part whom the Priest represented And this did even Abraham do so great a Man so great a Patriarch yea the Prince of Patriarchs the very Root and foundation of God's People Now he that receiveth Tithes is greater than he that give them as he that receiveth Tribute or Taxes is greater than he that paies them and he that receiveth Rents is greater than he that paies them This was the Dignity and Prerogative of the Title of Levi that all the other Tribes who though his Brethren yet were to pay Tithes of all to him and in special to the Priests of the Line of Aaron that came from him which Family only had right to the Priesthood Numb 3. and the rest of that Tribe did minister unto them in and about the Holy things of the Ark and Temple of the Lord. Numb 18. And first the People must give Tithes to the Levites Numb 18.21 then the Levites must give Tithes of their Tithes to the Priests Numb 18.28 which declares the Dignity of the Priests above the Levites as the Clergy receive Tithes of the People of England and then pay the Tithes of their Tithes to the King which shews the Dignity of the King above the Clergy SECTION III. 2. Melchisedec not of Aaron's Tribe And yet farther is demonstrated the Dignity of Melchisedec above the Levitical Priests in that Melchisedec came not from their Tribe nor from the stock of Aaron at all yet he received Tithes and that from Abraham too of whose Loyns Levi was So that Abraham himself became Tributary and therefore subject to Melchisedec which is Christ which is much more honour than for those only to pay Tribute who came from the loyns of Abraham Therefore the Levitical Priests have no cause to boast as that their Line alone had the Priviledge and Prerogative above the rest to take Tithe of the People seeing here is one here greater than they that takes Tithes of them themselves who were then in the loyns of their Father Abraham and yet he neither belongs to their Line nor accounts himself of their stock at all and is bold to Decimate even Abraham himself the Prince and Father of them and of their whole Nation SECTION IV. Abraham Blessed of Melchisedec Gen. 12.23 Secondly Abraham acknowledgeth himself subject to Melchisedec 2. By Receiving a Blessing from Melchisedec For he blessed him that had the Promises i. e. Melchisedec blessed him whom God had promised to Bless so eminently and comprehensively that in him and by him all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed A greater Blessing than this could not be and yet he that had this great Blessing was blessed of Melchisedec and therefore Inferior unto him What honour is this to Bless such a Man Surely a Greater than Abraham is here For without all contradiction the Less is blessed of the Greater Sacerdotal Blessing Every kind of Blessing cannot here be understood for even the least and meanest Persons may humbly wish and pray for a Blessing upon the greatest that are But this must be a Singular and Royal Sacerdotal Blessing which is of great Efficacy and Power and those that are blessed therewith shall be Blessed God seconds the Blessing of the Priest to whom he hath given Authority to Bless in his Name Thus we read Numb 6.27 that God commanded Aaron and his Sons to Bless the People and prescribed them a Form for that Blessing on this wise The Lord bless thee and keep thee The Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee The Lord lift up his Countenance upon thee and give thee peace After all this the Lord professes there that He will second the Blessing and confirm it upon the People saying They shall put my Name upon the Children of Israel and I will bless them And elsewhere In Blessing I will bless And the Son of Syrach praies God to hear the Prayers of his Servants Eccles 36.17 according to the Blessing of Aaron over his People SECTION V. Levi paid Tithes to Melchisedec III. The Dignity of Melchisedec appears in that Melchisedec was Greater than Levi and Aaron Because Levi paid Tithes to Melchisedec For in tithing Abraham he tithed Levi who then was in Abraham's loyns and so Aaron so great a Priest as he was the Prince of Priests of whose Loyns the Priests were all descended payeth Tithes himself to a Greater Priest than he And as I may say Heb. 7.9 Levi also who receiveth Tithes paid Tithes in Abraham For when Melchisedec took Tithes of Abraham he tithed Levi also and all the Priests Abraham took not Tithes but Levi did and yet Melchisedec took Tithes of him Levi did not receive Tithes in his own Person because he was not then but in his Posterity neither did he give Tithes to Melchisedec in his own Person but in his Father's Person If at that time Levi had been a Person separated from Abraham and had enjoyed his Estate apart by himself then this act of Abraham in paying Tithes to Melchisedec had nothing concerned him but because Levi was then so united and joyned with Abraham that he was one Person with him lying conched in Abraham's Loyns so the Embrio in the Womb is part of the Mother therefore also he is justly accounted to have given Tithes to Melchisedec in or through Abraham his Father SECTION VI. Yet all the Actions of a Father's Will Actions of Fathers transmitted to Children with the regularities or irregularities thereof must not be transferred or imputed to be the Actions of the Childrens Will But only those Acts which properly concern the Augmentation or Diminution of the Father's estate which is of right to descend to his Children do as they descend from him by way of Inheritance still the Father or his enjoying what was his outwardly in Estate as they do inwardly in Flesh and Blood And the payment of Tithes is such an Action for as to a Tenth part it decreaseth the Father's Estate which therefore is properly but nine Parts of Ten For the Tithes are paid out of the Father's Goods though they are not his Goods but his to whom they are due which Goods of the Fathers are thus far already the Childrens in that the right of Inheritance of what is their Father's belongs unto the Children when their Father dies Who in the mean time are Lords though Servants even lesser Lords in Reversion to their Father's Estate when it falls For as the Son and Heir after his Father's Decease doth in a manner represent his Father's Person being Flesh of his Flesh and of his Form and Resemblance and by his Succession and Possession of all that was his Father's honour and Estate So likewise the Father before his Children spring from his Loyns and become distinct persons from himself having right to dispose of his Goods as their own doth in a manner also represent the Person of his Son and Heir and of the
'T is very hard But Noble Spirits cannot brook it their Tongues and Pens and their whole Bodies may be captivated against their Wills but in their Souls they will be free Is there any greater Idleness Idleness than to stay and rest on that which men have formerly done said or written to attribute all to the Ancients without leaving any thing to be mended by those that come after them Surely all the Mysteries of God and Nature are not yet discovered the greatest things are difficult and long in coming and Truth is the Daughter of Time Many things which were hidden are come to light and more will come to light and our Successors will wonder that we were ignorant of them We do not build now adaies after the fashion of Vitruvius Improvements nor Till the ground or plant according to Varro or Columella we use not food or physick after the rules of Galen or Hypocrates we judg not exactly after the Civil Law of the Romans or the Feudal Customs of the Lombards neither plead we as Demosthenes and Cicero nor govern as Solon or Lycurgus did we war not fail not sing not c. as did the Ancients but much better And therefore the World is beholding to those brave Souls that have adventured by long Study care charges and bodily Labours to excel their Predecessors in finding out such rare secrets as serve more for the benefit of Mankind The Antipodes the Sailing by the Compass the Circulation of the Blood the Chymistry of Plants and Minerals Guns Printing c. were strange things to be believed before the truth of them was seen by Experience The Wisest men may not scorn better helps though offered by far meaner hands It must be pride that rejects teaching though from an Ant or Sow And let them be choaked that refuse to be drawn out of a Dungeon by Ropes and rotten Clouts Let the infection of Leprosie stick close to their Skin that scorn to wash it off in a narrow or shallow Stream Knowledg does very ill to puff up so as to scorn Ignorance much more to despise greater knowledg A Sickness a Disease of the Mind in men of high parts is hard to be cured but if their Bodies be in danger they will not disdain Album Graecum or the Receipt of a poor Beggar While they ail little or nothing they will resolve to die by the Book but if all the Great Doctors give not ease to the Gout or Stone Strangury or Flaming Feaver an Emperick a Quack an Old Woman any body that can be gotten for God's sake at any rate and thank you too a thousand times Obj. It is not safe to leave the old Road. Sol. What if it be rugged What if it be about c. What is he that will read in no bodies book but his own or that shuts his good book is wise enough and will read no further that begins to build and leaves off in the first story that goes half his journey and then comes back If Columbus had not discovered another World and Americus Vespucius conquered the same it had been no world still to us We must have wanted our Plantations of Virginia new-New-England c. and the King of Spain his Gold and Silver Mines Is there no progress to be made Must we stand at a stay Look into all Mechanick Trades Mysteries and Professions they grow more ingenious every day to their great Commendation Observe Lawyers Philosophers and Physicians Oratours Poets c. improving daily God's Blessing on their hearts for so doing Obj. But Divines must not stir a foot others may Sol. No Why so Stay let us consider more of this matter It is for certain that no other Foundation can be laid than what is already laid of Gold and Silver and pretious Stones But we may build upon this foundation suitable matter which will endure the Fire Christ Jesus delivered the full perfection of all truth the most pure precepts and highest promises in the Gospel The Apostles but it was a long time first understood it and preached it to the world The chiefest things which Christ did suffered and spake are written in the Gospels as also the Sermons Miracles and Acts of the Apostles in the Epistles also are occasionally taught the pure Doctrine of Christ unmixed with Moses and Vain Philosophy The Apostles by Inspiration understood the whole Will of God and preached infallibly and from their Light we all receive Light But Inspiration and Infallibility dying with them the Disciples of the Apostles and their Disciples were good men and kept the Faith which was delivered to them and so it hath been kept and would have been kept by constant tradition of Preaching if so much had not been written as is written In a word the Will of God was plainly revealed Corruption and as plainly understood but some after the Apostles days grievous Wolves entred into the Flock of Christ even Jewish and Gentile Christians who wrested the Scriptures both Old and New to their own destruction and too much trusting to art and subtilty corrupted the simplicity of the Gospel Then as mens Pride with their wealth and worldly polities encreased came in the Doctrines of Infallibility Supremacy Transubstantiation Purgatory Masses worshipping of Saints and Angels innumerable Superstitions of Will-worship and carnal services And though in all these ages good men saw the clearness of Gospel truths through these mists of vulgar errors yet could not swim against the Stream and the common sort relying upon men of mighty names grew careless to search any further believing all that was told them by their Leaders The rest contented themselves and sate still under those Tyrannies wishing for Reformation but they were poor and weak and the violence of the Powers and Multitudes was too strong against them Such was the humour of those dark and ignorant ages when the modest Disciple would not presume to know more than his admired Master though he were fit to be a Master himself to others And so the world lay in a trance for a long time and fetcht a sound sleep and was almost dead especially in and about the Eleventh Century that unhappy age overspread with Ignorance and Barbarity Reformation Till by degrees some more Heroick Spirits appeared and boldly told the world those glorious truths which they had discovered as Luther Melancthon Cassander Calvin c. who weeded out many Tares that the Enemy had sown while good men were fast asleep And since that greater men than these have more and more illustrated the Spiritual Dispensation of the Gospel to all mankind far different from that which was before the Law and under the Law And still we go on to perfection not for a new Faith or Religion but for the understanding of the old way of God more perfectly The Reformation grows higher and higher every day and the Faithful grow more and more spiritual and fitted for glory walking more sublimely and
Election Grace Gift Good-will Will Testament Covenant and Promise all which are Jural Words signifying the causes of our Justification 2. As by such words which do confirm or assure a Right as Seal Earnest for the holy Spirit is the Seal and Earnest of that inheritance whereto we are Justified as Liberty Freedom Communion Fellowship Propriety Gift Grace Inheritance Possession Glory all which and many more are the results and effects of our Justification 3. As by such words as are opposite to Justifying as injuring condemning outlawing reprobating As to be injured is against law to lose some right which by law was due and to be condemned is according to law to lose some right which by law was to be lost and to be outlawed is to lose all benefit of Law which the person in-lawed had so a Person justified is one who beyond and above all Law is made to have some right which before he had not or which by Law he could never have or one who by or according to Law is made to have and hold some right which by Law was due to him being inlawed And as condemnation and outlawing is the imputation of a present Sin to a future punishment So justification and inlawing is the imputation of a present right to a future blessing and imputation is a Genus to them both Seeing then injuring and condemning and outlawing are jural words therefore justifying acquitting and inlawing are jural words also 4. As by such words which are of affinity and nearness and subordinate to justifying and comprehended under it As Naturalizing Legitimating Manumizing Redeeming Pardoning Adopting and such like which are the several kinds of justifying which is the Genus to them all For Naturalizing is a justifying of an Alien born in a far Country by imputing to him the right of a Native or home-born As Legitimating is the Justifying of a Bastard by imputing the right of a lawful birth to him that was unlawfully born As Manumizing or Enfranchizing is the Justifying of a Villain or Bondman by imputing the right of freedom to him that was born a Slave As Emancipating is the Justifying of a Minor by giving right of Livery to him that was under Guardians As Ransoming or Redeeming is the Justifying of a Captive by imputing the right of Enlargement to him who before was a Prisoner As Pardoning is the Justifying of a Malefactor by imputing the right of indempnity to him who before was condemned As Adopting is the Justifying of a Son and Heir of another Family by imputing the right of a Son and Heir to him that hath no Son nor Heir of his own Family All these are justifying especially when an Alien a Bastard a Bondslave a Captive and more especially when a Rebel or Malefactor is made the Son and Heir of a Kingdom without any suit mediation or motive this is exceeding gracious because it passeth from one extream to another meerly upon the Donors kindness and pure love And such is our Justification as by this Treatise hath and will hereafter be demonstrated 5. As by words of Attribute whereby the justified ones are called in Scripture as Sons and Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ Thou art no more a Servant but a Son and an Heir of God through Christ Gal. 4.7 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God and if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joynt-heirs with Christ As Fellow-Citizens and Domesticks of God Ro. 8.16 17. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forreigners but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints Eph. 2.19 and of the houshold of God as the Lords Free-men For he that is called in the Lord being a Servant is the Lords Free-man This last word Free-man comprehends under it all the former For Freedom is the original and fundamental Right without which a Man is dead in Law and hath no Will nor capacity to sue for or possess any Right And these two words Free-man and Justified are adequate and reciprocal to denote the same Person A Free-man is a Person justified to have some right being absolutely opposed to a Bond-man who is a Person condemned to have no right at all and so to an Alien or Stranger and to a Bastard or Prisoner c. Hence the word Justified is put for Freed By Christ all that believe are justified i. e. freed from all those things Acts 13.39 from which we could not be justified or freed by the Law of Moses And sometimes is translated by the word Freed He that is dead is freed i. e. justified from sin Rom. 6.7 Justifying is not only a Jural word but a Curial word or Court word not of a Court contentious in which Jus dicitur in Suits by declaring the Law and pronouncing the Sentence according to Law as in England is done in the Courts of the Kings Bench and Common Pleas where the Judges represent the King for his Justice But rather of a Court of Grace and Favour ubi jus fit datur in Suits voluntary and where the Sentence is the Decree of the Supreme Judge in equity and love in which that right which was not in Being before is made to be according to the kindness and good will of the Prince wherein the iniquities and rigours of the Law are rectified according to conscience by the Praetor or Chancellor to the King and Pardons for offences are granted by the King and Patents for Honours Profits and Priviledges are bestow'd above and contrary to the Letter of the Law As in England in the Courts of Request and Chancery where the Persons president are not called Judges but by other Names as Masters of Requests and Chancellor and do represent the King for his Mercy and Grace Lastly Justifying is a Testamentary word of the same nature with Institution or ordaining of an Heir or the devising of a Legacy For whosoever in a Testament is instituted as an Heir or ordained a Legatary that Person is justified or made to have a right to that inheritance or Legacy The co-incidence of these two words is the more proper partly because Justification is a most gracious act proceeding from the free Grace of God spontaneously granted to those that never sought it nor none for them As commonly Institutions and Devices are made in Wills and Testaments especially ad pias causas which are and others should be acts of Mercy and meer Grace but chiefly because Justification is a Testamentary act of God arising from his last Will and Testament wherein all Believers are instituted and ordained his Heirs to the Inheritance of Eternal Blessedness By this Testamentary act of God in justifying Sinners it appears that as a Man is legally Righteous according to Law and morally Righteous above the Law and jurally Righteous as a proprietary and owner So God is much more eminently and transcendently righteous all these waies but not so properly legally because he is the maker of