proofes are Catholique or not Or how we may know whether this Doctrine or Observation be truely Catholique such as these all have acknowledged and wherein this Universality consists And the rather because it is confessed both by the Romanists and Reformed That that Church which can evidence it to hold that Faith once delivered to the Saints without Haereticall Innovation or Schismaticall Violation is undoubtedly the true Church of God And it is further acknowledged by the Reformed De meliori notae of the best Ranke That the Title Catholique doth most properly and fitly expresse whether Christian or Christian Societies which hold the common Faith without particular divisions from the maine body of Christianity in opposition to all Heretikes and Schismaticks But since the Church is divided and rent by Heresie and Schisme To whom should this Title be rightly appropriated or who can be truely called Catholique but they who agree and joyne with these all Apostles Fathers Martyrs for what the Patriarkes and the rest were to the Hebrews the Apostles and their Successors are the same to us Beleevers the maine Body of Christians the Universall Church And for this we must have recourse to that approved Rule of Vincentius Lyrinensis lib. cont Haret cap. 3. Magnopere curandum est ut id teneamus quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditam est hoe est etenim vere propriè Catholicum We are to take care that we hold that which hath been beleeved by all in all places and at all times for that is truely Catholique which Rule in effect is no more but this that which should direct a Christian or Christian company in their examination of the Catholique Truth or Points of Faith is the consenting Testimony of the Universall Church truely such and that by this Rule is that which is Universall in all respects in respect of Persons Place and Time and even the strength of this Apostolicall Induction depends on these considerations all your beleeving Ancestors have acted and suffered at all times from Abel downwards to the present times and of all Places in Chaldea and Egypt as well as in Palestine And these respects we shall declare as followeth 1. The Testimony which is truely Universall must be so in respect of Persons not as if there were not in the Church such who diffented from the generally beleeved Truths But this consideration respects either the Universall of the livers of the first Ages bearing Testimony that such or such a Doctrine was from the Apostles Preachings delivered to all Churches by them Planted or their generall uniforme Testimony herein without any considerable dissenters producible for even such Testimony is worthy of beleife and hath been deemed and is sufficient for the rejection of any new Doctrine Bibl. Patr. Tom. 1. pag. 30. c. pag. 275. for as the generall consent and practise of all Nations to adore and set up a Deity as Divine Power some one or other hath been and is an Argument of force and efficacy against the Atheists which have appeared in any Age inasmuch as nothing besides the ingraffed Notion of a Deity or Divine Power could have inclined so many severall Nations of such severall tempers and dispositions of such contrary Principles in other cases of such severall Educations and civill Government to affect and practise that duty of Adoration or Worshipping some Deity even so the Unanimous consent of distinct Churches agreeing in any Point of Faith or that this was an Apostolicall depositum tradition derived from the Apostles and their followers is a pregnant Argument to any impartiall understanding man of great force against Heretikes and Hereticall dissenters who as Atheists desciverunt à natura have Apostated and fallen away from Nature and the Law of Nature and Nations So these desciverunt à veritate have forsaken the way of Truth the Doctrine of Christ and his Churches for their conviction and confutation and for the confirmation of all consenters and adhaerents to that universall agreement inasmuch as nothing besides the evidence of Truth delivered unto the Christian World by Christ and his Apostles could have kept so many severall Churches in the unity of the same Faith and in this case every particular Church is a competent and authenticke witnesse of every other Church and so of the Catholique Church her integrity and fidelity in servando depositum in carefull preserving the Truth committed to their speciall trust And to presse this more fully as it cannot be a prejudice to any Rule or Custome grounded on the Law of Nations because their have some dissenters though otherwise generally received allowed and practised so neither can it be any prejudice to any Rule or Observation grounded on the Law of Christ because some have opposed and contradicted though generally averred beleeved and conformed unto by all Christians And as it doth not follow this is not a Law of Nature viz. That there is a God and that God to be Worshipped or Nations because some have spoken against it and acted too so doth it not follow this is not the Discipline of Christ because some nominall Christians have adjudged otherwise this is not the common Faith because some stragler or wanderer hath either wilfully deserted it or unwarily fallen out of it this is not that delivered to the Saints because some who deliver themselves Saints and would be called so have not liked it or that it is not the Catholique Faith because some who have usurped and would engrosse the Title have so determined contrary to the generality of all Beleevers But then as the Civilians speak In re consensia emnium Genttum Lex Naturae putanda est The consent of all Nations is to be esteemed the Law of Nature And Quod naturalis ratis inter omnes homines constituit id apud omnes peraequè â—â—stoditur vocaturque jus Gentium That which naturall reason doth constitute among all men is observed by all alike and termed the Law of Nations not as though every individuall thus did constitute and consent for many have depraved Nature and transgresse naturall right so here the common consent of all Churches that this is Apostolicall Tradition or depositum though every single member doe not concurr But the Common Law or Custome of the World in which three circumstances are to be considered Antiquity Continuance and Generality and thus as Nature is immutable in abstracto but not in concreto it is not changed it is often transgressed so Faith is immutable in it selfe semper eadem but men often chop and change it that is violate it To give you an instance to cleare this the fuller yet Arrius sprung an Heresie had many adhaerents and those of great power and parts yet is that Doctrine which he broached justly adjudged contrary to the Catholique Faith professed in the Church of God inasmuch as the severall distinct Visible Churches of the Christian World by unanimous consent communicating and exhititing their severall
Confessions and Registers Catechismes and Testimonies of their fore-fathers Faith and their own to the Councell of Nice upon diligent search and inquiry found it contrary to the generall belelfe of the whole Chuch since the first Plantation He who would take the pains for further satisfaction herein let him consult St. Austin lib. 7. de Baptis cont Den. c. 53. Nobis tutum est in c. l. 2. c. 4. Quomodo potait c. 2. In respect of Place for if the Doctrine have not received a good report from all Places it is not qualified for a Catholique inasmuch as the same Faith which was delivered and received in one Place in any Apostolike Plantation was likewise found in all other Plantations it being one and the same Faith which all the Apostles taught all the World over the same in Germany Britaine France which was in Spaine Affricke and Egypt the middle World and in Asia and the whole Orient or East of the World even as the same Sun shines through them all And to this Tertullian gives his Testimony at large lib. de Praefeript advers Haeret. cap. 20. Statim igitur Apostoli c. Presently therefore the Apostles having testified the Faith first in Judea according to their Commission they took their Journey over the World and promulgated the same Doctrine of the Faith to the Nations c. whereunto accords fully his follower Saint Cyprian lib. de Vnitate Eccl. Ecclesia Domini luce perfusa c. The Church having received light from her Lord diffused and spread abroad his beames farr and wide Vnum tamen lumen est and yet it is the same light which is in every Church thus diffused And the same Tertullian seconds this also in his following Chapter Si haec ita sint c. making this deduction if these things be thus then it is plain Every Doctrine which agrees with the Apostolicall Churches as the Roman Ephesian Antiochian Alexandrian Hierosolymitan the Mothers in respect of the Daughter Churches Metropoles originals whence the Faith sprung forth and issued is to be adjudged true as holding that which the Churches received from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ and Christ from God Reliquam vere omnem Doctrinam de mendacio prajudicandum c. and that all other Doctrine is under the prejudice of being false which is contrary to the truth of the Churches of the Apostles of Christ of God And so again in the 36. and 37. Chapters of the same Book where he proves they are onely the true Charches of Christ who follow the Faith of those Mother Apostolicall Churches 3. In respect of Time not as if the true Faith had in all Ages been Universally received for then Haeresie had never prevailed and got the upper hand for Arrianisme did so in Constantine his time and the Goths and Vandals Arrian Princes Ruled in the West and Anastasius the Emperour of the East was an Eutychian Heretike but that this or that was received in the first or purest and though in after ages by one or more it was opposed and oppressed yet even then there were such who by having recourse to the first Ages have discovered these guilty of novelty and have constantly asserted proved and vindicated the ancient Doctrines and Christianly suffered for them and so by little and little the Church at last recovered and gained the possession of her former Doctrines That then which by diligent search is to be found in the Monuments and Testimonies of the first Age for that is truely so called Antiquity hath this qualification but that which is of latter date falls short of it that is a new Faith which commenced since the Faith was once delivered to the Saints and so that Church which hath not the consent of Primitive Antiquity is in respect of those Doctrines wherein she varieth from it and doth stand convicted of Heresie and Schisme because it is not part of the Depositum Quod tibi creditum non quod à te inventum Vin. Lyr. cap. 27. For no man or Society of men ought to commend any thing as a point of Faith to Posterity which cannot be evidenced from Antiquity derived from the Apostles times a proficiency or growth in Faith there ought to be so it be in eodem genere in the same kinds issuing from the same root but all addition of after inventions are the notes of Heresie and Schisme And having thus far proceeded let us see what Doctrines or Observations or some of them may deserve or can challenge this Testimony of these all or all the Christian Churches so that we may conclude this to be the Faith and usage of the Universall Church of Christ and for the credenda alwayes supposing the sacred Scriptures which is the most certain and safe Rule both for Credenda and Agenda points of Faith and practise as having obtained the highest report from these all nothing so universally attested and approved as they it will be hard to prove or produce an universall Testimony for any Doctrine or Point of Faith besides those which are contained in the Creed nay indeed impossible inasmuch as this hath the repute of an abridgement or full Epitome of all Fundamentall Truths necessary to be known or beleeved by all Christians to salvation composed by the Apostles themselves for the preservation of the unity of the Faith nothing but this hath Primitive Antiquity and full consent of all called generally Regula fidei una sola immobilis irreformabilis the one onely immoveable and unreformable Rule of Faith that all might have a short summe of those things which are of meer beleife and are dispersedly contained in the Scripture So Valentia himselfe 1. 2. Dist 1. qu. 2. p. 4. in fin and so probably conceived to be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.13 That forme breviate or summary of wholesome words or sound Doctrine that depositum or trust Timothy received 1 Tim. 6.20 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common Faith Tit. 1.4 Pufillis magnisque communis Aug. Ep. 57. ad Dard. See Davenant in lib. De pace inter Evangelices procuranda pag. 9.10 c. Et in adhortatione cap. 7. throughout And for the agenda these either immediately relate to the worship of God or the Discipline and Government of his Church And supposing the Scriptures as the standing Law both for matters of Faith and Practise Use which is the best Interpreter of the Law is the best Directory for our Practise and when the Texts of holy Scripture are in these eases interpreted by the perpetuall practise of the Church according to the premised considerations then the Interpretation is the more authentique and worthy beleise and the proofes grounded thereupon more cogent and convincing according to that determination of the Nicone Councill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let ancient customes stand in strength of this kind is the observation of the Lords day Whereupon it is Observed by that Noble and Learned
French Protestant Du. Pless lib. 1. de Missa cap. 3. That the Apostles retained the pure worship and service of God used in the Synagogue of the Jews as far as they contradicted not the Dispensation under Christ and so though they changed the Sacrifices and the Sabbath Christ being the substance shadowed by them and the Lords Day being appointed to succeed this yet the service it selfe in other particulars did continue and this appears to be the practise of the Jews for we find their Confession saith he Mat. 3.6 Mar. 1.5 Acts 13.38 their Lessons Acts 15.21 Acts 13.14 Luke 4.18 Their Psalmes and Hymnes Eph. 5. Col. 3. Their Sermons and other such holy Offices Et primi Christiani huie Officis se accommedarunt id lib. 1. Demiss cap. 4. the first Christians confirmed hereunto c. So also the Observation of the Anniversary Festivalls of the Church of Baptizing Infants and after their Confirmation The admission of separated Persons to the Calling of the Ministery by imposition of Hands The different Offices of those so called and separated by the known Titles of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and this according to the received Doctrine of the Universall Church for 1500. Years without any considerable opposition in Church censures and that these were such practises of the Universall Church these all who have gone before us in the Profession of that holy Discipline of out Lord Jesus hath been abundantly proved out of their Testimonies and Records And from these premised Grounds we may take an estimate what Church or Churches holds the truest and most perfect correspondence with the Catholicke Certainly they who glory most in that Attribute and Title have the least Reason and Right both because they have not the good report of these all nor the Testimony of the Universall Church for their Doctrines which they maintain and also because the Universall Church hath defined against their Innovations both in Faith and Practise Witnesse the Decree of the Councill of Ephesus the third of those foure which are generally received for undoubted Generall Councills which runs thus Nemini licere c. It should not be lawfull for any to Produce Write or Compose any Beleise beside that which was establisht by the Fathers at Nice and that c. Can. 7 And so Conc. Floren. Sess 10 Now they who would Engrosse and Monopolize this Title have changed the Apostolicall Creed by making a new one which holds no Analogy with the old Apostles Creed all which their superadditions are extrinsecall to that Rule of Faith and so no parts of the Christian Religion And this New Creed which they made is ratified by Bulla Pii 4. super forma juramenti professionis fidei thus mixing the Tares of their own inventions and policies with the Wheat of Gods Word and corrupting the masse or lump of holy Faith by the leven of the new additions And their practise is as grosse and un-Christian in dividing the Apostolicall Communion by Excommunicating full three parts of the holy Catholicke Apostolike Church That Church which holds the one Catholike Faith holy and undefiled holds the truest conformity with the Catholike which the Roman Church at present doth not because she hath defiled the Old Faith with New Doctrines for which she neither hath the consent of Antiquity nor of the Universall Church of this Age and those Churches which either in part or in whole admit not the Apostles Creed or oppose any truth therein contained or any of the Explications thereof by the foure first Generall Conncells are justly adjudged Hereticall and so is the opposing any practise which is truely and genuinely Apostolicall and so received by the Universall Church in all Ages hereticall and a voluntary separation from the Communion of that Church which requires nothing for matter of Faith but the Apostolicall Creeds according to the Decree of the Councell of Ephesus and nothing in point of practise but the observations of the Catholike Church since the Apostles Ages the known Worship and Service of God in the use of Liturgies Prayer the Word and Sacraments the standing Government in the distinct and severall Orders and Officers thereof and the exercise of Ecclesiastique Discipline is directly Schismaticall as tending to the breach of the Catholique Communion dividing that body into two opposite parts which should be whole one and entire so that according to the sore going Grounds which are confessed by the Roman party and so will be evidence and proofe against them the English Reformed Church cannot be guilty of Heresie because She holds the Apostolicall Creed without addition or diminution The Romish Synagogue or Court is truely and properly Hereticall and Schismaticall too inasmuch as she hath Composed a New Creed and so made an addition to the standing Rule of Faith and hath obtruded the beleife thereof to all other Christians under pain of damnation And again the Reformed English Church cannot be guilty of Schisme because she holds Communion with the whole Church in all her ancient Apostolicall Catholike usages and customes and disclaims all which are not so as to her practise but condemns not nor censures any other particular Church further then by Apologizing and defending her selfe to be truely Apostolicall and if herein she be wanting to her selfe yet she can produce the Testimony and good report for her Apostolicalnesse of the best Reformed Churches and indeed the Universall Church of this Age. But I have extended this digression further then I intended or may be adjudged by others convenient and pertinent But sure I am not so far as the weight and importance of the subject doth deserve for in such subjects there should not be à nonnulla desiderantur somewhat more expected and yet here much more might be added A good report and a good name is better then precious oyntment and nothing entitles a particular person to that but his own Faith he is too flat and Stoicall nay Cynicall who cares not what others report concerning him especially if those others be in number of these all men of good report and fame It is true a good man will not be offended at a rayling cursing Shimei an evill man reporting false evill things yet a good man will endeavour to keep his credit with good men as well as a good Conscience to himselfe For ordinarily as Tacitus observes and it was well observed by an ingenious Person that it is pitty St. Augustine said it not Contemptu famae contemnuntur virtutes they that neglect the good opinion of others neglect those vertues which should produce and beget that good opinion Therefore St. Hierome protests to abhorr that Paratum de trivia that vulgar dunghill language I care not what all the world sayes so long as my own Conscience checkes me not for we unlesse we will be debaucht must study not onely to be but to appear also vertuous Let your light saith our Saviour Mat. 5.16 so shine before men and we must follow
an Enthusiasme or immediate Revelation but such motives and inducements as were before recited which amounted onely to strong and high probabilities yet sufficient enough in an humble modest heart to produce Faith a certainty of adhaerence though not of evidence and this sufficient to produce acts and operations of Faith to provoke to the obedience of Faith A bruised Reed God will not break nor quench a smoaking Flax Mat. 12.20 if we have but Faith so much as a graine for a little Faith if sound is true Faith of mustard seed let the motives be what they will if this encline and promote obedience the least degree thereof is well pleasing to God he will accept without being furnished with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full Armour of infallibilities and demonstration Nathaniels Faith had neither Enthusiasme nor demonstration but a Topick or Argument a paribus backed by an humane testimony or report John 1.48 and Christ approved this his Faith and rewarded it with an higher concession of grace ver 30.51 and so Christ accepted Thomas his Faith though enduced by senfible experiments John 20 28. whatsoever the instrument or beginning or motive of beleife be if that work by love and work in us a care and desire to find the truth humility in following and constancy in professing it this shall be our reasonable service of God The third Part the Prayer O Eternall Lord God in whom to beleeve is Eternall life give to us thy grace which may suppresse every motion of infidelity that there be not in us an evill heart of unbeleife and however we be not able to manage the shield of Faith yet perfect thou thy strength in our weaknesse making it mighty through thy power working in us to pull down strong holds cast downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowlege of God O holy Jesus the Eternall Word of the Father we beleeve thou hast the Words of Eternall Life Lord help thou our unbeleife and increase our Faith bring into captivity every thought to thine obedience that thy servants and followers may submit to thee our Lord and Master resigning our Vnderstandings to the Truth our Wills to the Goodnesse our Affections to the holinesse of thy Precepts and by Hope depending for satisfaction on thy precious promises O Immortall and all-glorious Spirit sanctifie unto us all those means and methods which are the preparatives and Introductions of Faith that they may be Instrumentall to Principle us in wholesome Doctrine to beget in us a love of the truth and obedience to thy Laws unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead and advance us to further degrees of Knowledge and spirituall Wisedom to the spirit of obsignation the confidence of hope and the assurance of thine eternall love and favour O holy blessed and glorious Trinity to whom belongeth the Kingdom the Power and the Glory throughout all Ages World without end Amen MOSES his Choice Heb. 11.24.25.26 By Faith Moses when he was come to Years refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter c. MOses in his Infancy and Minority being saved and preserved by a miraculous mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in his Minority and riper Years preferred educated and advanced in Pharaohs Court when he had arrived at full maturity and strength of dayes he bethinks himself how to exercise his Princely perfections and accomplishments supposing God had been so good and gracious to him for some great and honourable ends and purposes of mercy and beleeving no better way to imploy those powers then in the service of God the interest and concerments of his Church and People and further conceiving God therefore had delivered him that he might be the Cheif and Principall Instrument of his glory in the Preservation of his Fathers House and the redemption of his Brethren according to the Flesh For By Faith c. The first Part. Q. But why should Moses desert and relinquish Pharaohs Court in which he was so Honourably Educated and Entertained Or why should he deny for so the Vulgar renders it the appellation and title of the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter who by her tender care and liberall bounty had obliged him Was it not both grosse ingratitude and great incivility thus to sleight her and her high respect Could he not at once be called the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter and be indeed the Child and Servant of God a Courtier and a Christian Did not Joseph the holy Patriarch before him live both magnificently and religiously in the same Egypt and enjoyed the dignities and wealth thereof And long after this was not Devout Esther Queen to Ahasuerus Daniel and his Associates Nobles to Nebuchadnezzar A. Doubtlesse had not Pharaoh and his Court been implacable and mercilesse Tyrants violent Persecutors of and incorrigible irreconcilable Enemies to the people of God Moses might still have resided in that Court and without any violence to his Religion possessed whatsoever Egypt afforded but in this juncture of time the case was otherwise to be stated then it was when Joseph Esther and Daniel had charge and command under Infidell Princes for these had liberty and opportunities to exercise their Religion to improve and manage their Royall Priviledges and immunities to the behoofe and advantage of their civill and sacred relations whereas Moses must either in a base and unworthy complyance joyn with the Egyptians to vex them whom God had wounded or in a dull sleepy security and Epicurean softnesse neglect the remembrance and afflictions of Joseph and stifle and choke that publike Spirit which God had endowed and enobled him withall for eminent and illustrious atcheivements for besides what is above mentioned Moses had sufficient Authority and Commission to enterprize and undertake the Deliverance of his Hebrew Brethren from the Egyptian Bondage a Command Call and Order from God the Lord of Lords the onely Supreme and so as Pharaohs cruelty did lessen Moses his Obligation of gratitude for he being a Publique Spirit and no pure self-lover every indignity and injury to his Brethren was so to him so Gods command did quite supersede all Obligations to Pharaoh his Daughter or Court both because they were but the Instruments of Gods providence who of Enemies made them Friends and Benefactors and so the highest Obligation was to the principall efficient God and also because a command from God to whom proud Pharaoh was but a mean Subject the Supreme of all doth null and voyd all Orders and Obedience to the Inferiour for though Religion doth not take away or disanull the tyes of Nature and Civility but rather enforce and perfect them yet where their Ruler and Offices are counter-checked by an expresse command or prohibition from God there it is Religion and Duty to wave them and observe the expresse The result then is this That if it come to this passe and point that our temporall preferments and possessions our naturall or civill
necessarily to be others from them premised 2. The Apostle ayming in this induction to bring down the series of the faithfull till the present Age must necessarily in this his induction and deductions thence still descend from the first times pitched on then the succeeding till the present be taken in which course is both agreeable to an induction as such and to this scope and conclusion from it Thus it is apparent he begins at Abel and so passeth to Enoch his Successor in the Faith So to Noah Abraham the Patriarkes the Judges the Kings and Prophets and so downwards still to the following Generations which was the time of the Maccabees they succeeding the Prophets and Kings and so I think that these miseries set down here relate unto these Persecution which the Lewes after their return endured under Autiochus Epiphanes one of the Successors of Alexander the Great in Syria about two hundred years before the comming of the Messiah in the Flesh The Records of whose mischievous designes and horrid cruelties are reserved in the Books of the Maccabees which because they have fallen under suspition censures and severities I shall by the way and the digression may perhaps be usefull adde something in rescrence to those Writings And first I shall suppose and grant That they are not any part of the Writings of Moses and Prophets commended to us in the New Testament as the Oracles of God and Dictates of his Spirit And secondly That the Lewes had not any such esteem of them and therefore never received them into their Canon of Holy Writ But then in the next place it is most certain That they have been and still are generally reputed and taken for an History which may be very usefull in the Church of God though not for the confirmation of any Article of Faith or deciscion of any controversie in Pointe of Religion yet for the edification of the Church to bring down the Church Story after the Writings of the Prophets till Christ and his Apostles lived And therefore the Church of God hath judged them worthy to be incerted in our Bibles and annexed to the Books of the Prophets as a confirmation and continuation of the Historicall part of the Old Testament to acquaint us with the State of the Affaires of the Church then and as Christs comming And yet to prevent mistakes have noted them with the marke of Apocrypha and by that Character hath excluded out of the number of Canonicall Books But 3. These times seem rather to be intended by the Apostle because even to that very time of his Writing these Hebrews had a continued fresh remembrance of the cruell miseries the Jews suffered under that Antiochus Lastly There is a very great and perfect resemblance in the punishments inflicted by that Tyrant with those here specified which will the better appeare by taking a cleare and distinct Cognisance and survey of them first in Generall then in Particular 1. The Persecution was for Religion as was pretended it was Death for the Iewes to observe the Law of God it was Death not to consorme to this Tyrants Idol-service 1 Maccab. 1. and all these Persecutions are usually hot and violent because men thinke they doe God good service when they manage with sury the Devills cause and then the highest and severest Punishments which malice can invent or fancy are but the innocent executions of justice and such were these Punishments of all sorts which have been discovered for here is mention of torments contumelies imprisonments exiles death it selfe and severall sorts of dishonorable cruell deaths For 2. Here we finde that some were tortured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's beaten with Clubbs or bastinadoed till they died aâ— we Reade of the good old man Eleazar for the indeed good old cause Gods Religion and Lawes 2 Maceabes 6.28.29.30 the punishment was to binde the miscrable Patients to a great Logg of Wood or Timber made as I suppose most like a Ships windlesse and for such an use and there distand and racke them and when they were thus distended to a certaine and to the height every part was sesible of the Racke and Strappadoe then they were beaten with Cudgells till they dyed Yet being thus tortured it is further reported of them that they accepted not deliverance That they c. They sleighted those overtures and conditions of dismission and liberty which were tendered them depending on Gods Promises for eternall life not daring to hazard Eternity for a miserable temporall subsistence and being very willing to lose their life to save it Others had tryasts of erneâ— meckings and seourginge nothing was overseen or omitted to render them odious and miserable some will take a mocke who will not endure a stroake others a stroake who yet will not abide a mocke these tormentors therefore to make sure work tryeth them both wayes if the one sayle to provoke and distresse them the other will prove and they are called cruell mockings because nothing more piereing or pressing to a free and generous spirit for they are usually an affliction upon an affliction it is to overloade the oppressed and to kill the wounded Hence Ishmaelâ— mocking of Isaas Gon. 11.9 is expressed Persecution Galat. 4.29 David esteemed a reproach an oppression a killing oppression as with a Sword in his boxes Psal 42.9.10 And his great complaint Psal 44.13.14 Psal 79.4 was That he was a reproach a scorne and derision to be a by-word and shaking of the Head among the People And the uttering and speaking hard things is â—â—iled breaking his people in pieces Psal 94.4.5 But if there be not cruelty enough in mockings there is smart and sname too ignoming sufficient in scourgings a punishment proper onely to the baser and more contemptible sort of Offenders Others againe had tryall of Bends and Imprisonment that is cruell Imprisonments not barely confinements or restraints not onely close Imprisonment but like Josephs their fect were hure with fetters they were laid in Iron Psal 105.18 They were stoned they were sawne asunder You shall finde the barbarons execution of these 2 Maceabes 7. throughout They were tempted This finds some variation for tempting sometimes imports the most cutting piercing griefes and anguishes such as not onely carry with them great pain but a quicke and subtle apprehension also of that pain and sorrow therefore great sorrows or rather the sharpe sense and feeling of them is abstractedly called temptations Heb. 2.13 He suffered being tempted that is he sadly and passionately resented So Heb. 4.15 He was tempted that it as is evident from the precedent terme of opposition noted by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was touched touched to the quick deeply with the feeling of our infirmities and then according to this notation of the Word the sense is They had such a sharps sense of their sad condition that as Christ so their soules were sorrowfull exceeding sorrowfull even unto Death Sometimes it signifies gaining and
have been eminent and highly exemplary for their piety and charity and patience shall have higher Priviledges more honourable and glorious rewards for their Portion This our Saviour declareth when he assureth That he that receiveth a Fropket quâ talis in the name of a Prophet or upon this account that he is a Prophet shall receive a more then ordinary a Prophets reward Mat. 10.41 that sure must be some speciall eminent reward over and above what God bestows on other men Which seems also to be implyed in that Prerogative Royall stated on the Apostles and setled on them Mat. 19.27.27 and Luke 22.28.29.30 for in both these places the peculiarity and eminency of the reward is expressed though the quality thereof be not For supposing the twelve Tribes to be in a condition of happinesse it will necessarily follow That they who fit upon twelve Thrones to Judge that is certainly to Rule and Govern them must be in an higher degree of dignity and preheminence then those over whom they are set whatsoever that dignity or preheminence be whether in the administration of Christs Church militant or triumphant the former of which St. Austin inclines to For as God hath declared against all unbeleevers and hypocrites Deut. 29.29.20 that he will put out their name from under Heaven make their memories to perish or to rot and stinke so for all sincere converts God hath assured an high glorious and honourable memory Deut. 26.10 Thus it is expressely reported of Jeshua Josh 6.27 and of David 2 Sam. 7.9 I have made thee a great name like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth Now as God doth honour his faithfull servants living and dying so doth the Church of God likewise There may be Idolatry and vanity in giving unto Saints present or departed that honour or any part or parcell thereof which is due to God alone as Invocation and Adoration It is but piety and duty to speak honourably of the worthy acts and sufferings of Saints deceased and keep them in perpetuall remembrance such honour have all his Saints to be commemorated by succeeding generations which it the certain ground of Christian solemne Festivities to praise God for raysing up such Instruments of his glory and his peoples good and to pray unto God that we may imitate their holy Faith and so to follow their holy examples that we may be pertakers with them of a joyfull resurrection Far he it from us not to allow them that which God hath granted the mention and memory of their holinesse and what the Church of God hath thus practised The Iewes when they make mention of any of their deceased Worthies use a Forme of honourable remembrance taken from that definitive Sentence of Solemon Prov. 10.7 Memoria justi sit ad benedictionem vel in benedictione The memory of the just is blessed and if we will rightly conceive what this blessednesse means or wherein this blessing consists The Septuagints Transtation will help to clear unto us for they thus resolve it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the memory of the just is with prayses And then the sense is obvious the memory of the just is blessed that is to be commemorated and remembred with prayses Thus Moses was remembred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their solemnt offices of prayse Eccl. 45.1 and so of these all or most of them Eccl. 46.11.12 and so of Judas Maceabeus 1 Macc. 3.7 Neither hath the Christian Church fallen short in this kind and that in the better and Primitive times witnesse their anniversary remembrances of the Saints departed their Festivall dayes their Panegyricks or commendatory Orations and that immemoriall custome when the holy Communion was Administred to commemorate the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Evangelists Confessors Martyrs and all this according to the Psalmists assertion Psal 112.16 The righteous shall be in everlasting remembranse and that both with God and man With God to reward with Man to celebrate with God to glorifie him with Man to declare his righteousnesse as they wrought or suffered for righteousnesse so it endureth for ever they attested and gave testimony to saving Truths the Truth shall give Evidence for them their Prayers and their Almes goe up for a memoriall before God But from hence to return we may observe where the strength of an Induction lyes not in some single seattered or dispersed prooses or instances but in a full body of them united together especially if an Induction be made use of in the concerns of Religion and Religious Truths and Observances For in this case those Truths and Observances are not sufficiently attested nor convincingly proposed which have onely the determination and approbation the good report of some one or more particular Churches because a Church of any one denomination is fallible hath no assurance that she may not sayle or that the Candle stick should not be removed from her no Nationall Church hath a Promise for a perpetuall existence that is though a Pure Holy Orthodoxe Catholique and Apostolicall Church at this time should continue so unto all successions and Ages in the same purity and perfections As for instance we may not conclude this observation to be a Catholique observation or an observation of Faith because the Roman Church practiseth and under curse or Anathema exacts or imposeth the observation thereof For though some of her observations and determinations in that kind may be truely Cotholique yet we are not so to esteem them barely upon her report but because she holds them in communi with the Catholique Church For that the Roman and Catholique are convertible we are not bound to beleeve because the Romanists beleeve so and give us their word for it we may lawfully demand their proofes and till these he convincingly and cogently produced we may lawfully leave them to the poor fallacy of begging the Question Neither may we resolve this Tenet of the Romanists is de fide an Article of the Christian Faith because they hold and maintain it and obtrudes the beleefe thereof under the sentence of Excommunication both because they are not the onely Catholiques that is assertors of the Catholique Faith their Church is not the Catholique Church but of a confined limited Communion and Iurisdiction And for them to pretend and assume their Church to be the Catholique without proofe is still to beg the Question and because every particular and so that Church may erre and de facte hath erred as well in her Tenets as Observations and departed from Catholique Verities as well as Practises But now if the Tenet be demonstrated to a Tenet of the Catholique Church truely so called that is all these the people of God beleevers of all Ages have thus taught and beleeved taught and practised this demonstration engages and commands our perswasion and obedience For it is not imaginable that all these being qualified as the all these here in these words constant practisers and faithfull sufferers for their beleife
the Disciples blessed Because their Eyes saw c. Luke 10.23.24 And Saint Paul tells us God manifest in the flesh is the great Mystery of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 Yet under submission to greater judgements I conceive this not so full and home as to give desired satisfaction to a punctuall examiner nor so pertinent to the Apostles Text for though Christ who was perfected here himself Heb. 7.28 and did perfect for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 1 Pet. 1.11.12 did come to perfect what stood need thereof Yet somewhat more then Christs Incarnation is required to our perfection and our perfection did not solely not properly consist in Christs comming but by those acts and sufferings he was fitted and prepared for by assuming our flesh And now we will consider the fourth The fourth is that of St. Chrysostome and some Ancients and followed also by some later Expositors They obtained not the promises that is the Resurrection of the flesh And so this falls in this respect with the second the onely difference being this That the second supposed not the separated soules to be in Heaven this supposes them in Heaven but to receive the complement of blisse at the day of the Resurrection of all flesh which is the perfection of the whole Church every particular member who as before at the day of their death had a private pardon so at that day shall further obtain a publique promulgation thereof whose soules though they be in a condition of blessednesse yet till then they want their Consummatum est the consummation of this blessednesse both extensivè in respect of their intire state the body not till then being reunited to the soule and probably intensivè too in respect of measures and degrees of blisse the soule not till then having so cleare a Vision of God as it shall have hereafter as may appear by those prementioned places Mat. 13.43 and 25.34 2 Tim. 4.7.8 and this we Pray for when we say Thy Kingdome come or Come Lord Iesus come quickly Or with our Mother the Church That we and all other departed in the Faith of thy holy name may have our perfect consummation of blessednesse in thine everlasting Kingdom So that with these the provision here made and the perfection here assigned is not present but future To which purpose it is observable there is a two-fold provision or perfection of the Body the Church One as I may terme it meritorious which was the perfect oblation of our Redeemer and so this perfection and provision here was procured and purchased by the price of his blood on the Crosse The other is formall and finall which is the seizure and possession of that purchase and the happy consequent thereof the advancement of our being into the highest pitch of perfection and excellency our nature is capable of and this we obtain not till the last day when both Soules and Bodies shall be compleatly glorified with Christ our Head The former is the perfection of the means The latter of the End And that this latter is here understood we have these Reasons to perswade 1. The designe of the Apostle in this Chapter which was not to administer comsort to their Soules against the guilt of sin and terrors of a tender Conscience for he had happily perfected this work in the fore-going Chapters but strengthen and comfort them against those miseries and calamities they endured for the Name of Christ And the ground of this comfort he setcheth from their hope of glory and reward at the last Heb. 10.34.36 and 38. ver and ver 1. of this Chapter confirmed and illustrated by the Faith of the Patriarks ver 16. and of Moses ver 26. all which shew that the felicity here presented to them in opposition to and remedy for their present calamities was a future eternall felicity 2. The expression here used seems also to imply this for he hath qualified this promise by stiling it a promise belonging to our profession to our patience to the recompence of reward cap. 10. ver 23.25.35 and 36. and this relates not to his first comming but to his last when he shall settle his Church in the possession of his glorious Kingdom and is formally expressed the obtaining of a better Resurrection ver 38. of this Chapter Beza Annot. on Iohn 14.3 3. Other places of Scripture ascribes the perfection and grounds the chiefe hope of the Church on the Resurrection and the word here used perfected is in Iohn 17.23 used to denote the most eminent and full felicity and the Resurrection is called therefore the hope of the promise Acts 23.6 and 24.15 but most clearly Acts 26.6.7.8 ver and so the hope of Israel not to him so called in his person onely but to all the Posterity of Israel that is all the true Israelites and upon this account God stiles himselfe the God of Abraham ver 16. of this Chapter because by this Abraham yet lives for God is not the God of c. and thus these all are expectants not enjoyers probationers not possessors for these all look for but they obtained not yet hereafter shall 4. We have a further confirmation of this from these following Reasons 1. Man is a compound of Scule and Body and so man the suppositum cannot be perfected whilst they are both separated but is to receive his perfection when they both shall be united and this cannot be till the Resurrection 2. The Covenant of Grace is made to the whole man so that the Scripture comparatively seems not to esteeme of that felicity which the separated Soule enjoyes in Heaven because 1. One part of man all that intervall is under the power of the last Enemy Death 2. The happinesses of the Soule shall probably be both multiplyed and heightened at the re-union of the separated parts by a super-addition of glory or degrees thereof Rev. 19.6.7.8 Acts 3.21 then shall be the time of refreshing of restitution then these all and all we since shall be perfected actuall partakers of that fulness of Glory which is promised and provided for the whole Body of Beleevers There is a fifth conjecture which I lately met with in a Learned and judicious Interpreter The perfection here was to have the Promise made to Abraham Gen. 22.17 made good to them in the utmost extent The Iewish Church was persecuted and destroyed the Christian may be persecuted cannot be destroyed that is the Candlestick may be removed the Candle cannot be extinguished the Kingdom of God may be translated it cannot be conquered But I prefer the fourth and leave the whole to Gods blessing The Prayer O God of all goodnesse who hast abundantly furnished us with matter of Prayse with a rich treasure of Grace in Jesus Christ make us followers of him and of these all and all those who have fought the good fight of Faith that we may follow also their holy Faith and with them be partakers of a glorious Resurrection to have our perfect consummation and blisse in thy Heavenly Kingdom Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen Amen Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be Amen FINIS