with some others all Children in respect of these two are yet stiled old men and full of dayes when yet the eldest of them all if we regard their natural life in this outward world came short of Adam and Methuselah many hundred years But lest any one should refer this difference unto natural causes only and say that mans vitals are weaker now since the flood and his nourishment now less able to support him than before Ye may please to hear what the Wise Man saith in express terms That honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time nor that is measured by number of years but wisdom is the Grayhead unto men and an unspotted life is old age Sap. 4.8 9. and at vers 13. speaking of short lived Enoch the father of long-lived Methuselah he being made perfect in a short time fulfilled long time But lest any one should sleight this Testimony and call it Apochryphal as written by some unknown Author howsoever the Ancients who knew better than he judged it to be Solomons Ye have these three Ages of men in Christ as scattered here and there throughout the Scripture so sometimes altogether and that either more obscurely shadowed out in types and figures or plainly laid down in their proper signification These may be meant by the three Wells which Isaac digged Gen. 26. 1. Eseck Contention for the flesh faith the Apostle to these his Children Gal. 5. Resisteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh 2. Sitnah that is Enmity of the Evil One or Satan whom the young man overcomes 1 Joh. 2. 3. Rehoboth that is the latitude largeness or freedom of the old man in Christ These also may be meant by Abraham's three dayes journey to Mount Moriah the Mount where God is seen Gen. 22. by the three branches of that Vine for so Christ is the true Vine and all in Christ are the branches Joh. 15. one branch budding figuring our Childhood another blossoming noting Youth in the flower the third bringing forth ripe grapes signifying mature and perfect age Gen. 40.10 The like we may conceive of Aarons Rod that budded blossomed brought forth ripe Almonds Num. 17. besides many such resemblances But ye shall find all these three Ages in their proper significations 1 Joh. 2.12 13. Now all these three are the very same and no other than those which the Schoolmen understand by Incipientes Proficientes and Perfecti though they differ about them among themselves and from the truth in the explication of them The first of these three Ages we have first to deal withal They are called in Scripture by diverse names as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may describe them thus they are such as God hath converted by his Word and Spirit from the hatred of Righteousness and love of iniquity to be of like mind and inclination with himself in the hatred of all known iniquity and the love of all known Righteousness and that both in some measure for themselves yet weak they are in their obedience in respect of both and unsetled in their hope to subdue their iniquity and to perform the Righteousness required by reason of their weakness This description as you may perceive consists of terms importing both a towardly disposition and a childish infirmity of these young believers both which will more plainly appear if hereto we apply some few Examples for the illustration of it Such a Child is he whom the Apostle speaks of Rom. 7. whether meaning himself or some other man it 's not material Him some affirm to be a perfect regenerate man others a man unregenerate but I suppose that he that shoots between both these extreams shall happily hit the Truth which commonly men loose by wrangling for it v. 15. This man doth the evil which he hates therefore he is not a perfect regenerate man yet in that he hates the evil which he doth he is not altogether an unregenerate man Vers 19. The good which he would do he doth not therefore he is not perfectly regenerate yet good he would do though he do it not therefore be is not altogether unregenerate Vers 20. He doth that evil which he would not do therefore he is not throughly regenerate yet he would not do that evil which he doth therefore he is not throughly unregenerate Of the same nonage were our Saviours Disciples Mar. 4.33 to whom therefore he spake the Word as they were able to bear Why did our Saviour speak with a low voice or were they deaf or far off that they could not hear neither so nor so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a Scripture notion as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and audire signifie not only to bear but to understand also and obey such Children our Lord speaks unto Joh. 16.12 I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now and why not now Gods Commandments were heavy and they weak wherefore as when we ease a man of his burden we either diminish the burden or encrease his strength that bears it because not one jot of this burden of the Law must pass till all be fulfilled therefore in the very next words he promiseth them more strength to bear this burden Ye are not able to bear them now saith he howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all truth and then his Commandments are not heavy 1 Joh. 5.3 but his burden is light Matth. 11. so light that David could bear it running Psal 119.32 but to these it was in the mean time heavy Take an homely similitude some one of you Fathers
things are so accomplished as they were foretold and therefore we read often in the Gospel that such and such things were done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Word of the Lord might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Matth. 1.22 2. 'T is for the glory of Gods faithfulness and truth as truth is opposed to falsehood and lies when things promised are performed according to his promises So Tit. 1.2 God who cannot lie hath promised eternal life and Hebr. 10.2 3. He is faithful that hath promised and therefore Solomon blessed God 1 King 8.56 3. 'T is for the discovery of Gods Truth as opposed to types and figures when the shadow vanisheth at the presence of the body Col. 2. the veil of Ceremonies remains to the Jews untaken away in reading of the Old Testament which veil is done away in Christ 2 Cor. 3.14 Ceremoniale aboletur spirituale manet 3. In regard of us to whom they are fulfilled 't is for the confirmation and establishing of our Faith when that which was commanded prophecied promised and typified hath obtained the real accomplishment for us to us and in us Thus the Lord tells Moses Exod. 6.3 That by his name Jehovah he was not known to their Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob that name imports the Being of God and giving Being unto what he commands foretells promiseth and typifieth as it imports Gods Being God had reveiled himself to the Fathers by that Name 1. To Abraham Gen. 15.7 8. I am Jehovah that brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees 2. To Isaac Gen. 26.25 Isaac built an Altar and called upon the name of Jehovah 3. To Jacob Gen. 28.13 I am Jehovah the God of Abraham thy Father 2. But as it signifieth the giving of Being to and fulfilling his commands prophecies promises and types he was not known to them but to their Seed when he really brought them out of Aegypt and seated them in the Land of Canaan therefore Moses must say unto the Children of Israel I am Jehovah and I will bring ye out from under the burdens of the Aegyptians and I will bring you into the Land which I promised to give it to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and I will give it to you for an inheritance I am Jehovah Exod. 6.6 7 8. 1. Doubt Quaere Notes in Jam. 1.22 2. Whereas it is said that such and such things were fulfilled as that of Isai 7.14 touching the conception and birth of Christ Matth. 1.22 that touching Christs curing our infirmities Matth. 8.17 Joh. 19.30 here it may be questioned had the Lord then accomplished all his prophecies promises and types when he fulfilled all these unto the Sons of Israel 1. All the prophecies and visions which concerned Christs first coming were determined and fulfilled by him in his first coming Dan. 9.24 In the end of seventy weeks the vision must be sealed up as letters being finished are sealed and confirmed so Christ told the two Disciples who travelled with him to Emmaus Luk. 24. It was necessary that all things should be fulfilled c. 2. The Old Philosopher had a true saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as true omnia sunt in omnibus though all had their accomplishments in their times thus all was fulfilled to them when they came into the Land of Promise ut justificetur consummatum est yet all that ever was fulfilled and accomplished in a degree to them was as a prophecy promise and type to us We are then brought out of Aegypt when freed from the thraldom of sin and slavery under the spiritual Pharaoh We are brought into the Holy Land when we have entred into the true Rest Hebr. 4. into which Joshuah did not bring the Israelites according to the flesh but the true rest remain'd for the Israel of God vers 9 10 11. Christ's conception is fulfilled to us when he is formed in us Gal. 4.19 His birth is fulfilled when the woman the Church and her believers have brought forth Christ the second time Revel 12. Then the true Israel of God dwells safely in their Land when they dwell in God and God in them when the Lord is to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their dwelling place Psal 90.1 then they know that Jehovah is their God Ezech. 28.26 Quaere Is all prophecy fulfilled What saith our Lord in the forenamed place Luk. 24. Necesse fuit impleri omnia But if all prophecy were then fulfilled what did John prophecy of in his Revelation All things therefore were fulfilled concerning the first coming of Christ but John prophecied of his second coming and of the mystical Christ coming in his members destroying Babylon the City of Whoredom and Antichrist of the erecting the Kingdom and the City of God the heavenly Jerusalem And touching this many Oracles of the Prophets are to be understood which yet want their accomplishment and fulfilling then that of Isai 11.4 shall be fulfilled With the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked one compared with 2 Thess 2.8 which the Lord shall destroy with the Spirit of his mouth then the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid vers 6. The Lord hath been long and is yet fulfilling that of Zephany 3.8 which done then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord to serve him with one shoulder in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ Revel 1.9 10 11 12 13. When the kingdom shall be restored to Israel Act. 1. Object But if Christ have ascended thus and fulfilled all things then is the Law fulfilled and all things done and suffered for us and we saved we know not how if we can but believe it Answered often Christ is dead and we are dead with him when the body is dead because of sin He is risen when the Spirit is life because of righteousness Rom. 8.10 Observ 1. The Scripture is empty until Christ fulfil it with the Spirit of Truth All the promises are empty unless Christ fulfil them for Christ is the true Isaac the Seed of Promise in whom all nations bless themselves Gen. 22.17 He that shall bless himself in the earth shall bless himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the God of mercy Esay 65.16 or Christ in whom all the promises of God are Amen accomplished ratified and true 2 Cor. 1.19 This Amen Amen He who is the truth of truth This is Christ the Amen Apoc. 3.14 This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 5. ult That Amen in whom and through whom we pray and call upon the God of Truth for the ratifying of all the promises by whom and through whom all the promises of God are fulfilled and in whom all the promises of God are fulfilled and in whom the Lord performs all our petitions in the Lords Prayer which therefore we seal with Amen 2. All the Types and Figures are empty until Christ fulfill them For what
fornication is called folly 2 Sam. 13.12 and it makes a man a fool Thus Ammon deceived by that lust was one of the fools of Israel vers 13. Nay youthful lusts transformed Rehoboam into folly it self whom the wise man calls the very foolishness of the people Ecclus. Seeing therefore the danger of being deceived by our deceitful lusts is so imminent and the danger unto which that deceit exposeth us of so great consequence and the folly accompanying both so infamous and shameful it concerns us all very nearly to look about us for some Helps or means whereby we may discover and escape the deceitfulness of lusts And these we must proportion according to the progress of erroneous lusts in our soul and trace them from the understanding to the will and the affections as the plaster must be made equal to the sore 1. Since therefore the deceitfulness of lusts in the understanding proceeds from the similitude of things when we apprehend one thing under the shew and appearance of another It 's necessary that if we would not be deceived we first of all know the difference of things one from another as also the difference of those who present them unto us which because it is exceeding difficult partly by reason of the things themselves being many and obscure partly by reason of Satans subtilty that grand impostor who deceives all the world and partly by reason of the malice and craft of wicked men and deceivers and partly by reason of our weakness and want of judgement The only safe way is to lay aside all humane malice deceit and hypocrisie and to adhere unto the word of God that word of Truth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sincere milk that deceives not And the Spirit of God that Spirit of Truth which accompanieth the word of Truth which will lead us if we obey it into all truth whereby we shall learn our selves and our own lusts and distinguish natural from unnatural necessary from unnecessary and superfluous and not to be cozened with names whereby our lusts most-what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they cover their deceit To distinguish frugality and thrift from covetousness mirth from madness sociableness from drunkenness zeal from envy maintaining of our credit from vain glory and many the like Whereby also we may distinguish Satan from an Angel of light and not to be ignorant of his devices Whereby we may distinguish his ministers from the Apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousness 2 Cor. 11. a friend from him who is solo nomine amicus Ecclus. 37.1 And the Spirit of truth from the spirit of errour the truth of God from the sleights and cunning craftiness of men whereby they lye in wait to deceive Eph. 4.14 In a word that we may so grow up unto a perfect man that we may be able to distinguish and discern between good and evil Heb. 5.14 whereby the understanding is enabled to discover the deceitfulness of lusts and to direct the will which ought to follow the dictate of the understanding thus informed both in chusing and refusing and suspending chusing what is propounded as natural and necessary Though even in these we ought to have a special regard lest we be deceived for Satan and our own flesh take the most advantage to beguile us with those desires that are naturally good and therefore the Devil is not said to have tempted our Saviour all the time of his abstinence but when he hungered then and but then and not before the Tempter sets first upon him as ye shall read Luk. 4.2 3. The Will also ought to follow the dictate of the understanding thus informed by refusing unnatural and unnecessary desires and lusts of which according to the two kinds of passions in the sensitive soul the concupiscible and irascible there are two sorts for either 1. They accost us more plausibly more subtilly and slily as the Serpent encountred Eve and then the Rule is to fly youthful lusts such as are excessive eating and drinking and other lusts of the concupiscible Col. 3.5 fornication uncleanness c. such as commonly youth is addicted unto and such as set upon us in our nonage of Christianity Thus Joseph fled the solicitations of his Mistris for of this our first Mother was deceived by staying and entertaining long conference with the Serpent and it may be our own case For I fear lest by any means as the Serpent deceived Eve through his subtilty so our minds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ wherefore let us follow the wise Mans counsel Ecclus. 18.30 Post concupiscentias has non eas c. Go not after thy lusts but refrain thy self from thine appetites fly from sin as from a Serpent 2. Another sort there are of the irascible and they encounter us more forcibly and violently such as variance envy wrath strife c. Col. 3.8 then the Rule is to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 't is the best manners in this case to be unmannerly with them to be blunt and downright to entertain them roughly be angry and sin not as Elisha gave order that they should shut the door against the messenger of Jehoram sent to kill him 2 King 6.32 for saith he Are not his masters feet behind him So when anger desire of revenge contention or strife these or such like messengers of Satan are sent to buffet us and take away our spiritual life in us O shut the door of the heart out of the which they come Matth. 15. upon them are not their masters feet behind them Therefore saith the Apostle be angry and sin not let not the Sun go down upon your wrath for are not their masters feet behind them Give not place to the Devil he comes after it they come to take away thy head Christ from thee 1 Cor. 11. For the direction of the third act of the Will which we call suspension we have need of patience to beware of all the assaults of our deceitful lusts even the word of the patience of Christ which is the true Cross of Jesus Christ whereby the violence and tumult of all impetuous and unruly affections and lusts are quelled as at the Word of Christ the wind and sea obeyed and there followed a great calm yet so that we confess that our deceived heart hath caused us to err We have been foolish disobedient deceived serving diverse lusts and pleasures We have erred and strayed from thy wayes like lost sheep wherefore we beseech thee O Lord that thou wilt be pleased to bring into the way of Truth us and all such as have erred and are deceived that we may return unto the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls Grant this O Father through Jesus Christ who is the Way the Truth and Life to whom with Thee and the Holy Spirit be all Honour and Glory world without end Amen NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children IT was a duty of high nature which St. Paul exhorted us unto lately To abound in walking and pleasing God but here behold an higher which may be a reason of that Be ye followers of God as dear children Which Duty that we may the better understand we must take a general and cursory view of the whole Epistle it consists of six Chapters and is Didactical or Doctrinal Protreptical or Hortatory 1. The Doctrinal part is in the three first Chapters declaring what God hath done for us 2. The Hortatory part is contained in the three last Chapters inciting and stirring us up to those duties which we ought to return back to God The Text is seated in the latter part and of that toward the centre and middle of it somewhat in respect of place but more in regard of the scope and argument of this latter part which mainly drives at the imitation of God most of the neighbouring fourth Chapter before and of this fifth Chapter being either the same Exhortation with the Text or somewhat conducing thereunto as why wherein how and by what means we may become followers of God I will not weary you with a long Analysis or resolution of it though I am well assured it is as necessary and profitable for the full and distinct understanding of the Scripture as others think it tedious and needless witness our present Text which most of the Expositors that I have read infer immediately and only from the last verse of the former Chapter whereas they might have looked further backward and considered that our Apostle in the fourth Chapter set the Ephesians like Noah to look back upon the old world the condition of the old man and that not only in themselves as vers 14. for so they would not have loathed it enough but in other Gentiles also vers 17 18 19. And 2. To look forward at the new world the qualities of the new man and as they had been taught of Christ in resemblance to a garment to put off the whole old man and put on the whole new man and both first in general from vers 20. to 24. and then to put off some special and principal parts of the old man from vers 25. to 31. and to put on some principal parts of the new man vers 32. and then he infers the conclusion of all thus If ye have learned of Christ to put off the old man and all the parts of it and to put on the new man and all his parts then be ye followers of God But this ye have learned The reason of the consequence or why if we have thus learned we should be followers of God is because to put on the new man which cannot be done without putting off the old and to be a follower of God what is it but to be framed and fashioned according to God I have brought you to the Text which is an Exhortation to the following of God it contains in it these Two points 1. We ought to be followers of God 2. We ought to be followers of God as dear children To imitate or follow in a large notion is to express represent or counterfeit any thing for of so large a signification is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Poets and Painters and other Mimicks who anciently counterfeited the voices of beasts and notes of birds might be said to imitate them But more strictly the word is taken in a moral signification to resemble and express the manners life and actions of another which many be two ways done either 1. From intention of seeming only to be such as another is in life and actions Such is a Player on a Stage and such is the hypocrite in Religion Such counterfeits ye read of Luk. 20.20 Or 2. From an inward principle and serious purpose of being such as another is Thus St. Paul imitated Christ and here exhorts the Ephesians and us to be followers of God In the imitation or following of God two things must be considered 1. The exemplar or pattern to be imitated or followed 2. The resembler or follower of that example and pattern 1. The exemplar or pattern also to be followed may be two ways understood for we may conceive by it Either 1. The person at large to be followed as Paul or other Governours of the Church Or 2. The thing wherein that person is to be followed as the Governours of the Church are to be followed in their faith Heb. 13.7 And St. Paul in all his ways which are in Christ 1 Cor. 4.16 17. Thus God is the pattern to be followed That wherein he is to be followed is that wherein his image principally consists and that wherein a man may be said to be like unto God and that is in knowledge Col. 3.10 and in righteousness and holiness of truth or true holiness Ephes 4.24 Would not a man think it strange to find this image of God spoken of expresly by an Heathen Philosopher He is not in vain called Divine Plato in whom among many other sayings worthy a Divine ye may find this about the midst of his Dialogue Theatatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The likeness and similitude of God is to be righteous and holy with wisdom The very same which the Apostle speaks in places before named 2. The resembler and follower of this example and pattern is such an one as endeavours sincerely to conform the whole inward and outward man unto his glorious pattern 1. He is inwardly conformed hereunto 1. In the ruling part of his soul both mind and will 2. In the servile part of his soul And this is done these three ways of which we often read viâ Illuminativa by way of Divine Illumination Purgativa by way of Purgation And Vnitiva by way of Vnion These three the holy Ghost may seem to have pointed at 2 Chron. 4.2 8. 1. The enlightning of the soul aimed at in the Candlesticks vers 7.2 The purging of it signified by the molten Sea and ten Lavers vers 2.6 3. The Union in the ten Tables and Bowls 1. The first of these is light for even as God when he made the outward world He commanded the light first of all to shine out of darkness So also when he makes the inward world he begins with light The Apostle observed it 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shines in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2. This Divine and glorious Light of Knowledge the understanding receiveth from the Sun of righteousness as we receive the Sun-beams in a glass and as these beget a resemblance of the Sun from whence they come so these heavenly rayes beget a likeness and resemblance unto God whence a follower of God becomes renewed in the spirit of the mind Eph. 4.23 that is renewed in knowledge according
Nay lest the sheards might seem to be fit for some use Isa 30.14 it shall be so curiously broken that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sheard to take fire from the hearth or to take water withall out of the pit So dangerous a thing it is to work a deceitful work as the Wise Man speaks to be a counterfeit and not a true imitator and follower of God Nor let men please themselves as if they were sure enough of the main and this concerned them not for why they are followers of God as his dear children Let them know that 't is not enough for them to fansie themselves such unless they can approve themselves to be so by these or such like infallible signs We find the Children of God and followers of him thus described as elsewhere so Phil. 2.15 That they are blameless and harmless the sons or children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Wherefore if there be among us injurious and hurtful persons such as commonly are the drunken crew saith Solomon For who hath sorrow who hath contention who hath babling who hath wounds without cause so much as they Prov. 23.29 unless it be the still and quiet drunkard who is no mans foe they say but his own Or if there be amongst us angry furious proud arrogant men shall we say that these are the children and followers of God who do the works of the Devil For wheresoever there is pride there is contention and strife Prov. 13.10 or covetous persons For they that will be rich fall into a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 Surely these and such as these are not blameless and harmless the children of God these are not without rebuke these are in the very midst of a crooked and perverse generation as a part of it these shine not in it like lights of the world Nor let others who are not perhaps so scandalous outwardly in their lives as these are hugg and please themselves as if they were the true followers of God as many are wont to call themselves the children of God and others the wicked of the world upon no better grounds For in this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God c. 1 Joh. 3.10 Mark my Beloved he saith not he that doth not believe that he is righteous but he that doth not righteousness he is not the child of God If therefore there be among us fraudulent dealers cheaters deceivers lyars such as couzen circumvent and deceive their neighbour and that under the colour of Religion holy knavery surely let these men be as demure and let them be as devout as they will these are not the Children of God Ye are of your father the Devil saith our Saviour of them Joh. 8. Who do the lusts and the deeds of their father the Devil these are bastards and not Sons of God Nay Beloved it 's much to be feared that ye may seek further and not find the genuine and true children of God the children of God love not only those who are such but even strangers even enemies Matth. 5. And this they must do that they may be the children of their Father Nor is it such an extempore business to be a follower of God nor is it done so immediately but as God led his followers through the Wilderness with a visible cloud and fire so also he leads his followers now through the Wilderness of this World with the visible Example of his Son whom he hath set forth as a pattern that we should follow his steps According to which our Apostle here having propounded God's Example presently adds Christ's also as a means to be followers of God And that the rather because God in himself can be followed only in doing good but Christ also in suffering evil and avoiding evil And therefore saith the Apostle Christ suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not 1 Pet. 2.21 22. and 1 Pet. 4.1 In following of God we must eschew and avoid the darkness of sin whereby men become unlike to God for in God there is no darkness at all and adhere and cleave unto the light for God is light and thereby we may most of all resemble God For we were sometimes darkness saith our Apostle vers 8. of this Chapter but now are light in the Lord let us walk as the children of the light for the fruit of light so 't is in the Syriack the Latin and the most ancient English Translation the fruit of light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth vers 9. And as in the making or framing of an Embrio in the womb See Notes upon Galat. 4.19 ad finem We must also follow those who were the followers of Christ for as a Picture exactly drawn answers to the Archetypon and Pattern of it and may be an example unto others And as the face resembled in one Glass may transmit the image of it self unto many So the Apostles and holy Men having imitated God and Christ propounded themselves to be followed of others yet it is but one and the same God followed in all 1 Cor. 4.16 and 11.1 Phil. 3.17 2 Thess 3.7 9. and that all goodness no evil at all God is the Universal goodness and so we must take the whole Pattern for our imitation otherwise Humano Capiti cervicem pictor equinam c. This work must be begun betimes even when we are Children by that means saith Plato we shall express the Pattern in our minds in our bodies in our manners in our words in our actions in our whole nature As the Picts sometimes inhabitants of this Island painted themselves and their children while they were young and the picture grew with them Train up or catechise Marg. a child saith Solomon in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Prov. 22.6 Ye have a Proverb to bend a wythe while 't is green 't will break rather than bend when 't is old and stiff A teneris assuescere malum est All Arts are best learned when we are young So is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this art of life Being thus early begun we must proceed with the work as they say Nulla dies sine linea letter or line not a day pass us without some more likeness unto God Add hereunto the continual minding of our Pattern Whatever things are true whatever things are honest c. Phil. 8.9 think on these things Psal 119.11 I have hid thy commandment within my heart that I might not sin against thee The Commandment is the Pattern or Idea of God in our mind Thus doing we shall pourtray and copy out the
of judgement than for that City vers 14 15. But God be thanked we have had the Gospel with us now these many years and therefore 't is too late now to exhort us to receive the Gospel Beloved we have perhaps received the outward Word and sound of the Gospel but have we received the inward efficacy and power of the Gospel These are too too often distinguish'd according to the diversity of hearers But we have powerful preachers of the Gospel But have the powerful Preachers you speak of or the Gospel which is the power of God to salvation been powerful in us Let not men pride themselves in their Preachers nor glory in men 1 Cor. 3. as they commonly do O we hear Paul we are of Apollos and we are followers of Cephas The Word is plentifully preached unto us and this is the gate of Heaven for so some call such places for thou Capernaum which art thus lifted up to Heaven mayest be cast down to Hell Receptivum non recipit per modum imprimentis sed per modum receptivitatis What though the Preacher preach with power if we be not strengthened with his glorious power Coloss 1.11 St. Paul preached the Gospel so powerfully that he was accounted a God and yet anon stoned by those who thought him so Act. 14. Yea we may alledge that Christ himself hath preached in our streets yet may we be bid depart from him workers of iniquity So that to hear the Gospel or the most powerful Preachers of it is not to receive the Gospel To receive it is to believe it Joh. 1. But if that be all ye shall have enough of that Believe yea 't were pitty we should live if we did not believe soundly But Beloved what do we believe O we believe that Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification But do we believe that Christ died so for our sins that we should die unto sin That he so rose again that we might rise unto newness of life Do we believe that Christ left us an example that we should follow his steps This is the belief which the Gospel requires Men in this case believe e'ne as much as they list they take the Promise and leave the Precept As your Children pick out the plumbs and throw away the bread But we must know there is an obedience of Faith Rom. 1.16 and an obedience due to the Gospel 2 Thess 1.8 if no obedience no faith if no obedience no Gospel let men otherwise believe what they list This was the tenour of St. Paul's Commission when he was sent to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God And thus the Gentiles received the Gospel as he acknowledgeth almost in all his Epistles especially in that of the 1 Thess 1.5 Our Gospel saith he came not unto you in word only but also in power how that was he tells us vers 9. Ye turned saith he to God from Idols to serve the living and true God But we need go no further than this Coloss 1.13 God hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son If the Gospel be not thus come unto us The Prince of this world is come Christ and his Gospel is not come unto us God be thanked we are delivered from the darkness of Popery and from the Idols of Rome Beloved there are other works of darkness beside those of Popery Cast off saith the Apostle Rom. 13.12 the works of darkness what are they vers 13. Rioting and Drunkenness Chambering and Wantonness Strife and Envying And there are Idols on this side Rome are there none of them in thy heart that 's their place and that 's true Idolatry Ezech. 14.3 Is not covetousness there that 's Idolatry Coloss 1. Is not gluttony and brutish sensuality there that 's Idolatry too Philip. 3. surely if we be not turned from these we have not received the Gospel What means we may use then for the true receiving of it the Prophet Malachy will teach us Chap. 4. where God having promised the Sun of Righteousness and his Gospel vers 2. at vers 4. he tells us how we should receive him Remember ye saith he the Law of Moses my Servant and vers 5. Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet If we make use of both these we shall be then prepared to receive the Gospel 1. By the Law is the acknowledgement of sin Rom. 7. And 2. John the Baptist teacheth to repent of it and therefore 't is worth the observing how St. Mark begins his Gospel The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ what was that presently to believe in Christ No The beginning of the Gospel is written in the Prophets Behold I send my Messenger before thy face and he prepared the way for Christ vers 4. John did baptize in the wilderness and preached the Gospel of repentance Yea Christ himself vers 15. bids us first repent and then believe the Gospel Thus John the Baptist prepares us for Christ the doctrine of Repentance for the doctrine of Faith the right use of the Law for the due receiving of the Gospel In a word the Gospel is the tydings of a Common Salvation and shall we have no share of it 'T is a glorious Gospel of Light and Life and shall we sit in darkness and in the shadow of it 'T is a Gospel of Peace and how can we receive it if we be contentious 'T is the Gospel of God how can we receive it if we be ungodly 'T is the Gospel of Grace how can we receive it if we be graceless NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON COLOSSIANS II. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buried with him in baptism wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead COrruption of the Christian Doctrine began betimes for when the Gospel of Jesus Christ began to be published in the world many who had spent their time in the study of such Philosopy as was grounded on the Opinions of Men these would piece their uncertain Principles with the undoubted truth of God Others were zealous for the Ceremonial Law of Moses and for the honour of it would have added unto the Christian Doctrine The Apostle was aware of both these dangers of Corruption and therefore vers 8. he warns the Colossians of them both Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit and well he might for neither Christ nor believers in him need any such piecing For 1. In Christ all fulness dwells vers 9. And 2. Of his fulness his believers have received their proportionable fulness vers 10. So that they need not the Doctrine of Angels out of the Traditional Philosophy for he is the head of all Principality and Power vers 10. 2. Nor do they need Judaical Ceremonies for
I may interpret it rather from errour than malice it will be to good purpose to explain a gross mistake in both many having read or heard of notable good lives among the Heathen then Philosophers and others have despised them under the notion of vain-glory and condemned them as splendida peccata Doubtless the denial of ungodliness and worldly lusts the gift of Sobriety Justice and Godliness wherever it is found it cannot be ascribed to the corrupt nature of the fall'n Man much less to the Devil therefore it must proceed from the Grace of God where-ever it is Doth not the Apostle affirm as much Tit. 2.11 12. Yet do I not deny but some of them might for a while live such plausible lives for no better end though difficilè est dissimulare diu But truly I dare not damn them all as some too rashly have done whom they know have lived soberly because I dare not confine the operations of Gods Spirit unto certain limits of times and places and persons as if God wrought only in such or such places and among such persons as we have proof from story the Ministers of God have preached in them and among them The power of the holy exemplary life is greater than the preaching of the word 1 Pet. 3.1 Abraham was herein mistaken as appears Gen. 20. when he denied his Wife why vers 11. because he thought the fear of God was not in that place when yet it was for we read vers 5. That Abimelech dealt according to the integrity of his heart and innocency of his hands and that in Gods sight as he bears him witness vers 6. God said unto him in a dream Yea I knew that thou diddest this in the integrity of thine heart The like we may judge of Isaac who followed his Fathers Example in this particular Gen. 26. Therefore St. Peter Act. 10.34 35. where he saith That God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he who feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him he implyes that there are or may be in other Nations beside those to whom God affords the more publick use of his Ordinances some who fear God and work Righteousness c. Jethro was such an one to the Midianites who were strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel yet such he was that Moses followed his Counsel and the Lord approved of it touching the Ordination of that great Council called the Sanedrim which continued in Jerusalem till the dissolution of that State Exod. 18.21 Numb 11.16 Such a witness was Hermes Trismegistus to the Aegyptians who hath written so divinely and profoundly concerning the Majesty of God and other Divine Arguments that the Jews thought him to be the same with Moses himself Such a witness of Gods Righteousness was Socrates to the Athenians as Plato reports in his Apologie for him that he stiles him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods gift to the Athenians as our Lord calls himself the gift of God to the world for surely in every Nation in every City and Family They who fear God and work Righteousness they are to that Nation City and Family Gods witnesses in a degree of Resurrection and Life So that if these ought not to be sleighted under the notion of meer Moral Men since they lived holy lives and out of the fear of God wrought Righteousness how much less ought Christian men to be sleighted who out of the obedience of Faith in Jesus Christ and out of the obedience of Charity 1 Pet. 1. and to the glory of God walk in newness of life Shall their life or rather that which is the life of God in them be despised under the name of Morality or as Pharisaism Alas little do they consider that they who despise the Christian Life do despite unto the spirit of Grace and wound through their sides whom they call Moral even the Lord Jesus Christ who is their life while meantime they flatter themselves with the Idol of their own imagination For look impartially throughout the whole Book of God and see what that is which the Lord approves of whether it be not Holiness and Righteousness and Truth In a word whether it be not that which in other terms we call the Life of God the Christian Life yea Christ himself who is our Life that holy thing that life which is the light of men which the Lord will have to reign in these last dayes maugre the Sons of Belial who despise it and say We will not have this man to rule over us Luk. 19. But they who are risen with Christ and walk in newness of life are charged as Pharisaical an heavy charge and I fear not well understood by those who lay it to their charge We must therefore understand that the Apostles dispute with the Pharisees against works in his Epistle to the Romans and Galatians c. is not to be understood against works absolutely and simply understood for how is it possible to express a new life otherwise than by good works the end of Creation Ephes 2.10 and Redemption Tit. 2.14 But he is to be understood to dispute against the works of the Law as prescribed by it As when the Pharisee was not condemned for Righteousness but we exhorted to exceed it Truly if ye observe it ye shall find that they who most object Pharisaism unto such they themselves are the truest Pharisees and they who reproach others as Moral if their lives be enquired into will hardly be found to be so good as Moral but indeed proud men and aliened from the Life of God The Pharisees held That they might keep the Law and please God without Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ which the Apostle tells us is impossible 3. The means common to both wherein are Two points 1. God raised up Christ by his Operative Power 2. The Colossians and all other believers whatever are raised by faith of the same operative power 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not properly signifie operation or action but the power of action or operation For our better understanding of this we must know That if God Angel or Man or any other Creature effect or bring any thing to pass Three things must necessarily concur 1. The Essence or Being as in a Man his Soul 2. The Power or Faculty by which he works as Understanding Will or Strength 3. The action or operation it self whereby the effect is produced Now howsoever God the Supreme Agent by the reason of that eminency and simplicity of his Essence admits of no composition but Essence and Power are all one in him so God and Power are all one or the same the right hand of power Mat. 26.64 is the right hand of God Mar. 16.19 yet according to our apprehension of Gods working we cannot conceive any thing to be done by Him or Angel or Men without these Three which we collect thus 1. Nothing can act or work unless it be Being is
Thus Enoch walked with God Gen. 5.22 so 't is in the Hebrew But the LXX turn it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he pleased God And the Apostle Hebr. 11.5 Enoch before his Translation had this Testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he pleased God Noah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he walked with God Gen. 6.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he pleased God saith the LXX So whereas we have in our latter Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will walk before God Psal 116.9 the LXX turn it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will walk pleasingly before the Lord in the Land of the living 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walk before me saith God to Abraham Gen. 13.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 please me so the LXX the like ye have Gen. 24.40 and 48.15 beside other the like places The issue of all which is that to walk in Gods way and to please him are one and the same thing And yet there is somewhat more implyed in this kind of walking wherever the word is taken in this sence 't is in the reciprocal form and includes a reflex act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and this word of many other in this form is frequentative which imports a frequent and continual walking in holiness and righteousness and so pleasing God and our reflex and reciprocal delight contentment complacency and pleasing of our selves in the continual walking and pleasing God Such is that word of Promise Gen. 22.18 In thy Seed all Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be blessed or shall bless themselves A most happy reflexion and reciprocation wheresoever it is found Man blessed of God and blessing himself that he is blessed of God Man walking with his God and pleasing him Man delighting and pleasing himself that he walks with his God and pleaseth him 3. So that it 's no marvel that where these meet that there should be abounding more and more that 's the third and last word to be explained they are all one indeed and the same thing the Apostle in the Text plainly speaks as much Ye have received of us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manner how ye ought to walk and to please God and how 's that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ye abound more and more and indeed the nature of walking implyes as much it being a progressive and continued motion And it will yet more plainly appear if we shall consider the object store and plenty and fulness of that wherein one may be said to abound and the subject confirmed and rooted in that fulness which is called radicatio in subjecto and the increase both in the kinds and degrees of it which they call intention and the perseverance and continuance in that growth with a fulness of will earnestness confidence resolution chearfulness and endeavour All these are comprehended in the notion of abounding and thus to abound is nothing else but to walk and please God For 1. As concerning the object the store fulness and plenty wherein we ought to abound it is no other than the very same way wherein we ought to walk and that 's Christ himself in whom all fulness dwells abundance of Grace exceeding riches of Gods Grace fulness of Grace and Truth And wherein ought we to abound but in all goodness and mercy in righteousness and holiness in truth in peace in faith in virtue in knowledge in temperance in patience in godliness in brotherly kindness in love in the whole Christian life Ephes 5. 2 Pet. 1. And what are all these but the way wherein we ought to walk what else but Christ himself the way the truth and the life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the goodness and mercy of God the righteousness and holiness the life the peace the virtue or strength and power of God And what is our abounding increase and growth in all these Graces but our continual walking progress and going on in this most excellent way in all kinds of virtues and virtuous actions adding unto our faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity 2 Pet. 1. Our continual progress in all degrees of every Grace and Virtue our growing in Grace from grace to grace from virtue unto virtue from strength to strength our abounding in every Grace and Virtue and every degree of every Grace and Virtue more and more And thus to walk thus to abound more is to please God and therefore the Apostle puts them all together as here so 1 Cor. 15.58 My beloved brethren be stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in every good work of the Lord so many Translations have it as knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord and so he prays for the Colossians That they might be filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work and increasing or abounding in the knowledge of God strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness There 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full when we so walk and abound more and more in pleasing God and so rejoyce and please and delight our selves in so walking and abounding and pleasing God Nor will it be curiosity or presumption as some conceive to inquire into the reason why walking and abounding more and more pleaseth God if we seek not the reason without God himself When God is said to be pleased it refers to somewhat of God in the object pleasing otherwise either 1. God should not be the only good or 2. Not pleased only with that which is good And because there are degrees of good there must likewise be degrees of pleasing God for if that which is good because good pleaseth God that which is better and abounds in goodness is better pleasing and that which is best of all pleaseth God best of all according to the Rule Vt se habet simpliciter ad simpliciter ita magìs and magìs maximè ad maximé Seeing therefore the Graces and Virtues of God wherein the Saints walk and abound are far better than the very best of all Gods Creatures for they by how much the more they are worn by so much the more they waste and consume away Whereas the Graces and Virtues of God are of a far better mold so that by how much the more they are used by so much the more they increase and abound more and more An Argument of their Divine Nature for such they are 2 Pet. 1. and therefore worthy of God as the Apostle speaks Coloss 1. Hence it is that God is so well pleased with them as with his own nature and natural Image and as he saith of his own essential Image in whom the fulness and abundance of the God head dwells bodily Coloss 2. That in him he is
Axiom Lay hold on the Eternal Life Wherein two things must be explained 1. What the Eternal Life is 2. What it is to lay hold of it 1. Life is either 1. of Nature and that either Vegetative Sensitive or Rational 2. of Sin 3. of Grace one and the same man may live them all successively 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth either 1. to lay hold on that which is in danger to perish as Heb. 2.16 He layeth hold on the Seed of Abraham Or 2. To lay hold on that which may keep us from perishing and so the Seed of Abraham layeth hold on Christ And in this latter sence the word is here used and signifieth a further act of Faith a laying hold on the object of it Eternal Life for so Faith is carried to a double object 1. The Righteousness and life of God lost in us 2. The Power of God or Christ for the subduing of the sin intervening and coming beween us and God his Righteousness and the Eternal Life When therefore through the power of God we have fought the good fight of Faith and subdued the sin that 's the first act here commanded Then lay hold upon the Righteousness and Life of God and this here seems to be a Metaphor to lay hold on the Eternal Life is taken from Runners or such as strive in Games for the brabium the reward Observe This if well considered may set an high price upon the true Christian Life and may shame them who sleight and undervalue it Is it not the Life of God good Angels and good Men Is it not the Life that lasts for ever even the Eternal Life Exhort 1. To lay hold on this Life Exhort 2. To fight that good fight Motives 2. 1. Melchizedeck will help us 2. The Righteous are scarcely saved Sign Is Christ Jesus thy Lord No man can call Christ Jesus the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Means 1. Follow the Spirit Galat. 5.16 17. 2. Fighting is a necessary means for the obtaining of the prize Col. 1.24 2 Cor. 1.6 Rom. 6.8 3. If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments 4. Pray to the Lord to restore thine hand dryed up like Jeroboams but perhaps he hath given thee strength already stretch out thine hand stretch it out to the poor and needy this is the means which the Apostle prescribes vers 18 19. Axiom 3. The obtaining of Eternal Life requires our utmost endeavour fighting laying hold running striving to enter From the dayes of John the Baptist the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force press forward unto the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ Observ 1. Here is a means for the lengthning our short life Lay hold upon the Eternal Life See Notes on James 4.14 Observ 2. The transcendent eminency of the life of God whereunto we are exhorted it 's the Eternal Life whatever other life is but short and temporal for what is your life saith St. James Jacob said of his dayes that they were few and evil What is your sinful life pleasures of sin for a season A lying tongue is but for a moment In Gods wayes is continuance Isa 64.16 The Prize is here the Image of God the Life of God the Divine Nature which consists in all righteousness in humility meekness patience c. all which are in the Living God the consequents whereof are the peace of conscience and ravishing and glorious joy in the Holy Ghost which accompany the Eternal Life where ever it is in God Angels or Men so far forth as they are capable of it or it communicable unto them Now that Eternal Life consists in these is proved Psal 24.3 Who shall ascend into the hill of God i. e. obtain Eternal Life vers 5. He shall receive the blessing and righteousness so that the blessing of Eternal Life is Righteousness Christ praying against his enemies saith Let them not enter into thy Righteousness Psal 69.27 Prov. 12.28 The way of Righteousness is life Prov. 21.21 He that followeth after Righteousness and Mercy shall find Life Righteousness and Honour Isa 46.13 I bring near my Righteousness and my Salvation shall not tarry So that Life Righteousness and Salvation are all one Isa 51.5 and 56.1 Joh. 1.4 In him was Life and that life was the Light of men that Light of men is Righteousness Goodness and Truth Ephes 5.8 9. Light in the 8th vers is so expounded v. 9. therefore the Light and Life of men is the blessed fruit of the Spirit in Righteousness Goodness and Truth Jam. 1.12 2 Tim. 4.8 A crown of Life is a crown of Righteousness 2 Pet. 1. According as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things pertaining to Life and Godliness which are the same and Glory and Virtue the same Object 1. Eternal Life is not to be enjoyed in this world but the life of Righteousness may be obtained Resp It may be enjoyed in some measure as we see in Zacheus Luk. 19.9 Prov. 11.31 The Righteous shall be recompensed in the earth not in outward blessings but inward and spiritual for 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life we have only hope c. there is no hope in the other life for faith and hope cease 1 Cor. 13. 1 Joh. 3.14 We are passed from death to life and vers 15. No murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him compare the first vers with the 14th you shall see that he that loves in truth hath Eternal Life abiding in him Object 2. We are in the way to not in the life Resp True as Childhood is a way to perfect age yet Righteousness c. are the true Eternal Life life in their measure as childhood is manhood in the nature of it Object 3. Eternal Life is a life of joy pleasure happiness Resp Not a Turkish happiness is here described but a Christian not in meats and drinks but in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Object 4. Two Kingdoms there are one of Grace the other of Glory Resp The words of both are said to be the words of this life Act. 5.20 The Scripture speaks but of one Kingdom Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand 'T is true there are several degrees yet the lowest degree is a participation of the glorious life We are changed into the same Image from Glory to glory i. e. from one degree of Grace into another 2 Tim. 4.8 A crown of Righteousness is Jam. 1.12 a crown of Life and 1 Pet. 5.4 a crown of Glory to shew that Righteousness Life and Glory are one and the same thing so Peter confounds Godliness with Life and Glory with Virtue 2 Pet. 1.3 And lest we should cavil and say that Godliness is the way to Life and Virtue the way to Glory he puts them in an inverse order doubtless not without a Divine instinct All this proceeds from meer Grace from the beginning to the end
is in the Margin and not as it is in the Text of our last Translation And truly any unprejudiced and indifferent Reader can understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Grace of God that brings salvation no otherwise to be construed than with the words following that brings salvation to all men Piscator was so far convinced of it that he turned the words Gratia Dei salutifera quibusvis hominibus And the French Bible has the words so only in the Margin they qualifie all men with this limitation of what state or condition soever so Diodati qualifies the words but grants the construction of them And although the Low Dutch Bible have the same Translation with ours yet it puts the other in the Margin as ours have done And the Syriack Interpreter the Tigurin Bible the V. L. Paguin Castellio and Vatablus have Salutaris omnibus hominibus or salutifera omnibus hominibus or cunctis hominibus and Tremelius and Beza have the same structure of the words only Beza qualifies and limits omnibus with quibusvis but they are all convinced of the syntax and structure of them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salutaris or bringing salvation must be joyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all men yea if we take a view of all our English Translations we shall find that Tyndal renders the words thus The Grace of God that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared so Coverdale There hath appeared the Grace of God that is healthful unto all men so three more English Translations beside that of Geneva which renders the words thus The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men hath appeared only they limit the Generality to Genera singulorum in the Marginal Note where they say of what condition or state soever they be Another Reason may be taken from the Analogy that this place holds with other Scriptures where S. Paul saith God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth So 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance The coherence with the former words prove this for whereas the Apostle had exhorted Titus to teach such Doctrine as might heal all sorts of people old and young bond and free he shews that there is sufficiency of saving Grace for all for saith he The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men hath appeared The Grace of God here understood is the Grace of Repentance and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ This is the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached by John the Baptist for thus John signifies Gratia Domini the Grace of the Lord and the Sum of John's Doctrine is Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ the Apostle gives us this Breviate of it Acts 19.4 then said Paul John verily baptized with the Baptism of Repentance saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus And the Summ of that Doctrine which he himself preached both to Jews and Gentiles Acts 20.21 is the same Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ This Grace of God brings Salvation the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salutaris or salutifera saving or which hath a power to save now Salvation is a relative word 1. In regard of the term à quo it is from sin and all the effects of it 2. In regard of the term ad quem unto God and his Righteousness his Wisdom his Truth c. This Grace of God brings Salvation unto all men that this is the true reading of the words I have shewn Now the Reason why the Grace of God brings Salvation unto all men appears from consideration of all men in misery lost and wanting Salvation And the God of all Grace hath concluded all men in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all Rom. 11.32 and Salvation it self is a common Salvation Jude Verse 3. 1. Hence it appears and follows undeniably that whosoever is saved he is saved by Grace 2. The Grace of God does not teach us to imagine feign or believe that Christ hath lived his life for us so that we need not to live it our selves 1 Pet. 2.24 He bare our sins in his body on the Tree that we being dead unto sin might live unto righteousness we must live this life our selves 3. If the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men teaches us to deny ungodliness c. and to live soberly c. What is that which teaches men to love themselves to be proud boasters c. to live intemperately unjustly ungodly Surely because the wise man tells us that Good is set against evil Ecclus. 33.14 So as the Grace and goodness of God teaches men to live soberly c. so it is the Gracelesness envy and malice of the Devil that teaches men intemperance unjustice and ungodliness and as the Grace of God brings a saving power to keep men from ungodliness and worldly lusts and to preserve them unto the Kingdom of God so is it the envy and malice of the Devil that teaches men to deny the power of God and godliness Note hence the riches of Gods Grace how rich he is towards all men who call upon him 4. Hence we understand who are the true learned men who else but they who have learned the Grace of God that teaches all men A man may read much hear and know much and so become wise and learned with other mens Learning but what benefit hath any man of this if he become not wise for himself If he be not sober just to his Neighbour and pious to his God All his Learning renders him so much the more like the Devil who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only a Knower not a doer of what he knows all the knowledge they have be it never so profound while they yet live in their sins will not reach to the Divine Truth Dan. 9.13 As it is written in the Law of Moses all this evil is come upon us yet made we not our Prayer unto the Lord our God or entreated not the face of our God that we might turn from our iniquities and understand thy truth Prov. 22.20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge Yea by how much the more they excell in other Learning while they have not been taught to deny ungodliness c. by so much the more fit instruments are they for the Devil to act by see this in the High Priests Elders Scribes and Pharisees who of all the world knew more of Gods word than these And who greater enemies of the Grace of God than they were They were of all other the most active in opposing Christ the wisdom of God c. Job
God bound to them yet be dissolute and loose themselves self-love would perswade men to think they had deserved somewhat at Gods hands by some supposed excellency in themselves and therefore God beats down such proud thoughts Deut. 9.4 5 6. Rom. 3.3 2. Observe the incomparable privilege of the Jews above all other nations that Christ was sent to speak and preach to them peculiarly for though the end of his coming was to redeem all yet he came in the flesh to teach none but Jews Matth. 5.24 I am not sent but to the lost Sheep of Israel Matth. 10.5 6. Go not into the way of the Gentiles but go rather to the lost Sheep of the house of Israel yea though Salvation be to be published unto all yet were the Jews to have the first offer of it Matth. 10.6 Go rather c. as a vessel runs over the full table casts crumbs Salvation is primarily of the Jews read Acts 3.26 Vnto you first Acts 11.19 To the Jews only it was necessary that the word of God should be first spoken to you Acts 13.46 A caution to the Gentiles Rom. 11.20 3. Observe a principal ground and incentive unto all Parents and such as may be Parents to love and fear God there is nothing so much takes up the thoughts and desires of Parents as what may befal their posterity O that Ishmael might live in thy sight yea this is common to good and bad Believers and Unbelievers Thus Cain boding well to his Son Enoch builded a City and called it after his Sons name Yea the Philosopher saith that if Parents have thoughts and memory after this life they are taken up with care for their posterity for this is the Law of Adam 2 Sam 7.19 Vt quilibet fit solicitus defiderans prosperitatem posteritatis suae No man hates himself or his own flesh every one desires to live for ever which because he cannot in his own person he desires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now there is no means so effectual for the accomplishment of this natural desire as to love and fear God this David acknowledgeth 2 Sam. 7. He sheweth mercy to thousands of them that love him and keep his Commandments Exod. 20.7 which discovers the great folly and want of providence even in those who would seem the most provident who hoard up wealth provide Houses and Lands for their children yet neither leave them the patrimony of good manners nor example of honest life in themselves The candle of the ungodly shall be put out Prov. O how much better was Timothy provided for 2 Tim. 1.5 Therefore God spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to the Hebrews for their Parents sakes which makes for Consolation of such as have ungodly Parents Ezek. 18.20 their Parents ungodliness cannot prejudice them let them look higher than their Fathers upon earth unto their Father in heaven Be perfect c. followers of God as dear children 4. Observe the Christian Faith levels the high thoughts and makes all equal although God spake not to them but to the Apostles yet he exaggerates the matter and saith he spake to us Theoph. 2. He hath spoken to us by his Son We read in Scripture of diverse Sons of God some more largely and improperly so called as those who are such by Office or Representation only Thus Magistrates are Gods and the sons of the most high Psal 82.6 Some by Creation and that either upon Earth as Adam was the Son of God Luk. 3.38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17.28 or in Heaven as the Angels Job 1.6 Some also are the Sons of God by Regeneration 1 Joh. 3.1 2. but by Eternal Generation out of himself God hath no Son except one Jesus Christ who is here described honorifically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this and the next verse By this Son God hath spoken to the Hebrews If we enquire into the reasons of this they will appear from the consideration of 1. God the Father who is he that spake 2. the Son by whom and 3. the Hebrews to whom he spake 1. For the disingagement and performance of Gods Truth and Mercy promised to that Nation under great variety of types and figures more properly Deut. 18. A Prophet will the Lord thy God raise up unto thee like unto me the reason of that promise is their Prayer 2. In regard of the Son by whom God spake he it is of whom all the Prophets witnessed the Wisdom Truth and Righteousness of God testified by the Law and the Prophets since therefore it pleased the Father to impart his Wisdom Truth and Righteousness unto men how could he do it fully and perfectly but by his own Son who is Essentially that Wisdom Truth and Righteousness how otherwise could the Divine Light be seen but by the Divine Light In thy light we shall see light Psal The Hebrews thought themselves forsaken of God in worse condition than their Fathers the Apostle shews the contrary that they had obtained greater Grace than their Fathers 1. An Argument of Gods unspeakable Love SO God loved the world that he gave his Son a Sic without a Sicut in him was no sin ut filium unigenitum daret ut omnis qui credit in illum non periret sed vitam aeternam haberet 1. He laid hold upon the Seed of Abraham Hebr. 2.16 he caught at it He was a Saviour from their sin Matth. 1. 2. Vt vitam habeant abundantius that they might have life and that more abundantly Joh. 10. The condition of the Hebrews under the Old Testament was but a state of servant-ship as being the Sons of the Law or Hagar which gendereth not to freedom but unto bondage Gal. 4.25 Hebr. 12.18 19. And therefore God spake to them by such Ministers and Instruments as were but Servants Such was Moses Mal. 4.4 Heb. 3.5 and by the Angels Act. 7.53 Rom. 15.8 Yea Christ himself was a Servant for this reason but the servile condition of the Jews and Gentiles being now to be advanced unto Son-ship God hath spoken unto us by his Son Gal. 4.1 2 3. Rom. 8.14 15. 2. An Argument of Gods wonderful dignation and condescent that he should not only seek reconciliation with his enemies but also for that purpose send his only Son to negotiate it 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Should a King send his Son how Mephibosheth wonders at David's condescent 2 Sam. 9.8 May not we much more we Gentiles who are Surrogatus Israel that David should look upon such dead dogs as we Gentiles are Dogs so our Saviour intimates Matth. 15.26 dead in trespasses and sins Were not God LOVE it self as David signifies and Christ the Son of his Love Col. 1. he would never condescend so low See how Abigal demean'd her self to him in a figure 1 Sam. 25.41 3. An Argument that God is at peace with us that he for his part is reconciled unto us so he loved us Enemies are
a cloud a veil of false notions and misunderstandings of spiritual things which hath covered all the world the great Image and Antichrist that rules in the hearts and spirits of men throughout all the world a covering cast over all people and a veil which is spread over all nations yea and upon their imagined mercy-seat they have a covering Cherub Ezeck 28.14 This is the great consolation of Gods people that this veil this thick black veil of darkness the Lord hath promised to take away in these last days Esay 25.7 He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people and the veil that is spread over all nations The words are very emphaticall in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the face of the covering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the veil veiled covering covered and veil veiled that the covering and the veil might not be discerned but the false light taken from the true light knowledge falsly so called mistaken for true knowledge wisdom from beneath for wisdom from above the blackness of darkness for the brightness of Gods glory And therefore the Apostle tells us that the man of sin must be reveiled and uncased who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God and is worshipped He would be taken for the true light for God himself and takes up his place in the temple of God the hearts of men This the Apostle calls a mystery of iniquity and deceiveableness of unrighteousness and so indeed it is when iniquity it self is taken for Righteousness it self when erroneous opinions are taken for truth it self When gross ignorance is taken for true knowledge it self when palpable darkness is taken for the true light it self A mystery of iniquity a strong delusion when men believe a lye instead of the truth A world of distinctions he hides himself in as the Sepia casts from her a black filth Aelian and Proteus like change himself into many forms But the Lord hath promised that this wicked one shall be reveiled whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming or presence This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this brightness of Gods glory is the light that enlightens the Gentiles the light to those that sit in this palpable darkness who shall unveil uncase and discover the nations who are inveloped and covered with this thick darkness So much the Greek words properly signifie Luk. 2.32 Mine eye saith old Simeon have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all thy people a light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the glory of thy people Israel lumen ad Revelationem Gentium So likewise the Syriack a light for the reveiling or uncovering of the Gentiles And blessed be God the Father of lights and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he hath reveiled the brightness of his glory whereby this thick darkness this black veil of darkness begins to be discovered and taken off all nations The scales begin to fall from mens eyes Consolation 2. A second Consolation is unto those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death who as yet want the comfortable and chearful presence of the true light for what if Christ be the brightness of his Fathers glory What benefit it is to me if I sit still in darkness and the shadow of death I hear much talk of the Light Surely the light is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun Eccles 7.11 But this so much the more encreaseth my sadness who walk in darkness and have no light This is the complaint of such as are in a forlorn and disconsolate estate But know poor soul that the brightness of glory appears properly to those who are in this condition The people that walk in darkness see the great light they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death upon them hath the light â—â—ined Isai 9.2 The day-star from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace Luk. 1.79 But alas while I am yet in darkness I know not whither I go I hear some say here is Christ here 's the true light others say no he is here and I know not whither to go Yet poor soul there is comfort for thee Isai 50.10 Who is there among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant i. e. Christ that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God But I have long waited for him Wait for him still though he tarry believe not those who slander the footsteps of Gods anointed Psal 89.51 and say where is the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3.9 Mean time thou hast need of patience in well doing that having done the will of God thou mayest receive the promise for he that shall come will come and will not tarry Hebr. 10.36 37. Yea it is better for thee to continue in thy darkness in a forlorn estate and to wait upon thy God and to expect thy light than to kindle a fools fire of thine own and to follow the false light which misleads the present evil world and therefore the Prophet Isai 50.11 Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compass your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of mine hand ye shall lie down in sorrow But alas I am blind and what then though the true light shine to all the world if it shine not to me The Father of Glory hath sent his Son for a light to the Gentiles to open the blind eyes to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house Isai 42.7 and vers 16. I will bring the blind by a way that they know not I will make darkness light before them Yea blessed be God that thou canst see thine own blindness many there are who are hood-wink'd and deceived by the false light who are blind yet think they see thou art blind and knowest thou art blind and therefore better is thy condition for judgement I am come into this world saith the true light that they which see not might see and they who see or presume they see may be made blind Joh. 9.39 4. Exhort I shall end all with Exhortation unto our selves that since Christ is the light and brightness of his Fathers Glory we would let our light imparted to us shine before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our father which is in heaven that we would walk honestly as in the day Rom. 13.13 as children of the light Ephes 5.8 I shall but name the Motives that might have been more largely urged 1. It is the end of our Creation we were made for
his Glory 2. It is the end of our calling that we should shew forth the virtues and praises of him who hath called us out of darkness unto his marvellous light 1 Pet. 1.3 It is the end why the Divine Light is imparted unto us God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 For as the Sun enlightens the Moon and Stars and gives them light to shine to others upon the earth even so the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grat brightness of Gods glory the great light of the world He shines to the Apostles and Apostolical men and they become lights of the world and shine to others and make them successively lights of the world as St. Paul a great light tells the Philippians that they shine like lights in the world Phil. 2.15 Signs 'T is easie to discern whether we let our light so shine or no the life is the light of men away with all other pretences and shews the Christian life is the only light that ought to shine before men the fruit of light so it is in the Latin and Syriack Ephes 5.9 is in all goodness and righteousness and truth This life is quite out of fashions in this crooked age but 't is the Christian fashion Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom ye shine or shine forth as lights in the world in the midst of a perverse and crooked generation of scoffers and jeerers of backbiters whoremongers drunkards c. If any of us be such and pretend to be children of light we dishonour the God of Glory and Father of Lights and we prove our selves lyars for what fellowship hath light with darkness If we say we have fellowship with the light and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth 1 Joh. 1.6 O the palpable darkness of this present crooked Generation they are in palpable darkness yet fancy themselves in the clearest light even the heathens themselves shall rise up in judgement against this Generation and shall condemn it they came to Christ by star-light as the wise Men and improved their light and they shined in their generation As for us the great light lightens round about us and what we have of it we keep as it were in a dark lanthorn or under a bed in idleness More NOTES on HEBREWS I. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the character or express image of his person THe former description of Christ was an allusion to the light shining from the Sun this is an allusion to an impression the wax maketh upon setting the seal or to a child lively representing his Father In this there are Two points contained 1. God hath an Hypostasis 2. Christ is the lively expression of that Hypostasis 1. God hath an Hypostasis There are many deep speculations and intricate disputes touching this word which are more fit for the Schools than the Pulpit and therefore I intend not to trouble you with them Let it suffice us to know that this word hath especially these significations 1. The nature essence substance or being of a thing 2. It notes a substance or person as here we turn it 1. I shall speak of it in the first sence absolutely as it notes the substance nature essence or being of God so it is turned in the vulgar Latin and in some Translations of the Reformed Church 1. As it notes the essence c. of God so it is sometime taken for the foundation on which all other essences rest Psal 69.2 I sink into mire where there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no foundation If they had stood in my Counsel Jer. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Sometimes it notes life Job 22.20 Nonne succisa est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our life is cut off 3. It notes also the support or sustenance of life Judg. 6.4 the Midianites left not any substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As for proof of this point we have it as often as God hath the name Jehovah in the Scripture which is oftner than we turn it so for our Translators as also all other that I have seen are more sparing in rendering this word because it was never wont to be pronounced among the Jews but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it as we turn it Lord they never pronounced Jehovah but once a year when the High Priest entred the Holiest of Holies This name signifieth properly Essence or Being To the same effect is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 3.14 Gr. I AM he that is or hath substance Another proof of this is 2 Pet. 1. where we read of the Divine Nature or Essence This also was implyed Revel 1.8 where the Lord calls himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning and the ending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A reason of this à priori as we speak cannot be given because Gods nature is simply the first but à posteriori we may reason thus Second after or dependent beings there are therefore a first being there must be on which they must depend And therefore the name Jehovah signifieth that which giveth being unto all the Creatures especially Man for in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17. who is all in all a being of all beings and who giveth being to all their beings and how then can it be but he himself must have a being This refutes all Atheists if there be any truly such who deny the Being of a Deity Observ 1. The true God hath a Nature Essence or Being and by that Nature he is God Observ 2. God hath the highest Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest Observ 3. By this Nature or Being the true God is distinguished from all false Gods which by Nature are not Gods Gal. 4.8 And this is the most vast difference that can be imagined as great as between Ens and non Ens Something and Nothing Amos 5.5 nay that which is the Being of Beings and that which hath no Being at all And therefore we know saith the Apostle that an Idol is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8.4 What is it not wood or stone Yes materially but formally as it intends the representation of God it 's nothing at all For an Idol being made to represent the Deity which being Spiritual it cannot represent the Idol is nothing The Apostle alludes to the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth vanity a vain thing a nothing at all or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is not a God by which word the Hebrews signifie an Idol and that is unprofitable and good for nothing When the Israelites were oppressed with hard servitude and cryed
creation Jer. 10.11 The Gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from beneath the heaven This work is done by Christ the character of the Father For by the word of the Lord the heavens were made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Psall 33.6 All things were made by him and without him there is nothing made that was made Joh. 1.3 and 5.19 The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth his Father do unto us there is one God the Father from whom are all thing and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we in him 1 Cor. 8.6 2. The works of providence as preservation Act. 17.28 Confer with Col. 1.16 Heb. 1.3 Deliverance as that most notable one out of Egypt Exod. 20.2 Jude vers 5. quoniam Jesus salvans populum ex Egypto Vulg. Lat. in the same Chapter vers 22. Ye have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven Heb. 12. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh 3. Salvation Sanctification Election Illumination Vocation Justification Consolation Government sending out Prophets institution of Sacraments working of Miracles raising the Dead All wrought by Christ The names and attributes are common to Father and Son As the name of God by which Thomas calls him Joh. 20. My Lord and my God The image of the invisible God Col. 1.15 The God of glory Act. 7.2 to Christ 1 Cor. 2.8 King of kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6 15. to Christ Apoc. 17.14 Eternal Abraham calls the father Gen. 21.33 And before Abraham was I am Joh. 8.18 Good none good but God Marc. 10. Immutable Malach. 3.6 I am the Lord and change not Heb. 1.12 Thou art the Son and thy years shall not fail His greatness and ubiquity Great is the Lord Psal 134. And do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord Matth. 18.20 where two or three are gathered together in my name I am in the midst of them Power God the Father omnipotent the Son also unto me all power is given in heaven and in earth Matth. 28. Glorious Father Esay 6.1 2 3. The Seraphims cryed Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts heaven and earth are full of his glory which as often is applyed to Christ Joh. 12. where the Evangelist saith thus These things said Esay when he saw his glory and spake of him If Christ be the character of his Fathers being then is a Christian man the Character and express Image of God because he represents Christ who represents his Father He that saith he is in him ought himself so to walk as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 And as the Father hath sealed the Son So he is his character so us and we also are his character 2 Cor. 1.22 God hath sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts In whom also after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Eph. 1.3 and 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit by which ye are sealed against the day of redemption Behold then the dignity and excellency of Gods Saints they are the character and express image of his Being Christ the first and chief then they that are Christs as St. Paul speaks in another case Such is their excellent condition They are like unto God they have his mind 1 Cor. 2. ult They are according to his heart they walk in his ways they live his life Ephes 4. They have his nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Yea I have said ye are Gods saith our Saviour Truly next to God and Christ they are They have his mark his character his express image in knowledge Col. 3.10 In righteousness and holiness of truth Ephes 4.24 Would not a man think it strange to find this Character and Image of God spoken of expresly by an Heathen Philosopher he is not in vain called Divine Plato in whom among many other sayings worthy a Divine we have this about the midst of his Dialogue Theaetetis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The very same which the Apostle speaks in the fore-named places And elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See then the ground of Gods love unto his Saints They have his character and express image upon them Similitudo est causa Amoris Joh. 15.9 10. And truly it ought to be the ground of Parents love unto their Children though we see the contrary too too ordinary This Child is like the Father this like the Mother in some lineaments of the face which of them is like to God God leaves not himself without witness to the world his Son is his witness the whole creation is his Image Rom. 1.16 He leaves not himself without testimony of his Seal No not in all the world some in every Nation he hath sealed some in every nation fear God and work righteousness Though God the Father hath forbidden us to make any image of himself thereby to know remember or worship him yet he hath his effigies and image of himself by himself Yea he hath sent him into the world and will send him that by him we may know the Father and through his name come unto and worship the Father Joh. 14.8 9 10. This discovers their folly who do not imitate but counterfeit Gods Images such are they who please themselves in outward shews of Religion only whether instituted of men or of Gods ordaining if rested in having a form of godliness but denying the power of it of whom we may truly say as Plato said Those who made Images of God if they knew that which they go about to represent they would never counterfeit an outward form of it Do they think so highly of the shews of Religion How highly would they conceive of God himself if they knew him But greater is their folly and impiety who neglecting that spotless and blameless Character and Image of God frame to themselves an abominable Idea and form of God such as they themselves approve of as because they are dissemblers and hypocrites they fashion God like themselves will have him say one thing in his Word and mean the contrary Such as fancy themselves God's Saints and Chosen and then fancy God so enamoured of them so over indulgent to them that though they live and continue in sin yet he 'l not see it Such some of the old Hereticks are reported to have been And I pray God there be none such in our days Thus many fancy God as the old Heathen did a topical God confine him and his worship to a place So the Samaritan woman Joh. 4.20 Our father 's worshipped God in this mountain she understood the Mount Gerizim where the Samaritan Temple was built Others imagine God such as allows them to be covetous so they acknowledge him for the Author of their wealth and say with the bloody Shepherd Zach. 11.5 Blessed be God for I am rich And this is the vulgar conceit of God Many there are
judgement of men and their ill thoughts of Jesus Christ All the Angels of God worship him yet men think low and base thoughts of him as one that had a Devil and was mad They thought they said well when they so said Joh. 8. but this was the errour of that Age we have higher opinions and more worthy thoughts of God and Christ would God we had but do we not entertain as hard thoughts As when any thing is foretold except he be a man of our Opinion and Sect what ever that is we are ready to impute it to the Devil though he be as Isa 41.24 I will say that ye are Gods So when any thing is done that we wonder at men are wont to impute it to the Devil as unguentum Hopliatricum though Psal 72.18 Qui facit mirabilia solus Exhort To receive Christ when his Father brings him into the world Zach. 9.9 His coming in his kingdom of Grace is described unto us he comes Just the Just One and who makes all those Righteous and Just who receive him i. e. believe on him Joh. 1.12 He hath Salvation to save them from their sins he brings his reward with him He comes lowly and meek sitting upon an Ass and that borrowed He comes poor and without all worldy pomp and ostentation he makes choise of the base things of the world and things that are not All this is to discover unto us how we should entertain him not with our wisdom He comes on an Ass the most foolish of serviceable beasts even such nay worse hath the Man made himself by his Fall like the beasts worse than the beasts that perish Isaac going to be sacrificed rode on the Ass Dominus opus habet summa nostra stultitia But who alas who thus receives the first begotten brought into the world who bears contempt with the Wisdom crying and lying in the street when men shake their heads at him and cry fie upon him fie upon him Who takes pleasure in Christ when he seems so ugly and deformed in the eye of carnal wisdom Isa 53. who forsakes himself to go with Christ See Epist 2. Chap. 1. He comes among his own and his own receive him not c. Contend for Christ yea fight for him yet receive him not when we may have him for taking up in the streets Michal despised David naked and became childless We know not that he gives us our Wooll and our Flax c. When will he come Luk. 24.49 It is not for you to know the Times and Seasons They who wait for him Isa 25.9 Lo this is our God we have waited for him Isa 30.18 Blessed are they that wait for him Wait at Jerusalem I will wait upon thee in Righteousness Psal 63.2 That I may behold thy Power and Glory Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord The birds will return to their like so will truth to them that practice her Ecclus. 27.9 Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him he shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation Means I am in the midst of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 18.20 When two or three are gathered together in my name c. Mal. 3.16 They that feared the Lord spake one to another and the Lord heard c. Luk. 24. so to the travellers to Emaus then he will cast out the Prince of this world Because of the Angels Christ is in the Congregation of the Righteous NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS I. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And of the Angels he saith Who maketh his angels spirits HItherto the Apostle hath proved the Conclusion vers 5. by three Testimonies in regard of Christ he now proceeds to prove it in regard of the Angels The words are taken out of Psal 104.4 which Psalm is a glorious description of Gods Majesty Creation and Providence and are taken by the Apostle word for word out of the LXX Translation There is some difficulty in the words which I shall first endeavour to clear then observe what is generally observable in them then lay out the several truths contained in them In clearing the words let us 1. Examine whether they be placed in order or no Then 2. Whether there be a repetition of them of or no 3. What is meant by making his Angels Spirits c. 1. As for the disposition or placing of these words some would have them transposed and put in a diverse order thus Who makes those who by nature are Spirits his Angels or Messengers c. but howsoever this be a truth yet some Paraphrasts read the words without transposition as we find them laid down in the Text Besides the Fathers who were more learned in the Greek tongue than the other read the Text as we do and we are enforced by the Article in the Greek which is added to Angels and Ministers for when there is a doubt of two words whether should be the Subject which is the principal we look unto which the Article is added and that is the Subject 2. Whether there is a repetition in these words or no as when Israel came out of Aegypt c. See Notes in Rom. 15. There may be yet somewhat in the one which is not in the other By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Jews understand the winds so the Vulg. Lat. turns the word Ventos and so the meaning should be that the Lord makes the winds his messengers so the next words makes thunders and lightnings his Ministers But this fits not our Apostles purpose howsoever the speech be true for the Apostle here speaks not of the winds but of Angelical Spirits such as in the Verse before These words contain the Principles of the Angels whereof their nature consists whereby the Apostle shews the inferiority of the Angels unto Christ whatever is Created and not God is as meer and sound Reason teacheth compounded of Principles quid est quò est But this is all one as to confess they knew not whereof their Nature consists that therefore which Metaphysick ignorantly in general teacheth that the Word of God declares distinctly As Man and many other Creatures consist of three Principles Body Soul and Spirit so do the Angels 1. They have somewhat Analogical and proportionable to a body that 's wind so Vulg. Lat. facit Angelos suos ventos 2. To the Soul that 's fire ministros flammam ignis 3. To the Spirit that 's light This is manifest by their Creation on the first day when God made the light and those spirits of light hence it is that their appearing is accompanied with light Luk. 2.9 The Angel of the Lord came upon the Shepherds and the Glory of the Lord shone round about them there shined a light in the prison And hence it is that the Apostle saith that Satan is transformed into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 whence Damascene
tract of time which shall expire and have a certain period and end as Circumcision my Covenant shall be in pactum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Covenant for ever Gen. 17. and Exod. 12.14 the Passover an Ordinance for ever The Temple the place where thou dwellest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meet together 1 King 8.9 13. they imply duration and continuance everlasting The latter is certain and true but the former not alwayes so But of what Kingdom of Christ and in what world is this to be understood Christ hath a threefold Kingdom and Throne 1. In this visible world 1. Over all the Creatures 2. Over Satan Matth. 12.28 3. Over and in his Saints 2. In the Angels world or Paradise 3. In the Divine world of all which I have heretofore spoken The meaning of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is for this age or this world and afterward or yet for eternity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to increase the duration and comprehend all eternities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this world and for another Here then is to be understood the everlasting kingdom of Christ when all his enemies shall be put under his feet And of this Kingdom we read Revel 11.15 16 17. The Reason in regard of 1. God the Father who gives him his Kingdom 2. The King Christ 3. The subjects unto this King 1. In regard of God the Father 2 Sam. 7.13 I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever God had promised an everlasting Kingdom unto his Son and his promise is one of the two immutable things Heb. 12. His Righteousness Truth and faithfulness are engaged for the performance of this 2. In regard of the King Christ himself his qualifications and endowments fitting him for an everlasting Kingdom as Wisdom Righteousness Judgement Humility Patience Meekness and all what else belongs to the Kingdom of God His Kingdom hath been kept under by the kingdoms of the world like Joseph in Prison David But after the sound of the seventh Angels Trumpet there were great voices in heaven saying The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ He shall reign for ever and ever Revel 11.15 3. In regard of his subjects 1. Who submit themselves willingly Psal 110.3 Dan. 7.18 When the kingdoms of the beasts are ended the Saints of the most high take the kingdom who before had suffered with their King and possess the kingdom for ever even for ever and ever 2. In regard of those who are forced to submit He is to subdue every enemy Exod. 17.14 Put in the ears of Josuah that wiping he will wipe out the remembrance of Amaleck from under heaven Amaleck is a Type of Antichrist who sits in the temple of God 2 Thess 2.4 because he laid his hand upon the Throne of Jehovah or the Lord hath sworn and therefore the fulfilling of this is referred by the Jews themselves unto the days of Christ the true Josuah in whose ears this commandment must be put who is content to do the will of God Psal 40.8 If the Lord will have war with Amaleck from generation to generation then there must be a Josuah to lead the people against Amaleck from generation to generation This Amaleck Christ hath already overcome Revel 3.12 1. I have overcome and sit in my Fathers throne He that overcomes shall sit upon the throne This is not to be done with outward weapons but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX he had horns coming out of his hand there was the hiding of this power Habac. 3.4 If Mordecai be of the Seed of the Jews before whom Haman the Amalachite began to fail Esther 6.13 a Jew inwardly Rom. 2. Esther is the hidden invisible Church Mordecai sits in the Kings seat Christ comes in triumph to destroy Amaleck Ride prosperously Psal 45.4 next before the Text. Observ 1. Christ's Kingdom is an eternal Kingdom Maugre the endeavours of all earthly men to suppress it and cast it down The Kings of the earth have always opposed it by open violence Psal 2. The kings of the earth stood up and the princes took counsel together which they pursue by slander calumniation and subtilty and hence the people of God have been said to be enemies of Kings in all ages The Samaritans called Jerusalem the rebellious and bad city Ezra 4.7 Nehem. 6.6 7. Thou and the Jews think to rebel Esther 3.8 They keep not the kings laws therefore it is not for the kings profit to suffer them This made Herod fear and all Jerusalem with him when they heard of the King Christ And Pilate was perswaded by the Jews that Christ came to dethrone Caesar but our Lord gave them counsel to give to Caesar the things that are Caesars c. Act. 27 5-8 The lewd fellows of the baser sort set the City of Thessalonica on an uproar These that have turned the world upside down are come hither They all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar saying there is another king one Jesus yet maugre all the opposition that the Prince of the Air can make withall the Kings Princes and Potentates of the Earth Have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion These are they who turn the world upside down That which was above is now below Repreh Terrour of those who hinder the erecting of Christs throne Hos 13.6 7 8. Exhort To resolve with Abner to set up the throne of David 2 Sam. 3.10 the true David over Israel and over Judah from Dan to Bersheba The Lord hath promised and sworn this vers 9. We have all or I hope will promise and swear to it Beloved Remember the solemn covenant the stool of wickedness Psal which imagines mischief as a law that must be cast down Christ puts down the mighty from their seats their thrones and he himself the humble and meek sits thereon Means That this may be effected all other thrones must be cast down I told ye of four great beasts Dan. 7. The Lion the Bear the Leopard and a fourth that is not named more fierce and terrible than the rest These all these successively have their thrones without us Psal 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and within us All enemies of Christ and his throne 1. The first is the Devil himself the roaring lion 2. The second is the flesh 3. And the third the world 4. The fourth is Antichrist a religious beast The thrones of these beasts must be first cast down Dan. 7.9 But how must that be done Christ himself that he may sit upon his throne will cast down these thrones and all those who sit upon them David tells Saul that he had slain the lion and the bear and doubted not but to destroy Goliah also The last of these the true David destroys with fiery flames Dan. 7.9 10 11. Esay 14. Hag. 2. two last verses When these Thrones of the beasts are cast down the man
men what is commonly alledged they are not under the Law but under Grace I will not question the condition of such though I doubt not but many such are under the Law We can do nothing against the Truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13. But what saith the Apostle Shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid O Beloved we are proclives à labore ad libidinem so that this Doctrine will hardly down with us But I beseech ye let us take heed we be not deceived in so main and important a business as this is Beloved I beseech ye consider these Two things 1. It behoves us to fulfill all Righteousness Matth. 3.15 Not one except your righteousness exceed c. Not one jot or tittle shall pass from the Law till all be fulfilled having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all pollution c. Under the Gospel all Obedience all Righteousness is required of us if we fail of such Evangelical Obedience there is a greater judgement due to us than to those under the Law What manner of men ought we to be in all manner of Conversation and Godliness plural 2 Pet. 3.11 There is a greater judgement This is the condemnation Joh. 3. Hebr. 2.1 2 3. and 10.29 and 12.25 Wherein then consists the easiness of Christs yoke and the easiness of his burden That we shall know when we have learned of him humility and meekness He who fulfills the Law in us and with us Rom. 8. doth not he give us his Spirit of Love so that his Commandments are not grievous 1 Joh. Lex imperat Evangelium intrat implet Repreh 1. This reproves us who pretend to be the Subjects of Christ and to submit unto the Scepter of Equity yet continue in our injustice and iniquity Who pray that the Scepter of Equity may rule the Kingdoms and that Christs Kingdom may come yet are we the men who suppress it and keep it under and hinder it from coming to us Isa 59.1 14. What would we have others Equal and Just but as for our selves we would continue in our Iniquity Repreh 2. Those who act in rigour to the extent of all the power they have thus did the Devil and they whom he sets to work Joh. 1. and 2. who kill the body and have no more that they can do if they could they would and therefore Tyrants add torment to their penalties as Tyberius gave command to the Executioner Sentiat se mori let him feel that he dies And when another had killed himself lest that Emperour should put him to death said Evasit he hath escaped me It 's alwayes the part of a Tyrant and a tyrannical disposition to do all they can in rigour against such the Prophet denounceth a woe Mich. 2.1 Wo to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practice it why because it is in the power of their hand they have power to do mischief therefore they do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus Luk. 22.53 This is your hour and the power of darkness The Prince of darkness acts just so There is such a disposition in all Sects of Religion by Nature to oppress and suppress all that are not of their Opinion while men are under O then tender Conscience is pleaded and Equity and Righteousness when they get up none more Tyrants than they who ever hath read the Church Story can give many instances of this kind But all this is contrary to Christian Equity and the power of Religion contrary to the disposition of him who swayes the Scepter of Equity Psal 99.4 The Kings strength also loves judgement thou doest establish Equity Numb 14.17 Consol To the Subjects under Christs Scepter of Equity in these times of fears and dangers the upright one who swayes the Scepter of Equity he secures thee he promiseth thee safety Isa 44.1 2. Fear not O Jacob my servant and Jesurun whom I have chosen he is upright and he calls thee his upright one in a diminutive expression arguing Love and Amity Jeshurum is Rectulus my little Right One he is Jashar and thou Jeshurun as that Si tu Cains ego Caia What though thou seest much oppression in a Province c. Eccles 5.8 He that is higher than the highest regardeth There is an upright Judge above all these Potentes potenter tormenta patientur But I am reviled reproached c. What then and was not thy Lord thy great King with what equanimity bare he the greatest reproaches Say we not well say they that thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil He doth not tell them that they had the Devil in them as indeed they had but only denies it I have not a Devil Say not I will do to him as he hath done to me I will render to the man according to his works Psal 22.29 O say not so the Wise Man bids thee wait upon the Lord who swayes the Scepter of Equity wait upon him and hee 'l save thee Prov. 20.22 The Law indeed saith An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth c. But saith the Gospel I say unto you resist not evil And I say unto you love your enemies 'T is his Precept not to render evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing as knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 'T was his Precept yea and his Example when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not c. Thus did the true Jashar the upright one and he expects of thee if thou be his Jeshurun that thou do the like Flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 There must be more in thee than flesh and blood if thou be Christs Jeshurun his upright one NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS I. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows I Have spoken of the Two first Ensigns of Majesty the Throne and Scepter of Christ before the Apostle proceeds to the third which is Divine Vnction he declares the dignity of Christs person as a motive to his Father to give him that Unction Thou hast loved righteousness therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee c. Which words may be considered either absolutely or with reference to the words before The Contents of the Text are in these ensuing Divine Truths 1. Christ loves righteousness and hates iniquity 2. God even his God hath anointed him with the oyl of gladness c. 3. God even his God hath anointed him above his fellows 4. Because he loves righteousness and hates c. therefore c. These are the two parts of Justice considered in the Prince 1. To love cherish and defend righteousness and equity and 2. To hate discountenance and punish
And what was Aholiab but the Tabernacle of the Father whereby it appears that the Tabernacle of the Father was to be a shadow of some better thing these were shadows but the body is of Christ Col. 2. He sets his workmen about the Spiritual Tabernacle Ephes 4.11 12 13. And he gives his workmen skill to work in Gold c. to deal with different dispositions of men 1 Cor. 9. 2. When we say that Moses was faithful in the house of God i. e. his Church and that Jesus Christ was faithful in all Gods house we understand not only the Tabernacle the structure and building but also all Gods houshold and family which according to the spiritual meaning is one and the same Now in the administration of Gods houshold and family Christ Jesus was and is faithful unto God the Father and unto Gods houshold he dealt and deals faithfully with both 1. An Apostle or Ambassadour comes not in his own Name nor seeks any Glory to himself but his Glory who sends him such an one is faithful and such a faithful Apostle is the Lord Jesus from the Father unto his houshold Joh. 7.18 Prov. 13.17 and 8.48 49. 2. Nor doth an Apostle or Ambassadour come to do his own will Such a faithful Apostle and Ambassadour is the Lord Jesus unto him that made him and sent him and that when he was now in hazzard of his life for his Embassy Not my will saith he but thy will be done Matt. 26. 3. And as a faithful Apostle and Ambassadour seeks not his own Glory nor his own Will so he seeks to accomplish the Will of him that sends him Such a faithful Ambassadour was the Lord Jesus Christ as he tells his Father when he gives him an account of what he had done in his house Joh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work thou gavest we to do yea he omits nothing at all of what he knows will be acceptable unto him Joh. 8.29 I do alwayes those things that please him 4. That wherein an Ambassadour approves himself unto his Prince that sends him is in special manner his endeavour to win and gain the affections of all unto his Prince that sends him This endeavour Moses carries in his Name he draws men to him that sent him And herein the great Ambassadour the Son of God acts his part most vigorously that he may win all men to the imitation of the pattern and image of divine perfection which is no other than himself as it was said to Moses see and do all things according to the pattern that was shewn thee in the mouâ—t a transcendent pattern as when he saith be ye perfect as your father which is in heaven is perfect Matth. 5. yet he shews not the Father otherwise than in his own perfect image i. e. in himself And therefore when Philip had said shew us the Father and it is sufficient our Lord presently returns him a quick answer Have I been so long with you and have ye not known me namely according to the Deity relucent and shininig sorth in his works Philip saith he he that sees me sees the Father also Joh. 14. This is a powerful attractive to the believing soul that sees the winning Deity alluring and drawing unto it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is good which is desirable more desirable is that which is better But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the summum bonum the chief good that 's most desirable and of all other the most winning and perswading unto it self But I know not how it comes to pass while the true good in any kind is present with us it 's less esteemed than when its absent from us bonum carendo magis quam fruendo noscitur we know what 's good rather by the want of it than enjoyment of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The foolish sons of Epimetheus learn what 's good by the loss of it And therefore the Image and Son of God shews his faithfulness even this way also yielding himself to dye the shameful death of the cross that when we shall know the wisdom goodness righteousness holiness truth love mercy patience life of God all this and much more is Christ crucified and slain in us by our sins for he is bruised of our iniquities and wounded of our transgressions Esay 53.5 We shall consider this Son of God slain in us and by us and that for his faithfulness in discharging his trust towards the Father and us This this if any thing will melt our frozen hard hearts When I am lifted up I will draw all men unto me Thus the Lords death is shewn forth in the Sacrament The love of Christ constrains us c. 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Repreh 1. The degenerate unbelieving souls Ecclus. 2.12 13. Wo to the sinners that go two ways who discomfort and dishearten themselves in Gods ways and say we must not presume to be like Moses like Joshuah like such and such eminent Saints of God where in all the Scripture is any pious endeavour limited Where is there any bound put to Faith Hope Love Meekness Patience Doth not the Apostle invite us to be followers of him and was not he a follower of Christ And did not the Lord give us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. Consol To the poor dejected soul discouraged by the false Prophets who tell us it is presumption to set the patterns of the eminent Saints before us for our imitation Object But David had his falls Look not at the falls of Gods Saints but at their rising again by Faith Consider thou art under an higher dispensation than David was Zach. 12.8 yea Josiah 2 King 23.25 Exhort To set before us the patterns of Gods Saints and holy Ones Examples for our imitation This was one notable use of holy days named after one or other of Gods Saints which might occasion pious souls to look into their examples set before us for that end not that we should worship them or trust in them but in the living God There are days Ecclus. 33.7 that we remember their life and actions why they were in the world as we are we can easily remember men departed Sic oculos sic ille manus sic ora manusque And why much more should we not remember their Humility Patience Meekness c. yea when we remember their pious life and actions and consider that they were of the same mould with us how should we shame our selves c. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS III. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house OUr Apostle hath hitherto compared Christ and Moses together in regard of faithfulness But from hence lest any should conclude that Moses was equal unto Christ our Apostle prefers Christ before Moses in divers respects three especially 1. That Moses
in the City hubbubs and much prattle and talk He who finds this hidden treasure must yet hide it He lives not to the world to the world he is not as 't is said of Enoch that he walked with God and was not for God took him he sells all he hath and he buyes this field he parts with all he hath all his sins yea he prefers Jesus Christ before all things I preferred Wisdom before Scepters and Thrones and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her Wisd 7.8 saith the Wise man and he is the true Wise man indeed who does so But wisdom that is hid and treasure that is hoarded up what profit is there in them both Ecclus 20.30 And therefore that wise Scribe who is instructed unto the kingdom of God is like a man that is an housholder who brings out of his treasure vetera nova things new and old Matth. 13.52 i. e. the letter and the spirit saith Basil Christ hidden in the figure and reveiled by the Spirit Christ yesterday under the Law and to day under the Gospel This is that which the Lord promised Lev. 26.10 ye shall eat old store and ye shall bring forth the old because of the new 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vetus inveteratum that which is old and made and accounted old Such are the figurative Scriptures Jesus Christ yesterday which are brought forth for the soul to feed upon nothing must be left because of the new spiritual food Jesus Christ to day Thus Josuab 5.11 They did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover unleavened cakes and parched corn the self same day They did eat of the old corn the same spiritual meat 1 Cor. 10. Jesus Christ yesterday and parched new corn the same spiriritual food Jesus Christ to day 1. He then that will be a Minister of Jesus Christ must be paterfamilias a father who out of love must be careful and provident for his children 2. He must be a storer one who hath a treasure a little store will not be sufficient it will be soon spent it must be a treasure 3. And that treasure must be his own it shall be in him a well of water springing up into the everlasting life Joh. 4.14 A Cistern will be soon empty and it will afford no more than is put into it It must be his own not borrowed not taken upon trust there is too much of that comodity now-a-days many fail by this kind of trading much of this stuff vented out of the memory not out of the heart Whereas the good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things the Spirit out of the letter the new out of the old Jesus Christ to day out of Christ yesterday Repreh 2. This may justly reprove us all that we are so supine and negligent not regarding the time Jesus Christ is to day even in these our days and in these our days all things that are written are to be fulfilled For all the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after as many as have spoken have likewise foretold of these days Act. 3.24 They have emptied themselves into these times ut impleretur Joh. 1. Grace and truth Yet who of us Beloved regard the time who sadly thinks upon this hodie as he ought who considers that all the types and figures of Jesus Christ yesterday in the old Testament ought to be fulfilled in him hodiè under the New Testament We can take notice of all other times but these A Mart or a Fair or Exchange time c. pass not without our observance and for every thing there is a time times fit for such or such a comodity as will be for our advantage we are awake unto But how sharply yet how slowly doth our Lord reprove the Jews and many of us Ye hypocrites ye can discern the face of the skie and can ye not discern the signs of the time Matth. 16.3 How do we trifle away our precious hodiè our to day while as if we lived to an outward Christ not Christ Emmanuel with us or in us every man is a Novelant Act. 17.21 when we hear vers 31. we then commonly vers 32. O how justly may we fear that the Lord Jesus may truly say in this his day the same to us which he speaks to Jerusalem Luk. 19.42 O if thou hadst known c Exhort To take notice of the time and know our own day Christ is hodiè Among those who came to David to Hebron to make him King there are reckoned up the children of Issachar 1 Chron. 12.32 The Text saith of them That these were men who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do And doubtless it 's a great point of prudency to know the times and what is fit for Israel to do in every time Jesus Christ the true David is hodiè to day it is his time and 't is our time The sons of Issachar knew well that was a fit time to make David King and to turn the Kingdom of Saul to him And therefore they went up to Hebron and there made him King And truly St. Paul had like understanding of these times and warned the Athenians of them times fit for a very like purpose to make the true David King over us and to turn the Kingdom from the house of Saul unto David Saul is a type of the Law reigning as David is a type of Christ in many places of the Prophets Paul therefore tells the Athenians Act. 17.30 That the times of their ignorance God winked at what then is fit to be done He now commands all men every where to repent Why so vers 31. Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained i. e. Christ Jesus David foretold of this long ago He cometh he cometh to judge the earth He shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth Psal 96.13 For this reason God commands all men every where to repent It is the day wherein the true David is to be made King to judge the world in righteousness And why then go we not up to him to Hebron why are we not joyned unto him by Faith Hebron is Conjunction to anoint him King over us Other Lords have ruled over us too long as I shewed ye the other day out of Esay 26.13 Since by the law the true Saul hath long reigned in our mortal body Mark what reasons the Israelites use 2 Sam. 5.1 2. 1. We are say they thy bone and thy flesh so Paul saith of the true David Eph. 5.30 2. Even then when Saul was King then David led out and brought in Israel David was yesterday even when the Law reigned he led the true Israel out and in he was the Minister of Circumcision 3. The Lord hath decreed this that his Son should be Captain of our
or rather the integrity of one and the same Both 1. From the loss and that which always attends upon the loss the shame they are deceived And 2. The danger of that deceit the more near and inward the more dangerous they are self-deceivers or as 't is in the Syriac deceivers of their own souls And this method I intend to follow considering the words 1. As one entire precept And 2. A reason of it 1. In the precept is considerable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The operative word And 2. The operation or doing of that word unto which is opposed the sole hearing of it The word is either inward or out-outward 1. The inward word is that which was in the beginning the essential word of God whereby God hath done and spoken all things in the first and second creation whence it is that where God in the Old Testament is said to do or say any thing the Chaldee Paraphrast turns it thus God did or said so and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his word Examples are infinite According to which notion many places in the New Testament may be understood Thus where Moses tells Israel The word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thine heart Chald. O that we had one like Moses that might go up to Heaven for us But no man hath ascended up to Heaven but the Son of man who is in Heaven Joh. 3.13 Tharg The Law is not beyond the great Sea that thou should say O that we had one like Jonas the Prophet that might go down to the bottom of the Sea and bring it to us Things hidden are in Heaven or beyond the Sea in far places not so the word S. Paul understood him to speak as well of Christ as of the Law Rom. 10.6 Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ from the dead but what saith the Scripture The word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word which we preach the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the verse before the Text that inward word for if he had meant any other he had not satisfied the doubt Thus we may understand Hebr. 4.12 13. 1. Pet. 1.23 24 25. According to S. Austin S. Anselm Aquinas Hugo Cardinalis and others who interpret the word in the Text verbum increatum for this word preacheth to the inward ear as the other to the outward Ephes 2.17 Hebr. 12.25 and from the beginning God hath spoken so much unto all and every man that should they be written every one the world it self could not contain the Books that should be written Which yet may be understood of the outward word which gives testimony unto the inward which is the pattern and measure of the outward And thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word and commandment are all one For whereas God is the essential Truth Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness And the Son of God the engrafted inward Word the essential Image of God And man having been made according to that image and fall'n from it is to be renewed according to the outward Word The outward Word is the image of the inward a Word of Truth Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness for the whole outward word is either 1. In proportion to the understanding and so 't is a word of information containing testimonies of Divine Truths concerning things good and evil and Histories concerning persons Or 2. In proportion to the will and so 't is a word of reformation in Righteousness containing precepts 1. Affirmative commanding things to be done c. And 2. Negative prohibiting things which are to be left undone Or 3. In proportion to the affections containing the Sanctions of the Divine Preceps and Prohibitions And those either 1. Promises exciting Love Delight Hope Joy and the like Or 2. Threatnings exciting Fear Grief Carefulness Indignation and such like And unto these or some of these parts the whole outward word may be reduced Which word is the Sphere of the Christian's Activity the word whereof we must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth inventors of figments and fables but there have been and are too many such who follow cunningly devised fables and prophesie out of their own heart and call it Gods word The Apostle would not have us fictores but factores as the vulgar hath it not players or prayers with the word but workers but doers of it This doing of the Word must be answerable to the Word it self inward and outward whence proceeds the inward and outward Righteousness For the trees of Righteousness being rooted and grounded in Love bring forth fruit upward the fruits of Righteousness which are in Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God And thus to do the word is opere adimplere saith Aquinas there is a vacuum where obedience is wanting such is before the new Creation as there was before the old And therefore when God Jer. 4. had complained that his people were wise to do evil but to do good they knew not he presently adds I beheld the earth and lo it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without form and void The doing of the word fills up that vacuum which is done as well by passion as action by suffering according to the will of God as by doing as well by omitting what the word prohibites as by performing what the word commands Thus holy David concludes that Psal 15. which hath more negatives than affirmitives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that doth these things yea where there are more negatives or actions to be left undone than affirmative precepts The just man is said to do that which is lawful and right Ezech. 18. And the ten Commandments which are the ten words to be done are most of them negatives and contain things to be left undone So that to be doers of the Word is to be obedient unto the Word and so one Translation renders the Text Este ii qui sermoni pareatis such as obey the word and because his servant a man is whom he obeys be ye servants of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Syriach hath it which word signifieth as well to serve as to do And in this large sence hearers may be also doers of the Word whether by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we understand hearers or students as the word signifieth let them hear on in God's name benefacitis saith St. Peter such are not hearers only These are such as give the word the hearing but do what they list themselves such were they in Jer. 43. and Ezech. 33. Such are the Israelites which signifie the hearers of God and typifie a sect of our days as notable for hearing as they for their golden ear-rings of which Aaron and Gideon made idols as these do of their hearing
who like their father Ishmael have their hand against every man and every mans hand against them And I would to God there were not too many such even of those who would be thought to be the only doers of the Word But that we all ought to be doers of the word and not hearers only may be proved undeniably from the parts of it For 1. As for the Evangelical Word no man I suppose makes question of it if any do our Saviour will resolve him Matth. 7. Where he taught his Auditors not to be hearers only but to do his sayings and in that general commission Matth. 28. he commands them to teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them 2. And as little doubt is there to be made of the Law For do we make void the law through the faith of the Gospel God forbid yea we establish the law Rom. 3.31 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 For verily I say unto you saith our Saviour till heaven and earth pass one jot or one title shall in no wise pass away from the law till all be fulfilled for it immediately followeth whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven Matth. 5.15 19. Now both legal and Evangelical word teacheth us To love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul with all our strength with all mind and our neighbour as our selves to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect to cleanse our selves from all pollution of flesh and Spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God To depart from evil and to do all good To put of the old man or the old conversation according to the Syriach and put on the new To dye unto sin and live unto righteousness To keep the Sabbath i. e. to cease from our own works and to keep the Lords day or do the works of God The first is our conformity unto the death of Christ The second to his Resurrection So that the Gospel requires of us as much obedience as the Law for measure and degree if we consider these and the like places well Matth. 5.18 19 48. 2 Cor. 7.1 and 13.11 Col. 3.14 Tit. 2.12.13 Revel 22.14 compared with vers 18.19 And the reason may appear from mans just and due subordination to the Will of God which is reasonable and just because proceeding from a manifold right of Creation preservation redemption covenant and forfeiture And upon these the Throne of Gods Dominion is erected and into these as into the first principles and foundation of obedience the whole Word of God is finally resolved 1. He is the Lord our Maker our Creator and this is the end of our Creation we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them 2. This is the end of our predestination for we are predestin'd to be made conformable to the Son of God who went about doing good 3. The end of our election for we are chosen that we may bring forth fruits 4. This is the end of our Redemption for therefore Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works This was figured in Ruth the type of the Gentile Church saith St. Jerom who being redeemed by Boaz a figure of Christ in whom is our strength brought forth Obed a servant or doer according to that in the Hymn that we being redeemed out of the hands of our enemies may serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life All which howsoever most true yet is there no Divine Truth so much opposed as this and that by all sects of Christians Disputes are endless I 'l but briefly name and resolve some of the principal doubts But if Believers in the Word are saved what need we be doers of the Word If less will serve the turn what need we do more Why should we be prodigal of our obedience why is this wast 'T was the question of Judas who bare the bag and is the tenent of some whose gain I fear is their godliness who measure their Religion by the purse and make choice of that which is the easiest and best cheap But though Believers of the Word be saved yet not those who believe the word of promise only as ignorant men conceive For Faith is an assent to Divine Truth which is not only that of promise but as well that of precepts prohibitions and comminations And God is as well to be believed when he commands forbids and threatens as when he promiseth for as his promise and his oath to the obedient are two immutable things Heb. 6.18 So Heb. 3.18 are his threatning and his oaths to the disobedient But howsoever it be true that Faith alone justifieth yet that faith justifieth not which is alone as all agree But as the Bride-groom Cant. 6.8 9. saith his Spouse is one yet there are saith he sixty queens and eighty concubines and virgins without number Faith hath her Train and Retinue of other Graces attending on it inwardly joyned and united to it and inseparable which cannot be severed from it 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your faith c. 8.11 For from the assent of the mind unto Divine Truth which we call Faith The soul advanceth it self and is carried out unto the thing believed in a double act of hope For God who is objectum beatificum and in God who is the Author actus fruitivi But these acts of Faith and Hope have an eye at a mans own proper good and look no further Indeed they go out of a man to purvey for that good yet so that they return home again and rest there as a man goeth forth to the Market to buy himself meat yet eats it not there but at his own house But thus a man should make himself his own end And therefore this Faith and Hope cannot be saving alone but must be acted unto Gods honour which cannot be done but out of Charity and thus by works is faith made perfect saith our Apostle By reason of this near conjunction and union of Faith with Love the holy Ghost in Scripture useth Faith and Obedience the one for the other neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Gal. 5.6 ye have the same sentence Gal. 6.15 only Obedience put for Faith 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but keeping the Commandments of God And where the one of these is denyed there the other is denyed also Rom. 10.16 All have not obeyed the Gospel Why so For Esaiah said Lord who hath believed our report Deny the consequent
yet are upon us Besides the Lord hath lately given us manifold signs from heaven forewarning us of these very times He testifies his great mercy to us as he did also to the old world before he sent the universal deluge Observ 2. As Righteousness is the most seasonable theme for the Preacher so of all other the most fit for the eighth preacher for him and them who preach in the time and nearest to the time of the deluge the overflowing scourge Observ 3. It is the most seasonable lesson that Preacher and People can learn When thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world shall learn righteousness Esay 26. Observ 4. Jesus Christ the true Noah is the eighth preacher of righteousness wherein he agrees with his type but as the truth in other things so in this also much exceeds the Type Noah and others can but preach righteousness to the ear and to the heart as the Prophets are commanded Esay 40.1 2. but they cannot incline and bow the heart or work that righteousness in man to whom they preach it But the Lord Jesus Christ the great Preacher of Righteousness is Jehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purifieth the heart and works his righteousness in us Esay 26. He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the branch of righteousness or rather the young tender shoot sprout or twig or plant of righteousness of God the Fathers planting in us So he is called Jer. 23.5 though we turn it a branch improperly which the Chaldy Paraph. here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sucker Esay 53.2 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 11.1 Chald. Paraph. again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this groweth in us See Notes on Jer. 23.5 Jesus Christ the true Noah is the eighth Preacher of Righteousness that we may the better understand this we must know that there have been from the beginning eight manifestations of the Deity 1. To Adam whom the Lord made a kind of visible God upon earth adorning him with his image in Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness 2. A second manifestation of the Deity was to the eight preachers of Righteousness especially to Noah God requiring by them his Righteousness and coming forth then out of his place to judge the world with Righteousness 3. A third manifestation of the Deity was unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob to whom God often appeared and made a Covenant with Abraham and confirmed it by Circumcision the seal of Righteousness by Faith 4. A fourth was unto Moses Aaron and Josuah to whom he made known his Laws his Statutes and Judgements by which he required his Righteousness of the people 5. A fifth manifestation of God was unto Samuel to David Solomon and the Prophets who testified in their several ages the Righteousness of God unto the people so that the righteousness of God was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets 6. A sixth was to Zorobabel Haggy Zachary and Malachy by whom the Lord brought his people out of the confused Babel and required of them his Righteousness 7. The seventh was made unto the Lord Jesus Christ manifested in the flesh who himself is the Righteousness of God 1 Cor. 1. 8. The eighth and last manifestation of the Deity is in these last days of the Spirit which the Lord Jesus Christ promiseth Joh. 14.16 17 18. and promiseth himself to be with them to the end of the world This is the Comforter which was given in the days of Pentecost Act. 2. The inward Teacher and Preacher Joh. 16.13 Joh. 2.27 The Reason why the true Noah the Lord Jesus Christ is the eighth preacher of righteousness will appear from the consideration 1. Of the object subject or argument of his Preaching 2. The number of eight 3. The consideration of the eighth Preacher himself 1. The object subject and argument of the true Noah's preaching is Righteousness which is 1. Sometimes taken for the whole Kingdom of God it self Psal 24.5 He shall receive the blessing and righteousness And Psal 69.27 which Christ preached Luk. 4.43 and commanded Luk. 9.2 2. Sometimes it is taken for a part of it as Rom. 14.17 The effect of righteousness is peace peace is taken also 1. Sometimes for the whole Kingdom Esay 57.2 These shall enter into peace 2. Sometimes for a part of it as Rom. 14.17 which the Apostle preached in Christ's name Act. 10.3 6. 3. Joy is either taken for the whole kingdom as Matth. 25.21 23. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord Or else 2. It is taken for the third part of the Kingdom which ariseth from righteousness and peace Rom. 14.2 Macrobius out of the principles of Pythagoras and Plato tells us that octonarius is numerus plenus and that fulness propriè nisi divinis rebus supernisque non convenit such a full number is the number of eight The number of eight is numerus justitiae the number of justice and righteousness And the reason is because it consists of parts which are pariter pares and may be resolved into equal parts This number makes a solid body which they call Tessera or cubus a four-quare which is the figure of the heavenly City and Kingdom Rev. 21.16 Hence it will appear why Righteousness must dwell in the heavenly Kingdom 2 Pet. 3.13 It is adequately and properly here as locatum in proprio loco Esay 2.62 Matth. 13.43 The righteous shall shine in the kingdom of their Father and 25.46 The righteous go into eternal life and not the unrighteous 1 Cor. 6.9 But as eight is numerus justitiae the Diapason so the Kingdom with which it holds proportion makes a disdiapason the more excellent harmony when as it was in the beginning it is now and shall be for ever as Diapason makes but one and the same sound even Jesus Christ in the beginnings yesterday to day and for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.8 3. The true Noah is not only a just man but the just One. He is the righteousness He is Melchizedech Heb. 2.7 It is his work to destroy the spirit of errour the spirit of Antichrist Esay 11.4 5. The spiritual wickedness Ephes 6. 2 Thess 2.7 8. the wicked one Ezech. 28.19 This is the eighth and last beast yet of the seven Revel 17.11 The spiritual and inward Antichrist which is of the seven unclean spirits Matth. 12.45 Such was Adonizedeck to Josuah 10.3 he is in all the seven as his members and subjects over which he is the head Job 18.15 Thus Christ himself opposite unto Antichrist is he that is Jehovah Exod. 3.14 Rev. 1.8 He who is the eighth and hath the seven Rev. 3.1 of whom he is head Esay 11.2 Thus as God left not himself without witness but sent his Son in the days of his flesh to Preach Righteousness unto the Church of the Jews Luk. 19.41 42. So neither now doth he leave himself without witness in the days of his spirit but gives warning of the overflowing scourge by
so continue dark obscure and unknown and then it may be asked why were they written if they should never be understood Or else 2. It must follow that the great Prophet the Lord Jesus Christ must appear in the Spirit of prophecy to take the vail of misunderstanding off all Nations Esay 25.7 and to be a light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the reveiling of the Gentiles Luk. 2.32 For the vindicating of his truth from false glosses and erroneous interpretations imposed up it by presumptuous men And therefore he promised to send Prophets and Wise men c. Matth. 23.34 These were not the Prophets sent before Christ came in the flesh nor the Apostles which were already sent but such as in after time even in the these last days he promised to send men in whom as in the old Prophets the Spirit should be Wise men endued with Wisdom from above Scribes learned in the letter of the Scripture and taught unto the kingdom of God And the Lord fore-faw great need there would be of such by reason of the old serpent that deceiveth all the world Revel 12.9 for surely if there must be an old deceiver there must be Prophets c. who might undeceive the world And if there must be another Jannes and Jambres who must withstand Moses there must be another Moses even he that was promised to come like unto Moses even the Lord Jesus Christ and many prophets wise men and scribes who must make the folly of Jannes and Jambres manifest unto all men like as theirs also was 2 Tim. 3.8.9 Whence it is that this last time is called by one Tempus Prophetarum even the time of such Prophets as our Lord promised to send And therefore when St. John had discovered the old Serpent and the beast that deceives those who dwell on the earth Revel 12.9 and 13.14 Rev. 14.6 He tells us of an Angel preaching who is a Preacher of Righteousness even Jesus Christ in the Spirit by the Ministers of the Spirit and Preachers of Righteousness to whom the Lord Jesus Christ imparts his testimony which is the Spirit of Prophecy Rev. 19.10 And therefore this present Generation is seriously to be admonished that we take good heed lest in these last days when the Lord Jesus Christ shall fulfil and make good his promise and send prophets wise men and scribes I say we are seriously to be admonished to take heed that we be not the men who shall fulfil the part of that prophecy that when the Lord sends such we do not kill and crucifie them c. O Beloved let us not be too soon resolved that we understand God's truth Let us judge nothing before the time until the Lord come in the spirit and preach righteousness unto us Hos 10.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till he teach or preach righteousness unto you until he vouchsafe unto us his Spirit of Truth the eighth preacher of righteousness who may lead us into all truth Joh. 16.17 Observ 6. See how the preachers of Righteousness must be qualified they are the Preachers of the eighth day who have their commission from the eighth preacher of righteousness for so these heavens declare the glory of God Thus the Apostles understood Psal 19.4 1. They are compared to the heavens lifted up above the earth by contemplation of divine and heavenly things 2. Large and spread abroad by Faith working by Charity which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.5 Vulg. Lat. firmamentum 3. Shining by their wisdom Dan. 12.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that make men wise unto salvation Marg. Teachers the wisdom of such men makes their face to shine Prov. yea turning many unto righteousness and so shining as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12. 4. Always calm and serene by tranquility of Spirit The peace of God rules in their hearts Col. 3.5 Moved of their intelligence by their obedience 6. Giving their influence by instruction in righteousness pluunt justum Esay 45 8. and Hos 10.12 7. Thundring by reproof and correction as the sons of Zebedee Boanerges sons of thunder Mar. 3.14 Such as shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land Hag. 2.7 which the Apostle explains of the eight days Preachers Heb. 12.26 8. Lightning by their good works which men may see and give glory to their father which is in heaven Giving all good unto the earth and receiving nothing from it 9. Most pure from the filth by integrity and holiness of life 10. The dwelling of the great King Anima justi sedes est sapientiae These are the preachers of righteousness the preachers of the eighth day or day of the Spirit even the preaching days as the Psalmist calls them Psal 19.2 Day unto day uttereth the word of wisdom even that word which in the beginning was with God and was God Joh. 1.1 Repreh 1. Those who hear not the eighth preacher of Righteousness they are such as in the days of Noah waited and expected the mercy and forbearance of God when the Lord required obedience they said the Lord is merciful Repreh 2. Those who hear but obey him not but prefer the service of iniquity before the service of Righteousness How often hath the true Noah called us out of the perishing world to come into the Ark of his Church yet we rather chuse to perish with the world than to come into the ark How often hath the true Moses invited us to come out of Egypt Repreh 3. This reproves the renewed old world and pretending new world of their false righteousness yea of their improved and extreamly encreased unrighteousness as the Lord promised the Spirit should do Joh. 16.8 9 10. The comforter shall reprove the world of sin of righteousness and judgement 1. Of sin because they believe not in Christ who takes away the sins of the world 2. Of righteousness because Christ goes to his father and we see him no more terras Astraea reliquit righteousness hath forsaken the earth because iniquity abounds 3. Of judgement because the prince of this world is judged for the wicked doth compass about the righteous therefore wrong judgement proceedeth Hab. 1.4 The true Righteousness of God hath been long time and yet is compassed about kept under and suppressed not only by open and manifest sin but also by false righteousness and counterfeit holiness For these are the two Thieves between whom the Righteousness of God is crucified the one of them is said to have been an Egyptian the other an Edomite Egypt was full of false gods Porrum cepe Foelices gentes quibus haec nascuntur in hortis Numina They worshipped not only stocks and stones as other Nations did but beasts as the Serpent and Crocodile and the Ox whence the Israelites borrowed their Calf-worship yea the Herbs in their Gardens Porrum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth straits such is the chosen strictness the voluntary or will-worship which the
Pharisees impose upon themselves 2. The other was an Edomite as Herod an earthly sensual and voluptuous man such as the Sadduces were such as the Sodomites were therefore our Lord is said to be crucified in that City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt Revel 11.8 If we look well into this yea every age we shall find mostly but Pharisees and Sadduces in it and that most men in it are leavened either with the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees or with the leaven of the Sadduces and Herodians Confer Notes in Hebr. 2.1 Shall we apply these to our present age The works of the flesh are so manifest among us I need not instance in any see a large and foul catalogue of them Gal. 5.19 when did these more abound This is the Reformation in these days this is the righteousness of the Sadduces of these times who have their names from Sadoc which signifieth righteous But if we enquire among the Pharisees shall we find our age exceed these in righteousness Are we any whit better than these We account our selves righteous when we fancy our sins covered and remember not that it is added in the Psalm and in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 32. We imagine our selves righteous by faith but consider not that Faith purifieth the heart Act. 15.9 whereby we declare our selves to be the Generation of which the wise man speaks That we are pure in our own eyes and yet are not washed from our filthiness Prov. 30.12 Eat swines flesh and broth of abominable things yet say stand by thy self come not near to me I am holier than thou Esay 65.4 5. We confess our sins and pray for remission and pardon of sin and say that God is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins but we desire not that God should cleanse us from all our unrighteousness though that be added 1 Joh. 1.9 We love that too well to part with it and say it is impossible to be cleansed from it We flatter and please our selves in the righteousness of Faith but mean time forget that universal righteousness of God testified by the Law and the Prophets accompanying the obedience of Faith Rom. 3.21 We magnifie exceedingly the righteousness of Christ and the Justice of God in Christ Vide Notes in Jerem. 23.5 and indeed who can sufficiently magnifie it But mean time we regard not common justice and equity between man and man we have so much Religion such as it is that it hath devoured all honesty truth justice faithfulness we have so much of the imagined righteousness of Christ that it pays our debts for us it feeds the hungry for us it cloaths the naked for us it relieves the oppressed visits the sick In a word we are so righteous by the imagined righteousness of Christ that we can neither live sober nor chast nor just nor honest nor merciful nor true nor faithful yet righteous all this while by the imputed righteousness of Christ We have so tenter'd the righteousness of Christ that it serves to hide all our unrighteousness our drunkenness our whoredom our lying our cheating our couzening our oppressing our unmercifulness in a word it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A mantle of Religion to cover all our knavery These are the old filthy garments wherewith Joshua is clad Zach. 3.3 So that we may truly say of this present age of the world as the Prophet speaks of the Church in his time Esay 64.6 All our righteousness is as filthy rags O Beloved is this our reformation of life we have covenanted for Is this the new man we have professed to put on created after God in righteousness and true holiness If this be our righteousness what is our unrighteousness If this be our Holiness what is our prophaneness And shall not the Lord visit for these things Shall not his Soul be avenged of such a nation as this Jer. Shall he not draw his sword and cut off the righteous and the wicked Ezech. 21.3 The open wicked and prophane and the pretending righteous God spared not the old unrighteous world and shall he spare this Repreh 4. Those who are embarqued in the common danger yet quarrel Exhort To hear the eighth preacher of righteousness O Beloved Let not us refuse him that speaketh Hebr. 12.25 Let not us be like the old world when the Lord call'd for Obedience and expected it Vulg. Lat. Expectabat Deus paenitentiam they said God is merciful and so delayed their repentance their returning from sin and turning unto God and so the flood came and took them all away O Beloved take heed that the overflowing scourge surprise not us the Lord is merciful but he is just also and severe against impenitent and unrighteous ones O Beloved let us not be like those Sons of Epimetheus and never fear destruction till it be upon us when it will be too late to fear Like the foolish Bird called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fulica whence some derive the English word Fool that is so improvident that it will take a bait out of the Fowlers hand and so is taken by him O let us now at the length when God's judgments are in the earth and now upon us let us now at the length while it is called to day even in this our day lean righteousness Esay 26. The best Verse in Virgil Discite justitiam This is the only means to obtain the most safe and best grounded and most lasting everlasting peace which is the effect of Righteousness Esay 32.17 First righteousness and then peace the cause must go before the effect Being justified or made righteous by faith we have peace with God c. And Melchisedech is first King of righteousness and then King of peace Hebr. 7.2 The old Poet in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That peace is the Daughter of Righteousness And the best Poet the Psalmist tells us that in these last days Mercy and Truth shall meet together righteousness and peace shall kiss each other that truth shall flourish out of the earth and righteousness shall look down from Heaven Let us therefore hear the Apostle Phil. 4.8 What ever things c. and the God of peace be with you God saved Noah the eighth Preacher of righteousness Quaere What 's meant by saving What means he used to save him The word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is used as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep to deliver to save to tender and have a care of this answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 32.10 He lead him about he instructed him he kept him as the apple of ones eye whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young tender plant that stands in need of keeping 2. To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 28.15 To Jacob I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
puffs and snuffs and breaths so Saul is said to have breathed out threatnings Act. 9.1 a Metaphorical speech longus irarum it is one of the titles which the Lord gives himself and a part of his name Exod. 34.6 For so God is said properly to be long-suffering who is not soon or easily angry but prolongs and delayeth his wrath and doth not suddenly punish There are divers words held to be of the same latitude as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forbearance and patience but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more emphatical and notable than these two for whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth either 1. The good will and affection or the heart Or 2. More especially anger and wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth either 1. Putting away Gods wrath and anger a far off Or 2. The good will and affection of God spun out into a great length 2. To whom doth this long-suffering belong This long-suffering is the Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lords as the Vulg. Lat. hath it Domini nostri Jesu Christi And it seems more properly applyed to him here because he is said to come But indeed it is so understood of the Son as it is also of the Father and Spirit And thus 1. The long-suffering of the Lord is either of the Son of God who suffers in us and dies in us a long time as a patient Lamb led to the slaughter looking up and waiting for our repentance and return at length unto him for so while we are sinners Christ dyed Rom. 5.8 And thus he is crucified in us Gal. 3.1 Or else 2. This long-suffering is of the Father who bears with us and spares us for the Sons sake and therefore we pray for Grace and mercy in the name of Christ For whereas mankind is sinful and liable to the Fathers wrath vengeance and punishment for sin the Son of God out of his love unto man interposeth himself and thrusts himself between the Father and us and so staves off the wrath and punitive justice of the Father this was figured by Moses standing in the gap Aaron standing between the living and the dead Noah Daniel and Job Samuel and all others Intercessors and Mediatours for the people of God 3. There is also a long-suffering of the Holy Ghost in the Saints whereby they bear and suffer out all temptations and persevere in Faith and Obedience unto the end For a pattern of this long-suffering S. Paul was chosen 1 Tim. 1.16 For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should believe on him to life everlasting 1. The Reason of this why the Lord hath long-suffering proceeds from his Love which indeed is himself Love suffereth long 1 Cor. 13. 2. We may add also some Reason in regard of the object frail and feeble mankind which stands in great need of a patient long-suffering God for he made man Adam of the earth earthly and man by his fall made himself Enosh a miserable wretched man and the depth of misery calls upon the depth of Mercy 3. Were there no long-suffering there would be no place left for repentance Observ 1. How Gracious how good a God do we Christians own and worship Exod. 34.6 Psal 86.15 Thou Lord art a God full of compassion Gracious long-suffering plenteous in mercy and truth Nor marvel that there is a promise made That all the Kingdoms of the world shall become the Kingdoms of the Lamb Revel 11.15 Magna Regna magna Latrocinia the Kingdoms of the world have been ruled by Devils and cruel Beasts and by the lusts of men by savage cruelty by bloody mindedness how readily will all the Nations submit unto the rule of the Lamb when they shall know his meekness his patience his long-suffering When I am lifted up I shall draw all men unto me Joh. 12. When his patience and death is made known and for whom and for what end it will prove a most powerful attractive c. and that it leads unto repentance and Salvation 2. The long-suffering of the Lord is Salvation The words are not proper but Metonymical for Salvation here is either 1. The end of the Lord 's long-suffering which he aims at as expresly our Apostle speaketh vers 9. of this Chapter The Lord is long-suffering to us ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Or else 2. Salvation is here the effect of the Lord's goodness patience and long-suffering such as it is wont or at least ought to bring forth in us according to Rom. 2.4 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salvation is considerable either 1. In regard of the term à quo from sin thus it is a deliverance from the power of sin and pollution of it and punishment for it Or 2. In respect of the term ad quem the bringing in of everlasting righteousness life and glory We have both these together 2 Tim. 4.18 The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and shall preserve me unto his everlasting Kingdom The truth of this is extant every where the widow of Tekoah 2 Sam. 14.14 Nec vult Deus perire animam The Lord would not that his banished should perish Dissimulat peccata propter paenitentiam Wisd 11.23 24. Observ 1. A ground of Prayet 1. For our selves 2. Of mediation and intercession in respect of others 1. Of Prayer for our selves as David Psal 86.15 O Lord the proud are risen against me c. But thou Lord art a God merciful and Gracious long-suffering c. 2. It 's a ground of mediation and intercession in respect of others Both 1 For them 2. Against them 1. For them so Moses intercedes in behalf of Israel Numb 14.17 18. 2. Against them and so Jeremiah prayeth to the Lord that his long-suffering might not be so far extended toward his enemies that they should thereby be suffered to take away his life Jerem. 15.15 Observ 2. Note hence a broad difference between the long-suffering of the Lord toward sinners and the long-suffering of Kings Princes and Potentates towards offenders of them It is a known Maxim among Politicians that they lengthen the tedder of Malefactors that they may ensnare themselves that they give them rope occasion and opportunity that they may become worse and worse O how far is the good God from such cruel ends as this And far be it from us to entertain such hard thoughts of our good and long-suffering God that he should give a wicked man space for this end to work out his own damnation O no I gave her space to repent Rev. 2.20 Repreh 1. Those who when the Lord is long-suffering for our salvation abuse the long-suffering of the Lord unto their own greater condemnation O the negligence the pride the wantonness of the present Generation O the daring boldness of men How desperately they contend with
wherewith they should contend 2. In respect of the persons exhorting and exhorted to contend with the Faith 1. As for the Faith in Christ it 's a Grace mighty and powerful and that wherewith all the spiritual enemies may be conquered that victory that overcomes the world that weapon without which sin cannot be overcome and by it it may that weapon whereby the old Worthies overcame kingdoms wrought righteousness Heb. 11. 2. St. Jude was an Apostle and it was a great part of his business to exhort and encourage those to whom he wrote as the other Apostles however in their Epistles they delivered the fundamental Truths of God yet a great part of them are spent in exhortation 3. The persons exhorted to contend with the faith were sanctified unto whom the Apostles were given for their further building up Ephes 4.11 12. Here may arise an objection if we contend not for the Faith and doctrine of Faith Schismatical and Heretical men will bring in their Heresies and Errours and Tares will grow up among the Wheat To which I answer And what though the Tares do grow up among the Wheat The Lord of the Harvest who hath and whom it concerns to have greater care of his husbandry than thou hast whoever thou art he said let both grow together till the harvest Matth. 13.30 and this he said to such officious zealots as thou art who offered their service to gather up the Tares vers 28. But our Lord said nay lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them and his Apostle 1 Cor. 11.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there must even among you be heresies c. But what then shall become of the Truth of God and of the Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ The care of this principally belongs to him who is Amen the truth it self the faithful witness who hath also delegated and appointed Apostles and Apostolical men in all ages Thus St. Paul had the care of all the Churches 2 Cor. 11.28 And he tells Titus how a Bishop must be qualified Tit. 1.7 8 9. and this was the care of St. Jude in his Epistle and of the Apostles in theirs and it belonged to their common charge and care to provide for posterity and therefore that Symbolum Apostolicum the Apostles Creed is believed to have been composed by the Apostles and was held to be a Tessera or mark or token of the Catholick and Apostolick Faith But there is a sort of men who cry out Truth Truth as if they were the supporters of it when as I have shewn long since they are like those images or pictures that are set under houses which make pitious faces as if they bare up all the weight of the house whereas if they were taken away the house would stand notwithstanding 1. The observation hence is take notice how this Scripture is abused and made to speak the sence of men zelotical for their own chosen Tenets and Opinions who having first taken up what they themselves or others have chosen to believe as an object of their Faith for that they will strive and stir up others to contend also Thus some of the Sect of the Pharisees who believed in Christ yet were earnest for Circumcision Act. 15.5 and how zelotical they were for the observation of it appears Gal. 6.12 13. and Tit. 1.10 11. and thus some having chosen a dead faith for the true living Christian Faith are zelotical for it and for the maintenance of it would coelum terrae miscere thus one of the later Translations has it that ye would earnestly contend for the maintenance of the Faith whereas no doubt such a dead Faith was never given to the Saints as St. James largâ—ly proves Jam. 2. Observ 2. Though Faith in Christ be an active powerful and vigorous Principle in us even as a fire yet will it be as dead in us unless we strive and contend with it whence the Apostle exhorts Timothy to stir up the gift of God that is in him Observ 3. There is in us an acedia as they call it a listlesness a spiritual laziness and idleness a proneness to do just nothing towards the conquest of our spiritual enemies and therefore we need rousing and stirring up we have need to be exhorted and encouraged to the spiritual combate even they who were sanctified by God the Father preserved in Jesus Christ and called even they had need to be exhorted to strive and contend with the Faith Hence those may be reproved who abuse this saving Truth contention with the Faith which ought inwardly to be exercised upon our lusts and corruptions and turn it outward upon those who differ in judgement from us 3. St. Jude had necessity to write unto them to exhort them to contend with the Faith that was once given to the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. What caused this necessity The Apostle implyes Three Reasons 1. In regard of the Argument whereon he wrote 2. In regard of them of whom he wrote 3. In regard of the persons to whom he wrote 1. The Argument whereon he wrote was the common salvation vers 2. and therefore he must write unto them of Faith also without which there is no salvation 2. Besides the persons of whom or to whom he wrote there were men fallen from the Faith ungodly men crept in insinuated themselves in dangerous examples 3. He had necessity of writing in regard of them to whom we wrote they were in imminent danger in regard of like ungodliness and lasciviousness Repreh 1. Hence those may be Reproved who by occasion of mistranslation and misunderstanding this Text embroyle the Christian Church with Controversies and Disputations For whereas men commonly understand here by Faith the Doctrine of Faith and striving and disputing for it which according to the manifold different judgements is also manifold every Party stirs up all of the same party to contend for the Faith and what is done by all of one party is also done by all of every other party So that the Church of Christ which by profession and calling ought to be the most peaceable Society among all men is become of all other the most contentious and unpeaceable company in the whole world Repreh 2. Hence those may be Reproved who pretend to strive for the Faith by Pious Examples these are good words but experience hath proved that the very same men when they have had power in their hand or could get the Magistrate to be their Executioner have been the most merciless and cruel men to all those who differ in judgement from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Vse may be for Reprehension of the present Generation who think our selves faithful Men and Women when yet we contend not by Faith against our spiritual enemies but yield our selves to be beaten and buffetted by Satan at his will and pleasure and consent to every foolish and hurtful lust that fights against