one found righteous and religious to enter the Ark and to be saved with the family Would to God Masters and Mistresses of families had not so much cause to complain now that Servants of all sorts and Sexes arc almost universally corrupted and become uncomfortable to them in their Services otherwise what meaneth the bleating of the Sheep and the Lowing of the Oxen as Samuel said that I hear in so many families all over this great City which generally complain of this grievance as if it were a kind of over-spreading Plague upon many Housholds Assuredly this that no Servant was good enough to be saved in Noah's Ark must sound a loud Alarm in the Ears of Servants now and sink down into their Hearts to make them look about them lest they in this Debauching Age have no Interest in Christ the true Ark when either some particular or that general Judgment Day come upon us See more of this in my Christian Walk page 234 235. Thus Cham which signifies Hot because he dwelt in the Hot Countries entred to save the Serpents Seed which must be in the World the cursed Canaanites who descended from Cham Gen. 9.18 25. were Scourges to Israel yet afterwards were cut off c. Shem which signifies a Name entred to he the Father of the famous Jews and Japhet which signifies perswaded entred to be the Father of the numerous Gentiles God hath perswaded Japhet the unbelieving Gentiles to dwell in the Tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 The good Lord at last perswade Shew the unbelieving Jews to pass over into the Tents of Japhet or believing Gentiles 't is Gods work alone to bring them to the Faith Christs Name is a strong Tower or Ark God must perswade bath Shem and Japhet Jews and Gentiles to run into it and be safe Prov. 18.10 All these four Persons went into the Ark by pairs at the Destruction of the World by Water but it shall be otherwise when the World comes to be destroy'd by Fire then our Lord telleth us Two shall be in one Bed to wit the Man and the Wife as some do sense it the one shall be taken and the other left Luke 17.34 and Mat. 24.40 God will then separate his Saints with a most marvellous reparation to be admired of all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 And whereas the Floud in a manner swept all but eight Souls away yet at Christs coming a considerable Company shall be of such as are saved The 3. Enquiry VVhat Animals entred Answer All kind of Creatures enter Male and Female by pairs for propagation as the eight Persons did both VVild and Tame Beasts and Birds Clean and Unclean This was a Mighty Work of Almighty God The VVild Creatures Noah did not Hunt for then as Hunters do now or drive them into the Ark by force but they were all brought to hand by an over-ruling Divine Instinct as we see a common Natural Instinct will cause an Herd of Swine fore-seeing a Storm to run home for shelter The Great Creator gave out his word of command to all these Creatures and they could not but obey it leaving their Desart places they come to God and to his Servant Noah as they had all given Obeisance to their Lord Adam before to receive their several Names according to their several Natures Gen. 2.19 As to him who was the first Storer of the VVorld so how they come to their Lord Noah who was to be the Restorer and Repairer of the VVorld that with him for that end they might find safety according to 1 Sam. 22.23 Abide with me fear not for with me ye shall have safeguard Hereupon Savage Beasts came Tamely to Noah and enter obediently into the Ark. The same Hand of Almighty Power shut up their Mouths from violent Actings which shut them up after with Noah in the Ark for their safety It may easily be imagined that Tubal-Cain Jubal and those wicked Men then alive must needs be astonished when they saw the Lion the Leopard the Tyger c with all their Females running voluntarily and innocently to the Ark Yea and Jabal the Herdsman Gen. 4.20 22. could not but wonder to see seven of his best Rams and best Ewes c. run out of his Flocks and Herds into the Ark as desirous to change their bad Master into a better Jabal's Oxe and Ass knew their right Owner when he himself did not and their best Masters Crib as Isa 1.3 to wit the Ark of Noah which their bad Master knew not Hence these Corollaries may be deduced ☞ 1. That Reason Debauched in Man is worse than the very Brutishness of Beasts yea Rebels against God fall below the Stirrup of Sense as well as Reason therefore God frequently puts Man to the School of Beasts c. to learn some good Lessons from them Go to the Ant thou sluggard Prov. 6.6 to the Stork Turtle and Swallow and to the Crane Jerem. 8.7 Those with the Oxe and the Ass Isa 1.3 All despicable Creatures God placeth in the Chair as it were to read Divinity-Lectures or Divine Lessons to Rebellious Man whose Disobedience and Foolishness is against the very Principles of Nature Man was once the Captain of Gods School but he turned Truant and for his Truantly Tricks is turned down into the Lowest Form as it were to Learn his A B C again and that from the meanest of Animals they must Teach Man to use Sedulity and to take Seasons to understand when the Summer of Grace is offered and when the VVinter of VVrath is threatned NB. 2. When a Beam of Divine Power falls upon wild wolfish wicked Men it tames them and makes them come to Gods Hand and to the Hand of his Preachers of Righteousness as the wild VVolves c. came to Noah's Hand Our Maker can mollifie the very Adamant-Hearts of the maddest Men they must then leave the Tombs the Mountains and the Desert places and come to sit down at Jesus's Feet Mark 5.3 5 18. by vertue of a New Law written in their Hearts Ezek. 11.16 19. and 36.9 26 27 31. Learn from hence also NB. 3. That all Creatures groan under the Bondage of Sin and have an earnest expectation of changing their bad Masters which make them groan into better that will be more merciful to them Row 8.19 20 21 22. Prov. 12.10 Thus the Cattel by a strange Providence run over from Churlish Laban to Godly Jacob Gen. 30.37 38 42 43. and 31.8 9. 'T was God the True Proprietary who made the change dealing kindly with Jacob as a Son while Laban did unkindly to him as a Servant Eleazar was kind to Dumb Creatures Gen. 24.32 while Balaam spurr'd his Ass till she spake Numb 22.27 Thus so many Creatures both Clean and Unclean run here from their Wicked Masters unto Godly Noah but two of the latter for preserving their Kind yet seven of the former the most useful the most respectful The two Unclean must but live the six Clean
11.20 so it may be said of the lust of the Eyes that it is the chief of the Devils Engines an Heathen could say that a world of wickedness windeth it self into the heart by the window of the Eye There is an Apologue a most significant Fable of a Contention that arose betwixt the Eye and the Heart which of the two was the greater cause of sin a Reference was made by them both to Reason which decided the Controversie thus Cordi causam imputans occasionem Oculo Reason determined that the Heart was the cause of sin but the Eye was the occasion of it oh how oft doth the Devil make the Eye to be as a Burning-glass to set the Heart on fire as he did Davids 2 Sam. 11.2 from the roof he saw a woman and from this roof did Davids downfal begin for there the old Serpent easily winded himself into his Heart by the loop-holes of his Eyes and made himself master of the whole man from looking he went on to lusting and the venome thereof did so infect his Vitals that upon the Ladder of Hell he got a most foul yet not a final fall though it would have been no less had not the hand of Heaven been underneath him to help him up again Psal 37.24 No wonder then if David did so heartily cry Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity Psal 119.37 lest looking should cause liking and liking lusting again and Job steppeth one degree further to wit from a Prayer to a Vow Job 31.1 yea from a Vow and Covenant to a solemn Imprecation v. 7. he knew the danger of irregular glancing and of inordinate gazing these two do often metamorphize a Man into a Beast and make him a prey to his own bruitish Affections Thus we see that the Eye is now become an Evil Eye so called frequently in Scripture Deut. 15.9 Prov. 23.6 28.22 Matth. 6.23 20.15 Mark 7.22 Luke 11.34 1. Hence the Word flatly forbids us to walk after the sight of our Eyes and the lust of our Hearts Numb 15.39 Eccles 11.9 for those two are seldom sundred 2 Job set a guard and laid Gods Charge upon his Eyes lest they should prove a Broaker of sin to him as that Hang-by Hiram the Adullamite did to Judah Gen. 38.20 4. Hence God hath placed Tears in this sinful and in no other Member which are tokens of Repentance that as it were they might wash it from its sinfulness therefore the Hebrew word Gnaijn well signifies a Fountain as well as an Eye for from it as from a Fountain doth Iniquity flow and surely as the Eye is a Fountain of sin it should be a Fountain of sorrow also Therefore the Prophet wish'd that his Eyes might be a Fountain of Tears Jerem. 9.1 that he might with the waters of godly sorrow wash away the filth both of his own and of other mens sins the waters that flow from a bleeding Vine are said to cure the Leprosie sure I am those Gospel-tears which flow from a Godly Heart are very Instrumental in curing the fretting Leprosie of sin and therefore God hath made the Eye of a watry Constitution that it may be frequently trickling down Tears for that washing work such waters will be turned into wine at the Marriage of the Lamb for which purpose they are preserved in Gods Bottle Psal 56.8 Oh blest is that Soul which is plentifully bathed in the warm bath of their own penitent tears and in the Kings Bath of the Blood of the Lamb of God for without blood there is no remission Hebr. 9.2 'T is not our Tears alone but 't is Christs Blood that doth expiate sin Zeeh. 13.1 The Fountain opened in the sides of our Saviour Job 19.34 who came by water to sanctifie and by blood to justifie penitent sinners 1 Joh. 5.6 Finally seeing the sight by the fall is become a deceitful and a sinful sense our Saviour giveth safe and saving Counsel Matth. 5.29 not only to bind it to its good behaviour call it from its outstrays and lay Gods charge upon it as well as thine own check but also to pluck it out of the old Adam and place it in the new lest it prove a window of wickedness and become a worse disease than any of those two hundred diseases which Physicians reckon up do belong to the Eye and lest Death enter in at that window according to Jer. 9.21 as the Antient Fathers apply that Text cautioning us to shut our Casements lest sin ascend into the Soul thereby and Death by sin so this light of the body bring the Soul to utter darkness Secondly The Ear is a noble Organ and an honourable Member of the Body as well as the Eye in many respects 1. The Ear is as Aristotle calls it one of the two Learned Senses it is an Instrument of Instruction it lets in all Discipline to the Soul All Learning is let into the Mind either by Ocular demonstration or by Auricular Admonition Job 33.16 36.10 15. As the Eye is the window so the Ear is the door for Discipline to enter 2. The Ear is that excellent Organ that lets in Life and Salvation At this door the Devil drew in death at first Gen. 3.1 c. as well as at the window v. 6. Satan in the Serpent said only to bely what God had said Eve listned and let in death God ordaineth as it were to cross and counter-work the Devil that as Death entred into the world through the Ear by our first Parents listening to that old Manslayer so Life should enter into the Soul by the same door the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God As the living Parents of Mankind Adam and Eve in their state of Innocency had listned with their Ears to the Devils proffers so their dead posterity which by their first Parents fall were become dead in sin by bearing Christs promise should live not only the life of grace on Earth but also the life of glory in Heaven Joh. 5.25 And the Prophet saith Hear and your Souls shall live Isa 55.3 therefore he calls on them there Hattu Oznekem to hear with all their might unto the Covenant of Grace and so to the Counsel of Christ Revel 3.18 which only hath power to quicken dead Souls the Covenant of works and the Counsel both of the Devil and of our own darkened understandings have a killing property 3. The Ear is that noble door by which Saving Faith is conveyed into the Soul Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and God giveth not that gift to all men 2 Thess 3.2 but only to his Elect therefore 't is call'd the Faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1.1 yet God giveth not this gift immediately to Man but mediately by hearing the word As the Eye is called the Sense of Love so the Ear is call'd the Sense of Faith The saving knowledge of God is not conveyed into the Soul
not man for the Sabbath Mat. 2.27 that we might sanctifie it and keep it holy unto God and to all those that truly sanctifie it the Lord makes it a Blessing indeed to them 3 God gave the Sabbath as a most Royal and Soveraign gift to Man he made the Sabbath for Man not Man for the Sabbath as before and bestowed it as a peculiar favour and Prerogative on Man as appeareth by three Scriptures the first is Exod. 16.29 The Lord hath given you his Sabbath This was Gods gift to man from the Creation for seeing from that very time there was a solemn Worship of God as is evident in Cain and Abel's Sacrifices to God so there must be a solemn time set apart for that Worship and what time could be more fi◠than that day which God had sanctified by his own Example For the godly Posterity of Seth did publickly and in solemn Assemblies serve the Lord Gen. 4.26 separating themselves from the wicked Off-spring of Cain and they must have a prefixed time for their publick and external Worship which must be the Sabbath that the Lord their God had given them The second Scripture is Neh. 9.13 14. The Lord gave them right Judgements good Commandments whereof the fourth was one All good in respect 1. of the Author 2. Of the Matter 3. Of the Effect inasmuch as they make those good that observe them And above all these godly Levites doth instance that as a most special favour in Gods making known his holy Sabbath to them v. 14. which they reckon up with Gods raining down Manna from Heaven upon them v. 15. and his broaching the flinty Rock to give them Water that this ancient Church might give no warrant to a dry Communion And well may the Sabbath be thus ranked inasmuch as 't is the day whereon God gives his Church Angels food and Living waters out of Wells of Salvation Though God rained down no Manna upon the Jewish Sabbath Exod. 16.27 yet he doth upon the Christian and upon that more especially yea most of all upon the Supper-Sabbaths whereon we all eat the same Spiritual Meat and drink the same Spiritual Drink with them Sacramentally at the Lords Table 1 Cor. 10.2 3 4. The third Scripture is Ezek. 20.12 which comes in with a Moreover as an high remark upon this divine Gift Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths The Relatives My and His God adjoyns with the Sabbath so frequently doth much advance the greatness of the Gift for whatsoever is Gods or of God must needs be great and excellent the Stream is like the Fountain and the Effect like the Cause This divine Donative the Sabbath was a most precious Dowry and Endowment both to our first Parents and to all their Posterity without which even the best would run wild and forget God were it not that a Weekly-Sabbath walls in our wild Natures The Sabbath was made for Man as a sweet Mercy to him It was made for Mans safety and advantage both to his Soul and Body which the superstitious Jews formerly great neglecters of it mistaking would not defend themselves on that day and therefore their City was taken once by Ptolomy and again by Pompey on the Sabbath-day If it stands in the way of Mans Safety 't is not to be observed The Third point to be handled is Why did God give this great Gift to Man in the beginning of time Answ For Divine Contemplation as well as for Divine Invocation and Action When God had compleated his Creation having made all very good Gen. 1.31 So good as caused Complaisancy in God himself and commanded Contemplation in man also That this latter might be done as well as the former as God had given Man a Soul to contemplate with it being the proper act thereof so he gave him a Sabbath to contemplate in which was a day set apart wherein Man might regard the Works of the Lord and the Operations of his hands Psal 28.5 When Man beholds a great Garden rich stored with Fruits and Flowers this calls his Eyes on every side of it besides there is a general Itch in mans Nature to be taken with Pageants Plays strange Sights and rare Shows which oft are sinful or however vain and at the best imperfect and unsatisfactory How much more ought man upon the Sabbath-day to admire the curious and glorious Frame and Fabrick of the World which in all its parts is so admirably accomplish'd with Curiosity Variety and Suitableness both to the Need and Nature of Man This the Psalmist sheweth in his Psalm or Song for the Sabbath-day Psal 92.1 2 3 4 5. which Psalm was set on purpose as a Canon to the Church for Sanctifying that Queen of Days all being an admiration of Gods mighty Works The Sidonians agreed among themselves to chuse him for their King who first discovered the Sun the next morning and while others gazed upon the East one onely wiser than the rest looked Westward who though scoffed at by his Competitors first saw the Sun-shine upon the tops of the Mountains So we may behold God Per Species Creaturae in the Creature as in a Mirrour or on a Theatre Vt Solem in Aquis ita Deum in operibus Contemplamur God is seen in his Works as the Sun is seen in the Waters and therefore we should study not onely the Book of Gods Word but also the Book of Gods Works even that great Folio of the World that Book with three Leaves Heaven Earth and Sea See my Crown of a Christian from page 125 to page 145. this Book leaves the Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inexcusable Rom. 1.19 20. who may behold God the Creator though not God the Redeemer in it either by way of Negative Causality or Eminence And we have but half the benefit of the Creature for which it was created if we get not Spiritual as well as Temporal good by it How the Jewish was was changed into the Christian Sabbath I refer the Reader to my Christian walk on the Lords day Whatever clearness there seems to some to be wanting as to the change of the day yet sure I am there is no want of clearness as to the choice of the day seeing both Christ and his Apostles did chuse this First day for religious Assemblies and Exercises which I have at large discussed in a distinct Discourse on this Subject All I shall say here is onely that the change of the Day from the Last to the First of the Seven was one of those things that Christ taught his Apostles betwixt his Resurrection and Ascention those Forty days he conversed with them Acts 1.2 3. and his Apostles were guided by Christs Spirit he gave them Joh. 16.13 Hence I infer 1 If a Seventh day be such a divine Gift to Man why should any man jear as the Heathens did who said Sabbatizing was a losing of the seventh part of precious time or as our late Anti-sabbatarians who call'd
thanksgiving is the good life of the Thanks-giver to be restless for receiving and to be careless of returning was hateful to the Heathen Ingratum si dixcris omnia The sin of Ingratitude hath all other sins in it yet 't is ten to one but we ate guilty of it in not returning with the Leper to give God the praise of our mercies Luk. 17.15 17. And in not making it our Spiritual Project and Study with David what to render to God Psal 116.12 For all his benefits he had nothing to give but what was Gods before therefore he cries What shall I render As having nothing good enough for so good a God Hence he saith v. 13. I will take the Cup of Salvation Which some render Poculum Eucharisticum the Sacramental Cup which the Apostle calls the Cup of Blessing 1 Cor. 10.16 As the whole Sacrament of the Supper is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eucharist or Thanks-giving Or according to the opinion of others this Cup David speaks of there hath relation to that Festival Cup after the Peace-offering mentioned in 1 Chron. 16.3 Which was called Calix Salutis ceu Salvationis A Cup of Health and a Cup of Happiness 'T is pity any should willingly not to say wilfully want this happy Cup This Salutiferous and Beatifical Cup. God is good so is the Object of praise and he doth good so is the Object of thanks and both these v. 4. are best done in the Cup of Blessing rightly received that Passover Cup the Blood of the Paschal Lamb. The 4. Gospel Sacrifice in a word is all the good Works both of Piety and Charity Heb. 13.16 If wrought in God Joh. 3.21 Quoad fontem quoad finem from a good principle and for a good End Such as have a feci deo writ upon them when the Soul can say what I have done I have done to God 1 Cor. 10.31 With a single Eye to Gods glory and with a sincere love to the Souls of Saints or Sinners As works of Piety done to God so works of Charity done to men and to Christs poor members whether it be more according to our abundance or less according to our Ability 2 Cor. 8.11 12. Have their high Value and Estimation with God such good works are call'd also a Sacrifice and an Odour of a sweet smell acceptable and well pleasing to the Lord Phil. 4.18 Where the Church of Philippi administring to the Apostle their Ministers wants was no less than a blessed perfume Thus likewise our Lord saith that a Cup of cold water though not at the cost of a little fire to warm it given in the name of a Disciple or of a Prophet shall not lose a Disciple or a Prophets reward Mat. 10.41 42. And that is no small reward for God is a liberal pay-master Sauls five pence given to Samuel was rewarded with a Kingdom 1 Sam. 9.8.20 and 10.1 Though the Butler forget Josephs kindness to him in Prison Gen. 40.23 Yet God is not unrighteous to forget your labours of love having them all writ in his book of remembrance Mal. 3.16 17. Which he oftner peruseth than Ahasuerus did his Chronicles Esth 6.1 that ye have shewed toward his name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do Minister Heb. 6.10 Hence is Inferred 1. Though we be exempted from the Sacrifices of the Law yet not from those of the Gospel Oh where then is Gospel-Sacrifice 'T is no less than three times commanded in the Law Let none appear before the Lord empty that is without an offering Exod. 23.15 and 34.20 and Deut. 16.16 17. Though that Law-Service was a chargeable and heavy service yet was it equally obliging to the Poor as to the Rich though not to offer as much as they for that Rigorous Dispensation admitted of this Divine Indulgency that he who had not a Lamb to bring unto God might bring two Turtle Doves and if he could not procure them then the tenth part of an Ephah should be acceptable Lev. 5.7 11. And 't is said further If he be poor and can not get so much let him bring such as he is able to get and it shall be accepted Lev. 14.21 22 32. Those are all gracious provisoes for poor people shewing that God respect more the mind of the giver or offerer than the worth of the gift or offering God minds more the truth of inward devotion than the measure of the outward oblation 2 Cor. 8.12 God accepts of a little where much not to be had and he will receive a very small present from him who would bring a better were it in the power of his hands so to do The 2. Inference is our Gospel Sacrifice must not only for the matter but also for the manner be according to divine prescription As we must not appear empty so we must not bring what we Phansie but what God prescribes The very Philistinâ— would not send baâ—k the Ark of God empty 1 Sam. 6.3 Oh what a shame it is then for those call'd Christians to be worse than the uncircumcised in appearing empty of those Gospel-Sacrifices as Prayer Praise Repentance and works of Piety and Charity yet were their presents Ridiculous as well as Superstitious suggested by Satan to their diviners in contempt of God and not prescribed by him who loves and likes those Services that are of his own prescribing How do the Superstitious offer God their ridiculous though Golden Mice and Emrods which could not well be figured without some shew of their Posteriorums where the Emrods break forth and so are loathsom to the Lord Isa 1.12 13 14. When our Services are not according to the Pattern shew'd us in the Mount of the Holy Scriptures Heb. 8.5 When and where we write up Service then and there God writes up sin God carefully provided that his Worship should not be corrupted saying This is the Law of the Burnt-offering and of the Meat-offering c. Lev. 7.37 And he left nothing unprescribed that the frothy exuberancy of mans foolish brain might find no Room to foist any thing into his Service Paul himself would not obtrude his own Inventions into Christs Institutiton but delivered all to the Church as he had received from the Lord 1 Cor. 11.23 Cypriaâ— saith Adulterum impium Sacrilegium est quodcunque Humano furore Instituitur 'T is an Adulterous and Sacrilegious Act to violate a Divine Ordinance And Calvin gives this reason why God was so exact in prescribing the whole of Legal Worship nequid adventitium obreperet ex hommum Commentis ad vitianda sacrificia nihil observatu dignum deus omisit nequid aggredi auderent homines nisi ex Dei praescripto Inde colligere promptum est quantopere fugienda fit temeritas quicquam fingendi audacia Lest man should take leave to set up his Posts to Gods Post This is daring impudency Calvin on Lev. 7.37 and on Mat. 15.2.9 To do more than Goâ— Commands is to serve the
lost and sink into the Pit of perdition Psal 28.1 and then was the utmost date of Divine Mercy expired as to Israel when God told the Prophet that God would not hear their Prayers Jer. 11.14 Inferences hence are 1. If the sweet success of our Services be Gods acceptance then Oh what an holy carefulness should we all have about our Services and Duties lest as Cain we perform not aright for matter and manner so lose our labour and indeed take much pains only for Eternal pains and for no better reward We should all be wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 and do those things that accompany Salvation Heb. 6.9 having Salvation certainly annexed to them we must not look only at our outward Actions but also at our inward Affection and Cordial Devotion 2. Oh what holy cheerfulness should we have to work all our works in God John 3.21 that they may be accepted of him and respected by him God longeth as it were for the first Ripe Fruits of our Service Mic. 7.1 The Fat of our Devotion as David did for the waters of Bethlehem 2 Sam. 13.15 16. We should do as his three Worthies did our utmost endeavours to satisfie Gods longings as they did Davids What we do we should do with all our might Eccles 8.10 David Danced before the Lord with all his might 2 Sam. 6.14 And Sampson at the Pillars of Dagon's Temple bowed himself with all his might Judg. 16.30 In all our Duties we should come forth in the strength of the Lord Psal 71.16 and be as the Sun in his strength Judg. 5.31 Then are our Services shining indeed and delightsom yea ravishing unto God Cant. 4.9 The same Lord Jesus was ravish'd more with one of his Spouses Eyes with one Chain of her Neck to wit her Grace than he was with all the glittering Glories of the World which Satan shewed him Mat. 4.8 9 10. 3. Oh what an holy Inquisitiveness should we all have whether God accept or reject our Duties Our acceptance may he known by these Characters 1. Hath God Inflamed our Sacrifice as he did Abel's some warm Impressions of Gods Spirit upon our Hearts some Divine touch of a live Coal from Gods Altar Isa 6.6 All the whole Colledge of Baal's-Priests could not procure what one Elijah did They could put the Wood in order cut the Bullock in sunder and lay it on the Wood as well as Gods Prophet but they all nor the Devil their Master to help them could not fetch one Flash or Flame of Fire Though Satan by Gods leave could as Prince of the Air do it to consume Job's Sheep so made them an Hecatomb Holocaust or Burnt-offering to the Lord therefore is it call'd rather the Fire of God than of the Devil Job 1.16 We should all have an holy heat even in the coldest Season Some Coelestial Fire in us to Burn up our Corruptions This is therefore call'd the Spirit of Burning Isa 4.4 A carnal Man as Cain may do the External Action of Duty but he wants the Internal Heat of Devotion He cannot say as Isaac said behold the Fire and the Wood but where is the Lamb c. Gen. 22.7 but rather thus Behold the Wood and the Lamb for he may have both these but where is the Fire 'T is the Holy Fire he wants The second Sign or Character of Acceptance is the Joy of Duty Injections of Joy as well as Inspirations of heat are sweet demonstrations of Acceptance Blessed are they that hear the joyful sound of God they shall walk O Lord in the light of thy Countenance Psal 89.15 A benign Aspect from the Face of God in Duty makes a Believer that hath joy in believing Rom. 15.13 to keep Hilary or the merry Term. Those Godly Souls saw God and did eat and drink Exod. 24.11 That Beatifical sight was as a refreshing Feast to them and it was that which gave Moses full Sustentation during all his long forty days Fast Exod. 34.28 How likewise was David ravish'd after Prayer Psal 116.1 2 3. Yea he triumph'd Psal 6.8 9. And Hannah after this is said to be no more sad 1 Sam. 1.18 And after the Psalmist had lift up his hands then came his Marrow of Joy in his Acceptance Psal 63.3 4 5. All this is Gibberish to a Carnal Heart sed Sancti intelligunt quid dico the Saints know what 1 say saith the Father A third Sign is When God gives in any Supply of that Grace which is sued for either strengthning it or weakning sin that Wars against it Relief against Tentation without or Corruption within then saith the Soul By this I know my God accepts Psal 41.11 12. When sin is subdued Mic. 7.18 and the Heart transformed into the Image of Christ Luke 9.29 2 Cor. 3.18 Mountains melt Psal 97.5 Dagon's Fall and Jericho's Tumbling down be sweet Evidences as Judg. 5.21 Oh my Soul thou hast trod down strength then there is growth as well as warmth and joy on the contrary there be Characters also of Non-acceptance As 1. If dead in sin then the Person pollutes the Action as Hagg. 2.13 14. The Person polluted by a dead Body defiled all that was about him in regard of legal pollution their Persons under the Law unclean made all their works unclean so 't is under the Gospel every wicked man is an unsanctified unclean man he is polluted with the Touch of the Dead he himself is dead Eph. 2.1 3. so every holy duty he toucheth is defiled All his works are dead like himself Suppose a dead carcass were never so well Embalmed with all the Spices and Art of Egypt yet all this will not make it a fit Present for a Prince No more can All the Odours of good Duties sweeten the works of him that is dead in sin to God 2. As there is no life in a wicked man's Duty so there is no warmth in it he puts off God with cold Dishes such as God loves not As there is no Heart so there is no heat in any of his Services 't is not a Sacrifice made by Fire unto the Lord so no sweet savour to him Levit. 1.13 17. and 2.2 9 10 c. 3. A wicked Man as Cain here regardeth iniquity in his Heart therefore God regardeth not his Prayer Psal 66.18 This is the dead Fly that spoils never so sweet Ointment Eccles 9.1 He comes to God in Duty smoaking with the Guilt of some known sin Prayer is call'd the lifting up of pure hands as well as Heart to God 1 Tim. 2.8 Now hands lifted up to God are said to be pure not when there is a perfect purity but when there is an abhorrency of every known sin this a wicked Man cannot come with for though he may give to God his Knee and his Lip yet he reserves to himself a love to his sin especially to his Darling sin Union with sin and Enmity with God are the two strong holds of Satan in him whereby he holdeth
more solid reason of their dying within that term is rather to shew that the life of man though it be never so long yet in respect of Eternity is very short and not a day but a magnum nihil Mine age saith David my World Heb. That is my abode in the World is as nothing Psal 39.5 Punctum est quod vivimus puncto minus 't is but a point and less than a point so though never so long yet far off from perfection 'T is but a small space of time that the longest liver hath on Earth compar'd with Eternity in Heaven The Phrase and he died is added at the end of all those ancient Patriarchs to shew how unalterable was that grand Stature of Heaven Thou shalt die the Death Gen. 2.17 And 't is appointed unto all men once to die Heb. 9.27 So that the youngest and strongest should be mindful of their mortality learning to die daily as Paul did 1 Cor. 15.31 And to make death familiar to us at Bed and Board for as young as we and as strong as we do daily drop down into the dust The Proverb saith assoon goes the Lambs Skin to the Market as that of the old Sheep 'T is a witty and yet a worthy saying That while Death was but a young Archer newly come into the World and unexperienced he could not hit the mark for many hundred years Hence it was that those Primitive Patriarchs most of the Ten lived nine hundred years why Death then could not hit them with his Killing Dart any sooner but now he is become a better Marks-man and can strike down right Dead within the term of one hundred nay at seventy years Psal 90.10 which number is there stated as the term of Man's Life few exceed it and fewer attain to it As mens wickedness increased so the length of their lives decreased even in Mose's time who was the Pen-man of that 90th Psalm as the title telleth Yea Death learns to hit the mark sooner now for mens lives are daily shortened and Generations are fast justled out of their Beings to give place for others Eccles 1.4 The Stage of the Earth still standing in its place while the Actors upon it are often changed that so the World may come the sooner to its End and though there be some singular Examples of a longer life yet in the general 't is observ'd that more Die before they be Ten years old since Death became such a cunning Archer than there be that live above Sixty Yea some of Mankind there be whom Death sends out of the World as soon as Life hath led them into the World whose short passage is ab Utero ad Urnam from the Grave of the Womb to the Womb of the Grave There is but a little inter-space 'twixt their lying in the Womb and being laid in their Tomb Living in the former but Dead in the latter Besides how many die in their youth while their bones are full of marrow and their veins full of blood They perish in the midst of their way Psal 2.12 like the Jay pruning her self on the Tree Death shoots his Arrow and down they tumble while they hope in themselves to see many fair Summers The 4th Circumstance concerning Enoch's Appearance is the Function Capacity and Condition wherein he Appeared This is twofold 1. Publick as a Prophet of God and a Preacher of Gods Word or Will 2. Private as a Professor and a Practiser of Godliness both in the Form and in the Power of it in his walking with God 1. Of the first he appeared in the Quality both of a Prophet and of a Preacher both were publick Functions 1. Of a Prophet The Apostle Jude expresly mentioneth Enochs Prophecy Judes Ep. v. 14 15. How Jude came to this is uncertain There be two opinions concerning it the 1. is that the Apostle Jude had these two verses out of a book call'd the Prophecy of Enoch whereof Origen Tertullian Jerom Augustin Bede c. make mention That there was such a Book called by that name in those primitive times of the Fathers is not denied but all the doubt lieth 1. Whether Enoch was its Author Or 2. Whether Jude quoted those his two verses out of that Book considering 1. Because none of the Prophets either Moses Samuel or those after them in the Old Testament quotes any such book as those of Moses are by after-prophets 2. Because no such book is mentioned to be kept either in Moses Tabernacle or in Solomons Temple as the Tables of the Testimony were in the Ark of the Covenant 3. Because the Old Testament Church had no such book among all their Canonical Scriptures before their Babylonish Captivity 4. Because had there been such a book Moses could not have concealed it seeing the Creation of the World the History of all the primitive Patriarchs from Adam to himself were so distinctly revealed to him and had there been any such book in a true being he could not be ignorant of it but would have mentioned it as he doth all other things from the beginning Especially in his History of Enoch 5. Because if Enoch had indeed writ such a book then Moses had not been the first writer which all learned Authors both Protestant and Popish do acknowledge and which the words of our Lord Beginning at Moses he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Luk. 24.27 do import for had Enoch writ a book before Moses Christ would have begun at Enoch and not at Moses 6. Because neither Philo nor Josephus two learned writers of the Jewish antiquities do make mention of such a book of Enoch now they both being curious observers and careful preservers of all memorable Monuments would undoubtedly have discovered such a precious treasure as could not but be in all generations of the Jews most highly valued both for the Reverend Antiquity and Eminent Piety of the Author as likewise for the sublime excellency of the matter There be indeed other various sentiments about this Enochs Prophecy some say he wrote it upon Pillars of Stone or brick that neither of those two grand destructions of the World which he foresaw by Water and by Fire might destroy it others say that he wrote it in a book which is lost as many other Books mentioned in Scripture as the book of the Wars of the Lord Numb 21.14 the Book of Jashar Josh 10.13 With many others of Nathan Semeiah Gad Ahiah Haddo Hanani c. Named in the Chronicles c. Others say that this book was preserved in Noahs Ark from the Floud or if it were lost yet was it restored by Noah thereunto inspired This was the opinion of Tertullian But all those are uncertain Conjectures having no confirmation from Scripture yea rather are a contradiction to it as it maketh Moses the first writer in the World Herewithal these following considerations introducing the 2d Opinion are worth due observation As 1.
he is Impassible therefore that any thing should grieve him is Impossible The cause by a Metonymy is put for the Effect The second Enquiry How did God resolve to ruin man How did he resolve to marr man as he did repent to make man Answ This is the positive part as the former was the Negative and both must be understood after the manner of men who usually say in cases of high displeasure I 'le consult no more I 'le dally and delay no longer I 'le resolve to ruin them that are in the power of my hands Thus saith God here My Spirit shall not alway strive c. Gen. 6.3 That is The Spirit of Christ in those few Godly Patriarchs who lived in that corrupt and incorrigible age did strive with the stubborness of that old wicked World 1 Pet. 3.18 19. Both Preaching to them Gods good ways and protesting against their evil works yea and this Spirit of Christ had suggested many a good motion in the very Consciences of that sinful offspring which they Resisted and Rejected as Acts 7.51 Now Gods Spirit is a delicate thing as some read Psal 143.10 If grieved once he may be driven away for ever Here he is weary with striving and urging them to Repentance for Sin and Reformation of life This doing despight to the Spirit Isa 63.10 Eph. 4.30 Heb. 10.29 moves God to come to a Final resolve for their total ruine I will destroy both Man and Beast v. 7. God hates sin worse than he hates the Devil for he hates him only for sins sake but he hates sin for its own sake God hates Man for sins sake and Beast for mans sake he will be revenged of both the Beast that was created for man perished with man What had those poor sheep done as 2 Sam. 24.18 They all alas are undone by mans sin and are for his Punishment to be marr'd with him as they were made for him This is a branch of that bondage which the creatures are still subject to and grievously groan under yet waiting for deliverance from it Rom. 8.21 22. The second particular is The causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or impulsive procuring cause and occasion of all this divine displeasure in so repenting of making man and so resolving for marring man and the whole sublunary Creation for mans sake was mans sin in General and it was all kind of sins in all Sorts and Sexes also in particular as the Evangelist Luke doth most roundly deiver it in a most Elegant Asyndeton saying universally They Ate they Drank they married c. Luk. 17.27 28. Without the copulative And between these actions as if they passed without Intermission from Eating to Drinking from Drinking to Marrying c. They follow'd these things so close as if it had been their sole and singular work and they born for no other end in the World summum bonum in Ventre aut sub Ventre posuerunt Those Antediluvian Belly-Gods made their Gut their God which is but a Dunghill Deity so rendring themselves far worse than the sorry Scavengers who live honestly by emptying Privies but those lived wickedly as if only to fill them Eating and Drinking on Earth what they were to digest in Hell from their Gluttony and Drunkenness they passed on to carnal concupiscence for sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus and est Venus in vinis Gluttony c. is the very Gallery that wantonness walks through not so much in lawful Marriages for that Luke nameth not v. 28. Chap. 17. as he doth v. 27. But in unlawful matches Such as their Lust Liked and Loved not only in their unequal Yokes of Polygamy but also of Sodomy too that odious concubitus qui non utrinque resolvit as Ovid Phraseth it and they Planted and Builded for the use of Posterity neither taking any notice of Noahs Predictions nor of their own Peril Their wits they had buried in their guts and their brains in their bellies Whoredom and Wine c. had taken away their hearts Hos 4.11 All universally were no better Hence the second Observation An Universal or General defection is amost certain fore-runner of an Universal and General Destruction All here of all Sorts and Sexes were departed from God all kind of sins were common amongst men In families were found promiscuous Lusts unlawful matches c. In the State abounded Tyranny Violence Oppression and all kind of Injustice In the Church appeared contempt of Gods Command abuse of Gods Patience unto Presumption and a despight of his bounty unto a fatal security in sin All these aforesaid abominations they wrought in Gods sight and God seemed for a long time silent and unconcerned Therefore their hearts grew fat as brawn they were set upon their Villanies and would lose no time therein Hence our Saviour saith They did know nothing nor indeed would know any thing until the very day that the Floud came Mat. 24.38.39 Into such a dead Lethargy were they cast by their notorious Impiety All flesh had corrupted his way Gen. 6.12 This was a ready preparation and provocation on mans part for an Universal Perdition from Gods Justice they were now grown ripe and ready for Gods Sharp Sickle Rev. 14.15 18. ☞ Note The wickedness of man was great in the Earth Gen. 6.5 The World was now grown so foul with sin that God saw it high time to wash it clean with a Floud A Deluge of Sinning must now bring a Deluge of Suffering And their sin so heinous had given the very Earth so deep a tincture and a stain so engrained that it must lye soaking under water for about a twelve-month before it could be Rinsed and fitted for mans life again The Old World had heaped up such a multitude of horrid sins as the top thereof higher than Babels Tower reached up to Heaven and fetched such a floud of water from thence as reached up again to Heaven There was a grand superfluity of naughtiness Jam. 1.21 before there was so great a superfluity of overflowings of the Flouds Mens sins went over their heads as Davids did Psal 38.4 before Gods Judgments which their sins sent for came down upon their heads The World was drowned in wickedness before it was drowned in water their sin was writ on their punishment The second Note is Sin had its Advance the same way that it first had its Original both for Organ Object and Subject As a Woman was the Subject of the first sin so Women were here Satans Instruments to promote sin As the beauty of the Apple was the Object that bewitched the first sinner So the beauty of the Daughters of Men was that the Tempter presented to the Sons of God to render them manifold the Sons of the Devil 'T is said there is scarce any notorious sin but a Woman hath a hand in it as is observed quite through the Word and through the World and the Organ Satan used both in procreating and procuring the first
Road to Egypt Jer. 41.17 18. when they brought this request to Jeremy only in a pretence of piety and to put a greater Reputation on their fore-stalling Resolution might they have but Gods Approbation which seeing they could not obtain they will drive on their design at a venture tide Life tide Death fall Back and fall Edge come good or come evil Though they had promis'd under a Solemn Oath that which they never intended to perform ver 5. Oh hateful Hypocrisie ver 20. therefore they going into Egypt as into according to their thoughts the VVorlds warm Sun-shine they went out of Gods protection and put themselves into his punishing Hands and the Sword they feared and sled from did there overtake them ver 16 17. The Great God hath long Hands and the wicked cannot run out of the reach of his Rod Thus the Old Testament Worshippers limited God to a place confining him to their Temple whereas in the New Testament times such limitations were done away John 4.20 21. and Prayer may be made not only in the House of Prayer but any where every where 1 Tim. 2.8 any corner if but of a Chimney may now make a good Oratory yea the secret places under the Stairs Cant. 2.14 the voice is sweet there also The third particular is the Means wherein we often limit God as well as in respect of time and place Thus Israel must not have God to speak to them though it was a wonderful condescention and unparallell'd honour it must be Moses lest they die Exod. 20.19 compar'd with Job 33.6 7. And what great matters it was said would one from the Dead do Luke 16.30 Though Lazarus was such yet little regarded John 12.10 Thus Israel did so limit their Deliverance to the presence of the Ark that their Idolizing of it betray'd it into the Philistines Hands 1 Sam. 4.3 11 21. And thus when the Brazen Serpent a Blessed Means of Healing before was become an Idol to Israel Numb 21.8 2 Kings 18.4 it became Nehushtan or a common piece of Brass having no Vertue of Cure in it God makes us defie what we have Deified Zeph. 2.11 The fourth particular is the Manner wherein we oft prescribe to God Thus those cursed Carnalists cryed We will have Plenty with Purity and the World with Worship or we will have none of it Jer. 44 17 18. Thus Peace and Plenty is the Popish Plea as well as Antiquity and their strongest Pillars for upholding their rotten Religion and their Idolizing the Virgin Mary whom they call the Queen of Heaven as those did and equalling her Milk unto Christs Blood for Soul vertue The Wise Man saith Say not thou what is the cause that the former days were better than these for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this Eccles 7.10 as if thou wert wiser than God to govern the World Alas the Times are the worse because we are no better we must not take non causa pro causa In promptu causa est the Reason is soon render'd wickedness is the true cause and not much Preaching or strict Worship as the World saith 't is hard Hearts that make hard Times Nay even Professors themselves will not own God unless he appear to them in their own manner whereas God sheweth himself in divers manners Heb. 1.1 Hence have we many famous Remarks As 1. That though blind Obedience as to Man is abominable yet as to God 't is highly commendable such as this of Abraham's was 2. Though this Obedience of Abraham was a blind Obedience as to his own Will yet was it not so as to Gods Will for Gods Will was the Rule of Abraham's Obedience 3. Though Abraham knew not whither he went Heb. 11.8 yet he knew well with whom he went even one with whom he was sure he could not possibly miscarry It David could say to Abiathar VVith me shalt thou be in safety 1 Sam. 22.23 How much more may Abraham's God say so to him Hereupon Abraham put God to it as a proof of the Truth of his Promise 4. Abraham knew not yet sollow'd not knowing whither but we know from the sure VVord of Prophecy whither our way leadeth to wit to Heaven 't is a shame for us not to follow Abraham's following God Blindfold brought him to the Earthly Canaan but our following God with our Eyes opened will bring us to the Heavenly Countrey 5. Such as never yet experienc'd Gods Call saying Get thee out of thy Countrey c. and the answer of a good Conscience 1 Pet. 3.21 their Hearts Ecchoing again to Gods Call Psal 27.8 in their Effectual Calling are yet in Ur of the Chaldees in the Countrey of Babel or Confusion They are yet in the Shadow of Death and Region of Darkness Mat. 4.16 Under the power of Belial and Servitors of Hell Alas the Devil is both their Master and their Father 6. Such as continue in an uncall'd condition yield up themselves to Satan VVorld and sinful Self as Abraham did yield up himself to his God They live in the very Suburbs of Hell under a cursed blind Obedience and are condemn'd already John 3.18 having the wrath of God abiding on them ver 36. consuming the Stubble Hence also have we these Excellent Inferences As 1. Mans Heart hath many Suitors there was never such contending about the Body of Moses Jude ver 9. as there is about the Soul of Man We should not ask so much who wooes our Hearts for there be many wooers thereof the Flesh the VVorld the Devil und God but who wins them Ask not so much whither goest thou as with whom goest thou If thou goest with Satan thou goest to Hell if thou goest with God thou goest to Heaven this latter question is resolved by answering the former If we know with whom we must know whither we go 2. Gods Call speaking to us with a strong Hand Isa 8.11 must fetch us oft from our false Rests as it did Abraham from Ur and Haran Rest without a change is suspicious Rest Till God say effectually Get thee out of thy Countrey c. we are setl'd upon our Lees Jer. 48.11 12. Till we can Experience an Heart-changing and a Life-changing Work we cannot be as Moses drawn out of the VVater Exod. 2.10 nor right Children of Abraham call'd from Chaldea to Canaan 3. If we be truely such then Children must resemble their Father in resigning up themselves to God as Abraham did and that upon these Motives 1. We are foolish and unskilful to order our own ways for either our Temporal Spiritual or Eternal good So long as Christ openeth not our Eye the Blind leads the Blind a Blind Understanding leads Blind Affections no vvonder if we fall into the Ditch God therefore must be our Guide even unto Death Psal 48.14 2. We have lost our strength as vvell as our skill by the Fall and are unable to cast our selves into the Pool of Bethesda when the Angel moves the Waters
Nilus which they Adored and for which end it is supposed Pharaoh was going down to pay his Homage to that Idol when God bade Moses go meet him in the morning Exod. 7.15 This is intimated in Ezek. 29.3 9. where they are twitted twice for Idolizing it but God made it loathsom to them Exod. 7.18 4. In their Fish which was their daily and delicate Diet Numb 11.5 for the Flesh of many Beasts they out of Superstition would not eat of as abominable Exod. 8.26 All the Fish died when their Water was turned into Blood Exod. 7.21 5. In their Bodies wherein they greatly prided themselves but the Boils God smote them with spoil'd all their Beauties in their well-built Bodies 6. In their Children when in every House there was a dead Corps and that not of a Slave or Servant but of their First-born All these were the Idols of Egypt Exod. 12.12 Zeph. 2.11 Thirdly and Lastly They were plagu'd in all their Senses As 1. In their Seeing for they lost all sight when the Plague of Darkness took away their Light for three days unless it were horrible sights mentioned in Apocrypha Wisdom 17.6 7. however their comfort of Seeing they lost 2. In their Hearing Oh what a Consternation Dread and Terror seiz'd upon them when God uttered his terrible voice in those frightful Thunders in the Plague of Hail when Fire ran along upon the ground yet did not melt the Hail-stones Exod. 9.23 this must be Supernatural and therefore the more dreadful which might make them think that God was come to Rain Hell-fire out of Heaven upon them as he had done before this upon wicked Sodom Gen. 19. How did this voice of the Lord break the Câ—dars c. Psal 29 5 6 c. yea every Tree of the Field Exod. 9.25 3. In their Smelling both by the stench of the Frogs Exod. 8.14 which might mind them of their Sin that made them stink before God and likewise by the stinking rotten matter that ran out of those Ulcers wherewith they were smitten Exod. 9.9 10 11. As they had oppressed Gods people with Furnace work in making Brick so the Ashes of that Furnace became burning Boils that brake forth into putrid running Sores c. 4. In their Tasting both by the Waters turned into Blood because in them they had shâ—d the Blood of the Male Hebrew Children these Bloody Men had Blood to drink for they were worthy Rev. 16.6 Their River Nilus they used to boast of to the Grecians saying in mockery to them If God should forget to Rain they might chance to perish for it the Rain they thought was of God but not their River Ezek. 29.3 9. therefore to confute them in their confidence as God threatens to dry it up Isa 19.5 6. so here to bereave them of all the comfortable use of it they now loathed to drink of it Exod. 7.18 19 20. God cursed their blessings Mal. 2.2 and also by their thirst thereby procured Drinking such Bloody Water did rather torture their Taste than please their Palate or quench their Thirst 5. In their Touching or Feeling by their dolorous shooting pangs in their Body when the sin of their Souls broke forth into Sores of their Bodies which pained them so that as they could not now sleep in a whole Skin as hitherto they had done so they gnawed their own Tongues for pain this was superadded to the bitings of Flies Wasps Flying Serpents c. whereby some might be stung to death Psal 78.45 and the Magicians themselves who had so insolently imitated Moses the Devil being God's Ape were branded with those Boils to detect their contumacy Besides also the Frogs ravening upon their Bodies so irresistibly c. must needs be very offâ—nsive to their Sense of Touching Lastly As if all this had been too little to fill up the measure of their Plagues and Punishments Pharaoh and all his Forces that hitherto had escaped were all drawn blindfold into the noose by fair way weather c. and then were drowned in the Red Sea Exod. 14.8 9 21 24 28. The seventh Remark in the General is The marvellous correspondency betwixt the Plagues upon the old Literal Egypt with its Pharaoh and the new Mystical Egypt with its false Prophet When the Lord comes to plague this new Egypt Rev. 11.8 He will deal with the Romish Pharaoh for persecuting his Gospel Churches as he dealt with the Egyptian Pharaoh for oppressing his Antient Israel therefore in the seven Vials Rev. 16. there is mention made of Boils Blood and Darkness Frogs c. which is a plain Allusion to the Plagues of Egypt only with this difference The Vision of the Vials begins first with the sixth Plague upon Egypt bringing a noisom Boil upon all the Worshippers of the Beast and the reason may be because that sixth Plague was upon Jannes and Jambres the Magicians that they could not stand before Moses Exod. 9.11 so this vexing Plague that is placed first shall fall upon the Ring-leaders of Mis-rule in the Antichristian Egypt and shall reach Home at the first blow when Reformation begins The second and third of the Vials refer both to that one of Blood in Egypt to shew how it shall exceed that wherein they had some relief by digging for Water Exod. 7.24 but this comes throughly Home without any relief and the Throne of the Beast shall be darkened by the fifth Vial as Pharaoh's Kingdom was by the ninth Plague And the Egyptian Plague of Frogs is translated in the Vials into a more dangerous tenour c. CHAP. XVII The History and Mystery of Israel's Deliverance from Egypt NOW come we to the Concomitants the second part of the Premises proposed of Israel's Deliverance and Departure as the word Exodus signifies out of Egyp They are three 1. The beginning of the year is Altered 2. The yearly Passcover is Appointed And 3. The First born of Israel are Sanctified to God Exod. Chap. 12. and 13. The first of these hath this Remark That Abib which signifies opening or part of our March and of our April being the time of Flowers opening must be the beginning of Months Exod. 12.2 at which time some say most probably the World was Created and Noah's Flood began these words therefore give not properly any new Institution as some say but rather a reviving of the old Custom of beginning the year from that time which use had been discontinued in Egypt for a long time by another use of that Countrey which began their year in Autumn At Spring all things begin to revive the Days lengthening and the Sun ascending and now the whole Creation seemed to rejoice at Israel's Release out of Egypt this was a Figure of the Churches Redemption by the Messias who by his Death in this Month John 18.28 c. gave a new life and reviving to the faln bewintered and withered World 1 Cor. 5.7 8. and 2 Cor. 5.17 Rev. 21.5 Thereby also is the Church
of the Rock c. and so of others from whence I take my Measure to confine my Method of Discourse only upon such of the forty two Stages The Second General Remark is that as this Church in the Wilderness so call'd Act. 7.38 wandred up and down in it having so many Journeyings and pitching of Tents So 't is a figure of the State of God's Church in this lower World an unsteady unstayed thing rolling and tumbling to and fro as yet out of its Center and Resting-place the World is like that Wilderness wherein were fiery Serpents Scorpions and Drought no way no water in it c. Deut. 8.14 15. it was a Land of Pits and Deserts the very shadow of Death no man dwelling or passing through it Jer. 2.6 yet there must she wander to shew we must through many Afflictions enter into God's Kingdom Act. 14.22 and 2 Tim. 3.12 Heirs of Heaven are Pilgrims on Earth and like younger Brothers have no fixed Seat but as Sojourners are forced to shift from place to place Gen. 47.9 1 Chron. 29.15 Heb. 11.9 10 13 14. the Church must ring Changes Psal 55.19 and be pour'd from Vessel to Vessel Jer. 48.11 12. to hide Pride from her Job 33.17 c. The third General Remark is The wonderful Preservations of and Provisions yea Prodigies for this Church in the Wilderness which God wrought there for her do prefigure the like Care of and Providence over his Church God now exerciseth In general Moses tells Israel both together how miraculously Jehovah their God both led them and fed them Deut. 8.15 16. see also Deut. 32.10 11 c. at large to ver 15. He led them the right way through that way-less Wilderness in his glorious Chariot the Pillar of a Cloud and Fire Riding before them only at the distance of a Leader and he fed them by giving pluviam escatilem petram aquatilem to them when he Rained down Manna for Food for them and set the Flint abroach for Drink Psal 78.20 24. This he doth for the Church in the VVilderness in Gospel Times Rev. 12.6 14. He will again work Miracles in the failure of means rather than She pine and perish Moreover that they should not be troubl'd with the carking Cares of Heathens saying VVhat shall we eat and drink and what shall we put on Mat. 6.25.32 God took care that their Garments were never worse for wearing forty years Deut. 8.4 yea as some say their Clothes grew with their Bodies so that never any Monarch was served and supplied in such State as the Israelites were Nor were they foot-sore with forty years Travel Deut. 8.4 nor one feeble Person among them though of so vast a number Psal 105.37 Would to God we could say so now Alas How many are Surbated and Halt upon hard ground as Etham signifies having got a Thorn in the Foot in this Thorny Wilderness as that of Sinai was Oh that we were thus accommodated with these four things necessary for a Traveller 1. Strength of Body 2. Food 3. Raiment And 4. A Guide or Director All these Israel had though their Camp could not take up less compass than ten or twelve Miles None but the Almighty could Accommodate them thus in the Wilderness where no way no Water c. were this is writ for our comfort Rom. 15.4 1 Cor. 10.2 3. The fourth General Remark is Yet may not we fetch false comfort from hence as the blinded Jews do at this day saying Moses therefore did so distinctly describe all Israel's wandrings in the VVilderness after their departure out of Egypt declaring by Name the places of all their Stations and Motions therein together with all the Molestations they met with all along yet at the length they were brought to the Land of Promise Accordingly say they shall it be with us Jews that after our many Tribulations our Messiah whom we duely and daily expect to come into the World he in the Gospel being as we judge but a Mock-Messiah will lead us into our Land again It were to be wished that those blind Jews would well weigh what one of their Famous Rabbins Rabbi Moses Hadarschan most truly saith That before he is Born who hath reduced Israel into this new and last Captivity is Born the true Redeemer The fifth Remark in General is But the variety of Conditions this Church in the VVilderness met with sometimes evil and sometimes good may teach us that the present Church may expect the same variety even the Checker'd work a comely mixture of the black of Misery with the white of Mercy Thus was it with this old Church sometimes She was brought into straits and troublesom paths as at Pihahiroth Exod. 14.2 3 10 c. and at Zalmonah Numb 21.4 c. sometimes God gave them room enough as in the Plains of Moab a large and ample place such an one as Isaac had call'd Rehoboth when God had made Rooms for him in the Land Gen. 26.22 Sometimes to places of Hunger and Thirst as at Rephidim and Kadesh Exod. 16. and Chap. 17. and Numb 20. Sometimes to places of sweet Refreshment as at Elim Exod. 15.27 and at Beer Numb 21.16 Sometimes to places of bitterness as at Marah which they met with at the first as soon as their Deliverance from the Egyptians was compleated at the Red Sea and sometimes all sweetness as at Mithcah which so signifieth From whence they went to Cashmonah which signifies swiftness Numb 33.29 to teach us that when we have tasted of Gods sweetness Psal 34.8 we should use all possible swiftness in the ways of Godliness as Jacob like a generous Horse after a Bait or a Giant refresh'd with Wine did lift up his Feet and went on his way lustily after he had his sweet refreshing Vision at Bethel Gen. 28.12 and 29.1 Sometimes also where they had Wars as at Rephidim Kadesh Edrehi Exod. 17.8 12. Numb 21.1 33. And sometimes where they had a long Rest as at Mount Sinai Deut. 1.6 They came to Sinai the third Month after their departure from Egypt Exod. 19.1 2. and removed not from it till the twentieth of the second Month in the second year Numb 10.11 12. then the Cloud removed ver 13.33 so they rested long there almost a whole year wherein they Received the Law and Rear'd the Tabernacle to shew by their removing thence that the Law is not for Men to rest under but for a time only till they be fitted for Christ Gal. 3.16 17 18. and 4.1 to 5. Heb. 3.18 19. and 4.6 to 11. Sense of misery for a Season must go before sense of mercy Sometimes likewise they went right forward towards Canaan Deut. 1 6 7 8 c. and sometimes they turned quite backward Numb 14.25 Deut. 2.1 3. with 1.19 40. from Kadesh Barnea to the Red Sea wherein they had been Baptiz'd 1 Cor. 10.2 and whither they were sent back again to learn Repentance and newness of Life for all their
Revoltings from God after which they wandred thirty eight years in the Wilderness till all that Generation save Caleb and Joshua the two good Spies against ten bad ones Numb 13. were all worn out and who knows but God may wear out this Generation who have been polluted with the Superstition of the Land in the like manner and raise up a new Off-spring more pure in Gods Eye to inherit the Promises of the latter day c. Sometimes Israel was up among the Mountains and sometimes down among the Plains and Valleys Thus the Church of God hath her ups and downs still all along there is a mixture of Mercy with Judgment God never stirs up or pours down all his wrath Psal 78.38 but in the midst of wrath remembers mercy Hab. 3.2 And as Afflictions do abound so Consolations abound 2 Cor. 1.4 5. The sixth Remark in General is Israel's sins in the Wilderness which were many and great may mind us of our sins in our bewilder'd state As they were Murmurers loathers of Manna Tempters of Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 6 9 c. both unbelievers and presumptuous Numb 14.3 11 41. lusting after the Flesh-pots of Egypt Numb 11.5 they committed Fornication with the Daughters of Moab Numb 25. yea and gross Idolatry Exod. 32. in their Calf Worship and many more such sins insomuch that the Psalmist makes this complaint of them How did they provoke God in the VVilderness and grieve him in the Desart Psal 78.40 Ten times at least they tempted God the two first years Numb 14.22 How many times more in the other thirty eight years Nay the whole forty years God calls it one continued day of provocation Psal 95.8 9 10 11. Heb. 3.8 to 18. and Moses at his Death tells them from the very day of their coming out of Egypt they had been all along his Life of Government a Race of Rebels Deut. 31.27 c. The better that God was to them the worse they were to him as if God had hired them to be wicked and this was ordinary with them till God had worn them out God grant it may not be so with us The seventh General Remark is All sorts of Persons sinned against God in the VVilderness not only the mixt multitude of Strangers Numb 11.4 but the Congregation of Israel yea and their Princes also such as the ten Spies Dathan Abiram c. so likewise did the Levites as Korah and his Company yea Miriam the Prophetess and Aaron the High-priest with her Numb 12. over and above his making a Calf Exod. 32. and at the waters of Meribah Numb 26. Lastly even Moses himself at the same place for which he falls short of the Land of Promise The eighth General Remark is The various punishments God inflicted upon all those Sinners some in one way some in another some more some less are written cautions to us on whom the ends of the VVorld is come 1 Cor. 10.1 to 11. Heb. 3.17 and 4.2 The punishments which the Lord laid upon the disobedient were divers some were slain by the Sword of the Enemy as of the Amalekites Exod. 17. and of the Canaanites Numb 14.45 and of their own Brethren Exod 32.27 29. and Numb 25.5 Some were burnt with fire Numb 11.3 and 16.35 Some were swallow'd up of the Earth which Buried them quick ver 33. Some were kill'd by Serpents Numb 21.6 c. Some died of the Pestilence yea many ver 46 48. 1 Cor. 10.6 c. Psal 78.30 31. and generally all that Generation which were first mustered after their coming out of Egypt perished Numb 16.64 65. God consumed their days in vanity and their years in trouble Psal 78.33 or in terrour for they were continually in fear of Gods wrath of mischief from Enemies round about from fiery Serpents wild Beasts c. Hebr hasty terrour suddenly surprizing those Sinners as God had threatned them Levit. 26.14 to the end and all their Journeys were fruitless vanities because they could not come to Canaan Numb 14.29 The good Lord grant our Carcases may not so fall in this Wilderness condition as not to see what good the good God will certainly bring upon this Church c. The ninth General Remark is Nevertheless for his Names sake God magnified his Mercy towards them and their Posterity Psal 106.8 where he comes in with a non obstante as he doth Isa 57.17 and what people may he not thus save having other things to look after namely to make his power known than presently to punish his people when they most deserve it for he being full of compassion not standing upon Terms or taking Advantages Many a time turned he his anger away overcoming their provocations with his own patience and pity Never stirr'd up all his wrath letting fall only some drops of it but would not shed the whole shower of his wrath Psal 78.38 because he would ever reserve some Remnant of a Church to praise his Name on Earth therefore suffered he not their Sins to overcome his Mercy which still triumph'd over his Justice Jam. 2.12 if not the extremity thereof would soon destroy us all Psal 130.3 and 143.2 Lam. 3.22 Though their offences were aggravated by their Obligations making both Egypt and the VVilderness two Stages of astonishing wonders yet he remembred they were but Flesh frail and feeble in the faln Nature full of sin c. and a wind that passeth away Psal 78.39 this was Gods ground for cursing the ground no more Gen. 6.3 and 8.21 and for not making an utter end of Israel in the VVilderness but brought them to Canaan Psal 78. ver 54 c. Neh. 9.17.22 Ezek. 20.17 22. The tenth General Remark is Though Israel's maladies in the Wilderness were many and great yet the Lord so magnified his Mercy towards them as to make for them proportionable Remedies As their dangers were many and great accordingly were all along their Deliverances likewise As NB. 'T was very uncomfortable and hazardous to Travel in a way-less Wilderness this was their malady and misery which God graciously prevented with the blessing of his goodness Psal 21.3 in a threefold Remedy and Mercy for no fewer than three Guides God granted them First The Cloudy Pillar Exod. 13.21 22. which while they rested covered the whole Camp Psal 105.39 and when they marched the Cloud gathered up into the fashion of a Pillar and went directly before them Numb 9.15 c. Secondly They had Hobab Moses's Father-in-law to be instead of Eyes to them Numb 10.31 as Job was said to be Eyes to the blind to direct them in the right way Job 29.15 for Hobab or Jethro was well acquainted with the Situation of the Wilderness far better than they he being of that Countrey of Midian adjacent to it yea better than Moses though he had lived long thereabouts yet many particular passages might be forgotten and some so changed by the changeable Sands as to need a new direction Generals of Armies do
whole bundle of Wonders the Lord wrought here for his Churche's deliverance at the Red-Sea as First The strong East Wind raised in an instant by Israel's Redeemer out of the Cloudy Pillar was a wonderful work in his Almighty hands to divide this Sea that lay north and south from top to bottom whereas the natural property of the wind is to blow upon the superficies surface or upper part of the water only and rather spreads them abroad all one way than gathers them on heaps two contrary ways north and south This therefore was Extraordinary God being pleased to make use of this wind let out of his fist Prov. 30.4 to shew his dominion over all created beings Exod. 14.21 which is call'd the blast of God's nostrils Exod. 15 8. and the breath of God's anger Psal 18.16 Thus the Lord will destroy Antichrist by the breath of his mouth 2 Thes 2.8 as he did here blow with his wind and caused the Sea to cover Pharaoh Exod. 15.10 This East wind in its violence doth oft denote God's Anger Psal 48.7 8. Jer. 18.17 Ezek 19.12 c. And concerning this wondrous work the Prophet asketh Was thy wrath Lord against the Sea Hab. 3.8 and David saith What ailed thee O Sea that thou fledest Psal 114.5 which he thus resolves God rebuked the Sea and it was dried up Psal 106.9 he rode upon the wings of this wind Psal 18.10 Secondly That the Sea should be turned into dry Land This is a wonderful work of God which the Psalmist calls on us to come and see Psal 66 5 6. which figured that Sea of Affliction God's Israel hath to pass through before they can come to the Heavenly Canaan yet it is made passable easie and fordable to Faith which under a divine call command and conduct can find a way through a Sea of difficulties Heb. 11.29 Psal 66.12 Isa 43.2 c. mighty waters have been oft dryed up First Here by Moses's Rod as well as by the wind which signifies Power and Authority Exod. 14.16 21 22. Secondly By the Ark of God Josh 3.15 which signifies All-sufficiency as containing the Mercy-Seat on it and the Tables of the Testimony the Pot of Manna c. in it Thirdly By the Mantle of Elijah which figureth Righteousness 2 King 2.14 All those three are the three attributes of God for Faith to rely upon in the use of means and there is a fourth by the sixth Vial Rev. 16.12 we are waiting for it against Babylon God hasten it N.B. Thirdly That there should be a way so wide through the midst of the Sea as would receive 600000 Men beside Women Children and a mixt multitude making up as is suppos'd other 300 thousand to march in order and Battel-Ray was another wonderful work of God here was an ebb more than ordinary not only as is usual upon and about the shore but from the top to the bottom quite through the heart of the Sea from the Egyptian to the Arabian shore Exod. 14.21 22. And 't is a Tradition among the Jews that God made twelve ways for the twelve Tribes for each Tribe one grounded on Psal 136.13 lagzarim Hebr. signifying parts but this may be understood of two parts only and not of twelve as it is Gen. 15.17 and t is more probable the two walls on each hand Exod. 14.22 secured but one way for them all together As they had no time to divide themselves into twelve Squadrons the Egyptians being at their Heels so it would have much weakened them nor could they all have Moses their Guide to go before them in twelve ways which must have dismay'd those that had him not for the Lord led them by the right Hand of Moses Isa 63.12 13 14. and beside the Scripture's silence of any more Paths than one which would have amplified the Miracle and so would have been Recorded we ought not to multiply Miracles without some necessitating Cause and seeing one wide way was sufficient more or so many ways may be supposed superfluous Now seeing the Psalmist puts the Mountains skipping c. with the Sea fleeing thus away on both Hands c. Psal 114.5 6. Sweet Comfort for good Souls in evil Times may well be inferred from Zech. 14.3 4 5 6. Where it is promised that the Lord will come and set his Feet upon the Mount of Olives and his standing upon it shall cause it to cleave asunder in the midst and leave a very great Valley marvelously inlarging the Valley of Jehosaphat over which it hangs that a large Way may be made for the Lord and his Saints to return to Jerusalem again as here was for Israel to Canaan 'T is expresly said Half of the Mountain removes towards the North and half of it toward the South Just as this Red Sea was Cloven Hebr. into a Northern and Southern part by the East-wind To shew all Obstructions in God's Time Isa 60.22 for no Man can appoint him a Time Jer. 50 44. shall be removed Jer. 44.28 This cleaving of Mount Olivet was never yet done since Titus with his Roman Army destroy'd Jerusalem nor since the Time of Zechary's Prophecy before that Whether that Promise shall be literally performed to the Jewish Jerusalem we know not however it shall have a sure accomplishment Mystically to the Christian Jerusalem c. We wait on our Lord who is posted so nigh and high to oversee his Temple and to save her with seasonable succours The Fourth Miracle of Mercy was that the Cloudy Pillar which hitherto had gone before the Van of Israel now removes into their Rere when the harden'd Egyptians were become so fool-hardy to follow them into the Sea This they did as is supposed at the second Watch of the Night as Israel went in at the first being but three hours before them We may imagine Israel's danger was desperate Chariots and Horsemen might soon overtake such a Bulky Body of Footmen who being clogg'd with many Women Children and much Lumber must needs March but slowly Here the Lord interposes himself and becomes a Wall of Fire betwixt them and their Danger The Lord is my Shield saith David 2 Sam. 22.2 3. To defend my whole Body from the Thrusts of my Enemies Here the Glory of the Lord was Israel's Rereward Isa 58.8 as above Our Lord will be with us before or behind where he may be most useful for our Aid sometimes humbling us and sometimes comforting us We may not limit the Lord to be ever before us If need be we are in heaviness 1 Pet. 1.6 Christ was behind Mary Weeping John 20.14 Not that the Lord who is every where both in Van and Rere Isa 52.12 changed his Place but it was only the Sign of his Presence that thus removed and became Light unto Israel for furthering their March but darkness to the Egyptians for Retarding theirs Exod. 14.19 20. 'T is said They overtook Israel incamping by the Red-Sea ver 9. but this extraordinary Darkness cast
them with new Dangers and Distresses to teach them their daily Dependency upon their God and Guide for new Deliverances These were twofold First Their Distress by Thirst And Secondly Their Danger by Amalek In the Description of the First is declared 1. Their Malady 2. Their Murmuring at the Malady 3. The Remedy begg'd of God by Moses and granted by the Lord. 4. The Manner of it's Performance c. ver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. The Remarks upon the first Distress are as follow First No Distress comes upon God's Church and Children by Chance but by a Dispensation of Divine Providence God leads us out as well as into Trouble They came to Rephidim after they had been at Dophkah and Alush Numb 33 12 14. where nothing notable happened and therefore omitted here by Moses by the conduct and command of Christ in the Cloudy Pillar Exod. 17.1 where they met with this Distress by Thirst yet the same God and Guide that brought them into this Danger did in the Issue deliver them out of it with great Satisfaction and Delight Oh how good it is to follow God blindfold as Abraham did Heb. 11.8 who after he hath nurtered and chastized his Children will certainly do them good at the latter end Deut. 8.2 5 16. If we be good Children we shall be better for being beaten 't is accounted as an high favour Job 7.17.18 and 14.3 Heb. 12.7 8. and Jeremy praies for it Jer. 10.24 and they are pronounced Happy whom the Lord chasteneth Psal 94.12 13. and it will make us gather together under the Wing of a frowning Father who assuredly will set the Flint abroach as he doth here and Rain Corn from Heaven rather than they shall Pine and Perish The Second Remark is The Wilderness of this lower World is full of Woes wants and weaknesses We are ever wanting something or other being made up of wants and peculiar Indigencies as the Church in the Wilderness here one while she wanted Bread and when she had got Bread rain'd down from Heaven then wants she Water to spring up out of the Earth And as Thirst is a more eager Appetite than Hunger so are they more eager and earnest in their murmurings at Moses for want of Water than they had been before for want of Bread ver 2 3. we will ever want something till we come to Heaven c. The Third Remark is To call upon God in a day of Distress is the best and most blessed expedient for deliverance from it Psal 50.15 and 34.6 c. Moses was here in danger of being stoned by the Mutinous Multitude whose Bellies had no Ears to his Words of Wisdom He therefore betakes himself to a Prayer-hearing God who can still the Tumults of the People Psal 65.7 and finds redress here ver 3 4 5. Prayer was Moses's usual Refuge in the like Trouble Exod. 14.15 and 15.25 Numb 11.10 11. and 14 10. c. The Lord at his Prayer Pardons the Peoples murmurings who expected that from Man which only God could give yet testifies his just displeasure by denying them the Priviledge of beholding the Miracle of Broaching the Rock whereof by their distrust and outrage they were unworthy The Fourth Remark is the miraculous Remedy to their murmuring Malady which containeth in it a great bundle of Wonders As 1. This Rock in Horeb which signifieth Dryness was the very Place which God had given to Moses as a second sign for the fuller and further Confirmation of His Faith in God's Promise that of the burning Bush at the present was the first and this of serving God at Horeb whither the Lord had now brought them for the future doubled the Token Exod. 3.1 3 12. 2. To fetch fire out of this Rock in Horeb a dry Substance had not been so miraculous 't is common to fetch Fire out of a Flint c. as to set it abroach and bring Water out of it This was a Work of Omnipotency and oft celebrated in Scripture Psal 78.15 and 114.8 and 105.41 Deut. 8.15 Neh. 9.15 to the Praise or the Omnipotent God 3. This Rock must be smitten with Moses Rod which Organ or Instrument God had no need of but could have broached the Rock without any such means Yet was it his pleasure to use that Rod not only to convince those Israelites who as Rab. Solomon saith thought Moses's Rod had a power to bring in Plagues only as it did upon Egypt but no blessings to Israel whereas dividing the Waters of the Red Sea by this Rod was a great blessing to them and so was this fetching a River of Water by it out of a dry Rock whereby they were cooled and comforted in their weariness and wandrings when they were ready to perish by Thirst but also because of the Mystical signification of this Rod smiting the Rock to be mentioned afterwards 4. The Lord in the Pillar of Glory must stand upon the Rock which if he had not done ver 6. Moses's Rod had smitten it in vain Means must be used but God must be only depended on for success It 's he alone that turned the Flint into a Fountain 5. This is a wonder of wonders that the same person who stood upon the Rock in the Pillar the badge of his presence should be likewise the Rock it self this is expresly asserted by the Apostle that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 namely in the same sense That the Bread in the Lord's Supper is the Body of Christ being a sign which by Divine Institution doth signifie Christ as this Rock did prefigure him to be shewn in the sequel 6. That a River should flow out of this Rock to follow them till their fortyeth year through the VVilderness This also the Apostle affirms 1 Cor. 10 4. that is the River out of the Rock went along with them not the Rock it self wherein the New Testament supplies the History of the Old with some circumstances not recorded there by Divine Inspiration as the names of Jannes and Jambres c. This must be supposed otherwise how can we imagine that the Israelites were supplied with VVater all the forty years this at Rephidim being their first year And we read of no fresh supply of VVater they had till they came to Kadesh Barnea Numb 20.7 8. which was about 40 years after this The like Miracle to this was then wrought at which time 't is probable God caused that River to cease running for a new Tryal of them as afterward he caused Manna to cease falling being appointed only a supply to present necessity 7. 'T is a wonderful work of the free Grace and Mercy of God that the Lord should thus wait with supplies of VVater and Manna for forty years when their Impatience under pressures and penury so transported them into such provokings of God by distrusting his Promises by reproaching his Providence and by discontentedly demanding Is the Lord among us ver 7. as if that could not be and they
quos Deus vult destrui priùs dementat Tho' it be the common Dictate of the Light of Nature that Nations in danger of Invasion do carefully secure their Coasts and guard their Frontiers yet those Canaanites in neglecting this here seem deprived of their reasons probably their present security might be because they look'd on it as Impossible for Israel to pass over Jordan when it overflow'd its Banks but certainly they were struck with such a Terror by this Miracle that they durst not come forth but immured themselves in the High wall'd-City CHAP. IV. JOsh The Fourth gives an Account of those Monuments appointed for an everlasting memorial of Israels miraculous passage over Jordan those Monuments are twofold first the Principal described 1. The Author God vers 1. 2. The instruments who and how many vers 2 4 8. 3. The Materials twelve Stones taken out of the midst of Jordan vers 3. 5. 4. The place of Standing both in Gilgal vers 3.5 20. and in the midst of Jordan vers 9. 5. The end why as a memorial of that wonderful Work to their Posterity vers 6 7 21 22 23. and that the Canaanites might learn to acknowledg the omnipotency and Israelites the fear of God vers 24. Secondly the less Principal described likewise as 1. the manner and order of Israel's marching through Jordan 1. the Gadites Reubenites and Half-tribe of Manasseh vers 12 13. 2. All the People universally making much hast either from fear of danger or from desire of the promised Land vers 10. and 3. The Priests with the Ark vers 15 16 17 18. 2ly The time when this was done vers 19. 3ly The event hereof namely the magnifying of Joshua's Authority vers 14. 4ly The return of the Waters of Jordan into their course as they naturally ran vers 18. lastly The pitching of Israel's Tents in Gilgal a place so called by Anticipation vers 19. and 5.9 The special Remarks upon the premisses are these The First Remark is This is an Ancient and laudable Practice to erect lasting Monuments for propogating and perpetuating some signal mercy and singular deliverance that the Glory of a wonder-working God may be Eternalized and the Truth of his wondrous works may be testified to all succeeding Generations Here a Pillar of twelve huge Stones must be reared up by Gods own Command vers 1.9 with chap 3.12 And therefore it was void of all vain Superstition as it was not Super Statutum or the command of Joshua only Agreeable unto this Divine Pattern hath this great City well erected a stately structure of Stone the Monumental Pillar that the loving kindness of God in the late dreadful conflagration may be kept in everlasting remembrance The Second Remark is Tho' it be the Devils design to have Gods great Works of wonder soon obliterated Eaten Bread is soon forgotten yet 't is God's will to have them remembred and better remembred Therefore one Monument of this great mercy must be in Gilgal the place of Israel's Circumcision relating to the twelve Patrinrks in the Old Test and another in Jordan the place of Christ's Baptism relating to the twelve Apostles of the New tho' that in Jordan was a memorial to the two Tribes and half on the other side of Jordan which being built up of the most Massy Stones in the midst of the River might be seen at low Water by them for these Stones are not said to he carried on Mens Shoulders as those erected at Gilgal were but that Joshua rolled them together by the help of many Hands Or Jordans Waters being so famous for their clearness this Pillar was perspicuous to them that passed by in Boats or if as some say It was set nigh the Bank this made it more obvious to the Eye That at Gilgal was a memoir for the other 10. Tribes all must have their memento's that this Miracle of mercy might not be Moth-eaten c. The Third Remark is Parents ought cerefully to Catechize and instruct their Children vers 6 7. They were to teach their Children the use and end of thhis Monument as before of the Passover Exod. 12.26 and 13.14 Psal 34.11 and 48.13 and 102.18 Tender Plants must oft be Watered Eph. 6.4 Children must be Nurtured as well as Nourished the former is as necessary as the latter and much more seeing the Soul is a more noble nature than the Body If Parents Mind only the Bodies of their young What do they more than the very brute Beasts for theirs The Blessings upon Posterity is entail'd to Piety in the second Commandment Therefore the meaning of all Sacred Monuments should be made known by Parents to Children True Religion is the exercise of illuminated Minds 't is not an ignorant or blind Devotion as among the Papists who have a Mass of Mystical Ceremonies whereof neither Children nor their Patients no nor many of their Priests can render any reason nor indeed is any reason for many of them pretended by their Chief-Priests save such only as is ridiculous But this Sign so called of Divine Institution was expresly for the fortifying of Faith for the feeding of Hope and for the nourishing of Joy both for Parents and Children when informed by calling to remembrance so transcendent a Miracle whereby they all in after-times might be stirred up to Thankfulness Strengthened in their daily dependancy upon this wonder-working God Hereupon Parents cannot perform a more profitable Office to their Children nor leave them a better and more lasting Legacy and Inheritance than to train them up in the crue knowledg of the good Ways Works and Word of God c. The Fourth Remark is behold how the servent Zeal of Joshua appeared here who being transported with Admiration of this Miracle of Mercy doth again and again Record the Circumstances of it the Waters of Jordan were cut off and again the Waters of Jordan were cut off vers 7. That they might make the more impression upon the Minds of their posterity Wheting or Sharpening as the Hebrew Deut. 6.7 signifies As if he had been whetting a Knife before Dinner by drawing it oft over the Whetstone or as if he had been sharpening a Stake before it be driven into the Ground Thus Joshua repeats and Inculcates the same great truth with a Mind much fired upon it not only to shew that he could scarce satisfy himself with a sufficient admiring of this great mercy but also that the Blessed Truths of God the Principles of Religion must be Inculcated and Repeated or taught diligently to our Children for die deeper impression on their Minds See again vers 22 23. The Fifth Remark is The Heroick Faith and Fortitude of those Holy Priests who like good guides not only were the first that to the Hazard of their Lives entred into the River and patiently continued long in the midst of Jordo◠until fix Hundred Thousand Men c. could march over but they were the last also that passed out of the River
this is the more probable vers 10 11. Seeing the Ark of Gods presence is said to be both Van and Rear Isa 52.12 as the Cloudy Pillar had been to them in their Passage through the Red-Sea Exod. 14.19 And thus 't is said the glory of the Lord shall go both before and behind his People Isa 58.8 It could not be any thing but a Strong Faith that kept the Bodies of those Priests so firm in their Station and their Minds so fixed as not to remove from off the ground till the whole work was done as above vers 10. and till the Monument was erected in the midst of Jordan and till twelve other Stones were taken up and carried away to the Land c. notwithstanding that hideous Heap and Mountain of Waters which did hang over their Heads all this while ready every moment to overwhelm them had they wot been miraculously held in by an omnipotent Hand and which ghastly sight surely so affrighted the People that they hasted to to be out of the danger Whereas the Priests stirr'd not from their station till God call'd them off vers 16. The Sixth Remark is The faithfulness of the two Tribes and half to the Covenant that Moses had indented with them before his Death Numb 32.20 27. as Moses had been no less solicitous for the Churches welfare after his decease than while he lived in indenting thus with those two Tribes and half so they were no less conscientious in keeping this Covenant approving their Hearts and Practices to the Lord in whose presence they now passed over vers 12 13. Jos 1.14 All but a Guard for their Country The Seventh Remark is Gods powerful restraint upon this fluid Element The Waters of Jordan cannot come down in their natural course until all was done Which God commanded vers 18. no nor then neither suddenly and all at once but by little and little and slowly by degrees thus was is ordered and over-ruled by the powerful Providence of God lest that huge heap of Waters falling down all together at Gods withdrawing his Hand should drown the whole Country yea even the Tents of Israel Here the Lord Sate upon the Flood indeed Psal 29.10 both while he made it sit still and made it to run leisurely c. The Eighth Remark is the marvelous Providence of God in Israels Landing in the Land of Promise upon the tenth Day of the first Month vers 19. This first Month Abib or Nisan part of our March and part of April was call'd first in respect of Sacred not of Civil affairs for the Jewish Jubike began in Tisry our September Levit. 25.8 Exod. 23.9 10 16. The Creation as some suppose beginning then This first Month God chose because 1. it was the most pleasant the Sun ascending days lengthening and the Face of the Earth reviving which could not but be most congruous and reviving to Israel so weary'd with long wandrings 2. Then were the forty years from their departure out of Egypt expired so punctual is God in performing his Promises or Threatnings Exod. 12.41 c. and God chose this tenth day as most seasonable because the Lambs for the Passover must be kept up four days before Exod. 12.2 3 4 6. This day they came out in the Month Abib Exod. 13.3 4. and on this Day they Went to Gilgal to be circumcised which had been long omitted in the Wilderness Josh 5.5 and before which none were to eat the Passover Exod. 12.25 48. So there was the distance of four days betwixt their Circumcision and the Passover that they might not only be healed of their wounds but also be duly prepared for that solemn feast CHAP. V. JOsh the Fifth gives an account of the consequences that immediately followed Israel's passing over Jordan which were these five 1. Gods Dread and Terror upon the Inhabitants of the Land vers 1. 2. the renewing of Circumcision vers 2 to 9. 3. The Celebration of the Passover vers 10 11. 4. Cessation of Manna vers 12. 5. the Messiah's appearing to Joshua in the Plains of Jordan in many circumstances vers 13 14 15. The First Remark is The Lord of Hosts smote both the Amorites on this side Jordan those on the otherside having been subdued by Moses Numb 21.24 34. and the Canaanites all along the Mid-land Sea with such a fearfulness and faint-heartedness at the news of this miraculous passage over Jordan that as through stupefaction these two the principal of the Nations had neglected to guard their Frontiers at me Invasion so much less had they any Courage to drive them out when once got into their Land 't is said vers 1. That their Hearts melâ—ed as Deut. 28.7 Thus mettals melted lose their Hardness so those Men lost all their Hardiness and it may be doubted whether the Snow that had swoln up Jordan or their Hearts melted faster the former by the heat of the Sun and the latter by a cowardly fear from God The Second Remark is The renewing that great Sacrament of Circumcision from vers 2 to 10. which was given to Abraham as a Seal of Gods Covenant wherein Canaan was promis'd to him and to his Seed who must bear the Sign of Gods Covenant in their Plesh Gen. 17.7 8 9 10 11 13 c. This Ordinance had been long neglected by Abraham's Seed during their Bondage in Egypt where they could not Administer it according to Gods Institution because of their intolerable oppression there Hereupon God sent Moses to restore it in the Plague of three days Darkness Exod. 10.22 and 12.44 48. Josh 5.5 7. wherein God bound Pharaoh's and his Peoples Hands to the Peace while Israel was sore with their Circumcision Moses might the better be a restorer of this Sacrament to Israel because he had lately been awakened by the remembrance of his own neglect of it and his danger thereupon Exod. 4.24 25. Again this Ordinance was if not neglected at least omitted or intermitted while Israel remain'd in the Wilderness where God was pleased to Dispense with his own Institution because of their frequent and sudden Removes when ever the Lord took up the Cloud for had this Omission about 40. years vers 5 6. here been a wilful neglect Israel had not met with Divine indulgence but utter severity seeing God threatned to cut off all neglectors of it from his People Gen. 17.14 then must Joshua restore this Sacrament the second time vers 2. Here as Moses had done before him the first time for these reasons 1. To roll away as Gilgal signifies the reproach which they had contracted in Egypt by the sinful neglect of it upon worldly Accounts vers 9. 2. That they might be prepared to partake of the Passover whereof none might eat before they were Circumcised Exod. 12.44 48. 3 To strengthen their Faith in the Covenant God made with Abraham Wherein with other things Canaan was promis'd to Abraham's Seed This Seal now applied must needs confirm them in their
John 4.14 to wit thirst after the Vanities of the World and surely such as thirst after the Worlds Fooleries have not yet taken an hearty Draught of those Blessed Waters Fourthly He gives us not only Water but Blood yea the Blood of God Acts 20.28 and his Blood is Drink indeed John 6.55 Which the Young Men have drawn Hence Observ 3. As Boaz so God hath his Water-drawers to wit out of the Wells of Salvation Isa 12.3 4. He hath such famous Fountains as that was Numb 21.18 Which the Princes digged called thereupon Beer-Elim the Well of the Mighty Ones Isa 15.8 God hath his Bartholomew's which signifies Water-drawers his Ministers of the Gospel which draw Water to wit The words of Eternal Life John 6 68. The rich and precious promises whereby we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and of the Holy Spirit so frequently and fitly compared unto water Psal 42.1 2 Isa 44.3 4. Ezek. 36.25 John 8.11 and John 3.5 The Spirit is a Coelestical Water that doth not only wash white and makes fruitful but also cools and quenches our Thirsts after Righteousness 'T is the Work of God's Bartholomew's or Water-drawers to draw out this Blessed Water for Thirsty Souls and that with much Mirth and Melody as they did with Singing Numb 21.17 and with Joy Isa 12.3 4. as well as with much Sweat both of the Brow and of the Brain N. B. And 't is very observable that no less than Three Thousand of God's Water-drawers or Bartholomew's were suspended from their publick Water-drawing upon that famous Black Bartholomew-Day so call'd that very Water-drawer Day as the word Bartholomew signifies gave a stop to so many Water-drawers from drawing Water out of the Wells of Salvation in their publick Ministry not only tying their Hands but also stopping their Mouths by an Act of Uniformity And 't is remarkable also that this Bartholomew-day so call'd was that very Black and Bloody Day of the Parisian Massacre in France wherein many Thousand Protestants were Murdered by the Red-Letter Romanists V. 10. Then she fell on her Face c. Here shineth forth Ruth's Grace of Humility wherewith she was clothed 1 Pet. 5.5 and with many other Graces Hence it was that she found so much favour in Godly Boaz's his Eyes to exalt her from her low Estate as followeth Hence Observ 1. The most lowly shall be the most lofty such as humble themselves under the mighty Hand of God God will exalt thou them in due time 1 Pet. 5.6 Self-Abasement is the readiest way to right Advancement They that duly and truly abase themselves shall be soonest advanced of God When Job abhorr'd himself in Dust and Ashes then God turn'd again his Captivity Job 42.6.10 and David when low and little in his own Eyes was brought to the Crown and Kingdom of Israel c. That thou shouldest take knowledge of me This Ruth admired as one altogether unworthy to find favour in his fight being but a poor stranger how much more should we admire that we should find grace in he sight of God Hence Observ 2. God's manifesting his Love to poor us and not to others in the World is matter of great admiration How did the Apostle cry out with Admiration John 14.22 How is it Lord c We may all say with Ruth here Why And what cause hath moved thee thus to cast an Eye of favour on me who am but a Stranger a Stranger to God and to all goodness at first yet that time is a time of Love Ezek. 16.4 8. Non sum dignus Domine quem diligas Austin What is Man that thou art mindful of him Psal 8. And what is Man when thou art unmindful of him Hebr. Anochin Nochria I am a Stranger we may all say V. 11. It hath fully been shewed me all that thou hast done c. Her Faith to God and her Love to Naomi was much noted and noticed Hence Observ 1. True Piety cannot want its due praise Fame follows Vertue as the Shadow doth the Body at the very Heels If there be any vertue there will be some praise Phil. 4.8 By faith the Elders obtainted a good report Heb. 11.2 Though they be dead as Abel yet speaketh or are spoken of ver 4. and the Faith and Works of the believing Thessulonians sounded out as an Eccho 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the World 1 Thess 1.8 Thus all the People of Bethlehem soon knew that Ruth was a Vertuous Woman Ruth 3.11 Hence also Observ 2. 'T is a blessed evidence of true Piety to prize highly the Piety we behold in others especially in the Instruments of our Conversion Thus Ruth highly prized that Holiness she saw in her Mother-in Law that had been the means of turning her from the Idols of Moab to the God of Israel and therefore she sticks close to her in all Offices of Love V. 12. The Lord recompense thy Work 'T is Boaz's hearty Prayer for Ruth who wanted the World's Wealth yet wanted she not good Works such as God both regarded and rewarded Hence Observ 1. Every labour of Love even in those that have not Alms to give the Lord regardeth and in due time richly rewardeth The blind Romanists have shrunk up good Works even to an hand breadth as if it consisted only in giving of Aluâ—s Ruth had none to give yet her good works in her Pious Loving and Courteous Carriage to her Mother-in-Law in her Old Age were with the Lord Isa 49.4 who gave her a rich Reward according to this good Man's Prayer for her yet not out of merit either de congruo or de condigno as the Romish Doctrine phraseth it but of his free Grace and Fatherly Love as a Father rewards his Son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 A full Reward be given thee Hence Observ 2. Such as shew the kindness of God to the Saints in distress the Lord will shew the kindness of God in giving a full Reward to them Thus Jonathan had shown the Kindness of God to David in distress 1 Sam. 19.2 and 20.2.4.42 A God-like kindness and David judged himself obliged to shew the kindness of God to Jonathan's Seed and Son 2 Sam. 9.3 Jonathan swore David to shew him the kindness of the Lord 1 Sam. 20.14 Such kindness as the Lord sheweth to his People and such as they that have their Hearts soak'd in the kindness of the Lord towards themselves do shew one to another loving mutually out of a pure heart fervently 1 Pet. 1 22. Thus Ruth had shown the kindness of God to Naomi and Boaz prays that the Lord would shew the kindness of God to Ruth for so doing and give her a full Reward which was given to her even in this World when she became Wife to that Rich and Religious Man that thus prayed but especially in a better World when she became a Glorified Saint in Heaven where the full Reward is given indeed and that as a free gift Rom.
Diligence what those in former Times lost by their Disobedience Remark the Fourth Is the Obstruction they met with in this good Work but was Removed by this good Magistrate ver 19 20. Mark 1. Sanballat Tobiah and Geshem that had been Sad before at the Tidings of a New Governour c. were now Mad with Malice deriding them for Fools that could never effect what they now attempted and accusing them for Rebelling against the King Mark 2. Wise Nehemiah renders not Railing for Railing nor Honours them so far as to let them know they had the King's License but saith The God of Heaven sets us above your reach and the King has committed Samaria to your care ye have nothing to do with Judea being Samaritans as Ezra 4 3. Nehemiah CHAP. III. THIS Chapter is a Description of the Parties Manner and Order of Building the Walls of Jerusalem and other Places c. Remark the First The First Part that was built was the Sheep-gate ver 1 2. Eliashib the Grand-Son of Jehoshua Chap. 12.20 and the Third High-Priest saith Sanctius after their Return began to build this Gate and 't was fit he should be first for Example to others Ministers must be patterns of Piety And the Priests his Brethren were his Assistants in that Work who had been Timorous before but now become Couragious when the Stout Lion Nehemiah Headed those Heartless Harts This Sheep-gate was first built because 1. it was nighest to the Temple which in the first place was to be secured 2. At this Gate the Sheep came in that were offer'd up in Sacrifice after they had been wash'd in the Pool of Bethesda John 5.2 saith Sanctius And 3. This Sheep gate must be built by the Priests for they were the Shepherds to the People saith Dr. Pilkington N. B. 1. This Gate was a Type of Christ who sought the lost Sheep and was Sacrific'd as a Lamb and is the only Gate whereby we enter into the Temple of Heaven Acts 4.12 John 10.7 c. N B. 2. Those Shepherds the Priests did not only Build and Beautifie this Sheep-gate but did also Consecrate it by Prayer and Sacrifice from whence probably saith Junius was it so highly honoured with that Miracle of an Angel's descending into the adjacent Pool of Bethesda at their Solemn Feasts to heal all Diseases John 5.4 N. B. 3. The Men of Jericho Assisted Eliashib c. Tho' they dwelt farthest off yet they were of the first of Country-men that came to help the Citizens in the Work and this beam of Piety they so Timely put forth saith Wolphius as a Specimen to testifie their gratitude to God for that Miraculous Cure of their Waters 2 Kings 2.19.20 22. Remark the Second The Second Part that was built was the Fish-gate v. 3 4 5. This was so call'd because it stood toward the Sea and let in the Fishermen from Tyrus c. Neh. 12.39 and 13.16 19. 2 Chron. 33.14 Zeph. 1.10 The Builders whereof were Meshullam that Man of Vnderstanding Ezra 8.16 and the common sort of the Tekoites But their Nobles withdrew their Necks they being Haughty and High-minded saith Sanctius look'd upon it as too sordid a Business and far below their Grandeur and Greatness N. B. Much unlike those Antient Nobles who were so forward and active with their Staves of Honour c. Numb 21.18 But these degenerate Plants of this Generation would not Stoop to the Service of Adonehem Hebr. their Lord of Lords whom they seem'd to serve in other respects yet in this were too stiff-necked therefore stand they branded upon Record saith Menochius for their Pride Carelesness or Compliance with the Jews Enemies whereas the old Nobles be Famous but they Infamous Prov. 10.7 Remark the Third Then were the Old-gate the Dung-gate and the Vally-gate c. All along with the Walls between all the Gates Repaired ver 6 to ver 16. Mark 1. The Old-gate so call'd saith Menochius from Melchisedech's first building it in Abraham's Day was Repaired by such good Men here named whom the Lord stirr'd up and some Women also ver 12. which Daughters either finished what their Father now dead had begun or parted with their Portions towards the Repair of the Wall adjoining to the Common Hall where the People resorted for Judgment ver 7. saith Wolphius and probably those Rich Widows saith Osiander laid their hands to the Lord's Work Mark 2. The Valley-gate which led into the Valley of Jehosaphat Joel 3.2 12. was Repaired not only by the Citizens but by great Men in the Country yea and by the Country People too ver 13. every one must be active in his own Sphere at God's Building Mark 3. The Dung port which was as a Voyder to the City through which all the Filth of the place was carry'd to the Town-Ditch the Brook Kidron was Repaired by Malchiah ver 14. a Son of that Noble Family of the Rechabites and tho' he was a Ruler yet refuseth not as sordid and below him to Repair the Dung-gate All God's Work he judged Honourable Mark 4. The Fountain-gate ver 15. was Repaired by Shallum a Ruler likewise yet disdaineth not to be a Repairer This was call'd the Well-gate saith Junius because through it Men went to the Pool of Siloam and to the Well En-Rogel and Shallum built to the Stairs by which David descended from Mount Sion into the lower City N. B. A Type of Christ who came down from Heaven to fetch us thither and is as Jacob's Ladder by whom alone we have Access to Heaven c. Remark the Fourth Beside those Common-places there were other Special Parts Repaired pertaining both to the Royal Palace and to the Levites Seat which are distinguish'd 1. By their Places Repaired as the Outward Wall in Mount Sion ver 16. the Inward ver 19 to 25. and that part of the Wall that jutted out as Ophel or the Tower did ver 25 28 to 32. Or 2. By their Persons Repairing them which were either Levites ver 17 18. or Nethinims ver 26 27. Mark 1. Baruch was an Earnest Builder ver 20. He was in a Fume as Hachesik Hebr. signifies being angry at himself and others that no more was done saith Wolphius he did two parts while others did one Mark 2. The Tekoites having dispatch'd their first share sooner than others ver 5. freely help them that were slower ver 27. This their double Diligence did shame their Nobles who still stood out stout and stiff neck'd Mark 3. Goldsmiths and Merchants carry'd on the Work so that the Wall went round and ended at the Sheep-gate where they first begun ver 1 31 32. N. B. Such as build the Spiritual Jerusalem shall be Crown'd and Chronicl'd c. Nehemiah CHAP. IV. THIS Chapter consists of Two Parts First The Builder's Obstruction and Discouragement from ver 1 to 14. And Secondly Nehemiah's Courage in himself and Encouragement of them ver 15 to 23. In the First Part are Three External
4.18 23. not for Recreation-sake or for a past time nor as the Circumcelliones of old to make a vain shew of their Hypocritical Holiness nor as the Jesuits into whim the false Pharisees have fled and hid themselves do now to make Proselytes and to pervert Passengers that go right in their way Prov. 9.15 but his end was to finish his Fathers Work and for calling his Apostles c. The Fourth Remark is Christ came to Cana in Galilee where he wrought his first Miracle Turning Water into Wine at a Marriage Feast which some say was made at John his Beloved Disciples Marriage John 2.1 11. God the Son works his first Miracle for the Confirmation of God the Father's first Ordinance in Marrying Adam and Eve in Paradise Hereby his Apostles whom he had chosen and called believed on him more than they did before they proceeded from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 and 1 John 5.13 N.B. Note well Wine may be wanting though Christ be at the Wedding yea Bread though Christ be at the Board Yet 't is good that Christ be an Invited Guest his presence sanctifies what is present supplies what is absent and prevents extravagancies and disorders c. Sin in shamefaced when in Christ's Eye Those Disciples lighting their Torches one at another John 1.41 45. must also come with Christ to be Witnesses of this first Miracle John Baptist points at Christ to Andrew He to Peter c. Christ calls them out of their Dark Cells to come and see this Sun of Righteousness Christ was kinder to those Disciples than they expected to he is and will be to all-Commers to him He will in no wise cast them out John 6.37 They staid with him all the Day and as some say all the night too though he had not an Hole or House of his own N.B. Note well 'T is good to come near Christ and not be shie or keep at a sullen distance from Him such as stay with him shall partake of his Grace and Goodness N.B. Note well Christ Honours Marriage with a Miracle though Antichrist dishonour it with Mistakes and Prohibitions Those Miracles that are father'd upon Christ in his Minority are but Fables for then this could not have been his first now his Mother Mary both expected and desired to see some Miracle for supposing she had yet seen no domestick Miracles yet had she seen enough to raise up her Desire and Expectation the Star at his Birth did presage a famous life and beside his Disputing with the Doctors c. She saw he had cast off his private Trade the Carpenters calling and betaken himself to the Publick Ministry Now she longs to see something more than ordinary from her Son especially upon this opportunity the Bridegroom John the Evangelist or who else and the Bride were but a poor Pair who had more Company than Wine Mary a well-wisher to the new Couple intimates this defect to Christ not without Hopes of a supply Christ as Creator was above the Command of his Mother and would not work this Wonder as his Mothers Instigation but at God his Fathers Designation c. From hence Note N.B. Not well 1. Seeing Christ honoured Marriage State thus with his Presence and Miracle Married Persons must not Dishonour it by turning aside to strange flesh what do such therein but dissolve their Relation to Christ who declares himself an Husband to his Church all acts of uncleanness ought to be avoided N.B. Note well Christ and Satan walk in two contrary methods For Satan always gives the best first and reserves the worst last therefore Sin is never to be judged of by its coming to us but by its parting from us for though it bring Honey in its Month yet ever hath it a sting in the Tail The Tempter is like the Panther which enticeth men to him with his fragrant smell and then devours them On the contrary Christ's work is worst at first the best is behind First the bitter Waters of Repentance and then the Communication of Comforts The sweetest of Honey lays in the bottom of the Pot the best Wine Christ gave last at this Feast John 2.10 N. B. Note well Order of time is not in this Discourse strictly observed save concerning the four Passovers which were the measure of Christ's Publick Life as order to place is according to the Method of the Holy Pen-men who upon mentioning a Place take that occasion to relate stories out of their proper Time because they would take up the whole story of that place all at once together Therefore though Christ made three Perambulations of Galilee yet what works Christ wrought at the same Place but not at the same Time is here related The Fifth Remark is Christ's coming again to Capernaum his own City of Abode and Retreat when wearied with Travelling and Preaching abroad this place Christ dignified with many Miracles of Mercy in his being oft there As 1. On the Sabbath Day he cast out of Devil in the Synagogue Luke 4.31 33 c. and Mark 1.21 to 29. which Miracle hath these notable Marks 1. The Devil can foist himself into places not only where Christ is taught but where himself teacheth Drexelius's Vision was His seeing ten Devils at a Sermon and but one at a Market for which this Reason was rendred that at a Sermon People are mostly serious therefore Beelzebub to divert them from profiting by the word though ten Devils few enough for that tempting work but at a Market People are prone enough to Tempt one another into Sin so one Devil would serve there 2. Preaching with Authority not frigidly and Jejunely as the Scribes hath a power in it to startle Devils Such Grace was poured into Christ's Lips Psal 45.2 that all his Auditory was astonish'd at his Doctrine as one saw him without Reverence so none head him without Amazement even this Demoniack was first disturbed and then dispossessed The Evil-Spirit was made to cry out as one pained by the Word that went out with Power 3. The Unclean Spirit cried What have we to do with thee c. Oh horrible Impudence As if Christ were not concerned where his Members are perplexed the Devil grosly mistook here in severing from the Head the sense of an injury done to Members David felt his own Coat cut and his own Cheeks shaven in the Coats and Cheeks of his Servants 2 Sam. 10.5 6. The Soveraign suffers in his Subject nor is it other than Just that the Arraignment of the meanest Malefactor runs in the stile of wrong to the King's Crown and Dignity N.B. Notewell Christ is as sensible of the abuses done to his Saints Acts 9.4 Their sufferings are held his Col. 1.24 and their Reproach his Heb. 13.13 11.26.4 But if the Devil hath nothing to do with Christ Christ hath something to do with him for vexing a Servant of Christ notwithstanding his fair words he gives Christ to be rid of him as some do the
Prince and God should be destroyed by his Death ver 30 31. And that when he was Crucified he would draw all to him the Gentiles as well as Jews ver 32 c. of John 12. The 3d Remark is Christ Cursing the fruitless Figures Matth. 21.17 to 23. and Mar. 11.11 to 27. The hints we have also from John and Lucks are these John 12.36 saith when Christ had Transacted what passed in the foregoing Paragraph he departed and hid himself c. and in Luke 21.37 't is said On the Day he Taught in the Temple Lodging by Night was lest he should Expose himself to Jeopardy before the time so withdraws privately to Bethany because some say none durst Harbour firm in Jerusalem In Mar. 11.11 'T is said that Christ after his Riding in Triumph then both went into the City and into the Temple which was his principal care to Reform and looked about him round upon all things only making his Observations of all Disorders at that time now the Evening drawing nigh and none of all his followers while he looked round about durst Entertain him in the City though they had cast their Garments in his way thither so that he was forced to foot it as far as Bethany two miles out of Town for a Nights lodging yet returns betimes the next Morning to his work which lay there and for hast thereto he forgat it seemeth to take his Breakfast for ere he came to the City he was Hungry ver 18. Mat. 21. and expected to havelfed upon Figs from the Fig-tree in the way ver 19. but found none Christs natural Hunger and a sinless Ignorance do declare him to be a True Real Man Subjecting himself to Human Infirmities And because he found nothing but leaves he cursed it Mark 11.14 Though the time of Figs was not yet to wit of Rire Figs it being but early Spring yet about our April However he looked for more than leaves had he found but green Figs only or those of the last Summers Growth that had hung on all Winter he would have been glad of them hard Hunger would have made them sweet and Savoury The time of Ripe Figs was not till five Months after the Passover The Disciples wondred when they saw it withered by the Curse of Christ who was sent to bless Acts 3.26 And ever blessed all Therefore we may not think Christ Cursed this Tree for any Indignation against it being under the law of its nature and so faultless but it was done for our Instruction that as the Jewish Synogogue then were all for Fruitless Ostentation and thereby became nigh unto Cursing N. B. Note well So now the Lord looks for more than leaves of profession from us even the Fruits of the Spirit which if not found such a withering may be inflicted as takes the very leaves away The 4th Remark is Christ purging his Temple the next day upon his Return from Bethany and after the withering of this Cursed Fig-tree Mar. 11.17 This was four days before the Passover we find not that Christ went into some Inn or Victualling House when he came next Morning into the City No He forgot himself to remember us he turned Water into Wine for others yet would not turn Stones into Bread for himself the Zeal of Gods House bad eat him up here it was Meat and Drink to him to do the Will of his Father John 4.34 This he preferred before his necessary Food Job 23.12 He goes straight to the Temple the Reformation of Religion being his chiefest care He falls again upon the same work in the end of his Ministry to wit casting out the Money-Merchants c. as he had done three years before at his first entrance into it John 2.14 15. And inveighs against the same sins of Simony c. with the same Arguments c. See at large before this is enough to say here Yet he that was thus Rigorous to those Thieves tenderly Healed the Diseased in the Temple He had room for them there Matth. 21.14 c. The 5th Remark is Christ having cast out those Profaners of the Temple that thought they could not do amiss because they served in Temple Worship as Jerem. 7.11 upon the fourth day before the Passover he left the Canker'd Carles the Priests Scribes and Pharisees in a most desperate fret and in the greatest Grief and Regret Imaginable and went again that Evening to Bethany not only because he was unwilling to lose any more labour or cast away his Cost upon such an Indocible and Refractory crue but also if not for his safety's sake assuredly for his Delight and to Refresh himself with his Dear Friend Lazarus c. after his hard Labour and little Success In the Morning three days before the Passover he Returns again to the Temple where he was principally concerned to Teach the People that came thither in great Confluences against the Passover for Purification especially when the Money-Merchants c. were whipped out by him N. B. Note well to shew that a good Mans Heart is where the work of his Calling is and though he spent a little time in Visiting Lazarus and other Friends yet was he then like the Fish that leaps out of the Water into the Air either for Recreation or for necessary Refreshment but soon returns to his own Element again and we may wonder what a deal of work our Lord did those three last days of his Temporal life before he was Apprehended c. with what Zeal and Fervency of Spirit he spent them for in that space of time he spake all those Sermons and Discourses Recorded by Mathew from chap. 21.23 to chap. 26. and by Mark. from chap. 11.27 to chap. 14. and by Luke from chap. 20.1 to chap. 22. and by John from chap. 12.36 to chap. 18. It may seem incredible that so much work as is set down in all these four Evangelists some Relating one and others another could possibly be done in so little a time as the three last days of his Liberty But assuredly our Lord dispatched all these Passages with such Speed as if he had been loth to be taken before his Task and Time was done N. B. Note well Teaching us hereby to work out our Salvation Phil. 2.12 To get up to our work to make work of our work and not to work at it only but to work it up to a finishing that when our Glass is run out we may be able to say with our Saviour John 17.4 Father I have finished the work thou gavest me to do in the World Therefore should we with the Twelve Tribes serve God Instantly Night and Day Acts 26.7 Yet all this would be found little enough the Righteous are scarcely Saved 1 Pet. 4.18 'T is very hardly done by the best The 6th Remark is Christ being come into the Temple in the Morning of the first of these his three last days his Antagonists find him Teaching there would he have kept
's foundring therefore they under-gird her with Cables to keep her sides close and tight together verse 17. Thus the Church in a storm when the blast of terrible ones is like an Euroclydon or Tempest against her walls Isa 25.4 needs her undergirding by the everlasting Arms of Jehovah underneath her Deut. 33.27 Thus the love-sick Spouse was under-girded when Christ's Left hand was under her head and his Right hand imbraced her Cant. 2.6 and 8.3 The wounded side of that God-man Christ Jesus is the Church's Covert from the Tempest Isa 32.2 Mic. 5.5 3. Both are brought to an hopeless Estate How forlorn was this Ship here when lighting her of Merchandise-Goods c. could not secure them verse 18 19. No Light of Sun or Stars to comfort them no hopes left to save their lives verse 20. Thus is it with the Church often a great damp is upon her hopes because a great death is upon her helps There is no hope Jer. 2.25 N.B. The disparity lyes in this that whatsoever wind bloweth blows good to her be it North or South can 4.16 and herein is the Church happy The seventh Remark is God delights to deliver those that are forsaken of all their helps and hopes of Deliverance Thus it was here in the eyes of Reason and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to the Natural Events from secondary causes their case was desperate which made them part with their Goods to save their lives yet all would not do but they despaired Then comes Paul to comfort them from God who reserves his holy hand for a dead lift verse 21 22 23 24 25 26. wherein he 1. Minds them of their misery which their Disobedience to God had brought upon them Then 2. He chears them up with assurance of their security from the good warrant of Divine Authority And 3. He fore tells they must be cast upon a certain Island which when it came to pass did as by a sign induce them to believe the Rest all ordered by God not by chance The eighth Remark is The wicked are delivered from Temporal destruction for the sake of the godly who live among them and intercede with God for them Sinners are saved spared and favoured for the Saints sake As here two hundred threescore and sixteen persons verse 37. all Heathens excepting Luke and Aristarchus are saved for Paul's sake verse 24. who had prayed for them and had begged their lives of God as Esther did the lives of her people at the hands of King Ahasuerus Esth 7.3 Thus God spared Zoar for Lot's sake and at his prayer for it Gen. 19.19 c. And he would have spared Sodom for the sake of ten Righteous persons could that small number have been found in it at Abraham's prayer Gen. 18.32 And there Abraham left begging before God left baiting N.B. Oh! what fools and mad-men are the wicked in seeking to destroy the Godly for whose sakes themselves are preserved God saith to the Wicked concerning his Servants as the Prophet once said to wicked Jeboram surely were it not that I regard the presence of Godly Jehosaphat I would not look toward thee nor see thee 2 Ki. 3.14 One innocent person may deliver a whole Island from destruction Job 22.30 What abundance of good does one holy man in a place these hundreds of men fared better both in soul and body for one holy Paul's sake and means The ninth Remark is The same God that ordained the end oradined also means in tendency to that end and therefore to divide assunder what God hath Joyn'd together in neglecting ordained means is no better than a presumptuous tempting of God This great truth is here demonstrated by these divine words except these ship-men that were about to escape in the boat abide in the ship ye cannot be saved ver 30.31 notwithstanding God's promise mentioned verse 24. That they should all be saved not because the will of God or his power to save or the truth and efficacy of his Promise did depend upon second causes as if all these were made effectual only by a vertue from the means whereas in truth the means are made efficacious only by a vertue from the will power and promise of God God is not tyed to them yet ordinarily and usually he doth work by them when he can work with them that we may not neglect the use of them that are ordained by him Thus David shall have the victory but it must be by the means of an Ambush 2. Sam. 5.19 24 and man shall be nourished but it must be by his labour Psalm 128. v. 2 Many more such Instances might be given yet so as God works all in all by those means N.B. for the Grass Corn Trees were created by God before he Created the sun moon and stars by the Influence whereof they now are and do grow Sometimes God to show his Soveraignity doth work without means It is all one to him to save by few or none as well as by many 2 Chron. 14.11 and his Omnipotency can work against means also by Suspending the power and operation of natural causes as when the fire burnt not the water drownd not the Rock yeilded water and the Iron swoom the Sun went back ten degrees c. As God likes not to be tyed to means so nor that we having his promise should in defect of the means doubt of his providence God will be trusted but not tempted by a willful neglect of due lawful means The care of the means belong to us but the care of the end belongs to God Whosoever neglects the means under any pretence of a promise doth not rightly beleive in him but plainly and presumptuously tempts him c. N.B. These mariners had been willing enough to make use of all other means for their safety as undergirding unlading c. and wishing for the Day verse 29. Oh! that we wished so much for the Day of Redemption to make use of more means yet missed in this the means God required The tenth Remark is God's Gospel-stars shine most in the night and their splendour is best seen in time of trouble Thus was it here while this Ship's-crew had a smouth sea and a calm season Paul lyes on the Deck as a poor contemptible prisoner neglected of all but now in this eminent danger God makes him the only Counsellor and comforter unto this great company Common calamity made them comply with that counsel and comfort which came from one in chains amongst them Paul reproves them for rejecting his advice of wintering in Crete v. 21. yet now the storm having becalmed that refractory mind they are mindful to follow his Direction in taking some food having had no set meal for fourteen days through the consternation horrour of death and in admitting Paul to become the Chaplain of the ship for craving a blessing and for praying to God for their farther preservation verse 33.34 35 36 37. yea and for praising God also
Ministers of Christ that Torment their Evil Consciences calling Christ the Holy One of God Luke 434. N.B. Notewell While the Pope with needs be called the Most Holy he lifts up himself above Christ and Antichrist herein becomes worse than the Devil Though the Devil thus confessed Christ yet Christ muzzled him and dispossess'd him through his Soveraignty over him he is but under a Reprieve c. The Second Remarkable Miracle Christ wrought there at his own City as Capernaum is call'd Mat. 9 1. where he not only Hired and House but also wore the stole or long Gown of a Citizen was the Healing of Peter's Wives Mother of a Fever Mat. 8. â—4 15. Mark 1.29 30 31. and Luke 4.38 39. Christ came from the Synagogue-Service to Dine at Peter's House c. which affords these following Marks 1. Christ's Practice approves of a Sabbath-Day Dinner N.B. Notwell This distinguishes a day of Thanksgiving as every Lords Day ought to be for our Redemption from a day of Humiliation 2. That Peter had a Wife and all the Apostles saith Ambrose had Wives save only John and Paul but if John were the Bridegroom in the Marriage Feast at Cana as is abovesaid then had he his Bride also and Paul likewise had a Power to lead about a Sister Wife as well as the other Apostles 1 Cor. 9.5 Yet those Pope-Holy Hypocrites the pretended Successors of Peter deny the lawfulness of Ministers Marriages as a Defilement though it be one with them to have many Harlots These Popelings are condemned and cursed by their own Cannon-Law Distinct 29 31. Acts and Monuments Fol. 1008. by Paphnutius that famous Primitive Confessor in the Nicene Council By Ignatius Scholar to the Evangelist John who pronounceth all such as call Marriage a Defilement to be possess'd with that old Dragon the Devil Epist ad Philadelph But above all by the Apostle who saith Marriage is Honourable to all and the undefiled Bed is True Chastity Heb. 13.4 3. This good Women Peter's Wife's Mother was sick of a Fever call'd by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Burning from the heat that is in it And the Germans call in the Shaking as we do from the Cold in that Distemper N.B. Note well They whom Christ Loves may be sick John 11.3 his Love and our Sickness are not Inconsistent 4. Christ heal'd her with a touch of his Hand Hippocrates and Galen with all their Citò Tutò Jacunde c. could never find such an easie and speedy cure here a word and a touch only do the Deed in an instant without long Diet-Drinks and many tedious Evacuation 5. Christ can turn us to destruction and then say return Psal 90.3 and when we are Dead to our selves and others He can speak Life to us and keep us from going down into the Pit Psal 30.3 6. This Handmaid of the Lord thus signally healed arose and ministred to Christ whereby not only the Truth of the Miracle was evinced but also the Truth of her Thankfulness was evidenced which likewise is a demonstration of an honest and good heart thus to pay the Redemption of her Life of God Exod 21.30 c. The Third Remark is There also He healed all manner of Diseases and Dispossessed Devils with his word Mat 8.16 Not suffering those Evil Spirit to speak because they knew him Mark 1.34 Luke 4.41 This was done at evening Hence Note 1. Christ's diligence in doing his Father's work In the morning he Sowed his Seed and in the evening he with held not his Hand Eccles 11.6 He was a President for Preaching twice a Day in the Forenoon and Afternoon Mat. 13.1 The same Day after convincing the Pharisees He Preached again to his Disciples 2. Christ suffer'd not Devils to speak of him He had better Witnesses than they and what Call or Warrant had they to Preach The Gospel 3. To an Almighty Physician no Disease can be Incurable Christ heal'd all manner and none went away without healing Exod. 15.26 Psal 103.3 4. Capernaum was a place lifted up to Heaven with means to Grace and with Miracles of Mercy 'T was a City highly blest with Christ's frequent presence Dwelling there Mat. 4.13 Taught there John 6.59 and oft returned Thither from his uttering Oracles and working Miracles in other Cities Mat. 8.5 17.24 Mark 1.21 2.1 Luke 7.1 9.33 John 2.12 6.24 yet is it doomed by the Judge of the World to be cast down to Hell Mat. 11.23 Luke 10.15 He saith that Sodom shall suffer less than Capernaum for its Infidelity in setting so light by his Grace though it even kneeled down to them wooing acceptance as 2 Cor. 5.20 was in some respect a worse Sin than Sodomy and hath a heavier doom abiding it though they that suffer least in Hell suffer more than they can either Abide or Avoid The Destruction of those Cities should be for Instruction to our Cities which have been likewise lifted up to Heaven by Means and Mercies know we not that a misimprovement of them c. will provoke God to thrust us down to Hell with Violence and with a vengeance Alterius Perditio tua fit cantio Take Example or God will make thee an Example Herodotus the Heathen could say of the Destruction of Troy That National and Notorious Sins bring down National and Notorious Plagues from a Sin-Revenging God As to Christ's Pilgrimage it was prodigious for some reckon the Travels of Christ from his Infancy to his Ascension and compute them to be 3093 Miles beside general Visits and Journey hither and thither which If all were Recorded the World would not contain them John 21.25 and 20.30 c. CHAP. IX HAving thus far observed the Order of Place in those three most observable Perambulations of Christ over all Galilee Preaching in every Synagogue the Towns thorough Mark 1.39 Mat. 4 23. and Luke 4.44 though his Fellow Citizens of Capernaum would have stay'd him that he should not depart from them ver 42. would to God we could do so in this City Let us now look a little more narrowly into the Order of Time in the Life of Christ which Mark and Luke especially Matthew do not observe but is more strictly observed by the Evangelist John who measures out Christ's Publick Life by four Jewish yearly Passovers The first Passover John Records is John 2.12 13. saying that when Christ went down to Capernaum from Nazareth with his Mother Brethren and some few Disciples to dwell there the Jews Passover was at hand when this came the first half year of Christs Minister from his Baptism was expired thence-forward hath Christ but three years more to live which this Evangelist reckoneth by three more yearly Passovers to wit John 5.1 and John 6.4 John 18.28 In this first half year Christ had passed thorough his forty Days Temptation had gathered some few Disciples and had Perambulated Galilee unto which time those wonderful works of Christ in
sundry places aforementioned are to be reduced and others will be co-incident as relating to Time here Those Relations forementioned in the order of place do fall in as to order of time under the first of those four Passovers As that Miracle of turning Water into Wine at Cana Christ's Preaching in Nazareth's Synagogue in danger of his Life His being at Capernaum c. His calling Peter and Andrew c. to be Fishers of men His casting out a Devil in the Synagogue there His healing Peter's Wives Mother and many more Diseased c. as are above related distinctly So likewise under this first Passover after Christ's Baptism falleth out first Christ's going up from Galilee to Jerusalem at that Passover where he in the Face of all the People acted in the Evidence of the great Prophet and purgeth his own Temple as was Prophesied of him Mal. 3.1 3. John 2.12 14. c which Story hath these Remarks 1. We must know that in the Temple were offered Innumerable Sacrifices by the Jews who flock'd thither from all parts such as came from far could not bring Sacrifices with them the Priests provided for them and sold to them and such as wanted Money they lent it them with exaction contrary to Moses Law which forbids Usury from Brethren c. The Talmudists tell us it was then grown to a custom to set up Tables in the Temple and Money-Changers sitting at them to change their bigger Money into lesser whole shekels into an half shekel which the poorest Israelite waâ— appointed to pay or to take pledges sometimes their very Coats on their Backs c. forcing all to that payment There also they might buy all sorts of Sacrifices which the covetous Priests oft received and sold them then again to others Now the Lord Christ seeing this couzenage and contumacy The Zeal of God's House as ever so now more especially did Eat Him up and in the Ardency of his Spirit he call'd those Priests a pack of Thieves No better are all such who under colour of Religion hunt after filthy lucre Then Christ marrs their Markets and drives them all out of the Temple with procul O procul este profani Get ye gone Oh Profligate Priests who while ye profess The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7.11 Ye do notoriously profane it Who hath required these things at your hands Isa 1.12 This Gate of the Lord none but the Righteous should enter Psal 118.20 and such only as keep the Truth Isa 26.2 Are Angels of Darkness cast out of Heaven and will ye make this my Holy House a Den of Devils N.B. Notewell Thus Reformation was Christ's chief care then when Religion was corrupted and it will be so to the end of the World The 3d Remark is When Christ comes into his Temple Mal. 3.1.3 He finds in his Temple Money-Merchants c. such Sacrilegious Simonists both of the Clergy and Laity so called making a sale of sacred things which the very Heathens abhorred as the Roman twelve Tables c. and others long since complained N.B. Note well That Church-Benefices were bestowed Non Vbi optimè sed ebi quaestuosissimè non dantur dignioribus c. Not to those that best deserved them but to those that would give the best price and most money for them This is as if a man should bestow so much Bread on his Ass because he is to Ride upon him Some Beneficed Parsons may Preach before their Patrons upon Numb 22.30 Am not I thine Ass upon which thou hast rode ever since I was thine Christ is angry at this in a Reformed Church The 4th Remark is Christ made a scourge for those Money-Merchants c. John 2.14 15. A Whip made of Cords propably of such cords as were scattered by the Drovers that came thither to sell cattel there with this Whip He scoures the Temple of a great Multitude of Sturdy Fellows that lived upon that Temple-Market he having neither Arms himself nor Armed Men to Assist him in this cleansing work Yet he accomplishes it without opposition though there were then a Garrison of Soldiers in Antony's Tower belonging to the Temple on purpose to quell Tumults therein at such times N.B. Note well In this Act Christ put forth doubtless a Beam of his Deity whiles he but one single Man and at that time but contemptible in himself and the Scribes and Pharisees all the while looking on and raging against him for hindring their gainful-Trade like another Samson lays Heaps upon Heaps yet without blood-shed with the Jaw-bone of an Ass with the stripes of a Whip Surely some sparkling Rayes issued out of Christ's Eyes and a dazling splendour and uncontroulable Majesty of his Divine Nature was seen seated and shining in his Countenance that so great a multitude with so many hungry Bellies that have no ears could be cast out nolens volens out of the Temple Jerom extolleth this Miracle above restoring sight to the blind use of Legs to the Lame and Life to dead Lazarus c. And that Antient Father addeth Quotidiè Jesus Ingreditur patris Templum ejicit omnes tam Episcopos quam lâ—â—cos Vendentes pâ—riter ac ementes c. Christ will daily cast out all those Money Merchants both Ministers and others c. The 5th Remark is While Christ's zeal was thus accompanied with revenge as 2 Cor. 7.11 yet doth he not as one transported with passion serve all those Prophaners of his Temple with the same sauce for the Dovesellers had only words from him while all the other had blows 'T is said expresly That Christ only said to the Dove sellers Take these things hence c. John 2 16. The cause of Christ's tenderness toward these above the rest is canvased some say it was because he was minded of the Dove that lighted upon him when the Holy Ghost descended in that form so carried with a Dove-like meekness towards them Others say That these Dove-sellers probably were not so refractory more tractable and as not so gross so nor such obstinate offenders However those Dove-sellers were grown more audacious afterward when Christ came the second time to purge his Temple for then they had got Chairs an argument of dignity to sit in Mat. 21.12 The 6th Remark is Reformation of Religion cannot be expected to be all done at once especially after such an horrible Apostacy under Antichrist until Christ come the second time Here matters were not much amended notwithstanding Christ's first attempt in the entrance into his Ministry John 2.14 So that he comes again to the same work Mat. 21.12 Mark 11.15 at the end of his Ministry Idols and Evils are not easily or at once done way The second passage that falls out under this first Passoever after Christ's Baptism was their asking him a Sign to which he answered Destroy this Temple and I will raise it up in three days c. John 2.18 19 20. Mark here First Those