one and the other were Spiritual or Sacramental namely in being Signs resembling and assuring Christ with the Spiritual Blessings through him 3. In what sense these Sacraments are said to be the same with ours to wit not in the Signs but in the Spiritual thing signified which is the Soul and Essence of a Sacrament We come now to such Observations as these Words and Explications will afford us The first whereof is That if the Seals and Sacraments under the Law were the same with ours then must they also have the same Covenant of Grace with us for the Sacraments are Seals of the Covenant If the Seals then were the same as our Apostle affirmeth how should not the Covenant also be the same and seeing their Sacraments were differing in the Signs from ours how could they be any way the same with ours but only in what they sealed and signified The Fathers therefore were saved by Grace and through Christ as well as we So true is that the Apostle says Acts 4. 12. There is no other name under Heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved For Iesus Christ as it is Heb. 13. 8. is the same yesterday and to day and for ever that is He was a Saviour of old is still and shall be for ever hereafter This is that which S. Peter yet more expresly affirmeth Acts 3. 25. saying Ye are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our Fathers saying to Abraham And in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Yea not only from Abraham but even from that time when God said The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's head was this Covenant made with men and at length diversly shadowed in the Types and Sacrifices of the Law until Christ himself was revealed in the flesh For the better understanding of this we must know what a Covenant is and what are the kinds thereof A Covenant is as it were a Bargain between God and man wherein God promises some Spiritual good to us so we perform some duty unto him if not then to incur everlasting punishment This Covenant is of two sorts the one is called The Covenant of Works the other The Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Works is wherein God on his part makes us a promise of Eternal life if we on our part shall perform exact obedience unto his Law otherwise to be everlastingly condemned if we fail The Covenant of Grace or of the Gospel is wherein God on his part promises us sinners Christ to be our Saviour and Redeemer if we on our part shall believe on him with a lively and obedient faith otherwise to be condemned The Covenant of Works God made with man at his Creation when he was able to have kept the conditions he required but he through his disobedience broke it and so became liable to death doth Corporal and Spiritual And though the Covenant of Grace then took place as we have said yet was the former Covenant of Works still in force until Christ who was promised should come in the flesh And therefore was this Covenant renewed under Moses with the Israelites when the Law was given in Horeb as Moses sayes Deut. 5. 2. The Lord God made a Covenant with us in Horeb. For all the time under the Law the open and apparent Covenant was the Covenant of Works to make them the more to see their own misery and condemnation and so to long after Christ who was yet to come and at whose coming this obligation should be quite cancelled Yet nevertheless together with this open Covenant there was a secret and hidden Covenant which was the Covenant of Grace that they might not be altogether without the means of Salvation whilst Christ yet tarried This truth is plain Gal. 3. 17 c. where the Apostle affirms That the Covenant of Grace in Christ was four hundred and thirty years afore the Law was given and that therefore the Law could not disannul it or make it of none effect but that the Law so he calls the Covenant of Works was only added to it because of transgressions until the blessed Seed should come v. 19. and that it might be a Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ v. 24. For in the Moral Law of God under whose curse they stood bound they might as in a Glass see their sin their guilt their want of Righteousness and in their Ceremonies and Sacrifices they might again as in Shadows of Heavenly things behold the means of their Reconciliation through his bloud who was to be slain and offered to God for them Now though this Covenant of Grace afore Christ be the same for substance with that under which we are now since his coming yet the circumstances and outward fashion thereof are so varied that the Scripture for this regard makes of this one Covenant two Covenants calling one the Old Covenant for the old manner thereof under the Law and the other a New Covenant for the new manner thereof now the Gospel is revealed Having therefore already seen the agreement and onâ—ness of them for the inward part let us now behold their differences for the outward fashion and so we shall see that as the Fathers ate the same Spiritual meat and drank the same Spiritual drink and yet there was some difference in them so the Fathers were under the same Covenant of Grace with us and yet after a different fashion This difference S. Paul Gal. 4. 1. c. setteth forth thus by a similitude The heir as long as he is a child c. i. e. The difference of the condition of those afore Christ and since is but as the condition of Heirs when they are under age and when they come to full years They are Heirs and Lords of all in both conditions as well in one as the other only the difference is that in the one condition they are in the state of Servants under Tutors and Governors in the other they enjoy the freedom of Sons So the faithful in the Law enjoyed the same Covenant of Grace with us but under the bondage of worldly Elements but we now have the same in a state of freedom as not held under such burthensome Elements and Pedagogies as they were But elsewhere he shews this difference more expresly both on God's part and our part First On our part Heb. 8. and elsewhere thus The Old Covenant which required so many external services is called a carnal Covenant the New wherein no such are required but works of the Spirit only is a Spiritual Covenant whereof God means when he saith v. 10. I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and so he will be their God and they shall be his people For in the Old Covenant he wrote a Law as it were upon their hands and fleshly members in that he required so many fleshly washings and sprinklings and
Good spell that is the good speak or say the good tidings the word of good news Under which name it was revealed by the Angel to the Shepherds who were watching their flock in the fields the night our Saviour was born Behold saith the Angel I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people For unto you is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luk. 2. 10 11. I call it the glad tidings of Salvation to be attained by Christ for so much the name of Saviour implies And saith S. Paul 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation That Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Neither is there saith S. Peter Acts 4. 12. Salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved The next words I used shew the way and manner how and whereby Christ purchased this Salvation unto men and the means whereby it is attained through him namely by cancelling of sin by his alonement made he reconciles us to his Father that we through him might turn unto God and perform works of obedience acceptable unto eternal life All which was foretold by Daniel chap. 9. 24. where prophesying of the time of Messiah's coming he said Seventy weeks were determined upon the people and upon the holy city to finish transgression and to make an end of sin and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness To prove in particular that Christ dyed for sin I shall not need No man that ever read the Gospel but knows it That by the atonement he made for sin by death he hath reconciled us to his Father is as evident by what S. Paul tells us 2 Cor. 5. 19. That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses to them That the ministery of the Gospel is the Ministery of reconciliation v. 18. whose Ministers as Embassadors for Christ beseech men in Christ's stead to be reconciled unto God v. 20. For by reason of Sin all mankind is at enmity with God and liable to eternal wrath Christ by taking our sins upon him abolished this enmity and set us at peace with God his Father according to that the Quire of Angels sang at his blessed Birth Glory be to God on high and on earth Peace Good-will towards men that is Glory be ascribed to God forasmuch as Peace was come upon earth and Good-will towards men All this is plain But that which the greatest part of men as may be guessed by their practice seem to make question of is that last parcel of my Description That therefore Christ took away sin and reconciled us to his Father that we might through him whose righteousness is imputed to us perform works of piety and obedience which God should accept and crown with eternal life But that this is also a part of the Gospel as well as the former is plain and evident First by that of S. Peter 1 Ep. ch 2. ver 24. where he tells us That Christ his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin might live unto righteousness Secondly by that of the Apostle Paul to Titus ch 2. 11 c. The grace of God saith he that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men Wherefore Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Looking for that blessed hope the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Is not this plain Thirdly by that of the same Apostle Eph. 2. 10. where the Apostle having told us v. 8 9. that we are saved by grace through faith and not of works that is not according to the Covenant of works wherein the exact performance was required lest any man should boast namely that he was not beholden to God for grace and favour in rewarding him he adds presently lest his meaning might be mistaken That we are God's workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we should walk in them As if he should say Though of our selves we are no ways able to perform those works of obedience ordained by God aforetime in his Law for us to walk in yet now God hath as it were new created us in Christ that we might perform them in him namely by way of acceptation though they come short of that exactness which the Law requireth And thus to be saved is to be saved by grace and favour and not by the merit of works because the foundation whereby our selves and services are approved in the eyes of God and have promise of reward is the mere favour of God in Iesus Christ and not any thing in us or them Agreeable to these Scriptures is that in the Revelation where glory is ascribed to Iesus Christ who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own bloud and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God his Father that is that he might make us kings and Priests unto God his Father For and is here to be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that Kings to subdue the world the flesh and the Devil Priests to offer Sacrifices of prayer thanksgiving works of mercy and other acceptable services to our heavenly Father Moreover and besides these express Scriptures this Truth may be yet further confirmed by Demonstration and Reason Repentance is a forsaking of sin to serve God in newness of life Now the Gospel includes Repentance as the subject wherein it worketh as the Body which it enliveneth as a Soul Or to use a similitude from weaving Repentance is the warp of the Gospel and the Gospel the woof of Repentance Repentance is as the warp which the Gospel by the shuttle of Faith runs through as the woof whence proceeds the web of Regeneration Therefore is Repentance everywhere joyned with the Gospel Both Iohn Baptist and our Saviour so published it Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand Repent and believe the Gospel Our Saviour in his last words or commission to his Disciples tells them Luk. 24. 47. that Repentance and Remission of sins which is the Gospel should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Ierusalem All which is elsewhere comprised in the sole name of preaching the Gospel which argues that the Gospel of Christ and consequently our Faith in the same supposeth Repentance as the ground to do its work upon So S. Peter in his first Sermon Acts 2. 38. conjoyns them Repent saith he and be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins as if he had said Repent and that thy Repentance may be available betake
thy self to Christ become a disciple and a member of his Kingdom S. Paul likewise taught the Gospel in like manner for himself tells us so Acts 20. 21. that he testified both to Iews and Gentiles Repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ. Repentance therefore and the Gospel cannot be separated If Repentance includes newness of life and good works the Gospel doth so For Christ is the way of Repentance without Repentance there is no use of Christ and without Christ Repentance is unavailable and nothing worth for without him we can neither be quit of the sins we forsake nor turn by a new life unto God with hope of being received He is the blessed Ferry-man and his Gospel is the Boat provided by the unspeakable mercy of God for the passage of this Sea As therefore in Repentance we forsake sin to serve God in newness of life so in the tenour of the Gospel Christ delivers us from sin that we might through Faith in him bring forth the fruits and works of a new life acceptable to our heavenly Father Hence it is that we shall be judged and receive our sentence at the last day according to our works Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye clothed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Forasmuch as ye have done these things unto the least of my brethren ye have done them unto me Lord how do those look to be saved at that day who think good works not required to Salvation and accordingly do them not Can our Saviour pass this blessed sentence upon them No assuredly he will not But if the case be thus in the Gospel What is the reason will some men say that the Apostle tells us that we Christians are no longer under the Law nor justified by the works of the Law but under Grace and justified by Faith only I answer It is true that we are justified that is freed and acquitted from sin by Faith only But besides Iustification there is a Sanctification with the works of piety towards God and righteousness towards men as the Fruits yea as the End of our Iustification required to eternal life For therefore we are justified that we might do works acceptable to our heavenly Father through the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ which of our selves we could not and so obtain the reward he hath promised the doers of them As for the Law it is to be considered either as a Rule and so we are bound to conform and frame our actions to it for who dare deny but a Christian is bound to fear God and keep his Commandments or the Law may be considered as it is taken for the Covenant of works The Apostle when he disputes of this argument by the Law means the Covenant of works which he also calls The Law of works and by Faith and the Law of Faith he understands the Covenant of grace the condition whereof is Faith as will easily appear to him that shall diligently read the third and fourth chapters of the Epistle to the Galatians where he expresly changeth those terms of Law and Faith into the equivalent appellations of the Two Covenants Now as the Law is taken for the Covenant of works the Seal whereof was Circumcision 't is true we are not under it For the Covenant of works called by the Apostle the Law is that Covenant wherein Works are the condition on our part which if we perform in every point as the Law requires we are justified before God as keepers of his Covenant otherwise if we fail in the least thing we are condemned as guilty of the breach thereof Under this Covenant we are not for if we were and were to be judged according to it alas who could be saved For all saith the Apostle have sinned and come short of the glory of God There is none righteous no not one But the Covenant we are under is Believe and thou shalt be saved the Covenant of Grace the condition of which Covenant on our part is not the doing of works which may abide the Touch-stone of the Law but Faith in Iesus Christ which makes our works though of themselves insufficient and short of what the Law requires accepted of God and capable of reward This is that S. Iohn saith 1 Ep. 5. 3 4. That to love God is to keep his commandments and his commandments now under the Gospel are not grievous For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith c. Whence our Saviour also saith that his yoke the yoke of the Gospel was easie and his burthen light The condition of the first Covenant was that which we could not do the condition of the second Covenant is that which enableth us to do and makes accepted what we can do and this is the Covenant of the Gospel a Covenant of savour and grace through Iesus Christ our Lord. And thus we have seen what the Apostle's meaning is when he saith we are not under the Law but under Grace Not as though a Christian were not bound to walk after God's commandments but that the exact fulfilling of them is not the condition whereby we are justified in the New Covenant but Faith in Iesus Christ in whom whosoever cometh unto the Father is accepted be his offering never so mean so it be tendered with sincerity and truth of heart Most unworthy therefore should we be of this so great and unspeakable favour of Almighty God our heavenly Father offered us in the Gospel if when he hath given us his only Son to make the yoak of our obedience easie and possible to be born we contemning this superabundant grace should refuse to wear and draw therein Far be it from the heart of a Christian to think it possible to have any benefit by Christ as long as he stands thus affected or ever to win the prize of eternal life without running the race appointed thereunto Shall we sin that grace may abound saith S. Paul God forbid THUS much of the Gospel Now of Faith whereby we are partakers of the grace therein being the condition of the New Covenant which God hath struck with men Faith is to believe the Gospel that is to attain Salvation through Christ. But there is a three-fold Faith wherewith men believe in Christ. 1. There is a false Faith 2. there is a true Faith but not a saving and 3. there is a saving Faith A false Faith is to believe to attain Salvation by Christ any other way than God hath ordained as namely to believe to attain Salvation through him without works of obedience to be accepted of
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
thereof might as by way of pledge be certified of his acceptation into Covenant and fellowship with his God by eating and drinking at his Table S. Augustine comes toward this Notion when he defines a Sacrifice though in a larger sense Quod Deo nuncupamus reddimus dedicamus hoc fine ut sanctâ societate ipsi adhaereamus That which we devote dedicate and render unto God for this end that we may have an holy society and fellowship with him For to have society and fellowship with God what is it else but to be in league and covenant with him In a word a Sacrifice is Oblatio foederalis For the true and right understanding whereof we must know That it was the universal custom of mankind and still remains in use to contract covenants and make leagues and friendship by eating and drinking together When Isaac made a covenant with Abimelech the King of Gerar the Text saith He made him and those that were with him a Feast and they did eat and drink and rose up betimes in the morning and sware one to another Gen. 26. 30 31. When Iacob made a covenant with Laban after they had sworn together he made him a Feast and called his brethren to eat Bread Gen. 31. 54. When David made a league with Abner upon his promise to bring all Israel unto him David made Abner and the men that came with him a Feast 2 Sam. 3. 20. Hence in the Hebrew tongue a Covenant is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To eat as if they should say An eating which derivation is so natural that it deserves to be preferred before that from the other signification of the same Verb which is To chuse And this will suffice for the custom of the Hebrews Now for the Gentiles Herodotus tells us the Persians were wont to contract leagues and friendship inter Vinum Epulas in a full Feast whereat their wives children and friends were present The like Tacitus reports of the Germans Amongst the Greeks and other Nations the Covenantees ate Bread and Salt together Unto which comes near that Ceremony some-where used at Weddings that the Bridegroom when he comes home from Church takes a piece of Cake tastes it then gives it to his Bride to taste it likewise as a token of a Covenant made between them The Emperor of Russia at this day when he would shew extraordinary grace and favour unto any sends him Bread and Salt from his Table And when he invited Baron Sigismond the Emperor Ferdinand's Ambassador he did it in this form Sigismunde comedes Sal panem nostrum nobiscum Sigismond you shall eat our Bread and Salt with us Hence that Symbol of Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Break no bread is interpreted by Erasmus and others to mean Break no friendship Moreover the Egyptians Thracians and Libyans in special are said to have used to make leagues and contract friendship by presenting a cup of Wine one to another which custom we find still in use amongst our Western Nations And what is our â—le pledge you but I take it as a pledge of league and friendship from you Yea it is a rule in Law that if a man drink to him against whom he hath an accusation of slander or other verbal injury he loses his Action because it is supposed he is reconciled with him Such now as were these Covenant-feastings and eatings and drinkings in token of league and amity between men and men such are Sacrifices between Man and his God Epulae foederales Federal feasts wherein God deigneth to entertain Man to eat and drink with or before him in token of favour and reconcilement For so it becomes the condition of the parties that he which hath offended the other and seeks for favour and forgiveness should be entertained by him to whom he is obnoxious and not è contrá that is that God should be the Convivator the entertainer or maker of the Feast and man the Conviva or Guest To which end the Viands for this sacred Epulum were first to be offered unto God and so made his that he might entertain the offerer and not the offerer him For we are to observe that what the Fire consumed was accounted as God's own Mess and called by himself the meat of his Fire-offerings the rest was for his guests which they were partakers of either by themselves as in all the Peace-offerings or by their proxies the Priests as in the rest to wit the Holocausts the Sin and Trespass-offerings The reason of which difference was I suppose because the one was ad impetrandum or renovandum foedus for the making or renewing the Covenant with God where therefore a Mediator was needful the other to wit the Peace-offerings ad confirmandum consignandum for the confirming the Covenant only wherein therefore they addressed themselves before the Divine Majesty with greater confidence If any shall object That the Holocaust was wholly burnt and consumed and so no body partaker thereof I answer It is true the Beast which was slain was wholly burnt and so all of it as it were God's Mess But there was a Meat-offering and Drink-offering annexed thereunto as a part of the holy Feast of which a handful only was burnt for a memorial the remainder was for the Priests to eat in the holy place Besides Burnt-offerings were regularly accompanied with Peace-offerings as you shall find them in Scripture ordinarily joyned together now in these the people that offered had the greatest share In a word That those who offered Sacrifice both among Iews and Gentiles were pertakers of the same is a thing to be taken for granted as appears by the warning God gave the Israelites Exod. 34. 12 15. That they should make no covenants with the inhabitants of the land Lest when they went a whoring after their Gods and offered a sacrifice unto them they might call them and they also eat of their sacrifice Also by that Psal. 106. 28. They joyned themselves to Baal-Peor and ate the sacrifices of the dead By that of S. Paul Heb. 13. 10. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve at the Tabernacle So that of this there need be no question It remains only that we prove That these sacred Epulae were Epulae foederales Federal Feasts and so our Definition will stand good Now this will appear first in general by that expression of Scripture wherein the Covenant which God makes with Man is expressed by eating and drinking at his Table Luke 13. 26. Those to whom the Lord opens not plead for themselves We have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets c. Chap. 22. 29 30. Our Saviour tells his Disciples I appoint you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom Apocal. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the
the Hebrews call Seculum futurum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence Mark 10. ver 30. Luke 18. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to which notion Apoc. 1. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Psal. 71. 18. Esay 27. 6. Esay 44. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulgat ventura quae futura sunt Thus I construe the Text and understand by Populus Principis futurus the people of the Roman Empire where Christ was principally to have his Church and Kingdom whilst Israel should be rejected Cornelius therefore the first Gentile converted was a Roman Centurion S. Paul who is called the Apostle of the Gentiles went not beyond the bounds of this Empire This was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof Christ said Matth. 24. 14. That before the Destruction of Ierusalem the Gospel should be preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all the world as Augustus is said Luke 2. 1. to have taxed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according as the Romans themselves used to call it Imperium Orbis Terrarum c. Antichrist who was to sit in the Temple or Church of Christ sits in the midst of this Empire whence it appears that the Church which Christ should have after Israel disclaimed him should chiefly be in it This People therefore which was in Israel's stead to be the People of Messiah the Prince should destroy the City and Sanctuary with such a Destruction as should like a Floud overwhelm the whole Nation and as an unresistible torrent break down and wash all away before it All which we know they did And unto the end of War Desolations are determined That is Until the end of the Fourth Kingdom of the Gentiles whose last period is that Time Times and half a Time whereof it is said Dan. 7. ver 21 25. that Antichrist the eyed and mouthed Horn should make War with the Saints and prevail against them and they shall be given into his hand until a Time and Times and half a Time Until the end of this War the Iewish Desolations are determined But of this more in the next VERSE 27. Nevertheless he shall confirm a covenant with Many one week and in half a week being a Desolator he shall cause the Sacrifice and oblation to cease and that being over a wing of Abominations and until the final time even that which is determined it shall continue upon the desolate HERE the Angel tells us what should be done in the last Week both of the first Computation and of the second that is the last of the LXX and the last of the LXII And of this first as coming first in time Nevertheless saith he he shall confirm a Covenant with Many one Week That is Though the Body of the Iewish Nation should be cast off and be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None of the people of the MESSIAH yet for one whole week he should offer himself unto them and gather many of them into the Covenant of the Gospel And this Week was the last Week of the Threescore and two Weeks which as I shewed before was wholly spent in preaching to those of the Circumcision This therefore is as it were a Prolepsis lest Daniel might think that none of his people should enter into the Covenant under Messiah These Many therefore are that Remnant whereof S. Paul speaks Rom. 11. That though Israel were cast off yet was there A Remnant according to the election of grace and therefore he limits the hardness happened unto Israel by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as not being universal And in half a Week being a Desolator he shall cause the Sacrifice and offering to cease A Desolator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which otherwise much troubleth the Translator but being thus made a suppositum or Nominative case to the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath no other near it it both much clears the sense and retains its propriety of signification Nor is the postposition of the Nominative case to the Verb against the use of the tongue nor the trajection here so great but the Latine will admit the same order of the words viz. Et abolebit sacrificium munus atque erit super alam abominationum Desolator or Et abolebit sacrificium munus qui erit super alam abominationum Desolator Howsoever the Translation be this Week the Angel now speaks of is the last of the Seventy which should be but half run out when the Temple and City should be destroyed and the Legal service made to cease For if we reckon as I think we should the Seventy Weeks from the sixth year of Darius Nothus when the Temple was finished the Destruction thereof by Titus will fall out as is shewed in the midst of the last Week the whole half thereof from the beginning till then having been spent in warlike preparations and exploits which ended with the burning and desolation both of City and Sanctuary Of those who end the Seventieth Week compleatly with the Destruction of Ierusalem some seem so to understand this first part of the verse as if the one Week here mentioned were the last of the Seventy and the confirmation of the Covenant to be therein to respect only the first half thereof wherein Christ made good his Covenant of preservation to the believing Iews namely as I would explain it by sending Cestius Gallus President of Syria in the middle or fourth year of the last Week about seven days to environ Ierusalem with an Army for to be that sign and watch-word mentioned in the Gospel of the near approaching Desolation thereof Luke 21. 20. that so those which were in Iudaea being warned might flee into the Mountains of Arabia Petraea to Pella and deliver themselves from those days of vengeance and wrath upon their people and in the other half of the Week which remained he should cause the sacrifice and offering to cease by sending Vespasian with that second and fatal Army which should bring those wofull and vengefull Desolations upon them As for the phrase of Confirming a Covenant if the rest suted well it would be no straining to interpret it to be meant of preservation and exemption from a common calamity For we have the like speech Gen. 6. 17 18. where God having said to Noah that he would destroy by the Floud every thing that breathed upon the earth addeth But with thee will I establish my Covenant and thou shalt come into the Ark thou and thy sons and thy wife and thy sons wives with thee c. Thus much of the Week and Half-Week But for the Desolator who should cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease whether and how it may be applied to Messiah himself or otherwise construed we shall better understand when the next is expounded And that being over a Wing of Abominations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I think literally rendred as was the former If any man would also have the order of
what 321 Comet not mentioned in Scripture but implied in other expressions 28 Coming of Christ spoken of indefinitely in the Old Testament without that distinction of First and Second Coming more clearly expressed in the Newâ— 98 611. His First Coming was at the time prefixed in Dan. 105. His Second Coming shall have an Harbinger as well as the First 98 99. Whence S. Paul learn'd to confute the Thessalonians false fear of the day of Christ's Coming to judgment to be near at hand 758 763 Coming of Christ sometimes in Scripture implies the destruction of Ierusalem and the Iewish State 701 Commemoration twofold in the Eucharist 373. how this Commemoration is made to God 377 Competency twofold 125. a Competency only to be prayed for 128. it is the best and safest condition 129 Confession of Faith should not be long nor obscure 871. a Fundamental Confession how it may be framed 873. Some Politick considerations against such a Confession examined 875. See more in Fundamentals Constagration of the World whether it implies an utter abolition 614 615 617 Congruity How the Rule of Congruity is observed by God in his dealings with man 81. How it is the Reason and Rule of several Duties God requires at our hands 95 Conscience A good Conscience compared to a Feast in three respects 163. a Scared Conscience what 678. it is the worst estate of the Soul 162 163. how Gods Law alone bindes the Conscience 208 209 Consecrate See Dedicate Constantinople not meant by the mystical Babylon in Apocal. 17. 912 when and how it was taken by the Turke 474 Coâ—rition what the two parts or degrees thereof 108 Conversion the parts or degrees thereof 109 Corban 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 96. more particularly described with the two parts thereof 287. it was called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isâ—â—h or Fire-offering 286. the most Holy Offering 286 287 Cornelius a Proselyte and of what sort of Proselytes 165 Covenant twofold of Works and of Grace 251 c. the open and the secret or hidden Covenant under the Law 251. Covenant of Grace the same for substance under the Law and Gospel 250 c. Covenants The Universal Custom of mankind to contract and confirm Covenants by eating and drinking together 370 Covetous men their great folly 131 Council of Constantinople endeavoured to be wronged by foisting in two Canons for Saint-worship 685. falsely said to be against the words Saint and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 686. the First Nicene Councils Testimony touching the Kingdom of Christ 813. a foul Story made use of in the Second Nicene Council in behalf of Image-worship 687. Council of Trent added more Articles to the Creed 874 Courts of the Templeâ— the Inner and Outer Courts what they signifie 587 588. the Times of both not coincident 586 587. the Outmost Court or Court of the Gentiles 20 The Creature how subject to vanity and bondage 230 812. the Creatures were made and are to be used not only for the Service of the Body but of the Soul 195 S. Cyprian a fabulous story touching the manner of his conversion 681. his opinion about Chiliasme 837 D DAEmoniacks were Lunaticks or Mad-men 29 30 Damons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Tim. 4. 1. not always taken in Scripture for Evil Spirits 634 635. but sometimes for the Deified Souls of men deceased according to the notion of the Gentiles Theology 629 c. Damons were supposed to be a middle sort of divine Powers Mediators and Agents between the Gods and men 627 c. the same with Dii Animales Penates Lares Manii Dii 631. the way of worshipping them by Images Pillars or Columns 632 633. their worship promoted by lying miracles 680. the Gentiles Theology of Daemons revived and resembled by an Idolatrous sort of Christians 634 Daily Bread what meant thereby 86 Dan why not mentioned among the Twelve Tribes in Apocal. 7. 455 456 Daniels LXX Weeks explained 697 c. the purport of them 697. his Prophecy reaches to Christ's Second Coming 787. whether he understood his own Visions 788 Day signifies sometimes in Scripture a long time 86 772 Days The 1260 Days in Apocal. 11. are to be taken for Years proved by five Reasons 598. when they begin and end 600 the 1290 and 1335 Days in Dan. 12. are so many Years 720 Iunius and Broughton who interpret them of so many Days confuted 117 c. their Epocha 720 602. the purport and scope of those two Numbers 719 834. the Events answerable to the Prophecy 720 c. why the fuller Discovery of Antichrist was not to be till toward the end of the Eleventh Century 723 Dead body See Body Death What meant by the Second Death 913 Dedicate Things dedicated unto God how unalienable 120 121 Deliration two kinds of it 29 Devil why called The Prince of the power of the Air 23. and The accuser of the brethren 496. why he took the Serpent's shape 223 c. he assaults us where we are weakest 226. That the Devil durst not blaspheme God before the Coming of Christ was an ancient Tenet of some Fathers 24 Diluvium ignis in Irenâ—us 611 Discalceation a Rite used at their coming into Sacred Places by the Iews and Mahumetans 348. and by the Abâ—ssine Christians 349 Double honour See Honour Dying unto Sin what 107 E EAdem est ratio Loci Temporis vindicared and explain'd 860 Eagle the Ensign of the Roman Empire 492 The Earth is in the Politick World according to the Prophetick style the Peasantry or Vulgus hominum 616 Earth-quake what it means in the Prophetick style 919 East Churches anciently built towards it 330. of worshipping towards iâ— the practice os Antiquity 397. By the East is sometimes in Scripture meant Arabia 467 Ecclesiastical Persons See Clergy and Ministers Edom in the Rabinical Comments is interpreted Rome with an account of some such passages expunged by the Romanists 902 903 Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word used sometimes in the Old Testament for Civil Magistrates 72. in the New for Church-Officers 70 c. no ground in 1 Tim. 5. 17. for Lay-Elders in the Church 70 c. under this name of Elders are sometimes included ' Deacons 71. the 24 Elders in Apocal. 4. who meant thereby and why they are said to be crowned 439 Elements why called in Gal. 4. weak and beggarly Elements 250 An Elias to be the harbinger of Christ's Second Coming 98 c. The Encamping of Israel in the wilderness described and how it is in Apocal. 4. alluded to 619 Encanstum Ink of a purple colour appropriate to the use of Kings c. 11 End of the world That the Apostles were not so mistaken as to believe it would be in their days proved against Baronius and others 665 Enemy and Avenger in Psal. 8. meant of the Devil 38 Envy the Image of the Devil 90 Ephraim why he and ' Dan not mentioned among the Twelve Tribes in Apocal. 7. 455 456 Epiphanius his