Exposition of the Laws of Moses, Exegesis 3
Of the priviledges of the firſt borne under the Law, and what he was bound to doe to his brethren and kinſmen.
Matth. 22.24. If a man die, having no children, his brother ſhall marry his wife, and raiſe up ſeed unto him.
AFter that the Phariſees had tempted Chriſt, the ſame day the Sadduces came to tempt him, who denyed the Reſurrection, and they reaſon with Chriſt ab abſurdo, if there were a Reſurrection, then this abſurdity would follow, that ſeven men ſhould have one wife at the Reſurrection, but this is abſurd; therefore, &c. and thus they goe about to ground upon Moſes Law; For Moſes commanded in the Law, that if a man dye without ſeed, then his brother ſhould raiſe up his ſeed unto him, Deut. 35.5. Now there fell out a caſe among us, that a man married a wife and dyed without children, his brother married his wife, and he dyed without children alſo; and ſeven brethren had her to wife, Whoſe wife then ſhall ſhe be in the Reſurrection? Our Lord anſwereth, that they erre, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God, for in the Reſurrection men neither marry, nor give in marriage, but are like the Angels of God.
The Sadduces who denyed the Reſurrection, put this queſtion to Chriſt.
He that denyeth the immortality of the ſoule, cannot hold one ſound point in Religion, the Sadduces denyed the immortality of the ſoule, they held the ſoule to be like Quickeſilver which made the body to ſtirre, or like Salt that kept the body from corruption, as Epicurus held, and the beſt that they made of it, they ſaid it was an exact temperature of the humours of the body; and then for the Angels, they ſaid they were but good thoughts, but not ſubſiſting ſpirits. Now if the ſoule be not an immortall ſubſtance, the body cannot be joyned to it againe, for the weale of the body dependeth upon the ſoules immortality, they held the ſoule to be mortall, and therefore of neceſſity they behoved to deny the reſurrection. Tertullian called the Marcionites and Valentinians, qui credebant reditum animae non corporis, partiarios Saducaeos.
We who profeſſe our ſelves to be Chriſtians, ſay the Creed, and repeate this Article often, I beleeve the reſurruction of the body, but yet if we will looke to the lives of moſt part of men, we ſhall heare than ſay no other thing, but that which the Sadduces and Epicures ſaid, 1 Cor. 15.32. Let us eate, let us drinke, for to morrow we ſhall dye, that is, be quite extinguiſhed in ſoule and body, as if there were no more of us after our death, thā beaſts when they are knockt on the head; when the Phariſes reaſoned with the Sadduces, they ſaid unto thē, Why ſtudy ye to keep the Law, ſeeing ye beleeve not the immortality of the ſoule? they anſwered, That it might be well with them in this life: we profeſſe the immortality of the ſoule, why ſtudy we not then to keepe the Law, that it may goe well with us in the time to come? Auguſtine ſaid, if he were perſwaded that the ſoule were mortall, then of all religions he would chuſe to be the Epicure or Sadduce; but ſeeing the ſoule is an immortall ſubſtance; Let us deteſt theſe bruit beaſts who imagine that death is the end both of ſoule and body; the ſoule liveth for ever, then the body muſt live for ever either in weale or woe; Let us ſtudy therefore to feed the ſoule with that immortall food of the Word of God, and not ſay with the rich man in the Goſpell, Luc. 12.19. Soule, thou haſt enough, if we would have that happy conjunction betwixt the ſoule, and the body againe.
Moſes ſaid, if a man dye having no children.
Queſt. The queſtion may be asked here how Moſes could command ſuch a thing; for inceſt is condemned in the morall law, and forbidden in the ſeventh Commandement.
Anſ. We muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt theſe lawes which are morall poſitive lawes, and thoſe which are divine poſitive lawes.Morale poſitivum, divinu… poſitivum. Morall poſitive lawes are ſuch as the very light of nature commandeth. Divine poſitive are thoſe which are acceſſory commandements added to the firſt. Example, this is a morall poſitive law, that a man ſhould not lye with his mother, nor with his mother in law, for this is a fornication, that is not named amongſt the Gentiles. 1 Cor. 5.1. And it was for this ſort of inceſt that the Canaanites were caſt out of Canaan. So this is primarium jus naturae, or morale poſitivum, that a man ſhould not lye with his daughter, nor his daughters daughter, deſcendendo deſcending downeward: but this againe is divinum poſitivum, or ſecundarium jus naturae, in the collaterall line, that a man ſhould not lye with his ſiſter or his brothers wife; No marriage in the collaterall line was forbidden at the firſt, by the law of nature, or morall poſitive law; but it was forbidden afterwards by the divine poſitive law, Levit. 18.16. When Lot lay with his daughters, this was inceſt in the higheſt degree, becauſe it was contrary to Ius naturale, the morall poſitive law; but when Amram married Iochabed [Dodatho] his fathers ſiſter, Exod. 6, 20,foreign Amita. It ſhould not be tranſlated Patrue…is, cozin-german, but his fathers ſiſter, ſee Num. 26.59. This was not againſt the morall poſitive, or naturall part of the law, becauſe it was not in the right line, but in the collaterall, although in the neereſt degree it was againſt the divine poſitive law; and that the Church might be repleniſhed with people, God over-ſaw this ſort of marriage at the firſt, but God doth more here, hee commanded the brother to raiſe up ſeede to his brother. Firſt,This Commandement was not againſt the morall poſitive Law. this is not contra primarium jus naturae, becauſe it was not in the right line. Secondly, it is an exception from ſecundarium ius naturae, for when God commanded to doe this, hee willed them not to doe this to ſatisfie luſt (for that were againſt primarium jus naturae, the morall poſitive law) but onelyonly that the elder brother might be a tipe of Ieſus CHRIST, who ſhould never want a ſeede in the Church.
If he dye having no children. In the originall it is, having no ſeede. foreign ſhould not be tranſlated ſonnes here, for daughters ſucceeded likewiſe to the inheritance when the fathers had no ſonnes, therefore it ſhould be tranſlated, haeving no children, The women raiſed up ſeed to their parents.which comprehends both the males and femals, the women raiſed up ſeede to their parents as well as the males, marrying within their owne tribe, therefore that ſaying in the Talmud was not true, qui maſculam prolem non habuit, etſi filias habuerit plurimas, in eo genus eſt conſummatum.
His brother ſhall marry his wife, and raiſe up ſeede to him.
What brother had this priviledge?The eldeſt brother was bound to raiſe up ſeed. onelyonly he that was the eldeſt brother, and therefore, Deut. 25.5. If brethren dwell together, and one of them dye, one of them, Numerus Cardinali… pro ordinali.that is, the eldeſt of them, Gen. 1.5. and the evening, and the morning were one day, that is, the firſt day, this is, cardinalis numeru… pro ordinali, if the third brother had raiſed up ſeede to the ſecond brother, then it had beene inceſt.
He that was the firſt borne in Iſrael, What things the firſt borne did to the reſt.he was bound to do three things to his brethren & kinſmen, firſt he was bound to revenge his blood, their was vindex ſanguinis. Secondly, he was Goel, and redeemed the morgaged lands of his neere kinſman, and thirdly, it was he that delivered him out of priſon; all theſe three he was bound to doe to him, jure propinquitatis, becauſe hee was his neereſt kinſman.
What things due to the eldeſt brother.There were three things againe which were due to him; Firſt, hee had a double portion of his fathers goods: Secondly, he had the whole inheritance; and thirdly, if he dyed without children, his brother was to raiſe up ſeed unto him.
Chriſt our Goel revengeth our blood upon his enemies.Now let us apply theſe to Chriſt; Firſt, Chriſt is our Goel or vindex ſanguinis, the revenger of our blood upon that red Dragon who thriſteth for the blood of man, and upon all the enemies who thirſt for the blood of his children; the revenger of blood or Goel. Deut. 19.6. when he purſued the killer, his heart waxed hote in the purſuite; Ieſus Chriſt our Goel, when hee doth ſee the blood of the Saints ſhed, his heart waxeth hote, and he furbiſheth the ſword, to make it drunke with the blood of his enemies, Iere. 51.35. The violence done to me, to my fleſh, be upon thee Babylon, ſhall Sion ſay, and my blood be upon the Chaldeans, ſhall Ieruſalem ſay; now marke what is ſaid in the chapter preceding, Iere. 30.50.How teares are ſaid to offend. Thy Goel or redeemer is ſtrong, and I will pleade thy cauſe. See how the revenger of the blood makes Babylon, and Chaldea anſwer for all: Iob ſaith, Cap. 17. My teares aſcend before the Lord, Teares naturally deſcend, but as the Sunne drawes up the exhalations, and they fall downe againe; ſo the wrongs that are done to the Saints, they come up before their Goel, and then fall downe againe upon the enemies heads, they ſhall anſwer for all the blood ſhed from Abel to Zachary, and all this innocent blood which is ſhed now, the Lord will require it at their hand.
Secondly, he redeemed the morgaged land. Ruth. 4.4. and Ier. 32.7. when Hanameel the ſonne of Shallum, had morgaged his field that was in Anathoth, the right of redemption belonged to Ieremiah, as being cozen german to Hanameel. We have morgaged the Inheritance of heaven, but Ieſus Chriſt who is fleſh of our fleſh, and bone of our bones, hath redeemed it to us againe.
The third thing which the Goel did to his kinſman,The Goel redeemed his kinſman out of priſon. he redeemed him out of priſon; ſo we being condemned to everlaſting priſon, Zach. 9.11. our Goel hath redeemed us.
It may be asked why our Goel ſhould give any price for our redemption, Queſt. ſeeing we were ſold freely without any money, Eſay 50.1. for according to the Law of Redemption, the Redeemer ſhould pay no more than was paid.
The divell, death, Anſw. How we are ſaid to bee redeemed freely.and ſinne our enemies to whom we were ſlaves, gave nothing for us, they held us as tyrants and unjuſt poſſeſſors, wherefore when we were redeemed without money, we were redeemed freely, both in reſpect of our ſelves who paid nothing, and alſo in reſpect of the Divell, Sinne, and Death, we are redeemed freely, for nothing was paid to them, becauſe they gave nothing for us; but becauſe we are ſold from the Lord, who was our right owner, the price behoved to be paid to him, and ſo 1 Pet. 1.18. We are not redeemed with corruptible gold or ſilver, but with his precious blood.
He that is our Redeemer then, firſt, he is our neere kinſman, and hath priviledge to redeeme us; next, hee hath taken the prey from the unjuſt poſſeſſor; thirdly, he payed no ranſome to him. Laſtly, the ranſome that our Goel paid for our Redemption was his owne blood, Sanguis eſt redemptionis jus & redemptionis pretium, It is both the right of redemption, and the price of redemption, Epheſ. 1.7. In whom wee have redemption through his blood.
Thou that art redeemed, rejoyce in thy liberty; ſecondly, take not that yoake of ſervitude againe upon thee; thirdly, ſhew thy ſelfe a ſervant of obedience to righteouſneſſe.
The priviledges which the firſt borne had done to him, were three; firſt, he had the double po…tion of his fathers goods; and ſecondly, all the inheritance; and thirdly, his brother was bound to raiſe up ſeed to him.
So Ieſus Chriſt our eldeſt brother hath gifts above his brethren, and anoynted above his fellowes; therefore the whole inheritance belongeth unto him; but this is the difference betwixt our eldeſt brother, and other elder brethren;The difference betwixt Chriſt and other elder brothers. here the eldeſt brother getteth all the inheritance, and the reſt are excluded; but our eldeſt brother Ieſus Chriſt ſecludes not us from the inheritance, but makes us coheires with himſelfe, Rom. 8. We uſe to ſay of our friends, that we can ſee them need but wee will not ſee them bleed, but Ieſus Chriſt our neereſt kinſman, he will neither ſee us need, nor bleed, but revenges our blood, and prepareth a kingdome for us.
The ſecond thing which was done to the eldeſt brother, was this, if he dyed without children, then his brother was bound to raiſe up ſeed to him, and the children which his brother begot, were not called his children, but his eldeſt brothers, Ruth 4. and if he refuſed to doe this duty to his eldeſt brother, then they ſpat in his face, and pulled off his ſhooe, and he was called diſcalceatus in Iſraele, that is, loſt his poſſeſſion in Iſrael.
Now let us come to the application of this ceremony, who is the eldeſt brother here? Chriſt, who are the ſecond brothers that are bound to raiſe up ſeede unto him? the Preachers.
Chriſt ſhall never want a ſeede in his Church till the Worlds end, Pſal. 72.5.Chriſt ſhall never want a ſeed in the Church. They ſhall feare thee as long as the ſunne, and the moone endureth, throughout all generations. Secondly, CHRIST promiſeth to be with his Church to the end of the world, then this ſeede ſhall endure to the end of the world. Thirdly, the covenant made with this ſeede ſhall endure for ever, Hoſ 2.19. Therefore this ſeede muſt endure for ever. Fourthly, the ſeales of the covenant and the people within the covenant muſt endure for ever, 1 Cor. 11.26. Yee ſhew the Lords death till he come againe. Fiftly, ſee what an expreſſe promiſe our eldeſt brother hath, that hee ſhall never want a ſeede, Pſal. 72.17.foreign filiabitur nomen eius vel ſobole ſcet nomen eius. [ijnnon] filiabitur nomen ejus, the Seventy tranſleth it foreign, permanebit, he ſhall not want a poſterity to continue his name for ever; when Rezin King of Syria, and Pekah King of Iſrael came againſt Ieruſalem to beſiege it, Eſay. 7, Achaz trembled and feared exceedingly, that the two Kings ſhould ſacke the City and waſte all; but what doeth the Lord to confirme Achaz? he cauſeth Eſay the Prophet to bring forth his young ſonne in his hand, Shearjaſhub, which ſignified, the reſt ſhall returne, and that there ſhall bee a remnant ſeede left ſtill in Iuda, Eſay. 1.9. Who ſhall be ſaved in the midſt of all their deſolations, 2 Chro. 28. ſo when we ſee the Church like to be made havocke of let us looke up to God the Father, bringing out his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, Shear-jaſhub, foreign reliquum revertetur.to confirme us againſt the ſtrength and power of the great Kings of the world, Pekah and Rezin; that there ſhall alwayes be a ſeed, and a remnant left, for the Lord, and that the gates of hell ſhall not prevaile againſt his Church: when Er was dead, Onan was bound to raiſe up ſeed unto him, and when Onan refuſed, then Shelah was bound to performe this duty, ſo there ſhall bee ſome ſtill to performe this duty to their elder Brother Chriſt.
The ſecond brother raiſed up ſeed to the eldeſt brother, but the children were called the eldeſt brothers children.A Miniſter ſhould not ſeeke his owne praiſe. Hence wee learne; that a faithfull paſtor ſhould not ſeeke his owne praiſe but the honor of his eldeſt Brother Chriſt; if he ſeeke his owne praiſe, then he begetteth but children to himſelfe; when Ioab beſieged Rabba, and was ready to take it, hee ſent unto David, ſaying, come thou and take it, leſt the victory be attributed to me; ſo ſhould all faithfull Preachers be exceeding carefull, that whatſoever they doe, the praiſe may belong to their elder brother; Preachers are but the Bridegroomes friends, they ſhould not ſue for themſelves but for the Bridegroome: when Sampſon ſent one to be ſpokeſman for a wife to him, Iudg. 14.…0. this ſpokeſman tooke the woman to himſelfe; he is not a faithfull ſpokeſman that ſues for himſelfe, the Preachers are but the children of the wedding, or the Bridgroomes freinds, foreign, or foreign, that ſhould be our higheſt credit. 2 Cor. 4.5. I doe not preach my ſelfe, but the Lord Ieſus, and my ſelfe your ſervant for his ſake; and let us be content with Iohn the Baptiſt to decreaſe, that Chriſt may encreaſe, and labour to exalt wiſedome, and ſhe will exalt thee, Prov. 4.8. the onelyonly way for a Miniſter to get credit, is to ſeeke the credit of his Maſter; but there are too many like the Phariſes, who did all that they might be ſeene of men, and in effect they ſay as Iehu ſaid, come and ſee how zealous I am for the Lord of hoaſts, 2 King. 10.16. where a man might ſee as it were through a hole of his coate, pride peeping out, and he ſeeking his owne praiſe, and not the Lords honor. Let us not be like Onan who knowing that the ſeede ſhould not bee his, refuſed to raiſe it up to his eldeſt brother.
If the ſecond brother raiſed not up ſeed to his eldeſt brother, then they ſpit in his face.
The greateſt credit to a Preacher is to beget children to his eldeſt brother, the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, this was Pauls glory, this ſhall be their Crowne and glory in the day of the Lord; the Lord likes not theſe barren Eunuches in the Church who beget not children unto him. It was a great credit for Abdon, Iud. 12.14. To have fourty ſonnes, and thirty Nephewes, that rode on threeſcore and ten Aſſe-Coltes, but what credit ſhall it be for a Preacher to have ſo many ſonnes, and daughters begotten to the Lord riding in Chariotes of triumph to Glory? when they can ſay, behold me, And the Children which the Lord hath given me, Eſay. 8.18. When a Preacher hath begotten many ſonnes to himſelfe, and built up his owne houſe, this ſhall never be reckoned upon his ſcore; but what children haſt thou begotten unto me, will the Lord ſay; as Arrowes are in the hand of a mighty man, ſo are the children to the fathers, Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them, they ſhall not be aſhamed, but pleade with the enemies in the gate. Pſal. 127.5. The Lord objected to the Iewes by Haggai. Cap. 1.4. Is it time for you, to dwell in your ſeiled houſes, and this houſe lye waſte? So the Lord may juſtly object to many of us that we build our owne houſes, but ſuffer the houſe of the Lord to lye waſte, it was an opprobry in Iſrael, when a man or a woman wanted children, ſcribe hunc ſine liberis, Iere. 22.30. and therefore they ſaid when they had children, deus abſtulit opprob…ium meum. Luc. 1.25. The Lord hath taken away my opprobry; the Lord take away that opprobry and ſhame from the miniſtry, that they ſtand not up as barren and unfruitfull Eunuches in the day of the Lord.
How ſhall we judge, who is a profitable Preacher? Queſt.
Anſ. Not by the event, but by his diligence: Eſay was a good Preacher, and yet his miniſtry for the moſt part was to make fat the hearts of the people; and he ſaid, I have ſpent my ſtrength in vaine, Eſay 49, 4. ſo Iere. 6.25.Cura officij. eventu…. was an excellent Preacher; yet he ſaid, The bellowes are burnt, the Lead is cōſumed & the Founder mel…eth in vaine, & Chriſt himſelfe converted not ſo many as Peter did; There is cura officij, and cura eventus, we muſt meaſure a faithfull Paſtor,How the faithfulneſſe of a Preacher is to be meaſured. per curam of ficij, and not eventus: his cura officij, is this, noſce ſtatum gregis tui. Prov. 27.23. To know his ſheepe by their names, Ioh. 10. Secondly, to feed them diligen ly, to goe out and in before them, to leade them to the wholſome paſtures, & to ſow his ſeed faithfully and then he may lye down and ſleepe, and then it growes up day and night, and he cannot tell; this cura eventus belongs not to him. Laſtly, he ſhould be grieved when he ſees the people hard hearted, and will not be converted.
Three ſorts of Preachers.There are three ſorts of Preachers; Firſt, thoſe who give a good account of good ſheepe, who can ſay with Eſay. 8.18. Here am I, and the children that thou haſt given me. Secondly, thoſe who give a good account of bad ſheepe, he is free of their blood, curavimus Babylonem, & noluit ſanari, Iere. 51.9. this faithfull Preacher ſhall not want his reward with God, although he hath not converted many, and Auguſtine ſhewes the matter by this compariſon; two men come into a Barbers ſhop to be waſhed, a Blackamore and another man, the Barber waſhes the other man and makes him whiter, he waſhes the Blackamore and makes him blacker, yet the Barber will be payed for both, becauſe he hath taken equall paines upon both; ſo ſhall the good Preacher get his reward, although hee make not the Blackamore looke the whiter. A Miniſter ſhall not bee like Iacob in the day of his reckoning, for Iacob made good to Laban, that which was torne by the wilde beaſts, Gen. 31.39. but a Miniſter ſhall not make good that which is loſt, if it be not loſt thorow his negligence, it ſhall ſuffice if he can ſhew the skinne and the marke to the Lord, and if he have ſuſtained the heat of the day, and the cold of the night, as Iacob did, that is all that the Lord requires from him.
The third ſort is he that gives a bad account of bad ſheepe, when the ſheepe periſheth, through his negligence; then the Lord ſhall require their blood at his hands.
Whether ſhould a Miniſter be grieved, Queſt. when he ſeeth his Miniſtery unprofitable amongſt a people, and that his Miniſtery is like to be the favour of death unto them.
No queſtion he ſhould be grieved; Anſw. Ieremie wiſhed that his head might be a fountaine of teares, Ier 9.1. That he might weepe for that people, and Chriſt himſelfe wept over Ieruſalem, Mat. 23.37.
But Chriſt himſelfe (ye will ſay) gave thankes to God his Father, Obj. That he had hid theſe things from the wiſe of the world, and revealed them unto babes, Matth. 11.23. and the Angell ſang praiſe, when Eſay made fat the hearts of the people, Eſay 6.
Chriſt is conſidered two wayes; firſt, Anſw. as he was the Miniſter of Circumciſion; ſecondly, as Mediator; Chriſt, as he was the Miniſter of Circumciſion,Chriſt conſidered as the Miniſt r o… circumciſion and as Mediator. and ſent to teach the Iewes; no doubt it was a great griefe to him when he ſaw them hard-hearted, that they would not beleeve; but againe, if ye will conſider him as Mediator, looking up to Gods wiſedome and d… cree, he giveth God praiſe for paſſing by ſome, and chuſing others; Paul looking to his charge, he wiſhed the Iewes to be ſaved, but when he looketh up to Gods will, in a ſecond conſideration, then his preaching was to make fat the hearts of that people, as was the preaching of Eſay, he reſteth in this; and he rejoyceth that God is glorified.Simile. Although the ſpheares have their owne motions in particular, yet they all follow the motion of the firſt mover: So although Chriſt and Paul be ſorry at the firſt for the hardneſſe of the Iewes hearts, yet they muſt follow the motion of the firſt mover, God himſelfe, and rejoyce when he is glorified.
T… Angels are not ordain… to be miniſtring …pir…ts to the wicked.The Angels ſing praiſe to God for the hardning of the hearts of the wicked, and they are not ſad for that; the reaſon of this is, becauſe they are not ordained to be miniſtring ſpirits to ſuch, and therefore it was no griefe to them, to ſee them condemned, they rejoyce to ſee the godly converted, becauſe they are committed to their charge; but Miniſters have both the good and the bad in their charge, and therefore at the firſt cannot be but grieved that they ſhould miſcarry, as Samuel mourned for Saul, 1 Sam. 15.35.
The travell of the Miniſter is not alwayes loſt.But we are to marke, if a Preacher be faithfull, and painfull in his calling, although his Miniſtery be not effectuall to the converſion of all, yet it ſhall alwayes ſerve to the converſion of ſome. Eſaias miniſtery was to make the hearts of that people fat, yet there was a remnant ſeed left unto him, Eſay 1.9.
If he refuſed to raiſe up ſeed to his brother, then the woman ſpit in his face.
Great ſhame to unprofitable Miniſters.Great ſhall be the ſhame and confuſion that ſhall befall unprofitable and wicked Miniſters in the day of the Lord, who refuſed to raiſe up ſeed to their eldeſt brother; Marke but the circumſtances of ſpitting in the face, and ye ſhall ſee how great a diſgrace it was. Firſt, we uſe to ſpit upon a dogge, and not upon a man; Secondly, Num. 12.4. the Lord ſaith, If her father had ſpit upon her face, would ſhe not have beene aſhamed for ſeven dayes? Where the Lord compareth Miriams leproſie to a father ſpitting upon his child; ſo the Lord ſpit, as it were,Spitting in the face a great diſgrace. upon Miriam when he ſtrucke her with leproſie; and Onkelos paraphraſeth it, Si increpando increpaſſet eam pater ejus: The woman the weaker Sexe did ſpit here in the mans face, but what a ſhame is it for a childe to have his father to ſpit upon him? Thirdly, the place aggravates the ſhame, it was in the publike meeting, in the gates of the City, it was a great matter to be praiſed in the gates of the City, Prov. 30.23. The husband when he was well apparelled, ſitting among the Elders in the gates of the City, then his wife is praiſed, this was her greateſt credit; ſo it was the greateſt credit of the Father, when he had ſtore of children, then he was not aſhamed to plead with his enemies in the gates of the City, Pſal. 137. therefore to be put to publike ſhame and diſgrace in that place, what ſhame and confuſion would that breed. Laſtly, that ſhe ſhould ſpit in his face, the face is the moſt excellent place in the body, & the moſt honourable, and not a part of diſhonour. The Apoſtle Paul ſaith, If a man ſmite you in the face, 2 Cor. 11.20. If it was a greater ſhame to be ſmitten in the face, than any other part of the body, then it is a greater ſhame to be ſpit upon the face, than any other part of the body;Great ſhame to have the father ſpit in their faces. and if it was ſuch a ſhame in Iſrael for a woman to ſpit in a mans face in their ſolemne and publike meetings, what ſhame ſhall it be for Preachers, if the Lord ſpit in their faces in the ſight of Chriſt and his Angels; and if it was a ſhame to the daughter when the father did ſpit in her face, what ſhame ſhall it be, if the Lord, who is the father of all, and of whom all fatherhood is called, Eph. 3.5. if he ſpit in the face of thoſe who are negligent in their Callings; if ſhe was ſeparated out of her fathers ſight, for ſeven dayes, what is it to be ſeparated out of his ſight for ever? There is no argument more forcible to move an unregenerate man to abſtaine from ſinne,Shame a bridle to an unregenerate man. than ſhame: what ſaith Tamar to Amnon? 1 Sam. 13.13. And I, whither ſhall I cauſe my ſhame to goe? and as for thee, thou ſhall be counted as one of the fooles in Iſrael. Saul had rather kill himſelfe than fall into the hands of the Philiſtines, and abide that ſhame. 1 Sam. 31. When ſuch doe heare the faithfull Paſtors praiſed in the gates of the City, what griefe will this breed to them? and when they ſee thoſe who have converted others ſhine like ſtarres in the firmament, Dan. 22.3. And themſelves like darke, and blacke clouds, Iude. 12. What ſhame ſhall this be to them?
The naturall brother who refuſed to raiſe up ſeed to his eldeſt brother, then the woman who complained did ſpit in his face, but if he was a Couſin German or another kinſman, they did not ſpit in his face, becauſe he had not ſuch a neere intereſt, as the naturall brother had to raiſe up ſeede; yet the holy Ghoſt, Ruth 4.1. doth not expreſſe his name,foreign but calleth him, Pelone al moni, which implieth ſome diſgrace, the Lord would not name him here by his name as he did Boaz.
Onan was killed becauſe he refuſed to raiſe up ſeede to his brother Er; this Er was a wicked man, yet becauſe Onan refuſed to raiſe up ſeede to him, the Lord killed him. What will he doe then to thoſe who refuſe to raiſe up ſeed to their elder Brother Ieſus Chriſt; who is holy, blameleſſe, and worthy of all honor?
The putting on of the ſhooe a ſigne of poſſeſſion.They pulled off his ſhooe, this was a ſigne that he loſt his inheritance, for when they tooke poſſeſſion of the land, they put a ſhooe upon their foot, and when they loſt their inheritance, the ſhooe was pulled off their foote.
The principall and chiefe regard that a man ſhould have, is that hee loſe not his inheritance; a man in Iſrael for neceſſity ſometimes morgaged his inheritance, and ſometimes by violence put from his inheritance, and ſometimes through negligence, and ſlothfulneſſe did ſuffer bryers and thornes to grow up in his inheritance, but unleſſe he had beene a runnagate like Eſau, he never ſold his inheritance: looke what regard Ieremiah had to that little peece of ground in Anathoth which he redeemed from Hanameel his Vncles ſonne,What care Ieremiah had of his inheritance. to ſecure himſelfe in that inheritance, Iere. 32. Firſt he bought the field, then he weighed the ſilver, and gave ſeventeene ſhekles for it, then he ſubſcribed the evidence and ſealed it, and he tooke witneſſes, and tooke the double of the evidence of the purchaſe, both that which was ſealed according to the Law and cuſtome, and that which was open; than he gave the evidence of the purchaſe unto Baruch, the ſonne of Nerijah in the ſight of Hanameel his uncles ſonne, and laſt hee bids take theſe evidences, and put then in an earthen veſſell, that they might continue there for many dayes; had Ieremiah ſuch a care for ſo ſmall an inheritance? a little plat of ground in Anathoth, that coſt but ſeventeene ſhekles, that he would have the evidence ſubſcribed and ſealed before faithfull witneſſes, and to have them ſafely laid up till the peoples returne out of the captivity? ſhall not we then be carefull of that great inheritance which is not purchaſed with gold nor ſilver, 1 Pet. 1. to have the evidence of it ſealed, ſubſcribed, and laid up ſafely in our hearts? Eſau was a profane man and a fornicator, Heb. 12.16. He ſold his birth right for a meſſe of pottage, if Preachers be profane and vile men like Eſau, they will ſet their inheritance at a light reckoning, but if they be the children of grace, they will eſteeme much of it, as Naboth did of his Vineyard: it is the inheritance that our father hath prepared, and his ſonne dearely purchaſt for us, and therfore we ſhould eſteeme highly of it, and beware to loſe this inheritance that was bought with ſuch a price, left if we loſe it, the ſhooe be pulled off our feete, and we be called diſcalceati in Iſraele.
Now come to Chriſts anſwer to the Sadduces objection.
Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God, for in the Reſurrection men neither marry, nor give in marriage, but are like the Angels of God.
They erre not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God, that is, the power of God manifeſted, and ſet forth in the Scriptures, the Scriptures teach us that God by his power ſhall raiſe theſe mortall bodies to immortality, and that then we ſhall be like to the Angels in glory; and all theſe naturall bonds and ſocieties amongſt men and women ſhall ceaſe, as to mary, and give in marriage, &c.
Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures.
All error proceedeth from ignorance of the Scriptures, therefore Chriſt biddeth the Iewes, ſearch the Scriptures, Ioh. 5.39. and the holy Scriptures are able to make us wiſe unto ſalvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. We ſhall never under ſtand the truth but out of the Scriptures; the Church of Rome are moſt injurious to the Laickes forbidding them to read the Scriptures, what mervaill is it that they be led into all errors, when they want this light of the Scriptures to direct them;The Church of Rome like a Pyrat. ſhe may be juſtly compared to a Pirate; a Pirate when he takes a poore Barke what doeth he? Firſt, he taketh the compaſſe from her. Secondly, the ſayles, and thirdly, the Anchor, what becomes of the poore Barke then? ſhe is caſt away upon the Rockes; ſo the Church of Rome firſt taketh from the people the compaſſe that is the Word of God; Secondly, ſhee taketh from them foreign, (a ſpeech borrowed from a full ſayle) forbidding the people aſſurance of faith, they teach them that they ſhould have a morall perſwaſion of the remiſſion of their ſinnes, to hope well that they ſhall be ſaved, but they ſay it is preſumption to be certainely perſwaded of the remiſſion of their ſinnes; and thus they take away foreign, or the full ſayle from the people: now when aſſurance of faith,The miſerable eſtate of thoſe who live in Popery. the full ſaile is gone, then hope the Anchor (as the Apoſtle calleth it, Heb. 6.19.) muſt be loſt alſo; yee ſee then the neceſſity of ſearching the Scriptures; and if we would bee free of error we muſt ſtudy to know them, and lamentable is their eſtate, who live in popery, expoſed to all danger, becauſe they have not the uſe of the holy Scriptures.
Nor the power of God,Twofold power in God.
There is a twofold power in God, firſt his abſolute power. Secondly, his limited power; his abſolute power is this, when he can doe any that implyeth not a contradiction, for that were impotency in God; his limitate power is this, when his will limitateth his power, and his other attributes: God by his abſolute power could have deſtroyed Sodom before Lot came out of it, but by his limited power, he could not, Gen. 19.22.God may doe many things by his abſolute power which he cannot doe by his limitted power. becauſe it made more for the glory of God, that Lot ſhould be ſaved, then deſtroyed with the Sodomites; ſo God by his abſolute power might caſt away Peter, but by his limited power, he cannot, becauſe it makes more for his mercy to ſave Peter, then to deſtroy him. Chriſt by his abſolute power could have wrought miracles in Nazareth, but by his limited power he could not, becauſe it made more for his glory, not to worke any amongſt that unbeleeving people, Marke 6, 5. So Chriſt by his abſolute power could have prayed for ſo many millions of Angels to have delivered him; but by his limited power he could not, becauſe it made more for the glory of his Father, that he ſhould die for the redeeming of his Church, then that he ſhould eſcape the curſed death of the Croſſe; here Chriſt ſpeaks of that limited power of God, and not of his abſolute power.
Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.
We ſhould know Gods power out of the Scriptures.We muſt learne to know the power of God, onelyonly out of the Scriptures, that power which is attributed to God, and not found in the Scriptures, is not to be counted Gods power: there is a queſtion betwixt us and the Church of Rome, whether the body of Chriſt can be both in Heaven, and in the Sacrament at once, they alledge the power of God for them, becauſe God by his power can make this body to be really in the Sacrament; but we reply unto them, that they erre not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God; if they could demonſtrate to us out of the Scriptures this power, then we would beleeve them; but the Scripture ſaith, that Ieſus Chriſts body is in the heavens, and muſt bee contained there till he come to judgement, Acts 3.21. Whom the heavens muſt receive untill the times of the reſtitution of all things. And therefore this power is but an imaginary power, contrary to the Scriptures of God.
We ſhall be like the Angels of God, who neither marry nor give in marriage.
There is a good axiome in the Schooles, that relata extra uſum non ſunt relata, relations out of their uſe, are no relations; a Land-marke, ſo long as it ſtands in the field, diſtinguiſhing one mans land from another, it is in the relation but taken out of that place, that relation ceaſeth; the bread in the Sacrament is holy bread, ſo long as it is in the uſe, but out of this holy uſe it becommeth common bread againe; thoſe things that were eaten in foreign, or Idols chappell, were idolatrous in ſtate there, and might not be eaten; but when they were ſold in the Shambles, they were extra uſum, and Paul allowed then to eate of them: ſo here the woman is the wife to the husband in this life, but in the life to come, this relation ceaſeth, And we ſhall be like the Angels of God, who neither marry nor give in marriage.
We ſhall be like the Angels of God.Our condition in the life to come, ſhall be perfect.
Marke the perfection of our condition and eſtate in the life to come, above our eſtate and condition here; our eſtate and condition here is twofold; either our eſtate after our fall, or our eſtate in innocency, we ſtand in need of many things after our fall, that we needed not before our fall; after our fall we have need of cloathes to cover us, of Phyſicke to cure us, of ſleepe and reſt to refreſh our wearied bodies, and a thouſand ſuch; before the fall we had need of meat, and we had need of marriage, for man was not to live in Innocency here for ever, and therefore had need of children to ſucceed him to continue his generation; but in the life to come we ſhall ſtand in need of none of theſe things, whereof we ſtood in need, either in our firſt eſtate in innocency, or after the fall. This Doctrine ſerveth to reproove Turkes, Iewes, Chiliaſts, Epicures, and ſuch as imagine the life to come, to be after the condition and eſtate of this life, that men ſhall be there in pleaſant Gardens, have great Feaſts, weare gorgeous apparrell, by imagining no higher of heavenly things and eſtate in the life to come, than of earthly things below here, like unto little children, the higheſt things that they can imagine of, are ſweetneſſes, or thoſe things which delight the taſte, but we muſt have tranſcendent thoughts, whē we think of heaven, thoſe things which the eye never ſaw, the eare never heard, nor entred into the heart of man, are laid up for his children in the life to come, 1 Cor. 2.9. there our meat and our drinke ſhall be, to doe the will of our God; we ſhall not ſtand in need of marriage there, becauſe we ſhall continue for ever. In this life marriage is neceſſary to continue our kind, becauſe we are mortall here, wee live in our m…ers b…lly,We have three manſions. this is our firſt manſion; we live in the world, this is our ſecond manſion; and we live in heaven, that is our third manſion. If it were poſſible that a child could imagine or thinke any thing in his mothers belly, and ſhould conceive the eſtate of the perfecteſt man upon earth, when he is lying in his mothers belly, wallowing in his blood, breathing by the Navell, were not this a falſe and a baſe imagination? a thouſand times greater difference is there betwixt our eſtate here, and our condition in the life to come; therefore to meaſure the life to come by our condition here, is great folly.
We ſhall be like the Angels of God.
Great difference betwixt our condition in this life, and our eſtate in the life to come.Here the Ieſuites fall into the commendation of ſingle life, that it is Angelicall; but they diſtinguiſh not our condition in this life, and our eſtate in the life to come; this ſingle life ſhall make us like the Angels, but in this life it makes us not to reſemble the Angels, for men here marry and give in marriage, they marry here for the continuance of their kind, which they need not in the life to come; they marry here for the avoyding of Luſt, and fornication; but in the life to come, they ſhall not be ſubject to this; and therefore neede no marriage.
We ſhall be like the Angels of God.
How the Angels are deſcribe…, cap. 1.The creatures which are moſt perfect, are the Angels, and the perfection of man is to imitate them; the Angels are deſcribed by the Prophet, Ezek. c. 1 with the face of a man, with the Creſt of a Lyon, with the wings of the Eagle, and the foote of the Oxe. Firſt, with the face of a man, to ſignifie their underſtanding, for of all viſible creatures man is the moſt underſtanding. Secondly, they are deſcribed with the Creſt of a Lyon for their ſtrength. Thirdly, with the wings of the Eagle for their ſwiftneſſe; and laſtly with the foote of the Oxe, for their obedience; would ye then deſcribe an Angell? He is a creature moſt wiſe, moſt ſtrong,An Angell, what? moſt ſwift and nimble, and moſt obedient, and yee have the proofe of this, firſt of their wiſedome; the woman of Tekoah ſaid to David, And my Lord is wiſe, according to the wiſdome of an Angel of God, 2 Sam. 14.26. And for their ſtrength, ye ſee how one Angell killed an hundreth foureſcore, and five thouſand in one night in Senacheribs hoſt, 2 King. 19.35. and for their ſwiftneſſe ye have example in the Angell, who in one night killed all the firſt borne in Egypt. Exod. 12.29. and for their obedience, they are ſo ready to obey the Lord, that they are made a paterne and example to us, Matth. 6.10. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, We ſhould doe his will upon earth as they doe if in the heavens, that is, moſt willingly.
And now to make uſe of this for the Miniſtery, the Miniſters are called the Angels of the Lord, Reve. 3. becauſe they ſhould reſemble moſt the Angels.
Firſt, The Angels behold the Face of God continually, Matth. 18, 10. and they deſire with ſtretched out neckes to behold the myſtery of the incarnation, 1 Pet. 1.12, If they deſire to ſee the face of God in his Word as the Angels doe ſee his face in glory, and have an earneſt deſire to underſtand the myſteries of ſalvation, then they are like the Angels, and may bee called Angels.
Secondly, they are the Angels of God, becauſe they cary the meſſage of the Lord, and therefore they ſhould ſpeake nothing, but the Lords meſſage unto the people, Hag. 1.13. Then ſpake Haggai the Lords meſſenger in the Lords meſſage unto the people.
Thirdly, The good Angels keepe the Saints in all their wayes, Pſal. 91.12. For hee ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keepe thee in all thy wayes, leſt thou daſh thy foote againſt a ſtone. So ſhould Miniſters keepe the people committed to their charge; they ſhould beware to caſt in offences, either by erronious Doctrine, or ſcandalons living to offend the weake, that they daſh not their foote againſt them.
Fourthly, The Angels doe ſeparate the good fiſh from the bad, And ſever the wicked from amongſt the juſt, Matth. 13.49. So ſhould Miniſters ſtrive to ſeparate notorious vile ſinners from amongſt the righteous and then they ſhall reſemble the Angels, yea they ſhall become the Lords mouth in ſo doing. Iere. 15.19. If thou take forth the pretious from the vile, thou ſhalt be as my mouth.