Enquiry the First how shall the Servants have Rewards Rendred to them Answer This Lord-Judge will then Render to every Man according to his Works Rom. 2.6 to Well-doers Eternal Life ver 7 10. But to Evil-doers Eternal Death ver 8 9. And this Judgment of Christ shall be according to Truth ver 2. For the Right understanding of this Scripture take these three Cautions Caution the 1. This must not be meant of Children who dye while young and live not to work good or evil c. Some of which are Saved by the Eternal purpose of Electing-love and by the Grace of the Covenant of Grace which saith I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed Gen. 17.7 Deut. 30.6 Isa 61.9 65.23 Rom. 4.16 9.8 c. Whereas other Children are out of the unaccountable Wisdom of God passed by and left of God as Children of Wrath in the fallen Nature c. Oh! The Depth c. Rom. 11.33 34 35. That the Election obtains and the rest do not ver 2.5 7 8. The 2. Caution is This Rewarding every one according to their Works must not be meant of such as are called at the Eleventh Hour of the Day Matth. 20.6 9. as was the Penitent Thief Luke 23. ver 40 41 42 43. He had lived wickedly all his Life yet now at the point of Death he was Converted by hearing Christs pretious Prayers and by seeing his profound patience c. Then he brake out into that brave Confession worthy to be writ in Letters of Gold his Real Repentance Received from his Gracious Redeemer a full Remission of all his former sins Ingressa pietas priorem Impietatem Depulit saith the Father his now begun Piety drove away all his former Impiety that little time he lived after his Conversion he spent it in expressing his Faith by his Works and so he is said to live very much in a very little space had he lived longer he would have done no less but have lived better c. his Penitent Prayer which he made upon his Cross was as Jacobs Ladder whereon Angels Descended to fetch up his Soul into Paradise his Judge Jesus Judged him by the State he Dyed in and not by the State he had formerly lived in c. The 3. Caution is That Expression Rom. 2.6 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juxta non propter according and not for their Deeds and so 't is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To give every Man according as his Work shall be Revel 22.12 Both which Scriptures do signifie the Quality Quantity or Measure rather than the Merit of Works which is but a Popish Delusion upon these Accounts in short 1. There is no proportion betwixt Mans Work and Gods Wages 2. What we Merit by must be our own but our good Works are from God Isa 26.12 Not from our selves so cannot Merit at Gods Hands 3. Our good works are but a due Debt to our Maker so cannot Merit any thing 4. when we have done our best works we are still but unprofitable Servants Luke 17.10.5 Good works are the Via non causa Regnandi saith Bernard they are the way in Christ John 14.6 to walk in unto glory not the procuring cause of Glory c. The 2. Enquiry is How will the Lord Reckon with and Reward the Godly Answer This is certain that the Saints shall Rise first 1 Thess 4.16 when Christ appears the Saints shall appear with him in Glory Col. 3.4 and shall Reckon with their Lord as they are the Blessed Sheep Set upon the Right Hand of Christ Mat. 25.33 34 c. From whence some Divines do say that the Sins of the Saints it a Velantur per Grattam Domini ut non Revelentur in Judicio are so valled by the grace of Christs Righteousness as not to be Revealed in the Day of Judgment and their Reasons be these 1. That Exemplification of the Judgment Day 's process Mat. 25.35 36. The Judge mentions only their good Deeds not as a cause but only as an Evidence of their Acceptance c. which they in all Humility seem ignorant of in Admiting Christs Candour and Kindness to them c. ver 37 38 39 but there is not one word mentioned of any Evil Deeds c. 2. Our Lord expresly saith that Believers have Eternal Life and shall not come into Condemnation John 5.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not come into Judgment as the word signifies not as the Rabbi's fondly fancy saying there be four sorts that shall not come into Judgment 1. He that is extream poor 2. He that hath a wicked Wife 3. He that is so deep in Debt as cannot possibly Extricate himself and 4 He that is Tormented with the Torture of the Collick as if all those had Hell here in this Life c. These Jewish Fables are Recorded by De Dieu c. but the true Sense is that Believers shall not come into that Judgment which endeth in Condemnation for 't is said There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ c. Rom. 8.1 where the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before 3. That Maxim in Divinity is alledged peecata non Redeunt Justificatis Sins return not to the Justified for that Blessed Scapegoat the Redeeming Angel Gen. 48.16 carries away upon his Head all the sins of his Redeemed into the Land of Forgetfullness as some Sense it Levit. 16.21 Christ so blotteth out the black lines of their many sins with the red lines of his Meritorious Blood that even the thickest Clouds of their Iniquities shall be remembred no more Isa 23.25 and 24.22 and Hebr. 10 16 17. Moreover it is alledged 4. What Hezekiah affirmeth to Gods glory thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy back Isa 38.17 So as they shall never appear before thy face any more 5. David's Assertion is urged God hath Removed our Sins so far from us as far as the East is from the West Ps 103.13 which two contrary quarters can never meet together again 6. The Prophet pleads Gods promise thou wilt cast all our Sins into the Depth of the Sea Mic. 7.18 19. That is so as they may never be Buoyed up again out of thy bottomless Bowels c. 7. 'T is said likewise that the Lord is too gracious to shame his Saints by laying open their sins in the sight of a wicked World God himself saith thou shalt not bear a grudge against the Children of thy People Levit. 19.18 't is the glory of Man to pass by Infirmities Prov. 19.11 How much more is it the glory of a gracious God to do so c. If Mans love can cover all sins Prov. 10.12 much more can Gods love c. God multiplies Pardons Isa 55.7 even above 77. times Matth 18.22 And upon Real Repentance our Sins are all so fully remitted by him as if they had never been committed
Mountain and save me all this Toil and Travel so save me from the Deluge 3. Or why cannot God Create me an Ark as he did Create the World with his Word and not tyre me in a Work so tedious for Time as will require an Hundred and Twenty years in Building by me which God can Create in a moment 4. No doubt but this wicked World will scoff at my strange Work as before This might more rationally be expected than Sanballat and Tobiah's scoffing the Temple-Builders for they did but rear up a new Fabrick in the place where the old one stood before so 't was less exposed to either wonder or scoffing but this work of Noah was altogether new and unheard of before and look'd rather to be the work of some Phrentick Person altogether Itrational to their wilfully blind Understandings which might the more put them into a deriding posture 1 Pet. 3.20 and Job 22.15 17. The disobedient Ones derided Noah and laugh'd both at his work and at his words When he spake the words of truth and soberness to them concerning the Divine Decree declared to Drown the World they depart from him deriding one with another at Noah's Trifling and bid God depart from them Job 21.14 and 22.17 Which was the Language of Hell and far worse than we cannot come Mat. 22.3 5 c. These things must needs be great stumbling Blocks to Noah in his way of Obedience to Gods command yet his Faith was so strong as to buoy him up above all and bears him through all that God commanded him to do Noah's Faith replies to all these Objections I must lye long in the Waters and yet be saved from them and that in the Eyes of a perishing World this is for my Masters Glory and in order to this I must prepare an Ark though it be a long and tedious work 't is the Wisdom of my God thus to employ me though grievous to the Flesh 1. For the Tryal of my own Faith for an Hundred and Twenty years as God after tryed the Faith of Israel Deut. 8.2 when he led them about in the Wilderness Forty years which they might have Travell'd over in Forty days Thus the Faith of Abraham was tryed when he had not his Son given him until Thirty years after he was promised and thus also was David's Faith tryed who got not his Kingdom till a long time after it was promised him and he Anointed by Samuel 't is one of Gods methods 2. As my Faith must be tryed so this wicked World must be warned and left without excuse so loth is God to surprize and destroy and so full of forbearance is he my knocking as a Carpenter as well as my admonishing as a Preacher must be as standing Summons and Sermons to them every stroke I give upon the Ark must be a real Alarm to them for forewarning them to flee from the wrath to come Thus Noah Preached even without Preaching as Basil and Nazianzen say 3. Though it be true God could save me without those means of Ark Food c. but he will have me to serve his Providence in the use of such lawful means of his own prescribing he will have me so to Trust him as not to Tempt him which I shall certainly do if when God prescribes Means I should expect Miracles The second Remark is No sooner was the Ark prepared and Noah with all his company entred but the Graves of those Rebels began to be fashioned in the Clouds no sooner was the Door of the Ark shut safe upon Noah but the Windows of Heaven were opened to pour down a dowzing and drenching Rain for Forty days together upon the World and that in the second Month Gen. 7.11 Our April as 't is thought by Luther c. even then when every thing was in its Prime and Pride Birds singing Plants budding c. nothing less look'd for than a Floud Alas We know hot what may come to pass in a moment of Time all the Fountains of the great Deep were opened as well as the Windows of Heaven Those wicked men and so indeed do all Mankind live continually betwixt two Deaths the Waters above and the VVaters below Nos quasi medios inter duo Sepulchra posuit Deus saith one God can drown Man when he will with the Waters above the Firmament or with those below it but now they both combine to meet together for Heaven Earth and Sea were all upon an uproar against this Race of Rebels when they least look'd for it God shot at them with an Arrow suddenly as the Psalmist saith Psal 64.7 Methusalem dieth according to the signification of his Name and then the Dart cometh so shall sudden destruction come upon the wicked However at the last day which shall be sudden and unexpected 1 Thes 5.3 Mat. 24.37 The Sun shone fair upon Sodom the same day whereon ere night Fire and Brimstone from Heaven did fearfully destroy it What can be more lovely to look upon than a Corn-field a day before the Harvest Oâ— a Vineyard the day before the Vintage when the Mighty Angels Gods Reapers shall thrust in their sharp Sickles or London the Day before it began to be buried in its own Rubbish c. Those Antediluvian Belly-Gods sinned so securely in their excessive eating and drinking c. as if they had been out of the reach of Gods Rod but he found them out not only with a Witness but with a Vengeance Security is alway the certain Usher and Forerunner of Destruction as at Laish Judg. 18.27 and at Ziklag 1 Sam. 30.16,17 Before an Earth-quake there is the Deepest Calm and the most quiet Air and when the high Wind lays the greatest Rain falls Paterculus the Historian saith well Frequentissimum calamitatis initium est securitas men are never less safe than when they are most secure Wo to us if Fulness breed Forgetfulness and Saturity Security in us so as to take no notice either of Gods Praedictions or our own Perils Inferences hence 1. The Deluge is at hand is our Ark at hand ready prepared The signs of an Approaching Deluge are upon this present evil World as were then upon the Old World those Antediluvian Belialists or Men of wickedness with a witness had run all out of Order in Family State and Church In the Family were found Luxury and unlawful Lusts in their ungodly Matches and Marriages In the State Rapacity Violence Injustice and Tyranny In the Church Contempt of Gods Word and Atheistical Opinions either that there is no God or that God doth not order all by his Providence but that a man may do well enough without him Oh! would to God these signs were not upon us at this Day And which is worse than all that the Sons of God to wit Professors were not degenerated now as they were then and become deep Died in Vanity if not in Villany with the Sons of Men or the Carnal World 'T is sad when
argueth A Mediator is not a Mediator of one Gal. 3.20 but sin became the Make-bate and set God and Man at odds and variance as Mans Eating Forbidden Fruit was the Transgression of God his Makers Law and when God was one party offended and Man was the other party offending then there was need of a Mediator ☞ NB. 1. If the penitent Prodigal found compassion in his Earthly Fathers Bowels without any Mediator to intercede for him notwithstanding his high offences 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much more may we if truly penitent hope to find compassion in our Heavenly Fathers Bowels Psal 103.13 and Mat. 7.11 having a Mediator and such a Mediator as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-Man Christ Jesus is whom the Father heareth always John 11.42 and answers him with good words and comfortable Zech. 1.13 Oh sweet 2. Miserable is the condition of those that never took hold of this Covenant of Grace Isa 56.4 6. but hopes to be saved by the Covenant of Works their good deeds cannot outweigh their bad ones Job 9.3 c. If they would wage War against Divine Justice with Ten Thousand good Works 't will War against them with Twenty Thousand bad ones and overcome them contrà 3. No better are they that have no Interest in Christ the Mediator who is our peace Eph. 2.13 and by whom all blessings come John 1.16 17. Eph. 1.7 Psal 68.18 and Eph. 4.8 2 Cor. 2.20 The third Difference betwixt the Covenant of Works and that of Grace is In the former Divine Acceptation begins at the Action and so goeth on to accept of the Person the Work renders the Worker or the Person working acceptable to God but in the latter this Divine Acceptation first begins with the Person and then goes on to the Action the Work cannot be accepted before the Worker be so in the beloved one Christ Eph. 1.6 In the Covenant of Works God accepts the Person for the Work or Actions sake but in the Covenant of Grace God accepts respects and rewards the Work or Action for the Persons sake This may be thus Illustrated The Tenure of the Covenant of Works runs thus Do and live upon which Father Ambrose hath an excellent Gloss saying God the Creator called all his Created things good and very good at the end of every Days Creation yet when he had Created Man he speaks not one word of the goodness of his Creature Man not so much as Tob good much less Meod Tob very good and why so saith he Homo priùs probandus quà m approbandus c. Man must first be proved before he be approved but alas Man bal Jalin non pernoctavit abode not one Night as the Hebrew signifieth in his Honourable Estate Wherein he was Created Psal 49.12 He failed in his Action so God accepted not of his Person But the Tenure of the Covenant of Grace runs thus Believe and live The VVorker must be a Believer before the VVork can find Acceptance according to that saying of Father Augustine omnia opera Infidelium sunt tantùm splendida peccata all the Works of Unbelievers are no better than shining sins their very praying a Religious Action as well as Plowing a Civil Action is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 with 21.4 As Copress will turn Wine or Milk into Ink so Unbelief turns all their Natural Civil Moral or Spiritual Actions into Sin their Plotting and Plowing mischief Hos 7.15 and 10.13 is Iniquity and not only so but whether they Plow or Play or Pray or Eat or Sleep to the Impure and Unbelieving all things are impure Tit. 1.15 Their very Incense stinks of the Hand which Offereth it Isa 1.13 14 15. though of it self it be a most sweet and precious Perfume Yea their own Table much more the Lords Table becomes a Snare to them Psal 69.22 and their very Prayer though materially good is formally bad and becomes sin Psal 109.7 whereas the Prayer of the Righteous whose Persons are first accepted is Gods delight Prov. 15.8 his Melodious Musick even to a Charm or Inchantment as the Hebrew word Lachash Isa 26.16 signifieth unto his Ears Psal 18.6 as Honey-drops to his Taste Cant. 4.11 and his most fragrant perfume to his Smell Psal 141.2 Insomuch that God-hearing Prayer as if charmed with their Prayers breaks out into these words saying Ask of me concerning my Sons and concerning the work of my hands command ye me Isa 45.11 Oh the latitude of that Royal Charter What improvement may fervent Faith make thereof Luke 18.1 7. Jam. 5.16 17. This great Truth concerning the Persons Acceptance before the Action of any can be accepted may be exemplified by sundry Scripture Instances As First Gen. 4.4 and Heb. 11.4 God had respect to Abel and to his Offering c. Gods Respect was there and then first to his Person and then to his Oblation his Sacrifice was Respected by and accepted of God because himself was justified by Faith first Abel was a Believer and one under Grace in his Person hereupon Divine Respect or Acceptance being first to himself ascended secondly to his Sacrifice Whereas on the contrary Cain was an Unbeliever and not under Grace and therefore though he Offered as well and as good as Abel God having no respect for his Person had as little for his Offering Gen. 4.5 But unto Cain and his Offering God Respected not Cain was under the Covenant of VVorks which was first made betwixt an holy God and an holy Man wherein Man stood upon his own Legs and by his own strength and in his own Person without a Priest to bear his Sin to Offer his Sacrifice Adam had no more need of a Priest in his Representative Covenant wherein he represented all Mankind descending from him than the Angels have in their Personal Covenant so called because they had not their Being by Descent as Mankind hath but were all Created at once to wit while both Adam and Angels stood in their Integrity but when that Covenant was broken Abel being a Believer had a Back-door and a Surety or High-Priest 1. To present his Person as to stand in his stead to bear his Name both upon his heart and upon his shoulders 2. To offer his Sacrifice c. This gave Acceptance to his Person and Offering but Cain was an Unbeliever and all such men have no more benefit by an High-Priest than the Devils have only to Men there is a possibility and not unto them while they continue under this broken Covenant he was under the Covenant of Works as appeareth by Gods saying to him If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted Gen. 4.7 Under which Covenant there can be no Acceptation of the Person while there is found any Imperfection in the Work not transmitted to a Surety Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things contained in the Law any one failure in the Work procures a Curse on the Person This therefore is the
when Jonathan the Heir of the Crown would vouchsafe to enter into Covenant with him a poor Shepherd 1 Sam. 20.11 16 c. that was much but this is a million more This made Abraham abase himself as one unworthy to touch the Hand of the most high God held out in tendring this Covenant and abasing himself even below himself to such an unworthy Worm hereby lifted up above it self thus his Children must lye at Gods Foot Isa 41.2 and cry VVho am I Lord 2 Sam. 7.18 Second Object Was not the Covenant God made with Moses and with Israel as 't is expressed Exod. 34.27 upon Mount Sinai a Covenant of Works not of Grace in the Moral Law Answ 1. 'T is call'd indeed a Subservient Covenant by great Divines yet this may not be understood so as to constitute it a third Covenant distinct from both the other two of Works and of Grace as if that of Works were a Natural that on Sinai were Legal or Mosaical and that of Grace were Evangelical But Melancthon Chron. lib. 4. assures us that this three-fold Covenant was an old Monkish Dream whereon the Doctrine of Merits was Designedly as well as Dotingly grounded The truth is the Mosaical Covenant is a compound of both the two Covenants as to its Inward Essence and Constitution 't is a Covenant of Grace but as to its Outward Form and Dispensation 't is a Copy of the Covenant of Works as the sequel will evidence That the whole Doctrine delivered by God to Moses on Mount Sinai was in its Essence and Substance the same with the Covenant of Grace given before to Adam Noah and Abraham appeareth by many Arguments Arg. 1. That Covenant in which God promiseth to be our God since the Fall must be the Covenant of Grace and the Praeface of the Decalogue saith I am the Lord your God c. This God cannot be to Man since he sinned but in Christ Arg. 2. That Covenant as the Law is called Deut. 4.12 13. 5.2 3. which holdeth forth Sin-pardoning Mercy is the Covenant of Grace but so doth the second Commandment set forth God as shewing mercy to thousands where pardoning-mercy stands in opposition to a visiting of Iniquity Arg. 3. That Covenant which is founded upon Mercy must be the Covenant of Grace but such was this of Sinai 't was not a Covenant of Friendship as was that of Works betwixt an holy God and holy Adam in his state of Perfection but it was a Covenant of Mercy with a stiff-necked people Deut. 9.6 wherein he loved them not because they were lovely but because he loved them Deut. 7.7 8. 1 Sam. 12.22 meerly from the good pleasure of his goodness 2 Thes 1.12 Deut. 7.9 12. God joins Covenant and Mercy together as also 2 Chron. 6. v. 14. 2 Kings 13.23 Neh. 1.5 to shew his Covenant did flow from his Mercy Arg. 4. That Covenant which was the same with Abraham is granted by all to be the Covenant of Grace for as that Covenant at first found Adam an Apostate so after it found Abraham an Idolater Josh 24.2 It was not Grace in faln Adam or in Idolatrous Abraham that drew God into Covenant with either of them but it was Grace in God that moved him to take the one and the other into Covenant with himself and thus also took he stiff-necked Israel as before as he was the God of Abraham and so of his Seed by vertue hereof He brought them out of the Bondage of Egypt which Typified their Freedom from the Bondage of Sin so it was the Covenant of Grace whereof Circumcision was given as a Seal both to Abraham and to Israel under this Covenant of Sinai Rom. 4.11 Typing that of the Heart Rom. 2.29 and the Apostle saith he that is Circumcised is Debtor to the whole Law Gal. 5.3 c. which shews it was the Seal of Sinai's Covenant but this of Sinai is so Deut. 8.18 Levit. 26.41 42. Exod. 2.24 and 3.6 7. Deut. 6.10 and 7.12 The fifth Argument That Covenant which was confirmed by the Blood of Sprinkling was a Covenant of Grace but so was the Covenant on Sinai Exod. 24.5 and behold the Blood of the Covenant sprinkled upon the Book which the Lord hath made with you and sprinkled upon all the people ver 6 8. shewing thereby as by all their Sacrifices so many Types of Christ the Grand Sacrifice that without shedding of Christs Blood for us and its sprinkling on us there could be no Remission of Sin Heb. 9.19 20 21 22 23. The sixth Argument All the Ceremonies of Sinai's Covenant were the shadows of good things to come and Types of Christ who is the Body Heb. 9.1 c. All the Ordinances of Worship and the worldly Sanctuary there mentioned belonging to Sinai's Covenant are Expounded as pointing out the Covenant of Grace The Ceremonial Law was no other than their Gospel The seventh Argument That Covenant made with a Mediator is the Covenant of Grace and so was that of Sinai Gal. 3.19 Adam had no need of one before the Fall Israel had Moses their Mediator not Redemptions sed Relationis wherein he was a Typical Mediator only The Second Answer is The Law pressed upon Israel on Sinai was not a Covenant of VVorks but a darker dispensation of the Covenant of Grace for the better understanding of this consider four things 1st That the Law given upon Mount Sinai is taken either Strictly or Largely 1. Strictly as the Moral Law is press'd upon Israel for an exact rule of all Righteousness and promising Life upon condition of personal perfect and perpetual Obedience so it was indeed given in the form and as a copy of the Covenant of VVorks being materially and for substance the same with that to Adam in Innocency thus the Apostle saith Rom. 10.5 6. that in this sense the Law is not of Faith for its Righteousness speaketh in this manner he that doth them shall live in them where such a condition is propounded as neither is nor can be fulfilled by any Man save only by the Man Christ Jesus in the faln estate hence Luther raiseth an Holy Rapture saying the Law speaking thus to any Mortal Man Do and Live may as well say Morere Die out of Hand for there is no Man Lives and Sins not he can as soon cease to Sin as his Pulse to beat or his Heart to pant and his Lungs to breath 2. Largely as the Law contains the whole Doctrine delivered upon Mount Sinai with all the Precepts and Promises which may be reduced thereunto all the Ceremonies and Sacrifices which were Shews and Shadows of our Saviour the Body so 't was a darker dispensation of the Covenant of Grace to Israel 2dly Consider The off-spring of Abraham the Jews were of two sorts there was his Carnal and his Spiritual Seed represented to us in Gods Promise to Abraham Gen. 22.17 I will multiply thy Seed as the Stars of Heaven and as the Sand
upon the Sea Shore this latter call'd also the Dust of the Earth Gen. 13.15 resembles his Carnal Seed which with the Cursed Serpent did seed upon Dust but the former the Stars of Heaven Gen. 15.5 holds forth his Seed of Believers all Heaven Born and shone as Stars in their Generation accordingly the Lords design was Double in giving his Law on Sinai First Unto the Carnal Seed it setteth out the Old Covenant of works which they had broken and which God would not have wholly blotted out of the Mind and Memory of Men thus the Law strictly or absolutely taken as it was given to Adam as his way to Life in his first Estate so it shut up all these Jews under it as legally Dead except they would slee to Christ seeing they could not attain to any righteousness or Life by the Law simply considered for so 't is the sum and substance of the Covenant of Works and begets Children to Bondage which shall have no Inheritance with the Children of the Promise who all lay hold on Christ in the New Covenant as Gal. 4.21 to the end of the Chapter demonstrateth where Paul speaks of the Law absolutely and properly as a Law Covenant strictly taken in a contradistinction from the Gospel affirming how its Children as those of the Bond-Woman come short of Righteousness and Salvation are cast out of the Kingdom being Persecutors of the Spiritual Seed the Children of Promise as now all reprobates are The Second Design was for the Start of Heaven the Spiritual Seed or Believing Jews to whom the Law on Sinai did darkly shadow out the Covenant of Grace therefore did it bind them to the observation of the Ceremonial as well as Moral part the former being a Metaphorical or Figurative Gospel as the latter was a Literal Law the Letter whereof was not so much killing even to the carnal Jews in Gods Intention as by their own Corruption whereby they scorn'd Christ and his Righteousness in the New Covenant thinking to save themselves by their own Righteousness in a Covenant of Works Rom. 10.3 whereas this Covenant on Sinai was not otherwise designed upon a Damning but only upon a proving Design hence Moses saith there Exod. 20.20 Fear not for God is come to prove you he saith not to damn you and therein as Israel avouched the Lord for their God so God avouched them for his people Deut. 26.17 18. and 29.10 11. which could not be done with Man faln out of the Covenant of Works but by a Covenant of Grace and had this Covenant on Sinai been a Covenant of Works then was God injurious to Israel in calling them back from that Covenant of Grace given to Abraham their Father four hundred and thirty years before Gal. 3.17 to this worse Covenant as if God having begun with them in the Spirit would now perfect them by the Flesh Gal. 3.3 whereas 't is Gods plain method to lead his people from Faith to Faith Rom. 1.17 and from Grace to Grace John 1.16 Job 17.9 and Prov. 4.18 but never from Grace to Works Object 3. But then why was the Moral Law being the sum of the Covenant of Works given to Israel at Sinai or Horeb Deut. 29.1 if it were not that very Covenant Answ 1. Besides all the aforesaid for farther clearing this great Truth I shall add 1. The Law was not given to Israel as intended they should seek Justification and Salvation thereby but for a fuller discovery of Sin and a further conviction of Conscience 'T is true the very Law of Nature did discover Murder to be a sin in Cain Gen. 4.9 Whoredom to deserve burning Gen. 38.24 with 34.31 and the Patriarchs could say God forbid that we should steal Gen. 44.7 Yea those two Heathen Kings abhorred Adultery yea looking and lusting after any Woman Gen. 12.17 20.3 the same I might add concerning the breach of all the other Commandments as 1. Gen. 35.2 2. Gen. 31.34 35.5 3. Gen. 4.26 4. Gen. 2.3 Exod. 16.23 5. Gen. 27.41 All these were discovered to be sins before the Law was given by Moses even by the light of Nature but in Moses time this light was almost extinguish'd and this Law was obliterated and blotted out by Israel's conversing so long among the Idolatrous as well as Ignorant People of Egypt Indeed Adam's Fall broke this Law and Light in pieces and afterwards it grew dimmer and dimmer daily yea the Sheards of Gods Image wherein Man was created and being broken by his fall became smaller and smaller every Age after so that they could hardly be put together Men successively marring their own Consciences more and more and the Devil stepping in to promote it the Superseminator sowed Tares to choak the good seed wherefore lest it should be lost for ever as a Law in the heart God caused it to be written for the eye as well as spoken to the ear The End why is expressed by the Apostle The Law entred that the Offence might abound Rom. 5.20 to wit where it hath abounded in the Conversation it might now by the light of the Law abound also in the Conscience in great Grief for it and due Detestation of it as the greatest evil He saith also that he had not known sin but by the Law Rom. 3.20 and 7.7 and therefore was the Law added because of transgressions Gal. 3.19 which are discovered by it Ubi Lex ibi Lux. Torah Or Hebr. Gods Law is Mans Light Prov. 6.23 laying all open as 1 Cor. 14.25 and threatning destruction to transgressors Rom. 3.20 23. Answ 2. The Law on Sinai was not given to stand as Covenant of Life 'twixt God and Israel by which they might live for when it was given in its Thunders and Lightnings they were so affrighted that they saw they could not come near the Lord by that Law wherefore then saith the Apostle serveth the Law Gal. 3.19 he answers himself it serveth to chase us to Christ v. 24. whom he calls the End of the Law being accommodated to that Insantstate of the Church which though an Heir of the Promise in the Covenant of Grace made to Father Abraham yet while under Nonage was also under Tutorage and so the Law was her School-master to scourge her to Christ who was able to give her life which the Law could not give her Gal. 3.18 21 24. but rather clapt her up close Prisoner as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.22 23 from whence she could not possibly escape unless delivered by her Goel or Redeeming Angel Gen. 48.16 Christ Jesus the Avenger of blood being at her heels she must flee for her lite to this City of Refuge The third Consideration is That the Apostle in those chapters 3d. and 4th of his Epistle to the Galatians doth not make the Covenant on Sinai a distinct Covenant from that of Works and that of Grace to make a third Covenant but he
as upon a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire Rev. 15.2 such a slippery Pavement hath she to stand upon brittle as Glass as well as slippery as Ice yet transparent to the All-seeing Eye and troublesome as the Sea yea full of fiery Afflictions also because the VVorld hates the Church this Pavement hates all Holy ones that stand upon it The VVorld will hate the Church saith Christ Joh. 15.18 19. because the Church is not of the VVorld tho' she be in the World and because the VVorld is carried on by a contrary principle and is condemned by a contrary practice of the Church the World hates the Church as Esau did Jacob and as Inhospitable Savages do those which land upon their Coasts The VVorld is both the Elder and the Greater than the Church 1. The Elder as the state of the Fall in the First Adam was Elder than the Rise by the Second Adam and Degeneration than Regeneration as before 2. The Greater In as much as the thing containing must be greater than the thing contained within its circumference Yet this Oracle of God which neither speaks Ambiguously nor Fallaciously solemnly saith that the Elder or Greater shall serve the Younger or Lesser which shall certainly be accomplish'd when the Rulers of the VVorld come bending to the Church Isa 49.23 1 Cor. 15.22 23 24. when God the Father gives to his Son Christ the Heathen for his Inheritance and the utmost part of the Earth for his possession Psal 2.8 and when all the Kingdoms of the VVorld shall be the Kingdoms of the Lord c. Rev. 11.15 16. Then the Elder is subjected to the Younger 3. More Narrowly Rebekahs VVomb represents the VVomb of Christendom commonly so called which is only a part of the World and that part thereof wherein the Christian Religion is professed and in this Womb there is an Esau as well as a Jacob to wit a Malignant as well as a Militant Church yea and this Esau or Malignant Church is in respect of the Apostacy only elder than the Militant the false Church since the General Falling away foretold 1 Tim. 4.1 from the Primitive Faith to the Doctrines of Devils is indeed Elder than the True the Romish than the Reformed Religion for there must be a Deformation before there can be a Reformation but non erat sic ab initio The Romish Religion was not so from the Beginning 't is so far from being Apostolical that 't is become Anti-apostolical so far from being Christian that 't is now an Antichristian Religion and the work of the Reformed is only to reduce their novel Tradition and Upstart Inventions of Men to the pure appointments and primitive institutions of God yet as to us the Romish Church is the Elder though the true Christian Church was before their Antichristian as Esau was and full as Hairy like a Beast as Savage and Bloody as he Yet this Infallible Oracle of God doth foretel here that this Elder the Romish shall serve this Younger the Reformed Church yea though the first be greater it shall be brought down into subjection unto the latter though lesser and the weaker shall overcome the stronger not so much by humane help as by a Divine hand that is by the VVord and Spirit of God Christ will Destroy Antichrist by the Breath of his Mouth and by the Brightness of his coming 2 Thes 2.8 then Edom Dumab or as the Rabbins read it Roma shall be subdued before Jacob or the Israel of God and there is nothing more certain the Prophecy of this Oracle shall be most fully fufilled under Christ to whom the Necks of all Nations and Princes of the Earth must be made subject every knee must bow to him Phil. 2.9 yea that of the never so great Roman Empire which the Jewish Doctors do say is signified by Esau and Edom. All these three Mysteries or Mystical senses are no novel notions but reverend Antiquity doth hold them forth As First The Hebrew Rabbi's as David Kimchi 〈◊〉 Solomon c. all apply this very Oracle to the Roman Empire which is call'd all the World Luk. 2.1 Rom. 1.8 saying that Aeneas came out of Idumea into Egypt from thence into Lybia thence to Carthage and thence to Italy where he Built Alba out of which sprang Rome yea they further affirm that Julius Caesar the first Roman Emperour was an Idumean of Esaus Posterity and some others if not all that succeeded him in the Empire were Edomites and for Duma the Daleth or D little varying from Resh or R of their Alphabet they do frequently in Scripture read it Roma calling the Romans the new Idumeans and the Popes Kingdom Roma Reshigna the wicked Kingdom of Edom which hath been Red-Red as the Hebrew Edom signifies with as many Murders and Massacres as ever Edom Literal was Obad. ver 10 12 14 and 21. Mal. 1.4 Isa 34.5 Psal 52.5 Isa 21.11 Ezek. 25.13 14. and 35.3 7 15 c. 2. The Antient Fathers as Augustine Interprets this Oracle Mystically as well as Literally saying By the striving of Esau and Jacob in their Mothers Womb is signified the continual conflict in the Womb of the Church between the Carnal and Spiritual Professors in it and the former are said to be the greater because they are more in number and the latter the lesser yet as the greater is said to serve the lesser so the Carnal Professors while they persecute the Spiritual quibus necere volunt plurimùm prosunt sibi autem ipsi maximè nocent while they go about to hurt they do but help them to Heaven which is the best Service in the World but hurt themselves most of all August Serm. de Tempor 78. and the same excellent Father saith also that those two Nations in Rebekah's Womb do signifie the Carnal Jews Subdued by the Spiritual Christians Augustin de Civit. Dei lib. 16. cap. 25. And as to the third Mystical Sense named here the first yet as the narrowest sense of all the three I shall speak of it again in the third place Origen gives the third Testimony though he be sometimes vain and too luxuriant in his Allegories yet here he is solid holding Consonancy with the Analogy of Faith and Scripture of Truth saying Jacob and Esau represent the Combat of Flesh and Spirit in us Origen Homil. 12. in Geâ—esin Many more Remarkable Glosses upon this Oracle might be added here I shall superadd one only of this Mystical Sense and Signification a fourth in the Womb of Divine Counsel or Decree which seems to carry a most Sublime Notion of a very great and Self-evident Truth to wit that the elder or first Adam must give way and be subject to the younger or second Adam The first or old Creation must yield to the second or new which is a far better Creation the first or old Covenant must serve or be subservient to as before the new a better Covenant and this holds universally true concerning all
'twixt Devilish and Divine Dreams 1. Dreams from the Devil have a tendency to discover some future and secret things which belong not to us Deut. 29.29 but are left lock'd up in Gods Closet whereof he alone not the Devil hath the Key and 't is always in his keeping whereas the whole Duty we owe to God and Man is revealed in Gods Word To study this and to practise it the Devil despites and despises and he therefore gives us an Avocation from it by suggesting his Dreams concerning a Curious and Vain Knowledg of things not meet to be known that we may presumptuously pry into Gods Ark of secret matters and pretendedly boast thereof though no way profitable either to our selves or others This is a Science falsely so called 1 Tim. 6.20 which indeed is Ignorance and not only puffeth up question-sick Souls but always produceth Evil effects and we must therefore pray against such Dreams that God lead us not into Temptation c. 2. Dreams from the Devil do inflame the minds of Men to Lust and Revenge c. always tending to some sin or other as Nocturnal Pollution c. By this means the Bodies as well as Minds of Carnal Sinners are frequently defiled and sometimes Holy Saints may be likewise polluted by impure Dreams for the Devil of whose Devices we are not Ignorant 2 Cor. 2.11 may at some time take an advantage of a pretious Saint to fasten that sin upon him while asleep as he did upon Righteous Lot to commit Incest with his own Daughters which he cannot prevail with them to commit when awake A Notable Example hereof also we have in Cassianus Collat. 22. Cap. 6. Who tells of a certain Brother keeping his Body in subjection and duly preserving his Chastity by daily Temperance and Circumspection in all humbleness of Soul yet was he upon a time so deluded by the Devils Wiles in his Sleep when he had been solemnly preparing his Soul for Communion with his God he found his Body defiled while he was asleep with an Impure Flux This calls loud on us for Prayer and Watching 3. Dreams from the Devil draw off Mens minds from the pure Worship of God to Idolatry Heresie and all Abominations Therefore such Dreamers are expresly forbid by God in Deut. 13.1 A Dreamer of Dreams publickly obtruding his damnable Errors for Divine Truths to draw Men from God though he give a sign which by Gods permission may come to pass as Jannes and Jambres seem'd to turn Water into Blood Exod 7.22 or as the Jesuit to persuade the Indians to embrace Popery should commend it to them by a sign of assurance foretelling that the Sun shall be Eclipsed at such a time to confirm his Doctrine though they being ignorant of the constant causes hereof in the common course of the Heavens and how Eclipses continually occur in the two Nodes of the Dragons Head and Tail may by this Jesuitical Trick be deceived yet both these signs though they come to pass of Jannes and of the Jesuit are no better than cheats the latter being a Natural and the former a Diabolical work before both which the Divine Word whereby we must try the truth of all signs seeing some are fallacious 2 Thes 2.9 ought always to be preferred Such Deceivers and Dreamers God hath Doomed and Damned to die Deut 13.5 and chap. 18.20 Jer. 14.15 and Zech. 13 3. c. Add a Fourth Character to all the aforesaid three differences to wit Diabolical Dreams may be known as Diabolical Tentations are when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent of God or of the Devil If Dreams be First Transcendently gross in themselves as High Atheism that there is no God Psal 14.1 or that God is such an one as our selves Psal 50.21 Psal 58.1 or for sorry Man to affect a Deity as Gen. 3.5 All which are against the common dictates of Natures light and therefore must be Satans injections and not Gods 2. Irksom and execrable to the Soul which trembles at them when suggested as Blasphemy and Cursing God Job 1.11 So Sodomy Buggery c. which ought not to be named among Saints without utmost abhorrency and likewise Self-Murder or the Murdering of Innocent persons 1 Sam. 16.15 and 18.10 c. The thoughts only thereof should make our Hairs start up and our Hearts fall down yea and our whole Flesh to shrink and shrivel The light of Nature condemns such Monstrous Sins and the Life or Law of Nature helps the very Gentiles to do those things contained in Gods Law Rom. 2.14 c. 3. Violent as well as Sudden like a Flash of Lightning giving the Tempted no time to consider or the Temptation and the Tendency of it the Tempters Fiery Darts Eph. 6.16 sometimes hurry away the Soul into Sin ere ever it be aware therefore our gaining time against them and not closing too soon with them to the Burning of our Hands and Hearts as half a Victory over them Gods way is to lead gently Isa 40.11 well knowing Jacob's tender Flock cannot march Lord Esau's hasty pace Gen. 33.13 making many stops as the Star did that guided the Wisemen Mat. 2.2 7.9 But the Devils way is to hurry headlong by Violence he did thus with Christs Body by Divine permission from place to place Mar. 4.5 8. And thus with the possessed Man Luk. 8.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was driven of the Devil as the Horse is with the Rider so the Greek signifies and thus he did with the Herd of Swine Mat 8.32 making them run violently down a steep place Thus also he doth with the Souls of Men 2 Pet. 2.17 which are driven by the Devils Tempest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies so dreadful a Storm as made Christs Disciples though Seamen cry out when raised by the Prince of the Air Mat. 8.25 4. Furious as Saul was to kill every one in his way when this Evil Spirit was upon him 1 Sam. 19.9 10. 5. Pertinacious that cannot be shaked off as Paul did the Viper Act. 28.5 That which Satan put into Judas's Heart was an obstinate Evil done deliberately and out-faceing the All-seeing Eye of his own Master saying Is it 1 c. 6. Insulting thus the Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buffeted or Boxed Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 and so shamefully scoffed him that he prayed he might depart from him Piscator says it may be taken properly not figuratively Indeed the precise Indivisible point of the difference betwixt the Scum of our own depraved Spirits which naturally boyls up of it self in us and the suggestions of Satan either in our Dreams while asleep or in Tentations when awake is hard to Assign but Satan's in a word are usually as above and against the Inclination of our own Natures and against the Light of our own Consciences c. The Third sort of Dreams are the Divine and purely Spiritual call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinitus Immissa sent of God to Men to good Men
and himself his Servant humbly submitting himself to him 2. He gives him an Account both of the time and place of his Pilgrimage ever since he left his Father's House that he had not been a Vagabond but lets him know he had lived all those years in the Service of his Uncle Laban whereby he tacitly Rubs him and Reminds him how his bloody Threats were the Cause of his so long a Banishment out of his Native Country and now he might easily hope his old displeasure was thereby done away 3. He sends him an Inventory of his Estate not for ostentation-sake but to avoid all suspition that his Brother should not unjustly Imagine He return'd now as some Hunger bit starveling gaping for a Crust from him or grasping at his Father's Wealth And withal he intimates to Esau how Good God had been to him in the time and place of his Banishment Blessing him with so great a Substance as he doth more plainly tell him Gen. 33.11 None of all this was the sordidness of Jacob's Spirit much less an Abrenuntiation of his bought Birth-right or of the Blessing at which he was banished but a necessary pacification thus submissively proposed as that of Davids to Saul 1 Sam. 24.7 9. till the Prophecy of his Superiority should be accomplished in the mean time he designs and endeavours that the old grudge might by an Act of Oblivion be everlastingly obliterated Hence may we learn that so far as is possible we should live peaceably with all men Rom. 12.18 and so much as in us lyeth we must follow Peace with all men Hebr. 12.14 even with wicked men as Jacob with Esau here It should not stick on our part so far as it consists with Piety and Honesty so far we should pursue it and no farther even when it flees from us we must give any thing of Man for Peace but nothing of God He that parts with Truth for Peace buys Gold too Dear Give no offence carelesly take no offence causelesly Jacob here rather yields something of his own Right than by any Rigour from the Oracle The Elder shall serve the Younger to rouze up a sleeping Rage He reverences his Brother in worldly Courtesies because he look'd to be preferr'd chiefly in the Heavenly Canaan This First part of Jacob's Politicks proving unsatisfactory and ineffectual Jacob's Second Policy was to make his best Defence against an assaulting Adversary he could now expect no other seeing his Messengers brought back to him no Tidings of Peace from Esau Some say Jacob's Ambassadours were not admitted to any Audience others more likely think that though they had Audience yet had they no Answer Their words to him Gen. 32.6 imports this intimating We came to thy Brother and found him so morose he would send thee no Answer to the Heads of thy Embassage only this we saw that he thereupon call'd for his Arms and armed himself and â—00 of his Men who are all coming to accost thee Hereupon Jacob neither became as a man astonied and affrighted out of his wits nor as one careless of Events so as to tempt God by neglect of means but betakes himself to the means his present Circumstances would afford him which was a dividing his Company into two Bands not of stout armed Men but of weak Women Children and Cattel with a small Band of their Keepers not thus ranked for fighting but either for flying or dying The latter of these two was the best he expected to his former Band wherein he placed the Handmaids with their Children and some part of his Shepherds and Cattel as his forlorn Hope and such as he could most easily in comparison part with for glutting the greedy Sword of his as he thought bloody-minded Brother but the former to wit Flying not Dying he designs to save his second or latter Band thereby from being sacrificed wherein he placed Leah and Rachel with their Children more dear to him than the first Band with all the rest of his Cattel and their Keepers v. 7 8. Neither did he this from any Cowardly Spirit to set both these Bands betwixt him and danger but like a couragious and careful Captain he marcheth before both in his own Person being more chary for his Charges safety than for his own Gen. 33.3 He passed over before them like a good Commander whose brave resolution is to fight in the Front and to bear the first brunt of the Battel Though he ranked his two Bands according to the respect he had to them placing those before in a time of Danger whom he caused to come behind in a time of Safety that where all could not be saved or secured those Dearest to him might be chiefly cared for and succoured yet like a faithful Leader he puts himself into a posture of readiness to be a Sacrifice himself in the first place for saving his Charge committed to him however of his two Wives and their Children for some Authors say Jacob's place was betwixt the two Bands following the first but going before the second in the Safety whereof most near and dear to him he offered himself an offering to his Brother's Rage Thus good Ministers and Magistrates should set themselves in the Front and bear the Brunt also the Church is as weak a company as this of Jacob's but she hath a strong God to guard her The Third part of Jacob's Policy or Prudentials is his sending a pacifying Present to purchase his own Peace with his as he judged enraged Brother Gen. 32.13 14. well knowing that a gift maketh room for a man and bringeth him before great ones Prov. 18.16 and 17.8 whithersoever it turneth it prospereth or wins the Party especially such a great Gift and so large a Present from a private Person as consisted of five Hundred and fifty Head of Cattel of several kinds so many as could not but contribute much to the stocking that barren Country of Mount-Seir Jacob spares no Cost to buy his Brother's Favour and to enjoy his purchas'd Birthright oh that we could do so for Heaven Having spoke to Jacob's first Remedy in his Policy 1. Of sending Ambassadours to Esau 2. Of Marshalling his Multitudes for fear of his falling foul upon them 3. Of preparing and proffering a most prodigious Present Now come we to the Next Jacob's second Remedy was in a way of Piety for Policy without Piety is too subtle to be Good and Piety without Policy is too simple to be Safe as before Jacob joins both these therefore together that he might have a due mixture both of the Dove and of the Serpent There is an honest Policy both lawful and needful in the concerns of God's Servants as well to be put forth in improving all probable so they be but warrantable means for escaping Danger as there ought to be an hearty Piety exercised in Faith and Prayer Thus Abraham in that first yea and figurative War Recorded in Scripture Gen. 14. used a Godly Policy and Military
in doing his Duty with diligence◠in waiting on his Master and not discouraged at his own double yea treble mistake and disappointment but readily rises out of his warm Bed and Runs to Eli every time that he was called upon N. B. Many Sluggish Apprentices would not have been so ready to Rise Three times c. But Modest Samuel was more Morigerous to his Dim-sighted Master fearing he might need his helping hand tho' weak in some duty which his own Debauched Sons would not do for him But also his Modesty most appeared both in his doing the former Office of a Door-keeper Opening the Doors in the Morning tho' he were now called of God to be a Prophet And likewise he was not forward but fearful to Reveal the Divine Oracle to Eli which yet he might not Conceal ver 15. 3. His Faithfulness also here is manifest in not hiding any thing of that which God had spoke to him from his Master Eli He told him every what ver 18. Tho' there was not one drachm of Comfort in the whole Oracle Had Samuel in this Case consulted with Flesh and Blood he might thus have Argued against a faithful discharge of his Errand God now sent him Oh what a piece of Confidence if not Impudence will it be in me a Pupil in daring to deliver such a direful Message to my Aged Tutor possibly he will look upon it as one of my Childish Dreams only But by this time Samel understood the meaning of that special Providence of God in letting him run three several times to Eli till Eli perceived that it was the Lord that called the Child v. 8. And that he had from God some Divine Revelation so Eli could not look upon it as a vain fancy in his sleep Yea and Samuel had learnt likewise that Gods Truths must faithfully be spoken however heinously they be taken N. B. Would to God all Ministers could learn both Old and Young this great lesson of faithfulness from Young Samuel The Fourth Remark is Eli's Reception of this rigid Revelation from God by Samuel in two Respects The First is Eli was conscious to himself of great guilt both in his Villanous Sons and in himself for indulging their Villany his Conscience was a sore Conscience but theirs were seared Consciences and therefore could he presage no good from God hereupon he advises his Pupil to hide nothing from him but to tell his Tutor all that God had told him v. 16 17. Secondly When Eli had heard God's severe Sentence he calmly cryeth it is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good v. 18. as if he had said the Lord Jehovah hath a Soveraign Absolute Power over all the Sons and Daughters of Men and may dispose of me and mine and of all Created Beings according to his good pleasure unto which I freely submit well knowing there be better things in Gods Will than in my own I resolve my Will shall be swallowed up and melted down into the Will of God and tho' I have been a bad Earthly Father to my Evil Sons yet would I be a good Son to my good Heavenly Father So I humbly accept of the punishment of mine Iniquity Levit. 26.41 The will of the Lord be done Act. 21.14 'T is true there be some that censure Eli for thus saying Thy Holy Will be done taking these Words in the worst Sense as spoken in Hypocrisie and not in Humility So S. Ephrem Gregory and Rupertus because he did not correct his own fault nor his Sons when reproved of God c. But alas he was now too Old and Dim-sighted to do it Therefore all Expositors do generally judge more Charitably that here is Eli's Holy submission to God's Heavenly Will Neither Excusing his own Iniquity nor Accusing God of Austerity but in Offering himself up thus to Gods Justice he humbly Confesseth his own Sin See much more of this Subject in my Church History in the 13th Plot pag. 111 112 113 c. To which I refer my Reader The Fifth and last Remark is The event of all these things Namely the Authority of Samuel over all Israel was Established hereby v. 19 20 21. All Israel now heard the report that the Lord was returning to them with the Spirit of Prophecy which the Iniquity of those times had quite extinguished and that the Lord was present with Young Samuel so That he grew in Wisdom and Stature and in favour with God and Man as our Saviour did Luk. 2.52 And how he had frequent Revelations after this first time from the Lord as he Ministred to him in Shiloh and how all his Oracles were infallible God suffering none of such precious Liquor to be lost by being spilt upon the ground All the People that resorted to this place from Dan to Bersheba That is from the North to the South part of Judea might hear all this from the Mouth both of Old Eli and of Young Samuel which must Influence them much to Establish Samuel in the stead of Superannuted Eli. 1 Samuel CHAP. IV. CHapter the Fourth Relateth how part of Samuel's Prophecy concerning Eli and his Sons was fulfilled here c. The Remarks upon it are First A new War ariseth betwixt the Philistines and Israel which was thus occasioned First The Philistines having by this time recruited themselves after their dreadful damage by Sampson Judg. 16.30 and now understanding that an Eminent Prophet was now arising in Israel by whom they might be both United and Assisted they thought fit Venienti occurrere morbò to suppress the Israelites in the beginning of their hopes of being rescued from their Tyrannical Dominion Hereupon they came forth to fight against Israel while their Judge Eli was Old and Feeble and Samuel was Young and Tender And Secondly On the other hand the Israelites had a word of command from God by Samuel to go forth and fight the Philistines that thereby they might first be punished for their sins and duly humbled before the Lord and so truly prepared for their future Victory Hereupon they Fight and the Philistines slew four thousand of them ver 1 2. The Second Remark is So Sottish and Blind was Israel in the beginning of Samuel's Day that they quite mistook the real cause of their present Calamity in falling before the Philistines v. 3. seeing they had so just a quarrel and in their own defence only they engaged in the Battle and that at Gods command by Samuel Therefore do they ascribe their present disaster to the absence of the Ark in the Army because its presence had been so successful to their Ancestors Numb 10.35 and 14.44 and 32.6 and Josh 6.4 But alas this was a meer fallacy now to take non causam pro causà For in those former instances Israel was then in a state of favour with God but now they were in a state of direful Defection to Apostacy and Idolatry Chap. 2.12 c and Chap. 7.3 and Psal 78.58 61 62 64.
Royal Assent N. B. Some indeed do say that Saul did not believe what David had said of himself touching his Conquests over the Bear and Lion but look'd upon these Stories as the vain glorious Vaunts of Young Men who commonly make proud Proclamations of their own Heroick Exploints seeing he had heard no Testimony from others about the truth of them therefore reckoned he them as no better than bare Romances of a Rodomantado Yonkster However such were the sad circumstances of Saul and his Army at this juncture that as he had not time now to send a Messenger to Bethlehem for enquiring the truth of these things which the Enemy pressed so hard upon him so he saw that his whole Army had made an absolute Refusal of Accepting the Champion's Challenge save only this young David who was no Member thereof yet proffer'd his Service upon a pious Profession of his Trust in God grounded upon sensible experience he dismisseth him to the Duel and together with his Dismission gave him not only his Commission but also his Supplication saying Go and the Lord be with thee N. B. Which was the best Prayer that an Hypocrite could make and such as might be cordial so far as it concerned the weal of his own Crown and Kingdom Saul might heartily pray for David's prosperous Enterprize that the Lord in whom he so much professed to place his Confidence might go along with him to assist him in the Conquest of so cursed a Caitiff The second Auxiliary Saul furnishes David with was not only his Prayers but his Arms and Armour also Saul Armed David with his Armour Ver. 38. which David put on for Saul's pleasure but put off again for his own pleasure v. 39. saying I cannot go with these for I have not proved them and therefore was he soon weary of them for for tho' Saul had made him his Armour-bearer chap. 16.21 yet this was but for a short season and he had only the bare Title of that Office and Honour For we never read that David was clad in Armour at that time or was in any Battel with Saul at any other time hereupon he saith here I have not been accustomed to there having so much led a Rureal and a Pastoral Life and well might David say I cannot go with these if it were Saul's own Armour which he used to wear in War for there could be no proportion betwixt that which was fitted for Saul's bulky Body who overtop'd all the People chap. 10.23 and that which must fit David's Body of a smaller size and stature c. The third Auxiliary in the failure of the second was David takes to the Duel his own Shepherd's Staff his Sling and his five smooth Stones in his Scrip ver 40. from whence we draw these Notes N. B. 1. The First is The wonderful Providence of God that Saul's Armour should not sit Davids Body but were more like to hinder him than to help him in the Duel therefore must all those Martial Accoutrements be laid wholly aside and those contemptible Tools only made use of that God alone might have the whole glory of this Victory wherein David was to be a Type of Christ who subdued his Enemies not by Carnal but by Spiritual Weapons Zech. 4.6 2 Cor. 10.4 N. B. 2. The Second Note is David disdained not to wage War against such a Walking Armory and so Armed an Antagonist as Goliah was with such worthless Weapons as these being assured by Gods Spirit that he should win the Victory with them well-kowinâ— he went furnished with the Whole Armour of God Eph. â— 14 to 19. He had a Good Cause a Good Call and a Good Conscience this was Armour of Proof to David for a Good Courage also N. B. 3. The Third Note is No doubt but David was an Artist in improving his Sling for the Philistines having forbid the Israelites the use of any Iron-Weapons during their Dominion over them Chap. 13.19 20. So that they were forced in fights to use Slings wherein some of them arrived to great Dexterity even with their Left Hands Judg. 20.16 And it need not be questioned but David under the Teachings of Gods Spirit which rested upon him ever after he was Anointed must needs make him the more dexterous in slinging stones Insomuch that he gives God the Glory of teaching His Hands to War and his Fingers to Fight Psal 18.34 and 144.1 N. B. 4. The Fouth Note is David chuses Five Stones that were smooth for his Sling that they might slip the better out of his Sling by their smoothness and so many as five that if the first failed of its effect he might use another All those five he put into his Shepherds-purse or Bagge having his Shepherds-crook in one Hand and his Sling in the other and so he draws night to the Champion of the Philistines not like a Souldier but like a Shepherd v. 40. That the Glory of the Victory might not be ascribed to any Humane Valour but altogether unto Divine Vertue And a Conquest over such an Accomplished Warriour by such contemptible means as it would be most honourable to Israels God so it must be most disgraceful and discouraging to the Philistines The Fourth Remark upon the Concomitants of this Conflict is The Contest it self in the manner of its management on both sides which is Twofold First There is their Contest in a Conference which was a Logomachia or a War with Words not Swords No sooner did those two Duelists draw nigh within the seeing and hearing each of other at some due distance but presently the proud Philistine disdains the very sight of so mean a Man as David v. 41 42. When Goliah saw that his own Terrible and Disdainful Frowns did not firghten David to flee from him then begins he to Bawle at him saying Am I a Dog that thou comest to me with a Staff meaning his Shepherds Staff which he walked towards him with in his Hand was good for nothing but for driving Dogs out of Doors N. B. If Josephus may be believed David told him most stoutly and sternly that he was not so good as a Dog However he could not look upon him as any better than a Beast And indeed he gave himself a right Name for he was no other than a Dog for Impudence Uncleanness and Infidelity Whether David call'd him a Barking Dog for Defying the Armies of the Living God we find it not recorded however something might probably be said by David in answer to his Question Am I a Dog which made Goliah so mad that he most bitterly cursed David saying Dagon Destroy thee v. 43. which is Tantamount in Profane Discourse The Devil take thee Such was his Dogger Discourse N. B. And had David deemed him better than a Dog he had never come forth to him with a Staff and a Stone Nor was David discouraged at his execrable Oaths but took Goliah's Curse as a pledge for his own Victory For Gods
with a loud voice ver 12. this was contrary to the Joy and Jubilation of the other Mark 1. Those Antient Men being Seventy Years Old and upward might very well have seen the Old Temple tho' not the first Foundation of it saith Erpennius for that was laid 500 Years before this yet they might see it saith Junius before its fatal Fall and Destruction because that happened not quite 60 Years ago as is manifest from 2 Kings 25. and 2 Chron. 36. and Ezek. 46.1 Mark 2. These Old Men had sundry Causes for their Sorrow as 1. The Sorry Preparations they saw toward the Building of this Temple in comparison of the vast Provisions prepared both by David and Solomon for the former 2. The Prophet Haggai acknowledges that this latter House was as nothing for Splendor to the former House Hagg. 2.3 3ly Grotius adds they wept because this latter House wanted the Ark Vrim and Thummim c which were the principal Glory of the former Temple And 4thly Because not only these Foundation-Stones were of far less value and quantity than were Solomon's 1 Kings 7.9 10. but also this Foundation it self was of a far narrower Circumference than the former was in all its Courts and Adjacent Edifices But 5thly Cornelius à Lapide adds they wept in recollecting their former Sins and Sufferings c. Mark 3. Those that Rejoyced did better than they that Bewailed which certainly saith Wolphius was their Sin in laying such a Stumbling-block before the weak to weaken their hands in God's Work They sinned against that word of the Prophet despise not a Day of small things Zech. 4.10 We ought to Bless God for the least Benefits seeing we are less than the least of them Gen. 32.10 N. B. However 't is our undoubted Duty to bewail the Disproportion betwixt the State of Creation and the State of Corruption the burnt Temple and Image of God defaced by the Fall of the First Adam and only can be Renewed by the Second c. Ezra CHAP. IV. THIS Chapter Relateth the Obstruction and Impediment of carrying on this Begun-Building of the Temple Remark the First The Persons that obstructed the Building were the Samaratans ver 1 4. of whom the Jews stood in fear of some Mischief Chap. 3.3 and now probably incensed by hearing their loud Acclamations and Outcries Chap. 3.12 13. These Samaratans say to Zerubbabel We Worship God as ye do ver 2. so offer'd their Service and Assistance in the Work but being Worshippers of God only after a Mongreâ—manner 2 Kin. 17.26 c. 32 33 34. they fearing God not filially but for his Lions only had an implacable Hatred against the True Worshippers of God and thereupon they craftily endeavour to mingle with them saith Flaocherus that they might the better set them together at Variance among themselves and so put a stop to the Work N. B. Just as the Jesuites do now Act in pretending to be Converts to the Lutheran Church but intending by their Building with them to nourish those Animosities unhappily kindled betwixt the Calvinists and Lutherans Remark the Second The Prince Zerubbabel and the High-Priest Jehoshuah do most prudently refuse their Assistance either of Cost or Pains ver 3. to prevent their Projected Plot Lyra Vatablus c. Render sundry Reasons of this Refusal 1. Because they were Hereticks and Idolaters 2. Lest by their being in Fellowship with them they might either be Deceived or Damnified by them 3. Lest those Samaratans should afterwards challenge the Temple to be theirs as built by them or some part of it wherein to Worship Idols However they receive this Reason for their Refusal here Lo lakem ue lanu Nihil Vobis Nobis Ye are Men of Heterogeneous Manners c. of another Nation and Religion therefore can never kindly Congregate with us pares cum paribus quà m facillimè congregantur like with like saith the Philosopher love best to be together Hence Wolphius excellently observeth N. B. 1. How vain are the pretended Prescriptions of Antiquity in the false Church as these pleaded a long Prescription ever since the Days of Esarhaddon ver 2. namely 200 Teaâ—s N. B. 2ly Saith the same Wolphius Let such as are for Reconciling us of the Reformed Religion to the Romish consider this Instance Were these Reconcilers and Moderators the Wisest under Heaven saith another Learned Man they would-be brought to their Wits end before they could accomplish that Works end of making a Reconciliation betwixt Rome and the Reformed They have nothing to do with us to build an House unto our God stand off 1 Tim. 6.3.4 5. N. B. 3ly These Godly Governours plead the Power of King Cyrus saith Wolphius his Royal Grant they had good Authority for what they did doing nothing but according to the King's Command which was confined to the Jews and Israelites the Worshippers of the True God and 't was doubtful whether their conjunction with Strangers Samaratans in that Work might not Displease the King therefore the next Royal Grant from Darius Ezra 6.7 ran thus That those Strangers should not meddle with them nor make any Disturbance to their Work How much better may we plead the Command of Christ the King of Saints Remark the Third When those Adversaries of the Jews saw their false Fawnings and flattering Insinuations proved Ineffectual then Mebahalim Hebr. ver 4. they troubled the Builders by their Brow-beating Frownings and terrified them with their Thrasonical Threatnings N. B. Tho' those Samaratans the present possessors of that Province at the Jews Return called here the People of the Land came nearest unto a conjunction with the Jews in Matters of Religion beyond Chaldeans Persians c. yet being but Mongrels in Religious Matters as before they harbour'd the deepest hatred against the Jews for outstripping them in the Right Religion Hence Luther lays down this Maxim Odia Religiosorum sunt Acerbissima Such as differ one from another in Points of Divinity bear the bitterest hatred one to another Thus it is at this day saith a Learned Man a Jew hates a Christian worse than he doth a Pagan So doth a Turk hate a Persian worse than he doth a Christian a Papist hates a Protestant worse than he doth a Turk and a mere Formalist-Protestant hates a Puritan worse than he doth a Papist and will sooner be Reconciled to Rome than to those of the strictest Reformation To say nothing of those deadly Feuds and hot Animosities that the envious one Satan hath sown betwixt the Lutherans and Calvinists c. The Devil is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 2.13 and 5.18 c. which signifies a wicked Troubler of God's Israel therefore no doubt but the Devil Satan did set those Samaritans on work to Trouble God's Israel here and to hinder them from Building God's Temple at this time N. B. Smarting Experience of the Saints and Servants of God in all Ages doth set a Seal to this great Truth That Satan
were Agents from other States or others that came either with Complaints or Intelligence of the Enemies Designs all these he feasted daily at his own Cost ver 17.18 from his Office in the Persian Court which was doubtless very profitable saith Sanctius as well as honourable c. Mark 6. Nor doth he declare all this like a boasting Pharisee out of a vain Ostentation to get himself a Name in the World but to shew how he was constrained by his Love to God as 2 Cor. 5.14 to whom he prays ver 19. saying as I have done thy People good for thy sake so dâ— thou me good for thy own sake also thus Masius senseth it out of Junius so that here is nothing for Merit-mongers but only a Praying over that Promise Measure to me as Ishave measur'd to Men Matth. 7.2 for he lean'd not on his own Merit but meerly upon God's Mercy as he professeth after all Chap. 13.22 Nehemiah CHAP. VI. AS the Fourth Chapter gives an Account of the first Impediment Nehemiah met with which was External and the Fifth Chapter of the second which was Internal so this sixth Chapter is a Narrative of his third Impediment which was mixed and made up of both the two former being partly External and partly Internal The External by the known Enemy was twofold First By Secret Craft and Treachery And Secondly By publick â—hreats in an open Letter Remark the First Sanballat Tobiah and Geshem craftily send a Summons to Nehemiah before he had set up all the Doors of the Gates to come down to them at some Village in the Tribe of Benjamin that they might Consult together about some friendly Accommodation for the satisfaction of the King of Persia who was both their Master and his also ver 1 2. here was fairly pretended an amicable Conference but they foully intended to do him Mischief either by Murdering him or by Imprisoning him before he bad hang'd the City-Gates upon the Hinges Remark the Second But Nehemiah here became Wise as a Serpent Matth. 10.17 and smelt the Rat of their Design for either killing him or captivating him before his good Work was compleated therefore he sent a Messenger but went not himself though the Place appointed was near to Jerusalem that he might the sooner be decoyed to come His Message was I am doing a great Work so that I cannot come down ver 3. that is my weighty Employments must not give way to your empty Complements Erpennius excellently observeth here that this was indeed one but not the only Cause or principal Reason of his Refusal which was his discerning their Treacherous Design to take him out of the way and then the Work would cease to purpose c. nor did he desire the Society of such wicked Associates and Infidels c. N.B. 1. Nehemiah thought it not necessary to declare the whole Truth concerning his excusing denial to them yet is not he to be accused of Lying no more than Samuel was when at God's Command he told the Bethlemites He was come to Sacrifice 1 Sam. 16.2 3. which was true as here but is silent in the most obnoxious Message c. N.B. 2. Learn we to answer the Tempter thus I am doing a great Work c. when he would inject some wandring thoughts to divert us from our earnestness in praying-work say We cannot attend thee O Tempter while we are attending our God let us learn also to cry with David Our Hearts are fixed upon our God once and again Psalm 57.7 and 108.1 Remark the Third Nehemiah's not only Prudence in sending such a Prudent yet true excuse for his Absence from their Conference and Consult but also his Constancy in refusing to go notwithstanding their many Solicitations of him thereunto ver 4 5. those sordid and sorry Sycophants Sanballat c. solicited this good Man four several Times into their Society thinking to prevail with him by their Importunity they had learnt that Lesson from their Master Beelzebub which signifies The Lord of flyes of which small Infects Pliny affirmeth Quo mugis abiguntur eo magis premunt The more they are driven away the more they press upon you N.B. This holds most true of the Master fly the Devil who will not be easily turn'd off from the Bait until well beaten nor hardly then without returning again and again as smarting Experience tells us in the frequent returns of wandring Thoughts in Prayer upon us Remark the Fourth But Nehemiah proved as resolute in his Divine Purposes as they were in their Diabolical Plots They found him Hominem quadratum a four square piece that lays firm on all sides and not so easily moved as Globular Matters of which the Philosopher affirmeth they are removed with the least touch Quia tangunt cerram tantùm in puncto they touch the Earth only in a Point which is the Reason why a Sledge that lays all along upon the Ground requires a stronger Draught than a Wheel of either Carâ— or Coach Those often soliciting Adversaries found Nehemiah as unmoveable as a Rock so firm to his Principles that four Times he answer'd them in the same Manner which when Sanballat saw he tries a fifth Trick in leaving out his Comrade Geshem ver 2. and sending a Letter from himself alone and that by the Hand of his own Servant that it might be less suspected and the better received so restless in Sanballat sub ascensore Diabolo as Bernard Phraseth it having Satan riding upon him and born kicking and pricking him forward and our Phrase is They must needs run whom the Devil driveth c. Remark the Fifth This Letter came open and unsealed as if it had been no Secret to be concealed but a common Matter every where divulged the Contents whereof was a Threatning Nehemiah with a pretended Treason ver 6 7. alledging from common Rumour which commonly is a loud Lyar that he designed to set up himself the King of the Jews the same was cast upon our Blessed Saviour John 19.12 and that he had not only builded the Walls for this purpose but had also hired Prophets to preach him up as King possibly mistaking the Prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah who prophesy'd that the Kingdom of Christ was near at hand but he had no better Witness hereof than his fellow Conspirator Geshem ver 1 2 6. This Gashma's or Geshem's Tongue was no slander for he was known to be one that had taught his Tongue the Art of Lying Jer. 9.3 5. Remark the Sixth Though Sanballat had surely learnt Machiavel's Rule Fortiter calumniare aliquid sultem adhaerebit Slander stoutly and something will stick yet was not Nehemiah much concern'd to wipe off the Slander His clear Conscience made him carelesly Confident well knowing that though Dirt may stick to a Mud-Wall yet it cannot do so upon Marble and that this misreport was so transparent a Lye that it might easily be seen through then deals he plainly with him which oft
many Vndertook to write it Luke 1.1 yet was it fit work for none but for the Four Evangelists who were all extraordinarily qualified by Divine Inspiration for that High Enterprize and were Eye-witnesses of those great Truths which They do distinctly yet coherently Record concerning Christ Hereupon though others Attempted yet none Effected it save these Four who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Took it in hand Matthew wrote his Gospel Eight years after Christ Mark Ten Luke Fifteen and John forty two According to the common opinion from the most Antient Copies Whoever writes the Life of our Lord Jesus must light their Lamp at this Golden Candlestick having these four flaming Candles all lighted by Fire from Heaven To fetch any feigned Stories of Christ not founded upon Gospel-Evidence from other fabulous Authors is but a speaking wickedly for God and talking deceitfully for Him Job 13.7 As my Design is to Avoid this latter so my Desire is to Observe the former In this Essay I shall shift off and shun the cunningly Devised Fables Artificially compiled and composed not without some shew of Wisdom and Truth such as the Romanists lying Legends abound withal It being but a laborious loss of Time to search into such Things whereof we can have neither Proof nor Profit the Gains will not pay for the Pains And the Task about Toys can never be worthy the Toil 1 Tim. 4.7 2 Tim. 4.4 Tit. 1.14 and 2 Pet. 1.16 I shall therefore keep close to the more sure word ver 19. Scripture Authority N. B. The Life of the Lord Jesus hath a manifold preheminency Col. 1.18 above the best Lives of the choicest and chiefest of all mortal men in many respects As First The Life which Christ lived upon Earth was not only a Godly Life but it was a Life without the least praevarication from the Rule This Immaculate Lamb did lead such an Immaculate Life that he challeng'd his most Critical Adversaries to convince him of any one sin John 8.46 c. Secondly The Life of Christ was not only a Godly Life in compleat Universal Obedience to the Commands of God but it was the very Life of God 'T is said of some men that they are Alienated from the Life of God Eph. 4.18 that is They cannot live a Godly Life because they do not partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 not having the Image of God Imprinted on them nor the Life of God Imparted to them But 't is said expresly that Christ's Life was God manifested in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 and that Christ is the express Image of God's Person and the Brightness of His Glory Heb. 1.3 The Father and the Son are called Equals in the Greek Plural Phil. 2.6 that is every way Equal in Being Life and Operation Christ is Alius from the Father not aliud yet Co-essential and Co-equal not a secondary Inferior God as Arrius saith Thirdly That Christ led not only the Godly Life of a mere Man but also the Godly Life of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-Man So he had a Duplication of a Godly-Life both that of an Holy God and that also of an Holy Man and both in purity and perfection Fourthly Christ lived in his Humane Nature not only a single Temporal Godly Life upon Earth like that of a Godly Man to wit from his Birth to his Burial but even a Double one also to wit from his Resurrection to his Ascension beside that of Eternal Life in the same Nature in Heaven Fifthly Over and Above all These may be added That the Godly Life which Christ led upon Earth as the Son of Man was the light of Men John 1.4 His Life was a Lovely and Lively Looking Glass for all men to Dress themselves by in their Generation-Work both of Doing God's Work and of suffering God's Will The Life of Christ is the most perfect pattern of all True Piety for our Practice and Imitation We must all learn of him Mat. 11.29 and we should walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 From hence naturally ariseth this great Fundamental and most Evangelical Divine Truth That The most Sanctimonious Life of our Lord Jesus Christ is the light the Lanthorn and Law whereby all Men Women and Children ought to be Directed in all parts both of Active and Passive obedience while they live in this lower World They must all live as their Lord lived For the further and fuller Illustration of the light Hereof let me call in besides those two Texts aforementioned to wit Mat. 11.29 and 1 John 2.6 Hereafter Amplified other corroborating Scriptures As First It is expresly asserted by the Apostle Peter that the life of Christ was the leaving us an Example 1 Pet. 2.21 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Copy to write after A Samplar to work by and the most perfect pattern to Regulate our steps in walking the good ways of God Secondly The Apostle Paul affirmeth that whom God doth foreknow them he doth Praedestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son c. Rom. 8.29 Now this Conformity to Christ is extensive 1. To his Holiness and Diligence in Doing his Father's work He must be about it Luke 2.49 and it was Meat and Drink to Him to be so employed John 4.34 2. To his Humility and Patience in suffering his Father's Will Mat. 26.39 and thus the same Apostle was Ambitious to become conformable to Christ's Death as well as to his Life Phil. 3.10 And 3. To his Happiness and Glory in Heaven as the Wages of that Double work on Earth which also was the Top-branch of the same Apostle's Ambition That His Body might be fashioned like the glorious body of Christ which is the principal Standard of Glory Phil. 3.21 1 Cor. 15.20 49 c. Thirdly Our Lord Jesus himself saith That He hath given us an Example for doing as he hath done c. John 13.15 The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a pointing out our way to us and therefore are we so oft bid to Follow Him and if we be Right Followers of Christ we must Tread in the same Foot-steps of Christ In so Doing we shall find that his footsteps drop fatness for us to gather up for the fatning of our Souls Psal 65.11 And if we be Disciples of Christ we must learn of Him to be lowly and Meek c. Mat. 11.29 we must learn to be Holy as He was 1 Pet. 1.15 and pâ—re as He 1 John 3.3 and the same mind must be in us that was in Christ Phil. 2.5 act as a Picture resembles a Man in outward Lineaments only but as a Child his Father in Inward Dispositions also for Christ is our Father Isa 9.6 And thus are we bid to Preach forth the Praises Vertues and Graces of Christ as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1 Pet. 2.9 Our Lives should be as so many Sermons upon Christ's Life while we strive to express Him to the World
to God for the precious Fruit of the Earth Jam. 5.7 The Second Remark is This Sheaf-shaking Day was the Morrow after the Paschal Sabbath Lev. 23.11 which plainly Prefigured our Christian-Sabbath or Lords-Day upon which day Christ Rose as the First Fruits from the Dead and in the Earthquake was waved before the Lord. 'T is therefore Prescribed and Instituted of God The Third Remark is The very next Sabbath after this Shake-Sheaf-Day the Disciples Pluck'd the Ears of Corn for which the Jews did severely censure them and their Master as if they knew better than He how the Sabbath was to be Sanctified Here the Sow would Teach Minerva as the Proverb is The Blind Pharisees Christ The Fourth Remark is Christ's Disciples must not only meet with Hard-fare on the Sabbath-Day but as if that were not enough they meet with hard censures too and that from those who had fared far better that day It was a special part of the Jews Religion to feed upon better Meat on their Sabbath days than on the Week-days Thinking themselves bound to Eat three Meals and that of the best upon that day alledging Isa 58.13 to make their Sabbath a delight and to honour it as the Queen of Days Spending much of it save some little in slight Synagogue-Prayers and Divinity-Lectures in Eating and Drinking while the poor Disciples of Christ who were Jews too were hungry and had no better Provision for a Sabbath-day dinner but a few Barley Corn Ears which they must pluck rub and eat yet must be censured for so doing c. may not we be glad of mean fare any day when our Betters fared so hardly on an High-day The Fifth Remark is Christ confutes their malicious cavils with clear Syllogismâ— one upon the Neck of another Though Christ commanded the Cripple to bear thâ— burthen of his Bed which was servile work for a Sabbath-day John 5.8 yet Christ commends it not or commands it as a Servile work but as it was a convinciâ—â—â—â—â—dence to demonstrate the truth of the Cure like as at another time he comâ—◠〈◊〉 them to give Meat to the Damosel whom he raised to life Mark 5.43 noâ—â—â— any necessity the Damosel had of Meat but to Insure to them her miraculous Curâ— So here He defendeth by both Arguments and Instances that works of necessity of Mercy and of Piety are all equally proper works for the Sabbath-day Our Saviour grants indeed that it had been unlawful but only in case of hard hunger and those Cavillers who made their Bellies their Gods Phil. 3.19 as is abovesaid were not competent Judges of his Disciples necessitating Hunger nor was it David's Dignity but his Necessity that excused him from Sin which no man can do by humane Authority God regards it not in point of Sin yet in cases of necessity God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice the marrow and substance of the second Table is to be preferr'd before the Ceremony of the first Beside the Sabbath was made for Man's safety in danger whereof it is not to be observed But above all I am the Lord of it Mat. 12 1â— so can dispense with it May not I do what I will with my own c. Mat. 20.15 The Sixth Remark is Then Christ went into the Pharisees Synagogue upon the Sabbath-Day taking all occasions of doing good Those Jewish Synagogues were Chappels of Ease to the Temple as the Cathedrals of Antient use Acts 15.21 and it seems of Divine Authority Psal 74.8 Where they are call'd the Synagogues of God the Hebrew word is Kol Mognedim which Mountanus reads all the Conventicles This is call'd the Pharisee's Synagogue because they did Dominari in concionibus Domineer as Doctors Dictators and Infallible Oracles out of Moses Chair's where the Priests and Levites should by the Law have sat and taught whose bare word the People must take without further proof or pawn Rom. 2.19 20. Mat. 23.2 6 8 c. Christ was not so morose but he would occasionally go into these Pharisees Synagogues and he cautions the People that though they should decline their Traditions Superstitions and Corrupt Glosses upon the Law yet not to despise such Doctrines as were sound sincere without Leaver and Agreeable to the Truth saying so long as they sit close to Moses Chair and keep it warm as it were so far ye may hearken and hear them Mat. 23.3 The Seventh Remark is In this Synagogue on the Sabbath day our Saviour found the man with the Withered Hand This man standing before Christ was a fit object for his Compassion this was sufficient to move him to Mercy who himself by Sympathy took upon him our Infirmities and bare our Sicknesses Mat. 8.17 especially being a Mason who could not work in his Calling as Jerom saith this Lame Mason pray'd Christ to heal him that he might work on his Trade for his Living and not be forced to live by begging Thus when right and fit objects of pity are before us this should be enough to excite exert and elicit or draw forth our bowels of bounty toward them where God sets up an Altar we should be ready with our Sacrifice for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 Drawing out thy Soul to them Isa 58.7 10. The Eighth Remark is How many covetous caitiffs may Christ find in our Congregations such as have in the midst of all their hoards no currant Coin no Quick-Silver to run out for relieving the necessities of others No they have withered Hands and worse withered Hearts alas they come not to Christ that he might say to them as he said to this man stretch forth â—oâ— thy hand therefore are they holdfasts and will as easily part with their Blood as with their Goods to the Poor All their strife is who like the Toad shall fall asleep with most Earth in his Paw The Ninth Remark is They question'd Christ before his healing this man whether it was lawful to Heal on the Sabbath Day whereas their own Decretal allow'd it in some cases saying The Danger of Life Dispenseth with the Sabbath and Christ argues It is not only lawful but needful to do well on that day seeing not to do well is to do ill and not to save life is to destroy it Not to do good when there is an opportunity is to do evil Mark 3.4 There is a Passive as well as an Active wickedness not Robbing only but not Relieving the Poor was the Rich Glutton's Ruine Luke 16.19 20. c. If a Sheep flip into a Slough ye pull it out c. The Tenth Remark is They watched him that they might have whereof they might accuse him thinking this Miracle might as well be wrought upon any other Day Christ had run them down with dint of Arguments which they could neither Answer nor Abide therefore they sought to destroy him Mat. 12.24 This question had anger'd them Have ye never read c. yes many and many a time but so stupify'd and
of Jew and Gentile c. The Ancients say that this Transfiguration falling out after six days doth signifie that the World after the Rabbinical Notion shall lase only six days or six Ages to wit six thousand years and then Christ's Glory shall be displayed in Judging the World after it hath pass'd six Ages then comes the Sabbath c. but the more solid sentiment is this that seeing Christ had been before Preaching the Doctrine of the Cross after six days He gave this Glance of his Glory to counter-comfort them against the grief of the Cross intimating hereby that it should last but one week or six days then a Sabbath or Resting day would come which would both end their calamity and turn it into Glory c. This notion concurs with Luke's eight days likewise for the Jews call that space betwixt Sabbath and Sabbath eight days John 20.26 including the two terms or extremes with the six The 2d Remark is The Place Where 'T is call'd an high Mountain in General yet not named by any of the three Evangelists in particular but old Tradition and Common Consent call it Mount Tabor and Peter who as one of the Persons present upon it calls it the Holy Mount 2 Pet 1.18 Merely because the Majesty of Christ did manifest it self to the view of him c. upon it as that Mount Horeb was call'd Holy ground Exod. 3.5 because a beam of Divine Glory was displayed upon it Christ might have been Transfigured in a Valley had it so pleased him but when he had any special work to do we frequently find his going up into a Mountain N. B. Note well To Teach us Heavenly mindedness and that our Hearts should be lifted up from a low lowring frame if we expect to see our Saviour in his Glory c. Luke lets us know the causes of his going up thither 1. That He might Pray in Private for the more secret that Prayer is the more sincere and fervent it is also and 2. That as he Prayed he might be Transfigured Luke 9.28 29. to shew how Prayer is an Heart Transforming Duty when rightly performed Many Gracious Souls have had their Holy Raptures in Prayer and have been piously transported beyond and above themselves Thus Peter while he was praying had his Trance and â—ision Acts 10 9 10. And our Lord here Prayed that he might put forth a specimen of his glory while in his Praying work The 3d Remark Concerning the first remarkable Circumstance the Aâ—â—ecedents of his Transfiguration is The Spectators and Witnesses thereof and those were three God never starves his Truth for want of Witnesses especially the Truth of the Glory of his Transfiguration The Law of Moses required that at the Mouth of two Witnesses at the least or at the mouth of three every matter should be established Deut. 19.15 17.6 Mat. 18.16 2 Cor. 13.1 1 Tim. 5.19 Heb. 10.28 but that there might be Testimony enough and by way of Redundancy here is a double three of Witnesses of this glory not unsuitable to that in 1 John 5.7 8. There be three that bear Record in Heaven and other three that bear Record on Earth concerning Christ's future Glory so concerning this present Splendour and Majesty there were three witnesses from Heaven to testifie that Jesus was the Son of God 1. God the Father speaking these words out of the Cloud 2. Moses and 3. Elias to be discoursed upon afterwards But those three upon Earth were Christ's three Disciples The Multitude must not behold this glory nor all his Disciples for He manifests himself to whom he pleaseth John 14.22 and calleth up to him whom he will Mark 3.13 He would not use all his Servants alike familiarly but these three Peter James and John must have most intimacy with him in his Secrets For 1. Peter had newly witness'd a good Confession Mat. 16.16 c. was bold as well as old had his name changed from Simon to Peter or Cephas which signifies a Stone or Rock Mark 3.16 John 1.42 and no doubt but He with these his two Partners brought in more Disciples to Christ than the other of the twelve Apostles therefore is he made a witness in the Mount 2 Pet. 1.16 17 18. of Christ's Glorious Transfiguration 2. So was James the Son of Zebedee John's brother whom Matthew and Mark placeth before John though Luke nameth John before James and he is styled John's brother to distinguish him from that James call'd the less the Son of Alpheus Mat. 10.2 3. Mark 15.40 because he was less in stature or younger and the reputed brother of our Lord Gal. 1.19 as he was his Kinsman born of Mary the Wife of Cleopus or Alpheus John 19.25 Sister to our Lord's Mother Which Kinsmen the Jews commonly call'd Christ's Brethren Mat. 12.46 c. This James the greater or elder is admitted here as a Witness of Christ's Glory because he was the first of the Apostles that was to Seal the Testimony of Christ's Deity with his own Blood Acts 12.2 This man was most Eminent among the Apostles therefore did Herod envy him the more so drank he first of the Cup spoken of Mat. 20.20 21 22 23. For Christ will prepare him for his Martyrdom by shewing him here his Glory And so 3. His Brother John must be a spectator of it also for Christ had put the name of Boanerges upon those two Brothers as he had chang'd Simo's which he did not to any of the other Apostles calling them Sons of Thunder this John being now but a young man John 18.15 conversant with Peter John 20.2 21.21 this John being now but a young man John 18.15 conversant with Peter John 20.2 21.21 with 19.27 35. And He who fled away naked Mark 14.50 some Antients say but amiss was this John being yet young who had the longest life after and survived all the Apostles and so was to transmit this Testimony of Christ's Glory Vivá voce to the following Age. In a word these three Disciples Peter James and John were the first that were called at Christ's first entrance into his Publick Ministry Mat. 4.19 21. Acts 1.21 22. Not to saith for they had believed in Christ before by the Baptist's Preaching John 1.37 though they did not cleave close to him till then but called out to office to be first his Disciples and after sent out as his Apostles and to those three only did Christ give three new names as before Mark 3.16 17. to shew that these three were designed for greater Matters and Mysteries and therefore were they most familiar with their Master whom He oft took apart from the rest as 1. He suffer'd no man to follow him save Peter James and John to be Witnesses of Christ's Curing the Ruler of the Synagogue's Daughter Mark 5.37 38 39 c. 2. Those three are the only Witnesses of Christ's Agony in the Garden Mat. 26.37 And therefore 3. Were they admitted to behold His
If any Man think to War against the Justice of God with ten Thousand supposed good Works Gods Justice will War against that Man with twenty Thousand really bad Works and overcome him Whoever dare come riding to Christ upon the Dromedary of good Works Christ will say to such I know ye not depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity Math. 7.23 and so be sent empty away 'T is best coming to Christ as Abigail to David saying Let thy Hand-maid be a Servant to wash the Feet of thy Servants this is more meet than to be made thy Queen 1 Sam. 25.41 or as Mephibosheth said to him Will my Lord look upon such a dead Dog as I am 2 Sam. 9.8 The Third Reason to prove the Insufficiency of Moral Righteousness for Mans Salvation is because as Mans first sinning lay beyond him and without him in Adam so Man's full satisfying of Gods Justice for his sinning lies beyond and without him in Christ The first Adam brought all Mankind into Captivity to sin to misery and to Death it self as he was the publick Person and Representative of the whole Race just as a Parliament Man represents his whole Country for which he acts in the grand Counsel of the Nation and so whatever he doth is looked upon as done by them all Thus also the Scripture speaketh as by one Man sin entred into the World and Death by sin and so Death passed upon all Men because all have sinned to wit in Adam Rom. 5.12 Therefore no Man no not the most Refined Moral Man can become his own Redeemer out of this Captivity This is the Work appointed by God for the second Adam whom Jacob calls his Redeeming Angel Gen. 48.16 the Lord Jesus is the other publick Person who Represents likewise all that are chosen in him and delivers them from Wrath to come 1 Thess 1.10 and this is the principal Scope of the Apostle's Arguing in his comparing those two publick Persons the two Adams together shewing at large how the whole Malady of Mankind came by the first Adam and the whole Remedy came by the Second Rom. 5.14 to the end And again the same Apostle argueth to the same purpose saying Since by man came Death by man came also the Resurrection of the Dead For as in Adam all Dye even so in Christ all that are united to him and found in him Phil. 3.9 shall be made alive 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Thus it plainly appeareth by these and many more Scriptures too long to relate that our Blessed Mediator is the only Redeemer of Mankind and that it is impossible for the best of Men to redeem themselves c. Many more Arguments and Reasons might be added to Demonstrate this great Truth which I shall only name As Fourthly The great Doctrine of Repentance ought to be Preached unto all Men both to those that are merely Moral though attained to the highest Degree of Philosophical Morality such as sundry Pagans Cato Seneca Plato c. did shine within the Eyes of the World as well as to those who are notoriously defective in their Morals and are exceeding gross in their ways of Immorality Now these latter are easilyer convinced and reduced to Repentance than the former having no Reed of his own Righteousness to lean upon I have in my Ministry found it hard work to unbottom a mere Moralist c. And it may be added Fifthly That our Lord hath commanded every Man to pray Forgive us our Sins Luke 11.4 which are call'd our Debts unto Divine Justice Mat. 6.9 12. now seeing All men have sinned both Jew and Gentile Rom. 3.9 23 There is no man that sinneth not 1 Kin. 8.46 no not the most Moral man in the World If any say so they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them c. 1. John 1.8 9 10. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Prov. 20.9 some indeed as the Pharisee Luke 18.11 and the Young Man Mat. 19.20 may say so proudly but there is none that can-say so truly save the sinless Son of God John 8.46 which of you convinceth me of sin Pilate his Judge saith I find in him no fault at all John 18.38 he was like Man in all things sin only excepted Hebr. 4.15 1 Pet. 2.22 Where is boasting then Rom. 3.27 seeing all Men are sinners and have need of a Saviour to purchase a Pardon for their sins No Moral Righteousness can save fallen Mankind c. N. B. Note well This is an Observation worthy of all Acceptation that all the Holy Prophets of the Lord yea and the Holy Lord himself were slain by the Jews who made their boast of the Law Rom. 2.23 chiefly because they all unanimously taught that Mans Salvation must be looked for by the free grace of God in Christ and not by the Law of Works c. Thus having done with the Priest in the Parable the Second Physician of no value was the Levite Luke 10.32 where it is said he passed by this sad Object also what is meant by this Levite there be various glosses as well as upon the Priest here omitting all others I mention but that one which interprets this Priest to be Angels and this Levite to be Men and though both Angels and Men behold this Miserable Man dismounted stripped and wounded c. yet neither of the two hath either Will or Power to help him c. but the soundest Sense in my Sentiments is that of Formal Holiness which carries a Correspondency to the Ceremonies of the Levitical Law and which cannot save a Soul out of the State of Sin Enquiry the Frst what is this Formal Holiness signified by the Levite Answer 'T is an outward profession of Religion without the inward power thereof Such a formal professor this Levite seems to be who was more for the Cerenony than for the Substance of Religion Possibly he as well as the Priest might fear Legal Pollution for the Ceremonial Law forbad such to touch the Dead Levit. 11.8 Deut. 14.8 not only the Dead Carcase of unclean Creatures but also the Dead Body of a Man slain in the Field as he might suppose this Man to be Numb 19.16 but the Legal strictness and niceness of this Levite was an Iniquity for the Man was but half Dead therefore to shew Mercy in saving the Life of the Man was his Indispensable Duty by Gods Law Love thy Neighbour as thy self in doing all Offices of Love for him in Distress Isa 58 6 7. whereas he was one that David complaining of such Fail Friends as standing aloof and afar off in stead of helping c. Ps 38.11 Enquiry the Second How may this Formal Levite who hath only the Form and not the Power 2 Tim. 3.5 be discovered Answer By these few following Characters as 1 he is one that is more zealous for the Ceremony than for the Substance of Gods Law whereas Ceremonial Duties should always give place to
ver 34 the Answer is made though no Man can tame this Head-strong Adversary the Devil yet God our Father can bridle him and make a Banquet of him c. So Job acknowledgeth I know O God that thou canst do every thing Job 42 ver 2. As he is said to break the Head of Leviathan in pieces and gave him to be Meat to his Children Inhabiting the Wilderness Ps 74.14 And 't is said also God will spread his net over that whale of the Sea c. Ezek. 32.2 3. And God will punish Leviathan that crooked Serpent with a great and strong Sword c. Isa 27.1 And will wound that Dragon Isa 51.9 God can put an Hook in his Nose c. Isa 37.29 And our God of Peace hath promised to Tread Satan under our feet shortly Rom. 16.20 Yea the time draws nigh wherein our Lord will lay hold on the Dragon that Old Serpent the Devil and Satan and bind him for many years Revel 20.1 2. Thus our Jesus Comforts us as Joshua did Israel saying your Enemies are Bread for you to eat up fear them not c. Numb 14.9 If we be but repenting and returning ones as this Son here was c. Satan is but a fatting all this time even 6000. years for the time of his full Torment c. Matth. 8.29 But though this first sense of our worst Foe may consist with the Analogy of Truth yet the second sense of our best friend is more solid Orthodox and of more universal Reception namely that 't is not Satan but our Saviour is the fatted Calf here alluding to that Law take a young Heifer Exod. 29.1 The Hebrew word gnegel signifies a young one of the first year as the other Hebrew word par used in that Law of Sacrificing signifies a youngling of the second year as the Rabbins do relate yea and the word Luke 15.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Translated Kill here doth properly signifie Sacrifice thus the Calf Heifer and young Bullock are all one in Sacrifice as our Lord Christ is often called the Lamb of God so here he is the fatted Calf c. Herein consider these several parts as 1. The Calf Killed 2. The Butchers that killed the Calf 3. The Banquet prepared 4. The Cooks that dressed the Banquet 5. The Guests to be feasted and 6. The Master of the Feast the Father of the Family c. First Of the Calf that the Feast was made up on 't was the best of the Kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vitulum saginatum the fatted Calf Christ may be said to be fatted many ways both as to God and as to Man First As to God 1. He was fatted with qualifications from God 't is said God prepared a Body for him fitted for his Redemption-work Hebr. 10.5 And God anointed him with the Oyl of grace above his fellows Ps 45.7 God gave not the Spirit by Measure to him John 3.34 There was Modus sine Mâ—do Measure without and beyond Measure c. 2. He was fatted with satisfactions for God God saw the Travel of his Soul and was satisfied Isa 53.11 Therefore when the Father saw the Son engage his Heart to Approach to him as Jer. 30.21 He saith to his Son Ask of me and I will give thee c. Ps 2.8 And He heard him always John 11.42 Secondly As to Man 1. He was fatted with precious Gifts which he receiveth Ps 68.18 Eph. 4.8 To bestow upon his called and chosen yea the Rebellious having no need of them for himself c. Accounting it more Honourable that he give than only to receive Acts 20.35 Of his fulness we all receive and grace upon grace John 1.16 for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 A fullness without any emptiness to follow it for it is the fullness of a Fountain and not the fulness of a Vessel that may be drawn dry take a drop from the Ocean and there is so much the less in it But here it is as Ignis Ignita fire and things fired If you light a Thousand Torches at the fire yet such is that fulness in the fire that it is not at all diminished thereby Christ is a Magazine not only of plenty but of bounty not only of Abundance but of Redundance also Let us all therefore go forth unto him with our empty Vessels Hebr. 13.13 and he will fill them John 4.10 2. It may be said Christ was fatted as he was filled with Reproaches by wicked Reprobates calling him a Samaritan and a Devil John 8.48 He was Despised and Rejected of Men c. Isa 53 3. He had his Back-burden of Revilings c. yet this sort of fatting and filling saith Augustin made indeed our Lord lean yea so lean as one might tell all his Bones Ps 22.17 Insomuch that the Pharisees looked upon him about fifty years old John 8.57 When he was not yet Thirty three they reckoned him much Elder for his Leanness than indeed he was Secondly The Butchers or Sacrificers of this fatted Calf were the Jews and Romans 'T is true the Lord said as this Father said here Kill the fatted Calf for it was his Decreed purpose before time and his Determined Counsel in time that Christ should be Crucified Acts 2.23 and 4.27 28. and 13.27 28. Isa 10.6 7. For God knows how to gather Grapes from those Thorns and figs from those Thistles though Man cannot Matth. 7.16 Though the Jews by wicked Hands killed Christ Acts 3.14 15. with 2.23 Yet God wrought the Redemption of the World for his own glory thereby Gods Decree did not excuse these Butchers fowl Fact It was Nefas an hainous Act to bind a Roman Acts 22.25 29. How much more hainous it was to bind to beat and to kill the Son of God yet those Butchers were but our Workmen 't was our sins that set them on work We have all pierced him Gentiles as well as Jews Zech. 12.10 Let us Mourn for so doing and not Crucifie him afresh Hebr. 6.6 Nor Tread him under foot Hebr. 10.29 How many account it a shame to be called Butchers of any base Creatures Oh! How ought we to abhor our Butchering with peace the Prince of Peace and the Lord of Life c. Thirdly The Banquet was a Feast made up of this fatted Calf the sinest of Meat among the Greeks as above 't was a Feast of fat things c. Isa 25.6 Fat was forbidden under the Law Levit. 3. ver 16 17. The Lean part of the flesh only was then the Peoples Portion So that if God did not put his fat part to their lean part they had but lean Commons to feed upon but blessed be God for better and fatter food for us under the Gospel here is the fatted Calf to feed upon a Feast of fat things as before yea far exceeding that Royal Feast which Ahasuerus made for his 127. Nobles c. which lasted an Hundred and fourscore Days Esth. 1.
Weeping and Groaning before he put forth the power of his Divine Nature in Raising Dead Lazarus That by these two signs he might be the better believed to be both God and Man Yet these Human Passions of Groaning and Weeping were no otherwise in Christ than as clear water in a Chrystal Glass without any Mud of Sin at the bottom John 14.30 The Tempter may shake the Glass yet not Jumble the Liquor and the same Tenderness he had then towards the Afflicted upon Earth he Retains still in Heaven for he lost no Compassion by being glorified Acts 9.4 c. N. B. Note well The Effects of Sin that brought Death into the World even upon the best and such as Christ loved are so woful as put our Lord upon Groaning twice here ver 33 38. and upon Weeping once here ver 35. and twice elsewhere Luke 19.41 and Heb. 5.7 We never Read that Christ laughed for the misery of fallen Mankind did not Administer any occasion of Laughter to our Blessed Mediator which shews that though it be not unlawful to laugh for a Wise man may do it Prov. 29.9 And there is a Season for it Eccles 3.4 Yet should we find more matter of mourning and groaning than of Foolish laughter as our Lord did in this evil World yea such was the burden of Sin to Christ that not his Eyes only were Fountains of Tears or his Head Waters as Jeremy wished chap. 9.1 But his whole Holy Body burst out into a bloody Sweat and was turned as it were into Rivers of Blood Luke 22.44 And shall not Sin cost us a Groan or a Tear c. That cost Christ all this for us Now follows the Miracle it self introduced by several Censures upon our Lords Passion ver 36 37. The Servants that Attended Martha and Mary must shew him where Lazarus lay ver 34. not because Christ was ignorant of it for he that knew he was Dead knew also where he lay this was done that none might suspect any Cheat or Collusion therefore are those Servants also bid to Roll away the Stone ver 39. Which was no easie work as Mar. 16.3 It being great to cover the Stench of the Grave hereby became they Witnesses of the Truth of the Miracle for had he been Raised with the Stone upon him he would seem rather a Spectrum than a Real man N. B. Note well Thus every Sinner lies under the Condemnation of the Law and under an unbelief of the Gospel when Christ comes to raise us up to newness of life c. but Martha had like to have Marred the Miracle by her unbelief ver 39. Christ Corrects her saying ver 40. 't was the better that he stank for therefore the power of Christ would be the more manifested then Christ falls to Prayer and brings Praises in his Hand as sure to speed so must we Phil. 4.6 and Ps 65.1 Herein Christ Demonstrates to the Spectators the unity of his Essence and will with the Father so not to be charged with Blasphemy ver 41 42. Wherefore that his own Divine power might appear he saith Lazarus come forth ver 43. not I pray thee O Father let Lazarus come forth Had this Voice of Christ been directed to all the Dead they had all immediately Risen as sure as they shall do at the last Day and as he did here ver 44.3 The Consequents of this were some Believed ver 45. but others were hardened and called a Counsel Conspiring to kill Christ ver 46 47 c. In this Cursed Council or Sanhedrim stood up Cajaphas and falls fowl upon his fellows as if all the Assessours had been but Asses to him saying ye know nothing at all c. and belching out that Brutish and Bloody Sentence that one man must dye for the People c. as if Evil must be done that good may come of it contrary to Rom. 3.8 This he spkoe from a Politick principle to secure their State yet God spake in him as through a Trunk and as the Angel did in Balaam's Ass as well as in himself John 11.49 50 51 52. Then passed the Decree for Prosecuting Christ grounded upon a pretended fear that these Miracles of his making such a Concourse of Multitudes after him would move the Romans to Assault them as Revolters c. ver 48. Which indeed they did after they had killed Christ whose Blood according to their own Imprecation and the thing that they feared came upon them and upon their Children Thus had the Envious one so blinded their minds with his black Hand held before them that those very Miracles which should have been Means and Motives to their Believing they wretchedly perverted to their own Destruction Upon the Publication of this Diabolical Decree Christ withdraws to Ephrem ver 54. an obscure City declining their Fury till his appointed time came which was now at hand ver 55. Therefore though the Sanhedrim by the Instigation of the Pharisees c. had published a Proclamation to discover-where he lurked which none did save Judas only ver 57. yet within six days after the Passover he in despight of all returns again to Bethany Joh. 12.1 Where Lazarus was not afraid to Entertain him but will freely venture that life for him which he had so lately received from him And though Lazarus was a Trophee of Christs Victory over Death yet would not our Lord carry him along into the place of his Retirement that he might avoid all shews of Ostentation but here he left him and here he found him Here he Refreshed himself in Feasting with his fast Friends before he gave up himself into the Hands of his Blood thirsty Enemies Here also did Mary Magdalen called so from Magdala a Town hard by to which she had been Removed by Marriage but now being a Widow Returned to her Brother Lazarus Spare no Cost to Anoint her Saviours feet again as she had done before at her first Conversion Luke 7.38 This Oyntment of Spiknard was both Costly the Thief Judas could quickly compute it worth 300. pence c. and very fragrant as Cant. 1.12 Yet was it the Savour of Death to that Traitor-Disciple ver 3 4 5. Who imended to fill his own Bag while he pretended Compassion to the Poor ver 6. For Christ would not Distract his other Disciples in their work with keeping the Bag but committed it to Judas who till he bare the Bag and became Master of the Mony saith Tertallian behaved himself honestly but afterwards such a Divelish Humour of Covetousness haunted him and had power over him that rather than his Trade of taking should fail he would Sell his very Saviour as he did a little after this N. B. Note well a most dolefull blank Bargain wherein saith Austin Judas the Seller Sold his Salvation and the Jewish Sanhedrim the Buyers bought their Damnation This covetous Caitiff had often heard his Master tell of his Approaching Death he therefore designing to Desert that Service of a
Witnesses also N. B. Note well for so are all such as do not only feign against another something he never spake but also that wrest the words spoken to a differing or contrary Sense Psal 56.5 Thus those two are Detected likewise of a double falshood 1. They being examined probably apart according to the custom of Courts their Testimonies as related by the two Evangelists did notoriously disagree for in Matth. 26.61 The one saith this Fellow said I am able to destroy this Temple and to Build it in three days but the other in Mar. 14.58 saith We heard him say I will Destroy this Temple made with Hands and within three Days I will Build another made without Hands These two Testimonies did grosly differ each from other the one was a posse that he could or can do it the other a velle that he will or would do it The former relates to Christs power the latter to his Will or Act Whereas no Man is Judged guilty in any Court for having a power to do an Evil without some over Act in doing something tending towards it then 2. Both their Testimonies Deposed do most Sordidly deprave both the words and the sense of Christs saying For 1. Their Depositions ran thus I can or I will Destroy whereas Christ said neither of these words For he said ye Jews destroy c. John 2.19.21 So that they both basely belyed him who was Truth it self John 14.6 2. They Deposed that he spake this The Temple of God or this Temple made with Hands both which were false for he said Destroy this Temple pointing at not the Temple of Solomon Repaired by Herod but the Temple of his own Body wherein the Godhead dwelt bodily Col. 2.9 And whereof both the Tabernacle and Temple wherein God dwelt were but Types and Figures The third Lye in the words I will Build another made without Hands this Christ said not but I will Raise it up to wit from the Dead Thus ill minded Men do Mutando vel Mutilando by chopping or changing frequently deprave and wrest to a wrong meaning the most Innocent passages and practices of those that are good for though Christ spake some such words yet were they as we see of a quite differing Tenure and Meaning N. B. Note well such false Witnesses against Christ are the Romanists who Interpret his words This is my Body literally as if the Sacramental Bread became by their Consecrating or rather conjuring words the Real Body of Christ that was born of the Virgin Mary whereas our Lord meaneth it Spiritually as a sign of his Body c Thus also the Arrians are false witnesses against Christ in their wresting his words My Father is greater than I to a wrong sense of Inequality c. Whereas he spake there in Respect of his Humane Nature Alas there be many more false witnesses in the World that do Violence to the Law Zeph. 3.4 Straining Gods word to their own Sense and squeezing out blood and is not Milk c. who all dread not at all that Divine Threatning The false Witness shall not pass unpunished Prov. 19.9 And tho' those here carryed the matter most craftily yet Gods Spirit Saw their Subornations and set this black Brand upon them of being false witnesses like the other Yea they stand Stigmatized upon Record to their Everlasting shame for their want of Concord as well as Truth Mar. 14.57 59. besides how improbable it was that Christ speaking of his living and breathing Temple not of that made of Stone should say I will Destroy it as if it had been lawful for him to lay violent hands upon himself nor could his Speech of Raising up his own Body noteing his Resurrection be properly construed of Rearing or Building again the Temple of Stone But suppose this sense in his saying this could not amount to any Capital Crime worthy of Death but only a Vain Empty and harmless Ostentation at the worst for what harm had he done to their Temple had he pulled it down and built it up again far better than before in three days time c. Moreover what if Christ had said as and all that they say he did Could not he as easily have Reared the Temple as Raised the Dead Restored the Blind Lame Deaf and Dumb c. which their own Eyes had beheld him do only with his word how then could they Rationally accuse him of Lyes and Impossibilities seeing he might do this as well as the other by a Miracle this was a less work than his making the World John 1.3 Col. 1.10 Heb. 1.2 3. But the truth is he never said so his sense and saying to them was do your worst against me destroy my Body yet will I Raise it up the third Day which words those false witnessesmis-report and basely Represent as above c. The Third point of Christs Inditement in the Spiritual Court is their adjureing him to tell them who he was Hitherto the false witnesses now comes in Caiphas the Judge of the Court to play his part against Christ He seeing our Saviour silent at those rotten Reproaches upon him by the Suborn'd Witnesses all unworthy of any Answer this Inraged the High Priest and his Rage Rouzeth him up out of his Throne Transporteth him to put off the person of a Judge and standeth out as a new Accuser Now Demonstrating the Madness of his Mind because no fault could yet be found in or fixed on the Prisoner at the Bar by the Mad Motion of his Body He falls foul upon Christ for his silence as if it gave consent to all alledged against him as if the Allegations were unanswerable and that the Conscience of Christ the Accused was so convinced by the undeniable Testimonies of those Witnesses the Accusers that he had nothing to say for himself Matth. 26.62 Thus this Diabolical Hypocrite Insults over this Innocent Lamb of God not at all urging him to Answer for Asserting his Innocency but this he doth that Christ might be seen to betray his own Crime by his silence c. Notwithstanding all Cajaphas's Aggravations of Christ's Inditement and his Vehement urgency for an Answer still he held his peace ver 63. Both to the Witnesses false Testimony and to Caiphas's Furious Importunity As to the 1. Christ could have Answered this Speech was Metaphorical meaning not the Temple of Herod but of his own Body c. but Tenue Mendacium pellucet saith Seneca some lyes are so thin they may be seen through others are so gross they need no Refutation which is done by their bare Relation and to Palpable Slanders which plainly appears to have no consistency in themselves silence is the most effectual Confutation As to the 2. Christ is silent to Caiphas as well as to the Witnesses 1. Because he knew his Argument was not before a Just Judge but before an Implacable Hypocrite who had Suborned Witnesses against him and who would admit of not Apology or Answer from
by Abraham If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the Dead Luke 16.30 31. How can they believe the Creature who will not believe the Testimony of the Creator himself revealing his Will to Moses c. 4thyl Those Dead Saints when raised and appearing to living Saints did discourse about Divine Doctrines such as that of Christ's Resurrection and Future Glory in his State of Exaltation as Moses and Elias had done before about Christ's Decease in his State of Humiliation as before both which patterns do direct us to the like practice that when living Saints meet together their discourse should be of Divine Matters as is commanded Mal. 3.16 Though they have not attained that holy state of the Resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.12 We ought to do what we can though we cannot do what we ought this is acceptable to Christ Mark 14.8 5thly The death of the Godly is only as a sleep of the Body till the Morning of the Resurrection come 't is said they slept Mat. 27.52 6thly Christ is a Saviour to Saints before his Death as well as after even of Old Testament Believers 7th This is a Pawn that Christ will raise our Vile Bodies and conform them to his Glorious Body Phil. 3. last The 6th Inquiry is What became of those raised Bodies were they Mortal or Immortal Bodies Answer 1st Some say they were Mortal and that they did die and dissolve into Dust so soon as their Work was done Their ground for this Assertion are these 1. They were only raised up for a little time to testifie the Truth of Christ's Resurrection which when they had done there was no farther Work for them so they laid down their raised Bodies as soon as this was finished which may teach us a willingness to lay down our Bodies when we have fulfilled our Ministry and finished the Work our Father hath given us to work in the World as our Lord and Master as well as these did John 17.3 2. This is the more probable say they because those Bodies which the Angels Assumed wherewith they Feasted with Abraham Gen. 18.8 16. and with Lot Gen. 19.3 c. were laid down again when that special Dispensation was Dispatched and so likely was Moses's Body wherewith he talked with the Messias in his Transfiguration laid aside likewise when that Glory was withdrawn Thus by special Dispensation some are made Rich or Poor let God Abase or Exalt as his Soveraignty pleaseth c. 3. Because these raised Bodies of those Saints say they of this first opinion when they had given their Testimony to the Truth of our Redeemer's Resurrection must either lay down their Bodies again or live an Animal Life upon Earth or Ascend up with Christ into Heaven but they did neither the Second nor the Third therefore they did the first of the Three For as we read nothing of their living on Earth 〈◊〉 conversing with Men after their Resurrection as we read of Lazarus after his John 12.1 2 3 c. save only their Appearance to many so we read as little of their Ascending into Heaven but rather the contrary seeing our Lord was seen to Ascend alone Acts 1.9 10. Answ 2d Others more probably are of Opinion that they were raised Immortal and that they died not again as Lazarus and others whom Christ in his state of Humiliation raised up after a while did but were conversant with Christ during the Forty days he was upon Earth after his Resurrection and then at his Ascension they did Ascend with him in their Bodies as he did into Heaven where they were to be ever with the Lord. Their grounds for this Opinion are these 1. If being raised they had been Mortal and Died again this could not have been so plain a proof and such an Evidencing Specimen and Document of the solid Resurrection that is to come at the last Day which was the Reason and End of this Special Dispensation 2. As the Scripture speaks of a first Resurrection and of the first Fruits of the Resurrection So these Saints Bodies thus raised here might well be priviledged with the first Resurrection to die no more and with being the first fruits of the Harvest to wit of the General Resurrection of all Christ's Redeemed ones 3. As this was more comfortable to them to die no more but to be taken up into Heaven c. So it was more Glorious to Christ who now being entered upon his state of Exaltation raiseth Bodies up now not to die again as he had done in his former state in the form of a Servant but to live for ever and to be Attendants upon their Lord in his Triumph which can never without great Attendance have its due Pomp and Magnificency both while he stayed on Earth and when he went up into Heaven Though the Scripture be silent hereof as it is in the Minute of his Rising 4. Had they died again it had been only a Suscitation rather than a Resurrection c. The Romanists do Triffle in saying that those Saints wandered upon the face of the Wide Ocean or in the remote parts of the Inhabitable Earth c. till Christ Ascended or they tarried for him in the Earthly Paradise c. We say they attended alway on their Lord. Thirdly The Manifestation after the Time and Manner of our Lord's Resurrection which Introduceth the Third Grand Remark herein to wit The Consequents thereof in Christ's several Appearances at several times to sundry persons the Forty Days betwixt his Resurrection out of the Earth and his Ascension into Heaven The Evangelist Matthew speaking short in this after his Manner yet speaks thus far of the Manifestation of Christ's Resurrection That 1. It was declared by an Angel to Mary Magdalen c Mat. 28. ver 1 to 9.2 That it was confirmed by those Women through Christ's Appearing to them v. 9 10. And 3. That it was ratified to his Disciples by his Appearing unto them ver 16 17. to whom as a Triumphant Mediator he gave Commission for laying the Foundation of his New Evangelical Church ver 18.19 20. having now in his state of Separation made his Triumph over Hell the Grave and Death by his Resurrection wherein he set his Foot upon the Neck of that King of Terrors and Terror of Kings bringing Death under his Dominion So that now Death is become but a necessary Engine only to Transplant the Trees of Righteousness which are both of God's Planting and of his Watering into the Celestial Paradise and 't is only a strait Trap-door to let out the Saints out of this Life of Misery and into a Life of Glory Though the precise point of Time the very Instant and Moment thereof wherein Christ rose be not revealed nor likewise the express specifical and distinct Manner of his Rising is clearly recorded in Scripture yet the demonstration of it a posteriori is most Amply Insisted upon by
for she told the Disciples who were mourning and weeping Mar. 16.10 that they had taken the Lord out of the Sepulchre and we know not where they have laid him John 20.2 and so she saith likewise to the supposed Gardener ver 15. Thus did she trouble them with this her Conceit that the Lord's Body was removed by the Jews but for what end or to what place she knew not therefore is she sent the second time to assure them of his Resurrection She and the other good Women had been seeking the living among the Dead Luke 24.5 as we do in a dead World Pleasure Treasure and Honour or in dead Worship c. hence the Angel said not only He is not here but also He is risen and not removed as thou thinks Matth. 28.4 The 4th Testimony is that of the Disciples those good Women ran and told the tidings doing as they were bidden by the Angel go quickly Matth. 28.7 8 Hereupon Peter and John run to make their Observations John 20.7 and Mary Magdalen run with them for she came twice to the Sepulchre here is a running upon running to find out a lost Iesus would to God we could do so Amor Addidit alas love is impatient of delays a ready Heart makes riddance of God's Work and therefore giveth Wings wherewith to hasten two strange Wings were given to those good Women to wit Fear and Joy a wonderful composition of two contrary passions fear for their Faithlessness and Joy for the Angels Joyful Tidings Those mingled Affections may well consist in a Sanctified Soul Psal 2.11 God loves at once a fear because of his greatness and a Familiarity with it because of his Graciousness with those two Wings the good Women fly to tell the Tidings unto the Dilciples who at first thought them but idle Tales though their Lord had again and again foretold it should be so Learn hence that a low Faith so it be but true is acceptable to Christ and saving to the Soul These Disciples could not believe that Christ should die until he was dead nor would they believe he should rise again no not when he was Risen indeed However perplexed Peter and beloved John ran to the Sepulchre and tries conclusions Though John being the younger Man exceeded Peter in swiftness and came first to the Sepulchre yet Peter the Elder Man exceeded John in boldness for it was he that first steped into the Tomb within the Vault Thus the Saints stand in need of one another's Gifts and Graces as Peter did of John's Swiftness and John of Peter's Boldness they both found an empty Sepulchre and the Grave-clothes lying in order they saw the Body was gone and the Linnen was left but John proves the first Believer He saw and Believed John 20.3 4 5 6 7 8. His seeing was his Believing he trusted his own Eyes that the Lord's Body was not there Misbelieving that it was only a Removal to some other place as Mary Magdalen had told them farther off from Calvary for Honour's sake that he might not lie buried with the wicked and not a Resurrection of his Body therefore is it added in the 9th verse For as yet they knew not the Scripture which yet was clear enough in this point both in foregoing Figures and Prophecies of the Old Tement afore mentioned and in Christ's own plain prediction of himself in the New No wonder then if Christ Rebuked them so sharply for being such slow-bellies in believing work Luke 24.25 Tit. 1.12 13. Yea so slow of Belief were they that they had seen himself three times before yet 't is said they Worshipped but some doubted Matth. 28.17 even while they Worshipped they doubted yet is not their Worship Rejected nor the Worshippers for the Lord knew them to be his 2 Tim. 2.19 and though they knew not him yet were they all known of him Gaâ— 4.9 Therefore though now they went to their own Home waiting till God should farther inlighten both Organ and Object John 20.10 which afterwards was wonderfully accomplished when great Grace came upon them all and made them Invincible Witnesses of the Lord's Resurrection Acts 1.22 4 33. The Fifth Testimony was that of the Watchmen those Pagan Soldiers whom the Priests had procured to watch the Sepulchre yet are made Witnesses of this Truth against their Wills God would have that great and comfortable point of the Resurrection well proved for our firmer Settlement in so weighty a matter The Priests were unworthy to hear of it by the Hand of an Holy Angel They shall therefore hear of it to their great Grief and Regret by the Hands of prophane Sword-men of their own gang and conspiracy who come running in unto them as Thunder struck and frighted out of that little wit they had as it were and told them all Now the confession of an Adversary is looked on by the Law as a double Testimony And the most certain Demonstration of the Truth that can be contrived Yet the Chief priests who were pay-masters of this Mercenary Guard take care to stop their Mouths not only from talking any more of the Terrible Earth-quake of the Descent of a Glorious Angel of his Rolling away the great Grave Stone of their seeing the Sepulchre empty of their own fright and flight from thence c. but also they bribe those Hirelings with a round Sum of ready Cash paid down upon the Nail to those Hungry lovers and lackers of Money wherewith they Taught their Tongues to speak lies as Jerem. 9.5 The Hired Soldiers hereupon do daringly Vent abroad that Notorious Lie of Christ's few and fearful Disciples stealing his Body away c. which the Chief-Priests had Devised and put into their Mouths where we may note two things upon Mat. 28.11 to ver 16. 1. Concerning the Hirers those wicked Priests in stead of a Conviction and Confession of their Unparallel'd Crime do harden their own Hearts like Pharaoh under God's Plagues rage more furiously and make new Lies their Refuge as Isa 28.15 the last and best Engine Christ's Adversaries have out of the Devil's Budget to use for suppressing the Gospel when all their other Plots do fail 2. Concerning the Hired when once plunged into the Sea of Sin by wicked Masters These Mercenary Men are involved still deeper and deeper through the love of Money and Wages of Wickedness into the depths of Satan till at the last they drop into the deep pit of Hell daring to do any Villany so they can but Collogue with Men and escape the lash of the Law not dreading most Atheistically the Justice and Vengeance of the Great God Such as have not God in their Heads or Hearts will not have God in their Words or Works they can make sale of their Tongues Hands and their very Consciences for Money and can not only conceal Truth but also step farther to speak against Truth for Gain As here those Hirelings in taking the Money took the Bait of Sin so
would stay Forty Days more upon Earth and so give her more opportunities of touching him before his Ascension Herewith she was satisfied knowing experimentally what an Heart grieved for want of Christ meant how costly and smarting this had been to her self and how desirous her self was of a ready relief therefore she ran quickly to tell Peter and John to comfort them who were now in the same grief they ran to the Sepulchre and she after them also c. 5thly Our Lord of a Truth is no respecter of Persons Acts 10.34 Male and Female are all one in Christ Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 Christ made his two first Appearances not to Males but to Females and why was this done but to shame his Disciples who were fled from him whereas those Good Women cleave close to him both while he was Living and when he was Dead therefore are they first honoured by his Appearances to them when he was Alive again Ambrose wittily Descants upon this saying Per os Mulieris mors antea processerat per os Mulieris Vita postea reparatur As by the Mouth of Eve did Death enter into the World at the first and a Woman was the first Minister thereof So by the Mouth of Mary Magdalen came the first Publication of its Reparation to Life and a Woman must be the first Messenger of it And therefore an Angel of Light doth Commune with a Woman about Man's Salvation Luke 1.28 to 36. as the Angel of Darkness had done with the first Woman about Man's fall Destruction Thus also or Lord here thought it not enough to remove the reproach cast upon that weaker Sex because the first Woman tempted Adam to Sin and for the due Advancement of Female Glory to Appear first to one of that Sex but his second Appearance must be made to several of that Sex also before he once Appear to any one Man Souls have no Sexes Though the Old Testament mention many Good Women yet the New doth mention more As Magdalen was honoured to tell Peter and John who returned to the City after they had run to the Sepulchre and saw no Christ but Mary staid till she saw him so the other Holy Women having Mary Magdalen also in their company as a Captain have the honour to tell all the Apostles c. Luke 24.9 10. When as the Apostles themselves took these Tidings as tatling Women's Talk and Idle Tales ver 11. True Faith is a great Work we can sooner believe Romances and Fables than we can the most Sacred Truths however Taught and Testified 6thly A Soul's meeting first with a lost Saviour is a very joyful meeting here our Lord saith to those Holy Women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Avete Gaudese Rejoice ye or Peace be unto ye Great Peace and Joy have they that find again their lost Redeemer Behold those Truths here Mark 1st Prescribed means of Grace duly and truly improved will help the disconsolate Soul to find out a lost Saviour Those good Women are walking in that way which was prescribed to them by the Angel of God and in the way they meet him whom they wanted so may those Souls do that believe God's Word in the Mouths of his Messengers Mark 2d These Holy Women did not only believe the promise but also obey the command of God's Angel then Christ met them and confirmed them both in their Faith and Obedience commanding them to do the same things that the Holy Angel had commanded them Mat. 28.7 8 9 10. Such Souls as do believe and obey what Christ's Ministers call'd Angels â—iâ— them shall both meet with Christ and be farther confirmed in their duty by him Mark 3d. Such Souls though their best Faith be mixed with some fear shall not only find a lost Jesus but also a reward of their obedience and a remedy against their fear as these did to whom Christ said be not Afraid Mark 4th Humble Sinners may be homely with their Saviour yet find Acceptance with him as these Women did who took him by the Feet and held him there as loth to lose his Presence any more The Third Appearance of Christ was to the two Disciples Travelling to Emmaus to whom he Preached a stinging Sermon The Evangelist Mark toucheth upon this with bâ—evity Mark 16.12 But Luke relateth it in a large description Luke 24.13 to 32. which therefore requireth the more Inlargement upon it The 1st Remark here is The place whither these two Disciples were going to was Emmaus which signifieth a forlorn People being Sixty Furlongs or Seven Miles and a half to Jerusalem Some Antients say the Hot Baths for healing cold Diseases by Bathing in those Waters were found there and much frequented For the Hebrew words Cham-Majim signifies Hot Waters Whatever was the place sure I am those two Disciples went forlorn thither they staid not with Mary at the Sepulchre But their Evidence of Christ's Resurrection made them to return with Joy I omit other Descants upon the signification of the name Emmaus as it signifies an hastening Mother and likewise the City of Victory both which names do represent the Church our Mother who hasteneth to enter into the everlasting rest Heb. 4.9 and is the City of God that obtaineth Victory by her Faith 1 John 5.4 and the Church Militant at Emmaus passeth back to be Triumphant in Jerusalem which is above But whatever it signifies sure I am these two Disciples got a draught of the Cordial Waters of Life as they went to this Village of Hot Waters which made their Hearts burn within them Luke 24.32 The 2d Remark is the Persons Who they were Some say to this that these two Disciples were Cleopas and Luke That Cleopas was one of them is clear because he is named by Luke ver 18. But the other person cannot be Luke because the Evangelist in his Preface to his Gospel doth distinguish himself from others that had been Eye-Witnesses Luke 1.2 which he could not have done had he here seen the Lord. As Theophylact thinks it was Luke but amiss So Epiphanius affirms it was Nathaniel But Origen asserts it was Simon Peter with whom our Late Learned Criticks do concur Yet the general Sentiment both of the Antient and Modern Expositors is That these Disciples were two of the Seventy distinct from the Apostles whom Christ appointed as Assistants to them Luke 10.1 who likely as some say lived at Emmaus and were now walking home when the Passover-Solemnity was performed but meeting with this appearance of Chrisâ— beyond expectation and to their Amazement they returned that Night to Jerusalem and found the Eleven there Assembled together Luke 24.33 Which some make an Argument to prove that the other was not Peter for then it had been Improper to say that one of the Eleven found the Eleven together The 3d Remark is The frame Christ found these two Disciples in which is laid down in two Circumstances 1. In their going from Christ and from the City
Disciples to comfort them which they could never have done without the Light of that Fire which still continued burning in their Hearts Teaching us hereby 1. That all Self-interest Night-rest and Private concerns must give place to God's Glory and our Neighbour's good And 2. The Blessed Truths revealed unto us we should hasten to reveal them to our Relations As the Dam or Old Bird getting a worm flyeth quickly home with it to feed her young And as Ruth carried her Gleanings home to her Mother Naomi so should we do to ours c. CHAP. XXXVIII Of Christ's Fourth Appearance THE Fourth Appearance of Christ after his Resurrection was to Simon Peter which the foregoing discourse doth Introduce the discovery of Luke 24.34 The Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared unto Simon That it was so done is plain from a double Testimony not only from this place of the Evangelist Luke but also from the Testimony of Blessed Paul 1 Cor. 15.5 He was seen of Cephas which was the honourable name Christ honoured him with when he first looked upon him with his Omniscient Eye of Favour knowing not only his other names though no body had told him them but also his inside as well as outside John 1.42 N.B. His first name was Simon which signifies an Hearkener and is the first Step or degree of those that desire to learn the best things Now he was one of those that waited for the Consolation and Redemption of Israel by the blessed Messias as Luke 2.25 38. Mark 15.43 So no better news could come to him than this we have found the Messias John 1. verse 41. His second name was Bar-Jonah which as it is the contract of Jochanab it signifies a Son of Grace This was his second degree as he now was become of an Hearkener a true believer not doubting but he who call'd him and knew his names untold by others must be no other than God-man the Messiah then came this Additional name Cephas which signifies a Stone to denote the third degree of such proficients in believing as to cleave close to Christ with an unshaken Faith which this Simon did by the force of Christ's Prayer for him Luke 22.31 32. Though this Stone did foully faulter and stumble at the Cross in denying his Master yet did not his Faith fail nor was he called a Stone as if he were to be the foundation of the Church as the Romanists report for 1. In making Peter the foundation Rome pitcheth upon that Apostle of whom most infirmities are Recorded in Scripture for beside his Abjuring his Lord c. blessed Paul withstood him to his face c. Gal. 2.11 12 13 14. c. 2. Peter himself calls all Christians lively Stones 1 Pet. 2.5 Soif that Denomination of a Stone made him the Church's foundation then all Christians are no less by vertue of that same name that he himself honours them with Adding a more honourable Adiunct or Adiective to wit lively which was not given to him 3. The same honourable name of being foundations of the Church is given to all the Apostles as well as to him yea and to the Prophets also Eph. 2.20 Rev. 21.14 Rom. 15.20 1 Cor. 3.10 11. 4. Though Christ tell Peter why he gave him that name Matthew 16.18 19. yet the words spoken to Cephas there are explained to be meant unto all the Apostles John 20.22 23. Thus it appears that Paul's Cephas was Luk's Simon call'd Peter a Synonymon with Cephas both signifying a Rock or Stone but though this double Testimony doth confirm this Truth that Christ appeared indeed to Simon Peter yet the great Question is what time it was when this was done The Romanists must by any means have it Christ's first appearance to any man next to his appearances to the holy Women that Peter might be honoured above all men to be the foundation of the Church but this is like their presumptuous Assertion before mentioned that is was but good manners for Christ to appear first to his own Holy Mother And 't is a wonder they do not likewise assert that his second appearance must be next to that of the Blessed Virgin unto Peter for the honour of Peter's patrimony as they are pleased to style the Romish Church looking upon it as a Dishonour to them That their Mary whom they blasphemously Deify and their Peter to whom they unwarrantably ascribe a Supremacy over all the other Apostles should be so slighted by Christ's Appearing first of all to so great a Sinner as Mary Magdalen was though the Scripture of Truth do peremptorily assert it Mark 16.9 and to the other Holy Women far inferiour to the Virgin Mary in the next place as if the Son had forgot his natural affections to his dear Mother yea and that two of the 70. Disciples should be honoured with the honour of our Lord's appearance to them before Peter or any of the other Apostles who were of a far higher order N.B. Thus humane folly most daringly takes upon it to correct Divine Wisdom and insolently presumes to be God's counsellour though no man either in the Romish or Christian Church ought to do so Rom. 11.33 for as was said before God loves to go a way of his own and by himself His thoughts are not as our thoughts neither are our ways his ways saith the Lord But as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isa 55.8 9. The thoughts and ways of God are unconceivably and incomprehensibly above those of Men N.B. I know the Popish Postillers do affirm that those Matrons did merit the first appearance of the raised Messiah because of their Zealous Devotion in going on Pilgrimage to visit the Lord's Sepulchre a piece of devotion still meritoriously practiced in the Church of Rome to this day but if Christ dealt out his appearances in a method of Merit Sure I am his Mother Mary who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a breeder and bearer of God the greatest of Saints must needs merit more priviledge than Mary Magdalen one of the greatest of Sinners or any other of those Women who went to visit Christ's Sepulchre and who found only an empty Cask the Treasure being gone before they got thither which had they known 't is likely they had not so done Nor am I ignorant how that Iudicious Acute Accurate Chronologer Dr. Lightfoot reckoning but seven appearances of our Saviour suitable in number to his seven last words and wonders and signs of his Triumph as above putteth that to Mary Magdalen and that to the other Holy Women into one to wit the first and this to Peter he placeth the Second reckoning him to be one of those travellers to Emmaus but Salva canti viri pace I shall ask leave of that very learned man to offer some objections to his opinion though backed well with the Authority of the Ancients especially of Origen modestly
found in so eminent an Apostle's heart as Thomas was may mind us how much more may be found in the hearts of the best of us poor worthless Worms when left to our selves and in the hand of our own Counsels N.B. So the doors giving way and yielding up a free passage for Christ's entrance here should likewise admonish us how the doors of our hearts ought to yield and give way to Christ's entrance into them when he comes and stands knocking there by the Hammer of his Word and by the Hand of his Spirit How can we be so hard hearted as to suffer a sweet Saviour whose only Errand for our entertaining him is to save our Souls to stand out of doors as it were with his Hat in his hand intreating an open Entrance till his Head be filled with Dew and his Locks with the drops of the Night as the unkind Spouse did Cant. 5.2 Her sleepy heart cost her dear verse 6. They that will not when they may when they would they shall have Nay Shall dead Wood yield and not living Hearts See Psal 24.7 The 4th Remark follows here to wit The Manner How our Lord managed this manifestation of himself this sixth time which was principally for curing and confirming unbelieving Thomas Christ appeared here after the same sort as he had done before John 20.19 26. Both times he came in when the Doors were shut and stood in the midst to be seen and viewed from top to toe by all the Eleven c. As this could not but be a farther confirmation of the Ten Disciple's Faith because they had seen him appear to them after the same sort on the first Day before this Thus Christ most graciously condescended to Gideon for confirming his Faith mentioned Heb. 11.32 by granting him a double sign Judg. 6.37 38 39 40. Both he and these Apostles came not up to a firm Faith at first but by degrees Note So it must serve also for a fuller conviction of Thomas's Unbelief concerning the Relation that his Fellow-Disciples had given him of Christ's last Appearance when he saw his Lord appear again in the same sort as â—hey had related Now the particular manner of Christ's manifesting himself to all the Eleven at this time was both by words and by deeds again as he had done before yet in some circumstances differing as there was now a different occasion For 1st Christ saluted them Thomas and all with the same sweet Salutation Peace be unto you as before and as he had taught them to salute those Houses that willingly received the Gospel of Peace Matth. 10.12 13 c. Let us here turn aside a little with Moses Exod. 3.3 and behold this work of wonder That our Lord should proclaim peace to such an obstinate Rebel against that glorious Truth of Christ's Resurrection as Thomas was Though the Renegado-ten Apostles might upon their Rocovery by Repentance be reckoned as worthy of this Salute yet sure I am this stubborn Unbeliever Thomas must needs be look'd upon as most unworthy of any such gracious Congratulation for he had been prescribing a Law of believing to himself and putting on a limiting Condition upon his Soveraign Lord contrary to that command Thou shalt not limit the Holy One of Israel Psal 78.41 too sawcily saying Except I see in his hands c. and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe John 20.25 Notwithstanding all this wicked wilfulness and peevish perverseness in Thomas yet shall he have his particular share in this general peace Who but the Son of Peace the Saviour of Sinners would have so said to and so saluted such an unworthy Sinner This clear Character of Christ's candour and kindness in the case of Thomas may serve to encourage us to put in for our part in Christ's Peace though in rigour of Justice we be altogether unworthy to partake thereof 2dly After our Saviour had Saluted them all in general comprehending Thomas for whose sake peculiarly was the benefit of this 6 Appearance designed he shewed again his wounds for the sake of this one doubting Soul Note Oh marvelous Clemency These were the most indubitable signs of the Reality of his Resurrection whereas had he made his raised Body to pierce the solid Wood and to pass through the shut Doors this Act would have added strength to their Doubtings that it was not Christ himself but some Spectrum or Spirit for it is the property of Spirits and not of true Bodies to penetrate other Bodies Beside 't is against the very scope of this Appearance which plainly was to be touched by Thomas that by touching he might come to know and believe now such a penetration of Diameters or solid Dimensions would have unavoidably rather weakened than strengthened that Faith which he came to confirm as well as recover seeing as no meer Spirit can be touched so no solid Body can enter while doors be shut However was his passage in upon them it was not that of a Spectrum or Phantasm but of the Omnipotent God yet did this God Man shew here the wounds of his Manhood More especially to Thomas for whose sake he came and to whom be said Reach hither thy hands c. John 20.27 Note John mentions both Christ's wounded hands and his wounded side but makes no menâ—ion of his wounded feet yet this is supplied by Luke who relates how Christ said to them Behold my hâ—â—ds and my feet c. Luke 24.39 Oh wonderful Divine condescension not only in his vouchsafing to appear again and shewing his wounds for the fuller removal of that scruple that terrified all the Ten Apostles thinking him to be but a Phantasm verse 37. whereas by this second show of himself and of his wounds the Ten were further confirmed that it was the same Body which was crucified and now raised up alive again But more especially was this gracious vouchsafement made to this unbelieving Thomas c. 3dly Christ gave Thomas not only an â—oular as to the others but also a palpable demonstration saying to him Feel with thy finger those four lesser wounds which the four Nails made in my hands and feet and thrust thy whole hand into that greater wound made by the Souldier's Spear in my side c. And annexing with it a friendly Reproof Be not faithless but believing Note Thus Christ can be content to condescend thus graciously unto the weakness of this Unbeliever who undoubtedly was much to be blamed for his so presumptuously prescribing and laying such unreasonable Laws upon his Lord because Christ saw that the Root of the matter was in him as Job 19.28 the seed of God still remaining 1 John 3 â— The Radical Grace of Faith was yet budding forth some fâ—int desires in him to believe better and to repent â—ore of his 〈◊〉 therefore did Christ out of his matchless candour and compassion condescend to him and to his weakness Thus our Lord did to Jairus Mark 5.23 c. who
new measures to take and what retrieving counsel to follow thus the same word is used Luke 24.4 Acts 2.12 and here and Acts 10.17 N.B. Thus the wicked in the fulness of their sufficiency are in straits Job 20.22 whereas the godly have in the fulness of their straits a well-contented sufficiency True Piety hath true Plenty 1 Tim. 6.6 c. Such a non-plus and perplexity these wicked Adversaries had been plunged into before when reduced to such a strait and at such a loss as they knew not what to say or what to do Acts 4.14 20 21. Though their Fingers even itched to do something against them And now again they are confounded and startled only at this wonderful work but are not converted thereby How much more shall all wicked men be dispirited and even Ring their Bells backward at the last Day when they shall see the whole World all on a light fire when the evident presages of some eminent Temporal Judgment doth so startle them drive them into so deep a consternation now such men's hearts shall then fail them much more indeed Luke 21.26 This was fulfilled at the Siege of Jerusalem upon these wretches who were now so much troubled at the Apostle's Preaching the Crucified Christ to be alive for which they thought them sure enough in Prison yet while their restless malice was consulting to destroy them for Preaching they hear the Preachers were not only freed out of Prison but also Preaching again in the Temple This made them more mad The fifth Remark is the most sound and sacred Doctrine is an unsufferable Torment to unsound and unholy hearts When Peter and all the other Apostles answered before the Council who now had sent for them without their former Violence fearing Men more than God and aggravating their crime to the highest degree of obstinacy with odious Reflections upon Christ as one unworthy of a name verse 26 27 28. We ought to obey God rather than Man verse 29. as before Acts 4.18 19. N. B. Urging this Argument as the common sense of all considering persons a principle granted and grafted in all Mankind by the Law of Nature so that the sage Heathen Socrates could say I love you Heathens yet will I obey God rather than you How much more may Christians from the light of Scripture say When Men command or forbid us any thing contrary to the Word of God then God is to be obeyed and not Man Dan. 3.18 c. Then Peter proceeding to Preach Christ whom they had Crucified to be now an exalted Prince able to subdue his Foes and defend his Friends c. verse 30 31 32. This cut them to the heart verse 33. they were so tortured hereat that as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies they were as cut asunder with a Saw and grinning at them with their Teeth as if they would devour them Thus in all times bad men indure not good Doctrine 2 Tim. 4.3 4. That Honey purges green wounds but causeth pain to exulcerate parts Lusty Itch must be gratified with gentle scratching only c. The sixth Remark is the true Christian Religion which comes from Heaven cannot be destroyed by all the wicked men on Earth nor by all the Devils in Hell to help them This is asserted by Gamaliel Paul's Tutor Acts 22.3 who was a Pharisee and one of this Council yet more moderate than were the Sadduces by whose wise caution as with a Bridle God restrained the outragious Fury of those Mad-men He alledgeth 1. The History of Theudas and Judas two Rebels against the Romans both which soon dwindled away by this he counselled them to do nothing rashly for furious Indignation is but a bad Counsellor N.B. History derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of stopping the stream of Violence hath its excellent use and efficacy as it had here verse 34 35 36 37 40. Then 2. He urges a Dilemma a two-horned Argument that pushed both ways saying What the Apostles do act is either of Men or of God If of Men it hath a sandy bottom so must fall Matth. 7.27 You need not trouble your selves c. but if of God ye cannot overthrow it verse 38 39. therefore refrain and fight not against God as the proud Giants did and perished thereby N.B. This moderate Pharisee may shame our peevish Persecutors who little think they are waging War against the great God Did ever any harden himself against God and hath prospered Job 9.4 No one Instance can be given either among Tongue-smiters or Hand-smiters that could boast of the last blow or ever cry Victory No such as harden their hearts against God God will harden his hand against them Shall they escape by Iniquity No In thine Anger cast them down O God Psal 56.7 How can the borrowing Power be a meet match for the lending Power 'T is of God that all Men do live and move Acts 17.28 There is no Counsel Wisdom or Might against the Lord Prov. 21. v. 30. All contrary Powers are to no purpose if God deny concourse or influence The Arm of Humane Power and Policy like Jeroboam's shrinks up presently and while it strives for Mastery is over-mastered If God will gather together his Armies who can put a stop to him Job 11.10 The Counsel of the Lord must stand Prov. 19.21 Isa 8.10 and 46.10 Psal 33.11 Man purposeth but God disposeth There is a Counsel in Heaven that will dash down the Mould of all contrary Counsels on Earth The seventh Remark is The Issue of all and every Conflict of the Church is an happy Conquest over her Adversaries They yielded here to Gamaliel's convincing counsel yet not altogether for they will not dismiss the Apostles without beating them wherein they so far fought against God as well as in prohibiting their Preaching Notwithstanding all this beating and brow-beating the Apostles abated not of their courage nor one hair-breadth of their work but rejoiced that they were so graced in their being so disgraced for Christ They looked upon it as an high honour to be dishonoured in being beaten as Slaves as Christ their Lord hath foretold them Matth. 10.17 This Testimony to the Truth they accounted a favour and Divine Condescension according to Phil. 1.29 where 't is intimated that to suffer for Christ is as great a gift if not greater than to believe in him Nor did they for all this cease to Preach publickly as well as privately and the more outragious were the Adversaries the more couragious were the Apostles CHAP. VI. The Third Persecution against Stephen stoned BUT the next blow the Adversary gave the Church in the third Persecution was a blacker and bloodier blow as the sequel will demonstrate yet even then also was there checker'd-work still the white of Mercy marvelously mingled with the black of Misery The procuring cause of this third Persecution was this Primo-Primitive Church daily winning ground by both the two former Persecutions and growing into a very
sort of Persecutors he violently broke open many Doors of the Houses where those Christians had their private Meetings and there he spared none of either Sex but haled both Men and women by the Hair of their Heads as if they had been taken Captives in the heat of War and cast them into Prison and still which was worse than all this he compelled them to blaspheme Acts 26.11 that is not only to renounce their Religion but also to curse their Crucified Christ therefore confesseth that he had been not only a Persecutor but one who had been notoriously Injurious 1 Tim. 1.13 Phil. 3.6 The Remarks hereupon are 1. That there is a blind Zeal misguided by an Ignis Fatuus a Will-with-Wisp or rather by a false Fire from Hell His Zeal was only exercised in persecuting the Church Phil. 3.6 that could not conform to the Pharisaical Traditions N.B. Zeal is good when it acts in a good matter Gal. 4.18 but this of Saul's was not so Gal. 1.13 He saith the same of his own Zeal as of that of the Jews that it was a Zeal without knowledge Rom. 10.2 3. though a warm yet a blind Zeal They knew not that Christ was the End and Accomplishment of the Law and that his Righteousness not that of the Law was only acceptable to God If Zeal be not qualified with knowledge all will be on fire as the primum-mobile with its swift Revolution would be were it not cooled by the counter-motion of the lower Spheres Blind Zeal is as wild-fire in the hand of a Fool 't is like the Devil in the Demoniack which casts him sometimes into the Fire and sometimes into the Water Mark 9.22 Ignorance is a great Breeder and mostly great-bellied which Aristotle himself makes the Mother of mis-rule and mischief The dark corners of the Earth saith the Psalmist are top-full of cruelty Psal 74.20 The Soul that is without knowledge is not good and he that without knowledge basteth with his feet sinneth saith Solomon Prov. 19.2 The faster he goeth the farther he wandereth out of the Right way Mettle in a blind Horse is dangerous Yet this mad Zealot lived a blameless life otherwise Phil. 3.6 The second Remark is This black Character is designedly given here and elsewhere of this peevish Zealot as a foil to give the more lustre to the Riches of the Grace and Mercy of God towards him in changing such a bloody worrying Wolf into such a gentle and useful Lamb and of such an unparallel'd Persecutor to make such an eminent and wonderful Pastor N.B. All this is Recorded of him that none might despair of Saving-Mercy who can but find hearts given them to repent of their sins and to be converted c. The third Remark is the prospect of that black Hue which this young Persecutor had put upon him by being dip'd in the Devil 's Dye-Fat N.B. Satan before his Fall did think none but after his Fall would have none better than himself therefore makes he Saul here as bad as himself both in Malice and Sin These two Evils whether in Devils or in Men are equally Aged and be as equally Evil both have the same Name and Nature as if there were no sin but Malice All Evil is envious The good that a bad man will not imitate he cannot but envy He that grieves not because himself is evil usually Irks that another is good As Sin separates 'twixt God and Man so it sows Enmity 'twixt the Devil and Man yet can it combine wicked men to become Sworn-Brethren in Iniquity not only in being but also in doing Evil. N.B. This Confederacy is not Union or Concord but the worst sort of Conspiracy as was that of Herod's and Pilate's against Christ When Thieves shake hands 't is done for malice and mischief against the truly honest Man Judas both consents to and consults with the Priests for killing Christ Saul consents only which is always the first step to sin with the Stoners of Stephen Acts 8.1 and 22.20 N.B. To behold Evil and not to dislike it is to consent to it By-standers may be Accessories making the offence of others their own by their consent He that forbids not Evil furthers it Particpat Nutans non obstans non manifestans Either Saul's degree was above the Office of an Executioner or his Age was under it Yet if he may not be a Partner in the Murder he will be a Witness yea a Witness of the Witnesses who laid down their cloaths at his feet Acts 7.58 N.B. No Age is innocent Childhood and Youth are vanity Eccles 11.9 10. This Young Man though not rejoycing in the vain pleasures of his Youth yet was villanous and violent in a malicious persecution of the Gospel of Truth So villany as well as vanity was found in this Youth who might be too young to have Might enough for casting a Stone at a Martyr's head with his hand yet was there no want of Malice in his heart though there was not Might in his hand to hold the cloaths of those that could more mischievously cast them So Saul stoned Stephen with his heart while his hands held the cloaths of those that did it and probably prompted them on therein So Saul stoned Stephen by the many hands of the mad Multitude as if his own hands alone were not enough to stone him N.B. Now being once flesh'd in Stephen's Blood Saul becomes a second Nimrod a mighty Hunter not satiated with devouring one silly Lamb whose flesh still sticks in this Wolf's Teeth becomes now bolder to seize upon the whole Flock Stephen's Blood had only made his mouth to water after a deeper Draught and a fuller Carouse of the Saint's Blood as one who could not sit down satisfied with destroying one single Saint without dissolving the whole Communion of Saints Having thus far spoke 1. To the Efficient Cause or Instrument of this Fourth Persecution I come 2. To speak of the sad and deplorable Effects thereof which is expressed in those words They were all scattered abroad throughout the Regions of Judaea and Samaria excepting the Apostles Acts 8.1 There be various Opinions about the All that were scattered hereby The first Opinion is that this All here is to be taken largely for the Multitude of Believers who were the Constituting Members of the first Gospel-Church at least so many of them as could not commodiously Abscond and had conveniency to fave themselves by flight This was allowed or rather commanded by Christ Matth. 10.23 Therefore they are too Rigid that discommend it The second Opinion taketh this All more strictly for all the Teachers of the Church those extraordinary Gifted Deacons and others who Preached the Word a work only proper for Ministers Acts 8.4 one of which number was Philip who Preached at Samaria verse 5 c. which very Imploy is ever most obnoxious to Persecution N.B. This sense is the more probable For 1. Luke's scope is to write an History of the one
was quickly Metamorphos'd in the Ecclesiastick power of the Bishop of Rome in comparison of whose power that when Phocus had gratified Boniface the Bishop with the primacy for the supporting him in the Imperial Chair after he had murdered the Emperour Mauritious his Master and placed him self in it The Emperor's power was indeed very small ever after Therefore is he said to exercise all the power of the first Beast healing his former wound by reviving the adoration of Images under a new name of Saints by which Idolatry lived again and doth live yet is it also limited to 42 months Rev. ch 13. v. 5 12 15 and those two Beasts are but one Beast ver 17 18 c. N.B. That the Lord may make me as another Barnabas a Son of Consolation Acts 4.36 unto the Disconsolate Church in this our Day with a blessed Voice in the Temple Isa 66.6 I shall lay down this General Rule first that the choicest and most soveraign Cordials wherewith we ought to Refresh and Revive our Trembling Spirits when we are even fainting away with fear prevailing over our hope are the exceeding great and precious Promises of God 2 Pet. 1.4 which are called by the Evangelical Prophet the Breasts of Consolation Isa 66.11 Those are the blessed Suckling Bottles that all God's Children who are taught of the Lord Isa 54.13 John 6.45 must learn to suck that they may be satified so as no longer to look upon the consolations of God like small matters to them Job 15.11 for no small gifts can come from the hand of so great and so gracious a God who is the God of Consolation Rom. 15.5 and the Consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 He is the God of all Comfort 2 Cor. 1.3 that is of all true Comfort of all kinds of Comfort and of all degrees of Comfort He is the Fountain from whom they all flow and such a Father of Mercy as when one comforting Mercy is spent upon us God still abides as a Father able to beget more and new comforting Mercies for us that the Heirs of the Promises might have strong consolation c Heb. 6.17 18. even everlasting Consolation in our Lord Christ 2 Thes 2.16 Now as there is a Natural Instinct which instructeth Lambs and all such like young Animals immediately as soon as brought forth to suck the Teats of their Dams c. So there is a Divine and Spiritual Instinct which teaches all the Lambs of Christ to suck the precious Promises those blessed Breasts of Consolation that they may be as Napthali satisfied with favour and filled with the blessing of the Lord Deut. 33.23 Behold the marvelous congruity betwixt this Instinct of Nature in all young Animals and that great Grace of Faith in all God's Children 'T is said the Just shall live by his Faith Hab. 2.4 a Text so famous as to be three times quoted in the New Testament Râ—m 1.17 Gal. 3.11 and Heb. 10.38 All which Divine Scriptures do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unanimously hold forth the most eminent and most excellent exercise of that great Grace of Faith so exceeding useful to us both while we live and when we die The Just or truly justified ones cannot live without it 'T is as the Merchant Ship that fetcheth our food from far Prov. 31.14 even from Heaven it self sometimes as it did Manna Psal 78.24 25. John 6.31 This Grace makes men able to live even in the worst of times and sure I am none dare die without it 't is the saving Grace as Heb. 11.13 All God's Worthies died in the Faith c. Thus far in the general but now come to particulars N.B. We must learn all of us as becometh the Babes of Christ to suck out satisfaction to our Souls from such blessed Breasts of Consolation as are most suitable to our present condition of any kind of Calamity The first Instance I shall give here is that exceeding great and precious promise which God most graciously granted unto Abraham that Father of all the faithful Rom. 4.16 when a pang of fear came upon him and when his Faith was fallen below his Fear and his Fear was swollen up above his Faith then God comes seasonably and says to him Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great Reward Gen. 15.1 When Abraham was made able to suck out the sweet Milk of this precious Promise by the Mysterial Mouth of a lively Faith then his former fainting fits of a desponding fear were done away and then could he walk as it were hand in hand with his God through all his following Tryals and became able to follow his heavenly Father as we may say blindfold not knowing whither he went Heb. 11.8 yet all along well knowing with whom he went for he always walked as a Child in his Father's hand saying as David said afterward Though my God lead me through the Valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for God is with me his Rod and Staff still comfort me therefore surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Psal 23.4 6. 'T is expresly said of Abraham that he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to perform c. Rom. 4.20 21. Now what Malady of fear did here befal our Father Abraham may befal any of the Sons and Daughters of Abraham yea undoubtedly often times does so As Faith in God's Promise was this holy Patriarch's Remedy against his Malady of fear So accordingly it ought to be our Remedy also If we could believe more in the Lord our God we should be better established against all distrustful fears and be more prosperous in our works and ways 2 Chron. 20.20 Isa 7.9 for God proportioneth his performing unto the measure of our believing saying to us as to the Man in the Gospel As thou be lievest so be it unto thee Matth. 8.13 Mark 9.23 This is a very great Truth that whosoever of the Sons and Daughters of Abraham do their duty according to that Divine Command Rom. 4.12 of walking in the steps of faithful Abraham in this World they shall be sure of lodging in the bosom of Father Abraham as Lazarus did Luke 16.22 in the World to come c. The second Instance that I shall add alone here concerneth the Church of God in general as the first did every Child of God in particular both which may fall into fainting fits of hopeless fear this is that exceeding great and precious promise out of which all the Children of the Church ought to suck the Milk of consolation in a disconsolating day of distress upon the Church of Christ namely that blessed Breast of comfort recorded by Zechariah Rejoyce greatly O! daughter of Zion c. Behold thy King cometh unto thee Just