comfort specialy the two Witnesses History ch 11. and description of the seven Phials ch 16. which two being of neerest concernment shal be most accuratly agitated For the first explicats the entrance of the third Prophetic part from the litle Book comprising al three Periods as an abridgment of the whol Revelation It consists of two Parts 1. What is reveled to John by word of mouth how things shal obvene as in the first Period at erecting the Church in the secund under the Antichristian Vicar by two Synchronisms of the Gentils calcitrating the holy City forty two months and the Witnesses mourning one thousand two hundred sixty dais 2. What is realy represented to him by a sudden change in Vision at beginning of the third Period Thes are the terms of our undertaken task In the first Period under the Dragons reign the Son of God Exposition causeth his Temple or Church to be built the place of Sacrifices be measured and charily protects his Servants in thes A reed like a rod was given me and the Angel said arise Rev 11. v. 〈◊〉 measure Gods Temple and Altar and them that worship therin Sith then the building and gathering Christs Church is commended by measuring the Jews Temple the form therof must be considered to attain the tru meaning of the Text. It stood 2 Chr 3. 1 3 4. 〈◊〉 King 6. 16. on Mount Moriah the length sixty Cubits bredth twenty height one hundred twenty It was divided into two parts 1. The lower westly twenty Cubits long and twenty broad cald Sanctum Sanctorum Holy of Holiest into which the high Priest alone entred only once a yeer 2. The forepart eastly fourty Cubits long and twenty broad stiled Sanctum the Holy Place wherto only Priests entred termed here Gods Temple Before it were two Courts 1. The inner cald the Priests wher the Altar for burnt Offerings stood twenty Cubits square and ten high which is here cald Thysiasterium 2. The outer or great Court compassed with a whit Marble wal in circuit four furlongs or half a mile which none but purified Israelits might enter excluding al unclean Jews and Gentils About this Herod walled in a large place for the unclean together â—zek 40. Zâ—ch 2. 1. 〈◊〉 with Heathens By this Temple the Angel represents the Churches condition for by measuring is meant building and propagating by the Altar the tru Professors persecution to be slaughtered as sacrificed Sheep but measured or bounds set beyond which Tyrans cannot go til vengence overtake them By thos that worship therin Kings and Priests are meant who are a Royal Priesthood in the inner Court Next folows the Churches State in the secund station of V. 2. Popery from A. 395. til A. 1655. into Synchronisms 1. Of the Gentils treading the holy City under foot fourty two months wherby Gods extern worship is implied consisting in Ceremonies which he rejects Here we must reflâ—ctâ—on the Heathen Nations invasion for from Constantins conversion til Theodosius died the Church triumphed over the Gentils and demolished the Dragons Idolatrous Temples but immediatly the Barbarians broke in wherby the holy City was trod on Antichrist had occasion to shew himself For in stead of Idols Saturn Jupiter Mars Saints Images were gradualy introduced 2. Of the two Witnesses prophecy in Sack-cloth one thousand two hundred sixty dais by whom is meant faithful Teachers and Rulers of the Church which number of two is smal yet sufficient to testify truth Deut. 17. 6 10 15 Mat. 18 16. John 8. 17. The Angels Words to my two Witnesses imply that he Vers 3. 4 5. 6. is the Son of God They were clad in sack-cloth but the Whore in Purple and Scarlet deckd with Gold Pearl and pretious Stones Thes were two Oliv Trees and two Candlesticks Zâ—â—ha 4 14. as Zerobabel and Jesua are described If any Man wil hurt them fire proceds from their mouth to devour their Enimies who must thus be killed as at Elias request fire from Heaven 2. King 1 10. 12. consumed two of Ahaziahs Captains with their fifty Men ech Thes have prower to shut Heaven that it rain not during their Prophecy as Elias also had and power to turn Waters into Blood and to smite the Earth with al plagues as Moses and Aaron had wherby God declares what Mercies he shewed his Servants of old which he wil extend to Beleevers in the new Testament and wil giv them faithful Teachers like Jesua and Zerobabel to inlighten them as Candlesticks with pure Doctrin and assist them as Oliv-trees with powerful consolation beside zelous Eliahs and Elisha's who shal oppose the Whore Jezabel Baals Priests and other persecutors but at last a Moses and Aaron to bring them out of al affliction When they hav finished their testimony the Beast which ascends Vers 7. Rev 17. 8. 11. from the bottomless Pit viz. which rose from the Sea with ten horns wherof the Angel saith the Beast which thou sawest was and is not and shal ascend from the bottomless Pit shal make War against them overcom and kil them This Beast that was and is not but is the eighth and one of the seven is the Heathen Empire wher the Dragon reigned or was openly worshiped but is not being no more adored in public yet ascends again out of the Pit by the ten honrd Beasts means or kingdoms erected in the Empire when a new holier form of Idolatry is established and the Dragon with the Beast disguisedly afresh worshiped This is the eighth Head but one of the seven for the Rider the Woman-whore in the divided Empire governs the civil State so the ten hornd Beast or seventh Head and Ecclesiastic Popish Regiment make one as it were the eighth but becaus the Woman sits as one Rider therfore the two last forms Ecclesiastic and Politic are reckoned or reputed one as the Angel saith the eighth is of the seven Hence 't is cleer the Beast rising out of the Pit is the spiritual Papal Government using the Temporal Sword of terren Princes which Woman-Beast shal kil the Witnesses or depriv them of Ecclesiastic preferments and Politic emploiments cald a civil death by persecuting Evangelical Professors which is his own case at the Popes instigation Their dead Bodies shalâ—ly in the Streets of the great City spiritualy Vers 8. caled Sodom and Egypt wher our Lord was crucified The City is Rome the place of persecution as the Angel saith Rev. 17. v. 18 the Woman is that great City which reigns over the Kings of the Earth caled Babylon by which name Viega Bellarmin and other Jesuits own Rome but by the City and Streets the whol Popish Empire is designed as 't is elswher compared to a ten hornd Beast and to a Sea with Rivers and Fountains Rome-City and Papacy is spiritualy or mysticaly stiled Sodom by reason of their Paederestia or unnatural sin not only committed but commended in a privileged pamphlet penned and published
be guilty of sin if his Soul com immediatly from God sav only by propagation Or how can Adam be our Father if the whol Man descends not from him One cannot be a proper Father of the whol unless he beget both parts for to supply meer matter which is elementar makes not a Father sith the Form only denominats which if he doth not generat he can no more be a Father then to Fleas and Lice which are bred of his Body Nay if Fatherhood consists chiefly in giving the Form God is rather the tru Father from whom the principal part proceds then Parents which beget the baser The Soul is Mans essential part without which he is no Man How then can he procreat a Creature like himself if he produce not the Soul specialy sith al agree that he propagats such an accident as sin which inheres in the Soul as its sole subject Can he propagat an unnatural accident Sin which cannot be without the Soul and not a natural essence the Soul without which can be no Sin The faculty of propagation pertains to the Soul so wel as Body yea hath its chif seat in the Soul soly for the Body is as a Pen in the Writers hand but the Soul principal Scribe or Secretary sith then such as the caus is such is the effect the Soul must produce a Soul and whol Man a whol Man not an inform lump which without a Soul is neither Man nor Beast but the Soul stil accompanies the Seed at first conception and gradualy builds the Body fitly framing al the organs from the first rudiments to ful perfection Nor can such effects be doon Exerâ— 6. 55. 5. but by a Soul as subtle Scaliger provs He allegeth many mo Arguments against Infusion and answers al advers Reasons but becaus they are already produced on both parts 't is nausity to serv forth twise sod Coleworts but having refuted Infusiasts and rejected Traductists he vents his own novel Invention His Grounds are thes 1. God created three sorts of spiritual A new opinion Natures 1. Angels so sublime as they cannot join with Bodies 2. Beasts Souls so material as they cannot be separat from Bodies 3. Mens Souls in a mean which can both liv without Bodies after death like Angels and unite with Bodies in this life like Beasts Souls So he ordained That Angels shal neither increas nor decreas Sensitiv Souls both increas and decreas But Rational increas or multiply not decreas or perish Hence he infers that Angels are crated immediatly by God only Beasts Souls procreated mediatly one from another But Mens Souls partly produced by Gods immediat power and partly by mediat propagation or such a production as coms neerest to creation 2. Mans Soul is indued with power to use bodily organs in attaining knowledg of al sensible things yea our knowledg of God ariseth ordinarily from Sens ordered by Reason which is a mean between Beasts sens and Angels Intelligence Therfore God united the Soul with a Body which it naturaly desires being incomplet without it nor knows ought ordinarily but by it As then al ordinary faculties and works are doon mediatly by corporal Natures so is their origin or Of-spring or els could not hav such sympathy with a Body Yet as the Nature and Works therof are som way extraordinary without abov al Elementar Natures so God proportioaly hath a supernatural extraordinary work in producing it different from al others 3. Elementar Natures cannot be produced without a more excellent external efficient then themselfs viz. the Sun and celical bodies by their light motion and influence for so al sublunars depend on them for being beside the matter wherof they are particularly compounded and peculiar Forms but the Soul having a Spiritual kind of composition nobler then the rest from Parents by seed requires a spiritual extern efficient beside it self which must needs be God the Father of Spirits sith Stars being bodies cannot produce Mans Soul to which they are far inferior 4. Human conception often fails and is not so frequent as in other Creatures which argues it is not of Nature alone but by Gods more special power and providence then in other generations If then he acts more in Mans conception why shal not the Soul be produced then without a duple task of creating and infusing at quickning When Rachel rashly cried Giv me Children els â— dy Jacob wisely answered Am â— in Gods stead so 't is said of Ruth The Lord gav hir conception who only opens and shuts the Womb but 't is no wher said he creats Souls For he sets a constant cours with his conserving blessing concurring that like shal produce their like 5. As God eternaly decreed of Man both who shal com into the World how many and when so he works in his conception more then in al others which must needs be as immediat efficient of his Soul wherby he blesseth or blasteth conception ordering it by a special providence according to his decree contrarily sundry inconveniences arise from creation that som Children are fully formed which dying before the Soul is infused cannot com to Judgment that God may be glorified and so his work shal be frustrated 6. 'T is evident in promiscuous copulations of Men or Women with Beasts that Gods efficient power is joined with the Souls propagation sith such bestial births are not indued with Reason nor shal com to Judgment though their sensitiv Entelechy is sharper and subtler then other Animals as Apes and Baboons are supposed to spring primitivly from such unnatural mixtions or conjunctions Nor is the Soul immediatly created by God sans natural means sith Children begot in Incest or Adultery hav it which God shal seem to approv or further when he might hinder it being not bound to infuse Souls This Reason may be retorted sith he is not bound to assist at such coitions being a most free Agent and not a Natural so he cannot be an external efficient as the Sun is in other generations 7. Sith Nature by divine Ordinance produceth daily out of dead Elementar matter admirable powers of Seing Hearing Phantasy Memory belonging to brute Beasts the maner wherof our Reason cannot conceiv how much more can the God of Nature produce out of Mans more excellent Nature others like to it though we cannot comprehend the manner how Nor is corporal Seed which is of far purer temper and subtler Spirits then in other Animals an unfit Instrument to propagat a Rational Soul specialy sith the Spirits in Seed are of sublime Nature which hav neer affinity with the Soul 8. God hath set a natural order That a whol Man shal beget the whol both Body and Soul yet not one the other nor Soul a Soul alone or Body a Body but the Soul a Soul immediatly by the Body and Body a Body by the Soul but both jointly a whol Man for they are Individualy united and their operations concur so Man propagats like other
but persons or malefactors So 't is cleer that Christs substance or whol Humanity taken from the Virgin in such miraculous metaphysical maner was not stained with sin becaus not propagat by ordinary generation For if it had bin sinful it could never be clensed nor any Man saved sith ther is one only Mediator whos blood clenseth us from al sin which the holy Ghosts sanctifying cannot doo without virtu and reference to his redemption If then his substance never was sinful the holy Ghost did nor clens it from sin but only separat what in it self was sinless from a sinful Person that it might unite and subsist with a divine Person For his Soul and Body though derived from Adam like others could not be propagated becaus he was conceived extraordinarily without Male-seed by severing som of the Virgins sinless substance from hir sinful person and uniting it to Gods person Lo here a summary of this sublime mystery but a Labyrinth which he traceth forth and back to shew that Christs Humanity being taken from sinless substance could not be sinful Thus three dissident Opinions hav bin alterutratly agitated Censure 1. For the Souls jugial creation which is most general 2. For natural propagation from Parents Souls as Lamps deriv light one from another which seems more rational 3. for a mix'd production betwixt both which is meerly Mathematical 'T is a witty novity or castle in the air yet likely to take better with most Men then old received Tenets being haply borowed from Dr. Goodmans crotchet but much changed howbeit if both deny the Souls creation ther is no necessity to make God an extern efficient in its production specialy sith al inconveniences may be salved by simple Traduction so wel as any other way Nor is ther any warrant that God concurs in extraordinary maner to propagat Mankind more then any other Creatures but leavs al indifferently to Natures cours first instituted by him with a general benediction to increas multiply and propagat their several Kinds Indeed his disposing providence is universal suprem efficient of al things that a Sparow cannot fal to ground without it but that he is special Agent in Mans generation more then other Creatures as the Infusiasts and Mr. Woolnot contest hath no grounds God is said to keep the keys of the womb which he opens and shuts at free pleasure So he keeps the keys of the Clouds and al other works of Nature But to make him a particular efficient with Man in the Souls production as the Sun and celical bodies are superior subordinats in other generations is asserted gratis without grounds nor wil Ipse dixit serv to induce a credulity for such a novity He tartly taxeth the Infusiasts for asserting God to creat new Souls and ascribing it to his eternal Decree without warrant in his Word yet he doth the same having no author concuring as they hav God created al things with a Word which was no weary work and could make millions of Worlds as he did myriads of Angels in a moment but his Wil was to proced gradualy taking six daies time to accomplish one which having ended he rested on the seventh from al such works wherof creating of Mans Soul was one for ever and sanctified or set it a part for a Sabbath in memory of his rest enjoining it afterwards by a Law to be observed by Man for ever If then he creats Souls continualy how doth he rest from al such Works Or how can it be said that hw wil at last Judgment creat new material Heavens and Earth when the old shal be destroied Or lastly that he stil assists Man as an extern efficient in every Soul production which emulats creation If any wil seek the premisses of this Postscript in Mr. Woolnots said Treatis he shal so soon find a needle in a Bottle of Hay so various are our garbs both for stile structure method and matter one from another as wil appear in al the rest of the Theses Nostram Animam ex nihilo negat Author hic esse creatam Externum efficiens vult tamen esse Deum This Author our Soul made of nought denies Yet God to be extern efficient implies Si poâ—erit summus Pater omni assistere partu Allter Sie Animas potuit Voce creare novas If God assists al births when propagat He can so wel with 's Word new Souls creat The Case is cleer as the Sun to salv immortality For Adams Soul by Gods immediat infusion Eves by transfusion from his and al others since by traductiv derivation either immediat or mediat from both theirs like light from a Lamp which never wasts by kindling one another together with Gods command and benediction to increas and multiply their Kinds in ech kind hav acquired that excellent dower or prerogativ of indubitat immortality beyond al exception and evasion THESIS II. Pura Dei Praedestinatio Divine Predestination THis is a profound point and very ponderous for better cleering wherof certain previous Propositions shal lay a foundation 1. Providence is Gods general Government of al 1. Proposition Things Predestination his special care over free Intelligent Creatures Angels and Men. Of it are two parts or branches viz. Election to Life or Salvation and Reprobation to Death or Damnation Election as our Churches seventeenth Article defines is Gods chusing of som in Christ out of Mankind before the Worlds foundation and his everlasting purpos secret to us to deliver them from Curs and Damnation and bring them as Vessels of honor to eternal Salvation by the same Christ in whom they are chosen So Reprobation must be his secret wil 2 Cor. 13. 5. not to deliver from Curs and Damnation thos whom he hath not found in Christ but to pass them by and cast into everlasting fire as Vessels of dishonor Now this Theorem or Treatis concerns the maner and means of Gods proceding in both which must be the Basis of this great stupendious structure to be raised or framed 2. Gods Attributs or expressions of his Essence Omnipotence Omniscience Infinity Eternity Ubiquity Unchangeableness Understanding Wisdom Wil Goodnes Lov Mercy Justice Truth Patience Holines Blessednes Majesty c. must be considered as conspiring in one without confusion or contradiction specialy thos that most concern this subject which folow to be more precisely and particularly agitated 3. Omniscience or Prescience is two-fold as Schools define 1. Of pure simple Intelligence wherby God knows al things past present to com necessary or contingent and what might Nota bone hav bin if he had pleased to giv them being yea the very events of al that shal be doon by himself or any Creature from eternity to eternity This the highest pitch of knowledg in an Intelligent Nature to work with Wisdom and therfore worthy of the wisest Agent specialy in the first contriving and ordering of al things concerning contingent events of free Creatures Hereby he foreknew Adams fal
before he decreed to creat or permit him to fal or to send his Son for a ransom if he should fal upon which he contrived the whol work of Mans Redemption This pure prescience being previous to Predestination in order of Nature according to our weak apprehension yet al coeternal to God did not look to the mass of Mankind as to be created incorrupt nor as lapsed in Adam Nor to Christ beleeved or not beleeved on but beyond al to the first middle and final estate of ech particular person and universal of al Men. 2. Of Vision which is of things to be doon in time with al acts and events therof which depend on his free Wil and Pleasure Aquinas speaks of both God knows al things which neither are were or ever shal be by his simple understanding but the rest that hav bin are or shal be after what sort soever by the science of Vision This distinction Zanchy Junius and other learned Reformists approv to be authentic in the very terms 4. Gods power or Omnipotence who can doo what he wil which agrees to his Nature is duple 1. Absolut wherby he can do al that he wil and more then he wils 2. Actual by which he doth what ever he wil and hinders what he wil not hav doon in Heaven and Earth with al things therin whos Majesty ruleth and reigneth over al Creatures visible or invisible nor could ever any resist his power or defeat his providence 5. Gods Wil which comprehends his Lov Mercy Goodnes Truth Justice Wrath Patience Holines c. first willeth himself as chief Soveraign good and in himself al other good things freely which are out of himself Hereby he decrees for Decree is no Attribut but an Act of his Wil joined with power and prescience what of thos infinit things presented by his understanding shal com into being For Knowledg is his Counsilor but Wil King and both himself who works al according Eph. 1. 11. to the Counsil of his Wil as S. Paul saith By it he orders al things causing or allowing what shal be in what maner Rom. 9. 18 19. and to what end Hence S. Paul ascribes al to it as suprem universal caus into which al inferior are resolved as the prime spring This is absolut and independent for til God passed his Decrees al things were known but as possible if he would giv being or not Ther be other distinctions of divine Wil according to several objects as that of Sign and good pleasure used in Schools but to giv God a duple different Wil in himself secret and reveled as if he willed openly in his word to sav al yet decrees to reprobat most part in his hidden Counsils is most abhorrent For he is a God of Truth no Lier Dissembler or Mocker using simplicity and sincerity in al his sayings which are yea and Amen Nor wil he make general promises in his Gospel to al Beleevers yet bar them by a clos clandestine decree of his secret Wil that they shal not beleev but it hath divers objects or one placed in divers times as 't is his reveled Wil ther shal be a day of Judgment yet he concels the time So the Gospel of Salvation was his secret Counsil before the World began but since opened to the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles c. which can no more be caled his hidden Wil. Indeed 't is said Secret things belong to God but the reveled to us Deut. 29. 29. and our Children which provs a diversity of objects but no duplicity of Wils warning us only to attend what is reveled in his Word as his general promises prescribed and not pry into his privy purposes to inquire who are elect or who reprobats lest like Thales in gazing at the Stars we fal into the Pit for this is a perilous precipice of carnal presumption 6. The Gospel is a manifestation of Mans Redemption by Jesus Christ which God first reveled in Paradise that the Womans seed shal break the Serpents head Next to Abram at Haran that in his seed al families and Nations shal be blessed Then to Moses in Egypt and the Wildernes when God instituted the Passover and several Sacrifices as Types or Figures of the holy Lamb slain before the World for the Worlds sins Afterward to the Prophets And lastly to the Evangelists who wrot our Saviours whol life death after his Incarnation or appeerance in the flesh which is the mystery of our Redemption 7. Gospel Grace is Gods free Mercy offered to al lapsed Mankind whoever wil beleev in his Son repent their sins and persever to the end shal be saved Which promiss must be preached and published to al sorts sans respect of Persons as he is no respecter nor delights in the death of a sinner For Man hath som liberty of Free-wil stil left if revived or quickned by Grace to obey or resist receiv or reject the motions of Gods Spirit 8. Gods Decree is duple 1. Primary Proceeding from his Omnipotence wherby he eternaly willed to creat the World in du time and to giv Man made after his Image absolut Free-wil Decretum 1 Absolutum 2 Conditionâ—tum without restraint any way 2. Secundary Depending on his Omniscience wherby foreseing Adams fal as he did the evil Angels Rebellion he in meer Mercy ordained a remedy to send his only begotten Son to be a Sacrifice for al but with condition of beleef in him and tru repentance for sin both which are equaly eternal flowing from the Fountain of the Deity who willeth what he wil and doth what he willeth Hence proceds Predestination which is his secundary conditionat Decree depending on Prescience wherby he freely elects som to lif being al liable to death in Adam and rejects or passes by the rest to perish in their disobedience 9. Sin is of two sorts 1. Original so caled by S. Austin contracted from our first Parents 2. Actual committed by al particular persons The remedy of one is Baptism into Christs faith either by personal confession as in those of tipe age or by their Sureties sponsion as in Infants The other is cured or clensed by repentance through the merits of Christs death whos blood by tru faith in him purgeth from al sin 10. God eternaly Decreed to creat al things in time indued with several Natures and to make Man a free Intelligent Creature like Angels who gav one only prohibitiv precept upon pain of death which foreseing in his pure prescience he would violat or prevaricat both to his own and Posterities perdition if justice be executed as it must necessarily be by a just God He by his knowledg of Vision decreed secundarily in meer Mercy to send his Son to salv al that shal believ in him and use such means of faith repentance and obedience as are prescribed in the Gospel 11. God commands no more of Man then he givs power or ability to perform as Adam had by Nature and al
perswation be rooted or rivited that both salvation and damnation depends on absolut Decree Ministers may be fit instruments for Politic States to deter People from enormous Offenses but can do no spiritual good nor draw one Soul to God 'T is said the Defenders of this Doctrin are pure pious Men which open no gap to loos life but others pervert the truth to their own damnation So the Epicures in defens of their dogmat that the cheif Good consisted in carnal pleasure said most of their Sects were honest Men but Tully tels them that this proceds rather from their courteous disposition then curiosity of Opinion therfore the force of honesty prevailed more with them then the folly of pleasure which they pleaded for Another Apology is made That though they teach absolut Election and Reprobation yet design not who is elected or rejected but exhort Men to work out their salvation and get assurance of it by good works wherby they excite or encourage not stifle or curb holy honest duties Indeed they doo so But the ignorance of a Mans particular state alters not the case for if I know the Decree is absolut both wais why should I be sollicitous of either sith it can doo no good nor hurt nor can this knowledg at best be infallible in this vally of frailty but is obscured with many clouds of incertity in the point of undoubted perseverance 5. 'T is a Doctrin ful of despair both to them that stand and 5 Reason thos that fal to Men out of tentation and in it But the Gospel of glad tidings is a sweet store-hous of comfort in our worst condition under al changes as S. Paul saith Thes things Rom. 15. 4. are writ that by patience and comfort of the Scriptures we might hav hope Now absolut Reprobation procures tentation for sith ther be many mo Reprobats then Elect the Devil can easily perswade one he is one of the most rather then fewest or at least that al his labor is lost sith the Decree is irrefragable and irrevocable Bucer saith To doubt whether we be predestinat or no is the head of every tentation for he that doubts cannot confide he is caled or justified So every Man must presume he is elected To what end then is S. Pauls exhortation Work out your salvation with fear and trembling 't is a Gorgons head to affright or amaze the Tempteds fancy that the strongest arguments of consolation applied with the best art cannot avail Gods lov to Mankind Christs death for al the caling of sinners without exception of persons and al other motivs are easily eluded by this Opinion Suppose a Minister and tempted Soul talking thus Tempted Wo is me I am a cast away utterly rejected from A Dialog Grace and Glory Minister Be not danted poor afflicted Soul God hath not cast thee off he hates nothing which he hath made but lovs al Men and thee among the rest Temp. God hates none as his Creatures but many as sinners and lovs al Men with a general lov affording his outward temporal blessings only but not his special lov of eternal life which he shews to a very few his chosen ones wherof I am none Min. Yes he lovs al so as to desire their eternal good who would hav al to be saved and none to perish nor thee in particular Temp. Al is taken for al sorts or calings of Men high low rich poor bound free som of al which shal be saved but not al Individuals of thos ranks nor me in particular or if he wils in his Word to sav al yet by his secreâ— Wil he decrees millions to be damned wherof I am one Min. Nay but Christ cam to seek and sav what was lost and is a propitiation for the sins of the whol World Ergo for thy sins to sav thee Temp. The word World implies a World of Elect wherof I am none not al Mankind yet if he died for al it was only dignitate pretii by the worth of his ransom not voluntate propositi by the intention of his redemption that al should be saved Min. God made a universal Covenant with Man in the Mediators blood intending it to be shed for al and promises to sav every one that beleevs excluding none except they refuse Temp. God purposed his Son should dy for al profering and promising remission of â—ins to every one but on condition if they wil repent and beleev which he decrees that far the greatest part shal not doo Min. God means truly that al who are caled shal repent and beleev that they may be saved being caled by the preaching of the Word to knowledg of the Truth Temp. God hath a duple Cal an outer by the Word preached in Mens ears an inward by irresistible working of his Spirit in the heart which he vouchsaâ—s to a few secret ones only wherof I am none Thus no sound solace can accru by this Tenet The sole solid grounds of comfort to a dejected Soul are Gods lov to Mankind Christs death for al and the new Covenant of Grace which three he that applies wisely may easily releas or reliev the Tempted But such as hold absolut Reprobation â—oc Com. p. 526 cannot doo it Melancthon saith The universal promiss of Grace and Salvation is a Christians sole Bulwark in this combat of tentation let us not therfore leav Christ and seek for an Election out of the Word Again As 't is needful to know that the promiss of Salvation is free so 't is necessary to take notice that 't is universal against som dangerous doctrins of Predestination This he thought to be the only tru Balsam to cure a wounded Soul for thes three Gods Lov Christs Death the universal Promiss are directly contradictory to the tentation which cannot stand with an absolut antecedent Wil Intention or Decree to cast off the greatest part of Maâ—kind of meer free pleasure as if it were his sport or delight what ever quirks or quiddities are vented or invented to sully or shadow it If two contradictories cannot be tru he that proveth the truth of one disproveth the untruth of the other as he that confirms this Proposition God wil hav al to be saved beleev repent and be redeemed to be tru makes it â—leer to every understanding that the contradictory God wil hav most Men to be absolutly and inevitably damned is flatly fals and so raiseth or relieveth a tempted Soul from distress For demonstrat to a Man who fears himself to be an absolut Reprobat that ther is no such but every one that repents and beleevs shal be saved therfore his fear is fancy and doubt a dream then you driv out one nail with another and expel the terrible tentation This is the pure Nepenthe of a sick sorowful Soul and Alexanders sword to dissolv the Gordian knot Now the maintainers of absolut Reprobation cannot use it against the Replies of the tempted becaus ther is a plain
hath produced sad events and given their Enimies great advantage so they hav work enough to keep the Lepry from their own Heads which they told the People had so fouly infected Bishops hands as could never be clensed unles cut off but al mortals are apt to doo amiss and 't is never too lat to rectify miscarriages Most Men confes nor can impudence gainsay it that the Order or Office is lawful wherby al Christian Churches were Governed however som inconveiniences yea mischiefs too arise from corruption of finful Men in al Professions Tho then Episcopy hath bin much shaken or depressed by power passion or privat ends to the impairing and indangering of the whol fabric or function yet wise Men may after this thick dust of disput see what is of God therin and regulat it by paring off what is depraved or deformed and restore it to primeval purity 'T is now no need to fear or flatter Bishops faces whos glory is gon but meer matter of Conscience to testify truth sith thos of different judgments take freedom to bespatter them so unjustly and unsavourly as they hoped by their il breath to blast that venerable caling and render it odious or execrable to weak Christians which to wise Men was ever like Aarons Ointment poured out Nor doth it lose divine fragrance by the fracture of il times which passionatly break the Alablaster boxes of civil protection which preserved it for many ages from vulgar insolence and Schismatical violence The like liberty is lawful to vindicat it by pregnant places of Scriptural precepts and precedents secunded with Catholic custom and practis of the Church and confirmed by the Laws of this Land To omit the main controversy of its lawfulnes and to whiten two Wals with one Trowel two points principaly shal be handled 1. To remov a popular Odium or Plebeian passion and prejudication taken up by weak yet haply wel minded Christians against Bishops Presidential authority over Presbyters 2. to justify the holy Ministerial Ordination duly doon by their hands One rub riseth from their lat disasters whom if Arguments and Words could not yet Arms and Swords hav suppressed For vulgar minds are apt to judg thos unjust that are unprosperous and cursed who are punished as Turcs use to doom Yet in tru sens their many miseries may no more be urged against their Persons or Places then Jobs afflictions which Satan never alleged against his integrity Many wish that al Prelats and Presbyters were chief Suffâ—rers yea that the Word Sacraments and al holy Ministrations should ceaf but Religious Rites must not be mesured by Mens passions or prevalences nor any secular sanctions For ther were pious Prelats preposited abov Presbyters before any Civil power protected them and by Gods Grace may so continu maugre al oppression or persecution The things of Christ and tru Religion may not be received or refused as Ushered in or crowded out by Civil power nor doth Christ steer his Ship by that compass sith at the same rate of Worldly frowns we should hav no Scriptures Sacraments sound Doctrins or holy Ordinances but al had bin turned into Heathenish barbarity Hereticla errors and Schismatical confusions if conscience to God and Christ had not conserved thes sacred things by the pious patience of holy Bishops and Ministers whom wicked Worldlings ever hated seeking to destroy root and branch through the sides of Episcopacy Bishops Government as referred to the chief office of Ordination is no way Popish or Antichristian as too many ignorantly or malitiously chatter tho the pride ambition or avarice of some Prelats might make them justly odious becaus contrary to Christs precept and patern whos place Bishops as cheif Pastors or Parents among Presbyters hav alwais since the Apostles eminently held in the extern polity or Regiment of the Church So that the antient Presidentship over the Clergy in several Diocesan precincts as it was justly exercised in pâ—rer times is no less Christian then several Churches in al ages and places of the World Yea far beyond any form which hath not charity to brook or bear regulated Prelacy suting with Scripture and Antiquity For Lutheran Superintendents are Bishops in truth tho not title yea the most learned Genevins Calvin Beza Moulin Salmatius Bochartus Blundel acknowledg Episcopat a pious institution succeding in the Apostles steads by the Churches counsil and Consent So far is any sober impartial uninteressed Man from dooming or deeming it unlawful unles they be blinded with blockish ignorance or possessed with peevish arogance Certes the learnedst Presbyterians are best Friends and blind Zelots bittrest Foes to tru Episcopat who want science prudence humility and charity which is the best condiment of Christianity Orderly Presbytery which admits one to Preside is a lesser Episcopy to oversee particular Flocks yet not to expel or extirp Bishops nor is headless or many headed Presbytery necessary by divine right but primitiv Prelacy which imports one grav worthy Person chosen by consent and assisted by counsil of sundry Presbyters to preside over them is to be preferred before al other forms for many weighty Reasons insuing 1. Becaus al Apostolic Antients Ignatius Justin Martyr Reason 1 Polycarp Tertullian Cyprian Irenaeus jointly attest that one stil Episcopized in every City For at first a few Presbyters served in ech by Apostolic appointment but as converts increased they constituted several Colleges Companies or Consistories as the Churches Colonies which one Supervisor as Captain or Commander overruled Aerius upon envy against Eustachius who got a Bishoprick from him was the first that pressed Clerical parity contrary to the Churches old Order but if the Apostles had not instituted it how could al Churches uniformly conspire therin al the World over For tho at first the name was common to al Church Ministers even Apostles yet after their deaths it was peculiarly confined to their Successors in place and power 2. To avoid scandal of other Churches which for far a major part are governed by Bishops in degree dignity and authority abov Presbyters For 't is no prudence or piety to widen differences wherby Papists gain great advantage to esteem us less Christian in utterly abolishing that Catholic Order and by consequent tru Ordination of Ministers together with sacred Ordinances Yea Reformed Churches allow a Presidence among Presbyters nor doo the learned hold it caus enough to seperat from any Church for having Bishops as Peter Martyr Zanchius Vidâ—lius Gerard Groâ—â—us Dâ—oâ—at and Alsted agree 3. To preserv the power of Ministerial Ordination and Succession which som sober Presbyterians specialy Blondel hold to be best strengthned by Episcopy becaus it was the universal way wherby Ministry and Christianity hav bin derived to this day the resecting wherof is most advantageous to al Cavillers against Godly Ministry 4. Tru Episcopat never had had a free ful or fair hearing as so great a matter requires nor was it ever convicted to repugn Scripture as som shamelesly assert
as they approved may be set over them which was somtime granted somtime not but to ordein of themselfs Saul and Vzziah had so much right to offer Incens as they to doo it Al humble Christians look to the rock whence they were hewen and pit wherout they were digged who did not make Ministers but they sent by Christ made People Christians Such as sat in darknes had light brought them and were found of God by his Ministers sent as Shepherds to the lost Sheep which sought not God So ther is no caus for People to embrace that fury folly and faction which would lay al in common sith Levellers can allege nothing to repeal the divine approbation of Ministry which hath continued a peculiar peaceable possession to Church Officers by Christs Institution for sixteen Centuries without cessation in a constant successon of Ordination We grant People in a particular Parish or Congregation may desire a special Man to be their Prelat or Pastor as thos of Milan did St. Ambros but cannot chus by their proper power much less Ordein as Souldiers may petition the General for one to be their Captain but cannot chus creat or constitut any without Commission They may so wel set up a new Christ or new Gospel as new Ministry or new Ordination which Christ hath doon once for al times and places to the Worlds end without Peoples interest A wise Spaniard said 'T is better in a State to prefer corrupt Men then silly Sots the one like a Theef in a Vinyard wil only take ripe Grapes til he be satiat but the other as an Ass eats ripe and green treads down al with his heels and being filled tumbles in it to spoil al such is the unskilful Vulgar in Church affairs Quest Som scornfully ask what can Bishops confer in Ordination more then other Men what charm is in their praiers or imposing of hands to invest Church power or how can they giv the Graces of the holy Ghost why doo they claim to be caled Clerics as peculiar to that Tribe and contemptuously cal others Laics sith al the Lords People are the lot of his Inheritance being spiritualy annointed to be Kings Priests Prophets Answ Thes Scarrows are soon repelled 1. Touching the term or title of Clergy and Laity which captious Critics imput as pride in Ecclesiastics to incens People against them this distinction was ever used ab initio as al antient Fathers Councils and Histories ratify nor is the one upbraided as a badg of vainglory to the Ministry nor the other aspersed as a brand of infamy to the People but only to difference both calings as 't is in our Laws and Language Nor is it avers to Scripture sens which cals them Pastor and Flock Doctor and Disciple Ruler and Ruled yea al Faithful in general are stiled Clerus a Church or portion of the Lords heritage but Ministers in special Clerus Ecclesiae a lot given by the Lord to his Acts 2. 6. Acts. 13. 2 3. Church as consecrat apart to his service So the Apostles chos Matthias by lot and the holy Ghost after said Separat Barnabas and Paul for the work wherto I hav caled them who having fasted praid and layd on hands sent them away Gods Ministers disdain not to be counted or caled his People as Children of one spiritual Father and brethren of the same Family of Faith Nor wil humble Christians covet to be clyped Clerics or scorn the appellation of Laics to avoid confusion of Calings who accompt or acknowledg tru Bishops and Ministers as their Fathers Overseers and Instructers Men may so wel bogle at the words Trinity three persons and Sacraments which are not found in the letter but truth and sens of Scripture Nor is Logomachy or word-war fit for wise Men being a meer Sciomachy or shadow-fight like stumbling at straws and syllabical scruples No Religion bars convenient compendious terms to distinguish degrees but thes word-Carpers hav a malitious meaning to make People abandon both Name and Thing even the Office and Ordination 2. To the demand what charm is in Bishops hands or praiers to confer the holy Ghost more then in others so wel or better gifted It may so wel be asked as Atheists and Apostats use what virtu is in Baptism water to wash away sin regenerat sinners confer Grace or represent Christs blood more then in other as proud Catabaptists contested Or what efficacy in Bread and Wine at the Lords Supper more then in the same Elements at usual Tables or Taverns How doth the form of consecration by using Christs words ad or alter them At this rate of carnal reasoning Men may cavil at Christs Deity and Humanity for the outward poverty of his life and death which made many doubt or deny him to be the tru Messias So this fond futilous frivolous question fals to ground with its own weight or weaknes as if there were more light in lat modern Meteors then in the great Lamps Sun Moon and Stars of Scripture Church and antient Christians who with the same holy humble Faith as they beleev Jesus to be the promised Messias maugre al which blind Jews and babarous Infidels obtrud doo also religiously reverence al his holy Orders and Ordinances how poor or plain soever setled in his Church Nor doth the means of outward appeerance weaken their duty or devotion who liv by Faith see with the ey of Faith and act with Faiths hand in al divine mysteries For God makes foolish things effectual by his spirit and Grace to thos high holy ends for which they were ordeined So 't is not any Magic charm which makes common Accedit Verbū Elemento fit Sacramentum Elements becom Sacraments being consecrat by Ministers nor in Bishops hands and praiers to ordein them but his powerful Word and Spirit who commands the duty confirms the Order and givs a blessing to Ministerial Ordination so wel as to al other Ordinances The result is That Ordination makes nothing to Ministers Natural Moral or Spiritual endowments nor doth it confer any Physical power no more then the Office of a Judg Ambassador or martial Commander to their personal abilities but invests them alone with authority to exercise thos Functions which none els may presum to perform who hath not that order of Office consigned to him Nor can any power in Men make a Gospel Minister though never so gifted to consecrat holy duties sav only such as are set apart or separat therto by du Ordination The benefits therof are manifest and manifold 1. For Gods glory and salvation of Mens Souls by beleeving tru Ministers testimony that Jesus Christ is sole Saviour of the World who began this Ordinance and sent som special witnesses to proclaim him by a constant continual succession in al ages and places til his secund coming 2. It evidenceth the Churches care and fidelity both in preserving the divine Oracles and in celebrating holy Mysteries as Seals to confirm
literaly lift up to Gods Throne but mystical here meant analogicaly to the Roman Throne as Constantin and his Successors were for al power and their Thrones is of God If any ask how mystical Christ rules with an iron Scepter or Sword of war 'T is in a duple way 1. Divine against Devils Princes of this world which is stoutly waged 2. Human when Constantin crushed Maxentius Maximian and Licinius Christs Enemies This Child was not lift up to Gods Throne so soon as born for he was to rule but when he was ripe and ready for a Kingdom so tru Christ entred not his Kingdom so soon as born but at thirty yeers of age fit for Priesthood or spiritual Government The Woman fled into the wildernes wher God prepared a Vers 6 7 8. place to be fed one thousand two hundred threescore dais This Prophecy is afterward somwhat fuller repeated and described wherto it shal be deferred Ther was war in Heaven Michael and his Angels fought with the Dragon who with his Angels fought but prevailed not nor was their place found any more ther. Here is shewed how the Woman escaped the Dragons wait by Michaels rescu who being conqueror cast him down to Earth wherby hir Son was lifted up and she departed to a Desart This war was waged while the Woman travelled not after she was delivered as many misdeem for the battel befel before the Woman fled which was after hir dilivery and Rev. â—2 10 11 hir Sons taking up to Gods Throne Michael and his Angels having with them Christs Martyrs and Confessors fought for in the triumphant song 't is said they overcam by the blood of the Lamb and word of their testimony who loved not their lifes to death Semblably the Dragon and his Angels took with them the Roman Tyrans in their Train which worship them This Michael is not Christ as som suppose but chief of the Princes or seven Archangels specified by Daniel viz. that Dan. 10. 13. Dan. 12. 1. great Angel said to stand for Gods Children whom Christ King of Angels and Men opposed to Satans black Guard raging against his Saints For Angels are sent to defend the heirs of Salvation whom they invisibly protect against evil Spirits So in this war of the primitiv Church against the Dragons worshipers the Angels under conduct of their Chieftain acted both in strengthning Martyrs against Tyrans threats and mitigating or sweetning their torments beside many mo wais of weakning the Enimies spirits and dejecting their minds that oftimes they desisted or granted truce for a time til in fine after two hundred yeers war of persecution it pleased Christ to giv ful victory the Womans Child being lift up to the Imperial Throne and Satans Kingdom subdued as 't is said the Dragon prevailed not nor was his place found any more The great Dragon that old Serpent caled the Devil and Satan Vers 9. which deceivs the whol World was cast out into the Earth and his Angels with him He and al his Fiends being before worshiped as God was cast down from the top of Divinity to the Abyss of curs contempt and contumely For as God executed judgment on the Egyptian Gods at Israels delivery Exod. 12. 11. from their tyranny so he doth here they prevailed not or were overcome which is al one Hebraism and they camâ— no more ther. I heard a loud voice in Heaven Now is com Salvation Vers 10. 11. strength and Kingdom of our God and power of his Christ for the Accuser of our Brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night but they overcam him by the Lambs blood Thes words being most cleer sans Allegory or ambiguity are a Key to interpret the whol Vision For hence appeers that the Childs lifting up to Gods Throne is an introduction to Salvation strength and Kingdom of God and power of his Christ into the Imperial throne that the Enimy ejected is the Accuser who traduceth the faithful day and night that the forces used by Michael and his Angels were Martyrs and Confessors who overcam by the Lambs blood freely yeeldding their life 's to death Satan caled before Dragon and Devil is now new named Accuser as the Hebrews term him But contrarily the holy Ghost is Paraclet or Advocat the one Destroier the other Defender This title best agreed to thos times when Christians were accused by Roman Idolaters of Thyestean Fests Oedipean Incests Medean Murders Adultery Treason burning of Houses Poisoning Plagues Famin and al hainous crimes or hidious calamities which hapned but it aims chiefly at Satans trial of Job by tribulations as Pagans did Christians by persecutions Rejoice O Heavens and ye that dwel in them wo to the Inhabiters Vers 12. of Earth and Sea for the Devil is com down to you having great wrath becaus he knows his time is but short Though the Dragon was cast from the throne by Constantin yet People continued his worship specialy under Julian Apostat but soon after Christianity prevailed and al the Empire was washed with Baptism which made Satan rage and seek by al stratagems to undermine the Church This while the woman dwels in a Desart who being freed from Heathen tyranny til the seventh trumpets sounding and Christs secund coming lay not hid or invisible but lived in a midle condition like the Israelits before they entred Canaan who escaped Pharaohs slavery yet attained not the Land of promiss So Christians escaped Pagan bondage and served Christ freely Yet as the Israelits Apostatized to worship a golden Calf Baal Peor Balaam c. So Christians fel to semi-Idolatry or Iconolatry The Womans abode in the wildernes fourty two months answers to See Numb 33. the Israelits so many mansions in the Desart not without a tacit typical mystery When the Dragon saw he was cast to the Earth he persecuted the Vers 13. 14. 15 Woman which brought forth a Manchild to whom were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly from the Serpent into hir place to be nourished for a time times and half a time but the Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a Flood after the Woman that it might carry hir away Satan is cast down but not cast out who staying below essaied to oppress the Woman by what wais or wiles he could She began to fly but cam not instantly to the Desart as neither did the Israelits for Pharaoh pursued them into the red Sea and the red Dragon hir with a Flood of water quam bene cuncta quadrant the great Eagle is evidently the Roman Empire hir two wings the East and West Caesars under whos protection she fared in an Eremitical Estate three yeers and half expressed before by one thousand two hundred threescore dais to comply with Daniels times This Eagle in Esdras typifies the fourth Kingdom and 1 Esd 11. 16 17 the twelv feathered wings the twelv first Caesars from Julius to Domitian Thus
This is the whol cru or circuit of Papal Communion containing al Nations Kingdoms Dioceses conjoind in spiritual society though dis-joined severaly This becam cold or congeled as a dead Mans blood when the Pontifical Sea is dismembred which Luther and other Reformers performed when they drew off whol Lims of People Provinces Princes and Potentats from Papal communion The third is poured on Rivers and Fountains of Waters which Vers 4. 5. 6. 7. becam blood thou Lord art righteous becaus thou hast judged thus for they hav shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou givest them blood to drink The Rivers and Fountains of the Beastian world are the chief Champions of Antichristian Jurisdicton whether Ecclesiastics Priests Jesuits Moncs Friers or Secular Governours who uphold the declining Papacy For their Emislaries were justly doon to death in England as they unjustly served the Saints Yea the Duch began to revenge that blood which Duke d' Alva and the Spanish Inquisition cruely spilt to fulfil this Phial The fourth is poured on the Sun and Men were scorched with Vers 8 9. great heat who blasphemed Gods name which hath power over thes plagues but repented not to giv him glory To know what Sun signifies in the Antichristian world we must serch what Heaven imports which is either the Popes universal Authority or any eminent Monarchic power in the Beasts world Now in it are sundry Stars of several magnituds Kings Princes Dukes Prelats Free States yet but one Sun which seems to be the German Emperor the King of Spain being the Moon who hath bin of the Austrian Family two hundred yeers This is the Sun on whom the fourth Phial shal be poured to his conversion or confusion The fifth is poured on the Beasts Seat Rome City and his Vers 10. 11. Kingdom was dark and they gnawed their toungs for pain blaspheming the God of Heaven becaus of their pains and sores but repented not of their deeds Here the holy Ghost useth no Allegories becaus great light shal then arise to the Prophecies by this evident sign wherby wil appeer what Phials are past and what to com This destruction of Rome seems to be intimated before but the name Pope shal not quit perish only his Rev 11. V. 12. 13. glory and greatnes shal be clipped that they shal bite their toungs through teen and curs God persevering stil in the Kingdom of darknes to despise light The sixth shal be poured on Euphrates and the water dried Vers 12 up to prepare a way for the East Kings Thes Kings seem to be the Jews which shal be converted whom haply the Beasts Folowers wil misdeem to be Antichrists Army rising from Don as they dream and so shal be hardned in their error To prov that the Jews are meant by East Kings this reason is pregnant becaus this is the penultimat Phial and unles they be then converted they must needs perish with Christs Enimies among whom they yet abide at the day of universal Judgment which the seventh or last Phial shal bring on them Isaiâ—h saith The Lord shal destroy the toung of the Egyptic Sea and with a Isai 11. 15. 16. mighty Wind shal shake his hand over the River and smite it in the seven streams and make Men go over dry shod Ther shal be an high way for his People left from Assyria as it was to Israel at their Exod out of Egypt but this Prophecy seems not so pregnant for Euphrates and Assyria as for Nilus and Egypt Now by Euphrates the Turcish Empire is mysticaly meant which borders Eastly on it who shal be thes new Converts chief obstacle and the Beasts best bulwork but this Euphratean deluge shal be dried up or destroied yet whether by the Jews or other Aliens or their own intestin discords is not reveled Vers 17. The seventh or last is poured into the Air and ther cam a great voice out of the Temple of Heaven from theThrone saying It is doon Hereby is meant the power or Prince of the Air even Satan who fosters not only the Beasts dominions but al Christs Enimies in what Coast Climat or Country soever for as the Beast had his Spirit or Life from him at first so the last Fortunes of al his Folowers and Worshipers shal depend chiefly on his charge or conduct as appeers by the preparations of so many Aids and Allies for war to be procured in this last Phial by his Diabolical devises Who bestirs by al means possible both of his Lieftenents the Beast and fals Prophet and by his own Artificies to rais this universal Army in the last danger of his Kingdom Vers 13. 14. For ther cam three unclean Spirits Devils working miracles like Frogs out of the Dragons Beasts and fals Prophets mouth which go forth as Emissaries with Summons to the Kings of the whol n orld to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty So the Prince of the Air musters al his Forces and Fautors to assist thos two at this last exigent on whom being pent up in a Coop at Armageddon This last Phial shal thunder not with arm of Flesh as formerly but an Heavenly voice of revenge wherby the Beasts total downfal shal be consummat not only within Babylons wals as before under the seventh Trumpet but of the whol City wherever scattered or dispersed Yes of al Kings Cities or Stats which committed filthines of fornication with hir Idol fals Gods together with other forren Tyrans joining in opposition against Christs holy Spous or Church V. 19 20. 21. The Cities of the Nations fel and God gav Babylon the Cup of Wine of his fierce wrath Every Iland fled and the Maâ—ntains were not found a great Hail from Heaven every stone a Talent weight fel on Men who blasphemed God becaus of the Hail for the plague was exceding great Mr. Mede proceds no farther to the excution of thes threats on the great Whore sitting on the seven-headed Beast with ten horns who with the fals Prophet are to be cast into a burning Lake for ever as 't is expressed in the 17. 18. and 19. Chapters but treats tenderly with much modesty of Christs 1000. yeers reign on Earth with his Martyrs and som chief Saints at his secund coming to Judgment which last day he makes one continued act with the triumphant millenium of his reign to decline a third coming of Christ as common Chiliasts assign without warrant But this sublime speculation shal be suspended or superseded to the next Thesis peculiarly addicted or appropriated to this Subject This 1000. yeers reign after the Martyrs resurrection but before the day of Judgment is specicified in the twentieth Chapter of Apocalyps wheron the Millenars build their Doctrin beside som other obscure places in the Prophets which shal be fairly yet briefly debated or discussed in the Theory immediatly insuing Commentarii Compendium A Compend of the Comment THe Comment contains
same condition that Adam and his Posterity were since his fal sav that God graciously promised a Redeemer to such as should repent and beleev but not to thos that dy in their sins impenitent as Reprobats doo so they may liv as they did before with gross corruptible Bodies as al Men now hav and haply beget Children continualy which no 1 Cor. 15. Scripture gainsais St. Paul treats only of the Resurrection Luk. 20 34. c. to life eternal not a word of that to pnuishment nor Christ who saith the Children of this World which liv in the estate Adam left them shal marry and generat successivly by an immortality of Kind not of Persons who are not worthy to be counted among thos that shal rise and obtain the World to com that is life to com not a terren World which alone are Heirs of eternal life equal to Angels and Children of God So a secund eternal death remains to Reprobats when after the Resurrection shal com a time of torment or punishment which by succession of sinners shal last so long as the kind of Man by propagation shal endure that is eternaly but not so every single Person nor shal the Tormenters be Fâ—ends or evil Angels Touching the Souls natural immortality that 't is a spiritual substance subsisting by it self after separation he answers som objections Ob. Salomon saith Dust shal return to Dust as it was and Eccles 12. 7. the Spirit to God that gav it Ergo God created the Soul distinct Spirit Sol. He shews how Mans Body made of dust must return to dust but God only knows what becoms of his Spirit Chap. 3. 20. Breath or Life He hath a sentence of semblable sens Al Man and Beast go to one place al are of dust and turn to dust Who knows except the Omniscient that Mans Spirit goes Ibid. v. 19. upward and a Beasts downward Sith 't is said That which befals the Sons of Men betides Beasts as one dies so doth the other yea they hav al one breath before spirit so that a Man hath no preeminence abov a Beast for al is vanity He praiseth Châ—p 4 2 3. the dead beyond the living and ads Better is he which hath not yet bin nor seen the evil work doon under the Sun then both the dead and living which cannot hold current if Mans Soul be immortal that no Soul were better then it only for a little oppression in this life Lastly he saith The living know they shal dy but the Dead know nothing naturaly before the Body shal rise nor hav any more a reward for their memory is forgot Al which places prostern the Souls immortality and by Spirit is meant Breath or Life as often foresaid Ob. Christ saith Abraham Isaac and Jacob are living Ergo their Souls separat subsist stil for their bodies lay buried many ages before Sol. This purports Gods promiss and certitud of their Resurrection not any actual life as God said to Adam on the day he should eat the forbidden fruit he shal certainly dy so from that day he was a dead Man by Sentence but not by actual execution til 930. yeers after Ob. The wicked shal rise to Judgment and go into everlasting fire torment or punishment wher the worm of Conscience never dieth which is caled a secund everlasting Death and general everlasting Life in torments far wors then Death as appeers in the new Testament Ergo c. Sol. Al this is tru yet it no wher appeers that the Damned shal liv in torments everlastingly for God the Father of Mercies and fountain of Goodnes who doth al what he wil and holds al Mens hearts at his disposing working them to wil and doo without whos free gift no Man hath any inclination to good or repentance of evil wil not punish Mens transgressions committed by inevitable ignorance natural frailty or wilful obstinacy sans end of time or with extremity of torture more then Men can conceiv or imagin Then he proceds to answer Bellarmins places or proofs in both Testaments touching Purgatory which he that lists may read p. 346. c. The next Caus of spiritual Darknes is heathen Demonology 2 Caus or doctrin of Devils as St. Paul cals it which their Poets as principal Priests diffused divulged or dissipated over the World witnes Hesiods goodly Genealogy of Gods For they caled al Spirits good and bad Demons but the Jews gav the name Demon only to evil Spirits stiling the good which Prophets or others inspired had the Spirit of God So they caled Lunatics Maniacs Lycanthrops Epileptics Hysterics or the like direct Demoniacs possest with evil Spirits They said unclean Persons had an unclean spirit dumb Men a dumb Devil aspersing John Baptist and our Saviour himself to hav Devils but Devils specified in Scripture are meer Diseases If any ask why Christ did not cross comptrole or teach Quest the contrary but confirms it by bidding Dâ—vils go out of Men which is improper to speak unto any Diseas that cannot hear He answers that Christs command to any Diseas is no more Answ improper then to rebuke the Fever Wind or Sea which obeied him yet can hear no more then the rest Nor are such speeches improper becaus they import or impart the power of Gods word to command such contumacious Diseases under the appellation of Devils as they were then generaly deemed to depart out of Mâ—ns Bodies So Devils Spectres or evil Spirits which they dreamed of are meer Phantasms or Inhabitants of their own Brains nor are any Ghosts of the Dead or ever were extant in the Air Heaven Hel or any real place as som surmise Al this must be taken upon his bare Phythagorean Ipse dixit Was that legion of Devils who besought Christ to enter 〈◊〉 into the Gergesens Swine and caried a whol Herd headlong into Sea only a Diseas Can Metaphors discurs or doo such mischeef When Christ cast out a dumb Spirit the traducing Pharisees denied not the dispossessing or matter of fact but said he did it by Beelzebub Prince of Devils can Christians then deny it Christ saith St. Matthew was led by or of the Spirit into Maâ— 4. 1. Maâ—â— 1. 12. Luk 4. 1. the Wildernes which Spirti drov him into the Desart saith St. Marc but Luke that he being ful of the holy Ghost which descended on him as a Dov newly before at Baptism was led of the Spirit into the Wildernes al which imply the holy Ghost nor can this be a possession of one substance by another sith Christ and the holy Ghost are one self same substance 'T is said after the Devil took him up into the holy City and set him on a Pinnacle but anon after caried him on a very high Mountain to shew him al the Worlds Kingdoms but certes the Devil did not transport him by force nor is any Mountain so high to shew him one Hemisphere of the World The meaning then must be
21. 5. Jer. 7. 11. Mat. 21. 13. Psal 8. 2. Mat. 21. 16. Isai 5. 8. Mat. 21. 33. Ps 118. 22. Mat. 21. 42. Ps 110. 1. Mat. 22. 44. Isai 8. 14. Mat. 21. 44. Zech. 13. 7. Mat. 26. 31. Isai 53. 11. Mat. 26. 54. Psal 41. 9. Mat. 26. 23. Lamen 4. 20. Mat. 26. 56. Isai 50. 6. Mat. 26. 67. Zech. 11. 13. Mat. 27 9. Psal 22. 18. Mat. 27. 35. Psal 22. 2. Mat. 27. 46. Psal 69. 22. Mat. 27. 48. Nothing was doon by Christ which the Prophets foretold not nothing foretold by them which he fulfilled not for he saith al things writen of me hav an end couching al in that one Word on the Cross Consummatum est 't is finished Al Prophecies spoken of him are accomplished al Lawish Ceremonies which prefigured him abolished his own sufferings performed and Mans salvation perfected For al particulars of his Passion are precisely pointed out he must be apprehended so saith Jeremy The Lords Annointed was taken in their nets How To be sold For What Thirty Silver peeces What to doo To buy a Field So saith Zechary They gav thirty Silver peeces the price of him that was valued and gav them for the Potters Field By whom sold By that Child of perdition to fulfil the Scripture Who was he One that eats bread with me So saith David What shal his Disciples doo Run away as Zechary saith I wil smite the Shepherd and the Sheep shal be scattered What shal be doon to him he must be scourged and spit on So saith â—aiah I hid not my face from shame and spitting What more He shal be led to death So saith Daniel The Messiah shal be slain What death He must be life up as Moses did the Serpent Whither To the Cross So saith Moses Hanging on a Tree How lift up Nailed to it So saith David They hav pierced my Hands and Feet With what company Even Theefs So saith Isaia with the wicked was he numbred Wher Without the Gates So saith the Prophecy What shal becom of his Garments They divided them and on my Vesture or Coat cast lots saith David How must he dy Voluntarily Not a bone shal be broken Why It was prefigured in the Paschal Lamb and performed in him the tru Passover as a Sacrifice for sin How then He must be thrust in the side with a Spear so saith Zechary They shal see him whom they thrust through What shal he say Eli Eâ—â— Lama Luke 23 34. sabactani My God my God why hast thou forsaken me as David speaks how shal he resign his Soul Into thy hands I commend my spirit so saith the Psalmist What uttered he of his Enemies Father forgiv them So saith Isai He praied for Psal 22. 1. transgressors Lastly that al predictions might be verified he said I thirst not for any necessity of Nature but to fulfil divine John 19. 28 30 Decree in Scripture Then he cried consummatum est If any Jew or Infidel seing this admirable harmony or concent of al circumstances shal demand like Johns Disciples Art thou Acts 1. 11. he or shal we look for another The two Angels appeering at his Ascention answer with an Interrogation Ye men of Gallile why stand ye gazing or gaping into Heaven for another Messiah this same Jesus now taken up shal so com as ye saw him go into Heaven In him only are al Phrophecies fulfilled and by him al that was predicted to be doon finished No other Spirit could foresee or foresay such things should be doon nor any power possibly doo them so foreshewed sav only Jesus Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the World 2. Touching legal Observations Christ is the end of the Law both Moral which he kept perfectly by himself and satisfied plenarily for us and Ceremonial which was referred to him observed of him and abolished by him For al Lawish Ceremonies Circumcision Passover Tabernacle Temple Laver Altar Shewbread Tables Candlestics Vails Holy of Holies Arc Propiciatory Pot of Manna Aarons Rod high Priest his Order Linage Habits Inaugurations Washings Annointings Sprinklings Offerings Sacrifices and other Rites look'd at Christ which had their virtu from him relation to him and end in him They al died when the Temples vail rent the Obligation of the Ritual Law being cancelled and the way into Heavenly Jerusalem opened for the shews yeelded to the substance when he said Al is finished 3. His sufferings from the Cratch to the Cross are infinit and inexpressible his whol life being a perpetual passion he humbled yea emptied himself to becom Man suffering more herein then al Men can for if Man should be turned into a Beast as Pythagoras dreamed into dust into nothing 't is no such disparagement as God to be made Man What Man if Monarch of the World to tread on Kings necks trampling al Crowns and Scepters under feet it had bin som port or pomp but he cam in form of a Servant and becam the contempt of Men yea a worm and no Man the shame of Men and scorn of the multitud He was born in a Stable cradled in a Cratch or Manger caried a Child into Egypt to avoid Herods butchery basely bred in his Foster-Fathers Cotage lived poorly and obscurely endured al extremities of hunger thirst cold and other calamities during minority but coming to Virility and shewing the power of his Deity he was transported and tempted by Satan derided of his Kindred traduced by the Jews persecuted by the Elders and Pharisees restless harborless comfortless sold by his own servant apprehended arraigned condemned crucified But wher not in a corner but at Jerusalem the Ey and Heart of the World wher he wrought a world of Wonders Wherabout in Calvary among stinking sculs and execrable Malefactors When At the Passover wher Proselits resorted from al parts to receiv the type and reject the archetype who instead of eating the Paschal Lamb slu and sacrificed the tru Passover With whom Betwixt two Theefs He that thought it no robbery to be equal with God is made equal to Robbers What suffred he A cursed lingring tormenting ignominious death even on the Cross being made a curs for us a curs wors then the shame but both wors then the pain and scorn worst of al. His Cross-Companions had no irrision inscription or insultation over them but death only he death with disdain disgrace and derision the Jews Souldiers and Theefs twitted or triumphed over him Al his senses were windows to let in sorows his Eys beheld the tears of his blessed Mother and Friends with manifold despits of his Foes his Ears heard the blasphemous railings and revilings of the Multitud His Nostrils smelt the noisom sent of dead Mens bones His Touch felt the nails His Tast bitter Gal Was ever sorow like his sorow That Head which Angels adored is harowed with thorns That face fairer then the Children of Men is smeared with filthy spittle and furrowed with tears Thos Eys brighter
then the Sun are shadowed with death Thos Ears inured to heavenly Harmony are filled with scofs and scorns Thos Lips that spake as never Man did are wet with Gal and Vineger Thos hands which swaied Heavens Scepter cary the Reed of reproch and are fastned to the Tree Thos Feet to which al powers of Hel were a Foot-stool are nailed to the Foot-stool of the Cross That whol Body conceived by the holy Ghost is scourged wounded mangled yet al this but the outside of his sufferings but the innner part or Soul of his pains is so far beyond thos sensitiv torments as the Soul surpasseth the Body or Gods wrath Mans malice What the infinit sins of innumerable Men committed against an infinit Majesty deserved in infinit durance al this he in a short space of his Passion suffred or susteined which made him cry My God my God why doost thou forsake me he was affrighted with terrors perplexed with griefs distraught with both It was not so much for millions of Men to despair as for him to fear yet never was any so afraid of Hel as he of his Fathers wrath for our sins and in our steads Thus his Incarnation Nativity Birth place Life Death Burial Resurrection Ascention sitting at Gods right hand with many mo circumstanees of Judas treason and reward the Jews rejecting him and crucifying among Theefs were al divinely foretold of the Messias to com and directly fulfilled in or by Christ to whom only they fitly and fully agree For he is the Womans Seed which should break the Serpents head and in whom al Nations of the Earth shal be blessed The other testimonies touching the time and truth of Messias coming that he shal be of Davids linage born of a pure Virgin perfect God and Man yea a Spiritual eternal King no Temporal or Terrestrial make up a cloud of witnesses to convince the Jews that Jesus Christ is the only tru forepromised Messiah to whom be rendred al Glory Honor Prais and Power for ever Al which might be infinitly inlarged but for brevity omitted Supplementum Pietatis In the Practise of Piety THe Souls Soliquy at end of the Practis of Piety in contemplation Conclusion of Christs Passion shal shape a Catastrophe to thes divine Meditations What hast thou doon sweet Saviour to be betraied by Judas sold to the Jews and led bound as a Lamb to the slaughter What evil didst thou commit to be openly arraigned falsly accused and unjustly condemned what was thy offens or whom didst thou ever wrong to be so pitifully scourged with whips crowned with thorns scoffed with flouts buffeted with fists and beaten with stafs Lord what didst thou deserv to hav thy face spit on thy hands and feet nailed thy self lifted up on a cursed Tree to be crucified with Theefs to drink Gal and Vineger yea to hav thy innocent heart pierced with a spear and pretious blood spilt before thy blessed Mothers eys sweet Saviour how much wast thou afflicted to endure al this when I am so affrighted or amazed but to think of it which made thee cry as if God had forsaken thee being al for Mans sake forsaken of God I inquire for thy offens but can finde none no not any guile in thy mouth thy Enemies are chalenged and none dare rebuke thee of sin the Officers sent to apprehend thee testify That never Man spak like thee thy suborned Accusers agree not in their witnes the Judg publicly cleered thy Innocence his wife warned him by a dream that thou was 't a just Man and he should doo no injustice to thee the Centurion confessed thee of a truth to be the Son of God the Theef hanging with thee justified thee to hav doon nothing amiss What then Lord is the caus of thy cruel ignominy passion and death 'T is I am the caus of thy sorows my sins of thy shame my iniquities of al thy sufferings I committed the fault and thou art plagued I guilty and thou punished I deserved death and thou crucified O the depth of Gods lov and unmeasurable measure of his Mercy the wicked transgressed and the just apprehended the guilty escaped and Innocent arraigned the Malefactor acquited and Harmless condemned the Servant did the sin and Master bore the stroke I committed the crime and thou hangedst on the Cross O Son of God who can condignly express thy lov commend thy pity or extol thy prais I was proud and thou humbled I obstinat and thou obedient I ate the forbidden fruit and thou hangedst on the cursed Tree I plaid the Glutton and thou fastedst I tasted the sweetnes of the Garden and thou drankest the biternes of Gal fond Eve smiled when I laughed but blessed Mary wept when thy heart bled and died Now gracious Lord sith thou hast indured al this for my sake what shal I retribut for al thy benefits I ow already for my Creation more then I am able to pay being bound with al my powers to lov and adore thee If I ow my whol self for creating me of nothing what shal I render for giving thy self to redeem me at so deer a ransom when I was wors then nothing Surely Lord if I cannot pay such thanks as I ow for who can pay thee who givest thy Graces without respect of merit or regard of measure 't is the abundance of thy Blessings which make me a Bankrupt being so far unable to pay the principal as I cannot satisfy any part of the interest For Lord thou knowest since the loss of thy Image by our first Parents fal that I cannot lov thee with al my might and mind as I should therfore as thou first didst cast thy lov on me being a Child of wrath and lump of the lost World so now I beseech thee shed abroad thy Grace through al my faculties and affections that though I can never pay such merit of lov as thou meritest yet I may repay in such maner as thou deignest to accept in Mercy that in truth of heart I may lov my neighbour for thy sake and thee abov al for thâ—ne own sake Let nothing be pleasant to me which doth not pleas thee suffer me not to be a cast away whom thy pretious blood hath bought Let me never forget the ineffable benefit of my redemption whitout which it had bin better never to be then to hav any being Sith then thou hast vouchsafed thy holy Spirits assistance suffer me Heavenly Father who art Father of Spirits by thy Sons mediation to speak a few words in the ears of my Lord. If thou despisest me for my iniquities as I deserv yet shew Mercy for thy Sons merits who suffered so much for me Behold the mysterie of his Incarnation and remit the misery of my transgression so oft as his wounds appeer in thy sight let my sins be hid from thy presence so oft as the rednes of his blood glisters in thy eys let my sin be blotted out of thy Book The lust of my