aeternitatis There came forth that year I conceived my Specimina of that Millennium a Discourse by a Lutheran with this Title Vero-similia historico-Prophetica de Rebus in novissimo die eventuris pio studio cujusdam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He conceals his name it is a little but elaborate Discourse He hath the same notion of Dies novissimus which I had of Dies Iudicii I found with no little admiration a great part of my private Speculations of this matter in that Tractate Spying it in the Catalogue and guessing what it meant by the Title I laid for it at London There came but two I got them both one for a friend another for my self I have used means for more Copies but they cannot say the Merchants be heard of Mine is now lent away when I can recover it I will send it you Thus I take my leave lest I seal too late God keep us Dalham-Hall Aug. 18. Yours Ioseph Mede Post-script Now I have done I repent me of so tumultuary and confused a Discourse of so great a Mysterie wherein so much is wanting to give it light and evidence I must desire you therefore to keep it to your self and to pardon the fault you have been an occasion of in putting me upon it EPISTLE XXI Dr. Meddus his Letter to Mr. Mede touching Dr. Twisse's Answers to nine Quaere's about Regnum Sanctorum Worthy Sir and my dear Friend THis hath been unto me no pleasant time being much weakened by this months bleeding and a pain in my right arm I have done with the Lutheran though doing all with my own hand I have been longer about it than Dr. Twisse was having the help of divers hands I now send it back with many thanks You may remember in the beginning of November I sent you a Letter from Dr. Twisse when I wrote he had besides some Quaere's to have proposed unto you concerning the thousand years Regnum Sanctorum but he durst not be so bold yet left it free unto me to do as I thought good But then propounding other things and being loth especially to hinder you in the going forward as with another part of the Revelation so with the clearing of 2 Pet. c. 3. And besides your inhibition was then a command unto me to make no more demands till after these late Holy-days But now in hope of your favourable bearing with me I shall adventure to make his Quaere's and Answers known unto you yet with this caution that neither they nor your judgment or censure of the Lutheran Book which I once desired may retard your other meditations nor to give answer thereunto but at your best leisure and conveniency Now to the Quaere's and Answers Quaere 1. As concerning the persons to be raised which are expressed Rev. 20. 4. to be only Martyrs and Piscator will have it proceed only of such Now this is very strange considering that undoubtedly some never suffering Martyrdom have been as great in the favour of God as any Martyrs as Abraham Isaac Iacob and the Virgin Mary Answ. This may be helped two waies First by such an interpretation of Martyrdom as may be extended much further then to the suffering of death for the testimony of Christ Secondly by comparing this of Rev. 20. 4. with other places as namely with Rev. 5. 10. 11. 18. where the same grace is extended to them that fear God's Name to small and great Object But then here followeth a contrary inconvenience that so it shall be extended unto all Answ. Yet is it not said To all that fear God's Name Quaere 2. Concerning the Communion between the Saints raised from their graves and the people then living and remaining on the earth called the nations that are saved that is from the fire whereby the earth and the works thereof shall be burned 2 Pet. 3. 10. Alstedius will have the Saints raised to be Doctors of the Church taking no notice of any distinction of male and female though of both Sexes there have been both Saints and Martyrs Rev. 21. 24. it is said that the nations shall walk in the light of New Ierusalem and if the Saints shall reign over the Nations there must be a Communion such as is between Governors and persons governed And this Government shall be undoubtedly in reference to the Worship of God Now consider 1. What Communion can such Bodies as ours have with glorified bodies considering that when Moses came down from the Mount his countenance did so shine that the Israelites could not endure to look him in the face Answ. First this glorious lustre may be qualified so far as to be without offence Secondly The world being restored why may not the mortal Bodies of men be something altered also Surely God can proportion it 2. Whether shall the Bodies of the Saints raised be covered or naked It seems very incongruous they should be naked neither can we devise in any congruity a glorified Body should be covered What raiment were any fit covering for such Neither is it congruous their glory should be covered as Moses's face was with a Veil Answ. As Angels appeared their faces shining like lightning and their raiment whitè as snow which aspect terrible at the first by familiar conversation might prove not terrible so Light may be as a garment to the Saints raised 3. Whether Christ and the Saints raised shall eat and drink One Mr. a Minister in Lincolnshire maintains they shall as I have heard from a noble person and for his opinion alledgeth that of our Saviour I will not from henceforth drink of the fruit of the vine until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God Mar. 14. 25. Add to this Luk. 14. 15. One sitting at table with Christ said Blessed is he that eateth bread in the Kingdom of God This he meant as did all the Iews of the Kingdom of the Messias on earth which opinion our Saviour doth no where correct Otherwise what use will they have of the Restauration of the world Yet this is very hard to concoct 1. That Christ and his Saints all glorified should come from Heaven to eat and drink on earth which comes near to the vile opinion of Cerinthus that for a 1000 years God's Saints should live on earth in carnal pleasures 2. In this case it seems their Bodies should be exposed to excrements which is not to be endured in Bodies glorified Answ. 1. No more than our Saviour's was after his Resurrection or Angels who sometimes did eat with the Patriarchs Answ. 2. If so yet not for necessity much less for satisfaction to the flesh but for other reasons as Christ did eat with his Apostles after his Resurrection Quaere 3. Then there will be no place for such desires as to be dissolved and to be with Christ Philip. 1. 23. and to be removed out of the body and to dwell with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8. For then to be dissolved will
see in their Sacrifices some whereof as the Eucharistical were justly answerable to our Eucharist as I shall have occasion to shew hereafter In the mean time I speak generally of them and say They carried a badge in them that Christ was not yet come and offered for sin A ground whereof I have from the story of Abraham going about to sacrifice his son For there Abraham being ready at God's Commandment to sacrifice the promised son his dear and only son Isaac the Angel of God stayed his hand and shewed him a Ram in a bush to sacrifice in stead of his son thereby implying That while God deferred the offering of that Blessed one which should be a Son of Abraham be would accept as instead thereof the offerings of Bulls and Rams for the expiation of sin and therefore he that offered this offering in stead did therein acknowledge that the offering of the Blessed seed of Abraham was yet deferred A second mark of this may be also in the slaying of the Sacrifice offered For in that they were as often as they offered to slay their Sacrifice it appeared that the Son of Abraham was not yet slain for sin And thus have we seen how Christ the ground of all Spiritual blessings was otherwise signified under the Sacraments of the Law than now in those of the Gospel Now we must also shew a differing manner and fashion in the Spiritual Promises themselvs which were given through him For these were not open as now they are but involved and wrapped up in Temporal benefits For all the Promises under the Law in a manner were for the outside Temporal their Redemption was their deliverance from the Egyptian thraldom their forgiveness and remission was the escaping of Temporal plagues and bodily death their favour with God was worldly Prosperity their place of blessed rest was the earthly Canaan and immortality long life and fulness of days in the land which the Lord had given them This is so apparent that there was a Sect amongst them about Christ's time which maintained there were no other Promises to be looked for and some Christians even of note have almost affirmed that the Iews had no Spiritual Promises but only Temporal But we must know that under these Outward things were veiled the Spiritual and Eternal Promises Not that these Temporal were only Shadows of the Eternal and were not literally to be understood but that the enjoying of these outward things unto the Iew was a pledge of the Spiritual as it were inwrapped in them For it pleased God occording to the â—economy of that time to convey his Spiritual benefits under and with the Temporal as he also ordained the loss of the one to be as an evident mark of losing the other unless God were extraordinarily merciful unto them The knowledge of this made the Iew so highly to esteem of worldly prosperities and of those who enjoyed them as of God's special Favourites and on the contrary to be so cast down with earthly adversities as if those who fell into them were quite deprived of the favour of God This made them so loth to forgoe the Earthly Canaan as though with it also they had forgone all interest in the Heavenly And was it not strange that the Roman Empire which carried no other Nation captive yet should cast the Iew out of his own country unless God according to his wonted rule with this people would have it a woful evidence that he had quite cast them off from having any longer right or claim unto the Kingdom of Heaven But since Christ was revealed these Spiritual and Eternal Promises are no longer veiled and covered in this sort but are laid out to open view and they are no longer so link'd with Temporal but severed one from the other For the veil upon Moses face is done array and we all with an open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 14 18. Thus you see how the Sacraments of the Law howsoever they sealed the same Promises with ours yet not so immediately as ours do but in the covers of outward blessings Now I will answer some Objections concerning this discourse And first Some will say that this is unlikely in that the Iews seemed to apprehend no such thing as we speak of specially in these extraordinary Sacraments which our Apostle treats of I answer That without doubt the Patriarchs and Prophets had a more clear sight of these things as for the rest they were in general taught this Principle That in such things God did convey some unseen blessings unto them especially if they were so extraordinary as this of Manna and the Rock and howsoever they knew not expresly what these secret things should be yet they believed they were far more glorious than what they saw Those who require more than this forget how Moses was veiled and that the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God were exceedingly obscure in the times of the Law And that the Iew could not but conceive more in them than the outside it appears in that they had a great expectation of the Messiah at whom all these aimed as we know the speech of Nathanael We have found the Messias of whom Moses and the Prophets wrote Besides the Prophets often reprehension of those who thought God was pleased with the outward offering of Bulls and Rams must needs make them apprehend there was a faith of some unseen thing required But S. Paul will some say calls them Gal. 4. 9. weak and beggarly Elements whereby it should seem they were empty of all Spiritual meaning I answer such they were become indeed when Christ was once come of which time S. Paul speaketh when the grace signified in them was brought out in the light when the inwrapped Promises were unfolded and revealed they were then as empty shells whose kernels were taken out and like carkasses whose Soul is gone So long as a shell contains a kernel unseen so long it is full when the kernel comes forth to outward view then the shell is empty even so is it with the Elements of the Law Again as long as the Soul is buried in the Body and covered with flesh the Body lives but when the Soul separates from flesh and subsists by it self then the Body proves a stinking carkass So is it with the Elements of the Law whose Soul was these Spiritual things now severed from such fleshly Elements and offered unto us without such covers as heretofore they were DISCOURSE XLV 1 COR. 10. 3 4. And they did all eat the same Spiritual meat And they did all drink the same Spiritual drink HAVING spoken at large of the Three things which I enquired of for Explication of these words viz. 1. Of what Meat and of what Drink the Apostle speaketh namely of the food of Manna and the water of the Rock wherewith God sustained the Israelites in the Wilderness 2. Wherein both the
sacrifices for expiation and cleansing of sin whereas in the New he writes his Law only upon the Soul and Spirit in that he now stipulates only the service of Faith which is an action of the inward man and not of the outward not of the hand or bodily members but of the Soul within For by Law here I suppose is meant the condition which God stipulates in the Covenant and through which he makes good his promise unto us Not as though this spiritual condition was not also required under the Law in the Covenant of Grace then but because it was not only nor so openly therefore is it made as a formal difference of the New Covenant and the Old Secondly On God's part the Scripture shews the difference of the Covenants thus The Old Covenant was a Covenant of worser promises the New a Covenant of better Promises and so a better Covenant Heb. 8. 6. Indeed they in the Old Covenant had the same Spiritual Promises we have and so it was one and the same Covenant but they had them not open and uncovered as we have and so our Covenant is not the same but a better Covenant So S. Paul makes his comparison in the same argument 2 Cor. 3. 11. If that saith he which is done away was so glorious much more that which remaineth As if he had said If the Cover seemed so glorious much more shall the Iewel within so seem when the cover is taken from it as now it is For all the open Promises in the Old Covenant seem to be no other than Temporal blessings as for Spiritual they had them only as enwrapped in them so that they could look for them no otherwise but in and through the Temporal which they had as Pledges of the Spiritual veiled under them But in the New these are all revealed and no longer hid from us by such curtains the veil is taken from the face of Moses and we behold with open face the glory of the Lord as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 3. 14 18. Remission of sins Reconciliation with God Everlasting life these are our Promises not deliverance from Temporal enemies worldly prosperity nor the land of Canaan or long life in the land the Lord hath given us So the case here is quite altered For then Earthly blessings were as Pledges of Spiritual but now unto us Spiritual are Pledges of Temporal so far as God sees good for us For the tenour of the Gospel now is Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you And it is now time we should say with S. Paul Rom. 11. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! and with David Psal. 40. 5. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward and Psal. 92. 5. O Lord how great are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep THUS I come to a second Observation which these words afford us namely If the Fathers ate the same Spiritual Meat and drank the same Spiritual Drink which we do then eat we not the real Body nor drink the real Bloud of Christ For the Manna they ate was the same Manna still though a Sacrament of Christ the Water of the Rock was verily Water still though a Sacrament of his Bloud If then we eat the same Spiritual Bread we eat Bread still though Spiritual Bread If we drink the same Spiritual Drink our Drink is Wine still though Spiritual Wine Yea S. Paul himself calls them as they are 1 Cor. 10. 16. The Bread we break is the communion of the Body of Christ Ergo That which is the communion of the Body of Christ is Bread still And unless it should be so how could there be a Sacrament which must consist of a Sign and a thing signified of an Earthly thing and a Heavenly thing For if the Sign once becomes the thing signified it is no more a Sign and so then is no more a Sacrament If it be urged That Christ himself saies plainly of the Bread Hoc est corpus meum This is my Body of the Wine Hic est sanguis meus This is my Bloud I answer He saies also I am the Door and in my Text is as expresly said The Rock was Christ. If therefore it be absurd from hence to infer the Rock left being a Rock and was made the real Person of Christ so will it be of our Spiritual Bread and Wine For the manner of these speeches is nothing but a Figure of certainty or assurance He that receiveth the Bread as assuredly receiveth Christ Body as if the Bread were his Body He that receiveth the Wine as assuredly enjoyeth the Bloud of Christ as if this Wine were his very Bloud indeed A predication in casu recto is a predication of sameness and therefore is used properly in things which are in a manner the same as Genus and Species Homo est animal but in things which are disparate and of several natures we speak usually in concreto or obliquo and from hâ—â—ce arises a Scheme or Figure of speech when we would express a most near union of things even different yet to speak them in casu recto which is the predication of sameness as it were to express they were as nearly link'd together as if they were the very same So we are wont to say a man is Virtue or Piety it self meaning they are throughly link'd unto him And because of all other things the things in the Sacraments are so assuredly and throughly link'd together the Holy Ghost used this Scheme for a Sacramental speech Hoc est corpus meum and Hic est sanguis meus that is a Sign so sure as if it were the very same AND so I will come to a third Observation The Fathers saith my Text ate the same Spiritual Meat and drank the same Spiritual Drink therefore is our Sacrament also to be eaten and drunk of us and not only offered for us Except we eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud we have no life in us And very fitly For as our Bodies are nourished by eating of corporal meats so our Souls are nourished by the Spiritual feeding upon Christ. This condemns that lurching Sacrifice of the Mass where the Bread and Wine are offered as a Sacrifice for the people but they receive no one jot thereof they are invited to a Banquet but eat never a bit Even like the unbelieving Ruler spoken of 2 Kings 7. 19. who saw all the plenty foretold by Elisha but ate no whit thereof And what is it but as Christ said to light a Candle and put it under a Bushel Matt. 5. 15. They think it is enough if the Priest eats all himself though he gives no body else any with him But it is no less absurd to affirm that another should receive good by the Priest's receiving
apud Persas aureum caput arietinum pro diademate gestare as appears from Ammian Marcellinus l. 19. The clear understanding of these and many other particulars in those Chapters depends altogether upon History By all which it is manifest how necessary it is for the full understanding of several parts of Scripture to be acquainted as the Author was with the Original Languages ancient Versions the Genius and Idioms of the Scripture-style and also with History and the ancient Customes both of the Iews and others without which it would be a fruitless attempt even for such as otherwise are of good abilities to undertake to give a pertinent and satisfying account of the forementioned and other the like passages of Scripture And as for those who though they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and bring not forth the Fruits of the Spirit would engross the Spirit wholly to themselves as the Iews did the Messias to their Nation to the excluding of the Gentiles and ignorantly despise all humane Learning and means of Knowledge what has been said may abundantly check their vain confidence such Scriptures as I have instanced in and others of the like nature being not to be explain'd without skill in the learned Languages History and Antiquity which is not to be had but by a studious converse with the best Authors except they will say that such skill and knowledge is infused and that the particular Events and Res gestae at large treated of in Books are made known to them by extraordinary Revelation which yet they are so wary as not to pretend to as they are also so wise as not to pretend to the Gifts of Tongues or Interpretation of Tongues those Gifts of the Spirit not unusual in the Apostles Age. 3. His diligent enquiry and happy insight into the Oriental Figurative Expressions and Prophetick Schemes throughout the Scripture For he observ'd that there were especially in the Writings of the Prophets certain Symbols Emblems and Hieroglyphical representations which were no less familiar to those Eastern Nations than our Poetical Schemes and Pictures are to us and that the true meaning of these Symbols was to be found out by some such means as these as 1. By comparing those several places of Scripture where they occur and observing what they use to stand for or what their uniform signification and notion is in such places which may be farther cleared as by considering the fitness and analogy between those Symbols and the Things represented by them so likewise by attending to some Plainer expressions in the Context which are a certain Key to the understanding of those that are Figurative and Emblematical Thus what in Ier. 4. 23. is figuratively describ'd The Earth is without Form and void 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words used Gen. 1. 2 of the old Chaos and the Heavens have no light is the same with what is plainly express'd in the Context The whole Land is spoiled The whole Land shall be desolate And that in Haggai 2. 6 21. I will shake the Heavens and the Earth is explain'd by the words immediately following Thus in Zech. 11. 2. The Cedar is fallen the defenced Forest is come down is no other than that which is plainly set down in the same verse The mighty or the Nobles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are spoiled But in Dan. chap. 7. and ch 8. and in Apoc. 17. much of the Visions is there explain'd and the Symbols therein are render'd out of the Prophetical style afterwards into more easie and familiar sense 2. By observing how these Oriental Symbols are interpreted and render'd into plainer expressions by the Chaldee Paraphrasts who may justly be presum'd to know best what was meant thereby in those Countries as for example when the Prophets frequently speak of the Sun 's being darkned in its going forth the Moon not giving her light and elsewhere of the Stars falling from Heaven upon the Earth a phrase not to be understood Literally the Targum renders these and the like Prophetick strains in words that signifie the diminution of the Glory and Felicity of the State and the Downfal of the Grandees and Chiefs therein Sun Moon and Stars being put according to the Prophetick style for the Higher Powers Princes and Peers those Great Lights shining in the Firmament of the Political World Thus also when the Prophets denounce God's Iudgments to come upon all the Cedars and Oaks Esay 2. and when the Firre-trees and Oaks are bid to howl Zech. 11. the Targum in stead of mentioning these tall and goodly Trees has 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princes of the People and Rulers of Provinces 3. By consulting such Authors as had collected any Fragments and Remains of the ancient Onirocriticks as Apomasar or Achmetes the Arabian published by the learned Rigaltius had of the Onirocriticks of the Indians Persians and Egyptians concerning which I need not enlarge the Author having inserted some pertinent Extracts thereof together with his judgment of their fitness to illustrate the meaning of the Prophetical Representations in his Commentary upon the Apocalyps p. 451. and elsewhere By which Onirocriticks it may appear what the Eastern nations did commonly suppose to be signified by such Symbols 4. His observing things in distant places of the Apocalypse to Synchronize and belong to the same time whence he was well assured That it was a false Hypothesis and a fundamental Error in any Commentators to think That all the Prophecies and Visions in this Mysterious Book are placed in such an order as is agreeable to the order of time wherein they were fulfill'd or That the Events succeeded one another in the same Series and order as the Visions do and consequently for them to frame their Interpretation of the Visions according to that deceitful Hypothesis and not according to that safe guidance and light which the Synchronisms afford must needs expose them to manifold mistakes from first to last and encumber the whole work with such Difficulties Inconsistencies and Incongruities in applying the Prophecies to History and Events as cannot possibly be excus'd and remov'd by all their wit were it greater than it is Of such consequence it is for all that would interpret the Apocalyptick Visions to take heed to the Apocalyptick Synchronisms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use S. Peter's expression as unto a light that shineth in a dark place Otherwise their whole Fabrick of Annotations will be but as a Building without a sure Ground-work and Foundation an House built upon the Sand which is but a fluid and uncertain bottome a Pile of private Fancies slight Conceits and weak Conjectures And though there may be some things therein which may have a shew of Learning and a seeming Concinnity to the injudicious and unskilful in the Prophetick Style yet the main of their performance for want of attending to this and the other means of knowledge mention'd in the foregoing particulars will
Five Directions and Helps prove a succesful labour and therefore far from being excessively hard or incumbred with invincible difficulties so would it likewise be far from vain and useless for these Scriptures as well as the other being written for our learning and use as I have briefly and I think clearly proved in this Preface under the Second Head of Advertisements there would accrue to us this peculiar Advantage besides many others That by a right understanding of the genuine meaning of these Prophetick Visions we should be the better enabled to vindicate the Prophecies from those corrupt Glosses which unlearned and unstable Souls ill-willers also to the stability and peace of Christian States and Kingdoms would force upon them perverting these Scriptures for their own Self-ends to the favouring of their unquiet humors and unpeaceable practices which being rightly understood are the grand Interest and Concernment of Christendome and certainly make for the Support and Encouragement of the Reformed part thereof of which through God's mercy we are Members In the Second sort of Advertisements I have observed some few things of the Author and his Writings and shall not need here to superadd any thing to court the Reader to a due esteem of them His own works will praise him I say not in the Gates as the phrase is Prov. 31. ult but in the private Closets and quiet Retirements of the studious enquirers after Truth if read there with serious attention which is most necessary in the perusing of his Labours upon the Prophetical Scriptures and with a mind as free from prejudice as from distractions It is not to be doubted but that some parts of these Writings may generally please and as the Author of the Book of Wisdom observes of Manna agree to every tast nor is it unlikely but that some other parts though highly pleasing to some may be less grateful to others of a different perswasion as Manna itself was lothsome to some murmuring Israelites But for the better disposing of them to what is fair and ingenuous this may be fit to be added That the Author in his life-time did not affect any dominion over the faith of others as if he were Infallible nor was he ambitious after his death to be Idoliz'd but this was clearly his disposition as he expresseth himself in a Letter to Dr. T. not to be affected how much or how little others differ'd from him and this disposition he said did so much the more increase in him as he took the liberty to examine either his own or other mens perswasions so desirous he was that the Apostle's Rule should in this case prevail Try all things hold fast that which is good And therefore such men would shew themselves very ill-natur'd and ill-bred as well as indiscreet and unmindful of the Fallibility of Humane nature as also unacquainted with ingenuous Learning of which the old Verse is most true Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros if they should unwisely disvalue and peevishly reject the whole for some passages not agreeing to their particular Sentiments or prove so rigid and tenacious as not to afford that Candor and Charity which is but a just respect as well easie as fit to be paid to the Labours of Worthy men highly meriting de Republica literaria And their Rudeness and Incivility would be the greater because Mr. Mede doth propound his sense not with any either magisterial or provoking language but with such modesty calmness and sobriety as may deserve rather a fair reception than any churlish and unkind usage in the world In the First Head of Advertisements I have given the Reader for his fuller satisfaction some account of those long and toilsome labours which I could not think too hard and grievous to undergo both for the honour of the Author's memory and the Reader 's greater benefit chusing though at an humble distance to follow that great Labourer in God's Vineyard Blessed S. Paul who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather than to do this work of the Lord negligently May the Reader with ease and delight with profit and advantage peruse these Writings thus prepared for him with a diligence and industry not very ordinary nor over-easie and therefore not over-hasty and yet not more leisurely or slow than the labour and weightiness of the undertaking together with the urgency of other intercurrent cares did exact HE who is the Father of mercies and the God of all grace that giveth power to the faint and reneweth their strength who wait upon him who worketh both to will and to do and to continue patiently in so doing unto the end to his Name alone not unto me not unto me be the Glory and Praise for his Mercy and for his Power sake The same Father of lights who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shine into our Hearts unveil our Eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of his Law purifie our Souls from Prejudice and Passion from every false Principle and corrupt Affection that we may receive the love of the Truth and know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God that being filled with all wisdom and spiritual understanding we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing To whom be Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power for ever and ever Amen I. W. The Additional Pieces First published by the Reverend and Learned Dr. WORTHINGTON IN Book I. Discourse 49 50 51 53. In Book II. His Concio ad Clerum pag. 398. In Book III. Among his Remains upon the Apocalyps Chap. 4. pag. 589. Chap. 8. pag. 594. In Book IV. Epist. 34 41 51 56 66 67 68 69 71 73 75 85. many of them in answer to some Letters of enquiry from Learned men which for the fuller understanding of the Author's Answers are also published as that large Letter from Lud. de Dieu viz. Epist. 48. and those from others Epist. 55 57 59 62 65 70 72. together with a large Extract of Mr. Potter's Letter about the Number 666. In Book V. Those Tracts that make Chap. 4. Chap. 7. Chap. 10. Chap. 12. In all XXXII Discourses Tracts Epistles enlarged out of the Author's Manuscripts with several Additions IN Book I. Discourse 11 31 32 33. In Book II. The Christian Sacrifice and Disc. upon Ezra 6. 10. pag. 379. In Book III. In Comment Apocalypt are several marginal Notes added by the Author since the first Edition In the Remains upon the Apocal. Chap. 3. Chap. 6. Chap. 9. Paraphrase on S. Peter 2 Ep. Chap. 3. In Book IV. Epist. 43 54 58. whereof almost all in the first and last pages is added Epist. 61. besides several other Epistles with large additions In Book V. Chap. II. Besides the smaller additions of some Words or a few lines in several other parts of these Volumes too many to be here particularly mentioned The Discourses Tracts or Epistles whereof there
Here the difference between those that teach and are taught is as much as between the light of the Stars and the brightness of the Firmament Some will have the whole sentence to speak of the eminency of glory laid up for Prophets translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first place not docti or intelligentes but Doctores The Teachers shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many unto righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever But I have followed that interpretation which our Translators thought most likely Thirâ—dly To this eminency of glory the Angel seems also to have respect in the end of the Chapter when he says But go thy way Daniel till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand up in thy lot at the end of days in sorte tua in thy lot that is in sorte Prophetarum in the lot of Prophets And this perhaps may be that too which our Saviour intends Matt. 5. 19. Qui secerit docuerit magnus vocabitur i. erit in regno coelorum Whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called that is shall be great in the kingdom of heaven The reason of all this is Because those who teach and convert others to righteousness have an interest and a kind of title to all the good works which they shall do How then can their Reward but be great and eminent when not only their own works but the works of their converts and disciples shall be brought into their account A matter if we consider it of no small encouragement and comfort unto us whom God hath placed in this condition to be Teachers and Instructers of others if so be we bury not our Talent in a Napkin but employ it for the advantage of our Lord and Master For it is not the Habit or Faculty but the Work which shall reap the Reward we speak of Happy are we therefore if we neglect not this opportunity of bliss which God hath given us AND thus having done with the First Proposition I undertook I come unto the Second which is That he that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall be partaker of a Prophet's reward He that receives that is doth any good office or deserves well of a Prophet For this to be the meaning may appear by that which follows He that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward where righteous is to be taken by way of eminency for one of eminent sanctity such as among the Iews had therefore the surname of Iust or Righteous as Simeon the Iust Iames the Iust and other the like Then in the next words the expression is varied Whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple shall not lose his reward whence I say we may gather what good office the word receiving before used intimated to us namely to relieve maintain support and the like He therefore that thus receives a Prophet shall be partaker saith our Saviour of a Prophet's reward that is have an eminent reward or of the quality of a Prophet's though himself be none The reason is Because he that supports and enables a Prophet for his duty hath an interest in his work and consequently in the reward that belongs unto it This appears by the contrary because he that maintains and abetts those who commit an evil act makes himself guilty of their sin and so of the punishment due to the same An example whereof we have in that of the Benjamites in the Book of Iudges who by abetting the men of Gibeah who committed that foul abomination with the Levite's Wife made themselves guilty of their sin and brought that hideous judgment which at first was deserved only by a few sons of Belial upon the Heads of the whole Tribe It is a known story Now it is par ratio for a man to entitle himself to anothers good works as to his ill BUT there is a modification in the Text whereupon this Reward we speak of depends otherwise not to be looked for And that is This good office must be done in nomine Prophetae in the name of a Prophet not for any other respect than as he is and because he is a Prophet He that receiveth a Prophet in nomine Prophetae shall receive a Prophet's reward Not he that receives him only for some personal or by-respect because he is his kinsman friend or friend's ally or which is the ground of the most respect the Prophet gets among the most now-a-days because he is one of their one side and faction but setting all such respects aside eo nomine quia Propheta with mere respect to their office and calling or because they are as Valens and Valentinian in their Rescript apud Theodoretum calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stewards of the great King of all the earth I may tell you that this is no ordinary thing now-a-days We may perhaps find some that can be content to make much of the Prophet for some personal qualities of his or perhaps because he hath abilities above ordinary or because it may be he is like to further the way they wish good luck to or that they may gain repute among some sort of men or for other respects of like nature But are there many which regard them in the name of a Prophet How then comes it to pass that their courtesies are so appropriate to the Persons of some that they shew no respect or esteem to the Calling in others Whence comes that Unchristian or indeed Atheistical language Abase Priest A paultry Priest It would never have grieved me if any other had served me thus but to be served thus by a base Priest who can endure it Tell me in good earnest is this to honour a Priest or a Prophet in the name of a Prophet or not rather point-blank unto it to reproach and dishonour him under that reverend Name that is to despise and reproach the Calling it self For can a man honour that condition the name whereof he thinks to be a reproach Is any man wont to say A base Lord a base Knight A base Gentleman A base Christian No And why because he accounts them all Terms and Titles of Honour Iudge then by this what account they make of God's Ambre who turn the very Title of their Calling into a name of reproach and what reward by proportion they are like to merit at Christ's hands Not a Prophet's I am sure and whether a Christian's or not themselves may judge 'T is often and too often true indeed that for our Persons we are unworthy of any better respect but even then it best appears whether a man hath respect to the Calling eo nomine when there is nothing in the Person to move him to it But there is another sort of men who honour not a
their assembly mine honour be not thou united And thus much of our first Observation There is another Lesson yet more to be learned from this Act of the Angels namely That if they glorifie God for our Happiness and the Favour of God towards us in Christ much more should we glorifie and magnifie his Goodness our selves to whom solely this Birth and the benefit of this Birth redounds If they sing Glory be to God on high for his Favour toward men we to whom such Favour is shewn must not hold our peace for shall they for us and not we for our selves No the Quire of Heaven did but set us in we are to bear a part and it should be a chief part since the best part is ours As therefore the Church in her publick Service hath ever since kept it up so must every one of us in particular never let it go down or die in our hands THUS much of the Quire Now come we to the Amhem or Song it self whose contents are two First The Doxology or Praise Glory be to God on high Secondly A Gratulation rendring the reason thereof Because of Peace on earth Good-will towards men For the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be taken here for a copulative but as Vau is frequently in the Hebrew for a conjunction causal or for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory to God in the highest for that there is Peace on earth and Good-will towards men Or if we retain the copulative sense yet we must understand the words following as spoken by way of Gratulation Glory be to God on high and welcome Peace on earth Good-will towards men Or both causally and gratulatorily thus Glory be to God in the highest for ô factum bene there is Peace on earth and Good-will towards men To begin with the First The Doxology or Praise Glory be to God in the Highest that is Let the Angels glorifie him who dwell on high for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be referred to Glory and not to God the sense being Glorified be God by those on high and not God who dwells on high be glorified This may appear by the like expression in Psalm 148. 1 2. whence this Glorification seems to be borrowed Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens praise him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the highest Praise ye him all his Angels praise ye him all his Hosts And therefore Iunius for Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens hath Laudate eum coelites Praise him ye that dwell in Heaven The Chaldee for Praise him in excelsis hath Praise him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye high Angels In like manner here Gloria in excelsis Deo Glory to God in the highest are the words of the Angelical Quire inciting themselves and all the Host of Heaven to give glory and praise unto God for these wonderful tidings Now therefore let us see What this Glory is and How it is given to God To tell you every signification of the word Glory in Scripture might perhaps distract the hearer but would inform him little Nor will it be to purpose to reckon up every signification it hath when it is spoken of God I will therefore name only the two principal ones And first Glory when it is referred to God often signifies the Divine Presence or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in this Chapter a little before my Text when it is said The GLORY of the Lord shone round about the Shepherds and they were sore afraid But this is not the signification in my Text but another which I shall now tell you For Glory besides signifies in Scripture the high and glorious Supereminency or Majesty of God which consisteth in his threefold Supremacy of Power of Wisdom and of Goodness And as words of Eminency and Dignity with us as Majesty Highness Honour Worship are used for the Persons themselves to whom such Dignity belongeth as when we say his Majesty his Highness his Honour his Worship so in the Scripture and among the Hebrews His Glory or the Glory of the Lord is used to note the Divine Essence or Deity it self As in 2 Pet. 1. 17. There came a voice saith S. Peter from the excellent GLORY that is from God the Father This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Rom. 1. 23. the Gentiles are said to have changed the GLORY of the incorruptible God into the likeness of things corruptible As it is said in Psal. 106. 20. of the Israelites in the Wilderness that they changed their GLORY into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth grass S. Iohn chap. 1. 14. of his Gospel says of the Son We beheld his GLORY the glory as of the only-begotten Son of God According to which sense he is called Heb. 1. 3. The Brightness of his Father's glory and the express Image of his person where the latter words are an exposition of the former Image expounding Brightness and Person or Substance expounding Glory If Glory therefore signifie the Divine Majesty or Greatness to Glorifie or give Glory unto God is nothing else but to acknowledge and confess this Majesty or Greatness of His namely his Supereminent Power his Wisdom and Goodness for in the peerless supereminency of these Three under which all his other Attributes are comprehended his Glorious Majesty consisteth Take this withal That all the religious service and worship we give unto God whether we praise him pray or give thanks unto him is nothing else but the acknowledging of this Glory either in deed or word namely by confessing it or doing some act whereby we acknowledge it To come to particulars By our Faith we confess his Wisdom and Truth by our Thanksgiving his Goodness and Mercy when we Pray we acknowledge his Power and Dominion and therefore the form of prayer our Saviour taught us concludes For thine is the Kingdom Power and Glory In Praise we confess all these or any of them according to that in the Hymn of the Church Te Deum laudamus Te Dominum confitemur We praise thee O God we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All which is evident by those forms of Glorification set down in the Apocalyps which are nothing else but express and particular acknowledgements of the Greatness or Majesty of God and his peerless prerogatives When the four Wights are said to have given Glory Honour and Thanks to him that sate upon the Throne what was their Ditty but this Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created When the Lamb opened the Book with seven Seals the Wights the Elders and every creature in Heaven in earth and under the earth sung Worthy is the Lamb to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Blessing And again Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and
house of God before the holy Angels For note that the word Angel may be taken collectively for more than one For this cause all the curtains of the Tabernacle were filled with the pictures of Cherubims and the walls of Solomon's Temple within with carved Cherubims the Ark of the Testimony overspread and covered with two nighty Cherubims having their faces looking towards it and the Mercy-seat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with their wings stretched forth on high called Heb. 9. 5. The Cherubims of glory that is of the Divine Presence All to signifie that where God's sacred Memorial is the enâ—ign of his Covenant and commerce with men there the blessed Angels out of duty give their attendance Nor is it to be over-passed that the Iews at this day continue the like opinion of their modern Places of worship namely that the blessed Angels frequent their assemblies and praise and laud God with them in their Synagogues notwithstanding they have no other Memorial of his there than an imitative one only to wit a Chest with a Volume or Roll of the Law therein in stead of the Ark with the two Tables For thus speaks the Seder Tephilloth or Form of prayer used by the Iews of Portugal O Lord our God the Angels that supernal company gathered together with thy people Israel here below do crown thee with praises and altogether do thrice redouble and cry that spoken of by the Prophet Holy Holy Holy Lord God of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory They allude to Esay's Vision of the Glory of God above mentioned You will say Such a presence of Angels perhaps there was in that Temple under the Law but there is no such thing in the Gospel No why Are the Memorials of God's Covenant his Insignia in the Gospel less worthy of their attendance than those of the Law or have the Angels since the nature of man Iesus Christ our Lord became their Head and King gotten an exemption from this service Surely not S. Paul if we will understand and believe him supposes the contrary in his first Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 11. verse 10. where treating of a comely and decent accommodation to be observed in Church-assemblies and in particular of womens being covered or veiled there he enforces it from this presence of Angels For this cause saith he ought the woman to have a covering on her head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the Angels namely which are there present For otherwise the reason holds not that she should more be covered in the Place of Prayer than any where else unless the Angels be more there than elsewhere This place much troubleth the Expositors but see what it is to admit a truth for now there is no difficulty in it And that the ancient Fathers conceived no less venerably of their Christian Oratories in this particular than the Iews did of their Temple appears by S. Chrysostomâ— who is very frequent in urging an awful and reverent behaviour in God's house from this motive of Angelical presence As in his Homily 36. in 1 Corinth where reproving the irreverent behaviour of his Auditory in that Church in talking walking saluting and the like which he saith was peculiar unto them and such as no Christians elsewhere in the world presumed to do he enforces his reproof with words that come home to our purpose Non tonstrina inquit neque unguentaria officina neque ulla alia opiâ—icum qui sunt in â—oro taberna est Ecclesia sed Locus Angelorum Locus Archangelorum Regia Dei ipsum Coelum The Church saith he is no Barber 's or Drug-seller's shop nor any other crafts-mans or merchants workhouse or warehouse in the market-place but the place of Angels the place of Archangels the Palace of God Heaven it self And in his 4. Homily De incomprehensibili Dei natura towards the end Cogiâ—a apud quem proximè stas quibuscum invoces Deum sâ—il cum Cherubim cum Seraphim cum omnibus coeli Virtutibus animadverte quos habeas socios satis hoc tibi sit ad sobrietatem cùm recorderis te corpore constantem carne coagmentatum admitti cum Virtutibus incorporeis celebrare omnium Dominum Think near whom thou standest with whom thou invocatest God namely with Cherubims and Seraphims and all the Powers of Heaven consider but what companions thou hast let it be sufficient to perswade thee to sobriety when thou remembrest that thou who art compounded of flesh and bloud art admitted with the incorporeal Powers to celebrate the common Lord of all But all this you will say the Angels may do in Heaven Well let it be so yet is it not altogether out of our way but the next places I shall bring will not be so eluded Namely that in his 15. Homily upon the Epistle to the Hebrews against those that laughed in the Church Regiam quidem ingrediens habitu aspectu incessu omnibus aliis te ornas componis Hîc autem verè est Regia planè hîc talia qualia coelestia rides Atque scio quidem quòd tu non vides Audi autem quòd ubique adsunt Angeli maximè in Domo Dei adsistunt Regi omnia sunt impleta incorporeis illis Potestatibus When thou goest into a King's Palace thou composest thy self to a comeliness in thy habit in thy look in thy gate and in all thy whole guise But here is indeed the Palace of a King and the like attendance to that in Heaven and dost thou laugh I know well enough thou seest it not But hear thou me and know that Angels are every where and that chiefly in the House of God they attend upon their King where all is â—illed with these incorporeal Powers The like unto this you shall find in his 24. Homily upon the Acts of the Apostles Knowest thou not that thou standest here with Angels that with them thou singest with them thou landest God with Hymns and dost thou laugh See the rest I will alledge but one passage more of his lest I should grow tedious and that is out of his 6. Book de Sacerdotio not very far from the beginning where speaking of the time when the holy Eucharist is celebrated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the Angels stand by the Priest and the whole Quire resounds with celestial Powers and the place about the Altar is filled with them in honour of him who is laid thereon that is of his Memorial Compare with it a like passage in his 3. Hom. De incomprehensibili Dei natura Item Hom. 1. De verbis Isaiae S. Ambrose acknowledgeth the same in c. 1. Luc. Non dubites assistere Angelum quando Christus assistit Christus immolatur Yea Tertullian in whose time which was within two hundred years after Christ some will scarcely believe that Christians had any such Places as Churches
must premise some General grounds which are as followeth First That as God is most One and without all Multiplicity so must the Honour and Service which is given unto him have no Communicability Isa. 42. 8. I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give unto another nor my praise to graven Images For the One-most God must have an One-most service Therefore in that Action whereof God is the Object nothing must be an Object but God Or in the Scripture phrase thus In those actions which look towards the Face of God nothing may come between whose Face such Actions may look upon besides him whether by way of Subordination to him or Representation of him For I am the Lord thy God saith he Thou shalt have no other Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before my face Secondly This Face of God is not only the Object of his Person but also the Place of his presence where his Glory is revealed in the Heavens where we shall see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. Revel 22. 4. and where the Angels in heaven behold the Face of the Father which is in Heaven Matth. 18. 10. No Action therefore directed thitherward that is to this Face of his revealed presence and glory may so much as look asquint upon any other Object or behold any other Face but the Face of God alone For we must have no other Gods before his Face I say not that a man may not turn his Face upon the Face of any other thing when he turns his Face towards the Face of God for how then should we worship him at all seeing which way soever we turn us something will always be before us But it is not the Face of our Bodies or their posture but the Face and posture of the Act we do which must not have the Face turned upon any thing else when it is directed at the Face of God namely That Action in which God is faced must face nothing else but God that is Where God is the Object whether in regard of his Person when we pray unto him or of his Throne of presence when we would approach it or direct our supplications towards it there nothing is to have any respect of an Object but God alone So although when we pray unto God we turn the face of our Bodies towards Heaven the Sun the Moon and Stars yet do we not therefore worship the host of heaven because our Action hath no relation to them as to an Object but to God alone and howsoever they are between God and us in place yet as an Object of our devotion neither they nor any thing in them come any way between us and him Now for the reason if you ask it of this Incommunicableness of all Action and Service directed to God-ward you shall have it Exod. 34. 14. Because the Lord whose name is Iealous is a Iealous God Iealous not only lest he should not be honoured and served as God but Iealous lest he should not be honoured as One God For as by honouring him we acknowledge him God so by the Incommunicableness of honour we acknowledge him One God For this cause God being to give us a Mediator by whom we should have access unto his presence and whom without his Iealousie we might interpose in our devotions and supplications unto himself or offered at the Throne of his Majesty and Glory in the heavens provided that admirable Mystery of communicating to the nature of a man born of a woman the Hypostatical union of the second Person of the Deity and him after he had vanquished death to exalt to sit at his right hand of Glory and Power in the Heavens there in his own Presence and Throne to receive our Requests and to deal as an Agent between us and him Thus at length I am arrived at that Port which all this while I made for viz. to shew That this Glory of Christ which is styled His sitting at the Right hand of God is that Incommunicable Royalty to which of right belongeth in the Presence of God to receive and present our devotions to the Divine Majesty as in that which now followeth shall appear Sessio ad Dextram Dei To sit at the Right hand of God is to be installed in God's Throne or to have a God-like Royalty which is defined in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Majesty of Christ in heaven whence it is said Heb. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sate down on the Right hand of Majesty on high and Heb. 8. 1. it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens It is called also by Christ himself Mark 14. 62. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 22. 69. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Right hand of Power and the Right hand of the Power of God For as to the Right hand belongs both dignity and strength so doth this Glory of Christ include both a God-like Sublimity and a God-like Power the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The proper place where the Majestical Glory is revealed is the Heavens as may appear almost wheresoever this sitting at the right hand of God is mentioned Eph. 1. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coloss. 3. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Heaven Heavenly places High places and the like being alwayes thereto annexed and every where appeareth to be a consequent of his Ascension into Heaven as we say in our Creed He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the Right hand of God and therefore in the words whereon my Text depends is expressed by Assumed or Taken up into Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as God himself is styled Pater in Coelis not because not elsewhere but because his Glory is there revealed so Christ sits ad dextram in Coelis because there the beams of the Majesty given him by his Father are revealed whence it comes that his Kingdom is called the Kingdom of Heaven that is a Kingdom whose King 's residence and Kingly Throne are both in Heaven This glorious Throne of Majesty this Sitting at the Right hand of the Power of the Almighty is a Name incommunicable an Exaltation whereof no creature in heaven or earth is capable which is that the Apostle means to tell us when he saith Eph. 1. 21. Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and Phil. 2. 9 10. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that is created name That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth Revel 3. 21. He
16. 16 and 23. A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me because I go to my Father And in that day when I am gone to my Father ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you Verse 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive Heb. 7. 25 26. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them For such an High Priest became us who is made higher than the heavens How is it then that some extenuate that kind of Saint-worship wherein Prayers are not made unto them directly but God is prayed to in their names and for their mediation sake to grant our requests Is it not a denial of Christ's Prerogative to ascribe unto any other for any respect of glory or nearness to God after death or otherwise that whereof he alone is infeoffed by his unimitable Death triumphant Resurrection and glorious Ascension Certainly that which he holds by incommunicable title is it self also incommunicable To conclude therefore with the words of S. Paul 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is but one God and one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Iesus As God is one so is the Mediator one for it is a God-like Royalty and therefore can belong but to one There is but one God in Heaven without any other Gods subordinate to him therefore but one Mediator there without any other Mediators besides him As for the Angels and blessed Saints they have indeed a light of Glory too but they are but as lesser Lights in that heaven of heavens And therefore as where the Sun shines the lesser Stars of heaven though Stars give not their light to us So where this glorious Sun Christ Iesus continually shineth by his presence sitting at the Right hand of God there the Glory of the Saints and Angels is not sufficient to make them capable of any Flower of that Divine honour which is God-like and so appropriate to Christ by right of his heavenly exaltation in the Throne of Majesty Whatsoever Spirit saith otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holds not the head but is a Christ-apostate-spirit which denies the Faith of Christ's Assumption into Glory and revives the Doctrines of Daemons The way being now cleared I may I hope safely resume my Application which I have already given some taste of That this Doctrine of Daemons comprehends in most most express manner the whole Idolatry of the Mystery of iniquity the Deifying and invocating of Saints and Angels the bowing down to Images the worshipping of Crosses as new-Idol columnes the adoring and templing of Reliques the worshipping of any other Visible thing upon supposal of any Divinity therein What copy was ever so like the sample as all this to the Doctrines of Daemons And for the Idolatry of the Eucharist or Bread-worship though it may be reduced to Image-worship as being the adoration of a Sign or Symbole yet let it be considered whether for the quality thereof it may not be taken rather for an Idolatry of Reliques the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Sacrament being the Mystical Reliques which he left us as Monuments of his death till he come Whichsoever it be I must confess it hath a strain above the Abominations of the Gentiles who though they supposed some presence of their Daemons in their Images and Reliques yet were they never so blockish as to think their Images and Reliques to be transubstantiated into Daemons But to come to the main again I will confess for my self that I cannot think of this Daemon-resemblance without admiration nor do I believe that you will hear without some astonishment that which I am now to add further That the advancers of Saint-worship in the beginning did not only see it but even gloried sed gloriatione non bonâ that they had a thing in Christian practice so like the Doctrines of Daemons We heard before that Plato in his Respub would have the Souls of such as died valiantly in battel to be accounted for Daemons after death and their Sepulchres and Coffins to be served and adored as the Sepulchres of Daemons Eusebius lib. 13. Praepar Evangel cap. 11. quoting this place adds with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things do befit at or after the decease of the Favourites of God whom if thou shalt affirm to be taken for the Champions of the true Religion thou shalt not say amiss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence it is our cusâ—ome to go unto their Tombs and to make our prayers at them and to honour their blessed Souls The purpose of Eusebius here was to shew as a preparation to draw men to Christianity how well the present use of Christians in honouring the memories of their Martyrs by keeping their assemblies at their Sepulchres did agree with that of the Gentiles so much commended by Plato in honouring their champions and worthies for Daemons after death But alas in the next Age after it proved too-too like it indeed For these ear-rings which the Christians had borrowed or stolen from the Gentiles at their coming out of AEgypt presently became a golden calf as soon as the woman the Church came into the wilderness yea and Aaron the Priest had a foul part in it too Read the eighth Book of Theodoret De curandis Graecorum affectionibus whose Title is De Martyribus or in the mean time take these few passages thereof Thus he speaks having quoted that passage of Hesiod for Daemons commended by Plato If then the Poet Hesiod calls good men after their decease the Guardians and Preservers or Deliverers of mortal men from all evill and accordingly the best of Philosophers in confirmation of the Poet 's saying would have their sepulchres to be served and honoured I beseech you Sirs he speaks to the Greeks why do you find such fault with what we do For such as were eminent for Piety and Religion and for the sake thereof suffered death we also call Preservers and Physicians in no wise do we term them Daemons God forbid we should ever fall into such a desperate madness but the hearty friends and servants of God That the Souls of holy men even when they are out of the Body are in a capacity of taking care of mens affairs Plato affirms in the eleventh Book of his Laws The Philosopher you see bids men believe even the vulgar reports that is the relations and stories which are commonly talk'd of concerning the care which deceased Souls have of men But you do not only disbelieve us and are utterly unwilling to hearken to the loud voice of the Events or Effects themselves The Martyrs Temples are frequently to be seen famous for their beauty and greatness They that are in health pray for the
him Ans. I suppose in the last year of his reign and life and that his ill usage at that time was the occasion of his so miserable death before he was yet gone from Ierusalem And yet perhaps those who came to fetch him went not home empty but carried those 3023 mentioned Ier. 52. 28. though I had rather refer them to Iehoiachin's going which was immediately Object The first deportation of the Iews was in the 7. of Nebuchadnezzar Ier. 52. 28. Therefore not the 4 but the 11. of Iehoiakim's reign Ans. Ieremy intended not a rehearsal of all the Captivities nor of the full number of captives as appears by the smalness of the number It may be those numbâ—rs contain men of particular quality and such as were disposed of in one and the same place But here I am resolved I. M. CHAP. II. The Mystery of S. Paul's Conversion or The Type of the Calling of the Iews 1. 1. PAVL among the sons of men the greatest Zelot of the Law and Persecutor of the way of Christ. THE Iews among the Nations most obstinate Zelots of Moses and the most bitter Enemies of the Followers of Christ. 2. 2. Paul in the height of this his zeal and heat of his persecuting fury found mercy and was converted The Iews though persisting unto the last in their extremity of bitterness and mortal hate to Christians yet will God have mercy on them and receive them again to be his People and be their God 3. 3. Paul converted by means extraordinary and for manner strange not as were the rest of the Apostles by the Ministerie of any Teacher upon earth but by visible Revelation of Christ Iesus in his glory from Heaven the light whereof suddenly surprising him he heard the voice of the Lord himself from Heaven saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me The Iews not to be converted unto Christ by such means as were the rest of the Nations by the Ministerie of Preachers sent unto them but by the Revelation of Christ Iesus in his glory from Heaven when they shall say not as when they saw him in his humiliation Crucifie him but Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord. Whose coming then shall be as a lightning out of the East shining into the West and the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the clouds of Heaven and every eye shall see him even of those which pierced him and shall lament with the Spirit of grace and supplication for their so long and so shameful unbelief of their so merciful Redeemer 4. 4. Those who accompanied Paul at the time of this Apparition saw the light only and were amazed but Paul alone saw the Lord and heard the voice which he spake unto him This Revelation of Christ from Heaven like to be most apparent to the Iews in all places where they are dispersed but not so perhaps to the Gentiles with whom they live The light of his glorious presence shall be such as the whole world shall take notice of but those only to see him and hear his voice who pierced him 5. 5. Paul no sooner converted but was immediately inspired with the knowledge of the Mysteries of Christ without the instruction of any Apostle or Disciple for he received not the Gospel which he preached of Man neither was he taught it but by the Revelation of Iesus Christ. He consulteth not with the rest of the Apostles but after 14 years preaching communicated to them the Gospel which he preached among the Gentiles who added nothing unto him but gave him the right hand of fellowship The Iews together with their miraculous Calling shall be illuminated also with the knowledge of the Mysteries of the Christian Faith even as it is taught in the Reformed Churches without any Instructers from them or Conference with them and yet when they shall communicate their Faith each to other shall find themselves to be of one communion of true belief and give each other the right hand of fellowship 6. 6. Paul the last called of the Apostles The Iews to be called after all the Nations in orbe Romano or in the circuit of the Apostle's preaching 7. 7. Paul once converted the most zealous and fervent of the Apostles The Iews once converted the most zealous and fervent of the Nations 8. 8. Till Paul was converted the Gospel had small progress amongst the Gentiles but when he became their Apostle it went forward wonderfully Till the Calling of the Iews the general Conversion of the Gentiles not to be expected but the receiving of Israel shall be the riches of the world in that by their restitution the whole world shall come unto Christ. 9. 9. The miracle of S. Paul's Conversion the person so uncapable till then a Persecutor and most bitter Enemy of Christians the manner so wonderful as by an Apparition and Voice from Heaven was a most powerful motive to make all those who heard and believed it Christians and therefore so often by S. Paul himself repeated The miracle of the Iews Conversion so much the more powerful to convert the Nations of the world not yet Christians by how much their opposite disposition is more universally known to the world than was S. Paul's and by how much the testimony of a whole Nation living in so distant parts of the world of so divine a miracle as a Vision and Voice from Heaven exceeds that of s. Paul being but one Man 10. 10. Paul reproveth Peter one of the chief Apostles for symbolizing with Iudaism May not the Iews likewise reprove if not more the Church of Rome the chief of Christian Churches for symbolizing with Gentilism S. Paul to Tim. 1 Ep. c. 1. v. 16. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth ill long-suffering for a Pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life CHAP. III. Answer concerning a Discourse inferring from the Septenary Types of the Old Testament and other Arguments That the World should last 7000 years and the Seventh Thousand be that happy and blessed Chiliad I. THE Millennium of the Reign of Christ is that which the Scriptures call The Day of Iudgment the ancient Iews and S. Iude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnus Dies Iudicii or Dies Iudicii magni Septimus Millenarius ab universa Cabbalistarum Schola saith Carpentarius vocatur Magnus Dies Iudicii Comment in Alcinoum Platonis pag. 322. A Day not as our languages commonly import of a few hours but according to the Hebrew notion from whence the name is derived of many years For with them Day is Time and not a short only but a long Time A Day whereof S. Peter speaking 2 Epist. chap. 3. tells the believing Iews his brethren as soon as he had named it vers 8. That he would not have them ignorant that one Day with the Lord was as a Thousand years and a Thousand years