further then we see good probabilitie for whereas the Honour and Glory we owe unto Him as our Father and our King as the Lord our God is to hope above hope to rely upon his providence that prospereth beyond all possibilitie of good speed that we know can foresee or imagine He that will save his life as our Saviour saith must resolve to lose it That is according to the equitie of this Rule whosoever desires God to bestow upon him that immortal and farre better Life must be in heart and mind resolved to resign this mortal life into his hand whensoever he shall demand it Oft-times we come to lose this mortal life it self by too much chariness or intemperate desires to keep it Such as fear death more then Gods displeasure oft-times incurre both when as he that neglects all care of life by Gods extraordinary mercie and care hath his life given him for a prey As it is said to Baruch Jer. 45. 5. Or as it is promised by God in the fore-cited third of Malachi ver 16. Then spake they that feared the Lord every one to his neighbor to wit to honour the Lord as he required and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name And they shall be to me saith the Lord of Hosts in that day that I shall do this for a Flock and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Then shall you return and discern betwixt the righteous and the wicked betwixt him that serveth God and him that serveth him not 13. By the equitie of the same Rule we gather that he which desires God should bless him with extraordinary riches that is send him such riches as shall be a Blessing unto him for to many they are a curse must resolve as Solomon speaks to cast his bread upon the waters to be open so more open-handed to the poor then he can see any probability in humane reason how it should hold out referring the issue to God who will blesse us over and above that we can desire or can procure by ordinary care so we in sinceritie of heart not out of vain ostentation be liberal and bountiful over and above the Rate of our ordinary means If we desire God should send down a secret blessing upon our store we should do alms so secret that the left hand should not know what the right hand gave He that will honour the Lord with his substance shall have his Barns filled with abundance Prov. 3. 9. And the reason why many a poor mans store is not extraordinarily increased as the Sareptan Widdows was is because out of their penurie they do not minister to others that are in greater necessity then themselves especially to such as are dear in Gods sight as his Prophets or Messengers We may not perhaps desire that God should work such a miracle in our dayes For the manner but he can and will give as extraordinary increase by meanes ordinarie though not usual For his promise is still the same First seek the Kingdom of Heaven and the righteousnesse thereof and all those things which the world cares for shall be added unto you God blesseth not us Ministers with such store of temporal things as we desire because we minister not spiritual things to you in such measure as he commands And God blesseth not you with such store of spiritual instruction as you do or should desire because you are backward in ministring temporal things to Gods Honour To conclude as we must be perfect as God is perfect though not so perfect as he is perfect so must we do to him as we desire he should do to us though not in the same measure If we desire Glorie Immortalitie of him which is the participation of his Divine Nature we must first be holy as He is holy If we seek for bodily health we must use temperance and abstinence in our Diet. You need not fear as if this Doctrine came near Poperie That we must do that which is Good ere we obtain that which we desire of God is the Doctrine of Our Church in the Collect appointed for the fourteenth Sunday after Trinitie ALmighty and everlasting God Give unto us the increase of Faith Hope and Charity And that we may obtain that which thou dost promise make us to love that which thou dost command especially make us to love the Great Commandments of loving Thee O Lord above all with all our hearts with all our souls with all our strength and our neighbours as our selves Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Third Sermon upon this Text. CHAP. XXXIV MATTH 7. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye even so unto them c. The Impediments that obstruct the Practise of this Dutie of Doing to others as we would have done to our selves are chiefly Two 1. Hopes and desires of attaining better estates then we at present have 2. Fears of falling into worse Two readie Wayes to the Dutie 1. To wean our soules into an Indifferencie or vindicate them into a Libertie in respect of all Objects 2. To keep in mind alwayes a perfect Character of our own Afflictions and Releases or Comforts Two Inconveniences arising from accersite greatness or prosperity 1. It makes men defective in performing the Affirmative part of this Dutie 2. It makes them perform some part of the Affirmative with the violation of the Negative part thereof A Fallacie discovered An useful general Rule 1. THe Third Point proposed Chapter 32. § 5. was concerning the best means and method of putting this Rule in Practise And we shall the sooner find out These if we can discover those Impediments which usually either disable or detain men from doing to others as they would be done unto themselves The Original and principal Impediment of this practise is because we cannot or will not or do not sufficiently and impartially propose others mens Cases as our own And this fals out oft-times because we are ignorant what our own desires would be in many Cases and therefore having no Rule within our selves we cannot practise This to the behoof of others It is seen by experience that such as have the fresh prints or bleeding scarres of any calamitie upon themselves will be most compassionate to others suffering the like The Reason is These men cannot but propose other mens afflictions as their own They know well what they themselves have desired to be done unto them in like calamitie and according to the full measure of their own desires ariseth an Alacritie and readiness to relieve others The sight or notification of others mens miseries casts them as it were by a Relapse into a Fit of their Own so as they are afflicted whilst others are tormented and for this Reason are drawn by Sympathie to do to others as
and Last consists of Thirteen Select Sermons the fittest I could chuse out to aid and accompany the precedent Discourses especially to attend the Tracts Of Christs coming to Judgment Of the Resurrection Of Life and Death Eternal which as they most flagrantly set forth THE TERROR OF THE LORD so are they most likely by startling and amateing the Conscience to prepare mens minds that the Impressions of those Sermons may be most penetrative and permanent As in the last mentioned Tracts me-thinks I find A Particular Summons directed to my self Prepare to meet thy God Give an Account of thy Stewardship So in the annexed Sermons I find peculiar and proper Remembrances of several things wherein I have done very foolishly deeds that ought not to be done For this cause I bow my knees and pray the Reader to lift his heart up in my behalf to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for Pardon and Peace and that what I have here printed in this Book may so be written in the Table of my heart not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God that I may not only wait for but haste to the Coming of the Day of God Having transferred these things unto my self and thus far made the Reader yea the World it self my Confessor I hope none will offend if I shew what respective parts of the ensuing Work may by others be usefully applyed to themselves And first of all The Sorrowful and rightly suffering soul if his actings be according may reap harvests of Comfort from what Our Author hath written About Judgment Resurrection and the Life to Come Whereas he that adds sin to miserie and wrath may certainly presume all the Desolations and Destructions God hath brought upon the Earth as so many Tastes and pledges of Greater to ensue The Woes past are but Schiographies and portendments scarce beginnings of future evils And I earnestly beseech all of the former sort as to fortifie themselves with Arguments to Charitie and forgiving injuries out of Chap. 32. So to regulate their Conversation and Demeanour by the Directions to be sound Chap. 35. The Section Of Christs coming to Judgment is very useful for such as take upon them places of Judicature and most useful for such as judge in matters of Highest Nature and Difference The Precept of Deborah Judg. 5. 10. Meditate ye Ye that sit in Judgment is the same with that of David Psal 2. 10 12. Be Wise Kiss the Son And the Question which David puts in that Golden Psalm Ne perdas will again be put to the Question by the Son of David when he comes to judge the Judges of the Earth Are your minds set upon righteousness O ye Congregation And do ye judge the thing that is right O ye sons of Men Whether ye do or no will then be justly and finally judged The Tract Of the Resurrection who can express the use of it An astonishing Meditation it is to think I now see as surely the eyes of some shal see those Christian brethren that fel in any late Battail were buried where they fell rising out of their places of Burial whether impleading or forgiving one another and with haste marching into the Valley of Jehoshaphat to see the day won or lost there and whose Heads shall then be crowned with Glory Yet is this but as the drop of a bucket to the Ocean of that days Terrors The Sermons upon that Precept of Christ I might say of Noah and Tullie Do as you would be done to are worth their weight in Gold of Ophir and useful for all Christians of what condition soever There came out a Book some sixteen years ago intituled Autocatacrisis Ladensium To the Partie or Persons that Composed or applauded that Book wherein Our Author is named I would especially recommend His Discourses upon Rom. 2. 1. presuming that that those with the Verifications of them exhibited in these late Revolutions will convince Him or them sufficiently That it is no difficult matter to compile a Larger Volume of Particularities wherein they that have judged others have by doing over and over again and again the same things or things more then equivalent condemned themselves and justified those whom they have condemned The Sermons upon 2 Chron. 24. and Matth. 23. contein very sound reproof of the Pharisaical Duplicitie of such as built the Sepulchres of ancient and yet persecuted the present Prophets and therein of such as in our dayes commend the Lives and condemn the Authors of the Deaths of Bishop Cranmer Hooper Ridley Ferrar Father Latimer c. And yet destroy their successors in Order Discipline and Doctrine I call heaven and earth to Record this day not to condemn such but to convince them that they may be saved That Those Men whom they have cast out as enemies to the Church of England and in Effect by driving them out from the Inheritance of the Lord tempted saying Go serve other Gods are The Men that bear the Burthen and heat of the day in all Contests betwixt parties of the English and Romish Churches and that preserve their undoers from being overborn with Romish Errors And this they do upon disadvantages unimaginable save only to such as have experimented them for want of their own Libraries Their former accommodations of Secessus Otia c. Besides Those Sermons will shew That the guilt of Blood will lye long upon a Nation That it justly may and certainly will be required of late Posterity unless A Signal Repentance of the same and especial abstinence from the like sins intervene I appeal to the meekest Moses upon earth what Degree of Guilt he would apportion to that Communitie suppose it in any Forrain Kingdom or the Posteritie thereof which being not only A Pretender to Christianitie but to the Puritie thereof did Sit as a Spectator whilst a Tumultuous Tempest of People for divers hours together did hunt and chase an Aged man were he good or bad unto the Death Yet was this thing done in our Metropolis which is a kind of standing Representative of the whole Nation some thirtie yeers ago Or what censure he would pass upon three Kingdomes the Generality whereof did though but ex-post-facto only by rejoycing at the deed consent to the Assassination of A Prince the man whom the King had honoured Yet was this also done about the same number of years since It is true Justice did treatably overtake the Partie that did this Fact But Who ever sorrowed for the Joy conceived at it These two seem to have been Portentuous Aboadments of Calamities ensuing as the daily visible desolation and Profanation of Gods House is of future woe And I remember them not as making Intercession against Israel or as things I have whereof to accuse mine own Nation with delight but upon the same account that I call mine own sins to remembrance that God may be intreated for the Land to blot them out of His.
observe did report of Them to the Asiaticks who slandered and persecuted them Take notice saith he of the late and daily Earthquakes compare our estate with theirs They he means Christians have more confidence to God-ward then you have 15. This was The solid Truth whose liveless Lineaments or obscure Picture nature had drawn unto the Heathen in the former indefinite Notions or Suggestions The best fruits of a good conscience the principal end why we are to study and labor for the preservation of our Consciences void of offence towards God and man throughout the whole course of our life is that we may be enabled in that last day to stand without horror or confusion before the Son of Man As peace of conscience breedeth confidence so the onely Fountain whence this peace of conscience can issue must be our reconciliation to that supreme Judge whose doom or Censure the Consciences of meer natural men implicitly or by instinct of Nature dread albeit they cannot apprehend the express manner of the Judgement to come or who it is that shall be Judge Both these and all like points which are necessary unto true Christian Faith must be learned out of the Book of Life Thus much of the First General viz. Heathen Notions of a Judgement to come c. we proceed to the second according to the method proposed in the 9 th Chapter CHAP. XI By what authority of Scripture the Exercise of this Final Judgement is appropriated unto our Lord Jesus Christ 1. THat there was to be a Judgement general to all but most terrible to the wicked and ungodly was a Truth revealed before any part of the sacred Books now extant were written But if it be a Revelation more ancient then the written Canon what warrant can we have to believe it besides Tradition Is then Tradition a sufficient warrant for us to believe unwritten verities or Revelations made to Gods Saints for many thousand years ago It is not unless the Tradition be expresly avouched by some Canonical Writer But then it or rather the Vouchers authority concerning the truth of the Tradition is to be believed So that our Belief in this Point must be resolved into a written verity or a parcel of Canonical Scripture The Revelation concerning the final Judgement whereof we now speak was made to Enoch before the Flood The Avoucher of this Revelation is St. Jude ver 14 15. And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying 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 Besides the authority of St. Jude which makes this Tradition to be no more a meer Tradition but Canonical Scripture we have other more special Grounds to believe that Enoch did thus Prophesie then we have to believe any other pretended Revelations which are not contained in Scripture The truth and certainty of this Judgment denounced by Enoch was so publickly and notoriously known that the Hebrew Church before our Saviours incarnation did begin the Writ or Instrument of their Great and terrible Excommunication with the first words of Enochs Prophesie Dominus veniet the Lord shall come As if they meant to bind the party whom they excommunicated besides all other punishments or infamies over to this Grand Assize But is there in this Prophecie any particular character of Christ Any pregnant intimation that this Great Judge of the world should be the Second Person in the Trinity rather then The First In the words themselves there is no peculiar Character of Christ save only in The Title LORD which as we said before is peculiar to Christ whether it be in the Original exprest by the word Jehovah or Adonai whensoever Judgment or visible exercise of Jurisdiction Regal is the subject or matter of the prophetical discourse as in this Prophecy of Enoch it is Besides this Character in the words of the prophecie the Prophet himself Enoch was a lively Type of Christ the great Prophet in the very ground of his Title to Lordship and Jurisdiction Enoch was translated that he should not see death but before his translation had this testimony that he Pleased God Hebr. 11. 5. Before his Translation he denounced this Wo or Curse against all that continue in ungodliness fore warning the world withal that the Lord himself whose Embassador he was should come to put his Embassage in execution The congruity of the Fact or Type with the Body fore-shadowed implies that this Propheeie was then to be fulfilled after the Prince of Prophets had been translated as Enoch was from earth but in a higher degree then Enoch was into heaven it self And albeit before his translation he had a more ample Testimony then Enoch had this is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased yet was he not made Lord and King and Judge till after his Resurrection and Translation From that time the Angels and Principalities and Powers even all the Hoast of Heaven intimated by Enoch became by that Title subject unto him That Christ is that very Lord against whom those ungodly men whom Enoch mentions did speak such bitter words our Apostle St. Paul though obscurely yet fully implies in the conclusion of his first Epistle to the Corinthians chapt 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let him be accursed or excommunicated with that Great and terrible Excommunication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Lord shall come for so they call their Excommunication as we do Writs by the first words of the Writ or Instrument and these were the first words of Enochs Prophecie Veniet Dominus The Lord shall come The full meaning or implication of the Apostle is That whosoever doth not love the Lord Jesus shall be liable to all the Iudgments or Woes denounced by Enoch against the hard speeches of ungodly Sinners which they have spoken against their Lord and Iudge 2. That God is Judge of all the Earth that there shall be a final Judgment generally awarded to all the Inhabitants of the Earth by God himself the places of the old Testament are infinite I shall only touch the principal or more pregnant testimonies to this purpose To begin with the First Gen. 18. 22. When the men turned their faces from thence and went towards Sodom Abraham stood yet before The Lord and drawing neer he said wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked ver 23. And again ver 25. To slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked that be far from thee Shall not The Judge of all the Earth do right Thus he spake in the case of Sodom whose Judgment this Lord and Judge of all the earth was then
ΜΑΡΑΠΑΘΑ OR DOMINVS VENIET COMMENTARIES Upon these ARTICLES of the CREED Never heretofore Printed VIZ. Of Christs Session at the Right Hand of God and Exaltation thereby His being made LORD and Christ Of his Coming to Judge the Quick and the Dead The Resurrection of the Body And Life Everlasting both in Joy and Torments WITH DIVERS SERMONS Proper Attendants upon the Precedent TRACTS AND Befitting These PRESENT TIMES BY That Holy Man and Profound DIVINE Thomas Jackson D. D. President of CORPUS CHRISTI Coll. in OXFORD Inharet in mentibus quasi seculorum augurium quoddam futurorum c. M. T. C. Tusc Quest lib. 1. O praclarum Diem cum ad Divinum illud concilium animorum proficiscar cumque ex hac turba colluvione discedam Idem de Senect LONDON Printed by A. Maxey for Timothy Garthwait at the little North Door of S. Pauls 1657. To the REVERENCE LEARNING and VERTUES of D R SHELDON SIR THis comes not to bespeak you Patron of the Book to which it is prefixed but to acknowledge and to make known unto the world That you have been both a Faithful Friend to the Great Author thereof in Conserving and also a Publick Benefactor in producing the Manuscripts here printed in this and the precedent Volume the Tenth and Eleventh Books of His Commentaries upon the Creed But though I think I have done you some small right in making this Acknowledgment I fear by occasion thereof you may be thought by others to have done the Author and your self no smal wrong The Point wherein your Judgement may suffer will be The Concrediting so Precious Deposita to so mean a Person as my self And yet to vindicate your self and to comfort me The ensuing Narration may give some Arguments of Hope That this was not done sine Numine without the contrivance of Divine Providence first putting together diverse small particulars and then advancing them to the effecting of a Work not small The first stone of this Work was laid some 44 years ago in my School-Acquaintance with a Vertuous and studious young Gentleman Mr. Ro. Nettleton of Yorkshire This Friendship being intermitted by the space of fourteen yeers he going to Oxon and I to Cambridge Anno 1617. was afterwards renewed by meeting and Conference which though Casual and short did soon discover as the Ointment in the right Hand will not long be hid That we had all this while been Disciples to One Man though we had lived so many years without any the least Intelligence or Commerce in Two several Academies After This there followed a second Pause or Cessation of Twelve or fourteen years more Towards the end of which space The Difficulties of the Times brought me to seek retirement in Oxon where by the Mediation of Mr. Benson a very Ingenuous person and Amanuensis to Dr. Jackson I made suit to Dr. Newlin Successor to our Author in the Government of Corpus Christi Colledg to view some Papers for my private Information but could not obtein though upon condition to peruse them only in his own Lodgings So careful and cautelous was that Faithful Man for which I honour and commend him This just and kind denyal sharpned my former desires and made me seek out a Precator a very Grave and Learned Man well known to your self by whose Mediation I might obtein from you or by your help what I could not otherwise get Whereupon you were pleased to give me so fair an Advousion of your Favour as supported my hopes for the space of three yeers more when returning to Oxon and missing your self I made means a second time to Dr. Newlin and got a sight of some of Dr. Jacksons Papers This was in the Year 1646. In the year 1651 Mr. Nettleton being in London and being very disirous of the thing intreated me to expend that small Acquaintance I had with the Learned and Pious Dr. Hammond in obteining of your self and by your Mediation of Dr. Newlin a sight of such Papers as Dr. Jackson left behind him which you granted and effected with so memorable alacritie as did both mcourage Him divers others assisting the design also to contribute towards the reprinting of the first three Books ill printed in Quarto and after that towards the publishing of the Tenth besides some charge in writing out part of this Eleventh Book and obliged me to assist the best I could in doing of them all I have great cause to bless the Almighty for many blessings at all times but signally for Three bestowed upon me in these sad times of publick calamitie 1. That he hath ever fed me with Food convenient for me mine own bread being the Bread of my Desires 2. That he hath repaired my other losses with a great supply of Learned and Pious Acquaintance greater perhaps then the times continuing prosperous would ever have afforded me so true is the Good Word of God Mark 10. 30. Thirdly That though I was forced from My Nest wherein I said I shall dye yet he suffered me not to be utterly deprived of all opportunities to do him service And I think my self bound to profess that in this Price which God by your hand hath put into mine I take most comfort as hoping that my Negotiation therewith by Gods gracious acceptation will abound to mine Account and pass for a supplement or substituted Commutation of such duties as I have otherwise been defective in And I earnestly beseech all such as were ever committed to my Tuition in the University or to my Charge in Cure of Souls in the Countrie to serve themselves of these my endeavors in another mans Labors so as out of them to repair all their dammages sustained by my negligence omissions or deficiencie in duties towards them And now Honoured Sir if I have not wearied you with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is very nauseous to my self I can subjoyn a second Series of Arguments That Gods good hand of Providence was in this Business throughout If I ever made any high menaces or had Projects of doing any thing worthy a Clerk the very thoughts thereof before I die are perisht And I became justly frighted into this humbled despereing Temper partly by conversing with this Great Authors Works published twentie years ago where I read this Passage and I cannot but subscribe to it If the sins of this Land for forty years past were divided into ten parts the sins of the Pulpit and of the Presse would make A Large Tenth Had not this Good Man been taken away from the evil to come but lived to hear the Pulpitings and read the Printings of these last twenty years what would he have said Would not he have reckoned them Nine parts of ten Being then resolved Periturae parcere Chartae never to increase the deplorable Bundels of Supervacuous Books by any composure of mine I acknowledg my self as Caelibes and Improles are in a more especial manner bound
to assist the Widow and the Orphan obliged to help out the more profitable works of Learned men deceased As God by convincing me of disabilitie hath taken away all hopes and desires of publishing any Work of mine own So he hath given me an extraordinary delight of serving out the works of this Man and this delight hath made me able to take more pains in this then ever I took in any other Book-businesse throughout my whole life Yea God seems to have given me life beyond all expectation partly for effecting this Work I said in the year 1649 I shall certainly go down to the grave God strangely brought me back from the Gates of Death He only knows what more to suffer I cannot see at present what else to do but to publish these Tracts the Quintessence of which is That of The Resurrection of the Dead I have yet Two Things to trouble your patience with The Former is To secure you that I have made no Merchandize no base Gain no gain at all for any would be base in me of those Jewels you committed to my Trust The Later To assure you That I have dealt as carefully and faithfully in the Publication of These Tracts as I would if the Case had so been the Author should have done in mine And yet if this satisfaction be too general to stay that wonderment which haply will arise in your mind when at the end of Chap. 43. you shal find A Fragment of the Authors interserted Be pleased over and above the Reasons there given to accept of this Following The Opinion That the sins of those Jewes who crucified our Saviour persecuted his Apostles and stoned S. Stephen were not visited upon them but that the Plagues respectively due for doing so were fended off or superseded by the signal vertue of Christs Blood speaking better things then that of Abel and special Efficacie of His Prayers for them was new and seemed though quaint yet very useful for us of suffering Condition I confess I am scrupulous of losing any Fragment of this Authors but was highly tender of leaving out in that place the least Grain of weight that might adde any shew of proof to His intended Conclusion which I would fain have rendred as probable as might be That we who are to fill up the leavings of Christs afflictions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might more willingly and perfectly conform to Our Captain not only in Patience but in Charitie also and be excited earnestly to sollicit and employ the Interest we have in God through Christ chiefly for the Conversion and Salvation of our Adversaries and then for sparing them as to temporal punishments That it may one day appear they fared the better for those that fared worse for them even for those whom they counted the worst of men the Troublers of Israel the Anathemaes or Cursed things If this will not satisfie you I have no Refuge left but to fly to the Sanctuary where the Authors ashes lye and to beg pardon of you in whom by consignment of Will his Person lives which I presume you will the sooner grant upon condition I cease to trouble you further May you please then to sit by a while only to view how I demean my self and to awe me into Reverence in my Addresses to the Common Christian Reader who by what he hath here already heard and shall after read will joyn in thanks to You and Prayers for You With Your Affectionate Humble Servant in Christ B. O. To the CHRISTIAN READER Grace from GOD and Benefit from THIS BOOK COncerning the Author of these Learned and Godly Tracts I have spoke my mind so fully in the Prefaces to the First and Second Volumes Printed in Folio some years ago that I have nothing to do here but to own and avow what I there wrote which by these presents I heartily do And when the Reader hath perused this Book I hope he will confess That I have good reason not only to continue but to increase and advance my good Opinion of Him and say He believed and therefore spake what is here to be read in these Comments upon the Creed and that Being dead by Faith and these Writings faithful and true he yet speaks as the Oracles of God concerning Judgment to come The Resurrection of the Dead and Life Everlasting Touching the Order of the whole Bodie of His Works I have likewise so fully expressed my self in the Preface to the Tenth Book as that to say any thing more of That would be superfluous I can only call to mind One useful Particular which I then forgot though I had inserted it amongst my Memorandums of things necessary to be accounted for to the Reader the Omission whereof is here to be repaired and that is About the Numeration of the Folioes or the Figures set on the tops of the first and following leaves respectively The First Volume in Folio Containing the Three First Books of this Authors Commentaries on the Creed did end with the number 508. The tenth Book which is the second Volume as yet printed in Folio did begin with Number 3001. To the Intelligent Reader asking a Reason of so great a Chasma or Skip I Answer All the Numbers betwixt these Two were left void and allowed according to conjectural Computation for the reprinting in Folio of the 4 5 6 7 8 and 9 th Books only yet printed in Quarto for that the Owner of the Copies may not afford to put them into Folio that so the whole proceeding in a Continued Series might be more capable of a General Index at the last About the Order observed in This Book there is so much said upon sundry occasions in several Transitions as hath prevented for though it follow in reading it was printed before this Preface the pains here So that it is the Matter of this Eleventh Book which must afford me stuff or matter whereon to make a Preface Here is then published for the Readers behoof and to his view A TREATISE of that Knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which arises from the right understanding and true Belief of His Sitting at the Right Hand of God the Father Of His Exaltation thereby to be Lord and Christ or to His Lordship and Dominion which being both of Proprietie and Jurisdiction hath annexed unto it the Power of Judging the Quick and the Dead And in order thereunto of Raising the Dead also that both they and those which shall be found alive at His Coming may by His Award or Sentence receive their Final Dooms according to their several Demeanours in the Bodie when they that have done Good shal go into Life Everlasting which is the Gift of God And those that have done Evil and have not their evil deeds done away receiving the wages of sin shal go into Everlasting Fire This is the Short or sum of what is conteined in the Five first Sections The Sixth
And I beseech the Infinite Mercie to pardon these and all others as fully freely and upon the same termes I desire pardon for mine own I have but Two Things more to say and the One concernes the Vulgar Reader 1. That this Book seems no way lyable to the Objection of Obscurity which hath been sometimes made against some other parts of this Authors Writings the Style here being more easie and Popular as first prepared for His Charge at Newcastle Though to say the truth The Darkness was most-what in the Readers Eye and not in the Object or Authors Writings 2. That the longer the world lasts the more seasonable every day then other will this Book be yea so it must needs be the Essential parts thereof treating of and proving Christs Coming to Judgement The Resurrection and Life Everlasting If any One shall either by reading the Book or the Preface be any thing bettered I beseech him make his Return in Prayers for the Church of England once the Envie and Fear now by the folly of her own children made the scorn of her Aemula That the Lord would so build up her walls set up her Gates and erect her Towers That Her Militancie in his strength may be victorious for His Truth and at last changed into a Triumph in His Glory Which shall be the earnest Request of Her most Unworthy Son and the Readers Humble Servant in the Lord Jesus B. O. ERRATA In the Tenth Book Fol. 3137. lin 16. read some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of R. In this Book Fol. 3327. lin 26. read Fifth Chapt. Fol. 3789. lin 16. read Cui à nobis reddenda A TABLE Of the Principal Arguments of the several Sections and Chapters contained in this BOOK SECT I. Of Christs Sitting at the Right Hand of God Of the Grammatical sense of the Words and of the Real Dignity answering thereto CHAP. I. Of the Grammatical sense of the words Heb. 10. 12. But this man after he had offered one Sacrifice c. and whether they be meerly Metaphorical pag. 3307 2. Of the Real Dignitie contained in this Article viz. The Exaltation of Christ That Christ was exalted both as the Son of God and the son of David p. 3311 3. In what sense Christs humane Nature may in what sense it may not be said to be infinitely exalted The Question concerning the Ubiquity of Christs Bodie handled p. 3317 4. A Paraphrase upon the sixth of S. John In what sense Christs flesh is said to be truly meat c. What it is To eat Christs Flesh and drink his Blood Of Eating and Drinking Spiritual and Sacramental and whether of them is meant John 6. 56. Of Communion in one kind and Receiving Christs Blood per Concomitantiam Tollets Exposition of Except ye Eat And Drink by disjunction turning And into Or confuted and Rules given for better expounding like Cases How Christ dwells in Us and We in Him The Application All which be seasonable Meditations upon the Lords Supper p. 3328 5. The Great Attribute of Christ His being the Chief Corner stone handled in the foregoing Chapter prosecuted more amply in this Christ is the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets How Christians being built upon this Foundation do grow into an Holy Temple p. 3348 SECT II. Of Christs Lordship or Dominion Phil. 2. 11. That every tongue should confess c. p. 3358 CHAP. 6. What it is to be a Lord. Though there be many called Lords yet there is but One Absolute Lord. ibid. 7. In what Respects or upon what Grounds Christ by peculiar Title is called The Lord. And first of the Title it self Secondly of the Real Grounds unto this Title 3362 8. What our confession of Christ to be The Lord importeth and how it redoundeth to the glory of God the Father SECT III. Of Christs Coming to Judgment CHAP. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 10. insisted upon p. 3375 10. Of the Natural Notions which the Heathens had and the Internal Experiments which every true Christian may have answering to those Notions of a final Judgment 3377 11. By what Authority of Scripture this exercise of the final Judgment is appropriated unto our Lord Jesus Christ p 3390 12 The manner of Christs coming to Judgment which was the third General proposed in the ninth Chapter p. 3401 SECT IV. Of the Resurrection of the Dead CHAP. 13. The Belief of the Article of the Resurrection of high concernment malignantly impugned by Satan and his Agents needs and deserves our best Fortification The Heathens had Implicite notions of a Resurrection The obstacle of impossibility removed by proof of this Conclusion That though all things were annihilated yet God is able to retrieve or recover The Numerical same p. 3422 14. This Argument drawn from Seed sown 1 Cor. 15. 36. c. is a concludent proof of the resurrection of the Bodie p 3434 15. The Objections of the Atheist and the Exceptions of the Naturalist both put fully home and as fully answered The falsitie of the Supposals and Paradoxes rather then Principles of the Atheist discovered and made even palpable by ocular demonstration and by Instances in Bodies Vegetant and Sensitive A Scruple that might trouble some pious mind after all this satisfied A short Application of the Doctrin contained in the whole Chapter p 3444 16 The Apostles method 1 Cor. 15. 16 17 20. in proving the Resurrection peculiar and yet Artificial His way of Natural or reciprocal Infeference both Negative and Assertive justified and shewed That both these Inferences naturally arise and may concludently be gathered from the Text and from the Principles of Christian Belief Wherein the witness false upon supposition ver 14 15. should consist That Philosophical Principle Deus et Natura nihil faciunt frustra divinely improved Gods special and Admirable works have ever a Correspondent that is some extraordinary end How sin is taken away by Christs Death How by his Resurrection How we are justified by Christs Resurrection How we may try our selves and know whether we rightly believe this Article of the Resurrection or no. p 3455 SECT V. Of the Article of Everlasting Life CHAP. XVII Rom. 6. 21 22 23. What fruit had ye then of those things c. The Connexion of the fifth and sixth Chapters to the Romans A Paraphrase upon the sixth chapter The importance of the phrase Dead to sin No Christians in this life so dead to sin as to come up to the Resemblance of Death natural True Christians dead to sin in a proportion to civil death All Christians at least all the Romans to whom S. Paul writes did so in Baptism professe themselves dead to sin and vow death to sin by a true Mortification thereof All have in Baptism or may have a Talent of Grace as an Antidote or Medicine against the deadly Infection of sin as a strengthning to make us victorious over sin Three Motives to deter us from the service of sin 1. It is fruitless 2. It
give is his flesh that his flesh is meat indeed that his blood is drink indeed Now if the sacramental bread in S t Matthew cannot literally be said to be his body unlesse it be converted into the substance of his body then cannot Christ himselfe literally be said to be bread unlesse his substance be converted into the substance of bread His flesh cannot literaly be said meat indeed unlesse it be really and substantially converted into meat his blood cannot be said drink indeed unlesse it be really transubstantiated into drink If they grant these words to be meant of Sacramental eating or to be equivalent to the words of the Institution Now to deny these words to be meant of sacramentall eating is every way lesse expedient for reformed Churches than for the Romish And yet to restrayn them either to Sacramental eating onely or to Spirituall eating excluding sacramental is worst of all We are therefore to consider that sacramental eating and spiritual eating are not opposite or incompatible but subordinate Our eating of Christs body and drinking of Christs blood are then compleat when they are Sacramentally spiritual or spiritually sacramentall For as Calvin excellently observes albeit such as professe themselves zealous followers of him either do not understand him or do not second him to eat Christs body and drink Christs blood Sacramentally is more then to beleive in Christ more than to have our faith awaked or quickned by the sacramentall pledges For no man can spiritually eat Christ but by beleeving his death and passion yet sacramental eating addes some what to spiritual eating how quick and lively soever our faith be whilest wee eat him onely spiritually For though our faith were in both the same as well for degree as qualitie yet the object of our faith is not altogether the same at least the Union of our faith unto the same object is not altogether the same in sacramental and in spiritual eating Christs body and blood are so present in the Sacrament that wee receive a more speciall influence from them in use of the sacrament than without it wee do so we receive it worthily or with hearts prepared by spiritual eating precedent that is by serious meditation of Christs death and passion It is not all one either not to think on Christs death and passion out of the sacrament or to think on them negligently or not reverently and to receive the sacrament of his body and blood unworthily negligently or irreverently Now as the effects or consequence of the unworthy Receiving the Holy Sacrament is more Dangerous then the Effects or Consequence of not eating Christ Spiritually or of Careless Meditation upon Christs death and passion so the Effect of Sacramental Receiving worthily and faithfully performed is a Greater refreshing to the Soul then the effect of Receiving Him Spiritually onely though reverently and as becomes us Now unto the reverent and worthy Receiving of Christs Bodie and Blood both ways that is both Spiritually and Sacramentally as being the most complete performance of the Condition required is the Promise of our Saviour most immediatly annexed He that So eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood Dwelleth in Mee and I in Him The meaning of which Promise was the Second Point proposed paragraph the 5 th and should be next handled but that the Application here desireth to be inserted 11. What hath been spelled apart let us now put together He that intends aright to eat Christs flesh and drink his Blood Sacramentally to his Souls Health must come prepared by a right and worthy receiving of Both Spiritually Now we Spiritually eat Christs Flesh and drink his Blood as often as we reverently and faithfully meditate upon Christs Death and remember it aright And this we do when we take a true Estimate of ourselves and of his death and sufferings for us For this is both duely to examine our selves or our own soules and rightly to Esteem or Discern the Lord's Bodie To Discern his Bodie from the bodies of other men we cannot unlesse we believe and acknowledge it to be The Bodie of the Son of God The bodie of God Blessed for ever as was shewed at large before in other Tracts and in the fore-part of this Book And this we may do and yet not rightly esteem that Love which Christ shewed unto us in offering his Bodie and Blood in respect of the love of others which would perhaps adventure their Bodies and shed their blood for us 12. To remember a A Good turn done by a friend and not to value and prize it as we ought is rather to forget then to remember his Friendlinesse Now no man can rightly prize the Death of Christ and the benefits thereof unlesse he truely believe that Christ Dyed for him But is Every one bound to believe This Yes He that doth not believe This doth not believe that Christ is The Messias or the Redeemer of the World To doubt of This is a degree of Infidelitie to denie it is more then Heresie a point of Jewish Infidelitie Yet to believe thus much and no more doth not immediately make a good Christian or worthy receiver of the Holy Sacrament What more then must every one believe That Christ dyed for him in particular certainly he must Nor doth the belief of This make him sure of his Salvation Every one must believe that Christ dyed for him in particular that he may be a worthy Receiver And Every One must worthily receive this Holy Sacrament that is worthily remember Christs death that he may make his Election sure But in what sense must Every one believe that Christ dyed for him in particular not Exclusively as if he dyed not for others as well as for him for this were to have the faith of Christ with respect of persons without charitie and contrarie to reason For if Every one must believe that Christ died for him in particular then every man must believe that Christ dyed for all men as well as for him Otherwise some men should be bound to believe an untruth But if he died for all men how is he said to die for thee and me in particular Verie well Thus. Though He dyed for all as well as for Thee or me yet did he not Die partly for thee and partly for me and partly for others but intirely for every one 13. Plato as Seneca in his 6. Book De Beneficijs Cap. 18. tells us thought himself obliged in kindnesse to one that had Transported him over a River without paying his Fare he reckoned it Positum apud Platonem officium But when he saw others partakers of the same Benefit he Disclaimed the Debt Hence Seneca draws This Aphorism It is not enough for him that will oblige me unto him to do me a good Turn unlesse he do it as to my self directly non tantùm mihi sed tanquà m mihi If upon the like considerations or to the end that they may think themselves obliged to
to the Jews which had answer'd him rightly that the Messias was to be the Son of David is unanswerable and most satisfactorie If the expected Messias were not to be the Son of God and truly God the supreme Lord as well of the dead as of the living why did David in spirit call him Lord before he was the Son of David It is a point to be observed that the Iews in our Saviours time did not or could not deny that this Psalm was literally meant of their expected Messias albeit the later Iews seek to wrest it but most ridiculously some to Ezekiah some to Abraham But that the word Adonai is of no lesse value or importance then Iehovah but only imports Iehovah or God incarnate or the Messias his Exaltation to be Lord or King may be evinced against the Iew for that the same sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving which One Psalmist solemnly offers unto Iehovah Another Psalmist or perhaps the same doth alike solemnly offer up to Adonai or to the expected Messias in another Psalm As Psal 57. which is a Prophetical Song of David and containes the Exaltation of his God and Lord Exalt thy self O God above the heaven and let thy glory be upon all the earth ver 5 11. This Prophecie was then punctually fulfilled and Davids prayer or request signed by the mouth of God when our Saviour after his Resurrection said All power is given to me in heaven and in earth go therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holie Ghost Mat. 28. 18. Unto this Iehovah or God whose Exaltation he foresaw and heartily prayed for and unto whom he had directed his prayers ver 1. He offers the Sacrifice of praise ver 9. under the title of Adonai I will praise or confesse thee among the people O Lord I will sing unto thee among the Nations The verie self-same sacrifice David offers unto the same God under the title of Iehovah Psal 108. 1 2 3 4 5. O God mine heart is prepared so is my tongue I will sing and give praise Awake Viol and Harp I will awake early I will praise thee O Lord among the people I will sing unto thee among the Nations For thy mercie is great above the heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds Exalt thy self O God above the heavens and let thy glorie be upon all the earth which last words were twice repeated in the 57. Psam 2. These Fundamental Points of Faith are clear from this collation of Scripture First That Adonai or Lord was the known Title of the Messias whom the Jews expected in our Saviours time and this was the reason that the Pharisces had not a word to answer or rejoyn unto our Saviour when he avouched that the Messias was to be The Son of God because David in Spirit called him Adonai Lord Matth. 22. 45. The second That he that was Adonai or the Messias was likewise Jehovah truly God because David did not in spirit onely call him Lord but did in spirit worship him as his Lord and God with the best sacrifice that he could devise as appears from Psalm 57. 8. A great part of the Book of Psalms even all those passages if my observation fail me not without exception which mention the extraordinary manifestation of Gods glory or his exaltation as King run the same way and as it were pay Tribute unto the infinite Ocean of Gods mercy first manifested in our Saviours Exaltation to the right hand of God The more remarkable Passages are these Psal 97. ver 1. Jehovah reigneth let the earth rejoice let the multitude of the Isles be glad Whilest Jehovah was onely known in Jurie the multitude of the Isles or Nations had no special reason to be glad for Iudah was then his Sanctuary and Israel his dominion but after God had given our Saviour Christ the utmost parts of the earth for his possession that is after our Saviours Ascension into Heaven and the effusion of the Holy Ghost upon his Disciples enabling them to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom unto all Nations the multitude of the Isles the whole Earth had reason to rejoyce Then was that fulfilled which followeth in that Psal ver 6. The Heavens declare his righteousness and all the people saw his Glory That this Psalm is literally meant of Christs Exaltation to be Lord of Lords and of his Inauguration to his everlasting Kingdom The Apostle St. Paul Heb. 1. 6. puts out of question amongst all Christians when he bringeth in his first begotten Son into the world he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him so the Psalmist had said in this 97. Psal ver 7. Confounded be all they that serve graven Images worship Him all ye Gods or as the Septuagint upon which our Apostle often Paraphrased Worship him all ye Angels of God The matter or subject of this Psalm is almost the same with Psal 2. Both of them contain Prophesies concerning the Declaration of Christ to be the Son of God And from this harmonie between this 97. and the second Psalm and from the common Prenotion or Rule of interpreting Scriptures known to the Learned or unpartially observant in those days the Apostle adds that Preface unto his Testimonie when he bringeth in his onely begotten Son into the World He supposeth that the Learned among his Countrie-men should or might have known that both these Prophecies were to be punctually fulfilled upon the Exaltation of the Messias or of those times wherein God should be manifested in the Flesh 3. Yet some conjecture that our Apostle Heb. 1. 6. hath reference rather to Deut. 32. ver 43. in the Greek Translation then unto the 97 Psalm in the Hebrew The words indeed in the Greek or Septuagint are the very same though in the Hebrew not the same by any Equivalencie of the literal sense At nec sic quidem malè There is a varietie of sense yet no discord but rather a full and perfect Consort between the Literal and Grammatical sense of the Hebrew and the mystical and real sense which the Greek or Septuagint in both places expresseth First The 97 Psalm as many others are is a Poetical descant upon Moses his divine Prophetical Song Deut. 32. And the 70 Interpreters whether out of some Prenotion or out of the admirable Concord between that song of Moses and the 97 Psalm or out of a divine Instinct wherewith as St. Augustine is of opinion they were impelled sometimes to intersert a more express meaning of the Holie Ghost then an ordinary Commentator could out of the Hebrew have observed whether this way or that way moved they have given the same Paraphrase upon Deut. 32. ver 43. which our Apostle hath made upon Psal 97. ver 7. which is no other then the Septuagint had made before but literally more consonant to the Hebrew then their Paraphrase upon Deut. 32. is But
he hath a more peculiar right of Dominion over us over all that pertain unto his Church then by right of Creation he hath as God then by right of Redemption or Attonement he hath as God and Man For That part of our nature that flesh and blood which he took of his Mother was his by a more peculiar Title and real property then it was God the Fathers or the Holie Ghosts and we by mystical and spiritual union with that part of the humane nature which he assum'd into the Unitie of his Divine Person are His at least He by this union is our Head and Lord by a more strict and proper Title then God the Father or God the Holie Ghost is By the former Title of Redemption or satisfaction made for us he is our Lord and we his servants By this Title of mystical Union with him he is the Bridegroom or Head the Church is his Spouse and being Head of the Church every member of it is bound as God by the Psalmist exhorts the Spouse Psal 45. to worship him as our Lord and God for the husband is Lord of the wife He bought all our souls being in the state of Aliens or bond-servants and after cleansed and purified them that they might be espoused to him and finally presented to his Father He hath purchased the Church of God saith St. Paul with his own blood Acts 20. 28. And again Eph. 5. Christ gave himself for the Church that he might Sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word That he might make it unto himself a glorious Church c. ver 25 26 27. CHAP. VIII What our Confession of Christ to be The Lord importeth and how it redounds to the Glory of God the Father 1. EVery tongue must confess that Jesus Christ is Lord Our Lord by a peculiar real Title To this Confession every Son of Adam to whom God hath given the use of the tongue is bound de Iure but many sons of Adam to whom God hath given the use of the tongue do not confess so much de Facto The Jews with their tongues flatly deny him to be the Lord or their promised Messias The Turks and Mahumetans confess him to be a Lord of Christians but deny him to be The Lord The chief Lord under God the Father This title of Chief Lord they ascribe to Mahomet and under his right they pretend a title of dominion over Christendom The Heathens which know not God do not so much as question whether he be a Lord or whether He or Mahomet be under God the chief Lord. But as for us Christians we all to whom God hath given the use of the tongue do confess him to be The Lord As for those to whom the use of the tongue is by the course of nature and Gods ordinarie providence denyed others for them do ingage themselves at Sacred Baptisme that they when God shall grant them a heart to understand and a tongue to speak shall confess him to be the Lord and to be unto them their Lord. And in case they dye before they come to possesse the use of their hearts or of their tongues the Church or parish wherein this profession of faith was made on their behalfs are bound to profess thus much for them And as God no doubt accepts the prayers of the Church wherein they are baptized for them which cannot so much as speak to men much less pray to God or to Christ That they may be admitted into his visible Church and be reputed as members of his mystical bodie so doubtless he will accept the prayers of the Church and of every faithfull member of the Church wherein they live and dye that they may be accepted into the Church Triumphant and to us invisible albeit they never attained unto the use of the tongue or when as the Lord which gave others this blessing hath taken it from them For even of the tongue or of the use of the tongue that of Iob is most true and to be resumed by all as well by the dying as by the living by him for his owne part and by the living on his behalfe the Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1. 21. 2. Thus every tongue is bound de Jure to confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord that Lord whom Job so long before did confess But though every tongue of men throughout the world every tongue of Christians of Jewes of Mahumetans or Infidels should from their birth confess thus much would this be enough for that acknowledment which here is required that Jesus Christ is the Lord or would such acknowledgement of every tongue be sufficient to pay that tribute which is due unto the Glorie of God the Father from this Confession which is here required that Jesus Christ is the Lord No it is not the Confession of every tongue that will suffice albeit the acknowledgment or Confession of every tongue be de jure required In this speech Every tongue must confess c. there is a Twofold Universalitie included The One of the Parties thus confessing or aknowledging The Other of the Duties or services to be performed by everie party thus acknowledging Christ to be the Lord. To begin with the Former when the Apostle saith That every tongue must Confesse that Jesus Christ is THE LORD You must take this Universal note to be equivalent to that phrase so often used in the Book of the Revelation by the Evangelist and Apostle all nations and Kindreds all people and Tongues every one of all Sorts of the Sons of Adam are bound de Jure to confesse That Jesus Christ the son of God and the son of man conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the virgin Marie is THE LORD of the Dying and of the Living of the Quick and of the Dead As for all such as do not either in heart or tongue or in both either by themselves or by others for them truly acknowledge Him in this life to be such a Lord they shall acknowledge Him to be such A Lord after their Resurrection from death of which likewise He is Lord. 3. But the acknowledgment of Every Tongue or of every one to whom God hath vouchsafed either a tongue or the use of the tongue will not suffice to find him a Gracious Lord at the resurrection from the dead and at the day of finall Judgment There must be as is said an Universalitie as well of duties and services to be performed by every particular person to whom God hath given an heart to understand as an universalitie of tongues or lips which are to make this confession The real language of every heart will be sufficient for every one in particular whom God hath deprived or denied the use of the tongue But unto him to whom God hath given an understanding heart and the use of the tongue also the hearty prayers and
work let us still call to mind that it now is in Executione Officii and its Office is to be our Remembrancer of that which our Apostle admonisheth us 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged In this Judgment or examination of our selves Nature her self would teach us thus much so we would be observant of the Process That seeing Conscience is not onely the Lamp of the Lord but also a part of our selves a principal Ray or beam of our souls it could not be so suspitious of our actions or so inquisitive after every circumstance that may make against us when we do evil unless it were deputed by a supreme Judge to bring us to a Judgment and either in this life to acquit us by perswading us to judge our selves or in that last day to accuse and condemn us It would teach us again That albeit there be a General day for final Judgment appointed wherein Christ himself shall sit as Judge yet he every day holds or cals A private Sessions within our brests wherein Conscience sits his Atturney or Deputy Again let us still remember that albeit the work of the Law be written in our hearts so it was in the hearts of the very heathens that albeit we give Conscience full Audience and leave to examine us by the Law of God whether written in our hearts or in the sacred Book yet is it but a small part of our accounts which we shall be able to read in the Register of our own Consciences in respect of what is to be found written in that Book or Scrowl which shall be opened and unfolded in the day of final Iudgement Rev. 20. 12. Howbeit even so much as every man which will diligently hearken to his own Conscience shall in this life be able to read and hear distinctly will make deep impression in his heart and wound his very spirit And as Solomon speaks a wounded Spirit who can bear rather who can heal it None but he that shall be our Judge Yet may we not look that when he shall come to judge all he will vouchsafe to heal any He healeth all our infirmities as he is our High-Priest not as he is our Judge And so healed by him our Consciences must be in this life otherwise the wound will prove deadly and incurable in that last day Nothing besides the wounds of Christ can cure the wounds and sores of our spirits and consciences Therefore was he smitten and bruised therefore was he wounded unto death that his blood poured forth might be as a Fountain of Oyl or Balm to cure and heal the broken hearted For The broken hearted onely are his true Patients All of us one time or other must feel the sting of Serpents more fiery then such as stung the Israelites in the wilderness even the sting of death and of that old Serpent which in our first Parents envenomed our nature before we can thirst after this fountain of life with that fervencie of spirit which he requireth in his Patients without this thirst thus occasioned by this sting of conscience and poyson of sin in some measure apprehended by us we cannot drink the water of life or suck in the balm of health and salvation which issued out of Christs wounds in such a plentiful measure as may cure the festered wounds of our souls and consciences and purge us from that corruption which we and our Fathers have sucked from our first Parents or contracted by the incessant overflow of our actual and daily sins 10. Yet is not this apprehension of our actual and daily sins or the smart or sting of conscience so perpetually uncessant in any one of us but that we may feel or perceive some interposed gleams of joy and comfort some Gratulations of our Consciences for businesses sincerely managed by us or for those particular actions or good deeds which in respect of some one or other circumstance we have done amiss but for their substance well and with a good intention and without a sinister respect to our own private temporal ends or to the prejudice of others with whom we live So that no man unless he be much wanting to himself can want undoubted Experiments in himself of a future and Final Judgement or of the Two-fold sentence which in it shall be awarded to all according to the diversity of their ways As often then as any of us shall feel the sting or perceive the check of our consciences for the evils we have done let us take this irksomness or indisposition of our minds and souls not for a meer effect of natural Melancholie though that perhaps may concur as a cause to increase our heaviness but rather take all together as a Crisis of that disease growing upon our souls which unless it be cured by our heavenly Physician in this life will prove incurable in that last and dreadful day and will bring upon us perpetual weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth If our Consciences again at any time shall Congratulate us for well doing we may take these Congratulations or Applauses of our souls and spirits as so many undoubted pledges or earnests of that unspeakable and uncessant joy which the supream Iudge shall award to all that by constancy in well-doing acknowledge him for their Soveraign Lord and expect him as their supream Iudge If we cease not to continue these good actions or performances he will not cease to renew the undoubted pledges or earnests of eternal Joy unto us daily For so S. Paul saith He will render to every man according to his deeds To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortalitie eternal life But unto them that are contentious indignation and wrath tribulation anguish c. 11. The best use which the Heathens as meer Heathens made of such Notions as nature had implanted in them of a future Judgement or rather their misapplications of what nature did rightly suggest unto them to this purpose cannot better be resembled then by the use or applications which men naturally make of Dreams Now of Dreams some are vain and idle as arising onely from the Garboils of the Phantasie most frequent in men sick or distempered or from such thoughts discourses or speeches as we have entertained by day or been entertained with for some short time before Of these Dreams and of their serious observation that of The Son of Sirach Eccl. 34. 1 2 3. is most true The hopes of a man void of understanding are vain and false and dreams lift up fools Who so regardeth dreams is like him that catcheth at a shadow and followeth after the wind The vision of dreams is like the resemblance of one thing to another even as the likeness of a face to a face Howbeit even such Dreams may be resolved into some natural Causes precedent Nor do men fail in the apprehension of particulars represented
ready to put in execution Now this Judgment of Sodom was but as a Private or Particular Sessions to give the world an undoubted pledge of that General and Terrible Judgment which must be given upon all such as they were by the same Lord 's visible appearance before whom Abraham did now appear as Advocate or Intercessor for these men of Sodom So St. Iude instructs us Ver. 6 7. And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the Judgment of the great day Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire There were Three in number which then appeared unto Abraham under the shape and likeness of men yet to his apprehension more then Men Angels of the Lord or the Lord Himself in a Trinity of Angels representing the Blessed Trinity in which as Athanasius tels us there are not three Lords but one Lord Yet though there be but one Lord Iehovah and though the Father Son and Holy Ghost be This One Lord yet as we said Chap. 6. 7. The Son of God is Adonai or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord or Judge by peculiar Title and by such personal Right as God the Father and God the Holy Ghost is not Lord and Judge And for this reason albeit there were Three that appeared to Abraham yet Abraham directs his speech unto One as unto his Lord this Lord did vouchsafe his answer unto Abraham after the men which appeared unto him turned their faces thence and went towards Sodom Other Testimonies to this purpose are most frequent in the book of Psalms Psal 50. 1 2 3. The mighty God even the Lord hath spoken and called the Earth from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him And ver 6. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness for God is Judge himself Psal 93. 1 2. The Lord reigneth he is clothed with Majesty the Lord is cloathed with strength wherewith he hath girded himself The world also is established that it cannot be moved Thy Throne is established of old thou art from everlasting Every Throne or Tribunal is established for execution of Judgment But this Throne though established of old or from Eternity yet was not the Judgment for which this Throne was established executed from eternity or so executed at any time before the Date of this Psalm as the Psalmist expected in due time or at the end of time it would be And the Author of the next Psalm whether the same or some other conceives a solemn prayer for the speedy execution of that Judgment which was to proceed from the former Throne which had been established from everlasting and to be executed by that God to whose honor the former Psalm was consecrated O Lord God saith the Psalmist Psal 94. 1 2 3 4. to whom vengeance belongeth O God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self lift up thy self thou Judge of the Earth render a reward to the proud Lord how long shall the wicked how long shall the wicked triumph how long shall they utter and speak hard things and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves To omit other testimonies to the like purpose This one Observation is general to all As the Messias who was first promised and but Promised only to Adam was afterwards Promised by Oath to Abraham and to David and by them to all mankind So this future general Judgement which was first revealed for ought we read to Enoch afterwards known to Abraham and to David and to the Psalmists were they one or more was afterwards confirmed by the Oath of God himself unto the Prophet Esay Cap. 45. ver 22 23. Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else I have sworn by my self the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall swear 3. All these Testimonies are Concludent that God is Judge of all the earth and that there shall be A final Judgment executed by God himself But the Point wherein the Reader as I suppose expects satisfaction is From what authentick Testimony of Scripture it is or may be made as clear and evident that This final Iudgment shall be personally executed by the Son of God or by the Man Christ Jesus As much as to this purpose can be required is avouched by our Apostle St. Paul Rom. 14. 11. It is written as I live saith the Lord Every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God The written Testimony which he avoucheth is That before last cited Esay 45. 23. And from this Testimony he infers these Two Conclusions the Former ver 10. which is the same with 2 Cor. 5. 10. We shall all stand before the Iudgment seat of Christ The Later ver 12. So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God The Issue or Corollary of both Conclusions is That Iesus Christ is that Lord and God which had interposed his Oath unto the Prophet Esay that every knee should bow unto him This Issue of both Conclusions Rom. 14. is more fully exprest Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every name that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow of things in heaven and things on the earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father But for more full satisfaction some here may justly Demand Whether St. Paul did make this interpretation of the Prophet Esay by some new Revelation of the Spirit made in particular to him unknown to most others before that time Or whether the interpretation of the Prophet Esay and of other like prophecies which he made were literally and really included in the prophecies themselves and ratified by the General Analogie of Faith or by the Common Rule of interpretation in those times sufficiently known to the learned whose eyes were not blinded with passion nor prejudiced with partiality to their own Sects or Factions To this we Answer that St. Paul's Interpretation of the Prophet was really included in the literal sense of the Prophecie and the literal sense or construction which he made of the fore-cited passage in the Prophet Esay and other Prophets was warrantable by the Common Rule of Interpretation sufficiently known in those times The Rule is General That all those places of the old Testament which
〈◊〉 or Word which since hath been made flesh as all unbelievers and disobedient men since hee was made flesh Now to fortifie this inference he addeth ver 12. Vivus est sermo Dei The Word or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom wee are to render an accompt is quick and power full more piercing then any two edged sword So farre from winking at the ignorance of these times that all things are naked and open unto his eyes His countenance as saint John saith was as the Sun shineth in his strength Rev. 1. 16. and his eyes as a flame of fire vers 14. unto his eyes thus opened when the Judgment shall be set the bookes as Daniel saith were opened Dan. 7. 10. And this prophecie is unfolded by St. John Rev. 20. 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were Judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works 17. This is the next part of the Process and by the Books which are opened the best Interpreters Ancient and Modern understand the Books of Conscience which until that day shall not be unfolded or become fully legible no not unto them which keep these Books though every man have one of them or at least an exact Copie or Exemplification of them For it may be that the Authentick Copie or Register of every mans Conscience is treasured up in this Eternal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their Copies shall become legible by his appearance Many actual sins many secret thoughts or evil words have been daily practised or entertained by us w ch leave no print or impression in our Phantasies of their passage The memorie of many gross sins which for the present make deep impression daily wears out or decayes to our apprehensions their print or Character in some being defac'd or obliterated by new ones more gross as if a man should write in Capital Letters upon a paper already written in a smaller Character and more obscure In others the Records of Conscience though in themselves legible so they would look into them are wrapt up in multiplicitie of business But when the Judge shall appear in his Glorie the Book shall be fully opened the Character or impression of every sinful thought or action shall then become legible not a syllable of what we have spoken to our selves shall be lost and every letter and every syllable which hath not been washt away or purified by the Blood of the Lamb shall be as a stigma or brand to the Soul and Conscience wherein it is found and shall fret as an incurable Gangren or Canker Every seed of corruption whether propagated from our first parents or sown by our selves which seemed to lie dead without all motion unlesse they be truly mortified by the spirit shall at the appearance of the Sun of Righteousness begin to quicken and grow ripe in a moment And albeit these seeds be as many in number as the sand though our whole flesh or bodily man be more full of them then any fishes ventricle is full of Spawn yet the least of them shall grow for its malignant quality into a Serpent and sting the soul and body wherein it bred like an Adder These are the best fruits which they that daily sow unto the flesh shall then reap of the flesh even corruption sorrow and torments incorruptible and unsufferable yet perpetually to be suffered by them But of the quality and perpetuity of these pains hereafter by Gods assistance when we come to the Award or Sentence 18. Now to conclude Albeit this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Eternal Word of God before whose Judgment Seat we must appear and to whom we are to render our final accompt were made flesh to the end and purpose that the very words of God immediately uttered by himself which formerly so uttered did sound nothing but death and destruction to flesh and blood might become the very food of life being thus distilled and uttered by an Organ of flesh yet such they are only unto such as receive him and are purified in soul and conscience by them To such as received him saith S. John he gave this priviledge to become the Sons of God John 1. 12. But every man saith the same S. John 1 Epist cap. 3. ver 3. that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure As for the disobedient and such as wallow in filthiness the presence or voice of God though he appear or speak unto us in our nature shall not be less dreadful to them then it was before the word was made flesh but rather his appearance in our nature shall add terror and dread to his voice and presence And therefore it is remarkably added by S. John Rev. 6. 16. that the disobedient shall say unto the Mountains and Rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For though the wisdome of the flesh did alwayes include an Enmitie unto the puritie of the Divine Nature yet this Enmitie or Antipathie is most directly against the innocencie and integritie of the Lamb It is under the same Kind with the Enmitie of the womans seede and the Serpents nor shall the malignitie of it fully appear or come unto a perfect Crisis until the Lamb appear in Judgment He is now a Lamb mild and gentle and easy to be intreated by all such as seek to become like him in innocencie and puritie of life but shall in that day manifest himself to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah to execute vengeance upon all such as have abused his patience and long suffering by continuance in beastlines or enmitie to Lamb-like innocency and purity He shall then appear an inflexible Judge but yet continues a mercifull and loving High-priest to make intercession for us Seeing then saith St. Paul Heb. 4. 14. c. and it is his Conclusion of his former description of him as our Omnipotent Alseeing Judge that we have a great High-priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God this is a Title more mild and comfortable then the former of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word of God Let us hold fast our profession For we have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need This Time of need is the day of judgment or time of death But whereby shall we make just proof and trial whether we hold our profession fast or no By no other means then by the preserving the integritie and puritie of our Conscience For we do not truly acknowledge or believe him to
manner or ground of his inference would be impertinent if not contradictory to the principal conclusion intended by him which we are bound explicitly to believe For it is not enough to believe that the bodies of men which are committed to the grave shall not utterly perish but be quickned again as the corn which is covered with the ground but we are bound further to believe That every man shall arise with his own body with the same very body wherein he lived that he may receive his doom according to that which he hath done in the body whether it be good or bad This conclusion is not included in the Apostles inference or Experiment drawn from the corn which groweth out of the putrified seed for he expressly affirmes in the ver 37. that the body which springeth out of the ground is not the same seed that is sown 2. In Answer to the former difficultie some good Commentators there be which grant that our Apostles instance in the seed which first dies and is afterwards quickned is not a Concludent proof or forcible Reason but rather a similitude or Exemplification and it is the property or character of similitudes or examples illustrant non docent they may illustrate the truth taught they do not teach or confirm it Tertullian with other of the Fathers have diverse illustrations or exmeplifications of the Resurrection in the course of nature out of all which it would be hard to extract a full Concludent proof Lux quotidie interfect a resplendet The light dayly vanisheth and recovers brightnesse again darknesse goes and comes by an interparallel course to the removall of light Sidera defuncta reviviscunt The stars dayly set or fall and rise again The seeds of vegetables do not fructifie untill themselves be dissolved and corrupted All things sublunary are preserved by perishing their reformation or renewing supposeth a defacing Many of these and like observations taken out of the book of Nature may serve as Emblemes or devices for emblazoning or setting forth our hopes or belief of the Resurrection But concludent proofs they cannot be unlesse we grant that the Book of nature hath by Gods appointment Types or silent Prophecies of Divine mysteries as well as hath the book of Grace But shall we say or believe that the Apostles inference in this place is only Emblematical or Allegorical or rather a Physical or Metaphysical Concludent Proof Aproof not only against such as acknowledge the truth of the Old Testament or written word of God but a proof so far as it concerns the possibility of a Resurrection contained in the Book of nature His conclusion he supposeth might by observant Readers be extracted out of the Instance or Experiment which he brings For unlesse out of the Instance given in the Corn which first dies and afterwards is quickened the Possibilitie of the Resurrection of such a Resurrection as he taught might concludently be proved they which doubted of or denyed this truth had not incurr'd the censure of folly they had not deserved the Title or name of fools But not to be able to read that which was legible in their own books that is in the works of nature was a childish folly a folly which in men of years and discretion could not proceed but from insufferable incogitancy or negligence If we examine the Apostles inference according to the Rules of true Philosophie which never dissents from true Divinitie his Instances are concludent his Argument is an Argument of proportion a majore ad minus from the greater to the lesse All the difficultie is in framing or setting the Termes of it aright 3. All the exceptions which are taken against his proof are reducible to this one general Head That he argues or makes his inference from the works of nature unto a work supernatural or from the generation of vegetables ordinary in the course of nature unto the Resurrection of our bodies which can be no work of nature no generation but a work as supernatural as Creation But they which thus Object should consider that those works which we term works of Nature as generation of vegetables the increase of the earth the fruit of trees and the like are not in our Apostles Philosophie any way opposite to the works of God or to works miraculous and supernatural This Proposition is in his Divinitie and in true Philosophie most certain Whatsoever nature works God doth work the same and he works the same immediatly though not by himself alone for nature worketh with him though immediatly by him But the former Proposition is not convertible that is we cannot say that God works nothing without the Co-agencie of nature as we say that nature worketh nothing without the co-operation or Power of God Nature worketh nothing cannot possibly work without the power and direction of God God worketh many things since the world was made by him or nature created by him without the association or co-operation of nature or any causes naturall And the works which he worketh by himself alone either without the association or interposition of causes naturall or contrary to the ordinary course of nature are properly called works miraculous or supernaturall and Miraculous they are called not because they alwayes argue a greater or more immediate exercise of Gods Power then is contained in the works of nature but in that they are unusuall and without the compasse of ordinary Observation Sometimes those works which are truly miraculous may less participate of the Almighty Power then the usual works of nature do It was a true miracle that the Sun should stand still in the vale of Aialon but not therefore a Miracle in that it did argue a greater manifestation of Gods Power then is dayly manifested in the course of nature or works of other creatures But a great Miracle only in that it was so rare and unusual The dayly motion of the Sun about the earth if we search into the true and prime causes of it includes a greater measure or more branches of the Almighty Ceators Power then the standing still of the Sun did in the dayes of Joshua or the going back of it did in the dayes of Hezekiah For in our Apostles Divinitie Act. 17. 28. We live and move and have our being in God that is all things that are have their being in him and from him their being is but a participation of his infinite being The life of all things living is but a participation or shadow of his Life The Motion of all things that move is but the participation of his Power so that when the Sun did cease to move or stand still in the dayes of Joshua it was partaker only of his Power sustentative or of that power by which he supporteth all things It ceased to move only by meer substraction or cessation of his motive Power by whose vertue or influence it dayly like a Gyant-runs his course Thus dayly to run
in just and full consort to the miserable They did then truely remember the strangers that were within their gates when they sorrowed in the same manner for them as they had done for themselves when the delight and joy that they had taken in their own deliverance from servitude and thraldom was made the measure of their delight and joy in freeing others from the yoke of servitude in relieving the poor distressed stranger that sojourned with them True compassion is but a fellow feeling of others miseries And then only are we truly compassionate when their miseries are made ours when as the Apostle saith we are weakened at their weakness and burn at their offence or grievance Once thus affected in easing them we ease our selves their comfort becomes our comfort whence ariseth our cheerfulness and sinceritie in doing good for now we do unto them as we desire they should do unto us Yea even as we would do unto our selves seeing the only way to case our selves of this present grief which is by Sympathie in us is by curing the Protopathie in them This is equitie and righteousness in the sight of God when we afford comfort unto others according to the same measure we our selves would receive it from others or when we distribute Gods benefits with the like Joy to our fellow servants as we receive them from him Delight in receiving and delight in doing good ought to be so fully reciprocal in nature and quantitie that they should differ but as via Thebis Athenas and Athenis Thebas or as two times three and three times two This is as the wise man speaks truly to keep the heart when we keep it still in this Aequilibrio not more inclined to accept then to afford a blessing not more prone to rejoyce at our own good then to sorrow at others harms Not more apt to be elevated with our own promotion then to be depressed by others undeserved dejection or discomfort And albeit we were able to frame the whole course of our lives fully parallel to this streight Rule yet should we still remain unprofitable servants and altogether unable to supererogate All actual or purposed swerving whether directly or indirectly from this Level is a declining to hypocrisie He that cannot contract his ordinary libertie in the use of things pleasant or profitable for this life according to the Exigence or Aboading of the instant season or doth not labour so to frame and settle the habitual bent of his affections as they may be alike free and apt to be moved with sad occurences as with occasions of joy such a man may happily often joy in his courses but his rejoycing cannot be in the Lord his laughter is madness his choicest recreation folly dissimulation harboureth in his heart mischief is companion of his thoughts the issue of his untimely mirth is grief and sorrow everlasting 9. But here I know it will be replied that this constitution of mind is in these latter times more rare then absolute Complexion in mens bodies or mixture ad pondus in bodies natural The Replication perhaps is true but true especially for this reason that every man seeks great things greater then Baruch here did for himself And hearts stretched by desires unseasonably superfluous or exorbitant to an higher strain then is fitting can hold no consort with their humbled brethrens affections They can neither be brought to any true Consonancie with the times wherein they live nor with their own Callings Howbeit we require not such an exact or absolute temper of mans heart as our Creator framed in our first Parents That was the Patern by which we must direct our practise If our intention to imitate this patern be sincere And our indeavors to accomplish our intentions industrious and entire whatsoever is wanting to our abilitie The super-excellencie of Christs righteousness and merits far exceeding our first Parents worth shall abundantly supplie in us which were first the natural Sons of Adam then degenerate Sons of the living God now regenerate by Grace and adopted Sons in Christ But the experience of others temper in former times though Adams Children as now we are or once were bewrayes the Complexion of our Age to be deeply tainted with hypocrisie For this I have found and every one may find without curious search that the very sight remembrance or rehearsal of others miseries united by the bond of Common dutie hath brought the minds of such as have bent their ears to natures discipline or been well instructed in Civilitie unto a perfect sympathie with as great facilitie as men tune their voices to others pleasant songs or fashion their bodily motions to others musick Apathie or want of Fellow-feeling to speak indifferently is no natural propertie of the meer natural or unregenerate man but rather a symptom of a gracelesse mind obdurate with self-pleasing humors and desires Of hearts truly mollified with a mutual touch though but of moral or civil Love one takes the impression of anothers woe or grief as easily as softened wax does the seal Thus the fresh memory of the Camp the consideration of the Ark of God and Israels and Joabs lying abroad in the fields makes honest Uriah joyned with them in the common link of military life though far dis-joyned in place abjure with double oath the solace of his lawful bed Thus the remembrance of our Saviours humiliation in Ierusalem makes that Noble Duke of Bulloign many hundred years after refuse to wear a golden Crown in that City though but the lawful Guerdon of his Heroick worth an honour well befitting his person but not the place wherein his Lord Redeemer under whose banner he fought had been annointed King with his own blood shed by the impression of a Crown of Thorns Are the true paterns of those practises extant only in the book of Grace Or are the practises recorded only in sacred Story or of Christians or sacred Persons only Or have not Heathen Poets which knew no Law besides the Lawes of Nature and their Rules of Art exactly painted the like paterns Have not heathen Histories whose veracity is no way liable to just suspition related the like real practises of Heathen persons Non haec apta mihi nitidis ornatibus inquit Tempora nec miserae placeant insignia formae Thebaidos Libro 4. It is the Poetical Character or speech of the Noble Princess uttered rather out of fear then certain foresight of the mishap that might befal her Husbâ—d now setting forth unto the Thebane war in hope to recover his supposed right As the Reason of her refusing Harmonia's Chain that was the insignia or ornament offered her by way of gratification for gracing or furthering the present consultation of warre was much what the same with Duke Godfreys refusal of the Golden Crown So the Manner of her abjuring it was not unlike Uriah's Oath Scilicet heu superi cum tu cludare minaci Casside
picture of that Great Shepheards death was a greater honour then if the shadow in the Dial of Ahaz had returned backward ten degrees in token of prolonging his dayes as long as Hezekiah's had been specially if we consider that the Saying fulfilled in the Great Prophet was verified in him Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none Though he were slain yet his Army returned home safe and he went to his grave in peace being buried in his own Sepulcher by his Servants 7. But alas Baruch lives in an Age super-annuated for any such Grace or Favour as Hezekiah or Iosias found in a City in which though Noah Iob and Daniel lived together yet as I live saith the Lord God they shall deliver neither son nor daughter they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness And shall not the Word of the Lord which Ieremy hath spoken unto Baruch be good For is it not good that when the Lord hath determined to send his four sore judgments upon Ierusalem the Sword and the Famine and the noysom Beast and the Pestilence to cut off from it man and beast yet his life shall be a prey not unto these but to himself Yes this is much better considering the season then if he had been sole heir to Hezekiah or Iosias Three or four of whose Successors all in their turns Kings of Judah he lived to see led bound in chains and their Nobles linkt in fetters of Iron For Baruch with reference unto these mens persons and present calamity to have such an ample safe Conduct as no Monarch living could have granted him License to travel whither he listed with full assurance of life was An Honour peculiar to Gods Saints A Reward wherein at this time my Prophet Ieremy and Ebedmelech which had received Ieremy in the name of a Prophet ministring bread and water c. unto his necessities were to be his only partners 8. But though they had liberty to travell whither they please will they be as careless passengers without all regard of their mothers sorrows wherewith the Lord had afflicted her in the day of his fierce anger Jeremie doubtless would have endured all the tortures cruel Babylon could have devised upon condition Jerusalem and Judah might still have dwelt in saftie The Galatians were not more affectionate towards Paul then Jeremy was to the meanest branch that sprang from good Josias willingly would he have pluckt out his own to have redeemed Zedekiah's eyes or to have prevented that lamentable Farewel which they were to take of sight the barbarous massacre of his dearest children And how then can this short prolongation of life be sweet to Jeremy the Aged or unto Baruch the Scribe being now to see such miserie fall upon their native Country King and people as they might justly wish their mothers wombs had been their graves rather then they should have been brought forth to behold it A thousand lives had been well spent upon condition such calamity had never been seen in Jury and yet the prorogation of Baruchs and Ieremies life though certain to see the execution of all the plagues here threatned these becoming now at length without any fault or negligence in them but rather by others neglect of their forewarnings altogether Fatal and inevitable is much better then a thousand years spent in mirth and jollity But would they not sorrow day and night for the slain of the daughter of their people The Book of the Lamentations will witness tears not sweet wine to have been the drink of him that wrote them And shall life though it have continuall sorrow for its sauce be sweet whose heart among us would not be sad even full of sorrow whose eyes would not overflow with tears at the Tragical representation of their disasters and calamities whose living persons we had alwayes honoured whose memory and never dying Fame we reverence And yet to minds deckt with more polite literature or mollified with the Muses songs the secret delight which in this Case ariseth from the Poets Art and contrivance much more from our Observation of the strange concurrence of real causes conspiring to work designes worthy of God whether for mercy or for vengeance is infinitely more sweet and pleasant then the profuse mirth of lascivious Comedies on any other positive delight whereof humane senses whether external on internal are capable And if with Reverence any may be thereto compared This secret placid delight which is thus accompanied with sighes and composed sadnesse most perfectly resembles the internal comfort of the spirit alwayes rejoycing in tribulation Such truly was the joy and comfort which Ieremy and Baruch found who had now been admitted spectators twentie years and more of a true unfained Tragedy whose Catastrophe was to contain the most doleful spectacle the great eye of the world since it first rolled in his sphere untill this time had ever beheld Had they lookt upon the several parts of this Tragedy the last Scene especially with natural eyes the gastly sight had doubtless inspired them with some desperate Romane Resolution to have acted the like crueltie upon themselves as the Babylonians had done upon their brethren to have set a full and Capital Period to all the woes which they had written against this people with their own blood spilt in the ruines of the Temple or mingled with the ashes of the Altar But now that The Lord hath enlightned their hearts to discern the sweet disposition of his all-seeing Providence still counterplotting the subtle Projects of man and making the Politicians which had accounted his Prophets silly fools unexperienced Idiots or raving Bedlames more curiously cunning then the spider to weave the net which he had ordained to spread upon them the more they sorrowed to see the desolation of their country the greater still was their solace in contemplating the justice power and wisdom of their God in accomplishing his indignation contrary to Prince and peoples expectation but agreeable to their predictions Finally as men compacted of flesh and blood they could not but sympathize with miserable men even their brethren their flesh and bones As faithfull men they could not but be in mind and affection conformable to The Lord their God by whose good spirit their hearts were toucht and their souls illuminated to fore-see the contrivance of his designes upon these his disobedient children which had so often refused the wayes of peace which he would have led them in but they would not follow 9. From this Double Aspect the One of Nature the other of Grace and this Twofold Sympathie thence arising the one with their Creator the other with their fellow-Creatures doth the Lord frame this Pathetical and forcible Charge vnto Baruch Behold that which I have built will I break down and that which I have planted will I pluck up even this whole Land and seekest thou great things for thy self Seek them not The Exegesis or Implication fully unfolded
put the two first words and the four last together And so the Expression will appear to be not only more full but a great deal more elegant in the Original then it is in the ordinary Latin or then I know how to make it in our English As thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. About translating the Original in the last words of my Text there is some diversitie amongst Interpreters The Vulgar Latin which the Romish Writers are bound to follow translate the last words thus Ad quem nobis est Sermo that is as they would express the Hebraism De quo Loquimur of whom we speak but much amiss and far from the meaning of the Original Beza much better Cui nobiscum est negotium To the same effect our English doth With whom we have to do But the Antient Gloss much better then both Cui nobis redenda est Ratio to whom we are to render an Account This indeed is the main business which we have to do with the Son of God or he with us And so the Syriack renders it save only that He puts it in the third Person plural To whom men must give an account which words according to the proprietie of that Tongue and of the Hebrew may be taken impersonally to whom account must be given And this Interpretation I find warranted by the Authoritie of S. Chrysostom and Theophylact two of the best Expressors of the Original or Greek Dialect And thus the Original will run clear without any Hiatus or interruption either in the Subject or Foundation or in the structure of the Attributes or several Propositions 9. According to this Importance of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Brest-plate the first of Aarons holy Garments made for Glory and for Beauty wherein the High-Priest did bear the names and the judgment of the Sons of Israel and wherein the Urim and Thummim were set was called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning of which is better exprest by the Latine Rationale then I know how to render either of them in English but so called it was with reference to the Son of God as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Abstract as he is Life it self and Light it self not carrying Spectacles on his Brest as the High-Priest did All the knowledg or Light of discovering Secrets which came by the Brest-plate or Rationale or by Urim or Thummim when it was in its prime use was but a glimmering Type or Shadow of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ratio or Verbum Dei The Word of God to whose sight and inspection the most secret thoughts which lurk in the Centre of mans heart the very temper and constitution of our souls are more perspicuous and clear then the inward parts of the Sacrifices were to Legal Priests after they had divided them joint from joint and broken them up For unto this Dissection or Anatomy of Legal Sacrifices our Apostle alludes in this description of the Son of God specially in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things are open and naked unto his Eyes Soli Deo Gloria Dr. Iackson Dr. Iackson made Dr. Sheldon and Dr. Newlin Supervisors of his Will and entrusted his Papers with them Dr. Lany See the Preface to the First Book See his Sermons upon Jer. 26. p. 32. See this Book fol. 3716. See fol. 3373 Of the Author of the Work Of the Order of this and other his Works Of the Figuring the Folio Volumes Of the Matter of this Eleventh Book The whole Book consists of Six Sections The Use of the last Section Psa 58. 1 See Stows Annal. fol. 3043. Idem fol. 3044. See Gen. 48. 13 14 17. It is probable that there are distinct Thrones in Heaven Heb. 8. 1 2. See Mr. Mede Places appropriate Job 1. 6. See Mr. Mede upon 1 Cor. 4. 1 Christ was exalted according to both Natures See 8. Book Chap. 15. See 8. Book Chap. 11. See 8. Book Chap. 14. See Book 8. Chap. 1. The difference about the Ubiquitie of Christs Bodie rather Verbal then Real Christs Bodie is not every where A Lutheran Syllogism A Lutheran Objection that proves aut nihil aut nimium See Chap. 11. §. 11. See Book 10. Chap. 55. 56. Besides what may be found in Cyrill of Alex See Cyrill Hierosol in Cateches Mystag 1 3 4. * Hist lib. 5. So. Suetonius in Vespas Viz. At his Resurrection and Ascension See Book 9. Chap. 39. See St. Cyrill Alex. in his Gâ—aphyr on Exodus Of the inconstancie of Vulgar affections See Book 10. Ch 23. f. 3073 John 6. 32 33 41 48 50. c. 1. Cor. 15. 45. So the Church Leiturgie in the words of ministration Three Questions See Book 10. f. 3298 3304. Eating and Drinking meerly Sacramental not meant in St. John 6. 56. The 3d. or main Question Beza's Observation Jansenius and Dr. Hessells his opinion Vid. Tollet in 6. Johan Annot 26. By this Exposition one might as well Communicate by Receiving only the Cup as the Bread only A Rule to know when And may may be changed into Or. A Second Rule when And must be turned into Or. A difficultie arising from the words if literally meant of Sacramental eating The Application relating to the 1 st General Two Duties 1 To examine our selves 2. To Discern The Lords Bodie Of the first part of mans Redemption or the Ransom paid for all See Book 9. Chap. 5. Three Uses of the Doctrine that Christ paid the Ransom for all Joh. 1. 29 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 Heb. 2. 9 2 Pet. 2. 1 See Book 8. pag. 142. Dangerous to Dallie with Gods mercies See Book 10. Chap. 31. Book 10. Ch. 50 A Second Duty to Examine our selves The Second General Though a man be in the house as the Dweller The house may be in the Man as the right owner possessor hous-holder Two Difficulties Joh. 17. 11 21 22 23 26. The former difficulty explained Esai 8. 14. Rom. 9 33. 1 Pet. 2. 6. Anton. Fernandius Cited in the next Chapter The Second Difficultie explained See Joh. 15. 2 3 4 5 6 7. where the abode is mutuall Joh. 14. 27 Joh. 16. 33 Three Points to be Discussed * Anton. Fernand. Conimb visiones vet Test vis 2. Cap. 28. Gen. fol. 83. Sect. 6. num 9. And Benedictus Ferdinandius Borb Lusit in his 2 d Tom. of Comments upon Gen. Cap. 28. Sect. 2. Num. 8. Fol. 568. saith Rom. Ecclesia est Turris fundatur in Petri confessione at que in Domini promissiore And a little after he cites S. Athanasius Lib. 2. De Trin. Optimè S. Athanasius Unum hoc est immobile fundamentum una haec est felix fidei petra Petriore Confessae Tues Filius Dei vivi c. The 2 d Point Beza's Observation Pineda on Ch. 38. Job vers 6. The 3. Point propounded Paragr 2. See Book 3. Chap. 7. 8.
A Discourse about Thou art Peter c. Book 2. ch 30 Valentian his Inchanted Circle Anton. Fernand. See Book 8. Ch. 7. And Book 10. Chap. 15 16. See Matth. 16. 16 19. Two Fundamental points collected by collating Scripture with Scripture The Exaltation of Jehovah as King is that Kingdom of Heaven which S. John Baptist preached to be then approaching The Septuagint Deut. 32. 43. reconciled with Psal 97. 7. See Chap. 2. §. 5. and ch 3. §. 11. The Grounds of Christs Title to be Lord. Other grounds of Christs Title to be the Lord. Revel 5. 13. An universalitie of Duties as well as of Tongues is included in this confession The same will of God is declared by Moses and the Prophets and by Christ but more fully by Christ The first Instance how Christians are bound more strictly to obey now then Jews were before Christ Mal. 4. 2. Matth. 4. 16. Luke 2. 32. John 1. 6. What service of men is forbidden 1 Cor. 7. 23. A second instance of obedience more strictly enioyned Christians then it was the Jews See the 10 Book Chap. 39. pag. 3187. * So Christ saith Joh. 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified that you bring forth much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples See how Salvian answers the like Objection in his 5 Book De Providentia Deut. 4. 5 6 7 8. See the Application Chap. 2. §. 5 6. f. 3316. An Advertisement concerning H. Scripture Experiments in Nature and in our selves or Consciences confirm the truths of H. Scripture Five General Points Heathen Notions of Two Sorts The Pythagorean Notion S. G. Nazianzen's story of Bishop Marcus Arethusus is in his third Oration or former Invective against Julian S. Austins story of Bishop Firmus Metaphrastes hath a story of Anthimus Bishop of Nicomedia partly like This. The opinion of the Stoicks How Virtue is a Reward to it self Gen. 15. 1. Hebr. 11. 26. Philip. 3. 14. Heb. 12. 2. Rom. 2. 7. Notions of Good and Evil as fresh as those of True and false ☞ ☞ The Jealousie and inquisitiveness of Conscience shews that it is deputed by God as our visitor or supervisour The Checks Gratulations of our Consciences be tastes or pledges of the Two-fold award that shall be given at the last day Rom. 2. 6 7 c. The Heathen Notions of a final Judgement vanished like dreams A Discourse about Dreames Though Heathen Notions were like Dreams Christian Divines may see realities of Truth in them Touching Epicurus See Book 10. fol. 3139. How Epicurus did collect That Nature detested Vice See the conference betwixt Dionysius and Daâ—ocles Tull. Tùscul Lib. 5. And Philip Comines of Lewis the eleventh See Wisdom 17. ver 11. See Juvenal Set. 13. See Horace Epist Lib. 1. Epist 1. Hic murus abenevâ— esto Nil conscire sibi Psalm 3. 6. and 23. 4. and 27 1. and 46 1. Prov. 28. 1. Wisd 5. 1. That there was to be a Judgement was known to the original world It was foretold by Enoch See Book 10. Chap. 38. num 11. p. 3171. Enoch a lively Type of Christ Testimonies of the Old Testament That God That Christ shall be Judge See Book 7. Chap. 36. It was revealed by degrees That Christ should be Judge Two Conclusions one Corollary An useful General Rule Christs Answers to the Jews were but Comments upon the Prophets A main Branch of That Good Confession which Christ witnessed was His Title to be Judge The Adversative Particle Nevertheless The blasphemous and treacherous Jews condemn Christ of Treason and Blasphemy The Application So God took away the Author of this Book some 16. or 17. years ago It is 〈◊〉 this was preacâ—'d at Newcastle where he was Vicar divers yeers The literal meaning of Dan. 7. 13. enquired Polanus his restriction of Dan. 7. 13. to Christs Ascension One Prophesie may in the literal sense have two verifications yea contrary senses lib. 7. cap. 17. An answer to all Texts bâ—ought for the Rom Churches great Glory by distinction Inchoativè and Completivè See chap. 12. §. 8. An Exposition of Jerem. 31. 34. Mal. 3. 2. meant Inchoativè of Christs first coming Completivè of his second By first coming he means His coming to judge and punish the Jews The coming spoken of John 21. 22. Such a discrimination of Elect and Reprobate as was then may not be lookt for till Doomes-day See Book 10. chap. 37 38. Dan. 7. 13. fulfilled Acts 1. 9. The manner of Christs going up to Heaven shewd the manner of his coming to Judge the Earth The Place or Term from which Christ shall come to Judgment To what Place Christ probably shall come See Book 9. Chap. 43. Two Senses chiefly apt to receive the impressions of Terror Terrors of Sounds and Terrors of Sights A view of the terrible Spectacles and Sounds preceding Doomsday See Book 1. Chap. 24. See Book 1. chap. 24. §. 4 5 c. The terrors on mount Sinai Types of the Terrors of Doomsday A special Observable It was Christ that shook the earth at the giving of the Law The dreadful sounds that will be heard at Doomsday Clavius Another Author tells that the Birds fell to the earth upon a great shout given by a multitude in an Army or at some great solemnity The Process of the final Judgement Of this Rule see chap. 11. §. 9. Christs Exercise of the power of the Keys of Hell and Death not fully manifested till Doomsday The great Excellencies of Christs Name The Word The Real Dignity Emblemed in the Sharp Sword going out of Christs mouth is Defender of his Church Whether S. John and S. Paul by The Word of God mean our Lord Jesus Christ An Explication of Heb. 4. 12 13. The Word writ or preached not only nor chiefly meant Heb. 4. 12. Most high perfections implyed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Books to be opened at Christs coming See ch 10. §. 9 Psal 32. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 23 ☜ Three Errors about the last Judgment See Tully De Senectute Two Points proposed Pythagoras his broken Notion of a Resurrection See Juvenal 15. Sat. v. 174. The Solid Truth extract out of Pythagoras his Opinion of Transmigration Vid. For catulum lib. 1. pag. 87 90. Points wherein Heathens held consort with Christianitie The opinion of the Genethliaci This Error of the Genethliaci may Facilitate the Christians Belief of Gods Power Some Christians erre as much as the Genethliaci Three principal Propositions That there is a Logical Possibilitie presupposed to the working of Gods Power See Book 10. Fol. 3177. The bringing Possibilitie into Act doth not impair Gods power but shewes the exercise of it pro hac vice See §. 9. These differ as Addition and Substraction ☞ The Jesuite makes a Sinister use of this Truth touching The Power of God The several Shifts of Romish Writers to maintain their Doctrine of Transubstantiation Of Christs virtual influence See Book 10. ch 55 56. The Corinthian Naturalist his Two curious
of Truthes The Philosophers Rapt with Joy in Contemplation and Invention * The former of the Two Philosophers was Pythagoras The later was Archimedes Of both see Plutarch in his Book intituled Non posse hominem suaviter vivere secundum Epicurum Much more Joy in the knowledge of saving truths How this tast'd of eternal life is preserved Of questions touching falling from Grace See the Authors Opinion more fully about Sin against the Holy Ghost Book 8. Chap. 3. which Book though published 21. years since I suppose was written after This. They only enjoy and keep this Tast that diligently seek after it and truly prize it The danger of seeking to enjoy worldly Contentments together with this heavenly Tast See this Fallacie in Aristotles Rhetor. Tast of unlawful pleasures deads and looseth the heavenly Tast Unlawful pleasures and sinful acts destroy the heavenly tast both by Efficiency and Demerit How worldly pleasures and temporal contentments come to prevail against the tast of Eternal life Faculties natural and Grace Two Scales Moderating of worldly desires and natural affections necessary for gaining and preserving the heavenly tast ☜ ☜ Seneca Watchfulness and sobrietie also are necessary Sobrietie consists not only in temperance of meat and drink but in Ruling our thoughts and words The final Recompence of our doings Good or bad Chemnitius's Rule The Romanists Allegation from the force of the word merit Hor. de Arte. The Romanists second proof of Merit The Answer The Rom-third Argument Bellarmine his Reasons The Causal Particles For Because and the like imply not merit of Works And see more of them Book 8. Chap. 15. The Freenesse of the Pardon excludes not all qualification but rather requires sincere performance of good Duties Works not properly meritorious but indeed Unworthy of eternal life How Christs temporal sufferings were of infinite merit Why the pleasures of sin though temporary deserve eternal punishment See this Book Fol. 3498. Of the word Gift or Grace Whether the Grace of God or the Effects of his Eternal Favour can be merited by us See Book 10. Fol. 3285. Gods Justice and righteousness in rewarding us does not imply the merit of our works The divers acceptions of Justice or righteousness Should such a thing be our meriting derogates from Christs merits See the fourth Book Chap. 11 16. c. About merit and justification The place perhaps related to in the next paragraph Of Justification the doctrin whereof is corrupted by the doctrin of Merit ☞ How works are excluded from Justification Two rocks to be avoide here Confid in merit of Works and Praemature conceit or presumption of our Election ☞ Eternal life a most Free Gift of God Gods infinite Freedom The true way of laying hold on General Promises It follows not God cannot deny himself ergo I am in and shall persevere in the state of Salvation Equally dangerous to confide in Merit and to presume of Election See Book 10. Chap. 42. Fol. 3228. The Free Gift of eternal life excludes not due Qualifications in the receiver * This was preached at Newcastle upon Tine For whom was the Kingdom of heaven prepared See the 10. Book Chapt. 42. Fol. 3236. c. Humilitie a necessary qualification The third Point The Qualification for receiving this Free Gift Why Christ instanceth in the Scribes and Pharisees Turkish mercie See the discourses following upon that precept Do as you would be done to Two Generals 1. A sentence and that Twofold 2 The Execution thereof Controversies about the Sentence Three Positive verities or Conclusions See The Fathers cited by this Author in his fourth Book Chap. 11. c. about the inseparableness of Faith and works Good works necessary to Salvation Omission of Good Works forfeit our interest in the promises Damnation awarded for Omissions The Romanists wresting Hebr. 11. 6. to maintain merit of Works The third Positive truth mentioned §. 1. handled Chap. 31. ☞ See this Authors Treatise of Justifying Faith or fourth Book Chap. 15. See this Authors Treatise Of Justifying Faith or fourth Book Chap. 15. A Sinister exposition of Saint James 2. 10. ☞ Why Christ instances in works of Charitie rather then of Pietie ☞ ☞ * About Newcastle upon Tine where these were preached The worse the poor be the more we may be charitable unto them All neglect of the poor is sin This spiritual neglect is a sin exceeding sinful Jansenius his Observation A Catholick verity The Definition of merit The state of the Question Consider three things Increase of Grace no more merited then the First Grace About Free-will See an elaborate Treatise Book X. Chap. 24. c. A Syllogism If there be not Ratio Dati Accepti A promise is no Ground of merit How the Papists and Pharisee agree in this point rather how they exceed him The Objection drawn from the Causal Particle For in the text framed and answered Jansenius his Argument The Author his Answer See the 27th Chapter of this Book where this Argument is most fully answered and that with some variation of what is here The miserie and mistakes of man The short or summe of mans Dutie The Coherence The Authors Method Severus Two Grounds of this Rule or Law of Nature Cyrus Scipio Exceptions against these two Rules The Answer to the former Exceptions ☞ More exceptions against that Rule and Answers to them This Rule must be understood of a 〈◊〉 Will. Rigid censuring a Pronostick of falling Q. If nature alone binde men to do good to their enemies How Christ fulfilled the Law * See §. 8. Rom. 12. 20. The Application ☜ Ps 35. 13 Esai 22. 12. Ezek. 21. 10. How this Precept Do as you c containeth all the Second Table So Christ said to St. Peters Lovest thou me Feed my sheep So David said to God Psal 16 My goodness extendeth not to thee But to the Saints that are in earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight See St. Aug De Civit. Dei Lib. 10. Cap 4. and 15. Cap. 22. and Lud. vives's Comment An Objection against this precept thus improved and expounded An Answer to the Objection A Second Objection Mens affections are right balanced when they be as ready to do as to receive good A double oversight ☞ Good things are only pleasant whilst they rellish of Gods Goodness ☞ Pro. 16. 8. See the 6. Book 2 part chapt 11. page 95. Titus 2. 11 A Dutie semblable to every desire See §. 13. ☜ See St. Basil de 40. Martyr * See the Sermons upon that Text. Chapt. 35 36. The bestmeans to put the dutie in practise Keep an exact Register or Calendar of our Good and evil dayes Deu. 24. 19 ☞ ☞ Ecclus. 11. 25. 27. Psal 41. 1. Beatus qui intelligit super pauperem ☞ Two great inconveniences of wealth and greatness unduly sought See Fol. 3586. ☞ Such mixt deeds are like a Linsy-wolsey Garment or plowing with an Ox and an Ass yoked or lowing miscellan See Chap.