AN EXACT COLLECTION OF THE WORKS OF Doctor Iackson P. of C. C. C. Oxon Such as were not Published before CHRIST EXERCISING HIS EVERLASTING PRIESTHOOD Mans Freedom from Servitude to Sin effected by Christ sitting at the Right Hand of God and there Officiating as a most Compassionate High-priest in behalf of Sinners OR A TREATISE OF THAT KNOWLEDGE of CHRIST which Consists in the true Estimate or Experimental Valuation of his Death Resurrection and Exercise of his Everlasting Sacerdotal Function in the Heavenly Sanctuarie where he now sitteth at the Right Hand of God the Father THIS ESTIMATE Cannot be rightly made without a Right Understanding of the Primaeval State of Adam Of the Nature of Sin How it first came How it still comes into the World Of Mans Servitude unto Sin Of Free-will How we are sett Free by Christ Of Mortification Election Reprobation All which with other Considerable particulars as of the Use of Reason and Arts in Controversies of Divinitie of Baptism the Lords Supper c. are As an Introduction to Christs Priesthood discoursed on in this Tenth Book of Comments on the Creed AND VSEFVLL TABLES ADDED Verily Verily He that committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin If the Son make you Free then ye shall be Free indeed LONDON Printed by R. Norton for Timothie Garthwait at the little North-Door of S. Pauls Church 1654. THE PREFACE To the Christian and Considerate Reader Grace Mercy c. AS to the Great Richness and Goodly Number of This Author's Writings I shall not here say much having spoken most of what I had to say anent Those two Points in The Account or Preface set before the First Volume of His Workes Printed in Folio the last year And yet Thus much I shall say That I am dayly more and more confirmed in my Judgement There passed upon them being likewise perswaded of This That though it be but the Addition of one Single Unitie to the former Number of his Bookes yet will it prove a Multiplyed Accession of Degrees to the weight and excellency of them I shall perhaps better gratifie The Reader if I can present unto his View any Observables worthy his Notice Concerning the Method and References both of This present and Those his other writings published in His Life-Time And such as I think may be usefull do here follow 1. Of this Great Author's Bookes of Commentaries upon the Creed with their Respective Appendices The Five First I Beleive in God viz. The 1 2 3. Of the Eternal Truth of Scripture c. The 4. Of Justifying Faith The 5. Of the Original of Unbeleif Misbeleif c. Relate unto or Explicate the first Words of the First Article of The Creed 2. His Sixt Book being A Treatise of the Divine Essence and Attributes to which append his Sermons upon 2. God The Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth Chron. 6. 39. upon Jeremie 26. 29. His Treatise of the Signes of The Times and his Sermon upon Luke 21. 1. Referres to the next words of The Creed Now if any shall Object That nigh the One Half of these Treatises and Sermons too are about Divine Providence of which there is no explicit mention in the Creed The Answer is readie and easie So they ought to be it was meet and right they should be so The Good God that made the world with all the comely Ornaments and rich Furniture thereof did neither leave it to it self so soon as it was made nor transmit the Tuition of it to a Guardian or Locum-Tenens but ever did and still doth keep the Government in That Hand which with so great wisdom made the same And His verie Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Son our Saviour's Words Pater meus adhuc operatur teach us to depend upon and trust unto his Constant Providence and support for Conservation And This as a Clew leads or as a Terminus Communis Couples our Faith to his Creative power 3. His Two Sermons the Former of them Call'd Bethlehem and Nazareth upon Jeremie 31. 22. The later upon Galat. 4. 4. enstyled Mankinds Comfort from the weaker sex His Treatise entituled Christ's Answer to Iohn's Question or An Introduction to the Knowledge of Christ His 7. Book of Commentaries upon the Creed Call'd The Knowledge of Christ Jesus Containing The Principles of Christian Theologie And in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord which was Conceived by the the Holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary qua Talis Christ's Eternal Sonship his Conception Birth and Circumcision in the Fulness of Time being if not the intire Subject yet the Main Scope of these last mentioned parcels respectively referre to that Portion of The Creed wherein we avouch our Faith in The Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ incarnate 4. The Subject of this Great Author's Eighth Book of Commentaries upon The Apostles Creed enstyled Suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified Dead and Buried The Humiliation of the Son of God is the same God and our Lord who was conceived by The Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Marie And The Scope of it is to shew That HEE according to the Scripture before Extant 5. His ninth Book Of the Consecration of the Son of God to his Everlasting Priesthood whereof His Agonie and Bloody Death His Rest in the Grave and in this Authors private opinion see Book 8. pag. 385 He descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the Dead He ascended into Heaven His descension into Hell His Resurrection and Ascension were Respectively the several Giests or Moments some as preparations others as Continuations some as Accomplishments others as Consequents Lookes back somewhat towards the former and forward somewhat toward these Later particulars of the Creed 6. All the Tracts or Books mentioned in the three last Paragraphs for those be They which Directly Destinately and Immediately treat of Christian Theologie qua Talis make but up The First and more Easie Part of The Knowledge of Christ And This to use the Author 's own words Consists in the display of that most admirable Harmonie which ariseth from the Concent of Prophetical with Evangelical Writings or from the Correspondencie of Parallels between Matters of Fact recorded in the Old Testament and the Events answering in proportion to them in the New 7 This Tenth Book not published till now is addressed to The Second part of The Knowledge of Christ which Consists in the True Experimental Valuation of His Vndertakings for mans Redemption viz. Of His taking upon Himself the Form of a Servant of His Death Resurrection and Ascension Of all which several steps or progresses of His O Economie as also of the whole Volume of His other whether Actings or Sufferings for us The most precious Beneficial Effects and saving Influences are Actually and only Derived unto us by the Continued Acts and Constant Exercise of His Everlasting Priesthood executed dayly in The Heavenly Sanctuarie by Him there Sitting
Chair or when He entred into the Sanctum Sanctorum but to the Sanedrim or Common Council of the Priests and Elders whereof the high Priest was a more Principal then Necessary Member 9. The improvement of this Jewish Heresie and Slavery to Satan throughout the Patriarchate of Rome had its Original from an Ambitious Error in that Church through succession of times not very Ancient by laying challenges to all Gods promises made to his Vniversal or Catholick Church as to her own Peculiar Prerogative And as if this had not been enough the successors of these desperate Challengers have contracted the Catholick Church which in their Language is all one with the Church of Rome unto the Pope and his Cardinals or as they term it the Sacred Consistory Some later Canonists and Parasites to the Pope Jesuites especially have laboured to drive the Vniversal Church like a Camel through a needles eye into the Popes Breast alone whensoever he shall deliver his Sentence ex Cathedra as if as well all Gods Promises as Blessings promised to his Catholick Church were The One to be disposed of The Other to be dispensed by him as by Christs sole Vicar General or Vice-Roy here on Earth But these Positions some Interimists or Labourers for Reconciliation betwixt the Church of Rome of England wil hapily reply are but the Opinions of private men not maintained or taught by the Catholick Church Yet none of them whether Cardinals Jesuites or Casuists whether Priests or Laicks of inferiour ranke will or dare deny that the Infallible Guidance of the Holy Ghost for Leading Christs Church into the truth is immediately annexed to the Roman Church Representative that is to all such Councils or Assemblies of Christian men as are called by the Pope as Christs Vice-Roy and approved of by him and his Assistants The Necessary Consequence of this Position is That No one Council which hath been called by the Pope and approved by him did ever heretofore Erre or can Erre hereafter 10. The former mis-interpretation of Gods Promises made unto the Vniversal Church He meanes W. Laud The R R. Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury his Book that is as Romanists say unto the Church of Rome is excellently refuted by the Author of that Matchless Piece heretofore annexed to Doctor Whites Learned Answer to the Jesuite Fisher since Published by The Author of it in his own Name with many Learned and Pious additions Of all which I have no more for the present to say then this Respondent Vltima primis Both the First and Second Edition are worthy their Author And this is more then I know otherwise how to expresse The first Edition I had the happinesse to peruse when I had finished this Treatise of Servitude to sin for my private use and for the benefit of such as were committed to my Pastoral Charge and had entered upon another Treatise Concerning Christian Obedience for preventing the spreading infection of a Pestilent Book dispersed through the Northern parts of this Kingdom set forth by a Jesuite under this Sawcy Title The Prelate and the Prince And for preparing the Antidote I found good Directions and Ingredients from the forementioned Author 11. But suppose the rest of the Church be disposed to Believe this Doctrine of the Popes Infallibility Wherein doth the matchless Slavery of the Romish Church unto Satan in respect of Jews or Heathens punctually consist In This especially That if any Council Wherein the Bishop of Rome or Patriarch of the West as his Stile sometimes was had any principal Interest or Prerogative either in calling or confirming it have Erred the present Pope and his Adherents whether Priests or Laicks are Bound by solemn Oath and under a dreadful Curse to make up the Measure of their Fore-Fathers Errors Negligences Ignorances or other enormous sins and iniquities whether committed against the Rule of Faith or against the Law of God For all which they are also Bound by their own Doctrine and Liturgie to beg Pardon as well for their Fore-Fathers Transgressions as for their own in respect of what is past and to pray for the prevention of the like in times to come Now this is the Greatest Yoke of Slavery that Satan durst or could attempt to Lay upon the neck of Christs Church Militant here on Earth albeit he could by subtilty prevail to place his Primogenitus that is such an Antichrist as many in the Romish Church conjecture shall hereafter come that is a Man begotten by the Devil of a Woman or Daughter of the Tribe of Dan as Christs Vicar-General in S. Peters Chair If any such Antichrist shall hereafter arise the Measure of Personal Iniquity may be greater then any Popes or the Papacy hitherto hath been but the Kind must be the same A worse or more desperate kind of iniquity or Antichristianism then this late mentioned cannot be imagined The End of Chap. 21. IT was the Authors Fashion mostly to preach upon such Texts as might ground the matter that he intended after to Treat upon in his writings and so to weave his Sermons into the Body of his Discourses or Tracts as occasion required The Studious Reader knowing This and observing 1. A passage at the Beginning of the Second Section page 3018. the seventh Chapter of This Book which promises To annex to these Discussions A Sermon About That Sort of Jews which made that Sawcy Reply to Christ verse 33. John 8. whether they were Such as verse 30. were said to Believe on Him or No. And then 2. Taking notice of the Title of the 14. Chapter it begins the third Section page 3039. which is That even those Jews which did in part Believe in Christ were true Servants unto Sin He will see the Reasons that procured the Insert on of these two Sermons or Tracts ensuing here at This Place As being conceived most neerly allied to the matter preceding and more accomodate to the Readers Use who as is probably presumed if He had but only been reminded of This in the Margin before he had proceeded to read the fourth Section would first have sought out and read these two Discourses in Case they had been deferred and placed in the Rear of this Book CHAP. XXII A Postil or short Discourse upon our Saviours words JOHN 8. 36. If the Son therefore shall make you Free ye shall be Free Indeed The Connexion of This verse with The precedent 1. THis verse is inferred by way of Conclusion from the verse Precedent The Servant abideth not in the house for ever But the Son abideth for ever The Difficulties emergent be Two The Former Concerning the true Sense and meaning or at least the Limitation of the Antecedent to wit The Servant abideth not in the house for ever c. The Other Concerns the Inference or Connexion betwixt This Antecedent and the Conclusion If the Son therefore c. Some of best note amongst the Ancient or middle rank of Interpreters The Opinion of
of the Flesh which must be mortified The Affection whence this Loathsome stream doth spring is a desire of mirth or pleasure For no man directly desires to be Drunk All men naturally desire to be Merrie as having an internal spring of delight or mirth in themselves which naturally desires an issue or vent otherwise the Soul and Spirit becomes sodden in Melancholy Hence it is that many mens Affections detesting this Melancholy humour be drenched in this Filthy sink or puddle of Drunkenness which is but a Sinister or preposterous Issue of inbred Mirth The true Mortification of this monster is not to be sought by quelling or weakening the Affection whence it springs but rather by giving it another Issue or vent Thus much is implyed in our Apostles advice Eph. 5. 18. Be not Drunk with wine wherein is Excess but be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalmes and Hymns and spiritual songs singing and making Melody in your heart to the Lord. Our Apostle here supposeth that the spirit of God which alone worketh the mortification of this sin and other Lusts of the flesh although he detests all drunken ryotous mirth is not a dull spirit of melancholy It delighteth much in its own musick alwaies desirous to hear pleasant songs of its own setting And there is no meanes so Effectual for drowning drunken mirth as a full consort of the musick of this spirit Beatus populus quiscit Jubilationem hanc Blessed are the People That can rejoyce in Thee O Lord. 8. The perfect Cure of the Soul is wrought Per Simile Thus it is plain how this Cure must be wrought by Contraries and yet per simile by the Like too The Lusts of the Flesh must be Mortified by the Spirit and yet these are Contraries But if we descend unto Particulars Ambition or desire of honour must be mortified by desire of Honour Covetousness which is a desire of Riches must be mortified by the desire of Riches Drunkenness which is a Desire of Mirth must be mortified by a desire of Mirth Immoderate carnal Love must be mortified by excessive Love of Christ and of things Spiritual Between the Desires themselves there is as true Similitude as is between the several currents of water which issue from the same spring or fountain but as perfect a Contrarietie between the Objects and issues of the desires as there is between the several waters of the same fountain whilest the One runnes in a pure rock or conduit pipe and the other into a sink or puddle 9. To Conclude then The spirit of God doth first purifie the Fountain of our Desires that is the spirit or Conscience of man The spirit of man being thus quickened and purified doth by direction and assistance of the same Spirit of God divert the current of his Desires and give a new vent or issue to his Affections And the Desires or Affections by this diversion of their Current receive a further Degree of Purification from the Ocean or Sea into which they empty themselves that is from Heaven and the heavenly Lights on which they are sett Between the Current of our Desires or Affections thus purified by the spirit of God and the Coelestial Objects whereon they are sett there is such Reciprocation or mutual recourse as it were between a stream of pure water and a Sea of Nectar the stream or spring still falling into the sea and the sea still sweetning the stream by reflowing upon it The spirit of Christ which knowes no bounds or Limits which is more boundless then the Ocean delights in our Desires or Affections whilest they are sett upon heavenly things And the more his spirit is delighted in our Desires and Affections thus emptying and pouring out themselves the more he purifies and sweetens them by the influence of his Gratious Spirit Yet are not any mans Affections so throughly sweetned by the Spirit of Grace in this Life as not to retain some permanent Tincture or mixture of the Flesh Howbeit every man is Throughly mortified in whom the spirit of Christ hath gotten the Soveraigntie over the Flesh and won the better part of the natural Affections to its service But whether this Soveraigntie being Once gotten may not Finally or for a time at least be lost Heave it to the determination of the Schooles My application for the present shall be from the words of the Son of Syrach Ecclus. 38. 25 26. Though the book be Apocryphal yet his observation in this place is Canonical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wisdome of a Learned man cometh by opportunity of Leasure or as some read by right imployment of his vacant time And he that hath little businesse shall become wise How can he get wisdome that holdeth the Plough and that glorieth in the Goad that driveth Oxen and is occupied in their Labours and whose * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 talk is of Bullocks Or of the breed of bullocks His verdict concerning Handy-Crafts-Men is for the most part true of Men full of that which we call Book-Learning or imployed in matters of Government of Sate Would to God it were not too true of many that have little Business In respect of this private Learning Every one of us Especially in these times have Bookes enough of our own so we would sequester some competent times or vacant seasons for serious perusing them Every mans course of life and dayly Actions are the best Bookes for this Learning And no man can so well read them as his own Spirit and Conscience Herein then consists the Wisdom of him that is in part and desires to be A â—etter Christian First in careful Observing the Touches of Gods punishing or chastising Hand Secondly in Reflecting upon the motions of his Spirit Thirdly in duly Examining Every day What advantage the Flesh hath gotten against the Spirit or the Spirit against the Flesh All this being done the best imployment of all these Talents which God commits unto our trust must be in acknowledgeing our whole strength to be from God and in Consecrating our best endeavours by continual Prayer for the assistance of his Spirit In this Last Point we are Active yet Active only to the End that we may be Towardly Passive that we grieve not the Good Spirit of God by which our Sanctification must be wrought He will not forsake Vs unless we forsake Him first But as water which hath been heated by the fire congeales the soonest after it be taken off and removed from it So they ☜ which have felt the Motions of Gods Spirit and have been in some measure Mortified by it freez the soonest in the dregs and Lusts of the flesh and have their hearts extraordinarily hardened if once they forsake him or so grieve him that he cease to renew or continue his former Motions But he that will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him and will pray before the most High and will open his
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not so much as if he had said in the Beginning or from the beginning much less doth it amount unto so much as if he had said before all worlds or before the foundation of the world was laid which words or the like do import Eternity And unto this literall Importance or signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The material or real Circumstances do fully accord Both do fully witness that he speakes only of some Fore-ordination made or declared in the compass of Time as ver 11. Wo unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and run greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward and perished in the gainsaying of Core This Wo denounced takes Date only from the Time of their following the ways of Cain of Balaam and Corah God did not ordain either from Eternity or by any written Sentence upon Record That these men by name should go on in the ways of Cain should run after the error of Balaam should perish in the gainsaying of Corah But now that they had visibly followed the wayes of these wicked men they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fore-sentenced or Fore-ordained to the same condemnation which had fallen upon Cain Balaam and Corah The Sentence or Judgment declared of old against these Three was as a Ruled Case for the condemnation of these men that S. Jude speaks of they had incurred the Sentence of condemnation given of old as we say Ipso Facto that is by doing the same things which Cain Balaam and Corah had done And S. Jude whether by the Spirit of Revelation or by Evidence of their Facts themselves doth but declare or pronounce that these ungodly men had fallen fowl upon that immovable Rule or Canon which had formerly been declared against Cain and Corah and his Confederates 10. That these men now were in the same state wherein Cain and Corah were after they had committed these Foul sins for which they were condemned our Apostle takes it as granted ver 12 13. These are spots in your feasts of Charity when they feast with you feeding themselves without fear clouds they are without water caried about with winds trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots Raging waves of the Sea foming out their own shame wandring stars to whom is reserved the Blackness of darkness for ever He speakes of them as of Reprobates or men ordained to condemnation For being in the same state or condition for the Quality and measure of their sins that Cain Balaam and Corah had been they were Fore-Ordained with them to the same condemnation and this their Fore-Ordination was upon Record in all that Moses or others had written concerning Gods Judgments upon Cain upon Balaam or Corah That our Apostle means such a Fore-Ordination upon Ancient Record we gather from the 14. verse And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophecied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh c. If Enoch ALSO did prophecy of them then some other besides Enoch had prophecied of them So had Moses who related Gods Judgments upon Cain prophecied of their Judgments who followed the wayes of Cain and in foretelling Gods fearfull Judgments upon Corah Dathan and Abiram he foretold the condemnation of all such as followed their ways and were Fore-Ordained to the like condemnation in their condemnation But more expresly Fore-Ordained of old unto the same condemnation by Enochs Prophecie which was more ancient then Moses his writings although Moses mentioned it not The form of his Prophecy or of his Judgments denounced against all ungodly men The Book of Enoch Of it See Tertul. De Cultu Foem Lib. 1. Cap. 3. and the Annot upon that place was upon Record in our Apostles time in a Book called the Book of Enoch unto which or so much of which as concerns this place St. Jude gives Authentick testimony ver 14. c. Behold the Lord-cometh with ten thousand of his Saints To execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him This Prophecy was literally meant and in particular directed against the ungracious seed of Cain and other such ungodly men of the Old World as did oppose or malign the Church of God then seated in the Posterity of Seth of which Enoch was a principal member a man of high place or dignity but the same Prophecy was literally meant of these ungodly men which did oppose the Church and deny that Lord which Enoch foretold should come to give judgement upon all such as continue in ungodliness And though this Prophecy were verified or in some measure fulfilled in the ungodly men of the Old World yet was it more exactly fulfilled in these ungodly men here in St. Iude and shall be fulfilled again upon all such as they were unto the worlds end and all in whom it is or hath been or shall be fulfilled are by it Ordained to the Condemnation here meant and St. Iude having perfect notice that these ungodly men had followed the wayes of Cain and of Corah doth but pronounce or declare them to be lyable to the Condemnation foretold by Enoch But whether all of them were at this time in the absolute State of Reprobation that is irreversibly ordained to everlasting death or whether the Gate of Mercy and Way to Repentance were everlastingly shut up against all of them That we leave to the eternall Judge seeing the 22. verse mentions Compassion for some and making a difference 11. The Jews highest Excommunication taken from Enochs words However This Prophecy of Enoch was so famous and so Authentick in the Jewish Church before St. Iude wrote this Epistle that their GREAT AND FEARFVL EXCOMMVNICATION was conceived in the very Form of Words which S. Iude here out of Enochs useth And as Writts amongst us have their name or Title from the First and Principal words contained in them as some are called Sub Poena some Nisi prius c. so the greatest and most fearfull Excommunication which the Jewish Church did use was called THE EXCOMMVNICATION OF DOMINVS VENIET THE LORD SHALL COME St. Paul as we read Rom. 9. 3. did wish that he himself might be Anathema one excommunicated or separated from Christ for his Countrey-men or kinsmen according to the flesh But he did not wish himself to be Anathema Maranatha for their sakes This kind of Anathema or Excommunication though he considently denounceth against all such in the Church of Corinth as did not love their Saviour If any man saith he 1 Cor. 16. 22. love not the Lord Ièsus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha that is all one as if he had said Let that Sentence which Enoch first denounced against all vngodly and wicked men especially against all Blasphemers of God of Christ or the wayes of the
indeed any other Cause of Actual or Habitual sins Praeter Diabolum seducentem Hominent liberè consentientem that is besides the Devil who still laboureth to seduce or tempt us and mans Free consent or voluntary yielding to his temptations 2. Adam First Sin did pollute our Nature Our Actual Sins pollute our Persons Between Sin Original which is the Effect and the sin of the First man which was the Cause of it ‖ Vid. Locorum Theologicorum Compendium Pro Scholis Wraâ—islaviensibus concinnatum some have acutely observed This Distinction That the Person of the First man by his sin corrupted our Nature and our Nature being corrupted by him corrupts all our Persons that come by Natural Descent from him Unto which they adde that Every one of us by committing Actual sin doth corrupt or pollute his Person But whether any Person besides our Father Adam do or may by frequent Commission of Actual sins without any Necessity derivable either from our First Parents sin or from the Effect of it which is Sin Original corrupt or pollute the Nature of such Persons as lineally descend from him is a point capable of Question and worthy of more accurate discussion then my Abilities afford or my years will permit me to bestow any long or serious studies in Such as are or shall be disposed to handle this or any of the former Questions proposed more exquisitely must make their entrance into this Search by the same plain way which I intend to follow that is to guesse at the Cause by the Effect or at the Nature or Essence of Sin Original by the known Properties or Symptomes of it And in this plain Search an Observant Student shall hardly find such fair hints or good helps from the School-men The pregnant testimonies of Heathens Poets Naturalists c. concerning sin Original Ancient or Modern as he may from some School-Boyes or at least from some Good Books which they usually read and better remember then the School-men do 3. As for the Substance or Realty of that which we call Original Sin though unknown to them by that name and of our Natural Servitude to sin a serious Divine may find more solid and lively * Terence Andr. Act. 1. Sc. 1. Ingenium est Omnium HominuÌ„ à labore proclive ad libidinem Hor. Serm. l. 1. Sat. 3. Nec natura potest justo secernere iniquum Dividat ut bona diversis fugienda petendis Ovid. Metam l. 7. Me trahit invitam nova vis aliudque Cupido Mens aliud suadet Video meliora probôque Deteriora Sequor Hor. Epist. 8. lib. 1. Quae nocuere sequar fugiaÌ„ quae profore credaÌ„ Parallel to that of S. Paul Rom. 7. 21 22 23. Ovid. Alibi Nitimur in vetituÌ„ semper cupimúsque negata Sic interdictis imminet Aeger aquis c. Parallel to Rom. 7. 8 9. Mans servitude to sin is well set down by Horace Serm. Lib. 2. Sat. 7. and in Persius Sat. 5. v. 75 c. consonant to John 8. 34. And that in Pers 2. Sat. v. 60. O curvae in terris animae caelestium inanes Quid juvat hoc TeÌ„plis nostros immittere mores Et bona Diis ex hac scelerata ducere pulpa Is parallel to Psal 50. 21. Thou Thoughiest wickedly that I was such an One as thy self Expressions in some Heathenish Naturalists or in the Romane Orator or Ancient Latine Poets then he can do in the great Master of the Sentences in Aquinas though Sainted as much for Learning as for sanctity by the Romish Church or in their Followers or such as Comment upon their Writings And no marvel if so it be seeing the Naturalist as his profession leads him hunts after the Truth upon a Fresh-unfoyled Sent alwayes insisting upon those which we call the First Notions whereas the School-men the Later especially have been delighted to draw all Doubts or Quaeries about the most solid Points in Divinity or matters most capable of Philosophical Expressions into second Notions or Termes of Art or Artificial Fabricks of words as if they meant to rend or resolve strong and well woven Stuffe into small and raveled threds to intangle themselves and their Readers in perpetuall Fallacies A rebus ad voces Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata was a Good Lesson which the Facilo Romane Poet had not learned by Heare-say or got by Rote but had got it by Heart from a good instructor as willing and ready to teach us as him that is from undoubted Experience of his own or other mens dispositions or affections This good Poet with some other of his profession Isaiah 1. 3. and other Heathen Orators or Philosophers have excellently observed that The nature of man was farther out of Tune or Frame Jer 8. 7 had greater discord or Contrariety of inclinations within it self then the Nature of any other living thing besides But unto the Nature or Reality of that which Divines call Original sin the Roman Naturalist Plinie I meane in his Proaeme to the seventh book of his Natural History speaks most fully and most appositely The passage is for ought I know well translated into our English Or if ought be amisse the Latine Reader may correct or amend it by the Latin Copie hereto annexed Thus as you see Mundus in eo terrae gentes Maria Insulae insignes Vrbes ad hunc modum se habent Animantium in eodem natura nullius prope partis contemplatione minor est siquidem omnia exequi humanus animus queat Principium jure tribuetur Homint cujus causâ videtur cancta alia genuisse natura magnâ saevâ mercede contra tanta sua munera ut non sit satis aestimare Parens melior Homini an tristior Noverâ—a fuerit Ante omnia unum animantium cunctorum alienis velat Opibus caeteris variè tegumenta tribuit testas cortices coria spinas villos setas pilos plumam pennas squamas vellera Truncos etiam arboresque cortice interdum gemino à frigoribus calore tutata est Hominem tantùm nudum in nuda humo natali die abjicit ad vagitus statim ploratum nullumque tot animalium aliud ad lachrumas has protinus vitae principio At Herculèrisus praecox ille celerimus ante quadragesimum diem nulli datur Ab hoc lucis rudimento quo ne feras quidem inter nos genitas vincula excipiunt omnium membrorum nexus At Homo infoeliciter natus jacet manibus pedibusque devinctis flens animal caeteris imperaturum à suppliciis vitam auspicatur unam tantum ob culpam quia natum est Heu dementiam ab iis initiis existimantium ad superbiam se genitos Primarâ—boris spes primumque temporis munus quadrupedi similem facit Quando Homini incessus Quando vox we have in the former Bookes sufficiently treated of the universal World of the Lands Regions Nations Seas Islands and
C. 18. 19. 20. has a deal to this purpose Errat siquis existimat servitutem in totum hominem descendere Pars melior ejus excepta est See Macrob. Corpus adscriptum Domino mens sui â—uris libera Comes caelestibus exeat Epist 31. Animus bonus Sat. l. 1. c. 7. Deus in humano Corpore Hic tam in servum potest cadere quam in Rom Equitem Quid eques Rom. quid libertinus quid servus nomina ex ambitione aut injuria nata And Epist 47. Ego non ministeriis serves aestimabo sed moribus Servus est sed liber animo Servus est imò Conservus Servus est quis non alius libidini servit alius avaritiae Ambitioni alius Dabo Consularem aniculae servientem divitem ancillulae nobiles juvenes mancipia mimorum superbos osculantes manus servorum Alienorum Sâ—ltus Equum Empturus stratum tantùm fraenos Stultissimus qut hominem ex conditione quae vestis est aestimat The Spartan Youth used this freedom preposlerously when stomaching the disingenuity of his Masters Command to give him an Vrinal he went up to the Garreâ— and threw himself headlong Diogenes * Laert. lib. 6. asserted this liberty even while he was a Prisoner to the Pirate Scirpalus and in Crete upon sale to Xeniades the Fine Corimhia◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he desired to be sold unto saying for so he guessed seeing him passe by in such a Dresse or Garb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That man needs a Master As before he had bidden the Praeco Cry Who will buy a Master saying That he knew How to Rule men and so it seems he did for Xeniades that bought him made him Tutor to his Sons and Ruler of all his house and joyed strangely in the Bargainâ—saying ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that some good Genius or Angel was come into his House and when Diogenes's friends would have redeemed Him he said they were Fond-men Lions were not Servants to their Keepers Keepers were Servants to the Lions And That Sèrvants obeyed Men-Masters but ill Masters were worse Servants to Lust So a Spartan in Plut. Lac. Apoph sufferd not the Bel-man to Cry who will buy a Slave ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou cursed wretch said he Cry who will buy a Captive ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph may be sold and serve Read Epictetus Arriani and see the Freedom of a Servant Naamans Maid may be Captive or taken but Slaverie in Grain cannot be without Vice nor Genuine Freedom with it 5. Note referrs to Chap. 8. Pag. 3019. c. last Marginal note Heathens Testimonies of Original Sin Nam vitiis nemo sine nascitur Optimus ille est Qui minimis urgetur denique teipsam Concute numqua tibi vitiorum inseverit olim Natura Hor. Serm. l. 1. Sat. 3. Damnatos tamen ad mores natura recurrit Fixa nescia mutari Juv. Sat. 13. v. 240. Parcendum Teneris nondum implevere Medullas Nequitiae mala nativae Idem Sat. 14. v. 216. Vnicuique dedit vitium natura creato Propert. It 's true indeed Aristotle says in his 3. Book de Anima that the Human soul is like a white Paper or Table-Book that has nothing written in and in the 2. Ethic. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that we are born as it were in an Indifferencie or middle Temper Yet this in all Reason can but be meant of Moral Habits or Personal qualifications which are to be got only by Custom And the care he would have taken for Young-ones Education 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shews that he was affraid of some secret Biass or Taint and chiefly that of pleasure which he Cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Austin 7. Tom. 4. l. contra Jul. c-12 Quotes Tullie in his 3. Book de Republica Complaining Hominem non ut à matre sed ut â noverca natura editum in vitam corpore nudo fragili infirmo animo autem anxio ad molestias humili ad timores molli ad Labores prono ad libidines in quo tamen tanquam obrutus quidam divinus ignis ingenij mentis in Hortensius Thus. Quis nisi gurges quis bona mente praeditus non mallet nullas omnino nobis à natura voluptates datas and afterward thus That soul and body were put together as a living man and a dead Sophocles Censures Lust as a Raging Tyrant saying Libenter profugi illinc tanquam ex aliqua furiosa Dominatione Val. Max. L. 4. c. 3. 6. Note To p. 3023. He that minds to see more of the Ancients Opinions about Original sin Let him Read S. Austin Cont. Julian l. 1. where divers Fathers be Cited about that Head 7. Note To Chap. 9. P. 3024. The Margin Seneca de Clement l. 1. c. 23. Videbis Ea saepè committi quae saepè vindicantur Pater tuus Claudius plures intra quinquennium Culleo insuit quam omnibus seculis insutos accepimus Multò minùs audebant liberi nefas ultimum admittere quamdiu sine Lege crimen suit Prudentissimi viri maluerunt velut incredible scelus ultra audaciam positum praeterire quà m dum vindicant ostendere posse fieri Itaque parricidae cum lege Caeperunt illis facinus paena monstravit Natura Contumax in Contrarium atque arduum nitens And so Seneca De Benef. l. 3. c. 16. says Nulla virum habet foemina nisi ut adulterum irritet Quad Licet ingratum est quod non licet acriùs urget Quicquidservatur cupimus magis ipsáque furem Praeda vocat 8. Note To Pag. 3073. The Story of Alexander Pheraeus is in Plutarchs 2. Orat. de Fortun. Alexand. Magni 9. Note To P. 3074. The Storie of Pacuvius Calavius is in Livies 23. Book or as some Count Decad. 3. lib. 3. 10. Note To P. 3081. the words of S. Chrysostom toucht in the Margin if they be surely his are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11. Note To P. 3083. Ipsaque Tellus They be Virgils Georg. l. 1. Ante Jovem nulli subigebant arva Coloni Nec signare solum aut partiri Limite Campum Fas erat in medium quaerebant ipsaque Tellus Omnia liberius nullo poscente ferebat All these referre to the Five precedent Sections which the Reader if he please may take for the whole tenth Book And reckon what follows betwixt this and the Eleventh for the Appendix spoken of by the Authour in the 35. Chapter and mentioned in the Marginal note there Or else he may count on as for the better help to memorie it is placed because of the orderly disposition and nearness of the matter coming most Patly and fitly in it is numbred the Sixth Section of the tenth Book An Appendix or Sixt Section Concerning the Limitation of these Two Propositions Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye if through the Spirit ye do Mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall live 1. BOth
a Black English Letter printed at London Anno Dom. 1598. By the Deputies of Christopher Barker And it Runs thus The Text. Of old ordasined to this Condemnation The note e He confirmeth their heart against the Contemners of Religion and Apostates shewing that such men trouble not the Church at All-adventures but are appointed thereunto by the Determinate Counsel of God Thus it is in that Edition Though in some Bibles with Notes since printed some words or part of that Note is omitted 2. To Fol. 3168. To Those words in in the 7. Paragraph of this 38. Chapter The Party thus offending doth expell himself The Heathens had a Notion very remarkable That the Gods were desirous to shew mercy at least to be quiet and not to have their Justice provoked by the sins of men Coelum ipsum petimus Stultitia neque per nostrum patimur scelus Iracunda Iovem ponere fulmina says Horace Carm. l. 1. Ode 3. It is a complaint usual with Salvian Salv. Lib. 1. in his Books de Gubern Dei That though God were loth to pumish yet men did exigere extorquere ut perirent And that they did vim facere manus inferre pietati Divinae omni peccatorum scelere quasi omni telorum genere misericordiam Dei expugnare And yet for all this Complain'd of Gods severitie whereas nos nobis nos accusandi sumus Lib. 4. Nam cum ea quibus torqueamur admittimus ipsi tormentorum nostorum autores sumus Isa 50. 11. Unusquisque nostrum ipse se punit ideo illud Propheticum ad nos dicitur Ecce omnes vos ignem accendit is vires praebet is Flammae Ingredimini in Lucemignis vestri flammae quam accendist is Totum namque humanum genus hoc ordine in poenam aeternam ruit quo scriptura memoravit Primum enim accendit posteà vires ignibus praebet postremo flammam ingreditur quam paravit Quando igitur primum sibi homo aeternum accendit ignem sc cum primùm peecare incipit Quando autem vires ignibus praebet Cum utique peccatis peccata cumularit Quando verò ignem aeternum introibit quando irremediabilem jam Omnium Malorum summam Crescentium delictorum iniquitate Compleverit Mat. 23. 32. Sicut Salvator noster ad Iudaeos ait Implete mensuram patrum vestrorum And in his seventh Book Quicquid actum est peccatis non Deo ascribendum Salv. Lib. 7. quia rectè illi rei factum ascribitur quae ut ita fieret exegit Nam Homicida cum à judice occiditur suo scelere punitur Et Latro aut Sacrilegus cum flammis Exuritur suis criminibus concrematur This agrees with the Rules of Civil Law Qui causam dat damni ipsum Damnum dedisse videtur Qui sceleratum Consilium cepit exinde quodammodo sua mente punitus est So the Emperours Severus and Antoninus in L. 34. D. de Jure Fisci Rescripserunt Asclepiadi Ipse te huie poenae subdidisti Ex quo notant D. D. Eum qui delinquit hoc ipso praesumi voluisse obligare sese ad poenam ei delicto praestitutam See Macarius his 4. Homilie where he Cites Rom. 2. 5. Thou treasurest up to thy self wrath Hom. 12. Interrog 5. Yea sure most Certain it is That every One which commits any sin together with yea in the very Commission of that sin enters an Obligation and forfeits himself to the very same punishment which the Divine Justice hath inflicted or awarded unto that sin in the Examples recorded in Holy Scripture Achan bound himself to appear in the Valley of Achor or Trouble by the very taking of the wedge and cloathes which were indeed no other then the Earnest of those wages which were there paid unto him Ahab and Iezabel by seazing on Naboth and his Vineyard forfeited their blouds to the Dogs Gehezi brought back the Syrian Leprosie wrapt up in the Raiment c. Even so Holy and True and Righteous are Thy Iudgements O Lord who would not fear Thee O King of Nations which hast Ordained that an Inordinate mind should not only Breed and bring forth but Be a Punishment an Executioner a witness and a Iudge unto it self This last Observation is partly S. Austin's That which follows is a Heathen's Exemplo quodcunque malo Committitur ipsi Displicet Authori. Prima est haec ultio quod se Iudice nemo nocens absolvitur improba quamvis Gratia fallacem Praetoris vicerit urnam c. See Iuvenals 13. Sutyre The 3. Note taken out of the Authors writings relates to Fol. 3172. at the 2. Marginal Note Some deny all Baptismal Grace Others grant that some Grace is given to Infants in Baptism but restrain it only to Infants Elect. So they expound the Church-Catechism which teaches children to believe That as Christ redeem'd them and all maâ—kind so the Holy Ghost doth sanctifie them and all the Elect People of God But who can think that our Church meant to teach Children at the first Profession of their Faith to believe they were Elect that is such as cannot finally perish This was to teach them their Faith backwards to seek heaven by descending from it S. Paul nay The Angels that have kept their first Estate almost 6000. years could not reach higher Yet would our Church have every one at his first Profession of Faith believe that he is One of the Elect people of God Those RR. Fathers that composed that Catechism and our H. mother that did Authorize it did in charitie presume that every one which would take upon him to expound that Catechism or other Principles of Faith should first know the Distinction between Elect that is such as cannot perish and the Elect people of God or between Election unto Gods ordinary Grace or means of Salvation and Election unto Glory Every Nation or Company of men when first Converted from Gentilism to Christianity became an Elect people a chosen Generation that is they and their seed were made capable of Baptism reciev'd an Interest in Gods Promises c. which Heathens whilest Heathens could not have All of us are in Baptism thus far sanctifyed that we are made true Members of the visible Church qualifyed for hearing the word receiving the Sacrament of Christs Body and Bloud and all other Benefits of Christs Priestly Function that are committed to the Dispensation of his Ministers here on earth Out of This the Reader may easily Pick what is Pertinent to that place Fol. 3172. A Note Relating to the Chapter following This Learned Author in the year 1628. Published his sixth Book of Comments upon the Creed or his Treatise of the Divine Essence and Attributes Immediatly where upon Mr. H. Burton taking offence Published his book styled Israels Fast Perhaps he might preach some part of it at the Fast held in the Beginning of the Parliament cald that year In the Epistle Dedicatory perfix't to that Book he
or more then a Prophet which should work great wonders for the good of the Hebrews or Israelites his kinsmen according to the flesh which could not be effected Rebus sic stantibus As the case stood then without dangerous prejudice to the Egyptians Upon the like jealousie occasioned by more then a publick Fame an Authentick Prenotion That there should about the latter end of Herods raign arise A Star in Jacob a true King of the Jews the bloodie Tyrant caused all the Males of Judah and Benjamin about Bethlehem which were under two years to be cruelly murthered and yet left the true King of the Jews the Heir of David the Flower of Jesse and Hope of Israel untouched The Second Circumstance or remarkable similitude between Jesus and Moses was this Moses after the first cruel Pharaohs death was commanded by God to return into Egypt his native soil upon assurance given him that they were dead that sought his life Joseph is warned in a dream or Divine vision by night to return with Jesus and his Mother out of Egypt into the land of Israel Because they were dead that sought the young childs life to wit Herod and his Complices Mat. 2. 20. But my aim in this place of which I hope I have not fallen much wide or short was to set the Parallel aright between the Induration or Infatuation of the Egyptians in Moses his dayes and the Excaecation of the Jews after their contempt of our Saviours miracles and more then Prophetical Monitions The Kalender made by the learned Author of the Book of Wisdom for the opposite Fates or Destinies of the Egyptians and of the Iews began in his own time and shortly after our Saviours Resurrection to be out of Date and more then so quite inverted Versâ tabulâ currebant qui modò stabant the Lot or destinie which this good Author assigned unto the ungodly Egyptians did fall upon his Presumed Holy Ones the Iews his Countrey-men Vnto these the destroyer gave Place and was afraid of them for it was enough that they only tasted of the wrath But as for the ungodly wrath came upon them without mercy unto the end for he knew before what they would do Wisd 18. 25. and 19. 1. of the Jews saith St. Paul They please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that that they might be saved to fill up their sins alway for the wrath is come upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the uttermost or to the end The Author of the Book of Wisdom Whosoever he were Philo or some other did slide or draw himself into a Twofold error only by overstretching two undoubted Canonical Truths He had rightly observed that as the Canaanites so the Egyptians were an accursed seed from the beginning as being the Off-spring of Cham and that the children of Israel were a seed two waies blessed as being the Progenie of Sem and of faithfull Abraham Wherein then did he erre or fail in his Collections First in that he presumed the curse derived from their Father Cham should be perpetually upon the Egyptians Secondly that the blessing derived from Sem and Abraham unto their seed should be absolutely everlasting Our Apostle St. Paul partly by Observation but especially by the Spirit of Prophesie did know or fore-see that the Seed of Sem and of Abraham should fall into a greater measure of Induration to continue for a longer time then that which had befallen the Seed of Cham or the Egyptians Yet did he not hence Collect or occasion us to think that this curse upon his Countrey-men the Iews should be either universal or perpetual but to continue only untill the Fulness of the Gentiles were come in Neither doth he intimate that this blessing upon the Gentiles Rom. 11. 11. specially the sons of Japhet which were heires in Reversion unto the Blessing bestowed upon Sem should continue unto the worlds end but rather to determine with the recalling of the Jews whose Restauration it is Probable shall be wrought or occasioned by the Infatuation or Obduration of the Gentiles which through their ingratitude and contempt is likely to become more grievous then the Induration either of the Egyptians in Moses dayes or of the Jews after our Saviours death ☜ 27. If we would look upon the Face of Christendom at this Instant How small a Portion of it shall we find not either besmeared with its own blood or disfigured with wounds and scarrs or other like signs of more then Jewish Infatuation and which is of all the rest the most Ominous Praesage or Symtom the hearts of most Princes and States-men are so addicted to their own Politick Resolutions that if Gods true Embassadors though Prophets raised for this purpose from the dead should take upon them to forewarn them as boldly as Moses did Pharaoh to submit themselves unto The Lord they should find more harsh entertainment in ordinary Assemblies then Moses did in Pharaohs Court as bad as our Saviours Apostles and Disciples found in Jerusalem or in Jewish Synagogues The best excuse or Apologie which best Divines or Preachers of the Gospel throughout most Christian or other Nations can make for their backwardness or want of boldness to deliver Gods Message unto greatest Princes or other States-men will be this That seeing the Spirit of Prophecie is now taken from them they may not take upon them to use the boldnesse or animositie which Moses and Aaron and other ancient Prophets did even in the Presence of greatest Princes One duty notwithstanding the Ministers of the Gospel or Christs Embassadors may duly practise without danger in the middest of this perverse and crooked Generation in every State and Kingdom a duty which we of this Church and Kingdom are specially bound to perform that is to pray and intreat the same God and Lord Iesus Christ which hardened King Pharaohs heart to remove his Plagues from all Christian Kings and States-men as also from Turkish Mahumetan or heathenish Princes and to use these and the like Parts following of our English Letanie or Liturgie more then thrice a week as we are injoyned twice at least every day evening and morning either in our Publick or private Devotions From all blindness of heart from pride vain-glorie and hypocrisie from envie hatred and malice and all uncharitablenesse c. From hardnesse of heart and contempt of thy word and commandements Good Lord deliver not only all Christians Kings but even such Kings as Pharaoh was by Profession and take from all Iews Turks infidels and Hereticks all ignorance hardness of heart and contempt of thy Word and make us all One Flock under One Shepherd Jesus Christ the great Bishop and Shepherd of our Soules Amen CHAP. XLI SALVATION ONLY FROM GODS GRACE Or An Exposition of Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy THese words as every
did come to passe by Gods Irresistible Will His Error into which the greatest Clerk living especially if he be not an accurate Philosopher might easily slide consists originally in confounding Eternitie with Successive Duration and not distinguishing Succession it self from things durable or Successive He and many others in this argument speak as if they conceived that the necessary Coexistence of Eternitie with Time did necessarily draw every mans whole course of life Motu quodam raptús after such a manner as Astronomers suppose that the highest Sphere doth move the lower whereas if we speak of the course not of Pharaoh's natural but moral life it was rather an Incondit heap or confused multitude of durables than one entire uniforme duration And each durable hath its distinct Reference to the eternal Decree That which is eternally true of one was not at all much lesse eternally true of another Eternitie it self though immutable though necessarily though indivisibly co-existent to All was not so indissolubly linked with Any but that Pharaoh might have altered or stayed his course of life before that moment wherein the measure of iniquitie was accomplished But in that moment he became so exorbitant that the Irresistible Decree of induration did fasten upon him His Irregular motions have ever since become irrevocable not his Actions onely but his Person is carried headlong by the everlasting revolutions of the unchangable decree into everlasting unavoydable destruction 22. The Proposition or Conclusion proposed Pharaoh was hardened by Gods Irresistible Will indefinitely taken is true from all eternitie throughout all eternitie and therefore true from Pharaoh's birth unto his death but not therefore true of Pharaoh howsoever qualified or of all Pharaoh's Qualifications throughout the whole còurse of his life For so the Proposition becomes an Vniversal not onely in respect of the Time but of the Subject that is of all Pharaohs several qualifications The sense is as if he had said God from eternitie decreed to harden Pharaoh howsoever qualified as well in his Infancie as his full Age by his Irresistible Will and thus taken it is False The Inference is the same with the fore-mentioned Adam in Gods foreknowledge was a sinner from eternitie Ergo Adam was alwaies a sinner a Sinner before he sinned during the time of his innocencie or with this God from all eternitie did decree by his irresistible Will that Adam should die the death Ergo He did decree by his irresistible Will that Adam should dye as soon as he was created or be a sinner all his life long To reconcile these two Propositions aright God from eternitie decreed by his Irresistible Will that Adam should dye God from eternitie did not decree by his Irresistible Will that Adam should die otherwise than we have reconciled the two former God from eternitie decreed to harden Pharaoh by his Irresistible Will God from eternitie did not decree to harden Pharaoh by his Irresistible Will no Writer I presume will undertake The only reconciliation possible is this God did decree by his Irresistible Will that Adam sinning should die God did not decree by his irresistible-Will that Adam not sinning should dye nor did he decree by his Irresistible Will that Adam should sin that he might die For as we said before God did neither decree his Fall nor his perseverance by his Irresistible will And his death was no more inevitable than his Fall Nor was Pharaohs final Induration more inevitable than the measure of iniquitie to which such Induration was from eternitie awarded by Gods Irresistible will Of Pharaoh thus considered the Conclusion was true from eternitie In what sense the Conclusion proposed may be said universal universalitate temporis as to Pharaoh true in respect of every moment of Pharaohs life wherein the measure of his iniquitie was or might have been accomplished though it had been accomplished within three years after his birth And this accomplishment presupposed the Induration was most inevitable his Final Reprobation as irrecoverable as Gods Absolute will taking absolute as it is opposed to disjunct is irresistible 23. In what sense the Conclusion proposed may be said to be universal universalitate subjecti The same Proposition in respect of Reprobation is universally true Vniversalitate Subjecti that is of every other person so ill qualified as Pharaoh was when God did harden him VVhosoever shall at any time become such a man as Pharaoh was then is a Reprobate from eternitie by Gods Irresistible will And seeing no man is exempted from his Jurisdiction he may harden whom he will after the same manner that he hardened Pharaoh although de facto he doth not so harden all the Reprobates that is he reserves them not alive for examples to others after the ordinary time appointed for their dissolution Nor doth he tender ordinary meanes of repentance unto them after the door of Repentance is shut upon them God in his infinite wisdom hath many secret purposes incomprehensible to man as VVhy of such as are equal offenders one in this life is more rigorously dealt withall than another VVhy of such as are equally disposed to goodness Moral one is called before another by his irresistible calling That thus to dispense of mercy and justice in this life See his Treatise of the Signs of the Time the 3. or moral part of it doth argue no Partialitie or respect of persons with God is an argument elsewhere insisted upon 24. The Point whereupon we are now to pitch is this Indefinite Men usually are Called Elected Reprobated or hardened by Gods Resistible will before they be called Elected reprobated or hardened by his irresistible will All these Termes are Indefinite and according to their different measures as truly mutable as Immutable from Eternitie or as in other * See Chapt. 37. Num. 5. 6. See 9. Book Ch. 18. c. Meditations we have shewed There is a State of Election under promise and a State of Election under Oath of which the latter only is Absolutely immutable The like we may say of Reprobation it is either under general Threat or upon Oath the Former is mutable so is not the Latter No man living shall ever be able to make his Inference good Pharaoh was absolutely reprobated from eternitie that is Whether granting that Pharaoh was a reprobate from eternitie we must grant withall that Pharaoh was a reprobate in his Middle age Youth or Infancie His reprobation was immutable from eternitie Ergo Pharaoh in his Youth or Infancie was a Reprobate To inferre the Consequence proposed no Medium more probable than this can possibly be brought Pharaoh from his Infancie to his full age was alwaies one and the self-same Man Et de eodem impossibile est idem affirmari negari The Consequence not withstanding is no better than this following The last Eclipse of the Moon was necessary from the beginning Ergo The Moon was necessarily eclipsed in the first quarter or in the
the ninth Book Sect. 6. Chap. 39. the Manner of his sitting there being no Article of our Faith nor any of the most useful Appertenances as I conceive it to that Grand Mysterie of his exaltation as Man above all Powers and Principalities St. Austins answer unto Dardanus who as farr as my reading serves me first moved that Curious Question which of late hath much troubled the Church Whether Christs sitting at the Right hand of God the Father include any VBIQVITARIE PRESENCE of his Humanitie doth very well satisfie me and I intreat the Ingenuous Reader it may for this time suffice him till it please God that he see more * In the 11. Book not yet printed The Summe of this Reverend Fathers Answer is That the Session of Jesus Christ the Son of God at the Right hand of the Throne of Majestie is to be extended neither further nor shorter then to the place or heavenly places whence he shall come to judge the Quick and the Dead From much better Authoritie then St. Austin's or any Visible Church Representative here on Earth either in or since his time we are taught and enjoyned to believe That the Son of God by whom the world was made sitteth now in Our Nature at the right hand of the Almighty Creator and that this his Seat is in the Heavenly Sanctuaries which are not made with hands as the first Tabernacle in the wildernesse and as the Temple at Jerusalem were that He sitts there as the High Priest of our Soules continually exercising his Function for accomplishing the Redemption or Freedom of all such as are Capable of it giving all men a Competent Time the definite extent whereof is only known to God and to himself for their Repentance and Conversion unto him Only thus much we know indefinitely that there he shall Sitt as our High Priest untill the Enemies of his Gospel and despisers of his Priesthood be made his Footstoole that is untill the Iniquitie of the retchless part of Mankind and the number of such as are Predestinated unto Eternal life be accomplished This Glass being runne he will appear as King to give Royall Sentence upon all such as shall be alive at his coming or have been dead before and render to every man according to his Works Thus much we may learn from our Apostle in the eighth and ninth Chapters of that Divine Epistle to the Hebrews which I have proposed as my Guide or Mapp for my safe Conduct through this Treatise Concerning the Power and continual Exercise of Christs Priesthood in his heavenly Sanctuary CHAP. XLIV The Coherence of the eighth Chapter to the Hebrews with the seven preceding and two following The Exact Proportions or Parallels Betwixt the Mundane Tabernacle with the two Sanctuaries therein and the Coelestial with those in it betwixt the Manner or Rites in the Consecration of the One and the other Betwixt the High Priests of the Old Testament and Christ our only High Priest of the New intimated in This explicated in the following Chapters HEBR. CHAP. VIII Verse 1. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the Summe we have such an High Priest who is sett on the Right hand of the throne of Majestie in the Heavens Verse 2. A minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man 1. THese words have a double Reference The One unto that which he had said in the seven Chapters Precedent The Other unto some Passages following in this eighth ninth tenth c Of the Doctrinal Parts of the seven Chapters precedent and of the Mysteries contained in them it hath been my Lot to treat in former Bookes of these Commentaries and as the matters handled in them did minister occasion upon a great part of the first Chapter upon some principal passages in the second and third upon the most part of the fifth sixth and seventh the Reader may find what I did conceive to be most usefull for his instruction or meditation in the seventh eighth and ninth Bookes of these Commentaries 2. The Places whereunto the First Verse of this Eighth Chapter hath more special Reference are the foure first verses of the First Chapter God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his son whom be hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds c. Who when he had by himself purged our sinnes sate down on the right hand of the Majestie on high being made so much better then the Angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they c. But unto which of the Angels said he at any time sit on my right hand untill I make thine enimies thy footstool ver 13. Another place whereunto the same words Chap. 8. 1. referre most to be observed as a principal Pillar of our Beleife concerning the heavenly Sanctuary wherein Christ sits on the right hand of God is that Chap. 6. ver 19. 20. Which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the vail whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus made an High-Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck 3. With this last passage of Chap. 6 the Mysteries contained in the in the 8 9 and tenth chapters do most immediatly accord Mysteries I am bold to style them though some interpreters make them no more then Metaphors or unhandsom Rhetorical Tropes because the matters contained in them are expressd in Divine Allegories which as hath been observed before do herein farre exceed Allegories meerely Rhetorical or concerning matters Secular in that they alwayes afford Concludent Proof that is true Arguments of Real Proportions The Principal Termes or Real Subjects of Proportions in the 8 and ninth chapters of this Epistle are these following The Earthly or mundan Tabernacle and the Coelestial The Two Sanctuaries contein'd in the Earthly Tabernacle and the Two Heavenly Sanctuaries which in proportion answer to them The several manner of Dedication or Consecration of all these Sanctuaries The several manner or Rites used in the Dedication of all these Sanctuaries The distinct Offices of the High-Priest and Ordinary Priests of the old Testament or Covenant and of the Onely High-Priest of the New 4. In the earthly Tabernacle framed and pitched by Moses and so likewise in the Temple of Ierusalem projected by David but finished and consecrated by Salomon his son there were Two Sanctuaries or Holy Places One into which the Ordinary Priests were by precept to enter every day The Other into which it was lawful for none save for the High-Priest alone to enter and that but Once every Year Now this earthly or mundane Tabernacle which contained these two Sanctuaries being erected by Gods special Command unto Moses according to the Patern which had been shewed him in the