Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	believe_v	faith_n	let_v	3,688	5	4.6491	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42583	An essay toward the amendment of the last English-translation of the Bible, or, A proof, by many instances, that the last translation of the Bible into English may be improved the first part on the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses / by Robert Gell ...	Gell, Robert, 1595-1665.	1659 (1659)	Wing G470; ESTC R21728	842,395	853

in the inmost of thine assemblies For if saith Ignatius ye often come together to the thanksgiving and glory of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the powers of Satan are destroyed his fiery darts of temptations which he casts to inflame us unto sin are rendred ineffectual Your unnanimity and agreement in the faith is his destruction and the torment of his Angels So he Nor is the danger of neglecting this fault contemptible They who come not up to keep the feast of Tabernacles shall have no rain Zach. 14.16 17. Men have long looked at Christ without them and many hundred years since Now the Prophet speaking of the times of the Gospel and dispensation of the spirit the eighth day invites all nations to come to the spiritual Jerusalem to keep the feast of Tabernacles that now at length they may own him the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the indwelling Deity who doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take up his Tabernacle in us that they may come that is believe John 6.35 and that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith Ephes 3. Yea Christ himself cries out on the eighth day of that feast he that is a thirst let him come to me and drink If men come not so to him nor believe in him so that he may dwell in their hearts by faith they shall have no rain no showers of blessings nor shall the rivers of living water flow out of their belly which he spake of the spirit which the believers on him should afterward receive John 7.37 38 39. All these laid together make the feast of Tabernacles appear the most excellent of all the rest as being the last and the eighth day of that feast more excellent then all the other Indeed as I shewed before it 's no part of the feast but a supernumerary day a day which imports an excellency as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to be redundant and abounding which also import excellency This octonarius the number of eight is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is interpreted numerus pinguedinis numerus compositus ex primo numero binario intra denarium impingantus a number of fatness because it hath the name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pinguem esse to be fat abounding with mysteries as also because it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oyl a principal figure of Gods good spirit which signifies the fatness of Gods house Psal 36.8 fatness wherewithal the soul is satisfied Psal 63.5 That oyle which swims aloft above all legal ceremonies above the septenary of the legal Sabbath above all compulsions of the Law nor comes it at all by the works of the law but by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 Do we keep this feast unto the Lord as we ought All his feasts are holy convocations and to be proclaimed such Levit. 23.2.37 And the Church is assembled together in Gods and Christs name which is holy 1 Cor. 5.4 And we must be holy as he is holy The proselyte to be adjoyned unto the Church is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to draw out and gather up such is the Church of God and Christ such as are drawn out of hell and assembled and gathered unto God Such is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a congregation and assembly of holy ones called out of the world which lies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 5.19 in the evil one which is more truly so rendred than by our Translators who turn it wickedness 1 John 5.19 Therefore every one of those who were baptized professed an abrenuntiation of the evil one saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I renounce Satan before he adjoyned himself to Christ saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I list myself in the roll of Christs souldiers And hence it was that the sons of Israel kept the feast of the Pasover before they kept the feast of Tabernacles The restraint of the 7th day the restraint from the sin before the restraint of the eight day the addicting binding and consecrating themselves to God and his righteousness Yea the sin is supposed to be consumed before we keep the feast of Tabernacles according to what Moses wrote Numb 33.2 Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys Numb 33. v. 2. by the commandement of the Lord The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It were authority enough for those journeys if written only by the commandement of the Lord but it adds much to the authority of that journal containing 42. journeys of Israel that Moses wrote them at from or according to the mouth of the Lord as the words properly signifie so that the Lord dictated unto Moses who was the Lords Amanuensis and wrote according to from or at the mouth of the Lord. Now the first journey was from Ramasses to Succoth Numb 33.5 How does that concern our present business Much if we consider when they took their journey from Ramasses viz. on the morrow after the Passover ver 3. when now we become conformable unto the death of Christ the lamb slain the true Passeover offered for us and begin to purge out the old leaven of malice though that word malice in English signifies hatred but so doth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which it answers in the Greek I wish it were rather turned naughtiness or leudness when we have begun to purge out the leaven of leudness on the morrow after the passeover they went from Ramasses that is the melting and dissolving of the iniquity which moulders away and consumes by conformity to the death of the lamb and therefore the Psalmist saith that the ungodly shall perish and the enemies of the Lord those of our own household shall consume as the fat or what of the lambs is pretious they shall fail or fade away as the smoak Psal 37.20 David compares sin to the fat of lambs offered for the burnt sacrifices which is easily dissolved and melted upon the altar such is the melting of the iniquity signified by Ramasses from whence they journeyed to Succoth that is Booths Tents or Tabernacles That was their first journey They encamped at Succoth which was the occasion that the Lord took for instituting the feast of Tabernacles according to Levit. 23.42 43. All they who keep this feast are the home-born of Israel who are pure in heart Psal 73.1 Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile John 1.47 who walk according to the rules of the feast Gal. 6.16 whereof we have heard the first The eighth day Israel must have a solemn assembly or rather a restraint and retention The second rule of the feast is 2. Ye shall do no servile work therein word for word ye shall do no work of servitude Therein is a supplement how needful I shall shew anone Herein we must inquire 1. what this servile work or work of servitude is And it is hard to say since disputes of the Canonists and Summists about

therefore Moses having exhorted Israel to keep himself adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and keep thy soul diligently The first precept is only keep thy self let it be thine only care And when he thought that was not enough he added and keep thy soul diligently The like addition we have Zeph. 2.1 Scrutamini vos ipsos search your selves an act of great diligence Zeph. 2. v. 1. yet the Prophet presently adds scrutamini and search But a man cannot take heed or observe himself as he ought unless he first know himself and therefore that precept which was famous among the wise Heathen Know thy self was said to come down from heaven That we may the better understand this we must be very careful to make a Spagyric separation and exactly sever that which is truly the mans self from what is untruly so called For although a man hath in him much of the brute nature while he lives according to sense and though every man hath in him some degree of reason though most-what corrupt and defective while he lives according to what is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the natural animalish or souly man yet neither of these are truly and properly thy self Thou camest forth from thy God thou art his off-spring Acts 17.29 and thou mayest truly and properly be said to be thy self when thine heart and thy soul is defecated and purged from the defilement of the earthly man and livest according to the words which thine eyes have seen which are the precepts of the heavenly man And this is thy genuine self And therefore Solomon after long inquisition and search after wisdom in the conclusion of his Ecclesiastes Chap. 12.13 Eccles 12. v. 13. Fear God saith he and keep his Commandements the words which thine eyes have seen for this is All man The reason why Israel must onely keep himself his heart his soul diligently may appear from consideration 1. Of the thing to be kept 2. The words to be kept in it 3. The manner measure and degree of keeping them 1. The thing to be kept is thy self thy heart thy soul Of thy self O man thou art weak and the heart and soul which is either thy self or the principal part of thy self its weak and tender and wants keeping And therfore when the Wiseman gives the same precept Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence he useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is properly to keep what is yong tender weak and in danger to be destroyed Whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 has the name which signifies a tender shoot or weak plant in danger to be troden down by the beasts and therefore it s fenc'd about and kept Such and so chary ought to be the keeping of the heart Yea nature it self in the natural heart directs with what care we ought to keep the rational and moral heart It hath about it for a covering a strong skin which they call capsula cordis and about that to fence it a strong wall of ribs and that which we call the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or brest How much more ought the rational and moral heart the minde will and affections to be kept with all yea above all keeping Nam pretium pars haec corpore majus habet This then the body hath a greater price Thou thy heart thy soul is in danger to be lost and that many wayes especially two 1. It s in danger to lose it self by turning away from the Lord Deut. 29.11 running forth to outward things and so corrupting it self 2. It s in danger to be lost by others yet not without the mans own betraying of his own heart As Dalilah stole away Samsons heart But his heart had first run out and followed his eyes Judges 14.2 and then she got his heart 16.16 and betrayed him to his enemies 2. If the Casket be so pretious how much more pretious and excellent is the Jewel in it It is no less no other then the Lord himself Hos 4.10 They have left off to keep the Lord that is to observe and wait on him as his Priests and Levites were wont to do Numb 1.53 and 3.36 and to retain him in their acknowledgement Rom. 1. v. 28. Rom. 1.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. There is reason also why the heart should be thus kept from consideration of the manner measure and degree of keeping it Which in reason must arise with the excellency of the thing to be kept and what is kept in it as also from the tenderness of it and danger to be corrupted and lost All which considerations inforce upon us an exact keeping yea such a keeping as is above all other keepings as the marginal reading hath it Prov. 4.23 Yea adde to these the Wisemans reason on that place Out of the heart are the issues of life whether we speak of the natural heart and the issues of it or of the moral heart and the issues of it both are true For the natural heart is the cause of the natural life Primum vivens and ultimum moriens first living last dead And if we speak of the true life it is Christ which is our life Col. 3.4 who dwels in our hearts by faith with whom when he appears we shall appear in glory Whereof S. John speaks now are we the sons of God but it appears not what we shall be 1 John 3.1 meantime with the heart man believeth unto righteousness Rom. 10.10 And the righteous man lives by his faith Hebr. 10.38 And by faith his heart is purified Acts 15.9 And the pure in heart see God Matth. 5.8 And this is the eternal life to know thee the only God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ John 17.3 So that whether we understand Christ our life or our faith or righteousness by faith and life by faith and purifying the heart by faith or seeing and knowing God and Christ by faith all these refer unto the heart and so out of it are the issues of life Whence it appears that the keeping of the heart is a business of the greatest moment in the world and therefore in all reason it requires a keeping above all keeping Whence we may take notice that 1. The precept is not Take heed or look well to what is thine or to those things or persons that are about thee no nor is it look to thy body nor for what is needful for thy body nor for what may be an ornament unto thy body The precept is directed to thee to thy heart to thy soul to thine immortal soul which is none of all those things but above them all and the taking heed to this the keeping of this must be above all the keeping of them all 2. Hence it appears that Moses supposed in Israel a power to take heed to himself and to keep his heart and his soul diligently For surely Moses would not have given such a serious admonition from the Lord nor would the

ingredient of all the Christian mans actions that pretious tincture that turns all it touches into gold as they say Midas did And what ever wants this divine tincture of holy love t is like the Terra damnata t is nothing worth Hence the Apostles general advise is Let all your things be done in charity 1 Cor. 16.14 A rule so necessary that the very best and greatest duties otherwise performed whether towards God or towards our neighbour are of no value in the sight of God 1 Cor. 13. I shall adde no more motives Let us rather come to discover our love to the Lord our God whether we keep this Commandement or not 1. The love of God proceeds from a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 How then canst thou love thy God when thou sayest thy heart cannot be pure And how can thy faith be unfeigned when thou believest not that thou art able to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart 2. Love will suffer nothing to intervene or separate us from the party we love that may hinder our union Love knits unites and makes one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is continued is one Our love unto God unites us and makes us one with him according to our Saviours prayer John 17.21 and that of the Apostle he who is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Such love of our God will not endure any mixture of what is contrary to our God And therefore S. Paul having exhorted to sincerity of love which is required even in the lowest degree of it as hath been shewen Let love be without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 he presently adds Abhor that which is evil Sincerity of love unto our God will not endure any corrival any thing or person to share with our God in our love of him How then canst thou say thou lovest the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and keepest all that Commandement when yet thou knowest that thou lovest thy pleasures more then thou lovest thy God when thou knowest thou lovest the world and the things of this world Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses Know ye not that the friendship of the world is the enmity of God Jam. 4.4 So the Greek text hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is made an enemy of God Wouldst thou believe thy wife should she say she loved thee whilest she prostitutes her self unto another man And wilt thou pretend to be the loving Spouse of thy Maker yet love his enemy 3. The love of God puts us upon such works as he loves Whence the Apostle This saith he is the love of God that we keep his Commandements It puts us upon the love of our neighbour Love works no evil to his neighbour Rom. 13.10 Ad populum Phaleras Away with all trappings and false pretences of love without the reality of it Good discourse and holy conference proceeding from a life worthy of God and a heart and soul which loves God is an edge which pierceth to the assimilating of others unto it self Such a soul edifies and conveighs grace to the hearers For charity edifies not knowledge not holy talk without it The Pharisees of old knew very much of God and his Word and wayes and spake very much of God And they of all others most reasoned with our Lord concerning God and his truth But our Lord tells them I know that ye have not the love of God in you John 5.42 And we may say the like of the Pharisees of our time They are great talkers of God and of Religion and indeed would seem to be the onely people of God and to know all things knowable They are indeed the true Amorites great Talkers and most bitter men in their invectives against all who are not of their opinion as no wise man is And therefore we may know that they have not the love of God in them They have a knowing knowledge or such as reflects upon it self as the Apostle saith we know that we all have knowledge This knowledge puffs men up and makes them proud but charity edifies 1 Cor. 8.1.2 That knowing knowledge is the dust the food of the Serpentine generation according to their doom Gen. 3.14 which the Prophet Esay 65.25 tells us must be fulfilled in these last dayes a food wherewithal they so glut themselves that there is no place left for the love of God in them Therefore Jehu cuts off and destroyes the knowing knowledge so the Chald. Paraphrast renders 2 Kings 9.8 Every one that pisseth against the wall all the knowing knowledge which excludes the love of God For so the true Jehu Hebr. 1. v. 12. who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui est a type of Christ Hebr. 1.12 Thou art He for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat aliquid divinitatis saith Galatinus it imports somewhat of the Divinity And therefore Scaliger having reckoned up many names of God concludes them all with Ipse He. This spiritual Jehu destroyes all the false the knowing disobedient knowledge which is the true spiritual inward Antichrist and consumes him with the spirit of his mouth and destroyes him with the brightness of his coming or presence 2 Thes 2.8 Psal 90. v. 12. And therefore Moses the man of God prayes Psal 90.12 that the Lord would teach him to number his dayes that he might bring unto him a wise heart so the words signifie not a wise not a subtil crafty head not a strong head-piece as they call it Let us name some means and helps to advance this great duty 1. The fear of God is the beginning of his love Ecclus 1.14 And that fear drives out the evil And when the love of God is brought into the soul it makes a compleat separation from the sin O ye that love the Lord see that ye hate the thing that is evil Psal 97.10 2. Whatsoever thou seest amiable and lovely in the creature love it wholly for God and in order unto God the Creator of it How shall that be done When thou seest ravishing Beauty in the Creature reason thus O how much more beautiful is my God who created this Beauty When thou seest great strength think how much more strong is He who is the Power Mark 14.62 Thou lovest wealth consider how much better is it to be rich towards God! Or thou art desirous of Honour Reason thus How much more excellent is the honour that comes of God only Thou lovest Pleasures but think how much more satisfying and durable are the pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore 3. Pray we unto the Lord that he will be pleased to circumcise our hearts that we may love him with all our heart and with all our soul that we may live Deut. 30.6 For the advancement of this divine and eternal life and kingdom of God there are who point us unto faith only But beside it

was no King in Israel every one did that which was good in his own eyes Now Elisha was dead and buried and the Moabites who abuse the Law of the Father signified by Lot the hidden Word of God they are the true Moabites the children of their father the Devil as S. Augustine interprets the Moabites Then also the Syrians ver 22. Pride and deceit and the curse of God upon the sinful soul such spiritually are the Aramites or Syrians these and all other inward enemies oppress Israel What remedy is there for this Let such a man be cast into the grave of Elisha let him be dead and buried with Christ God the Saviour He is now a man lost in the world he is become as a dead man When a man hath left his sin he is not Gen. 5.24 the sinners leave him and he them When he is dead to the sin what remaines but that he should be buried But where it is said they let him down we shall finde no such matter either in the Hebrew or Greek or Chaldee or Latin Translation The Hebrew text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he went The LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went The Chaldee Paraphrast hath he descended The Syriac he went into the Sepulchre So Tremelius and the Spanish translation and the Italian of Diodati Martin Luther also and two Low Dutch translations As for the Tigurin Bible that hath Devolutus he was rolled into the grave of Elisha So the French translation So likewise two of our old English translations But Coverdale thus renders the word when he was therein and the Geneva Bible turns it when he was down our last translation lets him down gently The Tigurin French and some of our old English translations tumble him down for haste But what need all this curiosity I dare not depart from the letter of the Scripture or fasten mine own sense upon it as many of these have done And indeed it is neer a contradiction to themselves For first they say They cast the man into the Sepulchre which must be in part for fear of the Moabites and then they say they let him down which must be gently and leisurely The holy Spirit of God oftentimes intends a mystery and so leaves the letter seemingly absurd Such seeming absurdities as these are lest for the honour of Gods Spirit which clears the difficulties and sets all right This man is called twice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Emphasis That man And although they go about to bury him he is never said to be through dead The words are thus to be rendred And the man went and touched the bones of Elisha First He went Secondly He touched 1. He went Here is set before us a figure of one who was dead in trespasses and sins who is now dead unto sin and buried with Christ The fallen man is not wholly destitute of all strength as I shew elsewhere Therefore the man is said here to go and touch There must be some conformity between Christ and us if we touch him The man is accessary and must be so to his own death unto sin and his own burial of all sin and iniquity It s said of this man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went and touched the bones of Elisha The Lord requires of us not only a mortification and dying unto sin but also a burial of all sin They are two Articles of the Faith 1. That Christ was dead 2. That he was buried And so through the Spirit the sin must be put to death Rom. 8.13 and buried by holiness and love Ye have both together Psal 22.1 whose unrighteousness is forgiven the word signifies taken away and removed as dead and then whose sin is covered there 's the burial of it This is that which the Apostle teacheth us that love covers a multitude of sins yea all sins Prov. 10 12. The 2d Act of the dead man he touched the bones of Elisha 1. What bones of Elisha were these what is it to touch the bones of Elisha For it seems by this text that Elisha was very lately buried and so his bones could not yet be touched By the bones of Elisha we understand the strength of God the Saviour so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here rendred bones signifies strengths That man is said to touch into his bones when he became a member of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes ● When he became flesh of his flesh that is of a tender heart of flesh to receive impressions of the Spirit and bone of his bone when he became strong and able to effectuate those impressions A vertual touching is here meant even the drawing neer unto the Lord Jesus by faith hope and love For so Hebr. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidei fulness of faith And Hebr. 7.19 That better hope whereby we draw near unto God And love is affectus unionis that affection of union whereby we cleave unto God dwell in him 1 John 4.8 and become one spirit with him 2 Cor. 5. draw grace life and vertue from him For so he who hath the Son hath life 1 John 5.12 By this and many like examples it may appear how necessary it is that we preserve the Letter of the Scripture intire how unconvenient yea how absurd soever it seem to our carnal reason as here that a dead carkase should walk or go c. The letter may be the foundation of a spiritual meaning however happly what that is for the present we understand not And lest this Translation before us should seem so exact as many have conceived that it needs no Essay toward the amendment of it I shall propound unto the judicious Reader the Heads of many frequent mistakes which they may finde in it few of which I shall mention in the ensuing Essay Whereof some possibly will not be thought to change the sense of the Scripture but the Word only and retain the sense others pervert the sense also Examples of the former kinde are Metaphores mistaken and used one for another as when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to blot out as having reference to an Image or Picture or to a Writing it s rendred to destroy as Gen. 7.4 which is taken from building Thus Metaphores are waived and the supposed proper sense taken in lieu of them Josh 2. v. 9. as Josh 2.9 The inhabitants of the land melt from or before your faces Our Translators turnn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faint which there and often elsewhere signifies to be melted And the holy Spirit explains the metaphorical use of it Psal 22.14 Ezech. 21.7 Herein although haply the same sense may be intended yet it is not safe to vary that Metaphore which the holy Spirit intends and dictates So although to spoil in the English tongue Col. 2. v. 15. may signifie to disrobe or devest yet that will not so

stars are they who persist in their faith love and obedience when others are wandring stars and sall from their own stedfastnesse for whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever 2. In the darknesse of affliction Aurum in furnace intilat August The gold then shines in the Furnace The stars shine most clearly in the coldest night even then when iniquity abounds and the love of many many objectivè when common love when the love towards many waxeth cold 2 Pet. 1.7 All divided judgements love those of their own way and opinion The general love is a degree beyond brotherly love and to be added to it This general love inclines the children of Abram to impart their light and influence unto all Dan. 12.3 They who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many unto Righteousness as the stars for ever and ever But if the children of Abram if the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea Rom. 9.27 barren and unfruitfull the remnant shall be saved So those words ought to be read as I shall shew in their proper place if the Lord will Axiom 5. and 6. And he believed in the Lord and he accounted it unto him for righteousnesse This is locus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place of Scripture very famous by frequent quotations of it in the New Testament and by many controversies thereupon I shall not trouble you or my self with disputes there have been and are too many already It s evident that these words are to be understood with reference unto the former They contain the two last Axioms of the Text. Axiom 5. Abram believed in the Lord. I shall first open the words and then shew the nature of faith here first spoken of in Scripture The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying true Esay 7.9 certain faithful constant permanent if not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 55.3 The word notes a firm perswasion that the words which God spake were most true firm and stable This belief Abram reposeth in the Lord in him who is the very being it self and gives being unto his word 2. As for the nature of faith I shall discribe it no otherwise then the Apostle doth faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11.1 the ground or confidence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen The Scripture proceeding from one and the same Spirit hath that harmony in it self that one place answers to another as in the Glasse Face answers to face so that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn ground or confidence is the same whereby the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hope expectation staying or waiting Psal 39.7 And now Lord what wait I for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my hope is in thee So that in it two things are implyed Iob 14.14 with 19.26 and 42.5 1. An expectation or looking abroad for some good hoped for I will wait until my change come that is till I see God in the flesh 2. In the interim a setled firm and unmoveable posture against what ever may oppose or tend to disturbance or disquiet or hinder the possessing of our soules in patience so we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin Subsistere not to give way but to withstand the violence of the wild beast So that patience is involved in the nature of faith So the Apostle Heb. 6.12 and 10.35 36 through faith and patience they inherited the promises According to this discription of faith Abram here is said to believe in the Lord that is to hope for and expect the blessed seed the seed of promise and with firmness stedfastness and setledness of mind and heart patiently to wait for it without discouragement from either his own or his wives old age indisposing them by nature to beget and bear a son but relying and resting on the power of God able to effect what he promised according to that Rom. 8.25 If we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it The obiect of Abrams faith is 1. Personall testis God himself the witness 2. Reall Testimonium the testimony of God or the thing testified and witnessed by him that thing which Abram believed 1. The obiect personall or witness whom Abram believed is God himself most fit and worthy to be believed as having all the accomplishments of a most sufficient witness 1. Knowledge of what he testifies 2. Truth and faithfulness in testifying 3. Goodness and vertue whereby he is inclined to witness onely what is the truth 4. Love and bounty to him to whom he witnesseth 5. Power and ability to effect and do what he testifies c. 2. The object reall or thing witnessed by God and propounded to belief is what ever God testifies and witnesses whether it be by information or precept or promise or threatning or what kind so ever else there is of divine testimony what ever word proceeds out of the mouth of God that must be true and so fit and worthy to be believed The thing here witnessed to be believed is the promise of God to Abram that he should have a seed a numerous or innumerable seed a vertuous and heavenly seed This Abram believes and for the effecting of it he believes in the good and gratious God who is true in all his promises and knowes how and is able to perform them The reason why Abram believed the Lord may be considered partly in regard of Gods truth essentiall unto God So that all truth is in him 1 John 5.9 and he is Summa veritas Let God be true and every man a lyer 2. Abrams experience of Gods truth Obs 1. Note here what kind of faith Abrams faith was faith not only in the truth of God but in the power of God God promised a thing extreem hard yea by nature impossible that Abram whose body was now dead and Sarah who was barren and her womb dead they should have a son Yet Abram believed To thee be it spoken O Son of Abram the Lord promises unto thee that which by nature is impossible that unto thee shall a child be born What though thou be dead Abram believed in the truth and power of God The Lord hath said it Esay 9.6 Iohn 11.25 Col. 2.12 13. Rom. 4.16 and the promise is of faith that it may be by grace to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed We have divers distinctions currant among us that faith is Historicall miraculous temporary and justifying or saveing faith which are true being well understood but Abrams saith is a miraculous faith it inables a man to work wonders Mark 9.23 Phil. 4.13 Unto him that believes all things are possible I am able to do all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

Such a marvellous separation the Lord made when he divided Noah and his family from the world of the ungodly Lot and his houshold from the Sodomites and the obedient who at Gods command yielded themselves captives to the King of Babylon from those who disobeyed and remained in Jerusalem Which the Prophet compares to good and evil Figs. And of the good he saith I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord c. And of the evil I will deliver them to be removed into all the Kingdoms of the earth for their hurt Jer. 24. per tot by these exact separations of the good from the evil whereby God preserves the good and signally punisheth the evil he makes himself known the Lord separated between his Church and the rebellious Jewes when Jerusalem was to be destroyed warning his people to remove to Pella Euseb lib. 3. cap. 5. which was a marvellous separation intimated in Pella somewhat like to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used The Psalmist takes notice of this providence Psal 9.15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made in the Net which they hid is their own foot taken Whence he infers v. 16. The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth the wicked are snared by the works of their own hands Which David accounts worthy of deep meditation and therefore addes Higgaion A Meditation or object worth our thinking and speaking of it as that word signifies Which because it cannot be done without depressing our earthly and carnal thoughts and raising up our spiritual and heavenly the Psalmist addes thereunto Selah which therefore is far from being a meer Musical Note or dictio sine sensu a word without a meaning as yet some have thought I say not how unworthily of any part of Gods Word The like effect of this providence he notes Psal 58.10 11. The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance c. So that the earthly man Adam hereby convinced shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth This is Gods constant providence in the world though in some examples more eminent than others whereby he leaves not himself without witness unto any person or nation So that when Pharaoh frustrated the end of Gods goodness towards himself as all Atheists and Epicureans do he and they sin against much light For God the Creator who made us this soul he knows his own work and how men are apt to reason from their observation of humane counsels actions and their events so that when they see as they may see if they will be patient and duly consider a marvellous separation of the good from the evil a requital of the good with good and the evil with evil they may hence collect that there is a Wisdom Justice Power and Goodness acting and ruling in the world ordering and disposing humane actions unto their respective ends even the Lord the Ruler in the midst of the Earth This marvellous separation of the good from the evil the good God therefore makes that men may acknowledge and own his eternal power and God-head Rom. 1.20 Heb. 11.6 believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him Otherwise if they hold this truth in unrighteousness and become vain in their imaginations so that their foolish heart is darkned they render themselves as Pharaoh did without excuse O let the true Israel of God timely and seriously consider this They are in Goshen a people near unto God Psal 148.14 that 's Goshen appropinquatio approximatio the Lord hath marvellously separated between you and the Egyptians Yea saith Moses if the Lord be with us we shall be wonderfully separated from all the people that are upon the face of the earth Exod. 33.16 An honourable a glorious separation as the LXX here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will glorifie even to wonderment the land of Goshen All the Land of Egypt is pestered with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 8.24 a mixture of sundry sorts whether of Flies and so its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a troublesome evil or of wilde beasts Lions Bears Wolves c. and so its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a destructive evil though the former be more probable according to Hierom and the LXX The good God hath made promise marvellously to separate us from all these the evil beasts the roaring Lion 1 Pet. 5.8 and all his lusts unreasonable and bruitish affections from the swarms of Flies Beelzebub dominus muscae the Lord of the Flie as he is interpreted the god of Ekron 2 Kings 1 2. whence the Poets had their Acheron he stirs up swarms of worldly thoughts and cares From these troublesome and destructive mixtures he hath graciously promised marvellously to separate his Israel Yet hath he not exempted his Israel from separating themselves from these swarms and mixtures yea he requires of us sobriety and vigilancy and stedfastness in the faith that we may resist them 1 Pet. 5.8 9. For he that is born of God keepeth himself and the evil one toucheth him not 1 John 5.18 He keepeth himself in Goshen even drawing near to God and the evil one cannot draw near to him as it is in the Syriack It s said by some that all the sins committed in the Wilderness were suggested by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great mixture it is not said of whom or what that went up with them out of Egypt Exod. 12.38 And 't is very true for hence indeed proceeds the sin of Israel when we mix our selves with beastly lusts when we entertain into our hearts swarms of earthly thoughts and worldly cares O thou Israel of God! if God so marvellously separate us from these let us also marvellously separate our selves from them Let us draw near unto God and he will draw near unto us James 4.8 Hear what he saith unto us Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty And I will put a division between my people and thy people Exod. 8. Ver. 23. It is confessed in the margent by the Translators that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word which they render division signifies in the Hebrew Redemption And why then was Redemption cast into the Margent and Division put into the Text Surely beside that the genuine proper signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redemption Psal 111.9 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome and price of redemption Exod. 21.30 is here neglected the minde of the holy Spirit also is hereby obscured which under the outward Redemption aims at and figures an inward Redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ the spiritual Redeemer Whereof the Prophet David speaks

hidden and invisible Church as those names signifie Obs 2. What is principally to be partaken of in Christ his Head his ruling part we are to receive him as our Prince our Ruler and Governour This is that which is aimed at first in these words Many can be content to partake of him as a Prophet as a Priest as a Sacrifice but few as an Head few as a Prince Head and Governour As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Col. 2.6 Obs 3. What part of the word is principally intended by the Head what else but the ruling part the Head-sum of the Law and Faith even love out of a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 Reproof 1. Those who aim at a Church like the Cyclops a Common-wealth without an Head without order of the members superiour and inferiour Reproof 2. Who reject Christ and will none of him as their Head We will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19.14 2. His Legs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have their name in the Hebrew from bowing or being bowed They have analogie and proportion to the arms and legs of a man which are the instruments of motions and actions And therefore commonly by the feet and legs we mystically understand the passions and affections which move and carry out the soul and the whole man and put him upon actions which are signified by the hands and arms The eating therefore of the legs of the Paschal Lamb is having communion with Christ in motions and actions to walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 So S. Paul walked and he tels the Corinthians of his wayes that were in Christ 1 Cor. 4.17 Communion in power and strength signified by the Arm which is Christ Esay 40.10 and 53.1 By the Feet of the Lamb we may understand the lesse Commandements as by the Head the greater Hos 8.12 These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may signifie the great things of the Law in regard of the lesse Matth. 23.23 For the Commandements of God are not all of one cise Whence it follows That Obs 1. There are degrees of the word and Commandements of God some greater some lesse 2. Both greater and less must be kept Head and feet of the Lamb must be eaten Axiom 3. His appurtenance The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his inwards The word properly signifies all the intrails more specially the Heart And by the Heart the will love and mercy is to be understood The eating then of the inwards of the Pascal Lamb is the partaking of the will of Christ that it may be our meat to do his will John 4.34 S. Paul had Christs love and mercy in him I long after you saith he in the bowels of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.8 Obs 1. All the Commandements prohibitions promises and threatnings are to be received fed upon by faith and inwardly digested into life Observe all things whatsoever I command you Matth. 28.20 Believe all things which the Prophets have written Luke 24.25 To receive the most intimate requiring of the Law inwardly and to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with the spirit of our minde Obs 2. The participation of Christ is not outward onely but also inward His words are spirit and life John 6.63 His law is spiritual Rom. 7.14 The law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. His whole worship is spiritual John 4.23 24. Hitherto we have considered these members a part Come we now to the handling of them joyntly And here let us inquire Why must these three be eaten The whole Lamb must be eaten And why is there more special mention made of these three parts 1. They are the three parts which specially suffered in the true Pascal Lamb. His Head crowned with Thorns His Hands and Feet pierced with Nails and his Side with a Spear 2. We have been wounded in all these in our Head our intellectuals in our inwards our morals in our actions and affections From the sole of the foot even to the head Esay 1.6 3. We have wounded him in all these we have crowned his head with our thorny cares In his hand is the hiding of his power Hab. 3.4 But what are these wounds in thy hands These with which I was wounded in the house of my friends Zach. 13.6 even in those who enfeeble Christs power under pretence of infirmity and weakness of the Saints Obs 1. All our motions and actions which are signified by the outward members these are directed by the Head by the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 All our inward willing and nilling all our love hope desire fear joy grief all the actions proceeding from these these are guided by the minde and understanding by the Head Christ And therefore the words in the text if truly translated are very observable Ye shall eat the head with the legs and the purtenance thereof The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Head above the legs and above the purtenance thereof The head must rule the legs and feet all the motions and actions The head must be above the inwards it must guide the passions and motions and affections of the heart Though these parts be specially enjoyned the whole Lamb must be eaten Obs 2. The holy Spirit of God implies and requires our whole conformity to Jesus Christ under the names 1. of eating and drinking unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you John 6.53 His flesh is his Word the Word made flesh John 1.14 His Spirit is drink He hath made us to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 Hence is our spiritual life Christ our life Col. 3.4 To me to live is Christ Phil. 1.21 2. The Spirit requires our conformity unto him in clothing put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Yea we must be armed with him what the Apostle calls the armour of light Rom. 13.12 13 14. he explains and calls the Lord Jesus Christ Reproof 1. Who will eat the Head who will be contemplative Christians but not the legs and feet they are not practical not affectionate Such an one was Judas he knew Christ and preached him but his bowels gushed out he had no mercy Reproof 2. Those who are practical and perform some outward work materially good without the inwards As the Pharisees would perform some outward duties without the inward and spiritual commandment Our Lord saith Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven Matth. 5.20 Nor is that Authors tenent other then Pharisaical who writing a work of Wisdom adviseth men to supply the necessities of the poor and miserable but not to be moved or troubled at their miseries His reason Because saith he it damps a noble spirit I know not wherein he placeth the nobility of spirit unless with Aristotle he account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

virtutis nihil energiae quicquam sunt habitura Quod enim à carne oritur id etiam caro est dicente Domino quod autem est à spiritu profectum id ipsum etiam spiritus est Neque locutus unquam priùs ad populum propheta quàm verbum Domini ad populum venisse memoratur Ita fiet uti qui loquimur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proque ut ipse spiritus eloqui dat eloquamur Acts 2.4 1 Pet. 4.11 At à Clero tandem sermonem ad populum convertamus O Israel take these same words to heart and let them be in thine heart and whet them sharpen them inculcate and repeat them often to thy sons These same words for want of use are become even rusty they have been laid by and out of the way as unprofitable and useless things are cast into a corner and not at all regarded 2 Kings 22.8 Hilkiah the high Priest found the book of the Law in the house of the Lord and he tels Shaphan of it as of a strange thing The book of the Law had been lost all the reign of Manasseh and Amon Cum blattis tinis it lay among the Worms and Moths and now in the time of Josiah Hilkiah findes it And truly it is even so All the time that Manasseh and Amon reigns while we forforget the Lord and are true to our own false knowledge and the lusts of our own hearts ther 's Manasseh and Amon the book of the Law is lost forgotten and quite out of minde it lies as commonly our Bibles do all the week long upon the dusty shelf till the first peal remembers us to keep the Sabbath with it But when Josiah the fire and spirit of the Lord rules that 's Josiah then Hilkiah that Divinae particula aurae that portion of the Lord in us findes the book of the Law and brings it out of the dust and rust and rubbish of forgetfulness The book of Gods Law is become like an old Statute repeald and out of date so saith the Psalmist They have made void thy law Psal 119.126 And therefore he saith its time for the Lord to work In the dayes of Josiah the fire and spirit of the Lord the law of the spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus our Lord its furbished and made bright It comes out of Sion its sharpned and made fit to pierce and cut Hebr. 4.12 these same words are sharp to prick unto the heart and as a two edged sword to cut off the known sin and the false righteousness both the outward and inward iniquity the filthiness both of flesh and spirit And blessed be the Lord there are in these dayes of Josiah in the dayes of the spirit some who are pricked to the heart with these same sharp words Acts 2.37 who have suffered unto blood striving against sin whom these same words have pierced and let-out the life-blood of sin and iniquity and lodged themselves in their hearts And these are as Noah and his family were before the deluge O Israel save thy self from the untoward generation while the preaching of Gods true righteousness lasteth The overflowing scourge certainly draweth nigh 2 Kings 23. Ye read of the reformation that Josiah had made and many no doubt had received these same words as for Josiah himself let them who say that these same words are impossibie read and be ashamed to read what effect they had in him v. 25. He turnd to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to all the law of Moses Notwithstanding maugre all that glorious reformation mark what the Scripture saith ver 26. Nevertheless the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah 2 Kings 23. v. 26. because of all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrathful provocations wherewith Manasseh had wrathfully provoked him And may not we justly expect that for the sin of Manasseh for our forgetfulness of these same words the fierceness of Gods great wrath will be kindled against us also If the real reformation of Josiah could not avert the anger of the Lord shall our hypocritical and pretended reformation turn his wrath away The Lord will not cleanse him who takes his Name in vain as hath been shewen And will he convert them Amos 2. v. 4. or give them repentance who continue in their sins and in contempt of these same words The Prophet assures us from the Lord For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not turn them or cause them to repent because they have despised the law of the Lord and not kept the Commandements but their eyes have caused them to erre after which their fathers have walked Such traditional lies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have caused our Judah to erre as that the Law is impossible to be performed yea by those who are in Christ c. Remember what the Lord saith Deut. 32.41 If I whet my glittering Sword and my hand take hold on judgement I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me c. And certainly that of Psal 7.12 is most true if he turn not if the man who hath forgotten his God and these same words and returns not unto God and to his fear as the Chald. Paraphrast explaines it if he admit not these same words to be sharpned upon him the Lord will whet his Sword pierce him to the heart and cut off his iniquities he hath bent his Bow and made it ready O Israel Because the Lord saith he will do thus and thus let us timely prevent him let us prepare to meet our God O Israel Let us return unto him Let us believe in the mighty power of our God who will enable us to do all these same words Phil. 4.13 and write them in our hearts Hebr. 8.10 Let us believe the doctrine of the old holy Fathers who taught that if any one should say that God commands any thing impossible let him be accursed Let us unbelieve the traditions received from our forefathers of yesterday who taught their sons a Lesson quite contrary to these same words and let us say with that believing Father Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help mine unbelief Lord help us to unbelieve the false principles received from our late fathers Help us to believe in Christ thy power enabling us to do thy will This is the doctrine of the holy Church received from the antient holy Fathers And this doctrine hath been delivered unto this Church whose sons we are in many of her Homilies and her pious Liturgie Let us conclude with one or other of her prayers one in Prose That all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to do alwayes that which is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us adde one also in Meeter commanded by the authority of the Church to be used and accordingly practised in

sense which our Translators have given of the words To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give Now that Christ hath right and de facto that he doth and shall bestow the divine honours of his kingdom upon persons duly qualified appears evidently by Matth. 19.28 Ye who have followed me in the regeneration shall sit on twelve Thrones c. Luke 22.29 I dispose unto you a kingdom c. Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me c. John 17.24 The reason why the Lord Jesus hath this right to confer divine honours upon his followers to set them on his right hand and on his left may be considered from the vertue and merit of his fufferings For as a son while yet under his fathers immediate authority Quicquid acquirit acquirit patri what he gets he gets for his father But if the son get spoil in the wars with hazard of his life which the Civilians call Peculium castrense that is properly the sons own And thus because the Lord Jesus descended into the lower parts of the earth was dead and buried Ephes 4.9 when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive gave gifts unto men Which was figured by David distributing his spoils to his friends 1 Sam. 30. Yea our Lord saith expresly and properly to this purpose Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I give to sit in my throne even as I have overcome and sit in my Fathers throne By all this which hath been said its evident that this Supplement It shall be given to say no worse of it is a superfluous redundancy We meet with an example of the second kinde 1 John 3.18 19 20. which they render thus my little children let us not love in word 1 Joh. 3. v. 18.19.20 and in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him For if our heart condemn us God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things In the 20 verse of this Paragraph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is twice found in the Greek text The former the Translators turn amiss the later they quite leave out I would render and open those words thus My little children let us not love in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth And herely viz. by our loving in deed and in truth we know that we are of the truth and shall assure or rather perswade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our hearts before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because if our heart condemn us viz. for any former failing incident unto little children to whom he directs those words ver 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God is greater then our heart namely in wisdom grace mercy and goodness and knoweth all things even the present frame and disposition of our heart in the truth of love And this exposition is most agreeable to the persons to whom the Apostle writes the little children and to the duty which he exhorts them unto to love in deed and in truth and to the effect of that duty the assurance and perswasion of their hearts before God Thus whereas many a poor soul dejects it self out of a meer mistake of this Scripture ill rendred and worse understood it being truly turn'd and the genuine sense thereof given it s a strong consolation to the little children Howbeit lest these little children should rest in this age and estate the Apostle proceeds Beloved if our heart condemn us not according to 1 Cor. 4.14 we have boldness or confidence towards God and whatsoever we may ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight An example of the third which is inversion of the words is Hebr. 10.34 which the Translators render thus Ye took joyfully the spoyling of your goods Heb. 10. v. 34. knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and more enduring substance That we may the better know the mis-translation and undue inversion of these words we must understand that the goods whereof the Hebrews were spoyled were either their temporal goods whereof S. Paul saith he robbed either them or other Churches taking wages of them to do service to the Corinthians the spoyling of these goods the Hebrews took with joy Or else These goods may be also spiritually understood and that in the worst sense for such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemingly and to the yong professing Hebrews appeard to be their goods which really and truly were their evils Such were the goods of Sodom which Abraham would not receive or own Gen. 14. The spoiling of these goods by him who is Maher-Shalal Hashbaz who in hastening the spoil makes speed to the prey Esay 8.3 the taking away these seeming goods but true evils the Hebrews took with joy also The inversion of the Text is in the following words Knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance A little labour sometimes does a great deal of work The moving of the Helm turns the Ship quite another way The same letters distributed and placed differently make all the different words and so the same words placed in a diverse order make extream different senses Such different senses arise from the different placing the words of this text For the words are inverted and changed from the genuine order of them which is extant in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I render thus Knowing that ye have in your selves better wealth in heaven and that which will endure What a difference is here Knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better c. This translation perswades men that they shall have hereafter in heaven a better kinde of wealth The true reading of these words Knowing that you have in your selves c. supposes believers to have already a real possession of the better and enduring substance in themselves so that they take the spoiling of their outward goods with joy The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heaven are not in the Vulg. Latin nor in some of the Greek nor English Manuscripts And with the Vulg. Latin agrees the French Bible the Spanish and Italian the High Dutch and one Copy of the Low Dutch So likewise Pagnin and Vatablus with the Tigurin Bible Which order of words is wholly neglected by all the printed English Translations that I have yet seen And hereby the sense of the holy Spirit is much obscured which points at the present and real possession of the better and durable riches which wisdom hath and brings with her to the believing soul Prov. 8.10 According to which the poor are said to be rich in faith and heires of the kingdom Jam 2.5 and rich towards God Luke 12.21 What is here said that they have in themselves better wealth a learned Critick understands to be only a right unto it

of God which is fallen down which is his Church ye are Gods building Such are Gods Oratours and Ambassadours to whom he gives commission and he sends them forth to invite his rebellious subjects and to perswade them to come in 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. Another Meanes are miracles and wonders whereby God perswades men to believe and accordingly they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the Text to perswade Deut. 13.2 2. God perswades Japhet and his sons immediately and inwardly by his Spirit this is that Tractus Dei the drawing of the Father Where ever there is this drawing it is from something unto something From something and so God the Father by his Spirit disswades Adam from his vain thoughts Psal 94.11 corrects and chastens the man God the Father draws and perswades him unto something He hath shewen thee O man what is good Mich. 6.8 and so the Father● instructs him out of his Law Psal 94.12 These are Funiculi Adam the cords of a man whereby he is naturally inclined to be moved Hos 11.4 and because both proceed from love he addes with bonds of love All these made up into life and example most forcibly perswade as 1 Pet. 3.1 2. Reason in regard of 1. God himself who perswades 2. Japhet to be perswaded 3. That whereunto God perswades 4. The end of Gods perswasion 1. God alone knowes himself perfectly and knowes the Son and all meanes necessary for perswasion what hinders what helps And he alone knowes the hearts of all the children of men and what expedient will best move them He is most loving unto Japhet Charior est superis homo quàm sibi He is most faithfull and true in all his testimonies He is most able to effect what ever he promises or threatens 2. In regard of Japhet and his sons none of them all can come unto the true Shem except God perswade him thereunto Joh. 6.44 3. Reason in regard of that whereunto God perswades the sons of Japhet which unless God by his spirit reveale it 's altogether hidden from the sons of Japhet 1. Cor. 2.9 10 11. 4. The end of this manner of perswading is the glory of God 1. Cor. 2.5 and mans salvation And therefore the Lord used plain men and men illiterate Act. 4.13 Obs 1. It is God alone who can perswade the heart unto himself And therefore the Poets ascribed perswasion unto their Goddess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom they made their Goddess of eloquence whom the Latins call Suada and Suadela But who is indeed the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suada or Suadela who but the wisdom Who but the onely wise God Who teaches like him Never man spake as this man c. He is that which they ascribe to their Suadela He is Flexanimus he that bowes the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who leades and drawes the soul He it is who gives faith Ephes 2.8 He it is who increases it Luk. 17.5 It 's a business worthy of God himself to perswade the heart And though it seem good unto God to use men whereby to perswade men that so it may seem possible as also for the honour of his Minister Yet where any are said to believe the Minister is not said to cause that belief though he propound the object of faith though he instruct though he exhort men to belive and use motives and inducements of all kindes and meanes and helps All which are such as are sufficient for the producing of belief Act. 14.1 But that they may be effectuall and thorowly perswasive and work that belief it is Gods guift For who is Paul who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed instruments by whom God works He himself is the principall Agent and men so far-forth believe as it is given them of God 1. Cor. 3.4 5. Act. 14.1 They so spake that a great multitude of the Jewes and also of the Greeks believed Obs 2. The meanes of bringing men unto God is perswasion and allureing of them Hos 2.14 I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak unto her heart Obs 3. This shewes what manner of men the Ministers of God ought to be and how they ought to behave themselves and deal with the sons of Japhet in perswading them As they perswad for God so to be men of God Not to use their own words as Orators are wont to do words of man's wisdom but to use the words of God which he teacheth and useth in perswading the hearts of men 1. Cor. 2.4 Obs 4. The spirit of God abhors not allusions and paranomasias they are very frequent and ordinary in the Scripture whose elegancie we loose by translations a thing that cannot possibly be help●d Water looses the sweetness in the stream which it hath in the Fountain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of Judah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Nabal his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gaza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeph. 2.4 What seest thou Jeremy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast seen well for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 1.11 12. In the story of Susanna Daniel saith to one Elder saying he saw them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under a Lentisk tree Angelus Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying under an Holm tree Angelus Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 5.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement toward you because ye have been a snare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amos 8.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 summer fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end Mich. 1.10 in the house of Aphrah roul thy self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14. the houses of Achzib 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 5.7 he looked for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement and behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oppression for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness and behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cry And 24.17 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear and the pit and the snare and very many the like Reproof The boldnesse and presumption of those who invade Gods soveraignty intrude and usurpe dominion over the hearts of men which God alone can know and move and judge Reproof Those who refuse to be perswaded by God and his Ministers yet yield to the perswasions and enticements of the Canaanitish woman the Harlot iniquity inwardly and outwardly alluring Jam. 1.14 Prov. 7.12 the lusts of the eyes of the flesh and pride of life When God perswades to the honour that comes of God onely the pride of life stirs them up to seek honour one of another When he perswades to the beauty of holinesse and the pleasures at his right hand the lusts of the flesh prevail with them to follow a skin-deep beauty When God perswades the heart that Godliness is the great gain yet Mammon prevails with them Si spes refulserit lucri c. Look almost every where and see whether gain where ever it is

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Christ the power of God who inwardly inableth me saith S. Paul How is this possible To God only all things are possible yet the Scripture also saith to him that believes all things are possible Why because this belief in the truth and might of God Rom. 4.17 Gal. 3.1 6. Ephes 1.18 19. Rom. 8.10 11 makes men like unto God himself whom they believe even God who quickneth the dead Christ the son is dead in thee crucified in thee God quickens the dead And by this living faith there is a power in believers to raise up the dead in them Obs 2. Here is faith rightly placed on the due reall and proper object divine truth testified by God and Christ himself when the heart gives assent and credit unto the testimony of God that is the first and essentiall truth and which cannot lie Tit. 1.2 Iohn 3.33 then the soul closes with that and seales to it He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true This is the reason why that frequent preface to the prophesies Thus faith the Lord c. ought to be of more credit with us then all the demonstrations in the world Here is saith rightly placed upon the due personall obiect the power and might of God for the effecting of what he promises Iob 30.27 2 Kings 4.16 It 's true there may be pangs and throwes by reason of diffidence and distrust from consideration of our own impotency and weakness O my Lord do not lie unto thy servant saith the Shunamite unto Elisha when he had assured her Thou thy self shall imbrace a son Is there any thing too hard for the Lord 'T is true Idoll Gods Imaginations bring forth nothing but imaginations Esay 66 9. but V. Lat. Numquid ego qui alios parere facio ipse non pariam dicit Dominus shall not I who cause others to bring forth shall not I myself bring forth saith the Lord. Whosoever receives the seed of the word in an honest and good heart Matth. 12.50 shall certainly becom the mother of Christ Obs 3. See then Abrams faith and the faith of Abrams Sons and Daughters is no bare no naked faith but adorned with submission with humility with love with obedience Abrams daughters are clothed with good workes 1 Tim. 2.10 It is no dead faith it hath a form a soul a spirit a life And what are these but good workes Iam. 2.17.20.26 if the Apostle reason right he saith not that good workes are the fruits of faith as commonly they are called For so the tree may live and bear no fruit as in winter but the Apostle seemes to comprehend obedience and good workes in the very nature and essence of faith what else meaneth he when he compares faith without workes to the body without the soul and Abrams faith was made perfect by workes Verse 22.26 and as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also It 's evident therefore that the Apostle understood good workes to be the form soul spirit and life of faith And hence it is that an other Apostle having given a description of faith for examples of it he propounds only those faithfull men who were holy good just Godly and obedient men in their generations For other faith is altogether unprofitable to the chief end salvation What doth it profit if a man say he hath faith Hebr. 11. and have not works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potest fides illa can that faith save him So Beza turns that place well Obs 4. Hence we see who are the true believers who but they who walk in the steps of Abrams faith they who imitate and follow Abrams faith Rom. 4.12 which is in this place expressed Abram believed that God would give him an holy seed that is Christ as S. Paul explaines it This is or ought to be the belief of every one of us of every true and genuine son and daughter of Abram Gal. 3.16 That the Lord will give us the seed even the son that the Lord will raise up Jesus from the dead in us That this is or ought to be the belief of every son and daughter of Abram appeares from the Apostles reasoning upon the words of my Text where having said that it was not written for his that is Rom. 4.18.23 24. for Abrams sake alone c. but for us if we believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who raised up Jesus the Lord● the word is in the Aorist indefinite as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath made and yet makes the purging of our sins so he raised up and yet raiseth up the Lord Jesus Hebr. 1.3 And the Lord offereth faith unto all having raised up or rasing Christ from the dead So he hath raised or doth raise up his son from the dead For our better understanding of this ye may be pleased to compare the example of believing Abram the father of the faithfull Acts 17.31 1 Thess 1.10 with any one of us who are his children and believers Rom. 4.18 Abram firmly believed which firm belief of Abrams is handled by the object or Subject the promise of God Abrams is handled by the object or Subject Gods ability to perform it Abrams is handled by the object or the diversity 1. The promise of God according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be 2. The ability of God what he had promised he was able to perform The diversity 1. With reference to a contrary object himself and his own body which was dead and the deadness of Sarahs womb neither of which he considered 2. With reference to the act of belief not weake but strong not weake in regard of his own body and the deadness of Sarahs womb which he considered not but strong in regard of God The like we may consider in a believer a son of Abram he believes in Gods promise which is the eternall life 1 Iohn 2.25 and 5.11 and this life is in his son 1. John 5.11 This is that life of God from which we are alienated and estranged Ephes 4.18 Rom. 5.8 Gal. 3.1 Tit. 1.2 This life of God hath been crucified and slain dead and buried in us while we were sinners which God that cannot lie hath promised Whosoever believe and hope in God for this life they consider not themselves so impotent and weak that they are not able to think one good thought of themselves and though their heart faint and fail them as is said of Jacob yet God is the strengh of their heart Gen. 45.26 Psal 73.26 Ephes 1.18 19. Mark 9.23 Psal 110.3 They believe in the mighty power of God whereby he raised up Christ from the dead This is the reason that to him that believes all things are possible This is the day of Gods power that

will drive out that sin and perversenesse so shall we become Bethel Gods house Yea if with Jacob we build the altar of patience the strong the mighty God will be with us as he was with Jacob Gen. 28.15 and of weak with Jacob will make us strong as Israel Gen. 35.10 Heb. 11.34 Esau said I have enough my brother Gen. 33. Ver. 9. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is turn'd enough signifies abundance vast large and great plenty The LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have many things The Vulg. Lat. Habeo plurima I have most things But none of these amount to what we call enough which is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-sufficiency A learned Rab. observes that these words Esau spake out of the pride and swelling of his heart like Pharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar for in his whole story it may be noted that he never names or owns God unlesse happly when he sware away his birth-right Gen. 25.33 But Jacob as it appears by his whole history acknowledgeth God to be the author of all the good which befell him especially Gen. 32.9 10. I am not worthy of the least of thy merits for With my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands And in his discourse with Esau These are the children which God hath graciously given thy servant Gen. 33.5 And Verse 11. God hath dealt gratiously with me And accordingly Isaac though he blessed both Jacob and Esau yet in blessing Jacob he names the Lord and God Gen. 27.27 28. See the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven and of the fatnesses of the earth c. But in blessing Esau he useth neither name Verse 29.40 But our Translators here make Esau say I have enough when he said I have much and they make Jacob say I have enough when he said I have all things Ver. 11. Howbeit let us improve the sense of the Translators to the best They might render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enough which is much implying that he who hath much ought to be satisfied and to think he hath enough They might render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enough which is all things implying that he who hath enough is satisfied and desires no more he indeed hath all things And the reason is Desiderium sold vera est confessio paupertatis He who desires any thing confesseth himself a poor man As Ahab King of Israel was yet a poor man because he wanted and desired one spot of ground 1 Kings 21.4 5 6. And Haman though in all the glory of a sole favourite to the greatest King yet wanted Mordecai's knee to make him honourable Though the Translators might thus Philosophize yet nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will bear their translation Let us examine what they make Jacob say Gen. 33. v. 11. I have enough I have enough The words of Jacob so rendred by our Translators are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have all things Esau saith v. 9. I have enough Gen. 33. Verse 11. but it should be rendred I have much The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jacob exceeds Esau and saith I have all things But how had Jacob all things One of the learned Jews saith Three men the blessed God gave to taste in this world the Fountain of the world to come 1. Abraham because it is written Gen. 24.1 And the Lord had blessed Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things 2. Isaac because Gen. 27.33 and I have eaten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all 3. Jacob because Gen. 33.11 said I have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things So he These three the holy blessed God took into his Name which he said should be for ever Exod. 3.15 and made them partakers of his nature And therefore they might every one of them well say I have all things Jacob in special manner had God with him Gen. 28.15 For habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia He hath all things who hath God with him who hath all things saith one of the Ancients In which sense the Apostle is to be understood speaking of himself and his fellow Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As having nothing and possessing all things 2 Cor. 6.10 Mysticè Hereby is signified unto us 1. The moderation and reasonableness of the natural man Esau saith I have enough or I have much He was content with what he had 2. The affluence and abundance of the heavenly man and his benediction and influence upon the natural man Jacob saith Take I pray thee my blessing that is brought to thee because God hath dealt gratiously with me and because I have all things Put away the strange gods that are among you Gen. 35. Ver. 2 3. and be clean c. Our Translators use often this word among for what properly is in or in the midst of men as John 1.26 Gal. 3.1 Colos 1.27 Marg. and elsewhere The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used signifies medium the midst or inmost part which is the heart the usurped seat of the idols and false gods Ezech. 14.3 Out of which Jacob requires all of his houshold to put them away in order to their going up to Bethel This was not expressed in Gods command Verse 1. but implyed onely Whence yet Jacob rationally gathered a command to be given unto his house And from this place Aben Ezra infers that every evil man who goes to pray he ought to purifie himself And good reason for what agreement hath the Temple or house of God that 's Bethel with idols 2 Cor. 6.16 Since therefore O house of Jacob ye are the Temple of God as it follows immediately and ye are now to ascend and to return unto your heart Psal 85.9 LXX and Vulg. Lat. how can ye think of the goodness of God in the midst of his Temple unlesse ye be clean 2 Cor. 7.1 Yea how can ye ascend into the hill of the Lord and stand in his holy place unless ye have clean hands and a pure heart Psal 24.3 4. Revel 21.27 When all the outward Images Crosses Pictures and Crucifixes and all the painted Glass-windows are broken it may be then hoped that zealous reformers will consider these things and that Mammon is a strange god and Covetousnesse is idolatry Col. 3.5 that the belly is made a god by them who mind earthly things Phil. 3.19 that pleasure is a false God and they are true idolaters who are lovers of pleasure and of their own wills more then lovers of God O house of Jacob put away these and all other strange gods that are in the midst of you in your hearts and be clean and change your garments as Jacob and the Apostle adviseth put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man and let us arise and go up to Bethel the

should sincerely aim at and labour to obtain those exceeding great and precious promises of God to become partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 And since as Tully could say it is Proprium Dei servare benefacere its Gods property to preserve from evil and to do good herein let every one endeavour to be homo homini Deus every man a god unto another The Lord incline and strengthen every one of us so to be And Pharaoh said Who is the Lord Exod. 5. Ver. 2 3. that I should obey his voice to let Israel go c. And they said The God of the Hebrews hath met with us Let us go c. Moses and Aaron here named the Tetragrammaton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Pharaoh saith he knoweth not that is he owns not for his God and therefore he denies obedience unto him And here he first hardens his own heart against the commandment of God whom because the Lord punisheth not in his person or neer relation as Exod. 12.29 the Lord by his clemency is said to harden his heart whereas indeed Phararoh by occasion of Gods sparing him further hardens his own heart Exod. 8.15 and 9.34 until the death of his first-born awakened him And then his hard heart began to be more pliable Exod. 12.29 30 31. because he feared he should be the next which is the reason of that doubtful speech Exod. 3.19 He will not let you go not by a mighty hand or marg but by a strong hand nolens volens Unto these words of Pharaoh Who is the Lord c. I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Moses and Aaron make answer according to our Translators thus The God of the Hebrews hath met with us c. This answer doth not satisfie Pharaohs question For though I deny not but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to meet with one as it is used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 3.18 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are interchangable yet whether some other signification may not be more fit for this place let the godly learned judge Pharaoh saith Who is Jehovah c. Moses and Aaron answer thus The God of the Hebrews is called upon us c. That 's their answer word for word and its proper to Pharaohs question wherein they certifie Pharaoh who Jehovah is and their relation unto him He that is His Name is called upon us we are called by his name which is a very frequent Scripture phrase Esay 43.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that is called by my Name c. Thy name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called upon us Jer. 14.9 and very many the like which is a satisfactory answer unto Pharaohs question And thus the Chald. Par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The God of the Jewes is called upon us And so the Samaritan is here translated Thus also Arias Montanus Deus Hebreorum invocatus est super nos O that we well considered who and whose name is called upon us who it is who owns us for his people and knowes who who are his which is one part of Gods sure foundation and seal so should we who name the name of the Lord depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 So we should be bold in him as those Jews were who gave this answer to them who asked them We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth c. Ezra 5.9 So as Moses and Aaron here when Pharaoh asked Who is Jehovah they answered The God of the Hebrews is called upon us Let there more work be laid upon the men Exod. 5. Ver. 9. The Hebrew words sound thus Let the work be heavy upon the men which might have satisfied our Translators and been put into the Text and not cast into the margent For there is a time of voluntary service of sin when men bear the work and service of sin lightly of which state they speak Numb 11.18 It was well with us in Egypt until the Lord came to visit and redeem them Exodus 4.31 And then the spiritual Pharaoh and his Task-masters the ruling lusts lay load upon them make their work heavie and them sensible of it Opera carnes terrina opera opera seculi actûs terrae luteae explere ministeria works of the flesh earthly works works of the world the durty drudgery of sin saith Origen such as the Apostle calls the service of uncleannesse Rom. 6.19 and make them servants of the pot of filthy lucre Tit. 1.7 of divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 Of this state speaks the Apostle Rom. 7.15 c. Now the service of sin becomes involuntary and now the servant cries out for deliverance Verse 24. Who shall deliver me The answer is Gratia Dei per Jesum Christum V. Lat. the grace of God by Jesus Christ Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses When the tale of Bricks was doubled then Moses came and then the people were most fit to receive him And when men groan under the Egyptian burdens which are their sins then is the spiritual Moses the Prophet like to Moses most welcome and such he invites and welcomes unto himself who are weary and heavy laden and he gives them rest Matth. 11.28 And I will sever in that day Exod. 8. Ver. 22. the land of Goshen in which my people dwell that no swarms of flies shall be there c. What the Translators here turn I will sever is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies more then a meer severing or separating It addes somewhat which may excite wonderment as indeed such a separation ought to do if duly considered For what through want of due regard is neglected the same advisedly considered of may provoke admiration And a very powerful means this separation was to perswade the heart of Pharaoh into an acknowledgement and admiration of Gods great power if he had not hardened it but rightly thought on the exact division that God made between the good and the evil the oppressed and their oppressours the Israelites and the Egyptians Yea not onely between their persons but also between their cattle as Exod. 9.4 where the Lord makes the like wonderful separation The end which the Lord herein aims at is that Pharaoh yea and all ungodly men in the world might be induced to take notice of the divine power and God-head Romans 1.20 and so be brought to believe in God the Father This was the very end which the Lord here intended as appears by the following words I will marvellously separate the land of Goshen c. to the end that thou mayest know that I Jehovah am Lord or Governour so the Greek Chald. Pharaph and Arabic Version in the midst of the Earth By like wonderful separation in distributing rewards and punishments in the world the Lord begins the first dispensation and advanceth belief in God the Father

to be understood here the Prophet more fully expresseth himself Hos 13.4 I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt and thou shalt not know a god besides me Let us then lay these together Moses saith that from the Mount Horeb or the Law the people stript themselves of their ornament the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is singular For from the work of the Law upon men they begin to put off their own ornament their own righteousness their own holiness The people had adorned themselves as a Bride to enter covenant of mariage with their God Exod. 19.10 11. Which done their first national sin was spiritual adultery with the Egyptian Apis an Ox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most powerful god to the Egyptians saith Aelian or a Calf which they made in Horeb and worshipped the molten Image Exod. 32.4 5 6. Psal 106.19 Whence by metaphor taken from an Ox which being head-strong shakes off the yoke the Lord first calls this people stiff-necked from their worship of the Egyptian Ox Exod. 32.9 and 33.3 And often he afterward mindes them of this idolatry by calling them stiff-necked and by metaphor from an unthankful Calf kicking the Dam Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked Deut. 32.15 According to a like metaphor Plato said that his ingrateful Scholar Aristotle was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fole Notwithstanding this great sin the people were yet in their Holyday-clothes Tanquam re bene gestâ as if they had kept a Feast to the Lord as Aaron caused it to be proclaimed Exod. 32.5 And the Priests oftentimes have made Calves even of themselves to please the people Populo ut placerent quas fecissent fabulas And at this day too many think by their forms of godliness their bravery of Religion to serve God and Apis God and Mammon God and the Devil and their own lusts together as the Apostle makes application of this example Be not ye Idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sat down to eat and to drink and rose up to play 1 Cor. 10.7 In this case the Lord though he knowes all his own works and ours and the events of them yet he would seem not to know what to do with such a people but utterly to consume them Unless from the work of the Law upon them they strip themselves of their ornament their own righteousness which they have taken on Consider this who ever thou art spiritually minded Reader Omnia in figura contingebant illis all things befel that people in figure and were written for our admonition especially this story as hath been shewen Would we that the good spirit of our God should be with us and destroy our spiritual enemies and lead us into the land of Righteousness which was in figure here mainly desired as appears v. 3.4.12 16. Let us then not pride our selves in a robe of righteousness or pompous ostentation of holiness which we have either chosen and clothed our selves withal or such as hath been imposed upon us by others while our Idols are yet erected and set up in our hearts lest the Lord consume us ver 5. But knowing the terrour of the Lord let us begin from Mount Horeb even from the holy Law and the holy fear wrought in us thereby Exod. 20.20 to devest our selves of our false righteousness whereof the Spirit at this day reproves the World John 16.10 And let us lay our selves low before our God and put on Sackcloth that is be clothed with humility 1 Pet. 5.5 See the good effect of such humiliation from legal terrour in that loose debaucht Heathen King of Nineveh and how it won upon his favour He arose from his Throne and laid his robe from him and covered him with Sackcloth sat in Ashes Jonah 3.8 See it in a foolish King Rehoboam and his people 2 Chron. 12.7 See it in an idolatrous and a bloody King Ahab 1 Kings 21.29 the good God spared them all And if thou begin from Mount Horeb from the work of the Law humbling thee and put off the rags of thine imaginary righteousness thou shalt see the like effect in thy self Let us hear S. Peters counsel Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time So will he be with us and go with us and subdue our enemies in us and his good Spirit will lead us into the land of righteousness O that this were come to pass in every one of our souls Thou shalt make the dishes thereof and the spoons thereof It is true Exod. 25. Ver. 19. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latitude of it may signifie a Spoon as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies what is crooked or hollow and so Pagnin here renders the word Coclearia Spoons As also Numb 7.14 the Princes of Israel offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn Spoons and Jer. 52.18 19. Whether the word be rightly rendred or not will appear if we enquire to what end and use these Spoons were made surely to hold the Frankincense which was to be put upon the Table of Shew-bread as appears Levit. 24.7 And therefore everyone of the twelve Princes offered his Spoon full of incense This cannot be the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these and other places as may appear by these reasons 1. A Spoon was no proper vessel for the Incense but that which the Latins saith Festus call Acerra vel dicunt arculam esse thurariam scilicet ubi thus reponehant a little vessel wherein they put Franckincense Vatablus having rendred the word Coclearia Spoons he explains it by thuri●ala in quibus ponebatur thus Boxes wherein Incense was put So likewise the old Greek Glossary hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acerra thuribulum a receptacle for Franckincense 2. Moses having mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vessels for Franckincense he addes the covers thereof Now it is not likely surely it is not usual that Spoons have their covers made for them If they be not Spoons what are they The Italian hath as also Hieron cups but in the margent incense-vessels And the French Bible having Spoons in the Te●t explains the word by vessels of incense in the margent Piscator turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ranchpfenlin which he explains A vessel wherein men put incense As for an English word to answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s easier to shew what they are not then properly and in one English word what they are We may till we can express the word better be content with Incense-vessels The Lord hath his Table in the Holy and hath furnished it richly and plenteously with dishes of shew-bread the figure of the living bread or the bread which is the living Word that came down from heaven John 6.32 33. and with bowls for wine that we may drink into one spirit 1 Cor. 12 13. with Incense-vessels also that partaking

our Lord there delivers and fear lest the like or a worse judgement remains for themselves My Brethren The hand of the same Lord of Hosts is stretched out still And if we shall in life or doctrine especially this doctrine of unbelief and impossibility cause the people of God to sin let us fear the like yea heavier judgement upon our selves because we have not taken warning by the heavie hand of God upon them Quorum facta imitamur cur non illorum exitûs exhorrescamus If we be like them in the sin why should we not fear that we shall be involved with them in the same judgement 1. We who call our selves and would be reputed Ministers of the Gospel are supposed to know more then other men do and to be more strong in the Lord and in the power of his might then others are and so to be more able to resist the Tempter and his motions unto sin 2. We are thought to have received more grace from God and therefore if we sin against our God we are more ingrateful then others are 3. Impiety in us is in a special manner repugnant unto our profession who more then other men pretend to piety and holiness 4. The example of our sin extends more to scandal then other mens because being reputed learned we may be supposed to sin by the Book O let us bring our sin-offering even repentance a broken spirit and a contrite heart Psal 51.17 Let us confess forsake and mortifie our sin that by the blood and spirit of Christ we may be sprinkled from an evil conscience Hebr. 10.22 and the blood and spirit of Jesus Christ shall cleanse us from all our sins 1 John 1.7 Then will our sober chaste temperate honest just godly conversation win the people to sobriety chastity temperance justice honesty and piety and every grace which they shall see in us they will copie out into themselves Then shall we be pretious men indeed not in the vain opinion of ignorant men then shall wee bee powerful Preachers when we preach powerfully Christ to be the power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 by whom the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. So that we warn every man and teach every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Jesus Christ Col. 1.28 Then shall we boldly propound our selves examples unto the flock And when the chief Shepherd shall appear we shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away 1 Peter 4.2 3. If a soul sin and hear the voice of swearing and is a witness Levit. 5. Ver. 1. whether he hath seen or known of it if he do not utter it then he shall bear his iniquity The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here turn'd swearing is not to be understood in the latitude of it but more proper to the business here treated of by Moses it signifies an Adjuration which is that kinde of Oath or Execration whereby a man hearing is obliged to say or do something as in controversies among men an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife Hebr. 6.16 Thus also in mens private affairs and extrajudiciall matters As Abraham adjured his servant or caused him to swear imposing an oath upon him Gen. 24.3 And examples of both kindes we have many in Scriptures Exod. 13.19 Numb 5.19 1 Sam. 14.27 28. 1 Kings 2.43 Ezra 10.5 Cant. 5.8 9. and elsewhere This Adjuration is understood in this Scripture here before us For the Jews in their Courts admitted an Adjuration to be laid upon all persons present for the eliciting and drawing forth the truth in question Insomuch as although a man were not personally cited and adjured to confess his knowledge yet if he heard the adjuration or execration and concealed the truth he rendred himself guilty according to this Law Much more if any man were personally adjured to speak his knowledge and yet held his peace In which case he was obliged to answer the adjuration although possibly what he uttered might prove disadvantageous unto himself So vain is that assertion which yet is vulgar and common that no man is bound to accuse himself This very Law bindes a man to speak his knowledge although summoned thereunto generally only and in common with all who hear the adjuration however his own personal interest may be concerned thereby Otherwise this Law makes him guilty How much yet more if the Judge himself adjure him to declare the truth In which case it is very observable that when the High Priest had questioned our Lord Luke 22.67 68. and the false witnesses had bin produced against him Matth. 26.61 62. which yet could prove nothing and Jesus himself held his peace so that they were all at a loss the high Priest made use of the last expedient which in this case could be used and adjured him by the living God that he should tell them whether he were the Christ the Son of God This Adjuration drew from our Lord that Confession that he was the Son of God Matth. 26.59 64. For so what there we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast said S. Mark reports to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am So sacred a thing is an Oath that he who submitted himself to be a Servant of Rulers as he is called Esay 49.7 when he had stood dumb and opened not his mouth the Adjuration caused him to make that glorious confession of the truth This sense Arias Montanus Vatablus Munster and Castellio give of these words Tremellius and some of the Jews understand this Law to be against him who hath heard one blaspheme God and conceals his knowledge And he refers this Law to the precept of brotherly correction and reproof Levit. 19.17 And it is possible that our Translators may have been of the same judgement But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not any where used to signified blasphemy in that sense so far as I yet can finde Nor was swearing wholly forbidden the Jewes either judicially or extra-judicially but onely vain and false swearing Levit. 19.12 Jer. 7.9 And of this swearing Hos 4.2 is to be understood and Zach. 5.3 Every one that sweareth shall be cut off What kinde of swearing is that It followes in the next verse every one that sweareth falsly by my Name So Mal. 3.5 For the merciful God graciously connived for a time at the Jewes swearing so they sware not falsly nor vainly by his Name And therefore our Lord in his exposition of that Commandement saith not Thou shalt not swear but thou shalt not forswear thy self And the reason may be The people of God lived among the Nations who walked every one in the name of his god Mich. 4.5 Wherefore the Lord condescended for a time to be accounted as it were a Topical God as if he had been the God of Israel only as may appear by Jephta's reasoning Judges

glorious mark set before us all Priests and people Ephes 4.13 A perfect man the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ Ye are by your place and profession neer unto God his friends and intimate ones whose duty it is to be middle men between God and his people who are also a people neer unto him Psal 148.14 Whose office it is to burn incense to our God to make prayers and intercessions for the people It is therefore expected of us that we should be more holy more sober more righteous more godly then other people are This is necessary if we consider the end of our prayer For it is the prayer of a righteous man that avails much James 5.10 And intercession is such a kinde of prayer as must avail very much since it is made for the Priest himself and for the whole congregation It s meet therefore that he be an eminently righteous man and zealous such an one as Phineas who stood up and prayed and so the plague ceased Psalm 106.30 the words are he executed judgement nor is there any mention made of prayer in the story Numb 25. though the words will bear both senses and imply that an intercessors prayer must be operative and the mediator himself a righteous man zealously executing justice and judgement Without holiness no man shall see the Lord no not when he is best pleased And shall we think that some remiss degree of holiness will suffice a Priest an Intercessor for Gods people and their Agent with God to see God obtain grace and mercy from God for himself and the people and that when God is most displeased with them when as the people are so is the Priest then where is that Shepherd that will stand before me saith the Lord Jer. 49.19 All the sons of Levi were holy and zealous in Gods cause Exod. 32. yet all of them could not hold Gods hand It was to Moses only that God said Let me alone Nor can we be so uncharitable as to imagine that all men were wicked in Jerusalem when God sought for a man that should stand in the gap and could finde none Ezech. 22.30 No no he sought some excellent man some Moses some Samuel some Daniel to stand before him It s well if an ordinary just man can obtain his own pardon in a common Judgement Lot was a righteous man 2 Pet. 2.7 but he was delivered out of Sodom at the instance and intercession of a more eminently righteous man than he And therefore we read that when God destroyed the Cities of the Plain that God remembred Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the Cities in which Lot dwelt Gen. 19.29 As for profane men they are as unserviceable intercessors in the gap as a dry bush to keep out a flame of fire from devouring the stubble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are far from righteousness Esay 46.12 and far off from God We are neer unto God and intercessors for other men wherefore far be it from us that we should be like other men that it should be true of us Like people like Priest Hos 4.9 Or that we draw neer unto God with our mouth and honour him with our lips but our heart should be far from him Matth. 15.8 Far be it from us that it should be truly spoken of us which yet some of the people say that there is much Lording and Domineering over one another and over the people although we be brethren although we be not Bishops If it be so that we can be prowd without a title how neer to God soever we imagine our selves to be he beholds us afar off Or what some say that some of us are neer men covetous if so we are neerer Mammon than we are to the true God That we are as passionate and have as little rule of our affections yea some of us less then other men have If so how can we be said to be neer unto God or neerer then other men It is true what Hierom writes Vehementer Ecclesiam Dei destruit meliores esse Laicos quàm Clericos It s very destructive to the Church that the people should be better men then the Priests Howbeit I hope none of the people can say of any of us that we have erred through wine that we have gone out of the way through strong drink as those Levitical Priests are thought to have done I hope there is no such Beast that toucheth the mountain of the Lord. We well know the Apostles admonition Be not drunk with wine wherein there is excess but be filled with that wine wherein there can be no excess the Spirit of God I know there are among us some I hope many mortified men who need Pauls exhortation to Timothy drink no more water but use a little wine for thy stomacks sake and thine often infirmities 1 Tim. 5.23 But if any such intemperate men there be among us as some say there are I shall direct the Apostles exhortation unto them with some little change Drink more water and use but little wine Let the Potitii and Pinarii the drinking Priests and hungry gluttenous Priests as the old Priests of Hcrcules were called saith Festus let such be Priests to them who are no gods 2 Chron. 13.9 In the mystical Temple of the true God the sons of Zadoc every way righteous men must be neer unto him to minister unto him Ezech. 44.15 But there is a drunkenness and not with wine Esay 29.9 a surfeting with the giddy spirit of opinion kindled in our own imaginations or borrowed of our neighbours neer home such a drunkenness I fear there is too much among us and that such boutefeus and incendiaries there are who bring their own strange wilde fire into the Church of God and zealously offer up their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their own will-worship unto God Shall such escape the just judgement of God Our God hath his spiritual judgments under the Gospel figured by those under the Law but more dreadful then those Such was the judgement on these two Priests The fire burnt their bodies not their clothes There is a kinde of thunder which burns not the Chest but melts the money in it hurts not the flesh but consumes the bones And such are Gods spiritual judgements they touch not mens bodies but seiz upon their souls Non quoties peccant homines sua fulmina mittit God sends not thunder and lightning alwayes to destroy ungodly men but such judgements as are much heavier as hardness of heart impenitency treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath contempt of Gods Word and Commandement from which good Lord deliver us Let these Boutefeus who kindle their own fire and compass themselves about with sparks walk in the light of their fire and in the sparks which they have kindled but this shall they have of Gods hand they shall lie down in sorrow Esay 50.11 O my brethren Let

would have all others lout and do homage And for these we quarrel and contend vex and torture our selves and others as if that curse on Zedekiah and Ahab were upon us which ye read Jer. 29.22 God make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab whom the King of Babylon roasted in the fire And these are the Christs which the divided Babel worships These are our Helena's these our Diana's Here is Christ saith one nay saith another he is here so a third a fourth indeed who knowes how many A Nut was crackt and one shell flies this way another that way a third another way and the like may be said of many And one followes this shell and saith O here is Christ and he heads and leads a company after him Another shell flies that way and another followes that and leads a company after him and so a third a fourth a fifth c. Stultorum infinitus est numerus Eccles 1.13 Meantime while men run to and fro like the Egyptians to seek their Apis they cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have found him we have found him they think they have found a god and he proves no other no better then a Calf with a white face They hunt and search here and there for shels and meanwhile the kernel lies in the midst neglected by all despised by all the unity of heart love meekness lowliness of minde patience long-suffering c. that 's the kernell That lies i th' street troden under foot and no man thinks it worth the taking up Let no man stand at a gaze and look at this or that Church or Congregation and call that Babel Turn thine eyes inwardly into thine own self O man and see whether the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same Babel the same Beam be not in thine own eye The pride of knowledge without the life of it which is obedience whereby thou wouldest get thy self a name to be a man of great understanding and holiness this swels thee and makes thee imagine that thou hast a spiritual fulness and great riches of knowledge and thou reflectst upon thy self and knowest that thou hast knowledge 1 Cor. 8.1 Thou hast gotten thee an opinion and art big with it and travellest like a fool with a word and believest that it is Christ formed in thee Gal. 4.19 Whereas indeed it is but a tympany a tumour a swelling of spiritual pride in thee Whence thou imaginest thy self above all other men and that they are but fools or beasts in comparison of thee All this proceeds from that man of sin who sets him self up in thine heart as if he were God whereas indeed he is the Devil himself with his mystery of iniquity and he works iniquity in thee And he hath his false Prophet in thee which teacheth lies in hypocrisie And unto all this thou hast thy beast that yields obedience unto the iniquity And this is thy Babel thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thine eye-sore thy false light which renders thee unfit maugre all thy knowing knowledge to be a Priest unto the Lord. 'T is true this high minde is plausible and with some so taking that its thought to be the great power of God Acts 8.10 However it makes a fair shew in the flesh But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Purulenta Scabies the moyst the mattery Scab is when the corrupt and putri●ied blood so abounds that it breaks out and deforms the flesh And what 's that but the open and known sin the manifest works of the flesh Gal. 5.19 which proceed out of the abundance of the corrupt heart Matth. 15.19 20. and defile the man Of these the Prophet speaks in a corrupt age like ours There is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they break out and bloud toucheth blood And this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purulenta Scabies the putrified matter of the impostumated soul As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies the dry scab or itch S. Gregory applies this to covetousness which as the itch seizeth on the body so this on the soul which spreads it self without pain Avaritia capti animum dum quasi delectat exulcerat c. Covetousness while it delights the minde of him who is taken with it it eats and wastes it and that without sense of pain Dum spes refulserit lucri the grief is taken away by the tickling and flattering hope of gain Meantime as this mangyness deforms the body so doth covetousness stain the beauty of the soul Whence not without just cause it s called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turpe lucrum sordid and filthy lucre This itch also may proceed from a Pharisaical humour as when men itch after praise as our Lord saith of the Pharisees that they did all their works to be seen of men Matth. 23.5 and did affricare scabiem they infected others with the same itch so that they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God John 12.23 This also may be referred to the desire of propagating and spreading their opinions which is so impetuous and itching that they compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte saith our Lord Matth. 23.15 And the like zealous itch have the Pharisees of our time whose main endeavour it is rather to poyson others with their contagious tenents then to save them and win them to the life of God And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath its original from the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discere to learn whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctus learned and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrina learning Which imports an impatient and itching desire that many have to be teaching others when yet that which Tully bewayling the decay of Orators in Rome saith Quàm in paucis spes quantò in paucioribus facultas quàm in multis est audacia the same or the like we may say of those who intrude or would intrude into the Evangelicall Priesthood How few are there whereof there is hope how much fewer have any faculty in how many is there audaciousness and boldness to execute the Priests office And as these have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an itch in their tongue so the people have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an itch in their ears as the Apostle saith of them 2 Tim. 4.3 and so mulus mulum scabit they rub one another And the people love to have it it so Jer. 5.31 But here I may take up a complaint and cry out with the Orator O tempora O mores Into what times into what manners of men are we fallen When every blinde Bayard who sees only with other mens eyes and is learned only with other mens learning will yet be a Seer a Prophet and a Priest unto the people When such as halt between God and Satan Christ and Belial will yet undertake to be leaders of the people and with their broken feet

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their business by the bye following with their utmost endeavour those things which will not profit them in the latter end little regarding those things which will then profit us and indeed nothing else but they Hezekiah had now a message of death sent unto him by the Prophet Esay 2 Kings 20.3 Thus faith the Lord set thy house in order for thou shalt die and not live it s said that Hezekiah turn'd his face to the wall and prayed unto the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord remember how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Let the Atheists of our time consider this who think it a vain thing to serve God and that there is no profit to keep his Ordinance and to walk mournfully before the Lord of hosts Mal. 3.14 Let the Edomites the earthly minded ones consider this who hunt after the lusts of the old man and slight the blessing and the eternal inheritance as if it were good for nothing The time will come when they shall experimentally finde that nothing but humble walking with God with a perfect heart 〈…〉 11. 〈◊〉 and doing what is good in his sight will profit them and unless they timely enter into that way walk in Godt statutes keep his Commandements and do them they shall seek the blessing and eternal inheritance and the way leading thereunto with tears and not be able to finde it but die in their sins Gen. 25.33 34. and 27.38 Hebr. 12.16 17. This also reproves our hankering and halting between two opinions whether we should walk with God or walk with Baal or rather with Baalim or many lording lusts which have dominion over us If the Lord be God serve him if Baal be god serve him We cannot serve the Lord and Baal God and Mammon But there is yet another meaning of these words that the Lord supposeth its possible that his people might attribute the good or evil which befel them to Chance and Fortune not to God himself And so they should make Fortune their god The Mythologists whose proper business it is to search out the original and truth of old Poetical Fables they report that among all humane Authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fortane was never held to be a god or goddess till Homer made it one Nor doth Hesiod mention any such deity in all his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is true Chance and Fortune were taken notice of long before as I have shewed And the Philistines owned it but not as a god 1 Sam. 6.9 But when Homer had found out such a new god the after Poets easily added to his invention and so enlarged the power of Fortune that they gave her at length the soveraignty over all humane affairs And if this fiction had rested among them who have authority to dare any thing it had not been so strange But can we think that the Orators and of them the most sober men should entertain the same opinion of it What saith Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For great is the moment yea rather Fortune is all in all as to all the affairs of men Yea Tully saith as much Magnam vim esse in fortuna in utramque partem c. that Fortune hath great power on both sides either in prosperity or adversity who knowes not for if we have her prosperous gale we are carried to our wished ends and when she is ●●●trary we are afflicted and much more to this purpole lib. 2. de officiis wherein indeed he makes Fortune such a goddess as ruleth and disposeth of all things in the world as I shall shew by and by But all these own'd a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a plurality of gods and if so why might not Fortune have a place among them since what the Apostle faith of idols is most crue of Fortune that it is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8. But who can imagine that the people of the only true God should take Fortune for a god yet the onely true God supposeth this possible Esay 65. ver 11. Yea this was so possible that it proved fecible and was actually done by Gods own people as he complains Esay 65.11 Ye are they who have forsaken the Lord and have forgotten my holy mountain who prepare a Table 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that troop or for Gad as our Translators turn it in the margent Pagnin understood the host of heaven Arias Montanus turns it Jove So Munster explains Gad by Jovi and tells us that the Jewes thereby understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Jupiters star Luther retains Gad but understands by it in his Notes Mars or Mercury But it s most probable that by Gad in that place Fortune is to be understood for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Good fortune or success And therefore Leah called her son born of Zilpah her hand-maid Gad and gives her reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good fortune success or prosperity cometh Gen. 30.11 Hence it was easie for the Heathen Poets especially Homer to counterseit their god Fortune as they were wont to do others out of the ancient Monuments of persons recorded in the Scriptures as I have formerly showen by divers examples Hence it is that the Vulgar Latin turns Gad Fortune Ponitis Fortunae mensam ye prepare a Table or Altar for Fortune So Vatablus and Castellio in the margent as also the French Bible But the Spanish Bible and that of Coverdale hath Fortune in the Text. But I may speak more to this on Esay 65.11 if the Lord will Meantime concerning Fortune we may affirm thus much 1. That although the Heavens and Stars have their instuencies motions and operations although all inferiour second causes whether necessary or contingent have their energie and causality and may possibly be so shuffled and hudled together that their effect is unknown to us whence it immediately proceeds and so may be said to come to pass by Chance or Fortune yet is the most high God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first cause and cause of all causes and he so disposeth and ordereth all second causes whether acting naturally and necessarily or freely and contingently that its impossible that any thing should be fortuitous casual or accidental in regard of him And therefore when such actions which to men are fortuitous and accidental come to pass the less of man there is in them the more there is of God As where it s said that a certain man drew a Bow at adventure or in his simplicity and hit Ahab there is no doubt but God who would have Ahab fall at Ramoth Gilead he directed the arrow 1 Kings 22.34 And when our Saviour tells the Story or Parable of the man descending from Jerusalem to Jericho Luke 10. By chance saith he there came down a certain Priest that way ver 31. the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by

in the heat and fury of chance Do ye not remember our late extraordinary droughts And when the Lord gave rain did he not withal send destructive hail thunders and lightnings I shall remember you only of that memorable one July 20. 1656. when the rain hail thunder and lightning laid all the corn and fruit-trees waste five miles broad and between fifteen and sixteen miles in length about the City of Norwich I received this relation from good men of credit and sufferers in that calamity but the thing is sufficiently known So the Lord walked with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even in the heat wrath and fury of chance This story I the rather mention because I have observed it to be the guise of men in this City like that of the Athenians Acts 17.21 to spend their time in hearing or telling some new thing and that commonly they entertain relations of this nature under the notion of novelties and think no more of them And therefore God by this and like judgements awakens us and reproves our casual and accidental walking with him that we should turn unto him lay his judgement to heart learn righteousness and with full purpose of heart walk with him But the Stoicks of our time are not hereby justified who will have all things come to pass by an immutable and fatal necessity as if the series and order of causes and effects were so knit together as links in a chain by an unavoidable destiny so that howsoever Gods people walk or have walked with him they nor could nor can walk otherwise then they have done or do No nor can God himself having bound up himself by his own decrees walk otherwise with his people then he hath done or doth walk Surely these men consider not that the most high God who made man a noble and free creature with power to act or suspend his act to do this or that or their contraries he himself reserved to himself the same liberty or greater then what he gave to the counterpane of himself And since all things between God and man are transacted by way of covenant the terms and conditions of it alwayes suppose free agents entring into covenant and therefore a possibility of keeping or breaking covenant and consequently respective rewards and penalties annexed thereunto Otherwise man should be unjustly punished for that which could not be avoided or unduly rewarded for what could not be done otherwise Yea there should be as no merit so no demerit no demerit no sin no righteousness Yea all perswasions and disswasions all counsels exhortations dehortations all promises and threatnings reproofs admonitions all commands all prohibitions in a word all acts of God upon mans will which indeed upon the matter should be no will all Lawes of God and men should be altogether null and to no purpose or which amounts to little more a meer juggle a meer pageantry of seeming actions done onely above-board when indeed there should be no such thing But alas my heart condemns me that I have not walked so evenly so intirely with my God I have had many a good will and purpose to walk with my God and somewhat or other intervenes diverts me and turns me from my purpose Yet fear not the Lord with whom thou walkest looks at thy heart and good will and how thou art affected toward walking with him I the Lord search the heart and try the reins to give to every man according to his wayes according to the fruit of his doings Jer. 17.10 If we have forgotten the Name of our God or stretched out our hands unto a strange god shall not God search it out for he knoweth the secrets of the heart Psal 44.20 21. He looks upon the hands thorow the heart And therefore what we have in the Text if ye will not hearken unto me but walk at all adventures with me speaking of the event the same ver 21. ye may read spoken of the heart and affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ye will not hearken unto me if ye have a lust heart and will not to hearken unto me The Lord looks thorow our heart and will at our feet and walking O but if our heart condemn us God is greater then our heart and he knowes all things 1 John 3.20 Thus the poor soul dejects it self and pleads against it self without just cause Let not thy heart condemn thee 1 John 3. Ver. 18 19 20. God is greater then thy heart and he knowes all things Alas saith the poor soul that 's my condemnation that God is greater then my heart and knowes all things It is a true saying Qui respicit ad pauca de facile pronunciat he who looks at few things soon delivers his opinion But he who will give a right sentence of Gods truth he must look about him at antecedents and consequents and pray to the Lord to give him his Spirit to lead him into all truth This place of Scripture is not well translated Let us take the whole Paragraph before us and consider of it 1 John 3.18 19 20. My little children let us not love in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby namely by our loving in deed and in truth hereby do we know that we are of the truth and shall assure or perswade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our hearts before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for but that if our heart condemn us or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although as Matth. 26.35 John 8.14 and elsewhere although our heart condemn us for any former failing that God is greater then our heart greater in wisdom grace mercy and goodness and knowes all things he knowes our heart and the present frame and disposition of our heart in the deed and truth of love So that many a poor soul dejects and casts down it self upon a meer mistake of this place of Scripture mis-translated which being truly rendred and understood makes for the great consolation of it But I have not walked with my God in the way of his Commandements Surely the Lord hath forsaken me His Prophet tells me The Lord is with you while you are with him if ye forsake him he will forsake you And this is my condition Be not discouraged poor soul The Prophets words are The Lord is with you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in your being with him if therefore thou do what is pleasing in his sight and what he hath shewen thee 2 Chro. 15. Ver. 2. is good if thou do justly and love mercy and humble thy self to walk with thy God thou art with him and in thy being with him he is with thee Continue thou in so doing and in the good will so to do But alas I endeavour so to do but I often stumble in the way That makes thee more diligent and more wary afterward He who stumbles commonly takes a larger stride Be careful and remember that thou walkest in the midst of snares

and on the battlements of the City Ecclus 9.13 Yet fear not In thy being with thy God he is with thee and will keep thee from falling Jude v. 24. Remember what he saith to thee and to every one who walketh with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not leave thee Hebr. 13. Ver. 5. no no by no means will I forsake thee It s such a pack of Negatives that I read not the like in Scripture to assure thee that he will be with thee in thy being with him But some who can satisfie themselves touching their own estate take offence at others And this hath been an old complaint Why doth the way of the wicked prosper And why are they happy who deal very treacherously Jer. 12.1 I envied the wicked saith David when I saw the ungodly in such prosperity c. Psal 73.3 And Job 21.7 15. seems to take the like offence The better affected Heathen could see this crypsis of providence by dim light of natune The old Comedian brings in one grown old in honest poverty thus complaining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I who am a worshipper of God and a just man am miserable and poor But others are rich who are Church-robbers Lawyers and Sycophants and wicked men So he Such objections as these have troubled good men in all ages when they see such strange 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such seeming incompossibilities unto common judgement wicked men yet blest of God men walking by chance with God yet God walking on purpose with them and prospering them Good men walking with purpose and with all their heart with God yet God walking with them as it were in the fury of fortune Notwithstanding all these objections its best and safest to hold the conclusion as David or Asaph after a long combate as it may seem with atheistical thoughts of sleeping providence or none he abruptly begins the third book of Psalmes Psal 73.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sed or veruntamen Psal 73. Ver. 1. Yet God is good to Israel to the pure in heart to such as with whole heart and with purpose of heart walk with God And Jeremy layes down this conclusion first Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy judgements Why doth the way of the wicked prosper And Chrysostome upon Genesis 14. wisely and modestly concludes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That God no doubt oftentimes disposes things profitably when yet we know not the reason why so or so Yet if the places named Job 21.16 33. c. Psal 73.16 28. and Jer. 12.1 2 3. be well looked into every objection brings its answer with it Howbeit because yong travellers in Gods way look much at the temporal recompence of reward I shall speak somewhat on that argument unto them lest by the outward prosperity of wicked men they should be discouraged from walking with their God with purpose of heart It is possible and true that men may so regulate and order their affairs by prudence and providence and may so use diligence that they may stop all holes in second causes so make all ends meer that it will be impossible to miss of their designes without a miracle because God will not suffer that order which he hath set in things nor his universal providence whereby he cares for moves and helps on and concurs with or at least permits all the actions of all his creatures upon every occasion to be interrupted It is also possible and true that they who lay out themselves and their utmost endeavours and all their time in plotting and projecting and casting about for the things of this life and will not be modest or shamefac'd in the use of any thriving advantageous means in fashion as flattery bribery lying serving every base humour yea and call it fair and honest dealing too yea and set all their wits and consciences upon the tenters and all for the compassing of some worldly good it is no marvel if these men have their labours crown'd with good success since God in these cases goes along with his general providence concurs with their actions and permits their evil events Bildad tels Job truly that the earth must not be forsaken for his sake nor the Rock be removed out of its place Job 18.4 And alas why should such men be envied pity them rather t is their whole portion t is all they have but an estate for life for this life they shall shortly be sent into a far countrey like the sons of Ceturah with their gifts Gen. 25.5 6. when Isaac when they who are as Isaac was Gal. 4.28 when they who w th purpose of heart have walked with God shall obtain the inheritance Wherefore bee wee exhorted to make it our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our business to walk with our God with a perfect heart It was the exhortation of Barnabas to all the new Converts and Believers at Antioch that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord Acts 11.23 The Syriac there hath with their whole heart they would cleave unto him If so we walk with our God he also will walk with us in goodness grace and mercy towards us But herein beloved consists our greatest danger When our God hath been pleased to make us his people 1 Sam. 12.22 made himself known unto us and made known unto us the evil and the good experimentally so that we have tasted of the evil and the good when the Lord hath restored us to our freedom and put it into our own power to cleave unto him and love him or else to leave him and forsake him in which state he set Adam though not without counsel rebukes and threatnings with ability and liberty to stand or fall If in this case we hanker and halt before our best friend if we be in and out walk uncertainly accidentally casually even as it happens with our God if then we depart from him he then departs from us For the Lord is then with us as we are with him 2 Chron. 15.2 So David saith unto the Lord with the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful with a perfect man thou wilt shew thy self perfect with the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure and with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward Psalm 18.25.26 And with this free conditional and impartial providence David acquaints his son Solomon Thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a persect heart and with a willing minde For the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever 1 Chron 28.9 So far are they out who secure men in this estate and perswade them that they cannot fall away when indeed there is the most danger of falling away in this estate if men continue not in the good will and obedience

to 1 Cor. 16.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all your things be done in charity What ever the true house of Jacob doth that Hobab the love of God and man must be the doer of it otherwise they are not Israel indeed And therefore the Prophet Micha speaks of a false Israelites who devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practice it because it is in the power of their hand And they covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away So they oppress or defraud a man and his house even a man and his heritage Whereupon the Lord threatens an heavie judgement against Israel falsely so called Micha 2.1.6 and then adds an Epiphonema O thou that art named the house of Jacob is the Spirit of the Lord shortned Are these his doings Is the Lords hand shortned that he cannot save you from doing these things Esay 59.1 Are these his doings whose spirit ye pretend Are these things done in charity And these are the Assistants of Moses and Aaron in the numbering visiting and mustering the Armies of Israel Whence it s strongly intimated what manner of people the souldiers of Jesus Christ ought to be even such as Moses and Aaron and their Assistants were or such as their well-boding names imply and hold them forth to have been For since similitude and likeness is one main ground of love how could these choose or approve of such for the Lords Souldiers who were not in some good measure like vnto themselves Yea what wise and devout Souldier will not endeavour by such ensignes of true valour to render himself approveable It is part of the fatherly advise which S. Paul now a Veteran and an old Souldier gives to his son Timothy endure thou hardness as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ No man that warreth intangleth himself in the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier 2 Tim. 2.3 4. The business of Moses Aaron and their assistants was numbering mustering the Israelites The people of Israel were thrice mustered 1. In the first year after their eating the Paskal Lamb their coming out of Egypt when they were to pay every one half a Shekel for the Ransom of his soul Exod. 30.11 12. which figured our Redemption by Christ For we are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from our vain conversation received by tradition from our Fathers but by the pretious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot And every one is to pay his half shekel whereby some understand Faith which yet is of no value without holiness of life and the Redemption is from the vain conversation And therefore the Apostle speaking of our Redemption through Christ exhorts us to be holy as God is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy ver 16. This holiness is in part at the first when men are newly come out of Egypt as an half shekel being the holiness of obedient children ver 14. and not purified according to the purification of the Sanctuary 2 Chron. 29.18 19 20. Howbeit having kept the Passover by faith and by faith and hope passed thorow the red Sea Hebr. 11.28 29. they continue sincere in the good will figured by the unleavened bread 1 Cor. 5.8 until a greater power come that they may cleanse themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 That filthiness of flesh and that of the spirit are the two sorts of enemies against which the Israel of God is to be numbred mustered set in rank and file And the mustering in this Chapter is against the former enemies 1 Pet. 2.11 And that which we read Chap. 26. is against the later Of both the Apostle speaks Ephes 6.12 When these enemies are subdued we take possession of the eternal inheritance And therefore being mustered the third time unto these saith the Lord shall the land be divided for an inheritance Numb 26.53 According to which in that excellent hymn called Te Deum laudamus prayer is made for the Church in these words Make them to be numbred with thy Saints in glory everlasting Wherein some have thought numerari to be numbred should be read munerari to be rewarded But according to the sense given both will amount unto the same things O ye true Israelites ye who are of the Church Militant ye Males of masculine valour and prowess ye yong men who overcome the wicked one 1 John 2.13 14. Ye are the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Choise yong men chosen men of Gods Israel such as are so often mentioned in the Old and New Testament strong and able to wage the spiritual warfare fight the good fight of faith Adde unto or in your faith vertue 2 Pet. 1.5 O ye Veterans ye old souldiers of Jesus Christ who have known him from the beginning There is no limitation no stint of time for continuance in your service from twenty years old and upward or above how much above is not defined Your old age is no diminution to your strength and courage Remember what Caleb saith to Jehoshuah Chap. 14.10 11. I am this day fourscore and five years old As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me as my strength was then even so is my strength now for war to go out and to come in Caleb hath his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Canis as being one of the Lords Dogs Psal 68.23 figuring out good will to his Lord and his righteousness as ye may read in that good old book under a new title the Treasure of the soul to the shame of those who jeer that excellent book of Tobit because mention is there made of his Dog These men know not the mysteries of God by which character the ungodly are described Wisd 2.22 Such Calebs are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundum Cor according to the heart of God These wait upon the Lord and renew their strength Esay 40.31 as trees of righteousness Esay 61.3 for as the dayes of a tree are the dayes of Gods people Esay 65.22 which bring forth more fruit in their age Let us do so brave souldiers Let us fight the good fight of faith let us be faithful unto the death of all and every sin and the Lord of hosts will give us the Crown of life as he hath given it unto that old souldier S. Paul I have fought a good fight saith he I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but to them also who love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O ye brave and valiant souldiers quit

far off from him As I shall shew anon The words thus opened in general contain in them these divine Doctrines 1. The Lord hath his Tabernacle or Tent of meeting 2. The sons of Israel must pitch their Tents over against the Tabernacle of meeting 3. They must pitch round about the Tabernacle of meeting 1. The Lord hath his Tabernacle or Tent of meeting So Tremellius turns the words Tentorium conventûs and so Arias Montanus and the French Bible and the Italian Gods Tabernacle is that portable house wherein he walked many years with the sons of Israel until the Temple was built 2 Sam. 7.6 But what need hath the great God of any either Tabernacle or Temple Heaven is his Throne and the Earth is his Footstool and what House Tabernacle or Temple can be built for him Esay 66. And do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Jer. 23. T is true the Heaven of heavens cannot contain him He is incomprehensible so that if we look for his adequate Tabernacle or Temple we shall finde no other but Himself And therefore Revel 21.22 The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of the holy City So that its a wonderful condescent of the incomprehensible God that he owns any Temple or Tabernacle upon earth That of Salomons building was most magnificent yet that most wise King admires the Lords dignation But will God indeed dwell on the Earth Behold the Heaven and the Heaven of heavens cannot contain thee how much less this house that I have builded 1 Kings 8.27 How much more may we wonder at that far greater condescent Revel 21.3 Where he saith Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them their God Wherein there is expressed the force of Immanuel God with us This is that Tabernacle namely the Church thorow which the Lord Christ passed into the Holiest of all according to which we may understand that otherwise difficult place Hebr. 9. where the Apostle telling us of two Tabernacles or the two parts of the Tabernacle the high Priest passed through the first part or the Holy into the second or the most Holy once every year Hebr. 9. V. 7. to 12. with the blood of Bulls and Goats But Christ being come an high Priest of good things to come entred once by his own blood into the Holy viz. the most Holy the Church triumphant through a greater and more perfect Tabernacle that is his Church militant For as the passage to the most Holy lay throught the Holy so the way to the Church triumphant lies through the Church militant In this Tabernacle our God dwells with us as he had promised Exod. 25.8 Let them build me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tabernacle or Sanctuary and I will dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of them Exod. 25.8 and 29.45 46. which our Translators turn amongst them as also Chap. 29.45 46. Men are not willing I fear that God should be so near them as he promiseth to be if we prepare him a Sanctuary even an holy habitation in us Or else they fear that Gods indwelling his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or divine presence requiring such a Sanctuary wherein he would dwell might strongly argue an inherent holiness which rather then they would admit they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst them even at such a distance as they would have the Tribes to pitch their tents a far off from the Tabernacle Thus commonly when Christ is said to be in his people they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in or within either in the text or margent among you as Luke 17.21 Gal. 3.1 Col. 1.27 and elsewhere unless it cannot possibly be avoided without peril of reprobation as 2 Cor. 13.5 So that if we compare our estate under the Gospel with that under the Law we may thence note the happy condition of the Church of Christ if they knew their happiness or would believe it The Lord had his Tabernacle of meeting whither Moses and the Israelites resorted sometimes from a far off but it was an Evangelical speech Deut. 30.14 and accordingly S. Paul makes use of it the Word that is Christ is night thee in thy mouth and in thy heart Rom. 10.8 The Tabernacle of witness was of mans building and figurative only and therefore made by Bezaleel that is in the shadow of God implying that the Tabernacle of meeting was a shadow made also by Aholiab that is the Tent and Tabernacle of the Father representing only the aeconomy and dispensation of God the Father whereas the better and more perfect Tabernacle was of Gods own building wherein the Deity it self dwels Bodily Col. 2.9 wherein the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the divine Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 took up his Tabernacle and dwells in us John 1.14 which our Translators turn among us the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in us Happy Christians bona si sua norint if they knew their own happiness 2. The sons of Israel must pitch their Tents over against the Tabernacle of meeting The Metaphore is taken from Military affairs The sons of Israel pitch their Tents every one over against the Pavilion of the Commander in Chief the Corps du gard as the Souldiers of the Lord ready prest to receive the word of Command to go whither he bids them go to come when he bids them As his servants ready to do what he bids them do as the faithful Centurion saith to the Captain of our salvation Matth. 8.9 The reason of this is the resemblance and likeness which ought to be between the Church Militant and the heavenly host whereof Daniel saith Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him Dan. 7.10 And the Church of God the Mother of all the living ones was made to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. Ver. 18. Judg. 5.23 an help as before him Gen. 2.18 to help him among the mighty ones Judg. 5.23 So the Targ. Hierom LXX Vatablus Tremellius Castellio Pagnin Munster all the Dutch High and Low the French Bible and of our old English Translations Tyndal and Coverdale and two others all render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with or among the strong or mighty ones not against the mighty as our Translators have turn'd that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Scripture so much named and so little understood Such a Virago such a valiant Spouse the Lord hath chosen to stand before him as the Apostle with allusion to Gen. 2.18 writes to the Ephesians 1.4 He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without spot as ours also turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 5.27 before him in love 3. All the Saints are round about the Lord. The reason why the Saints of God are round

for our admonition that we might the better be confirmed and assured that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true Paschal Lamb 1 Cor. 5.7 the true daily sacrifice that Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world John 1. For as among the many lawes touching the Paschal Lamb this was one which was observed in the accomplishment of it in the Lord Jesus Christ John 19.26 A bone of him shall not be broken and therefore they brake not his legs as they did theirs who were crucified with him So like charge is given in the Scripture before us concerning the time when Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us which is observed very punctually by the Evangelist S. Mark Chap. 15.25 It was the third hour when they crucified him the usual hour of the Morning Sacrifice although that time might be allowed to other Sacrifices which by no means might precede this the Morning Sacrifice was sometime offered more early The same Evangelist saith that at the ninth hour or three a clock after noon the time of the Evening Sacrifice unless it did somewhat anticipate for the reason above named at that same ninth hour Jesus cryed with a lowd voice and gave up the ghost Mark 15.34.37 All which although it be very well worth our observation and may be a good subject for our meditations to busie themselves about especially the Passion week now instant yet I believe there is somewhat of neerer concernment unto us which may hence be taken notice of without which all our meditations about Christ crucified without us so many hundred years ago will very little avail us toward our salvation Surely as we are with the Lord the Sun of Righteousness so is he with us as I have lately shewen If therefore we decline from our obedience become Apostates unto the light and turn from the Lord and follow the Prince of darkness and will do his lusts these are two spiritual evenings between which the Paskal Lamb is slain Which are the very same with that of the School that sin consists either in aversione à Deo or conversione ad creaturam in turning away from God or turning to the creature The same two evils which the Prophet saith the people had committed They have forsaken the Fountain of living waters and digged to themselves Cisterns or pits broken pits or Cisterns which will hold no water Jer 2.13 According to this distinction we may reconcile the Wiseman and the Apostle who indeed differ not but only seemingly We read Ecclus 10.12 that the beginning of pride is when one departeth from God and his heart is turned away from his Maker For pride is the beginning of sin c. that is Quoad aversionem à Deo so far forth as a man through pride which is an high opinion of a mans own excellency turns away from God But the Apostle speaking of the other term 1 Tim. 6.10 Covetousness saith he 1 Tim. 6. v. 10. is the root of all evil For so I would rather turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covetousness or concupiscence then strictly according to the etymon the love of money or rather silver as the Syriac renders it For so it is not adequately true that the love of silver is the root of all evil which may be said as well of gold or any other creature And therefore the Vulg. Lat. renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cupiditas covetousness or concupiscence Between these two spiritual evenings the turning from God who is our life Deut. 30. and the turning to the creature the man dies from his spiritual life For the declining or turning away of the simple shall slay them Prov. 1. v. 32. and the prosperity or rather the ease or rest in sin of fools shall destroy them Prov. 1.32 where whether it be the Translators or the Printers fault I know hot but the marginal reading or ease of the simple is misplaced being directed to the former member of the sentence unto which it belongs not not to the latter unto which word ease may belong as answering to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they turn prosperity but the word simple may there be well left out For though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former part of the sentence signifie simple ones such as are easily perswaded to folly yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the later part signifies not such simple men but arrant fooles as being joyn'd with the brutish person and opposed to the wise Psal 49.10 troublesome turbulent fools whence the Star or rather Constellation called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath its name or they from it which raiseth great storms and tempests especially in the straights of Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subject to it saith Benjamin in his Journal the wicked fool is as the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and durt Esay 57.20 Now as the sinful man dies from the divine life between these two spiritual evenings so doth the Lamb of God the Paschal Lamb also die from the sinful man between the same two evenings For while we are yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 as being wounded not only for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquites as our Translators turn those words Esay 53. v. 5. Esay 53.5 but as they ought to be rendred He was wounded of our transgressions and was bruised of our iniquities the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sound of our transgressions and of our iniquities And so Arias Montanus turnes them A prevaricationibus and Ab iniquitatibus nostris And Tremellius Dolore afficitur à defectionibus nostris atteritur ab iniquitatibus nostris he is grieved of our failings he is bruised of our iniquities Which Verbs he puts in the Present tense implying that as in the Prophets time so long before Christs temporall dispensation and manifestation in the flesh so in our times also so long after the dayes of his flesh and his temporal dispensation our sins wound and bruise the Christ of God as he complains I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from me Ezech. 6.9 and the like is affirmed Hebr. 6.6 and 10.29 The Apostle gives us serious advise touching these Evenings Ephes 4.26 Be angry and sin not let not the Sun set upon your touchiness fretfulness or peevishness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sol ne occidat super iracundia vestra let not the Sun go down upon your trefeness or testiness there 's one evening neither give place to the Devil there 's the other evening of dismal darkness O that such a time were come which is promised unto the people of God! Esay 60. v. 19 20. Esay 16.19 20. that the Lord were unto us for an everlasting light and our God for our glory that the Sun might no more go down c. Soles occidere redire possunt The Sun of Righteousness may set by death and rise again And certainly

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus is implyed whereever these are said to have wrought any thing by faith for faith must have an object on which it must rest and what is that but the power of God who is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.24 O that the Lord had wrought like conquests in our soules by that power But thanks be to God who giveth us believers in his mighty power the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 Caleb stilled the people before Moses Numb 13. v. 30. and said let us go up at once and possess it for we are well able to overcome it Caleb in these words whether by some inarticulate sound implyed in the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Latins by St or by some signe made with his hand as Acts 13.16 Obtain'd silence He encourageth the people to march against the Canaanites alleaging that they were well able to overcome the land But truly our Translators have almost spoyled Calebs military Oration by rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us go up at once What all at once Soft and fair Without doubt Caleb was more wise then to put the people already discomfited upon a sudden expedition Those words are more emphatical if rendred in their genuine and proper sense Ascendendo ascendamus by ascending let us ascend viz. gradatim pedetentìm not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not all at once not all together Some there are who conceive that the great work of salvation is wrought all at once So they say they are justified all in an instant whereas the command is he that is righteous let him be righteous still The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is righteous let him work righteousness still Rev. 22. v. 11. Revel 21.11 It s a gradual and successive work It is none of Gods way of destroying the spiritual enemies but by degrees so Exod. 23.29 30. And to lead men in successively by little and little as Jacob lead his sheep Gen. 33.14 Likewise in the following words it is a good encouragement that Caleb gives when he saith We are well able to overcome it though he saith not so only our Translators make him speak so Calebs words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praevalendo praevalebimus by prevailing we shall prevail Whereby he not only encourageth them averring that they are able to prevail but likewise instructs them and puts them in a way of so doing Let not him that believes make haste nor hope to do the work of the Lord all at once but let us learn of Caleb to make the experiments of our former victories encouragements to after enterprizes So by prevailing we shall prevail nor shall our labour be in vain in the Lord but he who hath begun a good work in us will finish it until the day of Jesus Christ But my servant Caleb Numb 14. v. 24. because he had another spirit with him and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the land whereinto he went and his seed shall possess it These words are to be understood as spoken by the Lord Christ as the Apostle applies the same history unto him Hebr. 3. and 4 where having compared Christ the Lord of the house with Moses Gods faithful servant in it wherefore saith he as the holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear His that is Christs voice harden not your hearts as in the Provocation as in the day of Temptation in the Wilderness when your fathers tempted me that is Christ For so the same temptation is expresly applied unto Christ 1 Cor. 10.9 Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted And the Apostle having applyed part of Psal 95. to the same purpose he pursues the same argument Vnion with Christ mentioned Hebr. 3.6 Whose that is Christs house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end He then having quoted the words of that Psalm to his purpose v. 7. 11. he resumes the same argument warning them to take heed of an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God v. 12. and exhorting them to exhort one another daily lest they should be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin v. 13. This he enforceth by repeating the same blessed effect the union with and participation of Christ For saith he we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end whilest it is said To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the provocation for some when they had heard did provoke howbeit not all not Moses not Aaron not Joshua not Caleb Others indeed provoked the Lord and they shall not see it but my servant Caleb because he had another spirit with him and hath fulfilled after me him will I bring into the land whereinto he went and his seed shall possess it In which words we have these divine truths contained 1. Caleb was the Lords servant 2. Caleb had another spirit with him 3. Caleb fulfilled after the Lord. 4. Caleb went into the land 5. The Lord saith he would bring Caleb into the land whereinto he went 6. Calebs seed shall possess it 7. Because Caleb the Lords servant had another spirit and fulfilled after the Lord the Lord saith He will bring Caleb into the land whereinto he went and that his seed shall possess it 8. All those men who have seen my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the Wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers neither shall any of them who provoked me see it But my servant Caleb c. 1. The Lord said of Caleb that he was his servant What Caleb was we read Numb 13. What is it to be the Lords servant Generally his servants ye are whom ye obey Rom. 6. And what is it to obey what else but pliably and willingly to submit ones own will to the fulfilling of anothers will 1. Obedience must be pliable and willing Esay 1.19 2. It must be to the command of another as such For if the natural bent of ones own will be to the same act which another commands without respect had to the command as such it is nulla vel minor either no obedience at all or less saith S. Gregory Because obedience properly respects the fulfilling not of our own but of anothers will For example Jer. 35.6 7. Had the sons of Rechab been naturally abstemious and loved no wine their obedience to their father had been either so much the less or indeed none at all When therefore the Lord faith of Caleb that he was his servant it is to be understood that he was obedient that is that he was willing and pliable to the fulfilling of the Lords will That we may the better understand this we must know that there is a

Tigurin Bible Prohibitionem meam my prohibition or forbidding Coverdale that ye may know what it is when I withdraw my hand Two other Translations ye shall know my displeasure A fourth ye shall feel my vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing to the purpose The Hebrew word here used signifies neither vengeance nor provocation nor prohibition nor withdrawing the hand nor displeasure How be it I finde no Translation so far from the truth as our last and that of Diodati But if the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies none of these what does it signifie The word signifies a Breach So Tremellius ye shall know Abruptionem meam my breach So Piscator turns it and explaines the phrase ye shall know how great evill it is when a man breaks himself off from me Or thus That ye may know how great evil it is when I break my self off from any one But the former exposition is the more genuine For this people had broken themselves off from their God and shaken off the yoke of obedience Neque Deus quemquam deserit nisi qui prius Deum deseruerit God forsakes none but such as forsake him first The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a breach must suppose something to be broken a breach must be of somewhat The Lord calls it his breach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my breach It must therefore be of something in God whether counsel or purpose and will And these and like words may be understood as well passively as actively The Pharisees and Lawyers frustrated the counsel of God against themselves Luke 7.30 And I am broken by their whorish heart which hath departed from me saith the Lord Ezech. 6.9 God breaks not his covenant and promise with his people but his people break their promise and covenant with their God It s naturally known that when covenants and bargains are made between men he who fails the stipulation and performance of his promise is said to break his promise and covenant not he with whom the other deals falsely and deceitfully For when one of the parties confederate hath broken his bond and covenant the other is left free Thus the Lord layes the blame of covenant-breaking upon his people Deut. 31.16 17. Josh 7.11 Judges 2.20 1 Kings 19.10 and elsewhere very often The Lord assures his people of his keeping covenant with them Deut. 7.9 He is called the faithful God that keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandements to a thousand generations Psal 105.8 and 106.45 and 111.5 Dan. 9.4 Nor ever doth he break his promise or covenant unless his people first break with him In which sense we understand Zach. 11.10 and other like Scriptures Whence it will follow 1. That which is said to be broken off from somewhat it hath been whole and one with that from which it is broken off And therefore since the Lord speaks here of his breach of his people from him surely his people had been one with him How else can they be said to forsake him depart from him c. Deut. 5.9 Ezech. 6.9 It is a truth in Philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omne continuum est unum what ever is continued is one And such the Lord made the man of one minde one will one heart with himself 1 Cor. 6.17 He who is joyn'd unto the Lord is one spirit the Syriac interpreter adds with him 2. There is no doubt a Breach made between God and man 3. God here and elsewhere complaines of this Breach 4. Since the Lord complaines of his Breach doubtles he cannot be the cause of it 5. The apostate evill unbelieving heart of man turning from God makes this Breach 6. Gods counsells being conditional may by our default become frustrate 1 Sam. 2.30 I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever But now the Lord saith be it farre from me For them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed According to this condition Paul and Barnabas speak to the contradicting and blaspheming Jewes It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it or rather thrust it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from you and judge your selves not worthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of eternal life lo we turn to the Gentiles Acts 17. v. 46. Thus the Gadarens rejected Christ Luk. 8.37 1. Hence it appeares that they are much out who conceive that God makes no other then absolute decrees 2. Who believe such absolute decrees as are no where extant in the word of God 3. How justly does this reprove I fear the most of us of our fickleness and inconstancy how yelding how easy how pliable are we to any the least temptation to break off union with our God How does our vain fear melt our hearts How does our hope of some seeming good carry our souls away from the chief good How does worldly sorrow break our hearts off from our God How does any outward pleasing and delightfull object take us and win us according to that of the Poet Hinc metuunt cupiuntque dolent gaudentque Hence men fear desire grieve and rejoyce These are the four Cardinal affections by which the chariot of our souls is moved and removed from our God So fearfull and cowardly was this people Dut. 1. v. 28. The false spies had discouraged their heart or rather melted their heart For so what is solid and strong by faith vertue or prowess and courage is weakned dissolved and melted by fear fainting and unbelief Gen. 45.26 For fear is the betraying of those succours which reason offereth Wisd 17.12 Hushai makes good this metaphor of the holy spirit here used 2 Sam. 1.7 10. He who is valiant whose heart is as the heart of a Lyon shall melt So fearfull and cowardly are all they who have an evill heart of unbelief in departing from the living God They believe not but betray those succours which the great God the Lord of Hosts offereth them Where of he complaines how long will it be yer they believe for all the signes that I have shewed among them Num. 14.11 They fear their many transgressions their strong and mighty sins Amos 5.12 that they can never be over-come Is there any thing too hard for God That 's the question Not whether the enemy be too strong for thee And therefore the Lord there expostulates How long will this people provoke me Num. 14. v. 11. And how long will it be yer they believe me for all the signes that I have shewed the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I have wrought or done among them yea which I have done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in interiore ejus in the midst of them in their heart As they confess Esay 26.12 O Lord Thou hast wrought all our works in us And therefore so much more exprobable

my habitation and honourest thy sons above me c. And ver 30. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed The Lord saith That they who despise his sacrifice and offering despise him Thus in the text before us the people are said to speak against God as the other words so these when they call the Manna light vile or contemptible bread And what shall we think better of those who lightly esteem the Ordinance of God as his Sacraments Surely according to the testimony of the Lord himself they disesteem him despise him And what came of this peoples despiciency 2. What was the punishment of this great sin By reason of this great sin the slighting and abhorring of their spiritual food the Lord sent fiery Serpents among the people And what mystically are those Serpents but the evil spirits the Devils whose Prince is the old Serpent called the Devil and Satan Revel 12. For so despisers are delivered over to the Devil Acts 13.41 compared with Habac. 1.5 But here is consolation for the penitent and believing soul What if the Serpent have bitten thee What if the Dipsas the thirsty Serpent sting thee and seek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.8 to drink thee up and endanger thee to be swallowed up of wine Esay 28.7 What though the Serpent endeavour to stir up the fire of concupiscence in thee Is it not a promise to the believers that the flame shall not kindle upon them Esay 43.2 Look upon the brazen Serpent the signe of the Son of man The Lord Jesus hath been reputed a sinner yea the worst of sinners yea a Devil yea he was said to be acted by the Prince of the Devils And he hath been lifted up by Moses figuring the rigour of the Law as one accursed not simply on a Pole as Our Translators turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no more then on a Mast as Diodati turns it Antenna but as on a Banner or a Signe so most of our old English Translations Numb 21. v. 9. Col. 2. v. 15. so Luther and the Low Dutch as an Ensigne so the Spanish Vandera and Vexillum a Standard so Ar. Montanus But being lifted up he also lifts up and spoyles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he devests or unclothes the Principalities and Powers the evil spirits The Serpent is of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked as well as subtil Gen. 3.1 but he clothes himself with change of raiment according to their qualification and capacity with whom he hath to do as they say of the Chameleon and the Polypus rupi concolor changeth colour according to the Rock to which it cleaves so he shapes himself and his ministers and as the Apostle tels us that he appears to the religious as an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 And therefore the Lord uncaseth this grand Hypocrite and his Legions discovers them in their nakedness and as they are as Malefactors were wont to be crucified naked and makes a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself Col. 2.15 He is now lifted up as an Ensigne to the Nations Now is the judgement now shall the Prince of this world be cast out And the Lord himself hath prophesied that if he be lifted up he shall draw all men unto him John 12.32 He speaks to thee and me and every one Me vide that is Confide look up and trust in me O ye penitent and believing souls who ever have been bitten and poysoned by the Serpents venim let us look up unto him whom we have pierced who ever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal life John 3.14 15. There is no other Name in which we can be saved he hath triumphed over the Serpents and gives us also power to triumph over them to tread upon Serpents and Scorpions and all the power of the enemy Matth. 3. v. 7. 23 33. and nothing shall be able to hurt us Luke 10.19 Let the Serpents and generations of Vipers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 look unto other helps and means for cure of their venomed souls Let us look unto our Maker and let our eyes have respect unto the holy one of Israel Esay 17.7 The word used Numb 21.9 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to look intentively And let us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 look stedfastly with the eyes of a pure heart Matth. 5.8 Let us look wishly with wishes and prayers unto the Lord for his help and power as Jehoshaphat did when the serpentine brood assaulted him saying O our God! There is ●o might in us against the faces of this same great multitude coming upon us And we know not what we may do 2 Chro. 20. v. 12. but our eyes are upon thee And he Balaam went to an high place Numb 23. v. 3. There are many translations of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierom renders it Velocitèr Hastily the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the straight way the Tigurin Bible Ad excelsa to the heights or high places But if it be so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood which is here needless The Targum hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unus unicus solus solitarius alone solitary and so Pagnin and Munster and Castellio Suecedit he goes apart so the Spanish and French Bibles so Tyndal and most of our old English translations and our last also hath Solitary in the margent which I believe is better as usually then that which they have put in the text for this reason As Balaam had learned by tradition from his forefathers the rites and ceremonies wherewith the God of Israel was worshipped as appears by his choise of clean beasts Bullocks and Rams as also by their number seven Bullocks and seven Rams for that number was sacred and commanded by God himself Job 42.8 and observed by David and Ezechiah 1 Chron. 15.26 2 Chron. 29.21 3. And by the kinde of sacrifice Burnt-offering all which are evident thorowout this History So no doubt but he had also understood in some measure how and in what manner the Lord had been wont to reveal his Oracles unto the Patriarchs of old ziz In solitude and retyredness For so we shall finde that God hath not been wont to speak to the holy Fathers in a crowd nor to whole nations or people but to some one or few men apart in the silence of the night in Fields in Deserts in Mountaines in Vallies So he revealed himself to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Moses to Samuel to David to Solomon to Elias to all the Prophets Such a solitude and loneliness together with such sacrifices according to his own institution might Balaam think would win upon Gods favour and that so far as to obtain leave of him to curse his people But though Balaam knew the outward services of God yet he knew not the nature of God nor his princpal and primary will Hos 6. v. 6. Prov. 21. v.

27. that he wills mercy and not sacrifice which is only his secondary will and only in order to the former and the knowledge of God rather then burnt offerings Hos 6.6 Yea he knew not that the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked minde Or rather even because he bringeth it with a wicked thought or intention Prov. 21.27 Such as Balaams here was who came with a wicked thought and intention to curse the people and so by cursing to consume them as Zach. 5.4 Whereas on the contary the blessing of God encreased them As for his solitary walking that known saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that a solitary man is either a god or a wilde beast Balaam verified the later of himself proving it and his name proper to himself in regard of Gods people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wild beast and a Devourer of them O Israel retire unto thy God In adytum in secretum in fundum cordis into the inmost retyring closet of thy heart Ex quo nem● quisquam exit quin sit intus manere melius Never any man goes out thence but it had been better for him to have stayed within But should we so retire our selves from the outward world that we should go into the Wilderness or some desolate or lonely place that there the Lord may reveal his will unto us Doubtless there is not the same reason of all men For however the outward figure of mens bodies may be like one to another yet the inward dispositions of the minde are extreamly differing so that Quot homines tot sententiae so many men so many mindes Matth. 19. v. 12. And our Lord saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not as our Translators turn the word All cannot receive this saying but all do not receive this saying a very great difference And every man hath his proper gift saith the Apostle However therefore the Lord hath propounded a common salvation unto all the sons of men Jude v. 3. whereof all men are capable and hath prescribed common means which all men must make use of if they will be saved as repentance faith and obedience of faith yet several and particular means may be made use of also according to the great variety of dispositions and inclinations of men as also according to the divers ranks and orders of men Whereas therefore some men are of a more free and lightsome spirit they are rather inclined to an active life to live in vita communi and in luce as Tully speaks to live sociably among men Others of a more sad and melancholick spirit are inclined rather to retyredness and contemplation And such as these were some of the ancient Monks and Eremites as Antonius and others who sequestring themselves from the world and wordly imployments have consecrated themselvs unto God dwelling alone remote from others leading a solitary life Hereby I approve not the late superstitious and forced Monchery but a pious solitude and holy retyredness if it be possible from the tumults and troubles of this present evil world which I conceive not only not unlawful but expedient yea necessary for some men And therefore most what religious men having spent much of their life past in wordly imployments desire in their declining years to retire themselves unto greater privacy Howbeit a change of place is not so necessary as a change of minde He who fulfils not the lusts of his flesh who mindes not earthly things who though he live among men among riches among honours yet is as a stranger to them and esteems them only as they are and uses them as if he used them not such an one is an Eremite and lives a monastick life even in a throng and is a stranger to the world converseth with himself and with his God and becomes daily more and more like unto him More especially this may be observed in regard of diverse ranks and orders of men For such chosen vessels as the Lord would make Radices communitatis publick persons and such as should instruct others unto these he speaks a part these he takes a side from the multitude and puts his fingers in their ears teacheth them first obedience then toucheth their tongue and enables them to teach others according to Christs method of curing the deaf man who could hardly speak Mark 7.32 33. Of such S. Augustine is to be understood Epist 76. Non erit bonus Clericus qui non fuit bonus Monachus He will not be a good Clerk who hath not been a good Monk For can we think that the only wise God will reveal his pretious truth to such as conform themselves unto the lusts of vain men symbolize and please every base humour of fantastick foolish and dissolute companions O ye Esay 46. v. 8. who by profession are Monastick men Consider and remember this and shew your selves men Bring this upon your heart O ye transgressors Retyre unto your heart and hear God speaking there Be not ashamed to learn this Lesson from Balaams practice who retyred himself and went alone when he hoped to hear God speak unto him Were we exhorted unto an outward solitude men of all ranks would go out into the wilderness as they did to hear John the Baptist But when we are called to an introversion into our wildred heart to hear the voice of God crying there that 's John how few alas how few desire so to retyre themselves And the reason is It s a reflex act and more difficult then one dirict And therefore In sese nemo tentat desendere nemo No man assayes to sink into himself Yet is this the most expedite means and way for to meet and hear our God I have heard of many and known some who have travailled far in the world and made great search after the true religion that they might meet with God and hear him speak unto them yet these at length have returnd ashamed that they had sought that so long and so far off which they might neerer and sooner have found at home even in their own hearts All endeavours are in vain or to little purpose before such retyrement And therefore Moses perswades Pharaoh to let the people go into the wilderness that they might serve the Lord. Pharaoh was content that they should offer sacrifice in the land of Egypt Exod. 8.25 But Moses tells him they knew not with what they shall serve the Lord till they came into the wilderness Exod. 10.20 The Divill is content that men hear Gods voyce so it be in Egypt whereby the straits of sin are typically signified Mich. 7.15.19 Revel 11.8 But Moses is instant and earnest with Pharaoh that the people may go out of Egypt otherwise they shall not know his will And it is our case O thou Israel of God Unless we forsake all that we have and depart out of Egypt we

covenant to be an e●emy unto their enemies For so he promiseth Exod. 23.22 concerning the Angel of the Covenant if obeying thou shalt obey his voice that is continue in obedience and by obeying Exod. 23. v. 22. thou shalt learn to obey and do all that I shall speak I will be an enemy to thine enemies and I will distress thy distresses That the Lord therefore should smite the Princes of Moab it was reasonable and according to his covenant But why shall he smite them thorow 1. If we consider the history we shall finde cause sufficient for this thorow destruction of the Moabites They hired Balaam to curse Israel Deut. 23.4 They followed the counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the Lord Numb 25.1 2 3. and 31.16 Adde to these what ye read of their pride security vain confidence and contempt of God and his people beside other sins Jer. 48. 2. But if we look into the mystery we shall finde yet more reason for a thorow-smiting of Moab Moab is a Bastard-generation such as receives no correction from the hidden and inward law of God figured by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lot which signifies hidden and covered and such are interpreted Bastards and not genuin sons Hebr. 12.8 These revolt à patre from their father so the Antients Etymologize the word Moab and become born à patre diabolo of their father the Devil and his works they will do John 8. The root of this rebellion and disobedience is inward And therefore Christs smiting of Moab must be thorow and inward also It must needs be so For whereas there is a treasury of wickedness in the bea rt of every sinful man evil thoughts murders adulteries Matth. 15. v. 19. fornications thefts false witnessings blasphemies all in the plural since Jesus Christ came to save us from our sins how can he so do unless his arrows pierce deep even to the heart The Impostume lies there and the man must perish unless it be opened as they tell a story of him who smiting and intending to kill his enemy opened his Impostume with the stroke and saved his life Vulnus opemque tulit he wounded him and healed him both at once so unless Christ who seriously intends to cure our festerd ulcers of customary sins pierce them and open them with the injaculations and arrowes of his sharp word and spirit our impostumated souls must perish And therefore his living word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pier●eth to the division of the soul and spirit Hebr. 4. v. 12. whence note by the way that those two inward parts are different one from other since they can be divided lets out the corruption and heals the man Such a cure was wrought on the Jewes by S. Peters ministry by whom God sent his word and healed them Acts 2.36 37. The sharp piercing words are Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God hath made this Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Upon this word of truth Christ came riding and pierced them thorow with his sharp arrowes the injaculations of his spirit for it s said that having heard this word they were pricked at the heart For whereas Vulnus is Dissolutio continui a wound is the dissolving of that which was centinued and one before whereas the sinful man was one with his sin as the envious man is one with his envie and the prowd man one with his pride and the like may be said of every sin which is the very nature and being and one with the sinful man the Son of God was therefore revealed that he might wound and so make a dissolution and dis-union between the man and his sin that they might be no more one as the Aposle saith 1 John 3. v. 8. for this the Son of God was manifested 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might dissolve and loose the works of the Devill 1 Joh. 3.8 For this end was the enmity of the Law put between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent Prov. 22. v. 15. Gen. 3.15 as I have shewen And whereas folly is bound up in the heart of a childe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scepter or Rod of correction drives it far from him Prov. 22.15 But as the Lord hath his piercing and smiting word which pierceth thorow the heart and le ts out the corruption so hath he his healing word also 1 Tim. 1. v. 10. Such is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.10 not only sound doctrine as our Translators turn it and thereby many understand Orthodox which indeed often times is nothing so but also healing doctrine such doctrine as heals our backslidings Jer. 3.22 Such as makes of a Drunkard a sober man of a Letcher a chaste man of a Covetous man a liberal and merciful man yea it heals all the spiritual maladies and diseases Psal 103.3 Such are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 healing words 1 Tim. 6.3 2 Tim. 1.13 and elsewhere Esay 19.22 Thus the Lord smites and heales he woundeth or smiteth-thorow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the text and his hands make whole Job 5.18 1. Note hence the transcendent power of the King Christ in mastring and subduing the greatest power of sin even the Ruling and Lording sins Exod. 15. v. 4. the Princes of Moab The Lords war is against the strongest of our sins against Pharoah and the Choyse of his Captaines Exod. 15.4 Such he wisheth to fight withall as the Poet describes a valiant man Optat aprum aut fulvum descendere monte Leonem he wisheth a wild bear or a Lyon to come down from the Mountain the strength of concupiscence the swinish sin of voluptuousness and sensuality yea the roaring Lion the Devill himself The stronger the enemy is the more fit for him to grapple withall Behold the Lord God or the Lord the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall come upon or against the strong Esay 40 10. Esay 40. v. 10. So it is in the Margent and better as most what then in the text Thus our Lord speakes of himself that stronger man that he shall come upon the strong man armed and overcome him and take away his armour from him Luke 11.22 and destroy him Hebr. 2.14 2. Hence we may take notice that the divine vertue reforming the sinfullman workes not superficially or slightly The influence of this Star smites thorow the corners the Princes of Moab The powers of heaven operate and are effectual even in the bowells of the earth The scepter of Christ pierceth even to the heart So the Psalmist describes him triumphant Psal 45.3.4.5 Psal 45. ver 5. Gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh O thou mighty one with thy glory and thy Majestie And prosper thou with thy majesty Ride upon the word So the Original sounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ride upon the word of truth and meekeness and righteousness and thy right

hand shall teach thee terrible things So the Tigurin Bible the French Italian and Spanish Bibles also Piscator and two of our old English translations have Ride upon the word of truth c. Thus we finde him riding on a white Horse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conquering and that he may conquer Revel 6. v. 2. Thus one victory armes him for another untill he conquer all our enemies He hath his bow even the zeal of the spirit for the salvation of men and his sharp arrowes Thine arrowes are sharpe the people fall under thee in the heart of the Kings enemies Even such are they who oppose him and his worke in their owne soules to their own salvation It is good counsell which the prophet gives us and let us all follow it Hos 6.1 Come and let us returne unto the Lord for he hath torn us and he will heal us he hath smitten us and he will bind us up 4. He shall destroy all the children of Sheth These words contain the Messiahs subduing of all his enemies Wherein we must inquire who are these children of Sheth and how we are to understand that the Lord shall destroy them As for the former of these OUr Translators persist in rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sons by Children as what is every where the Sons of Israel they render Children of Israel So here the Sons of Sheth they turn the Children of Sheth The truth is the old English Translators together with the French High and Low Dutch left them no better Copy to follow onely Ainsworth and one more English the Spanish and Italian and the Greek and all the Latin Translations have Sons of Sheth By the Sons of Sheth we must understand the Sons of Adam that is all the world all mankind so Vatablus so the Glosse of the French Bible For all man-kinde descended from Noah after the floud and consequently from Sheth for all Caines posteritie perished in the floud All the Sons of Sheth therefore are all men So the Cald Parah 2. What they render to destroy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Wall and is here of contrarie signification as to un-wall so Airsworth turns it Vastabit he shall lay wast so Hierom. Tyndal hath undermine Coverdale over-come Others otherwise but almost all come to this sense That Christ shall destroy all the Children of Sheth that is all mankind This sense hath been judged very inconvenient first in regard of all men because Christ himself saith That the Son of man is not come to destroymens lives but to save Luk. 9.56 Secondly And more specially in repect of his Church which shall never cease according to our Lords reasoning Thus saith the Lord that giveth the Sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the Moon and of the Stars for a light by night c. If these ordinances depart from before me saith the Lord then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before me for ever Thus saith the Lord If heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord. Upon such impossibilities in nature the Lord puts the destruction of his Church and people Amos 9. v. 8. Jer. 31.35 36 37. And Amos 9.8 he shewes who they are whom he will destroy Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon the sinful kingdom or rather on the kingdom of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regnum peccati upon the kingdom of sin to destroy it from off the face of the earth notwithstanding I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord. Yea as for Sheth himself and his holy seed he was that great Patriarch and Father of the Church before the flood a man so eminently holy that he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a God among men saith Theodoret and his sons imitating their holy father are called the sons of God saith Chrysostom Gen. 6.2 And will the Lord destroy these or the genuin off-spring of these Mark Abrahams reasoning which the Lord consents unto Gen. 18.23.25 Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked That be far from thee from doing according to this thing that thou shouldest slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked Gen. 18. v. 25. That be far from thee Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do judgement For the avoiding of this great inconvenience some have ●ound out another meaning of these words either understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sheth appellatively or finding out another meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. By understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellatively and so it signifies those who are behinde or the hinder parts 1. Those who are behinde And so Balaam when he spake this prophesie he turned his face toward the wilderness that is toward Israel ver 1 2. And so the Moabites the Ammonites the Midianites and all the people of the East shall be understood by those behinde So Jeremy calls such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hindermost of the nations Jer. 50.12 And so it was true of these whom Israel the people of the Messiah in their times overcame Or by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they understand such as besieged the people of Israel according to Psal 3. v. 6. Psal 3. v. 19. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have beset me round about So that what we have the sons of Sheth should be Filii obsidionis the sons of siege or such as lay siege unto Gods people Or by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they understand the hinder parts as Jehoshuah commands the people to pursue their enemies Jos 10. v. 19. and to cut off the hindmost of them Josh 10.19 Decandetis i. e. caudam decidatis to cut off their tayles so Esay 9.14 15. and 20.4 The King of Assyria shall lead away the Egyptians prisoners and the Ethiopians captives yong and old Discoopertos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natibus where we have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellatively understood 2. They have found out other meanings of the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Suidas Praedabitur pabulabitur he shall forrage plunder and lay waste but this upon the matter is all one with the former The Chald. Paraphrast hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominabitur he shall rule and the Samaritan version hath Exaltabit he shall exalt 1. Hence we may take notice how the Spirit of God in Scripture amuseth men and intangleth and perplexeth all their understandings insomuch as although they have the written word of God before them and the knowledge of Tongues and Arts and search and labour and toyl and do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samaritana versio per ipsa pudenda transadegit Quam Tralatores nostri partem honestè ventrem appellarunt Uti mirum non sit locum turpitudinis muliebris quem R. David vocat eidem lupanari nomen indidisse in quo lupanare confortium exercetur Ita prostibulum nominat Ambrosius quod consistorium publicarum libidinum Tertullianus Nor is it unworthy a critical observation that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Stews or a Brothelhouse hath the name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Cavare whence our English word Cave Confodere Execrar● to make hollow to dig also to curse because as a very good Critick observes and thence infers Lupanar est cavea execrabilis An Harlots house is an execrable Den. According to which Tertullian very fitly Benedictus status apud Deum crescite in multitudinem proficite Excessus verò maledictus adulteria stupra lupanaria It s a blessed state in Gods account Increase and grow into a multitude But the excess is accursed adulteries fornications Brothelhouses The result of all which is that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn a T●●t is to be understood what the prophet calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an harlots house Jer. 5. v. 7. Jer. 5.7 Which our Translators render in the plurall they assembled themselves by troops in the harlots houses whereby they wrong not onely the holy Text but also the Jewes nation and that even then when they were ripe for judgment when yet the Prophet charges them but with one harlots house How odious yea how abominable are such places and practises to every chast soul yea even of him who is Modestè nequam not yet desperately wicked As being that sin which though it begin with pollution but of one person yet spreads it self to the defilement of the whole community as the Lord implies Levit. 19.29 Do not prostitute thy Daughter or rather do not prophane thy Daughter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which should be holy to the Lord both in body and in spirit 1 Cor. 7.34 Levit. 19. v. 29. to cause hir to be a Whore lest the land fall to Whordom and the land be filled with wickedness Levit. 19.29 And a propotionable judgment followeth it No portion of God from above All the portion is from beneath even a fire that devours to destruction and roots out all increase Job 31.1 12. Yea the Lord frustrates that end which these leud practises aim at they shall die childless Levit. 20.20 Prov. 7. v. 27. The harlots house is the way to hell going down to the secret or inner Chambers of death Prov. 7.27 All this a man may hear and know and believe and flatter himself as if he were a guiltless person when yet he himself hath in himself that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that brothel-house and stewes which he hates and abominates without him For from within out of the heart of men Mar. 7. v. 21 22 23. proceed evill reasonings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adulteries fornications murders thefts coveteousnesses wickednesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deceit lasciviousnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evill eye blasphemy pride foolishness All these evill things come forth from within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and defile the man So that all these are in the heart according to the French proverb What ever comes out of the Sack was in the Sack And therefore the heart is the Forge and work-house of wicked imaginations plots counsells and devices The heart is a slaughter-house wherein the wicked one slayeth the innocent Psal 10.8 The heart is a Den of thieves The heart is an arrant Brothel-house wherein its possible that a man may be an adulterer and fornicator yet not know a woman and the like may be said of the woman in regard of the man Our Master Christ teacheth us this Doctrin Matth. 5.28 I say unto you that every one looking upon a woman to lust after hir hath committed adultery with hir already in his heart Matth. 5. v. 28. Gen. 12. v. 17. Yea and sometime the Lord punisheth the lust when it hath proceeded no farder then the heart as Gen. 12.17 The Lord plagued Pharaoh with great plagues and his house for the matter or busynes of Sarai Abrams wife This is so consonant unto sound reason that the very lascivious Poet himself could say Ut jam servâris bene corpus adultera mens est Omnibus exclusis intus adulter erit Though well thou keep thy body yet thy soul When all are shut out that within is foul And Seneca Incesta est sine stupro quae cupit st●prum She is unchaste without whoredom who desires to be an Harlot Yea although the soul be not stained with those obscene lusts yet because there is a covenant of spiritual mariage between Christ and the believing soul Hos 2.19.20 Zach. 8.8 And the Lord hath given himself to the obedient humanity and is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deity dwelling in us Joh. 1.14 and 14.23 Yea and hath made a contract of mariage with his Church to which he speakes as to one person Exod. 20. v. 3. I am the Lord thy God I am thine Thou shalt have no after or other gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Super faciem meam upon my face Thou art mine The Lord having made this contract of mariage Verbis formalibus praesentibus in these present formal words of a real contract the breach of this contract of mariage is no other then spiritual whoredome Jer. 3. v. 20. Surely as a wise hath treacherously departed from her companion or friend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so have yee been treacherous against me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O house of Israel saith the Lord Jer. 3.20 Hence it is that idolatry is spiritual adultery both because it proceeds from carnal thoughts of God and because adultery betrayes the heart to idolatry as in the history before us so 1 King 11.1 And therefore idolatry is reckoned among the works of the flesh Gal. 5.19.20 Yea that in Gods account is idolatry and spiritual adultery when the heart disloyally turns away from God to any thing which is not God or leading unto God Jer. 3.2 Where hast thou not been lyen with Yee adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of this world is enmity not with as our Translators render it but of God So the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 4. v. 4. that the friendship of the world is the enmity of God James 4.4 So our Lord calls the Jewes an adulterous generation Matth. 12.39 and 16.4 This fornication and adultery is committed with the whorish woman the vain thoughts 2 Cor. 11. v. 3. which are compared to Eve 2 Cor. 11.3 as the Serpent beguild Eve so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your thoughts which therefore are forbidden our bed nor may we permit them to lodge in us For therefore the Lord complains Jer.

every one deperit perditè amat loves and zealously affects and commits adultery and fornication with all every one in the darkness in the secret closets of his own imagination Ezech. 8.12 in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Brothelhouse the Stewes of his own heart whence proceed the issues of a wicked life and actions Lenonum pueri quocunque in fornice nati O Israel The Lord requires all thy love all thy zeal as his own and according to his command to be bestowed upon thy neighbour Let us O let us be zealous for our God every one against his Cozbi the lying thoughts of the Midianitish woman as Phineas was according to Gods testimony of him Numb 25.11 Phineas hath caused my wrath to be turnd away from upon the sons of Israel in his being zealous with my zeal in the midst of them v. 11. For so no doubt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred with my zeal as S. Paul saith to his Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I emulate or am zealous for you with the zeal of God 2 Cor. 11.2 O let us with this zeal of our God be zealous against all iniquity 2 Cor. 11. v. 2. all our vain thoughts which we have caused to lodge in us and let us pierce them thorow mortifie and kill them and cast them out of our Tabernacle So shall the wrath of God be turned away from us so will the Lord be zealous for his land and spare us Joel 2.18 and set his Tabernacle in the midst of us O that he would vouchsafe so great grace unto us On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn Assembly Numb 29. v. 35. ye shall do no servile work therein The only wise and good God who loves the man better then the man loves himself according to that Charior est superis homo quàm sibi Man is more dear unto God then he is to himself out of that intire love unto man he not only signifies in express words what his will is but intimates the same also more implicitly in ceremonies as Sacrifices and Sacraments and Sacramental signes meats and drinks as also certain times as dayes and weeks and moneths and years Festival dayes new Moons and Sabbaths which are a shadow saith S. Paul of things to come but the body is of Christ Col. 2.17 Hence it was that the holy Apostles when they preached the Gospel they delivered the will of God shadowed in the law The Lord Jesus taught them so to do Luke 24.21 beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself And v. 44.45 All things saith he must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures Accordingly S. Paul in his preaching the Gospel said none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Acts 26.22 And can we follow any better any other so good example as that of our Lord The words are part of the prescript form and rule touching the feast of Tabernacles and the eighth day of that Feast wherein is prescribed 1. What was to be done They must then have a solemn assembly 2. What was to be left undone Ye shall do no servile work Accordingly I shall consider these two Rules 1. On the eighth day Israel must have a solemn assembly 2. They must do no servile work 1. On the eight day Israel must have a solemn assembly Wherein we must inquire 1. What this assembly was 2. What was that eighth day 1. What was that solemn assembly It is true that on the three principal solemn festivals of the Jewes there were wont to be conventions and assemblies of the people which might be truly called solemn assemblies and this name might be given to all the three principal Feasts But our Translators here call the last day of every such Feast a solemn assembly as here the eighth day of the feast of Tabernacles whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not the assembling or convening of the people together but the retaining or restraining of them being so assembled which is a great difference Yea Levit. 23.36 where we have mention of the same Feast our Translators themselves having rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here a solemn Assembly they put in the margent Hebr. Day of restraint and the like Deut. 16.8 a Chron. 7.9 Nehem. 8.18 And therefore what the Tigurin Bible hath Concio an assembly or gathering of the people Va●ablus explains Collectio sive retentio i. e. Solennitas Festum sic dicebatur quod retinerentur qui venerant ad festum c. It was called a gathering or retaining that is a Solemnity The Feast was so called saith he because they were retained or detained who came to the Feast To like purpose Munster who turns the word Retentio and gives reason because the seven dayes of the solemnity being past the people was yet retained one day So Luther explains it Piscator in his High Dutch Translation turns the word Verbotstag which in his Latin he renders Dies interdicti a day of prohibition and his reason is with reference to the following words because on it all servile work was forbidden Tyndal and another after him renders it a Collection not because money was then gathered for the reparation of the Tabernacle or to buy Sacrifices as Lyra and some others have conceived but because the people were then gathered and retained together And so the Chald. Paraph. expresly renders the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Collecti eritis ye not money shall be gathered Now because this Collection and retention was on the last day of the Feast as S. John calls it John 7. Therefore one of our old English Translators turns the word The conclusion of the Feast 2. This Collection Retention or Conclusion of the Feast was on the eighth day Which day was supernumerary and above the number of the Feast which consisted of Seven dayes as appears Levit. 23.34 On the fifteenth day of the seventh moneth shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven dayes unto the Lord. And afterward thrice ver 40 41 42. Ye shall keep it seven dayes The reason of this supernumerary day is to be sought in the Mysterie of it Meantime as to the letter The reason of this Collection and retention of the people on the eighth day is to be referred unto the authority of divine institution and the end of it is well worthy his divine wisdom and goodness who ordained it For the same Feast of Tabernacles was instituted in the seventh moneth the moneth Tizri which in part answers to our September when they had now gathered in the increase of the year Levit. 23.24 Then ye shall dwell in Booths saith the Lord seven dayes every home-born in Israel shall dwell in Booths

condemning what is blameworthy of them a sifting and winnowing our hearts as the Prophet exhorts Zephaniah 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inquirite in vos ipsos scrutamini let every one of you search Inter scruta among the trash and trumpery of his sinful conversation Under thy pride thine envie thy wrath thy covetousness thy gluttony thy drunkenness thy lasciviousness lies the chast sober temperate bountiful patient meek loving humble Christ of God troden under foot in the street He it is who is made flesh and desires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take up his Tent to keep his Feast of Tabernacles with us John 1. v. 14. John 1.14 Canst thou darest thou own believe on hope in love cleave unto such a Christ canst thou honour him joyn thy self unto him Unto him is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our restraint our retention unto him we are to be adjoyned and to become of one spirit with him Unto him we are to be conformed in his humiliation and abasement that we may be made like unto him in his glory and exaltation The reason of this collection and retention of the Church of God in union may be referred to the Author of it whose wisdom and goodness as it appears in the history so much more in the mystery of it The story minded Israel according to the flesh of their bodily thraldom in and deliverance out of Egypt their great poverty and want of all things and their plenty and abundance The Mystery imports the precious redemption of their souls out of their spiritual slavery under the spiritual Pharaoh How miserable poor and naked they were but now abounded with all spiritual riches houses full of all good things that is the holy Spirit of God Matth. 7.11 with Luke 11.13 For by this eighth day was signified the holy Spirit of God Our Lord himself declares thus much John 7. Where ver 2. ye read that it was the feast of Tabernacles When our Lord went up to Jerusalem ver 10. On the last day the great day of that Feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus stood and cryed saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water But this spake he of the Spirit which the believers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on him John 7. v. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should afterward receive John 7.37 38 39. In order to the receiving of this Spirit the Lord Jesus commands their restraint in expectation of it Luke 24.49 Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City Jerusalem Judg. 6. v. 34. till ye be indued or clothed with power from on high For so we read Judges 6.34 that the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon The word they render tarry is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit ye which notes that quiet posture of their minde Anima quiet a anima prudens wherein they were to receive the Spirit of God And accordingly we finde them in such a posture and disposition of minde Acts 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2. v. 1.3 They were all unanimous at or in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it sat upon every one of them and they were all filled with the holy Ghost S. John puts both together the Spirit and the day of the Spirit I was or I was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Arias Montanus or I became in the Spirit in the Lords day where he explaines one by the other by apposition for so we understand that Lords day which is so often mentioned in the Prophets and called the day of the Lord. In that day he was wherein there was no night nor need of a Candle neither light of the Sun Rev. 22. v. 5. for the Lord God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall enlighten them Revel 22.5 Hence we perceive good reason why the Lord laid a restraint upon them to tarry at Jerusalem It was the day of the Spirit the eighth day there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a restraint Hence we learn that as in the letter and outwardly so inwardly and in the Spirit there is a difference of dayes It is the Wisemans question Why doth a day excel a day and all the light of the day of the year is of the Sun So the words are read in the Greek Ecclus 33.7 He answers his question Ecclus 33. v. 7. 13 By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished and he altered seasons and feasts Some of them he hath made high dayes and some of them he hath made high and sanctified and some of them he hath put for the number of dayes And the Wiseman shews there is like reason for the difference among men All men saith he are from the ground and Adam was created from the earth In multitude of knowledge the Lord hath divided them and made their wayes diverse some of them he hath blessed and exalted and some of them he hath sanctified and set them near himself But some of them hath he cursed and brought low and turnd them out of their standings As the Potters clay is in his hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all his wayes are which words are left out in our Translation according to his pleasure so man is in the hand of him who made him to render unto them according to his judgement Let them take notice of this who confound all differences of dayes and differences of men how point blank they oppose the express testimony of the Wiseman here I know there is a time when some strong men may esteem every day alike Rom. 14.5 But I am well assured that many of those who plead for a parity of dayes and persons are not yet grown up to that spiritual age But let them take notice that there is no time in all the Scripture set wherein it s said that all persons shall be equal Which is the main thing they contend for upon no ground Yea that which they suppose their principal ground is a main argument against their parity Mat. 23. v. 8.10 Our Lord saith to his Disciples Matth. 23. Be not ye called Rabbi for one is your Master the Christ and all ye are brethren And ver 10. Be not ye called Masters for one is your Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Christ But the greater or greatest of you shall be your Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Its evident from the context that our Lord endeavours to render his Disciples like unto himself As therefore he did not exercise Mastership over his Disciples as the Jews Rabbins did over the people so neither would he that his Disciples should one over another because they were brethren which brotherhood yet inferred not a parity among them no more then our being the brethren of Christ Hebr. 2.11 renders us equal to him who is the first-born of many brethren Rom. 8.29 But

the Latin Antequam Abraham fieret before Abraham was made or born I am not I was The former before Abraham was it notes a temporary being I am signifies the eternal being proper to God alone signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods proper name a being without beginning or end and best signified by the present I am And so the Jews understood him Thus oftentimes Christ makes known his eternal being by I am though our Translators obscure it by turning the words otherwise This eternal being this light this day of the Lord Abraham saw and rejoyced This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Lords day wherein S. John the Divine was Revel 1.10 This is the day which the Lord hath made Psal 118.24 we will rejoyce and be glad in it he hath made and honoured this day above all other as he is understood to have made Moses and Aaron 1 Sam. 12.6 Thus he made twelve Mark 3.14 he advanced them and preferred them before all others And thus the Lord made the eighth day The eighth day supposeth all the other seven preceding And since Non pervenitur ab extremo ad extremum nisi per medium nor can we come to the eighth but by the intermediate seven dayes Let us therefore enquire into the seven dayes preceding which may be some wayes helpful towards our attainment unto the eighth day Whereas therefore our unregenerate estate is compared to darkness wherein we walk not knowing whither we go of which the Apostle Rom. 1.21 They became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned and Ephes 4.17 18. Acts 28.26 27. Hearing ye shall hear and not understand that the true light the day of the Lord may shine unto us Let us consider these dayes 1. With reference to Gods creation and according to their mysterie and 2. More plainly and in relation to our duty The number of six is the first perfect number because it results and ariseth from the combinations of the parts one two and three Whence the Pythagoreans call it Gamon the number of Mariage because the parties joyned one to other beget the whole number The parts also multiplyed one by other produce the same As six times one thrice two twice three A number fit for the fabrick of the world which consists of the first proportion as of four to two which with the principles from which it ariseth and to which it tends makes the Diapason of all harmonies and agreements of sounds the most harmonical and consonant And therefore Pythagoras applyed it to Wedlock and more eminently to that mariage and conjunction of the creatures among themselves And this number being the first perfect number agrees to the perfect Architect and Workman as also to his work to whom to which nothing is wanting nothing is superfluous And therefore when the Creator had finished his work of creation and produced and parted it into this number of six Moses adds his Epiphonema Perfecti sunt igitur coeli terra omnis exercitus eorum Gen. 2.1 Thus the Heavens and the Earth were finished and all the host of them And therefore Orpheus who had read these works of God in Genesis as Socrates Plato and many others of the learned Gentiles had done he put a Period and a full close to his Hymns and Songs in the sixth generation because the argument of his Hymns were in this sixth generation wholly concluded and perfected because in that number of dayes the great workman God himself had finished his work in six dayes Now if more curiously we consider the egress and progress of the Workmaster the number of six wherein this Fabrick was made is fitly represented by a Triangle whose base is three the top one and the middle two For the whole Fabrick or work of the World is raised proceeds from the three subsistences which are called persons whose works Ad extra are undevided and they tend unto one end the glory of the one and onely God The Transitus or passage is by a Binarius a Duality by two which is the matter and is consummate and perfected by union which is the form Thus the divine Philosopher in his Timaeus Where God saith he the Maker of the World hath produced the number of Heaven and Earth he presently made the light whereby the Creators might be distinguished and distinctly known the Chaos was the matter the light the form the first dayes work On the second day he set the Firmament between the waters above and beneath even the Divine Wisdom and the Humane lest there should be a greater influence then this inferiour World could receive This is the second dayes work which the antient Divines account unhappy and the Jews of old read mournfully with the Accent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as grieving for that Obstacle that bar which hindred the influence of the Divine Wisdom and goodness upon us The Fountain of Divine Grace and Goodness it is most plentuous most exuberant and abundant but the Divine Justice weighs out unto every one its measure whereof it is capable For unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift Christ Ephes 4.7 divided to every one according as he will Ephes 4. v. 7. 1 Cor. 12.11 On the third day according to the formal number which is three the formes of things are explained and thereby they are severed one from other That the distinction of these might appear more evidently the the two great Lights and all the other Stars are made and set in Heaven and that is the fourth dayes work On the fifth day signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the character of life the living souls were made which fill the air and water On the sixth signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which also is a character of life the living creatures were made which replenish the earth Last of all when the house is builded and finished the Man the Lord of it is made in the most perfect form even the similitude and image of his God Now because the Lord in six dayes made Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day therefore man is commanded to labour six dayes and to rest the seventh day The reason of this consequence is man was made in the image and similitude of his God From this when man fell he was again invited thereunto to imitate his God in doing and leaving undone and renewing his work in labour and in rest As by the six dayes our God had his egress and rested in the seventh so man fallen man hath his regress and return to his God by his six dayes of abour and rests in the seventh As before God made the World there was darkness c. The like we read Jer. 4.23 As therefore God said Let there be light and he who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shines in the heart 2 Cor. 4.6 The light that enlightens every one coming into this

world that light of faith which precedes in our regress and return unto our God Deus lumen perfecit operibus suis 2. There follows Discrimen honestorum turpium that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Firmament dividing between those waters above and those waters beneath even that spirit of faith discerning whereby we know how to refuse the evil and choose the good to sever the spiritual and heavenly love from the carnal and earthly other wise the former as experience often proves would easily degenerate into the later Col. 2. v. 5. unless there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.5 A Firmament of faith and divine and spiritual wisdom to put difference between them 3. Thirdly there is a separation of the waters from the earth when the natural and sensual passions are gathered together and made subject to divine reason Then the minde free from sensual delights and other perturbations as the earth dryed from the waters must bring forth the Plants of Gods planting 4. Because the light must not be hid and put under a Bushel but on a Candlestick that may give light to all and shine before men two great lights the Sun to rule the day even the great light by which we see God the light In lumine tuo videbimus lucem and the less light to rule the night even humane wisdom to guide us in the affairs of this life which is but as the night in regard of the day light of Heaven The Stars are examples of the holy ones they who turn many to righteousness who shine as the Stars Dan. 12. to whom the children of Abraham are compared Gen. 1 5. 5. Moving creatures the motions and inspirations of Gods Spirit The gifts and graces of the holy Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charismata So one of the most ancient and pious Fathers understood that word By these we take the wings of a Dove and we flye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the face of the firmament by contemplation and elevation of the minde above all earthly things By these our soul escapes as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler 6. Then the earth brings forth the living souls even such as live unto God and are conformed unto him with whom God is so delighted that he approves it is good and cooperates with us saying Let us make Man after our image even male and female the female the thoughts 2 Cor. 11. which receive the seed of God A facie tua concepimus Domine peperimus spiritum salutis the male when he works according to grace received Thus the man being perfected is fruitful and multiplies and brings forth fruit and fills the earth even the earthly man with the gifts of Gods grace so that the heart and the flesh rejoyce in the living God Thus he brings under the earth and subdues it and all the beasts Thus the man after his six dayes egress returns and comes to the seventh and so both meet in the Sabbath the true rest Esay 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness that remembers thee in thy wayes Behold the glorious patern propounded to our imitation even God himself God goes out of himself by six dayes or degrees and rests in the seventh and man goes out of himself by six dayes and he also rests in the seventh But whereas there are two things in rest considerable rest from something and rest in something this is the first rest even rest with Christ according to the flesh being armed with the same minde and dying to him The second rest is in Christ according to the Spirit even in the eighth day when we return again into God as our Lord saith John 16.28 I come forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to my Father For we are also come forth from the same Father Luke 3. ult Acts 17. into this troublesome world that we may return by the like six dayes and then finde our rest in God Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours in Christ to whom they live who are dead unto the world and then arise with Christ unto a better life even the resurrection and the life of the eighth day I am come that they might have life and have it in more abundance 2. Hitherto we have considered these seven dayes preceding the eighth with reference to Gods creation and according to their mysterie let us now consider them more plainly and in reference to our duty And so we read of six legal dayes or lights of the Law which must fit and prepare us and lead us unto the seventh and eighth day I read them in a very pious Author who is called Hiel and stiled by Arias Montanus who himself was a great light of his age Christianae veritatis viventis testis cui nomen ipsa Christi virtus veritas Hiel indidit a witness of the Christian living truth to whom the power and truth of Christ gave the name Hiel The first six lights he names in this order 1. The Light 2. The Hearing 3. The Understanding 4. Confession 5. Obediencè 6. Delight and Pleasure in the law of God Which we may illustrate thus We have the two former Prov. 20.12 The seeming eye and the hearing ear the Lord hath made them both Leah is labour which brings forth Reuben the son of light and Simeon the hearing in the humanity Out of the mouth of the Lord comes understanding Prov. 2.6 or wisdom which is to fear the Lord and to depart from evil Job 28.28 Then follows confession of sin which we now forsake and finde mercy whence we take courage to be obedient unto righteousness Rom. 6.16 So that by frequency of obedient actions we attain to delight in the law of God according to the inward man Rom. 7.22 This is that they call a good will which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vigil Eve or preparation for the Sabbath day or rest from sin which is the dawning of the eighth day when the day-Star ariseth in our hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 O ye free-born Israelites Who desire the appearing of the last day the great day of the feast of Tabernacles let us finish our six dayes works and keep the seventh a holy Sabbath a restraint a rest from all our sins 2 Pet. 3. v. 11.12.18 and hasten the coming or presence of the eighth day the day of God in all holy conversations and godlinesses So shall the Day-Star arise in our hearts and the Son of God will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take up his Tabernacle with us To him be glory both now and to the day of eternity 2 Pet. 3.18 Deuteronomy These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan Deut. 1. ver 1 2. in the Wilderness in the Plain over against the Red Sea between Paran and Toph l and Laban and Hazeroth

belly for the sins of the belly nor our hands for violence nor our feet for a vagrant life nor was the Spirit implanted in us ut insidiarum fraudum iniquitatum cogitatorium fieret that it should be made a study of treacheries and of frauds and of iniquities So Tertullian de spectaculis cap. 2. Sihon is called here an Amorite and elsewhere also King of the Amorites An Amorite is Locutuleius a great Prater a bitter talker So that when Sihon is said to be an Amorite and King of the Amorites we understand that evil spirit which sweeps away extirpates and roots out of us all good and wholesom words Hence Amorite has the name and sets in their places all devouring words all words that may do hurt Psal 52.4 Hence we may learn part of that hard lesson which Coelo descendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came down from heaven Know thy self If heavenly thoughts if the precious thoughts of God lodge in us Psal 139.17 without doubt Gods Spirit acts and rules us And that Spirit will prompt us to speak good and wholesom words which convey grace to the hearer For then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Indwelling Deity the Essential word of God takes up his residence and dwelling in us But if vain sinful and wicked thoughts dwell in men they declare plainly what Spirit rules and acts in them that Sihon the Amorite and King of Heshbon and King of the Amorites reigns in them And he suggests foolish vain sinful bitter words and sets the tongue on fire from Hell James 3. I well know how men are wont to excuse themselves that their hearts are good though their words be evil so saith that wanton Epigrammatist Lasciva est nobis pagina vita proba est Our book 's lascivious but our life is good It s impossible Words are a great part of our life according to which we shall be all justified or condemned Matth. 12.37 James 3. v. 11. That argument of S. James is unanswerable Jam. 3.11 Doth a Fountain send forth at the same hole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is sweet and that which is bitter If therefore as a Fountain casts forth her waters so foul-mouth'd men cast out their wickedness Jer. 6.7 there is no question to be made but Sihon the Amorite reignes in those souls the word of Belial dwels in them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living Word of God harbours not there There is no concord between Christ and Belial that is the Devil as the Syriac there turns it Satan 2 Cor. 6.15 2. Sihon also hath his land which is the land of Gilead but since Sihon was King of the Amorites and that land in his possession it was called the land of the Amorites Gilead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Acervus testimonii an heap of testimony or witnessing which figured the multitude of the divine witnesses the Prophets of the Lord and all believers who give testimony unto the truth and power of God the cloud of witnesses Hebr. 12.1 Hence was Elijah the Tisbite 1 Kings 17.1 Elijah the Tisbite that was of Gilead When Sihon is King of the Amorites all the heap of witnesses all the Prophets testimonies are made matter of talk All that men read all they hear all they meditate all they learn by reading hearing meditation it is to talk it out again And freely and openly to speak my fears I am perswaded that Gilead is yet in the Amorites hands I much fear that what the Lord tells his Prophet is verified and fulfilled of our times may I not say also of this place Ezech. 33.30 2. The Lord gives Sihon the Amorite King of Heshbon and his land into the hand of Israel But quo jure By what right does the Lord give these into the hand and power of Israel by a manifold right For although the Lord by reason of special covenant with Abraham and his seed vouchsafed to be styled the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the God of Israel yet the Lord had made a covenant also more general with Noah and his seed after the flood and consequently with all nations descending from them Gen. 9.10 11. So that not only by right of creation and preservation which is creation continued and by right of redemption from the flood whereby he redeemed them from death but also by right of covenant yea jure forisfactionis by right also of forfeiture by breach of covenant all became obnoxious and liable unto the just judgement of God so that by a manifold right he might dispose of them and theirs their persons and estates as here of Sihon and his land Mysticè 1. Observe O thou Israel of God how potent and subtil how malitious enemies thou hast even after thou hast past over the river Arnon The spiritual childe meets with some opposition the flesh lusts against the spirit this was figured by Esek Contention which Isaac first met withal But when that 's overcome greater enmity ariseth that 's Sitnah the strength of Satanical hatred Both must be subdued before Isaac comes to Rehoboth the latitude of freedom Gen. 26.20 21 22. The Ephesians had conquered the former and were now in conflict with the later to whom S. Paul saith we wrestle not with flesh and blood such as the Galatians as yet little children Gal. 4.19 had to fight withal Gal. 5.17 but against Principalities against Powers against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worldly rulers of the darkness of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I render against the spiritualities of wickedness in heavenly things Ephes 6.12 Ephes 6. v. 12. That is saith Aquinas the very power and strength of wickedness Such enemies as David complaines of Psal 56.2 They who envie me have swallowed me up all the day Psal 56. v. 12. For many fight against me from on high so the LXX and Tremellius Prowdly or arrogantly so Piscator and Coverdale although David may be understood to direct his complaint unto God by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here so Psal 92.8 Mich. 6.6 2. Note hence O Israel how great a strength is imparted unto thee by thy God even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hyperbolical or exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe Ephes 1.19 3. Hence its evident that one spirit does not act in all men for if Sihon King of Heshbon extirpate and root out the good thoughts out of the heart and implant evil thoughts in their room and the Israel of God hath a spirit of power from the God of life to destroy Sihon and root out all the evil thoughts out of the heart and implant good thoughts there surely these divided opposite contrary acts cannot proceed from one and the same spirit It s our Lords argument That Satan cannot cast out Satan but the finger and Spirit of God it is which is contrary to Satans spirit which casts

the greatest Our Lord complains of them They came about me like Bees Psal 118.27 Beelzebub was the God of Ekron 2 Kings 1.2 whence the Poets had their Acheron who has hi name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fly as Macrobius cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a god that drives away Flies He injects and casts his evil thoughts into the souls of men which are impudent as Flyes are and though you beat them away they will return The only way is to kill them as they say it was Domitians the Emperours business to kill Flyes An exercise too unsuitable for an Emperour unless he intended thereby to be like his fellow-gods as he called them and especially him who was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jupiter who drove away flyes However it is a laudable yea a divine exercise and fit for those who would be like unto the true God to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to drive away mortifie and kill the vain and sinful thoughts Mysticè The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies also to ruminate ruminate upon him meditate upon him The verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so signifies But being in the reflex form 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies a more then ordinary rumination and meditation Let us ruminate and meditate on Sihon on Heshbon Sihon is a sweeper he endeavours to sweep out our good thoughts let us endeavour also to sweep out all his evil thoughts Sihon is Eradicator that evil spirit that endeavours to root up all the plants of righteousness And let us root up all the plants of wickedness Every plant which our heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out Matth. 15.13 Let us extirpate every plant of wickedness Let us sweep out the dust of the false knowledge This was Davids practise Psal 77.6 in Vulg. Lat. Scopebam spiritum meum I swept my spirit or rather my spirit made diligent search So let us search so let us sweep out every Sluts corner in our house There is no doubt but if we will take pains with our selves we shall finde work enough within doores even in the inner chambers of our hearts There is great need to sweep it There is a treasure lost there The woman swept that house to finde her Groat Luke 15.8 The old Latin text had Evertit domum she overturnd the house as many endeavour by controversies and vain janglings to overthrow the Church of Christ The Mistriss bids her Maids sweep the house the one asked the other for a Broom the other said it was a Be●som no saith she it is a Broom while they thus contended the house lay unswept The wisdom of God cals upou us to sweep and cleanse our hearts James 4.8 And men quarel and contend about that word whereby they should be cleansed John 15.3 and leave the work undone O how often come men to hear the cleansing word how it should be applyed for the purifying of their hearts and by that very Opus operatum as they call it they think themselves cleansed Prov. 30. v. 12. they are pure in their own eyes when yet they are not washed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from their own dung But let us return unto the former signification of the word Let us contend let us medle with Sihon and his Heshbonites in battle The enemy must be discovered before we can fight him The Roman Historian saith of a certain people in Italy with whom they had war Difficilius ipsos invenire quàm vincere It was more difficult to finde them out then to overcome them The people of Heshbon are such a subtile people they lurk within us How long wilt thou cause thy vain thought to lodge in thee Jer. 4.14 The man of sin Jer. 4. v. 14. Sihon the Leader of evil thoughts cannot be revealed unless there be first a departure 2 Thes 2.3 While our thoughts lodge in us and are of our house while we are one with them and they with us we cannot possibly perceive them or discern them as enemies unto us If the object be too near us we cannot discover it Sensibile supra sensorium non facit sensationem When what is visible is upon the sight it cannot be seen The god of this world blindes the eyes of men with their own thoughts whereby they are not discerned But if we look on our thoughts at a distance if we depart from the man of sin he will be then revealed we shall then discover him and see how fouly we have been abused by him When the enemy is discovered he is not to be conquered by outward means Our great enemies we have to deal withal are our vain foolish thoughts And therefore as he were a mad man who should hope to overcome a Sword or Dart with a thought so is he as mad who thinks to conquer thoughts and imaginations with a Sword or worldly weapon Yet such hath been the madness of the Cainish generation from the beginning that what opinions they cannot subdue with spiritual weapons they confute them with a Prison Fire and Fagot But indeed herein they much betray their own weakness and their bad cause who stir up the Magistrate to make Lawes to put men in prison or put them to death for supposed Heresies or erroneous judgements of divine matters which because the ignorant zealots cannot prove to be such or convince them by spiritual armes they betake themselves to temporal and outward It was the custome of Nero the Emperour to go up and down Greece like a Fidler and to challenge all Minstrels of the best note to sing and play with him If he overcame any he got the prize if he were worsted he took a course with his Adversary that he should never sing or play more causing him one way or other to be put to death Nero was the first persecutor of the Christian Church whom all follow to this day and as all men judge of him so may they of all such absurd and ridiculous men men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith and their folly or madness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be made manifest unto all men as Nero's Jannes and Jambres their predecessors hath been 2 Tim. 3.9 For they declare evidently that they want spiritual weapons when they trust to carnal and temporal This our Lord Jesus Christ shewes and will shew when he conqures Antichrist not with fire and sword but with the spirit of his mouth 2 Thes 2.2 Thoughts and opinions are spiritual things and can be discerned only spiritually and by spiritual weapons only be overcome but never in others unless first they be mastered and subdued in our selves And how shall that be done 1. Hate vain thoughts These are enemies which thou hast a warrant to hate Yea hate them with a perfect hatred Do I not hate them that hate thee saith David It could not be otherwise He was a man according to Gods heart a friend

of God and friends have communionem consiliorum voluntatum communion of counsels and wills And therefore David hates vain thoughts Psal 119.113 2. Entertain good thoughts and highly esteem them they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent of God unto thee Thou canst not think any thing of thy self as of thy self thy sufficiency is of God So David esteemed his good thoughts How pretious are thy thoughts unto me O God! How great is the sum of them Or Psal 139. v. 17. how strong are the heads of them There are leading good thoughts which if they be followed will prove exceeding strong Such was that of David Psal 119.59 I thought on my wayes and what came of it and I turnd my feet unto thy testimonies I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandements The Apostle knew full well how powerful good leading thoughts are Phil. 4.8 Having reckoned up things true honest just pure lovely of good report what ever vertue what ever praise think saith he on these things and then The God of peace shall be with you These are able to cope with Sihon King of Heshbon both in strength and number for so it followes if I number them they are more then the sand More and more mighty were they with David when all nations compassed him about yet so strong was he that in the Name of his God he doubted not but he should cut them off Psal 118.10 11 12. But when did all Nations compass David about The Psalm how ever some understand of David in the history yet it cannot be made good of him but of Christ the spiritual David and his Church as it is plain by evident proof v. 20. 26. And most true it is that all Nations have compassed him about Yea swarms of temptations from evil thoughts as of Bees have compassed him about for he was tempted in all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 4. v. 15. according to similitude without sin Hebr. 4.15 And in that he hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour those who are tempted Hebr. 2.18 And therefore he being the minister of circumcision for the truth of God even the true circumcision of the heart Rom. 15.8 He cuts off all the vain sinful thoughts Psal 118. v. 10 11 12. from the heart and so circumciseth it And thence it is that Psal 118.10 11 12. he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will circumcise them so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies and it s thrice there used importing the circumcision 1. Of the Father in the place named Rom. 15.8 2. Of the Son Col. 2.11 3. Of the Spirit Rom. 2.29 Phil. 3.3 And accordingly he circumciseth his Church under all these dispensations What though the Gyants the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earth-born thoughts arise against thee Are any are all of them too mighty for thy God to overcome Retyre unto thine own heart and to thy God there and to his pretious thoughts When the heart is let loose and the thoughts not kept at home thousands of wicked imaginations break in and fill the soul and indispose it towards God and weaken it and disable it for resistance of the spiritual enemy Nunquam tam bene quis exit quin sit intùs manere melius Never does any go abroad but it s much better to stay at home The mighty God is the good mans dwelling place Psal 90.1 Through him the Zamzummim the wicked thoughts are subdued and brought under the obedience of Jesus Christ Deut. 2.20 21. 2 Cor. 10.5 3. Let us put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against the wile of the Devil For we wrestle not onely against flesh and blood carnal thoughts only which are as Flesh-Flyes but also against the spiritualities of wickedness Ephes 6.11 12. Wherefore let us gird about our loynes with truth The loynes are the seat of lust both inherent and acquisit The beast he stirs up evil affections there Job 40.16 His strength is in his loynes and his force is in the Navel of his belly The Apostles counsel is therefore to gird up the loynes of our minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our reason or discursive faculty 1 Pet. 1.13 There 's great danger to be foyld at the weapon While Eve a figure of the thoughts 2 Cor. 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not mindes but thoughts and acts of the minde adventured without this girdle 2 Cor. 11. v. 3. to reason with the Serpent she was conquered And while Eves children are un-girt in their thoughts while they do ad morem discincti vivore Nattae live without regard had to their thoughts Sihon soon prevailes over them The brest-plate of righteousness Lights and perfections were in Aarons brest-plate and they are required in all those who are made Priests unto God to be so armed Levit. 8.8 Ephes 6. v. 14. and having your feet shod shooing your feet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the preparation of the Gospel of peace or with the confirmation and establishment Thou walkest in the midst of snares Ecclus 9.13 Briars and Thorns are with thee Ezech. 2.6 while we have to do with Sihon and his Heshbonites evil thoughts spirits and men we had need to be well shod Not so when we converse with good thoughts good spirits and good men When Moses came with his feet shod towards the Mount of God Exod. 3. v. 5. Josh 5. v. 15. the Lord bad him put off his shooes Exod. 3.5 So said the Angel to Jehoshuah And there is the same reason alleaged to both because the place was holiness No Briars no Thorns there there 's no need of fencing and arming our selves unless against thoughts and words and men of Belial 2 Sam. 23.6 7. Adde to these arms the shield of faith the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God praying with all prayer and supplication at all times or in every season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every opportunity yea in season and out of season continually in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints This part of the spiritual armour is not fixt to any part of the body as others are for herewith the whole armour of God is knit together Thus being armed with the weapons of our warfare mighty through God for the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10. v. 5. casting down reasonings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and every height or high thing exalted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the knowledge of God and captiving every thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 So will the Lord of hosts give Sihon and Heshbon into our hand and power and tread Satan under our feet shortly For this end The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Amen Rom. 16.20 What nation is there so great that hath God so nigh unto them

Taking up the Cross 1. Self-denyall stands as a Porter to keep the dore of the heart And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn to keep signifies all the Porters duty in three acts Observare Cohibere prohibere 1. To observe who comes in and who goes out For so every one ought to take heed what thoughts enter into his heart and what desires run out 2. To keep the heart at home that it go not after the eyes Num. 15.39 3. To award and keep off temptations Job 31.1 2. The Cross and patience of Jesus Christ is as a strong dore with locks and barrs to withstand and bear off all forcible entry And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Prison-house Gen. 40.3 According to our Lords precept Luke 21. v. 19. Luke 21.19 In or by your patience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possess ye or gain ye the possession of your souls Such diligent heed must be taken for the avoiding of great evills that otherwise will follow That 's the third divine Axiom 3. Israel ought to take heed to himself and keep his soul diligently lest he forget the words which his eyes have seen and lest they depart from his heart This point adds to the former the consideration of the ends why Israel ought to take heed to himself and keep his soul and these ends are powerful reasons of this important duty from the great and imminent danger which will ensue upon the neglect of it Wherein we have 1. The caution or warning only take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently 2. The peril and danger that otherwise will follow lest thou forget the words which thine eyes have seen and this danger brings in another lest these words depart from thine heart Herein we must enquire what forgetfulness is which because its a privation and privatives are best known by their positives we must first learn what memory is and what it is to remember which according to Plato Speusippus and others of that School is Cogitationes conservare to keep our thoughts And they say that the better memory is Dispositio animae inhaerentem veritatem custodiens a disposition and frame of the soul keeping truth inherent in it But these descriptions seem too strait for the nature of memory Others therefore ascribe two offices unto it others three 1. To lay up in memory 2. To retain 3. To recall to minde The two former may be reduced to one 1. As to keep and retain the thoughts 2. To recal them when they are lost or in danger of losing when we have use of them Thus Jacob 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laid up and kept in his memory the dreams of his son Joseph Gen. 37.11 So did Mary keep in her heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the words which were spoken of Christ by the Shepherds Luke 2.19 Luke 2. v. 19.51 And again v. 51. His Mother kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these words Our Translators turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former place things in the later more advisedly sayings And as to remember is to commit and retain our thoughts in memory so likewise it signifies to recal them as Luke 22.61 Peter remembred the words of the Lord Luke 24.6 7 8. To forget therefore is to lose our thoughts and let them slip out of our custody and keeping So the Apostle understood forgetfulness Hebr. 2.1 If we inquire into the reason of this warning it proceeds from the great love of God toward his Israel 1. He knowes the excellency of the words and things committed to our trust and the custody of our memories even the holy and blessed Trinity and the work of our creation Eccles 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Creators the Law of God the Father Malac. 4.4 The Redemption by Jesus figured by bringing Israel out of Egypt Deut. 16.3 Jude v. 5. Vulg. Lat. Sins committed against so great grace Deut. 9.7 Ceasing from our sins figured by the Sabbath Exod. 20.8 and many the like which is not a bare memory but such as puts us upon sutable duty Verba sensuum innuunt affectum effectum words of sense inward and outward import affection and effect answerable thereunto as Deut. 8.18 19 20. Psalm 22.27 and many the like 2. These are too sublime and of too high a nature for the foolish heart of man left to it self to contain Prov. 24.7 And there is in us by corrupt nature a stupidity and dulness in regard of spiritual things Hebr. 5.11 And Satan with his evil spirits interpreted by our Saviour the fowls of the air is watchful to catch the Word of God out of the heart when it is sowen Matth. 13.19 He is ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to drink and swallow up the precious liquor of the spiritual doctrine if we let it slip and it run out of our vessels 1 Pet. 5. v. 8. Hebr. 2.1 1 Pet. 5.8 3. The memory it self is frail and weak as a vessel that has got a fall that 's crackt and riven So saith the Wiseman that the inward parts of a Fool are like a broken vessel he will hold no knowledge as long as he liveth Ecclus 21.14 4. The memory is too often full of somewhat else and so intùs existens prohibet extraneum a vessel full of one liquor will not hold another Non datur penetratio dimensionum two bodies cannot be in one place nor two contrary spirits in one soul The Fool full of his own knowledge cannot receive divine understanding Proverbs 30.22 Great need therefore there was that the Lord should warn us of this danger 1. Whence we may observe the Lord hath given us the tutelage and gardianship of our selves our souls our hearts and what is that but our memories whereby we retain holy thoughts and the divine words which our eyes have seen Plato tells us that Mnemosyne is the Mother of the Muses The meaning is that the memory brings forth and nourisheth all the good thoughts It is the true inward Eve the Mother of all the Living ones which brings forth unto us spiritual Children According to which whosoever doth the will of God he is the Mother of Christ Matth. 12.50 For all the senses outward and inward were made for the life especially the two disciplinary senses Seeing and Hearing The Lord hath given them both for this end And therefore the eye is a seeing eye when a man sees the divine Words and discerns aright what the will of the Lord is and the ear is an hearing ear when he obeyes the commands of God And therefore the wiseman tells us that the hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them Prov. 20.12 Whence our Lord he that hath an ear to hear saith he let him hear Matth. 13.9 Rev. 13.9 Thus the retentive memory and the heedfull thoughts are given unto man as his meet help before him Ephes 1.4 Thus the woman was created for the

joyn'd and continued unto him as one with him 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned unto the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agglutinatus glued as it were and intimately united unto the Lord he is one spirit the Syriac adds with him And therefore it must needs be irksom and painful to part from him as a bone dis-joynted and parted from its bone so the word in Jer. 6.8 signifies as the Translators acknowledge in the margent and it is so used Gen. 32.24 And indeed it most concerns us and in all reason we should be most sensible of it when our soul is dislocated and out of joynt and so it is when the Lord departs from it because we have first departed from him And therefore he complains Ezech. 6.9 I am broken with your whorish heart that hath departed from me And therefore the Lord out of his great love seems sensible of such paines as accompany dis-joynting or wounding or breaking of the body part from part Wherefore the Lord out of intense love exhorts us Be instructed or corrected or instruct thy self O Jerusalem Ne avellatur anima mea so Arias Montanus turns it lest my soul be violently pluckt away from thee as unwilling yet forced by thee to depart from thee And what will come of it lest I make thee as a Desart a wasted desolate land not inhabited These words must not depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life Thou hast no warrant to neglect the heeding of thy self or keeping of thy soul no not one day of thy life The reason is 1. Our God is the God of all our times all our dayes 2. His words are the words of this life Acts 5.20 Be exhorted O Israel only to take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the words which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life Solomon having exhorted his son or disciple to heed his words and give attention to his sayings Prov. 4.20 well knowing the common guise of hearers to let what they hear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slip or drop like water thorow a riven dish as that word properly signifies Hebr. 2.1 he adviseth his son to beware lest the wicked cause these words to depart from his eyes For so the word is in Hiphil and requires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be understood out of the verse before Prov. 4. v. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne recedere faciant let not the wicked cause them to depart from thine eyes but that he keep them in his heart as an hidden treasure laid up in the midst of his heart as most dear unto him This keeping of them will not be in vain for they are words of life to those who finde them v. 22. And whereas some Physical Receipt may be soveraign for the cure of some one or other disease this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Receipt or received doctrine as he calls it ver 2. of of that Chapter it s a Catholicon an universal medicine its health to all their flesh Which is literally and really true for the healing doctrine of the Word 1 Tim. 1. v. 10. as the Apostle calls it 1 Tim. 1.10 not only restraines the concupiscible from all excess and riot from all surfeting and drunkenness from all chambering and wantonness all foolish and hurtful lusts which betray the soul unto these exorbitancies but it moderates also the passions of the irafcible as anger fierceness indignation desire of revenge vain fears vain hopes Which spiritual maladies the learned Physitians in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly declare to be the causes of many bodily diseases But though the words of wisdom be attended unto though laid up in the heart yea in the midst of the heart yet unless the heart it self be well kept we are in danger to forget the words which our eyes have seen and they will depart from our heart To prevent so great an evil its needful that we learn an Art of memory a method and way to keep these words For certainly by corrupt nature we are not able to keep them Herein we must proceed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Somewhat that hinders must be removed and some positive helpful means used 1. As for the former I shall name some impediments of the natural memory and the removal of them with Analogy unto spiritual hindrances and removal of them also The corrupt animal spirit hurts the natural memory And many unclean spirits there are which destroy the remembrance of those words which our eyes have seen One ye read of in Mark 1. Yea Mark 5.2 there 's a whole Legion of them in one man who dwels in the tombs even in dead works He cannot be bound with the bands and fetters of the Law but he breaks them and casts them away Psal 2. Such unclean spirits ye read of who have destroyed the memory of God and his Word extreamly in these last dayes Revel 16.13 14. Jer. 23.14.27 How needful therefore is it to discern of the spirits whether they be of God or not 1 John 4. 2. The Physitians say Delirium phrenitis causat oblivionem when the reason is lost the memory is lost 'T is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guide and rudder of the soul The Prodigal for this reason forgat his fathers house as it is evident from hence that afterward he is said to come to himself Luke 15. 3. A third hurt of the memory is said to be negotiorum moles incombrance with many businesses Mark 4.19 the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things choak the word And therefore the Apostle exhorts us to lay aside every weight and the sin that besets us in every circumstance Hebr. 12.1 4. That which they say helps the natural memory hurts the spiritual namely images For experience hath proved that hereby forgetfulness of God and divine things hath crept into the Church of God Hereby the antient people of God were extreamly deceived They made an Idol to help their memory of God and thereby the lost it Psal 106.19 20 21. They made a Calf in Horeb and worshipped the molten image c. Then followes they forgat God their Saviour And it is a vain impiety to set men to look Pictures and Images of God the Father Son and Spirit which draw down the thoughts from conceiving a-right of God to be a Spirit unto corporeal and sensible things 2. Come we to positive helps Certain it is Quae curamus meminimus Those things which we take heed unto and take care of those even when we are old we remember especially when we fasten them in our souls by meditation on them day and night Psal 1. They are wont to preserve the natural memory with certain ointments applyed to the head Such a spiritual unction we receive from the holy One 1 John 2.20 which remembers us of all that ever we

dishonoured by us but in this the Father shall be glorified that we bring forth much fruit SER. XIV and be made the disciples of Iesus Christ John 15. v. 2.8 So will he cleanse us when we thus bear his name Even so O God make clean our hearts within us and take not thine holy spirit from us Thou shalt not kill What not according to Law and justice Deut. 5. v. 17. Is the act of the Magistrate here inhibited who proceeds according to the Law of God when he adjudgeth him to die who bath shed mans blood Gen. 9.6 No act of justice is hereby forbidden but established rather But what if a private man kill another ignorantly whom he huted not before time Deut. 19.4 5. Casually comes not under this precept It s possible a man may not lie in wait to shed blood yet may God deliver a man into his hand whom though he slay yet he is excusable for the Lord hath provided Cities of refuge and propounds a case whereby he who kills another shall not be put to death Deut. 9.4 5. Yet the act of the Magistrate and of him who slayes another without laying wait for him both acts come under the word killing Which therefore is not adequate and proper to this prohibition before us Yea the taking away life from the beast for the sustenance of man is killing also but not forbidden The killing here forbidden in regard of the object is of an innocent person in respect of the act it s wilfully and felloniously committed and out of propense malice as our Lawyers speak And that is Murder as our old Translators have held forth this Commandment in these terms Thou shalt do no murder The old is better Touching this word as I remember I spake somewhat on Exod. 20. parallel unto this place before us But because in the book of Deuteronomie there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an iteration and repetition as of the Law so of divers other matters formerly spoken of in the former books I shall either wholly waive or very briefly touch upon what arguments I have spoken unto The Law is spiritual whereunto our Lord here directs us As for the outward murder of what extent it is and what punishment is due unto it humane lawes civil and municipal take cognisance of it The spiritual murder is committed 1. Against ones own soul or 2. Against ones neighbour or against ones God and his Christ There is a murder committed against ones own soul Prov. 6.32 and 29.24 Job 5.2 In these and like cases a man is felo de se a self-murderer 2. Spiritual murder is also committed against ones neighbour Matth. 5.21 22. 1 John 3.15 3. There is also a spiritual murder of the divine nature and the Lord Christ three wayes 1. In Adam when his innocent nature in us is murdered Revel 13.8 2. In the flesh upon the Cross 1 Cor. 15.3 3. In the spirit so often as his good motions in us are suppressed Hebr. 6.6 These and such as these he calls murderers For whereas every sin hath the name from the end whereat it aimes and is to be esteemed according to the will and purpose whence it proceeds as wrath envie or hatred against our neighbour may be called murder because they tend thereunto and the will and purpose of him who is angry envious or malitious is a murderous will and purpose although really and in the event they murder not their neighbour Even so the wrath envie and malice against the Lord and his Christ may be called murders although they proceed no further then the perverse will Ye go about to kill me saith our Lord John 8. So Traytors are esteemed and suffer death according to their will and purpose although they effect it not What reason is there for this There are in the heart these three notable parts 1. The Rational the 2. Concupiscible and the 3. Irascible which answers unto these three necessary Offices in a City the chief Magistrate which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rational ordering all things by reason the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the concupiscible which is the Quaestor or Treasurer who provides and layes out for what is necessary for the support of the City Now if any obstruction or hindrance happen in the execution of the Questors office then ariseth in the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the irascible which answers to the Militia and Garrison-souldiers who remove those impediments and obstructions This irascible though it be the seat of more compounded affections yet the principle here understood is wrath or anger which is not sin because implanted of God in our nature and the Psalmist really distinguisheth them and after him the Apostle Be angry and sin not Howbeit from the exorbitancy of the concupiscible the appetite inflamed toward something desirable and hindred from fruition naturally there is a boyling of the blood about the heart whence the Questor or Treasurer desires the help of the Militia the souldery for the removing of the impediment The wrath being kindled sometimes burnes excessively and beyond measure and it is a sin We shall observe this in the way of Cain as S. Jude calls it v. 11. Cain signifying possession and peculiar propriety in the flesh desiring yea ingrossing all things natural humane and divine all must serve it as Psal 73.9 According to Martin Luther what they say must be spoken from Heaven and what they speak must prevail upon Earth Whence it is that the sensual propriety challenges Gods acceptance of whatsoever it doth yea and ingrosseth it unto it self so that Gods approbation being given to the simple harmless and righteous Abel wrath and envie burns against him and all the holy Prophets from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah This inordinate desire and wrathful and envious disposition is from the evil one who is called Abaddon and Apollyon Revel 9.11 a murderer from the beginning and by the Jews at this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a destroyer This we finde 1 John 3.11 12. Whence the Greek tongue retains the memory of the first murderers name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to kill Quaere Since it is murder while yet in the heart and such in Gods sight whether is any thing added by performing the outward act yea or no surely there is For proof of this let the first murder be examined Gen. 4.4 It was such in Gods sight when Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell But all that time the Lord was patient and dehorted him and reasoned with him If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted And if thou doest not well sin lieth at the dore c. All this time Cain was guilty before God and in danger of the judgement but having performed the outward act then the Lord denounced his judgement against him This will further appear from Gods different rewards of good or evil works intended and performed For since God

rewards every man according to his works the reward of good works and the punishment of the evil finished must be greater then of the same intended God was patient all the time that David was plotting the death of Vriah but when it was effected then he sent Nathan and denounced his judgement Hence we learn that 1. The heart is Murdrorum officina the flesh-bank the slaughterhouse the murdering den wherein the wicked one slayeth the innocent Psal 10.8 2. A man may possibly be a murderer who yet layes no violent hands on any Is he angry with his brother he is guilty of the judgement Matth. 5.22 yes if he be angry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a cause S. Hierom and S. Augustin both agree that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a cause is not to be found in any old Greek copy Ut scilicet ne cum causa quidem debeamus irasci saith Augustin nor indeed is it extant in the vulgar Latin 3. Hence we learn to judge our selves and others if angry and malitious if hateful and hating one another 4. Yea hence learn the bloody-mindedness of this present generation what murdering and malitious hearts full of rancor and hatred they bear one party against another one man against another Shall not the Lord be avenged of such a nation as this This is harsh doctrine Alas if to be angry with my brother be no less then murder if he who hates his brother be a murderer what shall become of me I have been angry and hated my brother and spoken despitefully against him said to him Racha called him out of bitterness of spirit a fool Cease from wrath redeem thine envie and malice with love and mercifulness As all thy doings before were done in malice and hatred let them now be all done in love and kindness 1 Cor. 16.14 John 3.21 But alas thoughts of revenge assault me These are the messengers of Satan like him sent to kill Elisha 2 Kings 6.32 even God the Saviour in thee and therefore take his counsel there keep these revengeful thoughts fast at the door give no consent unto them they rome to take away thy head The head of every believer is Christ 1 Cor. 11. If thou consent unto them thou openest the dore of thy heart and lettest them in while thou keepest them without dore they cannot hurt thee No evil without thee no not the Devil himself the murderer from the beginning not he nor any evil can hurt thee while it is without thee no more then any good can help thee if it be without thee Alas I have crucified the life of God even the Christ of God in me I have murdered the Lord Jesus Haply this thou hast done indeed who hath not done it yet despair not There is a twofold killing as the Scripture distinguisheth Deut. 19. the one wilful and presumptuous the other at unawares And both these wayes the Lord Jesus hath been killed There are who have slain him wilfully Heb. 6.4 5. and 10.26 There are who slay him ignorantly who suppress the motions of Christs spirit in themselves not knowing that they proceed from him God was in this place and I knew it not Gen. 28. There is one in the midst of you whom ye know not Such an ignorant manslayer was Paul who persecuted the Lord Jesus 1 Tim. 1.13 but he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly Yea and he is a patern to them that offend Acts 3.17 The greatest sin without hatred is pardonable Deut. 19. The greatest good work without charity is nothing worth 1 Cor. 13. Yea in this case the Lord hath made provision of a refuge if we have slain the man Christ ignorantly if we have slain him by our unholy and profane life we must then fly to Kadesh that is unto holiness This counsel the Prophet Esay gives Esay 1.16 17 18. and Daniel to Nebuchadnezzer Dan. 4.27 This Kadesh is in Galilee that is conversion or turning about Jer. 18.11 Therefore when S. Peter having told the Jews that they had crucified the Lord Jesus he directs them to Galilee that is to turn to the Lord Acts 3.19 This City of refuge is on a Mountain as the Church of God is Esay 2.2 a state hard to be attained unto And we must contend and strive for it therefore it is said to be in the Tribe of Nephtali Such an one was S. Paul 1 Cor. 9.26 Phil. 3.14 not with flesh and blood c. Ephes 6. 2. Yea we must go about this work early Therefore the second City of refuge is Shechem which signifies early This also is in a Mountain hard difficult in ascent in the Tribe of Ephraim in fruitfulness growing and increasing Thus doing we shall come to the third City even Hebron the society of all 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 ●●●ting our hearts unto the living God that 's Hebron This is 〈…〉 a Mountain Heb. 12. and in the Tribe of Judah praysing and glorifying our God confessing to his name and singing Hallelujahs for ever Yea the Lord Jesus prayes for his persecutors and murderers Father forgive them c. This is proper to the Christian spirit as appears Luke 9.5 6. they as yet were of a legal spirit Abels blood cryed from the earth Zachariah the son of Jehoiada 2 Chro. 24.22 Jer. 11. ●0 and 20.21 But what saith our Lord Father forgive them And S. Stephen Acts 7. Christs blood of sprinkling speaks better things then that of Abel This is the strength of the Spirit of Jesus which rejoyceth in tribulation So S. Paul prayes for the Colossians Col. 1.11 that they may be strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Attende Tibi Doctrinae Look to thy Self and the Doctrine SERMON XIV Deuteronomie 6. ver 6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children BEfore we can consider a-right and speak to these words particularly let us render them and read them right as thus These same words which I am commanding thee this day shall be in or upon thine heart And thou shalt whet them upon thy sons I shall shew this to be the true translation of the Text as I come to the Axiomatical handling of it The words contain an injunction to parents and those in place of parents to transmit and conveigh the Commandements of God unto their sons and all under their care Wherein we have a Series Process or Succession of commands one in order to other 1. These same words I am commanding thee this day 2. These same words which I am commanding thee this day shall be in or upon thine heart 3. These same words which I am commanding thee this day shall be upon thine heart and thou shalt whet them upon thy sons 1. These same words I am commanding thee this day Wherein we must inquire 1. What these same words commanded are 2. What is

considered who confine the eternal Deity of the Son of God unto his temporal dispensation and manifestation in the flesh Surely they would judge otherwise if they remembred that the Father hath never been without his Son the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word which hath spoken all things from the Father and the infinite works which he hath wrought whereof S. John speaks John 21.25 2. These same words shall be in thine heart or rather upon thine heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Arias Montanus Munster and the Spanish Translation Martin Luther and two Low Duch Translations express this phrase by Nemen ter herten which Coverdale turns take them to heart The words may be considered as a precept and so Piscator explains In corde erunt by Sunto in corde let them be in your heart and Castellio turns them imperatively In corde habetote have ye them in your heart And they have good reason so to render them from the parallel place Deut. 11.18 Deut. 11. v. 18. Ye shall put or put ye these my words upon your heart and upon your soul Howbeit because these same words are so beneficial unto us nor can we our selves of our selves put them upon our own hearts and because the Lord hath said I will put my Law or Lawes in their inward parts or minde and I will write it or them upon their hearts Jer. 31.33 Hebr. 8.10 I doubt not to call these same words a promise also They are a precept which puts us upon our utmost endeavour to be obedient and to use all meanes for the effecting of it And they are a promise importing thus much that when we have done our utmost endeavour we we have done all we have done and God himself also does what he does out of grace when he puts these same words in or upon our hearts So that the parts of that distinction that Ronum is either officii or praemii good is is either of duty or of reward may coincidere meet in one and the same sentence as here they do We have a phrase among us that such or such a thing is upon our spirits when we say so our meaning is that we have actual and present thoughts of it And so these same words are to be understood here to be upon our hearts and upon our Spirits when we actually think of them have them present in our mindes wills and affections and are in a readiness to do them It we inquire into the reason why these same words must be in or upon our hearts we shall finde them exceedingly necessary and behoofull for us For indeed through our fall we have a dark heart and blinde eyes Yee were darkness Ephes 5. and he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth Joh. 12.35 And therefore there is great need of the pure and holy commandement of the Lord which is a Lamp and the law a light Prov. 6.23 Which is inlightning the eyes Psal 19.8 2. And whereas the heart and soule has gon a stray and lost it self the law of the Lord is perfect converting or restoring the soul 3. And whereas the heart is defiled and who can say for he is a very rare man who can say my heart is clean these same words bring with them the fear of God Exod. 20.20 Which is clean Psal 19. and cleanseth the heart Ephes 5.26 and perfects the holyness and purity of it 2 Cor. 7.1 4. And whereas there is a kinde of Acidia as it 's called in the School a deadness and laziness in regard of our cold affections unto any spiritual good these same words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fiery words such as come out of the fire tryed and proved Deut. 4.33 And therefore they are called a fiery law Deut. 33.2 Even the law of the spirit which is as fire Rom. 8.2 These same fiery words enflame the heart and make it zealous and ready to every good work 5. And least the heart should be transported with an heady zeal without a guide which is a kind of wild fire or Ignis fatuus these same words regulate our zeal Gal. 4.18 They stere the course of our whole life and therefore they are said to be our life Prov. 3.22 6. And as the naturall heart is seated as a King in the midst of the body So these same words sit in the heart and rule it with divine wisdom and make it a wise and understanding heart These same words satisfy the soul which is commonly taken for the desire And because the affections are seated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the irrational part of the soul these same words quiet the tumultuous perturbations and passions of the heart So that when the affections begin to mutany the love and peace of God empires all differences according to Col. 3.15 But touching these same words in or upon the heart I spake somewhat on Deut. 4.9 Come we now to the transmitting of these same words unto posterity And that 's the third divine sentence 3. These same words which I am commanding thee this day shall be in or upon thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children I turn them rather thou shalt whet them upon thy sons For why should we loose so elegant a metaphore chosen by the spirit of God For although to whet be diligently to teach as the phrase is explained Deut. 11.19 yet is it not the native signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here is used which R. Solomon interprets by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sharpen or whet And so Luther and Piscator and one low Dutch translation Tremellius also turns it acutè ingeres thou shalt sharply put into and one of our old English Munster recensebis Pagnin turns the word repetes so the Spanish and the French thou shalt recite them Castellio inculcatote and the Tigurin Bible hath the same word Two things are to be inquired into 1. what these children are which indeed are to be turned sons 2. What it is to whet 1. By sons whether natural or spiritual we are to understand such as are to be begotten unto God by the immortal seed of the word such are disciples Thus R. Solomon interprets them the sons of the Prophets And so John Baptist had his sons thus Simon is called the son of Jonah Josh 1.42 Jonah is the Syriack contraction of Johanna as may appear from hence that whereas our Lord had called Peter Simon son of Jonah he calls him thrice without contraction Simon son of John so St. Hierom Joh. 21.15 16 17. Simon fili Johannis And accordingly Nonnus in his paraphrase hath those words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simon thou son of John father divine The ministers of God are fathers unto those whom they beget unto God and Christ thus St. Paul calls the Corinthians his sons 1 Cor. 4.14 as my beloved sons I warn you For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ yet ye have not many

glory be turned into shame that she may be made to know her self that she was born to be a servant and to perform the drudgery about the letter and serviceable word of the Lord. And therefore Moses who was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians Acts 7.22 he was a servant in Gods house Hebr. 3. And S. Paul a very learned man in Arts and Languages as appears in all his Epistles was a servant of God in the Gospel of his Son and the Lord found use for both kinds of learning in his Church and both may be taught as serviceable unto these same words 1. Observe with how great caution how warily Moses commends the Commandements of God unto Israel to be conveyed unto their sons they must be these same words Moses no doubt foresaw that there would be a generation who should afterward teach for doctrines the commandements of men as the Pharisees and Scribes laid aside the Commandement of God and held the tradition of men Mark 7.8 That if they own'd the Law yet so as to pick and choose among the Ten Commandements of God take some one and reject all the rest As in the dayes of Christs flesh yea and at this day great account is made of the Sabbath as if it were indeed the onely Commandement of God and that extreamly misunderstood and all the rest are neglected And will not our Lord call us to a reckoning for all these same words and say like what he spake of the Lepers were there not ten words ten cleansing healing saving words given but where are the other nine 2. Take notice hence that Moses speaks not this to Eleazar or any other teaching Priest only though that was their duty also but to Israel v. 3. Hear O Israel and again v. 4. Hear O Israel Moses speaks this to thee and me to every one who hath these same words in his heart and hath others under his care who ought to be as his sons S. Paul wrote not to the Priests but indifferently to all in like condition with those to whom he saith Hebr. 5.12 For the time ye ought to be Teachers c. Nor were they Priests only to whom he orders Timothy to convey these same words 2 Tim. 2. v. 2. 2 Tim. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things or words which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses these commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also 3. Gods truths are not so committed to any person or generation and age of men as to rest there there must be a conveyance of them unto others who ought Vitae lampada tradere to hand the Lamp of life from age to age Deut. 4.9 and 11.19 4. It is not enough that these same words be in or upon our heart unless they be there as a form of words whereby and out of which we may instruct others 5. How stupid how dull we are in receiving these same words Israel must sharpen and whet them often and often inculcat them iterate and repeat them again and again yet hardly do we receive them Such improficients the Apostle met withal Hebr. 5.11 12. 6. Though the sons of Israel be dull fungantur vice cotis and are as a Whetstone yet must Israel with unwearied patience whet and sharpen and inculcate these same words unto them 7. Take notice how qualified he ought to be to whom the only wise God gives licence and authority to teach the sons of men He must have these same words of God written in his heart as a living form and Idea or exemplary cause and principle according to which he must speak Jer. 23.28 Jer. 23. v. 28. The Prophet with whom a dream is let him tell his dream and with whom is my word let him speak my word faithfully or rather the truth of my word what is the chaff with the Wheat saith the Lord. The Lord would that the truth and spirit of his Word be spoken as for the Letter only without the spirit and truth it is but as the chaff Now my words saith our Lord are spirit and they are life John 6.63 and what is the chaff to the wheat what is the letter to the spirit And the Lord himself is that word and that spirit and that life and unless he be in the heart and speaks these same words there what authority hath any man to speak these same words what else means the Apostle Gal. 1.15 when God was pleased separating me from my mothers womb and calling me by his grace Gal. 1. v. 15. to reveal his Son in me that I might preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glad tydings of him to the Gentiles Gal. 1.15 the Son must first be revealed in the Preacher before he can preach the Son or whet these same words upon his sons 8. These same words are a form patern and example according to which the thoughts are inwardly molded and made up outwardly into words and so conveyed unto men But whereas a form is either good or evil as the Rabbins say that there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good or evil frame of the heart which may be understood as well of the minde and thoughts as of the concupiscence unto which many restrain it According to which our Lord saith that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things Of the former of these David speaks 1 Chron. 29.18 where when the people had offered willingly to the Lord David prayes Keep for ever saith he in the frame or form which ours turn imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For whereas the heart of the people was willing and joyful in offering to the Lord David prayes not for a floting and unsetled imagination but for a constant permanent and setled form to be imprinted on their heart Such is that form of doctrine 2 Tim. 1. v. 13. Rom. 6.17 that form of sound or rather healing words 2 Tim. 1.13 9. If Israel must teach his sons then must the sons of Israel learn these same words This necessarily followes according to the Law of relation 1. They are much to blame who when their fathers whet these same words upon their sons they oppose their hard their stony hearts unto them they say really and in their life and practise unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21.14 2. How justly may this reprove parents and those whoare in place o● parents who whet not inculcate not these same words upon their sons I doubt not to say it that some men take more pains and care to teach a Colty to pace or amble then they do to instruct their sons to walk in the way of Gods Commandements What enemies are they to the Church of God and to

7.14 Mat. 6.10 Wherefore be couragious O ye faithfull Israelites who march against your spiritual enemies ye have the promise of the Lord of hosts that ye shall eat up all the peoples which the Lord your God is giving to you Hearken not to the faint-hearted and unbelieving Spies who say that the people are greater and taller then ye are and that ye are as Grashoppers or rather as Locusts Num. 13. v. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in your own eyes and in the peoples eyes Numb 13.33 Let them not discourage or rather melt your heart Why should that significant metaphore be obscured and lost by mis-translation whereof the Spirit of God makes use as taken either from Ice resolved into water Josh 7.5 or from Wax melted Psal 22.15 Unbelief and fear soften and melt the heart which is strengthened by belief and courage Gen. 45.26 Psal 27.13 14. Believe the faithful and valiant Spies and witnesses of God Jehoshua the Lord the Saviour and Caleb the hearty and couragious man according to the heart of God these will assure us that we are well able to overcome and eat up the peoples For so they say Numb 14.9 Fear not ye the people of the land for they are bread for us If we be thus strong in the Lord the Lord will strengthen us Psal 31.24 and the Lord Jesus will take away the sin John 1.29 and the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the pretiousness of Lambs they shall consume into smoke Psalm 37.20 For so the Altar of Christs patience consumes and eats up the Sacrifices Therefore the Altar is called Ariel that is the Lion of God Ezech. 43.16 which devours the flesh of sin which is laid upon it And thus the spiritual enemies of the Lord and his people are consumed by the fire and spirit of love burning on the Altar the patience of Jesus Christ So the Prophet prayes Consume in wrath consume and let them not be He prayes against the sinnes not the persons of his enemies for ver 11. he had prayed slay them not He prayes that the Lord would consume the iniquity that it might not be For should he pray here against the sinners that they should not be how could he pray for them in the words next following Let them know that the Lord ruleth in Jacob and to the ends of the earth And to shew that what he had said is worth our consideration he adds Selah Which imports the suppressing of our earthly thoughts and raising up our heavenly meditations like that Psal 9.16 Higgaion or medidation Selah Even so O Lord impower us by thy mortifying spirit Rom. 8.13 which may kill eat up and consume all the wicked populacy all the seven nations the deadly sins which will otherwise eat up and consume us And quicken us unto the life of thee our God through the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Gods request unto his People SER. XV. OR Gods Petition of Right SERMON XV. Deuteronomie 10. ver 12 13. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his wayes and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul to keep the Commandements of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good SOme of these words are otherwise to be rendred as I shall shew in the particular handling of them Meantime we may know that they contain a summary comprehension These words are a summary comprehension of the peopses duty to their God inferred from the consideration of his goodness in renewing the Law continuance of the Priesthood and adding thereto the Levites Whence the words before us are deduced as a conclusion The 1. And is here collective as gathering all the promises together conclusive and illative as inferring from those promises Israels obedience and very emphatical as often elsewhere If for our better understanding of these words we take in the two following verses which depend upon the two former we shall finde that this Paragraph hath two parts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Request or Desire 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Rendring of a reason for that Desire and Request In the former which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Request and Desire is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing desired and requested and the end why it is requested and desired 1. The thing desired and requested is either the peoples holy affections or the sutable effects issuing from them Their holy affections are either the holy fear of the Lord whose effect is walking in all his wayes Or the holy and intire love of God whose effect is serving him with all the heart and with all the soul The common effect of both these holy affections is keeping Gods Commandements and Statutes 2. The End aimed at in all this is either Cujus as they call it for which the request is made that is for good or Cui for whose sake and for whose benefit this duty unto God is requested for thee 2. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reason of this Request and Desire is either negative implicitly set down not that the Lord needs thee O Israel or any thing of thine For behold the Heavens and the Heavens of Heavens are the Lords thy Gods the earth also with all that therein is 2. Positive and express the affection of God toward the holy Fathers only the Lord did cleave unto thy Fathers to love them Deut. 10. v. 16. out of which he chose their children above all other people Which was the special grace of Christ toward his Church Ephes 1.3 4 5. Ye perceive by this Analyse that the Text is Oratio argumentosa a speech full of Arguments and may afford manifold Axioms of greatest regard But I have elsewhere spoken to diverse of them The divine Axiomes contained in these words are either 1. Gods Requests unto his people or 2. Gods Requesting these of them or his servant Moses Requiring of them or the ends why the Lord requests and Moses requires these of Israel Gods Requests are that 1. Israel fear the Lord their God 2. That Israel walk in all his wayes 3. That Israel love him 4. That Israel serve the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul 5. That Israel keep the Commandements of the Lord and his Statutes 6. The Lord requires all these of Israel 7. Moses requstes or commands all these this day 8. The Lord requests nothing more nor does Moses require any thing more of Israel but these 9. For what end doth the Lord request or Moses require these of thee O Israel but for good and to thee O Israel I intend not to treat of all these having spoken to many of them upon their Texts of Scripture Wherefore I shall waive the Press handling of what I have formerly

so much the more it may love him For God in himself is an infinite good without any defect and the soul was made according to his image and for this end to know and love him and till it so do it rambles and wanders about the creatures and is never satisfied Fecisti nos Domine propter te irrequietum est cor nostrum donec pervenerit ad te Lord thou hast made us for thy self And our heart is unquiet until it come unto Thee 1. All that Commandement to love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul and all our minde is a most excellent Commandement This appears from a double Emphasis upon it in the text if thou shalt keep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even all that Commandement And therefore whereas the Jews had four Sections of the Law in more religious observation 1. Exod. 13.3 touching their coming forth of the land of Egypt 2. Verse 11. 16. concerning the destruction of the first-born 3. Deut. 6.4 9. touching the property and service of God 4. Deut. 11.13 concerning the former and the later rain That which the first recited of all these four parts of the Law was this Commandement touching the love of the Lord our God This they first recited every morning and every evening and thence it is most worthy of our morning and evening meditation And therefore the Apostle having treated of spiritual gifts 1 Cor. 12.1 30. Be zealous of the best gifts saith he yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shew you a way secundùm excellentiam 1 Cor. 12. v. 31. a way according to excellency a most excellent way But what that is Stephen Langton who divided the holy Scripture into Chapters rendred obscure by dividing the Apostles testimony of that exultent way from that excellent way it self in the following Chapt. This is that which holy David intended Psal 119. v. 96. Psal 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection thine exceeding broad Commiandement The Text is corrupted by the Translation There is no But no diversity at all but the later part explains the former This is the end of the Commandement The end or perfection of the Commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 This is that perfect bond Col. 3. 2. The Lord so speaks to all Israel as to one man If thou keep all this Commandement to do it to love the Lord thy God the Lord requires obedience unto this Commandement of all and of every man 3. To keep all this one Commandement is virtually and radically to keep all the Commandements So much the Lord implyes in the body of the Decalogue Exod. 20.6 they that love me and keep my Commandements Yea S. John tels us that this is the love of God that we keep his Commandements 1 John 5.3 4. Note hence the integrity of Gods will and Commandement requiring a like intire obedience of us But whereas Bonus actus ex integra causa malus ex quolibet defectu every good act requires integrity of causes and circumstances all good but an act is rendred evil by any one defect of these hence it is that man having lost his integrity and fallen into manifold sins and strayings from his God there was a necessity of a manifold Law to follow the man and search him out in his manifold aberrations and wandrings According to which we may understand the Prophet Hos 8.12 I have written to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 8. v. 12. which our Translators turn the great things Arias Montanus Praecipua the chief things Pagnin Honorabilia the honourable things which may as well be rendred the multitude of my Law Whence we may justly reprove a wicked generation of men who being exhorted to keep the Commandement to this end to do it they limit the will of the Holy One of Israel And whereas the Lord commands us to keep all that Commandement to love him with all our heart minde soul and strength they love him with their minde only They flatter themselves into a false conceit that they are in S. Pauls condition where he saith I my self with my minde serve the Law of God but with my flesh the Law of Sin Yea whether with their minde they serve the Law of God as S. Paul did it may be very much doubted For the Apostle saith of himself or of one in that state The good that I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do not but the evil which I will not that I do And I finde therefore a law that evil lies neer me being willing to do good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diverse other places in that Rom. 7. The words ye perceive are turnd as if the Apostle spake here of a velleity or half-will the good that I would the evil that I would not There 's no such matter the Apostle speaks of a compleat and full will and that which hath no hindrance from it self the good that I will the evil which I will not This man he has a will compleat and ready to do what good he wills and to depart from the evil which he wills not Yea I delight saith he in the Law of God according to the inward man and whereas he hath such a good will to the good and so delights in it and so hates the evil to do that evil its captivity its misery its death it s a body of death unto him And therefore he complaines Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death And he hath answer according to the antient reading of S. Ambrose Origen S. Hierom S. Augustin and others and the present Vulg. Latin Gratia Dei per Dominum Iesum Christum the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And by that grace he is made free from the Law of sin and death by the Law of the spirit of life Is it thus with this perverse and sinful generation who pretend a minde and good will to serve the Law of God Does not their life declare them Does not their practice plainly speak what their minde and will is Does not the shew of their countenance testifie against them or rather as it is in the Hebrew does not the acknowledgement of their faces answer against them Do they not declare their sin like Sodom they hide it not Wo unto their soul for they have requited evil unto themselves Be we exhorted O Israel to keep and do all this Commandement to love the Lord our God with all our heart soul minde and strength Let us not hearken to that objection of unbelieving and lazy men which hath more of will then reason in it that this Commandement is impossible This opinion hath gotten ground in the mindes of men partly from the authority of one of the Antients partly from an inbred lightlesness in the most of us of whom it may be truly said that Quae nolumus

difficulter credimus those things which we would not we hardly believe And as true is that saying Proclives sumus à labore ad libidinem that which is troublesome or chargeable we have no heart to believe it Now because to love the Lord our God with all our heart soul mind and strength will cost us all we have and all we are we are hardly brought off to think t is possible ever to be performed Hence it is that they have made this plausible interpretation of the words that in them is prescribed Non tam quàm currendum quà quò currendum Not so much the way wherein we should walk as the end of our way whither we hope to attain after this life These and such like sayings please us well because they agree with our lazy disposition But if the command had been reserved for another life it would not have been prescribed in this Eccles 9.10 Acts 5.20 No nor have been said to be fulfilled in this as it is said of David 1 Kings 14.8 so it is recorded of Josiah 2 Kings 23.25 That he turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses Nor would it be said to be the practise of the Saints Psal 119.2 Whence we may reason thus If the Saints of God if Josiah if David thus loved the Lord their God under the dispensation of the Law when the Lord gave a more scanty measure of his spirit how much more is the same duly expected of us Zach. 12.8 If they under the Law loved the Lord with all their strength when the Law was weak how much more is expected of us under the Gospel what the Law could not do c. Rom. 8.3 Now if ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certainly by how much the more the Spirit and power of God is vouchsafed unto us by so much the more we should perform this Commandement to love the Lord with all our heart soul minde and strength Surely if the Lord require obedience unto all that Commandement so as to love the Lord our God with all these the Lord allowes no place at all no room within us for any iniquity He is to be loved with all our heart soul minde and strength And therefore there is not left any place any degree at all for what is contrary to his love The Church which is signified by the Kings Daughter is all glorious within Psal 45.13 All that is within me bless his holy Name Psal 103.1 Whose cause then do they undertake to defend for whom do they plead for God or Baal for Christ or Belial who say That sin must remain in us The Lord Jesus Christ tells thee that thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. They say That this cannot be done Our Lord saith This do and thou shalt live Luke 10.28 And this is the love of God that ye keep his Commandements They say Ye shall live though ye keep not the Commandements for its impossible to keep them Just so the Serpent told Eve Ye shall not die A lie point-blank contradictory to the God of Truth They say Christ has kept the Commandements for us and He has loved God with all his heart c. and all for us And this is imputed unto us as if we our selves had so loved the Lord c. as if we our selves had kept all the Commandements Their meaning is Christ was wise just good humble loving meek sober chaste c. Therefore we may be unwise unjust wicked prowd hateful and hating one another wrathful and impatient drunkards lascivious c. Why because Christ was wise sober c. all for us Grant all this But hath not Christ suffered leaving as an example c. 1 Pet. 2.21 and 4.1 Object Hath not Christ paid the ransom and made the atonement T is true Christ hath paid the ransom for all but for whom effectually Is it not for these who believe him love him walk in all obedience unto him 2 Cor. 4.10.11 and 5.14 1 Pet. 4.2 A great Prince payes a Ransom for a multitude of Captives Howbeit thus he indents with them that they shall ever afterward relinquish and leave their Prison and be Subjects and obedient only unto him The Lord Jesus is that great Prince and Saviour Acts 5. He hath paid that Ransom for us who were captives unto Satan and served sin and iniquity And He upon the like terms agrees with us that we should no more serve sin Rom. 6. but that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies should serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life Luke 1.74 75. But to come home to their own Assertion and similitude why is not the love of the Lord our God with all our heart c Via quâ currendum but Scopus the mark whither we must run It s impossible say they by reason of the infirmities of this life alwayes actually to think of God and to be moved in love toward him And therefore so to love him is not the way wherein we must run I answer Nor is it necessary for him who loves God and keeps all that Commandement alwayes actually to think of God as he is defined or to be moved actually with love towards him It is enough if he alwayes think and do what is good just and honest and so what is worthy of God Yea so to think and so to do is to love God For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandements 1 John 5.3 And therefore he who is alwayes busied about what is holy just and good as the Commandement is Rom. 7.12 he loves God with all his heart c. And what they say that it is not the way but the end of the way surely a Traveller who walkes on in the right way it is not needful that every step he takes he should think of the end of his journey but it s enough that he keep on in the right way toward his journeys end And therefore holy David doubted not to resolve I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou hast enlarged my heart And he no doubt who does so loves God with all his heart I know well the contrary doctrine is and hath long been taught But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is an holy thing to prefer the truth before all opinions and authorities of men could Aristotle say Our Lord and his Apostles when they taught the Gospel gave precepts to be done not in another life but in this life And therefore as was intimated before the Angel commanding the Apostles to preach the Gospel calls it the words of this life And it is very observable when the Lord gives this precept touching the love of God with all our heart c. Matth. 22.37 He doth not cite the words out of Exodus wherein is contained the Law out of

because of the hardness of their hearts Moses had suffered them to put awuy their wives but from the beginning it was not so Therefore he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as formerly it was said to them of old time or the Antients Thou shalt not commit adultery c. but it was not said to or by the Antients if a man put away his wife let him give her a bill of divorcement That this is the true reason why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to or by the Ancients is not there added by our Lord to the matter of divorcement will appear beside what hath been said if we compare herewith Jer. 3.1 which was named before Where the Prophet speaking of the very same argument he puts first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn They say or in the margent saying whereby is implyed that this was not said from the beginning but since the hearts of men have been hardned by unbelief and disobedience But so far is the Lord from warranting divorce and separation of a wife from her husband that it may well be questioned whether divorce in any case be necessary yea or not yea whether a man be bound even in the case of adultery to put away his wife Our Lord Matth. 5.32 rather permits divorcement in that case then commands it So that 1. We do not read any Law of God enjoyning the wronged man so to do 2. Besides God is a witness of mutual faith plighted one to other It is the Lords own reason Mal. 2.14 The Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth She is thy companion and the wife of thy covenant It is thy covenant and the Lotd is witness to it 3. The Lord hates putting away Mal. 2.16 and we ought not to do the thing that he hates Jer. 14.4 4. Though it be true that adultery is a capital crime and to be punished by the Judges Job 31.11 that is If the business be brought before them and proved Yet we read not that the husband was any where bound to prosecute his wife especially if he saw her penitent or thought good either to retain her for what knowest thou O man whether thou mayest gain thy wife 1 Cor. 7.16 or put her away without noyse without publick shame more privately by bill of divorce We finde not that Jacob put away his wife or handmaid which was a secondary wife whom Reuben had abused And Joseph in his ignorance suspecting his espoused wife to have been an adulteress being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 1. v. 19. that is a merciful man he would not make her a publick example but thought privately to put her away by bill of divorce Matth. 1.19 Hence take an estimate how merciful the good God is towards the fallen man He took the Jewes he takes us Gentiles to be his Spouse Thy Maker is thine husband Esay 54.5 What Adulterers what Adulteresses have we been yea yet are we how unchaste how unfaithful to our husband The Lord aggravates this great sin Ezech. 16. Jer. 3.2 Lift up thine eyes to the High-places and see where thou hast not been lien with c. See Chap. 5.7 and 13.26 27. Notwithstanding all this mark what the Lord saith Esay 50.1 Where is the bill of your mothers divorcement And though a man having put away his wife he must not receive her yet return to me saith the Lord Jer. 3. How justly therefore are they to be blamed who cause divorcement and separation between man and wife Such I mean who make unequal mariages either between themselves or their children or other relations These while they intend to lay a lasting foundation of love friendship and union between persons and families even these unwittingly are the cause of greatest breach dissention and disagreement What else shall we judge of those who make mariages only out of wordly respects as wealth honour or high place without any consideration of that which ought first of all to be lookt into the fear and love of God and Christian education adorning it As also that due sympathy and harmony of nature mutually inclining disposing and uniting the mindes and hearts and making them in a sort one For where these bonds are wanting though nothing else be wanting of wordly interest as honour wealth places of dignity and what ever else can be wished yet contracts and unions made between some parties so unequally yoked together ordinarily incense and kindle dissensious and differences between themselves and all in relation unto them The tying together of Sampsons Foxes set all on fire This must needs be the very worst divorcement of all other when their mindes and hearts are opposite and contrary one to other yet by bonds of matrimony they are obliged and bound to maintain a bodily presence one with other Let covetous proud and ambitious parents think seriously of this who ingage their children in perpetual bonds of unequal mariages to begin a kinde of hell upon earth which without Gods great mercy will never have an end Surely such mariages were never made in heaven They say that mariage is a civil ordinance and therefore the power of contracting it hath been devolved from the minister to the civil Magistrate though S. Paul calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great mystery Ephes 5..32 But such mariages as these are can scarce be termed civil and therefore indeed they are more fit to be published among the rable in the market-place then among the Saints in that which according to the new reformation of words is called the meeting place Mystice There is a lawful and necessary divorcement to be made between us and our sinful thoughts which spiritually are signified by a wife Thus Eve and the Thoughts are compared 2 Cor. 11.2 3. These are the femal part of the man as the life is the male And these are adjoyned to the male even to the life as a meet help unto it Howbeit if she prove unquiet if she be a Skold such are the false-accusing thoughts if she be vain and idle of such the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 5.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only idle but tatlers also and busiebodies if she be a Slut unclean thoughts its the Wisemans advise Cut her off from thy flesh and let her go Ecclus 25.26 The Lord though he hate putting away Malac. 2.16 yet he reproves us that we admit such idle Huzzies into our bosoms Jer. 4. v. 14. How long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wilt thou cause thy vain thoughts to lodge in thee Jer. 4.14 Of this Moses may be understood in the place before us Deut. 24.1 If the husband finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nuditatem verbi the nakedness or uncleanness of the word What is the uncleanness of the word There is a pure and holy word The Commandement of the Lord is pure Psalm 19.8 There is a word also of Belial saith the Wiseman even the word of Antichrist which opposeth

and exalts it self against God and whatsoever is of God and Christ in us A word clothed about with death God grant it be not found in the heritage of Jacob Ecclus 23.12 Our Lord speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of fornication Matth. 5.32 which is in and comes out of the heart Mat. 15.19 This is the Harlot which is to be divorced O let it not be found lodging in us Let us be chaste and faithful to our God O Israel We are his Spouse Hos 2. He is our husband Esay 54. Such therefore we ought to be unto him as becomes such a Consort holy and without blame before him in love Ephes 1.4 Let there be no word of fornication no uncleanness in us So will he own us for his Spouse and say Thou art my people and we shall say Thou art my God Hos 2.23 Then shall his brothers wife come unto him in the presence of the Elders and loose his shooe from off his foot Deut. 25. v. 9. and spit in his face and shall answer and say So it shall be done unto that man that will not build up his brothers house And his name shall be called in Israel The house of him that hath his shooe loosed From verse 5. to the tenth inclusively is contained the Law concerning a Widow whose husband died without issue male In which Paragraph we have the Law and the sanction of it 1. The Law is that in that case the deceased husbands brother or next kinsman shall raise up seed unto his brother and the reason of that Law from the end of it 2. The sanction and ratifying of that Law by punishment of him who should refuse to raise up seed unto his brother Disgrace 1. To his person 2. To his family The disgrace to his person 1. Loosing his shooe from off his foot 2. Spitting whether in his face as our Translators render it or otherwhere it may well be questioned For there is not nor hath been any nation under Heaven so prevented and informed with precepts of civil conversation and good manners nor more abounding with examples of well nurtured and behaved persons of both Sexes then Gods Israel whether his antient people so called or his surrogate and substituted Israel his Christian people Gal. 6.16 And therefore it may be much doubted whether such a behaviour were not unseemly and unbecoming this Israelitish woman and unsuitable to other holy Lawes and unworthy of the God of Israel the Author and giver of those Lawes and the God of that people Beside whereas Spittle is an excrement of the first concoction to be bespattered with it it s a great disparagement and indignity to the man as Esay 50.6 our Lord saith I hid not my face from shame and spitting And in the woman an argument of extream vilifying and contempt Both which are contrary to that due esteem wherein we ought to have one another It s prescribed in the same Chapter Deut. 25.3 that stripes although well deserved yet should not exceed a certain number and the reason is given lest thy brother should seem vile unto thee or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be vile in thine eyes Wherefore it seems not probable that the most holy God would prescribe such an act as whereby the man should be vile in the womans eyes Yea this disgrace and despight is so much the greater in that it should proceed from the Woman and from her who desired to be the consort unto this man and to submit her self unto him as her Lord as Sarah called Abraham 1 Pet. 3.6 Besides as in salutation with an holy kiss as of old Rom. 16.16 a signe of love and reverence is expressed when the breath soul and spirit seems to be communicated so on the contraty by such rude and unseemly greeting as spitting in the face the excrementitious filth is cast out as a signe of greatest scorn hatred loathing and contempt All which being laid together we may adde hereunto this consideration that since a disgrace was intended unto the person of him who refused to perform this office of love unto his deceased brother or kinsman the dishonour should not seem to be placed so much in loosing of his shooe from off his foot as spitting in his face since the face and head are the most honourable parts of the body and the foot the most dishonourable as the Apostle opposeth them 1 Cor. 12.21 So that the brand of infamy on him and his family should then seem to be this or the like The house of him whose face was spit on The result of these reasons may be a strong inference and perswasion that these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though in rigore sermonis they may signifie She shall spit in his face and so the same phrase is rendred Numb 12.14 Yet because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well be turn'd before him in his sight or in his presence as our Translators also turn it Deut. 4.37 He brought thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt and Chap. 11.25 Deut. 11. v. 25. There shall no man stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before you The same phrase may and for the avoiding of so great inconveniencies ought to be so turn'd She shall spit before him or in his sight or presence I confess the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the indecorum uncomeliness and ugliness of the fact caused me to suspect that all was not right though herein the Translators follow all the old English that I have seen their predecessors and precedents Howbeit I finde some other learned men to have been of an other judgement as Tremellius who renders the words Spuet ante faciem ejus she shall spit before his face And the Tigurin Bible hath Spuat coram eo let her spit before him And the learned Jewes so understood the phrase as Rabbi Salomon she shall spit before him on the ground and set a brand of infamy upon him and his whole family Now howsoever the superiour as a father might by way of just reprehension so deal with his disobedient childe as our heavenly father gives instance Numb 12.14 If her father had spit in her face that is as the Chald. Par. there hath it had sharply rebuked her yet there is not the like reason of the inferiour nor is it likely that the Lord would allow the woman so undecently so contrary to her due modesty so unbecoming her sex to exercise authority over the man Meantime we cannot but hence take notice how basely the wisdom righteousness and holiness the Son the Christ of God hath bin reputed and dealt withal in the ungodly world as he speaks concerning himself in the time past Esay 50.6 Esay 50. v. 6. I have not hid my face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab ignominiis from shames and spitting which was accomplished in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fore-sufferings as the Evangelist records it Matth.

perverse will So Luther and Piscator If thou lettest thy self be driven c. Accordingly the Apostles phrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were carried away or driven away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the dumb idols 1 Cor. 12. v. 2. according as ye were lead 1 Cor. 12.2 Who carried them or drove them There is no doubt but they had their Drivers of Religion as well as we have as they who use all arguments to perswade men to the worship of their gods But no Counsel in the world can enforce or drive any man to embrace or follow it but it leaves him free to obey or not to obey it Hence it appears that the man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own self-actor and mover his own self-driver to Idolatry They who affirm this or the like Positions they are accounted Free-willers as if this were the name of some old Sect or Heresie Whereas indeed to will or nill the same thing or to will or nill the contrary is as natural to a man as any other property he has Yea take these from a man and ye will utterly unman him What is more supposed in the holy Scripture then this If ye be willing if ye be obedient c. How often would I and ye would not So that I may undoubtedly affirm that they who call men Free-willers do not know what Free-will is It s a new term that hath its original from the ignorance and madness of the people A man is driven like a beast from the one and only God to other false gods from the worship and serving of God to the service and worship of Idols And because the heart is so moveable even from the chief good let us pray to the Lord to fix our hearts and knit them unto himself that we may fear his Name And when we are so strengthened let us strengthen our brethren When our heart is strengthened and confirmed in the good we may then every one sing with holy David My heart is fixed O Lord my heart is fixed I will sing and I will chaunt or praise Psal 57.7 The Regenerate become Degenerate SERMON XVII Deuteronomie 32. ver 5. They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his children They are a perverse and crooked generation AS this Book of Deuteronomy is called by the learned Jews A Book of Rebukes in regard of Israels sins now past so the Lord foreseeing their sins to come ordered this Swan-song of Moses as a testimony against Israel Deut. 31.28 29. Wherein when he has summoned his Auditors and witnesses he reproves them of their sin by discovering the disparity and unlikeness of the people unto that patern according to which they were made and that 's the image of God his perfect work v. 4. Our Translators turn the words thus He is the Rock Deut. 32. v. 4. his work is perfect The words in the Hebrew are capable of divers Translations Howbeit there is no Verb among these words which to make sense must necessarily be supplyed Because there is neither sense nor sentence neither truth nor falsehood without a Verb. Yet are not Verbs to be multiplyed beyond necessity There are two in the sentence as it is rendred by our Translators and it s made a copulate which may be only a simple Axiom The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I would turn His perfect work is that Rock or That Rock is his perfect work The word here turnd a Rock is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emphatical and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extraordinary great and exceeding the quantity of the other letters The Rabbins understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God SER. 17. as the LXX render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both here and v. 30. but with reference unto his vengeance for sin upon those who transgress his Law Howbeit he doth not hastily wreak vengeance but with judgement because his work is perfect So R. Salomon He is called a Rock to let us know that all that evil which befel Israel was for their evil works And that he is called a Rock because he stands firm So Aben Ezra But the Apostle tells us that the Rock is Christ 1 Cor. 10. And therefore it s expressed with an Emphasis more then ordinary as hath been shewen The Lord Jesus Christ may be understood to be the perfect work of the Father both 1. By eternal generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the off-shining of his glory the light of the Fathers light by eternal emanation and 2. By Temporal incarnation And that Rock being as I may so say the Master-piece of the great Artisun he made him the patern of all his works He made all things by Jesus Christ Ephes 1.9 whether visible or invisible c. Col. 1.16 17. And consequently according to this perfect patern was man made and after he was marr'd was re-made and made a-new Psal 139. v. 5. as Israel and the whole Church of God So the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Formasti me thou hast fashioned or formed me behinde and before Psal 139.5 All his wayes are judgement And in those wayes the man ought to have walked and Christ himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that way John 14.6 A God of Truth or God Truth that is Christ is that Truth John 14.6 Esay 65. v. 16. And it is prophesied of him Esay 65.16 that he who blesseth himself in the Earth shall bless himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the God Amen as Christ is called Revel 3.14 And according to this Image was the man made But further God is just and righteous and in righteousness was the man made according to Gods image even in righteousness holiness of Truth Ephes 4.24 God is right or upright And God made the man right or upright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles 7.29 Thus Wisdom built the house wherein God would dwell but Folly pull'd it down with her hands saith the Wiseman And thus one sinner destroyes much good Eccles 9.18 For where now shall we finde the sons of God who bear this Image When the Foster-fathers Mothers or Nurses had lost their children they sought them and discovered them by certain marks which they call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By such marks the true Mother knew her son 1 Kings 3. And Moses who had been to Israel as a Foster-father a Mother or Nurse Numb 11.12 When Israel had now departed from his fathers house Moses seeks him out And whereas these sons of God had their fathers characters and lineaments upon them these were now worn out and they become quite another people and not the sons of God Moses lookes for the form and fashion wherein they were made He looks for them in that way wherein they should walk but they were all gon out of the way they are corrupt and have done

death Others will have not only the sin but the guilt also and punishment of sin here to be understood So Aquinas Lastly others will have concupiscence to be meant here which is called according to the Apostle Peccatum peccans Rom. 7.13.17 so S. Augustine Where ever there is such difference in opinion it s very likely the truth is hid and not certainly known And truly they have much ado to make any of these agree with the business in hand 2. What is it to have no sin what else but either to deny that they have committed sin as our Apostle varies the phrase ver 10. If we say we have not sinned Or to deny that they are the cause of the sin committed but either God himself that he made them so or that he is the Author of sin a vain imagination Psal 21.11 or they lay the blame upon nature but falso de natura sua conqueritur humanum genus mankinde falsely complains of their nature saith one of the Antients Or upon the Devil but he can make no man to sin unless he be willing of himself Or upon the Heavens but they act not upon the soul or will which is the original of sin But almost all make Adam the Archplagiary who hath brought us all into bondage If this were true how could the Apostle charge the Romans that they had yielded their members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity Rom. 6.19 It remains therefore that the man hath none to accuse of his sin but himself 3. But the main doubt is yet behinde who are here to be understood by we in the Text Or first rather who are not here to be understood surely not the Apostle S. John nor his fellow Apostles Why They saw God and Christ v. 1.3 which without holiness cannot be Hebr. 12.14 Yea which cannot be without purity of heart Matth. 5.8 For sin and darkness blindes the eyes of sinners and disobedient men Therefore had S. John and his fellow Apostles been of this number who are here comprehended under we in the text they had not seen God as he saith expresly they had 2. S. John and his fellow Apostles had fellowship with God and Christ which they who sin cannot have For what communion hath light with darkness 2 Cor. 6.14 Yea this he himself disclaims v. 6. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth 3. As he is so are we in this world saith S. John of himself and fellow Apostles 1 John 4.17 But assuredly God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without all sinne and therefore they by and through him 4. But can it be more plain you 'l say S. John saith If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves c. Take the words in their latitude yet they take not away the possibility of not sinning But come we to enquire who are here meant by we when the Apostle saith if we say we have no sin c. The speech is directed expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the little children 1 John 2.1 But if we say so saith S. John who had communion with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ It is true But we is taken sometimes Collectivè as including all and every one sometime Hortativè with exception of some according to that figure which the Rhetoricians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As when he who teacheth reproves exhorts c. puts himself into the number of those whom he teaches reproves exhorts c. And so it is taken here Is it not ordinary for Masters of families Tutours or other Governours to speak thus to those under their charge we must leave off this drunkenness this gluttony this idleness c. though the Governours themselves be not guilty of any of these sins It is true you 'l say But does the Scripture speak so you shall judge What think you of S. James Chap. 3.9 With the tongue saith he we bless God and therewithal curse we men What think you Did S. James an Apostle of singular and eminent piety did he curse men If ye doubt of S. James what think you of Nehemiah His example I doubt not will satisfie any reasonable man Nehem. 5.10 I pray you saith he let us leave off this usury Did Nehemiah think you burden the poor people with usury Will you hear him speak for himself v. 7.8 I was very angry when I heard the peoples cry and their words Nehem. 5. v. 7. and I thought in my minde or my heart took counsel in me and I rebuked the Princes c. And I said we according to our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jewes which were sold unto the Heathen will you sell them again I pray you saith he let us leave off this usury or remit this burden Nehemiah useth the same figure Chap. 13.23 27. But cannot this speech be true of S. John and his fellow Apostles in any sense Yes no doubt in some sense it may be spoken truly by S. John and all the holy Apostles and most eminent Saints of God that if they say they have no sin they deceive themselves c. when we understand having sin largely For there is no doubt but S. John and the rest of the holy Apostles and best Saints of God had sinned sometime in the whole course of their life For the Apostle speaks generally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All have sinned and are come short of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 Nor do I doubt but the words may so be here understood And therefore what he saith in the text If we say we have no sin c. he varies and explains what he means v. 10. if we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar c. But to say as some have done that the most holy men and women that ever were or are sin in every thing they do or think or speak and that daily and hourly is an assertion most false and ridiculous and most derogatory from the power of Gods holy Spirit in them nor can it be proved by any divine testimony in the holy Word of God It were a strange madness that admitted of no Lucidū inter vallū A strange sinful life and that in the Saints of God that in no part of time they shall be without sin How then I marvail do they come to be Saints Sure I am it s said of Job in all this Job sinned not and again in all this Job sinned not c. To say nothing of Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph David Josiah Zachary and Elizabeth c. What reason is there that almost universally both the antient and later Writers out of this place especially plead in good earnest for sin and say that it is impossible but that we must have sin Yea there is a Canon in Concilio Milevitano that concludes down-right from this place That we must have sin Yea and whereas Tertullian and after him Carthusian

no sin deceive themselves The word we turn deceive is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies to seduce and lead out of the way They who are thus lead out of the way deceive themselves many wayes 1. By the deceitfullness of sin Hebr. 3.13 When sin and vice hath got on an habit of vertue and goodness by deceitfull lust Ephes 4.22 When they obtrude themselves upon us as if they were naturall unto us But because these are so grosse that they cannot deceive all the grand impostor covers them with appearances of righteousness as 1. By sole and onely hearing and not doing 2. By doing and not beleiving 3. By beleiving and not obeying 4. By obeying but not to the end 5. By a will or half will and not the deed 1. By sole and onely hearing and not doing For thus the sole hearers deceive themselves saith S. James Be doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your owne selves Jam 1.22 And self-deceit in a matter of so great importance is a great deceit For not the hearers of the law are just before God but the doers of the law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 Thus Act. 8.9 Simon the Sorcerer bewitched the people of Samaria And the like Simon that is Hearing bewitches the people of this City and Nation while they obey not the truth Gal. 3.1 2. By doing and not believing Thus the Jew going about to establish his own righteousness hath not submitted himself to the righeousness of God For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.3.4 Thus the Pharisees justified themselves by the works of the law without faith in Jesus Christ But S. Paul and S. James are solidly reconciled if the judicious Reader well consider and it is worth his consideration what S. Paul saith which our Translators have not truely rendred in these words knowing that a man is not Justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ Gal. 2.16 Whereas the words are truely to be turned thus A man is not justified by the works of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si non or nisi unless by the faith of Jesus Christ All other reconciliation is unsatisfactory 3. They who say they have no sin deceive themselves by believing and not obeying as if an idle lazy faith could save us from our sins Why because they believe that Christ has died for them and suffered for them and that the Father hath accepted Christs righteousness for theirs so that now they have no sin at all Surely to believe that God accepts Christs sufferings and death for ours without our conformable sufferings and death is to believe a lye For if we die with him we believe that we shall live with him Rom. 6.8 And if we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Rom. 8.17 4. They who say they have no sin deceive themselves by obeying but not continuing in their obedience They that believe shall be saved that is they who continue in the faith to the end the same shall be saved Rom. 2. They who by patient continuance in well doing c. They who trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that is continue in the faith not for a day or two Thus we are kept in that happy estate Prov. 28.14 of fearing alwayes whereas that false position Once a Saint and alwayes a Saint renders men secure so that they perfect not holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 nor work out their own salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 5. They who say they have no sin deceive themselves by a good will or a pretence of a good will instead of the deed It is true that God accepts the will for the deed namely when the deed cannot be done For it may so come to pass that a believer upon his first act of faith elicited may be suddenly surprized and taken away before he can compleat his will by being obedient and doing the deed I will not question the possibility of this hypothesies because I dare not shorten his arm with whom all things are possible nor dare I straiten his bowels whose mercies are over all his works So that I believe the good God would accept of such a good will for the deed it self and esteem of such a believer according to what he hath not according to what he hath not Why because such an one virtually harbours in his heart a full purpose of well doing if God afford him opportunity so to do For completa voluntas pro facto aestimatur a compleat will is accounted for the deed Which cannot be true of a velleity while men neglect their pretious opportunities The reason of all this is self-love which flatters men into a good opinion of themselves This self-love blindes them that they discern not their own self-deceit and so become such as are fit to be deceived by the grand Impostor being disposed thereunto by the deceitfuluess of sin 2 Thess 2.10 Obs 1. Hence it appears that although there he manifold Seducers and deceivers yet the most dangerous deceiver without which we cannot be deceived is every mans own self Obs 2. The most dangerous deceit of all other is for a man to walk in darkness yet to imagine himself to have fellowship with the light To have sin yet to flatter himself that he hath none The onely way to be undeceived is to beleive and obey unto the end The Apostle gives this counsell to the spiritual little children subject to be deceived 1 Joh. 3.7 Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous as he is righteous Let us suffer our selves to be undeceived by those who would lead us into the way of truth Account not them Seducers who would indeed undeceive us As deceivers yet true 2 Cor. 6.8 So the Apostles were accounted yea such they thought Christ himself the truth it self to be Matth. 27.63 Yea that he was the most notorious of all others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that deceiver Yea they fear least God himself the essential truth should deceive them when the divine testimonies out of his express word are alleaged unto them Yet the same men with full consent credit and yield themselves to be seduced and deceived by the lusts of errour O that men could so far suspect themselves as to think it possible for them to be decieved and that the truth may not be in them Axiom 3. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us What is here meant by truth Thy Law is the truth Psal 119.142 By the Law is the knowledge of sin That discovers reproves corrects and chastens us for our sins That brings us to acknowledgement and confession of our sins as in the next verse And therefore if we say we have no sin its evident that the Law that Truth which discovers reproves and

but of an hard and impenitent heart Rom. 2.5 like the sand on the Sea-shore and as the Dust Gen. 13.16 minding earthly things Phil. 3.19 The later part of Gods promise unto Abraham was fulfilled in the people to whom Moses here speaks as he affirms v. 10. The Lord your God hath multiplyed you and behold ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude Howbeit this accomplishment was only figurative and it self was to be yet fulfilled in the true Israel And therefore Moses prayes thus The Lord God of your fathers adde beside or over and above you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were you or like unto you or such as you a thousand such as you are that is true Israelites such as you represent in type And thus many both antient and later Translators understand the words and commend them to us in this sense The LXX thus The Lord God of your fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Addat vobis not as the Latin Translators there turn it Ut sitis that ye may be but ut estis as ye are The Samaritan version The Lord God of your fathers adde over and above you as ye are So the Arabic such as ye are To the same purpose the Tigurin Bible and Vatablus Addat super vos sicut estis that is Hebr. Vt tales quales estis that such they may be as ye are So the Spanish Bible so Piscator and Pagnin Howbeit Arias Montanus though often very judiciously he render by the Participle what Pagnin turns by the Verb yet both of them agree to render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Addat the Lord adde which is better here turnd by the Participle and not harsh in English The Lord God of your fathers be adding unto you such as ye are So that hereby is imported Gods continued act of adding unto his Church and people such as they are Which is very reasonable For 1. Such is the vertuous inclination of holy love in every pious soul that it moveth and disposeth every one to his like so that good men soon finde out one another 2. The Divine Wisdom goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her and sheweth her self favourable unto them in the wayes and me●t●th them in every thought Wisd 6.16 according to what our Lord saith of the Father John 4. v. 23. Acts 2. v. 40.47 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he seeketh such worshipping him and such he brings unto the Son and is daily adding such unto his Church according to what S. Luke saith Acts 2.47 that God added unto the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who being obedient unto the exhortation v. 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 save your selves or be ye saved saved themselves from the crooked or untoward generation such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such saved ones God added unto the Church daily 3. Herein consists much of Gods blessing upon his people that addition of such as they themselves are is made unto them Which the Psalmist proves Psal 115.13 14. He will blesse them that fear the Lord the small with the great Wherein that followes Psal 115. v. 13 14. the Lord will be adding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above you above you and above your children 4. From such addition or from addition of such results the glory of God So the Prophet Esay 26.15 Esay 26. v. 15. Thou hast added to the nation then followes thou art glorified viz. in regard of his faithfulness in that he makes good his promised blessing So that under the figure of Israel here mentioned and the increase of them and addition unto them Moses prayes for the Israel of God such as are pure in heart unto whom in special manner God is gratious as Asaph saith God is good unto Israel and then he explains what Israel that is and adds to the pure in heart Psal 73.1 The like distinction our Lord intimates John 1.47 John 1. v. 47. speaking of Nathanael Behold faith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Israelite indeed or truly in whom there is no guile For so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veritas the truth is opposed to types and figures very often in Scripture Dan. 7.16.19 and 11.2 John 6.32 and 15.1 Hebr. 8.2 and 19.24 This is Israel indeed and truly And such is the Israel which God respects and saves and according to which he is said to be the God of Israel And therefore when the Apostle had spoken the wisdom of God among the perfect and had declared the secrets of the divine dispensation and shewen in what manner and order God declares his wrath on the vessels of wrath and the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy and had now taught that every one who is a vessel of wrath he becomes such because through his hardness and impenitent heart he treasures up wrath against the day of wrath but the vessels of mercy are such as have cleansed themselves from these and have prepared themselves unto every good work Rom. 9.27 He confirmes this doctrine by the authority of the Prophet Esay 10.22 If the number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the Sea a remnant shall be saved They who are not to be saved are as the sand of the Sea they who shall be saved are as the Stars of heaven For the speech contains both parts of the promise made to Abraham Gen. 15. saith one of the pious Antients Howbeit I cannot but note a mistake of the Translators in the place named Esay 10. v. 22. Rom. 9. v. 27. Esay 10.22 where they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though and in Rom. 9.27 they so render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which in both places of Scripture are conditionals not discretives and are to be turnd by Si if not though And as God could adde no other then such unto his Israel so neither could Moses pray for any other than such to be added unto Gods Israel For if the sons of Israel be as the sand of the Sea an hard hearted fruitless and unprofitable people if an earthly minded people how ever numerous yea innumerable nor can God bless such nor adde them to the Church of Christ nor can Moses or any other true servant of God pray for the addition of such It is the advice of the Wise man Desire not a multitude of unprofitable children neither delight in ungodly sons Though they multiply rejoyce not in them except the fear of God be with them Trust not thou in their life neither respect their multitude For one that is just is better then a thousand c. Which he proves by many examples of Gods judgements on the increase of sinful men whom God pitied not nor spared the six hundred thousand footmen who were gathered together in the hardness of their hearts Ecclus 16.1 10. Consider this O thou Israel of God! and endeavour to assimilate and make others like unto thy self that they

may be added unto thee Esay 54 1 2 3. and 60. and 61. and 62. And let all others know that God seeks for such and that upon such is his blessing and from such ariseth his glory and such an Israel of God it is for which Moses here prayes And such are they for whom he prayes who is like unto Moses Acts 3.22 even the Christ of God John 17.6 20 21. they are the pure in heart such as are without guile they are saved from their sins Gal. 6. v. 16. and are conformable unto the will of God On such an Israel the Apostle also prayes for a blessing as Christ himself did as Moses here doth As many as walk or whosoever shall walk orderly according to this rule the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peace be upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God! Gal. 6.16 Judge righteously between every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him Deut. 1. v. 16 17. Ye shall not respect persons in judgement Moses in these words gives two precepts to the Judges 1. Affirmative 2. Negative The Affirmative judge righteousness between a man and his brother and his stranger For the word they turn righteously is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justice or righteousness not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in righteousness which might be rendred righteously There is a broad difference between these two For to judge righteously qualifies the Judge but to judge righteousness notes the object or matter judged which is here commanded and elsewhere we read the like as Deut. 16.20 Zach. 8.16 Psal 58.1 Psal 58. v. 1. Where yet our Translators have turnd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uprightly for uprightness So the Chald. Paraphrast here hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judge truth integrity or uprightness And the Vulg. Latin Quod justum est judicate judge ye what is just And thus Moses here gives precepts concerning the object which ought to be just And the like precept concerning the object we have Zach. 8.16 Zach. 8. v. 16. Execute the judgement of truth and peace in your gates Where the Hebrew is acknowledged in the margent to be judge truth and the judgement of peace Elsewhere the person judging or otherwise acting is qualified Psal 112. v. 5. as Psal 112.5 The good man guides his affairs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in judgement Moses puts both together Levit. 19.15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty there 's both real and personal object and lawes concerning both then followes the law qualifying the Judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in justitia LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour Nor was this distinction unknown to the Philosopher who puts difference between doing what is just and doing the same justly to which is required that he who so doth be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he know what he doth that he do it out of election or choice and that he be habitually and immutably radicated and confirmed in so doing What the Translators turn the stranger that is with him is no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his stranger For howsoever Psal 41.9 that which we read he that eateth my bread is in the parallel Scripture John 13.18 He that eateth bread with me so that my bread and with me and his stranger the stranger with him should be all one as Ainsworth observeth yet here seems not to be the same reason For in the Scripture before us a brother and his Proselyte or stranger are as Actor and Reus whereof one by the law of Relation is and may be said to be the others And thus Solomon couples them Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him where the neighbour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his adversary and both are the Actor and Reus the Plaintiff and Defendant and the one of them is said to be the others 2. As for the negative precept Ye shall not respect persons in judgement the Hebrew words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non agnoscetis facies in judicio ye shall not acknowledge faces in judgment which accordingly the LXX turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a prohibition of very large extent and whether the Hebrew phrase speak not more home to the business and make it more plain then that whereby we express it viz. to respect persons I leave it to the consideration of the judicious Reader For therefore the wise Heathen intending the same thing have represented their Judges pictured without eyes as the Thebans without eyes and ears as the Lacedemonians and the Athenien Judges being about to pronounce sentence withdrew themselves and retyred into some dark room All which imported that exact care in the Judges that they might exactly and precisely consider the cause it self without notice or knowledge of Actor or Reus Plaintiff or Defendant and so might exclude all things what ever were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not appertaining to the business in question The Psalmist found and blamed this kinde of unjustice in the publick judicatories Psal 82. v. 2. Psal 82.2 How long will ye judge iniquity and accept the faces of the wicked And S. James found the like fault in the Christian Assemblies James 2.1 My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with respects of persons or face For if there come into your Assembly a man having a gold Ring in gay apparel James 2. v. 1. 4. and there come in also a poor man in vile rayment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ye look upon him that weareth the gay clothing and say unto him sit thou here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well or conveniently and say to the poor man stand thou here or sit here under my footstool And are ye not partial in your selves and are ye not become judges of evil thoughts or rather evil reasonings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And is not the same partiality and acknowledgement of faces propagated from age to age even down to our times and practised at this day in our Assemblies when men without regard had unto the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ of glory look up and down their Congregations for men with gold Rings and Plush Jackets and set them in convenient places because such as these may prove good customers and buy off their commodities As for others in vile rayment how ever faithful and obedient let them sit or stand it matters not where there 's no gain to be hoped for from them Are not men at this day thus partial are they not judges of these evil reasonings Do not men thus endeavour to serve God and Mammon This is an acknowledgement of faces and that unexcusable But whether out of this consideration all incivility and neglect of persons Magistrates men of

and to themselves Hos 12.4 He found him in Bethel and there he spake with Us saith Hosea many ages afterward However this be true and satisfactory yet are there inward and spiritual words and an inward sight of them What other words are they whereof the Psalmist Psal 19. and the Apostle speak Rom. 10.18 Have they not heard Yea verily Their sound went into all the earth and their words into the ends of the world 1. Hence it followes that Gods words are visible words S. John saith as before That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life And again v. 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you The Word of life was visible unto S. John and his fellow Apostles For howsoever some men may satisfie themselves and others with saying that S. John here speaks of the dayes of Christs flesh when the Apostles saw and heard him surely the same may as well be said of those who apprehended him smote him crucified him For these saw him heard him handled him and that roughly Besides the humanity and flesh of Christ is no where called the Word but the Word is said to be made flesh and to dwell in us John 1.14 Adde hereunto that what S. John saw heard and handled was from the beginning 1 John 1.1 Whereas the flesh of Christ was not from the beginning but in time and the fulness of time Gal. 4. There are inward and spiritual senses whereby the man of God sees and hears savors tastes and handles the words of God Such senses there must be because there is an inward man of the heart which must not want his due powers and faculties For since his words are spirit and life John 6. how can they be otherwise perceived then by spiritual senses according to the Apostles reasoning 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural animalish or souly man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him Hebr. 5. v. 14. and he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned And therefore the perfect men have their senses exercised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the discerning of both good evil Heb. 5.14 The words of God are sure firm and certainly true as being demonstrable and that by the most principal demonstration even from the evidence of sense The words which thine eyes have seen For although the words of God are conveyed by hearing whereby faith cometh Rom. 10.17 Yet the most certain sense is that of seeing according to that well-known and approved speech of the Poet Tardiùs irritant animos demissa per aures Quàm quae sunt oculis commissa fidelibus Things heard more slowly move the minde then they Which are committed to faithful eyes Hence proceeds the tactual approbative and experimental knowledge of the divine words So that unto such experienced men we may appeal Do you not see this truth do you not handle with your hands this word of life do you not taste that the Lord is gratious 1 Pet. 2.3 This is the most certain knowledge and most beneficial attainment of the living Word of God when we relish savor handle see and taste it when we have our share of what we know Thus according to the old Etymologist Sapientia est sapida scientia Wisdom is a savory knowledge of divine things I shall end this point with the Apostles prayer for his Philippians For this I pray Phil. 1. v. 9. that your love may abound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in acknowledgement and all or every sense Phil. 1.9 2. Only take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently In which words we must inquire 1. What this self is 2. What the taking heed and keeping of thy self is and 3. What it is only and diligently so to do 1. Moses explaines thy self by thy soul and thy soul by thy heart For so no doubt Animus cujusque is est quisque every mans soul and minde is himself and is very frequently so used in Scripture as I have heretofore shewen Thus what S. Luke 9.5 cals himself S. Matth. 16.26 cals his soul And the soul is here explained by the heart for although the heart sometime be specially taken for the affective part of the soul Phil. 1. v. 9. and is so distinguished from the minde Matth. 22.37 Yet most-what it s understood more generally of all the parts of the soul and the whole inward man so what is called the heart Matth. 15.19 is what is within Mark 7.21 This is thy self here understood when Moses saith Take heed to thy self The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turnd take heed is passive and properly signifies Be thou observed or kept and it is the Passive of the same Verb following howbeit the force and use of it is reciprocal and reflex as Deut. 2.4.23.10 Josh 23.11 Mal. 2.15 The LXX render this word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to heed which is elliptical and defective in regard of the sense For it signifies no more then adhibere to apply and lay to as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to apply the minde the understanding the thoughts the heart the memory as we say adhibere applicare adjicere advertere animum to apply ones minde to something This we often meet withal in Scripture Esay 42.25 he laid it not to heart and 47.7 and 57.11 Ezech. 40.4 Set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee Dan. 10.12 Thou didst set thine heart to understand This is done when we fix our wandring thoughts and desires by meditation and laying them up in our memory and reserving them for life and practice As for the manner measure and degree of keeping it s two wayes expressed in the text 1. Only 2. Diligently 1. Only excludes all other keeping and care of any thing else to be kept except thy self thy heart thy soul at least comparatively so that the keeping of thy self thine heart thy soul is either sufficient of it self in lieu of all other duties or to be preferred before and above all other To which is also added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which they render diligently which imports two things 1. Not only care whence Hierom turns it Solicitè carefully and the Orator defines care Aegritudinem animi cum cogitatione a pensiveness of minde with taking thought 2. It implies also strength to be used that thereby we may prove and improve our care whence it s rendred by Valdè which is Validè strongly mightily The Wiseman exhorting to the same duty keep thy heart saith he with all diligence which is better rendred in the margent Prov. 4. v. 23. keep thy heart above all keeping which answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a note of comparison so that the Wiseman requires a great degree of keeping the heart above all other keeping And