and powerful sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and Intents of the heart 'T is a hard matter for a Man tho' never so wicked to shut out or Prevent the Light of Gods Word from darting into and piercing of his Evil and accusing Conscience 3. The Word and blessed Gospel of Christ is so Great a Light that it makes wonderful Discoveries to the Children of Men. 1. It makes Manifest not only that there is a God but also what a God he is Not only his Being but also his manner of Being 2. It Discovers the Creation of the World 3. The State of Man before he fell and after his Fall 4. The horrid nature of Sin 5. The secret Counsel and Eternal Love of God to lost Man together with the severity of God towards the fallen Angels 6. It makes known the Lord Jesus Christ and his Blessed Design in coming into the World his Incarnation Nativity Life Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession c. 7. It Discovers how God is to be Worshipped all his Laws Ordinances and Institutions are revealed by it 8. It discovers the True Church which otherwise cannot be known 9. Lastly It makes manifest whatsoever is needful or necessary to be known believed or practiced in order to Salvation 4. The VVord of God Directs and Guides Men in the Right way Hence David saith Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my pathes God is Gracious to mankind in this respect viz. he leaves them not at an uncertainty without an infallible Guide in matters of Religion Take away this Unâ—â—erring Rule and what confusion would the Christian VVorld be in one Man might say this is the way and another that I walk saith one by the Guidance of the Spirit and so saith another that teacheth quite Contrary things Saith a third you are both out of the way 't is I alone that am led by Inspiration and ye are in Darkness Others plead for the Pope and General Counsels which have been miserably Contradictory one to another and none of these can Give better Demonstrations touching the truth of what they Preach or Practice then the Rest being not able to Confirm their Doctrine by Miracles and so consequently how shall a poor doubtful Soul be directed in the way to heaven by either or any of them For were not the holy Scriptures the Rule but Contrariwise the Light within or Inspiration c. then must a Man be able to Confirm and Prove what he sayeth in such a way or by such means that no Deceiver or Impostor can pretend unto or do the like But is not the Spirit of God above the Scriptures which you call the VVord did not the Spirit give forth the Scriptures if so sure then that is of the Greatest Authority and only Light that can best Direct men Into the right way That the holy Spirit or third Person of the holy Trinity is a Greater Light then the holy Scripture is not Denied by vertue of which holy men of old were Inspired that gave them forth yet the Question is VVhether any Man now hath such a measure of the Spirit in him which is a greater Light than the written word and to whom others are bound to adhere and be directed by for 't is this only which is Denied 5. The word and Gospel of Christ hath a Chearing and Quickning Vertue This is my comfort in my affliction thy word hath Quickened me And in another place I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast Quickend me As 't is grevious to be Spiritually blind or in the Dark Region and Dungeon of Idolatry Sin and Unbelief so on the other hand how comfortable is it to enjoy the blessed word and Gospel of Jesus Christ. 6. The VVord and Gospel of Christ hath a Cleansing Purging and purifying Vertue in it Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you The Gospel and word of God Disperseth and Scattereth all the Fogs and Mists of Darkness and Error It is the refining-pot of Truth VVhat an unwholsome Pesthouse would the VVorld be in a Spiritual Sence were it not for the Light and Excellent Vertue of Gods holy VVord 7. The VVord and Gospel of God is very pure and of an undefilable Nature what filthy sinks hath it past through and what means hath been used by the Popish Adversaries and others to Corrupt and Polute it and yet no defilement cleaveth to it it remaines unmixed and pure still shining forth Gloriously such is the Excellent nature of it it purifieth the hearts and lives of men and nothing can fasten upon it to polute it 8. The VVord and Gospel of Christ is called by the Apostle The Glorious Gospel the Gospel is exceeding full of Glory There is nothing in it but that which is very Glorious Here you have a Resplendency and Shining forth of the Sun of Righteousness Gloria quasi clara saith Aquinas because Glory is the bright shining forth of Excellency now its transcendent Excellency and Splendor shines forth as may be demonstrated many wayes 1. It s Glorious in Respect of the Author and Fountain from whence it proceeds 2. 'T is Glorious in a Comparative sence 3. 'T is Glorious in respect of it Self First As light is Glorious because it is the most Excellent Rayes Resplendency and Shinings forth of the Sun so is the Gospel because 't is the glorious shining forth and resplendency of Jesus Christ the Sun of Righteousness Secondly 'T is glorious in a comparative sence it Excells the Law hence called a better Testiment tho' that was glorious yet it had no glory in this respect by Reason of the glory that Excelleth I. The Gospel excels the Law in respect of the names of the one and the names of the other 1. The Law is called the Letter the Gospel the Ministration of the Spirit 2. The Law is called a Ministration of death the Gospel a Ministrator of life II. The gospel excels in glory above the law 1. In regard of the light and perspicuity of it the law was full of obscurity clothed with many Ceremonies and mysterious Sacrifices 2. They were at a great loss touching the main drift and end thereof 2 Cor. 3.13 God spake as it were under a Vail III. The gospel is clear and plain Christ beheld heard handled c. the Mysteries long hid open'd and explained fully we behold with open face c. IV. The law was appointed to be but a leading Ministration and in subserviency to the gospel our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. V. The gospel more glorious or excels the law in respect of the strength of the one and weakness of
us and renders our Services acceptable to God 10. Wo wo to them that have not Christ their Surety what will Sinners do without a Saviour If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your Sins Lastly For Trial. Have you Christ for your Surety examine your selves by these Marks following 1. Did you ever see the Need of Christ's Suretiship Or do you adventure to come to God for more Goods in your own Name In this take heed for your Credit is gone 2. Hath Christ taken you as a Door off the old Hinges Have you seen your Want and Beggary and from hence chosen Christ for your Surety 'T is only the broken Man that seeks to his Friend for Security 3. Is the Law written in your Hearts have you that new Spirit put within you are you changed Ones I will put my Fear in their Hearts c. Do you love the Word of God because of the Purity of it Would you be holy as well as happy 4. Do you lay the Stress of your Salvation upon Jesus Christ Is he the Foundation of your Faith and Hope Have you fled to him for Refuge 5. Is Christ a Pearl of great Price to you To them that believe he is precious If Sin be in thy Sight the greatest of Evils and that which thou loathest above all things and Christ the rarest Jewel in thy Esteem whom thou preferrest before thy chiefest Joy then Peace be unto thee Christ is thy Surety For Caution O let none from the consideration of this glorious Grace shining forth in this great and wonderful Mystery take encouragement to run further into Debt if any should so do let them know that there is nothing can be a greater Evidence against them that they have no Part nor Lot in this Matter Christ a Bridegroom Mat. 25.6 Behold the Bridegroom cometh go you out to meet him John 3.29 He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom but the Friend of the Bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoyceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's Voice This my Joy therefore is fulfilled THis Metaphor of a Bridegroom as it is exceeding useful so it is as comfortable and pleasant a Metaphor as most we meet with in the holy Scriptures A Bridegroom presupposes two things First a Person in a single capacity and as so considered he is a Suitor Secondly a Person in a married Estate and as so considered he is a Head or Husband In both these respects Christ may be considered and is held forth in the Word of God He first acts as a Lover or Suitor to engage the Love and Affections of Sinners to himself and then joins himself in a glorious mystical Marriage-Relation with them and accordingly acts towards the Sons of Men Of which take this following Parallel Metaphor I. A Man that intends or is disposed to marry is not contented or thinketh it not convenient to abide in a single Condition how happy soever he is otherwise in the enjoyment of all outward good things in his Father's House II. An obedient and wise Son takes advice and consults with his Father being fully resolved to change his Condition and enter into a Contract of Love and Marriage-Union and then fixes upon a particular Object III. When a Man hath fixed upon an Object that he intends to espouse unto himself he contrives the way and method of his Proceeding in making known his Mind and to bring about his Design and many times will chuse to send Messengers to treat with the Person about the Business and discover his Affection before he goes himself in Person IV. After this a Lover usually his Heart being enflamed with Love and ardent Affection to the Person tho she be in another Country very far off takes a Journey resolving to give her a Visit and in order thereunto he suits himself in a fit Garb and Cloathing that so he might every way render himself a Person acceptable and meet likely and capable of winning and enjoying of her V. If the Person or Suitor be a Prince and known commonly at his Arrival he is much congratulated and welcomed by the Nobility and Persons of Honour VI. A Lover when he goes to visit a Person he intends to espouse unto himself usually sends his Friend or takes him along with him to signify not only what and who he is but also his Intention and Purpose in coming VII A Man propounds Questions to the Person he loves to discover whether she be preingaged to any other and if he perceives she is entangled through great Folly and in danger to be utterly undone thereby he strives to undeceive her and save her from Ruin VIII A Lover makes Offers of Love unto the Person he has fixed his Eye upon and uses divers Arguments to persuade her to yield or consent unto his Request IX A true Lover respects his intended Bride more than Wealth Beauty c. 'T is not the Portion but the Person his Eye is principally set upon X. Such a Person sues hard uses weighty Arguments to prevail and will not quickly take a Denial XI A faithful Suitor waits long and hath much Patience before he will desist or give over his Suit and yet thinks nothing too much that he suffers or does endure for her sake as appears concerning Jacob who served seven Years for Rachel And they seemed unto him but a few days for the Love he had to her XII One that intends to make a Person his Bride and only Consort expresses great Love his Love is sometimes much more than he can well express 't is very strong as strong as Death many Waters cannot quench it nor can the Floods drown it There is an unsatisfied Desire in the Person until the Object beloved be enjoyed XIII Such an one is greatly concerned and grieved at the Unkindnesses of his Friend and ungrateful Repulses and many times from hence doth withdraw himself and carry it as a Stranger XIV A Suitor nevertheless such is the Nature of his Affection knows not how to give her up he therefore sends Letters thereby further expressing the Ardency of his Desire and how loth he is to take his final Farewel XV. Moreover besides all this he sends faithful Messengers to her as Spokesmen to answer her Objections that so if it be possible he might bring her at last to a compliance who use also many Arguments in order thereunto This Abraham's Servant acted when he went to take a Wife for Isaac XVI A Suitor also sends Love-Tokens to the Person he intends to make his Bride Isaac sent unto Rebekah Ear-rings and Bracelets of Gold XVII A Lover cannot endure Corrivals nor permit that another should have a part or an equal share in the Affection of the Object beloved XVIII Some Lovers have fought great Battels and met with great Opposition from Enemies for the sake of those Persons they have set their Hearts upon XIX A Man will not make a Contract of
ΤΡΟΠΟΛΟΓΙΑ OR A KEY TO Open SCRIPTURE METAPHORS The First BOOK Containing Sacred Philology or the Tropes in Scripture Reduc'd under their proper Heads with a brief Explication of each partly Translated and partly Compil'd from the Works of the Learned By T. D. The Second and Third BOOKS Containing a Practical Improvement Parallel-wise of several of the most Frequent and Useful Metaphors Allegories and express Similitudes of the Old and New Testament By B. K. Heb. 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pecuniae non appetens mos Contenti praesentibus Budaeus ex Citat Cl. Rivet Existimo Tropos Oratorios multo sublimiores efficacioresque in Sacra lectione inveniri quam in priscorum Graecorum Latinorum Monumentis posseque oratoriam phrasin fieri ea lectione multo locupletiorem LONDON Printed by John Richardson and John Darby for Enoch Prosser at the Rose and Crown in Swithins Alley at the East-End of the Royal Exchange in Cornhill MDCLXXXI TO THE READER THE Divine Wisdom Treasur'd in the Holy Scripture although unadorn'd with the plausible paint of Humane Eloquence nor with that Rapidity and Lightness which Junius and Tremellius well say the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Jer. 23.32 Yet it wants not a Grave Genuine and Majestical dignity of Elocution suitable to those Sacred Mysteries it twofolds The best witness of which is the Tast and Experience of that sweetness which many have found in it The mode of speech in Scripture is plain and savours of to humane blandishment or artificial Beauty Yet it is most August and Efficacious to pierce the minds of Men as 1 Cor. 2.1 4. Where the Apostle disclaims any Rhetorical flourishes or perswasive Oratory but professes that his speech and Preaching was not with the enticing or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perswasive words of Mans Wisdom but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Demonstration and Power of the Spirit that is in words truly Spiritual which could powerfully and effectually move their Hearts Where this Eminent Servant of God disowns his Humane Eloquence but not that Divine Elocution in which he excells and checks those plausible affectations and artifice of words which the Orators of his time made use of who fed their Auditors with the vain glory of words in the Contemplation and delight of which they went away without any other improvement than what bare Rhetorick could afford I may not unfitly allude to a passage in Plutarch where it is said that Lacon hearing a Nightingale Sing and by the briskness of its warbling and delicate Notes and by the clearness and quavering cadency of its Voice judged it a good prey but when he saw it and found it to be of so small a size for 't is not much bigger than a Sparrow he disdainfully left it and said vox es praeterea nihil thou art a voice and nothing else So whoseever deceives people with those fancy-taking modulations of empty Rhetorick in the Ministry or Sacred work of Preaching will in the end become despised and will not only be forsaken of their Judicious Auditors but will also by the great Pay-master be called unprofitable Servants Beyond all Writings in the World the Style of Scripture is singular and has peculiar proprieties not elsewhere found there simplicity is joyned with Majesty commanding the veneration of all serious men more than the Elaborate flourishes and long winded periods of Tully Augustine says that the Scripture seem'd rude and unpolished to him in comparison of Cicero's adorn'd stile because he did not then understand its interiora or inward beauty but when he was Converted to Christianity declares lib. 4. de Doctrin Christ. c. 6. That when he understood them no Writing appear'd more Wise and Eloquent Greg. Nazianzen a man of a prodigious Wit great Learning and Eloquence and an excellent Poet when he came over to the Study of this sacred Philosophy vilifies all other ornaments of Literature amongst the Greek Philosophers as infinitely below those Divine Oracles Illyricus says that although we find not in the Sacred Scriptures that idle or delicate itch of Words that external sweetness or allurement that numerosity of sounds or those pleasing trifles which the vain-glorious Orators of Greece and Rome beautified their so much celebrated harangues with yet we find there a Grave and Masculine Eloquence exceeding all others By the very precepts of Rhetorick what may be ones mans Eloquence may be anothers Folly because the stile must be found according to the various circumstances of Persons and Things The Lawyer pleads Eloquently and strives to move the Affections of others The Judge pronounces the sentence Gravely A King commands or forbids Plainly But if the King perswades or the Judge contends they throw off the person of a King or Judge and assume the person of a Subject and Pleader What then is the Law of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Do we think our God will use Inductions as Plato Syllogisms as Aristotle Elenchs as the Carmeades Epiphonema's as Cicero Subtilties as Seneca or words far fetcht joyned together with an artificial Sintax with respect to weight number and sound If a Royal Edict were published in that kind of speech consisting of School follies every wise man would laugh at it The more plain the Word and Law of the great God is 't is so much the more becoming the Divine Author and Lawgiver and more profitable for mankind because so 't is more easily understood being like dayly food accommodated to every Palat But what if in that humility of stile in Scripture there be more height and loftiness and more profoundness in its Simplicity more beauty in its nakedness and more vigor and acuteness in its seeming rudeness then in those other things we so praise and admire c. This Holy Book is of most powerful efficacy to instruct the humble and confound the proud In History the main thing praise worthy is Truth which is here set forth indubitably True Beauty abhors and indeed needs not the bedawbings of a pencil for the more naked it is 't is so much the more attractive and as Jewellers say The richer the Gem is the less it needs the assistance of Gold or Art to set it off c. If a proper and comely man walks upon Stilts to appear Taller it adds nothing to his beauty but diminishes the decorum of his natural proportion Yet nevertheless there is in Scripture a peculiar and admirable Elegance so that I may boldly say that Cicero's smooth and elaborate blandishments are but exercises of Puerility in comparison of the grave lively and venerable Majesty of the Prophet Esaias stile as the very Exordium of his Book shews Esa. 1.2 c. which is full of Ingenity and Eloquence Humility and Grandiloquence Reason and Affection And it may be safely asserted that considering the Method and Stile that was thought most convenient by the Sovereign Dictator of this blessed Writing the Argument of which it treats
verses make evident This is called Jer. 21.8 The way of Life and Death See more Deut. 32.47 Prov. 19.3 and 20.1 Esa. 28.12 This is rest that is the Cause of rest or the way and manner of arriving to it Hosea 4.18 Their drink is sowre or gone that is their cause of recess from God or that which made them backslide as verse 11. Whoredom and Wine and New Wine take away the Heart Which words viz. take away the Heart are Emphatical for they denote that they were as it were wallowing in these Evils when they gave themselves to Whoredom and Drunkenness They saw and knew what was better and approved them but they followed the worse and so the Devil keeps them that are drowned in these Wickednesses as it were Captives 2 Tim. 2.26 for the hebrew word here is used when they speak of such as such as are taken and detained by force Gen. 14.11 12. Josh. 11.19 23 c. Micah 1.5 What is the Transgression of Jacob Is not Samaria And what are the High Places of Judah Are they not Jerusalem That is as Kimchi in lib. Radicum expounds it what was the Cause of the defection of Jacob Was it not the Cities of Samaria c. See Hab. 2.5 John 3.19 And this is the Judgment or Condemnation that is the cause of it John 12.50 And I know that his Commandement is Life Everlasting that is the Cause or Organ by which Everlasting Life is obtained for he speaks of saving knowledge by the Gospel Rom. 7.7 Is the Law sin that is the Cause of sin in or by it self So Rom. 8.6 For to be carnally minded is Death But to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace that is the cause of Death and the Cause of Life and Peace as verse 10. See Phil. 1.13 Heb. 6.1 and 19. 14. and Rom. 6.23 In Verbs To JOY and REJOYCE are put for to be freed or delivered from Evil and to be or do well which is the Cause of Joy Psal. 70.4 Let all those that seek thee Rejoyce and be glad in thee that is let them be freed from all evil that they may have cause of Joy The Cause and Effect are joyned Psal. 5.11 12 13. To be Ashamed and Confounded signifies a falling into calamities and be exposed to violence which is the Cause of Confusion Psal. 25.1 2. and 3.19 20. and 31.1 2. and 119.115 116 c. To please signifies good behaviour and honest respect which is the cause of complacency as Rom. 15.2 Let every one of us please his Neighbour for good to edification See Erasmus upon the place 1 Cor. 10.33 Hast or Flight is put for Shame and Confusion Esa. 28.16 He that beleiveth shall not make hast that is he shall not be confounded as Rom. 9.33 and 10.11 1 Pet. 2.6 The Effect and Consequence of Confusion is flight or a hasty getting away from the sight of men This also signifies calamities and punishments as limited before See Psal. 74.15 Esa. 28.28 Eccl. 11.1 Job 28.5 Psal. 104. 13 14. Esa. 47.2 and 33.12 Josh. 11.8 and 13.6 CHAP. III. Of a Metonymie of the Subject THIS kind of Metonymie shall be handled under five Heads 1. More generally when the Recipient or receiving Subject is put for the Adjunct 2. More especially when the thing Containing is put for the thing Contained or Place for the thing Placed 3. When the Possessor is put for the thing Possessed 4. When the Occupant Object or Subject is put for that which it is concern'd about 5. When the thing Signed is put for the Sign 1. The Recipient or Receiving Subject is put for the Adjunct THE HEART is put for Wisdom where the Scripture tells us the seat of Wisdom is as Prov. 2.10 and 11.29 and 15.14 and 16.21 Prov. 6.32 Who so committeth Adultery with a Woman lacketh a Heart so the hebrew is that is lacketh Wisdom and Understanding See Prou. 7.7 and 9.4 16. and 10.13 21. In which places by the phrase wanting a Heart is to be understood of an unwise person or a fool by which words the Scripture expresses unbeleiving and Wicked men as Prov. 8.5 O yee simple understand subtilty and ye fools understand an Heart so the hebrew that is wisdom Prov. 15.32 He that heareth reproof possesseth or acquireth an Heart that is as the Chaldee renders it Wisdom See Prov. 28.26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool that is he that depends on or confides in his own understanding and prudence or he that is wise in his own Eyes as Esa. 5.21 So Hos. 7.11 and 4.11 The Heart and Reins are put for inward thoughts and affections Psal. 73.20 21. and 51.7 8. Prov. 23.16 God searches the Heart and Reins Psal. 7.9 10. and 26.1 2. Jer. 11.20 and 17.10 and 20.12 This is to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Act. 1.24 The knower of Hearts Matth. 20.21 'T is put for the desires of the soul expressed in Prayer as Psal. 62.8 Pour out your heart before him that is the desires of your heart Lam. 2.19 The New or inward man is put for the condition or state of the Converted or regenerate soul. And Old or outward man is opposed to it See Rom. 6.6 Eph. 4. 22.2 Cor. 7.1 Heb. 23.1 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 12.2 and 8.2 5. 2 Cor. 4.16 2. The Thing Containing is put for the Thing Contained and Place for thing Placed MOunt Carmel is put for the Trees there Jer. 46.18 As Carmel by Sea that is as the Trees of Mount Carmel are drawn by Sea so shall he lead them Captives So says Rab. Kimhi blessed be thy basket Deut. 28.5 That is the meat or provision in it A Desart is put for the wild Beasts there Psal. 29.8 with Deut. 8.15 A House is put for the Family Children and Domesticks Gen. 7.1 Come thou and all thy House into the Ark. 2 Sam. 7.11 The Lord telleth thee that he will make them an House that is give thee an off-spring or posterity to possesse the Royal Dignity 1 Chron. 10.6 Psal. 49.12 Luke 19.9 c. It is also put for a People or Tribe sprung from any Family as Exod. 2.1 Ezek. 3.1 and 27. 14. c. Islands are put for their Inhabitants and so for the Gentiles which possest all the Islands in the Mediterranean Sea Esa. 41.1 5. Keep silence before me O Islands The Isles saw it and feared c. See Esa. 42.4 The Isles shall wait for his Law Esa. 51.5 The Isles shall wait upon me The Sea is put for Maritine Inhabitants or Sea-men that dwelt near the shore Ezek. 26.17 How art thou destroyed that wast inhabited of the Seas so the hebrew So Esa. 60.5 The abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee that is the Gentiles which dwell near the Sea as the following words shew See Hag. 2.7 8. Deut. 33.19 They shall suck the abundance of the Seas that is Goods and Merchandize brought by Sea A Table is put for Meat Psal. 23.4
once then to die dayly Beza and others say that it is not likely that the Governess of such a Holy Family as Job's and the Wife and Companion of so good a man should be so impudently wicked as to give that abominable advice to her Husband as either to Curse God or destroy himself Her error say they was she judged him Wicked because thus smitten and that he trusted upon his own integrity c. But others with greater probability judge this Counsel to be very wicked for he reproves her for it plainly Thou speakest as one of the foolish Women speaketh and certainly Job would never have said so if her speech had only imported an humble preparation for his approaching Death It was rather a speaking the Devils mind to bid him Curse God and Dye viz. Curse God that the Magistrate taking notice of it thou mayst be cut off by the Sword of Justice for Blasphemers were sentenced to Death without mercy by the Law of Moses and it is not improbable that the light of Nature might carry those Nations to as high and severe a Revenge against that highest Sin And Die that is dye by thine hand or destroy thy self c. So that the Word must of necessity be understood to Curse by an Antiphrasis as the same Word is used by the Devil Job 1.11 He will Curse thee to thy Face The Word that signifies to be effected or accomplished Prov. 13.19 denotes to be interrupted or broken Dan. 2.1 and I Daniel was refreshed Dan. 8.27 But Pagninus and our Translation render it I fainted for it follows I was sick It also signifies to shine Job 29.3 and 31.26 Esa. 13.10 Also to praise or celebrate Psal. 117.1 Esa. 64.11 c. And by an Antiphrasis to be inglorious or fools Psal. 75.4 Job 12.17 Esa. 44.25 c. The Word that signifies Benignity Mercy and Gratitude Deut. 5.10 Jud. 8.35 2 Sam. 9.1 Psal. 141.4 5. By an Antiphrasis signifies the quite contrary Lev. 20.17 Prov. 14.34 The word which signifies to possess an Inheritance Gen. 15.3 Deut. 2.24.31 1 Kings 21.15 Esa. 14.21 signifies to be destroyed or thrown out of Possession Deut. 2.21.22 Judg. 14.15 Josh. 8.7 and 23.5 The Word that signifies inconstancy Levity and Folly Psal. 85.8 Prov. 9.13 Eccl. 7.26 By this figure signifies Constancy Confidence and Hope as Job 31.24 Psal. 78.7 Prov. 3.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nephesh which signifies the Soul Gen. 1.30 c. and Synecdochically the Person it self Gen. 2.7 and 17.14 Psal. 11.1 And more generally an animate Body or a living Creature Gen. 1.24 c. by an Antiphrasis signifies a Carkass or a Lifeless Body Lev. 19.28 So 21.1 and 22.4 Numb 6.11 and 5.2 Hag. 2.14 To this signification some Referre Psal. 16.10 Thou shalt not leave my Soul in the Grave that is my Body The Word which signifies to be sanctified or made Holy Exod. 29.37.43 c. signifies also be defiled Deut. 2â—â— 9. Esa. 65.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rephaim Gyants signifies sound and strong Persons Gen. 14.5 Deut. 2.11 and by Antiphrasis men dead or that no medicine can cure from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanavit he hath cured Psal. 88.10 Esa. 26.14 19. Prov. 21.16 c. To this may be referred the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a vertue as benediction praise a free gift c. Rom. 15.29 2 Cor. 9.5 6. Eph. 1.3 Heb. 6.7 Jam. 3.10 Rev. 5.12 13 and 7.12 c. And also a Vice as an Hypocritical Conformity or dissembling praise in order to deceive as Rom. 16.18 Several other examples occurr as of Words which have one signification in the root or primitive and another in the Derivative some which signifie one thing in one Conjugation and a different in another which for brevity sake are left to the observation of the Learned as Esa. 40. with Numb 3.22 Job 22.25 Psal. 95.3 4. Gen. 38.21 Deut. 23.17 Job 36.14 1 Kings 14.24 and 15.11 2 Kings 23.4 5 6 7. c. Josh. 17.15 18. Psal. 119.40 With Amos 6.8 c. An Irony of Words in a Sentence IN a speech of God and Christ a thing is said or Commanded which must be understood in a contrary sence that the literal meaning may be found as Gen. 3.22 And the Lord God said Behold the man is become as one of us that is he is no ways like us but rather to be abominated for his sin it alludes also to the Devils words ver 5. Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and Evil. Gesner upon the place says Deus ejusmodi Ironia indignatione mendacium Diaboli Ambitionem Adami execratur c. that is God uses this Irony by way of execration of the Devils Lye and Adams Ambition and aptly inculcates the foulness of his sin that he may learn to beware ever after Ambros. de Elia Jejun cap. 4. Irridens Deus non approbans haec dicit that God spoke these words by way of Derision not Approbation Thou thoughtst thou shouldst be like us but because thou wouldst be what thou wert not thou art fallen from what thou hast been so thy Ambition to aspire beyond thy self has thrown thee beneath thy self Deut. 32.37 38. Where are their Gods their Rock in whom they trusted which did eat of the fat of their sacrifices and drank the Wine of their Drink offerings let them rise up and help you now and be your protection as also Judg. 10.14 Go and cry unto the Gods ye have chosen let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation Jehovah in these Words does sharply chide the Rebellious Israelites and illustrates the impiety and blindness of their Idolatries who had hitherto Worshipped such things as Gods which now in their extremity were not able to deliver them from Evil or Desolation Job 38.5 Who hath laid the measures of the Earth if thou knowest c. God speaks these words to Job as if he had said you cannot reach to so extraordinary a pitch of knowledge as to know how God laid the Foundations of the Earth and made all things of nothing verse 20. that thou shouldst take it viz. the way where Light and Darkness dwell as verse 19. at the bound thereof and that thou shouldst know the way to the Paths thereof This is an Ironical concession resulting from the words of the 3 verse I will ask thee and thou shalt make me know c. Esa. 17.3 The Fortress also shall cease from Ephraim and the Kingdom from Damascus and the Remnant of Syria They shall be as the Glory of the Children of Israel Jerome in his Comment says that Glory is by an Irony here put for Ignominy and Disgrace Esa. 29.1 Add ye year to year let them kill Sacrifices upon which Luther says that the Prophet mocks them as if he had said go to proceed in your Sacrifices stoutly it shall happen that you together with your Sacrifices shall perish See more examples Esa. 57.12 Jer.
â—â—or a good end as well with respect to God who requires obedience and a perfect resignation of man althoâ—â—gh his precepts may seem absurd to our Reason as also with respect to Abraham and his son Isaac who became examples of Faith Submission and Conâ—â—tancy to Gods Will without scruple questions or murmuring Besides there is respect had to the Messiah whose Passion Death and Resurrection is prefigured in this Mystical Type Matth. 15.24 25 26. I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel It is not lawful to give the Childrens bread to Dogs That this speech was also by way of tryal of the Womans Faith appears by the event and the Elogy which Christ give her ver 28. O Woman great is thy Faith The mind differs from the speech he seems externally to segregate or distingush her from the Sheep and at the same instant occulty cherishes and Comforts her as his He compares her to a Dog but places her at the same time at the Childrens Table This passage intimates the good and Salvation of the Woman and all Beleivers for we are hereby eminently informed by way of sweet consolation of the certainty of Divine help though it be for a while delayed in Crosses and Calamities as appears by that trying silence of Christ ver 23. viz. But he answered her not a word upon which Châ—â—ysostom says the Lord knew that here was a hidden Jewel which he would not conceal from us but delayâ—â—d his answer that the Womans sedulity or diligence may become an example and Doctrine to posterity c. 2. Some things are dissembling and Hypocritically spoken and sometimes with a bitter Sarcasm which are true in themselves but not conformable to the mind of the speaker as Gen. 37.19 Josephs Brethren said one to another behold this master of Dreams cometh c. Such indeed Joseph was for verse 5. he gave information of things to come and had the gift of interpreting others Dreams as chapters 40. and 41. But his Brethren did not so repute him but call him so in a way of Mockery and Derision 2 Sam. 6.20 Michael said to David her husband How glorious was the King of Israel to day c. David was truly glorious in that sacred gesture and Art as he himself says ver 21 22. but to her it seemed to be lightness and scurrility void of Royal gravity for 't is said ver 16. That she despised him in her heart Psal. 22.8 He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him let him deliver him seeing he delighted in him These things were most true in themselves but in the opinion of those mockers false who by this bitter Sarcasm denied Christ hanging on the Cross as Matth. 27.43 See Esa. 5.19 Matth. 22.16 The Disciples of the Pharisees being sent to Christ say Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in Truth neither carest thou for any man For thou regardest not the person of Men These words were true of our Saviour Christ but not conformable to the mind of the Pharisees who spoke by way of snare and Irony as Luke 20.20 appears See Matth. 27.29 40 42 43. Mark 15.29 c. 3. Some things manifestly false and spoken with an intention to deceive by such as knew it to be otherwise are set forth by way of history and Narration as Gen. 3.4 And the Serpent that is the Devil in the Serpent said unto the Woman ye shall not surely die for ver 5. God doth know that in the Day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil This the Father of lies knew to be quite otherwise but would by that falshood circumvent and deceive Eve By the opening of their Eyes which he by a fallacy Promises is intimated the accuteness of the mind and understanding in comparison of which the former concreated Wisdom may seem to be blindness Thus the deceiver plays his game to the destruction of Adam and his Posterity had not immense Grace stept in to prevent it Matth. 2.8 Herod says to the Wisemen Go and search diligently for the young Child and when ye have found him bring me word again that I may come and Worship â—â—im also His intention was to destroy the Child Jesus which by the inhumane and execrable Massacre of the Children afterwards is evident but by this Irony and Hypocrisie he would delude the Wise men Lastly There are some things where there seems to be an Irony but when the thing is more exactly considered there is none is Jer. 4.16 The Watchers or keepers come from a far Country c. Some think that by a Watchman or Keepers by an Antiphrasis or Irony we are to understand destroyers But in Truth the Babylonians are to be understood who for their own safety and profit were watchers lying in wait about the Fields lest any thing should escape away or get from them as hunters who watch every place of egress out of a Wood lest the Beasts they hunt should escape into the open Fields as verse 17. Ezek. 3.24 Then the Spirit entred into me and set me upon my feet and spake unto me and said unto me go shut thy self within thine house Junius and Tremelâ—â—ius alledge that these and the following words are to be understood by an Irony as if he had said is it a Prophets office to hide himself when I bid him go forth There are others which say that it was spoke by way of Sarcasm and indignation paraphrasing thus if thou art resolved to disobey my Command go into thine own House and experience what it is to contend with me such Sarcasms are found Judg. 10.14 Esa. 50.11 But the truth is that because God had sufficiently instructed the Prophet by his Spirit and gave him courage to publish his Will and because we do not read that this Prophet used any Tergiversation or shuffling to avoid the work appointed him as we read of Moses Exod. 3.11 and 4.10 13. Of Jeremy Chap. 1.6 and 20.9 Of Jonas Chap. 1.3 the best way is to interpret these words properly as they sound viz. that it is a serious Command of God that he should shut himself in his House and dispatch his Prophetical Actions mentioned chap. 4. see also chap. 8.1 to which belongs what is added of the binding of men as it were with Cords by Angels at the Command of God as verse 25. For God uses these ministring Spirits in his Government of men and that which is spoken chap. 4. belongs to these is evident by the 8th verse of that chapter c. Matth. 4.3 The Tempter says to Jesus if thou beâ—â—st the Son of God command that these Stones may be made Bread In which Words Theophylact says there is an Irony as if he had said neither art thou the Son of God neither canst thou do this But more truly it is to be interpreted a Diabolical fraud
most intimate Communion that is betwixt God the Son and God the Father which consists 1. With respect to eternal generation for Parents are said to bear their Children in their Bosomes Num. 11.12 Have I begotten them that thou shouldest say unto me Carry them in thy Bosom as a Nursing Father beareth the sucking Child c. For the like reason Prov. 8.30 the Son of God is figured in the similitude of a child playing before his Father 2. With respect to nearest and strictest Relation or rather indeed Vnity of Nature and Essence as John 14.10 it is said that he is in the Father and the Father in him 3. With respect to the dearest and superlative degree of love for that which is dear unto men is carryed usually in their Bosom As it is said of the Disciple whom Jesus loved John 13.23 That he was leaning on his Bosom c. 4. With respect to the most secret Communication For the Son only knew and perfectly sees the Father and therefore he alone reveals him and his heavenly Mysteries to mankind To which last particular John cheifly had respect as appears by the Context Feet are attributed to God by which his Immensity and Omnipresence upon the Earth is noted or signified as Esa. 66.1 2. His Operation or Activity in crushing supplanting or destroying his Enemies as Psal. 74.3 Lift up thy Feet unto the perpetual Desolations See Psal. 110.1 c. The Church is called the place of his Feet Esa. 60.13 Because he exhibits his grace and glory there as if he had walâ—â—t in it agreeable to Deut. 33.3 All thy Saints sate down at thy Feet Every one shall receive of thy words This metaphor is taken from the Custom of Scholars who sat at the Masters feet Act. 22.3 As Paul was at the feet of Gamaliel And Luke 10.39 Mary who sat at Jesus feet and heard his words The Clouds are called the dust of his Feet that is as if he had walkt upon the Clouds as men do upon the Dust of the Earth and with extraordinary swiftness as the Clouds fly in the Air. See Esa. 19.1 and 60.8 and Psal. 104.3 Steps are attributed to Christ before his incarnation Psal. 89.51 Wherewith they have reproached the Foot-steps of thine annointed that is the Documents of the Messiah dwelling in us who by his word raises us up and Comforts us in his promises of coming in the Flesh and to Judgement c. Others say that it is meant of some who by way of derision reproached the Messias for the delay of his coming as proceeding with too slow a pace that is that he would never come The Chaldee They reproach and disgrace the slow steps of the Feet of thy Christ c. Thus much of the parts of a man and the members of his Body which I shall conclude in the remarkable words of Tertullian if that Book of the Trinity be his Divine efficacies says he are shewen by Members not the habit or Corporeal lineaments of God By his Eyes we are to understand that he sees all things and by his Ears that he hears all things and by his Fingers some significations of his Will and Mind by his Nostrils his savoury reception of Prayers as sweet Odors by his Hand his octive and creating power by his Arm his irresistible strength by his Feet his ubiquity c. For members or their particular offices are not necessary to him whose tacit pleasure commands a ready obedience from all things What needs he Eyes that 's light it self What needs he Feet that 's every where Why would he go in when there is not a place out of which he can go What occasion has he for Hands when his silent will is the Builder Contriver or Architect of all things What needs he Ears who knows even the most secret Thoughts Or a Tongue when his very Thoughts are Commands These Members are necessary for men not for God because mans purposes are ineffectual without the assistance of Organs to act by but Gods bare Will is Action producing Effects at his meer Pleasure To Conclude he is all Eye because every part of him sees all all Ear because every part of him hears all c. Humane Affections ascribed to God HEre we must note the difference of humane Affections for some are attributed to God as being truly in him yet not in that imperfect manner or way of accident as they are in Man but far more purely and eminently and that essentially and substantially too And so all words which express humane Affections are first to be separated from all in perfections and then understood of God The words of Augustine are notable The Anger of a man says he causes a disturbance and a torment in his mind but the VVrath of God executes its vengeance with a perfect equity and tranquillity void of all disturbance the mercy of man has some mixture of heart misery and from thence in the Latin Tongue hath its derivation The Apostle exhorts not only to rejoyce with the rejoycing but also to weep with them that weep But what man of a sound mind can say that God can be touched with any anxiety or torture of mind the Scripture every where affirming him to be full of mercy The zeal of men is often tainted with a mixture of spite envy or some other disorderly passion but 't is not so with God for though his zeal is exprest by the same word yet 't is not in the same manner with the Sons of Men. The words of Chemnitius deserve notice Scholars saith he by a depraved application of that Rule that accidents have no place in God have taken away all Affections from him and that most sweet consolation Hos. 11.8 9. My Heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together I will not execute the fierceness of mine Anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not Man they affirm should be taken according to effection not affection It is true indeed that accidents having no place in God his commiseration is not such an affection as ours but in regard his Mercy is not distinguished from his Essence it is certain that it must be much more ardently in God then we are able to think c. When Joy or rejoycing are attributed to God it either denotes his delight and pleasure in his Creatures Psal. 104.31 The Lord shall rejoyce in his Works Or else his gracious favour and propensity to his Church as men take Joy in things very dear to them Esa. 62.5 As the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee So Deut. 28.63 and 30.9 Jer. 32.41 c. There is a Joy in God which exerts it self in gracious effects but that is infinitely greater then it is in men or can be thought by them 2. There are certain humane Affections which according to their descriptions in a proper way of
And God said let there be light and there was light suitable to 2 Cor. 4.6 where 't is written and God who said or Commanded the light to shine out of Darkness verse 6. And God said let there be a firmament in the midst of the Waters and verse 9. And God said let the Waters under the Heaven be gathered together c and verse 11. And God said let the Earth bring forth Grass c. verse 14. And God said let there be lights in the firmament of the Heavens and verse 20. And God said let the Waters bring forth abundantly the moving Creature and verse 24. And God said let the Earth bring forth the living Creature c. Rab. Mos. Maimon says that this phrase in the Creation and God said is to be under stood of the Will and not of Speech because speech by which a thing is Commanded must of necessity be directed to some being or object capable to execute his Commands but no objects of such a capacity had then being therefore of necessity it must be understood only of Gods Will. Masculus in his Comment says that Moses speaks of God after the manner of men not that God spoke so For by his word the vertue and efficacy of his Will is expressed c. for what we would have done that it might be understood believed or done we express our selves by the prolation of a word and when Gods Will is expressed it is called a word God is a Spirit and uses no corporeal or Organical Speech no transient voice nor Hebrew Greek or other Idiom unless in some temporary dispensation he was pleased to utter himself Organically which has no place here c. So the appellation of Names given to the Creatures verses 〈…〉 10. which is ascribed to God notes only his decree and divine Constitution 〈◊〉 men should so call them So the blessing of God to Fishes Fowl c. ver 22. denotes his real appointment of the multiplication of their respective kinds upon which Musculus very well says if you consider that God speaks to a quatiles or watry Creatures you will judge it a wounderful kind of speech But he speaks not to their Ears but to their Natures to which by the vertue of his word he hath given a power and efficacy to propagate their own kinds From this description of the Creation the Divine force and efficacy of Gods Will in the Creation and Conservation of the Creatures which is so conspicuous is called the Word of God Psal. 33.5 6. Psal. 107.20 Psal. 147.15 18. Heb. 1.3 and 11.3 2 Pet. 3.5 7. c. So in other decrees of the Divine Will God is said to speak Gen. 8.21 And the Lord said in his heart I will not again Curse the ground that is he so constituted and decreed it that by Noah it should be so manifested unto the World Psal. 2.5 Then shall he speak to them in his Wrath that is he will crush his Enemies with horrible Judgements and Punishments Sometimes the Decrees and Appointments of the Trinity by way of Dialogue or Colloquy among the Divine persons as Gen. 1.26 And God said let us make man in our likeness or Image c. and chap. 2.18 And the Lord said it is not good that the man should be alone I will make him an help meet for him and Gen. 3.22 And the Lord God said behold the man is become as one of us c. Gen. 11.6 And the Lord said behold the People is one and have one language go to let us go down and there confound their Language By this deliberate way of expression the Decrees of the Holy Trinity and their effectual power of operation are noted Psal. 2.7 I will declare the Decree the Lord said unto me thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance Psal. 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand c. These phrases signifie the most Holy and most efficacious discerning and efficiency of Gods VVill. To this speaking of the Father answers the hearing attributed to Christ John 8.26 40. and 15 15. And to the Holy Spirit John 16.13 For this cause among others the Son of God is called the VVord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for by him a manifestation of the internal speech of the Holy Trinity that is their Divine Decrees for mans Salvation is made unto us John 1.1 13 14 c. So much of speech in general More particularly Rebuking or Chiding is attributed to God by which its real effect or destruction is noted of which you may see examples Psal. 18.15 2 Sam. 22.16 VVhere Tempests Earthquakes c. are said to be at Gods Rebukes and Psal. 104.7 that at his rebuke the waters fled that is were separated from the Earth Gen. 1.9 To Rebuke in proper speaking two things are requisite 1. That that which is reprehensible may be chekt 2. That it may be corrected or amended these may be aptly applyed to Gods Creating VVord for when he said Let the waters under the Heaven be gathered together into one place and let the dry Land appear In the first the indigested confusion of things is reprehended and in the second they are corrected and rightly disposed off into their proper places Musculus on this place annexes this marginal note that it is an invincible Argument of Christs Divinity that at his rebuke the Winds and Seas were obedient Mark 4.39 Luke 8.24 See Psal. 9.5 and 76.6 and 68.30 Esa. 17.13 Zach. 3.2 Rebuke signifies destruction Deut. 28.20 Calling when ascribed to God signifies its real product or effect as 2 Kings 8.1 The Lord hath called for a Famine and it shall also come upon the Land for seven years Psal. 105.16 Rom. 4.17 Gods Commanding inanimate or irrational Creatures denotes a direction for some certain work to be done or omitted as Esa. 5..6 I will also Command the Clouds that they Rain no more upon it See Esa. 45.12 Answering is attributed to God when he is said to Answer mens Prayers 2 Sam. 7.9 Psal. 3.4 5. Esa. 58.8 c. Illyricus says that in hearing God answers in a threefold manner 1. By the very hearing for every man that prayes earnestly requests that 2. By some Testimony of his Spirit that we are heard 3. By granting the petition which is the most real and apparent answer Contrary to this is Gods Silence when his people pray by which his delay in comforting and helping them is noted as Psal. 28.1 Vnto thee O Lord do I Cry be not deaf toward me c. So Psal. 83.1 And God is said to answer when he takes pleasures in man Eccl. 5.20 and 9.7 The Lord is said to be a Witness when he declares the Truth of a thing in fact or justly punishes Lyers 1 Sam. 12.5 Jer. 42.5 Malach. 3.5 c. The Lord hath been a VVitness between
25. c. And verse 3. The Wicked themselves speak ver 4. The Churches or the Psalmists words are set down ver 6. God the Father speaks ver 7. God the Son then again the Father ver 10. And then the Royal Psalmist speaks the Conclusion Esa. 51.1 Jehovah is represented as speaking ver 3. The Prophet ver 4. Jehovah again ver 9. The Prophet ver 12 Then Jehovah and so on Something of the like nature may be observed Esa. 53.1 4 14. And in the whole Book of the Canticles wherein there is a vicissitude and change of Persons continued 2. There are frequent Allusions in the Prophetical Writings to things written by Divine Revelation before them as shall be shewâ—â—d chap. 20. following 3. In the very Text of Ezek. 21.27 He prophesies of Christ the Son of God as constituted a Judge by the Father and in the stead of God attributes Judgement and the power of Judging to him as our Saviour himself says John 5.22 That all Judgement was committed to him by the Father These things presupposed the explication of these words will not be difficult The Prophet declares the vindicative Anger of God against the rebellious Jews by the similitude of a furbished and sharpned Sword delivered into the violent Enemies hand in order to slay but suddenly changing his speech by the change of persons and alluding to Psal. 2.9 Thus speaks ver 10. A Sword is sharpned to make a sore slaughter it is furbished that it may glitter so far the words of Jehovah to which a short but Divine Paraenesis or exhortation of the Prophets is subjoyned advising the people what they should do to avoid that destruction should we or shall we then make mirth that is shall we vaunt proudly let us rather tremble and submitting to and serving the Lord as enjoyned Psal. 2.11 Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with Trembling let us rejoyce and work Rightousness as true Conversion and Piety towards God is expressed Esa. 64.5 If you do this it will be well but if not says Jehovah again The Rod of my Son despising every Tree so the Hebrew shall come upon you or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is at hand as v. 13. And whereas it is said that this Rod despises every tree we are to understand that it consists of more lasting materials then any sort of Wood being of Iron which is very hard and difficult to be broken as Ps 2.9 See Esa. 30.32 This but more concisely is laid down v. 13. VVhen there was a tryal what then as if he had said whilst by my castigations they were in a fatherly manner corrected have they hitherto repented Or what effect has it produced Even nothing at all shall not therefore a Rod despising viz. that Iron Rod despising or hard in comparison of all other wood came upon them that is shall I not deservedly save that Iron Rod of my Son as a sharpned Sword amongst them and so rather deal with them as open Enemies then transgressing Children says the Lord God So much for that place But observe that as Ezekiel alludes to the second verse of that Psalm in this place So Esa. 13.14 Alludes to the later part he shall break it as the potters Vessel c. In alike description of punishment upon a stubborn and refractory people CHAP. VIII Of Metaphors Translated from other Creatures to God THE things existing in Nature besides Man are either Animate or Inanimate The Animate are such as have a sensitive Life as Beasts or a vegetative as Plants From Beasts are taken and attributed to God 1. Certain Names of Living Creatures as when Christ is called a Lamb John 1.29 Rev. 13.8 Because he was made an immolation or sacrifice for the sins of the whole World which the sacrifice of Lambs in the Old Testament Typically prefigured 1 Cor. 5.7 1 Pet. 1.16 Rev. 5.6 as also with respect to his mildness patience innocence and beneficence c. See Esa. 16.1 2 Sam. 8.2 with 2 Kings 3.4 c. Christ is called a Lyon Rev. 5.5 Behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah hath overcome He is so called because of his great and Divine Fortitude in his Resurrection from the Dead and his victory over the Devil the World and Hell D. Franzius in Hist. Animal pag. 73. Gen. 49.9 says The whole Polity of the Jews is called a Lion and a Lions whelp because of the great firmness of that Empire which endured even until Christs time and was esteemed then the most famous among the Governments of the World and although in some respective seasons they had Kings eminent for Power and Wisdom Yet Christ only is called a Lion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by way of eminency that is he was the most powerful most wise and most excellent of the Kings that ever ruled in Juda c. And Drusius lib. 10. p. 410. The Lion of the Tribe of Juda whose Coat of Armour was a Lion which was painted in the Banner of that Tribe in three colours with these words Arise O Lord let such as hate thee be scattered and thine Enemies Fly from before thee c. The Coats of Armour of the four principal Tribes of Israel as R. Kimchi on Ezek. 1. ult recites them from the Thalmud were thus In the Banner of Judah the shape of a Lion according to that which is written Gen. 49.9 Judah is a Lions whelp In the Banner of Reuben the shape of a man according to what is said of it Gen. 30.14 And Reuben found Mandrakes in the Field which are of a mans shape In the Banner of Ephraim the similitude of a Cow according to Deut. 33.17 His Glory is like the firstling of his Bullock or Cow And in the Banner of Dan the shape of an Eagle as it is said Gen. 49.17 Dan shall be a Serpent by the way and it 's said here as Esa. 30.6 The Viper and Fiery Flying Serpent Psal. 22. In the Title Luther and other interpreters say that Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ascleth the morning Hind upon which see Luth. Tom. 2. Lat. Jen. fol. 238. Illyricus in Clav. Script Col. 112 113. D. Gerhard Harm histor passionis Dominicae cap. 7. p. 310. D. Franz Hist. Animal p. 163 c. To which also some refer the Chald. Paraphr which says for thy Everlasting and Morning sacrifice by which the end or reason for which this afflicted Hind was slain seems to be fairly expressed For the Oblation of Christ upon the Cross is truly an Everlasting and a most perfect sacrifice Heb. 10.12 14 26. It is called the Morning Hind because his vertue and prefiguration began about the beginning of the World after the fall of our first Parents Rev. 13.8 Hebr. 13.8 Typified by the Morning sacrifices wont to be offered in the Old Testament Numb 28.4 The Appellation of a Morning Hind is thus expounded viz. By it is denoted a Hind which the Hunters in the
2 Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee c. The Greeks word properly signifies to stir up Fire lest it go out that it may flame Beza upon the place says The gift of God is a certain live flame kindled in our hearts which the Flesh and Satan endeavour to suffocate or smother but on the other side we are so much the more concern'd to cherish it and stir it up when it is as it were asleep Where this Divine little flame is not stirred up Love or Charity waxes cold Matth. 24.12 And then the Fountain of Love which is saving Faith and external Salvation is lost c. Thus Paul exhorts not to quench the Spirit 1 Thes. 5.19 The saving light of the knowledge of God kindled by the Holy Spirit is extinguisht by neglects of the Word of God and devout Prayer by security impiety and ingratitude hence an exhortation to follow that which was good ver 15. and to pray without ceasing ver 17. was premised and despising prophesyings that is the interpretation of the Word of God is immediately prohibited ver 20. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zaraph which properly signifies to melt Mettals in order to purifie them from dross but is translated by an elegant Metaphor to signifie the purification and tryal of the Godly which is done by Crosses and Sufferings Whence the similitude of melted or burnt Mettal is sometimes expresly added Psal. 66.10 and 105.19 Esa. 1.25 Jer. 9.7 Dan. 11.35 Zach. 13.9 Hence the Furnace where Mettals are melted and purified is put for Afflictions sent by God Deut. 4.20 1 Kings 8.51 Jer. 11.4 In which place the Epithet of Iron is added to denote the tribulation severity or cruel nature of servitude A passage more notable than the rest we read Esa. 48.10 Behold I have refined thee but not with Silver I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction Jehovah intimates that he purges his people moderately and gently not as Silver or Gold are purged because such are wont to be most exactly and wholly melted in order to their purifying as if he had said I do so temper and qualifie corrections that I suit them rather to your weakness then proportion them to your Wickedness I do not deal with you with the utmost severity for if you should be purged as Silver and Gold from all dross you should totally perish See 1 Cor. 10 13. In generall it is put for the inward proof or tryal of the heart which God alone can do Psal. 26.2 and 17.3 See Prov. 17.3 It is put for outward choice of some from others which is done by an outward rise Judg. 7.4 The Word of God is said to be refined or as it were tryed in the Fire 2 Sam 22.31 Psal. 18.30 Prov. 30.5 Psal. 119.140 that is most pure most true and most certain Which is emphatically declared Psal. 12.6 The words of the Lord are pure words as Silver tryed in a furnace of Earth purified seven times Which passage without doubt respects the quick and lively experience of the Saints in whose hearts the Truth of Gods word is experimentally felt and approved to be of undoubted efficacy by the Fire of tribulation Whence some by Furnace of Earth understand Godly men in whom the Words of God are tryed The Furnace burns in the Fire The Godly are seasoned by the Fire of Afflictions By the same metaphor the Office of Christ is described Mal. 3.2 3. Metaphors taken from Air. THE Hebrew Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruach a Spirit signifies Air or Wind. And whereas the motion of the Air is uncertain inconstant and vanishing and that there is nothing solid or substantial in the Wind therefore they are metaphorically put to signifie things that are vain and vanishing Job 6.26 Do ye imagine to reprove my words and turn the speeches of one that is desperate into Wind that is do ye think that I utter vain words and despise them as things of no weight or sence Job 15.2 Should a wiseman utter knowledge of Wind that is vain as the Wind which has nothing but an empty sound resolving into Wind he adds or fill his belly with the East Wind that is admit vain and fluctuating thoughts in his mind inwardly Eccl. 5.16 What profit hath he that hath laboured for the Wind that is who hath heaped together much riches with great labour which is in vain when he can have no benefit or profit by them Jer. 5.13 The Prophets shall become wind that is as the Chald. renders it vain and of no worth Jer. 22.22 The wind shall eat up all thy Pastours that is they shall vanish and perish So on the other side It is said Hosea 12.1 Ephraim feedeth on wind and followeth after the East-wind the meaning is that the people of Israel shall feed upon a thing of nothing viz. They shall commit Idolatry with great earnestness which has no soul feeding vertue in it but the contrary for it proves as pernicious as it is to follow the East-wind which is immediately expounded of their making Covenants with the Assyrians a wicked and Idolatrous people Micah 2.11 A man walking in the wind and falshood is put for a vain and lying person See Esa. 41.29 57.13 Hosea 8.7 To this belong the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.9 For ye shall speak_into the Air that is in vain and to no purpose He speaks of that Prophesied in the Church in an unknown Tongue and therefore could not be understood by the hearers 1 Cor. 9.26 To beat the Air signifies when one undertakes a vain and unprofitable work The metaphor is taken from men that fight who when they miss their stroke spend their strength vainly against the wind or Air Eph. 4.14 that we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by this tossing to and fro of the wind instability and inconstancy of mind is denoted a metaphor taken from a Ship which is tost and driven here and there by the violence of the Winds and waves as Heb. 13.9 Be not carryed about with diverse and strange Doctines for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace More because vehement winds are hurtful therefore Enemies which annoy and commit devastations on the Earth are called by this appellation especially the East-wind which blasts Corn and suffers it not to ripen and if ripe scatters and blows it down Psal. 55.8 Esa. 41.16 Jer. 4.11 and 51.1 Hosea 13.15 Job 27.21 See also Esa. 27.8 Jonas 4.8 Jer. 18.17 c. Job says of God when he punished him Job 30.22 Thou listest me up to the wind thou causest me to ride upon it and dissolvest my substance that is as a Whirlwind scatters chaff or stubble thou dost variously toss and consume me To this Classe we shall reduce Meteors which are imperfect mixtures condensed in the Ayr. The
and Denotes consternation and fear Deut. 20.3 Job 23.16 Jer. 51.46 Isa. 7.4 Also contrition and Repentance 2 Kin. 22.19 with Ezek 36.26 By the softness or Effeminacy 1 Cor. 6.9 is meant those impure Wretches that unnaturally abuse themselves or others as Illyricus says 2. To speech as flattery Psal. 5.9 and 12.3 and 55.21 Prov. 2.16 7.5 26.29 28.23 and 29.5 In which places the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 molle mild or soft is used for flattery Sometimes it notes mildness and humanity joined with Prudence Prov. 15.1 and 25.15 where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used See Job 40.22 Sleep the Cessation of the Senses by which is signified 1. Security as that of Faith by those that depend upon and acquiesce in the Lord Psal. 3.5 and 127.2 Ezek. 34.25 Sometimes it denotes the carnal security of wicked and unbelieving men Rom. 13.11 Eph. 5.14 1 Thes. 5.6 7. Hence it is said Isa. 29.10 He hath poured on them the spirit of Deep sleep c. 2. Sloth Laziness or sluggishness which sleepy persons are very subject to Prov. 6.9 10. and 24.33 Isa. 56.10 Nah. 3.18 Isa. 5.27 2 Pet. 2.3 c. 3. Death and destruction Job 3.13 and 14.12 with 16.22 Psal. 13.3 and 76.6 Jer. 51.39 Hence the Prophane Authors call sleep the Image of Death Homer calls Sleep and Death Twins and Hesiod calls sleep the Brother of Death Believers are said to sleep when they Die a Corporal Death Matth. 27.52 Joh. 11.11 13. Act. 7.60 and 13.36 1 Cor. 15.18 20 51. 1 Thes. 4.13 14 15. The Reasons are elsewhere given the Substance of which is that their Souls have blessed Rest with God and their Bodies have rest in the Grave Isa. 57.1 2. In the certain hope of a future Resurrection Act. 2.26 Rev. 14.13 Psal. 17.14 15. Sleep being a representation or figure of both in which there is rest from Labour and a refreshing of strength c. To sleep is opposed Watching therefore the Reason of it in signification is opposite with Respect to sleep 1. As sleep denotes carnal security so watchfulness signifies true Repentance and a serious and diligent exercise of Piety Matth. 24.42 and 25.13 Mark 13.35 Luk. 21.36 1 Cor. 16.13 Rom. 13.11 1 Cor. 15.34 Eph. 5.14 and 6.18 Col. 4.2 1 Thes. 5.6 10. 1 Pet. 5.8 Rev. 3.2 3. and 16.15 c. 2. As sleep denotes sloath and laziness so watchfulness signifies alacrity diligence and prudence in the management of Duty or Office Psal. 127.1 Act. 20.31 Hab. 13.17 3. As sleep denotes Death so watchfulness denotes Life both are joyn'd together 1 Thes. 5.10 See Rom. 14.8 more comparisons might be made but they are obvious Metaphors from the various Differences of Mankind WE will consider the Differences of humane kind with respect 1. To Sex 2. Age. 3. Relation 4. Country or Family And although some of these belong to the head of Adjuncts yet for more commodious order we will place them here 1. As to Sex they are Man and Woman A Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metaphorically denotes a Stout Couragious Eminent Person 1 Sam. 26.15 In that Irony of David Art not thou a Man that is hast thou not behav'd thy self gallantly Jer. 5.1 Seek in the Broad places thereof that is Jerusalem if ye can find a man that is a wise man c. 1 Kin. 2.2 3. Psal. 49.2 3. 4.3 118.5 6. 144.2 3. 82.6 7. 1 Cor. 3.21 7.23 16.13 c. A Woman on the Contrary denotes one that is timorous weak and dispirited Isa. 3.12 Jer. 51.30 Nahum 3.13 See Jer. 48.41 Isa. 19.16 Hence a sort of men are call'd effeminate c. The Church is likned to a chast Virgin 2 Cor. 11.2 See Hosea 2.19 This Metaphor alludes to the legal type of the high Priest who might marry none but a Virgin Lev. 21.14 See Cant. 1.3 Zach. 9.17 Rev. 14.4 To which Spiritual Whoredom and Adultery is opposed 2. The Age of man may be thus distinguished viz. Infants Boyes Youths Men old Men. A sucking Infant and Boy Metaphorically denote 1 True Believers Psal. 8.2 3. Matth. 11.25 Luk. 10.21 See Matth. 18.3 4. 1 Cor. 14.20 1 Pet. 2.1 2. c. 2 Such as are ignorant in the Faith Rom. 2.20 1 Cor. 3.1 2. Heb. 5.12 13 14. Gal. 4.3 3 Fools and wicked men destitute of the knowledge of Truth Isa. 28.9 and 65.20 Eph. 4.14 Sucking is attributed to the Church Isa. 49.23 and 60.16 2 Cor. 8.1 2 3 4. The Consolation of the Gospel which the faithful enjoy in the Church is compar'd to sucking Isa. 66.11 12. When the term Boy or little one is attributed to Princes or Magistrates it denotes Folly and lack of Prudence Eccl. 10.16 17. Isa. 3.4 12. Childhood signifies the time of Israels departure out of Egypt Jer. 3.4 Thou art the guide of my childhood See Hos. 2.15 and 11.1 Ezek. 23.19 It denotes spiritual strength Psal. 103.4 5. Manhood Eph. 4.13 denotes the perfection of Wisdom and knowledge in Believers viz. so much as is attainable in this World to which childhood is oppos'd ver 14. Old Age Sometimes has the notion of Wisdom Hence the term Elders is apply'd to Senators in whom not always Age but Prudence is respected 2 Kin. 10.1 c. Hence also the term is used of the Chief Officers of the Church 1 Tim. 5.1 17 19. Tit. 1.5 Heb. 11.2 Jam. 5.14 1 Pet. 5.1 and 5.5 3. The Relations which afford any Metaphors are A Spouse Husband Wife Widdow Father Mother Son Brother Sister Lord Servant Master Scholar By the Metaphor of Espousals which is the most pleasant Metaphor of all the Spiritual Union between Christ and the Church is expressed Hos. 2.19 20. Matth. 22.2 and the following verses Joh. 3.29 2 Cor. 11.3 Rev. 21.2 9.10 c. See the Metaphor of a Bridegroom in the second Book where the Parallel is Run From the Names of Husband and Wife a few Metaphors are taken as Isa. 54.5 where God calls himself the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 husband of the Church The text is word for word for word from the Hebrew thy makers are thy husbands which plural phrase denotes the Mystery of the Trinity Hence the Land of Sion that is the Church is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beulah that is Married Isa. 62.4 c. Widdowhood denotes desolation Isa. 47.8 9. Hence 't is said Jer. 51.5 Israel hath not been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 widdowed or left a widow nor Judah of his God A Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respect to Diverse attributes yeelds divers Metaphors 1. With respect to begetting and production he is put for the Author of any thing Gen. 4.20 21. Job 38.28 John 8.44 2. With respect to the Education of his children he is put for a Doctor Teacher or Master Judg. 17.10 2 Kings 2.12 hence comes the appellation of Children of the Prophets 2 Kings 6.1 and elsewhere by which
their good things here IV. The Lord does not expect that Heathens and Infidels who are like dry and barren ground should bring forth or yield him so much increase and fruit of grace and holiness as those people and nations to whom he hath afforded his blessed Gospel and those Churches that he hath planted and bestowed much cost and pains upon Where much is given a suitable improvement is required and where but little the improvement of a little V. God separates his people from all the people of the world to be a peculiar inheritance unto himself There they have bounds set them viz. Holy laws and institutions within which they ought always to keep that they mix not themselves with the world to pass which bounds is a high and provoking evil VI. God Almighty takes special care of his Church and of every branch and member thereof And for their preservation hath made a hedge a fence yea a glorious Wall round about them This the Devil knows and nothing troubles him more hast thou not made a hedge about him and about all that he hath See more in the Metaphors of a Garden and Vineyard VII The Lord doth by his word plow up the fallow ground of our hearts When he threatned spiritual Judgments upon Israel his ancient Vineyard he says by the Prophet it shall not be digged but there shall come up briars and thorns Before our hearts are digged up they lie fallow Break up your fallow ground And sow not among thorns VIII The Lord finds all our hearts naturally very hard yet some more hard and obdurate than others And that he may effectually break them into pieces he uses divers Instruments some of his Ministers come with the smooth plow of the Gospel Others with the Maâ—â—tock of the law from Mount Sinai Some denounce the threatnings in Gods word like a hammer to break the Rock in pieces IX The Lord shews us in his word that no Persons whatsoever can bring forth good and acceptable fruit till by the word and spirit of grace they are wrought upon and planted or sowen by him X. When God hath through his word and holy spirit broken up the sinners heart by powerful convictions so that the inside of the soul is to it s own sight as it were turned outward as in the case of the woman of Samaria who cried out Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did and as 't was with the Jews Peter preached to who cried out what shall we do Then the filthiness of the soul and its horrid pollution appears and the poor man cries out I did not think there had been so much abomination in my heart that I had been such a Rebel against God O the pride the lust the blasphemy hard heartedness vanity folly and unbelief I find there who could think I had such a prodigie of wickedness XI The Lord takes great pains uses many ways and bestowes great cost to make his People bring forth fruit unto him he sends his word his spirit his Ministers sets Conscience on work and if all will not do but that weeds of Corruption still spring and roots of bitterness remain he sends afflictions to humble and cleanse them and destroy the power of sin XII Though the blessed God sees his people do not Answer his unwearied pains but that abundance of earthliness barrenness and unprofitableness still remains in them yet be gives them not over but with much patience waits year after year not sparing continual labour in order to their Reformation that so they may bring forth more fruit unto him XIII The Lord bestows his choicest mercies upon his heritage with the greatest chearfulness I will rejoice over them to do them good and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart c. 't is freely given and without grudging he has done as much as could be done to his Vineyard XIV The Lord God knows that though the Church his spiritual Vineyard be sowed with good seed and planted with choice plants yet they cannot grow nor prosper unless watered from heaven with Divine showers and refreshing dew And therefore God opens the sluices or windows of heaven and makes the Fruits of the earth flourish and wonderfully increase the rain c. watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater c. XV. The Lord declares in hâ—â—s word that the lowly and humble soul is the most fruitful Christ says he went down to see the fruits of the Valley his chief expectation is from them that lie low in their own sight Trees planted by the water-courses thrive best and bring moist fruit The rain glides off from Hills and Mountains and the Valleys receive it The lofty proud self-conceited person is barren and fruitless the savour of Gods grace abides not on their hearts To this man will I look that is poor and of a contrite spirit he that sees its own emptiness and has no confidence in the flesh but whose trust and dependency is upon Christ is the thriving and fruitful person that like the tree by the waterside spreading his roots by the River shall not see when heat cometh but his leaf shall be green and he shall not be careful in the year of Drought XVI The Heavenly husbandman bestows much pains that he may destroy the weeds of indwelling sin and corruption in his people He uses various means as his word and holy spirit trials afflictions c. in order to that end by these he digs up those weeds by the roots as worldly mindedness unbelief and sensual lusts which else would choak the good seed though some remains of them are left behind to keep us humble and watchful such ill weeds grow apace and are ready to spring up when the least liberty is given By these also this blessed husbandman prunes and pares of suckers or superfluous branches which â—â—eed upon that sap which should nourish his tender plants such are carnal divisions strife and unnecessary contention among Saints busying themselves about idle and unprofitable notions or matters of slender consequence neglecting in the mean time those serious and practical parts of Christianity which are of absolute and undoubteâ—â— necâ—â—ssity these are the spiritual suckers of our time and are the cause that so many lean and barren souls are found in this spiritual Vineyard XVII The Heavenly husbandman waits for the fruit of his fields also He looked that it viz. his ancient vineyard should bring forth grapes Isa. 5.2 Went three years seeking fruit on the fig tree c. And whâ—â—n the time of fruit drew near he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits of it c. Where God sows plentifully he expects a sutable crop where much is given much is required where
of the Apple of his Eye Here we may safely deposit Lives Estates Families choice Treasures Here no Moth can corrupt no Thief break through nor Tyranny oppress us Commit your Souls in well-doing unto him as into the Hands of a faithful Creator Believers had rather have their Treasure in their Father's keeping than their own The Adversary might soon rob and undo us were not our chief Store-house in God X. God can command Millions of Angels to destroy his and his Peoples Enemies One of which in one Night slew 185000 Assyrians and at another time cut off all their mighty Men of Valour Leaders and Captains c. XI The Lord in whose Name is strong Confidence is a Place of Refuge and strong Tower to his dear Children Those sincere Ones that have given themselves up to him they are secure out of the Devil's Gunshot and the Power of Enemies whilst the Hypocrites and lukewarm Formalists are upon all occasions exposed to both But the valiant Souldiers of Jesus within the Tower are animated with so brave a Courage that they despise the Batteries and Assaults of the Enemy as was said concerning blasphemous Sennacherib The Virgin the Daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to Scorn the Daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her Head at thee For she had absolute Confidence in her Strong-Hold XII God the strong Tower not only inspires his Souldiers with true Valour and Courage to set at nought all the Powers of Hell but also confounds and dispirits their Adversaries that they are at last when their bloody persecuting Designs prove ineffectual forced to give over and quit their Attempts against his Church and People Metaphor I. THe Fabrick and Materials of an earthly Tower are subject to decay II. A strong Tower may be beaten down by the Fury of Cannons or battering Engines III. A strong Tower may be surprized if the Watchmen be sleepy or negligent IV. A strong Tower may be betrayed by the Treachery of seeming Friends V. A strong Tower may be reduced by Famine Disparity I. THe heavenly Tower is incorruptible and everlasting of an infinite and spiritual Essence and so not subject to the Decays of Time II. The heavenly Tower is out of the reach of Hell and the World's Batteries All the Violence in the World cannot shake it III. The heavenly Tower is beyond all possibility of Surprize its Watchman never slumbers nor sleeps IV. God knows the Hearts of all Men and therefore cannot be deceived He knows the secret Bent and Inclination of the closest Hypocrite and can render their darkest Designs against him or his People ineffectual V. In this Tower is the Bread of Life and an inexhaustible Fountain Here the Hungry are filled and the Thirsty satisfied Here is no fear of Famine because the Provision is as eternal as the Souls that need it 3. In what respects the Name of the Lord may be called a Strong-Tower take in the following Particulars The Hebrew Names of God as Jerome the best Hebrician of the Fathers observes are Ten Three come from Being as Jehovah Jah Ehejeh three from Power as El Eloah Elohim three from Governing Adonai Shaddai Jehovah-Tsebaoth one from Excelling as Elion 1. Jehovah sets out the Eternity and Self-existency of God Je notes the Time to come Ho the Time present Vah the Time past It consists of quiescent Letters or Letters of Rest to shew that there is no Rest till we come to Jehovah and that there we are safe and secure This Name is opened Rev. 1.4 8. 4.8 11.17 16.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is which was and which is to come It comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Havah He hath been 2. Jah is a Diminutive of Jehovah and notes the same things 3. Ehejeh I am or will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ehejeh Asher Ehejeh I will be what I will be This notes the Essence of God and implies his Immutability and Incomprehensibleness Christ alluded to this Name John 8.58 Before Abraham was I am With respect to these Names God may be called a Strong Tower in regard of the Eternity of his Duration and Infiniteness of his Essence The Rabbins and Chaldee Paraphrase expound this Text of the Eternity of God See Ainsworth on the place 4. El a strong God Junius and Tremellius translate it Deum fortem Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 robustum strong This notes the Omnipotency of God c. Ezek. 31.11 See Rivet on Psal. 19.1 Hence Eli my God an Hebrew word Mat. 27.46 and Eloi a Syriack word Mark 15.34 5. Eloah is derived of El strong or mighty and by increase of the Word the Signification is increased most Mighty or the Almighty c. The Plural Number of it is 6. Elohim Almighties or Almighty Powers Gen. 1.1 1 Chron. 17.21 2 Sam. 7.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barah Elohim that is word for word Gods created that is the Father Son and Spirit created noting as some say Trinity in Unity or as others say the great Majesty of God and the Plurality of his Excellencies With respect to the Signification of these Names also God may be called a Strong Tower because of his Almighty Power and infinite Strength which is a safe Sanctuary for such as fly to it 7. Adonai derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eden Basis Columna cui aliquid insistit a Base Pillar or Column that bears up or supports any thing signifies Lord who as he created all things doth also sustain and preserve them It is given to God in the Old Testament one hundred and thirty four times See Ainsworth on Gen. 15.2 8. Shaddai Almighty or All-sufficient Grammarians are not agreed about the Etymology of this Word Some derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shadad to carry away by force to prey lay wast or destroy Many think that God took this Name from the World's Destruction in the Flood The Greeks translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latines Omnipotens both which signify Almighty Others say that it is a compounded Word of the Verb Dai which signifies It is sufficient and the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which supplies the place of the Relative Asher to answer the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Content in himself or self-sufficient for in him is all Sufficiency c. This Name notes the Power and Sufficiency of God to go through with all things and for wasting and destroying his Enemies To this the Prophets have reference saying that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shod Destruction shall come from Shaddai the Almighty Isa. 13.6 Joel 1.15 9. Jehovah Tsebaioth Lord of Hosts The Rabbins observe that he hath two general Troops Copiae tam inferiores quam supernae the Creatures above and Creatures beneath all ready press'd to be employed in his Wars either defensive or offensive for the Safeguard of his Favourites or
the Honey-Comb the Delight of good Men a sure Guide to them in all their Ways and none of its Commands are grievous but all Duties required by it are reasonable VI. In this there is none so holy and upright as the Lord who is no Respecter of Persons hates flattering Words and giving of Bribes will spare none for the Dignity of their Birth or Antiquity of their Lineage but will do Justice according to Right and Law whether it be upon Angels Emperors Kings Princes Priests Prophets his Church that are his professed Friends as well as upon the World his professed Enemies He will destroy his own anointed Ones if they stand in opposition to Justice and Equity Cities Kingdoms Towers Temples all shall fall rather than Law and Justice be justled out of place He spared not Angels overthrew Kings mighty Kings with Kingdoms and Nations Pharaoh King of Aegypt Og King of Bashan Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon Darius King of Persia and Alexander King of Greece Herod King of Judea Jerusalem and Samaria with both their Kings When once they come to be laid in the Ballance and the Lord enter into Judgment with them when he ties Judgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet Noah Daniel and Job shall not save when Truth Law and Justice calls for a cutting off He will by no means spare the Guilty when the Time of Forbearance is expired VII Of this no Man shall have wherewith to accuse God for he will not do more than is right that Man should enter into Judgment with his Maker nay he will rather make abatement than over-do And this hath been owned in his Act of Judgment Thou hast not dealt with us according to our Iniquities VII In this case the Lord our Judg hath sufficiently approved himself first in respect of the Old World secondly in respect of Sodom and Gomorrah where he would take nothing upon Trust but come down himself to see if things were so bad as they were represented to him And for Israel and Judah their Sins did testify to their Face before he did execute Judgment upon them IX To this in respect of God 't is said In the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die I will destroy Man from the Face of the Earth and 't was done Pharaoh and his Host that thou hast seen this day thou shalt see no more for ever Because thou didst not restrain thy Sons I have rejected thee from being a Priest Because thou hast caused my Name to be blasphemed the Sword shall not depart from thy House Because Nebuchadnezzar was lifted up with Pride he shall be driven from his Throne Because his Son did not humble but harden his Mind his Kingdom was numbred finished and translated to the Medes and Persians X. As for God his Way is not only perfect and his Word tried but he is of one Mind and there is none can turn him in a Case of Right Truth and Justice His Councel shall stand for he is not as the Son of Man that he should repent With him is no variableness nor shadow of turning He is the same yesterday to day and for ever He changeth not will not alter the thing that is gone out of his Mouth XI In this Jehovah is not behind-hand for he is a God with whom the Fatherless find Mercy pities the Poor when he sees they have no Helper breaks the Teeth of the old and young Lion smites the Enemy upon the Cheek-Bone avengeth their Cause when they crie to him and hath destroyed them and their Posterity who made long Prayers to devour Widows Houses XII The Almighty hath a great and mighty People under him even all the Inhabitants of the World Europe Asia Africa and America He is God of all the Kingdoms of the World and Judg of the whole Earth XIII In this our high and mighty Judg doth overmatch all other Judges for he is provided with Legions of Angels all ready to observe his Dictates and obey his Commands The Devils are all subject to him so that if he say Go they go Do this and they do it Millions of Men are under his Influence and as many Fowls of the Air Beasts of the Field and creeping Things of the Earth to do his Will to execute his Judgments when he speaks the word or lifts up his hand to them They shall invade the Courts of Kings enter the Chambers of Princes fetch Emperors off their Thrones bring them to Chains Blocks and Gibbets when he passes Sentence and gives Orders to do it XIV God is to be feared not only as a Creator who can annihilate and dissolve make Men cease to be as a Father who can love and rebuke as a Lord who can command and give Orders but as a Judg who can punish in this World and bring Mens Sins before-hand to Judgment XV. With God is terrible Majesty and he rideth upon the high Places of the Earth XVI God doth often reprieve and put off the Execution of Sentence so that Delinquents are not speedily executed but a Time given them to consider their ways The old World had one hundred and twenty years given them before Judgment was executed Judea Jerusalem and Samaria continued a long time before the Fury of the Almighty broke out upon them XVII God sometimes gives Orders to Angels to punish and execute his Sentence when Men are out of the reach of human Hands as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar the Host of the Assyrians and Herod the King Tho great Men join hand in hand for Wickedness yet shall they not go unpunished XVIII God will punish those that himself employs in case they exceed their Commission in any case that concerns his Act of Justice He punished Assyria and Babylon for going beyond their Bounds in his own Works of Judgment against the Jews XIX God the great Judg doth vindicate his own Honour and the Justice of the Laws he executes by giving Liberty to the People to testify against him if they have wherewith to accuse and demands of them what Evil their Fathers have seen in him requires them to testify to his Face if his Ways are in any point unequal XX. God when he comes forth in a way of Judgment doth not execute the fierceness of his Wrath he is far from rendring to Men more than they deserve he doth not reward according to their full demerit but in the midst of Judgment remembers Mercy XXI God hath assigned an Advocate to plead before he proceeds to Judgment If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father XXII God hath not only made Laws and published them and will judg Men for wilful and reiterated Rebellions but keeps a Register for the great Day to be then opened as it is written Some Mens Sins go before-hand to Judgment and they that are otherwise cannot be hid The Judgment shall sit and the
Second Person in the Glorious Trinity Christ a Mediator 1 Tim. 2.5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Heb. 12.14 To Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant THe Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thought by Erasmus to be peculiar to the Scripture as being not elsewhere used and doubts whether it should be rendred Mediator Reconciler or Intercessor The Term as applied to Christ is borrowed from Persons whose Office it is to reconcile such Parties as are at variance being as it were in the middle betwixt both solliciting the Cause of each to the other till they bring them to Concord or Agreement 'T is thus defined by Illyricus Mediator is dicitur qui inter duos parum inter se congruentes aut etiam sibi invicem Hostes medius est utriusque nomine cum altero agit promovens conciliationem c. Quique tamdiu apud utramque partem alterius nomine laborat donec eas in consensum pactionem deducat The Term is applied to Moses typically Deut 5.4 5. with Gal. 3.19 but really and antitypically to Jesus Christ Heb. 12.24 Col. 1.20 Rom. 5.10 11. 1 John 2.1 A Mediator I. A Mediator implies a Difference between two Parties II. A Mediator properly signifies a Midler or middle Man a Reconciler III. A Mediator oftentimes is appointed to make up Differences that arise between two Parties upon Breach of Covenant IV. A Mediator must be a Person willing to undertake the great Work and Transaction of making Peace V. A Mediator ought to be an indifferent or impartial Person free from all Exceptions VI. A Mediator ought to be a Well-wisher to Peace a Person that loves it and longs after it nothing being more acceptable to him than to be a Peace-maker VII A Mediator must have the great Transaction of making Peace committed to him or be invested with full Power and Authority to do it VIII A Mediator ought to be a condescending Person not to have his own Will to be done in any respect further than the Nature of the Cause will require it IX A Mediator is not chosen unless there appear great need of it and that the Business cannot be accomplished otherwise X. A Mediator must be fitly qualified for this Work a Person very wise and for Justice and yet greatly inclined to Mercy that so he may every way answer the Requirement of each Party so far as is necessary XI A Mediator must be faithful seeking the Interest Right Honour and Weal of both Parties XII A Mediator many times meets with great Trouble and Difficulty in undertaking the composing of some Differences XIII A Mediator ought to be endued with much Patience Meekness and Long-suffering not only bearing Frowns from one Party or the other but also in his long waiting upon either of them to yield to Terms of Peace offered to them XIV A Mediator must be undaunted and couragious unwearied not tired out nor let the Work fall XV. A Mediator should be mollifying that is of so pacifying a Temper as to labour for such Mediums that the Streams of strict Justice may run in a way of Mercy especially considering the Weakness and Impotency of one Party for Peace sake XVI A Mediator hath usually a set Time prefixed finally to finish and accomplish his Work XVII A Mediator makes use of strong and powerful Arguments to bring the adverse Party to Terms of Peace and Friendship XVIII A Mediator whose Mediation is rejected after long Patience leaves the offending Person open to the Severity of the Law XIX A Mediator is made sole Judg in those great Matters he is chosen about and is to make righteous Decision between Party and Party and to give the definitive Sentence at last XX. A Mediator after he hath done and finished his Work of Mediation gives up his Trust and ceaseth to be a Mediator any more in that Affair XXI A Mediator leaves no Liberty of Appeal after he hath past the definitive Sentence Parallel I. SIn made a great Breach between God and Man God is angry with the Wicked every day Hence by Nature Mankind are said to be the Children of Wrath. The carnal Mind is Enmity against God II. Jesus Christ is a Mediator between God and Man He is not only God but Man not only Man but God a blessed Reconciler of Man to God and of God to Man III. The Difference originally that is between God and Man did arise from Man's breaking God's Covenant God and Man were in Peace and Concord whilst Man stood in the State of Innocency but when he fell Christ came to make up that Breach IV. Jesus Christ was willing to undertake the Work of Mediator to make Peace between God the offended Creator and Man the offending Creature Lo I come to do thy Will O God V. Jesus Christ is a Person free from all Exceptions whatsoever God approved of him and Man hath no cause to except against him but contrariwise to be abundantly thankful to God for chusing him to this Work and Office because none else could be found in Heaven or Earth None able to open the Book and loose the Seals thereof but He. VI. Jesus Christ is called the Prince of Peace never did any give such clear full and undeniable Proofs and Demonstrations of his being a Well-wisher to and Lover of Peace witness all he did and endured or past through from first to last that he might accomplish this Work of making Peace VII God hath given Christ full Power and Commission to accommplish this Work of Mediatorship He is annointed and ordained to be a Prince and Saviour All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Him hath God the Father sealed VIII Christ shewed himself to be of a marvellous condescending Spirit Who being in the Form of God thought it no Robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation c. He for our sakes became poor that we through his Poverty might be made rich I came down from Heaven not to do mine own Will but the Will of him that sent me Not my Will but thy Will be done IX There was great need of or it was very necessary that there should be a Mediator betwixt God and Man First On God's part Secondly On the Creatures part First On God's part it was necessary in respect of his own Glory 1. In respect of the Glory of his Wisdom This of bringing forth and ordaining a Mediator was the marvellous Contrivance and the highest Manifestation of Divine Wisdom for hereby a way is found to reconcile Justice and Mercy and make them meet together in sweet Harmony that the Punishment of Sin might be borne and yet the Sinner pardoned freely in a way of Mercy Hence as the Apostle sheweth the manifold Wisdom of God is made known by the Church according to the
excellency and what dost thou less who dost not believe in him embrace him and apply his precious Blood and Grace for Help and Healing Exhort If this be so then labour whoever thou art to accept of Christ. Dost think to do better what Object canst thou find that more deserves thy Affection 1. He is great honourable a King the King of Kings all other Kings are his Subjects he is King of Heaven Earth Hell 2. Great in Power He has led captive the King of Darkness has spoiled the Principalities of Sin that so long tyrannized over Thousands yea Millions of Thousands has overcome Death the King of Terrors that none of the Mighty could ever encounter with 3. He is the amiablest Object in the World his Beauty far exceeds the Beauty of the Luminaries much fairer than the Children of Men. 4. He is rich unsearchable in Riches What wouldst thou have or canst thou desire but 't is in him Wouldst thou know the ready way to be espoused unto him Then 1. First of all break off that Affinity thou holdest with Sin and get thy Heart off from the inordinate Love of this World 2. Thou must become dead to the Law and thine own Righteousness 3. Labour to see an absolute Necessity of marrying with him 4. Get thy Judgment well enlightned in the Mysteries of Grace and Glory that come by Jesus Christ. 5. Hearken to the Motions of thy own Conscience for Conscience is employed when throughly awakened and rightly informed as a Spokesman for Christ. 6. Take heed of a divided Heart never rest till thy Will is brought over to accept of Christ and the Offers of Grace 7. Labour to chuse Christ singly a naked Christ. Christ is able every way to make thee happy and fully answer all thy Desires take heed therefore of going after other Lovers give not his Headship and Sovereignty away IV. This shews what a happy State the Godly are in Can the Soul be poor that has such a Friend and Husband as Christ is If David concluded he should not want because the Lord was his Shepherd be sure thou shalt not because Christ is thy Husband The Bridegroom takes more care and is more tender of his Bride than any Shepherd of his Sheep or Lambs V. This speaks great Terror to the Wicked that oppress and misuse God's People and make a Spoil of his Church What will they do when the Bridegroom rises up to plead the Cause of his Darling He will not spare his Arrows but tread them down in his Fury Lastly Be prepared you that are Virgins the Bridegroom is coming the Midnight-Cry will soon be heard get your Lamps trimmed and Oil in your Vessels An EPITHALAMY on the Soul's Marriage with CHRIST By E. D. THe Match is made and Crouds of Angels come Prepar'd to sing an Epithal'mium Diffusive Sparkles of Seraphick Fire Exalt the Musick of the raptur'd Quire An universal Chorus loudly votes To grace this Wedding with their shrillest Notes Hail Glorious Prince The universal Air Eccho's Hosannahs to the Illustrious Pair Let no Parenthesis of Clouds obscure This blessed Day but still as bright endure As now Let Mortals in sweet Consort sing Anthems to Thee in an eternal Spring December's Frost the scorching Heat of June Shall no more put thy Singers out of Tune Hail Glorious Prince whose unexampled Love Brought thee from those bright Royalties above To court thy Spouse Tho no Magnifick Dress Did set thee forth thy Glory 's nev'r the less Tho thou wert treated with perverse Disdain Myriads of Angels waited on thy Train Shepherds inspir'd thy joyful Welcome sing Star-guided Sophies their Oblations bring O bless'd Espousals that our Freedom bought O happy Match that our Redemption wrought Hail Glorious Spouse for ever blest in Him That crowns thy Brows with Heaven's Diadem Amazing Change unparallel'd in Story A Slave advanc'd to everlasting Glory A Virgin fettered in the Bonds of Sin Vnbound espous'd made glorious all within From base Estate beyond a Queen in Honour A peerless Beauty now bestow'd upon Her Since Words are narrow and Conception's weak T' express my Joy in Extasies I 'le speak Entranc'd in sacred Raptures I 'le rejoyce Rather than fail to melt into a Voice Where Cherubs Hallelujahs do rebound I 'le Eccho like reverberate a Sound For Heaven 's shrill Quire and Earth do joyn in one To quaver out this Epithalmion Christ the express Image of the Father Heb. 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Character of of his Substance We translate it The express Image of his Person THe Term Character is a Metaphor taken from the Image Figure or Impression of a Seal representing the Proto-type or first Pattern in every thing The Word is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charattein which signifies to ingrave the Father having as it were most indelibly engraven his whole Essence and Majesty upon this his Eternal Son and drawn his own Effigies upon him from everlasting being his substantial Image and exact Representation Which Explication fairly agrees with this Mystery leading our Mind to such Discoveries as will stir us up to desire the gracious participation of its Fruit and Efficacy For it opens the Secret of eternal Generation and the Love of the Heavenly Father A Seal is more highly valued and more closely kept than other things See Isa. 42.1 Mat. 3.17 17.3 John 3.35 17.24 Through an Union with this blessed Image the lost Image of God is restored in Believers now inchoatively or with respect to Beginning after Death consummatively or with respect to Perfection Col. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.4 not by Essential Transmutation but by a Mystical Vnion Metaphor I. AN Image is the Likeness of or doth represent and express the Person whose it is II. An express Image represents a Person unto others III. An express Image represents a Person unto us whom we many times cannot see personally because absent and at a great Distance from us IV. An Image and the Person it represents are not the same V. An express Image brings him who is held forth or represented by it into our Minds whereby we call to remembrance what manner of Person he is and thereby contemplate upon his Beauty and excellent Accomplishments which before probably might be forgot VI. An express Image if it represents some noble or renowned Person one that hath an endeared Love and Affection to him or her to whom it is sent their great and only Benefactor or a dear Relation is exceedingly prized and valued by the Receiver VII An express Image of a Person is curiously drawn and is a most rare and admirable Piece of Workmanship it is viewed and commended by all skilful and discerning Persons in that Art Parallel I. CHrist is the Likeness of the Father the true Form Figure Character or Representation of him This Similitude saith a Reverend Divine relates to the Persons of the Godhead 't is borrowed from the Impression of
a Signet The Son in himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the likeness of God II. Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image of God representing him unto Men he manifesteth God unto us He is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image of the Invisible God because partaking of the Nature of the Father the Goodness Power Holiness Grace and all other glorious Properties of God do shine forth or are represented declared and expressed to us III. Christ represents God the Father to Believers in his true Form Character or Likeness whom we see not as he is in himself nor can see he dwelling in inaccessible Light at an infinite distance of Divine Nature and manner of Being from our Apprehensions and Conceptions No Man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the Bosom of the Father he hath declared him IV. Christ respecting his Essence is the same God with the Father but the Subsistences or Persons of the Father and Son are different and so not the same V. Christ being the express Image of the Father brings into our Minds what kind or manner of God the Almighty is his Excellencies and glorious Perfections are hereby presented as it were to our view By which means we are taken up into holy Meditations and Contemplations of him whom by reason of Sin we had forgotten and lost the true knowledg of VI. Christ being the express Image of God the Father who is the blessed and only Potentate and the glorious King of Heaven and Earth who hath dear and tender Love to us his poor Creatures who is our Friend Husband Father gracious and chief Benefactor causes all true Believers greatly to prize love and esteem the Lord Jesus not only for his own sake but for the sake of him whom he doth resemble and represent VII Christ God-Man in one Person or God manifested in the Flesh the glorious Representation of the Father to Sinners is the Admiration of Saints and Angels 't is a great Mystery and comprehends the Depths of God That the Glory of God should shine forth in the Nature of Man is and will be the Wonder of both Worlds t is judg'd by all the Godly to be the Master-piece of Divine Wisdom Metaphor I. AMong Men the Substance of a Thing hath the precedency or is before the Sign or Image of it the Person and then the Picture or Emblem of it II. An Image Figure or Character among Men cannot fully and perfectly in every thing express or represent the Person 't is made for it differs in Matter Life and Motion c. III. 'T is gross Idolatry to worship Images or the Likeness of any Thing in Heaven above or the Earth beneath IV. Other Images are soon marr'd and pass away Disparity I. THat which is said of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being or existing and subsisting in the Form of God that is being so essentially for there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Form in the Deity but what is essential unto it This Christ was absolutely antecedently to his Incarnation the whole Nature of God being in him and consequently he being in the Son of God II. Christ is a lively perfect and compleat Image Character and Representation of all the glorious Attributes Excellencies and Perfections of the Father the Fulness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him Were it not so he could not gloriously represent unto us the Person of the Father nor could we by contemplation of him be led to an Acquaintance with the Person of the Father 1. The Father is from Everlasting so is the Son 2. The Father is a perfect Divine Person or Subsistence so is the Son 3. The Father hath Life in himself so hath the Son Life in himself 4. The Father created the World so did the Son 5. The Father upholds all things by the Word of his Power so doth the Son 6. All things were made for the Father so all things were made for the Son 7. The Father is to be worshipped so is the Son 8. The Father knows all things and searches the Heart so doth the Son 9. The Father is in the Son so is the Son in the Father The Father is in me and I in him The Father being thus in the Son and the Son in the Father all the glorious Properties of the one shine forth in the other The Order and Oeconomy of the Blessed Trinity in Subsistence and Operation requires that the Manifestation and Communication of the Father to us be through the Son 10. All other Perfections of the Father shine forth in Christ 't is he that makes them manifest to us according to that of the Apostle For God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledg of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. The Wisdom of the Father is great and infinite many ways but wherein doth it shine more gloriously than in the Son 's working about our Redemption in reconciling Justice and Mercy in punishing Sin and pardoning the Sinner To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly Places might be made known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God 11. The Father is still of Goodness and Love to Man this appears in his making of him Supreme over all Creatures on Earth But what is this Favour and Goodness to that which is manifested in and by Christ in raising him up when a Rebel and vile Traitor to the Honour and Dignity of a Son and to accomplish this to give his only begotten Son to die in his stead He made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us There was much Favour and Love in the Blessings and Privileges of Creation but in Redemption Mercy is magnified likewise to admiration and shines in equal Glory 12. God the Father is infinitely holy just and righteous His Holiness and Justice appeared in casting off the fallen Angels and by executing his Severity upon our first Parents and by destroying Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them and in several other respects Yet how much more abundantly doth his Holiness and Justice shine forth in the Son the Image of the Father when he came forth to redeem Mankind in that he made his Soul an Offering for Sin God letting out his Wrath upon him sparing him not when he stood in the place of the Sinner For the Transgressions of my People was he stricken As Mr. Burroughs observes there is nothing sets out God's Justice Holiness and infinite Hatred of Sin like this c. Our Nature is united to the Divine Nature of God that so by that mystical Union Grace and Holiness might be communicated in a
Backslidings and love them freely If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Christ a Testator Heb. 9.16 For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the Death of the Testator THo this Term is thought by some not to be a Metaphor Christ being really a Testator yet it may not be unprofitable to run the Parallel with Human Testators The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diathemenos of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Testament which is of the same import with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berith A Testament is the Sentence and Declaration of our just Will of what we would have done after Death and is so called because it is a Testimony of our Mind which is not in force because revocable till the Testator dies Thus the New Testament or Law of the Gospel is ratified and confirmed by the Death of Christ. The Parallel is as follows Testator I. A Testator signifies a Disposer or one that makes a Will and Testament who hath Goods to bestow and Relations or Friends to give them to II. A Testator is one that is under a natural Tie or Obligation and full of Thoughts Cares and Good-Will to his Friends and hence provides for them when he is gone III. A Testator imports a Person dying or under the apprehension of approaching Death and from hence makes a Testament and bequeaths Legacies IV. A Testator hath full power to dispose of whatsoever he possesseth or hath a Right unto and according to his sole Will and Pleasure bequeaths unto others V. A Testator sets down the Person in his Will to whom he doth bequeath or give Legacies VI. A Testator to make his last Will and Testament firm and authentick calls others to witness it VII A Testator finally to compleat perfect and confirm his last Will doth sign and seal it himself which according to the Laws and Customs especially of the Eastern Nations as divers have observed is done by Blood moreover the Epistle to the Hebrews shews us that the first Testament was dedicated by Blood hence called the Blood of the Testament VIII A Testator by making his last Will and Testament usually disannulls any Will made before IX A Testator makes his Last Will and Testament unalterable by any other or by himself as others must not so he will not X. A Testator takes care to have his Will made known and published after his death that the Legatees may know what Legacies are left and bequeathed to them XI A Testator oftentimes limits the Legacies bequeathed to some of the Legatees upon Conditions by them to be performed XII The Will of a Testator gives a sure and firm Title to those that he wishes well to and bestows Riches on they hereby are secured For what can be more full and undeniable Right than that which is left or bequeathed to a Man by the last Will and Testament of his Friend XIII A Testator ordains or assigns Executors in Trust to see that his Will be punctually observed and fulfilled XIV A Testator being dead no Man can attempt to abrogate or alter any part or thing that is in his last Will tho it be but a Man's Covenant yet if it be confirmed no Man disanulleth or addeth thereunto XV. A Testator dies and thereby opens a way for all the Legatees to come into the possession of the Inheritance that is left them Parallel I. CHrist our spiritual Testator hath store of Blessings and good things in his hand are all Riches of Grace and Glory and at the end he will bestow them on his spiritual Relations viz. his Children his Elect who are called his Friends Ye are my Friends c. II. Jesus Christ by taking his People into Covenant-relation and Union hath laid himself under strong Bonds and Obligations to them and from hence takes care of them and is filled with thoughts of kindness to them and provides for their future Good in his absence III. Jesus Christ knowing his Hour was coming that he must go out of the World to the Father he being appointed to Death made his last Will and Testament and left Legacies to all his Saints and faithful Followers IV. Jesus Christ the Testator of the new Covenant hath not only full Power and Authority to convey all Gospel-Blessings but all Grace here and Glory hereafter is solely disposed of at his Will and Pleasure in which way and to whom he pleases He gives Power to become the Sons of God He hath given him Power over all Flesh that he should give eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him Father I will that those which thou hast given me be with me where I am My Peace I give unto you V. Jesus Christ as Testator hath set down in his Testament who the Persons are to whom he hath bequeathed the Blessings of the Covenant both Grace and Glory viz. all that are his Sheep all that the Father hath given him all that are regenerated who truly repent and believe in him and keep his Word VI. Jesus Christ to establish and make firm his last Will called sufficient Testimony to witness it as first the Father secondly his Miracles thirdly John Baptist fourthly the Scriptures and then fifthly his Apostles We are his Witnesses of all things that he did VII Jesus Christ ratified and confirmed his last Will and Testament with his own Blood He shall confirm the Covenant he shall be cut off For where a Testament is there must be the Death of the Testator This is my Blood of the New Testament shed for many By Christ's Death there is a Confirmation of the Verity and Reality of the Covenant of the Validity and Authority of it and lastly of its Efficacy and Availableness to us for a Testament is of force after Men are dead otherwise 't is of no strength whilst the Testator liveth VIII Jesus Christ disannull'd the Law of the Old Covenant by his establishing the New there is a disannulling of the Commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof He took away the first that he might establish the second IX Christ hath made his last Will and Testament so as never to be altered by himself I will put upon you no other Burthen but what you have already c. My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my Mouth X. Christ ordained and commanded his Disciples to publish his Mind and Will to the Children of Men. Go into all the World and preach the Gospel that is to make known the Testament He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned XI Christ hath appointed Conditions to be performed by some Men before they can actually possess the Grace and Blessing promised viz. to attend upon hearing the Word to pray believe repent c.
Death of the High-Priest the Slayer shall return to the Land of his Possession By the High-Priest's Death an Atonement was made for him saith Mr. Ainsworth XXIV The High-Priest brought the Bodies of those Beasts whose Blood was brought into the Sanctuary to be burnt without the Camp Parallel I. CHrist was of the Race of Mankind of the Seed of David according to the Flesh Forasmuch as Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood he likewise took part of the same but was altogether pure spotless without the least Stain of Sin II. So Christ glorified not himself to be made an High-Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son c. and in another place Thou art a Priest for ever c. The Father invested him in this Office Him hath God the Father sealed He was baptized and the Spirit came down visibly upon him when he was about thirty Years old III. Christ was anointed with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy-Ghost and with Power He had also immaculate Sanctity and Purity in him IV. Christ was said to be glorious in his Apparel cloathed with the Divine Nature as with a Garment he was adorned with perfect and compleat Righteousness V. Signifying saith Mr. Guild the Deity of Christ which as a Circle hath neither beginning nor end and the Royal Dignity whereby he is advanced to be the Supreme Head in all things to his Church or his Kingship See Goodwin's Moses and Aaron VI. Christ's Humanity is cloathed with true Holiness which is compared to fine Linnen clean and white VII The Lord Jesus as our High-Priest presents â—â—or bears the Remembrances of all his faithful People upon his Heart when he appears before God to make Intercession for them He knows his own Sheep by Name VIII Christ hath in him the Perfection of true Light Beauty and Holiness Vrim and Thummim signified Christ's Prophetical Office whereby He as a standing Oracle to his Church answers all Doubts and Controversies whatsoever IX Christ is the real Antitype of this engraven Plate in likeness of a Signet Holiness to the Lord in that the Father hath actually communicated to him his Nature who is the express Image of his Person a glorious Representation of him to us being able to bear and hath born our Iniquities The Lord hath laid on him the Iniquities of us all X. Christ is the Mouth of the Father to the Sons of Men He is called the Word of God God hath spoken unto us by his Son XI Christ's Church must be a pure Virgin chast unstained with Superstition or Idolatry giving neither Love nor Worship to any other Christ owns none but such a People for his Spouse XII Christ offered up his own Body as a Sacrifice for our Sins He appeared to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many c. XIII As Christ was offered upon the Cross for the Sins of Mankind as a propitiatory Sacrifice so must his Blood in a spiritual manner be sprinkled upon our Consciences that we may be cleansed from our Sins and accepted in the sight of God Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience c. For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkled the unclean sanctified to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God But ye are come to Mount Zion c. And to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the Blood of Sprinkling that speaks better things than the Blood of Abel XIV Christ's Righteousness remains for ever to cloath and adorn all true Believers 'T is the Wedding-Garment whosoever hath it not shall be shut out of the Marriage-Chamber and cast into utter Darkness XV. Christ sounds the great Trumpet of the Gospel for the assembling and gathering together of his Elect to himself from all the four Quarters of the Earth and will sound an Alarm at the last Day to the general Judgment The Trumpet shall sound and the Dead shall be raised c. XVI Christ is the great Teacher of God's Law 't is he that gives us the knowledg of Salvation that guides our Feet into the way of Peace We must seek the Law i. e. the Mind and Will of God at his Mouth who shews us plainly of the Father His Tabernacle is only standing not Moses's not Aaron's not Elias's but Jesus's This is my beloved Son hear him He is the last and only Teacher sent from God XVII Christ is Judg concerning the Plague of every Man's Heart what Sin is deadly and what not Tho there is no Sin venial as the Papist's affirm yet there is much more danger and evil in some Sins than in others As for example 'T is worse to have Sin in the Affection than in the Conversation to love it than to commit it The best of Saints have not been without Sin Infirmities have attended them yet they loved them not 'T is a loathsom thing to a true Believer That which I hate that do I. The Priest was to pronounce a Man utterly unclean if the Plague was got into his Head So if a Man's Judgment Will and Affection are for the ways of Sin if they chuse and love that which is evil Christ the High-Priest in his Word pronounces such unclean When Men approve not of God's ways because they forbid and give no toleration to their beastly Lust and Sensuality and from hence secretly contemn Religion in the strictness of it these surely have the Plague in their Heads XVIII The Lord Jesus makes and anoints many to be Kings for besides his acting towards Men in bringing of them to their Thrones and Kingdoms as 't is said By me Kings reign he makes all his Saints Kings and Priests and they shall reign on Earth XIX Christ hath the absolute Power of appointing what Officers should be in his Church He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers Those that make any other spiritual Office or Officer than Christ hath ordained will be found grand Criminals in the great Day XX. Christ was sent to bless the People by turning every one of them from the evil of their Ways to give Pardon yea the holy Spirit and eternal Life to as many as believe on him XXI Christ entred into Heaven it self alone for us as Mediator through the Merit of his precious Blood shed to make Atonement once for all there to appear in the presence of God for us Neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in
that find Christ have enough they need no more Riches they are not only made happy here but also to Eternity and may say with Jacob they have all XI Christ is the Saints richest Ornament Those that are grac'd and adorn'd with this Pearl are the most renowned and honourable Ones in the World The Righteous are more excellent than their Neighbours XII There is no Cordial to a disconsolate and drooping Spirit like Christ the Virtue of his Blood and the Comforts of his Spirit revive immediatly the sick and fainting Soul 'T is he that keeps us from the Poyson and venemous Sting of the old Serpent that strengthens us and purges out all our Corruptions XIII Christ is singular there is but one Christ one Mediator between God and Man Metaphor I. PEarls are of an earthly Original II. Pearls are of a very small dimension for tho they be very considerable in value yet are the least of all precious Stones III. Men may find a rich and precious Pearl and yet be miserable in divers respects and that cannot help them IV. Men that find precious Pearls may sell them if they please and sin not nor injure themselves thereby V. Other Pearls are of a perishing Nature they may be defaced broken dissolved and come to nothing Disparity I. JEsus Christ is the Lord from Heaven II. Christ is infinite in respect of his Deity without measure filling Heaven and Earth with his Presence He is in Heaven and yet with his People on Earth to the end of the World III. He that finds this Pearl of great Price can never be miserable Christ supplies all the Wants and Necessities of Believers IV. No Man can sell Christ nor part with him but he sins thereby and ruins himself as Judas did V. Christ is durable this Pearl of Price can never be spoiled or dissolved nor diminish or lose his Beauty Inferences 1. Happy are they that find this Pearl 2. They are Fools who will not adventure the Loss of all for Him 3. Esteem highly of Christ you can never overvalue Him 4. Bless God for bestowing his chiefest and best Pearl upon you The Name of Christ like to Precious Ointment Cant. 1.3 Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth c. THe Spouse knows not how to set out the Transcendent Excellencies of the Lord Jesus Christ. Before she saith His Love is better than Wine and here she compares his Name to Ointment poured forth c. The Words are a Proposition in which you have two Parts 1. The Subject 2. The Predicate 1. By the Name of Christ some understand the Doctrine of Christ declared in the Gospel others by his Name his Person Illyricus in locum Ye shall be hated of all Nations for my Name-sake I will shew him how great things he shall suffer for my Name that is for my Sake 2. Christ hath several sweet Names or Appellations given him in the Holy Scripture that may be compared to Precious Ointment as first his Name Jesus Emanuel the Lord our Righteousness Prince of Peace c. Simile I. OIntment is of a fragrant and odoriferous Scent Precious Ointment yields a very sweet Smell the Box of Ointment which was poured upon Christ the Text says the whole House was fill'd with the Odour thereof II. Ointment hath an exhilarating Virtue it chears elevates and makes the Heart glad Ointment and Perfume rejoyce the Heart hence the Antients in their Banquetings and joyful Feastings used choice and precious Ointments III. Oil hath a drawing and cleansing Quality in it it is powerful in attracting or drawing Pollution or noxious Matter out of Wounds or Sores in the Body IV. Ointment hath a mollifying and suppling Virtue it will soften any hard Tumor or Swelling in the Body the Lord alludes to this They have not been mollified with Ointment V. Ointment is of a beautifying Nature David tells us it makes the Face to shine Naturalists says there is a sort of Ointment that will fetch out Wrinkles VI. Some Ointments are of great Worth and Value as appears not only by Historians but by what is said of that Box Mary bestowed upon our blessed Saviour VII Ointments are of a healing Nature VIII Some Ointments are of a strengthening Nature the Joynts being weak and benum'd or parts of the Body anointed therewith it recovers their Strength IX Ointment being poured forth denotes the use of it 't is of little Profit whilst it is kept close shut up in the Box nor doth it yield that fragrant Smell till poured forth X. Ointment poured forth denotes Plenty as one observes upon the place as also a free Communication of it Parallel I. THe Lord Jesus is very sweet and of a fragrant Smell to Believers as hath been shewed upon divers Metaphors nay he makes their Persons Prayers and all their Performances as sweet Odours in the Nostrils of God Christ perfumes as it were all Persons and Places where he cometh the Person Example Passion Intercession Word Promises Ordinances of Christ are of a sweet Savour II. Jesus Christ and the Spirit that flows or proceeds from him is of a glading refreshing and comforting Nature he anoints his Saints gives the Sorrowful the Oil of Gladness for the Spirit of Heaviness Thou hast put Gladness in my Heart more than in the time when their Corn and their Wine increased III. Christ draws the Soul when his Name is poured out so that the Soul feels the nature of his Sovereign Love and Grace out of the World and the Kingdom of Satan and from all Uncleanness of the Heart and Life to himself Saith Christ And if I be lifted up from the Earth I will draw all Men unto me With loving Kindness have I drawn thee Draw me and I will run after thee Christ draws the Soul from Sin and Sin from the Soul and so cleanseth it thereby IV. Christ's Name poured forth viz. his Perfections and Excellencies made known to a Sinner presently softens his hard Adamant-like Heart all the Hearts of Sinners that have been broken and made tender it hath been done by the Virtue of this precious mollifying Ointment V. This Spiritual Ointment will fetch out all the Stains and Spots of Sin all those Blemishes and Wrinkles of the Soul of which the Apostle speaks that so we may be presented amiable in the sight of God Believers have no Beauty but what they have from Christ. VI. The Lord Jesus Christ is of an inestimable Worth who is able to account the value of this Box of precious Ointment Wisdom is the principal thing Christ is the Wisdome of God its price is above Rubies VII Christ heales the Soul he is not only the Physician but his Blood and the precious Graces of his Spirit is the Balm or Ointment that cures all our Sores VIII All Spiritual Strength is from Christ 't is he only that confirms and strengthens the Feebleness and the Hands that hang
the Israelites were to deal with the cursed Caananites 4. Possitively Confess all your former Rebellions Unbelief Earthly-mindedness Pride Passion Lying Drunkenness yea all Sins and forsake them 5. Take hold of Christ receive the Atonement he hath made for thee 6. Enter into Covenant immediately seal it now defer it not on pain of Death 7. Joyn thy self to the Lord's Covenant-People with speed delay not c. Application 1. From whence we may infer That those that reject Christ the great Embassador of Peace are undone to all Eternity 2. Let those that through Grace are in a reconciled state and condition ascribe all to Christ Omnis Adoratio Laus tribuenda Christo. Christ a Witness Rev. 1.5 And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful Witness 1 Tim. 6.13 Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession c. John 18.37 For this cause came I into the World that I should bear Witness to the Truth Rev. 3.14 These things saith the Amen the faithful and true Witness the Beginning of the Creation of God THe Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Witness or Martyr Beza upon Acts 22.20 says Hic ego Graecum vocabulum servare malui c. i. e. Here I have chosen rather to keep the Greek Word viz. where Stephen is called a Martyr than to translate it a Witness for common Use hath so prevailed that they are peculiarly called Martyrs who not only by Confession of Mouth but also by their Blood testify the Doctrine of Christ. See Piscator upon the Place The Greek word signifies any Witness yet in all Tongues except Greek a Martyr is a loser of his Life for the Gospel and often in Greek too in Ecclesiastical Writers Christ in a spiritual sence is called a Witness Isa. 43.10 55.4 Rev. 1.5 3.14 1. Because he is the most assured Testimony to us of Divine Truth John 18.37 2. Because he hath exactly fulfilled all that was foretold of him in the Old Testament Joh. 1.17 And 3. because he was martyred upon the Cross for us to compleat our Redemption and confirm the Gospel As Witnesses amongst Men are absolutely necessary to the keeping up of Justice and deciding all matters of moment between Man and Man Even so Almighty God intending to deal with Men according to this Rule hath in Wisdom thought fit to provide Himself with a Witness for the keeping up of Justice and deciding of all matters between Himself and Mankind and according to his own rich and admired Grace he hath provided a Witness who is free from all exception both in respect of his Faithfulness and Knowledge of things and that is Jesus Christ himself who is set forth to be the true and faithful Witness the beginning of the Creation of God who in point of Antiquity is very capable to set forth and attest whatsoever is necessary to be known of God and in whatsoever a faithful and true Witness in point of usefulness can be unto Men that and much more is Jesus Christ between God and Mankind For the illustration whereof take these following Considerations Metaphor WItness imports something done that is to be attested when it shall be required II. A Witness hath respect to a future Judgment where a Difference may come upon trial between two Parties III. A Witness is or ought to be a person of Knowledge who is necessarily qualified for the Work IV. A Witness is usually called to give Testimony and that in matters of which he hath very good knowledge V. A Witness gives in a Testimony and leaves the matter on Record that he is call'd to bear witness unto VI. A good and credible Witness makes a Cause valid to which he gives Testimony VII A Witness is so necessary in all matters of moment especially that which relates to Judgment and to the determination of things that they are seldom done without one VIII A Witness is to speak the whole Truth when no less will serve to clear the Case IX A good Witness is a just and impartial Man that abhors Lying X. A good and credible Witness ends Controversies upon Trial the right way and leaves those that are cast without Excuse or Relief Parallel THere was something done between the Father and the Son in respect of Man before the World began which God thought Christ a fit Person to bear Witness unto 1. That God had a purpose of good-will to Man and in pursuit of which made a gracious Covenant in behalf of Man 2. That God promised Happiness to Man through that gracious Covenant whom he saw fallen And this Jesus Christ hath born Witness unto in hopes of Eternal Life that God who cannot lye promised before the World began This Covenant Promise and all other gracious Acts of the Father that attend them as they are brought to light by Christ in the Gospel he is a Witness of together with the Being and Perfections of God the necessity of Faith and Holiness and Belief of the Resurrection of the Dead and of Eternal Judgment and the World to come II. The Witness of Christ hath a full and clear respect to a future Judgment where a Difference is to be tried between God and Man He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my Word I judg him not the Word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day III. Jesus Christ is a Person of the greatest Knowledge in Divine Things being always with the Father and in his Bosom spake on Earth what he saw and heard in Heaven He had the Word of God immediately from his own mouth which no others had besides himself and therefore qualified to be a Witness in the highest degree as it 's said Him that God hath sent speaketh the words of God I speak not of my self but my Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works IV. Jesus was not only called to be a Priest as Aaron but also to be a Witness God called him from his high and exalted Glory in Heaven to go forth as his great Witness to the World to testifie what he knows of the Father's Will from Eternity Hence said he I came not of my self but my Father sent me and for this cause came I into the World that I might bear witness of the Truth V. Jesus Christ hath given in a full Testimony and born Record of all things depending between God and Mankind He hath testified that God loved the World and sent him to be a Saviour and that there is forgiveness of Sin and eternal Life through his Name and that God will condemn all those that believe not He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned VI. Jesus Christ however accounted a false Witness and Deceiver by the Jews yet hath by his excellent Doctrine his holy Life and stupendous Miracles given such a Testimony to the World of God's Grace and Good-will in making a Covenant
He is both King of Saints and King of Nations 1. He is Lord over Angels he is Head of Principalities and Powers Thrones and Dominions He hath Power and Authority over the good Angels these are part of his Inheritance Let all the Angels of God worship him 2. He hath Preheminence and Dominion over the evil Angels they fly before him He hath spoiled Principalities and Powers c. Col. 2.15 3. He is the Head and hath Preheminence over Men He is Lord both of the Dead and Living all the Elect are given to him they are his in manifold respects Children Servants Brethren Disciples Subjects Spouse c. 4. The Power and Headship of Christ as Heir of all things extends to all Mankind universally all owe him Homage and shall submit and bend their Knees to Him He hath an absolute unlimited and Universal Power may pull down and set up at his pleasure kill and make alive all mighty Monarchs are but Tenants at Will to him 5. He hath Power and Headship in an especial manner over all things to the Church Frist Judaical or Old-Testament things Secondly Christian or New-Testament things Christ being Heir and Lord of all things whatever the Soveraign Disposer of all those Rites and Ordinances of Worship about which the Jews contended must needs be in his Hand to change and alter them as he saw good The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath and as he is Head over all things He hath Right and Soveraignty to make ordain or appoint Laws Ordinances and Institutions and to prescribe Rules how and after what manner God is to be worshipped belongs only to Christ the Heir of all things and Head of the Church VI. Christ distributes in a glorious manner to others he gives large Portions to the Saints whom he is not ashamed to call Brethren He that doth the Will of my Father the same is my Brother Sister and Mother Regenerating quickning sanctifying assisting comforting and sealing Grace is bestowed and freely given to Believers with Pardon Peace Sonship and eternal Life yea all things are given that appertain to Life and Godliness to such that are Heirs and Joynt-Heirs with him when he ascended on high he gave Gifts unto Men. Eph. 4.8 VII Christ the Heir of all things when he first came into the World was proclaimed by the Angels of God as the rightful Heir of the Crown and Scepter of both Worlds He shall be great and shal be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David And he shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever and ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end His Right was often asserted by himself as Mat. 28. Joh. 13.3 and by others his Apostles c. VIII There was a set time agreed upon when Christ as Mediator should come to his Inheritance who is appointed Heir c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may denote either those special Acts whereby he came into the full Possession of his Heirship or it may be extended to other Preparatory Acts that long preceded them especially if we should take it to be of the same Importance with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the second Aorist In the former sence it denotes the glorious Investiture of Christ in the full Possession of his Kingdom after his Resurrection with the Manifestation of it in his Ascension and token of its stability in his sitting down at the Right-hand of God By all these God made him placed Him with solemn Investiture Heir of all The Grant was made to him upon his Resurrection Mat. 28.18 and then fully declared to others The Solemnization of it was in his Ascension all was sealed and ratified when he took Possession of the Throne by all which he was made and declared to be Lord and Christ the true Heir of all things And such weight doth the Scripture lay upon the glorious Investiture of Christ in his Inheritance that it speaks of his whole Power as then first granted unto him Rom. 14.9 Phil. 2.7 8 9 10. and the reason of it is because he had then actually performed that Work and Duty upon consideration whereof that Power and Authority were eternally designed and originally granted unto him God's actual committing all Power over all Things and Persons in Heaven and Earth to be executed and managed for the ends of his Mediation declaring this Act Grant and Delegation by his Resurrection Ascension and sitting at his Right-hand is that which this Word denotes Notwithstanding the time of the visible Possession of his Right is not yet come he will take unto him his great Power that is the visible Exercise and Execution of it and Reign Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel And he said unto them It is not for you to know the Times and Seasons which the Father hath in his own Power Metaphor I. AN Heir many times is one that succeeds in the Possession of the Right and Goods of one deceased and till then cannot possess the Inheritance II. An Heir is many times disinherited of his Right cut off excluded and utterly deprived of his Crown and Kingdom by an usurp'd Power III. An Heir among Men hath comparatively but small Possessions Disparity I. CHrist enjoyes all as he is Heir of all things with the Father who dyeth not but is like the Son immortal eternal not subject to any Change The Son being Heir doth not eclipse nor diminish the Glory of the Father II. Christ shall not cannot be disinherited Tho wicked Men take Counsel together to obstruct and hinder his visible Exaltation yet all is in vain He that sits in Heaven shall laugh The Lord shall have them in Derision and will set his King upon his holy Hill of Zion I will make my First born higher than the Kings of the Earth III. Christ you hear is Heir of all things He is Head and Chief Lord over Angels and Men over all Ranks and Degrees of Men Emperours Kings and all the Nobles of the Earth over all Persons Civil and Ecclesiastical over Devils and all the Powers of Darkness He is Heir of the World to come the new Heaven and Earth and of all the Glory of it as of the Earth or the Kingdoms of this World Inferences I. FRom hence we may perceive how exceedingly God hath honoured the Lord Jesus Christ as Mediator He hath a Name above every Name in this World or that which is to come II. Moreover it is evident from hence Christ is very Rich. Who would not marry such an Heir or choose the Lord Jesus for their Husband The Riches of his Kingdom the good things of his House the Revenues of his Dominion are infinite and inexhaustible and he is very gracious and bountiful in his Communication of them unto all that take hold of him III. 'T is easy to conclude from hence that those that
the World besides And thou Lord in the beginning didst lay the Foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the Work of thy Hands II. Jesus Christ thought it no Robbery to be equal with God And he is not only the bright and Morning-Star but also the Sun of Righteousness see Sun the brightness of his Father's Glory and the express Image of his Person and he upholds all things by the Word of his Power III. Jesus Christ gives internal light which illuminates the Minds and Souls of all Believers This is the true Light who is not only the Light of the World but delivereth also all those that truly follow him out of darkness and bestoweth on them the Light of Life IV. Jesus Christ giveth light continually and can never lose his Glory because a greater Light than he cannot arise The night and the day are alike to him The Light shined in Darkness and the Darkness comprehended it not He is the Lord that is an everlasting Light V. Jesus Christ gives Light to the visible and celestial too to this World and to the World to come or heavenly Jerusalem which City hath no need of Sun or Moon to shine in it but the Lord God and the Lamb is the Light thereof Ye are come to Mount Zion to God the Judg of all and to Jesus the Mediator VI. Jesus shall never fall from Heaven nor be dissolved but abide and continue when the Heavens shall be no more And thou Lord hast laid the Foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the Work of thine own Hands they shall wax old as doth a Garment and as a Vesture shalt thou shalt fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy Years fail not Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Inferences I. WHat great Love doth God bear and what Care doth he take of Believers in placing such a Star as Jesus Christ is to be a Light unto them to direct them how to steer their Course in the darkest time so as to miss all dangerous Rocks and Sands and to arrive in safety at the desired and longed-for Haven II. How safe are they that do always steer their Course by his Light and follow his Conduct they shall not be at a loss in their Journeys or Voiages nor suffer Shipwrak by Rocks Sands or Storms but shall have the Light of Life shall never perish Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved III. This may shew also the certainty of their perishing in the Dark and in the Deep that continue their Course to the end of their Voiage without the Light and Guidance of this Bright and Morning Star This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are evil VI. Hence all true Christians that have experimentally enjoyed Inlightnings Refreshings and Conduct by Jesus Christ as the Bright and Morning Star may be stirred up and perswaded yet more and more to look unto Jesus who is not only the Author and Finisher of their Faith but causeth his Glorious Light to shine upon their Path by reason whereof the nearer they approach to the end of their joyful Journey or Race the more and more will the Light shine unto the perfect day Take you heed therefore to that more sure word of Prophecy as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts V. Lastly If Christ be the Bright and Morning Star then let us look and wait for the Day which he is the fore-runner of seeing the Morning Star hath appeared and is up be sure the Day is at hand and a glorious Day it will be to them who are ready and prepared for it The Coming of Christ compared to the Coming of a Thief in the Night 1 Thess. 5.2 But you your selves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so cometh as a Thief in the Night THere are various Opinions concerning the Day of the Lord or the Coming of Christ spoken of Mat. 24. Luke 21. 2 Pet. 3.9 10. and in this Text. But if the Scope of the Text be but carefully considered it will clearly appear that the Coming of Christ here spoken of is his Coming at the last Day to Judgment when the Dead shall be raised Read the latter part of the fourth Chapter c. Why the Day of the Lord is compared to the Coming of a Thief in the Night will appear by the following Parallel Simile I. THe coming of a Thief in the Night is with a design to circumvent an unwatchful House and to take his Prey II. A Thief comes provided for his purpose with a resolution to fight and Instruments to make way to his Design Keys to unlock Doors Bars to break them open or the like III. A Thief comes at a Time when all is still and People are least thoughtful of Danger but are careless at ease even asleep upon their Beds thinking themselves secure till they are invaded and their Goods taken away IV. The coming of a Thief into a House puts the careless Family into a great Fright when they see themselves surprized and cannot tell how to help it V. The approach of a Thief in the Night makes the poor amazed Family to forget all their former Pleasures and Enjoyments and expect no more than their Lives for a Prey and glad would they be of them too VI. At the coming of a Thief in the Night Execution is oftentimes done to the Ruin of the People where he comes Parallel I. THe Coming of Christ or Day of the Lord will be with design to circumvent the careless Professors who sleep in a sinful secure State as if there was no God to fear no Jesus Christ to look for no Heaven to be sought no Hell to be avoided to such he will come and seize them for his Prey to cut them asunder and appoint them their Portion with Vnbelievers and Reprobates II. Even so will the Lord Jesus Christ at his second coming be provided for his purpose with Fire and Sword to accomplish his Design which is to make a Desolation in the Earth For by Fire and Sword shall the Lord plead with all Flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many He shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in Flames of Fire c. III. The Day of the Lord will come when all is still and the World least thoughtful of Danger but are careless eating and drinking and marrying and sleeping till the Heavens rend asunder the Archangel utter his Voice and the Judg himself come upon them But as the Days of Noah were so shall the coming of the Son of Man be IV. The Day of the Lord will in like manner put the sleepy Generation that shall then be into a great and dismal Fright when
discomforted Thus the Jews came to Mary to comfort her when they heard that her Brother Lazarus was dead and Job's Friends when he was in the depth of Sorrow came to comfort him V. A Comforter imports a Person able and willing to comfort and relieve such as are in a sorrowful mournful and afflicted condition VI. A faithful Comforter manifesteth much Love and Tenderness to his oppressed and afflicted Friend particularly 1. In coming to him 2. In supplying the Want he sustains of those things he is deprived of VII A wise Comforter uses many and weighty Arguments to infuse Comfort into a distressed and disconsolate Soul 't is not enough to come and give a bare Visit and look upon a Friend but to take apt and suitable Words and Motives to do it VIII A Comforter sympathizes with him he comes to visit to comfort him in his Grief and Trouble Job's Friends lifted up their Voice and wept and they rent every one his Mantle and sprinkled Dust upon their Heads So they sat down with him upon the Ground seven days and seven nights c. IX A true Comforter will intercede to others to administer support and relief in whose power it is to succor as well as himself X. A true Comforter will search into a Persons State and Condition to know how it is with him that thereby he may the better understand how to speak a word of Comfort to him XI A Comforter sometimes is slighted by the Person or Persons he comes to visit and administers Succor unto and all his good and sweet Advice is not regarded for a time XII A Comforter many times keeps his Friends from utter despondency and wonderfully revives and consolates his Soul and thereby makes Sighing and Heaviness to fly away The moving of my Lips should asswage your Grief c. XIII A faithful and true Comforter will not only give his distressed and disconsolate Friend a Visit but if he sees there is need of it will make his Abode even stay with him many days Job's Friends did so XIV A good faithful Comforter is highly esteemed and greatly beloved by his Friend especially when the worth of him is known or he is sensible of the Profit and much good rejected by him XV. A faithful Comforter will deal plainly with his Friend and not speak Peace and Comfort when he knows there is not just and good reason so to do but will reprove sometimes also if he finds cause for it Parallel THe Saints and People of God are in this World attended with manifold Troubles Afflictions and Sorrows Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous for all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament but the World shall rejoyce and ye shall be sorrowful but your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy II. The Disciples of Christ tho they mourn here or are in a sorrowful State upon many considerations yet they are capable of Comfort and fit Subjects of it They are not such as uâ—â—terly refuse or are unaâ—â—e to receive Relief and Comfort Such as have committed the unpardonable Sin or are already in Hell are uncapable of receiving true Peace and Comfort but so it is not with God's People Whatever their State and Condition is it admits of Relief tho through Satan's Temptations they are sometimes backward to take hold of it III. The holy Spirit is a Divine Person he is placed in the same Rank and Order without any Note of Difference or Distinction as to a distinct Interest in the Divine Nature with the other Divine Persons Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy-Ghost There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Son and the Spirit and these three are one 2. He hath also the Names proper to a Divine Person only for he is called God Why hast thou lied unto the Holy-Ghost Thou hast not lied unto Man but unto God 3. He hath personal Propertieâ—â— assigned him viz. a Will He divideth to every Man severally as he will and an Understanding The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 4. He is voluntary Author of Divine Properties he of old cherished the Creation he formed and garnished the Heavens he inspired acted and spake in and by the Apostles 5. The same regard is to be had to him in Faith Worship and Obedience as unto the Persons of the Father and the Son for our being baptized in his Name is our solemn Engagement to believe in him yield obedience to him and worship him as it puts the same Obligation upon us to the Father and Son IV. So the holy Spirit comes unto a gracious Person in the time of greatest Need when he is most dejected and discomforted whether it be under Temptation Affliction or Persecution for Christ's sake Hence the Apostle saith When we came into Macedonia our Flesh had no Rest but we were troubled on every side without were Fightings and within were Fears Nevertheless God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us c. I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you V. The holy Spirit is able and willing at all times to comfort sincere Christians in their Afflictions Such is the Power Ability and Efficacy of the Spirit upon this account thâ—â—t 't is more câ—â—pable and able to comfort Believers than the bare bodily Presence of the Lord Jesâ—â— is able to do Nevertheless I tell you the Truth it is expedient for you that I go away pray mind the Reason our Saviour gives of it For if I go not the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him VI. The holy Spirit doth manifest much Love and Tenderness to Believers which appears 1. In his coming to them that are poor and contemptible in the eyes of the World 2. By making up the Want of Christ's bodily Presence 3. In bearing Repulses from them how often hath the Spirit been slighted and his Motions rejected instead of being friendly entertained when in Love he comes to them VII The Holy Spirit doth not only come and give poor Believers a bare Visit in their Distresses but also uses fit and suitable ways and means to comfort and support their Souls He shall bring all things unto your Remembrance that I have spoken unto you He shall take of mine and shall shâ—â—w it unto you and he shall shew you things to come c. The Spirit usually comforteth Believers in and under their Sorrows and Afflictions 1. By shewing them whatsoever Christ hath done and suffered for them 2. By opening and applying the gracious Promises of Christ unto them he shall bring whatsoever I have said to your Remembrance 3. By sealing up Christ's Love unto them As many as I love I rebuke and chasten 'T is no sign they are hated by Christ or
reprove them The Spirit is first a Spirit of burning and then a Spirit of Consolation the humble sincere and broken-hearted Ones he comforts and revives METAPHOR ANother Comforter tho wise and very compassionate and every way capable to speak Words to a disconsolate Person yet finds sometimes the Condition of his Friend to be such that all he can say and do will not take place nor administer present Relief to him but after all remains very sad and disconsolate II. Another Comforter many times misses the Case of a poor afflicted Person and thereby cannot accomplish the Work this did Job's Comforters they mistook his Case whereby they proved miserable Comforters to him III. Other Comforters are many times wearied out and leave their Friends in the midst of their Sorrow IV. Another Comforter may be absent nay at a great distance when his poor distressed Friend stands in most need of him besides he can visit but a few Persons at one and the same time and cannot be at above one Place at once V. Other Comforters can speak to the Ear but scarce able to reach the Heart Spira had many words of Comfort spoke to his Ear but they could not speak to his Heart Disparity THe Holy Spirit sometimes finds gracious Persons very much disturbed and cast down under heavy Pressures of Affliction and that no other can comfort him yet when he comes to a Resolution to relieve and refresh and comfort him all his Sorrow Temptations and Disquietments flie away Let a Saint be never so sad if the Spirit sees it is a fit time to speak Peace and Comfort to him he doth it effectually If he speak Peace who can cause Sorrow For I have satiated the weary Soul and I have replenished every sorrowful Soul Jer. 31.25 II. But the Holy Spirit never doth nor can mistake any Person 's Condition Being God he knows and is the Searcher of the Heart all things lie naked and open to his Eyes The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God III. But the Holy Spirit cannot be wearied nor tired out The Creator of the Ends of the Earth fainteth not there is no searching of his Vnderstanding IV. But the Holy Ghost is omnipresent Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither I shall fly from thy Presence He is always near and at hand and needs none to bring him News how it goes with any Person Being the Omniscient God He can visit Thousands and ten Thousands at one and the same time is every where not circumscribed nor limited to Place V. The Spirit can speak to the Heart of a poor Sinner I will saith God allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortable Words unto her In the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loquar super Cor or ad Cor ejus I will speak to her Heart In this the Holy Spirit infinitely excels all otheâ—â— Comforters he can in a moment cause all Sorrow to cease by speaking to the Heart Inferences WE may infer from hence the great Love of Christ to his own People he will not leave them comfortless nor send one to them that is not able to speak Peace or administer true Comfort and Consolation to their Souls II. It should teach us in our trouble to cry for the Holy Comforter to come unto us III. It reproves such who deny the Holy Ghost to be God and a Divine Person this being an Appellation that properly belongs to a distinct Person IV. Let us take heed we never grieve the Holy Spirit who is such a choice and blessed Friend to us V. It may also caution every Soul against receiving Comfort when God by the Spirit speaks it not to then 1. The Holy Spirit speaks not Comfort to any unconverted Soul who love and live in their Sins but rather Terror 2. The Holy Spirit speaks not Comfort to carnal and loose Professors and Hypocrites in the Church that have Lamps and no Oil the Name of Christ upon them but not his Nature in them much Knowledge but want Charity Fearfulness will saith the Spirit surprize the Hypocrite 3. The Spirit speaks no Comfort to an Apostate and Backslider in Heart and Life he tells them They shall be filled with their own ways and led aside with the Workers of Iniquity 4. The Spirit speaks no Comfort to the moralized Person who wholly rests upon his own Righteousness and sees no need of a Saviour nor of the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in Jesus Christ. 5. The Spirit speakes no Comfort to Persecutors and Murderers of the Godly to cursed Plotters and Haters of the true Religion and Lovers of Idolatry such that worship the Beast and are Followers of the Romish Church or Upholders of the same They the Spirit saith shall drink of the Wrath of God and be tormented with Fire and Brimstone for ever and ever But the Spirit speaks comfort to all true penitent ones to such who tho they have been great Sinners yet now loath themselves in a true and thorow sense thereof and forsake it 1. To those who do believe and wholly rely upon Jesus Christ for Life and Salvation 2. To those who desire to be holy as well as happy to have their Sins mortified as well as pardoned to be sanctified as well as saved to live to God here as well as to live with God hereafter 3. To such who are universal in their obedience that take up their Cross and follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth 4. To such that obey the Precepts of God as well as believe the Promises 5. In a word To all sincere and upright ones Quest. How doth the Spirit speak Comfort to the Souls of Men Answ. 1. Usually by bringing Christ's Word and Promises to their remembrance 2. By using many Arguments some of which I have hinted at already 3. By his shining Influences sweet and comfortable Operations upon the Soul 4. By sealing up Christ's Love and giving good hope and assurance of Eternal Life unto them The Spirit compared to the Wind. Cant. 4.16 Awake O North-wind and come thou South and blow upon my Garden c. Joh. 3.8 The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the Sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh c. Acts 2.2 And sudddenly there came a Sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty Wind and it filled all the House where they were sitting c. THe Hebrew Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes from a Verb that signifies to breath or to blow signifies sometimes Air sometimes Wind and sometimes a Spirit The several Metaphorical Notations of Wind may be read in our Philologia Sacra p. 116. to which we refer you Sometimes it denotes things that are vain light and empty as Eccles. 5.16 Hos. 12.1 c. In the Texts cited by an express Similitude it is compared to the Holy Spirit as you may see
Terms to give them his Spirit as the Earnest thereof Turn you at my Reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you I will make known my Words unto you The Holy-Spirit compared to a Seal Eph. 1.13 In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of Promise Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the Day of Redemption A Seal is an Instrument fitted to make an Impression or Mark by which a Man knows the thing done whatsoever it be to be his own and not anothers Act as also to ratify and make authentick Bonds Covenants c. And in opening this Metaphor of Believers being sealed by the holy Spirit these things are meet to be noted 1. The Letter written or the Vessel filled with Treasure every true Christian. 2. The Wax appointed to the Seal and that is the Heart the relenting and pliable Heart of a Sinner Heb. 10.16 3. The Sealer that is as some conceive the Father or the Lord Jesus Christ others more immediatly the holy Spirit or third Person of the Trinity 4. The Seal as some understand is the Word of God others the Spirit we include both jointly considered 5. The Sealing or Impression active is the Act of applying the Word in the Ministry of the Gospel by the help of the Spirit to the Soul 6. The Print or Impression passive or Image of the Seal left in the Wax is called the Image of God or Knowledg Faith Love Truth Holiness c. which are originally in God and communicated to us by the Word and Spirit from him 7. The End of Sealing which is Secrecy Property and Security which things will appear more fully in opening the Metaphor METAPHOR A Seal especially if it be the King's Seal is highly prized and very carefully kept II. A Seal makes an Impression in the Wax like it self or leaves a resemblance of it III. Before the Seal can make an Impression the Wax must be melted or made pliable soft and fit to take it IV. The Seal alters the Form of the Clay 't is set or stamp'd upon A piece of Clay is a rude Lump without form or figure saith Mr. Caryl but if you take a Seal and stamp upon it that Clay receives any Figure or Coat of Arms that is engraven upon it V. A Seal is to confirm and make sure Bonds Contracts or Covenants that are made between Man and Man If an honest Man makes a Promise of such and such things to his Friend he thinks he hath ground to hope those good things so promised him are his own but if he gives it under his Hand in Writing he concludes he is more sure but if the Writing Covenant or Promise be sealed 't is as firm and as sure as he can desire to have it VI. A Seal is used to distinguish or differ things one from another whereby Property is known and secured a Merchant knows his Goods from other Mens by the Seal or Mark he sets upon them VII A Seal is used to confirm and make Laws Authentick till they have the King's Seal stamp'd upon them they oblige not the Subject to Obedience VIII A Seal is used to secure preserve or keep safe several things which otherwise might be spoiled run out and become good for nothing Things that we would not have any to touch nor meddle with we set a Seal upon IX A Seal many times is counterfeited by ill Men they indeavour to imitate it as nigh as they can to cheat poor ignorant People thereby X. A Seal is used to hide or keep back others from the Knowledg of things if a Man have any thing to write unto his Friend that he would not have others know he seals up his Letter upon the account of Secrecy tho 't is like afterwards in convenient time those things so conceal'd are discovered Parallel THe holy Spirit is the King's Seal the glorious King of Heaven and Earth and therefore is highly valued and prized by every true Christian. II. The holy Spirit makes an Impression on the Heart there is in a Believer a Similitude a Likeness or Resemblance of God every Saint hath the Image of the Spirit upon him he is holy harmless heavenly c. III. Before the holy Spirit seals any Person to the Day of Redemption the Heart is broken softned and made pliable by the Word and powerful Operations of Grace and so made fit to take that heavenly Impression And thus you have David speaking I am poured out like Water and all my Bones are out of Joint My Heart is like Wax it is melted in the midst of my Bowels IV. The Spirit makes a change upon the Soul of a Man or Woman that receives the Impression of it it alters every Faculty and puts a new Form or Figure as it were upon it Man naturally is a rude Lump a gross and confused Piece by reason of Sin till the Spirit stamps upon him or infuses into him new Habits V. The Holy Spirit confirms and makes sure the Covenant and Promises of God to Believers God hath not only made gracious Promises to them of Pardon Peace and Eternal Life c. But he hath left these Promises written in the Holy Scriptures and not only so but such is his great Love and Kindness to them he hath given them his Seal they have his Promise his Word and his Spirit also that they might not doubt of the Truth and Stability of his Covenant We are his Witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Spirit whom God hath given to them that obey him VI. The Holy Spirit distinguishes or differs one Man from another God hath set his Seal or Mark upon all his People The Foundation of God remaineth sure having this Seal The Lord knoweth them that are his If any Man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his VII The Holy Spirit is the broad Seal of Heaven by which all the Laws and Institutions of the Gospel were ratified and confirmed with Signs and Wonders in the Primitive Time by which means they come to be Authentick and everlasting Laws obliging all Men to Obedience and all Laws of Spiritual Worship Traditions and Institutions injoyned by any Potentate Assembly or Council whatsoever that were not thus sealed or witnessed to are utterly to be rejected VIII The Spirit secures preserves and keeps safe all true Believers from the Danger they continually are exposed to from Sin Satan and the Insnarements and Mischiefs of this evil World Satan nor wicked Men must not cannot destroy the Servants of God because of the Mark or Seal he hath set upon them Set a Mark upon the Men that mourn c. saying Hurt not the Earth c. till we have sealed the Servants of our God in
and follow the holy Rules and Directions thereof VI. The gospel is Called the Power of God to Salvation i. e. a mighty and glorious Instrument or means of Gods saving Power Metalepsis VII The gospel is called the Joyful sound the law was a sound of Fears and Terror a sound or voice of words that were Exceeding Dreadful The Gospel is the Antitype of the sounding the Trumpet of the great Jubilee to proclaim full Liberty and Freedom from all bondage and Tyranny of Sin Satan Hell and Wrath. VIII The gospel is called the unsearchable Riches of Christ. 1. It shews how Rich our Mediator and Husband is In him are hid all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledge it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell 2. It shews the nature of his Riches both of grace and glory 3. The gospel makes all spiritualy and gloriously Rich who truly Receive it tho' never so poor before 4. All true Riches are communicated to us through the gospel such that would have this golden Ore must dig in this Mine this is the Field where the Pearl lies hid IX The gospel is called the word of Faith 1. It presents the object before the Soul 2. It opens the way to see this Object 3. It gives by means of the Spirit a hand to take hold of the Object X. The gospel is called the faithful word Because whatever its promises are they be faithfully performed XI 'T is called the Ministration of the Spirit because through it Persons come to receive the Spirit Received ye saith the Apostle the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of Faith XII It is called the gospel of Salvation 1. It Interesteth the Soul through the Spirit into Salvation as well as shews the way of it 2. There is no other way of Salvation but that which is revealed or manifested therein XIII 'T is called the glorious gospel of God 1. The glory of God shines forth in it 2. It was the glorious contrivance of his eternal wisdom 3. It wholly Exalts God and sets him forth in all his blessed and most glorious Attributes and Perfections beyond what any other Ministration doth whatsoever XIV The gospel is called a Book 1. Yea it is a Book by the inspiration of God as all holy Scriptures were All other books save the Bible are humane but this is Sacred and Divine 2. There is a Blessing pronounced to him that reads this book 3. And a much greater Blessing to him that understands it and keeps the things therein contained 4. 'T is a Book of all truth and no error can that be said of any other book 5. 'T is a Book Ratified and Confirmed by wonders 6. 'T is a Book that all other books point to Moses points to it the Prophets point to it all holy books of godly Men point to it 7. 'T is a book that all good and godly books are taken out of 8. 'T is a book that hath filled the world with good and profitable Books These things considered may serve as a sound Gradation to set forth the glory of the gospel and word of God Thirdly To come more directly unto the thing it self to set forth and further illustrate the glory and splendour of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 1. 'T is glorious in respect of the time and contrivance of it It was found out or contrived before the world began Hence Christ is said to be a Lamb slain before the foundation of the world 2. It is brought in as the result of that great and glorious Council which was held in Eternity Hence Jesus Christ our Mediator is said to be delivered up by the determinate Counsel and fore-knowledge of God God that is Father Son and Holy Ghost all agreed that the second Person should assume Mans nature and by shedding of his blood proclaim Peace and reconciliation to sinners The Counsel of Peace saith the Prophet shall be between them both Zech. 6.13 3. It may not be unnecessary to note here the matter this great Council had before them and did then debate about and that was how a way might be found out that God might display his own Glory and magnifie himself in every one of his glorious Attributes particularly how the two great Attributes of Justice and Mercy might meet together in sweet harmony and shine in equal glory that God who is Just might appear so and yet exceeding gracious 4. It was to find out a way how in a glorious manner God might destroy the works and designs of the Devil for to this purpose we Read the Son of God was manifested 5. It was a Council held upon the account of sinful man lost man whom God then saw dead and fallen how he might be delivered from sin and eternal wrath 't was not a Council held to ruine and destroy men but to save and make them happy This is the third thing to illustrate this Great truth that the gospel or word of Christ is a glorious Gospel Fourthly The gospel is glorious upon the consideration of that Revelation there is in it of God personally considered or the Persons of the Blessed Trinity or Gods manner of being 1. Though God is often called a Father in the old Testament yet how hard is it without help of the gospel to find out where he is so called or taken in distinction from the Son and holy Spirit sith Father as many Divines observe in some places of Scripture respects all the three Persons and hence the Jewish Rabbies who allow not of the new Testament manifestly declare their Ignorance touching this Great Truth of the Trinity tho' that may in part be imputed to that Judicial blindness they are left under yet it must be granted there is in the gospel a more clear and full discovery of this glorious Mystery then in the Law or old Testament how plainly and by manifest testimony is this bore witness to 1. By the Angels Luk. 1.32 2. By that Voice from the Excellent glory Mat. 3.17 2 Pet. 1.17 3. By the testimony of Christ himself I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth even so Father the Father that sent me is with me the Father loveth the Son the Father hath not left me alone I and my Father are one and 't is observed that he calls God Father near an hundred times in the gospel of John 4. By the Testimony of the holy Apostles how clearly is this witnessed by them especially by the Blessed beloved Apostle and Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles Fifthly The gospel appears yet to be more glorious upon the Consideration of the glory of every one of the Persons in the blessed Trinity which shine forth most excellently therein I. In respect of the Father who did not design to vail his own glory but to greaten and magnifie it by the gospel For tho' the Lord Jesus is
but may affect our hearts the gospel is a glorious Subject but 't is Christ who is the glorious Subject of the gospel as all we have flowes from or through the gospel to us so all the gospel hath in it flowes from Christ. That he is excellent and glorious in this respect is expresly declared in the holy Scripcures Thou art more Excellent saith the Psalmist speaking of Christ than the mountains of Prey And in another place Thou art fairer than the Children of Men or sons of Adam Grace is poured into thy Lips My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest amongst ten thousand he is altogether Lovely He is the brightness of the Fathers Glory and the Express Image of his Person That his glory is very great might be demonstrated by two or three Arguments 1. Because he is the Object of the Fathers Delight nay the Father himself commends his beauty and glory to the Children of Men. 2. Because in that the holy Angels are taken with him the Angels stand and wonder he was seen of Angels such a Person they never beheld before and they worship him 3. Because Saints and all truly enlightened Souls do admire him and know not how to set him forth Paul accounted all things loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ. 4. He is called the desire of all Nations 1. There is enough in him to fill the desire of all Nations 2. None ever in any Nation that had a true sight of him but did desire him 3. The Nations will never be satisfied until they have and do enjoy him and are under the Influences of his glorious grace and government 5. Because there never were any who saw his glory but did admire it Wherein doth his personal Excellencies consist In his being Man such a Man there is one God and one mediator between God and man THE man Christ Jesus Compared with Acts 2.22 Heb. 7.24 What a Man is Christ A Man of Men the Son of Man a Man without spot fault or stain of sin the Excellency of humane Nature made like unto us in all things sin only excepted He is not only glorious in respect of his being man such a man but in respect of his being God also in this he Excels Oh here in this his glory shines forth as the light The Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the son of God 1. He is called God but unto the Son he saith thy Throne O God is for ever and ever c. 2. Not only God but the Mighty God His name shall be called wonderful counseller the mighty God the everlasting Father c. 3. Not only God the mighty God but also the true God And we are in him that is true even in his son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternal Life 4. He is called the only wise God Lastly He is called God blessed for ever whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is God blessed for ever amen Secondly The gospel declares that he made the world this proves that Christ is God and greatly magnifies his glory he that made the world must needs be God Eternal for none could do that but the glorious Jehovah 't is ridiculous and most absurd to think that the Creature could make it self before it self was God in respect of his Infinite glory and wisdom upon this account expostulateth and reasoneth with his People glorying if I may so say in the Greatness of his Power and Majesty and thereby proving his unwordable Essence and dreadful Godhead Isa. 40. and all the Gods of these Nations to be but Idols and that the same power in respect to creating which is ascribed to the Father is attributed to Jesus Christ. See Joh. 1.1 2. for by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible c. Compared with Heb. 2.10 Thirdly The gospel shews that Jesus Christ did not only create but also doth uphold all things that are created who being the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the Right-hand of the Majesty on high c. he is before all things and by him all things consist Fourthly The gospel shews that Jesus Christ knows all things such Knowledge is too wonderful for Men or Angels In several places of Scripture the blessed God doth prove his glorious Being by his Omnisciency and that the like in respect of Knowledge is said of Christ is evident and he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things Joh. 21.17 Compared with Joh. 2.24 25. but Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men and needed not that any should testifie of him for he knew what was in man in another place 't is said he knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him Fifthly The gospel declares that Jesus Christ searches the heart tho' this Argument depends upon the last yet for Illustration sake I make another of it he that searches the heart ought to be acknowledged and owned to be the Almighty and Eternal God for who can find out the depths and deceits thereof but the Infinite Majesty the Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it I the Lord search the heart and try the Reins as if he should say there is none save my self alone knoweth or can know it but that the Lord Jesus who died for our sins searcheth the Heart and the Reins he himself positively asserts it Rev. 2.23 I will kill her Children with Death speaking of the woman Jezebel and all the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the Reins and the Heart and I will give unto every one according as his work shall be Sixthly The gospel shews that Jesus Christ is the First and the Last and he that is the First and the Last must of necessity be acknowledged to be the everlasting and eternal God for from this very ground and consideration the Almighty argues and reasons with his people of old to convince them of his Deity and that there is no other God besides himself I AM the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God Compared with Isa. 48.12 Hearken unto me O Jacob and Israel my called I am be I am the first and I am the last c. And that the same is spoken of the Lord Jesus Christ See Rev. 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty Ver. 17. And when I saw him saith John I fell
Because the Gospel holds Christ forth to be the store house of all Divine grace and blessings he is ordained to convey all spiritual Riches to his Church and to every Member thereof 3. To allure and engage souls to love him and close in with him how can any refuse such a friend reject such a Saviour that is so beautiful to look upon and also so exceeding Rich. 4. That it might leave all men and women without excuse in the great Day what will they have to say that reject such a Saviour that turn their backs upon such a Christ when they are called to answer in the Day of Judgment 5. To relieve the tempted Soul 6. To strengthen the Faith and chear the hearts of all that do believe in him Fourthly The gospel is glorious in respect of Christ the glorious Object of it as it reveals his glorious Power Power in Scripture is taken two manner of ways or it shews a twofold power in Christ. 1. A Commanding Power his power of Soveraignty or Regal power that which we call Authority 2. The power of working or effecting that which he would have done Some have power to command but want a power to Effect that which they command cannot accomplish what they would have done but what Christ commands he can do or cause to be done at his Pleasure 1. I shall shew that the power of Christ is a glorious power 2. Shew why Christ hath such power 1. Christ hath a commanding Power he hath great Authority he hath a Regal Power or Superiority over all 1. Over Angels 2. Over the Church 3. Over the Devils I will lay upon the shoulders of Eliakim the Keys of the house of David Isa. 22.22 Keys is a borrowed speech signifying Government and Legal Power Christ hath the Keys of David Rev. 3.7 All Power in Rule and Government in Commanding Forbidding Punishing Binding Loosing Damning Saving is in Christs hand See Christ the Head and Heir of all things Keys of Hell and Death signifieth Christs Regal power over the Devils and delivering up unto Death and Hell or keeping out of it Over men mighty men Kings of the Earth He is the only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords They are all his Subjects shall and must Submit to him 4. He hath an universal Power therefore glorious Power the Sun the Moon the Stars the Winds the Seas obey him 5. Christs Power is absolute he bears the Image of God he is God as you heard before None hath absolute power but God he doth what he pleaseth 6. Christs Power is Just therefore glorious in Power it is not a Might without Right 't is in him Essentially as God and is given to him as Mediator in the one Respect he derived it from none in the other sence he received it from the Father 7. Christs Power is Infinite he made the World he upholds the World therefore glorious in Power He could have made a Thousand Worlds can do beyond all that we can conceive or speak 8. Christs Power is glorious because he can bring all other Power to nought in a moment at his pleasure whether of Men or Devils 9. Christs Power is glorious Power in that it is everlasting Power Men may be powerful for a time but they may soon lose it must die and so cannot hold it long but Christ sits King for ever his power is from everlasting to everlasting of his Kingdom there shall be no end 10. Christs power is Dreadful he looketh upon the earth and it Trembles he can make all tremble before him who can Thunder like God 1. He has a glorious commanding Voice 2. A glorious restraining voice what is swifter than the Sun which he can stop in a moment 3. Glorious in his reproving voice Psal. 50.21 4. In his threatning voice Rev. 2.16 and Chap. 2.23 11. He hath a Glorious Victorious Conquering and Subduing Power he hath overcome Sin Devil Death Hell c. 12. Christs Power is Glorious because nothing is too hard for him to do nay nothing is hard for him to do he can do what he will with a word of his mouth 13. Christs Power extends not only over the Body but over the Soul also works mightily in us as well as for us and can do wonderful things by weak Instruments by foolish and contemptible ones in the eye of the VVorld VVhat mighty things did he do by a few poor Fishermen and others not accounted off 14. Lastly Nothing is hard for Christ to do tho' all the Devils of Hell and Men on Earth oppose and resist him I will work and who shall let it VVhy hath Christ as Mediator such great and glorious Power given to him 1. From the greatness of his work he is to accomplish 2. Because no Souls whatsoever Discouragements they meet with should despair in coming to him or in relying upon him 3. That he might be feared and dreaded by all yea that his very enemies might tremble before him 4. That he might be honoured and adored Honour belongs to Sovereignty Thirdly As the gospel is Glorious in respect of the Revelation made therein of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ. So likewise in Respect of the Holy Ghost the gospel shews the Spirit in himself to be a distinct living powerful intelligent Divine Person Not only a distinct self subsisting Person but also a participant of the Divine Nature not the chief of all created Spirits and so the head of all good Angels as some imagine but that he is uncreated truly and ready God coeternal with the Father and the Son This we shall speak a little unto together with his glorious work Office and Operations First The VVord of God holds forth and positively declares that the holy Spirit is in himself a distinct intelligent Divine Person and which ought to be believed concerning this great truth viz. the Diety and Personality of the holy Ghost may be seen in the ensuing Testimonies according as they are Collected to our hands by a Reverend Divine Psal. 33.6 By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the spirit of his mouth Job 26.13 By his spirit he hath garnished the Heavens Psal. 104.30 Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created Mat. 28.19 Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Act. 1.16 That Scripture must needs hath been fulfilled which the holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake Act. 5.3 Peter said to Ananias why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the holy Ghost Ver. 4. Thou hast not lyed to man but to God 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 12.11 All these worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every severally man as he will And there are
diversities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and communion of the holy Spirit be with you all Acts 20.28 Take heed to the Flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers Mat. 12.31 All manner of Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men Psal. 139.7 Whether shall I go from thy Spirit Joh. 14.26 But the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the father will send in my name he shall teach you all things Luke 12.12 The holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say Acts 13.3 And as they ministred to the Lord and fasted the holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Paul for the work whereunto I have called them Ver. 4. They being sent forth by the holy spirit departed c. 'T is evident upon consideration that there is not any thing which we believe concerning the holy Ghost but that it is plainly revealed and declared in these Testimonies He is directly called God Act. 5.3 which the Socinians will not say is by vertue of an exaltation unto an Office or Authority as they say of the Son that he is an Intelligent voluntary Divine Person he knoweth he worketh as he will which things if in their frequent repetition they are not sufficient to evince an Intelligent Agent a Personal subsistance that hath Being Life Will We must confess that the Scripture was written on purpose to lead us into mistakes and misapprehensions of that we are under penalty of eternal Ruine rightly to apprehend and believe It declareth also that he is the Author worker of all sorts of Divine operations requiring Immensity Omnipotency Omnisciency and all other Divine excellencies unto their working and effecting Moreover it is revealed that he is peculiarly to be believed in and may be sinned against Also that he together with the Father and the Son created the World the spirit of God hath made me that he is the Author of all grace in Believers and order in the Churches The sum is that the holy Ghost is a Divine Distinct Person and neither meerly the power or vertue of God nor any created Spirit whatsoever This plainly appears from what is Revealed concerning him for he who is placed in the same series or order with Divine Persons without the least note of difference or distinction from them as to an Interest in Personality who hath the names proper to a Divine Person only and is frequently and directly called by them who also hath Personal Properties and is the Voluntary Author of Personal Divine Properties and the proper Object of Divine VVorship he is a Distinct Divine Person And if these things be not a sufficient Evidence and Demonstration of a Divine Intelligent Substance I shall as was said before despair to understand any thing that is expressed and declared by words But now thus 't is with the Holy spirit according to the Revelation made thereof in the word and gospel of God One Consideration which hath in part been before proposed I shall premise to free the subject of our Argument from ambiguity And this is that this word or name Spirit is used sometimes to denote the Spirit of God himself and sometimes his gifts and graces the Effects of his operation on the Souls of men and this our Adversaries in this cause are forced to confess and thereon in all their writings distinguish between the holy spirit and his Effects This alone being supposed I say it is impossible to prove the Father to be a Person or the Son to be so both which are not acknowledged any other way than we may and do prove the holy Ghost to be so For he to whom all Personal Properties Attributes Adjuncts Acts and Operations are ascribed and unto whom they do belong and to whom nothing is or can be truly and properly ascribed but what may and doth belong unto a Person he is a Person and him are we taught to believe so to be So know we the Father to be a Person as also the Son For our knowledge of things is more by their properties and operations then by their Essential forms especially is this so with respect to the Nature Being and Existence of God which are in themselves absolutely incomprehensible Now I shall not confirm the Assumption of this Argument with reference unto the holy Ghost from this or that particular Testimony nor from the assignation of any single Personal property unto him but from the constant uniform tenor of the Scriptures in ascribing all those properties unto him And we may add hereunto that things are so ordered in the wisdom of God that there is no personal property that may be found in an Infinite Divine Nature but it is in one place or other ascribed unto him First He is placed in the same rank and order without any note of Difference or Distinction as to a distinct Interest in the Divine Nature that is as we shall see personality with other Divine Persons Mat. 28.19 Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost 1 Joh 5.7 There be three that bear witness in Heaven the Father the Son and the Spirit and these three are one 1 Cor. 12.3 4 5 6. No man can say the Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Now there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit and there are differences of administrations but the same Lord and there are diversities of operation but it is the same God which worketh all in all Neither doth a denial of his Divine Being and distinct Existence leave any tolerable sence unto these expressions For read the words of the first place from the Mind of the Socinians and see what it is can be gathered from them Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the vertue or efficacy of the Father Can any thing be more absonant from Faith and Reason than this absurd expression and yet is it the direct sence if it be any that those Men put upon the words To joyn a quality with acknowledged Persons and that in such things and cases as wherein they are proposed under a Personal Consideration is a strange kind of Mystery and the like may be manifested concerning the other places Secondly He also hath the Names proper to a Divine Person only For he is expresly called God Act. 5. He who is termed the holy Ghost ver 3. and the Spirit of the Lord ver 9. is called also God ver 4. Now this is the name of a Divine Person on one account or other The Socinians would not allow Christ to be called God were he not a Divine Person though not by Nature yet by Office and Authority And I suppose they will not find out an Office
it takes many Souls yet 't is not fully known of what sort they be until the Time comes that Christ draws the Net up IX The Gospel and Church of God having taken many Sinners or all being brought in that are to be taken by this spiritual Net Christ will as it were at the last Day draw it to Shore and then he will sever the Good from the Bad the Sheep from the Goats the sincere Ones from Hypocrites and the one shall be saved atd the other thrown away viz. be damned Again the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Net that is cast into the Sea that taketh of all sorts which when it is full Men draw it to Land and gather the Good into Vessels and cast the Bad away So shall it be at the End of the World The Angels shall go forth and separate the Bad from the Good and shall cast them into the Furnace of Fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of Teeth Parable A Fisherman has one Net prepared to take small Fishes and another to take great Oone II. A Net many times proves defective and comes to be broken and by that means the Fisherman loses hir Draught of Fishes III. A Net takes Fishes out of their own natural Element to their great hurt the Fisher's design in taking them being to kill and destroy them Disparity THe Gospel or Word of God is but one and the same Net which takes the great and small Metaphorical Fishes II. There is no Defect in the Word the Gospel-Net is never faulty nor is it from thence so few Sinners or spiritual Fishes are taken but rather from themselves and Satan who endeavours to obstruct as much as in him lies their being taken thereby III. The Gospel-Net takes Sinners out of their natural State viz. Ways of Sin and Wickedness for their great Good and Advantage it being the Design of God and his Servants the Ministers of his Word to save their Souls alive thereby Inferences THis Parable informs us how useful the Gospel and the Ministry thereof is to take and gather in Souls to Jesus Christ. 2. Moreover That all who seem to be wrought upon by the VVord are not sincere Converts a Net takes bad Fishes as well as good 3. It also shews us what will become of the false Professors at the last Day The bad Fishes shall be cast away the rotten and unsound Professor as well as the openly profane Person that never made any Profession shall be both cast into a Furnace of Fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of Teeth The Word of God compared to Gold Psal. 19.10 More to be desired are they than Gold yea than much fine Gold Psal. 119.72 The Law of thy Mouth is better to me than Thousands of Gold and Silver THo these Scriptures do not directly compare the Word of God to Gold but rather set out the great Excellency of it above Gold and shew the great disproportion there is between Gold and it yet we shall as some Divines have done run a Parallel between Gold and the Word and then in our usual Method shew the Disparities Simile GOld is a precious sort of Metal and is esteemed the chiefest of all Minerals See Pliny II. Gold contains much in little a small quantity of Gold is worth much Brass c. III. Gold is a weighty and a firm sort of Metal IV. Gold hath much Beauty and Splendor in it the Colour shines and is glorious V. Gold is made use of to deck and adorn with The Father of the Prodigal called for a Ring to put upon his Finger Nay more than this the Crowns of Kings and Princes are usually made of Gold VI. Gold is used to make Vessels We read that God appointed under the Law many Vessels to be made of pure Gold divers such were in Solomon's Temple all which were figurative VII Gold is durable It abides the Fire it will not lose or waste by being put into the Furnace as other Metals will VIII Gold enriches him that finds much of it It is esteemed as a precious and principal Treasure and as such both in former and latter Times hath it been hid and laid up Then shalt thou heap up Gold as the Dust c. Tyrus heaped up Silver as the Dust and fine Gold as the Mire of the Street IX Men take much Pains to get Gold they dig through Hills and Mountains for it and endure much Labour and Pain before they can obtain it X. Gold is a sort of Metal that is often tried to see if it be what it is taken to be whether it be so good pure c. XI Men that get much Gold are oftentimes set upon by Thieves and are in great danger of being robbed and from hence take care to secure it and themselves as well as they can XII Gold is known to be a rich and Sovereign Cordial and excellent good to cure several Diseases of the Body particularly the Kings-Evil Parallel THe Word of God is very precious and so esteemed by all true Christians Thy Word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it I esteem the Words of thy Mouth above my necessary Food II. The Word contains much in little Fear God O how much is contained in that God manifest in the Flesh Christ the Image of the invisible God It pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell Very much is contained in one of these short Sentences III. The Word of God is ponderous and very weighty The Words of Men oft-times are airy and empty and when weighed in the Ballance as light as Vanity and not to be regarded but what God speaks is firm And such as find it not heavy and weighty now so as to let it sink into their Hearts shall find it will one day sink them down to Hell The Words that I speak shall judg you at the last Day IV. So is the Word of God The Gospel is said to be glorious 't is indeed transcendently excellent its Glory shines forth and may be demonstrated many ways See Metaphor Light V. The Word of God most gloriously decks and adorns every true Christian that hath store of it in his Heart in whom it dwells richly The Church is said to be cloathed with wrought Gold the Word of God and the Graces thereof are doubtless intended thereby The Gospel is the Saints Crown and Royal Diadem should God suffer it to be taken away they may cry out with Israel of old The Crown is fallen from our Head wo to us that we have sinned The Law of God is said to be an Ornament unto the Head and Chains about the Neck called Cant. 1.10 Chains of Gold VI. The Word of God is made use of by Jesus Christ to make many Golden Vessels Golden Saints Golden Churches called by the Spirit Golden Candlesticks No People in the World are so glorious precious and amiable as
keep up the heat and burning of it Persons may be said to quench the Spirit when they neglect the Means which God hath appointed for the keeping feeding and preserving of it in its full Vigor Heat and Operations in the Soul when they neglect Prayer reading hearing of the Word Meditations the Fire of the Spirit Zeal and Fervency soon decays 2. The Spirit of God may be quenched by neglecting to stir it up Paul exhorts Timothy to stir up the Gift that was in him If Fire be not stirred and blown up it will soon lessen its Burning and go out No Man stirreth up himself to take hold of thee 'T is not enough to pray read and hear the Word but to stir up our selves to do these Duties of Religion fervently if there be never so much Wood on the Fire yet if it be not blown and stir'd up the dead Ashes will obstruct the Burning So in like manner tho Men be never so much in the performance of Religious Duties yet if they let the Ashes of Formality and Deadness remain upon their Hearts the Fire of the Spirit decays 3. Fire is quenched by opposing somewhat of a contrary Nature and Quality to it as Water or the like Fire and Water are contrary the one to the other by reason of their contrary Qualities a little matter will weaken and lessen the burning of Fire and if a Man pour in much of it 't will soon quite exstinguish it so in like manner the Word and Spirit by suffering a little Sin and Corruption to remain in the Heart or Life will soon decay in its Operations Sin is unto the Spirit as Water to the Fire The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these two are contrary the one to the other Gal. 3.17 But now if a Man yields to some Sins to some hainous Sins or once lay the Reins loose as it were upon the Neck of his Lusts plotteth and premeditates Sin regards it likes it and watcheth an Opportunity to sin this will soon like much Water quench the Fire also Sin reiterated and often committed tho not so notorious or scandalous hath the like Effect The frequent acting of Sin is like a continual dropping upon the Fire nothing more dangerous than a trade in Sin That you may escape this great Evil of quenching the Word and Spirit observe these Particulars following 1. Consider 'T is a divine Spark which is kindled in your Souls 't is heavenly Fire 't is a holy and sacred thing Men know not what they do when they quench the Motions of the Spirit and will not suffer the Word to kindle in them 2. Consider Who it is that hath kinled this Fire in thee or strives to do it is it not the Almighty the ever blessed God wilt thou adventure to put out the Fire which the Majesty of Heaven and Earth hath kindled in thee 3. Consider how much Pains God hath taken to kindle it how long was it and what means did the Lord make use of before he could cause to speak after the manner of Men the Word to take hold of thee Did he not send a Spark upon thee at one Sermon and then blow upon it that it might break out into a Flame and then send another Spark another Sermon and then another and another and may be after all he brought thee into Affliction and used many ways to effect this great and good Work of his own Spirit and Grace upon thy Heart and wilt thou adventure to mar and spoil this Work and quench this Fire which is thus of the Lord 's kindling If a Father Mother or any eminent Superiour should take much Pains and be at great Charge to kindle a Fire and a Child should know this and yet adventure to throw Water upon it and put it out or yield to a cursed Foe of theirs so to do would it not be judged a notorious Offence 4. Consider the gracious Design of God in kindling this Divine Fire in the Soul 't is that he might raise thee to Life give thee Light melt thy hard Heart and make it fit to receive an heavenly Impression 't is to cement and unite thy Heart to himself that thou mightest glorify him injoy him and be glorified with him for ever 5. Consider If this Fire go out thou canst never kindle it again 't is beyond thy Skill and Wisdom If thou quench another Fire it may be thou mayst kindle that again and make it burn as before but 't is not in thy Power to make this Fire burn Of his own Will begat be us with the word of Truth As many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Who were born not of Blood nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of Man but of God He is said to begin this good Work in us He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith Lord thou wilt saith the Prophet ordain Peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our Works in us 6. Consider Thou knowest not whether God will ever set about this Work again or no shouldst thou hearken to thy Lusts and Satan's Temptations to quench the Spirit and put out those good Motions and Desires that are in thy Mind remember that Word My Spirit shall not always strive with Men. And also what our Saviour in the Gospel spake concerning Jerusalem O that thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes 7. Consider 'T is grievous to the Spirit to be quenched the Spirit is thy great Friend thy Comforter the Spirit helps thee at every dead Lift and maketh Intercession for thee with Groanings which cannot be uttered And therefore do not grieve him Wilt thou quench and put out the Motions of such a Friend Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of Redemption 8. Consider The Spirit is thy Light put out the Spirit and thou wilt become a dead Man or lessen his Burnings and gracious Operations and thou wilt become a dying Man would'st thou not have thy Eyes out of thy Head nor thy Life out of thy Body then do not quench the Spirit the Eye and Life of thy Soul 9. Consider what the Cause and Reason is Men quench the Spirit 1. Is it not because they would be indulged in their Sins and lie down on the Bed of Sloath and carnal Security Men put out their Fire when they have a mind to go to Bed 2. Is it not because the Fire burns too hot for them it hath kindled such a Fire in their Consciences that scorcheth them so sorely that they know not how to indure it and from hence wickedly go about to quench the Spirit Thus 't was with Felix he heard Paul preach of Righteousness Temperance and
Souls of the Elect in order to healing and it wounds the Reprobate in order to damning to such it may be called a killing Letter To one we are the Savour of Life unto Life to the other the Savour of Death unto Death VI. The VVord of God hath cut off many a Member of the old Man it will cut off a Right-hand lust of Profit or a Right-eye lust of Pleasure VII So some VVounds that many Sinners receive are such that there is no cure for them viz. such who have sinned the unpardonable Sin There is a Sin unto death VIII He that bears the VVord of the Spirit shews he is a Man that hath great Authority for what he says and that he is a Person for Right and Justice it is that which decides all doubtful Cases c. IX So the VVord of God the Sword of the Spirit is a glorious and victorious VVeapon which will appear If we consider how many it hath struck down dead and sentenced unto eternal Death how many strong Enemies have been slain and subdued by it strong Lusts strong Devils strong and vile Hereticks it is a victorious Sword It is called the Sword of the Spirit 1. Because it is a spiritual Weapon but that is not all 2. Because the Spirit is the Author of it a Weapon it is saith Gurnal which his Hand alone formed and fashioned it came not out of any Creatures Forge Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 3. The Holy Spirit is the only true Interpreter of the Word whence we have that known Passage of Bernard Quo Spiritu factae sunt Scripturae eo Spiritu legi desiderant ipso etiam intelligendae The Scriptures must be read and can be understood by no Spirit but that a lone by whom they were made 4. Because the Spirit only can give the Word its Efficacy and Power in the Soul it is the Office of the Spirit Sigillare animum rerum creditarum Except he lays his weight on the Truths we read and hear to apply them close and as it were cut their very Image in our Minds and Hearts they have no more Impression than a Seal sets upon a Stone or Rock The Spirit will do nothing for Believers without the Word and they can do nothing to purpose without him the Word is the Sword and the Holy Spirit of Christ the Arm that weilds it So that 5. The like use that a Sword is of to a Souldier in War the same is the Word to the Spirit in order to the cutting down and spoiling all his and others Enemies Inferences THis may teach Believers what excellent use the Word is of in all their spiritual Wars with the Devil Sin and all other mortal Enemies of their Souls 2. It may inform us what the great Design of Satan is in seeking so many manner of ways to take away the Word of God from us or in making of it of little or no use to us 3. This justly reprehends the cursed Papists and Church of Rome in respect of their Cruelty to the Souls of Men in disarming them of their Weapons a People disarmed are soon overcome and made a Prey to their Enemies how can we defend our selves when our Sword is taken out of our hands They have some Fig-leaves saith one to hide their shameful Practice they endeavour to perswade Men they do them a Kindness thereby lest they should cut their Fingers with it c. How doth the Apostle condemn speaking in the Church in an unknow Tongue All Men are exhorted to read the Scriptures search the Scriptures but the Pope makes it no less than Death if not Damnation for the Laity to have them in their own Language to read or search fearing lest it should spoil his Trade 4. It reproves them for casting such Contempt upon the Scriptures as if they were insufficient to direct us in the way of Salvation What horrid Blasphemy and Reproach is this saith the same Author to the great God to send his People into the Field and put such a wooden Sword into their hands as is not sufficient to defend themselves or vanquish their Enemies And how much contrary is it to that of the Apostle Timothy who saith It is able to make us wise unto Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus perfect throughly furnished to all good Works 5. Let us bless God and be truly thankful we have this Weapon left us yet this is in our hands and that all the World may know it hath done great things in our Hearts Let every true Christian and true English-man resolve to dy upon the Spot rather than lose the Word or suffer their Sword to be taken from them 6. Let it also caution all Christians to take heed how they ingage their Enemy without their Sword 7. Labour also to know the right use of it and how and when to offend your Enemy hereby Satan is a cunning Warrier sometimes when thou art tempted to sin may be he will tell thee it is a little one what 's a merry Jest to sport and game to drink and carrouze a little when thou art thus beset draw thy Sword Make no Provision for the Flesh If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye Put off the former Conversation without Holiness no Man shall see God How shall I do this thing and sin against God 8. Again on the other hand may be he will aggravate thy Sin to drive thee into despair and tell thee by his evil suggestions that there is no Mercy for thee then draw thy Sword again But he that confesseth and forsaketh his Sin shall find Mercy I desire not the Death of him that dyeth All manner of Sin and Blasphemy against the Father and the Son shall be forgiven unto Men c. Such were some of you c. 9. Yield up all your Sins tho never so pleasant and profitable to the Edg of the Sword 10. Prize and highly value the Holy Scriptures the Word of God and say as David once did when he wanted a Sword and it was told him there was none but the Sword of Goliah none like that Satan will it is feared e're long make a diligent search for Arms do as David did hide thy Sword Thy Word have I hid in my Heart that I might not sin against thee Get many Promises ready against thou art beset and shall have need of them The Word of God compared to Leaven Mat. 13.33 Again the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto Leaven which a Woman took and hid in three measures of Meal till the whole was leavened SOme understand by Leaven in this place the VVord of God others Grace the one concludes it is the VVord of Grace the other the Grace of the VVord a third sort understand the Church of God is intended by it The VVord and Grace of God may be compared to Leaven in three or four Considerations Parable
LEaven is of a diffusive Quality it infuses it self into every part till the whole Lump is leavened II. Leaven is of an assimilating Quality it turns the Meal in which it is hid into its own Nature III. The Woman took the Leaven and hid it in the Meal Leaven must be hid that so it may leaven the Meal the better IV. Leaven secretly and invisibly worketh and altereth the Meal and maketh a Change therein turning of it into Dough. V. Leaven doth not change the whole three measures of Meal all at once but it accomplishes its Work by degrees VI. A little Leaven will leaven the whole Lump 1 Cor. 5.6 Gal. 5.9 Parallel THe Word and Grace of God is of a diffusive nature it will where it is received in a spiritual sence leavens every Faculty of the Soul until the whole Man Body and Spirit is leavened therewith By three measures of Meal some understand the Body Soul and Spirit to be meant II. The Word of God where it is in Truth received such is the assimilating Nature thereof doth convert by its powerful Operation the whole Soul into its own Likeness it changes the evil Quailties thereof and works divine and spiritual Qualities in the room of them making a glorious and visible change in the Heart and Life III. The Word of God must be received into the Heart it must be hid as it were there like Seed that is covered in the Earth that so it may have its blessed Effect in order to leaven the Soul in a spiritual Sence the better Thy Word have I hid in my Heart IV. So the Workings and Operations of God's Word are secret and invisible our Saviour alludes to this when he compares the Work of the Spirit in Regeneration to the Wind as is well observed the Word and Spirit work secretly their Operations are invisible to the outward Eye V. So the Word and Grace of God works not that blessed Change in the Soul all at one instant but Grace is carried on in Believers by degrees I deny not but at the first Infusion of Grace or Act of Faith a Man is really and actually justified yet the Work of Conversion and Holiness is gradually carried on and may be a great while before it is perfected VI. So a small Quantity or but a dram of true Grace will spiritually leaven and change the whole Man hence Grace in the beginning is compared to a Grain of Mustard-Seed Parable LEaven is taken in the Scripture in an evil sence for Hypocrisy evil Doctrine Malice and Wickedness from that sowre Quality that is in it Disparity THe Word of God hath no unpleasant or sowring Quality in it but contrariwise it is the only means through the Spirit to purge out that old Leaven whether it be evil Doctrine Hypocrisy Malice or Wickedness that sowreth and corrupteth the whole Man 2. This may further inform us touching the nature of the Word and Grace of God And from hence we may be able to make some Judgment whether Conversion be truly wrought in our Souls or whether the Kingdom of God where Christ spiritually rules which is Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit be in Truth begun in us or no The Word of God compared to Glass 2 Cor. 3.18 Beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and like unto a Man beholding his natural Face in a Glass BERNARD understands by Glass here to be meant the Gospel with divers others and we see no cause to question this Exposition Simile A Glass is a Medium that represents Persons and things unto the sight of our external Eyes II. Some Glasses shew us such things that we cannot see nor discern without them as common Experience shews which are called Perspective-Glasses III. A Glass seems to bring such things near to us that are at a great distance Some by looking in a Glass have discovered Things and Persons many Miles of as if they were just by them IV. A true Glass shews or represents unto a Man his own natural Face by looking therein he may see what manner of Man he is he may take a plain view of himself whether fair or deformed V. A Glass is used by some as a thing to dress themselves in by it they know how to put on their Attire and to deck themselves with all their Ornaments if any thing be wanting or amiss which they would have on they soon perceive it by looking in a Glass VI. A Glass is a thing that some Persons take much Delight to look into VII He that would have a full or plain sight of a Person or Persons that he hath a desire to behold in a Glass must look therein with open Face he must not look asquint upon it VIII A Man that beholds his natural Face in a Glass and goes his way soon forgets what manner of Man he was if he saw Spots or Blemishes or other Deformity in his Face or any uncomly Features he soon forgets them IX If a Man looks into a Glass he sees there but the Image Resemblance or Representation of a Person or a Thing not the Person or the Thing it self Parallel THe Gospel is the best Medium which represents God the Father the Lord Jesus Christ and holy Spirit Angels and Saints with things past present and to come to our spiritual Sight or to the Eyes of our Faith II. The Word of God shews us such things and Mysteries that without it we could not see nor have the least Knowledg of as the manner of the Creation of the World in six Days the cause why God sets his Bow in the Cloud the glorious Attributes of God together with God's manner of being or the glorious Trinity the Conception Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ as also God's positive Law and instituted Worship III. The Word and Gospel of God brings things that are afar off very near it represents to our Faith the Judgment-Day and shews us how matters and things shall be managed then who shall be cleared and who condemned it brings near to the Eye of our Faith the glorious Kingdom of Jesus Christ and many things of like Nature IV. So the Word of God shews forth not only the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ as also what this World is what Sin is c. But it shews what Man is before Grace how wretched blind naked deformed polluted and also after Grace through Christ how happy adorned beautiful and glorious V. So the Word of God is absolutely needful or necessary for all Christians to look into who would dress and deck themselves with the Ornaments of Grace that they may be comely in the sight of God By looking into the Word they may see what Ornaments are wanting and how to put them on so as to be compleatly dressed and every way ready for the Bridegroom 's coming VI. The Word of God is a thing that all true Christians
take much Delight to behold daily pry and look into by Reading and Meditation His Delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law he doth meditate both Night and Day VII So he that would have a clear sight of God in his glorious Attributes and Perfections must look into the Gospel with open Face he must look with a full and single Eye as one that is resolved by the help of the Spirit according to the nature of his sight to see what may be beheld therein and not cast a squint Look as it were upon it seem to look towards God when his Heart is more upon other Things and Objects We with open Face c. If thy Eye be single thy whole Body it full of Light VIII So he that doth cast but a transient Look into the Word of God or is but a bare Hearer thereof may whilst the Word is a preaching see or have some sence of his Sin and deplorable Condition he is in by Nature and be somewhat troubled for it a while but not putting into practice what he hears but turning to his former Course again he soon forgets what a deformed and miserable Wretch he is which is the principal Import of that Text in James IX So a Christian that looks into the Word and Gospel to behold the Glory of God hath but the sight of the Image Resemblance and Representation of God shining therein before his Eyes Simile ONe Glass hath not all the Properties which we have here mentioned II. Some Persons use too frequently to look into a Glass as others do to an evil End viz. to paint patch and spot their Faces and to see their vain Beauty which tends to increase Pride and foolishly to lift themselves up Disparity THe Gospel or Word of God is a spiritual Perspective-Glass as well as a Looking-Glass II. A Christian cannot look too oft into God's Word provided he do not neglect his particular Calling in so doing or let one Duty interfere with another neither doth his looking into the Word of God tend to lift him up but rather to humble and abase him for the more we see of God the more with Job and Isaiah we shall abhor and be ashamed of our selves There are divers other Disparities which we pass by they are the Contrivance and Workmanship of Man and brittle things c. besides many of them are false giving not a true Representation of Persons and Things c. Inferences LEt this teach every Soul the Folly of spending so much time in looking into a carnal Glass to see their own Faces and vainly to trim and deck their Heads and Bodies whilst they greatly neglect looking into this Glass wherein the Glory of God in a glorious manner may be seen See Metaphor Light And thereby they may learn how to make themselves ready for Christ's Coming as also what their happy Condition is if truly in Christ. 2. When you see a Glass or injoy the useful Benefit thereof remember the Glass of God's Word and as you slight not nor throw away that Glass by which you obtain your End viz. a Medium to behold what you desire be perswaded never to slight or throw away the Word of God but improve it to the Ends for which God gave it till you come to have the Faculty so suited and fitted to behold the Object that you shall see as you are seen and know as you are known which will be in a State of Glory and not till then 3. To inform the poor dark and blind World that as a Glass of what nature soever it be yet it is altogether useless to a blind Man till his Eyes are opened so till God opens blind Eyes poor fallen Man cannot see any of the Glory of God nor understand this glorious Gospel or Word of God 4. Let it perswade all Christians who do stedfastly believe that the Holy Scriptures or Word of God are or may be compared to a Glass in many of the Particulars afore-going to look more into it with earnest Prayer that as it is a Glass as clear as Chrystal so the Eyes of their Understandings may be opened to the end they may as in a Glass Behold the Glory of the Lord and be changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 Professing the Gospel compared to the Plough Luke 9.26 He that puts his hand to the Plow and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven HE that puts his hand to the Plough c. Our Saviour means Preaching owning or professing the Gospel The professing the Gospel may in divers respects be compared to a Plough Methapor A Plough is an Instrument made fit for the Husband-man to break up and till his Ground II. The Plough cannot break up the Ground of it self it must be held and drawn or nothing can be done by it III. It is a hard and difficult thing to plow up some Ground especially that which is rocky full of Roots or hath long lain fallow IV. The Plough pierces deep into the Earth makes as it were deep Gashes or Wounds in the Heart of it discovering what sort of Earth it is V. The Work of the Pluogh is but Opus ordinabile a preparative Work in order to sowing the Seed VI. It is best Plowing when the Earth is prepared and mollified by the Showers of Heaven then the Work goes on sweetly VII The Plough turns up by the Roots and kills those rank Weeds that grow in the Field VIII That Field is not well plowed up where the Plough jumps and skips over some part of it making Baulks it must turn up all the whole Field alike IX New Ground is much more easily plowed than that which hath lain a long time untilled X. In the last place and more directly to the main Drift and Scope of the Text the Plough must be held throughout the whole Journey a Man must not put his hand to it and presently grow weary and look back Parallel THe Gospel is an Instrument prepared and made fit by the Almighty to break or plow up the fallow Ground of our Hearts II. The Gospel must be believed and professed by us we must lay our hand to it and by the Power of the Spirit it must as it were be drawn upon our Hearts or it can do nothing III. So it is a very difficult thing to convince and humble the hard and obdurate Heart of a Sinner which is compared to a Stone and as firm as a Rock Shall Horses run upon the Rocks Will one plow there with Oxen IV. The Gospel pierces the Heart of a Sinner by powerful Convictions When they heard this they were pricked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 punctim cedo pungendo penetro or pierced point-black to the Heart Then the Word divided as it were between the Soul and Spirit laid the Heart open made a discovery of what was hid
within V. So the Gospel and Word of God as a Plough by its powerful Convictions upon the Conscience is but a preparative Work in order to the sowing the Seed of Grace in the Heart VI. Never doth the Word of God so kindly work in plowing up the fallow Ground of the Heart as when the Gospel-Clouds dissolve and the true Grace and Love of Jesus Christ comes sweetly showering down upon it VII So the Word of God by its powerful Convictions and Operations upon the Heart kills Sin at the Root causing the Soul to loath what it formerly loved VIII That Heart is not savingly wrought upon where one Lust is spared and left untouched or when it reacheth not to the changing the evil Qualities of every Faculty The Word must noâ—â— reach the Conscience only but the Judgment Will and Affections also IX So Youth before evil Habits or a Custom and Course of Sin be taken and more abundantly cleave to them are as 't is found by experience sooner wrought upon by the Word of God than old Sinners when Sin hath got Root in their Hearts X. So the Gospel and the Profession thereof must be held owned acknowledged and profess'd in Truth and in Uprightness of Heart constantly to the end even through the whole Journey Length and Race of our Lives we must not grow weary nor faint in our Minds He that sets his hand to the Plough i. e. professes the Gospel and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven Inferences THis may convince all Persons what need there is of the Spirit to join in and work with the Word For our Gospel came not to you in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy-Ghost and in much Assurance 2. See that your whole Soul is wrought upon that there is a Work upon every Faculty thereof 3. Take heed of a long continuance in a Course of Sin Let the old Sinner tremble but if wrought upon in his old Age admire the infinite Grace of God 4. From hence you may perceive the hardning Nature of Sin 5. Tremble at the Thoughts of Apostacy and take heed you do not shrink your hands off in the Day of Trial or refuse to plow because it is cold or because the Sun shines hot c. Mr. John Flavel's Poem upon the Plough THere 's Skill in Plowing that the Plowman knows For if too shallow or too deep he goes The Seed is either buried or else may To Crows and Rooks become an easy Prey This as a lively Emblem fitly may Describe the Blessed Spirit 's Work and Way Whose Work on Souls with this doth symbolize Betwixt them both thus the Resemblance lies Souls are the Soil the Gospel is the Plow God's Workmen hold the Spirit shews them how The Spirit draws and in good Ground doth bless His Workmens Pains with sweet and fair Success In Hearts prepar'd God scatters in the Seed Which in its season springs No Fowl or Weed Shall pick it up or choak this springing Corn Till it be housed in the heavenly Barn When thus the Word plows up the fallow Ground VVhen with such Fruits his Servants VVork is crown'd Let all the Friends of Christ and Souls say now As they pass by these Fields God speed the Plow The Word of God compared to Seed Mat. 13. The Seed is the Word of God METAPHOR GOod Seed is prepared by the Husbandman and is reserved out of the choicest Wheat and principal Barley 't is that which the Husbandman highly esteems and values II. The Ground before the Seed is sown is plow'd up and made fit to receive the Seed III. The Husbandman either sows the Seed himself or employs a Seeds-man to sow it one that hath Skill in that Employment IV. When Seed is cast into the Earth it must be covered or else the Birds may pick it up besides it will not otherwise so well take Root V. Seed lies some time in the Ground before it springs up Clods also oftentimes hinder it from springing up VI. Frost and Snow conduce very much to the well-rooting of the Seed they tend also to kill the Weeds which otherwise might choak it under the Clods by which means it roots spreads and flourishes more abundantly VII The earlier Seed is sown the better it is rooted and enabled to endure the Sharpness of the Winter VIII Some Seeds which the Sower sows fall upon stony Places and some on thorny Ground as Experience shews which Seed brings not forth Fruit unto perfection and some also falls by the High-way-side which the Birds devour IX Fruitfulness of Seed depends much upon the Sun shining and the Rain falling upon it by this means it is quickned and abundantly springs up X. Weeds many times come up with the Seed and if they are not pluck'd up or weeded out they will hinder the Growth of the Seed if not quite choak it XI The good Ground only brings forth Fruit unto perfection XII Men are very diligent and industrious in sowing their Seed they are up early and labour hard morning and evening XIII Winds and Storms do not prevent Sowers in the sowing of their Seed but let the Wind be high or low blow from the North or from the South yet they do and will sow XIV Men usually are not sparing of their Seed but scatter it abroad so plentifully that all and every part of the Field which they intend to sow may be sown therewith Parallel THe Word of God is a choice and precious thing and that which God highly values and accounts of He hath magnified his Word above all his Name Thy Word it very pure II. Our Hearts are naturally hard and have need to be plowed up which is also done by the Word and Conviction of the Spirit hence the Gospel is called a Plow See Plow III. Jesus Christ is the spiritual Seeds-Man 't is he that sows the Seed who wants neither Care nor Skill to do it The Sower is the Son of Man IV. So the Word of God ought to be hid or covered in our Hearts that Satan may not steal it away from us and that it may take good Root downward and bring forth Fruit upward David hid the Word of God in his Heart It is not enough to have it in our Heads but in our Hearts Let the Word of God dwell in you richly We ought to labour to understand it to love it and keep it in our Memories yea and to let it be well rooted in every Faculty V. The Word of God does often like Seed lie hid for a while in the Heart of a Sinner before it eminently shews it self Clods of Corruption and Temptations hinder its Growth and springing up VI. So Affliction when sanctified to gracious Persons which they meet with after their Conversion and many times in their very Seed-Time tends to kill the Weeds of Corruption and breaks and mollifies the Heart by which means they come
God who in his Creation of light and other great works gave himself to be seen as it were by men See Esa. 51.9 and 59.17 For in these places certain Garments are ascribed to God in his execution of Vengeance against his Enemies by an elegant Hypotuposis The metaphor is taken from a Warrior compleatly armed who comes into the field to encounter his Enemy In both places Christ the Captain of our Salvation is to be understood by the Analogy of the Text He is said to be the arm of the Lord because he is the Power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 And Esa. 59.14 It is said that there was no intercessor of the race of man that was dead in sin that could free him from the power of Satan which is a plain intimation Christ himself would be the intercessor the Conqueror of Satan and Death and our Saviour See ver 20 21. Where the promise of the Redeemer is plainly given And the Redeemer shall come to Sion and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord c. Psal. 45.8 The Mystical habit of Christ the Coelestial Spouse is described upon which place Brentius thus paraphrases All thy Garments smell of Myrrhe and Aloes and Cassia out of the Ivory Palaces whereby they have made thee glad that is all the Garments wherewith thou art apparelled and which can be produced for thy use are not composed of wooden or vile materials but brought from Ivory and most precious Repositories for these are called the Houses or Palaces of Garments they yield no other Odor but Myrrh Aloes and Cassia that is a most fragrant and odoriferous scent of which thou takest pleasure that is that most sweet fame which Christ himself and his Apostles by Preaching the Gospel have spread not only in Judea but in all parts of the World Luke 10.17 18 19 c. 2 Cor. 2.15 16. Christ is said passively to be put on by Believers Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 When he dwells in their hearts by Faith Eph. 3.17 and makes them partakers of his Celestial benefits The Apostles are said to be endued with strength from on high Luke 24.49 When they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as it is expounded Act. 1.8 On the other side a man is said to put on the Spirit of God when it powerfully speaks or operates in or by him as a man that goes forth in order to any work amongst men covers himself with a Garment Judg. 6.34 1 Chron. 12.18 2 Chron. 24.20 Moses calls Jehovah A Banner when he gave the Altar he erected a Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah nissi The Lord my Banner Exod. 17.15 That is the Lord is my helper both now and hereafter against the Amalekites and all other Adversaries Esa. 11.10 it is said the Messiah shall stand for an Ensign or Banner of the People by which his Kingly Office is noted as this passage is quoted Rom. 15.12 He shall rise to Reign over the Gentiles For a Banner or Trophy is a sign of Victory Superiority and Lordship inasmuch as the People are said to act under the Banner of the Prince Christ is the only Asylum or Refuge where such as fly to him by Faith are protected and kept safe from the spiritual Enemy as the Souldiery repair to the Standard of the General where they are secure See Cant. 2.4 Psal. 60.4 Thou hast given a Banner to them that fear thee that it may be displayed because of the Truth Which may be truly applyed to Christ upon these words Ainsworth says that the word Banner is applyed to the Flag or Ensign of the Gospel Esa. 11.12 and 49.22 and 62.10 Here to David and his Victory to be high displayed or to use for a Banner which hath the name of lifting high Esa. 59.19 The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him that is he shall bring to passe that Christ shall be that Standard or Banner of the People for as Souldiers aggregate or repair to the Military Standard so the Saints are gathered together by the knowledge of Christ the Captain of their Salvation A Rod and Staff is attributed to God and our Saviour Christ Psal. 23.4 Thy Rod and thy Staff comfor me of which we have spoke in the Metonymie of the sign for the thing signified Psal. 45.6 Psal. 110.2 Heb. 1.8 The Rod or Scepter of Christ signifies his saving word whereby he directs his Church and People See Esa. 2.3 The Rod of God signifies also Castigation and Punishment Job 9.34 and 21.9 In both which places the Chaldee renders it a Stroke The King of Assyria is called the Rod of Gods Anger Esa. 10.5 Because by him as with a Rod he was to chastise the People and declare his Wrath against sin See verse 24. The Word has almost the same signification Psal. 2.9 Where the epithete of Iron being added it is a symbol of a more grievous and severe punishment Thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron viz. Such contumacious and stubborn Enemies that despise thy Kingdom whether they be Jews or Gentiles as ver 1 2. These are prophetical words of God the Father respecting Christ his only begotten Son who was constituted King of Sion and as it were inaugurated to the sacred Offices of Judge and Redeemer See Act. 4.25 26 27. All those were to be broken with and Iron Rod by Christ the Judge who would not submit to the Scepter of his saving Grace Psal. 45.6 7. and 110.6 Esa. 2.3 but stubbornly resisted him and therefore by the Sword of his Anger which is that Iron Scepter or Rod as of a severe Judge they were to be destroyed To this place of the Psalmist there seems to be an Allusion Ezek. 21.10 13. In our Translation thus A Sword is sharpned to make a sore slaughter it is furbished that it may glitter Should we then make Mirth It contemneth the Rod of my Son as every tree or as in the marginal reading the Rod of my Son despiseth every Tree and verse 13. What if the Sword contemn even the Rod c. Where an obscure Periphrasis in the original Hebrew has begot diverse Interpretations What seems to me to be most proper and suitable I will lay down and submit it to the Judgement of the Godly and Learned 1. It is certain that the Prophets do frequently cut off their speech introducing even in the very context then this and then another speaking upon which Jerom says that the change of persons especially in the Writings of the Prophets makes the Text difficult to be understood which if delivered with a clearer distinction of places causes and times would render those things plain which seem to be obscure Nahum 2. Hence the Prophets are so obscure because when one thing is treated of there is suddenly a change to another thing or person as Psal. 2.1 The New Testament is introduced as speaking and complaining of Christs Enemies See Acts 4.24
to be better rooted in Grace and strengthned in Holiness VII So when the Word of God is early received in the Love of it when a young Person is sanctified in the Bud Grace many times flourishes more abundantly Such have treat Advantage above others Long Experience tends much to the strengthning of Grace enabling the Soul to hold out in an evil Day It was a great Advantage to Timothy that he knew the Holy Scriptures from a Child VIII The Seed of God's Word which the Son of Man by his faithful Ministers soweth in the Ministration of the Gospel falls oftentimes upon a hard and rocky-hearted Sinner who tho he receive the Word with much seeming Joy yet in time of Persecution falls away Because of the Word be is offended Others like thorny Ground receive the Seed but the Cares of this World and the Deceitfulness of Riches choak the Word and it becometh unfruitful The other hear the Word and understand it not then cometh the Devil called the Fowl of the Air and catcheth away that which was sown in the Heart This is he that receiveth Seed by the High-way-side IX So the Fruitfulness of the Word in Mens Hearts depends upon Christ's gracious blessing and shining upon it and the Spirits bedewing and watering it 'T is God that gives the Increase X. So when the Word of God is received in truth into the Heart Sin and Corruption will if not carefully weeded out spring up and hinder the Growth of the spiritual Seed Hence the Apostle gives charge to the Saints That they should look diligently lest any fail of the Grace of God lest any Root of Bitterness spring up and trouble them XI So none but honest and sincere Christians stand in the Day of Trial and bring forth Fruit unto Eternal Life XII So such as God hath sent to preach his Word do diligently attend their Ministry early and late in season and out of season as knowing that their Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. XIII Even so hath the Seed of the Word been sown in all Ages notwithstanding the Storms have beaten and the Wind of Persecution hath blown very roughly sometimes one way and sometimes another yet this hath not in the least prevented the sowing of the spiritual Seed of the Word XIV How plentifully hath the Word of God been preached in England and in other Countries and how plentifully was this spiritual Seed dispersed by the Apostles and Servants of Christ They went every where preaching the Word Which is come unto you as it is in all the World and brings forth Fruit as it doth also in you since the day ye heard of it and knew the Grace of God in truth METAPHOR SOme Men either through want of Judgment or to save Charge sow bad Seed such as will not bear much Fruit although the Ground whereon it is sown be never so good II. No Seed that Men sow can be at all fruitful or yield encrease except the Plow go before to break up the Ground which the Seed cannot do of it self by any Art of Man III. Many Men have sowed good Seed and that upon good Ground and it hath taken Root and flourished and yet by some Accident or other they have had a bad Harvest brought but little Corn into the Barn or sometimes none at all IV. The Seed which Men sow is not quickned except it die Disparity But the Seed of the Word of God is good Seed and was never sown into good Ground that is a good and honest Heart but it took Root and became fruitful as all true Believers have experienced II. But the Word of God through the mighty Operation of the Spirit is not only Seed but also the spiritual Plow by which the fallow Ground of the Heart is broken up and made fit for it self to sink into and take deep Root there III. But never was the Seed of God's Word sown in a good and honest Heart taking Root there and flourishing but a blessed Harvest always followed nay tho they sow in Tears they shall reap in Joy He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious Seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing bringing his Sheaves with him IV. But the Word of the Lord dieth not but liveth and abideth for ever The Words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life Inferences IT may inform us that the Cause why some Persons fall away and turn with the Dog to his Vomit and with the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire is Because they were never sincere nor upright in Heart The honest and upright Soul falls not away cannot fall so as never to rise again but brings forth Fruit to everlasting Life as our Saviour clearly shews II. O then let Men and Women take heed to their own Hearts and see whether they were ever throughly broken in the sight and sence of their Sin The Word and Gospel must first be as a Plow unto them to break up the stony and fallow Ground of their Hearts before like Seed the Word can be received by them III. Remember that notwithstanding a poor Soul may meet with many Storms and go through much Difficulty and Trouble both within and without rise early and lie down late whilst he keeps his Hand on the Lord's Plow in this Seeds-Time of the Word yet the Harvest will make amends for all You that have sowed in Tears shall reap with Joy Nay the Day is at hand wherein both the Sower and the Reaper shall rejoyce together The Word of God compared to Rain Deut. 32.2 My Doctrine shall drop as the Rain c. Simile RAin is the immediate and proper Work of God He gives us Rain from Heaven and fruitful Seasons Are there among the Vanities of the Gentiles they that can cause Rain Or can the Heavens give Showers art not thou he O Lord II. Rain falls by divine Direction and Appointment God causes it to rain upon one City and not upon another You often see a Cloud dissolve and spend it self upon one place when there is not a drop within a few Miles of it one Land may have Rain and a fruitful Season when another may have none III. There is a great deal of difference in the Showers of Rain that fall upon the Earth sometimes you have it in small Drops a drisling Rain which comes gently but continuing long it waters the Earth and the Fruits thereof throughly going to the very Root at other times it comes down in a hasty and violent manner causing the Streams to run but it is gone presently and doth but little good IV. Some People in the World have no Rain as the Egyptians for it is said that it seldom or never rains there V. Rain comes down successively and gradually now a little and then a little it doth not fall all at one time before it gives over but