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B25425 Troposchēmalogia: Tropes and figures; or, A treatise of the metaphors, allegories, and express similitudes, &c. contained in the Bible of the Old and New Testament To which is prefixed, divers arguments to prove the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures wherein also 'tis largely evinced, that by the great whore, mystery Babylon is meant the Papal hierarchy, or present state and church of Rome. Philologia sacra, the second part. Wherein the schemes, or figures in Scripture, are reduced under their proper heads, with a brief explication of each. Together with a treatise of types, parables, &c. with an improvement of them parallel-wise. By B. K; Tropologia. Book 4. Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.; De Laune, Thomas, d. 1685. Tropologia. aut 1682 (1682) Wing K101A; ESTC R7039 690,855 608

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corruptible things as Silver and Gold which perish FAith is a divine and precious Grace or a supernatural thing 't is from above wrought in the Soul by the Operation of the Spirit of God and therefore incorruptible an heavenly Principle or Seed that shall never fail till we receive the end of our Faith the Salvation of our Souls II. Tried Gold may make a Man renowned and great on Earth and adorn the Body or Habitation where he dwells but it avails not the Soul any thing it will not enrich or make honourable or beautify that c. II. Faith true Faith Faith tried in the Fire makes Believing Men and Women renowned in Grace and Godliness and adorns the Soul Church and People where it is None shine forth in that Beauty and Splendor as those do who have much Faith III. Tried Gold may be utterly lost a Man may have much of it to day and none to morrow Thieves may rob him of it c. III. True Faith cannot be utterly lost A Man may lose somewhat of the Strength of it he may decay in this Grace as well as in others but he can never lose the Habit the Seed or Truth of Faith it self I have prayed for thee Luk. 22.31 32. that thy Faith fail not Inferences FIrst Information How greatly are some mistaken about this precious and most noble Grace For we may infer from hence 1. That true Faith is not a simple or bare believing there is a God the Devils have this kind of Faith they also believe and tremble 2. That it is not a meer or bare believing the Truth of the holy Scriptures The Jews believed the Scriptures and thought by them to have eternal Life and yet were Enemies to Jesus Christ 3. That it is not a bare believing Christ died for Sinners most ungodly People in England believe that 4. That cannot be a true Faith which Swearers Drunkards Whoremongers and all other ungodly and prophane Persons have 5. That a Man may leave all gross Sins and assent to many Truths of the Gospel and yet have no true Faith 6. Nay that a Man may be baptized take upon him the Profession of the Gospel and suffer many things and yet not have one dram of saving Faith as appears by the foolish Virgins Judas and Simon the Sorcerer and many others 7. Nay a Man may seem to hear the Word with Joy and yet have no true Faith A temporary Faith is not the Faith of God's Elect or that Faith that is more precious than Gold c. Quest How may a Man know true Faith from that which is common and meer counterfeit Answ 1. There is in that Person who savingly believes in Christ a true Knowledg of God and of Jesus Christ the true Saviour it takes hold on the right Object Dost thou believe on the Son of God Joh. 9.24 9.35 Rom. 10.14 Who is he Lord c. How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard 2. There must be a true Knowledg of and a free and full Assent and Consent to the Truth of that which is contained in the Holy Scriptures concerning God Christ and Salvation and all other essential Principles of true Religion It is not enough to believe as the Church believes as some ignorantly teach and affirm 3. He that hath obtained true Faith hath had his Understanding enlightned to see what his State and Condition was by Nature Acts 2.37 2 Cor. 7. he hath been under Humiliation for Sin 4. He seeth also that all his own Righteousness will avail him nothing in point of Justification and Acceptation with God Without Christ his Prayers Tears Reading Hearing and Alms-deeds will not save him To trust to any of these he sees is the way to make Faith void Rom. 3.8 Rom. 10.2 3. The Jews built upon this Foundation and thereby missed of Salvation 5. There is in that Soul where true Faith is wrought or where the Seed of it is sowed a desire after Christ not simply after his Merits but also after Union and intimate Acquaintance with him Yea doubtless I account all things but Loss Phil. 3.8 for the Excellency of the Knowledg of Jesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the Loss of all things and do account them but Dung that I may win Christ c. A true enlightned Soul looks first to Christ's Person as being affected with his Beauty and Sweetness of his Love and then to the Goods and Riches he possesseth As a Woman newly married looks first to her Husband and then to the Inheritance or else is little better than an Harlot 6. But did I say a Desire after Christ Be not mistaken to think that every Desire after him is a Sign of true Faith 1. It is a fervent Desire such desire him more than all the World That Soul pants after him and Union with him Psal 75.25 more than after Heaven and Glory It greatly endears Christ to the Soul He is the chiefest of Ten Thousand 2. 'T is such a Desire as in a hungry Man nothing will satisfy him but Bread so nothing will satisfy a true Believer but Christ the Bread of Life 7. If a Man hath true Faith he knoweth the Time when he was without it he knoweth he was once blind and without God and Christ I will not say he knows the very Instant when God wrought it in his Soul but he can say with the Man whose Eyes Christ opened Whereas I was blind I now see Jon. 9.25 8. And not only so but he knows the Way and Means by which he obtained it viz. either by Hearing or Reading or Meditating on the Word of God either in the free Tender of Christ to Sinners in general or to dejected burthened and heavy-laden Sinners in particular 9. Faith is usually obtained of God in a constant and laborious seeking and crying to him for it What Pains hath it cost you Sirs Precious Faith is not easily obtained to What Conflicts have you found within Satan ever makes strong Resistance there is nothing he strives to obstruct or hinder more 10. What Love to God hath thy Faith wrought in thee True Faith works by Love Mary believed and loved much 11. Hath thy Faith purified thy Heart Hast thou seen its horrid Filth and Pollution and dost thou long after Purity not only to have thy Sins pardoned but also purged away and the Power and Dominion thereof destroyed 12. What Alteration in the Course of thy Life hath Faith wrought Faith made Jordan go back There is a Turning the whole Man to God a glorious Change in every Faculty in Heart and also in Life Half my Goods saith Zacheus Luk. 19.8 Act. 19.19 I give to the Poor And in the Acts 't is said Those that used unlawful Arts burned their Books If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature 13. Faith leads the Soul to receive Christ in all his Offices not only as
of the Mind Will and Counsel of God as is sufficient by the Blessing of God upon a consciencious reading thereof to acquaint a Man with the Mysteries of Salvation to work in him a true Faith and bring him to live godly righteously and soberly in this present World and to Salvation in the next The Translators generally as they have been Men of Learning so likewise have they been honest and for the most part godly Men and th●refore would not for their own Honours sake and much more for Conscience sake abuse the World with any wilful false Versions to lead Souls into Error in a Matter of that importance Or if some shoul● have ●een so wicked others as learned and of better Principles would soon have discovered the Imposture Nor if we consider how many Men of different Persuasions have translated the Bible and harmoniously agree in all things of moment is it possible to imagine they should all combine so impertinently as well as wickedly to put a Fallacy on Mankind which everry one that has but bestowed a very few Years in the Study of the Languages can presently detect Object 5. How can we think the whole Bible to be of divine Inspiration when some parts of it contradict others The Divine Spirit cannot be contrary to it self yet is there any thing more opposite than the two Evangelists in reckoning up our Saviour's Genealogy St. Matth●w (o) Mat. 1.16 says Jacob begat Joseph the Husband of Mary (p) Luk. 3.23 and St. Luke says Joseph the Son of Eli. Answ The seeming Contradictions of Scripture for they are really no more are an Argument that in the writing of this Book there was no corrupt Design or Confederacy to engage the Opinions of Men and upon a due Scrutiny there will appear in them a deep and unthought of Concord and an unanimous Tendency towards the great End of the Whole 'T is our Inad●ertency or shallow Apprehension makes us think the Scripture is at variance with it self In the two Texts cited a natural Father is one thing a legal Father another For you must know that Joseph and Mary were both of one House and Family he descended from David by Solomon she by Nathan but in the Posterity of Zerobabel they were divided into two several Families whereof one was the Royal Race and that Linage Joseph was of which Matthew follows The other Family Luke follows whereof Mary was whom Joseph marries and by that means is called the Son of her Father Eli. So that here is no Contradiction but on the contrary an excellent Discovery of our Saviour's Line drawn down on b●th sides whereby it appears that as he was Joseph 's reputed Son so he had a Title to be King of the Jews and as he was born of Mary so likewise on her Side he descended from David as was promised of the M●ssias But for reconciling all such seeming Contradictions see Mr. Streat 's Book entitled The dividing of the Hoof a very useful Piece and worthy Perusal I have but one Argument more to add from a very learned Author and then I shall close up all with the Testimony of the Reverend and Learned Mr. John Calvin 17. The internal Evidence of the Spi●it XVII And now it may not be amiss to add one Thing more which I could not pass by i. e. Notwithstanding the great Force and Strength of external Arguments and Motives to evince the Divine Authority of the Holy Scripture yet it is absolutely necessary to the stability and assurance of our Faith in order to eternal Life to have the internal Testimony of the Holy Spirit upon our Hearts or the effectual Operations thereof for if he does no otherwise work in and upon our Hearts but by the common Communication of spiritual Light unto our Minds enabling us to discern the Evidences that are in the Scripture of its own divine Original we should be often shaken in our Assent and moved from our Stability Therefore considering the great Darkness and Blindness which remains upon the Minds of Men all Things believed having some sort of Obscurity attending them besides the manifold Temptations of Satan who strives to disturb our Peace and weaken our Faith and cause Doubtings Happy are such who can experience the powerful Establishment and Assurance of the Holy-Ghost who gives them a spiritual sense of the Power and Reality of those Things believed whereby their Faith is greatly confirmed This is that which brings us unto the Riches of the full Assurance of Understanding (a) Col 2 2● 1 Thess 1.5 and on the account of this spiritual Experience is our Perception of spiritual Things so often expressed by Acts of Sense as Tasting Seeing Feeling c. which are the greatest Evidences of the Property of Things natural 'T is the Holy Spirit that assists helps and relieves us against Temptations that may arise in us so that they shall not be prevalent And indeed without this our first prime Assent unto the Divine Authority of the Scriptures will not secure us but the Influence and Assistance of the Spirit in the midst of Dangers so strengthens the sincere Christian that it makes him stand as firm as a Rock who has no skill to defend the Truth by force of Arguments against those subtil and sophistical Artificers who on all occasions strive to insinuate Objections against it from its Obscurity Imperfection Want of Order Difficulties and seeming Contradictions contained therein c. Moreover there are other special and gracious Actings of the Holy-Ghost on the Minds of Believers which belong also to this internal Testimony whereby their Faith is established viz. his anointing and sealing of them his witnessing with them and his being an Earnest in them Wherefore altho no internal Work of the Spirit can be the format Reason of of our Faith or that which it is resolved into yet it is such as without it we can never sincerely believe as we ought nor be established in believing against the Temptations of the Devil and Objections of evil Men. It hath been already declared Dr. Owen saith a Reverend Divine that it is the Authority and Veracity of God revealing themselves in the Scripture and by it that is the formal Reason of our Faith or supernatural Assent unto it as it is the Word of God It remains only that we enquire in the second place into the Way and Means whereby they evidence themselves unto us and the Scriptures thereby to be of God so as that we may undoubtedly and infallibly believe them so to be Now because Faith as we have shewed is an Assent upon Testimony and consequently Divine Faith is an Assent upon Divine Testimony There must be some Testimony or Witness in this Case whereon Faith doth rest and this we say is the Testimony of the Holy-Ghost the Author of the Scriptures And this Work and Testimony of the Spirit may be reduced unto two Heads c. 1. The Impressions
the Judgment of some Divines notes God's chusing or taking Christ from among Men to be a Sacrifice for our Sins II. Christ blessed the Bread He took the Bread and gave thanks II. Christ sanctified himself he was set apart to that glorious Work and Office he came to do III. Christ brake the Bread Corn we know is bruised or ground in a Mill that so it may become meet Bread for our Bodies III. Christ was bruised or pierced for our Sins he was broken as it were in the Mill of God's Wrath which was due to us for our Sins that he might become meet Food for our Souls Isa 53. It pleased the Father to bruise him IV. Christ gave the Bread to his Disciples He took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to his Disciples IV. Signifying not only his giving himself for us but his giving himself freely with all his Benefits to us V. The Disciples took the Bread Note by the way 'T is called Bread when Christ took it 't is called Bread after he blessed it and it was Bread the Disciples took V. Which holds forth our taking or accepting of Christ the Bread of Life as the only Food of our Souls VI. The Disciples eat the Bread Bread will do us no good unless it be taken and eaten VI. Unless we receive Christ by a lively Faith and feed upon him that is fetch all our Comforts from him relying wholly by Faith upon him he will avail us nothing to eternal Life Joh. 6.53 Vnless ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you VII Bread is the Stay and Staff of Man's natural Life I 'le break the Staff of Bread Ezek. 4.16 It is that which preserves the Life of the Body VII Christ is the Stay or Staff of the Life of our Souls When Christ Col. 3 3. who is our Life shall appear c. Christ preserveth the Life of our inward Man Because I live ye shall live also VIII Bread is the best of earthly Blessings Isa 55.1 2 hence in Scripture it is sometimes put for all good things VIII Christ is the best and chiefest Blessing that ever God gave to his People he comprehends all other Good He that hath Christ hath every thing 2 Cor. 3.22 All things are yours why so because they had an Interest in Christ Christ was theirs Cant. 5.10 Hence he is called the chiefest among ten thousand IX Bread is of a satisfying Nature hence God saith He will satisfy his Poor with Bread IX Christ received by Faith most sweetly fills and satisfies the Soul of a Believer Joh. 4.14 He that eateth of the Bread of Life and drinketh of the Water of Life shall hunger or thirst no more Such have what they desire X. Bread is made of Seed or Corn which before it riseth or becomes fruitful or yields encrease it is sowed Joh. 12.24 and dies Verily verily I say unto you Except a Corn of Wheat fall to the Ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much Fruit. X. The Lord Jesus like a Seed of Corn was sown did die that so he might not remain alone in the perfect enjoyment of himself but for great encrease viz. to raise up with him all his Elect he was content when his Hour was come to yield himself up to Death He died and rose again and thereby bringeth forth much Fruit. All that ever were or shall be quickned and raised out of a State of Death by Sin were and shall be quickned by the Death and Resurrection of Christ Such hath been the Fruit of the preaching of Christ crucified that Multitudes of Sinners thereby through the Spirit have been converted to God whence also hath sprung forth a Seed to serve him whom he hath accounted to the Lord for a Generation of all which he will not suffer one Grain to be lost but will raise it up at the last Day A Parallel much like this might be run in respect of the Cup or Spirit of the Wine See Wine Inferences THe Apostle saith That what he received of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25. he delivered to the Saints How the Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread and blessed it c. And in like manner took the Cup when he had supped c. From whence we infer That whatsoever we do in the Worship of God we must see we have a Command from God to warrant our Practice and also exactly to do it according to the Pattern he hath left us or Directions he hath given us we must not add to nor diminish from nor alter any thing of the Words of the Institution if we do God will not hold us guiltless II. This rebukes the Papists who deny the People the holy Cup of our Lord and give the Sacrament or holy Ordinance only in one kind when that nothing is more clear than that Jesus Christ gave his Disciples the Cup as well as the Bread Quest Why did Christ institute this holy Ordinance and give it to his Disciples the very Night in which he was betrayed Answ 1. To strengthen their Faith in an Hour of Temptation that was just at the Door and ready to come upon them When is a Cordial more necessary than when the Patient is ready to faint and his Spirits fail Christ saw what a sad Qualm was coming upon his poor Saints and therefore gives them this Soul-reviving Cordial to bear up their Spirits 2. Because the last Words of a dying Friend are mostly kept in mind or Tokens of Love given by him are chiefly born in remembrance Quest Who ought to partake of the holy Eucharist Answ 1. None but such who are true Converts or who sincerely believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for this is an outward Sign of an inward Grace received Those who have not spiritually received Christ by Faith ought not to come to the holy Supper of the Lord. 2. It appertaineth to none but such Converts as are baptized Acts 2.40 41 42. Those that received the Word were baptized and They continued in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship in breaking of Bread and Prayer We read of none that received the Lord's Supper but baptized Persons 3. Such who are fallen into any gross and scandalous Evil and under the Suspension or Sentence of the Church ought not to partake of the holy Supper of the Lord until they have repented and given satisfaction to the Church and are received again into Fellowship 4. Those who cannot discern the Body of the Lord broken so as to look unto and behold Jesus Christ crucified for them but eat it as common Bread ought not to come to this Ordinance such amongst others if they come are unworthy Receivers Quest What is required of Persons who come to partake of this holy Ordinance Answ They ought to examine themselves it requires
so eminent so visible and lasted so long for they continued in the Church two or three hundred Years and the Account of them has descended down to us by such a constant uninterrupted written and unwritten Tradition that scarce any Man has assumed Impudence enough to gainsay them Irenaeus who lived about the Year of our Lord 200 affirmeth that in his Time the working of Miracles the raising of the Dead the casting out of Devils healing the Sick by meer laying on of Hands and Prophesying were still in force and that some that were so raised from the Dead remained alive amongst them long after And Cyprian and Tertullian mention the ordinary casting out of Devils and challenge the Heathen to come and see it Remarkable are those Words of the latter (h) Tertullian Apol. Ca. 23. Let any one be brought before your Tribunals who is apparently possessed with a Devil that Spirit being commanded by any Christian shall confess of truth himself to be a Devil as at other Times he boasts himself a God And in his Book to Scapula the Procurator of Africk Cap. 4. he repeats several miraculous Cures done by Christians Quanti honesti viri c. How many Persons of good Quality and Esteem says he for we speak not of the Vulgar Sort have been remedied either from Devils or Diseases Severus himself the Father of Antoninus was recovered by Christians c. So that here we have the best Doctrine under the highest Attestation God himself setting thereunto his supernatural Seals to convince us of the Truth thereof And this was the great Argument whereby Christ all along convinced the World for upon his beginning of Miracles at Cana in Galilee he manifested his Glory and his Disciples believed in him (i) Joh. 1.48 The Jews therefore enquired for Signs as that which must confirm any new Revelation to be of God (k) Joh. 2.18 And tho Christ blames them for their unreasonable unsatisfied Expectations herein and would not humor them in each Particular yet he continued to give them Miracles as great as they desired They that saw the Miracles of the Loaves said This is of a truth the Prophet that should come into the World (l) Joh. 6 14. Many believed when they saw the Miracles which he did (m) Joh. 10 4● Acts 4.16 Heb. 2.4 If I had not done the Works that no Man else could do ye had not had Sin in not believing (n) Joh. 15.24 And the Way of bringing Men to believe in these Days is expressed Heb. 2.3 4. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those that heard him There is the Evidence of Sense to the first Re●eivers and their Tradition to the next God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles Let us conclude this Argument with that smart Interrogation of that blind Man (o) Joh. 19.16 Can a Man that is a Sinner do such Miracles Natural Reason shewing us that God being the true and merciful Governor of the World the Course of Nature cannot be altered but by his special Appointment and that he will never set the Seal of his Omnipotency to a Lie nor suffer the last and greatest Inducement to Belief to be used to draw Men to embrace Falshood and Forgeries 9. The wonderful Preservation of the Scriptures IX To these astonishing Miracles we may fitly add the Preservation of these holy Writings for so many Ages being it self little less than miraculous and such as is a great Argument that they belong to God as the Author and Parent of them It being reasonable to derive that from God as a Book of his own Dictates about which he has exercised a peculiar Care Were not the Bible what it pretends to be there had been nothing more suitable to the Nature of God and more becoming Divine Providence than long since to have blotted it out of the World For why should he suffer a Book to continue from the beginning of Times falsly pretending his Name and Authority How do learned Men accuse Time of Injuries for swallowing up the Works of many excellent Authors and bewail the Loss of divers of Livy's Decades and other choice Books which are now no where to be found Nay tho the Romans were so careful for the preservation of the Books of the Sybils that they lock'd them up in Places of greatest Safety and appointed special Officers to look after them yet many Ages since they are gone and perished and only some few Fragments do now remain Whereas on the contrary the Bible notwithstanding part of it was the first Book in the World as we proved in the second Argument and tho the Craft of Satan and the Rage of Mankind have from time to time combin'd utterly to suppress it yet it has born up its Head and remains not only extant but whole and entire without the least Mutilation or Corruption Antiochus Epiphanes when he set up the Abomination of Desolation in the Jewish Temple in the Days of the Machabees with utmost diligence made search after their Law and wheresoever he found it immediatly burnt or destroy'd it and threatned Death with exquisite Tortures to any that should conceal or retain it In like manner since Christ the Tyrant Dioclesian about the Year 300 with a full purpose to root out Christianity for ever out of the World publishes an Edict That the Scriptures should every where be burnt and destroyed and whosoever should presume to keep them should be most severely tormented Yet God permitted them not to quench the Light of these Divine Laws But the Old Testament above two hundred Years before the Incarnation of Christ was translated into Greek the most flourishing and spreading Language at that time in the World and about thirty Years before Christ it was paraphras'd into Caldee and at this Day both Old and New Testaments are extant not only in their Original Languages but in most other Tongues and Languages that are spoken upon the Face of the Earth which no other Book can pretend to So that all Endeavours that have from the very first been bent against it have been vanquished and remarkable Judgments and Vengeance shew'd on all such as have been the most violent Opposers of it And further whereas even those to whom it was outwardly committed as the Jews first and the Antichristian Church of Apostatiz'd Rome afterwards not only fell into Opinions and Practices absolutely inconsiltent with it but also built all their present and future Interests on those Opinions and Practices yet none of them could ever obliterate one Line in it not even of those Places which make most against their obstinate Errors and Defections But for their own Plea they both are forced to pretend additional Traditions for the Mishua Talmud and Cabala of the Jews and the Oral Traditions of the Papists all
Pilgrim but he had such a cruel Burthen upon his Shoulders that he tired before he came to the end of his Journey Covetousness or an unsatisfied Desire after the Things of this World is compared to a Burthen or Load of thick Clay Who enlargeth his Desires as Hell and cannot be satisfied c. Wo to him that encreaseth that which is not his how long Hab. 2.5 6 And to him that ladeth himself with thick Clay Would not a Man that hath a long Journey to go be laugh'd at should he carry with him a heavy Burthen of Dirt and Rubbish Such Fools are many Professors See Runner III. A Pilgrim in his Travels goes up-hill and down-hill sometimes he meets with good Way and sometimes with bad Way Sometimes he passeth over Stiles and through dirty Lanes and then again through green Fields and pleasant Pastures and delightful Paths till he comes to his desired Place III. So the Pilgrim that would travel to the New Jerusalem meets with various Ways and Passages 1. He must go out of the horrible Pit of Prophaneness that is Work enough for the first Day 's Journey 2. Through the Brook of sincere Repentance or true Contrition for every one that leaves open Prophaneness is not truly penitent 3. Down the Valley of Self-denial a very difficult Passage 4. Over the Mountains of Opposition for the Devil and all will straitway make head against him 5. Over the Stile of carnal Reason Immediatly I consulted not with Flesh and Blood 6. Into the pleasant Ways of the New Covenant 7. So upon the Top of the Rock of Ages and there he may take a Prospect of his own Country IV. A Pilgrim that hath a long and difficult Way to travel is very thoughtful how to find the right Way being a Stranger in that Country through which he must pass And besides being told there are many cross Ways and Turnings and hard difficult Passages to find he takes care therefore to get a good and skilful Guide lest he should lose his Way IV. So the spiritual Pilgrim spares no Cost omits no Study to get the best Information imaginable of the ready Way to the Land of Promise He ceaseth not to enquire of such as pretend themselves to be Guides and such as know the Way but finding them to be short-fighted and ignorant of the Way themselves he seeks further And as he goes along one cries This is the Way Mat. 24.23 another That Some bid him believe as the Church believes and he shall never go astray Others bid him co●form to the Laws of Men and do whatever the Supreme Authority of the Nation doth enjoin in Matters of Faith and Religion Others call upon him to be led wholly by the Light of his Conscience and that will bring him unto the Land of Promise the Place he longs for And at last he meets with another that seems yet to differ from them all and greatly to slight and condemn one grand Fundamental God's Word holds forth under plausible Pretences He cries up Holiness and just Living which all confess is required but in the mean time strives to persuade him to cast off the Satisfaction of Jesus Christ and trust to his own Righteousness or to refined Morality rendring Faith in Christ crucified little more than a Fancy and that the main Design of Christ in coming into the World was only to be a Pattern of Holiness and Humility But he perceiving the Danger great upon this account and that none of these Pretenders could give any convincing Evidence why they should be believed and their Counsel followed above others he rejected all their Directions and resolved to be led by none of them further than their Doctrine agreed with a certain Directory which through the Grace of God he hath obtained namely the written Word of God and that tells him plainly The Way is Christ viz. Christ as a Priest dying for him to appease the Wrath of God Joh. 14.6 and make Atonement for his Sin fulfilling the Law and bringing in everlasting Righteousness Christ as a King to subdue his Sin and to rule and reign over him Dan. 9.24 according to those blessed and wholesom Laws Ordinances and Institutions given forth by him and left in his Word Christ as a Prophet to teach and instruct him Christ as a holy Pattern and Example to imitate and follow so far as by the help of Grace he is able See Surety Sin a Debt The Word compared to Light The Spirit to a Teacher and Guide He hath learned of Christ to be holy and is helped therein by the Holy-Ghost to excell his Neighbour and denies all his Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and yet casts himself only on Christ relying upon his Merits labouring to be like him in all things as the Apostle observes 1 Joh. 3.3 He that hath this Hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure He lets his Sins go nay loaths that which is evil he lives a mortified Life unto the World and yet trusteth not to any thing that he hath done or can do for eternal Life Acts 4.12 knowing there is no Salvation but by Christ alone He is as godly as any Socinian in the World and yet magnifies the Riches of God's Grace and Christ's Merits so as not to expect Justification any other way V. A Pilgrim often meets with Trouble and great Difficulties in his Way by Winds Storms and Tempests hard Weather Cold Frost and Snow deep and bad Ways and many Dangers which he narrowly escapes V. So the spiritual Pilgrim is also exposed to many Difficulties in his Journey Heaven-wards Terrible Storms sometimes arise Winds of Persecution and Temptation blow so hard that he is scarce able to stand upon his Legs Psal 73.2 My Feet were almost gone my Steps had well nigh slipt c. He is often beset with Crosses and Afflictions that he is as a Man in the Mire and can hardly get out VI. A Pilgrim is a Stranger in the Country through which he passeth and being not known he is much gazed on and sometimes abused by the rude Rabble all which he takes with patience and makes no resistance VI. So the Godly are Strangers in this World And confessed Heb. 11.13 that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth David breaks forth Hold not thy peace at my Tears Psal 39.12 for I am a Stranger with thee and a Sojourner as all my Fathers were Hence they are made oftentimes a Gazing-stock to Men by Reproaches and Afflictions Heb. 10.33 And how grievously have they been abused by the wicked Rabble of the Earth as Jesus Christ himself testifieth If ye were of the World the World would love its own Joh. 15.19 22. but because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you All these things will they do unto you because they know not him that sent me VII A
my Fathers Kingdom Here the first word Drink is properly understood but the latter Metaphorically denoting their partaking together of the Joys of Heaven Joh. 1.10 The World was made by him and the World knew him not The former World notes the whole Universe the latter Vnbelievers c. see Joh. 2.23 24. and Joh. 4.31 32 34. Rom. 2.26 28 29. Rom. 3.21 27. Rom. 7.23 Rom. 9.6 They are not all Israel which are of Israel that is all who are born of Israel according to the Flesh are not true spiritual Israelites Rom. 12.13 14. where there is an Antanaclasis in the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11.24 the first breaking is taken properly the second breaking Metaphorically for the Passion of Christ as Luk. 22.19 See Isa 38.13 c. and 1 Cor. 15.28 Mat. 5.19 Matth. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven the first least expresses the sense of the Pharisees who esteemed some of the Precepts of Christ amongst the least the second least alluding to the former signifies the same with none or not at all viz. He shall be none in the Kingdom or he shall not enter there at all Mat. 18.1 Matth. 18.1 The Disciples say unto Jesus Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven V. 4. Christ answers Whosoever shall humble himself as this little Child the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven The first word greatest in the sense of the Disciples signifies him that hath Preheminence over others the second greatest alluding to the former denotes a Participation of the Kingdom of God without respect to inferiours the sense is whosoever humbles himself shall injoy his part in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 19.16 Matth. 19.16 The Young Man saith unto Christ Good Master c. Ver. 17. Christ answers Why callest thou me good there is none good but one that is God The first good denotes any Goodness communicated to the Creature by the Lord such as may be found in a meer Man for such the Young Man judged Christ to have the latter good alluding to the first expresses the Essential Goodness of God who is the Fountain and Original of all the Good in the Creature The sense therefore of the words of Christ is Either call me not good or believe me to be the true God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-Man See Joh. 4.31 Joh. 6.28 Acts 26.28 Sometimes there happens an Ellipsis in this Figure the latter being understood by the former as Joel 2.13 Rend your Hearts and not your Garments here is a double Proposition 1. Rend your Hearts 2. Rend not your Garments the first is Metaphorical the other Proper CHAP. IV. Of the Figures of a Sentence in Logism WHat these are we have before defined They are distingush'd thus 1. Such as are in Logism or in a Sentence without Collocution or talking together 2. Such as are in Dialogism or by way of Dialogue or mutual Conference There are five of the first sort viz. I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exclamation is a pathetical Figure Exclamation ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exclaim whereby the Speaker expresses the Passion or vehement Ardor of his Mind by various Interjections expressed or understood to move the Affections and Minds of those he speaks to O! Alas Behold are Signs of it this Figure is made in Scripture 1. In way of Admiration Psal 84.1 How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts Psal 133.1 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity Rom. 11.33 O the depths of the Riches and of the Wisdom and of the Knowledg of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out see Psal 8.1 144.15 2. In a way of Wishing or Praying 1 Chron. 11.17 O that one would give me Drink of the Water of the Well of Bethlehem which is at the Gate Psal 14.7 O that the Salvation of Israel were come out of Sion See Psal 42.2 Isa 64.1 Rom. 7.24 O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death See Gal. 5.12 Job 6.8 Psal 55.6 3. In Praise Mat. 15.28 O Woman great is thy Faith Mat. 25.21 23. Well done good and faithful Servant 4. In a way of Sorrow and Complaint Psal 22.1 Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Isa 6.5 Wo is me for I am undone 5. In way of Commiseration or Pity Josh 7.7 Alas O Lord God wherefore at all hast thou brought this People over Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorite to destroy us Ezek. 9.8 Ah Lord God wilt thou destroy all the Residue of Israel in thy pouring out thy Fury upon Jerusalem Luke 13.34 Lam. 1.1 6. In a way of Indignation Detestation and Reproof Isa 1.4 Wo to the sinful Nation a People laden with Iniquity a Seed of Evil-doers c Ezek. 16.23 Wo wo to thee saith the Lord God c. See Mat. 11.21 17.17 Luke 24.25 Jer. 44.4 Acts 13.10 O full of all Subtilty and Mischief thou Child of the Devil thou Enemy of all Righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord Acts 7.51 Rom. 9.20 7. In a way of Joy and Exultation as Psal 57.7 135.21 Blessed be the Lord out of Sion which dwelleth at Jerusalem Hallelujah that is praise ye the Lord See 1 Cor. 15.55 8. In a way of Obsecration or Beseeching Psal 118.25 Save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send now Prosperity Rev. 22.20 9. In a way of Reprehension Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you c. See Acts 7.51 52 c. 10. In a way of Derision Mat. 15.29 Of Fear 1 Tim. 6.11 c. Epiphonema 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Acclamation and is wont to be subjoyned to an Exclamation as a certain species of it It is a little Clause or apt Sentence added after the thing is expounded From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acclamo to cry out exhibiting a certain Emphasis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 briefly and concisely as Psal 2.12 Psal 3.8 Mat. 22.14 Luke 10.30 Acts 19.20 Mat. 19.27 Mark 7.37 c. II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epanorthosis Correction or Amending is the Reinforcement of the Clause last uttered by what follows or a re-calling of what one said to correct it From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●orrigo to correct It is stated in a threefold manner 1. When that which was said is wholly disown'd and corrected by a more apt more proper and significant Expression as Mark 9.24 when the Father of the Child that was possest with a dumb Spirit said Lord I believe but recollecting himself and confessing his Infirmity immediately subjoyns help thou mine Vnbelief Joh. 12.27 John 12.27 Christ prays to be saved from Death Father save me from this hour yet immediately correcting that Prayer which shews the