is justified Chap. 7. The next word is Betsalmenu in the image of us Tselem signifies also a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shadow and darknesse whence we learn that the image of God may be obscured but not lost as it fell out as shall be made clear whereas of Chidmuthenu after the likenesse of us the root is Dama signifying as to be like so to be destroyed The likenesse of GOD in man having worse fate but fore-told likewise in the name which the wisdome of GOD himself made for it it was indeed quite extinguished and that irreparably but for him who to make our atonement was made in the likenesse of sinful flesh 8. That the image and the likenesse of God in us are not both one but specifically distinct shall be proved in its due time also that the throne of GODS image is in the gubernative part where ever it is placed and that there be several degrees of it or portions shall be proved out of expresse Scripture In private persons it is seated in the regal faculty of the will In the family consisting of divers incorporated into one body it is in the master thereof In the kingdome composed of many families into one houshold it is in the King the representer of Elohim therein And that while we are upon earth it is superiour to the likenesse which is placed in the deliberative part and is proportionably the receptacle of Priesthood so as it also is dispensed by the second Adam For there is something of Priesthood in every private man to wit for his private self and something in the family for it which is in the master thereof In the publike persons of the sons of Levi there are some who have the double portion of it in respect of the others and by it have Ecclestastical Dominion over them as in things appertaining unto GOD they should have under the Christian Prince over all others 9. The last word is Vejerdu And let them have dominion the root is Rada which with dominari to bear rule signifies also accipere idque ab alto to receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to receive from above expressing that no man can have the least particle of Dominion by vertue of the image of GOD but he must have the warranty also of expresse donation from Elohim whose image he bears be it as here but over birds beasts and fishes much more over mens proprieties liberties and lives This word is again used Psal 72. 8. to declare the amplitude of the Charter Territories Power and Glory of Christian Kings far beyond that of the son and sons of David as shall be made evident from the 17. Verse Chapt. 10. 10. Having thus briefly set forth the signification of the words I re-begin with Elohim the Creator and the efficient cause of Dominion and here that the Potter hath power over his clay I shall not need to prove onely I shall give a second reason for the use of the Plural number in this name frequently in holy Scripture And the Masters of the language unanimously teach that it is in honor of the plurality of his Powers yea the most prudent Rabbi Aben-Esra though he discovered and acknowledged the mystery of the Trinity yet he R. Aben-Esra in Locum R. Bechai in princip Gen. avoucheth the same with others And Rabbi Bechai in plain termes that it is here and elsewhere set down Elohim not El or Eloah for that all the Powers that are are in him and of him and that whosoever hath any just title to any manner of Jurisdiction hath it of him the onely fountain of all Authority And here it may be opportune to observe the difference between Regular and Robustuous Powers those of which GOD is both the Causa Causantis and the Causa Causati the sole and intire cause both of the cause causing and the thing caused and this he is of Monarchical Power Of other forms he is not the solitary and thorough cause Of these I shall speak Chap. 7. and Chap. 8. 11. This great name of Regal Prerogative over the works of his creation which seems more incommunicable then his most reverend name of Jehovab he hath imparted to all those unto whom he hath entrusted his Power for the government and preservation of what under the same he did create yet so as no man hath any interest in this neither in the Power of GODS image and likenesse but from and under not against any who are superiors to them in the order which GOD hath established as shall be proved Chap. 5. and Chap. 11. And this name as an attestation whose their Power over the people is with this relation was the grand Additament of honor to Kings untill the visible establishment of his Power amongst his former people received from him a visible Character of the Divinity of that Power they were entrusted with afterwards with this stile of Elohim Kings had promiscuously the title of Messiah Christ or the Anointed of the Lord. 12. My first Quaere is amongst such as deny not the Creation What tolerable colour can be invented by humane modesty or sobriety for the terms Originally and Primarily And which most desperately rob GOD of his universal and perpetual peculiar or Prerogative Mine Argument forbears the first Part and insists but upon the second Whosoever challenge unto themselves that Power which is universally and perpetually peculiar to the GOD of all Power are of all the earthly robbers of God the most fond desperate and irreconcileable But the people that challenge unto themselves the Original Power of earthly Dominion challenge unto themselves that Power which is universally and perpetually peculiar to the GOD of all Power Therefore the people that challenge unto themselves the Original Power of earthly Dominion are of all the earthly robbers of GOD the most Fond Desperate and Irreconcileable 13. And so proportionably they who Arrogate unto themselves or ascribe unto others this great Name of Elohim or the Royalty thereof otherwise then himself hath communicated it are Violators of Elohim's high Majesty 14. For the Major or first Proposition it it cleer in it self for evidently it is the fondest of all Attempts to go about to rob the strong GOD before they have bound him who cannot be bound it is the desperatest of all Fool-hardinesss to goe about to rob him of his Power It is the proudest of all Desperatenesses to rob him of his Peculiar or Prerogative Certainly if he hate any with a perfect Hatred it must be these Proud ones And that GOD in his own Acceptation may be robbed in smaller matters then this his Peculiar to wit Tithes and Offerings is plain Mal. 3. 8. i In his general Prerogative which is that which sacreth unto his Peculiarity these his particular Severalites 15. For the Assumption or second Proposition First to affirm that any Creature hath in it self the Original of any just Dominion over his fellow Creatures is
Regal and Sacerdotal Power but also of all other things whatsoever even unto Sheep and Oxen and other the Beasts of the field And under the same word of that of Gen. 1. 26. is set forth the Inheritance of his Dominion till after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sun and Moon shall faile Psal 72. 8. to wit Vejerde He shall have Dominion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the one sea to the other and from the Floud unto the Worlds end Thus Psal 110. 2. He shall send the rod of thy Power out of Sion the place of GODS and the Kings palaces Royal Rede be-kerev Dominare in interiori Have thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominion in the Privy Councel of thine Enemies to wit of those who will not not submit unto the Order of thy just Power but will disorderly erect other forms or not acknowledge Thee in Thine 5. In the third place is set down the third of his Titles and the Justification of his Fathers impartiality in these words By whom he made the worlds thus John 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with GOD and that Word was GOD yea the very self same Word it is which was heretofore Humbled in his Incarnation and Magnified in his Ascension which was in the Beginning with GOD all things were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made Of all Titles to all things he must needs have the Best who made them all and it is Worlds in the Plural number not World this Inferiour or Earthly as well as that Superiour and Heavenly 6. Next is expressed the particular Causa causata or Immediate cause of Priestly Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Who being the bright easterly Beams of GODS glorious Perfection c. to wit that which is indeed the Likenesse of Elohim implyed in the word Demuch Gen. 1. 26. according to which all sanctified men are which Likenesse was destroyed in the first Adam looking for New Light and revived by the second the perfection of whose Love was his Death consisting as hath been said and shall be proved in the Rayes of enlightned understanding and in the warmth or life thereof in Chaâ—itative accomplishment which is that expressed John 1. 4. In it to wit the Word was Life and the Life was the Light of men He being the Loving and Quickning Spirit and the true Light that lighteth every man into either of the Worlds for which cause the Object of Priest-hood being the enlivening of GODS Likenesse in man in order unto Spiritual Peace and Prudence the High Priest had engraven in his Breast-plate Vrim and Thummim which signifie Light and Perfection 7. Fifthly is set forth the particular Causa causata or Secundary Cause of his earthly Dominion in that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The expresse and substantial Form of his Personal Essence and this is GODS own Paraphrase of his first word Tselem in that of Gen. as shall in its own place be justified As also that this Image of GOD is the Fountain and Foundation of mans Dominion here consisting as hath been said in Private men in the Soveraignty of the reasonable appetite or will over the rude and unruly multitudes of Lusts and Passions and in theindue Subjection unto those who either in the Family or Kingdom are more publike Representations of Elohim according to their distinct degrees of Command but all under Christ of whom saith S. Augustine Omnes homines facti sunt ad imaginem Dei solus Christus est ipsa Imago All men whatsoever are according to the Image of GOD or made in his Image but onely Christ is the very Image of him And therefore onely he hath universal Dominion whereof they have different and proportionable shares who are employed by and under him for the exercise of his Dominion 8. The Object of earthly Government being the advancement of GODS Image in Mankind for the establishing of the Throne of Reason and Law in and amongst men according to the Rules prescribed by GOD and Nature the End of both the Likenesse and Image conjoyned being the universal Conforming of the Government of Earth unto the Pattern by GOD set and intended for it in Heaven that in Light and Integrity his now understood Name may be hallowed here as there That answerably unto each Kingdom of his in the Greater or Lesser World the exemplary Form of his most just Kingdom in Heaven may thence come in to the Assistance of the Sacerdotal part that here on Earth his Supreme and Regal will may be so done as it is by his Children and Subjects in Heaven Of which more fully in its own place Where will also appear that the now Despised Church is what ever the world thinks of it of the Elder House 9. His sixt Title is his Supporting all things by the Word of his Power it being an act no lesse Noble nor of lesse Might to sustaine the World then to Create it for other Pillars then the Word of his Power it hath not to underprop it Elohim it had for its Maker and requires no lesse then Elohim for its Preserver And therefore whom he takes in unto himself for the managing of earthly Dominion he invests with this most honourable stile of his Majesty to wit Elohim and that in the Plural number which is the reason of their writing of themselves We Vs in as much as GOD hath assumed them into a Subordinate Society with himself and so their Soveraign Commands go forth in a joynt Conjunction of Heavenly and Earthly Elohim And also more particularly Christ hath also taken them into the fellowship of that his Name of Christ Messiah or Anointed yea into a certain kind of Jesu-ship as countenancing them for Terrestrial Saviours and disavowing those for sons of Belial who say of a Saul whom he hath Anointed How shall this man save us Who despise him and bring him no Presents 1 Sam. 10. 27. Eccles 8. 3. As also he that beareth up all things by the Word of his Power hath by a Royal Pen set it down That where the Word of a King is there is Power which is the divine Power of Christ which he hath left for the preservation of the world and which for emergent Reasons he could not execute by himself unlesse the world were better but in his wisdome hath taken the most just order and constituted the fittest Deputies for the severall conditions of mankind for all times and hath not left them destitute of suffioient Divine Power for the production of his Ends whether of Mercy or Justice for the direct good of those who are Good and to make good those who make any care not to be Bad. 10. His seventh Title is of Purchase viz. of that which was sufficiently his own before and that dearly Bought over againe with the inestimable value of his own most precious bloud Having by himself purged our sins he
If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men But my Mercy shall not depart from him as I tooke it from Saul whom I put away before thee and thine House and thy Kingdome shall be established for ever before thee And in the very next words to expresse the undoubted certainty hereof Thy Throne shall be established for ever 1 Chron 17. The same Covenant and the same reason is related but at Ver. 14. the Paraphrase shewes that the Kingdome of God is the Kings and the Kingship of the King is Gods I will settle him in mine House and in my Kingdome for ever and his Throne shall be established for evermore Notwithstanding all this for the three grand parts of the long time since neither Solomon nor David have had a man to sit upon the Thrones of Israel or Judah and yet without all doubt the Promise of God hath been fulfilled according to the former demonstrations expressed Psal 122. 5. where this Throne of the One God upon Earth is in the Plural number twice in one and the same Verse set downe Thrones For there doe sit the Thrones appointed for Mishpat i. Judgement the Thrones of the House of David 16. Now in the next place we shall find Solomon the Type whose Mother had had a former Husband not of the Seed of Abraham according to Nature in another condition and conditionall upon his good behaviour in the words of David a little before his death in the presence of the Princes of Israel unto this Solomon his sonne 1 Chron. 28. 1. God said unto me Thou shalt not build mine House because thou hast been a man of War and hast shed bloud Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the House of my Father c. And of all my Sons he hath chosen Solomon my Son to sit upon the Throne of the Kingdome of the Lord over Israel And he said unto me He shall build mine House and my Courts for I have chosen him to be my Son and I will be his Father moreover I will establish his Kingdome for ever If he will be constant to doe my Commandements and my Judgements as at this day This Solomon failed and his Line hath been cut off and the Throne it selfe demolished So that apparently those that have stood to wit the Typified Thrones of Christian Kings must have been the Materiall Object of the Promise of GOD. 17. That Solomon was the Type of Christian Kings appeares by Davids Propheticall Praying Benediction of him Psal 72. With which Psalm men have dealt as some have used when they could not hinder the true Heire from a Possession which themselves aimed at to Entitle the Prince to it that they might worke their owne Ends while they seem to serve the King So here when men either did not or would not see the Power and Glory of Christian Princes to be the ultimate and typified intention thereof and finding that little of it but as to an unequall Type could be convertible with Solomon Donabitur ergo nè pereat They thinke to make it sure for their owne availe by Entitling Christ to it whereas it suits far lesse with Christ divided from the Riches and Honour of his Adopted Sons of the younger House the Kings of the Gentiles then it did to Solomon to whom they could not justifie it So far was Christ from the Treasures and Homage of the whole world that when he was to pay his Fathers Tribute unto Caesar he was faine to borrow it of a Fish that he was despised as but a poor Carpenters Son and confessed himselfe to be in a more indigent condition then the Birds and Foxes and was so far from dispensing the Mishpats or Judgements of the King or the Kings Son in the first Verse of the Psalme that having no externall Commission he refused being intreated to interpose his private Authority in a cause Herciscundae Haereditatis Luke 12. 14. Whereas indeed Christ with his Divine Miracles and bitter Passion was Typified in the great and strange Victories and Sufferings of David Davids younger Son preferred to the Crowne his Peace and Glory was the Type of Christs semblable Heires of the younger House of the Gentiles In Christ for the Kings of the Nations in the Kings of the Nations for Christ can every letter of that Psalm be justified and of none else And that Prophesie which cannot be terminated either in Solomon alone or with his naturall Successors who are extinct before the Sun or in Christ alone without the earthly Glory of those who hold his earthly Throne is to be understood of Christ in them is evinced Verse 17. Liphne Shemesh jinnon shemo His Name to wit of Christ or Anointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jinnon filiabitur shall be continued in the Succession of his Sons for so the word signifies for so long as the Sun shall have a face to shew Which they who will not admit cannot prove themselves to be Abrahams children 18. Christian Kings then who were Typified in Solomon ought to have a care of that which is every where attested to be that which honoured Solomon in the eyes of his Honourer to wit the Materiall Houses of GOD. Thus 2 Chron. 22. 8. The Word of God came unto me to wit David Thou hast shed bloud aboundantly c. Thou shalt not build an House unto my Name c. Bloud is as ill a Reformer as a Builder in Religion But behold a Son shall be borne unto thee he shall be a man of rest he shall build an House for my Name and he shall be my Son and I will be his Father and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdome over Israel for ever which certainly remaines at this day And not onely this but the perpetuity of the Priesthood and Temple with the Cathedrals or Priests Courts in the compasse thereof was sworne to in the same Oath of GOD. 19. But Acts 7. 46. where David found favour in the sight of God and yet it was Solomon who built him an House there is an Howbeit to wit That the most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands as saith the Prophet Jer. 66. 1. Heaven is my Throne and Farth is my Footstoole What House will you build me Or what is the place of my rest Hath not mine hand made all these things Which words the gainsayers of these dayes whose I hope unwitting endeavours are but to make God forsworn catch at without considering them in themselves or comparing them with other Texts concerning Gods expectation and longing for a Temple Habitations indeed His Contentation and Delight therein His Inhabitancy and Propriety in these places of his Rest from men of rest expected if they would have their owne confirmed 20. In themselves the words concerning his Throne in Heaven can but import that when man hath done all that he can God hath of his owne making