adorning however fashionable though I have been much blamed for not preaching in the fashion yet is not without some suspicion of lightness I have ever affected perspicuity as the best elegancy For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or clearness of expression is one of the best flowers of Oratory and too many Rhetorical colours keep out the light and excess of embroydery obscures the ground of truth Nor indeed can any who know my weekly imployments look for any other then plain work from me but that such as the Women call Plain-work which is lasting necessary and handsom enough and will I believe in time work out all vain and superfluous curiosities Let the truth of God appear in its native lustre and beauty And let all Philology and all humane learning be as a dark ground and foyl to set it off or like an ill-favoured Waiting woman who improves the beauty of her fair Lady Such must the captive Maid be as S. Hierom compares her Deut. 21. v. 12. who must have her head shaven her nayles made to grow which is the readier way to make nayles according to the Hebrew then to pare them as our Translators turn that phrase beside its scope and all means used to make her ugly and deformed 1 Cor. 11.6 that the divine truth alone may be fair and beautiful in our sight As for those men who now for many years have rendred me odious unto such as know me not and have endeavoured to smother me like a Rat behinde the Hangings traducing me as a man of an erroneous judgement a dangerous man one who turns the Scriptures into Allegories c. I heartily pray to the Lord for them that he will incline their minds unto a right judgement and that they may be truly such as they pretend and give forth themselves to be Orthodox But meantime what means or way have I left me now in mine old age to approve my self to be of a right judgement beside this Soricina naenia this free discovery of my self unto those who otherwise know me not that all men and especially the godly learned may hereby judge what my errours are and whether I am so dangerous a man to any but to the Devils kingdom which I confess I endeavour to discover by the spiritual armory mighty through God utterly to destroy in my self and others Let them also judge whether Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and the Fathers of the Church have not allegorized the Scriptures Yea whether it ought to be imputed as a fault unto the children that they do Patrizare imitate the fathers and whether that which was ascribed as an ornament of praise unto them should be laid as a reproachful blemish yea and a crime upon their followers And where the Apostle having allegorized many things in the Law and saying of which things I cannot now speak particularly whether by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preterition he doth not forcibly infer that afterward himself or others might particularly speak of them as Allegories Hebr. 9.5 Howbeit I well know I shall have many mouthes open against me yet my comfort is the testimony of my conscience that herein I serve God and my generation Nor do I doubt but some there are who will approve of my labours herein yea and many more when the Day-star is risen whose light now dawns apace will experimentally finde the truth of these things Meantime I beseech those who in some things delivered in this work are of a contrary judgement unto me that however I may be despicable in their eyes yet that they will not rashly and hastily condemn or slight what is presented unto their view but well weigh in the balance of the Sanctuary what is here offered unto their serious consideration and that they would remember they are not infallible but that is possible they may be deceived as much as other men But be the Work and their opinion of it what it will be it must now stand or fall among men according to the Readers opinion of it Judicio Lectoris habent sua fata Libelli It is now at length come forth but with great disadvantage by reason of long expectation Howbeit so long delay is excusable in equity if these things be considered the length of the work part of two sharp Winters which hindred the Press long time together Intervention of other important and instant business at the Press my necessary absence and sickness Causa sontica disabling me from furnishing the Press some time with Copie which truly except three or four Sermons then began to be when it began to be printed and like an hasty birth was conceived and born written and printed almost together Consideration also may bee had of my manifold avocations incident in the interim unto my place and calling Concerning the whole matter thus much I seriously profess that what is true and good in it I own the good God and God of truth for the Donor of it who I am well assured hath been powerfully present with me in it Howbeit in regard of humane weakness no man shall have a meaner opinion of it then I my self have However so some good may be done toward the undeceiving enlightning informing and edifying of those who fear God I value nor work it self nor pains nor credit nor time spent in it Before I conclude this Preface I must give the godly-learned Reader a more particular account of my Method and way of proceeding in this Work When I was entring upon this Essay I intended only an endeavour to make a Miscellaneous discovery of such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oversights in the Translation as were more gross and notorious and so to have observed either no Method at all or that next to none ruere in medias res to take them as I found them But I corrected that intention by consideration how necessary a certain method is in all things And that the Order wherein the Books of the Holy Scriptures are placed must needs be the very best and most satisfactory to all wherefore I resolved upon that and to take what mis-translations I should finde in reading of the Scriptures Howbeit foreseeing that the work by that means would be very long should I take notice of all oversights amend them and explain them at large And on the contrary that should I only rectifie such obliquity without explication it would be very short and so obscure I thought that the Skeleton of meer Criticisms though they be more profitable then some men conceive yet would be useful to the Learned only But since I ought to serve my generation and to condescend unto the capacity of the meanest understanding I have clothed that Skeleton of Criticisms with such moral Explications and Applications as I thought needful to the use of edifying if it so may please God that the Spirit may enter and the dead and dry bones may live I have endeavoured to follow
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my neer ones mine intimate ones Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister either of State as unto the Prince is neer unto him in place and relation so the sons of David were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 8.18 Chief Rulers or Princes for which we read 1 Chron. 18.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the hand of the King and so expressed in the margent of our translation Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Minister of God neer unto God in a typical place and relation as Ezech. 42.13 They are holy chambers where the Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators turn which approach unto the Lord. The words signifie neer unto the Lord. The separate place there is the Holy and Mostholy and therefore Chambers neer it are holy Chambers wherein holy persons the Priests must eat the most holy things And therefore Arias Montanus both in the place before us and in this place of Ezechiel turns the word in question Propinqui neer ones neer unto the Lord in typical place and neer in relation So likewise Tremellius So Luther Piscator and three Low Dutch translations So likewise the Spanish Castellio indeed hath accederent who should come neer but he explains himself in the margent ut libarent that they might facrifice Secondly although the people of God also are said to be neer unto him Psal 148.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Translators render it a people neer unto him yet is the Priest by his office more neer unto God as he who causeth the people to come neer unto God so very often the Priest brings neer him that offereth and his oblation and Moses brings neer Aaron and his sons For the Priest is he whose duty it is to be a middle man between God and the people saith Chrysostom and to make intercession for the people as Moses and Aaron often did And because the Priests are such as intervene and make intercession for the people they ought in reason to be more eminently pious and holy then the people for whom they intercede and in some measure like unto the great High Priest and Intercessor the Lord Jesus Hebr. 7.26 Such intercessors were Noe Samuel Daniel Job and others who were all neer unto God For it is not the office alone but the sobriety and temperance the righteousnness holiness and piety of him who bears it which ingratiates the Intercessor with our God Otherwise they who by office are neer for want of due qualification befitting their office they may be far off And this was the case of these two Priests Nadab and Abihu For since ex malis moribus ortaesunt bonae leges good lawes are occasioned by ill manners it s much to be suspected and some of the Jews Doctors doubt not to affirm it that Nadab and Abihu had erred through wine and strong drink which made them forward in offering their strange fire Whence it was that presently after the burial of these two Priests the Lord gives this charge to Aaron Vers 9. Do not drink wine nor strong drink thou nor thy sons with thee when ye go into the tabernacle of the Congregation lest ye die It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations And the Lord addes reasons for this Law ver 10.11 This sin disposed them to commit another Their Intemperancy inclined them to impiety One sin is not long alone They kindle a fire of their own and worshipped God with their own assumed and pretended holiness There is and hath been much of that which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.23 Will-worship in the Church of Christ for which they are most zelotical who are of a lower dispensation and under the discipline of the father For what they are not able by Scripture and reason out of Scripture to commend unto the consciences of men they commonly enforce upon their belief by an hot heady and ignorant zeal These things were ill boded in the names of these two young Priests Whereof Nadab signifies voluntary implying his own will and choise in the worship of God The other Abihu the father himself as he who was under the dispensation of the Fathers law And such as these commonly obtrude their own Electa sacra their own chosen holiness and what Hierom calls Boni opinio what they think good upon the service and worship of God Which is evil in the people but much worse in the Priest When iniquity thus burns like a fire Esay 9.18 it kindles Gods wrath which is also a fire Deut. 32.22 This sin cannot seem little when the punishment of it is so great even fire by fire and a strange fire by a strange act of God For so he calls his Judgement Esay 28.21 This proceeding of God was most just and necessary For the first trangressors of any law new made are exemplary in their sin and therefore must be exemplary in the punishment also of their sin Whence it was that the Lord ratified his lawes by signal punishments of those who first brake them Thus after the delivery of the moral law though the greatest part of the people sinned by committing idolatry Exad 32. Yet the Lord punished them for that sin by the death of many thousands That rule which holds among men Quod multis peccatur multum est avails not with the Judge of all the world In the example here mentioned the ceremonial Lawes having been newly given in most Chapters foregoing in this book of Leviticus these lrwes first violated by the Priests who of all other ought to have observed them the wise and just God punished these in that wherein they offended If we descend to the times of the Gospel we shall finde that when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that way and manner of Christian community and living in common was first instituted two religious pretenders Hypocrites and Lyars violating that institution suffered condigne punishment and exemplary for their exemplary sin Acts 5.1 10. After the institution of the holy Supper when some in the Church of Corinth Invitâssent se plusculum had eaten and drunk more then was convenient for those who should communicate at the Lords table for that cause many were weak and sickly among them and many slept 1 Cor. 11.30 For by the punishment of some few the most wise and merciful Lawgiver and Judge prevented like transgression by the multitude ut terror ad omnes poena ad paucos veniret that all Israel might hear and fear and do no more such wickedness which is the end of punishment Deut. 13.11 and 17.13 and 19.20 and 21.21 This business concerns you O ye Priests Nor ought ye to think it any disparagement as vain men conceive when they so call us but indeed an honour if worthily so called For howsoever the word Priest as the office is corrupted a Priest is no other then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one grown up to the spiritual old age of Christ unto that
Schoolmaster Gal. 3.24 Meantime he who is just let him be just still There are degrees of Justice and righteousness as hath been shewen And let us know that it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness Matth. 3.15 And let us pray for that Just and Perfect One who works all our works in us Esay 26. that as he hath begun a good work in us so that he will throughly perfect it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 until the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 Even so come Lord Jesus Revel 22.20 Contrary Principles Mutual impediments SER. 19. SERMON XIX Gal. 5. ver 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would THere are in the holy Scriptures many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as S. Peter said were in his Brother Pauls Epistles things bard to be understood Which difficulty may arise as from other causes so more especially from 1. Either somewhat in the Scripture it self 2. Or from some defect in us As for the Scripture it self it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3.16 of divine inspiration and dictated unto the Pen-men of it by the holy Ghost and therefore while yet we are in the fall there must be a great disproportion between it and us This obscurity is much encreased by mistakes and oversights in translation as also by imposing upon the Scriptures false glosses and mis-interpretations as the Philistines stopt the Wells Gen. 26. so that men cannot as otherwise they might with joy draw water of life out of the Wells of Salvation 2. The difficulty may proceed from some defect in us as being yet unconverted and averse from God and his wayes according to that of Dan. 9.13 We have not turned from our iniquities that we might understand the truth And therefore S. Paul was sent to open mens eyes to turn them from darkness to light c. Acts 26.18 And for this purpose it is a good old prayer I know no new one better and it may be ours for advance of our present business Lighten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord The Text in the Greek speaks thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators render as I have showen how truly we shall then understand when we finde how unsuitable this Translation is to the will of God revealed in his Word Obedience is that Mother-grace Genetrix omnium virtutum as Hierom calls it that which brings forth all other vertues that which sets the eye to see the ear to hear the heart to think the memory to record the mouth to speak the foot to walk the hand to work the whole man to do that and only that which is conformable to the will of God When such holy desires arise in the heart from the Spirit of God then a contrary desire ariseth also from the flesh according to what the Apostle saith Rom. 7.21 When I will doe good evill is present with me And my Text among diverse other perverted Scriptures is wont to be alleadged against obedience unto the will of God so that this Mother-grace cannot bring forth the fruites of the spirit because the children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bring forth Before we come to the particular handling of these words let us analyse them or as much of them as will make up a compleate sense and thereby we shall see what the words so read in our last Translation will amount unto The Apostle having propounded the law of neighbourly love ver 14. which they transgressed ver 15. The Apostle ver 16. propounds an expedient for removal of it an exhortation to walk in the spirit which exhortation he enforces by this motive If ye walk in the spirit ye shall not fullfill the lusts of the flesh This consequence he proves from the nature of Adverse contraries which naturally expell one the other For ver 17. the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit lusts against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other The effect of these contraries fighting one with the other is here concluded according to this translation a downright contradiction to what the Apostle before had exhorted unto He exhorted them to walk in the spirit and told them that so doing they should not fullfill the lusts of the flesh Which spirit and flesh so contending it comes to pass that ye cannot do the things which ye would that is ye would walk in the spirit that ye might not fullfill the lusts of the flesh but this ye cannot do Which yet he had exhorted them unto in the words before Nor will the marginal reading fulfill not help this For whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be part of the exhortation fulfill not or a motive thereunto ye shall not fulfill the conclusion will be the same The absurdity of this reasoning will appear if ye shall conceive a Commander in the war to lead up his men and exhort them to be valiant and take a Fort and promise them a great reward if they take it as Caleb promised that he who should subdue Kiriath-Sepher and take it to him he would give Achsah his daughter to wife Josh 15.16 Yea suppose that this Commander should adde threatnings even death it self in case this Fort were not taken by them according to that if ye walk after the flesh ye shall die Rom. 8.13 Yet now suppose that this Commander after all this exhortation and motives should in the winding up of his speach say expreslly This Fort is impregnable it 's impossible to win it ye cannot take it Truly a man would think such a Commander little other then a Fool and his Soldiers no wiser if they should storm the Fort and hope to carry it upon no better reasons than these are Yet indeed the case is the same if not worse Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit lusts against the flesh that ye cannot do the things that ye would Wherefore since it is most unreasonable to think that the Apostle being taught by the Spirit of God would reason so absurdly let us enquire into the true meaning of the words which cannot be done unless we render them otherwise as thus Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit But the Spirit lusteth against the flesh but these are contrary one to other that ye may not do the things that ye would According to the judgment of the best Critick that I know these words These are contrary the one to the other are to be put in a parenthesis and then from the lusting of the Spirit will follow that ye may not do the things of the flesh which ye would do But what difference is there between this Translation and the other 1. In
AN ESSAY TOWARD THE AMENDMENT OF THE LAST English-Translation OF THE BIBLE OR A Proof by many Instances that the Last Translation of the BIBLE into English may be Improved The First Part on the PENTATEUCH OR Five Books of MOSES By ROBERT GELL D. D. Minister of the Parish of St MARY Alder-Mary LONDON Ad intelligendam Parabolam Interpretationem verba sapientum aenigmata eorum Prov. 1.6 Da Sapienti occasionem Sapientior erit fac scire justum addet doctrinam Prov. 9.9 Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt Spiritûs Dei 1 Cor. 2.14 LONDON Printed by R. Norton for Andrew Crook and are to be sold at the signe of the green Dragon in S. Pauls Church-yard 1659. A PREFACE To the godly-learned Reader THe main Scope of the pure Religion and undefiled is to render the man like unto his God For it seems to be the dictate of Nature what the Prophet saith Mich. 4. v. 5. All peoples will walk every one in the name of his gods And let it be our resolution to walk in the name nature or being of the Lord our God for ever and ever to be holy as he is holy pure as he is pure merciful as he is merciful perfect as he our heavenly Father is perfect For this end he hath given us a perfect Canon Directory and Rule the holy Scriptures which as they testifie of him so they teach us to know him and are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ But there have not been wanting some in all ages who either out of ignorance or want of care or out of zeal to their own chosen opinions and parties or such as upon credâ—t of others learning and authority have taken their Religion upon trust or such as out of malice have acted the envious mans part and sowen their tares among the good seed from one or other of these principles either they have mis-translated the original text of Scripture or if rightly translated they have corrupted it by mis-interpretations and false Glosses imposed upon it And thus by perverting the holy Scriptures to their own by-ends and purposes they make them speak every one their own sense and private interpretation as Demosthenes said that Philip had bribed the Oracle and made it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speak in favour of Philip. This the Philosopher tells us they do who corrupt the Judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they make the rule crooked like the Lesbian rule because the thing to be judged is so The Apostle saith that this hath been the endeavour of unlearned and unsetled men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they wrest S. Pauls Epistles as also other Scriptures to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 But whereas such is the Majesty and Authority of holy Scripture that not only the sense and meaning of it is breathed and instilled into it by the Spirit of God but also the words themselves are dictated by the same Spirit and accounted so sacred that as Eusebius saith out of Philo the writings of Moses were kept so unviolable that there was not one word altered for more then two thousand years Euseb de praepar lib. 8. When therefore the Scripture is to be turned into another language no doubt all care study and endeavour ought to be used for the due rendring of it and above all most earnest prayer is to be made to the only wise God for a like minde to that which enlivens and breathes in the Scripture that thereby the Translator may be guided into the truth of the sense and furnished with sutable expression of proper words That herein he deny himself and his own opinion and siding tenent misleading to a private interpretation and studiously follow the Word and Spirit shining before him as the pillar of fire and that as much as is possible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even word for word and because vocabula sunt rerum vehicula words carry matter sense for sense lest he be wildred in his own imagination and invention Yea although some Scripture in its native meaning may seem strange and uncouth yea absurd and inconsequent yee it is not safe therefore to impose our own sense upon it Because the holy Word is not onely literally to be understood but also mystically yea even the most literal text according to the judgement of the best learned men may beside the Letter have also a spiritual meaning And therefore when we meet with such seeming unfruitful Scripture which affords not much matter in the Letter we may then judge that according to the manifold wisdom of God there is a ground of some more notable meaning of the Spirit as where rich Mines are there the surface of the earth yields not much fruit And if we will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 5. Search the Scriptures as for hidden treasures Prov. 2. we shall not take offence at the surface of the Letter though more barren but from that occasion humbly and docibly enquire into the true treasure of the spirit hidden under that poor and beggarly Element We shall meet with instances of this kinde as elsewhere so especially Exod. 12.9 of which I have spoken in its due place And another I remember which I shall not reach in this work 2 Kings 13.21 2 Kings 13. where our Translators render the words thus And it came to pass as they were burying a man that behold they spied a band of men and they cast the man into the Sepulchre of Elisha and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood up on his feet Even thus it comes to pass in Israel when Elisha is dead and buried there Thus it falls out in the Church when the Lord Jesus God the Saviour that 's Elisha is dead in it Thus it happens in the soul when Jesus Christ is dead in it presently all things are out of order While he lives in Israel the Church the souls of his believers he bears and rules all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. The Syriac word there used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to contain compose unite and knit together as a King saith the Wiseman doth Continere hominum multitudines containes and unites multitudes of men together as a binding chord in Musick makes all tunable what otherwise would be dissonant and jarring dis-harmony And while the King Christ who is our peace rules and umpires differences in our hearts Col. 3.15 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he unites and knits all the thoughts wills and affections of the soul together in subjection to himself 1 Cor. 10.5 But when Elisha is dead when God the Saviour is dead and buried in Israel dead in the Church dead in the soul all that which was united and knit together before all falls a pieces What was one before is now multiplyed and broken into many We read often in the book of Judges There
was no King in Israel every one did that which was good in his own eyes Now Elisha was dead and buried and the Moabites who abuse the Law of the Father signified by Lot the hidden Word of God they are the true Moabites the children of their father the Devil as S. Augustine interprets the Moabites Then also the Syrians ver 22. Pride and deceit and the curse of God upon the sinful soul such spiritually are the Aramites or Syrians these and all other inward enemies oppress Israel What remedy is there for this Let such a man be cast into the grave of Elisha let him be dead and buried with Christ God the Saviour He is now a man lost in the world he is become as a dead man When a man hath left his sin he is not Gen. 5.24 the sinners leave him and he them When he is dead to the sin what remaines but that he should be buried But where it is said they let him down we shall finde no such matter either in the Hebrew or Greek or Chaldee or Latin Translation The Hebrew text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he went The LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went The Chaldee Paraphrast hath he descended The Syriac he went into the Sepulchre So Tremelius and the Spanish translation and the Italian of Diodati Martin Luther also and two Low Dutch translations As for the Tigurin Bible that hath Devolutus he was rolled into the grave of Elisha So the French translation So likewise two of our old English translations But Coverdale thus renders the word when he was therein and the Geneva Bible turns it when he was down our last translation lets him down gently The Tigurin French and some of our old English translations tumble him down for haste But what need all this curiosity I dare not depart from the letter of the Scripture or fasten mine own sense upon it as many of these have done And indeed it is neer a contradiction to themselves For first they say They cast the man into the Sepulchre which must be in part for fear of the Moabites and then they say they let him down which must be gently and leisurely The holy Spirit of God oftentimes intends a mystery and so leaves the letter seemingly absurd Such seeming absurdities as these are lest for the honour of Gods Spirit which clears the difficulties and sets all right This man is called twice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Emphasis That man And although they go about to bury him he is never said to be through dead The words are thus to be rendred And the man went and touched the bones of Elisha First He went Secondly He touched 1. He went Here is set before us a figure of one who was dead in trespasses and sins who is now dead unto sin and buried with Christ The fallen man is not wholly destitute of all strength as I shew elsewhere Therefore the man is said here to go and touch There must be some conformity between Christ and us if we touch him The man is accessary and must be so to his own death unto sin and his own burial of all sin and iniquity It s said of this man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went and touched the bones of Elisha The Lord requires of us not only a mortification and dying unto sin but also a burial of all sin They are two Articles of the Faith 1. That Christ was dead 2. That he was buried And so through the Spirit the sin must be put to death Rom. 8.13 and buried by holiness and love Ye have both together Psal 22.1 whose unrighteousness is forgiven the word signifies taken away and removed as dead and then whose sin is covered there 's the burial of it This is that which the Apostle teacheth us that love covers a multitude of sins yea all sins Prov. 10 12. The 2d Act of the dead man he touched the bones of Elisha 1. What bones of Elisha were these what is it to touch the bones of Elisha For it seems by this text that Elisha was very lately buried and so his bones could not yet be touched By the bones of Elisha we understand the strength of God the Saviour so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here rendred bones signifies strengths That man is said to touch into his bones when he became a member of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes ◠When he became flesh of his flesh that is of a tender heart of flesh to receive impressions of the Spirit and bone of his bone when he became strong and able to effectuate those impressions A vertual touching is here meant even the drawing neer unto the Lord Jesus by faith hope and love For so Hebr. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidei fulness of faith And Hebr. 7.19 That better hope whereby we draw near unto God And love is affectus unionis that affection of union whereby we cleave unto God dwell in him 1 John 4.8 and become one spirit with him 2 Cor. 5. draw grace life and vertue from him For so he who hath the Son hath life 1 John 5.12 By this and many like examples it may appear how necessary it is that we preserve the Letter of the Scripture intire how unconvenient yea how absurd soever it seem to our carnal reason as here that a dead carkase should walk or go c. The letter may be the foundation of a spiritual meaning however happly what that is for the present we understand not And lest this Translation before us should seem so exact as many have conceived that it needs no Essay toward the amendment of it I shall propound unto the judicious Reader the Heads of many frequent mistakes which they may finde in it few of which I shall mention in the ensuing Essay Whereof some possibly will not be thought to change the sense of the Scripture but the Word only and retain the sense others pervert the sense also Examples of the former kinde are Metaphores mistaken and used one for another as when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to blot out as having reference to an Image or Picture or to a Writing it s rendred to destroy as Gen. 7.4 which is taken from building Thus Metaphores are waived and the supposed proper sense taken in lieu of them Josh 2. v. 9. as Josh 2.9 The inhabitants of the land melt from or before your faces Our Translators turnn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faint which there and often elsewhere signifies to be melted And the holy Spirit explains the metaphorical use of it Psal 22.14 Ezech. 21.7 Herein although haply the same sense may be intended yet it is not safe to vary that Metaphore which the holy Spirit intends and dictates So although to spoil in the English tongue Col. 2. v. 15. may signifie to disrobe or devest yet that will not so
well answer the Metaphore Col. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I render having devested unclothed or uncased the hypocritical spiritual wickednesses the Principalities and Powers the evil Spirits which clothe themselves with shewes of piety and fit themselves with a garb sutable to those whom they would deceive As the Serpent took upon him the habit of a Friend when he tempted Eve as knowing that Tuta frequensque via est per amici fallere nomen a safe and frequent way it is by friendship to deceive Our Lord therefore pulls off his Mantle of Hypocrisie devests him discovers him and exposeth him stark naked and makes him known to be such as he is And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 3.1 may be as well rendred naked as subtil For t is as true though the other signification better fit that place that the Serpent is more naked then all the beasts of the field as having no clothing of his own but as a Stage-player so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies he suits himself as becomes the person whom be would represent and according to the humour of such as he lies in wait to deceive This Metaphore is rather here used by the Apostle as having respect to the Cross immediately before mentioned because Malefactors among the Romans of old were crucified naked There are many such oversights as these in the Translation which yet are more tolerable then those which pervert the sense of the Scripture as in Supplements It s true indeed that in the Hebrew tongue there are some genuine defects proper to that language As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implyes the want of a Verb. There are also other Syncategoremata or Consignificants without which an Axiom and consequently truth and falshood cannot or at least not fully be expressed And therefore these of necessity must be supplyed But beside these there hath been a liberty taken by the Rabbins of conjecturing that so or so a word ought to be rendred in this or that place when yet no other reason appears why it should be so read This they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conjecture This liberty is taken oftentimes by our Translators as when they adde or take away or invert and change the order of the words Wee shall meet with examples of all these kindes I shall name one of each and leave the courteous Reader to his own observation of other like Of the first kinde Matth. 20. v. 23. Mark 10. v. 40. is what we read Matth. 20.23 To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father This Translation makes our Lord absolutely to deny that he hath any power to give the honour of sitting at his right hand and left and so they rob the Lord Jesus of his Regalia his Royalties and those honours which he hath right and authority to bestow 2. Besides they wholly discourage the followers of the Lord Jesus For what Souldier will follow that Commander in Chief who neither is at present able nor for the future will be able to reward him Saul knew what was a prevalent motive with such men 1 Sam. 22.7 Will the son of Jesse give unto every one of you Fields or Vineyards and make you all Captains of thousands and Captains of hundreds And if the true son of Jesse that is the Being it self Christ the Captain of our salvation Heb. 2. profess plainly to his Souldiers that it is not his to give them to sit on his right hand and on his left and that he hath no right to bestow those honours on them will not this prove a great discouragement unto the followers of the Lord Jesus 3. By this Translation they make a foul breach even in the Deity it self For whereas it is said I and my Father are one John 10.30 He that hath seen me hath seen the Father John 14. and 16 15. All things that the Father hath are mine 17 18. and many the like the Authors of this Translation take away all power from the Son of bestowing honours upon his followers and so render all those testimonies of no force 4. They make the Lord Jesus speak contradictions and gain-say that in these words which elsewhere he frequently affirms as I shall shew anon Meantime our last Translators were not the prime Leaders into this Error but were themselves mis-lead by others as Vatablus Piscator Beza and the Ministers of Geneva who translated the French Bible to name no more Piscator tells us there is an Ellipsis which is to be supplyed by these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators follow and adde It shall be given I render the words thus leaving out the Supplement it shall be given To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but or unless to those for whom it is prepared of my Father These words of our Lord then are not any denial that he hath power or right to give but an Exception only He saith not absolutely It is not mine to give but It it is not mine to give unless or except unto those for whom it is prepared as in the parallel we read Mark 10.40 to a word which text is also corrupted by the same Supplement That which deceived the Translators was they considered not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless or except And so that which Matth. 17.8 they lifting up their eyes saw none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 save or except Jesus only that Mark 9.8 ye finde they saw none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Mark 4.22 Matth. 24.36 John 17.12 So that the Lord Jesus denied not that the divine honours were his to give but only that they were not his to give to others then those for whom they were prepared And this Translation sutes extream well with the context The Disciples would have had the Crown of glory before they had striven for it No saith our Lord it is not prepared for such It is not mine to give unless to those for whom it is prepared of my Father that is for those who suffer with the Son Rom. 8.17 And as this agrees well with the context so with diverse other translations as the Syriac and Arabic and that of Martin Luther and that of the Low Dutch and the Spanish translation Pagnin also Castellio and Tremellius some also of our old English translations have hit upon it as that of Coverdale and that dedicated to King Edward the Sixth And here the Authors of the late Engiish Annotations were in the right who say thus Christs power of disposing of it is not denyed but he sheweth only to whom it is to be given Answerably hereunto we may say To sit on Christs right hand and on his left is Christs to give to those for whom it is prepared This Assertion is point blank contradictory unto that
sense which our Translators have given of the words To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give Now that Christ hath right and de facto that he doth and shall bestow the divine honours of his kingdom upon persons duly qualified appears evidently by Matth. 19.28 Ye who have followed me in the regeneration shall sit on twelve Thrones c. Luke 22.29 I dispose unto you a kingdom c. Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me c. John 17.24 The reason why the Lord Jesus hath this right to confer divine honours upon his followers to set them on his right hand and on his left may be considered from the vertue and merit of his fufferings For as a son while yet under his fathers immediate authority Quicquid acquirit acquirit patri what he gets he gets for his father But if the son get spoil in the wars with hazard of his life which the Civilians call Peculium castrense that is properly the sons own And thus because the Lord Jesus descended into the lower parts of the earth was dead and buried Ephes 4.9 when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive gave gifts unto men Which was figured by David distributing his spoils to his friends 1 Sam. 30. Yea our Lord saith expresly and properly to this purpose Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I give to sit in my throne even as I have overcome and sit in my Fathers throne By all this which hath been said its evident that this Supplement It shall be given to say no worse of it is a superfluous redundancy We meet with an example of the second kinde 1 John 3.18 19 20. which they render thus my little children let us not love in word 1 Joh. 3. v. 18.19.20 and in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him For if our heart condemn us God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things In the 20 verse of this Paragraph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is twice found in the Greek text The former the Translators turn amiss the later they quite leave out I would render and open those words thus My little children let us not love in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth And herely viz. by our loving in deed and in truth we know that we are of the truth and shall assure or rather perswade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our hearts before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because if our heart condemn us viz. for any former failing incident unto little children to whom he directs those words ver 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God is greater then our heart namely in wisdom grace mercy and goodness and knoweth all things even the present frame and disposition of our heart in the truth of love And this exposition is most agreeable to the persons to whom the Apostle writes the little children and to the duty which he exhorts them unto to love in deed and in truth and to the effect of that duty the assurance and perswasion of their hearts before God Thus whereas many a poor soul dejects it self out of a meer mistake of this Scripture ill rendred and worse understood it being truly turn'd and the genuine sense thereof given it s a strong consolation to the little children Howbeit lest these little children should rest in this age and estate the Apostle proceeds Beloved if our heart condemn us not according to 1 Cor. 4.14 we have boldness or confidence towards God and whatsoever we may ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight An example of the third which is inversion of the words is Hebr. 10.34 which the Translators render thus Ye took joyfully the spoyling of your goods Heb. 10. v. 34. knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and more enduring substance That we may the better know the mis-translation and undue inversion of these words we must understand that the goods whereof the Hebrews were spoyled were either their temporal goods whereof S. Paul saith he robbed either them or other Churches taking wages of them to do service to the Corinthians the spoyling of these goods the Hebrews took with joy Or else These goods may be also spiritually understood and that in the worst sense for such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemingly and to the yong professing Hebrews appeard to be their goods which really and truly were their evils Such were the goods of Sodom which Abraham would not receive or own Gen. 14. The spoiling of these goods by him who is Maher-Shalal Hashbaz who in hastening the spoil makes speed to the prey Esay 8.3 the taking away these seeming goods but true evils the Hebrews took with joy also The inversion of the Text is in the following words Knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance A little labour sometimes does a great deal of work The moving of the Helm turns the Ship quite another way The same letters distributed and placed differently make all the different words and so the same words placed in a diverse order make extream different senses Such different senses arise from the different placing the words of this text For the words are inverted and changed from the genuine order of them which is extant in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I render thus Knowing that ye have in your selves better wealth in heaven and that which will endure What a difference is here Knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better c. This translation perswades men that they shall have hereafter in heaven a better kinde of wealth The true reading of these words Knowing that you have in your selves c. supposes believers to have already a real possession of the better and enduring substance in themselves so that they take the spoiling of their outward goods with joy The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heaven are not in the Vulg. Latin nor in some of the Greek nor English Manuscripts And with the Vulg. Latin agrees the French Bible the Spanish and Italian the High Dutch and one Copy of the Low Dutch So likewise Pagnin and Vatablus with the Tigurin Bible Which order of words is wholly neglected by all the printed English Translations that I have yet seen And hereby the sense of the holy Spirit is much obscured which points at the present and real possession of the better and durable riches which wisdom hath and brings with her to the believing soul Prov. 8.10 According to which the poor are said to be rich in faith and heires of the kingdom Jam 2.5 and rich towards God Luke 12.21 What is here said that they have in themselves better wealth a learned Critick understands to be only a right unto it
dishonoured into the Margent because it made not for their purpose I shall name but one instance more of this kinde Rom. 6.17 which they turn Ye have obeyed that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you The Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The translation of these words is evidently contrary to the Greek Text as it is clear by their own marginal acknowledgement For the Greek words are thus rendred in the Margent whereto ye were delivered and as contrary to the scope and drift of the Apostle in those words For was that form of doctrine delivered unto them that they might mold and fashion it according to their own conceiving as our Translators too often have done or were the Romans and we all delivered unto that form of doctrine that we might be molded and fashioned and made conformable thereunto as the Apostle here expresly teacheth Wherefore having observed many such mis-translations byassing the holy Text and making it to serve the Translators Mistress their Diana their ruling opinions as to the same end the last Low Dutch translation how ever cryed up it very much wrests the holy Scripture upon examination as judicious and pious men affirm I thought it therefore a business well worthy my pains and best skill and more time then I am likely to have in this world to endeavour to the utmost the vindicating of the holy Scripture from false translation and mis-interpretation whether grounded thereupon or upon true translations and conforming it unto the Original tongues wherein it was first dictated by the holy Spirit of God and spoken and written by the Penmen of the same Spirit A work I freely and ingenuously acknowledge very much above my ability and such as requires the labours of the most Pious and Learned men howbeit I was long pressed in my spirit nor indeed could I have rest until I had atempted something herein whereby I might give occasion to men who are every way more able and such as have much more leisure then my self both to amend what I have assayed to do and to finish the work Whereunto I doubt not but they will be induced if they shall consider the necessity of an exact and perfect translation of the holy Bible It is true that the holy Scriptures in the first times of the Christian Church were not communicated unto all men all at once For the Primitive Fathers wisely considered how extreamly perillous it might be to expose the whole Scripture unto ignorant mens use and judgement or indeed abuse rather and want of judgement Surely more dangerous and pernitious it might prove unto their souls then to leave a whole Apothecaries Shop open to a diseased person who might as well choose and take deadly poyson to his destruction as a Soveraigne Medicine to the recovery of his health And therefore they imparted unto the young believers only some part or other of it according as every one had need and was able to hear grounding this their practise on our Lords John 16.12 13. and his Apostles 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3. whence it was that they who were weak and not well rooted and grounded in the faith for fear of death delivered up those books they had to the Persecutors and thereupon they were called Libellorum traditores Betrayers of those little books of Scripture which were imparted to them Had the souls of men bin so carefully watched over by their Governours and such portions of Scripture wisely and fatherly dispensed unto them as might with such holy reservedness have met with mens proficiency surely such prodigious Monsters had not been counterfeited out of the Word of God by the Spirit of opinion as in these later dayes we have seen and lament to see Africa semper aliquid apportat novi some hideous shape or other daily is brought forth and every one fathered on the Scripture What remedy remains for so great evils God alone knowes and will in his time provide But since now all the holy Scripture is made publick unto every Nation and every person in his mother-tongue without doubt a true and impartial translation will do less hurt and be more beneficial to mankind then one wrested and partial which speaks the language and gives authority to one Sect or other as our last doth Yet is not all the blame to be laid upon the Translators but part of it to be shared with them also who set them a work who by reason of State limited them as some of them have much complained lest they might be thought not to set forth a new Translation but rather a new Bible Yea part of the blame ought to be laid on them who undo that which they had well done For whereas many mis-translated words and phrases by plurality of voices were carried into the Context and the better Translation most-what was cast into the Margent those marginal notes have been left out together with the Apocrypha to make the Bible portable and fit for the Pocket Yea such is the ignorance and boldness of some that they have left out of their Impressions the Apochryphal Scriptures whereby they have gotten this whereof to glory that they have done That which no wise or honest man hath ever done before them so far as I have yet known or I hope will adventure to do after them Nor ought this mine endeavour to be misconstrued and thought presumption since I humbly thank the Searcher of my heart I can truly say what I have done I have done it before the face of the Lord 2 Sam. 6. v. 21. in the integrity of my heart And herein I follow the Translators themselves who profess that they assayed to make that Translation before them better which they thought to be good which is their own reasoning in their Preface to the Reader And though I think our last Translation good yea far better then that new one of the Low Dutch so highly extolled yet I doubt not but Ours may be made much better then it is Nor have I herein sought glory of men as he the same God best knowes who alone searcheth and knoweth all our hearts But indeed of whom should I expect it The unlearned or the most of them are already Catechized principled in such doctrine as is inferred from a mis-translation Many of the Learned I shall finde zealous for what they have learned and for the honour of their Authors of whom they have learned Besides the work it self is plain and not baited with strong lines whereby to take the rude multitude who most greedily devour the frothy discourses of empty Verbalists and judge all things they read good and true without difference if they be well larded and season'd with handsome words and elegant phrases which yet being judiciously analysed and resolved into their Arguments like gay Butterflyes pressed and broken they soon vanish into smoak But as for this piece it comes forth as a plain Matron in an honest though an homely dress Much
the outward profession and practise They are to heal the Nations Revel 22.2 to heal the diseased So the Sun is not only the cause of life but of medicin also Therefore the Poets made Apollo the Sun the Author of both Which is true of the Sun of Righteousnesse in both respects Mal. 4.2 For unto those who fear the Lords Name the Sun of Righteousnesse shall arise with healing in his wings The same tree of life affords both Revel 22.2 Hitherto we have heard the Lords first precept which is affirmative The second followes which is negative But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evill thou shalt not eat of it Through the subtilty of the Serpent the woman given for an help to the man fell a lusting after her own will to be somewhat her self by that desire she had to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil And hereby she desired in a way contrary to Gods command to be like unto God to see and know all what God sees and knowes And of this forbidden fruit she her self did eat and gave her husband also to eat of it And so fell away from the light and life and wisdom and will of God to her own vain opinion earthly wisdom and will of the flesh This is that we call the fall of man whereby the life is mingled with the death good with evil light with darknesse truth with errour This is the Mother sin and Nurse of all other Hence it is that man was driven out of the light of life out of the Paradise of God and hath lost the power to eat of the tree of life It must be given him anew Do we consider all this only as a most antient History and look at it as done only so many Ages since Or may we not finde the same acted over and over many ten thousand times since in all after generations and even in our own selves I might name many Scriptures I shall note but one which I beseech you read and consider well of it 1 Cor. 11.2 And let us observe the direfull effects of our fall and what an evill and bitter thing it is that we have departed from our God and feed not upon the trees of His Paradise but upon such Plants as are not of our Heavenly Fathers planting For whose plants are envy division contention strife and discord which grow up ranck among us as they say The Serpents teeth did-seges clypeata Whose plant is pride the beginning of sin as the wisman calls it Whose is coveteousness the root of all evill Whose is wrath and revenge and other roots of bitterness Whose plants are lasciviousness luxury gluttony surfeting and drunkeness and other such like Pot-herbs Whence grow the briars and thorns the heathenish cares the curses of the earth These all these are sown and planted and grown up thick in us Are these of Gods planting O no The envious man hath done this All this wickedness is grown up as a tree Job 24.20 Of which the fallen man eates freely contrary to the Command of God The rib which the Lord God had taken from the man Gen. 2.22 made He a woman What they turn made is in the Hebrew built as in the margin Which I prefer the rather because it answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to edify or build which is very often applyed to the Church as the Truth of this type Act. 9.31 15.16 and 20.32 1 Cor. 14.4 This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh Word for word This for this once is bone out of my bones Gen. 2. Ver. 23. and flesh our of my flesh And so it answers to the LXX and to the Apostle Ephes 5.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the words following prove this translation Because she was taken out of man implying that the Church is taken out of Christ which S. Paul calls a great mystery Ephes 5.32 For so we receive from Christ a suffering flesh 1 Pet. 4.1 as he promises to us an heart of flesh Ezech. 36.26 a soft heart and sit to receive impressions from the Spirit of God as Josiahs heart was tender 2 Kings 22.19 We receive also bone from his bones The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies strength as well as a bone Job 21.23 and elsewhere And hereby we are enabled to act and do according to divine impressions made in our tender and fleshy heart And hereby we become strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes 6.10 and able to do all things through Christ who thus inwardly enableth us Phil. 4.13 SERMON I. SERM. I. The Law and Gospel preached from the begining GEN. 3.15 ANd I will put enmity between thee and the woman Gen. 3. Ver. 15. and between thy seed and her seed c. The obscurity of the Scripture proceeds much what either from mistakes of Translation or else from false Glosses and mis-interpretations The words I have propounded now for my Text may prove an instance of them both For whereas in reading of the Old Testament Moses hath a vail upon his face 2 Cor. 3. v. 13. And not as Moses which put a Vail over his face that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished In reading the three first Chapters of Genesis Moses is double vailed And therefore those three with the book of Canticles and some other Scriptures were by the wise men of the Jews prohibited to be read by Novices lest they might make ill constructions of them as I shewed before in part This was needful to be premised because the Text propounded is a part of the third Chapter and hath in it more difficulty then appears at the first reading of the words And therefore whereas the Apostle saith concerning the Jews 2 Cor. 3.15 that When Moses is read the vail is upon their hearts but that vail is done away in Christ The Lord be pleased to turne all our hearts unto himselfe that that vail may be done away Moses having described the fall from verse the first to the seventh he brings in God the Judge examining the fact and making inquiry into the causes of it searching out this sin not unknown to himselfe before from Adam to Eve and from Eve to the principall malefactor the Serpent Wherein we may note how the Lord Parts laesa yea Laesa Majestas the highest majestie the party offended how wisely Obs 1. justly mercifully he proceeds in this and the two following sentences Yea hence we may take notice Obs 2. that although the Lord permits sin for the tryall of his creatures and the manifestation of their weaknes and inconstancy in the good wherein they are not unmoveable like himself yet he will certainly call the offenders to an account afterwards Whence also we learn that he is greater then the Devill and all that sin against him Obs 3. both in knowledge
old whom our Lord calls the Children of the Devill Ioh. 8. dealt with our Lord bringing all false testimonies against him And as they dealt with him they have dealt and yet deal with his followers Rom. 3.8 They declare evidently whose seed they are This discovers the nature of the Serpent he is a slanderer he is a deceiver he is a Supplanter Debort Let no man beguile you of your reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end of all your labours Col. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly to defraud and deprive him that runs a race or strives for Mastery of that reward that is due unto him when he has finished his course The Serpent In malis separat finem à mediis in good things separates the end from the meanes It was his first plot upon our first parents Whereas the Lord had said In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die he Subtilly perswades them that though they eat of that Tree yet they should not die and so separates the end from the meanes In bonis separat media à fine in good things he separates the meanes from the end These meanes which the Lord hath ordained as necessary for the obtaining of the everlasting life the Serpent perswades men that the everlasting life may be obtained without them Our Lord saith by the Apostle If we die with him we believe that we shall live with him Rom. 6.8 and 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Nay saith the Serpent Only beleive and thou shalt live He perswades us that we need not die with Christ By this meanes He perswades men that though they continue in their sinnes and uncleannesses yet they shall obtain the everlasting life Thus by his false Apostles he had perswaded the Galatians that they must be circumcised and keep the law and that faith working by love was to no purpose The holy Apostle not ignorant of his devices 2 Cor. 2.11 he tells them Gal. 5.2 8. If they be circumcised Christ shall profit them nothing that neither circumcision availes any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love c. Exhort Look to our footing Whereas the Scripture tells us every where that the holy Citie is reserved for those who are holy and righteous and obey the truth Esay 26.12 and that he who Believes not or obeyes not the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not see life Ioh. 3.36 And S. John having described the holy Citie Revel 21. ver 27. he tells us who shall bee excluded from thence and shall not enter into it Whereas our Saviour tells us what the things are that defile a man Math. 15.19.20 Wheras the Scripture tells us all this and many thereupon have believed and endeavoured through the power of the holy Spirit to purge themselves from all these 2 Cor. 7.1 The Serpent fearing lest all men should so do he layes wait at the heel He perswades too many that this is Supervacaneum opus a needless business That Christ has long since wrought the purging of our sins that its impossible to be purged from them that there is a Purgatory hereafter that will cleanse us which indeed must needs follow if their former assertion were true Meanes Keep in the way The Serpent lies in wait by the way side In the way there is no evil occurrence Psal 119.165 Great peace have they who love thy law and they have no stumbling-block The danger is not in the way of Gods Commandements but they have sharpned their tongues like a Serpent They have purposed to overthrow my goings they have spread a Net by the way side Beloved I beseech ye let us consider advisedly and timely the great and imminent hazard and danger of our soules how subtill the Serpent is in striking at the heal at the end of all What great folly what a disparagement and disgrace it will be to be deceived What an irrecoverable loss when we have done all to lose all Have yee suffered so many things in vaine if it be yet in vaine Gal. 3. Take heed of the iniquity of our heels Psal 49.6 The Prophet propounds this as a riddle to mankinde after a long preface in the words before Why should I feare in the evill day that is what then can terrifie me What then can make me secure In the great day of recompense both of good and evill An hard Problem and that which concernes us all and every soul The Prophet answers it That which will make me fear is 1. Not povertie The Judge is not corrupted with gifts It is 2. Not a low condition and state of life God is no respecter of Persons It is 3. Not the malice either of Advocates or witnesses The Judge with whom we have to do knowes the hearts of all men It is 4. Not the power of adversaries The Judge fears no man What is it what else but the iniquity of my heeles the iniquity that continues with me till the end of my dayes If that continue with me in that day it will be impossible to escape On the contrary what can make us secure and fearless in that day not riches not nobility not diligence of Advocates not power of friends what else but faith in Christ and the obedience of faith What else but perseverance in holiness What else but a pure heart whereby we may see God This comforted Hezekiah 2 King 20.3 This also will comfort us By this we shall then break the Serpents Head when he goes about to bruise our Heel Genesis 3.22 ANd the Lord God said Behold the man is become as one of us knowing good and evill Most men commonly understand these words Ironically The man is become as one of Us as upbrayding unto man Satans lying Speech ver 5. Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and Evill So Vatablus Piscator Diodate The Glosse of the French Bible and others But whether it be safe to attribute unto the most gratious and mercifull God so tart an ironie I leave it to the consideration of Godly men Surely such a kind of Mockery might seem to savour of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the good God rejoyced at the miserable mans calamity who yet fell thereinto not of himself not simply out of pride or reflexion upon himselfe and his own excellency as the Angels are said to have fallen and therefore God laid not hold on them Hebr. 2.26 but man fell not without a Tempter but was overreached by the crafty false perswasion of the Serpent more subtil then any beast of the field by which subtilty he beguiled Eve 2 Cor. 11. And therefore the mercifull God pitied the deceived man promised him victory over the Tempter ver 15. confirmed his blessing to the woman ver 20. That she should be the Mother of all those who live the naturall life and of all those also who live the Spiritual life yea the mother of Christ himselfe He clothed them with skins of dead beasts figuring
that in the very words immediatly before where they make no scruple to joyn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin lieth or lying at the dore Where if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be Feminine certainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Masculine And here is the same reason of Syntax in the later Sentence which is in the former The reason is evident out of the former words For since the Lord promises reward for well doing and threatens punishment for evill doing in all reason and equity there must be a power in man to will the good and nill the evill 2. Another reason may be from the great wisdom and goodnes of God who albeit he permit sin in the world for exercise and tryall of his own people as he permitted some of the Canaanites to remain in the Land yet he reserves a power and imparts a power unto man for the subduing of it Obs 1. Hence it follows that there is in man a free principle of well and evill doing and that even in evill men as in Cain here This we finde in Saul making apologie to Samuel for his offering Sacrifice before he came 1. Sam. 13.11 Obs 2. This acquaints us with that which we call free will which is very much mistaken by most men For true freedom is a power to will and do what is good without any hindrance in him who wills and does it So that the true liberty imports a releasing from a mans own self-bondage as his carnall reason from his false and erroneous principles from his own lusts whereunto he was a servant John 8. from the law of sin And being set free from all this bondage the true libertie is the addicting ones whole selfe understanding reason will affections actions life unto God and his righteousness This freedom is wrought by the Lord Jesus Christ Joh. 8.32.36 Rom. 6.17.18 and 8.2 So that Cain according to this Doctrine evident out of Gods word might do well or not do well might do good or evill yet not have free will according to the Scriptures Obs 3. Hence it appeares that to sin is a voluntary and free act of man it is the knowen saying of one of the Antients Peccatum si non sit Voluntarium non est peccatum Obs 4. The fallen man is not wholly destitute of all power and all strength though impotent and weake he be Surely our Lord knew and knowes best what strength man lost by his fall and what strength yet temaynes with him when he describes the man in that parable Luk. 10.30 fallen amongst theeves who left him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being not quite dead but halfe dead And therefore our last Translatours much wrong the text and the Christian reader when they turn Rom. 5.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we were yet without strength For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not simply without strength but onely weake feeble infirme or sick as the English Manuscript has it For he who is said to be weake is not wholly without strength Nor can be said to have no strength at all but only impaired in his strength For whereas 1. Cor. 8.7 Their Conscience being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weake is defiled And Rom. 14.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that is weake in the faith These words do not imply a total privation of strength in faith and conscience but only a weaknes of both and so the Apostle is to be understood when we were weake not wholly without strength As the V. Lat. turnes it infirme So Vatablus so Castellio so Pagnin so the French Spanish Italian High and low Dutch Bibles so Coverdale and all our English Translations except only that of Geneva and our last Translation Which for greater conviction of them ye may take notice that in most other places they render the same word not without strength but only weake as Math. 26.41 The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 4.10 we are weak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but ye are strong And 9.22 To the weake I became as weake that I might gain the weake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and elsewhere But what great injury is done either to the Text or Reader if we turn the words when we were without strength Surely whereas most men are Proclives à labore ad libidinem and in the matter of obedience will rather listen to the ten Spies who said we are not able then to the two who said we are well able Num. 13.30.31 If we render the words we are without strength who will go about to use that strength which the Scripture as he reads it tells him he has not Yea hence it comes to pass that he yeilds to all temptations from the world the flesh and the Devil and lies down like a great Lubber and letts all the messengers of Satan buffet him Why He has no power to resist them The Scripture as he reads it tels him he has no strength Axiom 4. God saith to Cain Thou shalt rule over it That is over thy sin Obs 1. Sin and temptation to sin is not so unruly but that Cain if he will do well may master it The Lord himself saith the desire of sin shall be subject unto thee and thou shalt rule over it Whence it evidently appears that there is some power from the Lord even in the fallen man to subdue his corruptions and toward the overcoming evil with goodness Rom. 12. Obs 2. Learn we hence that some men are so hardned in their sinful courses that though God himself preach unto them from Heaven yet they will not be moved at it but wilfully and obstinately persist in them The Lord himself had preached to Cain both the Law and the Gospel yet he remained in his hardness of heart and his bloody purpose of killing his Brother as appears by the sequel of the story Beloved I may here take up a sad serious complaint and lamentation over our much preaching and hearing and our little practice and obedience They who consider the former the frequent preaching and much hearing would judge us of this City to be the best Christians in the world They who see the later the lives and practices and dealings in the world of many of us may judge rightly that they are the very worst And this brings a shame upon the profession of Christianity and causes a neglect in many of resorting to the Congregation who observe that many place their religion in going to Church and hearing and especially such or such a precious man For they observe also that he goes to Church an envious person and returns from thence an envious person He who comes into the Assembly a covetous man he goes out as covetous as he came he who comes in a Drunkard goes out a Drunkard He who resorts to the Assembly a Cain rull of murderous thoughts and purposes he goes away as arrant a Cain as resolved a murderer
〈◊〉 initiat train up a child in his way Prov. 22.6 and when he is old he will not depart from it It is true he who walks in this way must resolve to be of none account in the evil world as when Enoch walked with God and pleased him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was not as the people of God are his hidden ones Gen. 5.24 Psal 83.3 Col. 3.3 Heb. 11.3 And their life is hid with Christ in God The Apostle tels us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was not found It seems he was sought for For there is great search made after Enoch after the Enochites As when the Scripture tels us of such men as walk and please God continue and persevere so walking and delight themselves and finde a complacency in that walking with God and that these are such as the Sccripture calls Perfect men exact walkers with God commonly the next question is Where are there such men to be found Truly if I knew any such men I would not tell such curious Questionists who often are of the Canish generation Ye know that not only the Wisemen but also Herod sought after Christ Mat. 28.16 and said he would come and worship him but ye finde the true reason why he sought him to worship him with a mischief Nor do I doubt but should the Lord Jesus Christ appear again in the flesh as he did to the Jews many there are who professe him that would deal as hardly with him as the Jews did and Herod intended to have done But as the Canish generation sought Enoch and found him not so neither could Herod the Saducee Nor shall the Pharisees finde him or his Enochites who seek them among the Sects which are works of the flesh as the living among the dead Gal. 5.19 as if Enoch were of this Sect or that Truly the Enochites the exact walkers with God they are above all Sects they are true Christians Some will say these things are above the Moon above the Clouds Thus I know many have and will also deride this truth Yet they speak more truly then they are aware For the Woman the Church is clothed with the Sun even the Sun of Righteousnesse and has the Moon even the Mans reason which rules him in his night of ignorance touching spiritual things and things of the Day under her feet There are some Mountains so high that from the tops of them ye may see the Clouds rack below And from the Mountain of the Lords house that 's situated on the top of the Mountains Esay 2.1 they who are true Enochites may discern the Clouds without water Prov. 25.14 which promise much piety and holinesse but perform nothing even Clouds without water carried about with every winde of doctrine Alas Ephes 4.14 These are yet in their very rudiments under the Law and therein continue yet think to finde Enoch and his Enochites But what our Lord saith to the Jewes belongs to these Ye shall seek me John 8.21 and shall die in your sins Nor indeed can they hope better of their own estate who account contemptuously and basely of Enoch and his Enochites the exact walkers with God For in such base esteem are these with the evil world which think and speak slightly of them as the Sodomites of Lot this fellow c. The Apostate Israelites of Moses Gen. 19.9 Exod. 32.1 Hebr. 7.28 This Moses and the Jewes of Christ the true Enoch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consecrated that is an Enochite This fellow John 9.29 Acts 24.5 And we found this fellow perverting the nation And of S. Paul a true Enochite We have found this man a pestilent fellow c. And what good man who endeavours to walk with God and please him can hope to please the Cainish generation or expect any better opinion of himself from them They walk two contrary wayes Now men measure out their esteem of others according to their love and the way wherein they walk and so desire to be like to them and imitate them Similitudo est causa amoris Now Enoch and his followers walk in a lone way a narrow path which few men finde Mat. 7.13 14. and much fewer walk in and therein they please God And who will love or esteem such a man Who will think him happy Who will desire to be like unto him As for those who walk in the way of Cain Jude v. 11. they love those who walk in the same way with them have such in high estimation and honor They call and think the proud happy Mal. 3.15 Psal 10.3 They speak good of the covetous whom God abhorreth So that their minds thoughts wills affections and wayes are not only contrary one to other but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My thoughts saith the Lord Esay 55.7 8 9. are not as your thoughts nor my wayes as your wayes c. And therefore as it followes well Enoch walked and pleased God and therefore was esteem'd and honour'd of God So it follows as well according to mans corrupt reasoning and estimation Enoch and his followers walk and please God and therefore they displease and are in no esteem among men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are not Yet that which is very strange and rare Contempt and Envy meet both together in a true Enochite in every one that walks and pleaseth God Nemo curiosiùs calcat quod contemnit no man will trouble himself to kick what he contemnes saith Seneca Yet the Enochite Who walks and pleaseth God is not onely so despised and vilified but envied also and that even to death For according to an higher degree of walking and pleasing God there ariseth an higher antipathy and more intense disaffection and displeasure of men against them who so walk and abound in pleasing God and pleasing themselves in so walking In so much as did any man walke as Christ walked which is the duty of all men who are in Christ 1 John 2.6 For he who saith he abideth in him ought himself to walk as he walked such an one would be hated as Christ was hated John 15. and persecuted as he was persecuted which evidently appears from hence that if any man endeavour in good earnest to follow his stepps he drawes after him from the world envy hatred malice all uncharitableness yea murdering burning massacring persecution for righteousness sake and that among such as are pretenders unto righteousness Cain religious Cain murdered his own brother 1 Iohn 3.12 wherefore but because Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than he and so pleased God Wherefore slew he him Saith S. John but because his own workes were evill and his brothers righteous 1 Sam. 20.32 33. And when Jonathan asked Saul why David should be slain and what evill had he done That was evill enough Saul cast a javelin at him to kill him for asking that question Thus when our Saviour appealed
thou indeed reign over us Or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us which yet was afterward fulfilled when they bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth This Canaan was the yonger son of Ham to whom with his father Ham and his Brethren Cush Mizraim and Put Noah gave Africa as to Japhet Europe and Asia to Shem. But Canaan invaded Phoenicia part of Shems portion whence Phoenicia is called after the name of Canaan the Land of Canaan And Shaul the son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the LXX Exod. 6.15 with Gen. 46.10 Mat. 15.22 with Mark 7.26 of a Phoenician is said to be the son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Canaanitish woman And that woman whom S. Matthew calls a Canaanitish woman the same in S. Mark is called a Syrophenician And among the antient names of Phaenice Stephanus in his Book Devrbibus tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a contract of Canaan is one and the inhabitants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 25 What kinde of servant Canaan was appears where he is called a Servant of servants even the basest of servants And the Reason is from the breach of Gods law imprinted in the minde that honour is due unto our parents as therefore there is a reward promised unto those who honour their parents it being the first Commandement with promise it followes that the transgression of that great Comandement must draw after it a curse as a due recompence of reward 2. This punishment seemes equall according to the law of man which condemnes those to vassalage and slavery who are ungratefull to their Patrons and Founders Libertus ingratus patrono redit in pristinam servitutem 1. Doubt But why did Ham offend and Canaan suffer punishment It 's said that Ham saw his Fathers nakedness It 's answered by some that Canaan first saw the nakedness of his Grand-Father Noah and told his Father of it Others satisfie the doubt by saying that Canaan is here put for his father Ham and so Vatablus with other learned men understood here Ham not Canaan and so the Arabick Version How ever Ham was not Exempted from the curse though not named but understood to be accursed in the curse of his son as Jacob is said to blesse Jeseph when he blessed his sonns And the reason seemes to be Gen. 48.6 Hebr. 11.21 Deut. 28.4.28 because the father and the son is taken as one person so that as the blessing of the obedient Father extends unto the children so the curse likewise to the diisobedent Hence it is that we shall finde Ham as well as Canaan partaker of this curse And therefore Egypt is called the house of servants For whereas Egypt is by the Psalmist called the land of Ham Psal 105.25.27 and Plutarch among the names of Egypt reckons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hams land whom the inhabitants worshipped afterward under the name of Jupiter Hammon Hams posterity in Egypt as well as Canaans in the land of Canaan were under the curse of bondage For beside the brand of blackness upon their skin as Servants were wont to be branded by their Masters whence Egypt hath its name so Aeguptium is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is black in the old Glossary the Egyptians according to the curse have been of old noted as servants and Vassalls unto other Nations Hence it is that in Aristophanes the Egyptian is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tile or Brick bearer Where the Scholiast saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Egyptians are noted in Comedies as Brick or Tile-bearers And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's the property of the Egyptians to bear burdens Aristophanes scoffing at the Verses of Euripodes a far honester man than himself saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Tragical Verses being made of Spondees and so running some what heavily An hundred Egyptians saith be are not able to carry his Verses But not onely miserum fortuna Sinonem Finxit vanum etiam mendacemque The Egyptians were not miserable onely by their service unto men but by that also which alone renders men truly miserable and base their Vassalage and bondage unto sin The Egyptians of old were infamous as notorious Thieves according to the proverbial speech Quot servi tot fures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Scholiast on Aristophanes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deal knavishly and thievishly Suid. 2. Doubt Is it simply a blessing to be aloft and to rule as Shem did or is it a curse to be below and a Servant as Canaan was The Scripture seems plainly to speak as much Deut. 2◠1.13 But let us inquire what is the true libertie the true freedom of all the children of Shem. Not a power to will or not to will this or that not a power to do or not to do this or that as to sin or not to sin which they call Libertas contradictionis liberty of contradiction No nor is it a power to will or do this or the contrary which they call Libertas contrarietatis liberty of contrariety as a power to love or hate to do good or evill to save life or to kill If either of these were the true freedom then were he truly free who hath a power to will or do what is good or not to will or do it He that hath a power to will or do what is good or to will or do the contrary what is evill As when Laban said Gen 31.29 Iohn 19.10 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt And what Pilat said Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee If either of these were free then were they with whom they had to do not truly free or not so truly free as they then was Laban a more free-man then Jacob. Yea Pilat should be a more true free-man then Christ himself For Laban could have done Jacob hurt or not c. And Pilat could have crucified Christ or released him Yea if this were to be free then could not God himself be said to be free who yet is Liberrimum Agens the most free Agent For God being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cannot but will Good nor can he will or do that which is truly evill Mark 3.4 He cannot sin He cannot lie If this were true freedom then should not Christ be free Nor should the confirm'd Angels or souls made perfect be so free as those in via These can do good or evill save alive or kill Christ could not do both nor the confirmed Angels nor the souls made perfect Our Lord asks the question Is it lawfull to do good on the Sabbath Day or to do evill to save life or to kill He imphes he could do but one of them So that the true liberty imports a releasing from a mans own self-bondage the bondage of his own carnal
stars are they who persist in their faith love and obedience when others are wandring stars and sall from their own stedfastnesse for whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever 2. In the darknesse of affliction Aurum in furnace intilat August The gold then shines in the Furnace The stars shine most clearly in the coldest night even then when iniquity abounds and the love of many many objectivè when common love when the love towards many waxeth cold 2 Pet. 1.7 All divided judgements love those of their own way and opinion The general love is a degree beyond brotherly love and to be added to it This general love inclines the children of Abram to impart their light and influence unto all Dan. 12.3 They who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many unto Righteousness as the stars for ever and ever But if the children of Abram if the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea Rom. 9.27 barren and unfruitfull the remnant shall be saved So those words ought to be read as I shall shew in their proper place if the Lord will Axiom 5. and 6. And he believed in the Lord and he accounted it unto him for righteousnesse This is locus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place of Scripture very famous by frequent quotations of it in the New Testament and by many controversies thereupon I shall not trouble you or my self with disputes there have been and are too many already It s evident that these words are to be understood with reference unto the former They contain the two last Axioms of the Text. Axiom 5. Abram believed in the Lord. I shall first open the words and then shew the nature of faith here first spoken of in Scripture The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying true Esay 7.9 certain faithful constant permanent if not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 55.3 The word notes a firm perswasion that the words which God spake were most true firm and stable This belief Abram reposeth in the Lord in him who is the very being it self and gives being unto his word 2. As for the nature of faith I shall discribe it no otherwise then the Apostle doth faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11.1 the ground or confidence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen The Scripture proceeding from one and the same Spirit hath that harmony in it self that one place answers to another as in the Glasse Face answers to face so that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn ground or confidence is the same whereby the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hope expectation staying or waiting Psal 39.7 And now Lord what wait I for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my hope is in thee So that in it two things are implyed Iob 14.14 with 19.26 and 42.5 1. An expectation or looking abroad for some good hoped for I will wait until my change come that is till I see God in the flesh 2. In the interim a setled firm and unmoveable posture against what ever may oppose or tend to disturbance or disquiet or hinder the possessing of our soules in patience so we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin Subsistere not to give way but to withstand the violence of the wild beast So that patience is involved in the nature of faith So the Apostle Heb. 6.12 and 10.35 36 through faith and patience they inherited the promises According to this discription of faith Abram here is said to believe in the Lord that is to hope for and expect the blessed seed the seed of promise and with firmness stedfastness and setledness of mind and heart patiently to wait for it without discouragement from either his own or his wives old age indisposing them by nature to beget and bear a son but relying and resting on the power of God able to effect what he promised according to that Rom. 8.25 If we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it The obiect of Abrams faith is 1. Personall testis God himself the witness 2. Reall Testimonium the testimony of God or the thing testified and witnessed by him that thing which Abram believed 1. The obiect personall or witness whom Abram believed is God himself most fit and worthy to be believed as having all the accomplishments of a most sufficient witness 1. Knowledge of what he testifies 2. Truth and faithfulness in testifying 3. Goodness and vertue whereby he is inclined to witness onely what is the truth 4. Love and bounty to him to whom he witnesseth 5. Power and ability to effect and do what he testifies c. 2. The object reall or thing witnessed by God and propounded to belief is what ever God testifies and witnesses whether it be by information or precept or promise or threatning or what kind so ever else there is of divine testimony what ever word proceeds out of the mouth of God that must be true and so fit and worthy to be believed The thing here witnessed to be believed is the promise of God to Abram that he should have a seed a numerous or innumerable seed a vertuous and heavenly seed This Abram believes and for the effecting of it he believes in the good and gratious God who is true in all his promises and knowes how and is able to perform them The reason why Abram believed the Lord may be considered partly in regard of Gods truth essentiall unto God So that all truth is in him 1 John 5.9 and he is Summa veritas Let God be true and every man a lyer 2. Abrams experience of Gods truth Obs 1. Note here what kind of faith Abrams faith was faith not only in the truth of God but in the power of God God promised a thing extreem hard yea by nature impossible that Abram whose body was now dead and Sarah who was barren and her womb dead they should have a son Yet Abram believed To thee be it spoken O Son of Abram the Lord promises unto thee that which by nature is impossible that unto thee shall a child be born What though thou be dead Abram believed in the truth and power of God The Lord hath said it Esay 9.6 Iohn 11.25 Col. 2.12 13. Rom. 4.16 and the promise is of faith that it may be by grace to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed We have divers distinctions currant among us that faith is Historicall miraculous temporary and justifying or saveing faith which are true being well understood but Abrams saith is a miraculous faith it inables a man to work wonders Mark 9.23 Phil. 4.13 Unto him that believes all things are possible I am able to do all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
believed when he left his country yet unless he had then believed God promising an other land he had not left his own country No man will part with the present good but in hope of inioying that which is better and therefore Hebr. 11.8 It is said by faith he obeyed and desired a better country that is an heavenly vers 6. This is belief in the father correcting us and nurtering us under the law And such belief is that Hebr. 11.6 This is the portch of the Temple the fear the beginning of wisdom which is an entrance into the holy even the holy faith Axiom 6. Abram believed in the Lord and he accounted it unto him for righteousnesse These words contain Gods acceptance of Abrams belief The LXX here have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passively it was imputed unto him and so this place is thrice cited Rom. 4.3 Gal. 3.6 James 2.23 Herein let us inquire 1. What is meant by Righteousnesse 2. Counting for Righteousnesse 3. How God may be said to count Abrams belief for Righteousnesse 1. Esay 51.1 Deut. 6.25 Psal 24.5 Dan. 4.24 Esay 56.1 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred often by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall be your righteousnesse he shall receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy from the Lord and righteousnesse One expounds the other do away thy sins by mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keep judgment and do righteousnesse for my salvation is neer to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and my righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and my mercy The word we turn to count is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the LXX render by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but most frequently by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to think esteem reckon impute It is used in Scripture in regard of sin 1. 2 Sam. 19.19 Psal 32.2 negatively as to discount it to discharge it not impute it unto the sinner Let not my Lord impute iniquity to me saith Shimei to David Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity 2. In regard of righteousnesse affirmatively and so to impute for righteousness Psal 106.30 with Num. 25 12 13. Mal. 2 5. is for God to accept and reward what good is found in us working according to his will whereby we give him honour though it were our bounden duty so to do Phineas gave God the honour of his power fearing before his name and the honour of his justice then executed upon Israel for their idolatry and whordome and this the Lord accepted as a righteous and well pleasing service at his hand and rewarded it with his Covenant of peace and an everlasting priesthood in his posterity who kept the conditions of the covenant 3. To count or impute faith for righteousness or to esteem it as righteous may be two wayes understood 1. Either as faith in Christs obedient death the attonement for our sinns is accounted to the belief for righteousness whereby the sinner is acquitted and pardoned as if he were innocent and had not sinned 2. Or else as faith in the truth and power of God who promiseth and is faithfull and true and able to performe what he promises is imputed for righteousness The latter is here meant as it is evident in the Text. Thus Abram believed in God promising him a son and able to perform what he promised And herein lies no small part of our happiness that though our natures were fully repaired by sanctification and holiness which is the positive part of righteousness yet unless the guilt of our former sinns be taken away by non-imputation pardon and forgiveness of our old sinnes we should yet perish What is it then to be justified not to be imagined righteous Rom. 8.10 Psal 24.5 Jer. 23.6 Rom. 6.18.22 and 14.17 but to be truly made so by the spirit of God which is the very righteousness it self The spirit is life because of righteousness He shall receive righteousness from the Lord Thus Christ is called the Lord our righteousness or the righteousness of our God given unto us Reason Why did the Lord count faith to Abram for righteousness 1. Whither can this imputation be referred but unto the gratious estimation of God whereby he is pleased to over-value the act of his creature wrought by his power and esteeme it and reward it above the worth of it 2. That reason which may be considered in regard of Abram was the glory he gave unto God by believiug in his truth and power For he who believes and trusts in another hath an high opinion of him that he is faithfull and true in what he speakes and is able and willing to effect what he promises If any unexperienced chapman should come to one of you and profess his ignorance in the commodity he is to buy and say that he relied wholly upon you and trusts you ye will not deceive such a man The deceiving of confidence is the very worst of all deceipts Such a belief had Jehoshaphat a son of Abram we have no might saith he against this great company 2 Chron. 20.12 that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are towards thee God accepted that faith and bountifully rewarded it Rom. 4.20 21 22. Thus when Abram believed God and so gave glory to his truth faithfullness and power God for that very reason imputed righteousness unto Abram Objec If faith be imputed for righteousness then possible it is that a justified man may be an unjust man and the holy Text seemes to countenance this inference what saith the Scripture Rom. 4.3.8 Abram believed and it was counted to him for righteousness but to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly faith is imputed for righteousness whence David Blessed is the man Psal 32.2 saith he unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity Hence some of great name collect these consequences how truly I say not 1. That Abram was one who wrought no works of righteousness but only believed in God and 2. That God justifies the ungodly so that though they be lewd and ungodly yet he accounts them just what strange collections are these yet such as I fear too many make from these words Yea 3. Hence it will follow that he is a blessed man who hath only the non-imputation of his sin whose sins are forgiven him though otherwise he be a sinful man Let us answer to these three doubts 1. It seems that Abram wrought no works of righteousness Why To him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly c. he works not but believeth We must know therefore that the Scripture makes no opposition between good works and believing in him that justifies the ungodly but the opposition lies between the works of the Law without faith and with exclusion of faith and belief on him that justifieth the ungodly For without doubt to walk in
by the Spirit of Jesus John 16.8 when the Spirit shall come he will reprove the world of sin the open and known sin the black Egyptian because they believe not in Christ that he is The I am John 8.24 And Moses supposed that his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them but they understood not nor believed Acts 7.25 2. He shall reprove the world of Righteousnesse even the false righteousnesse of the flesh which the pretending religious world counterfeits out of their knowledge of Christ meerly after the flesh whereas our Lord saith He goes to the Father and they see him no more 3. He shall reprove the world of Judgement because the Prince of this world even the spiritual Pharaoh himself is judged and cast out John 12.31 Now because the Hebrews believed not Moses Acts 7.25 therefore their deliverance out of Egypt was interrupted and delayed Exod. 2.14 15. Nor can the spiritual Moses do his great works in us because of our unbelief Matth. 13.58 Wherefore O ye believing Hebrews who are in your passage from sin to righteousnesse from death to life from the letter to the Spirit or as Philo Judaeus interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 14.13 one who is passing out of the state of sin and corruption into the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 that 's a true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a true Hebrew indeed let not us think low thoughts of the spiritual Moses let not us limit or stint our belief in the Lord Jesus but let us in this our journey 1 Pet. 1.13 Gird up the loynes of our mindes and hope perfectly for the grace that is to be brought unto us at the revelation of J. Christ who is the great God Tit. 2.13 who is able to save us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to all perfection who come unto God by him Hebr. 7.25 And God said unto Moses Exod. 3. Ver. 14. I am that I am The words in the Hebrew are in the future 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be what I will be And although it be true that there is oftentimes enallage temporum and that the present tense is sometime understood by the future yet it is not so here For if such an unlimited change may be according as men shall be pleased to make it to what purpose are the times distinguished It is true Hierom hath Sum qui sum as ours render the words I am that I am But he gives no reason for that translation no more do ours Wherefore if good reason can be given why we should adhere to that expresse text of Scripture rather then recede from it it will be of more weight with reasonable men then all mens authority against it Let us try The great name Tetragrammaton Jehovah is so composed by divine artifice that it signifies the three parts of time past present and to come as I have shewen largely on Gen. 9.26 When therefore the Lord calls himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be he implyes that in the later part of time he will more clearly manifest his Deity in and to the Humanity That we may the better understand this we may observe that the whole tract of time from the beginning to the end of it may be generally divided into two parts or ages one of type prophesie and promise the other of truth fulfilling and performance of what was typified foresaid and promised And this later eminently began when Christ appeared in the flesh and therefore we finde so often especially in S. Matthew ut impleretur that it might be fulfilled c. This time is expressed in the Prophets often by The last dayes those dayes that time c. which the Apostles call the end of the world the later times c. Yea although S. Paul speaks of his own times and calls them the ends of the world 1 Cor. 10.11 yet he tells us also of later dayes which should come after his time 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. 2 Tim. 3.1.5 Now the Lord and his Prophets foretelling what shall come to passe they refer us in the first age or part of time to the accomplishment of it in the later part of time So we understand what our Lord saith to Moses Exod. 6.2 that He was not known to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by his name Jehovah that is as it imported a fulfilling of his promises otherwise no doubt he was known by that name unto them And the Prophets point at the later times for the fulfilling of their prophesies Examples are obvious as very often when we meet with this phrase They shall know that I am the Lord often in Esay Jeremy Ezechiel c. And they refer us unto the later times for a more cleer understanding of what they write as Jer. 23.20 And the reason is because in the Messiah the Lord would more clearly manifest himself and his wayes and works So Hos 3.5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his Goodnesse in the later dayes Whereas therefore the Lord now begun his work with Moses he made himself known unto him by his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be For all that time he was a God that hid himself under types and shadowes Esay 45.15 Until his only begotten Son declared him John 1.18 And then he who had called himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be in the beginning of his work he calls himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ego sum I am as often elsewhere so especially John 8.59 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before Abraham was I am Thus in this his first bringing up of Israel out of Egypt he styles himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be but the time would come when he should bring his people again from the depths of the Sea Psal 68.22 Esay 51.10 11. Zach. 10.10 This is wrought by the Lord who cals himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am who perfects that first rude draught of his first historical work in Spirit and Truth The Lord hath not communicated himself all at once but at first made himself and his Name known by Moses and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many parts and many manners in prophesies and promises in figures and types but in the last dayes he speaks unto us by his Son who fulfils all the types Col. 2.16 17. prophesies concerning himself Luke 24.44 and promises for all the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 and by him comes grace to fulfil the Commandements Rom. 8.4 and truth to fulfil types and promises He fulfils the great promise of the Father even the promised Spirit He fulfils the oath of the Lord that all the earth should be filled with the glory of the Lord Numb 14.21 when all behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord with his open face and are translated into
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how will that suit with the history There is no doubt but the holy Spirit here aimed at the spiritual understanding of this history And therefore although the story of bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt and drowning the Egyptians be of all other most true and famous and accordingly it is thrice testified in the Preter tense ver 1. and 4. Yet was it not related onely for it self as if we should rest therein but that we ought to look at a greater mercy of God and a more general Therefore we read a promise of bringing the people of God out of Egypt many ages after Zach. 10.10 For our better understanding of this we must know That the Lord now about to manifest the great work of Redemption which he would make common unto all Nations which is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common salvation Jude v. 3. He was pleased to choose the Land of Canaan as a publick Theatre and in it Jerusalem the midst of the world then inhabited according to that of the Psalm 74.12 He wrought salvation in the midst of the earth This Jerusalem had two ill neighbours Egypt and Chaldea the one Southward the other Northward And with one or other of these the people of God were alwayes much afflicted and captived first in Egypt then in Chaldea And out of both the Lord delivered them This story is evident in the Scriptures Now let us call our thoughts from abroad and look homeward In our journey towards the Jerusalem which is above the mother of us all we have experience of two like evil neighbours of which the Israel of God speaks Psal 66.12 We have gone through the fire and through the water and thou hast brought us forth into a well watered land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the LXX turn the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Refreshing such as we hope for are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the times of refreshing which shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 Egypt is a muddy watry soil Chaldea is notorious for Ur now called Urchoa as appears in Ptolomys Maps which signifies fire out of which Abraham came Answerable to these two the Jewes tell us of two kindes of Spirits the one a dull Spirit delighting in uncleannesse which excites and stirs up to the carnal sin the other a subtil Spirit which takes pleasure in and moves unto the spiritual sin The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the animalish or souly man according to his living soul is obnoxious unto both these in respect of his concupiscible and irascible powers whereof I shall speak more in its proper place Eccles 11. ult Of these two Egypt typified the straits of the sensual lusts and pleasures wherein the brutish man is intangled and captived thus the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fell in the slime-pits Gen. 14.10 Of such ye read Prov. 23.27 Gal. 5.19 In the Land of Egypt say they we sat by the flesh-pots when we did eat to the full Exod. 16.3 Chaldea and Babylon prefigured the more witty and learned mans slavery under spiritual wickedness in heavenly things Ephes 6.12 Most men are first captived by their sensual and brutish lusts and therefore the Apostle calls them Youthful lusts 2 Tim. 2.22 because men commonly live the life of the beast before the life of the man And therefore as the first captivity is in Egypt so the first deliverance is out of Egypt Into Egypt they went without any compulsion and were received with feastings saith the Wiseman Wisd 19.16 And so Rom. 6.19 men yield their members servants to iniquity But the spiritual Pharaoh detains them in his straits that is Egypt as the Fowler entertains the Birds with a bait into his net but he will not let them go yea not by a mighty hand Exod. 4.19 and 6.6 and out-stretched arm that is the Son who is the Arm of the Lord Esay 40.10 who therefore is said to have brought the people out of Egypt Jude v. 5. V. Lat. and to have overwhelmed their enemies with the Sea This history speaks not only of those people and those times past but comes home to us and our present times also and declares the everlasting wayes of God and the spiritual estates of men in all ages That of the pious Father is most true Dum narrat gestum prodit mysterium while the Scripture tells us an history it reveals a mystery For what the Lord did then for his people according to the flesh was typical and representative of what he then did and now doth and ever will do for and in his people according to the Spirit especially in these later dayes And therefore the Verbs are both in the Future The depths shall cover them and they shall sink For warrant of this spiritual interpretation I desire the Reader who is spiritually minded to compare herewith what the Prophet Micah speaks of this argument expresly Mic. 7. per tot Having complained in the person of the Church and lamented the iniquity of all sorts of men he professeth his hope and confidence in the God of his salvation Then he recomforts himself in hope of deliverance and that such as formerly from the danger of Ogg King of Bashan and Pharaoh King of Egypt both together Psal 68.22 And both recorded by the Prophet Micah v. 14 15 19. The Lord be pleased to give us his spirit of grace that we may know the things which are freely given to us of God comparing spiritual things with spiritual 1 Cor. 2.12 13. He vouchsafes to shew us wonderful things to be wrought in us according to his peoples coming out of Egypt That he will subdue our iniquities even the choise of the spiritual Pharaohs Triarii His strongest and valiantest ones even all our mighty sins Amos 5.12 all our ruling lusts and that he will be pleased to cast all our sins into the depth of the Sea that we also may sing every one his part in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that triumphant long of Moses Exod. 15. Revel 15.3 Thou didst blow with thy winde the Sea covered them Exod. 15. Ver. 10. Since the whole story is allegorically to be expounded as appears by what hath been said on ver 4 5. we ought upon all occasions to transfer the history to a mystical meaning which these words hold forth And thus what we turn with thy winde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy spirit so the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou sentest forth thy spirit And the Chaldee Paraph. Thou didst say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy word So that Baptism is hereby signified according to which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 10.1 2. All passed thorow the Sea children and all Exod. 12.37 and were all baptized to Moses in the cloud and in the Sea Whereby was prefigured the baptism of Christ in his person and followers For so the
Spirit of God descended upon him and the voice from heaven testified of him Matth. 3.16 17. And by the same Spirit we are all baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 and that Spirit flutters over the waters as in the first creation Gen. 1.2 so in the second and makes the new creatures when the Egyptians are drowned Mich. 7.19 that is the body of sin is destroyed that hence-forth we should not serve sin Rom. 6.6 Consider this O ye Christian men and women who say ye are baptized into the Name of Christ yet live in your sins and flatter your selves that ye shall live for ever with Christ Know ye not that so many of us as are baptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into his death Rom. 6.3 If so ought any one sinne to live in us The Lord hath made a gracious promise that he will have compassion on us and that he will cast all our sins into the depths of the Sea Mic. 7.19 as he cast all the Egyptians Let us pray unto the Lord that he will send forth his Spirit into us whereby we may mortifie our sins and so live Rom. 8.13 For if we so die with him we then be believe that we shall also live with him Rom. 6.8 Then shall the truth of that which the Psalmist speaks be fulfilled in us Psal 106.11 The waters covered their enemies the Egyptians there was not one of them left Then believed they his words they sang his praise Thou in thy mercy hast led forth thy people Exod. 15. Ver. 13. Thou hast guided them in thy strength to the habitation of thy holiness The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Translators have quite left out the demonstrative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this The LXX read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they so here expresse it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This thy people So likewise the Chald. Par. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very often spoken of Israel though very often also they be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Jos 3.17 4.1 Zeph. 2.1 But when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a nation is opposed to the people of God then it signifies the Gentiles as Psal 115.2 and 126.2 And there is the like reason of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 people often spoken of the Jews and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most what understood of the Heathen Howbeit because the Jewes as many Christians also rather affect names and titles of Gods people then the reality and being of such and put off from themselves what names might diminish their honour and lay them on other people as they call Abimelech though but one person by the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 20.4 therefore God justly brands them with that infamous name if there be any infamy in it and multiplyes it upon them for their sin Ezech. 2.3 I send thee to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nations because a divided and a factious people As for like reason they are spoken of in the plural number Acts 4.27 Against thy holy childe Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the peoples of Israel c. For a disobedient people are not owned by the Lord for a people as Deut. 32.21 They have provoked me to jealousie by that which is not God and I will provoke them to jealousie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with those who are not a people Who are they but all nations who walk in their own wayes So the Apostle applies that Scripture Rom. 10.19 and 11.11 12. Otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a title honourable to the obedient people of God And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This increaseth that honour which S. Paul expresseth Acts 13.17 The God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this people Israel Would God that they and we who boast our selves to be Gods people would seriously endeavour to be such that it may be truly said of us what the Apostle speaks Ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness to his marvellous light who in time past were not a people but are now the people of God 1 Pet. 2.9 10. But let us proceed to the later part of the verse Thou hast guided them in thy strength to the habitation of thy holiness The words are metaphorical as the former and borrowed either from a Shepherd in regard of his Flock or a Father in respect of his Childe or a King in reference to his Subjects All which relations suppose or require as love and tenderness so likewise power and strength in the Shepherd Father and King in every one toward his respective charge And the Lord takes upon him out of wonderful condescent all these and other endeering names of a Shepherd Psal 80.1 Of a Father Deut. 32.6 Of a King Esay 43.15 Now as the Lord shewed his mercy and love in the former part of this verse Thou in thy mercy hast led forth this people whom thou hast redeemed so in the later part of this verse before us he declares his strength for so I would render these words Thou hast born them in thy strength for in this and other verses of like nature the later part adds somewhat to the former Since therefore in the former part of the verse Gods goodness is declared in leading forth his people so in this later his power and strength is manifested in bearing his weak and feeble flock children and people For though guiding in our English adds nothing to leading yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not onely to lead or guide but also to bear and support in guiding or leading And so the Chald. Par. hath here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Portâsti eum thou hast born them So likewise the Vulg. Lat. and Symmachus hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast carried them Martin Luther also and Piscator and three Low Dutch Translations as also five of our old English Translations have the word carry but whom ever they followed they misappy it to the former Verb which belongs to the later O Israel know thy Shepherd thy Father thy King They are all mutually winning titles of our God and signifie his goodness and power in guiding us and bearing us Whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prince has his name from Bearing And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a King is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foundation of his people And Kings are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Shepherds of their people Such a King such a Shepherd such a Father is our God unto us who bears us as a Father bears his childe Deut. 1.31 O let us not abuse his love and patience toward us let not us cause him to complain as he hath done of
〈◊〉 and the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he will not kill me Thus our Lord Matth. 16.4 A signe saith he shall not be given unto it which words S. Mark reports thus with an oath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verily I say unto you if a sign be given to this generation which the Syriac expresseth verily I say unto you that a signe shall not be given unto this generation and so our Translators rightly turn the words there there shall no signe be given to this generation So the servants of the King of Syria swear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they shall prevail over Israel 1 Kings 20.23 and other like examples we may adde as that more notable Psal 95.11 To whom I sweare in my wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they shall enter into my rest that is that they shall not enter into my rest as the Apostle explains those words Hebr. 3.11 compared with ver 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they shall not enter So in this place before us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a note of swearing and the Scripture should be so expressed The Master of the house shall be brought unto the Judges That he hath not put his hand to his neighbours goods If this seem harsh we must know that an oath is wont to be understood by an Elipsis and defective speech as in the former examples may appear But if any supplement here be thought needful it should not be that or any such as that which our Translators adde to see but rather to swear for so the Greek Interpreters here have expressed the words the Master of the house shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before God so they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we more rightly turn Judges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall swear that he hath not dealt wickedly in all the pledge of his neighbour So Hierom also jurabit and he shall swear The Chald. Par. retains the genuine defect common with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si non The Syriac also and the Arabic and Samaritan translations express the words in form of an oath Vatablus also and the Tigurin Bible and Castellie as also Tremellius who hath this supplement Juramento se purgaturus he shall be brought before the Judges to purge himself by an Oath c. The like supplement hath the French the Italian and Spanish Translations and two Low Dutch The other was mislead by Luthers translation as also Munster and Piscator and one of our old English translations which our last followed But Coverdale and all the rest understood the words as an Oath And it is much that ours were so mistaken For in the 11 verse following we have the very same words with those before us in the form of an oath as they there translate them Whence we may take notice with what fear and reverence we ought to take an Oath for the Scripture here prescribes a defective speech in expressing an Oath as they who speak out of fear are wont in speaking to lose some word or other And the Scripture omits especially such words as bode evil as execrations and curses which are commonly understood in Oathes And it may teach us in like case to forbear all imprecations and evil wishes to our selves or others and to suppresse them under an Euphemismus or to use some circumlocution rather then plainly to pronounce them Thus much even the Heathen may teach us as in that known broken speech Quos ego sed motos praestat componere fluctûs How much more may we learn this of David Psal 132.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I come into the tabernacle of my house and the like ver 4. that is surely I will not c. How much yet more may we learn this of God himself who swearing useth an abrupt and imperfect speech which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an antecedent without a consequent If they enter into my rest Psal 95.11 what remains is understood Let us be followers of God and be taught by him as his dear children Ephes 5.1 and forbear swearing and cursing yea and lying and stealing and committing adultery c. for which the land mourneth Hos 4.2 3. Therefore now put off thine ornaments from thee Exod. 33. Ver. 6. that I may know what to do unto thee And the children of Israel stript themselves of their ornaments by the Mount Horeb. The people had not put on their ornaments as appears ver 4. which is spoken by anticipation otherwise the Lord had not here commanded them to put them off The words contain the Lords precept with the end of it and the peoples obedience thereunto But whether that obedience be set forth by the place where it was performed or from the cause moving them thereunto there 's the question For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not signifie by as it is here turn'd but from as it is rendred in the Chald. Par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Samaritan the Syriac and Arabic Versions also in the Vulg. Lat. A Monte LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Mount Horeb. So Castellio and one Low Dutch Bible Vatablus and Munster render the word juxta and ad yet they confesse that its à Monte in the Hebrew Tremellius and Diodati adde a supplement far from the Mount Horeb. Another tells us that here is Enallage praepositionis an enallage or change of one preposition for another viz. à for ad or juxta from for at or nigh But if we admit of such changes we shall soon elude and lose that sense which the Spirit of God aims at Only one of our old English translations hath from but with an unreasonable supplement viz. After Moses came down from the Mount Horeb. The rest of our translations have by or under or before as others have at or neer It s evident from this variety of translations and all differing among themselves and from the Original that there must be something amiss they saw not how the word would yield a good meaning if rendred from But suppose that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be turn'd from as from the Mount Horeb what sense shall we make of it The Mount whether Sinai or Horeb two tops of the same Mountain where the Law was given signifies the Law there given by a Metonymie Hebr. 12.18 Ye are not come to the Mount that could be touched that is the Law given in Mount Sinai or Horeb opposed to the Gospel figured by Mount Sion ver 22. whence it went forth Esay 2.3 Compare also Gal. 4.21 with 24. As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it doth not only note a distance but implies a cause as Hos 12.9 I am the Lord thy God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the land of Egypt that is from my bringing thee out of the Land of Egypt It is the Lords argument whereby he claims his people as peculiar to himself Exod. 20.2 3. And that indeed it is so
or displeased with them Others that they were no other then the twelve precious Stones which the High Priest wore in his Breast-plate Others and I shall name no more for shame would have the Vrim Thummim to be the same with the Teraphim which they affirm to have been two little Idols whereby God gave answers to the High Priest I might name many more But these last have-spoken out and declared for themselves and for all the rest the Idols of their own imaginations Good God! whither will the wicked imagination as the Wiseman calls it Ecclus 37.3 whither will it not wander if left to it self even to make God himself give forth his Oracles by Idols which he extreamly hateth and that to the people who of themselves are too prone to idolatry To such interpreters as these God hath made good what he threatens Ezech. 14.4 that they who come with such idols in their hearts the Lord will answer them according to their idols These are truly Commentaria inventions fictions and imaginations of men For how can men speak of God and the things of God without the Word of God Plato might have taught them better That nothing can be known of Gods minde without his Oracle None of these Authors alleage any Scripture at all to prove their assertions Which therefore are to pass upon the account of guesses and conjectures which may be as easily denied as affirmed But hence we learn that what these were its hard to say They judge more probably who think that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written on a plate was put on the fore-heâ—d of Aaron so Vrim Thummim were written on a plate and put in the breast-plate which was double Exod. 28.16 But neither have they any ground for this in Scripture more then the other This we may undoubtedly say of them that certain instruments or means they were whereby the Lord was pleased to manifest his Answer to the enquiry of the High Priest Whence the Greek Interpreters called Vrim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is manifestation which that it might be believed they rendred Thummim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth That they were wont to make inquiry of the Lord and receive Answers by these divers Scriptures witness as Numb 27.21 1 Sam. 23.9 12. where we read two questions moved by David and the Lords respective Answers to them by Vrim These were wanting at the peoples return out of the Babylonian captivity as appears Ezra 2.63 And whereas there were three usual wayes whereby the Lord revealed his will unto men 2 Sam. 28.6 7. Dreams Vrim and Prophets who spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 The Prophets ceased with Haggy Zachary and Malachy and the Vrim failed and divine dreams also Joel 2.28 For whereas the Lord promises the Spirit of prophesie divine dreams and visions in the dayes of the Messiah its probable at least that he had withdrawn them all before Nor was there left any other divine manifestation but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a small voice or the daughter of a voice that is an Echo or reflection of a voice such as that which came from heaven in Answer to our Lords Prayer to his Father John 12.28 29. when the people said some that it thundred others that an Angel spake unto him But why look we on these things at so great a distance surely they either are or may be no doubt they ought to be neer unto us even in our own Bosomes The illuminations and perfections were in the Breast-plate and must be on the heart of Aaron Exod. 28.30 There are some pious and good men who affirm that these Vrim and Thummim figured the perfections of all graces which are in Christ who is the High Priest of our profession Hebr. 3.1 And there is no doubt but these speak truth for they are in Christ But when they consider Christ only in his temporal dispensation as Gregory calls the dayes of his flesh or as he arose from the dead and ascended into heaven and sits personally at the right hand of God if Christ and his illuminations and his perfectious be at so great a distance from us how can he be Immanuel God with us How could he make good his promise to us under that name that he will be with us unto the end of the world Matth. 28.20 Yea how then shall we understand the Apostle when he tels us that Christ is in us Gal. 3.1 Col. 1.27 and that unless Christ be in us we are castawayes 2 Cor. 13.5 Surely therefore if Christ be in us as according to this Scripture he is if we be in the faith and not castawayes that also which is in Christ is analogically and according to our proportion of faith in us also And he is said to make his Believers and Lovers Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Revel 1.6 Kings to rule upon the earth Revel 5.10 and Priests who should offer spiritual Sacrifices unto God 1 Pet. 2.5 And upon condition of obedience the whole Israel of God hath promise to be a Kingdom of Priests Exod. 19.6 And although ver 22. we read of Priests they are the first-born of their respective Tribes whom the Lord challenged to himself Exod. 13.2 Numb 3.4 5. And after the revolt of Israel by their idolatry Exod. 32. the tribe of Levi retained their integrity and obtained the Priesthood Numb 8.13 22. Yet nor that nor any after constitution of Priests hindred the obedient from being Kings and Priests unto God Let them who are the holy Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.5 know the things which are freely given to them of God 1 Cor. 2.12 For these Lights and perfections are Gods gifts And therefore we read not that God appointed them to be made where the Pontificalia or High Priests vestments and ornaments are either commanded to be made Exod. 28. or reported to have been made Exod. 39. But only a command to Moses to put them in the breast-plate Exod. 28.30 and the obedience of Moses thereunto in this place Levit 8.8 For indeed how could any woman spin or Weaver make Doctrine or Truth saith Origen and as we may say Lights or perfections Sapientia ergo est quae utrunque facit It is the divine wisdom which makes them both as that Father goes on And whereas Moses is said to put them into the breast-plate of Aaron do we not read that Moses was to be to Aaron for a god Exod. 4.16 What is turn'd he put them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave them they are his gifts They are both plural as the greatness and excellency of things is expressed by plurals Prov. 1.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mercies of the Lord Lam. 3.22 according to which S. Paul beseecheth the Romans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the mercies of God c. Rom. 12.1 And for the excellency of these they are both plural Lights and perfections Both
alleage the character of Priestood which they say is indelible if they be persons unduly qualified all is to no more effect then putting a Seal to a Blank Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis whatsoever is received is received according to the mode or qualification of the person receiving And of like rate and value are all acts performed by such a Priest whether binding or loosing remitting or retaining sins absolving or excommunicating What they alleage touching divine mission let us enquire what that is out of the Original Grant Mat. 28.18 19. Jesus came and spake to them saying All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations c. Consider to whom he spake ver 16. The eleven Disciples that is Apostles That they were Disciples imports denial of themselves and taking up the Cross of Christ and following him This qualification is common to all Disciples as such Luke 9.23 24. and 14.25 26 27. but a more eminent endowment was necessary for the eleven Apostles And therefore S. John relates our Lords acts after his resurrection more particularly Whos 's soever sins ye remit saith he they are remitted unto them and whosoever sins ye retain they are retained which words are commonly cited alone as many other Scriptures are whereas their energy and force is in the precedent or consequent words as here ver 21. He ordains them Ambassadors of peace he saith unto them Peace be unto you As my Father hath sent me so send I you And when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive the holy Ghost Then followes immediately Whose sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained And therefore S. Ambrose on Psal 37. who saith Sacerdotibus solum jus est ligandi solvendi it is the Priests right to binde and loose the same Father also saith Sacerdotis officium est munus Spiritûs Sancti the office of the Priest is the gift of the holy Ghost And that not transient but permanent Dominum possideant ab eo possideantur Let them possess the Lord and be possessed by him saith S. Hierom ad Nepot How great an height of glory are the Disciples advanced unto who have the principality of the highest judicatory Vt vice Dei peccata retineant relaxent that instead of God they can retain and remit sins saith S. Gregory Homil. 26. Such Priests as these may effectually absolve and remit sins Such Priests as these may separate the sons of Israel from their uncleanness possessing him and possessed by him who cleanseth us from all our unrighteousness 1 John 1.9 And this neerly concerns us O ye Sons of Israel lest we die in our sins and uncleanness when we defile Gods Tabernacle which is among us Where is that the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in medio vestri in the midst of you The true Israel of God because such is and must be pure God is good to Israel who are they Even to such as are of a clean heart Psal 73.1 And because the most pure and holy God hath his Tabernacle and Temple in the midst of them There he promiseth to set it if we walk in his Statutes and keep his Commandements and do them Levit. 26.3.11.12.13 If we purifie our selves as he is pure 1 John 3.3 with this proviso let them make me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sanctuary an holy place and I will dwell in the midst of them Exod. 25.8 O how holy how pure must that holy place be wherein the most holy God will dwell He cannot be toucht or approached unto by any unlike himself That Sanctuary that Temple that Tabernacle is thine heart O Israel For know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you He that defiles Gods Temple him will God defile or leave in his pollution 1 Cor. 3.16.17 and 6.19 and the like 2 Cor. 6.16 Ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Having these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. and 7.1 Aaron shall cast lots upon the two Goats the lot for the Lord Levit. 16. Ver. 8. and the lot for the Scape-Goat What is here turn'd a Scape-Goat is retain'd in the margent without translation Azazel and that upon good advice For this book of Leviticus as indeed the whole Pentateuch is Arcanum volumen a very mysterious book and that the rather in those parts of it which as it were datâ operâ the Spirit of God seems to conceal and therefore such as require our diligence humility and docibleness to search them out Which if they should not be inquired into why were they written It is good to keep close the secret of a King but it is honourable to reveal the works of God saith the Angel Tob. 12.7 Yea it s royal saith the wise King Prov. 25.2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing but the honour of Kings to search out a matter Especially since we are in the last part of time when there is nothing covered but shall be revealed nor hidden that shall not be made known Matth. 10.26 saith the Angel of the Covenant the wisdom and King of Saints The great business of this Chapter is the anniversary expiation of sins held forth unto us in outward and figurative expressions which must have their truth if ever savingly accomplished and fulfilled in us In that part of it before us there are many conjectures concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Azazel Some render it as ours do as the Vulg. Latin Caper emissarius a Goat sent out which word Emissarius answers not to that Latin word properly used but is made to signifie what the LXX have here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent away Others understand the word to be compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Goat and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of a place or specially of a Mountain which Vatablus placeth neer Mount Sinai I rather believe that the place is in Eutopia or rather Cacotopia or indeed rather then both in Atopia For I have sought this Mountain Azel high and low in Ptolomy Stephan Adrichomius and others and hear no news of it and therefore I must return a Non est inventus there is no such Mountain Others think it to be the name of the Devil and that in regard of his strength So especially one of the Jews Doctors who hath divers followers herein
in the heat and fury of chance Do ye not remember our late extraordinary droughts And when the Lord gave rain did he not withal send destructive hail thunders and lightnings I shall remember you only of that memorable one July 20. 1656. when the rain hail thunder and lightning laid all the corn and fruit-trees waste five miles broad and between fifteen and sixteen miles in length about the City of Norwich I received this relation from good men of credit and sufferers in that calamity but the thing is sufficiently known So the Lord walked with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even in the heat wrath and fury of chance This story I the rather mention because I have observed it to be the guise of men in this City like that of the Athenians Acts 17.21 to spend their time in hearing or telling some new thing and that commonly they entertain relations of this nature under the notion of novelties and think no more of them And therefore God by this and like judgements awakens us and reproves our casual and accidental walking with him that we should turn unto him lay his judgement to heart learn righteousness and with full purpose of heart walk with him But the Stoicks of our time are not hereby justified who will have all things come to pass by an immutable and fatal necessity as if the series and order of causes and effects were so knit together as links in a chain by an unavoidable destiny so that howsoever Gods people walk or have walked with him they nor could nor can walk otherwise then they have done or do No nor can God himself having bound up himself by his own decrees walk otherwise with his people then he hath done or doth walk Surely these men consider not that the most high God who made man a noble and free creature with power to act or suspend his act to do this or that or their contraries he himself reserved to himself the same liberty or greater then what he gave to the counterpane of himself And since all things between God and man are transacted by way of covenant the terms and conditions of it alwayes suppose free agents entring into covenant and therefore a possibility of keeping or breaking covenant and consequently respective rewards and penalties annexed thereunto Otherwise man should be unjustly punished for that which could not be avoided or unduly rewarded for what could not be done otherwise Yea there should be as no merit so no demerit no demerit no sin no righteousness Yea all perswasions and disswasions all counsels exhortations dehortations all promises and threatnings reproofs admonitions all commands all prohibitions in a word all acts of God upon mans will which indeed upon the matter should be no will all Lawes of God and men should be altogether null and to no purpose or which amounts to little more a meer juggle a meer pageantry of seeming actions done onely above-board when indeed there should be no such thing But alas my heart condemns me that I have not walked so evenly so intirely with my God I have had many a good will and purpose to walk with my God and somewhat or other intervenes diverts me and turns me from my purpose Yet fear not the Lord with whom thou walkest looks at thy heart and good will and how thou art affected toward walking with him I the Lord search the heart and try the reins to give to every man according to his wayes according to the fruit of his doings Jer. 17.10 If we have forgotten the Name of our God or stretched out our hands unto a strange god shall not God search it out for he knoweth the secrets of the heart Psal 44.20 21. He looks upon the hands thorow the heart And therefore what we have in the Text if ye will not hearken unto me but walk at all adventures with me speaking of the event the same ver 21. ye may read spoken of the heart and affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ye will not hearken unto me if ye have a lust heart and will not to hearken unto me The Lord looks thorow our heart and will at our feet and walking O but if our heart condemn us God is greater then our heart and he knowes all things 1 John 3.20 Thus the poor soul dejects it self and pleads against it self without just cause Let not thy heart condemn thee 1 John 3. Ver. 18 19 20. God is greater then thy heart and he knowes all things Alas saith the poor soul that 's my condemnation that God is greater then my heart and knowes all things It is a true saying Qui respicit ad pauca de facile pronunciat he who looks at few things soon delivers his opinion But he who will give a right sentence of Gods truth he must look about him at antecedents and consequents and pray to the Lord to give him his Spirit to lead him into all truth This place of Scripture is not well translated Let us take the whole Paragraph before us and consider of it 1 John 3.18 19 20. My little children let us not love in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby namely by our loving in deed and in truth hereby do we know that we are of the truth and shall assure or perswade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our hearts before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for but that if our heart condemn us or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although as Matth. 26.35 John 8.14 and elsewhere although our heart condemn us for any former failing that God is greater then our heart greater in wisdom grace mercy and goodness and knowes all things he knowes our heart and the present frame and disposition of our heart in the deed and truth of love So that many a poor soul dejects and casts down it self upon a meer mistake of this place of Scripture mis-translated which being truly rendred and understood makes for the great consolation of it But I have not walked with my God in the way of his Commandements Surely the Lord hath forsaken me His Prophet tells me The Lord is with you while you are with him if ye forsake him he will forsake you And this is my condition Be not discouraged poor soul The Prophets words are The Lord is with you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in your being with him if therefore thou do what is pleasing in his sight and what he hath shewen thee 2 Chro. 15. Ver. 2. is good if thou do justly and love mercy and humble thy self to walk with thy God thou art with him and in thy being with him he is with thee Continue thou in so doing and in the good will so to do But alas I endeavour so to do but I often stumble in the way That makes thee more diligent and more wary afterward He who stumbles commonly takes a larger stride Be careful and remember that thou walkest in the midst of snares
the Lord such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 build a wall about themselves Prov. 28.4 as the LXX turn it The Lord promises that he will be a little Sanctuary to his people Ezech. 11.16 Yea as we are round about the Lord the Lord is round about us we have a strong City salvation will the Lord appoint Murale antemurale Wals and Bulwarks Esay 26.1 As the hils stand about Jerusalem so the Lord is round about his people Psal 125.2 But God is our Captain and Leader Hebr. 2.10 True but also the Lord is the rereward Esay 52.12 The God of Israel will be our rereward The Lord is in the midst of his people his Saints are round about him yet not only so but he is round about Israel also Zacb. 2.4 There we have this objection answered if Jerusalem be inhabited as Towns without walls by reason of the multitude of men and cattle therein then shall we lie exposed to the malice of the enemy Nay it followes I saith the Lord will be unto her as a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her These are the names of the sons of Aaron the Priests which were anointed Numb 3. Ver. 3. whom he consecrated to minister in the Priests office Moses having numbered visited and mustered the other Tribes Chap. 1. of this book and Chap. 2. disposed them according to Gods command about the Tabernacle of meeting In this third Chapter he recites the names of the Priests of Aarons house and commemorates their unction and consecration unto the Priests office And the Lord having given the other Levites to the Priests for the service of the Tabernacle the Lord commands Moses to number visit and muster the Levites according to their families the Gershonites the Kohathites and the Merarites Of this verse I have chosen only the later part to treat of at this time Whom he consecrated to minister in the Priests office In which words we have 1. The consecration of the Priests he consecrated them 2. The end of their consecration to minister in the Priests office Accordingly there are in the words these two divine truths 1. He consecrated them 2. He consecrated them to minister in the Priests office 1. He consecrated them Who consecrated them we shall shew anon But first let us inquire into the Priests consecration What is here turn'd whom he consecrated is word for word in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose hand he filled So Arias Montanus Quorum manum implevit whose hand he filled So the Spanish Bible Martin Luthers translation and Piscators and three Low Dutch and Coverdale Ainsworth and another old English translations all which render the words whose hand he filled The LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom they consecrated their hands Harsh Hierom Quorum repletae consecratae manus whose hands were filled and that is consecrated And this last the most of the other Latin English translations follow By filling the hand some here understand Oleo consecrare to consecrate with oyl But in regard of oyl it were more proper to fill the Head on which the oyl was poured then the hand since only the Thumb of the Priest and that of the right hand only was anointed and that with blood not with oyl as appeares Exod. 29.20 Others have conceived that by filling of the hand is to be understood the Priests taking somewhat in their hands to offer and this they prove by Jeroboams consecration of Priests 1 Kings 13.33 and 2 Chron. 13.9 Whosoever cometh to fill his hand with a Bullock and seven Rams he shall be a Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the no-gods But this is a very weak proof to say no worse of it especially since the Scripture saith expresly This thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam even to the cutting it off and to destroy it from off the face of the earth 1 Kings 13.33 34. That therefore we may know what 's here meant by filling of the Priests hand let us inquire 1. With what the Priests band was filled And 2. who filled it The hand of the Priest was filled with the Oblations and Sacrifices to be offered up unto God What those Oblations and Sacrifices were we shall best learn out of the first institution and consecration of the Priests which ye read of Exod. 29.9 Where after the clothing of them follows this command of the Lord to Moses Thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons the words are the same with those in this Text Thou shalt fill the hand of Aaron and his sons With what That we read at large together with the rite of consecration ver 22 23 24 25. Thou shalt take of the Ram the fat and the rump and the fat that covereth the inwards c. And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons c. 2. But who here filled the hand of the Priests Here is no mention in the text some say Aaron And Vatablus supplies his name in the margent But Moses is said to have consecrated Aaron and his sons and the Spanish Bible puts in the marg Moses according to Exod. 29.9 Levit. 8.33 Ecclus 45.18 And therefore if either of their names be to be supplied surely 't is rather the name of Moses then that of Aaron But whether it were Moses or Aaron it was no doubt at Gods command and therefore Piscator in his High Dutch hath Deren hand der Herr gefullet hatte whose hand the Lord hath filled The reason of this appears 1. From the consideration of the Priests office For since every high Priest is ordained to offer gifts and Sacrifices Hebr. 8.3 these must have something to offer 2. No man might assume this power unto himself Hebr. 5.4 but he who is called of God whose hand the Lord filleth Mysticè What is meant by the hand Manus est animae virtus quâ tenere aliquid constringere quis potest velut si dicamus actus ejus fortitudo The hand is the vertue and power of the soul whereby we may apprehend something c. It is the strength and actions proceeding from inward power and strength Thus to have something given into our hand that is into our power Thus Abraham saith to Sarah Thy Maid is in thy hand Gen. 16.6 that is in thy power For so it followes Do to her what is good in thine eyes Num. 21.2 If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand that is into my power as it followes then I will utterly destroy their Cities Now what is that which is given into the Priests hand what is that wherewith the Priests hand is filled in the place before named we read what 1. The fat That 's held either the best as Genesis 4.4 Abel brought of the fat or the worst as Psalm 119.70 Their heart is fat as grease 2. The rump or tail of the Ram either the best or the
Seal the Law among my Disciples whom he brings brings up under the pedagogy of the Law which is God the Fathers Law Psal 40.8 Herewith he corrects us and instructs us Psal 94.12 Hereby he makes us partakers of his holiness hereby he reveals Christ unto us Gal. 3. For the Law is the Schoolmaster unto Christ who is the holy of holyes the holiness of holinesses Dan. 9.24 And he is our other Teacher our Master even Christ And what does our Master Christ teach us 1. Self-denial and 2. Taking up the Cross daily Luke 9.23 1. There are abridgements of three selfs in man since the fall one whereby he agrees with the beast and lives according to the principles of bruitish man Another whereby he becomes one with the old Serpent called the Devil and Satan who deceives all the world with false principles of corrupt reason Revel 12. A third whereby man stands conformable unto God and the heavenly man 1 Cor. 15. And this is the man and all the man Ecces 12. ver 13. Eccles 12.13 Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the man what ever else is in man contrary unto this it s either the beast or the Devil 2. His second precept is taking up the Cross even the Christian patience which S. John cals the patience of Jesus Christ Revel 1.9 The yoke of Christ Matth. 11. the narrow way of mortification Walk in this way bear his yoke his Cross his patience and follow him through his death in humility meekness faith and obedience But how shall I obey unless I know Hast thou not been instructed out of the Fathers law Thou art not its impossible thou shouldst be without all knowledge Obey therefore what thou knowest To him who hath not yet denyed the brutish life the Scripture saith be sober Let not your heart be overcharged with surfeting and drunkenness and the cares of this life Luke 21.34 Obey that which the very beast obeyes Neglect not the meanest precept Whatsoever he bids you do that do Fill the water-tots with water if thou hold that he will turn it into wine To him that hath shall more be given Depart from all known iniquity Believe every Precept every Commandement Adde to that faith vertue prowess and courage and then followes knowledge 2 Pet. 1. Such self-denyers such Cross-bearers who persevere in so doing are the true Disciples of Christ whom they follow into his death and by conformity unto his death he destroyes he swallowes up the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Esay 25.7 he devoures in all such Esay 25. ver 7. the vail vailed and the covering covered And swallowes up death in victory And thus we understand Simons speech touchiing our Saviour Luke 12. ver 32. Luke 2.32 Where he cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lumen ad revelationem Gentium so Hierom turns those words and so they sound in the Syriac interpreter A light for the revealing uncovering taking the vailes from off the nations whereby Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightness or off-shining of his Fathers glory Hebr. 1. ver 3. he is also the glory or great light so glory signifies 1 Cor. 15.40 41. and elsewhere of his people Israel And blessed be God the Father of lights and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he hath revealed the brightness of his glory whereby the thick darkness and black vails begin to be discovered and taken off all nations and the scales of false notions and mis-understandings begin to fall from the eyes of men But let us come to the third and last particular 3. They shall not go-in to see when the holiness or holy things are covered lest they die As if it were a speech like that Genesis 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne fortè lest ye die But the text is word for word according to the Hebrew They shall not go in to see when the holyness or holy things are covered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and die which words import what would be the issue and event of the Kobathites bold intrusion and curiosity if they should go in and see them Psal 143. ver 7. So they render Psal 143.7 Hide not thy face from me lest I be like to them or as in the margent For I am become like to them that go down into the pit The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I am like and both may be a good paraphrase Yet the Chald Par. in both places followes the Hebrew so doth the LXX and Hierom and Pagnin This menace and threatning was really fulfilled upon the Beth-shemites 1 Sam. 6.19 This comes to pass by the pride and curious searching of the earthly man of which the Apostle speaks Col. 1.18 They intrude into the things which they have not seen vainly puffed up by their fleshly minde And therefore Hierom turns the words Alii nullâ curiositate videant quae sunt in Sanctuario let others with no curiosity see the things which are in the Sanctuary This proceeds also from the vast disproportion between the most holy God his holiness of holinesses and the natural man much more the sinful man Would we see the most holy God and his holiness of holinesses Nor he nor they can be seen by other then they who are like him That 's the main end of the true religion to be like unto our God But wherein even in holiness and righteousness We cannot otherwise see the most holy God and his holiness in our selves as the eye cannot see the Sun unless it be soliformis in some sort like the Sun and have its image in it God is light and life and such is the mystery of God And therefore to the seeing of God and the things of God there is required the light and life of God In thy light shall we see light The mystery of Christ the new man the holiness of holinesses cannot be known but by a renewed minde a minde renewed in knowledge according to the image of him that created him Col. 3.10 which the genuine Disciples of Christ have 1 Cor. 2.16 No man can otherwise judge of spiritual things unless he be spiritually minded Our God is most pure and holy and therefore only the pure in heart can see God For whereas holiness is separatio ab aliquo applicatio ad aliquid the first part of it is separation from all uncleanness of flesh and spirit Which done the second takes place applies us and dedicates us unto God Thus when the sinful life is deaded and mortified we then see our God For no man can see God and live his own sinful life Exod. 33. There is a death necessarily preceding the sight of the most holy God his most holy things This that is precious death of the Saints in Gods sight Psal 116.15 This is that death wherein the righteous hath hope Prov. 14.32 And his hope is crowned with
if we suffer with him if we die with him we shall also arise with him and live with him and be glorified with him And as his countenance is as the Sun shineth in his strength Revel 1.16 So let them who love him be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might Judges 5.31 And it came to pass as the Ark set forward that Moses said Numb 10. v. 35 36. Rise up O Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee And when it rested he said Return O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel The words contain the prayer of Moses when the Ark journeyed and rested When it journeyed that the Lord would arise and scatter his enemies when it rested that he would gather together and unite his people and take up his residence with them For both these later acts may be comprehended in the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I shall shew Two exceptions lie against the translation of this Paragraph 1. That no notice is taken of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor is it rendred otherwise here nor in many other places then only before thee which is a decompounded word and signifies from before thy face I deny not but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the face spoken of God notes his presence but withal according to the places of Scripture where we meet with it it imports either his grace and mercy or his wrath and hatred For as the face of a man naturally declares his will and affections Vultus index animi a mans countenance speaks his minde until that damnable art of seeming perverted the simplicity of nature so the face of the Lord discovers his good will and favour toward us or on the contrary his dis-favour hatred wrath Examples are obvious The Church prayes God be merciful unto us and blesse us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cause his face to shine upon us Psal 67.1 But Psal 34.16 we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the face of the Lord is against them who do evil And Levit. 17.10 The Lord saith I will set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my face against that soul and 20.3 and 26.17 beside many like places Where by the face of the Lord his wrath is to be understood Thus in the Scripture now in question which speaks according to our Translators thus let them that hate thee flee before thee here is an object of wrath and hatred propounded to the Lord and therefore the Spirit of God expresseth his face which imports his wrath and hatred against his and his peoples incorrigible enemies Let them who hate thee flee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from before thine angry countenance The second exception lies against the last words Return O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel The Translators well knew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the same with Myrias in the Greek viz. ten thousands and therefore they say in the margent Hebr. ten thousand thousands though therein they come not home to the Hebrew text which is in the plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ten thousands thousands of Israel So that neither in the text nor margent they expresse the original May we conjecture what their reason might be It s probable that they thought there were not so many Myriads of Israelites and that this might be an hyperbolical speech of Moses But the Jewes have a tradition that three Millions of men came with Moses out of Egypt wandred in the Wilderness toward Canaan Which though it were true yet these might fall short of the number mentioned Nor ought this tradition to be imposed upon our faith What if we shall rather say that when the Israelites were numbred and mustered in the Plains of Moab and a Catalogue was then taken of the fighting men only of twenty years old and upward who were six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty Numb 26.51 It is not said how many more there were under that age to say nothing of the women All which its possible might amount to the number mentioned without hyperbole And this may be made yet the more probable if we lay hereunto what Moses saith Deut. 1.10 The Lord your God hath multiplyed you and behold you are this day as the Stars of heaven for multitude But why should we confine our thoughts unto an Israel according to the flesh since the Scripture tels us of an Israel of God Gal. 6.16 an Israel pure in heart Psal 73.1 An Israel without guil John 1. Are there not or may there not be in the Wilderness travelling toward Canaan according to the Jews tradition more then three Millions of such souls If so what need is there that we should make that an hyperbole which being duly examined and that by those who restrain not religion and religious persons to their own chosen way of worshipping God and those who dwell in their street may be found even in the letter an undeniable truth Mysticè The words before us are to be understood as directed unto Christ who as I have shewen in Numb 4.19 20. is signified by the Ark of God called the Ark of Gods strength Psal 132.8 where we have a like prayer to that before us Arise O Lord to thy Rest thou and the Ark of strength But the Psalmist begins Ps 68. with the words of this prayer Let God arise let his enemies be scattered Psal 68. v. 41. let them also that hate him flee before him Where the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before his face his wrathful face which hath a suitable effect in the next words As smoke is driven away so shalt thou drive them away As Wax melteth before the fire so let the wicked perish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the wrathful face of God And ye read the like twice v. 8. But the ancient Fathers S. Austin Hilary Hierom Euthymius and after them the later Expositors understand the Psalm of Christ and his Church and aver that there are contain'd in it the mysteries of both Testaments especially the giving of the law the resurrection and ascension of Christ his bringing his people a-again out of Egypt c. His leading them thorow the Wilderness c. Many have applyed this portion of Scripture unto Christ before his appearing in the flesh as Salomon 2 Chron. 6.41 Psalm 68. Others as the Ancients before named have made use of it unto Christ as to his Resurrection that thereby he might prove himself to be God Let God arise and so evidence himself to the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 And let his enemies be scattered that is say they the Jewes who said we will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19. And indeed they have been so scattered as never nation but themselves have been Others understand his enemies to be other wicked men Others yet hereby will have the Devils to be meant And therefore Athanasius saith
So his will is that we love one another as he hath loved us and the like is to be understood of other duties 7. Hence it appears that the will of God revealed unto men is a rule of their life and is not only positive as that whose goodness depends only upon the authority of God and therefore good only because God commands it as the ceremonial law is therefore holy because it is commanded of the most holy God But the law of God to be fulfilled by us is therefore commanded by God because it is in it self and in its own nature holy just and good and such as God the Father himself practiseth Jer. 9.24 that which the Son of God fulfils after him that which the holy Angels fulfil after the Son of God Psal 103.20 Ye Angels mighty in strength who do his commandments hearkning to the voice of his word That which all believing and obedient men fulfil after God This is that righteousness which David saith is an everlasting righteousness And these are the words of God which are for ever setled in heaven Psalm 119.89 So that they who think slightly of the Commandments of God as if they were arbitrary and left to our discretion to be fulfilled or left undone they fouly deceive themselves and that in a matter of the greatest weight since God himself the Son of God all good Angels all good men have fulfilled after God what God himself hath done So that when men neglect to fulfil after the Lord and rather fulfil their own lusts they fulfil after their father the devil and his son of perdition through the spirit of errour O ye servants of the Lord who are of another of a new spirit the spirit of faith and courage let us fulfil after the Lord let us fulfil the will and word of God after him That which much hinders this important duty is a prejudice conceived against it We have been wonted unto such doctrine as mákes void the law of God as if Christ had so fulfilled the law of God for us that he fulfilled not the same in us which is contrary to his own assertion Matth. 3.15 and 5.17 20. and his Apostles Rom. 8.3 4. 2 Cor. 7.1 Col. 4.12 and many other Scriptures We conceive this fulfilling our Lords word and will a strange business and that which is every where spoken against Esay 53. v. 1. This is no other than was foretold by the Prophet who hath believed our report or our hearing or doctrine what we have heard of God and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed The Prophet Esay 53.1 2. gives a probable reason of that unbelief in Christ the mighty Arm and power of God because he shall grow up before him as a tender plant or sprout and as a root out of a dry ground Such are the first appearances of divine power not considering that through faith Hebr. 11. v. 34. Phil. 4. v. 13. believers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of weakness they have been inwardly enabled and impowered so that they are able to do all things through Christ who inwardly enableth them as the Apostle saith I am able to do all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Christ inwardly enabling me We may observe throughout the Scripture that God and and his truth and power hath been ownd but by very few in comparison of the erroneous world yet ought not this to dishearten such as have Calebs other new spirit they ought rather to be strong in the faith and observe what Caleb saith Josh 14.8 My brethren that went up with me Jos 14. v. 8. made the heart of the people melt but I fulfilled after the Lord my God Josh 14.8 So we read that one of Davids Worthies stood his ground when the weaklings fled 2 Sam. 23.11 12. And this power and strength of God every believer ought to shew forth in himself to his generation as David prayed O God Psal 71. v. 18. forsake me not until I have shewed thine Arm to this generation thy power to every one that is to come Psal 71.18 This is the extent of our obedience the accomplishment of the whole will of God and therefore it s required that it be fulfilled if it be not its empty and made void Beside the Lord himself fulfils his whole will and that is it which we must fulfil after him even to jots and tittles Unless it so be I know not how our Lord will be understood to reason with his Disciples and us Matth. 5.17 18 19. where our Lord having said that he came to fulfil and that not one jot or tittle should pass from the law till all be fulfilled he thence infers whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven Wherefore lest we mistake there is full as much obedience required of us under the Gospel as was required of those who lived in the time of the law if not more also And well may such exactness be required of us since there is more divine light strength and power vouchsafed unto us under the Gospel then was to them under the law Yea and the example of the Son of God in our flesh evidently proves that the same life of Christ may be manifested also in our mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4.10 11. But not by our own power O no 1. Trust not in our own strength It s said of all these Spies Numb 13.3 All these were men that is valiant men Numb 13. v. 3. as the Jewes understand that phrase in it self All those who are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are men in some estimation saith Rabbi Salomon Their strength and valour is here intimated to be no other then impotency and weaknesse when it rests in it self Great men they were and wise and mighty and rich being the Heads and Governours of the people But thus saith the Lord let not the wise man glory in his wisdom nor let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth that I am the Lord who exercise loving kindness judgement and righteousness in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord Jer. 9.23 24. 2. Trust in the Lord. So David puts both together trust in the Lord and do good We finde very often Jehoshua and Caleb joyn'd together and not without good reason Jehoshua is a divine compound of the great Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord the Saviour And although he were before called Jehoshua Exod. 17.9 by anticipation yet Moses first named him Jehoshua the Lord the Saviour in order to this expedition of searching the land and bringing word back again Numb 13.16 Jehoshua therefore was with Caleb the Lord the Saviour was with the hearty and couragious man and he enables
Princes of Moab who are such as receive not correction and so spiritually are Bastards Hebr. 12.8 So likewise he shall destroy the like incestuous generation even all the sons of the Tayl. He is impartial and without respect of persons otherwise how shall he judge the world It is the Apostles reasoning Rom. 3.6 I shall adde but one reading more and that is of the ancient Samaritan version And so these two last Axioms have some dissentuney affection yea opposite one to the other He shall smite thorow the fools of Moab but he shall exalt all the sons of Sheth There is no doubt but they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies fools for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Corners or Princes of Moab But why fools of Moab We read indeed of the pride of Moab Esay 16.6 and Jer. 48.29 both in the same words which the Prophets express very elegantly we have heard the pride of Moab and then they turn aside as it were to let others know it he is very proud We read also of his security carnal confidence and contempt of God and his people We read not here of the folly of Moab And no marvail For can there be greater folly then to be proud secure self-confident and to despise God and his people These characters demonstrate the Moabites to be Solomons fools such are all wicked men And therefore they may be well termed Fools of Moab But there is yet a reason more proper to our purpose Moab and Ammon were of incestuous generation and accordingly Moab hath his name à Mo aqua Ab patris velut è patris aqua genitus At inter venerea recensetur aqua unde proverbia manarunt abstine ab aqua aliena Bibe aquam è cisterna tua fluenta putei tui Aqua furtiva est dulcior c. quae sunt ad illum modum And the God of the Moabites is called Chemosh which according to S. Hierom is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi palpans from dalliance and wantonness Whence is the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui nocturnarum comessationum deunculus quin idem ipse lascivarum saltationum praeses Memoratur etiam juvenum procacium festum quoddam apud lascivum comicum quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellatur Thus much the Apostle intimates Rom. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in surfeting and drunkenness and then adds not in Chambering and wantonness Siquidem sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus Such wanton persons are called by a special name Fools in Scripture because that vice in special makes a man an arrant fool unmans him and takes his understanding from him Thus the Harlot is called the foolish woman and her Amaretto a yong man void of understanding who is taken by her fair speech and goes after her strait-way as an Ox goeth to the slaughter and as a Fool to the correction of the Stocks Prov. 7.22 And therefore the natural Philosophers observe that every four footed beast and fowl the more lustful it is the more foolish it is Of the fowls one instance is the Sparrow of the beasts the Asse Ezech. 23.20 And therefore Shechem who ravished Dinah the daughter of Jacob Gen. 34.2 is said to be the son of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hamor that is an Asse v. 7. And he is said to have wrought folly in Israel So the woman that played the harlot is said to have wrought folly in Israel Deut. 22.21 Thus ye read the same phrase upon like occasion Judges 19.23 and 20.6.10 Hence it is that Thamar saith to her brother Amnon now about to humble her 2 Sam. 13. v. 12. 2 Sam. 13.12 No such thing ought to be done in Israel do not this same folly there is an emphasis on every word And v. 13. Thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel These and such as these are the fools of Moab which the Son of God smites and smites thorow as I shewed before When they that are wise or make others wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 12. v. 3. shall shine as the Firmament and they who turn many unto righteousness as the stars for ever and ever For he exalts all the sons of Sheth which are all the sons of God Unto such glory and honour the Son of God exalts the sons of Sheth when he comes in his glory and all the holy Angels with him and sits upon the throne of his glory when all nations shall be gathered before him and he shall separate them as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats And he shall set his Sheep on the right hand the wise sons of Sheth and the Goats on the left the fools of Moab whom he smites with the most dreadful sentence of final condemnation and exalts the sons of God unto glory and honour and praise and so invests them with himself and gives them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That glory which ours turn honour that is from God alone John 5.44 John 5. v. 44. 1 Pet. 2. v. 7. That honour which is Christ himself unto you who believe he is pretious so Our Translators 1 Pet. 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto you who believe he is that honour that praise which is not of men but of God Such praise such honour and such glory have all his Saints Psalm 149.9 All the sons of Sheth O ye sons of Sheth Let us be subject let us submit our selves unto the Scepter of Christ It s a powerful Scepter it smites and smites thorow the Princes of Moab It s a Scepter of holiness it destroyes all the sons of the Tayl. It s a righteous Scepter a Scepter of equity it pierceth thorow the fools of Moab and exalts all the sons of Sheth And this last honour of Christs Scepter which David Psalm 45. and S. Paul Hebr. 1. ascribes unto it is most notable For neither the Psalmist nor the Apostle setting forth the glory of Christs Scepter commends it to us from the amplitude and largeness of his dominion but from the rectitude and equity of it Many unchristian and antichristian Kings and Potentates have large dominions but crooked Scepters Scepters of iniquity Yea the Devil challenged all the Kingdoms of the World as his own Matth. 4.8 9. Yea our Lord calls him The Prince of this world John 14.30 It is not greatness or largeness of a Kingdom that is an honour to it No nor greatness of strength For it s a known speech Magna regna magna latrocinia Great Kingdoms are great robberies And Satan is stiled by our Lord the strong man armed Luke 11.21 It is not greatness of authority and dominion it is not power or strength of a Kingdom that commends it but the rectitude and equity the just and right use of the authority power and strength without which a Prince or people may be said to be Stolidè ferox as Tacitus speaks foolishly and as we may adde unjustly
every one deperit perditè amat loves and zealously affects and commits adultery and fornication with all every one in the darkness in the secret closets of his own imagination Ezech. 8.12 in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Brothelhouse the Stewes of his own heart whence proceed the issues of a wicked life and actions Lenonum pueri quocunque in fornice nati O Israel The Lord requires all thy love all thy zeal as his own and according to his command to be bestowed upon thy neighbour Let us O let us be zealous for our God every one against his Cozbi the lying thoughts of the Midianitish woman as Phineas was according to Gods testimony of him Numb 25.11 Phineas hath caused my wrath to be turnd away from upon the sons of Israel in his being zealous with my zeal in the midst of them v. 11. For so no doubt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred with my zeal as S. Paul saith to his Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I emulate or am zealous for you with the zeal of God 2 Cor. 11.2 O let us with this zeal of our God be zealous against all iniquity 2 Cor. 11. v. 2. all our vain thoughts which we have caused to lodge in us and let us pierce them thorow mortifie and kill them and cast them out of our Tabernacle So shall the wrath of God be turned away from us so will the Lord be zealous for his land and spare us Joel 2.18 and set his Tabernacle in the midst of us O that he would vouchsafe so great grace unto us On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn Assembly Numb 29. v. 35. ye shall do no servile work therein The only wise and good God who loves the man better then the man loves himself according to that Charior est superis homo quà m sibi Man is more dear unto God then he is to himself out of that intire love unto man he not only signifies in express words what his will is but intimates the same also more implicitly in ceremonies as Sacrifices and Sacraments and Sacramental signes meats and drinks as also certain times as dayes and weeks and moneths and years Festival dayes new Moons and Sabbaths which are a shadow saith S. Paul of things to come but the body is of Christ Col. 2.17 Hence it was that the holy Apostles when they preached the Gospel they delivered the will of God shadowed in the law The Lord Jesus taught them so to do Luke 24.21 beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself And v. 44.45 All things saith he must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures Accordingly S. Paul in his preaching the Gospel said none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Acts 26.22 And can we follow any better any other so good example as that of our Lord The words are part of the prescript form and rule touching the feast of Tabernacles and the eighth day of that Feast wherein is prescribed 1. What was to be done They must then have a solemn assembly 2. What was to be left undone Ye shall do no servile work Accordingly I shall consider these two Rules 1. On the eighth day Israel must have a solemn assembly 2. They must do no servile work 1. On the eight day Israel must have a solemn assembly Wherein we must inquire 1. What this assembly was 2. What was that eighth day 1. What was that solemn assembly It is true that on the three principal solemn festivals of the Jewes there were wont to be conventions and assemblies of the people which might be truly called solemn assemblies and this name might be given to all the three principal Feasts But our Translators here call the last day of every such Feast a solemn assembly as here the eighth day of the feast of Tabernacles whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not the assembling or convening of the people together but the retaining or restraining of them being so assembled which is a great difference Yea Levit. 23.36 where we have mention of the same Feast our Translators themselves having rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here a solemn Assembly they put in the margent Hebr. Day of restraint and the like Deut. 16.8 a Chron. 7.9 Nehem. 8.18 And therefore what the Tigurin Bible hath Concio an assembly or gathering of the people Vaâ—ablus explains Collectio sive retentio i. e. Solennitas Festum sic dicebatur quod retinerentur qui venerant ad festum c. It was called a gathering or retaining that is a Solemnity The Feast was so called saith he because they were retained or detained who came to the Feast To like purpose Munster who turns the word Retentio and gives reason because the seven dayes of the solemnity being past the people was yet retained one day So Luther explains it Piscator in his High Dutch Translation turns the word Verbotstag which in his Latin he renders Dies interdicti a day of prohibition and his reason is with reference to the following words because on it all servile work was forbidden Tyndal and another after him renders it a Collection not because money was then gathered for the reparation of the Tabernacle or to buy Sacrifices as Lyra and some others have conceived but because the people were then gathered and retained together And so the Chald. Paraph. expresly renders the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Collecti eritis ye not money shall be gathered Now because this Collection and retention was on the last day of the Feast as S. John calls it John 7. Therefore one of our old English Translators turns the word The conclusion of the Feast 2. This Collection Retention or Conclusion of the Feast was on the eighth day Which day was supernumerary and above the number of the Feast which consisted of Seven dayes as appears Levit. 23.34 On the fifteenth day of the seventh moneth shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven dayes unto the Lord. And afterward thrice ver 40 41 42. Ye shall keep it seven dayes The reason of this supernumerary day is to be sought in the Mysterie of it Meantime as to the letter The reason of this Collection and retention of the people on the eighth day is to be referred unto the authority of divine institution and the end of it is well worthy his divine wisdom and goodness who ordained it For the same Feast of Tabernacles was instituted in the seventh moneth the moneth Tizri which in part answers to our September when they had now gathered in the increase of the year Levit. 23.24 Then ye shall dwell in Booths saith the Lord seven dayes every home-born in Israel shall dwell in Booths
place and authority aged and gray-headed c. whom the Word of God commands us to honour whether an unmannerly disrespect of these ought to be introduced and brought in among Christians whether honour of all men enjoyned 1 Pet. 2.17 ought from this pretence to be waived whether the outward signes of honour since honour it self is a signe and in the person honouring ought for this reason to be forborn let them well consider who go about to bring in an universal parity with a rude and unwinning behaviour among the people of God which the Scripture every where holds forth as the most civil most courteous best behaved of the most winning conversation of all societies in the world Let them well ponder this in their mindes who think to excuse all outward honour with pretence of inward If it be inward what inconvenience will follow if it be brought forth and become outward How else can it be known to the person honoured Our Lord Jesus the Head of his Church judged not according to the sight of his eyes nor reproved according to the hearing of his ears c. Esay 11.3 and he forbids us to judge according to sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and commands us to judge righteous judgement John 7. v. 24. John 7.24 Yet he teacheth us to salute not onely our brethren but others also Yea the scope of his exhortation is that herein we should out-do all other men If ye salute your brethren onely what do ye more Our Lords will is that we should herein do more then others do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what do ye more do not the Publicans so His Disciples must exceed them in their salutations and salutations of others beside their brethren Matth. 5.47 Certainly they who forbear such outward salutations as they pretend lest they should foment and nourish pride in those whom they salute it s much to be feared lest that forbearance of salutation proceed from pride As when the Cynic slovenly trampled upon Plato's handsom Bed with his durty feet saying That he trod down Plato's pride he was well answered At superbiâ majori but with greater pride then his How needful therefore is it my brethren in our judging to begin with our selves when the Lord is come 1 Cor. 4 5. and to judge righteousness for righteousness and approve of it because it is such and condemn for sin even because it is such Rom. 8.3 Not for any other respect as profit pleasure credit or what ever else is impertinent and belongs not to the object or matter to be judged when we our selves are stablished and confirmed in righteousness we shall be able to judge righteousness without acknowledging of faces For Righteousness is neither Actor nor Reus neither one brother nor another neither brother nor his stranger but a third thing more sacred then them both For justitia est aliena virtus justice is anothers vertue saith Aquinas Deut. 1. v. 17. Psal 7. v. 6. and the judgment that is Gods Deut. 1.17 2 Chron. 19.8 Even so raise up thy self unto us O Lord for the judgement that thou hast commanded Psal 7.6 Your little ones which ye said should be a prey and your children which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil Deut. 1. v. 39. they shall go in thither and unto them will I give it and they shall possess it These words contain part of Gods sentence against this apostate people which is the frustration of their fear but in favour of their obedient children They said Numb 14.3 That their wives and children should be a prey but v. 31. the Lord secures them of that fear and here again these the Lord saith shall go in to the land c. Accordingly there are in these words two Axioms 1. They had said despairingly that their little ones and their children who had no knowledge between good and evil should be a prey 2. The Lord saith with confidence that those their little ones and their children who had no knowledge between good and evil should go into the land and unto them he would give the land and they should possesse it In the former two things are to be explained 1. What is here to be understood by the little ones 2. What it is to have knowledge between good and evil 1. The word turnd little ones is in the singular number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to be understood plurally and so the LXX render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your little children which two are explained in the following words to be such as had no understanding between good and evil Howbeit the words are not so to be rendred but thus word for word Your sons which knew not or had not knowen in that day good or evil So the Chald. Paraphrast So likewise the LXX which yet they turn distinctively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good or evil Vulg. Lat. Boni mali ignorant distantiam they know not the distance of good and evil It s literally the description of that age which wants discretion or discerning good and evil By good and evil we are to understand what is honestum turpe honest and dishonest just and unjust righteousness and unrighteousness The knowledge of good and evil is either laudable divine and godly or blame-worthy humane that is belonging to the fallen man and ungodly There is a laudable a divine and god-like knowledge of good and evil such as is in God himself Gen. 3.5 whereby he knowes all the good and evil that is done in the world how else could God judge the Earth Gen. 18.25 For knowledge is necessarily required unto judgement according to that of the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every man judgeth well of what he knowes and of these he is a good judge And like knowledge in his measure man had before his fall So we may understand Gen. 3.22 Behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man was or hath been as one of us knowing good and evil Of which I have spoken in its place The humane the fallen mans ungodly knowledge of good and evil is practical and consists in the disobedient life in not doing what good he knowes ought to be done and doing and not eschewing the evil which he knowes ought to be avoyded And thus the little ones the sons of the apostates had not known good and evil whom their unbelieving fathers predestinate to be exposed as a prey to their enemies and themselves to be devoured by the sword Numb 14.3 And the reason of this surmise is intimated by the Lord himself ver 11. of the Chapter They believed not in his mighty power for the subduing of their enemies and for their own preservatition nor thought they the innocency of their little ones a defence unto them nor that it won upon the favour of their strong helper nor durst they trust him with the tuition of their supposed Orphans 1. Whence we may note how dear children are to
in Chief vouchsafes to visit them So saith that man of war who had experience of it Psal 34. v. 18. Psal 34.18 The Lord is near to the broken of heart and will save the wounded or contrite of spirit And his salvation is nigh them that fear him that glory may dwell in our land Psal 85.9 Now who would not serve under such a Commander who disdains not to visit yea to be billetted with the meanest of his common Souldiers Esay 57. v. 15. Hear what he saith Esay 57.15 Thus saith the High and Lofty One who dwelleth or abideth for ever and whose Name is holy I dwell in the high and holy even with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones And therefore it is no mervail that his Name alone is exalted Psal 148. v. 13 14. and his Majestie is above the Earth and the Heaven who exalteth the horn of his people the praise of all his Saints or mercifull ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sons of Israel the people nigh unto him Psal 148.13 14. Then followes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or last triumphal song Revel 19.1 God grant we all may sing our parts in it Hallelujah Attende Tibi SER. XIII Look to thy Self SERMON XIII Deuteronomie 4. ver 9. Onely take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons THis Text containes precepts of greatest moment yea as the first is here propounded it s of only moment Only take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently And the precept of conveying the doctrine to after ages is of like moment Thou shalt teach them thy sons and thy sons sons Which is the same but in a more large sense which S. Paul saith to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.16 Look to thy self and the doctrine The words may be considered in themselves or with reference unto those preceding In themselves they contain two general precepts The former may be divided into two formally differing one from another but really one and the same 1. Only take heed to thy self 2. The next is very like unto it and indeed the same with it or little differing from it And keep thy soul diligently This is demonstrated from the end and the adjunct caution The end is two wayes expressed and the later the effect of the former 1. Lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and 2. Lest they depart from thy heart which later will follow in case of our fail in the former This precept or precepts must be observed for this end or ends SER. XIII without fail without interruption all the dayes of thy life And thou must take care of the transmitting what thine eyes have seen to thy sons and to thy sons sons In the words are contained these divine sentences 1. Israel had seen some things or words 2. Israel ought only to take heed to himself and keep his soul diligently 3. Israel ought to take heed to himself and keep his soul diligently lest he forget the things or words which his eyes have seen and lest they depart from his heart 4. Thus and thus Israel ought to do for these ends all the dayes of his life 5. Israel ought to teach them his sons and his sons sons 1. Israel had seen some things or words Wherein we must enquire what these things or words were and how Israel had seen them 1. What they here turn things are properly words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and indeed so to be rendred as I shall shew anon Those things or words if we look for 1. In the former part of the Chapter they are either the Law of the Lord taught by Moses v. 1.5 Or Examples of the breach and observation of the Law with their suitable events v. 3. Your eyes have seen that which the Lord did because of Baal-Peor For every man which went after Baal-Peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed him from the midst of thee But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive all of you this day 2. The things or words which their eyes had seen are expressed in the tenth Verse following the words of the Text. Take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things or words which thine eyes have seen c. The day when thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb c. For the words they had seen are understood of those which follow v. 10. viz. the words of the Law v. 13. the Ten words Deut. 10.4 which therefore Israel is commanded to convey to their sons and their sons sons Accordingly the LXX have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the words which thine eyes have seen So Hierom Ne obliviscaris verborum that thou forget not the words c. So likewise the Chald. Par. and Arias Montanus But could Israel see words The use of the sight for hearing is very frequent in Scripture All the people saw those thunderings or voyces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 20. v. 18. Luke 2. v. 15. and they are said to see the noise of the Trumpet Exod. 20.18 So Luke 2.15 Let us go even unto Bethlehem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and let us see this word John speaks of himself and his fellow Apostles and Disciples That which we have seen with our eyes that which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life 1 John 1.1 And again v. 3. That which we have seen c. But why must Israel see these things or words 1. Surely what is purely divine cannot otherwise be revealed unto man but by a divine Oracle could Plato say 2. Nor can there be an intercourse between God and man otherwise then by divine words But how could this be truly spoken to Israel That their eyes had seen the words of God namely the Decalogue or Ten Words as they are called For many of Israel to whom Moses spake were yet unborn when the Law was given as all under 38 years of age And how then can it be said of them that their eyes had seen the Ten Words It is well known that the Lord deals with a whole Nation as with one man so he speaks of Moab and Ammon of Elam of Assur and to Israel here Thine eyes have seen For although the persons may be diminished or increased yet the Nation is the same as a River alwayes ebbing or flowing is yet the same River Beside the parents had a charge to transmit the knowledge of the divine words to their children and posterity which therefore they must regard as if their own eyes had seen what their Parents convey unto them Yea succeeding ages accounted what their forefathers did or suffered to be suffered or done by
delivered and speak to what more properly concerns our present purpose 1. The Lords first Request to Israel is to fear the Lord their God But what fear of the Lord is here understood And why is that fear his first Request 1. The fear of the Lord here meant is not only servile which is a necessary introduction unto a better but filial initial and ingenuous fear also which hath the temper of love with it 2. This fear of the Lord is his first Request unto Israel because fear and reverence properly belongs to his soveraignty and supream Majesty Mal. 1.6 For it is the property of Saviraigns to expect reverence from their Subjects To this man will I look to the poor or humble and broken of spirit and trembling at my word viz. so trembling as the balances in aequi pondio when they are one weight ready to turn with the weight of the word And therefore this fear of the Lord appertains ad primam mensuram divinitatis quae janua est ad intrandum in palatium Regis to the first measure of the Deity which is the gate and in-let into the Palace of the great King saith Georgius Venetus out of the antient Divines Hence it is that this fear of the Lord is said by David to be the beginning of divine Wisdom Psal 111.10 which is confirmed by his wise son Solomon Prov. 1.7 Here is then the first service of the Lord and his first Request unto Israel to fear the Lord his God Ezod 20.20 2. This fear of the Lord is the principle of walking in all his wayes That 's the Lords second Request And what are those wayes There are many of them but they may be reduced unto three 1. There is a way of Gods Commandements Psal 119.1 Psal 119. v. 1. and 128. v. 1. O the blessednesses of the perfect in the way walking in the Law of the Lord wherein they walk who fear the Lord. O the blessednesses of every one fearing the Lord walking in his wayes This is the way of the Law 2. There is a way of faith which is Christ For so the Lord saith of himself I am the way John 14.6 and Christ and faith in him are promiscuously taken sometime as 2 Cor. 13.5 Gal. 3.23 24 25. And this is the way of the Gospel 3. There is a way of love a most excellent way 1 Cor. 12.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet I declare unto you a way 1 Cor. 12. v. 31. and 13.1 Secundum excellentiam according to eminency and excellency What that way is the Apostle shewes in the following Chapter If I speak with the tongues of men and Angels but have not love or charity c. Whereby its evident that Archbishop Stephen Langhton who divided the Scriptures into Chapters though elsewhere very happily most what yet herein he violently brake the last verse of the twelfth Chapter from the first of the thirteenth For the Apostle in the last verse of the twelfth Chapter begins a new argument or subject distinct by way of excellency from the former part of that Chapter which he prosecutes Chap. 13. This is the third way the way of love the way of the everlasting Gospel Matth. 24.14 Revel 14.6 1. Whence it appears that the fear of the Lord is only a soveraign and effectual preservative against sin according to that of the Wiseman The fear of the Lord driveth out sin and wrath Ecclus 1.26 And by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil But also it is a means as helpful for the advancement and promoting of every positive good as here for the walking in all the wayes of God 2. The Lord expecteth of Israel an universal obedience a walking in all his wayes obedience of fear Exod. 20.20 Obedience of faith Rom. 1.5 and 16.26 And obedience of love or charity 1 Pet. 1.22 1 Pet. 1. v. 22. So Hierom read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so he rendred the words Animas vestras castificantes in obedientia charitatis having purified your souls in or by the obedience of charity And this reading suits best with the context For the Apostle having spoken of faith and hope two of the Theological vertues v. 21. he proceeds to the third which is charity ver 22. 1. Whence they are justly to be reproved who have all the wayes of the Lord propounded unto them to walk in Esay 65. v. 2. yet choose rather to walk in a way not good after their own thoughts Esay 65.2 2. Such as pick and choose one or other of Gods wayes to walk in especially such as seems to them to be most smooth and easie Such are they who leave the way of the Law under pretence either of impertinency and that it belongs not unto them or which amounts to the same of impossibility for them to walk in and choose to themselves that way which they call the Gospel as if Christs walking in the way of the Law excused them from walking in it not remembring that the righteousness of the Law is to be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.3 4. Not considering that the Lord Jesus saith of the Gospel that strait or how strait is the gate and narrow is the way Mat. 7. v. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leading unto life Matth. 7.14 Yea full as much obedience and as tedious travailing there is in the way of the Gospel as in that of the Law as will appear to him who shall consider these Scriptures advisedly Matth. 5.17.18.19.20.48 and 7.14 2 Cor. 7.1 Col. 4.12 beside many others to be named in due place Only under the Gospel the Lord giveth more grace and strength to run the way of his Commandements 3. But most abominable are they who walk in lasciviousness excess of wine in rioting and drunkenness in chambering and wantonness yet pretend to walk in the way of pure and holy love These at this day are the close civil Ranters These are they of whom the Apostle saith that they turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness These are spots in our feasts of charity Jude v. 12 14. feasting with you feeding themselves without fear Enoch the seventh from Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prophesied unto these So far are these from walking in all Gods most holy wayes that they dare affirm Os blasphemum impudens O blasphemous and bold-faced men that the most holy God walks with them in all their most unholy and most unclean wayes Yea these set the Devil in the seat of God and make God like unto their ungodly selves of which the Lord will convince them in his judgement Thou thoughtst that I was altogether such as thy self Psal 50. v. 21 22 23. but I will reprove thee and I will set in order thy sins so the LXX in thine eyes Now or I beseech ye consider this ye forgetful of God lest I tear in pieces and there be none
abominable things Psal 14. He looked for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement Esay 5. v. 7. and behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Scab a Spot of Leprosie and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness and behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cry the Spirit of God abhors not such elegant Paranomasia's and Allusions Esay 5.7 Moses looked for an upright people as God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upright ver 4. but behold they are become a crooked and perverse generation All the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the marks and characters which are tokens of Gods sons they were worn quite out depraved and lost the true image of God corrupted and marred instead of the righteousness of God he findes spots blemishes defilements in lieu of Gods rectitude uprightness he finds obliquity crockedness perverseness So that in the Text we have these Axioms 1. The people corrupted themselves 2. Their spot is not of his Sons 3. They are a perverse and a crooked generation 1. As to the first of these They have corrupted themselves The words are in the Singular number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath corrupted himself Howbeit since the people of Israel are here understood as a collective of many the Scripture speaks both wayes and the sense will amount to the same Let us therefore inquire into the object of this corruption and the corruption it self There is a difference concerning the object of this corruption For whereas the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether we should understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 directly and so understand God as Hierom turns the words Peccaverunt illi they have sinned unto or against him that is God as by corrupting his Covenant Or whether we should understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reflexly and reciprocally as our Translators render it They have corrupted themselves or as the word more properly signifies to themselves meaning the corrupt people themselves They have all a good sense and we may make use of them all As for the corruption it self The word here used signifies all manner of destruction and is rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utterly to corrupt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to destroy and by many other words they express what is in the Text to corrupt But more especially the word signifies to sin and commit iniquity and therefore the LXX turn it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do unjustly as Moses speaking of this corrupt people Deut. 31.29 I know that ye will utterly corrupt your selves the LXX turn it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye will do very unjustly And the LXX render the word in the Text by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Hierom turns Peccaverunt they have sinned And yet more particularly by this corruption a more particular sin is to be understood and that 's Idolatry as Exod. 32.7 Thy people have corrupted themselves what corruption that was ye finde in the next words They have made them a molten Calf verse 8. and so the Chald. Paraphrast explains this Text. This corruption spreads far and extends it self to the mindes and thoughts of men for so we read of men of corrupt mindes 2 Tim. 3.8 and thence to their words Eph. 4.29 and to their doings Ezek. 16.47 The Philosophers define corruption a substantial mutation a change of the nature which is opposite and contrary to generation the other substantial mutation And if we apply it unto our present business it 's a change of the man from his true manlike nature Eccles 12.13 viz. from the fear of God and keeping His Commandments from the truth righteousness holyness and uprightness of God This corruption we see 2 Cor. 11. v. 3. is a substantial mutation But how came this people to be corrupted surely corruption begins with the thoughts And therefore the Woman was tempted and first corrupted And I fear saith the Apostle lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 The thoughts corrupt the life the will and affections and so we read that the old man is corrupt by deceitful lusts Ephes 4.22 1. Take notice by what foul names the holy Scripture represents our sins unto us as here under the name of corruption so 2 Pet. 2.19 and in the fore-named Chapter by mire and vomit afterwards in the Text by spots and blemishes crookedness and perverseness elsewhere by the menstruous cloth of an unclean Woman putrefaction of sores the excremont of a man Prov. 30.12 And scarce shall we meet with any thing odious to our fansie from which sin borrows not a name to shew how the Lord hates it and would also that we should hate it 2. Corruption supposeth integrity For whatsoever is corrupted was at first sound and whole whatsoever is fallen it sometime stood If man therefore be corrupted he was sometime whole and sound Consider we therefore the man under both these conditions before and after his corruption 1. Before it And then behold O man the purity and integrity of thy primitive estate The generations of the World were healthful and there is no poyson of corruption or destruction in them Wisd 1.14 This was no doubt an honorable estate wherewithal the Man was invested even with Christ the honor that cometh of God onely Iohn 5.44 1 Pet. 2.7 But man being in this Honor understood not but became like the Beasts that perish Psalm 49.12 20. Whence wicked men are called Wolves Dogs Foxes Bears Lions c. as acting according to the bestial principle of life 3. A wicked man is the very worst of all living creatures and the reason is because being yet intire and uncorrupt he is the best and therefore being corrupted he is the very worst Corruptio optimi est pessima the corruption of that which is the best is the worst of all What a dangerous companion is a wicked man to himself He loves not himself but corrupts and destroyes himself How dangerous a companion is a wicked man unto another Can he love another who hates himself can he preserve another who destroyes himself Yet its strange how carefully men shun one who hath the Poul disease or the Plague or some other infectious malady yet fear not intimate conversation with men of corrupt mindes yea life and manners Yea we are wont to warn our children lest they have society with such as may infect their bodies or early corrupt their thoughts yet meantime we consider not that both they and our selves have the poyson of corruption in us as vain thoughts which are destructive Jer. 4.14 Justly are they hence to be reproved who are self-corrupters How much more are they to blame who corrupt and destroy others whether in body or soul The Spirit of God is so tender of the natural life that it allowes not a will or affection toward the taking it away from another He that hates his brother is a
understand the place of venial sin Lyra will have it to be understood of mortal sin also Yea S. Austin will have the place understood of virgins and those who live the most blameless life yea of all Christians Bonaventure saith that no man knowes that he has no sin but by the revelation of Gods Spirit I will not doubt but many of these were pious learned and good men insomuch as Alexander Hales said of his Scholar Bonaventure Profectò puto in Domino Boneventura Adamum non peccasse I think that Adam sinned not in Master Bonaventure Nor do I doubt but that they all or the most of them fought the good fight of faith But I doubt whether many of them had laid hold upon the eternal life so far as to have attained unto the dispensation of the Spirit And therefore we may beleive that they speake many of them their own experiences and found daily temptations from without and corruptions within That which the Philosopher spake touching the authorities of others brought against him give me leave once more to use his words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though all these be my friends it s an holy thing to honour the truth before them That we may the better understand this we must know that sin against God is considerable according to the three dispensasions of the Father Son and Spirit As to the first of these Man by his fall is become far estranged from his God deeply revolted and at a great distance from him For so God is a Spirit and spiritually minded and opposite unto man who is flesh and blood and fleshly and ungodly minded And man on his part would never return or be reconciled unto God did not the Lord extend mercy love and goodness unto the fallen man were he not in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 did he not allure and draw him to himself Joh. 6.44 When therefore God the father by his law so called Psal 40.8 raised up in the fallen man and testifying against him Psal 78.5 Psal 78.5 corrects him informes and instructs him to amendment of life and man meantime neglects and respects and opposeth this attraction and drawing of the Father and knowes not or duly considers not that this goodness of God â—eads him to repentance Rom. 2.4 This is the sin against the Father which upon repentance at the teaching of John is forgiven unto men But when now we are by the discipline of the Father brought unto the Son and look on him whom we have pierced who hath suffered for our sins the death of the Cross and he now begins to arm us with the same minde we are yet in great ignorance and weakness as 1 Cor. 2.3 and when he drawes us we draw back when he would we will not The contention is long between the house of David and the house of Saul In many things we offend all Nor can we say that we have no sin until the Spirit be powred from on high until we be born from the dead until death be swallowed up in victory until we have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Of this progress very much might be spoken which I reserve for a fit opportunity if the Lord shall give it Meantime a few words are enough to the wise Whereas therefore little notice hath been taken and in these dayes much less of the three dispensations and states of men in the Father Son and Spirit that there is a sin against the Father and against the Son those children of the Father who have their sins forgiven them through his Name and are now brought unto the Son and grown so strong in him that they overcome the evil one these at length attain to the old age in the Spirit and experimentally know him who is from the beginning This is that state 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without sin Such an estate is possible and attainable through the grace of God and his holy Spirit that men may be without sin All believers yea even they who dissent and agree not unto this truth yet by consequence even they themselves confess it For who is there that does not acknowledge that communion and fellowship with God and Christ is possible which yet cannot be while men walk in darkness Do not all agree that its possible we may be partakers of the divine nature We have the promise of God for it 2 Pet. 1.4 which yet cannot be until we have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Do not all the faithful believe this that they are in Chrict and Christ in them Otherwise they are reprobates saith S. Paul 2 Cor. 13.5 Now he who saith he abides in him ought himself so to walk even as he walked 1 John 2.6 and his walking was without sin Do not all believers hope to inherit eternal life This is put upon this condition if ye by the Spirit shall mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 Is not the Lord Jesus Christ our example for this very end 1 Pet. 2.20 21. They therefore are much to blame who abuse this Scripture which S. John applyes to little children in Christ 1 John 2.1 and extend it even unto all Christians in all their spiritual ages And whereas the Apostle makes use of it to express presumption there are who abuse it to harden men and make them despair even to be saved from their sins It s a Scripture almost in every mans mouth as frequently used or abused rather as any except that which is indeed no part of holy Scripture That the most righteous man that is sins seven times a day They mean Prov. 24.16 which we are taught to sing in the Complaint of a sinner and tell the God of truth an untruth For in the place named there is no mention of falling into sin but into misery and affliction and that not seven times a day but only seven times and what is that to this purpose O beloved How much better were it to enure our selves to such Scriptures in our discourse one with another as might encourage and hearten us toward the subduing of our sins many such Scriptures there are in this Epistle These things I write unto you little children that ye sin not He that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 He that hath this hope purifies himself 1 John 3.3 Faith is the victory that overcomes the world and many the like Thus men are by little and little drawn out of the kingdom of darkness into the light of life whereas such speeches as these In many things we offend all If we say we have no sin c. Though true if rightly used they plunge men more and more in darkness insomuch that they beleive not that they can come out of darkness Job 15.22 Come we to the Second Point Their Reason who so say They who say they have