Commandment of the Lord is his Will Psal 40.8 Is it not as manifest that the Lord here teacheth us to pray That that Will of the Lord may be done and that on Earth as it is done in Heaven Is not therefore such Opinion directly opposite unto the manifest and express Word of God Can they who believe that the Will of God is impossible so to be done can they pray in Faith Do not they who teach that it is impossible That the Will of God should be so done upon Earth as it is done in Heaven do they not teach expresly contrary to the Word of God Do they not teach the Doctrine not of Faith but of unbelief Can such be accounted Ministers of the Gospel Who Teach directly contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ Are these like Epaphras Col. 4.12 Alwayes labouring fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God Do they ever a whit mend the matter who say That this Will of God must be done in another Life hereafter when we have put off the Body for doth not the Lord teach us how to pray in this Life Thy Will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven Hence the Reason appears why in these Last Times especially the Lords Prayer is omitted yea opposed and born down before the Zelotical opposition of all Forms of Prayer our Lord foretold That iniquity would abound in these Last Times Mat. 24.12 and men would be lovers of themselves proud boasters c. all which are the lusts of their Father the Devil whose lusts they will do and so become his Children John 8. and cannot truly call God Father Repreh Who think themselves at liberty to do their own Will the will of the flesh Job 39.5 who consult with those Psal 2. Let us break their bonds in sunder and cast away their cords from us We read of one that came out of the Tombs Mar. 5.23 24. The Evangelist gives the Reason vers 2. the man was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and vers 9. The unclean spirit saith his Name is Legion because they were many And what else may we say of those licentious persons who break the Law and Will of God and account themselves free to do their own Will There is no doubt but they have an unclean spirit yea there is no doubt but there are many even a Legion of unclean spirits in them This discovers our great perverseness That whereas his Will which he hath revealed unto us is that which he requires of us should be done we commonly make choice of some other thing wherein we think God will be better pleased and we have a poor conceit of what his Will is for we think it is that which every one can do as Jesuites and Turks vide Sp. cap. 8. Exhort Pray unto our Father which is in Heaven that we may do his Will This is the means of entring into the Kingdom of Heaven saith our Lord Mat. 7.21 All the Blessings are promised unto the Obedient Deut. 28. God made all things for them Chald. P. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Curses are threatned to the disobedient Jer. 9. Mal. 4. Means What Raphael the Angel speaks generally that Prayer is good with Fasting and Alms Tob. 12.8 it 's good in this special Prayer such a Prayer of the Humble saith the Son of Syrach reacheth unto the clouds yea pierceth the clouds and cometh to the Most High Ecclus. 35.16 17. How cometh such a Prayer so high it's winged with Alms and Fasting for whereas Prayer is elevatio mentis ad Deum the mind is so much the more lifted up to God by how much it 's freed and unburdened of the loads and burdens which commonly oppress it Now there are two more heavy burdens than the rest the delights of the flesh and desire of earthly things 1. The former makes the Body a burden to the Soul 2. The latter choaks the Soul with the dregs of the Earth And therefore the man freed from these his Soul ascends more expedite unto the most High God Prayer joyn'd with Alms couples the love of God and our Neighbour together Prayer joyn'd with Fasting by how much the Natural Man is more weakned the Spiritual man is more strengthned and therefore Prayer flyes as it were with these wings even to the Most High whence it is that our Lord puts Prayer Alms-giving and Fasting together Mat. 6.1 18. This comes to pass when we have learned to go without our own Will and all our own Will and Desire which serve to the propriety of flesh and blood hath no more command in us but is like Saul fall'n upon his own sword 1 Sam. 31.4 But now David Rules in some of whom Act. 13.22 I have found David a man after mine own heart which shall fulfil all my Will But we know that David did not all the Lord's Will but failed foully in the matter of Vriah This therefore is understood of that David who is to Reign in these Last Dayes even the love of God and our Neighbour Exhort Let us own and call upon our Heavenly Father NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON MATTHEW VI. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give us this day our daily bread THe Lord made Promise unto Gideon that by the Three Hundred men that lapped he would save Israel and deliver the Midianites into his hand Judges 7.7 when presently it follows vers 8. That the People took Victuals in their hands The Kingdom is to be recovered out of the hand of Midian by them who lap water out of their hands by them who both are and appear ore opere both by the tongue and by the hand both by word and by deed do the Lord's Will that his Kingdom may come but we must victual the Camp of those who do it And whence shall we have bread that these may eat Surely he who sets them awork will give them Opsonium their Victuals that pray unto him and say Give us this day our daily bread I lately spake of the Three first Petitions of the Lord's Prayer The present occasion invites me now to speak of the Fourth As there is an outward and an inward man so in Reason there must be a proportionable nourishment for both which our Lord here calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render daily bread both which need some Explication As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth not only bread properly so called but also all kind of nourishment 1 Sam. 14.24 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned food which signifieth bread And Jonathan who vers 26. did eat honey is said to transgress the prohibition of eating bread Thus David saith to Mephibosheth Thou stalt eat bread at my Table 2 Sam. 9. 2 Kings 6. Elisha bids the King set bread and water before the Syrians vers 22. and he prepared great provision for them And where
prevail 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is for a testimony 4. It 's natural to the Disciples to do good 5. It 's the precept of the Lord unto us Obj. But they shun us they avoid us they seperate us from their company Answ If they avoid thee follow them with love and doing good doth not our God do so to us Obser 7. The Lord can restrain his Sun from rising cause it to stand still go back He hath done both He can with-hold his rain give it dispensation hereby where and to whom he is pleased to bestow it He hath done so He hath rained upon one City and not rained upon another But he chooseth rather to do good unto all to bad and good just and unjust Obser 8. The Sons of our Father which is in heaven ought mainly and principally to look after the heavenly inheritance an inheritance undefiled Ye have in you a better and more enduring substance heavenly things in Christ spiritual blessings He gives us possession of heavenly things in Christ the earnest of the spirit as a Clod of earth gives possession of the whole field Eph. 2. As for the earthly things they are our Fathers and he knows what you have need of Hence it is that the earthly things are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 16.11 12. If ye have not been faithfull in that which is another mans Envy not the gifts to the Sons of Keturah while the inheritance is Isaac's and ours if we be as Isaac was Gal. The heaven of heavens are the Lord's the earth he hath given to the children of men Repreh A just reproof of many who say that their Father is in heaven yet all their care and labour is about the earth and earthly things Look into the business of the world Si spes refulgeat lucri If there be any gain to be gotten it 's a thousand to one but one Son of God or other is engaged in it or any place of profit Obj. Wherein doth their Godliness consist Answ Their whole business is about earth and earthly things We must take their word for it that they are Sons of God otherwise they seem to be the children of this world as proud more envious more covetous extreme wrathful and revengeful wherein consists their Souls their God their Lives yet they keep the Sabbath hear and break bread just such Sons of God the Prophet Esay speaks to Esay 1. bring no more vain oblations c. yet they keep the Sabbath cease to do evil Repreh Who entertain hard opinions of God that he hath decreed everlastingly to destroy the greatest part of mankind without any consideration of sin How can this stand with the goodness of God and the Precepts of Christ to his Disciples surely it is rather for the winning of all men unto God Exhort 1. Envy not the Earth to the earthly man it is his portion Abraham gave gifts to the Sons of Keturah Esau went into the Countrey My Son all that I have is thine Exhort 2. Pray for them who despightfully use you and persecute you that ye may be the Children of your Father c. He shall love thee more than thy Mother doth Means 1. Renounce all hateful thoughts 2. make much of and prize highly all thoughts which tend this way of love they come from God for Nature never ascends thus high Water ascends no higher than the Fountain whatsoever is of the flesh is flesh and proceeds no farther man's reason is against it John 3.6 Julius Caesar is said to have honoured Pompey whom he had overcome and set up his Statues which others threw down Psal 139.17 How precious are thy thoughts O God! V. Lat. hath Nimis honorificati sunt amici tui Domine Thy friends O Lord are highly honoured put both together how precious are thy friendly thoughts thy thoughts that tend to neighbourly love Hast thou such thoughts in thee to be reconciled to thy enemy to win him to God and so to thy self These are God's they are none of ours for we cannot think any thing of our selves 2 Cor. 2. Thus we understand Jer. 9.23 24. I am the Lord who exercise loving kindness judgment and righteousness in the earth How doth the Lord this but by putting in our mind good thoughts for without him we can do nothing this is therefore called the kindness of God 2 Sam. 9. David had all along preserved Saul's life from destruction 1 Sam. 24.16 and 26. That ye may be the children of your Father c. That is say some that ye may be like your Father which is in heaven and so indeed some Greek Copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like instead of what we turn Children But that comes short of the genuine intention of our Lord here unless we understand what they call an essential similitude and likeness But indeed our Translation here comes short of what is the true meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as all know who know the Greek Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Sons not Children at large So that our Lord here would have the strong and abler Sex understood As where ever we read the Children of Israel as we often may the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sons of Israel That ye may be the Children of your Father which is in heaven The Lord's aim is the aim of all true Religion to render us like unto himself He hath a large heart and he would that we should be men according to his heart The Childrens duty is Patrizare to imitate their Father Obser 1. A man is not altogether passive in his spiritual filiation or sonship Our Lord exhorts him to love his enemies that he may be a Son of God Obser 2. Spiritual filiation is wrought by such actions as God's actions are Phil. 2.15 Col. 3.12 Similitude to God or unto the Evil One makes children to the one or the other of God or of this world Ezec. 16. John 8. Obser 3. Our Lord raiseth up his Disciples thoughts and desires to the highest pitch of holy ambition even to be like unto the most high God to be above the earth and earthly things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have their conversation in heaven Phil. 3. But 2 Chron. 14.4 they must seek the Lord and do his Commandments Mean time this holy ambition supposeth that they are Disciples that they are such as deny themselves and really and truly take up their cross daily and follow the Lord Jesus Consider this well because I know there are many high-flown Christians who climb up into the fold another way not that they do so but imagine they do so Perveniri ad summum nisi ex principiis non potest There 's no coming to the end but from the beginning Repreh Those imagine themselves to be the children of their Father which is in heaven before they have performed this and other such duties upon earth who
own impotency and weakness but consider his greatness and power what can an arm of flesh What can the Gates of Hell do against him or his Mark how the Lord encourageth his people Esay 41.10 Fear thou not for I am with thee Emanuel c. Verse 10.14 and 51.12 13. I say unto you my Friends fear not them that can kill the body This same I say unto you carries Majesty and terrour with it Esau the earthly man is afraid when God brings his Son out of Egypt Deut. 2.4 All people of the earth shall see and they shall be afraid of thee Deut. 28.10 Ainsw Motive He layeth not hold on the Angels but on the seed of Abraham Hebr. 22.16 The outward worship without the inward may strike a kind of reverence into the enemies of God but it is the inward worship daunts them the outward without it doth nothing The Philistines frighted with the presence of the Ark so were the Gauls frighted at the Roman Senate when they sate in the Senate House in their Robes but the Story saith of the Gauls that whom at first they feared as Gods they afterwards kill'd like Sheep what will all outside worship now profit us Worship him all ye men of God pay to him the homage of your being which ye owe equally with the Angels Did we consider the High Majesty of our God O how the Hills would melt at his presence How the Mountains would be moved How the high proud spirited world would come down How every reasoning would be brought under the obedience of Christ As when Joshua had passed over Jordan the Kings of the Amorites the great praters the Canaanites all covetous desires their heart melted away when the waters of pleasure ebb'd in mare mortuum what hath pride profited us You call me Lord would you take this at the hand of your servant The true worshippers worship him in Spirit that is his Temple and truth i. e. sincerely Men forget God and build Temples no men can say that Jesus is the Lord but from the Holy Spirit 3. When he brings his only begotten into the world then he saith let all the Angels worship him Intus usque ad corda hominum ducit eum in orbem terrae in reparatione humani generis ubique existentis Anselm O let us entertain him he comes and knocks at the door of our hearts Open to me c. He passeth by us and returns he goes up and down and seeking those who are worthy of him Wisdom 6.16 He seeks worshippers John 4. As Elisha passed by 2 Kings 4.8 And the woman constrained him to come in and mark how the woman detained him with her Let us make him a little chamber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cenaculum an upper chamber where the Disciples met Acts 1. where Peter walk'd Acts 10. our mind and spirit a bed to rest in an heart void of earthly cares such was Solomons bed Cant. 3. a Table the continual feast of a good conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Stool or Throne Candelabrum the body subject to the Spirit Job 29.3 Worship serve love honour him c. This worship will remain upon his Favourites so that he will make his abode with us 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or iterum hath a double sence for it is either referred unto the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it signifieth an iterated introduction of Christ into the world Or else 2. It may be referred unto the former sentence q. d. The Lord saith I will be to him a Father c. and again he saith Truly if we consider the structure of the words we shall incline rather to the former for it is not all one to say when again he brings in his Son and again when he brings in c. Our Translators followed the latter the Ancients as Chrysostom Ambrose Theodoret and others understand it in the former according to the structure of the words Iterum supponit semel Then the question will be which of these introductions is here meant 1. Whether when his Father brought him into the world at his incarnation 2. Or at his Resurrection Or 3. At the last Judgment Or 4. Which none of them once mention at the manifestation of his Glory in the thousand years Whether soever of these introductions be here meant a former must be understood for if he bring him into the world again it is supposed that he brought him in before For our better understanding of this we must know that of the manifold introductions of the first begotten into the world there are three more notable than the rest 1. At his Incarnation 2. At the thousand years 3. At the General Judgment And these three hold proportion with the threefold Kingdom of God 1. The Kingdom of Grace 2. The Kingdom of Glory and Lordliness 3. The eternal and everlasting Kingdom of God and Christ 1. At his incarnation the Father brought him into the world in the form of a servant not to be ministred unto but to minister made like unto us in all things sin only excepted yet made in the similitude of sinful flesh Rom. 8. This first bringing into the world hath proportion with the Kingdom of Grace wherein Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.21 And this is performed in this visible world 2. At the thousand years the Father will bring in his Son into the world for the quickening restoring and recovering of all what was lost in Adam free the creature from the curse and vanity bind Satan and all Israel shall be saved freed from their sins turned unto God and the Kingdom of Israel again erected when the spirit shall be poured upon all flesh and Christ with his holy ones shall be King and Priest and shall reign over all people Nations and Tongues And the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord when the Lord shall take off the veil from all nations and make his feast of fat things this is often called the day of the Lord And S. Peter tells us That one day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day This bringing in of Christ the first begotten into the world hath proportion with the Kingdom of Glory specially so called whereof there is special mention made as in the old Prophets so in the Prophecy of these last times Revelations 20.1 7. And this is to be performed in Paradice or the Angels world 3. Thirdly and Lastly God the Father will bring in his first begotten into the world at the last day of general Judgement when all the dead shall arise and be judged according to what they have done in the flesh whether it be good or evil when time shall be no more but swallowed up in everlasting eternity This hath proportion with the everlasting kingdom of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ when all things
Such animosity such pride of Spirit brings the Curse with it Exhort To poverty in Spirit no man needs Exhortation to be happy c. Vide Not. in Psal 94.12 Such poor in Spirit are the Lord 's welcom Guests to his Spiritual Table These eat the blessed bread drink his Cup of blessing these he welcomes Eat O my Friends c. Vide Not. in Luke 12.4 5. 2. The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs who are poor in Spirit wherein we must enquire 1. What is the Kingdom of God 2. How it is said that the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs who are poor in Spirit 1. What is the Kingdom of Heavens 1. Sometimes it 's taken for God's Government of the World 2. The Church of the Kingdom of Heavens in this sence our Lord speaks Matth. 20. The Kingdom of Heavens shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruit thereof And where St. Paul saith Col. 4. These only are my helpers in the Kingdom of God he seems thereby to understand the preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom 3. Sometime the Kingdom of Heaven is taken for all those inestimable good things held forth in the Word and Sacraments and this Kingdom is said to be in us to come to be in power c. And thus the Kingdom of Heavens is here understood And why the Kingdom of Heavens is theirs who are poor in Spirit The Reason of this will better appear in the following point 2. Hence it appears how the Kingdom of Heavens may be said to be theirs who are poor in Spirit for the Great King promiseth to dwell with them Esay 57.15 There he keeps his Court and manifests the Glory of his Kingdom and they reign with him Obs 1. The poor in Spirit are Kings so St. Peter calls them and Priests also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. The Prince of the Kings of the Earth he made them such Revel 1. Obs 2. Behold here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most unexpected Paradox The poor humble God fearing Souls invested with the Kingdom of God The wise man brings in the wicked wondering at it Wisd 5.1 5.15 16. Poverty and a Kingdom are most opposite Eccles 4.14 Obs 3. If the Kingdom of Heaven be theirs only who are poor in Spirit how few then are there among us who shall inherit the Kingdom of Heavens How few are there that shall be saved How few are there of us who in this regard can be called blessed men or women Why How few are there who are pure in Spirit Who pursues not the Profits the Honours the Pleasures of this present evil World Who makes not these or some of these his ultimate end Who doth not appropriate unto himself all he hath which yet he hath received only as a Steward and whereof he must give an account It was a churlish speech of Nabal Shall I take my bread c. It was a proud vain-glorious Speech of Nabuchadnezzar Is not this great Babylon c. We can all well see this in them yet who does not appropriate unto himself his own wealth and his own honour How many walk in the way of Cain proprietaries of all they have so Cain signifieth and if there be an Abel a breathing towards God an emptiness of our selves a resignation of all we have all we are that God may be all in all in us Such an Abel such a breathing toward God how soon is it murdered by Cain the appropriation of all to our selves O Beloved Is this our looseness and freedom from the World Is this our poverty of Spirit Is this our Resignation of our selves of all we have of all we are Is this our Christianity Beloved Let me be bold among you and take not offence at what I say but examine it impartially by the word of God compared with our own lives Either this Doctrine touching poverty of Spirit it not the Christian Doctrine or we are not Christians 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heavens The Reason will appear 1. Partly in regard of the poor in Spirit 2. Partly in regard of God and his Kingdom 1. The poor in Spirit are fitted and prepared by Faith Love and Humility and suffering together with Christ for the Kingdom of Heaven they are of the Lord 's little ones and therefore great They are rich in faith and love and therefore Heirs of the Kingdom James 2. And they are fitted hereunto by the Lord Jesus Revel 1.5 6. And by his example who of all other is most poor in Spirit Phil. 2. and of him and with him they have the like mind 2. In regard of God the Father the Kingdom is his Thine is the Kingdom and it is his pleasure to give his Kingdom unto his little flock who are thus fitted and prepared thereunto Obs 1. The Lord requires due qualifications and conditions in all those whom he advanceth unto his Kingdom and Glory The poor in Spirit blessed because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Rom. 2. To those who by patient continuance in well doing c. eternal life If we suffer with him we shall reign with him There is no absolute promise of God without a necessary condition annexed thereunto either expressed or understood Obs 2. Since the poor in Spirit are blessed because theirs is the Kingdom of God Hence it followeth that the Kingdom of God is the true bliss and happiness and whatever renders us truly blessed is somewhat of God's Kingdom Obs 3. Admission into the Kingdom of Heaven is not according to destiny and fatality but according to conditions and qualifications required of God in all those who shall inherit that Kingdom It is true He hath chosen us but in Christ before the foundation of the World and that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Eph. 1. He hath predestinated us but that we should be conformable unto the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 Repreh 1. Who flatter themselves into an assurance of God's Kingdom and believe that Jesus Christ hath loved them and washed them from their sins in his own bloud and made them Kings and Priests unto God the Father when yet none of all this is wrought in them what evidence then have they for the Kingdom of Heaven A strong imagination which they call Faith without any word of truth to rest upon let such consider what St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 6.8 9 10 11. Yea but they are washed c If so 't is well They are not the men but such were some of you if yet they be such they may be well assured of the contrary that they shall not inherit the Kingdom of Gd Yea such are excluded by another testimony Gal. 5.19 20 21. Repreh 2. Too many of us who much mistake our own spiritual estates who conceive themselves Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven without poverty of Spirit Our Lord tells us of such John 10.1 And St. John Revel 3.1.17
Lord thy Redeemer Esay 54.7 8. Psal 32.5 And what doth the Lord our God require for all this only that we shew like love unto our Brethren Eph. 4.32 and Eph. 5.1 as dear Children walk in love Colos 3.13 Be reconciled unto thy Brother Means indirect Remove occasions of offence Vultu laeditur amicitia Friendship may be lost by a look 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not speaking one to another unto a rent in friendship 2 Sam. 13.22 Absolon spake to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad for Absolon hated Amnon such reservedness breeds revenge as it did in Absolon v. 28 29. Positive means 1. Study to be quiet 2. Part with our right it 's a good argument in Christs School Why do ye not rather suffer wrong 3. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts 4. Be loving and kind that wins love ut ameris amabilis esto so that place is to be understood Col. 3.15 Be thankful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be loving be gracious These are all good means with the God of peace and his blessing on them When our wayes please him he makes our enemies at peace with us Prov. 16.7 And he it is who works our reconciliation one to another for thus he exerciseth loving kindness in the earth Jer. 9. Come offer thy gift When Reconciliation is now made with our Brother the want of which caused suspension of our Oblation Come and offer wherein there are two subordinate Divine Sentences 1. Offer thy gift 2. Come offer thy gift as in the former direction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go be reconciled Go seemed to some not to be worth taking notice of yet we found something in it not to be sleighted So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come here seems to one of the best Criticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be superfluous and redundant But surely our Lord Jesus Christ the great Teacher and Author of the Gospel and Preacher of this Sermon in the Mount who would not that one jot or tittle of the Law should pass till all be fulfilled He would not teach such a Gospel that should have in it any thing redundant and altogether superfluous Come then is so far from having no signification here that it hath Two and both important 1. To come is to believe John 6.35 Heb. 11.6 2. It imports drawing near as Heb. 7.19 Hope whereby we draw nigh unto God and 10.22 with a true heart whence the gift it self is called Corban from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come near The subordinate axioms therefore are contained in these words 1. Offer thy gift 2. Come offer thy gift 1. Offer thy gift What the gift is and why thy gift and what it is to offer it I shewed in part but as that offering was suspended so was our consideration of it Our Lord preached this Sermon of the Gospel under the Law and therefore he used legal and ceremonial expressions here and elsewhere It will therefore be our business to enquire what the gift here is which is to be offered and the offering of that gift This gift under the Law was figured by many Sacrifices and Oblations they may most what be reduced unto three sorts See Notes on Zeph. 1.7 unto these three add the meat-offering and drink-offering The meat-offering and drink-offering figured the body of Christ which is meat indeed and the blood of Christ which is drink indeed besides all these Incense was offered up which is Prayer Let my prayer ascend as the Incense and thanksgiving which the Lord prefers before all other Oblations And unto these two the Psalmist refers all Psal 50.14 15. Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vowes and call upon me in the time of trouble Reason Why we ought to offer up our Gifts and Oblations may be considered in regard of God of our selves 1. Of God see Notes on Heb. 11.4 Obser 1. Our Lord bids his Disciples offer their gifts though Disciples holy men See Notes on Heb. 11.4 2. Take notice how Gods Command to the Jews and Promise to the Gentiles is performed See Notes on Psal 26. Repreh Those who offer their gift not at Gods Altar but their own confine their worship to some place or time 2. Come offer thy gift i. e. believe and offer thy gift Reason Why is faith required to our offering 1. From the Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Royalty 3. Consciousness See Notes on Heb. 11.4 What kind of faith Answer In the Father 2. In the Son Obser A lively example of a true living Christian Faith ibidem Consol Undone c. See Notes on Psal 26. Exhort Since outward works may be done by good and bad men Offer what Cain cannot 2. In regard of him who offers the gift 1. A Christian man a Disciple of Christ Now a Christian man is wholly led by the spirit of God who is love peace joy goodness how contrary is this to hatred discord enmity and frowardness 2. This same Spirit unites all the Members of Christ in one Body as one and the same Soul unites the members of the natural body So the Apostle 1 Cor. 12 13. By one spirit we are all baptized into one body and have been all made to drink into one spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are drunk up or swallowed up by one spirit And therefore anger hatred envy rancor and all bitterness is as contrary to Christs mystical body as a mortal wound yea as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dismembring a division unto the natural body 3. The Christian life is the life of God the eternal life and nothing can hinder it from continuation with the divine life but only an old wall of earth that 's daily parieted daily supported with butteresses otherwise it would daily fall in regard of which the Apostle desired to be dissolved Now in the Divine Life there is no rancor malice bitterness anger hatred but all love mercy sweetness First be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy gift These words present unto us two great duties and the order of them and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strange and unexpected not first to God and then to thy Brother but first to thy Brother and then to thy God Reason In respect of God to whom thou offerest thy gift He respects and accepts rather love meekness gentleness Prov. 21.3 than any outward sacrifice thou canst possibly offer Shall we enquire somewhat into a reason of this Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis Whatsoever is received is received according to the mode and manner of the receiver Now sith God is Love 1 John 4. mercy goodness what he receives from us it must relish of love mercy goodness Obser It is not the outward performance that God esteems c. See Notes on Heb. 11.4 Obser 2. The Lord discovers quo animo with what mind we offer ibidem Obser 3. They who would win upon Gods favour and obtain friendship with him
will so stand until a stronger than he cometh and therefore we pray Thy Kingdom come Obser 3. Hence we learn who it is that upon our humble Request is able and ready to give us the Kingdom Little flock it is your Heavenly Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdom Exhort Let us pray for this Kingdom Motive 1. How far and wide does the Devil Rule and Reign Tydal is King of Nations the knowing Knowledge rules every where Jabin hath a very large Kingdom the subtil Serpent hath dominion over all the world Mot. 2. By the coming of this Kingdom our Heavenly Father is glorified Mot. 3. What strong opposition is made against his Kingdom Mot. 4. How prone we are to yield unto the Kingdom of darkness Mot. 5. What a number of God's Enemies yet remain as yet unsubdued in us The Canaanites as yet dwell in the Land Means These Potent Usurpers and Strong Opposers cannot be subdued but by the Mighty Power of God and his Strong Arm to our Salvation and therefore we must pray for that Stronger One who may deliver us from the Power of Darkness Col. 1. Then when the Kingdom of Darkness is subdued we shall say with the Lord Jesus Our Kingdom is not of this world Shall the Powers of Heavens rejoyce and say Rev. 11.15 16 17. The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdom of our God This Kingdom of God cannot come in Power unless he Rule intirely in us unless every Enemy be subdued in his Sanctuary And therefore it 's necessary that the Deity having taken-in the Heaven and the Earth for his habitation and dwelling if he drive out all proper and sensual Will of the flesh out of his own habitation and dwelling the heart of man that he may there Rule and have his Dominion alone That there Rule no other Will there because as Light and Darkness Christ and Belial God and Mammon cannot consist together neither can the Kingdom of Darkness and Kingdom of Light stand together therefore we pray Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Where we must inquire what 's meant 1. By Gods Will. 2. By doing of it 3. What is the manner and measure of it 1. The Will of the Lord here understood is either 1. That which they call voluntas signi that which the Lord would that we should do or leave undone or 2. That which is called voluntas bene-placiti that which God according to his Fore-knowledge and Providence hath determined to be done 1. The summ of what the Lord Wills we should do or leave undone or submit unto is contained in the Decalogue or Ten Commandments whereby the Lord is pleased to measure out his Will unto us which because we have not power of our own we pray may be done inwardly and outwardly in us and by us according as the Law is Spiritual and Literal and that we may wholly submit unto his disposing whatsoever his Will is that it may rest contented that it be done upon us As if the Will of the Lord be that we be sick or poor or in disgrace if he take from us Parents Husband Wife Children Kinsmen Friends if he will that we live or die we also ought to will the same to aquiesce and rest in his most Holy Will remembring what Job said in so great a change The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be his Name Job 1. 2. As for the Will of the Lord called voluntas signi whereby he requires and wills that we do and leave undone This Will of the Lord is either Principal or Less Principal which yet is in order to his Principal Will 1. The Principal Will of God is his Law and Commandment which we call Moral 2. He hath his less Principal Will which is of things serviceable unto man signifying unto him and requiring something of him to be done in order to the Principal Will for so the Lord himself distinguisheth his Commandments into Less and Greater Mat. 5. and 23.23 such are Sacrifice and Mercy 2. The Will of the Lord is done as well by Passion as by Action See Notes on Jam. 1.22 3. That we may know what it is to do the Lord's Will on Earth as it is done in Heaven we must first understand who they are by whom the Lord's Will is done in Heaven who are they but the Holy Angels Psal 103.20 21. Hence it comes to pass that the Word of the Lord is for ever setled in Heaven Psal 119.89 90 91. Dan. 4.35 Now we are taught to pray That as the Lords Will is done in Heaven so it may be done on Earth and therefore our Prayer is that we also may do his Commandments and hearken to the voice of his Word and do his pleasure Obser 1. Hence it will follow that the Lord requires even an Angelical Obedience of us we ought to believe and hope for such a degree of obedience possible to be performed in us by us and upon us for 1 John 5.14 This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us Obser 2. What we have no strength in our selves for the effecting of such obedience we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Obser 3. That we are taught by him who is summa veritas the Truth it self the Amen the Faithful Witness so to pray That God's Will may be done upon Earth as it is done in Heaven Obser 4. The Will of the Lord is to be done not some part of it See Notes on Jam. 1.22 But be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own souls Obser 5. Christian Religion is Practical See Notes ubi supra Obser 6. This Prayer pronounced according to the Letter with the mans mouth and lips hath its vertue efficacy and confirmation in the spirit according to the Divine Nature for words conceived only in an earthly mind and uttered out of the memory by the mans voice which make a noise in the ears of flesh and blood are not nor can be accounted for a Prayer before our Father which is in Heaven Obser 7. Here is Sanctificetur let his Name be sanctified Adveniat let his Kingdom come Fiat voluntas let his Will be done Not sanctifica sanctifie thou nor sanctificemus let us sanctifie lest this should be the work of God or of man only for as man can do no good without the help of God so neither doth God work any good thing in man unless the man will Chrysost Obser 8. Take notice of a great absurdity and that too commonly committed and that in our Prayers to God we pray and are here taught to pray That God's will may be done on Earth and that so as it is done in Heaven yet hold Opinion that it cannot be so done in Earth as it is done in Heaven Is it not evident that the
great King his presence his inhabiting and dwelling and keeping his Court with us which the Hebrews understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by Shechinah As when our Saviour tells his Disciples The Kingdom of Heaven is within you Vid. Georg. Venet pag. 222. probl 123. But we seem here to be mistaken for we describe the Kingdom of God whereas the Text mentions the Kingdom of Heaven for answer to this doubt we may know that Heaven is not only that Material and Visible Body well known by that name but also the Maker Preserver and Governour of Heaven and Earth God himself in Scripture is called by the name of Heaven such is the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the Heavens and God for instead of the most High Ruling Dan. 4. in the next words the Prophet varying the phrase we have the Heavens Ruling vers 26. Luk. 15.18 The Prodigal speaks to his Father saying I have sinned against Heaven and against Thee Against Heaven i. e. against God and against thee a speech which some use very unfitly in their confessions unto God not heeding the decorum and drift of the Parable for as they use it it 's all one as if one should say I have sinned against thee and against thee Thus Luk. 20.5 Our Saviour askes the High Priests and the Scribes this question The baptism of John was it from Heaven or of men from Heaven i. e. from God The meaning is not the outward and material Heaven for he opposeth not Heaven and Earth together but Heaven and Men. This was known very well to the Ancient Jews who reckoned as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the names of God from them is this speech Sit reverentia preceptoris tui reverentia Coeli i. e. Dei And the Heathens knew this well enough Coelo gratissimus amnis But how doth it appear that Heaven is here so to be understood the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are taken in Scripture promiscuously one for the other Mat. 11.11 He whom St. Matthew calls the least in the Kingdom of Heaven St. Luk. 7.28 calls the least in the Kingdom of God And that which is in the Text the Kingdom of Heaven in the parallel Evangelists who report the same speech of our Saviour is the Kingdom of God Mar. 4.11 Luk. 8.12 2. Now that God that Christ hath a Kingdom appears both 1. By Testimony of Scripture this is that King that Reigns in Righteousness Esay 32.1 1 Chron. 16.31 Let them say among the Nations the Lord reigneth for the Kingdom is the Lords and he is the Governour among the Nations Psal 22.28 Thou art the King of Israel saith Nathaniel Joh. 1.49 the true Melchizedeck King of Righteousness and King of Peace Heb. 7. Apoc. 19.6 The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth and it is a part of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lords Prayer Thine is the Kingdom 3. Christ is a King far different from all others in respect 1. Of his Person what endowments are required to make a King unparallel'd as Wisdom Power Mercy Strength Riches Content they are in him essentially 2. In regard of his Dominion the extent of it in respect of his Subjects He is an Universal Monarch King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Title of King Catholick is properly his He hath a name written on his garment and on his thigh King of Nations King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 7. 2. In respect of Duration His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and his Dominion from Generation to Generation Dan. 4.3 3. In regard of intenseness no other power except only his reacheth beyond the Body and therefore after the death of the body there is no more that they can do Luk. 12.4 indeed malice may take up the body and burn it But the power of this King reacheth after he hath killed he can cast into Hell 4. Wherein his Kingdom consists There are three virtual parts of the Soul according to the Philosopher the Rational Irascible and Concupiscible seeing therefore Christ and his Kingdom is within us his Kingdom must consist in the Government of these three and accordingly he hath three Imperial Cities 1. The Rational part of the Soul and that 's governed by Righteousness which consists in declining from evil and doing good 2. The second is Peace founded upon Righteousness wherewithal Revenge and all actions of the irascible Soul are governed 3. The third is Joy grounded upon both whereby the Concupiscible is rule and satisfied Righteousnes rules the Rational Peace the Irascible Joy the Concupisible so St. Paul hath them altogether Rom. 14. 5. And reason there is why we should so judge for since all visible and outward and temporal things are representations of invisible inward and eternal things there could be no outward visible and Temporal Kingdom unless there were an inward invisible and eternal Kingdom of God Besides since by Wisdom which is God himself Kings reign and Princes decree Justice Prov. 8.15 Surely much more must God himself Reign who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and the Prince of all the Kings of the Earth If we desire demonstrative proof of Gods Kingdom he hath omni Jure by all manner of Right Jure Naturali by Natural Right he made the world Heaven and Earth and Sea and all the Creatures in them and therefore ipso facto even in that respect that they are his Creatures he ought to reign over them This is a ground of his Universal Dominion over his Creatures and as good ground there is for his special Kingdom over and in the Saints Esay 43.7 It is written of Christ I have created him for my Glory I have formed him yea I have made him God promised him a Kingdom Esay 32.1 and gave him all power in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion But of this ground as also Jus Hereditarium the Right of Inheritance I have spoken enough upon Heb. 1. That Christ is the Heir and Lord of all things because by him God made the worlds He hath a right also of Redemption acknowledged both 1. Temporal as 1 Sam. 12.10 The people of Israel cryed unto the Lord Deliver us out of the hands of our enemies and we will serve the◠And 2. Spiritual Luk. 1.74 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life Thus the blood or spirit of Christ purgeth our consciences from dead works to serve the Living God Heb. 9.14 Beside all these grounds God hath yet a right unto his Kingdom over us and in us Jus Electivum a Right of Election We have chosen him to be our God as Joshuah propounded the business to the Israelites Josh 24.15 If it seem evil to you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom ye will serve vers 21.
Hag. 2.7 That the desire of all Nations should come Observ 2. Stars of the greatest Magnitude move not without due observation and how can this Bright Morning Star the Lord Jesus Christ as He is called Rev. 22.16 How can he move either to or from his Temple without our due consideration of him All his motions all his actions are our instructions He comes to his Temple Hag. 2.7 Mal. 3.1 And why must Haggai and Malachy of all the Prophets make this honourable mention of his Coming Haggai in his name carrieth the reason of it Haggai signifieth a Solemn Feast or festival Solemnity See Notes on Hebr. 2.14 principio Mysticé What is this Temple to us what doth Christ's coming to it acting in it or departing from it concern us The Lord hath more Temples than one He hath his Temple in Heaven Psal 11.4 He dwells in the Light inaccessible 1 Tim. 6.16 His body is his Temple Joh. 2.19 20 21. He spake of the Temple of his Body As for the Temples made with hands what saith the Lord Heaven is my Throne and the Earth my foot-stool Esay 66. And do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Jer. 23. yet saith he let them build me a Tabernacle a Sanctuary and I will dwell in the midst of them Exod. 25.8 which the most wise Solomon wonders at 1 King 8.27 'T is true The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him He is incomprehensible so that if we look for his adequate Temple we shall find no other but himself and therefore Revel 21.22 I saw no Temple therein but the Lord God and the Lamb was the Temple of it How much more may we wonder at the Lords condescent Rev. 21.3 The Tabernacle of God is with men word for word Immanuel so much he had said before Exod. 25.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of them and 29.45 46. which our last Translation hath amongst them O Beloved we are not willing I fear that God should be so near us and therefore we turn it among you which when it cannot be avoided they were forced to render it in you For know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you 2 Cor. 13.5 And know ye not that he is so in you as in his Temple It was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Principle taken for granted that all Christians knew that they were the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.17 Know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 This Temple is also more publick In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth up unto an Holy Temple in the Lord Eph. 2.21 Now whereas every Believer and the whole Church of Believers may be called the Temple of God according to the Scriptures some analogie and proportion here must be between the Temple and Believers The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Temple at large had three parts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Porch 1 King 6.3 which was called Solomons Porch because there Solomon was wont to pray Here was 1. the Laver 2. the Altar 2. The second part of the Temple was the Holy called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mal. 3. which had the name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be potent or mighty whence the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Palace In this was 1. The Table of Shew-bread 2. The Candlestick 3. The Altar of Incense 3. The third part of the Temple was the Sanctum Sanctorum the Holy of Holies called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 6.19 which signifieth the Oracle whether because the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ten words were in the Ark there or because the Oracle or word of God proceeded thence from between the wings of the Cherubim which covered the Mercy-Seat there hitherward they who came to enquire of the Lord directed their Prayer Psal 28.2 Answerable unto these three parts of the Temple there are three parts of the man Body Soul and Spirit 1 Thess 5.23 beside many other places of Scripture Know ye not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 The blessed Virgin bare him in her body And three degrees of Worship Service and Obedience are answerable hereunto 1. Fear Psal 5.7 I will come to thine house in the multitude of thy Mercy and in thy Fear I will worship toward the Temple of thy Holiness therefore ye read that Christ began his Spiritual Temple with Fear Act. 2.43 And they were daily in the Temple vers 46. which could not be in the most Holy nor Holy which were proper to the High Priests and Priests therefore their meeting together was in the porch Act. 5.12 In this state were they who are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was and is the common state of Christ's Disciples the Law makes impression of this Fear Ex. 20.20 In the second part of the Temple were they who had attained unto the knowledge of the Holy Prov. 30.3 who were enlightned with the lamp of Faith and had tasted of the good Word of God the Shew-bread the Heavenly Gift Heb. 6.4 For 2. the Service answerable to the Holy is Faith and the obedience of Faith David thus was in the Sanctuary never otherwise Psal 73.17 Vntill I went into the Sanctuary untill he now attained unto the Holy Faith They who attain unto this state and condition have strength and power against their Spiritual enemies 1 Joh. 5.4 Therefore the Holy is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath the name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be strong and powerful 3. The Service answerable to the Most Holy is LOVE and the obedience of Love 1 Pet. 1. This is the worship of God in the Spirit Joh. 4. From this state and condition of the Christian Church the Lord would have his Oracles delivered to the Sons of men for this place is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the Word the Oracle What was before delivered to the People by Scribes learned in the Letter of the Law must in this state be delivered by such Scribes as are taught unto the Kingdom of God The literal understanding of the Word is full of difficulty whence arise Controversiae Spinosae as they are called thorny troublesome controversies and disputes And therefore that City in Joshuah chap. 15. and 15. which was called Kirjath Sepher the City of Letters the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was called also Kirjath Sannath the City of Bushes vers 49. and the Law was given in Mount Sinai But when now men attain unto a Spiritual understanding they who before were Ministers of the Letter and were encumbred with thorny controversies become Ministers of the Spirit and they who served God before in the oldness of the Letter now serve him in the newness of the Spirit And therefore when Joshuah had conquered Kirjath Sepher chap. 15.15 otherwise called Kirjath Sannath the name of the City was changed to Debir an Oracle the Living Word in such becomes an
and the making of them That I may plant the heavens and lay anew the foundation of the earth Esay 51.16 We read of the firmament of faith Col. 2. The first Adam was a Figure of the second The more notable Histories have and are to have their spiritual fulfillings See Notes on Zephany 1. Such is this of Noah See Notes on Gen. 6.14 Particulars of this kind are many I shall content my self with few 1. The promised Rest was thought to be given by Joshua chap. 1.13 and 23.1 But after that it 's promised in David's time Psal 95. And after David Solomon was thought to give the people Rest 1 King 8.56 But long after all these our Lord Jesus in the days of his flesh invites us to it Matth. 11. But the Apostle tells us that this is to be enjoyed in the days of his Spirit and saith there remains a rest for the people of God Heb. 4. This in the Text the saving of Noah and his house in the Ark by water was a figure of Baptism 1 Pet. 3. and Baptism is a figure of Christs Death and Resurrection and our Conformity thereunto Rom. 6. The first Adam was a figure of the second Rom. 5. And all things belonging to the first was as it were cast into a mould of the Animal Life figurative of the Spiritual as a Picture rudely drawn with Lead or a Coal which is a preparation for more orient Colours to be laid on in the Spiritual Life The second parallel there was an Ark for the preservation of Noah and his houshold into which Noah entred And there is a spiritual Ark. In this general Parallel we have these particulars Noah makes his Ark and the Son of Man his Ark. The word in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in behalf of those who were exposed to the danger of water See Notes on Gen. 6.14 The third parallel In the days that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking 1. They did eat and drink 2. In the days before the Flood they did eat and drink The Customary manners usages and practices of the former old World resembled by the like practices usages and customary manners of this latter World both aggravated from their time These are expressed in two pair of natural Actions Eating and Drinking Marrying and giving in Marriage Unto this Example of Noah's days St. Luke adds the like of Lot's days Luke 17.28 They did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded In the words we shall consider 1. These two pair of natural Actions absolutely and in themselves 2. As the former have influence upon the latter and dispose thereunto I call them pairs because as in Nature so likewise in Scripture they very often go together 1. Eating and drinking are natural Actions See Notes on Gen. 25. And what doth our Lord blame in these Actions Eating and Drinking are Actions natural which proceed from natural Desires implanted in us by the God of Nature without which the person of the Man cannot be naturally preserved 1. The Lord blames not these Actions of Eating and Drinking but their carnal Security who did eat and drink 2. Yea their immoderate and inordinate eating and drinking they were toti in hoc they were wholly taken up in actions of this and like nature And the holy Ghost expresseth it in the phrase here used signifying an imperfect time some past some present some to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were eating and drinking c. And the Agents those who spent and were spending their time thus so a doing that they were yet about to do what they now did they made it their business and they went as it were every day conscientiously about the doing of it Reason Though our Calling be an high and heavenly Calling yet the present seeming good draweth forcibly downward And it must needs do so See Notes on Rom. 6.19 The stream of the Thoughts Wills and Affections can run intensly but one way at once for ye cannot serve God and Mammon not God and the World God and the Belly They neglected the Preachers of Righteousness Venter non habet aures the Belly hath no ears Quos perdere vult Deus dementat God infatuates those whom he would destroy Obj. The violence of the Appetite should seem in this case to excuse See Notes on Gen. 25. Obj. I have no power See Notes on Rom. 6. and as above Doubt Were there no other sins in the old World or are there no other now but Surfetting and Drunkenness Chambering and Wantonness Resp See Notes on 2 Pet. 2.5 Observ Our Saviour saith not that they were Gluttons and Drunkards but that they were eating and drinking Even natural and lawful Actions may be dangerous in regard of sin which may attend on such Actions or dangerous temptation therefore he well said Verebar omnia opera mea I was afraid of all that I did or in regard of some penal evil or true and real punishment For we read Gen. 25.34 that Esau did eat and drink and rose up and despised his Birth-right and therefore is called a prophane person Heb. 12. Exod. 32.6 The people sate down to eat and rose up to play c. Judg. 9.27 The Shechemites did eat and drink and cursed Abimelech And therefore whereas Job's Children had a custom to feast at one anothers houses Job 1.4 Job feared lest they might curse God in their hearts and therefore he offered sacrifices in behalf of them continually or all the days Matth. 22.5 Our Lord saith not that he who was excluded from the Supper went to plough iniquity but that he went to his farm an honest Calling nor doth he tell us that the Merchant handled the Balance of deceit but only he went to his merchandise a warrantable good Profession Thus in the days of Lot Luke 17.26 it is said they bought and sold and planted and builded He saith not that they sinned simply in so doing but no doubt there adheres some dangerous temptation unto these actions as to buying and selling Many saith the wise Man have sinned for a small matter And he that seeks for abundance will turn his eyes away he is avidus As a nail sticks close between the joyning of the stones so doth sin stick fast between buying and selling Ecclus. 27.1 2. There is a drawing Heavenward and earthward as the name Masrecha imports Gen. 36. and Edom. Observ 2. The impetuousness and violence of the sensual Appetite See Notes on Gen. 25.21 fine Obs 2. He forgets that he was made according to the Image of the immortal God in righteousness and holiness yea in the posture of his Body Os homini sublime dedit coelúmque tueri He gave to Man a look aloft That he might view the heavens full oft But they become curvae in terras animae Souls bent to the earth a crooked Generation ventri obedientes serving the belly grovelling on the earth bowed to the earth
and to be emptied are phrases which some Philosophers appropriate unto bodies and unto places Upon what grounds I know not since even spirits and spiritual things have their bounds and limits at least of Essence Nature and Being if not of quantity and bulk also and their places too unless we should say they are no where or every where as surely that must be which is not in a place To say as they do that Spirits are in their Vbi is to speak the same thing in other words To say they are in their Vbi and not in a place is more subtilly to contradict themselves Indeed I deny not but that a body is somewhat otherwise and after another manner in a place than a Spirit or spiritual thing is but to conclude thence that a spirit is not at all in a place follows not Since here and elsewhere in Scripture as also in prophane Authors Spirits and Spiritual Things are said to fill those bodies wherein they are Hence is that of the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I will not trouble this Auditory with a Philosophical dispute Let us rather come to enquire how can Gods Spirit who fills the earth Wisd 1.7 Who fills heaven and earth Jer. 23.24 be said to fill his Saints and holy Ones as here the Apostles and Disciples Without doubt if we take filling as commonly we do for a fitting of the thing contained unto the thing containing it s not so proper a speech to say the holy Spirit filled the Apostles and Disciples as to say some finite Spirit filled them because Gods Vbi is Vbique he is every where and may be said as well to be without the thing wherein he is as within the same Wherefore when we say the holy Ghost filled the Apostles and Disciples or that the Apostles and Disciples were filled with the holy Ghost we understand the holy Ghost to be in them by way of more special more gracious and more powerful residence and habitation And thus we may conceive it two wayes 1. By way of extension when the holy Spirit informs the whole Soul as the Soul informs the Body or the Light the Air and wholly possesseth it as a Prince takes up all the Rooms in the house for his own use so the Spirit of Christ fills his whole body which is the Church his whole house which is also the Church Heb. 2. 2. Secondly by way of Intention when the Holy Spirit of God moulds and works every power and faculty of the whole Soul and every part and member of the body unto a likeness of it self as Elisha 1 King 17. applyed himself part to part unto the widows Child whence the man is renewed unto a spiritual life according to John's witness of our Saviour Joh. 1.16 Of his fulness we have all received even grace for grace every Grace in the Soul answering to every Grace in the Spirit as the wax imprinted by the seal answers to every dint and impression in the seal as Paul saith of the Ephesians Ephes 1.13 That they were sealed with the holy spirit of Promise And both these wayes I understand the Apostles here to have been filled with the Holy Ghost Which fulness although there were no other place of Holy Scripture to witness it besides this history of it it were enough yet for our better confirmation we may add consent of other Scriptures also to which purpose is vers 33. of this Chapter Tit. 3.6 both which are understood of them all In particular also Peter was full of the Holy Ghost Act. 4.8 and Stephen Act. 7.55 and Barnabas Act. 11.24 If we enquire into the reason of this why the Apostles and other holy and faithful men were filled with the Holy Ghost it will be in vain to seek it any where out of God for all dispositions and preparations in man for the receiving of the Spirit of God are wrought in him by the co-operation yea by the prevention also of the same spirit For as the Soul is sui domicilii Architecta saith Scaliger The builder of its own house in the body So also is the Holy Spirit the builder and preparer of its house in the Soul To which purpose these words of the Apostle are to be understood Act. 15.8 9. God who knoweth the hearts bare the Gentiles witness giving them the Holy Ghost even as he did unto us and put no difference between us and them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having purified their hearts by faith The cause then of this fulness of the Spirit is God the Father giving and the Son receiving the promise of the Spirit and shedding it upon the Apostles and Disciples as is expresly said vers 33. of this Chapter If we inquire into the Principles or end which God might have of so doing he pours his spirit upon some that by them he may pour it forth upon others for therefore he makes the water-springs in a dry ground that they may run and water the earth and wherefore is the fountain of living water in men it shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life Joh. 4. out of his belly or heart c. Joh. 7. and therefore as soon as they are filled they began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utterance i. e. to speak Apothegms or wise sayings befitting the spirit of wisdom for so the LXX turn the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the springing forth and running of waters out of a fountain as out of the abundance of living waters in the heart the mouth speaks We must have our thoughts still bounded within himself for as all the fountains arise from the Sea and return thither again so from the Ocean of Gods Wisdom Goodness Faithfulness and Power issueth the Spirit of God and returns to the Glory of him But how can the Spirit of God be said now to be given the Apostles since before that time they could not but have the Spirit of God how else did they so often call Jesus the Lord which they could not do saith St. Paul but from the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 Besides shall we not think that the Holy Ghost was given to the Fathers in the Old Testament how then can this seem a new dispensation of God when the Disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost I Answer indeed the Spirit of God was in some measure given the Apostles and more expresly after our Saviours Resurrection Joh. 20.22 for otherwise they could not have been Holy but by the Spirit of Holiness nor could they truly and throughly and from a sure principle and foundation have said that Jesus is the Lord but from the Holy Ghost when Peter confessed him he saith flesh and blood hath not reveiled this but my Father but a very scanty measure it was and therefore after the ascension of our Lord it might be said to be but even then given And that both 1.
In respect of a greater measure of it and 2. In regard of more glorious effects and signs then of it than ever were before and therefore before the spirit was given Peter denied his Lord but afterward he preach'd him with notable magnanimity confidence and boldness As for the Fathers of the Old Testament they had the real pledges of the spirit in outward blessings and faithful promises of the spirit in signs and figures 1. They had the real pledges of the spirit in outward blessings houses full of all good things Deut. 6.11 fulness of strength children dayes and other like temporal blessings 2. We read also Promises in the Old Testament That God would fill his house or Temple with his glory Hag. 2.7 i. e. the souls of his Children for they are his House and Temple with his Spirit the like we find 1 King 8.10 2 Chron. 5.14 and 7.1 2. Isa 6.1.4 and Ezek. 10.4 which were types and figures of that which was here fulfilled and performed Joel 2. Yea we have an express promise of it Numb 14.21 As truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord Indeed some small measure they had of the Holy Spirit it self whose fulness was reserved for the times of the New Testament but it was only as the little drops before a great showre of rain and therefore in the Old Testament the Prophets phrase to signifie the preaching of the Word and conveyance of the Spirit was to drop their word but under the Gospel it was poured out in showers Under the Law the measure of the Spirit was like the widows oyl in the cruze but under the Gospel like the same oyl filling all the vessels in the house Under the Law they had sufficiency of the Spiri◠according to Divine Oeconomy and dispensation of that time but under the Gospel they have redundancy of the Spirit Tit. 3.6 And the reason is the fulness of the Spirit was reserved for the honour of the Son of God upon whom the spirit of God was to rest Isa 11. which was the token whereby John the Baptist was taught of God to know Christ Joh. 1.32 for under the Law howsoever the Spirit of God was given to all the Prophets yet neither in any large measure nor for any long continuance for he that shall read of the most zealous Prophet Elijah reproving Ahab to his face causing four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal to be put to death 1 King 18. shall read him at Chap. 19. flying for his life and desiring to dye at the threats of a woman This point is useful for Instruction Reprehension Consolation Exhortation 1. Observe then the truth of the Spirit inhabiting That Spirit of the Lord which fills the whole earth saith the Wise Man which fills heaven and earth saith the Prophet Jeremiah doth in a more special manner fill his own Temple i. e. our Souls and Bodies God is in you of a truth Rom. 8.11 If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you If ens dependens cannot ne ad momentum quidem temporis be separate from ens independens If the dependent Being cannot for the least moment of time be separate from the only independent essence surely the Spirit of God and God himself being that only independent Spirit it is impossible that we should be separate from it since we wholly depend upon him live and move and have our being in him 2. Observe Man is a Vessel this vessel was intended to bear Gods Name in Act. 9. and therefore the Saints are exhorted to bear Gods Name in their bodies 1 Cor. 6. ult Portate Deum in corpore vestro This vessel is his body 1 Sam. 21.5 2 Cor. 4.7 O how much more is his Soul the precious Soul Prov. 6.26 how much more excellent is the Spirit an excellent Spirit his Soul is such Ecclus. 21.14 Cor fatui vas fictile the inward parts of a fool they are like a broken vessel 3. A vessel is full of something emptiness of all things is as absurd in Divinity as in Philosophy 4. The Apostolique and Disciple-like kind of filling is with the Holy Ghost the best liquor is put into the best vessels the Spirit of God in Scripture is compared to Wine and Oyl the new wine and the oyl of gladness The new wine must be put into new vessels and the oyl of gladness into the Virgins Lamps that are trimmed or made ready 5. Observe Gods faithfulness and truth in performance of his great Promise Repleti Apostoli impleta est Scriptura the Apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost and Gods promise was fulfilled 'T is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of excellency The Promise I send the Promise of my Father Luk. 24.49 And the Apostles are commanded to stay at Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the father Act. 1.4 with Act. 2.33 St. Peter interprets it the Promise of the Holy Ghost and St. Paul the Holy Spirit of Promise Ephes 1.13 He who is faithful in performance of his great Promise will also be faithful in performance of less Godliness hath the promise both of this life and that which is to come therefore our Saviour exhorts to seek the performance of the great Promise and the less shall be cast in as the advantage Matth. 6.33 Observ 6. Every one of the Apostles and Disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost and therefore in that respect were all equal one with other yet this assertion brings not in absolute parity and equality into the Church of Christ as some would hence infer For although there be aequalitas ejusdem ordinis equality among men of the same order yet there may be and is inaequalitas diversorum ordinum although they of the same order as the Apostles among themselves were equal yet there being divers orders in the Church those orders are not equal among themselves for waving the controversie whether Bishops and Presbyters were all of one order as it cannot be denied but that sometimes the one is taken for the other yet without doubt the Apostles and Deacons were of divers orders as appears Act. 6. and the same is as clear in regard of other orders of the Church 1 Cor. 12. Ephes 4. Yet men of unequal and different orders were herein equal that they all had received the Holy Spirit the Text is clear for the Apostles and Act. 6. is as evident a proof of the Deacons Observ 7. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost The word All is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implyes a conjunction and joyning all together as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such an union is required among them who may hope to receive the Holy Spirit as vers 1. When the day of Pentecost was fully come
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were at Jerusalem as appears Chap. 1.4 Where there is distinction division and confusion there is no hope of receiving the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 14.33 But the Lord commands them to tarry at Jerusalem the vision of Peace that they might receive the Promise of the Father and there they abode 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one mind and one heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altogether and so they received the Holy Ghost Observ 8. The wonderful dignation and condescent of our God the transcendent dignity of the believing man that the most High God should stoop so low as to take up his residence in our house of Clay Solomon wonders 1 King 8.27 And will indeed the Lord dwell on earth Behold the heavens cannot contain thee how much less this house Since wonderment proceeds from ignorance it must needs be very admirable and wonderful that a wise man the wisest of Kings wonders at Yet was that house the most Magnificent Structure in the world How much more wonderful is it that the Most High God who dwells in the High and Holy should dwell with the contrite and humble to revive the Spirit c The most High God accepts of thy Body Soul and Spirit as his outward Court His Holy and most Holy place above all Temples made with hands above all his other houses in Heaven and Earth Observ 9. The truth of God in the performance of his promises Repleti Apostoli impleta Scriptura a document to relie on him for less things as it is good reason with God He that is faithful in little is faithfull also in much then with man he that is faithful in much is faithful in the least outward things called these things Observ 10. The difference between the Law and the Gospel Rom. 8.3 4. Repreh 1. O how many of a common errour The Lord fills men with his Spirit it 's said expresly they were all filled with the Holy Ghost But the common Gloss is with his Gifts and Graces more abundant knowledge of mysteries greatness of mind and constancy gifts of tongues largeness of heart admirable utterance power and evidence of the Spirit in preaching and praying all this is true but none of all these are the Holy Ghost The Scripture saith they were filled they were all filled with the Holy Ghost O Beloved I fear we are unwilling to admit the Lord the Spirit to dwell in his own Temple And therefore we commonly interpret the endearing promises of his own presence with the Glosses of other things much below and less than himself Thus when the Scripture saith Christ is in you the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 the Gloss is Christ among you 2 Pet. 1.4 That ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature not the substance which is incommunicable saith the Gloss i. e. not the nature What boldness is this the Scripture saith the nature the Gloss saith not the substance not the nature what then excellent Graces whereby we are made like to God in wisdom and holiness Is not this to drive God from his habitation He would come and in a more special manner dwell in us and fill us with his Spirit and we are unwilling he should come so near us We rather choose some qualifications virtues graces gifts but as for God himself Christ himself the being and presence of God himself which yet we can well endure to be in Heaven and Earth and all the Creatures Enter presenter Deus hic ubique potentèr God himself his Divine Nature Christ the Holy Spirit men thrust from them and will not endure it in them Repreh 2. It lies upon us all as a great and heavy complaint of these last times That the Spirit of God is poured out in great measure yea beyond measure in the fulness of it yet men receive it not Let no man dare to confine the Promise of the Spirit only to those first times as if Joel's prophesie were so fulfilled then that it belonged not at all to us St. Peter understood it otherwise and so must we Act. 2.38 39. Repent saith he and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call And what was that promise that in the last dayes God would pour out his spirit upon all flesh vers 16 17. of that Chapter But so it is now as in the dayes of Christs flesh He came unto his own and his own received him not he pours out his Spirit and who receives it and what 's the reason the Prophet Joel tells us that in these dayes the Lord will pour out his spirit upon all flesh and St. Paul 2 Tim. 3.1 5. tells us That in these last dayes perilous times should come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power of it So that God pours out his Holy Spirit and the Devil pours out his Spirit God sheds forth the Holy Ghost from Heaven and Hell 's broke loose to oppose it and both these joyn issue and come to the shock and strive together whether of them should fill the heart and soul of the poor miserable man in these last dayes So that Beloved the reason is too too evident why we are not filled with the Spirit of God in â—hâ—se last dayes We are filled with the Spirit of the world that Spirit whereby men walk according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the 〈◊〉 the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 Intus existens prohibet extraneum we are filled with the Spirit of this world and that keeps out the Spirit of God the Spirit of Truth the world cannot receive saith our Saviour Joh. 14.17 For as one adequate and proper place cannot hold two bodies so neither can one Soul though capable of a legion of Spirits which agree hold two disagreeing aâ—d contrary Spirits as the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the world are That filâ—s us with unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness envy murder debate deceit Rom. 1.29 that fills us with rapine and excess Luk. 11. O Beloved let us not deceive our selves if we be thus filled there 's no room left for the Spirit of God O the fearful condition of those who are thus filled They are given up saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a reprobate mind a mind that cannot examine it self Some I have known so full of these that they were insensible of them such
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wise sayings such are the writings of the Apostles they are Apothegms qui loquitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if any speak let him speak as the Oracles of God Observ God gives his Spirit to the faithful Gal. 3.2 having believed they are sealed Epes 1.13 Object So then if we believe once we are sure of the Spirit of God True but what kind of belief is this not every kind no no no other Beloved than that which is joyned with obedience as ye shall evidently perceive by Act. 5.32 for to believe and to obey in this sence are all one as our Translators observe in the Margent vers 36. of that Chapter After filling followeth stopping Open vessels are unclean See Chap. 4. vers 13. Object The Devils believe Jam. 2. This the reason why men profit not they are full of envy pride covetousness Why hath Sathan filled thy heart Observe then 1. Man is a vessel 2. He is full of something 3. He that is full Disciple-like is full with the holy Ghost Repreh 1. Those that are not full with this Spirit 2. Those that are filled with other things 3. Those that are filled with the contrary Observ 1. The truth of the Spirit inhabiting contrary to their Tenent who interpret all things spoken in this kind of the Spirit of God of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gifts and graces of the Spirit whereas they ought to know that the Spirit of the Lord that fills the whole earth the whole world is in a more special manner filling his own Temple i. e. our bodies and souls Rom. 8.9 11. In him we live move and have our being Act. 17. Hence it is that the Master of the sentences saith that Charity is ipse Spiritus Sanctus Love is the holy Spirit it self Observ 2. Man is a vessel 1. His body is surely so 1 Sam. 21.5 2 Cor. 4. 2. His Soul is such Ecclus. 21. Cor fatui vas fictile Observ 3. A vessel is full of something it is as true in Divinity as in Philosophy non datur vacuum there is nothing wholly empty Observ 4. The Disciple-like kind of filling is with the holy Spirit The best liquor is put in the best vessel The Spirit of God is compared in Scripture to Wine and to Oyl the new Wine and the Oyl of gladness The new Wine must be put in new vessels and the Oyl of gladness into the Virgins lamps that are trimmed Repreh 1. Those who are not filled with the holy Spirit The great and heavy complaint of these last days notwithstanding that the Spirit of God is poured out in great measure yea beyond measure in the very fulness of it yet men receive it not It was the prediction of St. Paul 2 Tim. 3.1 Know this that in the last days perilous times shall come This is strange that there should be perilous times in the last days for St. Peter vers 16 17. of this Chapter expounds Joel 2.28 as a prophecy now fulfilled This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel It shall come to pass in the last days I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh c. He pours out the Spirit and who receives it Alas it runs beside It followeth that 2. Surely we are filled with somewhat else intus existens prohibet alienum for as one adequate and proper place cannot hold two bodies so neither can one soul hold two disagreeing and contrary spirits Have we not in us the spirit of the world that spirit whereby men walk according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 Something it is that keeps out the Spirit of Grace Are we not filled with the contrary Rom. 1.29 Are we not filled with unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness malitiousness full of envy murder debate deceit Are we not full of rapine and excess Luk. 11. Let us not deceive our selves Beloved Consider I beseech you of what spirit such men are they are given up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 Consider what St. Paul speaks to such a one Act. 13.10 O thou full of all subtilty and mischief thou enemy of all righteousness thou child of the Devil What is emptying but the purging of our Vessels our selves from sin and uncleanness as Prov. 25.4 from lewd and evil vessels 2 Tim. 2.21 Upon this condition we may be partakers of the Sacrament as the Priest said concerning Davids servants if the young men have kept themselves from women they may eat hallowed bread and if the old men have kept themselves from covetousness To which David answers The vessels of the young men are holy Abiathar makes no question of David there who was a Type of Christ and the righteousness of God 1 Sam. 21.4 5. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat Observ 1. There are degrees and measures of the Spirit Observ 2. See here our duty we owe whereunto we are baptized in the name of the holy Ghost even to be wholly taken up and wholly disposed and fitted for the use and service of God Observ 3. What the reason is why the holy Spirit fills not men as formerly we are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is altogether as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 133.1 2 3. Be of one mind live in peace and the God of peace shall be with you Reprehend us all when God sends his Word and Spirit to be a mould and frame wherein we should be cast as Gen. 6. When God had made the man after his image 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man turned all into a vain image Observ 4. Let us consider the great bounty of God reserved for these last times Is it not that we should be more obedient than they of ancient times To whom much is given of him much shall be required They began to speak with other tongues at the spirit gave them utterance What here are called other tongues elsewhere are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators are pleased to turn divers kinds of tongues 1 Cor. 12.10 and vers 28. diversities of tongues Howbeit what tongues are here called other tongues are to be understood new tongues as these words are used promiscuously Vide Essay in Esay 65.15 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to begin may be understood either 1. So as the action was never before done Or else 2. So as to signifie no more than the action it self Mar. 11.15 He began to cast out them that sold and bought which Matth. 21.12 is expressed only He cast out all them that sold and bought And what you read Luk. 12.1 He began to say beware of the leaven c. is no other than he said Take heed and beware of the leaven c. Matth. 16.6 The word here is properly and necessarily used and without any redundancy because it is the first time that
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is in regard of all his contrary thoughts and opinions and conceivings in regard of his high mind and great pride of his knowledge as the Apostle confesseth Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the Law once He thought he lived the life of God and that all had been well with him but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died The Church of Laodicea thought her self rich Rev. 3.17 O how seasonable is this admonition in regard of the present evil world for the world was never so wise in their own eyes We know that we have all knowledge 1 Cor. 8. yet indeed never were men more foolish the world was never more secure of their own salvation never more safe in their own opinion never more at rest in their own spirits when yet indeed they were never in more peril and jeopardy for when they say peace then suddain destruction comes upon them 1. This therefore justly reproves all those who flatter themselves into an imaginary happiness See Notes on Heb. 2.2 3. 2. Who believe not the Gospel of Salvation remission of sins and justification from all things through faith in Jesus Christ. This we read often blamed in the Jews ib. 3. Who neglect and despise the great Grace of God ibidem 4. Who despise and neglect the great Grace of God for a toy and trifle c. ibid. God works a work in our dayes So here I work a work in your dayes What work is that The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth sometimes a work sometimes the reward or wages for the work done Job 7.2 The work here understood is a work of judgement as appears Habbak 1. which is the reward of disobedience This work God works per se by himself or per alium by another 1. By himself withdrawing his presence from disobedient and unbelieving men and women and departing from them in everlasting displeasure as Hos 9.12 Wo also unto them when I depart from them 2. God works his work of judgement per alium by another for quod quisque per alium facit id ipse facit Now this other by whom God works is either the sinner himself as when he gives men over unto a reprobate mind and to their own hearts lusts as Psal 81.12 2. That other is Satan himself and wicked men his agents and instruments Now Satan renders them either absolute beasts and makes them wallow as brute beasts in the mire of voluptuousness and sensuality whose God is their belly Phil. 3. or renders them like himself in pride or envy for as God is love so the Devil is envy Acts 13. O thou enemy of all righteousness child of the Devil or else he makes them arrant earth-worms who mind earthly things Phil. 3. Observ 1. What we have according to the Greek Interpreters I work a work in your dayes Hierom reads Quia factum est in diebus vestris out of Symmachus Opus fiet in diebus vestris and the Hebrew Text will bear both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This variety of reading proves that of the Wise Man to be true Eccles 1.9 10. The thing that hath been it is that which shall be and 3.15 That which hath been is now and that which is to be hath already been and God requireth that which is past for so the different Translations import all the parts of time our Translation I work a work Hierom factum est Symmachus fiet Observ 2. This also implies that our God is not prone to works of wrath and judgement fiet and factum the which hath been done and shall be done without mention who doth it and therefore when he proceeds to judgement it 's called indeed his Act but his strange Act Isa 28.21 implying that he doth not afflict 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly or with his heart Lam. 3.33 Yet Observ 3. God is not all Mercy Nor doth he work only his work of Mercy among the Children of Men in that greatest display of his goodness Exod. Observ 4. The space and continuance of Mans life is described not by Ages or Years but only by Dayes c. See Notes on Heb. 1. Observ 5. Every man hath his share his part of these dayes Observ 6. Gods work of judgement goes on throughout all Ages and is present with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I work a work Observ 7. All punishment of unbelief and contempt of the Gospel is not wholly deferred until the life to come although then there be the accomplishment of endless misery to disobedient souls where the worm dieth not and the fire it not quenched But as the eternal life and happiness is begun and in good measure befalls believers and obedient ones within the compass of this life so the eternal death and misery in great measure and some fearful kinds of it are executed on men even in this life also Accordingly our Lord tells the Jews Joh. 8. Ye shall see me no more but die in your sins Thus ye read the Lord departing from his Temple Ezech. 8.10 and so he departs from the unbelieving and disobedient soul and leaves it in an hell upon earth O the distress that comes upon such a soul when a man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-tormenter and as God departs from him he sinks deeper into sin and the Devil gets farther hold of them and makes them his children as our Lord saith to the Jews Joh. 8. Ye are of your father the devil if such they be at the first how much more at the last when he makes them seven times more the children of hell than before and finisheth his work upon them and makes them up compleat vessels of wrath and eternal destruction 1. The reason is considerable from the demerit and sin of unbelieving and disobedient men as it is implyed in Psal 81.11 12. Rom. 1.28 2. The justice and constancy of God in his works of providence for whatsoever God doth is for ever 3. From the justice of God upon the unbelief and disobedience of men for as men believe not the commands of God and the great Grace of remission of sins and justification so it is just with God that they should not believe the punishment of their unbelief and disobedience Axiom 6. That work many will not believe although a man declare it unto them Reason From self-love and a strong inclination in the will unto sin for as men are strongly inclined to any iniquity so have they a strong perswasion that no evil will come upon it quae nolumus difficulter credimus Thus on the contrary belief proceeds from the will for when men are well perswaded and affected to the truth of the Gospel and what it requires of them they are apt to believe the promises of help and reward that are made thereunto Observ 1. Unbelief of men proceeds not from meer want of warning from God but from their own hardening themselves against it for although it be
the Pharisees which our Lord came to correct their Glosses were upon the Law which our Lord confutes Matth. 5.6 They thought that a man was then only guilty of murder when he actually shed blood But our Lord who knoweth the meaning of the spiritual Law he saith whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgement without a cause is not extant in the ancient Copies as a diligent searcher of Antiquities hath observed he that hateth his brother is a murderer 1 Joh. To commit adultery may be with a lustful eye and in the heart Yea the friendship of this world is adultery in Gods account Jam. 4.4 the like we may say of Idolatry c. of Swearing and taking Gods Name in vain Object But we seem hereby to attribute too much to the Law I answer if we shall consider the Law only as a carnal or weak Commandment we ascribe too much unto it but if we consider Christ himself assisting the weak man labouring under the Law and a minister of Circumcision as he is called in that respect the Law may be said to be strong and powerful yea so strong so powerful that what is spoken of the Law the very same is spoken of Christ Deut. 30.12 14. conferr'd with Rom. 10. When the Lord promiseth to make a New Covenant with his people He expresseth himself thus Jer. 31.33 I will put my Law in their hearts c. Hebr. 8. What is that Christ yes Christ himself is the very Covenant Isai 55.3 I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle explains to be meant of Christ Act. 13.34 yea the Prophet speaks expresly I will give thee for a Covenant to the people and for a light to the Gentiles Isa 42.6 So that I hope Christ and the Law are surely reconciled when they are both one and the same Consol The Law is Spiritual but I am Carnal I am weak The spirit indeed is willing that 's from the good spirit of God but the flesh is weak that 's from impotent and weak nature Yet despair not the time will come when thou shalt be strong because thou art flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bone that was the great mystery whereof St. Paul speaks Ephes 5. For as the Mother of all Living Eve was built out of the first Adam who was the image of the second the figure of him that was to come Rom. 5.14 so is the Church the heavenly Eve or mother of all those who live in the life of God built out of the highest Adam the man from heaven heavenly and made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and therefore as he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so is she called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name of strength power valour and courage So to be men or manly is to be strong and valourous Isa 46.8 1 Cor. 16.13 from hence the Apostle reasons to the encouragement of the weak spiritual Eve Ephes 5.29 30. No man yet ever hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as Christ the Church for saith he We are members of his body and of his flesh and of his bones out of weakness they became strong Thou hast a good will according to the spiritual Law and so Gods will is done in heaven pray that it may also be done in earth Exhort To be spiritually minded to observe the spiritual Law This duty rewards it self to be spiritually minded is life and peace and joy when the heart and the flesh rejoyce in the living God this is the true liberty where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Ambulabo in latitudine I will walk at liberty for I seek thy Commandments Psal 119. Till the Commandment appear good unto us and which is a proof of that goodness till the Law be commended unto us as spiritual and we spiritually minded with it we are held in straitness but when the good Commandment when the spiritual Law and the love of the spirit comes the heart soul and spirit is enlarged I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou hast enlarged my heart Psal 119.32 This was figured by those three Wells which Isaac digged Gen. 26.20 Esech Sitnah and Rehoboth Esech is contention Sitnah is hatred Rehoboth is room Ezech. 41.7 Ephes 2. an habitation of God in the spirit Flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God We say commonly flesh and blood cannot endure this or that and therefore we think we reason well and do well to be angry and impatient whereas indeed all those corporal and carnal accidents yea flesh and blood it self must not enter into the kingdom of God we must first be spiritualized by the spiritual Law and the body must be made a spiritual body 1 Cor. 15. We know that the Law is spiritual Here we must enquire 1. What it is to know 2. What kind of knowledge is here meant 3. Of whom the Apostle speaks this when he saith we know 2. Prove this 3. Shew the reason of it 1. I will enquire the first of the Philosopher he will tell us that Scire is per causam scire which with him is demonstration and he speaks trulier than he was aware of for to know a spiritual truth in Scripture-language is to understand it by demonstraâ—â—â—n of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 My speaking and my preaching was not with entising words of mans wâ—â—dom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power 2. And that 's the knowledge here meant lumen spirituale the spiritual light received from God which brings with it conviction and evidence whereby we know and are perswaded that the Law which seemed to us before to sound as it were only litteral and carnal is indeed mystical and spiritual 3. By which we understand that the same person cannot well be meant under We we know and I in the next words I am carnal so as the carnal and spiritual man are opposed one to other so are their conceivings and knowledges opposed one to other 1 Cor. 2.14 and 1 Cor. 3. I could not speak to you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal unless the Apostle in the next words be to be understood to speak by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a condescent when the person speaking doctrinae gratiâ takes upon himself the person of another or else speaks of himself as he had been sometime before he attained unto this spiritual understanding and if we so judge we need not make much dispute as some do whether Paul speak in his own person or no when he saith I am carnal 2. We of whom speaks the Apostle this Of the Apostles and Spiritual men that the Apostle and all spiritual men know this such were the true Priests of the Lord the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true Elders who were grown up to the true and
him Act. 9.23 24. their violent assaulting of him and stoning him Act. 14.19 their stirring up the people against him Act. 17.13 and again in the Temple at Jerusalem Act. 21.27 their binding themselves under a curse to kill him Act. 23.1 2 3. Yet how earnestly soever they sought his destruction he as earnestly desired to promote their salvation So that where the Spirit of God dwells and reigns men look not upon others as ill affected toward them but love them in the Lord and seek their temporal and eternal good with all earnestness Paul knew well what it was to be in Christ and preferred it before all things Phil. 3.8 9 10 11. yea he knew partly what it was to be in heaven 2 Cor. 2 3 4. yea he was not altogether ignorant what it was to be in hell 2 Cor. 5.11 So that this here was not a rash wish nor an ignorant one yet though he knew all this yet for the love of God and men he wisheth himself accursed from Christ Whence learn we that the eminent Saints of God love not to serve their God with that which costs them nothing or that which is of little price and esteem with them 2 Sam. 24.24 Hebr. 11.17.24 25 26 32 33. 1 Thess 2.8 Being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you not the Gospel of God only but also our own souls because ye were dear unto us None of Gods Commandments are impossible to him who hath an abundant measure of the Spirit of God that of loving our enemies praying for them recompensing them good for evil it is one of the hardest precepts Mat. 5.44 yet Stephen and Paul and many others attained unto it That of laying down our lives for the Brethren is an hard Commandment yet here Paul goes beyond it he layes down his eternal life and that not for his loving Brethren but for his profest and deadly enemies Exhort To imitate this heroical and generous love of our Apostle that every man put to his hand to the quenching of this fire which otherwise must burn to the consumption of the whole earth I say unto you love your enemies doest thou believe that this is the will of thy God Add to thy faith virtue O that we knew the value of a precious Soul This is the practice of true Patriots If he cannot do this in the world let him endeavour to do it in himself ye have too many boutefeus and incendiaries who blow the coals of this hellish and diabolical division O that I might be heard who plead for all your defence and preservation O that the fire of Love which our Lord came to kindle that holy Spirit were kindled in every one of our hearts that it might burn up all revenge and hatred and anger that so we might come to be imitators of God Ephes 5.1 Exhort 2. Unto this common brotherly national love consider the desolation of Germany and Ireland proximus Vcaligon yea of this Kingdom in two great parts of it already But how can I love my brethren with this national and common love are they not in open hostility Beloved I praise my God I hate no man living upon the face of the earth and I verily believe there is the like affection and disposition in many of you the Lord increase it Sure I am we have no warrant to hate any mans person But for answer to this doubt which I know troubles many surely our love and hatred must be carried to the objects of them in such order as God's love and hatred are carried unto their objects Now God's love is directed unto Righteousness Holiness and Truth which indeed are himself for the Righteous Lord loveth Righteousness 2. His Love is directed unto his Creature thus Job 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. for 1 Job 4.9 Herein was manifested the love of God towards us because God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him On the contrary God's hatred is directed unto all iniquity prophaneness ungodliness c. as most contrary and abhorring from his nature Zach. 8.16 2. The Lord also hates the misery of his Creature which consists most in separation from God and therefore the Lord hates divorce or putting away Malac. 2.16 Seeing therefore our God first and principally loves Righteousness and hateth all unrighteousness and iniquity and in the second degree loves his Creature and hates the misery of it Hence it follows that the Righteous God must needs hate even his Creature persevering contumaciously and rebelliously in iniquity Isai 27.11 It is a people that have no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them As he who should scoure a vessel as in Ezech. 24.13 Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee And thus must our love be proportioned and directed 1. Unto God then 2. to our Neighbour that so many may be made partakers of Gods Righteousness and Salvation 2. Our hatred must be guided against all sin c. And that 1. In our selves then 2. In our neighbours and never proceed to hate our neighbour no nor our enemy unless it do appear evidently unto us that they sin against Knowledge and Conscience and oppose themselves maliciously against God and his holy Spirit and it is an hard thing to know this and therefore a dangerous thing to hate the person of any man We have so manifest a precept that no Christian man can be ignorant of it Matth. 5.44 Love your enemies c. whereby our Lord shews that by anothers hatred of us his nature is not taken away nor ought our love to be alienated from him Mark how artificially he ariseth from affection to words from words to actions and what we our selves cannot by our affections words or actions do we must promote by our prayers This is a singular victory when the injury begins from our enemy that the benefit begin from our selves Bless them i. e. speak well unto them do not reproach or slander them or revile them so 1 Cor. 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being reviled we speak well again to those who revile us do good to them that hate you pray for them that despitefully use you calumniate you reproach you Thus did the Esseni or Hasidei the third and best part of the Jews who indeed were Christians in their prayers wherefore Remittite condonate omnibus qui vexant vos Remit and forgive all that vex ye Beloved I am not ignorant how cross how unwelcome this doctrine comes to some men it must needs do so since hell is broke loose and the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it lies in the Devil himself Mean time out of the bowels of love unto their Souls I beseech those who ever they are to consider in what
contain a double exhortation for so I read in an Ancient English Gloss 1. That by Gentiles are here understood the unfaithful that believe not in God 2. By the People the faithful and believers And St. Jerom St. Anselm Rabanus and others seem to have been of Opinion that the first part of the Verse is an Exhortation to the Gentiles the latter to the Jews but St. Austin Euthymius Aquinas and others are indifferent whom I rather incline unto for this Reason because it is very ordinary in the Psalms and other parts of Scripture conceived to be written in Metre that the latter part of a Verse is the Exegesis or explication of the former Examples are obvious Psal 114.1.8 When Israel came out of Aegypt and the house of Jacob from among strange people he turned the hard rock into water and the flint-stone into a well And of this nature I conceive the Text to be Yet it cannot be denied but that in it there is some variation not in the words only but also in the sence the latter part of the Verse being not only an explication but also a kind of Auxesis and adding somewhat to the former for howsoever Gentiles and People be all one and God to be praised by them one and the same yet in the degree of praising the latter makes some addition in the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praise in the latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 augments the praise of God And therefore in the Latin the first is Laudate the latter hath Magnificate Magnifie the Lord And St. Jerom in his Translation out of the Hebrew hath Collaudate praise the Lord together so I read the Text in an Ancient English Translation So that the Text will afford us these Two Divine Truths 1. That all Nations ought to praise the Lord. 2. That all Nations ought to magnifie him together In the first three things are to be enquired 1. Who the Lord is 2. What it is to praise him 3. Who these Gentiles are and how they may be said to praise the Lord 1. The Original word in Psal 117. whence St. Paul takes this Text is Jehovah which signifieth the Essence Nature and Being of God which the LXX turn ordinarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord a word of like Original in the Greek of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be though some Criticks think otherwise That word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here used which we turn Lord which in the New Testament most what signifieth Christ to whom all Dominion Lordship and Power is given and so some would have it to be understood here But because he and the father are one and he that seeth him seeth the father and the name here used rather signifieth the Divine Essence Nature and being of God than any of the persons we may rather understand by it the Deity with all the Attributes Virtues and Graces of God as Wisdom Power Goodness Patience Meekness Righteousness and Holiness but especially Mercy with the effects of it properly here meant vers 9. And who will deny but these are praise-worthy if he know the nature of praise and what praise is 2. That 's the second thing to be enquired Praise is defined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though Scaliger would have none of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he is in the right we may turn it A declaration or manifestation of the greatness of Virtue or rather a declaration of Virtue which I borrow of the Philosopher and that the rather because it serves to set forth that definition of praise which St. Peter affords us proper to this purpose 1 Pet. 2.9 The shewing forth that Virtues of God I am not ignorant that to praise to honour and to glorifie are distinguished one from other by the School-men but this definition out of the Apostle may comprehend them all and if we consult wiâ—h the word of God we shall find them all confounded and taken for the same this is testified by a Choire of Angels A multitude of the heavenly host praised God saying Glory to God in the highest Thus much the great voice imports Apoc. 19.1 Hallelujah then followeth an expression of that praise SALVATION and GLORY and HONOVR and POWER be ascribed to the Lord our God Luk. 2.13 14. But I need go no further than the words before the Text vers 9. That the Gentiles might glorifie God for his Mercy how was that It followeth for this cause I will praise thee among the Gentiles and sing unto thy Name Psal 50. ult He that offereth praise glorifieth me This shewing forth of the Divine Virtues is either real and indeed or vocal and in words 1. The real shewing forth the Virtues of God is the manifesting of that which is Gods in them and this is the work as well of the meer natural and brutish Creature as of Man for so the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shews his handy-work the Sun the Moon the Stars That the Sea whose swelling waves reach up to heaven and threaten to regain their old place and cover the earth should be stopped with a little sand Yea that Creatures that seem most contemptible if duly considered in the nature vertues and regular operations and actions of them cannot but procure our admiration One instance of a thousand That a sensitive soul that life and senses and the motive faculty and the exercise of all these should be shut up in a body so little as we can hardly discern with our eye it commends the skill of the Maker like Homers Iliads in a nutshel These and every one of these Creatures in their several kinds shew forth the virtues of God both as the goodness of their Creator is relucent in them and as they are the object and matter of praise to Men and Angels pro voce aspectu utuntur saith Euthymius instead of speaking the praises of God they propound themselves to be spoken of by them that can Thus also the Saints and holy ones of God really praise God when they shew forth the virtues of God his patience his meekness his gentleness his long-suffering his humility c. in an holy life and in all manner of Godly Conversation for as ungodly men deny God in their works saith the Apostle Tit. 1.16 how plausibly soever they confess him in their words so godly men really confess and praise God in their works though they speak not much of him with their mouth and as that is the greatest denyal of God so is this the greatest praise for herein is my Father honoured saith our Saviour when ye bring forth much fruit Such are compared to sheep who tell not what they eat but bear wooll and give milk and say nothing This this is to praise God though we prate little of him and in this sence saith the Prophet David Psal 65.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Hierom in his Translation out of the Hebrews turns Tibi
the more free to commit sin like the whore in the Proverbs 7.14 Hodie reddidi vota mea therefore I am come forth to meet thee come let us take our fill of love vers 18. The Sacrament even the Holy Sacrament it self will prove to us as an old thing and little worth as it did to Judas who received it and the Devil with it Even the Holy Table it self if we rest in opere operato as they speak barbarously even the Holy Table it self will be made a snare to us and that which should have been for our welfare will prove to us an occasion of falling Seeing therefore Beloved that all outward Ceremonial Services if rested in Are 1. Old things and of little or no value 2. Seeing they are transitory 3. Seeing they unprofitable yea unlawful if rested in 4. Seeing they cannot adequately signifie the things which they were intended to represent 5. Seeing they hinder the very end for which they were intended Yea 6. Seeing our best outward actions our best forms of Godliness prove no better if rested on if any deny the power of it Seeing all these old things must be dissolved and pass away what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for and hastening unto the coming of God And according to his Promise looking for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness Wherefore Beloved since we look for such things let us be diligent that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Seeing all outward Services are old things and must pass away Let us lay hold on the Kingdom that cannot be shaken Hebr. 12.26 27. and not build upon sandy foundations but on the Rock Christ lay hold on hope have and hold fast Grace and lay hold on eternal life unto which he bring us who hath dearly bought us c. More NOTES on II CORINTH V. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old things are past away behold all things are become new MOral old things are past away What is here meant in general by old things I dispatch'd before when I shewed that two kinds of old things must pass away 1. Ceremonial old things 2. Moral The Ceremonial old things I then spake of and shewed Reasons why they ought to pass away from us It Remains that I now speak of the second kind of old things which I call Moral and they are no other than our old sins Vetera sunt veteris hominis vitia saith Anselm Old things are the vices and sins of the old man The old corrupt understanding the old perverse will the old inordinate affections the old sinful life and conversation which because they spread themselves over the whole Man and are of equal extent with him and no other than the Old Adam the Scripture calls them the Old Man And therefore with some resemblance to a man we may consider these old things 1. Sin hath a body Rom. 6.6 if we anatomize that body you shall find 2. Parts of the body the earthly members Col. 3.5 fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry 3. It hath a reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 4. It hath a Spirit the Spirit of Errour 1 Joh. 4.6 5. The old man hath works Col. 3.9 Ye have put off the old man with his deeds And these works are either 1. Inward as spiritual wickedness in heavenly things Ephes 6.12 And from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts adulteries fornications murders thefts covetousness wickedness deceit lasciviousness an evil eye blasphemy pride foolishness All these evil things come from within and defile the man Mar. 7.21 2. The old man hath other works which are outward The works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revilings and such like Gal. 5.19 20 21. These are the old mans parts and his works But is he naked yes naked to his shame and therefore he gets fig-leaves to cover his nakedness what other cloaths he hath is a garment spotted with the flesh Jude v. 23. yea the old man himself is a garment Eph. 4.22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man So that though we name no more here are old things enough to pass away the Lord be merciful unto us and grant they may all pass away from us But what 's meant by their passing away I told you before that by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the LXX render such words in the Hebrew as signifie a change of things 1. Now whereas there are many kinds of changes this is the ultimate and final change the last change of all 1. Destruction That the body of sin may be destroyed Rom. 6.6 2. Crucifixion They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 3. Mortification and killing Mortifie your members that are upon the earth Col. 3.5 If you by the spirit shall mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Rom. 8.13 And this is the change understood here by the passing away of old things a blessed change the Lord vouchsafe it unto us all 2. The word notes the change or passing away of a kingdom whereas therefore sin had usurped a tyranny over us and reigned unto death Rom. 5.21 When sin is deposed from the dominion and power that it reign no more in our mortal body that we should obey it in the lusts thereof When the kingdom of sin is abolished and destroyed out of the Soul and Gods kingdom come that 's the passing away of sins kingdom O blessed change when sin 's dethroned and deposed and Gods kingdom come 3. The word notes the changing the Law of the kingdom Whereas therefore the Law of God is destroyed O Lord it is time for thee to lay to thine hand for they have destroyed thy Law saith the Psalmist and when iniquity so far prevails with men that they imagine mischief as a Law then the Law of sin is in force and bears sway in our members but that Law is annulled abrogated and passeth away when the law of the spirit of life hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 O blessed change when the thraldom and servitude under the Law of the members passeth away and is exchanged for the law of the spirit of life the law of liberty the glorious liberty of the sons of God The Reasons why these Moral old things must pass away are considerable 1. In regard of the old things themselves 2. In regard of the new Creature 3. In regard of God the ancient of dayes 1. As for the Moral things themselves they are of a passing and a transitory nature 1 Joh. 2.17 The world passeth away if the world passeth away then all those things which are in the world must pass away with it they are the
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
And vers 12. of that Chapter the armour of light he there calls the Lord Jesus Christ the armour of righteousness 2 Cor. 6.7 All the several parts of the Armour are appliable unto Christ The shield of faith the helmet of salvation the sword of the Spirit the word of God he is called the armour of God It is an Hebraism as I shall shew anon It is called also the armour of God because God alone giveth it He is Gods polished shaft Esay 49.2 God alone arms us with it I will rejoyce in the Lord because he hath cloathed me with garments of salvation or as others turn it induit mihi vestimentum Jesum 3. Put on the armour The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the LXX sometime use for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to lay fast hold upon and to fasten unto something 2 Chron. 9.18 The steps were fastened to the throne So we must fasten the armour of God unto us 2. Sometime by this word they turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to gird ones self to gird on Armour or others as David is said to be girded with a linnen Ephod 2 Sam. 6.14 which is the Garment the Priest wore upon his shoulder even so we must put on the patience of Jesus Christ it 's armour for the shoulder or the obedience of Charity So Rupertus understands it But by this word the LXX most frequently turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to put on cloaths or armour and Christ is both unto us Put on the new man put on the armour of light Why must we put on the whole Armour of God 1. There is a double necessity praecepti God commands it in the Text vers 13. and medii 2. To defend our selves and repel the enemy 3. In regard of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is fitted with the whole man Observ 1. Behold our condition by corrupt nature we are all of us as unarmed men exposed to the violence and merciless cruelty of the enemy Satan disarmed us and made us naked to our shame See Ezech. 16. where he is compared to an exposed infant The Devil saith the Apostle takes them captive at his will Observ 2. There is no security we can promise to our selves out of our armour of light Observ 3. They are not to blame who stand upon their guard and arm themselves with Gods armour when there are such enemies abroad as endeavour to ensnare them In that memorable war between Saul and David his Son-in-Law and afterward between David and his son Absolom And David in the Land of the Philistins with Achish The God of Nature who hath taught the Partridge and many other Fowls as also the Hare and many other wild Creatures to preserve themselves He is the God of all of grace and would not have the best the first Fruits of his Creatures his Saints to be fools to put themselves in the mouth of danger when the Lord hath given them ar-armour for defence 1. This reproves those who are unarmed in this day of the Lords wrath as it is called vers 13. the evil day when the Lord marcheth in the head of his Army Joel 2.11 This is the time whereof the Lord hath given us now for many ages ago solemn warning and advised us to prepare and arm our selves for it See Notes on Luk. 12.45 praemoniti praemuniti forewarned forearmed We are wont to say in respect of less evils in regard of this not so But it is much to be feared that this day of vengeance comes upon many of us unawares according to our Saviours prediction Luk. 21.35 That as a snare it should come on all them that dwell upon the face of the whole earth Repreh 2. Those who put on other weapons to withstand the Devils wiles such as are not able to answer the arguments of Hereticks Repreh 3. Those who put on some part of the armour of God only not the whole armour of God as if we should put on Christ only as to justifie us not to sanctifie us What else mean our usual expressions that in Christ we are throughly justified Here we put on the whole armour of God but sanctified in part whereas the Apostles exhortation is That we be sanctified throughout 1 Thess 5.23 and perfect holiness in the the fear of God as if we should be saved by Justification and condemned for want of Sanctification Without holiness no man shall see God He hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation all the parts of the armour and covered me with the robe of righteousness the whole coat armour Esay 61.10 We would know the use of all our arms we know but in part I believe no Soldier if he can help it will be so careless of his body as to leave it unarmed in any part of it but will put on his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will be covered a capite ad calcem At pretium pars haec corpore majus habet Achilles was made invulnerable except only in his heel He that drew the bow at adventure smote the king of Israel between the joynts of the harness 1 King 22.34 And may not the case be thine or mine We strengthen our Faith and Hope c. but with-hold prayer from the Almighty Let them consider this who neglect Prayer that girds on the harness Ephes 6. Job's friend Eliphaz conceived that that was the reason why Satan wounded Job 15.4 Thou restrainest prayer from the Almighty Consol Do what we can do he will bruise our heel So they dealt with our Lord Psal 22.17 pierced his hands and feet and with us Gen. 3. or our foot-steeps Psal 76.7 They gather themselves together they observe my steps because they earnestly expect my soul Psal 49.6 When the iniquity of my heels compass me Psal 89.52 They slander the footsteeps of Christ the anointed They slander the life and actions which are the steps of Gods Saints whereby they follow Christs footsteps in his death and life 1 Pet. 2.21 Rom. 8.17 When my foot slipt they rejoyced greatly A slip a stumble in a Saint of God is more reproached than the wilful falls and wallowings in the mire of ungodly men Observ 1. It is not all the armour of men that can enable us to stand against the wiles of the Devil Sauls armour could not profit David But we must use the means But dost thou not trust more to the means more to the instrument than thou dost to the principal cause The Means are either indirect or direct 1. We must first put off before we can put on when two suits are fitted unto one body the one must be put off before the other can be put on 2. We must use the aid and help of our fellow Soldiers Psal 47.9 The volunteers of the people are gathered together the people of the God of Abraham for the shields of the earth are the faithful ones 3. Pray for the power of the stronger one
their Children cry than give them knives to hurt themselves withall 'T is true indeed that Paul saith All things are yours yet what wise man will give his raving friend a sword though his own or a cup of cold water or hot wine to his friend sick of a fever yet would not doubt to spend all he had to do him good Beloved there is no Mother so tender of her Babe or David of his Jonathan as God is of his Friends and Children To put a sword into a childs or a mad mans hand or glut an aguish man with cold water or hot wine God knows it is not half so dangerous or but the worst half the destruction of their bodies as to give wealth and honours to his poor He hath given a life and his own life too the bread of life the life is more than meat and would he not then give thee what food thou thoughtest convenient for thee if 't were convenient for thee he hath given thee a body and his own body and cloath'd thee with his own Righteousness the body is more than rayment and would he not give thee raiment thou thy self thought fit for thee if 't were fit for thee He hath given thee his blood and would he deny thee water He hath given thee himself a greater gift he could not give thee and would he deny thee a less if 't were a gift fit for thee No no beloved 't is for Gods poors sake that God seems thus cruel unto his poor for as he knows their wants so also their infirmities and with that eye wherewith he searcheth hearts discovers in his poor many foolish and hurtful lusts yet frozen and yet asleep in the heart so still so quiet as if they were not there which prosperity alone can waken and set aflote and therefore in such a case God is far more merciful in detaining them than he should be in giving them This is the summ and ground of his suspicion And thus our poor mans appetite hath been dull'd directly both from a certain knowledge of the things themselves that in themselves they are deficient and evil and from a strong suspicion that they are inconvenient and evil unto himself and therefore not to be desired of him The same desire is also blunted indirectly so as when an edged tool hit against some harder matter and finding no entrance there turns the edge upward or as the rayes of the Sun darted on the earth having no passage further are reflected heaven-ward even so the heaven-born Christian appetite recoils and turns the back on things below when 't is wholly set on edge for things above Thus David's appetite once heaven-touch'd but toucheth at the earth and up again it goes to heaven Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon the earth that I desire in comparison of thee Psal 73.24 And therefore our Apostle exhorts the Colossians to set their affections upon things above and not on things upon the earth for he that doth the one cannot do the other he will hate the one and love the other he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon And the Reason is because the appetite as well as other faculties of the Soul being seriously employed about some one object cannot at once extend it self unto another But as a river whose stream is turned another way leaves the channel empty whence it came Or as in the beginning when the Spirit of God had moved upon the waters the waters were gathered unto their ocean and the dry land appeared Even so our poor mans sanctified appetite mov'd by the same Spirit of God reaching it self forth and running with full stream unto the Ocean of all goodness passeth over these earthly things and leaves them dry unknown and unsaluted Or like the poets Arethusa glides through the sea of this world without a salt desire And thus our poor mans desire is indirectly blunted so ye have the first way whereby Christ inwardly enables a poor disgrac'd Christian Man well to behave himself in his adversity by blunting his desire of what e're good seems absent The second general way is by procuring a delight and pleasing himself in the use of what is present whether it be naked poverty or Christian poverty 1. As it is naked poverty so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a poor man knows how to take pleasure in it by the light of Nature or the common illumination of the Spirit of God 2. As it is Christian proverty so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor Christian man's instructed how to take pleasure in it by a supernatural light of Grace A man would hardly believe there were any thing in naked poverty wherein a poor man could take delight had not a cloud of meer natural witnesses many ages past and those of the wisest too confirmed this Paradox not by a sullen opinion of fond affectation that they might seem to differ from other men or necessity as if they could not help it but by their own unfeigned voluntary poverty Many Reasons they had which as others relate so Aristophanes heaps up in his Plutus in the person of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the summ of all this that this condition of all others tends to the good and furtherance of a contemplative and active life and the security of both Examples are obvious of Zeno and Anaxagoras losing their goods with joy or at least with patience of Bias not thinking his goods his own or if so not worth the carriage though from an enemy of Xenocrates refusing summs of money sent him from Alexander the Great of Crates casting his goods into the Sea nay the Cynick could never quietly possess that little houshold-stuff he had but a silly wooden dish when once he had seen a poorer man than himself drink water out of his hand I know not what he would have done had he seen Gideons Soldiers kneeling down and lapping water like dogs out of the river This last shall give one Reason for the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poverty is a compendious self-sufficient self-teaching virtue But these were all contemplative men plodding Philosophers unexperienced in the world 'T is true but Lycurgus and Plato to whom I may add the Author of Eutopia were all able if not active States-men The two last wish'd for a common-wealth as good as they had fashioned The first fashioned a Common-wealth as good as he could wish But all their Laws and constitutions abominated wealth as dangerous to their Cities insomuch that it was not lawful for any of their Citizens to be rich Howsoever this may seem strange and unreasonable because of the far differing estate of other Common-wealths yet the Common-wealth of Sparta by observing these Laws of their Lycurgus flourish'd six hundred years and after fell to ruine by their own neglect If then by the dimm light of Nature the common ray of Gods holy Spirit the poor man
that Prophet of Samaria would be buried in that Prophets grave who came from Judah that we may obtain the resurrection with him as the man cast into Elisha's grave Observ 1. In what esteem all our sins are all our lusts and pleasures are with God and ought to be with us They are dead things dead works fit to be buried even like a loathsome stinking carcase abhorred by its own friends Such all our dead works all our lusts of the flesh our lusts of the eyes and our pride of life Joh. 2.16 How pleasing soever they have been unto us yet when they are dead unto us and we unto them we desire they should be removed out of our sight however lovely they were they become now loathsome unto us However Sarah was precious in Abrahams eyes while she lived yet being dead he desired to bury her out of his sight Gen. 21. And such is our most reigning and ruling lust Sarah signifieth a mistress Yet dead we desire to bury it out of our own sight Ezek. 24.16 Observ 2. This is the best way of handling Christ's burial not abstractly and according to the History For what can be added unto that which we read in the Gospel The Apostles handle all the actions and passions or sufferings of Christ not nakedly and in themselves but with our conformity thereunto And therefore to spin out long discourses of Christ's birth life suffering crucifixion death or burial c. 'T is no more than some child of eight years old might do How much better the Apostle He speaks not only of Christ born but also of Christ formed in us not only of Christ living but also Christ who is our life not only of Christ suffering but our suffering with him not only of Christ crucified but our old man being crucified with him not only of Christ dead but us dead with him not only Christ buried but we must be buried with him For what benefit is it unto us that Christ should be born live suffer be crucified dead or buried unless we also be conformable unto his birth life suffering crucifixion death and burial 3. Our Lord was buried and we must be buried with him He was buried in anothers Sepulchre He had not of his own where to lay his head while he lived nor when he dyed where to lay his corps The condition just of his great Grandfather Abraham who wandred up and down in the Land from one place to another and was a stranger in all nor had he where to bury his dead Such strangers and pilgrims in this world ought the sons of Abraham and the followers of Christ to be though the whole world be theirs all things are yours and Abraham the heir of the world Rom. yet he used it as if he had no possession in it This is the condition of the poor in spirit dead and buried and without any thought heart or memory of worldly delights riches and honours the poor whom Christ hath blessed Matth. 5. The poor in this world whom God hath chosen Jam. 2.5 Such as whether God give or take the world from them they can with Job bless his name though they have all the world at will and have all things yet possess nothing 1 Cor. 6. though they may seem to live in a Paradise of delight yet are they dead unto them and buried as Christ was in a Garden Repreh 1. Those who will rise with Christ and ascend with Christ before they be dead and buried with him Those who will have the greatest things of Christ before they do the least duty of Christianity like that adulterous generation who desired a sign from heaven But our Lord would afford them no other sign but the sign of the Prophet Jonah And why that They would have a sign from heaven before they had done their duty upon earth They 'l be as Gods before they have lived like good men Our Lord therefore puts them downward first unto earthly things inferiour duties and if they believe not them how can they believe the heavenly Joh. 3.12 For hardly do we guess aright at things upon the earth and with labour do ye find the things that are before us but the things that are in heaven who have searched out Sap. 9.16 Our Apostle therefore tacitly instructs us in the order of our duty by propounding the example of Christ Ephes 4.9 That he ascended what is it but that he first descended into the lower parts of the earth Repreh 2. The out-side Ceremonial holiness without the mind the body of true holiness Of this Col. 2.16 17 21 22. If ye be dead and so buried with Christ from the rudiments of the world Why as living in the world are ye subject unto ordinances touch not c. All forms of godliness without the power they are like bodies without souls they walk like ghosts This reproof may fit us well enough for all empty forms are not buried though the Popish be They have been accounted appearances of evil surely the best of them are no better if no more than out-sides But what are we the better if we bury the appearance of evil and retain the kinds of evil O how careful some have been lest they should have any thing to do with them as they abstain from them as from a dead carcase Why because we must abstain from all appearance of evil I blame not their zeal truly but commend it but if we touch or have to do with the kinds of evil what though we abstain from the appearance of it So the word properly signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from every kind of evil 1 Thess 5.22 Repreh 3. The open shameless and abominable sins of this Land it was called of old for it's Piety and Sanctity Regnum Angelorum The Kingdom of Angels yea Regnum Dei Gods Kingdom in Edward the Confessors days what their notable Piety was I say not I doubt not but I may call much of it superstition But may we not call this Kingdom now as they are bold to call it abroad Regnum Diabolorum Such and so debauch'd and profligate are the lives of many Their tongues and doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory The shew of their countenance doth witness against them and they declare their sin like Sodom Esay 3.9 They hide it not they bury it not open profaness and bold-faced sin Ezeck 24.78 Their throat is an open Sepulchre The Sepulchre is wont to cover the noysome dead carcase as our Lord said of the Scribes and Pharisees that they were painted sepulchres which appeared beautiful outward c. But such is the profaness of the age that the graves are left uncovered Their throat is an open sepulchre belching out oaths an blasphemies The body of sin lies unburied as 2 King 9.27 it was said of Jezebel that her carcase should be as dung upon the face of the earth and fitly so which name signifieth insula sterquelinii
things that are above Where then are these high things to be sought Where else but where they were lost If one should lose a piece of money in the house should he go and seek it in the street or in the fields Surely the good Woman knew she had lost her groat in the house and therefore she swept her house and sought diligently there till she found it Yea although a man should seek a piece of money lost and find such an one elsewhere yet it 's none of his but some others The high things are better than silver and gold saith the Wise Man and if thou seek them as silver and as fine gold and find them either in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath or in the Scriptures or in this or that Congregation in this or that Man yet if thou find them not in thy self in thine own heart in thine own Soul and Spirit there they were lost that 's certain if thou find them not there they are none of thine and what benefit is it unto thee to find them any where else if thou find them not in thine own house in thine own self therefore the Apostle directs thee 2 Cor. 13 5. Examine your selves prove your own selves know ye not your own selves that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be Reprobates they were lost in a proud heart and are to be found in an humble Blame not the Minister though thou understand him not he may use great plainness of speech yet mayest not thou understand him the fault is in thy self he speaks as he ought of spiritual things but thou art carnal Set not thine affections upon the things that are below upon the earth pray unto the Lord that thou mayest be spiritually minded and heavenly minded that thou mayest die unto Sin arise and live unto Righteousness and so thou shalt seek and find the things above Repreh 1. Those who imagine themselves risen with Christ if they can declaim against others who are not risen c. See Notes in Coloss 2.12 Repreh 2. Those who being fallen arise not Though I well know that all men are not of the same judgement concerning Festivals yet all rather incline to those which are observed in memory of our Saviour such as this is of his Resurrection yea although some there may be who condemn all Feasts as superstitious yet though that were so yet may we make a good use of them Our Saviour resorted to the Temple and taught there in the Feast of Dedication Joh. 10 22-20 a Feast which may be doubted whether lawfully Ordained or no. And whereas the people of Philippi were as yet ignorant of the true God and his Worship met together in a Proseucha or Prayer-house Act. 16. The Apostle layes hold of that opportunity and preacheth the Word unto them yea Act. 17. being at Athens and seeing the City wholly given to Idolatry he was present at their Devotions vers 23. and thence takes occasion to preach unto them Ecclus. 33.8 10. It is wont to be objected against Holy dayes and Festivals in memory of our Saviours Actions and Passions that as the day passeth so the Duty with it and is neglected all the year after whereas indeed although the day pass as our time doth too speedily yet the Duty should continue The best way to confute this Objection is by our life and practice that though by certain Solemn dayes appointed we keep in memory the actions of our Lord and Saviour yet the Duty of those dayes we observe continually Thus every day is a Christmass-day to him in whom Christ is born Every day is a Whitsunday to him who hath the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit Every day a Passion a death to him who suffers with Christ Every day a Resurrection-day to him who riseth with Christ And therefore having in the first point of this Text propounded our Saviours pattern in his Resurrection I come now in the second to our imitation of it the Colossians rising with Christ If we enlarge our thoughts to comprehend the Antitype or thing signified by all these what is it but the Wisdom Power Goodness Mercy and Life of God the Divine Nature it self as it were in the dead heart of Man as dead in the world now to be raised again into Life in us as will appear in the second point NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON COLOSSIANS III. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering THe Holy Apostle having taken away the filthy garments of the Old Man from the Colossians in vers 5 9. from thence to the 14th vers he opens the glorious Wardrobe of the New Man which first he shews us intire and whole vers 10. the several parts of it in this Text and so forward And as Ephes 6. he first exhorts them and us in them to arm our selves with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole armour of God and then the several parts of it So here he first exhorts the Colossians and us vers 10 11. for the Ancients understood those words hortatively to put on Christ the whole garment and then in this Text to put on the several parts of it as mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering What then is the garment of Christs Righteousness divided Surely in it self it is not divided unto those who have thoroughly put on Christ and therefore vers 11. There is neither Greek nor Jew Circumcision nor uncircumcision but Christ is all and in all things But we are divided who have not yet wholly put it on as Jacob when he saw Josephs particoloured Coat besmeared with the Goats blood said an evil beast hath devoured him Joseph is torn in pieces Gen. 37.33 Even so since we have defiled the holiness of our God and stained the garment of Christs Righteousness with our blood that is our sin Ezech. 16. which is the Goats blood Mat. 25. we may rightly judge that Josephs body is torn in pieces the body of Christ the Church is divided Since therefore the evil beast hath torn us in pieces the garment of Christs Righteousness was in a sort through Gods gracious condescent to be cut out and fitted to us and severally to be put on by us as the Prophet Ahijah when the Kingdom of Israel was to be divided he rent his new garment and gave ten pieces of it unto Jeroboam according to the number of the Ten Tribes divided and rent from Judah 1 King 11.30 Even so the Apostles of Christ because we are rent asunder in Schisms and Factions they distribute as it were piece-meal the new garment of Christs Righteousness unto us Some parts of it are contained in this Text as mercy kindness c. I intend to speak only of the first so the words are an Exhortation Put on the bowels of mercy and the reason of it as the Elect of God holy and
No whatsoever he made upon perusal of his works both in particular and in the general he pronounced that they were good and exceeding good if therefore we find a world wherein there is nothing but evil that 's the Devils world and whatsoever is in that world the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world 1 Joh. 2.16 Now hath God made many worlds and doest thou chuse rather to live in the Devils world Hath God made thee a Man and not a Beast one of the three things which one of the wisest Philosophers gave God thanks for yet doest thou chuse rather to live like a beast yea worse than a beast they do but according to their kind than like a man as God hath made thee Ingrateful man nay beast hath God given thee a reasonable Soul an immortal Soul yet wilt thou so abase thy self to live worse than the unreasonable beast worse than the beasts that perish Wherefore Holy Brethren as the Apostle speaks Hebr. 3.1 partakers of the Heavenly Calling consider I beseech ye hath God called us with an holy calling to obtain his world and to be followers of God as his dear children Eph. 5.1 and to be like the Angels Luke 22.30 And shall we rather obey Satans unholy calling be like him and inherit his world prepared for the Devil and his Angels Consider I beseech ye the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Christ Jesus he hath given himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God according to the will of God and our Father And shall we still contrary to our Profession continue in our sins and continue vassals and slaves unto this present evil world to the snares of the Devil and yield our selves to be taken captive by him at his will Hath God given unto us his spirit of truth to lead us into all truth and we shall we suffer our selves to be seduced and misled by the Spirit of error by the Spirit of the world by the Spirit of Devils as they are called Apoc. 16.15 Is the Son of God made manifest for this end that he might destroy the works of the Devil and shall we choose rather to live in this present evil world Shall we be so foolish as to continue in Satans evil world which passeth away and so perish with it rather than aspire unto Gods world by doing his will and so abide for ever 1 John 2.17 Let us rather hearken to S. Peters exhortation 2 Pet. 3.11 and 13. The earth and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness Since according to his promise we look for new Heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Observ 6. A ground of Gods Sovereignty over all the world Esay 45.12 A ground of that right which God hath to prescribe a religion to mankind Nehem. 9.6 7. Psalm 86.9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee and shall glorifie thy name Acts 14.15 Esay 17.7 Psalm 95.6 The reason is he hath made us men reason so in regard of their creatures they expect all reverence and respect from their creatures from those they have made How much more may our Apostle Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and to him are all things to him be Glory for ever Chapter 12.1 2. Observ 7. A ground of humility towards God Thou hast made me as the clay Job I am but dust and ashes saith Abraham towards men and all the creatures and Brethren and Sisters fellow Creatures To the worm thou art my Mother and my Sister Job 17.14 Hath not one God made us all Malach. 2.10 God made the worlds by his Son The truth of this we have in express terms Eph. 3.9 which yet more fully will appear if we distinguish the Divine nature of Christ from the Humane as ignorant men wedded to a sensible Christ and hood-winked with the veil of his flesh cannot easily do According to his Divine nature he is said to be the Beginning the Word the Power the Wisdom of God and according to all these God is said in Scripture to have made the worlds 1. He is the beginning thus that place otherwise in the Greek obscure may be understood John 8.25 They say unto him who art thou Jesus said unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn not well Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning The Original will not bear it the vulgar Latine better principium quod loquor vobis Thus we may also understand S. John 1 John 2.24 Let that abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning ie from Christ And if that which ye have heard from the beginning remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father What that is we read 1 John 3.11 This is the message that ye heard from the beginning i. e. from Christ that ye should love one another This message we hear from Christ John 13. Thus he calls himself Apoc. 1.8 and 21.6 and 22.13 Thus the Apostle calls him Col. 1. Where having said Verse 16. That by him were all things created c. Verse 18. he adds He is the head of the Body the Church who is the Beginning The Syriack useth one word for both Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The head of the body the Church which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning the very same word and to the same sence as Moses speaks Gen. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth Hence it is that the Gloss interprets In the beginning in Filio in the Son by whom the Father is said to have made all things howbeit by others both Jews and Christians In the beginning is rendred 2. In Wisdom so the Chaldee Paraphrast and there is express Scripture for it Psalm 104.24 In wisdom hast thou made them all And his Son Solomon The Lord by wisdom founded the earth Prov 3.19 Thus also Christ speaks of himself Prov. 8.27 30. 3. Christ is the Word so S. John calls him and so the Chaldee Paraphrast very often And by this Word God made the worlds Psalm 33.6 John 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made and Verse 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him Our Apostle comes home to it Hebr. 11.3 By faith we believe that the worlds were made by the word of God This word was with power And 4. That power is Christ himself 1 Cor. 1.24 We preach Christ the power of God and the time of Christ is called the day of his power Psalm 110.2 Now by this power God created the worlds
all things with the word of his power Whence observe what a God we Christians worship one who uses his Almighty Power for the upholding conservation and preservation of his creatures The wise man describes this nature of God Wisd 11.21 23. Thou wilt shew thy great strength at all times when thou wilt who may withstand the power of thine arm For the whole world before thee is a little grain of the balance yea as a drop of the morning Dew that falls down upon the earth for thou hast mercy upon all for thou canst do all things Here from the ability and strength and power of our God the wise man demonstrates the mercy of God Thou hast mercy upon all but thou art omnipotent and canst do all things as our Apostle here hath a powerful word he is strong he is omnipotent and by that power he bears all things So we pray unto him God whose Almighty power is seen in shewing mercy and pity The Psalmist uses promiscuously the power and the mercy of God Psalm 59.16 17. I will sing of thy power yea I will sing aloud of thy mercy Vnto thee O my strength will I sing for God is my defence the God of my mercy His power and strength is seen in his works of mercy supporting upholding and preserving his creatures Observ 2. Here the patience and long-suffering of Christ omnipotent yet omni-patient He is able to do all things yet bears and suffers all things A notable example of this ye have Matth. 12.14 which place is wont otherwise to be understood than indeed it ought Qui respicit ad pauca de facili pronuntiat they look only at those words A bruised reed he will not break c. Whence they understand that God is Gracious and merciful unto a contrite and a broken spirit which howsoever it be true and many other Scriptures prove yet it is not a true exposition of that place For there by the bruised reed and smoaking flax are not to be understood the contrite or broken spirits of humble men but the weakness and impotency of Christs adversaries with whom yet he dealt so mercifully that though they were as weak as a bruised reed yet he would break them no more though they were like the wick or snuff of a Lamp half out yet he would no further quench them and therefore Esay 43.17 where the Prophet describes the final destruction of Christs incorrigible enemies The chariot and the horse saith he shall lie down together they shall not rise they are extinct they are quenched as tow See then the patience of our most powerful Saviour when the Pharisees held a Counsel against him how they might destroy him he withdrew himself from thence even that he might spare his persecutors as it is reported of Aristotle that when the Athenians sought to kill him he left Athens lest he might give the Athenians occasion of committing another wickedness after they had put Socrates to death And therefore he contends not nor lifts up his voice in the streets he breaks not his adversaries though broken to his hand weak like a broken reed he quenches not his fiery anger though half extinct already and like a smoaky snuff So great is the patience and long-suffering of him who hath power to do all things Observ 3. What great difference there is between the Soveraign power in the hand of Christ and in the hand of wicked men By how much God is the greater and hath greater strength by so much he is the more merciful in supporting and bearing his creatures So Abraham reasons Gen. 18. Shall not the Judge of all the world do right There Abraham argues according to Gods nature the more power he has the more he uses it for the preservation of his creatures but among men 't is quite contrary and we might as undeniably question had a man such universal power and jurisdiction shall not the Judge of all the world do wrong truly Beloved the examples of most men who have had power in their hands evidences this truth The Prophet Micah 2.1 speaks of such Wo unto them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practise it why because it is in the power of their hands They do it therefore they will therefore the Philosopher advises us to take heed of those who have power in their hands and his reason is men saith he are unjust when they are able to be so Thus many complain of the injustice oppression and tyranny of those who have power in their hand till they get power and then they commonly use it to the oppression of others a man may observe this perverseness even in the most petty power and authority among men for how commonly do men use it but to the suppressing of their enemies and raising and favouring of their Friends But I shall speak to this more properly in the handling of these words as they are translated He governs and rules all things by his powerful word This is a ground of reproof of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of blood whose power is seen in acting cruelty How contrary are those unto him whom they yet call their Lord and Saviour He is Maximus and Potentissimus and yet Optimus these men they are minimi and impotentes and yet pessimi Prov. 4.16 They sleep not unless they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps the Lord himself is our keeper he upholds all such as fall and lifteth up all those that be down Psalm 121.4.5 This is a ground of singular consolation unto broken Spirits who labour under the burden of infirmities weaknesses sins Abraham the Father of the faithful in his weaknesses rested on this prop or foundation Gen. 15.2 where he calls God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. My stays my Pillars who as a Basis or Foundation sustained Abraham in all his infirmities and David Psalm 97.5 calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prop or foundation of the whole earth such as supports the weakness of his creatures the frailties of the weak soul Numb 14.17 when the Lord was now so far provoked by his people that he threatned to smite them with the Pestilence and disinherit them Moses interposed and made suit for them and alledged that this would be much to Gods dishonour that he should kill his people for what would the Nations say Verse 16. Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore unto them therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness And now I beseech thee le the power of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be magnified how was that according as thou hast spoken The Lord is long suffering c. Mark Beloved The power of the Lord is magnified by long-suffering and patience The Minister may have notable use of this in all his
Prophet doth that Jerusalem is ruined and Judah is faln Esay 3. and that the God of Order is highly displeased with us 2. That the Orders and Degrees of Ministers in the Old Testament was not only of Divine Institution but also a lively resemblance of spiritual and heavenly things as Moses had a command from God to ordain all things according to the Pattern shewn to him in the mount Heb. 8.5 3. That the Orders and Degrees of Ministers in the New Testament mentioned and recommended by the Apostles seem both to represent the Divine Orders and Degrees among the Angels and to be of no inferiour Institution to that in the Law We read of three sorts of Ministers distinct in degrees one from another 1. There were inferiour Elders and Ministers to whom Timothy and Titus gave power to ordain set up reprove restrain These were ministerial Levites of the lowest form 2. There were superintendent Bishops such as Timothy himself was at Ephesus and Titus in Creet These answer the Priests in the Old Testament and the Angels called Principalities and Powers 3. And there were higher than these superintendent Bishops who had power to ordain and set up the Bishops of the second Classis or Order and such were the Apostles themselves for an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expresly attributed to the Apostles 1 Tim. 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Act. 1.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was spoken of Judas fallen from his Apostleship let another take his Bishoprick In this sence Paul called Peter James and John those who were of the chief reputation and pillars Gal. 2.1 9. So that the name of Ecclesiastical Hierarchy is both memorable for Antiquity and wants not its basis and foundation in the heavenly Hierarchy I speak not of persons who may nay who sometimes have unworthily intruded themselves or have been by men by undue means advanced thereunto and arrogated honours to themselves I speak of the Orders and Degrees themselves found both in the Old and New Testament Those Orders themselves may be piously retained and maintained if the persons admitted thereunto be called of God and worthy of such honour 1 Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.11 12. We read of divers Orders whereof the first three Apostles Prophets and Evangelists are by some godly and judicions Divines made all one for whosoever is an Apostle or hath seen Jesus Christ in the Spirit by which then Paul asserts and approves his own Apostleship he must needs be a right Prophet and a true Evangelist The other two may be reduced to the other two subordinate sorts of Ministers Whereof our Lord said He that is great among you let him be your minister Matth. 20.26 Greatest among you shall be your servant Matth. 23.11 Great therefore and greatest there are among Christian Ministers but he that is greater and greatest hath the greatest burden What a speech was that of Paul 2 Cor. 12.15 I seek not yours but you and I will gladly spend and be spent for your souls Observ 4. That God doth use to speak unto the Angels as 2 Sam. 24.16 The Lord saith to the Angel that destroyed the people it is enough stay now thine hand The Lord hath his Spirits created for vengeance Ecclus 39.28 O that he would command his Angel to cease from punishing our Jerusalem He hath his slaughtering Angels one Angel slew 185000 Assyrians All the first born of Egypt by the way of the North Idolatry entred Ezechiel 8.5 by the same way the judgement came chap. 9.2 Ezechiel 9 1-4 before the destroying Angels go forth to make slaughter he gives command to one cloathed in Linnen to go through the midst of the City to set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations done in the midst thereof Rom. 5.12 Gen. 4.7 few of them vers 11. soon done Dan. 8.16 I heard a mans voice between the banks of Ulai which called and said Gabriel make this man understand the vision Revel 1. God sent and signified things that must shortly come to pass by his Angels unto his servant John Observ 5. Though Paul and other Prophets and Apostles are but of yesterday in comparison of the Angels and though with their bodies they live upon the earth yet they in many things know what God hath said or not said unto the Angels before their time 1. Because many of these things are written 2. Because God and the Angels themselves by the appointment of God oftentimes reveal such things unto them Thus Moses wrote of the Creation and all things recorded in the Pentateuch above 2000 years before he was born Act. 23.9 the Pharisees said of Paul If a Spirit or an Angel hath spoken unto him 3. There are some things which God could not speak to the Angels at any time as this in the Text Thou art my Son c. because these are not true of any but of Jesus Christ And he is God that cannot lye and therefore could not speak them to any created Angel that 's an honour peculiar unto the Son of God the great Angel of the Covenant Consol Are there so many kinds so many degrees of Angels what is that to me if I have but only one deputed unto me Though some be of that judgement that every man hath his own personal assisting Angel yet that hinders not but that an Army of Angels watch over thee if thou be one that makest the Lord thy refuge and habitation Psal 91.10 11 12. How many kinds how many degrees or orders soever there are yet they are all for the guard and preservation of the Saints For as there are certain Ministers deputed unto certain Churches as the Angel of the Church of Ephesus of Smyrna of Pergamus c. Revel 2. and 3. yet all are yours saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.2 So though there be divers kinds and degrees of Angels yet they are all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 Psal 68.18 The chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of angels and the Lord is in the midst of them as in the holy place of Sinai The Lord open our eyes as he opened the Prophets servants and we shall then see that there are more for us than there are against us Let it be ground of Exhortation unto us how many soever they are they are all ministring Spirits unto God ye angels of his that do his pleasure Psal 103.20 21. How much more ought we to be ministers and serviceable unto our God who pray Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven 2. The honour of eternal Sonship is denyed unto the Angels In this first Testimony the Lord 1. Owns his Son Thou art my Son 2. The Lord gives a reason of this owning him This day have I begotten thee The Testimony is taken out of Psal 2. This Psalm was a Prophecie of Christ and principally if not solely meant of him
Christ sits upon his throne Dan. 7.13 14. This is the man from heaven heavenly Revel 19.11 12 13. The wickedness of the wicked shall come to an end The man of the earth shall be no more exalted against him Psal 10.15 Would we then that Christ should sit upon his Throne in these Kingdoms Would we that his Throne should endure for ever O then set him up in thine own Soul let him reign and rule there Judg. 11. the true Jephtah the head I know many that pray for this yet sin reigns in them The eyes of the Lord are upon the kingdom of sin Amos 9.8 Are men more charitable to others than to themselves Would they have Christ reign for ever and ever in others and not in themselves I appeal to many whether have they not in themselves reigning beasts yea or no He said well Venit avaritia vindicat in me sedem jactantia cupit dominari superbia vult mihi esse rex Luxuria dicit ego regnabo Ambitio invidia iracundia certant in memetipso cujus potissimum esse videar ego quantum valeo resisto renitor quantum juvor Dominum meum Jesum reclamo dico non habeo regem nisi Jesum Bernard 2. Consider we this eternal Throne of Christ in comparison of others Observe the difference between Christ's Throne and all other Thrones 1. Princes of the earth have their thrones but of a short continuance 'T is palpable flattery of the Chaldeans who said to King Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2.5 O king live for ever much more that to Claudius Saepe facias It was a peculiar promise unto David 2 Chron. 6.16 There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel yet was that promise conditioned yet so that thy children take heed to their way c. And this was typical and representative of him who should be great Luk. 1.32 33. The Kingdoms of men have their periods This ye have foretold Dan. 2. under the figure of four metals gold silver brass and iron whence the Poets took the description of their four ages by which are commonly understood as before the four more notable Monarchies of the world The very same are also figured by the four beasts which are interpreted four Kings Dan. 7.2 14. and interpreted by the Angel vers 16-27 These four great beasts Dan. 7. with vers 17. are four kings which arise out of the earth all of them earth born whether we understand it outwardly 1. So the Kingdom of Babylon a part of the Kingdom of Assyria 2. The Persians were long time servants to the Medes 3. The Macedonians long time ignoble 4. The Romans also poor Shepherds at the first More especially 1. The Lion of Babylon cruel but generous had Eagles wings celerity His horses swifter than Eagles but wo unto us we are spoiled Jer. 4.13 plumed by the Medes and Persians made stand on his feet as a man no more a Lions heart but a trembling heart of a man it s said though experience proves the contrary that Eagles Feathers put among other Birds Feathers wasts them whether for the credit of the Babylonian or Roman Eagle 2. The Persians strong and able to endure labour like a bear fighting with their two feet Medes and Persians the three ribs three principal Kings Cambyses Darius Histaspes and Xerxes 3. The third the Macedonian raised by Philip and Alexander exceeding swift in expedition four wings compared to the Leopard subtil Jer. 5.6 A Leopard shall watch over their cities Hab. 1.8 Their horses swifter than Leopards Alexander was swift prudent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waged many wars spotted An admirable mixture of virtues and vices The Leopard noted for love of wine so that it 's not taken by force but when it 's drunk Thus Alexander mocked and perished by wine 4. The Roman divers from all the former subdues all the rest unto himself Dan. 2.44 These are all successive Kingdoms of the earthly man which bear rule over the heavenly for so long as the Beasts rule God and his Throne are cast down and seem not to be while he seems to bear no rule in the world These four Kingdoms oppress and suppress all they can the Kingdom of God and Christ Psal 3. Where it is said Many are they that rise against me The Cabalists enquire who are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and answer these are the four Kingdoms which the Prophet noted by four Letters ד R. the Romans × B. the Babylonians or Chaldeans ו I. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Graecians ס M. The Medes and Persians for under these four Kingdoms the Kingdom of Christ lay oppressed But these thrones at length are cast down Psal 12.5 I will arise saith the Lord and there appears the throne of the ancient of days vers 9. The throne of the Son of God vers 9. 14. This Kingdom was observed by Papius Ireneus Justin Martyr Tertullian Lactantius and others who understand it of that Kingdom which should last a thousand years Revel 20. as certainly it is to be understood of it nor did they err herein but in that they divined of earthly happiness and temporal pleasures to be enjoyed in this world which therefore may justly be liable to that censure that they began in the spirit and ended in the flesh 2. Worldly Kingdoms cannot last long they are violent and described by wild beasts Herein our Rule holds Nullum violentum est perpetuum But the Kingdom of Christ is the kingdom of the man Ecclus. 12. fine That Kingdom figured by that which was given to the first Adam and fulfilled by the second and this last for ever 3. Satan hath a throne figured by the King of Babylon and that lasts for a time in this world in thee and in me and therefore it is called the prince of this world and his throne continues till the Son of God casts down his throne and casts him out Joh. 12. Now is the judgement yea read of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the triumphant song Esay 14.4.13.23 Consolation and Exhortation to the people of God the true Christians who have rule over all their enemies How much more excellent is their Dominion and Kingdom than all the Kingdoms and Dominions of the earthly Monarchies in the world Who shall be admitted to sit upon eternal Thrones Revel 3.21 22. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord and all the nations shall be gathered unto it to the name of the Lord i. e. his nature whereof they shall be partakers 2 Pet. 1. Neither shall they walk any more after the imagination or stubborness of their own heart Jer. 17. O Beloved Let us go up into this Jerusalem the throne of the Lord Psal 122 1-5 Chald. For the kings of the house of David there are set thrones of judgement thrones of the bouse of David What hinders us but the Kingdom of Satan and the earthly man in
But what is this to me Bethany is the house of meekness but withal the house of affliction it 's proper to the meek Spirit to endure injuries and wrongs did not the Lord Jesus invite us to learn lowliness and meekness of him Matth. 11.28 And who was more afflicted than he Esay 53.7 Bethany is near to Jerusalem the city of peace John 11.18 and the meek ones have the promise to inherit the earth Matth. 5. But alas I am of a perverse spirit soon troubled soon disquieted so that I fear the Lord will forsake his dwelling in me and I shall lose my inheritance in the land of the living Fear not poor soul we have all of us had our times of perverseness We have all sinned and all faln short of the glory of God Rest thou in the Lord Jesus Jacob rested and had a stone for his pillow Gen. 28. He rested himself on the despised and rejected stone and God was with him and in that place though he knew it not and therefore he called it Bethel but the name of that City was called Luz at the first what 's that Luz is perverse untoward for we our selves have been sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.7 so that the perverse Luz is now Bethel the house of God How great a comfort must it needs be in times of straits to have our God so near us in our house of Prayer Deut. 4.7 To be our refuge in times of trouble Psalm 18.12 All defence natural and artificial yea the Lord promiseth he will be a little Sanctuary to all the scattered people Ezech. 11.16 yea even to his poor Saints 2. Christ is the builder of the house The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that made it which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Vessel a tool or an instrument wherewith one may work whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prepare fit build Whether we understand by the house the outward Fabrick of the body the Porch or the inward room the Holy or that inmost closet the spirit all the whole man is his work Psalm 127.1 Prov. 9.1 We are Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 If we enquire into the reason he made it for himself as they say of the Soul that it is sui domicilii architecta that like the Silk worms the soul builds its own house even so the Lord Jesus being received by faith into the soul he builds his own house there and the end of this building was that it might be a Prayer-house for all nations to the Praise and Glory of him who made it Observ 1. Hence we see the Reason why the Man in Scripture is called a Vessel the vessels of the young men i. e. their bodies 1 Sam. that every one know how to possess his vessel in holiness 1 Thess 4. In a great house are vessels some to honour some to dishonour i. e. some to the best employment some to the worst as some for eating and drinking vessels some for lavers and wash pots 2 Tim. 2. but all these vessels are in the house and none of them made by their Maker on purpose to destroy them He is the wisest Master-builder yea Wisdom it self that builds the house Observ 2. Hence we learn what we are made for no vessel no house no creature no man who by way of excellency is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Creature but he is made for some use and the Man for the highest end Ephes 1.4 and 2.10 Observ 3. A Man is not made to be his own disposer who should order himself but as a vessel fashioned by his Maker an house built by him to be used by him he is to be disposed and ordered by him we are as tools in the hand of the workman by which he works Thus Paul and Barnabas declared what God had done with them not what they had done themselves they were but Gods Instruments and to be acted and disposed by him Act. 15 4-12 and 21.19 They were as it were without themselves and in the hand of God who acted them and wrought by them Indeed whereas instruments are either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as have souls and wills or such as have none We are of the former sort and so such as willingly yield up our selves and comply with our God who useth us according to his own will and that renders the service most acceptable when having in us vertibile principium a will which might be principium renitentiae a principle of opposition and rebellion against our God we yield our selves as serviceable Instruments unto God that his Will may be done in us and by us and upon us according to what we pray for that his Will may be done in earth as in heaven This is that which that holy Man Taulerus prayed for that he might become such unto his God Vt homini est sua manus as a mans hand is to him Observ 4. If the Lord made the Spiritual House surely it must be a compleat building for the great Architect is no other than the Wisdom it self Prov. 9.1 Sapientis est ordinare judicare he first orders his work and then judgeth of it as Gen. 1.1 He is a Rock his work is perfect Deut. 32.4 He makes his work according to his own pattern most exact wherein the Prophet rejoyced Thou hast made me glad through thy work Psal 92.4 which is a perfect work He is my Rock and there is no unrighteousness in him vers 15. Such therefore as his work was in the old Creation such is his work also in the new Creation Paul was confident of this Philip. 1.6 Observ 5. Learn hence O man what thy first condition was c. See Notes on Hos 8.12 Repreh If the Lord made Man for his own house to dwell in whence is it that it is so marr'd O thou depraved and perverted Man what an inmate hast thou entertained What other Lords domineer and bear rule in thee what a slave art thou become what a vassal to iniquity See Notes on Rom. 6.19 Axiom 3. Moses the house of God is accounted worthy of honour This point is contained in the words of the Text for whereas things compared must agree in that wherein they are compared As when one body is said to be more white or black than other they must both be though in different degrees white or black so Christ and Moses being here compared in point of honour if Christ be said to have more Honour and Glory than Moses Moses also must have some Glory and Honour no◠could it be said in reason that Christ hath more Glory than Moses if Moses had no Glory no Honour at all Moses therefore the house of God is accounted worthy of honour And wherein did the honour of this spiritual house consist Moses was the most excellent of all the Prophets faithful meekest of men and whatever faithfull
unto what I then delivered vide Conc. in Gen. 6.14 Matth. 24.37 38 39. 2 Pet. 3.5 6 7. 1. They are kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the same word as the Lord decreed to destroy the old world and when the time came that he had appointed he spared it not So the Lord hath decreed to destroy the present evil world and reserves it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the same word until the time he hath appointed And as then he spared not so neither will he now spare that as when the old world had wearied his long suffering then the decree brought forth So now 2. As the old world is opposed to the world that now is 2 Pet. 3.6 7. So likewise the old world is opposed unto the new heaven and the new earth wherein dwells righteousness vers 13. and what old world must that be but the world of iniquity Jam. 3.6 which lies in wickedness or the wicked one 1 Joh. 5.19 Whether we understand the world of ungodly men in concreto or in abstracto the world of ungodliness and iniquity Certain it is as the Lord spared not the old world so neither will he spare this 1. Not the world of ungodly men The reason why the Lord will not spare this evil world of ungodly men is taken from the Analogie and resemblance it hath unto the old world For as Noah's days return a new so in reason the old world the world of iniquity that must return with it and that the same old world of iniquity is returned anew and that cum faenore with a large improvement and increase no man so blind but evidently sees it 1. We have the luxury lasciviousness and intemperancy of the old world 2. We have the violence much more he that was made to be as it were homo homini Deus as it were a God unto his neighbour is now become homo homini daemon 3. We have the idolatry of the old world both outward and inward 1. The old outward idolatry is only covered with a new name the thing the same for though the Romanists can distinguish between idolum and imago c. See Notes on 2 Cor. 5.17 2. Our inward idolatry much more 1. The false God Mammon wealth and riches which is the great Idol which most men almost ex professo worship and covetousness is idolatry 2. The Idol Tammuz i. e. voluptuousness which Vulg. Lat. calls Adonis Ezech. 8.14 Mulieres plangentes Adonidem 3. The Idols in our hearts Ezech. 14 3-7 4. We have the same if not greater imperiousness every man thinking himself fit to rule all others and ambitious of such authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when hardly one of a thousand is fit to rule and most commonly the fruitless shrub the briar is more desirous of rule than the fruitful fig-tree vine or olive Ecclus 38.27 5. Another reason is God is the same both in the former and latter world the same just Judge and there is the same reason of his judgements both denounced and issuing forth against the old world and their sensuality violence injustice ungodliness impenitency and abuse of Gods mercy patience and long-suffering Add Gen. 7.4 The Lord will destroy all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 2. Every thing that exalts its self 2 Cor. 10.5 Observ 1. The Spirit of God here useth an example of the old world to warn this after world of the destruction Examples of both kinds are vitae fulcimina notable props of life if good encouraging us to the like good if evil terrifying us with the like evil The Lord therefore is wont to make the former evil doers examples unto after ages lest they become like unto them So Jer. 7.12 Shilo Hos 11.8 Admah and Zeboim and 2 Pet. 2.6 the old world Sodom and Gomorrah are examples to those that live ungodly Observ 2. God the Maker of the world is not a meer natural agent such an one dcstroys not nor can destroy his own work his action is uniform but God is a free Agent so that as he hath made so he can and will marr and destroy the work of his own hands especially that which hath first depraved and marred it self as Esay 27.11 it is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not save them and he that formed them c. And Gen. 6.7 I will destroy man whom I have created Observ 3. If the Lord spared not the foolish and ignorant world that had little or no knowledge of God and Divine things how much less shall he spare the great knowing world and the teachers of it who are turned from the way of truth errantes in errorem ducentes There is a threatning of the Chemarim Zeph. 1. which hath had in part and must yet have accomplishment 2. As the Lord will not spare in concreto the world of ungodly men So neither the world of iniquity in abstracto Mysticé Observ 1. There is a world of iniquity Vetera sunt veteris hominis vitia saith Anselm these are called old sins Psal 79.8 2 Pet. 1. Sometimes the old man an old garment the old corrupt understanding the old perverse will c. See Notes on 2 Cor. 5.17 moral old things Reason threefold ibidem The Lord will not spare this old world it is his main design to destroy it Dan. 9.24 Amos 9.7 8. The eyes ef the Lord are against the kingdom of sin it must not reign in our mortal body Rom. 6. Observ 2. As there is an old world so is there a new world a new heaven and a new earth 2 Pet. 3. The Lord promiseth a new world a new state of things Esay 42.9 New things these are to come to pass unto a people that shall be born Psal 22.31 1 Pet. 1.23 A people that should be created a new Psal 102.18 Born of the Spirit and renewed and created by it Psal 104.30 Esay 51.16 and 65.17 18. new creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 All which did not point at the first coming of Christ in the flesh for St. John Revel 21.1 tells us that he saw a new heaven c. when many things should come to pass which yet have not since our Lords coming in the flesh vers 3 4. Surely these are to be understood of that state which the Apostle had attained unto 2 Cor. 5.16 17. which is now to appear in these last days of the spirit So St. John saw the new heaven and the new earth the new inward and new outward man the new life in the divine Nature when the first heaven and first earth were passed away when we know Christ no more according to the flesh but he that is in Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new creation all this comes to pass when there is no more sea of wickedness the wicked is as the sea Esay 57.20 when we are partakers of that divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lusts I shewed before
the patient and long-suffering God Jerem. 5.8 aversione contentiosâ How unjustly how ungratefully do many at this day abuse their God and the things of their God Vide Notes in Matth. 22.21 Because sentence is not speedily executed Eccles 8.11 They all slumbered and slept Another saith My Lord delayeth his coming Repreh 2. Those who though they have had experience of the Lord's patience and long-suffering towards themselves yet are cruel and hastily merciless towards others they would have men presently cut off in their sins Do they not consider how wickedly they frustrate the long-suffering God of his Gracious end Are they not aware how they defraud their Brother of his precious opportunity Judah will have Thamar presently put to death Bring her forth and let her be burnt Gen. 38.24 though he judged himself out of his own mouth She was more righteous than he The servant who owed his Lord ten thousand talents towards whom his Lord shewed patience he would not be patient toward his fellow servant but cast him into prison And was not he in the same yea far greater condemnation such as these take themselves to be notable strong grown men in Christ wheareas indeed they are very weaklings otherwise is the counsel of our long-suffering Lord Joh. 8. Luk. 9.55 56. Gal. 6.1 2 Tim. 2.24 25. Good men herein have been too forward David 2 Sam. 12.4.5 Jonah 4.23 Observ 2. We ought to account the long-suffering of the Lord salvation the word we turn account is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to meditate the word in the Old and New Testament also signifieth to be chief or principal so Matth. 2.6 Out of thee shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ruler Act. 7.10 A ruler over Egypt and 14. and 12. The chief speaker and 15.22 principal men among the brethren beside many other the like places so that to account here is to have a principal estimation and meditation of this thing viz. that the long-suffering of the Lord is salvation Reason The long-suffering of the Lord toward us and our salvation the product and effect of it and the end whereat God's long-suffering aims they are both matters of greatest account and therefore our thoughts about them must be proportionable serious and principal meditations Observ 1. We ought to account of things and persons according as they are the long-suffering of the Lord is salvation account it so Ye are dead unto sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord the true followers of Jesus Christ are so and so they ought to reckon themselves Rom. 6.11 This is no warrant for any man to account himself just when he is is unjust Observ 2. Behold a pattern for our imitation the highest and most eminent he himself is propounded unto our imitation Be ye followers of God as his dear children Eph. 5.1 In love in patience in long-suffering so much of these so much of God in us so much of these so much of Christ in us Col. 3.12 13. Put on as the elect of God à quatenus ad omne valet consequentia all the elect of God are such bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering c. Repreh 1. Those who think not at all of the Lord 's long-suffering toward themselves although it be the most mighty business in the world to be thought upon our own salvation and the patience and long-suffering of the Lord towards us waiting and expecting our return unto him that we might be saved an ungrateful generation whom so great love patience and long-suffering cannot remove Rom. 2.4 Repreh 2. Who account otherwise of our Lord's delay of his coming such was the scoffers speech foretold by the Apostle Where is the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3. And the Psalmist there were some who slandered the footsteps of the Lord 's anointed Psal 89.51 which the Chaldee Paraphrast thus turns They have reproached the slowness of thy Messiah's coming i. e. as if indeed he would never come Consol 1. To the Saints of God who account not the long-suffering of the Lord salvation but are subject to misinterpret his long-suffering slackness Our Apostle here vers 9. corrects that false account The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some count slackness but is long-suffering c. Accordingly the Apostle better informs the Hebrews out of Habakkuk 2.3 Though it tarry tarry it will yet wait for it And indeed it is for their greater salvation that he is long-suffering and therefore they ought to be long-suffering also and patient in well-doing Ye have need of patience saith he that having done the will of God ye may receive the promise for yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Hebr. 10.36 Consol 2. Here is then strong consolation to sinners if penitent if converting sinners Courage man the Lord is long-suffering toward thee and in his long-suffering he holds forth salvation to thee Joel 2.12 13. Turn ye even to me with all our heart c. for the Lord is Gracious and merciful slow to anger c. he extends and spreads out and lengthens the banner of his mercy towards thee But alas saith the poor soul this mercy this long-suffering belongs not unto me no but rather the flying roll Zach. 5.1 4. This Zachary's flying roll holds proportion to the longitude and latitude of the land of Israel as also to the longitude and latitude of the earth The Lord extends his mercy to every penitent soul and for every one who feareth his name he hath a book of remembrance Malach. 3. Vide Notes in Zach. 5.1 Exhort Take notice admire and adore the wonderful patience and long-suffering of our God towards us and towards ours in our several relations how stubbornly we have gone on in an evil way in surfeiting and drunkenness in chambering and wantonness in strife and envy in covetousness in pride in deceit detraction c. Mean time the riches of the Lord's goodness the patience and long-suffering of our God is held forth unto us his goodness in offering forgiveness of our offences and sins and salvation to the penitent souls His patience that he doth not suddenly punish sinners but offers pardon his long suffering that he prolongs his wrath and displeasure and spreads forth the banner of his love and mercy and long time waits for our repentance The Lord waits that he may be merciful unto us Esay 30.18 O let not the riches of his goodness his patience his long-suffering be held forth in vain unto us let us make that use of them that the Lord intends them to us to our repentance and salvation while the date of his patience and long-suffering lasts towards us Let us bless God for our selves and ours in our several relations that God hath exercised toward them and us with some lingring disease some long affliction some languishing sickness