〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were at Jerusalem as appears Chap. 1.4 Where there is distinction division and confusion there is no hope of receiving the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 14.33 But the Lord commands them to tarry at Jerusalem the vision of Peace that they might receive the Promise of the Father and there they abode 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one mind and one heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altogether and so they received the Holy Ghost Observ 8. The wonderful dignation and condescent of our God the transcendent dignity of the believing man that the most High God should stoop so low as to take up his residence in our house of Clay Solomon wonders 1 King 8.27 And will indeed the Lord dwell on earth Behold the heavens cannot contain thee how much less this house Since wonderment proceeds from ignorance it must needs be very admirable and wonderful that a wise man the wisest of Kings wonders at Yet was that house the most Magnificent Structure in the world How much more wonderful is it that the Most High God who dwells in the High and Holy should dwell with the contrite and humble to revive the Spirit c The most High God accepts of thy Body Soul and Spirit as his outward Court His Holy and most Holy place above all Temples made with hands above all his other houses in Heaven and Earth Observ 9. The truth of God in the performance of his promises Repleti Apostoli impleta Scriptura a document to relie on him for less things as it is good reason with God He that is faithful in little is faithfull also in much then with man he that is faithful in much is faithful in the least outward things called these things Observ 10. The difference between the Law and the Gospel Rom. 8.3 4. Repreh 1. O how many of a common errour The Lord fills men with his Spirit it 's said expresly they were all filled with the Holy Ghost But the common Gloss is with his Gifts and Graces more abundant knowledge of mysteries greatness of mind and constancy gifts of tongues largeness of heart admirable utterance power and evidence of the Spirit in preaching and praying all this is true but none of all these are the Holy Ghost The Scripture saith they were filled they were all filled with the Holy Ghost O Beloved I fear we are unwilling to admit the Lord the Spirit to dwell in his own Temple And therefore we commonly interpret the endearing promises of his own presence with the Glosses of other things much below and less than himself Thus when the Scripture saith Christ is in you the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 the Gloss is Christ among you 2 Pet. 1.4 That ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature not the substance which is incommunicable saith the Gloss i. e. not the nature What boldness is this the Scripture saith the nature the Gloss saith not the substance not the nature what then excellent Graces whereby we are made like to God in wisdom and holiness Is not this to drive God from his habitation He would come and in a more special manner dwell in us and fill us with his Spirit and we are unwilling he should come so near us We rather choose some qualifications virtues graces gifts but as for God himself Christ himself the being and presence of God himself which yet we can well endure to be in Heaven and Earth and all the Creatures Enter presenter Deus hic ubique potentèr God himself his Divine Nature Christ the Holy Spirit men thrust from them and will not endure it in them Repreh 2. It lies upon us all as a great and heavy complaint of these last times That the Spirit of God is poured out in great measure yea beyond measure in the fulness of it yet men receive it not Let no man dare to confine the Promise of the Spirit only to those first times as if Joel's prophesie were so fulfilled then that it belonged not at all to us St. Peter understood it otherwise and so must we Act. 2.38 39. Repent saith he and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call And what was that promise that in the last dayes God would pour out his spirit upon all flesh vers 16 17. of that Chapter But so it is now as in the dayes of Christs flesh He came unto his own and his own received him not he pours out his Spirit and who receives it and what 's the reason the Prophet Joel tells us that in these dayes the Lord will pour out his spirit upon all flesh and St. Paul 2 Tim. 3.1 5. tells us That in these last dayes perilous times should come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power of it So that God pours out his Holy Spirit and the Devil pours out his Spirit God sheds forth the Holy Ghost from Heaven and Hell 's broke loose to oppose it and both these joyn issue and come to the shock and strive together whether of them should fill the heart and soul of the poor miserable man in these last dayes So that Beloved the reason is too too evident why we are not filled with the Spirit of God in â—hâ—se last dayes We are filled with the Spirit of the world that Spirit whereby men walk according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the 〈◊〉 the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 Intus existens prohibet extraneum we are filled with the Spirit of this world and that keeps out the Spirit of God the Spirit of Truth the world cannot receive saith our Saviour Joh. 14.17 For as one adequate and proper place cannot hold two bodies so neither can one Soul though capable of a legion of Spirits which agree hold two disagreeing aâ—d contrary Spirits as the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the world are That filâ—s us with unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness envy murder debate deceit Rom. 1.29 that fills us with rapine and excess Luk. 11. O Beloved let us not deceive our selves if we be thus filled there 's no room left for the Spirit of God O the fearful condition of those who are thus filled They are given up saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a reprobate mind a mind that cannot examine it self Some I have known so full of these that they were insensible of them such
Gell's Remaines Or Several Select SCRIPTURES OF THE New Testament Opened and Explained WHEREIN JESUS CHRIST As Yesterday To Day And the same for Ever is Illustrated IN Sundry PIOUS and LEARNED NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS thereupon In Two Volumes By the Learned and Judicious Dr. Robert Gell late Rector of St. Mary Alder-mary London Collected and Set in Order by R. Bacon Ph. Jerem. 6.16 Thus saith the Lord Stand in the way and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest unto your Souls Vulgarium animarum oculi Divinitatis radios sufferre nequeunt Aug. LONDON Printed for NATH BROOKE at the Sign of the Angel in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1676. A PREFACE To the Candid and Christian READERS Men Brethren and Fathers OUr Saviour after he had fed five thousand with five Barley Loaves and two little Fishes gave commandment to his Disciples to take up the fragments that nothing be lost Joh. 6.10.11 12. And behold there was taken up twelve Baskets full much more at the last than appeared at the first This commandment hath touched and obliged us likewise to gather up these Remains of this Learned and Pious Author that nothing of his as much as in us was might be lost for we doubt not to affirm that they are of the same sort of Viands wherewith our Lord himself fed so many thousands in the Wilderness It is said very fitly for our purpose in the ordinary Gloss on that place that the five Barley Loaves were Vetus Lex the old Law contained in the five books of Moses and they are said to be Barley Loaves Quia Lex Cibus est Rudium Medulla hordei tenacissima palea vix separabili tegitur Because the Law is the food of the Rude and Weak the pith or inward part is covered with a most tenacious and scarcely separable husk or shell But behold in this Work the old Law is opened so as not only to become Food for Babes but strong meat for them that are of full age that by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil But though Fragments which Origen understands to be those more abstruce Divine and secret Mysteries which are usually made light of if not with contempt trod under foot by the more carnal and unspiritual and inconsiderate both Hearers and Readers yea and these as well of the Learned as the Unlearned sort and broken Meat yet such as have a good savour to them who have an hunger after the true heavenly Food that same panem super-substantialem we daily pray for Not indeed so prepared as they would have been had the Author himself lived to have brought them forth However they are no other but in the very Truth the same with his own Copy written with his own hand and faithfully transcribed for the Press Now that the Readers may not take offence that there are so many references in some of these Notes especially those on Matthew to others more fully speaking to the same thing they may and ought candidly to judge that the Author intended the publishing of them all that what seemed to be wanting in the one might be fully found made up in the other And this we doubt not but ye will find saving that I am to advertise you that though these are hitherto preserved yet many were to our great grief lost in the great hurry of that Fire which lately burnt this City some of them lying distant from the other so miscarried But through the mercy of God these like Moses having escaped the violence of the Fire as he did of the Water are here left as Monuments of God's Love to the World and in particular to this City to whom this Trumpet sounded Shrill enough that they might have heard it to their amendment and so their preservation for God Lightens before he Thunders but their Ears were bored before by others to their unutterable hurt and ruine But the City being now as miraculously restored to its former outward splendour as it was suddenly and to astonishment laid in Ashes This is in the other way of preaching the Gospel to them and the whole Nation the second time offered unto them in writing or print for so this Author gave heed unto that tripple command of our Saviour to Peter Pasce oves meos feed my sheep which some understand to be verbo vita scripto by word by life and by letter he hath taught this City by the two former already both which they may find a new imprinted for their use now in Letters and Syllables 2. Some may also take offence that especially in this Volume they meet with so many c's But they need not thereby be troubled for first the sence is good and entire without them and secondly what is wanting generally is either the full expressing of some Clause or Verse in the Scriptures which to have set down at large would have too much and unnecessarily enlarged the Volume especially considering that the most English Readers when they meet with any such they can either out of their memory or out of their Bibles make a supply 3. Some Apologie also may seem needful to the Readers for that they will find especially in the Notes on Act. 2.4 some very brief Repetitions of the same words and sence which they had read before But 1. though this the words of the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.1 may somewhat excuse who designedly did the same thing And though this may be taken for a defect or rather a redundancy yet the Reader is abundantly recompensed by the following Paragraphs which could not well come in their Order but by such a Repetition making way for them 4. It may be convenient also in this short Preface to give some account of the design of this Work which is chiefly intended to discover Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 which in brief is not only 1. Because as Irenaeus saith of the Scripture Vbique in sacra Scriptura disseminatus est filius Dei The Son of God is that holy Seed wherewith the field of the holy Scriptures is every where sown and overspread which our Saviour confirms by his Testimony of himself Luk. 24.25 26 27. Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself even so in all Humility and Modesty the like in its degree may be truly said to be the scope of this whole Work But 2. Also and more especially because it was the first and continued design of this Author to reveil Christ and the Truth concerning him out of every Scripture whatsoever he treated of whether of the Old or New Testament And those Texts that seem at first sight to be barren and to speak least of that great Mysterie for so the Apostle calls it he finds even there by the Divine Artifice he had
except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven We are such as deny our Lord and he will deny us at that Great Day our Lord gives us fair and timely warning of it Mat. 7.21 22 23. Luk. 13.26 27. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father Obser 3. Whosoever the Lord is impartial and without respect of persons Obser 4. If our Lord deny those who yet make some outward confession and profession of him because in works they deny him what shall become of those who deny him both in words and works prophane wicked and ungodly men Tit. 1.16 being abominable disobedient and unto every good work reprobate The Apostles prophesie of such to come 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Repreh 1. Do we thus requite the Lord foolish people and unwise that we are Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee c. Deut. 32.6 2 Pet. 2. 1. Jude 4.18 Obser 1. Observe how the Noble Nature of man is abased and degenerate it needs motives promises and threats of the highest nature to move it but to it 's own duty and threats to terrifie it from its own greatest misery needs consolation for a spur to Divine Glory Christ is the Glory of his people Israel Luk. 2. And shall we who are his people be ashamed of our Glory Shall we turn our Glory to shame Psal 4. Whose Glory is their shame Phil. 3. Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour 1 Pet. 2.7 Will a Bride forget her Ornaments Jer. 2.32 Dehort That we would not deny our Lord. Motive He is our Lord shall we deny our Lord He is our Lord that hath bought us He is our owner Even the Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Master's crib and shall not Israel know his Owner Shall his people deny him the Lord that bought them now God forbid 2. Motive The turpitude of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turpitudo Sign Thou deniest him not thou believest that he was born of the Virgin c. and what great matter is it that thou so believest The Devils believe saith St. James But thou confessest that Christ is come in the flesh and the Devils confess so much I know thee who thou art thou Holy One of God Such a belief as this such a confession may consist with a wicked with a diabolical life and he who confesseth Christ so denies him Both contraries work the same effect fulness and emptiness Prov. 30.8 9. Fulness of any thing but God and Christ inclines us to deny him Fulness of Wealth Prov. 30. Lest I be full and deny thee Bread and abundance of idleness holding the Truth in unrighteousness Honour pleasure when thou hast eaten and drunk to the full then take heed Emptiness and appetite of temporal things they confessed him not because they loved the praise of men more than of God Contraria contrariis curantur Contraries are cured by contraries but herein is required Athletica habitudo Our Lord fills the hungry with good things and the rich he sends empty away Lest your beasts be overcharged with surffetting Therefore Sodom was over-thrown and our destruction comes from the same cause Pray unto the Lord to heal our backslidings Hos 14.4 Obj. But this may discourage some weak and misgiving Soul when it shall consider that Christ is denied by a sinful by a disobedient life and that Christ will deny those who so deny him Alas I have denied the Lord. But so did Peter he denied his Lord yea he forswore his Lord yea he cursed himself if he knew his Lord But Peter went out and wept yea he went out and wept bitterly for it yea by a threefold confession through the Grace of him who looked back upon him and caused him to weep bitterly he expiated his threefold denial of his Lord And if thou have denied the Lord that bought thee either in words or works haply for fear as St. Peter did and now thy Lord looks backupon thee and remembers thee of what thou hast done Go out as Peter did go out of thy lewd company such as he was engaged in but above all go out of thy self deny thy self the worst company of all deny thy worldly wisdom thy vain thoughts thy perverse will and affections which have caused thee to deny thy Lord deny ungodliness and worldly lusts follow St. Peter's Counsel as well as his Example Acts 37. The Spirit was not yet come upon Peter Excidit intrà charitatem non a charitate Therefore our Lord looked on him and he upon Christ O but I have been a Persecutor and Blasphemer yea and as they Act. 3.13 14 15. Hear that other great Apostle St. Paul 1 Tim. 1.16 which happened to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Notes on Mat. 12. in the beginning Consol To those who confess Christ before men They must displease men there is no help for it If they have persecuted me they will persecute you saith our Saviour Joh. 15.20 the same life being professed by both Wherever men confess Christ the Life there follows the persecution of the world As he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit so it is now Wherefore did Cain hate Abel but because his own works were Evil and his Brothers Righteous Saul what evil hast thou done c. See Notes on 1 Thes 4.1 Mel exulcerata mordet Honey is sharp when it meets with ulcers but sweet to them that are in health and sound saith the Oratour Therefore the Cynick spake I know not how truly of Plato What profit saith he can be in that man who having long read Philosophy among us was yet never troublesome to any Doubtless in a mixt Auditory as most are the honey meets with many an ulcer Men will wince when they are galled and therefore no marvel if the Devil cryed out he was tormented by the Lord Mar. 1. how thinkest thou to escape 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 26.14 15. I am in your hands but know that if ye put me to death ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon your selves Notes on Exod. 20.7 to the same intent with the former MATTHEW 10.32 33. IT is some refreshing to the weary Traveller when he looks back upon the way he hath past I shall therefore in a few words shew you how far we are gone in the way of God's Commandments and where now we are I have hitherto endeavoured to open the Affirmative part of the Third Commandment the Sanctifying and Glorifying of God's Name in sundry special and principal Acts belonging thereunto The Precept is now Negatively to be considered as it lies in the Text. In the words are these severals 1. The Lord's will is That we take not his Name in vain 2. The Lord will
this Text he reveils the will of God unto the people and doing this he thinks he is a friend of Jesus Christ so long as he speaks boldly the Word and fears not them that kill the body 2. The Hearer he understands what the will of the Lord is and so he thinks he hath done his duty he is a friend of Jesus Christ and one of his sheep my sheep hear my voice When yet happily both may be deceived nay de facto sure I am oftentimes both are deceived 1. The Preacher frequently urging the commands of Jesus Christ he thinks he doth the commands of Jesus Christ and so is his friend when yet he lives in open disobedience unto the same things he preacheth this was that which the Apostle feared of himself 1 Cor. 9. 2. The hearer likewise because he knows what his duty is and 't is often inculcated unto him although I could wish it more truly then it is he is deceived and thinks he doth it This is that which the Apostle feared and warned the people of Jam. 1. be ye doers of the word and not hearers only That we may perceive how far short we are of this friendship with Jesus Christ we shall know it by the latitude of what he commands The manifold particulars may be reduced unto these two heads 1. What the Lord commands us to believe 2. What he commands us to do 1. To believe in him as the Messiah the corner-stone c. 2. To do this ye read at large Mat. 5. If we be the real friends of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall really and truly do those things and whatsoever he commands us maugre the opposition both of the prophane and seeming holy world Axiom 3. They can do no more than kill the body So the Lepers reason 2 King 7.4 if they kill us we shall but dye For reason may be alledged the love and goodness of God all souls are Gods and as he is the preserver of men so especially of his own friends And 2. The wisdom and power of God for since all power is his he gives so much power to every Creature and limits the operations of it within such bounds as in his wisdom he thinks fit hither shalt thou come and no further Satan hath a most malicious will and aims at no less than the Soul but he hath no power at all though an whole Legion together no not so much as to touch a swine without leave thou couldest do nothing unless power were given thee from above They can do no more no! can they not dig up the bones of dead men out of their graves can they not burn them surely that they can Men opposing Religion have dealt so with those whom they have persecuted to the death and beyond the death and these have a fair pretence for so doing Josiah did so and therefore so may they deal with Hereticks Josias 2 King 23.16 He took the bones of the Idolatrous Priests out of the Sepulchers and burnt them I deny not but Josias did so he was a figure of Christ in the Spirit as his name signifieth the fire of the Lord. As therefore wickedness is compared to a man as the old man the man of sin which is reveiled by the light of Gods Law and bound by Christ the stronger man so he is consumed by the spirit of his mouth these are the bones the strength of sin So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth bones it signifieth also strength Thus Psal 53.5 God hath scattered the strength of those who besieged thee for so it may be turned more properly than the bones But what is all this to the Papists burning of their bones whom they call Hereticks where the Text saith they have no more that they can do the meaning is they can do the friends of Christ no more harm they are not able to kill the Soul Mat. 10.29 Observ 1. Observe the poor vile and contemptible cruelty of Tyrants and Persecutors let it extend to the utmost it 's but to the death of the body their malice anger revenge power subtilty can reach no further They cannot hinder the salvation of the Soul their anger is at the Soul as he that cuts a tree cuts not the light that shines upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he implyed that his Soul was himself Anytus and Melitus may kill me saith the Stoick but they cannot hurt me Observ 2. Our seeming friends may hurt us more yea and indeed oftentimes do hurt us more than our known enemies this Text is directed especially to the preachers of the Word Jeremy was aware of this Jer. 20 7-10 Yea our real and true friends may endanger us Act. 21 10-13 yea miserable men that we are we our selves are so cruel to our selves that we our selves kill our own souls and therefore if thou fear any one fear thy self thou thy self art the most cruel enemy to thy self though whole hosts of men yea of Devils opposed thee they cannot hurt thee unless thou thy self hurt thy self And is it not a pleasing tune that the rich man sings to his soul that which the Lord help us many of us listen unto Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry Luk. 12.19 But upon consent unto such suggestions commonly comes the judgement vers 19. See the history of Laish Dalilah did Sampson more mischief than all the Philistins and that pleasing flattering harlot in our own bosoms her house is the way to hell going down to the chambers of death Prov. 7. ult Repreh Their foolish hardiness and boldness who fear them that kill the body and have no more that they can do 2. This discovers the extreme malice or revenge of tyranical men who because they can do no more than kill they find out exquisite wayes of killing and tormenting and by Art lengthen that which in nature they say consists in indivisibili the separation of Soul and Body is naturlly in an instant hence is that horrid speech of Tiberius Sentiat se mori let him feel that he dies and when one had poysoned himself lest he should be tormented by him he said Evasit he hath escaped They who kill the body will do what they can further they act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And why They who kill are acted by Abaddon whose property is to destroy Wicked men add to the Devils work in themselves who is the more a Devil because he hath so serviceable a tool to work by as a wicked man is 3. Their pretence is truth whereof because they want evidence they make up what they want in persecuting and saying all manner of evil saying 4. Because it is truth they believe it not Joh. 8. 5. Their endeavour is to mould Gods Laws and the laws of men God's Will and man's lusts together and so stablish their own worldly interest which can never be done They who are friends of Christ and are killed by them discover 1. The persecuters falseness
our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ See Notes on Gen. 11. He becomes all things to all men that by all means he might win all unto his love though few very few return to him reciprocal affection It is the Lot which his friends the true Ministers of the Word inherit with him and after him as St. Paul tells the Corinthians 2 Cor. 12.15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for you the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for your souls though saith he the more abundantly I love you the less I be loved for he came among his own and his own received him not Whence they are justly reproved who arrogate their great friends common Love which he extends to all his friends unto themselves only who impropriate the friendship of God unto their own strait laced company and no other Are there not in his Fathes house many mansions Hath he not other sheep that are not of this fold Joh. Are not they who fear God and work righteousness in every nation accepted of him A Picture looks indifferently at all and the Image of God who is the Son of God looks at all indifferently and would have all men be saved and all to come to the knowledge of his truth that all might know his Counsel and do his Will and be friends of God and is thine eye evil because God is good His friends are all Philadelphians Dehort Provoke not the Lord to kill us with those actions wherewith we go about to please him Observ God not named here nor Rom. 8.11 lest frequent use render it less venerable for that reason not named in the whole Book of Esther his providence preservation and government of his Church wonderfully declared his name being not often mentioned by the Jews he would that rather his being and works should be known than his name in our lips We learn by the same omission not to call our selves too often by the names and titles of Gods people but rather let our lives and actions speak what we are and whose people we are Observ Even the friends of Jesus Christ must fear God and fear Jesus Christ Jus reverentiale remitti non potest In the affirmative part we have 1. a Preface to the Precept 2. the Precept it self The words are a description of God the Judge an Emphatical inculcation and repetition of it according to his power and sovereignty and have in them a greater energie and vehemency than if we named him In them 1. we have a description of the Judge 2. A precept to fear him and a repetition of that precept all which we may resolve into these several Divine Truths 1. The Lord killeth 2. When he hath killed he hath power to cast into hell 3. Him we ought to fear 4. Yea I say unto you saith our Lord fear him 1. The Lord killeth The Lord may be said to kill either in regard of the divers 1. Ends of his killing 2. Ways and means of his killing 1. In regard of the divers ends of killing so the Lord either kills that he may save for as our best friend was put to death in the flesh but quickned in the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 even so must all his friends for his sake and for the enjoying of him who is our life we are killed all the day long But thus the Lord kills that he may save for so we perish not in death but arise from the dead and Christ gives us life Eph. 5. As dying and behold we live 2 Cor. 6.9 Of this we shall have some use in the handling of this point But the other killing is here principally meant The Lord kills that he may destroy for that which we have here after he hath killed he hath power to cast into hell Matth. 10. It is he is able to destroy body and soul in hell 2. In regard of the manner of killing The Lord kills 1. immediately 2. mediately 1. Not that absolutely the Lord useth no means in taking away the life but that oftentimes he himself is said to kill and the means are not named Thus Gen. 38. The Lord slew Er vers 7. and vers 10. The Lord slew Onan also Thus the Lord killeth and maketh alive 1 Sam. 2.6 2. He may be said to kill mediately when he useth any notable means whereby he takes away the life as those four notable judgements 1. the sword 2. the famine 3. the noisome pestilence and 4. the noisome beasts which are all of his sending Ezechiel 14.21 Zephany 2. ye shall be slain by my sword And thus sometimes the Lord delivers one man into anothers hand who kills him Exod. 21.13 for this reason he names himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only because he hath all power all plenty of good and all authority to bestow it but also because as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God the Judge the judge of all the world he hath soveraign Authority to punish and so he is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And accordingly Isai 13.6 Howl ye for the day of the Lord is at hand it shall come as a destroyer from the Almighty Reason He hath the sovereign power over soul and body they are both his creatures he is Dominus vitae necis The source and fountain of all authority am I a God to kill and make alive 2 King 5.7 He gives authority and power unto all chief Governours for rhe Majesty that God gave Nabuchadnezzar all People and Nations and Languages trembled and feared before him whom he would he killed c. Dan. 5.19 Pilat saith as much to our Saviour Joh. 19.10 Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee Jesus said Thou couldst do nothing unless it were given thee from above all power therefore is radically and originally in God himself In a great house much more in a City and Kingdom many things are done without notice of the Governour but it is not so in regard of God the Judge of all the World whatever good or evil is done or befalls it s not only by the power and knowledge but also by the guidance and ordering though not always by the approbation of the Lord our Governour Thus there is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done Amos 3.6 it s rightly conceived by all who consider the Context that the malum paenale the evil of punishment is principally to be understood Howbeit the Lord permits i. e. he doth not hinder that which is truly evil the evil of sin for if he permitted it not if he suffered it not to be it could not be because there is no evil that is infinite and therefore it 's limited by the infinite power of God Thus he is said to make peace and create evil Isa 45.7 and he hath his instruments whereby such evil is brought to pass as the lying spirit in the mouth of the Prophets 1 King 22.22 And by his
more properly understood by the word paenitentia Ye have most of these together Joel 2.12 13. Turn ye even to me c. This sorrow was figured by the sowre herbs which they must eat when they kept the passover at their coming out of Egypt i. e. In transitu à peccato ad justitiam In the passage from sin to righteousness A potentia Satanae ad Deum From the power of Sathan to God A Pharaone spirituali ad Jesum From spiritual Pharaoh to Jesus which is the true Pesac It is necessary we be then afflicted and mourn for the loss of our delights and pleasures we have parted withal for all our sins committed against our God For our parting with our dearest friends in the flesh as the milch-kine carrying the Ark lowed as they went toward Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6.12 our last translation refers to this Text and that upon good grounds then this is fulfilled Zach. 12.10 11 12. Hadadrimmon is a loud out-cry and Megiddo is the Gospel When the Gospel is first preached and the only Son of God known to be slain by us it causeth Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Josiah is slain the Christ of God in the Spirit is slain among us Revel 1.7 There former sorrow was a sorrow to repentance and preceding it Godly sorrow causeth repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 The other sorrow is the Concomitant or attendant on repentance The Reason of this Duty is considerable either 1. In regard of God from whom we have deeply revolted Esay 31.6 who invites us again unto himself Jer. 4.1 2. In regard of us who have a double necessity lying upon us both 1. Of Duty which answers to that which is called necessitas praecepti 2. And of means which is called necessitas medii 't is a means so necessary to Salvation that without it its impossible to be obtained as he who is the Author and Dispenser of it forewarns his Disciples Matth. 18.3 Now whereas there is a dispute whether Faith or Repentance precede This I conceive may reconcile the difference that so much Faith is necessary as to believe that without Repentance we cannot be saved Numb 14. Heb. 3. Thus the Ninevites Repentance is famous but it 's said expresly that first they believed God We must know therefore that there is a kind of legal Faith which propounds the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God unto us That God is Heb. 11.6 which belief must necessarily precede And therefore of the Gentiles that Faith is necessarily prerequired Thus of the Ninevites and of the Jaylor in the same condition with these in the Text Act. 16. yet him Paul bids believe and Peter bids repent He knew not God these did Act. 3. ult A Memoire worthy the transmitting to Posterity DR Jo. Wincop in a Sermon before the House of Commons at the Fast Jan. 29. 1664. being the Day before the Treaty atVxbridge began published by Order of that House the Text was Esay 22.12 printed by Robert Leyburn for Samuel Man in Paul's Church-yard at the Swan 1645. pag. 10. hath these words We all talk of Reformation But still where is it Shew me one lust thou hast mastered one passion thou hast conquered c. Talk not of Reformation only but shew it was there ever more lying cousening malice oppression than now Nay God be merciful to us I know not what kind of new cheat and hypocrisie the father of falshood hath taught some kind of men whereby to cloak all their fraud and villanies by a new way of pretending they are for the Cause Then they think all is well thereby discrediting a good Cause dishonouring a good God abusing your good intentions to work their own sinister ends by Let not men talk of Reformation only but shew it indeed and in truth NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ACTS II. 47. And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved The Original Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which word for word sound thus in our English But the Lord added to the Church daily those who were saved A Translation that differs very much from the other But it is the Wisemans counsel Blame not before thou hast examined the truth Ecclus. 11.7 which that we may the better do we look back to vers 14. from whence to the end of vers 40. we have either two Speeches of St. Peter to the Jews or one interrupted vers 37. In the former St. Peter after he had desired attention vers 14. he removes and confutes their slaunder who mock'd the Apostles and other Disciples and said They were full of new wine 2. He informs them in the truth 1. That the Apostles spake by the holy Ghost 2. That God had raised up Jesus from the dead whom they had crucified 3. That he was ascended into heaven and sate at the right hand of God 4. That he had poured forth his holy Spirit upon the Apostles 5. That God had made that same Jesus whom they had crucified both Lord and Christ And these or most of these the Apostle confirms by divine Testimony out of the Prophets The effect of this speech was compunction vers 37. sorrow and fear which fear because it is Consiliativus and puts men upon enquiry how they may escape the evil which they fear They desire Peters and the rest of the Apostles counsel what they should do Then follows Peters advice That they repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins If this they should do they should receive the holy Ghost which promise belonged to them and to all a far off c. vers 38 39. And that they might perform those duties and receive the promised Spirit â—he concludes his speech with exhortation to be saved or as we render the words Save your selves from this untoward generation The effect of this exhortation in these new Converts is seen in a new conversation and that for the present vers 41. They who gladly received the word repented and were baptized and saved themselves from the untoward Generation and so were added to the Church daily vers 41 47. and for the future they who according to the Apostles counsel were saved or saved themselves from the untoward generation they accordingly obtained a like gracious act from the Lord to that which was vouchsafed unto others before vers 4. The Lord added to the Church daily such as were saved or saved themselves from the untoward Generation Thus the Syriack Interpreter and Martin Luther understood and turned the words The Lord added to the Congregation those who were saved and Piscator so the Low-Dutch Translation hath it thus the Old English Manuscript The Lord encreased them that were made safe each day And the truth of this appears Act. 5.14 Believers were more added to the Lord multitudes of men and women And Act. 11.21 And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. In the
into the world by sin As this is true of the natural death that by sin that entred into the world so it 's true also of the inward the spiritual death opposite unto the life of God in the Soul that by sin that also entred into the world that dying from the life of God wherrein the first man was created for in that sence the wise man saith That God made man to be immortal Wisd 2.24 his servants ye are whom ye obey whether of sin unto death Rom. 6. Death is there the spiritual death opposite unto the life of God in the Soul This is also as true of death in the third sence that by sin the whole curse entred into the world and what other evil consequences there are of sin So Exod. 10.16 From this death only David prayeth to be delivered Psal 13.3 that I sleep not in death and 18.4 The pains of death gate hold on me and 49.14 Death shall feed on them Prov. 5.5 Her feet go down to death her steps take hold of hell And of all these it is true that death natural spiritual and infernal or hellish death the curse the separation from the presence of God entred into the world by sin The reason will appear 1. In regard of Sathan who hath the power of death 2. Sin the cause of death 3. God the Judge 1. In regard of Sathan he having faln from his Principality and knowing man ordained to be a prince in his stead he envyed him seduced and beguiled him and caused him to sin and sinning to dye So that by the envy of the Devil death entred into the world Wisd 2.24 Thus he is said to have the power of death Heb. 2. 2. In regard of sin it naturally 1. Tends to death 2. Deserves death 1. In regard of sin it naturally tends unto death as a deadly disease And therefore the Wiseman describes sin and unrighteousness by it Injustitia est mortis acquisitio unrighteousness is the procuring of death 2. It deserves death So Rom. 6. ult death is the wages of sin and in equity and justice as the wages followeth the work done so death the wages of sin followeth sin 3. In regard of God the Judge disposing of it He is just And therefore according to the justice of God which being two fold justitia 1. Dicti 2. Facti According to that justice of Word in the day that thou eatest thereof Thou shalt dye the death must follow And 2. That justice of deed God executed his decree so that man was banished from the tree of Life 3. In analysing and resolving of Scripture we meet with some Texts that seem defective and to be supplyed which indeed are perfect if rightly understood I shall name but one 2 Pet. 2.4 they say it is an antipodoton but vers 9. is the reddition to it and so it is full Such is this of this Text the comparison seems imperfect but it is indeed supplyed in gross in the end of vers 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If then we make up the similitude it s thus full As by one man the first Adam sin entred into the world So by one man by Adam that was to come righteousness entred into the world For so Adam answers to Adam one man to one man righteousness to sin and the entrance of righteousness into the world answers to the entrance of sin into the world Here is then a comparison between the two Adams which ye have full 1 Cor. 15.45 The first man Adam was made a living soul The last Adam was made a quickning Spirit vers 47. Let not any man look for these only without him but rather look into himself and he shall find them and therefore vers 48. as is the earthly such are they that are earthly The latter of these is a relief and remedy of the former for whereas the first Adam is impotent and weak and by reason of weakness not able to withstand the temptation of the strong one being too strong for him breaks in and takes possession of the Soul captives and enthrales it Hereupon the second Adam enters in after sin with his righteousness to work out the sin Thus Luk. 11.21 22. The strong man keeps the house till a stronger than he comes who binds the strong man redeems the captive Soul and strengthens him against temptation and arms him with patience wherewith he may possess his soul Who hath not found the truth of this in his own Soul In our child-hood the first Adam ruled and inclined us to divers foolish and hurtful lusts eating and drinking intemperately which weak nature could not withstand So that we served divers lusts and pleasures c. Tit. 3.3 4. Reason on 1. The worlds part 2. On Gods part 1. The Father of lyes had sent his son of perdition into the the World who obtained the Supreme and main possession and became a Prince of it Joh. 12. The world lies in evil 1 Joh. 5.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence mankind is enslaved and the Image of God is defaced and become by the soul spirit Timnah-Sera a foul stinking image Great necessity therefore there is on the worlds part of a strong and mighty Redeemer 2. On Gods part love to his own Image and Creature 1. The Image of God that is defaced depraved and in a sort lost suppressed by the power of Sin and Sathan this the true Josuah takes for his inheritance Josuah 19. vers 50. As the Seeds of all things in the earth would put forth but are clog'd until the Sun which hath the seeds of all things virtually in the beams of it calls out the like seeds out of the earth Even so the immortal Seed the Image of God Psal 85.11 Truth flourisheth out of the earth when righteousness looks down from heaven The Sun of righteousness puts forth his beams that which was called Timnah-Sera is now called Timnah-Hares the image of the Sun Judg. 2.9 The prince of the world is cast forth Joh. 12.13 2. Love to his Creature wherein his Image was pourtraied Portate Deum in corpore 1 Cor. 6.20 a treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son Joh. 3.16 This remedy is proportionable unto the malady for as through the envy of the Devil death entred into the world so through the love of God the Father Righteousness and Life entred in for God sent not his Son to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Joh. 3.17 As I propounded two doubts in the Protasis 1. How Sin entred into the world 2. How by one man So in the Apodosis let us enquire 1. how righteousness entred 2. how by one man How did righteousness enter Two wayes 1. by not imputation of sin 2. by imputation of righteousness 1. Not imputation of sin as Psal 32.1 2. Rom. 4.7 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not his sin yet are we here
Or can he be the true God who loves these Are these Gods new Creatures Can this life honour their Creator who will take these miscreants for Gods new Creatures These are a perverse and crooked generation So the Lord reproves the people who would pretend they were his new Creatures but had depraved Gods work in them Deut. 32. vers 4.5 6. Gods work is perfect for all his ways are judgement a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he These have corrupted themselves Their spot is not his children They are a perverse and crooked generation Do ye thus requite the Lord foolish people and unwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee Hath he not made thee and established thee This is the more observable because spoken of the Jews in the Type but fulfilled by us upon whom the ends of the world are come 2. Consider the miserable and deplorable condition and estate of such as are not new creatures They are nothing in themselves all their works their best works are nothing They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rude Mass a mishapen Chaos which hath neither form nor comeliness and darkness is upon the face of the deep So the Lord calls our unregenerate estate Jer. 22.23 The LXX render Gen. 1.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invisible and without any work of God upon it Jer. 4.23 They render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing at all they are non entia things that are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 5.6 7. Shall they escape for their iniquity Vulg. Lat. pro nihilo salvos facies So the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former notes horrid desolation the latter ugliness and deformity Such in the sight of God is the condition of an unregenerate man i. e. of him who is not a new creature The Apostle calls him darkness not dark but darkness it self Ephes 5.8 For in darkness though there be the most orient colours yet there 's no difference at all no not between their extreams white and black all are alike 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privation is homogeneal all 's of one colour or rather no colour at all Such is the Spiritual darkness of him who is not yet Gods new Creature he discerns not between things that differ between Good and Evil all 's alike to him 1 Joh. 2.11 before the Divine Light shines into his heart 2 Cor. 4.6 Nay such darkness he is that he puts darkness for light and light for darkness Isai 5.20 He calls good evil and evil good such darkness that the light which is in him is darkness and if the very light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness This was the condition of the Ephesians Ephes 5.8 Ye were sometime darkness saith the Apostle what was that He describes it in the Verses before fornication uncleanness covetousness filthiness foolish talking and jesting Ye were saith he sometime darkness but now ye are light in the Lord so great a difference there is between the unregenerate Estate and the new Creation ye were darkness but now ye are light in the Lord O blessed Change God grant it may be as truly spoken of every one of us This deplorable estate may be further aggravated in that we see not the misery of it Consider I beseech ye how foully we frustrate Gods counsel toward our own Souls while we continue in our rude mass and mishapen Chaos and admit not his work upon us It is his good intention and purpose to make us new Creatures For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens God himself that formed the earth and made it he hath established it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he created it not to be empty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made it not to be empty and void but that it might be inhabited Isai 45.18 And who should inhabit it Who but he that saith so for do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord Jerem. 23.24 And hath he not sworn that all the earth shall be filled with his glory Numb 14.21 And what hinders but that it should be filled and that he himself should fill it Alas intus existens prohibet extraneum while we are full of unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness envy murder that St. John Interprets hating of our brethren 1 Joh. 3. we are full of debate deceit malignity how can we be filled with his Glory And therefore Oportet exinaniri quod implendum est if Gods Spirit must fill us we must be emptied of these we must cast out the old because of the new Levit. 26.10 and then God will make good his Promise to us We according to his Promise saith St. Peter 2 Pet. 3.13 we look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwells Righteousness And what inferrs the Apostle from hence Wherefore Beloved seeing we look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not deformed not a confused mass but in peace without spot and blameless 2. Without this new Creation and that which is in order thereunto all whatever else we do is nothing and as it were no Creature How much pain and sorrow did the Jews undergo when they were Circumcised which yet they bare patiently because it was a sign of the Covenant whereof they gloried St. Paul implyeth as much Rom. 9. Circumcised the eighth day But while the foreskin of the heart is not taken away i. e. as the Chaldee Paraphrast turns it the wickedness of the heart or as the LXX render it the hardness of the heart while this is not taken away Circumcision is nothing but a new Creature that indeed is something that 's the main aliquid Gal. 6.15 What a deal of care and cost and trouble were the Jews at in preparing Sacrifices and Oblations when they went with their Flocks and their Herds to seek the Lord Hos 5.6 How curious was Balaam in his Offering how did he boast of it unto the Lord Numb 23. yet we read not that God took any notice of it at all Nay to what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offering of Rams and the fat of fed beasts and delight not in the blood of Bullocks and of Lambs or of He-goats bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an abomination unto me the new Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it it is iniquity even your solemn meeting Isai 1.11 14. Sacrifices multitude of Sacrifices to the Lord yet to what purpose are they Oblations yet vain Oblations Incense yet an abomination all to no purpose all vain all an abomination why because no new Creature new Meat-offerings new Moons but no new Creature that 's wanting and all 's nothing Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings cease to do evil learn to do well that 's wanting What a deal of fasting used the
and excellent new things are present in regard of time and therefore the LXX render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth now or at this present time For this is the day which the Lord hath made Psal 118.24 The new day of Grace when all things become new a Psalm proper for the New Day of Grace and proper for the entertainment of the New Man the new King when he came to Jerusalem in triumph and the people sung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the next words to those I named in the Psalm Hosannah save us now O Lord whereby the Scribes and Pharisees knew the people ascribed to Jesus the honour of Christ the Messiah the New Man And so much for proof also of the third Point If we now enquire into the reason of all these truths Why the Lord shews these true these excellent these present new things unto us and bids us behold them It is not from any merit of ours but from his own love to the New Man in whom he is well pleased and from his free Grace Love and Mercy in Christ the New Man to his New People And into this reason the New Man resolves his Fathers Revelation of these new things unto his new People Matth. 11.25 26. I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reveiled them unto babes Even so Father why for so it seemed good in thy sight And for the very same reason and for the performance of his own gracious promise in the new Man Christ and for the love he bears to those excellent new things and for his Love Grace and Mercy which he bears to his new people it pleaseth him and it seems good in his fight to make them partakers of these true excellent and present new things and to make all things new to them So saith the Wiseman Prov. 22.21 Have I not written to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tripliciter threefold So the LXX the Vulg. Lat. and Vatablus Have I not written to thee three ways in the Law Prophets and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which contain Job the Psalms and Solomons writings That Solomon may speak here in the person of God Have I not written to thee the secrets of the Trinity and as we turn it Have I not written to thee excellent things or rather according to the word thrice excellent things In counsels and knowledge that I might make thee know the Truth or certainty of the words of Truth I have written unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The great things the honourable and excellent things of my law Hos 8.12 confer Mich. 6.8 And thus ye have heard how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold hath pointed us to the truth excellency and presence of these new things with the reason of them and so discovered unto us the aim of them 2. It points us also to our Duty which will appear in the special use and application of these three points of Doctrine unto our selves And first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold These new things are certain faithful and true 'T is useful for Instruction and Reprehension 1. This discovers unto us one principal ground of the Christian Religion The divinity of Christ Esay 65.15 16 17. The Lord God shall call his servants by another name or new name as before i. e. by the name of Christians as Act. 11.26 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of Truth and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth for behold I create new heavens and a new earth c. He who is called by this new name the Christian Man that blesseth himself shall bless himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the God of truth or the God Amen as Christ is called as elsewhere so Apoc. 3.14 Thus saith the Amen the Faithful the true Witness Thus when often in the Gospel we have theâ— words Verily verily I say unto you it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I Truth of truth say unto you it may as well be understood to be the name of Christ as to be a firm asseveration as some conceive And I have heard of an old Latin Translation that hath it Veritas veritatis Truth of truth for as the Son of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 1. The brightness of his Fathers Glory or as we have it in the Nicene Creed Light of light for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an Helenistical notion signifieth Light so may the same Son of God be also as truly called Truth of truth or the God Amen the God of Truth or Christ himself who is the Truth Joh. 14.6 2. It points us to the principal object of our Faith these true and certain new things thus our Saviour argueth Joh. 8.46 If I tell ye truth why do ye not believe me Truth requires belief the firm foundation of our Faith Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away Matth. 24.35 3. It discovers the great Grace and goodness of our God who reveils his Son the new Man in his new People Gal. 1.15 and all new things to them 2. As for Reprehension 1. It reproves those who believe not these certain new things or if they believe some of them yet not all but pick and chuse what they will believe Such are they who will believe nothing but the promises of God or only the dignity of these new things not the duty they require not considering that every word of God is true whether it be a Commandment oâ— a Prohibition or a Commination or Narration or a Testimony or what ever word of God it is 't is true and to be believed as well as the promises of God 2. It reproves those who are offended at such as shew them and cause them to behold these â—â—â—tain new things such were the Galatians ungrateful men Am I become your enemy because 〈◊〉 you the truth saith St. Paul Gal. 4.16 a most unreasonable thing because Truth in it self is most amiable but Veritas lucens amatur redarguens odio habetur Truth in the abstract in it self considered it 's most lovely but when it reproves us then we hate it and him that shews it to us As he that hath lain long in a deep dark dungeon though he truly say with the Wise Man surely the light is good and it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun yet if after long continuance in that thick darkness one should shew him the light though but of a small candle he would be ready to put it out and fly in his face that brought it Thus the Athenians brought Paul unto Areopagus the highest Court in Athens to examine him what his New Doctrine was because he taught these true and certain new things Jesus the new Man and the resurrection from the dead Act.
of lusts and tell them that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and cannot stand with salvation Thus the Jews said that Christ the Truth it self deceived the people Joh. 7. and the Pharisees called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that deceiver Matth. 2.63 And this imputation descends from the Master to the Disciple for St. Paul ranks this among the characters of Christs Ministers to be accounted deceivers and yet to be true 2 Cor. 6.8 And the Primitive Christians as St. Hierom reports were called Impostores Impostors and Deceivers as many are reputed now a dayes only because they discover unto others the deceitfulness of their lusts Yet it cannot be denied but that it 's much to be feared many under this pretence are hardened with the deceitfulness of sin yea so far deceived with their lusts that they think they are not deceived at all nay that it 's impossible they should like those Jer. 7.4 that are deceived with lying words crying out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and yet steal commit adultery and swear falsly and come and stand before God in his house and said we are delivered and freed to commit all these abominations For are there not who think they may do all this and yet think nay are assured that they cannot be deceived in the main that they cannot be deceived of their salvation that they cannot miss of eternal life for why the Elect cannot be deceived and they presume themselves to be elect Alas poor deluded men how palpably doth Self-love deceive them insomuch that they will not believe the Word of Truth it self Nor will they consider it as a Scripture belonging unto them which St. Paul writes to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.8 9 10. Ye do wrong and defraud and that your Brethren know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind not thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God And lest any one should deceive himself and think to salve all with a quatenus of some feigned distinction or other The Apostle speaks more plain Ephes 5.5 6. Know this saith he that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God And then he adds Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience These things are so evident that who sees them not that hath an eye to see the Lord open the eyes of these men that they go not hood-winked to their own damnation Yet is there a sort of men worse than these so far deceived and besotted with the lusts of errour that they are wholly transformed into the nature of them they are of their father the Devil and the lusts of their father they will do Those who are so habituated in errour and deceit that they believe not the truth when it is told them even because it is the truth Joh. 8.44 45. such as live in errour as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 2.18 their whole life is but one great errour We must leave these unto God If peradventure he will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil 2 Tim. 2.26 I hope much better things of you yet let not us excuse our own errours by blaming theirs or think that we are right because they are wrong No no beloved let us rather in the fear of God be exhorted to take heed of being deceived by our own erroneous lusts and that considering 1. The danger wherein we are of being deceived by our deceitful lusts And 2. the danger whereinto our deceitful lusts expose us and 3. the great shame and infamy attending upon both 1. There 's as great danger of being deceived by our deceitful lusts as to the Fowl the wild Beast or Fish when the net is spread and the bait laid for it And therefore St. James borrows his Metaphor from thence He that is tempted saith he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawn away as it were with an book toll'd on and allured with the bait of his own lusts as the word properly signifieth And St. Peter 2 Pet. 2.14 warns us of such as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that beguil unstable souls as the fishermen beguils the fish And vers 18. he tells us how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They deceive us through the lusts of our flesh 2. The danger whereunto our deceitful lusts expose us will appear if we consider of what our lusts deceive us for what doth the Hunts-man or Fowler or Fisher-man spread his net or lay his bait for the Beast the Fowl or Fish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is not for a toy or a trifle 't is not to play with all No no Mulier enim viri pretiosam animam capit The sensual thoughts and lusts they hunt only after the most precious soul Prov. 6. And among the merchandise of the woman which is wickedness are the bodies and souls of men Apoc. 18.13 The robbers lay wait for their own blood and lurk privily for their own lives Prov. 1.18 And covetous men who will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction So that deceitful lusts are as foolish as they are hurtful according to the true Rule Ad damnum semper accedit infamia Infamy and shame always attend upon loss 'T is shame enough for a man to be deceived quidvis potiùs quam falli me patiar we would sooner suffer almost any thing than to be deceived 'T is one of the greatest discredits And the Reason is the most of us think our selves wise and would be accounted so by others yea rather than to be thought rich strong beautiful any thing So that a man will yield that another is richer stronger or fairer than himself But Qui velit ingenio cedere rarus erit 'T is a rare thing if any one will yield that another hath more wit or more wisdom than himself Nay many for this reason will endure rather to be called knave there 's some wit required to that than fool so that it is a main principal point of folly and therefore of discredit and shame to be deceived This discredit of being deceived is the greater by how much he hath less craft or wit who deceives us for to be deceived by a Wiseman is a less disgrace as Ahitophel was by Hushai yet that deceit caused Ahitophel to hang himself but to be deceived and befooled and that by a fool what disgrace greater Our deceitful lusts are foolish Nay folly it self in the abstract for the folly of fools is deceit Prov. 14.8 So the lust of
not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see far off and hath forgotten he was purged from his old sins Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your callig and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall for so an entrance shall be administred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ But alas may some men say Is the only pleasing of God abounding in the works of God and is it my necessary Duty I find a will to abound but no strength to affect it and shall not I please God Continue and persist in that good Will and add thine utmost endeavour to it habenti dabitur To him that hath and useth and improveth what he hath shall more be given and he shall more and more abound Matth. 13.12 And howsoever thou hast not abundance and excellency of works to please God withall yet as thou beginnest to abound in Gods works so God begins to be pleased with thee Such a beginning to please God was that of Ahab 1 King 21.29 For 't is absurd if not worse to say that his Humiliation was hypocritical since God was pleased with it But I find that lust clogs my soul in the ways of God and hinder me from abounding in his Works There is a great difference between yielding ones self voluntarily and being supprized by his enemy between casting ones self headlong into sin and stumbling through errour ignorance or infirmity So great that the Scripture stiles the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 operarii iniquitatis the works of iniquity but it speaks more favourably of the latter Gal. 6.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If any one be overtaken or surprized by a slip or fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 restore such an one with the spirit of meekness St. Paul directs his speech to the spiritual Fathers of the Church advising and exhorting them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put his legs as it were into joynt so the word signifieth that he may walk without stumbling in the way of God and so please God Beside he that through this weakness stumbles oftentimes gets an advantage by his fall of carefulness fear desire wariness for the future 2 Cor. 7.11 and looking better to his steps as he ye know who stumbles takes afterward a longer stride But alas I meet with many difficulties from without and though gladly I would abound in the work of the Lord in walking and pleasing God yet I go very slowly on The Lord be merciful unto thee poor soul Be not discouraged thy difficulties commend thy obedience and please God more He was better pleased with Job upon the dung-hill struggling with his miserable Comforters and Sathan and an evil wife as bad and defending his own innocency and Gods truth against them all then when he had an hedge about him and his house and all that he had That traveller rids way better who goes three miles in an hour through deep dirty way than he that perhaps goes four or five through clean And therefore St. Paul writes thus 2 Cor. 8.1 2.3 Of the Macedonians Brethren we do ye to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia how that in a great tryal of affliction the aboundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality For to their power I bear them record and beyond their power they were willing of themselves But what use do prophane persons make of all this 'T is true they say we ought to walk and please God and abound more and more but who do so or we ought to do thus or thus but we carry about us a body of clay and the flesh is weak and 't is impossible so to abound c. Wretched man what do they but deprive themselves of what they want 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth our want of abounding more and more What do they but lay injustice upon God that he should command them to do that which they cannot do no not by his strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports a necessity imposed upon us of God of abounding more and more Foolish men who hath betwiched ye who hinders ye but that ye may obey the Truth Surely the good God who hath imposed a necessity of precept and command upon us He hath not laid upon us an impossibility of obeying it Gal. 3.1 and 5.7 Lord thou hast given us power enough give us will also to use this power 3. This was St. Paul's Doctrine I am sure and such as he did not repent of but teacheth it again what he had deliVered to them before That 's the third Point St. Paul Sylvanus and Timotheus had them so to abound in walking and pleasing God Nor is this unusual in Scripture where the very same things are repeated which were before delivered Examples are obvious if we compare Exod. 25. with 35. Exod. 29. with Numb 28. And the Reason may be considered both 1. In regard of God who would testifie his love in making known 1. His Will line upon line precept upon precept And 2. His Authority of Commanding which appears rather by frequent acts than if but once delivered And 3. His Justice in preventing all apologie and excuse whereas otherwise ignorance or forgetfulness might be alledged And 2. In respect of the things themselves delivered which being of heavenly and spiritual nature cannot so easily be convinced at once And 3. In regard of the Ministers of God who are to deliver this truth unto man It argues their certainty of the things they teach It s an argument of their Wisdom For idem sentire idem velle nolle sapientis est saith Seneca 'Till men grow wise they often vary their opinions and wills touching the same thing but Wisdom settles them 4. In regard also of the people to whom the Truth of God is to be delivered 'T is profitable for them Phil. 3.1 They are unlike to Vessels they if once filled need not to be filled again But these must and that especially in two sorts as considered a in twofold estate For they are most what either obnoxious and in danger of committing sin and therefore stand in need of the same things to be often and often repeated By the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears saith our Apostle to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Act. 20.31 or else 2. They are such as have committed sin and lie under it and in that respect stand in great need of the same things to be delivered to them again which they knew before for sin is of that destroying nature that it not only 1. Abolisheth former obedience as Ezech. 18. But 2. It disables the sinner from knowing the Rule of Obedience and therefore it is observable that when Moses had taught the
15.14 I say unto you my Friends fear not them who can kill the body c. Luke 12.14 Thus here he speaks of those who are his Disciples and Friends She shall be saved by Child-bearing Observ 1. The married woman may be saved as well as the Virgin the fruitful and child bearing woman as well as the barren this may give a check to that boasting of natural Virginity It is true the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. That he could wish it were so with all as with him but he adds by reason of the present necessity And if Virginity had been simply the better state the Lord had not said It is not good for man to be alone for if so how had mankind been encreased and propagated in the world Observ 2. Child-bearing and procreation of children and education of them is Gods ordinance for the continuance of mankind and the seminary and enlargement of his Church and Kingdom 1 Tim. 5.14 And therefore the want of this due education hath been a cause of the diminution of mankind Vide Notes in Exod. 20. Honour thy Father The Bear takes more pains in forming and fashioning of her Whelps than many Parents take for the education of their children Observ 3. In the greatest extremity of women and when it goeth hardest with them when they bring forth Ichabods and Bennonies Sons of Sorrow and Affliction or when they miscarry when it is worst with them in nature it may be best with them in regard of Grace they may be eternally saved Mysticé By a Spiritual Child-bearing both men and women may yea must be saved Gal. 4.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My little children of whom I travel in birth again till Christ be formed in you Axiom 3. Though the woman were first in the Transgression yet she shall be saved Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the Transgression nevertheless she shall be saved in Child-bearing Observ 1. Note here the Christian Prudence and discretion in the Ministers of God as they cast down through disparagement so they raise up with consolation as they beat down pride with one hand so they raise up confidence with the other though the woman must be no publick teacher of her Husband in the Church yet she may learn at home the way of Salvation Non Librorum tractatione sed Liberorum educatione Observ 2. Parents by their fall and rebellion shall hinder the Salvation of none who repent and believe aright to the end Observ 3. The Blessing through Christ far transcends the Curse by Adam Rom. 5. Observ 4. To have been an occasion and author of sin and disobedience unto others is no absolute barr or hinderance to the Salvation of true Penitents and Converts so good Gracious and merciful is our God even unto Rebels against himself even unto the Authors and Ringleaders of Rebellion that if they repent if they return to their Obedience he most Graciously receives them 2. The condition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they continue in Faith Love Holiness with Sobriety 1. This condition puts us in the way of Salvation 2. It requires our continuance and perseverance in that way of Salvation Observ 1. There is but one way to obtain Salvation both for man and woman Male and Female Observ 2. This is General and common unto all that the people of God be Believers such as love God and their neighbour holy sober all this is necessarily supposed for here the Apostle requires the continuance in these In this way of Salvation we have divers steps 1. Faith 2. Faith that works by Love 3. Holiness 4. Sobriety So that there are so many Divine Truths 1. They who would be saved must continue in Faith 2. They must continue in Love 3. They must continue in Holiness 4. They must continue in Sobriety 1. They who would be saved must continue in Faith What Faith is this 1. In the Father Hebr. 11.6 2. In the Son Mark 16.6 He that believeth shall be saved Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 16.31 Rom. 11.20 Observ This is the saving Faith 2. They must continue in Love What Love Love to God and men This is that Love by which Faith worketh Gal. 6.5 6. 1 Thess 1.3 4. The work of Faith and labour of Love which is the end of the whole Law 1 1 Tim. 1.3 4. Observ As there is a saving Faith so is there a saving Love Heb 6.9 10. Things which accompany Salvation for God is not unrighteous to forget your works and labour of Love c. 3. They who would be saved must continue in Holiness Rom. 6.22 Ye have your fruit unto Holiness and the end is everlasting life The end or reward of Holiness is the everlasting life and Salvation Observ As there is a saving Faith and a saving Love so is there also a saving Holiness Hebr. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 2 Pet. 3.11 12. What manner of persons ought we to be in all manner of holy Conversation and Godliness looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God 4. They who would be saved must continue in Sobriety Sobriety is reasonableness and moderation in the use of all natural things with modesty and humility Rom. 12.3 Man ought to think soberly of himself Observ As there is a saving Faith Love and Holiness so is there also a saving Sobriety 1 Pet. 1.13 Gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ and Verse 5.8 Be sober be vigilant Observ 1. By all this it appears that no men nor women are saved by Faith only The Text evidently proves this She shall be saved if they continue in the Faith and Love and Holiness with Sobriety 2 Pet. 1. The most precious Faith must have Virtue c. added to it Observ 2. It is not enough to Salvation to believe that Christ hath loved us and given himself for us No nor that he was and is the Holy one and the just no nor that he was temperate and sober surely Christs Love of us without our love of God and Christ and our Neighbour will not save us He that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be an Anathema Maranátha Christs Holiness will not save us if we be unholy and profane For without Holiness no man shall see God Christs Temperance Sobriety Continency Modesty c. will not save us if we be loose debaucht Drunkards Letchers Christ was not only a Sacrifice for Sin but also an example of godly life we have no benefit of his Sacrifice unless we be Followers of his Life we are not said to be saved by Christs death but by his Life Rom. 5.10 Repreh Those who save all this labour by a false Faith an imaginary Faith a Faith without Love without Holiness without Sobriety Christ they say hath
is in the Margin and not as it is in the Text of our last Translation And truly any unprejudiced and indifferent Reader can understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Grace of God that brings salvation no otherwise to be construed than with the words following that brings salvation to all men Piscator was so far convinced of it that he turned the words Gratia Dei salutifera quibusvis hominibus And the French Bible has the words so only in the Margin they qualifie all men with this limitation of what state or condition soever so Diodati qualifies the words but grants the construction of them And although the Low Dutch Bible have the same Translation with ours yet it puts the other in the Margin as ours have done And the Syriack Interpreter the Tigurin Bible the V. L. Paguin Castellio and Vatablus have Salutaris omnibus hominibus or salutifera omnibus hominibus or cunctis hominibus and Tremelius and Beza have the same structure of the words only Beza qualifies and limits omnibus with quibusvis but they are all convinced of the syntax and structure of them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salutaris or bringing salvation must be joyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all men yea if we take a view of all our English Translations we shall find that Tyndal renders the words thus The Grace of God that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared so Coverdale There hath appeared the Grace of God that is healthful unto all men so three more English Translations beside that of Geneva which renders the words thus The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men hath appeared only they limit the Generality to Genera singulorum in the Marginal Note where they say of what condition or state soever they be Another Reason may be taken from the Analogy that this place holds with other Scriptures where S. Paul saith God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth So 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance The coherence with the former words prove this for whereas the Apostle had exhorted Titus to teach such Doctrine as might heal all sorts of people old and young bond and free he shews that there is sufficiency of saving Grace for all for saith he The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men hath appeared The Grace of God here understood is the Grace of Repentance and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ This is the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached by John the Baptist for thus John signifies Gratia Domini the Grace of the Lord and the Sum of John's Doctrine is Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ the Apostle gives us this Breviate of it Acts 19.4 then said Paul John verily baptized with the Baptism of Repentance saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus And the Summ of that Doctrine which he himself preached both to Jews and Gentiles Acts 20.21 is the same Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ This Grace of God brings Salvation the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salutaris or salutifera saving or which hath a power to save now Salvation is a relative word 1. In regard of the term à quo it is from sin and all the effects of it 2. In regard of the term ad quem unto God and his Righteousness his Wisdom his Truth c. This Grace of God brings Salvation unto all men that this is the true reading of the words I have shewn Now the Reason why the Grace of God brings Salvation unto all men appears from consideration of all men in misery lost and wanting Salvation And the God of all Grace hath concluded all men in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all Rom. 11.32 and Salvation it self is a common Salvation Jude Verse 3. 1. Hence it appears and follows undeniably that whosoever is saved he is saved by Grace 2. The Grace of God does not teach us to imagine feign or believe that Christ hath lived his life for us so that we need not to live it our selves 1 Pet. 2.24 He bare our sins in his body on the Tree that we being dead unto sin might live unto righteousness we must live this life our selves 3. If the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men teaches us to deny ungodliness c. and to live soberly c. What is that which teaches men to love themselves to be proud boasters c. to live intemperately unjustly ungodly Surely because the wise man tells us that Good is set against evil Ecclus. 33.14 So as the Grace and goodness of God teaches men to live soberly c. so it is the Gracelesness envy and malice of the Devil that teaches men intemperance unjustice and ungodliness and as the Grace of God brings a saving power to keep men from ungodliness and worldly lusts and to preserve them unto the Kingdom of God so is it the envy and malice of the Devil that teaches men to deny the power of God and godliness Note hence the riches of Gods Grace how rich he is towards all men who call upon him 4. Hence we understand who are the true learned men who else but they who have learned the Grace of God that teaches all men A man may read much hear and know much and so become wise and learned with other mens Learning but what benefit hath any man of this if he become not wise for himself If he be not sober just to his Neighbour and pious to his God All his Learning renders him so much the more like the Devil who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only a Knower not a doer of what he knows all the knowledge they have be it never so profound while they yet live in their sins will not reach to the Divine Truth Dan. 9.13 As it is written in the Law of Moses all this evil is come upon us yet made we not our Prayer unto the Lord our God or entreated not the face of our God that we might turn from our iniquities and understand thy truth Prov. 22.20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge Yea by how much the more they excell in other Learning while they have not been taught to deny ungodliness c. by so much the more fit instruments are they for the Devil to act by see this in the High Priests Elders Scribes and Pharisees who of all the world knew more of Gods word than these And who greater enemies of the Grace of God than they were They were of all other the most active in opposing Christ the wisdom of God c. Job
what he hath done in the body 4. The Throne is the guerdon and reward which the Father gave him for his conquest of Sin Satan Death and Hell Rev. 3.21 Learn we from hence that vast difference and disproportion between Christ and the Angels yea even the highest Angels though there be some Analogie between the Creator and his best Creatures such as the Angels are As God is a Spirit and his Angels are Spirits God is a consuming fire and Angels are a flame of fire God is light and his Angels are Angels of light c. yet when they come to be compared together the disproportion and difference is far greater as between Creator and Creature finite and infinite mutable and immutable c we say in Philosophy there there is no proportion It is the duty and practice of the Pen-men of Gods Spirit to set forth this difference that the Creator may be exalted according to his infinite greatness and the Creature depressed according to its inferiour condition Some Angels have certain Countries allotted unto them to guard and keep as we read Dan. 9. of the Princes of Persia and Grecia and of Michael their Prince which the Ancients understood of Topical Angels Some of them are called Dominations either because they have Hierarchies of Angels under them as the word Archangel imports or else because God hath Dominion over them in a special manner Yea some of them are called thrones Coloss 1.16 Yea all of them are so unto God and Christ who sits and rules in them and doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth Whence they are also called Christs Chariots Dan. 35. in which he comes riding for the help of his Servants Psal 18.10 He rode upon a Cherub and did fly he came flying upon the wings of the wind This Testimony therefore is very fit to set forth the Transcendency and Superiority of Christ's Nature and the subordination and inferiority of the Angels Consol If the Son of God be God and God with us what can be against us but Judg. 6.12 c. Jer. 14.7 God is with you while you are with him I conclude with Consolation and I shall now proceed with it There is great need of Consolation in these tempestuous times to the soul sinking and there is no means to support it so convenient as the consideration of this point that Christ the Son of God is God This upheld the drooping and sinking Soul in the midst of all storms of temptations inward and outward Matth. 14.22 When the Disciples were upon the Sea and the ship was tossed with the waves because the wind was contrary the contrary spirit contrariae adversae potestates they oppose the ship that tends straight on to the true haven where we all would be But see when we are in the greatest and most imminent danger then comes Christ unto us walking on the waters so did not the Jews but through the Sea and through Jordan nor Elias nor Elisha but through Jordan Christ only as the spirit moved upon the waters so he walked upon them They said it is a phantasm In the night of temptations of storms and tempests we do not think the Lord to be what he is but otherwise than he is we think not God to be there when he afflicts us chastens us corrects us we lay the blame upon the Devil upon a Spirit But the Apostles teach that God is the same who afflicts and comforts who casts down and raiseth up c. See Palatium in Love Here here is the great Consolation EGO SVM the very â—ame message that Moses was to carry the Israelites into Aegypt I AM hath sent me unto you The same message I may bring unto you in this our common affliction Ego Sum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's an Exhortation with which I shall conclude this point O that we did believe this Truth that Jesus Christ the Son of God is God Motive By this means we become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 For this end was the Gospel written That ye may believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that ye may have life through his name Joh. 20.31 This is that Faith which overcomes the world 1 Joh. 5. When thou yieldest to the suggestions of Satan thou doest not believe that Christ is God In my Name they shall cast out Devils Out of their belly shall flow rivers of living waters Where doth the Devil work more at this day than among pretending Christians The Throne of Christ may be understood to endure for ever and ever considered either Absolutely or Relatively unto other Kingdomes which are not of the like duration and continuance This may help us to discover in these times of distraction who are the true Christians and truly Beloved there is great need of this when there is such contention for Christ here is Christ and there is Christ If the Son of God Jesus Christ be God surely those people are the true Christians who have most of God among them A true Christian man hath Christ living in him he is wise powerful holy Deut. 4.6 This great Nation is a wise and understanding people for what Nation is there so great that hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Can our God be nigher than in us The Son of God our God is Emmanuel God with us and in us Would we sit with the Lord in his Throne Pray to the Lord that he would erect his Throne in us that he would destroy his Corrival in us Regnum non habet socium Antichrist in us That the Son of God would destroy the Son of perdition in us That the Son of God who is God would dethrone and depose him who exalts himself above all that is called God and is worshipped That he would destroy him with the spirit of his mouth and the brightness of his coming That he would cast out the Prince of this world he began to do it Joh. 12. Now is the judgement now is the Prince of this world cast out That he would set up his Throne in our hearts and judge us in his strength Here he justifieth the ungodly Here he condemns sin for sin 'T is true there is a time when Christ is weak in us 2 Cor. 13. A time when the Sons of Zeruiah are too strong for him nor is it in vain said that the Lord shall give him the Throne of his Father David Alas how was he opposed and contradicted and sleighted c. and so is Christ but he endured the Cross and despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Hebr. 12.1 2. More NOTES on HEBREWS I. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever and ever THere is an Observation that goes for currant that where we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone it is most-what understood of a
wise and gracious God meets with our weakness and causeth the Gospel to be confirmed unto us by those that heard him Observ 5. God speaks not the Gospel in a dark corner of the earth Esay 45.19 nor in doubtful speeches like the Devils Oracles but clearly and openly again and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.16 Exhort To hear the word of the Gospel of Salvation and believe it and be confirmed in it Col. 2.7 As ye have received Remove what tends to the dissetling of us the childish age Eph. 4.14 Grow up into me in all things Beware of the sleights of men Means Positive to hear the word and do it Matth. 7. The storms beat against that house and it stands stedfast in the faith Rom. 11.20 Thou standest by faith Pray unto the Lord Psal 119.28 my Soul melts or drops or dissolves settle me according to thy word The Apostle having told us of our adversary the Devil 1 Pet. 5.10.11 Prayeth The God of all Grace who called us into his eter-Glory strengthen stablish settle you NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS II. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles c. HItherto we have had the testification of the Gospel These words contain the attestation of witnessing of God unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ As the former Testimony is Verbal given by voice and words so is this Real as given by things for the further confirmation of the Gospel In this attestation we have the person attesting God and the manner or kind of attesting by Signs c. accordingly we have two Divine truths in the words 1. God bare them witness 2. God bare them witness by signs and wonders c. 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to witness or give Testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to add unto a former Testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to add unto and testifie with others and this is the word here used and no where else either by the Septuagint in Old Testament or by the Evangelists or Apostles in the New and rarely used in humane Authors Aristotle de mundo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hujus rei elogium est mortalium consensus Thus the Lord began to preach the Gospel the Apostles who heard him confirmed his word God added unto their Testimony and testified with them the truth of this Mark 16. promised Verse 17. performed Verse 20. The Reason he himself hath in him all that eminently which makes a witness without exception wisdom and knowledge he is the only wise God Goodness none good but God Love and Bounty he is the love it self 1 John 4.8 The witnesses who heard the Lord Jesus Christ they were men and as men they might possibly err and therefore to confirm and ratifie his word by them the essential truth himself God that cannot lye nor deceive nor be deceived he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he bears them witness Observ 1. The Lord is pleased to put himself into the same Office and number himself with the Apostles and witnesses of the Gospel O what great Humility and condescent is this of our God unto us what zeal what ardent love unto mans Salvation 2 Chron 36.15 The Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers rising up early and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place Jerem. 25. and 35.14 He sends his Son Hebr. 1. called an Apostle Hebr. 3. He comes himself he works with them Mark 16.20 and testifies with them Observ 2. The Gospel hath the greatest witness for it self that is to be found in Heaven or earth even God himself who in all Oaths is wont to be called upon as the witness of the truth yea as the truth it self and by whom all Testimonies in all differences are finally resolved 1 Sam. 12.5 Jerem. 42.5 Rom. 1.9 Phil. 1.8 Observ 3. The Gospel must needs be true and as it is called The word of truth Ephesians 1.13 Coloss 1.5 It is witnessed by God and man and by him who is God and man Emmanuel God with us the Lord Jesus Christ 1 John 5.9 If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater Observ 4. The most sure and infallible ground of Faith This appears from the nature of it it is an assent unto truth testified now according as the witness is more wise more good more loving unto us so much the more surely grounded is our assent and the stronger our Faith Since therefore God is the very essential truth God that cannot lye the essential wisdom goodness love it self what he testifieth must be a most sure and infallible ground of Faith If from heaven why do ye not believe him if heaven it self i. e. God himself much more Observ 5. Hence appears the cause of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that boldness in Gods witnesses I know whom I have believed Consol What comfort is here for the poor penitent Convert who yet doubts of Gods Grace to such sinners as he is God bare them witness by signs c. Sometimes we meet with one of these as Luk. 11.16 a sign from heaven sometimes with two as Joh. 4.48 except ye see signs and wonders sometimes they meet us altogether as Act. 2.22 2 Cor. 12.12 But I have not met them altogether in the Old Testament and the reason may be many things were under the Law as Types Figures and Ceremonies the Legal Priesthood Circumcision c. which were not to endure and therefore they had not that confirmation which the Gospel was to have they were things to be shaken the things which were not to be shaken as the things of the Gospel they must remain The Legal Priest was not made with an Oath but Melchizedech and he who was to be made according to the Order of Melchizedech he was made with an Oath Hebr. 7.20 The Gospel was to continue for ever and therefore signs wonders and miracles were wrought for the confirmation of it But come we to consider these in particular 1. God bare them witness by signs i. e. extraordinary signs they are so called because they signifie something to be true which otherwise we should doubt of Thus Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites and the Son of Man to us Luk. 11.30 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are rendered wonders they are properly works wrought by a power above Nature The Etymologists will have the word q. d. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God speaks by them Vulg. Lat. Portentum that which portends of shews something to come 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we turn Miracles the V. L. better expresseth the word by Virtutes Powers specially the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth that power which is seen in healing diseases and casting out Devils Mar. 5.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our Lord of that Virtue that healed the
Assyrian and Babylonian Captivities Observ 5. See the large territory of Satan how far and wide he Reigns even all the world over wherever there is death in sin wherever there is the carnal mind wherever there is disobedience Ephes 2.2 As the Word of God is operative in all those who believe 1 Thess 2.13 So on the contrary the Prince of the power of the air works powerfully in the children of disobedience which are far more numerous insomuch as he might seem to speak some truth when offering all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them to our Saviour he tells him it was delivered unto him Luk. 4.6 Observ 6. Satan hath no power at all over the life that 's out of his Jurisdiction Christ the Son of God and Captain of our Salvation is the Prince of Life Act. 3.15 Repreh The Plagiaries the men-stealers such as enslave the servants of God and bring them into captivity under the power of Satan 2 Pet. 2.18 19. Such are they who creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with divers lusts 2 Tim. 3. Repreh 2. Those who yield themselves captives under the power of sin and death and devil if we yield to his lusts he follows wrath is one of his lusts Ephes 4.27 so is pride especially spiritual pride 1 Tim. 3.6 7. Jam. 4.6 7. so is covetousness Joh. 12.5 whereupon Satan prevailed over Judas Joh. 13.2 by consenting more yet by hardening himself against our Lords admonitions vers 27. So that now he hath taken full possession of him as his own so he did of Ananias and Saphira Satan filled their heart Principiis obsta Consol To the children of Gods kingdom who are in continual heaviness and anguish by reason of manifold temptations 1 Pet. 1.6 To be tempted by Satan is no sin the Lord Jesus who took part of thy flesh and blood was tempted in all things like unto us yet without sin But alas the devil like a roaring Lion goes about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. But doth it not follow whom resist strong in the faith and hath not thy God set an hedge of his providence about thee 'T is true the Devil goes about that hedge he took notice of it and told the Lord Job 1.7 10. Now if thou break not the hedge if thou put not thy self out of protection if thou transgress not if thou keep thee within the hedge the Devil cannot hurt thee if thou yield not to the tempter his temptations cannot hurt thee Jam. 1.14 15. A man is tempted when he is drawn away with his own lusts Zophar gives Job good counsel Job 11.14.18 If iniquity be in thy hand put it away Prov. 28.4 They who keep the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea Zach. 2.5 the Lord promiseth that he himself will be a wall of fire round about Jerusalem 'T is true if thou have any thing of Satans if thou retain any of his lusts Joh. 8. he will prevail against thee Wherefore comes the Creditor but to demand his own and if thou cast not what is his out of doors he will have thee or thine with it How did the Creditor deal with the widow 2 King 4.1 The Creditor is come saith she to take my two Sons and make them bondmen if thou have nothing of his he cannot hurt thee Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator Mark what thy brother the Captain of thy Salvation saith Joh. 14.30 the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Tarpeia See Notes on Rom. 5. Exhort Yield not to the suggestion of the evil one All the glory of the world and the kingdoms of it could not tempt our Lord. Ye are children of another kingdom of the kingdom of God and Christ children of the resurrection not of death But alas I am weak I am but a child Yea but thou art of God and his Kingdom and therefore 1 Joh. Ye are of God little children and have overcome them What ever is born of God overcometh the world Object The Devil is strong and he hath the power and kingdom of death thou belongest not to him or his kingdom Ye are of the day not of darkness ye are of another jurisdiction He is but a weak adversary who overcomes only those who are willing to be overcome and that 's the power of Satan and no greater for resist the devil and he will flee from thee 2. That by his death he might destroy him who hath the power death i. e. the devil This is the second end why our Lord the Captain of our Salvation took part of flesh and blood 1. That he might die 2. That by his death he might destroy him who hath the power of death i. e. the devil Herein two things must be enquired 1. What is meant by destroying him who hath the power of death 2. How Christ by his death effected this 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to render unprofitable vain and of no effect from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth idle it answers to the Hebrew and Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here used in the Syriack Ezra 4.21.23 24. then ceased the work of the house of God vers 5. and 6 8. Luk. 13.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 31. to make void 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make the Law of none effect Thus when the Law of Commandments which was against us is made void Eph. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by other Laws of Faith and the Spirit when the Law that commands and giveth no strength is abrogated by the Law of Faith which brings power with it when the Ceremonial Law of Sabbath New Moons are taken away by the Law of the Spirit when the body of sin which was made exceeding sinful by the Law is made of none effect Rom. 6.5 6. when death is destroyed which is the wages of sin 2 Tim. 1.10 Then the devil himself who hath the power of death may be said to be destroyed for so the power of the devil increased by the peremptory Law meeting with weak flesh and blood and bringing no power with it whence sin breaks out more violently Nitimur in vetitum whence follows death whereof the devil hath power Thus the Jews tell us that Satan hath the power of death in that he suggests unto sin unto which flesh and blood yielding he becomes an adversary and accuser as Zach. 3.1 Psal 37.38 But the Lord Jesus taking away the sin withall takes away the ground of all Satans accusations so that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 2. Thus whereas the devil was operative by the Law Sin and Death the stronger one spoiling the strong one of these weapons wherein he trusted He thus destroys him who hath the power of death for then a tyrant may be said to be destroyed when his Arms
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could Aristotle say It 's an holy thing to observe truth and faithfulness before ones friend Equity and Justice knows neither one nor other it stands impartial 2 Chron. 19.6 7. Exhort To faithfulness in things belonging to God in offering up our daily Sacrifices in all things in the Mammon of unrighteousness Luke 16.9 Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you c. Exhort Let not mercy and truth or faithfulness forsake thee Prov. 3.3 Write them upon the Table of thine heart Joseph Matth. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if such we be it shall be said to us as to that servant Matth. 25.21 23. Well done thou good and faithful servant enter into the joy of thy Lord. Observ 2. The office of the High Priest is about spiritual things things belonging to God in these the High Priest busied him and in these Christ the High Priest was wholly taken up and therefore when Luke 12.13 one said unto him Master speak to my Brother that he divide the inheritance with me he said unto him Man who made me a judge and divider over you Nor would the Apostles busie themselves with any thing else but the word of God and Prayer When mention was made of temporal things our Lord diverted them to eternal bread water c. Observ 3. The Lord Jesus is said to be first a merciful High Priest and then a faithful the Apostle names mercy before faithfulness because in their execution mercy precedes Deut. 20.10 11. Tamerlane the King hung out his white Flag first 1 Kings 19.15 16 17. Elias had complained of the Idolatry of the ten Tribes the Lord commanded to anoint Hazael Jehu and Elisha but though Elisha be last named he is first anointed Why so That the Lord might first shew his mercy and goodness before his severity that he might first exhibit and offer Grace in Elisha before judgment in Hazael and Jehu that he might first kill gladio oris before ore gladii thus when the Lord would declare his name to Moses Exod. 34.6 he puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merciful and gracious in the first place and to shew that his mercy endures for ever in Christ there is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby he alludes unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tender plant as Christ is often called having promised all these names of mercy and grace lest his mercy and grace should be abused he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purificando non purificabit Psalm 101. first Mercy then Judgment 2. As these words have the respect of an end upon them it behoved him in all things to be like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest he must be like unto his Brethren that he might be 1. An High Priest 2. A merciful High Priest 3. A faithful High Priest c. 4. That he may make reconciliation for the sins of the people Of the three former I have spoken in their absolute nature I shall now speak of them as the end of his similitude and likeness to his Brethren 1. He must be like c. That he might be an High Priest What reason for that Because the High Priest is taken from among men and is for men Heb. 5.12 And therefore the Lord Christ must be man also and like unto his Brethren from among whom he is taken and for whom he is ordained 2. That he may be a merciful High Priest But what need is there that he should be made man that he may be a merciful High Priest Confer with what hath been said before Exhort Our Lord became man that he might be a merciful High Priest And let us consider man's frailty misery poverty and put our selves in their condition Psalm 41.1 He must be made like unto his Brethren c. That he might be a faithful High Priest Did the Lord Jesus want faithfulness that he must be made like unto his Brethren in all things that he might be a faithful High Priest Is not God faithful 1 Cor. 10. It is true God is faithful and so Christ as he is God but that Christ may be a faithful High Priest in offering up himself as a Sacrifice causing his Brethren to be faithful in offering up their Sacrifice it was requisite that he should be made like unto his Brethren that should be faithful 4. That he may make reconciliation for the sins of the people The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he may expiate the sins of the people the word we render expiate and to make reconciliation for is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred by another full word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make propitiations which Eustathius calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine words which may be deduced from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the Syriack is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth God The High Priest the Lord Jesus makes reconciliation for the sins of the people 1. Passively 2. Actively 1. Passively by his inward and outward sufferings his dolours and agonies of his Soul the buffetings and scourgings or contradictions of sinners against himself yea the suffering of death it self 2. Actively and that two ways 1 Purgatively by incorporating and imbodying by fleshing us with his flesh for so Believers are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5. and arming us with a lowly meek obedient wise watchful and long-suffering mind and Spirit and spiritual blood whereby we are enabled against carnal and fleshly pollutions as also against spiritual defilements 2. Meritoriously by taking away the guilt of those sins whereof we have repented and which we have left Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Reason In regard of the people and of God and Christ 1. The people necessity required it 2. God the Father who gave his Son and the Son who gave himself and works by his Word and Spirit in the hearrs of sinful people winning them and reconciling them unto God ye have all these together 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Observ 1. The Love of the Father John 3.16 Observ 2 The Love of the Son Passus est quia voluit Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it See Notes on Hebr. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Observ 3. Hence we may learn wherein Reconciliation consists 1. In Christ's exemplary death for our sins 2. Purging us from our sins by his like death 3. Giving himself a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransom for the expiation and taking away the guilt of sins purged out of us 4. Reconciliation to God cannot be made without the purging and cleansing us from our sin from the stain of it and from the guilt of it Psalm 65.2 3 4. Blessed is the man whom
them by their own bait by commending Moses whom they had in high esteem already he was notably dexterous in this Art 1 Cor. 9 19-22 Observ 2. Christ and Moses are here compared together in faithfulness and Christ is said to be faithful as Moses there may be comparison and likeness between God and Christ and those who are Gods and Christs pure mercifull holy perfect as God nor is this any presumption but the will of God Observ 3. Here is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ even the faithful Moses so that Christ may be called Moses alter another Moses as the Poet saith Alter erit Typhys 1. He was in imminent danger of Pharaoh in his Infancy as Christ was of Herod both hidden by Divine Providence and both escaping when other Infants were put to death 2. Moses slew the Aegyptian but preserved the Hebrew and the Lord Jesus destroyes the Devil the black Aegyptian Hebr. 2.14 and delivers the true Hebrews v. 15. 3. Moses reconcileth the Hebrews one to other and the Lord Jesus makes peace among his own people whether Jews or Gentiles Ephes 2. 4. Moses brought the people out of the Land of Aegypt which is imputed unto the Lord Jesus Jud. v. 5. That he saved the people out of the Land of Aegypt for v. 4. the Apostle mentions the only Lord Jesus Christ and he it is who brings his Spiritual Israel out of the true Aegypt Mine own will I bring again out of the depths of the sea Psal 68.22 Mich. 7. v. 15. cum v. 19. 5. Moses was the chief of Prophets as the Lord himself commends him Numb 12. And Moses himself saith of the Lord Jesus Christ that he should be a Prophet like unto him Deut. 18.15 Act. 3.22 23. Exhort Be faithfull ye who are of Gods houshold one to other Observ 1. Christ Jesus took not the Office of Apostle or High Priest to himself Hebr. 5.2 3.4 Observ 2. The Office of Apostle and High Priest was an Office of Trust Axiom 5. Jesus Christ was faithfull unto him that appointed him or made him Thus according to Christ's humanity God the Father made him a body hast thou made me Hebr. 10. But here the word is the same with constituting or appointing as we turn it such a faithful Ambassadour and High Priest was Christ Jesus unto the Father who made him This faithfulness we find in all his transactions with Man for though his Office of Trust were both troublesome and dangerous yea deadly in the execution of it in dying for us and cleansing of us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 1. yet he was faithful in the execution of it Faithful he is 1. Actively 2. Passively Confer with Notes on Hebr. 2. Observ 1. As Christ was faithful in his Priesthood so ought we c. Repreh 1. Us all of our unfaithfulness in what is committed to our trust what have we but we have received it and if we have received it of God we are to be accountable to our God for it yet it 's strange how securely most of us go on in our accustomed wayes c. See Notes on Zeph. 1.15 Repreh 2. More specially this Example of the Lord Jesus reproves us for our unfaithfulness in our Priests Office c. See Notes on Hebr. 1. Exhort To be faithful to him that made us Have we little be faithful in that little He that is faithful in a little is faithful also in much Who will commit precious liquour into a leaking running vessel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · Paul was faithful to the Law and God made him a chosen vessel He had tryed him how he could hold the Law and finding him faithful 1 Tim. 1.12 He put in him the most excellent Liquour even the Holy Spirit of God Axiom 6. Christ Jesus was faithful to him that appointed him in all his house as Moses the faithfulness of Moses was seen 1. In the structure and building of the Tabernacle 2. In the ordering of Gods houshold for both the structure and the houshold or family are called by the word in the Text which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an house and the faithfulness of Christ is likewise seen in both 1. The faithfulness of Jesus Christ is seen in the building repairing and furnishing of his true and spiritual Tabernacle Ye have a ground for this two-fold Tabernacle Hebr. 8 1-9 The House of God the Church the pillar and ground of Truth As therefore Moses builded the first Tabernacle which was a shadow and figure so the Lord Jesus Christ builds the second and true Tabernacle Hebr. 8.2 The true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man that is the Church of Christ figured by the Tabernacle wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.14 We read not of any reparation of the first Tabernacle that Moses made but we find that the Lord Jesus repaired his Tabernacle Amos 9.12 And what is the Tabernacle of David Surely by David here as in many places else we understand the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Love of God as David signifieth Love Col. 1. But what is David's Tabernacle Chrysostome understands by it the humane nature fallen and ruined by its fall but that the Son of God the true David took the humane nature and repaired it according to what our Apostle hath Chap. 2.14 And it is very notable that the Ancient Rabbins themselves in Galatinus lib. 8. chap. 22. understand that place of Amos of the Lord Christ for whereas they call the Messias Bar Nipheli the fallen Son they say that the Tabernacle of David is the body of Christ fallen in his Death and builded again in his Resurrection Can there be a more evident testimony against the Jews that Jesus is the Christ Which as it is true of the humane person of Christ so likewise of the mystical body of Christ as Rom. 12.4 5. 1 Cor. 12.12 for so the mystical body of Christ dies with him and lives with him in conformity to his death and life for thus he is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel Luk. 2. And the Church of Christ is called the house of David Luk. 1.69 this Tabernacle was one Exod. 26.6 But it hath many breaches in it as being broken from God as he complains Ezec. 9. And being rent and divided one part from other as Jews and Gentiles which the Lord promiseth to repair Act. 15.17 And Christ is said to perform it Ephes 2. God commanded Moses and Moses is faithful and by Gods command employes Bezaleel and Aholiab in making the first Tabernacle these God enabled with Wisdom to work in Gold and Silver and Brass and Stone and Wood Exod. 31. Nor did the Lord Jesus herein fall short of Moses his faithfulness but was likewise faithful in all Gods house for what Moses did in the Figure Christ performed in the truth of it for what were Moses's workmen but figurative of spiritual things what was Bezaleel but the shadow of God
fail or as 't is in the Margin fall from the grace of God unless there were a possibility of falling why should we be so often warned of it Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall Observ 3. The Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest any one seem to fall short he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest all seem to fall short it is true indefinites imply one as well as other yet they do not always imply an universal possibility much less a probability for where things are contingent and arbitrary between two events as here to come short or not to come short of entrance into Rest not only God's providence but also what is of God in man as fore-sight prevents the evil that might fall out and secures the good that was but possible which may answer their ensnaring cavil who ask if any one indefinitely may fall away from the grace of God and come short of entring into the Rest if we say yea any one may then they infer then may all fall away and come short and so it will be possible that none shall be saved in the end I answer it is neither possible nor probable because of a double divine providence one watching of us and another implanted in us Add hereto that the Lord is not only able to keep us from falling who believe on him and obey him and endeavour to run the way of his commandments but also he doth actually lay hold upon all such and stay them from ruine Heb. 2.16 the words are not well turn'd in the Text they are better in the Margin The Verb is in the present tence The seed of Abraham are they who walk in the steps of Abrahams faith Rom. 4. Believers and obedient ones those who run the race that is set before them These the Lord lays hold upon and keeps them from falling Observ 4. The believing Saints and they who for the present are upon the way to God's Rest and Kingdom ought every one of them wisely to fear and take care lest in the end he should fall short of it until he be entirely possessed of it we read that all above six hundred thousand fell short of entrance into God's Canaan or Rest who yet had made good progress towards it The Apostle gives the believing Gentiles warning by the example of the faln Israelites Rom. 11.20 Because of unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by faith be not high minded but fear and with this fear he teacheth the Philippians to proceed toward the Land of Rest work out your salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 Therefore St. John warns the Elect Lady that though the truth be for the present in us yea and shall be in us for ever 2 Joh. 2. yet vers 8. Take heed saith he that we lose not those things that we have wrought but that we receive a full reward and accordingly he minds the Church of Sardis Remember how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent Revel 3.3 for he that now thinketh he standeth may possibly fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Observ 5. Fear is not suddenly cast out no not of believers it is true that love casts out fear but what fear is that what other but that which hath torment which yet must make way even for love it self as the needle that pricked to the heart Act. 2.37 It draws after it the thred as the cords of love which unite and joyn the heart unto God and then the needle is cut off but that is not until the love be perfect 1 Joh. 4.18 yea the reverential fear remitti non potest as not toward our fathers upon earth so much less toward our Father which is in heaven The state of Bliss is by Divine Wisdom figured by Jerusalem which hegins with fear and ends with peace and rest Observ 6. The eminent Saints of God in their exhortations oftentimes put themselves in the number of those whom they exhort although themselves indeed are not concern'd in the duty whereunto they exhort and this they do out of lenity condescent and desire to gain those whom they exhort Thus doth our Apostle in Titus exhort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us fear So Neh. Chap. 5.20 Thus St. James Chap. 3.1 and St. John 1 Joh. 1. 2 Joh. 2.8 Now the Apostle did not fear himself vers 3. being one who had entred into God's Rest vers 10. Observ 7. Fear is not a needless or useless affection if rightly ordered yea it 's very profitable and necessary Prov. 23.17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long and 28.14 Happy is the man that feareth always as Job said Verebar omnia opera mea they who are in the race toward the everlasting Rest may and ought always to fear their enemies and their own weakness yet hope firmly on the Lord and on his help and grace in Jesus Christ Psal 11.11 Answer O Lord O God forget not the poor especially while a good will is present to please him and a fear to offend him remains in us for this is a Godly fear Hebr. 12.28 29. and hereby we perfect the holiness 2 Cor. 7.1 2. 1. Hence those are to be reproved who think there is no cause nor need of this fear when we are once brought to the state of Grace in any measure Let such remember the condition of these in the Text the people were then in Kadesh Barnea the unconstant or unsettled holiness of the Child 2. They are to be reproved who are secure and fearless in their passage toward Gods Rest Example whereof we may read of the people of Laish they live at ease securely 3. Reproof is of those who reason from the promise of God absurdly that therefore they may do unjustly be careless and fearless There is a promise left c. God will be true in keeping his promise it is true He is most true but then must we be obedient to his Commands Gods Promise is part of his Covenant with us and a Covenant requires both parties to observe their several engagements Shall God Almighty be bound by his Promise yea by Oath unto us and shall we be loose dissolute and regardless of our duty toward him Mark how the Lord reasons with his people Jer. 7 3-10 Amend your lives c. trust not in lying words saying the Temple of the Lord c. Observe the Lord he requires our endeavours to the fulfilling of his promise Psal 32.8 9. I will instruct thee but be not like the Horse and Mule c. Gods promise to teach us requires that we be docible and plyable to his Doctrine Ezech. 43.7 8. and 36.37 They shall pollute my Name no more but then he requires that they put away the carcases of their Kings and then he will dwell in the midst of them The Lord having promised Crowns unto the followers of Christ Zach. 6.12 13 15. he conditions the performance of
blind and cannot see a far off vers 9. He cannot see the land of distance Esay 33.17 O then take the optick glass of Holiness that brings the object near with it thou shalt see the Lord without it thou shalt never see the Lord. Alass I am in darkness and the darkness hath blinded mine eyes He is not far off from thee feel after him and find him Act. 17.27 Means I shall name such and in such a method as the Holy Ghost hath left them to us Psal 34.6 Accedite ad illum illuminamini Look unto him or look toward him and be enlightned we turn it they i. e. the Saints looked unto him and were enlightned according to a diverse reading of the words both good 1. They looked unto him or toward him by conversion or turning to him and he who thus comes unto God must believe that he is This turning to God is necessary otherwise we cannot see him For except ye be converted and become as little children Matth. 18.3 This was figured Matth. 28.7 where the Angels tell the women Behold he goes before you into Galilee there shall you see him and vers 10. he saith to the women Go tell my Brethren that they go into Galilee there shall they see me and vers 16.17 we read accordingly that the eleven Disciples went away into Galilee and there they saw him What 's the Reason of this He bids us we should not say Here is Christ or there O Beloved there 's a mystery in it Galilee signifieth conversion or turning about Be converted and become like little children Go into that Galilee and there ye shall see him The Lord complains of his people Jer. 2.27 They have turned their back unto me and not their face so 32.33 and Ezech. 8. This is the condition of unconverted men they turn their back upon God O let not us do so let us go into Galilee Turn unto the Lord with all our hearts and we shall see his light they turned unto him and were enlightned being turned about they receive the Divine Light of Justification by Faith for this illumination from God giveth us a new and a spiritual life Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Eph. 5.14 And our Lord Joh. 8. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life For with thee saith the Psalmist Psalm 36. is the well of life and in thy light shall we see light For as by the light of the Sun we see the Sun so by the light of life which we have from the Son of Righteousness we see him This Divine Light chastens us and corrects us For all things that are reproved are made manifest or reproved by the light Eph. 5.13 This is that spiritual eye-salve Apoc. 3. Preceptum Dei lucidum Psal 19.8 The commandment of the Lord is lucid or pure and giveth light unto the eyes It enlightens our right eye in respect of good with love which is the right eye of the soul it enlightens the left eye in respect of evil with fear which is the left eye of the soul so the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these promises which the right eye of love looks at let us cleanse our selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God there 's the left eye of the soul that fear drives out the evil Prov. For as the eye-salve first troubles the sight and then makes the vicious humour to flee from thence and so purifieth and clarifieth the sight so likewise the fear of God first troubles the heart with grief Fear hath torment 1 Joh. and so evacuates the vicious humour of sin a sign whereof oftentimes is a flood of tears by which means the inward eyes of the heart are cleared When we are patient under this chastisement of the Light that patience worketh experience so Jonathan tasted the Honey on the top of his Rod and so his eyes were enlightned O 't is a sweet thing to tast any Divine truth by experience though we smart for it though we tast it from the Rod as Jonathan tasted his Honey for so his eyes were opened as the Psalmist speaks in the forenamed place Psal 34. Tast and see first tast experimentally and then see that the Lord is good so that the quick-sighted Eagles can look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn for him c. When I am lifted up I shall draw all men unto me viz. by conformity unto his death Where the carcase is there the Eagles will be gathered together for the love of Christ constrains them 2 Cor. 5.14 15 16. For since no man can see God and live they 'll dye that they may see him Cleombrotus having read in Plato how amiable the sight of the true virtue is which is no other than the true God he cast himself headlong down a steep precipice into the Sea The Lord requires no such death of us O no Do thy self no harm Act. 16. 2 Cor. 6.9 As dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed And therefore the Apostle having discovered the face of Christ to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ vers 7 8 9 10 11. Who is there then among us that would see the Lord O who would not Here 's then the way to clear thy sight that thou mayst see him Thou who art censorious and rashly judgest others Thou hypocrite thou hast a beam in thine eye pluck it out thou who hatest thy Neighbour thou art a murderer thine eye is bloodshot thou who art lascivious thou hast a Pearl in thine eye thou who art covetous thou hast an evil eye who ever thou art that allowest thy self in any infirmity whether vain words or actions oaths pettishness rashness c. they are eye-sores and render thee less pleasing and acceptable unto God and good men they are Pearls that hinder the sight of the Lord clarifie thy sight by the means I have named But for thine help in the use of these means add hereunto the ministry of the word and prayer 1. Paul having seen the just one and heard the voice of his mouth the Lord saith thus unto him Act. 26.16 17 18. And he tells the Ephesians Vnto me saith he who am the least of all Saints is this Grace given Eph. 3.8 9. 2. How efficacious a means Prayer is See Act. 9. where the Lord sending Ananias unto Paul to restore him to his sight vers 11. Enquire saith he for one Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth Wouldst thou then receive thy spiritual sight and see the Lord Pray unto the Lord that thine eyes may be opened This is the course the blind man took Matth. 20.30 Jesus the Son of David is now present among
That he would incline our hearts to keep his Laws That this day we fall into no sin but that all our doings may be ordered by his governance to do alwayes that which is righteous in his sight That he would prevent us in all our doings and further us by his continual help that in all our works begun continued and ended in him we may glorifie his holy Name that by his holy inspiration we may alwayes do those things that be good and by his merciful guidance we may perform the same through Jesus Christ our Lord. Ye know these things if ye do them blessed are ye for blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ make you perfect in every good work to do his will doing in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON JAMES I. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and widows in their distress and to keep himself unspotted from the world THe Text is such as well befits the time for this our Age is much distracted with the great variety of Religious Zelots and for the Churches Peace Religion by St. James is in the Text defined and as the thing which most pretend that do pretend Religion is Purity so the Religion which is here defined is Pure for pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this c. The matter which the Text concerns is weighty and such as well deserves attention for what is of higer nature than Religion and what Religion than that which in the sight of God is undefiled and pure The parts whereof the Text consists are two 1. The thing defined viz. pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father 2. The definition or explication thereof and that is this 1. To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction 2. To keep himself unspotted of the world 1. In the first the things on which St. James insists are three 1. The duty it self Religion 2. The conditions which are annexed thereto it is pure and undefiled Religion 3. The sincerity of these conditions it is pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father 2. In the second St. James concludes that pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father doth consist 1. In doing Good 2. In eschewing Evil. 1. In doing Good as in visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction 2. In eschewing Evil as in keeping himself unspotted of the world With these by Gods assistance I shall exercise your Christian patience untill I measure out this Text and Time 1. First I will make entrance on the first and that 's Religion nothing is more displeasing unto God than to be contemned nothing more pleasing than to be adored therefore God commanded man to do him service and unto such as do perform that service which he requires he makes the promise of eternal happiness but threatens unto such as do neglect this service the vengeance of eternal fire for God accepts not persons but renders unto every one according to their works whether they be good or evil for the just i. e. such as have done good shall go into life everlasting but the wicked i. e. such as have done evil shall go into everlasting fire Thus Athanasius in his Creed expounds our Saviours words St. Matt. 25. ult Now this duty and service which God requires of Man is set forth in Scripture under several names For 1. Sometimes it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obedience for disobedience is the body of sin to be destroyed Obedience is the life of Righteousness which they that are delivered from this body of death must live Disobedience is the Old Man we must put off Obedience is the New Man we must put on Ephes 4. 2. Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdom is the name which doth express this duty for to do the will of the Lord your God is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations Deut. 4.6 Hominis enim sapientia est pietas saith St. Austin in his Enchiridion to Laurentius chap. 2. 3. Sometimes it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love for Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.8 4. Sometimes the duty which we owe to God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Godliness for Godliness is profitable unto all things and hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 The godly or blessed man exerciseth himself in the law of God day and night Psal 1. If therefore thou wilt be religious let the study of his Law be thy continual exercise When thou sittest in thy house and when thou goest by the way when thou lyest down and when thou risest up Deut. 6.7 To this end the people of the Jews did use their Phylacteries that all times the Law of God might be their meditation 2. Secondly à reeligendo Deum quem per peccatum negligentes amisimus For good and evil being set before us we refused the good and chose the evil but by this service we refuse the evil and do chuse the good Deut. 11.26 3. Thirdly à religando nos omnipotenti Deo for sin separated betwixt God and us but this service separates us from sin and rebinds us unto God again For this service works the death of sin the Husband unto which our souls were bound And having freed us from the Law of this our Husband it marrieth us unto our first Love the essential word of truth the Christ of God By this service man which was the Devils captive jure tanquam postliminio returns unto his Country the Paradice of God again And this service in this place is signified by this word Religion For this the words themselves yea and the holy Ghosts intention in this place declares For 1. First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated in the Text Religion Martin Luther calls Gods service in his Translation for Orpheus did first instruct the Thracians in the service of their Gods Therefore from the Thracians saith Suidas God service is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated by Tremelius thus Si quis existimet quod serviat Deo In the Syriach which Tremelius did translate to serve God and to be Religious are not different things but one Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a frequent title which the Saints from their Religion in holy Writ assume 2. Secondly this duty and service which God requires and wills is the doing of the Word which God commands And here St. James exhorts the true believing Jews to whom he writ to be doers of the word not hearers only deceiving their own selves For if any man among you be a hearer of the
for God must first be known which is an act of wisdom and being known be worshipped which is a duty of Religion therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being taken for the first of these is defined by Mercurius Trismegistus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Stoicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to use the Apostles words the doctrine which is according to Godliness because it doth instruct us how to think of God aright and how to live according to his Law in holiness But being taken for the second this knowledge is reduced to practice for thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the doing of the work which in the sight of God is acceptable Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in sence though not in sound the same for pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father doth consist in doing good and in eschewing evil 1 Pet. 3.11 in works of Charity and to use the School-mens phrase in works of innocency for to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction is reduced to the one and to keep himself unspotted of the world is referred to the other 1. The first thing in which pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father doth consist is this to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction for religion saith Alexander de Hales makes us conformable unto him to whom our religion tends now to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction is in the Father and the Son to whom we do direct our service a work most eminent for God is pleased to stile himself a Father of the fatherless and a judge of the widow Psal 68.5 for as a Father he provideth for their relief and maintenance Psal 146.9 And as a Righteous Judge he doth protect the Widow and defend the Orphan Deut. 10.18 For ye shall not afflict any widow nor any fatherless Child saith the Lord for if ye afflict them in any wise and they cry unto me I will surely hear their cry and my wrath shall wax hot against you And ye shall perish with the sword and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless Exod. 22.24 The Prophet Baruch proves that the Gentiles Gods are Idols because they can shew no mercy to the widow nor do good to the fatherless But there are three which bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Be as a father unto the fatherless and as an husband unto their mother so shalt thou be as the Son of the most high and he shall love thee more than thy mother doth Ecclus. 4.10 The fatherless and widows are the fittest objects of compassion for such are most exposed to misery and in their tribulation to shew mercy and do good to such God doth both command and recompence And seeing Love unfeigned is pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father St. James doth instance in this particular work of Mercy as in a singular act of Charity which doth include the other duties which brotherly Love requires for by visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction the bodily and spiritual works of Mercy yea the doing of good to all that are in want yea our whole duty to our neighbour saith the Gloss is signified all which is fulfilled in this saying Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Gal. 5.14 But some having swerved from this are turned aside unto vain jangling and think that faith can make them pure and undefiled though Charity which is the life thereof be wanting But though I have all Faith saith St. Paul so that I could remove mountains if I have not Charity I am nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith is dead if Love which is the life of faith be absent For if a man have no works what doth it profit him to say he hath faith can faith save him Jam. 2. Our hearts I do confess by faith are purified according to the Apostles Doctrine Act. 15.9 but this is not a dead but a living faith this is not faith alone but faith which works by Charity Gal. 5. For ye have purified your souls saith St. Peter in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren 1 Pet. 1.22 Therefore if a brother or sister have need being naked or destitute of daily food and he which hath this worlds goods shutteth up his bowels of compassion from them how hath he the faith which maketh the conscience pure how dwelleth the love of God in him how can he conceive himself Religious who hath no Charity in which Religion stands therefore farre litet qui thure non potest let every one stretch forth his hand unto the needy and according to his power exercise himself in works of mercy Let every one when he hath opportunity do good to all but especially to the Saints which are upon earth even unto such as do excell in virtue For as there is a curse denounced to such as do devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers to such as exercise themselves in oppression wrong and violence under a pretence of Religion Zeal or Sanctity so unto such as are merciful as their heavenly father is merciful there is pronounced a blessing For unto such the Truth will say Come ye blessed children of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I was hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Then shall the Righteous answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink when saw we thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and cloathed thee or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee And the King shall answer and say unto them Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Matt. 25. 2. Secondly the second thing wherein consists the upright service performed to the God of Truth is innocency The pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father is this To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted of the world It is not that which is without but that which is within which doth defile the man Therefore not the outward world but the inward world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the world of which the Apostle in the Text doth speak For all that is in this world is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1 Joh. 2.16 That is luxury covetousness and pride for this world is wholly set in wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 Now the end why Christ our
wherewith they should contend 2. In respect of the persons exhorting and exhorted to contend with the Faith 1. As for the Faith in Christ it 's a Grace mighty and powerful and that wherewith all the spiritual enemies may be conquered that victory that overcomes the world that weapon without which sin cannot be overcome and by it it may that weapon whereby the old Worthies overcame kingdoms wrought righteousness Heb. 11. 2. St. Jude was an Apostle and it was a great part of his business to exhort and encourage those to whom he wrote as the other Apostles however in their Epistles they delivered the fundamental Truths of God yet a great part of them are spent in exhortation 3. The persons exhorted to contend with the faith were sanctified unto whom the Apostles were given for their further building up Ephes 4.11 12. Here may arise an objection if we contend not for the Faith and doctrine of Faith Schismatical and Heretical men will bring in their Heresies and Errours and Tares will grow up among the Wheat To which I answer And what though the Tares do grow up among the Wheat The Lord of the Harvest who hath and whom it concerns to have greater care of his husbandry than thou hast whoever thou art he said let both grow together till the harvest Matth. 13.30 and this he said to such officious zealots as thou art who offered their service to gather up the Tares vers 28. But our Lord said nay lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them and his Apostle 1 Cor. 11.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there must even among you be heresies c. But what then shall become of the Truth of God and of the Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ The care of this principally belongs to him who is Amen the truth it self the faithful witness who hath also delegated and appointed Apostles and Apostolical men in all ages Thus St. Paul had the care of all the Churches 2 Cor. 11.28 And he tells Titus how a Bishop must be qualified Tit. 1.7 8 9. and this was the care of St. Jude in his Epistle and of the Apostles in theirs and it belonged to their common charge and care to provide for posterity and therefore that Symbolum Apostolicum the Apostles Creed is believed to have been composed by the Apostles and was held to be a Tessera or mark or token of the Catholick and Apostolick Faith But there is a sort of men who cry out Truth Truth as if they were the supporters of it when as I have shewn long since they are like those images or pictures that are set under houses which make pitious faces as if they bare up all the weight of the house whereas if they were taken away the house would stand notwithstanding 1. The observation hence is take notice how this Scripture is abused and made to speak the sence of men zelotical for their own chosen Tenets and Opinions who having first taken up what they themselves or others have chosen to believe as an object of their Faith for that they will strive and stir up others to contend also Thus some of the Sect of the Pharisees who believed in Christ yet were earnest for Circumcision Act. 15.5 and how zelotical they were for the observation of it appears Gal. 6.12 13. and Tit. 1.10 11. and thus some having chosen a dead faith for the true living Christian Faith are zelotical for it and for the maintenance of it would coelum terrae miscere thus one of the later Translations has it that ye would earnestly contend for the maintenance of the Faith whereas no doubt such a dead Faith was never given to the Saints as St. James largâ—ly proves Jam. 2. Observ 2. Though Faith in Christ be an active powerful and vigorous Principle in us even as a fire yet will it be as dead in us unless we strive and contend with it whence the Apostle exhorts Timothy to stir up the gift of God that is in him Observ 3. There is in us an acedia as they call it a listlesness a spiritual laziness and idleness a proneness to do just nothing towards the conquest of our spiritual enemies and therefore we need rousing and stirring up we have need to be exhorted and encouraged to the spiritual combate even they who were sanctified by God the Father preserved in Jesus Christ and called even they had need to be exhorted to strive and contend with the Faith Hence those may be reproved who abuse this saving Truth contention with the Faith which ought inwardly to be exercised upon our lusts and corruptions and turn it outward upon those who differ in judgement from us 3. St. Jude had necessity to write unto them to exhort them to contend with the Faith that was once given to the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. What caused this necessity The Apostle implyes Three Reasons 1. In regard of the Argument whereon he wrote 2. In regard of them of whom he wrote 3. In regard of the persons to whom he wrote 1. The Argument whereon he wrote was the common salvation vers 2. and therefore he must write unto them of Faith also without which there is no salvation 2. Besides the persons of whom or to whom he wrote there were men fallen from the Faith ungodly men crept in insinuated themselves in dangerous examples 3. He had necessity of writing in regard of them to whom we wrote they were in imminent danger in regard of like ungodliness and lasciviousness Repreh 1. Hence those may be Reproved who by occasion of mistranslation and misunderstanding this Text embroyle the Christian Church with Controversies and Disputations For whereas men commonly understand here by Faith the Doctrine of Faith and striving and disputing for it which according to the manifold different judgements is also manifold every Party stirs up all of the same party to contend for the Faith and what is done by all of one party is also done by all of every other party So that the Church of Christ which by profession and calling ought to be the most peaceable Society among all men is become of all other the most contentious and unpeaceable company in the whole world Repreh 2. Hence those may be Reproved who pretend to strive for the Faith by Pious Examples these are good words but experience hath proved that the very same men when they have had power in their hand or could get the Magistrate to be their Executioner have been the most merciless and cruel men to all those who differ in judgement from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Vse may be for Reprehension of the present Generation who think our selves faithful Men and Women when yet we contend not by Faith against our spiritual enemies but yield our selves to be beaten and buffetted by Satan at his will and pleasure and consent to every foolish and hurtful lust that fights against
the soul Whence is it that that victorious grain of Mustard seed wont to remove the mountains of sins is now so little that it 's hard to be found Is it not because the minds of men are blinded and become wholly worldly pursuing carnal and worldly things Or is it not because they have broken and violated their vow in Baptism wherein they renounced Satan and all his works the vain pomp and glory of the world with the covetous desires of the same and the carnal desires of the flesh so that they would not follow nor be led by them Does it not hence come to pass that many pretenders to the Christian Faith are carnal worldly minded and devilish and so led away with their lusts that they have lost the Faith in the Father and forgotten that object of Faith in the Father that shews there is a God that judgeth the earth Exhort This may serve for Exhortation to strive and contend with the Faith against our spiritual enemies Faith is a precious gift of God in us and that whereby we may be saved but it 's a known speech qui sine te fecit te sine te non salvabit te therefore St. Peter exhorts add in your Faith Virtue i. e. courage and prowess for even men already sanctified preserved and called are in danger of turning the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ into lasciviousness and denying the Lord Jesus Christ Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an imitating creature prone to follow examples and that rather bad than good is there not therefore a like necessity in our dayes of stirring one another up to strive and contend with Faith against our spiritual enemies as there was in the Apostles time Are there not even among us ungodly men who turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness and by evil works deny the Lord that bought them Proximus ardet Vcalegon if our neighbours house be on fire it 's high time to look to our own Iniquity is a fire saith the Prophet Isai 9. so is that special sin Adultery saith holy Job 31.12 It is a fire that consumeth to destruction a consuming fire Consider we then the end of our Faith it 's no less than the salvation of our souls and can we be too earnest for the salvation of our souls The Lion when he hath no prey before him walks like a tame beast and doth not discover his claws or talons but when he is hungry and a prey before him then he puts forth his talons and shews all his strength Beloved did we indeed hunger and thirst after Righteousness were we in good earnest after it even in the pursute of it till we were possest of it we would not only certare but supercertare as the V. L. has it Great is the benefit of writing for which we should give praise and thanks to God whereby the precious truths of God have been transmitted unto us and may be to our posterity the Doctrine of Divine Truth hath been and may be conveyed to after Ages hereby But if the Doctrine of Faith were written upon every wall and all Books written upon that Argument open and at hand what benefit is this to thee or me if that Faith be not imprinted and written in thy heart and mine so that we use it as a shield whereby to vanquish and extinguish all the wiles and darts of the evil one Wherefore let us try and examine our selves do we strive and contend with the Faith if so we do then surely we will be obedient and therefore Rom. 1.16 instead of Faith the Apostle puts the obedience of Faith and oftentimes Faith and Obedience are put one for the other though howsoever in contemplation and for distinct knowledge sake we are wont to consider Faith apart from other Graces Jam. 1.22 Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own souls Believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him this is Faith in the Father Hebr. 11.6 And St. Jude wrote to those who were thus sanctified by God the Father and know that such obedient ones as these are kept by Jesus Christ who becomes our guide unto death for this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithful saying or saying of Faith If we die with him we shall live with him add therefore to this Faith Virtue Prowess or Courage 2 Pet. 1. O that all the valour in this Nation were directed this way NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON JUDE Verse 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints THe Apostle in vers 13. had denounced extreme and eternal darkness unto the wandering Stars which in these and the following words he proves to be due unto them by the most ancient Prophecy of Enoch The words may rather be thus rendered But Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied even to these saying Behold the Lord cometh in his holy ten thousands It is very ordinary with the last Translators to turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which alwayes signifieth but by and which are exceeding different and make divers Axioms one from other And whereas they say that Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied of these which Piscator would justifie by making 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith he may be rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no such need for Enoch may be understood to prophesie unto these and all such in all ages for although Enoch one being and he the 5th of the Eight Preachers before the flood denounced judgement unto the then ungodly world yet is his prophecy to be understood as a threatning against all ungodly men And whereas some would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be understood only of the future and turn it veniet the word is in the Aorist and is indefinite and to be left at large What is further said that the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints the word we turn With is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and turn'd In by Hierom And although In and With answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may signifie both yet a parallel place 2 Thess 1.10 speaking of the same Argument cannot indifferently be so rendered when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all that believe Besides the Glory will be comfortless unto the Saints if the Lord shall come with them and not in them But because I deny not an outward appearing of the Lord Jesus we may leave the Word With yet so as In also be understood Howbeit what with confidence is rendered Ten thousands of his Saints is rather to be turned his holy ten thousands or his holy millions for 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreeing adjectively with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that not only the Saints and holy men perfected
exceedingly so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he loved her v. 15. How contrary is the love of our God when he hath touched our heart with his finger i. e. with his spirit when he draws us with the cords of his love when he manifests himself unto us our love is inflamed to him Exhort To observe this first and great Commandment That we may be the more excited hereunto ye may be pleased to consider what a working heart is most carried unto in this world what objects or what in any objects draws his love most for the heart soul and mind are so swayed and carried by love as the body is by the weight of it And as the weight of the body inclines it to the place most proper and most convenient for it so love sways and inclines the whole man to that which is as it were the proper place and center wherein it rests Now what objects most incline the love of the natural man or what most of all doth the love of the natural man incline him unto surely as the Philosopher long since observed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beauty or comliness most takes our fancy and wins our love and the wise man confirms it when he saith The beauty of a woman cheareth the face and the man loves nothing better Ecclus 36.22 Why a man loves that which is fair and beautiful is a blind mans question 2. A second object lovely or the formale objecti is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be beloved so that if one discerned love in another towards him he must be inclined to love him again as naturally as the stone is swayed and moved towards the center whence it is a good rule and would God we all observed it Vt ameris amabilis esto Love that thou maist be beloved if every one would be loving amicable and lovely he shall winn upon his love whom he loveth 3. A third formale objecti or object lovely is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bounty benefacere doing good manifestatio dilectionis est exhibitio operis this is loving in the deed 1 Joh. Now beloved all these are eminently in God as in their root their spring their center all beauty and comliness it is in him most eminently he is the fairest of ten thousand The most glorious Angels who behold the face of God they cover their own faces and their feet as conscious of their own deformity compared with Gods beauty from his beauty what ever is beautiful in any kind receives its beauty whence we reason from every thing that 's beautiful that God is much more so And to love this most beautiful object renders him that loves it like unto it otherwise than it is among the creatures for a man deformed and ill favoured loving the most beautiful woman is not thereby made beautiful himself but rather he appears more deformed but he who loves the Lord with all his heart he becomes like unto him 1 Joh. 3.2 Amor transformat amantem in rem amatam Hence it is that Moses's face shined And they who beheld Stephen saw his face like the face of an Angel This comliness the Lord imparts unto all those who behold him and love his appearance and manifestation of himself in them Ezek. 16. We all behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and so are changed 2 Cor. 3.18 What they falsely said of Helena that she was so fair that she was worthy all that ten years war undertaken for her sake is most true of the beauty in God 2. The second object is to be beloved and this is eminent also in God he prevents us with his love 1 John 4.10 He so loved the world that he sent his son Joh. 3. So without bounds or limits without example see how he loved him as 't is said of Christs love to Lazarus 3. The third motive of love is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bounty and Liberality all we are all we have all the whole creation and every creature is his as streams from his fountain as beams from his light as beauty from his beauty should we begin to speak of his bounty goodness and beneficence where and when should I make an end like the Queen of Sheba I should not tell the one half of his goodness Come we rather to discover our love to God whether we keep this first and great Commandment yea or no Signs If we love our God so intensly surely we will not only not baspheme him our selves but we will be moved when others dishonour him for if we love God so are we united to him one with him 1 Cor. 6. and are embarqued in his quarrel what is done against him is done against us David was troubled because the wicked kept not Gods Law And every one who loves God will be troubled when Gods Law is transgressed no man can endure to see him wrong'd whom he most dearly loves Moses the meekest man on earth yet was moved Exod. 32. He forgot the Law written when he saw the Law broken It would draw speech from the dumb as he said that was so kill not Cresus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wert thou a genuine child of thy heavenly Father thou couldst not endure to see him so injured so crucified so slain as he is in thy self and others The same Subject continued from 1 SAM 15.22 Behold to obey is better than Sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of Rams THe first Commandment hath an Affirmative Thou shalt have Jehovah for thy God 2. A Negative Thou shalt have no other God Ye have heard hitherto the Duties of the affirmative part in accommodation to the apprehensive faculties of the man as also in reference to his appetitive faculties I now come to those Duties which are common to the whole man inward and outward and they are two Obedience and Honour 1. Obedience is a Duty common to all and every man the whole man Common to all the estates and ages of the man childhood youth or young mans age 1. Childhood when he obeys out of fear 2. Youth or young mans age when he obeys out of Faith 3. Old age when he obeyeth out of pure love It is a Duty common to all the Commandments and therefore most fitly to be spoken of in the first which hath an influence upon all the rest for this end I have made choice of 1 Sam. 15.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words are a part of Samuel's expostulation with Saul touching his disobedience towards God In these words two Truths of affinity one to the other are contained with a note of demonstration common to them both to excite attention to the business Behold 1. To obey is better than Sacrifice 2. To hearken is better than the fat of Rams Two truths said I or one rather wherein the latter part explains the former for it is observable that in the Psalms and other parts of Scripture conceived
to be written in meeter that the latter part of the verse is the Exegesis or explication of the former Examples meet us often in the Psalms Psal 114.1 When Israel went out of Egypt v. 1. he turned the hard Rock into water-pools vers 8. Rom. 15.11 And of this nature the Text is for hearing and hearkning are almost all one and so is Sacrifice and Fat of Lambs all one the difference is this that the former is somewhat more general than the latter it is more large and general to hear than to hearken that is with attention and sacrifice is more general than the fat of Lambs yet somewhat there is considerable in both I shall therefore first explain 1. What it is to obey 2. What is meant by Sacrifice 3. Shew the Truth of this 1. To obey And 1. What is meant by the word 2. What is the nature of the thing 1. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying as well to hear as to obey So doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so in High and Low Dutch Gehorsam seim is to obey which is from hearing whence obedire to obey whence the Italian so doth audire so Spanish which signifie the same but ob herein nihil detrahit sed causam tantùm finalem addit as our Criticks but they are deceived for indeed to obey is with resistance of their own will as I shall shew by and by and so ob is against So much for the word So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn to hearken it is meant to hear with attention both these infer the effect of hearing and hearkning i. e. to obey and act according to that which we have heard and hearkened unto for verbum sensuum innuit affectum effectum As for the thing it self vide Notes in Phil. 2.8 A Sacrifice is some outward thing offered up to God which symbolically represents to us some inward thing and requires by and under it performance of some inward and spiritual service for our God being a Spirit and the father of Spirits and we clothed with a gross body a mortal garment He in his wisdom and goodness thought fit to ordain such a means as whereby he might make known unto us his will and we might testifie our duties unto him that means is Sacrifice and Sacraments and sacramental Signs whereby visibly God speaks unto us and we unto God To obey is better than Sacrifice We have this truth expressed by the Wise Man Eccles 5.1 but not well translated The truth of this will appear 1. If we compare Obedience and Sacrifice one with other and 2. If we compare them with reference unto God to whom both duties are performed and 3. With reference to men who perform them 1. If one with other surely obedience must needs be better because in Sacrifice mactatur aliena caro in Obedience mactatur propria voluntas And whereas the excellency of things is wont in Scripture to be esteemed according to the duration of them as charity above other graces obedience is a duty lasting yea everlasting but Sacrifice was to continue but for a certain time for we read of no Sacrifice until sin came into the world Gen. 4. and when sin is abolished there will need no more sacrifice for sin 2. In regard of God to whom they are offered he rather accepts of Obedience than Sacrifice because in offering Sacrifice a man gives somewhat that is his in performing Obedience a man gives that which is more properly himself 3. In regard of men who perform those duties The obedient man who offers no Sacrifice is a better man than the disobedient though he bring never so many for the very Obedience is in lieu of all Sacrifices Ecclus 35.1 He that keeps the Law brings Sacrifices enough And Obedience hath the promises annexed unto it Mar. 12.33 To love God with all the heart is more than all the whole burnt Offering and Sacrifice Hebr. 13.9 It is good that the heart be established with grace and not with meats which have not profited them who have walked in them 1 Tim. 4.8 Bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable unto all things The reason why to obey is better than Sacrifice is considerable from the proportion which Obedience and Sacrifice have to Gods will and ordination and unto the mans will 1. Unto Gods will for as in genere entium in nature things have their being and degrees of being as also their goodness and degrees of goodness from God who wills them to be The man a little lower than the Angels how much is a man better than a beast so in genere morum things have their being and goodness and degrees of both from God who also wills them to be whence it is that 1. Sacrifice and burnt offerings and sacrifice for sin thou wouldst not but a body thou hast prepared me 2. Obedience is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by nature good and therefore commanded Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by institution good because commanded whence it is that 3. He ordained Obedience to be for ever not Sacrifice but only for a time for the time should come that he that killed an Ox viz. for sacrifice should be as guilty as he that slew man and be that sacrificed a Lamb as if he cut off a dogs neck he that offered an oblation as if he offered Swines blood he that burned incense as if he blessed an idol Esay 66.3 2. The reason from proportion which Sacrifice and Obedience have to the mans will that action is always the better which proceeds from a better principle and the contrary for the good man out of the treasury of his heart brings forth things new and old a good tree bringeth forth good fruit now the fruits of obedience are brought forth always and only by a good tree they always require a good will and a good heart for their principle and that good principle if that be wanting the Acts cannot be said to be acts of Obedience nor to be entirely good for bonum est ex integra causa but only materially good at the best As for Sacrifice I speak only of the outward it might be offered by an evil man from an evil mind and heart yet might the Sacrifice be as specious and fair to the eye as if it proceeded from a good mind and heart The like we may say of receiving the holy Sacrament In all these the Lord looks at the heart and according to it respects the Sacrifice Prov. 21.27 The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination how much more when he brings it with a wicked mind The first offering we read of offered in the world was offered by a wicked man Object If to offer Sacrifice be it self to obey then how can it be said that to obey is better than Sacrifice for surely when they offered sacrifice according to the precept of God they were obedient unto God in so doing