First VOLUME from ADAM to MOSES Containing about Two thousand four hundred thirty three years CHAP. I. The History and Mystery of the Worlds Creation THE Creation was Gods first Emanation flowing forth or going out of himself giving the first Being and beginning to Time Place Persons and Things till then God was as it were Deus contractus containing all in himself now Deus expansus explicatus spreading his hand which had hitherto been as contracted to create the World not because he was now weary with doing nothing as Atheists say but he did it when it pleased him to manifest his own Wisdom Mercy Power and Glory as Augustine saith Nec cessando torpuit nec operando laboravit August cont Advers leg lib. 1. cap. 2. God who is the most pure Act is neither idle in Resting nor weary in working Hereupon 't is said what God did or how he employed himself before the Creation is a Sea over which no Ship hath ever Sailed is a Mine into which no Spade hath ever delved an Abyss into which no Bucket hath ever dived our fight is too tender and slender to behold this Sun 'T is Humane folly to say there was a World before Adam then he is falsely called the first man frequently in the Scripture of Truth this is to be wise above what is written but 't is Divine Faith to say that this World was created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Affabrè factum neatly made up by the word of God Heb. 11.3 and then Time Place c. had their beginning Gen. 1.1 If so there could be none before it As we know not what God did before neither what he will do after the world Augustine smartly answers this sawcy Question That God was making an Hell for such over-curious Busie-bodies the Philosopher reading this first of Genesis was heard to say Egregiè dicis Domine Moses sed quomodo probas Excellently said Sir Moses but how will you prove what you say Augustine answers Credo non probo I believe it I need not prove it Theologia non est Argumentativa Alsted Divinity doth not use to prove her Principles the Mysteries whereof are better understood by Believing than believed by understanding 't is the nature of Faith to believe God upon his bare word and that against Sense in things Invisible and against Reason in things Incredible Sense corrects Imagination Reason corrects Sense but Faith corrects both Aufer Argumenta ubi â—â—ie quaeritur c. saith Ambrose Away with Arguments 't is enough I believe though I cannot prove every Principle and Fundamental of Faith as this of the Creation The word Creation according to the Criticks comes from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to effect or perfect and 't is taken in a double sense 1. Proper and literal so 't is a making something out of nothing Gen. 1.1 2. Common and Mystical so 't is a making something out of that which is worse than nothing Eph. 2.10 All Creatures were made at first without praeexisting Matter but when we come to be made New Creatures though there be a praeexisting yet there is a strongly Resisting Matter which is far worse and no less requires the All-creating power As the former is call'd Creatio transiens so this is Creatio continuans we can bring nothing to this glorious work except Opposition Yea when we are once created in Christ we can indeed do something to uncreate our selves were it not that Creating power comes to renew our decayed grace and Spiritual Witherings Psal 51.10 Creation here treated upon is taken in the proper sense and is the External Efficiency Act or Operation of God whereby be made the world in the beginning of time out of nothing very good and for his own glory There is a concurrency of four Causes in this as in other act considerable 1. A quâ the Cause Efficient 2. Ex quâ the Matter 3. Per quam the Form And 4. Propter quam the End Yea all those seven circumstances contained in one Verse Quis Quid Vbi Quibus Auxiliis Cur Quomodo Quando concur here in this Divine Action of the Creation Bereshith Bara Elohim Eth Hashamajim veeth haerets In the beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth Gen. 1.1 Sundry Enquiries are here to be answered The first Enquiry is Who is the Efficient cause of the Creation Answ 'T is God the Creator call'd also Lord the Governour The External Efficiency or operation of the Divine Being is twofold 1. Creation 2. Providence in respect of the first he is called God the Creator and of the second Lord thè Governour Those two are called Relative Attributes as they do clearly hold forth a Relation betwixt the Maker and the Matter made And those two Titles God and Lord are first conjoyned in Gen. 2.4 As soon as the Universal Creation had attained to an Absolute perfection then stood it in need only of a continued Sustentation as Lord signifies a Sustainer 't is now added to the Name God which had been used singly about thirty three times before now he is first called Lord God that as his Work was perfect so his Name might be perfect also Thus likewise the Prophet couples those two Names together for the Churches comfort Isa 40.28 saying the same God-Creatour is still Lord-Governour or Sustainer who will not cast off the care of his Church as one toiled or tired for he Governs now as he did Create without either Toil or Travel and not subject to weariness as Man is The Hebrew Text is Elohim Bara Dii Creavit as being of the Plural number which holds out the Mystery of the blessed Trinity called by Elihu Eloah Gnoshai God my Makers Job 35.10 and by David the Makers of Israel Psal 149.1 and Soloman saith Remember thy Greators Eccles 12.1 This word Elohim signifies Almighties or Almighty powers yet is this Noun plural joined with Bara a Verb singular because God is but One Deut. 6.4 although in power Infinite There be three which bear witness in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and these three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 yet all three are called Creators 1. the Father is so Eph. 3.9 c. 2. the Word or Son is so Heb. 1.8 10. Col. 1.16 c. and the Spirit is so Gen. 1.2 Psal 33.6 104.30 Job 26.13 33.4 The Psalmist saith By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the Breath or Spirit of his mouth that is God the Father by the Son through the Spirit Created all things 1 Cor. 8.6 Prov. 8.24 27 28. Joh. 1.3 10. Heb. 1.1 2. Revel 3.14 Isa 40.12 13. c. All which do declare that Three in One and One in Three wrought in the Creation of the world as afterwards they did in the formation of Man Gen. 1.26 and in making Borders of Gold with studs of Silver for the Church Cant. 1.11 Rab. Solomon Interprets we there I
Kingdom to him No sooner was Jehosaphat who had awed him while he lived now Dead but he shew'd himself in his black and bloody Colours and being a gross Idolater became so bloody minded that to strengthen himself from Corrivalship in his Kingdom he murther'd all his own Brethren N.B. The Rabbins tell us that he slew them because they did Patrizare follow their Father's steps and walk'd in the good ways of Godly Jehosaphat and would not by any means conform to his cursed Idolatries He was so bad a Son as a good Father could well have c. Remark the Third He had a wicked Woman to his Wife Athaliah the Daughter of Ahab 2 Chron. 21 6. who drew him to follow her Father 's wicked ways 2 Kings 8.18 she degenerated not from that Beldame her Mother Jezebel who stirr'd up her Husband Ahab to work wickedness 1 Kings 21.25 so this Daughter of Jezebel or Sister to Ahab as some say however a second Jezebel did the like to her Husband Jehoram 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Bird like Egg. Good Jebosaphat saith Peter Martyr was much mistaken in his measures when he match'd his eldest Son and Heir Apparent of his Kingdom with such an Idolatrous Branch and Brat No doubt but Jehosaphat did it upon a Reason of State and out of a seeming Godly Policy that this Marriage might be a means to unite the two divided Kingdoms under one Head and in the true Religion but matters happened quite contrary and this unequal Marriage is noted here and elsewhere as the cause both of the notorious wickedness of his Posterity and of the grievous Calamities that befel them thereupon N.B. Oh the sad Effects of violating Divine Laws for the sake of Humane Reasons After these three Preliminary Remarks come we now to a more particular Description of this degenerate Son of a good Father Remark the First This Jehoram the Son of Jehosaphat laid a bloody Foundation of his Kingdom in the slaughter of his own Brethren and of many of the Nobles of Judah because saith Tirinus his Brethren opposed him in his departing from his good Father's Religion and establishing Idolatry and the Nobles took part with them in this good Opposition and he feared saith Osiander that these honest Noble-men would revenge the murder of his Brethren Hence Sir Walter Rawleigh well observes that this Jehoram was the first that is mentioned to have set up Irreligion by force This desperate Tyrant thought it a greater Happiness to be feared than to be loved he cuts off those he feared by whom he might have been dreadful to others 2 Chron. 21.4 This Foundation laid Romulus of the Roman Kingdom in the Blood of his Brother Rhemus and many more in Ancient History and this is the modern Turkish manner also N.B. A Wicked Wife that Jezebel of Jerusalem Athaliah drew Jehoram to all this Villany Remark the Second See how surely his heinous bloody and inhumane Sin found him out Numb 32.23 for first a terrible and stinging Letter of Elijah's writing came to his hand 2 Chron. 21.11 12 13 14 15. when he saw or foresaw the Spirit of Jezebel working so bloodily in the Butchery of his Brethren and Nobles wherein Elijah lets Jehorâ—â—â— know that he sinned wilfully after he had received the Knowledge of the Truth from â—is good Father Jehosaphat and now there remained no more Sacrifice for Sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour both his Person and Family Heb. 10.26 27. N.B. There be various Opinions about this Letter of Elijah to Jehoram upon which abstruse Point I am requested to inlarge c. The First is The Romish Doctors Caussinus and this Jesuit Caussinus makes Elijah the first Monk among Mankind who founded the order of the Carmelites and such as do Papizare symbolizing with the Romish Church do affirm that this Letter Elijah sent out of Paradise by the hand of an Angel seven or nine Years after his Translation and Assumption thither Ita sanctis mortuis res vivorum sunt curae Thus the Saints departed take care of the affairs of those that live in this lower World saith Genebrard a Popish Divine of Paris a good Hebrician but a petulant Writer this is asserted to authorize that Romish Doctrine of Saints and Angels Invocation Our Bishop Andrews gives this Character of this Genebrard that he served to verifie much Learning and Railing may be Accidents in one Subject And great Grotius himself doth thus far gratifie this Popish Point saying that this Letter to be written by Elijah after his Rapture is no more to be admired than the Divine Dream of Judas Maccabens wherein he saw Onias the High-Priest and Jeremias the Prophet Praying for the People after they both were Dead 2 Maccab. 15.12 13 14. but Sir Walter Rawleigh saith better that these Conceits grounded only upon the Jewish Rabbins Traditions are Tales somewhat like the Fable devised by Erasmus of our Lady's the Mother of our Lora's Letters or of the Verse that was sent from Heaven by St. Giles 'T is as ridiculous to say that Elijah appear'd with this Letter to some good Man the Messenger hereof as indeed he did to the three Disciples at Christ's Transfiguration Matth. 17.3 4 5. long after his Translation The Second Opinion is That of Maluenda and Mariana who deny that this was Elijah the Thisbite but another Prophet of the same Name or that Elisha was call'd here Elijah because he came in the Spirit of Elijah resting upon him Thus John Baptist is call'd Elias for the same Reason Luke 1.17 Matth. 17.12 13. with this Opinion of those two learned Jesuits both Junius and Piscator seem to concur saying that it was Elisha's Letter yet bearing the Name of Elijah's in whose Spirit and Power it was written that the writing might have the more Authority and weight with it The Third Opinion is That of Dr. Lightfoot who in his Chronical Order of this History placeth this Passage in Elijah's Life-time before his Translation saying 't is ridiculous to hold as the Jews do that Elijah sent this Letter out of Heaven after he was rapt up thither but this Jehoram slew his Brethren and the Princes of Judah presently after his Father had left him in the Throne and was gone away for Moah His Father Jehosaphat being now out of the Land he riseth up against his Brethren and Nobles and slew them resolving to keep the Kingdom Elijah being yet alive heareth of this writes this stinging Letter to him The Fourth and most received Opinion is That Elijah before his Rapture did foresee by his Prophetick Spirit what a wicked King this Johoram would prove so impious as not to endure a living Prophet to declare the Truth to him upon Earth therefore Elijah while alive writes this Prophecy and left it saith Dr. Mayer with Elisha as he did that concerning Hazael's and Jehu's coming to their Kingdoms as they walked and talked 2
the 4th Tho' some of the Antients did Question this Epistle c. yet more of them do confirm its Authority not only they but also all modern Authors finding the Spirit of an Apostle all along breathing in it as well as in all others There is in this Epistle the same Majesty Purity Efficacy Spirituality and power upon mens Consciences all which do demonstrate its Divine impression Moreover the Rabbins say that Enoch instituted that great excommunication of MARAN-ATHA 1 Cor. Chap. 16.22 What became of Jude at last the Scripture mentions not but Eusebius tells of his going to Agbarus King of Edessa whom he cured and converted according to the letter our Lord returned in Answer to the King 's first letter sent to him and there he lyes interred but other Ecclesiastical writers say that he went with his Brother Simon into Persia where he was slain by the Pagan Priests c. This is only humane Testimony Now come we through the supplies of the Spirit of Christ Phil. 1.19 to the fourth and last of all the Apostles to wit John having no Scripture-light concerning the History of the rest of the Apostles and therefore are here omitted in this Discourse who as he was the best Beloved Disciple so was honoured above the other by his Loving Lord both in writing Scripture being made an Evangelist in his Gospel an Apostle in his Epistles and a Prophet in his Revelation and also in prolonging his Life the longest of all for he survived all his Collegues and died last of all the Apostles as is supposed about an hundred years after the birth of Christ and is thought to have gone to continued in Asia till the Third of the Ten Persecutions under Trajan The Remarks upon this last living and over-living Apostle John who lived till the Ninety seventh year of his Age and was the only Apostle that saw his Lord's prediction of the Destruction of Jerusalem fulfilled are these The first is as John is frequently called the best Beloved Disciple John 13.23 24. So he had most of his Lord 's personal Favours in being usually present at his chiefest Miracles as at his Transfiguration on Tabor Matth. 17.1 Luke 9.28 in Raising Jairus's Daughter Mark 5.37 c. and so at his Agony in the Garden Luke 22.8 at the Priest's Hall John 18.15 and at his Passion under the Cross John 19.25.26 where Christ commended to him the care of his Mother To which may be added his first Testimony of Christ's Resurrection John 20.2 8. His being an Agent in the first Miraculous Cure after Christ's Ascension Acts 3.3 c. His boldness for Christ Crucified Acts 4.13 and his conferring the Holy Ghost c. at Samaria Acts 8.14 15 17. As also His being call'd by his Lord Boanerges a Sun of Thunder Mark 3.17 and a Pillar of the Church Gal. 2.9 c. The second Remark is This Apostle spent most of his time in Asia which seems to be his Province falling to him as some say by Lot when the Apostles divided their Apostolical work Tho' it should not be granted that the seven famous Churches call'd Golden Candlesticks in the lesser Asia were founded by John who Preached mostly in those parts but that they were founded as others think by Peter and Paul yet this is plainly evident that after the death of Peter and Paul John took upon him the charge of these Churches and was much conversant among them Hereupon some not improbably conjecture N.B. That the Epistle from Laodicea mentioned in Col. 4.16 must be meant the first Epistle of John which was wrote by him while he abode in Laodicea This is safer to say than that it was an Epistle written by Paul from Laodicea which is now lost as the Papists say and therefore they do infer that the Canon of the Holy Scriptures is defective And to affirm that Epistle to be the first Epistle of John is better done than those Quakers do who have Printed a Translation of that spurious and Apocryphal Epistle from Laodicea and plead for it However this is certain John wrote an Epistle to Laodicea and to her Six Sister-Churches in Asia wherein he declareth great Declinings in those Divided Apostatizing Times whereof Paul pertinently giveth this intimation saying All they that are in Asia are turned from me 2 Tim. 1.15 No wonder then if John found the Synagogue of Satan Satan's Throne false Apostles working Magical wonders a Jezebel and corrupt Doctrines c. as John's Epistles Rev. 2. and 3. do express among those that were deserters of Paul and had been ashamed of his Bonds And no wonder then if this Apostle observing the notorious decay of Truth Piety and Charity wrote his first General Epistle as a suitable Salve for these sad Sores of the Church wherein throughout he inter-weaveth Purity of Doctrine Piety of Life and Love to the Brethren the better to fortifie them against the Seducers of that day and his other two Epistles are very much of the same Argument in the closure of which he intimates his desire and purpose shortly to come to them and he wrote his Gospel against such as denied the Deity of Christ The third Remark is The powerful providence of God in this Apostle's preservation from the Residue of his perils in those Primitive Pagan Persecutions we find him in the Isle Pathmos Rev. 1.9 Some say he went thither voluntarily to avoid Persecution and to Preach the Word there but this is improbable because those Islands in the Archipelago where Pathmos is have in them few Inhabitants That very Text tells us he was there not to Preach the Word of God but it was for Preaching it in Ephesus and other places for which the persecuting Emperor banished him thither N.B. The Pagan Persecutions were now begun by that Monster Nero out of the mouth of which Ravenous Lion the Lord delivered Paul 2 Tim. 4.17 c so did he deliver John from him for he was not banished till the Reign of Domitian but within Three years time after Nero had begun his Barbarous Cruelties against the Christians that Tyrant died by his own hands to escape publick and a more shameful execution N.B. In him ended the blood and family of the Caesars and then had the Churches of Christ rest as 't is said Acts 9.31 on a like occasion from bloody persecutions for twelve years and upward c. by reason of the short Reigns of Galba Otho and Vitellius God so ordering it for his Church's good that no sooner had the Soldiery of Spain proclaimed Galba to succeed Nero in the Empire but Otho riseth up against him and cuts him off in the 7th Month of his Reign and set up himself but before Otho was well warm in the imperial Chair that Debauchee Vitellius rose up against him put his army to the foil for which Otho slew himself so he rendred his life and his Empire up both together to him When he had Reigned if it
handleth the Law of Moses in a double notion 1. Relatively as it had Relation to that Jewish Church in her minority under a Tutor or School-master and so it had a twofold respect to the Covenant of Grace the first is antecedent as it prepar'd them for and press'd them to Christ and his Covenant The second is subsequent or consequent teaching them how to walk before the Lord unto all pleasing Col. 1.10 regulating their lives by that Rule of Righteousness the Moral Law then given them even by the Mediator himself as well as by Moses Acts 7.38 1 Cor. 10.4 9. as well as in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 and so the Law was to Israel what it was to David a Companion a Counsellor and a Comforter as before Thus Paul speaks of Sinai's Covenant Gal. 3. v. 17. and from thence to Gal. 4.21 as relating to them entring into the same Covenant of Grace made with them in Abraham before then 2. Paul propounds that Law of Sinai simply and absolutely from v. 21. of chap. the 4th to the end as it was a Copy of the Covenant of Works so he maketh it as an Handmaid subservient to the Gospel as Hagar was to Sarah yet begetting Children to bondage and such as were excluded from the Inheritance therefore shews them how dangerous it was to be Children of the Law or Covenant of Works in its absolute proper and simple consideration which was Hagar and unless of Sarah or Covenant of Grace they could not be saved And as it is a Rule to the Regenerate in Christs hand Exod. 20.19 so it leaves the Reprobate without excuse Rom. 1.20 if the Law Natural do so much more the Moral Row 10.4 The fourth Consideration is The Law upon Sinai could not be propounded by God to Israel as a Covenant of Works properly and absolutely as it was given to Adam in his State of Integrity for then was Mankind faln and the keeping of the Law was become impossible to Man therefore 't is enough improbable as to God that he should press it upon faln Man as he had done upon Iâ—â—necent Adam being now altogether unable to perform it save only in the hand of a Medâ—â—â—tor whereof Adam while he stood had no need 'T is true God is just in commending the Law though it be impossible for us to yield universal obedience to all the Duties commanded in 〈◊〉 For l. God hath not lost his Power of commanding though Man hath lost his Power of Obeying 2. Though the matter be never so crooked to work upon yet the Rule which is Regula Regulans as well as Regulata the Rule Ruling as well as the Rule Ruled must needs be a straight Rule 3. Qualis causa tale causatum seeing God is perfect both in esse and in operari in essence and operations his Law must needs be a pure and perfect Law in it self Psal 19.7.4 Adam had a sufficient stock of strength to keep this Law of Works at the first but through the freedom of his own Will he proved Bankrupt like an evil Steward who playeth or maketh away his Lord and Masters money fully furnishing him to accomplish his commands whereby he disenableth himself to perform his Masters work and will So Adam did disenable himself and as a publick person all his posterity whom he represented and therefore holy Paul to shew the Malady of faln Mankind doth declare from Rom. 1.18 to chap. 7.13 how all men both Jews and Gentiles do come short of Gods glory and of their own duty in fulfilling the Law and that the best of men are but men at the best The most Regenerate man faileth in the manner when not in the matter of his obedience he cannot obey Gods Law totus or wholly in respect of himself as well as of the Law for every New Man is as it were two men there is a Law in his members in the faln Estate but renewed in part only which warreth against the Law of his mind Rom. 7.21 23. as two Armies in him Cant. 6.13 Having thus seen Mans Malady the Word and Spirit of God maketh a discovery of Mans Remedy First Convincing him of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment John 16.8 This is done two ways 1. By the Law of VVorks as in the Hand of a Mediator it convinceth 1. Of Sin in its Source and Fountain Jer. 17.9 and Gen. 6.5 The Heart is desperately wicked and is evil only evil and continually evil in all its imaginations 't is evil Extensive Intensive and Protensive The truth of all this not only the written Word of God but also our own smarting Experience teacheth us that till God touch our Hearts with his strong Hand Isa 8.11 and break down Windows into our dark Souls we never mind God or his good ways God is neither in our Heads Psal 10.4 nor in our Hearts Psal 14.1 nor in our VVords Psal 12.4 nor in our VVorks or ways Tit. 1.16 We are wholly without God in the World Eph. 2.12 Thus the Looking-glass of the Law discovers Sin both Original and Actual to the Man whose Eyes are opened Jam. 1.23 and Numb 24.3 then God and his own Conscience convinceth him of Sin and condemneth him for it 1 John 3.20 as guilty 2. It convinceth of Righteousness that it is impossible to attain unto it by the VVorks of the Law because of the sinfulness of Mans Nature and weakness of faln Flesh Rom. 8.3 and Gal. 2.16 The Covenant of VVorks leaveth all Mankind under the curse Gal. 3.10 He that can keep some Commandments and not all yea that continueth not therein to the end is under the cusre of God Jam. 2.10 and this curse containeth the whole wrath of God upon Body and Soul in this Life and in the next ready to be poured forth upon us continually both at Home and Abroad Levit. 26.16 18 21 24 28. and Deut. 28.16 to 20 c. John 3.18 36. Job 18.15 Brimstone abideth upon his Head and House ready to take Fire from the Flames of the Lords anger if Grace prevent not its Execution Now every Mans guilty Conscience doth convince him that he is a breaker of Gods Law times without number so is under Gods curse but cannot thereby have the Blessing of Justification And 3. The Law convinceth accordingly of Judgment that will follow and fall upon all the people of Gods curse Isa 34.5 That Christ the Judge of the World will come armed with Flames of Fire to render vengeance on all them that know not God and obey not his Gospel 2 Thes 1.7 8. all such as have rejected the tenders of Grace and refused him for their Mediator but chuse rather to remain in their Natural Unregenerate Estate under the Law or Covenant of VVorks though they have been forewarned to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 What can such expect but a fearful coming of Judgment which shall devour Christs Adversaries Heb. 10.27 'T is a fearful thing and beyond the
and Mystery of Israel's Conduct to Canaan by Joshua HAving finished the five Books of Moses which contain the History of the first 2554 Years of the World according to Sir Walter Rawleigh's Reckoning such Variety being in the Computation of Chronologers I come now to the History of Israel's Conduct into Canaan under General Joshua who was Moses's Successor in the Government Constituted their Supreme Governour by God himself The Book of Joshua gives us a Narrative hereof on which Book the General Remarks are first to be observed and they are threefold The first is concerning the Scope of the Book The second is concerning the Author of it And the third is concerning the Subject of the whole Book First As to the Scope of it in the General 't is a solemn Doxology or giving Glory to God for the manifestation of his four Glorious Attributes his Mercy his Justice his Power and his Truth namely 1. His Mercy to Israel his Old Testament Church tho' they provok'd Him to the highest Displeasure with their most Heinous Sins both in Egypt and in the Wilderness c. yet God would not write Lo-ammi upon them Hos 1.9 so as to Unchurch or Unpeople them but his Mercy still Triumph'd over his Justice Jam. 2.13 bearing with their Evil Manners in the Wilderness forty years Act. 13.18 God's Pardoning-Mercy did follow them from their Departure out of Egypt until they came to the Borders of Canaan Numb 14.19 2. His Justice to those Cursed Canaanites who when their Sins were full Gen. 15.16 filled up their Ephah Zech. 5.6 and the measure of their Iniquity Matth. 23.32 were universally cut off by the Justice of God save only some Reserved not only for the Exercises but also for Drudgery to that Royal Nation 3. His Power that such a poor contemptible People born all of Bond-slaves and Brick-makers in Egypt all Foot-men should be impower'd to conquer so many War-like Nations who had Iron Chariots and Horse-men Josh 10.6 9. and 17 18 c. 4. His Truth in performing his Promise that God made to Abraham of giving Canaan to his Seed Gen. 12.7 13.15 15.18 tho' that Promise had been made four hundred years before this yet now God fulfils with his hand what his mouth had spoken and now doth as he had said Beside all this respecting God's Glory c. the Scope of this Book aimeth at a most Graphical Description and Character both of a right Godly Man and of a right Godly Magistrate such an one as Joshua appeareth to be as will be demonstrated occasionally in the sequel of this Discourse The second general Remark is concerning the Author of this Book which respecteth Joshua under a twofold capacity 1. As the Sacred Pen-man or Writer of it And 2. As the Principal Sword-man or Warriour in it 1. Of the Writer of it c. There be indeed various Opinions in this point As 1. Some make Isaiah the Author but without any Argument this is Gratis Dictum Or 2. Eleazer the then High-Priest whose Office was not only by speaking vivâ voce but also by writing to teach the People 3. Some say it was either Samuel or Ezra We grant some parts and passages might be added to this Book by either of them to wit what happened after Joshua's Death as Joshua wrote the last of Deuteronomy The Occurrences after Moses's Death 4. Others affirm it was written by Phinchas grounding their Opinion only upon mentioning the consequences of Joshua's Death which Joshua himself could give no particular account of But 5. The most probable Opinion is that Joshua was its Writer for 1. He is call'd Moses's Successor in Prophecyings that is in writing the Sacred Scriptures Ecclesiastic 46.1 2. Joshua being all along Moses's Minister might well learn from his Master to write his own Acts as Moses had done his 3. 'T is said Josh 24.26 Joshua wrote all these things c. The third General Remark respecteth the Subject of this Book which as it bearech the Name of Joshua so Joshua is the Subject of it throughout consisting upon three Topicks wherein he is described 1. By his Office or Figure he bare in the World 2. By his Actions both in the time of War and of Peace and 3. By his End First As to his Office He was solemnly called and inaugurated by God himself to be Moses's Successor in the Chief Magistracy and Conduct of Israel This was signified by the change of his Name from Oshea into Jehoshua or Joshua Numb 13.16 the former Name fignifying Save us O God or let God save us the latter God shall save us to teach us that under the Law which brings us as it were into the Wilderness we may desire wish and pray that there were a Saviour but under the Gospel we are sure of Salvation For as Moses foreseeing by the Spirit that this Man his Successor would certainly save Israel from all the Cursed Canaanites named him Joshua in Greek Jesus Act. 7.45 and Heb. 4.8 which signifies a Saviour Matth. 1.21 So he became a Type of our Jehoshua or Jesus who hath as the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 bound himself to fulfil all Righteousness for us Matth. 3.15 that He might ensure Salvation to us and Land us safe at the Key of a better Canaan the Kingdom of Heaven It was the manner of Monarchs to change the Names of their Ministers Gen. 41.4 5. and Dan. 1.7 upon the account of Honour but Moses learnt this from God himself who had changed the Names of Abram Sarai Jacob c. Gen. 17.5 15. 32.28 thereby putting a greater Dignity on them God at Moses Request constitutes Joshua his Successor in his Supremacy Numb 27.15 18. at which time Moses gave to his Minister his Honour or Glory v. 20. As if the shining of Moses's face Exod. 34.30 35. had been transferred upon Joshua Hereupon the Rabbins say that the face of Moses shone as the Sun and the face of Joshua shone as the Moon being inferior to Moses Deut. 34.10 yet our Joshua or Jesus is counted worthy of greater Honour than Moses Heb. 3.3 Secondly Joshua's Actions in his Publick Office are of three sorts 1. Military 2. Sacred 3. Civil relating to his Time both of War and Peace As to his Inauguration into Moses's Imperial Office whereof an Account is given Josh chap. 1. hath been already discoursed upon in the end of Deuteronomy therefore do I omit it here The first sort of Joshua's Actions were Military whereof we have this short Scheme 1. His sending forth the two Spies to search the Land chap. 2. 2. His Miraculous March through the midst of Jordan chap. 3. for a Memorial of which twelve Stones were taken out of the River and set up in Gilgal chap. 4. 3. His Besieging and Destroying of Jericho chap. 6. where Sacriledge was committed but Expiated chap. 7. After this 4. His Storming of Ai in chap. 8. 5. His Conquering five Kings chap. 10. 6.
own present wants but begs my last bit of me c. here 's not a word of such carnal Reasonings She doth not dispute but dispatch c. Hence Lavater Grotius Peter Martyr c. Admire the Strength of her Faith Mark 10. The kindness of this Widow in Baking the first Cake for Elijah was well requited with a Prophet's Reward Mat. 10.41 42. she afforded one Meal for him and He many to her and hers ver 15 16. neither the Meal in the Barrel nor the Oil in the Cruise was made less by daily use for three Years together which was the time of Elijah's absconding from Ahab in this place as He had hid himself for six Months in a Cave at Cherith as above N.B. This multiplying of Meal c. was Elijah's Third Miracle which Grotius compareth to those two Miracles of the blessed Messias in multiplying a few Loaves c. Mat. 14.19 and 15.36 Remark the Third is The History of Elijah's raising this Widow's dead Son to Life which was his Fourth Miracle c. This is described by many Circumstances of Time Place Means and Manner from ver 17 to ver 22. and the Event or Effect of this Miracle namely a farther Confirmation of this new Gentile-Proselytess's Faith v. 23 24. Mark 1. The time when this 4th Miracle was wrought some say was about two years after Elijah was entertain'd and maintain'd as well as absconded by this compassionate Widow Long had she lived under the mercy of this multiplying Miracle Now lest she should forget her self and be Exalted above measure her mercy must be mixed with misery and sickness is sent to kill her Son out-right which Famine only threatned to do an heavy cross now allays her high comfort Mark 2. Her passionate expostulation with the Prophet v. 18. in her extream perplexity she rashly imputes the death of her Son to the presence of the Prophet as if her Son could not have died if Elijah had not been her Guest Thus apt are we to mistake the grounds of our afflictions and to cast them upon wrong Causes Erpennius saith she was conscious to her self that she had not conversed with this most Holy Man so holily and reverently as she ought to have done in the midst of her passion saith Peter Martyr she retaineth her penitency acknowledging her sin was the Mother of her misery and feared the Man of God had complain'd to God of some miscarriage in her Mark 3. The place where this Miracle of raising her Son to life was wrought to wit upon the Prophet's Bed this Holy Prophet answers not passion with passion tho' he was of a fiery temper but calmly takes the dead Son out of its Mother's bosom and lays it upon his own Bed v. 19. that there he might in private pray the more fervently to procure his life again that as he had shut up Heaven from giving Rain so now must he open Heaven to return the Soul of her Son And indeed every word he poured out in Prayer v. 20. was a word of weight and wonder Peter Martyr observes every word is an Argument from the Topicks or Persons 1. From God whose Office it is to be kind to Widows and who is Lord of Life and Death so canst restore from Death to Life 2. From himself I am thy Prophet and thou art my God this will redound to my disgrace if unredress'd what will the World say But God bless me from entertaining God's Prophets if this be the effect thereof 3. From the Widow shall my God and my self requite her kindness with such an act of unkindness she is a Widow so a most passionate Lover of her Son and cannot subsist without her Son's support Let not this affliction of the loss of her Son be added to the affliction of her Widow-hood Mark 4. Elijah observed that old Rule Ora Labora Pray and Labour thus he did by stretching himself three times upon the dead Child v. 21. as if saith Lavater he would have hatch'd him alive as the Hen doth her Eggs but rather it was that his sense of the Carcasses coldness might heat his own heart the more into most fervent Prayer which at the third time prevailed Mark 5. As the means of the Miracle was Invocation and Incubation so the manner of it was by the Soul 's returning to the Body v. 22. which shews he was really dead by such a separation and that the Soul shall return to the Body at the Resurrection This is the First Instance we read of any that was raised from the Dead and this was Elijah's Fourth Miracle Mark 6. The Effect of all v. 23 24. teaching 1. The Immortality of the Soul 2. Effectual fervent Prayer avails much Jam. 5.16 3. To receive a Prophet is not in vain Mat. 10 41 42. 4. Her Faith by the Meal and Oyl which stagger'd at her Son's death was now confirmed by his reviving and 5. This evidences the truth Heb. 11.35 that Women received their dead raised to life again lastly Jerom thinks this Dead Son raised to life was Jonah the Prophet but others do think otherwise saith Peter Martyr however this truth appears that Miracles confirm Faith Heb. 2.4 and that those who work them in truth are sent of God Joh. 3.2 and 9.17.30.33 c. 1 Kings CHAP. XVIII THIS Chapter relateth Elijah's Embassage to King Ahab upon the account of procuring rain after such a long dreadful drought and dearth This Embassage consists of two parts First The Injunction and Secondly the Execution of it then follows the Event thereof Remarks first upon the Injunction as First The Time when ver 1. namely after Israel had laid gasping under a parching Drought and a destructive Famine for Three Years and Six Months James 5.17 in which time no doubt but many a Curse was belched forth by Baal's Worshippers at Elijah for his shutting up Heaven so long from Rain whereas he only had declared it as God's Judgment for their Idolatry 'T was God's Hand who only made use of Elijah's Tongue only to say what God would do chap. 17.1 Thus Embassadors suffer for the sake of their Master that sends them upon Displeasing Embassages They should have railed at their own Sins Remark the Second When Elijah had absconded so long at Cherith's Cave and Sarepta's Widow's God calls him forth from his Hiding-place and bids him Go shew thy self to Ahab with this Message 1. Acquaint him with the Cause of the Famine 2. Advise him to remove the Cause procuring it And 3. Promise him Rain upon his Reformation No Rain must fall saith Dr. Hall till Elijah be seen of Ahab he had carried away the Clouds with him and so must bring them again should Rain have faln in his absence and before his appearance then had it not been according to his word ch 17.1 God herein took care to maintain the Honour and Authority of his Prophet Remark the Third Is Elijah's undaunted Courage in venturing at God's command thus
that excellent compound of a Right Hearer 1. The Attention of their Ears appeared in their standing up ver 5. to hear the better and more fully 't is said The Ears of all the People were Attentive to the word ver 3. they even prick'd up their Ears so Montanus saith 2. The Intention of their Hearts The former Phrases import not only their Attention External but also their Affection Internal to what they heard of Truth deliver'd out of the Law this made them to draw up the Ears of their Souls to the Ears of their Bodies that so one Sound might pierce both at once so those good Souls did Luke 19.4 8. where they as it were hang'd their Ears at Christ's Mouth as the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies as being loth to lose even the least part of his precious Language So here their doubling of the Answer Amen and Amen ver 6. was an evidence of great Elevation of their Hearts giving not only Assent but also having assurance that their Prayers would be granted the Septuagint is So be it c. 3. The Retention of their Memories Man's Memory lost its Retentive faculty when wounded by the Fall of the first Adam but the second Adam heals it by his Spirit which so accompany'd the Word here that now they remembred what God had commanded them to do by Moses Deut. 31.11 c. the remembrance of so long a Neglect set them on weeping Mark 5. Hereupon Nehemiah gives them an Amicable Dismission bidding them to break off their Sorrow now out of season and go away to eat the fat and drink the sweet c. for the joy of the Lord was their strength ver 10. intimating that their Rejoicing in God who had now done such great favours for them in restoring their Land City and Worship to them would both please God more and profit themselves better saith Junius for should they indulge their Griefs it would weaken both Body and Mind whereby they will be both unfit for God's service and become an easie prey to their Adversaries The Levites also concurr'd to allay their Passions ver 11. and then they went away and kept an Holy Jubilee of Joy ver 12. Remark the Third Upon the Feast of Tabernacles described in Special Mark 1. After the Day of their Jubilee of Joy call'd so from Jobal Hebr. a Trumpet that was blown in token of Triumph the Princes Priests and Levites came the next Day to Ezra that perfect Scribe Matth. 13.52 for his fuller and further Information of them in the Law of God This was saith Wolphius a good evidence both of their Humility and Piety in not pretending to any more Knowledge than indeed they had preferring rather to proclaim their own Ignorance in order to their better Edification than to preserve their Reputation among the People ver 13. The wisest know but in part here c. 1 Cor. 13.9 Mark 2. Ezra informs them of a farther Feast which ought to be celebrated in this seventh Month ver 14 15 16. Namely the Feast of Tabernacles or dwelling in Booths which God had plainly commanded Levit. 23.34 to 44. Deut. 16.13.14 15. These very Teachers of the People came to be Resolved of their Doubts in cases of Conscience saith Junius by Wise and Holy Ezra who was both Apt to teach the Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.2 and no less able to maintain it He Resolves them that none of those great things Hos 8.12 excellent things Prov. 22.20 and marvelous things Psal 119.18 written in the Law of God must be neglected especially this Feast of Tabernacles or Booths built of Boughs and Branches of thick Trees in a grateful Memorial of God's gracious Deliverance of them from Egypt when they Journied from Raamses to Succoth which signifies Booths Exod. 12.37 and 13.20 their first Rendezvouz and where they built Bowers c. and also of their Powerful Preservation in the Wilderness where they dwelt in Tents or Tabernacles N. B. And it likewise signified that the Remembrance of our Redemption by Christ out of this evil World should be perpetuated with Spiritual Joy in all Ages Zech. 14.16 to 20. Mark 3. The Celebration of this Feast here ver 17 18 19. It was a none-such Celebration which relateth not to the Matter saith Masius as if it had been wholly neglected from Joshua to Nehemiah 't is improbable that so many pious Princes Priests and Prophets within that time who were all expert in God's Law and some of them commended for their universal obedience to it Acts 13.36 should be guilty of so gross a Neglect Besides that this Feast had been observed is implied 1 Kin. 8.2 65. 2 Chron. 7.9 and particularly express'd Ezra 3.4 but this Lo-ken Hebr. non taliter respects the Manner only therefore saith he this Particle So is purposely added to shew this exceeded all former in Circumstances As 1st With so much Joy and Solemnity 2dly With so much Vnanimity saith Lyra all as one Man ver 1. 3dly Nor had they ever built Booths on the tops of their flat-roof Houses as now saith Cajetan 4thly Nor with that Religious Devotion say Junius and Piscator for whereas the first and last Day of that Feast were celebrated with an Holy Convocation Levit. 23.35 36. and John 7.37 but here Ezra Preached and the People willingly heard every day of the seven 5thly Nor with such a long reading of the Law which continued seven Days together says Osiander the People refraining all that time from servile Works 6thly On the eighth Day also they had a Solemn Assembly N. B. To prefigure our Christian Sabbath the first Day of the Week as likewise Christ's Tabernacling in our Flesh John 1.14 and Christians travelling toward Heaven having here no Dwelling-place settled on them Heb. 11.18 1 Chron. 29.15 c. Mich. 2.10 Nehemiah CHAP. IX THIS Chapter is a Narrative of a Solemn Day of Fasting and Humiliation wherein they make a most Humble Confession and an Hearty Acknowledgment First Of God's gracious Dealing with them in four Particulars and Secondly Of the great and gross Ingratitude both of their Fore-fathers and of themselves for all God's gracious Dispensations Remark the First The Marks and Signs of Sincere Repentance are set down here ver 1 2 3. as a Preparative to this Solemn Day Sanctius observes well those Fasters now had wept at the Feast of Tabernacles when their Consciences were awakened by hearing the Law Read to them and had been then stilled by Nehemiah and the Levites Chap. 8.10 11. because their Sorrow was then as unseasonable in a Day of Publick Joy and Triumph as the weeping of Sampson's Wife was at her Wedding Judg. 14.16 but so soon as the Solemn Feast was over which ended at the twenty second Day the next Day being a Day of Cessation they begin to keep a Solemn Fast on the 24th wherein they might vent their sorrows for their Sins more suitably and seasonably in order
cannot but better approve of Dr. Willet's Opinion who judiciously takes along the Prophetical History of this vile Antiochus and yet makes the Mystery of it to be also a Prophetical History of that Man of Sin Antichrist betwixt whom and Antiochus he learnedly demonstrateth that they run all along in twenty five Parallel Lines together As 1. Both rose by Craft and Flattery 2. Both Prospered and Prevailed 3. Both were Covetous and Rapacious c. 4. Both were notorious Dissemblers 5. Both step'd up after a general Apostasy and falling away from the Faith 6. Both abused the secular Power as Instruments of their Butcheries c. 7. Both abrogated the True Worship of God and set up a false Idolatrous Worship in its stead 8. As Antiochus used those Apostate Priests Jason and Menelaus to promote his false Worship so Antichrist useth the Pens and Tongues of Jesuits c. 9. Both persecuted Princes and People that would not Conform to them 10. Both exalted themselves above all that is called God 11. Both exalt themselves against the True God 12. Both utter horrid Blasphemies 13. Both had success for a Time while their Leases are run out 14. Both forsake the God and Religion of their Fore-fathers 15. Both seem not to care for Women 16. Both are for Atheism and Prophaneness and in effect not caring for any God 17. Both set up new Idols 18. Both were for Theatrical Services of their new Idols 19. Both were for distributing Dignities c. to their Flatterers c. but for Mony 20. Both were abominably Ambitious 21. Both are barbarously Bloody to the Church of God 22. Both be insatiable in Hunting after and Hoarding up Treasures of Gold and Silver 23. Both be inraged against the faithful upon any defeat they find from them and their Forces if foiled but a little by them 24. Both have their Palaces situated between two Seas the former between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean the latter between the Tyrrhene and the Adriatick The one without and the other within the Temple of God the Church And Lastly Both be branded for their coming at last to most miserable Ends all which twenty five Marks wherein both Antiochus and Antichrist meet together in Parallel Lines the Learned Doctor doth distinctly illustrate by as many undeniable Instances and uncontrolable Demonstrations too large to be related here and therefore I must referr the Reader who is curious to compass them unto Dr. Willet's Hexapla upon Daniel page 445 to 462. N.B. Who likewise excellently observeth that as Antiochus's Tyranny continued not much above six Years so that of Antichrist in those bloody Marian Times of abhorred Memory was cut shorter here in England by a gracious God who praedetermines the End of all his Church's Persecutions Dan. 11.27 and 36. for that lasted not so long as this of Antiochus for it continued not full out six Years page 463. N.B. Oh how marvelous is the Proportion that Divine Goodness observeth in Days of Persecution If it be but little God lets it be long but if it be very sharp then shall it be very short as in those Instances Mark 3. Hitherto the Malady and Misery of the Church of God hath been declared by Gabriel to Daniel Chap. 11. now is the Church's Remedy and Relief revealed in Chap. 12. as was needful for the Comfort of those that were found faithful In this Annexion to the foregoing Historical Prophecy are handed in seven consolatory Arguments to Daniel for the Comfort of the afflicted Church four from Gabriel and three from Christ himself The First from the Angel is that at that Time Michael the Prince of Angels the Lord Christ shall stand up to secure and save his Servants ver 1. being the mighty God as Michael signifies and always a fast Friend and a Faithful as well as a powerful Protector of his People while the Government is upon his Shoulder Isa 9.6 and he Lord of all Acts 10.36 while he is Lord both of the Church and of the World he lets not the Church be wrong'd by the World The Second Comfort from the Angel is that every one whose Name is found written in the Book of Life to wit all the Elect both Jews and Gentiles shall assuredly be delivered by Michael their mighty Deliverer and if not by a Temporal Deliverance seeing many of the Saints be martyr'd by those two matchless Monsters of Mankind both Antiochus and Antichrist yet however by deliverance Eternal ver 2 3. though they be Dead and do sleep in their Graves after they had born their Testimony and made many Wise to Salvation by the Ministry of their Lives and Doctrine while they lived yet the Angel assures him even those shall awake as out of a sweet Sleep filled with God's Image Psalm 17.15 and shall shine as Stars c. whereas their Persecutors who now Triumph over their Graves shall be haled as worms out of their Holes and condemn'd to Everlasting Contempt c. The Third Comfort is more especially to the Ministers among those Martyrs who by their publick Ministry wisely managing it do make many wise unto Salvation and to partake of that Everlasting Righteousness which the Messiah was to bring in Dan. 9.24 These shall have a most blessed and perfect Reward after a peculiar Manner for all their present sufferings Dan. 11.33 with Rom. 8.18 Solomon allow'd but low and little Wages to his principal Workmen Cant. 18.12 but Christ greater than Solomon doth grant greater Rewards for they that turn many to Righteousness shall shine as the Firmament yea as the Stars ver 3. and yet higher as the Sun in his Strength Matth. 13.43 yea as Christ himself shineth for such shall all appear with him in Glory Col. 3.4 though they now be slurr'd and slighted c. Oh what a glorious and desirable Place will Heaven then be The Fourth Comfort or Cordial is that the Church of God should be preserved by God even in those worst of Times This was that precious Truth a Jewel that Daniel is commanded to Seal up ver 4. until the Time appointed ver 9. and Chap. 8.26 Daniel must keep this Divine Secret to himself in sacred Silence and reserve it in writing for the support of after-Ages that God would never forsake his People utterly though their Sins most justly provoked the pure Eyes of God to profound displeasure against them These Arcana Ecclesiae imperii Secrets concerning both Church and State must be sealed Because First To let Daniel know God's great Favour to him who was Ish Chamudoth a Man greatly beloved Dan. 9.23 and therefore of God's Council Psalm 25.14 Gen. 18.17 one betrusted with Divine Secrets Secondly Lest should they come into common Hands the Prophane might make either an evil use of them or utterly despise them Thirdly That the truly Pious might prize them the more as a most precious Treasure when brought forth out of God's private Treasury Fourthly These Secrets were Sealed
all Ladies for Faith Obedience c. Heb. 11.11 1 Pet. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. 2. Rebekah Gen. 25.22 and 27.4 6. 3. Rahab Josh 2.11 James 2.25 Heb. 11.31 4. Deborah Judg. 4.4 5.1 c. 5 Naomi and Ruth Ruth 1.16 20 c. 6. Manoah's Wife Judg. 13.3 23 c. 7. Hannah 1 Sam. 1.13.28 2.1 2 c. 8. Abigail 1 Sam. 25.25 26 28 31 c. 9. Bathshebah Prov. 31.1 c. 10. The Queen of Sheba 1 Kings 10.1 8 9. Matth. 12.42 11. The Shunamite 2 Kings 4 8 9 10. 12 The Widow of Zareptah 2 Kings 17.12 15 18 24. 13. Esther chap. 2.20 c 4.16 c. To name no more here for brevity's sake 2dly In the New Testament As 1. The blessed Virgin Mary who found favour with God above all Women c. Luke 1.30.46 c. 2. Elizabeth Luke 1.6 42. 3. Anna Luke 2.36 37. 4. Mary Magdalen and the other Mary Matth. 28. v. 1 c. 5. Joanna the Wife of Chusa and Susanna Luke 8.3 24.10 6. Priscilla Acts 18.18.26 7. Tabitha or Dorcas Acts 9.36 8. Phoebe Rom. 16.1 9. Lois and Eunice 2 Tim. 1.5 Many more might be added seeing some Criticks do observe that the New Testament affords more holy Women upon Record than the Old doth Secondly The Holy Actions of Religious Women that are Recorded for imitation Rom. 15.4 be many more than the Confines of an Epistle can contain Take a few Instances beside that of Sarah whose Name Hebr. signifies a Lady or Princess above-mentioned As 1st 'T is a lasting monument upon the heads of those wise-hearted Women who span with their hands Blue Purple and Scarlet c. for the use of the Tabernacle in Moses's Time Exo. 35.25 I do not at all doubt but your Ladiship hath spun fairer Threads for the Service of the New Jerusalem c. 2 dly 'T is a Memoir of great Honour to those Devout Women who so willingly resigned up their own curious Looking-glasses that a Sacred Laver of Brass for God's Service be made of them Exod. 38.8 Resolving that whereas other Women out of vanity do spend many hours in looking upon their Looking-glasses these zealous Souls will spend their precious Time better in Fasting and Prayer at the Door of the Tabernacle Likewise I dare with confidence affirm Madam that you spend much more precious Time in looking into the Looking-glass of God's Word how you may adorn the hidden Man of your heart 1 Pet. 3.3 4. to render you the more acceptable to your Creator c. than you do to compose your Outward Dress in your common Glass for Acceptance among Fellow-creatures and you could freely sacrifice all your Artificial Looking glasses so the glory of God's service might thereby be promoted 3dly Abigail is famous upon Record for her meek and quiet Temper which is in God's sight of great price 1 Pet. 3.3 who would not cross her Husband while the Spring-tide of his Passion lasted but she prudently waited until it was a low Ebbing-water and then she made an effectual Application 1 Sam. 25.36 37. And 't is a Ruled Case that the Husband and the Wife should never be angry both together c. 4thly Phoebe hath an high Title of Honour given her Rom. 16.2 where she is called not so much an Helper but a Patroness as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 5thly Priscilla is called a Co-worker with the Apostle as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Rom. 16.3 see verse 6. and 12. There is not Room to add more Instances Thirdly The holy Qualifications summ'd up together 1. Virtuous Ruth 4.11 2. Gracious Prov. 11.16 3. Prudent Prov. 14.1 4. Faithful 1 Tim. 3.11 5. Sober 6. Grave 7. Chast 8. Holy c. Titus 2.5 1 Pet. 3.1 2 3 4 5. If I say these Virtues have an happy conjunction in you I can assure you Madam 't is not the stinking breath of a sordid Sycophant for I must say with Elihu I know not to give flattering Titles to any in so doing my Maker would soon take me away Job 32.21 22. This I must say you affect not the vanity of those foolish fashions drawn up by the Finger of God himself in that Map of one and twenty Ornaments Isa 3. where the Moons there mentioned verse 18. which Women wore upon their heads then seem now grown to the full Moon in our wanton Dames but your Dress is decent rather below than above your Station c. That you may retain your Honour by Humility as the strong Man retaineth Riches by Wisdom and Power Prov. 11.16 That you may still walk humbly with your Maker both in God's Arm and in God's Armour and that all those Sacred Truths contained in this Volume may be writ by the Spirit of God upon the Table of your heart as the Epistle of Christ 1 Cor. 3.3 is the unfeigned prayer of Your Ladiships Servant in the best Bonds Christopher Ness A Brief Account and Recommendation of the Author 's worthy and profitable Labours in these four Books styled The History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament although we judge that they carry a sufficient Testimonial within themselves and that they need no other commendation from or to any man but the serious Reading and purusal of them For we find that by his ingenious Contexture of the History of the Scriptures and opening the Mystery contained therein he hath made the Reading of the Scriptures more pleasant more profitable and more plain to the understanding than what may be found in any Expositour that hath gone before him we cannot but bless God who hath inclined the heart of our worthy Brother to a work of this nature and to publish it in such a season wherein so many Attempts have been made to cast contempt upon the Scriptures and all revealed Religion August 27. 1696. Matthew Barker George Griffith Samuel Slater Many more hands might be procured but the Press will not give time An Alphabetical Table of the Principal Matters contain'd in the Fourth Volume of the New Testament A ABraham's bosom what Vol. 4. Page 155 Accounts to be given by and of all Vol. 4. Page 185 186 Actions of the same godly Man different Vol. 4. Page 298 Evidence of Saintship Vol. 4. Page 451 Adam at his Fall fell among Thieves Vol. 4. Page 111 112 113 More restored by the second than lost by the first Adam Vol. 4. Page 144 Afflictions promote Salvation Vol. 4. Page 427 All must come to Christ Vol. 4. Page 84 Antichrist rising Vol. 4. Page 520 B Backsliding dangerous Vol. 4. Page 112 Bath Coll the Voice from Heaven Vol. 4. Page 169 170 Bethlehem Ephratah signifying the fruitful house of Bread Vol. 4. Page 17 Bethesda its Pool Vol. 4. Page 47 Blasphemy of Papists in imitating Christ Vol. 4. Page 5 Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Vol. 4. Page 60 Burial-places without the City antient Vol. 4. Page 57 C Christ his
many Vndertook to write it Luke 1.1 yet was it fit work for none but for the Four Evangelists who were all extraordinarily qualified by Divine Inspiration for that High Enterprize and were Eye-witnesses of those great Truths which They do distinctly yet coherently Record concerning Christ Hereupon though others Attempted yet none Effected it save these Four who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Took it in hand Matthew wrote his Gospel Eight years after Christ Mark Ten Luke Fifteen and John forty two According to the common opinion from the most Antient Copies Whoever writes the Life of our Lord Jesus must light their Lamp at this Golden Candlestick having these four flaming Candles all lighted by Fire from Heaven To fetch any feigned Stories of Christ not founded upon Gospel-Evidence from other fabulous Authors is but a speaking wickedly for God and talking deceitfully for Him Job 13.7 As my Design is to Avoid this latter so my Desire is to Observe the former In this Essay I shall shift off and shun the cunningly Devised Fables Artificially compiled and composed not without some shew of Wisdom and Truth such as the Romanists lying Legends abound withal It being but a laborious loss of Time to search into such Things whereof we can have neither Proof nor Profit the Gains will not pay for the Pains And the Task about Toys can never be worthy the Toil 1 Tim. 4.7 2 Tim. 4.4 Tit. 1.14 and 2 Pet. 1.16 I shall therefore keep close to the more sure word ver 19. Scripture Authority N. B. The Life of the Lord Jesus hath a manifold preheminency Col. 1.18 above the best Lives of the choicest and chiefest of all mortal men in many respects As First The Life which Christ lived upon Earth was not only a Godly Life but it was a Life without the least praevarication from the Rule This Immaculate Lamb did lead such an Immaculate Life that he challeng'd his most Critical Adversaries to convince him of any one sin John 8.46 c. Secondly The Life of Christ was not only a Godly Life in compleat Universal Obedience to the Commands of God but it was the very Life of God 'T is said of some men that they are Alienated from the Life of God Eph. 4.18 that is They cannot live a Godly Life because they do not partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 not having the Image of God Imprinted on them nor the Life of God Imparted to them But 't is said expresly that Christ's Life was God manifested in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 and that Christ is the express Image of God's Person and the Brightness of His Glory Heb. 1.3 The Father and the Son are called Equals in the Greek Plural Phil. 2.6 that is every way Equal in Being Life and Operation Christ is Alius from the Father not aliud yet Co-essential and Co-equal not a secondary Inferior God as Arrius saith Thirdly That Christ led not only the Godly Life of a mere Man but also the Godly Life of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-Man So he had a Duplication of a Godly-Life both that of an Holy God and that also of an Holy Man and both in purity and perfection Fourthly Christ lived in his Humane Nature not only a single Temporal Godly Life upon Earth like that of a Godly Man to wit from his Birth to his Burial but even a Double one also to wit from his Resurrection to his Ascension beside that of Eternal Life in the same Nature in Heaven Fifthly Over and Above all These may be added That the Godly Life which Christ led upon Earth as the Son of Man was the light of Men John 1.4 His Life was a Lovely and Lively Looking Glass for all men to Dress themselves by in their Generation-Work both of Doing God's Work and of suffering God's Will The Life of Christ is the most perfect pattern of all True Piety for our Practice and Imitation We must all learn of him Mat. 11.29 and we should walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 From hence naturally ariseth this great Fundamental and most Evangelical Divine Truth That The most Sanctimonious Life of our Lord Jesus Christ is the light the Lanthorn and Law whereby all Men Women and Children ought to be Directed in all parts both of Active and Passive obedience while they live in this lower World They must all live as their Lord lived For the further and fuller Illustration of the light Hereof let me call in besides those two Texts aforementioned to wit Mat. 11.29 and 1 John 2.6 Hereafter Amplified other corroborating Scriptures As First It is expresly asserted by the Apostle Peter that the life of Christ was the leaving us an Example 1 Pet. 2.21 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Copy to write after A Samplar to work by and the most perfect pattern to Regulate our steps in walking the good ways of God Secondly The Apostle Paul affirmeth that whom God doth foreknow them he doth Praedestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son c. Rom. 8.29 Now this Conformity to Christ is extensive 1. To his Holiness and Diligence in Doing his Father's work He must be about it Luke 2.49 and it was Meat and Drink to Him to be so employed John 4.34 2. To his Humility and Patience in suffering his Father's Will Mat. 26.39 and thus the same Apostle was Ambitious to become conformable to Christ's Death as well as to his Life Phil. 3.10 And 3. To his Happiness and Glory in Heaven as the Wages of that Double work on Earth which also was the Top-branch of the same Apostle's Ambition That His Body might be fashioned like the glorious body of Christ which is the principal Standard of Glory Phil. 3.21 1 Cor. 15.20 49 c. Thirdly Our Lord Jesus himself saith That He hath given us an Example for doing as he hath done c. John 13.15 The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a pointing out our way to us and therefore are we so oft bid to Follow Him and if we be Right Followers of Christ we must Tread in the same Foot-steps of Christ In so Doing we shall find that his footsteps drop fatness for us to gather up for the fatning of our Souls Psal 65.11 And if we be Disciples of Christ we must learn of Him to be lowly and Meek c. Mat. 11.29 we must learn to be Holy as He was 1 Pet. 1.15 and pâ—re as He 1 John 3.3 and the same mind must be in us that was in Christ Phil. 2.5 act as a Picture resembles a Man in outward Lineaments only but as a Child his Father in Inward Dispositions also for Christ is our Father Isa 9.6 And thus are we bid to Preach forth the Praises Vertues and Graces of Christ as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1 Pet. 2.9 Our Lives should be as so many Sermons upon Christ's Life while we strive to express Him to the World
and could have given honourable Wages Yet now will dare to betray thy Innocent Master Therefore Christ will no longer indulge his debauched Hypocrisie who had a face to ask such a question of Him whom he could not but know that he knew All things Our Lord would bear with this Incorrigible and Incurable wretch no longer he might happily hope that his kind Master through his wonted candour in concealing his cursed contract with the Satanical Sanhedrim for two days before would conceal him still but now he pulls off his Vizard washes off his Varnish and makes him to appear in his own colours according to Chrysostom's phrase a Covetous Caitiff an Impudent Dog and a Breathing Devil All this is implied in Christ's Answer to his Question Thou hast said it that is It is so as thou sayest Thou hast told the Truth Thou art the Man I mean For thus the same sentence Thou hast said Mat. 26.64 is Interpreted by Mark who writes a Compendium of Matthew in plain terms I am Mark 14.62 The like phrase is used Luke 22.70 in a way of granting and assenting not leaving it doubtful Besides our Lord knew that both Judas and Caiaphas and the Jews were convinced in their own Consciences concerning the Truth of that matter whereof they by their counterfeiting Questions dissembled themselves Ignorant Therefore his answer was apposite and adapted to the Question Thou hast said it Thy own words have the Answer much more thy Conscience After all these Passages Christ Eats the Passover according to the Mosaical Rites and when that was finished He ordained the Lords Supper wherein he took the Bread to be his Body hence forward in the same sense that the Paschal Lamb had been his Body hitherto and the Cup to be the New Testament in his Blood now under the Gospel as the Blood of Bullocks had been the Old Testament of his Blood Exod. 24.8 Heb. 9.20 22. and after the Administring of the Cup He tells them again that was the last which he must drink for the Hand of him that betrayed him was at the Table so that as Luke who makes the Story full shews that Judas was at the Table all the time both of the Passover and of the Sacrament This indeed is a controversial point among the Learned N. B. Note well Suppose it true There is just cause of Wonder that such a wretched Traitor should be admitted by our Lord to Communicate in all those Symbols of Love and Communion both in the Law and in the Gospel-Sacrament However this is probable enough that after his Master had so openly detected him he sneaked away to do the Devils Work for the Devils Wages that he had received from the High-Priest c. upon his compact with them Now he goes to them to prepare their Cut-throats assuring them he could deliver his Master that very night to them without any Tumult from the People in a private place which he knew well John 18.2 his Master resorting oft thither Luke 22.39 but before Christ himself rose from his last Supper there started up a contest among the Eleven remaining Disciples about priority probably occasion'd by their Question about the Traitor Luke 22. ver 24 to 39. an unseasonable and a very unreasonable Quarrel and so much the more in them because immediately after the Sacrament and before his Passion which he had told them was at hand Nor was this the first time wherein they had thus faulted and had been reproved for it Hereupon Christ closely rebukes them again not only by proposing before them his own example but also by telling them 1. That in striving for Precedency they turned his Disciples into Gentiles who stand upon their Birth and Priviledges Luke 22.25 Mat. 20.25 2. That they need not plead for priority seeing He would equally honour them in his Kingdom c. Luke 22.29 30. And 3. That this was not a time of seeking Preferment one before another but a time of sifting in the Devil's Sieve to make Chaff of them and all that they could do now was little enough to secure themselves c. Luke 22.31,32 Therefore had they other business in hand than to look after and be Ambitious of Precedency When Christ had conjur'd down and calm'd this Devil of Ambition he sat still in the Guest-chamber and preach'd to his eleven Disciples that Heavenly Sermon contained in John 15 and 16. chapters concluding with that most Seraphick prayer for them John 17. per totum and when Christ had ended both his Sermon and Prayer Having first sung an Hymn being the latter part of the great Hallelujah in Psal 115 116 117 118. He went forth of the House and City and passed over the Town Ditch Kidron to the Mount of Olives and so to Gethsemane at the foot of that Hill into the Garden where he prayed again and had his Agony for which end He went thither not to hide himself from his Adversaries but to wait for their coming thither as soon as he had prepared himself by Prayer for his Death He here Pray'd himself into an Agony as we ought to do Col. 4.12 Rom. 15.30 where the same word is used wherein he began his passion before his Apprehension not only to expiate that first Sin which was committed by the first Man N. B. Note well in the Garden of Eden or Paradise but also to sanctifie to us our Garden Reposes and Recreations Now was the hour of the Power of Darkness Luke 22.53 All the Devils in Hell as it were being let loose upon Him as never was nor will be upon any Man on Earth Now it being about Midnight The Disciples slept while he prayed whom he had no sooner awaked the third time but in comes Judas with his Assassinates at his heels to apprehend him At their first Assault he lets out a little Beam of his Deity wherewith he knocks down five hundred men John 18.6 whom he met in the face ver 4. Then gave He up himself as a free-will offering to God c. Now come we to the Sufferings of Christ which are of more importance for us to know and believe than are his Miracles N.B. Note well Though the World wondered at him for his Miracles Luke 24.19 c. yet despised him for his Sufferings Isa 53.2 which did dash all the hopes his very Disciples had conceited of a Temporal Kingdom to be raised by the Power of his Miracles Luke 24.21 notwithstanding though Christ's Miracles were more Admirable yet his Sufferings were more profitable for we are saved by his Sufferings Isa 53.5 1 Pet. 2.24 by his Agony in the Garden by his Bleeding on the Cross by his Dying for us not by his Walking upon the Waters nor by his casting out of Devils nor by his cleansing of Lepers c. which Miracles were chiefly profitable to the People of that Age wherein he lived but his Sufferings are profitable to all succeeding Ages to the end of the World and are
had they not pressed him to it beyond his Pagan Power yet doing it with great Reluctancy however our Lord was thus Intitled by his Hand which was guided by the great God and whose Head and Heart were so confirmed in it that though he understood it not yet would not Retract it with all the Priests pressing him to the contrary He was unchangably Resolved that what he had writ should stand How much more the Writings of him whose Name is I am that I am Exod. 3.14 and the same yesterday to day and for ever Hebr. 13.8 N. B. Note well We may learn from this Pagan to be constant to a good Cause and in a good Course and not be changlings But we must raise our Minds higher and look beyond Pilate at the Counsel of God who would have Christ proclaimed his Churches King by this Publick Testimony in Pilate's Inscription and that it might be made manifest to the World that Jesus was Innocent and that he was Executed for the same Truth for which he was before Condemned by the Sanhedrim of the Chief Priests and therefore was the Title writ in Hebrew Greek and Latin the best known Tongues then every where that this venerable Elogy might be read and understood of all and that Christ's Innocency might appear unto all not only intimating that he was King of that Religion among the Hebrews of that Wisdom among the Greeks and of that Power among the Latines or Romans for which three things those three People were then Famous The Jews glory'd in their Law and the Greeks in their Wisdom and the Romans in â—heir Power and Dominion but also as presaging the Future Vocation of not only the Hebrews but of the Greeks and Latines too to the Kingdom of Christ N. B. Note well to which may be added that hereby the Holy Ghost hath commended to us the Dignity and Study of these three Learned Languages Hebrew Greek and Latin which are to be Retained for ever in the Church of Christ and seeing Christ hath Sanctified those three Tongues upon his Cross by this Inscription 't is but a Brutish Notion to call them the Languages of the Beast N. B. Note well Moreover this may reprove the Sacrilegious Tyranny of the Romanists who render themselves worse than Pilate in not only forbidding that the Sacred Scriptures should be Translated into the Mother-Tongue of each Land but also Restraining the People from Reading them in Hebrew Greek or Latin yea or in their own Native Language whereas Pilate as God's publick Herald will have Christ Read and acknowledged to be King in any Language both Forraign and Domestick 'T is pitty a poor Pagan should exceed and excell those Papagans who profess to Adore Châ—ist The 4. Branch of the Introduction is their Crucifying two Thieves the one on the Right and the other on the Left Hand of Christ Matth. 27.38 Mar. 15.26 27. Luke 23.33 Joh. 19.18 placing Christ in the midst not so much that he might have Companions in Misery for Solamen Miseris socios adhibere Doloris 't is some Comfort to those in Misery to have Companions in it As it was designed by those Priests to Palliate their wickedness that the People might look upon Christ Crucified in the midst as the worst and as the Prince of Malefactors and the greatest of those three had they Crucified Christ alone he would at least have seemed a better Man than any Thief But Mark the Evangelist lifts us up to look beyond this politick design of the Priests at the profound Counsel of God who directed this Deed that the Prophet's Oracle might be Accomplished saying He was Reckoned to wit by those Priests among Transgressors Isa 53.12 and not only among them but as Chief of them Thus he became the greatest of Sinners both by Imputation as he bare the sins of many ver 6.12 and by Reputation as he was Reckoned among Thieves Robbers Throat-Cutters and Traitors yea in the midst as exceeding the worst of them N. B. Note well As this may teach us how vastly prodigious was the wrath of God against Man's sins for the Expiation of which our Surety the Son of God must be cast into the Catalogue of Notorious Malefactors So no less holds it forth the most Immense Love of our Lord Jesus to us who can submit to be a Companion of Miscreants to make us fit Associates with Holy Angels Zach. 3.7 both Here and in Heaven c. but of these Thieves more afterward is discoursed c. CHAP. XXXII Of Christ's Crucifying NOW come we after those five Introductions to Discourse upon the Passion and Death of Christ Crucified upon the Cross wherein many most Eminent Remarks are comprehended in the Bowels of that one Act of Crucifying Christ As Moses turn'd aside to behold that great wonder of the Bush burning yet not consumed Exod. 3.3 So let us turn aside here to see this great Sight to behold the grand Sin-offering burnt without the Gate yet not consumed to Corruption Levit. 9.11 16 27. Hebr. 13.12 Psal 16.10 11. Acts 13.35 36 37. and to behold the High-Priest himself of our profession Hebr. 3.1 As the great Sacrifice for the whole World was now laid upon the High Altar his Cross and there was Rosted with the Hot Fire of the Wrath of God and of Men and of Devils Behold the Son of God Bleeding Mocked Tortured Dying and Reconciling God and Man and Marrying Justice and Mercy together c. Psal 85.10 The First Remark is Behold the Man He must Die the worst of Deaths for us so Angry was God with Man for Eating the Forbidden Fruit of Sin that he spareth not his own Son when he became a Surety for Sinners He shall die saith Saul though the Lot fall upon my Son Jonathan 1 Sam. 14.39 We Read of Zaleucus's Law that the sin of Adultery should be punished with the loss of two Eyes his own Son was found faulty herein Zaleucus put out one of his Sons Eyes as he was a Just Judge but that he might save his Sons other Eye and not make him quite blind he to satisfie the Justice of his own Law is content to put out one of his own as a Compassionate Father This Resemblance falls far short of the matter Resembled Yet thus far they do Symbolize in an Apt Parallel Congruity The Creator gave this Law to the Creature If thou Eat the forbidden Fruit thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2.17 Man Transgresseth that Law of God even Adam call'd the Son of God Luke 3.38 Now that Justice might be satisfied Man the sinner loseth one Eye only to wit his Paradise-Happiness c. and God the Father of Adam is content to give his Son who was as Dear to him as his Right Eye out of his Bosom to make full Satisfaction for the Breach of that Law N. B. Note well Sinfull Man may say here is both a Just Judge to the Law and yet a Compassionate Father to me
Feast might be able to Read and understand it in some or other of those three Tongues and of one Tendency to wit for the Honour and Glory of Christ Crucified and not either for the Vindication of the Justice of the power Condemning which was not a little to Pilate's own prejudice in his Reputation and Injustice or for the Shame and Disgrace of the party Condemned as is usual in other Superscriptions fixed upon Dying Malefactors But this however it was intended as an Accusation to brand Christ falsly with the Calumny of usurping an Earthly Kingdom Assuredly tended much for his Glory seeing he was indeed Jesus the Saviour and he was indeed a King more especially of the Jews and the True Israel of God Thus the Mouths and Hands of Wicked Men are so overpow'red by the Omnipotent Jehovah that all is turned to the Honour of Jesus which they design for his Dishonour and the very Title upon his Cross devised to shew the Crime for which he was Crucified becomes no less than a Crown of Glory to Christ beside This Inscription being written in Hebrew Greek and Latin made an open and publick Proclamation to all the Knowing and Learned Men in all parts of the known World that our Lord Dyed as a Faultless Man and altogether Innocent even in the Judgment of Judge Pilate himself who had so oft Absolved him before and now could fix no Slanderous Superscription upon his Cross save this that had such a Divine and Convincing Truth in it without any foul Reflection or Real Fault at all And Lastly By this Title thus writ in those three Tongues our Lord hath Sanctified those three Learned Languages upon his Cross so that the Hebrew Greek and Latin may be Holily Studyed Learned and Improved by Holy Men for which they ought not to be upbraided with Learning the Language of the Beast c. The 2d Sign of Christ's Triumph over Death was the Conversion of the Thief it being the first Fruits of the Power and Efficacy of Christ's Death before he was actually dead and the price of Redemption was fully paid that Vertue should flow from Christ's Death before he dyed even such Soveraign Vertue as not only to Save this Penitent now but also all the Old Testament Saints before he was in the Flesh as the Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World Revel 13.8 in God's Decree and in the Types of the Law this was the Antitypes Signal Triumph The Third Fourth Fifth and Sixth Signs of Christ's Triumph over Death were 3. The Suns Eclips 4. The Rending both of the Vail and of the Rocks 5. The Earthquake 6. The opening of the Graves in all which Works our Lord proclaimeth himself the Mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth the Sun of Righteousness when he was even going down under the Earth and setting from the Worlds sight had still a Triumphant power over the Sun the Firmament and could draw a Curtain of Darkness upon its Splendour at Noon time And as he then did shew the signs of his Triumph over the Heavens so much more at that time likewise over the Earth for then as Lord of the Temple he comes suddenly into his Temple in his Triumphant power Mal. 3.1 And Rends the Vail of the Earthly Temple from the top to the bottom yea and Extends his Rending power to the firmer Rocks of the Earth nor is this all but he shakes the very Foundation of the whose Globe of the Earth shewing himself to be the Lord of it as well as of Heaven and causing both of them to do Homage to him their Lord and Soveraign For as the Heavens here like those Seraphims Isa 6.2 covered their Faces with a Vail being dazled with beholding his Invisible Glory now dying oâ—â—e Cross 1 Pet. 1.12 So the Earth Trembled at his presence feeling even then the power of its Omnipotent Creator Moreover to shew more fully a sign of his Triumph over Death and the Grave his Death opened the Graves of others before he went down into his own Grave His Death was the Death of Death it self Hos 13.14 and swallowed up the Grave in Victory 1 Cor. 15.54 55. The Seventh and last sign of Christ's Triumph was the Centurions Testimony together with that of the Souldiers c. Matth. 27.54 Mar. 15.39 Luke 23 47.48 Now when the Centurion and many more People saw the Wonders wrought by our Dying Redeemer these wonders wanted not their Wonderful Effects for 1. The Captain of the Guard this Centurion was wonderfully wrought upon by those wrought wonders insomuch that he Glorified God by confessing the Truth saying This was certainly a Righteous Man this was surely the Son of God And 2. The Pagan Souldiers with their Captain were convinced that such Wonders could not be wrought by one that was only a meer Mortal Man but as that Mighty Monarch and Pagan Emperour Nebuchadnezar saw something of the Glory of the Son of God Dan. 3.25 So those poor Pagans got some glimmerings of Christ's Glory when the blind Priests and Learned Rabbies of the Jews were so stupified that their Seared Consciences had no Sense or Conviction at all And 3. All the People that came together to that Sight beholding the things that were done Smote their Breasts and returned Luke 23.48 They Smote their Breasts as the penitent Publican did Luke 18.13 being now awakened by those Wonders and smitten with their own Guilt in giving their consent to the Crucifying of Christ and so furious was this Reflection upon themselves that out of Revenge and Indignation against themselves as 2 Cor 7 11. They would have smitten their own Heinous sin could they but come at it when they thus as by his Word when he is pleased to speak in and by them and causeth Providences to become Ordinances to us as here by those works of Wonder 2. There is much more hope of gaining poor Pagans and such as never yet had the means of Grace and of winning them over to God and Godliness than of convincing Learned Heads that have wicked Hearts and such as have blown upon the Gospel 3. So free is Christ's Love that while sinners are giving Death to him he is Handing out Life and Salvation to them To all these Seven signs of Christ's Triumph may be added the double sign which the Wound made in his Dead Body upon the Cross by the Souldiers Spear John 19.34 powred forth even the Water and Blood as a Twofold Witness that not only he was now Really Dead but also that he was the Grand Sacrifice which had now Expiated the sins of the World and now had paid the full price for sinful Mans Redemption according to that Eternal Covenant made betwixt the Father and the Son before the Foundation of the World Though the Testimony of the Centurion c. be Recorded by all the three former Evangelists and not by John yet this Testimony is Recorded by John only and by none of the other so
great multitude of Members whereof many of them were poor persons according to Christ's word Go tell John that the poor receive the Gospel Matth. 11.4 5. Therefore there was a necessity of Ordaining more Officers to the Twelve Apostles for making a more equal Distribution out of their community of goods to the poor scatter'd Jews dispersed by War among the Gentiles yet retaining their Religion in repairing to those great Feasts where they were converted and to whom James and Peter wrote their Epistles as well as to those poor Jews who lived in their own Countrey The Apostles having greater work in hand dividing their whole time between Preaching and Praying could not possibly provide for the Love-Feasts c. Therefore to remove the murmuring at the Inequality of Relief seven Deacons were chosen out of the 120 Acts 1.15 to assist the Apostles and to dispose of that Treasury which had been laid down at the Apostle's feet with more equality and indifferency to all fit Objects of Charity without exception N.B. The sacred Record is silent concerning five of those Deacons save only in Recording their names Acts 6.1 2 3 4 5. and their choice to Office verse 6. but wonderful works are recorded concerning the other two who were most Eminent to wit Stephen Acts 6.8 to the end and Acts 7.1 to the end and Philip Acts 8.5 to the end and chap. 21.8 c. First This Stephen is described to be a Man mighty in deed and word wherein he carried the Character of Christ Luke 24.19 He was full of Faith and Power to work many Miracles among the people Acts 6.8 and he was as mighty in word as in deed speaking the word of Truth so convincingly that his Opposites had no power to oppose it verse 10. Thus the promise of Christ's Assisting Spirit Matth. 10.20 and Luke 21.15 was performed Stephen using the Office of a Deacon well did purchase to himself an higher Decree c. 1 Tim. 3.13 A diligent man stays not long in a low place N.B. This was occasion enough of Envy to the Envious one who thereupon stirr'd up the Libertines and Philosophers to dispute against Stephen's Doctrine but being foiled and confounded by him in their Disputes they betake themselves unto Fraud and Force The best Arguments of a baffled Adversary are ever found to be Craft and Cruelty Thus those that did here 1. Accusing Stephen falsly of Blasphemy both against Moses and against God verse 11. 2. Moving the Mobile and Rude Rabble or worst sort of the multitude c. against him verse 12. 3. Taking and tolling him away to the Tribunal of unjust Judges And 4. Suborning false Witnesses there against him v. 11 13. N.B. This they had learnt of old Jezabel against innocent Naboth an Abominable Artifice never that we read of practised before or rather of older Beelzebub that old Man-slayer John 8.44 Thus these malicious Enemies dealt with out dear Redeemer before this and thus was Athanasius accused by the Arrians afterward and many others also and at last for these false supposed Crimes Stephen was stoned Acts 7.58 this was the first Breach made upon the Church after its first Constitution in its losing such an useful Instrument and Officer out of it so early Having discovered the black of Misery attending this Church let us view the while of Mercy beautifully intermixed with it in the next place to be a little discoursed upon As the cloudy Pillar in the Wilderness had a dark side and a bright so hath the Church in this World We have seen her black or dark side here now come we to take a prospect of her light and bright side The first white of Mercy was that notwithstanding all opposition the Word of God and this Church of Christ greatly increased and that which was more wonderful N.B. A great company of the Priests were obedient to the Faith Acts 6.7 Those Legal Priests had been the most active Adversaries and the most implacable Enemies of Christ and his Gospel and their Interest had most probably prompted their opposition but now feeling themselves over-powered by the mighty power and presence of God the Father Son and Spirit they throw down their Arms cry Quarter leaves the Legal and lists themselves under the Evangelical Banner Magna est veritas valebit Great is Truth especially in the Spirit of Truth and will prevail even over the most obstinate Opposers either to their Conversion or to their Confusion Such Converts as those could not but be a comforting and corroborating Cordial to this late Constituted Church N.B. Oh would to God the like were done to the Priests in our Day We ought not to despair of the worst God hath his time to call them when he vouchsafeth to speak to their stubborn hearts with a strong hand Isa 8.11 then must they truckle and become obedient to the Faith not in a bare speculation only but in a practical pious conversation also The Spiritual Weapons of Gospel Warfare are not weak but mighty through God not only to pull down the Devil 's strong holds but also to reduce the most Rebellious into the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 and Psal 68.18 The second white of Mercy was that while those vile wretches were by their suborned Witnesses accusing Stephen for vilifying Moses then our blessed Messiah from Heaven did vindicate him most miraculously and that before he began to speak one word in his own vindication by clothing his countenance with the like Angelical splendour and glory as Moses himself had been Exod. 34.30 This same admirable Aspect Radiancy and Majesty put here upon Stephen Acts 6.15 the like whereof had been put upon Moses in whom they trusted could not but convince them that he was not only no Enemy to him but also of the goodness of his Cause the purity of his Conscience and the greatness of his Courage through the Divine presence of the Holy Spirit assisting him for a mortal Man to look like an Angel must affect the Spectators with admiration The third white of Mercy was the excellent Apology the Lord help'd Stephen to answer his Accusers with when the Court seem'd to give him a fair hearing though resolved before-hand to have his blood Note He 1st Denies the Accusation of a Blasphemer against the Law or Temple 1. Arguing abstrucely yet well enough understood according to the Jews Rhetorick and Logick that all the Patriarchs before the Law were saved only by Faith upon the promised Messiah therefore was there but one way in all times to Salvation 2. That Moses himself pointed them to this great Prophet as their ultimate Oracle 3. That the Tabernacle was built according to the Pattern in the Mount therefore the Patriarchs might please God before there was an outward Tabernacle 4. That the Temple tho' not tumbling to and fro as did the Tabernacle yet did not confine God to a certain place proved from Isa 66. v. 1 2. 2dly He truly retorts
abundance Matth. 13.12 They shall know that follow on to know the Lord Hos 6.3 God will rather work a Miracle than that they who thus seek should not find Matth. 7.7 Such as seek God sincerely and endeavour to know him and his Will faithfully and more fully shall not be disappointed N.B. Here God makes Philip miraculously to meet this Eunuch who was inquiring after Godliness c. N.B. Then 5 His Occupation he was Lord Treasurer to this Queen Candace which is one of the principal of Court-Offices yet while this Eunuch was occupied in his Charge over the Queen's Treasure he still neglected not the True Treasure for saving his own Soul wherein that precious Promise and Prophecy Isa 56.4 5. was graciously fulfilled Let not the Eunuch say I am a dry Tree verse 3. I will give to them a Place and a Name in my House both the Credit and the Comfort of being the Sons of God c. N.B. And this honour the Lord conferred upon this Eunuch to make him the first we find who carried the Profession of Christ into Africa and tho' the Ethiopians were a People most despicable in the Eyes of the Jews and of the Greeks likewise for their famous Greek Poet Homer calls those Sun-burnt People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lowest of Mankind yet the Lord did demonstrate hereby that there is no respect of Persons or of Nations with him but whoever fears God and works Righteousness is accepted of him Acts 10.34 Gal. 3.28 c. N.B. 3. The Manner of his Conversion is described by the Eunuch's Reading and by Philip's Running to hear what he Read both were done by the direction of the Spirit as the one is expressed so the other is undoubtedly implied As the Spirit by the Ministry of an Angel moved Philip verse 26 27. and made him able to Run as swiftly as this great Man's Chariot Ran so that not only he could come up to the Eunuch but keep pace with him to hold a conference also The Scripture he was Reading was that in Isa 53.7 c. He was led as a Sheep to the Slaughter c. Philip asks him Understandest thou what thou Readest The Eunuch modestly and humbly answered How can I except some man guide me verse 29 30 31 33 34 c. Is qui nil dubitat nil capit inde boni Ask learn This Proselyte might by conversing with both the dispersed Jews in his own Countrey and those at Jerusalem at his keeping the Festivals there be acquainted with the Lives of the Prophets and might find there Recorded how much Isaiah suffered under Manasseh this might well raise a doubt in him whether the Prophet spake of himself or some other Man and that he might be resolved of his doubts such was his modesty and humility that this great Man takes up his Inferiour into his Chariot as Jehu did Jehonadab 2 Kings 10.15 and asks him this Question in answer whereunto Philip Preach'd a powerful Sermon of Christ to him shewing that Prophecy could be meant of none but our dear Redeemer and not of Isaiah Jeremy or any other And by that pregnant and pathetical discourse the Lord blessing the Ordinance of Hearing the Word Saving Faith was effectually wrought in this Eunuch's Soul N.B. The Remarks upon this are these 1. This Ethiopian may teach us Christians to spend our time profitably not vainly we do not so much want time as waste time whereof we are but Tenants at will and must as Stewards give an account for that Talent 2. Of all other Books to Read the Scriptures most as he did that we may by digging in that golden Mine find Eternal Life John 5.39 3. That Masters ought to instruct their Servants out of the Scriptures Thus 't is supposed this man was doing though he had but small knowledge 4. That such as are throughly humble are also truly docile willing to learn knowledge from any hand and to acknowledge their own ignorance 5. That Superiors must not disdain to be instructed by their Inferiors as he here and great Naaman by a Captive Girl 2 Kings 5.2 13. How would our great Treasurers and Chamberlains huff at such an Affront 6. That bare Reading the Scripture without understanding it is no better than the tinkling of a Cymbal They are blessed that Read it with Knowledge Attention Affection and Application in their Lives Rev. 1.3 7. Divine Commands must not be grudgingly disputed but speedily dispatched as Philip did here in hastening through a Desart of Difficulties without cavilling at the uncouth way to save a Soul 8. Divine Providence doth wonderfully work in a concurring tendency towards this Ethiopian's Conversion God both orders him to be Reading such a portion of Scripture as he had need to be informed of concerning Christ and also Philip to be so ready at that juncture to inform him there in a most Fundamental Truth N.B. 4. The wonderful Effect of this holy Conference follows not only the Conversion but also the Baptism of this New Convert Incredible gain is got by mutual Conference in all Arts and Sciences especially in the knowledge of Divine Truths N.B. The Mathematicks are so call'd because they cannot be learned without a Teacher No Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Self-Teacher in Divine Literature It were to be wished that illiterate Mechanicks and ignorant Women would say with this great Officer How can I understand the Scripture except some Interpreters help me Acts 8.31 The Priests of the Lord should preserve knowledge on their Lips and the People should seek the Law at their Mouths Mal. 2.17 Deut. 33.10 and Jer. 3.15 N.B. He that in heavenly things dare become a Scholar only to himself hath no better than a Fool to his Master None can know the things of God by the reach of their own carnal Reason c. but only by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11 14. Thus God's Spirit who had directed Philip hither did also in lighten the Eunuch's understanding in the Divine Mysteries of Man's Salvation and this Questionist becoming a Christian desires the Seal of Christianity in Baptism which upon the Profession of his Faith was done according to God's appointment verse 36 37 38. by Dipping in those hot Countreys but now God will have mercy c. in our cold Countreys for Sprinkling is as significative and effectual answering the Type Exod. 12.3 and Heb. 10.22 5thly And lastly The Event of all to wit the departure of both each from other N.B. 1st Philip was suddenly taken up out of the Eunuch's sight and was miraculously caught and carried away out of this great Man's company by the Spirit of God in the Ministry of an Angel as the Apocryphal Daniel affirms of Habakkuk and this Rapture and Transportation was in a rapid and swift motion The like we read of 1 Kings 18. v. 12. and 2 Kings 2.16 and Ezek. 3.12 14. 'T is said The Eunuch saw Philip no more Acts 8.39 for he
Jumbled together in this lower world yet the Righteous Judge will at last place them in very different conditions in another world Mat. 25 34 41 46. And Luke 16.25 This may comfort us also The third Remark is 'T is a great comfort to the afflicted to have good Companions in their affliction Optimum Solatium est Sodalitium Comes pro vehiculo est Solamen miseris socios adhibere Doloris Society is a Solace a Comerad is a Chariot and 't is a comfort to have Companions in misery Thus it was a great comfort to Paul the prisoner here to have two such good Companions in this perillous passage as were Luke the holy Pen-man of the Acts and of the Gospel and one Aristarchus ver 2. a man of some Note being one of them that was laid hold on in the uproar at Ephesus Acts 19.29 He was Paul's fellow-Traveller Acts 20.4 and his fellow-worker also Philemon v. 24. And now is become also his Fellow prisoner Col. 4.10 11. Upon this account did David so sadly bewail the loss of his sweet Companion his dear Jonathan And Paul likewise counted it a singular mercy to himself that his dear fellow-Labourer Epaphroditus recovered from a dangerous sickness Phil. 2.27 Yea and John found himself furthered by the Graces of his Elect Lady 2. Ep. ver 12. The fourth Remark is God raiseth up Friends to shew favour to his afflicted Servants if not in sight yet in despight of their Adversaries Thus Julius courteously treated Paul the Captain was kind to his prisoner and gave him liberty to go unto his friend 's to refresh himself verse 3. This was a great favour from a Pagan Centurion to let him walk abroad into the fresh air tho' with his keeper as their manner was to refresh himself this had been Faelix's charge that Paul should be courteously handled in his former commitment Acts 24.23 But it was an additional favour from God to find him friends in Sidon such Saints as he could comfortably converse with and such as he Received refreshment from even needful accommodations for his tedious Voyage c. N. B. There is much comfort in the Communion of Saints both in the Church Militant and Triumphant This the Antient and the Modern persecutors labour to prevent by confining Christians to Islands and such retired prisons where they could not have access one to another That it was now better with Paul was of God who had promised him his presence Acts 18.10 who indeed was with Paul after a wonderful manner in all his Sufferings He all along experienced the truth of God's word which he Records himself from Josh 1.5 Heb. 13.5 6. All this is writ for our instruction and comfort that we may as Paul did put also our trust in him who will not fail or forsake us The fitfh Remark is The fittest Seasons ought to be well observed for all undertakings sacred as well as Civil and Secular Winter Journeys and Voyages are unsafe as well as uncomfortable Hesiod hath a good rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A sit opportunity is best in all things and Solomon saith there is a time for all things Eccles 3.1 17. and every thing is beautiful in its Seasons v. 11. A season is that part of time which hath a beauty and Lustre upon it above all other parts of time This Winter-Voyage about our October was unseasonable For 1. The wind was contrary v. 4.2 They sailed but slowly for many days v. 7.3 So that much time was spent to little purpose verse 9. And 4. Sailing was now dangerous v. 9. Having at that time little light long nights Thick Clouds dark weather and raging storms therefore Paul advised to winter in the fair Havens till March but the Centurion not knowing that Paul was inspired with a Prophetick Spirit trusted the Master of the Ship in his own faculty before him v. 8 with 10 11 12. N.B. As all this holds true in the Letter and History So it doth no less in the Spirit and Mistery As 1. How many spend yea spill their many days of the fair Summer of their youth before ever they bethink themselves of lanching forth towards the fair Haven of Heaven This is deferred until the Winter of Old age which Solomon calls an Evil age Eccles. 12.1 come upon them 2. Whenever we set forth and in earnest do cry have over for Heaven we may be sure the winds will be contrary as here 3. Such as serve God instantly night and day as they did Acts 26.7 yet do sail forward but very slowly for many days as here The Righteous are scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4.18 That is they have much ado to get to heaven 4. We triffle away much pretious time which is not only spent but spilt We might oft-times bestow our time beter than we do Cato held him a wise man who was able tam otij quam Negoâ—ij Rationem reddere to give an account of his leisure as well of his labour The common complaint is we want time but the truth is we do not so much want it as we do foolishly waste it 5. Sailing to Heaven is alway dangerous as here we are set about with Pirats Rocks and Quick-Sands 6. How many as here will most believe them who have the least skill when their Souls are like to suffer Ship wrack trusting more to carnal wisdom than God's sure word of Prophecy God saith Believe the Prophets so shall ye prosper 2 Chron. 20.20 but men cannot be got to believe till they come to feel as Pharaoh did There be many such Solomon's Fools as those Mariners were that will pass on and are punished Prov. 22.3 The sixth Remark is Paul's Ship here gives a Graphical Description of the Militant Church tossed with Tempests and not comforted in her Afflicted State Isa 54.11 c. N.B. This Congruity is Various As 1. Both meet with unexpected disappointments Thus they here did supposing they had obtained their purpose c. verse 13. being close aboard on the Shore but immediatley an Euroclydon call'd the Sea-man's Plague and the Mariners misery arose caught the Ship up from Shore under its sole power so that the Sails not being stricken upon this Sudden surprize had like to have overset her and the Mariners had no command of her with either Rudder or Anchor v. 14 15. Thus the Church especially when the makes flesh her Arm meets with stormy blasts which blows her from her supposed shore drives her drift lee ward and maketh many times the strongest Sinew of her Arm of flesh tâ— crack as former and latter ages know by smarting Experience God and not man must be the Churche's Arm every morning Isa 33.2 If not Fallitur Augurio spes bona saepè suo Her hope oft fails by her mistakes c. 2. Both need under-girding The Mariners first feared the Boat lest it should be broke in pieces by the Storms beating it against the ship verse 16. but next they fear the Ship
forfeited favour c. to appeal unto Caesar they could not release him concluding that what all Israel hoped for was the cause of his chain v. 18 19 20. Thus he presents the truth to them well knowing if they had a prejudice against his person they could never relish his Doctrine no more will men our Ministry c. N.B. This fair and full Apology of Paul not only stop'd the Mouths of those chief Jews from censuring him but also opened their mouths both to let him know that the High-Priest did not prosecute his persecution at Rome out of his Reach and desponding to prevail where a fair Tryal was like to be had and likewise the Jews do request him that a day might be appointed wherein not only themselves but also all the other Jews of the inferior Rank might hear him preach both for their own and all the others satisfaction seeing Christianity which he professed was every where spoke against verse 21 22. and Acts 24.5.14 The fourteenth Remark is The Gospel like the Seed in the Parable Mat. 13.19 20 c. meeteth with various soils so it did here verse 23 24. The Meeting-place wherein Paul preached was his own private house verse 16 30. and his publick exercise lasted from morning to evening wherein he expounded the Scriptures and undeniably proved out of Moses and the Prophets that Christ whom the Jews had Crucified was the true Messiah and that they were not to look for another but that the Kingdom of the Messiah which God had promised and all the prophets had predicted was now come and already begun all these his assertions he demonstrated by such Irrefragable and Cogent yea by such unanswerable and pregnant arguments so that he prevailed and persuaded several of them to Believe tho' others Believed not N.B. Thus the word of God softens some and hardens others it is therein like Moses who slew the Aegyptian but saved the Israelite alive as it is the savour of Death to some and the savour of Life to others The same Ark of God which blessed Obed Edom became a Curse to the Uncircumcised Philistines The same Sun which softens Wax doth harden Clay And thus Paul who laboured more abundantly than any Apostle 1 Cor. 15.10 found that true by smarting experience which he Recordeth All men have not Faith 2 Thess 3.2 and that the word preached doth not profit unless it be mixed with faith in them that hear it Heb. 4.2 Paul had frequent Tryal of this great truth Acts 14.4 and 17.34 and 19.9 c. Those contrary effects of God's word upon Paul's Auditory made his Auditors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sound discords verse 25. A Metaphor from musical Instruments that hold no harmony by being out of tune so these hearers jarred the believers gain-sayed the unbelievers verse 29. Defending Paul and his Gospel But the unbelievers were hardened in their obstinacy and the rather became Paul's Adversaries The 15 Remark is Obstinate Auditors ought to be rebuked sharply which is Paul's own phrase Tit. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuttingly a Metaphor from Chirurgeons who must not be Milch-hearted but with a Lion's heart yet with a Ladie 's hand and an Eagle's eye must pare away the dead flesh né pars Sincera trahatur least the sound part be corrupted by it Thus Paul doth here like the good Samaritan Pours in Wine to search the wound as well as oil to supple it When he saw here how the Jews Jarred He spake one word more in this his Farewel Sermon verse 25. but it was a terrible stinging word such as would stick in their Consciences as the Invenom'd Arrows of the Almighty to all eternity This Cutting and Killing word he quotes from Isa 6.9 which the Authority of the Holy Ghost declared to be most certain in its accomplished Judgment 2 Pet. 1.21 Saying verse 26 27. here Go to this people c. Importing that as their Fathers did hear and see the many prophecies concerning the Messiah and concerning their miseries for rejecting him but would not understand nor believe them So these their Childern inherited their Fathers sins and so should also be heirs of their punishments N.B. It was but the righteous Judgment of God to give them up to an heavy ear to a blind eye and to a hoofy hardness of heart because they were wilfully ignorant 2 Pet. 3.5 wittingly and willingly winking with their eyes as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies shutting as it were their windows least the light should come in to disturb them in their Liberty of Sinning Therefore God gave them up to strong delusions and to believe lyes for their own destruction 2 Thess 2. v. 11 12. And because they had in effect said unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21.14 Deus non deserit nisi Deserentem saith Austin The Jews had forsaken God first and then God did forsake them in withdrawing his gratuitous assistance from them Therefore saith Paul verse 28. God hath taken the word of Salvation from you and hath sent it to the Gentiles who will imbraceingly receive what the Jews have so refractorily rejected Thus the word that is intended to rouze up the Conscience to a due consideration of the error or evil reproved ought to be duly warmed and must tend to make the Physick work kindly towards their being truly and througly reclaimed but those stuborn Jews had sore backs and therefore kicked at this warm word as if it had been scalding hot and being impatient of this wholesome Reproof and offended at the light of truth with their sore eyes They departed v. 29. and turned to be Paul's Enemies as Gal. 4 16. The last Remark upon the last Chapter of the Acts is That Rome-Heathen was less cruel and more Courteous to the preachers of the Gospel than Rome-Antichristian hath been This appeareth from the two last verses Acts 28.30 31. Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came in unto him Preaching the Kingdom of God c. with all confidence no man forbidding him From whence we may Note That First The things concerning the Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ may lawfully be preached in private houses This was the practice of the Apostles in those pure primitive times as the Divine Record frequently relateth Secondly Paul did not confine himself to preach to such a certain Select number only but set the doors of his hired house open to entertain all that would come wherein he imitated the holy example of his Lord and Master who professeth this to be his practice him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out John 6.37 Paul here stood not upon Number no nor upon Nation or Quality he was God-like herein being no respecter of persons but whoever had hearts to hear he preached Salvation to them upon the Gospel-condition of Faith and Holiness c. Thirdly Nor would he
is like that of Jerm 49. ver 14 c. and the same may be said of Psalm 60. because it is in a great part the same with Psal 108 and so is Psal 14. with Psal 53. But tho' many passages in this Epistle do agree with that of Peter's yet is there so much difference in the whole as makes it manifest that it was not Transcribed thence and yet the Spirit might dictate the same truths to several Pen-men especially when the evil of these times required it that the same truths might be confirmed by the more witnesses N.B. 'T is probable this Jude stood up in his Brother James his charge among the Circumcision of Judea so he directs his Epistle to all those that were preserved in those Apostatizing times and not to any one particular Church as Paul's were like as his Brother James's had done to the twelve Tribes in general Jude exhorts those Christian Jews to maintain the truth with holiness of life least they should be seduced by false Teachers whose manners he describes to whom he thunders damnation But to amplifie a little longer upon the Life of this Jude who wrote that Epistle General and Catholical placed next before the Revelation of John the Divine he was one of the twelve Apostles called Judas as above but he was not that stigmatized Judas Iscariot the Apostate that hanged himself c. The occasion of this Apostle's writing that Epistle was this He survived almost all the Apostles Paul Peter and James were now dead and John only was now alive Eusebius saith This Apostle Jude lived till the time of Domitian the Emperor about fifty years after Christ's death However he lived to behold a most deplorable decay among the Churches of Christ He saw in his day how many professors of the Gospel did then deny the power of godliness and degenerated into gross and open prophaneness and to use his own phrase they turned the grace of God into wantonness v. 4. Namely the Nicolaitans Rev. 2.6.14 15. The Gnosticks and other loose Hereticks of that age who had learnt the Devil's Logick of arguing from Mercy to Liberty and unlearnt that sacred Lesson taught in Christ's School to wit Mercy most strongly obligeth to duty The more merciful God is to man the more dutiful must man be to God least God say do ye thus requite the Lord returning your wicked Liberty for my holy Mercy O! ye foolish people and unwise Deut. 32.6 and as it was said to Hushai is this thy kindness to thy friend 2 Sam. 16.17 This sad sight and observation stirred up the Spirit of this holy Apostle to write this Epistle wherein he admonisheth all true Saints to contend earnestly for the Faith c. and to beware of being polluted with the Apostates sins after he had discovered the black Aggravations of those heinous sinners and denounced the certainty of God's Judgments against them for their notorious provocations at the appointed time assuring them that the day was approaching wherein the Lord will Judge all wicked men for all their ungodly words and works c. In order hereunto this Apostle giveth three famous instances of Apostates The first is Those degenerate Israelites are brought in for an Example who murmured in the wilderness and lusted after the Flesh-pots of Aegypt after they had been so miraculously delivered out of that long and grievous house of Bondage Yet God destroyed all them that believed not v. 5. which shews that their past preservation from that Fiery Furnace as it is called Deut. 4.20 was but a Reservation for a future punishment by fiery Serpents c. for God threatened to destroy them after he had done them good Josh 24 20 even so close Hypocrites and loose professors who seem to be redeemed from the Bondage of sin yet dare return with the Dog to his Vomit and with the Sow to its wallowing in the mire c. The latter end is worse with them than the beginning c. 2 Pet. 2.18 19 20 21 22. The second Instance this Apostle Jude introduceth is that of the Apostate Angels verse 6. who notwithstanding the higher dignity of their nature above that of Man's Psal 8.5 yet upon their Rebellious disobedience they were left to a most dreadful doom c. Their voluntary ambition changed those glorious Angels into damned Devils This argument is not a part ad par from one equal case to another as in the first instance verse 5. but a Majori ad Minus from the greater to the lesser arguing if God spared not such more noble Creatures the Angels who by the grace of Creation were advanced to the highest excellency of all Created beings then assuredly God will not spare men whatever Gospel-priviledges they have and whatever glorious professions they make when the wicked practices of their lives do give the lye unto all their holy professions such Backsliders as begin in the Spirit but end in the flesh Gal. 3.3 that seem Sancti Juvenes young Saints but prove Satanici Senes old Devils not only God's Soul can have no pleasure in them yea rather loaths them but also there is a deep pit behind all such as draw back which they see not even the bottomless pit of endless perdition Heb. 10.37 38. Apostates do hasten into Hells mouth 'T is most true the Lord loveth a returning Prodigal above an Apostate Angel The third Instance is That of Sodom c. ver 7. Which Example is most fitly adapted to the former two The Angels had been betrusted with the blessings of Heaven but they lost them all by their Apostacy The Israelites had the priveledges of the Church in the wilderness so called Acts 7.38 but by their murmurings they lost not only all those but they also fell short of Canaan c. Now come in those Sodomites c. Who had been blest with a most pleasant Land called the Garden of the Lord Gen. 13.10 like another paradice yea and they had been blest also with a marvelous deliverance from Captivity by the prowess of Abraham Gen. 14.11 15. Thus had those five Citys the great blessings of this lower world as the Angels had of Heaven and the Israelites had of the Church yet these also made a forfeiture of their mercies as well as the two former namely by giving themselves up unto filthy Leudness God wrote their sin upon their punishment as they had burned actively with the fire of Hell in their unlawful Lusts so they were burned passively with fire from Heaven The Lord rained down as it were Hell out of Heaven upon them Genesis 19.24.25 yea and above all this we are told here that they are suffering the vengeance of eternal fire and so shall all carnal professors having only a form without the power 2 Tim. 3.5 We may live by a form but we cannot dye by a form and if we live and dye after the flesh we are damned to all Eternity Rom. 8.7 A form of piety and
greater Nation and mightier than they Numb 14.12 But Moses prudently refuseth this mighty though private and personal preferment because he plainly saw God would be a great loser in his Glory by that Bargain had stiff-necked Israel been destroyed to make way for it 'T is an excellent Note of an Eminent Divine As God was highly displeas'd with Balaam for going though he bade him go so assuredly the Lord would not have taken it so kindly of Moses if he had taken him at the offer he made him in a time of holy Heat against his unholy People And 't is worthy of our serious observation how grievously Jacob was gravell'd his Faith was enough faulty even in this his last and best Argument wherein he bringeth forth his strongest Reason his Shed-Anchor to hold fast his floating Ship his wavering Soul he fills his Mouth with it and rouzes up himself to take better hold of God in his wrestling with him yet here was his failure in thinking that God's Glory would be quite lost if he and his two Bands had been destroy'd by Esau whereas he should have thought with himself that though they all had been slain yet God remaineth true Let God be true though every Man be a lyar Rom. 3.4 Thus Jacob's Grandfather Abraham had better thoughts in a case of as great despondency as to himself and his Wife Gen. 17.17 not daring to be found either Doubting or Deriding the Promise of God concerning his Seed promised when they were in their own thoughts after the manner of Nature writ down Childless having spent all their youth in the Conjugal Yoke without any Children yet now receiving God's Promise of an offspring even in both their old Age He stagger'd not at it as Jacob doth here but against Hope believed in Hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he never thought upon hit own Dead Body he cared not for that at all but gave Glory to God acknowledging him of Almighty Power to overcome all natural Difficulties and to perform whatever he had promised though never so contrary to the course of Nature and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was being carried on with full Sail as the word signifies fully perswaded so goes gallantly on in the way of believing and laughed from an Admiration of God's Favour not from any distrust of his Power as his Wife Sarah after did Gen. 18.12 His Hope therefore is said to bear him up against Hope that is his Hope-Spiritual placed in God All-sufficient over-powered his Hope-Natural which herein was at a loss as being unable to argue above apparent Causes in Nature's Course but his other and better Hope did Dictate to him better things Rom. 4.18 19 20 21. that God was able out of very Sâ—ones to raise up Children unto Abraham Matth. 3.9 as well and better as to bring forth Adam and a whole world of Creatures out of Nothing Such a Plerophory or full perswasion was not indeed in Jacob nor in the best of us Oâ—r highest and holiest Expostulations with God though of never so good intentions favour somewhat of Creature-Frailty and weakness of Faith some Gravel goes along with our purest Water as 't was with Jacob here who yet gave a brisk Testimony of a brave Faith in his Appealing to the Promise when run off from all other Refuges in this Time of Temptation Oh that we could cast Anchor there also in the like case Heb. 6.17 18 19. then would God deliver us from our Esau's as he did Jacob from his Lastly This may comfort us That God hath a look of love upon his Servants as upon Jacob here both in their goings out and in their comings in he marketh all their paths Psal 56.8 whether they be at home with their Father or abroad among Strangers they are ever under God's Eye and overshadowed with his wing Psal 57.1 God was with him at Bethel and Syria c. Now come I to Jacob's fourth Wrestling First With Laban already conquered Secondly With Esau but a Conquering for his Conquest over him comes not in compleated until his two last were accomplished Thirdly With God spiritually in the Duty of Prayer as before And Fourthly With Christ corporally as one man wrestles with another putting forth their utmost Strength and Skill to give the Foil and the Fall each to other So does the Son of God the second Person in the Holy Trinity as is made most manifest afterwards and this Holy Patriarch Jacob make a Tryal of Skill and strive with their strength one against another which of the two should win the Prize This fourth Wrestling or Duel 'twixt these two holdeth forth most stupendous and astonishing History so wonderful as it plainly transcendeth worldly Capacities and seems altogether Incredible to Humane Reason For 1. What can be more marvellous than this that God should take upon him the form of a Man and representing an Antagonist or Adversary should wrestle a Fall with Man yea with an Holy Man yet higher and with such an Holy Man to whom he had promis'd his protection in all places whither he went Gen. 28.15 his dealing well with him Gen. 32.9 and his assuredly doing him good v. 12. Oh wonderful was this to defend Jacob to deal well with him and surely to do him good for God to Come forth as an Enemy to him to fight him in a Duel and so put him upon defending himself as well as he could to fence off the Almighty blows or Thrusts of such a Divine Dueller and to secure his standing against those omnipotent Heavings and Listings of such a Divine Wrestler whose mighty Arms can give the Foil and Fall to the mightiest Monarch upon Earth Psal 76.12 yea can heave lift off and remove the massiest Mountain in the World out of its place Turning it upside down Job 9.5 6. and 28.9 Judg. 5.5 Psal 68.8 Nahum 1.5 Hab. 3.6.10 Psal 114. 7. overturning them by prodigious Earthquakes How easily then even with a wet finger as we say could God by his Omnipotency have overturned Jacob who was nothing so mighty in Bulk as a Mountain nor so strongly founded at the Root And 2. What can be more incredible than this that the Immortal God should be overcome by a mortal Man that the borrowing Power should be too hard for the lending Power that the Creature should be too strong for the Creatour and that this worm Jacob so call'd Isa 41.14 should be able to out-wrestle his own Maker yea the Grand-Maker of the great World yet all these both Admirable and Incredible things are most true and sacred Truths truly Recorded in the Scripture of Truth Dan. 10.21 And by Faith we understand not only the great Truth of the Creation in all its particular Circumstances how all things were made out of Nothing Heb. 11.3 but also that this stupendious Story is true in all its parts aforesaid This must be believed by an historical Faith as all other Truths revealed in the Word are 'T is the Nature
of Faith to believe God what he hath written in the Canonical Scripture upon his bare Word And that against Sense in things Invisible and against Reason in things Incredible Sense corrects Imagination or Fancy and as Reason corrects the Senses so Faith corrects them both Aufer Argumenta ubi fides quaeritur Verba Philosophorum excludit simplex Veritas Piscatorum saith Ambrose where Faith is required there Arguments of Vain Philosophy Col. 2.8 are to be abandoned and the naked Truth simply Recorded by the Apostles who were Fishermen and the Prophets who were some of them Herdsmen is highly to be preferred above and doth plainly thrust out of Doors all the idle Speculations both of Heathenish Philosophers and Aery Schoolmen call'd a company of Dunghil Divines in Matters of Faith God hath said it therefore I must believe it and I believe it is enough though I cannot prove the Principles of the Proposition or the Fundamentals of Faith And indeed among all the famous Histories of the Old Testament concerning the Holy Patriarchs there is none more Eminent than this which like an Orient and Transparent Gem among all the Heroick Exploits of Jacob gives forth the greatest Splendour There is no such high Remark related by Moses either of Abraham or of Isaac Though God appeared eight times to Jacob's Grandfather Abraham speaking to him every time As 1. Gen. 12.1 in Ur. 2. v. 7. In Shechem 3. In Bethel Gen. 13.14 4. After the Conquest of the Kings Gen. 15.1 5. At the Covenant of Circumcision Gen. 17.1 6. At Mamre before Sodom's Destruction Gen. 18.1 7. At the Ejection of Ishmael Gen. 21.12 8. At the Oblation of Isaac Gen. 22.3.11.16 c. And concerning his Father Isaac we read of God's appearing at the most but three times to him As 1. At the giving out of the Oracle to Rebekah concerning two Nations Gen. 25.23 2. At the Famine in the Land Gen. 26.1 2. 3. At Beershebah vers 23 24. But concerning this Patriarch Jacob we read that God appear'd to him seven times which is a Number of Perfection and much more remarkably than either to his Father or Grandfather As 1. At Bethel where he had his Vision of the Ladder Gen. 28.13 2. In Padan Aram commanding his Return to Canaan Gen. 31.3.11 3. In the way to Mahanaim Gen. 32.1 2. 4. Upon the Bank of the River Jabbok here where God wrestled with him 5. After the Destruction of the Shechemites Gen. 35.1 6. After the Death of his Nurse Deborah vers 9. And 7. at Beersheba in his going down to Egypt Gen. 46.2 As learned Pareus excellently observeth But among all those admirable appearances of God to Man there is none comparable to this wherein God and Man wrestled a Fall together The History whereof hath a greater lustre and splendour upon it than all the other aforesaid It doth outshine them all as the Sun all the lesser Stars Let us therefore say of this Vision as Moses said of the Vision of his burning Bush Exod. 3.2 3. We will turn aside and behold this great wonder yea let us not only see it but hear it also and hearken to those Divine Instructions and Comforts which are contained in it and flow naturally from it This Monomachia Jacobi cum Deo ipso or Jacob's fighting a Duel hand to hand and wrestling a Fall with God himself is a most stupendous and astonishing Story as before and cannot be overmuch no nor enough admired Our Lord saith what went ye out by such Multitudes into the Wilderness to see something of nothing some worthless pithless poiseless thing a reed shaken with the wind Matth. 11.7 But behold Here 's a far greater wonder than John the Baptist though a burning and a shining light Job 5.35 could possibly be He indeed was but as an inconsiderable Reed easily broken at last by the bloody hands of Herod and Herodias as well as easily blown to and fro by the popular breath or wind of the mobile Multitude who cry'd him up one day and cry'd him down another though he was in himself no such light and vain person bending like a Reed this way and that way but was a firm witness of Christ and a faithful constant Servant of God both in his Life and Doctrine to the last moment But here you are call'd upon to come forth and Behold one of the greatest wonders in the Wilderness of this World such a Tryal of Skill wherein God shaketh Man and Man shaketh God in wrestling work This Famous History holdeth forth these following most remarkable Parts and Particulars 1. The Combat or Conflict it self 2. The two Combatants or Conflicters each with other 3. Jacob's Valour 4 His Victory 5. His luxation or lameness caught with his Conquest 6. His Constancy in continuing the Combat notwithstanding his lamed Leg. 7. His having the Honour of Knighthood put upon him in the Imposition of a new Name 8. His Blessing he obtain'd by his Valour and Victory First Of the First The Combat it self 1. In the General 't is one of the most famous Combats Recorded in Scripture we read indeed in that Divine Record of sundry Eminent Conflicts carried on after the manner of a Duel As First Of that Combat betwixt little David and great Goliah 1 Sam. 17.40 c. but in that the Match was only made betwixt Man and Man there was only one Mortal against another though the one was a great Gyant and the other was but in comparison of his Antagonist a little Dwarf Secondly We read also in Divine Writ of a sore Contest betwixt Michael and Lucifer about the Body of Moses Jude vers 9. the former was an Arch-Angel so called and the latter the Arch-Devil This Dispute was daringly carried on indeed yet was it only betwixt two Creatures as some sense it the Good Angel and the Evil one But this Conflict here is not betwixt Man and Man as the first was nor betwixt one Creature and another as the second was but it was a Combat carried on betwixt God and Man a mortal Man was assaulted by the Immortal God in this so it far exceeded the former instance and as it was manag'd betwixt a mere Creature and the great Creator so it much surpasseth the latter instance also Indeed we read of a Third Duel Matth. 4.1 to 10. wherein the Son of God and the Prince of Hell were hand to hand ingaged each against the other where the strong man and the stronger man so called Luk. 11.21 22. enter'd the lists together and encountred each other in three desperate and deadly Passes It must be acknowledg'd That these two Combatants were the sublimest Champions that ever acted as Opposites and then was the most famous Battel fought that ever was acted on the Stage of the World For in that Contest we may behold the very Abstract of Power and Policy the very quintessence of strength and subtilty grappling together on both sides There was the Force