than that we seeing the necessity of the duty of sanctifying our selves and not finding power in any other to sanctifie us besides God we should apply our selves to God as the fountain of our sanctification 168. Lev. 13.46 The Leper and unclean lived alone without the Camp Mat. 8.2 In the City a Leper craved of Jesus The divine Law was that the Leper set apart should dwell alone but this Leper comes boldly to Christ not doubting to be free from his leprosie 169. Lev. 16.3 The sacrifices were appointed by Gods commandement Psalm 40.7 Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wouldst not The sacrifices were appointed by God under the Old Testament that they might shadow forth the sacrifice of Christ and foreshew his coming but God would none of them as the Jews abused them for ostentation and placed the worship of God in the outward ceremony without the internall devotion 170. Lev. 16.6 Aaron shall offer his bullock and make an attonement for himself Heb. 10.4 It is impossible that the blood of Goats should take away sins The legall sacrifices did not expiate sinnes of themselves but as they were a figure of Chrst his own oblation surpasseth them all and is propitiatory for our sins * 171. Lev. 17.3 with 1 Sam. 7.9 1 Kings 18.33 The cause ceasing the effect ceaseth or the prohibition ceaseth The causes of these prohibitions were two First That no Lay-man should not arrogate the office of sacrificeing Secondly That the Jews should not fall into the Gentiles mode of sacrificing in the high places 172. Lev. 18.6 None of you shall approach to any that is neer of kin to him Verse 16. Thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy brothers wife Deut. 25.5 The brother shall take his brothers wife The law of the nearness of blood and not uncovering the brothers nakednesse is perpetuall and must be holily observed by us but that of raising seed to the brother was partly ceremoniall figuring the primogeniture of Christ partly judiciall lest the inheritance should depart to another family which doth not oblige us but is abrogated The former was a generall rule and was to have no exception but such as God himself who made that rule did give which he did Deut. 25 5. * 173. Lev. 19.18 Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudg c. Numb 31.2 Go and revenge Midian Private revenge of personall injuries is one thing to be the instrument of Gods vengeance is another We must not revenge our selves as private persons But where God is wronged in his peoples wrong there we being lawfully called to it having the Word of God for our rule we may execute his wrath upon these wicked ones 174. Lev. 19.18 Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 1 John 2.15 If any man love the world the love of the father is not in him In the former pâ—ace he understands the love that is due to our neighbour according to Law In the latter concerning unlawfull love of worldly things as those that prefer the things of this world as honours riches and pâ—easuâ—es before God himself * 175. Lev. 19.27 Ye shall not round the corners of your head 1 Cor. 11.14 Doth not nature it self teach you that if a man weare long hair c. The word round signifies such a rounding as may be without cutting The word corners is in the original in the singular number and so may not some singular cutting of one corner of the head round in the manner of a circle as the Aegyptian Priests or else in manner of an half Moon or taking the singular number for the plurall so it may be meant of crisping or curling round the hair in some corners of the head or cutting off the longest of the hair to offer tufts or locks as a devoted oblation to Idols as many Heathens did makeing the bare place round with a superstitious conceit of a round figure as most pleasing to God Or of cutting the hair as the Aegyptian Priests did who worshipped the Idols Anubis and Isis shaving round their heads and their eye-brows or of cutting round the hair in mourning The second place speaks of wearing long hair as Women do or very long hair longer than is modest 176. Lev. 22.25 From a strangers hand you shall not offer the bread of your God 1 Kings 5.10 Hiram gave to Solomon cedar-trees and fir-trees All strangers were not abominable in the sight of God but onely the enemies and persecutors of his Church so Cyrus King of the Persians promoted the building of the second Temple and restored to the Jews the golden and silver vessels 177. Lev. 24.19 As he hath done so it shall be done to him Rom. 12.19 You shall not revenge your selves In the former place private persons are forbidden to avenge themselves but the Magistrate is admonished of his office In the latter onely private revenge is forbidden Exod. 22.29 Deut. 1.18 178. Lev. 27.30 And all the tithe of the Land whether of the seed of the Land or of the fruit of the tree is the Lords Numb 18.21 I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel for an inheritance for the service which they serve me The tenths are called Gods because they were commanded by him for a holy use and good of the Church they were given to the sonnes of Levi or to the Ministers of the Church for their service for an inheritance to support them because they being consecrated to Gods service had no inheritance amongst their brethren NUMBERS THIS Book is so called from the numbring of the people of God Wherein Mansions and Offices were ordained for all the Tribes between the Mount of Sinai and the promised Land many transgressions and dangers of the people and punishments and benefits of God are numbred The History contains 28 years 179. NUmb 1.19 Moses numbred the people in the wildernesse of Sinai 2 Sam. 24. David offended God by numbring the people Moses and Aaron did that for good order as God commanded them but David sinned out of arrogancy by numbring the people without command 180. Numb 4.3 The Levites stood from 30 years old to 50 years old to minister in the Tabernacle of the Covenant 1 Chron. 23.3 24. The Levites did the work of the Ministry for the house of the Lord from 20 years old Numb 8.23 from 25 years The younger Levites were newly instructed to 20 years then they were admitted to the office of doing service at 25 years from that time a kind of secondary service was committed to them till they came to be 30 years old from 30 to 50 years they did fully execute the Leviticall office 181. Numb 7.89 Moses entred into the Tabernacle of the Covenant Exod. 40.35 Moses could not enter into the Tabernacle of the Congregation for a cloud abode thereon and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle First when the cloud covered the Tabernacle of the testimony and the glory of God filled that Moses could not
than the Pharisees not all the Precepts perfectly There is a disciplinary knowledge as when any thing is taught by Precepts and an experimental knowledge which we from experience obtain which is proper to the Elect and faithful 1466. 2 Pet. 1.21 Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Joh. 7.39 The Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified The Prophets in the Old Testament had the same Holy Ghost which the Apostles had in the New Testament but after another manner and degree the least of the Apostles after the visible miraculous sending of the Holy Ghost in the day of Pentecost knew the Prophesies more fully and clearly than the Prophets that foretold them because the Apostles had seen the fulfilling of the Prophesies and Christ opened their minds Luk. 24.41 that they might understand the Scriptures Three Epistles of the Apostle St. JOHN THe first is Catholick it breaths out the love of God to us in Christ out Mediator and our love towards God and our neighbour commands us to beware of the world Antichrist and Idols The second admonisheth the Elect Lady and her Children that remaining in the doctrine and love of Christ they take heed of seducers The third commends the bounty of Gaius and commends to him those that were banished for Christ rebukes Diotrephes and gives testimony to Demetrius 1467. 1 JOH 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves Joh. 9.3 Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents In the former place sin is taken generally and so we are all sinners In the latter in special for some grievous sin which useth to be the cause of some grievous singular punishment from God 1468. 1 Joh. 1.8 If we say we have no sin the truth is not in us Chap. 3.9 He cannot sin because he is born of God To have sin and to commit sin differ we all have sin and we are conceived and born in it yet the faithful commit no sin because they will not suffer sin to reign in them but the wicked and hypocritical have sins dwelling in them 1469. 1 Joh. 2.2 Christ is the propitiation for our sins and for the sins of the whole world Ver. 15. Love not the world Joh. 17.9 I pray not for the world The word World is taken variously in the Scripture In the first place are meant the men that are in the world son whose sins Christ is the propitiation as for the sufficiency of his merits the price and vertue but not for the efficacy thereof which is hindered by the infidelity and sins of the wicked concerning which the latter places must be understood 1470. 1 Joh. 2.18 Antichrist shall come and even now are there many Antichrists 2 Thes 2.3 Antichrist was not yet revealed All those are Antichrists in general who deny Christs Divine or Humane Nature or in his Person or Office c. In special that great Antichrist is the son of Perdition who in the time of Paul was not yet revealed though the mystery of iniquity began to work * 1471. 1 Joh. 3.15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer Luk. 14.26 He that hateth not his brother cannot be my disciple The former place speaks of an hatred towards our brother which is either because our brother is good or upon the account of some temporary affairs or upon the account of true Doctrine whosoever thus hateth his brother is a murtherer The latter place is spoken of such an hatred as cometh by our brothers being against Christ and hating of him or striving to draw us from him 1472. 2 Joh. v. 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your houses neither bid him God speed Mat. 5.44 Love your enemies The first place forbids not to shew our duty of humanity to all men or to salute them civilly but we are admonished not to use too great familiarity with seducers * 1473. 2 Joh. 10.11 with Rom. 16.3 3 4. Salute Priscilla c. John speaks of such persons as are enemies to God and to his truth and Church such we must not embrace 2 Kin. 3.14 These here in S. John were open and desperate enemies such as Marcion whom Polycarpe meeting would not salute the not saluting them is a chastisement to them by it they may know whence they are fallen The other place is salutation of one Christian to another 1474. 3 Joh. v. 13. I had many things to write but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee Joh. 20.31 These things are written that you might have life through his Name In the former place it is not said as though the Apostle would say something else then what is contained in the sacred Scriptures In the latter he manifestly confirms that all things are written which appertain and are necessary to true faith in Christ and to eternal life So that we have no need of Traditions by word of mouth The Canonical Epistle of St. JUDE The son of Thaddaeus HE exhorts the Faithful to constancy and threatens the adversaries of Christ with extream misery and warneth that the godly hold their faith in God and avoid false doctrine 1475. JUDE v. 9. Michael disputed with Satan about the body of Moses Ver. 14. The Prophesie of Enoch is mentioned whereof the Scripture before speaks not at all The striving of the Arch-Angel is not expresly set down in Scripture yet there appears some prints of it in the burial of Moses by God for that the Israelites knew not the place of his burial and it is out of question that the devil would willingly have made that known to the Israelites to set up Idolatry there but that he was hindred by Michael The Prophesie of Enoch if it were not set forth in writing yet it went by tradition from hand to hand unto posterity The REVELATION of St. JOHN The Apostle the Divine IT is called Apocalyps that is the Revelation because it contains the visions which St. John saw in the Isle of Pathmos about the year of Christ 96. and the Prophesie concerning the state of the Church Militant on earth and the Church Triumphant in Heaven 1476. REV. 1.1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave â—nto him Col. 2.3 In whom are 〈…〉 treasures of wisdom and knowâ—â—â—â— Christ as he is God is the fountain 〈◊〉 knowledge born of the substance of the Father in respect of order he is â—â—id to have received this Revelation from the Father because the Father by him doth reveal his secrets unto us as man by his personal union he hath a perfect knowledge of all things communicated to him They are hid in Christ as in a Treasury yet not so hid but he that seeks may find All Treasures are hid in him though some of the droppings are to be revealed to us 1477. Rev. 1.1 The things which must shortly come to pass they are not yet fulfilled Shortly signifies the
passively for experience which rejoyceth by patience in the latter place it is taken actively for trial and the effect of it that is tribulation for affliction trieth faith as fire doth gold 1196. Rom. 5.6 7. Christ died for us 1 Joh. 3.16 Because he that is Christ laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren Col. 1.24 Christ dying for us a sacrifice and revenger paid our ransom for us John comparing the death of Christ for us and our death for the brethren doth it secundum quid for we dye not to redeem our brethren but to edifie them 1197. Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love towards us in that when we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 8.32 The Father spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all The Father and the Son did alwaies love us and have done all things for us Christ delivered himself for our sins into the power of the devil and because we were not to be redeemed by power but by righteousness Christ the Righteous died for us and so by righteousness he overcame the devil therefore because the devil had slain Christ it was necessary that he should release those that were captives Aug. de Trin. l. 13. c. 2. and the devil by the price paid was not made rich but ensnared 1198. Rom. 5.10 When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Joh. 15.13 No man hath greater love than this that a man lay down his life for his friends By nature we are Gods enemies by reason of sin but by grace we are reconciled to God by Christ who died for us and we are so made the dearest friends unto God 1199. Rom. 5.12 18. As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so death passed over all men Ver. 19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by one mans obedience many shall be made righteous The guilt of Adam is here compared with the grace of Christ because both have that descends on their followers Adam derives his guilt on all men by nature Christ derives his righteousness by grace on all that believe on him * Rom. 5.12 18. with 19. This term of Universality All must be restrained according to the nature of the subject as Adam transfused his Sin unto all which were his off-spring so Christ also justifieth all his that is all his which believe in him Besides the preheminence of the benefit consists not in the equality of the number that Christ should save as many as are lost in Adam for then there should be only an equality not a superiority Herein the Prerogative of grace is seen 1. In the excellency of the effect Life being more excellent than Death Righteousness than Sin 2. In the powerfulness of the Work it shews a greater power to save than to destroy 3. In the preheminence of the amplitude of grace we are justified not only from one but all kind of sins 1200. Rom. 5.20 The Law entred that sin might abound Chap. 7.12 The Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good The Law increaseth sin not of it self and its own nature but by accident because it discovers sin and the poyson of it that we may know it for by the corruption of nature we are stirred up to strive against the Commandment yet the Law remains still in it self just and good 1201. Rom. 6.3 So many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death Acts 8.13 Simon Magus and other hypocrites were baptized yet they put not on Christ To be baptized into Christ is to put on Christ the Robes of his Righteousness and Holiness which Believers who are baptized do Hieron in Rom. 6. Simon Magus and hypocrites that are not faithful receive not the Spirit but water only in Baptism for there is a common Baptism to all that are baptized but not the vertue of Baptism that is grace Aug. in Psal 77. 1202. Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortall body Chap. 3.12 There is none that doth good no not one The first place is to exhort us to mortifie sin in us in the Regenerate sin reigns not they are wholly dead to sin in Christ and partly in themselves they that are not Regenerate know indeed what they ought to do and know that of themselves they are unable to perform it 1203. Rom. 6.14 Ye are not under the Law but under grace Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin The first place is concerning the Regenerate who are not under the malediction dominion and rigid exaction of the Law The latter place is concerning all that are subject to sin for whom the Law is a Schoolmaster to Christ by the knowledge of our sins 1204. Rom. 6.18 You are become the servants of righteousness Ver. 20. You were free from righteousness In the former place is spoken of those who were converted and freed from the yoke of sin in the latter of those that are not yet converted who are free from righteousness and are not under the government of righteousness for carnal wisdom cannot be subject to the Law of God 1205. Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death Wisdom 2.24 By the envy of the devil death entred into the world The wages of sin is death because the Justice of God would have it so to punish mankind that was fallen by death the Author whereof was not God but it came into the world by the envy of the devil 1206. Rom. 7.6 Now we are delivered from the Law Mat. 5.17 I came not to destroy the Law We are delivered from the curse of the Law the rigour and provocation of it to sin also from the Law or death in which we were held but that takes not away the right use of the Law in respect of us 1207. Rom. 7.7 I had not known lust unless the Law had said Thou shalt not covet 1 Tim. 3.1 If a man desireth the Office of a Bishop he desireth a good work Concupiscence taken morally is either absolutely indifferent as to eat and drink or relatively to the Law and so good or bad as it is done contrary or according to the Law being ordinate or disordinate The latter place the Law condemns 1208. Rom. 7.8 Sin in me wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Jam. 1.15 When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin Paul means actual concupiscence of corrupt nature James original concupiscence 1209. Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the Law once saith Paul Phil. 3.6 Touching the righteousness which is in the Law blameless Before his conversion Paul lived a Pharisee without any true knowledge of the divine Law ascribing to himself external righteousness which was hypocrisie 1210. Rom. 7.12 The Law is holy just and good 2 Cor. 3.7 It is the ministration of death The Law in it self in respect of the Author is good holy and just