have been better and should have made a better choice from this silfull mixture sprung the Rebellious Race of the Giants who grew grosser in obstinacy all the 120 years and waged War against Heaven as the Poets say heaping up one great Mountain upon another and from thence throwing mighty Trees and prodigious Rocks up towards the Firmament to justle Jove or Jehovah out of his Throne This Rebellious Obstinacy in this Giganto-Machia or Giants War c. called great wickedness Gen. 6.5 made the world so foul that now God saw it high time to wash it clean with a Floud Gen. 6.3 6 7 8 12. Accordingly God will shortly cleanse the World grown foul again with sin since that by streams of Fire as he did then by flouds of Water There be but two ways of cleansing foul Vessels The first is by Water the second is by Fire Wooden Vessels may not pass through the Fire for they will be burned thereby Every thing that way abide the Fire ye shall make it go through the Fire and all that abideth not the Fire ye shall wake go through the Water Numb 31.23 Vessels made of Metal may abide the Fire so will not Vessels of Wood they therefore according to this Law of Purification musf be washed with Water This Great House the World hath many sorts of Vessels in it Vessels of Gold and Silver and Vessels of Wood and Earth 2 Tim. 2.20 21. Not only those Vessels of the House must be cleansed from Defilement some by Fire and others by VVater but the House it self as having a worse Defilement than the Vessels even the Plague of the Fretting Leprosie got into the Walls of it which cannot be scraped off Lev. 14.34 41 45. must be cleansed by Fire as well as by VVater As the cursed Canaanites had defiled their Land from one end to another Ezra 9.11 So this Gigantick Race of Rebels had defiled the World which was their Land from side to side with their uncleannesses The defiled Land of Canaan spued out all her Inhabitants and the World or rather the Maker of it spued out a floud to drown all its Inhabitants Oh the defiling nature and contagion of sin it infects the very House we live in the Garments we wear and even all the Creatures we use so that to the unclean by sin all things become unclean Titus 1.13 Yea the very House of God and all his Holy Ordinances Le◠16.16 Thus sin defileth not only persons but places too yea all things as it did the World the House those Rebels dwelt in making it more foul than that Augean Stable the Poets speak of which Hercules could no way cleanse from its over-grown Filthiness but by causing a River to run through it and overflow it Thus the Great God dealt with the dirty Old World he drew a Deluge upon it to cleanse it from its prodigious Defilements Yet as an House wash'd never so clean at one time will by much egress and regress of Inhabitants and Strangers contract new and it may be worse filth in success of time so will need a new cleansing Even so this great House the World though it was wash'd clean with VVater in Noah's time yet since that 't is grown so filthy again and in our the last and so the worst of times become so full of dreggs as being almost at the very bottom of the Vessel it must shortly pass through the Fire as formerly it did through the VVater God hath resolved to Ruin it again by the other more merciless Element 2 Pet. 3.7 10 12. Then it shall not be the Earth below all under VVater but the very Heavens above shall be all on a light fire and all the Elements shall melt c. and fall like scalding Lead or burning Bell-metal upon the heads of the wicked who shall give a terrible Account while the whole World is all flashing flames of fire about their Ears 2 Thes 1.8 9. but the godly shall then be caught up into the Air above all this Affrightment to meet their Dear Redeemer 1 Thes 4.17 This last Destruction of the World by Fire as before by VVater was known in part to the very Heathens as appeareth by the Writings of Lucretius of Cicero de Naturâ Deorum and especially of Ovid singing Esse quoque in fatis Reminiscitur affore Tempus c. He remembred the Fates had decreed that the World should be burned c. But more clearly was it known to Job who lived before Moses Job 22.15 20. where those two Destructions by drowning and burning are both mentioned then shall the Fire of Hell begin to burn all over and shall never end Mark here these few things 1. Because the World was destroyed by VVater about the 1675 year of it from the Creation therefore some have taken up that Opinion that the World should be destroyed by Fire at 1675 years after Christ But this conceit Time it self that term being now expired hath sufficiently confuted Secret things belong to God Deut. 29.29 That day and hour knoweth no man c. Matth. 24.36 Sundry guesses have been given at it both by Antient and Modern Authors most of which Time the best Expounder of dark Prophecies hath already refuted 'T is sufficient for us to know that 't is known to the Lord Zech. 14.6 though it be not given to us to know that Time Acts 1.7 This Key of Knowledge wherewith to unlock this Mystery hangs only at Gods Girdle 'T is therefore our folly if not our sin to set our wits upon childishly playing in such serious and mysterious matters Eorum quae scire nec datur nec fas est Docta est Ignorantia talis Scientiae appetentia est Insaniae species Austin Ignorance of things not revealed nor lawful to be known is a learned Nescience and 't is a kind of madness to enquire after the knowledge of them Mark 2. The Time of Gods burning the World will certainly come shortly though the set Time thereof God hath hid from us For Two Reasons 1. For his own Glory that we may Admire crying Oh the depth of his unsearchable Counsels c. Rom. 11.33 what we cannot apprehend much less comprehend and acknowledge we cannot stand under that which we cannot understand This must be confess'd that we are subdued by that which we cannot subdue to our understandings and hereby we give God his due Glory 2. 'T is not known as for Gods Glory so for our good that we may watch always and not be secure as we would be if we knew it Ideò latet unus dies ut observentur omnes that one day is hid from us that every day might be improved by us as if it were our last day either for Death or Judgment The Harlot in Proverbs the 7th grew bold in her lewdness upon her knowledge of this that her Husband was gone forth in his Travel for such a time v. 18 19 20. And that evil Servant saying
Hous-wifes whole Stock she had no more N. B. Note well Dionysius's Gloss upon it is that our Lord left 99. sheep and but the 9. Groats both made up of nines which signifies the nine Orders of Angels made of thrice three and but one of Mankind which was lost in both the Parables that the Unity and Trinity of the Godhead saith he might be adored and praised by the Trinity of the Angelical Nature and by the Unity of the Human Nature and he adds nine is an imperfect Number implying that Man being found after his fall makes up the breach in the City of God by the final fall of the Evil Angels this one added to the nine makes the Church of God a compleat and perfect Number God will have his Church made up of Corporal and Spiritual Creatures N. B. Note well Man is like the Microcosm or little World who borrows his parts from the Macrocosm or great World as flesh from the Earth blood from the Sea breath from the Air and heat from the 4th Element of Fire as to his Body then as to his Soul Man carries Congruity with Angels yea and Man hath a Resemblance of the Holy Trinity in the three Superior Faculties Understanding Will and Memory 2. Answer to the 2d Enquiry Fallen Man is this lost Groat who falls under a Threefold Consideration 1. His Making 2. His Losing and 3. His finding which hold out the Threefold State of Man the first his state of Creation and Generation the second his state of Degeneration wherein he was lost and the third his state of Regeneration wherein he is found Man when first made call'd Nummus Dei Gods Money was a most curious Silver piece coming first out of Gods Mint did shine most gloriously and was excellent both in Matter in Form in Lustre in Stamp in Weight in Sound and in Superscription But now in the faln Estate he hath lost all those Excellencies as 1. In matter he was not made of Brass or of Tin or Copper but of Silver than which no Mettal is better but Gold So no Creature was better than Man but Angels Man was made but a little lower than they Ps 8.5 Man was made ex Meliori Luto of better Materials than other Creatures saith Ovid but now nothing is left save Reprobate and Rejected Silver Jer. 6.30 all Dross 2. This Groat was Coined in a round Form an Emblem of Immortality wherein Man was Created had he not sinned he had not dyed for Death was the Wages of sin Rom. 5.12 The State of Innocency had this kind of Immortality as it was possible for Adam not to dye so it was not impossible for him to dye but now his sin hath put all Men under the power of Death Hebr. 9.27 3. This Groat had such a Lustre and Glory Ps 8.5 That all Creatures paid their Homage to Adam who had a Lordly Dominion over all Beasts Fouls and Fishes c. Gen. 1.26 But now Man is besmeared with sin this Groat hath gathered Iniquity Ps 41.6 So that Man hath lost his first Majesty and Beasts Rebell against him c. 4. Man was at first stamped with Gods Image upon him as Caesars Silver pieces were stamped with Caesars Image Mat. 22.21 there was then knowledge in Mans Mind Obedience in his Will and Order in his Affections but now Satan hath set the print of his Limbs upon all the Faculties of Man so that now he is become Inversus Decalogus a mere opposite to Gods Law man is quite of another make than God at first made him c. whole Evil is in Man and whole man is in Evil so that this old Groat must be melted down before it can be capable of a new Stamp c. 5. Man at the first was full weight in the Ballance of the Sanctuary which required double weight to the common Ballance then was Man most current Coin in the Court of Heaven But alas now by the fall Mene Tekel Dan. 5.25 27. is writ upon Man He is weighed in the Ballance and found wanting He hath now naturally a vain light Mind even at his best Estate lighter than Vanity Ps 39.5 Man is heavy enough in respect of sin but very light in respect of grace so like an old Groat has lost many grains of weight 6. Man coming first out of Gods Mint had a good sound or ring like the sound of the Silver Trumpets Numb 10.1 c. his Tongue was then his glory but now his shame a tinkling Cymbal a sound of emptiness a jarring sound he speaks the Language of Ashdod more than of Canaan Nehem. 13.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unsavoury Speech Eph. 4.29 Col. 4.6 and oft-times his Heart and his Tongue are not Relatives when speaking one thing yet thinking and purposing another 2 Cor. 1.17 Mat. 5.37 7. Mans first Superscription was Holiness to the Lord Zech. 14.20 Gods Off-spring Acts 17.28 Yea the Son of God Luke 3.38 But now so little is left of Gods Image and Superscription as like Jobs Messengers tells tidings only of our great losses now are we called Children of Adam of Wrath of Belial of Disobedience of the Devil of Hell and of Perdition those be Titles of us sinful flesh N. B. Note well as Zedekiah had the empty Title of a King after he had lost his City and Kingdom Jerem. 52.7 8 9 c. So Man hath now only the bare Title of being Gods Master-piece his City is broke down his Temple burned this Silver piece is lost in a dirty World 't is seized upon by Satan that strong Man Luke 11.21 and Lord of the Soil as God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 Quis talia fando Temperet a lacrimis Who can look upon this Burnt Temple and not weep as Ezr. 3.12 If David did so much admire at Gods wonderful making of Man Ps 139.14 16. How may we stand Astonished at the Devils wonderful Marring of Man and spoiling him of all these seven aforesaid Exexcellencies The 3d Enquiry The manner of seeking this lost Groat together with the means whereby it was sought Answer 1. in general this Groat is lost past finding out as to it self if the Houswife do not seek it assuredly it can never seek her 't is either lost in the Dust of Worldly Treasures or in the dirt of Carnal Pleasures or on the Pinacles of Earthly Honours 't is lost in some bye corner or other of sin and error N.B. Note well Satan poured in his Poison into the Spring-head or Fountain of Mankind namely Adam that so all the streams flowing from him might be poisoned by him he staid not to pour in his poison into every Son and Daughter of Adam as every one was born into the World this had been too tedious work for the Devil hence we as well as others are born Children of Wrath by Nature and of Disobedience Eph. 2.3 Now more particularly of the lost Groat 1. The Person seeking as he is the party losing
him 1 Cor. 4.3 And hereupon he durst not think either better or worse of himself for the flatterings or slanderings of men Mans day as the Apostle calls it or Judgment is like the Sun which makes the day making uncertain Shadows longer in the Morning but shorter at Noon yet man may not think himself taller or shorter by his Shadow and though Paul had his due praise in all the Churches of Christ yet durst he not be puffed up by their praise no more than dejected by the others dispraise for he knew himself a chosen Vessel yet but an Earthen Vessel that had some Cracks and Flaws in it hence he appeals to the Infallible Tryer to wit God 1 Cor. 4.4.7 2 Cor. 10.18 Well knowing a man may be Man-proof who is not God-proof Thus Peter also did Joh. 21.15.16 17. So then 2. God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heart-knower Acts 1.24 is the truest Tryer of man who tryed Abraham here Satan can make his Conjecture and man may give his guess yet both be fallible 't is the Royalty of the great God to be only Infallible for he knoweth our thoughts 1 Cor. 3.20 And seeth them while afar off Psal 139.2 Mat. 9.4 He knows what is in man John 2.25 Deus intimior intimo nostro God is more inward with us than we are with our selves as the Gardiner knows what flowers he shall have at the Spring because all the Roots in his Garden are well known of him so God knowing our hearts knows also all the creatures of our hearts Heb. 4.12 13. Every artificer knoweth his own work within as well as without and thence knoweth what his work will do how much more the chief Architect God 2. The Patient or Tryed is twofold also 1. Mens Persons 2. Mens Works both good and bad The third part of the Earth must be Tryed in the Fire as Metals are and pass through it if good Zech. 13.9 Yea all the World at the last day 2 Pet. 3.7.10.12 2 Thes 1.7 8 9. Then shall the persons as well as the works of wicked men be burned but for good men some of their works which are not according to the Pattern in the Mount shall be burnt but their persons shall be saved yet so as by Fire 1 Cor. 3.14 15. Like those persons which escape in a manner naked out of the Fire when the City was burnt saving only some Cash or Jewels but losing all their lumber Thus many prayers which were but the cries of the creature and not the breathings of Gods Spirit and many duties performed only in the form without the power may be lost in that day as no better than so much lumber but before this last day we may not think it strange that we meet with Tryals yea Fiery Tryals in our day as 1 Pet. 4.12 We must not be amazed when brought into a maze as if some new thing had hapned to us for 't is no untrodden path we have many Presidents the great Friends and Favourites of Heaven have passed before us through the Fire Psal 66 12. Isa 31.9 Mal. 3.2 Lam. 1.13 1 Pet. 1.7 And in the ten Persecutions and ever since to the Marian days and we have many Prophecies that we shall be tryed by Fire 1 Cor. 3. â—3 c. I will bring saith God the third part through the Fire Zech. 13.9 Few they were but not faultless They must therefore pass through the Fire that there they may be purged and leave their dreggs and dross behind them what Fire is to Gold the File to Iron the Fan to Wheat the Sope to Cloaths and Salt to Flesh that is Tribulation when sanctified to a gracious Soul yet this is our comfort he goeth with them into the Fire as Dan. 3.28 and plucks them out as Brands out of the Fire Zech. 3.3 He carries them through Fire and Water Isa 43.2 and Psal 66.12 This is all the hurt he doth them 't is not to ruine but to refine them to hide pride from them Job 33.19 c. God hereby divides the sin which he hateth from the Son which he loveth for by this the iniquity of Jacob is purged and this is all the Fruit the taking away of their sin which they may very well spare and never hurt themselves Isa 27.9 That when God hath tryed them they may come out as Gold Job 23.10 Upon this account Gods people fall into many Temptations Jam. 1.2 They fall they go not gradually into them Step by Step but are precipitated hurryed headlong and plunged into them not into one of them or a few of them but into manifold Temptations Alas what may befal us or what Tryals yea what Fiery Tryals we may fall into we know not God may prove us yet to do us good at the latter end Deut. 8.16 The good Lord make us Faithful to Death Rev. 2.10 3. The means whereby God Tryeth Man are fourfold 1 By Prosperity which oft proves too strong Wine for Weak Brains Prov. 1.32 Destroying fools Such as God suffers to prosper in their sin an heavy Judgment this is call'd Gods laying a stumbling block before them Ezek. 3.20 And because the wicked have not changes therefore they fear not God Psal 55.19 Thus God proved Israel by prosperity Deut. 8.2 And when Jesurun waxed fat he kicked against God Deut. 32.15 As Pliny saith of the young Asses Colt pullus lacte materno saturatus matrem suis Regratulatur calcibus When filled with its Dams Milk gives her a kick with his heels to let her know he is but an Ass in his unkind regratulations Alas the most fatted Cattel are but most fitted for the Shambles whereas good men learn with Paul to abound and to be in want Phil. 4.11 And 't was David's great honour that the prosperity of a Court life while he was a courtier in quelling Sauls Phrenzy by his exquisite Musick did not put his mouth out of tast for his retired simplicity he could go from the Court to his Sheepfold until Goliah came to defie the God of Israel 'T is a good heart that frames to all conditions See more of this in my Hearts Treachery or Mirror Chap. 7. 2. By Adversity behold I will melt them and try them Jer. 9.7 'T is a Metaphor taken from Metalists God will cast them into the fiery crucibles of affliction he is the Master Founder and will melt away their dross c. Their Dilecta Delicta or Darling sins if they be not Reprobate Silver Jer. 6.30 Impurgeable Inexpiable and Incorrigible then all 's consumed and nothing remaineth Deus est sapiens nummularius nummum fictum non recipiet saith Bernard God is too wise a money-changer and will not be put off with counterfeit Coin that Metal which will not abide the Fire is Refuse and Reprobate as fire tryeth the Truth of Metals so do Battels the courage of Souldiers Suitable to this is the saying of Paul to Timothy Thou therefore endure hardness as
it was not a Natural but a Supernatural and Extraordinary Cloud This differ'd from other Clouds 1. In respect of its Substance not dark and thick but lightsom and perspicuous above other Clouds only gilded with the Sun-beams this Cloud had an Innate and Genuine Glory of its own that it might be a more glorious Chariot suitable to the Son of Gods Grandeur to Ride Triumphantly in as Psal 104.3 and Hab. 3.8 9. 2. In respect of its Matter It was not made of Natural Causes as other Clouds are of Vapours and Exhalations but it was framed by Jehovah beyond the ordinary course of Nature a Cloud created as the Prophet calls it Isa 4.5 6. for this very purpose that Christ might Ride in it as in a Chariot to lead his Redeemed c. 3. In respect of its Figure or Shape and Fashion it was as some say alway like a Pillar or Monument of Mercy the broad bottom whereof covered the Camp Psal 105.39 as well as the Tabernacle Numb 9.19 20 21 22. and the upper part or Spire-top thereof more truly reached up to Heaven than did that Tower of Babel Gen. 11.4 but rather as Jacob's Ladder did so c. and this Figure is always retained whereas common Clouds oft vary their shape and never descend so low as the Earth c. 4. In respect of its Motion many ways as 1. This Cloud moved of it self having its primus motor in it the great Jehovah by whom we move and have our Being Acts 17.28 whereas other Clouds are moved by the Winds without them having no motion from within but the Winds drive them from East to West c. 2. This Cloud sometimes ascended and sometimes descended sometime it went forward and sometime backward sometime to the Right Hand and sometime to the Left as the Journeys of Israel were prescribed by Christ whereas other Clouds neither ascend nor descend but are carried even End-ways all one way with the Wind never standing still as this did upon the Tabernacle 3. This Cloud had a motion that was both slow and certain for it always went before the Camp to direct the way and so leisurely as that vast Army was able to follow this Captain-General of their Salvation Great Bodies we say move flowly whereas other Clouds move so swiftly as they cannot be followed especially not by so many hundred thousand Footmen 5. In respect of its Situation this Cloud was not carried aloft with other Clouds which could be no direction to lead Israel in their Journey but kept such a commodious Station in the lower Region as the Star which led the Wise Men to Bethlehem did Mat. 2.10 and thus it observed a due distance not only in not over-marching the Flock which consisted of many Women and Children who could not march my Lord Esau 's pace as Jacob said Gen. 33.14 but like a tender Shepherd Christ in the Cloud took equal paces with his tender Lambs Psal 78.52 in not only not out-running them but also in not being elevated over high above their Heads among other Clouds but seating it self so as to afford an undeniable Direction 6. In respect of its Continuation whereas other Clouds are no way durable but are soon dissipated dispersed and dissolved by the violence of Wind and vehemency of Weather yet this Cloud had a long lasting duration both continuing and remaining firm for the space of forty years 7. In respect of its various Efficacy and usefulness which is principally Threefold 1. This Cloud was for Israel's Direction in that wayless Wilderness because in that Sandy Desert there is no way can be seen by reason of the Wind blowing about the Sand which both blinds the Traveller and blots out the tract of the way by covering it as Snow doth with us therefore Travellers there do use Maps and Cards to point out Coasts and Quarter◠as Sailers do at Sea The Heathens have a fond Fiction concerning their Goddess Vibilia that she directs Travellers in their right way but sure I am Israel had a better Guide having Christ in this Cloud which therefore had such Miraculous Motions as above according to his prudent Conduct with such variations as were best accommodated to their Journeyings 2. This Cloud was for Israel's Protection from their Enemies therefore when Pharaoh and his Host pursued Israel into the Red Sea this Cloud that before had gone before them then came behind them betwixt them and the Egyptians giving light to the former but easting darkness upon the latter Exod. 14.19 Thin the Glory of the Lord was Israel 's Rear-ward Isa 58.8 securing them in the Rear as before he led up the Van by going before them Isa 52.12 for the Lord is a Man of War Exod. 15.3 yea a whole Army himself he will be more than Van and Rear to his 3. This Cloud was useful also for Israel's Obumbration or over-shadowing them from the heat of the Sun for the Desarts of Arabia are extream hot both by reason of the Climate and more especially also of the prodigious Sand-beds there the Banks whereof make the most vehement Reflection of the Sun-beams Hereupon we are told that this Cloud cover'd the Camp Psal 105.39 that there was a Cloud in Egypt where no Rain falls was a wonder but this is a greater wonder that this Cloud was so large as to cover so large an Host which as is supposed took up twelve Miles in compass but this answers all God Created it and will cover his Church from a scorching Sun Isa 4.5 6. Psal 121.4 c. Yet higher this is the greatest wonder of all in as much as the Son of God did take up his Tabernacle in this Cloud and that for forty years time together which is a longer time than his Tabernacling in our Flesh upon Earth as the Evangelist expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 1.14 which was but about thirty four years the greatest part whereof he spent in obscurity making no such visible Manifestations of his Glory and Majesty so constantly as he did in this glorious Cloud of Fire as is noted in my discourse upon the Life of Christ that it was the Son of God and no Created Angel but the Creator himself is farther Illustrated in the Remarks upon Exod. 14. where he that was in the Cloud is call'd again Jehovah the Lord as Exod. 13.21 ver 15 24. as Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Menachem upon the place acknowledge calling him the Divine Shecinah the excellent Majesty of God to whom the Government of the World appertaineth though other Rabbins have their over-curious Speculations upon their reckoning just 72 Hebrew Letters that ver 19 20 21. do consist of it was say they to shew that there were just seventy two Angels wrapp'd up in this Cloud all concurring in this glorious work of dividing the Red Sea and conducting Israel through it and through the Wilderness to Canaan But though this Conductor of Israel be call'd the Angel of God ver 19.
Mount of Olives the place of Christs Ascension Acts 1.9.12 Others say he will return from Heaven to the Earth in General grounding their Opinion upon the Expression of Job My Redeemer shall stand upon the Earth Job 19.25 Which words may be understood 1. Metaphorically saith Junius Vpon the Dust Hebr. that is he shall stand last in the Field when he hath Conquered Satan Sin and Death and trod them down as Dust unter his Feet he will make all his Foes his Footstool Ps 110.1 c. or 2. if taken Literally Gnal Hebr. may be Read over the Earth or Dust to wit in the Air for it is said We must meet the Lord in the Air 1 Thess 4.17 That is the Saints for as some suppose there cannot be Room enough upon the Earth to contain all the Sons and Daughters of Adam that have lived in all Ages and Places of the four Quarters of the World at so General a Sessions or Assizes therefore All the Dead in Christ shall Rise first then we which are alive shall be caught up together in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we be ever with the Lord 1 Thess 4.16 17. But it may be supposed that Sinners who dye in their Sins shall be Judged upon the Earth which was the place of their sinning against their Judge and of their saying We will not have this Man to Reign over us Luke 19. ver 14 27. This amounts also to a Demonstration that when the Heavens and the Earth shall be all on a flaming Fire at our Lords Return 2 Thess 1.7 8. 2 Pet. 3.7 to 12. They shall not be Consumed into that Original nothing out of which they were first Created Gen. 1.1 But both of them and the Air also which is the Devils Territories Eph. 2.2 Shall only pass through the Fire to purifie them from the Pollutions of sin and be as the Bush burning but not Consumed Exod. 3.2 Hence 't is said We look for New Heavens and a New Earth c. 2 Pet. 3.13 Otherwise what place hath Christ to Judge the World in The Third thing is the manner how our Lord Returns Namely 1. Visibly as he went up Acts 1 9. every Eye shall then see him c. Revel 1.7 With a Real Body to which our Bodies shall be fashioned Phil. 3.21 2. Gloriously not in the form of a Servant as at his first coming Phil. 2.7 But of an All-Conquering King all shall behold him then coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great Glory Mat. 24.30 3. Suddenly as a flash of Lightning Mat. 24.27 and Surprizing as a Thief Revel 16.15 That gives no warning yea and as Noahs Flood unexpectedly swept all away Mat. 24.37 38 39 40 41 42. Therefore Omnem Crede diem tibi diluxisse Supremum think every Day thy last Day None know what any Big-belly'd Day may bring forth c. The Judge is at the Door Jam. 5.9 4. Terribly to the Wicked if the Law was given in so Terrible a Manner Exod. 19.16 How much more when the Judge comes to Require it c. then Mount Sinai only was all on Fire but at this universal Assises the whole World melts like Scalding Lead about their Ears yea those Rocks which they cry to to cover them Rev. 6.16.17 shall then melt 5. Comfortably to the Godly 't is their Marriage Day Rev. 19.7 8. Therefore they look for it and hasten unto it 2 Pet. 3.12 and lift up their Heads for joy c. Luke 21.28 The Fourth Circumstance is our Lords Attendants at his Returning Namely All the Holy Angels shal come with him and Attend upon him Mat. 25.31 As if he would not leave so much as an Angel in Heaven behind him Angels are his Apparitours who know the Elect as Servants to know their Masters Corn from others in Common Fields 1. By Gods Image of Holiness stamped upon them 2. By being so Conversant with them to keep them in all their ways Ps 91.11 While they are on Earth 3. And possibly by their chearful Countenances upon this Day of their Redemption c. Oh! What a Brave Bright and Glorious Day must this undoubtedly be not only when many Millions of mighty Angels shall shine forth all at once in their Splendour like so many Glorious Suns in the Firmament but also among and above them all our most Glorious Sun of Righteousness out-shining them all Velut inter Stellas luna Minores far more than as the Moon at her full doth out-shine all the lesser Stars And this shall then compleat the Saints comfort when they shall behold the very Nature of Man in this Lord-Judge Advanced above the Brightest Angel upon the Throne of his Glory which some understand upon the Shoulders of Augels because Angels are called Thrones Col. 1.16 As if our Lord will then come carryed in Triumph upon Angels Shoulders as Conquerours are carryed Triumphantly upon the Shoulders of Men c. The Fourth part of this Parable is the Servants Reckoning Mat. 25.19 Luke 19.15 Which holds forth that at our Lords Returning at the Day of Judgment that day shall be a day of Reckoning with all Mankind both with the Godly and with the Wicked Servants how they have Traded with their Pounds and Talents while they lived in this Lower World whether well or ill c. N.B. Note well 1. This time of Reckoning hath various Denominations in the Holy Scriptures as 1. 'T is called a Day because it brings to light all hidden Deeds of Darkness Luke 12.2 3. 'T is called 2. A Night Mat. 25.6 and 1 Thess 5.2 and 2 Pet. 3.10 Because that time will unexpectedly Surprise a secure World as a Thief doth the House that he Robbeth 3. 'T is called the Evening Mat. 20.8 Because the Day for work being expired the Workmen at Even are called by the Lord of the Vineyard to come and Receive their Wages 4. 'T is called the Morning Zech. 3.5 This will be that great Morning wherein God shall bring his Judgment to Light and wherein the Upright shall have their Dominion over all their Emies Ps 49.14 And then shall our Lord be as the light of the Morning without a Cloud c. 2 Sam. 23.4 Hereupon are we bid to Watch for we know not when our Lord will come at Even or at Midnight or at the Cock-crowing or in the Morning Mark 13.34 35. Those differing Denominations are indifferently taken for Time a Thousand years be but as one Day with the Lord 2 Pet. 3.8 And some suppose the Day of Judgment may last so long seeing we are not told in Scripture how long this last Day may last this is a Secret unrevealed N. B. Note well 2. Augustin Argueth that this Day of Reckoning must be Managed Vocaliter and not Mentaliter as Aquinas affirmeth Et per locutionem as he Phraseth it that is by way of an Audible Discourse and that Father doth prove it to be probable by urging that Famous
splendour put upon them than any of the Holy Patriarchs or Prophets of the Old Testament This great Truth our Lord Christ who is Truth it self John 14.6 doth positively affirm saying Amongst them that are born of Women there hath not Risen a greater than John the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he Mat. 11.11 The meaning whereof is this as the Elements the higher they are be so much the purer the Water is more pure than the Earth the Air than Water and the Elementary Fire than the Air so the nearer to Christ's Time the more excellent was the Person this excellency had John the Baptist to be the immediate Harbinger for preparing the way of that great Prince of Peace the Lord Jesus at his first coming so became he beyond all the Antient Patriarchs and former Prophets both in Dignity and Doctrine Yet came he behind the Apostles of Christ not so much in the Dignity of his Office though he wrought no Miracles John 10.41 as Moses Elijah Elisha did before him and as the Apostles did after him as he did come behind them in the perspicuity and clearness of his Doctrine concerning the Messiah whom indeed he saw with his Eyes and pointed him out with his Finger yet declared he nothing of Christ's Sufferings or of his Dying and Rising again all which was revealed to Isaiah for which he is call'd by the Antients the Prophetical Evangelist and Evangelical Prophet or of his Ascending into Heaven c. as the Apostles do Yet farther He that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven includes every godly Gospel Minister to be greater than John the Baptist as to their Doctrine for John only Preached and could declare that Christ was come but the Ministers of the Gospel can Preach Christ as having Died for our sins and that he is Risen again for our Justification Rom. 4.25 Note This is no small comfort to Gospel-Ministers for qualifying those cutting and killing contempts that a wicked World casts upon them They are certainly some Bodies in Heaven whatever Men make of them or scorn them as no Bodies on Earth Such Scorners little consider how the great God hath threatned to strike through the loins of them Deut. 33.11 Note The Prophets of the Old Testament and the Apostles of the New call'd by the Fathers the Ante-nati and the Post-nati because born before or after the Birth of Christ may well be compared to the two Spies who bare that goodly Cluster of Canaan's Grapes upon a long Pole between them Numb 13.23 He that went before must have his back upon the Bunch so could not have such a plain prospect of it as he who followed after and had his face fully upon it Thus Christ this blessed Bunch of Grapes who hath a Cluster of Blessings in him is born betwixt the Believers of both Testaments only they in the Old saw not so much as we do in the New Note The Holy Apostles saith Chrysostom were greater than the greatest Kings of the Earth rendring this Reason Regum Leges saepè sunt abrogata etiam ipsis viventibus at piscatorum illorum etiam ipsis mortuis Ratae fuere Immobiles manebant c. The Laws of earthly Kings are oft Repealed and die while they themselves live but 't is otherwise with the Laws of those Apostles though but poor Fishermen they stand unrepealed for ever because their Laws are not so much theirs as they are the Laws of the Lord of all Acts 10.36 That the Apostles were great Persons is further demonstrated by those Kings and Emperors who out of their kind of Devotion go in Pâ—larimage to visit their Tombs who yet pay not any such Devoir to the Tombs of their own Predecessors The Twelve Apostles were correspondent to the Twelve Patriarchs as Jacob had Twelve Sons whereof one was a beloved Joseph so Jesus had Twelve Disciples whereof one was a beloved John and as the Apostles were Twelve in number so they did answer the Twelve Foundations of the New Jerusalem Jesus chused Twelve for the Apostleship but Judas one of the Twelve proved a Devil and went betimes to the Devil As bad as the World was then so full of Kill Christ's yet was it too good a place for that Traitor to abide in he was soon pack'd off and as Felo de se both went and was sent to his own place that is to Hell and Damnation the proper place of such a Son of Perdition a place of his own providing and which he had purchased with his wages of wickedness mentioned Acts 1.18 with 25. Note There seems some difficulty in Reconciling Matth. 27.5 where 't is said Judas hanged himself to that of Acts 1.18 where 't is said He falling headlong burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out for want of bowels to his kind and innocent Master We must believe that both were true because the Scripture of truth doth affirm both He was certainly Suffocated or strangled and his bowels gushed out also though the manner how is not determined in sacred writ yet may those two differing Scriptures be thus Reconciled He might be Hanged and the Rope breaking he might fall down and with the fall burst asunder thus both were true Beside The opinion of some is That the Devil strangled him and threw him down a Precipice for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 need not be translated He Hanged himself But he was Suffocated or Strangled which might be done by some disease that caused a Rupture of his Body Or grant He Hanged himself his Body by a just Judgment of God might swell and as the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His bowels might break forth with a great crack No doubt but the Devil was both in his sin and in his punishment Now there happening a Vacancy by Judas's fall in the Emphatical and Significant Number of Twelve the Colledge and Chorus of the Apostles consisting now only of Eleven Peter James John Andrew Philip Thomas Matthew Bartholomew James the Son of Alphaeus Simon Zelotes and Judas the Brother of James Acts 1.13 This Breach must be made up by ordaining one to stand up in the stead of Judas the Traitor Hereupon Matthias was chosen of God to fill up that Vacancy the Eleven are all named to shew that notwithstanding their former Apostacy in forsaking of Christ c. They were again upon their Repentance Received into their holy Apostleship And as the Glorified Saints do fill up the Room in Heaven which the Apostate Angels foolishly forsake So this Matthias makes up the Breach of the faln Judas so he made up the round number of Twelve again This number Twelve is a number which God seemeth to affect in reference to his Church both in the Old and in the New-Testament The Ancient Church God was pleased to build first upon 12 patriarchs then upon the 12 Tribes of Israel And the Gospel-Church prophecied of
good Tongue as taketh all opportunities both to glorifie God and to edifie men is a Mans great glory As an Evil Tongue belching out nothing but bad is a filthy shame As the Ear by the Creation was Janua vitae the gate of life but now by corruption through the fall 't is a bolted door to that which is good yet an open portal to that which is evil Whereby it is become a two-leaved gate to let in Death and Destruction Evil communications do corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15.33 Such unsavory speeches as are spoken with an evil Tongue and are heard with as evil an Ear do both corrupt the Manners and kill the Mind of Man So the Tongue by Creation was a wholesome Tongue Prov. 15.4 having an healing property in it by speaking a pure Language Zeph. 3.9 and such as was both pretious and profitable it was then a Tree of life Prov. 15.4 like that Tree which would have given life and immortality to Adam and which stood in the midst of the Paradise of God as the Tongue is placed and planted in the midst of the mouth The Tongue was then as choice refined Silver Prov. 10.20 having an excellent ring or sound scattering Pearls Matth. 7.6 throwing abroad treasure Matth. 12.35 even Apples of Gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25.11 having a lip of Excellency to attend it Prov. 17.7 which feedeth many Prov. 10.21 using knowledge aright Prov. 15.2 Hebr. dealing kindly with it that is offering no abuse to it by venting it unseasonably or causing it to be vended over-cheap and little esteemed and dispersing it abroad as a blessing to many Prov. 15.7 speaking every where of wisdom and of judgment Psal 37.30 All this excellency had the Tongue by the first Creation and has restored it by Re-creation or Regeneration But now through Mans Degeneration in the fall the Holy Spirit hath branded the Tongue with many black brands and Characters calling it a false Tongue Psal 120.3 a naughty Tongue Prov. 17.4 a perverse Tongue Prov. 17.20 a froward Tongue Prov. 10.31 a flattering Tongue Psal 5.9 a deceitful Tongue Psal 52.4 Micah 6.12 Zeph. 3.13 a lying Tongue Psal 109.2 Prov. 6.17 12.19 26.28 yea a biting as well as a back-biting Tongue Psal 52.4 15.3 Prov. 25.23 The Tongue bites as well as back-bites it speaks devouring words and the Tongue oft bites worse than the Teeth as Sphinx Philosoph sheweth pag. 192. and this Lashon Hebr. for Tongue doth not only lash on as a scourge Job 5.21 for Tongue-smiting Jerem. 18.18 is as smart as any hand-smiting but slash on also and draws blood Ezek. 22.9 Backbiting is not only Back-beating but also 't is flesh-slashing therefore the Tongue made in the form of a two-edged Sword is likewise call'd a sharp Razor Psal 52.2 that instead of shaving the Hair launcheth the flesh instead of trimming the Beard cutteth the Throat Such were the lashes of Doegs lewd Tongue 'T is well said that Man hath two Ears and but one Tongue to signifie that he must be swift to hear but slow to speak Jam. 1.19 We read oft he that hath an ear to hear let him hear but never he that hath a Tongue to speak let him speak for we can do that fast enough without bidding and 't is well said that before the Fall Man had but one Tongue because his Heart and his Tongue were then compleat or Relatives that is the yea and nay of the Tongue were the yea and nay of the Heart c. but now by the Fall Man is become double-tongu'd 1 Tim. 3.8 Man hath Os Bilingue Prov. 8.13 Vulg. Latin a tongue and a tongue He hath an Heart and an Heart so the Hebr. Psal 12.2 One Heart in the Mouth and another in the Belly for he can speak one thing and think another as Joab did to Abner and Amasa in his killing kisses or he can turn his tale and tune his Fiddle to the Base even of the basest times saying one thing at one time and another thing at another Thus Man in the faln estate is become Bilinguis two-tongued and not only so but that Doeg aforesaid as the Devil made him was Trilinguis Three-tongued The Chaldee Paraphrase calls a Back-biter the Man with three Tongues however Doegs Tongue had three stings which killed three at once with his lying report though there was truth in it For 1. It killed the Priests Bodies of whom he reported 2. Sauls Soul to whom he reporte And 3. himself his own both Body and Soul who was that wicked Reporter Well therefore might David call Doegs Tongue not only a sharp Razor as before and a Tuck or Rapier a most Murthering and dangerous weapon Hebr. Psal 42.10 but also a three-forked Engine that could thus destroy three at once Evil words therefore are not wind as most imagine but they are the Devils drivel that leaves a foul stain upon the Speaker and oft the like upon the Hearer yea and sometimes prove cutting and killing words to those concerning whom they are spoken and heard a tale-bearer hath the Devil in his Tongue a tale-hearer hath the Devil in his Ear. Let us take up a lamentation and mourn over this stately burnt Temple as they did Ezr. 3.12 In respect of the tongue which before was Mans glory but now is become his shame 't is now an unruly evil full of deadly poison even a world of iniquity Jam. 3.6 8. 't is not there call'd a City of Iniquity or a Countrey of Iniquity but a whole world of Iniquity It defiles the whole Body as Miriams Tongue in talking against Moses did defile her whole Body with Leprosie It sets on fire the whole course of nature and it self is set on fire of Hell But alas that Tongue which is set on fire of Hell here in this world shall be also set on fire in Hell hereafter in the other world as the Rich Gluttons Tongue was when he begged for a drop of water to cool it Luk. 16.24 The Tongue is untameable as the Apostle James there declareth All Savage and Venemous beasts have been tamed but this Beastly Tongue the taming whereof is far more needful could never be tamed Nec vult Panthera domari this wild Panther will not be tamed There is no man can tame it yet Christ can and doth when he who makes all things new Revel 21.5 makes the Heart Tongue and Life new and when the strong door of Grace is super-added to that double door of Nature to bar it in This unruly Member the God of Nature hath shut up within a double door the one of flesh that is the lips the other of Bones to wit the Teeth And seeing in the depraved estate it most unrulily breaks through this double door upon small provocation the God of all grace lays the briddle of grace upon it Psal 32.9 39. 1 Jam. 1.26 3.2 yet so unruly is this evil member that it oft breaks the bridle of
grace as well as the Bolts Bonds and Bounds of Nature as Moses that mild-man by nature and that man of God by Grace spake unadvisedly with his tongue Psal 106.33 And as David when he thought his mouth had been fast muzzled up a fire of passion and impatiency burns within him makes him slip his muzzle break his word and belch out a rash request Psal 39.1 2 3 4. Oh then what great need have the best of men to request of God that he would keep the door of his lips Psal 141.3 not only that it creak not in complaints as doth the door upon Rusty Hinges for want of the oyl of joy and gladness but also to open and shut according to its Creators command never to be shut when silence is sinful and never to be open when speaking is not better than silence The door of the Mouth should be like the gate of Ezekiels Temple it must not be for Man but for Immanuel for Messiah the Prince for him who hath the keys of David to open and shut it according to his will Ezek. 44.2 3. In short as the Clapper of a Bell demonstrates not onely the size of the Bell whether Treble Tenor or Base c. but also the soundness or unsoundness of it by the sound thereof so Mans Tongue discovers the sort of the Mettal and the soundness or unsoundness of the Heart If corrupt communication come out of the mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. rotten or putrid speech Eph. 4.29 those sparks of Hell their stinking breath declareth that they are of the wrong Mettal they are stinking Goats not Christs Sheep 't is a certain rule in Physick when the Excrements of a sick man cometh upward and out of his mouth instead of going downward according to the ordinary course of nature and the party be insensible hereof 't is an infallible Prognostick of approaching death so 't is here when obscene Borborology Black Blasphemy and filthy discourse far worsâ— than any Excrements inasmuch as moral evil is worse than natural proceedeth out of the mouth and the sinful man is insensible of his sin as is the Swearer who swears he doth not Swear even when big bellyed Oaths are belched out by him this is an undeniable evidence that such a man is then in the state of death and already condemned Joh. 3.18 and as the Physicians write Miserere mei Deus upon that desperate Disease of casting up Excrements as aforesaid against Nature so must we say for such Lord have mercy on them their case is dangerous and desperate if God heal them not sure I am Man cannot but on the contrary if a Mans speech be savory and seasoned with the salt of Grace Col. 4.6 as we salt those Meats which are most apt to putrifie 't is a blessed sign of an Heart-changing and Life-changing work Matth. 12.37 Those two Sons in the story that could shoot at their Father when dead were judged Bastards and the Judge would not give them any of their Fathers Goods but the third Son that could not do so unnaturally he judged Legitimate and right Heir to his Fathers All So such as can shoot through the Tremendous Name of God their Father with execrable Oaths and horrible Blasphemies are undoubtedly Bastards and not Sons Such cannot be so continuing the Children of God nor shall have any of their Fathers Goods reserved in Heaven but are unquestionably the Children of the Devil and shall have their portion with the Devil and his Angels Finally we have a saying a tongue is the best or worst dish in the world sure I am the best thing God sends from Heaven and the worst thing Satan sends from Hell is a tongue The great promise of the old Testament was Christ and the great promise of the new Testament was the Spirit this Spirit God sent down from Heaven in Cloven Tongues Act. 2.3 as the best of Divine Gifts And as the Holy Spirit set the Apostles Tongues on fire with an holy zeal that flame of God Cant. 8.6 so the Devil inflames the tongues of his Vassals with fire from Hell Jam. 3.6 as the worst of his Diabolical plagues because it sets on fire the whole course of nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wheel of our Nativity or the whole course of our lives no Age no Estate no Action is freed from the flames of it either in Anger Lust Pride c. This raging Tongue-fire causeth great confusion and inconveniencies a little fire burns up a whole Wood 't is a good servant but a bad master look well to it our anger is alway sin except when our anger is only against sin As the Asp hath a bladder of poison under her tongue which breaks when he bites so this poison of Asps is under mans tongue Psal 140.3 't is top-full of deadly poison Jam. 3.8 we dare not poison one another yet slander is poison oh for a new heart to cause a new tongue and whereas the tongue which the Devil hath fired with a live-coal from Hells Altar can run all the world over and like a Mad Dog bite at every body oh what need there is that the Seraph who is a burning Angel himself as his name importeth should bring his Retheph or burning Coal to touch our tongues not to burn them but to burn up corruption in them Isa 6.6 7. The Poet saith of his Heathen Jove compescuit ignibus ignes he quenched fire with fire when he slew Phaeton who had set the world on fire with a fiery Thunder-bolt So the true Jehovah quenches the fire of Hell in the tongue which is a world of iniquity and oft sets the world on fire with a live coal from Heaven he plucks it as a brand out of the fire Zech. 3.3 Yea this Spirit of Burning Isa 4.4 doth not onely burn up our combustible Corruptions but also enflameth our hearts and tongues with a zeal for Gods glory as the Apostles were all of a light fire as Chrysostom Characterizeth Paul also when the cloven tongues of fire came upon them Act. 2.3 Faith is the Tongs that fetcheth this burning-coal from Heaven to purifie and qualifie our tongues for God and his service Act. â—5 9 then indeed are they made as choice Refined Silver which hath an excellent ring or sound with it Prov. 10.20 If the heart of the wicked be little worth then little worth is their tongue but when the heart of the Godly is renewed their tongues are refined to sing Hallelujahs and to sound out the praises of the God of Israel upon a well-tuned Harp or Hart. Especially 1. If the tongue become a blessed Member of Gods cleaving a cloven tongue Act. 2.4 so cloven and divided as to be able to divide the word aright in a right application 2. If the tongue be touched with a live coal from Gods Altar fetched thence by the Tongs of Faith Isa 6.6 7. this fire from Heaven puts the tongue into tune for God
is not to be compared to the worth of a Soul no doubt but Christ who went to the price of Souls in his dying to purchase Souls must needs best know the worth of Souls He judged them worthy of his own precious life as he dyed that they might live Oh how unworthy then are they of precious Souls that will sell them away even for a thing of nought for which our dear Redeemer paid so dear to purchase them as with his own precious life the best and purest life that ever was lived by any Mortal Man yet thought he the purchase of Souls better than it we are all bought with so great a price 1 Cor. 6.20 What a shame it is that Man should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a life-loving Creature as the Heathen call'd him and not also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Soul-loving Creature seeing the Soul is more precious than the precious life it self 4. This hath been the judgment of all the Saints in all the Ages of the world who always valued their precious Souls far above their precious lives 'T is true life is sweet as we say and Man is naturally both fond of life and fearful of death which therefore Aristotle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most terrible of terribles and the Scripture better the King of terrours Job 18.14 as it is more terrible to flesh and blood than any other thing and carries away the principality from all inasmuch as nothing terrifies nature so much as that which hath a tendency to death which is Natures Executioner Gods Curse and Hells Purveyour hence 't is said Revel 6.8 that death haleth Hell at the heels of it Hence it is that the Conquered in a Field-Battel are content to be stript of their all so the Conquerour but give them Quarter for their Lives and that the Mariners in a Sea-storm lift over-board their lading into the Sea rather then hazard their own lives thereby Hence it was that the Gibeonites would not refuse to become Israels perpetual slaves so their lives might be preserved Josh 9.24 Their slavery was a Civil death which yet they submit to that they might be freed from a natural death yet we find upon Record that the Holy Martyrs did prize their Souls above their Lives they would let Life Liberty and all go rather than sin against their own Souls they durst not purchase their own Lives at too dear a rate which they judged would have been done have they pawn'd their Consciences and paid away their Honesty and Holiness to save them He that thus saveth his life Christ saith shall lose it Matth. 10.39 that is he that redeemeth his Life with the forfeiture of his Faith and with the Shipwrack of his Conscience makes no better than a great losers bargain for whiles in running from death as far as he can he runs to death as fast as he can and that from a lesser to a greater death Christ will kill such Cowards that are so fearful of death natural with both death Spiritual and Eternal Revel 2.23 he will sentence such Apostates unto a double damnation Hereupon these Blessed Saints loved not their lives unto death Revel 12.11 but by losing their lives rather than defile their Souls they saved both Life and Soul The line of their lost lives was hid in the endless Mass of Gods surest mercies their silver of a life natural was changed into the gold of life eternal their death-days of misery were their birth-days of felicity and the day-break of their eternal brightness they ever thought it a very bad market to play away their precious Souls at any paultry price and that they could not be profited by all the profits of the world should they barter away their precious Souls for them Those Ancient and Primitive Christians did demonstrate as much glorious power in the Faith of Martyrdom as they had done in the Faith of Miracles and then was seen the Savageness of the persecutors plainly conquered by the Faith and patience of the persecuted yea our Modern Martyrs loved not their lives when they could no longer live without sinning against their Souls when 't was said to one of them Life is sweet and 't is an unbearable burden to burn he answered 'T is indeed so to all such as have their Souls linked to their Bodies as a Thiefs foot is to a pair of fetters And another not long ago could sweetly say If I may no longer live as Gods servant I am very willing to dye as his sacrifice All those priz'd their Souls above their Lives 2. Vain men doth not consider that the loss of the Soul as 't is incomparable so it is an unvaluable loss a total loss the loss of all is the deepest and most deplorable loss that can befal us 'T is a common saying When life is gone all is gone but much more may it be said of the Soul when the Soul is gone all is gone All our good in this world goes with the Life but all our good in both worlds goes with the Soul it had been better for us we had never been born Matth. 26.24 to wit for Judas his own particular When Parmenio complain'd to Great Alexander that they had lost their Paggage and Ammunition Tush said that Brave General let us but win the field then all will be recovered again with advantage So if the Soul doth but fight the good fight of Faith and win the field all other losses are not to be laid to heart we shall be more than gainers if Conquerours yea we shall be more than Conquerours Rom. 8.37 even Triumphers 2 Cor. 2.14 If the Soul be safe all is safe if the Soul do but live by Faith Habb 2.4 then through Faith in Christ we overcome before we fight we do not only overcome but over-overcome as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies we are both sure and secure of victory while our Redeemer rideth upon us upon his white horse conquering and to conquer Revel 6.2 and is the Captain of our Salvation Hebr. 2.10 Our Faith in the Son of God who had himself broke the Serpents Head and leaves only Tail-temptations for us which yet he strengthens us to subdue doth assure us of the Victory 1 Joh. 5.4 Rom. 8.38 Suppose a Ship in a storm at Sea Ship in much water and the wares be spoild with Sea-water If the Vessel can but live at Sea Ride out the storm and weather the point yea Arrive safe to the Haven with all the lives of the Sea-men This Qualifies all the other losses she is capable of a new Cargo which with Gods blessing may make a double Amends for former losses but if the storm prevail Run down the Ship with all the Wares and lives into the Deep This loss is unvaluable being a Total loss So if the Soul can but live on a Sea of Adversity on this Sea of Glass mingled with fire as this world is Revel 15.2 All will be
his fat and Cain was a wicked one 1 Joh. 3.12 And said he would not give God his fat but his lean his Service was superficial only feigned service his heart was not in his work as afterwards So it was rejected but Abel serv'd God with the best of his flock and with the best of his heart too so found Acceptance with the Lord. Hence may be inferred 1. None must rest in External acts of Worship a man may be a worshiper of God with outward worship yet be a wicked man as Cain was 2. The families of good men may have in them bad worshippers Adam had his wicked Cain Noah his cursed Cham Abraham his scoffing Ishmael and Isaac his profane Esau yea our blessed redeemer had the Devil Judas in their families This Apology Augustin made to qualifie a foul fault committed in his Family saying Nescio quo evadam c. I know not how to shift it off I pray instruct c. in my family yet must I not expect my house better than those holy Patriarks or my Lord and Master himself The third Inference is That there will he close Hypocrites in the Church of God as well as in our houses some that say they are Jews but are not the Angel of the Church doth find them Lyars Rev. 2.9 Some mens sins go before hand to Judgment and some mens sins follow after 1 Tim. 5.24 'T is not improbable but that Cain might live long in a form of worshipping God in his Fathers house before he was discovered at this sacrifice to be an Hypocrite 'T was long ere Judas was discover'd for an Hypocrite in Christ the second Adams Family So it might be with Cain in that of the first Adam tares will be among the Wheat But 3. Moses records this History to declare the Disagreements and Contentions that do arise about Religion in the World We find here that Abels religion was approved but Cains was disapproved this breeds such a difference and occasions such a Quarrel aâ— could not be carry'd off without Blood This Difference of Religion did break out into Murder Hence may he Inferred 1. That Quarrels about religion are the greatest Quarrels in the World according to Luthers saying Odia religiosorum sunt acerbissima the Dissentions about Religion are the most irreconcileable dissentions and according to Christs saying There shall be five in one house divided three against two and two against three he came not to send Peace but rather division Luk. 12.51 52 53. Not as if the Gospel of Peace did of it self kindle any fires v. 49. But this falls out by the Strength of mans corruption and becomes thereby an accidental thing as the Sun melts Wax but hardens Clay It draws forth the fragrancies of many sweet Flowers yet doth it make the Dunghil to Stink abominably Oh how did the Aegyptians abhor the Israelites for their worshipping of God in a differing manner from their Worship Exod. 8.26 And how did Jezabel swear Elijahs Death for his opposing her worship of Baal 1 Kin. 19.1 2. Oh what Bloody Persecutions were there in the primitive times of the Gospel not only from the Heathen worshippers against Christians but also from the Arrians against the Orthodox in the time of Athanasius whose life they uncessantly sought by many forged falshoods Oh what animosities arose betwixt the Mother and the Son to wit Constantinus Copronymus and his Mother Irene about worshipping of Images insomuch that the Son depos'd the Mother and the Mother bereaved the Son both of his Eyes and of his Empire she put out her Sons Eyes and cast him into Prison where he died for grief So lost his Life as well as sight and Crown The 2. Inference is This affordeth us the clear and true Character of the True Religion from the false Outrage and Cruelty is the Black Brand wherewith Gods Word Stigmatizeth the false and formal Religion and here it begins shewing how Cain did most maliciously oppose Abel but Abel offered no affront at all to Cain for the Badge and Cognizance of true Religion is Meekness and Love Where the Power as well as the Form of Godliness is it teacheth to bless them that curse us and to pray for them that persecute us Luk. 6.28 Rom. 12.17 Whereas blind and Superstitious Zealots know no bounds in their rage against those that differ from them and oppose their superstitious fooleries Not to insist upon the ten primitive persecutions which arose from heathens men of an Heterogeneous and Different Profession but to instance only in two 1. The Followers of Arrius 2. The Followers of Antichrist both being beyond the Heathen as believing in the true God Yet 1. Such was the rage of the Arrians those Heterodox Christians against the Orthodox that they persecuted them to Death and devised many Hellish Stratagems to take away the Life of that Blessed Champion of the Truth Athanasius while he only oppos'd their Lying Doctrine in denying the Godhead of Christ 2. The Antichristians or Church of Rome have even outvy'd and out-done the Arrians in Barbarous and Bloody Butcheries as Ecclesiastical History does abundantly Testifie And Christs words hold true of them concerning their Descent and Parentage that they are the Children of them that kill'd the Prophets of a Viperous Generation Mat. 23.31 Yea their cursed cruelties against Righteous Abel's v. 35. do plainly proclaim to the World that they are Descended from Bloody Cain who was a Worshipper of God as well as good Abel yet was he a Worrier of his Godly Brother whose Devilish Spirit in them hath been Murdering their Innocent Brethren in all Places and Ages since the Rise and Reign of Antichrist and will be so doing until his Ruine That Whore of Rome is drunk with the Blood of Saints as I shew at large in my Antidote against Popery in that Title of the Romish Religion is a Bloody Religion To add no more here save only an Instance in those Scarlet Days of Queen Mary in our Land whose Reign did swim in a Sea of Blood How did her Popish Prelates even glut themselves in the Gore of poor Protestants and not only warming their blind Zeal with Burning the Bodies of the Living but Tyrannizing also over the Bones of the Dead as of Bucer and others which they took out of their Graves and Burnt them as if every Bone had been an Heretick into Ashes Whereas on the other hand Religion in Truth and Sincerity hath always been full of Mercy and when the true Church hath been in Misery by the malice of her Persecutors she hath not rose up in Rebellion against them but always accounted preces lachrymas her Prayers and Tears to be her best Weapons never falling upon her Adversaries with Fire and Faggot as they do upon her Thus we see three grand Reasons why Moses Records this History yet further Moses minds us herein of two great Truths 1. That every Man should have his particular Calling Cain himself was
consumed not the Bush and this apparition of Fire was well accommodated to that sire of zeal which had oft transported this fiery Prophet while he walked with God and wrought for God upon Earth it was the Seraphims or as the word signifies the Angels that are a flaming Fire Psal 104.4 that fetched up to Heaven this Seraphical Doctor so there was a sweet suitableness those were God Chariots or chearful ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Psal 68.17 Septuagint reads it the Angels were chearful to carry up Elijah and Elijah was as chearful to be carried up by them 4. There is mention made also of a Whirl-wind which is a strong circular wind that with violence gathereth things into it and carrieth them up in the middle of it thus Elijah was taken up into Heaven by a Whirl-wind 2 Kin. 2.1 and 11. This vehement Whirl-Wind hurried up the Chariot and Horses assoon as Elijah was ascended into it 5. 'T is said also that Elijah's mantle drop'd from him in his Ascension v. 13. no such is said of Enoch this Mantle Elijah let fall all his other clothes being consumed before his entrance into Heaven where there is no need of clothing and Elisha gladly took it up not only to make him amends for his own he had rent v. 12. but also to mind him of his Master while he wore it as a memorial of him and as a Token he should be clothed with his Masters Spirit as well as Mantle as appeared by his first Miracle v. 14. 6 There is the nearest Harmony betwixt those two Candidates of Immortality Enoch and Elijah in Scripture Record herein that Enoch was taken up in his Holy walking with God and Elijah in his Holy Talking of God both busie at that time in their Masters work Blessed is that man whom the Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Mat. 24.46 In a word 't is not improbable that Enoch was translated by a Whirl wind in such an Angelical Chariot as Elijah was though Moses be short in that Relation as in all the others before the flood he being exceeding concise in all the concerns of the nine first Patriarchs for near to 1656 year of the World Therefore 't is likely Enoch was translated in the same manner as Elijah was though it be not Recorded in Moses's Abridgment as he had the substance of the priviledge to wit Translation so he might the better have the circumstances to wit the Chariot c. for his Translation They both had fought the good Fight of Faith and both being Faithful unto Death went off the Stage as more than Conquerors to wit Triumpher's 2 Tim. 4.7 Rev. 2.10 Rom. 8.37 God caused them both to Triumph 2 Cor. 2.14 that is to ride up to Heaven in a Triumphant Chariot according to the manner of the great Roman Conquerors who after their famous conquests they used with grand pomp and splendour to ride up to the Capitol in a stately Triumphant Chariot through the Streets of Rome the Capital City then of the World Thus Enoch and Elijah Rode Triumphing over all their Adversaries Heads through the Air the Devils Territories and Countrey as he is Prince of the Air and as they pass'd along they looked Downward to the Earth with contempt and upward to Heaven with joy Thus far first of the manner how 2. Of the place whither The Popish as well as Jewish Drs. Dream of Enoch's going I know not whither nor they themselves something shall be spoke to this with brevity besides what I have said a little above in the Answer General as likewise what I have said to it in my discovery of the Person and Period of Antichrist page 72 73. c. Some of those Dreamers say those two Candidates Enoch and Elijah so called were only Translated into the Earthly Paradise out of which Adam was expelled upon his Fall and that there they both live without food as Moses did in his forty days Fast and there they shall both continue towards the end of the World and then return into the World again to make War against Antichrist who shall after a while slay them both being as they dotingly conceit the two Witnesses in Rev. 11.3 c. after which shall follow their true Translation into Heaven Answer 1. This fabulous fiction of the Popish Doctors is coined out of that Jewish Fable of Ecclesiasticus chap. 44. before quoted that Enoch is kept alive to Preach Repentance at the end of the World v. 16. as they Interpret it which is not Canonical Scripture and therefore a Dissent may be entred against the Authority of it as likewise this Romish Lye is borrowed from a misinterpretation of that Canonical Scripture in Mal. 4.5 that Elias must come before the great Day All this is alledged by the Romanists to wipe the Mouth of the Pope from being called the Antichrist because those two Enoch and Elijah are not yet come to oppose him in their persons but we have better Interpreters than those Popish ones of this Text and Oracle to wit 1. An Angel who applies it to John Baptist Luke 1.17 And 2. That Angel of the Covenant Christ Mat. 11.14 and 17.10 11. and him all must Hear v. 5. above all Antichrists agitatours And the Evangelist Mark begins his Gospel with this Prophecy of Malachi to inform us that this Elias is the Baptist who came in the like Spirit and Power the like Gifts Calling and Ministry c. as that Prophet did not by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transmigration of Elias's Soul into John Baptist according to Pythagoras's notion but by Inspiration of the Almighty who hath the residue of the Spirit Mal. 2.15 yea the seven Spirits of God Rev. 3.1 and can give to one the like Spiritual endowments as he doth to another 2. Answer As therefore it is Apparent that Elias is come already according to Christs words and not to come before the day of Judgment to Convert the Jews and to Confirm the Elect in the Faith of the Gospel according to the sondly fabling Romanists So that Terrstrial Paradise out of which Adam was excluded was certainly destroyed by Noahs deluge For 1. The Scripture saith expresly that every thing was destroyed upon the face of the Earth every man only eight persons saved in the Ark Gen. 7.21 1 Pet. 3.20 therefore had Enoch been upon Earth he must have perished The 2. Reason is The Waters are also said to prevail fifteen Cubits over the highest Mountain Gen. 7.20 therefore Paradise must be overflown and the deluge destroyed it though the place remained after yet not the pleasantness of the place according to the Ancient saying Cecidit Rosa mansit spina the beautiful Rose which was the Blessing Failed but the grieving Thorn which was the Curse continued 3. Whereas some Romish Doctors say that Paradise or Enoch in some high part of it might be preserved from perishing by the Waters standing as a Wall round about them
sin and in promoting it when it was procreated to its Giant-like magnitude in those over-grown Giants was the Eye The Sons of God saw the Daughters of Men that they were fair Gen. 6.2 Thus 't is said of Eve that she saw the Apple a beautiful Object Gen. 3.6 The Eye was the Cinqueport where sin landed both in the birth and in the growth of it Thousands have died of the wound in the Eye If sin do not find an open entrance either by the window of the Eye or by the door of the Ear it cannot well convey it self into our Hearts Beauty whether in persons or in things is a perilous Bait 'T is not safe gazing upon beautiful Objects lest the Tempter use the Eye as a Burning-glass to set the Heart on fire Lust is sharp sighted and no one means hath more enriched Hell than beautiful faces Job therefore made a Covenant with his Eyes lest they should be loop-holes of lust and windows of wickedness Job 31.1 and David prayed against the abuse of them Psal 119.37 The third Note is Although those Giants Moses mentioneth Gen. 6.4 were as overgrown in their Guilt as they were in their Bulk neither fearing God nor Man but by a Cyclopick Impudence did provoke God to his face c. yet in the midst of wrath God remembers mercy Hab. 3.2 saying Mans days shall yet be an hundred and twenty years v. 3. So long would God respite his Declared Judgments to prove Man if yet he would repent of his sin and return to his God 'T is a wonder a God of so much power to ease himself at his pleasure of his Adversaries upon the first provocation Isa 1.24 should yet be a God of so much patience as to bear with them and forbear sinners for so long a time The wickedness of man was then great in the Earth v. 5. especially in those great Giants call'd Nephilims Hebr. because they were faln from God and Godlines◠as the word Naphal signifieth and faln into the bog of wickedness Burgensis thought them to be Devils in mens shape and call'd Nephilims because they with Lucifer were faln from Heaven but the Invalidity of this Notion appeareth in this That the Deluge could not Drown Devils who are Spirits and therefore they were not Devils but Men indeed Incarnate Devils that drew down the Deluge Yet though God was wearied out in his patience with these corrupt and incorrigible ones who would have faln upon him if they could as they had faln from him insomuch that he is moved to make a final Resolution for their Utter Ruine still Mercy that is over all the works of God Psal 145.9 triumphs over Justice Jam. 2.13 and grants a Lease of an hundred and twenty years Respite from the Floud in which term of time they might by Noah's Preaching and preparing the Ark be brought to Repentance or if not to perish for ever This long-sufferance of God the Apostle extolleth 1 Pet. 3.19 20. 2 Pet. 2.5 shewing the sum and end of all the Sermons Noah Preached to them that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit 1 Pet. 4.6 that is they Repenting and Turning to God might be dead because of sin but the Spirit be life because of righteousness Rom. 8. v. 10. But alas though they had the space of Repentance they wanted the grace of Repentance Rev. 2.21 As Noah was warn'd of God Heb. 11.7 so that wicked World was warn'd of Noah concerning their approaching Peril if they did not prevent it by Repentance Noah did this by the Spirit of Christ who is said to go unto this old World as an Embassador sent by his Father he went and Preached 1 Pet. 3.19 to wit Righteousness and Repentance 2 Pet. 2 5. and the Faith of the Gospel 1 Pet. 4.6 whereby some possibly of those many that perished in the waters might be eternally saved by Christs sanctifying that Providence as an Ordinance to them and his mercifully speaking to their hearts thereby yea and inter pontem fontem he might give to them the Grace of Repentance though they had not improved the hundred and twenty year space of Repentance as he did to the penitent Thief on the Cross Nunquam serò si seriò poenitentia vera nunquam est sera If Repentance be but true 't is never too late Oh how doth this magnifie the matchless Mercy of God! that though they were judged according to men in the flesh to the Drowning of their Bodies in the Floud yet might they live according to God in the spirit their Souls being saved by the Grace of Christ even at the eleventh and last hour of their day 1. Infants were not obstinate so might be saved 2. As all in the Ark not saved so all out of the Ark not damned 3. All dying without Baptism not lost 1 Pet. 3.21 nor all Reprobate who were out of the Ark for some might be ignorant of Noah's Preaching and preparing the Ark so were not wilfully disobedient The fourth Note is As the Old World notwithstanding this long Respite of an hundred and twenty years was at last destroyed by Water so this present World after the long Lease of the Gospel shall be destroyed by Fire Those are the two most unruly and most ruining destructive Elements Ludolfus hath an excellent Observation As God destroyed the Old World by Water to quench that exorbitant Heat of Lust that was then found in it so he will destroy this present World by Fire to warm that notorious Coldness of Love that shall at last be sound in it Christ hath foretold that the love of many shall grow cold Matth. 24.12 As Moses had told how all flesh had corrupted his way with fleshly lusts making a carnal choice of beautiful Bed-fellows more out of blind Affection for lustful love is always blind than from solid Judgment without either Care or Fear of being corrupted by them Exod. 34.16 1 King 11.2 3. or any regard of either grief to the Godly or of scandal to their own Profession for they are called Sons of God at large that had called themselves by his Name Gen. 4.26 yet no better than loose profligate Professors Apostates from the Power of Godliness These Sons of Seth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.27 burned in their lust or were scalded as the Greek word signifies at the sight of the fair Daughters of cursed Cain took them to their Beds never considering while they were led by the lusts of their Hearts and by the sight of their Eyes like Solomons Yonker Eccles 11.9 the suitableness of matching 2 Cor. 6.14 nor the deceitfulness of Beauty Prov. 31.30 nor the difficulty of finding a virtuous Woman Prov. 31.10 nor observing while they chose by their Eyes that a fair Helena without may he a Railing Hecuba within or an Earthen Potsheard covered over with Silver Dross Prov. 26.23 These men were the worse because they should
2 Cor. 4.8 the Compass by which her course is steered is the Word and Spirit of Truth The Mariners employ'd in her Tutorage and Tuition are the Angels the Rudder is Love and the fraught of this Ship is the Souls of Just persons c. The 2. Disparity is Tossing in the Waters made the Ark worse and wore it to a shattering when it came to its rest but the Waters of Affliction are so far from making the Church worse that she is made better and whiter thereby Psal 119.71 75. Dan. 11.35 Black Soap maketh White Linnen and that is the choicest Sugar which is most Refined the Church comes always Richer out of Gods Refining Pot than she went into it The 3. Disparity The best resting place that this Ark attained was the Mountains of Ararat one of the highest sort of those high Hills over which the Floud prevailed Gen. 7.19 and 8.4 Ararat was a place Senacheribs two Sons after they had slain their own Father fled to 2 Kin. 19.37 Isa 37.38 in both which places the Hebrew word is Ararat which our Translation reads Armenia and the Prophet speaks of the Kingdom of Ararat Jer. 51.27 Thus bad men those two base Parricides Adrammelech and Sharezzer as well as good men Noah and his Sons could find rest and refuge there but the Church hath a better resting-place after all her Tossings to wit the Everlasting Mountains of Heaven where no dirty Dogs can enter or trample upon that Golden Pavement much less find rest or refuge there Rev. 21.21 and 22.15 4. The last Disparity I shall mention is The Ark was made up of putrifying and perishing materials though this Gopher-Wood lasted long yet could it not last always time which is call'd Edax Rerum a consumer of all corruptible things yea at last of the very Heavens which must wax old and roll away as a Garment Heb. 1.10 11 c. made the very Ark to putrifie and perish at last so that though there were as is aforesaid some relicks of it in Epiphanius's Time none do affirm that any remains thereof are found in our time But the Church abideth for ever and neither the Teeth of Time which gnaws in pieces both Gopher and Cedar nor the Gates or Power of Hell can prevail against her Mat. 16.18 her Motto is Intacta Invicta Immota manet she only is Invincible by her Invincible Captain Heb. 2.10 And though the Church be a rolling tumbling thing like the Ark ever in motion and mutation in respect of her Natural Civil and Spiritual Relations 1. As she consists of particular persons in her Natural respect so Moses dieth and David saw Corruption c. 2. In her Civil respects she floats to and fro sometimes she is in Egypt sometimes in the Wilderness and sometimes in Canaan sometimes in Shiloh sometimes at Salem and Sion and sometimes in Babylon both Literal and Mystiscal sometimes with tho Jews and sometimes with the Gentiles c. Yea 3. In her Spiritual Relations she is sometimes under the Frowns of an offended Father and Husband and sometimes under the smiles of a gracious God reconcil'd to her in Christ As her Land of Promise was a Land of Hills and Valleys Deut. 11.11 so hath she her ups and downs sometimes she is a moving Tabernacle and sometimes a standing Temple Yet in Gospel-Times she is always preserved in her Being though she is sometimes impaired in her well-being she will always remain in a militant posture upon Earth until she come to be translated into her Triumphant state in Heaven and have all her Hosanna's turn'd to Hallalujahs All her Prayers in this lower World shall then be changed into high-praises in a better World The Church here is a mighty Queen a Ship-royal or the Grand Sovereign yet sailing upon a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire Rev. 15.2 That is she subsists not by any worldly strength for the World is as brittle as Glass and cannot sustain her but rather fills her with Fires and Combustions Joh. 16.33 And though she tumble about among various Persons Countreys Kingdoms Common-wealths and under various administrations of Legal both that of the Tabernacle and that of the Temple and Evangelical times yet at last this Royal-Ship comâ— safe to Shore landing safely at the Cape of good hope in mansions of Glory In the mean time she is built up in her most Holy Faith Jude v. 20. As the Temple was rebuilt by Nehemiah with a Sword in one hand and a Trowel in the other Neh. 4.17 Which was to typifie that in the Church militant there must neither be an idle Soldier nor a secure labourer every Christian hath a double work 1. To ward off Temptations with Spiritual weapons And 2. To build up in obedience by Spiritual Instruments and the Spouse is therefore compared to a Company of Horses in Pharaohs Chariots Cant. 1.9 As consisting of such Souls that are Strong Stout Lively and Couragious for God Hence it is observed that the Church never warr'd with the Dragon or Devil but she either won the day by being Victorious or gained ground by being persecuted sanguis martyrum c. the blood of the Saints hath alway been the seed of the Church and after all comes her Sabbath above all motion and mutation In the 2d place I come to the description of the Deluge which was Gods destroying means to the wicked World As the Ark was Gods saving means to Righteous Noah wherein those remarks are very observable As 1. There was a long time between the Decree and the Execution even an 120 years Gen. 6.3 After God had resolved to ruine this wicked World yet such was his long sufferance celebrated by Peter 1 Pet. 3.19 20. Pet. 2.5 That Gods Repentance gave men this time of repentance to see if yet in the space they would look out for the grace of repentance If not he would certainly destroy them Now had he not been God and not Man he could never have held his hands so long Neither indeed did he for so notorious was the provocation that the deluge came upon them twenty years short of this promised space For Noah was then five hundred years old Gen. 5.32 and but six hundred years old when the Floud came Gen. 7.6.11 Increase of sin shortend the indulgence Gen. 6.3 and hastens the Floud twenty years sooner as Christs second is shortned for the Elects sake Mat. 24.22 This is Jeroms and Chrysostoms opinion That all the Earth might know to their woe his breach of promise upon their intolerable provocation Numb 14.34 Yet all this while Gods Spirit was graciously Striving with them giving them not only a long time but also a loud teacher and that a Righteous one who taught with his hand as well as with his Tongue with his works as well as with his words Preaching Real as well as Verbal Sermons the Purport and Import whereof was doubtless like that of the Gospel now a Savour of life or
Salvation to some but a Savour of Death or Destruction to others 2 Cor. 2.16 Thus God did most graciously give a due warning to an evil World though he needed not to have done so for as men gave God no warning of their sins against him so God might have given as little warning of his Judgments against them but his mercy triumph'd over his Justice Jam. 2.13 and fury or revenge was not in God Isa 27.4 For such who are for revenge are all for surprize but God gives both respite and warning that his Judgments might not come as a thief in the night at unawares upon them And though this race of Rebels improv'd it not but Jeared where they should have Feared Those of Lamechs black line laughed at Noahs daily labour scoffingly asking him whether he meant to Sail upon dry ground and why he expected a wet Winter and whether much holiness had not made him mad Acts 26.24 However Noah took warning himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved with fear Heb. 11.7 And gave warning to those that would not take it they cannot all flout him out of his Faith but he Preaches Builds and Finishes and then Enters taking Gods threatning by the right handle he feared the Judgments when the World generally jeared at them Inferences hence are 1. As Noah took the warning well at Gods hand and Feared so ought we to do being warned of God about Judgments impending The word Heb. 11.7 for warn'd of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to have dealings with God coming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 res negotium Noah was a man that did Negotiate with God and was of his Court and Counsel God will not hide what he hath to do from Abraham or Noah his Friend Gen. 18.17 Psal 25.14 Joh. 15.15 Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secrets to his Servants the Prophets Amos. 3.7 Nothing that is hardly any thing such is his Philanthropy or Love to men that he loves to fore-signify and to warn before he wound Even Pharaoh himself had warning of the First and Second Plagues but not of the Third again of the Fourth and Fifth not so of the Sixth yet again of the Seventh and Eighth but not of the Ninth and when neither warning nor no warning would work well then came that Tenth and last sweeping Plague that swept away all the first-born of Egypt As Moses was Gods Herald to warn Egypt so Noah was to warn the old World and Gods Prophets are now no less to warn this present evil World that the goodness of God might lead us to repentance Rom. 2.4 The old World had but one Preacher yet we have many God might deal with us as Absolom did with Amnon whom he designed to destroy in speaking neither good nor evil to him 2 Sam. 13.22 Or he might rush suddenly upon us and by a Thunder-stroke confound us at once as he did the Apostate Angels in the very first Act and Moment of sin No he sendeth his Heralds to proclaim War yet with articles of peace open in their hands So slow to Anger is he and so little desirous of the death of sinners that he who was but six days in making the whole World yet could be seven days in unmaking or destroying that one City Jericho Oh who would not but fear this goodness Hos 3.5 The 2. Inference is seeing God hath foretold us of Evils to come both Particular and the General Judgment we should be moved with fear as Noah was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 handling Gods warning well and making a saving use of these predictions for preventing the danger Especially considering the old World could at first say from a divine warrant that there are yet an hundred and twenty years before the general Judgment by water doth come but we can none of us say that there be yet an hundred and twenty days before the general Judgment by Fire come for of that day and hour knoweth no man Mat. 24.36 Oh God forbid that as it was in the days of Noah it should be so now v. 37. Noahs fear is opposite to the Worlds security Noah was moved with Fear but the wicked world were moved at Gods threatnings no more than a Stone The honest and good heart Luk. 8.15 is like the Pool of Bethesdah Joh. 5.3 4. If the Angel of the Covenant come down into it 't is then moved such was the heart of Daniel Dan. 4.19 And such was the heart of Habakkuk Hab. 3.16 And such was Noahs also in being moved with fear and such ought ours to be also Especially considering special and particular Judgments are Imminent over us if not Incumbent on us besides that general day of Judgment drawing nigh all Preachers of Righteousness as Noah was do tell the World that it shall shortly be destroyed by Fire as Noah did its destruction by water yet where is that Reverence and that fear which doth Spring from Faith as Noahs did Heb. 11.7 That fear which looks only at the Judgment Hell and Damnation is servile only but that which hath an Eye to deliverance also is Filial and of a right Gospel Edition This is a fear of Faith which hath always a Vein of Love running along with it For Faith doth teach to fear God as a most glorious holy God and yet to love him as a loving reconciled Father and faith teacheth also from filial fear as it did Noah here to prepare an Ark to wit Christ Jesus for our deliverance from wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 By Faith is this Ark prepared The 3. Inference is Now while our days of respire remain as Noah did in the respite of an hundred and twenty years we should prepare an Ark wherein to he saved if we be moved with a fear of Faith then shall we be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take right measures and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well busied as the word also signifies in taking right methods Oh how busie should we be in preparing an Ark as Noah was who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an Artificer or Carpenter prepared his Faith set him on work fearing the danger for Judgments in Divine Threatnings are Objects of Faith and are to be believed as well as mercies in Divine promises Noah by an Eye of Faith saw that danger approaching which was unseen by the unbelieving World so falls upon this tedious work to prevent the Danger 't was undoubtedly a very strong Faith that bore up Noah to do all according as God had Commanded him Gen. 6. last Unbelief could not chuse but Object sundry carnal Reasonings against Noah's Act of Obedience As 1. May not God save me from the Flood by Translating me out of the World as Enoch was and not put me upon this hard Service of hewing and hammering c. Or 2. If I must be reserv'd in the World for propagation cannot God Build me a Castle upon the highest
the two Seeds of the Serpent and of the Woman do mingle together without any difference If there be the sameness in sinning the same shall be in suffering The 2. Inference is The Ark must be as ready as the Deluge We should ask our own hearts two Questions 1. Whether we be an Ark so made of such materials so plaistered as well as plained c. Try by the aforesaid 2. Whether we have an Ark As there was a Material so there is a Mystical Ark for saving from evil In the general God lovingly bespeaks his Servants as he did Noah here and taking them by the hand as he did him and leading them thereby to an Ark or Hiding-place of his own providing saying to them Come my People enter into your Chambers and shut the Doors about thee Hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the Indignation be over-past Isa 26.20 Thus God shut up Noah in the Ark secured Lot in Zoar hid Jeremy and Baruch when sought for to the slaughter Jer. 36.26 and bade Daniel go away and rest himself before those great Troubles foretold came to pass Dan. 12.13 God gave him a fair and favourable Dismission from them Those Chambers may be meant the Closets of Gods Providence and Protection such as Pella was to the Primitive Christians The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous such as Noah was run into it and are safe Prov. 18.10 Thither we are exhorted to retire till the Storm be over the Enemy gone the Destroying Angel pass'd over possessing our Souls in patience See Exod. 9.20 21. 12.12 To run to God in his Attributes and Promises is our best and only Policy As there is Congruity 'twixt the Ark and the Church ut suprà so there is 'twixt the Ark and Christ into both which the Righteous run and are safe Prov. 18.10 The Door or Gate thereof is open Isa 26.2 And the same Lord that perswaded Japhet to enter into the Tents of Shem perswadeth also all Righteous ones to flie to this City of Refuge Gen. 9.27 Psal 11.1 Isa 4.5 Deut. 19.4 6. Isa 26.20 25.4 32.2 c. All that run in to Christ as in to Noah are safe We must run into Christ first and then into the Church As Noah was a Type of Christ so was his Ark also 1. Noah was a Type and Christ the Antitype in sundry particulars As 1. Noah's Name signifies Comforter and Restorer which shews Lamech's Faith to put that Name upon him Gen. 5.29 8.21 Herein he typified Christ our grand Comforter and Restorer of the New World as Noah was of the Old 2. Noah was a Preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.5 So also is Christ both preaching and purchasing yea procuring Everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 3. As Noah found grace in the sight of God both for himself and for all his Family Gen. 6.8 7.1 and Heb. 11.7 so did Christ for himself Matth. 3.17 and 17.5 and for all his Houshold of Faith for so many as God hath given him Job 17.2 they are all accepted in the Beloved one Eph. 1.6 Yea he is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 Luke 2.52 4. As Noah was the Builder of the Ark so is Christ of the Church which is call'd his Workmanship Eph. 2.10 c. Is not Christ the Carpenter Mark 6.3 to hew plain cement and clinch us close together c. 5. As Noah was long in building the Ark even an hundred and twenty years so is Christ long in building his Church even some thousands of years which he buildeth upon a Rock Matth. 16.18 6. As Noah used many Carpenters that were instrumental to save others but not themselves so likewise doth Christ Matth. 7.22 23. Some Ministers Christ employs that may save 1. Others not themselves 2. Themselves not others 3. Neither themselves nor others 4. Both themselves and others 1 Tim. 4.16 7. As when Noah had finished the Ark the Destruction of the Old World by Water followed immediately So when Christ hath gathered in all his Elect and compleated his Church then will the Destruction of this present World by Fire presently pass upon it Add unto all these 8. As Noah's presence in the Ark did secure his Houshold all the time of its Tossing and landed them safely after the Destruction of the Old World in another So Christs presence with his Church while she is Tossed with Tempests and not comforted Isa 54.11 doth secure her from all evil for he keeps the Ensuring Office Christ Embarks himself in the same Bottom with his Disciples Matth. 8.23 24. only if our Saviour seem to sleep 't is our duty to awake him v. 25 26. What Caesar said to his Barge-man Quid times Caesarem vehis ejus Fortunam Christ can better say The Ship the Church shall live out all Storms for a Storm-rebuking Christ with all his Adventures are in her and therefore neither the Prince of the Air nor the God or Gates of Hell can prevail against her Matth. 16.18 He sails with contrary Winds Mat. 14.24 As there is congruity 'twixt this Type and Antitype to wit Christ and Noah So there is some disparity As 1. Noah Preach'd to the old World and Converted none but Christ Converted many in this New World so that 't is said Who can tell his Generation Isa 53.8 10. 2. Noah saved his Houshold but only Temporally but Christ saves the Houshold of Faith Spiritually and Eternally 3. Noah had no better to send out but a Raven and a Dove but Christ sent out better things such as the Law and the Gospel the former to work Fear and the latter Love 4. Noah was insufficient to compleat Salvation for his Family as he was unable of himself to shut the great Door of the Ark after him but Christ saveth to the utmost by his own power Heb. 7.25 rebuking Storms and procuring Calms all in his own Name 2. As Noah's self was a Type of Christ so was his Ark wherein alone Salvation was found from that Deluge of Waters accordingly in Christ alone can be found Salvation of all sorts Temporal Spiritual and Eternal from the Deluge of Divine Wrath and Justice of God for the sin of Man Beside him there is no Saviour Isa 43.11 And there is no Name under Heaven by which either Jew or Gentile either those of the Old World or those of the New can be saved but by Christ There is no Salvation in no other Acts 4.12 Upon this account is he called the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Rev. 13.8 They are therefore gross Idolaters that set up for their Saviours the Saints Departed Seeing there are no Co-Saviours besides him none As there was but one Ark so there must be but one Mediator no Cock-Boats were to attend this Ark as Acts 27.30 And indeed we need no other Mediator or Master of Request in Heaven save only Christ who is the
the Ark was Noah's Sanctuary so the Lord is his Peoples Ezek. 11.16 and such a Sanctuary he is to them as hath four Enoughs 1. 'T is a Sanctuary High enough Psal 61.23 So as to raise us up above the reach of our worst Enemies All the Saints are in the Lords hand Deut. 33.3 his Beloved dwell in safety by him v. 12. God covering them all the Day in the Hollow of his hand and the Eternal God is their Refuge v. 27. 2. Nigh Enough The way to the City of Refuge God rook care should not be too long but it must be night that the pursuer while his Heart was hot might not overtake the man-slayer Deut. 19.4 5 6. So the Lord is such a Sanctuary as is not far from any of us Act. 17.27 could we but grope after him as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Israel had their God nigh them Deut. 4.7 and they needed none to fetch him from above or from below Rom. 10.6 7 8. He is as nigh as the Bark is to the Tree or as the Skin is to the Flesh Intimior Intimo nostro more inward with us than we are with our selves 3. Wide Enough There is room enough in this Sanctuary for all the Saints as there was room enough for all kind of Creatures in Noah's Ark None of Gods People are left out of Doors Houseless and Harbourless for want of Room within Doors Lord saith Moses thou hast been our dwelling place in all Generations Psal 90.1 for this four hundred years and upwards in all our Travels and Troubles 4. Safe Enough Salvation belongs to the Lord only Psal 3.8 John 2.9 Not to Princes or Parliaments or to Armys or Navys but to Gods Spirit Isa 59.19 God is such a Castle to his people as no Ladder can scale no Pioneer can undermine no Cannon-shot can batter down And none can take out of his hand Joh. 10.28 29. nor draw out of this House the Civil Law saith De Domo suâ nemo extrahi Debet aut in Jus vocari quia Domus Tutissimum cuique Refugium atque Receptaculum est No man ought to he drawn out of his House at the suit of another because a mans House is his Castle his safest Refuge and Receptacle How much more he that hath God for his House and Habitation and Dwelleth in him 1 Joh. 3.24 can never be unhoused because the Almighty God is mightier than all and happy is he who hath God for his Mansion-House and observable is Picus Mirandula's witty observation Man according to the order of the Creation had no other Habitation left him in as much as God Created the Earth for Beasts to Inhabit the Sea for Fishes the Air for Fowls the Heavens for Stars on the out-side and for Angels on the inside Man therefore hath no place to Inhabit according to this assignation save the Lord the Maker and Assigner of all Thus God is an Ark an House a Castle yea a Tabernacle and Temple to Man Gods Tabernacle is with Man Rev. 21.3 and Mans Tabernacle is with God Joh. 6.56 2 Cor. 6.16 he will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indwell in them and they Indwell in him the Lord and the Lamb is their Temple Rev. 21.22 their Place and City of refuge a stronghold Note here two grand points of Noah's Faith Heb. 11.7 1. The Exercise of it in preparing the Ark. 2. The Effects of it 1. In the Exercise be four particulars 1. The Act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he prepared it instar Artificis he plaid the Carpenter when his Faith which was not a dead but a working Faith Jam. 2.17 20 22 26. set him on work yea upon this tedious work as before his Faith was the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 He consulted not with Flesh and Blood Gal. 1.16 He disputed not but dispatched he obeyed to do all that God had commanded him Gen. 6. last His Faith transported him through all the aforenamed difficulties in the way of an universal obedience Thus Noah the tenth from Adam a perfect man as God calls him in this perfect number as the Pythagoreans call the number ten did perfect his works by a strong Faith in a perfect Obedience 2. The end for the saving of himself and of his Houshold Noah obey'd God in all things for his own good Gen. 7.5 All Gods Commands are for our advantage and not for Gods alas our goodness extendeth not to God Psal 16.3 'T is no gain to God that man is Righteous Job 22.3 'T is therefore a sanctified self love to obey God but alas we love our selves more in the way of Nature than in the way of Grace If we love our selves we must obey God seeing it is for our own good not doing some things as Jehu or many things as Herod but all things as Noah having a respect to all Gods Commandments Psal 119.6 though we cannot perfectly perform them ☞ NB. 1. Man must be timely provided of a prepared Ark before the evil day come for the Lord is not slack concerning his coming 2 Pet. 3.9 2. If Noah prepare an Ark 't is for saving himself know ye not that ye are in Christ except you be reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 3. Masters of families must be careful to save their housholds too The 3. particular is the Motive Noah fear'd the Judgment to come That fear is a right Gospel fear which puts the Soul upon preventing the danger Prov. 22.3 Some read it Reverenced Where the power of Godliness is the Heart cannot think upon God without Reverence and aweful Respect to the Divine Majesty Prophane Persons do not reverence or fear the Great God but their fears are terminated in Secondary Causes of direful Judgments The World was then told of its destruction by Water and few feared many jeared And now the World is told of its destruction by Fire but where is that fear and reverence which ought to be though we cannot say it will not be this Hundred and Twenty days as they of the old World could say It will not be this Hundred and Twenty years yet are there many scoffers or jearers 2 Pet. 3.3 and but few fearers as before The fourth particular is The Ground of Noah's fear for God warn'd him He negotiated with God and God with him they had mutual Dealings and intercourse each with other as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Gods Companions hear his voice Cant. 8.13 'T was sore displeasure on Saul when God would not answer him 1 Sam. 28.15 and on Israel when they had no vision 1 Sam. 3.1 To be warned by Gods Spirit at every turn of Imminent Danger is a most precious priviledge Isa 30.21 Such honour have all the Saints Psal 149.9 but God will have no such Dealings or Negotiations with the wicked World God would not in this Friendly and Familiar manner appear to Egypt no nor to Israel in Egypt but they must be call'd out into the Wilderness for enjoying such
as upon a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire Rev. 15.2 such a slippery Pavement hath she to stand upon brittle as Glass as well as slippery as Ice yet transparent to the All-seeing Eye and troublesome as the Sea yea full of fiery Afflictions also because the VVorld hates the Church this Pavement hates all Holy ones that stand upon it The VVorld will hate the Church saith Christ Joh. 15.18 19. because the Church is not of the VVorld tho' she be in the World and because the VVorld is carried on by a contrary principle and is condemned by a contrary practice of the Church the World hates the Church as Esau did Jacob and as Inhospitable Savages do those which land upon their Coasts The VVorld is both the Elder and the Greater than the Church 1. The Elder as the state of the Fall in the First Adam was Elder than the Rise by the Second Adam and Degeneration than Regeneration as before 2. The Greater In as much as the thing containing must be greater than the thing contained within its circumference Yet this Oracle of God which neither speaks Ambiguously nor Fallaciously solemnly saith that the Elder or Greater shall serve the Younger or Lesser which shall certainly be accomplish'd when the Rulers of the VVorld come bending to the Church Isa 49.23 1 Cor. 15.22 23 24. when God the Father gives to his Son Christ the Heathen for his Inheritance and the utmost part of the Earth for his possession Psal 2.8 and when all the Kingdoms of the VVorld shall be the Kingdoms of the Lord c. Rev. 11.15 16. Then the Elder is subjected to the Younger 3. More Narrowly Rebekahs VVomb represents the VVomb of Christendom commonly so called which is only a part of the World and that part thereof wherein the Christian Religion is professed and in this Womb there is an Esau as well as a Jacob to wit a Malignant as well as a Militant Church yea and this Esau or Malignant Church is in respect of the Apostacy only elder than the Militant the false Church since the General Falling away foretold 1 Tim. 4.1 from the Primitive Faith to the Doctrines of Devils is indeed Elder than the True the Romish than the Reformed Religion for there must be a Deformation before there can be a Reformation but non erat sic ab initio The Romish Religion was not so from the Beginning 't is so far from being Apostolical that 't is become Anti-apostolical so far from being Christian that 't is now an Antichristian Religion and the work of the Reformed is only to reduce their novel Tradition and Upstart Inventions of Men to the pure appointments and primitive institutions of God yet as to us the Romish Church is the Elder though the true Christian Church was before their Antichristian as Esau was and full as Hairy like a Beast as Savage and Bloody as he Yet this Infallible Oracle of God doth foretel here that this Elder the Romish shall serve this Younger the Reformed Church yea though the first be greater it shall be brought down into subjection unto the latter though lesser and the weaker shall overcome the stronger not so much by humane help as by a Divine hand that is by the VVord and Spirit of God Christ will Destroy Antichrist by the Breath of his Mouth and by the Brightness of his coming 2 Thes 2.8 then Edom Dumab or as the Rabbins read it Roma shall be subdued before Jacob or the Israel of God and there is nothing more certain the Prophecy of this Oracle shall be most fully fufilled under Christ to whom the Necks of all Nations and Princes of the Earth must be made subject every knee must bow to him Phil. 2.9 yea that of the never so great Roman Empire which the Jewish Doctors do say is signified by Esau and Edom. All these three Mysteries or Mystical senses are no novel notions but reverend Antiquity doth hold them forth As First The Hebrew Rabbi's as David Kimchi 〈◊〉 Solomon c. all apply this very Oracle to the Roman Empire which is call'd all the World Luk. 2.1 Rom. 1.8 saying that Aeneas came out of Idumea into Egypt from thence into Lybia thence to Carthage and thence to Italy where he Built Alba out of which sprang Rome yea they further affirm that Julius Caesar the first Roman Emperour was an Idumean of Esaus Posterity and some others if not all that succeeded him in the Empire were Edomites and for Duma the Daleth or D little varying from Resh or R of their Alphabet they do frequently in Scripture read it Roma calling the Romans the new Idumeans and the Popes Kingdom Roma Reshigna the wicked Kingdom of Edom which hath been Red-Red as the Hebrew Edom signifies with as many Murders and Massacres as ever Edom Literal was Obad. ver 10 12 14 and 21. Mal. 1.4 Isa 34.5 Psal 52.5 Isa 21.11 Ezek. 25.13 14. and 35.3 7 15 c. 2. The Antient Fathers as Augustine Interprets this Oracle Mystically as well as Literally saying By the striving of Esau and Jacob in their Mothers Womb is signified the continual conflict in the Womb of the Church between the Carnal and Spiritual Professors in it and the former are said to be the greater because they are more in number and the latter the lesser yet as the greater is said to serve the lesser so the Carnal Professors while they persecute the Spiritual quibus necere volunt plurimùm prosunt sibi autem ipsi maximè nocent while they go about to hurt they do but help them to Heaven which is the best Service in the World but hurt themselves most of all August Serm. de Tempor 78. and the same excellent Father saith also that those two Nations in Rebekah's Womb do signifie the Carnal Jews Subdued by the Spiritual Christians Augustin de Civit. Dei lib. 16. cap. 25. And as to the third Mystical Sense named here the first yet as the narrowest sense of all the three I shall speak of it again in the third place Origen gives the third Testimony though he be sometimes vain and too luxuriant in his Allegories yet here he is solid holding Consonancy with the Analogy of Faith and Scripture of Truth saying Jacob and Esau represent the Combat of Flesh and Spirit in us Origen Homil. 12. in Geâ—esin Many more Remarkable Glosses upon this Oracle might be added here I shall superadd one only of this Mystical Sense and Signification a fourth in the Womb of Divine Counsel or Decree which seems to carry a most Sublime Notion of a very great and Self-evident Truth to wit that the elder or first Adam must give way and be subject to the younger or second Adam The first or old Creation must yield to the second or new which is a far better Creation the first or old Covenant must serve or be subservient to as before the new a better Covenant and this holds universally true concerning all
that the good Will of God and a Flame of Fire from Man may consist together Yea Gods Visitation may have in it Mans Salvation Job 10.12 Psal 106.4 'T is of great use to understand this we pore too much in beholding the Flames of Fire in our Tryals and Troubles and ponder too little in believing the Good will of our God therein this makes us Harbour hard Thoughts of God with Job as if he dealt cruelly with us and was become our Enemy Job 16.9 and 30.21 with 13.24 and 19.11 we look on our Troubles as mere Streams of fiery wrath whereas indeed they are Messengers of Love and Fatherly Affection Whom God loves he chastens though he do not love to chasten Heb. 12.6 Lam. 3.33 Isa 28.21 calls it his strange Work yet out of faithfulness Psal 119.75 'T is Medicinal as well us Penal The Third Reason is from the Nature of those Troubles befalling God's Church and Children God never stirs up all his wrath therein Psal 78.38 He corrects them only with the Rod of Men Enoshim Shebet the Rod of weak Men 2 Sam. 7.14 that cannot give such a blow as the Rod of God When God comes to take Vengeance upon Babylon he proclaims this thundring Threatning I will not meet thee as a man Isa 47.3 But as a God who is consuming fire Hebr. 12.29 then Babylon which is no better than Briars and Thorns Isa 9.18 the very Curse of the Earth Gen. 3.18 cannot stand before Devouring fire nor dwell with everlasting Burnings Isa 33.14 God goes through those Briars and Thorns and burns them together Isa 27.4 but when God comes to chastize the Children of Sion He smiteth them not as he smiteth those that smote them Isa 27.7 but doth it in measure Hebr. Peck by Peck not whole Bushels at once ver 8. and Jerem. 30.11 for he comes not to them as a Judge with Severity but as a Father with Pity being himself afflicted with their Afflictions Isa 63.9 so he takes not up the Sword to them but only the Rod and that only the Rod of weak men The Rod of God that is Destruction but the Rod of men that is only Correction and 't is such a Rod as Christ hath suck'd out its Curse and Bitterness yea hath made it like Jonathan's Rod which dropped Honey taking from it the Nature of a Curse and giving to it the Nature of a Cure Though the Devil's Temptations have a tendency to Perdition yet God's are for Probation only Gen. 22.1 Deus â—a Vulnerat ut vulnerando Medetur the Chirurgeon launces his own dear Child with all tenderness cuts and weeps weeps and cuts again The wise Physician 's Rule in Pleurisies c. is Sparing then is spilling yet always maintain Nature that it may be able to grapple with the Disease c. This Vision of the burning Bush affords strong Consolation Though the Church Militant and its Members be oft in the fire for the ruling Brambles do not only scratch them but out of those Brambles cometh out a fire to scorch them also Judg. 9.15 and oft in the Water of Affliction yet the Church is preserved The Devil doth with her just as he did with the Daemoniack whom he cast sometimes into the fire and sometimes into the water to destroy him Mar. 9.22 the same Power that preserv'd him from his being destroyed by those two merciless Elements even ever after his Childhood to that Day did cast out that cruel Devil and doth as miraculously preserve the Church in the like cases of Danger neither Fire nor Water hath any Power to destroy her Isa 43.2 Suppose her in the Water then is she as was Noah's Ark in that Universal Deluge which the higher that the Waters rose was thereby the nigher lift up to Heaven And as the Ship wherein were Imbarked Christ's Disciples the only Church then in the World Matth. 14.24 c. No Winds no Waves can beat her down into the Deep Though she be afflicted tossed with Tempests and not comforted yet retains she her sure foundation and her fair colours c. Isa 54.10 11 12. The very Gates of Hell in which all Diabolical fraud and force is seated cannot prevail against her Matth. 16.18 Suppose the Church to be in the Fire as well as in the Water there also the good Will of God goes along with her into the flames as here into the burnings of this bush thus the Son of God went with Shadrach Meshek and Abeduego not only to but into the fiery furnace Dan 3.24 25 c. Here the Fire consumes not the Bush as there the flame consumed only their Bonds c. No Natural Agents can act without the Concurrence of Supernatural Providence For l. Here is a suspensive Divine Act where the concourse of God's Providence is suspended there Natures must be is God's may not be The suspension and cessation of the Divine concourse is the Dissolution of the whole Universe 2. Here might be likewise a transmutative Divine Act whereby the Bush was consolidated into such a solid Substance as not to be Combustible The Boughs and Leaves say the Jewish Rabbies were made harder above the solidity of Gold so that they still retained their native greenness being fortified with a quality the flame cannot penetrate 3. Or here might be also a restraining Divine Act whereby the Fire was chained up from its Activity and Violence which it naturally hath in burning up combustible Matter into Ashes This is more than a bare Cessation of the Divine Concourse as was in the Case of the three Nobles of Caldea Dan. 3.27 'T is indeed a great truth If the first wheel in a Clock amp c. stands all the other wheels must stand with it Now God is the Primus Motor and his Providence is the Primum Mobile Hereby All live and move Act 17.28 without God's concourse neither Meat can nourish nor Clothes warm our Bodies for we live not by bread alone c. Matth. 4.4 without this the Heavens could not move nor the Sun shine nor the Earth bear fruit nor the Fire burn c. but in this Case of the Bush as it might be done by a suspensive Act or by a transmtative Act as when Christ enabled Peter to walk upon the Waters which are a fluent Element giving way to a solid Body this was done either by qualifying Peter's Body with levity or by freezing the Waters into a Pavement so more probably by a Restraining Act the God of Nature chains up Nature in its Actings God ties up the Sea in swadling bands so that it cannot overflow the Earth Job 38.8 9 10 11. God shut up the mouths of the Lions so that they could not devour Daniel in the Den Dan. 6.22 The Voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire Psal 29.7 so that they could not consume this Bush c. All this may be for Comfort to God's Church and Children thus 1. That all created Powers are annihilated by a
unto you vet 14. but to this question of Pharaoh God makes a large reply till Pharaoh himself was compell'd to give this squeez'd out answer to it The Lord is Righteous c. Exod. 9.27 and God said The Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah c. Exod. 7.5 This they knew to their Cost when the Lords Hand which was lifted up in threatning as it were to fetch his blow did fall down in punishing them with ten Plagues The Prophet saith Lord when thy Hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see c. Isa 26.11 The second Remark 'T is well and wittily said by one That God shot off his ten great Guns or Ordnance against Egypt in those ten Plagues as afterwards he drew up his Draw-bridge to let in Israel into the Red Sea when he dryed it up but let it down again upon the Egyptians when he brought them into the Noose c. The Miracle Moses wrought before Pharaoh to manifest his Mission and Commission was from the great God made no more Impression upon his hard Heart than doth the Hammer beating upon cold Iron Neither Ministry nor Misery nor Miracle nor Mercy would mollifie him then God began to pour down his Plagues which were ten in number as Philo noteth it is a number of perfection to shew that their Plagues were perfect and absolute and God will perfect his own praise in Administring his Judgments upon his peoples Oppressors The Hebrew Doctors sum up those ten Plagues by the ten first Letters of their Hebrew Names Datsak Gneresh Cheachab whereby they mean Blood Frogs and Lice a mixed Swarm Murrain that Beasts annoyed Boyls Hail and Locusts darkness thick And First-born all destroyed It was Augustin's mistake grounded upon the vulgar Latins reading of Psal 78. and Psal 105. that those Plagues there mentioned are more than ten whereas all expressed in both these Psalms are reducible to the ten Plagues The third Remark is Though the great Jehovah took up ten Plagues to take down Literal Egypt yet will he make seven Vials sufficient to take down Mystical Egypt Rev. 16. Those seven Golden Vials are Vessels exceeding capacious to contain vast measures of the wrath of God yet are they but narrow-neck'd and strait-mouth'd though they pour out slowly yet they drench deeply and distil most effectually Divine wrath until the Mystery of Iniquity be finished and great Babylon Brained with the Hail-stones that lay in the bottom as dregs of the Cup of Gods fierce Indignation Rev. 16.17 19 21. so that seven Plagues shall suffice here The fourth Remark upon these ten Plagues in general concerns the time how long they lasted which the Hebrews say took up a years time others ten Months but according to the Computation intimated in the Sacred Text which saith the first lasted seven days c. They took not up more than one months time for one follow'd at the Heels and upon the Neck of another ☞ The Hand of the Lord was strong upon Pharaoh all that time Exod. 3.19 and 6.1 in which time he sometime seemed yielding as well as hardened at other times as in the second fourth seventh eighth and ninth Plagues First he yields Israel should Sacrifice in Egypt Chap. 8.25 and then they may go into the Wilderness but not far away ver 28. afterward He would let the Men go but not the Women and Children Chap. 10.10 11. then he gives leave the Children might go but their Sheep and Cattel must stay behind ver 24. All these yieldings of this Hypocritical Tyrant were squeezed out of him by the heavy Hand of God upon him the last blow whereof made him yield to let all go Chap. 12. Though God could have destroy'd him and his people at one blow yet ' took he all this time 1. That Pharaoh c. might have time to repent in c. 2. To magnifie his own might the more c. And 3. To make the griefs of those that had so much and so long grieved Gods people the more grievous to them Praestat semel mori quà m semper metuere To die by Inches under Tortures is far worse than to die at one stroke They felt themselves dying at every of those ten strokes Exod. 12.33 This was the Misery of their Miseries Lastly Pharaoh's obstinacy and obduration of Heart was hereby the more manifest that could not be mollify'd by all those ten blows c. God has time of hardening as well as of plaguing Tyrants oppressing his People ☞ The fifth Remark is The Deliverance of the Church out of Babylon hath no such Remarks upon it in plaguing the King of Babylon and his people into a compliance thereunto upon Scripture-Record as this out of Egypt had However this is plainly Recorded that the Churches Deliverance out of Mystical Babylon shall be after the manner of Egypt Isa 10 24. and 26. God will pour out his seven Plagues upon her wherein there is a manifest Allusion to the ten Plagues upon Egypt Rev. 16. and make her willing against her will to let go his people And as the Plagues made the old Pharaoh to yield by little and little c. as before So the Vials of Gods last Plagues shall gradually as they are poured forth plague the new Pharaoh into some yieldings though all in Hypocrisie He will Repent of his Repentance as the old one did because both of them are Sons of Perditions and must both of them go into Perdition They are rais'd up for it Rom. 9.17 Rev. 19.20 The sixth Remark in the general is The diversity and various sorts of those Plagues each sorer than other The first and second were upon the water the third and fourth were upon the Earth the five next were upon the Air and the tenth falls upon the First-born of Men insomuch that their punishment was absolute not only as to the number of the Plagues which was a number of perfection but more especially in respect of their nature matter and manner all various and exquisite For First They were plagued by all kind of Creatures As 1. By all the Elements as Water Earth Air and Fire 2. By sundry Animals as Frogs Lice Caterpillars Flies and Locusts 3. By Men as Moses and Aaron were Instruments in Gods Hand 4. By the Angels who Ministred those Plagues both the evil Angels Psal 78.44 whom he sent among them and the good that were employed in destroying their First-born Exod 12.3 c. yea by the very Stars who all combined against them with the Sun and Moon in suspending their Light from that Land during the three days darkness as all ashamed to look upon such sinful Inhabitants thereof c. Secondly They were plagued in all things wherein they most delighted As 1. In all manner of their luscious and delicious Fruit by its being universally blasted or devoured c. 2. In their goodliest Cattel some of which they Worshipped all destroyed by Murrain c. 3. In their River
grows stale and putrefies after a nine Days wonder and in celebrating the high Praises of God as they were so should we be punctual and particular insisting upon every distinct Circumstance of our glorious Deliverances Note 1. This is the first mention of Singing in Scripture yet no doubt the Patriarks used it as they kept the Sabbath though not mentioned till Exod. 16. 2. The Enemies of the Church are the Enemies of God Thou hast overthrown those that rose against thee Exod. 15.7 What men Act against her he accounts as done against himself Act. 9.4 There is a League Offensive and Defensive 'twixt God and Her Hatred of Her did harden Pharaoh's Heart to the highest and hurried him to bid Battel to God who was too hard for him 3. They were all Men Women and Children Baptized in the Sea 1 Cor. 10.2 and so saved Baptism is said to save us 1 Pet. 3.21 when 't is Inward also and Christ when Baptized was proclaimed then well pleasing to God Mat. 3.1 4. God will by his Mercy when we merit it not lead his People to the Habitation of his Holiness Exod. 15.13 as Jacob Gen. 32.10 Psal 78.52 53 54 Jer. 50.19 Isa 33.20 His Promises are his Performances The Lord will reign Exod. 15.18 and the Time shall come when God shall strike his Foes and make them as still as a Stone and sink as Lead with Sin into Hell then Saints shall sing Hallelujah Rev. 11.15 17 c. Exod. 15.14 15 16 17 c. This being the most famous History of the Church's Conflict with and Conquest over the Egyptians her Enemies and containing in it so many eminent Gospel mysteries I cannot conclude my Discourse upon it here without making some more Remarks upon that great Text of the Apostle concerning it Heb. 11.29 where we have these two great Points 1. The Church's Danger And 2. Her Deliverance After He had given many excellent instances of the Efficacy of Faith in particular Persons then comes He to this Efficacious Faith which was seated and most effectually Acted in the Church in general of that Day 1. The Danger was more especially before and behind Not unlike the Protestant's danger at the Battel of Newport in the Netherlands when that brave General the old Prince of Orange said to them Ye must either eat up those Spaniards or drink up that Sea The Church here had the like choice or if the could not do either they must climb up to Heaven which because they could not do Heaven comes down to them and both drinks up the Sea and eats up the Egyptians for them The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.29 signifies swallow'd down 't is said God bowed the Heavens and came down Psal 18.9 And 't is the Church's Prayer bow Lord the Heavens and come down Isa 65.1 as if she should say Let not the Lord lay hid any longer there as to some it may seem but break through all Letts and appear powerfully as out of an Engine speedily for thy distressed People who had here a Sea before them yea a Red-Sea which if so called as some say because of it's Red Complexion had the Colour of Wrath. God breaks open all doors and comes to melt down Mountains c. Here Moses was involv'd in the same Danger with the Church and undoubtedly step'd the first step into this Red Sea as Israel's Leader and Mediator drying it up for them c. Thus our blessed Messias imbarks himself in the same Bottom exposing himself to the same Danger with his Church when the Devil the Prince of the Air Eph. 2.2 that Red Dragon who pour'd out a floud to drown the Woman when he could not devour her Man-child Rev. 12.4 5 15 16. rais'd up a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Storm Aristotle calls a Town-swallower and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mighty Tempest to drown both her and him Math. 8.25 Mar. 4.37 Luk. 8.22 Isa 54.11 The Church Militant is a rowling tumbling Ark as Noah's Ark was sailing here upon a Sea of Glass a brittle World which as it will not so it cannot support her and that Sea is also mingled with Fire Rev. 15.2 meeting with many Combustions in it Joh. 16.33 Dreadful Tempests and Temptations from a Tempting Devil whose Shop is this wicked World out of which he takes all his Tempting Tools Acts 14.22 2 Tim. 3.12 The Church hath not all dry Land call'd Terra firma but some Sea yea an Ocean of trouble in her way to Canaan Oh that we would not suffer Christ to sleep still but awake him with fervent Prayers as the Disciples did crying Lord save us we perish Math. 8.26 And Master carest thou not that we perish Mar. 4.37 c. The Church Triumphant is above Motion Mutation and Molestation being safely landed in Mansâ—ons of Glory where Jesus our forerunner did leap first to Shore and took the first handsel of Heaven Heb. 6.20 being the first Fruits of them that rose from the Dead 1 Cor. 15.20 2. The Deliverance from this Danger and Distress which was Miraculous in many Respects 1. In respect of Time it was wrought when Israel knew not what to do as Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.12 or which way to turn themselves as David 1 Sam. 23.24 25. and were at their Wits end as the Mariners in a Storm Psal 107.23 c. The Tide of second Cause was at the lowest Ebb with them and then seasonably steps in the first Cause the Cause of Causes as Aristotle calls the Great God and saves them by a way they little expected even such Terrible things as we look not for Isa 64.3 the Lord Works for his Church such as never were done before Deut. 4.32 33. c. Where the Lord extolleth those Magnalia or wonderful Works We read how our Lord raised from the Dead 1. One in the House not yet carried out to be buried Mat. 9.25 2. Another upon the Bier in order to his Burial Luk. 7.14 3. A Third after he had been Dead three Days and was laid in his Grave beginning to stink Joh. 11.43 All which was to demonstrate that his Church is never brought so low nor ever lost so far but still Christ is able to recal and recover her The Eternal God is her refuge and Everlasting Arms are underneath her c. Deut. 33.27 Who after two days will revive her and the third Day she shall live in his sight Hos 6.2 Yea though nothing be left of her but dry Bones God will Prophesie over them inspire the Breath of Life into them and they shall stand up in their Lot alive before him Ezek. 37.2 5 12 to 15. She shall say as the Mother of our Lord did being his beloved Spouse and Bride The Lord hath looked down from Heaven upon the low Estate of his Hand maid Luk. 1.48 c. 2. It was Miraculous in respect of the Way as well as Time Israel went not over it but through it It had been easie
the Mountain for the Elders ver 1. the Top of the Mountain for Moses and the bottom of it for the People ver 2. Secondly The Manner how Wherein is related what 1st Moses did who 1. Wrote all God's Statutes in a Book ver 4. Heb. 9.19 2. In the Morning the very next day after the fiftieth Day whereon the Law was given he erecteth an Altar to represent Christ and twelve Pillars to represent the twelve Tribes who were both the Parties in the Covenant 3. He sent the First born who were the Sacrificers till the Levites were taken in their stead Numb 3.41 c. to offer up burnt offerings and Peace-offerings both Types of Christ to sanctifie the People for entring into Covenant with God ver 5. 4. With half of the Blood he besprinkled the Altar and the Book that lay upon it to be sanctified thereby ver 6. Heb. 9.19 5. He took the Volume of the Covenant and read it in the Audience of the People that he might bring them into the Bonds of the Covenant ver 7. Ezek. 20.37 6. He took the other half of the Blood and besprinkled the People or the twelve Pillars or the seventy Elders that did represent them ver 8. all which were Patterns of those heavenly Things done by Christ sanctifying us by the Blood of a better Covenant Joh. 17.19 Heb. 9.13 14 18 23. 1 Pet. 1.2 2dly What both Moses said and the People too 1st Moses explained the Covenant and Commands of God to the People ver 3 and 8. as if he had spoke thus This whole People thus besprinkled with the Blood of the Covenant are received into God's Covenant Care and Custody yet upon that Condition If they will exactly keep the Law of their God and in Truth obey all his Commandments 2ly The People Promise their Obedience to all these Conditions of the Covenant ver 3 7. as they had done before Exod. 19.8 and 20.10 Thus the Covenant betwixt God and Israel was establish'd by a mutual and willing Consent though as yet they knew not the Impossibility of the Law which is weak through the Flesh Rom. 8 3. nor did Mind the twelve Pillars of Stone representing to them how their hard stony Nature was thereby resembled to them as the two Tables of Stone did resemble their hard stony Hearts Exod. 31.18 2 Cor. 3.3 3ly The Issue and Effect of this entring into Covenant The Elders of Israel that before might not come near the Lord now see his Glory eat and drink before him and he layeth not his avenging Hand upon them c. ver 9 10 11. Great Joy it was also to all the People ver 15 17. But Moses is call'd up into the Mount with his Servant Joshua ver 12 13. where he must abide to receive the Tables of Stone and the Pattern of the Tabernacle with all the Utensils of it c. In whose absence Aaron and Hur must manage all matters of Controversie in the Camp ver 14. The Glory of the Lord on Mount Sinai appearing all that Time in their sight like consuming Fire ver 15 16. Six days God prepares Moses for receiving the Law as in six days he created the World and rested upon the seventh Gen. 2.2 The same number is here at the giving of the Law wherein God manifested as much Wisdom as in making the World Psal 19. per totum Upon the Seventh day God calls Moses alone into the Cloud who stood at a distance with his Servant till called of God That Seventh Day is supposed to be the Sabbath being call'd the Seventh Day by an Emphatick Article as the Christian Sabbath is emphatically also call'd the Lord's Day above others Rev. 1.10 The People had but three Days of Preparation to receive the Law Exod. 19.10 11. But Moses must have Six to shew what singular Holiness is required of Ministers The Measures of the Sanctuary as the Shekel Cubit c. were double to the ordinary among the People Ministers must wish with Elisha a double Portion of the Spirit that they may save themselves and those that hear them Moses abode in the Cloud Forty Days and Nights ver 18. without eating Bread or drinking Water Deut. 9.9 The like number of days Elias fasted for Reviving the Law which in his day was lost 1 King 19.8 And Christ did the same when he entred into his Ministry of giving the Gospel Matth. 4.2 and it must be supposed that the Lord enabled Moses to abide there forty days as well as to enter the Cloud which he could not do Exod. 40.35 N. B. If it be asked What became of Joshua all this time for he came down with Moses and knew nothing of the Calf set up in the Camp Exod. 32.17 when Moses brought the two Tables It is thus answered Tho' it be expresly said That Joshua went up with Moses and came down with him yet is it not mentioned in Scripture how high he went or whether he heard what God said to Moses c. It seemeth he staid still with Moses during the six days preparation till God call'd his Master from him into the Cloud and like a faithful Servant he staid in some place where his Master appointed and knew how to find him upon his Return Exod 32.17 18 not knowing any thing of Israel's Idolatry so had no meat from the Camp nor did he fast the forty days as Moses did but was as some say sustained all that time with Manna c. in some extraordinary manner by the Lord. In this forty days and nights Conference which the Lord held with Moses in the Mount God gave him the Ceremonial Law which was the Shadowed Gospel for this Infant Church as before he had given the Moral and the Judicial Laws The Ceremonial Law was to direct this Church in the External Worship of God As 1. That a place be prepared for his Publick Worship called then the Tabernacle which as Josephus saith was a portable Temple 2. That the People now in Covenant with their God must offer voluntarily all materials for the making of this Tabernacle both for the outward Fabrick and all the inward Utensils thereof Exod. 25 26 27 and 30. chapters 3. God ordains the Persons to attend the Service of this Sanctuary and they are Aaron and his Sons of the Tribe of Levi who are directed both as to their Garments and as to their Sacrifices and Ceremonies of their Consecration chap. 28 and 29. 4. God calls forth and qualifies the Persons for the whole workmanship of the Tabernacle within and without as Bezaleel and Aholiab with others whom he filled with the spirit of Wisdom and made them meet for the making of all sorts of the Manufacture thereof chap. 31. All which materials must be exactly made according to the Pattern or Model that God now shewed in a Vision unto Moses in the Mount giving him as is supposed an Aetherial Idea or Platform both of persons and things as God afterward
And as for the latter he prays that God would not shew any sign of accepting the Offering of those presumptuous Levites the two hundred and fifty that intruded into the Priest's Office which God did by sending fire from Heaven to consume the Oblation Then Moses committed the deciding of the Controversie to God himself So 2. The Divine Correction follows the Humane of Moses from ver 16 to 35. No sooner had those Intruders taken their Censers which they had ready provided upon their first Combination to thrust themselves into the Priest's Office and prepared to offer but presently the Glory of the Lord shining in the Cloud over the Sanctuary appeared unto Moses and Aaron standing on one side and these two hundred and fifty on the other side who most impudently stood stouting it out in defiance of God and making an open profession of their gross profaneness in the sight of the Sun ver 17 18 19. They declared their sin as Sodom Isa 3.9 there was no need of digging to find it out as a thing hid Jer. 2.34 for they set it as it were upon the cliff of the Rock Ezek. 24.7 The Rock of Ages now resolves to ruine them commands the credulous of the Congregation whom Korah had wheadled in to countenance his Conspiracy to withdraw from all familiarity with the Rebels ver 20 21 24 26. Moses denounces their Doom to be extraordinary ingageth the honour of his Office upon a Miracle to be wrought by God ver 29 30 c. for the utter Ruine of those presumptuous Rebels and that presently to be done as he had declared ver 5. in the very view of many hundred thousands of People who were all generally over-ready to comply with Korah's Conspiracy and to favour his Attempt he persuading them that God would favour it also His design being to introduce an equal popularity could not want many favourers among the common People yet those that would depart from the society of those sinners ver 24 26 27. were spared at Moses's Mediation for them praying The God of the spirits of all flesh as Zech. 12.1 Heb. 12.9 Job 12.10 Act. 17.25 El Elohei Haruchoth c. All this People have not sinned like Korah the principal Incendiary who hath inflamed so many into this hot Rebellion Thou Lord knows hearts Numb 27.16 that the People have not sinned out of malice but are only coaxed in by Korah 't is convenient for thy Glory to distinguish betwixt the greater and the lesser Sinners c. Thus Moses intercedes ver 22. and the Lord accepts of his Intercession for all those that would save themselves from that untoward Generation Act. 2.40 Rev. 18.4 In the next place follows the Execution of this Divine Correction The Conspirators all perish they and theirs Dathan Abiram and their Accomplices by the opening of the Earth under them ver 31 32 33. and Korah with his Company by fire from Heaven ver 35. This must needs be an undoubted evidence of God's concurrence with the Ministry of Moses and that he had not out of any private affection to his Brother Aaron preferr'd him to the Priesthood and therewithal it was an undoubted Assurance of the Divine Truth of Moses's Writings in the Pentateuch N.B. Moses here had no sooner spoke the word but God made it good by his deed dictum factum at once avouching Moses and Aaron's Authority and Integrity and avenging his own and their Cause in the just and miraculous punishment of the Rebels notorious Impiety Dathan Abiram c. stood impudently in their Tent-doors out-facing Moses and scorning the Judgment threatned ver 27. then they and their whole housholds went down into Sheol a great Grave of God's own making not into Hell as the Papists say for how could their Tents and Goods go down thither Yea their little Infants were not excepted who tho' not guilty of their Parents sin had sin enough in their Nature to deserve the shortning of their Lives and while God in Justice kill'd their Bodies he might in mercy save their Souls Yet their Parents were punished in their deaths in whose well led lives their memory might have flourished but Korah and his two hundred and fifty were kill'd by fire out of the shining Cloud as they sinn'd by fire as Levit. 10.1 2. Psal 106.18 but Kōrah's Children were not kill'd Numb 26.10 11. for either they consented not to their Father's Rebellion or they repented at the warning given by Moses Numb 16.5 their Genealogy is reckoned 1 Chron. 6.22 38. They were singers in the House of God ver 32. and of them came Samuel ver 33. Thus Children by Repentance cut off the Intail of a Curse from sinful Parents c. Lastly The Consequents of this Conspiracy and of God's Correction of the Conspirators which are twofold First A monument and lasting memorial of God's Judgments upon those presumptuous Sinners against their own Souls and of his Vindication of the Innocency of his most faithful Servants is appointed by the Lord that Israel might be warned there by and that none hereafter should dare to sin so presumptuously ver 37 38 39 40 Wherein 1. Eleazar is bid to take up the Censers of those sinners now slain and to scatter the fire out into an unclean place to shew that the Lord rejected their service as profane Aaron must not do this because he was one of the right Offerers ver 17. and must not be polluted by stepping among the dead but Eleazar as a confirmation of his succeeding him in the Priesthood must do it 2. Those Censers must not be converted to common use because they were consecrated not only as they had been offered up to the Lord as Vessels of the holy Ministry but more especially as now God sanctified them to be beaten out into broad Plates to make a covering for the Brazen Altar and so to be a lasting holy sign of this Rebellious sin c. 3. Hereby Israel must be minded that sin is the Soul's Poison as it was in those Sinners against their own Souls and such are all such as spend the span of this transitory Life after the ways of their own hearts and thereby perish for ever Alas how heartily do sinners feed upon this Poison as the Maid in Pliny did upon Spiders and the Turkish Gally-slaves upon Opium as Bread 4. This Monument and Memorial was to make Israel remember the Transgression of those Sinners God cannot abide to be forgotten and they are worthily made Examples that will not be warned to take them Alterius perditio tua fit cautio And Foelix quem facium aliena pericula cautum N.B. The second Captain deservedly perish'd by fire who took no warning by the so perishing of the first 2 King 1.10 11. as being more impudent and obstinate than the former the third was wiser ver 13. 5. Not only the Israelites in general but also all the Levites in particular save Aaron's Sons only are counted strangers in
hired to Perfidiousness therein the Prophet told him he had done foolishly Asa's Fourth Frailty was His being wroth with the Lord's Prophet for his plain-dealing and faithfulness 2 Chron. 16.10 which might better have become an Ahah a Joash or an Herod all bad Men than such a good King as was Asa what was Hanani but God's Herald from Heaven to denounce War against him for these his sins upon Earth here Repentance was his Duty but Rage and Choler was his Sin N. B. And as Dr. Hall saith well it had been more meet that the water of godly sorrow had been found in his eyes gushing out with tears than such sparkles of fire and fury flaming forth at them upon this innocent Seer His Holy Grandfather David did not so with Nathan the Prophet in the like case of heavy tidings 2 Sam. 12.4 5 6 c. yet Asa imprisons the Prophet for delivering God's Message only His Fifth Blemish is Asa in the latter end of his long Reign is stricken with the Gout 2. Chron. 16.12 as he had laid up the good Prophet by the heels in Prison even so doth God lay him up by the heels in his Bed He should therefore have sought to the Lord principally who had Imprisoned him and with whom he had solemnly Covenanted to own for his yet 't is said of him He sought to the Physicians and not to the Lord tho' his Name Asa Hebr. signifies a Physician to mind him of Jehovah Rophekah the Almighty Healer Exod. 15.26 No wonder then that his gouty seet serv'd to carry him to his grave No doubt but before he dyed he repented of this and his other sins see 2 Chron. 15.17 and 20.32 where 't is said for his heart was perfect with God all his days c. The latter part of this Fifteenth Chapter gives an account of the two Kings of Israel contemporary with those of Judah First Nadah Reigned in the Second year of Asa even while his Father Jeroboam is alive saith Dr. Lightfoot for God smote Jeroboam with some sad Diseases that he could not Rule the Kingdom 2 Chron. 13.20 This made him resign his Crown to his Son before his death as some suppose c. Remark the Second Before he had Reigned two full Years Baasha slew him as appears from ver 28 and 33. The Lord seeing the Son as wicked as the Father saw it high time to cut him off according to the Threatning Chap. 14.10 c. for his own Sins as well as for his Father's Remark the Third Baasha traiterously slew him in his Army as he was besieging Gibbethon which the Philistines had taken from Israel but the Slaughter of the King prevented the Recovery of this Right Josh 19.44 and 21.23 therefore the Siege was renewed to recover it Chap. 16.15 Remark the Fourth It may well be supposed that this Murtherer of Nadab Baasha did cast his dead Body to be devour'd by the Dogs or Fowls as the Prophet Ahijah had fore-threatned Chap. 14.7 10 11. saith Menochius The next King of Israel was Baasha who placed himself in the Throne as soon as he had Murther'd Nadab ver 29 30 to 34. concerning this King Remark the First Baasha destroys all Jeroboam's House and Jeroboam himself was alive this Year saith Dr. Lightfoot and if he escaped the Sword of Baasha yet died he not long before Baasha destroyed his Family Remark the Second Though Baasha in all these Murthers did but aim to gratifie his own Ambition and Cruel Disposition to establish himself upon the Throne more firmly and without Emulation yet God wisely ordered Baasha's wicked both Intentions and Actions to bring to pass his own righteous and glorious Ends. God over-ruled his Pride and Malice to accomplish his own Counsel and Prediction N.B. Thus the Devil and all his Imps and Instruments are made to do God's Will not only while they are doing their own but oft sore against their own Wills Thus wise Physicians use Leeches which aim only at sucking of Blood for Cure of their Patients c. Remark the Third Though this Baasha was God's Instrument to punish the Wickedness of a wicked Father Jeroboam and of his wicked Son Nadab yet neither did he aim at any Obedience to God in those Executions of God's Justice nor was he reclaimed at all thereby from the same wicked Ways ver 34. Remark the Fourth Those very Means and Methods of Wickedness whereby Jeroboam thought to have established the Kingdom to himself and to his House namely by setting up Idolatry became indeed the true Cause of their utter Ruine Baasha is imployed in executing this divine Vengeance yet the same Sin which was the true procuring Cause of all this Mischief and Misery to Jeroboam's House he still retained in himself Remark the Fifth Baasha now settled in his Kingdom begins to bustle and disturb good Asa with Inroads into Judah though he saw such a mighty Presence of God with him in his Victory over a Million of the Ethiopian Army yet will he still be an Enemy to him God punishing Asa by Baasha for his harshness to Judah as well as to Hanani Tyrannizing over the People as well as over the Prophet in his declining Days 2 Chron. 16.10 1 Kings CHAP. XVI THIS Chapter contains the History of Five Kings of Israel Baasha Elah Zimri Omri and Ahab The General Remarks are First Good Asa notwithstanding his many Miscarriages which were not inconsistent with his Uprightness Imperfections being to be found in the most refin'd Soul did out-live not only Jeroboam and his Son Nadab but also this his worst Rival and Troubler Baasha though he Reigned over Israel twenty and four Years Chap. 15.33 for Asa's Forty and one Years of his Reign expired not until the Fourth Year of Ahab wherein Jehosaphat succeeded his Father Asa after his Death 1 Kings 22.41 42. So that while Asa held the Throne of Judah he saw many Changes in the Throne of Israel The Second General Remark is the Holy Penman of this Sacred History in the Book of Kings giveth a large Narrative of Asa's Life c. altogether Chap. 15. from ver 9 to 24. because many Kings did Reign over Israel during Asa's long Reign Asa began his Reign in the Twentieth Year of Jeroboam the first King of Israel divided from Judah and he continued to the time of the Eighth King of Israel Asa's great Work of Reformation required it and God gave him a great continuance in his Kingdom wherein to accomplish it The Third General Remark Asa wanted not God's Fatherly Chastisements for his declining from his former Goodness for beside his Gout in his Feet because he did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walk uprightly in God's way Gal. 2.14 He had continual Wars and Troubles after his alteration into Acts of Vnbelief Passion against the Prophet and Oppression of the People c. which troubles we have an account of Chap. 15. both the Rise of them ver 16 17 18. and the Removal
and so imposed Omri upon the People The Word prevailed imports all this saith Peter Martyr Mark 2. Omri reigned twelve Years which Dr. Lightfoot reckons from the Death of Zumri in the twenty seventh of Asa ver 15. to Omri's Death in the thirty eight Year of Asa ver 28 29. and that Tibni continued his Corrival until the thirty first Year of Asa ver 23. Mark 3. Omri reigned four Years in a State of War with Tibni and eight Years quietly without a Corrival wherein He purchas'd Samaria Joh. 4.4 for two Talents of Silver ver 24. and built a Palace there because Zimri had burnt that in Tirzah Mark 4. Omri was worse than all his Predecessors ver 25. who did not only worship Calves but Devils also 2 Chron. 11.15 1 Cor. 10.20 and whose wickedness both Grotius and Peter Martyr do aggravate saying He outdid Jeroboam in his taking no warning from former Precedents of God's Vengeance for the same Sins in not only encouraging the People to his Devil-Worship by his Example but also binding them to it by a Law Mic. 6.16 those Statutes of Omri established that Mischief Psal 94.20 The Fifth Remark is upon Ahab from ver 29. to the end Wherein Mark 1. Though Omri the Father was very bad yet his Son Ahab was well worse a none such Sinner Chap. 21.25 26. who thought it below his Dignity to content himself with the common Sins of Jeroboam ver 31. here Mark 2. No wonder if Ahab grew to such an unparallel'd height of wickedness when he ventured to Marry that Zidonian Virago Jezebel who as Dr. Lightfoot Characterizes her was an Idolatress a Murdress a Witch and a Whore N.B. And every wicked Woman is hence callâ—d a Jezebel Rev. 2.20 Mark 3. Hiel to curry favour with Ahab his fellow-Contemner of God rebuilds Jericho in despight of God's Curse Josh 6.26 which none had dared to do for above five hundred and thirty Years before But this bold Bethelite paid dear for it losing his living House by building this cursed City and no Son to inherit it This was Ahab's Sin to suffer it yet Hiel escapes from greater Wrath saith Peter Martyr on his own Person c. 1 Kings CHAP. XVII THIS Chapter is the beginning of the History of Elijah thundring out Divine Threatnings against Israel extorted from him saith Peter Martyr by the notorious Impudency and Impiety both of Hiel and of Ahab Remarks hereupon are First The Eminentest Prophet rank'd with Moses and a Companion for Christ in his Transfiguration Matth. 17.3 God reserved for the corruptest Age Israel was never in such a degenerate State as now nor ever had such a wicked King as Ahab N.B. God provides a Soveraign Salve for such a desperate Sore and proportions a Prophet with such Zeal Courage and Power of Miracles as they never had seen before since they came into Canaan and God's end was hereby to give some check to the overgrowings of abominable Idolatry as also some reviving to that small Remnant of the Lord's Prophets and People Remark the second This Wonder-working Prophet is brought in here like another Melchizedech Gen. 14.18 Heb. 7.3 without any mention of his Father or Mother or the beginning of his Days as if he had been a Man of God dropt out of that cloudy Chariot which after his Work was done on Earth was sent again to carry him to Heaven A fiery spirited Elijah who was the fittest Physician to cure the cold Diseases of Israel began his publick Office as one wrapt up in Fire and in a Chariot of Fire he departed when he had done it N.B. Wonder not then at the warm Stomach of fiery Luther whom God rais'd up beyond a common Tincture to begin Reformation The Rabbins tell us how Elijah's Father had a Vision that his Son while yet hanging on his Mothers Breast did suck Fire instead of Milk which made him a Man of Fire all his Life long as a Seraphim which signifies fiery Angels Remark the third is The first Word we hear from Elijah is a most solemn Oath and a most direful Threat to Ahab and to Israel ver 1. As the Lord liveth there shall not be Dew or Rain for these three Years and half Luk. 4.25 Jam. 5.17 but according to my Word Thus He comes in like a Tempest saith Dr. Hall who went out in a Whirlwind No doubt saith Lavater but the Prophet had fairly admonished Ahab at the first but finding him obstinate He proceeds à verbis ad Verbera from a Candid Invitation rejected to this frightful Fulmination which could not chuse but strike some terrour upon Ahab who though he sat in his Ivory Palace with Plenty of Gold and Silver yet in Case of so long a Famine must share deeply in the common Calamity Remark the fourth is The wonderful both Courage and Power of this Prophet 1. His Courage in daring to tell a King to his Teeth so boldly so undauntedly that he was not so high as to be out of the reach of God's Rod but the same Divine Vengeance which had already befaln Hiel for his Presumption and which Ahab derided saith Peter Martyr as a common Calamity should infallibly befal both Him and Israel and twitting him with his Dead Idols while He mentions to him the living Lord yea and resolves to stand to it though he stand alone And 2. His Power speaking as if God had betrusted him with the Keys of Heaven to open and shut it at his Pleasure saying it shall be according to my Word What Angel could say so N.B. Yet Luther seems to say after the same Manner Let my Will be done herein mine I say Lord because 't is the same with thy Holy Will hence was it said quod voluit potuit he could have what he would from God N.B. This shutting up of Heaven from Rain c. was the first Miracle that is Registred of Elijah there be twelve in all the second is in ver 6. the third in ver 16. the fourth in ver 22. the fifth in Chap. 18.38 the sixth in ver 45. the seventh Chap. 19.8 the eighth in ver 20. the ninth is in 2 Kings 1.10 the tenth in ver 12. the eleventh in 2 Kings 2.8 and the twelfth in ver 11. More of all these as they lay orderly in the History The strange Occurrences of Elijah's Life after this Embassage be many Remark the first No sooner had He foretold a long Famine but God takes care of the foreteller of it And that not only in rescuing his Prophet from the fury of Ahab and Jezebel for his denouncing Divine Wrath against them but also in providing for his personal Sustentation during the first part of the Famine Mark 1. Elijah hid himself at God's Direction in a Cave by the Brook Cherith from the rage of Ahab ver 2 3 4 5 6 7. 't was a wonderful Work of Divine Providence that Ahab should be so over-ruled as not to seize him presently while he was
and tired themselves in vain Elijah Jeers and Ridicules both their Persons Actions and Idols taunting them with saying Baal was so busie in pursuing his Foes that he had no leisure of attending his Friends c. N. B. Which teacheth that all Jesting is not unlawful faith Peter Martyr save that only which intrencheth upon Piety and good Manners saying that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Paul condemns Eph. 5.4 is taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salt Jests and Scurrility not for an inoffensive Vrbanity or a pleasant facetiousness of Speech Mark 7. When Baal's Priests end and can do nothing with all their ridiculous Endeavours all the day long then Elijah begins at the time of the Evening Sacrifice ver 30 to ver 40. who no doubt did all by divine Direction He 1. calls the People to come away from those falle Prophets that had so long seduced them unto him the true Prophet of God 2. He repairs the Altar of the Lord which Baal's Worshippers had demolished with twelve Stones representing the Twelve Tribes thereby renewing the Covenant betwixt God and Israel now when Ten Tribes were Apostatized ver 30 31 32. 3. He orders twelve Barrels of Water supposed to be fetch'd from the Sea near Carmel when the drought had dried up all their Land-Brooks to be poured upon the Wood and Altar to avoid all suspicion of any Collusion in hiding Fire any where under such a vast quantity of Water which ran upon the Altar and filled the Trench too that the reality of the Miracle might be made the more manifest by a greater fervency of such a Fire as to lick up all ver 33 34. 4. Then betakes he to Prayer for fire c. 36 37 38. wherein though the Prophets of Baal had cried loud yet this Prophet of God cried louder saying Hear me O Lord hear me well knowing that God and not Baal was the true Prayer-hearing God N. B. The Baalites Prayers had been long and tedious to a deaf dumb and dunghil Deity but Elijah's Prayer was short and pithy charging God with the care of his Covenant of his Truth and of his Glory N. B. Nor did his twelve Stones for repairing the Altar and his twelve Barrels of Water wherewith he filled the Altar and Trenches any less rebuke the Ten Tribes for falling off from the Two in the Worship of God N. B. This is beyond doubt that his strong Crys of Faith did reach the Throne of Grace and soon discover to Israel that Elijah's God was unlike Baal neither talking nor travelling nor pursuing nor sleeping not a God of such a narrow Uunderstanding as unable to mind two things at once But as he is the Creator so the Governor of all things both in Heaven and Earth and hath the command both of Fire and of Water at all times and as an Evidence hereof at this time he first sends fire to consume Elijah's Sacrifice and not only to lick up the twelve Barrels of Water that filled the Trenches by that flash of fire but after gives abundance of Water in a plentiful Rain also to remove the Judgment of Drought and Famine insomuch that when Israel saw the first Sign that God had answer'd by Fire to the Prophet's Prayers they cry out as fully The Lord and not Baal is God the Lord is God and he can give us Water as well as Fire if our Sins hinder not N. B. They might say Oh well is it with us that this fearful flash of fire hath not consumed our own flesh for our Idolatries as it hath done the flesh of the burnt Offering and licked up our Blood as it hath all the Water in the Trench and so they might acknowledge God's Mercy as they did his Power twice over ver 39. Remark the Sixth is the Execution of Justice upon Baal's Prophets and the return of Rain after a long Drought of Three Years and six Months from ver 40 to 46. wherein Mark 1. Elijah strikes while the Iron is hot he takes hold of this Opportunity while the Peoples Hearts were warm with the fresh Conviction of this wonderful Miracle and bids them take those juggling Priests and let not one of them escape v. 40. and kill them at Kishon that their Blood might help to fill that River which their Idolatry had emptied by the Drought N. B. All this Elijah might lawfully do at God's direction and according to God's Law Deut. 13.5 and 18.20 for which like Justice Jehu is afterwards commended 2 Kings 10.28 and probably he had the consent of the King who found them Impostors and was assured of Rain when this Work was done c. indeed Luke 9.55 Our sweet Saviour rebukes that over-hot Spirit which would call Fire from Heaven to consume such as slighted him this he said was not suitable to the Gospel of Peace but Elijah was a Restorer of the Law c. Mark 2. After this Execution of Justice Elijah foretels Mercy was now coming ver 41. saying to Ahab Haste thou from Kishon up to thy Tent on Carmel and refresh thy self there after thy long fasting day The chief cause of the Drought being now removed God will send Rain therefore go eat thy Bread with joy and drink thy Wine with a chearful heart c. Eccles 9.7 For Col. Haâ—non c. Hebr. I hear a Wind whistling in the Heavens and presaging abundance of Rain He heard this noise with the Ears of his Faith saith Osiander when none else did hear it Mark 3. Ahab now satisfied with news of Rain goes up to his Repast and Elijah goes up to his Prayer ver 42. minding more God's Glory in that great day's Work than his own Refreshment Josephus saith He prayed sitting but 't is otherwise expressed here He put his face between his knees the very posture saith Peter Martyr wherein the Babe layeth in the Womb with his Head between his Knees N.B. This was a Gesture of his deep Humility as unworthy to lift up his Eyes to God of his remembrance with thankfulness how he was brought to light from a miserable beginning at his Birth and now was about to be as it were born again after his three Years and half absconding in the Womb of Providence The Prophet prays for Rain in this posture which strained all the strings of his Head Heart and whole Body well knowing though God had promised Rain yet would he have his Prayer to fetch it and therefore no wonder if the Apostle say He prayed earnestly James 5.17 18. And though 't is not told us what he prayed yet this is Recorded his Prayer was so earnest that he opened Heaven by that Key Mark 4. The Prophet unwilling to break off his Prayer sends his Servant which Vatablus saith was the Widow of Sarepta's Son to watch the first rise of a vaporous Cloud out of the Sea ver 43. Elijah had pray'd saith Sanctius that the Fire might descend immediately for a speedy freeing of his own Faith and for
God's Dominion over all the Elements Air in the first Earth in the second and now Fire in this third dreadful Representation and that he wanted not weapons wherewith to destroy both that Beldame Jezebel and the rest of her Idolatrous Crew in Israel This Third might well prefigure Elisha the third of Elijah's anointed ones ver 16 17. for out of the Mouth of God's two Witnesses which some suppose to be Elijah and Elisha a Fire proceedeth to devour their Enemies Rev. 11.5 but 't is said again The Lord was not in the Fire ver 12. as before ver 11. to denote that the proper Work of God is Mercy and Clemency and such rough Acts of Justice represented by Wind Earthquake and Fire are his strange Acts Isa 28.21 Mark 5. Then after all comes the still small Voice ver 12. which Elijah might hear and understand without any affrightment to intimate unto him saith Grotius that he was too hot against Israel God would not use present Violence against Jezebel c. but in his own time Visit Israel not by Power and Might but by his Spirit Zech. 4.6 which breaths gently yet Works powerfully to pull down Satan's strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4.5 His Vision of Wind. Earthquake Fire c. represented to him that after violent Persecutions and fatal Convulsions of Kingdoms there should come a sweet and peaceable Messias N.B. Grotius excellently applies this still Voice as a figure of the Gospel which came not by Tempests Earthquakes and Fire as the Law did Exod. 19.16 Heb. 12.18 c. but in much Lenity and this is the Wisdom which is from above pure and peaceable Jam. 3.17 and Deodate adds God's saving Revelation of himself is only in the sweet Gospel which soundeth Grace and Comfort and not in his terrible Law But Sanctius gives a notable Reason for these three tremendous Representations aforesaid N.B. That almost the same prodigies appeared here as did at the first giving of the Law for now God came to restore his Law which Men at present had troden under foot as Moses was the Lawgiver so Elijah was the Law-Restorer Yea and Vatablus noteth well that the like fearful Signs were the forerunners of the Holy Spirit 's falling upon the Apostles at the Foundation of the Gospel that small still Voice N.B. God makes way for himself by terrour but he conveys himself to us by Candour and Kindness Happy we if after the flashes of the Law in our Consciences we have heard and are comforted with the still Voice of the Gospel as Elijah was here c. Remark the Fourth is A Narrative of what was done and said when God manifested his Presence in this small still Voice from ver 13 to 18. Mark 1. Elijah at the hearing of this Voice wraps his Face in his Mantle ver 13. as unable to behold God's Splendour and Glory which the Holy Angels cannot do but cover their Faces with their Wings as with a double Scarf Isa 6.2 Though the Prophet's Obedience had drawn him to the Mouth of the Cave yet his fear made him to hide his Head because now he wanted the shelter of the Cave Mark 2. God saith the same Words in this small still Voice that He had said before ver 9. namely What dost thou here Elijah what before God had spoke to him by an Angel in the Belly of the Cave now He speaks to him again immediately in this small still Voice Had the Lord been satisfied with Elijah's first Answer he would never have ask'd the same Question again Mark 3. Elijah gives God the same Answer he had done before Word for Word ver 14. loth was Elijah to speak out He was more willing to say I have been Jealous for the Lord c. than to confess his Cowardice and say I have been fearful of Jezebel c. but his own consciousness to himself of a timorous temper would not suffer him to say so N.B. But others are of opinion as Peter Martyr c. That God blames him not here for a run-away but only propounds the same Question to him again to produce a farther proof of his Zeal Thus Christ dealt with Peter asking him three times over Lovest thou me to fetch from him a farther proof of his Love John 21.15 16 17. as here a proof of Elijah's Zeal Mark 4 God's reply ver 15. Get thee gone to Damascus c. not to Beersheba or to Jezreel though that was the nighest way and this much farther about through Moab and Ammon yet God would not expose his timorous Servant in his Passage through Ahab's Kingdom N.B. Elijah's Errand to Damascus was to anoint Hazael King of Syria Grotius notes well though God principally takes care of his own People Israel yet casts he his Eye of Providence upon other Nations also as here upon the Syrians but it was saith Dr. Lightfoot to plague Israel for their Idolatry And from thence he goes to anoint Jehu King of Israel if not by himself yet by his Minister related 2 Kings 9.1 c. and Elisha to succed him Mark 5. Here the order of the History is inverted ver 16 17. for Elisha was made a Prophet before either Hazael or Jehu were made Kings but this is of no moment to invalidate the History the substance whereof is that one or other of those three should execute God's Judgments upon Apostatized Israelites And the Reason of this Inversion is saith Peter Martyr because that the Prophet Elisha was chosen to appoint and anoint those Kings and so kind was God that Israel though Idolatrous shall not want a Prophet As Jehu should destroy the House of incorrigible Ahab so Elisha must go on with that Reformation which Elijah had begun Mark 6. When God had comforted his Prophet by telling him of those three Instruments he had in store to revenge his Cause and Quarrel then he convinces him of his mistake in his saying I only am left alone c. for God hath both Prophets and Servants in Israel saying Though thou see them not beside those hundred Prophets that Obadiah hath hid I have seven thousand Servants that bow not the Knee to Baal ver 18. God delights in hidden Treasures and never starves his Cause for want of Instruments He knows who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 the Gates of Hell cannot destroy the Being of that sure Foundation of the Church Matth. 16.18 though it's well-being cannot sometimes be seen Remark the last is Elisha's call to serve and succeed Elijah ver 19 20 21. Mark 1. Elijah returns from the Cave in the Mount of God to the Field where Elisha was Plowing he finds him not in the Schools of the Prophets but according to the simplicity of those times in that thrifty Trade of Tillage God can fit for Office whom he pleaseth to chuse Amos 7.14 Matth. 4.18 c. Mark 2. Elijah says nothing to him only casts his Prophet's Mantle over him which was a Symbol of his being clothed with God's
what was fittest to be done at his departing time He was not taken up into Heaven from his Praying in Private or in his solitary and serious Meditation but in this Ordinance of Divine Discourse with Elisha Had he not known that this Godly Conference was more necessary and Divine it had given way saith Dr. Hall to Prayer and Meditation There can be no better state or posture for the Messenger of our Dissolution to find us in than in a diligent Prosecution of the Duties of our Office our sedulous Attendance upon our Generation-work is no less pleasing to God than is our private Devotion Blessed is the Man whom his Master when He cometh doth find so doing Matth. 24.46 The Third Remark is The Place whither this Chariot of Fire carried Elijah 't is said into Heaven whereof there be various Opinions As 1. That of the Schoolmen c. saying He was rapt up into some pleasant Place prepared of old for pious Spirits that expected the Messiah's opening Paradise for them 2. Vatablus c. say He was carried into Abraham's Bosom which they suppose to be rather in the Air than on the Earth yet grant that his Garments were burnt by the Fire and his Body was changed and made immortal N.B. Their ground is that No Man ascended into Heaven before Christ that descended from Heaven John 3.13 and the passage into Paradise was not yet open'd by Christ 1 Cor. 15.20 he is the first Fruits that went thither Luke 23.43 But 3. The most Orthodox Opinion is that He was taken up into the Third Heaven so called 2 Cor. 12.2 that heavenly Paradise where the Souls of Saints departed are where Christ in his Humane Nature is Acts 1.11 and where all Believers after the General Resurrection shall be with Christ their Head in Everlasting Glory Into this glorious Heaven was Elijah translated as Enoch had been before him Gen. 5.24 Heb. 11.5 both in Soul and Body His Body being so transformed in the way and changed in a moment that his corruptible put on incorruption and his mortal immortality 1 Cor. 15.51 52 53. so as to make him meet to be admitted into those Mansions of Glory And Chrysostom hath a Conceit that the Devil that Prince of the Air Eph. 2.2 was very much amazed when he saw Elijah thus marvelously convoyed in a Chariot of Triumph through his Countrey and Territories N.B. 1. As this Rapture of Elijah was a Type of Christ's glorious Ascension Mar. 16.19 Acts 1.11 so it was an ensuring Evidence both as of the Resurrection of our Bodies in General so likewise more particularly of the last Rapture of such Saints as shall be living upon Earth when Christ cometh to the last General Judgment 1 Thess 4.17 2. As this magnificent Rapture was an Effect of Elijah's strong and miraculous Faith in this respect it may be reckoned his twelfth and last Miracle Now come we to the third Particular the Consequents of this Rapture Remarks hereupon are First Elisha's lamenting the loss of his good Master ver 12. This he doth 1. By Words And 2. By Deeds 't is said He saw all this glorious Transaction and Translation this was the Condition of his grant of a double Portion ver 10. therefore kept he both his Eyes and his Heart so fixed upon his Master that he would admit of no Interruption but twice he gave a Repulse to his fellow Prophets with hold ye your Peace ver 3 5. that is give ye me no Diversion I may not look off from my Master to look upon you And now when he saw him got up a good way from Earth towards Heaven He 1. Cries out like an Orphan my Father my Father c. not minding now his natural Father Shaphat 1 Kings 19.16 but the loss of his Spiritual Father was intolerable to him though he was like to gain a double Portion of God's Spirit by his looking upon this loss Nor doth he bemoan his own loss only but likewise the prodigious loss this was to all Israel who had lost in him their Chariots and Horsemen wherein he not only alludes to this Triumphal Chariot he now saw but he also saith Grotius and Vatablus c. intimates that Elijah had been a better Bulwark to Israel by his Prayers and Power with God and by Counsel and Instruction for their Preservation then all their Chariots Horsemen and other Warlike Provisions N.B. In this respect this Elisha afterward had the same stile given him by Joash King of Israel Chap. 13.14 which was an apt Remuneration of his pious Affection to his good Master 2. His Deeds after those aforesaid Words were 1. He Rent his own Cloths into two pieces which was an ancient Expression of Grief Gen. 37.29 34. 2. He took up Elijah's Mantle that fell from him ver 13. whereof he had no need in Heaven God order'd its fall saith Grotius for Elisha's Comfort and for the fortifying of his Faith that together with the Mantle given as a Pledge both the Office and Spirit of Elijah should rest upon Elisha his Successor This Mantle was a good amends for his own cloaths that he had rent and this he keeps as a memorial of his Master 3. He returns back to Jordan wearing this Mantle as his Master had done and in Imitation of his Master smites the Waters with the Mantle ver 14. crying where is the Lord God of Elijah not out of doubt and Diffidence but from Faith and an earnest desire to see an experimental Proof of his Master's Promise of a double Portion c. I find some Learned men have other Sentiments than ordinary hereof partly grounded upon the Ambiguity of the Hebrew word Aph-Hu and partly because these Words He smote the Waters are mentioned twice As to the former Aph-Hu which we read and when He c. they take for one of God's Attributes with an Emphatical Interrogation even himself or even the same as if he doubted whether God would be the same to him that he had been to Elijah As to the latter they say the Repetition of his smiting the Waters implies that the Waters did not divide at his first smiting for which they render these Reasons 1. God doth not grant Miracles immediately lest they should by too much facility be undervalued 2. Lest the Miracle should be ascribed to the external Means 3. Lest Elisha should Pride himself too much in his double Portion and think himself equal if not Superiour to his Master 4. Lest Elisha should Attribute too much to his own Merits and too little to God's Bounty So Lyra Sanctius c. say N.B. However when we come to an Ordinance of God we ought to cry with Elisha here Where is the Lord God of this Ordinance every Ordinance is as a Mantle which our Lord and Master Jesus Christ hath drop'd down from Heaven to us that we may wear them and wrap our selves up in them to keep us warm yet the bare Ordinances of God will not
had in perfection from the first but in Natural Acquired and Experimental Knowledge only such as to be Angry and Grieved Mark 3.5 6.6 and to be Ignorant of some things Mark 13.32 Mat. 24.36 The Son knew not the last day but from the Father This was Ignorantia morae privations non pravae Dispositionis Notewel If Christ thus humbled Himself that he might Suffer for us both in Soul and Body c. How should we be content to be Humbled even to a Nothingness for His Glory and the Churche's Good and how should we be content to be Humbled One for Another The same Mind that was in Christ should be in us Phil. 2.5 6 7. and we should wash one another's Feet as He gave an Example John 13.14 15. 'T is a shame for Man to be so-Proud where God hath been so Humble c. Notewel Secondly As Christ was Conceived in the Womb of the Virgin so must He be Conceived in the Heart of a Christian Gal. 4.19 Paul had a Travelling Spirit till Christ were formed in them This he did promote by two Means 1. By casting the Seed of the Word into their Souls which being Hid in the Heart Psal 119.11 and Well Watered there by the Ordinances will Through Grace breed Christ 2. He presseth them to min â—his word with Faith Heb. 4.2 otherwise It will be as a Miscarrying Womb No sooner did Mary Believe what the Angel had told her but she straight way Conceived Christ Luke 1.35 38. So Faith is a necessary Ingredient for Conceiving Christ Spiritually for Christ dwells in our Hearts by Faith Eph. 3.17 All which we may know by the â—abe's Motion as in the Womb. And without this we can have no comfort in the Literal unless we can feel the stirrings of the Spiritual Conception also The Antients say That Mary carry'd Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in her Heart as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in her Arms. Notewel Thirdly As the Literal so the Spiritual Conception cannot be wrought by any Power of Nature but by the Overshadowings of the Spirit of Grace As the Watry Cloud Overshadows a Fleece of Wool and the Rain thereof soaks and sinks into it insensibly so did the Spirit into the Virgin 's Womb and so sometimes into our Hearts Many may abound with the Power of Nature and be indued with all Natural Excellencies yet not have Christ Conceived or formed in their Hearts This cannot be till the Power of the Holy Ghost come upon us which the Wisest Sages and the greatest Luminaries of the Heathen World were strangers to 1 Cor. 2.8 Eph. 4.18 No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 There can be no fiducial Assent of the Heart to own Christ as our Lord but by the Spirit Notewel Fourthly As Christ was Conceived by the Holy Ghost that Man's Nature and Sin might be Severed Asunder All born from the first Adam had Nature and Sin so joined together that none could take Man's Nature but He must take his Sin too till the second Adam came to part these two by his Supernatural Conception So All that have Christ Conceived in their Hearts by the Over-shadowings of the Spirit shall feel this parting Power of Christ who was the first from Adam that purify'd Man's Nature and parted it from Sin Thus it was in Regenerated Paul The good He would do He did not The evil He would not Do He Did Rom. 7.19 Sin was one thing in him and Nature Imported in the word I was another would to God we may All have this parting power of Christ to say as the Apostle 't is no more I but Sin that Dwells in me that though we keep the Nature of Man yet Sin may be parted from us As a spark of Fire may but up Towns and Cities c. So this Spirit of Burning can consume a World of Corruption in us Notewel The Fifth Mystery arises from the Third Particular to wit The Commotion at Christ's Conception Joseph cannot sleep Mary must be put away and the Angel must come to quiet all c. Mat. 1.19 20. Thus there is much ado when Christ is conceived in any Christian Heart such a one presently becomes a Table-Talk A Song of the Drunkards Psal 69.12 Men say He is Mad or at least Melancholy Acts 2.13 15. Mark 3.21 Oh what a Rout is made about it and nothing but an Angel from Heaven can hush all not only without in the World but also within in the Christian's own Conscience c. CHAP. III. AFter Christ's Conception followeth his Birth to be Discussed wherein consider five Particulars 1. The Person of whom he was Born 2. The Time When. 3. The Place Where 4. The Manner How 5. The Manifestation of it First of the First First The Person of whom He was Born Wherein two Branches be observable 1. He was Born of a Virgin 2. Of the Virgin Mary Mat. 1.23 1. Of a Virgin for three reasons 1. That he might be freed from the Guilt of Sin which comes by the course of Nature All have sinned in Adam Rom. 5.12 who proceed from his Loins by ordinary Procreation Though Christ was as a Man in Adam yet not simply so as other Men Are both from Adam and by Adam He was from him in his Humane Nature but not by him as a Procreant Cause by Ordinary Generation Therefore was he Born of a Virgin not in the common course of Nature that the purity of his Conception and Birth might sanctifie the Impurity of Ours Christ Began at the farther end of Man's Sin the first Tincture whereof is when Conceived and Brought Forth both in Iniquity Psal 51.5 That he might be our Compleat Saviour The 2d Reason is To Fulfil the Prophecies of Him Isa 7.14 Gen. 3.15 A Virgin shall bring forth Immanuel and the Seed of the Woman Born without the Seed of Man shall be the Breaker of the Serpent's Head and by this Signal and Singular Sign he was known to be the Saviour of the World The 3d Reason is That the strangeness of Christ's Birth might awake a Drowzy World to expect strange matters by his Life Yea much more than at the strange Births of Isaac Jacob Moses Samuel Samson and John Baptist The World did wonder a little at it Luke 2.18 'T is a wonder that they wondred no more that Christ should be Born of a Woman without Man whereas All the World wonders after the Beast Rev. 13.3 and not at this that the Son of God became the Son of Man to make us Sons of Men to be the Sons of God Learn hence a fourfold Mystery 1. What is Impossible with Man is yet possible with God Mat. 19.26 That a Virgin should bear a Son is Impossible by the Power of Nature yet Possible by the Power of God 'T was Impossible in Nature that Sarah when her Womb was Old and Cold should bear a Son yet was it possible with
gives no occasion here for any undutifulness to Parents but only that Natural Offices and Carnal Respects must give way to those that are Spiritual and Heavenly and that opportunities for Grace are hasty and headlong so must be quickly caught as the Eccho catcheth the Voice There is no use for after-wit His Father might be Buried by other hands v. 22. Let the dead in Sin bury their dead in Nature Sinners are but breathing Ghosts c. 1 Tim. 5.6 Be thou an Heir of Life 1 Pet. 3.7 The Third Remark is Luke 9.57 c. Mentions a third that proffer'd to be Christ's Follower ver 6 62. but he must bid farewel to his Friends Christ alludes in his Answer v. 62. to what Elisha did 1 Kin. 19.19 shewing that Preaching the Kingdom of God was more necessary than all these excuses and he that lookâ— back cannot make straight Furrows with the Plow of the Gospel c. CHAP. XVIII THE next mighty Miracle after this reproving Farewel to those three pretending Followers aforementioned was Christ's calming the Tempestuous Sea which the Prince of the Air Eph. 2.2 had blown up to drown Christ and his little Church Mat. 8.23 Mark 4.36 Luke 8.22 Assuredly the Devil was in this mighty Storm as he was in that which brained Job's Children Job 1.19 Though the Lord was not in that Ruach Gedolah or Strong Wind 1 Kin. 19.11 The First Remark hereon then is As 't is said the Disciples took him even as he was in the Ship Mark 4.36 So it may be said the Devil took him there also for no sooner had our Lord opened his Mouth to Preach that excellent Parabolical Sermon in the Ship Mark 4.1 2 c. but launching out a little from shore to Sea in the same Ship presently Hell opens its Mouth and pours out a Mighty Tempest which es call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 8.23 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 8.23 which signifies a Sea quake the Sea-Man's Misery another Euroclydon Acts 27.14 that strikes upon all the thirty two Points of the Compass it being not one Wind properly but the conflict of many contrary Winds overturning all in its way to drown Christ Rev. 12.5 and his Church tho' the Disciples were Fishermen and so used to Storms yet this unusual one affrighted them yea tortur'd and tormented them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Mark 6 48. The Second Remark is This Ship wherein Christ was Imbarqued with his Disciples is an Emblem of the Church which is in name the Ship Royal or Soveraign most superlatively so having the King of Kings imbarqued with his Queen in it there is much Congruity betwixt them beside name though some disparity The Parallel parts be these 1. Christ is the Captain of this Mystical Ship Heb. 2.10 2. Christ's Cross is the Mast 3. The Sails are Divine Affections 4. The Ballast is Humility 5. The Tackling is Patience and Perseverance 6. The Mariners are the Angels 7. The Cargo or Fraught and Lading is the Souls of Just men 8. The Card for guiding her Course is the Word of God 9. The Wind that drives her end-ways is the Breathings of the Spirit 10. The Haven she is hastning unto is Heaven and Happiness 11. Her Rudder is Love 12. Her Anchor is Hope 13. Her Top-Flag is Faith 14. Her Stern is the Power of God 15. Her Materials she is made up of as Mystical Oak-Planks are the Saints Rivetted together and close clinked one with another by the Union of Grace and Bond of Peace And 16. The Word or Motto Written on it is onemimur non suppremimur We are perplexed but not destroyed 2 Cor. 4.8 9 c The Third Remark is Though there be so much Congruity not only in that Royal name and in all these parallel Parts and Materials but also in state and motion the Church being as a Ship a rolling tumbling thing yet there is a Disparity in other Circumstances that cannot run through in Parallel lines As First Time Rots the stoutest and strongest built Ship but it cannot the Church which endureth for ever Indeed the Sea that the Church Sails in is the World which is call'd a Sea of Glass mingled with fire Rev. 15.2 for she subsists not by worldly strength the World being too brickle a thing as brickle as Glass and cannot sustain her yet fills her with many Combustions and Fires of Tribulation John 16.33 wherein also she meets with many a Stormy Tempest 'T is mostly with the Church here as with the Ship Mat. 14 23. which had the Winds quite contrary and like those passing the Straits of Magellan where which way soever a man bends his course he shall be sure to have the Wind sit cross against him yet here is the Difference for the Church's comfort that Christ her Pilot can fail with contrary Winds and causeth all Winds both the North and the Southwind to blow good to her Cant 4.16 and though she roll and tumble about in her natural civil and spiritual capacities and relations as in particular Men Common-wealths and Administrations sometimes she is in Egypt sometimes in the Wilderness so in Canaan and in Babylon c. yet is she sure to pass her Militant State in Earth and to Land safe and Triumphant in Heaven besides Tossing the Church with Tempests makes her better and not worse Jer. 48.12 Psal 55.19 The Second Disparity betwixt the Church and a Ship is not only as before in respect of Duration the Church lasting longer than the strongest Ship in the World but also in respect of a different Motion for the proper way and motion of a Ship is a descending downward into the Deep Psal 107.23 26. but the peculiar motion of the Church is an Ascending upward toward Heaven Prov. 15.24 The way of Life it above to the wise c. Phil. 3.20 c. The Third Disparity Some Sea-faring Man may by some mischance miscarry in the Ship and be drowned but such as are truly of and in the Church cannot totally and finally fall If you be really imbarqued in the same bottom with Christ you shall certainly be saved Christ loses none of those whom his Father gave him John 17.12 18.9 If God gave to Paul the Lives of all that sailed with Him So that not one man lost his Life in that Shripwrack Acts 27.22 24. How much more hath the Father done this to the Son only there must be a tarring in the Ship v. 31. Eâ—tra Ecclesiam nulla salus All out of Noah's Ark were drowned so Isa 60.12 c. The Fourth Disparity Yea the Ship it self as well as some Shipman may be Shipwrack'd as Paul's Ship was Acts 27.41 but the Church can never Founder at Sea c. Jerome saith â—anquam polus septentrionalis semper versatur nunquam mergitur She is like the North Pole Stars call'd the Little Bear always Wheels round about the Axis but never descends down out of the Horizon and much less is drowned
Hope which have a purifying property Acts 15.9 1 John 3.3 N. B. Note well 1. The Gospel of grace is Congruous to a Besom made up of many Wands or Rods as it is a Complication of many Golden Truths and when it was first preached and applyed as a Besom to the Old Jerusalem it found that place far unlike the New Jerusalem which is paved with pure Gold Revel 21.21 but was more filthy than Samaria and Sodom it self Ezek. 16.47 yet then many Thousands of lost Groats were found out in it Acts 2.41 and 4 4. and 5.14 This New Besom swept clean indeed as the hot Sunshine in the Spring time sweeps clean the Streets so did the hotter Sunshine of the Gospel from the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 at this time and in this place So in Samaria many Silver pieces were sound which had been lost in the Dirt of Simon Magus's Sorcery and Atheism Acts 8.10 to 25. Oh! Bless God this Besom still lasts and Oh that it may sweep London for lost Groats N. B. Note well 2. More especially this Besom here is that grace of the Gospel to wit Repentance and so t is explained ver 10. a Sinner that Repented 't is a Christ-finding and a Soul-finding grace there is a time for all things a time for losing while in the Wilderness of sin and a time of finding as in Jer. 2.14 In her Month they shall find her when her time of Love from Christ cometh Ezek. 16.8 Now the Soul awakes out of the Sleep of sin in Christ's Image Ps 17.15 Eph. 5.14 The old House is made new in all parts 2 Cor. 5.17 1 Pet. 2.24 Eph. 2.1 2 3. This grace of Repentance sweeps sin out of all Members of the Body and faculties of the Soul c. N. B. Note well 3. This House that is swept is either 1. The great World 2 Tim. 2.20 whereof God is the bullder Hebr. 3.4 an House made up of manifold Materials and consists of upper and lower Rooms and Christ will sweep all the Dirt of Antichrist out of this World Zech. 13.2 when his own time comes he will take to himself his great power Rev. 11.15 17. God will do it in his time Isa 60.22 N. B. Note well 4. This House is 2. Meant Man the little World who is as an House made of many Materials 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all differing Members and Faculties Doors of the Ears and Windows of the Eyes differing Rooms the Heart is the inner Room which should be the Guest Chamber for the Passover Luke 22.12 the large upper Room Mark 14 15. and for Christ's Dwelling-House Eph. 3.17 This House needs Repairing Christ is the Repairer of Breaches Isa 58.12 His Father did work he wrought in the first Creation called Creatio transiens but the Son works in the New Creation which is called Creatio continuans a continual and daily work John 5.17 This House in the fallen Estate is as Babylon Revel 18.2 an Habitation of Devils till Christ come to sweep them out Luke 11.21 22. There remains still the unrenewed part Some Blood to be cleansed away which is not yet cleansed Joel 3.21 2 Cor. 7.1 Therefore must we use this Besom of Repentance every Sabbath every Sermon especially at every Sacrament where not one crum of Leaven should be left Exod. 12.15 cleanse this House as Hezekiah did the House of God 2 Chron. 29.16 18. and Nehemiah did after Nehem. 13.7 8. and Christ also John 2.15 Matth. 21.12 N. B. Note well Take heed we sin not away God and his Gospel woe to us if God go from us Hos 9.12 we may embrace the Gospel for a while and then kick it out of doors as Amnon did Tamar 2 Sam. 13.14 15 17. the like is said John 5.35 Gal. 4.15 They then would have pulled the Preachers Eyes out 't is sad when God forsook Shiloh Jer. 7.12 having lost the Ark of Gods presence 't is sad when Gods House is left Desolate Matth. 23.38 'T is sad to live in a Land of Darkness without Gospel Light Matth. 4.16 't is sad when God saith they that are filthy let them be filthy still 1 Cor. 14.38 Revel 22.11 They shall have no more of my Candle light and See John 12.35 Oh blessed be God who now feeds us as Lambs in a large place Hos 4.16 and after the manner of Lambs Isa 5.17 even in a Fathers Bosom Isa 40.11 yea with clean Provender Isa 30.23 but 't is sad when God saith Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Hos 4.17 I cast him out of my care I will not feed you Zech. 11.9 't is sad when God saith so and that the Kingdom of God shall be taken from us Matth. 21.43 even that which we have and what we seem to have Matth. 25.29 Luke 8.18 't is a great loss to lose the Gospel Job preferred it above his food Job 23.12 and Luther cryed Mallem in inferno c. I had rather live in Hell with the Gospel than in Heaven without it and it was our Fathers saying brown Bread and the Gospel was good cheat Oh how may our Sun set at Noon Amos 8.9 Caution Nonpayment of Rent Dues and Customs makes a forfeiture then pay the Custom of Prayer and Praises that as we have received the Candle and Besom of this blessed Gospel from our Fore-fathers so we may continue it with us while we live and transmit it to our Posterities when we dye but if our superfluity of sin be not seen by the Candle and swept out by the Besom Jam. 1.21 if we thus improve not the Gospel of peace how may the woe of War Blood Fire and Smoak come upon us Acts 2.19 Matth. 21.41 Evertit swept was turned into Evertit swept away as the Old World by Water and shall again be by fire at last c. The 3d Parable is That of the lost Son Luke 15.12 to the end take a short prospect and paraphrase upon this Parable Remark 1. The first Mystery of it is the Man here is God who hath two Sons the Jews and the Gentiles The Elder Son the Jews do envy that God magnifies his Mercy more to the younger Brother those Sinners of the Gentiles so called Gal. 2.15 than to them which Christ reproves Matth. 20.15 Remark 2. The Second Mystery of it is to Demonstrate how God doth delight in Mercy Mic. 7.18 which is seen in his readiness to receive the worst of sinners when they return to him by Repentance even a Manasseh and a Mary Magdalen c. those two None-such sinners and so this penitent Prodigal here set forth by many seemingly mis-becoming passions and postures of a Father to such a Son ver 20. Remark 3. The main purport of this Parable is also to view the Threefold State of Man in general 1. His Righteous State in his first Generation God made Man upright Eccles 7.29 Man was then an happy Child or Son in his Fathers Family but having got
so save only the difference of that was Descending but this is Ascending every sanctified Soul is taken up through the Roof of that House where it departs from the Body in an Heavenly Charet drawn by the Holy Angels and carryed therein into a Mansion of glory as the Prophet Elijah as well as the Patriarch Enoch were extraordinarily Translated in Body as well as Soul But on the contrary the Rich Glutton was as greedily seized upon by the Devils who carryed him down into Hell as the Angels had most Honourably handed Lazarus into Heaven The Glutton while he was Alive seemed to be set at the Right Hand of Christ in all his Worldly Felicity but now when he was dead we find him placed at the left Hand of Christ among the stinking Goats according to the Phrase Matth. 25.33 34 41. Whereas Lazarus in his life had seemed to be set at Christs left Hand in his Leprosie and Poverty yet after his Death he is seated at Christs Right Hand among the Blessed Sheep c. This difference made a great Man cry Mallem Craesus esse vivens sed Socrates morlens I would have the Rich Mans Life but rather the poor Mans Death N. B. Note well The Glutton is now gone to his own place as is said of Judas Act. 1.25 and possibly with as much noise as Judas did whose Bowels did Bityst out ver 18. Because he had no Bowels of Compassion towards his Master his Belly broke in the midst with an huge crack as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth yea and possibly with as much Stench and Noise in the Air as was at Cardinal Wolleys Death and Burial However he is now in a place where he had punishment without pitty who had shewn no pitty Misery without Mercy who had shewn no Mercy Sorrow without Succour Crying without Compassion Mischief without Measure and Torments without End and past Imagination This Teacheth us that great Truth Sinfull pleasures in this Life are punished with painfull Torments in the next Life Say to the Wicked it shall be ill with them c. Isa 3.11 Such go away into Everlasting punishment c. Matth. 25.46 Gehennae Meminisse non sinit in Gehennam Incidere saith Chrysostom to remember what Hell is for Horrour and Terrour might be a good means to hinder Men from being Hurryed into Hell Would but the Wicked Man take a turn or two in Hell daily by a serious and seasonable Meditation this would forewarn him of wrath to come c. If he be not forewarned it had been better for him that he had never been born Mat. 26.24 Mar. 14.21 N. B. Note well Here follows the Dialogue between this Damned Glutton and Father Abraham in whose Bosom glorified Lazarus was lodged from ver 23. to the end of ver 31. First the occasion of this Dialogue was this Damned Soul seeing afar off Lazarus whom he had despised on Earth so highly Advanced in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hell which is so called ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non Video as it is a place of darkness wherein nothing can be seen the fire thereof gives no light nor sight of Comfort yet is he said here in this dark Hell to lift up his Eyes which he had neglected to do unto God in Prayer while he was upon Earth and who could not now lift up himself out of this place of Torment yet can he out of this outer darkness as Hell is called Mat. 8.12 22.13 25 30. look upward to the light of Heaven for his greater Torment in beholding Lazarus Happy whom he would not look downward upon from his Pinacle of Earthly Prosperity in his Life-time and now feeling himself in endless Misery how-like was he to the blind Mole that never 't is said opens her Eyes untill she be dying Vtinam ubique de Gehennâ Dissereretur saith Chrysostom would to God Ministers would Preach of Hell every where that at least fear of punishment might drive Men from wickedness when love to Life and Salvation will not draw them to Holiness and the love of Christ constrains them not 2 Cor. 5.14 Thus far the Occasion now Secondly the Dialogue it self which consists of two General parts the 1. Is the Humble Petition of this Damned Soul which he in all simplicity presented unto Father Abraham sitting in a Mansion of glory with blessed Lazarâ—â— in his Bosom The 2. Is Father Abrahams Answer to his Petition entirely Negative rendring weighty Reasons why his Request must be Rejected both as to the cooling of his Tongue by sending Lazarus to Hell with a little water c. and as to the Converting his Brethren by sending Lazarus to them on Earth Take these few Remarks upon the whole The first in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Typical Exemplification is that the Souls have a distinct Existence and Subsistency differing from the Bodles of Mankind they dye not with the Body nor sleep after Death noâ— are they shut up in Subterraneal Caves but all Spirits or Souls at the Death of the body returns to God that gave them Eccles 12.7 from whence they receive their everlasting Doom of either Come ye Blessed or Depart ye Cursed c Remark the 2. As the Souls of the Godly do immediately pass after Death into a place of Bliss and Happiness in Heaven so the Souls of the wicked accordingly do then depart into a place of Torment and Misery The Scripture of Truth so called Dan. 10.21 doth not Note any middle place betwixt them save only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or great Gulf fixed a place unpassable from the two Extreams Abraham knew no passage and Holy Peter knew as little thereof 2 Pet. 2.4 Nor Jude ver 6. Therefore Popery in its Doctrine of Purgatory is but a Fancy and Foppery 't is but the Popes new discovery of a mere Chimera or vain fiction c. Remark the 3. Damned Souls are void of the least degree of Ease and Relief the time will come when the proudest sinner may have need of the Meanest Saint to relieve them after Death whom they would not relieve in their Life but rather Reviled yea and famished them yet cannot shall not they receive any Relief from them but this shall be an Aggravation of their Torments to behold those Happy whom they had formerly despised and themselves Miserable Oh! How wellcom might Lazarus be now to him in Hell whom he starved to Death at his Gates Remark the 4th In Hell there will be peculiar Torments for every part of wicked Men as 1. Their wanton Eyes shall be tormented with a sight of ugly Shapes of Devils 2. Their delicate Ears with the Horrible Noise and Outcries of Damned Spirits 3. Their nice and curious Smell with the Poisonfull stink of Fire and Brimstone 4. Their dainty Tast with a most Ravenous and unbearable Hunger and Thirst c. yea and 5. All the Sensible parts shall feel the intolerable Torments of
1 Cor. 15.44 but He changed his place only and they miraculously lost sight of him Luke 24.31 The last Branch of this Holy Conference c. was the Consequences and Effect thereof No sooner was Christ vanisht out of those Disciple's sight This Appearance of the Lord was indeed Joyful to them but it being so short and so suddenly Attended with a Disappearance of Him beyond their expectation this troubled them with a confounding consternation But as soon as they could recover themselves They 1. fall upon a Self tryal reflecting upon their own Folly that they knew Him no sooner Luke 24. v. 32. saying each to other as it were He indeed called us Fools and so we were otherwise we might have known Him before He sat down with us at the Table even while he talked to us and taught us in the way for beside the highest Elegancy of his Discourse and the many ponderous Arguments He poured forth so that never man spake like him as John 7 46. Did we not feel a Divine Efficacy attending his words which inflamed our hearts to astonishment such as we were wont to experience while he used to teach us with Authority before his death On what Fools are we who could not know our own Happiness in his sweet Society before he withdrew himself Thus God teacheth both them and us the worth of Blessings by the want of them This may teach us also that as Christ's words had such a powerful Influence upon them so as to fire up their frozen Affections so it ought to be with us while we sit under Sermons If we remain cold and careless under the Word Preached which is the Key of opening the Scriptures 't is because Christ speaks not in it to inflame our hearts we meet not with the spirit of burning Isa 4.4 to burn off our Rust and to burn up our combustible corruptions the Word of God shall be to us like as fire and as an Hammer to break our Rocky hearts in pieces Jer. 23.29 This is the peculiar work of Christ alone and not of any Minister to inflame the Affections Cathedram in Coelis habet saith Angustin qui corda hominum in terris docet He hath his Pulpit in Heaven that thus teacheth the hearts of men on Earth None can kindle that fire of God which cannot be quenched Cant. 8.6 but God himself he only can baptize us with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Luke 3.16 A drowsie dead frozen heart never profits by the Word 't is a mis-spending of precious time c. The 2d Effect was They rose up the same hour Luke 24.32 33. Here was their Self-denial after their self-tryal in this Transport knowing that their Lord was Rose up from the Grave they likewise like sympathizing Servants Rose up also from the Table and as may well be supposed without eating one bit of Bread though they were two hungry Travellers For they coming to know Christ in breaking of Bread which was the very time he chose to manifest himself and till them suspended their sight as he started out of their company so immediately they started up from the Supper and none can prove that any of them did eat of the Bread then Broken which is a cogent Argument to evidence that it was not Sacramental Bread for 't is blasphemy to think that Christ mocked them with a Sacrament though he might prove these two whether they with Job esteemed his Word and Work above their necessary Food Job 23.12 and as he himself often had done c. As when the Disciples said to him Master eat he answered I have meat to eat that you know not of c. John 4.31 32 33 34. He preferr'd the doing of his Father's Will before the food that was necessary to keep him alive So he did when disappointed of his Breakfast at the Barren Fig-tree Matth. 21.17 23. Though he came hungry into the City yet read we not that he went first into a Victualling-house to satisfie his Appetite but 't is expresly said He directly went into the Temple where he taught the People most part of that day The Zeal of God's house had eaten him up so as he forgot his own eating So the two Disciples here had now other work to do than to stay there any longer and to spend any more time in eating a Supper though their Bread was both blest and broken by Christ himself No they must hasten the same hour to comfort the Distressed and half-dead Disciples Luke 24.33 Hence the 3d Consequence is their Self-resolution though they now were going as others think into Galilee their own Country in order to meet Christ there as both Himself and his Angel had told them Mark 16.7 and were come the first Day 's Journey towards it as far as Emmaus and though it was night-time and themselves both weary and hungry yet up they must get and return back to Jerusalem so foot it by the same footsteps in the Dark they had newly footed over in the Day-light According to this Resolve they renounce their present Repast and their Rest by Night not sparing themselves to do good unto their Disconsolate Fellow-Disciples A good man's heart is where his work lies he cannot think that he lives only to eat but he eats only to live and to do his work as being no Belly-God c. These two as the Lepers 2 Kings 7.9 durst not tarry till the Morning-light lest some mischief should befal them for lingring in a time of good Tidings They were restless till they told it to their Brethren whose hearts were almost broken for the loss of their Lord Mark 16.10 Therefore the good Women were bid to go quickly Matth. 28.7 to bind up their nigh-broken hearts with these Joyful Tidings So here these two Disciples must not now loiter about sitting still at Supper to fill their own Bellies but be gone quickly taking each of them a piece of the blest and broken Bread in their hand as may be supposed and trudge away in post-haste for their Master his Majesty's service late though it was and though they were like to want in their Return that Chariot They had in their Day's-Journey thither Comes pro vehiculo est optimum solatium fodalitium Christ had been their Companion all the day whose sweet company and conference wherewith he entertained them all along the Journey sweetned every Footstep to them and made their Travel no trouble and indeed how could they wander out of the right way to Emmaus while their Guide and Conduct was he who is the way truth and life John 14.6 the way to walk in the truth to walk by and the life to walk with So that they could neither wander nor be weary But now the dark night was come and the light of the day was gone and not only so but their Lord who is the light of the World was gone too yet must they haste haste haste back to the Disconsolate
or leave their Fish behind them this clogg'd their motion v. 8. as worldly things do us Note The Evangelist John here first praiseth Peter's promptness verse 7. then excuseth his own and his Companion 's slowness saying For they were not far from Shore Verse 8. Therefore would it not be long before they should come in the Ship also up seasonably to their Lord The Net was now too full and become so ponderous as was past lifting up and unloading in the Ship therefore were they constrained to drag it along the ground and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to sweep the Channel to the Shore that no Fish should escape Note Which teacheth us 1. Some come to Christ one way and some another some by ordinary means as those Six Disciples did and some by extraordinary as Peter Some by a stronger Faith and others by a weaker 'T is not so much matter what the means be so we be but careful to come to Christ and to come in season to him while he may be found Psal 32.6 and before â—e withdraw himself Cant. 3.1 2 3 c. and 5.3 4 5. Those Six Disciples did no less come to Christ than Peter and with no worse Acceptance for they came soon enough to Dine with him Some make only a very hard shift to get to Heaven the Righteous are scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4.18 that is they have much ado to get home to Heaven like weather-beaten Ships whose Tackling is destroyed by Sâ—orms c. very hardly reach Harbour yet are made as truly happy as those who have an entrance ministred unto them abundantly into the heavenly Kingdom 2 Pet. 1.11 like those Ships that come home in all their Gallantry with Sails spread and Flaggs flying c. Note Learn hence 2. 'T is our comfort as it was theirs that we are not far from Shore though now we be in the midst of the Sea of Misery tossed with Tempests and not comforted Isa 54.11 we are not far from deliverance or from Death c. The fourth Consequence was Christ's kind Invitation of those Seven Disciples to a Dinner upon their Landing and when they were all both weary and hungry c. John 21.9 10 11 12 13. wherein we have a whole bundle of Miracles As 1. At this Seventh Manifestation a vast multitude of Fishes were caught to teach them how prodigious their success among all sorts and sexes of Mankind should be when they were gifted with the Spirit to become Fishers of Men. 2. That the Net was not broken notwithstanding the 153 Fishes it contained whereas such a plentiful Draught as this broke their Net Luke 5.6 yet even that breach was salv'd up with another Miracle that none of those Fishes then caught could get out though the Net was broken Both these taught them these Mysteries The former Draught when the Net broke was at Christ's entrance into his Ministry betokening that the Church in her first State should not be without Schisms and Ruptures for then bad Fish as well as good were taken but this latter Draught was after Christ's Resurrection then there was no Schism or Breach of the Net which was a presage of that marvelous Unity in the Church afterward among those that the Apostles should call by the Gospel Acts 2.42 46. but more especially in the State of the Resurrection More of this infrà 3. That Peter should so wonderfully wade or swim through or as some say walk upon the surface of the Waters as he attempted to do Matth. 14.28 c. without the help of Boat Plank or any such thing so fervent was his Faith Love and desire of Christ's presence that he could admit of no delays in taking along with him any Bladders to bear him up or any Plank or Poll to poize him c. but hastens to his Lord girt as he had been labouring in his shirt accounting it too late to lâ—iter and linger any longer in coming along with his Companions in the Ship whose motion was too slow by bringing such a Draught of Fish with the Ship to Shore and nothing quick enough for him who if he had wings would have with the Angel Gabriel flown swiftly to his Lord c. As he came safe through the Sea to his Saviour so shall we through the Sea of this World that is mingled with Fire even a Sea as brittle as Glass Rev. 15.2 may we be but furnished with the like faith and fervency Faith overcomes the World 1 John 5.4 4. The next Miracle in this Manifestation was a Dinner was prepared for the Disciples upon the Shore after all their toiling and taking nothing all the night at Sea John 21.9 They coming a Shore saw a good Coal-fire both to warm their cold Rodies and to dry their wet Clothes yea and Fish broiling upon the Fire together with Bread prepared in view which may well be call'd Shew-bread all made ready to entertain them all at Land c. Note Here was a Feast of the Lord 's own providing It seems while his Disciples were toiling hard in the duties of their ordinary Calling that their Lord himself was Providor their Cook c. ever mindful of his Moenial Servants He was preparing necessary Sustenance in an extraordinary manner for them against they came ashore weary and hungry so that they find all needful food ready for them Note This broiled Fish was no part of the Fishes that they had caught by his direction for the Lord saith to them after they had seen his own Provisions for them Bring hither of your Fish c. Verse 10. Nor was the Coal fire of their kindling nor the Bread of their bringing out of their Ship store but all were created out of nothing by their Lord 's Creating Power All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made John 1.3 Col. 1.16 Heb. 1.2 3. Jer. 16.11 Note Christ had before he was Crucified indeed fed five thousand and four thousand with a few Leaves and a few Fishes by a miraculous multiplying of them yet that was done from praesupposed matter But here after his Resurrection was wrought a greater Miracle now all these necessaries were by his present greater power produced out of nothing praâ—evisting c. All this was written for our Incouragement Rom. 15.4 to wait upon God in a diligent pursuit of our duties in lawful works and ways then shall we not want necessary Victuals Dwell in the Land and be doing good and verily thou shalt be fed or Hebr. fed by thy Faith Psal 37.3 and Hab. 2.4 as Moses was Exod. 34.28 and as Elijah was â— Kings 17.4 and 19.18 and as Israel was while they waited upon God in the Wilderness according to his command he fed them with Manna and Quails yea gave them Drink out of the sâ—inty Rock Psal 105.40 41. All Creatures obey Christ whose presence here gave them a Specimen of his Divine Providence which never faileth those
of death till they see Christ come in this Kingdom Matthew 16.28 The seventh Comfort is Tho' the ordinary time proposed in the precious promise of Christ's coming to save Zion in the common way of Divine Providence be usually when his whole work is done upon Mount Zion namely 1. His Humbling-work for Sin 2. His Purging and Purifying work from Sin And 3. His Preparing work for her Reception of his saving mercy Isa 10.12 Then will her King come to disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon who have so long disquiet the Inhabitants of Zion Ier. 50.34 Yet by his extraordinary prerogative of free grace sometimes when Zion's King beholds unsufferable insolency in her Enemies This will bring him sooner before he can find any innocency in her self and before that Three-fold work afore said be wrought upon her Observe how the Lord argues I would scatter them c. were it not that I feared the wrath of the Enemy least their adversaries should behave them insolently and say me non voluisse aut non valuisse that I would not or could not save them c. Deu. 32.26 27. Therefore saith the Lord The feet of my Peoples Foes shall slide in due time c. verse 35. but my People themselves shall be exalted in due time 1 Pet. 5.6 If they be not weary of well doing they shall reap in due Season Gal. 6.9 God will not grant the desires of the wicked as David prays least they should exalt themselves Psalms 140 8. His Mercy Triumphs over his Justice James 2.13 and saves them with a Non-obstante with a Nevertheless and with a Notwithstanding their Sins c. Psa 106.8 and 78.38 but 't is more distinctly demonstrated in Ezek the 20. wherein we have the whole sum of the Law and of the Gospel and where mercy many times catcheth hold of the hands of Justice and keeps them from striking his Servants as appeareth from verse 4. to 44. all along God oft wrought for his own name's sake that it should not be polluted c. verse 14 21 and 43 44. when they had more highly provoked him so that he could not save them for their sake yet brought he them into the bonds of the Covenant verse 37. yea and his most gracious repentings were after all this so kindled together as to cry out how shall I give the up Ephraim I cannot find in my heart to be so unkind to thee for I am God and not man and I have holy ones in the midst of thee c. Hos 11.8 9. I will not destroy the Vine for the sake of the few Clusters that have blessings in them Isa 65.8 God would not destroy Sodom and her four Cities had there been found but ten Righteous Persons in those five Cities Gen. 18.32 We therefore do well to argue in prayer to God as Moses did What will the Egyptians say c. Exodus 32.12 and Numb 14 13 14. and as Joshua What wilt thou do to thy great Name Joshua 7.7 8 9. both those Arguments then did prevail with God and why not now c The eighth Cordial is Tho' God will and out of his very faithfulness Psal 119.75 Chastize his Childern for whom he loves he chastens yet he doth not love to chasten Heb. 12.6 7 8. Rev. 3.19 Lam. 3.33 He hath tears in his eyes when a Rod is in his hand c. Therefore he assureth us he will not chide for ever least their Spirits should fail and the souls that he hath made c. Isa 57.15 16 17 18 19. He always corrects in measure Jer. 30.11 and measures it only out by Peck and by Peck and not by whole Bushels at once as the Hebrew runs staying his rough wind in the day of his East wind Isa 27.7 8. The Lord saith I will hear your cryes for I am gracious Exo. 22.27 And even as a Father pitties his Child so the Lord pitties us Psalm 103.13 'T is well known that a little correction satisfies a kind Father for a great fault in his dear Child when the Child swoons under its scourging then the Father lets the Rod fall down on the ground takes up his Child into his Bosom and falls on kissing it to fetch life into it again thus God did to Ephraim Jer. 31.18 20. He stirs not up all his wrath Ps 78.38 but in midst of wrath remembers mercy Hab. 3 2◠〈◊〉 rule is as we are able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 And his anger is but for a very little while and then it ends in burning the Rod. Isa 10 5 25. So that we have need but of a little more patience Heb. 10.36 James 1.4 Rev. 13.10 And God will give an expected end Jeremiah 29.11 The ninth Cordial is Zion's King is not so Titulo tenus in an empty Title and no more but will come and set up his fifth Kingdom after all the four Grand Kingdoms the Assyrian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman be destroyed The Humane Philosophers do question whether there be a Quinta Essentia a Fifth Essence distinct from the four Elements Earth Water Air and Fire Yet Divine Daniel doth demonstrate that there shall be a Fifth Kingdom tho' Daniel doth obscurely compare the four aforesaid Kingdoms unto four Boysterous and Blustering Winds Dan. 7.2 the fourth whereof namely that of the Roman Caesars was more violent and more permanent than any of the other Three for first The Foundation of that Kingdom was laid in violence and blood at the beginning of it as Julius Caesar who was the first of the Caesars was violently as it were digged out of his Mothers belly when he came into the World and accordingly was his Soul as violently digged out of his Body with stabbing Bodkins when he went out of the World And secondly This last of the four blustering Winds hath lasted longest in blood and violence for near to Two thousand years But we are told of a small still Wind or Voice 1 Kings 19.11 12. which had the Lord in it whereas neither the strong Wind nor the Earthquake nor the Fire all foregoing had none of them the Lord in them This small still breathing Wind or Voice may have a relation to the Kingdom of Christ who is call'd a Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 and Peace upon Earth good will to men Luke 2.14 and whose Kingdom consists of Peace and Joy Rom. 14.17 This is the small still Voice that will at last most effectually becalm all the four violent Winds c. But Daniel doth more plainly declare the four aforesaid Kingdoms all which he expresly compared to four foul Beasts Dan. 7.3 4 5 6 7. then after the final fall of all those four Beastly Kingdoms he addeth a fifth Kingdom which he calleth the Kingdom of a Man verse 13 14. to wit of God-man the Lord Jesus whose Kingdom shall never be destroyed N.B. Christ's Kingdom hath not a finis consumptionis but only a finis consummationis Tho' it shall be
not so bad as to live without a Calling in the World Of this before at large The second Divine Truth Moses teacheth in this History is That every Man beside his particular Calling must mind his general Calling also There be some Atheistical Persons that stick not to say Let those that have leisure from secular Employs such as Church-men are attend upon the Service of God such as have nothing else to do let them Pray Hear Read and mind Matters of Religion we have other things to heed and to trouble our Head withal we must not Neglect our Callings Dare such Men make themselves worse than Cain who though he had his Calling yet could he as well as Abel set some time apart for the Service of God And so ought all Men to do the particular Calling must not justle out the general for the former is sanctified by the latter as Gen. 24.13 27. Psal 90. last 1 Cor. 10.31 The Duties of our general Calling are to help us in the Duties of our particular as Christs being in the Temple among the Doctors was not any hinderance to him from going home to be subject to his Parents Luke 2.46 51. There is a proper Season for both and every thing is beautiful in its peculiar Season Subordinate things are not contrary but may and must consist together Christs conversing in the Temple rather qualified him for than obstructed him in his filial Subjection so our conversing with Christ in the Temple in ways of Religion which is our general Calling as Gods Servants must make us return home better Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants Ministers People in all the Duties of our particular Calling we lose that sanctifying Influence of Sermons Suppers Sabbaths when we do not carry home some more sweetness of Spirit to our Relations from them than we brought with us to them As the Merchant going out in a Morning about his Merchandizing if he meet with some bad Bargain or disappointment in his Traffick and Trading he returns home in so morose an Humour that none of his Family can please him no not though they all do their Duty so to do but if on the contrary this same Merchant meet another Morning with some brave Bargains that will advance his Estate and fill his Coffers Oh with what Candour and sweetness of Spirit doth he return home then is he all Honey and Love no Action no Relation can displease or disoblige him he takes all things that are done by the right Handle and putteth a most Candid Construction even upon Deeds done amiss to himself yea carries sweetly to all all that day unless or until another bad Bargain happen in losses and crosses to unhinge his Spirit again and to make him uneasie in himself Just so it is with a Christian that Spiritual Merchant Mat. 13.45 Let him go out in a Morning to the Ordinances of God if he there meet with a purchase of the Pearl of price Oh what an Heart-changing and a Life-changing Work is wrought upon that Man he may then say Ego non sum ego I am not the same Man I was as one once said to his tempting Curtizan he returns home filâ—'d with meekness and lowliness which he hath learnt from Christ by his conversing with him in his Ordinances Mat. 11.28 29. But if any return home from Gods Worship with sourness of Spirit 't is an Infallible Evidence that they have made no good Bargains for their Souls at that time for 't is an undeniable truth that the Duties of our general Calling should better dispose us for the Duties of our particular Callings No Man is Born principally to serve himself in his particular Calling but his God and himself in Subordination to God and so the particular Calling must be Subordinate to the general and Prayer which is a duty of the general Calling must every Morning fetch down a Blessing upon the Duties of the particular Yea 't is not enough to pray for Gods Blessing upon our Labours in the Morning only and so walk with a carnal careless frame of Heart all the day in our worldly Affairs no but we should drive on the Trade of godliness as well as our own Trades in holy Ejaculations all the day long so shall we be both in Gods fear and in Gods favour all the day Prov. 23.17 and this is dividing aright for God He is a wise Merchant indeed that can drive a Trade in both Indies but he is wiser that can drive on his particular Calling on Earth and his general in Heaven Those two Sons of Adam are mindful of both those Trades and Callings and their practice is for us a pattern as is apparent from those particulars 1. Cain and Abel lived not in the State of Innocency but in that of the Fall as we do Had Man never sinned God expected some solemn Service from him how much more needful is our serving God since the Fall for testifying our Repentance and for Sueing out our Pardons and for seeking Reconciliation with God from whom we have faln and with whom we have faln out even into an enmity against him Rom. 8.7 Col. 1.21 These two Sons of Adam were in the same State we are in the faln State and what they did for recovery out of that State we ought likewise to do the same 2. This Service of theirs was after the promise of Christ in the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 that first Gospel which ever was Preached so 't was Gospel-service which Cain and Abel performed here and surely Evangelical Duties concern us as well as them yea us more than them seeing Christ was only promised to them but he is manifested to us and preached to all Nations therefore we should abound in our Religious Service more than they 3. This Service of Cain and Abel was before Moses long before the Law so it doth not concern the Jews only but us Gentiles also even all Men in general to the end of the World This Service of those two Sons Adam was a natural Duty long before it was written in the Moral Law was a Law written in their Hearts to acknowledge Gods Soveraignty over them and their Dependency upon him Rom. 2.15 so that none of Adam's Off-spring can plead exemption from this natural Duty but all Jews and Gentiles that have been are or shall be are equally bound by the very Law of Nature to this Moral Duty of some Spiritual Service and Worship to God 4. And Lastly This Service of theirs was done per modum Sacrificii by way of Sacrifice and so it representeth to us the great Sacrifice for sin to wit Christ upon the Cross and it also remindeth us of all those Spiritual Sacrifices which we must offer up to God in Gospel-times to wit the Sacrifices of a broken Heart and of a contrite Spirit bleeding for sin Psal 51.17 yea and Sacrifices of praise our Thank-offerings to God for his providing us such a Saviour Psal