be multiplied in infinitum everlastingly And 2. In regard of use this Grain nourishing and sustaining the Tabernacle of man's Soul Gold and Jewels and precious Stones only adorning and beautifying the outside of it And therefore God saith not to Israel thou shalt partake of the riches of the Land but thou shalt eat the bread of the â—â—nd Numb 15.19 And Psal 104.15 the Psalmist commends it unto us for strengthening of man's heart And the Reason is considerable in regard of God who makes bread to grow out of the Earth Psal 104. and feeds all flesh 2. And in regard of man's body which is like a ruinous building alwayes decaying and mouldring away and therefore alwayes hath need of reparation which the Holy Ghost implies in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to eat and to underpropa building as with a shore or buttress which the LXX turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judg. 19.5 Comfort or sustain and support thine heart with a morsel of bread 3. That 's a ground of a third reason in respect of the nourishment it self which is fit to support the natural life by recreating and repairing the decayes of blood the vital and animal Spirits which it doth by the aiery parts of it mixt with the quintessence or common Spirit which fills all the World Wisdom 1. whence it is called the stay of bread Esay 3.1 and the staff of bread Ezech. 4.16 and 5.16 But this discourse is fitter for a Physician especially if we add that other excellency that it 's fit for Medicine and the cure of mans body as well as the nourishment of it Nor doth my Text allow me to dwell long upon this Argument but implies only that a man lives a kind of life by bread though not by bread only And that will appear whether we consider bread in it self or in the effect of it enlivening or giving life 1. As for bread in it self it 's a mixt body compounded of the elements and howsoever it hath a kind of life in it self yet it cannot nourish the body of man unless first that life be corrupted and dye in it And how comes that quickned again but through the Spirit of life that gives life to all things that live Much more how comes it to enliven or give life and that not only vegetative but sensitive also as 1 Sam. 30.12 This proceeds not from the essential principles of bread nor is it in the power of bread or any corporal food alone But as that Spirit which fills the World of all the Creatures animal or such as have sense hath taken up man for his Temple 1 Cor. 3.17 as the most excellent of them all And as among all the mineral Creatures or those that want life he manifests his glory most in Gold so among all the vegetable Natures or Creatures that have life and want sense that Spirit hath seated it self in that Grain that 's fittest for bread especially that of Wheat which is concluded by the Physicians to be the most convenient and best fitted unto the temperament of man's body which therefore doth praesentem referre Deum Whence we may well conclude that bread alone enlivens not It is thy grace O Lord that nourisheth all things and not the growing of fruits that nourisheth man c. Wisd 10.25 26. An evident Argument that man lives not by bread alone no not the natural life Wherein we must necessarily distinguish between the Elementary body of bread and that heavenly blessing in it imperted unto it by the Spirit of life as the Scripture intimates Esay 65.8 Mal. 3.10 Which is a forcible reason to perswade us to pray for our dayly bread although we have our dayly bread to bless our Table and pray for our meat although we have our meat and it stand ready for us upon the Table since there is so broad a difference between the bread and the blessing in it Our late experience proves this to be true when God for our sins sent a dreadful Famine in the neck of a devouring Plague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he took the staffe of bread and took the blessing from it unless our health and plenty have made us forget our God grow fat and kick if so fear and tremble lest if we forget his Mercies he remember us again with Judgments An Argument to convince Idolaters yea Atheists St. Paul makes use of it Acts 14.15 The living God which made the Heaven and the Earth and the Sea and all things that are therein Who in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own wayes left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness Add hereunto Acts 17.25 He giveth unto all life and breath and all things v. 27. That they might seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him and find him for this is the end why he gives us his outward bread for how heinously does the Lord our God take it at those Atheists and wicked mens hands who eat the bread of God and call not upon God ye may read Psal 14. and 53. Whereas he expects that this riches of his goodness should lead to repentance Rom. 2. That this corporal food should point us to the spiritual that the outward bread should guide us to the inward Since man lives not by the outward bread only but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God That 's the second Point Man liveth by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Whether this word be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether the outward word of Commandment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and promise or the essential word of God 'T is true in both sences that man lives by every such word c. If we understand the word of commandment 't is either Mediate or Immediate 1. The mediate Commandment is a direction and injunction unto the Creature to feed man which Commandment in Scripture we find to be directed 1. Sometimes to the feeder And that either 1. Extraordinary as when God commanded the Ravens a Bird of Prey and fitter to feed upon our bodies than to feed them to bring bread and flesh to Eliah 1 Kings 17.4 5 6. or 2. More ordinary v. 9. When God commanded the Widow of Sarepta to sustain him 2. Sometimes this Commandment is directed to the nourishment it self as v. 14 15 16. Where thus saith the Lord God of Israel the Barrel of Meal shall not waste nor the Cruise of Oyle fail c. The like command no doubt the God of life gave unto that second meat which the same Prophet eat Chap. 19.6 7 8. For he went in the strength of that meat forty dayes and forty nights Such bread was Moses fed withall who stayed the same time in the Mount Sinai and neither eat outward bread or drank
thou the burthen of all this people upon me saith Moses Numb 11.11 18. Who is weak and I am not weak Who is offended and I burn not saith St. Paul 2 Cor 11.29 Repreh Their presumptuous and ambitious conceits who preposterously imagine to themselves Life and Salvation the Kingdom of Christ everlasting Glory without tasting of Christs cup without being baptized into his death without suffering with him This is one of Satans the Grand Deceivers stratagems In malis tollit finem à mediis He told our first Mother Ye shall not die though ye eat In bonis tollit media à fine Our Lords rule and order of obtaining his Kingdom is If ye suffer with him ye shall reign with him Satan perswades men they shall Reign with Christ without suffering with him These are the thieves that climb up into the Kingdom another way by some imagination 2. Our Lord asks whether they are able to drink of his cup and be baptized with his baptism which supposeth that he himself was to drink of a cup and to be baptized with a baptism The Cup notes a portion either of good or evil and here it signifieth our Lords passion as appears Mat. 26.39 And the following part of the Sentence the baptism that I am baptized with imports as much even baptisma sanguinis as is implyed Luk. 12.50 which yet was not extant in Ancient Copies Both these import our Lords sufferings of all kinds both those which are called by Divines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Notes on Hebr. 2.18 Now as these words suppose our Lords drinking of his Cup and baptizing with his baptism so they enforce his Disciples participation of both which our Lord here asks them whether they were able to do Are ye able to drink of the Cup c. The Reason why doth our Lord ask this question The main and principal reason is That order which the God of Order hath set in things by which men must pass The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that which it often answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not here properly understood but figuratively and so we read sometimes of a Cup which the Disciples and followers of Christ drunk of sometimes of a Cup which the ungodly and wicked the Disciples of Antichrist Sin and Satan drink of both which Cups are sometimes distinguished as 1. Psal 11.6 God rains upon the ungodly snares fire and brimstone this is pars calicis eorum but Psal 16.5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my Cup. 2 Sometimes the Cup is the same but Gods people begin to drink of it and ungodly men drink the dregs of it Psal 75.8 In the hand of the Lord there is a Cup and the wine is red The Cup whereof the Believes and followers of Christ drink is the Cup of his Passion or Compassion and suffering with Christ This is the same which is administred in the Holy Sacrament when we profess our suffering with the Lord Jesus and shewing forth his death until he come 1 Cor. 11. This hath the name of a Cup 1. In regard of the measurableness of the passion or suffering with Christ 2. In regard of the inward participation and drinking of it 3. In regard of the effect or operation which it works in those who drink of it as a medicinal potion works the cure of the sick patient Both the Cup and the Baptism suppose the Spirit and Life in good measure in those Believers who drink of it and are baptized with the baptism wherewith Christ is baptized for so we are made to drink into one Spirit which is as fire Mat. 3.11 And the Lord Jesus baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire This Spirit of Christ is his true blood and life which is shed for many even for all Believers for the remission and cleansing of their sins And this he requires of us that feed of the Living Bread which is the true word and flesh of Christ which was given for us and for many that we become partakers of the good life of the word which is to drink the blood and life and spirit of Jesus Christ and through the deadning and burying of our sinful life to become wholly united and joyned to him in our inward man in a new life and spirit Hence proceed the sufferings of Christ and of those that are Christs even from the life He knew that for envy they had delivered him When the Sun was up the good Seed which began to thrive and grow up was scorched Mat. 13.5 6. i. e. as our Lord interprets it vers 21. If tribulation and persecution ariseth because of the word And they which in an honest and good heart having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience Luk. 8.15 Obser It is neither in our power by Nature nor in our choice to drink of the Cup which our Lord drinks of That strait and narrow way of mortification and suffering our Lord saith That many shall seek to enter into it and shall not be able Luk. 13.24 It is a gift of God to drink of the Cup which Christ drinks of Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is given not only to believe but also to suffer Christ drinks of this Cup when he suffers contradiction of sinners against himself when he suffers death it self so he prayed Let this Cup pass by me This Cup of his passion he drinks for the propitiation and atonement of mankind as men take a potion for the serving of their bodies and the arm is let blood Christ is the arm Thus also baptism is understood being another metaphor whereby the same thing is meant The Lord makes tryal of us in our Conversion and turning unto him whether we be fit for the Kingdom of God yea or no He tryes our wills Luk. 9.23 He tryes our power and strength Prov. 17.3 Ecclus. 2.5 Thus Gideon tryed his Soldiers by their drinking water whether they were fit for him yea or no. And the Lord Jesus who is the true Gideon who treads under and breaks and cuts off the iniquity he tryes us by our drinking the Cup of his passion whether we be fit to tread upon Serpents and Scorpions c. The Eagle proves her young ones by looking on the Sun whether they be genuine or not And the Lord he tryes the Eagles which are gathered to the carcass to the Conformity of Christs death to feed on his flesh and drink his blood whether they be able to look on the Sun that 's tribulation and persecution as our Saviour expounds it Mat. 13. v. 6. with v. 21. whether they can drink of his Cup the Cup of his Sufferings whether they can be baptized into his death Consol To the younger Disciples of Christ who think it strange that they should be entertained into Christs School poculo salis 1 Pet. 4.12 Joseph gave order to him that was Overseer of his house That he
baptized and all ate the same spiritual meat c. even so the like unbelief and disobedience hinders us from entring into the like Land of Holiness and Righteousness while we are faint-hearted and believe not the mighty power of God for the subduing of our spiritual enemies And as on the contrary Caleb because he had another Spirit even the Spirit of Faith Numb 13.30 and followed the Lord fully Numb 14.24 the Lord brought him into the Land of Rest even so if we have that vigorous faith and believe in the mighty power of God that our spiritual enemies may be subdued that so we may shew forth the like death and that we are well able through the true Joshuah or Jesus to overcome them if we follow the Lord fully Hebr. 3.14 then shall we enter into his Rest NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON I CORINTHIANS XI 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quotiescunque manducabitis panem hunc calicem bibitis mortem Domini annuntiabitis donec veniat Syriac Quotiescunque comederitis panem hunc biberitis hunc calicem mortem illam Domini nostri in memoriam revocatis usque ad adventum ipsius For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew or shew ye the Lords death till he come THese words may be understood as spoken to the whole Church in all times and places or to some particular Congregation as that of the Corinthians and now to us or to every Communicant From vers 17. of this Chapter to the end the Apostle 1. Partly reproves the Corinthians for their unholy demeanour of themselves about the holy Sacrament 2. Partly he informs them touching the nature of it to vers 23. And 3. Partly he exhorts them to prepare themselves for the fit and worthy receiving of it to vers 28. The words are a branch of the latter part wherein are contained these Truths 1. The Lord shall come 2. They who eat the Bread and drink the Cup of the Lord shew forth the Lords death 3. As often as ye eat this bread ye shew forth the Lords death till he come The first of these touching the coming of the Lord howsoever of great moment and worthy our consideration yet because the rest are more proper for the present occasion I intend only to explain the first and proceed to handle the rest somewhat more fully Let it suffice therefore to know thus much touching the first That there is a twofold coming of Christ Personal and Corporal Mystical and Spiritual 1. The Personal coming of Christ was performed when he took flesh upon him and became man 2. The Mystical coming is twofold more special general 1. Unto some certain men 2. Unto all men when every eye shall see him The spiritual coming of Christ is yet in three degrees 1. When he bocomes weak in us and as it were new born Of this 2 Cor. 13.14 We are weak in him or with him saith the Apostle and of this Rom. 7.2 The second is when we grow up in Christ and he is become as it were a young man with us and of this the Apostle also speaks in 2 Cor. 13.14 We shall live with him by the power of God towards you 3. Third is when we become old or perfect man in Christ of which the Apostle speaks Eph. 4. Wisdom 4. 1. We see him in his first coming as they did under the Law Esa 53.2 Origen in Matth. 27. We saw him faith the Prophet and he had no form nor comeliness no beauty that we should desire him He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not Is it not thus with us when we first hear the word of the beginning of Christ Heb. 5. When we speak of Christ's Humiliation of himself to the death even the death of the cross Phil. 2. Is not this preaching of Christ crucified foolishness especially when we speak of our conformity thereunto 2. We see him in his second Degree of his coming as in a glass darkly Yet so that we behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord with his open face and are translated into the same image from glory unto glory 2 Cor. 3.3 We see him in the third Degree of his coming even as we are seen even face to face 1 Cor. 13. When that which is perfect is come Of the last of these especially we may understand the Apostle here The other points contained in the Text are preparations for this coming of Christ 1. They who eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord shew forth his death Which words are all so plain a man would think that they need no gloss since every man knows what 's meant by eating Bread and drinking Wine and every man thinks at least that he knows well enough what it is to shew forth the Lords death But if these words which contain in them the nature and use of the holy Sacrament were so plain as they seem surely this Sacrament would not be termed as ordinarily it is An high mystery Wherefore since Mysteries always import something hidden under the vail of outward words we must enquire What 's meant by 1. Bread 2. Eating the Bread 3. The Cup 4. Drinking the Cup 5. The shewing forth the Lords death 6. How by the eating the Bread and drinking the Cup we shew forth the Lords death Our Saviour tell us what is meant by the bread I am saith he the bread of life Joh. 6.48 and vers 51. I am the living bread this bread is my flesh The bread of God which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world vers 33. This we must not grosly conceive to be spoken of his visible body or flesh as the Jews did and murmured vers 41. Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph whose father and mother we know How is it then that he saith I am come down from heaven 2. By the cup is meant by an ordinary Synechdoche the Wine in the Cup For so it appears by Matth. 26. That Christ instituted this Sacrament first with Wine I will not henceforth saith he drink of the fruit of the vine The Wine signifieth his blood yet not corporally nor bodily which he himself would have us to understand where he tells the Jews That his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed As if he should say all other meats and drinks howsoever in their nature and degree good Yet if compared with these they are but Figures and Shadows of them These are the meat and drink of the Soul to feed it unto eternity Meat indeed and drink indeed The Flesh of Christ is his Word that 's meat indeed And the Blood of Christ is his Spirit that 's drink indeed And therefore by the eating this Bread which is the Body of Christ and drinking this Wine which is his Blood we
That we ought to suffer with him 1. Christ is the Lamb slain from the beginning Rev. 13. It is evident we are not able before Regeneration to think speak do any thing that is good when therefore we crucifie good thoughts purposes intentions before Regeneration what else do we but crucifie Christ himself in us 2. Frangendum corpus peccati The body of sin is to be broken Effundendus sanguis vitae pristinae The blood of our former life is to be poured out Mourn for the affliction of Joseph Amos 6.6 Consider 1 Sam. 22.1 2 3. What is the meaning of the Cave and who went into it after him but miserable men and men in debt and whom doth he invite else Matth. 11. There are two questions of great moment 1. What have I done the Prophet complains of this Jer. 8.6 2. What shall I do of this Paul Act. 9. the Jaylor Act. 16.30 the multitude Act. 2.37 Means Pray to the Lord to light our candle and set it on our head Job 29.3 Psal 18.28 2. To try us himself Psal 139.23 24. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat c. I have spoken heretofore of these words which as then I might have told you had a double consideration 1. Absolute Let a man examine himself 2. With a note of distinction or diversity in respect of the words before But let a man examine himself In the Verse before the Apostle had told the Corinthians the danger of unworthy Receiving which that it might not seem a discouragement in the words of the Text he prescribes a means for the due and worthy Receiving of it He that eats But let a man c. Observ 1. The nature of sin is here compared to dross that it 's incorporate with metals as elsewhere the Holy Ghost compares it to dust to stubble Psal 119.119 Prov. 25.4 See Notes on Jam. 1. Jer. 6.28 Ezech. 22.18 Observ 2. As there is dross in us to be consumed so is there something as precious yea more precious than Gold that is tryed 1 Pet. 6.7 See Notes in verba supra Therefore is Christ called the Remnant which is left after all unless the Lord of hosts had left us a Remnant a Seed Rom. 9. the Balsamum Naturale when all the chaff and husk is consumed that brings all to life again as Isai 1.25 26 27. that is thus is Jesus Christ our hope spes in ima pixidis hope in the bottom of the box Observ 3. Because the Sacrament is compared to meat and drink it 's often to be Received See Notes on 1 Cor. 10. Repreh 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so who quarrel about the way of trying some conceive that unless others try us we are not fit guests for the Lords Table The Mistriss of the house bid her Maids sweep the house Wisdom hath her maids Prov. 9. she knows that will not dwell in a body that is subject unto sin Repreh 2. Who measure and try themselves by themselves the Scripture saith such are not wise Repreh 3. Who try themselves by the Opinions of others it 's possible to deceive all Examiners Repreh 4. Who try themselves by Scripture but wrested to their own sense who examine themselves by the end of the Sacrament remembrance of Christ's death not the imitation of it Means of tryal the fire of the Spirit that which hath been tryed by the fire is approved 1. Such is the fire of the Spirit 2. The Word Psal 119.140 Let him eat of that bread Bread is either Natural Food 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Spiritual and that either 1. Good and wholesom such as strengthens the inward man Prov. 9.5 Or 2. Hurtful and destructive unto it Prov. 4.17 The outward and natural food is not here understood as all agree for since it is a Sacrament what is visible is representative and significative of some thing invisible as the outward and natural both bread and wine signifie something inward answering to both what those are all agree to be the body and blood of Christ Now what body that is which we eat what blood that is which we drink is a very great question in the Church of Christ and not determined only the most agree that the natural body of Christ which suffered on the Cross and the blood then shed is that which is here understood But how we eat that body and how we drink that blood the great Disputers of the world fall asunder into Three Parties according to their several Opinions 1. Some say that the outward Elements of Bread and Wine are really changed into the body and blood of Christ which we must believe to be so though we see the colours smell the scent taste the relish of the outward elements this they call Transubstantiation 2. Others say that in under with or together with the outward elements of Bread and Wine the body and blood of Christ is eaten and drunk and this is called Consubstantiation But this if well considered overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament 3. A third sort are they who understand as both the former do the natural body and blood of Christ but received both by Faith But the Question is not de Modo but de Objecto not touching the manner how the body and blood of Christ is received but concerning the body and blood it self whether natural or spiritual and mystical and such as is truly called spiritual meat and spiritual drink When our Lord Jesus had treated at large of his body and flesh and blood the eating of the one and drinking of the other and some said how can this man give us his flesh to eat Joh. 6.52 These three divided Parties answer that question 1. The first by Transubstantiation 2. The second by Consubstantiation 3. The other by Faith If the Natural Body of Christ Crucified be here understood then surely the Capernabites were in the right it was to be eaten bodily and his blood bodily drunk As spiritual things are spiritually received and not otherwise if therefore the Natural Body of Christ were here understood it must be received according to its nature bodily Therefore our Lord perceived the gross mistake of the Capernahites as elsewhere they understood him Joh. 2.19 and 3.4 that which all these three take for granted our Saviour expresly denies all these suppose the natural body to be that which is fed upon Our Lord tells them and us if we will believe him that the flesh profiteth nothing he speaks of his own flesh of which they made mention The words saith he which I speak they are Spirit and they are Life Doth the flesh profit nothing did not Christ suffer for us in the flesh did he not by his death pay an inestimable price for our Redemption from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Hebr. 9.27 28. Did he not by his holy Life in the flesh as also by his death leave us an example Is not the death of Christ necessary for the
Verse 19. He subdues our iniquities and casts all our sins into the depth of the Sea The River Jordan makes three Lakes or Seas as the Hebrews call them The Lake of Tiberias Genesaret and the Dead Sea And what is the river of Jordan but the river of Judgment as the word signifieth And figureth Christ unto us who for judgment came into this world and washeth away our sins by the Spirit of Judgment Esay 4.4 and commands us to judge our selves that we be not judged of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11. 1. The first Lake is Tiberias which signifieth according to the Hebrew a good and clear sight by the Divine illumination or according to the Chaldee contrition a broken Spirit the breaking of our hearts for our sins past and the breaking off our sins by repentance and amendment of life This is the water of life this is the true Tiberias the first Lake which flows into the second 2. The second is Genesaret which signifieth saith Georgius Venetus principium nativitatis the new birth of which our Saviour speaks Except a man be born again be cannot see the Kingdom of God John 3.3 How must he be born Verse 5. 't is of water why what 's the water what else but Christ For as the first Generation was of Water and of the Spirit moving upon the water Gen. 1. Aqua à qua omnia unda unde omnia as the old Philosophers taught according to that place of Genesis and 2 Pet. 3.5 so is the second or new Generation of water i. e. of the Son of God and Spirit of God Thus our Apostle Titus 3.5 According to his mercy he saved us how by the washing of regeneration i. e. by his Son who washeth us and cleanseth us from our sins and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost This is the pure clean and strong water the Law is a weak water such as water alone is unto the fine cloaths it only discovers the filth in them it hath not strength to purge it out By the Law is the knowledge of sin but it 's a weak water and cannot wash it out it 's like the Scurvy-grass which many use in the Spring it provokes and raiseth the corrupt humours of sin When the Commandment came sin revived Rom. 7. Christ therefore the pure and strong water makes a second Lather Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness And thus our Lord is compared to the Fullers Sope or rather Fullers herb which throughly purgeth out the filth Malach. 3.2 And this is meant by the second Lake of Genasereth 3. The third is mare mortuum the dead Sea and into this Jordan flows and there ceaseth and disappears though indeed it passeth hence under ground into Arabia But is not Jordan an happy river and a figure of Christs Baptism How then doth it bode so ill as to be called a dead Sea Christ himself was set for the fall and rising of many in Israel Luke 2 And he himself saith of himself He that falls upon this stone shall be broken but upon whom it shall fall it shall grind him to powder Thus the body and blood of Christ in this Sacrament is life to the worthy death to the unworthy receivers He who eats this bread and drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.27 and verse 29. He eats and drinks damnation or judgment It s a Jordan a river of Judgment unto him Thus also the water of Baptism it 's a deadly water unto all impenitent unbelieving and disobedient men who break their solemn vow made in Baptism but it washeth away the sins of repentant believing and obedient men yet it 's a mare mortuum a dead Sea unto their sins they are cast into the bottom of the Sea and never appear again Mich. 7.19 as the foul water of the Laundress her Lather is emptied in the sink and appears no more Thus our Lord cast out the seven Devils out of Mary Magdalen But thus far our Lord is compared to water in regard of carnal lusts Our filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness which is washed off thereby 2. We have also spiritual sins as envy pride covetousness hatred malice c. which are compared to the dross of metals Psal 119.119 And therefore the spirit of the Lord in respect of them as compared to the fire Alas Beloved These are deeply rooted in our Spirits and so intricately mix'd with them and united to them that without a fire and that a subtil fire too they cannot be severed from our spirits themselves and consumed out of them In respect of this dross which cleaves so closely to our spirits our Lord is compared unto the refiners fire Malach. 3.2 Or rather to the hot furnace of fire Herein he tryes the sons of Levi and purgeth them as gold and silver even all those who cleave unto him as the true Levites So the Apostle speaks of himself and all those who are entrusted with Gods word 1 Thess 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are tryed of God to be put in trust The Lord tries us before he trusts us not as pleasing men but God who tryeth our hearts This is that fire of Purgatory whereof the Papists have made a gainful fable That fiery tryal which is to try us 1 Pet. 4.12 A fiery tryal indeed and who ever makes tryal of it shall find it so Thus the Lord leads us through fire and water into an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wealthy place a place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in refrigerium the refreshing and consolation of the holy Spirit Consol Here is Consolation to the dead and buried Their sins are washed away really and truly Washed away What if they be accounted as if they were not as one that 's buried and lies in the grave These are the sanctified ones the holy ones the peculiar people The Religion is pure and undefiled What though they have aspersions cast upon them from black mouthed men who have not yet learned to speak well Who ever travels through the narrow way shall be sure to have many a dash from those who travel in the broad way But they themselves travel not in it and so keep themselves unspotted from the world They fear not that which is more terrible to all others They fear not their sins they are dead to them they are buried out of their sight out of their love desire pleasure memory They are buried out of Gods sight quite forgotten cast into the sea They are burnt up and consumed Death and hell are cast into the lake of fire Apoc. 20.14 Their sins are washed away Though now for a season if need be they be in heaviness through manifold temptations yet the time comes when he who hath washed away their sins shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Revel 21.4 The Egyptians were dead upon the sea
And how then can the same thing in the same respect be compared and preferred before it self I answer when the Scripture compares Obedience and Sacrifices together and prefers Obedience we are to understand the outward Sacrifice only otherwise the objection made remains in full force But for our better understanding of this we must know that Sacrifices and Offerings are either outward and bodily or inward and spiritual The ground of this distinction ye have in many places of the old and new Testament 1. The outward Sacrifices and Offerings are described in Exodus Leviticus and Numbers 2. The inward and spiritual the Apostle speaks of in general 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye are an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ The Prophet Malachy tells us of the Mincha which all nations should offer up Malach. 1.11 From the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof and in every place incense shall be offered up unto my name and a pure offering which certainly must be spiritually understood otherwise how shall we reconcile Esay 66.3 with this place and many others which tell us of the abolishing of all outward offerings But I know the special opening of the Sacrifices and Oblations is more profitable and satisfactory know we therefore that the Sacrifices whereof we read in the Law are either the Free-will-offering or the Trespass-offering or the whole Burnt-offering which three have always three offerings accompanying them 1. Meat-offering 2. Drink-offering 3. Incense Would you see these offered even until this day i. e. the spiritual Sacrifices which every soul hath or doth or ought to offer up unto God Then I pray you consider with me 1. That the first Sacrifice is the Free-will-offering which spiritually is a giving over of our selves unto the Lord to do his will So Rom. 12. so he commends the Corinthians They first gave their own selves unto God and to us 2 Cor. 8.5 This David prefers before all outward offerings Psal 40. Sacrifice thou wouldst not have but a body so Hebr. 10. When we enser into the Holy the soul speaks thus unto God I am content O God to do thy will 2. The second is the Trespass or Sin-offering and that is spiritually repentance for albeit many a soul hath in vote and purpose of heart offered up and resigned it self unto God yet hath not yet repented and sorrowed for sin that is properly the Sin-offering So the Apostle speaks Hebr. 10.26 There remains no more Sacrifice for sin i. e. no more repentance This the Psalmist calls a Sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart Psal 51.16 17. i. e. hearty sorrow for sin and sincere and unfeigned endeavour to leave it 3. The third and last and principal Sacrifice is the whole Burnt-offering whereby when we proceed in our Priestly Office we dye wholly unto sin this is that we call Mortification These three Sacrifices had alwayes three Offerings accompanying them 1. A Meat-offering that is the Flesh and Word of Christ which is the bread to be broken and distributed by the Minister unto the people 2. The Drink-offering which is the blood of Christ 3. The Incense offered within the Holy upon the Altar of Incense which is Prayer and Thanksgiving unto God Psal 141.2 Let my Prayer ascend as the Incense and the lifting up of my hands as the Evening Sacrifice Jonah 2.9 I will Sacrifice unto thee with the voice of Thanksgiving I will pay that I have vowed Hebr. 13.15 By this we understand what and how many sorts of Sacrifices there are and how every faithful man is made a Priest Rev. 1.6 and performs the Priests Office unto God Obser 1. Hence we learn that since all these inward Sacrifices are parts or kinds of obedience unto God obedience is not compared with these or such Sacrifices as these are but the outward only which are only the representations the figures and shadows of them And therefore we read that the Lord rejects the outward Sacrifice and calls for the inward Offer to the Lord thansgiving and pay thy vowes Obser 2. Obedience is good the Comparative includes the Positive so the LXX render the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's needfull that we be well perswaded of this for if it be true obedience it must be with resistance of our own will so far as to pluck out the offending eye so much the nature of obedience requires Who would go about such hard duties as these if he did not believe that obedience is good that it is good for a man to bear the yoke Mich. 6.8 Obser 3. Sacrifice is good this is evident from the nature of a comparison which is wont to be made of things in the same kind But how then saith the Psalmist sacrifice and burnt offerings thou wouldest not that which God would not seems to be sin and evil As thou art a God Non volens iniquitatem I will have mercy and not sacrifice Answer its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when one contrary is opposed to another for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when one thing is preferred before another Obser 4. Though both these be good yet obedience is the better of the two These ye read compared Mich. 6.6 7 8. where although a man should sacrifice his first-born as Abraham offered to do yet the Lord preferrs the obedience following before it Obser 5. Learn we from hence that our duties to be performed unto our God are not all of one size they are not all equal Obedience and Sacrifice in the time when it was lawful were both duties and both to be performed but one much better than the other There is the same reason of obedience and receiving of the Sacrament which doubtless it self is but a sign and a seal as the Sacrifices in their time were of Spiritual Grace by Jesus Christ There are greater and less Commandments as I lately shewed 1. There is an everlasting Commandment of God which endures for ever Psal 119.80 Esay 40.8 The word of our God shall stand for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 Joh. 12.5 I know that his Commandment is Life Everlasting 2. There is beside the Everlasting Commandment a Commandment of God adjoyned as serviceable thereunto as to instruct and help the man to understand the Everlasting Commandment and to lead the man into the Everlasting life of this difference ye have many Examples in Scripture 1. Some Commands there are in Scripture for which the man was made as to glorifie his God Esay 43.7 For God hath chosen us from the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Eph. 1.4 and Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship Created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them for these the man was made But 2. Other Commands there are for which the man was not made but they were made for the man as to rest
a sharp Reproof which I beseech ye let every one of us look how neerly it concerns us Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of this world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God and Christ who formerly judged others more so to be Consol Unto the poor friends of Jesus Christ who by reason of their sins are discouraged and conceive themselves friendless and helpless He is not falsly called a friend of Publicans and Sinners such Publicans as crave mercy of him Lord be merciful unto me a sinner such sinners as confess and forsake their sins such find mercy He is not called the friend of the Scribes and Pharisees or said to love them at all they were proud and covetous the two beginnings of all sin the second of the greatest though so usual among us that they are hardly thought to be sins He is the friend of the Publicans and Sinners Alas I have none to help me He is not said in vain to love Lazarus i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that hath no helper Truly so long as we have any helper or such as we conceive able helpers we will not come to Christ I have waited long on the Lord and yet he hath not helped me True but that 's no argument but that he may be thy friend yea it is an argument rather that he is thy friend Joh. 11.5 6. He is a very ill Master who provides not for his Servants yea the good man is merciful to his beast the evil Father provides for his Child Luk. 11. he provides for his swine meat and harbour in a storm how much more loving is he to his friends who is THE LOVE IT SELF 1 Joh. Isa 26. 2 Chron. 20 1-7 But alas how can I be a fit guest and one of our Lords friends He invites those our Lord's friends are they to whom he reveils his Fathers will these he calls his friends But alas I am ignorant I am blind He calls those his friends he invites those who do whatsoever he commands them I am weak and impotent the blind and the lame are they who are hated of Davids soul 2 Sam. 5.8 Dost thou hate David's Soul dost thou hate the will i. e. the Soul of the true David i. e. Christ though thou do not whatsoever he commands thee yet dost thou hate his commands his will O no God forbid O how I love thy Law I love David He is the love it self whom having not seen ye love 1 Pet. 1.8 If thou hate not him he hates not thee the LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. Lat. Coecos Claudos odientes animam David the blind and the lame who hate Davids soul and the Original Hebrew is of very doubtful reading Such blind ones as say they see Joh. 9. the blind Pharisees as our Saviour calls them the blind leaders of the blind Mat. 15. such lame ones as halt in viâ morum in the way of life who make void the Commandments of God by their tradition Halt before their best friends such as pretend infirmity and weakness when indeed they are unwilling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walk with a right foot in the way of God's Commandments such as these hate Davids soul such as these come not into the house of God but if thou love David and cry unto him as the blind man did Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me If thou be such a lame one as hast cut off thine offending foot that thou mayest enter into life such blind and lame come into the Temple and he heals them Mat. 21.14 To such as these we may speak comfort be of good cheer he calleth thee The true David invites such poor such maimed and halt and blind Luk. 14.21 He invites those who are rejected and cast out of men Joh. 9.35 the fatherless and motherless Psal 45.10 those who are no body in the world Enochs who walk with God and are not crucified to the world and the world crucified to us lacking both our feet in desire he invites Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9. Lowly in our own eyes such as are ashamed and blush and cannot lift up our face such an one Mephibosheth signifieth by name What am I that David should look upon such a dead dog as I am Such as are Jonathans Sons as Mephibosheth was i. e. born of the Spirit Joh. 3. To such as these the true David saith Thou shalt eat bread at my Table continually Consol To them that suffer persecution for Christ's sake Christ suffers with them Joseph dined with his brethren at noon Act. 9. think not this to be so strange the Sword must smite even the friend of God the Father Zach. 13. how much more his poor friends if done in the green tree how much more in the dry I say unto you my friends fear not them Luk. 12.4 Exhort To such as pretend to be the Disciples of Christ that they would be his real and true friends that they would come to his Table partake of his death that we may partake of his resurrection there is not such a friend in the whole world This is love that a man lay down his life for his friend These and such as these are the most welcom guests unto the Lords Table Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly my well beloved Cant. 5.1 our great friend the Feast-maker he thus welcomes his guests with most precious viands the food of Angels the bread of Life the hidden Manna the word of God a lasting meat 1 Cor. 10.2 our Fathers fed on the same it 's a substantial meat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6.11 Christ himself an everlasting meat Joh. 6.25 a satisfying meat Joh. 6.35 the Spirit of God the blood of Christ the new Wine Exhort 2. If Jesus Christ be our friend then let us use him as a friend the true lovers of Christ are dead with him This is our profession when we approach the Lords Table As often as we eat this bread we shew forth the Lords death so dear a friend unto us that he died for us and if we be his friends we must also dye with him this argument will be powerful with every friend of Jesus Christ if he shall consider that he himself was the death of his friend while we were sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 Isa 53.4 so it is whether we think so or no Jam. 5.6 Ye have live in pleasures on the earth and been wanton ye have condemned and killed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the just one and he resisteth you not The innocent Lamb is dumb and opens not his mouth slain from the beginning of the world the righteousness wisdom and power of God hath been so slain his wisdom reputed foolishness his righteousness sin and iniquity his power impotency Ever since the world began in thine heart he hath been slain in thee what ever is in the
judged of the Lord O Beloved do we not know that for these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Ephes 5. Do we not know for this cause many are sick and weak among us and many sleep 1 Cor. 11.30 Have all our afflictions think we come out of the dust or hath the Lords hand been so long stretched out against us in vain and without cause Have we not by this means now long time provoked him to plague us with divers diseases and sundry kinds of death All the Fathers ate the same spiritual meat yet with some of them God was not well pleased 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There will not need any large explication of these words if we shall remember the opening of the former point for so it will appear that as by the Mannah the body and the flesh of Christ is meant his spiritual body that is his Word which is his flesh Joh. 1.14 Deut. 8. man lives not by bread only so by the water out of the Rock and the blood of Christ is to be understood his Spirit for so St. John speaks expresly 1 Joh. 5.8 Confer Notes in Joh. 6.55 56. This is the Reason why the spirit of Christ whereby we are sanctified and purged from our sins proceeding from the Father and the Son as blood from the body this is called the blood of God Act. 20.28 for in Christ dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2. And so out of him being smitten by our sins Isa 53.4 5. by our transgressions and the Curse of the Law for sins issues the blood and spirit of God This was evidently signified Exod. 17. by Moses smiting of the Rock in Horeb when the Law was given for therefore vers 6. The Lord saith behold I will stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Rock Hence it is that oftentimes in Scripture the blood is said to be the life Gen. 9.4 Levit. 17.11 for blood is the spiritual life and hence we are said to drink into one spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 whence the spirit of God is called the spirit of life Rom. 8.2 Rev. 11.11 Hence we understand those Scriptures which testifie the effects of Christs blood Rom. 5.9 10. 1. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins 1 Joh. 1.7 which is not understood only of the merit of Christ which yet is of inestimable value but also of the power and efficacy of his blood and spirit 2. Christ washeth us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1.5 Hebr. 10.29 the blood by which we are sanctified 3. 1 Pet. 2.18 19. where the blood of Christ is compared with corruptible things as silver and gold of all bodily things the most durable and preferred before them as being incorruptible it cannot be understood only of that blood of Christ shed upon the Cross which was like ours for Hebr. 2.11 He took part of the same 7. and 4.15 It must therefore be understood of Christ's spiritual blood or his spirit and life as he speaks Joh. 6.63 and therefore Hebr. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Observ 1. This is the reason why Moses forbad the people blood but Christ commands to drink his blood Moses knew they were not fit while yet under the Law to partake of the life but our Lord requires that his self-deniers his mortified ones partake of his blood and life What is it to drink the spiritual drink What else but to believe in the Lord Jesus as the Scripture hath said Joh. 7.37 38. What saith the Scripture of Christ That he is the bread that came down from heaven Joh. 6. the light of the world Joh. 8. the door of the sheep Joh. 10. the resurrection and the life Joh. 11. the way the truth and the life Joh. 14. c. He who believes thus in Christ receives him drinks his blood and spirit drinks the living waters Observ 2. Hence it appears how foully they are mistaken who understand the body and blood of Christ the eating and drinking of them no otherwise than of his natural body and blood and we must follow the actions answerable thereunto how then are they called here spiritual meat and spiritual drink Observ 3. Who are the worthy Communicants Who else but they who contentedly abide in Christ in conformity to his death and life who dwell in him such only he invites such only ought to come to this spiritual feast such only are his Disciples Joh. 8.31 Observ 4. Behold the Centre the Rest of all the Children of God Exhort 1. To eat Christs flesh and drink his blood Exhort 2. To abide in Christ 1 Joh. 2.6 But alas how shall I eat the flesh of Christ c My Brother hath something against me Art thou angry with thy Brother c Matth. 5.22 None of all these what then Dost thou live in some great and heinous sin as of drunkenness whoredom or that which is hardly counted sin though a far greater dost thou live in envy pride covetousness None of all these what then Doth thy brother take offence at thee for well doing which he thinks evil doing In this case scandaliza fortitèr saith Martin Luther What then is it wherein thy Brother takes offence He differs from me in Judgement That divides all the world Peter and Paul Paul and Barnabas yet we read not any thing to the contrary but that they met to break bread the first day of the week Observ 5. Here we read of spiritual meat and spiritual drink and a spiritual Rock ye perceive the Holy Ghost useth such expressions as these are when it will signifie something which is the truth of that which is presented to the outward sense whereby such language is warranted as indeed is necessary in speaking of spiritual and heavenly things Observ 6. As hence appears the universality and commonness of the means of salvation so likewise the munificence bounty and goodness of the Author and Giver of it whence it is that it 's generally said of all the Fathers that they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea no man was excepted yea they went all through the sea and were baptized old and young child and suckling There is express mention made of their little ones Exod. 12.37 Every male was circumcised without exception Gen. 17 11-14 As they were all baptized and circumcised so all did eat of the same spiritual meat they all fed upon Manna c. They all received the holy Sacrament Observ 7. May we not think that some of these were grown up to the spiritual old age there were those among them no doubt who were Elders indeed and such as Moses knew to be such Numb 11.16 17. yet we do not find that any of them pleaded that they were above Ordinances for they all were baptized and
must not grosly conceive any corporal or bodily participation of the one or the other as the Jews did Joh. 6.52 How can this fellow give us that flesh of his to eat But we are to understand it according to that Analogie which earthly and bodily things have to heavenly and spiritual Edere est credere to believe is to receive the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Thus we call Communicating receiving when we believe receive and partake of that Mystical and heavenly food But here we must say as the Deacon did Sursum corda The Deity stoops low when it condescends to our ordinary natural actions We must here conceive a mystical partaking of Christ for the more distinct understanding of this we may consider the mystical eating the Body and drinking the Blood of Christ both 1. In similitude And 2. Dissimilitude unto the partaking of earthly and bodily food 1. To eat it is to partake of the nourishment 1 Cor. 10.17 18. As for the similitude unto the participation of bodily food the Bread Flesh or Meat you know is first masticated or ground with the teeth whence it 's conveyed into the stomach where by the heat partly of it and of the neighbour parts it looseth it self and is turned into Chyle and thence after discretion or separation made of the good from the bad it 's transmitted into every part as every part hath need 2. As for the Wine or whatsoever liquor else we drink it goes down as we say without chewing and after a like change and distinction made in the stomach it accompanieth the more solid meat throughout the body Even thus the heavenly Manna is to be received that is believed Joh. 1. Col. 2. Thus it is to be chewed and ruminated and meditated upon as the Isralites said of their Mannah What is it And so transmitted into the judgement the stomach as it were of the Soul which destributes to every part and faculty supply of the heavenly food For the enlivening and convenience of this food The Spirit accompanieth it For it is the Spirit that quickens Joh. 6. and helps our weakness of concoction Rom. 8. as Wine helps to digest solid meat Thus far they agree and many more resemblances might be found between them But the dissimilitude is greater For 1. Although our corporal food be turned into our bodies and receives a life from them yet Christ the Spiritual food is not so to be transformed into our Souls nor does he receive life from them But contrariwise this heavenly nourishment transforms our Souls and Assimilates them unto it self as the Cion or Graft suppose of an Apple or a Pear is not changed into the Nature of the stock which parhaps is a Thorn or a Crab but it turns the stock into its own Nature So saith St. James Chap. 1.21 Receive with meekness saith he the engrafted word which is able to save your souls To this purpose is that of the Apostle By one Spirit saith he we are all baptized into one body c. And we have been all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 2. Nor doth this nourishment receive life from us but gives life unto us for the case is different in this exceedingly Our bodies must first live before they can be nourished for a dead body cannot be nourished But except ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you saith our Saviour Joh. 6.53 And the bread that I will give him is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world vers 51. And he that eateth me even he shall live by me vers 57. 3. A third dissimilitude is the Belly cleanseth Meats Mar. 7.19 But this Meat cleanseth us Bodies and Souls Joh. 13. 5. To shew forth the Lords death what is it but to be conformable thereunto as the Apostle speaks Phil. 3. It also seems to have respect unto that custom of the Jews in the Passover To reveil the Mysteries of it unto their Children which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schindl in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how by eating this Bread and drinking this Cup do we shew forth the Lords death The Analogie seems to be this The Bread we eat and Drink we drink looseth its own Nature and becomes of the same Nature with our Bodies to which they are adjoyned Even so by eating the Flesh of the Son of God and drinking his Blood we become one with him and he one with us and being thus joyned unto him we become conformable unto his death The cause of this why they who eat the Flesh of the Son of God and drink his Blood shew forth the Lords death till he come who can it be but God himself who as he alone can give the thing signified so also to him alone it belongeth to appoint the signs 1. Learn from hence who are the worthy Communicants The Text teacheth us who but they who shew forth the Lords death 2. What the Christian calling is which Christ invites us unto What else but the imitating of his death Joh. 12 23 24. Rom. 6.3 Phil. 3. 3. The Christian Profession is no easie Profession strait is the gate narrow is the way compared to the pangs of Child-bearing Joh. 16.21 4. Our Profession of Christ's death it must be made known shew forth the Lords death The like exhortation ye have elsewhere Let your light so shine before men Let your moderation be known unto all men By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Exhort Shew forth the Lords death The words may be read thus as others We may be moved thereunto by these Arguments 1. Argument It 's but Reason Rom. 12. 2. Argument It 's most necessary For if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him 3. Argument It 's an Argument that we love God no greater love than to dye for another 2. Till he come This imports continuation without interruption and extent until Christ come 1. Of the first speak these places Matth. 16. Thou must take up thy cross daily 1 Cor. 15.31 Dye daily proper te mortificamur toto Die Rom. 8. 2. Thou must always bear about in thy body the dying of the Lord Jesus We who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4.2 Phil. 1.6 Gal. 4.19 1 Tim. 6.14 2 Pet. 1.19 Repreh 1. It reproves those who have quickly done shewing forth the Lords death They must remember it was the task laid upon us Moriendo morieris and Crucifixion is a long lingering death Far easier it is to dye so than to dye and dye eternally as otherwise we must Repreh 2. It reproves those who will needs be shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called them before they have shewn forth the death of Christ NOTES on 1 ROR. XI 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But let a man examine himself and so let him eat
expiation of the guilt and punishment of sin Hebr. 10.14 If all this be true as certainly it is how saith our Lord that his flesh profiteth nothing The flesh profiteth nothing i. e. either to the quickning and giving life to the Soul dead in trespasses and sins it profits nothing to the feeding and nourishing of the Soul unto eternal life these are the works of the Spirit for it is the Spirit that quickens The bread which is here propounded to be eaten and consequently the wine it comes down from heaven vers 58. but the natural flesh of Christ came not down from heaven The bread to be fed upon is sometime called his body sometime his flesh sometime meat the Manna This is not Natural but Spiritual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Notes on Gen. 25. and such must be the partaking and receiving of them What then is the Bread but the Word of God as often in Scripture Deut. 8.3 Matth. 4.4 and speaking of the Manna see Exod. 16.16 Job 23.12 Jer. 3.15 and 15.16 Amos 8.11 As for the Cup 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's Metonymically taken for the wine in it which signifieth the blood of Christ i. e. his Life and Power his Spirit of Life Rom. 8. the Spirit that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that quickneth and giveth life Of this blood ye read Hebr. 9.14 and 10.29 and 13.20 21. cum Rom. 1.4 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Revel 7.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 5.8 This bread our Lord had broken unto them and given them his blood to drink Joh. 14.17 1 Cor. 12.13 This Cup signifieth his passion Lord if it be possible let this Cup pass by me and our imitation of it by enduring the like inward and outward sufferings Matth. 20.21 23. Doubt Why doth the Lord propound these Mysteries under these outward Elements Love is defined affectus unionis an affection of union oneness and sameness with another Now because he who saves another cannot really be one and the same with him Disparata non possunt fieri unum he imparts something to him wherewith he may be in a sort one and the same with him such is that which enters into us as meat and drink and such as is neerest to us as our garments and what else is needful for the preservation of our being Thus Jonathan when he loved David 1 Sam. 18.1 3 4. their souls were in a sort one But how did Jonathan express that He stript himself Does the Scripture think we intend only to express humane passions Jonathan figures the holy Spirit so his Name signifieth the gift of the Lord and he cloaths David as when Judg. 6.34 the Spirit of the Lord is said to come upon Gideon the Hebrew Text saith the Spirit cloathed Gideon Marg. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thess 2.8 There is no Love without Communication of something from the party loving to the party loved thus Joh. 3.16 Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himself for me Ephes 5.2.25 And thus the Lord Jesus Christ to testifie his intimate love unto us He Communicates himself unto us by the Sacrament of his body and blood which is called therefore Sacramentum Vnionis whereby he affectionately imparts himself unto us Joh. 6.55 56 57. Observ 1. Terms of Art are as weights wherewith we weigh silver and gold such are the Sacraments and Virtues in them Observ 2. Take notice that he who examines himself hath a command to receive the Holy Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ 3. Hence also it followeth that they who dispense and Administer the Sacrament they virtually from hence have a Command to give the Sacrament unto those who have examined themselves for if they who have examined themselves must eat and drink then must the Minister give them to eat and drink Observ 4. The mans greatest business is about himself This was the first Precept that God gave to Abraham See Notes on Gen. 6. Observ 5. There is a warrantable Self-love Exhort Examine our selves and so let us eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup When we have so examined our selves so purged out the dross we shall then become a vessel fit for our Masters use fit to bear his Name in as Paul was That we may bear God in our bodies 1 Cor. 6. Vulg. Lat. So let him eat and so let him drink so i. e. having examined proved tryed searched and approved himself so let him eat so i. e. rectè answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Notes on Psal 90.12 The Believer hath in him his Judicatory his Examination-office his fire is in Sion and his furnace in Jerusalem Isai 31.9 Exhort Let us examine our selves and so let us eat How industrious is the Evil One to examine search sift us and all that 's good and of God out of us See Notes on Zeph. 2.1 2. It 's impossible otherwise to partake of the Lord Jesus the Lord will examine us and search us with candles appeal to the Lord and desire him to do it Psal 139. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON I CORINTHIANS XIII 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have no Charity I am nothing I Will not derogate from the due praise of the Ancients touching the division of the Scripture into Chapters it was a laudable attempt and succeeds very happily in the most yet it had been to be wished among other oversights that this 13th Chapter being the Epistle for this day had not been so violently rent from the 12th the last words of the 12th Chap. being in nature a part of this 13th and that a principal one as the head is in respect of the body deriving an influence into the whole body of this Chapter and therefore being taken from it it 's as if the head were cut off from the body 't will appear no less to you if ye consider That the Apostle having discoursed at large in the former Chapter of those Graces which they call Gratiae gratis datae as the gift of Tongues Prophecy Wisdom Knowledge c. lest they should stint their desires in these which are not desirable for themselves in the end of that Chapter Covet earnestly saith he the best gifts or rather according to Photius Oecol in locum Theodoret and others of the Greek Fathers because they desired greater gifts than these were they read the words interrogatively Do ye covet greater gifts than these if so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall shew ye moreover the most excellent way by far and what is that way but Charity which is one of those Graces which they call Gratiae gratum facientes And that this way of Charity is of all other the most excellent the Apostle proves in this Chapter by three general Arguments both 1. From the necessity because without it all
signs For properly to speak the Cup of Blessing is a sign or testimony and signifieth the commemoration of the blood of Christ and the bread which we break is a sign symbolum or testimony of the body of Christ And where our Saviour saith This is my body and this is my blood 't is evident he means the signs of his body and blood As in like Sacramental phrases when the Scripture calls Circumcision the Covenant and the Lamb a Passover and many the like Which had men been willing to understand the Controversie about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper had not produced such bitter zeal and so many Volumes of Disputations as it hath done in the Christian Church Observ 3. Observe then what use yet remains of the Ceremonial Law unto Christian Men All these things befell the Jews for Examples or Types and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10.11 Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be made perfect throughly furnished to all good works And if all Scripture if whatsoever was written then surely the Ceremonial Law though not in the oldness of the Letter yet in the newness of the Spirit There are no wasts in the Word of God but those places that seemed to be barren and desart are under the Gospel fruitful in all a new and spiritual meaning unto the new people of God Observ 4. This makes exceedingly for the increase of Spiritual understanding Observ 5. And consequently for the great consolation of many poor Souls who read and hear the Scriptures daily and understand little hunger and thirst after the knowledge of Gods Word and meditate in Gods Law day and night to such the Lord speaks Isa 50.10 Who is there among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God Such an one was the Eunuch Act. 8. who read Isa 53. yet professed to Philip he knew not of whom that Scripture was to be understood And if with humility obedience and teachable hearts and fervent prayer unto God we be exercised therein surely God in his due time if he see it needful for us that we should understand those hidden things will Either 1. Immediately reveal his Truth unto us Or 2. Direct unto us one Scribe or other taught unto the kingdom of God who shall bring out of his treasury things new and old i. e. the figurative and true meaning as Basil explains that place Matth. 13.52 All things are new that is all things are holy just and good I have spoken of this kind of newness heretofore I shall not make Repetition of any thing of that but only add something as the Text requires All things are new i. e. holy just and good inwardly and outwardly 1. Inwardly for as when Nature begins her work in making the body of Man she first forms the three principal inward parts the Brain the Heart and the Liver and then proceeds to form the outward members even so the God and Author of Nature first forms and fashions the inward Man in his Mind Will and Affections and then fashions the outward man in a sutable Christian Life and Godly Conversation 1. Then there is a renovation of the mind Rom. 12.2 Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind And Ephes 4.23 Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind And therefore Col. 3.10 The New Man is renewed in Knowledge For as in the beginning Deus praefecit lumen operibus suis God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness he hath shined in your hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 2. God fashioneth all his new peoples Hearts by rectifying their perverse and crooked Wills and by ordering and disposing their inordinate Affections 1. Their Will is rectified and renewed according to Gods promise made to the new Man That his people should be willing in the day of his power Psal 110.3 And what shall they be willing to What else but to Gods Commandments Psal 112.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is very willing and hath great delight in Gods Commandments and so ye may remember the parallel places that what is in 1 Cor. 7.19 keeping the Commandments of God is Gal. 6.15 a new Creature 2. Their Affections are ordered and disposed toward heavenly things they have new affections new dispositions of Soul Col. 3.1 2. Nor have this new people a new mind and affections in vain but they have power to do also what they ought to will They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength Isai 40.31 and 41.7 Let the people renew their strength Confer Psal 110.3 This new day is the day of Christs power But from whom have this new people their new mind will and affections and strength but from him who makes all things new from God himself David humbly acknowledgeth as much Who am I and what is my people that we should be able and should obtain strength to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee 1 Chron. 29.14 And thus all things are new within 2. All things are new without in the outward life and conversation and as there is a new inward Man so likewise is there a new outward Man and both from him who makes all things new for as God made every Plant before it was in the earth and every herb of the field before it grew Gen. 2.5 and every year he commands that the earth bring forth grass the herb yielding seed and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind which yearly cloaths and adorns the earth with flowers and herbs and fruits even so it is in this acceptable year of the Lord as the Evangelist out of the Prophet Isaiah calls this time of the Gospel Luk. 4.19 so saith the Psalmist Psal 104.30 That God sends forth his Spirit and they are Created and he reneweth the face of the earth Very fitly to this purpose speaks the Prophet Isai 61.2 of the same new and acceptable year of the Lord and vers 10 11. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation and hath covered me with a robe of Righteousness as a Bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with her jewels for as the earth bringeth forth her bud and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth so the Lord
so Revel 1.7 Every eye shall see him and they that pierced him when they see him their eye that looks upon him affects their heart Lament 3.51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart or my soul all kindreds of the earth wail because of him Thus St. Peter in his first Sermon Act. 2.37 evidently sets forth the sufferings of the Lord Jesus and his crucifixion whereupon the people were pricked at their heart c. our Translators very fitly put that place in the margin of Zach. 12.10 And no doubt the Lord expects a like effect from us of his outward manifestations and not that we should stand at a gaze and amuze our selves only at some things without us Observ 5. Hence we learn the tenour and subject of the Apostles preaching St. Peter's Act. 10.37 and 43. and St. Paul Act. 26.22 23. which we ought well to heed and obey their requiring of us as our duty Observ 6. Here the accomplishment of all types and figures touching our Lords passion and crucifixion as also the subtilty of Satan in bewitching us to abuse the Cross of Christ with outward Observation Observ 7. We need minding and remembring what Christ suffers of us and how we ought to suffer with him and to know how we have crucified him with our sins and that we ought to crucifie our sins with him and so to be crucified with Christ as St. Paul exhorts these Galatians by his own Example The Galatians here had this Doctrine represented unto them in the figures of the Law and in the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles yet they obeyed not this Truth let us be careful lest we follow them in like disobedience Observ 8. Note hence the great goodness of God who not only hath given Christ and him crucified but also hath given means of knowing him by the ear by the eye the two disciplinary senses both which therefore God is said to have made and because Christ is the common salvation Jude vers 2. the Lord hath appointed means of all other the most common the most universally known and used by mankind as Bread and Wine Bread and that broken evidently setting forth Christ's body broken on the Cross Wine and that poured out prefiguring before our eyes the blood of Christ shed for us Thus hath Jesus Christ been set forth evidently before our eyes crucified in us and shall such outward manifestations be in vain unto us The Apostle desired to know nothing among the Corinthians but Jesus Christ and him crucified but did the Apostle desire to know Christ crucified in himself or in them and did he not much more desire to know and experimentally to find conformity unto Christ crucified in himself and them Is it not proper to all those who are Christ's to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts And the Lord himself hath given us Example in himself of so doing He lived in this world in great sorrow poverty and shame He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs and for our sakes he became poor he exposed himself to open shame And wherefore was all this but that through his like Cross even the patience of Jesus Christ we might crucifie those who had crucified the Lord Jesus even by like sorrow and grief to mortifie the lusts of the flesh by his like poverty to crucifie covetousness the lusts of the eyes and by his like ignominy and shame we might kill and crucifie the pride of life And these are the three great enemies of Christ in the world who have put to death the Author of Life and if we crucifie these we are then crucified with him and shall be glorified with him Amen Axiom 3. The Galatians did not obey the Truth We must here search 1. what is Truth and 2. what it is to obey the Truth Surely Christ is the Truth as he himself saith I am the Truth the Way and the Life He was crucified and died for our sins that we might be crucified and dead with him unto our sins as the Apostle tells them he was Gal. 2.19 I by the Law am dead to the Law that I may live unto God I am crucified with Christ c. Thus the truth in Jesus it putting off the old man and putting on the new Ephes 4. This Truth was crucified in the Galatians and evidently set forth before their eyes yet they obeyed it not in that they were not crucified and dead with Christ So that they were not obedient unto the Truth of Christ crucified being not crucified with him nor willing to bear his Cross For reason of this I shall content my self with the reason in the Text why they were not obedient and speak of it when I handle that point the Apostle alledgeth for a reason some or other had bewitched them Observ 1. The Doctrine of Christ crucified is the Truth Now all kinds of Doctrines in Arts and Sciences hold forth some truth but what truth it is is expressed by the speciale formale of every Art and Science What is the special formal difference of this Truth the Apostle tells us Tit. 1.1 It 's a truth according to godliness Observ 2. Yet is not the Doctrine of Christ crucified the highest truth It is true the Apostle saith he desired to know nothing among the Corinthians but Christ Jesus and him crucified i. e. I so behaved my self among you that I might seem to know nothing else and that that must be his meaning appears by his next words I was among you in weakness and in fear and trembling Paul took upon him that state because the Corinthians were young and weak and capable yet of no higher Doctrine and therefore he calls them children and saith he spake unto them as carnal c. 1 Cor. 3.1 and according to his practice to the weak he became weak not but that he had higher Doctrine to impart unto them For such is the Doctrine of Christ's Resurrection and Life his Ascension and Session at the right hand of God his coming to Judgement c. These and such as these are higher than that of Christ crucified and therefore 1 Cor. 2. We speak wisdom saith he among those that are perfect and capable of higher and more transcendent hidden truth Observ 3. The Doctrine of Christ crucified is a Doctrine of Truth that is to be obeyed It 's not a Truth only in Theory and Speculation it 's a practical Truth a Truth that is to be obeyed This is the rather to be observed because many look at the Gospel only as a Doctrine of Indulgence Grace and Favour and hope for nothing by it but the remission of their sins Whereas indeed the Gospel requires as much obedience as the Law yea in regard of further explication of the Law it requires more because it was not generally known that the law is spiritual until our Lord and his Apostles had so declared it And therefore whereas the Pharisees were the most strict observers of the Law
Luk. 11.21 22. When the strong man armed keeps his palace all things are at peace 4. To stand Object Why then are we exhorted to flee Yea Josuah instructs his army to flee Reason Why the whole armour c. The reason is from the proportion which must be between the malady and the remedy The Assailant and the Defender Satans wiles are many and so must our arms Doubt Why must we put on the whole armour of God that we may stand against the wiles of the Devil It seems wiles and deceits should be rather prevented by wisdom and wariness than by strength and arms the whole armour of God It is evident by the Text and Context what kind of armour is here meant no other than spiritual Wherefore because the wiles of Satan are strong therefore there is need of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole armour of God to withstand them Now that the wiles of Satan are strong appears by divers Scriptures Prov. 7.21 with the flattering of her lips she forced him so 't is 2 Thess 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn strong delusions Observ 2. We are able to withstand the wiles of the Devil How through the armour of God So Caleb endeavoured to still the people Numb 24. 2 Cor. 12.9 The Apostle complains of a thorn in the flesh The Minister of Satan which Calvin saith is omne genus tentationum whence it followeth that the power and grace of God is sufficient to conquer all these Observ 3. How powerful then are the weapons of God not carnal but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gordion knot was not to be untwisted but cut in sunder Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Consol Unto the young Soldiers of Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All his temptations are troublesome as a fly Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils is the god of flyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macrobius What though he cast his fiery darts Hath not the Lord armed thee with a shield of Faith What though he prevail so that he wound thee And so it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is the armour of light the Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings His word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 healing doctrine His Spirit is the true unguentum hopliatricum the true weapon salve If thou hast none of Satans lusts in thee what needest thou fear his wiles They who entred the lists to wrestle anointed themselves So that their adversaries could not lay hold upon them The prince of the world cometh and hath nothing in me Exhort To put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand c. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON EPHESIANS VI. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places THe Apostle in vers 11. discovers the enemy and with him the great and imminent danger wherein we are Vers 12. He amplifieth the danger by the description of the enemies forces which he describes 1. Partly by the Antithesis or opposition to flesh and blood and not with flesh and blood 2. Partly by their power and malice herein are these truths 1. The Saints have a wrestling 2. The Saints wrestling is not with flesh and blood 3. Their wrestling is with principalities and powers with the rulers of the darkness of this world Flesh and blood is understood two ways 1. Hereby some understand mankind 2. Others understand sin and sinful lusts and hereupon they differ one from other I believe all may be here understood so well as a third way How all Certainly 1. Our contention ought not to be with men 2. Nor doth the Apostle speak now of carnal sins 3. Nor doth he speak of weak enemies Of the first two we understand the words comparatively of the other here oppositely For our better understanding of this there is something in Scripture that seems to be denied which is only compared as I will have mercy and not sacrifice Thy name shall not be called Jacob but Israel Moses gave you not that bread from heaven And so we may understand that seeming opposion here not so much with men not so much with the sin of flesh and blood as with principalites and powers For certain it is contention and wrestling there must be with flesh and blood with the sin of flesh and blood 1. We have a wrestling The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both used passively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To embrace as wrestlers do each other and either intends the other a fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be wreathed wryed wrenched this way and that way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vibro to move without violence Lucta and the V. L. colluctatio is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loose or put out of joynt a frequent effect of wrestling We borrow our English word of our Neighbours the High and Low Dutch This Exercise was very usual among the Greeks from whom our Apostle borroweth this Metaphor A violent and subtil wringing wrestling and wreathing one another to cause one the other to fall and so to get a victory one over the other and a price and reward of the victory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There were usual among the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they called them sacred wrestlings unto which more specially our Apostle alludes 1 Cor. 9.25 Every one that strives for mastery is temperate in all things that they may obtain a corruptible crown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Jul. Pollux Surely this wrestling which the Apostle speaks of is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an holy wrestling As in all such wrestlings and contentions strength and power was necessary and the strength necessary to this wrestling is properly the strength of Faith and therefore the wrestling is called the wrestling of Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 fight the good fight of Faith The Original words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now we read of a twofold wrestling 1. With God so did Jacob Gen. 32. Hos 2. A wrestling with Satan as here and elsewhere How wrestle we with him 1. By Faith 2. by Patience 3. by Prayer How doth Satan wrestle with us 1. By imaginations and reasonings c. 2 Cor. 10.4 5 6. 2. By his lusts Joh. 8.44 3. By friendship of the world so Satan embraceth as a wrestler doth his adversary The same strife is understood by other words as fighting running contending and striving c. The Reason 1. from our selves we had voluntarily given our selves a fall from this there is no recovery without great labour facilis descensus averni Sed revocare gradus hic labor hoc opus est Fall we may alone but arise we cannot alone Salvation is gotten by this wrestling 2 Cor. 1.6 Margin Col. 1.24 God himself hath put enmity between the Seed
Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to recapitulate or gather together in one to gather all things to their head both which are in heaven and which are in the earth Ephes 1.10 For that there might be a proportion between the head and members he hath predestinated his new people to be conformed unto the image of the Son the new Man And he makes all things new Apoc. 21.5 Observ 1. Observe then Beloved the blessed and happy estate of the new people the faithful the Saints of God To them all things are new Instead of the law of commandments Ephes 2. A law which neither we faith Peter Act. 15.10 nor our fathers were able to bear God hath given them a new Law and the same law written in their hearts Jer. 31.33 Heb. 8.8 In place of the oldness of the letter they have the newness of the spirit Rom. 7.6 Jos 15.15 the old name of the City was Cirjath-Sepher Civitas literarum But the new name is Debir To the old people the Law was written and understood by them according to the oldness of the letter But to the new people the law is Debir i. e. an Oracle it signifieth the Sanctum Sanctorum the holy of holies Whence the Oracles were given So saith the Wiseman Ecclus. 33.3 To a man of understanding the law is faithful unto him as an Oracle It is in the Margin according to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the asking of Vrim The law of God is in his heart as an oracle and his goings shall not slide Psal 37.31 Observ 2. This is a key to open Gods Archiva the treasury of Gods word wherein there are many secrets hidden and lock'd up from common understanding in Ceremonies Types Figures and historical Narrations I shall represent some examples to you and somewhat out of the historical part of Scripture Out of the old Law wherein this Rule is to be observed which one of the Ancients gives Ceremoniale aboletur spirituale manet 1. The Covenant of Circumcision is dismissed away among the old things So that if a man be circumcised Christ shall profit him nothing Gal. 5.2 Yet the spiritual and new Circumcision as yet remains Deut. 10.16 Circumcise ye the fore-skin of your heart and 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart Jer. 4.4 Circumcise your selves unto the Lord and take away the fore-skin of your heart 2. The passover and the feast of unleavened bread are old things and long since passed away But under the Gospel both are become new 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Christ our passover is offered Therefore let us keep the feast not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth 3. The Tabernacle was an old thing and ceased when the Temple was built but that became new even in David's days Psal 51. Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle Heb. 8.2 Christ is a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true tabernacle And 9.11 A tabernacle not made with hands Revel 21.3 The tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people 4. The Temple was an old thing and passed away but it becomes new under the Gospel 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Revel 21.22 The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of the new Jerusalem 5. All the instruments and utensils of the tabernacle and temple are old things and passed away They were carried to Rome by Vespasian and laid up in the Temple of peace But these become new to us Heb. 8.5 All things were made according to the pattern shewn to Moses in the mount 6. All the sacrifices offered in the Tabernacle and Temple they are old things and passed away But the same are all new to us Psal 4.5 Sacrifices of righteousness Psal 50.14 Offer to God thanksgiving and 51.19 Hos 14.2 We will render the calves of our lips which the Apostle turns the sacrifices of praise Heb. 13.15 7. All the special times of Sacrifices Holy-days New-moons and Sabbaths they are old things yet are all new to us Col. 2.16 17. The body is Christ 2. As for the Historical part of Scripture This Rule is to be observed which an Ancient Father gives Dum narrat gestum prodit mysterium while the Scripture relates an history it implyes a mystery while it tells ye an old story it presents you with a new truth 1. The Kingdom of Israel is an old thing now antiquated and passed away but it is to us become new The Christian Church is the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 The people of Israel were governed by Judges and Kings all long since passed away and gone But to the Christian Church these are new for God is judge himself Psal 50.6 The judge of all the world Gen. 18.25 And he hath committed all judgement to the Son Joh. 5.22 Christ is the new King The king shall reign in righteousness Esay 32.1 The King eternal 1 Tim. 6.17 Melchizedech was an old King and one of the most ancient we read of But he is in the Gospel propounded unto us a new for what was Melchizedech but Christ the King That King who should reign in righteousness Esay 32.1 So the Apostle expounds that old story Melchizedech saith he is by interpretation King of righteousness and after that king of Salem which is the kingdom of peace Heb. 7.2 And indeed it is an interpretation of the kingdom of God which consists in righteousness peace and joy Rom. 14.17 3. The Psalmist Psal 78.2 relating the old Histories of the Israelites from the giving of the Law till himself was made King which contains the space of above four hundred years he prepares his auditors with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will open my mouth in parables I will declare hard sentences of old implying that they were all old Histories but they had all new and spiritual meanings 4. Ye have read that old story of Hagar and Sarah Gen. But the Apostle propounds it to the Galatians Cap. 4.22 23 24 25. as new which things saith he are an Allegory i. e. something spoken and another thing hid under it containing a new spiritual meaning of it 5. Thus the same Apostle applies the old story of the fathers coming out of Egypt and their passing through the sea and their eating of manna and the drinking water out of the rock c. all to a new and spiritual meaning 1 Cor. 10.1 4. Here he calls the meat spiritual meat and the water spiritual drink because under these other things were signified Thus when afterward vers 16. he saith The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ These propositions are Metonymical wherein the things signified are spoken of the