to stand ready girded to be in a readinesse and wait for the on-set of the enemy The Girdle also requires Chastity It girds the loyns Quoniam in lumbis origo seminis est concupiscentiae And therefore the Lord hereby figured his Spouse the Church which should be chaste unto him Jer. 13.11 Yea among the ornaments wherewith he decks his Church Ezech 16.10 one is a girdle of fine linen which S. John tels us is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteousnesses of the Saints the word is plural Revel 19.8 even all the vertues and graces of the Spirit So that it were to be wished that they who render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 armed or harnessed would shew us where the Israelites had their arms Is there any probability that a notorions Tyrant holding a numerous people in servitude and bondage who therefore oppressed them lest they should increase and rebel Exod. 1.10 who yet now were multiplyed and waxen very mighty ver 20. is it likely that Pharaoh should permit to these arms or the use of arms N. Lyra raiseth this Spirit but layes it not Surely their armour was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole armour of God which depended upon their faithfulness and sincerity as the Roman Soldiers armour hung upon his Girdle And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators in the marg turn five in a rank signifies quinquagenarios fifties For fifty is the sacred number of the Jubile and portends in a figure the remission of sin and all the vertues and graces of the Spirit which should be given in the Pentecost and meantime are girded up together in faithfulness and sincerity according as the Philolospher could say that Virtutes sunt connexae vertues are knit together which shall be administred unto us as we grow up in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 Meantime O my fellow travellers out of the spiritual Egypt toward the promised Land and my fellow soldiers engaged with me in the same common cause against our spiritual enemies let us gird our loins with the girdle of truth let us be sincere and faithful unto the Captain of our salvation He himself is so girded Esay 11.5 Righteousness is the girdle of his loyns and faithfulness is the girdle of his reins It is a Soldiers honour to be as his Commander in chief He will gird us with strength and according to our faithful use of his strength he will give us more grace for to him who so hath shall more be given until he make all grace abound in us Hear the Military Oration of a great Commander under the Commander in Chief Gird up the loyns of your minde be sober and hope to the end or perfectly for the grace that shall be brought unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 His chosen Captains also are drowned in the Red Sea the depths have covered them Exod. 15. Ver. 4 5. they sank into the bottom as a stone It had been as good English and more consonant to the Hebrew text to have rendred the former words thus The choise of his Captains c. And the later thus the depths shall cover them they shall sink into the bottom as a stone I shall endeavour to prove these in their order It is very ordinary in the Psalms and other parts of Scripture conceived to be written in meeter that the later part of a verse is the Exegesis or explication of the former Examples are obvious Psal 114.1 When Israel came out of Egypt the house of Jacob from a people of a strange language and ver 8. He turn'd the Rock into a standing water the flint into a fountain of waters So Praise the Lord all ye nations praise him all ye people And of this nature that Scripture is which we have before us Yet it cannot be denyed but that in it there is some variation not in the words onely but also in the sense In these words one and the same thing is three wayes expressed Take them first in the Translators words 1. The chosen Captains are drowned in the Red Sea 2. The depths have covered them 3. They sank into the bottom as a stone As for the first I render it The choise of his Captains And the Translators themselves so turn the same word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the choise of our sepulchres Gen. 23.6 Nor were they very happy in rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Captains who were the third sort of Governours in the kingdom The Chald. Par. renders the word Valiant or Mighty ones The first in order of dignity was the King Then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second such was Joseph to Pharaoh Gen. 41. Such was Elkanah to Ahaz 2 Chr. 28.7 marg After him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third Such was Daniel Dan. 5.29 in civil business 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third Ruler in the Kingdom In military affaires they were such as the Triarii in the Roman Army the most strong and valiant who bare up the weight and the greatest brunt of the battel saith Veget. lib. 3. cap. 14. as when the Army was in danger of a rout it is a proverbial speech Res ad Triarios redit And therefore the Tigurin Bible renders the word here Triarii The LXX renders the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here so in divers other places Exod. 14.7 2 Kings 7.2 What is here turnd the Red Sea is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mare junci or carecti from the Sedge and other shrubs growing in it and neer it So that some have thought it to be more fitly called the Reed-sea then the Red Sea The LXX here and elsewhere most-what renderit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Red sea not from the colour of the water or sand or any thing else there different from other Seas as experience proves But it was long believed to have had that name from Erythras Erythrus or Erythraeus a King of the Land near unto it so that as neighbouring countreys gave names to their Seas so this But when inquiry hath been made who this Erythrus was all his story was resolved into a fable The truth of which is that this Erythras was Esau who was called Edom from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Red Gen. 25.25.30 which name Esau had because he came out of his mothers womb Red. And the same was confirmed to him from his insatiable appetite after Jacobs red pottage He and his posterity dwelt near that Sea This antiquity hath been discovered to this later age by a very learned man of our own nation What is further added the depths have covered them and they sank c. The Verbs are both future and should be rendred The depths shall cover them and they shall sink The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
11.12 28. lest his people being mingled among the Nations should learn their works and swear by other gods See the truth of this Jer. 12.14 15 16. Thus saith the Lord against all mine evil neighbours c. it shall come to pass if they shall diligently learn all the wayes of my people to swear by my Name The Lord liveth as they have taught my people to swear by Baal then they shall be built up in the midst of my people And we now live mixt one with another good and bad together and every one endeavours to assimilate and render another like unto himself O that every one of us so far as we have attained would endeavour to render another like unto God! Now although swearing by the Name of God rashly vainly and falsly and without just cause hath alwayes been a sin and so accounted Ecclus 23.9 13. Yet the universal prohibition hereof was reserved until the time of Reformation Matth. 5.33 37. Howbeit that this kinde of swearing ought not here to be understood but Adjuration only and to put an end to controversies among men as hath been said will appear to be true if we lay to the words now questioned and compare with them what Solomon saith Prov. 29.24 He that is partner with a thief hateth his own soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he heareth adjuration and uttereth it not Where we have these very words of the Law Levit. 5.1 and an exemplification of it In this case the Arabic Proverb is not to be understood Repentance for silence is better then repentance for speech And that of Cato hath no place here Nam nulli tacuisse nocet nocet esse locutum For silence in this case argues a consent unto evil Take notice here Christian Reader how strict the Lord is in requiring a discovery of sin and that the truth should be brought to light and judgement and that under a ceremonial dispensation so that he who concealed his knowledge rendred himself guilty And shall we who ought to depart from and hate every evil way and every iniquity and loathe it in our selves shall we hide and keep anothers sin as sweet under our tongue In this case it will well beseem our Christian prudence and charity to enquire what will be more profitable for our brothers reformation whether to accuse him and discover his sin as Joseph did his brethrens Gen. 37.2 or at least for a time with lenity and pious long-suffering to bear his weakness But if we wink at and dissemble our brothers sin as if we favoured it and waited not for a fit time for reproof of it we make our brothers sin and guilt our own and our tenderness and clemency toward our brother will be interpreted no less then contumacy and disobedience toward God Remember how Solomon concludes his Ecclesiastes and with it I shall conclude this Essay God will bring every work into judgement and every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil And the Priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin Levit. 5. Ver. 6. This sense is imposed upon these words beside their genuin and proper meaning which is this And the Priest shall expiate or purge him from his sin The only difficulty if any there be is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether it be referred to the person purged from his sin and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to purge or expiate is construed with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or whether it have reference to the Sacrifice as Arias Montanus understood it Both have their Authors and their meanings good As for Atonement what is meant by it but union with God or oneness as when God and man are at one And how can that be wrought while the sin intervenes and keeps man at a distance from his God Esay 59.2 It is true indeed that the Spirit of God hath couch'd two actions under one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. to cover and 2. to purge cleanse or expiate But although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie to cover yet not so as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.16 as a cloak to cover knavery not so as to hide the sin but as a playster is applyed to cover and so to cure and heal a wound and so the first signification will fall into the second Thus the Tigurin Bible renders the words verbatim Et expiabit eum sacerdos à peccato suo And the Priest shall purge or expiate him from his sin And the Chald. Par. saith the very same though somewhat otherwise translated So Munster so Vatablus so Tremellius so Diodati And although the Spanish Bible hath reconcilierà in the text yet it hath expiarà the Priest shall expiate in the margent If meantime the sin remain how can the atonement or reconciliation be made since sin is the only make-bate Quod turbat omnia which therefore if it remain and be not really and truly removed and taken away the wrath and the condemnation and guilt and obligation unto death must remain with it What is wont in this case to be said that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus which words are usually cited alone and the following words suppressed it is true of them who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit whom the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus makes free from the law of sin and death in whom the righteousness of the law is fulfilled Rom. 8.1 4. It is true these actions are all of them ceremonial poor and beggarly rudiments yet by them are figured out the pretious truths of God touching atonement with God and expiation from sin as gold is weighed out by brass or leaden weights The real purging from our sins by Christ is meant by the ceremonial expiation wrought by the Priest and the sacrifice And therefore the Apostle so reasons if the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh so far then it did sanctifie how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Let us well consider this Christian Reader lest in a matter of so great concernment unto our immortal souls we suffer our selves to be deceived by concerning a word of very large signification which if it mean any thing but expiating the sin take heed of it Dolosus versatur in generalibus if we be deceived in the figure we shall also be deceived in the Truth it self which is conveyed by it But suppose the sin only covered which is that which many contend for if it yet remain in us what singular benefit is the Reconciliation or Atonement unto us only that the putrid and loathsom ulcer is skin'd over that the remorse and clamour of the guilty conscience is quiet and stilled for a time that the malefactor is
the Clue of the Original Tongues as Pagnin and more exactly Arias Montanus have done And although some learned good men have somewhat condemned the later as if he were too curious and have affirmed that he hath in some places made the Scripture scarce to speak sense I confess the Idioms of every Language and so of the Hebrew tongue are such that they must seem harsh if expressed in another Language Yet I leave it to the due consideration of godly learned men whether less violence will not be done to the holy Text by rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and expresly though in a phrase more harsh to our English ears then to impose our own sense upon it though in a phrase and manner of speech to us more familiar and better known For albeit the expression be uncouth and strange it will be the Preachers duty business and comfort to explain it unto the people together with the spiritual meaning of it How else can he be said to teach them For many of the people are at least in their own opinion so skilful in the Letter of the Scripture that they disdain to be further taught So that one said I say not how wisely that he would not go cross the way to hear what he knew not already Is it said in vain They shall seek the Law at the mouth of the Priest Malach. 2.7 Therefore it is said of the Levites That they read in the Book of the Law of God and gave the sense Nehem. 8.8 Whence it appears that the Letter of the Scriptures and much more the spiritual meaning of it was obscure even to the Jews themselves especially after they bad been in Babylon And may we not think that the Letter of the Scripture must be yet obscure to the Christian Church which in S. Peters dayes was in Babylon 1 Pet. 5.13 And is it yet come out of Babylon When now I had sometime proceeded according to this method and digested the more material mistakes of the Translation into Arguments of plain weekly Sermons both because I wanted other time properly to be bestowed upon that Subject as also that the Amendment of the Translation might appear not Arbitrary but necessary and had applyed the several â—ffâ—yps unto life und manners Although I had for brevity sake wittingly passed by many oversights in the Translation especially in the three first Books of Moses and had scattered enough for any man to glean after me yet I perceived the Work swelled beyond my first intention And therefore considering that the further wo proceed in survey of the Scripture the Translation is the more faulty as the Hagiographa more then the Historical Scripture and the Prophets more then the Hagiographa and the Apocrypha most of all and generally the New more then the Old Testament Considering also that the Work would be very long if I should proceed thorowout the whole Scripture according to the same large measure of Application Lastly perceiving the infirmities of old age already upon me and that Ars longa vita brevis the business is long and life but short I thought meet in mine Essayes to take notice of the mis-translation of other Scriptures as well as these of the Pentateuch observed in this Volume And therefore although at first I put all Scriptures quoted promiscuously either in the Margent as in the beginning or because that was more troublesome to the Compositer in the Context afterward I placed all such Scriptures cited in the Margent against the translation of which I conceived there lay any just exception For the discovery of these mis-translations I have used the help of diverse of my friends especially Dr. Thomas Drayton Mr. William Parker and Mr. Richard Hunt who beside that hath also taken great pains in making a Table of the Sermons contained in this Book also an Index of such Scriptures as either purposely or occasionally are opened in it and also hath made a Catalogue of the more notable Errata in the whole Volume a labour much below his worth and ability The Lord in mercy be pleased to give his blessing unto these my weak Essayes and endeavours that they may tend as they are intended unto his honour and glory in the illustration of his serviceable Word and the edifying of his people in their holy fear faith and love He be pleased to stir up many far more able then I am so thorowly to furbish and sharpen the two-edged Sword of his Spirit the Word of God that it may cut down the known sin and the false righteousness the outward and inward iniquity that I and these my labours may be as nothing in comparison of such instruments as the Lord may raise up that the testimony of Jesus may be cleared and may witness of him that all the people may be gathered unto Shilo Gen. 49.10 2 Thess 2.1 and may give testimony unto the truth in Jesus even the putting off the old man and putting on the new Ephes 4.21 22. That all may be so reconciled unto God by the death of his Son and saved by his life That all may hear the voice of the Father and see his shape Phil. 2.6 and may have his Word abiding in them and receive the Son whom he hath sent and may come unto him that they may have life John 5. That the Son of God may obtain the end of his coming who is therefore come that men may have life and have it more abundantly John 10.10 in Faith Prowess Experimental knowledge Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly love and Common love whereby an entrance may be administred unto us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ So great grace the God of all grace vouchsafe unto us all through the same Jesus Christ our Lord Amen! GEN. 1 2. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters EVery Scribe taught into the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Man an housholder who bringeth forth out of his Treasure things New and Old Matth. 13.52 The Old is the Figure the New is the Spirit saith S. Basil And the Lord Jesus maketh the Ministers of the New Testament able Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit Now should any Man purchase a Field yielding a plentiful Crop and well worth his money yet if he who sold him that Field should beyond his bargain and what he looked for discover unto him a rich Mine and a Treasure hidden in that Field surely he should do the purchaser no wrong Nor have the pious Ancients Jews and Christians Greek and Latin Fathers who delivered the holy Scriptures unto us done us any injury when beside the literal sense which onely some look after they shew us a spiritual meaning also especially of the Penteteuch or Five Books of Moses which Juvenal calls an hidden Book Tradidit arcano quodcunque Volumine Moses And of that hidden Volume the Book of Genesis Yea and of that Book the
endeavour of doing well and suffer his soul to languish and sinck into an utter despondency and desperation For how can man have any hope of good when God himself despaires The Lord give us grace to discern of things that differ SERMON III. Noah's Legacy to his Sonnes Gen. 9.26 27. Noah said Blessed be the Lord God of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant God shall inlarge Japhet and be shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant WHat the Lord saith by the Prophet Esay Esay 45.18 That He created not the earth in vain or to be empty He formed it to be inhabited as it is true of the holy Land and of the new Earth that the Lord made it not to be empty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to be inhabited with Righteousness and righteous men So it is also true of the outward Earth the Lord made it not to be empty and void He made it to be inhabited And therefore having over-whelmed the old world with the Flood he reserved inhabitants for the Earth Noah and his sons by whom the whole Earth was to be overspred Jer. 31.27 28. Even so as after the overflowing scourge the Lord promiseth to sow the earth again with the seed of Man and the seed of Beast And as the Lord watched over the old world to pluck up and to throw down so after the Flood he watched over the new world to build and to plant To this end Noah was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he till'd the Earth and planted a Vineyard He drank of the Wine and was drunken and was uncovered within his Tent. All which was a secret intimation of a better Ephes 18. a Spiritual Noah not drunk with wine wherein is excess but filled with the spirit of love toward his children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he took up his Tent and Tabernacle in us discovered the truth in it's nakedness John 1. 2 Cor. 11. even the simplicity which is in Christ which Ham the Zelot the father of Canaan the crooked soul inclined to the Earth and earthly things perceiving declared in the streets so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and Pagnin renders in platea in the street and this he does not without derision and scoffing Naked truth is a thing too poor and despicable for a Hot-headed Zelot Shem and Japhet the genuine children of the spiritual Noah they cover their Fathers nakednesse The effect of which is my Text which contains the Blessing of Shem and Japhet Curse of Ham and Canaan In both which we have these particular divine truths 1. The Lord is the God of Shem. 2. Noah said Blessed be the Lord God of Shem. 3. Canaan shall be their Servant 4. The Lord will enlarge or perswade Japhet 5. Japhet shall dwell in the Tents of Shem. 6. Canaan shall be their Servant I. The Lord is the God of Shem. Herein let us inquire 1. Who Shem is 2. What 's here meant by Jehovah or Lord. Elohim or God 3. What is it to be a God of one as here Jehovah is said to be the God of Shem. 1. Who Shem was The son of Noah but whether the eldest the second or the third son it 's questioned by some because when ever the three brothers are named Shem hath precedency and is named alwayes first but that 's no good reason why he should be the eldest as I shall shew anon It is doubtful indeed in the Hebrew Text But if we compare the age of Shem Gen. 11.10 with the age of Noah when he began to beget his children Gen. 5.32 and Gen. 7.6 it will seem probable that Japhet was elder than Shem. But the Greek Text Gen. 10.21 puts it out of all question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shem the brother of Japhet the elder Japhet was the Elder brother of Shem. Some there are both Antient and Modern who affirm that Shem was Melchisedec and probable reasons are brought for it I shall inquire into the truth of that anon Meane-time come we to inquire what we must here understand by Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This great glorious and proper name of God may be two wayes considered 1. in it self 2. as it hath respect to the creatures In it self it raiseth up the understanding unto the most sublime and transcendent Metaphysical notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ens Being than which no thought can reach higher Yet does not that express it fully because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ens hath reference to the present whereas this glorious name comprehends all circumstances of time It is a most artificial compound of all parts of time and Being in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuit he hath bâ—â—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erit he will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ens being he is John the Divine expresseth it accordingly Revel 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he might open it the more fully he waived the propriety of the Greek tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Peace be to you from him who is and was and is to come all which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This name God imposed upon himself Exod. 3.14 They will say unto me what is thy name saith Moses The Lord said unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am that I am or rather I will be what I will be or as the LXX render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am the Being And the Lord adds so shalt thou say to the children of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He who is the Being or who will be hath sent me unto you And the Lord said moreover unto Moses Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel Jehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord God of your fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you This is my name forever and my memoriall from generation to generation Wherein two things are very observable 1. That the Lord God fits his eternal name unto those three Patriarchs the figures of the holy and blessed Trinity Ecclus 44.19 Abraham representing the father as the wisman gives the etymology of his name Abram was an high or great father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jsaac a type of the son Jacob a figure of the spirit All which have reference to the three Kingdoms or rather parts or degrees of Gods kingdom Psal 97.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord hath reigned Psal 10.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord is King Psal 146.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord shall reign for ever and ever 2. Now although this glorious name comprehend all circumstances of time and import the eternity of the great God yet it more principally points at these present and last dayes wherein the fulness of the Deity is poured and to be pour'd out upon the Saints according to what the Apostle prayes in behalf of the Ephesians Ephes 3.19 that
reason which had enslaved him from the bondage of his own false and erroneous principles whereon his heart was bound The bondage of his own lusts whereunto he was a servant Iohn 8.32 33 34 35 36. The bondage of sin and the law of sin which had enthralled him And being set free from all this bondage the true free-dom is the addicting ones whole self Rom. 6.7.18 and 8.2 understanding reason will affections actions life unto God and his righteousness This freedom is wrought by the Lord Jesus Christ his word and Spirit and Truth So that True freedom is a power to will and do what is good without any hindrance without any resistance in him who wills or does it And thus God is most free 2 Iohn 3.9 and 5.18 Thus he is free who is fully born of God Nor can he sin because he is born of God Thus Laban had no power or Just freedom to hurt Jacob if he had hurt him it had been from a false freedom from licence not from true libertie The Magistrate hath no power to hurt an innocent man if he hurt him it is not according to his office nor according to the rule of true freedom given him of God and Christ 2 Cor. 13.8.10 We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth Pauls power was to edification and not to destruction This is a free-dom according to which the most free-men are servants Acts 13.36 and 10.36 as David And Jesus Christ who is Lord of all and so most free He took upon him the form of a servant Yea this is a free-dom according to which the meanest servant may yet be free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So S. Chrysost For a man may be a servant yet not servile he may be a free man yet a servant Joseph was a servant yet not yielding to his own lusts or his Ladies he was a free-man His Mistris a free-woman yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a servant of servants a slave to her own servant because a vassal to hir own lusts For the will of the fallen man being more prone to evill than good is much better and more free unto good being under the command and direction of another especially if it be justa servitus a just or moderate servitude than if it were wholly left unto it self In which case that of Job is true Job 11.12 Man is born like a wild asses colt Art thou called a servant care not for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. Lat. Sed etsi but although thou mayest be made free 1 Cor. 7.21 22 use it that is thy just service rather and the reason proves it in the following words For he that is called c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Nestor it is better to obey These are the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Freemen the Princes the Noblemen the Gentlemen A man may according to this freedom be a good servant to an evill Master Obadiah was over Ahabs house 1. King 18.3 Joseph the servant of Potiphar Jacob to Labam Naaman now a Proselyte yet servant unto the King of Syria Daniel and the other Captives to Nabucadnezzar Nehemiah to Artaxerxes Saints in Cesars houshold Phil. 4.22 Ephes 6.5.6.7 3. Doubt If Canaan in person were not the servant of Shem then must he be in his posterity But where shall we find that Canaans posterity or the Canaanites were servants unto Shem or the Shemites Surely we read of Canaans posteritie how ingenious in all or most Liberal Arts some of them were in the time of peace and how securely they lived how powerfull and terrible to their enimies some of them were in their warrs which seems not to agree with the Condition of servants How securely they lived in peace and how ingenious they were in most Liberal and Mechanicall Arts 't is evident in that Arithmetick with Astronomie came from the Zidonians who were from Zidon Canaans first born unto the Grecians But their cheif excellency was in regard of Mechanick Arts mixture of purple is ascribed to the Tyrians Making of Glasse and weaving of Silk to the Zidonianes They were excellent Carpenters 1. King 5.6 Therefore Homer calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what ever witty invention in Garments or Vessells and what ever it was wont to be attributed unto the industry of the Zidonians By those Arts they grew extream Rich and secure Judg. 18.7 The Hittites were formidable and terrible in their wars as appears 2. Kings 7.6 The Jebusites were not inferior unto the Hittites who kept Jerusalem and Mount Zion maugre all the power of Jsrael till Davids time And when he went to beseige them in contempt of him they set no other guard to keep the gates then the Blind and the Lame 2 Sam. 5.8 The Amorites are reported to be as tall as Cedars and as strong as Oaks their Land a Land of Gyants Deut. 2.20 Zamzmmim the bedsted of Og one of them is described Deut. 3.11 much might be said of the other sonns of Canaan All which seems not to suit with servitude unto which Ham and Canaan were accursed by Noah For answer here unto I have shewen how according to the history the curse of Noah laid hold on Ham and the Egyptians As for the Canaanites 't is true they were very ingenious and witty in finding out of Trades and herein more industrious then either Shem or Japhet But this hindred not but that they might yet well be of a base and servile disposition as Cain and his posterity before the flood were exceeding cunning and were the first inventors of founding metalls and working in Iron making of tents building Cities inventing instruments of Musick All which although they be necessary for mans life and though they may be and doubtless are well used by the seed of Sheth and Enoch and Noah and Shem Yet the holy Ghost shewing that the seed of Cain before the flood were inventors of these things as also the seed of Canaan after the flood it 's an evident argument that these things were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the main business wherein the Cainites and the Canaanites imployed themselves While mean time Sheth Enoch Noah Shem and their seed busied themselves in Divine matters In a word the Cainites and Canaanites busied themselves wholly about things belonging onely unto this life The Shethites and Shemites were and are taken up wholly or principally with matters of the life to come Let us now reflect upon our selves if our whole mind thoughts and desires be taken up about the things of this life earthly things c. What are we better then they we are even as they were Cainites and Canaanites For according to a mans thoughts will affections and actions he is to be esteemed Yea and according to them his reward shall be Matth. 22.5.6 not onely they who reproached and slew the servants sent to invite them are held unworthy to tast of the Marriage
was called a Nazaren and hereby typified by Joseph the Nazarite of his brethren as some conceive who read Nazaren with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t s And truly these letters are sometime used promiscuously one for the other as 1 Chron. 16.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 96.12 thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and many the like They who read the word Nazaren with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understand hereby the Lord Jesus so devoted and dedicated unto God as the Nazarites of old were For whereas others sanctified somewhat of their goods as Sheep or Oxen unto God the Nazarites above all others devoted themselves unto God as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to separate after a wonderful manner as I shall shew which eminently and above all others was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ who devoted and offered himself without spot unto God Hebr. 9.14 and gave over himself to his Fathers will even to the death the shamful painful and infamous death of the Cross which is implyed in his speech John 17.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I sanctifie or devote my self The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devoted or sanctified is used by the LXX to signifie a Nazarite Therefore Philo Judaeus tells us that the Nazarites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. devote and sanctifie themselves hereby demonstrating holiness and the height of their love unto God For every man is to himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest and most precious thing he has And therefore he who offers up himself unto God as our Lord Jesus Christ did he no doubt offers up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great vow as the Nazarites vow was called And hence it is that our Lord is so often called a Nazaren Mat. 26.7 Mark 1.24 and 7.19 and 10.47 beside many other places Whence also his Disciples and followers are called Nazarens Acts 24.5 whence ipso nomine nos Judaei Nazaraeos appellant per cum saith Tertullian The Jews by him call us Christians Nazarites after that name Now although this be the opinion of very learned men yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle saith in regard of Plato from whom he differ'd in judgement its lawful and honest to prefer truth before our friends For whereas our Lord is called a Nazaren it is not from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to separate For the Nazarite was by his vow to separate himself from Wine and strong drink and not to come at the dead Numb 6.1 6. But our Lord Jesus both drank wine Luke 7.34 and touched the dead corps Luke 8.49 with ver â—4 And therefore although this vow of a Nazarite were fulfilled in Christ according to the truth and by the Spirit of holinesse yet was it not accomplished in him according to the letter of the carnal commandement Nor was our Lord from thence called a Nazaren from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virgultum a sprout or twig because he was brought up in the City of Nazareth or rather Natsareth as it s written in the Syriac Matth. 2.23 whence he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Natsaren as it was written in the title on his Cross which title they say they have at Rome Yet in the Greek tongue he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Nazaren because that as the French and some other Languages affect smoothnesse of pronunciation But was Joseph the Nazarite of his brethren for this end that his brethren should not be or rather that his brethren should be Nazarites whether so or no sure I am our Lord Jesus devoted and sanctified himself unto God by the Spirit of holinesse as a spiritual Nazarite that his brethren might be spiritual Nazarites also For so he saith expresly John 17.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their sakes I sanctifie devote and consecrate my self to God as a Nazarite that they also may be sanctified or become Nazarites For so what Amos 2.12 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazarites is turn'd by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sanctified ones Who ever shall thus willingly devote himself unto God for such a will the Lord requires who loves a cheerful giver especially of himself who gives himself unto God without doubt he shall be looked at as a strange man And therefore our Lord saith whosoever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wonderfully separates himself to vow a vow of a Nazarite to separate himself unto the Lord who ever doth so shall be wondred at and become a wonder or a Monster unto many as David saith of himself Psalm 71.7 And it is the condition of all such Esay 8.18 Zach. 3.8 And Saint Peter gives the reason Because they run not with the men of the evil world from which they have separated themselves 1 Pet. 4.4 into the same confusion of luxury as those words should be rendred Such as these are exemplary men in holinesse of life who shine forth as lights to the dark world in a wicked and perverse generation This concerns us O ye Nazarites who ever are dedicated and consecrated unto God it concerns us O ye Nazarens who grow up unto him in all things Ephes 4.15 who is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sprout or sucker out of the root of Jesse Esay 11.1 that every one of us endeavour to excel to the edifying of the Church 1 Cor. 14.12 and so to be a Nazarite of his brethren to abstain from wine wherein is excess and to be filled with the Spirit Not to pollute our selves with dead works not to come at a dead soul as the words signifie Numb 6.6 not to communicate with any how neer so ever unto us in their dead works to preserve and increase our holy thoughts To stir up our selves in these times of distresse to pray unto the Lord for our selves and our brethren So shall the blessings of our God descend upon us as they descended on the head of Joseph who was the Nazarite of his brethren EXODVS Chap. 1. Verse 3. All the soules that came out of the loynes of Jacob. VVHat in the context the Translators call the loynes they acknowledge in the margent to be the Thigh in the Hebrew as also they do Gen. 46.26 And why then should that be rejected which the Spirit of God dictates and that chosen which seems best to their own humane spirit when the Scripture saith the Thigh how dare we say the Loyns Imo haud longè hoc vocabulum ab ipsa re abludit cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utriusque sexûs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significet Gen. 46.26 Numb 5.21 Nimirum seminales venae tres è lumborum venis ortae antequam in crura descendunt per femora virorum ac mulierum recurrunt fecundumque semen in vasa generationis utrisque devehunt quod ferè Valesius ait cap. 13. sacrae philosophiae The
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
being the age of full strength they entred upon the second part of their warfare wherein they continued twenty years viz. until the fiftieth year of their age when the bodily strength of a man begins to fail him And the reason is evident Nature now weary requires ease and rest The souls of the Levites as well as others dwell in houses of clay Job 4.19 weak and brittle And although the soul in her other house her astral body be strong vigorous and able for action yet while it acts in and by an elementary body which daily moulders away in that case though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak Though there may be actûs eliciti actions drawn forth of the soul Yea and imperati actions commanded also by it yet they must needs be weakly performed when the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men bow themselves and the grinders fail because they grinde little and they that look out of the windowes be darkned c. Eccles 12.3 Whence we learn 1. That the Lord requires our full strength to be wholly spent in warring the warfare of his service The full strength of a man begins about the thirtieth year of his age At that age Joseph began to serve the Lord in the kingdom of Egypt Gen. 41.46 and David in the kingdom over Israel began his reign and the service of God and his generation at the same age 2 Sam. 5.4 Acts 13.36 And at the same age the Lord Jesus being the truth of both these types he began to serve the Lord in his temporal dispensation Luke 3.23 2. The Lord requires all our time of strength to be imployed in the spiritual warfare even from the full strength at thirty years until the decay of it at fifty Nor will any one who serves the Lord out of love which is the highest and most acceptable service Exod. 20.6 Otherwise conceive but that all that time is utterly mis-spent and lost which is imployed in any other service since the Lord requires all our strength and all our time to be spent in his service of love Luke 10.37 There is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enough and more then enough of our time wasted in the service of sin how little soever of our time hath perished in it And here I meet with a Scripture which I beleeve is much mistaken 1 Peter 4.1 2 3 4. Forasmuch therefore as Christ hath suffered in the flesh arm your selves with the same minde because he who hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that he should live no longer the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God The Apostle having propounded his general exhortation in the first words Arm your selves with the same minde according to the patern of Christs suffering in the flesh he explains what he means by suffering in the flesh viz. ceasing from sin which explication given he proceeds in his general exhortation interposing himself by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ye or we no longer should live the rest of your or our lifetime to the lusts of men but to the will of God For that second verse is not to be knit to the exegesis or explication in the next preceding words but to the general exhortation in the first words And so to be read as if they were put in a Parenthesis by themselves What some might doubt that the words in our translation are in the singular number and third person That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh c. I answer the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the Infinitive and so may be rendred according to either number and any person But it suits best with the general exhortation propounded in the plural Ver. 1. and so followed ver 3 4. as Dr. Hammond hath judiciously observed But let us resume our business 3. It is not the will of the Lord that his souldiers should be alwayes warring that they should alwayes be fighting Surely men fight not but with hope of overcoming and an end there must be of their fighting because the Lord of hosts engageth us in this battle and he does nothing in vain Yea we read that the Prophets must comfort Jerusalem and tell her that her warfare is accomplished Esay 40.2 4. There is a time when the spiritual Levite is discharged from warring the warfare of the Lord a time when he shall return from the warfare of the service Among the many opposite times for many businesses the Wiseman tells us of a time for war and a time for peace Eccles 3.8 5. The proper time of returning ceasing and resting from the spiritual warfare is the time of the Spirit Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty And this is the time hinted and figured in the text before us the age of fifty years Which if we render according to the Hebrew word for word they sound thus From a son of fifty years that is from a son born of the spirit figured by the number fifty For thus in type the Levites the Kohathites Gershonites and Merarites although for diverse reasons already shewen they began their service at different years of their age yet they all ended their service at fifty years of age as appears in them all Num. 4.15 And from fifty years of their age they must return from the warfare of the service More particularly as fourty years is the time of separation trial of faith obedience the time of sin punishment of sin humiliation and repentance and mortification of sin as I shall shortly shew if the Lord will So the number of fifty notes remission and pardon yea doing away of sin Whence it was that the 50 year was the year of Jubile the year of Release as it is called Levit. 25. It is very often in that Chapter called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the LXX remission of sins the time of giving the Law and giving the holy Spirit Acts 2.1 The time when they who have mortified their sins are born from the dead and become born of the Spirit Thus when David had now fought the Lords battles Solomon his son succeeded him a man of peace and rest 6. We may note from hence the Lords gracious dealing with those who labour in his service The Levites who had laboured twenty years in bearing burdens besides five years spent in preparation to their warfare had a time when they were milites emeriti as souldiers discharged from warring the warfare of the service when they must serve no more but minister with their brethren in the Tabernacle of the meeting to keep the charge and shall do no service Numb 8.25.26 And no doubt but some Analogie there is between the Levitical and Evangelical service in regard of time If they rested at fifty years the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and indulgence of the Gospel may allow an Evangelical Levit some ease
for whereof we have already the present substance But many men are lulled into a carnall security out of a supposed Assurance which they ground upon an empty â—aith which will deceive them in the end when it will be too late to remedy it or prevent it Hence it is that what ever their sins are yoâ— they hold fast their Assurance so that by no meanes they will depart from that And to this end all things are laid and the Scripture is made to speak to their Security so that if they believe they shall then certainly inherit the Land And is not that true that if we believe we shall be saved Mar. 16. and so inherit the land Yes no doubt But what kind of Belief is this Surely no other than the obedience of faith Obj. But is it not said Joh. 3.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already c. So ver 36. He that believeth on the Son hath the everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Yea Hebr. 3.18.19 To whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to those who believed not So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief These are Scriptures which mainly fortify mens imaginations and strengthen their Assurance This is a subtill Stratagem of Satan like a Stratagem in war wherein men can erre but once that irrecoverably To discover this we must know that these testimonies of Scripture are all misunderstood As to the first Joh. 3.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned John 3. v. 18. but he that believeth not is condemned already What other belief is this but obedience of faith This will be cleared out of the next words opposite unto these But he that believeth not c. and who that is appears by the condemnation for unbelief because men love darkness more then light because their works are evill and he that doth evill hateth the light The other two Scriptures are mis-translated to serve their turn 1. Joh. 3.36 He that believeth on the son hath the everlasting life John 3. v. 36. what faith or belief is this on the Son but the obedience of faith â— as it s clear by the context with the next words but he who believeth not the Son the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he who is disobedient to the Son he who disobeyes the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him And as far from their purpose is the third testimony Hebr. 3. v. 18 19. Hebr. 3.18.19 To whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to those who believed not The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to those who were not obedient and therefore so we must understand the next words So we see they could not enter in because of unbelief that is disobedience as the former words declare The Lord foresaw and fore shewed in type how presumptuous and vainly credulous men would be in these last dayes Ezech. 33.24 Son of man saith the Lord they that inhabit those wasts of the Land of Israel speak saying Abraham was one and he inherited the Land but we are many the Land is given us for an inheritance Wherefore say unto them thus saith the Lord ye eat with the blood and lift up your eyes toward your idols and shed blood And shall yet inherit the Land Ye stand upon your sword â—e work abomination and ye defile every one his neighbours wife And shall ye possess the Land These men claimed inheritance of the holy land under Abraham even as many at this day under pretence of Abrahams faith claim the eternal inheritance But it s quite forgotten what the Lord said to like pretenders who said Abraham is our father John 8.39 Jesus saith unto them if ye were Abrahams children ye would do the works of Abraham but now ye seek to kill me a man that hath told you the truth which I have heard of God this did not Abraham Ye do the deeds of your father and ver 44. ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have a will or lust to do Do we not read expresly 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God Herein men are wont much to deceive themselves therefore the Apostle warns us Be not deceived Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankinde nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God And therefore this kingdom figured by the holy land cannot be inherited unless first we drive out these inhabitants of it And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to inherit signifies also to dis-inherit and drive out as often Deut. 9. and elsewhere As for positive qualifications rendring us fit to inherit the land I shall name no other then such as offer themselves in the example of Caleb and his seed Remember what means he used to ingratiate himself with the Lord Paramount 1. He was dear to Jehoshua We read them often joyned together Jehoshua and Caleb 2. The Lord stiles him his servant 3. He had another a new spirit the spirit of faith 4. He fulfilled the Lords will after him of all which I have spoken Caleb also had his seed Iru that name imports watchfulness against the temptations of the enemy A duty which concernes us all what I say unto you I say unto all watch And indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as much Be watchful and good reason S. Peter addes for your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion goes about seeking whom he may drink up 1 Pet. 5.8 9. 1 Pet. 5.8 9. It concernes us therefore to be strong in the faith and to rowze the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Calebs Tribe and to implore his aid his watchfulness over us The Lion is so watchful that he never fully shuts his eyes The keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps A watchful Counsellour is so described 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A wise Counsellour must not sleep all night The Lion also is as strong as vigilant that 's another son of Caleb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elah that is strong as an Oak So strong was Caleb Josh 14.10 11. Calebs third son was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beautiful decent and comely as Solomon reckons the Lion among the comely walkers Prov. 30.29 O that we were so qualified for the inheriting of the holy land O that we were so adjoyned unto the true Jehoshua that we were such servants of the Lord that we had that other that new spirit that spirit of faith and valour like that of Caleb that we fulfilled the Lords will after him O that we were such a seed of Caleb so watchful so
covenant to be an eâ—emy unto their enemies For so he promiseth Exod. 23.22 concerning the Angel of the Covenant if obeying thou shalt obey his voice that is continue in obedience and by obeying Exod. 23. v. 22. thou shalt learn to obey and do all that I shall speak I will be an enemy to thine enemies and I will distress thy distresses That the Lord therefore should smite the Princes of Moab it was reasonable and according to his covenant But why shall he smite them thorow 1. If we consider the history we shall finde cause sufficient for this thorow destruction of the Moabites They hired Balaam to curse Israel Deut. 23.4 They followed the counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the Lord Numb 25.1 2 3. and 31.16 Adde to these what ye read of their pride security vain confidence and contempt of God and his people beside other sins Jer. 48. 2. But if we look into the mystery we shall finde yet more reason for a thorow-smiting of Moab Moab is a Bastard-generation such as receives no correction from the hidden and inward law of God figured by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lot which signifies hidden and covered and such are interpreted Bastards and not genuin sons Hebr. 12.8 These revolt à patre from their father so the Antients Etymologize the word Moab and become born à patre diabolo of their father the Devil and his works they will do John 8. The root of this rebellion and disobedience is inward And therefore Christs smiting of Moab must be thorow and inward also It must needs be so For whereas there is a treasury of wickedness in the bea rt of every sinful man evil thoughts murders adulteries Matth. 15. v. 19. fornications thefts false witnessings blasphemies all in the plural since Jesus Christ came to save us from our sins how can he so do unless his arrows pierce deep even to the heart The Impostume lies there and the man must perish unless it be opened as they tell a story of him who smiting and intending to kill his enemy opened his Impostume with the stroke and saved his life Vulnus opemque tulit he wounded him and healed him both at once so unless Christ who seriously intends to cure our festerd ulcers of customary sins pierce them and open them with the injaculations and arrowes of his sharp word and spirit our impostumated souls must perish And therefore his living word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pierâ—eth to the division of the soul and spirit Hebr. 4. v. 12. whence note by the way that those two inward parts are different one from other since they can be divided lets out the corruption and heals the man Such a cure was wrought on the Jewes by S. Peters ministry by whom God sent his word and healed them Acts 2.36 37. The sharp piercing words are Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God hath made this Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Upon this word of truth Christ came riding and pierced them thorow with his sharp arrowes the injaculations of his spirit for it s said that having heard this word they were pricked at the heart For whereas Vulnus is Dissolutio continui a wound is the dissolving of that which was centinued and one before whereas the sinful man was one with his sin as the envious man is one with his envie and the prowd man one with his pride and the like may be said of every sin which is the very nature and being and one with the sinful man the Son of God was therefore revealed that he might wound and so make a dissolution and dis-union between the man and his sin that they might be no more one as the Aposle saith 1 John 3. v. 8. for this the Son of God was manifested 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might dissolve and loose the works of the Devill 1 Joh. 3.8 For this end was the enmity of the Law put between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent Prov. 22. v. 15. Gen. 3.15 as I have shewen And whereas folly is bound up in the heart of a childe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scepter or Rod of correction drives it far from him Prov. 22.15 But as the Lord hath his piercing and smiting word which pierceth thorow the heart and le ts out the corruption so hath he his healing word also 1 Tim. 1. v. 10. Such is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.10 not only sound doctrine as our Translators turn it and thereby many understand Orthodox which indeed often times is nothing so but also healing doctrine such doctrine as heals our backslidings Jer. 3.22 Such as makes of a Drunkard a sober man of a Letcher a chaste man of a Covetous man a liberal and merciful man yea it heals all the spiritual maladies and diseases Psal 103.3 Such are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 healing words 1 Tim. 6.3 2 Tim. 1.13 and elsewhere Esay 19.22 Thus the Lord smites and heales he woundeth or smiteth-thorow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the text and his hands make whole Job 5.18 1. Note hence the transcendent power of the King Christ in mastring and subduing the greatest power of sin even the Ruling and Lording sins Exod. 15. v. 4. the Princes of Moab The Lords war is against the strongest of our sins against Pharoah and the Choyse of his Captaines Exod. 15.4 Such he wisheth to fight withall as the Poet describes a valiant man Optat aprum aut fulvum descendere monte Leonem he wisheth a wild bear or a Lyon to come down from the Mountain the strength of concupiscence the swinish sin of voluptuousness and sensuality yea the roaring Lion the Devill himself The stronger the enemy is the more fit for him to grapple withall Behold the Lord God or the Lord the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall come upon or against the strong Esay 40 10. Esay 40. v. 10. So it is in the Margent and better as most what then in the text Thus our Lord speakes of himself that stronger man that he shall come upon the strong man armed and overcome him and take away his armour from him Luke 11.22 and destroy him Hebr. 2.14 2. Hence we may take notice that the divine vertue reforming the sinfullman workes not superficially or slightly The influence of this Star smites thorow the corners the Princes of Moab The powers of heaven operate and are effectual even in the bowells of the earth The scepter of Christ pierceth even to the heart So the Psalmist describes him triumphant Psal 45.3.4.5 Psal 45. ver 5. Gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh O thou mighty one with thy glory and thy Majestie And prosper thou with thy majesty Ride upon the word So the Original sounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ride upon the word of truth and meekeness and righteousness and thy right
the fruit of the Spirit love joy peace c. Gal. 5.22 Now what fruits are brought forth in thee where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie 2 Cor. 3.17 That 's it we long for that 's it we boast of But here is the question what liberty it is we have whether it be liberty from thraldom and captivitie under sin and Satan and compulsion of the law and a power without hindrance freely to do the Lords will or whether it be a licence to do what we list a liberty to act and do the lusts of the flesh We read of two towns built by Sheerah the daughter of Ephraim Beth-horon the nether and the upper These towns she built when it went ill with hir fathers house 1 Chron. 23.24 Then it goes evill with Ephraim when we are fruitfull so Ephraim signifies in evill workes Then Ephraim calls his son Beriah that is in evill His daughter Sheerah signifies flesh And she builds Beth-horon the neither First the house of liberty according to the flesh Then Sheerah buildes Beth-horon the upper that is she promiseth the glorious liberty of the sons of God while yet the flesh is a servant to corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 And these I fear are the false freedoms whereof we boast which Sheerah the flesh with hir evill affections and lusts buildeth But Solomon 2 Cron. 8.5 Is recorded to have built Beth-horon the upper and Beth-horon the neither First the upper and then the nether This is the work of the true Salomon even Christ our peace Ephes 2.14 And that 's Saelomon and the Prince of peace He gives the true liberty John 8.36 both to the upper and the nether Beth-horon For if the Son make you free then are ye free indeed He builds the upper Beth-horon even the glorious liberty of the Sons of God in the right injoyment of spirituall and heavenly things and the nether Beth-horen a liberty for the right use of things below These are said to be fenced Cities with walls gates and bars This is the work of the true Solomon who fenceth the true liberty with the fortress and safeguard of his Commandements Psal 119.45 The upper Beth-horon must be fenced lest it prove false and vain without a foundation like a Castle in the air the nether lest it prove exorbitant Gal. 5. v. 13. and vanish into lasciviousness and looseness of life Brethren ye are called to liberty only not to liberty for an occasion to the flesh but let us pray to the Lord for his holy Spirit that Spirit of liberty which may lust again the flesh and give check thereunto which may teach us the way of the Lord that we may walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit which may renew us in the spirit of our minde which may mortifie in us the deeds of the body which may lead us into all truth through Jesus Christ our Lord. Some Saints not without Sin for a season SER. 19. SERMON XX. 1 John 1. ver 8. If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us THe Mountain of the Lords house in these last dayes is scituate in the top of the Mountains Esay 2.2 even that blessed state whereunto S. John together with his fellow Apostles having attained he doth not as it is said of another Ridet anhelantes alta ad fastigia he derides not those who labour up the hill O no but he declares whither he and they had ascended and invites us all to the participation and communication of the same bliss and happiness with them v. 1. 4. For the eminent Saints of God are in an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a state above the envie of others and wherein they do not envie others that good which they enjoy but call them to share with them in it as the first voice which S. John heard out of heaven was come up hither Rev. 4.1 and the Spirit and the Bride say come But the Apostle forewarns us that if we hope for fellowship with the Lord we should be such as he is now He is light and in him is no darkness at all And therefore he who hath hope of communion with him purifies himself as God is pure 1 John 3.3 This Declaration premised the Apostle foresaw that three Objections would be made against his invitation 1. That it was possible they might have communion with God yet want holiness To this he answers v. 5 6 7. God is light and in him is no darkness at all if we say we have fellowship with him c. 2. SER. 20. A second Objection is They had no sin and therefore they had communion with God already This Objection he answers v. 8 9 10. If we say we have no sin c. 3. The third and last Objection is That they cannot choose but they must sin That the Apostle answers in the second Chapter v. 1 2 3. These things I write unto you that ye sin not If any man sins c. where the Apostle declares of what spiritual age growth and statute they were and are to whom he wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little children The result of all this is That would we hear the living Word which was from the beginning would we see it with our eyes would we look upon it would we handle it with our hands would we have such experimental knowledge of it then must we not walk in darkness So that ye perceive my Text is part of our Apostles answer to the second Objection They had no sin and therefore they had communion with God already Nay saith S. John If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Wherein we have 1. A supposition of a false Position that some said they had no sin 2. A reason of that false Position which is self-deceipt want of truth These parts we may resolve into these Axioms 1. That some little children say they have no sin 2. They who so say deceive themselves 3. They who so say have not the truth in them 1. In the first of these we must enquire 1. What sin is and what here meant 2. What it is to have or not to have sin 3. Who are meant by we in the Text. If we say we have no sin c. 1. Sin is described by our Apostle Chap. 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the transgression of the Law More fully Dictum factum Concupitum contra legem Dei what ever is spoken done or desired against the Law of God But what special sin this is which is here to be understood expositors agree not among themselves For some understand 1. Original sin only so Cajetan 2. Others understand actual sin but neither herein do they agree for some will have here to be meant mortal sin so Lyra others venial only so Hugo Card. But if it be sin in its own nature its mortal Rom. 6 23. The wages of sin is
good God pardon every one who prepareth his heart to seek God the Lord God of his fathers though he be not according to the purification of the Sanctuary And the Lord hearkned to Hezekiah and healed the people And thou hast a greater then Hezekiah even the true Hezekiah himself the strength of the Lord even Christ himself at the right hand of God making intercession for us Rom. 8.34 We say we are partakers of him by faith if so we feed on faith we live the life of God from which we have been estranged Hab. 2.4 By faith we are nourished up in the words of faith 1 Tim. 4.6 By faith we grow strong strong in the faith Rom. 4.20 By faith in Christ we walk 2 Cor. 5.7 By faith the heart is purified and hereby we become pure as he is pure 1 John 3.3 for whatsoever toucheth him and hath communion with him must be like unto him Surely if we be partakers of Christ by faith such as he is such are we also For every one who saith he abideth in him he himself also ought so to walk even as he walked 1 John 2.6 The Lord Excludes strangers from eating of the Pascal Lamb Exod. 12.43 The stranger is he who is the son of a strange god For as the people of the true God are his sons and daughters 2 Cor. 6.18 So the people of a false god are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of that false God and so strangers to the true God yea enemies unto him and Apostates as the Chald. Par. calls them there and Gen. 17.12 he calls such an one as is not of Abrahams seed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filius populorum as in Latin they call such an one a Bastard But what Is such an one Exclusissimus altogether excluded Yes no doubt in sensu composito while he is such not in sensu diviso For Exod. 12.48 If he and his be circumcised he may eat the Passover They who have put off the body of sins in the flesh which is the true circumcision Col. 2.11 and worship God in the Spirit Phil. 3.3 such are no more strangers or foreiners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Ephes 2.19 Unto such now reconciled now of his house he saith Eat O my friends drink ye drink abundantly my well-beloved Cant. 5.1 And the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt They who say Exod. 13. Ver. 18. they went up harnessed as our Translators turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Hierom Armati armed c. Aquila and Symachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are yet much neerer the business then the ordinary Greek Interpreters who referring the sense of the word to the time turn it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fifth generation the children of Israel went up out of Egypt as also the Samaritan translation hath it which is point-blank contrary to what the Lord saith to Abraham That in the fourth generation they should return into the land of Canaan Gen. 15.16 But harnessed or armed is a general word and therefore they have put in the margent Or by five in a rank herein following Theodotion who renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by fives Nor yet does this version reach the meaning of the original word which porperly signifies girded which the Latins express by acccincti because the Girdle was wont to be worn under the fifth rib which in the Hebrew is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the fifth the Hypocondria under which is the Liver and vesica fellea and the Spleen 2 Sam. 2.23 Abner smote him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about the fifth rib So Rab. David and others interpret that place And the Ch. Par. turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is acccincti girded and Jos 1.14 Ch. Par. hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the LXX render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bene cincti well girded For because the Hebrews wearing their Arms Ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the groin or fifth rib they were said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 girt as the Greeks armed to the brest were said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 muniti ad pectus fenced to the brest The Romans also had their cingulum militare their Military Girdle which was called Balteus or Balteum a Belt which the Low Dutch call Sweert-gordel a Sword-girdle part of their arms and properly the Soldiers Girdle Yea and a principal part of his arms as Isidore tells us lib. 19. cap. 33. Balteus dicitur non tantum quo cingitur sed etiam à quo arma dependent The military Girdle as he calls it before is not only that wherewith the Soldier was girded but that also on which his weapons hung So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be rendred here girded But why have we stood so long upon a critical meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strife about words It is not so For as I have formerly shewn the Lord in the Israelites journey out of Egypt prefigures our passage out of the spiritual Egypt the straits of sin And therefore as Moses describes Israel according to the flesh armed and harnessed and especially girded for their journey so under that figure he signifies Israel according to the Spirit harnessed armed and principally girded and so prepared for their journey And as that people were trained up and fitted to go forth to war Numb 1.3 So thereby was typified the training up of Gods people and preparing them for the spiritual warfare As Seneca saith of Virgils description of a stately Steed Aliud agens describit virum fortem when he seems to do something else he describes a valiant man And when Moses seems to present unto us Military men armed he indeed intends to describe the soldiers of Jesus Christ how they go 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 girded out of the spiritual Egypt The principal part of their armour is their Girdle which signifies truth faithfulness and sincerity And the Apostle when he arms the Christian Soldiers Ephes 6. having discovered the enemy ver 12. he sounds an Alarm ver 13. then he first arms them Cingulo militari with the military Girdle and gives the word of command to stand in Battalia ver 14. Stand therefore having your loyns girt about with truth For truth sincerity and faithfulness is first required in a Christian Soldier when he comes forth of the spiritual Egypt Which was also required by the unleavened bread in the Passover when they came out of Egypt as S. Paul interprets it 1 Cor. 5. The unleavened bread of sincerity and truth And therefore ye have both together Exod. 12.11 They must eat the Passover with their loyns girded The Girdle also imports strength and constancy according to Psal 18.39 Thou hast girded me with strength when now we are to fight with our spiritual enemies And in this posture the Christian Soldier ought Stare in procinctu
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Non mundificabit he will not cleanse him who bears his Name falsly or vainly For whereas this Commandement is directed against hypocrisie and the end of the Law and Gospel is to render men pure as God is pure holy as he is holy the Lord here threatneth that he will not purifie him who pretends Gods Name and being in shews of holinesse but hath not that purity nor desires to have it that he will not purifie or cleanse such an one A due reward of hypocrites who do all they do by the art of seeming holy and thereunto intend all their endeavours Mat. 23.5 do all their works to be seen of men and therein rest themselves as if to be reputed pure and holy were in-indeed to be the people of Gods holiness its just with the most holy God not to purge and cleanse these from their sins since they desire not real and true purity and withal to render unto them what they desire a reputation and esteem among men as if they were pure and holy Such is that generation Prov. 30.12 pure in their own eyes yet not cleansed from their own dung And of such our Lord saith They have their Reward O that all the people of God well considered this That the proper Name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Being and he requires of all who bear his Name Being sincerity reality and truth That his Name is holy and therefore he requires of us like holiness and that we purge our selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God So will he purifie us and cleanse us from all our iniquities 1 John 1.9 and we shall be pure as he is pure 1 John 3.3 and as he is holy so shall we be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Peter 1.15 The Lord strengthen us hereunto Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour Exod. 20. Ver. 16. These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and verbatim sound thus Thou shalt not answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or speak against thy friend neighbour or companion a false witness or a witness of falshood Where by witness we understand not only the testimony or thing witnessed as the Chaldy Paraphrast and the LXX here render it but also the person who bears witness as Levit. 5.1 If a soul sin and hear the voice of swearing and is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a witness So Deut. 19.18 If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the witness be a false witness c. where the words following are the same with these before us of the ninth Commandement If the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 witness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mendatium respondit in fratrem suum hath testified or answered falshood against his brother So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here personally understood and in rectio thus Thou a witness of falshood or a false witness shalt not answer against thy neighbour because witnesses were wont to be adjured and to answer to interrogatories But the Law is spiritual Christ is God Amen Esay 65.16 The Truth and he that is true 1 John 5.20 And we who believe and love him are in him who is true and he in us and he speaks in us and witnesseth unto us what is true and we answer by our assent and consent unto him the true and faithful witness Rev. 1.5 and from that testimony of truth we speak the truth to our neighbour And so our yea is yea if we say yea it answers unto the witness in our minde and heart and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde and speech anagrammatically answer one to the other It answers also to the thing testified Pronuntiat uti res est and so likewise our yea is yea And so on the contrary our nay is nay O how far is the present falsly called Christendom from that which all pretend unto the Christian life conversation and communication Doth not the Prophet foretel what manner of people we ought to be The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies nor shall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth Zeph. 3.13 Where shall we finde this necessary character of a Christian Take away lying take away a deceitful tongue and take away withal many a mans trade and his whole livelyhood who get their treasure by a lying tongue Prov. 21.8 The just man lives by his faith these live by deceit and fraud But I hope there is such a remnant in the world of whom the world is not worthy Such as the Lord owns for his people Children that will not lie upon which terms he is their Saviour Esay 63.8 Such as the sons of Jacob said they were True men Gen. 42.11 O that we all who call our selves Christians were of that number For there is a word which is clothed about with death God grant it be not found in the heritage of Jacob Ecclus 23.12 It is the word of Belial Psal 101.3 that is the Devil and Satan according to the Syrlac 2 Cor. 6.15 He is a lyar c. and the father of lyes and lyars John 8.44 and unto these he dictates and teacheth his lyes and they become his lying children by answering and consenting thereunto and not hearing the Law of the Lord Esay 30.9 And out of that evil treasure of their heart they speak lyes unto their neighbour But we have not so learned Christ if we have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus that we put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of our minds and that we put on the new man who after God is created in righteousness and true boliness Therefore putting away lying let every one speak truth to his neighbour Lord deliver our souls from lying lips and a deceitful tongue If the thief be not found Exod. 22. Ver. 8. then the master of the house shall be brought unto the Judges to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbours goods The sense of this Scripture is obscured by a mistake of our Translators who have added to the text a superfluous supplement to see For they well knew how ever they neglected it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not only a conditional and interrogative which is wont to be expressed by Si and an if and whether as they here turn it But it s also a particle of swearing affirmatively if alone Gen. 26.28 Let us make a covenant with thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if thou wilt hurt us that is as the LXX render it that thou wilt do us no hurt If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be added negatively 1 Kings 1.51 Adonijah saith Let King Solomon swear to me this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he will not slay his servant with the sword So the Chald. Par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the Vrim the illuminations or manifestations according to the LXX whereby God reveales and declares his will and the Thummim the perfections or consummations of that will in us when we serve him as Joshua exhorts Israel Josh 24.14 in perfection and in truth as the Greek and Vulg. Latin turn Thummim in integrity These are the gifts of God according to what S. James saith Every good giving and every perfect gift there 's one of them is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights there 's the other And of all other they are the most perfect gifts as we may esteem them by the receivers of them the most principal parts of man his minde and will And what accomplishes and beautifies the minde but the divine wisdom that 's Vrim illuminations And what rectifies and fortifies the will in good purposes intentions and actions but rectitude and integrity That 's Thummim perfections Happy thrice happy they to whom the Lord gives these divine illuminations or doctrines whereby they know the counsel of his will and the perfections and consummations of it whereby they are conformable unto the will of God! These are to be received by faith by which we receive every good giving and every perfect gift from the Father of Lights And therefore Moses first put on the breast-plate that 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the vulg Latin turns Rationale the Informer and Director of the judgement and therefore it s called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the breast-plate of judgement Exod. 28.30 Indeed the Directory of Judgement and Counsel being a figure of Him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the divine Word and Reason whole name is Counseller Esay 9.6 And therefore good reason there is that in Him should be the Illuminations and Perfections And therefore Moses put into the breast-plate illumination and perfection For the breast-plate as it signifies Christ himself so faith in him whereby we receive these things which are freely given to us of God for so S. Paul cals it the breast-plate of faith and love 1 Thes 5.8 And because the Righteousness is obtained by faith it s called also the breast-plate of righteousness This breast-plate of faith was to be fastned unto the Ephod Exod. 28.28 which the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superhumerale the ornament of the shoulder whereon we bear burdens and what is that but Patience which therefore is to be joyned unto the breast-plate of faith that so through faith and patience we may inherit the promises Hebr. 6.12 and 10.35 36. But alas the Vrim and Thummim was lost at the Babylonian captivity Ezra 2.65 And the Church in Babylon 1 Pet. 5.13 loseth her light and perfection by Babylonian confusions debates and strifes for the truth is lost by contending for it 2 Esdr 5.8 9. 1 Tim. 1.5 6 7. whence it is that the god of this world blindes the mindes of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 And because men depart not from iniquity they understand not the trnth Dan. 9.13 Yea the Thummim or perfections are so lost that it s almost a sin to say there is a possibility left of finding them But Nehemiah when the Vrim and Thummmim were missing he put the people in hope that there would be a time when a Priest should stand up with Vrim and Thummim Nehem. 7.65 And the Lord hath left such a consolation unto his people so Nehemiah sounds a Comforter of the Lord that if they make use of such means as the Lord hath vouchsafed unto his church the illuminations and perfections may be recovered The Prophet in order hereunto puts us in a method and way of obtaining them Mal. 4.4 Remember the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb with the Statutes and Judgements Then the Lord promiseth to send Eliah the Prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children c. This Eliah is not to be understood of John Baptist only for he did not accomplish that work which Eliah was to do viz. to restore all things as our Lord foretels Matth. 17.11 12. where speaking of one Eliah he saith he shall come and restore all things and then addes concerning John Baptist that he was already come So that by the doctrine of the Law and the doctrine of Repentance and conversion we are brought unto an holy fear of God and upon such as fear Gods name the Sun of Righteousness Even that true and greater Light which comes after the less John 1.8 9. ariseth and is indeed the High Priest who stands up with the Vrim and illuminations inlightning our mindes with the understanding of Gods will that we may be light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 The LXX Nehem. 7.65 have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall rise importing Christs Resurrection that he should arise from the dead and shew light unto the people and to the Gentiles Acts 26.23 And he hath the healing under his wings whereby he cureth all our backslidings Jer. 3.22 rectifies and strengthens our wills to perfect and consummate the Lords will and to make us perfect and compleat in all the will of God Col. 4.12 For the influences of the Stars and heavenly bodies are conveyed by the Moon into this lower world But the powers vertues and influences of God and his divine nature are communicated unto us by the Sun even by Jesus Christ the Sun of Righteousness he brings with him the heavenly light and healing power the truth of that Apollo whereof the Poets have made a Fable and all perfection and all the fulness of God Ephes 3.19 I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people Levit. 10. Ver. 3. I will be glorified These words In them that come nigh me answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Translators though they express in many words yet they give not the full meaning of it For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not onely such as come nigh unto God and make address to him by offering sacrifices as Levit. 1.2 but they especially who in relation are neer unto him as his Priests are in a peculiar manner And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usually rendred by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 13.17 1 Kings 8.46 neer in place neer in dignity and honour as Esther 1.14 as the seven Princes to Ahasuerus Yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies such a relative neerness as of consanguinity blood and kindred Exod. 32.26 Levit. 21 2 3. as of friendship Job 19.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my kinsfolk which the LXX turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my friends In such a neer relation are the Lords Priests unto him who are here called by the same name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
who inquires after God God himself was signified by the Ark as I shewed before The Ark signifies the glory of God the beauty of holiness Where O where is that glory to be found Ichabod where is the glory faith the wife of Phinees she understood the Ark of God And may not we make the like inquisition and complaint Ichabod where O where is that glory that beauty of holiness It s taken captive by the Philistines who are they but Potu-cadentes as Hierom interprets them fallen with drink or earthly spirits The Drunkards the Wine-bibbers have swallowed up the beauty of holiness The Gamesters have lost it The earthly spirits have buried it It s certainly swallowed up The Son of God that holy One and the Just was understood by the Ark it is the signe he gives of the Son of man that as Janah was three dayes and three nights in the belly of the Whale so should the Son of man be in the heart of the earth Matth. 12.40 And is he not yet swallowed up in the heart of the earthly man He so complains I am become as a dead man out of minde Psal 31.12 The perfection of life figured by Joseph that 's swallowed up Jacob saith Gen. 37.33 an evil beast hath devoured Joseph Joseph without doubt is rent in pieces And it is a dangerous thing at this day to say Joseph is yet alive Gen. 45.26 His father would hardly believe it when his sons told him so Gen. 45.26 Veritas in puteo truth was in the pit and when Democritus went about to draw it out his countreymen the Abderitae said he was a mad man and sent to Hippocrates to bring him to his wits as our Lords kinsmen said of him for the like reason that he was beside himself Mark 3.21 Yea others said he had a Devil and was mad John 10.20 So Festus said to Paul Acts 26.24 And the Philosophers called him a babler because he preached concerning Jesus and the resurrection and life to be by him which they and many at this day think to be utterly swallowed up and lost and will never appear The reason why the holiness and holy things are swallowed up and devoured may be understood from the consideration of Satan and his ministers their envie against the holiness of God and his holy ones 2 Cor. 11. For Satan hath had in all ages his ministers who have devoured the holy things and Gods holy people Such an one was Balaam whose name sounds a devourer of the people And these devour the narrow way the patience of Jesus Christ figured by the Altar Esay 3.12 These devour the oyl of the Lamp in holy even mercy Proverbs 21.20 And what they destroy not they decry as errour heresie false doctrine and what not So that the holiness and holy things themselves and they who bear them which should shine gloriously are under a clowd of aspersions reproaches slanders as David speaks Psalm 57.3 The reproach of him that would swallow me up 1 Pet. 5. ver 8. Thus we read of the Devil who goes about seeking whom we may drink up or swallow up and devour 1 Pet. 5.8 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to drink up And he stands before the woman to devour her childe Revel 12.4 and he casts a floud of water even persecution obloquies and reproaches after the woman to overwhelm her ver 15. it is in the old Epigram when one sober man was among a company of drunkards he alone was by all the rest reputed as mad and drunk as they are thought at this day who affirm Joseph the perfection is alive that the life of God whence we have been estranged Ephes 4. is to be restored that transgresson shall be finished and that here shall be an end of sin and that the everlasting righteousness shall be brought in and that the holiness of holinesses even Jesus Christ himself the anointed one shall appear in our mortal flesh Dan. 9.24 2 Cor. 10.11 That evil shall be put out and deceit shall be quenched that faith shall flourish and corruption shall be overcome and the truth which hath been long without fruit shall be declared 2 Esdras 6.27 28. Who ever dares aver these things for truth shall be decryed as a mad man and it is the great mercy of God if he be not swallowed up and devoured by lyars evil beasts and slow bellies Titus 1. I have spoken hitherto of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the proper sense of it as it signifies to be swallowed up devoured and destroyed And so the holiness or holy thing or things are swallowed up Now because what is so devoured is hidden from our sight hence the word hath the signification of hyding or covering And so the words will afford us this sentence also the holiness or holy thing or things are covered This sense is warranted by the fifteenth verse of this fourth Chapter where Moses useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cover instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this text And the Chald. Paraphrast so renders the words which covering because it was speedily done the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confestim quickly So the Tigurin Bible cum involvantur sancta when the holy things are wrapt up So Munster Vatablus and others The holiness or holy things are covered and hid from us by two kindes of vailes whereof one upon the object or holy things themselves the other upon us 1. The vailes upon the objects holiness or holy things themselves are the ceremonial services in types and figures Thus we read of the manfold coverings of the Ark the Mercy seat the table of shew-bread the Altar c. All which are paterns of heavenly things as hath been shewen For as in the body of man the most tender pretious part is covered by a soft one as a silm and that by some harder and stronger part as the sight of the eye by the tunicles the brain by the pia mater that by the meninx and dur a mater So have the holy things of God their next inward and subtil coverings as ridles parables and numbers and these more sensible and outward as the outward coverings of the worldy Sanctuary Hebr. 9.1 2. Other vailes there are upon us whereby the holy things are hidden from us And these are either 1. As it were innate and inbred according to which the Apostle saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the natural or souly man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Or 2. there are vailes acquisite and of our own making and these are of two sorts whereof the one we draw or suffer to be imposed and drawn upon our mindes the other upon our hearts 1. That which is drawn upon our mindes is the vail of knowledge falsly so called a vail of false notions and misunderstandings of spiritual things
Lord will not permit Israel to meddle with Edom the earthly man so far us to hurt him Deut. 2.4 5. For no man hath hated his own flesh but nourisheth it and cherisheth it even as also the Lord the Church Ephes 5.29 Yet Edom fears that Israel will hurt him as the Lord foretold Deut. 2.4 And therefore Edom saith Thou shalt not pass thorow me or into me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 20.18 The earthly man fears to be restrained of his liberty by the word of God Hereof Israel secures the earthly man v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tantum non verbum only the word shall not be that is I will not trouble thee with the word And hard expression you l say but it s as hard what the Translators give if read without their supplements But fear is suspicious And therefore Edom will not trust Israel but comes forth to meet Israel with much people the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in populo gravi in or with an an heavie people Edom the earthly man is an heavie burden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hard to be born Such are the ceremonies proper to the earthly man Matth. 23.4 Whereof S. Peter saith it is a yoke that neither their fathers nor they were able to bear He speaks of Circumcision Acts 15.10 For they who are circumcised are debtors to do the whole law Gal. 〈◊〉 But droop not despair not O Israel but proceed in thy journey toward the heavenly Canaan the true Jehoshua the true Jesus who is thy Leader he invites thee Come unto me all ye who labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest all ye who are weary of the burden of the earthly man Edom and much more weary of the burden of sinful earthly man when Esau dwels in Seir that is the Devil Gen. 36.8 for so the Devils are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levit. 17.7 Come unto me faith Jesus and I will refresh you taking off your burden by mortifying and killing the man of sin and correcting and chastising the earthly man and raising up the heavenly man in you who after God is created in righteousness and holiness of truth Mat. 11. v. 29 30. Take my yoke even the cross and patience upon you and learn of me that I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest unto your souls For my yoke the cross and patience is sweet or good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Vulg. Lat. jugum meum suave and so the Syriac and my burden the burden of my law and doctrine is light unto those who by the Spirit of life are freed from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Thus having born the image of the earthy we shall bear also the image of the heavenly Would God that were come to pass unto every one of our souls The people spake against God Numb 21. ver 5.6 and against Moses c. Our soul say they loatheth this light bread And the Lord sent fiery Serpents among the people It is the common fault of young travailers toward the holy land that when out of obedience to the voice of God they have left the flesh-pots of Egypt the delights and pleasures of sin they presently look for some refreshing some joy some consolation when contrary to their hopes they come into a desolate and disconsolate howling wilderness a for lorn estate which they complain of Numb 20.5 and call it an evil place The words are emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 20. v. 5. there 's an emphasis upon every word this this evil this place this very evil place And yet if all were quiet and they had no further trouble this estate were the more tolerable But now they meete with strong opposition from Arad the Canaanite 1. who makes war upon them who lead a way some of them captives Such is Arad the wild Ass the untamed and wild nature yet unsubdued in us which inclines or declines and bends us unto the earth and earthly things that 's the true Canaanite these figured out the motions of sin working in our members and warring against the law of our mind and bringing us into Captivitie to the law of sin Rom. 7.23 And who is there of us who has not had his time have not some of us yet our time of wildness and untamedness when we are ingaged in the like journey towards the holy Land For Ishmael the wild Ass among men Gen. 16. or the wilde Ass-man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is born before Isaac yea and he who is born after the flesh will persecute him who is born after the spirit and so it is now saith the Apostle Gal. 4.29 And there is no helpe for this untill Ishmael the wild Ass be cast out of dores ver 30. Arad also signifies a Dragon even that red Dragon called the Devill and Satan who like Arad here takes men captive at his 〈◊〉 ◠Tim. 2.26 And who is there among us who may not complain that more or lesse he hath been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possessed in a sort and obedient unto him who worketh in the sons of disobedience Ephes 2.2 Who is there of us but is or hath been like that Demoniac who had his dwelling in the Toombs Mar. 5.2.3.4 who hath not sometime lived in dead workes What is now to be done for the taming of this wild Ass but to bring him unto Jesus Matth. 21.2 What is to be done for the freeing our selves from the captivity of Arad but to binde our selves with vowes and promises unto our God that if he will give Arad or whatever force of Arad holds us captive into our hands we will Anathematize and render it accursed which is the proper meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 21. v. 2 3. which Ours turn more generally to destroy When Israel hath atchived this noble exployt Edom the earthly man which must not be destroyed Deut. 2.5 may yet yea must be circumvented the earthly man of flesh and blood must be limited and the Israel of God must set bounds of moderation about him Num. 21.4 This is a long work and hard to be done Numb 21. v. 4. and therefore it s said that the soul of the people was much discouraged word for word The soule of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was shortned or straitned And why should so choyse a motaphore be waived and cast into the margent and a worse put in the Text the Transsators themselves turn the same word so Mich. 2.7 Is the spirit of the Lord straitened Besides there is good reason from the contrary passions of the soul whereof some contract and shorten it as fear and grief and the compounds of them whence Anxietas and Angustia and the like names of straitned and shortned affections Others dilate and enlarge the soule as love and joy whence Latitia joy saith Aquinas is quasi latitia largness And the Apostle
that your generations may know that I made the sons of Israel to dwell in Booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt I am the Lord your God ver 42 43. That the people might remember and consider their slavery in Egypt and their deliverance out of it Their penury and poverty in the Wilderness when they were houseless and harborless and their plenty and abundance in the land of Canaan when they dwelt in houses that they had not built And therefore the Law was commanded to be read every seventh year at that feast Deut. 31.10 that they might hear and learn and fear the Lord their God the author of all this good unto them and observe to do all the words of his Law And for that end after the ordaining of that Feast Levit. 23.43 is added I am the Lord your God Hence it is that the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some have conceived to be so turned because that Song was so called which the old Greek Stage-players sung at the end of their Comedies when they went off the Stage as Suidas and Pollux and others affirm Accordingly some conceive that the Greek Interpreters alluded to this custom of the Stage-players because when they ended the Feast of Tabernacles they returned to their houses with great joy But truly I am not easily perswaded that the Greek Interpreters would so much honour the Comedians and their profane Stage-customes as to transfer them unto the holy Scripture There is no doubt but the LXX gave this name to the Feast according to the divine institution of it as hath been shewen in memory of Israels coming forth of Egypt And for the same reason they gave the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exodus unto the second book of Moses wherein that great work of God is recorded and rendred the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a memorial of the peoples going out of Egypt Levit 23.16 Numb 29.35 Deut. 16.8 2 Chron. 7.9 Nehem. 8.18 as well knowing the will of the Lord that his people should remember the day when they came forth out of the land of Egypt all the dayes of their life Deut. 16.3 Hence we learn one main end of humane society the celebrating of solemn Assemblies for the worship and service of God in the great Congregation Such are all the solemn Feasts in Scripture As also for the management of civil affairs in order to a peaceable life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.2 That which the Psalmist expresseth in like words Psal 110.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the comlinesses of holiness Psal 100. v. 3. 1 Tim. 2. v. 2. which our Translators express in all godliness and honesty Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turnd by honesty a word in our language of very large signification might more properly be rendred by comely gravity The Wiseman Prov. 8.6 brings in Wisdom saying I will speak of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellent things the LXX turn the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grave things that is as the Philosopher explaines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a decent deportment becoming all ranks and orders of men So that those Conventions of the people were either Ecclesiastical or civil And both had their times of restraint and their times of dimission For whereas all things in the Church ought to be done in decency and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to order 1 Cor. 14.40 1 Cor. 14. v. 40. We read that our Lord the Head of his Church is desired by the Disciples to let the multitude depart Mat. 14.15 as afterward he doth v. 22 23. and 15.29 And we read this practised by the Town Clerk or rather Sacred Scribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Dr. Hammond well proves that he dismissed the Assembly Acts 19.35 Acts 19. v. 35. And this dismission proves a restraint in all lawful Assemblies Such were those of the Christians in the Apostles times Hebr. 10.25 James 2.2 and afterwards So Ignatius to Polycarpus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let the Assemblies be more frequent In which dismission was practised and therefore a restraint supposed In the Greek Church after the Sermon the Deacon said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dismission to the people that is the people may depart And the like custom was in the Latin Church Hence is that known form of speech used by the Deacon after the Sermon to the Catechumeni those who were not yet initiated or entred into the divine mysteries but were yet in their rudiments to them it was said Ite missa est The Congregation is dismissed ye may go home These antient and now antiquated customes of the Church easily discover unto us what Dissolutae scopae what loose and confused companies our Church-congregations most-what are as being neither duely gathered and assembled together nor detained by any gentle and moderate restraint upon them nor decently dismissed All which might well become the people of the God of order and the comely body of Christ the head But at this day most men account it a great part of their Christian liberty to be disorderly and to do what they list So that our Church-Assemblies are like people some going others coming from the Market or like Bees alwayes some going in others out of the Hive But if we begin to speak of these disorders we shall never come to an end Come we rather to the spiritual meaning of these words For alas what honour is it unto God or what benefit is it unto the people that so many bodies of men are gathered together in one place or that they are retained and restrained there The Church of God is a communion of souls and spirits And this communion of souls and spirits must be with the God and Father of spirits who made us out souls Otherwise Nihil boni est in unitate nisi unitas sit in bono There is no good in unity unless unity be in goodness We must know therefore that there is a twofold Restraint 1. From sin and iniquity 2. A restraint unto God and his divine nature 1. The restraint from sin and iniquity is the restraint of the seventh day Deut. 16.8 Six dayes thou shalt eat unleavened bread and the seventh day shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a solemn Assembly or rather a restraint The feast of the Passover requires a purging out the leaven of malice and wickedness a keeping our selves from our own iniquity This must be done with unleavened bread even with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth Ye perceive sincerity accompanies the first and lowest duty even the first passage out of Egypt So far are they out who call perfection which is the highest duty by the name of sincerity which is or accompanies the lowest and meanest 2. There is also a restraint a recollecting and calling home all our wandring thoughts our loose affections our unadvised words our rash actions a bringing them to due examinations a judgeing and
world that light of faith which precedes in our regress and return unto our God Deus lumen perfecit operibus suis 2. There follows Discrimen honestorum turpium that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Firmament dividing between those waters above and those waters beneath even that spirit of faith discerning whereby we know how to refuse the evil and choose the good to sever the spiritual and heavenly love from the carnal and earthly other wise the former as experience often proves would easily degenerate into the later Col. 2. v. 5. unless there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.5 A Firmament of faith and divine and spiritual wisdom to put difference between them 3. Thirdly there is a separation of the waters from the earth when the natural and sensual passions are gathered together and made subject to divine reason Then the minde free from sensual delights and other perturbations as the earth dryed from the waters must bring forth the Plants of Gods planting 4. Because the light must not be hid and put under a Bushel but on a Candlestick that may give light to all and shine before men two great lights the Sun to rule the day even the great light by which we see God the light In lumine tuo videbimus lucem and the less light to rule the night even humane wisdom to guide us in the affairs of this life which is but as the night in regard of the day light of Heaven The Stars are examples of the holy ones they who turn many to righteousness who shine as the Stars Dan. 12. to whom the children of Abraham are compared Gen. 1 5. 5. Moving creatures the motions and inspirations of Gods Spirit The gifts and graces of the holy Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charismata So one of the most ancient and pious Fathers understood that word By these we take the wings of a Dove and we flye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the face of the firmament by contemplation and elevation of the minde above all earthly things By these our soul escapes as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler 6. Then the earth brings forth the living souls even such as live unto God and are conformed unto him with whom God is so delighted that he approves it is good and cooperates with us saying Let us make Man after our image even male and female the female the thoughts 2 Cor. 11. which receive the seed of God A facie tua concepimus Domine peperimus spiritum salutis the male when he works according to grace received Thus the man being perfected is fruitful and multiplies and brings forth fruit and fills the earth even the earthly man with the gifts of Gods grace so that the heart and the flesh rejoyce in the living God Thus he brings under the earth and subdues it and all the beasts Thus the man after his six dayes egress returns and comes to the seventh and so both meet in the Sabbath the true rest Esay 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness that remembers thee in thy wayes Behold the glorious patern propounded to our imitation even God himself God goes out of himself by six dayes or degrees and rests in the seventh and man goes out of himself by six dayes and he also rests in the seventh But whereas there are two things in rest considerable rest from something and rest in something this is the first rest even rest with Christ according to the flesh being armed with the same minde and dying to him The second rest is in Christ according to the Spirit even in the eighth day when we return again into God as our Lord saith John 16.28 I come forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to my Father For we are also come forth from the same Father Luke 3. ult Acts 17. into this troublesome world that we may return by the like six dayes and then finde our rest in God Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours in Christ to whom they live who are dead unto the world and then arise with Christ unto a better life even the resurrection and the life of the eighth day I am come that they might have life and have it in more abundance 2. Hitherto we have considered these seven dayes preceding the eighth with reference to Gods creation and according to their mysterie let us now consider them more plainly and in reference to our duty And so we read of six legal dayes or lights of the Law which must fit and prepare us and lead us unto the seventh and eighth day I read them in a very pious Author who is called Hiel and stiled by Arias Montanus who himself was a great light of his age Christianae veritatis viventis testis cui nomen ipsa Christi virtus veritas Hiel indidit a witness of the Christian living truth to whom the power and truth of Christ gave the name Hiel The first six lights he names in this order 1. The Light 2. The Hearing 3. The Understanding 4. Confession 5. Obediencè 6. Delight and Pleasure in the law of God Which we may illustrate thus We have the two former Prov. 20.12 The seeming eye and the hearing ear the Lord hath made them both Leah is labour which brings forth Reuben the son of light and Simeon the hearing in the humanity Out of the mouth of the Lord comes understanding Prov. 2.6 or wisdom which is to fear the Lord and to depart from evil Job 28.28 Then follows confession of sin which we now forsake and finde mercy whence we take courage to be obedient unto righteousness Rom. 6.16 So that by frequency of obedient actions we attain to delight in the law of God according to the inward man Rom. 7.22 This is that they call a good will which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vigil Eve or preparation for the Sabbath day or rest from sin which is the dawning of the eighth day when the day-Star ariseth in our hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 O ye free-born Israelites Who desire the appearing of the last day the great day of the feast of Tabernacles let us finish our six dayes works and keep the seventh a holy Sabbath a restraint a rest from all our sins 2 Pet. 3. v. 11.12.18 and hasten the coming or presence of the eighth day the day of God in all holy conversations and godlinesses So shall the Day-Star arise in our hearts and the Son of God will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take up his Tabernacle with us To him be glory both now and to the day of eternity 2 Pet. 3.18 Deuteronomy These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan Deut. 1. ver 1 2. in the Wilderness in the Plain over against the Red Sea between Paran and Toph l and Laban and Hazeroth
reward Matth. 6.2.5.16 What they desire and aim at they have namely the applause and praise of men But the inward cleansing from sinne is not obtained by these outward performances that 's gotten by righteousness Dan. 4.94 It was Daniels counsel to Nabuchadnezzar do away thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by being merciful to the afflicted And therefore the inward good intention of the heart mercy and compassion and the like spiritual graces must accompany almesgiving and thereby the cleansing is obtained So our Lords speech is to be understood as its clear by the context Luke 11.41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which our Translators turn Give almes of what ye have which they render otherwise in the margent as ye are able neither way well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are inexistentia as Arias Montanus well renders that word and so the words will afford this sense give or offer ye the things which are within such as I named before your almes or merciful gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and behold all things are clean unto you For that which cleanseth and purifieth is somewhat of God and Christ not the outward work although that also ought to be done So the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.11 but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified by the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Unless there be that inward purger and cleanser the work is not wrought Outward shewes and pretenses how specious soever are uneffectual This the sons of Sceva found with a mischief when they adjured those who had evil spirits by the Name of Jesus Acts 19.14 15. The evil spirit answered Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye And the man who had the evil spirit prevailed over them As the Galls having taken Rome they came upon the Senators who were invested with their Robes and all Ensignes and shewes of majesty whom the Galls slew like beasts whom at first they had looked upon as gods 2. What a poor opinion hypocritical men have of the true God and his Name they make him and his Name inferiour and serviceable to their poor base ends a little wealth a little honour a little pleasure Ahab wanted but a little spot of ground and the Kings name and Gods name must be taken in vain for the obtaining of it What a preposterous inverting and perverting things is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sursum deorsum susque deque turning of things upside down setting the means above the end the end below the means God and his name must serve a turn What ever any hypocrite does though evil yet somewhat of God is pretended for the warrant of it as when he saith its just its equal its true its right Jer. 50.7 John 16.2 In nomine Domini incipit omne malum mischief begins with the name of the Lord as they said of old concerning the Popes Bulls But this taking of Gods name in vain shall be in vain to them who so take it For though the hypocrite by his turning things upside down may possibly deceive a man yet God his Maker he cannot deceive And therefore the Lord denounceth a woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord Esay 29. v. 15 16. and their works are in the darkness and they say who is seeing us and who is knowing us This woe shall be 1. To their work that shall be frustrate Your subversion or turning of things shall be esteemed as the Potters Clay For shall the work say to him that made it he made me not or shall the thing framed say to him that framed it he understood not 2. And this woe shall be to their present state which in requital to their subversion shall also be changed Is it not yet a very little while and Lebanon figuring the Gentiles state shall be turn'd into Carmel very fruitful as the Jewes had been through the blessing of God upon it and Carmel shall be esteemed a Forest Whereby the Prophet implyes the conversion of the Heathen unto Christ whom the Jewes should reject as the words following evidently prove And what was charged as a crime upon the Apostles that they turn'd the world upside down Acts 17.6 had yet a truth in it when what was above and high in men Luke 16.15 so that they called the prowd happy Malac. 3.15 that is brought low and the brother of low degree glorieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his height James 1. v. 9 10. and the rich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his abasement James 1.9 10. when every valley is filled and every Mountain and hill is brought down Luke 3.5 3. Learn what manner of people Gods Israel is no vain and empty men no they have God and his fulness in them Ephes 3.19 filled or filling unto all the fulness of God Ephes 3. v. 19. They have his name written on them Revel 3.12 Jehovah is the being so that great name signifies not the shew not the seeming only They have his mercy his grace his long suffering his goodness his truth in them that 's his name for ever Exod. 34.7 They have his love in them John 5. that 's his name 1 John 4.8.16 These are the true Esseni which have their name saith Epiphanius from Jesse the father of David Jesse is the very being it self without fiction without hypocrisie Be we exhorted to a most serious earnestness and sincerity in the bearing of Gods name T is worth all thy love all thy reverence And why then hadst thou rather seem to be then in earnest and indeed to be what thou wouldst be thought to be If the shew and form be so highly esteemed by thee how much more will the substance it self if thou knowest it It is worth our inquiring what name thou bearest and whether the name of thy God and his Christ and if so whether in vain yea or no. John sent his Disciples unto Jesus Matth. 11. to inquire whether he were the Christ or no our Lords answer was the blinde see the lame walk c. Many there are penitent men disciples of John who would gladly come to Christ they enquire after Christ would gladly bear his name canst thou answer them so canst thou shew by thy life and works that thou bearest Christs name So when the Greeks came to Philip and Andrew desiring to see Jesus John 12. Our Lord shewed them himself and his Disciples in their death and life a grain of Wheat dead and living and bringing forth much fruit that is Iesus Canst thou shew them Iesus in his death or life canst thou shew thy self dead with him and risen with him Then will mighty works shew themselves in thee as Herod reasoned Thus doing we shall not bear the Lords name in vain while we are bringing forth fruit but he will purge us and we shall bring forth more fruit Hereby the name of the Lord shall not be polluted or
scourge as he dealt in Mount Perazim Esay 28. We have our Baal Berith Judges 9.4 the god of the Covenant making indeed a god of some part of it and neglecting that principal part of it That God should be one and his Name one Zach. 14. We have our Belial that is disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Absque jugo without yoke and though the Apostle tells us there is no agreement between Christ and Belial yet we are resolved to make them agree 2 Cor. 6.15 We worship Chemosh the god of the Moabites and serve him together with the true and only God Chemosh is Quasi palpans Flattery which is judged to be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.13 which the Scholiast on Aristophanes tells us was a Tavern-deity and wont to be worshipped with drinking after Supper Night-meetings I may call them the Clubbing when men supple one another with Wine flatter one another into good bargains This is a compendious way of worshipping Mammon Ashteroth Bacchus and Chemosh all at once We worship Dagon the god of Gluttony and fulness of bread and abundance of idleness the Philistines god Potu cadentes tipling till they reel as S. Hierom interprets the Philistins For Bacchus and Ceres will be worshipped together Whose god is their belly Phil. 3. we will have the Ark of the only God and Dagon stand together We worship Mauzzim which we render the god of the Forces Dan. 11.38 And least any order of men should be exempt from this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we worship Mercury and have gotten many Mercuries gods of words 1 Cor. 2.4 We have Nebo when the Prophets set themselves up for gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Poet calls it I say nothing to those ugly deities Baal-Phegor Beelzebul Priapus which yet are worshipped among us These are not conjectures and allusions but reality and truth For do we think our God is more offended with the title of those false gods or the worship of them in spirit and truth with the names or the things themselves He himself suffers the names of these and many more false gods in holy Scripture but he abhors abominates the service of them the having of those other gods We have them for our gods and Corrivals with the only true God and yet think our selves guiltless because we abhor the names only While we fall short of the end of our creation the glory of God it is by reason of some false god or other whom we have in our heart so much the Apostle implyes Rom. 3.23 All have sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they come short or after the glory of God So that there is beside that gross outward idolatry one more subtil spiritual and inward Such are those Idols or Images imagined and conceived in opinion such as the Leaders and Image-makers of every several Sect have graven set up and chosen to hold and propound to their followers to be worshipped There are many of this kinde They have found out many inventions Eccles 7. ult For whereas the outward idolatry seemed to be too gross and palpable to deceive the world any longer Satan obtruded upon men an inward kinde of idolatry more subtil and refined For after the Synagoga magna had quite discountenanced outward Idols calling Baal Bosheth Bethel Bethaven Beelzebub Beelzebul c. Instead of these the Elders of the Jews chose other Images Mark 7.1 7. And such as these are many Idols of later time which men of several opinions imagine and engrave and set up above all the rest to be adored As among the Philosophers Aliquid magni est in unaquaque Secta saith Mirandula some great thing there is in every Sect so among Christians to single out some tenent or other and cry up that and if that can but be in credit it matters not what becomes of all the rest And so zealous men are for the worship every man of his own Idol that every one drawes another to the worship of it and if that cannot be obtained then the bond of charity must be broken Yea if such Idol-makers get power into their hands they force others to the worship of their Idols even with fear of death like Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3.6 Whoso falls not down and worships shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace Of this the Prophet Esay 66.5 Your brethren that hate you that cast you out for my names sake say Let the Lord be glorified and think in so doing they do God good service Ier. 50.7 We offend not because they have sinned against the Lord. Our Lord forewarns his Disciples of this and many of them have experienced the truth of it John 16.2 The time cometh that whosoever killeth you he shall think that he offereth a gift unto God The Syriac Interpreter hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gift instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine service But proceed we to the following Axiom 5. It is possible that Gods people may be so driven away that they may worship and serve other gods The truth of this appears in the words before us as also Deut. 4.19 lest thou lift up thine eyes to the heavens and when thou seest the Sun and the Moon and the Stars the whole host of the heavens Deut. 4. v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou be driven so our Translators turn the word there to worship them and serve them c. The reason why t is possible that the people of God may be driven to worship and serve other gods may appear from the danger of the other gods To have them endangers the worship of them So the Lord having prohibited other gods Exod. 20.3 and making Idols adds thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them Ducit enim affectu quodam infirmo rapit infirma corda mortalium formae similitudo c. For the likeness of form wins upon the affections and takes the weak hearts of men 2. Beside there is a proneness by corrupt nature to Idolatry and Superstition as appears by the frequent prohibitions of it and by that care and providence of God towards man in that he hath revealed no bodily image of himself Deut. 4. But how can it be true that the people of God should be driven away from him and so worship other gods 1. God will not 2. The Devil cannot 1. God will not It suits neither with his Wisdom nor with his Justice that he should drive men to that from which by so many Motives and Arguments in his Word he withdrawes them 2. The Devil cannot drive a believer to worship other gods but on the contrary a believer may resist and drive away the Devil Resist the Devil and he will fly from you Whence then is it that the people of God are driven to worship and serve other gods Whence but from the drift and impetuousness of their own
and violence of passions wherewithall the carnall man is lead or driven the flesh lusteth against the Spirit Esau thinks he shall die if he have not his Mess of Pottage Gen. 25. 5. Observe how poor and beggerly the carnall man is how he wants all temporall things For although he has many things yet he cannot be said to be rich for he is not rich who possesseth many things but he who wanteth not But the earthly carnal man is allwayes needy alwayes of an having disposition alwayes lusting 6 Hence note the deplorable condition of all those who have not the Spirit of God to give check and curb to their exorbitant and unruly affections and lusts Axiom 2. The Spirit lusts against the flesh What Spirit is here to be understood Surely according to the difference of men answer is here to be made For that Spirit of the natural man that is in him lusts against the flesh and the lusts of it whence it is that by nature he does the things of the law Rom. 2. But the Apostle wrote here unto the Galathians who had received the Spirit of God in some measure as appeares Gal. 3.2 The reason is that it may give check to the natural motions This we may understand by the story that Jacob took Esau by the heel Jacob is a figure of the heavenly man Esau or Edom of the earthly man Now such is the goodness of the heavenly man He suffers not the earthly to break forth and to have his whole liberty to do what he lists or to have his full swinge He struggles with him before and though he break out yet he apprehends him and layes hold on him and stayes him in his carreer he limits his proceedings he binds him with cords of the law Psal 2. And when he breakes them and casts them from him he so hedges him in with one impediment or other that he cannot freely pursue his lusts Hos 2.5.6.7 When notwithstanding he breaks the hedg and committes a trespass and builds up himself with strong reasonings 2 Cor. 10. Edom shall build saith the Lord but I will destroy Malach. 1.4 So that he who sins freely and without remorse or cheek hath broken through manifold lets and hindrances hath broken the hedg of providence about him and is a great trespasser 3. The flesh indeed lusteth against the Spirit but the Spirit lusteth against the flesh Such is the goodness of God unto men He hath not left us to be governed by our carnal appetites Wherefore take heed that we be not deceived with the error of the wicked who contrary to the lusting of the Spirit follow the lusts of their flesh and for a short and momentary seeming present good part with the incorruptible and eternal good 4. These are contrary the one to the other Here is than a cruel and long-lasting inward war The parties contending Satan the father of lies the son of perdition and the Spirit of error against the God and father of Jesus Christ the true God the Son the Saviour and the Spirit of truth Here are flesh and it's lusts contending against the Spirit and the will of God Here is engaged darkness against light death against life Reason against reason will against will It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a war wherein the parties can never be reconciled one must be subdued and overcome But what do they quarrel for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for a toy or trifle no the Harlot Iniquity hunts for the pretious soul the business concerns life thy life yea the eternal life the life of God This discovers a most dangerous mistake and that in a business of the greatest moment in the World and yet which is most of all to be lamented daily and almost universally practised The lucts of the flesh are our deadly enemies yet most men account them their dearest friends The wills and lustings of the Spirit are indeed our nearest friends yet are these accounted by most men their greatest enemies The man carries his most malitious enemies and his best friends about him his sinful flesh with the lusts of it the Evil one the Boutefeu and Incendiary who blows the fire of concupiscence to kindle his lusts and appetites in the sinful flesh He has also Christ and his Spirit revealing and requiring and enabling to do the will of God These adverse contraries so diametrically opposite one to other cannot but act one against the other Exod. 2. Moses grown great smote the Egyptian the next day Moses reproved the Hebrew that did his brother wrong But do we look for these things without us These things are or may be daily acted in us There is an old tradition that one of the Thieves crucified with our Lord was an Egyptian a black Thief this was the Evil Thief the other an Edomite a red Thief whom they call the good Thief The former the black Thief the Egyptian the sin perished the Edomite the first man of the Earth was saved These things works the mortifying spirit of the Lord Jesus Rom. 8.13 This justly reproves those who follow their own carnal lusts against the dictates of their own reason which perswades the contrary like her who said Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor Reuben the son of vision saw the Holy Land and approved it that it was good yet he chose to live on this side Jordan he was taken with Id bruti that was good for cattle Numb 32. What can companions of Fools hope or such as follow their foolish lusts but destruction Prov. 13.20 Not only the Fools but also the companion of Fools shall be destroyed 5. The Spirit lusteth against the flesh that we may not do the things of the flesh which otherwise we would do In these words lies the principal difference between the two Translations And that especially in two things 1. Whether cannot or may not be the better translation 2. What 's here meant by the things that we would do As to the first we must know that there is no Verb in the Greek Text here that answers to cannot or may not but that is only a signe of a Mood in our English tongue as all learned in the Greek tongue easily understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly what are the things that we would do where the Text saith The Spirit lusteth against the flesh that ye cannot or may not do the things that ye would Surely either both the things which both flesh and Spirit lust for or some one of them If both the things which the flesh and Spirit lust for then by reason of the contrarietys of flesh and Spirit a man comes off hardly in the performing the lusts either of the flesh or of the Spirit He cannot or may not freely do the things that he would which the flesh lusts for because the Spirit lusts against the flesh And he cannot freely do the things that he would which the Spirit lusts for because the flesh lusts against
righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharises ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven V. 48. Be ye therefore perfect even as your father which is in heaven is perfect Chap. 7.18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Chap. 10.24 25. The disciple is not above his master nor the servant above his lord It is enough for the disciple that he be as master c. Matth. 11.30 For my yoke is easie and my burden is light Matth. 12.50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother sister and mother Matth. 19.17 But if thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandements 21. Jesus said unto him if thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast c. Matth. 21.9 Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest Matth. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Mark 2.17 They that are whole have no need of the Physitian but they that are sick c. Luke 11.36 If thy whole body be full of light having no part dark the whole shall be full of light John 14.15 If ye love me keep my Commandements And Chap. 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.6 We speak wisdom among them that are perfect v. 16. We have the minde of Christ 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Phil. 1.6 That he which hath been beginning a good work in you will throughly finish it until the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ enabling me Col. 1.25 Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfil the word of God V. 28. Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Chap. 4.12 Epaphras alwayes labouring fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God 1 Thess 4.1 Furthermore then we beseech you brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more Chap. 5.23 The Very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness c. James 1.4 But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and and entire wanting nothing 2 Pet. 3.14 Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless 1 John 2.1 My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not c. Chap. 4.17 Herein is love with us made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgement Because as he is so are we in this world After this Catalogue might be gathered another as large yea larger speaking the same truth and yet another most large proving by consequence the same things And after that a fourth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of mystical names in Scripture also types figures and parabolical and symbolical speeches all which being opened hold forth and evidence the very same things Nor ought this to seem strange since God himself is with us in the work as appears 2 Cor. 13.11 Finally Brethren rejoyce be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you As also because since perfection is the end of all the holy Scripture For 2 Tim. 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness THAT the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to every good work 1 Pet. 5.10 Now the God of all grace who hath called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen 1 Pet. 5. FINIS A Table of the Sermons contained in this Book their Titles and their Texts 1. THe Law and the Gospel preached from the beginning Gen. 3. v. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thine Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Pag. 9. 2. The Law and Gospel preached unto Cain Gen. 4. v. 7. If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not well sin lieth at the door and unto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule over him Pag. 31. 3. Noah's Legacy to his sons Gen. 9.26 27. And he said Blessed be the Lord God of Shem And Canaan shall be his servant God shall enlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant 4. On the same Text. 5. Imputation of best reputation Gen. 15. v. 5 6. And he brought him forth abroad and said Look now towards heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them and he said unto him so shall thy seed be And he believed in the Lord and he counted it unto him for righteousness Pag. 135. 6. A prudent wise is of the Lord. Gen. 24. v. 44. And she say to me Both drink thou and I will also draw for thy Camels let the same be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed out for my Masters son Pag. 161. 7. The dressing of and due address unto the Paskal Lamb Exod. 12. v. 9. Eat not of it raw nor sodden at all with water but rost with fire his head with his legs and with the appurtenance thereof Pag. 203. 8. Gods meeting with men in their own way Levit. 26. v. 27.28 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me but walk contrary unto me then will I walk contrary unto you also in fury Pag. 323. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or The Dispensor of divine mysteries Numb 4. v. 19 20. When they approach unto the most holy things Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die Pag. 375. 10. God keeps his time though men be out of tune Numb 14. v. 34. After the number of the dayes in which ye searched the