only Son Christ John 3.16 to die for them on Mount Golgotha or Calvary to redeem them that were worse Gally-Slaves than those to the Turks tied or chained to an Oar. God the father sent Christ his Son out of his own bosom may not we say as they did Joh. 11.36 Lo how he loved us As Christ loved Lazarus whom he calls his friend Joh. 11.11 and so he doth his Disciples Joh. 15.14 15 16. When God bought us off from Death and Damnation we were in a worse case than any Turkish Slave alas the bands of Iniquity are upon us in the state of Nature Act. 8.23 and that his only beloved Son Christ must be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of our redemption herein is not observed the law of buying and selling to wit tharum pro chariori something dear for something dearer for here God giveth his Son the best of all things for us the worst of all things is there any love like this love Joh. 15.13 2. Abraham represents or resembles Christ the Son in parallel congruities also As 1. Abraham was an High Father so Christ is call'd an Everlasting Father Isa 9.6 2. As Abraham went out of his Fathers House and Native Country at Gods Command so did Christ leaving Heaven and his Fathers Bosom he came down to the Earth to setch us up thither 3. As Canaan was promis'd to Abraham and to his Seed so is Heaven to Christ and to his Seed Gal. 3.16 28. c. 4. As Abraham delivered Lot and many more Captives out of Captivity by a great Victory Gen. 14.16 So Christ hath delivered a whole World of Captives this Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 conquering the strong Man and Devil v. 14. Luk. 11.21 and leading Captivity Captive Psal 68.18 Eph. 4.8 Col. 2.15 5. As Abraham interceeded for the Righteous in Sodom and for the VVicked therein for their sakes Gen. 18. from 24 to 32. So Christ maketh Intercession for the Righteous Heb. 7.25 and 9.24 and 1 Joh. 2.1 yea he prayed for those VVicked ones that wickedly crucified him Luk. 23.34 6. As Abraham turn'd the Bond-Woman and her Son Hagar and Ishmael out Door Gen. 21.12 14. Gal. 4.30 even so Christ excludeth all Bastard Hypocrites saying Depart from me I know you not Mat. 7.22 23. 7. As Lot and his Family were saved from the fire of Sodom for Abrahams sake So are we saved from the fire of Hell for Christs sake 8. As the Princess Sarah was taken from Abraham for a while by the King of the Philistims Abimelech and by the King of the Egyptians Pharoah Gen. 12. and Gen. 20. yet he recovers her again without harm even so though the Spouse the Church that great Queen and Princess seem to fall some while into the hands of black Gypsies or Uncircumcised ones yet Christ recovered her again without any hurt for God restraineth them from harming her Gen. 20.3 6. he will make all the Kings of the Earth who endeavour to be injurious to his Spouse to know that they are all but dead Men as then 3. Abraham carries the resemblance of every true Christian as well as of Christ in many parallel cases also As 1. Abraham was a friend of God so is every sincere Servant of Christ Joh. 11.11 and 15.14 15. God is a friend to them and to theirs Exod. 20.6 Psal 37.26 and 115.13 14. 2. Abraham was of Gods Court and Council God said shall I hide from Abraham Gen. 18.17 no more God hide his secrets from them that fear him Psal 25.14 Joh. 15.15 c. 3. As Abraham was Circumcised Gen. 17. so are all right Christians Rom. 2.28 29. Col. 2.11 having put away the foreskin of the Heart Jer. 4.4 The Circumcision of Christ by his Merit and Spirit takes off all the Actions of the old Adam Eph. 4.22 as the cutting off the praeputium or foreskin was painful and caused bleeding in Circumcision So the abandoning of Fleshly Concupiscence in Mortification is irksome to the Flesh and oft causeth a bleeding Heart 4. As Abraham was call'd from Babylon or Country of Babel to Canaan the Land of Promise so is the Christian from a state of Confusion as Babel signifies Hebrew into the Covenant of Grace 5. As Abraham was but a Pilgrim and Stranger in this lower World Heb. 11.9 10 14 15. So the true Christian hath his Conversation in Heaven while he bath his commoration on Earth Phil. 3.20 Strangers and Sojourners below but Burgesses and Citizens above Eph. 3.19 Their Tents or Tabernacles here become Mansions hereafter 6. As Abraham yields up his Isaac his Laughter as the word signifies unto the Lord so doth the true Christian his Dearest lust his peccatum in deliciis his best beloved Sin at Gods Command 7. As Abrahams Faith was a working obeying Faith so the true Christian yields obedience to the Faith Rom. 1.5 that is to the Doctrine of the Gospel or to Christ the proper object of Faith and not only so but his Obedience is the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16 â—6 his Faith brings forth Obedience 'T is not a dead workless Faith but the Faith of Gods Elect. Tit. 1.1 is lively working Faith this saving Faith is not idle but works by love Gal. 5.6 As life discovers it self by Fruit and Action so doth Faith by Trust in God and Love to his People It appeared that Canaan was a good Land by the excellent Fruits which it brougâ—â— forth Num. 13.23 It was an evidence that Dâ—rcas was a good Woman because she had made many coats for charitable uses Act. 9.39 so 't is here as Faith doth Justifie the person according to Rom. 3.28 so works do justifie the Faith to be a right real and saving Faith according to Jam. 2.17 21. that Tree which is not for Fruit is for Fuel and for the Fire 't is not enough to say we have Faith but we must do something to demonstrate it saying so will not serve the turn Jam. 2.14 Men may word with God and yet miscarry Isa â—8 2 3. God is too wise to be put off with bare words he will turn up our leaves and look for our Fruits as Christ did to the Fig-Tree Mat. 21.19 which when he misseth he Curseth yea he lays down his Basket and takes up his Axe and cutteth it down that it may cumber the Ground no more Luk. 13.7 Christianity is not a matter of names or words as Gallio thought Act. 18.15 't is not a bare talking of God but a strict walking with God Augustin saith the Judge at the day of Judgment will not ask men quid legerint so much as quid egerint non quantum dixerint sed quomodo vixerint not how they have worded but how they have walked not what they have spoken so much as how they have Acted to live soberly c. Tit. 2.12 and to do Justly c. are things that God requireth at our hands Mic. 6.8 As Faith is the Taking in of God
place or private corner which had been a little more tolerable but it must be upon an open Theatre a publick Stage upon a Mountain in the sight and view of the World 11. This perplexed Patriarch as he might not consult with his own reason which certainly would have put him to a stand so he must not consult with his own Wife though she had an equal interest in Isaac who might haply have hung about his neck and hindered him as Zipporah did Moses to the hazarding of his life Exod. 4.24 25. 12. But the greatest conflict of all was that the Messiah was promised to come of Isaac and so the Salvation of the World did seem to perish in Isaac's perishing Notwithstanding all these aforesaid twelve difficulties the Actor Abraham acts his part of obedience with all 1. Alacrity 2. Constancy 3. Prudence and 4. Confidence All which four shew the Excellency of Abrahams Obedience of Faith as before the Difficulty of it in the next place is the third Enquiry How all these were in this Act. Ans 1. With all Alacrity and readiness to obey he rose up early Gen. 12.3 Making no delatory work about it Thus David did saying I made haste and delayed not Psal 119.60 We read of Balaam how he made the like haste to do evil he rose up early Numb 22.21 And shall not we do so for doing good Our Lord Christ rose up early to pray for us Mark 1.35 And shall not we do so for our selves Holy David made it his resolve saying I my self will awake right early Psal 108.2 We should do so every day Especially the Sabbat-day as Joshuah and Israel did Josh 6.12 15. If we would have the Walls of cursed Jericho to fall before us as v. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is not meet for a man that either gives or takes good Counsel to sleep the whole night or too much saith Homer Sanctificat Sanat Ditat quoque Surgere Manè To rise betimes maketh men Holy Healthy and Wealthy Abraham here rose up early to be gone about his work The Sun ariseth and then man goeth forth to his labour Psal 104.12 23. Abraham here stays not to consult with his beloved Sarah lest her affections should have hindred the operations of his Faith nor with his own corrupt reason or natural affections that Old Beldam which is both the Mother and Nurse of all our Disorders and Extravagancies for he was renewed in the Spirit of his mind Eph. 4.23 Cassianus tells us of a young man receiving Letters from his Parents to disswade him from Chistianity cast them into the Fire not daring to tempt himself with reading them so should we do with all those carnal reasonings suggested by our own corrupt hearts or carnal relations to us otherwise we shall never Rest nor Feast in Abrahams Bosom 2. The Constancy and Continuance of this his ready Obedience 't is a wonder how his heart was kept in such an obediential frame for three days together all the time of his Travelling from Beershebah to Mount Moriah which some derive from Marah bitter 't was no other to Abraham in this bitter Tryal while he went all this long-way until on the third day he saw the Hill afar off Gen. 22.4 He could not but in his mind see his Dear Son as it were bleeding upon the Altar all along as he Journeyed thither and so he dwelt with his thoughts upon an Expectation of so heart-breaking an evil all this three days Journey which seemeth worse than the evil it self praestat semel mori quà m semper metuere 't is better to die at once than to be so long a dying a speedy Execution doth mitigate misery whereas delay aggravates it How he paused and pondered all the while upon this Bloody and Barbarous yet Commanded Enterprize We know not yet surely his Faith did so over-rule all his unruly affections as to extricate this blessed Patriarch out of his present perplexities and in all his Ploddings of Mind and Misgiving of heart kept him all along Tight Steady and Constant to continue his resolves in obeying Gods Command to the End Thus we should not ponder the Cross too much then 't will prove too heavy we must not chew the Physical Pill at all 't will tast too bitter we may not plodd too much upon the harshness of Divine Commands then they will appear hard sayings Joh. 6.50 Whereas none of them are indeed grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 As we ought to swallow our purging Pills whole so we should not plodd with our minds below but ply the Throne of Grace above for a good Use a good End and Issue of all our Tryals both in Tribulations and Temptations 3. Abrahams Prudence in leaving his Servants and the Ass at the Foot of the Hill v. 5. Shebu lachem Expectate hic Tarry ye here this he said fearing lest they being present at the top of the Hill might hinder him in his Obedience and Oblation And as he left them there so did he leave his natural affections and his carnal Ratiocinations contrary to Gods Command with them there that he might serve the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 Oh that we could learn from Abraham to leave our Servants and the Ass to wit whatever may distract us at the foot of the Hill while we go up into the Mount to Worship God Even whatever is carnal that we may be Spiritual and so Worship God who is a Spirit in Spirit without Formality and in Truth without Hypocrisie for the Father seeketh such to Worship him Joh. 4.23 But alas our Carnal Affections though they be the fittest Companions for the Ass are not so much our Servants as our Masters and they will whether we will or no go up with us into the Mount we cannot with Moses and Joshuah put off those dirty Shoes of wandering thoughts and Earthly imaginations to come clean to the most Holy God with clean hearts before his Throne of Grace for they cleave as close to us as our Skin to our Flesh and we are not cleansed from that Blood Joel 3.21 Nor from the iniquity of Peor until this day Josh 22.17 No nor yet from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit for the perfecting holiness in the Fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 And as we ought to leave the Servants and the Ass below So much less must we our selves stay with the Ass below this is to make our selves Spiritual Asses indeed while we should with our Father Abraham go up to God above 4. Abrahams Confidence herein 1. Speaking Prophetically we will both of us come again to God Gen. 21.5 And 2. God will provide himself a Lamb v. 8. As to the 1. Of these Some Popish Casuists say that Abraham here uttered an untruth or more plainly told a lye seeing he went with a purpose to do that to Isaac which would certainly hinder him from returning again This is wickedly said concerning the Father of those Children who will not
Jews because of the commonness of entertainment But had she now been a known Harlot those two good Men the two Spies would not have adventured their Lives in Lodging with her lest some of her Gallants might do them mischief much less would Salmon that Prince of Judah have married an infamous Strumpet for his Wife and Princess as he did Math. 1.5 and least of all would the Redeemer of the World our Lord Jesus have descended from her as he did in that Genealogy 'T is true the Jews judged the hardlier of her because she kept a publick House of Hospitality yet had no Husband for she contracted with those two Spies for saving the lives of her Father Mother Brothers Sisters and Kindred but no mention is made of any Husband she had Josh 2.13 In a word whatever she had been before she was now become a Woman famous for Piety and eminent both for her Faith Hebr. 11.31 and for her works Jam. 2.25 For 1. She had a stronger Faith tho' but an Hostess in Jericho than six hundred thousand Men of Israel had who had seen the Wonders of the Lord wrought for them both in Egypt and in the Wilderness yet stagger'd they at Gods promise and more at the performance of his promise Whereas she upon a bare Hear-say and Report of those miraculous miracles for Israel believed in God Josh 2.9 She acted Faith in hiding the Spies Heb. 11.31 And so 2. became eminent for her works also not only in entertaining those Spies as Gods Angels for so the word is Jam. 2.25 and sent them safe away c. Had she only said to those Spies I do believe the God of Heaven and Earth hath given you this whole Land for your possession c. Yet dare I not shew you any Kindness in this City lest I betray my own Life in betraying my King and Country c. then had her Faith been a dead Faith but her Faith prevailed to works as James sheweth From hence may be inferred that Inn-Keepers and Victuallers may be good themselves tho' their Employs do daily expose them to manifold Evils tho' it be a Trade made up of many Temptations yet is it a Calling both lawful and necessary especially in Cities that are populous where there are many both Gentlemen and Tradesmen that cannot be House-keepers beside strangers and travellers c. Here Rahab teacheth them How they may be good Persons in suspicious and tempting if not bad Employments She renounceth her Paganism believeth in the God of Israel both as to his Divine promises to the Holy Israelites and his Divine Threatnings to the wicked Canaanites She useth Religious and Savoury discourse to her Guests obligeth Joshua to be her Friend by making much of Joshua's Messengers entertaining them as Angels c. I wish all Keepers of publick Houses would learn from this Hostess to oblige Jesus our Joshua that he may be their Friend by an amicable entertainment of his Messengers or Ministers Such Houses are worthy of them â—â—th 10.19 13. The second Remark is upon the Means she made use of in order to deliver the Spies from their danger of the Kings Pursevants It is said That she took the Spies upon the Alarm of their being discovered and hid them or Hebr. hid him that is hid each of them apart lest the Bulk of both their Bodies together laying under the Line-stalks which she dried in the Sun upon the Roof of her House should be easilier discerned by the Searchers who notwithstanding were over-ruled by providence never to attempt the searching of her House for them but were left to their own fond credulity to believe they were run away as she suggested to the King's Messengers and to pursue them vers 4 5 6 7. Some indeed would excuse Rahab and justify the means she used for saving the Spies judging she might have other guests in her Inn that night who were really gone away as she told the Kings Messengers so spoke her words in truth as to them c. But the truth is her whole speech was a continual Equivocation containing no fewer than four Masked Lies all uttered at one breath in the Branches of it and the best that can be made of her Answer to the King's Officers amounts only to an officious Lie Indeed at the first she made an ingenuous Confession that some Guests did come to her House whom she could not but look upon as honest Men therefore ought not be blamed for so doing seeing it was her way of livelihood Probably those Guests were observed to take up their lodging at Rahab's House by the Watch of the City-gate so she out of Policy freely acknowledged what could not possibly be denied designing to pain the better credit with those Sergeants that examin'd her in her following plausible and politick discourses wherewith she effectually diverted them from searching her House First Object If so much Sin was found in this Action of Rahab why is it so honourably mentioned in Scripture as a praise worthy Action Answer 1. to shew the mercy of God and the method of his mercy towards his chosen and called Ones in whom he findeth Truth and Sincerity for the main God hideth his Eyes from beholding evil circumstances in the good Actions of his Servants Rahab's Action herein is twice commended by God in his word Heb. 11.31 and Jam. 2.15 yet maketh he no mention at all of her beguiling or guileful Equivocations in either of those two Scriptures as the Limner that drew Alexander's picture who had a Scar upon his Face did cover the Scar with his Finger and so drew him as if he had no Scar So God as it were layeth the Finger of his Mercy upon the Scar of Rahab's frailty and thereby hideth it in both Scriptures above-quoted The like God doth for Sarah 1 Pet. 3.6 even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord the place alluded to is Gen. 18.12 where Sarah's whole sentence was full of Unbelief and there was but one good word in the whole which was that of Lord denoting her due Respect and Reverence to her Husband and that alone the Spirit of God taketh notice of The like is likewise done to Job Jam. 5.11 Ye have heard of the Patience of Job not at all mentioning any of his Murmurings or Impatiency in cursing the Day of his Birth c. Thus God Acts contrary to the wicked World which over-looks the good in Gods Servants and pitches only on their failings Second Answer Rahab was a a poor Ignorant Pagan and had as yet learnt no better Lessons but to look upon officious Lies as but a Light trivial matter yea Augustin himself saith That to make an officious Lie to be a downright Sin hath even wearied learned Men See more of this point in the first Volume upon the Midwives to Pharaoh Exod. 1.19 If Jacob himself told three Lies to his Father Gen. 27. c. What could better be expected from Rahab now but a New-Convert
The Second Objection But was not this Action of Rahab's both a Treacherous and a Treasonable Action against her King and Country Was she not a betrayer of Canaan herein Answer It may not be said so for she being the first Fruits of the cursed Canaanites and according to the signification of her Name Rahab one enlarged from the Pagan Religion had undoubtedly a particular Revelation from God that the Land of Canaan and so her Town Jericho were proscribed by the great Creator and given to the Israelites Josh 2.9 10 11 c. This did absolve her from all Laws of her King and Country and laid a New Law upon her to Incorporate her self into the Common-wealth of Israel and to promote their welfare saith Calvin upon that Scripture 'T is true Abulensis saith that Rahab had not Sinned if she had betrayed the Spies into the Sergeants Hands but this is directly against the express Testimony of the above-quoted Scriptures that makes her hiding them from their Hands a noble Act of Faith Much better saith Masius in saying Rahab First Understood neither that the Life of the Spies would be the Destruction nor their Death the Salvation of her Country And secondly when she knew that her Country was proscribed by God and given to the Israelites she neither ought nor could either oppose a just cause or patronize the unjust c. There can no Bond be obliging against the declared will of God It would have alterd the case had her action been subservient only to her own advantage and not also to Gods will The fourth Head of Discourse is the intelligence those Spies received of Rahab concerning the Universal consternation both of Jericho and of all the Region round about vers 8 9 10 11. Wherein Rahab declareth the cause of her deserting the cause of her King and like a good House-wife not only cover'd the Spies with the Green Stalks of Flax which she had to dry in the Sun upon the flat Roof of her House but also Span a fair Thread out of it and did Weave for her self a beautiful Webb as may be said of both her Temporal Preservation and Propagation and of her Eternal Life and Salvation also Hereupon both the Apostles James and Paul as above take notice of her faith in God and obedience to him but make no mention of her Falshood and Lies or Equivocations to Men. Her good intentions preponderated the evil of some circumstances in her Actions The First Remark is It was a generous Act of Rahabs Faith to venture her own Life thus for saving the Lives of the Spies concealed by her but much more to furnish them with means to escape and with intelligence to carry back unto Joshua that the Town and Country was his own Yet most of all in taking an Oath of these Spies for her own security and her Relations as if Jericho had been now in their Hands But of that afterwards notwithstanding the strength and security of the City The second Remark is no sooner had Rahab secured her own House from the Kings Searchers by Infatuating and Dismissing them into a fond pursuit but then she declareth the grounds of her Heroick Faith to Joshua's Searchers saying I know c. grounding her confidence upon two special Miracles that the God of Israel had wrought for Israel namely 1. the drying up the Red-Sea and 2. their Conquest of the two Kings Og and Sihon and of both their Kingdoms concluding the same omnipotent Arm would dry up Jordan a small River much more and enable Israel to conquer the Kings and Kingdoms of Canaan And by this token she assured them hereof because a general Consternation was come upon her City c. Whereas God had given Joshua and his company great courage becoming Conquerors The Third Remark The Apostle James joyneth the Faith of Abraham which carried him through his ten Tryals with this Faith of Rahab which carried her only through this one Trial and the exercise whereof was only in Civil entertainment yet for Religious ends both together Jam. 2.23 25. to shew that the weakest as well as strongest Faith must evidence its truth and Life by its works and not only so but also to incourage those that be in the lowest form of Faith may find favour with God as well as those of the highest form provided there be any evidences of a living Faith as in Rahab Few can climb so high as Abraham the Father of the faithful and the Pattern of Believers as Christ takes notice of the Green Figs Can. 2.13 so even of Buds and Blossoms Can. 7.12 and will bless the Buds Isa 44 3. according to the Old Translation Tho' faith be as small as a grain of Mustard-seed The Filth Head of Discourse is the Oath or Covenant made by the Spies to Rahab at her Demand for saving her Life and the Lives of her Relations vers 12 13 14 16 18 19 20. The Remarks upon it are 1. Oaths are an Antient way of ending Strife Heb. 7.16 and this poor penitent Pagan thought her self secure by this means vers 12. No doubt this was a great exercise of her small faith to be thus confiding in a Covenant with those Spies as if they had the power of Life and Death at this time in their Hands who themselves were as yet in a desperate case and could not secure their own Lives In all this she far exceeded the Faith of all Israel who now staggerd at Gods promise and more at the performance of it tho' they had seen all his Wonders and she had only heard the Reports of them Nor doth she mention one word for saving her self in this Sacred Swearing because the Law of equity obliged them to preserve their Preserver All her care was carried forth for her carnal Relations lest they should perish in an unconverted State The Second Remark is the Token of their inviolably keeping this Covenant she demanded of them vers 13 21. was the Red Cord by which she let them down for their escape Josh 6.23 25. This was the outward means of her and her Friends Salvation Red is a saving colour As Isralel's Doors were Red with the Blood of the Paschal Lamb that the destroying Angel might pass over their Houses Exod. 12.7 13. c. So Rahabs Window must have the Scarlet Line tied to it Josh 2.21 The Door is of use to let in Passengers and the use of the Window is to let in light into the House The Soul of Man hath its Door namely the Ear to let in Doctrines and its Window namely the Eye to let in knowledg therefore both of them do need to be made Red with the Scarlet-Blood of the Lamb of God whose Fleece also affordeth the Right Red Line which is effectual for our Salvation The Third Remark is The strict and punctual Terms of those two parties in this Reciprocal Covenant having conditions on both Hands First Rahab's part was to bind the Scarlet Thread
Sabbath upon Gods own example of resting upon the Seventh day which is rendred as the grand reason of that days Benediction and Sanctification Gen. 2.2 3. and Exod. 20.11 And though there is no mention of the Patriarchs keeping the Sabbath in all the Book of Genesis before Moses yet this doth not invalidate the Original of it to be from the Creation For 1 all and every thing the Patriarchs observed for above Two thousand five hundred years could not possibly be particularized in so short an History as that of Genesis is 2 There is no mention of keeping the Sabbath after Moses had given the Law of the Sabbath in the other Books of Judges Kings c. yet this proves not that the Sabbath was not then Instituted because in all those succeeding Ages the observation of it is not mentioned 3 Upon the same account the Polygamy of those Primitive times which we read of in the Old Testament often may make us question the first Institution of Marriage wherein one man was by the Sacred Laws thereof bound in Matrimony to one Woman onely and they two shall be one flesh Gen. 2.24 4 But Moses speaketh of the Sabbath Exod. 16.23 c. not as of any new thing or as newly instituted but as of an Institution well known to the people otherwise they had never been so ready to have gathered a double portion of Manna on the Sixth day but to prepare themselves the better for the Sabbath 5 The very ceasing of the Manna upon the Seventh day doth plainly demonstrate that the Sabbath was observed from the Beginning what other reason can be rendred for the Manna's cessation on that day seeing then the Law was not given 6 No Nation is so barbarous but they have natural insinuations that there is a Numen or Deity that this Deity who is their Lord their Hope and their Happiness must be worshipped and that a certain time must be set apart for this Worship yea and Eusebius saith that not onely the Hebrews but also the Gentiles both Philosophers and Poets did esteem the Seventh day more holy than the Six Euseb De Prepar Evang. lib. 13. So saith Josephus Clemens Alexandrinus and many others and 't is more than probable that this knowledge they might receive from the Patriarchs whose Posterity they were For the ground of keeping a Sabbath to wit the Commemoration of Gods Creation was general and equally concern'd the Gentiles as well as the Jews having the same moral Equity unto both And though the knowledge and observance or this Day did by a long tract of time wear out of the minds of men yet that rouzing Watch-word in the Front of the Fourth Commandment Remember is a most tart Reproof of that oblivion and negligence of this Natural as well as Moral duty Having discussed the first point That the Sabbath was from the Creation the second point is to shew how it was instituted as a Blessing even a Creation-blessing This is manifest inasmuch as 1 God is said to bless this first Sabbath to Man and whatever God blesseth is a Blessing yea our very Crosses which in their nature are as Curses yet if God bless them to us they are Blessings in their end leaving behind them afterward the peaceable fruit of righteousness Heb. 12.11 How much more the Sabbath thus blessed of God becomes a Blessing to Man both in its Nature and in its End And why God blessed this day is declared in Exod. 20.11 because God himself rested upon the Seventh day therefore he blessed it for Mans good He blessed it so as to make it Malcuth Jemim the Queen of days as the Hebrews call it God bless'd it with many Priviledges above all other days as 1 in separating it from all other days of the Week for his own Service 2 In writing down the observation of this day above all other days with his own Finger upon Tables of Jasper-stone 3 In Gods putting his own Distinction upon it as he would rain down no Manna on that day Exod. 16.27 4 The whole Week takes its denomination from it and is called a Sabbath Luk. 18.12 I fast twice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Sabbath that is in the Week 5 It is not bounded with the Evening and Morning as all the other Six days which consisted of Light and Darkness are but this is all Day or Light being a figure of that eternal Sabbath and everlasting Light in Heaven Isa 60.20 Zach. 14.6 7. Revel 21.25 6 'T is call'd above all days a Day of Desires as it was to David crying Oh! when shall I come and appear before God Psal 42.2 4. and as it was to Jochanna who when the Sabbath approached put on his best Apparel and went out to meet it crying Veni Sponsa mea Come my dear Spouse thou art welcome he rejoyced over the Sabbath as the Bridegroom doth over the Bride and as Christ over his Church Isa 62.5 This story Drusius relateth out of Chaskuni 7 'T is a day of Delights as well as of Desires Isa 58.13 we should call it so count it so and make it so which cannot be unless we be in the Spirit on the Lords day Revel 1.10 We must look upon it as a most blessed day blessed of God now Gods Benedicere est Benefacere that is God conferred upon it a singular grace and favour above other days for God blessed the Works of every day but here he blest the day it self wherein he wrought no work but rested not because he was weary with working For the Creator of the ends of the Farth fainteth not nor is weary Isa 40.28 working all things without either Tool of Toil and therefore blessed it either as did Christ the Loaves multiplying the meat to the feeding of so many thousands so God multiplied the Sabbath which began with the first man and shall continue in a weekly renew'd Sabbath to the last man upon Earth or he blessed it so as to make it an effectual means of blessing to the Soul of man Thus the Rabbies understand that place The blessing of the Lord maketh rich Prov. 10.22 that is say they the Holy blessed Sabbath that being blessed of God Gen. 2.3 maketh rich the Souls of men 2 God Sanctified it that is he Consecrated it and set it apart for holy use as Kedesh was Sanctified that is Appointed for a City of refuge Josh 20.7 God Hallowed this day by separating it from common use and work and by setting it apart for his own Service alone but to be spent in an holy Communion with God and in divine Contemplation upon his Works that man might make a thankful Remembrance of the plenty and variety of the most useful Creatures which God had made for him in the foregoing Six days God Sactified it by his own proper Rest and holy Vacation upon that day yet did he not Sanctifie it for himself but for us men hence Christ saith The Sabbath was made for man
not so bad as to live without a Calling in the World Of this before at large The second Divine Truth Moses teacheth in this History is That every Man beside his particular Calling must mind his general Calling also There be some Atheistical Persons that stick not to say Let those that have leisure from secular Employs such as Church-men are attend upon the Service of God such as have nothing else to do let them Pray Hear Read and mind Matters of Religion we have other things to heed and to trouble our Head withal we must not Neglect our Callings Dare such Men make themselves worse than Cain who though he had his Calling yet could he as well as Abel set some time apart for the Service of God And so ought all Men to do the particular Calling must not justle out the general for the former is sanctified by the latter as Gen. 24.13 27. Psal 90. last 1 Cor. 10.31 The Duties of our general Calling are to help us in the Duties of our particular as Christs being in the Temple among the Doctors was not any hinderance to him from going home to be subject to his Parents Luke 2.46 51. There is a proper Season for both and every thing is beautiful in its peculiar Season Subordinate things are not contrary but may and must consist together Christs conversing in the Temple rather qualified him for than obstructed him in his filial Subjection so our conversing with Christ in the Temple in ways of Religion which is our general Calling as Gods Servants must make us return home better Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants Ministers People in all the Duties of our particular Calling we lose that sanctifying Influence of Sermons Suppers Sabbaths when we do not carry home some more sweetness of Spirit to our Relations from them than we brought with us to them As the Merchant going out in a Morning about his Merchandizing if he meet with some bad Bargain or disappointment in his Traffick and Trading he returns home in so morose an Humour that none of his Family can please him no not though they all do their Duty so to do but if on the contrary this same Merchant meet another Morning with some brave Bargains that will advance his Estate and fill his Coffers Oh with what Candour and sweetness of Spirit doth he return home then is he all Honey and Love no Action no Relation can displease or disoblige him he takes all things that are done by the right Handle and putteth a most Candid Construction even upon Deeds done amiss to himself yea carries sweetly to all all that day unless or until another bad Bargain happen in losses and crosses to unhinge his Spirit again and to make him uneasie in himself Just so it is with a Christian that Spiritual Merchant Mat. 13.45 Let him go out in a Morning to the Ordinances of God if he there meet with a purchase of the Pearl of price Oh what an Heart-changing and a Life-changing Work is wrought upon that Man he may then say Ego non sum ego I am not the same Man I was as one once said to his tempting Curtizan he returns home filâ—'d with meekness and lowliness which he hath learnt from Christ by his conversing with him in his Ordinances Mat. 11.28 29. But if any return home from Gods Worship with sourness of Spirit 't is an Infallible Evidence that they have made no good Bargains for their Souls at that time for 't is an undeniable truth that the Duties of our general Calling should better dispose us for the Duties of our particular Callings No Man is Born principally to serve himself in his particular Calling but his God and himself in Subordination to God and so the particular Calling must be Subordinate to the general and Prayer which is a duty of the general Calling must every Morning fetch down a Blessing upon the Duties of the particular Yea 't is not enough to pray for Gods Blessing upon our Labours in the Morning only and so walk with a carnal careless frame of Heart all the day in our worldly Affairs no but we should drive on the Trade of godliness as well as our own Trades in holy Ejaculations all the day long so shall we be both in Gods fear and in Gods favour all the day Prov. 23.17 and this is dividing aright for God He is a wise Merchant indeed that can drive a Trade in both Indies but he is wiser that can drive on his particular Calling on Earth and his general in Heaven Those two Sons of Adam are mindful of both those Trades and Callings and their practice is for us a pattern as is apparent from those particulars 1. Cain and Abel lived not in the State of Innocency but in that of the Fall as we do Had Man never sinned God expected some solemn Service from him how much more needful is our serving God since the Fall for testifying our Repentance and for Sueing out our Pardons and for seeking Reconciliation with God from whom we have faln and with whom we have faln out even into an enmity against him Rom. 8.7 Col. 1.21 These two Sons of Adam were in the same State we are in the faln State and what they did for recovery out of that State we ought likewise to do the same 2. This Service of theirs was after the promise of Christ in the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 that first Gospel which ever was Preached so 't was Gospel-service which Cain and Abel performed here and surely Evangelical Duties concern us as well as them yea us more than them seeing Christ was only promised to them but he is manifested to us and preached to all Nations therefore we should abound in our Religious Service more than they 3. This Service of Cain and Abel was before Moses long before the Law so it doth not concern the Jews only but us Gentiles also even all Men in general to the end of the World This Service of those two Sons Adam was a natural Duty long before it was written in the Moral Law was a Law written in their Hearts to acknowledge Gods Soveraignty over them and their Dependency upon him Rom. 2.15 so that none of Adam's Off-spring can plead exemption from this natural Duty but all Jews and Gentiles that have been are or shall be are equally bound by the very Law of Nature to this Moral Duty of some Spiritual Service and Worship to God 4. And Lastly This Service of theirs was done per modum Sacrificii by way of Sacrifice and so it representeth to us the great Sacrifice for sin to wit Christ upon the Cross and it also remindeth us of all those Spiritual Sacrifices which we must offer up to God in Gospel-times to wit the Sacrifices of a broken Heart and of a contrite Spirit bleeding for sin Psal 51.17 yea and Sacrifices of praise our Thank-offerings to God for his providing us such a Saviour Psal
thanksgiving is the good life of the Thanks-giver to be restless for receiving and to be careless of returning was hateful to the Heathen Ingratum si dixcris omnia The sin of Ingratitude hath all other sins in it yet 't is ten to one but we ate guilty of it in not returning with the Leper to give God the praise of our mercies Luk. 17.15 17. And in not making it our Spiritual Project and Study with David what to render to God Psal 116.12 For all his benefits he had nothing to give but what was Gods before therefore he cries What shall I render As having nothing good enough for so good a God Hence he saith v. 13. I will take the Cup of Salvation Which some render Poculum Eucharisticum the Sacramental Cup which the Apostle calls the Cup of Blessing 1 Cor. 10.16 As the whole Sacrament of the Supper is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eucharist or Thanks-giving Or according to the opinion of others this Cup David speaks of there hath relation to that Festival Cup after the Peace-offering mentioned in 1 Chron. 16.3 Which was called Calix Salutis ceu Salvationis A Cup of Health and a Cup of Happiness 'T is pity any should willingly not to say wilfully want this happy Cup This Salutiferous and Beatifical Cup. God is good so is the Object of praise and he doth good so is the Object of thanks and both these v. 4. are best done in the Cup of Blessing rightly received that Passover Cup the Blood of the Paschal Lamb. The 4. Gospel Sacrifice in a word is all the good Works both of Piety and Charity Heb. 13.16 If wrought in God Joh. 3.21 Quoad fontem quoad finem from a good principle and for a good End Such as have a feci deo writ upon them when the Soul can say what I have done I have done to God 1 Cor. 10.31 With a single Eye to Gods glory and with a sincere love to the Souls of Saints or Sinners As works of Piety done to God so works of Charity done to men and to Christs poor members whether it be more according to our abundance or less according to our Ability 2 Cor. 8.11 12. Have their high Value and Estimation with God such good works are call'd also a Sacrifice and an Odour of a sweet smell acceptable and well pleasing to the Lord Phil. 4.18 Where the Church of Philippi administring to the Apostle their Ministers wants was no less than a blessed perfume Thus likewise our Lord saith that a Cup of cold water though not at the cost of a little fire to warm it given in the name of a Disciple or of a Prophet shall not lose a Disciple or a Prophets reward Mat. 10.41 42. And that is no small reward for God is a liberal pay-master Sauls five pence given to Samuel was rewarded with a Kingdom 1 Sam. 9.8.20 and 10.1 Though the Butler forget Josephs kindness to him in Prison Gen. 40.23 Yet God is not unrighteous to forget your labours of love having them all writ in his book of remembrance Mal. 3.16 17. Which he oftner peruseth than Ahasuerus did his Chronicles Esth 6.1 that ye have shewed toward his name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do Minister Heb. 6.10 Hence is Inferred 1. Though we be exempted from the Sacrifices of the Law yet not from those of the Gospel Oh where then is Gospel-Sacrifice 'T is no less than three times commanded in the Law Let none appear before the Lord empty that is without an offering Exod. 23.15 and 34.20 and Deut. 16.16 17. Though that Law-Service was a chargeable and heavy service yet was it equally obliging to the Poor as to the Rich though not to offer as much as they for that Rigorous Dispensation admitted of this Divine Indulgency that he who had not a Lamb to bring unto God might bring two Turtle Doves and if he could not procure them then the tenth part of an Ephah should be acceptable Lev. 5.7 11. And 't is said further If he be poor and can not get so much let him bring such as he is able to get and it shall be accepted Lev. 14.21 22 32. Those are all gracious provisoes for poor people shewing that God respect more the mind of the giver or offerer than the worth of the gift or offering God minds more the truth of inward devotion than the measure of the outward oblation 2 Cor. 8.12 God accepts of a little where much not to be had and he will receive a very small present from him who would bring a better were it in the power of his hands so to do The 2. Inference is our Gospel Sacrifice must not only for the matter but also for the manner be according to divine prescription As we must not appear empty so we must not bring what we Phansie but what God prescribes The very Philistinâ— would not send baâ—k the Ark of God empty 1 Sam. 6.3 Oh what a shame it is then for those call'd Christians to be worse than the uncircumcised in appearing empty of those Gospel-Sacrifices as Prayer Praise Repentance and works of Piety and Charity yet were their presents Ridiculous as well as Superstitious suggested by Satan to their diviners in contempt of God and not prescribed by him who loves and likes those Services that are of his own prescribing How do the Superstitious offer God their ridiculous though Golden Mice and Emrods which could not well be figured without some shew of their Posteriorums where the Emrods break forth and so are loathsom to the Lord Isa 1.12 13 14. When our Services are not according to the Pattern shew'd us in the Mount of the Holy Scriptures Heb. 8.5 When and where we write up Service then and there God writes up sin God carefully provided that his Worship should not be corrupted saying This is the Law of the Burnt-offering and of the Meat-offering c. Lev. 7.37 And he left nothing unprescribed that the frothy exuberancy of mans foolish brain might find no Room to foist any thing into his Service Paul himself would not obtrude his own Inventions into Christs Institutiton but delivered all to the Church as he had received from the Lord 1 Cor. 11.23 Cypriaâ— saith Adulterum impium Sacrilegium est quodcunque Humano furore Instituitur 'T is an Adulterous and Sacrilegious Act to violate a Divine Ordinance And Calvin gives this reason why God was so exact in prescribing the whole of Legal Worship nequid adventitium obreperet ex hommum Commentis ad vitianda sacrificia nihil observatu dignum deus omisit nequid aggredi auderent homines nisi ex Dei praescripto Inde colligere promptum est quantopere fugienda fit temeritas quicquam fingendi audacia Lest man should take leave to set up his Posts to Gods Post This is daring impudency Calvin on Lev. 7.37 and on Mat. 15.2.9 To do more than Goâ— Commands is to serve the
were both blessed by Noah For first the Posterity of Cham is Thirty upon the Register but of Shem only Twenty six and of Japhet but fourteen And secondly Cham's Countrey to wit Canaan was the Navel of the World a Land that flowed with Milk for Necessity and with Honey for delight Exod. 3.17 where the hardest Rocks did Sweat out Honey and Oil Deut. 32.13 for them to suck and be satisfied Isa 66.11 A Land which God spyed out among all other Lands for his own peculiar people yea for himself to dwell in which indeed was the glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.6 Deut. 8.7 8 9. and 11.11 12. Lo this goodly Countrey was cursed Cham's Possession whose portion was in this Life Psal 17.14 when his two Blessed Brethren dwelt in the more Barren parts of the Eastern and Western World for their hope was not in this VVorld 1 Cor. 15.19 God deals with his people as the Inn-keeper doth with his Guests who lets them have his choicest Meats and his chiefest Lodgings but reserves the Inheritance for his Children and whatever provision they gather up till they Inherit though it may sometimes prove hard fare yet they have all upon Free-cost whereas the VVicked as do the Guests pay dear for all their better Enjoyments at last Job 20.14 15. Levit. 18.25 Ezra 9.11 They were fatted for their own Fall The third Note is Nimrod of the Posterity of cursed Cham was the Captain and Chief Master-Builder of the Tower of Babel for that was the beginning of his Kingdom Gen. 10.10 though not the end of it for he swam to the Grandeur of his Monarchy through a Sea of Wood while this mighty Hunter hunted Men more than Beasts to Sacrifice their Lives to his own Lust which when he had done he falls upon Building the Tower of Babel and the City of Babylon Gen. 11.2 4. in the Land of Shinar which signifies Hebr. that which scattereth for it had scattered out of it all its wicked Inhabitants they were all wash'd away with the Floud and scatter'd again by the confusion of Tongues at the Building of Babel Gen. 11.8 which was the great evil they feared ver 4. and by that Enterprize sought to prevent This wicked Work in Shinar as the Countrey of Chaldea is call'd Dan. 1.2 God did witness against and worded it with these bold Builders point to point Go to say they Gen. 11.4 Go to saith he ver 7. Let us Build up to Heaven and get up to God say they Hence the Poets feign their Gigantomachia or Giants War against Jove c. heaping Pelion upon Ossa one Mountain upon another Let us go down from Heaven to them saith he Let us make us a Name say they Let us confound their Language that they may not so much as know their own Names saith he lest we be scattered say they Let us scatter them abroad the World saith God ver 8. Thus the Lord confuteth their Folly from step to step and punish'd their pride for they did not Build for God but for themselves in contempt of God and for suppressing his Worship and setting up Idolatry Consecrating their Tower to Bel their Idol and adoring the work of their own Hands this brought confusion upon them thus provoking a Jealous God and no better an Issue may the Babel-Builders of our day expect God will turn them to Grazing as he did Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.30 32 c. who proudly speaks This is Babel which I Build for the Honour of my Majesty c. As old Babylon was the beginning of Nimrod 's Kingdom Gen. 10.10 So Rome or New Babylon is the Head of Antichrists Kingdom the Pope is the Nimrod of the World who Hunteth Mens Souls to Murder them Revel 18.13 as he did Bodies The fourth Note is Abraham's Ancestors were Contributers to and Abettors of this Building of Babel for 't is said Gen. 11.1 2. the whole Inhabitants of the Earth were of one Language and Journey'd from the Hills to the Plain and said one to another Let us Build the Tower c. to wit the Posterity of Shem and Jophet as well as of Cham all Recorded Gen. 10. NB. 〈◊〉 The Wicked are mixed among the Righteous in this World and though Nimrod was the Ring-leader as before of this Theomachy or Rebelling against God and made the first motion of this Enterprise Abiit tandem in studium Catholicum yet it gained an universal Consent even among Shem's Seed the Hebrews and therefore godly Heber their Father Exod. 1.15 call'd his Son Peleg Gen. 10.25 which signifies Division that he might have before his Eyes a perpetual Monument of Gods Just Displeasure against the proud Babel-Builders because then the Language was divided from the Hebrew and Aben Ezra over-boldly saith that Abraham himself was one of this number of Builders 't is more probable his Progenitors were so whatever Abraham was in Idolatry while young as before for they served other Gods Josh 24.2 Nor his Remote such as Noah Shem c. but his Immediate Progenitors from whom Laban learnt to consult his Teraphims Gen. 31.19 30. goodly Gods that could not secure themselves from Stealing nor from saluting Rachels Breech ver 34. and to Swear by those Idols call'd the Gods of Nabor ver 53. as well as the Gods of Abraham and of their Father Terah all which served strange Gods Josh 24.2 Even Abraham as well as the rest until God call'd him to his Foot Isa 41.2 from the Feet of Idols and from this Bel of Babel were he Born at that time This doth most highly advance the greatness of the Free Grace of God thus to call whom he will Mark 3.13 and to have mercy on whom he will Rom. 9.15 16. God found even Abraham himself ungodly Rom. 4.2 5. but he did not leave him so God must make us good or he 'll never find us so Indeed some say that the Posterity of Heber did not consent to the Building of Babel and therefore were not punish'd with the division of Tongues but retain'd their own Language yea and Countrey too the Eastern part and were not dispersed to Remote places but the general Opinion is that the Seventy Families dwelt together before the Building of Babel and all concurred in that Work they all living in that Countrey where the Tower was Built The fifth Note Doth Shem's Posterity assist Cham's to Build Babel and burn Brick with them in order thereto then Shem's Seed shall make Brick as Bond-slaves in Cham's Countrey to wit Egypt six Hundred years after for despising the Blessing of Shem Gen. 9.26 27. and for expecting a Shem or Hebr. Name by their Conjunctions with cursed Cham Gen. 11.4 of their own raising up in God-daring Work Therefore Abraham's Successors to wit Believers all of his Seed are call'd upon to come out from Babylon c. Revel 18.4 and not to assist in any such God-provoking Enterprize as Abraham's Predecessors did we must leave that Work to Cham's Posterity
the Chaldeans or Romanists and touch not at all of their unclean things 2 Cor. 6.17 lest we partake of their Plagues Revel 18.4 c. Thus Abraham was call'd out of Ur of the Chaldees The sixth Note is Those Babel-builders Erect a Fabrick of their own framing with Brick of their own Burning 5164 paces from the ground having its Basis and Circumference proportionable to its height to secure them saith Josephus from another Floud they therefore designed its top should reach to Heaven Gen. 11.4 though some say 't was not so high as Ararat from whence they lately descended that Phrase is but an Hyperbolical Speech wherein too much is spoken that enough may be believed and all to declare their Ambition and Idolatry Worshipping the Work of their own Hands Inferences hence 1. Pride made our First Parents desire to know as God and it made those Builders desire to dwell as God Isa 14.14 whereas humility not haughtiness is the way to Heaven had they lifted up their Hearts to God as Psal 25.1 as they did against God they had nor been scattered 2. The nearer those Builders rais'd themselves up to Heaven so long as they were Earthly the more they exposed themselves to the Thunder-claps of Heaven thus their Folly thrust them into the Revengers Hand and as they would spare God some labour of coming down they meet him half way to fetch in their own Destruction greatness without goodness is dangerous Abraham is call'd from this place of Name or Earthly Greatness 3. Those Builders did not design to Build to Heaven because they loved Heaven but to get a Name and Fame on Earth what we do out of Ambition and not out of Conscience in Gods Worship there is Babel in us 4. When we forsake the Name of the Lord which is our strong Tower Prov. 18.10 and abide not in Christ 1 John 2.28 but go down to the Plains as those did from Ararat and raise up Mounts of our own Righteousness what is this but a multiplying of Earth for poor Ants to climb up to Heaven Coelum ipsum petimus stulittiâ saith Horace This sublime Folly and Idolatry Abraham is call'd from and so are all his Seed 5. God calls Abraham and us in him from the Confusion of Tongues it hinder'd Babel the Gift of Tongues did Build Zion Acts 2. but our Zion goes on no faster because our Tongues are divided and we quarrel about words as they did Dubartas as if we were Building Babel not Zion t is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a War about words mostly the good God amend this fault The 2 Terminus à quo or place from whence God call'd Abraham was Haran or Charan which signifies Wrath as before This place was not the nearest way from Ur of the Chaldees to the Land of Canaan us appeareth in the Maps of that Country but it being a Chief City famous for the Overthrow of Crassus Terah and Abraham c. might be tempted out of their direct way to go thither and to stay five years there where they got much wealth Gen. 11.31 and 12.5 Acts 7.4 until God came the second time to Abraham testifying to him concerning Haran as was once said concerning Athens that famous City of Greece 'T is a pleasant City to pass through but unsafe to Dwell in This Haran it seems was so delightful a City to dwell in that Nahor and Terahs Houshold which came with Abraham from Ur stayed there Gen. 24.4 10 15. yet was it Dangerous as well as Delightful to dwell in for such as stayed there and went not thence with Abraham c. to Canaan did fall to Idolatry Gen. 31.30 53. as before and Josh 24.2 Or 2. If they were not tempted thither by the Tempting Devil it may be said they were purposely led about by the most wise God as were Abrahams off-spring afterward Exod. 13.17 18. Whereas the distance 'twixt Egypt and Canaan in the direct way was as Philo saith not much above three days Journey yet God led them about God did carefully chuse their way nor the nearest but the safest for them he tempts not above what we are able but so orders the matter that evils shall not be ready for us until we be ready for them Here Terah died then Abraham was commanded to leave his Fathers house not in Ur to make his work more easy Some say this Haran was not far from the borders of Canaan old Terah reach'd no farther no more had Abraham done had not God given him a second pull As the Earth needeth the former and the latter Rain to bring on the Joy of Harvest so Abraham and all his seed need a former and a latter pull to bring on that Joy in believing a Joy unspeakable and full of Glory The first pull brings us only to the borders of Canaan from sin to duty c. To the Valley of Achor which signifies trouble Josh 7.6 Or Spirit of Bondage under some strong convictions yet this is a door of hope Hos 2.15 Isa 65.10 An happy inlet into the promised Lands there they began to eat first of the fruits of the Land Josh 5.10 At this door they hoped to have the Enjoyment of the whole whereof that Valley was a Pledge and Earnest 'T is thus with a Christian who is brought first into a Wilderness Hos 2.14 And into a Valley or low condition by sense of sin and fear of wrath and thence set upon Pisgah or everlasting Mountains alas we need converting grace often and confirming grace oftner The 3d is Terminus ad quem or place whither Abraham was called this was not named God did not tell it him in his Ear yet shew'd it him to his Eye Gen. 12.7 and Chap. 13.14 v. And seeing the more certain sense is Believing according to the Proverb This Countrey thus shewed and promised to Abraham was Canaan a Land that lay in Asia the less and so called from Canaan the Son of Cham the Son of Noah who possessed it yet there was this difference betwixt the person and the possession call'd after his name The man Noahs ' Son was curs'd of his Father Gen. 9.25 but the Land being the Land of promise Heb. 11.9 was blest of its God 'T is called Jehovah's Land Hos 9.3 And Immanuels Land Isa 8.8 The Land is mine saith the Lord Lev. 25.23 And God blest this his own Land so as to make it the most goodly Countrey abounding with all blessings Deut. 8.7 8 9 and 11.11 12. Yea the glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.6 Flowing with choice and cheap commodities so that it might well be call'd Macaria or the blessed Country the Hebrew word Canaan signifies a Merchant for this cursed Canaan with his off-spring the Canaanites did drive the Merchandize and Trade of wickedness for which that blessed Land was to spue them out Levit. 18.25 To make room for the blessed Seed of Abraham and therefore was it promised to him even when and
Road to Egypt Jer. 41.17 18. when they brought this request to Jeremy only in a pretence of piety and to put a greater Reputation on their fore-stalling Resolution might they have but Gods Approbation which seeing they could not obtain they will drive on their design at a venture tide Life tide Death fall Back and fall Edge come good or come evil Though they had promis'd under a Solemn Oath that which they never intended to perform ver 5. Oh hateful Hypocrisie ver 20. therefore they going into Egypt as into according to their thoughts the VVorlds warm Sun-shine they went out of Gods protection and put themselves into his punishing Hands and the Sword they feared and sled from did there overtake them ver 16 17. The Great God hath long Hands and the wicked cannot run out of the reach of his Rod Thus the Old Testament Worshippers limited God to a place confining him to their Temple whereas in the New Testament times such limitations were done away John 4.20 21. and Prayer may be made not only in the House of Prayer but any where every where 1 Tim. 2.8 any corner if but of a Chimney may now make a good Oratory yea the secret places under the Stairs Cant. 2.14 the voice is sweet there also The third particular is the Means wherein we often limit God as well as in respect of time and place Thus Israel must not have God to speak to them though it was a wonderful condescention and unparallell'd honour it must be Moses lest they die Exod. 20.19 compar'd with Job 33.6 7. And what great matters it was said would one from the Dead do Luke 16.30 Though Lazarus was such yet little regarded John 12.10 Thus Israel did so limit their Deliverance to the presence of the Ark that their Idolizing of it betray'd it into the Philistines Hands 1 Sam. 4.3 11 21. And thus when the Brazen Serpent a Blessed Means of Healing before was become an Idol to Israel Numb 21.8 2 Kings 18.4 it became Nehushtan or a common piece of Brass having no Vertue of Cure in it God makes us defie what we have Deified Zeph. 2.11 The fourth particular is the Manner wherein we oft prescribe to God Thus those cursed Carnalists cryed We will have Plenty with Purity and the World with Worship or we will have none of it Jer. 44 17 18. Thus Peace and Plenty is the Popish Plea as well as Antiquity and their strongest Pillars for upholding their rotten Religion and their Idolizing the Virgin Mary whom they call the Queen of Heaven as those did and equalling her Milk unto Christs Blood for Soul vertue The Wise Man saith Say not thou what is the cause that the former days were better than these for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this Eccles 7.10 as if thou wert wiser than God to govern the World Alas the Times are the worse because we are no better we must not take non causa pro causa In promptu causa est the Reason is soon render'd wickedness is the true cause and not much Preaching or strict Worship as the World saith 't is hard Hearts that make hard Times Nay even Professors themselves will not own God unless he appear to them in their own manner whereas God sheweth himself in divers manners Heb. 1.1 Hence have we many famous Remarks As 1. That though blind Obedience as to Man is abominable yet as to God 't is highly commendable such as this of Abraham's was 2. Though this Obedience of Abraham was a blind Obedience as to his own Will yet was it not so as to Gods Will for Gods Will was the Rule of Abraham's Obedience 3. Though Abraham knew not whither he went Heb. 11.8 yet he knew well with whom he went even one with whom he was sure he could not possibly miscarry It David could say to Abiathar VVith me shalt thou be in safety 1 Sam. 22.23 How much more may Abraham's God say so to him Hereupon Abraham put God to it as a proof of the Truth of his Promise 4. Abraham knew not yet sollow'd not knowing whither but we know from the sure VVord of Prophecy whither our way leadeth to wit to Heaven 't is a shame for us not to follow Abraham's following God Blindfold brought him to the Earthly Canaan but our following God with our Eyes opened will bring us to the Heavenly Countrey 5. Such as never yet experienc'd Gods Call saying Get thee out of thy Countrey c. and the answer of a good Conscience 1 Pet. 3.21 their Hearts Ecchoing again to Gods Call Psal 27.8 in their Effectual Calling are yet in Ur of the Chaldees in the Countrey of Babel or Confusion They are yet in the Shadow of Death and Region of Darkness Mat. 4.16 Under the power of Belial and Servitors of Hell Alas the Devil is both their Master and their Father 6. Such as continue in an uncall'd condition yield up themselves to Satan VVorld and sinful Self as Abraham did yield up himself to his God They live in the very Suburbs of Hell under a cursed blind Obedience and are condemn'd already John 3.18 having the wrath of God abiding on them ver 36. consuming the Stubble Hence also have we these Excellent Inferences As 1. Mans Heart hath many Suitors there was never such contending about the Body of Moses Jude ver 9. as there is about the Soul of Man We should not ask so much who wooes our Hearts for there be many wooers thereof the Flesh the VVorld the Devil und God but who wins them Ask not so much whither goest thou as with whom goest thou If thou goest with Satan thou goest to Hell if thou goest with God thou goest to Heaven this latter question is resolved by answering the former If we know with whom we must know whither we go 2. Gods Call speaking to us with a strong Hand Isa 8.11 must fetch us oft from our false Rests as it did Abraham from Ur and Haran Rest without a change is suspicious Rest Till God say effectually Get thee out of thy Countrey c. we are setl'd upon our Lees Jer. 48.11 12. Till we can Experience an Heart-changing and a Life-changing Work we cannot be as Moses drawn out of the VVater Exod. 2.10 nor right Children of Abraham call'd from Chaldea to Canaan 3. If we be truely such then Children must resemble their Father in resigning up themselves to God as Abraham did and that upon these Motives 1. We are foolish and unskilful to order our own ways for either our Temporal Spiritual or Eternal good So long as Christ openeth not our Eye the Blind leads the Blind a Blind Understanding leads Blind Affections no vvonder if we fall into the Ditch God therefore must be our Guide even unto Death Psal 48.14 2. We have lost our strength as vvell as our skill by the Fall and are unable to cast our selves into the Pool of Bethesda when the Angel moves the Waters
a good Souldier of Jesus Christ â—â— Tim. 2.3 Should the Saints or Souldiers of Christ lye always in Garisons and never come out to any Skirmish or Battel how could their Valour be known Aromatical spices have nothing of that Fragrancy and Odoriferous smell as when they are pounded small in the Mortar The Moon always shineth brightest in the night season Thus God brought down the hearts of his people with hard labour Psal 107.12 When they had stubbornly stouted it out with God and their Sturdy hearts those proud pieces of Flesh had thought to have carryed it with a strong hand against an Omnipotent God as that Stiff-necked and Outragious Rebel Manasseh thought to do till God hamper'd him when he caught among the sharp Thorns and laid him in cold Irons 2 Chron. 33.10 11 12. Yea God dealt thus with a better man than he to wit David whom Uzzahs Death made to get Trumpets Sacrifice Linnen Ephod to bring up the Ark with Dancing and Singing which were not before 2 Sam. 6.6 13 14 Men learn Righteousness by Gods Judgments Isa 26.9 See more of this in my Christian Mirrour Chap. 8. 3. By the Word Abraham is tryed by a special Word or Divine Command Gâ—n 22.2 to offer up his only Son Isaac and 't is observable that both Abrahams great Temptations to wit his first and his last of the ten began with one strain vade tibi get thee gone Gen. 12.1 and Gen. 22.2 The Hebrew Phrase in both places is Laklekah Go thou hence and his obedience in both these cases was the better seeing it was grounded upon Gods Command in both God led him into Temptation and in both he delivered him from the evil thereof Thus all our Works and our Worship should be tryed by Gods Word To the Law and to the Testimony Isa 8.20 Not to the precepts of men Isa 29.13 and Mat. 15.9 We must have Divine Warrant for all our Divine Worship Heb. 8.5 c. And all our works must be wrought in God Joh. 3.21 From a Right Fountain for a Right End and by a Right Rule 't is the Rule of Gods word that tryeth the straightness or crookedness of all our ways Psal 125.5 Gal. 6.16 If Dinah daâ—e gad abroad beyond the due limits of the Right Rule then Shechem both catches her and deflours her Gen. 34.1 2. If any of Rahabs houshold wander forth from under the Scarlet Thred Josh 2.18 19. with Chap. 6.23 Or if any Israelites from under the besprinkled darnel Exod. 12.7.13 They are in great danger to be destroyed and so are all such as turn aside from the Rule of Gods word to their own crooked paths God will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Psal 125.5 But peace shall be to those that mind the Rule Gal. 6.16 4. By the Spirit which is twofold 1. Of man which is call'd the Lords Candle Prov. 20.27 Yet burns but dimly and cannot but pass a purblind and partial Judgment upon Divine matters being darkened by the Fall 2. The Spirit of God which is quick and powerful trying the treacheries of the heart Heb. 4.12 This Spirit searches the deep things of man as well as the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11 14. If we plow with this Divine heifer we may find out the Depths of Satan in us Rev. 2.24 A Jealous God will Try us before he Trust us Oh that we may have this witness to our State The fourth Circumstance is the End why Man is Tryed by God which is twofold 1. A Discovery of Evil as in Hezekiahs case The Lord tryed him to discover the Evil that was in his Heart 2 Chron. 32.31 32. 2. A discovery of Good as in Abraham's case here 't is said the Lord Tempted him Gen. 22.1 For what end 'T was to Discover the Good that was in his Heart to wit that his Love to his Creator was stronger than his Love to the Creature and that his Devotion to his Heavenly Father prevail'd over his Affection to his Earthly though only Son The Angel said to him Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not with-held thy Son thy only Son from me Gen. 22.11 but it may be said in Objection Satan is call'd the Tempter and not God Answ Temptation is twofold 1. Probationis by way of Probation 2. Perditionis to bring into Perdition the former of these belongs to God and the latter to Satan God Tempts Abraham here to take a Tryal of his Faith Love and Obedience Thus he Tempts the Children of Abraham but 't is always to do them good at the latter end Deut. 8.16 but when Satan Tempts 't is alway to do us Hurt in the beginning in the middle and at the latter end too Satan comes with his Sieve as to Peter Luk. 22.31 a Sieve casteth out the Best and keepeth in the worst what Evil he findeth in us he confirms it but what is Good in us he weakens and wasts it On the other hand when Christ comes to Tempt or Try us he brings not a Sieve but a Fan to that work Mat. 3.11 12. the use whereof is to cast out the worst and keep the best Thus Abraham's Temptation had nothing of Satans Wiles Methods Depths Darts Devices c. for then it had been a Tempting to Evil in which sense God Tempteth no man Jam. 1.13 A clear Specimen of this differing Temptation we have in Davids case whom both God and Satan Tempted 1 Chron. 21.1 and 2 Sam. 24.1 but for different ends and in differing respects Satan for a Sin in David God for a Punishment on Israel We must suppose God was displeas'd with the People for their disregarding Davids Kingdom disowning him often and oft owning his Enemies as well as with David for his Trangressions Satan moved him by Suggestion God only by Permission Satan suggested that Covetous as well as Ambitious Desiring and Designing Thought of Polling the People and of laying a Tax upon every Poll or Head God leaves him to himself as he did Hezekiah 2. Chron. 32.31 and gave him up to Satans suggestion God doth this as a most Just Judge but Satan doth it as Gods Jailor and as Davids Adversary Satan designs it as an Act of Sin but God as a Punishment for Sin ordering all wisely for good as Satan Intended all maliciously for evil God Tempts to good properly but never to evil Jam. 1.13 unless improperly as the Sun doth not properly cause the stench of the Dunghil when it shines hot upon it nor of the Darkness of the Night when it withdraws from us as its presence in the former Instance doth only occasion it by accident the Stench arising not from the Sun but from it self so its absence occasions the Night per accident only God always inclines the Heart to good but he never either Infâ—rces or Infuses evil God here Tempts Abraham to an Act of Obedience but not to the Act of Murther quà Tale as a Sin Inference
till he vvas avvaked out of sleep but immediately he Rose up and Address'd himself to his Business which intimates he understood his Author from the plainest manner of speaking to him vvithout any Ambiguity in so Arduous an Affair 'T is beyond all doubt that Abraham vvas fully satisfied his Call vvas from God that nothing God commandeth can be against Nature seeing God is the Author of Nature although he sometimes vvork against the ordinary course of Nature and that God having most justly inflicted Death upon all both good and bad hath a Soveraignty to take avvay any Mans Life vvhich he first giveth 't is not mans Act but Gods and therefore his special Commands herein cannot be othervvise than most Just and Righteous and though this Divine Precept seem'd to cross the Divine Promise that in Isaac Abraham's Seed should be called and multiplied c. yet Abraham's Faith conquer'd that doubt also being assured that God was able to raise up Isaac again from the Dead Heb. 11.19 Answer 3. God did not give this harsh command with any intention that Abraham should put it in Execution but 't was only to try him how far he would obey upon a bare command 't was not that he should do it but to prove him what he would do not as if God without this Experiment had been ignorant of his Sincerity but to leave it as a Pattern of Obedience to all Succeeding Ages and to hold forth that the Grace of the New Nature could conquer the Corruption of the Old this plainly sheweth how Grace overcometh Nature and how 't is an Act of pure Obedience to be carried forth against Nature upon a bare Command He that thinks nothing too good for God can be willing to Offer up all his worldly Hope and Joy to him much more his Dilecta Delicta or Darling Best-beloved Lusts though as dear as a Right Eye or a Right Hand Mat. 5.29 30. If the Lord but say He hath need of this or that Creature-Comfort much more of any cursed Corruption we must immediately lose it and let it go Mat. 21.3 We should then say to whatsoever God sends for from us Get thee hence Hosea 14.8 Yea be willing to pollute what we before did perfume Isa 30.22 We should have nothing to do any more with these Idols c. Could we but thus Offer with Abraham we should certainly rest with Abraham even in his very Bosom The second Enquiry is what were the difficulties of Abrahams duty under this Command of God The Answer brings us to the Actor and Action the two last parts of the second division The Actor Abraham meets with many difficulties in this Action of offering up Isaac there is a Climax or gradation of aggravations As 1. God saith not to him take thy Servant but thy Son man may better spare his tools he labours with than his limbs he lives by Servants Aristotle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but living tools or Instruments wherewith a Master manages his work whereas a Son is as the Juicy branch of a fruitful Tree or as a lively Member of a living Body the loss of which endangereth the life of the whole I have seen a Vine bleed uncessantly upon the lopping of its branches at Spring-time which might have bled to death had I not taken care to staunch its bleeding and some have known the cutting off even of a mortified member in the living part thereof to prevent a gangrene hath caused the party to die Oh then what a Cutting Killing Command was this to Abraham Take not thy Servant but thy Son 2. Thy only Son Had he had many Sons the Tryal had been more bearable but when it was his one and all his only Son Ishmael being now under Abdication and Expulsion Gen. 21.14 Here was another aggravation For a Tree to have but one Branch and to have that lopped off for a Body to have but one member and to have that dismember'd Oh how intolerable is this for both these to be made as empty Trunks and Insignificant Carcases 3. Yet higher whom thou lovest Gen. 22.2 Isaac was a gracious and dutiful Son obebedient both to his Earthly and to his Heavenly Father and therefore Abraham did love him the more had he been some graceless Son his grief had been the less 4. Higher than that Isaac was the Son of Gods promise in him shall thy seed be called So he was the Son of all his Fathers hope of Posterity yet his expectation hereof and of the accomplishment of Gods promise given to relieve him when his mouth was out of tast with all his other mercies as Victory Gen. 14. Protection and Provision Gen. 15.1 He could take no joy in his former Conquest or present promise because Childless v. 2. must by this means be cut off in the offering up of Isaac 5. Still higher ipse primus Author inusitati exempli c. Saith Philo Abraham must be the first Author of such an unparallell'd practice in Sacrificing to God Mans-Flesh To be first in a strange road and to walk in an untrodden path is unsafe and uncomfortable Especially In such an unnatural a matter under all the foregoing yea and the following circumstances 6. He is Commanded to kill his own dear Son with his own holy hands had he been bid to Sacrifice his Servant Eleazar of Damascus Gen. 15.2 Or had this Servant been bid to be Isaac's Executioner for Abraham the Tryal had been less grievous No it must be done with his own hand to his own and only beloved Son 7. He must offer him up also as a burnt offering so that no relick or remainder no Monument or Memorial of him must remain or be reserved but the whole of him must be all burnt to ashes 8. He must himself cut him in pieces lay them limb by limb orderly upon the Altar after the manner of a Sacrifice and himself must make and attend the Fire putting piece after piece in when any was out this was an hard and heavy task until all were consumed 9. Neither was he to do this seeming Barbarous Act immediately while the Divine Command had a fresh impression upon him and while he could have no time to consult with carnal reason but he must take a three days Journey before it was done which was a great while and way for him to go plodding and considering what he was going about e're he came to the place assuredly he could not want some woful misgivings of heart had not his brains been better busied than many of ours would have been in the like case Oh how would our minds have been torn in sunder with horribly distracting Thoughts had our Souls been in his Souls stead yea no doubt but Abraham as a man would rather have torn out his own heart with his own hand than to have done all this to his Isaac had it been put to his own free choice 10. Neither must this Tragedy be acted in some secret
in Gods Providence In the Mount the Lord will provide a Ram to save his Isaac Gen. 22.14 Issues of Death belong to the Lord only Psal 68.20 He knows how to deliver his 1 Pet. 3.12 and 2 Pet. 2.9 'T was Peter's own Experience Acts 12.10 c. Our Times are in his Hands Psal 31.15 and none can take us out of Christs Hands John 10.28 We have had our places named Jehovah Jireth to perpetuate the Memory of Gods Mercy 4. Hence learn we to bear the loss of Children with patience and silence as Abraham here and Aaron Levit. 10.3 No Parent ever gave up a Son to God with so much patience and under such sad Circumstances as Abraham did unless it were God himself giving his Beloved Son to his Justice for Mans Redemption and when God thought not his Holy Child Jesus too good for us why should we think any Child of ours too good for God 5. God Accepted Abraham's Will for the Deed so he will do ours 2 Cor. 8.12 preferring the willingness of the Will before the worthiness of the Work Small Service may have great Acceptance if much will though not much weight be found therein CHAP. XI The History and Mystery of Isaac's Life THE most Famous Remarks that are Recorded in Scripture concerning the Patriarch Isaac besides those Intermingled in the History of Abraham his Father are these following to wit First Isaac's Weaning made the more Remarkable because attended with 1. Abraham's Feasting And 2. Ishmael's Mocking The former is the Principal and these two are the Accessories First Of the Principal to wit of Isaac's Weaning God gives us a distinct account how Isaac was Born and Named Gen. 21.2 3. Circumcised ver 4. Nursed up by Sarah with great Delight ver 6 7. and then vvhen grovvn up and fit for hard Meat he vvas weaned ver 8. Vajiggamal Hebr. Ablactatus but properly it signifies Retributus an exchanging of one thing for another and thus in vveaning there is a change from Milk to stronger Meat Hence may be inferred many excellent practical and profitable Observations As 1st Isaac was Conceived and brought forth after an extraordinary manner the Son of the Promise as Abraham his Father in the Supernatural Birth of Isaac did foresee the Supernatural Birth of Christ and rejoiced at it John 8.56 He did not Name his Son Isaac or Laughter only because of his Joy for him but also because of his Joy for Christ he rejoiced to see Christs Day of a Miraculous Conception and Birth he saw it and was glad he saw the Face of Christ in his Birth Life and Death c. all in the Figure of Isaac by the clear Eyes of his Faith which is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 even things that were afar off yet with a long Arm of his Faith he hugg'd and embraced them as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.13 doth signifie yea he had not only a Prophetical but also a Real Vision of Christ Gen. 18.1 2 3 17. in the Form of a Man as a prelude of his Incarnation and out of his Philanthropy Tit. 3.4 delighting to be in carne before he was ex carne as a Man among the Sons of Men Prov. 8.31 This made Abraham Rejoice and Dance a Gallyard as the word in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth John 8.56 So Sarah by the force of her Faith Conceived and brought forth Isaac her Son when she was past Age because she judged him faithful who had promised Heb. 11.11 that is she did nor think that God paid his people with words only as Sertorius is said to do his Soldiers or that he fools them off with fair promises as Ptolomee Sirnamed therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to do his Favourites Pollicitis Dives quilibet esse potest Great Mens fair words are like Dead Mens promis'd Shoes he may go bare foot that waits for them not so those at Good Men they will perform their promises though they tend to their loss Psal 15.4 They are Children that will not Lie Isa 63.8 but their Father is a God that cannot Lie Tit. 1.2 He is the God of Truth Isa 65.16 All his promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 in Christ Jesus that Faithful and True Witness Revel 3.14 Therefore God is Real and Royal in his promises and performances He will do what he hath said 2 Sam. 7.25 and perform with his Hand what he promiseth with his Mouth 1 King 8.15.1 Thes 5.24 All this Sarah his Mother believed though at first she faultered Gen. 18.11 12. The first Tidings hereof she apprehended more strange than true but better recollecting her Religious and Reverend Contemplations of the Almighty she afterwards believed what before she doubted or at least admired rather than believed and as soon as she believed soon after she Conceived though old by the force of her Faith and not by the Vigour of Nature therefore is she upon this very account Inrolled in the Catalogue of the most Eminent Believers Heb. 11.11 where the Apostle sheweth 1. That Saving Faith reaches both Sexes that the weaker Sex eminent in Faith is worthy of Imitation by Men the stronger and that a Woman is no such wonder in Heaven as that wanton witless Wit once said proving it by Revel 12.1 reading no further than those very words extend and stopping at that clause clothed with the Sun and so there is no God as Psal 14.1 if we stop there and go no further 2dly Observe The Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews doth shame those Hebrew Men he writes to with that Excellent and plainly Masculine Exercise of Faith in the Feminine Sex a Woman Heb. 11.11 where Sarah's Faith is propounded as a pattern both for their and our practice holding forth 1. The Advantage by it She received strength in a Twofold Respect both for Conceiving and for bringing forth though disadvantag'd by the time of it to wit in her Old Age. 2. The Ground and Foundation of it her Faith was founded upon this that she strongly believed the Promiser was faithful to perform his promises Hereupon she is made an Allegorical Mystery in all this her famous History even by the Apostle Paul himself by a special Inspiration of the Holy Ghost Gal. 4.21 to 27 and 30. shewing how Abraham's Family was a Figure of the Church in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4.24 wherein be two Mothers a Bond-woman Hagar and a Free-woman Sarah two manners of Getting as well as Begetting Children 1. By Promise or by Faith 2. After the Flesh or by Nature Two kinds of Children Bondmen as Ishmael and Freemen as Isaac and the former persecuting the latter two Covenants that of Works and that of Grace or the Law and the Gospel the Old Testament and the New Mount Sinai to which Hagar fled twice Gen. 16. and chap. 21. it being in her way Home to Egypt and Mount Sion or Jerusalem the Mother of all Christians
handleth the Law of Moses in a double notion 1. Relatively as it had Relation to that Jewish Church in her minority under a Tutor or School-master and so it had a twofold respect to the Covenant of Grace the first is antecedent as it prepar'd them for and press'd them to Christ and his Covenant The second is subsequent or consequent teaching them how to walk before the Lord unto all pleasing Col. 1.10 regulating their lives by that Rule of Righteousness the Moral Law then given them even by the Mediator himself as well as by Moses Acts 7.38 1 Cor. 10.4 9. as well as in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 and so the Law was to Israel what it was to David a Companion a Counsellor and a Comforter as before Thus Paul speaks of Sinai's Covenant Gal. 3. v. 17. and from thence to Gal. 4.21 as relating to them entring into the same Covenant of Grace made with them in Abraham before then 2. Paul propounds that Law of Sinai simply and absolutely from v. 21. of chap. the 4th to the end as it was a Copy of the Covenant of Works so he maketh it as an Handmaid subservient to the Gospel as Hagar was to Sarah yet begetting Children to bondage and such as were excluded from the Inheritance therefore shews them how dangerous it was to be Children of the Law or Covenant of Works in its absolute proper and simple consideration which was Hagar and unless of Sarah or Covenant of Grace they could not be saved And as it is a Rule to the Regenerate in Christs hand Exod. 20.19 so it leaves the Reprobate without excuse Rom. 1.20 if the Law Natural do so much more the Moral Row 10.4 The fourth Consideration is The Law upon Sinai could not be propounded by God to Israel as a Covenant of Works properly and absolutely as it was given to Adam in his State of Integrity for then was Mankind faln and the keeping of the Law was become impossible to Man therefore 't is enough improbable as to God that he should press it upon faln Man as he had done upon Iâ—â—necent Adam being now altogether unable to perform it save only in the hand of a Medâ—â—â—tor whereof Adam while he stood had no need 'T is true God is just in commending the Law though it be impossible for us to yield universal obedience to all the Duties commanded in 〈◊〉 For l. God hath not lost his Power of commanding though Man hath lost his Power of Obeying 2. Though the matter be never so crooked to work upon yet the Rule which is Regula Regulans as well as Regulata the Rule Ruling as well as the Rule Ruled must needs be a straight Rule 3. Qualis causa tale causatum seeing God is perfect both in esse and in operari in essence and operations his Law must needs be a pure and perfect Law in it self Psal 19.7.4 Adam had a sufficient stock of strength to keep this Law of Works at the first but through the freedom of his own Will he proved Bankrupt like an evil Steward who playeth or maketh away his Lord and Masters money fully furnishing him to accomplish his commands whereby he disenableth himself to perform his Masters work and will So Adam did disenable himself and as a publick person all his posterity whom he represented and therefore holy Paul to shew the Malady of faln Mankind doth declare from Rom. 1.18 to chap. 7.13 how all men both Jews and Gentiles do come short of Gods glory and of their own duty in fulfilling the Law and that the best of men are but men at the best The most Regenerate man faileth in the manner when not in the matter of his obedience he cannot obey Gods Law totus or wholly in respect of himself as well as of the Law for every New Man is as it were two men there is a Law in his members in the faln Estate but renewed in part only which warreth against the Law of his mind Rom. 7.21 23. as two Armies in him Cant. 6.13 Having thus seen Mans Malady the Word and Spirit of God maketh a discovery of Mans Remedy First Convincing him of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment John 16.8 This is done two ways 1. By the Law of VVorks as in the Hand of a Mediator it convinceth 1. Of Sin in its Source and Fountain Jer. 17.9 and Gen. 6.5 The Heart is desperately wicked and is evil only evil and continually evil in all its imaginations 't is evil Extensive Intensive and Protensive The truth of all this not only the written Word of God but also our own smarting Experience teacheth us that till God touch our Hearts with his strong Hand Isa 8.11 and break down Windows into our dark Souls we never mind God or his good ways God is neither in our Heads Psal 10.4 nor in our Hearts Psal 14.1 nor in our VVords Psal 12.4 nor in our VVorks or ways Tit. 1.16 We are wholly without God in the World Eph. 2.12 Thus the Looking-glass of the Law discovers Sin both Original and Actual to the Man whose Eyes are opened Jam. 1.23 and Numb 24.3 then God and his own Conscience convinceth him of Sin and condemneth him for it 1 John 3.20 as guilty 2. It convinceth of Righteousness that it is impossible to attain unto it by the VVorks of the Law because of the sinfulness of Mans Nature and weakness of faln Flesh Rom. 8.3 and Gal. 2.16 The Covenant of VVorks leaveth all Mankind under the curse Gal. 3.10 He that can keep some Commandments and not all yea that continueth not therein to the end is under the cusre of God Jam. 2.10 and this curse containeth the whole wrath of God upon Body and Soul in this Life and in the next ready to be poured forth upon us continually both at Home and Abroad Levit. 26.16 18 21 24 28. and Deut. 28.16 to 20 c. John 3.18 36. Job 18.15 Brimstone abideth upon his Head and House ready to take Fire from the Flames of the Lords anger if Grace prevent not its Execution Now every Mans guilty Conscience doth convince him that he is a breaker of Gods Law times without number so is under Gods curse but cannot thereby have the Blessing of Justification And 3. The Law convinceth accordingly of Judgment that will follow and fall upon all the people of Gods curse Isa 34.5 That Christ the Judge of the World will come armed with Flames of Fire to render vengeance on all them that know not God and obey not his Gospel 2 Thes 1.7 8. all such as have rejected the tenders of Grace and refused him for their Mediator but chuse rather to remain in their Natural Unregenerate Estate under the Law or Covenant of VVorks though they have been forewarned to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 What can such expect but a fearful coming of Judgment which shall devour Christs Adversaries Heb. 10.27 'T is a fearful thing and beyond the
is Confidence the Conclusion can be no better than Confusion The Egyptians came forth as a Whirl-wind to devour Israel Hab. 3.14 15. having got the Ball on the foot and confidently carrying it toward the Goal but God gave them a turn and an overturn and in anger cast them down Psal 56.7 Job 9.4 Prov. 29.1 Isa 6.10 11. The 4th Remark is As the great God distinctly foreknoweth uno quasi intuitu with one glance of his All-seeing Eye all the Consults of wicked Persecutors so he can with the more facility confound their Counsels Thus it was here as God guided Israel into this wandring out of the King's high-way on purpose that hereby as by a Strategem Pharaoh and his Army might be decoyed to pursue them So God foretold what Improvement the Egyptians would make of this conceited Stray and Straits that Moses had mistook his way and they now were intangled in the Wilderness c. Exo. 14.3 4. Hereby Pharaoh hardened his own heart to pursue that he might bring them back to Bondage ver 6 7 8 9. as if they had been no better than so many Run-away-Slaves whereas 't is said v. 8. they marched boldly bravely in Battel-Ray and in a most comely Equipage not with any disorder or confusion of Fugitives Thus God dazles dulls and disannuls the Wisdom of the World's Wizzards not only foreseeing their Consults but also forestalling their Projects catching the crafty in their own craft 1 Cor. 1.19 and Psal 9.15 c. All the haste Pharaoh made in making ready his Chariots and driving furiously after Israel was but an hasting to meet his own destruction The 5th Remark is Sore and grievous Distresses oft bring God's Church and Children into sore and grievous Distractions Israel's distress was great here They türned out of the way to Canaan which lay Northward toward Memphis the chief City of Egypt Southward So that their turning Exod. 14.2 was indeed Returning as they might think well in making such a semicircle in their march Besides Migdol was a Garrison-Tower which they had on one side as the Sea on another and their being before Baalzephon added to their distress for this was the Idol of the Egyptians as Baal-peor was the Idol of the Moabites Numb 25.3 In this Idol as Rabbys say the Egyptians placed great confidence conceiting that he could fetch again Fugitives and therefore thought that now Israel was faln into his fast Custody However 't is probable chat this place was another Garrison of the Egyptians whereby all run-aways might be secured All this was ordered thus not by chance but by providence to infatuate Pharaoh making him fancy that Israel was inclosed with Mountains Seas Desarts and Garrisons and indeed Israel in their unbelief thought no better of themselves ver 9 10 11 12. Whereas the truth is the Lord led them thither beside the Reasons afore-mentioned in the first Remark Because 4. God's Power and Providence might be the more manifested in his marvelous deliverance of his People and in his as marvelous destruction of his and their Enemies Notwithstanding when Pharaoh overtook Israel who had got three days march before his setting out in those frightful Straits they were in great Distress which brought upon them great Distrust as well as Distraction which appeared in their reproachful Expostulation with Moses pretending they had been true Prophets in predicting all this evil which was now come upon them as if Moses by his ignorance or imprudence had drawn so vast a People into this desperate danger against their praemonition given him in Egypt Thus they distrusted God their sin having manifold aggravations As 1. They at once forgot all the wondrous works the Lord had wrought for them in Egypt 2. They unthankfully preferred their Bondage in Egypt before their miraculous Deliverance out of it 3. They murmured against God and his Minister Moses 4. They prophanely scoffed saying Because there were no Graves in Egypt c. ver 10 11 12. 5. They were too short-spirited in not waiting God's leisure and pleasure for his season Yea 6. They justified their former Incredulity and Repining Speeches in the house of Bondage We may well suppose them distracted with their distress at the sight of Pharaoh's approaching being disâ—spirited with long slavery mostly unarmed and wearied with three days travel on foot with the out-cries of their Wives and Children which was a very distracting distress so as to over-balance all they had seen of Miracles in Egypt and what they then saw of the cloudy Pillar their conduct and covering So that when they cryed to the Lord it was more from sense of danger than from Faith for deliverance it was an howling rather than a right praying Hos 7.16 Psal 107.28 more from fear than from faith The 6th Remark is The marvelous Infatuation upon Pharaoh and his People and the notorious Blindness God struck them with thus hastily to make them Run headlong upon their own destruction They did not only pursue Israel by Land but also into the Red Sea when the Lord had divided it to make a way for his People whose Extremity tho' they little deserved it was God's opportunity Exod. 14.13 14 23. When the Egyptians saw that the Israelites walked upon firm ground God having dryed up the Mud and paving the bottom c. by an East-wind ver 16 21. they did promise unto themselves the same safety and success also Exod. 15.9 vainly singing a Triumph before a Victory which Israel did not there but they were grosly deceived for they sound to their woe that this fair way before them was only to bring them into the Noose or Draw-Net to catch them It was made for Israel who fled from their Enemies to escape out of their bloody hands who would have slain Moses Aaron and the principal Men of the Host but the common People they would have led back to Bondage It was not therefore made for the Egyptians who pursued the Innocent to destroy them The causes of their Blindness and Presumption were these 1. The long-sufferance and forbearance of God towards them which should have led them to Repentance Rom. 2.5 in sparing their lives hitherto and only smiting their Corn Cattle and First-born in those Ten Plagues And as to Pharaoh their Leader who had made his heart harder than was Jeroboam's Altar of Stone which presently clave asunder when the Lord's Prophet cryed unto it 1 King 13.3 But the mighty Hammer of God's Word in the mouth of that great Prophet Moses with ten Miracles gave ten mighty strokes at Pharaoh's hard heart yet could make no impression or entrance God will therefore take now another course with him to get himself a Name and great Honour by subduing such a sturdy Rebel Neh. 9.10 Exod. 14.4 18. a work which Rabbins say converted Jethro and made him the first Gentile Proselyte to the Jewish Church and which caused the Philistines long after to cry out These are the Gods that smote
was Blood and call'd up one another now Moab up to the Spoil 2 Kings 3.22 23. where they mused as themselves had used 2 Chron. 20.23 Such Misconceits might possess them here Animating each Man his Neighbour to spoil Israel whom they had now got under their Feet and that for a long term of time even for Eighteen Years which was Ten Years longer than was their first Slavery under the Syrians for Israel's second Apostacy was of a deeper Dye than the first seeing they had now sinned against more Light and Love in their Redemption by Othniel therefore are they punish'd more than double and must serve more than a double even almost a treble Apprentiship of Slavery under Eglon as a Linen Garment if but lightly fouled is soon cleansed from those slight Soils but if a deep Tincture of Defilement be contracted in it by long and dirty uses thereof then must there be a strong scouring thereof and many Frosty Nights lying out of Doors will be little enough to reduce it unto its primitive Whiteness So the Lord deals with Israel here and no doubt but this long Servitude cost them many a groan and many a Cry and at last when they cryed aright the same Gracious God that had heard them in Egypt Exod. 3.7 was graciously pleased to hear their Groans and Crys now ver 15. The Third Remark is Israel's Repentance raiseth up Israel's Redeemer the second time the Lord heard their penitent Crys and stirr'd up Ehud to deliver them from Eglon he was Israel's Second Judge he was a Man of Benjamin ver 15. which Tribe was by this time pretty well recruited through the Blessing of God upon the Marriages of the Six Hundred Men that only remained out of the Wars with the other Tribes in the Rock Rimmon as above in the matter of Gibeah and probably saith Dr. Lightfoot he was of Gibeah for he descended of this same Family in Benjamin that King Saul was of afterwards and thus the Honour of Benjamin that was lost in the defence of Gibeah's Villany was somewhat restored in him who sprung from the same Gibeah and as Othniel of the Tribe of Judah made good Jacob's Prophesie That Judah should be a Lyon's Whelp Gen. 49.9 that should bring the Tents of Cushan into Affliction Habbak 3.7 So Ehud of the Tribe of Benjamin made good likewise Jacob's Prophecy That Benjamin should be a Ravening Wolf in the Morning devouring the Prey and at Evening dividing the Spoil Gen. 49.27 which was accomplish'd in Ehud as Judah had the first honour of the Judge ship in Othniel so Benjamin had the second in Ehud who was Left-handed and likely was one of those Left-handed Benjamites who are recorded for Famous Warriours Judg. 20.16 and which might be the encouragement of the Benjamite's Confidence or rather Impudence to Patronize the Notorious Iniquity of Gibeah's Belialists against all Israel However Ehud was Left-handed whether it came from some Infirmity of Nature in his Right Hand or from an ill Custome in Childhood which in time becometh a second Nature especially if it be affected is not told us Yet this is expressed that he used his Left Hand as his Right not only as a mark of his Courage and Activity but principally as a considerable Circumstance in the following Story whereby he might more advantagiously and more unsuspectedly give the deadly Blow at God's Appointment which teacheth us That the Lord oftentimes bringeth to pass exceeding great Works by exceeding small infirm and contemptible means as here by a Left-handed Man God wrought a Right handed Deliverance for Israel Ehud Hebr. signifieth praising God chuseth none of the Right-handed Men of Israel though there were many Thousands of them and Men of great Gallantry c. but this single Left-handed Man to work their Redemption that the praise thereof might not be ascribed to Man the Instrument but to God the principal Agent N. B. And upon the like account must God be greatly praised by the Church for his employing Mr. William Perkins one lame of his Right Hand and as an Expositer saith no less famous in his way than this Ehud for the Lord enabled him in his most Learned Writings even by a Left-handed Pen to stab the great Eglon of Rome to the very Heart Hereupon a Poet writeth upon him this Distich Dextera quantumnis fuerit tibi Manca Docendi Pollebas Mird Dexteritate tamen The Fourth Remark is The Manner how this Israel's Redeemer wrought Israel's Redempiion The Senate or Sanhedrim which bare the sway Judges not ruling as Monarchs but being as Chief Commanders or Generals sent a Rich Present by Ehud to Eglon this Present was not their ordinary Tribute but some extraordinary large and liberal Donative thereby to Ingratiate themselves the more into Eglon's Favour for lightening the load of their Intolerable Oppressions and this is the more manifest inasmuch as this present required so many People to bear it as is expresly said in ver 18. Ehud furnishes himself for this Embassage with a two edged Dagger long enough for his design and not too long for carriage and concealment girds it under his Raiment upon his right thigh both to avoid suspicion and to have it the more ready for his left hand with more nimbleness ver 16. Ehud the Chief Embassador having delivered his grand Present out of the hands of his Associates departs with them as far as Gilgal there dismisses them and returns alone to Eglon as if he had forgot some matter of great importance and said to him I have a secret Errand unto thee O King ver 17.18 19. Hereupon Eglon commands all his Attendants to withdraw till Ehud had deliver'd his secret Message which none of them ought to hear Ehud then draws nigh him as he was sitting in his Summer Parlour the place of his Retirement and where his Servants sometimes waited long e're they went in to him ver 25. and said again to Eglon I have a Message from Elohim unto thee ver 20. Some suppose here that Eglon thought Ehud had been Worshipping Moab's Idols set up at Gilgal to intice Israel to Idolatry and that some Secret touching the King was revealed by that Idol Oracle to him which he was now returned to reveal to the King and the rather because Ehud uses the word Elohim and not Jehovah for God But others say that the sight of those Stone-Images set up by Eglon at Gilgal where Joshua had erected an Holy Monument Josh 4.20 and where God had rolled away the Reproach of Israel Josh 5.9 did so enrage his Spirit that he returned resolving to kill that Idolatrous King Eglon hearing of a Message from Elohim supposed it came from his False Gods and therefore from a deep Veneration according to the common practice of Pagans a shame to that Irreverence to the true God too frequent among us riseth up from his Seat though he was a Fat Vnweildy Man to receive it his Fatness is recorded to
Sports or to some great Feast c. is not recorded but this is written That there Samson's Licentious Wandring and Wanton Eye became a Burning-glass to set his Heart on fire to Marry a Daughter of the Philistines and upon his return home he begs his Parents to get him her for a Wife ver 2. N. B. Though he lived in times of Ignorance and Prophaneness and though he had six'd his Affections upon this Timnath-Maid yea and though he had a Warrant from God as some do sense ver 4. to do what he did yet would he not take a Wife without his Parents consent as Gen. 21.21 and 24.3 26 34 35. The very Light of Nature and the dim Light of the Law can convince Men's Consciences of this necessary Duty in the worst of times Oh then what a shame is it that this Law of Nature is no more yea so little observed in our Land of Goshen c. N. B. Samson's Parents at the first Dissented from it and that upon good grounds because God had forbid the Israelites to make Marriages with those Cursed Vncircumcised Nations Exod. 34.12.16 Deut. 7.3 whereof the Philistines were a part ver 3. But when they understood by Samson's Information that it was of the Lord who could dispense with his own Law as in Hos 12. for his own glorious ends they then consented to it ver 4. and went down with their Son to Timnath ver 5. understanding that God in their Son Samson was seeking an occasion against the Philistines in his Marriage with one of their Daughters N. B. For by a particular Inspiration Samson might argue with his Parents in this Dilemma or double-horned Argument which pusheth both ways the Philistines will either grant me their Daughter which I desire to Marry or they will deny it if they deny to give her me then shall I take an occasion to assault them for the Affront offered to me because they have disgraced me and if they grant her and gratifie my Desires then will they be bound to more Benignity and Benevolence towards me and all my People Israel in the Bonds of Affinity contracted by the Marriage N. B. But if they hereafter break those Bonds of Affinity this will administer another occasion of a new Quarrel against them By the Importance of these Arguments together with his Importunity his Parents were overcome to accompany him that Samson though a Nazarite might carry on his Courtship to a Lady of the Philistines though an Heathen and an Infidel because they now say she pleased their Son well not only for her Beauty but for the design of God in Order to Israel's Deliverante more especially therein The Second Remark upon the Antecedents of his Marriage is Manoah his Wife and Son go down together to Timnath that a Solemn Contract might be made betwixt Samson and his Sweet-heart But in their joynt-Journeying toward the City Samson steps aside at the Vineyards from his Parents upon some occasion not express'd it may be to ease Nature or N. B. By some Divine Impulse for the following Encounter for a Young Lyon in the prime of his strength rushed out of the Vineyards and roared fiercely against him when found alone then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him both stirring up and augmenting his Strength and Valour so that he takes the Lion by the Chaps and rent him as speedily and as safely as if he had been but some Tender Kid though he had no Weapon in his hand ver 5 6. This Miraculous Exploit was to Confirm Samson's Faith in his great undertaking unto which the Lord was now calling him to be a Judge for Israel against the Philistines as it befel David in the like case afterwards 1 Sam. 17.34 N. B. And this Essay did far exceed the Poet's Story of their Hereules's Encountring of a Lyon for they say he had a Club in his Hand And such was Samson's Modesty that when he came up to his Parents again from this Diversion N. B. He told not them of this wonderful Work he had wrought as many Braggadocio's would have done not so much lest his Parents should reprove him therein but more especially lest they should divulge it at Timnath prudently pondering the prejudice that might arise thereby considering 't was not yet a fit season to create Jealousies and to awaken the fears of the Philistines Therefore Samson keeps silent and steps on in the Company of his Father and Mother to Timnath and there to Solemnize this Contract with the Woman 't is said he talked with her ver 7. from whence the Rabbins Report that Samson Converted her to the true Religion by this Conference N. B. But that is an uncertain Report It may more probably be said That they were now Contracted by Consent of Parents on both sides for that was in use among the Heathens Placuit Despondi Nuptiis hic dictus est Dies Terence And their Marriage-Day was at this first Meeting concluded when their Wedding together might be solemnized and fully compleated for their Bedding together also The Second Part is the Concomitants of Samson's Marriage Remarks hereon are First When this convenient time was come for Solemnizing the Marriage according to the Unanimous Agreement of the last Meeting Samson goes down with his Parents to be Married and turning aside to see the Carcase of the Lyon behold there was a Swarm of Bees and Honey in the Carcase ver 8. N. B. Because this must require a long time in the Course of Nature therefore some say there was a great Space betwixt the Time of his Contract and the Time of his Marriage otherwise Honey-Combs could not have been found in the Carcase c. N. B. But such as so say do forget that Lovers Hours are full of Eternity every Hour is a Day every Day a Week every Week a Month and every Month a Year N. B. Many Reasons may be rendred why that Interspace ought not to be over-long 'T was only but a few Days that were desired betwixt the Agreement of Marriage and Rebecca's going to be Married to Isaac Gen. 24.55 Yet Eleazer being in Marriage-haste for his Young Master would not admit of that small Delay N. B. As to the Honey-Combs in the Carcase it cannot be imagined that this was done in an ordinary and common Course of Nature for Bees do naturally abhor all ill smells such as this new slain Carcase could not want c. All this came to pass by an over-ruling Providence of God acting herein after a Supernatural manner in Subserviency to his following Design N. B. No doubt but Samson turn'd aside to see it that he might Recognize God's Great Work in his Deliverance from so great a Danger and be accordingly thankful for it as Psal 77.10 to remember former Favours of God c. Samson took of the Honey-Comb in his hand and went on Eating till he came to his Father and Mother N. B. Oh that we could feed upon
That Earthly Possessions are but Vanity our very Names should mind us of our Duty Observ 2. A good Name in its sense and signification may be of great comfort to a Man in an evil Day Thus it was to this Man whose Name signified My God is King he might make a believing use hereof pondering in his mind after this manner Although there be a Famine in the Land of Promise whereby I am driven out of my Native Countrey and constrained to sojourn in Idolatrous Moab yet my God is King over all over all Persons and over all Nations he hath an Uncontrollable Sovereignty over all Men and Matters and is not bound to give an account of any Matter to any Man as Job 33.14 't is good for me to be where my God who is my King to Rule me will have me to be I am where-ever I am evermore upon my Father's ground for the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Psal 24.1 herewith David comforteth himself often in his distress Psal 47.2 8. The Lord Reigneth and 93.1 and 97.1 and again 99.1 And 't was the comfortable saying of Blessed Myconius in the troublous times of Luther's Reformation Christus Vivit Regnat Alioqui totus desperâssem My Christ Lives and Reigns otherwise I had been down upon all four as we say and had been utterly ruined The Name of the Wife was Naomi which signifies my sweet or pleasant one a fit Name for a Wife who should be to her Husband as the loving Hind and pleasant Roe Prov. 5.19 Hence Observ 3. All Godly Husbands whose God is their King should have Ardent Affections to the Wives of their Bosomes Moses calls a Man's Wife the Wife of his Bosome Deut. 13.6 and 28.54 because they should be as dear to them as their own Hearts that do lie in their Bosomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Which is in thy Bosome the place and seat of the Heart and which lyeth in thy Bosome Mich. 7.5 which shows that a Wife should be as dear to the Husband as the Heart in his Bosome A Wife is the most proper Object of Love Col. 3.19 above Parent Friend Child or any other though never so near and dear to us The Hind and the Roe are the two Females of the Hart and Roe-buck wherewith above all other Creatures they are as it were Inamoured Men are commanded to be Ravish'd always with their Wives Prov. 5.19 not to a fond Uxoriousness or Mulierosity but so far as First To overlook Weaknesses in the weaker Vessel which Love covers And Secondly So to comport with her as to discover ardent and earnest Affection toward her The most Loving Couple we read of in God's Book are Isaac and Rebecca 'T is said of Isaac and he loved Rebecca Gen. 24.67 which is not said of any other and 't is said further that his delight was in her Gen. 26.8 Woe to those that delight in strange flesh Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Hebr. 13.4 The Name of his two Sons Mahlon and Chilion Why they are so called is not shown unless à posteriori only not à priori to wit by the Event of things for Mahlon Hebr. signifies Infirmity and Chilion Hebr. signifies Finished which two Names not only pointed out at something that related to their Father who gave them those Names but also something that related to themselves First As to their Father Bernard glosses that he was Mahlon in his leaving of Bethlehem and he was Chilion in his abiding in Moab 'T was his Infirmity to leave God's People and go into an Idolatrous Countrey for the preservation of his outward estate and while he sojourn'd there whereas he should have dwelt in his own Land Psal 37.3 his Life was finished ver 3. And Secondly As to themselves both those two Sons out of Humane Infirmity together with their Father finished their Lives also v. 5. Hence Observ 4. All the Children of Men have that Natural Infirmity that in the appointed time their Lives must be finished those two Names-are writ upon all Flesh Infirmity and Finished 't is the grand Statute of the upper House in Heaven Hebr. 9.27 'T is appointed unto all Men once to Die Man is made up of contrary Humours Heat Cold Moisture and Dryness if any of those be predominant and not kept in an equal Temperature down we go Ephrathites of the Tribe of Judah Mich. 5.2 Matth. 2.6 this place spoke of there not of Ephraim 1 Kings 11.20 Continued there till Elimelech Died a Beggar say the Jews he went out full but dyed empty ver 21. God did charge Moab with his out-casts Isa 16.4 which had formerly been hard-hearted to Israel Deut. 23.3 had they not been kindly used as Sojourners they would never have staid there ten Years as ver 4. Hence Observ 5. God can and will speak for his poor Persecuted People in the very hearts of his Enemies and cause their most Inveterate-Foes to favour them as he did for them in Moab here and as he promised to do in other Countreys Verily I will cause the Enemy to entreat thee well Jer. 15.11 The Hebr. imports If I do not intercede for thee with the Enemy then never trust me more saith the Lord This God perform'd after what he had promised here to the Prophet Jerem. 40.4 Nebuzaradan said to him Come and I will look well to thee c. Pharaoh could not be kinder to Joseph Gen. 47.6 nor Abraham to Lot Gen. 13.9 than he was to Jeremy Our God is to be Adored for this at this Day Sion's Out-casts of Men Jer. 30.17 are not cast away 's of God tho' he seems to cast off the care of them yet is he at work for them in the hearts of their Adversaries saying to them Let my Out-casts dwell with thee Moab as if God had said 'T will not be long ' ere I call home my Banished be content to let them dwell some while with thee Herein thou shalt do thy self no Disservice at all Naomi was call'd home to Canaan where God provided for her and made her last Days her best Days God's People may be persecuted but not forsaken 2 Cor. 4.6 V. 3. And Elimelech Naomi 's Husband Died. Death comes very near a Man when it climbs up to his Bed and strikes a Rib out of his side to wit when God takes away the desire of his Eyes with a stroke Ezek. 24.16 thy dearly beloved and greatly delighted in 'T was a great Tryal to the Prophets Patience and Obedience especially considering that his Comfortable Consort must have a dry Funeral Moâ—s mea ne careat lachrymis Tears are the Dues of the Dead and it would have been some ease to the Prophet if he might have Mourned for his Dead for Expletur lachrymis Egeriturque dolor as the Hinds by Calving so Men by Sorrowing do cast out their Sorrows Job 39.3 Yet this Ezekiel must not do for he was herein to be a Sign to Israel that
carnal Cardinal in France I would not lose my part in Paris for my part in Paradise for indeed no such wretch could have any part at all in Gods Paradise no such dirty Dog shall ever tread upon that Golden Pavement Revel 21.21 and 22.15 Observ 4. Carnal Worldings will be wiser than the most wise God This Worldly Muck-worm Reasons and Resolves here as if the Father of all the Families both in Heaven and on Earth Eph. 3.15 would have undone his Family by a displeasing precept he makes himself wiser than God who sets the solitary in families Psal 68.6 and preserveth them in that state by his providence which can never be contradictory to his precept nor his precept to his providence Yet thus he Argues Should I Marry Ruth Alas she is a poor Widdow and brings no Addition to my Estate and then the Old Woman Naomi must be maintained too which will be a double charge yea further she being Young may fill my House with Children so weaken my Inheritance when divided into many Streams or if she brought him but one Child he would want an Heir to bear his own Name but Mahlons that was deceased it must bear and so he should beget a Child upon another Mans-bed and therefore he thought to obey God who blesseth those that obey him would blast his Patrimony and thus with his carnal Reasonings and for Worldly Respects he dispenseth with his Disobedience to the express Law of God Deut. 25. ver 5 6 7. Whereas 't is our duty to see always better things in Gods will than in our own and to believe Wisdom where we cannot behold Love V. 7. Now this was the manner in former time concerning Redeeming Here the Rites of Redemption or Alienation of Lands are Related bearing some Resemblance with those prescribed in Moses's time Deut. 25. yet with difference Hence Observ 1. Old Custom is of great Authority with all People Custom is not only a Second Nature but 't is also a prime Law to many as Tully said those Customs I received by Tradition from my Ancestors Nullius unquam me Movebit Autoritas no Authority shall ever remove me Mos which signifies custom is called Magnus Trium literarum Tyrannus a mighty Tyrant of Three Letters that mightily prevails every where as amongst those Barbarians that have a custom of throwing stones one at another once in the year and this custom they cannot be persuaded to lay down because they received it by Tradition from their Ancestors But Jeremy tells us The Customs of the People are vain Jer. 10.3 old customs without a consonancy to the Truth and Word of God Joh. 17.17 are but mouldy errors So then the Jus Consuetudinarium cryed up by the Romanists ought to be Abandoned in as much as it Agrees not with the Truth To make custom the chief Magistrate or Law of our Life is to make our selves no better than dead Images that are moved and carried on upon the Wheels of custom Observ 2. Succession of time is very apt to alter primitive Institutions Here some alterations were crept in since the appointment of Moses in Deut. 25. for there the Widdow refused by the next Kinsman complained to the Elders of the injury offered her but here Ruth makes no such complaint There The Woman pull'd off his Shoe but Here The Man pulls off his own Shoe himself and gives it to his Neighbour the Goel or Redeemer There she Spits in his Face to disgrace him But here no such matter is done save only his delivering the Shoe to Boaz whereby he renounced his own Right so much as to tread upon that Land without sufferance and resigned all up to the Redeemer Thus Alterations from the first Institution and Innovations are very apt to creep in upon us in Matters of Religion Our Lord saith non crat sic ab Initio it was not so from the beginning Mat. 19.8 This was a Testimony in Israel That is it was entred upon Record that the Redeemer should ever hold his Right to the thing redeemed They made sure Bargains for the Earth Hence Observ 3. If Earth much more Heaven should be assared Oh what sure work was made about Anathoth's Field Jer. 32. See v. 9. more of this V. 8. So he drew off his Shooe This was for confirming the Bargain according to the custom of the Countrey in giving Possession by Turf and Twig or by Sod and Straw laying them upon the Deed or Evidence c. Hence Observ 1. To put off the Shoes of our Defilements is a Blessed Evidence of an Holy Resignation of our selves to God Thus Moses was commanded to put off his Shoes Exod. 3.5 And thus was Joshuah also Josh 5.15 not so much because they stood upon Holy Ground as that both of them must design themselves to an Holy God Oh that we could do so inasmuch as that Ceremony of Spitting in the Face of this Refusing Kinsman was either omitted or remitted yet the Bargain was firm in Israel From hence arises Observ 2. Religion may be firm and right Religion without some Ceremonies As this Bargain was a right and firm Bargain without that Ceremony for either it was become Obsolete and out of use or Ruth referr'd the whole concern to Boaz. Oh it were an happy thing if the Worship of God were now accounted a right and firm Worship of God without being so cloathed and clogged with so many Ceremonies over and above the nakedness and simplicity of the Gospel N. B. 'T is pity they should be called but indifferent to Salvation yet be accounted so necessary to preferment Those indifferent things must not now either be omitted or remitted though they have been for some time out of use but are imposed as necessary things though not mentioned amongst such Acts 15.28 whereby they lose the very Nature of Indifferency V. 9. Ye are Witnesses this Day 'T was Boaz's care to make his new Purchase with good assurance Caveat Emptor the Buyer must take heed that all be right fast and firm Thus Abraham did in his purchase Gen. 23.16 Those were fit Witnesses because they were Eye-Witnesses of the Bargain and Ear-Witnesses also Hereby he provided for his own security and for the quietness and peace of his Posterity also who otherwise might have been dispossessed of it 'T was therefore an act of great prudence and shall not we be as prudent for Heaven that purchased Inheritance so call'd Eph. 1.14 as Abraham was of his Purchase if we be the Sons and Daughters of Abraham Thus Jeremy as before made sure work by Evidences both Subscribed or Signed and Sealed and Delivered before Witness yea and two Copies for preventing Quarrels and after-Claims Jerem. 32.9 10 11 12. Men love to be upon sure Grounds in things that are Temporal Oh that they were as wise in things that are Spiritual and Eternal V. 10. Moreover Ruth the Moabitess have I purchased c. And 't was a good Purchase even the best
to his discontented Soldiers before he cut off Saul's Lap but seeing it is placed in Scripture after that Act when he returned to them with Saul's Lap in his hand at which sight they were enraged because he had not kill'd him The Fourth Remark is This daring Action of David in cutting off Saul's Lap which he could not do without eminent Danger and Difficulty N. B. To resolve this Doubt I find several Sentiments seeing it seems marvelous that Saul neither Saw him nor Heard him nor Felt him when he did it Answer 1. The Syriack and Arabick Version for Saul's covering his feet is that he laid him down to sleep being weary'd with his hasty pursuit so David without difficulty took him napping and so might easily have cut his Throat according to his first purpose as the Rabbins say but his Heart misgave him and he better bethought himself therefore he did only cut off his Lap. The Second Answer is Supposing Saul was only Easing Nature he laid aside his Upper Garment at some distance behind him according to common custom for the more conveniency of doing that business this did facilitate David's cutting off a small part thereof enough to become an evidence of his Innocency The Third Answer is That Saul did not only Cover his Feet but He covered his Head also according to the custom of that Country for Modesties sake that the Disfiguring of Mans Countenance in that Straining work may not be discerned The Fourth Answer is God wrought miraculously for David here not only in giving him extraordinary agility in the Act but also in Stupifying Saul so as to make him insensible Thus God cast him into a deep Sleep Chap. 26.7 12. To say nothing of the noise of Saul's Soldiers at the Mouth of the Cave which might well drown the noise of David's nimble motion c. The Fifth Remark is David's Apology and Pathetical Oration to Saul in the Vindication of his own Innocency v. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. Wherein Observe First Though David had been afraid of Saul and therefore hid himself from him and though his Heart had smote him for cutting off Saul's Lap as being an injurious and ignominious Act and an affront to his Soveraign yet now becomes he more bold being better satisfied with the testimony of his own Conscience and dares follow Saul out of the Mouth of the Cave and cries after him with this evidence of his Integrity in his Hand Secondly He makes his most humble obeysance to Saul as to his Soveraign bowing with his Face to the ground that by Heaping Coals of Fire upon his Head in his Humility he might happily melt him into a more appeased frame and to quench his Fury with Courtesie Thirdly David prudently accosts Saul with a well Accommodated Oration which he begins with his blaming not so much Saul himself as his Sycophants for infusing into him such Evil Counsel whereby he was agitated to such eager and evil Actions more than by any Genuine Malice of his own N. B. This was a Politick Insinuation of David thus to Conquer and Captivate Saul s Bennevolence whereas in truth Saul could not be justified for tho' those Sycophants had the Devil upon their Tongues in their slandring David to him yet Saul had the Devil in his Ears in hearing and believing their slanders The Tale-hearer is no less faulty than the Tale-bearer Nor was this all Saul's fault for he had indeed the Devil in his Heart as well as in his Ear even that Evil Spirit from the Lord sent upon him Chap. 16.14 So wanted a Bridle more than a Spur. They must needs Run whom the Devil drives Fourthly David Vindicates his own Innocency not by words only but by a sign also crying to Saul Ecce Signum behold here an infallible Evidence that I seek not thy Life as thy Sycophants suggest to thee saying My Father God delivered thee into my Hands this day and my men bid me kill thee c. As if he had said according to Chrysostom's sense God hath given me a greater Victory this Day than on that Day when I Conquered Goliah for now I have not only Conquered my own Soldiers who rose from all sides of the Cave to kill thee by disswading them from so doing with a word in season But I have also Conquered my self whose Corrupt Nature prompted me to dispatch thee but by Grace I have Mastered it behold here thy Lap to testifie it c. Fifthly To convince Saul's Conscience the more David Adds the Proverb Semel malus semper data occasione praesumitur esse malus Once Evil and ever Evil if opportunity be offered I am Honest as thou never hast so shalt thou never find me otherwise c. As if he had said I abhor the motion Such Counsel of the wicked is far from me Job 21.16 Sixthly David pleads 'T is below a King to Kill a Flea c. as 't is below an Eagle to Catch Flies this was David's Humility expressed in Psalm 131. calling himself a Dead Dog And Lastly He appeals to God the Righteous Judge v. 12 15. twice over and woe to those whom Gods persecuted People turns over to the great God for Revenging the injuries done them for he is the Lord of Recompence and will surely requite Jer. 51.56 The Sixth Remark is The Influence and Efficacy this Pathetical Oration of David had upon the Heart of Saul First It Squeezed Tears from Saul v. 16. which was like Moses's fetching Water out of a Rock Thus David's Innocency began to Triumph in the Tyrants Conscience This was only a Temporary Passion in an Hypocrites Heart Secondly It constrained from Saul a candid Confession of David's Integrity and of his own Iniquity saying v. 17 18. While I bare an Evil will to thee thou hast born a a Good will to me Thirdly It compelled Saul to give David an High commendation of his matchless Meekness and Tenderness toward him v. 19 20 saying Thou hast not dealt with me as with an Enemy after the manner of Men but thou hast rather imitated the Clemency of God in sparing my Life which is more than my Kingdom when it was in the power of thy hands which no meer Man would do to an Enemy Fourthly So strongly did Conviction take hold of Saul's Conscience that he confirmed what Samuel had foretold and while Samuel was yet alive that David Shall be King and thereupon falls into a Capitulation not to cut off his Posterity verse 20 21. N. B. The care he had of his Sons was indeed commendable though he had hitherto taken such a course as was more like to bring a Curse upon them and not a Blessing Notwithstanding David Concurs and Capitulates by an Oath v. 22. The same in Effect with that Covenant he had contracted with Jonathan before N. B. Here David bound himself only that upon his own private Account he would not cut any of them off as his Corrivals to the Kingdom but he
or at least might do so must be beaten with many stripes Luke 12.47 God is more sharp with those he loves left they should be damned with the World 1 Cor. 11.30 Thirdly This severity was to teach us that tho' Vzzah had a good aim in this Act yet this was not enough to make this Action good because it was expresly against the Command of God Saul had a good intention in sparing Amalck 1 Sam. 15 21. and the Jews had the like in persecuting Christ and his Apostiles they aim'd at God's Service in it Joh. 16.2 1 Cor. 2.8 N. B. Note well Two things therefore be requisite in true obedience both good Aims and good Actions Jehu did good Actions but his bad Aims quite marr'd them and Vzzah here had good aims yet this could not make his bad action good tho' Jehu's bad aims made his good actions bad Oh how careful ought we to be that all our works be wrought in God Joh. 3.21 both quoad fontem from a right Principle quoad sinem for a right end yea quoad regulam by a right rule also The Fifth Remark is The resentment of David upon this disaster of Divine Displeasure 't is said David was displeased c. v. 8 9. One would think he falls into a petfit of discontent and oh how untowardly spake he in his pang of passion as if the fault had been more in God than in himself or we may more candidly conjecture that David was displeased in a way of sorrow for the sin that had displeased God so as to turn all their joy and laughter into lamentation N. B. Charity directs us to say it was David's grief for the sin which he acknowledgeth 1 Chron. 15.2.13 tho' some peevishness and impatience might through humane frailty be mixed therewith because that day of such general rejoycing was so suddenly dash'd and damp'd with this sad disaster The Second Part of this Chapter namely the seating of the Ark of God in a strange place to with in the House of Obed Edom was occasioned hereby Remarks on this Second part The First is David considering first how ill the Philistines had fared for their miscarriage towards the Ark and after that how fifty thousand Bethshemites had lost their lives for their irreverent peeping into it and now Vzzah was struck dead for touching it was afraid of the Lord v. 9. least God should proceed further in the way of his Judgments both upon himself and upon his People seeing he had been so severe already for the Circumstantial errour of a pious mind and more such mistakes might easily be committed by him or others if they proceed on in their Journey to Jerusalem So David was at a great stand and durst deal no more in a matter so dangerous saying How shall the Ark of the Lord come unto me So David dare not do it v. 10. having met with this sharp dispensation in the attempting of it but he carried it aside into the house of Obed Edom the Gittité The Second Remark is This deed of David some denominate as his Humility not presuming to proceed but rather desist seeing Divine Displeasure seem'd to say so to him until God gave him new direction but more probably David discover'd in this deed great infirmity for as Peter Martyr argueth excellently upon this Point If David did not know that it was the will of God the Ark should be carried to David's City Sion then he ought not to have begun its removal upon his own head but if he had God's Warrant for so doing then he ought not to have desisted from it at this time upon this discouragement N. B. That Old Sophister Satan we may say put a Paralogism or fallacy call'd non causa pro causa upon David here for the Ark was not the cause of this Calamity but Sin which being removed he might have foun'd God reconciled David should have considered that the matter of this action was good but there was some failure in the manner of acting which he finding out and reforming it should have proceeded having God's word to warrant him to carry the Ark to Jerusalem without fear of any further danger N. B. Do not God's Ordinances do good to them that walk uprightly Mich. 2.7 The Third Remark is David's carrying the Ark to Obed Edom's House ver 10.11 wherein Mark First Obededom was a Levite 1 Chron. 15.18 21 24. 16.5 26.4 and certainly a good man who finding David at a loss what to do with the Ark desired of him that his House might entertain it for the present which was near Jerusalem as Sanctius supposeth because Nachon's Threshing-floor where this disaster fell is named here v. 6 as Araunah's threshing floor where the Temple was afterward built in named Chap. 24.18 22. N. B. Note well For though this good man Obededom knew what had befaln the Philistines and the Bethshemites and now Vzzah concerning the Ark yet full gladly did he desire such a bless d and blessing Guest and most chearfully did he entertain it not imputing those disasters aforesaid to the bare having of the Ark which was a gracious sign of God's presence but to some irreverent miscarriages about it and therefore he intends to handle it holily according to the direction of God's Law concerning it Mark Secondly This Man is call'd a Gittite not because a Philistine of Gath for he was an Israelite of the Tribe of Levi as above but because he had sojourn'd in Gath being as Peter Martyr saith banish'd thither with David by Saul when he slew the Lord's Priests and we find that the Levites sometimes were forced to Sojourn where they could find a place Judg. 17.8 or he was of Gath-rimmon a City of Levites Josh 21.24 25. Mark Thirdly The Ark brought a Blessing to Obededom and all his houshold v. 11. Some say how durst David expose his Neighbour to that danger from which he delivered himself Answer David did not impose the Ark upon him contrary to his own consent by his Kingly Authority but this Holy Levite from a sincere love to and fervent zeal for God's Ark did desire of David that he might be its Host to entertain it in his house that was nigh this Perez Vzzah and in the way to Sion the City of David N. B. God took this Act of Faith well at Obededom's hands and blessed him in his Flocks in his Fruits and in all his Affairs and Actions and not only in his Temporals but also in his Spirituals to shew what a liberal Pay-master God is unto all both small and great who favour his concerns and further his Kingdom They shall be no lours but great gainers who give either him or his Servants due Entertainment as Laban was blest for entertaining Jacob Potiphar and the Chief Goaler for Joseph the Widow of Sarâ—pta for Elias the Shunamite for Elisha Zacheus for Christ as Obededom here for harbouring God's Ark. The Third part of this Chapter is
together or the piles of his Buildings before he come to speak of all the Furnitures thereof c. The Second Remark is the Time which those three Civil Structures took up namely thirteen Years v. 1. almost double to the time wherein he was building the House of God not because he loved himself better than his God so was six years longer in pleasing his own Curiosity Eccles 2.4.5 6. than he was in gratifying God's Command for Divine Worship for he was still God's Jedidiah a Lover of God and beloved by God but the Learned render these Reasons First That of Erpenius and Junius because Solomon had not Materials prepared for those Fabricks as he found for the Temple by his Father David 1 Chron. 22.14 15. nor did he employ so many Workmen in these c. The Second Reason is that of Peter Martyr Solomon was not pressed forward to hasten those Civil Structures either by the Command of God or of his Father as he was to the Sacred Structure of the Temple for speedy settling in it the Worship of God which was indeed the foundation of all their hoped for felicity both of King and Kingdom The Third Reason is That of Lavater out of Josephus God having laid his own Divine Obligation upon Solomon and his Subjects to build the Temple did cause them to use more alacrity and diligence in this work than in the other of Civil Concern only The Fourth Reason is Solomon was not so long in those Civil Structures because they were larger and more curiously wrought than the House of God but because there were three of these Fabricks as 1. The House of Lebanon v. 2 3 4 5 6. 2. The Porch for the Throne v. 7. and the House for Pharaoh's Daughter v. 8. c. The Building of all these took up thirteen years time tho' some Learned Men in Vatablus compute this time to be only two years after the Temple was finished but this Opinions is fully confuted saith Peter Martyr from Chap. 9.10 where the term is expresly made twenty years from the beginning of the Temple which the great Devotion both of Prince and People finished in seven years and six Months but longer leisure was taken and fewer helps were found to finish these three other Fabricks c. The Third Remark is The Holy Spirit in Scripture giveth us but a very brief account of those three Buildings but only an obscure and compendious mention of them for as P. Martyr well observes here is not any account of their Dining-Rooms Lodging Chambers Kitchins c. because they were designed for Civil uses only but that for Sacred Service is more largely insisted upon within and without Indeed this house of the Forest of Lebanon hath the largest description because it was for publick service and the two other for private use only as some say but the first is described at large 1. The Palace the matter of it Cedar the form of it all its dimensions v. 2. the parts of it the Roof v. 3. the Windows one opposite to another v. 4. the doors and posts v. 5. with Windows all composed both for light and delight there was light against light three stories high thorough lights in every room one over another c. 2. The Porch suitable to the Palace v. 6. supported by many Pillars for the more magnificent entrance into it This Porch was proportionable to the Palace not too high to obscure the prospect of the Palace saith Osiander yet large enough to cover the Courtiers from Rain or Sun saith Peter Martyr There be two Curious Questions concerning it 1. The situation of it whether in Lebanon or at Jerusalem and 2. The Dimension of it whether above that of the Temple Answer the First To the first Question Piscator and Junius judge it stood in the Forest of Lebanon and was Solomon's Country-Palace for Recreation in Summer season this Opinion that Text favours Chap. 9.19 where it is said Solomon built in Lebanon therefore the Chaldee calls it Domum Refrigerii his House of Refreshing because he had there his delicate places saith Lavater for Hawking Hunting Fishing c. necessary Diversions for Great Princes when publick Affairs will permit that they may come fresher again to the Throne of Judgment after some small time of refreshment in those Delights of the Sons of Men Eccles 2.4 6. And they farther say Solomon built this House in the very Mountain of Lebanon after he had Conquered Hemath to which Lebanon belonged 2 Chron. 8.3 4. nor can this House be so called because it was built of the Cedars of Lebanon for then his other Houses might have the same Denomination upon the same account Beside this Palace is not call'd the Forest of Lebanon for any resemblance to it in the multitude of its Pillars standing like Cedars in the Forest but 't is expresly called the House of the Forest of Lebanon here v. 2. Answer the Second to the first Question But Peter Martyr and many more do generally concurr that this Palace was built somewhere nigh Mount Sion and Jerusalem and not in Lebanon alledging 1. Because there was the Throne of Judgment v. 7. which was fittest to be in the Place of Solomon's Common and Constant Residence 2. Because there was the chief Magazine of Arms Isa 22.8 And Solomon's Golden Shields were laid up there as is manifest from 1 King 10.17 and 14.25 26 28. And 3. It seems impracticable for so prudent a Prince as Solomon was to place such precious Stores in Lebanon so far remote from his Royal City and in the utmost borders of his Kingdom as Lebanon was But 4 They say it was call'd the House of the Forest of Lebanon partly because it was framed first in that Place Chap. 9.19 and partly the Temple it self is called Lebanon upon the same account Zach. 11.1 But principally because this Palace near Sion was as it were an Abridgement of that famous Forest having an hundred Pillars of Cedars in it standing upright like so many Cedar Trees in Lebanon and all the Timber thereof as Beams Boards c. were made of the Cedars of Lebanon moreover this Palace had the resemblance of that Forest as it was planted about with many pleasant Groves Shades and great store of Trees as in Lebanon and adorned with Orchards Gardens Solitary Walks Sweet Smells Musick of Singing birds a Prospect of Wild Beasts and all manner of delightful Accommodations Eccl. 2.4 5 6. So pleasant Places are oft call'd Carmel saith Peter Martyr in Scripture As to the second Question or Objection touching its Dimension that this House was larger than the House of God which was but sixty Cubits long and twenty broad Chap. 6.2 whereas this Palace is said to be an 100 Cubits long and fifty broad v. 2. here Answer the First Both Peter Martyr and Junius affirm that this Royal Palace was not larger than the Temple of God if we comprehend with the Temple both the
their chief Leader and Reformer 4. Lavater adds God withdrew from Elijah which caused Elijah that he withdrew from his Work and God did so to teach him his own Nothingness in himself and that all his late wonderful Works were wrought by no Power of his own but by a Power borrow'd from God And Gregory doubts not to say That Elijah began to be tickled with some high Conceits of himself for the great Acts which he had done therefore was he suffer'd thus to fear and to fall beneath himself for his humiliation lest he should be exalted above measure as Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 Elias ille fulminator ad mulierculae scilicet Jezebelis minas nunc trepidat factus est seipso Imbecillior This thundring Prophet now trembles at Jezebel's Threats and becomes unlike himself in weakness and cowardice c. The like we find in Peter likewise who was frighted from his Duty into Sin of a gross nature and that only by a weak silly Wench Matth. 26.71 72. N. B. Learn hence our daily dependency upon divine Influence for every new day-duty If left to our selves we are as weak as water c. The Places that Elijah fled to were Three first to Beersheba ver 3. Remarks upon it are first This City was the utmost Confine of the Ten Tribes where Jeroboam had set up one of his Calves as the other at Dan bordering upon Judah had Elijah's Errand been hither to pull down Calf-Worship here in the name of the Lord he had then acted like himself but he came as a Renegado not as a Reformer Remark the Second What this Reformado did here we are not told save only the leaving his Servant there 1. He thought not himself safe there from the Fury of Jezebel yet his Boy the supposed Son of the Sareptan Widow might be over-look'd 2. A kind Master will not expose his Servant to the Hardships of a Desart as he would himself 3. Lest the Man should discover the Master but 4. That he might more freely converse with God all alone The second Place Elijah fled to was the Wilderness ver 4. Whereon Remarks are First The best of Men when left of God are but changeable Mortals as Elijah here quantùm mutatus ab illo how is he changed from what he was before Oh how bold and couragious had Elijah been in telling Ahab to his Teeth I am not but thou art the Troubler of Israel in carrying the Contest all alone against all apostatizing Idolatrous Israel and in slaughtering with his own single Sword four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal c. but now behold He is so timerous and dastardly that he flees from place to place at the frowns of a weak and wicked Woman He dare not tarry at Beersheba no nor take that Boy with him whom he had rais'd from Death to Life as some say lest his own Life should be betrayed into the hands of Jezebel thereby N.B. He durst not stay in Judah though good Jehosaphat reigned there because he was allied to Ahab and being a Man of a facile Temper Elijah fear'd Ahab might easily circumvent him and so seize his Person Hereupon He flees from thence a days Journey into the Wilderness even into that very Wilderness wherein Israel had wandred forty Years and lays himself down weary and hungry under a Juniper-tree which Serpents naturally avoid saith Pliny and therefore he might Promise to himself a safe and secure sleeping under it's shadow Remark the Second Here he earnestly desired to die that He might be freed from his fears c. which was the fruit of his Frailty as was done by Jonah afterwards Jon. 4.3 for if he really and deliberately desired it and not in a Pang of Passion only it was but his returning to Jezebel and she would readily grant his Request N.B. But Peter Martyr qualifies this passionate Petition saying 1. He feared should he fall into the clutches of Jezebel and her Priests they might have put him to some cruel kind of Death for his slaying so many of Baal's Prophets 2. It was look'd upon as exceeding ignoble to die by the Hands of a Woman Judg. 9.54.3 He desired rather to die by the most noble hands of God's immediate stroke which he look'd on as a more honourable kind of Death And thus had Jacob faln in his Conflict with the Messiah Gen. 32.24 he would have this Honour to fall by noble hands 4. But especially He desir'd thus to die from his Zeal for God's Glory lest Jezebel and her Chimney-Chaplain's should Triumph over his Death by their hands and say now Baal prevails over Jehovah and Baal's Prophets prove too strong for this Prophet of the Lord. Besides 5. He was now a very old Man elder than most of his Predecessors who had lost their lives by Jezebel and other Persecutors and seeing as he said it is enough I can do no more service for God Israel is resolvedly relaps'd into Idolatry And I can no longer expect any Joy of my miserable and mortal Life therefore he press'd this Petition Remark the Third But God's Thoughts were not like Elijah's Isa 55.8 for God had not only more Work for him in this World as the anointing of Hazael John and Elisha c. ver 15 16 17 c. but also God determined to deliver him both from Jezebel and from Death it self which devoureth all Men He should have a greater Honour conferr'd upon him than all his fore-fathers that he mentioned namely be bodily translated into Heaven which he never thought of Remark the Fourth However Elijah's dolour and toilsome Travel lull'd him asleep under the sweet and secure shade of his Juniper-tree ver 5. so while he earnestly calls for Death sleep which is the Image of Death Mortis imago sopor comes to him uncalled N.B. The Angel of God waits on him there as one of God's ministring Spirits to an Heir of Salvation in this wild Wilderness Heb. 1.14 and thinks himself happy in this Office of providing the Prophet's Breakfast which he brings him piping hot as out of an Oven ver 6. not Dainties but Necessaries yet surely most excellently cooked by such a Coelestial Cook this was Angels Food indeed of an Angelical Dress Peter Martyr marks here the marvelous Care and Providence of God towards this Prophet God had provided for him before by a Raven Chap. 17.6 and by the Widow of Sareptah ver 15. and now here by an Angel nor was this all N.B. But afterwards in Mount Horeb God himself fed him with the sight of God's Face and with the hearing of his Word for we find not that Elijah did eat any thing at that time for forty Days and Nights together The Ravens and the Sareptan Widow provided for the Prophet while he was waking saith Dr. Hall but this Angel did so while he was sleeping Needs must Elijah Eat Drink and Sleep with much Comfort while he saw such an Attendant Guardian and Purverour The first time
that he might be a Witness of his Translation for the good of the Church in all Ages 4. God suggested to him that at their parting he should have a double Portion given him Therefore Elisha must be pardon'd for disobeying his Master Remark the Fifth Elijah passeth from Jericho to Jordan which He smote with his Mantle and Divided it as Joshua had done before and passed over it with Elisha fifty Sons of the Prophets looking on ver 7 8. This was Elijah's eleventh Miracle wrought by very improbable means not by the Ark of God as Josh 3.17 but by his Mantle only having a Divine Power accompanying the means N.B. That there might be a meet Parallel betwixt the two great Prophets who were to meet the Messias upon Mount Tabor Moses and Elias Matth. 17.3 4. What Moses had done to the Red Sea by his Rod an unlikely Instrument Exod. 14.16 21. That Elijah doth to Jordan with his Mantle here and Moses's Body was hid as Elijah's Body was translated Remark the Sixth Elijah drawing nigh to tread upon his last ground offers a munificent Boon to his faithful Servant who asks a double Portion ver 9. Mark 1. A Pious Master cannot but be kind-hearted so far as he can to such a Servant as he hath found faithful to him before his Departure from him Thus the best of Masters our blessed Messias was kind-hearted to his Disciples saying to them before his Departure from them Ask what ye will and ye shall receive it that your Joy may be full Joh. 16.24 Mark 2. Elijah bids not Elisha Ask what he would c. as having Power in Himself to gratifie his Request but as God's Instrument only and this he did by a Divine Instinct knowing what he craved of God for him would be done c. Mark 3. Elijah saith not Ask of we after I be gone but before I go saith Peter Martyr to teach us Invocation of Saints departed is no Duty of God's commanding We may have Communion here but no Commerce hereafter with them Mark 4. Elisha asks a double Portion which is variously sensed N. B. As 1. Vatablus saith He ask'd only two parts of Elijah's three for 't is not probable he could be so confident as to expect any excelling of his Master 2. Peter Martyr saith it was not his Pride but his Zeal for ability to bring back Israel from Idolatry which Elijah had not done therefore he asks a more powerful Spirit and Christ promis'd greater Works to be done by his Apostles than by himself Joh. 14.12 3. Erpennius saith Elijah wrought eight Miracles only but Elisha sixteen so doubled them 4. Junius and Grotius say He alludes to the double Portion of the first Born Deut. 21.17 above all their Brethren so Elisha being to succeed Elijah was to be the Head of all the Prophets He desired double to what the rest of the Prophets had 5. Piscator c. say his desire to excel even his Master in spiritual Gifts was no Sin but warranted by God's Word 1 Cor. 12.31 and 14.12 and the same is 1 King 1.37 where God said Amen to Benaiah's Prayer making Solomon's Reign to represent the Church Triumphant as David's did only the Church Militant 6. Osiander c. say that Elisha was more frequently conversant among Men than Elijah had been who mostly led an absconded Life and he taught the People more and lived with greater Pomp in King's Courts so needed more double Grace Mark 5. Elijah answers thou hast asked a singular Gift not single of Prophecie but of Miracles too yet seeing thou hast not ask'd Riches and Honours c. for thy self but spiritual Blessings for God's Glory and the Churches good God will give thee them provided thou see me when I am taken up N.B. This was the Sign by Divine Direction to make Elisha watch and pray the more earnestly Hereby his Request was justified for had it been unlawful the Prophet would have reproved him as Christ did his Disciples in the like Case Luke 9.46 47. Mark 10 36 37 38. Had Elisha been negligent in beholding his hopes had been dash'd and he had lost his begg'd Boon N.B. Such have need to be doubly Diligent and Vigilant that desire double Grace c. Elisha gains it by being an Eye-witness of Elijah's glorious Rapture as the Men of Galilee were of Christ's Ascension Acts 1.10 11. and gain'd the Spirit after it Acts 2.2 3 4. The second Part is the Concomitants upon which Remark the First When Elijah had long and happily fought the Wars of his God and accomplish'd his warfare with many glorious Victories then his God sent him a Chariot of Triumph to fetch him home from Earth to Heaven ver 11. then comes a bright Cloud formed in the fashion of a Chariot and manag'd by the Holy Angels those Seraphims or fiery Spirits fetch up this Seraphical Doctor who was of a fiery Spirit also so there was a suitableness Psal 68 17. and 104.4 N.B. This fiery Chariot was the Means or Instrument of Elijah's Translation yet was it not really a Chariot of Fire saith Lavater for then it would have burnt up the Prophet and would have been rather a torture to him than a Rapture of him But it was the Angels saith Grotius that appeared in the splendid form and similitude of a fiery Chariot only and in a Whirlwind also both which Fire and a Whirlwind had affrighted Elijah in the Rock of Horeb 1 Kings 19.11 12. here was again Terrour and Violence N.B. None ever saith Dr. Hall enter'd into Glory with ease this most favourable change had some equivalency in it to a natural Dissolution Oh that we could cry come Death come Fire come Whirlwind all worthily welcome that carries us to Heaven Remark the Second upon the Concomitants is The Time when the Place where and the Posture and Practice Elijah was in when this Chariot of Heaven came to fetch him to Heaven 't is expresly said as he was walking and talking we are not told what these two were talking on Peter Martyr saith it was about anointing the two Kings Sanctius saith it was about Modelling the Colleges of the Prophets and Mr. Mayer's Opinion is as probable as either of the other saying N.B. That Elijah foreseeing the wickedness of Jehoram wrote a Letter and now committed it to Elisha that he might deliver it to that wicked King when he saw that time 2 Chron. 21.12 but more of that when we come to it However this must be taken for granted that this was Divine Discourse betwixt those two great Divine Prophets for this is certain that Elijah had committed to Elisha the anointing of Hazael to be King of Syria 1 Kings 19.16 17. which was not done till after Elijah's Departure and undoubtedly Elijah was instructing Elisha about all those future Matters of Moment N.B. What a God-pleasing Ordinance Holy Conference and Godly Discourse is in our Walkings and Talkings Without all doubt Elijah knew well
the Heb. Vaiegnather signifies Though he had cast off his God and had been inexorable to him yet his God had not cast off him When his Soul was greatly humbled for his great Sin then was he quicken'd to pray for Pardon ver 13. which was the ready way to meet with Mercy from God who is High and Mighty and Merciful too Isa 57.15 and 66.2 and then God likewise granted him his Inlargement which he desired this undoubtedly was done though we are not told how by God's moving the Enemy to shew him Mercy according to his precious Promise Jer. 15.11 and according to Solomon's Prayer 1 Kings 8.46 47 48 49 50. which was here performed when he had his Bonds loosed and dismiss'd to return to his own Countrey N.B. 1. This Confutes that Novel Opinion both of the Old and of the New Novatians who teach that the great God hath no Mercy for great Sinners None though never so sinful if they have not sinn'd that Sin unto Death need to despair of Mercy seeing a Sinner of the vastest size found Mercy here If Men can but find a Praying Heart God will find a Pitying Heart and an helping Hand N.B. 2. The Rabbins report their uncertainties whether Manasseh got out of Prison with the King of Babylon's good leave or he made his escape And some say his Prison doors were opened his Chains loosed c. and he was delivered as Peter was afterwards Acts 12.6 7 10. but 't is enough for us to know The Lord knows how to deliver his 2 Pet. 2.9 Remark the Third Manasseh being returned home his first work was saith Josephus to reform Religion and then to repair the Walls ver 14. which probably were broke down when he was taken Captive yea and the Lord's Altar which he himself had defaced in his Idolatrous Humour and then to destroy those Idols which in that Humour he had before adored ver 15 16. which Deeds on both hands were good Evidences of his true Repentance and which no doubt he had vowed to do in his Distress observing God's Rule Vow and Pay Psalm 66.13 14 c. Remark the Fourth When this Reformed King had reformed his Kingdom save only the High Places that old Superstitious and unremovable Custom and had reduced his People to rights whom he had formerly seduced to Sin 2 Kings 21.9 then he died in the fifty fifth Year of his Reign and sixty seventh of his Life and was buried in his own Garden 2 Kings 21.18 by his own Last Will appointed as holding himself unworthy for his former Abominations to be buried in a Royal Sepulchre The latter Part of both these Chapters relate the Life of Amon his Son and Successor the fourteenth King of Judah and one that was old enough when he succeeded being ten Years older than his Father when he began to Reign and being born as is supposed in the Time of his Fathers Repentance yet doth he imitate his Fathers Sins notwithstanding all the former fearful Fruits thereof but not his Fathers Graces He humbled not himself as his Father had done but waxed worse than he say the Rabbins in burning the Book of the Law wherefore God soon cut him off after two Years Reign because saith Tirinus He would not be made wiser by his Fathers Example His own Courtiers conspired against him and slew him 2 Kings 21.19 to 26. and 2 Chron. 33.21 to 25. N.B. But because Josiah his Son was very Young so could not revenge his Fathers Death therefore the People undertook it as a special Part of Justice 2 Kings CHAP. XXII and 2 Chron. CHAP. XXXIV THESE two Chapters contain the History of the beginning of good Josiah's Reign a most Pious Son of a most Impious Father Amon who well knew all the Calamities that befel his Father Manasseh for his most notorious Impiety Yet was not caution'd is kill'd and buried in a Private Place Remarks upon Josiah First He was the youngest King being but eight Years old when he began to Reign ver 1. that ever sate upon the Throne of Judah as young again as Vzziah 2 Kings 15.2 Dr. Lightfoot well observeth that God had a great deal of Work to be done by Josiah therefore he sets him upon the Throne betimes to accomplish that Work which he had cut out for him in the World and which God had foretold in his Word should be wrought by him N.B. Giving him then his Name about three hundred forty Years before he was born 1 Kings 13.2 Remark the Second This Name which God himself had given him so long ago signifies the Salvation of God to which High Name his renewed Nature did excellently Answer both as to himself for he made God his Salvation by believing in him and as to his People whom by God's Help he saved both from Idolatry and from a foreign Enemy all his days His good Mother Jedidah which signifies the Lord's Darling did undoubtedly drop in Divine Instruction to season her young Son so soon as he was capable to receive it insomuch as he sucked in a savour of Piety with his Mothers Milk and began betimes 1. to do that which was right c. 2. To walk in the good ways of David And 3. more carefully than David He avoided all Aberrations on both hands but kept God's Cause-way Numb 20.17 1 Sam. 6.12 Deut. 5.32 Josh 1.7 Prov. 4.27 until he came to his last Step till then he step d right ver 2. Remark the Third No sooner had Josiah pass'd the time of his Minority living under a Tutor and Protector as Grotius well observeth and come to the Age of Sixteen Years the Eighth Year of his Reign 2 Chron. 34.3 than he began publickly to shew his Zeal for God wherewith his Soul had been seasoned in his Childhood as above Upon which Account too much good cannot well be spoken of this pious Prince that while he was now just entring into the Age of manifold Temptations and a State much expos'd unto many Touthfui Lusts and having now no Protector over him but had the Administration of his Kingdom wholly in his own hands without the Controul of any Superiour yet even at Sixteen Years of Age he begins to be in good earnest for a publick promotion of a Religious Reformation Oh Mirror of Piety at such an Age when commonly Youth is addicted to Vanity Eccles 11.10 Remark the Fourth His Reformation of Religion as described 2 Chron. 34. hath Circumstances of Removing 1. the High-places with their Groves c. ver 3. 2. The Altars and Idols which he Demolished ver 4. 3. He burnt the Bones of the Idolatrous Priests 2 Kings 23.20 Defacing their Sepulchres ver 5. 4 He in a word purg'd forth Idolatry both out of the City and out of the Country far off as well as near hand ver 6 33. so great was his Zeal Remark the Fifth Josiah's Repairing the Temple 2 Kin. 22. ver 3 to ver 20. 2 Chron. 3 34. ver 8 to ver
words of Exod. 15.11 which was the Motto upon the Maccabees Ensign in their Wars c. But the Rabbies say tho' they were Chaldee words writ at length yet in Samaritan Characters beside the Interpretation was Metaphorical as weighing in a Balance and above all God had blinded all the Wise-men's Minds reserving this Honour for Daniel Mark 5. The Interpretation 1. Mene Mene ver 25 26. The word is doubled saith Vatablus and Calvin for more Confirmation or because both the Jews Captivity and Belshazzar's Kingdom were now compleated in Number saith Maldonate both those two Reckonings were now cast up c. 2. Tekel ver 27. Thou hast no Weight nor Worth in God's Balance as thou hast made light of God of his People and Vessels so God Accounts as light of thee thou art now to be cast away as Reprobate Silver according to all former Prophecies in Isa 13 and 14 c. Jer. 25.12 and 50 and 57. and Dan. 2.32 saith Maldonate 3. Peres ver 28. Thy Kingdom is Divided between the Medes and Persians They are jointly call'd a Chariot with a couple of Horsemen c. Isa 21.7 9. and thus Daniel Interprets it for Cyrus the Persian was joined with Darius the Median in the Siege of Babylon tho' the latter only carries the Name here saith Dr. Lightfoot because he was the much Older Man and indeed Cyrus's Grand-father as Heathen Writers do affirm Mark 6. Belshazzar without any Nay-say performs his Promise as loath to be worse than his word so Herod Matth. 14.9 and desirous to oblige Daniel 's favour at a dead lift And Daniel at length admits it partly that he might not seem too rudely to slight the King's Kindness as one disaffected and partly that he might be the better known to the Persians and so become a Comfort to God's poor People as afterward he did c. Remark the Eighth Babylon is taken Belshazzar slain and Darius succeeds v. 30 31. Mark 1. Maldonate out of Xenophon saith That the Babylonians kept Carrousing with their Cups that Night after their sumptuous Supper Feast bragging how they were Victualled for 20 Years Siege and not at all fearing the Assault of the Besiegers who immediately began to Storm the City Somno vinoque Sepultam half drowned in Drink and Sleep The Centinels and Watchmen give the Alarm as Isa 21.5 crying Arm Arm And one Post runs to meet another to tell the King that his City was taken at one end as Jer. 51.31 All being punctually foretold fifty Years before this Mark 2. Tho' Josephus saith nothing of the manner how Babylon was taken yet other Learned Men say it was betrayed by Gaddatha and Gobryas two of Belshazzar's Courtiers whom he had wronged upon which they to be reveng'd of him fled to the Besiegers directed Cyrus 's Soldiers a private way into the City and into the King's Palace and first Killing the Guard they kill the King saith Xenophon Mark 3. This was the fatal Night wherein famous Babylon fell according to many Predictions of the Prophets as by Isaiah 1. Isa 13.17 God stirred up the Medes c. and Lucifer 's is faln from Heaven the King of Babylon had been the Terrour of the World so call'd the Morning Star Isa 14.11 12. and 20. Belshazzar being slain at his Drunken Feast was not Embalmed as was their custom with Kings but wanted Funeral Rites those Dues of the Dead Again Isa 21.2 3 4 5. The Prophet Acts Belshazzar's part crying I Belshazzar am in a woful case c. the Night of my Pleasure and Revelling is turn'd into Fear the Hand-writing of the Wall has marr'd my Mirth I cry'd Prepare the Table but 1. more need have said Prepare the Battel Again Isa 47.7 8 9 10 11. Babylon the Lady of the World becomes a forlorn Widow bereft of her Children to wit Monarchy and Kingdoms 2. Jeremy foretold all this with Isaiah as Jer. 25.12 16. Babylon shall be moved and she shall be Mad. Again Jer. 50.17 18. Belshazzar 's Bones shall be broken and his Empire translated to the Medes and Persians Again Jer. 51.2 13 39. God sends Fanners that make clean work its end was come their Wine at their Drunken Feast was mix'd with the wrath of God so it wrought speedily and furiously and Bel is made to belch up all his Spoils ver 44. yea the Vessels of the Temple Ezra 1.7 and 5.14 and Babylon is spoiled ver 55 c. 3. Habakkuk foretels the Fall of Belshazzar whom he brands with four Faults a VVine-bibber c. Hab. 2.5 c. denouncing dismal Woes against him and his City to the end of the Chapter especially for forcing Drink upon others ver 15. the practice of Roaring Boys in our days not observing Esth 1.8 c. Ahasnerus's Law and Quinetiam Spartae mos est laudabilis ille Vt bibat Arbitrio pocula quisque suo Let every Man drink what he listeth without forcing c. N. B. Babylon was first built by Nimrod as Nineve was after by his Nephew Ninus Gen. 10.11 Historians tell us its Walls were strong to a Miracle being two hundred Cubits high of the largest size of Cubits and fifty Cubits thick having an hundred Brazen Gates and many stately Towers c. It had lasted the head City of the Assyrian and Chaldean Monarchy for 1700 Years until Cyrus came and then down tumbles Babylon with its strong Walls Gates and Towers N. B. As certainly speedily and utterly as the literal Babylon did here fall accordingly shall Mystical Babylon do in God's time Babylon is fallen is fallen Rev. 14.8 and 18.2 is borrowed from Isa 21.9 Daniel tells Darius's Age Dan. 5.31 to shew the Destroyer of Babylon was born in that very Year wherein the King of Babylon was destroying Jerusalem thus God provided a Remedy for the Jews when the Malady lay so heavy upon them c. Daniel CHAP. VI. and Ezra CHAP. I. THESE Two Chapters give an Historical Relation of the two Great Conquerours of Babylon to wit Darius and Cyrus in order to the Deliverance of the Jews out of their long Captivity First The 6th of Daniel gives an Account of Darius the Median Mark 1. Darius hath the Honour given him by Daniel Dan. 5.31 of Conquering Babylon and taking upon him the Kingdom not only because he was Cyrus's Grandfather as Herodotus Xenophon and Justin affirm but also because he was the much Senior to Cyrus in the Siege and was Chief in the Quarrel against the Chaldees saith Pererius and Cyrus was only call'd in as Dariu's Assistant saith Maldonate for the War began not betwixt the Chaldees and the Persians but with the Medes against them as Herodotus teacheth And Cyrus saith Calvin was content to be a Sharer only in the Conquest easily allowing the Title of it Seni Ignavo to the old superannuated Grandsire to whom wanting Children he was Heir Apparent of the Kingdom of Media as he now had for some time present Possession of the
Keeping carefully and 3. In Distributing prudently to every Priest and Levite their Portion and Proportion Remark the Fourth When Nehemiah had left nothing undone that might become a Vigilant and a Valiant Ruler he shuts up all with this Holy Ejaculation Remember me O my God c. ver 14. that his God saith Wolphius might put a Candid Construction upon all his Kindnesses so the Hebr. is for good Deeds to God's House in Restoring all the Ordinances thereof to be duly observed as he had done before Chap. 5.19 See there wherein N. B. he did what God hade him do Put me in Remembrance Isa 43.20 and 62.6 7. saying Lord forget not my Labour of Love Hebr. 6.10 Not that God needeth any of Man's Memento's but speaking after the manner of Men he alludeth to the wipings out of a Table-Book God is said to have a Book of Remembrance Mal. 3.16 and good Nehemiah would not be wiped out of that Book nor blotted out of the Book of Life Rev. 3.5 as Piscator senseth it here N. B. This good Man was far from that cursed frame of the wretched Monk who in his Dying hour blasphemously belched out these words Redde mihi Deus aeternam Vitam quam mihi Debes God give me Heaven which thou owest me Not like that foul-mouth'd Vega another Popeling who cry'd Coelum gratis non accipiam I scorn to have Heaven as a free gift quite forgetting that Eternal Life is the gift of God and not any wage for Man's work Rom. 6.23 Nor was Nehemiah here like that Third Popish Justitiary who most daringly bluster'd out Non habeo Domine quod mihi Ignoscas which is in the Language of our late Executed Jesuits I die as Innocent as a Child unborn and have no Sins for God to pardon No Nehemiah said thus in the sense of Augustin saying Certum est nos facere quod facimus sed Deus facit ut faciamus Sure it is we do what good we do but 't is God alone who causeth us so to do 't is God that works all our good works in us and for us Isa 26.12 and without Christ we can do nothing John 15.5 and from him alone is our Fruit found Hos 14.8 hereupon the Church in Canticles is no where commended for the beauty of her Hands those Acting Members because her Bridegroom alone wrought all her good works for her and would rather have her to abound with good works in silence than that she should boast of them at all therefore ought we all to say in our loftiest Enlargements and highest Attainments Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name be the Praise Psal 115.1 This is the Godly Man's Motto and his Daily Practice Gen. 41.16 Acts 3.12 16. 1 Cor. 15.10 'T is not our Pains but Christ's Pounds that gains Ten Pounds Luke 19.16 N. B. I am thus large on this Remark for Refuting that Lying Doctrine of the Romish Merit bolster'd up by these words of Nehemiah See more of this Point upon ver 22. The Third Part of this Chapter consists also of a Malady and Remedy Remark First Upon the Third Malady to wit the Prophanation of the Sabbath are First The Matter that was done in Nehemiah's sight namely Treading of Wine-Presses bringing in Sâ—eaves of Corn lading of Asses c. ver 15. all on the Sabbath-day which were expresly forbidden by God's Law Exod. 20.10 and 34.22 c. As their Asses ought to have Rested on that Day so their Wine-Press treading saith Wolphius might then have been waved without Damage so could not be a Work of Necessity Remark the Second The Persons that Prophaned the Sabbath ver 16. The Men of Tyre who being Infidels saith Menochius gave the Grand Occasion of this grievous Sin for Tyre a near Neighbour to Judea and famous for Fishing because it bordered upon the Sea and a great Mart-Town for all manner of Merchandise Ezek. 27.3 c. yea those Merchants of Tyre had their Factors dwelling in Jerusalem who Sold all sorts of Ware publickly upon the Sabbath-day unto the Jews which they ought not to have done for that was God's Market-day and not Man's Nor ought the Jews to have bought them for thereby they made themselves worse than the Tyrians because they knowing God's Law ought to have been better had there been no Buyers there would soon have been a ceasing of Sellers c. Jeremy condemns it Jer. 17.21 Remark the Third The Place where all this was done 't was in Jerusalem that Holy City whose Citizens saith Vatablus should more conscientiously have kept the Commandments of the Lord they being then the only People of God in the whole World and where the Sanhedrim sate and great store of Priests and Levites to Instruct them N. B. This is added as a notorious Aggravation of their Sin in a City where God's House and Presence was So that this Prophanation of the Sabbath in such an Holy City was a manifest high Affront both to God and Man Remarks in the next place upon the Third Remedy are First Nehemiah was Centoculus had as it were an hundred Eyes an Eye in every Corner to observe whatever was out of Order therefore 't is said He saw this Sin also in Judah ver 15. He sits not down satisfied with Discovering and Redressing the two former Maladies but quickly discerning this Third likewise he smartly sets himself to Remedy this also chusing rather as a Learned Commentator Phraseth it to be accounted a busie Justice than a quiet Gentleman To which I add This good Man was thus Seraphically blown up with such a pious Zeal as if he were resolved it should never be writ upon his Tomb-Stone after his Death This Man did no good among his People Ezek. 18.18 Remark the Second He solemnly protested against these Sinful Actions and admonished them before Witness saith Vatablus to forbear ver 15. but he is more sharp with the Rulers saith Wolphius than he was with the Vulgar Jews or Tyrians the Buyers or Sellers ver 17. because the Sin was committed either by the Countenance or at least by the Connivence of those Rulers who ought to have restrain'd and severely punish'd such notorious Offenders therefore in an high Transport he calls them a Company of Traitors to Church and State ver 18. Abetting their Predecessors Sins which had so lately provoked God's Wrath against them Jer. 17.27 and now daring Jehovah to a Duel as Caligula did his Jove in renewing the same Sins as if stronger than God 1 cor 10.22 c. Remark the Third This Godly Ruler to prevent the Prophaning of the Sabbath Commands the City Gates to be shut when it began to be dark the Evening before the Sabbath ver 19. beginning their Sabbath at the Evening before Levit. 23.32 that there might be due Preparation and that the Sabbath might be Sanctified without any Interruption saith Sanctius and it soon began to be Dark at the Gates even at the Sun-setting
one Sabbath might pass over the Child to prepare it for the Ordinance Thirdly Yea this Eighth Day was so precisely observed that if it did fall upon the Sabbath-Day yet they Circumcis'd the Child from thence came their vulgar saying Circumcisio sabbatum pellit Circumcision drives away the Sabbath and upon this Christ made some reflections saying Ye on the Sabbath Day do Circumcise John 7.22 Intimating thereby If you may wound a man on the Sabbath day for that was done in Circumcision Why may not I heal one And if you may heal one Member of the Circumcised on the Sabbath-Day why may not I make a man every whit whole thereon If you be at some pains to cure the Circumcised Member with your Hand why may not I without any pains cure this man with my word only May not my Miracles as well as your Sacraments Glorifie God on the Sabbath-day Fourthly Others say the eighth Day was appointed for Circumcision because the Life of a Child is very uncertain all the first seven Days and certainly less able to undergo the pain thereof therefore was it deferred till that Day which may serve to convince those that think God hath simply tyed Salvation to Sacraments for it might have been accounted Cruelty in God to forbid Circumcision till the eighth Day had Salvation depended upon it because the Infant might dye before The Covenant indeed is absolutely necessary to Salvation but the Seal thereof is not so but respectively only as the Sacraments are the Counsel and Command of God they ought not to be rejected Luke 7.30 The want of them is therefore dangerous but the contempt of them is in the Fathers Phrase plainly Damning Lastly The Sentiments of the Antients Ignatius Cyprian and Austin concurr in this that the first Day Sabbath or Lord's Day was wrapp'd up in the Institution of this eighth Day for Circumcision as well as intimated by the number of eighth Persons saved in Noah's Ark and by the Title Shemenith which signifies eight set upon several Psalms to signifie that the eight Day next to the seventh or Jewish Sabbath or first Day should be the Day of our Lord 's rising both to revive us and whereon to bestow Spiritual Circumcision upon us When the Shadow ceased the Truth and Substance prefigured thereby did take its place The Jewish Synagogue and Sabbath ceased at the entrance of the Christian Church and Lord's-Day See more of this Point in my Christian-walk and Chapter upon the Lord's-Day-Sabbath c. The Second Thing considerable is the performances of it to wit the Act of Circumcision which was a cutting away the Praeputium round the Instrument of Generation When God intended to root out the cursed Canaanites and to plant his People in their Place the Covenant was that they should fear the Lord and not walk in the ways of those Nations Lev. 20.23 So the sign of that Covenant was such as had reference to those Sins of the Flesh wherein the Canaanites had wallowed Lev. 18.24 25 to the end Therefore the Amputation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superfluity of Naughtiness so call'd James 1.21 was commanded the People of the God of Abraham lest their Vncircumcision should usher in their utter Excision This Circumcision of the Foreskin signified that they had better be flayed and have their Skin quite stripped off than to have it as a Skin-bottle hanging in the Smoak of filthy Desires land blown full of unclean Motions with the breath of Beelzebub Hence Esau was call'd prophane because He was the first that drew forth the Foreskin after he was circumcis'd whereby He denyed God and the Character of God's People saith Epiphanius This Act of Circumcision had a fourfold Use 1. A Political to distinguish the Jews from the Gentiles 2. A Moral Vse to mind them of mortifying their Sins 3. A Theological Vse to remind them both of God's Holy Covenant with them and of their being an Holy Seed to God And 4. An Eternal Vse in the thing signified by it The Mystery that this History Points at is that Circumcision of the Heart which Origen describes is Purgatio animae abjectio vitiorum And the Apostle calls it the putting off the Old Adam with his Actions by the Circumcision of Christ that is through his Merit and Spirit Col. 2.11 Rom. 2.28 29. The true Circumcision is made without hands and is that of the Heart in the Spirit not of the Letter c. Oh how honourable is the work of Mortification to be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if equal with a Mansion of Glory not made with hands 2 Cor. 5.1 yet this wonderful Work of the Spirit is wrought by the Word upon the Hearts of Christians at their first Conversion when they are let blood in the Heart-Vein as those were Acts 2.37 whereby Corruption of Nature that sink of Sin is wounded beloved Sins cast away with Sorrow and the Sinner received into Everlasting Communion with God and his People The Word Gnorlah Praeputium or Foreskin is applyed to the stoppage of the Mouth Exod. 6.30 of the Ear Jer. 6.10 and of the Heart Lev. 26.41 Isa 6.10 Acts 7.51 hindring the Operation of all these to good Oh pray that Christ may thrust his Holy Hand into thy Bosom and pull off that abominable Foreskin Sin is the Devil's Vomit the Soul's Excrement and the very Garbage of the World therefore must it be cast away into Kidron or Town-ditch as Hateful to God and hurtful to Man James 1.21 The Duty is ours Deut. 10.16 but the ability for doing it is God's Deut. 30.6 in the former God bids us Circumcise our Hearts in the latter he says He will do it for us Urge him with his Promise and doubt not of his Power jubendo juvat while God gives out the command He gives Power to obey as to the Man with the wither'd Hand Stretch it out c. Mark 3.5 The Third Thing considerable is the Reasons why Christ was circumcised seeing He needed it not upon accounts aforesaid The Reasons were these First That He might shew himself a Member of that circumcised People John 1.11 Secondly To testifie that He was our surety and took our Sins upon himself so as to satisfie for them Gen. 44.22 Psalm 119.122 and Heb. 7.22 Thirdly To signifie that he was a Debtor to the Law and came fully to fulfil it on our behalf Gal. 5.3 and Matth. 3.15 and 5.17 Rom. 2.17 Fourthly This was a part of his Humiliation and bleeding Passion Fifthly Christ was both Circumcised and Baptized to teach us that 1. The whole Efficacy of the Sacraments depend wholely and solely upon him 2. That he was the Mediator of Mankind both before and under the Rigour of the Law as well as under the Grace of the Gospel 3. That he is the Knot and Bond of both Covenants 4. That all kind of Sinners both Jews and Gentiles might have all kind of Comfort in Christ as in an
4.18 23. not for Recreation-sake or for a past time nor as the Circumcelliones of old to make a vain shew of their Hypocritical Holiness nor as the Jesuits into whim the false Pharisees have fled and hid themselves do now to make Proselytes and to pervert Passengers that go right in their way Prov. 9.15 but his end was to finish his Fathers Work and for calling his Apostles c. The Fourth Remark is Christ came to Cana in Galilee where he wrought his first Miracle Turning Water into Wine at a Marriage Feast which some say was made at John his Beloved Disciples Marriage John 2.1 11. God the Son works his first Miracle for the Confirmation of God the Father's first Ordinance in Marrying Adam and Eve in Paradise Hereby his Apostles whom he had chosen and called believed on him more than they did before they proceeded from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 and 1 John 5.13 N.B. Note well Wine may be wanting though Christ be at the Wedding yea Bread though Christ be at the Board Yet 't is good that Christ be an Invited Guest his presence sanctifies what is present supplies what is absent and prevents extravagancies and disorders c. Sin in shamefaced when in Christ's Eye Those Disciples lighting their Torches one at another John 1.41 45. must also come with Christ to be Witnesses of this first Miracle John Baptist points at Christ to Andrew He to Peter c. Christ calls them out of their Dark Cells to come and see this Sun of Righteousness Christ was kinder to those Disciples than they expected to he is and will be to all-Commers to him He will in no wise cast them out John 6.37 They staid with him all the Day and as some say all the night too though he had not an Hole or House of his own N.B. Note well 'T is good to come near Christ and not be shie or keep at a sullen distance from Him such as stay with him shall partake of his Grace and Goodness N.B. Note well Christ Honours Marriage with a Miracle though Antichrist dishonour it with Mistakes and Prohibitions Those Miracles that are father'd upon Christ in his Minority are but Fables for then this could not have been his first now his Mother Mary both expected and desired to see some Miracle for supposing she had yet seen no domestick Miracles yet had she seen enough to raise up her Desire and Expectation the Star at his Birth did presage a famous life and beside his Disputing with the Doctors c. She saw he had cast off his private Trade the Carpenters calling and betaken himself to the Publick Ministry Now she longs to see something more than ordinary from her Son especially upon this opportunity the Bridegroom John the Evangelist or who else and the Bride were but a poor Pair who had more Company than Wine Mary a well-wisher to the new Couple intimates this defect to Christ not without Hopes of a supply Christ as Creator was above the Command of his Mother and would not work this Wonder as his Mothers Instigation but at God his Fathers Designation c. From hence Note N.B. Not well 1. Seeing Christ honoured Marriage State thus with his Presence and Miracle Married Persons must not Dishonour it by turning aside to strange flesh what do such therein but dissolve their Relation to Christ who declares himself an Husband to his Church all acts of uncleanness ought to be avoided N.B. Note well Christ and Satan walk in two contrary methods For Satan always gives the best first and reserves the worst last therefore Sin is never to be judged of by its coming to us but by its parting from us for though it bring Honey in its Month yet ever hath it a sting in the Tail The Tempter is like the Panther which enticeth men to him with his fragrant smell and then devours them On the contrary Christ's work is worst at first the best is behind First the bitter Waters of Repentance and then the Communication of Comforts The sweetest of Honey lays in the bottom of the Pot the best Wine Christ gave last at this Feast John 2.10 N. B. Note well Order of time is not in this Discourse strictly observed save concerning the four Passovers which were the measure of Christ's Publick Life as order to place is according to the Method of the Holy Pen-men who upon mentioning a Place take that occasion to relate stories out of their proper Time because they would take up the whole story of that place all at once together Therefore though Christ made three Perambulations of Galilee yet what works Christ wrought at the same Place but not at the same Time is here related The Fifth Remark is Christ's coming again to Capernaum his own City of Abode and Retreat when wearied with Travelling and Preaching abroad this place Christ dignified with many Miracles of Mercy in his being oft there As 1. On the Sabbath Day he cast out of Devil in the Synagogue Luke 4.31 33 c. and Mark 1.21 to 29. which Miracle hath these notable Marks 1. The Devil can foist himself into places not only where Christ is taught but where himself teacheth Drexelius's Vision was His seeing ten Devils at a Sermon and but one at a Market for which this Reason was rendred that at a Sermon People are mostly serious therefore Beelzebub to divert them from profiting by the word though ten Devils few enough for that tempting work but at a Market People are prone enough to Tempt one another into Sin so one Devil would serve there 2. Preaching with Authority not frigidly and Jejunely as the Scribes hath a power in it to startle Devils Such Grace was poured into Christ's Lips Psal 45.2 that all his Auditory was astonish'd at his Doctrine as one saw him without Reverence so none head him without Amazement even this Demoniack was first disturbed and then dispossessed The Evil-Spirit was made to cry out as one pained by the Word that went out with Power 3. The Unclean Spirit cried What have we to do with thee c. Oh horrible Impudence As if Christ were not concerned where his Members are perplexed the Devil grosly mistook here in severing from the Head the sense of an injury done to Members David felt his own Coat cut and his own Cheeks shaven in the Coats and Cheeks of his Servants 2 Sam. 10.5 6. The Soveraign suffers in his Subject nor is it other than Just that the Arraignment of the meanest Malefactor runs in the stile of wrong to the King's Crown and Dignity N.B. Notewell Christ is as sensible of the abuses done to his Saints Acts 9.4 Their sufferings are held his Col. 1.24 and their Reproach his Heb. 13.13 11.26.4 But if the Devil hath nothing to do with Christ Christ hath something to do with him for vexing a Servant of Christ notwithstanding his fair words he gives Christ to be rid of him as some do the
Temporal Redemption and blessed is he that is not offended in this but submits to God's Wisdom in it John Baptist had intimated as much to them he must increase I must decrease the Moon gives way to the Sun c. Though in order of Time John Baptists beheading was about eighteen Months after his casting into Prison so many wonderful Works of Christ were wrought before it yet that we may take the whole story of the Baptist together we will begin Christs second Passover with the Beheading of Him The First Remark herein is Because the Holy Baptist had touched Herod's White Sin which indeed was Black Wickedness he must be cast into Prison without either Bail or Mainprize tange Montes fumigabunt this great Mountain the King being thus touched upon his Adulterous Right Eye begins to smoak and breaks out into a flame of Rage against the Baptist thinking it irrational for a Subject to stand still while his own Eye is pickt out much less for a King to have that Affront from a Subject and not only confines him but lays Fetters upon him as an High Malefactor and a stirrer up of Sedition there he lay bound for a year and an half for telling the Truth The Second Remark is All this eighteen Months Herodias hung over him as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 6.19 signifie with her most Malicious Mind which could not be glutted with Gaoling and Fettering him but she must have a draught of the Baptist's Blood and though she insatiably thirsted for it yet could she not come to her purpose for so long a time which must needs be a Torment to her notwithstanding all her Power and Policy for the Baptist remained still as a living Witness against her Wickedness Thus is the Rage of Man restrained that will not turn to the praise of God Psal 76.10 God over-rules the Malice of Men and Tyrants cannot take us off when they but when God pleaseth The Third Remark is It may easily be imagined how restless Herodias was to wrack her Revengeful Rage upon the Baptist all this long time for she could not have her Amorous Hugs with her Herod without some seeming checks notwithstanding all her wily and wickedly-witty-wit of a Woman yet could she not contrive a conveniency nor find a fit opportunity for beheading the Baptist all this while until the Design was laid to do it upon Herod's Birth-day Feast This is call'd the coming of a Convenient Day Mark 6.21 Neither the Wit of a wicked Woman nor the Wisdom of a wicked Man can prevail against God Prov. 21.30 The Fourth Remark is This Birth-day then when other Methods miscarried was the Day appointed by Herod and his Harlot for acting this Bloody Tragedy Res tota ex composito gesta est saith Paraeus on the place the whole matter was thus plotted A great Feast must be made the Nobles invited the Damsel must Dance the King Swear hereupon the Baptist must be beheaded and the Queen or rather Quean hereby gratified Oh horrible impudence against God himself and both crafty and cruel Conspiracy against an Innocent Minister only for touching this Great Man upon the Sore All this was done without any Law Right or Reason the Prisoner all that time was never admitted to come unto a fair Trial or Hearing Christ on Earth and God in Heaven do permit this Arbitrary Proceeding as unconcerned 'T is strange a God of such Power should be a God of such patience But what man can counsel God whose way is in the Deep and his Wisdom unsearchable better is God's Will always than mans The Fifth Remark is Nor must we say that God was not concerned all this while as he knew nothing of the Baptists hard usage according to George Marsh the Martyrs phrase for before the Baptist's beheading God was concern'd so far as to lay a Restraint upon Herod from killing John till eighteen Months were expired God put a double Iron-Cord of fear upon the Tyrant's Heart First He feared John Mark 6.20 whose Innocency shone in that Old Fornicators Face and his very Countenance could not but give him Reverence Secondly He feared the People Mat. 14.5 who hated him already for his many Crimes and Cruelties lest the Multitude should move a Mutiny at the Murder of so Innocent a Person and so Honourable a Prophet as Mat. 21.46 though he would impose on their belief that the Baptist bore all those Severities justly for his practizing Treasonably against the King The Sixth Remark is And God concern'd himself also after the Baptist's beheading as he had done before it for Herod fearing Man in this double fear of John and the People more than he feared God Hereupon God struck him after this Murder with Horror Terror and Torment Luke 9.7 He stuck fast in the Mud as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and could find no way out of his perplexity but God made him soon after find a way out of his Kingdom the half whereof he had promis'd to his Dancing Damosel for his notorious Hypocrifie while he seems to expiate his Pretended Perjury with his Intended Murder c. Though Divine Vengeance seem'd to sleep all this time yet did it awake with a witness for it never dieth falling foul upon all these Principal Conspirators as Historians inform us For as to Herod Josephus saith that Aretas King of Arabia being offended with him for putting away his Daughter and taking Herodias to Wife in her room came upon him with an Army and cut off his Forces which loss saith he all men interpreted as a Just Vengeance upon him for his Unjust usage of the Baptist. This was not all but within a while after his Brother Agrippa accused him of Treason before the Senate at Rome for which he was banish'd by the Emperour Augustus to Lions in France and his cursed Curtizan with him where the Deadly Dart of his own blood guiltiness stuck so fast in the sides of his wounded Conscience that it brought him first to Despair and then to Destruction in laying Violent Hands upon himself There also his Paramour Herodias another Jezebel in insulting over her Husband and stirring him up to work wickedness did miserably perish both of them who had been Partners in Heinous Murdering became Partners in Heavy Suffering they both lived Vndefired and died Vnlamented c. Nor did the Dancing Damosel who trip'd upon the Toe to take off John's Head escape the Vengeance better as Nicephorus reports for she passing over a frozen Lake the Ice broke she slips in and the Ice closing again above her Shoulders Chops off her Head Thus Vengeance wrote her sin upon her punishment in legible Characters for her getting the Baptist's Head chopt off N. B. 1. Great Mens sins ought to be Reproved the Baptist did when none else durst Herods 2. Wicked Men will hate their Reprovers 3. Godly Reprovers may suffer by a Hangman c. yet God amends all with Heaven
a fallacy saying I have no Husband ver 17. Then Christ came close to her Conscience answering Thou hast had five Husbands and he thou now hast is not thy Husband c. ver 18. Some Women avoid saith the Philosopher the Bed of one Man that they may be made a Bed to many Christ teaches Ministers here to speak home to the Heart noâ— striving so much to please the Athenian with novelties as to profit the Christian with Soul-searching Truths This is the best way to do most good The Tenth Remark is Oh how candid and condescending Christ is to wounded Consciences He hath a soft Hand for a sore Heart and so should all his Ministers have Behold here a Miracle of Tender Mercy in the Messiah towards this Idolatrous Harlot It was a great Favour in Christ to countenance that Sinful Woman Mary Magdalen that washed his Feet with her Tears instead of Water and wiped them with her Hair for want of a Towel kissing his Feet with her Mouth when her Soul had received the Kisses of his Mouth Cant. 1.1 2. Luke 7.37.38 44. We read not that the Virgin Mary did thus much yet the Pharisees those Pictures of painted Piety or Hypocrisie hardly censur'd Christ their Better for not kicking her out of his Presence ver 39. as a lewd and light Huswife How much greater was Christ's candour and kindness to this Samaritan Adulteress and Idolatress who instead of demonstrating her love to him as Mary Magdalen did had rejected his Grace with jeers yet Christ mildly convinceth her and as the compassionate Samaritan Luke 10.33 34. not only pours in the Wine or sharpness of the Law to search but also the Oyl or sweetness of the Gospel to supple this Samaritanesses Wounds He instructs her in Cases of Conscience from ver 19 to 25. and is more plain to her ver 26. than to the stuborn Jews John 10.24 The Eleventh Remark is What a wonderful Work is the Work of Conversion Oh what a change of Heart and Life is wrought thereby No sooner had this Woman got a Right Understanding of the Messiah from whom she expected all saving Knowledge ver 25. and her Affections fired with Desires after him upon his manifestation of himself to her Now she leaves her Water-pot ver 28. she had greater things in hand and better things to look after Grace is diffusive c. her Heart was now set on Heaven Col. 3.1 Earthly things as Elijah's Mantle drop off she ran and cry'd up Christ whom the Jews had rejected to the Samaritans whose Bible testified of him c. Thus the Disciples left their All when Christ call'd them effectually The Twelfth Remark is Weak Means may by God's Blessing work great matters This weak and formerly wicked Woman was very unlikely means to effect the bringing in whole shoals of Samaritan Proselytes to Christ but what cannot the Almighty do by any means as here by her ver 29.30 35 39 40. God oft raises Stately Structures out of Slender Foundations though he without have us to do so The Disciples wondred Christ conferred alone with a Woman there being no danger of kindling Concupiscence in him because they knew not its tendency ver 27. Many believed on Christs both by the words of the Woman ver 39. and because of his own word ver 41. which is the foundation of faith that comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 Psal 19.7 c. CHAP. XI THough there be many Miraculous Deed and Words of our blessed Messiah before-mentioned because the order of plane required the mentioning of them yet as to Order of Time they must thus be Ranked and barely Repeated here Referring the Reader to the Remarks upon them in the foregoing Chapters This is their Order of Time as follows 1st Christ wrought his First Miracle in Cana of Galilee where He turned Water into Wine after he bad whipâ—d â—uâ— the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple under the First of his Passovers 2dly His Conferences with Nathaniel with Nicodemus and with the Woman of Samaria c. full all also in Christs first year 3dly The Baptist Imprisonment hapned before Jacob's Well-Conference but after it was Christ's Preaching at Nazareth where He was in danger of his Life but escaped by a Miracle 4thly From thence he went to Cana again where He beâ—led the Son of a Noble Man belonging into King Herod lying desperately sick of a Fever at Capernaum only with a word of his Mouth Job 4.45 46 c. 5thly Then went he 〈◊〉 Capernaum where he cast out a Devil in their Synagogue healed Peter 's Wives Mother and many more Diseased as is aforesaid 6thly Next follows the healing of a Leper mentioned Mark 1.40 c. Luke 5. 12 c. and Mai 8.2 3 4. which is the same Story with the other Two Evangelists Because this hath not yet been spoke to take these few Remarks upon it The First Remark is The Plague of Leprosie was most rife and prevalent in our Saviour's time God so ordained it that Jâ—dea was sickest when her Physician was nearest The Jews are generally a nasty People and Leprosie seems to have been their proper Disease as Plica Polonica Morbus Gallicus Sudor Anglicus c. hence some say they were forbid Swines Flesh because Swine are Leprous Creatures and their Flesh easily corrupts in diseased Bodies and turns to Ill Humours whereby that people who are so naturally subject to the Leprosie would be more and more Infested and Infected The Second Remark is The Levitical Priesthood could only judge of the Leprosie but could not heal the Malady this was reserved for our great High Priest who was not of Aoron's but of Melohisedeok's Order Lepers were not allowed to come into Cities till the Priests had pronounced them clean when the danger of Infection was over yet the Leprosie continued still which is a very pregnant Emblem of Original Sin the Priests Absolution did only restore him to Humane Society whether this Letter was thus absolved is unknown This is only known that he strained Courtesie however to come to Christ in a City Luke 5.12 The Third Remark is The Disease of the Body God oft most graciously maketh the coring and healing Salve and Salvation of the Soul As here in this Leper who came and worshipped Christ which haply be would hardly ever have done had it not been for his Leprosie Ambrose saith Morbi sunt virtutum Officina Diseases are the Shop of Virtues And our King Alfred found himself the best he said when he was the worst and therefore prayed that when Sin was like to prevail against his Soul God would send some sickness upon his Body Thus holy David declared how God in his faithfulness had afflicted him Psal 119.75 as if he had said Lord thou hadst not been faithful to my Soul unless thou had so and so afflicted my Body 'T is the sick not the whole or sound that seeks to the Physitian Mat. 9.12 13. sensible
touching Dan. 10.9 10 16 18. N.B. Note well We need frequent touches from the hand of Christ to cure our crooked paths and spirits even every Lord's day c. The Fifth Remark is 'T is a comfort in suffering that though it may be long even twelve years Mat. 9.20 or eighteen years Luke 13.11 or thirty eight years John 5.5 6. yet our compassionate Saviour doth Judge that the Sons and Daughters of Abraham ought at length to be loosed from their long lasting sufferings Luke 13.16 N. B. Note well Oh that every Sabbath some Soul may be loosed from Satan to heal them of the Dropsie or drought after worldly Vanities and Villanies with a draught of the Water of Life Luke 14.2 4. and oh that the Church may be loosed to go forth Mal. 4.2 then shall all Adversaries of Christ and his Church be silenced and be ashamed Luke 13.4 4.4 CHAP. XIV Christ's Sermon on the Mount THE next mighty works of Christ to be discoursed of fall out in order of time after he had Preached his most famous Sermon upon the Mount of Capernaum such as were his healing the Centurion's Servant the raising up to Life the Widows Son at Naim c. 'T is said the Multitude of Disciples praised God with a loud Voice for all the mighty works that they had seen Luke 19.37 and Christ's own countrymen wondred whence he had all that wisdom and those mighty works Mat. 13.54 they sordidly and satanically surmised that he had his skill by ill Arts yea they said he works his wonders by the Black-Art surely he never came to all this honour honestly and in God's Name N.B. Note well We Ministers must not think much to be miscensured and misconstrued seeing Christ himself was so c. but Herod's perplexed Conscience hamper'd him into a better frame to wit into a tho' a faint and fruitless desire to see Jesus Luke 9.9 because he heard of many mighty works were wrought by his hands Mat. 14.2 yet would never stir out of Doors to see Christ perhaps he only desired to see whether he were John Baptist raised from the Dead yet both the Jews and the Blind man give a better Testimony that Christ's Miracles were such mighty works as neither they nor their forefathers had ever seen the like never since they had been the People of God Mark 2.12 and never since the World began were ever the like done John 9.32 Therefore saith he Christ must be God because he had given sight to him that was born blind against the course of nature beyond all the power of art v. 33. Thus the works which Christ wrought bore testimony of him John 5.36 10.25 13.8 14.11 Christ wrought such works as never any man did John 15.24 Christ's works were more stupendous for the manner because wrought by his own power and all for Peoples profit N. B. Note well Though greater works he promis'd to be done by his Apostles for the matter John 14.12 as converting 3000 Souls at one Sermon reducing a great part of the World to the Obedience of Christ c. yet were their works less than those Christ did in two respects 1. They wrought not their works in their own names but in the name of Christ 2. Nor Did any of the Apostles Preach up himself to be God as Christ did but they Preached Christ the only Lord and themselves the Churches Servants for Jesus sake So that Christ was the only Thaumaturgus or Wonder-worker this is attested by Josephus the Jew and confessed by Mahomet himself Hereupon it was disputed in the Roman Senate using to Delfie Great men whether Christ should be received among the number of their Gods for his having done so many wonderful works but the debate ended in the negative because Christ Preach'd up Poverty and lived in the practice of it for which the World hated him and they said Poverty can never have many Proselytes to it for all do decline it When Christ had Preached any Sermons to the People he customarily back'd and confirm'd them with his Miracles which some compute to the number of thirty four corresponding with the years of his Natural Life others do reckon them to be fifty seven something suitable to his supposed Age John 8.57 He had so macerated his Body with pains and fastings that the Pharisees did suppose him to be much elder than he was when he was not much more than thirty Luke 3.23 they judg'd him by his grave countenance to be about fifty But omitting the number of his Miracles let us proceed to discourse upon the Nature of them beside those aforementioned that Christ wrought to back his Sermon upon the Mount where a Mountain was his Pulpit and the whole Law was his Text. As Moses went up to the Mount to receive 〈◊〉 Law so did the Messias to explain it and only such Hearts as are mounted Heavâ— ward have an Universal respect to it Psal â—9 6 Sursum corda up with yeâ— Hearts c. This Mount-Sermon is call'd Catechistical Mat. chapters 5 6 7. declareâ— the qualifications of those that aim at Blessedness and the Means that lead up to it the Blessings were to be pronounced upon Mount Gerizzim Deut. 27.12 and the Curses upon Mount-Ebal ver 13. yet the Blessings are not mentioned as the Curses are In that Chapter because we must look for the Blessings from the Messias not from Mâ—ses for Christ was sent to bless both Jew and Gentile Acts 3.26 The Curse come by the Law Gal. 3.10 but the Blessing of Grace came by the Gospel John 1.17 Therefore Christ stands here as upon Mount-Gerizzim on this Mount of Capernaum to pronounâ—e those eight beatitudes sweetly Harmonizing with that of Deuteronomy here and Lâ—â—â— also addeth that Christ also Denounced Woes as if he had stood upon Mount-Bâ—â— also Luke 6.20 25 to v. 30. Blessed be the Poor the Hungry c. but Woe to the Rich the Full c. Christ proceeds to lay forth the latitude of the Law shewing its Extent to Thoughts as well as Deeds c. contrary to the corrupt Glosses of Jewish Traditions whereby they had made the Law of no effect whereupon he Divinely Damneth their cursed constructions and prescribeth many Christian Duties in Doctrines of Faith and Manners to attain Eternal Life c. no sooner had this Great Oracle of Divine Truth delivered this long and lively Sermon as was his last when he left the World John Câ—â—â—ters 14 15 16 17. but he confirms his Oracles with some Miracles as with healing â—â—e Centurion's Servant and raising to Life the Dead Son of a Widow at Naim 〈◊〉 above hinted c. This the Evangelist Luke clearly demonstrates giving an account of the Heads of this Mount-Sermon Luke 6.20 c. and then makes this transition When he had ended all his Sayings or Oracles then did he back his Doctrines immediately with these two Miracles Luke 7.1 the former is related from ver 1
not once questioning their Merits nor upbraiding them with their former failings or present infirmities James 1.5 And tho' his Errand was to heal the Soul of sin and death yet willingly he heals the Body and so he doth now c. The 4th Remark is All sorts of persons rich and poor young and old male and female bond and free out of all kind of places Villages Towns Cities and Countreys must come to Christ as to their common Saviour for safety and Salvation of Soul and Body as the People did here when once they were made sensible of their own wants and weaknesses All must come to him for all are one in him Col. 3.11 The 5th Remark is As Christ comes no where but there he hath an Errand so he sendâ— his Gospel to no place but for some special end some fresh Vein of Election to break forth No Housholder will light up a Candle but when he hath some work to be wrought thereby No Husbandman will send his Servants into the Field with Sithes or Sickles but there is more than Thistles and Nettles to be reaped thereon The Ministry of the Gospel was sent to the Gentiles that the Elect might be gathered Isa 49.6 Acts 13.48 And hence the Apostle gathers an Argument of the Thessalonians Election 1 Thes 1.5 The 6th Remark is Such Souls have a right sense and science both of themselves and of their Saviour that do seek to him and implore his saving help and so imploy him as the Saviour of the World Thus this People do here among whom Christ presently sound some that found him Thus Genezareth became the Garden of a Prince as in Hebrew it signifies or engendring Air to it self as some interpret it from the fresh gales the neighbouring Sea sends to it from its curled Waves and here brought them the sweet gales of the Gospel c. or as others interpret Geâ—esar the beginning of Nativity so it became now to the Gentiles to whom Chrise transported over Sea his precious Gospel from the Jews The 7th Remark is Such Souls at know Christ aright will not only seek to him themselves but they will endeavour all they can in their proper stations to bring in to him their Relations and Acquaintance also as this People did Nemo fibi nascitur sed multorum utilitati men are born for the benefit of many Nascitur indigne per quem non nescitur alter He is unworthily born by whom others are not helped to be â—â—w horn Charity is no Churl No sooner had Andrew found the Messiah but he calls his Brother Peter John 1.41 and Philip Nathaneel ver 45. Thus Relations brought the Palsey-man upon his Bed to Christ Mark 2.3 Thus the Prophet saith They shall bring their Friends in Litters or Charets upon Mules or Horses Isa 66.20 N.B. Note well We should bring all ours to the Ordinances doing at least the Office of the Sermon Bell call them to Christ and lay them before the Lord for healing we know not what he may do for them There is healing vertue under his Wings Mal. 4.2 When the first Iron Ring of the Chain is drawn by the Loadstone that draws the second and that the third c. till the whole come in we should help our Neighbours to heath and to Heaven c. The 8th Remark is The greater our measure of Faith is the less will be our limiting God to signs Some are satisfied with their Saviouris speaking a word at distance as the Centurion others must have Christ come to their house and lay on his hands as Jairus Here they must only touch the hem of his garment Matters were well mended with these men since their rejecting of Christ and his Gospel Mat. 8.34 now are they Ripe as before Raw so press upon him in crowds as to touch him behind before and on each side and all Touchers were healed The Evangelist John expresly relateth chap 6.22 That the very next morning many of that multitude which Christ had miraculously fed with five Loaves the day before do follow him it Capernaum and find him there asking him Rabbi when camest thou hither ver 24.25 and by what meanâ— for they â—â—mired both the time when and the manner â—ow well knowing the Journey by foot was very long and that he came not along with his Disciples in the Ship when he dismiss'd them over night Christ answers ver 26. not to what the was asked but knowing their hearts admonishes them of their Carnality that they followed him for Lâ—aver more than for Love and as Augustin phraseth it did not love or seek Jesus for Jesus sake This being the very day of the Synagogue Serâ—ice in the City of Caâ—enâ—â—um ver 59. Christ takes that occasion to Preach that excellent Sermon in the Synagogue to them from ver 16. to the end of the Chapter wherein he reclaims theâ—â— from their expectations of perishing food c. to bused daily 〈◊〉 Miracles as he had done the day before and that for forty years together as Israel was fed by Mâ—leâ— not with Barley bread but with Manna Angels food c. Christ calls them up to seek the more Spiritual Food that endureth for ever whereof Maâ—â—â— was but the Type and himself was the Antityâ—â— and that they must expect an other food now from him than the â—ating of his Flesh and the drinking of his Blood this â—â—â—â—â—ed such a monstrous Doctrine to many of them that they will follow him no more We may nor understand that in ver 60. to he any of the twelve Disciples no now yet of Judas the Devil nâ—rryâ— but it was many of those that were more frequent followers than others of him among whom saith Epiphaâ—â—â— Mark himself became a Deserter stumbling at this seeming inhumane saving of eating Man's flesh but was reclaim'd by Peter After these things saith John 7.1 to wit Christ's Miracle about the Corporal Food feeding 5000 with five Loaves and his Oracle or Sermon about the right Spiritual Food the eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood spiritually by the mouth of Faith he still remained in Galilee where they were not such Zealots for the Law so not such hot Persecutors of Christ and would not walk in Jury or Judea because the Jews sought to kill him being blinded and incensed by Satan as Pharaoh c. were against Moses which made him flee to Midian Exod. 2.15 for now Christ's Fame and Name was mightily spread abroad by his Doctrine and Miracles his Disciples marvelously increased c. therefore the Sanedrim seek to kill him as Herod had done the Baptist Hereupon he declines Jerusalem still because he would not be Assassinated in a clandestine seditious manner which answered not the Father's Appointment and because his hour was not yet come for when that came he did willingly present himself in that City and in the very Temple c. However such was the malice and rage of the Sanedrim against our Saviour that
so the Soul under its Conduct and Influence only is like a running Bowl that is cast by a weak hand it falls short of the Jack such falls short both of Gods Glory and of their own Duty Rom. 3.23 and cannot be prompted by any gracious end seeing their works are not wrought in God John 3.21 neither from any good principle nor for any good end c. Enquiry the 3. How comes it to pass that this Mystical Priest Moral Righteousness proves such a sorry Saviour to this half-dead Man Answer For three Reasons the first is because Gods Commandments are exceeding Broad Ps 119.96 But Mans Obedience to them is exceeding Narrow so it becomes a Covering too Narrow to wrap up the whole nakedness of Man who was stripped stark naked by the Thieves that he fell among at the forbidden Fruit-Tree Isa 28.20 Moral Righteousness is no better than those Aprons made of Fig-Leaves sowed together Gen. 3.7 which were so thin that they might easily be seen through especially by an All seeing Eye and they were so narrow as to cover only the fore-part and the lower part of the Belly whereas Evangelical Righteousness is like those Coats of Skins which the Lord himself made for them Gen. 3.21 which covered both the Back and the Belly yea the whole Body from Top to Toe Alas Gods Law requires universal Obedience for Man whom it curseth if it find him naked in any part of his Obedience Cvrsed is every one that continueth not in all things Gal. 3.10 and he that breaks one Commandment is guilty of all Jam. 2.8 9 10. A Tenant paying one half years Rent cannot satisfie his Landlord for his failure of many half years Rents both before and after Alas in stead of an universal Obedience wherewith Gods Justice should be fully satisfied God finds in Man an Vniversal Leprosie that is a plague of fretting Leprosy of sin from Head to Foot Levit. 13.9 10 c. From the Crown of the Head to the Soles of the Feet there is nothing but Wounds and Bruises and putrified Sores Isa 1.6 Oh happy is the Man that hath all his Leprosie of sin come forth so as to turn white by Repentance Levit. 13.13 no raw flesh appearing again ver 14. nor spreading any more ver 34. the Law pronounceth them clean c. Our Lord Exemplifies this Truth in the proud Pharisee and in the Penitent Publican The Pharisee saw himself sound in his own Sentiments and was not sensible of one Scab upon him but comes off with his God I thank thee I am not as other Men c. Luke 18.11 12. whereas the poor Publican had all his Leprosy come kindly forth in his candid Confession crying God be merciful to me a Sinner ver 13. he acknowledged himself all over Scabby This latter Christ the great High Priest Hebr. 3.1 doth pronounce him cleaner and more justified than the former ver 14. It may be said to such a proud Boaster as this Pharisee was come and see canst thou shew us thy large Lands thou boasts of in this fair Map or canst thou shew thy Righteousness thou cries up so in a clear Scripture Looking-glass Such Souls come to God as profane Esau did to Isaac his Father he presumed that he had earned the Blessing by his pains in Hunting Venison and Cooking Savoury Meat for his Father's Palate but his Father answered who art thou Gen. 27.31 32. No better Answer doth our Heavenly Father give to those proud Souls who presumptuously come to him and challenge Gods favour which they have Merited by their Works c. whereas it was Humble Jacob that got the Blessing in the Garments of the Elder Brother Gen. 27.15 28. and so must we do in the Robe of Christ our Elder Brother also The Second Reason of the Deficiency of Moral Righteousness is if Man may be Justified and Saved by the Moral Law then our Lord Christ dyed in Vain and the shedding of his Blood was a Superfluous Act God might have kept his Son in his Bosom still and not have sent him down as a Sacrifice to Ransom the World To this purpose doth the Great Apostle Argue that by the Deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God Rom. 3.20 and the Righteousness of God without the Law is manisested ver 21. and we are Justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law ver 28. and we are dead to the Law Rom. 7.4 and delivered from the Law ver 6. and he blames the Jews for seeking a Righteousness by the Works of the Law Rom. 9.32 and 10.4 5. and he tells the Galatians that a Man cannot be justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ c. Gal. 2.16 and if Righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain ver 21. and all Preaching and all Believing is vain 1 Cor. 15.2 14. There is no way to be Saved but by Christ for he is both the way to Heaven Joh. 14.6 and the Door into Heaven Joh. 10.9 beside him there is no Saviour Isa 43.11 and Joshua hanged up that King who dared to be called Adonizedek which signifies the Lord of Righteousness Josh 10.3 26. he was first trampled upon and trode under foot ver 24. and after this he was hanged up by the head for presuming to take that high Title to himself which belongeth to Christ alone whose Name is the Lord our Righteousness Jerem. 23.6 there is no Man can be called the Lord of Righteousness but our Redeemer only Hereupon as History tells us Augustus Caesar gave up the Title of Dominus orbis Terrarum the Lord of the World when our Lord Christ was born That Woman the Church Revel 12.1 is said to be clothed with the Sun only even that Sun of Righteousness as Christ is called Mal. 4.2 and not with any Righteousness of the Law the fall of Adam like the Golden Calf Idolatry Exod. 32.25 left all Mankind naked and thus the Thieves in this Parable left this half dead Man naked when the Compassionate Samaritan found him here and the Compassionate Father cryed in another Parable bring forth the best Robe Luke 15.22 to cover the Ragged back of his Repenting and Returning Prodigal Son A full Christ and a naked Creature agree best together therefore are we commanded to put off the Old Man Eph. 4.22 Those filthy Rags also of our own Righteousness as well as of our own Vnrighteousness Isa 64 6. and to put on the New Man Eph. 4.24 even the Lord Jesus Christ we are bid to put on as a Garment Rom. 13.14 thus the Angel of the Covenant took away the filthy Garments of the High Priests Captivity and gave him change of Raiment upon his return from Babylon Zech. 3.3 4. we should come to our Joshua or Jesus as the Gibeonites did to the Old Joshua in old ragged Raiment Josh 9.5 that he may cloath us with his Robe of Righteousness
If this Penitent Sinner had such Incouragement to believe in Christ while He was but a Crucifying and so but in paying the Debt for his Sin how much more may we do seeing Christ is now Crucified and the whole Debt is paid and our Surety who paid it is now set down having done all that Work at the Right Hand of God The Second Miracle Christ wrought upon the Cross was that strange Ecclipse of the Sun at that Juncture which was not a Natural or Ordinary but a Miraculous and Extraordinary Eclipse because it was upon the Fifteenth day of the Paschal Feast which was always in Plenilunio or Full-Moon whereas every customary Eclipse is alway in Novilunio or New-Moon Those cursed Kill-Christs call'd for a Sign and then they would believe behold here is a greater Sign and Miracle than if Christ had come down from the Cross c. Such a wonderful Eclipse not made by the Interposition of the Body of the Moon betwixt the Earth and the Sun as always happeneth in the New-Moon meeting the Sun's Body in the two Nodes either the Dragon's Head or the Dragon's Tail but by the Almighty Power of our Wonder-working Redeemer even at the Full-Moon when in a direct opposition to the Sun which brought an universal Darkness upon the whole Land to the Amazement of all Beholders and which was the more Astonishing because it began at Noontide or Twelve a Clock when the Sun is in its greatest strength for Heat and Light and lasted full three Hours till three a Clock in the Afternoon and therefore must be Miraculous and Extraordinary seeing no Natural and Ordinary Eclipse lasteth so long because in the common Course of Nature the Interposition of the Moon taketh away the Light of the Sun only Gradually and by Inches and the Sun by his swift Motion soon wadeth out of the Moon 's shadow and accordingly recovers his Natural Lustre Gradually and by Inches again So that no natural Eclipse can cause any Darkness of such a long continuance as this was besides there cannot properly be a total Eclipse of the Sun by the Interposing Moon because her Body is much too narrow in its Circle to cover the vastly more large Body of the Sun no not with all its Advantage of being Situated in the lowest of the Seven Celestial Orbs wherein the seven Planets have their several distinct Motions Eclipsing one another at their full Conjunctions But this extraordinary Eclipse caused by Christ's Miraculous might covered the whole Land with a continued uninterrupted Darkness more like that Plague of Darkness which Moses by a Miracle did punish the Land of Egypt with Exod. 10.21 23. A Darkness that might be felt yet could not the Egyptians see one another or stir out of their Places c. It was a thick sudden and a continued darkness without any successive Increasing or Decreasing as is done in a Natural Darkness Such a Darkness was this for three Hours at Mid-day to three as was that for three Days without succession of Degrees yet differing in this as well as in time that the Egyptians were more sensible of their Plague than the Jews were of theirs here though this Darkness for the time was worse than that because there was light in Goshen when Darkness overshadowed Egypt but this was Universal no place was exempted from it as Goshen was It covered at the least all that whole Country of Judea even the whole Land without any exception Mat. 27.46 Mark 15.33 and though many Expositors do confine this Darkness to the Jews Country only as understood by that phrase The whole Land yet other Authors do judge it more extensive both because the Evangelist Luke affirms it to be over all the Earth Luke 23.44 but also because the same Miracle Amazed many men in the Remoter parts of the World 'T is true Luke's phrase of the whole Earth may be Interpreted thus narrowly by his other phrase The whole World Luke 2.1 which is no more than the Roman World to wit those Provinces only that pertained to the Empire of Rome But this limited sense is opposed by various Testimonies that this strange Eclipse was Observed and Admired in other Countries far distant from Palestine Phlegon Lucian and Dionysius learned Heathens good Historians and great Philosophers all three recorded both the Day of the Week and the very Hour of the Day when it happened and that in Plenilunio or Full Moon too It was so Amazingly observed in Egypt by Dionysius that he wrote of it to Policarp as History tells us which farther affirmeth that it was seen of Tiberius the Emperor at Rome as also that Proâ—omy was so affrighted with it that he broke out into that passionate speech Aut Natura terminatur aut Deus Naturae paâ—itur Either Nature in the whole World was about Determining or the God of Nature and the Maker of the World was now in Suffering c. Many Reasons may be rendered why our Dying Redeemer wrought this Miracle of Darkness at this juncture As First That by this stupendious Prodigy the Divine Majesty of Christ the Messiah might be vindicated even in the lowest ebb of his humane Infirmity for he did not so empty himself in his state of Humiliation as not at some times to let out some sparklings of his Glory and Deity thus that he might shew himself the Lord of Heaven and Earth here he commands the Sun to be Eclipsed in Heaven and this Darkness to cover as with a black Curtain the whole Face of the Earth The Second Reason was Our Lord hereby did as it were spread a black Vail and draw this Curtain of Darkness over his own naked body while he hung on the Cross in open view that the Good Women might be present and himself die with Modesty Therefore suffered he not the Sun to shine out with its light and to shew forth its Lustre and Glory while its Maker is suffering the extremity of shame Thirdly This prodigy was wrought at this time to demonstrate the heinousness of the prodigious sin of those Kill-Christs at which the very Sun of the Firmament hid his Head and wrapped it self up as in a Mantle of black Darkness as disdaining to behold so sad a Spectacle and even ashamed to see those indignities and injuries done by those worst of the Sons of Men to that Innocent Lamb of God the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 Fourthly This Work of Wonder might be now wrought also to declare the Aggravation of our Mediator's Suffering as well as his Murtherers Sinning insomuch as our Lord had not that common comfort and benefit of Sun-light while he suffered death upon the Cross Solomon saith 't is a comfortable priviledge for the Eyes to behold the Sun and the Light thereof is very sweet Eccles 11.7 yet is dying Jesus denied of this also and of other Allays of his Sorrows and Sufferings Fifthly This three hours Darkness was to give an opportunity for all the
a door of hope may be opened All these are only done by an Heavenly Hand But again it may be Objected If the Angel rolled not away the Stone to let the Lord out of the Tomb how could he get out Did the Lord's Body penetrate and pass through the Body of the Stone A penetration of Diameters thus is against all Rules of Philosophy Ans 1st This Question may well be answered by asking other questions of the same Nature This way of Answering is well warranted by our Lord 's own Example Mat. 21.23 c. Mark 11.28 c. Luke 20.2 c. when Assaulted with Cavillers he doth Nodum Nodo Dissipare Untye one Knot with another and Answers one Question by Asking another in stead of giving a direct Answer So here I ask 1. How Christ passed through the Womb of that Virgin Woman his Mother Mary yet she still retained her Virginity 2. How he passed through the Doors which were shut and stood in the midst of the Room where his Disciples were Assembled And 3. How his Body passed through the Body of the Heavens which some say are as solid as Brass at his Ascension into Heaven The 2d Answer If Christ in his state of Humiliation while his Flesh was mortal could miraculously make the fluid Waters to bear the weight of his solid Body when he walketh upon the weak Waves of the Sea as upon the firmest Pavement then no doubt need be made of this now in his state of Exaltation but that he could by the same miraculous power make his now glorified Body to pass through this great Stone 'T was a greater Work that Christ by his Creating Power wrought when he did hang the Ponderous Body of the whole Earth upon nothing Job 26.7 Ponderibut librata suis Hanging like a Ball in the midst of the Thin Air which compasseth it round about Christ the Creator John 1.3 did this Father Jerom who said the Manner of Christ's rising is not revealed to any mortal as before yet saith in this point that Assuredly the Creature did yield to the Creator though we know not the distinct manner how Modern Divines say it was by Rarefaction and Attenuation for now he being declared to be the Almighty Son of God Rom. 1.4 might easily ratifie his own Body or Attenuate and Dilate the great Stone what cannot the Omnipotent Power of Christ the Creator do Common experience demonstrates that the Sun of the Firmament can pierce in his Beams through a Glass Window c How much more may this Sun of Righteousness when Risen in Power make his glorified Body to pass through a solid Stone and that with as much ease as our Mortal bodies do pass through the Air or through Water and none but Atheists do doubt that such Bodies as are buried in an Iron Coffin shall be made able to rise through such Coffins at the general Resurrection Undoubtedly such is the Power of a Glorified Body that it may pass through those Bodies that are solid Natural Philosophy is no Rule for Super-natural Divinity Christ's Divine Nature did effect this for his Humane The 3d Answer Seeing the Romanists do misimprove those aforesaid Motions for palliating their Doctrine of the Real Presence though to no real or convincing purpose for Christ appeared in his own form visibly to Mary Magdalen c but so he doth not in the Popish Mass therefore we say that Christ by the mighty Divine Power wherewith he raised up his Body Ephes 1.19 might raise up the Great Stone open the Grave and shut it again This is the more probable because a Created Angel could open the Prison-Doors always of great strength and weight and shut them again with all safety as if they had not been opened at all for releasing the Apostles Acts 5.19 23. and another Angel made the Iron-Gate to open on its own Accord for Peter's release Acts 12.7 8 9 10. How much more might the Lord of Angels do this as he came in among his Disciples when the Doors were shut John 20.19 no Doors can keep Christ out from his which the Popish Doctor disputing with Mr. Robert Smith Martyr urged to prove Christ's presence in the Bread because he could pass through the Doors to his Disciples But the Holy Martyr gave the Doting Doctor this smart Repartee saying Although it be said that when Christ came to his Disciples the Doors were shut yet have I as much to prove that the Doors opened at his coming as you have Mr. Doctor to prove that he passed through the Door I know saith Job thou canst do every thing Job 42.2 2dly As the Manner of Christ's Resurrection was wonderful in respect of the Almighty Power by which he raised himself Ephes 1.19 20. where we have a most emphatical heap of most Divine and Significant words to express that which can never be fully expressed no nor sufficiently comprehended in any humane conceptions A six-fold Gradation the Apostle useth to shew what a prodigious power God putteth forth in quickening the Heart by Faith so that he useth more than a meer moral swasion contrary to the Arminian Assertion even the same Almighty Power that he put forth is raising his Son Christ from the Dead So it was wonderful also in respect of its Singularity Though Christ was not the first that was raised from the Dead yet was he first that ever was raised up in so singular a manner not only by his own Intrinsick Divine Power but also by putting off his own Grave-cloths wherewith Joseph and Nicodemus had wrapped his dead Body John 19.40 and leaving them folded together and laid in their proper places behind him John 20.7 we read of many others in Scripture who were indeed raised up from Death to Life both in the Old Testament and in the New 1. In the Old omitting other Instances the Man whom the Israelites in a fright cast into Elisha's Sepulchre to lie buried there upon the touch of the Prophet's Bones and the Dead Corpse indeed revived and stood upon his feet 2 Kin. 13.21 but we read not of any Power the Revived Man had to untye his own Winding-sheet or the Napkin that tyed up his fallen Chaps 2. In the New Testament we read of three dead persons raised up to Life one in the Chamber of Death to wit the Ruler's Daughter as she lay newly dead in the room of her dying Bed Mat. 9.24 25 c. Another that had been dead some due time and was carried forth upon a Bier towards the place of his Burial this was the Widow's Son Luke 7. v. 12 15. and a Third who had been Dead some time and even buried four days so upon the Borders of Putrefaction namely Lazarus John 11.39 44. yet as none of these Three had any power to raise or revive themselves so nor to loose off their own Bands wherewith Death had bound them when revived As the Moral or Mystery of that one Instance in the Old
the out-side but her heart within was not right with God but rotten having a foul Soul in a fair Body c. like the Apples of Sodom which Soliâ—us saith are beautiful to behold but crumbles with the least touch into stinking sulphurous Ashes Or like the Egyptian's Temples which were much beautified upon the outside of the Fabrick whereas within nothing could be found but some ugly Serpent or crooked Crocodile Or like the Jewish Sepulchres whose Entrance into those Vaults for Burial were gawdilly garnished when within were nothing but stinking Carcases Matth. 23.27 We may think the same of all painted Hypocrites who like Glo-worms seem to have both light and heat but by touching them neither thereof is in them It may be said of them as a grave Roman Senator said of a painted Embassador What Sincerity can we expect at this man's hands whose locks and looks and lips do lye fair Professors they may be but are foul Practisers yea even Atheistical in practice or practical Atheists Note No doubt but the Hypocrisie of this noble pair of Hypocrites Ananias and Saphira did spring from their Atheism in thinking to hide their sinful Sacrilege from the Omnisciency of the Holy Ghost which doth no less than pave a way unto that unpardonable sin of the Pharisees Matth. 12.31 32. The second Remark concerning this Woman is how soon and suddenly did the Hope of this Hypocrite perish Job 8.13 She came to the Apostle's Convention about three hours after her Husband's death Acts 5.7 not only suspecting nothing and therefore made no inquiry but also expecting and heightened with hopes to find her Husband in the highest Honour among the Apostles for his Charity with the best to the Church But alas how soon her head full of hopes dwindled into an heart-full of Blanks her hope was not only as the giving up of the Ghost as Job 11.20 which is very cold comfort but also it ended in a plain real personal giving up the Ghost The third Remark is one sin makes way for begets and draws on another She had been privy to her Husband's Hypocrisie in mocking God with part for the whole Acts 5.2 From consenting to the sin she steps on to a cunning covering of it after verse 8. She had agreed with her Husband to commit the sin of Sacrilege and to cover it with telling a Lye about the price 'T is too common a crime in our time to cover sin with sin One sin draws on another as one Link in a Chain draws on another until the whole be drawn up till it end in perdition as here Her subjection to her Husband excused her not as she was partaker of his sin so must she of his punishment verse 10. The second Impediment of this growing Gospel-Church was external from professed Foes without as the first was internal from pretended Friends within the Church And this was the second Persecution which the Devil and his Instruments those pestilent Persecutors the Priests c. raised to suppress the Gospel sed veritas magna est pravalebat In this second Persecution and hinderance of the Church there is still more checker'd work of new Disturbance and of new Deliverance 1. The Disturbance was occasioned by the many mighty and marvelous Miracles wrought not only by the hands of the Apostles but also by the very shadow of Peter Acts 5.12 15 16. The light and lustre whereof did both terrifie the unsound and wonderfully incite the sincere to imbrace the Gospel which made a fresh vast Accession to the Church verse 13 14. All this did so inrage the Saâ—â—â—ical Sanhedrim of the Priests c. the greatest part whereof were Saddaces who denied the Resurrection that out of their blind Hellish not Heaven-born Zeal they lay their wicked hands again upon the Apostles and cast them into the common Prison where their notorious Malefactor's were kept verse 17 18. This was the Disturbance designed by the Devil But 2dly There was deliverance wrought for them by an Angel who opened the Prison-doors verse 19. And having brought forth the Lord's Prisoners shut the Prison-doors insensibly again as appears verse 23. And the Reason or End why they were thus miraculously delivered is rendred verse 20. that they might publickly teach the People in the Temple which doing and obeying God rather than Man verse 21 25. became a new provocation to the Priests c. to summon them again before the Sanhedrim who accused them afresh both of Contumacy Novelty and Sedition v. 23 24 25 26 27 28. Thus after their first Disturbance by the Devil and their Deliverance from it by the Angel in this second Persecution they must even then meet with a fresh and a second Disturbance out of which they have a fresh and a second Deliverance at this time also which was wrought for them not by an Angel as before but by the marvelous means of two Men. 1. By the powerful Apology of Peter verse 29 to 33. And 2. By the grave Counsel of Gamaliel verse 34 to 40. after which are the Effects to the end The most eminent Remarks and Mysteries this famous History affordeth are these that follow 1. That Hypocrites are but Wens or rather Botches of the Church and may be taken off without any detriment to it It was so little a loss to the Church to lose Ananias and Sapphira by such a dreadful Doom and Judgment that it became a double gain to it not only in affrighting the Sanballat's and Tobiah's of this day from insinuating themselves into the Fellowship of the Church as they did in Ezra's day Ezra 4.1 2 3 c. Those Hypocritical Adversaries beholding this dismal Example against Hypocrites durst not joyn themselves to the Church verse 13. but also in stirring up the sound-hearted so much the more to become Christians indeed whereby the Church was greatly increased verse 14. Thus when those two Rotten Branches Ananias and Sapphira were cut off the Lord's Vine the Church flourished the better and that which might seem an hinderance to the Gospel became a great furtherance of it as it did Phil. 1.12 The second Remark is that the truly Godly may expect a succession of Trials and Troubles velut unda supervenit undae one wave of the Salt-Sea of Affliction closely pursues another and the following wave is mostly greater than the foregoing Like Job's Messengers not only treading upon the very heels one of another but also each latter bringing worse Tidings than the former the first beginning with the loss of his Cattel c. and the last with the loss of all his Children Thus Persecution which is the Evil Ghost that haunts the Good Gospel grows here upon this Church as well as Doggs it In the former Persecution the Apostles were only secured and Bail taken for their Appearance and upon their Answering for themselves they were soon dismissed with a few Threatnings only But now in this following Persecution they were cast into the Gaol
an one as brought forth fruit in his old age Psa 92. v. 13 14. Nor was this all his incouragement but 't is expresly said When we were come to Jerusalem the brethren received us gladly verse 17. namely with loving and chearful Entertainment both which were good preparatives to his sufferings N.B. Now is Paul got from all his travels among the Gentiles to Jerusalem the chief City of the Jews This was in the 56. Year of Christ and in the 2. year of Nero's Reign He was in Macedonia at the Passover but coming to Jerusalem at Pentecost there he was apprehended and was prisoner all that year and the 3d. Year and in the 4th year of Nero is Shipp'd for Rome and wintring in his Voyage Acts 27.12 and 28. v. 11. he came to Rome in Nero's 5th year which was the First year of Paul's imprisonment there where he continued prisoner and preaching two whole years Acts 28. verse 30 c. Paul's Station now at Jerusalem affords us these Remarks The first is There ought to be a particular declaration of the marvellous works which the Lord hath wrought for us and by us N.B. Thus Paul did here verse 18 19. when he had Saluted James that Apostle of the Circumcision and all the Elders he declared God's Great works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one by one Thus Moses told Jethro all the great things one by one which God had done for Israel Exod. 18.8 And Paul was particular in relating the mighty works of God in the Conversion of the Gentiles by his Ministry at such a time and in such a place both named distinctly by him As he doth not give this distinct declaration hereof in any vain ostentation of his own excellency for he otherwise Acknowledged that he was the least of the Apostles and unworthy of that high and honourable Title so not meet to be compared with this Apostle James who was resident in that great City on purpose to decide all controversies upon all emergent occasions 1 Cor. 15 9. but only to magnifie the mercy of God in the Reception of the Gentiles into the mercy of the Gospel N.B. He did not give a Relation of this Loving kindness of God in the Lump or by whole-sale in the general but he was punctual and particular in its several branches well knowing that God had wrought all these great works that they might be Recorded in special and have a distinct Room in everlasting remembrance that God might not lose the Glory nor his Church the comfort of any one of them Oh! that we could learn with David to tell punctually and particularly what God hath done for our Souls Psa 66.16 The second Remark is All Just exceptions ought to be satisfactorily Answered before there can be a free and a full admission into a Spiritual fraternity Thus it was here v. 20 21 c. This consistory of the Apostle and Elders do very well approve of Paul's declaration as to the matter it self N.B. But withall they object against him the Complaints of the Jews wherein they accused him for crying down the Rites of Moses as the Solemn Feasts Sacrifices forbidden meats and such like but especially Circumcision Saying that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses and that they ought not to Circumcise their Children verse 21. Now because thousands of the Jews which believed yet were Zealous of the Law Paul's Doctrine and Practice herein was of great offence to those Zealots and the greater because the decrees of the Apostles Acts 15.29 concering those things did only respect such as were converted from the Paganism or Gentilism to Christianity so that the Jews many years after this time even to the Reign of Adrian the Emperor tho' believers yet throughly understood not their Freedom from Moses's Rituals as Eusebius and other Ecclesiastical writers do testifie about those times but were willing to lie still under the burden of it The zeal of those Believing Jews being so Tenacious of their Jewish Ceremonies under the liberty of the Gospel was no better than a Zeal without knowledge Rom. 10.2 and Gal. 1.14 However this multitude of Zealous Brethren must come together as they were allowed in case of a Schism to come and consult with the Consistory of Apostles and Elders Acts 15.23 30. verse 22. and they having Intelligence by Letters from the Jews out of Asia who gave them so much Molestation there of Paul's slighting the Customs of the holy Patriarks Therefore we advise thee say they that seeing thou did shear thy head at Cenchrea Acts 18.18 according to thy Vow of a Nazarite do thou shew here in Jerusalem the accomplishment of that Vow c. v. 23.35 and this will be a real Confutation of thy Adversaries Calumnies and N.B. Then the Unbelieving Jews will not fall foul upon thee as a Despiser of the Law of Moses yea and those believing Jews that are still Zealous for the Mosaick Law will receive thereby their full Satisfaction with thee N.B. Now what can poor Paul say or do in such a case Had Paul taught such Doctrine as was laid to his charge or had he not No doubt but he had done so and it was but his duty so to do nor can the Apostle James or any of the Elders except against such Doctrine For the use of Circumcision then as some Zealotes used it was utterly inconsistent with the Gospel making men debtors to the whole Law and Christ altogether unprofitable to them Gal. 5.2 notwithstanding N.B. It was a◠unjust Aspersion which the Adversary cast upon Paul in accusing him that he did forsake Moses for the Doctrine of the Gospel which Paul taught was according to Moses's Testimony of Christ John 5.46 47 c. Moses did particularly write of Christ Gen. 3.15 and Deut. 18.15 and all his Levitical Laws pointed to and prefigured him according to this Tenure that believers must pass from the shadows to the substance which is Christ the end of the Law this was the tendency of all Paul's Epistles N. B Mark well This Consistory did not urge Paul at all to any publick Recantation of his Doctrine but only to Judaize a little in the Temple the Rites whereof might have a better plea while it was standing than Circumcision had which was no Temple Rite Paul complies he acts the principal part of a Nazarite with four poor Votaries paying the Priest for them and for himself according to the Law Numb ch 6. v. 10 11 12 c. This dissimulation if it my be so call'd had bad Success for the Asian Jews presently raise a tumult against him verse 26 27 28 c. The third Remark henceis The most great gracious God provideth at least in some seasons some seasonable Rescues for his persecuted and perplexed Servants Paul saith he was in deaths often 2 Cor. 11.23 and in perils often both a Gentilibus Sujs his own Country-men and a Gentibus the Heathens v. 26.
of death till they see Christ come in this Kingdom Matthew 16.28 The seventh Comfort is Tho' the ordinary time proposed in the precious promise of Christ's coming to save Zion in the common way of Divine Providence be usually when his whole work is done upon Mount Zion namely 1. His Humbling-work for Sin 2. His Purging and Purifying work from Sin And 3. His Preparing work for her Reception of his saving mercy Isa 10.12 Then will her King come to disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon who have so long disquiet the Inhabitants of Zion Ier. 50.34 Yet by his extraordinary prerogative of free grace sometimes when Zion's King beholds unsufferable insolency in her Enemies This will bring him sooner before he can find any innocency in her self and before that Three-fold work afore said be wrought upon her Observe how the Lord argues I would scatter them c. were it not that I feared the wrath of the Enemy least their adversaries should behave them insolently and say me non voluisse aut non valuisse that I would not or could not save them c. Deu. 32.26 27. Therefore saith the Lord The feet of my Peoples Foes shall slide in due time c. verse 35. but my People themselves shall be exalted in due time 1 Pet. 5.6 If they be not weary of well doing they shall reap in due Season Gal. 6.9 God will not grant the desires of the wicked as David prays least they should exalt themselves Psalms 140 8. His Mercy Triumphs over his Justice James 2.13 and saves them with a Non-obstante with a Nevertheless and with a Notwithstanding their Sins c. Psa 106.8 and 78.38 but 't is more distinctly demonstrated in Ezek the 20. wherein we have the whole sum of the Law and of the Gospel and where mercy many times catcheth hold of the hands of Justice and keeps them from striking his Servants as appeareth from verse 4. to 44. all along God oft wrought for his own name's sake that it should not be polluted c. verse 14 21 and 43 44. when they had more highly provoked him so that he could not save them for their sake yet brought he them into the bonds of the Covenant verse 37. yea and his most gracious repentings were after all this so kindled together as to cry out how shall I give the up Ephraim I cannot find in my heart to be so unkind to thee for I am God and not man and I have holy ones in the midst of thee c. Hos 11.8 9. I will not destroy the Vine for the sake of the few Clusters that have blessings in them Isa 65.8 God would not destroy Sodom and her four Cities had there been found but ten Righteous Persons in those five Cities Gen. 18.32 We therefore do well to argue in prayer to God as Moses did What will the Egyptians say c. Exodus 32.12 and Numb 14 13 14. and as Joshua What wilt thou do to thy great Name Joshua 7.7 8 9. both those Arguments then did prevail with God and why not now c The eighth Cordial is Tho' God will and out of his very faithfulness Psal 119.75 Chastize his Childern for whom he loves he chastens yet he doth not love to chasten Heb. 12.6 7 8. Rev. 3.19 Lam. 3.33 He hath tears in his eyes when a Rod is in his hand c. Therefore he assureth us he will not chide for ever least their Spirits should fail and the souls that he hath made c. Isa 57.15 16 17 18 19. He always corrects in measure Jer. 30.11 and measures it only out by Peck and by Peck and not by whole Bushels at once as the Hebrew runs staying his rough wind in the day of his East wind Isa 27.7 8. The Lord saith I will hear your cryes for I am gracious Exo. 22.27 And even as a Father pitties his Child so the Lord pitties us Psalm 103.13 'T is well known that a little correction satisfies a kind Father for a great fault in his dear Child when the Child swoons under its scourging then the Father lets the Rod fall down on the ground takes up his Child into his Bosom and falls on kissing it to fetch life into it again thus God did to Ephraim Jer. 31.18 20. He stirs not up all his wrath Ps 78.38 but in midst of wrath remembers mercy Hab. 3 2◠〈◊〉 rule is as we are able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 And his anger is but for a very little while and then it ends in burning the Rod. Isa 10 5 25. So that we have need but of a little more patience Heb. 10.36 James 1.4 Rev. 13.10 And God will give an expected end Jeremiah 29.11 The ninth Cordial is Zion's King is not so Titulo tenus in an empty Title and no more but will come and set up his fifth Kingdom after all the four Grand Kingdoms the Assyrian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman be destroyed The Humane Philosophers do question whether there be a Quinta Essentia a Fifth Essence distinct from the four Elements Earth Water Air and Fire Yet Divine Daniel doth demonstrate that there shall be a Fifth Kingdom tho' Daniel doth obscurely compare the four aforesaid Kingdoms unto four Boysterous and Blustering Winds Dan. 7.2 the fourth whereof namely that of the Roman Caesars was more violent and more permanent than any of the other Three for first The Foundation of that Kingdom was laid in violence and blood at the beginning of it as Julius Caesar who was the first of the Caesars was violently as it were digged out of his Mothers belly when he came into the World and accordingly was his Soul as violently digged out of his Body with stabbing Bodkins when he went out of the World And secondly This last of the four blustering Winds hath lasted longest in blood and violence for near to Two thousand years But we are told of a small still Wind or Voice 1 Kings 19.11 12. which had the Lord in it whereas neither the strong Wind nor the Earthquake nor the Fire all foregoing had none of them the Lord in them This small still breathing Wind or Voice may have a relation to the Kingdom of Christ who is call'd a Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 and Peace upon Earth good will to men Luke 2.14 and whose Kingdom consists of Peace and Joy Rom. 14.17 This is the small still Voice that will at last most effectually becalm all the four violent Winds c. But Daniel doth more plainly declare the four aforesaid Kingdoms all which he expresly compared to four foul Beasts Dan. 7.3 4 5 6 7. then after the final fall of all those four Beastly Kingdoms he addeth a fifth Kingdom which he calleth the Kingdom of a Man verse 13 14. to wit of God-man the Lord Jesus whose Kingdom shall never be destroyed N.B. Christ's Kingdom hath not a finis consumptionis but only a finis consummationis Tho' it shall be