a Prolepsis or answer to a tacite objection arising from the former words And may be framed thus If all men have sinned and death hath passed over all men in that all men have sinned Then it should follow that sin was in the world before the Law was given But that seems inconvenient for no man could sin before the law given because where there is no law there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 Now for a long time after the Creation about 2450 years no Law was given Therefore for that time there was no sin the world The Apostle meets with this Objection denying the minor or assumption by opposing the contradictory to it in the words of the Text Vntil the law sin was in the world But how could that be when there was no law The Apostle answers by distinguishing between the being of sin and the knowledge and imputation of it Sin is not imputed or reputed sin where there is no law yet sin then was and had a being the world when there was no law In the words then we have these two Parts 1. A Position until the law sin was in the world 2. An Exposition of it But sin is not imputed while there is no law we may resolve both into the Truths contained in them 1. Sin was in the world before the law 2. It was in the world until the law 3. Sin is not imputed or reputed while there is no law 4. Though sin be in the world before and till the law yet it is not imputed or reputed while there is no law 1. Sin was in the world before the law Quaere 1. What sin is here meant 2. How is it in the world 3. What law is here meant 4. How was sin before the law 1. By sin we here understand principally the first sin which we call Original brought into the world by the first Adam as also all sin derived from that polluted fountain 1 Joh. 2.16 All that is in the world the lusts of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 2. By the world all mankind is here meant So vers 12. What is first called the world the Apostle presently calls all men And because there is a twofold world in man's heart Ecclus. 3.11 wherein sin principally resides for out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts c. Matth. 15.19 Sin may be said to have been in the world as in the proper seat 3. By the law some here understand the Law of Moses and it may be truly so understood in regard of those who take no notice of the Law of Nature which doubtless of the two is rather here meant and which hath the work before any written Law is made known See Notes in Rom. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. How was sin in the world before the Law I answer sin before the law was in the world as dead as the Apostle speaks Rom. 7.8 Without the law sin was dead which is all one with the point in hand sin was in the world without the Law The Reason in regard of Sin and the Law 1. Sin as the malady and disease of the world must precede and be in the world before the remedy be prepared for it And the law given after sin was in the world supposeth this for the law was ordained and made for the lawless 1 Tim. 1.9 Sce Notes in Rom. 7.9 Object But here it may be doubted for if sin be the transgression of the law as 1 Joh. 3.4 Then must the law be before sin How otherwise can the law be transgressed by sin And therefore it seems that sin was not in the world before the Law I answer Sin was in the world before the law This may be two ways understood 1. Simply and absolutely Or 2. Comparatively and relatively 1. Simply and absolutely and so it is not true that sin was in the world before any law for we read of a Law-giver to Adam both 1. Affirmitive Of every tree c. And 2. Negative Of the tree of knowledge thou shalt not eat Both these are declared in legal terms Gen. 2. Besides sin generally is the transgression of a law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3.4 whence it followeth undeniably That the law must be before it can be transgressed And therefore sin which is the transgression of the law was not in the world simply and absolutely before the Law 2. Relatively and comparatively in regard of a law afterward to be given And so it is true whether we understand 1. The natural Or 2. The Mosaical and Moral Law that sin was in the world before the law Thus we read that after the fall the Lord promiseth to put enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent Gen. 3.15 that is the law to be a perpetual enmity against sin in him So Ephes 2.15 The enmity even the law of Commandments So Col. 2.14 Observ 1. Observe our natural estate and condition What it is until the Law come we are in our sin See the condition of thousands c. See Notes in Rom. 7.9 It is no good Argument that sin is mortified in us because it seems dead in us and the motions of it appear not in us Ibid. Observ 2. Antiquity is no good Argument of the only true Church and true Religion we see here that sin was before the Law And the Devil himself was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth Joh. 8.14 So it is no whit to their credit who call us of the Reformed Churches Novantes Novatores while they themselves are Veteratores 2. Sin was in the world until the law until the Law Yea and after the law was given much more How then do we understand this that sin was in the world until the law This point wants explication of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn until which like another of the same sence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All these ita pertinent ad tempus precedens ut de futuro non inferunt contrarium They so put a period and end unto the time past that they infer not the contrary fon the time to come Gen. 28.15 Heb. 13. Psal 11.2 8. 2 Sam. 6.23 Matth. 1. See Notes in Heb. 1. until I make Thus sin was in the world until the law That hnders not but that it was in the world after the law But so sin was in the world before the law that it seemed dead and appeared not but when the law came sin revived which is the Apostles exposition of the Text Rom. 7. Vntil the law sin was in the world There was some question of it then for then it appeared not there is no question of it afterward for when the law cometh sin reviveth c. And the Reason is 1. From the Antipathy of the law unto sin 2. The goodness and compassion of the Law-giver unto the sinners
done all this for them loved God and his Neighbour been Holy been sober for them Faith looks forward and is a process not only backward Hebr. 11. What Christ will do in us not what he hath done for us Such was the Faith of the Virgin Mary Luke 2. She believed Gabriel Luke 1.38 Bessed is she that believed for here shall be a performance of those things which were spoken to thee from the Lord. Verse 45. Exhort To walk and continue in such a way of Salvation as the Apostle here points out to the Holy women Faith Love Holiness and Sobriety if so we shall undoubtedly be saved NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON I TIMOTHY VI. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fight the good Fight of Faith lay hold on eternal Life A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is a Sport as Racing Running Wrestling c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But because some of the Games were at sharp with extreme hazard even of life it self as those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those of Duels and Sword-playing Hence it is that this Fight may be taken also for such Games or exercises as Abner challenged Joab unto Come let the young men make us Sport 2 Sam. 3.14 Thus in a better sence than they meant for this the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good Fight a good Fight is differing from that which is not so yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to implye the good effect of it If we suffer with him we shall reign with him To fight this good Fight implyeth three things 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prize eternal life Phil. 3.14 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Adversary for we so fight not as beating the air the world and all that is in the world the Lusts of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life all the Fortresses and hurtful lusts that fight against the Soul and the Prince of the world our Adversary the Devil 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Judge of this contention that we strive lawfully who gives the reward Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of life which God the righteous Judge shall give me c. But here we must distinguish between the Fight of Faith which Faith produceth Hebr. 11.33 34. Through Faith they subdued Kingdoms and for the Faith Jude Verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certamen repetere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the running to the race Heb. 12.1 The former is the winning of the race John the Baptists Doctrine directing us unto Christ by repentance of our sins the race it self is to mortifie those sins by Faith But this is not by every Faith for Faith is either legal or in the Father as Esse Deum that God is c. Heb. 11.6 or Evangelical or Faith in Christ the power of God ye believe in the Father believe also in me John 14.1 Reason 1. Ex parte judicis qui Author est Certaminis illius praeceptum est He first put enmity between the Seed of the woman and the Seed of the Serpent Reason 2. There is also a necessity in regard of our selves we cannot otherwise obtain the Prize Reason 3. And in regard of our Antagonist who hinders us all he may and therefore he being so potent so malicious so subtil c. there is required of us our best and utmost endeavour for the obtaining the Prize Reason 4. Another Reason from comparison 1. Of the Prize 2. The manner in obtaining it 1. In all their Sports the reward was some poor contemptible thing in it self considered The Apostle calls it a corruptible crown 1 Cor 9.25 And so it was indeed The old Epigrammatist tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a few Apples a Garland made of wild Olive Branches or of Parsley or the Boughs of the Pine tree Spolia autem reportas c. A goodly Prize which they strove for yet 2. they used all Temperance c. 1 Cor 9.25 Now what a vast disproportion is there between their Prize and the Prize of the Christian Race Which is the crown incorruptible eternal life the crown of life righteousness Glory 1 Cor. 9.25 2. Between their Races they strove with abstinence from all things 1 Cor. 9. even to the hazard of their lives but the Lord requires not of every one the hazard of his natural life for the winning of this Crown that kind of Martyrdom was a peculiar Grace not vouchsafed unto all but he requires of all the laying down of our sinful and ungodly life which is the only obstacle and hinderance of the eternal life And how disproportionable are these means to the end 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 1.6 Object 1. In many things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we all fail Resp See Notes in Coloss 3.1 Object 2. David in his race had his falls Resp And he had his risings up again and his never falling again into the same sin we never read that any of the Saints iterated their sins add Zach. 12.8 Object 3. Christ hath overcome the world and therefore what remains for us to do Resp See Joh. 3.3 4 5. Mat. 7.21 16.24 25. Luk. 13.24 25 26 27. Phil. 2 1◠3.10 Object 4. But hath not Christ done and suffered all things for us Resp See Notes in James 1.22 Observ 1. The Christian Faith is no dead Faith by Faith they obtained Promises wrought Righteousness stopped the mouths of Lions c. 't is not a fancy Observ 2. It 's an active powerful Faith c. See Notes on 1 Joh. 5.4 Observ 3. To believe that our enemies are overcome to our hand is not the Christian Faith if so why must we strive to enter and fight the good fight To what purpose is the fight of Faith if the enemy can never be overcome Fight the good fight of Faith Lay hold on Eternal Life These words contain two spiritual duties whereof the former is in order to the latter Fight the good fight of Faith that thou mayest lay hold on Eternal Life These words therefore may be resolved into these Divine Truths 1. Fight the good fight of Faith 2. Lay hold on Eternal Life 3. So fight c. that thou mayest lay hold on the Eternal Life Observ 1. The contention and wrestling of Faith is a good contention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such the Apostle calls it 2 Tim. 4.7 Other fights may be questioned whether good or no Nay if they be not according to this without question they are not good for whence come wars come they not of your lusts Jam. 4.1 Observ 2. The Christian profession is no idle contemplative life Fighting puts forth all the strength any man hath it is striving for life Observ 3. Sin is a fighting enemy Psal 56. 1. Man would swallow me up he is daily fighting and troubling me 2.
of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent which is a lasting enmity Gen. 3. Revel 12. ult He himself hath commanded this contention 1 Tim. 6.12 Observ 1. Christian Religion is no easie no lazy profession wrestling requires all the mans strength fighting doth so Timotheus Observ 2. We learn from hence what is properly the Christian Faith not a belief that all things are already done to our hands so that we need do nothing Observ 3. We our selves must be active toward the conquest of the enemy and obtaining our own Salvation True it is that we have no strength of our own but the Lord lends us his Arm i. e. Christ See Notes in Isa 33.2 Doubt If then our power be of God and he help by his Arm and he work all our works what need we do any thing Deut. 33.27 The eternal God is thy refuge and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say destroy them So needful that Salvation depends upon it 2 Cor. 1.6 Exhort Fight the good fight of Faith contend lawfully 2 Tim. 2.5 Confer 1 Cor. 9. Observ 1. It is not the Lords will that weak and impotent Mankind should maintain differences contend strive one with another he hath made all of one blood Truly such an Unity there ought to be in the Church that we ought to speak and think one and the same thing and Brother ought not to go to Law with brother But whereas graceless and ungodly men break the Peace of God and Peace among Men and Men become mighty hunters one of other God in justice often times dasheth unpeaceable Spirits one against another and raiseth up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 defenders of the Peace and preservers of Mankind Observ 2. We are not to wrestle only with carnal sins See Notes in Zach. 7.5 6. Observ 3. We have no weak Adversary to deal withall 't is folly for us to think so Stultum est imbecillem fingere adversarium That 's the third sence of these words which I believe is the best though I reject not the other for so flesh and blood sounds weakness and the spirit and spiritual that which is strong Isa 31. 1 Cor. 3. Gal. 6.1 Ye that are spiritual restore c. Repreh Those who very undiscreetly afflict and crucifie their poor weak flesh especially on these dayes of Fasting and Humiliation and mean time neglect the roots of bitterness which lie hid in their hearts I beseech thee who ever thou art what hurt hath thy poor flesh done unto thee what hath it deserved at thy hand We blame the Papists yet many of us do the very same thing O how much better how much more wisely should we do if we would endeavour to extinguish kill and crucifie our vicious inclinations our sins rather than our weak flesh and blood that we would put to death the Ram rather than Isaac the Aegyptian rather than the Edomite the ill thief rather than the good we wrestle not only with the carnal lust More NOTES on EPHES. VI. 12 13. THese words contain a List or Catalogue of the Chief Commanders in our Enemies Army and an Alarm with the reason of it The Chief Commanders are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principalities Powers Rulers of the darkness of this world The general under which they are all contained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual wickednesses in heavenly things These several points offer themselves to our consideration 1. The world is in darkness 2. The Principalities and Powers are Governours of the world 3. We wrestle against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world 4. We wrestle against spiritual wickedness in high places or heavenly things 5. Because we have these Antagonists to wrestle withal therefore we ought to take unto us the whole armour of God that we may be able to resist them These names are understood by the Fathers and School-men to be meant of diverse degrees of Angels Ephes 1.21 Ye have Principality Power and Dominion The same ye have Col. 1.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominions Prncipalities or Powers Of these I have spoken largely heretofore as understood of the good Angels here they are to be understood of the fallen and apostate Angels 1. Quaere what is meant 1. by the world 2. by darkness 3. that the world is in darkness 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to detain or hold the eyes from seeing so the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be dark and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hold or detain as the fight from seeing they differ but in one point one from other We read of diverse kinds of darkness 1. Natural 2. Spiritual 1. The Natural darkness ariseth from interception of outward light 2. The Spiritual from the intervention of the heavenly and spiritual light the inward spiritual darkness is sin which because sometime the man is become one with it he is called darkness also ye were darkness Ephes 5.8 3. There is beside these darknesses another sort which we cannot call evil but such as are taken rather in a good sence Exod. 19.16 18. Psal 18.12 God made the darkness his hiding place He said he would dwell in the thick darkness What you have heard in the darkness that declare ye in the light Mat. 20. If a man shall consider the multitude of contemplations and knowledges of the Divine Nature which all the understanding of Man is not able to explain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Allegories he will say that there is darkness in Divine things See Notes in Mat. 13.11 The darkness here understood is that of sin In darkness there is 1. the obscurity of the medium 2. the objects hid in it 3. the eyes held by it 4. the man blind Isai 29.18 and Chap. 42.16 2. The Devils are Rulers of the darkness of this world Job 14.30 and 16.11 This is therefore to be understood with limitation not so as if the Devil had by right an Authority and Power over this world O no 't is a term of restriction Tenebrarum harum Rulers of the darkness of this world And so it is an unquestionable tenent that the Evil Spirits have their Rule and Power in this dark world Communis omnium doctorum est opinio quod aer iste plenus sit contrariis fortitudinibus Hier. Darkness of this world is twofold 1. Outward Isai 14. Lappi Finnones 2. Inward in every mans worldly mind For as the Lord hath put the Divine World in the heart of his Saints so hath the Prince of this world put the evil world in the heart of ungodly men Rulers of this world i. e. the lovers of it wicked men they are Rulers of that world whereof our Lord speaks the world knew him not Joh. 1. These evil Spirits differ from the good Angels by their want of light for whereas the Principles of an Angel are Body Soul and Spirit 1. The Body is wind fecit Angelos
host Judg. 7.22 And even thus that which is born of God overcomes the world For Midian is no other than the false judgement So Midian signifieth a cruel enemy to the Israel of God judging falsely of Gods people and the things of God and these the true Gideon breaks in pieces and dasheth one against another so Gideon signifieth Thus God confounded the language of the Babel builders one by another and dispersed them Gen. 11. And when they draw their tongues like a sharp sword and shoot out their arrows even bitter words suddenly do they shoot at the upright as the Psalmist speaks The Lord divides their tongues as David prays divide their tongues O Lord for I have espied iniquity and strife in the City Psal 55.9 And therefore this victory of Christ over the false judgement it 's said to be according to the day of Midian Esay 9.4 5. 2. Thus Christ destroys the Philistins 1 Sam. 14.20 by setting every mans sword against his fellow The Philistins are drunkards as the word signifieth Now there is a two-fold drunkenness 1. With wine and 2. With opinion and they are both extreme enemies to the people of God And therefore the power of Christ proceeds so in us for the conquest of these Jonathan went against these Philistins i. e. the gift of God So Jonathan signifieth and so Christ calls himsef The gift of God Joh 4.10 Eph. 4 7. And thus he sets one opinion against another and so confounds and infatuates them They are drunken saith the Prophet but not with wine they stagger but not with strong drink for the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep and hath closed your eyes Esay 29.9 10. And because this drunkenness of opinion is always accompanied with hypocrisie vers 13.14 Therefore the Lord said For as much as this people draw near me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but they have removed their hearts far from me and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men therefore behold I will proceed to do a marvellous work and a wonder for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall he hid The Lord mingles amongst them a spirit of giddiness and infatuates them makes them fools one by anothers reasoning oppositions of science falsly so called 1 Tim. 6.20 till they come to their wits end and so become fools in this world that they may be wise 1 Cor. 3.18 2 Cor. 10.5 3. The like we may judge of the conspiracy of Ammon Moab and the inhabitants of Mount Seir against the people of God 2 Chron. 20.23 when the bastard and false religions figured by Ammon and Moab fight and overcome the Edomites the earthly minds and then fall at difference among themselves and destroy one the other Such conflicts as these there are within us had we acquaintance with our own hearts and spirits and could discern them Thus that which is born of God overcometh the world remotely and mediately And all these victories I ascribe unto Christ's restraining Grace 2. That which is born of God overcomes the world immediately And here the Combat is not between sin and sin but between the spirit and the flesh grace and sin good and evil virtue and vice righteousness and unrighteousness Christ and Belial that which is born of God and that which is born of the Devil Thus charity overcomes envy humility pride liberality covetousness patience anger sobriety drunkenness chastity incontinency piety prophaness and hypocrisie And generally all that which is born of God overcomes the world all that which is born of the Devil If we enquire into the causes of this victory I shall name only two 1. The Spirit of Christ the efficient cause Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other 2. The glory of God the final cause of all these victories 1 Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty and base things of the world and things despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought the things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence that according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. The uses are 1. Of Instruction 2. Reproof 3. Comfort 4. Exhortation 1. There are contrary births in us struggling and striving for mastery like the twins in Rebecca's womb Judge in your selves Beloved do ye not find the conflict in every one of your souls Doth not the flesh lust against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Is there not an enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent Do we not perceive the same enmity continued in our hearts Do we think that the Lord hath sworn in vain that the Lord will have war with Amalech from generation to generation Exod. 17.16 this war we read first there and Josuah leading the Israelites against Amalech we read also Saul fulfilling this oath 1 Sam. 15. where the Lord sends him to war with Amalech David also maintains the same war 1 Sam. 3.30 Mordecai and Esther also continue the fulfilling of it Esther 8. and 9. And do we think that this war is now ended The Lord hath sworn that he will have war with Amalech from generation to generation both under the law and under the Gospel And where now shall we find this war continued Where else but in every one of our hearts There 's an Amalechite there there 's a spawn of the Devil some of the Serpents seed that declines and sways the people from their obedience unto God and so licks up the people So properly Amalech signifieth and with this Amalech the Lord and that which is born of God will war from generation to generation These are those enemies which our Lord fore-tells of Matth. 24. That a mans enemies shall be those of his own houshold And this Amalech these enemies the Lord will destroy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an hidden hand So the Greek interpreters render the words The Lord sware that he will have war with Amalech c. Even by the hand of Christ the power of God he had horns coming out of his hand and there was the hiding of his power Hab. 3.4 And by these he maintains war with the spiritual Amalech from generation to generation 2. But emnity may perhaps be dissembled smothered and conceiled and no hurt come of it Is the enmity of the world such No the world is a troublesome importunate and implacable enemy such as exerciseth enmity in fighting and troubling as David complains Psal 56.1 Man would swallow me up he is daily fighting and troubling me The Title of the Psalm is The Dove of the Congregation of them who
Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead And there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord and said I will perswade him I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets And he said Thou shalt perswade him and prevail also Ahab was deluded by his false Prophets who humoured him in his sins so that Elijah and Micaiah were accounted his enemies because they told him the truth and would have put him in a way of subduing his true and spiritual enemies his covetousness and pride And I doubt not but it is the condition of many of us that we listen only to such Doctrine as sutes most with our pleasure and ease and if we hear any other that sets us upon Duty self denyal mortifying and crucifying our lusts we count such our enemies because they tell us the truth Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. The Devil fights against thee by false tongues like sharp arrows thou provest angry and pettish the Lord was working thee to a resemblance of himself He was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief He would now demolish thy pettish and angry distemper and work thee to a likeness of himself in patience and meekness what hope is there that thy spiritual enemies should ever be subdued when thou hatest thy reprover and him that discovers them unto thee Consol I hate iniquity and I find the greater opposition that must needs be Job had his name from his enmity against all iniquity the Devil used all his Engines to oppress him but ye have heard of the patience of Job To those who are cast down by sight of their sins be not dejected poor soul God is beginning a good work in thee O but I perceive my lusts very strong and potent in me an enemy must first be discovered before he be overcome while thou wast yet in thy sins and overcome by them thou wast at ease and perceivedst them not thine enemies Rom. 7.7 8 9. This is meant by Luke 11.21 When the strong man armed keeps his palace all his goods are in peace He let the Jews enjoy peace while they were subject to him but now the stronger man is come and begins to grapple with the enemy now thou losest thy former peace O but I find a great confusion in my soul that thou mayst do it cannot be avoided a conflict there must be and that of long continuance before the enemy be overcome There was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David 2 Sam. 3.1 but the house of David waxed stronger and stronger and the house of Saul weaker and weaker And there is great reason this contention should be very long we had deeply plunged our selves into sin that 's easie to do Sed revocare gradum superasque evadere ad auras Hic labor hoc opus est To be able to get out again it will cost a great deal of pains a great deal of strugling besides the Law that discovers our fall and our enemies that keep us down that 's weak by reason of our flesh Rom. 8. Grant the Law were strong yet if we be weak what help is in it Recipitur ad modum recipientis Mean time despair not poor soul there 's hope there will be an end of this conflict to thy comfort if thou be of David's side there will be an end of that conflict between the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent when the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head when the true David shall tread Satan under his feet yea under thy feet Rom. 16.20 only be thou of David's followers only observe how they are qualified that are his followers Psal 101.3 I hate the works of them that turn aside How long wouldst thou endure a course of Physick if thou wert sure at length to recover Christ is the best Physician that hath undertaken the cure he comes speedily to thy succour he hath wings and healing under them How long wouldst thou endure a sute at Law if thou wert sure to overcome Thou hast the best advocate the Spirit of God himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 16.21 Exhort Not to hinder the work of the Lord Let God arise and his enemies be scattered we keep him under and will not suffer him to arise What enemies we are to our own souls Let patience have it's perfect work 't is that by which we possess our souls if we lose that if we hinder the work of that we lose our souls and then wo be to them that have lost patience saith the wise man let the truth free we hold it in iniquity we our selves bind the stronger man as the Jews bound Sampson if we let him free he 'll conquer all our spiritual enemies and make us free if the truth make ye free then are ye free indeed That which is born of God overcometh the world God hath a world yea worlds and the Devil hath a world one at least Setting aside all other significations of the world less pertinent unto this place of Scripture here it signifieth especially 1. The sin and evil of the world the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life 1 Joh. 2.16 2. Or worldly men that lye in sin and evil either the world of wickedness as S. James calls it Jam. 3.6 or the wicked of the world 2 Pet. 2.5 which that which is born of God is here said to overcome Overcoming is the act of him who prevails and is superiour in contention of which victory is the event and issue which is two ways obtained faciendo and patiendo by doing and suffering 1. Victory obtained by doing is the plenary and full conquest of sin and sinful men of the world 2. By suffering is the indefatigable and unweariable enduring the assaults of the world and worldly men with a final frustrating and wearying of them as an anvil and adamant wearieth him who strikes it And both those wayes the first born of God overcomes the world For 1. as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah as a King he actively subdues every enemy and treads the arch enemy under his Saints feet Rom. 16. And 2. as a Lamb he also passively overcomes every enemy Revel 17.14 These shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is the Lord of Lords Isai 63.3 I have trodden the wine-press alone and of the people there was none with me This is the kingdom and the patience of Jesus Christ Revel 1.9 And as Christ the first born of God so the Saints who also are born of God they overcome the world They subdued kingdoms wrought righteousness
them of old time our Lord tells us as much Mat. 19.8 That because of the hardness of their hearts Moses had suffered them to put away their wives but from the beginning it was not so therefore he saith not here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as formerly it was said indeed to or by them of old time Thou shalt not commit Adultery but it was not said to or by them of old time if a man put away his wife c. That this is the true reason why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not here added will appear beside what hath been said if ye compare herewith Jer. 3.1 where the Prophet speaking of the very same argument he puts first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn they say or saying whereby is implied That this was not said from the beginning but since the hearts of men have been hardned by unbelief and disobedience Mysticé There is a lawful and a necessary divorce to be made between us and our sinful thoughts and memory which spiritually are signified by a Wife as I have shewn heretofore out of 2 Cor. 11. These are the Female part of the man as the life is the Male and these are adjoyn'd to the Male even to the life as a meet-help unto it as a Wife which lodgeth in his bosome if she prove unquiet if she be a scold if she gad abroad like an idle huswife if she be an harlot it 's the Wise Mans advise cut her off from thy flesh and let her go Ecclus. 25.26 And this seems to be intended in Deut. 24. If the Husband find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of uncleanness in his wife then let him give her a bill of divorce what is this word of uncleanness there is a pure word and an holy word the word of the Lord is pure but there is a word of Belial saith the Wise Man even the word of Antichrist which opposeth and exalts it self against God and whatsoever is of God and Christ in us God grant saith the Wise Man that it be not found in the house of Jacob c. Ecclus. 23 12 13. This is that which our Saviour calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render for cause of fornication there is an inward word of fornication and adultery this is that which is to be divorced and put away from us O let it not be found in us Exhor Let us rather heed and obey that which was said to them of old time and by them of old time than that which was only by them of later time rather by the precepts of the Lord than his permissions with the Ancients is Wisdom See Notes on Job 12. Mat. 5.32 Hitherto we have heard the pretended Law come we now to our Lord's exception and limitation of this Law or pretence of a Law But I say unto you that he who shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery 1. A man may put away his Wife for the cause of Fornication 2. Whosoever shall put away his Wife saving for the cause of Fornication causeth her to commit Adultery 3. Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth Adultery 4. Our Lord Jesus saith this Whosoever c. 5. It hath been said indeed if a man put away his Wife c. but the Lord Jesus saith c. 1. A man may put away his Wife for the cause of Fornication This is clear in that our Lord names this cause and excludes all others So that his exceptions of this hath the force of an affirmation 2. By Fornication which otherwhere is understood of single persons is here to be meant Adultery for so the words are used promiscuously as I have formerly shewn 3. Reason Fornication or Adultery which is here understood is a real breach of that Sacred Bond whereby Man and Wife becomes one flesh and therefore putting away in this case is but a declaring of that or a perfecting of that by the man which was done before by the woman Further Reason may be this since the most Holy God excludes Adulterers and Fornicators from the Kingdom of Heaven Gal. 5. It seems equal that they should be excluded also from the Saints society upon earth and therefore Adulterers were adjudged by God's Law to the most extreme kinds of punishments among the Jews as burning Gen. and stoning John 8. A man may but must he so do But here it may be doubted whether the man even in this case be bound to put away his Wife even for the cause of Adultery I believe he is not bound to put away his Wife no not for the cause of Adultery and my reason is I do not read any Law of God that enjoyns the wronged man so to do Besides in regard of God he is a witness of the mutual Faith plighted one to the other it is his own reason Mal. 2.14 The Lord hath been witness between thee and the Wife of thy youth and secondly she is thy Companion and the Wife of thy Covenant It is thy Covenant and the Lord is witness to it 3. The Lord hates putting away Mal. 2.16 And we ought not to do the thing that he hates Jer. 44.4 2. In regard of men though it be true that Adultery were a capital crime and to be punished by the Judges as Job 31. if the business were brought before them and proved yet we read not any where that the Husband was bound to prosecute his Wife if he saw her penitent or thought good either to retain her or put her away more privately by bill of divorce We find not that Jacob put away his Wife or Hand-maid which was a secondary Wife whom Ruben abused And Joseph in his ignorance conceiving his espoused Wife to have been an Adulteress being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a merciful man he would not make her a publick Example but thought privately to put her away by bill of divorce Mat. 1. Obser 1. Adultery is here called Fornication as the highest degree of it Obser 2. Adultery is one of the greatest crimes as that which dissolves and unties that knot between Man and Wife and nulls that union betwen Man and Wife above all other causes which otherwise is inseparable Obser 3. Note hence what wisdom is required what providence and circumspection what care in the choice of such a Companion as must live and converse with us and be one with us all our life time Quod semel faciendum est id deliberandum est diu The choice of such an associate is like a stratagem in war wherein a man can err but once Ye are wary in your bargains and buying your commodities which yet ye intend not long time to keep or lie by you but presently to put off for gain and advantage how much more circumspect and wary ought men to be in making a bargain for life in purchasing a
spirit 2 Cor. 5. Exhort Be we chast unto our true Husband thy Maker is thine husband See Notes on Gen. 2.18 1. He destroys all who commit Fornication against him Psal 73.27 2. Let there be a consideration of his Dignity He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings 3. There is in all living creatures a desire of perpetuity and immortality not only the sin it self is to be avoided but the danger and occasion of it to our selves and others The Apostle's exhortation is weighty let us judge this That no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Rom. 14.13 3. Axiom Whosoever marries her who is divorced committeth Adultery This is an hard saying what shall an innocent woman whom her husband puts away out of the hardness of his heart and not for any default on her part shall such an one be debarr'd from a second marriage yea shall he who marrieth such a one without any other crime on his part be for so doing esteemed an Adulterer Surely as the Law speaks to them who are under the Law so the Gospel and the Author and subject of the Gospel speaks to those who are under the Gospel unto those our Lord's words are directed as to those who are obedient unto his doctrine So the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.10 11 12. Vnto the married I command yet not I but the Lord. Let not the wife depart from her husband but if she depart let her remain unmarried or be reconciled unto her husband this latter clause seems to be the Apostles Counsel and let not the husband put away his wife It is true this saying is hard to flesh and blood but it is an hard thing to be saved and flesh and blood shall not enter into the Kingdom of God The Disciples themselves thought it an hard saying and therefore when our Lord had treated on this very argument Mat. 19.9 at v. 10. His Disciples say unto him if the case of the man be so with his wife it is not good to marry but our Lord answers all men receive not this saying It is not as our Translators read it all men cannot receive this saying there is neither may not nor cannot in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all men receive not this saying but they to whom it is given Either men are born without desire of women or they are disabled for marriage by men or they have obtained of God that power over themselves for the Kingdom of God's sake There is no doubt but a man may do much more than he doth and few men endeavour and pray heartily unto God for power over their appetite which they secretly desire to follow Reason of this why he who marrieth her who is put away committeth Adultery may be considered 1. In regard of the Covenant of marriage and 2. in regard of the parties to be joyned together in that Covenant 1. As for the Covenant of marriage that stands firm unless it be broken by Fornication or Adultery and therefore if marriage be contracted where there is no such breach made he who marries her who is so divorced commits Adultery 2. As for the parties to be joyned together in the Covenant of marriage he who shall speedily marry her who is divorced he gives a ground of strong suspition that all was not right before divorce Toties quae nubit adultera lege est Such often I fear are those whom men call their seconds Besides what ever is contrary to marriage according to God's estimate is Adultery and so comprehended in the Commandment Obs 1. Here then are two mischiefs that follow upon divorce he that puts away his Wife except it be for Fornication causeth her to commit Adultery and he whosoever marrieth her who is divorced committeth Adultery Add hereunto what our Lord saith Mat. 19.9 He whosoever puts away his wife except it be for Fornication and marrieth another committeth Adultery that 's a third mischief that follows upon divorce and from every one of these incontinent and adulterous conjunctions commonly proceeds a respective bastardy and an adulterous generation How fruitful is sin Three kinds of Adultery proceed from divorce so true is that of the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One absurdity granted a thousand follow O how good how seasonable how necessary a conflict is it principiis obstare by all good means by Faith by Prayer by Fasting by Self-denial by Patience and taking up our Cross to withstand evil motions in the beinning they are then but weak and in our power if we give them a way they 'l prove head-strong and too mighty for us to master them Obser 2. Marriage doth not alwayes priviledge married persons from Adultery here are three Adulteries committed by married persons Obser 3. We ought not only to take heed lest we our selves commit sin but lest we occasion others to commit sin also What can be more grievous not only to commit sin our selves but also to cause others to sin Every man hath burden enough of his own sin and hath little need to load himself with other mens sins Is it not enough that our Lord teacheth us to pray forgive us our trespasses but that we should draw upon our selves a necessity of praying Lord forgive us the sins and trespasses of other men whom we have provoked and occasioned to sin Mysticé He who marrieth her who is put away commits Adultery There is a Wife that is worthily put away even the evil thoughts thus ye read the thoughts compared to Eve 2 Cor. 11. These thoughts are to be divorced and put away the thought of foolishness is sin Prov. 24.9 vain thoughts Jer. 4.14 prophane thoughts as if the most Righteous God were with us and of the same mind with us as well in the sin as in the righteousness as well in evil doing as in well doing an arrant ranting principle the Lord reproves and divorceth such a Wife Psal 50.18 21. when thou sawest a thief c. and thou thoughtest that I was such a one as thy self of one mind with thee in thy thievery in thine adultery in thine evil speaking in thine obloquy and slander but I will reprove thee and the Lord be pleased to reprove all such thoughts and enable us to put them away as the wise man gives us counsel Ecclus. 25.26 cut her off c. when she is put away she must not be married again he that marries such a one that is so put away commits Adultery Mysticé What a good husband the Lord our God is unto his Spouse the Church He warrants her to call him her husband Hos 2.16 He will make a Covenant for her with the Creatures v. 16. yea a covenant of marriage with himself v. 19. and he hates putting away Axiom 4. Our Lord Jesus saith this I say unto you whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication c. and he that marrieth her committeth adultery These words are a
Divine Testimony wherein we may take notice of that main motive whereby our Lord diswades from divorce lest it might be an occasion of sin See one main reason of Christ's appearing in the flesh to set all right again to reduce all things to their primitive and first institution thus he tells us that it behoves us to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 He speaks of John and himself as in the flesh but it 's most true of the second Elias and himself that they shall restore all things So he saith from the beginning it was not so but now in the end it must be so as it was in the beginning When we have departed from the unison what a jarring what a disharmony there is and no full concord 'till we come to the eighth therefore the eighth day is the Diapason wherein respondent ultima primis as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be Axiom 5. It hath been said indeed if a man shall put away his Wife c. but I say unto you c. Doubt 1. Did our Lord Jesus Christ then come to destroy the Law surely no he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it as he himself speaks Dovbt 2. But what then shall we say to permission did our Lord come to destroy that Permittere est concedere sinere to permit is to grant or suffer a thing to be for the vertue of a Law consists in these three acts to command forbid and permit or suffer to be done Ipsam Legum indulgentiam significat saith the Lawyer it signifieth the indulgence and favour of the Laws and therefore it implies that the thing permitted is unlawful according to that permitti dicitur illud quod illicitum est ut magis illicitum vitetur that which is unlawful is permitted that that which is more unlawful may be avoided whence it is that since evil is not nor can be perpetual therefore the permission of evil cannot be perpetual and so we shall understand the reason why our Lord abolisheth divorce except in case of fornication 1. It is evil and permitted for the avoiding of greater evil 2. It was not from the beginning and therefore it is not said it was said to them of old time but only it was said 3. Permissum ad certum tempus censetur exacto illo tempore prohibitum that which is permitted for a certain time when that time is past it 's judged to be forbidden 4. The Lord Jesus appeared for this end to take away this permission the evil permitted and the cause of that evil for whereas by reason of the hard heart Moses permitted men to put away their wives Mat. 19.8 which in the beginning was not so neither must it be so in the end when Christ comes to take away the hard and stony heart and give us an heart of flesh according to the promises Ezech. 36.26 Obser 1. Hence it appears that Christ came not to mollifie the Law or to abate any thing of the just requiring of it but to teach it and fulfil it truly and fully Obser 2. Hence observe in what estate thou art O man who ever thou art if a Christian man if a Disciple of Christ know that there is more required of thee then of those who were or yet are under the Law It is a false and groundless opinion that the Gospel is a doctrine of indulgence and favour and abates of that righteousness which the Law commands This proceeds meerly and soly out of self love True it is that in the Gospel the mercy of God is more revealed and more of the truth of God is made known also more strength and power is given yea grace and truth and peace and remission and pardon of sin comes by Jesus Christ but to whom surely to the penitent to the believers to the converts to the willing and to the obedient ones Here is a difference between the Law and the Gospel Mysticé Take notice how Grace through the Gospel superabounds Moses permitted men to put away their Wives the Lord Jesus hates putting away Mal. 2. yea he commands Hosea to marry an harlot that was put away Hos 1. and what is Hosea but the Saviour who invites the harlot that hath been put away Jer. 3. Thamar incestuous Thamar and Bathshebah the adulteress are both in our Lord's Genealogy Mat. 1. that it may appear that there is no sin no foul but the true Hosea the Saviour comes to take it away and purge us from it Repreh Those who abuse the Grace of the Gospel and the lenity of the Lord Jesus Christ It is true he hates putting away yet he hath rejected first Aholah then Aholibah Ezec. 23. And our Lord Jesus threatens the Jews that the Kingdom of God shall be taken from them and that their house shalt be left unto them desolate It is true the Lord hates putting away but he more hates idolatry ingratitude disobedience obstinacy and rebellion these may provoke him to do the thing that he hates even to do his work his strange work Esay 28. O think sadly of this who ever thou art who goest on still in thy sin Repreh 2. Who reject and divorce the true Spouse of Christ by reason of some blemish some uncleanness This was the Jews hardness of heart Deut. 24.1 as the Lord interprets it Mat. 19. Repreh 3. But much more are they to blame who reject and divorce the true Church of Christ and esteem her an adulteress and an harlot and that because of her purity and cleanness what else do they who condemn such for erronious and heretical who hope and endeavour to purifie themselves as Christ their husband is pure 1 John 3.3 There is a story in Heliodore of a black woman who brought forth a fair white Child many thereupon condemned her for an harlot and would have her to be put to death but equal Judges making enquiry into the business found that the picture of Andromeda a fair white picture hung in the chamber where she lay whereupon because phantasia habet opus reale the fancy produceth real effects they judged that the woman by her fancy in her conception had wrought like impression of colours and proportion in her child and thereupon acquitted the woman And truly a man would think that equal Judges such especially as pretend to purity and holiness if they shall consider that Christ is the pure and spotless mirrour the brightness of God's glory and the express image of his person and that he is the example and pattern set before us for our imitation if they consider this they should not censure those to be erronious and heretical who behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord with his open face and are translated into that image from glory to glory Surely if Christ be formed in them they are not harlots and adulteresses they are not erronious who bring him forth to life in them the more pure they
he hid his Nature Wayes and Works and so deluded the old world but more refined ones also more proper to the latter times outward forms and plausible shews and appearances of Holiness and Righteousness where withal he covers his Spiritual wickedness in heavenly things This hidden wickedness and the covering of it the Apostle opens 2 Thes 2.9 10. whose coming being or presence is according to the operation of Satan in all power and signs or types and wonders of a lye in all deceiveableness of unrighteousness In both kinds of mysteries the thing hidden and the covering of it are taken promiscuously the one for the other Thus 1. In the mystery of the Kingdom of God Wisdom is put for the mystery of it Here is Wisdom i. e. a mystery containing wisdom Apoc. 13.18 And a mystery for the wisdom hidden under the mystery I tell you a mystery when he reveals the wisdom 1 Cor. 15. And 2. In the mystery of Iniquity the iniquity or wickedness is put for the mystery of it This woman is wickedness i. e. the mystery of it Zach. 5.8 for upon the same woman is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mystery Apoc. 17. And the mystery of iniquity is put for the iniquity it self The mystery of iniquity now worketh that is the iniquity it self 2 Thes 2. The Text directs me to the former kind of mystery the mystery of the Kingdom of God Now according to the twofold reading of the Text singular and plural we may conceive one kind of mystery of the Kingdom it self what it is and wherein it consists and another kind of mystery touching the whole Administration and Government of the Kingdom That there is a mystery of the Kingdom of God or that his Kingdom is a mystical Kingdom will appear if we consider that great variety of typical and parabolical representations of it for what was the Kingdom of Israel but a mystery of the Kingdom of God so it is expounded Eph. 2. and the whole Church is called the Israel of God Gal. 6. And what was meant by all those Judges but God the Judge of all as he is expounded Esay 33.22 Who should judge the world with Righteousness Psal 98. And therefore when the people rejected Samuel They have not saith God the true Judge rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them 1 Sam. 8.7 What is meant by those Righteous Kings but that King that should reign in Righteousness Esay 32.1 even Christ the King of Israel so Nathaniel calls him John 1.49 What by all those wise Kings but Christ who is the Wisdom Prov. 8. What by all those powerful Kings but Jesus Christ to whom all Power is given who himself is essentially the power of God and the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 What was David the King of Israel but the love of God so David signifieth and so Christ is called the love of God and the Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of his Son who is his Love Col. 1.13 who by the Prophets is called expresly by the name of David Jer. 30.9 Ezech. 37.24 Hos 3.5 and expounded by the Angel to be the very same who should sit upon the Throne of his Father David who was signified by Jedidiah or Solomon but the same Love of God and the same Prince of Peace Esay 9. The peace of God which rules in the hearts of the faithfull Col. 3.15 And how did God otherwise establish Solomons Throne for ever according to his promise 2 Sam. 7. for it 's impossible to make it good in the Type or History but that the true Solomon Christ Jesus the Righteousness Wisdom Power Love and Peace of God should reign over the house of Jacob the Church of God for ever of whose Kingdom there should be no end Luk. 1.32 And what was Melchizedeck but a mystery of God's Kingdom the same King who should reign in Righteousness for so the Apostle expounds that mystery Melchizedeck by interpretation saith he the King of Righteousness and after that also the King of Salem which is the King of peace Heb. 7.2 And wherein I beseech you consists the Kingdom of God but as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 14.17 in Righteousness which contains in it all Graces and Virtues and in the effects of Righteousness Peace and Joy These Examples beside many the like abundantly prove that there is a mystery of the Kingdom of God But if we read the Text plurally the mysteries are infinite which concern the Kingdom of Heaven yea some places of Scripture there are which seem most plainly literal yet indeed are mystical and allegorical and so expounded even by Scripture it self The story of Hagar and Sarah is well known which Gal. 4.22 23 24. St. Paul saith is an Allegory and Christ relating the History of the Israelites from the giving of the Law till himself was made King which contains above four hundred years prepares his Auditors with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are mysteries of the Royal Law or Law of the Kingdom as it is called Jam. 2.8 Mysteries of the Royal Gospel or Gospel of the Kingdom as 't is called Apoc. 14. which is a mystical Gospel Eph. 6.19 The Covenant of Circumcision was a mystery Gen. 17. and so expounded even by Moses himself Deut. 10.16 and 30.6 and Jer. 4.4 So was the Passover Exod. 12. so revealed by St. Paul 2 Cor. 5. such was the Tabernacle also which David opens Psal 15.1 such was the Temple opened by Esay 51.15 and 60 1 2. 2 Cor. 3.16 Apoc. 21.22 such were all the instruments of the Tabernacle and Temple being all but mystical patterns and examples Heb. 8.5 So were the Sacrifices of the Tabernacle and Temple Psal 4.5 and 50.14 and 51.19 Hos 14.2 Heb. 13.13 Such were the special times of Sacrifices the Holy Dayes New Moons and Sabbaths all being but shadows of things to come Col. 2.16 17. Nay Omnia in figura contingebant illis So the old Glosse read that Text 1 Cor. 10. not as we since All these things but all things happened unto them for types and examples And there is good Reason for it whether we consider the mysteries themselves and the truths hidden in them or the persons whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the person Revealing or concealing mysteries those who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 initiated to whom these mysteries are revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who are without from whom these mysteries are concealed or hidden In every one of these respects good reason there is that the Kingdom of Heaven should be a mysticall Kingdom or that there are mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven As for the mystical truths themselves there is a kind of necessity that they should be concealed for whereas spiritual things have neither name nor sensible figure nor any outward semblance proper to themselves whereby they might be conveyed through our outward and inward senses unto our understanding which
foot Or 2. perhaps this obstruction proceeds from an high esteem of other meats and drinks thus the Jews admired their figurative Manna and so could not digest the true bread that came down from heaven Joh. 6. And the high estimation the woman had of Jacob's Well endangered her the loss of the Water of Life Joh. 4. Thus many entertain high thoughts of outward formalities in Religion and yet remain themselves without the power of it as our Lord told the Jews That their Fathers ate Manna and yet were dead and the Samaritan woman That he that drank of that water should thirst again Joh. 4.13 And St. Paul told the Galatians That their Ceremonial Observations were weak and beggarly Elements Gal. 4.9 such as could not nourish nor strengthen the Soul with Grace and the same we may say of all Ceremonies in themselves considered whether they be 1. such as the Church injoyns or 2. such as they observe who oppose them and oppose the Church in opposing them In themselves they are no other whose only worth is in their serviceableness and signification of better things and therefore he that is taken with these in themselves considered feeds as it were upon the husks and chaff and neglects the corn the eares the paring of the fruit and neglects the pulp he admires as it were the dish and tastes not of the meat These in themselves are the meat that perish vain and empty things which will not profit us in the latter end The heart must be established with Grace and not with such meat Other humours there are which trouble our concoction in the Will and Affections such is nicety and curiosity O purge out that and that with this recipe dainty palates are not long lived wherefore hear the counsel of the Spiritual Prov. 23.1 2 3. When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler as now thou dost consider what is set before thee c. be not desirous of his dainties for they are deceitful meat He that would eat to live and not to surfet will be content with wholesome and nourishing food and will eat his meat as savourly out of an earthen platter as out of a silver dish Take heed of being over greedy put thy knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to thine appetite There is a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dog-like appetite which possesseth many men of knowing much and doing little Such as is the longing of some women Remember I pray you what befel the Israelites in this case they desired meat for their lusts and God gave them meat as he doth many things in his anger But while the meat was yet in their mouths the heavy wrath of God fell upon them But perhaps choler or melancholy that takes away thy stomach as Ahab 1 King 21.5 6. Anima tua tristata est non comedis panem perhaps thou hast taken a surfet of cares of this life O take heed of that it is our Saviours caution Luk. 21.34 The general privative way is humiliation and emptying our selves of our own Righteousness yet so that we have not an idolatrical conceit of Christ's Righteousness as if we should be idle No vide humilitatem meam for I do not forget thy Law 2. Positive helps are Faith as the Scripture saith of Christ and good will like a good stomach to a feast if ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good things of the Land Esay 1. both together an evil Father will give his Son if he ask him bread Mat. 7. Luk. 13. He gives his Spirit to them that obey him Come as hungry as the Amalakite whom David fed Christus confertur hominibus bonae voluntatis Luk. 2. Let him that is a thirst come and let him that will take of the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 The oyl will run if there be vessels to receive it 2 King 4. Mat. 7.11 Luk. 11.13 God and his Kingdom is compared to the Reaper The harvest is plenteous but the labourers are few 2. To the Fisherman The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Net 3. To the Merchant The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a Merchant man seeking goodly pearls 4. To the Baker The Kingdom of Heaven is like to leaven 5. To the Cook in the Text I have prepared my dinner mine Oxen and Fatlings are killed And so to divers other callings and professions of life In the Holy Sacrament God condescends to accommodate himself unto all and every man for what is more ordinary what so ordinary as the natural actions of eating and drinking dining and supping and feasting God in Wisdom and Mercy so graciously disposing That whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do we may be reminded of God and his Christ his Kingdom his Righteousness This is that he invites us unto under infinite names in Scripture all being but one and the same meat diversly dressed or served up in divers dishes So saith the Lord by his Prophet Hosea chap. 12.10 Prov. 9 1-5 I have spoken by the Prophets and I have multiplyed visions manibus Prophetarum assimilatus sum I have been diversly represented by the Prophets or as we turn it I have used similitudes by the Ministry of the Prophets who indeed have ministred the same things of old which are reported unto us 1 Pet. 1.12 NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW XXII 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reddite ergo quae sunt Caesaris Caesari quae sunt Dei Deo Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods THe words are a wary Answer to a wily Question and contain in them our Duty towards our King and our God We may resolve the words into these Three Truths 1. We ought to render to Caesar the things that are Caesars 2. To God the things that are Gods 3. To the one as well as to the other The occasion of these words we may gather from the Story which as Josephus and Origen reports it is this Pompey the Great and after him Augustus Caesar and other Roman Emperours imposed a Tax upon the whole Empire and so upon the Jews of this St. Luke speaks Luk. 2.1 2 3. when Joseph and the blessed Virgin went to Bethlehem ut profiterentur as it is in the Vulg. Lat. that they might profess themselves subject to the Romans About this time and upon this occasion Judas of Galilee stirred up the people to rebel against the Romans crying out that it was a very unseemly thing that Gods people should serve the Gentiles of him and his end Gamaliel speaks Act. 5.37 He and his followers though they were quickly taken out of the way yet they left many behind them of the same opinion who were called Galileans from the Author of their Sect whereof Pilate for that cause had slain many and mingled their blood with his Sacrifices Luk. 13.1 And therefore this question whether it were lawful to give tribute
not perceive and hearing they may hear and not understand As many abuse their strength their health their wit their memory to violence to luxury to ribaldry and scurrility and so justly lose those natural endowments and stop the passage of Gods Grace So that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ cannot shine unto them and they as unprofitable servants are cast into outer darkness 2. Yet the gracious God in Judgement remembers Mercy and conceals his mysteries also Nè majus eis praejudicium generetur si postquam noverint Christi mysteria contempserint saith Theophilus The goodness of God prevents their greater judgement by preventing their greater sin Qui enim intelligit posteà spernit graviùs punietur saith the same Father 1. He aims at the good even of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those from whom he conceals his mysteries 2. much more at the prâ—servation and safety of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dispensers of his mysteries 3. But most of all at the respect and honour due unto the holy mysteries both which ends ye have together Mat. 7.6 Give not that which is holy unto dogs neither cast your pearls before swine lest the swine tread them under feet and the dogs turn again and rend you So treading under feet is properly applyed to swine and rending as properly applyed to dogs in some Greek Copies in the Vul. Lat. and the most Ancient English Translations of these we read Phil. 3.2 Beware of dogs beware of the concision such as are wont to bark and snarle and bite whom they like not and what they know not and never heard before as dogs deal with strangers All which laid together may serve for a demonstrative reason of this truth why it is not given to these who are without to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God but all things are to them in parables Yet perhaps some may doubt of this since many there are learned men who seem to know much Divine Truth yet are without the house of God undiscipled men and disobedient unto the Truth as their lives declare them Yea St. Paul seems to suppose That a man may know all mysteries yet have no Charity which is the badge and character of a Christian man But we must know how that according to the language of Scripture there is a broad difference between the things known by Disciples and undiscipled men as also between their wayes and degrees of knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Cyril and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So likewise great difference there is between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between meer historical and speculaâ—ive knowledge and that which is experimental and practical Nor can it be dâ—â—yed but that ungodly and undiscipled men may have some kind of Theory and empty speculation of the heavenly mysteries as much as the bare letter will afford them as the Devil himself is called Daemon one that in this sence knows much of Divine Truth saith Gerson But the knowledge here understood is a thorough knowledge such as they call Affective which inwardly works suitable affections in us and such as they call Effective which works outwardly an answerable life and conversation And in this sence they who are without undiscipled men are truly said not to know the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom So that as God is said to know or not to know the wayes of men according to his approbative or reprobative knowledge as Lyra distinguisheth so likewise may men according to their speculative or experimental knowledge be said to know or not to know the wayes of God and secrets of his kingdom much may these take out of their reading and then say it just as water is emptied out of a cistern so much as is put in so much is emptied out and no more But our Lord tells the woman of Samaria Joh. 4. If thou knewest the gift of God c. it should have been in thee a well of living water springing up unto everlasting life and therefore we may say as she did O Lord give us evermore of this water But this may some say is a malicious and final exclusion of those that are without from ever entring into the School of Christ's mysteries not so for howsoever they know not the mysteries of God's kingdom yet some things are so plain that they cannot but know them which God hath shewn indifferently unto all Thus when the Scribes of Esdras had written two hundred and four Books the highest spake thus unto him The first that thou hast written publish openly that the worthy and unworthy may read 2 Esdr 14.45 more plainly Mich. 6.8 He hath shewn thee O man O Adam who ever thou art worthy or unworthy within or without he hath shewn to thee what is good and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to humble thy self to walk with thy God or to prepare thy self and make thy self ready to walk with thy God Upon the due performance of this God will shew thee more If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine Joh. 7.17 and the rule is general faventi quod in se est Deus non deest being grounded on that of our Saviour To him who hath shall more be given Whence we may observe their scantling small measure and obscure manner of Divine Knowledge who aâ—â— without The Rabbins the most learned of the Jews knew how often every word nay letter was used in the Old Testament yet how foully they erred in the mystery of them The Israelites could not look stedfastly to the end of that which is abolished 2 Cor. 3.13 Joh. 3. The Masters in Israel knew not the secret mystery of Regeneration Repreh Whence also we may observe and wonder at and abhor that abominable presumption of too many even of our own coat and profession who though they be without yea more without than the common sort of men yet dare they pry into the mysteries that are within yea though blind themselves yet dare undertake to lead others though they have not renounced in themselves the mystery of iniquity yet dare they dispense unto others the mystery of Godliness It is not their vain perswasion wherewithal they flatter themselves that they are able to preach to others will excuse them Alas they know not what they preach presuming to be teachers of the Law saith the Apostle They understand not what they say nor whereof they affirm but take up all upon trust and hear-say without any experimental knowledge of their own O how will they answer that dreadful expostulation of God with them Psal 50. Vnto the ungodly said God what hast thou to do to preach my Laws and take my Covenant in thy mouth since thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behind thee or that of the Apostle Rom. 2.21 Thou which teachest another teachest thou not
In respect of a greater measure of it and 2. In regard of more glorious effects and signs then of it than ever were before and therefore before the spirit was given Peter denied his Lord but afterward he preach'd him with notable magnanimity confidence and boldness As for the Fathers of the Old Testament they had the real pledges of the spirit in outward blessings and faithful promises of the spirit in signs and figures 1. They had the real pledges of the spirit in outward blessings houses full of all good things Deut. 6.11 fulness of strength children dayes and other like temporal blessings 2. We read also Promises in the Old Testament That God would fill his house or Temple with his glory Hag. 2.7 i. e. the souls of his Children for they are his House and Temple with his Spirit the like we find 1 King 8.10 2 Chron. 5.14 and 7.1 2. Isa 6.1.4 and Ezek. 10.4 which were types and figures of that which was here fulfilled and performed Joel 2. Yea we have an express promise of it Numb 14.21 As truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord Indeed some small measure they had of the Holy Spirit it self whose fulness was reserved for the times of the New Testament but it was only as the little drops before a great showre of rain and therefore in the Old Testament the Prophets phrase to signifie the preaching of the Word and conveyance of the Spirit was to drop their word but under the Gospel it was poured out in showers Under the Law the measure of the Spirit was like the widows oyl in the cruze but under the Gospel like the same oyl filling all the vessels in the house Under the Law they had sufficiency of the Spiri◠according to Divine Oeconomy and dispensation of that time but under the Gospel they have redundancy of the Spirit Tit. 3.6 And the reason is the fulness of the Spirit was reserved for the honour of the Son of God upon whom the spirit of God was to rest Isa 11. which was the token whereby John the Baptist was taught of God to know Christ Joh. 1.32 for under the Law howsoever the Spirit of God was given to all the Prophets yet neither in any large measure nor for any long continuance for he that shall read of the most zealous Prophet Elijah reproving Ahab to his face causing four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal to be put to death 1 King 18. shall read him at Chap. 19. flying for his life and desiring to dye at the threats of a woman This point is useful for Instruction Reprehension Consolation Exhortation 1. Observe then the truth of the Spirit inhabiting That Spirit of the Lord which fills the whole earth saith the Wise Man which fills heaven and earth saith the Prophet Jeremiah doth in a more special manner fill his own Temple i. e. our Souls and Bodies God is in you of a truth Rom. 8.11 If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you If ens dependens cannot ne ad momentum quidem temporis be separate from ens independens If the dependent Being cannot for the least moment of time be separate from the only independent essence surely the Spirit of God and God himself being that only independent Spirit it is impossible that we should be separate from it since we wholly depend upon him live and move and have our being in him 2. Observe Man is a Vessel this vessel was intended to bear Gods Name in Act. 9. and therefore the Saints are exhorted to bear Gods Name in their bodies 1 Cor. 6. ult Portate Deum in corpore vestro This vessel is his body 1 Sam. 21.5 2 Cor. 4.7 O how much more is his Soul the precious Soul Prov. 6.26 how much more excellent is the Spirit an excellent Spirit his Soul is such Ecclus. 21.14 Cor fatui vas fictile the inward parts of a fool they are like a broken vessel 3. A vessel is full of something emptiness of all things is as absurd in Divinity as in Philosophy 4. The Apostolique and Disciple-like kind of filling is with the Holy Ghost the best liquor is put into the best vessels the Spirit of God in Scripture is compared to Wine and Oyl the new wine and the oyl of gladness The new wine must be put into new vessels and the oyl of gladness into the Virgins Lamps that are trimmed or made ready 5. Observe Gods faithfulness and truth in performance of his great Promise Repleti Apostoli impleta est Scriptura the Apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost and Gods promise was fulfilled 'T is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of excellency The Promise I send the Promise of my Father Luk. 24.49 And the Apostles are commanded to stay at Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the father Act. 1.4 with Act. 2.33 St. Peter interprets it the Promise of the Holy Ghost and St. Paul the Holy Spirit of Promise Ephes 1.13 He who is faithful in performance of his great Promise will also be faithful in performance of less Godliness hath the promise both of this life and that which is to come therefore our Saviour exhorts to seek the performance of the great Promise and the less shall be cast in as the advantage Matth. 6.33 Observ 6. Every one of the Apostles and Disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost and therefore in that respect were all equal one with other yet this assertion brings not in absolute parity and equality into the Church of Christ as some would hence infer For although there be aequalitas ejusdem ordinis equality among men of the same order yet there may be and is inaequalitas diversorum ordinum although they of the same order as the Apostles among themselves were equal yet there being divers orders in the Church those orders are not equal among themselves for waving the controversie whether Bishops and Presbyters were all of one order as it cannot be denied but that sometimes the one is taken for the other yet without doubt the Apostles and Deacons were of divers orders as appears Act. 6. and the same is as clear in regard of other orders of the Church 1 Cor. 12. Ephes 4. Yet men of unequal and different orders were herein equal that they all had received the Holy Spirit the Text is clear for the Apostles and Act. 6. is as evident a proof of the Deacons Observ 7. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost The word All is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implyes a conjunction and joyning all together as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such an union is required among them who may hope to receive the Holy Spirit as vers 1. When the day of Pentecost was fully come
continuance of his reign from Adam to Moses If we resolve these into the Principles whereof they consist they are these 1. Adam was a transgressor or committed transgression 2. Some have sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression 3. Some have sinned and not after the similitude of Adams transgression c. 4. Death hath reigned even upon those who have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression 5. Death hath reigned from Adam to Moses even over them who have not sinned c. 6. From the note of diversity though sin were not imputed when there was no Law yet death reigned And every one of these hath an opposite Apodosis as we shall see in the handling every one of them There was anciently a twofold reading of this Verse 1. One without the Negative As death reigned even over those who sinned after the similitude c. 2. The other with the Negative as we now read the words death reigned who had not sinned after the similitude c. And truly the pious Ancients both Latin and Greek Fathers have followed both readings as well they might and we may without any contradiction The meaning of the Affirmative is this Death reigned over Adam and also over all those who sinned as Adam did and after his Example 2. The other reading with a Negative hath this sence that death reigned over those who either sinned not or not after Adams Example not so heinously as Adam sinned 1. What a Transgressor is I lately shewed 2. Let us enquire what Adam is Though we have often mentioned the first Man in the opening of this Text yet what is signified here by the name Adam which was not named till now we have not yet shewn we shall therefore 1. Consider the name Then 2. the thing signified by it 1. Adam then hath his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the Earth and that from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be red or ruddy so that Adam is Man made of red earth As Tyberius by reason of his cruelty was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dust or earth mixt with blood the Apostle alludes to it 1 Cor. 15.47 The first man is of the earth earthy This name may be three wayes understood 1. As the proper name of our Common Parent 2. As the earthly Adam in us the common nature we have in us propagated from Adam Thus Adam gives his name to every one of us as a Father leaves his name to his Children according to which any one may be truly called Adam So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man ordinarily answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is that which we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the animalish or natural man the man of this world 3. This name is also given to the Son of God or the Son of man who is in heaven the second Adam the Lord from heaven heavenly When then we say that Adam was a Transgressor we understand that Common Parent who hath propagated as his name so his nature unto his posterity Now that Adam was a Transgressor so it is in the Syriack or committed transgression as it is plain by the story Gen. 3. it was shewn out of the first point in this Text verse 12. with the reason of it And therefore I shall not trouble you with any thing then delivered only I shall answer an objection which seems point black to thwart this Text. Object 1 Tim. 2.14 Adam was not deceived but the Woman being deceived was in the transgression it seems therefore that not Adam but Eve was the transgressor or committed the transgression I could here trouble you with a long dispute and divers opinions of men which I wave I answer therefore the Man and the Woman are sometime opposed as in that Scripture The Scripture puts Antithesis for Protimesis Misericordiam volo non sacrificium Thou shalt not be called Jacob but Israel Moses gave you not the bread from heaven but my father giveth the true bread from heaven so here Adam was not deceived but the woman Sometime they are taken as one person so Gen. 1.27 In the Image of God made he him Male and Female created he them when yet the Female was not made which ye read first made Gen. 2.18 Thus when Moses recapitulates the Generations of Adam Gen. 5.2 Male and Female Created he them and called their name Adam for they are both as one person and expresly called one flesh so that whether the one or the other be meant or spoken of the name is Adam Besides although the Woman sinned yet was Adam the chief cause of Generation and Propagation both of Mankind and Sin with it and therefore may the transgression be called Adams and Adam be said to be a transgressor Observat Hence then appears the truth of that Psal 143.2 it is the inference of the Holy Ghost Isai 43.26 27. Thy first Father sinned and was a transgressor Where observe the low condescent of our God to our judgement He submits himself to our opinion who can say that he hath merited any thing for himself or others who hath his own demerits and sins Thy first father hath sinned and transgressed and made thee a transgressor from the womb O no in thy sight no man living shall be justified See Notes in Rom. 7.9 Apodosis Christ the second Adam is Righteous He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of eminency THE JVST ONE Acts 7.52 who have shewed before the coming of that Just One and 22.14 That thou shouldest know his will and see that Just One Yea the wife to Pilate who condemned him acknowledged as much Matth. 27.19 Have thou nothing to do with that Just Man yea he himself who condemned him acknowledged him such vers 24. I am innocent of the blood of this just person so did the Traytor I have betrayed the innocent blood Reason 1. He is essentially such 2. It was necessary he should be such For ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him was no sin 1 Joh. 3.5 Repreh This may justy reprove too many of us who complain of the Old Adam and take no notice of the New who remember these words thy first father sinned but forget that Christ is our second Father yea the Everlasting Father and that he was manifested to take away our sins who complain of a body of sin dwelling in us the Old Adam but remember not that in the New Adam dwells the fulness of the God-head bodily Who pity the Old Man and his lusts Alas it is my nature to be angry to be pettish and froward I am by nature prone to envy to pride to covetousness to gluttony to drunkenness alas I cannot help it I am inclined to it by nature thou art so but what nature is it is it not thy sinful nature is it not thy corruption that is in thee by lusts Mean time thou takest no notice of the Divine
Nature and the great and precious promises that we shall be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the pollutions 2 Pet. 2.4 Thus we pity the Old Adam and mean time consider not that we lay load upon the New so the Old Man lives freely in us and the New is over-burdened as the Italian Proverb is An old Cart laâ—s longer than a new If a Cart be old men take care that it be not over-burdened but tender it and spare it but if it be new they lay on load without mercy we pity the old Cart the Old Man and hear not the New Man complaining I am pressed under you Amos 2.13 Consol This speaks comfort to the disconsolate Soul groaning under the burden of Adams transgression and its own actual sin Alas the Old Adam is powerful in me and Jesus Christ the New Man is in thee and he is the power of God O but the Old Man strongly inclines me to sin If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins the propitiation the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that covers our sins and purgeth away our sins Alas the first Adams transgression is fulfilled in my flesh and the second Adam hath condemned sin in thy flesh that the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.4 2. Some there are who have sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression How did Adam sin By the temptation of the Serpent and against the express command of God and for knowledge a sin of knowledge or out of a desire of knowledge ye remember Gods express commandment Thou shalt not eat and Satans promise that they should not die but their eyes being opened they should be as Gods knowing Good and Evil. Come we then to the point the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Syriack in the Text which is a similitude or likeness to sin then after the similitude or in the similitude or likeness of Adams transgression is so to sin in Adams like nature and as Adam sinned And how did they sin then after the similitude of Adams transgression who sin or commit sins of knowledge against the express command of God by the temptation of the Serpent and for knowledge or out of the desire of knowledge Now when I say some there are who have sinned c. I understand a large Some as 1 Cor. 10.7 Some of them were Idolaters i. e. all of them except the Tribe of Levi Exod. 32.26 The like ye shall observe vers 8 9 10. of 1 Cor. 10. For this indeed is the condition of the most of us all Who among us can plead ignorance of God's express command yet who yields not to the temptation of the Serpent seducing him with the desire of knowledge That plain and simple way of life the way of Gods Commandments is that wherein the Lord hath set us and commanded us to walk and hath forbidden us the tree of knowledge the disobedient knowledge Now as the serpent beguiled the woman through his subtilty so the same Serpent beguils our minds or thoughts and they being corrupt we fall from our simpicity after the similitude of Adams transgression So the V. L. hath excidatis lest ye fall 2 Cor. 11.13 So we sin after the similitude of Adams transgression Adam received command so have we The Serpent tempted Eve So he tempts our minds or thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The woman gave her husband to eat So do our thoughts suggest unto us the temptation of the Serpent Adam fell from his simplicity we likewise fall from the simplicity that is in Christ The Reason of this I shall shew in the opening of the third point Observ 1. Observe then the boldness of the sons of Adam Audax Adami genus Our common Parent sinned against a known command Great presumption Yet what do we less O Beloved if we well consider it it 's the greatest boldness in the world knowingly wittingly and willingly to sin They who are enboldned to do any evil thing they do it out of hope of good Prov. 1.13 we shall find all precious substance c. Or less evil to come of it or greater help and aid against the evil And therefore men in prosperity are more bold to offend So Pharaoh who is the Lord and lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord Thus Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked But what confidence is this to sin against God after the similitude of Adams transgression what will be the fruit of it Rom. 6.21 Can we hope for any good A greater help Are we stronger than our God 1 Cor. 10.22 Are we stronger than the second Adam the power of God Alas That which hath been is named already and it is knomn that it is Adam neither may be contend with him that is mightier than he Ecclus. 6.10 Observ 2. See whither to refer that eager restless and insatiable desire of knowledge Whither else but to the pattern whence it was taken the similitude of Adams transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God though he makes himself known unto us by many names yet not of knowledge So the Devil is knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby he makes division God is known by his name Jehovah Elihu the living God Observ 3. Hence we learn whither to refer all false coverings excuses pretences feignedness and hypocrisies of all kinds whither but to their pattern Adam's transgression Job 31.33 If I have covered my sin as Adam This covering is cast over all Nations Esay 25.7 and 30.1 cover with a covering but not of God's Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ 4. See the fountain of pride and high-mindedness in all Adam's children it is the patrimony their father left them He himself would not be obedient unto the commands of God And when his children are disobedient it is after the similitude of Adams transgression for pride is seen either 1. In Eminendo Or 2. In Arrogando 1. Eminendo and so we exalt our selves above the Law and Lawgiver So they consult against Christ Psal 2. 2. Arrogando Confer Notes in Luk. 9.23 Observ 5. They are the weakest sort of Christians and sin after the similitude of Adam's transgression the true and genuine Children of the first corrupt sinful Adam who contend for knowledge crying up one and decrying another 1 Cor. 3.3 Are ye not carnal and walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to man i. e. Adam Observ 6. And so are they the weakest sort of Teachers however they bring strong reasons and strong lines who ground Divine Truths upon Arguments forged out of their own brain it was the Serpents sophistry and is theirs who do so The Apostle gives the Colossians warning of it Col. 2.8 Beware lest any spoil you c. Here the Apostle Gal. 1.11 The Gospel I preach
those who are feverish and pluretical for sin reviving by the Law prohibiting it puts forth all its strength Nitimur in vetitum semper and so allures the man and deceives him as the wanton harlot woman Prov. 7. deceives the young man with fair speeches and causeth him to yield and with flattering of her lips she forceth him vers 21 22 23. and Prov. 9.17 she tells him stoln waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant but he considers not that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depths of hell Hence it comes to pass that a sweet thing over-greedily fed on genders choler the deceived man surfets of his sweet meat and hath remorse of conscience and sorrow for his sin yea as some feed on sweet fruits over-greedily and glut themselves with them and never afterward care for them the surfetted man loaths what he loved before Thus the Bee brings honey but leaves a sting behind it and a loathing and abhorring of it and a deadness of appetite ever afterward to it So we understand the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law So that the Law is not sin which was the doubt Sin No. The Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good In handling the Law I propounded this method to my self to speak 1. Of the nature of the Law 2. The principal effects of it 3. The adjuncts and accidents of it I have hitherto spoken of the nature and principal acts of the Law I now proceed to handle certain adjuncts accidents and epithets of it these adjuncts accidents or epithets of the Law they are either such as qualitie or dispose indifferently the inward and outward man or else they are such as more especially or determinately qualifie the inward man Those of the former kind ye have in the Text one of the later ye have vers 14. We know that the Law is spiritual In the words we must first distinguish 1. The subject the Law and Commandments 2. The adjuncts of the Law 1. The subjects differ as general and special as totum pars the whole and part of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes the whole Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some more special parts of it so the Scripture speaks The Law may be considered 1. Generally so 't is holy 2. Specially so 't is 1. Holy ordering the man to his God 2. Just ordering the man to his neighbour 3. Judicial 4. Good ordering the man towards himself 5. Moral 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law is taken generally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the commandment specially thus Matth. 22.36 what is the great Commandment in the Law Ephes 2.15 The Law of Commandments Matter enough for many large discourses Verba sunt rerum vehicula saith the Lawyer I shall therefore first enquire into the meaning of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn holy then into the nature of the thing The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render holy signifieth properly that which is separate from something and applyed to something 1. It 's spoken sometimes of persons 2. Sometimes of things According to the essence and nature of it it may be described an inviolate purity or freedom from pollution Dionysius Areopagita A certain purity that is free from all wickedness a perfect and altogether unspotted cleanness The Platonick Philosophers conspire with Divines Speusippus defines holiness a declining from sins committed against God and an observation of Gods worship according to his nature According to this sense the Law is said to be an undefiled Law a pure Law as that which commands seperation of all sin and consecration and dedication of our selves unto God and his Righteousness The reason why the Law is an holy Law may be taken from the consideration of the Law-giver and the end he aims at in those who are subjects to his Law The Law-giver is holy the Holy One 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 6.10 where the Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not conceal the words of the Holy One. If we consider the pattern and counterpart of the Law in God which is the causa exemplaris the original of it 't is the essential holiness it self according to which God himself is holy and the Law is conformable The end 1. Mediate in respect of Men 2. Ultimate in regard of God 1. Mediate that we should be holy This is the condition before the giving of the Law Exod. 19.5 6. this end is added immediately upon the promulgation of the Law Exod. 20.20 The Lord is come to put his fear before your faces that ye sin not and that so we may be made partakers of Gods holiness i. e. his Christ Hebr. 12. 2. The Ultimate and last end is the honour praise and glory oâ— the Holy One Psal 30.4 Sing unto the Lord ye Saints or holy ones praise him for the remembrance or to the memorial of his holiness the like Psal 97.1 that which the Apostle speaks home to 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people Why that ye should shew forth the virtues or praises of him who hath called you out of darkness unto his marvellous light Observe what the Lord requires of us if the Law be holy there 's a necessity that we should be holy to whom the Law is given The Priests and Ministers of the Lord they must be holy Exod. 19.22 Let the Priests who come neer to the Lord sonctifie themselves so must the people also What manner of men should we be 2 Pet. 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore the Lord saith of profane unholy and disobedient men their spot is not the spot of my people Deut. 32.4 Tremellius Vitiositas illorum aliena est à filiis Dei qui justus innocens est Whose spot is it then The Law allows no uncleanness at all what then doth the faith of the Gospel allow any No it 's a most holy faith Jude vers 20. The extreme degree of one contrary excludes the lâ—â—st degree of the other if therefore our faith be a most holy faith it excludes all and every degree of unholiness and uncleanness and therefore faith is said to purifie the heart Act. 15. and through faith we establish the Law Rom. 3.31 What then is Christ the Minister of sin or unholiness God forbid saith the Apostle He is the most holy Dan. 9.24 He is the Minister of Circumcision to cut away all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness He gave himself for his Church that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing Ephes 5.26 27. And the Saints are diligent to be found of him without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3.14 And therefore the Apostle prayeth for the Thessalonians 1 Thess 5.23 The very God of peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Saviour reasons a whole Legion of Devils agreed well together in one man Tush agreement is nothing if it be against the true peace 'T is an excellent saying and I pray you carry it away with you Non est bonum in unitate nisi unitas sit in bono There is no good at all in unity unless unity be in good otherwise it is but stupa collecta Ecclus. tow platted together or bryars and thorns growing up together whose end saith the Apostle is to be burned But alas how justly may I take up our Saviours complaint and expostulation Matth. 11. To what shall I liken this generation they are like to children playing in the market-place c. vers 16 17. Exhort 1. To the unpeaceable that they would be peaceable towards the Sons of peace 2. Provoke to love and good works 3. To the Sons of peace that they would be peaceable towards the messengers of peace They shall one day desire to enter into peace Is there peace among men of a divers or the same disposition as there ought to be Exhort Besides what reasons I have before mentioned 'tis for the Saints honour 't is the honour of a man to cease from strife Prov. 20.3 It may be observed the Temple of Solomon was built and not the noise of any tool heard The Soul informs not the body unless the body and all the members of it be continued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such a spiritual bond is peace unto the Soul as continuity is a natural unto the body When they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 2.1 Hence it is that Christ is called by Jacob in his benediction of Judah Gen. 49. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the peace as St. John calls him expresly Ephes 2. nor was it without an intimation of this mystery that Joshuah set up the Tabernacle of the Congregation at Shilo when the whole Congregation of Israel were assembled together Josh 18.1 whence followeth in the same verse That the Land was subdued before them And good reason for the spiritual enemies of our salvation cannot stand before them when they are in Shilo This is meant by one of the first promises of God Gen. 3. That the Seed of the Woman the very same Shilo should break the Serpents head for when is that promise fulfilled but when the God of Peace Shilo treads Satan under the Saints feet Rom. 15. 2. Most necessary this is for the preservation of the world and therefore God tempers the world without us and our bodies and the parts of them within us all into one peace that there may be no Schism in the world so the heavenly bodies are said to have their harmony As cold Saturn and hot Mars are tempered by moderate Jupiter between them the hot and dry fire and cold and moist water tempered by the moderate air so hath God disposed of our bodies the ligaments and tendants separate yet knit together the hard bones the parts of the body are so joyned together that every harder part hath a soft next it and every one of ill quality one of good to moderate it the bitter gall hath the sweet liver and the cold brain the hot heart Such are the Saints so patient so peaceable so moderate such peaceable sheep such patient asses so the world accounts them and the Lord hath need of them the world cannot stand without them We have one common enemy and therefore needful it is we joyn together against him Your adversary the devil goeth about like a roaring Lion 1 Pet. 5. So there were three Factions in Jerusalem joyned against the Romans Joseph de Bello Judaico Two Dogs fighting will joyn together against the Wolf Isai 50.43 Isai 30.15 Sign Where this Peace is there is Righteousness which is the cause of it the Peace-makers are Sons of God therefore they must imitate their Father if they be his Sons Ephes 5. Matth. 5.43 44 45. If we seek for Peace we must seek the things that make for peace Rom. 14.19 things belonging unto peace Now because there is tempus Belli and tempus Pacis Eccles we must first war with our sins and then we shall have peace of Conscience and peace with God for quis restitit ei pacem habuit Job 9. First therefore we must wage the Lords war and then we shall have his peace first we must make use of the Sword which our Lord came to send upon the earth Matth. 10.34 and then he will give the peace he left on earth Joh. 14.27 for he came not to send peace with sin but the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God to cut down sin with it we may destroy the Canaanites which remain in us otherwise they will be pricks in our eyes and thorns in our sides c. Numb 33.55 As if a man had a beam in his eye or a thorn in his side he could have no rest 'T was in vain for Gorgias to perswade all Greece unto peace when he himself and his wife and his maid could not agree together at home When peace is made with God and our own Consciences then make peace abroad for this is the way of peace Luk. 1.79 which the wicked know not Rom. 3.17 We must pray for this Peace pray for the peace of Jerusalem as St. Paul for the Rom. 15.5 6. and in all his Epistles Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace alwayes by all means the Lord be with you all 2 Thess 3.16 The peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts c. NOTES more at large on ROMANS XII 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men IT is an old and true saying Bellum gerendum cum vitiis pax colenda cum hominibus I have spoken of the first upon 1 Joh. 5.4 I come now to speak of the latter which contains a Precept with the extent of it limitation of the Precept two-fold In respect of others persons times places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be possible our selves being in these circumstances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as lies in you 1. First of the Precept that we ought to live peaceably with all men In handling of which I shall first explain what 's here meant by Peace 2. Prove the point 3. Make use of it to our selves the word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Etymologist tells us is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to knit together in one so that Peace is in the general an Union or Agreement 1. All Peace Union and Agreement is not here commanded for there is a bastard kind of peace a peace in sin such as ungodly men maintain among themselves who mean time are enemies to the true peace such is that whereof the Prophet Jeremiah speaks Jer. 6.14 where the Prophet deciphers such a condition as we shall find ordinarily in the world a mutual humouring and
and deceitfulness that they may believe a lie 2 Thess 2.10 11. For surely God who is the essential Truth can no more deceive than the fire can moysten or the Sun make dark wherefore if it be so contrary to Gods Nature to be the Author of deceitful lust we may seek the cause rather in him who is contrary unto God and who is that but Satan to whom it belongs as naturally to be a deceiver as a tempter That place Gen. 3. proves both and therefore Apoc. 12.9 That great Dragon that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan is said to deceive the whole world and our Saviour appropriates deceitful lusts unto the Devil Joh. 8.44 which he doth either 1. immediately by himself or 2. mediately by laying a fair varnish upon the object or 3. by corrupting the fansie or 4. by using wicked men his instruments for wicked men are causes also why our lusts are deceitful Ephes 4.14 and therefore they are shackled together wicked men and deceivers grow worse and worse deceiving others and being themselves deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 as the Latin hath it errantes in errorem ducentes erring themselves and leading others into errour which they do 1. by Examples as Jeroboam 2. By vain words and subtil perswasions as Ephes 5.6 But lest any one from hence take occasion to please himself in his lusts of errour as if he himself were not at all in fault and lay all the blame upon either God himself as our first Father did The Woman which thou gavest to be with me she gave me to eat or else 2. more properly upon the Devil as our first Mother did The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat as many now a dayes use to say when they are taken in a fault especially when some lust of the flesh hath deceived them the Devil they 'l say ought me a shame or a spite but let men take heed in this case wherein that of the Wise Man is verified That he that curseth the Devil curseth his own soul For lest any one should accuse any but themselves our Saviour who attributes the lusts of wicked men unto the Devil he also intimates that they are the lusts of wicked men when they wilfully commit them Ye are saith he to such of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do our English makes it obscure the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye will or ye have a lust to do so that ye make the Devils lusts your own when you commit them and are willingly deceived by them so that ours they may be and truly are if we excuse them though they be the Devils because he suggests them All these do but propound the object set out with the fairest varnish perswade us to embrace it as the Devil commended the Tree of Knowledge and used Arguments to perswade the Woman But ye have not yet heard who is the principal cause of this deceit who else is it but every mans own self for howsoever most men are subject to be flattered yet the greatest flatterer is the self-flatterer so though the Devil as Agent deceive us yet the Arch-deceiver is the Self-deceiver And to this Original St. James refers the deceitfulness of lusts Every man saith he is deceived when he is drawn away by his own lusts and entised Jam. 1.14 and vers 22. They that are hearers only of the Word and not doers also they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that deceive themselves with a false judgement And the proud man who thinks he is some body when he is nothing at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he deceives his own mind Gal. 6.3 And the self justiciary is a self-deceiver 1 Joh. 1. the Devil can do nothing neither by subtilty nor force unless we yield to him We have now found out the principal cause of these deceitful lusts add we but hereunto the principium à quo or principle from whence a mans lusts become deceitful and the reason may prove sufficient The principium à quo is Self-love which being the brood of the earthly man and accordingly seems small and earthly Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 15. it implyes the concupiscence or lust as her purveyour so Plato calls it de Rep. libr. 4. to bring in convenient provision of all things for the support of the earthly man and what are they but earthly objects or things delightful unto sense for so the Phansie having no better thing perswades the concupiscence and both these draw the Will to their Party by which means the Faction is so strong that the understanding is easily brought off to judge as the concupiscence and lusts will have it whence the man becomes a self-deceiver led away and enticed by his own lusts All which laid together may serve to demonstrate this truth That lusts are deceitful Observ 1. Which discovers unto us as one chief property of our lusts the errour and deceitfulness of them Observ 2. So also what a dangerous companion an evil man is to himself he is entangled in a deceit which is the greatest of all other quia deceptor deceptum nunquam deserit Observ 3. How dangerous a companion then is such a deceived man unto another every mans lusts are deceitful but evil men that they may deceive the simple and bring them into their own snare add industry to their deceit they lie in wait to deceive Ephes 4. 2 Pet. 2.14 18. all which we know well enough Yet how careless and heedless are we for all that who suffer our selves to be deluded by our deceitful lusts In other things that are without us O how circumspect and careful we are as in our trading lest we should be over-reached by a crafty Merchant lest we should be cozened with counterfeit ware or false weights adulterate coyn or light gold And who of us would be hired to keep a fraudulent unfaithful servant within our doors but how easily are we circumvented by our own lusts and that in things of the greatest consequence How foolish how disobedient deceived serving diverse lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another Tit. 3.3 Not considering that thus we expose our selves to the snare of the Devil who takes us captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 such are they who though their lusts have not yet so far deceived them that they live in open and scandalous lusts of the flesh as adultery fornication uncleanness c. Yet they err in their heart as the Psalmist speaks Psal 95.10 whom St. Jude compares unto the Planets which are carried about with the diurnal and regular motion of the Heavens yet every one hath his own private and proper motion they have a fair outward shew and form of godliness yet they deny the power of it in their hearts Psal 64.5 6. Amos 2.4 Yea their deceived heart causeth them to err so far that they suspect those for deceivers who warn them of this deceitfulness
Luk. 11.21 22. When the strong man armed keeps his palace all things are at peace 4. To stand Object Why then are we exhorted to flee Yea Josuah instructs his army to flee Reason Why the whole armour c. The reason is from the proportion which must be between the malady and the remedy The Assailant and the Defender Satans wiles are many and so must our arms Doubt Why must we put on the whole armour of God that we may stand against the wiles of the Devil It seems wiles and deceits should be rather prevented by wisdom and wariness than by strength and arms the whole armour of God It is evident by the Text and Context what kind of armour is here meant no other than spiritual Wherefore because the wiles of Satan are strong therefore there is need of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole armour of God to withstand them Now that the wiles of Satan are strong appears by divers Scriptures Prov. 7.21 with the flattering of her lips she forced him so 't is 2 Thess 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn strong delusions Observ 2. We are able to withstand the wiles of the Devil How through the armour of God So Caleb endeavoured to still the people Numb 24. 2 Cor. 12.9 The Apostle complains of a thorn in the flesh The Minister of Satan which Calvin saith is omne genus tentationum whence it followeth that the power and grace of God is sufficient to conquer all these Observ 3. How powerful then are the weapons of God not carnal but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gordion knot was not to be untwisted but cut in sunder Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Consol Unto the young Soldiers of Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All his temptations are troublesome as a fly Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils is the god of flyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macrobius What though he cast his fiery darts Hath not the Lord armed thee with a shield of Faith What though he prevail so that he wound thee And so it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is the armour of light the Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings His word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 healing doctrine His Spirit is the true unguentum hopliatricum the true weapon salve If thou hast none of Satans lusts in thee what needest thou fear his wiles They who entred the lists to wrestle anointed themselves So that their adversaries could not lay hold upon them The prince of the world cometh and hath nothing in me Exhort To put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand c. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON EPHESIANS VI. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places THe Apostle in vers 11. discovers the enemy and with him the great and imminent danger wherein we are Vers 12. He amplifieth the danger by the description of the enemies forces which he describes 1. Partly by the Antithesis or opposition to flesh and blood and not with flesh and blood 2. Partly by their power and malice herein are these truths 1. The Saints have a wrestling 2. The Saints wrestling is not with flesh and blood 3. Their wrestling is with principalities and powers with the rulers of the darkness of this world Flesh and blood is understood two ways 1. Hereby some understand mankind 2. Others understand sin and sinful lusts and hereupon they differ one from other I believe all may be here understood so well as a third way How all Certainly 1. Our contention ought not to be with men 2. Nor doth the Apostle speak now of carnal sins 3. Nor doth he speak of weak enemies Of the first two we understand the words comparatively of the other here oppositely For our better understanding of this there is something in Scripture that seems to be denied which is only compared as I will have mercy and not sacrifice Thy name shall not be called Jacob but Israel Moses gave you not that bread from heaven And so we may understand that seeming opposion here not so much with men not so much with the sin of flesh and blood as with principalites and powers For certain it is contention and wrestling there must be with flesh and blood with the sin of flesh and blood 1. We have a wrestling The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both used passively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To embrace as wrestlers do each other and either intends the other a fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be wreathed wryed wrenched this way and that way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vibro to move without violence Lucta and the V. L. colluctatio is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loose or put out of joynt a frequent effect of wrestling We borrow our English word of our Neighbours the High and Low Dutch This Exercise was very usual among the Greeks from whom our Apostle borroweth this Metaphor A violent and subtil wringing wrestling and wreathing one another to cause one the other to fall and so to get a victory one over the other and a price and reward of the victory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There were usual among the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they called them sacred wrestlings unto which more specially our Apostle alludes 1 Cor. 9.25 Every one that strives for mastery is temperate in all things that they may obtain a corruptible crown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Jul. Pollux Surely this wrestling which the Apostle speaks of is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an holy wrestling As in all such wrestlings and contentions strength and power was necessary and the strength necessary to this wrestling is properly the strength of Faith and therefore the wrestling is called the wrestling of Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 fight the good fight of Faith The Original words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now we read of a twofold wrestling 1. With God so did Jacob Gen. 32. Hos 2. A wrestling with Satan as here and elsewhere How wrestle we with him 1. By Faith 2. by Patience 3. by Prayer How doth Satan wrestle with us 1. By imaginations and reasonings c. 2 Cor. 10.4 5 6. 2. By his lusts Joh. 8.44 3. By friendship of the world so Satan embraceth as a wrestler doth his adversary The same strife is understood by other words as fighting running contending and striving c. The Reason 1. from our selves we had voluntarily given our selves a fall from this there is no recovery without great labour facilis descensus averni Sed revocare gradus hic labor hoc opus est Fall we may alone but arise we cannot alone Salvation is gotten by this wrestling 2 Cor. 1.6 Margin Col. 1.24 God himself hath put enmity between the Seed
ventos Hebr. 1. 2. the Soul is fire and 3. the Spirit is light When therefore the Divine Light is lost there remains only in their nature a dark fire a wind to blow it and kindle it and make it glow so that the evil Spirit carrieth his hell about him 3. The Doctrine of Angels is so uncouth that few take notice either of the good Angels and their Ministry in behalf of the Saints and Heirs of Salvation or of the evil Angels and their opposition against them The Principalities Powers and Rulers c. are Adversaries to the Man 1. Partly in regard of 1. that state from which and into which they are fallen 2. the persons whom they oppose 1. In regard of the state from which they are fallen for therefore they envied Adam according to the judgement of the Ancients because they saw that Man was Created to be an Hierarchy in their place and stead of this we understand Jude vers 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angels that kept not their Principality 2. In regard of that state into which they are fallen for this is common to good and evil Angels and Men yea to all the Creatures to assimilate and draw so much as in them lies others to their own likeness and party and herein evil Angels and Men are operative 2. In regard of the persons whom they oppose who are as an Army with banners Cant. set in battel-array against them and whom therefore they set upon with more subtilty and malice that they may rout and disperse the Army of the Saints and this opposition they make till they be cast out 1 Cor. 15.24 Revel 12.7 8 9-17 Observ 1. Observe there is an order even in Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of the Devils and this is that which keeps up the kingdom of Hell otherwise if Satan rise up against Satan his kingdom should not endure and well they know that if they once were put out of order they could not so annoy the Saints of God as now they do Observ 2. Learn to know who are our true Enemies The Principalities and Powers c. the wisdom of the flesh c. See Notes in 1 Joh. 5.4 Observ 3. We see of what party they are who oppose and make rents and disturb order among the People of God Observ 4. Observe the wonderful Power imparted to the Believers under the Gospel they are exhorted here to wrestle with Principalities and Powers c. And they are set about this work by God himself wherefore this being Gods quarrel he doubtless furnisheth his Wrestlers Champions and Soldiers with Power greater than that of the principalities and powers Beloved in this very point we are subject to be much mistaken Men commonly conceive that the Gospel is glad tydings only of pardon and remission of sins and that through Christ they who believe and repent are reconciled unto God c. and that this is the sum of the joyful news which the Gospel brings with it Truely Beloved this is indeed joyful tydings but will it not be good news unto us to hear that there is much more than this When the Gospel was first preached in the world the good news was that the seed of the woman should break the serpents head this is the rod of Gods strength Psal 110.2 3. Liberty to the captives Esay 61.1 This is the power that David desired to declare to the generations to come Psal 71.18 Luk. 10.19 believers shall take up serpents c. It is called the Gospel of the kingdom and the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Gods kingdom over the Devils the power of God to salvation over the Devils power to destruction when God himself reigns Esay 52.7 Ephes 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to which power all things are possible Marc. 10.17 according to his operative power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3.21 Col. 1.29 Confer Notes on Gal. 4.19 This is that which the Lord blamed in Moses Numb 11.21 Is the hand of the Lord shortned He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great is the Lord and great is his power Psal 147.5 If it be marvelous and difficult in your eyes should it be difficult in mine eyes saith the Lord of Hosts Zach. 8.6 No man doubts you will say of Gods power But what is this to us if we be weak But wherein doth the Lord magnifie and declare his power Is it not in the man and doth he not shew his Almighty Power in the saving of the man Joh. 10.29 My Father that gave me them is greater than all He quickens the dead and calls things which are not as if they were Rom. 4.17 God is able to make all grace abound in vobis Lat. in you 2 Cor. 9.8 Col. 1.10 11. Zach. 12.8 Esay 40.10 31. The second dispensation Repreh 1. Those who have to deal with Spiritual enemies and think to overcome them with carnal weapons who persecute and kill men for conscience sake Heresies there have been and there must be Heresies saith the Apostle Confer Notes on 1 Joh. 4.5 Repreh 2. Those who are called to this conflict with Satan and his Angels yet yield over themselves to be beaten and buffeted by Satan See Notes on 1 Joh. 5.4 Repreh 3. Those who being sent out to spie and discover the enemies forces and to take notice of the Land which they detain from us the holy Land or holiness it self Jos 5.15 They discourage the hearts of God people bring an ill report upon the Land They tell us that the sons of Anak are too strong for us c. Ye read the story of them Numb 13. and 14. The sons of Anak detain from us the holy Land which we commend at first to the people and tell them it is an excellent Land So did the false spies Numb 13.27 But they afterward say the quite contrary vers 32. and perswade the people that they are unable c. Vers 33. Beloved wherefore are we exhorted to wrestle if we cannot cast out our enemy why to fight if not able to overcome why to run if not able to obtain What must we run to run fight to fight wrestle to wrestle Or shall we rather hope for an end of our fighting running and wrestling David promised he should be the chief and a captain that should take the castle and smite the Jebusites 1 Chron. 11.5 6. The Lord hath made large promises to him that overcometh Rev. 2.7 to eat of the tree of life vers 11. He shall not be hurt of the second death vers 17. to eat of the hidden manna and he will give a white stone chap. 3.5 vers 26. I will give him power over the nations vers 12. He that overcometh shall be a pillar in the temple of God And vers 21. I will give him to sit with me on the throne After all these particulars chap. 21.7 He that overcometh shall
in him they are circumcised c. vers 11. Burial and Baptism they are Arguments proper to special occasions nor shall I trouble you with them further than as they are serviceable to illustrate Christ's burial and resurrection and Christians Conformity thereunto In the words are expressed Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation and the Christians conformity thereunto In the former we have these Truths 1. Christ was buried 2. Christians are buried with him 3. By baptism In the latter 1. Christ is risen 2. Christians are risen with him 3. They are risen with him by Faith in the operation of God who raised up Christ from the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render wherein referring it to baptism mentioned in the former words and indeed the Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may refer thereunto but all other English Translations turn it in whom and understand it of Christ as truly it may be And because there is a truth in both and who can tell whether the Holy Ghost in the Apostle intended rather we may according to the fulness of the Spirit understand both Observ 1. Hence it appears that as the Sacraments and Sacramental signs confirm and seal something to us when they are called signs and seals So likewise they require something of us If Christ be not risen ye are yet in your sins Object And why might not Faith in the operation of God stand but rather the operative power of God I Answer men are generally so full of their own interest that I vehemently suspect the Translators have rendered the word Operation out of design For whereas many men imagine themselves Just by that Righteousness which Christ himself wrought in the dayes of his flesh without any work of Righteousness wrought in their own hearts so why may they not imagine themselves risen by Faith in the operation of God although they be not risen unto a new life Yea the Marginal Gloss of the quarto Bible hath these words through Faith of the operation of God in believing that God by his power raised up Christ whereof we have a sure token in our Baptism There are who understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were referred to Faith Thus one of the old English translations Faith that is wrought by the operation of God But the Apostle understands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the power of God whereby he raised up Christ from the dead as is evident by comparing with the Text 1 Cor. 6.14 Ephes 1.19 20. Observ 2. There is a Power given to Believers to rise with Christ from the dead This power is testified by David Psal 71.18 Thy power to every one that is to come Observ 3. Faith is the receiving of the divine Power whereby we may arise from the dead Rom. 4.21 Gal. 2.20 Observ 4. By Christ's Resurrection faith is given to all Act. 17.31 1 Pet. 1.3 21. Observ 5. This discovers the imaginary Faith or presumption rather of thousands at this day who believe that what God or Christ hath done or suffered it is for them both done and suffered and that so assuredly theirs as if they themselves had done and suffered it As when Christ is born it is for them when he is said to suffer it is for them for them that he is crucified dead and buried and risen again That he is their Saviour and Redeemer And what ground have they for averring and affirming all this What else but their Faith they believe all this And therefore it is so And ought not men to believe all this Yes no doubt if they have good ground for their belief How otherwise is Christ born for them unless he be formed in them and born anew And how are his sufferings theirs unless they suffer with him unless the sufferings of Christ abound in them 2 Cor. 1. How is his Crucifixion theirs unless they be crucified with him Gal. 2. How is his death theirs unless they dye with him How can they appropriate his burial to themselves unless they be buried together with him How can their Faith in the operation of God be beneficial unto themselves unless they believe in the Operative power of God By being born with him suffering with him crucified with him dead with him raised from the dead with him his birth suffering crucifixion death and resurrection become ours and not other ways Having spoken of our Lords Humiliation unto death even to the death of the Cross I should have followed him to his Resurrection But being dead it 's necessary he first be buried before he rise Let us now proceed and follow our Lord into his grave the lowest dungeon of his Humiliation In the words we have our Lords burial and the Colossians burial with him and that by Baptism So that ye have three Points contained in the words 1. Christ was buried 2. The Colossians and all true followers of our Lord are also buried with him 3. They are buried with him by baptism 1. The burial of Christ may be considered 1. According to the History of it so shall I speak of it in the first Point 2. Or according to the mystery and so in the second 1. According to the History Howsoever the use of our Tongue hath put no distinction between burial and interment or puting the dead body into the grave or ground yet certainly among the Jews burial was one thing interment another For the ancient burial was by Embalming as Herodotus in Euterpe tells us of the Egyptians that they embalmed the bodies of the dead with Mirrh Aloes Cedromel Salt Wax and Rosin washed them wound them up in fine Linnen and so kept them in Coffins Thus Joseph commanded his servants the Physicians to embalm his father and the Physicians embalmed Israel Gen. 50.2 and 26. They embalmed Joseph and put him into a coffin in Egypt Thus our Lord saith of the woman In that she hath poured this oyntment on my body she did it for my burial Matth. 26.12 Accordingly we read of his burial Joh. 19.39 40. Nicodemus brought a mixture of mirrh and aloes about an hundred pound weight then took they the body of Jesus and wound it in linnen cloaths with the spices as the manner of the Jews is to bury There 's his burial Now in vers 41.42 we read of his Resurrection The Reason of Christ's Burial and Interment was the expiation of the curse whereof this was part Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return For as our Lord by his death overcame death and him that hath the power of death So by his accursed death and burial he redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 For in Reason the Playster must be as large as the Sore and the Tent as large and deep as the wound Since that the venome of the Serpent reacheth even to the grave as Plutarch tells us of some dead men who turn to Serpents a monument of mans first poysoning by the
15.14 I say unto you my Friends fear not them who can kill the body c. Luke 12.14 Thus here he speaks of those who are his Disciples and Friends She shall be saved by Child-bearing Observ 1. The married woman may be saved as well as the Virgin the fruitful and child bearing woman as well as the barren this may give a check to that boasting of natural Virginity It is true the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. That he could wish it were so with all as with him but he adds by reason of the present necessity And if Virginity had been simply the better state the Lord had not said It is not good for man to be alone for if so how had mankind been encreased and propagated in the world Observ 2. Child-bearing and procreation of children and education of them is Gods ordinance for the continuance of mankind and the seminary and enlargement of his Church and Kingdom 1 Tim. 5.14 And therefore the want of this due education hath been a cause of the diminution of mankind Vide Notes in Exod. 20. Honour thy Father The Bear takes more pains in forming and fashioning of her Whelps than many Parents take for the education of their children Observ 3. In the greatest extremity of women and when it goeth hardest with them when they bring forth Ichabods and Bennonies Sons of Sorrow and Affliction or when they miscarry when it is worst with them in nature it may be best with them in regard of Grace they may be eternally saved Mysticé By a Spiritual Child-bearing both men and women may yea must be saved Gal. 4.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My little children of whom I travel in birth again till Christ be formed in you Axiom 3. Though the woman were first in the Transgression yet she shall be saved Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the Transgression nevertheless she shall be saved in Child-bearing Observ 1. Note here the Christian Prudence and discretion in the Ministers of God as they cast down through disparagement so they raise up with consolation as they beat down pride with one hand so they raise up confidence with the other though the woman must be no publick teacher of her Husband in the Church yet she may learn at home the way of Salvation Non Librorum tractatione sed Liberorum educatione Observ 2. Parents by their fall and rebellion shall hinder the Salvation of none who repent and believe aright to the end Observ 3. The Blessing through Christ far transcends the Curse by Adam Rom. 5. Observ 4. To have been an occasion and author of sin and disobedience unto others is no absolute barr or hinderance to the Salvation of true Penitents and Converts so good Gracious and merciful is our God even unto Rebels against himself even unto the Authors and Ringleaders of Rebellion that if they repent if they return to their Obedience he most Graciously receives them 2. The condition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they continue in Faith Love Holiness with Sobriety 1. This condition puts us in the way of Salvation 2. It requires our continuance and perseverance in that way of Salvation Observ 1. There is but one way to obtain Salvation both for man and woman Male and Female Observ 2. This is General and common unto all that the people of God be Believers such as love God and their neighbour holy sober all this is necessarily supposed for here the Apostle requires the continuance in these In this way of Salvation we have divers steps 1. Faith 2. Faith that works by Love 3. Holiness 4. Sobriety So that there are so many Divine Truths 1. They who would be saved must continue in Faith 2. They must continue in Love 3. They must continue in Holiness 4. They must continue in Sobriety 1. They who would be saved must continue in Faith What Faith is this 1. In the Father Hebr. 11.6 2. In the Son Mark 16.6 He that believeth shall be saved Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 16.31 Rom. 11.20 Observ This is the saving Faith 2. They must continue in Love What Love Love to God and men This is that Love by which Faith worketh Gal. 6.5 6. 1 Thess 1.3 4. The work of Faith and labour of Love which is the end of the whole Law 1 1 Tim. 1.3 4. Observ As there is a saving Faith so is there a saving Love Heb 6.9 10. Things which accompany Salvation for God is not unrighteous to forget your works and labour of Love c. 3. They who would be saved must continue in Holiness Rom. 6.22 Ye have your fruit unto Holiness and the end is everlasting life The end or reward of Holiness is the everlasting life and Salvation Observ As there is a saving Faith and a saving Love so is there also a saving Holiness Hebr. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 2 Pet. 3.11 12. What manner of persons ought we to be in all manner of holy Conversation and Godliness looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God 4. They who would be saved must continue in Sobriety Sobriety is reasonableness and moderation in the use of all natural things with modesty and humility Rom. 12.3 Man ought to think soberly of himself Observ As there is a saving Faith Love and Holiness so is there also a saving Sobriety 1 Pet. 1.13 Gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ and Verse 5.8 Be sober be vigilant Observ 1. By all this it appears that no men nor women are saved by Faith only The Text evidently proves this She shall be saved if they continue in the Faith and Love and Holiness with Sobriety 2 Pet. 1. The most precious Faith must have Virtue c. added to it Observ 2. It is not enough to Salvation to believe that Christ hath loved us and given himself for us No nor that he was and is the Holy one and the just no nor that he was temperate and sober surely Christs Love of us without our love of God and Christ and our Neighbour will not save us He that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be an Anathema Maranátha Christs Holiness will not save us if we be unholy and profane For without Holiness no man shall see God Christs Temperance Sobriety Continency Modesty c. will not save us if we be loose debaucht Drunkards Letchers Christ was not only a Sacrifice for Sin but also an example of godly life we have no benefit of his Sacrifice unless we be Followers of his Life we are not said to be saved by Christs death but by his Life Rom. 5.10 Repreh Those who save all this labour by a false Faith an imaginary Faith a Faith without Love without Holiness without Sobriety Christ they say hath
Egyptians are men and not God and their horses flesh i. e. weak and not spirit i. e. strong Godliness therefore hath a power an exceeding greatness of power Eph. 1. But wherein consists this Power of Godliness Some place it in Faith But whereas that Faith looks only backward at what Christ hath done and that without us and not forward at what he does or is ready to do and that in us Surely this Power consists not in such a Faith For Christ was crucified in weakness but raised again in power 2 Cor. 13.4 Some place it in keeping the Sabbath well Others in hearing attentively and repeating a Sermon Others place it in perseverance in resisting temptations But all the power of Godliness consists not in this Others more probably place it in the holy Life and pure inward worship of God in Spirit and Truth But surely the power of Godliness is here more largely to be understood viz. that Vertue and Strength which is imparted unto the Believers whereby they are enabled to do the whole Will of God according to what St. Paul testifieth of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Philip. 4.13 This is that power that worketh in us Ephes 3.20 which the Apostle calls the Spirit of power 2 Tim. 1.7 Even such a power as that wherein the kingdom of God consists 1 Cor. 4.20 Even that power whereby all the power of Satan put forth in these last times may be subdued and overcome as I shall shew more in opening the third Point This Power of Godliness is obtained by Faith relying on the operative power of God Reason It must needs be powerful as proceeding from God who himself is the power 2. As imparted by God unto men 1. For the subduing of all infernal power mighty imaginations See Notes on Gen. 26. Thou art mightier c. I give you power to tread upon Scorpions 2. There are mighty works to be done Vide Notes ubi supra Observ 1. Gods people are strong a mighty people Esay 25.3 4. The strong people shall glorifie thee c. Observ 2. Hence it follows that all the power of Satan is conquerable and possible to be subdued Observ 3. The godly man is the only valiant man He hath in himself Godliness and the Power of Godliness Observ 4. This may convince the world of the ungodly and prove that they are indeed of the ungodly world who yet assume to themselves the title of the godly and the godly party Surely Godliness where ever it is hath a power with it And therefore when men pretend to Godliness and live in their sins under pretence of weakness they are ungodly where there is Godliness there is a power Men may please themselves with Velleities c. See Notes on Gen. 26. ad finem Observ 5. Hence it follows that sin and iniquity is weak and impotent for although the evil one be called the strong man Luk. 11. That is all that power he hath permitted unto him so that he can do nothing without leave yea he flyes if resisted It is true Sathanae voluntas semper iniqua est habet à semetipso voluntatem sed à Domino potestatem Gregor And if the head of the ungodly man be weak surely his Members cannot be strong So Jacob saith of his first born Reuben Gen. 49. And the Lord of Judah Ezech. 16. Thus men commonly call the exorbitances of passions weaknesses Observ 6. Note here the Reason why iniquity abounds in these last days Is it not because men believe not that there is power in Godliness c. See Notes on Titus 2.8 2. Or is it not because they place their Godliness in outward Forms which have in them no power Observ 7. Note here what is the Object of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Even the Power and might of God imparted unto Believers whereby they may subdue the sin and work that Righteousness which God requires for all men believed by the things that are made Gods eternal power and goodness but that his power should be communicated to men that the seed of the woman should break the serpents head that the God of peace should tread Satan under our feet Rom. 16. This Power of God and Godliness was preached unto the Fathers saith St. Paul Heb. 4.1 This Gospel of Power David desired to publish Psal 71. And therefore the Gospel is called the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. And hence it is that the Angel Gabriel brought the joyful message of the word to be made flesh and to dwell in us Joh. 1.14 and to improve our weak and impotent flesh and to strengthen it to do the Will of God And fitly was Gabriel made choice of for such a joyful message whose name signifieth the Power or might of the strong God Yea this is the Object of our justifying Faith the Power of God and Godliness Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness Rom. 4.17 Repreh 1. The foolish pretences of hypocritical men in these days who take great pains to counterfeit Holiness for some poor worldly end as to get gain or credit and reputation among men Whereas Godliness it self is profitable for all things having all the promises made unto it both of this life and that which is to come If a Form of Godliness seems so amiable to men how much more Godliness it self how much more Godliness with the power of it Repreh 2. Those who cannot endure the Power of Godliness I know they talk much of that Power but if it exceed that pitch that measure they have set it they cannot away with it c. See Notes on Gen. 26. Thou art mightier Consolation There is a Power of Godliness c. See Notes on Titus 2.8 Ungodly lusts are powerful Vide ut supra Reason Why do the false Christians retain the Form and deny the Power of Godliness partly in regard 1. Of the Form 2. Of Godliness 3. Of the Power of it 1. As for the Form it 's outward and easie yea though difficult yet more willingly performed by the men of the later times than the Godliness it self 1. It 's outward and serves to gain men Reputation of being godly as to keep ones Church well to receive the Sacrament c. a good Christian 2. Outward Forms are easie and that 's a great argument to perverted nature which abhors what 's difficult proclives a labore ad libidinem 3. Though it be difficult as St. Peter saith Act. 10. Yea it s a yoke so heavy that neither they nor their fathers were able to bear it yet though it be so men are more willing to perform them than the Godliness it self This is evident by the many complaints which the Lord makes in many places of Scripture Esay 1. Psal 5. 2. As for the Godliness it self whether the fear of God or faith in Christ or the love of the Spirit they are all inward Duties and if these be performed aright then men will
prophets even the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe Gal. 3.23 That hearing and obedience of faith gives the Spirit Gal. 3.2 3 5. and then that which is perfect is come 1 Cor. 13. This hath always been Gods method in bringing men unto Christ and his Spirit which will evidently appear if we consider who were Christs Disciples all of them were first Disciples of John the Baptist Peter was Bar-jona a Son or Disciple of John for so Disciples were called their Sons whose Disciples they were Thus Solomon every where speaks to his Disciples under the names of Sons and a greater than Solomon speaks so to his and S. Paul to the Corinthians and Galatians 4.19 Now all the Disciples of John the Baptist were brought up under the Disciples of the Law and Prophets for the Law and Prophets were until John for confirmation of this ye shall find the Law and Prophets preceding the Doctrine of Christ Mal. 4.2 5. Mark 6.12 Luke 10. Acts 13. after the reading of the Law Act. 2.38.39 Now I beseech you Brethren let us deal impartially with our own Souls we all hope that we believe and are in Christ and that we are all living stones built up a spiritual house 1 Pet. 2.5 The Metaphor is taken from Solomons Temple now Solomon when he built God an House appointed Hewers to hew and polish the stones and so made them fit if therefore we be living stones and part of that spiritual house Eph. 2.21 we must then be hewn and that 's the Prophets work Hos 6.5 Have the Prophets hewn us God killed men by his Prophets Hosea 6.5 Have the Prophets killed us That 's their work Arise Peter kill and eat it was Gods command to him when he was to admit the Gentiles into the Church Whether have the Prophets killed us or mortified us with the killing Letter of the Law That the old man is dead in us and the new man revived and quickened in us Whether are we pricked to the heart that the blood and life of sin may be shed and spilt upon the ground This was meant by that prohibition not to eat with the blood whether have we thus suffered unto Blood Add to these that sweet Harmony between the Old and New Testament Vide Notes in Matth. 16.17 The Prophecies are difficult 't is true see the truth of this and the reason of it Esay 29.10 to 14. Confer Apoc. 5. eum modo ratione intelligendi libri The darkness is in our selves lighten our darkness not in the Prophets they who take not this course to understand the Scriptures run into sundry Sects according to their different understandings and malign one another and kick even against the truth it self because it comes cross to their perceivings Prov. And because they meet not with such or such exposition as they have made in their few English Authors that they have read Sap. 2.21 Their own wickedness hath blinded them Observ 1. It was no new thing for God to speak to his people by the Prophets and Apostles he had dealt so with them now a long time many hundred years ago and it is his method still Moses must speak to Israel Deut. 5.28 and 18.16 Ananiah to Paul Acts 9.5 to 8. Philip to the Eunuch Acts 8.34 Peter to Cornelius Acts 10.4 5 6. And this method God will always observe to teach men by men till all be taught of God Esay 54.13 Jer. 31.34 Hosea 10.12 2 Pet. 1.19 2. The Lord spake of Christs incarnation many ages before Gen. 3. The Seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head This promise Eve conceived she should presently have received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This the Lord did that Christ might be the more earnestly expected and longed for Vti non subitò veniens enarretur sed auditus expectaretur Austin As the Prince which the Embassador tells of long before 3. Hence observe the Grace and goodness of God unto his people and their preheminence above all other nations for whereas God spake to us Heathen in those days only by the voice of the Creation Psalm 19.23 Rom. 1.19 20 21. And by the works of his providence Acts 14 16 17. And by the Book of the Law written in our hearts Rom. 2.14 15. Besides all these the Lord gave to them his lively Oracles and Statutes and over and above raised them up Prophets among them for which peculiar benefits they are stirred up to praise God Psalm 147.19.20 words i. e. the ten words Deut. 10.4 the Moral Law his Statutes i. e. Ceremonial Laws and his Judgments i. e. his Judicial Laws Amos 2.11 I raised up your Sons for Prophets and your young men for Nazarites Vide Notes on Mich. 6.4 I brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of Servants and set before thee Moses and Aaron and Myriam O how much are we bound unto God who hath admitted us Gentiles into this Citizenship and sharing of these benefits with Israel since the Apostles days Eph. 2.19 20. yea that we are surrogatus Irael the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 Jews Rom. 2. Abrahams Seed who do the works of Abraham The true Circumcision 2. If we take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for long time together as it is used for a continued space of time Mark 15.44 Wherein we have these three points answerable to the former First God spake to us Secondly He spake to us by his Son Thirdly God spake to us by his Son in these last times We have hitherto handled the first part of this triple Collation In the second the persons answer to the persons and time to time The persons are either auditors to whom or the Ministers by whom his Son spake 1. Auditors to whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sons of the same Fathers God spake to us i. e. to us Hebrews But were not they wicked and rebellious Answer yes as appears Psalm 95.9 Your Fathers tempted me proved me though they saw my works and the third Chapter of this Epistle alledged also out of Matth. 33.20 they say we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets Acts 7.51 52. Whom have they not persecuted 1 Cor. 10.1 2 10. How came it then to pass that God sent his Son to such a people First for the performance of his truths sake Rom. 15.8 Luke 1.70 71. Secondly These had some worthy Ancestors as Abraham Isaac and Jacob for whose sakes they were remembred so God is prone to do 2 Kings 8.19 for David his Servants sake he would not destroy 2 Kings 20.6 confer Gen. 19.29 1. Observe Gods faithfulness God will perform what he hath promised even to the sending of his dearest Son to the children of unworthy Parents The promise is made to the obedient and performed to them let not men assume it to themselves in their disobedience such as will have
no sin to be ignorant of what God will have us ignorant Secret things belong to God c. but sin is throughly to be purged out yet that must be only in part inchoatè this is from the Devil ye shall know all things like God no ye shall be purified as God is pure Sign Christ where he works he doth it throughly Acts 13.33 M. S. There are who plead for a spot and say his people must have a spot as if it were the mark of Christs people to be spotted as Jacob's Lambs were I deny not but the young Lambs of Christ have their spots which are forgiven them through his name 1 John 2. but those spots are not only forgiven but when they grow up to ripe age they wear away and are not as the Lamb new yeaned hath spots but they wear out when they grow elder Christ shall throughly purge his floor and burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire Cant. 4. Macula non est in te Ephes 1.4 and 5.27 Phil. 2.15 Col. 1.22 Rev. 14.5 Such let us endeavour to be 2 Pet. 3.14 Christs purging is a through purging I have set thee to pull down to destroy and throw down for the house wherein the Leprosie was the Priest was to take away the stones and cast them into an unclean place without the City and cause the house to be scraped within round about and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the City into an unclean place Levit. 14.40 What ever Soul Christ hath purged from sin in it he works righteousness it is the Lords Commission unto Jeremy to root out and to pull down to destroy and throw down and to build and to plant First to root out c. and then to plant c. There are who can root out and destroy but they cannot plant and build the Lord Jesus Christ out of what soul he hath rooted and purged out sin in it he plants righteousness Every plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out all evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesses blasphemies these are plants which are not of our Heavenly Fathers planting These are planted by the envious man these grow from within and defile the man hath Christ rooted out these Hath he cleansed thee from these Then he hath planted the contrary Graces if the unclean thoughts be purged out he hath planted in thee chaste ones if wrath be rooted out he hath planted meekness in thee if he hath rooted out pride he hath planted humility c. if the one be purged out the other is there contraria sunt circa idem Otherwise thy condition is dreadful for if the evil unclean spirit go out of a man and return and find his house empty swept and garnished and Gods good spirit not there he brings seven worse spirits along with him and they enter into the man and his last estate is worse than the first Observe this in the first sin we read of The woman gave to me of the tree and I did eat the woman the Serpent saith she beguiled me and I did eat In the second sin Cain had kill'd Abel and tells God he knew not what was become of him no acknowledgement that any sin is ours if it be possible to avoid it we lay that bastard brood at any mans door rather than own it our selves Consol Alas I find my corruptions many but there is no cleanser no purger of them though I have been a long time a hearer of the Word and that 's said to be a means of cleansing Hath it not cleansed thee at all An ancient Father resembles purging of sin to water washing a foul sieve the water runs through it the word runs through it it profits not because not mingled with faith Hebrew faith purifieth the heart 't is like a cordial which Physitians give in danger of infection of the Pox or Plague to divert the venome from the heart But alas I find my pollutions and uncleannesses more and more as the Leper Levit. 13.12 13. 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness They that came to St. John's Baptism they confessed their sins shewed their deeds Act. and then they were baptised Observe we have our sins this observation however it seems impertinent is exceeding necessary for men acknowledge not sin in themselves or else we are all sinners in confuso Ahab one of the greatest sinners we read of none like him of all the Kings of Israel yet though he had brought in not a false worship only but also a false God though he had at least by connivance killed Naboth and taken possession of his Inheritance and he stoned God sent a Famine yet we read of no remorse at all in Ahab A Famine he knew there was and he was sensible of it but he looked not at himself as any cause of it no he layes the blame where least of all it was to be laid upon Elias Art thou he that hast troubled Israel c. 1 King 18. Judah committed incest with his daughter Tamar Gen. 38. and we read of no remorse at all but when news was brought him that his daughter in Law had played the harlot O how impartial a Judge he was bring her forth and let her be burned vers 24. David having committed those two great sins Adultery and Murder we read of no remorse at all till Nathan came And the Prophet wisely foresaw that unless he couched his accusation in a parable and represented him unto himself in a third person he would hardly acknowledge it which done with much adoe then I have sinned against the Lord 2 Sam. 12.13 Isai 66.5 Your brethren that cast you out for my Names sake said let the Lord be glorified Jer. 50.7 their adversaries said we offend not because they have sinned against the Lord The time will come when they that kill you will think that they do God service Joh. 16.2.9 The reason is our nature is deeply died and rooted in sin so that sin seems to be our nature it self pride is the essence and nature of a proud man covetousness envy voluptuousness lying contention c. self-love idolizeth it self we see nothing amiss in it so that it is a very hard matter to convince almost any man of his sin 2 Chron. 28.5.10 therefore the Prophet must cry aloud Isai 58.1 Observ 1. This is the reason that he who reproves a man of his sin becomes his enemy Hast thou found me O mine enemy Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth Gal. 4.16 1. Is not truth then sweet and pleasant certainly most sweet it is yes as Solomon saith of the light surely the light is sweet c. yet every one that doth evil hates the light and comes not to the light lest his deeds should be reproved Joh. 3.20 Every man loves
according to a reprobate mind hateful and hating of one another Rom. 1. Not considering that our end is drawing on when our ill-placed love our hatred our envy shall perish nor shall we have a portion with the righteous in the world to come so the Chaldee understands Ecclus. 9.6 Observ 5. This is a rule for the regulating of our love and our hatred to love according to Gods method of loving and to hate according to Gods method of hating Righteousness is more lovely than any man First they love Righteousness and then the man Iniquity is more hateful and abominable than any man hate therefore first the iniquity But may I hate the man Truly I may not I dare not hate any man David it 's true said Do I not hate them O Lord that hate thee and am I not grieved for those that rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies Were I so joyned unto the Lord and of one Nature and Spirit with him so that I knew infallibly who were the incorrigible enemies of God then I might hate such being in such a bond we should have common friends and common enemies But when mine heart tells me that there are enemies of my God within me and such as rise up against him These I ought first to hate with a perfect hatred and account them mine enemies Nor doth this hinder but that justice may proceed against ungodly and incorrigible wicked men But before thou and I determine who in special is the enemie of God and pretend to our selves to be Gods friends Let us remember Joh. 8. The woman taken in adultery and Col. 1.21 otherwise self-love will sooner incline us to make our enemies Gods than Gods true enemies ours Repreh 1. The subjects of this well-affected King how well affected soever they would seem to be who direct not their love aright they love not Righteousness nor their hatred aright they hate not iniquity but love the man and hate the man The man perhaps may have some good in him or he may be good unto us and then we love him delight in him Speak good of the covetous whom God abhorreth they have mens persons in admiration for advantage Then we can impute enough Righteousness unto him They of Philippi loved Pythonissa because she brought them in gain men can love the Devil himself if he be a profitable Devil Thus men extremely flatter and delude themselves conceiving that they love Righteousness whereas indeed they love iniquity These as they fable of Ixion think they embrace Juno when they embrace only a cloud Yea oftentimes men are so grosly mistaken in themselves and others that though they themselves be the serpents seed yea serpents and a generation of vipers yet they hate and oftentimes the true seed of the woman Is not that time come or near to come whereof our Lord speaks Joh. 16.1 2. What shall we say of such men but that Naash hath put out their right eyes 1 Sam. 11.1 The Serpent the God of this world hath blinded their eyes that they cannot direct their love or hatred aright Repreh 2. The ill affection and busie disposition of some who judge falsly and uncharitably of the well affected subjects of Jesus Christ whom because they love righteousness and hate iniquity and accordingly endeavour to lead their lives uprightly patiently humbly c. They conceive that this they do out of fear of punishment should they do otherwise or hope of gain or some other base and inferiour motive It is much to be doubted that they who thus judge were never yet acquainted with the amiableness and loveliness of righteousness mercy goodness c. themselves that they think a man cannot love and live and practice them for themselves but he must be forced to it by base and slavish fear or hope Antisthenes a Philosopher taught his Scholars that a wise man lives not according to the laws instituted by men but according to the rule of virtue even because right Reason dictates what is good and what is evil Virtue compelled is not virtue Could a Philopher speak this of his moral virtues and may not a Christian say much more of the true righteousness of Jesus Christ if moral virtues be so lovely that they need no fear of laws to compel them to the life and practice of them Shall not the Christian virtues and graces be much more amiable How dare men thus intrude into the hearts of men Is it not Gods peculiar to search the heart Yet dare these men enter into the heart and judge from what principle actions proceed from thence Little do these men consider how manifestly they discover themselves to be ill affected and out of their own private disposition they judge of others Aristotle was asked what benefit he found in Philosophy his answer was By philosophy I have learnt to do that without constraint which other men do only for fear of the laws Other men abstain from theft for fear of the Laws a Philosopher therefore abstains because it is dishonest though he might commit it without fear of them The law is not made for the righteous man He would do what he doth whether there were law to punish or to reward yea or no. Consol Doth the Lord love Righteousness Alas I have none No I count mine own righteousness which is by the law dross and dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doth the Lord hate iniquity I have too much of that 'T is like sore burden too heavy for me c. And how then can the Lord love me without his Righteoâ—â—ness How can he but hate me for mine iniquity he is now chastening thee for sin that he may make thee partaker of his Righteousness Some good thing may be yea found in thee Cast it not away there is a blessing in it But the Lord will shew mercy to whom he will shew mercy Wo to those blind guides who seduce the credulous people amuse and hamper yet torture their consciences with scrupulosities of Election and Reprobation as if Rom. 9. were the rule of the Scripture and all the Scripture should not rather interpret that what saith the same Apostle Rom. 2.6 God shall render to every man according to his deed c. yea take notice that the Lord saith in the body of the Decalogue The Lord visits the iniquity of the fathers and shews mercy to thousands of them that love him and keep his commandments Repreh 3. Those who love a false righteousness and hate the true Righteousness This was figured by Adonizedeck who raised all the Kings against Josuah cap. 10.1 This is the Righteousness which Christ's Spirit reproves the world of Men may be worldly minded yet thus righteous Joh. 16. Such were the Sadducees and Pharisees the greatest enemies of Christ Christ's true Righteousness is a thorough Righteousness reforms the whole man Exhort To love Righteousness it is the policy of servants to insinuate themselves
destruction Ezech. 5.12 13. Zach. 6.8 Ecclus. 39.28 Consol Alas I have grieved the Holy Spirit of God And he is grieved with them for thee In all our afflictions he is afflicted thus Joseph condoled with his brethren Repreh 1. Those who are not grieved with the Lord Amos 6.6 so Gen. 42.21 22. Zach. 12. Repreh 2. Those that grieve the Holy Spirit they have pierced the Father and the Son 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I said they alwayes erre in their heart These words contain the Lords censure of these hardened men which is reported otherwise by the Apostle than it is in Psal 95.10 for there we read the words thus They are a people that do erre in their heart or as Pagnine renders the words Populus errantium corde Instead of which words our Apostle readeth the words thus They alwayes erre in their heart leaving out the word people and in place of it reading alwayes and this he did according to the Septuagint Translation but the words whether way so ever we read them amount to the same sence The censure then contains these two parts 1. God saith they alwayes erre in their heart 2. They have not known his wayes 1. The Lord saith they alwayes erre in their heart Wherein we must enquire 1. What it is to erre 2. What to erre in heart 3. Upon what ground the Lord passeth this censure on them 1. The word we turn to erre is in the Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth that kind of errour which is in going after false Gods and therefore Chald. Paraph. there turns the words thus It is a people whose Idols are in their heart The Greek word used by the LXX and the Apostle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they erre And this may be understood two wayes for whereas the same thing diversly considered is 1. intelligible and so true 2. desirable and so good the man is conversant about these according to his two faculties Understanding and Will when therefore a Man understands that for true which is false or that for false which is true when he desires that as good which is evil or refuseth that as evil which is good in all these wayes he errs and that in his heart which is the seat of both faculties according to the Scriptures 3. Upon what grounds doth the Lord pass censure on his people From certain Knowledge Job 34.21 Mine eyes are upon all their wayes Jer. 16.17 and 32.19 great in counsel c. Ecclus. 17.8 He let his eyes c. If we have lift up our hands to a strange God shall not God search it out for he tryes the very heart and reins If we enquire into the reason why his people erred in their hearts and alwayes erred it must proceed first from their own lusts of errour as they are called Ephes 4.22 But how fell they into these lusts of errour were they enforced by any antecedent decree or was God wanting to them in what was needful surely neither so nor so God propounded his Truth unto them that they might be saved but they voluntarily turned away from it and received it not in the Love of it and then when his Love is despised he leaves men to their own choice See this proceeding of God 2 Thess 2 9-12 Obser 1. Note hence where the grand and most dangerous deceit begins where else but in the heart every man 's own heart seduceth him every man is his own principal deceiver for although there be that deceive others yet unless mens own lusts betrayed them they would not be deceived the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty but the womans curiosity first betrayed her and although men lie in wait to deceive Ephes 4. yet every mans own heart first deceives himself Deut. 11.16 Isa 44.20 Jam. 1.22 Hence it was that although the Serpent deceived the Woman and the Woman the Man yet they both Man and Woman were punished by the most Just God because the lusts of their own hearts had deceived them and caused them to transgress the Commandment of God Observ 2. What little truth and constancy in truth there is to be found in men even in men who profess Religion and Piety while they are destitute of Gods Spirit the spirit of truth that leads into all truth This people were by profession the people of God yet they alwayes erred in their hearts Observ 3. The Lord looks not so much on the way of mens outward profession or what they promise with their mouths as upon the frame and disposition of their hearts these men had made large profession of obedience Exod. 19.8 Deut. 5.27 28. The Lord heard the voice of their words and gives testimony that they had spoken well but their heart was wanting vers 29. O that there were such an heart in them 1 Chron. 16.9 10. Observ 4. Men may erre in their heart when yet they speak good words with their mouths and perform some acts with their hands viz. when they do not the same out of faith and love and obedience unto God and for right ends such a people the Psalmist describes Psal 78.35 36. thus they Zach. 7. This is a strange dissent between the outward and inward life which our Lord â—â—mself marvels at How can ye that are evil speak good things Observ 5. This discovers the great folly and vanity of many who please themselves in the good opinion and good reports that men make of them and seek themselves without themselves when mean time the Lords estimate and judgement of them may be and often is quite otherwise As the Lord saith here of these men I said they alwayes erre in their hearts If the Lord said so it matters not whatever men say to the contrary Repreh Who pretend an outward conformity in words and works unto the truth of God yet mean time in their hearts erre from that truth such were they Ezech. 33.3 Jam. 1.8 therefore the Wise Man Ecclus. 2.12 denounceth a woe to the sinner that goeth two wayes This may be feared to be the sin of many in this Generation who comply with the good when they are with the good when they are with evil men comply and consent to them with chaste men they are chaste lascivious with those who are lascivious When thou sawest a thief c. Elias cryed out against such How long do ye halt between two Opinions between the Lord and Baal of such our Lord saith No man can serve God and Mammon Luk. 16.13 Dagon and the Ark of God cannot stand together This was figured by the Lords prohibition of plowing with an Ox and an Ass of sowing the land with divers seeds of weaving a webb of linnen and woollen Such were the Samaritans who would worship the true God yet would retain the Gods of the Nations 1 Kings 17.33 Jer. 2.18 and vers 36. Such were those in the Text of whom our Lord saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they alwayes erre
1. Those are to be reproved who flatter themselves and think themselves complete for Salvation who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gospellized they have the Gospel preached unto them and by powerful Preachers precious men And had not these Hebrews the Gospel preached unto them in all sincerity truth and power as appears Heb. 2.1 2. yet had they great cause to take heed and fear the attainment of Gods Kingdom and eternal Rest unless they walked worthy of the Gospel in all humility meekness obedience and circumspection unless they applyed the Gospel unto themselves and lived answerable thereunto otherwise to what purpose is the Gospel preached to us or to what purpose is all our hearing of it They who are content saith the Philosopher Ethic. lib. 1. with the knowledge of Moral Philosophy without the practice of it are like the patients who hear the Physicians Prescripts attentively but do nothing of all they hear And therefore as they for all their hearing are never a whit more near the cure of their bodies so neither are these to the cure of their souls Judge in your selves Beloved should a Physician tell you the most soveraign receipt were ye any whit the nearer your health unless ye made use of it And to what purpose is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the healing doctrine as St. Paul calls the word either preached or heard unless it work the cure make the proud man humble the drunkard sober the letcher chast the wrathful man patient c. in a word unless it cure the spiritual malady of our souls 2. This reproves those also who account all outward teaching superfluous because that saying of St. John 1 Joh. 2.27 ye have an anointing from the holy One c. did ever any man receive that anointing from the holy One ex tempore No man is fit to be a Disciple of the holy One unless first he have laid down his unholy life Luk. 14.25 26 27. besides the Lord hath appointed teachers of his Church Deut. 5.27.28 how long until as ye read Ephes 4.11 12 14. So 2 Pet. 1.15 Exhort one another while it is called to day Heb. 3.13 While Christ's day shines unto us he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to day Heb. 13.8 and will not that be always yes in the Spirit But the time will come when a man shall not teach his neighbour Jer. 31.33 34. Mean time we must teach one another by how much that day appeareth nearer Heb. 10.24 25. Then Christ shall be yesterday and for ever Heb. 13.8 i. e. the day of eternity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3. ult Then ye shall receive an unction from the holy one by which ye shall know all things and not till then As for the light within us until that time it may be false Let those then who are called and qualified to preach the Gospel be hence exhorted to do it with all sincerity diligence and boldness I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth c. Rom. 1.16 2. For exhortation since we have received the Gospel let us walk worthy of it let us live and walk as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ let us obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ There are many differences between the Law and the Gospel but many things there are likewise wherein they agree and this is one and that a main one Obedience for so St. Paul and that a principal Minister of the Gospel he was sent to preach the obedience of faith Rom. 1.5 and 16.16 2 Thess 1.8 The fathers of the Hebrews received the Gospel but obeyed it not and so they could not enter into the Lords Rest O let us be followers of those who through faith and patience inherited the promises 3. Be we exhorted to receive the Gospel it is a Gospel of Power of remission of sins of liberty from the power of Satan Sign Hast thou received the Gospel There are many who boast that they have received it when yet they complain much of their thraldom under sin what saith the Son of God Luk. 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor c. If men rich in Spirit are high minded the Gospel is not preached to them Or they that say they have not yet loved it if our spirits have not yet been contrite if our hearts have not been yet broken we have not yet the Gospel preached unto us If we yet complain that we are captives under sin and Satan we have not received the Gospel for they who have received the Gospel are impowered against sin and Satan The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head behold I give you power over all the power of the enemy c. A means hereunto is to learn to know our own misery otherwise we shall not know the necessity nor desire mercy the whole need not the Physician Matth. 11 28. Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden 2. Otherwise we shall not be thankful to God for it or fit Auditors of the Gospel of our Salvation 3. If the Gospel be effectually preached unto us it 's a word of life dwelling richly in us 1 Pet. 1.25 NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS VI. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That ye be not slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises THis Text is proper to our present occasion the anniversary commemoration of Mr. Shield an honest and loving Parishioner of this Parish who bestowed what he had gotten by his honest labours upon this Parish and others whom no doubt the good God hath rewarded For God is not unrighteous or forgetful of their work and labour of love which is shewed towards his name in ministring to the Saints and I desire that every one of you shew the same diligence to the fulfilling of our hope unto the end that ye be not slack c. The wisdom of our Apostle is very remarkable as elsewhere so in this Epistle and more especially in this Chapter wherein sometimes he exhorts them as vers 1. sometimes he terrifies them and casts them down as vers 4. and 8. Sometime again he raiseth them up as in vers 9. and 10. and lest being raised up to good hope they should prove secure he stirs them up and every of them to the like diligence and care for the fulfilling of their hope and for that end he sets before them the pattern of the Patriarchs which he encourageth them to follow in their faith and patience with hope of obtaining the like end of their faith and patience through which the Fathers obtained the promises The verse is an imperfect sentence in it self and whereas it is so it refers us to the former vers 11. where the Apostle exhorts every one of them to the like diligence in administring to the Saints vers 10. In