Ezra iii. 12 or building or repairing of it with all alacrity as all Israel did through that whole Book their whole endeavour and project was even to destroy the ruins and utterly finish the work of destruction which Adam had begun as being impatient of that shelter which it would yet if they would but give it leave afford them Thus that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two sparks of that primitive sacred flame which came from Heaven still alive and warm though weak in them intended by God to direct them in his will and for ever set either as their Funeral Pile or their Ordeal Fire their punishment or acquâ—ttal either as their Devil or their God to accuse or else excuse them were both in their practice neglected and slighted nay in a manner opprest and stifled For any natural power of doing good God knows it was utterly departed and therefore this thin measure of knowledge or judgment betwixt good and evil that was left them which my awe to Gods sincere love of his Creature makes me hope and trust he bestowed on them for some other end than only to increase their condemnation to stand them in some stead in their lives to restrain and keep them in from being extreamly sinful This I say they horribly rejected and stopt their Ears against that charmer in their own bosoms and would not hear that soft Voice which God had still placed within them to upbraid their ways and reprove their thoughts What a provocation this was of Gods justice what an incentive of his wrath may appear by that terrible promulgation of the ten Commandments at Mount Sinai They despised the law in their hearts where God and nature whisper'd it in calmly insensibly and softly and therefore now it shall be thunder'd in their Ears in words and those boisterous ones at which the whole mount quaked greatly Exod. xix 18 And in the 16. verse it must be usher'd with variety of dismal meteors upon the Mount and the Voice of a trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the camp trembled Thus upon their contempt and peevishness was this manuscript put in print this Privy Seal turned into a Proclamation and that a dreadful one bound and subscribed with a Cursed is he that continues not in every tittle of it to perform it Mean while the matter is not altered but only the dispensation of it That which till then had taught men in their hearts and had been explain'd from tradition from Father to Son Adam instructing Seth and Seth Enoch in all righteousness is now put into Tables that they may have Eyes to see that would not have hearts to understand that the perverse may be convinced and that he that would not before see himself bound may find and read himself accursed And after all this yet is not the old Law within them either cast away or cancel'd by the promulgation of the other for all the Book is Printed the old Copy is kept in archivis though perhaps as it always was neglected soil'd and moth-eaten and he shall be censured either for ambition or curiosity that shall ever be seen to enquire or look after it Still I say throughout all their wayes and arts and methods of Rebellions it twing'd and prickt within as Gods judgments attended them without and as often as sword or plague wounded them made them acknowledge the justice of God that thus rewarded their perverseness Nay you shall see it sometimes break out against them when perhaps the written Law spake too softly for them to be understood Thus did Davids heart smite him when he had numbred the people though there was no direct commandment against mustering or enrolment yet his own Conscience told him that he had done it either for distrust or for ostentation and that he had sinned against God in trusting and glorying in that arm of flesh or paid not the tribute appointed by God on that occasion To conclude this Discourse of the Jews every Rebellion and Idolatry of theirs was a double breach of a double Law the one in Tables the other in their heart and could they have been freed from the killing Letter of the one the wounding sense of the other would still have kept them bound as may appear in that business of Crucifying Christ where no humane Law-giver or Magistrate went about to deter them from shedding his blood or denying his Miracles yet many of their own hearts apprehended and violently buffetted and scourged and tormented them At one time when they are most resolved against him the whole Senate is suddenly pricked and convinced within and express it with a Surely this man doth many miracles John xi 48 At another time at the top and complement of the business Pilate is deterr'd from condemning and though the fear of the people made him valiant yet as if he contemn'd this Voice of his Conscience against his will with some reluctance he washes his hands when he would have been gladder to quench the fire in his heart which still burnt and vext him Lastly When Judas had betray'd and sold him and no man made huy and cry after him his Conscience was his pursuer Judge and Executioner persecuted him out of the World haunted him would not suffer him to live whom otherwise the Law of the Country would have reprieved till a natural death had called for him Lastly Even we Christians are not likely to clear our selves of this Bill 't is much to be feared that if our own hearts are called to witness our Judge will need no farther Indictments 'T was an Heathen Speech concerning this rule of our lives and actions that to study it hard to reform and repair all obliquities and defects in it and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set it up strong and firm as a pillar in our hearts was the part and office of a Philosopher and then afterwards to make use of it in our whole Conversation this was the part of a virtuous man compleat and absolute And how then will our contempt be aggravated if Christianity which Clemens calls spiritual Philosophy and is to be reckoned above all moral perfections hath yet wrought neither of these effects in us if we have continued so far from straightning or setting up or making use of this rule that we have not so much as ever enquired or mark't whether there be any such thing left within us or no Theodoret in his second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very passionate in the expression of this contempt of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light of truth shining in our understandings There be a sort of Birds saith he that fly or move only in the night called from thence Night-Birds and Night-Ravens which are afraid of light as either an Enemy to spy to assault or betray them but salute and court and make love to darkness as their only Queen and
implore Gods aids that he be not gained by any example or invitation of the wicked men of the world to joyn with them in any forbidden enterprize Or if he have been thus insnared and seduced into the beginning of any such course then his second care must be that he abide not one minute in that state of Rebellion and danger wherein the longer he continues the more he grieves and repels the holy Spirit of God and makes his return the more difficult but by true contrition and confession and vow'd amendment make his speedy return unto God and sue out his timely pardon Or if he have omitted this duty also and continued some time in this unhappy course yet at least let him beware that he advance not to so high a degree of impiety as either to despise the terrors of the Lord and the chastisements which he sends to awake and amend men or the Rebukes and Censures of Superiours or the fraternal admonitions of Equals especially that he speak not peace to his own soul presume not of any mercy from God whilst he continues in this state or of more efficacious grace from him to fetch him out of it Above all that he do not associate himself with those which do profestly all these For all and every of them are so many ways of Atheistical mocking of God and contempt of all goodness and the highest degrees of provocation which must expect their doom from God forsaking and obduration here and eternal irremediable torments hereafter Thus much for the Negative 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Paraphrase 2. And not only so but then also positively he must apply himself to a most serious study and consideration of the whole law of God and every single precept thereof and that in order to a sincere uniform impartial obedience to it nay he must advance to a delight in it discerning a most solid pleasure and satisfaction in the practice of all holy duties of piety and charity and sobriety and an emptiness and loathsomeness at least comparatively with those in all the false joys that wicked men are so transported with and upon these accounts both that he may exactly know his duty in every part of it and have this pleasurable taste of it he must both study and practise it continually make these two the great designs of his whole life 3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doth shall prosper Paraphrase 3. He that doth thus shall flourish in the Church of God after the manner that a tree flourisheth that hath the advantage of water brought near it in trenches to refresh it in time of drought For thus shall the Spirit of God promised to all such assist and enable him to bring forth abundant fruit and accordingly being thus enabled by this divine strength he will upon all opportunities multiply acts of all divine virtues And even for outward things which are not of the essence of true felicity for such only are exercises of virtue our prescribed way to a durable felicity but yet are here in this world advantageous accessions and accomplishments thereof bearing the same proportion to the other that leaves do to fruit as leaves accompany and adorn and cover the fruits and withal defend them from heat and cold and help to the ripening of them so these outward accessions are many ways useful to the exercises of virtues These also shall in an eminent manner be preserved to the pious man Godliness hath the promâ—se of this life 1 Tim. iv 8 he shall have them richly to enjoy 1 Tim. vi 17 i. e. first they shall yield him a plentiful contentment and satisfaction 1 Tim. vi 6 and secondly he shall never fail to have such a portion of them secured to him as is perfectly fittest for his turn And in a word all his productions of all sorts his thoughts his resolutions his actions as well as his external accessions proportionable to the buds and blossoms and fruit and not only leaves of the most flourishing tree all wherein he is concern'd shall by God's special blessing providence continually watching over him be exceedingly successful to him 4. The ungodly are not so but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away Paraphrase 4. As for the wicked they must expect a far distant fate who being compared to the godly are so far from being like a well rooted and flourishing tree that as husks and straw and chaff the most refuse adherents unto fruit they are unsetled and obnoxious to every blast or in themselves very empty and unprofitable and accordingly shall be dealt with by God When a day of winnowing comes such are all Gods seasons of judgment Mat. iii. 12 then shall the separation be made and their condition be very unlike one to the other The solid fruit we know abides but the chaff and husks and dust is carried away with the wind Psal lxxxili 13 Job xxi 18 Isai xli 16 And that is not all for then as to combustible matter good for little else the fire attends that winnowing and burns up all the trash Isai v. 44 Psal lxxxiii 14 devours and consumes it utterly which the Greek and Arabick and Aethiopick and vulgar Latine express by adding from the face of the earth And so it is with the wicked when God's judgments come they violently seize on them helpless and comfortless and hurry them hence into a place of endless misery where the worm never dies and the fire is not quenched 5. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous Paraphrase 5. When therefore that final doom comes which shall repeal all the unequal judgments of this life and repair them abundantly who have here suffered causelesly when all both good and evil shall appear before that dreadful Tribunal to receive the rewards of all their doings these unhappy Miscreants shall not be able to abide the trial shall have nothing to plead for themselves their Conscience shall accuse and as being self-condemned drag them with shame and horrour to the place of their execution or if they shall pretend to make any plea they shall certainly miscarry and be cast The judgments of God as of him that sees the most secret recesses of the very heart bringing with him also an assembly of myriads of holy Angels and glorified Saints who are able to testifie and convince any gainsayer are managed with that severity of uprightness that there is no hope of escaping that vengeance which is justly due to them for their impious course They must have false and partial Judges from whom to expect absolution or favour but this being a most pure and just Tribunal they are sure to meet with neither or they
servants for to that sense it follows Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Aegypt redeemed them thence and so bought them to be my servants Now that the servants of Saul are fitly called Benjamites may appear both by Sauls being so and their reteining to him and by the express words 1 Sam. 22.7 Then Saul said to his servants Hear now ye Benjamites That some one or more of Sauls servants to incense their Master should calumniate David is easily believed And to this David refers 1 Sam. 26.19 in his words to Saul If they be the children of men that have stirred thee up against me cursed be they before the Lord And some eminent passage to this purpose no doubt there was though it be not set down in Scripture V. 4. Rewarded This verse by the ambiguousness of some words in it is variously interpretable The most literal which I suppose is the safest rendring of it will thus be collected First the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render return signifies not only to recompense but simply to do either good or evil to any and accordingly it is oft rendred by the Septuagint in the good sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do not only to repay good Sometimes 't is simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to attempt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do And whether it be of good or evil the Context must direct and restrain it So likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render was at peace besides that vulgar signification for peace which generally belongs to the Noun signifies very frequently to give and to retribute and is then rendred in the good sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give and recompense very oft and in the ill sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to punish and repay and the like and sometimes simply to do to perform and is then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fulfil to perform to do This is observed by the great Grammarian Abu Walid out of several examples that both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have a double signification of doing a thing first as also by way of retribution or return whether in good or evil and accordingly he gives a twofold sense of these words If I have returned like to him that did evil to me first and If I have done evil to him that was at peace with me Thus then the sense of the former part of the verse ariseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I have done evil to him that did it to me or If I have repaid or returned to him that did or returned me evil i. e. If when to my good or at least blameless innocent behaviour Saul repayed nothing but evil I have upon that provocation done or repayed injury to him This is thus far plain whether either or both the words be taken simply for doing or respectively for returning repaying of evil for 't is certain when evil is returned to good this is called repaying of evil as much as when it is returned to evil And thus the LXXII understood and render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I have repayed evil to them that have repayed evil to me and so the vulgar and the Aethiopick Si reddidi retribuentibus mihi mala If I have returned evil to them that retributed evil to me both of them to the sense of repaying in each place whereas the Syriack hath it If I have repayed evil to him that did evil to me and so the Arabick If I have retributed to them that have done me evil With this coheres and is not with any reason to be disjoyned the latter part of the verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and have or and if I have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is an ambiguous word oft signifying and rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take out or lead out or snatch out and so to deliver but it primarily signifies detrahere spoliare adimere exuere to take off to despoil and so from thence is the Noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a garment which is wont to be put off or changed The Jewish Arab. expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies two contraries to put on and to take off or away In this sense the Syriack expresly use it Act. 19.37 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church-robbers are rendred by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that robb'd or spoil'd the Temple and Col. 2.8 nequis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man despoil you In this notion the Septuagint render it Job 36.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to oppress and thus the Chaldee understand it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pressit afflixit and if I have afflicted them and so the Syriack also if I have oppressed and thus the sense is perspicuous and current without any disturbance or confusion If I have returned evil to them that dealt ill with me or if I have despoiled him that without cause was my enemy Then And in this peculiar notion of despoiling an enemy in which it is most frequent it seems to have some reference to Davids dealing with Saul In the Cave he took not from him his garment but the skirt only and that only as a testimony of a greater kindness the sparing his life In the Camp finding him asleep he only took away his spear and that upon the same ground and having evidenced his integrity returned it carefully again The LXXII have much changed this last part of the verse rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let me fall away from my enemies empty and from thence the vulgar and Arabick and Aethiopick have their rendrings and unless they thought the true sense of the words sufficiently exprest in the former part of the verse and thereupon took liberty to give a various descant upon the latter as the LXXII are oft observable to do I profess not to give an account of it Other considerable variations they have in this Psalm v. 6. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the rages or burnings from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hithpael irâ exarsit and so rendred by the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though applyed to God and not to the enemies the LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the ends or bounds taking it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies thus from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transiit the extream parts or borders which being taken by an enemy give him a great advantage over the inhabitants as Ehuds taking the Foords of Jordan toward Moab Judg. 3. â—8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Foords from the same Radix was the sure means of subduing Moab and destroying all the inhabitants at that time Where yet one thing may be observed and learnt from them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in the beginning
I have nothing else to complain of in my present distresses 5. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me up upon a rock Paraphrase 5. Were I but returned to the Sanctuary I should look upon it and make use of it as of a refuge of perfect safety to which in any difficulty I might confidently resort and be secured by God as in a tower or fortress 6. And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me therefore will I offer in his Tabernacle sacrifices of joy I will sing yea I will sing praises unto the Lord. Paraphrase 6. And as now it is though I am at present withheld from that felicity yet have I confidence that my prayers shall be heard that I shall be delivered from mine enemies power and exalted above them all and afforded all matter of joy and Sacrifices when I do come to Sion and abundant thanksgivings unto God 7. Hear O Lord when I cry with my voice have mercy also upon me and answer me Paraphrase 7. And therefore with this confidence I now offer up my Prayers to thee O Lord for mercy and compassion and gracious returns to all my wants 8. When thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek Paraphrase 8. Whatsoever supply I lack my heart directs me whither to apply my self by resounding in my ears those gracious words of thine seek ye my face calling all that want any thing to ask it of thee To thee therefore I make my address with thine own words of invitation in my mouth Thy face O Lord will I seek making all my application to thee and to none other 9. Hide not thy face far from me put not thy servant away in anger thou hast been my help leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation Paraphrase 9. Lord vouchsafe me thy wonted presence and favourable aspect withdraw all expressions of thy displeasure Thy former continued reliefs have ingaged me to hope for deliverance from none but thee O do not thou leave me for then I shall be utterly destitute 10. When my father and my mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up Paraphrase 10. It is one of thy wonderful works of mercy to provide for those whose parents have exposed and left them helpless the young Ravens Psalm 147.9 And the like I trust thou wilt do for me though all hmane aids should utterly fail me 11. Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain way because of mine enemies Paraphrase 11. Lord do thou instruct and direct me what course I shall take that mine enemies may have no advantage against me but that I may escape safe out of their hands 12. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies for false witnesses are risen up against me and such as breath out cruelty Paraphrase 12. Permit me not to fall into their power for as they have begun with slander and calumny so will they end if thou do not divert or with-hold them in injustice and rapine 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living Paraphrase 13. Had I not had a full confidence that I should by Gods great mercy be supported in my distress and restored to those injoyments of rest and peace which God had faithfully promised me Here the Psalmist abruptly but elegantly breaks off the speech 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. Paraphrase 14. O my soul do thou patiently expect Gods leasure be not discouraged with thy present evils but arm thy self with constancy and fortitude and never doubt of Gods seasonable reliefs Annotations on Psalm XXVII V. 2. Stumbled Though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be in the Praeter tense yet 't is usual in the Prophetick writings that these should be taken in the future tense when the context inclines that way And so here it doth being a profession of his confidence in God that he will deliver him out of his present distresses as both the antecedents v. 1. and consequents v. 3. make evident And accordingly it is most probable that here thus it should be v. 2. and so the Jewish Arab reads they shall stumble and fall and so the learned Castellio renders it si invadant offensuri sunt atque casuri If they invade me they shall stumble and fall Though it be also possible that it may reflect upon his past experiences of Gods mercies as pledges of his future and then it may retain the praeter tense And therefore I deemed it safest to take that in also in the Paraphrase V. 6. Joy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifices of jubilation are those of the solemn feasts attended not only with the harmony and Musick of the Levites but the Hosannahs and acclamations of the people Hence Jeremy compares the military clamours of the victorious Chaldeans in the Temple to those that were formerly made there in the day of a solemn feast Lam. 2.7 They have made a noise in the house of the Lord as in a day of a solemn feast And this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or joyful sound which they that hear are by David pronounced blessed Psal 89.15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound V. 8. My heart For the meaning of this v. 8. little help will be had from the antient Interpreters The Syriack leave out a part of it unrendred and have only thus much My heart saith unto thee and my face shall seek thy countenance The LXXII and after them the Latine Arabick and Aethiopick in stead of Seek ye my face read I have sought thy face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My heart said to thee I have sought thy face thy face Lord will I seek and other copies with some change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. My heart hath said to thee I will seek the Lord my face hath sought thee thy face Lord will I seek But the Chaldee keeps close to the Hebrew only for seek ye reads in the singular seek thou The full meaning of it will easily be gathered by reflecting on Gods mercy and kindness unto men ready to defend them if they will but call to him for his help This is conteined in this supposed speech or command of Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seek ye my face thereby inviting all to address their prayers to him This gracious speech of Gods David here meditates upon and on it founds his confidence and in his addresses to Heaven first minds God of this his command or invitation or incouragement to all to seek to him that is the meaning of My soul said to thee seek ye my face laying a
them descryed to be David so famed for his Victories over them 1 Sam. 21.11 he thought fit to personate a mad-man v. 13. and thereupon was dismist by Achish v. 15. and escaped to the Cave of Adullam c. 22.1 1. I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth 2. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord the humble shall hear thereof and be glad Paraphrase 1 2. I will never cease lauding and magnifying the Name of God I will rejoyce and esteem my self most happy that I have such a Protector to betake my self to in all my distresses and proclaim this to all pious men that depend on his aid that they may rejoyce and give thanks with me saying 3. O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together Paraphrase 3. O let us all thus joyn hearts and voices to praise and bless his holy Name 4. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me out of all my fears Paraphrase 4. When I was in my greatest danger discerned by the servants of Achish and brought in to him as his most powerful enemy now fallen into his hands I addrest my prayers to God and he came in to my relief inclined the King to send me out of his house and check his servants for bringing me in to him and by that means I escaped my great danger 5. They looked unto him and were lightened and their faces were not ashamed Paraphrase 5. This dealing of God with David shall be matter of great reviving to all that are at any time in distress who shall from hence take courage and confidence and what ever their condition be apply themselves to God and not fear being disappointed by him For thus shall they encourage one another by Davids example 6. The poor man cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles Paraphrase 6. Loe there was a man in a state of extreme distress and he betook himself immediately to God in prayer and his prayer was answered with speedy deliverance out of all his streights 7. The Angel of the Lord incampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Paraphrase 7. And thus shall it be with all truly pious men such as obediently serve and wait on God they have the promise of his protection and as the instruments thereof of whole hosts of Angels to incompass them and secure them from all approach of dangers 8. O tast and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him Paraphrase 8. Let any man make the experiment keep close to God in obedience and relyance on him and he shall soon discern that he is a most gracious master and that there is no such assured tenure in or title to all the felicity in the world as this of constant faithful dependance and affiance in him 9. O fear the Lord all ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him Paraphrase 9. There is no more prudential politick course for any pious man no greater security from all worldly streights and wants than to adhere to him who is the unexhausted spring of all plenty never taking in any unlawful prohibited aids but preserving an uniform obedience to him 10. The young Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Paraphrase 10. Such as use themselves to rapine and injustice by that means to secure themselves of wealth have oft that curse of God attending and blasting them and their posterity in this world that from great wealth they come to great want and utter destitution and indeed their very rapacity and covetousness and perpetual insatiate desires of gaining keep them still beggerly and miserable in the midst of their greatest plenty their abundance yields no kind of satisfaction to them On the other side the pious man that keeps him close to God depends on and implores his blessing on his honest indeavours and never admits of any unlawful means either for the getting or preserving of wealth he shall never want that which is best for him in this world and shall have a reserve of all wealth truly satisfactory all manner of felicity hereafter 11. Come ye children hearken to me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Paraphrase 11. 'T is therefore very well worth the consideration of every one that desires to be advised of his own welfare what rich rewards the pious obedient servants of God is secured of even in this life 12. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good Paraphrase 12. If a man would project for the injoying a long life in this world and the greatest tranquility and prosperity and contentation in it 13. Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile Paraphrase 13. There is not a more probable hopeful ways for the attaining it then to begin with his tongue and restrain that from all contumelious injurious and deceitful speaking which though it be ordinarily designed to the advantage of him that useth it yet most frequently brings mischievous effects the greatest real disadvantages 14. Depart from evil and do good seek peace and insue it Paraphrase 1â— And then to cleanse his actions from all known sin which if continued in must needs be the forfeiting of Gods protection and bring his blasts and curses upon him and so regularly proceed to superstruct all works of piety to God and justice and charity to men particularly to live peaceably with all men to be as industrious in that pursuit as the most malicious person is in pursuing his designs of revenge and withall to be a peace-maker among others 15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry Paraphrase 15. And then besides the natural tendency of this method to a quiet and so a prosperous and long life which on the contrary is frequently shortned but constantly disturbed and made miserable by contentions and unpeaceableness there is an assurance of Gods protection and preservation which duly waits over all obedient faithful servants of his to bless and prosper all they undertake and to grant whatsoever they request of him either in kind or in equivalence what they choose to desire for themselves or what he chooses as seeing best for them 16. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth Paraphrase 16. Whereas on the other side Gods displeasure and punishments pursue ungodly men to the utter eradication of them and their posterity 17. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles Paraphrase 17. Whensoever they implore Gods aid he is ready to answer their request and send them seasonable deliverance 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be
5. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass Paraphrase 5. Whatever thou wantest or desirest leave it to God make all thy applications to him and depend on him that he will either give thee in kind what thou desirest or by aequivalence somewhat that is better for thee 6. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy judgment as the noon-day Paraphrase 6. And what slanders or calumnies soever others shall lay upon thee God will in his time by his own ways vindicate thine integrity 7. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thy self because of him who prospereth in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass Paraphrase 7. Never think fit to repine or complain or murmur at Gods oeconomy to object if it be but in thy heart against the prosperity of wicked men and the strange successfulness of their ungodly designs much less be instigated by these considerations to imitate them have patience a while and thou shalt see much of Gods wisdom and justice and even of mercy in this dispensation of his 8. Cease from anger and forsake wrath fret not thy self in any wise to do evil Paraphrase 8. Such as may reasonably supersede all thy displeasure and dislikes and secure thee from so envying their lot as to think fit to imitate them 9. For evil doers shall be cut off but those that waite upon the Lord those shall inherit the earth Paraphrase 9. For the general common end of wicked doers is untimely excision signal punishment even in this life and that certainly attended with the miseries of another life whereas the lot of pious men that adhere and keep fast to God is generally length of days and prosperity in this world and if that fail an abundant compensation of bliss in another world 10. For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be Paraphrase 10. Those that now prosper most and are lookt on as favoured by providence above others shall after a small space be as remarkable for Gods judgments and vengeance even eradication of them and their posterities 11. But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace Paraphrase 11. When the patient waiters on God that will not enterprise any unlawful course to deliver themselves from any pressure by some good motion of the divine providence are returned to the most prosperous condition to abundance of all felicity in this life 12. The wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his teeth Paraphrase 12. Atheistical wicked men are bitterly displeased at the righteous and lay designs of treachery and mischief against such 13. The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming Paraphrase 13. But God dissipates their projects frustrates and disappoints them by bringing his vengeance upon them 14. The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow to cast down the poor and needy and to slay such as be of upright conversation 15. Their sword shall turn into their heart and their bowes shall be broken Paraphrase 14 15. When ungodly men have made all their cruellest preparations for the oppressing all that are weaker or more conscientious then them selves and think they have great advantages on their side by reason of their strength and policy and forwardness to adventure on any thing be it never so unlawful especially when 't is against those that want strength make not use of secular wisdom and abhor the admitting of any unlawful means for the preserving of themselves it is very observable how against all humane likelyhood God converts their projects into their own ruine and secures good men from the evils that were designed against them 16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked Paraphrase 16. And therefore as there is an emptiness and want of satisfaction in al wealth that is ill gotten so there is also such a curse and blast attending it that the meanest pittance well acquired is much to be preferred in these as in many other respects before all the possessions of all the wicked men in the world 17. For the armes of the wicked shall be broken but the Lord upholdeth the righteous Paraphrase 17. For as God is in justice ingaged to subdue the power and blast the prosperity of wicked men so hath he by his gracious promise obliged himself to support the pious man and either to deliver him out of his pressures or to uphold him under them 18. The Lord knoweth the dayes of the upright and their inheritance shall be for ever Paraphrase 18. The actions of good men are seen and laid up and will not fail of being rewarded by God not only with the comforts of this life continued to them and theirs but especially with the greatest and most valuable rewards a never-failing possession in heaven secured to them 19. They shall not be ashamed in the evil times and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied Paraphrase 19. In times of adversity persecution and distress they shall be richly provided for and even when others want they shall have a competency as long as they rely on God he will not fail them nor destitute them 20. But the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of Lambs they shall consume into smoak shall they consume away Paraphrase 20. But refractory men opposers of the wayes of God shall be used as Gods sacrifices slain in the midst of their prosperity burnt to ashes and consumed into smoak they shall finally and utterly be destroyed 21. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again but the righteous sheweth mercy and giveth Paraphrase 21. There is great difference in the actions of pious and wicked men and such as one would think should much tend to the inriching the wicked and impoverishing the pious The former parts with nothing neither gives nor lends but on the contrary borrows as much as he can and never thinks of repaying but the latter is so far from such injustice that he abounds in all works of charity and mercy and never expects the least return for it Or the wicked is generally in a broken indigent necessitous condition is forced to borrow and is not able to repay and so incurs the miseries of a wretched debtor Mat. 18.34 but the righteous is so far from this estate that he is able to lend and and give to others 22. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off Paraphrase 22. And the reason is clear God hath the disposing and distributing of the things of this world and he hath promised his blessing to the pious and just and charitable and denounced curses
many shall see it and fear and shall trust in the Lord. Paraphrase 3. Thus hath he given me abundant matter of praise and thanksgiving unto his blessed name who hath thus magnified his mercy to me And this dealing of his with me may well allure all men to the consideration of it and thereby to the performing of all faithful obedience and placing their full trust and adherence on him 4. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust and respecteth not the proud nor such as turn aside to lies Paraphrase 4. There being no such happy man as he that relyes not on any wit or aid or strength of man but reposeth his full trust in God and on that security never applyes himself to the practises of atheistical insolent deceitful men in hope to gain any thing by such arts as these 5. Many O Lord my God are the wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee If I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbred Paraphrase 5. O thou God of power and fatherly goodness toward me thou hast abounded to me in thy rich mercies thy works and thy counsels of grace to us are wonderful and inexpressible I would fain make some acknowledgment thereof to thee but they surpass my arithmetick to recite much more to make a just valuation of them 6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine eare hast thou opened Burnt-offering and sacrifice thou hast not required Paraphrase 6. Above all is that admirable work of thy mercy in giving the Messias In stead of the legal sacrifices of all sorts which were but shadows of this great evangelical mercy thou hast decreed that thine eternal Son shall assume our humane nature and therein abundantly fulfil all that which the sacrifices and oblations did faintly prefigure and thereby take away sin which the legal observances were not able to do 7. Then said I Lo I come in the volume of the Book it is written of me Paraphrase 7.8 At this coming of the Messias therefore the ordinances of Mosaical sacrifices shall be abolished and the eternal Son of God shall agree and contract with his Father to perform that perfect obedience to his laws and to offer up himself such a divine and spotless sacrifice for the sins of the whole world as shall most effectually tend to the working an expiation for sin and bringing men to the performance of holy sincere obedience to God thus visibly exemplified to them by Christ and consequently to salvation And upon this intuition he shall most gladly and with all delight and joy set about the whole will and counsel of God and go through the office assigned him very chearfully and heartily Another sense of the words as understood of David himself see in note d. 8. I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy law is within my heart 9. I have preach't righteousness in the great congregation loe I have not refrained my lips O Lord thou knowest Paraphrase 9. I will proclaim this and all other thy works of evangelical infinite mercy before all that acknowledge and profess thy service my tongue shall never be confined or silent in this matter any more than as thou knowest hitherto it hath been 10. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation I have not concealed thy righteousness and thy truth from the great congregation Paraphrase 10. This goodness of thine this performance of all thy rich promises this work of redemption and spiritual deliverance is too great to be meditated on in silence 't is fit to be proclaimed aloud to be promulgated to all men in the world 11. Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me O Lord let thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually preserve me Paraphrase Be thou therefore pleased not to be confined or restrained in thy bowels toward me at this time but shew forth thy compassions to me Thou art good and gratious and faithfully performest all that thou ever promisest O let thy promised mercy be continually made good to me for my deliverance from all dangers 12. For innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head therefore my heart faileth me Paraphrase 12. And this most seasonably at this time now that I am surrounded with so many dangers now that the punishments which my sins have most justly deserved my multiplyed crying innumerable sins have so violently seized upon me cast me into a black and comfortless condition 13. Be pleased O Lord to deliver me O God make hast to help me Paraphrase 13. O blessed Lord let it be thy good pleasure to afford me speedy deliverance out of it 14. Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil Paraphrase 14. Let not them prosper and succeed in their attempts that design to take away my life or do me any other mischief but do thou please to discomfit and disappoint them all And this I am confident thou wilt do 15. Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me Aha Aha Paraphrase 15. And reward their abominable actions with confusion and desolation that triumph over me in my distress and scoffe at my placing my affiance and trust in God 16. Let all those that seek thee rejoyce and be glad in thee Let such as love thy salvation say continually The Lord be magnified Paraphrase 16. By this means shall all pious men that place their trust in thee and depend onely on thy aids and rescue be incouraged for ever in their hopes and adherence on thee and praise and magnifie thy mercies and applaud thee for them 17. But I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh upon me Thou art my help and my deliverer make no tarrying O my God Paraphrase 17. How low soever my condition is my comfort is that God hath a fatherly care of me On thee O Lord is all my trust whether for deliverance or relief O defer not the interposition of thy hand but hasten speedily to my succour Annotations on Psal XL. V. 2. Horrible pit From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 personnit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here a noise or loud sounding and being applied to a pit is a resounding pit or a pit of sounding it signifies the depth and watryness of it from the conjunction of which proceeds a profound noise or sound when a stone or any such thing is thrown into it Thus the Chaldee understand it rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make a tumultuous noise The LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
prepared for all that were lost in the first Adam fell into a dislike and detestation of marriage and propagation which heretical improvement of the Catholick doctrine Clemens refuting had no occasion at least necessity to speak of the true doctrine which was more than granted by those Hereticks This being the only testimony out of antiquity which is thought to be less favourable to the doctrine of Original sin in general and particularly to the interpreting this text of the Psalmist to that sense I have thus largely insisted on it And for the farther clearing of it shall adjoyn the interpretation of St. Chrysostome which seems to me to proceed in the same way as Clemens did but withal to give us a much more perspicuous understanding of the full design of it Clemens interpreted the mothers conception to be understood of Eve and so saith Chrysostome In sin hath my mother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the beginning sin prevailed for the transgressing of the commandment was before the conception of Eve for it was after the sin and ejection from paradise that Adam knew his wife and she conceived and brought forth Cain This therefore was the Psalmists meaning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sin prevailing over our first parents wrought a way and path through mankind Then whereas Clemens indeavours to free the text from favouring the Encratites by shewing the good and benefits of propagation out-weighing the evil that was inseparable from it and by insisting that as the child new born did not commit fornication so he fell not under Adams curse St. Chrysostome proceeds also on that matter but much more perspicuously and so as is visibly most agreeable to the Catholick Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But by all this we learn that the act of sin is not natural for if it were we should be free from punishment but that nature inclines to falling being disturbed by a tumult of passions but yet resolution making use of industry overcomes Adding in reference particularly to the Encratites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are therefore foolishly mistaken that suppose David to accuse marriage here thus understanding those words I was conceived in iniquities as if his mother sinned when she conceived him That is not his meaning but he mentions the transgression of old committed by our first fathers and saith of that that it was the fountain of these streams 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for saith he if they had not sinned they had not undergone the punishment of death but not being mortal had been above corruption and then to incorruption apathie absence of passions had been concomitant and apathie being admitted sin had had no place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But seeing they sinned they were delivered to corruption being become corruptible they begat children like themselves and to such desires and fears and pleasures were together consequent Against these reason contends and if it overcomes is pronounced or proclaimed to be rewarded but if it be overcome it is a debtor of shame is punished with reproach Thus far this holy Father in that place expresly giving us his own opinion and I suppose sufficiently clearing Clements doctrine in this matter that though David impute not any of his foul actual transgressions to nature or the force of Original sin because he had those other aids from God which might have resisted successfully if he had not been wanting to himself yet he here mentions Adams fall as the fountain of all vitious corrupt streams as that which shewed sin the way into the world brought tumultuous passions which he elsewhere calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a large swarm of passions together with mortality after it and so an inclination and tendency in our nature to stumble and fall which inclination or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first incitations from our nativity in Clemens which he mentions as impieties and therefore sins though saith Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasoning such discourse as a Christian is capable of and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resolution with industry making use of the means that God hath given us he adds elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit helping us Christians and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baptism able to mortifie may not only oppose and incounter this swarm and rout of passions but overcome them also What the Latine Fathers thought of this place is visible from Hilarie in his Enarration on Psal 119. v. 175. Vivere se in hac vita non reputat quippe qui dixerit Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus sum Scit se sub peccati origine sub peccati lege natum esse meditationem autem legis Dei ob id elegit ut vivat He accounts not himself to live in this life as having said Behold I am conceived in sin He knows he was born under the beginning of sin i. e. Original sin for he calls it elsewhere as originem carnis the beginning of the flesh so more expresly originis vitium the vice of his beginning and peccata humanae naturae the faults of his humane nature and under the law of sin but he therefore chooseth to meditate in the law of God that he may live And to the same purpose St. Ambrose Omnes homines sub peccato nascimur quorum ipse ortus in vitio est dicente David Ecce in iniquitate All men are born in sin our very birth is in fault as David saith Behold I was conceived in sin And many others concur to the same sense in their Scholia on this Psalm As for the doctrine it self of Original sin as it is founded on many other places of Scripture as well as on this the concordant testimonies of the Antient Church are set down at large by the Author of the Pelagian Hist l. 11. Par. 1. from Justine Tatianus Irenaeus Origen Macarius Hierosolymit and Macarius Aegyptius Athanasius Cyril of Jerusalem Basil Gregory Nazianzen Chrysostome Leontius Olympiodorus of the Greek Church and from Tertullian Cyprian Arnobius Reticius Olympius Hilarie Ambrose Optatus Hilarius Diaconus Hierome of the Latine as well as from St. Augustine and those that followed him And Vincentius's words are remarkable Quis ante prodigiosum discipulum ejus Coelestium reatu praevaricationis Adae omne genus humanum negavit astrictum Before Caelestius Pelagius's prodigious scholar who ever denied that all mankind was bound by the guilt of Adams sin This I suppose sufficient to assure us of the sense of the Universal Christian Church in this Article And what from this and the like places of the Old Testament the old Jews doctrine was may be concluded from these words of St. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reason of St. Paul's phrase so oft repeated as by one Rom. v was that when a Jew shall aske how the world should be saved by the well-doing of one the
death as among us apprehending or taking or seizing on being phrases primarily used in judicature for the Officers apprehending of malefactors are vulgarly used of diseases and death it self A fourth interpretation of the word the LXXII on that place of Isaiah do suggest rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we know signifies a conspiration or conjunction of many and with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquity is used of Simon Magus when he would have bought the gifts of the spirit of God out of a Satanical design the more advantageously to oppose and set up against Christ see note on Acts 8. e. This is the frequent importance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ligae colligationes conspirationes to which David de Pomis told us the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is equivalent and that the sense may possibly bear also there are no conspiracies for their deaths wicked men being of all others the safest in this respect good men being hated and conspired against by evil men but good men conspire not against evil Of these four possible senses the first and second together seems most probable that the wicked men have no pangs or assaults of pains and torments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringing them to their deaths Castellio renders it in Latine stile non sunt necessitates quae eos enecent there are no necessities to cut them off no fatal destinies to bring them to their end such were diseases and the rest which the Poets feign'd to come out of Pandora's box Our vulgar hath not mistaken the sense when they read they are in no peril of death To this accords what here follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our rendring of it their strength is firm or fat as Eglon Jude 3.17 is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very fat man noting an athletick health and habit of body that is the firmest and most robustious farthest removed from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consumptive or emaciating sicknesses and so from all danger of death The LXXII render the verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no rest so the Arabick understands it and so saith Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies rest and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Lucian is to ly upon the back and look up the posture of rest in their death and firmament in their scourge and the Latine non est respectus mortâ— eorum firmamentum in plagâ eorum there is no respect to their death and firmament in their plague 'T is not easie to divine what they meant by these expressions unless perhaps reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the notion of renitence refusing denying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Hesychius it signifies to deny refuse not to consent the meaning may be that they have no aversion to or at their death they die in a good old age without any violent disease to bring them to it nor is there any firmness in their scourge the diseases or afflictions that befall them are quickly over again continue not long upon them But the Latine will not be brought to this sense It may be non est respectus morti eorum may signifie they do not think of dying and then that will not be far from the sense though with the words it have no affinity Our former English which most frequently follows them hath here happily departed from them and rendred it fully to the sense they are in no peril of death but are lusty and strong But still it must be acknowledged there is great difficulty in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether × be radical or no. If it be not and if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew may be thought to have the like notion to what it hath in Arabick to signifie first then very agreeably to what went before it would thus be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the former part of their life is healthy free from diseases or maladies according to the usual notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Arabick Or if it be radical and have any affinity with the Arabick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pain or grief then it would be in consort with the former still but it i. e. their death is free from pain But these conjectures are without authority Abu-Walid then makes × radical and takes it to signifie porticus the porch or as some times it doth the whole temple and then understanding ב the note of comparison he renders it they are firm and sound as the porch or temple i. e. as such a strong building as Psal 117. he prays that their daughters may be as corner-stones polished after the similitude of a palace This interpretation is mentioned as by Aben-Ezra so by Kimchi in his Commentary and also in his Roots in the name of R. Jonah i. e. Abu-Walid without any censure though he bring also the other interpretation making × an affix and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie strength as also Aben. Ezra doth The Jewish Arab interpreter making × an affix takes the other for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perhaps thus rendring the verse there are no bonds of or from their destruction nor danger but they say perhaps they shall recover or be in health as if it were literally healthful is their perhaps or that which they perswade themselves of not thinking themselves in danger of death Aben-Ezra also hath another rendring taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a palace and understanding ב they or every of them is in health in his palace In this variety it may be best to adhere to that of our English reading × as an affix and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for strength of body V. 5. Men In this verse the critical difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to be respected The former from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doluit aeger fuit signifies a painful sickly calamitous estate and accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the labour from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doluit male habuit denotes sickness or pains or other such kinds of misery which bring anguish and faintings with them which the LXXII fitly express by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lassitudes used also for diseases or sickness But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a more general word for any sort of man any son of Adam any mortal which by bearing sinful flesh is subject to afflictions of all sorts noted here by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to strike or scourge which the LXXII fitly express by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine by flagellari And so as the former phrase denotes the sorrow or pain or sickness of the diseased or weak so this latter to be stricken or scourged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with man signifies all other kind of afflictions which befall men
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by all that have delight or pleasure in such study or meditation sought of all that desire them saith the Jewish Arab. But the word also signifies to be found Isa 65.1 I am found by them that sought me not And then this will bear an excellent sense frequently met with in other places that the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him his way is plain unto the righteous so Abu Walid they are evident or plain to all that delight in them or love them though the wicked shall fall therein and the like The next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are capable also of another rendring in the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. 3.1 where we render it purpose and Eccl. 5.7 where we render it matter and the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thing in both places And by analogy with those the phrase may here signifie in all their parts designs or purposes or in all their several concernments V. 4. Made his wonderfull works to be remembred The most proper rendring of this verse will be pitcht on by observing the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a memorial any thing by which a man may be remembred any name or title attributed to any for any notable action or excellency So the LXXII Exod. 17.14 render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name and Hos 12.5 The Lord God of hosts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord is his memorial that sure is the Lord is his name And accordingly the Mazorites call God's name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 memorial Accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made a memorial is no more than he hath made him a name either by common way of speaking he hath left remembrances of himself which will continue as Gen. 11.4 Let us make us a name and 2 Sam. 7.9 I have made thee a great name and v. 23. of God himself that he went to make him a name and to doe for you great things very agreeable to the style here he hath made a memorial or name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his wondrous works and so the Chaldee understand it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath made him a good memorial Kimchi reads it a memorial of his wonders in Aegypt in giving us the Sabbath Passeover and other feasts accordingly Aben Ezra renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. the spoil of the Aegyptians according to the promise of God Gen. 15.13 But it may be also interpreted more minutely and critically he hath made him a title a name by which he expects to be called viz. this which here follows as the breviate of that by which he was pleased to proclaim himself Exod. 34.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord mercifull and gracious not making this a distinct sentence from the former but affixing it as that name which he hath made himself by his works V. 7. Commandments are sure From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies true and sure and faithfull is the Epithet of God's Commandments here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How it is to be rendred will be best guest by considering the context and the peculiar importance of the Commandments here The former verse speaks of the heathen nations the Canaanites c. who were by God's appointment rooted out of their land and the Israelites planted in their stead In this saith the Psalmist there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidelity and judgment fidelity in performing the promise made to Abraham many years before and just vengeance on those nations for their sins the measure of which they had now filled up And as the ground of both these 't is here added that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all his commandments The word which we render commandments comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to visit either for good or evil which signifies also to command or give order So of Cyrus Ezr. 1.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath charged me and 2 Chron. 36.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord hath charged me the same Cyrus to build him an house at Jerusalem In this sense of the word it may here be fitly used for God's appointments and commands to the children of Israel to root out the Canaanites and to take possession of their land not understanding it of the Commandments or Law of God written in their hearts against which these nations had so unnaturally offended So when Joshua Jos 8.29 commanded to cut down the carcasse of the King of Ai c. the Chaldee render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and frequently in the like sense And then of these commands of God these appointments of his for the good of the one sort and the punishment of the other the LXXII fitly render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commands or expresses given by him the Psalmist saith they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sure firm faithfull i. e. are most certainly performed whensoever he gives order for the destroying of a nation it shall certainly be performed unless by their speedy repentance they avert it Jer. 18.8 and so for his command of building and planting v. 9. And this in both parts is the probablest meaning of the place as will be guest by the insuing verse They stand fast for ever and ever V. 10. Beginning of wisedom The word beginning is of uncertain sense It may signifie the first in time onely and so the rudiments first foundation or ground-work and so though the most necessary yet the most imperfect part of the work And if it should thus be understood here and in other places the sense would be no more but this that there were no true wisedom which had not its foundation in piety and fear of God But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 head signifies the first in dignity as well as in order or time and is frequently used for the chief or principle of any kind So Deut. 18.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chaldee reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the head the prime the principal i. e. the best of thy corn and wine and oile and of the fleece of thy sheep So Amos 6.6 that anoint themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the chief of ointments the best and most precious and 1 Sam. 15.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first of that which was devoted is interpreted v. 9. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the goodness and all the good as that is opposed to the base and vile in that verse So Numb 24. Amalek was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first i. e. chief of the nations And thus it is to be understood here that the fear of the Lord which signifies all piety is the principal or chief of wisedom as sapientia prima in Horace is the principal or most excellent wisedom according to that of Job chap. 28.28 Vnto man he said Behold the fear of the Lord
be either the more publick the skill of ruling if need be a whole kingdom in reference to the judgment preceding v. 3. or else more private that of every particular man in subduing and regulating passions managing all the affairs of life and to both these great uses these Proverbs have a propriety as will appear in the sequele V. 6. The interpretation The notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems here to be mistaken From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cavillatus est deriding or scoffing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a good sense to compose or dispose or express any thing and so to interpret and so the noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Lexicographers is rendred interpres advocatus and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpretatio here but that not in our ordinary notion of interpreting for explaining a difficulty but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Aquila here useth doth in oratory and so in the title of Demetrius Phalerius's book signifie eloquence so here it is used for any elegant whether rhetorical or poetical composure So Ecclus. 47.17 having mentioned Solomon's odes and proverbs and parables he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the regions admired thee in or for thy eloquence Thus 't is evident the LXXII understood it here rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dark speech So Symmachus who hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a problem or hard question So the Syriack and Chaldee who both render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hard wonderfull and though the Interpreter of the Chaldee render that interpretationem yet that must be in the sense that now I speak of else that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most contrary to it noting obscurity onely and not explicating of obscurities and so the Syriack is rendred parabolas parables and the Arabick peregrinos sermones strange speeches agreeably the Interlinear reads facundiam eloquence and so it best agrees with the other three expressions before and after it in this verse proverbs words of the wise and dark sayings for the last of which the LXXII have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 riddles and so the Chaldee and Syriack The word both in Hebrew and in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak obscurely and acutely is of affinity with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 novavit and from thence nova dixit speaking new things so as a new song frequently in the Psalms is that which is above vulgar or ordinary and nova carmina in Virgil Eclog. iii. Pollio ipse facit nova carmina rare or excellent lines V. 7. Beginning The double meaning of this word 1. for the first in order of time 2. for the most excellent hath been shew'd Annot. on Psal 61. f where we had this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sentence lightly varied There the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisedom as here of knowledge There comparing it with Job 28.28 the fear of the Lord that is wisedom and to depart from evil is understanding and Prov. 9.10 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisedom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding the latter notion seemed the most proper But here the latter part of the verse seems to determin it to the former for as the fools in the latter part are directly opposed to those that have the fear of the Lord by fools meaning Godless men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impious the LXXII reade having in the former part farther explain'd the fear of the Lord by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 piety toward God so must their despising or setting at nought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the LXXII wisedom and instruction be interpreted so as to continue the opposition and be contradistinct to the beginning of knowledge whence the result is that as they that want that preparation or foundation of piety despise all superstructures of that kind so in those that have it it is the foundation and that we know is in order of time first laid of all true saving knowledge and practice according to which was the note of the Jewish Arab on Psal 111.10 The first thing that wisedom gives in command is the fear of the Lord and Ecclus. 1.14 To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisedom and it was created with the faithfull in the womb referring expresly to the primacy in order of time From whence ariseth that fundamental truth of Christian Divinity exemplified in the parable of the sower by Christ that the ground and immediate cause of the efficacy of grace in the hearts of some and not of others as also of their constancy and perseverance when others fall away upon temptations is the preparation of the soil wrought by God's preventing graces the soft mellow temper of humility and piety and probity of heart in opposition to pride and impiety and unmortified passions love of the world c. To which it is consequent that those that are not thus qualified the fool or impious here of whom the Psalmist saith the ungodly is so proud that he careth not for God and both Solomon and S. James that God resisteth the proud all such as are of that impious temper when he gives grace and more grace to the humble should despise or set at nought wisedom and instruction frustrate and evacuate all the methods that are used by God for their conversion and salvation Which sense being prefer'd here there will be place notwithstanding in the Psalmist and Prov. 9.10 for the other notion as Ecclus. 1. we see there is where after the words recited from v. 14. which refer to primacy of time follows v. 16. to fear the Lord is fulness of wisedom c. which is the height of the other notion In the LXXII their reading of this verse there is a large addition inserted for after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisedom for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowledge rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisedom as in the Psalm it was and herein the Chaldee and Syriack and Latin and Arabick agree with them reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisedom c. they add from Psal 111.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good understanding have all they that doe it and yet farther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but piety toward God is the beginning of sense or feeling which is but their or some others scholion as it were or farther explication of the grand maxim and then follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but wisedom and discipline the wicked shall set at nought V. 17. In vain The difficulties of this verse which have caused the various interpretations of it both among Jewish and Christian writers seem all to depend on this one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render in vain and so they may be removed by explaining it The word coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratificatus est hath
that will not be purified cast us again into what fornace thou pleasest that we may at length leave our dross our filth behind us and having used thine own methods toward this end and purged our eyes to see that it is thou that hast thought this necessary for us that hast of very mercy very fidelity thus caused us to be troubled work in us that purity here which may make us capable of that vision that peace that fulness of sanctity and glory hereafter Which God of his infinite abyss of Purity grant us all To whom with the Son that Image of his Father's Purity and the holy sanctifying purifying Spirit c. Christ and Barabbas THE SEVENTH Being a Lent SERMON at Oxford A. D. 1643. JOHN 18.40 Not this Man but Barabbas THIS passage of Story not unagreeable to the time every day of Lent being a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Passion-week hath much of the present humour of the World in it whether we consider it as an act of Censure or as an act of Choice both these it is here in the Jews 1. An Act of popular Censure i. e. most perfect injustice very favourable to the Robber and very severe to Christ Barabbas may be releas'd the vilest wretch in the world one that was attach'd for robbery and for insurrection may become the peoples Favourite be pitied and pleaded for and absolutely pardon'd dat veniam corvis the blackest Devils in Hell shall pass without any of our malice our indignation our animosities but an innocent Christ or any of his making one that comes from Heaven to us upon errands of holiness of reformation that by authority of his doctrine and example would put vice out of countenance discover our follies or reproach our madnesses and in the Wisemans phrase upbraid our ways and reprove our thoughts he that hath no sins to qualifie him for our acquaintance no oaths no ribaldry to make him good company none of the compliances or vices of the times to commend him to our friendship at least to our pardon none of that new kind of popularity of being as debauch'd and profestly vitious as other men shall be supected and feared and hated the most odious unpardonable unsufferable neighbour grievous unto us even to behold Wisd 2.15 Innocence is become the most uncomely degenerous quality vertue the most envious censorious thing the not being so near Hell as other men the most ridiculous scrupulosity and folly in the world And the misery of it is there is no discoursing no reasoning this humour out of us they had cried once before and the crossing doth but more enflame them the charm that should have exorciz'd doth but enrage the evil spirit Then cried they all again saying Not this man but Barabbas But besides this I told you these words might be taken in another notion and under that it is that we are resolved to handle them as an act of the Jews choice of their absolute inconditionate decree their loving of Barabbas and hating of Jesus not before they had done either good or evil but after one had done all the evil t'other all the good imaginable then hating the Jacob and loving the Esau electing the Robber and rejecting the Saviour the Barabbas becomes a Barabbas indeed according to the origination of the name a son of a father a beloved son in whom they are well pleased a chosen vessel of their honour and Christ the only refuse vessel of dishonour the only unamiable undesirable formless beautiless reprobate in the mass Non hunc sed Barabbam Not this man c. In the words under the notion of the Choice you may please to take notice of these severals 1. A Competition precedaneous to this Choice presumed here but express'd in St. Matt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which of the two will ye c. 2. The Competitors Barabbas and Christ 3. The choice it self not only preferring one before t'other non hunc sed but 1. absolutely rejecting of one non hunc not this man and then by way of necessary refuge pitching upon t'other Non hunc sed Barabbam Not this man but Barabbas And of these in this order And First of the first That there is a Competition before what the Competitors are or what the Choice 1. I say that there is a Competition a canvass or plying before we come to choose any thing This is a truth most constantly observable in all which we are most concern'd in in that transcendent interest the business of our souls Were there but one object represented to the faculty one Christ one holiness one salvation the receiving him would be any thing rather than Choice Chance it might be or Necessity it might be Chance it might be that such a thing had the luck to come first to prepossess and forestal us to get our favour when there was no body else to sue for it and indeed he that should be godly or Christian on such a felicity as this through ignorance only or non-representation of the contrary he that should give his voice unto Christ because there was no body else to canvass for it that if Mahomet had plied him first would have had as much saith for the Alchoran as he hath now for the Bible been as zealous for a carnal sensual as now for a pure spiritual Paradise he that if he had been born of Heathen Parents or put out to nurse to an Indian would have suck'd in as much of Gentilism as by this civil English education he hath attain'd to of the true Religion that hath no supersedeas no fortification against worshipping of Sun and Moon posting from one Heathen Shrine as now from one Sermon to another but only that Christianity bespake him earliest that Idolatry was not at leisure to crave his favour when Protestancy got it is I confess a Christian he may thank his Stars for it Planetarius Sanctus a Saint but such an one as a Jew would have been might he have been a Changling stollen into that cradle or the most barbarous China-Infidel had he had as he of old fortunam Caesaris so fortunam Christiani the Christians fortune to have tutor'd him And so for vertue and sinlessness also he in whom 't is not conscience but bashfulness and ignorance of vice that abstains only from uncreditable or unfashionable from branded or difused sins swears not only because he hath not learnt the art of it hath not yet gotten into the Court or into the Army the schools where that skill is taught the snops where those reverst thunderbolts so tempestuously shot against Heaven are forg'd he that is no Drunkard no Adulterer no Malicious person only quia nemo because he hath no company to debauch no strength to maintain no injury to provoke the uncommitted sin is all this while but a child of Fate born under a benign Aspect more lucky but not more innocent more fortunate but not more vertuous than other men Again if
there were no Competition as it might be Chance so it might be Necessity too Thou art fain to be vertuous because thou canst be nothing else goodness must go for thy refuge but not thy choice were there no rival sin no competitor lust to pretend for thee 'T is therefore not only an act of wisdom but of goodness too observable in Gods wonderful dispensation of things under the Gospel to leave the Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the confines of two most distant people improveable into good and capable of evil like Erasmus's Picture at Rome or that vulgar Lie of Mahomet's Tomb at Aleppo betwixt two Load-stones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Synesius calls it a stake between God on one side and all the Devils in Hell on t'other made up of a Canaanite and an Israelite a law in the members as well as a law in the mind or as Antoninus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perswasions in the members many Topicks of Rhetorick many strong Allectives to evil in the lower carnal part of the man as well as invitations and obligations to good in the upper and spiritual Thus did God think fit to dispose it even in Paradise it self the flesh tempted with carnal objects even before the first sin had disordered that flesh A Palate for the sweetness of the Apple to please and an eye for the beauty to invite as well as an upper Masculine faculty a Reason for commands to awe and threats to deter yea and it seems in Heaven it self and the Angels there where is no flesh and blood that officina cupidinum shop or workhouse of desires yet even there is an inlet for Ambition though not for lust a liableness to the filthiness of the spirit though not of the flesh or else Lucifer had still stood Favourite could never have forfeited that state of bliss And so 't is ever since in this inferiour Orb of ours Behold I set before thee life and death blessing and cursing on one side all the joys of Heaven to ravish and enrap thee the mercies of Christ to draw thee with the cords of a man with the bands of love to force and violence thy love by loving thee first by setting thee a copy of that heavenly passion to transcribe but then withal death in the other scale death which it seems hath something amiable in it too it would not be so courted else a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Macarius styles it a gallantry of Hell a purple garment of darkness that such sholes of men and I tremble to think and say so large a quantity of baptized Christians are so ambitious of sell all that 's comfortable and valuable in this life to purchase it And were there not both these set before us by God life on one side and death on t'other blessing on one side and cursing on t'other a double canvass for thy soul a rivalry a competition and somewhat on both sides amiable to somewhat in thee life to the immortal death to the perishing part of thee blessing to the rational divine cursing to the bedlam brutish part of thee the man of God could not go on as he doth in that place Deut. 30.19 therefore chuse life that thou and thy sons may live Were there but one in our reach 't were necessity still and not choice and that most absolutely destructive of all judgment to come Hell might be our Fate but not our Wages our Destiny but not our Reward and Heaven any thing more truly than a Crown of righteousness A Piece of the Philosopher there hath been a long while in the world that hath had a great stroke in debauching the Divine that the Understanding doth necessarily and irresistibly move the Will that whatever hath once passed the judicium practicum got not only the assent of the Judgment that 't is true but the allowance also that 't is good and fit to be chosen cannot chuse but be desired and prosecuted by the Will from whence the Divine subsumes that where Faith is once entered though that but a Speculative I wish it were not sometimes but a Phantastical Faith there Works must and will infallibly follow I confess it were admirable news if this were true if all that knew these things were sure to do them if there were no such thing possible as Sin against Light Sin against Gospel Sin against Conscience if the lives of Believers could not prove infidel the actions of those that acknowledge God that make no doubt of the truth of Christianity could not avoid or escape being Godlike and Christian if 't were but a flash of S. Augustin's wit that the wicked Infidel believes contrary to Faith the wicked Believer lives contrary to it There were then but one care left a Christian to be catechiz'd aright which the Solifidian calls Faith or to be confident of his own Election which the Fiduciary calls Faith and then Quis separabit any thing else will be wrought in me by Christ or that any thing else will be unnecessary to be wrought Instead of this Pagan Principle that ties up all in the chains of inevitable Fate if it be examin'd give me leave to mention to you one Aphorism of Christian Philosophy which is but the interpretation of the competition that now I speak of that the Will is no more necessitated to obey the suggestions of Reason than of the Sensual Appetite of the upper than the lower Soul that 't is an indifferent middle Faculty able to chuse the evil and refuse the good or to satisfie the Philosophers importunity which resolves it impossible to chuse the evil unless under the appearance of good you may take it in a clearer notion able to chuse the pleasant and refuse the honest to chuse the sensual carnal and refuse the intellectual spiritual good And that you may see the ground of this observe that the whole Man is made up of three parts Spirit Soul and Body 1. The Body or Flesh lusting against the Spirit And 2. the Spirit again lusting against the Flesh Those two Extremes perfectly contrary one to the other in their appetites and therefore called by the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one the Masculine t'other the Feminine part one the Monarch in the Soul t'other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Commonalty one the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Master t'other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Child one the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voice and image of God in us t'other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bestial part one the Man t'other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the four-footed creatures in us And these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot do or as the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that you do not this is a consequent of that Contrariety you do not the thing that you would i. e. perhaps perfectly purely without some tack or mixture however I am sure not
at once accuser and lyer both If he do not so I am sure 't will be small matter of rejoycing to us small comfort in suffering as a thief saith the Apostle though all joy in suffering as a Christian and so small comfort in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being reproached unless the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falsly be joyned with it And therefore you must add that caution to your comfort that they be your good at least your justifiable deeds that be evil spoken of or else it will not be a sic prophet as the prophets were used like you The Clergy-man that in such a time as this when the mouth of hell is open against us shall think fit to open any other mouth to join in the cry against the Church to give life or tongue to any scandalous sin and set that to its clamans de terra crying from the ground that shall with any one real crime give authority to all the false pretended ones that are laid to the charge of our calling that by drunkenness or incontinence by luxury or sloth by covetousness or griping by insolence or pride by oaths or uncomely jesting by contention or imtemperate language by repaying evil for evil or railing for defamations shall exasperate this raging humour and give it true nourishment to feed on what doth he but turn broiler and boutefeau make new libels against the Church and by that means perswade credulous seducible spectators that all are true that have been made already I know not what climax or aggravation of woes is heavy enough for that man all the lamentations and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Bible Alas my brother will not reach unto it that of the milstone about the neck or the Melius si nunquam natus esset it had been better if he had never been born are the fittest expressions for him S. Paul for the vindicating his ministery from vileness was fain to mention all the good deeds he had ever done among them O let not us bring our evil to remembrance by acting them over afresh but think it most abundantly sufficient that we have already thus contributed to the defaming of our calling He that hath done so formerly that by the guilt of any one scandalous sin and it need not be of the first magnitude to deserve that title in a Minister hath contributed ought to the vilifying of the whole Order 't is now time for him to see what he hath done been a troubler of Israel set the whole kingdome in an animosity against the Clergy and when will he be able to weep enough in secret to wash out this stain incorporate into the very woofe of our robe I shall no farther aggravate the sin upon him than to prepare him to seek out for some remedy and to that end to bear me company to my last particular how far we are concerned in the transcribing S. Pauls pattern how far that practice and that end is imitable by us that are here assembled This practice consists of two parts a positive and a negative The positive part of this practice the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but you hath no case of scruple or difficulty in it The You are the Corinthians souls As in other places the souls signifie the persons so many souls went out of Aegypt i. e. so many men so here by way of exchange or quittance on the other side you i. e. your souls according to that of Pythagoras of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy soul is thou And then add the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I seek to it and it gives you the uncontradicted duty of a Minister to be a seeker of souls the spiritual Nimrod the hunter before the Lord hunter of men hunter of souls and that indeed as wild and untameable subtle a game as any wilderness can yield so unwilling to come into our toyls so wise in their generation to escape our snares so cunning to delude all our stratagems of bringing them to heaven that a man may commonly labour a whole night and catch nothing He that winneth or taketh souls is wise saith the wise man Prov. 11.30 A piece of wisdom 't is not suddenly learned a game wherein all the wisdome of the world the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prudence of the flesh and the cunning of hell are all combin'd in the party against us for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Synesius calls the soul this state betwixt God and devils and the game must be very carefully play'd and dexterously managed on our side if we think ever to win it out of their hands The manner of pastors as of shepherds among us is much changed from what it was in the Eastern parts of the world in Greece and in Jurie The sheep saith the Philosopher in his time would be led by a green bough and follow whithersoever you would have them and so in the Scripture is still mention of leading of sheep and of the people like sheep Psal 77. but now they must be driven and followed yea and sometime by worrying brought into the fold or else there is no getting them into the fairest lovelyest pasture The sheep were then a hearing and a discerning sort of creatures could hear the shepherd and know his voice from all others and when the thief and robber came the sheep did not hear them John 10.8 but now 't is quite contrary either not hearing at all profaneness and dissoluteness hath possess'd our souls with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit of slumber torpor absolute deafness that all our hearing of Sermons is but a slumber of such a continuance or else having no ears for any but the thief and robber if any come on that errand to rob us of our charity of our obedience of our meek and quiet spirits and infuse calumnies animosities railings qualities that ipso facto work metamorphoses in us change sheep into wolves his voice shall be heard and admired and deified like Herods the voice of God and not of man though nothing be so contrary to God or godliness as that voice In this and many other considerations it is that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I seek here is so necessary All our pains and industry diligence and sagacity are little enough to bring men into the true way to heaven so many by-wayes on every side inviting and flattering us out of it so much good company perswading nay so many false leaders directing us into error that a Minister had need fasten himself into the ground like a Mercuries post in this division of waies and never leave hollowing and calling and disabusing of passengers with a This is the way walk in it or in the Apostles words Follow peace with all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pursue and follow it and holiness without which no man shall set the Lord Peace and holiness two such strangers such prodigies in the world having taken their leaves so solemnly with Astraea
never reduced to practice in any one city in the world attempted once by Plotinus through his favour with Gallienus who promised to reside in his Platenopolis but soon altered his purpose again as Porphyrie tells us yet I may suppose it for a granted maxime that the extreme inequality that is now so illustriously visible in the world is not any act of Natures primary intention or Gods first and general providence Aristotle may tell us of some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some that Nature hath bored through the ear to be slaves for ever and we may believe him if we can find any ground for it but of any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 colonies of men sent into the world without any claim or right to any part of the worlds goods he hath not left us any thing upon record Nor hath the book of Creation in the Scripture the Beresith or natural Philosophy of the Bible given us any hint for such a resolution that some should be born to riot and others to famish some to be glutted and others to starve that mankind should be thus dichotomized into such extreme distant fates some to reign in Paradise for ever others to be thrown over the wall as out of the Adamites stove to pine and freeze among thorns and briars This were an absolute decree of election and reprobation improved farther than Predestinarians have ordinarily extended it As we are wont to say of sin that 't is not to be found in Gods Hexameron no fruit of his Six days labour but a production of a later date ingendred betwixt the serpent and the woman that Incubus and Succuba the devil and the lower soul so may we say of extreme want and poverty that its nativity is of the land of Canaan its father an Amorite and its mother an Hittite Satan and covetousness brought it into the world and then God finding it there whose glorious attribute it is to extract good out of evil as he did once a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redemption of mankind out of the fall of Adam and so made the Devil an instrument of bringing the Messias into the world so hath he in like manner by his particular providence ordered and continued this effect of some mens covetousness to become matter of others bounty exercise of that one piece of mans divinity as Pythagoras called liberality and so ex his lapidibus out of these stones out of the extreme want and necessity of our brethren to raise trophies and monuments of virtue to us of charity liberality and magnificence of mercy and bowels of compassion that most beautiful composition of graces that most heroical renowned habit of the soul So that now we may define it an act of Gods infinite goodness to permit though before we could scarce allow it reconcileable with his infinite justice to decree the extreme inequality of earthly portions the poor man gasping for food that the rich may have a store-house or magazine where to lay up his treasures the careful labourer full of children suffered to wrestle with two extremities at once hunger on the one side and natural compassion to the helpless creatures he hath begotten on the other that thou by thy wealth mayest be that Elijah sent from heaven to the famishing for lorn widow that Godlike man drop'd out of the clouds to his relief and by the omnipotent reviving power of thy charity usurp that attribute of Gods given him by the Psalmist that feeds the young ravens exposed by the old ones sustain that destitute sort of creatures that call upon thee Admirable therefore was that contrivance of Gods mercy and wisdom mentioned to the Jews not as a threatning but a promise of grace one of the privileges and blessings of Canaan the poor shall never cease out of the land Deut. 15.11 that thou mayest always have somewhat to do with thy wealth some sluce to exhaust thy plenty some hungry leech to open a vein and prevent the access of thy feaver and withal that thy wealth may enoble thee as Xenocrates told his benefactors children that he had abundantly requited their father for all men spake well of him for his liberality to Xenocrates or as benefactors among the heathen were adored and deified that thus thy faithless fading falsehearted riches which the Evangelist therefore styles Mammon of unrighteousness only as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to true durable wealth may yield thee more profit by the profusion than by the possession as silver doth by melting than by continuing in the wedge or bullion according to that of Clemens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rich is he that distributes not he which hath and possesseth and Lactantius Divites sunt non qui divitias habent sed qui utuntur illis ad opera justitiae the rich are they not which have riches but use them to works of righteousness purchase thee by being thus providently laid out a revenue of renown here and glory hereafter You see then the pedigree and genealogy of alms-giving how it came into the world Covetousness and oppression and rapine brought in emptiness and beggery and want then Gods providence and goodness finding it in the world resolves to continue it there to imploy the treasures and exercise the charity of others Now for the practice of the world in this great affair we cannot begin our survey more properly than from the text there to behold Gods judgment in this point by the rules he hath given to be observed in this city of God his own people of the Jews whilst they were managed by God himself The priesthood was the peculiar lot of God and therefore may well be allowed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feeding first at Gods feast And the poor next after them were taken care of by God himself Lazarus as it were in Aarons as once in Abrahams bosom next to the priest in the temple as to the Patriarch in heaven a tithing for the priest and when this was done every third year a tithing for the poor The withholding of the former was sacrilege and of the latter furtum interpretativum say the Schools interpretative theft and the Casuists to the same purpose that though our goods be our own jure proprietatis by right of propriety yet they are other mens jure charitatis by right of charity the rich mans barn is the poor mans granary nay murther too as we may conclude from the words of the wise man the poor mans bread is his life and that is sometimes thy dole on which his life depends and then as there it follows he that deprives him of it so doth the unmerciful as well as the thief is a murtherer Nay farther that murther one of the deepest dye a fratricidium like Cains of Abel his brother and therefore as that is a clamans de terra crying for judment from the ground so hath
them upon condition of performance of moral precepts for all things being indifferently moved to the obtaining of their summum bonum all I say not only rational agents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Andronicus saith on the Ethicks which have nothing but nature to incite them to it the natural man may upon a sight and liking of an happiness proposed on severe conditions call himself into some degrees of moral temper as best suiting to the performance of the means and obtaining of the end he looks for and by this temper be said to be morally better than another who hath not taken this course to subdue his passions And this was evident enough among the Philosophers who were as far beyond the ordinary sort in severity of conversation as depth of learning and read them as profitable precepts in the example of their lives as ever the Schools breathed forth in their Lectures Their profession was incompatible with many vices and would not suffer them to be so rich in variety of sins as the vulgar and then whatsoever they thus did an unregenerate Christian may surely perform in a far higher measure as having more choice of ordinary restrainment from sin than ever had any heathen for it will be much to our purpose to take notice of those ordinary restraints by which unregenerate men may be and are curbed and kept back from sinning and these saith Austin God affords to the very reprobates Non continens in ira suas misericordias Much to this same purpose hath holy Maximus in those admirable Sections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where most of the restraints he speaks of are competible to the unregenerate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1. Fear of men 2. Denunciation of judgments from Heaven 3. Temperance and moral vertues nay sometimes other moral vices as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain glory or ostentation of integrity 4. Natural impressions to do to others as we would be done to 5. Clearness of judgment in discerning good from evil 6. An expectation of a reward for any thing well done Lastly some gripes and twinges of the conscience to all add a tender disposition a good Christian education common custom of the Country where one lives where some vices are out of fashion nay at last the word of God daily preached not a love but servile fear of it These I say and the like may outwardly restrain unregenerate men from riots may curb and keep them in and consequently preserve the soul from that weight of the multitude of sins which press down other men to a desperation of mercy Thus is one unregenerate man less ingaged in sin than another and consequently his soul less polluted and so in all likelihood more capable of the ordinary means of salvation than the more stubborn habituate sinner when every aversion every commission of every sin doth more harden against grace more alien and set at a greater distance from Heaven and this briefly we call a moral preparation of the soul and a purging of it though not absolutely from sin yet from some measure of reigning sin and disposing of it to a spiritual estate and this is no more than I learn from Bradwardine in his 16. de causa Dei. ch 37. A servile fear a sight of some inconvenience and moral habit of vertue and the like Multum retrahunt à peccato inclinant ad opera bona sic ad charitatem gratiam opera verè grata praeparant disponunt And so I come to my last part to shew of what use this preparation of the soul is in order to Christs birth in us the ways of the Lord. I take no great joy in presenting controversies to your ears out of this place yet seeing I am already fallen upon a piece of one I must now go through it and to quit it as soon as I can present the whole business unto you in some few propositions of which some I shall only recite as conceiving them evident enough by their own light the rest I shall a little insist on and then apply and drive home the profit of all to your affections And in this pardon me for certainly I should never have medled with it had not I resolved it a Theory that most nearly concerned your practice and a speculation that would instruct your wills as well as your understandings The propositions which contain the summ of the business are these 1. No preparation in the world can deserve or challenge Gods sanctifying grace the spirit bloweth where it listeth and cannot by any thing in us be predetermin'd to its object or its work 2. The Spirit is of power to work the conversation of any the greatest sinner at one minute to strike the most obdurate heart and soften it and out of the unnatural womb of stones infinitely more unfruitful than barrenness and age had made the womb of Sarah to raise up children unto Abraham According to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diseases are sometimes cur'd when the patient is at the extremity or height of danger in an ecstasie and almost quite gone 3. 'T is an ill Consequence that because God can and sometimes doth call unprepared sinners therefore 't is probable he will deal so with thee in particular or with unprepared men in general God doth not work in conversion as a physical agent to the extent of his power but according to the sweet disposition and counsel of his Will 4. In unprepared hearts there be many profest enemies to grace ill dispositions ambition Atheism pride of spirit and in chief an habit in a voluptuous setled course of sinning an indefatigable resolute walking after their own lusts And therefore there is very little hope that Christ will ever vouchsafe to be born in such polluted hardned souls For 't is Basil's observation that that speech of the fools heart there is no God was the cause that the Gentiles were given over to a reprobate sense and fell headlong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into all manner of abominations Hence it is that Jobius in Photius observes that in Scripture some are called Dogs Mat. xv 26 some unworthy to receive the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. xiii 11 that some hated the light and came not to it John iii. 20 as if all those had taken a course to make themselves uncapable of mercy and by a perfect hostility frighted Christ out of their coasts In the liberal dispensation of miracles in the Gospel you would wonder to see Christ a niggard in his own Country yet so in respect of other places he was and did not many miracles there because of their unbelief Mat. xiii 58 not that their incredulity had manacled him had shortned his hand or straitned his power but that miracles which when they met with a passive willingness a contentedness in the patient to receive and believe them were then the ordinary instruments of faith
and sentences are subject either not to be understood or amiss and may either be doubted of by the ignorant or perverted by the malicious You have learnt so many words without Book and say them minutely by heart and yet not either understand or observe what you are about but this unwritten Law which no Pen but that of nature hath engraven is in our understandings not in words but sence and therefore I cannot avoid the intimations 't is impossible either to deny or doubt of it it being written as legible in the tables of our hearts as the print of humanity in our Foreheads The commands of either Scripture or Emperour may be either unknown or out of our heads when any casual opportunity shall bid us make use of them but this law of the mind is at home for ever and either by intimation or loud Voice either whispers or proclaims its commands to us be it never so gag'd 't will mutter and will be sure to be taken notice of when it speaks softliest To define in brief what this law of nature is and what offices it performs in us you are to know that at that grand forfeiture of all our inheritance goods truly real and personal all those primitive endowments of Soul and Body upon Adams Rebellion God afterwards though he shined not on us in his full Image and Beauty yet câ—st some rayes and beams of that eternal light upon us and by an immutable Law of his own counsel hath imprinted on every Soul that comes down to a body a secret unwritten yet indeleble Law by which the Creature may be warn'd what is good or bad what agreeable what hurtful to the obtaining of the end of its creation Now these commands or prescriptions of nature are either in order to speculation or practice to encrease our knowledge or direct our lives The former sort I omit as being sitter for the Schools than Pulpit to discourse on I shall meddle only with those that refer to practice and those are either common which they call first principles and such are in every man in the World equally secundum rectitudinem notitiam saith Aquinas every one doth both conceive them in his understanding what they mean and assent to them in his will that they are right and just and necessary to be performed and of this nature are the Worship of God and justice amongst men for that lumen super nos signatum in Bonaventures phrase that light which nature hath seal'd and imprinted on our Souls is able to direct us in the knowledge of those moral principles without any other help required to perswade us or else they are particular and proper to this or that business which they call conclusions drawn out of these common principles as when the common principle commands just dealing the conclusion from thence commands to restore what I have borrowed and the like And these also if they be naturally and directly deduced would every man in the World both understand and assent to did not some hindrance come in and forbid or suspend either his understanding or assent Hindrances which keep him from the knowledge or conceiving of them are that confusion and Chaos and black darkness I had almost said that Tophet and Hell of sensual affections which suffers not the light to shew it self and indeed so stifles and oppresses it that it becomes only as Hell fire not to shine but burn not to enlighten us what we should do but yet by gripes and twinges of the conscience to torment us for not doing of it And this hindrance the Apostle calls ver 21. the vanity of imaginations by which a foolish heart is darkned Hindrances which keep us from assenting to a conclusion in particular which we do understand are sometimes good as first a sight of some greater breach certain to follow the performance of this So though I understand that I must restore every man his own yet I will never return a Knife to one that I see resolved to do some mischief with it And 2. Divine laws as the command of robbing the Aegyptians and the like for although that in our hearts forbid robbing yet God is greater than our hearts and must be obeyed when he prescribes it Hindrances in this kind are also sometimes bad such are either habitude of nature custom of Country which made the Lacedemonians esteem theft a virtue or a-again the Tyranny of passions for every one of these hath its several project upon the reasonable Soul its several design of malice either by treachery or force to keep it hood-winkt or cast it into a Lethargy when any particular vertuous action requires to be assented to by our practice If I should go so far as some do to define this law of nature to be the full will of God written by his hand immediately in every mans heart after the fall by which we feel our selves bound to do every thing that is good and avoid every thing that is evil some might through ignorance or prejudice guess it to be an elevation of corrupt nature above its pitch too near to Adams integrity and yet Zanchy who was never guest near a Pelagian in his 4. Tome 1. l. 10. c. 8. Thesis would authorize every part of it and yet not seem to make an Idol of nature but only extol Gods mercy who hath bestowed a Soul on every one of us with this character and impression Holiness to the Lord which though it be written unequally in some more than others yet saith he in all in some measure so radicated that it can never be quite changed or utterly abolished However I think we may safely resolve with Bonaventure out of Austin against Pelagius Non est parum accepisse naturale indicatorium 't is no small mercy that we have received a natural glass in which we may see and judge of objects before we venture on them a power of distinguishing good from evil which even the malice of sin and passions in the highest degree cannot wholly extinguish in us as may appear by Cain the Voice of whose Conscience spake as loud within him as that of his Brothers blood as also in the very damn'd whose worm of sence not penitence for what they have done in their flesh shall for ever bite and gripe them hideously This Light indeed may either first be blindness or secondly delight in sinning or thirdly peremptory resolvedness not to see be for the present hindred secundum actum from doing any good upon us He that hath but a vail before his Eyes so long cannot judge of colours he that runs impetuously cannot hear any one that calls to stop him in his career and yet all the while the light shines and the voice shouts and therefore when we find in Scripture some men stupefied by sin others void of reason we must not reckon them absolutely so but only for the present besotted And again though they
have lost their reason as it moves per modum deliberationis yet not as per modum naturae their reason which moves them by deliberation and choice to that which is good is perhaps quite put out or suspended but their reason which is an instinct of nature a natural motion of the Soul to the end of its creation remains in them though it move not like a Ship at hull and becalmed is very still and quiet and though it stir not evidently yet it hath its secret heaves and plunges within us Now that the most ignorant clouded unnurtured brain amongst you may reap some profit from this Discourse let him but one minute of his life be at so much leisure as to look into his own heart and he shall certainly find within him that which we have hitherto talkt of his own Soul shall yield him a comment to my Sermon and if he dare but once to open his Eyes shall shew him the law and light of nature in himself which before he never dreamt of Of those of you that ever spared one minute from your Worldly affairs to think of your spiritual there is one thought that suddenly comes upon you and makes short work of all that spiritual care of your selves You conceive that you are of your selves utterly unable to understand or think or do any thing that is good and therefore you resolve it a great pain to no purpose ever to go about so impossible a project God must work the whole business in you you are not able of your selves so much as either to see or move and that is the business which by chance you fell upon as soon as shook off again and being resolved you never had any Eyes you are content to be for ever blind unless as it was wont to be in the old Tragedies some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some new supernatural power come down and bore your Foreheads and thrust and force Eyes into your Heads 'T is a blessed desire and gracious humility in any one to invoke God to every thought they venture on and not to dare to pretend to the least sufficiency in themselves but to acknowledge and desire to receive all from God but shall we therefore be so ungratefully religious as for ever to be a craving new helps and succours and never observe or make use of what we have already obtained as 't is observed of covetous men who are always busied about their Incomes are little troubled with disbursements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any proportion betwixt their receipts and expences Shall we be so senseless as to hope that the contempt of one blessing will be a means to procure as many I told you that God had written a law in the hearts of every one of you which once was able and is not now quite deprived of its power to furnish with knowledge of good and evil and although by original and actual and habitual sin this inheritance be much impaired this stock of precepts drawn low yet if you would but observe those directions which it would yet afford you if you would but practise whatever that divine light in your Souls should present and commend to you you might with some Face Petition God for richer abilities and with better confidence approach and beg and expect the grace that should perfect you to all righteousness In the mean time bethink your selves how unreasonable a thing it is that God should be perpetually casting away of Alms on those who are resolved to be perpetually Bankrupts how it would be reckoned prodigality of mercies to purchase new lands for him that scorns to make use of his inheritance As ever you expect any boon from God look I conjure you what you have already received call in your Eyes into your Brains and see whether your natural reason there will not furnish you with some kind of profitable though not sufficient directions to order your whole lives by bring your selves up to that staidness of temper as never to venture on any thing till you have askt your own Souls advice whether it be to be done or no and if you can but observe its dictates and keep your hands to obey your head if you can be content to abstain when the Soul within you bids you hold you shall have no cause to complain that God hath sent you impotent into the World but rather acknowledge it an unvaluable mercy of his that hath provided such an Eye within you to direct you if you will but have patience to see such a curb to restrain and prevent you if thou wilt only take notice of its checks 'T is a thing that would infinitely please the Reader to observe what a price the Heathens themselves set upon this light within them which yet certainly was much more dimmed and obscured in them by their Idolatry and superstition than I hope it can be in any Christian Soul by the unruliest passion Could ever any one speak more plainly and distinctly of it than the Pythagoreans and Stoicks have done who represent Conscience not only as a guide and moderator of our actions but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tutelary spirit or Angel or genius which never sleeps or dotes but is still present and employed in our behalf And this Arrian specifies to be the reasonable Soul which he therefore accounts of as a part of God sent out of his own Essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a piece or shread or as others more according to modest truth call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ray or beam of that invisible Sun by which our dull unactive frozen Bodies after the fall were warmed and re-inlivened Now if any one shall make a diligent inquisition in himself shall as the Philosopher in his Cynical humour light a Candle to no purpose or as the Prophet Jeremy seek and make huy and cry after a man through all Jerusalem and yet not meet with him if I say any body shall search for this light in himself and find all darkness within then will you say I have all this while possest you with some phansies and Ideas without any real profit to be received from them you will make that complaint as the Women for our Saviour We went to seek for him and when we went down all was dark and emptiness They have taken him away and I know not where they have laid him Nay but the error is in the seeker not in my directions he that would behold the Sun must stay till the Cloud be over he that would receive from the fire either light or warmth must take the pains to remove the ashes There be some encumbrances which may hinder the most active qualities in the World from working and abate the edge of the keenest metal In summ there is a cloud and gloom and vail within thee like that darkness on the face of the deep when the Earth was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without form
one ever came into the knowledge of men without this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this knowledge and discretion of good and evil as old in him as his soul And yet who makes any use of it in his actions nothing so ordinary as to betray and declare that we have it by finding fault and accusing Vices in other men by calling this Justice this Tyranny this Virtue this Vice in another whilst yet we never are patient to observe or discern ought of it in our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Who ever spares to call injustice which he sees in another by its own name for his own reason tells him 't is so and he must needs give it its title But when the case concerns his own person when his passions counsel him against the law within him then is he content not to see though it shine never so bright about him and this was one degree of their guilt that they observed the power of it in their speculations and made use of it also to censure and find fault with others but seldom or never strived to better themselves or straighten their own actions by it Again to follow our Apostles Argument and look more distinctly upon them in their particular chief sins which this contempt produced in them you shall find them in the front to be Idolatry and Superstition in the Verses next before my Text When they knew God they glorified him not as God Verse 21. But changed his glory into an Image c. Verse 24. And then we may cry out with Theodoret in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the errors and vanities of their worship hath rased out all the characters that God antiently had written in them And can any man shew a greater contempt to a Book or Writing than to tear and scrape and scratch out every Letter in it The first voice of nature in the Creature which it uttered even in the Cradle when it was an infant in the World and therefore perhaps as Children are wont not so plainly and syllabically and distinctly as could have been wished is the acknowledgement and worship of one Eternal God Creator of that Soul we breath by and World we live in as one simple incorporeal Everlasting Essence and thus far no doubt could nature proclaim in the heart of every Gentile though it was by many of them either silenced or not hearkned to which if it were doubted of might be deduced out of the 19. verse of this Chap. God hath shewed unto them c. Now this light shining not equally in all Eyes some being more over-spread with a film of ignorance stupid conditions and passions and the like yet certainly had enough to express their contempt of it so that they are without excuse ver 20. All that would ever think of it and were not blind with an habit of sottishness acknowledged a God yet none would think aright of him Some would acknowledge him a simple Essence and impossible to be described or worship't aright by any Image as Varro an Heathen observes that the City and Religion of old Rome continued 170. years without any Images of the gods in it Yet even they which acknowledged him simple from all corporeity and composition would not allow him single from plurality Jupiter and Saturn and the rest of their shole of Gods had already got in and possest both their Temples and their hearts In summ their understandings were so gross within them being fatned and incraslate with magical phantasms that let the truth within them say what it would they could not conceive the Deity without some quantity either Corporeity or number and either multiply this God into many or make that one God corporeous And then all this while how plainly and peremptorily and fastidiously they rejected the guidance of nature which in every reasonable heart counselled nay proclaimed the contrary how justly they provoked God's displeasure and desertion by their forsaking and provoking him first by their foolish imaginations I need not take pains to insist on Aristotle observes in his Rhet. that a man that hath but one Eye loves that very dearly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sets a far higher price on it is much more tender over it than he that hath two so he that hath but one Son cannot chuse but be very fond of him and the greatest lamentation that can be exprest is but a shadow of that which is for ones only Son as may appear Amos viii 10 Zach. 12.10 when 't is observed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only begotten and the beloved are taken in Scripture promiscuously as signifying all one And then what a price should the Heathen have set upon this Eye of nature being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having no other Eye to see by having neither Scripture nor Spirit those two other glorious Eyes of the World to enlighten them and therefore being sure by the contemning and depriving themselves of this light to turn all into horrible darkness 'T would strike a man into agony of pity and amazement to see a World of Gentiles for many years thus imprisoned and buried in a Dungeon and grave of invincible idolatrous ignorance and from thence engaged in inevitable Hell as 't is in the Book of Wisdom and all this directly by contemning this first and only begotten light in them which God set in the Firmaments of their hearts to have led and directed them a more comfortable way And this or as bad is every unregenerate mans case exactly if they be not forewarned by their elder Brethren the Heathens Example as we shall anon have more leisure to insist on Secondly among the Jews under which name I contain all the people of God from Adam to Christ 't is a lamentable contemplation to observe and trace the law and the contempt of it like a Jacob at the heels supplanting it in every Soul which it came to inhabit Those Characters of verum and bonum which in Adam were written in a statelier Copy and fairer Manuscript than our slow undervaluing conceits can guess at nay afterwards explain'd with a particular explication to his particular danger Of the tree of knowledge c. thou shalt not eat Gen. ii 17 Yet how were they by one slender temptation of the Serpent presently sullied and blurr'd so that all the aqua fortis and instruments in the World will never be able to wash out or erase that blot or ever restore that hand-writing in our hearts to the integrity and beauty of that Copy in its primitive estate And since when by that sin darkness was in a manner gone over their hearts and there remained in them only some tracks and reliques of the former structure the glory whereof was like that of the second Temple nothing comparable to the beauty of the first instead of weeping with a loud Voice as many of the Priests and Levites did