the first Chap. 1. 17. That in the Gospel is revealed the Righteousness of God justifying as in the Law was revealed his righteousness or justice condemning and that from faith of immediate innixion upon God as was Adams before his fall and as was that which the Jews owned in God to faith in the righteousness of another namely Christ. This way of justification he proveth first by shewing how far all men both by nature and action are from possibility of being justified of or by themselves which he cleareth by the horrid sinfulness of the Heathen Chap. 1. a large proof of which might be read at Rome at that very instant and little less sinfulness of the Jews though they had the Law Chap. 2. 3. and therefore concludeth Chap. 3. 30. that God justifieth the circumcision by faith and not by works as they stood upon it and the uncircumcision through faith for all their works that had been so abominable and that seemed so contrary to justification In Chap. 4. he taketh up the example of Abraham whom the Jews reputed most highly justified by his works for they had this saying of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham performed all the Law every whit but he proveth that he found nothing by his own works but by believing he found all In Chap. 5. he proves the imputation of Christs righteousness for Justification by the parallel of the imputation of Adams sin for condemnation Not at all intending to assert that as many as were condemned by Adam were freed from that condemnation by the death of Christ but purposely and only to prove the one imputation by the other It was a strange doctrine in the ears of a Jew to hear of being justified by the righteousness of another therefore he proves it by the like mens being condemned for and by the unrighteousness of another Two close couched passages clear what he aimeth at The first is in ver 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the World c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As properly requireth a So to follow it as you may observe it doth in ver 15. 18 19. but here there is no such thing expressed therefore it is so to be understood and the Apostles words to be construed to this sense Wherefore it is or the case is here as it was in Adam as by one man sin entred into the World c. there imputation so here The second is ver 18. in the Original verbatim thus As by the transgression of one upon all men to condemnation so by the righteousness of one upon all men to justification of life What upon all men Our Translation hath added some words to clear the sense but the shortness of the Apostles style doth better clear his intent namely to intimate imputation as speaking to this purpose As by the transgression of one there was that that redounded to all to condemnation so by the righteousness of one there is that that redoundeth to all to justification of life And to clear that he meaneth not that all that were condemned by Adams Fall were redeemed by Christ he at once sheweth the descent of Original sin and the descent of it for all the death and righteousness of Christ Quae tamen profuerunt antequam fuerunt Ver. 13. For till the Law sin was in the World but sin is not imputed where there is no Law Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses By what Law was sin sin and did death reign when the Law was not yet given Namely by that Law that was given to Adam and he brake the guilt of which violation descends to all Having to the end of the fifth Chapter stated and proved Justification by faith in Chap 6 7 8. he speaks of the state of persons justified which though they be not without sin yet their state compared with Adams even whilst he was sinless it is far better then his He invested in a created finite changeable humane righteousness they in the righteousness of God uncreate infinite unchangeable He having the principles of his holiness and righteousness in his own nature they theirs conveyed from Christ He having neither Christ nor the Spirit but left to himself and his natural purity they having both See Chap. 8. 1 2 9 10 c. At the nineteenth verse of Chap. 8. he begins upon the second mystery that he hath to treat upon the calling of the Gentiles whom he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole Creation or Every Creature by which title they also are called Mark 16. 15. Colos. 1. 23. and he shews how they were subject to vanity of Idolatry and the delusions of the devil but must in time be delivered from this bondage for which deliverance they now groaned and not they only but they of the Jews also which had received the first-fruits of the Spirit longed for their coming in waiting for the adoption that is the redemption of their whole body for the Church of the Jews was but the child-like body and accordingly their Ordinances were according to child-like age of the Church but the stature of the fulness of Christs mystical Body was in the bringing in of the Gentiles Being to handle this great point of the Calling of the Gentiles and Rejection of the jews he begins at the bottom at the great doctrine of Predestination which he handles from ver 29. of Chap. 8. to Chap. 9. 24. and then he falls upon the other That Israel stumbled at Messias and fell seeking indeed after righteousness but not his but their own and that they are cast away but not all A remnant to be saved that belonged to the Election of Grace As it was in the time when the World was Heathen some of them that belonged to the Election came in and were proselyted to the worship of the true God so some of these while all the rest of their Nation lie in unbelief And in this unbelief must they lie till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and then all Gods Israel is compleated The most that he salutes in the last Chapter appear to have been of the Jewish Nation and the most of them though now at Rome yet some time to have been of Pauls company and acquaintance in some other place The expulsion of the Jews out of Rome by Claudius Decree might very well bring many of them into his converse as well as it did Priscilla and Aquila whom he names first among them Epenetus was one of his own converts of Achaia Mary had bestowed much labour on him yet he hitherto had never been near Rome He that would dispute the point of the first planter of the Gospel at Rome might do well to make the first muster of his thoughts here And whereas the Apostle speaks of the faith of the Roman Church as spoken of throughout the World Chap. 1. ver 8. it is very questionable whether he
virulency and multitudes of those that had embraced it apostatizing from it and becoming its bitter enemies This double fruit of gall and wormwood proceeded from one and the same root of bitterness viz. Their doting upon Judaism the word taken in a Civil sence as they accounted it a privilegial excellence to be a Jew or in a Religious sence as they expected to be justified by their Judaical works So that the very season and present juncture of affairs might very well give occasion unto the Apostle to handle the two Themes that faced these two great delusions so copiously in this Epistle above all other places viz. The casting off the Jews and coming in of the Gentiles to decry their boasting of being Jews and Justification by Faith to face their dangerous principle of Justification by their Works How he prosecutes his Discourse upon the point of Justification by Faith from the beginning of his Epistle hither any one may see plainly first confuting the opinion concerning Justification by Works and then proving that it is by Faith As to the former in Chap. I. he speaks of the works of the Heathen most abominable and clean contrary to justifying in Chap. II. of the works of the Jews most failing and infinitely short of justifying and yet concludes as to the second head he handles that the Believers of the one Nation and the other are justified Chap. III. 30. as well the circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by faith and not by works as the uncircumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through faith though it had been of so contrary works In Chap. IV. he instanceth in Abraham as serving to both his purposes shewing that he was not justified by his Works but by believing and that the rather because it was a common opinion and saying among the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Abraham performed all the Law to a little and consequently that he was justified by that performance He sheweth that he believed and was justified by his faith before he received circumcision in which they placed so much of justification and that he received Circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had being yet uncircumcised and a seal of the righteousness of faith which should be in the uncircumcision or Gentiles that should come to believe as those words will also bear that he might be the Father of all that believe though they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed to them also vers 11. In this verse before as he begins to apply the Doctrine he had cleared and the word Therefore infers no less Upon which I shall not insist to examine whether by it he infers only the first clause of the Text as proved already That Justification is by Faith or the second also as proved likewise or now added to be proved That being Justified by Faith we have peace with God Nor shall I insist upon the connexion but take the words as they lie singly before us and methinks they are as Ephraim and Manasseh before Jacob both clauses so excellent that we may be at a stand on which to lay the right hand so great the mystery of Justification and so incomparable the happiness of having Peace that on which shall we fix to discourse in this hour I may not pass the former but in a word or two by the way hint something of the great mystery of Justification I. It is a mystery and wonder that I may say with that Apostle even the Angels desire to look into and that men have cause with amazement to look upon that ever a sinful wretch a condemned person should be justified before God But so it was in the Law he that was unclean with the deepest died legal uncleanness that could be if purified with the Purification of the Sanctuary he became clean II. It is a mystery that a sinner should be justified and yet whiles he lives in this world he is sinful still But so likewise it was in the Law the Leper was cleansed yet he was a Leper still Levit. XIII 13. In a case there mentioned the Priest was to pronounce him clean His condition was changed as to his restoring to the publick Worship and to the Congregation but his inherent distemper was not wholly removed III. It is a mystery that a sinner should be justified by Gods justice the property of which is to condemn sin and to punish sinners For we are justified not only by the grace and mercy of God but by the very justice of God And methinks the very word Justification speaks no less I am sure the Apostle speaks so in Chap. I. 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith In the Law was revealed the righteousness or justice of God condemning and in the Gospel the righteousness or justice of God justifying IV. It is a mystery that mans believing should justifie it being an Act of man and so infinitely unadaequate to Gods justifying But as in the Law he that would have his attonement made at the Altar and have his acceptance there must of necessity take the Priest in his thoughts and in his way to do it for him so Faith doth inevitably include also Christ the object of believing and his merit So that you cannot define this Gospel faith but with this comprehension that it is a trusting in the grace and promise of God through Christ. V. It is a mystery that a sinner should be justified or made righteous by the righteousness of another This is strange to the ears of the Jews who expected to be justified every one by his own righteousness Whereas they might have learned at the Temple that even the holiest things there were not holy of themselves but made holy by something else the Sacrifice by the Altar the Priest by his garments And this is that Faith that the Apostle speaks of in the place mentioned before The righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith I. Rom. 17. i. e. a righteousness beyond that that the Jew expected by Faith in God who immediately trusted in God upon the account of his own righteousness whereas This is a Faith or trusting in God upon the righteousness of Christ. VI. It is a mystery that whereas Faith is not the same for degree and measure in all that believe yet justification is the same in all that believe though their belief be in different measures and degrees So once in the Wilderness all gathered not Manna in the same measure yet when all came to measure they had all alike none above an Omer none under Sanctification indeed receiveth magis minus and one hath a greater degree or less of holiness than other but Justification is not so For all are justified alike the truth of faith justifying not the measure So actual sinfulness recipit magis minus and so some are greater sinners some less but origine sui 't is not so
spoken in Scripture of this righteousness of God and indeed never enough My righteousness is never to be revealed To bring in everlasting righteousness New Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness c. Never enough spoken never enough conceived of this Righteousness the most mysterious acting of Heaven the wonder of wonders among men the Justice of God in justifying a sinner A Divine Justice that exceeds divine Justice Divine Justice turned into Mercy You may think I speak strangely if I do it I am something excusable with Peter ravished with the Transfiguration I am upon a subject that may swallow up all minds with amazement but I clear my meaning In Rom. I. 17. It is said Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Revealed in the Gospel not in the Law Was there no revelation of Justice till the Gospel came Yes the Law revealed Justice but it was condemning Justice as that Text speaks From faith to faith so from righteousness to righteousness Gods Justice was most divine that appeared in the Law to condemn but that Justice exceeded in the Gospel to justifie Where are they that talk of being justified by their own works Then must they have a righteousness of their own that must out-vy Gods condemning justice which is infinitely just But his own justifying justice doth out-vy it As it is said Where sin abounded Grace did superabound So where condemning Justice was glorious justifying Justice was much more glorious I said Justice was turned into mercy I say the greatest Justice into the greatest mercy How are we justified and saved By Mercy True and yet by Justice become mercy not ceasing to be Justice what it was but becoming Mercy what it was not Here is a lively Copy before you God so loveth so acteth justice that he will satisfie it upon his own Son that he might glorifie it by way of mercy on all justified His greatest mercy appeareth in this acting of his justice and you are the greatest Mercy to a people when you do them the most Justice A third and last Copy that I would set before you all that hear me this day is fairly yet seems strangly written with Gods own hand in the Gospel In divers places of the New Testament where mention is made of the Law and where you would think it meant both the Tables it comes off only with mention of the Second Matth. XIX 17. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments You would look for all the Ten but look forward and he pitcheth only upon the second Table So Rom. XIII 8. He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law You would look for the whole Law to be mentioned there but look forward in vers 9. and only the second Table is mentioned So Jam. II. 8. If you fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture c. you would look for the whole Law but he concludes all under this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Why where are the Duties of the first Table See how God put even all religion in the second Table As it is said Behold how he saved Lazarus so Behold how God loveth honest upright charitable dealing 'twixt man and man I shall not insist to shew you the reason of this strange passage I might tell you it is because whatsoever men pretend of Religion towards the Commands of the first Table it is nothing if it appear not in our obedience to the second I might tell you God puts you to that that is more in your own power as to obey the second Table is more so than the first But I leave the Copy in your own hands to read and comment on And when you have studied it the most you will find this to be the result how God requires how God delights in our righteous upright charitable dealings one with another A SERMON PREACHED AT HERTFORD Assise March 13. 1663. JUDG XX. 27 28. And the Children of Israel enquired of the Lord. For the ark of the Covenant of the Lord was there in those days And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron stood before it in those days AND it was time to enquire of the Lord considering their present condition and exigent and it was well they had the Ark in those days to enquire at considering the evil of those days and their exceeding wickedness And it was strange that Phinehas was then there considering the time of the story when he is thus brought in The three clauses in the Text that hint their inquiring and the manner of their inquiring and the Person by whom they inquired of the Lord and they inquired at the Ark of the Covenant and they inquired by Phinehas require each one a serious explication and each one explicated it may be will afford something of information that every one hath not observed before I. They enquired of the Lord. And it was time to enquire indeed when business went so crosly with them that though the Lord himself had encouraged them to that war yet they lose so many thousands in the battel At their first mustering they ask counsel of God and he allows their quarrel and appoints their Captain vers 18. And the Children of Israel arose and went up to the house of God and asked counsel of God and said which of us shall go up first to the battle against the Children of Benjamin And the Lord said Judah shall go up first And yet when they come to fight they lose two and twenty thousand men vers 21. They ask counsel of God again and he bids them go up and yet when they come to fight again they lose eighteen thousand men more And now after the loss of forty thousand men they inquire again and indeed it was very full time But what was it they inquired about If why they thus fell when God himself had encouraged them to the War which was a very just Quaere Had I or you been there we might have resolved them without an Oracle There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee O Israel and a very strange accursed thing that it is not strange that thou canst not stand but fallest thus before thine enemies In the Chapter before a Levites Concubine plays the whore and runs from him and as he fetches her again she is paid in her kind and whored with at Gibeah till it cost her her life Hereupon all Israel musters in arms as one man and solemnly vows and resolves to avenge her quarrel But in the Chapter before that Idolatry is publickly set up in the Tribe of Dan. And in the Chapter before that it is publickly enough set up in the Town of Micah and yet not one man that stands up or stirs in the quarrel of the Lord. Oh Israel that art thus zealous in the quarrel of a Whore and hast been no whit zealous in the cause of the Lord it is no wonder if thou fall and fall
take what thou wilt and have Lord let me have the righteousness which is of God by faith All things in the World are but dung to it His great Master had taught him and teacheth us all that this is the thing so desirable and to be longed after Matth. V. 6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness How shall I speak upon this subject A theme fit to be discoursed on by the Tongue of an Angel or by the Tongue of a Saint in glory If a Lazarus should come out of Heaven to preach on Earth as the rich man would have had him in that parable how would he upon his own experience of the excellency of it magnifie this righteousness Nay if a Dives could return from Hell to preach to his brethren and advise them that they should not come into the place of torment he would tell them that all things in the world are but dung and there is but unum necessarium to get that righteousness which is of God by faith Lazarus how camest thou to Heaven Why I was justified Rom. VIII 30. Whom he justified them he also glorified Dives how camest thou to be damned Because I was not justified I shall not enter into any of the various and nice disputes about Justification I shall only speak something of the incomparable excellency of it that if it may be I may warm your hearts a little in the desire and longing after it which is so desirable and to be longed after And this I shall do by considering the nature of it and the effects and I need to look no further It s like the Ark of the Covenant overlaid with gold within and without T is all glorious within in its own nature and all glorious without in its fruits and effects For the first the nature of justification How shall I define or describe it As the Apostle doth Faith Heb. XI 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen not so exactly desining it to speak out its whole nature but as best applicable to his present discourse So I of this to speak of it according to the theme proposed as it is desirable and to be longed after let me say Justification is a mans being interessed in all Christs righteousness and if any thing be to be longed after sure that is To be interessed in all Christs righteousness Laban spake high when he said All these things thou seest are mine these Children are my Children c. XXXI Gen. 43. But how high and glorious is that that may be said of a justified person All thou hearest of Christ is thine his life is thine his death is thine his obedience merit righteous spirit all is thine The Jews speak much when they say all the six hundred and thirteen precepts are comprehended in Justus ex fide vivet The just shall live by faith But they are far from construing the thing aright when they look for justification by their own works and it is a monster of Doctrine in their ears that men are to be justified by the righteousness of another and by the obedience of another But the Gospel as the Apostle tells us Reveals that great mystery For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Rom. I. 17. Here are two scruples 1. Did not the Law reveal the righteousness of God How then is it ascribed to the Gospel that it reveals it And 2. How doth it reveal it from faith to faith True indeed the Law revealed Gods condemning righteousness but the Gospel his justifying righteousness the righteousness of God in a more singular excellency Glorious is the righteousness of God in all its actings his condemning justice his rewarding justice but most singularly glorious is his justifying justice and this most especially is exalted in Scripture as the righteousness of God of the choicest eminency And secondly this Righteousness is revealed in the Gospel from faith to faith How is that I cannot take it only from one degree of faith to another but from one kind of faith to another The Jews that expected justifying by their own works yet had they a faith in God they believed in him looked for good from him but they knew not what faith in God through Christ was they looked for justifying from God and had a faith or belief they should observe it but were utter strangers to justifying through faith in Christ this therefore the Gospel reveals as the great mystery of salvation The righteousness of God justifying a sinner and this from immediate believing in God to believing in him through Christ Jesus and expecting justifying from by our own righteousness to expecting justifying by the righteousness of Christ. The Apostle in Rom. V. from vers 12. forward confirms that that I propose that justification is by imputation of Christs righteousness and the comparison that he there useth clears the matter fully He to open that great point of justification by the righteousness of Christ takes a parallel from the imputation of Adams sin and you may see how all along he sets the one against the other let us speak a little to that parallel 1. Does not the matter of imputation in his discourse there and in deed in it self argue some descending relation as I may tell it Imputation is upon relation of descention He speaks of Adams sin imputed to whom To them that are in relation to him in descent all his posterity The Angels sin is not imputed to him nor his to Angels nor Angels to Angels but Adams to all his posterity because of their relation to him The sin in violating the command given him is imputed to all his posterity because his posterity for they all were in him and inclosed in the Covenant for it was made not with Adam as one man but with all humane nature included in him and so his guilt descended to them upon that relation So the righteousness of Christ is imputed to whom To those that are related to him his seed such as are born of him The comparison of the Apostle must run parallel Adams sin imputed to his seed Christs righteousness to his 2. All the seed of Adam are made sinful alike by his sin so all the seed of Christ are justified a like by his obedience Original sin hath not magis minus but all originally sinful alike though all not actually sinful alike So Justification hath not magis minus but all that are justified are justified alike Sanctification hath its degrees Adams righteousness and holiness were equally perfect but the righteousness and holiness of Saints not so for they are justified by an infinite righteousness but they are not sanctified by an infinite holiness 3. All the righteousness of Christ is imputed to him Not one Saint one part another another but every one all As anima tota in toto tota in qualibet parte So all the righteousness
be touched meaning Mount Sinai but ye are come to Mount Sion One would think when he spake of Mount Sinai he should rather have called it the Mount that might not be touched for God charged that neither man nor beast should touch it Exod. XIX But you may see the Apostles meaning That the Mystical Mount Sion is not such a gross earthly thing as Mount Sinai was that was subject to sense and feeling to be seen and felt and trod upon but that Sion is a thing more pure refined and abstract from such sensibleness spiritual and heavenly And from this undeniable notion of a Church invisible we may easily answer that captious and scornful question that you know who put upon us Where was your Church and Religion before Luther Why it was in the Jerusalem that is above out of the reach and above the ken of mans discerning it was upon Mount Sion above the sphere of sight and sense It was in such a place and case as the Church and Religion was in when there were seven thousand men that never bowed the knee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Golden Heiser at Dan or Bethel and yet the greatest Prophet then being could not discern the least sign of any Church at all Now Thirdly The new Jerusalem must be known by her Pearls and Jewels upon which it is founded and built up True Religion is that that must distinguish and discover the true Church And where that is it is like the Wisemens Star over the house at Bethlehem that points out and tells Jesus and his Church is hero I must confess I do not well understand that concession of some of our Protestant Divines that yield That the Church of Rome is a corrupt Church indeed but yet a true Church For I do not well understand how there should be a true Church under a false Religion If the Church of the Jews under the great corruption of Religion that was in it might be called a true Church that was all it could look for And it must have that title rather because there was never a Church in the World beside it than from any claim by Religion But what do you call true Religion 1. First That which is only founded on the Word of God as the Wall of the new Jerusalem in vers 14. of this Chapter is founded upon twelve pearls engraven with the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. 2. That Religion that tends directly to the honouring of God and saving of souls and is adequate to these ends In short That Religion that can bring to Heaven For I so little believe that any man may be saved in any Religion that I believe there is only one Religion in which any man may be saved And when Moses can bring Israel only to the skirts of the Land of Promise I hardly believe that any Religion will bring them into it Though one should not stick to grant that a person may be saved in the Church of Rome yet should I question whether in the Faith of Rome And it is the Faith or Doctrine of a Church more especially that I mean by the Religion of it Let a Romanist ride all the stages of his Religion from his uncouth kind of Baptism to his extream Unction through his auricular Confessions and Absolutions through his Penances and Pardons through his Massings and Crossings through all his Devotions and Austerities will all these bring to Heaven if the main fundamentals of Faith be faulty and failing Nay if the main fundamentals of belief be clean contrary to the way of God to Heaven A Scribe or Pharisee in old Jerusalem is as devout in Religion and as strict and severe in outward conversation as is imaginable that you would think sanctity it self were there yet will all this bring to Heaven when the chief principles of his Faith are directly contrary to the way of Salvation while he believes to be justified by his own works and places all in opere operato in a little formal and ceremonial service Like him in the story and on the stage that cried O! Heaven and pointed down to the Earth these pretended for Heaven in their practical Devotions but pointed downward in their Doctrinal principles I shall not insist to illustrate those particulars that I mentioned I suppose they carry their own proof and evidence with them that they are most proper touchstones whereby to try the truth of a Church and Religion And it is our comfort that we can that we do that we desire to bring our Religion to such Tests and touchstones and refuse not but most gladly appeal to the impartial Judge the Word of God to give judgment of it I shall not therefore undertake so needless a task as to go about to prove the truth of our Faith and Religion since so many Protestant pens have so clearly and so abundantly done it far more learned than my Tongue And since I may make such an Appeal to you as the Apostle did to King Agrippa King Agrippa believest thou the Prophets I know thou believest Fathers and Brethren believe you the Truth of our Religion I know you believe it Then I have no more to do but to offer two or three words of humble exhortation and entreaty viz. Prize it Cleave to it Beautifie it I. Prize it for it is the chiefest jewel in all our Cabinet And the wisest Merchant in all your City cannot find out a Pearl of greater price It is the life of our Nation at home and it is the honour of our Nation abroad It is that that makes our Land a Royal Street of the new Jerusalem It is that that must make your City a holy City We see a new London as our Apocalyptick saw a new Jerusalem The buildings stately and magnificent the furniture sumptuous and very splendid the shops rich and bravely furnished the wealth great and very affluent but your Religion the all in all As it was said in old time that Athens was the Greece of Greece and as it may be said at this time that London is the England of England so let your Religion be the London of London It is that by which your City must stand and flourish by which your prosperity must be watered and maintained and the Anâ—ile which kept in safety will keep us in safety II. Keep therefore close to your Religion and leave it not Dread revolting from the true Religion The Apostasie in the Apostles times was the sin unto death in our Apocalypticks first Epistle and last Chapter And there is an Apostasie in our time but too common and to be deplored with tears to a Religion but too like to that to which they then revolted I would therefore that those that are tempted either by the lightness of their own hearts or by the Emissaries of Rome to revolt from their Religion would remember that dreadful saying of the Apostle Heb. X. 26. If we sin wilfully after
change places with a Heathen or Pagan that never heard of the Law and Commandments of God Dost thou not think it an infinite mercy that God hath revealed them to thee and laid them before thee In that very thing he shews that he would not that thou shouldst perish without the knowledge of his Law but that thou mightest know and keep his Commandments and live His Commandments are not bonds of iron and fetters of brass but they are the cords of men and the bonds of Love God gives them in mercy that we might know what he would have us to do and that we may do it and be blessed in the deed and this may be a second reason to urge our keeping of Gods Commandments viz. II. Because God gave them that we might keep them He gave them in mercy that we might keep them for our own good God gave them with this intent that men should keep them and that keeping them it might be well with them both here and ever He speaks this once and again himself Exek XX. 11. I gave them my statutes and shewed them my judgments which if a man do he shall ever live in them And Deut. XXX 15. I set before thee this day in giving thee my Commandments life and death blessing and cursing that thou mayest obtain the one and escape the other And observe his pathetical and affectionate expression to this purpose Deut. V. 29. O that there were such a heart in this people that they would fear me and keep my commandments always that it might be well with them and with their children for ever So that these two things are observable concerning the Law and Commandments of God First That the Commandments of the Law were given for a Gospel end that though the Law be the ministration of death and condemnation 2 Cor. III. yet the direct end of it was for life and salvation Gal. III. 24. It was our School master to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith The Antinomians sure little consider what injuriousness they offer to God when they say the Law to Israel was a Covenant of works as if God had given them a Covenant which should do them no good For by the Law how little could they be justified True indeed the Law is called his Covenant the two Tables the Tables of his Covenant but he means his Covenant of grace to which the Law aimed and directed And the Law was not a Covenant of works but a noble part of the administration of the Covenant of grace T is true that the Law killeth curseth condemneth but that is the first end of it not the last neither did God ordain it that it should only condemn and there end but by condemning it might drive men on to seek salvation Secondly That though the performing of the Law in one sense is impossible yet the keeping of the Law in another is not impossible It is impossible to perform the Law so exactly as to be justified by it yet t is not so impossible to keep the Law as to be saved in it Now what is it to keep the Law When a man makes it only and intirely his rule to walk by and as near as he can keeps from declining from it either to the right hand or left God never gave his Law to fallen man with intention that he should perfectly perform it when Adam did not who had power to have done it But he gave his Law to fallen man that he should make it his Law and that he should not walk lawless or after his own will but that the Law of God should be his Law and Rule And he that makes the commandments and Law of God his rule whereby he walks and keeps as close to that as he can this man keeps the Law of God though no man be able to perform it to justification Here then is a second inforcement to keep the Commandments of God because they were given us for that very purpose and there is a blessing and happiness in keeping them III. I might speak of the authority wherewith they were given and of the terror in which they were given fire and thunder c. Both of which speak the reason and obligation for our obeying them God commanded them and he requires obedience and he gave them in terror as intimating what must follow upon disobedience to them But I shall speak only to what the Text especially speaks viz. of his giving his Law and Commandments by the disposition of Angels i. e. Prophets and Ministers men like our selves You may remember that in Exod. XX. that when the people had heard God speak from Sinai in such dreadful terror they trembled and quaked and stood afar off And we are not able say they to hear this terrible voice of God any more if we do we shall die Take thou speaking to Moses the words from the mouth of God and speak thou to us Be thou the Angel or messenger of the Lord to us to tell us what his mind and commandment is and we can hear it but if the Lord himself speak thus to us any more we are but dead men And the Lord did accordingly first giving his Laws to Moses that he might give them to the people and afterwards raising up Prophets and Ministers among them that they might instruct them in his Laws and Commands And so in all succeeding generations So that his Commandments come now to us not in fire and thunder but in a still voice by men like unto our selves Thus God draweth near to men in mildness and softness that if it might be he might win upon them We Ambassadors of God beseech you in Christs stead that you would receive the Commandments of God and be saved IV. Lastly The reasonableness of Gods Commandments is reason strong enough to enforce our keeping of his Commandments and obedience to them for the keeping them Some of the Commands that God gave Israel in the Ceremonial Law were such as the reason of them was not so readily to be found out For why may not I wear linsey woolsey might a Jew say as well as other people Why may not I plow with an Ox and an Asse as well as other Nations do Why may not I eat such and such things good for diet as other countries do The reason of these commands and prohibitions lay deep and were not so easie to be discovered But God hath laid no such Commands upon us but whose very equity is not only a bond upon us to keep them but is a reason plain and apparent why they were given What more reasonable thing in the World than that we should all love God and our neighbour And what greater equity in the World than that we should believe in Christ deny the World mortifie corruption live holily and glorifie God and seek to save our own Souls Do we need to go to Heaven to fetch thence a reason
will become of thee when those thy Treasures those thy Teachers are no more Why naught become of them For presently after the death of those Prophets and the departure of the Spirit of Prophesie the Nation parted into two deadly heresies viz. The Pharisees teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men Mat. XV. And the Sadducees teaching for doctrines the very dictates of Devils That there is no resurrection nor Angel nor Spirit nor world to come The first thing that I observe hence is That two such different Parties should be in the Nation together should sit as they do here in council together So great a difference betwixt the parties and a continual contestation about that difference and yet both parties admitted to be in the Church to bear office in the Church and to sit Judges in the great Council There were Sadducee-Priests as well as Pharisee And the Jews Records have a story of a Sudducee-Priest that was to offer the drink offering upon the Altar at the Feast of Tabernacles and because he missed something of doing exactly as he should have done all the Company present fell a pelting him with Pomecitrons which every one used to carry at the Feast And there were Sadducee Magistrates and Judges as well as Pharisee And the Jews Records do give us notice that there was once a time that the great Council at Jerusalem consisted almost all of Sadducees if not altogether In reading of the Context at your leisure you will see that in that great Council now as Paul stands before it there were not a few Sadduces as well as there were divers of the other Sect. And what toleration there was of a dissenting Party in that Church is worth the considering of those that have to dispute about that Case Another Gloss that I should make upon both these opinions should be this question II. Was it possible that a Sadducee and a Pharisee should be saved Some will maintain that a man may be saved in any Religion in any opinion so that he live honestly toward men and devoutly towards God Whereas a man may take up an opinion and belief which may put such a bar against his salvation as to make it impossible for him to be saved let him live never so honestly For it is not bare civil honesty nor blind devotion will bring to Heaven Let a Sudducee live never so honestly never so devoutly was it not utterly impossible for him to be saved while he held the opinions that he did which were directly against Salvation And a Pharisee while he made it the great Article of his Faith that he could be justified and saved by his own works put a bar against all possibility of his justification and salvation Men think it a small thing to be medling with this or that new strange opinion or should I not say they think it a great thing a brave matter to invent and vent some new opinion or other when that very thing and opinion may be the very lock and key and bar to keep them out of Heaven Instance and example of such opinions might be given in men of several professions and religions in too great plenty But we will look more particularly on this before us The Sadducees say there is no resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit The Sadducees here are marked for their Heretical opinions about some main Articles of Faith and it gives us occasion I. To observe that they denyed such Articles II. To consider the Articles they denyed As to the First we may first remember that saying of the Apostle 1 Cor. XI 19. For I. there must be heresies among you that they that are approved may be made manifest among you That is a sad accent there must be heresies And whence comes that must be or that necessity Hath God any hand in it that it must be because he will have it Or is there any such necessity that it must be because the Church hath need of Heresies There must be weeds in the garden Is it because the garden hath need of weeds It hath need of weeding rather than of weeds But the must be proceedeth from the corruption of men of evil minds that will raise up heresies And it cannot be otherwise while their minds are and will be so evil That we may take some view of this unhappy necessity proceeding from such an unhappy cause let us gradually observe these things I. That God gives forth his word and truth to men authoritatively that men should beleive them at their peril He sends forth his word not to go a begging for belief of it and obedience to it but let men disbelive and disobey it at their peril Ezek. I. Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear yet shall they know that there hath been a Prophet among them And let them answer it according as they have recieved him II. Now the causes of mens not believing the World and not obeying the truth are in themselves and not at all in God He that gave his word to be believed and obeyed would not be the cause that it should not be believed nor obeyed It is the wickedness of mens own hearts that causeth it and it is the voluntary doing of their hearts not to obey it It is said Joh. XII They could not believe but the first cause was because they would not believe And so by the continual practise of not willing to believe they came to the fatal distemper that they could not believe The Prophet Esa. Chap. LIII cryeth out Who hath believed our report Why no body And what is the reason Was not the word worth believing Or could they say they could not believe it The truth was they had no mind to it They had a mind against it They in Jeremy Chap. XLII deal plainly and speak out We will not hear the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken to us And what was their reason They had no mind to it because it was not to their mind Now had they been disputed with and questioned Do you not think that God is wiser than you Are not his Councils better than your Councils and the words of his mouth more to be valued than the suggestions of your hearts What answer do they make Be it what it will we will have our own minds This is the cause of the must be because men will have it so and no perswasion to the contrary can prevail with them We have the mind of Christ is the Apostles rejoycing but we will have our own minds is the worlds language and practice And upon this mad wilfulness it is that there must be Heresies III. Now it is too tedious to enquire into all the immediate causes and originals of Heresies they are so many The Father of them was an Amorite and the Mother an Hittite the whole breed a Canaanite a cursed generation a monstrous generation bred very oft of clean contraries bred ever of
School of Rabbi came thither to intercalate the year but an evil eye came in upon them and they died all at one time Jerus Sanhedr fol. 18. col 3. For they might not intercalate the year but in Judea Maym. in Kiddush Hodesh per. 4. but upon this mischance they removed that business into Galilee Here it seems the Sanhedrin sat also sometimes or at least they had a great Bench of their own for there is mention of stoning ben Satda at Lydda on the eve of the Passover Ibid. fol. 25. 4. To reckon the stories and eminent men belonging to this place were endless at the least it is needless here But the mention and gender of Saron which is also named with Lydda Act. 9. 35. may plead excuse if we alledge one or two Talmudick passages for the clearing of it Jerus in Sheviith fol. 38. 4. From Bethoron to Emmaus was hilly from Emmaus to Lydda plain and from Lydda to the Sea vale Idem in Sotah fol. 18. 4. R. Jochanan and R. Eliezer went from Jabneh to Lydda and met with R. Joshua in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bekin Gittin per. 1. hal 1. He that bringeth a bill of Divorce from a Heathen Country must be able to say In my presence it was written and sealed in my presence Rabban Gamaliel saith Yea he that brings one from Rekam and Chagra R. Eleazer saith Yea he that brings one from Caphar Lodim to Lod. Rabbi Nissim upon the place saith thus Caphar Lodim was out of the Land near to Lod which was within the Land and it was so called because Lyddans were always found there Jerus in Beracoth fol. 3. 1. They brought a chest full of bones from Caphar Tobi and set it openly at the entring in to Lod. Tudrus the Physician came and all the Physicians with him c. Besides observing that Tobi is the name of a man Rabban Gamaliels servant Beracoth per. 2. hal 7. as Tabitha is the name of a woman in the story before us the word Saron being of the masculine gender it plainly tells us that it is not the name of a Town but of the plain or flat where divers Towns stood and among others it may be these mentioned ACTS CHAP. X. all the Chapter LIttle inferiour to these places for Learned men was Caesarea upon the Sea and beyond them for other eminencies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Doctors of Caesarea are of exceeding frequent and exceeding renowned mention in both Talmuds and by name R. Heshai the great R. Achavah R. Zeira R. Ada R. Prigori R. Ulla R. Tachalipha and several others It was antiently called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stratons tower but sumptuously built and beautified by Herod the great in honour of Caesar it was called Caesarea It was mixedly inhabited by Jews and Gentiles and much of an equal number and most commonly well fraught with Roman souldiers because the Governours residence was ordinarily here Of some of these Bands was Cornelius a Captain a man come to an admirable pitch of piety and it is hard to imagine how he came by it For that he was not so much as a Proselyte is apparent in that they at Jerusalem cavil at Peter for going to him as to a Heathen And whether he were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A sojourning stranger as they called some is not much material since by their own judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A sojourning stranger was as a Gentile to all purposes Jerus Jebamoth fol. 8. col 4. Whencesoever he learned faith in Christ his full knowledge of Christ he learned from Peter he having a warrant by vision to send for Peter and he a warrant by vision to go to him Here the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven committed to Peter so long ago Matth. 16. do their work opening the door of faith first to the Gentiles which never was shut since nor ever will be whilest there is a Church to be upon the Earth Jonah at Joppa and Simon bar Jona there both sent to the Gentiles compare together Upon Peters preaching the Holy Ghost falls upon those Gentiles that were present to the amazement of those of the Circumcision that had come with Peter for they had not only not seen the like before but had been trained up while in their Judaism under a maxime of a clean contrary tenour which taught them That the Holy Ghost would dwell neither upon any Heathen nor upon any Jew in a Heathen Country Caesarea was as the Jews reputed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between the borders that is a place disputable whether to account within the Land or without or indeed both Juchas fol. 74. And so were also other places upon this Western border of the Land the great Sea shore as Acon or Ptolemais Jerus challah fol. 60. col 2. Ascalon Idem Sheviith fol. 36. 3. and divers others but all things computed no fitter place in the Land could have been chosen for the beginning of this great work of bringing Jews and Gentiles together into one bound then this not only because this City was both Jew and Gentile within the Land and without but also because here was the Roman Court the chief of the Gentiles and the mentioning of Cornelius his being of the Italian Band hinteth such an observation The Holy Ghost at this its first bestowing upon the Gentiles is given in the like manner as it was at its first bestowing upon the Jewish Nation Act. 2. namely by immediate infusion at all other times you find mention of it you find mention of Imposition of hands used for it But here it may be observed withal that whereas the fruit of this gift of the Holy Ghost was that they spake with Tongues vers 46. it confirmeth that which we spake at Chap. 2. viz. that the first fruit of this gift of Tongues was that they that had it were inabled to speak and understand the Originals of the Scripture And here it appeareth more plainly then there And more plainly still in those twelve at Ephesus Acts 19. 6. And those that spake with Tongues in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 14. For to what purpose was it for them to speak there with Tongues where they all understood the same Language It was not to gibber and talk in strange Language that men might admire but not understand but it was for edification of others yea and for edifying of himself that so spake 1 Cor. 14. 4. He that speaketh a Tongue edifieth himself How What could he speak in any strange Language to his own edification which he might not as much edifie himself by had he spoken it in his own native Tongue But only that this is meant his ability by the gift of Tongues to understand and speak the Original language of the Scripture was both for his own edification and the edification of others Suppose one in the Church of Corinth could speak Persick Arabick Ethiopick c. and did chatter these Languages among them he could
no small induction to him of the writing of this Epistle and sheweth the desperate danger of it Chap. 6. 4 5 c. and Chap. 10. 26 27 c. In which his touching of it we may see how far some had gone in the Gospel and yet so miserably far fallen from it as that some of them had had the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost and yet now sinned willingly and wilfully against it In describing their guilt one of his passages that he useth is but harshly applied by some Chap. 10. 29. Hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing when they say that this horrid Apostate wretch that treads Christ under foot was once sanctified by the blood of Christ whereas the words mean Christs being sanctified by the blood of the Covenant according to the same sense that Christ is said to be brought again from the dead by the blood of the Covenant in this same Epistle Chap. 13. 20. And the Apostle doth set forth the horrid impiety of accounting the blood of the Covenant a common thing by this because even the Son of God himself was sanctified by it or set apart as Mediator And so should I understand the words He hath trodden under-foot that Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant by which he the Son of God was sanctified an unholy thing He magnifieth faith against those works that they stood upon and sought to be justified by and sheweth that this was the all in all with all the holy men both before the Law and under it When he gives them caution Lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau c. Chap. 12. 16. he doth not only speak according to the common tenet of the Nation that Esau was a fornicator as see Targ. Jerus in Gen. 25. but he seemeth to have his eye upon the Nicolaitan doctrine that was now rise that taught fornication to which he seemeth also to refer in those words Chap. 13. 4. Marriage is honourable c. And now henceforward you have no more story of this Apostle what became of him after the writing of this Epistle it is impossible to find out by any light that the Scripture holdeth out in this matter The two last verses but one of this Epistle trace him as far forward as we can any way else see him and that is but a little way neither Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty with whom if he come shortly I will see you By which words these things may be conjectured 1. That after his inlargement out of bonds he left Rome and preached in Italy He mentioneth in his Epistle to the Romans his desire and intent to go preach in Spain Rom. 15. 24. but that was so long ago that he had now found some just cause so much time intervening to steer his course another way For 2. It appears that when he wrote this Epistle to the Hebrews he intended very shortly to set for Judea if so be he sent the Epistle to the Jews of Judea as hath been shewed most probable he did So that trace him in his intentions and hopes and you find him purposing to go to Philippi Phil. 2. 23 24. Nay yet further to Colosse Philem. ver 22. Nay yet further into Judea It is like that the Apostacy and wavering that he heard of in the Eastern Churches shewed him more need to hasten thither then to go westward 3. He waited a little to see whether Timothy now inlarged would come to him in that place of Italy where he now was which if he did he intended to bring him along with him but whether they met and travelled together or what further became of either of them we shall not go about to trace lest seeking after them we lose our selves CHRIST LXIII NERO. IX IT hath been observed before how probable it is that Albinus came into the Government of Judea in Festus room in this ninth year of Nero. And if so then was James the Apostle who was called James the less martyred this year Josephus gives the story of this Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 8. Caesar saith he understanding the death of Festus sendeth Albinus governour into Iudea And the King Agrippa put Ioseph from the High-priesthood and conferred it upon Ananus the son of Ananus Now this Ananus junior was extreme bold and daring and he was of the sect of the Saduces which in judging are most cruel of any of the Iews Ananus therefore being such a one and thinking he had got a sit opportunity because Festus was dead and Albinus was not yet come he gets together a Council and bringing before it Iames the brother of Iesus who was called Christ and some others as transgressors he delivered them up to be stoned But those in the City that were more moderate and best skilled in the Laws took this ill and sent to the King privately beseeching him to charge Ananus that he should do so no more And some of them met Albinus as he came from Alexandria and shewed him how it was not lawful for Ananus to call a Council without his consent Whereupon he writeth a threatning Letter to Ananus And King Agrippa for this fact put him from the Highpriesthood when he had held it but three months and placed Iesus the son of Damneas in his room THE EPISTLE OF JAMES Although therefore the certain time of his writing this Epistle cannot be discovered yet since he died in the year that we are upon we may not unproperly look upon it as written not very long before his death And that the rather because by an expression or two he intimates the vengeance of Jerusalem drawing very near Chap. 5. 8 9. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh and Behold the Judge standeth before the door He being the Apostle residentiary of the Circumcision in Judea could not but of all others be chiefly in the eyes of those that maliced the Gospel there and the Ministers of it So it could not but be in his eye to observe those tokens growing on apace that his Master had spoken of as the forerunners and forewarners of that destruction coming False Prophets Iniquity abounding Love waxing cold betraying and undoing one another that he could not but very surely conclude that the Judge and judgment was not far from the door Among other things that our Saviour foretelleth should precede that destruction this was one Matth. 24. 14. This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all Nations and then shall the end come And so did the Gospel reach all the twelve Tribes as well as other Nations even the ten Tribes as well as the other two Therefore James a Minister of the Circumcision doth properly direct this Epistle to all the twelve Tribes scattered abroad The whole Nation was at this time some at the
by such like passages as these All the commandments of the Law be they preceptive or prohibitive if a man transgress against any of them either erring or presuming when he repents and turns from his sin he is bound to make confession Whosoever brings a sin or trespass offering for his error or presumption his sin is not expiated by his offering until he make a verbal confession And whosoever is guilty of death or of whipping by the Sanhedrin his sin is not expiated by his whipping or his death unless he repent and make a confession And because the Scapegoat is an atonement for all Israel the High Priest maketh a confession for all Israel over him The Scapegoat expiateth for all transgressions mentioned in the Law be they great or little Maym. in Teshubah per. 1. This their wild doctrine about repentance and pardon being considered in which they place so much of the one and the other in such things as that the true affectedness of the heart for sin or in seeking of pardon is but little spoken of or regarded we may well observe how singularly pertinent to the holding out of the true doctrine of repentance this word is which is used by the Holy Ghost which calleth for change of mind in the penitent and an alteration of the inward temper as wherein consisteth the proper nature and vertue of repentance and not in any outward actions or applications if the mind be not thus changed And thus as our Saviour urging the duty of repentance upon them from this reason because the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand argueth to them from one of their own confest opinions so in this original word by which repentance is called for another opinion of theirs seemeth also to be looked upon but with gainsaying and confutation because they placed so much of repentance if not all repentance in outward things And so when the Ministery of the Gospel calleth for Repentance and in such a word as betokeneth a change and alteration of the mind it doth at once confute the double error that was amongst them which was either about not needing of repentance but insisting upon legal righteousness or if they were to repent it was to be chiefly performed by confession or offerings or some outward action III. Thirdly It is observable in this preaching of Christ that to his admonition to repent he also adjoyneth the other To believe the Gospel which John the Baptist that we read of had not done Matth. 3. 2. And yet John preached the Gospel too for his Ministery is called the beginning of it Mark 1. 1 2. and he preached that they should believe Joh. 1. 7. But his doctrine did mainly aim at the declaring of him that was to preach the Gospel that when he came to preach it he might the more readily be believed Joh. 1. 31. Act. 19. 4. Johns chiefest and most intended task and purpose was to point out Christ and to bring the people to be acquainted with his person and to take notice of him as the Messias the great Prophet to whom it was reserved to publish the great things of the Gospel that when he came openly to preach it as now he doth he might be the better intertained and hearkned after And thus John makes ready a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1. 17. And now that this great Preacher for whom attention and regard was prepared by all the bent of Johns Ministery is come to preach and publish the Gospel in its full clearness and manifestation He calleth for repentance and belief of it as Act. 20. 21. Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith or believing in order of the work of grace is before repentance that being the first and mother grace of all others yet is it here and in other places named the latter 1. Because though faith be first wrought yet repentance is first seen and evidenced both to the heart of him that hath it and to the eyes of others 2. Because a poor broken and penitent heart is the most proper receptacle of the Gospel Esay 61. 1. Matth. 11. 5. Now by the Gospel is not only here meant the good and glad tidings of Salvation as the word signifies in the original and as it is taken in other places but it is also held out here by our Saviour with a singular emphasis and circumstance namely as the new Law and Covenant which God had promised to give unto his people and which they expected from the Messias The Gospel as it signifies the good tidings of Salvation and Salvation by Christ was very abundantly held out in the Law and the Prophets and if Christ proposed the word here but in that sense he proposed his Ministery but like unto theirs But as in the Synagogue of Nazareth he had begun to assert himself the highly anointed one of the Lord for the singular work of publishing the new Law Luk. 4. 18. so now and forward he doth openly proclaim himself to be he whom the Lord had appointed and anointed for that end and that his Ministry and doctrine was that Gospel or glad tidings which God had promised to send by the Messias And in this sense it is that he calls upon them to believe the Gospel not only in regard of the tenour but also in regard of the dispenser and dispensation of it he the great Prophet and that according to the promises of God and the expectation of the Nation The Lord had foretold them copiously by the Prophets that Messias should be the great Teacher and Lawgiver in the last days and this had put them in expectation of a new Law and doctrine when he should come Esay 2. 1 2 3. In the last days the mountain of the Lords house shall be established on the top of the mountains c. And many people shall say Come and let us go up c. And he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths c. This Teacher saith David Kimchi is the Messias And wheresoever it is said in the last days it meaneth the days of Messias And so in Esa. 11. 4. With righteousness shall be judge the poor and reprove with equity This the Chaldee Paraphrast expresly and nominatim understandeth of Messias And so he doth that in Esa. 42. 1. c. And so in Esa. 52. 7. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings or that preacheth the Gospel which though the Apostle in Rom. 10. 15. apply generally to the Ministry of the Gospel yet doth the Context in the Prophet shew that it is primarily and especially to be understood of Christ whom the Chaldee Paraphrast nameth Syllabically at vers 13. Such another Prophesie of Christ being the great Teacher when he should come is that which is so much retched and abused towards the countenancing of Enthusiasm Esa. 54. 13. And all thy children shall be taught of God where
of writings behind them indited by the Spirit others that have lived in after times indued with the same gift of Prophecy have taken those ancient pieces in hand and have flourished upon them as present past or future occasions did require To this purpose compare Psal. 18. 1 Sam. 22. Obadiah and Jer. 49. 14. and 1 Chron. 16. and Psal. 96. and 105. and 2 Pet. 2. and the Epistle of St. Jude So this piece of Ethan being of incomparable antiquity and singing of the delivery from Egypt in after times that it might be made fit to be sung in the Temple it is taken in hand by some divine Pen-man and that ground-work of his is wrought upon and his Song set to an higher key namely that whereas he treated only of the bodily deliverance from Egypt it is wound up so high as to reach the Spiritual delivery by Christ and therefore David is so often named from whence he should come SECTION III. The words of the Hebrew Midwives not a lye but a glorious confession of their saith THEY were Hebrew Midwives but Egyptian Women For Pharaoh that in an ungodly Councel had devised and concluded upon all ways whereby to keep the Israelites under would not in such a design as this use Israelitish women who he knew were parties in the cause against him but he intrusteth it with women of his own Nation They are named for their honour as Mark 14. 9. that wheresoever the Gospel or the Doctrine of Salvation should be Preached this faith and fact of theirs should be published in memorial of them The Midwives said unto Pharaoh Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women for they are lively c. These words of theirs proceed from the same faith from whence had proceeded their work of charity the childrens preservation And so far are they from being a lye that they are so glorious a confession of their faith in God that we find not many that have gone beyond it And the things they spake of so far from false that they were most admirably and miraculously true and really done They saw in very deed the immediate hand and help of God plainly and really shewed to the Hebrew women in their labour and that whereas other women naturally in that case are weak fainting and long in pain these were strong lively and soon delivered For as the strength of the promise shewed it self in the Males of Israel in that the more they were pressed under servitude and afflicted the more were they able for generation v. 2. Act. 7. 17. So did the strength of the promise shew it self upon the women in that they were delivered of their children with a supernatural and extraordinary ease and quickness Therefore the Midwives boldly stand out to Pharaoh to the venture of a Martyrdom and plainly tell him that since they were not in travel as other women but lively and strong and had soon done it could be nothing but the immediate hand of God with them which hand they are resolved they will not oppose for all his command lest they should be found to fight against God For this confession so resolutely and gloriously made before Pharaoh and for their fact answerable God made them houses because they feared him vers 21. that is married them into the Congregation of Israel and built up Israelitish Families by them SECTION IV. Moses his birth supernatural Exod. 2. 2. MOSES was born when his mother by the course of nature was past child-bearing For if Levi begat Jochebed at an hundred years old which is hardly to be conceived as Gen. 17. 17. yet is Jochebed within two of fourscore when she bare Moses But it was more than probable that she was born long before Levi was an hundred unless we will have Levi to be above half a hundred years childless betwixt the birth of Merari and Jochebed And thus the birth of Moses was one degree more miraculous than the miraculous and supernatural birth of the other children of the Hebrew Women and so was his brother Aarons not much less wondrous She then having a goodly child at so great an age saw the special hand of God in it and therefore labours his preservation against Pharaohs decree for by Faith she knew he would be preserved for some special instrument of Gods glory but the manner of his preservation she knew not yet SECTION V. Our Saviours allegation of Exod. 3. 6. in Luke 20. 37. cleared MOSES in Midian under the retiredness of a Pastoral life giveth himself unto contemplation of divine things in one of those raptures God himself appeareth visibly to him in deed and that in a flaming fire now he is about to perform the promise as he appeared to Abraham when he made it and it came to pass when the Sun went down and it was dark behold a smoaking furnace and a burning Lamp that passed between those pieces In the same day the Lord made a Covenant with Abraham Gen. 15. 17 18. The words which Christ here useth to Moses in the bush he urgeth again to the Jews whereby to evince the Resurrection Luke 20. 37. And that the dead are raised even Moses shewed at the bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob for he is not a God of the dead but of the living which words indeed do infer the resurrection as they lie in themselves but far more clearly if they be laid to and compared with the Jews own doctrine and position Rabbi Simeon Ben Jochai saith the holy blessed God nameth not his name on the righteous in their life but after their death as it is said to the Saints that are in the earth Psal. 16. 3. When are they Saints When they are laid in the earth For all the days that they live the holy blessed God joyneth not his name to them And why Because the holy blessed God trusteth them not that evil affections will not make them to err but when they be dead the holy blessed God nameth his name upon them But behold we find that he nameth his name on Isaac the righteous whilst he liveth for so he saith to Jacob I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father and the God of Isaac Rabbi Barachiah and our Doctors our Doctors say He saw his dust as it was gathered upon the Altar and Rabbi Barachiah saith since he was blind of his eyes he is reputed as dead because he was shut up in the midst of the house Rabbi Tanch in Gen. 28. Rabbi Menahem in Exod. 3. SECTION VI. The power of Miracles Habbak 3. 2. and Act. 19. 2. explained THE gift of Prophesie or Foretelling things to come had been in the Church since the fall of Adam and now are Miracles added because of unbelief For observe that when Moses saith Behold they will not believe the Lord immediately answers What is that in thine hand This double faculty being given
had joyned to them and came out with them On the second day of the month and of their arrival there Moses goeth up into the mountain being called up by the Lord vers 3. and when he cometh down telleth the people the words of the Lord vers 5. If ye will hear my voyce indeed and keep my Covenant ye shall be my peculiar people To which the people even before they know what the Commandments of the Lord would be do promise to obey and hearken not by rash undertaking to perform they knew not what as some have been bold to tax them nor yet presuming upon their own ability to keep the Law as others have concluded upon them but having been trained up from their infancy and instructed in the doctrine of Faith they piously conclude when God cometh to give them a Law and to make a covenant with them that God would not cross himself in the Doctrine of salvation but that the Law that he would now give them should be a Law conducing and leading to Faith still a Schoolmaster to Christ and not an extinguisher of the doctrine of Salvation by him On the third day of the month Moses goeth up into the mountain again vers 9. and is charged to sanctifie the people which accordingly is done on that day and on the fourth and fifth and on the sixth day in the morning the ten Commandements are given SECTION XXVI The Iews Tenet concerning the Law Talm. in Maccoth Rab. Abhuhahh Ner. 1. THE whole Law say they was given to Moses in six hundred and thirteen precepts David in the fifteenth Psalm bringeth them all within the compass of eleven 1. To walk uprightly 2. To work righteousness 3. To speak truth in the heart 4. Not to slander 5. Not to wrong a Neighbour 6. Not to entertain or raise an ill report 7. To vilisie a reprobate 8. To honour them that fear the Lord. 9. That altereth not his oath 10. Not to lend to usury 11. Not to take bribes against the Innocent The Prophet Isaiah brings these to six in Chap. 33. 15. 1. To walk justly 2. To speak righteously 3. To refuse gain of oppression 4. To shake hands from taking bribes 5. To stop the ears from hearing of blood 6. To shut the eyes from seeing of evil Micha reduceth all to three Chap. 6. 8. 1. To do justly 2. To love mercy 3. To walk humbly with God Isaiah again to two Chap. 56. 1. 1. Keep judgment 2. Do justice Amos to one Chap. 5. 4. Seek me Habakkuk also brings all to one Chap. 2. 4. The just by his Faith shall live Thus the Jews witness against themselves while they conclude that Faith is the sum of the Law and yet they stand altogether upon works A Testimony from Jews exceedingly remarkable SECTION XXVII Articles of a believing Iews Creed collected out of Moses Law 1. I believe that salvation is by Faith not by Works WHEN the Talmudick Jews make such a confession as is mentioned instantly before wherein they reduce all the tenor and marrow of the Law under this one doctrine of living by Faith Hab. 2. 4. The just by his Faith shall live it is no woader if the more ancient and more holy Jews under the Law looked for salvation not by their own merits and works but only by Faith This fundamental point of Religion they might readily learn by these two things 1. From the impossibility of their keeping the Law which their consciences could not but convince them of by their disability to hear it and by their daily carriage 2. In that they saw the holiest of their men and the holiest of their services to receive sanctitie not from themselves but from another So they saw that the Priest who was or should be at least the holiest man among them was sanctified by his garments and that the sacrifices were sanctified by the Altar From these premises they could not but conclude that no man nor his best service could be accepted as holy in it self but must be sanctified by another 2. I beleive that there is no salvation without reconciliation with God and no reconciliation without satisfaction The first part of this Article is so plain that nature might teach it and so might it the latter also and laying hereto Moses his lex talionis eye for eye tooth for tooth it made it doubtless 3. I believe that satisfaction shall once be made This they might see by their daily sacrifice aiming at a time when there should full satisfaction be made which these poor things could not do No less did their Jubilec year intimate when men in debt and bondage were quitted The very time of the year when the Jubilee year began calling all Israel to think of a Jubilee from sin and Satans bondage into which mankind fell at the same time of the year 4. I believe that satisfaction for sin shall be made by a man This is answerable to reason that as a man sinned so a man should satifie but Moses's Law about redemption of Land by a kinsman taught Israel to expect that one that should be akin in the flesh to mankind should redeem for him morgaged heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew is both a kinsman and a Redeemer 5. I believe that he shall be more than a man This they learned from the common service about the Tabernacle wherein the high Priest a man as fully hallowed and sanctified as man could be for his outward function yet did he offer and offer again for the people and himself and yet they were unclean still This read a Lecture to every ones apprehension that a meer man could not do the deed of satisfaction but he must be more 6. I believe the redeemer must also be God as well as man The disability of beasts to make satisfaction they saw by their dying in sacrifice one after another and yet mans conscience cleansed never the better The unability of man we saw before The next then that is likely to do this work are Angels But them Israel saw in the Tabernacle curtains spectators only and not actors in the time and work of reconciliation From hence they might gather that it must be God dwelling with man in one person as the cloud the glory of God never parted from the Ark. 7. I believe that mans Redeemer shall die to make satisfaction This they saw from their continued bloody sacrifices and from the covenants made and all things purged by blood This the heedless man-slayer might take heed of and see that as by the death of the high Priest he was restored to liberty so should mankind be by the death of the highest Priest to the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Their delivery from Egypt by the death of a Lamb taught them no less 8. I believe that he shall not die for his own sins but for mans Every Sacrifice read this Lecture when the most harmless of beasts and birds were offered
lay their hands upon them and they receive the Holy Ghost Here Episcopacy thinketh it hath an undeniable Argument for proof of its Hierarchy and of the strange rite of confirmation For thus pleadeth Baronius for the former From hence saith he it may be seen that the Hierarchical order was instituted in the Church of God even in this time for Philip doth so baptize those that believe that yet he usurpeth not the Apostolical priviledge namely the imposition of hands granted to the Apostles And thus the Rhemists both for it and for the latter in their notes on Act. 8. 17. If this Philip had been an Apostle saith S. Bede he might have imposed his hands that they might have received the Holy Ghost but this none can do saving Bishops For though Priests may baptize and anoint the baptized also with Chrisme consecrated by a Bishop yet can he not sign his forehead with the same holy oyl because that belongeth only to Bishops when they give the Holy Ghost to be baptized And after this testimony of Bede they subjoyn their inference This imposition therefore of hands together with the prayers here specified which no doubt was the very same that the Church useth to that purpose was the ministration of the Sacrament of Confirmation Now let the Reader with indifferency and seriousness but ruminate upon these two Queries and then judge of those two inferences First whether Apostleship were not an Order for ever unimitable in the Church for besides the Reason given to prove that it was upon the choosing of Matthias others may be added to make it the more clear As 1. the end of their Election was peculiar the like to which was not to be in the Church again for they were chosen to be with Christ Mark 3. 14. to be eye-witnesses of his resurrection Acts 1. 22. 2. 32. 10. 41. as they had been of his actions and passion Luke 1. 2. And therefore Paul pleading for his Apostleship That he had seen the Lord 1 Cor. 9. 1. and in the relation or story of his calling this particular is singulary added That he saw that just one and heard the voice of his mouth Acts 22. 14. Secondly the name of Apostles keepeth it self unmixed or confounded with any other Order It is true indeed that the significancy of the word would agree to other Ministers that are to preach but there is a peculiar propriety in the sense that hath confined the title to the twelve and Paul as any indifferent eye will judge and censure upon the weighing of it in the New Testament Thirdly when Paul reckoneth the several kinds of Ministry that Christ Jesus left in the Church at his ascension Ephes. 4. 11. and 1 Cor. 12. 28. there is none that can think them all to be perpetuated or that they should continue successively in the like order from time to time For within an hundred years after our Saviours birth where were either Prophets or Evangelists miracles or healings And if these extraordinary kinds of Ministration were ordained but for a time and for special occasion and were not to be imitated in the Church unto succeeding times much more or at the least as much were the Apostles and Order much more at least as much extraordinary as they Fourthly the constant and undeniable Parallel which is made betwixt the twelve Patriarchs the Fathers of the twelve Tribes and the twelve Apostles not only by the number it self but also by the New Testament in the four and twenty Elders Rev. 4. 4. and in the gates and foundations of the new Jerusalem Rev. 21. 12 14. doth argue and prove the latter order as unimitable as the first These things well considered if there were no more it will shew how improbable and unconsonant the first inference is that is alledged that because there was a subordination betwixt the Apostles and Philip that therefore the like is to be reputed betwixt Bishops and other Ministers and that Bishops in the Church are in the place of the Apostles A second Quaere and very material to the matter in agitation is whether imposition of hands were ever used by the Apostles but for ordination to some Office in the Church For whereas their giving of the Holy Ghost to Samaritans in this story and to others elsewhere is adduced as an example and argument for that which is now called confirmation and which hath been indifferently given to all for it is good cheap that this act of the Apostles aimed not nor intended to any such thing may be reasonably conjectured and guessed at by these considerations First that the Holy Ghost thus given meaneth not his ordinary work of Sanctification and confirming in Grace but his extraordinary gifts of Tongues Prophecying and the like And this is evident by the meaning of that Phrase the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures when it denoteth not exactly the Person of the Holy Ghost or the third person in the Trinity For as it is a Rabbinick expression very common in the writings of the Jews and in the use of the Nation and evermore in their use and sense meaneth only the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit mentioned so doth it constantly signifie in the Scripture and it is very hard if not utterly impossible to find it signifying any other sense Secondly it is yet more evident by the very historical relation of Luke concerning the matter in hand for in Acts 19. 6. telling how Paul laid his hands upon certain men at Ephesus and they received the Holy Ghost he instantly explaineth what were the gifts of the Holy Ghost that they received for they spake with tongues saith he and prophecyed And it is not possible to think but that Simon Magus when he offered money for this fruit of the imposition of his hands that he might give the Holy Ghost saw some visible apparent sign of the gift by the hands of the Apostles which if it were only sanctifying or confirming grace how could he have seen it So did they of the Circumcision perceive when the gifts of Holy Ghost fell upon the Gentiles Acts 10. 45. For they saw it by their speaking with tongues and magnifying God vers 46. Fourthly it being then thus undeniable that the gifts conferred by the imposition of hands were the extraordinary ones of the Holy Ghost it can as little also be denyed that they were imparted only to some singular and particular persons and not to all whatsoever without distinction For otherwise 1. It must be granted that Simon Magus received them as well as others which I know not who will grant for by his familiarity with Philip and the Apostles he having also been baptized with the rest and his wickedness and his villany not yet broken forth he might have gotten a precedency in this gift before others if it had been general 2. It would bring women under imposition of hands which can hardly be dreamed of or ever was any one It is true
of his Knowledge as in the Sacrifices fire and salt were ever joyned 5. The fifth days work was of fishes to play in the Seas and the souls to flie toward Heaven So the fifth step in a new creature is to live and rejoyce in a Sea of troubles and to flie by prayer and contemplation to Heaven 6. On the sixth day God makes man and all these things performed man is a new creature To reckon them altogether then as S. Peter does his golden chain of vertues 2 Pet. 1. Add to your light of Knowledge the firmament of Faith to your Faith Seas of repentant Tears to your Tears the fruitful Trees of good Works to your good Works the hot Sunshine of Zeal to your Zeal the winged souls of Prayer and Contemplation Et ecce omnia facta sunt nova Behold you are become a new Creature As the Bible begins so it ends with a new Creation of a new Heaven and a new Earth and a new Paradise and a new Tree of Life Apoc. 21. unto all which O thou whom my soul loveth say come CHAP. XLVII Of the fall of Adam THE fall of Adam was the death of himself the death of us and the death of Cypriano di valter Christ. At his fall were three offenders three offences and persons offended Three offenders Satan Adam Eve three offences Ignorance weakness and malice three persons offended Father Son and Holy Ghost Eve sinned of Ignorance and so sinned against the Son the God of knowledge and she was forgiven and so S. Paul sinned and was forgiven 1 Tim. 1. 13. Adam sinned of weakness and so sinned against the Father the God of power and he was pardoned and so S. Peter sinned and he was pardoned Matth. 26. But Satan sinned of set malice and so sinned against the Holy Ghost the God of love and he was not forgiven For he that speaketh against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven Mark 3. 29. And in Gods censuring of these three Gen. 3. He questioneth Adam and Evah before he sentenceth because he had mercy for them nay more he promiseth Christ before he inflict punishment but for the Serpent he never questioned because he would shew him no mercy God left Adam to his own free-will and suffered him to fall quia sciebat se c. because he knew how to turn that fall of his to his salvation When Lazarus died Christ was not there that the raising of Lazarus by Christ might be the more glorious So when Adam fell as I may say so God would not be there for he left Adam to his own free-will that the repairing of Adam through Christ might be the more glorious Hereupon one sings O foelix lapsus Unhappy was the fall of Adam since by his fall we all fell but yet happy was that unhappy fall since it must be recured by Christ. Joseph suffered his brother Simeon to go into prison for a while that at last he might bring him out with greater comfort So God suffered Adam to go into Satans Newgate for a while that at last he might bring him out with greater comfort The day thou eatest hereof thou shalt dye there is the prison And the man took and eat there Adam goes into prison The seed of the woman shall break the head of the Serpent there Joseph delivers Simeon out of prison God brings man out of Hell through Christ. Whereupon a Doctor in admiration questions utrum mirabilius homines justos creare an injustos justificare whether is more admirable that God created man righteous or that he justified man when he had made himself unrighteous Whether was more miraculous for God to make man of nothing or to repair him from worse than nothing Wonderful he was in both in his first and his second creation for Justificatio est secunda hominis creatio mans Justification is his new creation CHAP. XLVIII Ophitae Evia SOme Hereticks in Epiphanius think themselves beholden to the Devil for his pains that he took to overthrow Adam for they used to worship a Serpent because say they he brought knowledge into the world Clemens Alexandrinus doth partly think this conceit was got among the Heathens who at their Feasts of Bacchus used to carry a Serpent as it were in procession and to cry Evia Evia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And Evia saith Clemens if it be asperated Hevia it signifies in the Hebrew Tongue a female Serpent Where the good man calls the Chaldec Tongue the Hebrew For in the Hebrew I do not find such a word for a Serpent But all the Chaldee translations of the Bible in the third of Genesis and diverse other places do use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hivia for a Serpent which I take to be the word he means CHAP. XLIX Of the Greek Translation of the fifth of Genesis HOW the Septuagint does add hundreds of years to mens ages before and after the Flood few Scholars but they know This bred the difference of computation of the times while some followed the Hebrew some the Greek Hence came two notorious doubts About Methuselah living after the Flood who died a month or two before And of Sem his death before Abrahams birth who lived as long after Abraham came to Canaan as Abraham was old when he came thither viz. seventy five years And so might well be Melchizedek The Greeks had a great deal of stir where to put Methushelah all the Flood-time for fear of drowning At last some laid him on the top of Noahs Ark and there he was all that watry year The Jews lay Og the Giant there also as the Chaldee Paraphrast upon the fourteenth of Genesis ridiculously observeth Whose words for your fuller sport I will not spare to set down The thirteenth verse be renders thus in Chaldee And Og came who was left of those that died in the Flood for he rode upon the Ark and was as a covering upon it and was nourished with Noahs victuals but he was not preserved for his own sake or merit but that the inhabitants of the world might see the power of the Lord and say Did not the Gyants in old time rebel against the Lord of the world and he destroyed them from the earth yet assoon as these Kings make war behold Og is with them Og saith with himself I will go and shew Abraham Lots case that he is taken prisoner that so he may come to rescue him and may himself fall into their hands He goes and comes to him about the Passover day and finds him making unleavened cakes then he told Abraham the Hebrew c. Thus far the Chaldee of whose conceits here and in one thousand of places more and so of his Nation the Jews I know not whether to say Risum or fletum teneatis amici But to return to my purpose The Greek The Chaldee Paraphrase of Jonathan does also mistake in the age of Mathuselah but I think it only false Printing
other side as that at Pauls is crested on the outside Where buildings stood out into the Mountain of the House as we have observed they did there these Cloisters were carried accordingly being either cut off at the building if it stood thirty cubits out or the one half or more of the Cloister cut off if the building were narrower and the rest of the Cloister carried on before it Only upon the South side of the Square there was some difference of the Walks or Cloister from what was in the other parts For here was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cloister Royal as e e e Ant. lib. 15. cap. 4. Josephus calls it and of which he makes a very large and eminent description to this purpose 1. That it was treble walked or rowed all along from East to West whereas the Cloisters of any of the other sides were but double 2. That this whole frame was born up by four rows of Pillars that stood even one against another the inmost row joyning to the wall as it was on the other sides 3. The inmost and the outmost Walk of these three that is that that was next to the Wall and that that was outmost towards the open space of the Mountain of the House were equal in height and breadth with the Walks or Cloisters on any of the other sides namely fifteen cubits high and fifteen cubits broad apiece but the middlemost walk was two and forty cubits and an half broad and fifty cubits high and so the two rows of Pillars that stood on either side of this middle walk were fifty cubits high so that the roof of this walk was as high again as the roof of the walks on either side and these altogether were as the upper and lower Leads of a Church and every one of them had a crest or battlement round about Finally the whole Fabrick was so gallant and sumptuous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is incredible saith my Author to those that never saw it and an amazement to those that did 4. Had one stood at the top of the highest Leads at either end and looked down there was so steep a trench or vally under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that to look down it would make one giddy and he could hardly see to the bottome and Josephus proclaimeth this fabrick to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the goodliest works under the Sun Now through this gallant Southside Cloister did and that very deservedly bear the name of The Cloister Royal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet is not this the same with that which in the Scripture is called Solomons Porch of which there is mention John X. 23. Act. III. 11. for that as the same Josephus giveth us intimation was upon the East side of this square that we have in hand and not upon the South his words are these f f f Id. ib. lib. 20. cap. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The people perswaded the King Agrippa the second to repair the East Porch or Cloister Now this Cloister was in the outmost space of the Temple standing over an exceeding deep valley raised upon a Wall of 400 cubits which was made of square white stones of 20 cubits long and 6 cubits high apiece the work of King Solomon who first built the Temple His meaning about the foundation of this East wall and cloister he tells elsewhere to this purpose g g g De Bell. lib. 5. cap. 14. that Solomon to find room enough this way was put to fill and bring up a part of the deep trench with such great stones and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and upon this strong foundation so brought up from the bottom of the valley he built this Porch or Cloister that we have in mention Now when the Temple was destroyed by the Babylonian and all the buildings ruined yet this great and wonderful foundation that Solomon had brought up so high as to equal the floor of the Mount was not ruined or pulled down but continued still and in aftertimes the Porch or Cloister of that Eastern quarter was built upon the same foundation of Solomons and from that it took and bare the name still of Solomons Porch and the East gate here upon the same occasion was called the Kings Gate as was said before And now to take a Prospect of this place and wall and buildings and Cloisters that we have spoken of at one view By many steps or at the least by a great rising you were to come up to any of the gates that have been mentioned let the East gate or the gate of Shushan be conceived for our entrance h h h Ezek. XL. 6. The Gate-house or threshold was twelve cubits over six without the doors and six within being got within you saw the great square within most stately double cloistered round about on every side but only on the South where the cloister was treble on the West side were four gates on the South two on the North one and one on the East where you came in and at all these gates more or less buildings i i i Mid. per. 1. 1. In five of these gates namely in the East gate Sushan the two South gates Huldah the North gate Tedi and the West Shallecheth was a guard kept of the Levites by night for the safety and honour of the Temple and so there was in every corner of this great square within These gallant and sumptuous Walks thus round about the whole compass were for the people to stand walk or sit under in heat or rain or according as they had a mind or occasion And so it is said that our Saviour walked here Joh. X. 23. the Apostles James and John stood here and the people about them Acts. III. 11. And there were benches set by the walls round about for people to sit down when they thought good And therefore D. Kimchi k k k Kimch in 2 King XI 14. Interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bench on which men sit And R. Nathan l l l Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes it to be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he saith is benches on which men set down their wares and on which they sit themselves CHAP. IX Tabernae Shops The great Sanhedrin sitting thereabout THERE is very frequent mention in the Talmuds and Talmudical Writers of a place in the Mountain of the house which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hhanoth or Hhanijoth which the learned in these Antiquities do commonly render by the Latine word Tabernae which though in that Language it be a proper expression of the Hebrew word yet cannot we so properly in English render it Taverns because that in our usual acceptation that word is taken for houses where Wine only is sold whereas these were shops where Wine Oyl Salt Meal and such like things were sold which were
Temple that we are surveying which was the Temple built by Herod the Temple that was in the days of our Saviour though Ezekiel speak of such Pillars at the door of his Temple Chap. XL. 49. yet because we desire to give account chiefly of what we find recorded in Scripture concerning the Temple in general we cannot pass over two such memorable Monuments as these two Pillars of whom the Story and relation is held out by the Scripture so largely and exactly 1. These two Pillars which were of brass consisted either of them of two parts the Pillar it self and the Boll and Chapiter that was set on the head of it The Pillar it self was hollow the circle incompassing the hollow four fingers thick and the compass of that circling twelve cubits about Jer. LII 21. 1 King VII 15. a a a R. Sol. in 1 King VII R. Lev. Gers. ibid. the whole thickness or diameter of either Pillar four cubits or three cubits and four fifth parts of a cubit as is the reckoning of Levi Gersom The Chapiter or Boll likewise of either Pillar was hollow and was a huge piece of Brass Boll or oval fashion which had a very large hole in it into which the top of the Pillar was let and so this Chapiter sate upon it 2. The length or height of either Pillar was eighteen cubits besides the Chapiter for the Text doth clearly reckon the height of Pillar and Chapiter distinctly Now the Book of Chronicles summeth the length of both Pillars together and saith they were five and thirty cubits high 2 Chron. III. 15. in which it cometh short a cubit of that account and summ that is given in the Book of Kings and Jeremiah which say That either Pillar was eighteen cubits and so the whole of both was six and thirty But half a cubit of either Pillar was taken up and hid in the hole of the Chapiter that sate upon it and so that Text in the Book of Chronicles measures them as they stood with the Chapiters upon them two and twenty cubits and an half high Pillar and Chapiter and all 3. The Chapiter or oval on the head of either Pillar is called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Rabbi Solomon renders in the vulgar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pumels Kimchi A Crown with which the Chaldee agrees who expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corona but Levi Gershom more exactly saith it was like two Crowns joined together It was a huge great oval of five cubits high and did not only sit upon the head of the Pillars but also flowred or spread them being larger about a great deal than the Pillars themselves 4. Whereas it is said both in 1 King VII 16. Jer. LII 22. that the height of either Chapiter was five cubits and yet in 2 King XXV 17. it is said that the height of the Chapiter was three cubits it is generally and well answered by the Jews that the lowest two cubits of the Chapiter were plain and without any graving or imbroidering but the three upper cubits were of such imbroidery To which may be added and some of them do add it that the two lower cubits were but the rising into the spreading or belly of the Chapiter and that they there are not reckoned in that place but only from the belly upward the account is taken 5. The ingravery or imbroidery or both of these Chapiters is thus described by the Holy Ghost in various particulars As. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King VII 17. which our English renders Nets of Checker-work And so the Seventy useth the word Nets also The original word doth properly signifie the inwrapping and infolding of the branches of Trees one within another as Neh. I. 10. Gen. XXII 13. Jer. IV. 7. Esai X. 34. As Vines or Thickets saith b b b Michol in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kimchi explaining the word that are caught and infolded one within another And so some others express this clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the imbroidery was like the branches of Palm Trees or like the handful of branches they used to carry in their hands at the Feast of Tabernacles This I conceive to be the proper meaning of the words that the Chapiters were curiously wrought with branch-branch-work seven goodly branches standing up with their feet from the belly of the oval and their boughs and leaves curiously and lovelily intermingled and inwoven one with another And the words might not improperly be translated thus for the clearer understanding of their meaning and of the manner of the work it self With thickets of branch-work and wreaths of chain-work 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wreathes of Chain-work The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Deut. XXII 12. signifies the fringes that they wore upon their Garments for memorials of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Chaldee Paraphrast And according to such a sense is it to be taken here that about the belly of the Chapiter was a curious Fring or border of wreathen and intwined work upon which border stood the feet or root of the branch-work spoken of before and those branches from thence went upward spreading upon the swelling of the Chapiter and bowing toward the top of the oval as the oval bowed and they there growing into their contracted tops 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two rows of Pomgranates were wrought artificially below the boughs of these branches as if they had been the Apples that those branches bare but only that they were not scattered dispersedly among the branches as Apples use to be in their Trees but were ranked into two several rows or borders severally below them But here we had need to look upon the Text with much seriousness for in two things about this very thing it speaks obscurely and with much difficulty For first in speaking of these rows it saith That the Chapiters were above or upon the Pomgranates 1 King VII 18. Now it is so harsh to hear of the Chapiters being upon the Pomgranates whereas it is most undoubted that the Pomgranates were upon the Chapiters that some Copies as David Kimchi tells us have been so bold as to change the word and instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the head of the Pomgranates to read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the head of the Pillars but as he well observes the Masoreth by putting a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon it or a note that it is not read so any where else doth conclude that it is and must be read so here upon the head of the Pomgranates Now the construction of this may be fetched from 2 Chron. III. 16. where it is said That he put the Pomgranates upon the chains that is the two rows of the Pomgranates were close above the Fring or border of chain-work which was as it were the bottom and basis of the imbroidery and so the bulk and body of the Chapiter where the imbroidery was was above
these rows of the Pomgranates and though the stalks of the branches rested upon the Fringe or Chain-work yet did they not spread into their leaves and branches till their stalks had carried them above the Pomgranates therefore the construction and sense of that Verse viz. 1 King VII 18. is to be taken thus Thus he made the Pillars And there were two rows round about by the branch-work which branch-work was for to cover the Chapiter even that of the Chapiter that was above the Pomgranates Secondly There is no small scruple about the number of the Pomgranates because the Text doth sum them up in several countings for in 2 Chron. III. 16. there is mention only of an hundred In 1 King VII 20. of two hundred And in 1 King VII 42. of four hundred In all which diversity the main difficulty rests in the count of Jeremy for there was an hundred Pomgranates in every row according to the reckoning of the Book of Chronicles and so there were two hundred upon either Chapiter as is the account of the Book of Kings in the former place cited that is four hundred upon both Chapiters according to the sum of the later quotation but what to make of Jeremiah's ninety six is somewhat intricate at the first sight His words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore the last word is hard to translate and breeds all the scruple The Chaldee and Seventy render it The Pomgranates were ninety six on a side and so doth the Italian and our English but this is of a very hard construction since the rows of Pomgrenates were in circles the Chapiter being round and whereas there were but an hundred in a row how could ninety six of them be upon one side The word is more easie to pharaphrase than verbatim to translate The meaning of the clause is this That whereas there was an hundred Pomgranates in every row when the Pillars were set to the Wall four of every row could not be seen but ninety six might the other four being hid behind the Pillar as it stood close up to the Wall And so the Pomgranates were ninety six only in sight Therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may well be translated in the clause thus And the Pomgranates were ninety six on the open sides or toward the open air for in this sense I conceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stand here 4. It is said moreover in the Text in the Book of Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Kings VII 19. And the Chapiters which were on the top of the Pillars had Lilly-work in the Porch four cubits for so should I rather translate it than were of Lilly-work and that upon these grounds 1. Because the work of the Chapiters is so exactly described before to be of Branch-work and Pomgranates and that but for three cubits or thereabout that I cannot possibly imagine how they should be said besides to be of Lilly-work four cubits 2. The Text expresly telleth afterward That the Lilly-work was on the top of the Pillars vers 22. and not on the top or sides of the Chapiters 3. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Porch or by the Porch hath its special emphasis and intention for it is not said at all that either the Chapiters or the pomgranate-Pomgranate-work were in the Porch but the thing is referred only to the lilly-Lilly-work The meaning thefore of the Verse appeareth to be this That at the head of the Pillar even at the setting on of the Chapiter there was a curious and a large border or circle of Lilly-work which stood out four cubits under the Chapiter and then turned down every Lilly or long tongue of Brass with a heat bending and so seemed as a flowred Crown to the head of the Pillar and as a curious Garland whereon the Chapiter had its seat And that particular expression that it was in or by the Porch intendeth to shew that these long tongues of Brass which were made like Lillies did not suddenly decline and lie down upon the sides of the Pillars nor suddenly ascend and stick upon the sides of the Chapiter but stood out into and along the Porch a four cubit circle after the manner of a spread Lilly and then the tongue bended downward as the Lilly doth And this construction of that Verse helpeth to clear and explain the next Verse that follows after it which otherwise would cost some pains to translate it out of the original or to make facil sense of it being translated In consonancy and contexture to the Verse before so understood as hath been held out this Verse may be intrepreted and paraphrased thus And the Chapiters upon the two pillars were also above this Lilly work for they sate upon the growing out of it even from over against the belly which was by the Branch-work for the Lilly-work wrought out as far as the belly of the Chapiters wrought out with an accurate bowing or swelling upwards towards the belly where the stalks of the branch-work and the rows of the Pomgranates were even as a Lilly gently swelleth up before the tongue or utmost point of it turneth down again 5. The place where these Pillars stood is somewhat uncertain the Text indeed saith they stood before the House 2 Chron III. 15. and before the Temple vers 17. but yet it is to seek whether within the Porch at the entring in or without the Porch or within the Porch at the Temple door which last is the opinion of Rabbi Sol. upon the Text cited Upon these four reasons I am induced to conceive that they stood within the Porch even at the very entring into it joyning or standing up to the very cheeks of the Gate or entrance 1. Because Ezekiel hath so placed his two Pillars in the Porch of his Temple namely at the top of the steps by the posts or cheeks of the entrance it self Ezek. XL. 49. 2. Because as we observed before it is said that the Lilly-work under the Chapiters was four cubits in the Porch 3. Because the Book of Kings saith That Solomon set up the Pillars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Porch as the word properly signifies though David Kimchi and our English translate it In The expression seemeth to intimate these two things First That the Pillars were set up for the Porch door and not for the Temple door as was the opinion of Solomon Jarchi cited before And Secondly That they stood for the Porch or very entrance into the building as door-cheeks or posts at that entrance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At the door cheeks of the Ios. Antiqu. lib. 8. cap. 2. Porch as saith Josephus 4. That obscure passage of Ezekiel Chap. XL. 48. The bredth of the Gate was three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side cannot be so understood as if the entry or passage into the Porch were but six cubits broad and why also should he speak of this side
Judah part of his History 2009. * Judaism is the Body of the Jews Religion differing in it self yet all contrary to Christianity 372 373 Judas twice told of betraying Christ at two distinct Suppers with Jesus one two days before the Passover the other at the Passover p. 260. The Traytor was with Christ at the Sacrament p. 260 261. He was strangled by the Devil in the air and cast down Headlong 744 Judas the Galilean a Sectary led people away under a pretence of Liberty of Conscience and of Persons against the Romans 766 Judas Maccabeus part of his History 2067 to 2069. * Judges were not Monarchs but chief Commanders and Instructors in the way of God and Undertakers for them in danger for the Sanhedrim bore the sway p. 47. There were two Courts of Judges consisting of Twenty three in the Temple beside the Sanhedrim 447 Judgments are against sin p. 921. Just. 1002. Judicial Deaths the manner of them among the Jews 2006 2007. * Justification as by faith in Christ. 314 315 K. KAB what sort of measure Page 546 Kadesh Barnea why so called 35 Kalender or Almanack Jewish with their Feastivals the Attendance of the Priests and the Lessons of the Law and Prophets 401 to 406 Katholikin there was two of them Head Treasurers to the Temple Page 912 Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven what 237 238 Kiddush Habdala words of blessing the Sabbath 218 King how he was to read the Law 980 Kingdom of Christ misunderstood 250 Kingdom of God for the Gospel day or age p. 450. Kingdom of God or Heaven what in the Gospel acceptation 569 570 Kingdom of Heaven and its coming when the Messias came what p. 213. The Kingdom of Heaven signifies the Preaching the Gospel also the Preaching of it to the Gentiles with their Conversion p. 456. The Kingdom of Heaven and the New Jerusalem began Anno Mund. 4000. just when the City and Temple were destroyed p. 487. The Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God one and the same in sense p. 567 568. The Kingdom of Heaven among the Jewish Writers was taken for the height zeal and strictness of their Devotion joyned with Punctual ceremoniousness and Phylactery Rites p. 568. The Kingdom of Heaven in the Language of the Jews in the Gospel and some of their own Writers did signifie the day of the Messias and the Glorious times that would then be p. 568 569 570. Our Saviour and the Disciples did use the same Phrase but did understand it of Spiritual Things not Worldly the difference between them is shewed p. 569. The Kingdom of Heaven far differently understood and used by the Jews and by Christ and what its being at Hand p. 628 632. The Kingdom of Heaven is put for the receiving the Gentiles into Favour and into the Gospel 845 Kingdom to be restored to Israel i. e. a worldly Kingdom a great mistake p. 737. Articles against this opinion of the Jews and Milinaries that concur with them in many things 738 Kingdom of the World which Satan offered Christ what 507 to 510 Kings were called by several Names in several Countries 423. Marg. Know we know signifies that the thing is well known 566 567 L. LAKE of Genesareth Galilee Tiberias and Cinnereth Sea all one Page 632 633 Lamb Pascal how prepared p. 260. Where the Lambs were kept for Sacrifice 2019. * Lamb of God what and why Christ was so called 529 Lamechs sin he complains of was Poligamy and his staying was by setting an ill example 693 Lamentations of Jeremy an elegant Writing 129 Lamp ere the Lamp of God went out what 1082. * Lamps used in the Temple what 1082. * Language of the Jews much followed in the stile of the New Testament 313 314 Languages of the two Testaments are the Old in Hebrew and Chaldee the New in Greek c. 1014 1015 Languages are not so many as there were Nations at Rabel 694 Laodicea the Epistle from Laodicea is an Epistle from that Church to Paul 326 Last day called also sometimes the Kingdom of God and sometimes a New Heaven and a New Earth Last days in exceeding many places both in the Old and New Testament denotes the Last days of Jerusalem and the Jewish State not of the World 276 Latine Translation renders ill Righteousness for Alms. 1018 Laver for water what 722 Laver where it stood and its cize p. 2042. * The manner of washing in it p. 2043. * Solomons ten Lavers the Holy Ghost is very copious in their description p. 2044. * Their fashion and use Page 2044 2045. * Law and going to Law among unbelievers what and how vile 301 302 Law broken by Adam was both the Tables of the Law 1027 Law Moral and Ceremonial what they were and how Christ is said to fulfil them p. 475 476. They differ much from the Gospel both as to Grace and Truth 500 Law Ceremonial obliged as single Men or as Members of the Congregation and People of Israel the Passover and other Festivals were of the later Form which made Christ observe them against Separatists 548 549 Law unwritten among the Jews was their Cabbalah or Traditions 652 653 Law and the Prophets put for all the Old Testament and how 533 534 Law supposed by the Jews to be new at Christs coming how far it was so p. 631. The Jews Tenet concerning the Law by which they reduce six hundred and thirteen Precepts into One which was living by faith and so witnesseth against themselves because they were altogether for Works 314 Law given at Sinai what p. 1028. Why the Law was published then and not before of the place where it was given and the manner p. 1028. Of the Effects of the Law p. 1029 1030. Of the Ten Commandments 1030 1031 Laying on of hands upon the Head of the Burnt-Offering or Sacrifice before offered what 926 929 Learned Men might of necessity teach the People among the Jews because the Scriptures were in an unknown Tongue to the common People p. 357. Learned Men at Christs coming had filled the Nation by the Tutorage of the two great Doctors Shammai and Hillel p. 440. The Distinction and Division of the Learned Men of the Jewish Nation what 651 to 659 Learning among the Jews at Christs coming was advanced to a mighty height by the labours of the Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Sanhedrin p. 207. Learning Jewish what 996 c. Leven the way of the Jews searching for it with the Prayer before they set upon that search 953 Leven of Herod was Sadduceism 235 Lepers the Priests could only pronounce not make them clean nor give them leave to come into Cities c. p. 219 c. The Attonement for their cleansing what p. 983. Their Room for cleansings where 1093. * Leprosie cured by Christ when the Priests could not yet Christ was tender of their reputation 648 Letters who first had the use of them c. 1011 1013 Lethech what sort of measure
to consider in the second place it is not at all to be doubted but he Baptized in the name of the Messias now ready to come and it may be gathered from his words and from his story As yet he knew not that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messias which he confesseth himself John I. 31. yet he knew well enough that the Messias was coming therefore he Baptised those that came to him in his name instructing them in the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning faith in the Messias and repentance that they might be the readier to receive the Messias when he should manifest himself Consider well Malâ—c III. 1. Luke I. 17. John I. 7 31. c. The Apostles baptizing the Jews baptized them in the name of Jesus because Jesus of Nazareth had now been revealed for the Messias and that they did when it had been before commanded them by Christ baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost So you must understand that which is spoken Joh. III. 23. IV. 2. concerning the Disciples of Christ baptizing namely that they baptized in the Name of Jesus that thence it might be known that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messias in the Name of whom suddenly to come John had baptized That of St. Peter is plain Act. II. 38. Be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ and that Act. VIII 16. They were baptized in the Name of Jesus But the Apostles baptized the Gentiles according to the precept of our Lord in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matth. XXVIII 19. For since it was very much controverted among the Jews about the true Messias and that unbelieving Nation denied stifly and without ceasing that Jesus of Nazareth was He under which virulent Spirit they labour even to this day it was not without cause yea nor without necessity that they baptized in the Name of Jesus that by that seal might be confirmed this most principal truth in the Gospel and that those that were baptized might profess it That Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messias But among the Gentiles the controversie was not concerning the true Messias but concerning the true God among them therefore it was needful that baptism should be conferred in the Name of the true God Father Son and Holy Spirit We suppose therefore that men women and children came to John's baptism according to the manner of the Nation in the reception of Proselytes Namely that they standing in Jordan were taught by John that they were baptized into the Name of the Messias that was now immediately to come and into the profession of the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Faith and Repentance that they plunged themselves into the River and so came out And that which is said of them that they were baptized by him confessing their sins is to be understood according to the tenor of the Baptists preaching not that they did this man by man or by some auricular confession made to John or by openly declaring some particular sins but when the Doctrine of John exhorted them to Repentance and to Faith in the Messias they renounced and disowned the Doctrine and Opinion of Justification by their works wherewith they had been before time leavened and acknowledged and confessed themselves sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Iordan John could not baptize in any part of Jordan so it were within the bounds of Judea which the Evangelists assert which had not been dried up and had afforded a passage to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt and were now entring into the promised land VERS VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees § Some few remarks concerning the Pharisees and Sadducees TO attempt a history of the Pharisees and Sadducees after so many very Learned Men who have treated of their original manners and institutions would be next to madness We will briefly touch at a few things and those perhaps less obvious I. That the Pharisees do not derive their name as some would have it from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to expound is sufficiently evinced by this that there were Women Pharisees as well as Men. c c c c c c Sâ—taâ— chap 3. hal 4. R. Joshua saith A religious man foolish a wicked man crafty A woman Pharisee And the dashing of the Pharisees against the stones destroy the World Those things are worth observing which are spoke by the Babylonian Gemarists on that clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A woman Pharisee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Rabbins teach A praying Maid A gadding Widdow And a Boy whose months are not fulfilled these corrupt the World But R. Jochanan saith We learn the shunning of sin from a Maid and the receiving of a reward from a Widdow The shunning of sin from a Maid for R. Jochanan heard a certain Maid prostrate on her face thus praying Eternal Lord thou hast created Paradice thou hast created Hell also thou hast created the Righteous and thou hast created the Wicked Let it be thy good pleasure that I be not a Scandal to men The receiving of a reward from a Widow for there was a certain Widow who when there were Synagogues nearer every where she always sorted to the School of R. Jochanan to pray to whom R. Jochanan said O my daughter are there not Synagogues at hand round about you But she answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will there not be a reward for my steps or for my journy hither for the Tradition saith These destroy the World as Joanna the daughter of Retib 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by one Gloss is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Maid given to prayer or a Maid of many prayers By another it is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Maid given to fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Losing her Virginity by fasting A gadding Widow they call her who always goes about from place to place to visit her neighbours they are the words of the Gloss. And these corrupt the World because they are no other but bands and sorceresses and yet they pretend sanctity Joanna the daughter of Retib the Gloss also being witness was a certain sorceress Widdow who when the time of any child birth drew near shut up the womb of the child bearing woman with Magic arts that she could not be delivered And when the poor woman had endured long and great torments she would say I will go and pray for you perhaps my prayers will be heard when she was gone she would dissolve the enchantments and presently the infant would be born On a certain day as a hired man wrought in her house she being gone to a womans labour he heard the charms tinkling in a pan and taking off the cover the charms presently come out and strait the infant is born and hence it was known
d d d d d Hieros Chagiâ—ab fol. 77. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who never committed one trespass all the days of his life excepting this one misfortune that befel him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that once he put on the Phylacteries for his forehead before the Phylacteries for his arms A wondrous fault indeed and what pity is it that for this one trespass of his life he should lose the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one perfectly holy Yet for this dreadful crime is the poor wretch deprived of a solemn interment and by this was his attonement made We meet with this distinction of just persons in Beracoth e e e e e e Fol. 34. 2. R. Abhu saith in the place where stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Penitents there do not stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perfectly just This distinction also appeared both in the tongues and persons of those that were dancing in the Temple at the Feast of Tabernacles f f f f f f Succah fol. 53. 1. Some of them said blessed be our youth that have not made our old men ashamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these were the holy and men of good works Others said blessed be our old men who have expiated for our youth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these were they who became Penitents This phrase of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfectly just persons puts me in mind of that of the Apostle g g g g g g Heb. XII 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirits of just men made perfect Where if I understand aright the scope of the Apostle in the argument he is upon he speaks of just men who are still in this life and shews that the souls or spirits of believers are made perfectly righteous by faith contrary to what the Jews held that men were compleat in their righteousness by works even bodily works Seeing those whom they accounted perfectly just are termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of works so that perfectly just and men of works were convertible terms it may not be improbable but the Essenes or Essaei may have there name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that they might be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is workers and by that be distinguisht from the penitents But of that matter I will raise no dispute III. Now which of these had the preference whether perfect righteousness to repentance or repentance to perfect righteousness it is not easie to discern at first view because even amongst themselves there are different opinions about it We have a disputation in Beracoth in the place newly cited h h h h h h Fol. 34. 2. in these words R. Chaiah bar Abba saith R. Johanan saith All the Prophets did not prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless for those that repent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as for those that are perfectly just eye hath not seen besides thee O God i i i i i i Isai. LXIV 4. But R. Abhu contradicts this for R. Abhu saith the penitent do not stand in the place where the perfectly just stand as it is said peace peace to him that is far off and to him that is near k k k k k k Isai. LVII 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He names him that is far off first and then he that is nigh But R. Johanan Who is he that is far off He that was far off from transgressing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his first original And who is he that is nigh He that was next to transgression but now is afar off from it These passages of the Talmud are quoted by Kimchi upon Isai. LVII 19. and out of him by Drusius upon this place but as far as I can perceive very far wide from the mind of Kimchi For thus Drusius hath it R. David Isai. 57. 19. Hoc in loco c. In this place the penitent is said to be far off and the just to be nigh according to the antients but he that is far off is preferred whence they say the penitents are better than the perfectly just As if this obtained amongst them all as a rule or maxim when indeed the words of Kimchi are these He that is far off that is he that is far off from Jerusalem and he that is near that is he that is near to Jerusalem But their is a dispute in the words of our Rabbins about this matter And some of them interpret it otherwise for they expound him that is afar off as to be understood of the penitent and him that is near as meaning the just from whence they teach and say that the penitent are better than those that are perfectly just Some indeed that do so expound it they say that those that are penitent are to be preferred before those that are the perfectly just but this was not the common and received opinion of all Nay the more general opinion gave so great a preference to perfect righteousness that repentance was not to be compared with it Hence that of R. Johanan approved of by R. Chaijah the great Rabbin that those good and comfortable things concerning which the Prophets do mention in their prophesies belong only to those who were sometimes wicked men but afterwards came unto repentance but they were far greater things that were laid up for perfectly just persons things which had never been revealed to the Prophets nor no prophetick eye ever saw but God only things which were indeed of an higher nature than that they could be made known to men for so the Gloss explaineth those words of theirs In this indeed they attribute some peculiar excellency to the penitent in that although they had tasted the sweets of sin yet they had abandoned it and got out of the snare which it might have been a question whether those that are perfectly just would have done if they had tasted and experienced the same But still they esteemed it much nobler never to have been stained with the pollutions of sin always to have been just and never otherwise than good Nor is it seldom that we meet with some in the Talmudists making their own perfection the subject of their boast glorying that they have never done any enormous thing throughout their whole life placing those whom they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy or good men who were also the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfectly just placing them I say in the highest form of just persons IV. After all this therefore judge whether Christ spoke simply or directly of any such persons as if there were really any such that could need no repentance or rather whether he did not at that time utter himself according to the common conceptions that nation had about some perfectly just persons which he himself opposed And this seems so much the more likely by how much he saith I say unto you as if he set himself against that
more than these might it not have been enough to have said as well as these For what reason had he to expect that Peter should love him more than the rest did especially more than St. John whom Christ himself had so loved and who had stuck so close to him Christ seems therefore to reflect upon Peter's late confidence not without some kind of severity and reproof q. d. Thou saidst O Simon a little while ago that thou wouldst never forsake me no not though all the other Disciples should thou didst profess beyond all the rest that thou wouldst rather dye than deny me thou wouldst follow me to prison to death nay lay down thy own life for me What saist thou now Simon Doest thou yet love me more than these If thou thinkest thou art provided and canst hazard thy life for me feed my sheep and for my sake do thou expose thy life yea and lay it down for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feed my Lambs If there be any thing in that threefold repetition feed feed feed we may most fitly apply it to the threefold object of St. Peters Ministry viz. the Gentiles the Jews and the Israelites of the ten Tribes I. To him were committed by his Lord the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. XVI that he might open the door of Faith and the Gospel to the Gentiles which he did in his preaching it to Cornelius II. In sharing out the work of Preaching the Gospel amongst the three Ministers of of the Circumcision his lot fell amongst the Jews in Babylon James his lot was amongst the Jews in Palestine and Syria And John's amongst the Hellenists in Asia III. Now amongst the Jews in Babylon were mixed the Israelites of the ten Tribes and to them did the Gospel come by the ministry of St. Peter as I have shewn more at large in another Trearise To this therefore have the words of our Saviour a plain reference namely putting Peter in mind that whereas he had with so much confidence and assurance of himself made such professions of love and constancy beyond the other Disciples pretending to a wonderful resolution of laying down his very life in that behalf that he would now shew his zeal and courage in feeding the sheep of Christ. Thou canst not Simon lay down thy life for me as thou didst once promise for I have my self laid down my own life and taken it up again Feed thou my sheep therefore and be ready to lay down thy life for them when it shall come to be required of thee So that what is here said does not so much point out Peter's Primacy as his danger nor so much the priviledge as the bond of his Office and his Martyrdom At last for that our Saviour had this meaning with him is plain because immediately after this he tells him by what death he should glorifie God vers 18. VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I will that he tarry till he come TILL I come that is till I come to destroy the City and Nation of the Jews As to this kind of phrase take a few instances Our Saviour saith Matth. XVI 28. There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kindom Which must not be understood of his coming to the Last Judgment for there was not one standing there that could live till that time nor ought it to be understood of the Resurrection as some would have it for probably not only some but in a manner all that stood there lived till that time His coming therefore in this place must be understood of his coming to take vengeance against those enemies of his which would not have him to rule over them Luke XIX 12 27. Perhaps it will nor repent him that reads the Holy Scriptures to observe these few things I. That the destruction of Jerusalem and the whole Jewish state is described as if the whole frame of this world were to be dissolved Nor is it strange when God destroyed his Habitation and City places once so dear to him with so direful and sad an overthrow his own people whom he accounted of as much or more than the whole world beside by so dreadful and amazing Plagues Matth. XXIV 29 30. The Sun shall be darkned c. Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man c. which yet are said to fall out within that Generation vers 34. 2 Pet. III. 10. The Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat c. Compare with this Deut. XXXII 22. Heb. XII 26. and observe that by Elements are understood the Mosaick Elements Gal. IV. 9. Coloss. II. 20. and you will not doubt that St. Peter speaks only of the Conflagration of Jerusalem the destruction of the Nation and the abolishing the dispensation of Moses Revel VI. 12 13. The Sun became black as sackcloth of hair c. and the Heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together c. Where if we take notice of the foregoing Plagues by which according to the most frequent threatnings he destroyed that people viz. the Sword vers 4. Famine vers 5 6. and the Plague vers 8. Withal comparing those words They say to the Mountains fall on us and cover us with Luke XXIII 30. it will sufficiently appear that by those phrases is understood the dreadful judgment and overthrow of that Nation and City With these also agrees that of Jerem. IV. from vers 22. to 28. and clearly enough explains this phrase To this appertain those and other such expressions as we meet with 1 Cor. X. 11. On us the ends of the world are come and 1 Pet. IV. 7. The end of all things is at hand II. With reference to this and under this notion the times immediately preceding this ruine are called the last days and the last times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the last times of the Jewish City Nation Oeconomy This manner of speaking frequently occurs which let our St. John himself interpret 1 Joh. II. 13. There are many Antichrists whereby we know it is the last time and that this Nation is upon the very verge of destruction whenas it hath already arrived at the utmost pitch of Infidelity Apostacy and wickedness III. With the same reference it is that the times and state of things immediately following the destruction of Jerusalem are called a New Creation New Heavens and a New Earth Isai. LXV 17. Behold I create a New Heaven and a New Earth When should that be Read the whole Chapter and you will find the Jews rejected and cut off and from that time is that New Creation of the Evangelical world among the Gentiles Compare 2 Cor. V. 17. and Revel XXI 1 2. where the old Jerusalem being cut off and destroyed a new one succeeds and New Heavens and a New Earth are created 2 Pet. III. 13. We according
went indeed to preach but withal he joyned with the Congregation in other parts of Divine Service as he desired that they should joyn with him in that We will alledge but one example having a further hint about this to give hereafter It is said Luke IV. 16. That as his custom was he went to the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read It had been his constant custom to go to that Synagogue of Nazareth his Parish Church every Sabbath day but this is the first time that he Preached there And in the clause He stood up for to read there is more than every one observes He Preached in other Synagogues but he Read in none but this For he that read in the Synagogue was a member of the Synagogue and he by reading shewed that he owned himself and was owned to be one of This. Now what a kind of people the Congregation of Nazareth was we may somewhat guess from that passage Can any good thing come out of Nazareth But plainly enough from what follows in the same story that they would have murthered him because his Doctrine pleased them not vers 29. And yet did he keep himself till then to that Congregation owned himself a member of it read in it as a member of it till his function called him and the fear of his life forced him thence And thus much be spoken of his Publick Devotions from thence we pass to his Gospel Institutions and they speak to the very same tenour that the other did that he held Communion with the Church of the Jews in which he lived Of which I shall give you these four instances I. His Institution of Baptism Think not that Baptism was never used till John Baptist came and baptized It was used in the Church of the Jews many generations before he was born and for the very same end that he used it and it hath been used ever since viz. for Introduction and Admission into the Church The Jews did not only use Baptism in their legal Washings and Purifications but also in the way that we do viz. to admit into their Church There own Records enemies sufficient to our Christian Baptism yet thus far bear witness also to it and an Enemies testimony is a double witness For they tell that when any Proselytes came in from among the Heathen to embrace the Faith and Religion of the Jews they first Circumcized them and when they were whole then they Baptized them and that they so Baptized the whole family where the Master came in even Wife and Children with him So that Baptism of Men Women and Children was no new thing among them when John Baptist came Baptizing but a thing as well known as with us now And hence it was that Christ gave no rule how to Baptize or when to Baptize because they knew the manner and knew that Men Women and Children were Baptized as we know it now It pleaded no precept to Baptize Infants and no example It needed not for Christ took up Baptism as he found it a thing commonly known and it was needful only to give a precept to make it an Evangelical Ordinance As for other circumstances how to Baptize and when to Baptize there needed no such rule since common custom and use of the Ordinance had taught that for many ages before The Parliament makes a Law let every one resort to the publick Congregation on the Sabbath and expresses no more He would be laughed at that in after times should deny that Praying Preaching Singing Psalms c. should not be used in the Congregation because there is no such Command in the Parliaments Act. Common and known custom and the constant use of such things in the Congregation made it needless to insert those particulars And so it is in this case Doth not this speak Christs Communion with the Church of the Jews and his compliance with the publick exercise of their Religion when he would take one of their Ordinances and no one knew who first instituted it among them and make it an Evangelical Ordinance I might speak the like of his Institution of the other Sacrament the Lords Supper but I need to speak no more of that than what I said about his keeping of the Passover before II. His Institution of a standing Ministry under the Gospel speaks also his conformity to the Church of the Jews They had a standing Ministry so would he They ordained their Teachers by Imposition of Hands he ordained the like Ordination Remarkable is that of the Apostle Heb. VI. 2. Observe here the Doctrine of Imposition of Hands in Ordination is a fundamental Point as well as the Doctrine of Faith and Repentance See vers 1. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God of the doctrine of Baptism and of laying on of hands c. As the Doctrine of Faith is a fundamental point so this That a Gospel principle so this And what a point of Faith it is may be seen by proposing this Question with the Church when the Apostle wrote would propose Whither must we go for instruction when the Apostles and inspired men are gone Why saith the Apostle this is a fundamental Point that Christ hath set up a standing Ministry by Ordination Hence that Evangelical promise and prediction Esa. LXVI 21. And I will also take of them for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord. Not Priests and Levites as they offered Sacrifices at the Temple but as they were the standing Ministry through the Nation And see v. 20. They shall bring all their brethren for an offering unto the Lord. Think you if Christ had despised the current of the publick practise of Religion among the Jews he would have so confirmed to it in a thing of such weight III. His institution of Gods publick worship under the Gospel speaks also the same conformity The publick worship of God among the Jews was twofold At the Temple and in the Synagogues At the Temple Sacrificing Washings Purifyings c. In the Synagogues Reading Preaching Hearing Praying That at the Temple was Ceremonial and that Christ abolished having fulfilled what Ceremonies meant But the worship in the Synagogue was moral and perpetual and so translated by him into the Christian Church In that great Controversie that hath been so much canvased about Church Government I should first lay down this for a foundation which may I conceive be very clearly made good That Christ by himself and his Apostles platforming the model of Churches under the Gospel did keep very close to the platform of Synagogues and Synagogue-worship under the Law This might be shewed by shewing parallel practises in the Apostolick Churches to those that were in the Synagogues As a publick Minister Deacons Reading Preaching Praying Collections for the Poor and Love-Feasts or entertainment of strangers at
the virtue of his blood i. e. of his obedience and righteousness so see what the same Apostle saith of his Exaltation Phil. II. 8 c. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow c. And think here Christian what a stock of obedience and righteousness here is for thee to answer and satisfie for thy disobedience and unrighteousness if thou become a child of the Covenant as this blood was the blood of the Covenant It is said in Dan. IX 26. That Messiah should be cut off but not for himself This blood of the New Testament was not shed for himself but for many And here is enough for every soul that comes to him be they never so many Like the Widdows oyl in the Book of the Kings there is enough and enough again as long as any Vessel is brought to receive it And this may direct us toward the forming of the reliance of our Faith upon the blood of Christ the great work that a Christian hath to do for his Justification and Salvation Which will be the more cleared to us by considering how his blood is the blood of the Covenant Which is the next thing we should speak to had we time to do it A SERMON PREACHED UPON HEBREWS XIII 10. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle THERE is one that asks our Saviour Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life Mat. XIX 16. And another that asks his great Apostle What must I do to be saved Act. XVI 30. The questions mean one and the same thing but only proposed in different expressions And the answers tend to one and the same purpose though proposed in terms very different Our Saviour answers If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments The Apostle answers If thou wilt be saved believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The one proposeth Faith the other proposeth Good works not in such contrariety as the Apostle James speaks of Faith and Works Chap. III. but in such consonancy as that the one is subservient unto the other keeping of the Commandments towards the bringing on of Faith and Faith to the breeding and forwarding the keeping of the Commandments and both to obtain eternal life I will speak at present of the absolute necessity of Faith for the obtaining eternal life and therefore have I chosen these words which I have read to you which seem at first sight to be meer strangers to such a subject but when explained and rightly understood are very pertinent to such a matter I say rightly understood for there are many the Popish Expositors especially that understand them exceedingly wrong and as far from the Apostles meaning as likely can be By we have a Altar they understand the Altar in their Churches viz. the Table where they administer the Sacrament and thence they call the Sacrament The Sacrament of the Altar A title that hath been too common in England and which hath cost many a good man very dear The Lord grant the title be never known here any more But the title of the Altar is commonly known among us still and ask many why they call it an Altar they will be ready to produce this place of the Apostle We have an Altar As if the Apostle who had been crying down the service and sacrifices of the Altar all along this Epistle and shewed that they were but shadows and to vanish when the substance appeared should set them up again and build up anew what he had so earnestly set himself to destroy As if Gedeon that destroyed the Altar of Baal in the night should fall awork in the morning and build it up again But the Altar in the Apostles meaning here is Christ himself And as he had called him an High Priest and a Sacrifice along in the Epistle before so he calls him also the Altar here shewing that all those things did but represent him and that he was the substance and reality of those shadows He shews how he was the Great High Priest in the later end of the fourth and along the fifth Chapter He shews how he was the great Sacrifice in the ninth and tenth Chapters and how he was the great Altar he shews at this place We have an Altar And that he means Christ by the Altar is apparent by two things that follow to omit more that might be collected by the context The first is in the words immediately following For those beasts whose blood was brought by the High Priest into the holy place for sin their bodies were burnt without the Camp Therefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gate His argumentation is this The great solemn Sacrifice for sin on the day of attonement was not burnt upon the Altar in the Temple but was burnt without the City so Christ was sacrificed without the gate so that whosoever will partake of that true Sacrifice for sin must go to the Altar there and not to the Altar within the Temple And in the next verse but one he shews yet more plainly that he means Christ by our Altar ver 13. Therefore by him let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God As on the Altar in the Temple they offered their Sacrifices and Thank-offerings so by him as on our Altar Let us offer our sacrifice of praise to God So that in the words you have an Affirmative assertion and a Negative The Affirmative That we have Christ for our Altar The Negative That they that serve the Tabernacle have no right to eat of this Altar The Affirmative comfortable to every true Christian the later seems comfortless for every true Jew The reason of the Negative assertion we may inquire more particularly into afterwards To the former to speak at present we take up this Observation from it That he that will offer any sacrifice acceptable to God must go to Christ as the true Altar on which to offer it No sacrifice among the Israelites could be accepted if it were not offered on the Temple-altar And it was Gods special command Thou shalt not offer thy sacrifice in any of thy Cities but shalt go to the Altar of the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse Nor can any sacrifice be acceptable to God of any Christian but what is offered to him upon the Altar of his appointment the Lord Christ where alone is attonement for sinners As Priesthood and Sacrifice were typical and signified to this purpose so also was the Altar of the same signification And whereas there were two Altars at the Temple one for Sacrifice the other for Incense they did both but represent Christ and his acting
in his two great works viz. His offering himself a sacrifice by his death and his offering the continual incense of his mediation And how methodically did the representation proceed suitable to the reality For first the Priest offered the Sacrifice upon the Altar and then went in within the Tabernacle and offered incense So Christ first offered himself at his death and then went into the highest Heaven to make Intercession The Papists in their Mass take upon them to offer Christ as a Propitiatory sacrifice for quick and dead So they are the Altar and Christ is the offering But we learn better to make Christ the Altar and we our selves and our services the offering offered upon it For the clearing of the thing before us and to reduce these words of the Apostle to a Doctrine of Faith whither he intends them let us premise these four things I. That every Christian hath three spiritual Sacrifices to offer to God Himself his Devotions and Religious services and his good works and Religious walking 1. Himself Rom. XII 1 2. I beseech you Brethren that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God 2. His prayers Devotions and Religious services Mal. I. 11. In every place incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure offering And 3. His holy walking 16 ver of this Chapter To do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifice God is well pleased Christ is to be offered to God no more as Papists take on them to offer him every Mass but man is to offer himself to God the only sacrifice that God now requireth Now II. On what Altar is this spiritual Sacrifice to be offered and presented to God On some spiritual Altar as it is a spiritual offering Those Sacrifices that were earthly and material required an earthly and material Altar but those that were spiritual must be offered on some spiritual Altar else the manner of offering them contradicts their nature Now what the Apostle speaks concerning the Rock in the Wilderness The Rock was Christ so we may say concerning the Altar under the Gospel The Altar is Christ. In the Law the offering was to be put into the hands of a Priest or it could not be accepted so our services are to be put into the hands of Christ to be presented to God else no acceptance And the sacrifice was to be laid upon the Altar or it could not be accepted so must ours be laid on the altar Christ or no acceptance For III. The Altar must sanctifie the Sacrifice to make it acceptable and so our Saviour tells Mat. XXIII 19. It was not enough that the Sacrifice was a clean Beast and not unclean nor that it was without fault or blemish to make it an acceptable Sacrifice But it must be laid upon the Altar for that to sanctifie it and to make it a right Sacrifice IV. And here I cannot but take up the Jewish Doctors most true and pertinent explication of that point about the Altars sanctifying the gift viz. The Altar sanctified that that was fit for it The Altar could not sanctifie an unclean Beast a Dog or an Ass or a Cat to make it a Sacrifice but only a Beast that was clean And if the Beast were a clean Beast in his nature yet if he had faults or blemishes the Altar did not sanctifie him for a sit Sacrifice but it sanctified only that that was fit for it By all which laid together we may learn and observe the great Doctrine of Faith about our acceptance with God only by Christ. Which to view particularly let us begin from this First None can come to God to find acceptance with him but he must first give himself into the hand of Christ to bring him to God for acceptance The Apostle tells us that all acceptance is in the Beloved and to be expected no other way Ephes. I. 6. This is the great mystery of the Gospel For the want of which duly owned Turks and Jews are at loss and are lost from God for ever They both pretend for Religion pretend for Heaven but they both miss the door by which alone they are to enter and so are excluded eternally missing of Christ by whom only we come there Our Saviour indeed speaks of entring and getting into the sheepfold some other way than at the door but he saith they are thieves and robbers His meaning is of false teachers that can find a way to creep into the sheepfold the Church to seduce and destroy the sheep some other way than at the right door But whosoever will get either into Heaven or indeed into the true and sincere Religion that leadeth thither must enter by Christ the Door or he will never come there Joh. XIV 6. I am the Way the Truth and the Life none can come to the Father but by me Consider of that I am so the Way that none can come to the Father but by me Then sure the Papists are out of the way as well as Turks and Jews when they think to come to God by the mediation of Saints and Angels None can come to God but by me saith our Saviour but I can come to God saith a Papist by the Virgin Mary by Peter Paul and the mediation of other Saints in Heaven Certainly they must have some nice distinction here or they contradict Christ to his face and take his honour and give it to another Heb. VII 25. Christ having an unfailing Priesthood is able to save to the uttermost those that come to God by him If you come to God you must come by him and that only is the way to be saved But if you expect to come to God by any other means whatsoever you are out of the way and will be lost 1 Pet. III. 18. Christ suffered once for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God If there were any other way to come to God than by Christ the death of Christ was but to little purpose and our believing in him to as little And we may justly say with the Apostle 1 Cor. XV. 14. Our preaching is in vain and your faith is also vain It is said of Christ that he is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek Psal. CX Though he died and offered himself the great Sacrifice for sinners yet he is a Priest for ever still offering sacrifice to God but no more himself but his peoples sacrifice And that offering is twofold viz. offering the persons of his people to God as an acceptable living sacrifice and offering their services as an acceptable spiritual sacrifice to God Of the former you have testimony from his own words Isa. VIII 18. Behold I and the children which the Lord hath given me Of the later Revel VIII 3. where you read of his offering the prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne What the manner of Christs mediation is is
reliance upon Christ comes not into date till a man do the best he can to fit himself to be a sacrifice for that Altar The Altars sanctifying of the gift came not in date till the offering was fit for the Altar There must be these concurrents First It must be of the clean kinds of Beasts or Birds Oxen or Sheep or Goats Sparrows Pigeons or Turtles not Dog Cat Ass Bear not a Crow Raven Owl or Vultur Then it must be viewed by some skilful person that it be without blemish as well as that it be clean viz. That it be not a blind Bullock or Lamb that it be not broken diseased c. And lastly the Offerers free-will and mind in his offering must be concurrent And thus qualified it was fit for the Altar and the Altar sanctified it Now was there all this care about the offering of a beast upon a material Altar of brass or stone and is not as much at least required for the offering of a souls own self on Christ the Altar Must any thing polluted or unclean come near that Altar Faith in Christ is not so easie a matter as men take it for a man must first do all he can in purifying himself before he can believe For his believing is his refuging to Christ to make out for him when he sees he cannot do it himself And by this appears the vast difference 'twixt the believing of a Jew and the faith of a true Christian. The Jew as he thought performed the Law and believed that he should be justified by his performance and looked no further A true Christian observes the Law the best he can but when he hath done all he finds himself but an unprofitable servant and that he comes infinitely short of Justification by all he can therefore casts himself upon Christ to satisfie for him The sacrifices of God are a broken heart a broken and a contrite spirit O God thou wilt not despise Psal. LI. 17. Under the Law nothing that was broken or bruised was to be offered under the Gospel no heart but broken or bruised is to be offered And whereupon bruised and broken not only upon sight of the evil they have committed but also upon sense how little they can do of good when they have done their best And then lay such an heart upon the Altar Christ and the Altar sanctifies the gift and makes out for it Brethren take heed you be not deceived about Faith by which you must stand or fall to all eternity It is more than fancy or thinking or hoping you shall be saved by Christ it is more than taking on you to pray in the name of Christ more than begging mercy for the sake of Christ. It is working and labouring in the way of Gods Commandments till you be weary and heavy laden and then resting your selves in Christ for safety and refreshing It is doing your duty all you can and still leaning on Christ to make out all failings for you It is that that must bring up the reer of your best endeavours As Simon of Cyrene was laid hold upon to bear the Cross of Christ after him when it was too heavy for him So on the contrary lay hold on Christ and get him to bear your burthen for you when you your selves are not able to bear it II. By this also we may observe the absolute necessity of keeping Gods Commandments for salvation as well as the absolute necessity of faith for salvation and the amicable and indeed unseparable agreement 'twixt these two It is impossible to find acceptance with God for justification and salvation unless by faith in Christ we be presented as living sacrifices upon him the Altar And it is impossible to be fit sacrifices for that Altar unless by keeping the Commandments of God we be purified and fitted For as Faith purifieth the heart where it is once come Act. XV. 9. So keeping the Commandments of God is purifying the heart that Faith may come Consider of that 1 Pet. I. 22. Seeing you have purified your hearts in obeying of the truth Now what is obeying of the truth but doing what God in the word of truth directeth and commandeth and this also purifieth the heart toward believing as Faith doth when a man now believes And thus believing and obeying are so twisted together that without keeping of Gods Commandments the best you can you cannot come by Faith and Faith when it is come it cannot be without keeping of Gods Commandments the best you can For as to the former we may not unproperly apply those words of the Apostle Gal. III. 23. For before faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed And as to the later that in Jam. II. 26. As the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also And now to make some Application upon what hath been spoken and to take up the words in order First From the title here given to our Saviour that he is our Altar upon and through whom to offer our selves and all our services to God we may observe that the bare offering of Christ himself upon the Cross is not the all that a Christian hath to look after for his salvation but he himself is also to offer himself through Christ to God Christ was a dying sacrifice a Christian must be a living and as Christ voluntarily offered himself to God so is he also to do in his place and station How oft do we find in Scripture that the death of Christ doth challenge our dying to sin and not living to our selves 1 Cor. V. 7. Purge out the old leaven that ye may be a new lump for even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us 2 Cor. V. 15. And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that died for them And so there are divers other places to the like tenor The obedience of Christ does not dissolve the obedience of a Christian but enhance it For his obedience was not to disannul our obedience but to challenge it to love him who loved us first His offering himself was to lead us the way and to teach and engage us to offer our selves also He to die according to the will of God and we to live according to his will that is to die unto sin and to live unto righteousness Secondly Now since every one that is accepted of God is to be presented to him as a sacrifice offered through Christ as the most Sacred Altar it may give us just cause daily to examine our selves how fit we are to be presented to that Altar and from that Altar to God The Sacrifice under the Law was to be examined whether it were fit or no by one that was skilful in such a scrutiny The work now under the Gospel must be our own every one to examine his own heart since the heart
Balaam loved the wages the wages of unrighteousness yet he could wish to dye the death of the righteous Numb XXIII 10. Even Conscience beareth witness to this truth that dying in any sin is damnable But how is it possible but some sin will stick to the best of men I answer II. True that there is no man living without sin but we are to distinguish upon two things First Twixt sin and guilt If we consider presly it is not the sin that immediately damns but the guilt of the sin A thief hanged the sin of robbing is past and gone but the guilt of it brings him to the gallows so sin as to the act is over and gone but the guilt sticks Now there is some sin which binds not a man over to guilt to condemn him Psal. XXXII 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin There is sin but the guilt of it is not charged on men But what sin is that I might answer All sins already pardoned have they been never so great Rom. VIII 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth But we speak of sins that stick at the instant of death Therefore Secondly We distinguish upon the sticking of sin to the flesh and to the heart A Saint hath sin sticking to the flesh not to the heart Rom. VII ult With the mind I serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sin As if we get the disease from the heart it is not so deadly so Saints having got sin from their hearts it is not damning to them They hate it but it cleaves to their flesh So that the guilt of such sins is pardoned all along because the Saint all along strives and prays against them It is not I but sin in me Not my heart or consent but sin in my flesh that will neither be got out nor quiet In a word a dying sin cannot kill a dying man Sin is mortified all along and if in death it stirs yet it is dying and hath not power to kill And this have I spoken to remove that error about this Article of the Creed that Christ descended to Hell to fetch Souls to Heaven that yet wanted something to bring them thither II. A second opinion and interpretation is that he descended locally to triumph over II. the Devils and the damned An Interpretation that seems to carry more sense and innocence and yet is far from the meaning of the Article To take it into examination First To consider something concerning Christs Soul when separate from his body I. It is undoubted that it went to Heaven assoon as departed and it is very unwarrantable to look for it in Hell unless we have good evidence of the Scripture at least of reason for it His words on the Cross to the good thief were To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice Luke XXIII 43. and his last words to God were Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit vers 46. Now who can doubt but he was instantly in Heaven and his Soul with God And when and indeed why should it go to Hell Christ was dead but thirty six hours and his Soul to be on the Cross in Heaven and Hell in that time is a flitting up and down that unless the Spirit of Christ himself in Scripture tell us so how can we believe it That it flitted from the Cross to Heaven Scripture is plain but that it flitted from Heaven to Hell we are yet to seek Ye shall seek me and not find me Truly according to this opinion we know not where to seek him nor to find him in that time If you will take the propriety of his own words Luke XXIII 46. Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And John XVII 11 13. I am no more in the World but these are in the World and I come to thee And now I come to thee you may certainly conclude that his Soul was with God while it was separate but that it was in Hell any moment of that time there is not one tittle of Scripture to give any evidence but Act. II. 27. Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell and this Article of which we shall shew a far other sense II. Was it possible that Christs Soul should go from Heaven to Hell The Souls of the glorified Saints cannot and I question whether Christs could or not See Luke XVI 26. Between us and you there is a great gulph fixed so that they which would pass from us to you cannot Whence I observe two things 1. What is meant by a great Gulph an unsuperable unpassableness from one to another But especially 2. They that would pass from hence to you Are there any in Heaven that ever would go to Hell The Devils indeed chose it but I question whether they understood what Hell meant so well as they do now But never blessed Soul did nor could do it They are too much delighted with the happy enjoyment of God to make such a choise But Christ by that expression in the Parable does the more shew how it is impossible for a Soul once in Heaven to go thence to Hell that if it could be supposed they would do it it cannot be done And could Christs Soul do it any more Could Christs Soul have any delight to leave the joys of Heaven to go to Hell III. There is no reason no Scripture to tell us that Christs Soul had any thing to do as to the work of Redemption or Mediatorship when separate from the body What will you make of this Triumphing Was it any part of his Redeeming or Mediatorship If it were not what was it If it were why not acted per totum Christum by whole Christ Christ performed the whole Law as Totus Christus whole Christ viz. As to his humane nature in Soul and Body He was upon the Cross as Totus Christus Whole Christ he rose ascended sits in Heaven as Totus Christus Whole Christ Body and Soul And we are bound to believe in toto Christo In whole Christ as Redeemer and Mediator as God so perfectly Man of Body and Soul consisting And it were but an improper piece of Faith to believe so great a thing as his work in Hell is made to be to be done by a part of Christ for his Soul was but one part of him But Secondly Let us speak a little to this Triumphing I. The opinion is taken up I suppose in allusion to the custom of the Romans They conquered and then led their prisoners in Triumph the Conqueror in his triumphal Chariot the Captives in chains after it Cleopatra would kill her self rather than be thus led in triumph Now what was this but a pompous proud and vain shew And what will they make of this Triumph of Christ Nothing but a shew For what did he in this Triumph Who can imagine what but shew himself there Did he