Psal. 78. reckoning up the Plagues of Egypt never mentioneth the Plague of Lice because that was equally a Plague to Israel as to the Egyptians they had both Blood and Frogs as well as they but not as really nor from God and therefore no Plague to them Thirdly The Egyptians acknowledged a supream great Deity whom they thought they adored in their petty deities whom they worshipped For when they adored an Ox a Dog a Crocodile c. they adored not the carcass but the good qualities that in these creatures conduced to their benefit and good so saith Eusebius that whatsoever was helpful or furthered the good of humane life that they accounted a Deity Fourthly They accounted not of Jehovah the God of the Hebrews but as a petty trivial god such as every Nation had one or more of that that god could do something as they saw in the Blood and Frogs but could do no more if so much as theirs Chap. 5 2. Who is Jehovah that I should obey him I know not Jehovah neither will I let Israel go So that the Magicians words This is the singer of God come from them reasoning thus When Blood and Frogs came Moses gave warning of them before from his Jehovah but these Lice come and he never gave warning Hence it is plain this is none of Jehovahs doing otherwise would Moses have known it before but now he did not Again when the Hebrews Jehovah brought Blood and Frogs upon our land he brought none upon theirs but spared his own people but this Plague of Lice is also upon them as soon as upon us and without our doing And therefore this cannot be Jehovah for he would not plague his own people but this is done by the finger of Elohim the great deity and the Jehovah of the Hebrews is a God of no value SECTION XIV The Plague of Boyls Exod. 9. 9. Two contrary Plagues in one MOSES and Aaron must take their handfuls of ashes out of the Furnace that whence Israel had had their sore affliction Egypt might receive their corporal punishment Moses is to scatter the four handfuls into the Air towards the four quarters of Heaven hereupon a double miracle followed 1. That so little or few ashes were multiplied so as to flie throughout all the Land of Egypt and to light upon every man and beast in it 2. That lighting on them it was a Plague to them in their bodies As the Miracle was double so was the Plague 1. The Ashes became Shehin that is a burning itch or an inflamed Scab for so the word signifieth as is plain Job 2. 7 8. where the holy mans body is struck with Shehin such an intolerable dry hot itch that his nails would not serve to scratch enough but he is glad to get a potsheard to skrub himself 2. This Itch had also blains and boils broke out with it and so Jobs had not so that the Egyptians were vexed at once with intolerable itch and intolerable ach Their itch called upon them to scratch and skrub and yet they could not do so for the soreness and aching of their boils In the five preceding Plagues the obduration of Pharaohs heart is attributed to himself in these five forward it is attributed to God And justly when being punished for his sins he hardneth his heart so many times is his heart hardned so many times that he sinneth for a punishment SECTION XV. The Plague of darkness Exod. 10. Why first named Psal. 105. 28. AS the men of the old world of Sodom and the Jews at the death of Christ were struck with darkness before they entred into utter darkness so it is with the Egyptians here This Plague lay upon them three days namely the eleventh twelfth and thirteenth days of the month Nisan For upon the conclusion of the darkness Moses being sent for to Pharaoh giveth him such distast that he chargeth him never to come into his presence again which Moses saith he will not do I will see thy face again no more but before he goeth out of the presence he giveth him warning concerning the slaughter of the first born to be that night Chap. II. Vers. 4. by which it is clear that the darkness ended on the Passover day in the morning Quest. Why then seeing it was the ninth plague in number hath Psal. 105. set it first Answ. Because it was the most terrible of all the Plagues that came upon them For those that had gone before had plagued only their land or cattle or bodies that that came after light not upon all but only on the first born but this is a Plague even to the very mind and conscience and universally so to them all It was not their sitting in darkness and not stirring about their business for three days together that plagued them so much for this had been no great torment but their torture was that in this darkness they saw fearful apparitions of Fiends and Devils and horrible visions which so hideously affrighted and even distracted them that they were as it were in Hell already For observe that Pharaoh that had been nothing at all moved in a manner with all the Plagues that went before is so stirred with this that he sends for Moses as soon as ever the darkness is over and permits him to depart Exod. 10. 24. which mear sitting in darkness could not have wrought him to but those terrors which he saw in the dark Hence it is that Psal. 78. 49. nameth not the Plague of darkness by its name but in the place where it should come he mentioneth that which was the very quintessence of it He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger wrath and indignation and trouble by sending evil Angels among them SECTION XVI Israel circumcised in the three days darkness He sent darkness and made it dark and they rebelled not against his word Psal. 105. 28. THIS latter clause they rebelled not against his word it to be understood of Israel who in this Plague of darkness performed some special part of obedience And that upon inquiry will be found to be their undergoing of circumcision For they had followed the Idols of Egypt and in Idolatry were become like the Egyptians so were they also in uncircumcision For when Joshuah had circumcised them at their entrance into Canaan he saith I have rolled away from you the reproach of Egypt Josh. 5. 9. or that wherein ye were like unto the Egyptians uncircumcised to your reproach But when God ordaineth the Passover he giveth charge for circumcision for no uncircumcised person must eat thereof Exod. 12. 48. Then was required a general circumcision of all the people or at least of the most of them for all were uncircumcised unless it was some few that were more constant to the Covenant of their God And that there was a general Circumcision in Egypt is inferred in the forenamed place Josh. 5. where God commandeth Joshua to Circumcise the people
his seed to Molech or useth Sorcery or profaneth the Sabbath or eateth holy things in his uncleanness or that cometh into the Sanctuary he being unclean or that eateth fat or blood or what is left of the sacrifice or any sacrificed thing not offered in season or that killeth or offereth up a sacrifice out of the Court or that eateth leaven at the Passover or that eateth ought on the day of Expiation or doth any work on it or that makes oil or incense like the holy or that anoints with holy oil that delayeth the Passover or Circumcision for which there are affirmative precepts All these if done wilfully are liable to cutting off and if done ignorantly then to the fixed sin-offering and if it be unknown whether he did it or no then to a suspensive trespass-offering but only he that defiles the Sanctuary and its holy things for he is bound to an ascending or descending offering Now that we may the better understand what Death by the hand of Heaven and Cutting off mean we are first to take notice that neither of them was any penalty inflicted by the hand or sentence of man but both of them do import a liableness to the wrath and vengeance of the Lord in their several kinds And the Jews do ever account Cutting off to be the higher and more eminent degree of Divine vengeance As to spare more evidences of this which might be given copiously this passage of Maymonides is sufficient and it is remarkable when he saith f f f Maym. in Biath Mikdash per. 4. Is it possible for a Priest that serveth in his uncleanness to stay so little in the Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As that he should be guilty of death by the hand of Heaven only and not guilty of cutting off He had had those words but a little before which were cited even now An unclean person that serveth in the Sanctuary profaneth his Service and is guilty of death by the hand of Heaven although he stay not there and then he comes on and is it possible saith he that he should stay so little as to be guilty only of death by the hand of Heaven and not to be guilty of cutting off Apparently shewing that cutting off was the deeper degree and die of guilt and vengeance by the hand of God and Divine indignation By Death by the hand of Heaven in their sense therefore is to be apprehended some such a sodain avengeful stroke as the Lord shewed upon Nadab and Abihu or Ananias and Saphira to take them away And this may the better be collected by two passages usual in the Rabbins about this matter First In that they give up the offence of the Priests drinking wine before they went to serve which is held to have been the offence of Nadab and Abihu g g g â—â—â— per. 1. to death by the hand of Heaven which argues that they mean such a kind of stroke as they two had And secondly In that wheresoever the Law enjoyneth Aaron and his sons and the people about the affairs of the Sanctuary they shall or they shall not do thus or thus lest they die they interpret this of death by the hand of Heaven But what to understand by Cutting off is not so readily agreed among them h h h Kimchi in Esay â—8 Kimchi alledgeth it as the opinion of their Doctors That Dying before fifty years old is death by cutting off Compare Joh. 8. 57. i i i R. Sol. in Gâ—â— 17. Rabbi Solomon saith It is to die childless and to die before his time Baal Aruch giveth this distinction between Cutting off and Death by the hand of Heaven that k k k Arâ—â—h in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cutting off is of himself and of his children but Death by the hand of Heaven is of himself but not of his children But mean it which of these you will or all these together or which may have good probability to conceive a liableness to cutting off from the life of the world to come both this and Death by the Hand of Heaven were held by that Nation with whom the phrases were so much in use to mean not any censure or punishment inflicted by man but an impending vengeance of God and a continual danger and possibility when indignation should seize upon him that was faln under these gilts Anathema Maran Atha one under a curse whensoever the Lord shall come to inflict it as Joh. 3. 18 36. SECT III. Penalties inflicted upon unclean persons found in the Temple Whipping and the Rebels beating IT was not a small awe that this might work in the hearts of the people towards their restraining from going into the Sanctuary in their uncleanness to have this impressed and inculcated upon them as it was continually that such a venture did hazard them both body and soul and brought them ipso facto into Gods dreadful displeasure and into undoubted danger of accrewing judgment But did they let the offender thus alone that had offended as if he was fallen under the guilt of death by the Hand of Heaven or under the guilt of cutting off that they had no more to do with him but leave him to the justice of God and to judgment when it should fall upon him Many a wretch would make sleight of this matter and because sentence upon his evil work was not executed speedily his heart would be fully set in him to do so again as Eccles. 8. 11. Therefore they let not the Delinquent so escape but as he had fallen under the wrath of God so they also brought him under a penalty by the hand of man And this penalty was twofold either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whipping by the appointment of the Judges or mawling and beating by the people 1. There was the penalty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whipping or scourging upon the censure of the Judges according to the Law Deut. 25. 2. Where he was to receive forty stripes but their Tradition brought it to forty save one 2 Cor. 11. 24. And the reason of this was because they would make a hedge to the Law and whereas that commands that they should not give to a Delinquent that was whipt above forty stripes lest their brother should seem vile unto them they abated one of forty to make sure to keep within compass The measure and manner of their whipping is largely described in the Treatise Maccoth thus in their own words a a a Maccoth per. 3. How many stripes do they give him saith the Mishueh there Why forty lacking one As it is said by a certain number forty stripes that is a number near to forty Rabbi Judah saith he is beaten with full forty and where hath he the odd one above thirty nine Between his shoulders They allot him not stripes but so as they might be triplicated They allot him to receive forty he hath had some of them
all came to pass c. a a a a a a Jerusal Maasar Sheâ—â— fol 5â— 2. 3. You have R. Joses ben Chelpatha R. Ismael ben R. Joses R. Lazar and R. Akiba interpreting divers dreams and many coming to them for interpretation of their dreams Nay you see there the Disciples of R. Lazar in his absence practising this art See there also many stories about this business which it would be too much here to transcribe II. There were hardly any people in the whole World that more used or were more fond of Amulets Charms Mutterings Exorcisms and all kinds of Enchantments We might here produce innumerable examples a handful shall serve us out of the harvest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b b b b Shabb. chap. 6. hal 6. Let not any one go abroad with his amulet on the Sabbath day unless that amulet be prescribed by an approved Physitian or unless it be an approved amulet See the Gemara Now these Amulets were either little roots hung about the necks of sick persons or what was more common bits of paper with words writ on them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby they supposed that diseases were either driven away or cured which they were all the week but were forbid to wear on the Sabbath unless with a Caution c c c c c c Jerus iâ—id fol. 8. 2. They do not say a charm over a wound on the Sabbath That also which is said over a Mandrake is forbid on the Sabbath If any one say Come and say this versicle over my Son or lay the Book of the Law upon him to make him sleep it is forbid that is on the Sabbath but on other days is usual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They used to say the Psalm of meetings that is against unlucky meetings at Jerusalem R. Judan saith Sometimes after such a meeting and sometimes when no such meeting had happned But what is the Psalm of meetings The third Psalm Lord how are my foes encreased even all the Psalm and the ninety first Psalm He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High to the ninth verse * * * * * * Ibid. col 3. There is a discourse of many things which they used to carry about with them as remedies against certain ails and of mutterings over wounds and there you may see that while they avoid the inchantments of the Amorites they have and allow their own d d d d d d Bab. Joma fol. 84. 1. You have the form of an inchantment against a mad Dog And e e e e e e Avodah Zarah fol. 12. 2. the form of inchantment against the Devil of blindness f f f f f f Hieros Schab fol. 13. 4. Avod Zarah fol. 40. 4. You have mutterings and enchantments even in the Name of Jesus See also the Bab. Sanhedr g g g g g g Fol. 101. 1. concerning these kind of mutterings III. So skilful were they in conjurings enchantments and sorceries that they wrought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great signs many villanies and more wonders We pass by those things which the sacred story relates of Simon Magus Elymas the sons of Sceva c. and Josephus of others We will only produce examples out of the Talmud a few out of many You will wonder in the entrance at these two things in order to the speaking of their magical exploits and thence you will conjecture at the very common practise of these evil arts among that people 1. That the Senior who is chosen into the Council ought to be skilled in the arts of Astrologers Juglers Diviners Sorcerers c. that he may be able to Judge of those who are guilty of the same i i i i i i Maimon Sanheâ—r Chap. 2. 2. The Masters tell us that a certain chamber was built by a Magician in the Temple it self k k k k k k Gloss. on Middoth Chap. 5. hal 3. The chamber of Happarva was built by a certain Magician whose name was Parvah by art Magick l l l l l l Hieros Sanhedr fol. 18. 3. Four and twenty of the School Rabbi intercalating the year at Lydda were killed by an evil eye that is with sorceries m m m m m m Ibid. f. 25. 4 R. Joshua outdoes a Magician in Magick and drowns him in the Sea In Bab. Taanith n n n n n n Fol. 24. several miracles are related that the Rabbins had wrought o o o o o o Hieros Sanhedr fol. 23. 3 Bab. Sanhedr fol. 44. 2. Elsewhere there is a story told of eighty women sorceresses at Ascalon who were hanged in one day by Simeon ben Shetah and the women of Israel saith the Gloss had generally fallen to the practise of Sorceries as we have mentioned before It is related of abundance of Rabbies that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 skilful in working miracles thus Abba Chelchia and r r r r r r Juchas f. 20. 1 Chanin and s s s s s s Id. fol. 56. 2. R. Chanina ben Dusa of which R. Chanina ben Dusa there is almost an infinite number of stories concerning the miracles he wrought which savour enough and too much of Magick * * * * * * See Bab. Berac f. 33. 34. And that we may not be tedious in producing examples what can we say of the fasting-Rabbies causing it to rain in effect when they pleased of which there are abundaance of stories in Taanith What can we say of the Bath kol very frequently applauding the Rabbins out of Heaven of which we have spoke before What can we say of the death or plagues foretold by the Rabbins to befal this or that man Which came to pass just according as they were foretold I rather suspect some Magick art in most of these than fiction in all IV. False Christs broke out and appeared in publick with their witchcrafts so much the frequenter and more impudent as the City and people drew nearer to its ruine because the people believed the Messias should be manifested before the destruction of the City and each of them pretended to be the Messias by these signs From the words of Isaiah t t t t t t Chap. LXVI 7. Before her pain came she was delivered of a man child the Doctors concluded That the Messias should be manifested before the destruction of the City Thus the Chaldee Paraphrast upon the place She shall be saved before her utmost extremity and her King shall be revealed before her pains of child-birth Mark that also u u u u u u Bab. Joma fol. 10. 1. The son of David will not come till the wicked Empire of the Romans shall have spread it self over all the World nine months as it is said Therefore will he give them up until the time that she which
more than these might it not have been enough to have said as well as these For what reason had he to expect that Peter should love him more than the rest did especially more than St. John whom Christ himself had so loved and who had stuck so close to him Christ seems therefore to reflect upon Peter's late confidence not without some kind of severity and reproof q. d. Thou saidst O Simon a little while ago that thou wouldst never forsake me no not though all the other Disciples should thou didst profess beyond all the rest that thou wouldst rather dye than deny me thou wouldst follow me to prison to death nay lay down thy own life for me What saist thou now Simon Doest thou yet love me more than these If thou thinkest thou art provided and canst hazard thy life for me feed my sheep and for my sake do thou expose thy life yea and lay it down for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feed my Lambs If there be any thing in that threefold repetition feed feed feed we may most fitly apply it to the threefold object of St. Peters Ministry viz. the Gentiles the Jews and the Israelites of the ten Tribes I. To him were committed by his Lord the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. XVI that he might open the door of Faith and the Gospel to the Gentiles which he did in his preaching it to Cornelius II. In sharing out the work of Preaching the Gospel amongst the three Ministers of of the Circumcision his lot fell amongst the Jews in Babylon James his lot was amongst the Jews in Palestine and Syria And John's amongst the Hellenists in Asia III. Now amongst the Jews in Babylon were mixed the Israelites of the ten Tribes and to them did the Gospel come by the ministry of St. Peter as I have shewn more at large in another Trearise To this therefore have the words of our Saviour a plain reference namely putting Peter in mind that whereas he had with so much confidence and assurance of himself made such professions of love and constancy beyond the other Disciples pretending to a wonderful resolution of laying down his very life in that behalf that he would now shew his zeal and courage in feeding the sheep of Christ. Thou canst not Simon lay down thy life for me as thou didst once promise for I have my self laid down my own life and taken it up again Feed thou my sheep therefore and be ready to lay down thy life for them when it shall come to be required of thee So that what is here said does not so much point out Peter's Primacy as his danger nor so much the priviledge as the bond of his Office and his Martyrdom At last for that our Saviour had this meaning with him is plain because immediately after this he tells him by what death he should glorifie God vers 18. VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I will that he tarry till he come TILL I come that is till I come to destroy the City and Nation of the Jews As to this kind of phrase take a few instances Our Saviour saith Matth. XVI 28. There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kindom Which must not be understood of his coming to the Last Judgment for there was not one standing there that could live till that time nor ought it to be understood of the Resurrection as some would have it for probably not only some but in a manner all that stood there lived till that time His coming therefore in this place must be understood of his coming to take vengeance against those enemies of his which would not have him to rule over them Luke XIX 12 27. Perhaps it will nor repent him that reads the Holy Scriptures to observe these few things I. That the destruction of Jerusalem and the whole Jewish state is described as if the whole frame of this world were to be dissolved Nor is it strange when God destroyed his Habitation and City places once so dear to him with so direful and sad an overthrow his own people whom he accounted of as much or more than the whole world beside by so dreadful and amazing Plagues Matth. XXIV 29 30. The Sun shall be darkned c. Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man c. which yet are said to fall out within that Generation vers 34. 2 Pet. III. 10. The Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat c. Compare with this Deut. XXXII 22. Heb. XII 26. and observe that by Elements are understood the Mosaick Elements Gal. IV. 9. Coloss. II. 20. and you will not doubt that St. Peter speaks only of the Conflagration of Jerusalem the destruction of the Nation and the abolishing the dispensation of Moses Revel VI. 12 13. The Sun became black as sackcloth of hair c. and the Heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together c. Where if we take notice of the foregoing Plagues by which according to the most frequent threatnings he destroyed that people viz. the Sword vers 4. Famine vers 5 6. and the Plague vers 8. Withal comparing those words They say to the Mountains fall on us and cover us with Luke XXIII 30. it will sufficiently appear that by those phrases is understood the dreadful judgment and overthrow of that Nation and City With these also agrees that of Jerem. IV. from vers 22. to 28. and clearly enough explains this phrase To this appertain those and other such expressions as we meet with 1 Cor. X. 11. On us the ends of the world are come and 1 Pet. IV. 7. The end of all things is at hand II. With reference to this and under this notion the times immediately preceding this ruine are called the last days and the last times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the last times of the Jewish City Nation Oeconomy This manner of speaking frequently occurs which let our St. John himself interpret 1 Joh. II. 13. There are many Antichrists whereby we know it is the last time and that this Nation is upon the very verge of destruction whenas it hath already arrived at the utmost pitch of Infidelity Apostacy and wickedness III. With the same reference it is that the times and state of things immediately following the destruction of Jerusalem are called a New Creation New Heavens and a New Earth Isai. LXV 17. Behold I create a New Heaven and a New Earth When should that be Read the whole Chapter and you will find the Jews rejected and cut off and from that time is that New Creation of the Evangelical world among the Gentiles Compare 2 Cor. V. 17. and Revel XXI 1 2. where the old Jerusalem being cut off and destroyed a new one succeeds and New Heavens and a New Earth are created 2 Pet. III. 13. We according
given unknown Tongues to be unknown to all besides those to whom they were given In what I have said of the Greek Version and of the not reading it among the Hellenists I know I have very learned Men differing in their opinions from me and heretofore I my self was of a contrary judgment Whence I hope the Reader will be the more easily perswaded that I do not speak these things from a desire of contention but from a serious enquiry as far as I am able into the thing from often repeated thoughts and a most hearty desire of searching after truth FINIS THE WORKS OF THE REVEREND LEARNED John Lightfoot D. D. LATE Master of KATHERINE Hall in CAMBRIDGE The Second Volume PART II. CONTAINING SERMONS and DISCOURSES upon sundry Subjects and Occasions A Catalogue whereof with their several Texts you will find in the following Pages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed by William Rawlins for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCLXXXIV A TABLE of the Texts of the Ensuing SERMONS together with an account of the time when the places where and the occasions whereupon the more publick of them were Preached Sermons Preached before the NATIVES of STAFFORDSHIRE AT S. Michaels Cornhil London Novemb. 25. 1658. Ioh. X. 22 23. And it was at Ierusalem the Feast of Dedication and it was Winter And Iesus walked in the Temple in Solomons porch At S. Mary Woolchurch London Novemb. 22. 1660. S. Iude vers 12. These are spots in your Feasts of charity At S. Michaels Cornhil London Novemb. 26. 1663. Rom. V. 1. Being justified by saith we have peace with God Sermons Preached at the ASSISES at HERTFORD March 1660. Revel XX. 4. And I saw Thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them March 16. 1663. Iudges XX. 27 28. And the children of Israel enquired of the Lord. For the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord was there in those days And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron stood before it in those days March 29. 1663. 2 Pet. III. 13. Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness March 17. 1664. Ioh. VIII 9. And they being convinced by their own conscience went out one by one beginning at the eldest even to the last July 16. 1665. Ioh. XIV 2. In my Fathers house are many mansions c. April 6. 1666. 1 Ion. V. 16. There is a sin unto death I do not say that he should pray for it March 27. 1669. Act. XVII 31. Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in righteousness by the Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead August 6. 1669. Ioh. XVIII 31. Then Pilate said unto them Take ye him and judge him according to your Law The Iews therefore said unto him It is not lawful for us to put any Man to death A Sermon Preached at the ASSISES at ELY Septemb. 12. 1671. Iames V. 9. Behold the Iudge standeth before the door Sermons Preached at S. MARIES CAMBRIDGE Octob. 7. 1655. Matth. XXVIII 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost At Aspiden April 5. 1660. 1 Cor. X. 2. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea Febr. 24. 165◠Luke XI 2. When ye pray say Our Father which art in Heaven April 9. 1658. 1 Pet. V. 13. The Church which is at Babilon elected together with you saluteth you Novem. 27. 1659. Rom. VIII 23. And not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves grone within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body June 24. 1660. 1 Cor. XIV 26. How is it then Brethren When ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation Let all things be done to edifying Sermons Preached on the Fift of NOVEMBER 1661. Dan. X. 21. And there is none that holdeth with we in these things but Michael your Prince 1669. At Ely Rev. XIII 2. And the Dragon gave him his Power and his Seat and great Authority 1670. At Ely Rev. XX. 7 8. And when the Thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison And shall go out to deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battle whose number is as the Sand of the Sea 1672. At Ely 2 Pet. II. 15. Who have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the Son of Bosor who loved the wages of unrighteousness 1673. At Ely 2 Tim. III. 8. As Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth 1674. At S. Maries Cambridge Act. XIII 9 10. Then Saul who also is called Paul filled with the Holy Ghost set his Eyes on him And said O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou child of the Devil thou enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord A Sermon Preached at Guild-hall LONDON before the Lord Mayor Jan. 24. 1674. Rev. XXI 2. And I Iohn saw the holy City the new Ierusalem coming down from God out of Heaven More private Sermons Exod. XXX 15. The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a Shekel when they give an offering unto the Lord to make an attonement for their Souls Judg. XI 39. And it came to pass at the end of two months that she returned to her Father who did with her according to his Vow which he had vowed 1 King XIII 24. And when he was gone a Lion met him by the way and slew him and his carcass was cast in the way And the Ass stood by it the Lion also stood by the carcass Act. VII 53. Who have received the Law by the Disposition of Angels and have not kept it Rev. XX. 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished This is the first resurrection 2 Sam. XIX 29. I have said Thou and Ziba divide the Land Dan. XII 12 13. Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days But go thou thy way till the end for thou shalt rest and stand in the lot at the end of days Heb. X. 29. And hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing Heb. XIII 10. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle Luke XV. 7. I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance Luke XXIII 42
2. Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World i. e. know ye not that there shall be a Christian Magistracy that Christians shall be Kings and Magistrates to rule and judge the World And the very same sense speaketh Dan. VII 18. 26 27. from whence both my Text and that passage of Paul are taken know ye not saith he that the Saints shall judge the World How should they know it Why Plainly enough out of that place in Daniel where in vers 18. it is foretold That the Saints of the most High should take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever and ever And in vers 26 27. The Judgment shall sit as in the Text and the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven should be given to the people of the Saints of the most High Two considerations will put the matter out of all question I. That the word Saints means not strictly nor really Sanctified in opposition to men not really sanctified but it means Christians in general in opposition to Heathens And so the Apostle himself clears it in the verse before that I cited Dare any of you go to Law before the unjust and not before the Saints What is meant by the unjust there Heathens or Infidels as he calls them vers 6. And then what is meant by Saints But Christians in opposition to Heathens II. Observe the tenor of the contents in Daniel and that will illustrate the sense of these verses that I produced He speaks before of the four Heathen Monarchies the Babylonian Mede-Persian Grecian and Syrogrecian that had had the Kingdom and Dominion and Rule in the World and had tyrannized in the World especially against the Church that was then being but at last they should be destroyed and upon their being destroyed Christ should come and set up his Kingdom through the World and then the Kingdom and Rule and Dominion in the World should be put into the hands of Saints or Christians and they should Rule and Judge in the World as those Heathen Monarchies had done all the time before And thus you have the words unfolded to you and I hope according to the meaning of the Holy Ghost And now my Lords and Gentlemen you may see your own picture in the glass of the Text for you are of the number of those of whom it speaketh In it you may see your selves Imbenched Commissioned and your work put into your hands In the first clause The institution of the Function the ordaining of Magistracy and Judicature I saw Thrones set In the second The Commissionating of Christians unto that Office and Function They sat upon them In the last The end of this Office and the employment they are set upon in it Judgment was given unto them Thrones set by whom By him that had been the great agent in the verse before Christ that had bound the Devil and chained him up They sat upon them Who They that are the persons mentioned in the verse before Men of the Nations undeceived from the delusions of Satan and brought into the truth of the Gospel Judgment was given them for what end For Judgment sake that they might execute judgment and righteousness among the Nations And so I have my words fairly cut out before me and the matter and the method of the Text calls upon me to speak unto these three things I. Of the institution of Magistrates as an ordinance of Christ. II. Of Christian Magistracy as a Gospel mercy III. The great work the all in all of Magistracy The execution of Judgment I. Of all the offices of Christ he executed only one of them peculiarly and reservedly himself without the communicating of any acting in it to any other but as to the execution of the other two he partly acteth himself and partly importeth some acting therein by deputation to others His Priestly office that that most concerned and had the greatest stroke in mans redemption he executed intirely himself and no other had share no other could have share in the executing of that with him None could be capable of offering any of his all-sufficient Sacrifice with him none could be capable of offering the incense of mediation with him But in his Kingly and Prophetick offices he acteth himself and he deputeth others to act for him As the great Prophet he teacheth his Church himself by giving of the Scriptures and instructing his holy ones by his Spirit yet withal hath he deputed Ministers to be her Teachers And as the great King of the Church and of all the World he ruleth in both himself in the hearts of his people by his Word and Spirit and amongst his enemies with a rod of Iron yet withal hath he deputed Kings Judges and Magistrates to be Rulers for him These two great Ordinances you have couched in this very place In the verse before the Text Christ chaineth up the Devil that he should no more deceive poor men as he had done before And how did he this By the Ministry of the Word and Preaching of the Gospel And in the words of the Text he setteth up Thrones and sets men upon them for what To execute Magistracy and to administer Judgment And so likewise are they closely hinted in that place of the Apostle that I cited I Cor. VI. Know ye not that the Saints shall iudge the World or Christians be Magistrates and in the next verse following know ye not that we shall judge Angels or we Apostles and Ministers judge Devils and overthrow their Idols Oracles Miracles and Delusions by the Ministry of the Gospel And so if I should take Pastors and Teachers Ephes. IV. 11. for Magistrates and Ministers I believe there were no soloecisme in the thing and I am sure the Jews called their chiefest Magistrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastores in their common speech And if the Apostle may be shewed there to speak in their vulgar dialect as he doth indeed all along his Epistles it would save a controversie and question that is raised upon that place These two Functions are the two standing Pillars and Ordinances the Jachin and Boaz that our great Solomon hath set up in his Temple to stand with the Temple while it standeth These are two choice strainings and distillings of the precious ointment that was poured on the head of our great Aaron that runs down upon the skirts of his clothing Yours my Lords and Gentlemen is a beam of that lustre that shineth in the Royal Crown of Christs Kingly office It is a coin stamped with the Image and superscription of the great Cesar of Heaven and Earth sitting in his Empire and Dominion over all I remember a Phrase of Pliny in his Epistles speaking of a vertuous and gallant daughter that imitated to the life the vertues and gallantry of a noble Father Filia patreni exscripserat the daughter had copied out her father to the life Magistracy is a daughter of