Vessel of Honour Abel but the Vessel of dishonour Cain inasmuch as he was the first-born Cains Possession the founder of the City of the World and of the Kingdom of Satan was formed first and was the first former of a City in the World and was given up as well to carking cares as to worldly glories yea he Hated Persecuted and Murthered his only Brother but was rejected of God for a Damned Reprobate whereas Abel Vanity who saw the Worlds Vanity and sought a City in Heaven whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11.10 was born after his bloody brother yet was chosen and accepted before him and became the Founder of the City of God therefore was he maliced by this first born of the World and massacred by this eldest Son of the Devil Augustin saith of Abel By Grace he was praedestinated by Grace he was elected by Grace he was an Alien below on Earth and by Grace he was a Citizen above in Heaven yet as to himself he sprang from that corrupt Mass of Mankind which was then faln into an Original and Total Condemnation From hence those following Corollaries and Conclusions naturally flowing forth are very considerable As 1. In the birth of those two Sons of Adam there was an equality natural being both born of the same parents who were then under the same Guilt and Condemnation 2. Betwixt those two Sons there is plainly put a Difference supernatural that Abel should be a chosen Vessel of mercy the head of the City of God and one who was to Reign with God for ever but Cain should be rejected as a Vessel of wrath and a reprobate head of the City of the World to be tormented for ever with the Devil 3. Inasmuch as Cain was rejected of God for a reprobate this overthrows that foolish Notion of Universal Election yea of all Devils as well as of all mankind according to the corrupt opinion of that famous Father Origen 4. Such is the Soveraignty of God that great Potter over his Clay of mankind that out or that common corrupt Mass even of men equally involv'd in the faln Estate he chuseth some to be of his own City and Kingdom whom he willeth and he refuseth others leaving them to be of the City of this evil World and of the Kingdom of Satan yet for all this man must not mutter nor murmur against God but resolve all into his Soveraignty Rom. 9. from 15. to 22. 5. The procuring cause of this most gracious Election of the Vessels of honour doth not arise from foreseen Faith and VVorks or any thing in Man but it flows freely from the good pleasure of God seeing all men are alike in the corrupted and condemned Mass of mankind Rom. 9.11 Eph. 1 4 5. c. Where the Apostle wadeth into that profundum sine â—undo Deep Occean of Praedestination without a bottom shewing all its causes to be meerly beyond and without man As the Efficient God the Material Christ the formal the good pleasure of his wilk the Final cause for the Praise of Gods glorious grace Election is altogether from free grace and not at all of Dâ—bt Eph. 2.8 9. c. 6. The positive cause of mans praeterition or being passed by as properly opposed to election and of his Damnation is wholly and solely flowing from those Vessels of wrath themselves who do fit themselves for destruction Hos 13.9 Mans damnation is from himself though his Salvation be not so but is the free Gift of God Rom. 6.23 Carnal reason must not reprehend what it cannot comprehend Assuredly God being a free agent cannot be unjust to any because he is bound â—o none to bestow Grace and Salvation on them 7. As Cain was born first and then Abel so we are all born Cains or Flesh before we be new-born Abels or Spirit 'T is nature that first maketh us Cains or Carnal but 't is Grace that must make us Abels or Spiritual We are first Nature and then Grace The first Worship of God from man we read of is mention'd Gen. 4.3 4. Though none doubt but that Adam did Sacrifice to God yet seeing no such notable remark happened at any of his Sacrifices as at his Sons which he had taught them to do there is no mention made thereof but this of Cain and Abel is the first that is recorded in Scripture concerning which two Sons of Adam two generals are observable 1. Their Parity 2. Their Imparity 1. The parity or equality of Cain and Abel is fourfold 1. In their Original as both born of the same Parents The loins and womb they both sprang from were the same 2. In their Relation they were both Brothers Sons begotten of one Father and born of one Mother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of à simul and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Uterus as brothers Jacent in eodem utero lay in the same belly 3. In their secular condition Both had honest employs and not only lawful but laudable particular callings Cain was an Husbandman and Abel was a Shepherd though of a differing Kind yet both good 4. In then Religious concerns both were Worshippers of God both brought Sacrifices to God To omit their parity in the two former let us insist a little upon the two latter to wit their particular and general callings wherein they were equal 1. Their particular Callings Gen. 4.2 Indeed it is not recorded in Scripture whether Adam did chuse those two distinct Trades for his two Sons by his paternal Authority or that Cain and Abel did of themselves chuse them by their own proper and private genius or inclination If it were from Adams Authority over them Then these corollaries or considâ—rations do naturally flow from it 1. That Patents ought not to bring up their Children in Idleness but in some honest calling wherein they may both serve themselves and their generation according to the will of God Acts 13.36 It ought not to be the least care of Parents how to place out their Children in such serviceable Trades and Occupations as those of an Husbandman and Shepherd were both which have their due commendation for their necessity simplicity and Usefulness both in sacred and civil History 2. That every Man must have his Trade and Calling in the World as those two Sons of Adam had Though their Father was the Lord of the World yet he brought up both his Sons in laborious Callings and none can repute themselves more priviledg'd than Adam who in his very state of Innocency before his fall was appointed to dress the Garden though 't is true this was then to be rather his recreation than any toilsom Occupation for pains and weariness was a punishment for his sin his labour which before the fall was onely an Ordinance is become by the fall both an Ordinance and a Punishment too 3. Every Honest Calling hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something in it that is very comely as God himself is the Author of it and
in the Faith of it v. 13. It is the custom among men first to take Possession and afterwards to Inherit and Enjoy which may be some reversion only and personal peaceable possession may by some long Lease be Interrupted for some Generations This was Abrahams case yet took he Possession of the Land because of his Title to it which was threefold 1. By Promise 2. By Conquest 3. By Purchase 1. By way of Promise God made Canaan to belong unto Abraham by making a Promise of it to him no less than four times Gen. 12.7 and 13.15 and 15.7 and 17.8 This Promise of God being a fourfold Cord Abraham accounts his best Free-hold hereupon he left his present Possessions in Ur and in Haran though he saw not so much as a Foot of the Land of Canaan made over to him as an Inheritance in his day Act. 7.5 yet he look'd upon all as his own This History containeth a Mystery to wit thus it is with all the Faithful as it was with the Father of the Faithful such have the Spirit of Truth to assure them of their Interest in Divine Promise 2 Cor. 1.22 and 5.5 Eph. 1.14 't is an Earnest This makes them exceeding Rich though they see not the Actual Performance of them in their day The wealth of a man is not reckoned so much by the ready Cash he hath by him in his Coffers as by the substantial Bills and Bonds c. he is able to produce thus the greatest part of a Believers Wealth lyeth in good Bills and Bonds under Gods own Hand and Seal all Signed in his Word and Sealed by his Spirit He therefore accounts Heavenly Promises far better than Earthly Performances as Abraham did only take Possession of Canaan which afterwards he was to Inherit so a Christian takes Possession of Heaven with his Name written in it Luke 10.20 and with his Heart Panting towards it 2 Pet. 3.12 having his Conversation there while his Commoration is here and Abraham asked a Sign to assure him of his Inheritance Gen. 15.8 not because he believed not Gods Promise thrice made over to him before but that he might the better believe after How great is Gods Love to us in giving us his Sacraments wherein he maketh himself Visible as well as Audible to us Yet this is greater Love to give us the Privy Seal of his Spirit as well as the Broad Seal of his Sacraments for our better security 2. By way of Conquest Canaan belong'd to Abraham in his Conquering Chedarlaomer c. Gen. 14.4 15 17. This great King was the Son of Elam the Son of Shem Gen. 10.22 and According to Noahs Prophecy Canaan shall be Shem's Servant Gen. 9.26 this Chedarlaomer was Lord over the Canaanites and over those chief Cities which stood in the plains of Jordan Abraham conquers him in battel so Canaan became the Conquerours by Conquest he became the Heir of Canaan the History holds forth this Mystery that all Christians the Children of Abraham are by their New-Birth Born Heirs of Heaven the Celestial Canaan they should therefore be Valiant for it Jer. 9.3 And Violent to Storm it Mat. 11.12 'T is the meek that Inherit the Earth Mat. 5.6 but 't is the Violent that both wins and wears Heaven as above As Davids worthies brake through all Difficulties to come to the well of Bethlehem 2 Sam. 23.16 So the good Souldiers of Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 should endure all hardness and hold Heroick resolutions to have Heaven by Conquest whatever it cost them that they may be more than Conquerours even Triumphers Rom. 8.37 2 Cor. 2.14 what was said of Cyprus that the Richness of that Country did sollicit the Hungry Romans to attaque and overcome it may be much more said of Heaven in its bliss-ful Riches When Israel heard that Canaan was the glory of all Lands this made them run violently through all dangers to subdue and enjoy it when Joshuah saw the slackness of seven Tribes which had received no Inheritance nor cared to do so consulting their own case and not daring to wage a new War he severely checks them saying How long will ye be slack to go up c. Josh 18.2 3. So we must lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.19 3. By way of purchase Canaan was Abrahams Though all the Land was his by Promise yet he procures only a Burying place by purchase Gen. 23.16 â— not having a Foot of it for his own present possession This purchas'd Burying place was an earnest for all the rest hence all the Patriarchs Dying after desir'd to be Bury'd in it Gen. 47.30 and 50.25 a Sepulchre of ones own was a sign of firm possession Isa 22.16 As in Shebna's case who hewed out for himself a stately Sepulchre in Jerusalem as it he had been of the stock Royal and had a right there whereas he was but a stranger an exotick Plant and a meer Mushroom or Terrae-filius an up-start Forreigner yet died a disgraceful out-cast v 18. but Abraham's Assurance made to him of this Burying-place Gen. 23.20 was a Prophetical Sign of a certain future possession as Jeremy's was Jer. 32.7 10 15 43. Hence flow some Remarkable Inferences As 1. Abraham was the first Purchaser of Land that is mention'd in Scripture yet his Purchase was not a place to build on but to Bury in which teacheth us our chiefest care should not be for this present Life being only Pilgrims here and living only as in Tents but for the life to come the very Egyptians had some notions of this great Truth in their building but mean houses yet most costly Tombs but the Hebrews saw it more clearly in calling their burying-places Beth Cajim the House of the living Job 30.23 Isa 14.13 Psal 49.14 and 89.48 as Heaven is call'd the Congregation-House of the Souls of Just Men Heb. 12.23 So the Grave is the Congregation-House to Which the Bodies of all the Living are assign'd 'T is the publick or common meeting-place hence when Godly Men Die they are said to be gathered to their People Gen. 25.8 17. and 49.33 Numb 31.2 'T was the Jews custom to Hew out their Sepulchres long before their Death to be standing memorials of their mortality thus Joseph of Arimathea had his Tomb in his Garden that his choicest delights there might be moderated with meditations of Death whereof he was there also minded Mat. 27.57 60. The 2. Inference is Abraham is call'd the Heir of the World Rom. 4.13 much more must he be the Heir of this little Land of Canaan reputed no bigger than our Wales wherein he had now sojourned about sixty years yet purchased not one Foot of Inheritance save only this Burying-place in it at that time for his Dear Dead Sarah 't is not Improbable though that some of his Family so numerous might Die in so long a space of time yet we read not a word of his Carking care for purchasing Possessions wherein to entertain his numerous Family
stoned ver 35. This was the heaviest of all the four kinds of Death that Malefactors suffered in Israel for capital Crimes some were Sentenced to be Strangled others to be Slain with the Sword some to be Burned and others to be Stoned the two last were undoubtedly the most painful because longer in Dying and therefore inflicted upon the grossest Offenders Though in Man's Judgment this might seem too severe a Sentence for such a seeming small Offence yet in God's Judgment it is not a light offence notwithstanding too many men make but little of it to prophane the Sabbath by doing needless Works upon that Holy Day We may well suppose that this Sinner by the Connexion of ver 30. with this Relation sinn'd presumptuously and with publick scandal 5. He was Executed accordingly being carried without the Camp which was a Circumstance aggravating the Punishment being a kind of Reproach as the Apostle noteth Heb. 13.11 12 13. This was done to the Blasphemer before Lev. 24.14 Thus Jezabel did to Naboth under the Notion of Blasphemy 1 King 21.13 and thus the Jews stoned Stephen under the pretence of a Blasphemer without the City both these wicked Deeds were done afterwards However the severity upon this Sinner sheweth of what weight the Commandment touching the Sabbath is the Prophanation whereof God would have thus dolorously to be avenged and it declares the folly and phrensie of the Swedes c. where the baser sort of the People do always break the Sabbath saying that 't is only the Duty of Gentlemen to keep that Day How much better said that poor Indian in New-England soon after its first Plantation by the English who coming by and beholding one of our Countrey-men profaning the Sabbath by felling a Tree said to him Do you not know that this is the Lord's-day Much macket man that is thou very wicked Man what break you God's Day The best and wealthiest of the Jews saith Buxtorf in his Synagogue will with their own Hands sweep the House kindle Fires chop Herbs cleave Wood c. on the Day before the Sabbath call'd their Preparation-day to prevent any servile Work upon their high Sabbath-day This severity doth likewise farther signifie the Eternal Death of such as do not keep the Sabbath of Christ entring into the rest of God by Faith and ceasing from their own Works as God did from his Heb. 4.1 2 3 4 10 11. finding Rest for the Soul in Christ Matth. 11.28 Then after the Violation of the Sabbath thus severely punished God gives a Law of Fringes upon their Garments as a sign of remembrance to help frail sievy memories broken by the fall the Sky colour'd Ribband ver 38. taught them that though their Commoration was on Earth their Conversation must be in Heaven Phil. 3.20 And the Garment taught that they must put on Christ Rom. 13.14 That Wedding-Garment Mat. 22.11 and the new Man Eph. 4.24 and the Armour of God Eph. 6.11 c. 'T is thought Christ wore such a Fringe which the Woman touch'd and was cured c. Luk. 8.44 The next remarkable Occurrence at Kadesh Barnea was the fatal Conspiracy of Korah c. Numb 16. in which the Causes and the Effects or Events thereof are principally to be considered 1. The Causes are three 1. The Efficient 2. The Material 3. The formal Cause 1. The Efficient is either Principal as Korah Cousin-German to Moses and Aaron for Izhar his Father was Brother to Amram their Father ver 1. Exod. 6.18 all of the Tribe of Levi and Hon Dathan and Abiram who were of Reuben's Tribe the Eldest Patriarch and next Neighbours to Korah in the Camp whereby they were the sooner corrupted by him Vvaque corruptâ livorem ducit ab Vvâ For this corrupting of others he is branded as the prime Author of the Rebellion Jude ver 11. Numb 27.3 or less principal ver 2. He decoy'd into his Conspiracy Men of Note and Name famous for their Parts and Parentage whereby the Rebellion was much corroborated as Gen. 6 4. These Men of Name both for Wealth and Wisdom made the Conspiracy stronger against Moses as did that of the Giants against God himself Corruptio optimi est pessima the more famous of Note those Princes and Statesmen were the more notorious became their Sin of Mutiny and Rebellion Of most dangerous consequence was this Conspiracy for as in a Beast the Body will follow the Head so the Mobile Vulgus call'd Bellua multorum Capitum the Multitude follow their Heads Great Men are their looking glasses by which they dress themselves Their Sins do as seldom go unattended as their Persons c. those were two â—â—ndred and fifty Princes in number 2. The Material Cause was Korah's Ambition of the Priesthood ver 3 10. He being a Levite of the Kohathites which was the chief Family of the Levites having the charge of the Ark Table Candlestick Altars and the most Holy things of the Sanctuary took offence and envied at the preferment of Elizaphan the Son of a Younger Brother Vzziel whereas himself was of Izhar Elder than He Numb 3.27 28 29 30 31. This Affectation of Honour was restless and unsatisfiable growing like the Crocodile so long as it lives and lifts up Korah not only against Elizaphan but also against Moses and Aaron in seeking the Priesthood also 3. The Formal Cause Which is expressed in Korah and his Complices accusing Moses and Aaron for unjustly usurping both the chief Magistracy and chief Ministry v. 3. Saying Ye take too much State too much Power too much Honour too much Holiness in appropriating to your selves those publick Administrations wherein all the People being as Holy may partake with you Secondly The Effects of those aforesaid Causes follow namely 1. The correction of those Conspirators and 2. Their confusion First Their Correction is two-fold 1. Humane 2. Divine for First Moses falls upon his face v. 4. and begs of God to direct him how to correct and convince those Conspirators c. This he doth as an humble Supplicant in this lowly posture not only that God might not proceed against them for their sin as he doth v. 22. in conjunction with Aaron but also Addresseth to Korah the Ring-leader of that Rebellion with most moving and Cogent Arguments which God at his desire had directed him to use that he and his Complices might not proceed any farther in their Conspiracy from v. 5 to v. 19. Wherein there is a multifarious fierce altercation pro and con betwixt Korah and Moses More particularly 1. Moses truly retorts upon them the same that they had falsely charged upon him and Aaron v. 7. as Elijah did after upon Ahab 1 King 18.17 18. 2. Out of his particular Faith and Confidence in God who would maintain their Cause and Calling extraordinary against all opposers He telleth Korah that To morrow the Lord will declare manifestly whether he hath made choice of us for those chiefest Offices of Principality
extravagant 1 Cor. 5.4 5. and whereby he forces away foul Beasts Ezek. 34.25 28. Zech. 11.7 8.3 Christ hath his Shepherds whistle which his Sheep do well know and obey John 10 4 5. The Voice or Whistle of a stranger they will not hear ver 5 8. No not any strange Doctrine from any Angel of Heaven Gal. 1.8 9. Christ causeth his Sheep to hear his Voice Cant. 8.13 4. He hath his Shepherds Brand or Mark stamping upon all his Sheep Holiness to the Lord Zech. 14.20 They all do wear their Holy Lords Livery of an Humble Heart and Holy Life 5. He hath also his Shepherds Dog to loose off and run for reducing his wandring Sheep into their appointed Pastures Isa 7.18 The Dog of Persecution drives scattered Sheep home into Concord 6. Christ hath his Sheep-walks also even green Pastures by still Waters as well as a Rod and Staff c. Psal 23.1 2 3 4. This was a great Comfort unto David Notwithstanding all this Six-fold Congruity There is this Disparity wherein Christ the good and the great Shepherd as before exceeds and excells all other Shepherds as 1. He hath many more Sheep than any Shepherd in the World for all the Elect both Jews and Gentiles even upon a Thousand Hills are his Ps 50.10 They that have been are or shall be He is the great feeder of his Sheep unto the ends of the Earth Mic. 5.4 5. 2. Those many Millions of Sheep are all his own and not any other Mens as is usual with us they are all his own not only by the right of Creation as they are all sheep of his own Creating Ps 95.7 and 100.3 All the sheep of his Hands but also by the Right of Redemption for he laid down his life for them John 10.11 Even for gentile sheep also ver 15 16 they are not their own but are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 3. No Lion or Bear can prevail against him c. That wrath of Man which will not turn to the praise of God he will Restrain Ps 76.10 Christ is stronger than a strong Devil Luke 11.21 22. Yea than a whole Legion of Angry Devils Mar. 5.3 8 9. and Luke 8.29 30. The Sixth Enquiry Who are those Friends and Neighbours that rejoyce Answer Repentance is Joy 1. To God the Father Jer. 32.41 Ps 35.27 2. To God the Son when he sees the Travail of his Soul successful Prov. 8.30 Isa 53.10 11. 3. to God the Holy Spirit as it is grief to the unclean Spirit 4. to Holy Angels for making up the Breach in the City of God by the fall of bad Angels Eph. 3.10 they lovingly bear them in their Arms both while they live and when they dye 5. And to Saints both in Heaven and upon Earth c. Finally N.B. Note well 1. The Dignity of the Penitent to be of this Royal Flock under such a Royal Shepherd such cannot want Ps 23.2 N.B. Note Well 2. The Misery of the Impenitent that have no shepherd they may wander Rot and Dye for refusing to return they are not sheep but Dogs thruft out of Heaven Revel 21.27 and 22.15 The Second Parable is of the lost Groat Luke 15.8 9 c. wherein be those parts 1. The party loosing 2. The matter or commodity lost 3. The manner of seeking it 4. The means made use of whereby it was sought 5. The successful finding it and 6. The joy at this success there was great joy as before of the sheep c. First the party loosing described here 1. By her Sex it was a Woman 2. By her substance having only ten Groats yet loseth one of them Enquiry the 1. Who is this Woman Answer 1. Some sense it to be the Church of Christ Described at large with various Characters in Prov. 31.10 to the end Omitting other passages all Congruous to the Church we find there a mention of that House wife's Maidens ver 15. whose work was to sweep the House and to take up what they find lost in the dust thereof she looks well to the ways of her Houshold ver 27. There is mention made of her Candle also which she keeps always lighted by Night ver 18. These Characters carry a Congruity with this Woman in this Parable and the Church's Maidens are her Ministers that 1. light up the Lamps and snuff them with Golden Snuffers 2. That sweep the House of all Spiritual Defilements Jer. 15.15 That seeks out the pretious which are lost in a vile dirty World 4. That carefully keep the fire in cherish every Spark 5. That open and shut the Doors of the House 6. That furnish Tables with shew-bread c. Answer the 2. But others sense it better to be Christ himself who is compared to this good House wife a Woman for these Reasons Reason 1. The State of Humiliation Christ came with into the World was a weak Estate appearing under many weaknesses of Mans fallen Nature as being Weary Hungry Thirsty c. as before in the good Samaritan Reason the 2d Because Christ is said to bring forth his Seed with sorrow as a Woman doth John 16.21 and he saith of himself concerning his Travelling-work about the Worlds Redemption Isa 53.10 11. How am I straitned untill it be Accomplished Luke 12.50 as God is called both Father and Mother of all living Creatures in the Old Creation even so Christ may be called the like of all living Christians in the New Creation yielding the full Seed of the Spirit whereof we are bred and formed c. Gal. 4.19 Christ cries as a Travelling Woman Isa 42.14 Reason the 3d As Christ is called Wisdom whom the Father possessed before the Creation and was by him as one brought up with him c. Prov. 8.22 30. So he is compared to the Wise Woman who hath Furnished her Table in her New-built House and sent forth her Maidens to wit Ministers to call home the simple saying Come eat of my Bread and drink of my Wine c. Prov. 9.1 2 3 4 5 c. In opposition to which Satan is called the Foolish Woman ver 13. for his seducing Souls out of the right way which is Christ John 14.6 Reason the 4th Christ likewise carries a Congruity to this Woman in lighting her Candle c. Luke 15.8 for at Christs Incarnation his Godhead was lighted up in the Candlestick of his Man-hood burned bright in his Life and Doctrine and shone forth to Astonishment in his Manifold Miracles his Life was the light of Men John 1.4 5. He came a light into the World yet a dark World received it not John 3.19 20. and how did he sweep a Dirty World with the Besom of his Word and Spirit c. Enquiry the 2d The Matter or Commodity one Groat was lost out of ten this was the whole substance of this Woman by Sex 't is not said here one lost of an Hundred as in the first Parable but one of ten pieces which was the
pleasure not at Death's demand N. B. Note well Now it was that Death as the Bee lost its sting upon Christ and can sting no more but hath quite lost its Victory through Christ's Death 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56. Christ hereby hath delivered us from the commanding power of Sin from the condemning power of the Law and from the conquering power of Death Though the redeemed in Christ do die yet can they not be kill'd with Death as Jezabel's Children were Rev. 2.23 the second death hath no power over them Rev. 2.11 20.6 14. 21.8 Our Lord 's strong voice may be the more wondered at considering how he was spent with blows blood c. yet now it was the loud voice of his Triumph over Death c. There be yet four Miracles behind to be discoursed briefly upon all wrought wonderfully by a dying Christ upon the Cross by the power of his Deity The Fourth Wonder is The Rending in twain of the Vail of the Temple from the top to the bottom which the Evangelist puts a Behold upon as a thing very wonderful Mat. 27.51 and as wrought by the force of Christ's last loud cry ver 50. then the Angels Presidents of the Temple departed from it as Jerom saith As Christ's last cry upon the Cross was the sign and symptom of frail Man dying so his promising of Paradise-Happiness to the Penitent Thief was a clear demonstration that he was also the Great God Living for none hath the Key of Paradise but the Great God only Nor did our Lord only demonstrate his Deity as above while he was yet living and while his Humanity was in the way of dying But also when he was verily dead and had given up the Ghost he still declares himself to be a Wonder-Working God in all the following Instances whereof this of Rending the Temple's Vail in Twain c. was the first wonder after his Death The distance of the Temple from the place out of the City where Christ was Crucified could not exempt it from the stroke of this Wonder-working Hand when those wretched Priests had made that House of Prayer a Den of Thieves this Vail now Rent was the Partition-Wall that divided betwixt the Holy Place or the Priests-Court and the Sanctum-Sanctorum into which the High-Priest entered only once in the year Exod. 26.31 33. 1 Kin. 6.19 21 31. 2 Chron. 3.14 c. Heb. 9.3 4 6 7 8 c. N. B. Note well This Wonder to wit of rending this Mid-Wall was wrought upon a threefold Account 1st To shew that Christ's Death was the Accomplishment of the Levitical Law and that now all the Ceremonies thereof were rent down and done away 2dly That now by the Gospel sealed up in his Death a new way to Heaven was opened Heb. 10.19 20 21 22 c. And 3. To shew that the Mid-Wall of Partition betwixt the outward Court of the Gentiles and that of the People of the Jews was broke down by the death of Jesus Eph. 2.14 15. This Vail is call'd the Separation betwixt the Prophane Place and the Sanctuary Ezek. 42.20 Now the Ceremonial Law should no longer divide those two but Christ became the blessed Cement to unite all believing Jews and Gentiles into one Gospel-building himself being the knitting Corner-stone c. The Fifth Wonder Christ wrought upon the Cross which is the second after his Death was the dreadful Earthquake Mat. 27.51 now that our Lord was dead as to his Man-hood he still letteth forth the Power and Glory of his God-head more than he had done before and whereas he had shewed himself the Lord of Heaven by causing an extraordinary Eclipse of the Sun and covering the whole face of the Firmament with a Curtain of Darkness So now he appears to be Lord of the Earth also by causing it to shake and tremble As the Heavens had given their Testimonial and Acknowledged their Homage to his Lordly Dominion over them in hiding their Glory while their Lord was Suffering Shame So the very Earth here payeth her Respect and Reverence in an humble Submission to her Almighty Landlord in her Trembling before his powerful Presence when the Lion that King of Beasts doth Roat all the Beasts of the Field do Tremble Now did this Lion of the Tribe of Judah roar with a loud Voice and we may well suppose what a Trembling seized upon those Beasts of the Temple the Christ-Killing Priests when they saw the Vail of their Temple Rent in Twain from top to bottom at their hastening now to their Evening Sacrifice Thus well prepared with the Tincture of this Innocent blood more especially when they felt that sad sight seconded by an Earth quake this could not but cause an Heart-Quake and a consternation in them fearing that the Earth might now cleave Asunder and Swallow them all up as it had done Korah's Company of Conspirators these as well as they being now become a Burden too heavy for the Earth to bear and as weary of them would bury them quick This Earthquake might also predict the performance of what God had promised that Christ would shortly shake not only the Earth once more as was done in Sinai at the Promulgation of the Law but even Heaven also by the Gospel Hag. 2.6 7 Heb. 12.26 27. especially when the desire of all Nations shall come and shake all Wickedness out of both the Heavens of Church and the Earth of State and then give those promised New Heavens and New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 The Sixth Wonder was the Rocks were Rent Mat. 27.51 where the first word Behold doth spread it self over all the parts and several parcels of all those Miracles mentioned in that verse Behold the Vail was Rent c. Behold the Earth did Quake and Behold the Rocks were Rent to denote the marvellousness of those things and mostly in this because herein Rocks are rent by the Rock and one Rock rendeth many Rocks the Rock that rent the Rocks was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 he was the creating Rock Deut. 32 4.31 1 Sam. 2.2 2 Sam. 22.2.32 that rent all the other created Rocks c. This was a Work of greater difficulty to rend the Rocks than it was to rend the Vail c. yet the Power of the Death of Christ doth effect this Work of Difficulty N. B. Note well To shew that no Heart is so hard and rocky but the vertue of Christ's Death can rend it into Repentance Though those Christ-Killers had made their Hearts as hard yea harder than an Adamant Zech. 7.12 yet when their time of love came Ezek. 16 8. their Month of Christ's finding them Jer. 2.24 and when the Hammer of God's Word Jer. 23.29 began to beat upon them as Animated and Actuated by the power of his Death oh how kindly did their Hearts Thaw Break and Melt into Tears and Tenderness Acts 2.36 37. with 41. 4.4 When Moses smote that Rock upon which God stood with his
with David I am curiously made Psal 139.15 The choisest and completest accomplishments of men serve only to commend the wisdom of God who is the Author and Giver thereof When Obstructions are in Mans most curious Master-pieces they most usually must be taken in pieces before the obstructions can be removed but how many obstructions of Liver Spleen Reins Bladder c. are removed in Man Gods Master-piece without taking his work in pieces Man can imitate the form and fashion of all Gods Creatures but he cannot the Life and Motion of them How did God put Job to a Non-plus with the Great Folio's of the Creation such as Leviathan the Whale or Sea-Monster and Behemoth the Elephant or Land-Monster Job Ch. 40 41. yea and the Decimo Sexto's or little Volumes of the Creation hath been matter of amazement to the Naturalists they have stood astonished to consider the Ant the Bee c. that Life Motion and so much Ingenuity should be couped up in so narrow a compass in so little a Corpusculum Pliny wondred at the Gnat that so small a Creature should make so great a Buzzing and that her Nose should have a double faculty being both acuminosum fistulosum as his phrase is so sharp to pierce the Skin yet so Spungy as to suck the Blood Oh how many curious Contrivances there be on earth below to say nothing of Rational Creatures each of differing voice and face and no more of Sensitive as Beasts Birds and Fishes what a curious piece of Divine work is that vegetative life of Plants to which every Spring-time is a new Resurrection who can truly understand the Ascending and Descending of the Sap in them in its several seasons whâ— can throughly admire the Beauty and Bravery of many Flowers especially that of the Tulip call'd the Lilly whereof Christ saith Solomon in all his glory was not aray'd like one of them Matth. 6.29 Much more curiosity is there in Heaven above as the several Motion of the Orbs the increase and decrease of the Moon the Eclipse of it and of the Sun which maketh all the world stand at a gaze and amaz'd the glorious Canopy over our Heads so bespangled with glittering Stars of seven several magnitudes How can we but conceive if the outside and under-ceiling of Heaven that Star-chamber be so beautiful the inside where God Christ Glorious Angels and Glorified Saints dwell must needs be more Desirable Glorious and Beatifical 3. Divine Wisdom shines forth most splendidly in the variety of Creatures David cryes also How manifold are thy works Psal 104.24 he could not recount or reckon them but was plainly swallowed up with wonderment at them who can but wonder at the wisdom of God in Creating so many Stars to shine in the Heavens One star differing from another in glory 1 Cor. 15.41 So many Fowls to fly in the Air so many Fishes to swim in the Sea so many Beasts to walk on the Earth and all differing in kind form one from another v. 39 40. Variety of works so they be curious as well as various doth much commend the skill dexterity of the Workman 4. The Wisdom of God shines forth in the Magnitude as well as Multitude of Creatures both above and below l. Above Of what a vast circumference is the Circle of the Heavens especially that of the highest Heaven some do curiously calcutate it to be five hundred years Journey from Earth to Heaven others say if a stone should fall from the eighth Sphere and should pass every hour an hundred Miles it would be sixty five years more before it came to the ground The several Orbs of that Coelestial Fabrick stretched forth and spread round about the lower world like great Curtains Psal 104.2 and Isa 40.22 yet not one hole worn in them for above five thousand years all covering one another like the several pills or parts of an Onion Of what a vast bigness are those Stars of the first Magnitude Insomuch that some have conceived a several World may be contained in each of these Stars besides the Sun and the Moon call'd the two great Luminaries or Lights Gen. 1.16 are easily demonstratred to be vast Bodies the former much greater and the latter not much less than the whole Globe of the Earth 2. Below on Earth is Behemoth that Beast of Beasts so big that as the Hebr. Foemin plural signifies he seemeth to have many Beasts in his Belly and as if he were made up of many Beasts Job 40.15 and for his hugeness and bulky Body he is call'd the chiefest of the ways of God v. 19. Gods Master-piece among all Beasts Those mighty Mountains not cast up by the flood nor by the Subterraneal Spirits as Ants and Moles cast up their Hillocks a little above the Surface of the Earth as some say but brought forth by the great God at the Creation Psal 90.2 do bring forth food yea food enough to this Bulky Beast v. 20. No Engine except Faith can remove a Mountain out of its place Matth. 17.20 21.21 2. In the Sea is Leviathan that great Sea-Monster that moving or floating Island some of such bigness as to cover four Acres of Ground and of so wide a Mouth as to swallow up a whole Ship as Pliny writeth Divine Wisdom is much seen in making the Whale so compleat in all its parts which all have their several uses and all which are noted and numbred Job 41.2 7 12. to 2â— Vpon Earth there is not his like v. 33. he is far beyond the Elephant both for Strength and Magnitude c. 2ly The Infinite power of God is made manifest in the Creation as well as his unsearchable wisdom As 1. That God should Create all things out of nothing whereas the Rule of Reason is Ex nihilo nil fit nothing is made of nothing This Rule holds good in Generation and in the Secondary not in the primary Creation 2. That all things should be made out of nothing in a most marvelous and magnificent manner every thing in its proper beauty peculiar property and unutterable neatness and perfection all things at their full stature and maturity as the word Bara signifies 3. That all this should be done by a bare Dixit He spake the word and the work was done Verbum Dei est factivum there was a potent efficacy went along with the Word for the existency of all things where the Word of this great King is there is power Eccles 8.4 Matth. 8.9 It was as easie a work for Almighty God to make a World as to speak a word and to say Let a World be made 4. That the World should be made without either Tool or Toil. The Heathen Atheists of old used to scoff at the Doctrine of Creation asking Quibus Machinis c. with what Ladders and Scaffolds did your Jehovah erect the High Roof of the Heavens what Engines and Instruments had he to lay the Foundation of the Earth
his workmanship it must needs be a complete piece of work which came out of the skilful hands of the most Wise God as is said before of the Body Their Stature proportion their feature lineaments were all yea altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 Their Voices were sweet and their Countenances were comely Cant. 2.14 seeing since the Fall such a dazling splendour and bewitching Beauty remains still in some of the Sons and Daughters of men Assuredly the Image of God who is Beauty and loveliness it self did shine forth in their Bodies as well as in their Souls and even while they were naked they were Clothed with Majesty and Glory Psal 8.5 6. yea their nakedness made them not ashamed Gen. 2.25 There was then no need of shame for sin and shame came in both together and there was as little need of Cloathing then for their Bodys being then glorious the bravest Apparel would but have been as a cloud that darkens the shining Sun or as a black mask which covers a most beautiful face undoubtedly they had both that goodly Gracefulness presence and personage as to be not onely most delightful companions each to other but also capable of communion with the Holy Angels to whom they were made but a little inferiour Psal 8.5 yea and with the Holy God himself who rejoiced in the habitable part of his Earth and took much complacency in the work of is own hands Prov. 8.30 31. Adam more than Enoch and Abraham c. walked Arm in Arm with God The 2. External endowment God gave them was the place of their Habitation in Paradise Gen. 2.8 15. God did not build them any Marble monument there or an Ivory Pallace to dwell in such as the Luxury of men in the faln estate hath framed for themselves as that none-such Sinner Ahab built for himself 1 Kin. 22.39 but God planted them a Garden or Orchard choicely furnished with all manner of delicate fruits and hedged round about wherein they might have lived in a condition of Dignity and delectation without the least impairing of their Health and strength for a thousand years yet it being but an earthly place or a Terrestrial Paradise thereby they were admonished not onely of frugality and modesty but also that there was a better place even a Caetestial Paradise into which they should have without tasting Death been translated no doubt but the whole Earth was exceeding pleasant and fruitful as a Garden before the Sin of Man brought upon it the Curse of God Gen. 3.17 yet so kind so good was God to Adam that he planted a Paradise for him wherein he had an affluence and confluence of all good things to make him happy hence it is called the Garden of Jehovah Gen. 13.10 and of Eden which in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signify Pleasure and this place of pleasure and pleasantness was by was of eminency the Glory of all Lands Ezek. 20 6â— That Paradise was a most pleasant place is demonstrated by those few following Arguments As first from that large description and commendation of it by the Holy Ghost himself in Moses his Pen-man Gen. 2. from v. 8. to v. 16. 2. from its being made a Type of the third Heaven and synonymical with it Luke 23.43 2 Cor. 12.3 4. Revel 2.7 3. from that aggravation of the evil that is put upon their expulsion out of Paradise if it were so great an evil to be banished himself and all his posterity out of this Pleasant place and to have the Garden-door locked against him yea and Guarded also by a Cherubim with a flaming sword Gen. 3.22 23 24. this is a clear evidence that some great good was lost thereby 4. from the restitution of the true Paradise unto faln man by Christ which is a most unspeakable good the first Adam shut Paradise the second Adam opened it by the Key of his Cross or Cross-key and he quenched the flames of that flaming sword which Guarded the Door by powring upon it his meritorious Bloud paving thereby a new and living way to that Paradise which is above Hebr. 10.20 18. herein also the transcendent goodness of God to man is marvelously manifest that God should upon the third day of the Creation when he made the Trees plant a Paradise for mans pleasure before Man was Created which was not until the sixth day Man was made out of paradise on that day and then God took man by the hand and led him into Paradise to take possession of it as the Angel led Lot out of Sodom by the hand for a dispossession Gen. 2.15 19 16. God made not Paradise for the Beasts to spoil but for man to dress which he did as without necessity so without either pains or weariness 't was rather his Recreation than his Occupation his labour was then as an Ordinance but after inflicted as a Punishment Gen. 3.19 This place of delight was prepared for man before it was conferred upon him yea before he was that he might live a life of pleasure there How much greater is Gods goodness unto Adams Posterity who are given to Christ for whom both a life of Grace and a life of Glory is prepared not onely long before they were born but also before the foundation of the World 2 Tim 1.9 Tit. 1.2 c. All those things do teach us these truths 1. That God hath a right Fatherly care of his creatures thus to make provisions for them before they be created 2. that all opinion of merit is hereby overthrown for Adam could not merit this Earthly Paradise before he was made nor we the Heavenly one 3. God led Adam into Paradise that he might know he held it not as Lord of it but as Gods Husband-man and his Tenant at will so long as he behaved himself well which if he forfeited by doing ill he could have no just cause to complain for Gods banishing him out of it who had given it him so freely and so kindly led him into it 4. that Earthly Paradises be not Mans home and Countrey here no abiding City Hebr. 11.10 16. The 3. External favour God gave them was their Dominion over all Creatures Gen. 1.26 28. subdue the Earth and have Dominion c. God made man the supreme Lord of all created things here below all creatures are mans Servants and Houshouldstuffâ—â— God put all things under mans feet as so many stirrops or steps of a Stair-case that Man might raise up himself thereby unto God his Maker David celebrates Gods praise for giving this Dominion over all to Man Psal 8.5 6 20. All things are made for Man and Man is made for God to know and acknowledge him And while Man did so all things also did own and acknowledge Man as their Lord and Soveraign Adam exercised the Centurions Authority Luke 7.8 when all Creatures did come to him for Names and go from him when named Gen. 2.19 All then did reverence Man and were ready to come
consumed not the Bush and this apparition of Fire was well accommodated to that sire of zeal which had oft transported this fiery Prophet while he walked with God and wrought for God upon Earth it was the Seraphims or as the word signifies the Angels that are a flaming Fire Psal 104.4 that fetched up to Heaven this Seraphical Doctor so there was a sweet suitableness those were God Chariots or chearful ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Psal 68.17 Septuagint reads it the Angels were chearful to carry up Elijah and Elijah was as chearful to be carried up by them 4. There is mention made also of a Whirl-wind which is a strong circular wind that with violence gathereth things into it and carrieth them up in the middle of it thus Elijah was taken up into Heaven by a Whirl-wind 2 Kin. 2.1 and 11. This vehement Whirl-Wind hurried up the Chariot and Horses assoon as Elijah was ascended into it 5. 'T is said also that Elijah's mantle drop'd from him in his Ascension v. 13. no such is said of Enoch this Mantle Elijah let fall all his other clothes being consumed before his entrance into Heaven where there is no need of clothing and Elisha gladly took it up not only to make him amends for his own he had rent v. 12. but also to mind him of his Master while he wore it as a memorial of him and as a Token he should be clothed with his Masters Spirit as well as Mantle as appeared by his first Miracle v. 14. 6 There is the nearest Harmony betwixt those two Candidates of Immortality Enoch and Elijah in Scripture Record herein that Enoch was taken up in his Holy walking with God and Elijah in his Holy Talking of God both busie at that time in their Masters work Blessed is that man whom the Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Mat. 24.46 In a word 't is not improbable that Enoch was translated by a Whirl wind in such an Angelical Chariot as Elijah was though Moses be short in that Relation as in all the others before the flood he being exceeding concise in all the concerns of the nine first Patriarchs for near to 1656 year of the World Therefore 't is likely Enoch was translated in the same manner as Elijah was though it be not Recorded in Moses's Abridgment as he had the substance of the priviledge to wit Translation so he might the better have the circumstances to wit the Chariot c. for his Translation They both had fought the good Fight of Faith and both being Faithful unto Death went off the Stage as more than Conquerors to wit Triumpher's 2 Tim. 4.7 Rev. 2.10 Rom. 8.37 God caused them both to Triumph 2 Cor. 2.14 that is to ride up to Heaven in a Triumphant Chariot according to the manner of the great Roman Conquerors who after their famous conquests they used with grand pomp and splendour to ride up to the Capitol in a stately Triumphant Chariot through the Streets of Rome the Capital City then of the World Thus Enoch and Elijah Rode Triumphing over all their Adversaries Heads through the Air the Devils Territories and Countrey as he is Prince of the Air and as they pass'd along they looked Downward to the Earth with contempt and upward to Heaven with joy Thus far first of the manner how 2. Of the place whither The Popish as well as Jewish Drs. Dream of Enoch's going I know not whither nor they themselves something shall be spoke to this with brevity besides what I have said a little above in the Answer General as likewise what I have said to it in my discovery of the Person and Period of Antichrist page 72 73. c. Some of those Dreamers say those two Candidates Enoch and Elijah so called were only Translated into the Earthly Paradise out of which Adam was expelled upon his Fall and that there they both live without food as Moses did in his forty days Fast and there they shall both continue towards the end of the World and then return into the World again to make War against Antichrist who shall after a while slay them both being as they dotingly conceit the two Witnesses in Rev. 11.3 c. after which shall follow their true Translation into Heaven Answer 1. This fabulous fiction of the Popish Doctors is coined out of that Jewish Fable of Ecclesiasticus chap. 44. before quoted that Enoch is kept alive to Preach Repentance at the end of the World v. 16. as they Interpret it which is not Canonical Scripture and therefore a Dissent may be entred against the Authority of it as likewise this Romish Lye is borrowed from a misinterpretation of that Canonical Scripture in Mal. 4.5 that Elias must come before the great Day All this is alledged by the Romanists to wipe the Mouth of the Pope from being called the Antichrist because those two Enoch and Elijah are not yet come to oppose him in their persons but we have better Interpreters than those Popish ones of this Text and Oracle to wit 1. An Angel who applies it to John Baptist Luke 1.17 And 2. That Angel of the Covenant Christ Mat. 11.14 and 17.10 11. and him all must Hear v. 5. above all Antichrists agitatours And the Evangelist Mark begins his Gospel with this Prophecy of Malachi to inform us that this Elias is the Baptist who came in the like Spirit and Power the like Gifts Calling and Ministry c. as that Prophet did not by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transmigration of Elias's Soul into John Baptist according to Pythagoras's notion but by Inspiration of the Almighty who hath the residue of the Spirit Mal. 2.15 yea the seven Spirits of God Rev. 3.1 and can give to one the like Spiritual endowments as he doth to another 2. Answer As therefore it is Apparent that Elias is come already according to Christs words and not to come before the day of Judgment to Convert the Jews and to Confirm the Elect in the Faith of the Gospel according to the sondly fabling Romanists So that Terrstrial Paradise out of which Adam was excluded was certainly destroyed by Noahs deluge For 1. The Scripture saith expresly that every thing was destroyed upon the face of the Earth every man only eight persons saved in the Ark Gen. 7.21 1 Pet. 3.20 therefore had Enoch been upon Earth he must have perished The 2. Reason is The Waters are also said to prevail fifteen Cubits over the highest Mountain Gen. 7.20 therefore Paradise must be overflown and the deluge destroyed it though the place remained after yet not the pleasantness of the place according to the Ancient saying Cecidit Rosa mansit spina the beautiful Rose which was the Blessing Failed but the grieving Thorn which was the Curse continued 3. Whereas some Romish Doctors say that Paradise or Enoch in some high part of it might be preserved from perishing by the Waters standing as a Wall round about them
Author by Universal Consent of the four Books of Kings beginning that History with David 't is altogether improbable that he should over-look the Original of David and not speak of Ruth the Grandmother of David being the Mother of Obed David's Grandfather Ruth 4.18 19 20 21 22. The chief Scope is to demonstrate the Genealogy of Christ our Spiritual David of whom literal David was both Father and Figure shewing how Christ descended not only of Boaz a Jew but also of Ruth a Gentile which teaches us that Christ was to become a Saviour unto both Jew and Gentile and that he is no Respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him Act. 10.34.35 Thus is Christ call'd the Saviour of the World In order to the Accomplishment of this great Enterprize many Eminent Passages of Providence are expresly Recorded in Scripture and among the rest this of the Original of David from Ruth the Moabite though the Moabites were forbidden to enter into the Congregation of the Lord even to the Tenth Generation Deut. 23.3 and that by a perpetual and Indispensable Law to wit for ever The Analysis or Summ and Substance the Contents of this Book followeth Ruth who is both the Subject and Title of it falls under a Threefold Consideration 1. In her first Marriage 2. In her time of Widowhood 3. In her Second Marriage Of her First Marriage so little is Recorded of her that we find she is a Widow as soon almost as a Wife Secondly The time of her Widow-hood was spent partly in the Land of Moab and partly in the Land of Canaan In both which places 1. He◠Affection to her Mother-in-Law 2. Her Subjection to her in all her Matron like Instructions 3. Her Unfeigned Devotion to the true God as a right Gentile-Proselyte evidently appeareth All which her God whom she had owned and avouched richly rewarded 4. With a Second Happy Marriage and made her Great-Grandmother to the Son of God Verse 1. Now it came to pass Vaiehi Hebr. not without a special Hand of God that orders all Occurrences Observation 1. Whatever comes to pass in this lower World is ordained by God's Decree and ordered also by God's Providence Vse Wise ones must be observing ones Psal 107.43 Observe Providences what comes to pass Record Experiences ye then will have a Divinity of your own if but well read in the Story of your own Lives V. 1. In the Days when the Judges Ruled the Rabbins say this fell out in Ehud's Days and that Ruth was the Daughter of Eglon King of Moab Josephus is for Eli's Time Tremellius thinks it was in Deborah's time as before yet 't is most probable to be in Gideon's time when the Midianites spoil'd the Countrey so brought the Famine hereafter mentioned This variety of Opinions makes it very uncertain and no sure ground for any one of them Hence Observ 2. Where the Spirit of God hath not a Mouth to speak there we should not have a Tongue to ask 'T is safest to be silent where the Holy Ghost speaks not 't is better to strike Sail and cast Anchor when the Spirit blows not lest by the contrary Blasts of Contradictory Conceptions we be tossed to and fro and at last driven upon the Rocks of Erroneous Mistakes There was a Famine in the Land the is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Eminency the Granary of the World Canaan a Land that flowed with Milk and Honey the Glory of all Lands Ezek. 20.6 yet a Famine here Observ 3. The most Fruitful Land in the World may be made Barren for the Wickedness of those that dwell in it Psal 107.34 as here Jud. 6.4.6 with v. 1. Their doing evil was the bare fruit of their forty Years Peace The Aggravation of this Famine that even Bethlehem which signifies an House of Bread should want Bread A certain Man of Bethlehem-Judah to distinguish it from another in Zebulon Josh 19.15 this City was call'd so because of the fruitful Soil round about it Observ 4. From went though a Man be seated never so richly and contentedly in never so pleasant and plentiful a City yet thence may Divine Providence drive him as Elimelech here who the Jews say was a mighty Rich Man and his Wife Naomai says they went out full v. 21. not for want but for fear of want they went out from this House of Bread to seek Bread we have here no abiding City Hebr. 13.14 This polluted Earth will not afford a resting place Mic. 2.10 we should look for a better City Hebr. 11.10 and be not as the Fool Luk. 12.20 they may be taken from us or we from them To Sojourn in Moab where the Famine was not Observ 5. Divine Love or Hatred cannot be known by outward things The Cursed Land of Moab had plenty of Bread when a Famine of Bread was upon the Blessed Land of Promise There is one Event to the Righteous and to the Wicked Eccles 9 1 2 3. all things come alike to all It pleased God to punish the Sins of his People by this Famine when Moab had been at ease from his Youth Jer. 48.11 God was kinder to Israel in pouring him from Vessel to Vessel then he was to Moab in letting him settle upon his Lees that his Taste might remain in him and his Scent not changed God is never more angry than when he saith Let him alone Hos 4.17 To Sojourn To live there for a time as strangers during the Famine which otherwise was not lawful for them lest they should forget Israel's Worship and learn Moab's Idolatry The Philosopher said Athens was a pleasant place to pass through but unsafe to dwell in the same may be said of Moab that Worship'd Chemosh sin is as catching as the Plague and Solomon himself catched Moab's Plague of Idolatry 1 Kings 11.7 Chemosh was Bacchus or Pluto as is supposed He and his Wife They all take one part of Food and Famine Observ 6. Husband Wife and Children should live together not run one from another Elimelech had them in his heart ad convivendum commoriendum to live and die together not as Miscreants worse than Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 yea brute Beasts that run from their Relations V. 2. The Name of the Man was Elimelech which signifies my God is King an admirable Name and such as might afford strong Consolation in a Day of Calamity Observ 1. Significant Names should be given to our Children not such as be meer Fancies or Insignificant the People of God throughout the History of the Scriptures gave such Names to their Children and such as were standing Memorials for them of some remarkable Mercies of God to them as Gen. 30.6 8 11 13 c. Yea the three first Names that ever were given to Men in the World were significant Names to wit Adam Cain Abel which signifies Earth Possession Vanity and which put altogether taught Mankind this Divine Lesson
quasi ferè alter almost ones self Thus Ruth And she only clave to Naomi c. Went to Bethlehem that House of Bread as the word signifies Hence Observ 3. Such are fast and faithful Friends indeed that accompany each other to the Worship of God to Bethlehem here the place of Christs birth who is called the Bread of Life Many there be that do accompany each other to Beth-aven or House of wickedness to Play-Houses and places of Revelling c. This is rather a betraying than a befriending one another Such a Friend was that Adullamite to Judah Gen. 38.30 who was rather his Broker his Pimp and Pander a Coal-carrier as one calls him good for nothing but to scoure an hot Oven withal Such another Friend as this Hirah to Judah was Jonadab to Amnon 2 Sam. 13.3 But Amnon had a Friend a Friend and no Friend A Carnal Friend is but a Spiritual Enemy who advised the Ruin of his Soul for the recovery of his Body Which was perdere substantiam propter accidentia to destroy an Immortal Soul for a momentary Sin The Heathen Philosopher was a better Friend who said to one Amicus sum tibi sed usque ad Aras I am your Friend but no further than is Lawful The truest Friendship is to save and deliver a Friend from the greatest Evil which is Sin but to tempt any to it and to tollerate them in it is not the part of a true Friend but of a real Enemy Hate not thy Brother tell him of his Sin and suffer it not to lie upon him Lev. 19.17 To bring one to sin is rather an Act of Grudge than of Respect and Love as Abimelech saith to Abraham Wherein have I offended thee Gen. 20 9. Thus to expose me to Sin against God Then woe to those wretched Adullamites and wicke dly pt ty Jonadabs of our day the fittest tools for the Devil to work withal that prom p men even great men to sin and are Brokers for them that instead of going u◠with them to Bethel the House of God which good People did with Holy David and wherein he rejoiced Psal 42.4 and to Bethelehem the House of Bread as Ruth did here with Naomi but they go along with them to Beth-aven to the House of wickedness They make the King glad with their wickedness Hos 7.3 Parasites propound to Kings Suavia potius quam sana consilia pleasing but pestilent counsel as Doeg did to Saul and Balaam to Balack who laid a stumbling block before Israel Rev. 2.14 to wit Fair Faces to tempt them to Corporal and Spiritual Fornication that God might see sin flagrant in Jacob and so fall foul on them with his Plagues All the City was moved about them Vattehem Kol-Hagnir Gnalehen there was not only a commotion among the Citizens about her but also a strange kind of tumultuation as the Hebrew signifies Hence Observ 4. 'T is matter of astonishing Admiration to hear of and be Eye-Witnesses of the great Afflictions that do befall some persons both great and good 'T is very probale that Naomi had been of the Qualities of great persons in that City before she moved into Moab and of good Account among them otherwise there had been no Commotion nor any Tumultuous Noise at her return She undoubtedly went from Bethlehem in a very good Equipage and Estate and that accompanied with her Honoured Husband and her two Hopeful Sons she was now returned in a desolate and disconsolate condition without either Husband or Son having only a young poor distressed Moabitess Widow hanging upon her This caused both Admiration and Astonishment in this City which made them to say Is this Naomi The Citizens flocked about her and gazed upon her and cried out alas What a change is here Hence Observ 5. God works wonderful changes in Persons Families Cities Countries and Kingdoms 'T is wonderful to consider what changes befal persons both good and bad How did Lucifer that proud Assyrian Monarch fall from Heaven even to admiration Isa 14.12 'T is the wonderful work of God To look on every one that is proud and bring him low Job 40.12 God hath a look of Love whereby he Converts his chosen ones Luke 22.61 And he hath a look of Wrath whereby he confounds his Enemies Exod. 14.24 He looks oculo minaci with a Flaming Eye as Paul did upon Elymas the Sorcerer Act. 13.9 as if he would look through him with the Highest offence and utmost indignation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath a Revengeful Eye as he had upon the Babel-builders on Pharaoh Senacherib Nebuchadnezzar Herod c. and upon every one that is lofty that God alone may be exalted Isa 2.11 12 17 and 5.15 as on Hammon c. And God works such wonderful Changes upon the Persons of the Godly as well as of the Wicked as upon Job who was one Day the Wealthiest Man in the East and another day he becomes poor even to a Proverb as poor as Job he that heretofore never spake to his Subjects but from his Throne was after seated upon the Dunghill Job 29.7 8. with 2.8 and those hands accustomed to weild the Scepter were now employed to wipe off the putrified Matter that ran from his Sores so that his three Friends when they came to see him knew him not Job 2.12 They had never seen him before but in a splendid Condition and now when they saw him in this sad pickle they were amazed and amused saying just as it is here Is this Job Is this Naomi None should place Confidence in their present Prosperity As Job did so all Men ought always to fear they may out-live their own prosperous Conditions Job 3.25 considering that all things here below are both moveable and mutable Such wonderful changes God works upon Cities and Kingdoms as Lam. 2.15 Is this the City Once the most Famous City of all the Cities in the East Jerusalem was called God's Palace upon Earth yet in few days became as a Solitary Widow sitting on the ground in a mourning posture Lam. 1.1 2 c. The Princess among the Provinces became Tributary Oh! Quantum haec Niobe Niobe mutatur ab illâ As here Quantum haec Naomi Naomi mutatur ab illâ And so it might have been said of London when it lay in its own Ashes Is this the City the Lady of Cities how is she defloured of all her Splendour and Glory Hath the Lord said as Zech. 10.6 She shall be as if I had not cast her off raising it up in greater Beauty and Magnificency than afore Oh London London how oughtest thou to abound so much the more in Humility Holiness and most raised Thankfulness to God who hath so raised thee out of thy Ruines into this grandeur and goodliness If this thy goodliness conduce not to thy godliness how may worse Judgments come If God Hiss for the Fly of Egypt and for the Bee of Babylon Isa 7.18 thou mayest be destroyed as Athens
warm our Hearts unless the God of Ordinances be in and with them It was Christ's presence with the two Disciples discoursing in their way to Emmaus that made them say Did not our Hearts burn within us while he talked with us in the way Luke 24.32 so we may say if so in the way of his Ordinances c. Remark the Second upon the Consequents is The Sons of the Prophets saw the River remove its streams in obedience to Elijah's Mantle though it had chang'd it's Master and was now in Elisha's Hands yet Elijah's Spirit remain'd behind him with Elisha Hereupon they meet him ver 15. and tho' these Men had been train'd up in the Schools of the Prophets and Elisha among Carts and Ploughs yet do they give him due Veneration as one now endowed with Elijah's Spirit and whom God had made a Father of the Prophets Yet these Young Prophets are as full of Zeal for Elijah as they are of Reverence to Elisha ver 16 17 18. Mark 1. Their Incredulity in not believing that Elijah was now translated into Heaven but thinking that some Angel had taken him up and carried him to some obscure place on Earth according to 1 Kings 18.12 so still ought to retain his Dignity over the Prophets yet would they be so obsequious to their new Master as not to send their fifty Sons of strength to seek their old Master without Elisha's leave but he said send not c. Mark 2. Their Importunity they were so urgent with him for Leave and Liberty that Elisha was ashamed to seem inexorable therefore he saith Send seeing you are so set upon it though I am assured you are sure to lose your labour as indeed they did after they had wearied themselves with three days search N. B. The uncounselable are commonly unsuccessful in their enterprises and are best satisfied when wearied with their own ways nothing will teach them wit but disappointment Remark the Third is The Miracles that Elisha wrought by his double Spirit and all as Answers to his ardent Ejaculation Where is the Lord God of Elijah The same God cloath'd Elisha with Elijah's Spirit as well as with his Mantle whereof he had many ensuing Experiments There be three Miracles that Elisha wrought mentioned in this Chapter His first Miracle was the Dividing of Jordan described 1. By its Organ the Mantle of Elijah ver 13. 2. By its Author Manner and Matter ver 14. 3. By its Witnesses and Spectators the Sons of the Prophets ver 15. as above which when they saw they came to congratulate the Gift of God bestowed upon him and to own him as their Master for like Miracles argued the like Spirit in him And indeed Elisha wanted not the Evidences of a Double Spirit to that of Elijah which he desired seeing his Miracles that are mentioned in Scripture-Record were about twenty For besides the three here ver 14 22 and 24. there be many more Recorded whereof take this Epitome chap. 3.20 chap. 4.6 17 36 41 44. chap. 5.14 27. chap. 6.6 10 13 17 18 20. chap. 7.6 18. and chap. 13.21 in all seventeen more so that almost 't is a Duplication of Elijah's Miracles Remark the Fourth Elisha's second Miracle was his healing the bad Waters of Jericho here ver 19 20 21 22. wherein Mark 1. The Citizens petition to Elisha ver 10. So wise was this cursed City grown by their College of Prophets as to make improvement of this Master-Prophet while they had him 't were well if all People were so wise In their Address they say My Lord acknowledging his Authority over their Society in whose name the Speaker spoke The Situation of this City is pleasant but the Waters are naught and thereby the Ground is barren N.B. The same may be said of all such Places tho' never so pleasant as want those Waters of Life Gospel-Ordinances purely and powerfully Administred in them such should seek Redress as those do here But this evil here had not been original when Israel came first hither 'T is more probable that it was God's Curse inflicted for Hiel's Presumption in Rebuilding that City 1 Kings 16.34 A fruitful Land God turns into barrenness for Mens sin Psal 107.34 Deut. 28.24 Mark 2. The means of healing ver 20. Elisha calls for a new Cruse that no suspicion might be of working the Miracle by vertue of any thing that had been in it before and that no Legal Pollution might hinder its miraculous operation he bids Put Salt therein a most improper and improbable Remedy for Salt naturally makes Waters brackish and Land barren See Judg. 9.45 N.B. God oft works by contraries that his power might the more appear working without or against means Mark 3. The miraculous Effect of this seeming ridiculous means both for the quality and the quantity of Salt and the place where that small part was put The Fountain or Spring quickly works forth any thing put into it Elisha by Divine Direction pours the Salt in and heals them ver 21 22. N.B. He pours not the Salt into the Stream or Channel but into the Spring or Fountain So when God casts the Salt of Grace into our hearts those Fountains of Affections and Actions if but one small Cruse-full thereof we are immediately healed not so much as a thought can pass betwixt the Receipt and the Remedy Matth. 8.3 and 20.34 Mark 1.31 42. Luke 8.44 47 55 c. Remark the Fifth Is Elisha's cursing the scoffing Children described in all its Circumstances ver 23 24 25. wherein Mark 1. Elisha's going from Healed Jericho N.B. God's Prophets leave their blessing behind them to visit the Sons of the Prophets at Bethel also and to comfort them saith P. Martyr for their Loss of Elijah and to settle Orders where there was a strange composition of Jeroboam's Calves and a College of Prophets Mark 2. The Children that came forth to meet and mock Elisha were doubtless such whose Parents had nuzzled them up in Idolatry and Calf-worship with which Bethel abounded 1 Kings 12.28 29. Hos 4.15 and 5.8 and from whom they had learnt to contemn God's Prophets who seated themselves there to bear witness against their False-worship and to reclaim the People from it Mark 3. Those mis-taught Brats belch forth Gnalah Kereach with the greatest petulancy Go up thou bald-pate not only scornfully deriding him for affirming Elijah was gone up to Heaven but also prophanely scoffing him for his not going up with his Master for the Hebrew word Gnalah is used in both places ver 11. and ver 23. that they might not any more be troubled with him who opposed their Idolatry as Elijah had done and having no worse to upbraid him with they twit him with his natural Distemper his Baldness and repeat it twice to aggravate his grief the more Mark 4. Elisha curseth them for cursing him ver 24. not out of any private Revenge but by his Spirit of Prayer and Prophecy having a commission from God
c. The same Nebuchadnezzer who had assaulted Jehoiakim 2 Kings 24.1 and took him 2 Chron. 36.6 the same who had carry'd Jehoiakin Captive to Babylon 2 Kings 24.15 and now being thus provok'd by Zedekiah he sets on him likewise and besieges Jerusalem in the ninth Year of that last King and in the tenth Month c. Now the Evil came Ezek. 7.5 6 and 24.1 Zach. 8.14 both with a Witness and with a Vengeance c. Mark 1. A most numerous Army set this large City round about with a close Siege which lasted to the eleventh Year of Zedekiah above a Year and half 2 Kings 25.1 2. to cut off all Provisions from it Mark 2. Though this Siege was rais'd for a Time by the coming of Pharaoh Hophra to relieve their old Confederates near to them Jer. 37.5 11. yet this proved but a broken Reed to Judah Ezek. 29.6 7. for when he saw the Chaldeans too strong for him he return'd home to Egypt and the Chaldeans to the Siege Hophra came out like Thunder but went back like Smoak Mark 3. The Chaldeans foreseeing their Siege was like to be long against so well a fortified City built Forts against it which Vatablus calls a Warlike Engine upon Advance-ground for shooting Darts Arrows or Stones into the City Jer. 52.4 Ezek. 4.2 and 17.17 Mark 4. During this long Siege which Cluverius saith lasted till the third Year Jeremy knowing God's Will ceas'd not to press Zedekiah to a yielding up the City saying He that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live c. Jer. 38.2 17. At this the prophane Princes are highly provoked as if he weaken'd the Hands of the Men of War ver 4. they procure his casting into the Dungeon out of which Ebedmelech deliver'd him ver 12. Mark 5. As the Force without was fearfully obnoxious to the City so the Famine within was ten fold more insomuch that Fathers did eat their Sons and Sons their Fathers Ezek 5.10 and Mothers their Children Lam. 4.10 and this Famine was follow'd with a grievous Pestilence Jer. 21.6 7 9. and 24.10 Mark 6. The Besiegers made a breach in the Wall at which they entred and seiz'd upon the middle Gate 2 Kings 25.4 Jer. 39.3 upon which Zedekiah fled betwixt the Outward and Inward Wall of the City by a private Way having the Advantage of the Darkness of Night and possibly some Vault under-ground as Ezekiel had foretold Ezek. 12.12 Mark 7. The Chaldees that were round about the City discover'd him by their Scouts pursue overtake and apprehend him 2 Kings 25. v. 5. and bring him to Riblah v. 6. where the King of Babylon doom'd him for his Perjury Ezek. 17.18 to see his Sons slain before his Eyes as fellow Rebels a sad Spectacle and then have the Eyes of his Head put out who had put out the Eyes of his Mind long before else his Prevision by the Prophets Jer. 32.4 and 34.3 and Ezek. 12.13 might have been a Prevention Mark 8. Josephus observes that Zedekiah could not reconcile those two Prophecies of Jeremy in the Places last quoted who tells him there He should go to Babylon and of Ezekiel who saith He should not see Babylon which were seeming Contradictions hereupon he concluded that both these Prophecies were false and both were lying Prophets Joseph Antiq. 10.11 yet both were made good by the Event for he was indeed carryed Captive to Babylon but could not behold it because his Eyes were put out before at Riblah and he went blind to Babylon The Dutch have a Proverb Whom God designs to destroy he first puts out his Eyes neither the false Prophet Zedekiah nor the fond King Zedekiah could unriddle it c. Remark the Second Is the Destruction of the City and Temple and of the Kingdom Mark 1. Though Jerusalem had been the Joy of the whole Earth and the City of the great King beautiful for Situation Psalm 48.2 yet now is it broken up 2 Kings 25.4 by the Besiegers who broke down the middle Gate Jer. 29.3 4. there entred they and took the City and plunder'd it c. Mark 2. They then burnt the Temple after they had plunder'd it of all its Treasure which had now stood four hundred seventy Years and upward saith Josephus 2 Kings 25.9 10. 2 Chron. 36.18.19 and Nebuzaradan burnt down Kol-Beth Gadol Heb. every great House sparing the smaller saith Piscator for the poorest sort were to remain behind c. 2 Kings 24.14 and 25.22 Mark 3. This Captain of the Guard which some sense Hebr. Rab tabbuchim as Vatablus Piscator Osiander call the Master of the Butchers or Slaughter-men so his Sword-men seem to be called for their bloody Cruelty after he had ruin'd both sacred and civil Fabricks and Palaces firing both the Chief Priests and the Chief Princes out of their lurking Holes where they lay absconded in some secret Corner of the Temple c. All these he sent to Riblah where the King of Babylon slew them as chief Incendiaties in the Rebellion saith Sanctius and of Zedekiah's Council Mark 4. Dr. Lightfoot observes that this Seraiah who was slain here 2 Kings 25.18 21. was High Priest and Father to famous Ezra Ezra 7.1 and Zephaniah was the Sagan Suffragan or second Priest who upon any extraordinary occasion of Sickness or casual Contamination saith Mr. Gattaker whereby the High-Priest was disabled to officiate this Grand Deputy was to supply his Place N.B. These two came to such a fatal end at the fall of the Temple as Hophni and Phinehas had at the Ruine of Shiloh Mark 5. The Time when the Temple and City were fired This was on the seventh Day in the fifth Month 2 Kings 25.8 which was in our July in Memory of which fatal Month the poor Captive Jews kept an Anniversary Fast in Babylon during their Captivity Zech. 7.3 bewailing the fall of Jerusalem c. with Psalm 137. and this seventh Day Sanctius supposeth to be the Sabbath-day whereon this prophane Person Nebuzaradan purposely brought into the Temple his Pagan Crew to eat drink and be merry therein and when they had thus polluted the Temple with their Pagan prophaneness he set it on Fire upon the seventh or Sabbath day and it continued burning before it was wholly consumed until the tenth Day mentioned Jer. 52.12 13. Mark 6. Munsterus out of the lesser Seder Olam makes the Time of this Destruction of the Temple and City to fall out in the three thousand three hundred and eight Year of the World and eight hundred and fifty Years after Israel's entrance into that Land but Learned Dr. Vsher's Computation doth better in carrying it up higher to three thousand four hundred and five Years from the Creation And Dr. Lightfoot advances it highest of all to three thousand four hundred and twenty Years c. saying that the eleventh Year of Zedekiah and the nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar was this fatal Year of Jerusalem 's fall and then were Ezekiel's hundred and ninety
way of Divine Wisdom c. 3. This Innobles Man's Nature which was taken up into the God-head till then it was below Angels but hereby it was advanc'd above them 4. Oh what a Consort of Joys was there when the two Mothers met First The Mother of him who was the greatest born of Women and Secondly The Mother of him who was the Baptist's Lord to whom he paid his first homage by springing in his Mother 's Womb. 5. Mary made haste over the Mountains for her burthen was no burthen to her having seen it to teach us Christ's Yoak is easie c. 6. Her joy in Singing Hymns was soon damp'd with just Joseph's intent to put her away to shew our joy here is but Temporal that only in Heaven is Eternal The Third Particular after the Person of whom and time when is the place where Christ was Born One would think that the Maker of the World might have chosen the Grand Cairo of Egypt or the Royal City of Judea or some other stately Place and Palace to be born in No it was not in Jerusalem nor in Nazareth nor in any other Famous City but in a poor Village of Judea call'd Bethlehem one of the least comparatively Mic. 5.2 Nor was Christ born in the bravest House of this little Town but in an Inn nor in the best Room of that House but in a Stable Thus the Son of God was born in a base place though considering his Dignity and Deity the best place in the World has been too base for him Math. 2.1 From this History the first Mystery to be learned is There is an over ruling Providence of God over all the thoughts and ways of Man The great Emperor Augustus must decree that all the World be Taxed and this Decree was so cruel and Tyrannical as not to spare Big-Bellied Womenâ— which occasion'd the Blessed Virgin then great with Child to travel four Miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be Taxed with Joseph As this was a special Providence of God that the Holy Virgin might have with her the Keeper and cover of her Virginity to wit her Husband to prevent the Devil's taking and occasion of raising any false reports about her great Belly So it was no less a sweet providence that Augustus at this juncture must issue forth his harsh Decree which fetcheth Mary out of Nazareth that Christ might be born at Bethlehem The Emperour thought nothing of the Messiah's Birth in these actingâ— no more than Nebuchadnezzar did in another case Isa 10 7. both those Grandees look'd only at proclaiming their own grandeur and uncontroulable Commands to the World However God appoints and disposeth all this to his own end that the Babe of Bethlehem might be born in the place which he had fore ordained and foretold by his Prophet Mic. 5.2 Math. 2.1 5 6. Luke 2.4 5 6. Thus God still over rules the excentrick actings of all Princes to bring forth his own glory and to accomplish his own Decrees and Promises without the least mistake they do God's will while they think to do their own c. The Second Mystery Bethlehem being the place of Christ's Birth signifies in the Hebrew Tongue the House of Bread and Ephrate Mit. 5.2 signifies fruitful or fruit-bearing yea and as some Geographers say that City of David is situated in the very Navel and Centre of the Earth Note well All which do denote to us First That Christ is that Bread of Life which came down from Heaven and Tabernacl'd among us Joh. 6.32 35. and 1.14 Secondly That From him is our fruit found Hos 14.3 and Thirdly He was born in the middle of the Earth because in him all Nations should be blessed The Third Mystery is The Son of God was not born in a place prepared for that purpose as the Porphyro-geniti in Constantinople are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a place of Universal Entertainment as an Inn is all Guests that come from all quarters are bid welcome to an Inn to shew that all commers to Christ have their welcome with him he is ready to receive them all and will in no wise cast them out Joh. 6.37 This was clearly demonstrated not only by the place of his Birth but also by the posture of this Death for he died with his arms spread wide open upon the Cross in a posture ready to embrace all penitent commers to him yea such as come without Mony are wellcome Isa 55.1 The Fourth Mystery is Christ was born in a Hole of the Earth and Under-ground Den as Justin Martyr Epiphanius Eusebius and Origen do jointly testifie the Stable was digg'd out of the ground and Jerom adds in hoc terrae for amine c. In this Cell or Hole was the World's Creator Born Swathed Visited Adorned Circumcised c. His Swadling Cloaths were poor and ragged as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies wherewith he was wrapped and then he was not laid down in a Golden Cradle but in a mean Cratch or Manger all which was done to teach us what an humble Saviour we have that would descend and condescend thus low to make us ascend up on high to procure better places for us both soft Beds and furnish'd Boards c. on Earth and Mansions of Glory in Heaven Oh then murmur not at thy meanness for at thy lowest state 't is better than his was c. The Fifth Mystery is All this did befall Christ as a surety for our sins which shews the heinous guilt thereof Sin is compared to a Curst Dog that lyes at the Door Gen 4.7 No sooner was Christ come into the World but this Bandog Sin caught hold of him stop'd him and strip'd him of his former glory turn'd him into a stinking Stable c. From whence we may know our guiltiness to be such as hath forfeited our interest in all God's favours and that we are less than the least mercy Gen. 32.10 yea unworthy of the worst accommodations either for dwelling or livelyhood c. The Fourth Particular is The manner of Christ's Birth which was 1. in the common and ordinary manner of all Mankind though Christ's Conception was extraordinary and accordingly described in Scripture yet his Birth was no more than ordinary having no other remarks but upon it in Sacred Record but what is on John Baptist's Birth though his Conception hath an higher and a distinct Character 'T is expresly said Luke 2.23 that Christ was born by the opening of the Womb this plainly proves that Mary brought him forth in a Natural way as are others and not Vtero Clauso without opening it Passing through her by a Miracle as the Romaâ—â—â—â—s foolishly fancy the better to prove their fiction of Transubstantiation Oh how 〈◊〉 did Christ stoop herein to be Born as we were 〈◊〉 that we might be Born again was he contented with the pains of a Natural Birth Oh how should we love him and submit to the pains of the Spiritual Birth As
dismiss'd them lest they should strike in with the Rash headed Rabble who would have made him King by force they being probably a People that got their Bread very hardly in the sweat of their brows desired Christ who had lately filled their bellies at an easier rate to them to be their King Christ prudently and privily departs that Herod who watched for his halting might have no such Hole in his seamless Coat our Lord abstained from all appearance of evil as he bids us do 1 Thes 5.22 sending away the multitude to avoid all suspition of Sedition N.B. Note well We should look to our Credits without as well as to our Consciences within The Spouse dare not look like an Harlot or a Wanderer not as one such Cant. 1.7 And Christ dismisses his Disciples too 1. To prevent their sin in joyning with the seditious multitude 2. To teach them that they must pray to him when absent as well as while present and 3. To give them a proof of his Power for their Relief in danger Christ had comforted them against the peril of Poverty in the foregoing Miracles by supplying them with food and now he comes to comfort them against the peril of Persecution in this following Miracle of delivering them from a Storm which the Devil had raised against them The former he wrought at Land and this latter at Sea to shew them that his Right foot is upon the Sea and his Left upon the Land Rev. 10.2 and that he is the Lord and Ruler both of Sea and Land In this Miracle at Sea are many Remarks in its Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents of it The whole History hath these Remarks 1. Christ constrained his Disciples to take this Voyage that proved thus dangerous Full loth they were to leave and lose his sweet company in whose presence is life safety and fulness of joy Psal 16.11 c. N.B. Note well Which teacheth us we have need of a clear and urgent call from Christ before we undertake any hazardous Action Voyages Journey or Duty Yet were they not so refractory to Christ's command as to be driven from him by force for they obediently went down to the Ship John 6.16 and there waited for Christ's coming to them till night hoping to have him with them again as soon as he had dismiss'd the multitude one Rank after another as they sate at meat in companies orderly without confusion This they expected would take up some time before he could receive the particular Thanks of every fifty for his full feeding both their Souls and Bodies and before he could dismiss them all five thousand home with his prayers and blessing The 2d Remark is Christ having dismiss'd both them and his Disciples instead of going to them returns again into the Mountain where he had been with his Disciples apart and alone to pray for them who were to fall under a new exercise of their Faith at Sea for he needed not saith Theophilact to pray for himself but for his Church which teacheth us N. B. Note well 1. While Christ gives Means he will not have men to expect Miracles nor under pretence of attending upon him to neglect their proper Stations and Vocations therefore did he dismiss the multitude to theirs 2. N. B. Note well Secret Retirements are fittest places for prayer Anima dispersa fit minor The best Soliloquies and Interchangeable Societies yea the most Refreshing Solaces are in secret Thus Isaac got alone into the fields Gen. 24.36 Jacob lest alone in the way Gen. 32.24 Peter retires to the house-top Acts 10.9 and here Christ goes apart to a Mountain Mat. 14.23 As Secrecy is a sign of Sincerity so secreat Meals make fat Souls as well as Bodies 3. Christ was praying in the Mount for his Disciples while they were perilling and almost perishing in the Sea The 3d Remark is This Ship is a Resemblance of the Church wherein her Militant State is many ways aggravated As 1. This was but a little Ship called Navicula therefore in more danger of a Shipwrack by the Storm than if she had been a bulky Vessel Thus the Church is but a little Flock Luke 12.32 and compared to a little City Eccless 9.14 2. This Ship met with a Storm when other Passengers took other Shippings which met not with any Storm that we read of John 6.24 Thus the Church was under Divine Indignation while all the Earth beside her sate still and was at rest Isa 54.11 Zeeh. 1.11 12. 3. This Ship was in the midst of the Sea the danger had not been so great had this happened nigh the Haven Thus the Church is said to be seated in the midst of the Wolves Mat. 10.16 It wat tossed with Tempests so that these Sea-faring men in their Fishing-Imploy much acquainted with ordinary Storms were not only Terrified but Tortured and Toiled with this extraordinary Tempest so is the Church afflicted tossed with Tempests and not comforted Isa 54.11 Were it but a little shaken to and fro with a Gentle Gale the danger would not be great but she is tossed toiled and tormented as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Luke 16.23 with Mark 6.48 with the most prodigious floods of Heresie Tyranny and Persecution yea sometimes in perils from false Brethren and in other perils often both by Sea and Land 2 Cor. 11.26 27 c. 4. As the Wind was contrary to this Ship Mat. 14.24 and to Paul's Ship Acts 27.4 so 't is mostly with the Church which is very oft as the Magellan Straits where what way soever the Trading Ship bends her course she is sure to have the Wind sit cross against her Indeed the Church sometimes hath the sweet soft and gentle Gales of God's Spirit upon her Sails which even out of all quarters blows good to her Garden Cant. 4.16 and which yields her a joyful Inlargement in her increase and fragrancy of Spices but at other times tempestuous Storms unlike that Ruach Gedolah or Rushing-wind 1 Kings 19.11 that had not got God in it are upon the Church even such as have the Devil in them and are belched out of the black mouth of this Prince of the Air and Darkness N.B. Note well As this was here designed to drown all the Disciples the Devil was doubtless in it as he was in that Wind wheâ—ewith he brained all Job's Children in their Fathers absence Job 1 18 19. The like design Satan had for drowning all the Apostles of Christ while he was absent from them 5. As this Ship was both in the Deep in the midst of the Sea Mat. 14.24 so that no bottom could be fathomed and in the Dark too not only in a Midnight darkness but both the Waters and the Air were darkened with the black Cloud of the Tempest John 6.17 so that no Shore could be discerned Accordingly 't is oft thus with the Church so deep no feeling bottom and very dark no seeing Shore 6. As this Ship wanted her best
brought Light out of Darkness Gen. 1.2 3 4 5 c. Even so did Christ upon the same Day draw his Redeemed People out of that horrible Tohu Va-Bohu or confusion through the Fall out of an estate worse than nothing and brought Life and Immortality to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 By the Power of his Resurrection revealed therein The 2d Reason was to transfer the Legal Sabbath of the Seventh Day to the Evangelical on the First Day because 1. The Old Creation-Sabbath could not hold congruity with this New Creation by Christ who came now to Create New Heavens and a New Earth so as the former should not be remembred nor come into mind Isa 65.17 2 Pet. 3.13 Yea to make all things new Rev. 21.5 c. 2. Nor could it seem any other than Incongruous that this Day of our Lord's Resurrection which began a New Kingdom to wit Christ's Kingdom of the Gospel should pass away into the Old Sabbath that had for its Basis or Foundation the Remembrance of the World's Creation as well as of Israel's Deliverance from Egypt c. And 3. It must be judged very convenient that a peculiar Sabbath should be given to Christians that they might be distinguished from the Jews as they were by their peculiar Rites from the Pagans The 3d Reason was We read in Scripture of four Terrible Earth-quakes the first at the promulgation of the Law of Moses Exod. 19.18 the second was at the Death of our Redeemer the third was at his Resurrection and the fourth shall be at the Day of Judgment when the Law before given shall then be required How can it rationally be rejected that this double Earth-quake at Christ's Death and Resurrection within three days each of other to signifie the shaking of the whole World in both Judaism and Paganism by the Kingdom of the Gospel should not shake the Sabbath from off its old foundation upon a new one especially considering how 't is said I will once more shake not only the Earth as at the giving of the Law Exod. 19.18 but also the Heavens Hag. 2.6 Heb. 12.26 So that there should be a wonderful change both in Church and State and as the Earth-quake at Christ's Death did rend the Vail of the Jewish Temple from top to bottom whereby the Sabbath so far as it was Jewish as well as Sacrifices and Ceremonies were all unbottomed so the Earth-quake at Christ's Resurrection did shake it again unto and upon a new bottom in respect of the Morality and Perpetuity of it For 't is more than probable that as the first famous Earth-quake at God's giving the Law by the Hand of Moses and by the Disposition of Angels Acts 7.53 Gal. 3.19 made such a mighty change and the last at Christ's judging the World by the Law and by the Gospel too will make the greatest change of changes Even of this present evil World into that to come So the two middle Intervening famous Earth-quakes especially being so contiguous touching almost each other as it were and being within the space of thirty six hours one of another so that the Earth had got but a very short rest from the first Convulsion but presently it falls into another quaking fit must necessaily produce this wonderful Alteration seeing they did so nearly conjoin their influences to effect it The 4th Reason of this change of the Sabbath is that Christ's Resurrection was the first Degree or Step of his state of Exaltation whereby he became from the form of a Servant to be an Exalted Prince Phil. 2.7 8 9. Acts 5.30 31. The Lord of All Acts 10 36. and Lord over All Rom. 10.12 yea more particularly the Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12.8 Though the Son of God by his Incarnation became the Son of Man yet did not this diminish his Divine Authority as he was the Second Person of the God-head and therefore wanted no power to maintain the Authority of the Fourth Command and to appoint any one day of the seven according to the pleasure of his Soveraign Will for the observation of the Command touching Sabbath-Day Duties seeing he is Lord even of the Sabbath and the Moral necessity lies in this point that one day of the seven must be sanctified duly to the Lord and sure I am it only is the Soveraignty of this Lord of the Sabbath to chuse his own out of the seven days for his Service that the Son may be honoured with the Religions Remembrance and Holy observation of his first Resurrection day as the Father till then had been honoured with the like Devotion upon his first Resting day from the work of Creation and he that thus honoureth not the Son by despoiling him of his due day and duty himself saith Honours not the Father at all John 5.23 The 5th Reason is The Emphasis and Extraordinary Accent that the Holy Scriptures put upon Christ's Resurrection as of highest Importance to Man's Salvation For the Great Truth of Christ's Resurrection upon which the observation of our Lord's Day is grounded the word of God gives greater confirmation of than of other Gospel Truths As 1st 'T is confirmed by Figures and Significant Types to wit 1. By Adam sleeping while Eve the Mother of all the Living was formed ex ejus latere and taken out of his side then the Man awaked So the Second Adam fell asleep and out of that large Wound in his side came forth the Church the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 then He as God Man awakened 2d By Isaac who was bound upon the Altar to be burnt as a Sacrifice but freed from Death by the Angel and restored to his Father who reckoned God raised up his Son as from the Dead Heb. 11.19 Accordingly it was with our Isaac Jesus c. 3d By Joseph who was shut up in Prison where the Iron entered into his Soul Psal 105.18 as the old Translation reads it and then by a mighty hand of God he was restored to his Father with great Joy So it was with Jesus this Joseph our Brother c. The 4th Figure was By Samson whom the Philistines thought they had secured safe enough when they had him inclosed in Gaza a City with Walls and Gates but he rose up before it was day light plucks up the Posts and Gates of the City and carried them away upon his Shoulders to the top of an Hill Judges 16.3 Even so it was with our Saviour whom the Chief Priests thought they had fast enough in a sealed and guarded Sepulchre But he stronger than Samson raised himself up and by his Irresistible power removed all obstructions carrying the Gates of Death and Hell which could not prevail against him Mat. 16.18 away with him c. The 5th Figure is by Jonah a figure that Jesus made of himself as to his Resurrection who was raised up out of the Whale's Belly which Jonah calls the Belly of Hell Jon. 2.2 So our Jesus was raised out of
splendour put upon them than any of the Holy Patriarchs or Prophets of the Old Testament This great Truth our Lord Christ who is Truth it self John 14.6 doth positively affirm saying Amongst them that are born of Women there hath not Risen a greater than John the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he Mat. 11.11 The meaning whereof is this as the Elements the higher they are be so much the purer the Water is more pure than the Earth the Air than Water and the Elementary Fire than the Air so the nearer to Christ's Time the more excellent was the Person this excellency had John the Baptist to be the immediate Harbinger for preparing the way of that great Prince of Peace the Lord Jesus at his first coming so became he beyond all the Antient Patriarchs and former Prophets both in Dignity and Doctrine Yet came he behind the Apostles of Christ not so much in the Dignity of his Office though he wrought no Miracles John 10.41 as Moses Elijah Elisha did before him and as the Apostles did after him as he did come behind them in the perspicuity and clearness of his Doctrine concerning the Messiah whom indeed he saw with his Eyes and pointed him out with his Finger yet declared he nothing of Christ's Sufferings or of his Dying and Rising again all which was revealed to Isaiah for which he is call'd by the Antients the Prophetical Evangelist and Evangelical Prophet or of his Ascending into Heaven c. as the Apostles do Yet farther He that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven includes every godly Gospel Minister to be greater than John the Baptist as to their Doctrine for John only Preached and could declare that Christ was come but the Ministers of the Gospel can Preach Christ as having Died for our sins and that he is Risen again for our Justification Rom. 4.25 Note This is no small comfort to Gospel-Ministers for qualifying those cutting and killing contempts that a wicked World casts upon them They are certainly some Bodies in Heaven whatever Men make of them or scorn them as no Bodies on Earth Such Scorners little consider how the great God hath threatned to strike through the loins of them Deut. 33.11 Note The Prophets of the Old Testament and the Apostles of the New call'd by the Fathers the Ante-nati and the Post-nati because born before or after the Birth of Christ may well be compared to the two Spies who bare that goodly Cluster of Canaan's Grapes upon a long Pole between them Numb 13.23 He that went before must have his back upon the Bunch so could not have such a plain prospect of it as he who followed after and had his face fully upon it Thus Christ this blessed Bunch of Grapes who hath a Cluster of Blessings in him is born betwixt the Believers of both Testaments only they in the Old saw not so much as we do in the New Note The Holy Apostles saith Chrysostom were greater than the greatest Kings of the Earth rendring this Reason Regum Leges saepè sunt abrogata etiam ipsis viventibus at piscatorum illorum etiam ipsis mortuis Ratae fuere Immobiles manebant c. The Laws of earthly Kings are oft Repealed and die while they themselves live but 't is otherwise with the Laws of those Apostles though but poor Fishermen they stand unrepealed for ever because their Laws are not so much theirs as they are the Laws of the Lord of all Acts 10.36 That the Apostles were great Persons is further demonstrated by those Kings and Emperors who out of their kind of Devotion go in Pâ—larimage to visit their Tombs who yet pay not any such Devoir to the Tombs of their own Predecessors The Twelve Apostles were correspondent to the Twelve Patriarchs as Jacob had Twelve Sons whereof one was a beloved Joseph so Jesus had Twelve Disciples whereof one was a beloved John and as the Apostles were Twelve in number so they did answer the Twelve Foundations of the New Jerusalem Jesus chused Twelve for the Apostleship but Judas one of the Twelve proved a Devil and went betimes to the Devil As bad as the World was then so full of Kill Christ's yet was it too good a place for that Traitor to abide in he was soon pack'd off and as Felo de se both went and was sent to his own place that is to Hell and Damnation the proper place of such a Son of Perdition a place of his own providing and which he had purchased with his wages of wickedness mentioned Acts 1.18 with 25. Note There seems some difficulty in Reconciling Matth. 27.5 where 't is said Judas hanged himself to that of Acts 1.18 where 't is said He falling headlong burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out for want of bowels to his kind and innocent Master We must believe that both were true because the Scripture of truth doth affirm both He was certainly Suffocated or strangled and his bowels gushed out also though the manner how is not determined in sacred writ yet may those two differing Scriptures be thus Reconciled He might be Hanged and the Rope breaking he might fall down and with the fall burst asunder thus both were true Beside The opinion of some is That the Devil strangled him and threw him down a Precipice for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 need not be translated He Hanged himself But he was Suffocated or Strangled which might be done by some disease that caused a Rupture of his Body Or grant He Hanged himself his Body by a just Judgment of God might swell and as the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His bowels might break forth with a great crack No doubt but the Devil was both in his sin and in his punishment Now there happening a Vacancy by Judas's fall in the Emphatical and Significant Number of Twelve the Colledge and Chorus of the Apostles consisting now only of Eleven Peter James John Andrew Philip Thomas Matthew Bartholomew James the Son of Alphaeus Simon Zelotes and Judas the Brother of James Acts 1.13 This Breach must be made up by ordaining one to stand up in the stead of Judas the Traitor Hereupon Matthias was chosen of God to fill up that Vacancy the Eleven are all named to shew that notwithstanding their former Apostacy in forsaking of Christ c. They were again upon their Repentance Received into their holy Apostleship And as the Glorified Saints do fill up the Room in Heaven which the Apostate Angels foolishly forsake So this Matthias makes up the Breach of the faln Judas so he made up the round number of Twelve again This number Twelve is a number which God seemeth to affect in reference to his Church both in the Old and in the New-Testament The Ancient Church God was pleased to build first upon 12 patriarchs then upon the 12 Tribes of Israel And the Gospel-Church prophecied of
his Actions to the Judgment of the Church at Jerusalem giving them an Account of the whole Transactions and the Reasons which moved him to do what he had done The Vision of the Sheet c. are twice at large Recorded in the 10th and 11th chapters that the tendency of it namely to put no difference now betwixt Jew and Gentile seeing the partition-wall was broke down now by Christ might become the more unquestionable a Truth both to Peter who was most especially concerned in it and to others also who now doubted of it and disputed against it In this Defence or Apology there be these Remarks 1. In the general Peter affirmeth that he had done nothing upon his own head but all according to Divine Direction therein 2. More particularly he is his own Compurgator That he had lived hitherto in a strict observation of their Ceremonial Righteousness verse 8. Though he thought himself far from being justified thereby abstaining from all appearances of evil to them 3. That he had not been too facil or easily reclaimed from their Legal Rites therefore the Vision was repeated three several times c. verse 9 10. before his full Regulation herein 4. The Voice of Divine Providence in sending the three Messengers that gave him his Call verse 11. and the Voice of God's Spirit to clear up his Call with a Divine as well as Humane Warrant c. verse 12 13 14. are asserted for their satisfaction 5. He gives an Account how in his Preaching those Gentiles had the pourings out of the Spirit upon them in the like power as had been upon them that were Jews Acts 2. v. 4. upon Pentecost-Day 6. Then he urgeth the Promise of Christ which he then call'd to mind of baptizing Believers with the Holy Ghost first mentioned by the Baptist Matth. 3 11 Mark 1.8 but after approved of by Christ Matth. 11.9 as by the people John 10.41 and expresly spoken also by him Acts 1.5 7. The Conclusion Peter drew from the Premisses seeing God hath made the Gentiles equal in Grace with the Believing Jews what was I to withstand God verse 17. It was God that call'd them to Life and Salvation and not I saith he therefore it was not in my power to deny them Church-Priviledges and Church Communion Here Peter's Argument is very cogent to such a Conclusion N.B. They that have the thing signified which is the greater have right to the Seal signifying which is the lesser And seeing the sanctifying Graces of the Spirit were given by God to those Gentiles he infers hence had he denied them Baptism he would therein have been a Resister of God and a wronger of them in with holding that token from them which God had sent to them 8. This Defence of Peter's was so pungent and convincing that it conquered the Cavillers they were not only silenc'd from gain-saying but satisfied fully that it was of Divine Dispensation to give the Gentiles Repentance unto life verse 18. which can come from no hand but from the Almighty 2 Tim. 2.25 The Objectors hereupon let fall their Monopoly they dreamt of concerning Christ and Grace and being good men they acquiesced as those that contended more for Truth than for Victory Now follows the second Topick for adjusting and justifying the Gentile's Reception into Gospel-Communion This is drawn from the wonderful success of God's Word among the Gentiles at Antioch called Grecians as contra-distinct from the Jews aforementioned v. 19 20. This is more manifest in the following Remarks First The 120 Ministers mentioned Acts 1.15 who were scattered upon Stephen's stoning Acts 8.1 went Preaching up and down first as far as the bounds of Judea extended then some of them stepped farther as far as Phoenice Cyprui and Syria but all this time dealing with the Jews only not being yet perswaded of the Calling of the Gentiles But Peter having now broke the Ice for a freer passage to them at last some of them made bold to go beyond the partition wall to Preach to the Greeks or Gentiles at Antioch Thus all things do work together though not asunder for good Rom. 8.28 even the Persecution that arose about Stephen did the more disseminate the Gospel c. The second Remark is Divine Light must not be let in all at once but by degrees Thus it was not only with those Banished Ministers who for some time confined themselves to teach the Jews only in strange Countreys yet when more Light was let in they venture among the Gentiles as here at Antioch But it was thus also with the Apostolical Church at Jerusalem who made at the first all this great Ruffle afore-mentioned against Peter's conversing with the Gentiles yet now perceiving many Gentiles were converted at Antioch they now send Barnabas that Son of Consolation to confirm and comfort them in Church-Communion verse 21 22 Thirdly The God of all grace makes even a gentile-Gentile-City to cry grace grace Zech. 4.7 Manifested in their Professions and in their Practices also with correspondent conversations All this the good man Barnabas saw and rejoyced at it upon Earth as the Angels also rejoyced at it in Heaven Luke 15.7 and no less did all other Believers who are but learning that Angelical Lesson when they heard hereof in Jerusalem and in other places as Caesarea c. Hereupon Barnabas exhorted this great number of Believing Gentiles verse 21. and this much people which were added to the Lord v. 24. that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord verse 23. as Deut. 10.20 and 30.20 that is cleave close to the Profession of the Truth of Christ with their whole heart tide life tide death whatever it cost them and not foil or slubber their Religion with the slur of a rotten unsound and insincere heart The sound heart is neither ashamed of the Gospel nor a shame to the Gospel Psal 119.80 Fourthly The greatest honour in the Kingdom of God and of the Gospel was conferred upon this Gentile-City Antioch now made even above Jerusalem it self Insomuch that Christ's Disciples were first call'd Christians in this City verse 26. to shew that Christ from thence spread forth his Banner which he had first set up as his Standard therein by a people that had his own name put upon them and who would apparently own and follow him in his good ways maugre the malice of Men and Devâ—ls and in despite of all the designs of a beholding and contradicting World against them as is intimated before N. B. As Caesarea the Seat of the Roman Governour of Indea first seeth the Door of Faith opened to the Gentiles in the conversion of Cornelius and his Friends and Family so Antioch the Seat of the Roman Governour of Syria first heareth and beareth the honour of the honourable name of Christian which therefore will be a Renowned City so long as the World lasteth and the Church in the World N.B. This Antioch of old had been call'd Hamath Ezek.
Amphipolis and Apollonia two Cities also in Macedonia whether they were called by the Vision but God had no Harvest work there for these his Harvest Labourers and tho' the former of these was so called because the Sea came up to it on both sides yet the Gospel of Christ that vast Ocean of Divine love must not now come to it on any side but Paul passeth by both those places as he was directed by God's Spirit and goes on to Thessalonica one of the chiefest Cities of Macedonia a City built by Great Alexander's Father in memory of a Victory that Philip obtained over the Thessalians and therefore call'd it Thessalonica which signifies the Conquest of Thessaly but it became far more famous for Christ's coming and riding upon the white Horse of the Gospel and conquering a famous Church to himself to which Paul wrote two famous Epistles afterwards c. As to Paul's Preaching the Gospel at Thessalonica two things are principally to be considered concerning his Doctrine Preached in that City The first is the Object thereof which is Two fold 1. The Personal 2. The Real Object The Personal Object is manifold As 1. Whom he Taught the Jews 2. Where in their Synagogue 3. When on the Sabbath-day 4. How oft three Sabbath days together And 5. From whence he drew his Doctrine 't was out of the Scriptures Acts 17. verse 1 2. Then the Real Object is twofold 1. What his Doctrine was namely the Doctrine of Christ's Death and Resurrection And 2. The manner how he taught it was by opening the Prophecies of the Old Prophets concerning Christ and comparing them with what was both done and suffered by Christ making all things so plain to the Eyes of their understandings as if he had exposed them to the open view of their Bodily eyes ver 3. The next considerable to the Object is the Event which also is twofold 1. Good And 2. Bad. The good Event was the Conversion of some Jews and of a great multitude of Greek-Gentiles and of the chief women not a few verse 4. But the bad Event was the opposition and persecution which was a constant Companion of the Apostolical Doctrine in all places where Paul came and this is described by its three parts its Beginning its Advance or Middle and its Catastrophe or ending 1st The Beginning of it was started by the Unbelieving Jews moved with envy who call the lewd Fellows into a League of Conspiracy with them and so sets the whole City in an uproar verse 5. The 2d part of this persecution is the Middle or Increase of it wherein is related that the Apostles being withdrawn to avoid the rage of the rude Rabble so could not be found they fall foul upon Jason the Apostles host and entertainer with others of the Brethren and hale them away to the Rulers of the City where they lay heavy and heinous crimes to their charge they accuse them 1. Of raising Sedition verse 6. 2. Of committing High Treason verse 7. Then the 3d. part the Conclusion thereof tho' those Judges were affrighted at these Accusations both fearing a Tumult among the Citizens and the Roman powers reckoning with them if Christ should be allowed to affront Caesar verse 8. N.B. However they were either well satisfied with Jason's Apology or with the Bail taken for their Appearance if there were need so as to dismiss them out of the Court and let them return home verse 9. This gave a loud alarm to the Apostles knowing that the Jews sought Paul's life therefore were they sent away verse 10. The Remarks upon Paul's preaching at Thessalonica are these The first Remark is Still the Gospel is as the Sea what it loseth on one side of Land it gaineth on another The sending away of Paul and Silas from Philippi to gratifie the mad multitude Acts 16.39 was a means to carry the word of life and Salvation to Thessalonica yea and we may suppose to some Jews both in Amphipolis and Apollonia too N.B. For tho' the every where scattered Jews had no Synagogue built in either of those two Cities as was in Thessalonica yet 't is not at all improbable that they resorted to this Synagogue in Thessalonica out of both the other Cities so had the opportunity to hear Paul preach the Gospel to them N.B. As all these three Cities were situated in Macedonia so they were not so far distant one from another but that they might hold up a Communion in the Jewish worship without any breach of that Law which limited their Sabbath-day's Journey to about two miles among their Traditions Acts 1.12 yet was this looked upon as binding only in their own Countrey in times of peace and not in other Countreys into which War had dispersed them So that some of those Jews out of the other two Cities might be of the Number of those that Believed and Consorted with Paul The second Remark is But those Jews which believed not were the worst sort of Enemies the Gospel of Christ met withal in the whole world N.B. These Unbelieving Jews were worse than those lewd Fellows of the baser sort that were as Idle vagrants out of all honest Imploy Viles et Venales Saith One Vagi otiosiq saith Another such as had nothing to do but to gaze about and run on Errands This Rascality and Sink of the City was the best tools the Jews could find out by whom to do the Devil's drudgery A quo aliquid tale est illud est Magìs Tale inasmuch as those cross-grain'd and cursed Jews set those Mercenary Dueggs of the City on work to make an uproar and opposition against the Gospel they were the principal Agents therein and therefore worse than those worthless burdens of the Earth who were but their Instruments which watched all opportunities to move Sedition in hope of finding some Advantage in change Hence Paul brands those Jews thus that they are neither pleasing to God nor profitable to men 1 Thess 2.15 The third Remark is The Success and prosperous Reception of the Gospel is a grievous eye-sore to the Envious Devil N.B. Would we know the Reason why the Devil raged thus both in the chief Agents the Jews and in those their under-Instruments the mad Miscreants against the Apostles of Christ It was because in three weeks space or very little more they had Converted some Jews many Proselytes and not a few of the chief Gentiles yea and a considerable number of the honourable Matrons of the City tho' such had stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas in Antioch Acts 13.50 All which number of Converts considered with the shortness of the time wherein so many were brought in it cannot be wondred at that the Devil seeing his Kingdom tumbling down filled the hearts of those Incarnate Devils from corner to corner with rage against the Apostles N.B. However this speedy Efficacy of the Gospel upon so many and mighty persons together with the malicious Opposition they
the Heavens passing away with a noise the Elements melting with heat the Earth burnt up c. 2 Pet. 3. v. 10 11. Such as the Destruction of the whole World is usually expressed by in other Scriptures to alarm the secure c. The fourth Remark is the manner of Peter 's death whereof we have some Scripture-light and of him only of all the Apostles As Peter's second Epistle leaves us some light concerning the time of his death as well as of writing that Epistle to wit a little before his death as is above said which he saith was to be very shortly yet must that phrase of his as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me 2 Pet. 1.14 borrow some light from John 21.18 19 c. to make the manner of his death the more manifest where Christ tells Peter that he should dye a violent kind of death wherein another shall manacle and pinion thee carry thee prisoner where thou wouldst not and that he should follow his Master in the manner of his death in being Crucified at his Martyrdom as Christ had told Peter thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterward Joh. 13.36 This our Lord spake signifying by what death Peter should glorifie God John 21.18 19. That Peter's hands should be stretched out and nailed to the Cross as Christ's were-when Crucified c. This must be Peter's Exitus or way of decease and the manner of taking down his Tent and Tabernacle 2 Peter 1.14 15. when Peter heard his own fate he then is too curiously inquisitive to know what was John's destiny ver 20 21. Our Lord checks his curiosity bids him mind his own concern of executing his master's commands and Imitating his Example not troubling himself with the concerns of others yet withall intimating that Peter's death should be before John's who should live till he came to wit in judgment against Jerusalem to destroy it ver 22. John lived to see the holy City destroyed but Peter was crucified a little before N.B. And yet that he might dye in charity to Paul who had as before exposed him to some open shame by his so publickly reproving him He makes a most honourable mention of him as his Beloved Brother c. 2 Pet. 3.15 16. Whereby he declares to all the world upon record that he had nothing the worse thoughts of him for being so sharply rebuked by him but rather loved him the better for his faithfulness according to Solomon's saying Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee Prov. 9.8 c. N.B. This is the last Account and the Total which the sacred Scripture gives us concerning the great Apostle Peter Therefore the life of Peter written by the Jesuit Xaverius that mock Evangelist among the Indians in the Persian Language and translated into Latine by Ludovicus de Dieu is no better than a fardle fraught full of many impudent Fables wherein take only this short tast he telleth how Peter solliciteth the Blessed Virgin to intercede for him with her Son to procure his pardon for his Thrice Denying him As likewise how Christ made Peter and his Successors to be he Lord's Vicars upon Earth and much more ejusdem farinae of the same Bran as appeareth in the Animadversions upon that fabulous lie That Peter was martyr'd by the Jews in Babylonia where he now was is far more probable because such a Frantick Madness was now judiciarily fallen upon them in all parts and a bloody Rage against the Gospel the Devil at this time bestirring himself in the Jews knowing his time was so short N.B. That Peter left no more Writings behind him save those two Epistles makes more against Popery than for to countenance it The third Apostle that still the sacred writ gives some light into their lives is the Apostle Jude on whom take these few Remarks The first is His Name which is prefixed to his Epistle according to the common manner of writting Letters and Epistles in that time Acts 23.26 and all the Apostolical Epistles and not subscribed as our manner is he is called Jude whom Luke calls Judas Luke 6.16 Matthew calls him Lebbeus Matth. 10.3 and Mark Thaddeus Mark 3.18 So that he had three Names Luke calls him the Brother of James the less to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot and from him who was the mover of Sedition Acts 5.37 His Mother seems to be the Wife of Cleopas the blessed Virgin 's Sister John 19.25 Matth. 27.56 compared with Matth. 13.55 In which sense his Brother James is called the Lord's Brother Gal. 1.19 as he calls himself James's Brother Jude verse 1. And such was his humility and his Brother 's also James 1.1 that neither of them writ themselves a Brother or Kins-man of Christ nor yet an Apostle as both Paul and Peter do but both of these Brothers stile themselves only the Servants of Christ which they esteemed more honourable than the most glorious Title in the world Thus David in his Title to Psalm 18. useth the like phrase David the Servant of the Lord which he accounted a greater honour than his being KING of Israel Jude's other Name Lebbeus signifies Hearty being an Humble and Hearty Servant of Christ The second Remark is The length of his Life As Christ promised by way of Equivalency to Peter that he should not be Martyred in the middle of his Life but that he should live God's Servant all that time and that not until he came into his old age he should then dye God's Sacrifice as appeareth in the foregoing discourse of him So it is as apparent that the Lord performed his promise of prolonging the Life of his Kins-man Jude insomuch that he survived and over-lived all the Apostles except John This truth is proved from Jude's own word in his Epistle verse 17. Saying Remember beloved the words which were spoken by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ adding in verse 18. How they told you that there should be Mockers in the last times c. which passages make it plainly appear that Jude wrote his Epistle very late even later than any of either Paul's or Peter's Epistles for those two were the very Apostles especially that gave any such fore-warnings upon Record Acts 20.29 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.1 and 2 Pet. 2.1 2 c. which reference renders it also probable that those Apostles might be dead at Jude's writing his Epistle However he putteth the Christian-Jews in remembrance of those Apostles Sayings which he would not have to dye with them seeing those Mockers of Gospel-Mysteries still lived among them The third Remark is The subject matter of Jude's Epistle which is much like to that of Peter's second Epistle not only in matter but also in style and therefore some Cavillers will not have this Canonical because as they say it was borrowed from Peter's and not dictated by the Holy Ghost N.B. But by the same Rule Obadiah's prophecy may be reputed Apocryphal because 't
and having Salvation c Zech. 9.9 This is that full and strutting Breast of consolation which all the Children of the Church are commanded to suck and be satisfied to milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory Isa 66. ver 11. to wit when her King comes in his glory to comfort her this choice Cordial the Prophet Zechariah prepared for the Church's comfort in her Captivity about 500 years before Christ's coming in the flesh and it was so famous a Prophetick promise that when it became a performance at the coming of Christ we find this same Prophecy quoted by all the four Evangelists as Mat. 21.5 7 9. and Mar. 11.2 10. and Luk. 19. ver 30 38. and Joh. 12.13 14 15 16. N.B. But long before this Prophet Zechariah we find that Evangelical Prpohet Isaiah gives us the substance of this very Prophecy in his day saying to the same purpose what shall one then answer the Ambassadors or Messengers of the Nations that the Lord hath founded Sion and the poor of his people shall trust in it Isa 14.32 see Psa 87. ver 1 2 3 4 5. and 102.16 where David long before Isaiah most highly extolls Sion's foundation and its superstructure also when the Lord shall appear in his glory but this Prophetical Evangelist Isaiah comes yet more near to this Prophecy of Zechariah saying Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world as the best Tidings that can be heard in the world say ye to the Daughter of Zion behold thy Salvation cometh behold his Reward is with him and his work before him Isa 62. verse 11. Note hence 1st Here are three Beholds to give the greater Lustre upon the the matter there mentioned 2ly Zions King and Salvation are Synonima's signifying one and the same for Zechariah's King cometh is Isaiah's Salvation cometh and thus old Simeon call'd Christ his Salvation Luk. 2.30 3ly When Zion's King cometh then Zion shall be called a City sought out and not forsaken Isa 62.12 This is the sum and substance of all the best news upon the earth we may draw water with joy out of this well of Salvation Isa 12.3 A Mandamus from Zion's King can save Zion at her lowest State Ps 44.4 and 74 12 and 48.2 N.B. This Prophetick promise of Christ's coming with Salvation unto Zion doth afford twelve comfortable considerations The First Cordial is If the Tidings of Christ's first coming unto his Church tho' then he came only in the form of a Servant and in his State of Humiliation yet the Promise thereof was such good news to Zion and so grand a ground of her greatest joy as both those Prophets Isa 62.11 and Zech. 9.9 do testifie Then how much more joyful tidings must needs be Christ's second coming in his State of Exaltation unto his Church when he shall come in his Kingdom and in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory Mat. 24.30 The second Cordial is If the Ante nati or those born before Christ namely the Old Testament Saints could be content to wait the full term of four Thousand years from the first Time that Christ was Promised in the seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 as a Congruous Remedy to man's Cursed Malady by his first foul fall before that promise was performed at the Birth of Christ Then why cannot the Post nati or such as are born after Christ namely the New Testament Saints be content to wait until the term of only two Thousand years more be run quite out before his second coming in Glory which is but half the time that the Patriarks and Prophets waited for his first coming as aâ— Servant only and not as a Lord and King in his Grandeur of Majesty T' is well known that the time since the Birth of Christ amounts not yet to Seventeen Hundred years so there is yet Three Hundred years and more to make up the numbers of two Thousand which is but the one half of the afore-said 4000 in the Old Testament times yet our Lord comforts us with saying For the Elects sake these days shall be shortned Mat. 24.22 and the world may not last thus Six Thousand years as the Rabbins say only from this ground as the Creation of the world lasted six days so its continuation shall be Six Thousand years because 't is said a Thousand years are but as one day with God c. Now what a shame it is that we of the new Testament times should be so short spirited as to be so soon weary of waiting for our Lord 's coming especially considering how we lay under the blessed influence both of Christ's Birth Life and Death yea and of his Resurrection Ascension and Intercession c. None of which were priviledges of Old Testament times yet they waited for the consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 we should adjure our selves not to awake our love till he please Can. 2.7 3.5 The third Cordial is Tho' there be a time for our Lord 's going from his Zion to wit when his Glory departs from her as it did gradualy from his Sâ—â—ctuary Ezek. 10.18 and 11.23 Because Zion's sins do sometime seperate betwixt her Lord and her Isa 59.2 then is it that the spouse complains My beloved had with drawn himself Cant. 5.6 This is the time of Zion's trouble but she shall be saved out of it Jer. 30.7 because there is a time of Zion's Kings returning to her again wherein he saith to her I am returned with my mercies to Jerusalem and I will yet comfort Zion Zech. 1.16.17 Tho' Zion be sad when her King goeth from her yet is she commanded here to rejoice greatly for behold her King cometh unto her Zech. 9.9 Thus we are told how Christ did depart from his Disciples this made them melancholly therefore 't is added for their comfort that in like manner he will return to them again Acts 1.9 11. To the same effect Christ had told them before his death Saying Let not your hearts be sad if I go from you 't is to prepare a place for you and I will come again to you and receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also John 14.1 2 3. And he adds I will not leave you comfortless or Gr. Orphans for I will come to you again verse 18. and 28. yea for their greater comfort he tells them his absence from them was both expedient and should be only for a little while and then they should see him again John 16.7 16. which proving a problem or a dark saying to the Disciples our Lord explains it verse 17 18 19 20. As it was but a little time indeed betwixt his Death and his Resurrection c. So it must be but a little time betwixt us living in this last age of the world and our Lord 's returning to us though he tarry his appointed time yet are we assured he will surely come and will not tarry therefore must
N.B. 200 years may be allowed him for growing into his virile State of Domineering Royalty which carries the Account to the year 600 and whether we ought to reckon from his first Rising or first Reigning hoc restat ad probandum Guessing is but a vanity where there wants Scripture light to ground and guide And 't is but a too lightly valuing a man's Reputation to venture rashly upon such Rocks as too many famous men have split their Credit upon by their particular determinations which time the best Expositor hath confuted as false but much more of this in my discovery of Antichrist largely handled there c. The second Remark is Tho' Antichrist have still many scores of years wherein to continue and make war with the Saints Rev. 13.5 7. As fixing the Epocha upon the Sixth Century doth necessarily imply N.B. Yet our Lord hath hitherto Interlaced with the tedious time of this Beast's Beastly Reign some lucid intervalls to support the feeble faith and trembling hopes of his people As in the ten Primitive persecutions God now and then stoped the carreer of those Pagan persecutors and gave his persecuted Saints a little leave as in Job's phrase to swallow down their spittle but more especially when Constantine came to the Crown N.B. And after the Church had about 97 years Rest by times which may be well meant That silence in Heaven for half an hour Rev. 8.1 At the opening of the seventh seal after the six seals had destroyed the Pagan State which the Dragon had made his drudge to destroy the Gospel-Church that brought forth the Trumpet-Prophecy so therein all along God gave his Church some little revivings in their bondage under the Papagan power or Antichrist hitherto and will do so till the vials destroy him The third Remark is Nor was this all to give his persecuted people now and then some respite intermission or some cooling times from hot persecutions only but God also scatter'd Cordials for Corroborating and Comforting their Spirits in the Evil day N.B. as 1st It was a comfort to the Church that all the Pagan persecuting Emperors were so short lived insomuch that 27 of them God blew out of the Imperial Chair in the space of 200 years and then the Devil was defeated of his first design for so far was he from routing up the Church by the Pagan power that it self was routed up by Constantine c. This the Church over-lived to see N.B. 2ly No less Joy it was to the Church to see the Devil defeated in his second design against her by his powring out the Puddle water-flood of Arrianism for then the Lord his her in the Wilderness Rev. 12.6 14. And made the Earth help her verse 16. to wit the Goths and Vandals which the four first Trumpets Summon'd in upon the Roman Empire in the year 410 and wasted the western part of it about the 480 d. year All which Interspace the Church injoy'd peace in the Exercise of Religion yea and during this double design of the Dragon against the Church the former in the form of a Pagan the latter of a Christian Arrian yet denying Christ's Deity c. beside the white robes given to those crying Souls under the Altar Rev. 6.11 N.B. The whole 7th Chapter of Sealing and Securing 144000 is brought in for the comfort of the Church Nor did his second design succeed for beside the hiding place prepared of God for his Church in persecution she was born as upon the wings of Eagles as Exodus 19 4 and Deut. 32.11 to soar above its reach Rev. 12.6 14. So that the Church had a liberty to condemn the Arrians Pelagians Nestorians and Eutychians by the 2d and 3d General Councils which swallowed up the Flood N.B. 3ly Still 't is a comfort to the Church to be preserved under Anti-christ the last attempt of a daring Devil when he found it impracticable to destroy the whole Church he makes war against the Remnant of her seed that keep close to the rule of God's word Rev. 12.17 tho' he slay the witnesses yet he cannot bury them God stirs up Friends to preserve them from perishing And as the fifth Trumpet blew up the Saracens who entered Spain the 714 years within 80 years time over-ran it and many other Countries Italy it self c. were got to the very gates of Rome which could not but cause the Pope to pull in his pushing horns so the Sixth Trumpet brings up the Turks about the twelfth Century in Ottoman's year as 't is said 1296 Joyning with the Saracens They are a curb to Papistry and a scourge to Papists Rev. 9.20 for none worship Images as Papists do As the Turks hath been a Rampart to the Protestants so hath he been and is still Rampant to Popish Countries what father Service God hath for him of that Kind is yet unknown but the sounding of the seventh Trumpet which pours out seven Vials gradually upon the beast to destroy him brings the greatest comfort Rev. 11.15 The accomplishment of this is that which we must wait for the vision being yet for an appointed time Hab. 2.3 Dan. 8.19 c. then expireth the Kingdom of the Beast and then Christs Kingdom beginneth Then the Temple of God for Christ's worship and wittnesses both which hath been supprest shall be opened Rev. 11.19 This is the third State of the Church described Rev. 20. A serene and peaceable state till the battel with all the wicked of the world which shall end with Christ's coming to Judgment and then follows the Triumphant state Rev. 21.22 Chapters Seeing these sayings there can agree with no other State Rev. Chapters 12 13.14 15 to 20. do explain what is foretold in Chap. 11. The 4th Remark is There is certainly a time predicted and prefixed by God wherein the Beloved City as the Church is called Rev. 20.9 shall have a Golden Age and Halcyon Days for a thousand years upon Earth which space of Time is repeated six several times expresly Rev. 20.2 3.4 5 6 7. tho' this whole Book of the Revelation be mostly mysterious and as Jerom saith Epist ad Paulinum quot habet Verba tot Sacramenta so many Words so many Mysteries which may most surely be asserted concerning the 20th Chapter that hath been a subject of so many differing and contrary Interpretations and variety of Opinions which is wittily called an Holy Disease Yet this was the Judgment of the Antient Fathers in the very next Age to the Apostles As 1. Tertullian contra Marcion 2. Irenaeus Tract contra omnes Haereses 3. Justin Martyr who of a Philosopher became a Christian about thirty years after the death of this John the Divine the Pen-man of this Book of the Revelation 4. Papias who was St. John's Scholar and a godly Bishop in that Time 5. Hilarius a Divine of eminent Endowments 6. Lactantius that Eloquent and Candid Writer call'd the Christian Cicero Instit lib. 7. where he expresseth this
take the time of Satan's binding for a long time indefinitely Zegerus Emanuel Sa and Esthius all say 't is meant all the time since the first publication of the Gospel Ribera Haimo and Gagneus take it for the time until Antichrists rise who as they say must continue but three years and an half before the day of Judgment Junius begins these thousand years thirty six years after Christ's death for then Satan raged against the Christian Church until Hildebrand before he was restrained c. Brightman reckons at Constantine to Pope Bonifaceâ— the eighth and so do Napier and Mr. Fox the Martyrologist Cotterius begins them at 1517 when Luther arose to a reformation at which time was the rising of the witnesses But Alsted and Archer begin them at 1666 and 1694 the latter of these two Dr. Hall in his Revelation Revealed most highly honoureth saying of him that Mr. Archer was a London Divine of such Sanctity and Estimation as none doubted saith the Doctor to file him among men as pretious as any the Earth bore in his time yet some mistakes attended this pretious man both in reckoning Christ's Reign to begin at 1666 year and in fixing the call of the Jews and the ten Tribes upon 1650 or 56 year both which time it self hath confuted Tho' Dr. Hall give this high character to Mr. Archer yet was he of a differing opinion to him saying the Ten Tribes were 2340 years ago so dispersed as dust before the wind so that now they have no known Being in the world and for them to be fetched again out of the Rubbage of Paganism and Mahometanism credat Judaeus Apella let the circumcised Jew believe it c. As to Alsted he is an Author of Universal Reputation as appeareth by his Encuclopaedia and other learned Works He wrote in Latin his Assertion of the glorious Kingdom of Christ here on earth Illustrates it from sixty five places of holy Scripture and answers thirty five Objections against it which is faithfully Englished by famous Mr. Burton who calls it The beloved City and well-worthy of serious perusal Yet this great professor of the University at Herborne hath his Mistake also in fixing the beginning of Christ's Reign on Earth upon 1694 year or sooner This his Conjecture is likewise expired Re infectâ as well as the former we may well suppose the cause of so many men's mistakes as to times and things is this that seeing the sense of those dark prophecies layeth not in Superficie sed in medulla Scripturae as the Father phraseth it not in the outside of the letter but in the marrow of the Spirit therefore was it a prudent answer of Dr. Andrews when a plain man asked him his opinion about those obscure passages in the Revelations he modestly said My Friend I am not yet come so far c. Yea and great Calvin if Bodinus wrong him not was forced to acknowledge that he was Nullus in propheticis and knew not what many obscure passages of the Revelations meant Seeing as Jerom saith Quot habet verba tot Sacramenta so many words so many Mysteries as before 3dly There be many great lights of the Church that are in the dark about those difficult points rendring their Reasons for their dissenting such as learned Dr. Lightfoot who in his comment upon the Acts pag. 12. doth condemn the Millenarian opinion as erroneous c. And other learned men argue thus 1. The first Lesson that God taught Adam after he had taught him the Lesson of Christ was that he should not expect Christ's Kingdom upon Earth because he then cursed the Earth to him and what should Christ's blessed ones for ever in Heaven do a thousand years on the cursed earth seeing Christ saith His Kingdom is not of this world c. 2. Tho' Millenaries say they understand Satan's binding to be that he shall no more persecute the Church but 't is expressed Rev. 20. v. 3.8 that he shall not deceive the Nations now there is vast difference betwixt persecuting and deceiving and betwixt Church and Nations 3. They say also that the first Resurrection Revel 20.5 is meant the calling of the Jews which is called a life from the dead Rom. 11.15 and John 5.24 25. 4. They add likewise that the Resurrection of the Gentiles or the thousand years of chaining up Satan from deceiving the Gentile Nations did begin at the destruction of the Jewish Temple for then tho' the Gospel had been preached before did Judaism cease and Christianity began c. Hence was that day called a Terrible day Joel 2.31 Acts. â—â— 20 as if it had been the day of Judgment and Christ discourses so of them together that you cannot know them asunder they are so alike in Matth. 24 c. Many more Arguments against the Millennium may be found in Dr. Willet's Hexapla on Rom. 11th and on Daniel c. in Dr. Hall and in Ross's Pansebeia too long to inserit here which Alsted and others have industriously Answered The safest choice I Judge in polemical points is only to speak by permission as the Apostle's phrase is 1 Cor. 7 6. and not over Dogmatically c. Dr. Goodwin concludes his Sermon on the fifth Monarchy with this prudent caution saying Whether so or so I leave undetermined And the Rabbies old Salvo ' with a little variation seems now very seasonable namely Elias cum venerit solvet Omnia when the Messiah Elias's Master cometh he will resolve all those Sacred Riddles we must therefore pray with the Spouse Make hast my Beloved and run like the swift Roe to unriddle all Mysteries c. The last Remark is What became of John after he had delivered this Revelation to the Churches of Asia the Scripture is silent We are told his Epistles and Gospel were writ after his return to Ephesus from Patmos where he had his Revelation were pubished by Gaius his Host and Deacon mentioned Romans 16.23 N. B. And that he was put into a vessel of boiling oil at Rome which did him no harm and that he slumbreth yet under the earth at Ephesus where he made his own grave out of which he had preached c. But these many other stories ficta magis quam facta esse videntur seem vain fictions rather than real facts saith Pareus and be but monkish Evaporations saith Prideaux No better what is told concerning Andrew Philip Thomas Bartholomew Simon the Canaanite Matthew saving that he wrote his Gospel and Matthias chosen by Lot in Judas's stead is if not Fabulous at least uncertain N. B. Where the Scripture hath not a Mouth to speak we may not have a Tongue to ask Now unto the King Eternal Immortal invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Tim. 1.17 Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his Sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Heb. 13.20 21. Δόξα μόνω Θεῷ Deo Soli Gloria FINIS
us an intimation that he was in Babylon of Chaldea N.B. When Cyrus made proclamation of leave to the Jews after their 70 years Captivity to return into their own Land multitudes of them found themselves so well seated and accommodated in Babylonia and in continuance of time they were so naturalized to the Countrey of the Caldeans that they refused to Remove their habitations but fixed their stakes and standing there so in success of time they grew into a great nation and a distinct people insomuch as they had a prince of the Captivity as they call'd him of their own blood over them there Now when those three Ministers of the Circumcision Peter James and John divided their Apostolical employ by lot as Paul was the Minister of the Vncircumcision Peter's Lot fell to be in Babylonia amongst those numerous Jews in their now Voluntary Captivity and from Babylon it self the Center of that Country and where he had gathered a Church doth he send his first Epistle N.B. The Romanists fondly fancy this Babylon Peter mentions here to be Rome as Rev. 17. that they may prove Peter's Episcopal Chair to be there alledging that Peter call'd Rome so because he would not have it known where he was Oh! how uncomely was such Timerousness who had been so bold before in this their Prince of the Apostles and the pretended Head of their Church But tho' this Far-fetch'd Fancy be granted to them who rather than not find Peter's Primacy will go to Hell to seek it yet therein do they grant us that their Rome is that Mystical Babylon in the Revelation against which so many dreadful Plagues are denounced there The second Remark concerns the Persons to whom Peter wrote who were call'd the Strangers of the Dispersion such as were scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia 1 Pet. 1.1 The naming of all which places giveth some probable ground that Peter had at some time before Preached the Gospel there and therefore wrote to the Dispersed Believers his two general Epistles for their better confirmation in the Faith and not to the Jews only but to the Gentiles also that had embraced Christianity As Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles wrote principally to those of the Uncircumcision at Rome Corinth Ephesus c. yet he excludeth not those of the Circumcision that believed among them So Peter included the Gentile-Christians tho' primarily he wrote to the Jews seeing both were joyned in one Faith and Worship The third Remark is concerning the Time when Peter wrote his Epistles whereof indeed we have no certainty in Scripture so the precise point of Time cannot be positively asserted But we have saith Dr. Lightfoot some Chronical Hints in some passages of the first Epistle which render a fair probability that it was written about the year of our Lord 65. and the 11th of Nero's Reign which was a Center betwixt two Critical Years the Year before the beginning of the persecution of the Christians at Rome and the Year after the beginning of the desolating Wars in Judea N.B. Beside the Apostle's general Exhortation of the Elect alluding to his Lord's words They shall deceive if it were possible the very Elect Matth. 24.24 to exercise patience under those miseries already felt and worse feared There be particular passages as The End of all things is at hand 1 Pet. 4.7 The fiery Tryal verse 12. and The time is come that Judgment must begin at the house of God verse 17 c. which seem to point out this very time that Christ foretold Matth. 24.7 8 9 c. and Luke 21.12 c. wherein the desolating Wars of the Jews happened which was but the beginning of Sorrows and Nation Rose up against Nation c. and then shall they deliver you up and kill you c. All which was commented upon and accomplished when Nero set Rome on fire and burnt down Ten of the Fourteen great Wards of the City but he at that time killed the Christians for his own Crime as if they had been the Incendiaries and had burnt the City and may it not be said How escaped Peter if he now sate Bishop at Rome as the Romanists do affirm surely he must go to the Pot with those whom Paul saluted Rom. 16. Yet he forgot Peter in those Salutations Whereas Paul himself with Luke and Timothy were pack'd away as is aforesaid before this Storm did fall not only upon Rome and Italy but upon many parts of the Empire c. N.B. And now Judgment began upon the Jews among these fiery Tryals who always helped forward the Persecution of the Gospel but now such a mad Phrenzy falls upon them that they cast off the Roman Yoke whereby they incensed the Romans to destroy them Then was the Abomination of Desolation set up in the Temple Matth. 24.15 N.B. Then God gave his People this Sign When ye see Jerusalem compassed about with Armies which was done by Cestius Gallus a little before that fatal and final Siege of Titus Vespasian Luke 21.20 then were the Christians to flee into the Mountains and to take the best course for their own safety verse 21 c. and Matth. 24.16 17 18. Then their Desolation was nigh and such Tribulation which is call'd Affliction it self Mark 13.19 came so great upon the Jews in Judea such as never had been nor shall be Matth. 24.21 that the heart of Man can hardly hear the History without Tears as Josephus relateth it Yet the Lord provided a Pella for his own People a City beyond Jordan which was their Sanctuary and City of Refuge as Zoar was for Lot for a time till it proved too hot to hold him which made him flee to the Mountains also as Judea proved too hot to hold the Jews until the Indignation was overpast as Euseb Eccles Hist. lib. 3. cap 5. tells us Peter being now in Babylon of Chaldaea had Intelligence what great miseries had befallen the Jews in Judaea which was but the beginning of Sorrows as he had heard his Lord say He thereupon concludes that the Desolation of the Jewish Nation drew nigh and likewise his own Martyrdom therefore doth he improve his little time he had now to live in writing his second Epistle wherein he first telleth them I know that I must shortly put off this Tabernacle as our Lord hath shewed me 2 Pet. 1.14 which he knew would come to pass before the Destruction of Jerusalem for Christ had told him that he might not live to see the Lord's coming to judge Jerusalem for all her Iniquities which John should live to see done John 21.18 19 20 21 22 23. which shall be spoke to by and by and in this Epistle also he describes Jerusalem's Destruction in the same Terms as his Lord had done Matth. 24. and as the Scripture doth the Ruine of that Cursed people and their City in other places namely Deut. 32.22 23 24. and Jer. 4.23 c. Using the same expressions as