stood foaming and roaring before them but hurt them not and therfore they were glad to put the skinnes of wild beasts upon them to make the Lyons runne upon them and teare them Thou that art a wicked man and hast no part of this Image of God to defend thee no marvaile if thy dogge bite thee thy horse braine thee or thy oxe gore thee Let us studie then for to haue this Image repaired in us if we would be in league with the beasts of the field Beasts surpasse man in many duties The dogges came and licked his sores The beasts many times out-strip man in many duties The Kine of Bethshemesh went streight forward with the Arke and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left but man many times declineth either to the right hand or to the left and he keepeth not this midst The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doe not consider Esay 1.3 and Ier. 8.7 Yea the storke in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. And the Lord sendeth man to the Ant to learne wisedome Prov. 6.6 Goe to the ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise Balaams Asse saw the Angell sooner then Balaam himselfe and therefore is it that the Scripture calleth men beasts and sendeth them to be taught by beasts which sheweth how farre man is degenerated from his first estate and what a low forme hee is in when the beasts are set to teach him Why God gaue his children a small portion in this life It may seeme strange why the Lord distributeth things so that he giveth such plentie and abundance to the rich glutton and so little to Lazarus seeing the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 God who doth all things in wisdome doth not this without good reason The Lord dealeth with his children in this life Simile as he did with the Israelites when he brought them to Canaan Numb 13.17 When he brought them to Canaan South a barren Countrey he made them to goe Southward into the Mountaines the South was a dry and barren part Iudg. 1.15 Thou hast given me a South-land giue me also springs of water so Psal 126.4 Turne againe our captivitie O Lord as the streames in the South hee prayeth that the Lord would refresh them now in the midst of bondage as the waters refreshed the dry and barren South And Iarchi noteth that the Lord did with his people here as Merchants doe who shew the worst cloath first Simile so dealeth the Lord with his children hee sheweth them the worst first and as at the wedding in Cana of Galilie the last wine was the best so is it here the Lord sheweth his children great afflictions and troubles the South part as it were at first but afterwards he bringeth them to the Land that floweth with milke and honey Secondly he bestoweth these outward and temporarie things but sparingly upon his children that hee may draw their hearts to the consideration of better things he giveth the wicked their portion in this life Psal 17.14 Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Luke 16.25 but he reserveth the good things for his owne children that is the holy Ghost the graces of the Spirit Luk. 11.9 It is a matter of great consequence to discerne what are the gifts of Gods favour Great skill required in discerning the gifts of Gods right hand many men thinke because they haue wealth and prosperitie they are the gifts of Gods favour and they seeme to stand under the Lords right hand but they are deceived Simile When Ephraim and Manasseh were brought before Iacob Ephraim was set at Iacobs left hand and Manasseh at his right hand but Iacob crossed his hands and laid his right hand upon Ephraims head and his left upon the head of Manasseh Gen. 48. So many men who seeme to stand at the Lords right hand shall be set at his left hand and many who seeme to stand at his left hand shall be set at his right hand Lazarus seemeth to stand now at his left hand but stay till you see him die and the Angels carry him to glory and then yee shall see him stand at the Lords right hand It is a point of great wisedome to know the Lords dispensing hand David prayeth Psal 17.7 separa benignitates tuas as if he should say giue us something O Lord that we may be discerned to be thy children from the wicked for by these outward favours wee shall never be knowne to be thy children The Lord careth not to throw a portion of this world to a wicked man as if one should throw a bone to a dogge but he will know well to whom hee giveth this rich gift of eternall life Death separateth the godly from the wicked And it came to passe that the beggar dyed and the rich man also dyed Death maketh a full separation betwixt the children of God and the wicked the sheepe and the goates may feed together for a while but the shepheard separateth them the wheat and the chaffe may lie in one floore together but the fanne separateth them and the good and the bad fish may be both in one net untill they be drawne to the land and the tares and the wheat may grow in one field for a while until the time of harvest so may the godly and the wicked liue together here for a while Simile but death maketh a totall and full separation Moses said to the Israelites stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which hee will shew to you to day for the Egyptians whom yee haue seene to day yee shall see them no more for ever Exod. 14.13 the red Sea made a separation betwixt the Israelites and the Egyptians for ever So death separateth the children of God from the wicked that they shall never meete againe Betwixt us and you there is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to us Gods children should haue little medling with the world that would come from thence Luk. 16.26 This should teach the children of God to haue little medling with the wicked why because one day there shall be a totall and finall separation and this is a great comfort to his children oftentimes now they are afraid of the incursions of the wicked and of their bloodie hands but then they shall never be afraid of them The gates of the new Ierusalem were not shut at all Revel 21.25 to signifie that there shall be no feare of the enemie there And he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Here consider three things first how it commeth that the Angels are ministring spirits to man secondly what
was a great worke but it was not a miracle it was onely an inlarging of Nature Secundum naturam Prater naturam Supra naturam Contra. naturam God worketh not contrary to nature God worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he worketh never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Nature when he maketh a man see ordinarily so he worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides Nature when he made Stevens eye to see to the third Heaven Act. 7. But when he made the blind to see this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When a yong woman conceiveth and beareth a child this is according to Nature but when Sarah bare a sonne After that it ceased to be with her after the manner of women Gen. 18.11 This was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides nature but when the Virgin Mary bare a sonne this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above Nature The Lord reserveth foure keyes to himselfe She shall bring forth children the Lord is he that giveth children to the barren Ier 31.27 I will sowe the house of Iuda and the house of Israel with the seed of men The paraphrast of Ierusalem in Gen. 30.4 setteth downe foure keyes the first is clavis foecunditatis ad aperiendum the key of fertility to open the wombe and sterilitatis ad oceludendum of barrennesse to shut the wombe Gen. 30.22 God remembred Rahel and opened her wombe Secondly clavis pluviae Deu. 28.12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasures the heavens to give raine unto the Land in due season The third is clavis cibationis the key of feeding Psal 145. Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing And the fourth is clavis sepulchre the key of the grave Ezek. 37.12 And I shall open your graves She shall give seed The woman giveth seed in generation the woman giveth seed in the generation as well as the man it should not be translated Si semen conceperit aut susceperit for that is contrary to the nature of the Active conjugation hiphil and it is oftentimes spoken in the Scriptures of trees and herbes sementare semen which cannot be translated suscipere semenâ— So Heb. 11.11 Sarah received strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not susceptio sed jactus or the casting out of the seed as when the Husbandman casteth the seed into the ground that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the casting out of the seed The Syriacke paraphrase doth not paraphrase it rightly ut susceperit aut conceperit semen that she might conceive seed The Anabaptiste deny that Iesus Christ tooke flesh of the Virgin Mary but that he passed through her The errour of the Anabaptists as water doth the row a golden Pipe and their chiefe reason is because as they say Women give no seed in generation but this Text sheweth the contrary So Levit 1â— 2 And if Christ had not taken flesh of the Virgin Mary he had never been our Goel but as our neere kinseman he has redeemed us from eternall damnation Lastly observe The Word of God like the bitter water as this bitter water made the guilty womans thigh to rot so it maketh her that is innocent to conceive So the Word of God which is the savour of death unto death to the wicked is the savour of life unto life to the godly The conclusion of this is Conclusion God findeth out punisheth all sinne but especially adultery He will â—uagerwomen that breake wedlocke Ezek. â—6 28 And he shall be a swift witnesse against adulterers Mal. 3.5 Commandement VIII EXERCITAT XXXI Of devouring of holy things A ceremoniall appendix of Command 8. Prov. 20.25 It is a snare for a man to devour that which is holy and after Vowes to make inquiry Sacriledge compared to a snare IT is a snare for a man to devour holy things a snare is set as a trape to catch Ier. 5.26 When the fowler layeth his snare he scattereth some Corne about it to draw the Birds to it then the snare catcheth the Birds and lastly the fowler destroyeth them when Sacrilegious men meddle with holy things to devour them they see some hope of gaine there which allureth them but there is a snare laid secretly to catch them and then the Lord who taketh them justly destroyeth them for meddling with holy things The judgements of God upon those who have devoured holy things There was never one that medled with those holy things to devour them or turne them to their owne private use and commodity but it was a snare to him Iehoiakim tooke the Cedar out of the house of God and seiled his owne Windowes with it and painted it with Vermilion that it should not be knowne to be the seiling of the house of God but see what judgements befell to him quia commiscuit se cum ista cedrâ— because he meddled with that Cedar turned it to his owne use the Lord saith They shall not lament for him he shall be buried with the buriall of an Asse drawne and cast forth beyond the gates of Ierusalem Iere. 22.19 And see what judgements befell to Nebuchadnezzer because he robbed the Temple and to Belshazzer becaused hee dranke in the Vessels of the House of the Lord And what befell Sbishak King of Egypt and to Crassus for robbing of the Temple of the Lord All these doe let us see what a snare it is to devour holy things Abimelech when he burnt the house of Baal Berith the Idol his snare catched him quickely because he medled with the house of Baal which he tooke to be a god hee was killed by a Woman with a piece of a Milstone Iudg 9.53 How dangerous a thing is it then to rob the house of the living God Dionysius the Tyrant after he had robbed the Temple of Apollo and finding a good goale of wind as he returned home he jestingly said O how doth sacrilege please the Gods But here the Lord saith It is a snare to devour that which is holy When the Heathen were sacrificing Simile there came an Eagle to the Altar and caught a peece of the sacrifice from it but a coale did cleave to the flesh which she carrying into her nest burnt her nest her yong ones and she hardly escaped her selfe it is easie for any to apply this who is not a mocker as Dionysius was So it was a snare to the sonnes of Eli to take that part of the Sacrifice which belonged not to them so it was a snare to those in the dayes of Malachy Who with-held the tithes from the house of God and so to the Priests who changed and alienated their Portions Ezek. 48.14 And so to those who delayed to pay their vowes So the Hebrewes say What it is to transgresse in holy things that to transgresse in the holy things is sacriledge as if they did eate the tithe of their
39.15 And the passengers that passe through the land when any seeth a mans bone then shall he set up a signe by it till the buriers come and bury it This signified such as were dead in trespasses and sinnes Eph. 2.1 and such as have their consciences defiled by dead workes Heb. 9.13.14 those are uncleane What the legall pollutions taught the Iewes And those legall pollutions taught the people of God how carefull they should be that they defile not themselves with sinne or communion with dead and sinnefull workes as the Apostle saith touch no uncleane thing 2 Cor. 6.17 and be not partakers of other mens sins keepe thy selfe pure 1 Tim. 5.22 The Iewes adde to many of the Lawes of God Whosoever toucheth one that is slaine with a sword in the open fields shall be uncleane seven dayes Num. 19.16 And the Iewes adde he that toucheth the sword which killed the man shall be uncleane but this is an addition of their owne So the Lord commanded that the Nazarit should drinke no wine they adde nor come nere unto a Vineyard So the Lord commanded that they should not cary burdens upon the Sabbath Iere. 17. but they added that it was not lawfull for a sick man to take up his bed upon the Sabbath Ioh. 5. So the Lord commanded that they should goe no further but a Sabbath dayes journey upon the Sabbath but they added that it was not lawfull to stirre out of the place upon the Sabbath So the Lord commanded them that they should abstaine from the drinke offerings of the heathen but they added that they should abstaine from the wine of the Gentils So here the Lord saith that Whosoever toucheth one that is slaine with a sword shall be uncleane untill the even But they adde whosoever shall touch the sword which killed the man shall bee uncleane untill the even The touching of the bodies of the dead shewes us what unregenerate men are in the sight of God they are dead while they are alive 1 Tim. 5.6 they are like rotten graves their throte is an open sepulchre Rom. 3.13 and they are like whited Sepulchres which indeed appeare beutifull outwardly but within are full of dead mens bones and all uncleannesse Matth. 23.27 What are we to thinke of the bodies of the Saints Quest when they are lying in the grave whether are their bodies corpora pura or impura Ans They are neither corpora pura nor impura Whether the dead bodies of the Saints in the grave be pure or not sed non pura they are not impura because their sinnes are pardoned they are not pura because they are as yet under the corruption and punishment of sinne but the wicked who lye downe with their sinnes in the dust their bodies are impura filthy and uncleane The bodies of the Saints being not impura therefore the soules of the glorified might come to such bodies againe as Moses in the transfiguration was there in soule and body his glorified soule came to his body againe because it was not a sinnefull body now but a body lyeing under corruption as yet but when Lazarus soule returned to his body we must not thinke that Lazarus soule was a glorified soule for a glorified soule returneth not to a sinful body to dwel in it againe but the vinon betwixt the soule and the body was loosed at this time A difference betwixt the glorified soules and sinfull soules enioâ—ning into their bodies againe Sumus de purgatorie and the soule was still in the sinfull body tanquam in sede non tanquam in organo that is it was still in the body although it did not animate the body Quest Whether did he Iewes commit sinne when they touched a dead body or not Answ There was irregularitas here sed non peccatum for for there is not a sinne where there is not a law forbidding it In what case the Iewes sinned when they touched a dead body for sinne is the transgressing of the Law The Lord saith not yee shall not touch the dead but he saith he that toucheth the dead shall be uncleane untill the even Then there is a Commandement added that a cleane person shall sprinkle him with water upon the third day and upon the seventh Num. 19.19 So that although he be not commanded not to touch the dead yet if he have touched the dead he is commanded to wash himselfe So there is not a Commandement forbidding a man to touch a Leper but if he had touched a Leper there was a Commandement given that he should not enter into the congregation untill he was purifieth and if he did enter before he was purifieth he transgressed the Commandement and sinned The comforts in Death Eccles 7.1 Better is the day of death than the day of ones birth IN the former part of this verse the Preacher sheweth The coâ—â—â—sion of the words that a good name is better than pretious oyntment and then he subjoyneth better is the day of death than the day of ones birth as if he should say a mans good name and his report is better knowne after his death than when he is alive and then his good name smelleth like the Wine of Lebanon which in his life time may be many wayes blotted He preferreth the day of our death to the day of our birth and hee saith that the day of our death is better A thing is said to be better sundry wayes One thing is said to be better then an other sundry wayes first it may be better in it selfe but not to the person so it is said that it had beene better that Iudas had never beene borne it made more for the glory of God that Iudas was borne but it was not better for himselfe Secondly things are said to be better when they seeme to be better to a carnall and corrupt man as hee saith that a living dog is better than a dead Lyon Eccles 9.4 that is he had rather live in a base estate here than to be in best account amongst the dead Thirdly some things are better for this present estate and condition of life than others as better is a dinner of hearbes where love is than a stalled Oxe and hatred therewith Prov. 15.17 Fourthly some things are better for a man in the state of grace and for his soule as it is better to be a doore keeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of wicked men One thing is said to bee better then another comparatively Psal 84.1 So it is better to goe to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting and sorrow is better than laughter Eccles 7.2 3. So the day of a mans death is better than the day of his birth Next let us consider why the day of death is better than the day of ones birth because man is borne unto trouble as the sparkes flye upward Iob 5.7 but the day of his death is
the end of all his miseries and therefore is properly called mans day Iob 18.20 The day of a mans death is better then the day of his birth Luc. 2.29 Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace 1 Sam. 28.15 Why hast thou troubled me Iob 3.13 For now should I have lien still and beene quiet I should have slept then should I have beene at rest The Councell of Toledo marketh that Christ wept not at Lazarus death but at his resurrection and this should teach us to moderate our griefe when our friends dye and those whom we love best If ye love me saith Christ yee will rejoyce because I goe to my father Ioh. 14.28 So we should rejoyce when wee see our friends goe to our Father and count the day of their death better then the day of their birth The day of death is worse to the wicked The day of a mans death is better than the day of his birth to the children of God it is better but to the wicked it is much worse the child of God saith in his death as Christ said consummatum est then all teares are wipt from their eyes but to the wicked it is their worst day as the child of God saith consummatum est so they say inchoatum est Luc. 16.25 Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus his evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Death is worse to the wicked man therefore his death is called the death of the uncircumcised Ezek. 28.12 and he dyeth as a foole 2 Sam. 3.33 but the children of God die in the Lord and their death is their rest It may seeme that to be borne is better than death Ob. Ioh 16.20 A woman when she is in travell hath sorrow because her houre is come but assoone as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is borne into the world She rejoyceth that she hath brought forth a Sonne but we rejoyce not when one dyeth therefore it may seeme that the day of ones birth is better then the day of his death It is better for the woman that she hath a child borne for the continuation of her posterity Answ and therfore she rejoyceth but the day of the childs death is better for himselfe than the day of his birth because then there is an end put to all his miseries In what case may a man choose death rather then life Quest We may chiefely choose death rather then life onely to be rid of sinne as Paul desired Answ to depart and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 but this was onely to be delivered from the body of sinne to prevent sinne it is better not to be than to be Eccles 4.3 for he hath not seene the evill worke which is done under the Sunne Againe it is better for reprobates that they had never beene because of their damnation as it is said of Iudas It had beene better for him that he had never beene borne Matth. 26.21 and it is better to be dead then living that a man may be freed of sinne There is esse Physicum esse morale it is better for a wicked man to be than not to be ratione Physica because he commeth nearer to God who hath his being of himselfe but it is worse to him quoad esse morale magis optandum non esse cum carentia poena quam esse cum poena that is it is better for him not to be without punishment than to be and be punished eternally There is in man instinct reason and faith instinct teacheth him onely to seeke the preservation of his body reason goeth somewhat higher and hath some respect to vertue and honor but yet it is not a right guide to man here when hee wisheth to be dead for feare of shame and such worldly inconvenients Stoici ne foedetur virtus Romani ob inanem gloriam mortem optarunt but faith seeth farther and wisheth this dissolution because it knoweth that the body and the soule shall be joyned together againe after they are separated and purified from sinne A man must not wish death or the grave although he be bitter in soule Iob. 3.20 and afflictions be upon him but onely for sinne If it be said death destroyeth the substance of man but sinne destroyeth onely an accident in man Ob. therefore death should not be desired for the eschewing of sinne Answ Death is not a totall destruction of a man neither is a man turned into nothing when he dyeth neither wisheth he death that he may not be but that this Tabernacle may be dissolved that he may have A building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Observe that men looke diversly upon death First as it is an enemy to nature and so all men abhorre it And the naturall man in this respect calleth it a bitter death 1 Sam. 15.3 Hagag said Surely the bitternesse of death is past Secondly some looke upon it as the wages of sinne Rom. 6.32 then it is a more bitter death and thirdly some looke upon it as a passage to life and then it is to be wished but not for it selfe but for another end as when a sicke man desireth a bitter potion for his healths sake for no evill of punishment is to be desired for it selfe There are two periods set downe here our birth and our death and not our life It is the manner of the spirit of God in the Scriptures to set downe the two extremes and to leave out the midst as Psal 21.8 the Lord shall keepe thy going in and going out that is all thy wayes so Exod. 8.11.5 And all the first borne of the land of Egypt shall dye from the first borne of Pharaoh that fitteth upon the throne unto the first borne of the Maidservant that sitteth behind the Mill here the rest of the people are left out for shortnesse and the two extremes are expressed so Num. 6.4 from the kernell to the huske here the wine which is the midst is left out so Iob. 24.20 The wombe shall forget him and the wormes shall feede sweetly upon him here the birth and the grave include the whole life So here are set downe our birth and our death our two graves the grave out of which we come and the grave unto which we goe Iob joyneth these two together Naked came I out of my Mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither Iob. 1.21 he was not to returne backe to his Mothers wombe againe but he was to returne backe to the grave againe the second wombe and Christ joyneth the belly and the grave Matth. 1â— 4 For as Ionas was three dayes and three night in the Whales belly So shall the some of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth hence it is that the inferior parts of the earth
are both called the Mothers wombe and the grave Psal 139.15 My substance was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth that is in my Mothers wombe and as no man hateth the belly that conceived and bred him so no man should hate the grave which is his second mother He marketh the two extremes here the birth and the death and passeth by our life to teach us the shortnesse of our life the Scripture describeth the shortnesse of mans life sundry wayes First he calleth our dayes anni numeri that is which may bee easily numbered Iob. 16.22 when a few yeeres are come yeeres of number than I shall go the way whence I shal not returne so dies numeri signifie a few dayes Num. 19.20 so homines numeri a few men Deut. 4.27 So Ezek. 12.16 and Esay 10.19 The rest of the trees of his forrest shall be number that a child may write them that is they shall be few and here Iob saith When yeeres of number are come that is a few yeeres that may be easily numbered to note the shortnesse of his dayes Secondly our life is called saeculum Psal 17.14 Thirdly our yeeres are reduced to three score and tenne and if by reason of strength they be fourescore yet is their strength labour and sorrow for it is soone cut off and we flye away if a man out live threescore and ten he payeth interest for those yeeres much sorrow and griefe Then our yeeres are compared to the dayes of an hireling Iob. 7.1 which was a short time the yeres of an hirling were but three yeeres and the Lord to shew the suddaine destruction that should come upon Moah he saith Esay 16.14 Within three yeeres as the yeeres of an hirling and the glory of Moab shall be contemned that is it shall shortly be contemned so Iob saith his dayes are like the dayes of an hireling that is they are very short They are compared to monthes Iob. 14.5 the number of his monthes are with thee Then they are compared to dayes and to an artificiall day from the sunnerising to the setting of the Sunne they are like grasse which groweth up in the evening it is cut down and whitereth Ps 90.6 and to a watch in the night which was but three or foure houres vers 4. then they are compared to an houre then to a moment and last to nothing Psal 39.5 So our yeeres for the shortnesse of them are compared to a post Iob. 25. Now my dayes are swifter than a post they flyaway see no good they are passed away as the swift ships as the Eagle that hasteneth to her pray Marke the gradation here First Iob compareth his dayes to a post a post goeth on in his journey very swiftly when one horse wearieth he will take another and so goeth on but yet he must rest sometimes Therefore hee goeth further and compareth them to the swiftest ships that are called ships of desire the ship will not weary day nor night yet there may come a contrary winde and make her stay therefore he goeth higher and he compareth his dayes to the Eagle which of all fowles is the swiftest to catch pray and nothing can stay her untill she have obtained it So mans dayes wearies not nothing can stay them in their course but they flye away and hasten to their end So mans life is compared to the weavers shitle Iob. 7.6 this comparison would be marked for the shuttle carieth the threed within it and the weaver tosseth the shuttle too and fro untill the threed be spent and then he cuteth it off So time is the weaver that tosseth the shuttle and our dayes are as the threed within the shuttle which peece and peece are spent and then death cutteth them off So they are compared to a smoke and to a dreame or to a vapour Psal 49. or to the breath of ones mouth and to this the Apostle hath reference when he saith what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Iam. 4.4 Now that our death may be comfortable unto us first we must remember that we are mortall Gen. 2.17 In that day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Symachus translateth it Mortalis eris the consideration of mortalitie in Abraham made him to say that he was but dust and ashes Gen. 78.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye but after this the judgement Heb. 9.17 If men dyed not they could not obtaine life eternall for flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption therefore we must either die or be changed And this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality and then we need not to be afraid of death for it shall be swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.50 as the Wise man saith Ecclus 14.12 Remember that death is not long in comming and that the covenant of the Grave is not shewed unto thee The Lord sheweth unto us that we are all mortall and that we must dye but he sheweth not in particular the time when we shall dye and therefore we should be ready at all times Secondly remember the advertisements of death when thou art faint and weary those are Gentlemen Vshers to death when yee feele those messengers remember that the sound of their Masters feet is behind them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cincinni sic dicti quod facile mutantur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutabit 2 King 6.32 We are called in the Scriptures bene hhaloph Prov 31.8 Children of change and the lockes of our haire are called mahhaliphoth mutationes Iudg 16.13 because they are soone changed when our haire beginneth to change once that is an advertisement to death as the wise man saith but many men take no notice of those advertisements when a Sergeant commeth to arrest a man the man absenteth himselfe and will not seeme to be at home yet notwithstanding the arrestment is valide and holdeth good in the Law so those advertisements of death although thou neglect them and seemest not to be at home yet the arrestment shall hold good and thou shalt be enforced to answer at the day appointed Thirdly looke upō the death of others for that he looketh seriously upon the death of others he cannot chuse but that he must remember his mortality 2 Sam. 20.12 When Amasa was wallowing in his blood all the people stood still and lookt upon him when people behold the death of others then it should put them in minde of their owne death Fourthly acquaint thy selfe often with death that it seeme not a stranger to thee when it commeth Hierome set the skull of a dead man before him daily and the Anchorites of old scraped with their nailes some part of their owne grave every day Put not the evill day farre from thee Esay 22.12 When the Lord called the Iewes to mourning yet they put the evill
Fiftly he is called the Tempter Mat. 2.3 but Iesus Christ is called the Comforter and the consolation of Israel Luc. 21.25 primogenitus mortis Iob. 18.13 The first borne of death as many of the Fathers expound it but Christ is principium primogenitus ex mortuis the beginning and the first borne from the dead Coloss 1.18 Revel 1.5 by whom we shall live and rise againe Seventhly the Diuell is that roaring Lyon that seeketh to devour us 1. Pet. 5.8 but Christ is that Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda the roote of David who hath prevailed mightily Revel 5.5 Lastly the Divell is that Old Serpent who stingeth us to death but Christ is that Serpent lift up in the Wildernesse that whosoever looketh upon him and beleeves in him should not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3.15 The Prophet Zachariah saw in a vision foure hornes rising up to molest and trouble the Church but he saw foure Carpenters come to beat downe these hornes Zach. 1.18 This is the comfort of the Church that there is no tentation that ariseth from Satan to trouble her but the Lord hath a hammer to beat it downe si venenum in Diabolo antidotum in Christo and if there bee poyson in the Divell there is a remedy for it in Christ The Lord rebuke thee O Satan The Apostle Iude verse 8. A great sinne to curse the Magistrate gathereth out of this place and out of the fight betwixt Michael the Archangell and the Divell about the body of Moses that men should not revile those who are in authority Michael is God blessed for eâ—â— Satan is a condemned spirit yet Michael will not raile against him The Devill is a condemned spirit and we are bound to pray against him but we are bound to pray for Magistrates of whose salvation we hope well therefore we are not to curse them the Lord commanded his people to pray for Nebuchadnezzer and for Babylon Iere. 20 7. and the Apostle willeth them to pray for all that are in Authority 1 Tim. 2.2 yea although they be infidels Davids heart smot him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment 1 Sam. 24.5 and should not their hearts smite them who raile against Princes much more for killing of them the Lord will make the fowles of the heaven to discover this wickednesse although it be secretly spoken in their chambers Eccles 10.20 The Lord rebuke thee O Satan Quest What if a man should be tempted by Satan appearing in a visible forme what should he doe whether should he use arguments out of the Scripture to repell him or not Answ He should doe nothing but turne his face to God and weepe upon him and desire that the Lord would rebuke Satan Christ the Mediator could hold argumâ—nt with him because he was God blessed for ever but never one else could hold stitch with him Eva by reasoning and keeping purpose with him got the foile Ob. But ye will say that in spirituall temptations we may reply to him out of the Word why then may we not reply to him out of the Word if he should visibly appeare to us Answ The case is not alike for when the devill tempteth us by inward tentations and suggestions they are but the messengers of Satan and they are not so subtile tentations for they are mixed with our thoughts and therefore may be the â—ore easily answered but when he comes in proper persoâ— then his wickednesse is more spirituall Galath 6.12 therefore wee should turne to God and desire the Lord to rebuke him What are we to thinke of those Exorcists who take upon them to cast out the devill Quest That gift was an extraordinary gift bestowed onely upon the Church in her infancy Answ and it served not simply for edifying of the body of the Church Gifts simply necessary for the Church the gifts which served simply for the Church were Ephes 4.10.11 Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Teachers The Apostle 1 Cor. 12. Gifts necessary for the Church in her infancy reckoneth up other gifts which were not simply necessary for the Church but onely for her infancy as the gift of healing the gift of tongues and this gift of casting out devills if the Highpriest after the captivity should have put in two counterfeit stones in the breastplate and called them Vrim and Thummim would not this have beene a falsehood in him when the gift ceased to use the signe so now when there is no such gift in the Church to use the name this is but a deceit Gifts necessary for the building of the Church were of two sorts Gifts necessary for the Church of two sorts First extraordinary as Apostles and Evangelists Secondly ordinary as Pastors and teachers other gifts were onely for the infancy of the Church the matter may bee cleared by this example A Prince when he is a child he hath need of a regent Simile of counsellers and boyes to play with him but when the Prince commeth to maturity of age the Regent ceaseth and his Play fellowes but not his Counsellors so the Church in her minority had Apostles and Evangelists as her regents and shee had these gifts of ngues healing and casting out of Divels as her play-fellowes these cease now but Pastors and Teachers as her counsellers remaine still with her when Satan is cast out now by Exorcists this is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by force to cast him out but onely by collusion he goeth out but he returneth againe Even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke thee as if he should say I have decreed that Ierusalem shall be built although thou hast set thy selfe against this yet thou canst not hinder it Ierusalem taken for the City and for the people in the City Ierusalem is taken here first for the City Ierusalem and then for the people gathered to that City out of the captivity No counsell can stand against the counsell of the Lord see what Gamaleel said Act. 5.38 if this Counsell be of God we cannot hinder it yee may see what strange impediments were cast in to hinder the building of the Temple although it was Gods purpose to have it built againe there was an hundreth and thirteene yeeres before it was finished after the foundation was laid First it was hindered by craft We will build with you Ezr. 3. then by bribes They hired counsellers to weaken the hands of the people and troubled them in building Ezr. 4.5 Thirdly by false accusationes by letters Ezr. 4.6 Fourthly by force Ezr. 4.23 Fiftly by the Kings edict Ezr. 4.21 Lastly when they could doe no more they hindred them by taunts and mocking if a foxe goe up with his taile he will destroy this worke Nehem. 4.3 yet because the Lord had determined to build it it must be builded the Counsell of the Lord stands sure for ever therefore in Zachary it is compared to Mountaines of Brasse and the gates of hell shall not
striving against the spirit as Iacob and Esau in their mothers belly and sometime he feeleth the messenger of Satan buffetting him and hanging so fast on and fettering him by the way that in his owne sense and feeling he thinkes this worke will never be finished but yet he may take heart to him in this as God brought home Ioshua out of the captivity cloathed him with change of apparell and lastly put the crowne upon his head so shall the Lord finish that good worke which he hath begun in us Philip. 1.6 The difference betwixt the Kings Crowne and the Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corona regis They put a Crowne upon his head The Kings Crowne differed from the Priests crowne First in name the Kings Crowne was called Gnaterah the Priests was called Mitznephath Secondly in the matter the Kings Crowne was of pure gold the Priests was fascia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cidaris vel corona sacerdotis Exod. 28.4 of silke mixed with gold and it was called tiara Thirdly they differed in the forme and lastly in the use the Kings Crowne was typicall and civill also for government in things civill the Priests was onely typicall Secondly the things that were joyned with the Priests Crowne were more vive types of Christ then the Kings Crowne was for his Bells typed Christs propheticall office his white garments his Priestly office and the Crowne his Kingly office he was a more vive representation of Christ than the King was And they put a Crowne upon his head There are three sorts of crownes first the crowne of profession Three sorts of crownes common to all Christians Revelat. 3.11 Hold fast that thou hast let no man take thy Crowne Secondly a ministeriall crowne which belongeth to faithfull Pastors Phil. 4.1 Therefore my brethren my joy and crowne So 1 Thess 2.19 And thirdly the Crowne of glory 1 Pet. 5.4 The crowne of the Pastor is his people converted by him Prov 17.6 Childrens children are the crowne of old men Gnatereth corona commeth from Gnatur cingere 1 Sam. 24.23 When Saul and his men invironed David then they are said Gnatar cingere when the Grandfather hath his childrens children compassing him about what a crowne is that for him so a Ministers crowne shall be this Simile when his people converted by him stands about him like a crowne The Priest under the Law in the time of his dayes laid aside his crowne Ezek. 24.17 and in time of joy and gladnesse put it on againe Many now a griefe may lay aside their crowne and trample it upon the ground for griefe that they have been so negligent in their Calling What joy can a man have when hee remembreth his great negligence in his ministery and sloth in the Lords businesse he should not be so negligent if he would alwayes remember that last crowne of glory which the chiefe Shepheard shall give 1 Pet. 5.4 A crowne that fadeth not away The crownes below here wherewith men were crowned were made of grasse of Lawrell trees of linnen of wooll and the best of them but of gold which all are fading crownes but this crowne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immarcessibilis nunquam marcescens item flos quidam sic dictus quod non marcescat sed decerptus asservetur cum cuncti flores defecere madefactus aqua reviviscat Plinius lib. 2. cap. 11. an incorruptible and durable crowne that cannot fade nor vanish away So they set a Mitre upon his head or a crowne upon his head After that Ioshua by the assistance of the Angel had resisted Satan given him the foyle and had gotten the victory the Lord in signe of this victory and to confirme Ioshua in the Priesthood after hee returned from the captivity setteth a crowne upon his head This is a great comfort to all Christians but chiefly to faithfull Ministers that although they suffer persecution be carried as it were into captivity accused by Satan and the wicked in the world yet if they constantly stand out and resist Satan and stop the mouthes of those wicked instruments of his by their good life and holy conversation they may be assured the Lord will give them a crowne even the Crowne of life Revel 2.10 Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold the Divell shall cast some of you into prison that yee may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee a Crowne of life Of the eating of holy things Levit. 22.10 There shall no stranger eate of the holy thing a soâ—ourner of the Priest or an hired servant shall not eate of the holy thing But if the Priest buy any soule with his money he shall eat of it c. THe LORD made a twofold distinction of meates under the Law First of cleane and uncleane meates and that is taken away now for to the cleane all things are cleane Titus 1.15 The Hebrewes call that which is uncleane Piggul a polluted thing that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abhominatio res abhominanda proprie dicitur de carne faetoris coloris tetri a thing that is eaten after the time and Aquila translateth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a thing to be rejected or refused And the Apostle useth the same word when he is speaking of meates that nothing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be refused if it be received with thankesgiving 1 Tim. 4.4 The second distinction of meates was this some were cleane by the Law but yet if they were eaten by persons who had no right to eat them then they were uncleane to them Thirdly if they eate them not in the appointed place and fourthly if they eat them not in due time First somethings the Priests might eate and their sonnes but not their daughters Num. 18.9 Here we must marke a difference betwixt the legall promises and the spirituall promises the legall promise is the Priests and his sonnes shall eate of it but not their daughters but the spirituall promises are made to them and to their children and to all that are a farre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Acts chapter 2. verse 39. The difference betwixt the legall promises and Evangelicall promises Secondly the legall promise was made to the Priests and their sonnes but not to their daughters but in the spirituall promises there is no difference betwixt male and female Galat. 3.18 There were other things that their daughters might eate of as well as their sonnes and the servant that was bought with money or borne in the house and the Priests daughter who was a Widdow or divorced and returned to her father againe having no children all these might eate of the lesse holy things Lev. 22.11 12 A difference betwixt the morall and ceremoniall Law Observe first a difference betwixt the morall Law and the ceremoniall the morall
day farre from them and they said Let us eate let us drinke for tomorrow wee shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 Many men live now as though they should never dye they make a covenant with death as the Prophet saith Esay 28.16 We have made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement But they are deceived death is unmercifull it will mak a league with no man this league is made only in the imagination of their owne hearts Fiftly consider the comforts which we have against the grave it is very terrible in it selfe it is called a pit Esa 38.18 darknesse and the Land of oblivion Psal 88.13 The shadow of death Iob 10.21 corruption and destruction and for the power of it it is said to have gates and doores Iob 38.13 and a soule Esay 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilatat sepulchrum animam suam Hirhhibbah sheol naphshah the grave hath enlarged her soule so to have hands Psal 49.16 and 89.49 so to have a mouth Ps 141.7 so a sting 1 Cor. 15.55 all those Epithites are to shew how terrible and fearefull it is to a wicked impenitent sinner who lyeth down in it with his sins upon him but to the godly it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sleeping place it is a place that all men yea even the best must come into Iacob made account to go thither Gen. 37.35 and Iob desired to be there O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave Iob 14.13 Because he knew that it was his house Iob. 17.13 Yea Christ himselfe was there and sanctified it first he bought the grave the price of him that was valued after that Iudas had cast it backe againe was given for a potters field for the buriall of strangers this is the first right which gentiles have to the grave because Christ purchased it unto them Againe Christ was buried in Golgotha where his blood ranne downe upon the graves of the dead that were buried there Thirdly he hath lyen downe in it and whereas it was loathsome before now he hath persumed it so that we may safely lye downe in that bed in which his blessed body lay and lastly he hath the key of the grave to open it when hee pleaseth so that it hath no power to keepe us Revela 1.18 I have the keyes of hell and of death this is a singular comfort to us then who are the Children of God so that we may say better is the day of our death than the day of our birth Sixtly wee should remember that our dead bodies are within the covenant and the Lord forgetteth them not When Iacob went downe to Egypt the Lord promised to bring him backe againe Gen. 46.4 but how did the Lord bring him backe againe seeing he dyed in Egypt The Lord was with him when his bones were brought out of Egypt so the Lord preserveth all the bodies of his Saints and he keepeth all their bones Psal 34.20 yea even when they are in the grave because they are within the Covenant therefore it is called domus viventium the house of the living Lastly that our death may be comfortable unto us let us remember that it doth not onely put an end to our miseries in this life but it is the entrance to glory and everlasting happinesse where we shall see the Lord and his Angels and abide with them eternally Moses is renowned unto the worlds end because hee saw the Lords backe parts onely but we shall not onely see his backeparts but we shall see him as he is even face to face 1 Iohn 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 The Queene of Sheba heard many things of Salomon and yet the halfe was not told her but when shee saw him face to face then shee said Happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee 1 King 10.8 So in this life wee heare many things of Christ the true Salomon and his kingdome but yet the halfe are not told us for the eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 But at the day of our death when our soule shall be separated from our bodies then wee shall see these things and shall say with the Queene of Sheba happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee and blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Revel 14.13 If wee consider these things seriously wee shal be inforced to conclude with Salomon here better is the day of death thā the day that one is borne Errata Pag. 32. line 6 for Ezek. r. Esa pag. 43. l. 15. for eate of this r. eate not of this bread but other lesse holy things pag. 68. l. 30. were essentially r. as the cause and the effect pag. 73. l. 8. r. first fruits pag. 82. l. 20. dele done upon pag. 95. l. 1. Pentecost r. Passeover pag. 101. l. 11. dele therefore p. 114. l. 25. r. they blew not at all in the fifty yeere as Masius holdeth but in the forty nine yeere pag. 156. l. 22. for neither r. and his sonnes but not his daughter pag. 168. l. 27. for thee r. his FINIS AN EXPLICATION OF THE IVDICIALL LAWES OF MOSES Plainely discovering divers of their ancient Rites and Customes As in their Governours Government Synedrion Punishments Civill Accompts Contracts Marriages Warres and Burialls Also their Oeconomicks Vizt their dwellings Feasting Clothing and Husbandrie Together with two Treatises the one shewing the different estate of the godly and wicked in this life and in the life to come The other declaring how the wicked may be inlightned by the preaching of the Gospel and yet become worse after they be illuminated All which are cleered out of the Originall Languages and doe serue as a speciall helpe for the true understanding of divers difficult Texts of Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venia danda primum aliquid experienti By IOHN WEEMSE of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE COLENE EARLE OF SEAFORT Lord Mackenzee and Kintaill one of his MAIESTIES most Honorable Privie Councell in the Kingdome of Scotland Honorable and my very good Lord GOD who is the God of order and not of confusion from whom all good things descend hath placed here below sundry sorts of people Prov. 30.25.26.27.28 the Ants are a people not strong yet they prepare their meat in the Summer the Conies are but a feeble folke yet make they their houses in the Rocks the Locusts haue no King yet goe they forth all of them by bands the Spider taketh hold with her hands and is in Kings palaces this sort of people differ very much for some of them are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which provide onely
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Iewes held that the woman was beaten and not the man because the word Tihich is in the feminine gender and they reade it she shall be beaten and not the man he committed not adultery he polluted not another mans wife nor a free-woman but a stranger and a slaue therefore he was not to be beaten but to offer a sacrifice but this word Tihieh may agree as well with Bikkoreth which is in the feminine gender and not to reade it ipsa erit vapulatio she shall be beaten but there shall be a beating that is they shall be both beaten and the man so much the rather because he lay with her who was betrothed to another and the words following seeme to imply so much they shall not be put to death this whipping shall be a sufficient punishment for them the Seventie translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Ionathan in his Paraphrase following the rest of the Hebrewes paraphraseth it thus Scrutatio erit in judicio ejus ut vapulet ipsa rea non ipse Object But the man is bound to bring a Ram for his trespasse offering if he had beene whipt why is he commanded to bring an offering Answ Because his sinne was greater than the womans therefore he was both whipt and brought his offering The punishment of the man the woman was alike for every uncleannesse in cunctis nuditatibus pares sunt vir faemina if a free man had lien with a free-woman in Israel then he was bound to marry her or else to pay her dowrie secondly if a free man lay with a bond-maide that was betrothed and not redeemed then they were both whipt but neither of them put to death he died not although the woman was betrothed because she was not a free-woman thirdly if a free man had lien with a freewoman betrothed then they were both to die fourthly if a free man had lien with a married woman then they were both to die Deut. 25. Fiftly if a married man had lien with an unmarried woman they were both to die lastly if both the persons had beene married they were both to die here in cunctis nuditatibus sunt pares vir faemina Conclusion 1 Those who are equall in sinne shall be equall in punishment Conclusion 2 The punishment did not expiate the sinne but the sacrifice Conclusion 3 The whore and the harlot are one flesh therefore but one sacrifice for both CHAPTER XXXVII De Lege Talionis Of the Law of Retaliation EXOD. 21.24 Eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote THe Lawyers when they interpret this Law they say that there is talio analogica talio jdentitatis Talio Analogica Identitatis and they say that talio identitatis should be observed if the cause be alike and the persons and the manner of doing Example a private man beateth out his neighbours eye in spite and malice therefore his eye should be pulled out againe but talio similitudinis is then to be observed when the fact varieth in many circumstances as who did it to whom he did it c. then talio analogica should be observed but not identitatis example if a sonne should beat his father he should not be beaten againe but he should die the death here they obserue not medium rei but medium personae Medium Rei Personae Example the second in that Parable of Nathan to David when the rich man came and tooke the poore mans sheepe 1 Sam. 12.3 Here medium rei was not to be observed but medium personae because he was a rich man So in commutatiue Iustice we obserue medium rei but in distributiue Iustice we obserue medium personae Againe they distinguish betwixt Radamantheum jus The strict sense of the Law of Retaliation the strict sense of the Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reciproca paena The strict sense of the Law is when literally they will haue eye for eye and tooth for tooth the milder sense of the Law is when they will haue some other satisfaction for the wrong done the Iewes generally follow this sense of the Law if a man did beat out his neighbours eye or his tooth they followed not this Rhadamantheum ius The milder sense of the Law of Retaliation or the strict sense of the Law that he should pay one of his owne eyes or one of his owne teeth for it but that he should satisfie the man whom he had wronged by paying so much money to him for in these cases that were not deadly they held that they might make recompence and satisfaction by money and they giue this instance out of the Law if an Oxe were wont to push with his horne and it hath beene testified to his owner and he hath not kept him in but that he hath killed a man or a woman then the Oxe shall be stoned to death and his owner shall be put to death or if there be a summe of money laid upon him then he shall giue for the ransome of his life whatsoever is laid upon him Exod. 21.30.31 Here he might redeeme his life with a ransome because he was not the direct killer if he satisfied the parties by giving a sum of money So they held that they might satisfie for such transgressions which were not capitall by paying of money And the law of the twelue Tables amongst the Romans saith The Roman Law of Retaliation Si unum perfoderit unius jactura multari si utrumque unius tantùm ut sceleris sui notam gestare possit quoniam funesta impia manus amputari ei debet pro manu ablata bessis patrimonij sui irrogatur idque in solatium vitae ejus cui oculi sunt effossi auferto If he had put out both the mans eyes they would take but one of his eyes and cut the hand from him for the other eye and then they mitigated that part of the punishment and they made him pay the fourth part of his substance to relieue the man whose eyes he had put out The Heathen say that Ceres the goddesse of Corne Simile cut off the shoulder of Pelops Ceres could not set in a shoulder of flesh and bone againe therefore the gods tooke the next best course and they ordained her to put in a shoulder of Ivorie to Pelops so he that had beaten out an eye or a tooth of a man he could not put it in againe therefore they thought it good that he should put in a shoulder of Ivorie that is with his goods to maintaine him whom he had hurt CHAPTER XXXVIII That theft amongst the Iewes was not capitall EXOD 22.1 If a man shall steale an Oxe or a Sheepe and kill it or sell it he shall restore fiue Oxen for an Oxe and foure Sheepe for a Sheepe THeft by the Law of Moses was punished by restitution paying sometimes
their sheepe followed them and Christ sheweth this Ioh. 10.3 The shepheard calleth his sheepe by name and leadeth them out The shepheard hath his call whereby he calleth his sheepe and they know his voice Ioh. 10.3 Hee hath his shepheards crooke and his rodde the one to catch them the other to driue them and David alludeth to these Psal 23.4 Thou art with me thy rodde and thy staffe they comfort me The shepheard hath his whissle and his pipe wherewith he delighteth himselfe when he feedeth his sheepe Iudg. 5.16 Why abod'st thou among the sheepfolds to heare sharikoth gadarim it should not be translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fistula the bleating of the flockes but why abodest thou amongst the sheepfolds delighting to heare the whissle Of the miseries of the Children of GOD in this life and their happie estate in the life to come LVK. 6.19 Then there was a certaine rich man which was cloathed in purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day and there was a certaine begger named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores c. IN this Parable are brought in to us the condition of a rich Glutton and a poore begger they are described by their life and by their death in their life the rich man is described by his great wealth by his daily fare and by his apparell the begger by his povertie and by his disease by his povertie that he lay at the rich mans gate and begged but the crummes which fell from his Table and yet could not get them and thirdly by his companions the dogges who licked his sores then they are described by their death he was carried to heaven by the Angels to Abrahams bosome and the rich man to hell by the Devils and the Parable setteth down to us the petition of him who was in hell and the occasion of it because he saw Lazarus a far off in Abrahams bosome his petition was that Abraham would send Lazarus with one drop of water to coole his tongue that is refused to him and the reason set downe then he putteth up a second petition that Abraham would send Lazarus to his brethren to testifie unto them of the paines torment which he endured but this is also denied and the reason is subjoyned How to know a Parable from a History It may be asked first here whether this be an History or a Parable It may seeme to be an Historie and not a Parable for the Fathers make this difference betwixt an Historie and a Parable they say that is an Historie when the proper names of men are set downe as they say Iob is not a Parable but a History because proper names are set downe in it so Lazarus proper name is set downe here then it may seeme not to be a Parable but an History But we are to answere that Lazarus is not a proper name here but an appellatiue common to all miserable wretched and poore creatures for in the Syrian Language which Christ spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vir cui ferri oportet adjumentum Lagnazar est is qui auxilio destitutus est he that wanteth all helpe it is not rightly translated Eleazer as if it were a proper name but an appellatiue Lagnazar that hath no helpe therefore that collection of some who thinke that the rich mans name is omitted here for disgrace is not so materiall it being a Parable and not an History He was a rich man and he is described by his cloathing he was cloathed in purple and fine Linnen He was cloathed in purple this purple was the dye that was gotten from a shel-fish Purple a costly dye and it is not knowne now in those parts of the world Man should not glorie in his apparell Man hath little cause to glory in his apparell he borroweth it from the fish and from the Worme the Iewes when they describe a man they say that man is a worm cloathed with the excrements of the worme the expectation of the wormes and to be consumed with the wormes the first clothing that ever God made to man was of the skins of beasts and that man should not be proud of his apparell see what Christ saith Mat. 6.29 I say unto you that even Salomon in all his glorie was not arayed like one of the Lillies this might seeme strange at the first but if we will consider it rightly we shall finde it to be most true First Salomon in all his glorie How the Lillie exceeded Salomon in his glorie his ornaments were but artificiall but the cloathing of the Lillies are naturall and looke how farre nature exceedeth art for art is but an imitatrix of nature and her perfection is to imitate nature therefore the Lillie exceeded Salomon in all his glorie Secondly Salomon when he was so gloriously decked he was beholden to many creatures he was beholden to Egypt for his linnen to the earth for his gold to the silk-worme for his silke to the shel-fish for his purple and had nothing of his owne so that if every one of those should haue claimed their own he should haue stood up like Aesops Crow stript of all when every one of the foules craved their own feathers which they had lent her but looke to the Lillie which is beholden to no other for its beautie doth not the Lillie then exceed Salomon in all his glorie Thirdly when Salomon was cloathed thus Mans cloaths a note of his shame it was but a remembrance to him of his fall and he had as little cause to glory in these ornaments as a theefe hath to glory in a silken rope in which he is to be hanged or if a man should glorie in the plaister that covereth his wound but the beautie of the Lillie is naturall it covereth not the shame of it therefore the Lillie exceeded Salomon in all his glorie Fourthly Salomon in all his glorie was but one and how much adoe was there to get one Salomon so decked and cloathed But all the Lillies of the field are so clothed therefore the Lillie exceeded Salomon in all his glorie this should teach us to make but little reckoning of our apparell because when we haue done our best and spent all that we haue gotten upon apparell yet the sillie Gilly-floure or a Dasie shall exceed us in all our glorie make but small reckoning then of this cloathing labour to put on the Lord Iesus Christ that clothing of neâ—dle-worke with which the Church is decked Psal 4.5 put on Christs righteousnesse and then thou wilt exceede all the Lillies of the field in glorie And fared sumptuously every day Why this rich man is called a Glutton Because he fared so sumptuously every day therefore he is commonly called the rich Glutton Deut. 20.21 the disobedient sonne is called a drunkard and glutton what man is to be esteemed a glutton the Hebrewes upon this place say that he who eateth tartemar
they minister to man thirdly the comfort that we haue by their ministerie First the ground of their ministery is because we are reconciled to God in Christ when man fell from God the Angels stood with a flaming sword to hold him out of Paradise Gen. 3.24 When Christ reconciled us to God he reconciled us also to the Angels Why the Angels minister to us Iacob saw in a vision a Ladder reaching from the earth to the heaven and the Angels ascending up and downe upon it Gen. 28.12 Christ is this Ladder upon which the Angels come downe to minister unto us Ioh. 1.51 Verily verily I say unto you hereafter yee shall see heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the sonne of man Quest Whether doe the Angels minister to wicked men or not Answ For outward things they may helpe them Whether the Angels doe minister to the wicked even as the Lord makes his Sunne to rise on the evill and on the good Mat. 5.45 We haue examples of this in the Scriptures when the Israelites were in the Wildernesse the Angels brought downe Manna to them therefore David saith He fed them with the bread of Angels Psal 74.25 It is called the bread of Angels because it was brought downe by their ministery there were many wicked men amongst the Israelites who did eat Manna yet the Angels by their ministery brought it downe to them another example wee haue the Angels came downe at certaine times and stirred the Poole Ioh. 5.4 and whosoever stepped in first after that the Poole was stirred was healed whether he were bad or good the Angels then may minister to wicked men in outward things but they doe not defend them from spirituall temptations as they doe the children of God in resisting Satan Secondly when they minister to man they minister to him in his life time in his death in the graue and at the resurrection First they minister to him in his life and they keepe him that he dash not his foote against a stone Secondly in his death they waite about his bed to repell Satan and when the soule is out of the bodie they carry it into Abrahams bosome and they attend the bodies of Gods children in the graue because they are the Temples of the holy Ghost and so at the resurrection they shall gather them from the foure corners of the earth and shall attend them to glorie Thirdly we haue great comfort by their ministery first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vigilantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robustissimi they are Gnirim vigilantes the watchfull ones Dan. 4.13 Secondly they are Habhirim strong ones Psal 78.25 When Salomon went to bed he had threescore valiant men about it of the valiant of Israel to defend him Cant 3.7 But what comfort is it to the children of God then to haue so many watchfull and strong Angels attending them He was carried by the Angels What strange change was this that he who was now lying amongst the dogs is carried by Angels lying amongst dogs the most base and uncleane creatures therefore they are called Impuri canes obscaeni canes that he should now be carried by Angels the most excellent creatures that GOD made and not carried by one Angell but by many Angels as if they were striving every one to carry him when a great man dieth all men striue to be about the Coffin Simile one to carrie a legge and another to carry an arme so doe the Angels striue here to carrie Lazarus soule never man in this world rode in such triumph as Lazarus soule did The pompe of the Romans in their Chariots the Romans after their Victories in their triumphs they had their Chariots drawn sometimes with Elephants sometimes with nimble footed lennets sometimes with pyde horses and we reade of Amasis King of Egypt who had his Chariot drawn with foure Kings whom he had conquered but what is this to Lazarus Chariot who is carried here by the Angels of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he rode here Bemirkebbath hashecinah in curru majestatis What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour Esther 6.9 he shall not ride upon the Kings best horse but in the Kings best Chariot Into Abrahams bosome This is a speech borrowed from the custome of the Iewes for they that lay in ones bosome were most deare and familiar with him as Iohn leaned in Christs bosome therefore it is said that Christ came out of the bosome of the Father Ioh. 1.18 The fathers were partakers of the same salvation that we are partakers of The fathers partakers of the same salvation that we are of therefore Lazarus is in Abrahams bosome they shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God Mat. 8.11 Our Sacraments haue the same name with the Iewes Sacraments And they eat the same spirituall manna with us 1 Cor. 10.3 And our Sacraments haue the names of their Sacramēts we are circumcised with circumcision not made with hands Colos 2.11 And Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 Those then who thinke that the fathers were but fatted up like hogges with the temporary promises of this life are foully deceived Paradise is called Abrahams bosome because the faithfull as Abrahams children are received into that same fellowship with him what is then become of this Limbus Patrum The rich man also died and was buried Many were the solemnities which were in this funerall but nothing of the Angels that carried his soule to heaven he carried nothing of all that he had with him but onely the prickles of an evill conscience now he leaveth all his pomp behinde him R. Salomon observeth that David sometimes is called David the King and David King of Israel but when the Scripture speaketh of his death he is called but David the dayes of David drew nere that he should die 1 King 2.1 so vers 10. David slept with his fathers and was buried All externall glory and worldly pompe leaveth a man in his death How to make use of Parables Arguments drawn from the lesse to the more To make use of Parables we are to consider how the spirit of God in a Parable draweth an argument from the lesse to the more as if the unjust Iudge because of the importunitie of the widow granted her request how much more will God grant the earnest petitions of his children so the man instantly seeking bread from his neighbour the end of these Parables is to teach us perseverance onely and no other thing to be gathered out of them Secondly the unjust Steward is commended for providing for himselfe here we are to follow him in the Parable for his foresight and not for his deceit so we commend the Serpent for his craft but not for his poison Nothing to be gathered besides the scope of the Parable Thirdly nothing is to be gathered in a Parable besides the scope
translated from the family of Phinehas to Ithamars posterity Ob. for Eli was of the posterity of Ithamar and not of Phinehas and from Eli it came to his sonne Phimehas and then to Achitub and then to Achiaz the brother of Ahimelech and then it was restored to Zadoc see 1 Chron. 24.3 for foure generations the posteritie of Phinehas wanted the Priesthood Elies posterity had it de facto et non de jure Ans therefore it is to be marked what bad successe most of them had in the Priesthood Eli brake his necke his sonne Phinehas was killed in the battell Abiathar was put from the Priesthood and his soone Ahimelech was slaine by Doeg and all this time when they wanted the Priesthood the posterity of Elcazer farre surpassed the posterity of Ithamar 1 Chron. 24.4 Againe it was promised to Phinehas posterity conditionally if they should walke in their fathers wayes This promise of the Priesthood was not made so absolutely to Phinehas but that Phinehas posterity for their sinnes might be deprived of it for a time even as the promise made to David that the Kingdome should continue with his posterity for ever did not exclude the captivity of Babylon and the overthrow of the kingdome for a time yet by vertue of this promise made to Phinehas his posterity could not want it for ever And thirdly it is so promised to his posterity that it should not be taken for ever from him as it was from the posterity of Eli. This rod brought forth Almonds without a roote the fathers reason out of this place against the Iewes who will not beleeve that the Virgin could beare a sonne why will ye beleeve this say they that Aarons rod brought forth Almonds without a roote and cannot beleeve that a Virgin can beare a sonne ye beleeve that Eva was created out of the side of Adam and that Adam was created out of the dust why may yee not beleeve this likewise that God can create a child in the Wombe of the Virgin Yee beleeve that Sara an old withered stocke conceived by the power of God and why ye will not beleeve this that God by his power created the Child in the Wombe of the Virgin The tree blossomed although it was withered Hence we may gather that the withered tree the Church of the Iewes shall flourish againe a man looking with a naturall eye upon that heape of dry bones Ezek. 37. would never thinke that they should rise againe but the Lord by the mighty wind of his Spirit gathered these bones together and made them to live so the Lord by his mighty power shall make the withered tree of the Iewes to flourish againe Obj. But ye will say that Christ cursed the figtree which represented the Church of the Iewes and said Never fruit grow upon thee henceforth Mat. 21.19 Then it may seeme that this tree shall never flourish againe Answ That figtree that was accursed by Christ never to beare fruit againe represented the Iewes who lived then and those who shall live till the conversion of the Iewes but when the wrath of God is come upon them to the full as the Apostle speakes then the Lord shall call them and their rod shall flourish againe Quest Whether kept this rod still the buds blossomes and Almonds when it was laid up before the Lord or not No question it did Answ for the Lord commandeth to lay it up as a testimony against the rebels now when it kept the buds blossomes and Almonds it testified the more vively against them and as the Manna lasted so many hundreth yeares in the golden pot so did this rod keepe the blossomes and Almonds When Aarons rod budded it was a token to him that he was called of the Lord he that runneth and is not sent by the Lord shall never doe good in that holy Calling these Agrippa who were borne with their feet formost it was a bad token of their evill government to follow as it fell out in Herod Agrippa who was a very bad Governour so when a Preacher is not sent by God to his people and the Lord doth not make his rod to bud he shall never be a profitable Minister in his Calling Of the priviledges of the first borne under the Law and what he was bound to doe to his brethren and kinsmen Matth. 22.24 If a man die having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto him AFter that the Pharisees had tempted Christ the same day the Sadduces came to tempt him who denyed the Resurrection and they reason with Christ ab absurdo if there were a Resurrection then this absurdity would follow that seven men should have one wife at the Resurrection but this is absurd therefore c. and thus they goe about to ground upon Moses Law For Moses commanded in the Law that if a man dye without seed then his brother should raise up his seed unto him Deut. 35.5 Now there fell out a case among us that a man married a wife and dyed without children his brother married his wife and he dyed without children also and seven brethren had her to wife Whose wife then shall she be in the Resurrection Our Lord answereth that they erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for in the Resurrection men neither marry nor give in marriage but are like the Angels of God The Sadduces who denyed the Resurrection put this question to Christ He that denyeth the immortality of the soule cannot hold one sound point in Religion the Sadduces denyed the immortality of the soule they held the soule to be like Quickesilver which made the body to stirre or like Salt that kept the body from corruption as Epicurus held and the best that they made of it they said it was an exact temperature of the humours of the body and then for the Angels they said they were but good thoughts but not subsisting spirits Now if the soule be not an immortall substance the body cannot be joyned to it againe for the weale of the body dependeth upon the soules immortality they held the soule to be mortall and therefore of necessity they behoved to deny the resurrection Tertullian called the Marcionites and Valentinians qui credebant reditum animae non corporis partiarios Saducaeos We who professe our selves to be Christians say the Creed and repeate this Article often I beleeve the resurruction of the body but yet if we will looke to the lives of most part of men we shall heare than say no other thing but that which the Sadduces and Epicures said 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eate let us drinke for to morrow we shall dye that is be quite extinguished in soule and body as if there were no more of us after our death thā beasts when they are knockt on the head when the Pharises reasoned with the Sadduces they said unto thē Why study ye to keep the Law seeing ye beleeve not the immortality
of the soule they answered That it might be well with them in this life we professe the immortality of the soule why study we not then to keepe the Law that it may goe well with us in the time to come Augustine said if he were perswaded that the soule were mortall then of all religions he would chuse to be the Epicure or Sadduce but seeing the soule is an immortall substance Let us detest these bruit beasts who imagine that death is the end both of soule and body the soule liveth for ever then the body must live for ever either in weale or woe Let us study therefore to feed the soule with that immortall food of the Word of God and not say with the rich man in the Gospell Luc. 12.19 Soule thou hast enough if we would have that happy conjunction betwixt the soule and the body againe Moses said if a man dye having no children Quest The question may be asked here how Moses could command such a thing for incest is condemned in the morall law and forbidden in the seventh Commandement Ans We must distinguish betwixt these lawes which are morall positive lawes and those which are divine positive lawes Morale positivum divinuâ— positivum Morall positive lawes are such as the very light of nature commandeth Divine positive are those which are accessory commandements added to the first Example this is a morall positive law that a man should not lye with his mother nor with his mother in law for this is a fornication that is not named amongst the Gentiles 1 Cor. 5.1 And it was for this sort of incest that the Canaanites were cast out of Canaan So this is primarium jus naturae or morale positivum that a man should not lye with his daughter nor his daughters daughter descendendo descending downeward but this againe is divinum positivum or secundarium jus naturae in the collaterall line that a man should not lye with his sister or his brothers wife No marriage in the collaterall line was forbidden at the first by the law of nature or morall positive law but it was forbidden afterwards by the divine positive law Levit. 18.16 When Lot lay with his daughters this was incest in the highest degree because it was contrary to Ius naturale the morall positive law but when Amram married Iochabed Dodatho his fathers sister Exod. 6 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amita It should not be translated Patrueâ—is cozin-german but his fathers sister see Num. 26.59 This was not against the morall positive or naturall part of the law because it was not in the right line but in the collaterall although in the neerest degree it was against the divine positive law and that the Church might be replenished with people God over-saw this sort of marriage at the first but God doth more here hee commanded the brother to raise up seede to his brother First This Commandement was not against the morall positive Law this is not contra primarium jus naturae because it was not in the right line Secondly it is an exception from secundarium ius naturae for when God commanded to doe this hee willed them not to doe this to satisfie lust for that were against primarium jus naturae the morall positive law but onely that the elder brother might be a tipe of Iesus CHRIST who should never want a seede in the Church If he dye having no children In the originall it is having no seede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should not be translated sonnes here for daughters succeeded likewise to the inheritance when the fathers had no sonnes therefore it should be translated haeving no children The women raised up seed to their parents which comprehends both the males and femals the women raised up seede to their parents as well as the males marrying within their owne tribe therefore that saying in the Talmud was not true qui masculam prolem non habuit etsi filias habuerit plurimas in eo genus est consummatum His brother shall marry his wife and raise up seede to him What brother had this priviledge The eldest brother was bound to raise up seed onely he that was the eldest brother and therefore Deut. 25.5 If brethren dwell together and one of them dye one of them Numerus Cardinaliâ— pro ordinali that is the eldest of them Gen. 1.5 and the evening and the morning were one day that is the first day this is cardinalis numeruâ— pro ordinali if the third brother had raised up seede to the second brother then it had beene incest He that was the first borne in Israel What things the first borne did to the rest he was bound to do three things to his brethren kinsmen first he was bound to revenge his blood their was vindex sanguinis Secondly he was Goel and redeemed the morgaged lands of his neere kinsman and thirdly it was he that delivered him out of prison all these three he was bound to doe to him jure propinquitatis because hee was his neerest kinsman What things due to the eldest brother There were three things againe which were due to him First hee had a double portion of his fathers goods Secondly he had the whole inheritance and thirdly if he dyed without children his brother was to raise up seed unto him Christ our Goel revengeth our blood upon his enemies Now let us apply these to Christ First Christ is our Goel or vindex sanguinis the revenger of our blood upon that red Dragon who thristeth for the blood of man and upon all the enemies who thirst for the blood of his children the revenger of blood or Goel Deut. 19.6 when he pursued the killer his heart waxed hote in the pursuite Iesus Christ our Goel when hee doth see the blood of the Saints shed his heart waxeth hote and he furbisheth the sword to make it drunke with the blood of his enemies Iere. 51.35 The violence done to me to my flesh be upon thee Babylon shall Sion say and my blood be upon the Chaldeans shall Ierusalem say now marke what is said in the chapter preceding Iere. 30.50 How teares are said to offend Thy Goel or redeemer is strong and I will pleade thy cause See how the revenger of the blood makes Babylon and Chaldea answer for all Iob saith Cap. 17. My teares ascend before the Lord Teares naturally descend but as the Sunne drawes up the exhalations and they fall downe againe so the wrongs that are done to the Saints they come up before their Goel and then fall downe againe upon the enemies heads they shall answer for all the blood shed from Abel to Zachary and all this innocent blood which is shed now the Lord will require it at their hand Secondly he redeemed the morgaged land Ruth 4.4 and Ier. 32.7 when Hanameel the sonne of Shallum had morgaged his field that was in Anathoth the right of redemption belonged