a sharp Reproof which I beseech ye let every one of us look how neerly it concerns us Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of this world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God and Christ who formerly judged others more so to be Consol Unto the poor friends of Jesus Christ who by reason of their sins are discouraged and conceive themselves friendless and helpless He is not falsly called a friend of Publicans and Sinners such Publicans as crave mercy of him Lord be merciful unto me a sinner such sinners as confess and forsake their sins such find mercy He is not called the friend of the Scribes and Pharisees or said to love them at all they were proud and covetous the two beginnings of all sin the second of the greatest though so usual among us that they are hardly thought to be sins He is the friend of the Publicans and Sinners Alas I have none to help me He is not said in vain to love Lazarus i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that hath no helper Truly so long as we have any helper or such as we conceive able helpers we will not come to Christ I have waited long on the Lord and yet he hath not helped me True but that 's no argument but that he may be thy friend yea it is an argument rather that he is thy friend Joh. 11.5 6. He is a very ill Master who provides not for his Servants yea the good man is merciful to his beast the evil Father provides for his Child Luk. 11. he provides for his swine meat and harbour in a storm how much more loving is he to his friends who is THE LOVE IT SELF 1 Joh. Isa 26. 2 Chron. 20 1-7 But alas how can I be a fit guest and one of our Lords friends He invites those our Lord's friends are they to whom he reveils his Fathers will these he calls his friends But alas I am ignorant I am blind He calls those his friends he invites those who do whatsoever he commands them I am weak and impotent the blind and the lame are they who are hated of Davids soul 2 Sam. 5.8 Dost thou hate David's Soul dost thou hate the will i. e. the Soul of the true David i. e. Christ though thou do not whatsoever he commands thee yet dost thou hate his commands his will O no God forbid O how I love thy Law I love David He is the love it self whom having not seen ye love 1 Pet. 1.8 If thou hate not him he hates not thee the LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. Lat. Coecos Claudos odientes animam David the blind and the lame who hate Davids soul and the Original Hebrew is of very doubtful reading Such blind ones as say they see Joh. 9. the blind Pharisees as our Saviour calls them the blind leaders of the blind Mat. 15. such lame ones as halt in viâ morum in the way of life who make void the Commandments of God by their tradition Halt before their best friends such as pretend infirmity and weakness when indeed they are unwilling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walk with a right foot in the way of God's Commandments such as these hate Davids soul such as these come not into the house of God but if thou love David and cry unto him as the blind man did Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me If thou be such a lame one as hast cut off thine offending foot that thou mayest enter into life such blind and lame come into the Temple and he heals them Mat. 21.14 To such as these we may speak comfort be of good cheer he calleth thee The true David invites such poor such maimed and halt and blind Luk. 14.21 He invites those who are rejected and cast out of men Joh. 9.35 the fatherless and motherless Psal 45.10 those who are no body in the world Enochs who walk with God and are not crucified to the world and the world crucified to us lacking both our feet in desire he invites Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9. Lowly in our own eyes such as are ashamed and blush and cannot lift up our face such an one Mephibosheth signifieth by name What am I that David should look upon such a dead dog as I am Such as are Jonathans Sons as Mephibosheth was i. e. born of the Spirit Joh. 3. To such as these the true David saith Thou shalt eat bread at my Table continually Consol To them that suffer persecution for Christ's sake Christ suffers with them Joseph dined with his brethren at noon Act. 9. think not this to be so strange the Sword must smite even the friend of God the Father Zach. 13. how much more his poor friends if done in the green tree how much more in the dry I say unto you my friends fear not them Luk. 12.4 Exhort To such as pretend to be the Disciples of Christ that they would be his real and true friends that they would come to his Table partake of his death that we may partake of his resurrection there is not such a friend in the whole world This is love that a man lay down his life for his friend These and such as these are the most welcom guests unto the Lords Table Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly my well beloved Cant. 5.1 our great friend the Feast-maker he thus welcomes his guests with most precious viands the food of Angels the bread of Life the hidden Manna the word of God a lasting meat 1 Cor. 10.2 our Fathers fed on the same it 's a substantial meat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6.11 Christ himself an everlasting meat Joh. 6.25 a satisfying meat Joh. 6.35 the Spirit of God the blood of Christ the new Wine Exhort 2. If Jesus Christ be our friend then let us use him as a friend the true lovers of Christ are dead with him This is our profession when we approach the Lords Table As often as we eat this bread we shew forth the Lords death so dear a friend unto us that he died for us and if we be his friends we must also dye with him this argument will be powerful with every friend of Jesus Christ if he shall consider that he himself was the death of his friend while we were sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 Isa 53.4 so it is whether we think so or no Jam. 5.6 Ye have live in pleasures on the earth and been wanton ye have condemned and killed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the just one and he resisteth you not The innocent Lamb is dumb and opens not his mouth slain from the beginning of the world the righteousness wisdom and power of God hath been so slain his wisdom reputed foolishness his righteousness sin and iniquity his power impotency Ever since the world began in thine heart he hath been slain in thee what ever is in the
able to abase and he speaks from heaven too Hebr. 12.25 Mary Magdalen lived yet not she but the Devil yea seven Devils lived in her and the life that she lived she lived by unbelief of the Son of God and without the Law yet even she bedewed her alluring countenance with repentant tears and washed the Lords feet with precious oyntment and wiped them with her ensnaring locks and out of her our Lord cast the seven devils so that she lived as much to God as she had lived unto sin yet not she but Christ lived and the life that she lived she lived by the faith of the Son of God who died for her and gave himself for her And why seems he whom thou dispairest of in such a desperate condition that the Lord may not cast out of him also even his seven Devils Envy Pride Covetousness Wrath Gluttony Lasciviousness and Idleness or wearisomness of Spiritual duties which are the seven capital and devilish sins Manasseh who lived without the Law an abominable idolater and as idolaters are wont to be a murderer a most inhumane and cruel murderer he shed innocent blood in abundance and filled Jerusalem from one end to another 2 King 21. and among these innocent men the Prophet Isaiah is reported to be one sawn in pieces by that bloody King Yet when the Assyrians had taken Manasseh among the thorns and bound him with fetters in his affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him again unto Jerusalem unto his kingdom then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God And why may not he who now lives in idolatry and bloodshed without the Law and seems to thee a Manasseh one who hath quite forgotten his God as Manasseh signifieth when his way is hedged with thorns being bound by the fetters of the Law by the Assyrians the besieging sin remember himself and return unto his God and strive as much against sin as he strove for it and resist it even unto blood and let out the very life blood and spirit of sin in the blood thereof is the life thereof striving against sin That Publican had lived a sinner without the Law for Publicans and Sinners are commonly shackled together who afterward smote his breast and said God be merciful to me a sinner And is he worse than Publicans and Sinners whom thou despairest of if not why may not the Lord smite and correct him by his Law who now lives without it so that he may smite his breast and though for the present he find no need of mercy say as he did God be merciful to me a sinner Matthew arose from the Receipt of Custom and from his custom of sin when Christ called him and he followed him Matth. 9.9 That prodigal mad young Fellow Luk. 15. who left his fathers house and went into a far countrey and spent his substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living without the law as it were in an unsavable condition as the word may signifie he came to himself returned to his fathers house and found mercy And why may not he who seems to thee as mad as that prodigal who lives without the Law and in as unsavable a condition who hath spent his substance his stock of Grace return again to the Law and to himself and to his fathers house and find mercy Peter was in as desperate a case as abjuring and denial of his Lord thrice could put him into he lived without the Law and without Grace yet the Lord looked back upon Peter and he went out and wept bitterly and expiated his threefold denial of his Lord with a threefold confession of him Joh. 21. And why may not he who now lives without the Law and denies his Lord in works and in his life which is the worst kind of denial why may not he if the Lord be pleased to look upon him as he did on Peter deny himself and deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and godly in this present world So reasoned one of the pious Ancients Si Petrus post tam gravem lapsum ad tantam rediit eminentiam sanctitatis quis de caetero desperet si tamen egredi voluerit è peccato 2. Despise no man no not these Out-lawes those who live without the Law Paul once lived without the Law yet who so glorious an instrument of God as Paul was and a chosen vessel to bear the Name of Christ And who art thou who despisest another Aut sumus aut fuimus aut possumus esse quod hic est Either we are or have been or may be as this man is Are not we our selves Out-laws Who hath despised the day of small things If under Grace blessed be the God of all Grace yet ought we not though under Grace to despise those who live yet without the Law and are yet graceless and therefore the Apostle thought fit to remember those Churches to whom he wrote What had been their former life 1 Cor. 6.9 Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters c. Now lest they should out of a lofty despiciency vilifie and scorn such Such saith he were some of you and Col. 3.5 6. having reckoned up the like sins and concluded for which things sake the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience lest they should now despise these he presently adds in the which ye also walked sometimes while ye lived in them The Ephesians were now believers yet the time was when they lived according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 Here was a life indeed according to the course of this world what life was that what life is in the world All that is in the world is the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life and thus the Ephesians lived and doubtless that was without the Law They were one with all these lusts nay they were one with the Devil himself for that follows they walked according to the Prince of the power of the air But the Apostle he never lived so No see whether he did or no vers 3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past c. as well as others Why then should we despise or vilifie any man Was it in their power or is it in our power to live according to the Law or according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ Doubtless neither for it follows God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we lived without the Law and were dead in sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he quickned us or made us live together with Christ And therefore Tit. 3.2 He exhorts us to speak evil of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meekness
die without mercy Chap. 10 28. Though the Law cannot effect this yet it discovers the sin and delivers the sinner to the Judge and it belongs to the Judge to punish every transgression and disobedience Obser 1. As the Law is good if it be used lawfully and is our School-master unto Christ the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. For do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly Mich. 2.7 So to every one that believeth not nor consents and agrees with the Law the Law is an adversary for evil Psal 18.25 26. there is required a necessary consent obedience and compliance with the Law and Prophets Obser 2. See here the condition of all such as are under the Law while they are under the Law and agree not with the Law they are against the Law and adversaries and enemies to the Law Thus the Law causeth wrath among such sin becomes exceeding sinful of this state we understand those Scriptures All our righteousness is as a menstruous cloath There is none that doth good no not one none that understandeth and seeketh after God These and such like Scriptures are to be understood of that state under the Law while we are enemies to the Law and the Law to us Nor can they without disparagement and wrong to Christ and his Spirit be understood of those who agree and consent to the Law who are not nor live under the Law but under Grace Obser 3. Until we agree with the Law we are alwayes obnoxious alwayes liable to the Law alwayes subject to be delivered up as Malefactors to the Judge So much is implied in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the Judge The adversary may take advantage of thee at any time thou mayest at any time be taken tardy Obser 4. Note here the great patience and long suffering of our God toward impenitent and obstinate sinners How long did he wait upon Ahab that bankrupt who had sold himself to commit iniquity Cons To the drooping Soul under the correction of the Father's Law See Notes on Psal 44.12 Exhort Yield while thou hast time to the correction and chastisement of the Father hear the rod. Agree with the Law consider the manifold blessings upon the obedient See Notes on Rom. 7.9 fine It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God who would not fear before thee little doest thou consider that while thou delayest agreement thou hastnest thine own ruine and pullest upon thy self swift destruction Maher sha lal haz baz O take the Psalmist's warning he speaks in the person of the Judge Psal 50.22 O consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver There is greater danger lest the Judge deliver thee to the Officer And who is the Officer There were among the Jews with allowance to whose Customs all our Lord's Sermons are to be understood divers of publick imployment whereof the more notable were four 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ancients or Senate the Elders of the people 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 capita Patrum the Heads or chief Fathers the principal men of every Tribe 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judices the Judges who knew the Law and gave Judgment 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apparitores which we call in the Text Officers a name too large for their place these had a coercive power and executed the sentence of the Judge These Offices we find here and there in the Scripture Deut. 1.2 Chron. 26. Prov. 6. They meet altogether Josh 23.2 This Officer in our English according to his place in several Courts hath his several names as Apparitor Bayliff Serjeant They had a compulsive power to effectuate and execute the command and sentence of the Judge whether by apprehending scourging imprisoning or tormenting in prison such ye read imployed John 7.32 Acts 16.22 which because the Action was commanded by the Judge the whole business is imputed unto them quod quis per alium facit id ipse facit what one doth by another that he doth himself Reason The nature of the crime requires austerity and rigour in the Judge for although the Civil Laws connive rather at mercy than rigour in a Judge according to that potius peccet misericordia quam severitate yet when the guilty person will by no means be reclaimed but hardens himself even to contumacy the height of disobedience either in this case the Judge must deliver him to the Officer or exposeth the Law himself and his authority to contempt It is the Officer's duty to execute the command of the Judge without which all Laws all Judges and their Sentences were in vain Execution is the life of the Law and therefore currat Lex Inform. 1. A pattern for Christian Judges 2. Officers of this kind are necessary Instruments in every Commonwealth for although they be hated by the common sort of people it 's an argument that men love their sins and therefore hate those who are instruments of their punishment as they hated the Publicans who took toll and custom and shackled them with sinners a manifest argument not that the Publicans were evil but that they loved their mony better than the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. The aversness of man's will both in doing his duty and suffering whether for the glory of God or his own sin How backward was Moses and Jeremiah thou shalt go whither thou wouldest not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the obstinate man hath neglected all importunities of his adversary to comply with him he must now be enforced to yield to the Sentence of the Judge Hereby we may perceive how far short we come of that full resignation of our selves unto our God which the Lord expects even in case of punishment Levit. 26.41 No marvel when we are averse from suffering according to the will of God for his glory All these are above nature Mysticé Who is the Officer 1. Good Angels Hebr. 1.2 Evil. The Devil and his Angels Ecclus 39.28 There are Spirits that are created for vengeance when the people would not agree with the adversary the Law but rebelled there against it the Chaldeans came 2 Chron. 36. Peter delivered in Christ's the Judge's name Ananias and Saphira to the Officer So did St. Paul the incestuous Corinthian 1 Cor. 5. Obser 1. The Lord hath his polity Obser 2. The opposite series and order that God hath set in things according to the opposite course of men in this World They who fear God agree with their adversary the Law the Law is their School-master that leads them to Christ the great Teacher John 17. He brings them to another Comforter or Teacher who abideth with them for ever if men will not agree all things go contrary The Adversary delivers them to the Judge and the Judge to the Officer Ecclus 39.25 ad finem The
we must by both these words understand not only the simple taking and bearing of them but also the taking them away and bearing them away for so he is said expresly to take away the sins of the world And the Hebrew words here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will signifie as much otherwise that which was spoken by the Prophet Esay would not be fulfilled in St. Matthew for here he is said to cast out the spirits with his word and to heal all that were sick If therefore the Lord Jesus should only take the Spirits and bear the Diseases He should not be said to cast out the Spirits and heal those that were diseased Thus St. Peter 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on Marg. the Cross The Reason is 1. From a great necessity none but he could do it would do it 2. Perituros adigunt ad Christum They drive those that are ready to perish to Christ Vide Notes in Mat. 8.18 Job 33.19 20 21. 3. Order of Nature requires it if the body be sick at the Head let blood at the Arm Christ is both the Head and Arm. If the Lord hath borne and taken away our Spiritual maladies and sicknesses how do they remain The Lord will not take them away from us while we love them but when we are weary of them Mat. 11.28 Obser 1. Note here a difference between the former Times under the Law and Prophets and under the Gospel The whole tract of Time Vide Notes on Hebr. 1.1 2. The former was a time of Prophecy the latter of fulfilling Prophecies The former a time of Types the latter of fulfilling Types Obser 2. Christ takes and takes away bears and bears away our sicknesses Vide Essay in Exod. 34.7 Obser 3. He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath taken Aliquid divinitatis est in illa particula There is something divine in that particle Heb. 1. Object If the Lord hath fulfilled all this then the business is done See Acts 26.17 18. Vide Essay Jesus Christ fulfilled the Prophecie by taking away our sins not the judgement punishment wrath of God only but the sin it self Mat. 1.23 But how by casting out the Spirits with his Word and healing those who were sick was that fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Esay 53. Obser 1. Here then are Two several works of Christ his great Grace and Mercy 1. Bearing and suffering our sins and punishments for our sins 2. The taking of them away from us And both these are represented unto us by way of Cure and Healing in one and the same place whereof these Cures were types and figures Yea it is remarkable that since taking away infirmities and healing sicknesses was an effect of taking away their sins Jesus had made spiritual expiation of their sins whom he now cured for as yet he had not suffered on the Cross There is therefore a spiritual expiation Obser 3. Hence it is clear that the drift and intention of the Holy Spirit is to signifie Spiritual inward and invisible things by visible outward and bodily for if the taking away of sins and infirmities by the Lord Jesus was fulfilled in his casting out of Evil Spirits and healing those who were sick what else can be meant by these bodily outward and visible Cures but his healing and curing of our Spiritual Diseases his healing of our back-slidings And what can be understood by his casting out of Spirits but his casting out of Spiritual wickednesses out of our Souls and Spirits His destroying or rather dissolving the works of the Devil so that they who blame men for opening the Scripture spiritually declare plainly that they understand not the Scripture nor the intention of the Holy Spirit in them Obser 4. The Lord Christ is and ever hath been the Physician of Souls and Bodies The words in Esay 53.4 whereby these works of Christ are said to be fulfilled they are in the Preter Tense and speak of things past yea all those Acts of Christ in that Chapter which are commonly understood as Future and to come they are recorded as things already done for so the Prophet Esay speaks of Christ's works already done He hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows He speaks of that part of the Church which then was and of that part of it which was then past and according to the Evangelist's Application he spake of that part of the Church in his Time and the same words reach our Time also He sent his Word and healed them This Healing hath ever been in the wings of the Son of Righteousness which hath arisen in all Ages upon those who fear the Name of God Mal. 4. which was represented by the Heathen in their Apollo who was their God of Wisdom and the great Physician which in their Mythologie signified the visible Sun the Fountain of Natural Life Accordingly the Wise Man makes a Commemoration of some works of Christ the Wisdom of God Wisd 10. She restored the first Man and brought him out of his Fall she preserved Noah Abraham Lot Jacob Joseph Moses and all the Israelites as appears in that Tenth Chapter of that excellent Book The want of this Universal Understanding of Christ hath exceedingly obscured the Knowledge of his Deity insomuch that some in former Ages have entertained poor carnal and unworthy conceits of the Lord Jesus as if he had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer man And the like carnal conceit of the Lord Jesus hath been received by some in these Licentious Times The Roman Conquerours in their Triumphs lest they should be transported with Worldly Glory had a Monitor that rode with them in their Triumphal Charriots and bad them remember that they were Mortal O Beloved in the Pride of our Worldly Glory we are apt to be transported and carried away Diseases and sicknesses are our Monitors such as these were who mind us that we are mortal and must dye that the Lease of our Earthly house is almost expired that the Term of it is not long hence that therefore we must look out for another even for our House that is from Heaven Now that upon good grounds we may hope for that House Tit. 2.11 We must look to the Grace of God that bringeth salvation It is a short Lesson but is that which comprehends in it The Whole Duty of Man O Beloved Let us think seriously and sadly of these things our Lusts are deceitful the Evil one is a deceiver our own hearts are deceitful and all lye in wait to deceive us and put us by the serious consideration of these things That the iniquity of our heels may overtake us It is no perfunctory no overly or sleight endeavour that God requires 2 Chron. 7.14 He requires the seeking of him with our whole heart Jer. 29.13 otherwise see and read Levit. 26.21 Essay Therefore it is required that with purpose of heart we should cleave unto the
the rather because he had said he had many things to tell them and he was wont to reveal secrets unto them in the absence of the Multitude In these words the Evangelist proceeds in relating the Divine Dialogue between Christ and his Disciples wherein he tells us 1. Of their second address or access unto the Lord Jesus and their end of coming to him to propound their questions unto him 2. He relates our Lords answer unto their questions In their access we have 1. The opportunity they took as He sate upon the Mount of Olives 2. The access it self with the manner of it they came to him as he was so set privately to propound their doubts and those doubts are concerning the time of the things spoken of and of the times of Christs coming and the end of the world In the first part contained in vers 3. we have these Divine Axioms 1. Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives 2. As Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives the Disciples came to him privately to propound their doubts unto him 3. They enquire when those things shall be which he had foretold vers 2. 4. What should be the sign of his coming 5. What should be the sign of the end of the world 1. The first of these seems to be meerly circumstantial but if we consider that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world and that he came to be the Light of Life yea the Eternal Life unto us and that Omnis Christi actio nostra est instructio that all Christs mirrours his actions and his passions all his words and works his gestures and postures are for our instruction and edifying we will not wave any one circumstance without examining what it brings with it Quodlibet ramentum auri est aurum Every the least filing of Gold is gold and that which he said Analecta Deorum colligenda is more true and in a better sence than he intended The fragments of Gods Table are to be gathered up let nothing be lost 1. Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives 1. We have our Lords place the Mount of Olives 2. His posture there where we must enquire what and where this Mount of Olives was and why our Lord sat there The Mount of Olives called Olivet Zach. 14.4 was scituated the East-side of Jerusalem about a Sabbath dayes journey Act. 1.12 from which it was separated by that deep valley of Cedron it 's a Mountain of that height that from it all the streets of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea might be seen King David by this Mountain fled from the face of his Son Absolom 2 Sam. 15. On this Mountain Solomon erected a Temple to Ashteroth 1 King 11. To this Mountain our Lord often resorted Luk. 22.39 hither he retired here he prayed here he sat and from this Mountain he ascended Act. 1. and in this Mountain they shew his footsteps It had the name from Olives growing here abundantly and not only Olives but Palm-trees Pine-trees and Myrtles and other fruitful trees Observ 1. How good a Land did the Lord give to Israel Deut. 8.8 Observ 2. Royal Cities have been and yet are wont to be scituate about the midst of Kingdoms And thus the City Jerusalem being the City of the great King Mat. 5. it was about the middle of the Earth where the Lord chose to work salvation Psal And as the City Jerusalem was a figure of the Church so the Mountains round about Jerusalem figured the Lord's protection and defence of his Church Psal 125.1 2. The Olive yielded that Oyl which fed the Lamps in the Sanctuary Levit. 24.1 of it was made the holy anointing Oyl Exod. 30.20 Observ 3. The Olive figured Mercy and Peace for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy hath almost one common name with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Olive tree it was a figure also of Peace So Marcus Antonius received an Olive branch from Athens in token of Peace with the Romans And therefore after the deluge when the Raven was put out of the Ark the Dove brought an Olive branch to Noah into the Ark when the sin-flood the overflowing scourge Esay 28. is past when the waters of Baptism have washed away the sin 1 Pet. 3. and the evil spirit figured by fowls of the air Mat. 13. are removed the spirit of God figured by the Dove Mat. 3. brings an Olive branch of Mercy and peace to the Church Observ 4. From the Valley of Jehosaphat where the Judgment is to be kept the ascent is into Mount Olivet and it 's very reasonable it should be so for we cannot sufficiently prize the riches of Gods Mercy figured by Mount Olivet unless we consider withall the horrour and terrour of his Judgments figured by the Valley of Jehoshaphat i. e. the Judgment of the Lord. And therefore Cyprian tells us that in the first times they were wont to anoint the person baptized with Oil of Olives I say not how warrantably they did it Esay 10.27 The yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing while we are anointed with the Spirit of Grace we are delivered from the yoke and servitude of our sin Observ 5. Note here what Mountain the Lord Jesus makes choice of to what Mountain he most resorts even the Mount of Olives full of fruitful Trees trees of righteousness Esay 61. Olive-trees Trees of Mercy Trees of Peace unto these Christ the Wisdom from above resorts who is first pure then peaceable c. James 3.17 Observ 6. We have here an express figure of the holy Church of Christ among the Gentiles It 's a Mountain the Mount of Olives and Christ sitting on the Mount of Olives when he had now utterly forsaken the Temple at Jerusalem Now the Olive-branches being broken off the wild Olive-cions are grafted in as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 11. These are the green Olive-trees which flourish in the house of God Psal 52.8 who trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever Observ 7. The Lord Jesus reposed himself and sate down to rest after his travel as he did Joh. 4.6 He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of like natural infirmities with us Observ 8. He sate upon the Mount of Olives Here is a posture of Judging Jesus sate on the East-side of Jerusalem over against the Temple in the West Here is also a posture of Teaching so he sate when he taught Matth. 5.1 2. and 13.1 2. that posture notes the composure of the mind Anima quieta anima prudens a quiet mind is a prudent mind 2. As Jesus sate on the Mount of Olives his Disciples came unto him who in special these Disciples were St. Mark relates Mar. 13.1 2. Observ 1. The Lord giveth us fair opportunities of making our Address unto him He sits ready to receive and answer all our suits all our questions The Tribunes at Rome were Mediators for the people the doors of the Tribunes house were always open day and night free for all the people to
with righteousness shall he judge the poor and argue or reprove with equity for the meek of the earth that he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked and 54.17 Every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn Psal 98.9 For he cometh he cometh to judge the earth with righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity Where we have an Article of the Christian Faith but no ground or footstep for any bodily presence of Christ 2. We know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh this testimony we have often in the Evangelists Matth. 24. Luk. 12. Mark 13. Revel 3. and 16. The Reason is alledged by the Lord himself Act. 1. Because the Father hath put the times and seasons in his own power Matth. 24. of the day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels but the Father only For since there is a place and time for mercy toward penitent sinners as the sentence and punishment due to their sin may be reversed so may the time of the judgment be reversed also and so be kept secret and hidden from us Yea the reason also may be from the iniquity of foolish and wicked men that they may be surprized and taken in their own wickedness as the Lord himself gives warning Luk. 12.39 This know that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered his house to have been broken through So Luk. 17.26 30. As in the days of Noah and Lot so shall the coming of the Son of man be they eat they drank they married and gave in marriage until the time c. that Noah entred into the Ark c. Nor is there here any ground of just complaint that wicked men are surprised so uncertainly since all have been warned timely to be prepared Yea Reason may be given of this in regard of all men for were a set and certain time reveiled when the Son of Man would come preparation would be deferred until that time And therefore since the day and hour is left by divine Wisdom indefinite and undetermined that so we may be ready not only when the judge shall come but always according to that 1 Joh. 2.28 And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming and what it is to abide in him we may see in the 6. Verse of that Chap. He that faith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk as he walked This may silence that presumptuous Spirit of Opinion that notwithstanding this assertion of our Lord will yet positively define a day and an hour when the Son of Man shall come proud spirits the Prophet tells us that secret things belong to the Lord our God but these intrude into Gods secrets and will have all things belong to them Hence may be reproved those who watch and keep a strict guard against all outward force but mean time lie exposed to the assaults of all enemies within O what fears what careful thoughts what searchings there have been what vigilancy and watchfulness to prevent and hinder all plots and designs of men contrarily affected But as for the Adversary the Devil his main design goes on still in mens hearts uninterrupted in Envy malice Bitterness Hatred Revenge c. these enemies against which the main watch ought to be kept every man cherishes in his own heart these enemies of the Soul as David calls them they live and are mighty and these are they which make the times perillous 2 Tim. 3.1 while Israel provided against Jericho and Ai they mistrusted not nor observed Achan the cause of trembling and gnashing of teeth as Achan signifies The 1. Reason of our Invitation or Exhortation to Watching may be from the Authority of the Captain of our Salvation it is his word of Command I say unto all Watch the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Etymologist brings from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to raise up from sickness as Jam. 5.15 at the prayer of faith the Lord will raise up the sick also from the dead 2 Cor. 4.14 Knowing also that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us also by Jesus and to stand up as a Watchman is called in the Latin Vigilo which is either from vigeo or vi agere to act with all ones strength or might as he who is raised from the spiritual Malady of Sin or death he acts vigorously and performs the works of righteousness according to what the Apostle exhorts 1 Cor. 15. awake to righteousness and sin not the Metaphor is taken from military affairs and their night-watches 't is reported of the Romans that they had in their Army those which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which lay outmost and did agmen claudere kept the guard and watch for the whole army 2. Reason may be considered in regard of the Objects watching implies such a strenuous acting which may invite us to enquire about what objects it is to be imployed and that either for the keeping increasing and obtaining of good or for preventing of evil or mischief 1. For the keeping and obtaining of good Ezra 8.29 Watch ye and keep them until ye weigh them before the chief priests and Revel 16.15 Behold I come as a thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame 2. The evil to be prevented by watching is two fold either irrepens or incidens as the Civilian distinguishes them which answer to two other in our Law an Inconvenience or a Mischief 1. The Inconvenience creeps and steals upon us as a thief in the night and to such a one the Lord likens himself at his coming 2. Or else the Evil is incident as the Apostle speaks of that wrath which fell upon the Jews to the utmost 1 Thess 2.16 our watching ought to be in regard of both these Note hence the common Profession of all believers in Christ they ought to watch it 's their common duty to watch what I say unto you I say unto all watch The Christian Life is no state of Security as they say of the Civil Law Lex non est scripta oscitantibus sed vigilantibus so it may be said of the Divine Law and the voyce of the Gospel is Watch and pray these duties imply peril and fear not security and ease 3. Because we know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh therefore we ought to watch Because we know no certain time therefore we ought to watch at all times or if there be any more special time prescribed then to watch Our Lord tells us of two special times Luke 12.37 38. and 4 special times Mark
after the wind an earthquake and after the earthquake a fire The like we read before the giving of the Law great commotions Hebr. 12. the Mount burning with fire and blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words The reason in regard of the Converts themselves these terrours and affrightments awaken their sleepy consciences these open their eyes and lets them see what they have done what sin they have committed and what punishment they have deserved but shews them no remedy no means which they might use whereby they might avoid and escape it Men are too prone to arrogate unto themselves what ever good befalls them they think themselves extreme witty therefore lest they impute their deliverance unto their own wits they must be brought to their wits end whereas before they say as the Fly upon the Cart wheele Quantam ego vim pulveris excito what a great force of dust do I raise 2. In respect of God 1. He takes occasion from the straits and necessities of men to glorifie his own wisdom power and goodness Dan. 6.17 Daniel was cast into the den of Lions and a stone laid upon the mouth of the den and that sealed with the Kings signet c. v. 20. then 't was said Is the God whom thou servest able to deliver thee 2 Pet. 2.9 Yes The Lord knows how to deliver the righteous out of temptation 2. That thereby he may bring Man to the acknowledgement of his Duty We know not what to do but our eyes are towards thee 2 Chron. 20.12 In their afflictions they will seek me early Hos 5.12 Observ 1. Hence note Gods method in bringing men unto himself they must first apprehend themselves in a lost condition this is figured by four estates of men 1. In Famine 2. Captivity 3. Sickness 4. Shipwrack Psal 107. This is God the Fathers drawing of men unto the Son Joh. 6. Peter the Fisherman pricks them to the heart Observ 2. The sting of a guilty Conscience sin is committed with much ease and delight and lies quiet in the soul and that perhaps long time and that without any sense or pain but when through the grace and mercy of God the Conscience awakens O how it tortures and torments the poor sinner David was quiet notwithstanding his great sins of Murder and Adultery we read nothing of him but that he went liquidly on without any grudging till his Conscience was now rowzed and awakened by Nathan Psal 6. and 50 and 51. About thirteen years had passed after Jacob's Sons had sold their Brother Joseph into Aegypt before we read that they remembred what their offence was committed against their Brother their Brother was now grown out of all their knowledge but now when their Conscience was enlightened by an affliction O how they accuse themselves as guilty Gen. 42.21 22. These Converts in the Text were quiet enough after the murder of the Lord Jesus until Peter had rowzed their Conscience vers 2 3. and then Oh! what shall we do Observ 3. The vast difference between a good acquitting Conscience and a guilty galled Conscience the good acquitting Conscience passeth through many straits and difficulties but at length comes in latitudinem to rest ease and joy The guilty Conscience is quiet and at rest till it hath brought forth and then comes into straits difficulties and torments Our Saviour Joh. 16.21 seems to describe the former but it 's quite contrary in the breeding of sin Jam. 1.14 15. It 's an easie thing to go along with the stream to sail with the wind and tide to run on according to the course of this evil world c. Ephes 2.2 The beginning of contention is like the letting out of waters they flow naturally The Wise Man tells us what the beginning of contention is he tells us not what the end will be This I spake of long since while yet it was res integra no blood at all drawn on either side and I spun out two Texts to the very end half a year together till many were weary of the argument the beginning is like the letting out of waters it might have been easily stopt had the Ambassadors of Peace on both sides faithfully discharged their office But now alas these waters are becoming a Sea such as I have heard was in the Fen Country the Sea-water had soaked through a bank which might have been helped with half an hours work but the water making it self a passage and not prevented overflowed many thousand acres which yet lie under water O that the beginnings of Marah and Meribah had been stopt but our iniquities I fear are full and a full stream of vengeance a Jordan a river of judgement is broken forth the overflowing scourge long since threatned The Lord hath now sent forth even the Consumption determined upon the whole earth and it is much to be feared that when the overflowing scourge shall pass through it shall come even unto us Isai 28.15 The Lord fit and prepare us for his judgement Observ 4. Behold the horrour of a blood-guilty-conscience it 's that which most of all moved these Converts as appears vers 36. of this Chapter and Chapt. 5. Reason From the consideration 1. Of the Author 2. The Sin it self 3. The judge of it 1. The Author is the Devil for howsoever all lusts are originally excited by him yet he is more especially said to be a murderer from the beginning Joh. 8.44 Two great sins Murder and Lying are proper to the Devil he is Abaddon and Apollyon Rev. 9.11 most opposite herein unto Christ who came to save not to destroy mens lives Luk. 9.56 The Samaritanes were such to the Jews as the Papists to us an affront was offered to Christ vers 54. yet what saith our Lord ye know not of what spirit ye are for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them 2. In regard of the sin it self 1. It is the first in time after that original Apostacy Gen. 4. Sin lies couched at the door vers 7. The first of the Clamantia peccata Crying sins 2. That which caused the floud Gen. 6.11 The earth was full of violence 3. All other damages are reparable Goods Lands Credit Health but a dying man is as water spilt upon the ground that cannot be gathered up again 2 Sam. 14.14 4. Soles occidere redire possunt The Sun sets and riseth again 5. There is a mark left in the Greek tongue from the first Author Cain in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to kill 6. Bloud is put for all sin bloud toucheth bloud 7. It is a sin most opposite unto Charity 1 Joh. 3.12 which is God himself 1 Joh. 4.8 without which we are nothing 1 Cor. 13. in which all we do ought to be done 1 Cor. 16.14 8. Hence the weight of Jeremies argument may be estimated Ye shall shed innocent blood Jer. Ye perceive all this
never so little crookedness 2. Doth thy flesh return as the flesh of an Infant dost thou return to the childish simplicity 3. Doest thou walk in the light 1 Joh. 1.7 If we walk in light as he is in the light we have fellowship with him Means 1. On Gods part Mercy and Truth Prov. 16.6 The Law makes nothing perfect Hebr. 7. It is the Lord that strikes and heals Deut. 32.39 Nor doth the Law send the Leper to the Physitian The Jews held this disease and the cure of it to be the finger of God only they said that the cure was wrought by the hand of that High Priest who makes atonement and who is that but the great High Priest Means 2. On mans part faith and 2. the prayer of faith 1. Faith so saith our Lord to the Leper who returned to give thanks Luk. 17.19 thy faith hath made thee whole 2. Prayer Jam. 5.15 The prayer of faith shall save the sick both in body and soul for if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him O let us then in humility of Spirit as the Lepers did Luk. 17.12 13. cry Jesus Master have mercy on us Let us in Obedience and full assurance of Faith draw near unto him and shew our selves unto the High Priest and say as that Leper doth Mar. 1. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me whole Doth not he heal for we have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities Hebr. 4.15 but such an one as is moved with compassion towards us and will send forth his word and heal us and deliver us from our corruptions Psal 107.20 Yea he will touch us with the finger of his spirit and say unto us I will be thou clean O that this were fulfilled in every one of our souls that immediately our Leprosie might depart from us that we might be cleansed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this contains two of the greatest evidences of Christ's love towards us 1. That he wrought the purging of our sins 2. This gift becomes yet greater in that he wrought and yet works this purging of our sins by himself in opposition unto 1. Copartners he did tread the wine-press alone Isai 63.3 1 Pet. 2.24 who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree 2. Unto types and figures Hebr. 9.7 12 26. Reason from a double necessity 1. Modi 2. Finis Hebr. 9.14 1 Pet. 2.24 1. None but he could do it He who should do this must overcome the Devil Hebr. 2.14 That by suffering death he might destroy him who had the power of death Purgation is by Fire Water Combate It was impossible that any one else should do it He who would purge others must be clean himself so was Christ only Hebr. 9.14 He offered himself without spot unto God ye know that he was manifested to take away sin and in him was no sin 1 Joh. 3.5 2. None but he would for a righteous man one will scarcely dye yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly Justus est qui voluit 3. The order of Nature requires it that the body being sick Physick should be taken by the head for the benefit of all the members wherefore the whole body of mankind being sick and Christ the head he by himself must take the physick for us all though it was so bitter a cup that it did torquere caput Pater si possibile est transeat calix à me The arm ye know is let blood for the safety of the whole body and the whole body of mankind being now diseased Christ who is the arm Isai 53.1 and 63.5 it was necessary he should bleed for it Observ 1. The clearness of the Gospel far transcending yea abolishing the dark shadows of the Law Under the Law the purging of sin was signified by divers washings sometimes in water sometimes in blood as by the daily sacrifice of the Lamb and by the blood of Bulls and Goats but under the Gospel behold the Lamb of God that takes away all sin the sins of the world Joh. 1. and Psal 37.20 for it was not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins c. Hebr. 10.4 7. Observ 2. Behold the exceeding great Love of our Lord Jesus Christ he became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we may the better understand this the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were such malefactors of old which were of all other the most notable who were made spoile of to expiate and purge the sins of City Nation or Kingdom the more wicked the more fit for such a purpose they hoping that by the destruction of such an one the wrath of God would be turned away from them Upon such an one they laid all their sins and heaped upon him all the curses and execrations of the people and cast him headlong down some deep precipice One man must die for the people worse than Barabbas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sink of the City If such an one could not be found bad enough they used the most unclean of beasts the Swine Such an one became the spotless innocent sinless Son of God For whom became he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ died for the ungodly Rom. 5.6 the just for the unjust rare and singular Love for scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die vers 7. Why what difference between a Righteous Man and a Good Man A Righteous Man is so called from Righteousness and from Righteousness men are called Good a Righteous man therefore and a good man are all one But the Apostle renders a reason why he said scarce for a Righteous Man as if he should have said when I say scarce for a Righteous Man will one die I deny not but that it 's possible that for a Righteous Man some man may die but surely 't is a rare thing to find such a man yet peradventure perhaps 't is possible such a one may be found but for a sinful man for sinners no man will dare to die that is Christs property For God commends his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us But Godrus King of Athens exposed himself to a certain death for the Citizens of Athens for whereas the Peloponesians had an Oracle that they should conquer the Athenians if they did not kill their King Godrus disguised himself in the form of a beggar and provoked the enemies to kill him and so delivered his Country It is storied also of Curtius that he for his Countries sake devoted himself to death the like is reported of the two Decii These are rare Examples of most heroick spirits in the Greek and Latin Stories and I doubt not but many there are who at this day for the safety
thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee c. Before this can be done Verse 23. O thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all flesh come iniquities prevail against me as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away and 79.9 O purge away our sins for thy names sake And this is reasonable for if the Lord Jesus was therefore born and dyed that he might make reconciliation for the sins of the people how can the people be reconciled while yet their sin is not purged 5. Christ himself is the propitiation for our sins 1 John 1.1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the mercy-seat by which he was figured as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 3.25 which hath the name of covering for by him our sins against the Law are forgiven and covered Job 33.23 25. and from purging 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Notes on Gen. 5. Noah Repreh Those who pretend to magnifie the Love of Christ who dyed for us merited the pardon of sin for us satisfied the wrath of God for us made reconciliation for us c. mean time little notice is taken by them of his expiation purging and cleansing us from the sin Prayer is often made for the forgiveness and pardon of sin but not so often for the cleansing us from the sin the Apostle puts both together 1 John 1.9 Men pray that God would be reconciled unto us in his Son the propitiation for our sins but they heed not that God the Father prevents us with his love to us and so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life They consider not that the great fail and want of reconciliation lies on our part 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. by all which it is evident that men love their sins but fear the punishment of them they would have God reconciled unto them but they take no care to be reconciled to God by the purging or cleansing from their sins Repreh Their naked barren and fruitless faith who believe their sins are pardoned and forgiven but they forget the purging of them they add not unto their faith vertue but believe that all this is done or will be done without any pains of their own he that lacks these things hath forgotten the purging of his old sins not that he was purged but he hath forgotten the purging he remembers not his Duty to purge himself from them c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.5 9. Observ Here then is one of our principal businesses in the Holy Sacrament to shew forth the great love of the Lord Jesus in dying for us the Jews called this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a manifestation predication or narration whereby they declared three things on that night wherein they kept that feast unto the Lord. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A memorial of the Lords passing over the houses of the Israelites when the first born of the Egyptians was slain when by vertue of the blood of the Lamb the Lord spares his true Israel 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The bitter herbs remembring them of their bitter servitude whereby the Egyptians made their lives bitter unto them even the slavery under the Egyptians which are our sins Mich. 7.15.19 and the bitterness of death in conformity unto the death of the Lamb. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The unleavened bread whereby they commemorated their deliverance out of Egypt and the sincerity and truth of those who undertake the journey out of the spiritual Egypt into the holy Land This is that which the Apostle either declares or commands 1 Cor. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye shew forth or shew ye forth the Lords death until he come Declare his great love in dying for us and becoming our Passover the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the covering Declare our mortification or dying unto sin Declare our sincerity and truth in such a dayly conformity unto his death The Lord Jesus must be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things belonging unto God that he might make reconciliation for the sins of the people that he might out of his love and mercy lay down his life for us and conform us unto his death by purging us from our sins thus by his mercy and truth iniquity is purged Prov. 16.6 O let us imitate the Lord Jesus the great High Priest so many as he makes Priests unto God Revel 1. let us be merciful and faithful Priests Let not mercy and truth forsake us Prov. 3.3 Let us by his mercy and faithfulness for it 's his and none of ours let us by mercy and truth or faithfulness the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth both endeavour the purging of our sins Give Alms of what ye have and all things are clean unto you Luke 11.41 By these we become more and more like unto our God whence it is that there is a mutual attraction and drawing of God nearer unto us and us nearer unto our God as the strings of two Lutes or other musical Instruments affect each other being tuned harmoniously accordingly our Lord saith John 14. If a man love me he will keep my sayings and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him And as former iniquities are purged by mercy and truth So future iniquities are prevented by the fear of God for so Prov. 16.6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil and return not again unto their former sin but ever after for the future walk before God in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life Luk. 1.75 NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON HEBREWS II. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted THese words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendering a reason of the former vers 17. why it was needful for Christ to be like unto his brethren c. or a further illustration of it That he might make reconciliation for the sins of the people because since he could not make reconciliation for the sins of the people unless he had been like unto them in all things He therefore suffered being tempted that he might succour those who are tempted This 18. Verse hath two parts 1. What Christ hath passed through for his brethrens sake he hath suffered being tempted 2. What benefit accrues to him and his brethren He is able to succour those who are tempted 1. Christ's brethren are tempted 2. Christ himself hath been tempted 3. Christ himself hath suffered being tempted 4. Christ himself is able to succour those that are tempted 5. Christ in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour us 6. This is the fruit of Christs assimilation or being made like unto his brethren in all things even in sufferings of all sorts and death it self for in
day if ye will hear his voie harden not your hearts c. 2. We ought not to harden our hearts Quaere what is meat 1. By heart 2. By hardening 3. By hardening ones own heart 1. The word heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Psalm and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is taken largely as it comprehends the mind Exod. 35.25 as well as the will and affections 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth hard now hardness properly signifieth two things 1. Quod non cedit tactui that which yields not but resists the touch 2. It signifieth what is difficult or hard to be done as Rachel is said to have had hard labour Gen 35. The word we turn harden is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being referred to the heart cannot here be properly understood but is taken from the proper signification to a Metaphorical and so to harden the heart is to make it such to all admonitions exhortations threatnings c. as an hard thing is to that which toucheth it and as he who toucheth what is hard as a stone he maketh no impression in it at all the stone yields not any whit of its hardness even so what ever exhortations admonitions or counsels are used to an hardened heart it yields not to them but as a stone resists them yea and hurts those who touch it Thus S. Stephen speaks to the hardened Jews Act. 7.51 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye stiffnecked word for word ye hard-necked Vulg. Lat. Dura cervice incircumcisi cordibus auribus Ye have always resisted the Holy Ghost c. The Lord by his finger had touched their hearts and they yielded not to the impression but resisted and hurt and slew those who touch them c. This ye find to be the meaning of the Metaphor Zach. 7.9 and therefore from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malleus cos 3. To harden a mans own heart is to find out and devise reasons and arguments whereby he may perswade himself to commit sin and persevere and continue in sin from which deceitful reasoning the Scripture dehorts us as be not deceived let no man deceive himself these reasonings are commonly taken from the perverse considerations of Gods Grace and Mercy the delay of his judgements against impenitent sinners hope of impunity delight in the pleasures of sin the great gain hoped for by continuance in sin and a thousand such whereby the man hardens himself to his own destruction We have manifold examples of this one Prov. 1.10 with the Lords dehortation If sinners intice thee we shall find all precious substance c. Ratio Why doth the Lord dehort us from hardening our hearts 1. from consideration 1. of the mans heart 2. of Gods commands 3. of Mans inability to hear with an hard heart The heart of the Man is that which the Lord requires principally as that whereby he is worshipped loved and served My Son give me thine heart Out of the heart proceed the issues of life for as that natural part in us is the cause of the natural life because the heart purifieth the blood and begets out of it pure vital spirits which it diffuseth throughout the whole body and is the first that lives in us and the last that dies even so that moral part in us our mind or will and affection for so largely here and elsewhere the heart is taken that is the cause of our moral life Now as that natural so this moral heart hardened is rendered unserviceable for the offices of both lives Now life proceeds two wayes out of the heart 1. Because with the heart man believes unto righteousness Rom. 10. and the righteous man lives by his faith Hab. 2.3 and by faith the heart is purified Act. 15. He put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith and they that are pure in heart see God Matt. 5. 2. Because Christ who is our life dwells in our hearts by faith Ephes 3. and he who now dwells there shall come forth out of the heart and shall fashion our vile body that it may be conformed unto his glorious body 1 Joh. 3. Now are we the Sons of God c. Great Reason therefore there is in regard of the heart why we should not harden it it is that whereby principally we serve and worship God and out of it are the issues of life it 's fons omnium actionum ad extra terminus omnium actionum ad intra so that if the heart be hardened there is no entrance for the Word into it it resists the motions of the Spirit the hardening therefore of the heart renders it altogether unserviceable to God and altogether unable to profit under the means of Grace 2. It is the prohibition of our God and that out of the greatest Authority and greatest Love as we may gather from the context Psal 95.7 He is the Lord our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hands which command of Grace we foully frustrate when we harden our hearts against it and the hearing of his voice Observ 1. Hence we learn that it is the man himself that hardens his own heart thus Pharaoh is said to have hardened his heart Exod. 8.15 the like ye read Prov. 21.29 a wicked man hardeneth his face 29.1 his neck Thus Saul hardened his heart forsook God before Gods Spirit of Grace forsook him c. Observ 2. God truly and properly hardeneth no man No! did he not harden Pharaoh 'T is true indeed he is said to have hardened Pharaohs heart but we must here take notice that God is said to do that which he only gives occasion to do Thus he is said to have turned the heart of the Aegyptians to hate his own people Psal 24.25 Surely he did not imprint an ill affection of hatred or envy in the hearts of the Aegyptians but in that he made his people to multiply and increase and made them stronger than their enemies which was Gods act This made the Aegyptians suspicious of them and envious against them and these ill affections put them upon politick designs to bring them under and make them slaves as ye read This is evident by the story it self Exod. 1.9 Thus the Lord is said to command that whereof he gives only the occasion David saith that the Lord commanded Shimei to curse him 2 Sam. 16.10 whereof he gave only an occasion for Shimei being a Benjamite envied David as the man who had put by Saul's posterity from the kingdom and he suspected that Abner and Ishbosheth were both slain by David's plotting Shimei therefore being embittered against David and not daring to discover his bitterness while David was in power when now David was driven from his kingdom c. then he belched out all his spleen against him threw stones at him cursed him called him a man of blood And the Scripture saith by the mouth of David himself that God commanded
Lord challengeth man's reason to judge whether his wayes be equal or not Ezech. 1.8 Reason The greatest light hath appeared and hereunto the greatest darkness opposeth it self even contumacy and obstinacy the highest degree of disobedience and therefore there must follow a proportionable punishment But it may be here doubted if Christ the Judge bring with him a Spirit of lenity and clemency as hath been shewen How can he act according to their Spirit who are under the Law I answer as quilibet potest remittere de suo jure every man may remit a debt and offence against himself so he may likewise require his debt Accordingly the Lord Jesus remits blasphemy against himself Matth. 12. and prayeth for his enemies Luke and teacheth us to pray for them Matth. 5. Yet if men acted by the Spirit of the Law and Prophets shall require vengeance of their own injuries The Lord Jesus will create vengeance for them For why he is the Judge and it is his office to do justly 2 Sam. 23. When Jeremiah had prayed for vengeance against his adversaries Jer. 11.20 O Lord of Hosts thou judgest righteously let me see thy vengeance on them presently it follows Therefore thus saith he of the men of Anathoth that seek thy life saying prophesie not in the name of the Lord therefore saith the Lord behold I will punish them c. So for Zachary 2 Chron. 24.24 And when our Lord arraigns Cain and judgeth him for the murder of his Brother he tells him that his brother's blood cried to him from the earth Thus the Lord allows the complaint of the Widow to the unjust Judge and à minore he reasons Shall not God avenge his Elect who cry day and night unto him Luke 18.1 8. St. Paul clearly discovers this difference 1 Cor. 6. where first he blames them for going to law before the unjust and not comprimising matters among themselves v. 1. 6. but v. 7. he discovers the true Christian Spirit there is utterly a fault that ye go to law and not rather suffer wrong There is no doubt but the Law of God is just and men of a lower dispensation have and may require justice at the hand of the Judge Exod. 21.24 25. And although Matth. 5.38 he teach his own Disciples to remit injuries and not to exact requital yet if they require vengeance vengeance is his and he will repay So the Souls under the Altar Revel 6.9 10. According to this equanimity Trajan the Emperor being told by Pliny his President that the Christians were innocent men and their crime was not so great as that they should suffer death for it The Emperour writes him word that he should not seek for the Christians to punish them but if they were complained of then they should be punished And the Lord Jesus the Great Emperour of the World though so merciful that he prayeth for his enemies yet is he so just that if accused and complained of and delivered to him he delivers them to the Officer Obser Christ is not all mercy He is a Judge the Judge is to act according to the Law now that is strict and rigorous inflexible inexorable His coming is to take away the sins of the World and to work in us the righteousness of the Law Rom. 8. who agree with the Law and consent unto it that it is good but if men will not part with their sins but live ungodly he comes to do Judgment against all Jude v. 14 15. It is true fury is not in me saith the Lord Esay But if bryars and thorns be set before him then c. The Lamb is meek gentle patient and takes away the sins of the World i. e. from those who would part with them but if men continue in their sins and expect grace they extreamly deceive themselves We read of the fury of the Lamb Revel 6. The living word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a two edged Sword Heb. 4.12 And why hath it two edges One to cut off the sin the other to cut off the obstinate sinner As Christ is a Lamb and subject to be led to the slaughter and hath been slain in all wicked men from the beginning of the World So is he also a Lion Hosea 5.14 I will be to Ephraim as a Lion and as a young Lion to the house of Judah I even I will tear go away and none shall rescue him Esay 27.11 He that made them will not have mercy on them 4. See here by our own folly and wilful disobedience we make our best friends our greatest enemies The Law is holy just and good and the Father giveth it out of his love to us Deut. 33. And it is our sin that renders it an adversary unto us Christ is the goodness of God Hosea 3.5 Our Elder Brother Saviour Redeemer it is our sin that renders him a severe Judge against us Obser 5. The Officer hath no power until the guilty person be delivered unto him by the Judge for if the Devil must ask lieve to enter into the Herd of Swine how much more must he have power given him before he enter into a man Obser 6. How necessary is the first dispensation that of the Father or agreement with the Father his Law and Prophets Since the Law is our Schoolmaster unto Christ for since no man comes to the Son but whom the Father draweth Gen. 36. If this attraction of the Father be neglected and the drawings of vanity yielded unto a worse must take place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 12. and being drawn to the Judge all the other miseries will follow I know well how men are wont to excuse themselves that they believe in Christ Come say they to Christ It is well if we do so but how can we believe or come to Christ but by the Law of the Father Ye believe in God believe also in me This belief may precede belief in the Son And canst thou come unto Christ but by the Father and his Law He saith so himself No man can come to me except the Father who sent me draw him We must therefore of necessity be under the Law of the Father and agree with the Law before we can come to the Son 'T is true in the fulness of time God sent his Son made under the Law but wherefore Is it not that he might redeem those under the Law that we may receive the adoption of Sons We must therefore be under the Law before he can redeem us from under the Law And if we hope to be made of servants Sons we must first be servants under the Law before we can be made Sons Note hence into what inextricable and unavoidable miseries men voluntarily plung themselves by neglecting God's method Agree with thine adversary saith our Lord comply with the Law obey the Law the Law will bring thee to Christ who becomes the Author of eternal salvation unto them that believe him No they will neglect the Law
of sinners with hope of impunity and indemnity it shall be well with them at the last that when they die then they shall be saved from all their sins that Christ is their surety and hath payed all their debts for them that God will give them grace if they be elected ones i. e. such an irresistible power so they understand Grace that they shall depart out of the way of sinners time enough and that it is enough to be sanctified only in part that we must be sinners while we live here that we must frequent the Ordinances With these and such like delusions men are easily perswaded to continue in their sins and become proud in their knowledge and give no heed to the adversary who mean time checks them and reproves them So that it is a hard thing to perswade those who walk in the great pride of their knowledge falsly so called and their own made holiness to come down from their high mind whereby they despise all others to walk humbly with their God Yea the Lord supposeth that such as these think lowly and poorly of God and the way of his Commandments So that he requires that they humble themselves to walk with their God Mich. 6.8 Our Lord wisely forsaw that there would be such a Generation of men pretending to Christianity and to be Disciples of Christ who would undervalue the eternal Law of God and not at all regard the Adversary as not belonging unto them who were Christians 3. So that there is great need of a most faithful witness to perswade men out of these misconceivings and to believe the truth Now Christ himself is the Amen the faithful witness who hath in him eminently all the due requisites to the best witness See Notes on verse 17 18. Besides he it is who hath paid the Ransom and made the attonement with the grand Creditor God the Father for all those who are willing to forsake Satan's prison and he puts them in a way to pay their debts Obser 7. Note here Beloved how graciously how seasonably how lovingly and friendly the Lord Jesus warns us of our uttermost peril 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God in sundry times and in many manners hath spoken unto us by his Prophets By many works of his providence as by Dreams and by sickness and pains of these two Elihu tells us Job 33. Wherefore is this That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from him he keepeth his Soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword he is chastened with pain upon his bed c. His Soul draweth near to the pit and his life to the destroyers if there be a messenger with him one of a thousand c. Thus Beloved the Lord speaks many wayes unto us and by his Prophets and by his Son who saith in the Text Amen dico tibi Verily I say unto thee c. He speaks for this end to prevent our utmost destruction The Lord speaks once yea twice v. 14. and v. 29. These things worketh God oftentimes twice yea thrice with man to bring back c. We are yet in health and strength O let this goodness of God lead us to repentance Vexatio dat intellectum a fit of sickness may through mercy change our mind Psal 141.6 Then they shall hear my words Obser 8. Those who walk on impenitently in the way of sinners and will not agree with their adversary they are inexcusable though they perish everlastingly The Lord hath testified so much unto thee who ever thou art I say unto thee obstinate and impenitent man thou shalt not come out thence until thou hast paid the utmost farthing Luke 16.27 When the rich man in hell had so much self-love to to his brethren as to desire that they might not come into that place of torment he desired that Abraham would send Lazarus to testifie against them lest they might come thither Father Abraham answers him That they had Moses and the Prophets and that if they would not hear them neither would they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Now consider Beloved in what condition obstinate and wilful men are who will not comply with Moses and the Prophets which Father Abraham told the rich man in hell might be a means so to perswade them that they might not come into that place of torment Yea over and above these that great Prophet whom God hath raised up like unto Moses he hath come and testified unto them that they may not come into that place of torment yet they go on obstinately and rebelliously to their own destruction What enemies are these to their own souls how wilfully do they resist the means of their own happiness See Notes on Psal 94. Obser 9. Take notice how necessary then is the strong Redeemer Exhor Let us be perswaded to pay our debts agree with our adversary while we are yet free men while we are yet in the way Consider how graciously God the Father deals with us how he wooes us to agreement with himself God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself we beseech you be ye reconciled How mercifully he warns us of the iniquity Prov. 7.27 Blessed is the man whom thou corrects How graciously the Lord Jesus deals with us and testifieth what will be the event of our obstinacy Verily I say unto thee thou shalt not come out c. I know well the folly of the present Generation who relie upon a dead Faith and put off all to their surety that he hath paid their debts for them yet he it is who now testifieth against them I say unto thee that thou shalt by no means come out thence Now chuse whether thou wilt believe thine own vain imagination and groundless fancy or the Son of God the truth of God who perswades thee dum res integra to agree or to credit those who tell thee that the Law is impossible that Christ hath paid the whole debt for thee that there is no fear of being delivered to the Judge and to the Officer of being cast into prison and being detained here till thou hast paid the utmost farthing it is the truth that saith thus to thee now chuse whether thou wilt believe thine own lusts or the lusts of men or the Devil himself or the Son of God Consider what a great indignity is it to the Son of God he saith Yea Amen is an oath he swears it and that particularly to thee whoever thou art whom in the mean time dost thou believe the lusts of thy flesh these come to thee as an hook covered with a desirable bait and therefore the Apostle calls them deceitful lusts Eph. 4. and canst thou believe them who are alwayes deceitful or canst thou believe the lusts of men which are opposite unto the will of God 1 Pet. 4. Such lusts are of the Devil himself and wilt thou do the lusts of the Devil rather than the will of God This
blinds them they have upon them a veil of ignorance and unbelief When Saul was converted there fell scales from his eyes 4. Their sin is so great in persecuting c. that the Lord knows they cannot conquer their enmity by any offices of love and well doing therefore they have need to pray for God's help that 's the last remedy it may do it sana anchora 5. There may be hope of their persecutors themselves Obser 1. The same Precept which the second Answer distinguisheth Blessing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benedicere to speak good words to them praying Notes intercession for them against evil especially that the sin be not laid to their charge if done ignorantly Luke 23.34 Acts 7. Obser 2. There are degrees of Graces and increase of them in Christ's Disciples 3. There are degrees and increase of enmity in the Disciples enemies as 1. want of Love 2. Dislike 3. Emulation 4. Envy 5. and lesser Enmity and Disaffection 6. a full Hatred 7. an Hatred that can be no longer concealed breaks out into acts of deceit 4. As the Graces of the Disciples increase so doth the enmity of their enemies increase 5. As these degrees of enmity increase so must our Love increase in loving them blessing them doing them good praying for them 6. Pray for them that pray against you that curse you Our Lord did so Father forgive them Luk. 23.34 Stephen did so Lay not this sin to their charge Acts 7.60 And why should not we do so Thou art good and doest good That 's our method 1. to be Good 2. then to do Good Obser 2. Vertue Piety Goodness in the Disciples may be persecuted See Notes on Mat. 5.10 Obser 3. How far it 's possible men may swerve c. ibidem Obser 4. Our Lord neither by Precept nor Example commends unto us opposition or revenge c. Obser 5. The eminent estate of a true Disciple of Christ On an high hill men may see the clouds rack-below He who is on the hill of the Lord he sees all the jars and differences among men Obser 6. Here is some hope left even for those who persecute and despightfully use the Disciples of Christ yea Christ himself as he himself interprets their actions Acts 9. The Lord would have them prayed for and that by those whose prayers he will hear and grant even the Disciples of Christ The Prayer of a righteous man availes much Even they who have been the betrayers and murtherers of Christ himself they have been saved by Christ's Prayer for them Luke 23.34 Yea Paul who calls himself the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1. and God shewed mercy to him and he shews the reason that in him Christ shewed all patience that he might be a pattern to those who should believe in him to life everlasting for so men may reason à pari nay à majori if so great a sinner yea a persecuter of Christ and Christians yet found mercy with God why may not I As a Physician in an house where many lie sick undertakes one who is the most desperately sick of all the rest and cures him all the rest will hope well every one of his own condition that he is curable This word is spoken to thee whoever thou art who hast persecuted the way of God and those who walk in it even to the death who hast mis-giving and despairing thoughts of thy self The Lord hath sent his Word the Great Physitian who hath cured him who was in a worse condition than thou art in This is no doctrine of security to lul men asleep in their sins The Lord requires his fear in such and turning unto him Ye have done all this wickedness saith Samuel yet turn not aside from following the Lord withal your heart 1 Sam. 12.20 Fear the Name of the Lord and depart from evil So will the Lord send the Son of Righteousness who shall arise upon those who fear his name Mal. 4.1 2. Pray for them that persecute you It is our Lord's Precept and no other than what he himself practised he loved and prayed for his enemies he is merciful and gracious yea the Love and Mercy of the Father it self Christ sheweth and requires more Mercy than the Righteousness of God strictly taken doth The Gospel both shews and requires more Mercy and Grace than the Law The Spirit of Christ wherewith the Saints are acted must needs be a merciful spirit a loving spirit towards all men towards the worst of men When our Lord and Master requires such hard duty of us so contrary to corrupt nature so much above man's reason and that with such confidence it 's evident that the obedience unto those hard precepts will be requited in the effect and issue of it which is to be like unto God himself who is the chief good whose aim it is to render us like unto himself O let that come to pass to every one of our souls God is our Father in Heaven 1. By Creation Adam was the Son of God Luke 3. 2. By Providence in two principal Acts 1. Conservation 2. Gubernation 3. By Regeneration In Heaven not only in this outward and visible body and so the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him He is in all his Holy Angels and Saints all his heavenly minded ones in him we live and move and have our being God is in you of a truth God himself is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heaven so the Heavens rule What reason can be given either for his Habitation or Fatherhood but only the counsel of his own will according to which he begat us James 1. Obser 1. Therefore Heaven is the first object of Divine Faith it 's a known Rule in the Schools A tertio adjecto ad secundum valet consequentia if our God and Father be in Heaven therefore he is Heb. 11.6 He that comes unto God must believe that he is Love our Enemies This is the brief summ of all the Commandments Sometime we read them many as Affirmative 248 Negative 365. Essay These all abridged to ten c. Obser 2. We have all one Father one God who hath made us all Mal. 2.10 So he teacheth us to pray Our Father which art in heaven Obser 3. A reason for that short Prayer God is in heaven thou art on earth therefore let thy words be few the Chald. Paraph. explains it When thou prayest let thy words be few Eccles 5.1 2. Obser 4. This infers all dependance Faith Hope Love all Faith and Hope in him all Honour A Son honoureth his Father Mal. 1. Prayer ought to be made unto him which is interpretatio spei It 's a ground of brotherly love Means Do we believe this Then add unto your Faith Vertue Dehort Call no man Father upon earth Mat. 23.9 Are we exempted then from honour to our Natural Parents No nor from honour to our Spiritual Fathers who have begotten us unto God as Paul was the Father of the Corinthians 1 Cor.
in righteousness mighty to save therein his might is seen in saving A notable Example of this we have Numb 14. where the whole Nation of the Jews a very few only excepted were in imminent danger of being smitten with the Pestilence and cast out kill'd as one man and so perishing utterly by reason of their unbelief and disobedience Moses intercedes in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I beseech thee now let the power of the Lord be magnified The least letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made extraordinary great to imply the greatness of Gods power But wherein is his power desired to be seen I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hadst spoken how 's that The Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression even such a God do we worship whose Almighty Power is seen in shewing mercy and pity O let us do so likewise let us be merciful as our Father which is in Heaven is merciful let us shew our greatest power in long-suffering and mercy towards those who are in misery in those who are in danger of perishing 2. Consider the preventing mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ He came to seek and to save that which was lost this mercy is shadowed out in the Shepherd's seeking the lost sheep Luk. 15. And we were all as sheep gone astray but we are returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls 1 Pet. 1. The woman searching for the lost groat Thus wisdom seeks for God's Coyn God's Image and Superscription upon our souls The Fathers loving entertainment of his lost Son and we were lost and are found And thus he deals and hath dealt with every one of us as if one were fallen into the fire or into the water and now ready to perish and one should presently lay hold on him and draw him out Ye are as a brand pluckt out of the fire Amos 4.1 Zach. 3.2 Like Moses who had his Name from being drawn out of the water Exod. 1. we were all in the like perishing condition had not the Lord sent his fishers of men among us to draw us out of the Sea of this wicked world And indeed what is the whole Christian Church but a number of strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel until by the mercy of the Lord we were translated out of that perishing condition and made fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Eph. 2. And as Moses had his name from being drawn out of the water so may every one of us we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Proselites as we term it The word properly signifieth such as are drawn either out of the water or out of hell fire where we must have perished everlastingly had not the Lord in mercy pluckt us as brands out of the fire Thus we understand that place Heb. 2.16 which we thus render He took not on him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will hardly bear that interpretation it signifieth not to assume or take on but to catch at and lay hold upon and help So that the meaning is this Mankind was fallen and had perished everlastingly in the Fall had not our Lord and Saviour presently stretched out his hand laid hold on it and caught it and so preserved it from utter ruine and destruction Nay the word is in the present tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He layes hold on every one of us and keeps us from falling and perishing Thus he saved Peter Mat. 14.30 31. And thus he saves us being ready to sink in despair 3. O let us consider our Saviours both Christ himself who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saviour and his Ministers unto us such as he hath made Saviours unto us Thou shalt save thy self and those that hear thee 1 Tim. 4.16 Thus the Husband may save the Wife and the Wife the Husband 1 Cor. 7. Let us consider them whoever they have been whom God hath made instruments of salvation unto us their patience their long-suffering their meekness their readiness to help us Eamus nos faciamus similitèr Let us go and do likewise unto others who are in a perishing condition and let us endeavour to save them 4. Not to save a man in this case is to destroy him This is good Reason for the wisdom of God argues so Luke 6.9 When the man with the withered hand was to be healed on the Sabbath day is it lawful saith our Lord to do good on the Sabbath day or to do evil to save life or to destroy it plainly inferring that if he had not saved that man he had destroyed him so shall we do if we defer to do good when it is in our hand to do it Job was thus affected Job 29.12 13. I delivered the poor when he cryed the fatherless and him that had no helper The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me Save some with fear pulling them out of the fire Judg. v. 23. But alas where shall we now find such saving mercy who hath as he ought put on bowels of mercy and pity towards his poor perishing Brother It is a forcible argument unto our Lord that he should save us being in a perishing condition yet we can see our Brother perishing either in the way of ungodliness Psal 1. ult which shall perish or else 2. Perishing from the way of Godliness Psal 2. ult Yet 't is no argument no motive at all to us to save him to lay hold on him and pluck him as a brand out of the fire O the vast difference between the mercy of our God toward us and our mercy toward one another for Saul argues right according to the custome of the most 1 Sam. 24.19 If a man find his enemy will he let him go well away truly no 't is very rare if any do if a man find his enemy slip over shooes and be wet-shod O lay hold on him then then help him pity him shift him dry him any thing but if you find him fall'n in a River up to the chin set thy foot upon his head and keep him under water till he perish This is the charity of many men who yet pretend Christianity But what saith the Mercy of God I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them who despightfully use you and persecute you that ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven He that 's otherwise affected is not a child of our Father which is in Heaven Nay Exod. 23.4 5. If thou meet thine enemie's Oxe or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again If thou see the Ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden and wouldst forbear to help him thou shalt surely help him How much is man better than an
1. The Lord Jesus invites unto himself all that labour and are heavy laden 2. Unto those he promiseth Rest 3. He requires that they take his yoke upon them 4. That they learn of him that he is meek and lowly 5. He promiseth that if they bear his yoke learn his meekness and lowliness they shall find rest for their Souls 6. He assures them that his yoke is easie and his burden is light 1. The Lord Jesus invites unto himself all who labour and are heavy laden For the understanding of this we must enquire 1. Who is the person inviting 2. To whom he makes invitation and who the persons invited are 3. And what it is to come unto him 1. The person inviting and to whom invitation is made is one and the same The Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man the Wisdom Righteousness and power of God the Way the Truth and the Life the Patience the Mercy the Love the Goodness of God This is he who invites and to whom he makes invitation 2. The persons invited are here described labourers and burdened ones all such where by labourers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are understood those who are yet under the Law labouring under the burden of their sins The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour answers to many words in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's sometimes used for that which is Natural as Eccles 6.7 All the labour of a man is for his mouth sometimes that which is Spiritual and that either good as Esay 53.11 the travels of his soul or evil and so the word signifieth iniquity Eccles 10.15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them The labour of iniquity and thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour answers to other words in the Hebrew which signifie extremity of labour and pains both of the body and mind for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to grieve a man yea to be sick with taking overmuch labour as Esay 33.24 to be faint and weary with over-toyling Deut. 25.18 it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be smitten or beaten to be wearied so that one is taken off his legs so that he stumbles it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be in straits and not to know what to do or which way to turn one self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 17.16 And all this labour in vain so that he is ashamed who hath thus toyled and spent his strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 30.5 For what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind Eccles 5.16 and such as these may be very well called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burdened ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render heavy laden viz. with the weight and burden of their sins as the Apostle explains it Heb. 12.1 Every weight and the sin that easily besets us the one of these explains the other yet we may distinguish them thus There are two kinds of evils the one we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a troublesome evil as a fly doth no great hurt but is only troublesome the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a corrupting and a destructive evil as a deadly disease With the former of these we may understand men to be said to labour as by the force and violence of temptations from which none are excepted By the latter which is the sin it self we understand men to be burdened as the Prophet complains in the person of such Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities are come over my head they are an heavy burden too heavy for me to bear and v. 6. returning to the same Metaphor I am troubled or as it is in the Margin I am wryed I am bound down greatly I go mourning all the day long These labourers these burdened ones ones our Lord invites to come i. e. to believe in him Joh. 6.35 and v. 40 with 44. He that cometh to me shall never hunger what meaneth he by coming that he explains in the latter part of the verse and he that believes on me shall never thirst and 7.37 38 39. This coming is twofold as also believing is twofold Joh. 14.1 for Heb. 11.6 He that comes unto God must believe that he is The coming to the Son is believing in him Rom. 6.8 if we dye with him we believe that we shall also live with him The reason why the Lord invites all who labour and are heavy laden unto himself we may first discover within the bounds of the Text all labour is undertaken for some thing better than it self and therefore our Lord having said v. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father Our Lord directs in these words unto the treasury and fountain of all good where the largest appetite may be satisfied and find rest even to himself unto whom all things are delivered of the Father for so it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell 2. Another reason may be conceived from the misery of these labouring and over-burdened ones the change of their condition brings most Glory to God They are restored as the Living from the Dead And therefore such living ones most of all praise God Esay 38.18 19. The grave cannot praise thee the Living the living he shall praise thee This is Baruchs reason in his prayer Baruc. 2.17 18. Open thine eyes and behold for the dead that are in their graves But the Soul that is greatly vexed which goeth stooping and feeble and the eyes that fail and the hungry Soul will give thee praise and righteousness O Lord. Obser 1. The Travellers drooping condition the state of those who are burdened in Soul is not to be abhorred as commonly men look at such in a deplorable and most miserable condition they are not so yea the Lord requires that as a qualification of such as he will give rest unto 'T is true indeed that the Apostle Phil. 4.4 Exhorts To rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and again saith he rejoyce But it 's worthy our heeding alwayes when places of Scripture are named to regard well to whom they were first properly spoken The Philippians were already come unto Christ chap. 1.1 such as in whom God had begun a good work v. 6. yea such they were who not only believed but suffered also for Christ's sake v. 29. such as were alwayes obedient chap. 2.12 and shined as lights in the world v. 15. And therefore well might the Apostle exhort such as them to rejoyce because as generally all joy so especially the true Spiritual and inward joy proceeds from the presence of that good which we rejoyce in or at lest from the removing and absence of that which principally causeth trouble and anxiety as when we obtain the inward peace of the Conscience and assurance that we shall not be seperated from our God however it goes with us in outward things But this belongs to the next point Now these who are
him This inordinate desire and wrathful and envious disposition is from the Evil One who is called Abaddon and Apollyon and a murderer from the beginning and by the Jews at this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a destroyer This we find 1 Joh. 3.11 12. whence the Greek Tongue retains the memory of the first murderers name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to kill The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 murders is here in the plural number and implyes many kinds of murder whereof one outward the other inward for whereas the Law is Spiritual it extends not only to the hand and outward parts of the body but reacheth also unto the inward affections and acts of the Soul and Spirit for there is a murdering heart as well as a murdering hand as well affections of wrath and hatred carrying us forth to kill as feet swift to shed blood Murders proceed out of the heart Our Saviours main drift in this Scripture is to point at the source and fountain of murders not to speak much of the outward man slaying and killing of men which was the only murder which the Pharisees knew As for the outward murder of what extent it is and what punishment is due unto it humane Laws civil and municipal take cognisance of it but the Law is spiritual whereunto our Lord here directs us The spiritual murder is committed against ones own soul or against ones Neighbour or against God himself 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 committed also against ones Neighbour Matth. 5.21.22 1 Joh. 3.15 3. There is a spiritual murder of the Divine Nature and the Lord Christ three ways 1. In Adam when his innocent nature in any is murdered Rev. 13.8 2. In the flesh upon the Cross 1 Cor. 15.3 3. In the spirit so often as his good motions in any are suppressed Heb. 6.6 These and such as these the Scripture calls Murders for whereas every sin hath the name from the end whereat it aims and is to be esteemed according to the will and purpose whence it proceeds as wrath envy 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 malicious is a murderous will and purpose although really and in the event they murder not their Neighbour even so the wrath envy and malice against the Lord and his Christ may be called murders although they proceed no farther than the perverse will ye go about to kill me Joh. 8. So Traitors are esteemed and suffer death according to their will and purpose although they effect it not Obs 3. Hence we learn to judge our selves and others if angry malicious if hateful and hating one another yea hence learn the bloody mindedness of this present Generation What murdering and malicious hearts full of rancour and hatred they bear one party against another one man against another Shall not the Lord be avenged of such a nation as this Doth he hate his Brother He is a murderer although he touch him not 1 Joh. 3.15 Repreh 1. Pharisaical men who please themselves in some outward civility not knowing or not acknowledging that they have crucified and slain the Lord Jesus in them 2. Wilful murderers Heb. 10. who slay the Lamb in cool blood as when David slew Vriah the light of the Lord the parable is of a lamb slain Consol This is mere Doctrine Alas if to be angry with my Brother be no less than 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 envy and malice with love and mercifulness As all thy doings before were done in malice and hatred let them now be done in love and kindness 1 Cor. 16.14 Joh. 3.21 But alas thoughts of revenge assault me These are the Messengers of Sathan like him sent to kill Elisha 2 Kings 6.32 even God the Saviour in thee and therefore take his counsel keep these revengeful thoughts fast at the door give no consent unto them they come to take away thy head The head of every Believer is Christ 1 Cor. 11. If thou consent unto them thou openest the door of thy heart and lettest them in while thou keepest them without door they cannot hurt thee No evil without thee no not the Deuil himself the murderer from the beginning not he nor any evil can hurt thee while it is without thee no more than any good can help thee if it be without thee Consol 2. Alas I have crucified the life of God even the Christ of God in me I have murdered the Lord Jesus happily this thou hast done indeed who hath not done it Yet despair not There is a twofold murder as the Scripture distinguisheth Deut. 19. the one wilful and presumptuous the other unawares And both these ways the Lord Jesus hath been murdered There are who have slain him wilfully Heb. 6.4 5. and 10.26 2. 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. There is one in the midst of you whom ye know not Such an ignorant murderer 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 pattern to them that offend Acts 3.17 The greatest sin without hatred pardonable Deut. 19. The greatest good work without charity impious 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 flye to Kadesh i. e. to Holiness This counsel the Prophet Esay gives Esay 1.16.17.18 And Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.27 This Kadesh is in Gâ—lilee i. e. 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 i. e. to turn to the Lord Acts 3.13 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 s said to be in the tribe of Nephtaly such an one was S. Paul 1 Cor. 9.26 Phil. 3.14 not with flesh and blood Eph. 6 2. yea we must go about this work early therefore the second City of Refuge is Shechem which signifieth early This also is in a mountain hard and difficult in ascent in the Tribe of Ephraim in fruitfulness growing and encreasing Thus doing we shall come to the third City even Hebron the society of
us all to pray as in our short interchangeable prayers between Priest and People O God make speed to save us O Lord make haste to help us O Lord shew thy mercy that 's Christ and grant us thy salvation O Lord save thy people that 's Hosannah So in our Collect for Peace we pray that we may be defended from all the assaults of our enemies Spiritual and Corporal there 's Salvation and the Saviour through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. And in our Collect for Grace we pray every day That this day we may fall into no sin nor run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by his governance to do alwayes that which is righteous in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord There 's Salvation complete and the Saviour and our Hosannah We hear our Hosannahs also in the Letany as first when we pray for Mercy what pray we else for but the Mercy of God which is the Saviour Luk. 2. When we pray for deliverance from all evil and mischief from the crafts and assaults of the Devil from Gods wrath and from everlasting damnation So when we further pray for deliverance from Spiritual and Carnal Lusts c. what 's this but Salvation from sin that 's the Etymon of the Name Jesus So when afterward in that prayer we pray for positive blessings upon the Church Universal the Governours and all the members of it what pray we else for but for Salvation and preservation unto Gods Heavenly Kingdom and what 's that but Hosannah and what 's the peoples answer to all this but Hosannah Good Lord deliver us and save us and we beseech thee to hear us and so hear us that thou save us and that 's Hosannah again But lest some who complain of reading too many prayers think that I mean to weary them again with a new repetition of the Letany Thus much we may say in general that neither it nor any other prayer which we put up unto God as we ought but it 's either for our Salvation or our Saviour or somewhat in order and subordinate thereunto For example to summ up this point with the Lords Prayer which it self is the summ and abridgement of all we pray for 't is either for Salvation or that which conduceth thereunto or the Saviour himself who is Amen Apoc. 3. and what is all this but Hosannah Beloved I have insisted the longer in our Liturgy partly 1. to inform those that are so devout that they have all our prayers by heart yet so ignorant that they know not what they pray for 2. Partly to inform the irreligious perverse and ignorant if there be any such amongst us as elsewhere I am sure there are who undervalue and sleight our Church Prayers And 3. Partly to exhort us all to use and frequent them oftner than we do they are all Hosannah prayers unto God the Father for Jesus our Saviour and for our Salvation and whatsoever conduceth thereunto Let us be exhorted to unite our Hosannahs unto the Lord who giveth Salvation Motives There is no other name whereby we can be saved but only the Name of Jesus He is Mighty to save Esay 63.1 How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2.1 Remember what our Saviour threatens the Jews who neglected it Mat. 23. ult We shall cry many an Hosannah before he come again unto us But what needs this pressing of Hosannahs upon us we are sure of our Salvation Beloved if one should question your Free-hold or Copy-hold or tell ye that the Lease of your House or Land hath a flaw in it that your Title is not good or the like 't would make you look about you how busie you would be presently O what searching for Evidences what examining of witnesses what consulting with Lawyers and you would hear the judgment of all for your whole Estate is called into question I now question thy Title to thy Salvation what canst thou shew for it They that believe shall be saved but thou believest thou doest a fair plea but what kind of faith is it an idle liveless dead faith which St. James calls the faith of Devils or a lively operative and working faith Fides though granted that sola justificat yet Fides quae justificat non est sola Saving Faith hath other Graces necessarily annexed and knit unto it As a Queen hath her train of Maids of Honour attending on her person or as the Bridegroom saith That his Spouse is one Cant. 6.8 9. yet there are saith he Sixty Queens and Eighty Concubines and Virgins without number Saving Faith hath her retinue of other Graces attending on her as hope and love patience meekness and the like Whence it is that the Scripture useth Faith and Obedience the one for the other Neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith that worketh by love Gal. 5.6 ye have the same sentence only obedience put for Faith 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but keeping the Commandments of God Joh. 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Mark the opposite but he that obeys not the Son the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not see life beside an harmony of like places By reason of this near union of other Graces unto Faith the Scripture gives Salvation unto them for we are saved by hope Rom. 8. Hast thou hope thou would'st be sorry else Tush every vain man hath hope and therefore ye shall hear this or the like strange asseveration out of the mouth of every desperate wretch As he hopes to be saved 't is so or so much like their protestation who say t is so or so as they are honest men when they are not Is thy hope such no thou hast better hope towards God that thou shalt be saved Give me leave to try this Title too He that hath this hope he purifieth himself even as God is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 Hast thou such a purifying hope such is the hope of all the Saints of God Such was his faith and hope whom this day we commemorate Mr. Chevin his very name sounds Hope in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as appeared by his works who preferred the poor members of Christ his Spiritual Brethren and Sisters before his Brethren and Sisters according to the flesh who as Daniel counsels brake off his sins by righteousness and his iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Dan. 4.27 Hast thou such a cleansing hope such a lively liberal and bountiful hope if thou hast it 's exerted and enlivened by Charity and therefore we may be said also to be saved by Charity so 't is the love of the Truth whereby men are saved 2 Thess 2.10 And without this men believe a lye and are damned vers 11. And to shew that this love of the Truth is included in the belief of the Truth that which he called love of the
and do good Hence is that of Hesiod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Greek Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One man is said to be a God unto another when he imitates God in doing good Sic me servavit Apollo Deus nobis haec otia fecit Now because good and goodness is the object of God and to do good is the property of God Surely God himself for this reason must needs be lovely and be loved of us 3. Lovely because God lovely also because thy God for howsover it be true that virtus laudatur in hoste Virtue and goodness is laudable and lovely even in an enemy even those whom we have known by report to be good they kindle in our hearts the love of them how much more then when known to be our God good and good to us doubles the affection God and goodness they are in a sort reciprocal but much more strengthened by relation unto us Cant. 2.16 My Beloved is mine his death his resurrection his ascension saith the Spouse and this love of Christ constraineth us That if one died then all were dead that we that live should not live unto our selves My Beloved is so mine and I am his his by conforming unto his death Ezech. 16.8 4. In regard of Israel the true Church of God which is born of God and taken out of Jesus Christ as the true Eve out of the true Adam Ephes 5.30 We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones That aurae divinae particula that portion of divine life in us affects and earnestly desires union with the whole whence it was taken it looks back to the Rock out of which it was hewn Thy desire shall be unto him it is mystically to be understood of Christ and his Church Ephes 5. There is a frequent groaning and sighing in pious Souls they know not for what which indeed proceeds from what is of God in us which longs for intire union with the God of Life which the Psalmist more fully expresseth My Soul is athirst for God therefore David cryes Wo is me that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech Thy God the Lord speaks to us all who ever are his Israel as to one man See Notes in Exod. 20.1 The Lord hath a right and interest in his people the Lord thy God that is the Being of all Beings past present to come Exod. 3. Rev. 1. whereby God Israel hath advantage of all the world All Nations worship one Creature or other for their God Israel owns the whole Deity We are not our own Note here an evident sign of our great Apostasie from our God were there otherwise any need of a Commandment to love the Lord our God Surely what is good is lovely because it 's good and what is better is more lovely because it 's better and what is best of all is most lovely because it 's best of all Repreh This reproves us of our envy one against another and that most unreasonable for the love of our God like that which was between the Jews and the Samaritans so envious we are one against another that we will not allow one another to love the same God to hear the same Word to partake of the same Ministry to receive the Sacrament and so spend our vapour and spin out our short thred of life in being hateful and hating one another biting and devouring one another Did not old Jacob foretell that the people should be gathered together unto Jesus Christ Gen. 49.10 Vnto him shall the gathering of the people be Doth not the Prophet Esay tell us That the Lord will have mercy upon Jacob and will yet choose Israel and set them in their own Land and the strangers shall be joyned with them and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob and the people shall take them and bring them to their place Esay 14.1 2. what is their place what else but their God so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Place is one of the Names of God and they give for reason because every place is full of his Glory And 2. He himself is locus mundi the place of the world Exod. 33.21 3. Where ever the Saints of God are he is with them Exod. 20.24 In every place where I shall come and set my name I will come to thee Where two or three are gathered together in my Name I will be with them This is the place whither every one of us ought to come whither we ought to bring one another Lord thou hast been our dwelling place c. Psal 90. our Temple our Tabernacle our House Jer. 23.3 Doth not the Lord promise I will gather together the remnant of my flock out of all Countries whither I have driven them and I will bring them to their folds The fold is the Divine Nature it self Joh. 10. Doth not the Lord himself say expresly When I am lifted up I will draw all men unto me Joh. 12.32 and this he spake concerning his death signifying what death he should die The love of Christ constraineth us 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Doth not the same Apostle conjure the Thessalonians by the same reason 2 Thess 2.1 So zealous were they in their love to God and Jesus Christ for the promoting of it in all men Tros Tyriúsque Jew Gentile Circumcision or uncircumcision And shall we envy one another that which we ought to promote and further and advance one in another The Divine Nature and means of Grace and growing in the love of our God is not like these outward things which one alone can enjoy and if one do another cannot as money and a garment c. but only one man can be made rich by a summ of money nor more than one man covered with one garment nor more than one man fed with one mans portion of meat But God may be mine and his There are branches of the same tree which grow out of opposite sides of the stock yet are all of the same tree Envyest thou for my sake saith Moses would God all the people were Prophets Numb 11.20 Would God not only thou but all that hear me this day were both almost and altogether such as I am Act. 26.29 The elder Son Luk. 15.28 was pettish angry and envious at his younger Brother because he was returned to the love of his Father but his Father reproved him for it So was Jonah 4.1 but the Lord also reproves him When we have gotten or think we have gotten the start of others in Gods love and obedience we are prone to envy others who begin to be turned unto God and directed unto his love Peter having made a glorious profession of his love to Jesus Christ asks and what shall this man do Joh. 21.21 Our Lord checks his curiosity If I will saith he that he tarry till I come what is that to thee follow thou me Dost thou envy at Johns love of Jesus Christ at
admitted unto the Marriage Supper it is the wisdom of the Lord to oppose unto these other five who for their defects and demerits were excluded for so good is set against evil and life against death so is the godly against the sinner Ecclus. 33.14 15. Here may arise a second doubt If the name of Virginity be so honourable how comes it to pass that it 's common both to them who are admitted to the Marriage Feast and also to them who are excluded from it To which I answer That we may understand this the better we must know that the Creator hath given unto Man the use of the five Operations or operative powers of the Lord as the Wise Man calls the five Senses Ecclus. 17.5 These five operative Powers or Senses have their respective delightful objects which Solomon calls the delights of the Sons of Men Eccles 2.8 after these the heart commonly runs out and runs riot Numb 15.39 Seek not after your own heart and your own eyes after which ye use to go a whoring And therefore the virtue of abstaining and continency is taken up and busied about the moderating and restraining our Senses from the pleasures and delights of the flesh from voluptuousness and sensuality This continence and abstinence is either real and true and for the best end that thereby we may please God and save our souls 1 Cor. 9.27 But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should become a cast-away or it may be pretended and professed only and for some by-ends thus the hypocrites fasted to be seen of men Mat. 6.16 Hence it is that the name of Virgins is common to both kinds as well to them who restrain their appetites in some measure and do what is in its own nature good only As also to those who keep under their bodies and bring them into subjection and let their light shine before men that they may see their good works but for a further and more glorious end and glorifie their Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5.16 Observ 1. We learn hence that the visible Church as we call it in this time when the Lord is coming to judgemet is one half foolish that as a great part of those who were the most forward professors were the Pharisees and did all their works to be seen of men Mat. 23.5 so it may be feared of a like race of men at this day Observ 2. Hence take notice that the Church of Christ in this world taken at large is mixt of wise and foolish when the Israelites went out of Aegypt a mixt multitude went up also with them Exod. 12.38 All Christians true and false 1. Profess that they expect the Lord Jesus Christ 2. All call him their Bridegroom 3. All go out of themselves in some measure to meet him 4. All are baptized some sooner some later 5. All are Virgins 6. All have Lamps c. Homo homini quid praestat What difference is there among Christians The Seal of Gods foundation is The Lord knows who are his and who so names the Lord Jesus Christ let him depart from iniquity When the Lord comes it will then appear who are sincere who not who are prepared who not who shall be admitted unto the Supper who excluded whom the Lord will acknowledge for his whom he will reject mean time they are all accounted Virgins though five of them be wise and five foolish NOTES and OBSERVATIONS on MAT. 25.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that were foolish took their Lamps and took no oyl with them THe foolish Virgins took their Lamps but wherein consists the wisdom and prudence of the one and folly of the other The foolish Virgins took their Lamps but took no oyl with them And what is the oyl Some hereby understand Faith so Pisc others Repentance so Arius Mont. but neither name any Scripture for warrant of their Assertions though it be true that the Living Faith or Life of Faith which is not without a change of mind yea a change of the whole man which is Repentance not to be repented off these are here necessarily understood but neither of them are properly that oyl which is here meant What is that oyl but the Spirit of Love for so the Spirit is called oyl Esay 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me therefore hath the Lord anointed me He hath sent me to preach good tidings which our Lord again citeth in Luk. 4.18 This Spirit or love of God is shed abroad in the hearts of believers Rom. 5.5 And this hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us where we have both together 't is the Spirit of Love and Meekness that the true Virgin Souls receive 2 Tim. 1 7. God hath not given unto us the spirit of Fear but of Power and of Love and of a sound mind and therefore it 's called the Love of the Spirit Rom. 15.30 Brethren I beseech you for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the spirit that you would strive with me by prayers to God for me Hence proceeds the obedience of Love whereunto Mercy is promised Exod. 20.6 I am the Lord God shewing Mercy to thousands and ten thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments This is understood in the Vul. Lat. Castificantes animas vestras sub obedientia charitatis 1 Pet. 1.21 Chastening your souls under the obedience of love Seeing your souls are purified in obeying the Truth through the spirit to love one another with a pure heart fervently The oyl then in the Lamp is the Living Faith that works by Love works of Mercy works of Righteousness of Holiness and of all Virtues c. whence proceeds the joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 18. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men herewith the Bridegroom is anointed Psal 45. Even with the oyl of gladness The taking of the oyl is the believing of the Spirit and Life and Love some there are who believe not that they shall receive the Spirit although the promises be made thereof c. Act. 2. and 5. and Luk. 11. Observ 1. Here we may observe the Virgins even the foolish Virgins had their Lamps of Faith and Knowledge 2. Inert and dead Faith Faith without works Knowledge though of the Law of God and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Knowledge without Obedience without Love will not make a man wise to salvation 1 Cor. 13.2 Though I have the gift of Prophesie and understood all Mysteries and all Knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing 3. Defect and want of Oyl want of the
13.35 Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh whether at even or at midnight or at the cock-crowing or in the morning lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping There are who understand these several times of watching literally and from thence have gathered proper hours of watching in the night Psal 63.6 I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches Surely our Lord would not have pointed at those special times of watching nor would the Devil have disswaded Macarius from the observation of those times of watching unless there were something in them tending to the destruction of the Kingdom of Satan and the advancement of the Kingdom of God 4. Whereas the foolish Virgins slumbred and slept and for want of Oyl were excluded from the Bride-chamber at the coming of the Bridegroom watch ye therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh We remember a twofold object of watchfulness propounded evil to be prevented and that not expected good to be kept and obtained that we may enter into the Bride-chamber The evil to be prevented is near us irrepens incidens 1. Malum irrepens the inconvenience that evil of sin which easily besets us and secretly steals upon us as a thief in the night 2. The Malum incidens the mischief it is the evil of punishment the judgment that suddenly comes upon us as a robber as an an armed man 1. The malum irrepens the evil that steals upon us is the National Sin whatever that is of which we must be watchful and wary that we avoid it and be not guilty of it lest the malum incidens the terrible judgment of God seize upon us The National Sin no doubt is either the empty Lamp the fruitless Oyl empty dead Faith without the Oyl of the Spirit of Faith and Love and without the Oyl of good Works and Works of Mercy Or the Lamp full of the false Unction Oyl or Spirit from Antichrist that accursed Oyl or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that enters into the bones of ungodly men whereby they are wise and strong to do evil but to do good they know not that abundance of iniquity whence according to our Lords reasoning proceeds want of love and mercy these and such as these are mala irrepentia the National sins But hence may spring an Use of comfort to the humble Soul it s not held an Error to hope for the Unction from the holy One to hope for the Spirit of God the Oyl in our Lamps of Faith to burn and shine in good works of Mercy I say It 's not held an Error to hope for this Spirit since the Lord promises it if we pray for it and the Apostle tells us the promise is made to all that are afar off and that he gives his Spirit to those who obey him Act. 5.32 As for the Oyl of good works and works of Mercy wherewithal our Lamps of Faith ought to shine is it not commonly said to be Arminianism or Popery to urge the exercise of good works and works of Mercy But Beloved is it not the end whereunto we are made Eph. 2.10 are we not created unto good works that we should walk in them Are they not as necessary to our Faith that it may be a living Faith as the Soul is to the Body that it may live See Jam. 2.1 So that Faith and Obedience are inseparable in Christians oft-times being taken the one for the other Observ Hence also an use of reprehension if the Lamp of Faith and Knowledge be so empty of good the Spirit of God and works of mercy what shall we say of the fulness of evil the false Faith full of the false Unction if they who have not the Unction from the holy One if they who have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his whose are they who have the Spirit of Antichrist Giddyness Rebellion Whoredoms Dissention Uncleanness If he know not those who are empty of good Works and works of Mercy how shall he know those who are full of evil Works and works of Unmercifulness Rom. 1 28 31. If they who are called Virgins as they who in some measure have abstained from the polutions of the flesh if these were excluded from the Marriage shall not the adulterous Generation be exclusissima What saith the Apostle Eph. 5.3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not be once named among you as becometh saints Verse 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience there 's malum incidens the mischief that shall suddenly fall wherefore Eph. 5.4 he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead arise from those dead works watch and pray for the prevention of those National evils which hang over our heads lest the Judgment suddenly overtake thee As there is now a time that the Gate of Mercy which now will easily be open at the knocking of sighs and tears and groans and prayers of the penitent now the time is wherein our Lord saith whoever cometh to me I will not cast out the gate stands open for Traytors Adulterers Idolaters for sinners of all sorts for David after his Murder and Adultery for Mary Magdalen after her Whoredom for Matthew after his receipt of Custom for Peter after his threefold denial for Saul after his persecution of the Church And there will be a time when that door is once shut it will not be opened neither by prayers or sighs or tears or groans O beloved as knowing the terror of the Lord I presume to exhort now now now the gate of mercy may be opened unto you now knock now watch now pray for if the gate be shut against thee the Lord will seal and ratifie the Exclusion of Fools with Amen Note hence their great peril who have all things at their own will both outward and inward the strong man keeps the Palace and his goods are in peace but while they say peace cometh sudden destruction O the perversness of mans corrupt nature that which should be to us a reason why we ought daily to watch and pray to wit because we know neither the day nor the hour when he Son of man cometh this verily is a reason to many why they are negligent slumber and sleep long naps in known sins as they of old The Lord sees not the Lord deferrs his coming Not minding Satan our adversary that roaring Lyon going about seeking whom he may swallow up or drink up he I say daily watches his opportunity when he spies us negligent or the windows of our Senses open then casts he in his darts or temptations some delightful object or other whereby he may perswade or draw us off from our duty to sin and vanity and make us to neglect our guard But watching looks at an object worth obtaining and well
that 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reason From the faithfulness of God who hath promised the greatest and precious promises that we should be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1. 2. The bounty of Christ who gives the spirit of adoption unto his believers and thereby gives them power to become the sons of God 3. In regard of those who receive him they are only prepared and set in order unto faith in Christ and receive him and of him receive the end of their faith or reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the salvation of their souls 1 Pet. 1.8 9. Doubt But this gift of the Son seems not peculiar to those who have received Christ but common even to all the Sons of Adam for so it is said of Adam that he was the Son of God Luk. 3. ult I answer with St. Austin Credere gratia est obedientium posse credere natura est omnium To believe is the grace of those who obey to hope possibly to believe is the nature of all But we must distinguish these Three 1. Possibilitas Possibility which is a remote material power undisposed 2. Potentia Power which notes a disposition 3. Potestas est gratia superaddita naturali a grace added unto the natural power which it perfects 2. Why is it not said that the Lord Jesus makes those who receive him Sons of God but that he gives them power Surely the spirit of God imports thus much That the believers who receive Christ must not be wanting to themselves but that they should put to their own endeavour to become the sons of God to be led by his spirit Rom. 8.14 Be ye learned ye Judges of the earth Psal 2.15 therefore the peacemakers shall be called the sons of God Observ 1. Note hence what great love is this that the Father hath shewn unto us that we should be called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 2.1 if sons then heirs Rom. 8. 4. No man can make himself the Son of God the Son of God gives that power to become the Sons of God 5. Christ hath authority and power to bestow divine honours upon those who receive him and believe on his name so what is ascribed to the Father is given to the Son Ephes 4. He makes Kings and Priests unto God his Father Rev. 1. This discovers and reproves the grand Imposture of these last times Men receive and believe in their Mammon trust in their Riches receive and believe in Chemosh the God of riot and drunkenness yet will these men pretend and profess belief and receiving Christ above all other Christians yea they engross Christ to themselves yea that there are no purely Reformed Christians but themselves and since they have received Christ all the benefits which come by Christ are theirs they are the Sons of God This doubtless is Satans Master-piece who as he transforms himself into an Angel of Light and his Ministers into Ministers of Righteousness so he imposeth this arrant cheat upon the credulous people that he causeth his children to be reputed and taken for the children of God covetous sons of God proud sons of God envious sons of God such as profess catechetically that nor they nor any other can keep Gods Commandments by what power soever God hath given unto his Church but daily break them in thought word and deed Surely if these be Sons of God they are born of blood and of the will of man and of the will of the flesh they are born by equivocal Generation as Frogs and Mice and other Virmins Exhort Receive and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to receive him is to receive the wisdom power righteousness and holiness of God the love and mercies of God these all these are Christ They who receive him receive power to become the Sons of God like unto him What love is this of the Father what love is this of the Son Every man assumes this honour to himself Were a man an Adopted Son to a Prince he would not regard things of inferiour nature his mind would be above them Why art thou being the Kings Son lean from day to day saith Jonathan to Amnon 2 Sam. 13. Because he was the Kings Son he must not be anxious and careful for the things of this life O ye Sons of God Cast all your care upon him for he careth for you NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON JOHN I. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ego vox clamantis in deserto Dirigite Syriac Complanate viam Domini sicut dixit Esaias Propheta He said I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness Make straight the way of the Lord as said the Prophet Isaias IF a Cryer or a Herald should present himself unto us with a Proclamation from the King Si fortè virum quem conspexêre silent arrectisque auribus astant what silence there would be what attention and listening unto the tenour and drift of the Proclamation A Cryer an Herald and as our Saviour saith a Prophet yea I say unto you more than a Prophet an Herald yea greater than an Herald the King of Heralds the Herald of the King of Kings he comes unto us and makes a Proclamation unto us in Name of the King of Kings Vox clamantis in deserto c. The parts are Two 1. The Herald or Cryer making Proclamation 2. The tenour and drift of his Proclamation The Lord for his mercie 's sake grant unto the speaker the door of utterance that he may open his mouth with boldness and make known the intent of this Proclamation for which he is an Ambassador that he may speak boldly thereof as he ought to speak And he grant unto the Hearers the door of entrance and hearing ears that they may hear it with reverence and attention and full purpose of obedience as they ought to hear The voice of the Cryer requires no less of us who after a negative description of himself made upon inquiry what he is vers 19. that he is not the Christ not Elias not that Prophet vers 20 21. In the Text he describes himself positively and affirmatively what he is I am faith he the voice of a Cryer in the wilderness But how a voice and of what a Cryer and how and why in the wilderness Aliud est verbum aliud est vox saith St. Anselm A word is one thing a voice another first the voice sounds then the word may be heard St. John therefore calls himself a Voice because he goes before the Word the essential Word of God and by his Ministry that Word is heard of men He was called a Voice because like a voice he sounded before Christ the Word He is well called a Voice because the Voice is inferiour the Word superiour St. John shews Christ as the Voice the Word the Voice is heard and with the hearing vanisheth but the Word remains as St. John spake of himself in comparison of
Jews kept the Feast of Weeks in memory of the Law given at the same time in Mount Sinai And the Christians remember the giving of the Holy Spirit and the Law of the Spirit of Life to be written in our hearts How injurious then are they who oppose the memory of the Law given by the Lord and the fiery Law in cloven tongues For hereby they extinguish the Law of God given in Mount Sinai as not belonging unto them or if belonging to them yet impossible by any power of God imparted unto them in this life to be fulfilled And hereby they frustrate the end of Christ's Ascension and damp the hope of obtaining the Spirit of Christ in this life contrary to what the Text holds forth unto us He who descended is the same also that ascended that he might fill and fulfill all things NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON ACTS II. 37 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men and Brethren what shall we do Then Peter said unto them Repent THe Lord had now poured forth his Spirit to make a New Creation Act. 2.4 and that Spirit moved upon the waters as People are interpreted Revel 17.15 many people so that the waters were much moved and troubled They wondered vers 6 7 12. when St. Peter now became an expert fisher of men knowing it was best fishing in troubled waters casts forth his hooks and le ts down his net at the Lords Word in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and catches a multitude of men about three thousand souls vers 41. His Net wherein he took them was a Sermon consisting of two parts 1. A refutation of an Errour 2. A confirmation of the Truth 1. He begins with refutation of their Errour and that most fitly they had charged the Apostles that they were drunk vers 13. ye may observe it in all Ages the Prophet and Spiritual man is alwayes accounted mad or drunk for there being but a sober man among a company of drunkards they thought themselves sober and him drunk though the contrary in both is most true so it was here The Apostle takes occasion from that kind of drunkenness to tell them of another they supposed that they were drunk with wine wherein is excess Ephes 5.18 No they were drunk indeed but with the Spirit as Cant. 5.1 They were filled with the Spirit so ye may understand the words that the Apostle denies not that they were drunk but the kind of drunkenness they are not drunk as ye suppose in that kind of drunkenness but as the Prophet Joel had foretold vers 16 21. This effusion of the Spirit he refers to the Author of it vers 22. Jesus of Nazareth the righteous branch approved of God by miracles wonders and signs such as never man wrought such as God wrought by him yea and approved by you too sometime ye your selves knew him to have been such an one yet which is your greater condemnation if ye repent not even him ye have apprehended and with wicked hands have crucified and slain him 'T is true this was not without the determination counsel and foreknowledge of God yet that no way diminisheth your sin it was not your purpose to fulfill Gods counsel but your own malice and revenge nor was it without Christs own counsel passus est quia voluit Isai 53. which erects them that they sink not into the gulf of despair as Joseph comforted his brethren Gen. 45.8 Where he prevents an objection If he had been approved of God he would have delivered him let him deliver him if he will have him This was not out of impotency or want of love in the Father for he hath shewn greaâ—â—r power in raising him from the dead loosing the pains or as the Syriack the bands and cords of death because it was not possible that he the essential life the power of God should be held by them vers 25 26 27 28. Nor is this any new thing but prophesied of old Object But this David spake of himself Resp No that vers 27. Thou wilt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption can belong to none but to the Holy of Holies Christ Jesus for vers 29 30 31. He reassumes the conclusion and proves it by another testimony Psal 110.1 which our Saviour also cites and puts his adversaries to silence Matth. 22. Thus having confirmed his Doctrine touching the Passion Resurrection Ascension and Session of Christ at the right hand of God with his effusion of the Holy Spirit he makes application of it unto his Auditory vers 36. by way of Reprehension See then what a great sin ye have committed ye have crucified the Lord of Glory an elegant Aposiopesis ye have crucified him to whom God the Father hath given all power in heaven and earth Matth. 28. Lest they should grow desperate by such a Reproof he tempers with it a tacite and secret Consolation in that he saith God hath made that same Jesus both Lord and Christ He is the Saviour Jesus and the anointed of God the Christ as he speaks Acts 5.31 A Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins and this is St. Peters Sermon Now behold a rare effect of this Sermon in the Auditors wrought both 1. Inwardly they were pricked in their hearts and 2. Outwardly they said unto Peter c. Men and brethren what shall we do 1. The inward effect is compunction and that twofold 1. Doloris of grief tantùm non desperationis almost of desperation they had crucified the Lord 2. Amoris of love they had crucified Christ their Saviour and Redeemer who deserved better of them O that consideration melts the Soul from these Two kinds of compunction proceeds a twofold sence of these words of the Text Men and brethren what shall we do 1. The effect of the first compunction Men and brethren what shall we do we have crucified Christ who came to seek and to save and to redeem us what shall we now do 2. We are willing and ready to do any thing there 's the effect of the second compunction O the wonderful power and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ whether shall we admire rather 1. His power pricking and breaking their stony hearts and turning them into flesh making them relent and grieve begetting in them a godly sorrow that worketh repentance 2. His mercy and clemency suppling them and melting them into love making them willing and ready to obey They said unto Peter c. Men and brethren This phrase wants opening Men Brethren It 's an Hebraism or property of the Hebrew tongue to add man or men to some other word going before thus 1 Sam. 31.3 The Archers hit him in the Margin ye have according to the Original the shooters Men with bows hit him where the word Men may be left out as the same story being related 1 Chron. 10.3 it s said only The shooters with their bows hit him
it and then some limitation as thus Si fas esset si possibile c. Reason 1. In regard of God he hath generosissimum ingenium nimiam charitatem pecius amplissimum idemque nobilissimum he loves his enemies he hath so large bowels of mercy that he extends them not only to his friends but even to his enemies Is not the world an enemy unto God the wisdom of it is an enemy to God so is the friendship of it so are the lusts of it so that he that loves the world inimicus dei constituitur Yet so God loved the world this sinful world that he gave his only begotten Son c. for God commends his love unto us Rom. 5. that when we were sinners Christ died for us and if when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son Ephes 2. God who is rich in mercy propter omnimodam Charitatem wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins He hath quickened us together with Christ See this in his Administration and Government of the world how he delights to pour out the riches of his goodness even upon his enemies how he loads them with his blessings and favours God is good unto Israel saith holy David yea and so good unto the enemies of Israel and of God himself that it puzzled David and Job and Jeremiah c. Psal 81.15 16. That good Father shewed little love toward his eldest obedient Son but displayed the riches of his love to his younger Son a dissolute young fellow Such yea such is the nature of our God and of this nature St. Paul was partaker 2 Pet. 1. He had the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. ult who loved us and gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God Ephes 5.2 Yea that be might redeem us from the curse of the Law he became a curse for us Gal. 3.13 Such a nature was our Apostle partaker of such a follower of God such a lover of his enemies that so he might free them from the Curse he wished himself accursed from God for them 2. Another reason in regard of his Brethren and Kindred according to the flesh they are burdened with sin and now sinking yea sunk under the burden In this case if a man should see an Ass his enemies Ass lying under his burden would he forbear to help him No thou shalt lay off all enmity toward him Thou shalt leave thine own business to help him so the Chald. Paraphras and our Translators in the Margin Exod. 23.5 And how much is a man better than an Ass If thou shalt see therefore thine enemy himself lying under his burden how much more oughtest thou to help him Is there any I believe there are many who well know how heavy a burden sin is it 's a weight an heavy weight that presseth down Hebr. 12.1 This people had now filled up the measure of their fathers wickedness and now a proportionable weight was to be laid upon them O what Charity it were to ease such a burdened people of the heavy weight laid upon them compare Zach. 5. the talent of lead They are now sinking what Charity it were to leap in and save so many Souls from being drowned in destruction and perdition 3. A third reason there is in regard of the Apostle himself he had been a great Persecutor a grievous sinner and therefore it pleased the Lord to honour his Grace so as to make him the most notable pattern of hyperbolical love goodness and mercy This is God's method ex ligno tortuosissimo facere Mercurium to make a most eminent loving Saint of the greatest sinner Mary Magdalen had seven Devils which our Lord cast out and then graced her with his first sight after his resurrection Peter fell foully by a tripple denial whom the Lord raised more gloriously by a threefold confession of love Jesus Christ came to save sinners saith St. Paul quorum ego primus 1 Tim. 1.15 They love most to whom most is forgiven This I conceive is the reason of Paul's exuberancy of love Before I come to make use of this unto our selves I must answer two or three queries briefly 1. Whether any person in Christ may be separated from him yea or no I answer whereas two kinds of branches are in the Tree of Life 1. Some which bear not fruit 2. Others which do bear fruit 1. The former the Father takes away 2. The latter which bear the fruit of Faith and love attain such a rooting in Christ they cannot be plucked away from the living stock Joh. 15.2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit the Father taketh it away c. These are rooted and grounded in love Eph. 3.17 Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith Col. 2.7 2. Whether may a Saint of God by such hyperbolical love as this is really loose his part in Christ yea or no I answer he cannot the greatest danger of loosing our part in Christ is by loving the world and things of the world by growing cold in love to God and Men not by growing fervent therein and persevering to the utmost denial of our selves 2 Pet. 1.5.8 Revel 2.5 and 3.11 2 Joh. 8. yea this readiness in Moses and Paul out of their intense and fervent love to God and Men to part with their salvation made them so much the surer of it As Abraham had never such assurance to possess his Son Isaac as when he had offered him up to God for then the Lord commanded him touch not the Lad c. 3. But why then did Moses and Paul here so freely offer up their salvation since it could not be taken from them I answer there is nothing more acceptable unto God than that we should out of love to him and men offer that unto him which is the dearest unto us and when we thus evidence our love towards him as Christ hath done his to us then are we most acceptable unto God when we so prodigally lose our souls we save them when we so accurse our selves we most bless our selves when we so cast away eternal life we lay the fastest hold upon it Application general Holy and affectionate wishes for the spiritual and eternal welfare of others are notable convincing arguments to enforce our enemies to believe our love towards them God himself so deals with his people Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep my Commandments alwayes that it might be well with them and with their children for ever Paul thus endears himself and wins upon all that heard him Act. 26.29 I would that not only thou but all that hear me this day were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bonds all the good he had he wished them nothing of the evil The Jews did hate the person of Paul after his Conversion above all other men witness their laying wait for
immortality 2 Tim. 1.10 Now consider I beseech ye can the Gospel of Salvation from sin be glad tidings to him who lives in sin Can the Gospel of Grace and Power against sin be glad tidings to those who pretend infirmity and weakness Can the Gospel of Life and Immortality be glad tidings unto those who are dead and desire to continue dead in trespasses and sins Observ 4. This corrects a great mistake among us when we look at the former times as times of ignorance when the people of the Jews had only the Law of Works but at these times as times of greatest Light when the Gospel is preached truly to us at those times as veiled by the Law of Works at these as ruled by the Law of Faith It is true these times are times of greatest Light to those whose eyes are opened who are turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God to them who walk in the light But had not Abraham and his house all believers and obedient ones the light of the Gospel did not Abraham see Christs day It is true that Abraham our Father was justified by faith saith St. Paul But was not Abraham our Father justified by works also saith St. James But for our better understanding of this who are under the Law and who under the Gospel c. See Notes in Psal 94.12 Repreh 1. Those who believe not the Gospel of God made manifest in the flesh Repreh 2. Who believe only the story not the conformity unto Christ born dead risen ascended See Notes in Col. 3. Exhort O ye Sons and Daughters of Abraham if God justifie the Heathen through Faith and the Scripture foresee this and preached the Gospel before to Abraham Let us who think our selves Abrahams Seed believe repent and obey the Gospel it 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gospel of God and of Jesus Christ so ye read it often called the Gospel of God Rom. 1.1.16 and 15 16. 1 Thess 2.2 1 Tim. 1.11 and of Christ Why because it is the glad tidings of God made manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Divine Wisdom Righteousness Mercy Power c. manifested in thy flesh and mine it is not therefore in vain called the mystery of the Gospel Ephes 6.19 Sign Here 's much ado and labour spent in vain to perswade men to believe we are all believers all of us Abrahams Seed for they that are of Faith they are the Children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 Do we believe God manifest in the flesh Do we believe the Word made flesh and dwelling in us Joh. 1.14 Do we believe the power of God to salvation Rom. 1. the word of the Gospel the glad-tidings of God man in the flesh and dwelling in us and testifying a power in us to our salvation such a power as saves us from our sins Do we believe such a Gospel as this is this glad tidings unto us wouldest thou be delivered from thy sin Is it not rather glad tidings unto thee and doest thou not rather desire such a Gospel as this that Christ hath done and suffered all things already for thee so that thou needest neither do nor suffer any thing for him This is a Gospel indeed glad tidings to flesh and blood God preached no such Gospel as this to Abraham nor doth the Scripture preach any such Gospel to the Sons and Daughters of Abraham Means 1. Believe the Father the works that he doth Joh. 5. 2. Lay hold on him by faith 3. Mingle Faith with his Word mixture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he stretch forth his hand and no man regardeth Prov. 1. How if he speak the word and no belief be given to it the fault is ours He preacheth the Gospel unto Abraham if we be Abrahams Children he layes hold on us He puts forth his power and takes hold of us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. we want Faith Is not God summa veritas Is not Christ Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth he not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17. 1 Cor. 15.14 Faith purifieth the heart Act. 15.9 and 26.18 2. In Abraham all Nations shall be blessed what it is to be bless'd See Notes on Psal 94.12 in principio The Scripture foresaw that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith preached the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed Hence it follows that as Gods effectual speaking is his doing Dei dicere est facere for He spake and they were made So his benedicere or speaking well or blessing is his benefacere his doing good and bestowing good upon us and by how much the good he bestows is greater by so much the greater is his blessing Now whereas Gods greatest blessing is his Righteousness whereby we are made partakers of his Divine Nature his Friends his Children his Heirs Hence it follows that to be justified or made righteous is to be blessed it is the Apostles reasoning in the Text God would justifie or make righteous the Nations by Faith therefore he preached the Gospel unto Abraham and what was that but that in him all Nations should be blessed which he had before called justified Psal 24. He shall receive the blessing and righteousness Whence it followeth that a righteous man is a blessed man This discovers their madness and folly who depretiate and vilifie the righteous and holy life which is the greatest blessing that God gives to Abraham and the Sons of Abraham for to be justified is to be blessed NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON GALATIANS IV. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you THe Galatians unto whom our Apostle writes were fallen from the Spirit unto the flesh from the Grace of the Gospel to the works of the Law from their free Sonship in Christ unto a voluntary bondage under the Elements of the World A dangerous fall Beloved a great Apostacy And therefore in this Epistle he doth as one of you Fathers or Mothers are wont in like case to do when a child of yours is fallen and hath taken a knock out of a sudden fear presently to cry out God save the child then to expostulate the case with him and with much passion chide his unwary negligence for looking no better to his footing yet with as much compassion all to bemoan him and lament his harms and with no less industry and speed hasten to help him up again Even so we find St. Paul affected toward his children the Galatians for one while he prays for them Grace be to you and peace Another while he reasons the case with them I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you Elsewhere he sharply rebukes them for their ill looking to their standing O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you c. I am affraid of you lest I have bestowed on you labour in vain But lest with over-much severitty and rough dealing with
are spent on this Argument I shall therefore spend no more time in the proof of this point only I shall shew the Reasons of Christ's Resurrection and then make application of it unto our selves The Reasons of Christ's Resurrection are considerable In regard of 1. God who raiseth the dead 2. Christ who is risen from the dead 3. God's People Christian Men and Women who must be raised from the dead 1. All the wayes of the Lord are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy and Truth which meet us very oft together in Scripture and God hath engaged them both for the Resurrection of Christ 1. He engaged his Mercy when out of meer Grace and Favour to us He raised up our Lord Jesus Christ as St. Peter blesseth God for it 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 2. He engaged his Truth Psal 16. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption This St. Peter interprets of our Saviour Act. 2.30 31 32. and averrs it to be fulfilled in him 3. He freeth both his engagements at once Act. 13.34 As concerning that he raised him from the dead now no more to return unto corruption He saith on this wise I will give you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sure mercies of David 2. In regard of Christ his Person and Office 1. Such was the dignity of his Person so great was his Power That it was impossible he should be detained by death Act. 2.24 God hath raised up Jesus having loosed the pains or as the Syriack word signifieth the cords of death which are more properly loosed than pains because it was not possible that he should be holden of it and therefore he loosed his bands as easily as Sampson his type brake his cords Destroy this Temple saith he and in three dayes I will raise it up and I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it up again 2. In regard of his Office of Eternal King and Priest Mediator and Intercessor of his Church none of which could have been performed by him had he been still seized by death 3. In regard of Gods People for all the blessings of God and Christ are centred together in the Church He was delivered for our sins and raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 And this to be the main drift of the Law and Prophets and the summ of Pauls preachings Act. 26.22 23. I continue unto this day witnessing both to small and great saying none other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come that Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should shew light unto the People and to the Gentiles This point is usefull for 1. Instruction 2. Reprehension 3. Information Observe then a pledge and earnest of the Resurrection from the dead It is the Apostles Argument If Christ be risen how say some of you that there is no resurrection from the dead Christ is our Head and he is risen and therefore he must have a body conformable unto him Christ is the first fruits of them that sleep every one in his own order Christ the first fruits afterward those who are Christs 1 Cor. 15. Certain it is then raised we shall be but it concerns us neerly to look to it and provide betimes They that have done good shall come forth to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Condemnation Joh. 5.29 2. Observe how true and faithful our God is in the performance of his great Promise It is the use which St. Paul makes of Christ's Resurrection Act. 13.32 33. We declare unto you glad tydings how that the Promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus again He that is faithfull in little is faithfull also in much So our Lord reasons in regard of us Luk. 16.10 Thou hast been faithful in a few things Mat. 25.21 A rare vertue because commonly men are wont to neglect small things De minimis we say non curat Lex we mean the Humane Law not Divine But we may reason concerning God He who is faithful in much he is faithful also in little for he who hath given us his Son to die for us and to rise again how shall he not together with him freely give us all things For all things are less than he is Rom. 8.32 we depend upon him for eternal happiness and shall we not trust him for temporal blessings We may relie upon him for the salvation of our souls and shall we not relie on him for the support of our bodies If some great Rich Man were bound to pay us such a summ of money we would not doubt of it though he might prove false or break God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God all-sufficient who can neither be deceived nor deceive hath promised all things necessary for us yea he hath performed one of his greatest promises The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus And shall we not trust him for the less God is true in performing his promises Let us be true and faithful to him to perform our promise at the Sacrament otherwise let us know that God is true also in his threatnings 3. Observe the Truth of Christ's Divinity He was declared to be the Son of God by the Resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 This is a sure guard of our Faith and of the whole Christian Religion 4. Observe the verifying of all those Types and Figures which foreshewed our Lords Death and Resurrection That of Jonas observed by our Saviour Matth. 12.40 That of Daniel delivered from the Den of Lyons and exalted to honour That of Joseph promoted from the Prison to the Throne and called Zaphne Paneanah the Saviour of the world But because his two estates were so different as death and life they were not possible to be figured in any one Creature But the Fathers have observed the like in Nature as that of the Palm-tree which being dead and consumed revives out of its own dust if we may believe the Philosophers or that of the Phaenix which dyes and returns to life out of its own ashes If we may credit Historians Philosophers and the Greek and Latin Fathers who make both these Emblemes of the Resurrection unless it be one and the same story 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek signifying both the Phaenix and the Palm-tree But we need not borrow Types from nature of the Fathers observation The Scripture it self is copious enough in examples more ordinary But that is a most fit one Joh. 12.24 Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone but if it dye it bringeth
means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the dead and what enemy can now hurt us It s true the sin besiegeth us as the Assyrians did Jerusalem 2 Kings 18.17 The King of Assyria sent Tartan c. Vide Onomasticon on Eliakim That Faith which raiseth us from the death of sin is that which relies on the Spirit of God in us which is therefore called the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 4. Because ye are raised with Christ from the dead Seek the things that are above The Reason of this why the Colossians because they are raised with Christ must seek the things above is 1. In regard of the things above 2. In regard of Christ Or 3. In regard of the Colossians themselves 1. In regard of the things above they are lost by our descending and regained by our ascending 1. They are lost by our descending See this afterwards 2. In regard of Christs example He is that high and eminent example unto whom all who are Christs ought to be conformed Rom. 8.29 3. In regard of the Colossians themselves the Reason of this is the engagement of their Faith Hope and Love 1. They were already raised by Faith in the operative power of God and now they must proceed from Faith to Faith 2. The experience of their hope allures them to an higher measure of enjoying the Heavenly life 1 Pet. 2. If ye have tasted that the Lord is Gracious St. John was first invited Revel 4.1 Come up hither but yet Chapter 22. all that are a thirst c. 3. Their Love unto the Heavenly life constrains them He that loveth life c. let him refrain his tongue from evil Observ 1. We are by corrupt nature and the reliques of sin yet unmortified prone and declining downward towards the earth and things upon the earth This was prefigured unto us in the Canaanites who have their name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Incurvation and Depression being bowed down toward the earth vide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus we may understand the woman bowed together so that she could not look up thus Satan binds the Daughter of Abraham thus the sinful world are the children of Belial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as cannot ascend or will not ascend with Christ Observ 2. The great goodness of God unto mankind now lapsed fallen and not able to rise alone who hath raised up the Lord Jesus Christ and with him all Believers on him who is ascended up on high and by his spiritual attractive power causeth all Believers on him to ascend with him And to shew how possible and feasible this is he hath raised up holy men in all ages Enoch was translated and taken up and became an example unto all Generations Ecclus Such was Noah before and after the flood Such was Abraham whom the wise man calls a great Father or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an High Father of many nations in Glory there was none like unto him he kept the Law of the most High c. To be raised together with Christ as the Colossians were is to be changed from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness Hence it is that death and sin are taken for the same Eph. 2.1 Ye were dead in trespasses and sins Rom. 5.17 By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all men have sinned So are life and righteousness the same also Rom. 5.17 They who receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ and 6.13 Yield your selves unto God as those who are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God Thus Life and Resurrection are all one John 11.25 I am the Resurrection and the life Mark how the Apostle reasons 1 Cor. 15.13 17. Christ which is our life being raised Faith is also raised and given with him Act. 17.31 and 26. If therefore Christ be not raised then Faith is vain and we are yet in our sins This Life and Resurrection was promised soon after Adam had died from that life of God and all in Adam In Adam all die 1 Cor. 15.22 so in Christ we are made alive This was the Gospel that was published by God himself from the beginning Gen. 3. That the Serpents head should be broken by the Holy Seed This Holy Seed he promised to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Judah to David By all the Prophets who testifie the renovation of the world by Justice and Judgement Isa 9.7 and 11.4 some few may excuse the rest Jer. 23.5 6. and 33.15 Mich. 4. This Promise God fulfilled when he raised up Jesus from the dead Act. 13.32 and 26 4-8 This Promise is called the promise of life 2 Tim. 1.1 Jam. 1.12 This life the Lord Jesus brings from the dead 2 Tim. 1.10 This is to be manifested in our mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4.10 All obedient ones have right to the Tree of Life and may take of the water of life freely Rev. 22. And the whole Gospel was written that we might believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that we might have life through his Name Joh. 20.31 For he who hath the Son hath life he who hath not the Son hath not life Observ 2. Note here the great Goodness and Mercy of the Most High God who when Mankind was fall'n and could not arise alone was pleased not only to look down from heaven upon the Children of Men but also send down the Lord Christ to humble himself unto our nature and stoop to take us up and raise us up by the power and example of his Resurrection and Ascension yea to manifest the same power in his eminent Saints and holy ones in all Ages yea and to communicate the same power unto us that we may not grovel upon the earth and earthly things but that we may ascend with Christ and those who are Christs unto the heavenly things the things above and have our Conversation in heaven Phil. 3. Observ 3. Hence we read of the glorious types of our Lords Ascension in the holy Patriarchs and Prophets especially Enoch and Elias Enoch's name signifieth dedicated or consecrated who was herein made like unto the Son of God who is consecrated for evermore Hebr. 7.28 Another type of our Lords Ascension was Elias whose Name sounds the Lord God or God the Lord. Of these two saith holy Bernard Foelices illi viri per quos divina ascensio legitur praesignata Enoch raptus translatus Elias Blessed men by whom our Lords Ascension is read foresignified Enoch translated and Elias taken up to heaven A like type of our Lords Ascension was Elihu i. e. as his name sounds God himself See 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ 4. It is not enough to be raised with Christ unless we also ascend with him Observ 5. An inferiour and lower degree of obedience layes an engagement upon
2 Cor. 6.15 Repreh 5. Who reprove one another and censure one another c. for not ascending with the Lord Jesus when yet we continue in our fall nor arise not nor ascend with Christ Such a necessary Article of Faith as this was foreshadowed in mystical names and prefigurations of our Lords Resurrection Those mystical names are Camon Resurrection Judg. 10.4 a place where Jaire was buried 2. Eliakim the Resurrection of God 2 King 18.18 3. Jehoiakim the Resurrection of the Lord 2 King 23.36 4. Jekamiah the Resurrection of God 1 Chron. 2.41 All which and diverse others boded the future Resurrection of the Lord Jesus So likewise did the manifold prefigurations of it those which concern our Saviours Person and those which concern his Church together with him which belong to the following point 1. Those which concern our Lord Jesus his person when he would prove his own Resurrection he began at Moses c. Luk. 24.25 26 27. We find Adam cast into a dead sleep and awakened prefiguring the second Adam dead and raised from the dead Isaac born of Abraham and Sarah when they were as good as dead Rom. 4. prefigured Christ the true Isaac born from the dead whence Abraham received Isaac in a figure Hebr. 11.19 Joseph out of prison Moses cast out to die saved and brought up like a Prince to be a God unto Pharaoh and a Saviour of his people Exod. 1. Aarons Rod that was as a dead stick the next day quickned and bringing forth fruit Consol Alas I am fall'n and cannot rise alone I cannot ascend Believe in him who ascendeth contra Job 15.22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness The daughter of Abraham believed in the Lord Jesus and was cured of her infirmity Luk. 13. Pray unto the Lord as the Church doth in this estate Psal 44.25.26 Our belly cleaveth to the ground Arise for our help and redeem us for thy Mercy sake More NOTES on COLOSSIANS III. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God THe words come under a double consideration 1. Absolute and so I have spoken of them 2. Relative and that 's implyed in the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In so precious an Article as the Ascension of our Lord nothing must be lost he commands gather up the fragments Besides this time was heretofore called Ascension-week and so it is Verbum Diei in die suo a word proper for the time Because ye are risen with Christ seek the things which are above These words are an inference from the Apostles discourse begun Chap. 2.6 As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him and that from the beginning to the end of the Christian Life rooted and built up in him dead and buried with him and risen with him Now whereas two rubs meet the Christian Traveller in this way and hinder his progress 1. One from the Gentiles that 's Philosophy which promiseth fulness of wisdom 2. The other from the Jewish rudiments of the world which promise the same The Apostle tells them that Philosophy hath not that in it which it promiseth 't is an empty thing called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain deceit 2. No nor have the Jewish Rudiments the perfection in them which they promise both are no better than a shadow but the body is Christ and in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and ye saith he are complete or filled in him circumcised dead buried and risen with him and because ye are so ye ought also to ascend with him If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above The force of this consequence may serve for the reason of this point for how doth it follow that because believers are risen with Christ therefore they ought to seek the things that are above The force of this consequence will appear to you if ye please to consider 1. The pattern example and way-guide whom we profess to follow in the way of Life and thaâ— is Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Author or Captain of our salvation Rom. 8.29 2. The way wherein we follow him 1. The pattern whom we follow in the way of Life is no other than our Lord Jesus Christ now he not only suffered was crucified dead and buried and arose from the dead but also ascended and therefore if we be his followers and desire to be conformable unto Jesus Christ as he hath done so must we do also as Abimelech said to his followers Judg. 9. 2. This also appears from the consideration of our way wherein believers follow our Lord and that way is indeed no other than Christ himself the Way the Truth and the Life it self In the way there are diverse stages and diverse steps in the several stages 1. The diverse stages are the diverse and sundry Graces and Virtues which are in Christ represented unto us in his death Life Resurrection and Ascension And 2. The diverse steps are the several degrees in those Graces and Virtues of Christ Truly beloved it 's a long way and up-hill all the way but still the nearer unto God superas evadere ad auras Hic labor hoc opus est Like Pythagoras his Y narrow at the bottom large at the end 2 Pet. 1. Ye have the several stages and as it were the several ascents of Jacobs Ladder which reached from Earth to Heaven Gen. 28.12 These are they which the Apostle calls his wayes which are in Christ 1 Cor. 4.17 There are also diverse degrees of latitude extension and intension in these Divine Virtues and Graces from Faith to faith from Virtue to virtue By these steps and degrees we grow up into Christ in all things into a perfect man into the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes 4. Observ 1. Wherein consists the Christian Mans imitation of our Lords Ascension not in a vain and empty theory and speculation such as the Jesuite commands and shews in diverse examples As 1. Of one who continually looked up to Heaven and would not be perswaded from lying on his back lest he should not see Heaven and was called thereupon Suspex Coeli as we would say an Heaven or a Star-gazer 2. Another who was wont to look up into Heaven from Sun-setting till Sun-rising 3. Another who was carried up to Heaven seven times a day if you will believe him and heard Musick there 4. Another whose daily practice was to look up into Heaven and was so wrapt with speculation of it that his Soul being drawn thither drew his body after it 5. Another and he the Father and Founder of his Order who was wont to go up into the Sollar of his house from whence he might freely look up to heaven and this speech he left behind him Quomodo sâ—rdet mihi terra cum coelum aspicio and these or
Judg. 6.34 1 Chron. 12.18 2 Chron. 24.20 and the putting on of Christ Ephes 4.24 this Coloss 3.10 and the Graces of Christ and his Spirit whether 1. General as Righteousness Job 29.14 Or 2. Spiritual as Humility 1 Pet. 5.5 and here with mercy c. The resemblance is plain nothing toucheth us so nearly outwardly as our Clothes nothing so nearly inwardly as Mercy and bowels of it 1. Garments are used to cover shame So Mercy and other Graces of Christ Apocal. 3.8 2. For defence so Christ's Graces are armour Ephes 6. 3. For comliness so Christ and his fine linnen clean and white which is the Righteousness of Saints Apoc. 19.6 An heavenly garment fit for us and made for us of God For so Christ Jesus is made to us of God wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption in which are comprehended all other Graces 1 Cor. 1.30 The putting on of this Garment is by Faith For we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 And so all his Virtues and Graces Especially this of mercy For whereas we put on our clothes as well for others sakes as our own The putting on of this Garment is both 1. In affectu in being tenderly inwardly motherly affected toward the miserable in all kinds and condoling with them And 2. In effectu as much as lies in us relieving of them The Text it self supplies us with reasons why we should put on this heavenly Garment these bowels of Mercy we must so do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the elect of God holy and beloved They do so 1. The Elect are the chosen or choice men which I understand according to that notion which the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same signification affords us being turned by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 choice men choice young men approved of God as able to fight his battles against the devil and to overcome him Delecta juventus such as St. John speaks of 1 Joh. 2. I write unto you young men that ye are strong and have overcome the evil one This is the meaning of the word in the old Testament and yet I know no reason why it may not be the meaning of the same word in the New These and such as these are Saints or Holy that is separate from sins and consecrated to God And therefore 2. Beloved of God These having been prevented by his Grace and Mercy and being clad of him with beautiful garments Esay 52.1 with the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness Esay 61.3 and covered with the robe of righteousness vers 10. They are taught of God to love and to be merciful to others 1 Thess 4. According to which our Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 1.3 Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we are comforted of God And St. Peter Ye saith he are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praise or vertue of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy And as God hath put on bowels of mercy toward them so they also put on as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy towards others Observ 1. Whence observe with me the sweet disposition of Gods Saints and chosen Ones how tenderly how inwardly how fatherly how motherly affected they are one towards another Nay how like Members of the same body and one of another what a common care they have one of another How mutually they sympathize and compassionate one anothers miseries one suffers and the other feels it As they say of musical Instruments suppose two Lutes tuned to the same height one string of the one strucken affects the other of the same pitch Or as we say in Philosophy moto continuo moventur omnes partes continui What a trembling and shaking there is of the whole bell though but lightly struck and that but in one part If one and but one member suffer all the members suffer with it 1 Cor. 12. All have a care of one and one of all and every one of every one for who is weak saith the same Apostle and I am not weak Who is offended and I burn not 2 Cor. 11.29 The foot is troden on and the tongue complains Why do ye hurt me They are all but one body they have but one common soul but one and the same mind one and the same will the same heart the same affections the same bowels of mercy and the same cloathing with them Observ 2. Which leads me to another Observation that the outward act requires an inward sutable affection to the due performance of it And the reason is all outward acts wherein we think we worship God how fair soever to the eye if the heart be not the Fountain of them They may be as well and punctually performed by ungodly men even as the Saints themselves They may build Temples Altars come to Church Pray offer Sacrifice Fast give Alms and the like And this they may do a long time together even a mans whole life and yet not be acceptable unto God As the Jews fasted at set times threescore and ten years Zach. 7.5 Yet saith the Lord when ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month even these threescore and ten years the age of a man according to the Prophet David did ye at all fast unto me even unto me A man may give all his goods to feed the poor and yet have no charity 1 Cor. 13. These things no doubt ought to be done but we must not leave the other undone And therefore the Apostle requires that he that giveth give with simplicity and he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with chearfulness Rom. 12. Haec rectius transiguntur intus On the kings right hand stood the queen in vesture of gold wrought about with divers colours Psal 45. And the same is said to be all glorious within God is a Spirit and they who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth This garment is like that Jude 5 30. There must be a sounding of the bowels within Esay 16.11 The outward act of Mercy is but an eccho of it There must be a putting on of mercy outwardly but it supposeth the bowels of Mercy inwardly Quite contrary to what one writes whose name I spare for his honour which otherwise he well deserves who undertaking to instruct Christian Gentlemen of his Nation how they should shew mercy unto men
Israelites diverse things touching the Tabernacle and materials of it c. Exod. 25. Because they had sinned a great sin in making a Golden Calf Exod. 32. He repeats the same things verbatim which their fin had caused them to forget Exod. 35. The like we may observe Numb 28. where Moses repeats diverse of those Laws which he had before taught the people because their whoredom with the daughters of Moab Numb 25. had obliterated and abolished the knowledge of them Whence we learn not to bring with us to the hearing of Sermons or like discourses curious ears or dainty palates that cannot relish the same meat if more than once served up unto them How contrary are such men to the Primitive Christians Act. 13.1 2. who besought the Apostle that the same words might be preached to them the next Sabbath day and the next Sabbath day came almost the whole City together to hear the Word of God the same things that were before delivered vers 44. It is a Lesson for you Parents or in the place of Parents as Masters of Families that which Moses teacheth Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach these words diligently unto thy Children or thou shalt whet or sharpen them so 't is in the Margin The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to iterate to repeat over and over as in the whetting of a knife you move your hand this way and that way and all to set an edge upon the Word of God that it may be sharp and pierce even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and discern the thoughts and intents of the heart Hebr. 4.12 How shameful a thing therefore it is for us to hear and receive the same things over and over to have the same Word of God whet and sharpned upon us once and again and yet mean time only fungi vice cotis to be like a whetstone or like an anvil not one jot the better Gutta cavit lapidem c. these are as the nether milstone hard-hearted men that will not admit the Word of God to take place in them The holy Apostle was not content once to have taught the Thessalonians but he repeats it again and here adds an entreaty exhortation that they would abound so we may joyn the fourth and fifth points together we intreat you in all their names nay in the great Name i. e. the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ An Argument that it 's a very difficult thing to obtain at the hands of men that they would abound go beyond others beyond themselves in walking and pleasing God But how reasonable this request and exhortation is will easily appear if we summarily recollect what hath been hitherto delivered 1. That they abound to please God which is the greatest and highest Duty of Man The best commendation of the best men as how great praise is recorded of Enoch and Noah and our Father Abraham Walk before me saith God unto him and be perfect Gen. 17. and I will make my Covenant between me and thee and I will multiply thee exceedingly and I will make thee exceeding fruitful this is the fruit of abounding and pleasing God 2. Thus to abound it is to draw near unto the Divine Nature it self 2 Pet. 1. 3. There 's a necessity laid upon us of so doing God hath commanded it our own duty requires it it 's the only means of pleasing God our own wants call for it it is for Gods honour and glory it adds to our own account 4. So necessary it is that the Apostle repeats it over and over 5. He intreats us so to do 6. He intreats us in the Name of the Lord Jesus which is 1. A terrible Name it commands with Authority He is the Lord 2. Yet dulce nomen the Lord Jesus which comprehends all these dulcia nominá those suppling oylie names of Saviour Deliverer Redeemer names of mercy goodness gentleness a name where God unfolds and layes open the treasuries of his bounty and goodness will not these supple us and bend us hereunto surely then these will 1. Without abounding in walking and pleasing God all our labour is utterly lost which we have formerly taken all the righteousness that we have done shall not be mentioned Ezech. 18.24 it 's a rule among Divines Bona opera subsequenti peccato mortificari eademque rursum per poenitentiam vivificari Estius in Gal. 3.4 That good works are made unfruitful and dead by sin following them and enlivened and quickned anew by repentance following sin let me therefore expostulate this Case with you shall we lose all our labour hitherto Have we suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain Gal. 3.4 for I hope better things of you and those that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as touch upon and lay hold upon and are continued with Eternal Life O Beloved consider the danger of standing at a stay See Notes on Gal. 4.19 3. If ye give over your abounding in walking and pleasing God all your labour hath been spent in vain if ye go on and abound your labour is not in vain 'T is a Meiosis which the Apostle hath 1 Cor. 15. ult My beloved brethren be ye stable and immoveable alwayes abounding in every good work of the Lord. Estius in locum So many Translations have it and so it is Col. 1.10 and 2 Thess 2.17 knowing this that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. No all the reward of Life Eternal is suspended upon non-perseverance and abounding in walking and pleasing God This is too glorious a mirrour for the greatest part of those who call themselves Christian Men to behold themselves in for let us look I beseech you with an impartial eye into our own selves and compare our selves now with our selves some years agoe Let us examine our own hearts whether we are any whit better yea or no Is there not the same faith knowledge hope confidence love patience meekness and the same degree of all these in us which was perhaps many years ago If so how do we abound here 's no increase at all how do we walk and please God walking is a motion and going on here 's no such matter Let us instance if ye please is not our Love confined within a few of our own Sect and Religion whatever that is Doth it any whit extend it self beyond that Nay do we not love them only which love us and is this to abound except we seign some such wretch as is in every respect his own all in all but he loves some besides himself Nabal and Laban the two Churles that Anagrammatize one the others name loved their own they were good to their own blood their kindred and acquaintance The rich man in hell loved his brethren and yet if we be so good to these only we are in effect but good unto our selves we make our selves our own centre and circumference And this
not so for we never read that he was sick or that he laughed because these are not common to all men for some are of so happy a constitution of body and mind and healthful that they are never sick nor is that so generally true that the Philosophers should define a man by it unless it be meant of the power to laugh because some are reported very seldom or never to have laughed and were therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But a more special reason there was why our Lord Jesus never laughed Among the manifold ends of his incarnation this was one and a principal one he came to be an example unto us of mortification and therefore though the Scripture propound him to us to be followed as our pattern in Love John 15. Eph. 5. in humility and meekness Matth. 11.28 John 15. S. Peter singles out mortification as that wherein he is principally to be imitated 1 Pet. 2 21. Hence we understand that though Christ according to his Divine nature be the power of God and wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 yet as he takes part of flesh and blood he partakes also of the infirmities and frailties of flesh and blood as to us a child is born Esay 9. So as a child he is said to be weak 2 Cor. 13.4 We are weak with him and he is said not to know some things as a man Object But some will say what need any one labour to prove that Christ was incarnate or made man this Article of Faith is so well known that it needs neither proof nor explication No although it were well known and to all yet the declaration of it were not needless for things well known are commanded yet to be declared as the Passover Exod. 12.26 27. Christs death 1 Cor. 11. Shew forth the Lords death until he come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what if we say that Christ's incarnation is not yet well known Then surely it will be needful to explain it and declare it Now certain it is that Christ's incarnation is not well known to all for mysteries great mysteries are properly of things hidden See Notes on Matth. 13.11 Do ye not read of a Mystery of God and of Christ Col. 2.2 which Paul very highly esteemed of Eph. 3.4 Now Christs incarnation is a mystery and therefore not so well known as men commonly conceive 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of godliness God made manifest in the flesh c Beloved all which is commonly known and spoken of Christs incarnation as his manifestation in the flesh amounts not to a mystery but is so easie that a child of eight or nine years old may understand it and if they who call themselves the Ministers of the Gospel teach the Doctrine of Christs incarnation no otherwise I know not how they will approve themselves such as they would be accounted 1 Cor. 4.1 It is a Mystery of Godliness Christ made manifest in the flesh Christs taking part of our flesh and blood I say of our flesh and blood for whereas a main benefit is here intended to the children of God if he took flesh only in his humane person what would that profit the children what benefit to you and me ye remember John 15.45 Abide in me and I in you and he that abideth in me and I in him c. There is a mutual communication and participation between Christ and those that are Christs and therefore when he takes part of flesh and blood with us and becomes man he mans us with himself inwardly and outwardly 1. Inwardly and that passively with a soft meek suffering spirit 2. Actively imparting to us an heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 Zach. 12.10 This is no other than that like mind of suffering wherewith the Apostle exhorts us to arm our selves for the spiritual battel 1 Pet. 4.1 He suffers of us and in us for our sins cause with us and bears all the weakness and injuries of flesh and blood in not resisting sin yet in conspiring with it Gal. 3.1 2 3. James 5.6 Ye have condemned and killed the just one i. e. the Lord Jesus Christ Rev. 13.8 The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Esay 53.5 He was wounded of our transgressions and bruised of our sins and iniquities He suffers with us hath a sympathy and fellow-feeling with us when we suffer sorrows for our sins or failings and the remaining of our enemies In all your afflictions he was afflicted Psalm 80.15 also when we mourn for the absence of the Bridegroom Esay 63.9 Revel 3.20 2. He mans us also actively when he works in us what is pleasing in his sight when he speaks in us 2 Cor. 13.3 prays in us Rom. 8.15 We have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father praiseth in us the Father Heb. 2.12 I will sing praise to thee in the midst of the Church He takes part also of our flesh and blood outwardly when by his spiritual incarnation in us we become his Temple 1 Cor. 3.17 and 6.19 a portable Temple Verse 20. When we become members of his body Verse 15. yea of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.20 yea so far his as not our own 1 Cor. 6.20 yea so far as to maintain life of his flesh and blood He gives his own flesh and blood from Heaven John 6.53 Which truly may justly blame very many of us I fear who though the Lord Jesus bring his flesh and blood and offer us participation of it yet we yield to him as little of our flesh and blood as may be Thy Brother thine own flesh and blood hath offended thee now what saith the Spirit of Jesus Put on as the elect of God bowels of mercy forgiving one another c. Col. 3.12 13. He that is not ashamed to call thee Brother he inwardly speaks unto thee to shew compassion towards thy Brother he tells thee vengeance is not thine but his But dost thou reply flesh and blood cannot endure such an affront such an injury Nor shall flesh and blood enter the Kingdom of God Many are content that Christ should take part of their flesh ond blood so far as to take away their sins or rather to cover their sinful flesh and blood with his holy flesh and blood but remember that though men bless themselves c. Esay 32.1 There is a woe denounced to the covering that is not of his spirit Esay 30.1 Exhort Let us yield our flesh and blood unto the Lord Jesus let him take part of us what is it unto us if he take part of all other if not of us receive him If he have taken part of our flesh and blood then is he in us and if Christ be in us the body is dead because of sin the spirit is life because of righteousness Rom. 8.10 Christ if so in us is not idle in us but works in us the spiritual Circumcision Col. 2.11 So that wheresoever and in whomsoever
have to deal withal even him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sure mercies of David Esay 55.3 the goodness of God Hos 4.5 the love of God Col. 1. Heb. 4.15 For we have not an high priest that cannot be touched c. Observ 3. How contrary is this among the men of the same mould Non bene conveniunt nec in una sede morantur Majestas Amor. As if they were only above us to domineer over their brethren Whereas indeed they are lifted up above others that they may be better towards all Therefore Governours are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clouds as Job 29.23 otherwise no better than what Jude vers 12. speaks of clouds without water Repreh Who go on in their sins in confidence of the merciful high Priest and his compassions towards them Mark to whom the high Priest is to shew mercy Hebr. 5.1 2. As for impenitent fearless men there 's no promise to such yea the Psalmist imprecates or prays against wilful transgressors Be not merciful to those who offend of malicious wickedness Psal 59.5 Numb 15.30 Yea Christ is a faithfull high Priest and therefore he will not be prodigal but liberal and plentiful in mercy Object Rom. 9.18 To whom he will c. but he tells us who those are Psal 103.11 13. Exod. 20.6 Consol To the sinful if penitent soul the Lord Jesus invites such unto himself Matt. 11. what though weak though feeble if willing towards God and his Righteousness 2 Sam. 9. David sends for Mephibosheth the Son of Jonathan lame on both his feet what 's that to us Worldly businesses and desires of earthly things cause us to halt in via morum as Gregory speaks yet even such an one who is ashamed and blusheth and dare not lift up his face unto God that 's Mephibosheth shame and confusion of face even such an one a Son of Jonathan born of the Spirit the true David the Lord Jesus Christ rejects not but invites him to himself Mephibosheth fell upon his face What am I saith he that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am Fear not saith David I will shew thee mercy for Jonathans sake though lame and impotent and unable for the service of our God if ashamed of our selves and our weakness yet if willing the Lord calls such lame and weak ones unto himself Luk. 14.13 O! but alas I am not capable of mercy by reason of my manifold sins Joh. 8. The Woman taken in Adultery and now brought to repentance finds mercy O but my heart condemns me though no man else and that 's a thousand witnesses against me 1 Joh. 3.20 See Notes on 1 Cor. 11. He knows thy sorrow thy pious purpose for without repentance there is no hope of mercy 1 King 8.33 Yea prayer will do no good unless the prayer of the penitent vers 25-47 48. If the Prodigal return to himself Luk. 15. 2 Sam. 12.13 it 's that which the Lord looks for Job 33.27 28 29. Exhort We who ever we are who hope that the Lord will make us Priests unto his Father that we become like unto him Merciful so all those whom the Lord makes Priests are qualified so Job testifieth of himself Job 31.19 And the Psalmist gives it as a common character of all who fear God Psal 112.4 It is his command whose Priests they are Zach. 7.9 He gives example in himself Luk. 6.36 and 15.20 Exod. 20.6 This mercy is not without example so not without reward Prov. 14.21 O beatum illum qui gratiam facit pauperibus Mat. 5.7 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtain mercy It 's more acceptable to God than sacrifice Mat. 9.13 and 12.7 It 's the primary will of God the other is the secondarry less principal and only good in order to the first so vain is the pretence of Godliness without mercy The most pious of the Jews were most mercifull unto men and were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea what St. Matthew hath be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Matt. 5. ult St. Luke for that hath be mercifull as your heavenly father is mercifull Luk. 6.36 Media Consider mans frailty and misery and put thy self in his condition Psal 41.1 Our Lord became man that he might be merciful to man Ephes 4.32 Alas I have not wherewithal If not the Lord bids thee not give alms but be merciful Joh. 3.17 Hebr. 13.3 1 Pet. 3.8 In these cases we are wont to use pretences therefore we are ready to alledge the man is a stranger to me Is he more strange to thee than thou hast been to thy God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.18 David's followers shewed mercy to such 1 Sam. 30.11 12. But he is mine enemy so hast thou been to thy God whatever thou yet art Coloss 1.21 Enemies in your minds by evil works upon these terms and considerations the Israelites were merciful to the Jews their brethren though now in actual war against them 2 Chron. 28 10-15 But he is mine enemy and unthankful I have deserved better at his hands And hast not thou been unthankful to thy God who is yet mercifull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 6. And he hath given thee a command to love even thine enemies Mat. 5. this is the kindness of God 2 Sam. 9. David seeks for some of the house of Saul his mortal enemy and unthankful to him that he may shew the kindness of God unto him 3. He must be a faithfull high Priest in things belonging to God 1. What is Faith 2. what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faithful which may be understood of God or Man active or passive as he who faithfully dischargeth that wherewithal he is trusted as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 24.48 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 12.42 It 's understood of God also 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful 2. Passively the word may be understood such as we understand him to be God or Man whom we dare trust and both these wayes Christ the high Priest the Mediator between both is faithful in discharge of his Office of Priesthood Thus Moses was faithfull as a servant but Christ as a Son Hebr. 2. Such he is to whom for his experience of our miseries and compassion on us we may well trust all we have and all we are as the Apostle speaks I know whom I have trusted This faithfulness of the High Priest is in regard of the object personal and real and they are both in the Text 1. Personal and so the high Priest must be faithful to God Vulg. Lat. fidelis ad deum 2. The real object are the things of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed both these objects are necessary for if a man be said to be faithful to one it must be in regard of some thing committed to his trust and if a man be faithful in regard of some thing committed to his trust it is
necessary that he be faithful also to him who committed it unto him So the things of God were committed unto the High Priest and he is faithful in those things God the Father made Christ an high Priest and committed the things of God unto him and Christ the high Priest was faithfull unto him that appointed him Hebr. 3.2 Both 1. In his inward humanity 2. In the inward sacrificing of himself and the sin it self in the believers who seek his grace and help The Reason why the high Priest must be faithful may be understood from consideration of the Covenant between God the Father and the Mediator which we have Psal 40.6 7 8. which our Apostle applyes Hebr. 10 5-9 Here the Father is understood vertually to stipulate and enjoyn the Lord Jesus Christ his Spiritual Priesthood and the faithful execution of it unto which stipulation he makes promise Observ 1. Herein we have our Lord Jesus Christ accomplishing and fullfilling his Priesthood faithfully which was typically enjoyn'd and faithfully executed by Moses and Aaron Hebr. 3.10 and promised to be raised up 1 Sam. 2.35 Jer. 33.18 Zach. 3.5 6 7. Observ 2. If Christ be a faithful high Priest then ought we and all believers also whom he makes Priests unto God to be faithful in execution of our Priests Office we have many kind of offerings to offer unto God of which mention is made before our free-will-offering sin-offering the whole burnt-offering prayer and praises let us be faithful to our God in these Exhort Be faithful one to other in things belonging unto men See Notes on Zeph. 1.7 houses full of deceit c. in medio libro Repreh Our unfaithfulness in so great an Office as the Priests is when we are initiated unto that Office and by Baptism consecrated unto God to sacrifice and consume the whole body of sin continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections and we keep part of it to our selves to deal so with God as the Poets say of their Prometheus that he ate the fat of his Sacrifice himself and gave Jupiter the bones to spend their strength of youth in voluptuousness c. Job 21.24 and lay the old bones upon Gods Altar Was not Eli the high Priest rejected of God for his unfaithfulness in that he honoured his Sons before God 1 Sam. 2. And did not the Lord promise to raise up a faithful Priest which was indeed Christ himself and shall we think that now when Christ is raised up that faithful and true high Priest he will suffer his Sons who are all those who are given unto him by the Father that he will suffer these to mince and steal Gods Sacrifices and take them to themselves That he will suffer us to offer half or some part of the body of sin and hide the rest and keep it for our selves Is not Christ the faithful high Priest the faithful Witness also of our thoughts and can any secret actions be hidden from him Do not they hope this who say their sins are covered when yet they retain guile in their spirit these are properly Hophnites i. e. such as cover their sins so Hophni signifieth co-operiens let such Hophnites know that they shall not prosper He that covereth his sins shall not prosper Let such as these bless themselves as if that blessedness belonged to them which the Prophet David speaks of and the Apostle interprets Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven and their sins covered Psal 32.1 Rom. 4.7 Let these go boldly on in their sins while they retain guile and unfaithfulness in their spirits their pretence of assurance of Faith is boldness and presumption not true Faith like Phineas which signifieth boldness of face the brother of Hophni both false and unfaithful in their Priests Office first hiding and covering their sins with a covering that is not of Gods spirit Isa 30.1 that 's Hophni and then bold and presumptuous as presuming themselves blessed because they fancy their sins to be covered while yet they have guile in their spirits and that is Phineas but the Lord threatens they shall both die in one day Like unfaithfulness is justly to be charged on them who think it enough in things belonging unto God to serve him with their mind and their heart as they pretend when yet in regard of real performance they are altogether defective yea false and unfaithfull Aiunt quidam satis habere se deum corde animo suspiciatur licet actu minus fiat saith Tertullian in his book de Poenitentia that is saith he Salva castitate matrimonium violare to break wedlock yet to keep ones chastity to temper a poysoned cup for his Father yet salva pietate without breach of duty and reverence to his Father and such as these saith he without prejudice to their pardon shall be thrust down to hell while they sin without prejudice to Religion and the fear of God Will any man believe his Wife if she shall say Husband my mind is with you while she prostitutes her flesh to another man Our Lord Jesus must be a merciful and faithful high Priest c. Both qualifications must meet in him who is our high Priest and the Reason may be from the office of his Mediatorship which is to be performed between God and Men and therefore as he must be mercifull unto men so he must be also faithfull unto God in things belonging unto God Whence it is that the Wise Man tells us that by mercy and truth or faithfulness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquity is purged Prov. 16.1 being both necessary and in order to the work of reconciliation Hence it is that the Lord Jesus is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13.34 not only the mercies of David but the sure and faithful mercies of David Observ In the Lord Jesus the due qualifications of a Mediator between God and Man mercy and faithfulness a rare temper and allay of one by the other a most merciful high Priest he is for men yet so that he is a most faithful high Priest in things belonging to God most merciful he is but his Mercy must not exceed terminos decentiae his Mercy must not degenerate and soften him into remisness but must be allayed by faithfulness towards God He is a most faithful High Priest in things belonging unto God But his faithfulness towards God must not make him rigorous and over-severe his faithfulness toward God must be bounded with mercifulness toward men Observ 2. Note here a glorious pattern and example in the Lord Jesus Christ to be followed by all those who undertake to be umpires in differences and mediators among their Brethren 't is possible humour affection and too much lenity may sway us towards our miserable Brother But remember Ecclus 23.3 Thou shalt not countenance a poor man in his cause Chald. Paraph. Thou shalt not pity him in judgment as Levit. 19.15 Thou shalt not countenance the face of the great man 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could Aristotle say It 's an holy thing to observe truth and faithfulness before ones friend Equity and Justice knows neither one nor other it stands impartial 2 Chron. 19.6 7. Exhort To faithfulness in things belonging to God in offering up our daily Sacrifices in all things in the Mammon of unrighteousness Luke 16.9 Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you c. Exhort Let not mercy and truth or faithfulness forsake thee Prov. 3.3 Write them upon the Table of thine heart Joseph Matth. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if such we be it shall be said to us as to that servant Matth. 25.21 23. Well done thou good and faithful servant enter into the joy of thy Lord. Observ 2. The office of the High Priest is about spiritual things things belonging to God in these the High Priest busied him and in these Christ the High Priest was wholly taken up and therefore when Luke 12.13 one said unto him Master speak to my Brother that he divide the inheritance with me he said unto him Man who made me a judge and divider over you Nor would the Apostles busie themselves with any thing else but the word of God and Prayer When mention was made of temporal things our Lord diverted them to eternal bread water c. Observ 3. The Lord Jesus is said to be first a merciful High Priest and then a faithful the Apostle names mercy before faithfulness because in their execution mercy precedes Deut. 20.10 11. Tamerlane the King hung out his white Flag first 1 Kings 19.15 16 17. Elias had complained of the Idolatry of the ten Tribes the Lord commanded to anoint Hazael Jehu and Elisha but though Elisha be last named he is first anointed Why so That the Lord might first shew his mercy and goodness before his severity that he might first exhibit and offer Grace in Elisha before judgment in Hazael and Jehu that he might first kill gladio oris before ore gladii thus when the Lord would declare his name to Moses Exod. 34.6 he puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merciful and gracious in the first place and to shew that his mercy endures for ever in Christ there is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby he alludes unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tender plant as Christ is often called having promised all these names of mercy and grace lest his mercy and grace should be abused he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purificando non purificabit Psalm 101. first Mercy then Judgment 2. As these words have the respect of an end upon them it behoved him in all things to be like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest he must be like unto his Brethren that he might be 1. An High Priest 2. A merciful High Priest 3. A faithful High Priest c. 4. That he may make reconciliation for the sins of the people Of the three former I have spoken in their absolute nature I shall now speak of them as the end of his similitude and likeness to his Brethren 1. He must be like c. That he might be an High Priest What reason for that Because the High Priest is taken from among men and is for men Heb. 5.12 And therefore the Lord Christ must be man also and like unto his Brethren from among whom he is taken and for whom he is ordained 2. That he may be a merciful High Priest But what need is there that he should be made man that he may be a merciful High Priest Confer with what hath been said before Exhort Our Lord became man that he might be a merciful High Priest And let us consider man's frailty misery poverty and put our selves in their condition Psalm 41.1 He must be made like unto his Brethren c. That he might be a faithful High Priest Did the Lord Jesus want faithfulness that he must be made like unto his Brethren in all things that he might be a faithful High Priest Is not God faithful 1 Cor. 10. It is true God is faithful and so Christ as he is God but that Christ may be a faithful High Priest in offering up himself as a Sacrifice causing his Brethren to be faithful in offering up their Sacrifice it was requisite that he should be made like unto his Brethren that should be faithful 4. That he may make reconciliation for the sins of the people The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he may expiate the sins of the people the word we render expiate and to make reconciliation for is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred by another full word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make propitiations which Eustathius calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine words which may be deduced from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the Syriack is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth God The High Priest the Lord Jesus makes reconciliation for the sins of the people 1. Passively 2. Actively 1. Passively by his inward and outward sufferings his dolours and agonies of his Soul the buffetings and scourgings or contradictions of sinners against himself yea the suffering of death it self 2. Actively and that two ways 1 Purgatively by incorporating and imbodying by fleshing us with his flesh for so Believers are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5. and arming us with a lowly meek obedient wise watchful and long-suffering mind and Spirit and spiritual blood whereby we are enabled against carnal and fleshly pollutions as also against spiritual defilements 2. Meritoriously by taking away the guilt of those sins whereof we have repented and which we have left Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Reason In regard of the people and of God and Christ 1. The people necessity required it 2. God the Father who gave his Son and the Son who gave himself and works by his Word and Spirit in the hearrs of sinful people winning them and reconciling them unto God ye have all these together 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Observ 1. The Love of the Father John 3.16 Observ 2 The Love of the Son Passus est quia voluit Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it See Notes on Hebr. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Observ 3. Hence we may learn wherein Reconciliation consists 1. In Christ's exemplary death for our sins 2. Purging us from our sins by his like death 3. Giving himself a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransom for the expiation and taking away the guilt of sins purged out of us 4. Reconciliation to God cannot be made without the purging and cleansing us from our sin from the stain of it and from the guilt of it Psalm 65.2 3 4. Blessed is the man whom
but not Samuel in Christ's time who all these but not Christ and his Apostles these shall be rejected among the ungodly Ezech. 33.33 Then they shall know that a Prophet hath been among them 2. So we can allow Christ hereafter and for ever but not in our time It is not time yet that the Lords house should be built say they in Hagg. 1.2 Elias was to come that they all knew when he came they examine him by what Authority he baptized Joh. 1. The Messiah they knew was to come but when he came they must know by what Authority he did his Mighty Works They acknowledged neither John Baptist nor Christ present that they might take all the honour to themselves Tell us of sobriety spotlesness c. that must be in another world 1 Pet. 1.13 and 2 Pet. 3.14 Reproves the madness of the people who obtrude every new fangled Opinion of their own upon Christ Africa semper aliquid opportat novi Consol To the poor Soul frighted with the changeable condition wherein it is Jesus Christ is Jehovah he changeth not Mal. 3.6 That is the cause of my fear Nay that should be the cause of thy confidence in his Mercy though it be true of all the Divine Attributes that they are everlasting yet not any one of them is said so often to continue for ever as his Mercy his Mercy it endures for ever And therefore the Prophet having said I am the Lord I change not presently adds therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed Sons of Jacob i. e. ye weaklings as Jacob is the type of the Church in the weakness nonage and minority of it as Isaac in the strength of it If Christ be mine enemy if he lay siege against us who can help us Our God is a consuming fire If Christ be for us who can be against us but if he be against us who can be for us Say unto the Righteous it shall be well with them Isai 3.10 When Joshuah besieged Jericho he gave special charge that Rahab the Harlot should live she that had gone a whoring from her God but had now returned with a large heart to entertain the messengers of Joshuah sent unto her yea and Joshuah himself The Jews have a tradition that she was married to Joshuah but Matt. 1. we read she was the Wife of Salmon however it will be true in the mystery But if mine iniquities be not consumed they will consume me it was the exception ye read the people made Ezech. 33.10 11. Thus ye speak saying if our transgression and our sins be upon us and we pine away in them how should we then live Say unto them thus saith the Lord Behold I even I will both search my sheep and seek them out as a Shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his Sheep that are scattered c. If therefore thou turn from thine evil way thou shalt live To such weak Sons of Jacob the Lord Jesus Christ is promised Esay 59.20 The Redeemer shall come to Zion and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord. O but mine iniquities pursue me and my sins lay fast hold on me c. Though I turn from mine iniquities mine iniquities will not turn from me But whether is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world Is he not said to be a Saviour Why is he called Jesus Is it not because be shall save his people from their sins And therefore mark how S. Paul read that very Text Esay 39.20 which he quotes Rom. 11.26 27. There shall come out of Sion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saviour or Deliverer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall turn away iniquity from Jacob They turn from their sins saith the Prophet He turns their sins and iniquities from them Yea thus doing he is a true Jesus a true Saviour he presently adds This is my covenant with them when I shall take away their sins But the troubled soul oftentimes is not so quieted For when after the rebellion of Core Numb 17. The Rod of Aaron had budded a token unto them of the Priesthood of Christ that flourished and should flourish and the Lord had commanded it to be kept for a token against the Rebels vers 10. and this promise added Thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me that they dye not The children of Israel thereupon complain and speak to Moses Behold we dye we perish we all perish c. Doth the Lord so leave his poor weak people under their guilt and torment of conscience Look I beseech ye into chap. 18.1 There the Lord imposeth a task upon Aaron and his Sons That they should bear the iniquity of the Priesthood c. So Ezechiel the besieger bears the iniquity of Jerusalem besieged Ezâ—â—h 4.5 And what is the end of all this vers 5. That there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel What is this to us Jesus Christ is the true Priest and the Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec and Jesus is made a surety of a better Testament than Aaron Hebr. 7.23 The Priesthood of Aaron was continued in Aaron's Sons and in conclusion that Priesthood had an end But this man because he continueth ever hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unchangeable Priesthood or a Priesthood that descends not from one to another And what followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Therefore he is able to save to the uttermost from his sin and that sin and that iniquity and all the degrees of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for evermore Margin And he ever lives to make intercession for them NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS UPON JAMES I. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves THey are the first words of the Epistle appointed for this day wherein S. James claims our best attention and audience unto the word of God Be ye hearers of the word which some would have the principal scope of this Text but it 's the less of the two Duties he requires and his illustration is à minori He requires rather our obedience and action than our audience and attention only and accordingly by reason enforceth the performance of it Be ye doers of the word not hearers only So that ye may perceive it is not my purpose to set hearing and doing at odds the one is never well performed without the other for we never do as we ought unless we first hear what we ought to do nor ever hear we as we ought unless we do also what we hear And therefore when as in those first and purest times of the Church the Serpent had corrupted their minds by subtilty and taught them to abstract one Duty from another or rather to perform one and the same Duty by halfs our Apostle discovers the deceit and urgeth the performance of both Duties
as he sends forth unto a perverse and rebellious people All the eight Preachers before the Flood especially Noah were Confessors and Preachers of Righteousness before a perverse and gain-saying world Lot was a Confessor in Sodom so was Job in the Land of Vz among the Edomites These testified of God and Christ unto the Heathen and when God 's own people were become like the Heathen Ezech. 2.3 must testifie to them saying Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are a rebellious house To him give all the Prophets witness Acts 10.43 He hath not left himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without witness Acts 14.17 All the Holy Men of God in their time have been Confessors of Christ Heb. 12.1 a Cloud of Witnesses Repreh 1. This justly reprehends many of us both 1. Who pretend to Confess Christ and 2. Before whom Confession is made 1. They who pretend to Confess Christ either 1. Know him not or 2. If they know him yet live him not 1. They who pretend to Confess Christ yet know him not for Confession necessarily supposeth Knowledge of what we confess if we know not Christ how can we confess him shall we confess or profess what we know not But we do know Christ There is a Knowledge according to the Flesh and according to the Letter a Knowledge according to the History But what saith the Apostle of that 2 Cor. 5.17 Though I have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know I him so no more Our Knowledge Confession and Profession of Christ must be of Christ as he is the Image of God the Eternal Life c. And our knowledge of him must be not Historical only but Experimental 1 Joh. 1.1 2. Such Confessors were the Apostles otherwise the Devils themselves they know Christ and they confessed him also Mark 1.34 Luk. 4.41 whom therefore our Lord would not suffer to confess him no nor some men neither who believed Joh. 2.23 24 25. see the place What great matter then do they who Confess Profess and boast of Christ which indeed they have no knowledge of which yet is a great part of the Religion that is to be found at this day in the world Joh. 5.37 38. And the Father himself which hath sent me hath born witness of me ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape and ye have not his word abiding in you for whom he hath sent him ye believe not These Confessors therefore are like him that had seen the World in a Map and the Heavens in a Globe and made long relations of them because when one asked him more particularly of some place he confessed he was never there only he had read it in Books Their conversation is not in Heaven and heavenly things in Christ who make such plausible confessions of him But what saith the Apostle Rom. 15.18 I dare not speak of any thing which Christ hath not wrought in me or by me Therefore Gal. 1.15 16. When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me that I might teach him to the Gentiles wherefore how preposterous a course do many take who presume to Preach and Teach Christ and his Truth before themselves have learned to confess what they know not what is this but to give a false Testimony of Christ Repr 2. Do we know such a Christ as the Scripture testifieth of and why then do we not confess such an one in our lives Pudet haec opprobria nobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli These are but words when occasion is offered to Confess Christ as when is there not what manner of men are we then A Soldier he vaunts and boasts of his valour what he will do a Pyrgopolynices a miles gloriosus when there is danger he is anoother man what a shameful thing is this is not such an one to be cashiered when the case so requires that thou shouldst endure hardship as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ Men are commonly such in point of Confession and Profession of Christ yet think there is no shame belongs to it Repreh 3. Those before whom Confession is made Men desire not to hear of any other Christ then what they have in themselves which I fear is no other than an Antichrist and false Christ Stultus non intelliget nisi ea dixeris quae sibi consentanea sunt Prov. 18. A fool will understand nothing but what agrees with his own knowledge And so there is an envious Christ a proud Christ a covetous Christ and so they think wickedly that there is such a one as themselves Psal 50. This is that which our Saviour foretold and is fulfilled in these evil dayes Mat. 24. That there should be false Christs and false Prophets Therefore there must be such Christians as St. Paul 1 Tim. 3.1 foretold would be He was a true Prophet as we shall easily find if we compare with this description and prophesie the Professors and Confessors in these our dayes envious professors covetous professors wrathful and revengeful professors drunken professors lecherous professors Great need there is therefore of comfort and strength yea strong consolation unto young and weak Confessors and Professors of Christ True it is to confess Christ brings with it manifold inconveniencies to the flesh But as Tertullian for the Church in his time Nihil ille de causa sua deprecatur quia nec de conditione miratur scit se peregrinam in terris agere inter extraneos facilè inimicos invenire Mark how the Lord comforts such Esay 51.12 I even I am he that comforteth thee Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man Alas I can easily bear the outward opposition but I am wanting and not able to make such outward profession as I see others do Religion hath as well an outside as an inside what though thou canst not make such plausible outward shews of Christ and Christianity as others do It is not outward appearance but the inward shape of God Joh. 5. That Image of God in thee which thy God respects What if thou hast not that form of Godliness which the world hath alwayes doted upon even a Religion that can be seen or felt if thou hast the form of God if Christ be formed in thee Gal. 4.19 What though thou canst not talk much of God or make much ostentation the Lord requires not so much oral or mouth-confession as the confession of the life When the Life speaks and confesseth and professeth Christ Psal 65. Tibi silentium laus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the silent or patient going on in well doing that confesseth Christ c. See Notes on Rom. 15. Rom. 2.6 7. There is a great difference between Christ's confession of us and our confession of him Repreh 1. Those who promise themselves that Jesus Christ shall own and confess them before his Father yet they mean time confess not him before men When Christ's promise
to confess own and acknowledge us is spoken of O then his Faithfulness and Truth his Mercy and Goodness his Promise and his Oath are alledged the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby it is impossible for God to lie these and many like are brought to confirm us in our hope that Christ will not fail us But when our duty is required and we urged to confess Jesus Christ in our life upon which condition Jesus Christ makes his Promise unto us alas we are impotent and weak and unable to perform it We will have Christ surely bound to us but we will be dissolute and loose our selves Would any man deal so with an honest man as we commonly deal with Jesus Christ Repreh 2. Those who prefer the confession of men before the confession of Jesus Christ himself They confessed him not because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God 2. Him will Christ confess before his Father which i◠in Heaven Wherein we have the Promise which contains these Three things 1. God the Father is the Father of Jesus Christ 2. He is in Heaven 1. God the Father is the Father of Jesus Christ 1. God is said to be a Father in respect of diverse Sons and Children for so we read in Scripture mention made of diverse Sons confer with Notes on Heb. 1. This vindicates and asserts the Deity and consequently the Supreme Authority of Jesus Christ so the Jews reason Joh. 5.18 He said that God was his Father making himself equal with God Phil. 2.6 2. Heaven is not only that material and visible body well known by that name of which I shall have occasion to speak more largely but 2. also see Notes on Mat. 13.11 3. Besides these two wayes by Heaven also are understood the heavenly minded ones the Saints of God the Believers and Confessors of Jesus Christ Coelum est ubi culpa cessavit Heaven is where there is no sin Austin See Notes on Rom. 15.11 1. Now which way soever we understand the words they are true 1. God the Father is in the material and visible Heavens But the Heaven of heavens cannot contain him 1 King 8.27 2. He hath prepared his own dwelling which is himself Psal 93.2 Thy Throne stands fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from him i. e. from Eternity What Throne is from Eternity What but God alone is from Eternity and so he presently adds Thou art from Eternity Hence it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place is taken by the Jews for one of the Names of God 3. God is in his Saints his Heaven upon Earth in whom his Will is done Esay 45.14 1 Cor. 14. God is in the Generation of the Righteous Zach. 13.9 I will say they are my people and they shall say thou art my God When Jesus Christ imparts his Spirit to them without which no man can say that Jesus is the Lord. He wants not our Testimony John 2. Nec ullis hominum honoribus fieri potest honoratior nec de ullis mortalium ignominiis obscurior But the Will of our Lord is that his Wisdom Power and Goodness should by men be declared and testified unto men 3. Him who confesseth Christ Christ will confess before his Father which is in Heaven 4. How is it to be understood that Christ will confess such as confess him before his Father which is in Heaven To confess one is to give testimony unto one for confession is a testimony for Christ therefore to confess such before his Father which is in Heaven is to testifie of them own them and acknowledge them and as our confession of Christ both outward and inward on Earth so his confession of us before his Father but with difference he confesseth us we bless Christ and he blesseth us we confer nothing on him but he on us His blessings turn us from iniquities Acts 3. we honour him and he us we add nothing to him but he to us Rom. 2.10 Glory Honour and Immortality Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Joh. 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me Thus they who do the will of the Father which is in Heaven these are Christ's brethren Mat. 12.48 49. And these he acknowledgeth and owneth as such Heb. 2.11 Nor is God ashamed to be called their God Heb. 11.16 What here St. Matthew reports our Lord's words I will confess him before my Father c. St. Luke 12.8 hath before the Angels of God because the Father manifests his Glory by the Ministry of Angels Thousand thousands Dan. 7. minister to him Michajah saith I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne Thus he gave the Law by the disposition of Angels whence God and the Angels are used promiscuously Exod. 20.1 God spake these words c. i. e. the Decalogue which Heb. 2.2 is called the Word spoken by Angels Now because the Son of God coming to judgement appears in the Glory of the Father attended by the Angels 2 Thes 1.7 St. Mark 8.38 the parallel to my Text put 's the Glory of the Father and the Holy Angels together when he comes in the Glory of the Father with the Holy Angels Our Lord shewed not alwayes how great he was yea oftentimes he hid his greatness but declared how little how lowly and humble how meek how obedient he was that thereby he might teach us the way to the highest honour that comes of God only Who is there of us declares the like Obs 1. There is no loss in suffering loss for our confession of Christ we confess him before men and he confesseth us before his Father What comparison is there between the Son of God and us So vile we are without him that he might disdain our testimony and what we do in honour of him is by his enabling of us without whom we can do nothing 1 Cor. 12 3. Yet he rewards our confession of him with his confession of us And if there be so little proportion between him and us whom yet he enables to confess him how great a disproportion is there between him and those before whom we confess him Obs 2. See the excellency of this Duty which our Lord recompenseth with so great a reward truly it is much greater and more noble then at first happily we are aware of Men commonly blame Peter for denying of Christ and that if they had been in his place they would have confessed him that they would Well put thy self by imagination in the like circumstances suppose Authority discountenanced Christ what wouldst thou do wouldst thou make good St. Peter's resolution rather die with Christ than deny him bravely resolved But come now to confess Christ is not in word but in deed Christ is the wisdom of God and that wisdom is opposite and quite contrary to the wisdom of the world What sayest thou darest thou own this wisdom which the world opposeth Love your enemies bless