by the Congregation of Israel in the Wildernesse have ever beene the description of a people gathered together before God to serve him and I conceive the old and new Testament in the accomodation thereof to have no other meaning and mystery though I know this is not made of it by many both Moderne and Ancient Divines In one Psalme Beasts are Emblems of the Campes and Companies both of the godly and ungodly Psal 68.10 the word is Caiath or Caiah which signifies the wild beasts Gen. 1.24 25. because in them is the greatest life and livelinesse and it is applied by David to Gods people in whom there ought to be in the service of God the greatest spirit and life It s likewise ve 30. given to sinners and the Chaldee translates it Armies of them and further 2 Sam. 23. it s put for the troopes of the Philistins 1 Chro 11.15 the word Machanes is used for it which every learned man knows to be a Campe or Leager Gen. 23.2 Jacob calls the place where the Angells met him Mahanaim two Hoasts or Campes for as Laban in the reare and Esau in the front came against Gods servant so his blessed Angells came for him and made two Campes to crosse them both In the song of songs it is concluded that the Shulamite should convert to God as it were a double Army tither of Iewes and Gentiles or as the children of the Iewes converted to their fathers and the disobedient to the wisdome of the just Can. 6.13 Luke 1.17 I may hold my resolution and take the foure Beasts for the congregation of the Gentiles or all people that come in and encampe about the throne of the Lambe and seates of his Ministers wee will consider their names number orders office and actions Names Beasts better as in Ezech. 1.5 living creatures of the most vigorous nature Quatuor sunt superbi vel qui emineant in mundo Leo inter feras Bos inter Iumenta Aquila inter volucres Homo cui Deus supra omnes pulchritudinem largitus est ut omnibus imporaret Schindler pag. 266. d. Gods people should be as couragious as Lyons as patient in bearing their burdens as the Oxe is in labour and submitting to his masters yoke They should quit themselves as men in their best reason and rule and subdue their lusts to Gods Spirit They should like Eagles fore aloaft into the contemplation of divine things and be speedie in the dispatch of all their businesse their number is foure and that is from their quarters or campes as they lie East West North and South Their Catholicke concord and universall consent in all things is divinely described by Ezechiel Their faces and wings feete and soles of their feete wheeles and rings are nothing else but their unanimous consent in all things Their faces are foure and yet but one face in their aspect ver 10. Foure had the face of a man and the face of a Lyon c. They were not as foure hēads looking severall wayes but it seemes as one head fashioned to forme foure faces and all looking one way when they looked Southward they had all the face of a Man when they looked Eastward they had all the face of a Lyon when they looked Westward they had all the face of an Oxe and when they looked Northward they had all the face of an Eagle Vniversalitie and unitie in minde and motion is that which ought to be in Gods Saints Their wings had the hands of a man under them to shew that their high contemplations and foring into divine Mysteries was with humble and heartie readinesse to doe the things they understood Their wheeles did carry them on all sides in the same course and the rings did unite them as one in motion and they were full of eyes to direct them to the true end of all their actions furthermore these foure Beasts thus fashioned and formed to expresse the faith and fellowship of Gods people and their universalitie to looke to all Regions in their Religion and not Schismatically to professe one in a corner or command all to looke into some division or part the holy Catholike Church is most universall and binds us to all places where Iesus Christ hath sent his Gospell and this must also be added that the foure beasts are divided into twelve Tribes and the order of three is in them all To every beast three Tribes are allotted and then the whole number is twelve and this is a great mysterie and most certaine marke of a true Church in the Revelation Rev. 7. The tribes are sealed and two for Idolatry separated from the seale as Dan and Ephraim yet the number is made up and twelve tribes are sealed and in each tribe twelve thousand and twelve times twelve thousand is the number of Gods people Rev. 12.1 the crowne upon the head of the Church is 12. stars Rev. 22.12.14 Twelve gates twelve foundations on the gates are written the twelve tribes on the foundations the twelve Apostles and what is all this but a Church constant in the Doctrine and Fellowship of the Apostles Their order is strangely described Rev. 4.6 they are in the middest of the throne and round about it no circumference but every point of it rests upon the center It was Saint Pauls joy Col. 2.5 to see the order and faith of that Church faith plants a Church upon the foundation and that 's Christ order keepes all the members from confusion and placeth them as members in the body that all may serve for the good of the whole Their office is in their eyes and wings and it seemes the one is outward and the other inward Rev. 8. their wings and their workes are to be seene of men but their eyes that must guide therein be within and secret in themselves and must teach them that Gods Service must be with understanding God loves cheerefulnesse in our obedience and wisedome in all our workes their actions are to give glory unto God and not to rest night nor day in praises of his Name Castra Angelorum The last part is the invisible attendance of Angells and shewes the Majestie of God to be exceeding great Seaven Angells are before the Throne and these I take to be the Princes of Angells and the millions of the rest watch and ward and worship with us our gracious Saviour Our Church hath added Therefore with Angells and Archangells and with all the company of Heaven wee laud and magnifie thy glorious Name and evermore praysing thee and saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high CHAP. VI. Contayning an exhortation to constancie in the Doctrine Fellowship Sacraments and Prayers of the Church Act. 2.42 HE that will not be an Heretick and denie the truth must continue stedfast in the Apostles doctrine he that wil not be a Schismatick depart from the Church must
comparing Altar with Altar and participation with participation We Christians have an Altar as well as the lewes wee are partakers of it as well as they and that by eating which is fedorall and Sacramentall We desire not to exclude Christ from the Altar as some exclude the Altar from him more to satisfie their owne fancy than follow the truth Ignat Epist ad Philad His Testimony is full in three things First for the Sacrament in plenary words a SacramentuÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly for the Altar distinctly expressed b Altare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly for the Preisthood fully delivered c SacerdotiuÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To say the Altar is Christ is first a vaine repetition Secondly an impossible imagination for to Christ the Altar there needs no Preisthood or practice of man Hebr. 8.2 9.11 No humane hands have to doe with this Altar but the Lord himselfe who as he is the Sacrifice and Altar so he is the Preist to himselfe If any object that one Altar to the whole Church must needs be Christ seeing in the other sence wee have many according to the multiude of Churches I answer by the words following aâ— he understands one Bishop in the place with Presbyters and Deacons so one Church under that government There is not one universall Bishop to all the world as Papists would have it and would tryumph in such a testimony to advance their Pope But we understand the Father of such a Bishop as with Presbyters and Deacons was appointed to governe the Churches within their owne Iurisdiction Col. 4.12 13. Philem. ver 2. mention Epaphras Archippus and Philemon for the Church of Colosse which had but one Altar or Table for their Communion The like may be said of Laodicea and Hierapolis which seeme likewise to be under the care of Epaphras and enjoyed but one Table for their Sacrament as was fit and meet for every congregation And here we have a double testimony of an happy union strongly confirming the Churches in the sole intercession and mediation of Iesus Christ For wee professe by one Alta that we have one Mediator and the profession of many Altars in one Church dedicated to Saints and Angels is an argument of Idolatry The second danger is the introduction of a Sacrifice and the destruction of a Sacrament To this we satisfie in two things First every Altar induceth not a sacrifice as is plaine Iosh 22.23.26 Wee have not built this Altar to turne from following the Lord or to offer thereon burnt offerings or meate offerings or peace-offerings or any facrifice but to be a witnesse testimony or memoriall c. Origen in Lev. Hom. 5. secundum literam non instauramus sacrificia We according to the letter restore no sacrifice but rest satisfied with the memoriall of one sacrifice once sacrificed for us Secondly every sacrifice destroyes not the Sacrament and in this I had rather heare my Ancients speake than spend more words of my owne St. Aug. l. 10. de Civit. Dâ—i cap. 5. Sacrificium quia signum veri sacrifieij lib. 10. sentâ—nt prosper sacrificium est significante mysterio Epist 23. sâ—u Fulgent lib. ad Petr. Diaconum commemoratio sacrificij memoria c. St. Chrysost in epist. ad Hebr. Hom. 17. Sâ— Aug. Epist 59. St. Paul tells us of the sacrifice of the Gospell Rom. 15.16 and our Church in the like sence of the sacrifice professed in the Sacrament Here we offer and present unto thee O Lord our selves our soules and bodies to be a reasonable holy and living sacrifice unto thee As in the Gospell so in the Sacrament of the Gospell we offer up our selves 1. Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passeover is slaine for us therefore let us keepe the Feast with sacrifices of sincerity and truth And because all our actions may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those sacred and Sacramentall Actions of Sanctification Distribution and Participation at the holy Table may much more be so named The first cannot be without prayer and prayer runnes along with every action It 's before in and after our receiving and our booke of common prayers adds further Our sacrifice of praise and thankesgiving and so doth David Psal 50.14 To all which if we adde Davids other sacrifice we have all sacrifices Psal 51.17 that may be required The third danger of Transubstantiation and Adoration It were to be wondred if the Church of England should article against it selfe and teach us that which it so plainely condemneth read but the Articles of our Church and be resolved we must renounce them before we can beleeve Transubstantiation or admit adoration of the Host Cornelius de lapide hath a strange saying and I thinke him more stupid than a stone that will beleeve it In Isai c. 7.14 Per verba consecrationis verè realiter uti transubstantiatur panis ita producitur quasi generatur in altari adeo potenter efficaciter ut si Christus necdum esset incarnatus per haec verba Hoc est corpus meum incarnaretur corpusque humanum assumeret uti graves Theologi dâ—cent Sacerdâ—s est quasi virgo Deipera The dignity of Gods house HAving freed you from the danger let me now deliver unto you the dignity of Gods house for majesty for mercy forbeauty for delight for order and happy unity The first place that ever God called his people unto was Mount Sinai called his Sanctuary Psal 68.17 a place of majesty and terrour In the Tabernacle more mildnesse and mercy was shewed God descending comes downe to them as it were in an ambulatory Sanctuary and walkes as a friend in the midst of them From a Tabernacle he brings them to a stately Temple and requires to be served in it in the beauty of holinesse It 's the very Garden of pleasure and plenty Cant. 6.2 Hinc frutices surgunt nitidè cum floribus herbae Balsama cum Casia Thus Myrrhaque Nardus Amomum Narcissus Viola nimium Rosa plena pudoris Acorus Hyssopusque Althaea lavandula Caltha Et cum Lactucis Cariophila Zinziber illine Ambrosia Bacca semper frondentis Acanthi Ruthaque Serpillumque suave rubens Hyacinthus c. A very Heaven upon earth Rev. 12.1 Hinc nitet Arctophilax ostentans fulgidus ursas Praelustres fulgent hic lactea sidera Cigni Pegasus Andromede Cepheusque Cassiopaa Orionque ingens toto resplendet Olympo Indo Cants rutilans stellataque cernitur Argo Ast Argo in summâ mieat inclyta stella Canopi Syrius atque ardens sic lucida stella Leonis Hic nelcat alma Venus Mars Jupiter Hesperas Hermes c. A City compact together Psal 122.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vestra urbe habitat Eunomia pulchra legum moderatio ejusque sorores Justitia inviolabilis fundamentum civitatum pax concors conservatrices opum auriae filiae Themidis consiliâ— valentis studentes arcere omnem petulantiam quae fastus temeraria mater est The
Tabernacle the people at a greater distance Num. 6.2 and as some imagine two Englisâ— miles Their doores were to open upon the Sanctuary and they were to doe their devotion both going out and comming in so that when the Sanctuary was open for service there was a threefold divisioÌ„ into the couit of the people court of the Priests and Court of God when it was shut up the division was three fold the Tabernacle the Campe of the Priests and Levites and the foure Campes of Israel under 4. standats as we shall heare afterwards The Arke the Mercy-seate are often called Gods Footestoole and his Throne Lastly Ezekiel shewing Gods little Sanctuarie in the Babilonian captivitie and destruction of Solomous Temple teacheth the same where we have foure Beasts and over them a Firmament and above that a Throâ—â— Eze. 1. The foure Beasts may well point at the foure Standards of the twelve Tribes To the East was Judah Isachar and Zabulon with the EnsigneÌ„ of a Lyon to the South Ruben Simeon and Gad under the signe of a man in the flagge To the West Ephraim Manasses and Benjamin with the banner bearing the signe of a Bullocke To the North Dan Ashur and Naphtali bearing the Ensigne of an Eagle It s probable that Ezechiel hath this meaning if we marke his standing looking into the North the place of the captivitie of Iudah Ezeck 1.4 the first face that meetes him vers 10. is the face of a man and that 's Rubens quarter to lie upon the South on his right hand is the East and on that side appeares a Lyon where Iudah quartered on the left side the face of an Oxe and that 's the West where Ephraim encamped The North needes no character and that is the face of an Eagle where Dan was appointed to pitch about the Tabernacle so that foure Beasts are characters of the places of Gods people when they forme a part of Gods House or Sanctuary The Firmament or expanse is now the voide place where God may be heard and seene of his people The Beasts let downe their wings and stand in silence and from the Firmament above them a voyce is uttered c. This is the middle space betwixt God and his people Above this appeares the Throne and one in the appearance of a man sitting upon it here is mention of precious stones as in Saint Iohn and of a Rainebow and all together shew our distinction of the place of Majestie Ministery and Auditory and Angells of God as secret spirits to keepe their rounds and guards as God himselfe that guides all pleaseth and that of the Throne of Majestie which God hath alwayes had it in his Church CHAP. IV. Of the seates of the Elders the station of Bishops and Priests that serve at the Altar Sedes Seniorum HAving done with the Throne of the Lambe wee seeke for the Thrones of his servants or seates of such Elders as he selects to fit about him in heaven all Saints sit downe with Christ in glory but their severall seates are higher one than other according to their degrees in grace here none attaining to the seate of Christ which is the Throne of Gods Majestie farre above all principalities c. In the Church militant on earth Christ chuses Ministers to sit downe in seates under him for the government of his Church but it is wrong to the Lord Iesus to lift one man out of the seates of the Elders into the seate of the Lambe and set him above all the rest in such absolute and soveraigne authoritie as is onely due to Christ himselfe who is not absent from his seate but in grace and holy concourse is with his Ministers in their seates to the end of the world where two or three of them are gathered together in his name there is he in the middest of them hee may alluâ—e to the setting up seates for judgment in Israel The greatest number we reade of in that Nation was seventie or seventie one the lesser 23. the least three Duo qui judicant eorum non est judicium when two Judge they have no Judgement because they want a casting voyce yet our Saviour speaks of two agreeing having power to judge and to whom he gives the Keyes Math. 18.16.17.18 19 20. that hee will answer to whatsoever they aske and ratifie their sentences He makes good the seates of his Elders in all places and gives them authoritie to bind and loose remit and retaine all sinnes Wee will inquire further of the number names offices ornaments order of these Elders in Gods House and before his Throne the number of Seates and Elders consists of 24. 1 Chron. 24.4.19 The exposition is easie as Gods House was ordered in the service of it by 24. Orders or courses of Priests so now is it served by the like number of Presbiters yet their honor is greater as having seates and great authoritie Luke in the Acts tells them the Apostles fellowship and holy Ignatius joyning with the Bishops the Presbiters calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Magn. A Synod appointed of God to serve at the seate of his Majestie for his Throne were emptie without them for Bishops with their Elders we have chaires and seates warranted both by Gods Word and the antient practice of the Church see Pauline with his Presbiters at the dedication of the Temple of Tyre and you shall be taught to learne a good lesson against Papists and Schismatickes in our dayes that ding downe with their Axes and Hammers the seates and societies of Gods Elders one Pope must Lord it over all and have a seate above all Bishops In the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship no such thing is to be found and when the Fathers alleadge their seates against Schismatickes they never make one seate the rule of all Our Schismatickes that passe from us and reject the seates of Bishops and set up a lay-eldership and put them into chaires to judge I marvell whence they have it for all the Presbyters in the â—iâ—â—â—it of Saint Iohns Theologie are Priests A strange succession they will make in Gods House and bring into the Apostles fellowship no breakers of bread but Church Canons no Priests to pray to the people but to prate against them and to take the highest place of a seate to judge It s the Fathers wisedome against Heretickes to 〈◊〉 them onely by the Word of God against Schismatickes to condemne them wholly by the Chaires of the Church and sure I am against these seates they cannot stand out and as in Nehemiah 7.64 they that wanted a Register to reckon their Genealogie were put from the Priesthood as poluted so these that contemne the chaires of Bishops and care for no Episcopall succession but will succeede where was never succession As to have Ministers from Magistrates and men never ordained by others is to cast themselves from all communion with the Church which never held any that was not successively from the