had these Customes of Yesterday their Tendency unto Christ and their spiritual accomplishment in him And thus had Job a respect unto him when he gave this Testimony of his Faith saying I know that my Redeemer liveth And thus did the Prophet Daniel in like manner Yesterday betake himself to the same Refuge Dan. 9.17 when he prayed that he might be heard for the Lord's sake Implying that he could not expect a gracious Answer to his Supplication but through the Mediation of Jesus Christ who is Lord of all as the Apostle calls him Act. 10 36. from first to last and whom the glorious Angels at his first appearance in the flesh acknowledged to be the Lord Luk. 2.11 thereby ascribing unto him that Title of Honour which was in all Ages due unto him In short that Synopsis or Cloud of Witnesses as it is called which is by the Apostle presented unto us in one view Heb. 11. may encompass us about with convictions enough concerning this Truth Eph. 5.23 1 Cor. 15.45 viz. That the people of God Yesterday that is in all the Generations of old expected and obtained Salvation no other way but by Faith in Jesus Christ who is the Saviour of the Body that is the Church ever since it had a Being by the spirit of quickning wherewith it hath been Acted from the Beginning for when the first Adam fell under the Power of Death the Second became immediately a quickning spirit This was the Faith of Believers Yesterday who by a spiritual Logick as the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle useth doth imply came to discern Heb. 11.1 and make Demonstrations to themselves of the good things to come without those ocular and sensible Manifestations which have since appeared Mr. Jer. Dyke And this indeed is the true Nature of Faith For look how it is said of God as one well makes the Comparison that he calls those things that be not as if they were so doth Faith make things to be which are not that is which are not to sense For as Faith gives a Nullity to things that are viz. to the Afflictions Miseries and Mortality of this Life making them to be as if they were not according to the Apostles Word 2 Cor. 6.9 10 As dying 2 Cor. 6.9 10. and yet behold we live at chastned and yet not killed as sorrowful yet alway rejoycing as poor yet making many riâ—h as having nothing yet possessing all things so on the contrary for it is able to overthrow the whole Course of Nature it gives a subsistence to things not being and makes those things to be which are not Thus are we by Faith already in Heaven though here yet on Earth For our Conversation saith the Apostle our civil interest and society Phil. 3 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our trading and employment is in Heaven And thus did the Faith of Believers under the Old Testament make Christ to be unto them a full and compleat Saviour before he himself had a corporal being upon Earth He was to their Faith a Sacrifice Crucified from the beginning of the World who was not indeed Crucified till the latter end of the World In them was fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet He that believeth shall not make haste though they did earnestly long for the Coming of the Messiah Es 28 16 yet they did not charge God foolishly as being slow and slack in his performances but with Faith and Patience were contented to Wait in the mean time living comfortably upon that Dispensation of Grace which God in his great Wisdom and Mercy had appointed for them Yea though the Law come forth in its time for the aggravating of Sin which as the Apostle saith Gal. 3.12 is not of Faith crying out unto all with a Loud and Terrible Voice Do this or you shall Die yet for all that their Faith did not fail neither was it made void by the Law as the law was not afterwards made void by Faith for according to their Faith so was it done unto them Christ the Mediatour they not onely expected but relied upon according to the Tenour of the New Covenant and Christ as Mediatour did always appear for them to guide them in their Way and to guard them in their need to grant them their Desires and to obtain grace with God in their behalf This hath been largely proved before and therefore we need not stand much upon it now I will onely add one instance more whereby we shall see the gracious Indulgence of the Almighty in that time of Yesterday dispensed in and through Jesus Christ the Mediatour towards a poor Creature who was then Ambitious as I may say to have a Discovery made unto him of the glorious Presence of God beyond the Capacity of his weak nature and whereto a consenting according to his asking must undoubtedly have proved his inevitable ruine This poor Creature was Moses whom I so call in comparison of him with whom he had then to do though otherwise A man of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 90. Title the Viceroy of Jesus Christ in Jeshurun who when he perceived the Lord's favourable condescension so as to entertain Familiar Conference with him and upon his request to renew unto him a Grant of his Presence in the Conduct of his people to the Land of Canaan he thereupon according to the manner of us all growth more bold aspiring to such a knowledge of God that never any of the Sons of Adam had attained unto yea such as was altogether inconsistent with frail Mortality I beseech thee saith he shew me thy Glory It is Ex. 33.18 by our late Expositours denied that Moses was now desirous to see the Essence of God for that is Invisible 1 Tim. 6.16 Neither was Moses its like ignorant of it but for my part I leave it undetermined howsoever it is very evident that he desired to see that of God which in much mercy was not granted unto him and therefore it might very well be said of him as it was of the Sons of Zebedee he knew not what he asked For who alas among us can dwell with devouring fire who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings But as Peter when he was present at Christ's Transfiguration Luk. 9.32.33 was so taken with that exceeding Glory which he then saw yet such a Glory probably as the weakness of man might well beare that he spake at random not knowing what he said of building Tabernacles c. In like manner Moses is now so transported with the apprehension of his present Happiness and Priviledge above all men that though he was not unmindful of his Charge I mean the people of Israel but was importunate with God not to leave them yet he forgets his own mortal Estate wherein he was to abide and desires to see that Manifestation of God's presence which is reserved for another Life Ex. 33 19.
unto him in heaven and in Earth The exercise of which power he would first have to be manifested in discipling whole Nations of the Gentiles Matt. 28.18 19. receiving them into Covenant by the Sacrament of Baptisme as the Jews were by the Sacrament of Circumcision Where the word Nation in order to the Gentiles must without controversie be taken in the same sense as it was with a reference unto the Jews for as the Nation of the Jews was made up of all sorts and sexes old and young so in like manner are the Nations of the Gentiles And because his commission which he then gave unto his Apostles was not formed according to the erroneous fancy of these deluded people who in effect render it thus Go and Disciple all men But thus Go and Disciple all Nations baptising them in the name c. And Children being a part of the Nations we may conclude without any hesitancy that the intent and purpose of the Lord in this commission to his Apostles was that they should wheresoever they came baptise the Children as well as the Parents And seeing he came to break down the wall of partition that was between Jews and Gentiles which was actually done in the execution of this Commission It is not to be imagined that he would by it set up a partition-wall between Parents and their Children so as that they should be at as great a distance the one from the other in point of eternal Salvation as Heaven is from Hell A thing he never did in all the Ages before and undoubtedly whatsoever these Dreamers may blasphemously prate against him He hath not done it now because he is still the Same I will not dwell any longer upon the Conviction of these obstinate people least the more reason be shewed unto them out of the Scripture to lead them into the way of truth they be thereby according to their usual wont the more hardened in their errour The Lord open their eyes that they may see betimes what dishonour they bring unto Jesus Christ in the diminution of his power by their frantick Opinions What disturbance they create unto his Church and consequently what hazard they run notwithstanding their conceited assurance of their own everlasting Salvation We have now done with this second particular viz. Jesus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Same to day which he was yesterday that is The Same to his Church in the time of the gospel which he was in the time both before and under the Law CHAP. III. Sheweth how JESUS CHRIST shall continue to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same for ever Vnto his Church WE should now according to our prescribed method come to speak of the third course or computation of time here mentioned in the Text and of that which is predicated of it viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ the Same or the onely He for ever But to avoid Prolixity which hath already spun out the former parts into a greater length then was intended we shall not distinguish this into several propositions as hath been done with those before Neither indeed can we be able to speak of what shall come upon the Church in the continuation of this day of the Gospel to the end of the world Onely this we can say because the Holy Ghost witnesseth it That persecutions and Afflictions do abide it but withall that Jesus Christ will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto it which he ever hath been Hereupon therefore shall we fix the short remainder of our discourse deriving some inferences from it for the further edification of those that take pleasure in beholding the immutability of the Lord Jesus Observe then In the midst of all the various changes and chances that may come upon the Church to the end of the world Jesus Christ will be unto it still The Same No variableness nor shadow of turning shall ever be found in him either in his Mediation with the Father or in the dispensation of his power among his people But he will be Semper idem Alwayes the Same Now herein we can but speak of the exercise of Christs Mediatory office as we have already done and therefore it will be needless to spend many words about it As he began so he will continue to be the Prophet Priest and King of his Church The same word of truth which he hath revealed he will still continue no addition unto it or diminution from it will he ever suffer his Gospel is an everlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 1 Pet. 1.25 His word abideth for ever And if an Angel from Heaven should come and preach any other we must therefore much more will he ho'd him accursed Gal. 1.8 He is a Priest for ever according to the oath of God not to be retracted saith the Prophet Hath an unchangeable Priest-hood saith the Apostle Ps 110.4 Heb. 7.24 A Priest established in his Dignity as master and Lord by virtue of his Son-ship not like unto the servants the Priests of Aaron's order Who when they entred into the most Holy place were not there to sit but otherwise to execute their office according to the order prescribed unto them by Moses Heb. 10 11 They stood as became servants saith the Apostle ministring before the Lord. But Jesus Christ when he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever and according to the Law entred into the holy place to finish the Atonement Sat down on the right hand of God noting the perpetuity of his office according to the dignity of his person and that he ever liveth which was not possible for any other to do to make intercession Dan. 7.14 Mach. 4.7 His Throne in like manner is for ever and ever His Kingdom an everlasting Kingdom and his Dominion endureth throughout all Generations No Salvation then to be expected for ever Act 4.12 but onely by him No other Name under Heaven given among men from the beginning of the world to the end of it whereby we must be saved For before him as he saith of himself there was no God formed Es 43 10 or rather as it may be rendred nothing formed of God for any such purpose as to be a Saviour Ec. 2.12 Ps 145.11 12. neither shall there be after him What alas can the man do that cometh after the King What He may speak of the glory of his Kingdom and talk of his power to make known to the Sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom But to imitate him in his power and his mighty Acts or to compare with him in the Majesty of his Kingdom would not onely be a contempt cast upon his Crown and Dignity but an utter impossibility and a meere vanity for men or angels to attempt it They poor Creatures being infinitely unfit and unworthy must let that alone for ever and they that will expect it of them will finde it to be folly
the Incarnation of our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ * Which agrees with Alstedius his account were 1721. years and since the Incarnation are 1660. Both which accounts make up 3381. So that to fill up the said number of Jubilean years there remaineth but one single Jubilee more which will fall out to be in the year of our Lord 1709. About which time the people of Israel called here Daniels people because of his care and tender affection towards them may become a people again according to the concurrency of Scriptural Prophecies their iniquity transgression and sin finished and taken away through the reconciliation that shall be then between their God and them in stead whereof they shall have an everlasting righteousness brought in by the good hand of God upon them whereby they shall become a righteous Nation for ever and so consequently the whole Vision and Prophecy concerning them will be sealed that is confirmed and concluded and the most Holy or the Holiness of Holinesses that is either the Holiness of Israel surpassing all the Holinesses of believing Gentiles shall be anointed that is exalted above all others or the Messiah even the Lord Jesus who is the Holiest of them all for there is Hoâ—ier then the Holiest and there is Holier then they shall be anointed that is reign as King over them and they by their unanimous acclamations and chearful subjection acknowledge him to be their Sovereign The sense of this Scripture I confess is new but it will not follow thereupon that it cannot be true Yet I am not confident that it is the onely meaning of the Spirit for then I should pretend to be wiser then Daniel But I will wait for the determination of the Holy Church about it and expect till the end be what Divine Providence will work in bringing of it to pass hoping to rest and to stand in my lot with Daniel at the end of the dayes Some intricacies I know will appear in this interpretation which I shall endeavour to unfold Yet sure I am they are not so many as other Expositions are perplexed with and so snarled that they can never be resolved First an account will be required of me why I should call and reckon those for Jubilees which are in our Translation called Weekes I answer though the word be translated Weekes which I do not take upon me to correct the word having a measure according to Scripture-phrase extending to various significations yet such as are skilful in the Original do well know that these words may be also rendred thus sevens seventy are pared out for thy people Now the Scripture speakes of three several sorts of sevens or septenaries in order to such times which the Lord hath sanctified First the seventh day secondly the seventh year thirdly the seventh Sabbatical year The seventh day was the Sabbath wherein the people were to rest Lev. 23.3 Lev. 23 3. The seventh year was the Sabbatical year wherein the ground rested Lev. 25.4 The seventh Sabbatical year was the Jubilean Sabbath Lev. 25.8 The acceptable year above all the rest Lev. 25.4 Lev 25.8 Es 61.2 Ezek. 49.17 the year of liking or good-will Es 61.2 or as Ezekiel calls it the year of liberty or general releasement proclaimed by sound of trumpet wherein every man was to return to his Inheritance again and every servant to his freedome which priviledges doubtless brought on much rejoycing and jubilation among them It was a year of great expectation insomuch that it is conceived to be the great Epoche or Cardo of their times as the Olympiads were among the Graecians Hospinian de Orig. Fest. c. 9. and the lustra of old and indictions of late among the Romans Hoc observa saith Alstedius Jubilaeos esse infallibiles Characteres secundum ques praecipua tempora in Scripturis definiri possunt This know that Jubilean Sabbatisins are the most infallible characters to decipher and dâ—stinguish the principal times of note in the Holy Scripture This septenary therefore seems to be worthy of more then ordinary regard And the rather because it did likewise in an especial manner shadow out our deliverance by Christ which was indeed the acceptable year of remission prophecied of before Es 61.1.2 and so interpreted by our blessed Saviour Luk. 4.18 As also thereby was signified our return into the Heavenly Paradise Luk. 23.43 from which we are fallen in Adam The seventh year may be applied to every mans particular consummation when his soule is received up into glory but by the Jubilean Sabbath wherein all the Israelites had their re-entry upon their Lands formerly sold is the general re-entry of all believers into the Kingdome of Heaven which they had formerly forfeited by their sins most happily prefigured These things then being so and the Angel leaving it undetermined which seven of the three it is that is here meant Did not our Saviour allude unto the 70. Jubilees when he spake of our sorgiving one another seventy times seven whether this great Septenary rather then that of weekes of years may not in reason be judged to be that which the Angel here intended when he said sevens seventy are cut out for thy people let the Church determine As for that objection which perhaps may here be cast in that the Jubilean year was not ordained before such time as Moses gave out the Law to the people in the Wilderness and therefore could not be reckoned on before it was in being And that also that the Jubilee was a part of the Ceremonial Law and therefore as out of date not to be reckoned on in the time of the Gospel these I say upon due consideration will appear to be of no force For first the seventh day Sabbaths and Sacrifices were a part of the Mosaical Institute yet were observed by Gods people from the beginning of the World so might Jubilees too for ought that may be objected to the contrary Yea it is apparent that Jubilees have been distinguished of old into two sorts viz. Jubilaei Mundani Jubilaei Mosaici that is Jubilees of the Creation and Jubilees of the Law so that this account by Jubilees might be before the Law But there is no need to go so far for an answer The Angel might here speak of such an account of years by way of Prolepsis or Anticipation a Figure usual in Scripture though there were no Jubilees to be observed by that people for above 200. years after Jacobs going down into Egypt And whereas it is objected in the second place that because the Jubilee is a part of the Mosaical Pedagogy therefore it is not now to be reckoned on I answer no more do we so as to observe it according to the Law of Moses nevertheless while the world standeth 49. years will be so many still and no more nor fewer then they were wont to be when Moses gave out the Law And the Angel might speak according to the Phraseology of
tell who knows but that by the Commandment may be understood the Word which the Angel spake of before unto the Prophet vers 23. that came forth from God himself at the beginning of his supplications to restore and build Jerusalem rather then an Edict from those Persian Princes whom Expositors have severally fancied to themselves to have issued out for that end without warrant uncontroulable from the Spirit of God Yea and some other sense might yet be rendred of these words more then hitherto hath been thought upon by any which upon trial may possibly endure the Test as well as those that have formerly pass'd for currant amongst us But I approve of that sage advice which an Ancient hath long since given viz. It is best at some time to say nothing at every time to say enough but at no time to say all Go we on therefore to the next that is the Prophecy of Hosea In the first Chapter whereof we finde that when the Lord pronounceth Loammi against his people which should be the last Abdication of them even in this their present dispersion according to the concurrent judgement of sundry Expositors making no other account of them then as of a heathen Nation Hos 1.10 The Prophet notwithstanding upon this angry word which sounds terribly to all that hear it addeth immediately a word of comfort again saying Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor numbred It will be said that this word of comfort hath reference to the Israel of God among the Gentiles I answer Be it so yet I say here again the holy Ghost hath not set any such limitation as if the posterity of Jacob were to be quite excluded For let me ask with an inversion of the Apostles words Is God the God of the Gentiles onely Rom. 3.29 Is he not also of the Jews Yes of the Jews also otherwise how should the children of Israel and the children of Judah be gathered together as it is said they shall vers 11. after this ultimate abdication and appoint themselves one Head to be their Governour which being yet to be done it followeth that this Prophecy also is not yet fulfilled Yea and if it be true that that vast and large part of the world called now America hath been the receptacle and hiding-place for the ten Tribes ever since their exile out of their own land as of late it hath with very great probability been conjectured to be some conceiving the same to be fore-signified by the Prophet Obadiah vers 20. Obad. v. 20. The captivity of Jerusalem shall possess the cities of the South that is of America so scituate or the dry Cities that Countrey being much under the Torrid Zone Others construing that Prophecy Esa 66.19 as fore-telling the same thing Esa 66.19 I will send those that escape of them unto the Nations to Tarshish Pul and Lud that draw the Bow to Tubal and Javan to the Isles afarre off that have not heard my fame neither have seen my glory c. Then also shall that be fulfilled in them which followeth Hos 1.11 And they shall come up out of the Land where they have all this while layen hid and where the Lord hath shut them in But how shall they come up will some say seeing they are now ever since their entrance there environ'd round with the sea Shall the sea give them way again as it did when they came up out of Egypt So indeed some are of opinion taking their guess from 2 Esa 13.47 Or shall the Angels be sent to be their Convoy with some unwonted miracle through the ayr I answer First it is questionable whether that other world as it is called be divided from this by the sea some Writers of very good note think otherwise and if both be still contiguous What hinders hut this people may return the way that they went But put case that Time and the Sea two insatiable devourers have through Gods permission made a separation to the end that this banished Nation might be there shut up till the time of their Enlargement be fully come then may that of the Prophet Esay be verified concerning the manner of their return Esa 60.9 Esay 60.9 The ships of Tarshish that is of the Mediterranean sea for so is Tarshish in that place to be taken shall be first ready being of the nearest vicinity to the land of Canaan to bring these Sons of God from far c. unto the Name of the Lord their God Hos 1.11 and to the Holy One of Israel c. At which time great shall be the day of Jezreel saith the Prophet in the fore-cited place that is It shall be a day of great admiration unto all by reason of the gathering together of the Israelites which before seemed rather to be Jezreel that is a people dispersed by God then an Israel that had power with God and prevailed Again in the third Chapter of this Prophecy of Hosea Hos 3.4 vers 4. it is foretold of this people in this manner The children of Israel shall abide many days without a King and without a Prince and without a Sacrifice and without an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim As much as to say They should live like a company of salvage Indians no government Ecclesiastical or Civil no form of Religion to be found among them either according to the law of Moses or according to the corrupt Exemplar of their fore-fathers All which hath come upon the ten Tribes in these latter days But mark now what the Prophet addeth Vers 5. vers 5. Afterwards shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King that is as it is confessed on all hands the Messiah Davids sonne according to the flesh and shall fear that is worship the Lord and his goodness manifested in the Messiah without Types and Shadows much more without the least mixture of Idolatry old or new in the latter days If then this judgement here written be executed upon this people to the uttermost undoubtedly their Restauration and Return both from their sin and their captivity shall according to the words of this Prophecy be fulfilled and in the determined time brought to pass also Thus have we hitherto seen the Prophets as with one voyce testifying and proclaiming the purpose and counsel of God concerning the Calling and Conversion of the Jews in the latter dayes More Testimonies of the like nature might be produced out of the other Prophets to this purpose But the time or at least the patience of some would fail if we should undertake to shew further what David and the rest have Prophecyed and written hereof We shall therefore forbear to insist upon any more and seeing that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is established the Prophets already mentioned may suffice
the significancy of his name saith Eusebius and chusing him for their Captain they grew up into a very formidable Army But the Emperour hearing of this insurrection prepares to suppress it and after a long and tedious war of three years and a half with these rebellious Jews brings upon them a sweeping desolation their Ring-leader whom the Jews afterwards for his imposture called Barchozbah that is the Son of a lie fell in the battel and many thousands of his followers myriads saith Nicephorus were by famine and sword miserably destroyed Such of them that escaped were by a decree from the Emperour banished for ever from that City and commanded upon peril of their lives Ne pedem in agrum Jerosolymitanum aliquando inferrent not once to set footing any more upon that Land or so much as to look towards it from any high place And moreover to signifie their utter Alienation from thence there was a Hog cut in marble set upon the gate by which men go to Bethleem In fine this City as Eusebius saith being by this war utterly deprived of her antient inhabitants à peregrinis nationibus habitari coepta and begun to be possessed by forein Nations was afterwards made a Roman Colony and the name of it changed into Aelia Capitolina Yea such a deluge of miseries did then bâ—eak in upon that City and people insomuch saith Saint Jerome Comment in Zeph. Cap. 1. Vsque ad praesentem diem c. even unto his time the Jews were not suffered to enter into Jerusalem unless it were to bewail the ruines of it which admission also once every year they purchased at a dear rate not being allowed to abide there above their limited hour and whosoever desired to stay there longer to spend more tears they were to give more money to the Souldiers that were set to watch them ut qui quondam emerant sanguinem Christi emant lachrymas suas that they who had before bought and sold the bloud of Christ should now buy their own tears saith the same Father sweetly in the same place who there also very Graphically describeth the manner of their lamentations from these premises we may therefore conclude that Jerusalem was now more then ever before trodden down of the Gentiles Secondly Admit that some converted Jews as this Authour saith resorted thither after this change yet that argueth not that the city was reduced again to her pristine estate for those Jews were not formed into any Polity had not the Government of the City but the Romans still kept it in subjection True it is that by degrees it came to be inhabited awhile by Christians and was dignified with a Patriarchal seat yet still the Gentiles had it in possession and in that respect trod it under foot For the word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as learned Grotius observeth is all one with Tenere jure victoriae i. e. to keep in subjection by right of Conquest and therefore he from thence deriveth this consequence viz. The sense of it cannot be limited to the Romans alone but reacheth to all others that came after them in the Conquest of that City as Persians Saracens Franks and Turks who have successively taken it into their possession the Turks at this day trampling upon it and giving it a name of their own devising according to their Language viz. Cusumobarech whence we may infallibly infer that the times of the Gentiles in treading down Jerusalem is not yet fulfilled And now having weighed these two expositions of our Saviours words and found them too light it remaineth that we seek out some other that is more agreable to his sense and meaning First then shall we say that by the times of the Gentiles is meant the times of their ignorance and abominable Idolatries And that as when the iniquities of the Amorites were full God did drive out those Nations from the Land of Canaan and according to his promise brought his people into it giving it to them for a perpetual inheritance So when the measure of the Idolatries of the Gentiles their cruelties oppressions of one another and sundry other abominaâ—ions that are amongst them is come to its full length then shall be brought to pass the saying that is here written Jerusalem shall no more be trodden down as it hath been nor the Captivity of the Jews any longer continued Or shall we say that by the times of the Gentiles may be understood the times of Gods patience in waiting for the Conversion of those Gentiles who professing the name of Christ have too much departed from his rule and government So indeed saith Grâ—tius that the words of this Text may in some respect carry that interpretation But because these imply a total amputation and desertion of the Gentiles upon the restauration here spoken of contrary to the sense of the Holy Ghost in many places of Scripture We shall therefore wave them also and subscribe unto that of Bede before-mentioned as most sound and Evangelical wherewith we have likewise the concurrent assent of very good Expositors both antient and modern viz. That by the times of the Gentiles is meant their several seasons allotted unto them by the providence of the Almighty for their receiving the Gospel and the filling them up to be the compleating of those determined seasons to the utmost period And that when these seasons which are known unto God alone are perfectly fulfilled and the fulness of the Gentiles thereupon come in according to the predictions of the Apostle Rom. 11. of which we shall also speak somewhat in its proper place Then and not before shall the Captivity of the Jews be turned back and Jerusalem also rescued out of her thraldom Then I say again it shall doubtless come to pass For can any thing fail of all that the Lord hath spoken Is his arme shortned that he cannot make good his word Or hath he forgotten to be gracious Is his mercy so frequently promised so clearly confirmed by a perpetual Covenant to his first-born Israel clean gone for evermore But how shall he then be ' O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same Joshua once spake it in the justification of God before his people when he had settled them in the promised Land and gave them rest round about There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel Josh 21.49 All came to pass Josh 21.49 No more certainly shall any thing fail now because the Lord who is still the same hath said it the word is gone out of his mouth and cannot be disanulled Shortly then as this City and people is according to this prophecy scattered and laid waste so when this appointed time here mentioned is come They shall though all the powers of darkness be against it be restored to their liberty and dignity again A second witness out of the New Testament to confirm us in this point we have given us out
the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power Observe he doth not tax them with folly and backwardness of believing the Prophets as he did the two Disciples going to Emmaus For they after all the manifestations that he had made in their sight of the mighty power of God and the clear testimonies he had given that the predictions of the Prophets concerning the Messiah were terminated in him doubted nevertheless whether it was he that should redeem Israel out of his troubles But these believing the Prophets being now throughly instructed by him concerning his Church and assuring themselves thereupon that he was ordained of God to be the restorer of Israel's liberty without which the Church could not be compleat he onely reproveth them for their overmuch haste and busie intrusions into the secret counsels of the Father being desirous it seems before the time to be eye-witnesses of that as well as of all the other mighty works which Christ had done among them Yea moreover if we compare the words spoken to those two Disciples with these here to the Apostles some further light may yet appear unto us concerning this matter To them it is said Luk. 24.26 Ought not Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory To these It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father hath put in his own power In the first he implieth that the redemption of Israel that is such as they meant else our Saviours reply had not tended to the resolving of their doubt could not be accomplished before he entred into glory For there this our Lord and Nobleman as he is called Luk. 19.12 went to receive his Kingdome and there he was to rule and order all things for the benefit and advantage of his people both of Israel and of all other Nations in the World according to the times and seasons which the Father would impart unto him when he was in glory In the second he intimateth that the times and seasons for the bringing to pass Gods righteous purpose concerning the thing which they demanded are running on in that glory whereinto he was entring and are guided onely by the will of the Father and therefore they should be contented with their measure and wait with patience for the full accomplishment of this deliverance which God in his due time best known unto himself would surely bring to pass by him even while he is in his glory But let us proceed Thirdly it cannot but be now expected that that well known witness of Saint Paul Rom. 11. should be produced Rom. 11. Let it then be examined for it bringeth with it so clear an evidence in this case that the Holy Spirit by it seemeth to remove away all doubting We shall not stay to make any large Metaphrase upon the Chapter he that runs may read the sense of it let it suffice to take notice of the general scope in the whole and to gather out of it somewhat that may be most material for our confirmation in this point we are upon and for the conviction of those that are of a contrary judgment In the two Chapters immediately before-going the Apostle having written severely of the rejection of the Jews according to the Prophecies that went before of them for their rejecting of the Gospel he undertakes in this to mitigate the acrimony of his censure to the end the Gentiles might not take occasion to insult over them as if they were an abject people given up to a final abdication Which unbrotherly insultation that he might anticipate fore-seeing that it would prevaile too much as it seems it doth to this very day he rendreth here his meaning in plain termes shewing manifestly what the purpose of God is concerning his rejection of this his ancient peculiar people viz. That it was not to be either universal or perpetual which mitigation he sweetly insinuates once and again in the form of a Dialogue Hath God saith he cast away his people God forbid Have they stumbled that they should fall God forbid Where by the way we may observe the Apostles method in contracting his whole discourse concerning this subject in the solution of these two Quaere's In his treating of the first he proveth clearly that the rejection of the Jews was not a total rejection In his arguing upon the second he proveth also as infallibly that it shall not be a final rejection So long therefore as we follow the conduct of the Apostle herein we shall not need to fear the contradiction of any other The first part of his undertaking we shall for brevities sake omit and because it may be judged not fully Argumentative to the point in hand For it is not to be doubted will some say but that some of these cast-away Jews might belong to the Election of Grace as well as the Gentiles and therefore may in all ages be converted to the Faith as the Apostle himself was That therefore which we have to say shall be derived from the second wherein we shall prove as undeniably that the whole Nation shall in Gods due time be made happy in this Conversion also First then observe with what Authority the Apostle makes known his minde not nakedly asserting his judgement but like an Apostle indeed prefixeth his ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereunto So he did at first when he entred upon this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say then so doth he now again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say then Thus Dictator-like as became him he pronounceth his Sentence tanquam ex Cathedrâ whereby he not onely gives a further Explanation of his meaning but adviseth all sorts of people his Advice here being equivalent with a Command to acquiesce in his saying and to subcribe unto him But what is it that he saith First he puts the Question Have they stumbled that they should fall that is per Synechdochen that they should fall finally Or as Saint Chrysostome glosseth upon it Is their fall so great that it is irrecoverable The Answer hereunto follows not by a bare Negation but as abhorring such a thought in himself or in any other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as to say That be farre from you once to imagine as it is from me so to determine And now if the Apostle had said no more this verily had been enough to stop the mouth of all contradiction For who is he that dares utter a word in opposition to the Apostles saying But that the Gentiles might not think more highly of themselves nor more disdainfully of the Jews then they ought to think behold how his heart is enlarged for his brethren his kinsmen accoding to the flesh as he calls them Rom. 9.3 Shewing first in that which we are willing to pass by the Possibility of their Reception secondly the Probability of it thirdly the Certainty The Possibility as I have said he had insisted upon before in the beginning of
his own and his own c. John 1.14 The word was made flesh c. Acts 1.6 When they therefore were come together c. Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times c. Rom. 8.19 For the earnest expectation of the Creature c. Rom. 8.20 For the creature was made subject to vanity c. Rom. 8.21 Because the creature also it self shall be delivered c. Rom. 8.22 For we know that the whole Creation groaneth c. Rom. 8.29 The first-born among many Brethren c. Rom. 11.25 Blindness in part is hapned to Israel until c. Rom. 11.26 And so all Israel shall be saved c. Rom. 11.27 For this is my Covenant with them when c. Gal. 4.5 To redeem them that were under the Law that we c. Col. 1.15 Who is the Image of the invisible God c. 1 Tim. 2.5 For there is one God and one Mediatour c. Tit. 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Crete c. Tit. 1.7 For a Bishop must be blameless c. 1 Pet. 4.17 For the time is come that judgement must begin c. 1 Pet. 4.18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved c. Rev. 1.11 I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last c. The Interpretation of these Texts of Scripture Gentle Reader as they are rendred in this Treatise I do leave unto thy most serious consideration Not but that there are besides these sundry Expositions of other places of Scripture here also given that are not usual yet nevertheless may well be conceived to be according to truth without condemning those that have been commonly received These likewise you will meet with as you go along in your reading and will require your most ponderous meditations Onely I do desire that when you meet with an interpretation of the Holy Scripture which may seem somewhat strange unto you not to be hasty in passing censure upon it till you have found the whole discourse about it to be fully finished Again it will perhaps be objected unto me by some that I do here take but a slight occasion to be very large and vehement in maintaining the honour of our Church against her Adversaries by justifying the Order which she observeth in the Publick Worship of God and Ecclesiastical Government Whereto it may well be answered Is there not a cause When not onely the Church which is our Mother the most eminent Pillar and Stay of Divine Truth hath been miserably rent and torn by Schismes and Divisions but our Lord Jesus Christ himself also was very much dishonoured thereby being made by a sort of wretched people the very Authour and Fautor of their Divisions as if he had not been and were not still to be to his poor Church what the Text here insisted upon proclaims him to be viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same Cause enough then there is for every true Son of the Church to spend his Zeal in this Contrast upon all occasions and to marke them as the Apostle adviseth who cause these Divisions and Offences that they may be avoyded It must be confessed the late Schisme while it grew more and more prevalent in this Kingdome till it pleased God to reduce us to our pristine order by a merciful providence never to be forgotten did bring us especially of the Ministery into such a low despondency and pusillanimity of spirit that we had almost lost that Christian Valour yea and English courage pro aris focis for which our Church and Nation have in times before us been so much renowned But since the Lord God hath spoken who can but prophecy when deliverance hath been sent unto us by the out-stretched arm of an Almighty Power who can forbear to rejoyce in it And when God hath shewed us our Errour in suffering our selves to be deluded by a spirit of seduction who can but lament his back-slidings and appeare with his utmost strength in the vindication of that Truth and Church which have been so treacherously forsaken For my own part I do here in the truth and uprightness of my heart solemnly protest before God and men as I have been ashamed of my credulity in giving heed for some time to the cunning insinuations of those who pretended they were for the cause of God but were found Lyars so now though possibly it may be said of me as it was of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 10.10 that my bodyly presence is weak and my speech contemptible and therefore it is but little that can be expected from me that may be for the advantage of the Church in any kinde all which I will not deny yet I do and must account it my duty with that little strength that I have to endeavour what I can by all wayes and means the undeceiving of those poor seduced people who being bewitched with the like sorceries do yet continue in their perverseness against the Lord and against his Anointed What else should I do after so woful a defection that hath been among us when to my apprehension I hear often the word of our Saviour to his Apostle Saint Peter sounding in mine eares Luk. 22.32 tu conversus confirma fratres when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Let no man therefore blame me for my forwardness and vehemency in this matter upon any occasion for I cannot but speak the things which I have seen and heard as the same Apostle also said yea let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth and my right hand forget her skill how poor and slender soever it be if my tongue and pen both be not now ready for the Churches service to fill up the acclamation at the setting on the Head-stone of this great Work of Omnipotency in the re-establishment of Order among us both in point of Divine Worship and of Civil and Ecclesiastical Government with Grace Grace unto it Lastly I should now also be loth to be so far mistaken as that by giving new experiments of rendring the sense of Scripture otherwise then it hath been generally taken I should thereby incline to favour that upstart Sect of holders-forth of new Lights and new Truths against whom I have alwayes protested my dislike with much loathing and abhorrency and do still account of them no better then the smoke that comes out of the bottomless pit which would in time darken the light of the Gospel as much as the foggy mists of Popery ever did where it prevaileth Deplorable is their estate and accursed be their attempts whosoever they are that set up any of their pretended Lights in competition with the Holy Scripture and are not contented with that truth which hath already been revealed to the Church in those things that are necessary to salvation The bed of divine truth is green all the year long Cant. 1.16 no filthy weeds of spotted Errour so much as once appearing therein nor no room at all to be found
time of the Old Testament with all the legal Ordinances attending upon it is a day that is set and expired being yesterday and therefore not to be brought into our account neither are we to walk in the light of it p. 118. Proved by sundry instances ibid. Whereupon followeth The conviction of those who in this day will grope after the obscure light of yesterday these are First the Jews p. 121. Secondly they that seek to be justified by the works of the law p. 126. Thirdly the Papists p. 128. Fourthly they that now-a-days pretend to Oracles and wait for Miracles p. 129. Where is to be seen What we are to judge of the pretended Visions and Revelations of these times ibid. And what Miracles are now to be regarded in the time of the Gospel p. 132. A second Doctrine propounded viz. Jesus Christ was the Saviour of his Church in the time of the Old Testament even as nâ—w in the time of the New p. 134. Proved ibid. A Question resolved How Christ could be a Saviour before he was in a capacity to suffer death by taking our nature upon him for the expiation of sin p. 135. Jesus Christ was a Prophet from the beginning p. 136. Jesus Christ was a King from the beginning p. 138. Jesus Christ was a Priest from the beginning p. 149. A difference observed in respect of the dispensation and manifestation of Christ to the Fathers and us p. 155. Examples of sundry of the Fathers believing in Christ Adam Abraham Job Daniel c. p. 156. Moses's intercourse with Jesus Christ upon the Mount p. 159. Whereupon followeth 1. An exhortation to the Jews to look unto Jesus p. 164. 2. A warning to take heed of despising the ages before us p 166. 3. Our religion proved to be the onely true Religion p. 169. 4. The Limbus Patrum of the Church of Rome proved to be an absurd forgery p. 170. 5. To hold that the object of the faith of the Patriarchs of old was not Jesus Christ is a gross errour p. 175. 6. And as gross is it to maintain that we are not now justified by the Object but by the Act of Faith p. 176. Of the second course or computation of time viz. To day Wherein first this Doctrine is propounded viz. The time of the Gospel is a time of light p. 180. It is a true light p. 181. It is a great light ibid. It is a marvellous light ibid. It is an invincible light p. 182. Whereupon follow The duties of those who are the children of this day 1. To rejoyce and be glad in it p. 184. An Objection But this day is a day of trouble of rebuke and blasphemy p. 186. Answered ibid. 2. To let the light of this day shine in upon their souls p. 188. A Question put viz. What is this light p. 189. Answered 1. It is the light of Life ibid. 2. It is the light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ p. 190. 3. It is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God ibid. 3. To walk in this light p. 191. A two-fold walk 1. Walk in the Commandments of the Lord ibid. Motives hereunto 1. It is the great design of Almighty God this day to save his people from their sins p. 192. 2. We are to walk worthy of our calling p. 194. 3. Consider the length of our way p. 195. 4. This day will have an end p. 196. 2. Walk in the Ordinances of the Lord p. 199. Let then the world be awakened that lyeth asleep in the darkness of sin and ignorance p. 202. Let the Ignorant be roused p. 202. Let the profance be alarum'd p. 203. A Question put viz. How cometh it to passe that wo and misery falls so inevitably upon profane people this day p. 207. Answered 1. The sin of such persons is found out by the light of this day ibid. 2. Their sin doth finde out them p. 208. Application p. 209. Another Doctrine propounded viz. Jesus Christ is the Same to his Church now in the time of the Gospel which he was before under the Law p. 212. Proved by Scripture p. 213. An Objection But we see there is a change to day from what was yesterday in the form of Divine worship How then can Jesus Christ be the Same p. 215. Answered ibid. Inferences thereupon First the Imputations of Novelty upon those Churches which adhere to this foundation charged on them by the Church of Rome cannot be just p. 217. The said Imputations justly retoried upon the Romish Church ibid. Secondly an Exhortation to let the same minde be in us which was in Christ Jesus that is to be the Same in things pertaining to God p. 220. An Application hereof to us of this nation with a free and plain discovery of our late inconstancy p. 222. An Objection Shall we then be the Same which we have been in profaneness and superstition p. 227. Answer God forbid ibid. 1. The bad Old Cause did not preserve us from either p. 228. 2. The League and Covenant though contrived to strengthen the said Cause yet as it was illegal in it self so was it treacherously carried on p. 229. It is objected But is there not a return to Superstition when the Lyturgie Ceremonies and Episcopacy are restored p. 233. It is answered ibid. Where 1. The Lyturgie and Ceremonies are vindicated p. 234. Particularly 1. Our bowing at the name of Jesus p. 235. 2. Our bowing at our entrance into and departure from the Congregation p. 236. 3. Our Lyturgie and Ceremonies are acknowledged to be a will-worship which is plainly manifested to be in some respects lawful p. 238. But that they are extracted from Romish Missals is a slanderous untruth p. 242. 2. Episcopacy is clearly proved by the Scripture to be of Divine Right Sensu Primario p. 248. An Exhortation to the Jews p. 262. Matter of rejoycing to the Gentiles p. 268. An Application hereof to our own Nation p. 270. A serious Expostulation with Anabaptists ibid. Of the third course or computation of Time viz. For ever p. 273. A Doctrine propounded In the midst of the various changes and chances that may come upon the Church to the end of the world Jesus Christ will be unto it still the Same Ibid. Proved by Scripture p 274. Inferences from hence 1. Assurance may be had of the Churches perpetuity p. 275. 2. A remedy to cure the sad distempers of our Church about Order and Church-Government p. 276. 3. An Exhortation and Christian Advice given to those who pretend they cannot for conscience sake submit to Church-Government by Bishops p. 277. 4. Comfort to all who live goldy in Christ Jesus both in respect of themselves and their posterity p. 281. Another Doctrine propounded viz. Jesus Christ will be the Same unto his Church in her Triumphant and Glorious estate in heaven unto all Eternity p. 282. Wherein first The full sense is given of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 283. Secondly how
darkness are set about the Pavilion of God Ps 18.11 he therefore that presseth to it will lose himself for ever We read indeed of his out-goings that have been from everlasting that is as is conceived his eternal Generation Mich. 5.2 together with his Purposes and Decrees which should in time be accomplished but for his in-goings with the Father and the Holy Ghost they are laid up with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Revestries of Eternity the knowledge whereof is infinitely beyond the reach of any Creature It is fit for us to be contented with what Christ himself hath been pleased to declare concerning this secret As that he was his Fathers delight Diè Diè in all those daies of Eternity rejoycing alwaies before him Pro. 8.30 31. John 17.5 in that excellent Glory which he saith He had with him before the world began But if vain man who is born like a wild Asses colt will be wise above what is written enquiring what Christ did yesterday before the Creation he must be answered with that saying of old He prepared Hell for such bold Intruders who will so audaciously busie themselves in searching into the secret and eternal Counsels of the most High Yet notwithstanding albeit in this sense we are not of Yesterday and therefore neither can nor ought to know any thing this Doctrine may instruct us concerning Jesus Christ that though he took upon him our Nature yet he continued still to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same what he was from Eternity Quod erat permansit quod non erat assumpsit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He ceased not to be what he was and what he was not he assumed Thou art the same saith David speaking of Christ Ps 102.27 as appears Heb. 1.12 and thy years viz. of thy Wisdom thy Power and other thy glorious Attributes as well as of thy life have no end but indure throughout all Generations Though the Heavens shall be changed and wax old like a Garment and the faithful Witness that is therein shall witness to all that all things in this world are unfaithful yea though Christ himself who in the fulness of Eternity dwelt in that Light that is inaccessible was in the fulness of time made flesh and dwelt among us yet he was still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same God manifested in the flesh but continuing notwithstanding to be God still This was the Weapon wherewith the Orthodox of old did strike through the loins of the Arians Verbum caro factum est sed non mutatum The Son of God was made flesh but not changed into it and they gave it an edge from this very Text which we are now upon Cent. 4. cap. 5. Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever True it is Phil. 2.7 he emptied himself as the Apostle speaks Phil. 2.7 for so the word there sâ—gnifies and that secundum Deitatem too in respect of his Godhead But what emptying was this Not a total devesting himself of his Eternal Power and Godhead for then he had not been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same but the meaning is as the word is well rendred in our Bibles He made himself of no reputation That is as it follows He took upon him the form of a servant which form of a Servant could not surely obliterate the form of God Non depositâ sed sepositâ Majestate as one saith well not by cancelling or laying away but as it were by concealing or laying aside for a time the most glorious appearance of his Divine Majesty In a word the Godhead in Christ was not laid aside at his Incarnation considered as it is in it self common to the three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an approved distinction among the Learned by a gratious dispensation in that he was pleased to condescend so low as to assume our Nature and to joyn it unto his yet not confounding the properties of either and therefore he still abideth immutably the same even as a Prince when he marrieth a poor Beggar may in a sense be said to make himself of no reputation and to have no regard to his great Dignity though nevertheless he continue still in the same state wherein he was before Athanasius gives the reason very clearly Corpus non vim habuit absolvendae Divinae Hypostasâ—os The body which was ordained for Christ was not able to dissolve his Divine Subsistence Now therefore because he made himself of no reputation should we make light account of him God forbid when we consider his Birth here in this world how poor and homely let us withal remember his Eternal Generation how Glorious and Divine When we look upon his poor Mother a despised Woman though indeed the glory and flower of her Sex let us then also think upon his Eternal Father the God of Glory when we see him rejected by men in a worse condition for house-room in the world then the Foxes of the earth and the Fowls of the air let not our Lord thereupon be despised in our eyes but call to mind how he inhabiteth Eternity is in the bosom of the Father upholding all things by the word of his Power and all the Angels of God worshipping him And thus are we faln upon the second Result that ariseth out of this everlasting Truth considering it with a reference unto the people of God Whose duty it is upon the account of Christs Eternity and Immutability to give unto him the glory due unto his Name And how can we indeed do otherwise John 1.14 When we see his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Son of God When we find by comfortable experience upon our Souls the blessed effects of his eternal and immutable Wisdom Power Goodness how can we choose but say Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord Es 25.9 we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Yea this is our faith and confidence and hope and triumph here alone we will fix and here alone we desire to be found to be found in Life to be found in Death and to be found after Death For whither else should we go With him are the Words and with him are the Works of eternal life Such a Saviour it behoved us to have and such a Saviour he hath approved himself to be who did not only begin but throughly accomplish our Deliverance The pleasure desire and purpose of the Lord hath prospered in his hand Es 53.10 And the salvation of his people hath been a salvation to the uttermost So that we may say with Moses He is the Rock and his work is perfect Deut. 32.4 Give unto him then the Glory due unto his Name And if it be demanded how it should be done as it is fit indeed we should be still inquisitive after it
I answer 1. In worshipping him with Divine Adoration 2. In a zealous appearance for him against his Enemies 3. In a ready hearkning to the Voice of his Word First We must yield unto him Divine Honour putting no difference in that respect between him and the Father for as the Father hath sworn that unto him every knee shall bow Es 45.23 Es 45.23 Phil. 2.10 So must every knee bow in like manner to the Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 2.10 Neither did Christ who was ever zealous for his Fathers glory ever refuse this Divine Honour when it was given unto him He never said as the Angel See thou do it not Rev. 19.10 But approved Rev. 19.10 commended blessed those that did it as we might instance in the Leper Mat. 8.2 The Ruler Mat. 9.18 The blind man John 9.38 His Disciples Mat. 28.17 and many more If it had not been his due what a derogation had these things been unto his Fathers Honour for which he had been justly liable to his displeasure even as Herod was when he took unto himself the glory due unto God But Jesus Christ is the same with the Father yesterday to day and for ever And therefore is to have the same honour ascribed unto him Heb 1 6. Let then all the Angels of God worship him and let men of what rank soever bow the knee Abrech John 5.23 and cry before him Tender Father for this is the will of God that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father I shall conclude this Branch of my Exhortation with a remarkable Story very well known and very pertinent to our purpose confirmed by the concurrent Testimony of many Writers of great and eminent fame in the Church of God In the Reign of Theodosius there was a Toleration granted to the Arians giving them liberty free from any molestation not prohibiting them to argue publickly against the Godhead of Christ insomuch that they grew thereupon extremely impudent venting their Blasphemy to the great dishonour of the Lord Jesus Christ neither could any man prevail with the Emperour to retract that Toleration which he had with too much indulgence granted unto them At length one Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium a holy man not being able to endure the dishonour that was so frequently done unto Jesus Christ was willing to expose himself to a great hazard for his sake Entring therefore into the Court with some other Bishops and seeing the Emperour and his son Arcadius whom he lately created Joynt-Emperour standing together he did very low obeysance to the Father but none at all to the Son Theodosius imagining the omission of Reverence towards his Son to proceed rather from simplicity and ignorance then from any wilful neglect of the Bishop adviseth him to salute his Son also as became his Imperial Dignity Amphilochius answered boldly in these words Satis est quod honorem ipsi habitisset It was enough that he had given him that honour which he did and withal coming up close to the Son in a familiar manner he stroaketh him on the head saying Salve mi Fili God save you my Child Whereupon the old Emperour being much displeased gave commandment that the Bishop should be punished severely for his insolency which being ready to be executed he having now obtained what he expected very freely speaketh forth his mind in this manner Siccine O Imperator tam graviter fers contemptum filii tui Revocat tibi in mentem quaeso odisse Deumcos qui honoris aliquid adimerent unigenito Filio suo c. Is thy rage O Emperour so great against me for not regarding thy Son Remember I beseech thee that they are odious unto God whosoever they be that take away from his only begotten Son the glory that is due unto him c. The Emperour upon these words bethinking himself better acknowledged his fault to the Bishop and asks him forgiveness immediately issuing forth an Edict against Arianism whereby all whosoever they were that were found guilty of that Heresie were brought to a condign punishment A memorable example in which we may see how Divine Providence hath in those elder times wrought in the hearts of men a reverend awe of the Lord Jesus Christ when possibly convictions from the holy Scriptures through the prevalency of carnal compliancies could not be regarded Which example let it lead the way also to our second particular of giving unto Christ his due honour viz. By a zealous appearance for him against his Enemies who in these our daies lay violent hands upon his Glory cursed Hereticks I mean professing open Hostility against the Lord Jesus seeking by all means they possibly can to snatch his Crown from off his head by undermining the very Foundation of his Honour that is his Divine Nature And surely too many there are of that pestilent Brood in these times of Errour and Vanity an evil Spirit wanders about not only in our Nation but in other parts of the world pretending to Holiness yet doubtless an Emissary sent from the Prince of Darkness that beguileth unstable Souls by infusing into them a lower esteem of Jesus Christ then hath been commonly held up amongst the people of God to the end that this diminution of his Glory might in time bring on with it an annihilation also of his Merit Numine sordidius nihil est cum siditâ—n Imum for as the powers of the Earth when they are brought low are trampled upon and made very despicable so will it certainly be with the Dignity and Honour of the Lord Jesus if it be brought down to the dust there it will be buried and come to nothing It doth therefore highly concern all the faithful people of God to appear in this Quarrel and notwithstanding all the glossing insinuations and pretensions of men willing to be deceived who as they are themselves of a lukewarm indifferency in many points of Religion so they would perswade all others to a sinful silence with them yet doth it I say behove all that truly love the Lord Jesus Christ to proclaim and maintain an irreconcilable War with all those whosoever they be that march under the Banner of that evil Spirit against him And to afford some help herein let us a little sound the depths of Satan to the end that we may lay open some of the stratagems of Hell which have been of late contrived and acted against the Lord Christ and his Glory Two waies it is clear doth this Spirit work to bring about this mischievous Design First By raising up men beyond their due 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their proper Sphere making them equals with Christ and Competitours with him in Glory Secondly By bringing down the Lord Jesus the Lord of Glory from the Throne of his Majesty making him nothing else but a poor Compeer with the sons of men As to the first of these consider what a fearful delusion that is which haunteth some
as if he could not have been perfect without his Creatures for he was from all Eternity ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficiently pleased with his own Perfection but willing he was that other things might have a Being to the end he might communicate his Goodness unto them And as he began this Work for that end so he continued still the same for his Goodness extended over all the World He is good unto all saith David and his tender mercies are ever all his works Ps 145.9 Psal 145. His Power in like manner was the same from first to last without Diminution or Augmentation without weariness or fainting he rested not that is He ceased not till he had finished all and then pleased himself upon the Sabbath-day rejoycing in all the Works that he had made And now to sum up this whole matter Jesus Christ we see is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same in the work of Creation First The same with the Father in that eternal Counsel and Decree from whence all things had their first Rise and Original Secondly The same with the Father in the execution of that Decree framing and fashioning every Creature in his Rank placing them all in their several Stations exactly according to the primary Pattern and Tenour of that Decree Thirdly The same without any Coadjutour in the mighty Work that he undertook his own and only Omnipotent Fiat gave a Being to the World and all the parts of it without which they had never been Finally The same from first to last without any variableness or shadow of turning exercising his Divine Wisdom Goodness and Power throughout the whole Creation Many are the Inferences that might be derived from this Consideration but we shall not extend our Discourse beyond the due boundary of the Text Only somewhat we will observe that may be for further edification First then this Doctrine may lead us to a further knowledge of our Lord and great Redeemer JESUS CHRIST for saith the Apostle Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead Walk we therefore about this Creation go round about it tell the parts thereof mark well the beauty of the Frame the admirable Order of this great and goodly Fabrick consider the several Palaces that are set therein for Angels for Men and the various lustre which the Lights do transmit there being one glory of the Sun another of the Moon and another glory of the Stars that we may know it for our selves and tell it to the Generations following that Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised his Greatness is unsearchable Ps 145.3 It is indeed unto all the faithful people of God whose hearts are raised up to a spiritual elevation a most pleasing kind of Geography as a reverend Bishop of our Church calls it in this large Map of the created World Bishop of Chi. in the Celestial and Terrestrial Globe to contemplate the Creatour for the works of the Lord are great saith the Psalmist sought out by all them that have pleasure therein Ps 111.2 But when in their search they happen to light upon the soot-steps of the Creatour by the whisperings of his Spirit which is very frequent and common unto them O what an incomparable pleasure is it then to pursue the Tract Hos 6.3 and to follow on to know the Lord So doth the Psalmist in the fore-cited place His work saith he is honourable and glorious Ps 111.3 and then followeth His righteousness endureth for ever Which way of Divine Speculation through the Creatures whereby we may ascend in our Meditations above every name that is named Ps 83.19 to the knowledge of him whose Name alone is Jehovah hath God himself caught us As when he instructed Job and would convince him of his rashness and folly in his peremptory Argutations making him also sensible of his own Almighty Power he brings the work of his Creation into remembrance before him Job 38 39 40 41. viz. Things in Heaven things in Earth and things in the Deep When we shall now therefore consider the Heavens not only this lower Heaven which in some sense may be called our Heaven wherein we and other poor mortal Creatures do breath which we may feel with our hands and wherein the Arm of the most High is many times stretched forth in mighty Winds and roaring Thunders and blazing Comets able to make the very Pillars of the World to tremble yea and to cool the courage and daunt the Spirits of all Atheistical Caligula's But those above especially which we see with our eyes at a greater distance so great that it is a wonder saith a Contemplative Divine we can look up to so admirable a height Bishop Hall and that the very eye is not tired in the way ascribed unto God by David as his Peculiar with this distinguishing term of Appropriation Ps 8.3 Thy Heavens Psal 8.3 Those which are the curious and exquisite Master-pieces of God's fingers Amos 9.6 for there saith the Prophet hath he built his Stories that is his Spheres or Ascentions from the Moon which is the lowest to the Stars which is the highest that can be discerned by men on Earth in which regard it may be though it be commonly taken for David's Night-meditation these two are only mentioned Ps 8.3 comprizing all the rest When we consider further the wonders of God in the Deep wherein saith the Psalmist Ps 104 25 26. are things creeping innumerable both small and great Beasts There go the Ships those moving Islands which bring the several Nations of the World into acquaintance one with another which suck the abundance of the Seas Deut. 33.19 Es 23.3 and Treasures hid in the Sand which reap the Harvest of the Water far surpassing the harvest of the Ground the artificiallest Wonder that ever was framed There goeth that Leviathan the wonder of that Nature the King over all the children of Pride made to play therein Job 41. whose wonderful parts and comely proportion is admirably described by the Tongue of the Learned Bishop King upon Jonas even the learnedst Tongue that the Holy Ghost had as one skilful in Scripture-learning sweetly expresseth it Yea there are the goings of the great God himself whose Name is Wonderful for the Sea is his and he made it Ps 95.5 and his Spirit still moveth upon these waters as it did formerly For as a King he sitteth upon the Water-floods saith the Psalm his power and providence walking constantly in state upon the Surface of them Ps 29.10 And though the proud Waves do rage that the very Mountains shake at the swelling thereof because they are stinted in their Current Job 38.10 11. Ps 104.9 and cannot with a full carrere turn again to cover the Earth yet he still keeps them under
the derogation of Christs Honour We will call no man King upon Earth as we are to call no man Father or Master because one is our King Father Master in Heaven that is Christ Mat. 23.9 10. Mat. 23.9 10 Sed appellamus Christum We appeal notwithstanding unto Christ himself whether that be to be judged any encroachment upon his Natural Sovereignty or if they will any Diminution of his Donative Power which is according to his own appointment in a way of subordination unto him And such is that Magistracy and Government which hath been is and I doubt not what ever Phantasticks do dream but shall be in the world over men unto the end of the world Had this absurd Paralogism against Magistracy been vented by the professed enemies of Jesus Christ it had been no strange thing but it may well be accounted the first-born of wonder and astonishment that people pretending to knowledge piety zeal and who are said in some measure to order their Conversations according to such pretensions yet should suffer themselves to be so strongly deluded as to disclaim the present dispensation of Christs power in governing the world which is concordant with what is written and to wait for another which is not clearly revealed yea which is utterly inconsistent with the safety of mankind Admit though Magistracy be in respect of it form 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a humane Creature nay I will say more Though it may be in respect of the abuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a devillish Creature yet it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Lord. 1 Pet 2.13 Rom. 13.4 The Magistrate of what form soever he be hath his Commission from Heaven He is the Minister of God saith the Apostle to thee for good And as Jeheshaphat spake of Judges so may we say of all in Authority They Judge not at least they ought not to judge pro arbitrio or pro populo 2 Chron. 19 6. either to please themselves or the people but for God that is they are in Gods stead Vices Domini Gerentes as Junius glosseth it Gods Vicegerents doing his work representing his person and executing what he himself commands Now though this that hath been said might be sufficient to stop the mouth of this Cavil and put to silence the ignorance of those that will insist upon it yet since this matter of Civil Government is of so great Import that the Honour of the Lord Jesus Christ himself as he is the Creatour and Governour of the world together with the preservation of the peace safety and prosperity of all Mankind is interwoven therein And seeing there are risen up in these times a sort of people who under a pretense of making way for a fifth Monarchy as they call it despise Dominion and speak evil of Dignities and in regard that the Constitution and Conservation of Government amongst men is a most eminent product and Emanation of that Divine providence that ruleth and guideth all things I shall upon this occasion of giving an answer to the said Objection without any impertinent or unprofitable Deviation from the matter in hand demonstrate at large the undoubted verity of this following Proposition Viz. Government is an Ordinance of Divine Appointment Proposition made to be subservient unto Christ in his great work of Preservation and for that end to be continued so long as the world endures True it is as Mediatour Christ hath this Paramount Authority and in that regard all Government in the world is subordinate unto him But it is as true this supremacy in the ordering of the world is more eminently in him as he gave a Being to all things And therefore they that would take away Magistracy and Government among men which we shall prove Ab Origine to be of his own Institution do more especially sin against the Godhead of Christ This being premised let us proceed And for our more orderly handling of this Proposition let us consider it in the several parts thereof which are three 1. Government is an Ordinance of Divine Appointment 2. It is ordained to be subservient unto Christ 3. Christ will have this subservient Order to be continued to the end of the world First That Government is an Ordinance of Divine Appointment 1. Branch is testified both by the written and unwritten word of God that is by Scripture and Nature The holy Scripture doth give abundant witness hereunto Not to multiply places consider we that of Prov. 8.15.16 where Wisdom that is Christ uttereth his voice in this manner Pro. 8.15 16. By me do Kings reign and Princes decree Justice by me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth From Christ then it is that they have their power so that they may say It is he that hath made us and not we our selves he and not others no not the people for it is not in the peoples choice whether they will have Government or no no more then it is in their choice whether they will make use of their ordinary food for their preservation Again It is an Ordinance of God saith the Apostle Rom. 13.1 2. Rom. 13.2 And there is no power but of God V. 1. where we are to know that to be of God in the Apostles sense must not import as some will have it a meerly permissive Counsel or providence but a divine Approbation Authorization and Vocation otherwise the Apostle had said no more for Magistrates in this Charter then the Scripture elsewhere saith of Plagues Famines and other judgments yea of the sins of men which in the first and larger sense are said to be of God too 2 Sam. 24.1 2 Chr. 25.20 Add hereunto those honourary Titles which the Holy Ghost gives unto Magistrates calling them Gods Ex. 22.28 Ps 82.1.6 John 10.34 35. Angels of God 2 Sam. 14.17 2 Sam. 19.27 Ministers of God Rom. 13.4 Nursing fathers c. of the Church Es 49.23 Saviours Judg. 3.9 Neh. 9.27 The shields of the earth Ps 47.9 c. c. All which do plainly argue a divine Authorization and Approbation of Magistracy and that the Office Order Institute of it is of God Besides this testimony of Scripture Nature doth likewise witness the same unto us For even that also is a Teacher sent of God 1 Cor. 11.14 therefore the teachings thereof are not to be sleighted Doth not Nature it self teach us that Government and Order in the world are appointed by God himself being observed by the Creatures without the imposition of any written Law For we find not only men yea even the most barbarous among men to have this Principle engraven upon their Spirits That a people without government are in the ready way to ruine and therefore do in their practice with one consent and with much complacency submit themselves thereunto but even the glorious Angels above us and those Creatures below us are not nor ever were without Order Order being as
the Philosopher saith most truly the very Soul of the World without which it would be nothing but a deformed Lump no more active to the glory of the Creatour then a dead body is to any vital operations The Angels are called the Heavenly Host which implies that there are Degrees amongst them Luke 2.13 for we know if Order be withdrawn from an Army it hath no good composition And if there be Order among the reprobate Angels much more surely is there among the Elect. Mat. 12.24 26 27. Mat. 25 41 The Creatures likewise in their kind exercise Authority and have their Superiours and Inferiours in every several Species even upon this account Nature teaching every thing to seek its own preservation If we search into the Deep Hab. 1.14 though the Fishes there have no Ruler that is as may be conceived Humane as the Creatures on Earth have we shall find among the Inhabitants there a Leviathan as being the Prince of the rest of whose parts and power and comely proportion implying his excellency and superiority above others we may read at large Job 41. If we survey the Earth we may see the Lion which is the strongest among Beasts and turneth not away for any Pro. 30.30 to have obtained the preheminence majesty sitting enthroned in his very looks and when he roars all the Beasts of the Forrest do tremble Behold the princely Eagle making his Nest on high Ales Jovis for quickness of sight and swiftness of wing and nobleness of nature advanced above other Birds Yea the Cranes Birds of a subordinate feather as the natural Historians writes of them choose out among themselves a Leader whom they use constantly to follow Even among Trees hath Nature put a kind of order some by a sympathy flourishing most when they are contiguous others by an antipathy not prospering at all when they are planted together some not enduring to stand under the shadow of others as being contrary to that order which was at first prescribed unto them Annosae Quercus The ancient Druides c. great Admirers of the Oak and others choosing to thrive best under the shadow of their Superiours Amongst them all the Royal Oak hath most right to the Precedency for largeness strength and long continuance But especially to instance in the Bees who though they may seem to be but almost the shadow rather then the substance of a very small living Creature so Pliny calls them yet may be exemplary to the world both in their order and industry Of them we may say inverting the words spoken of the Locusts Pro. 30.27 They have a King and go forth all of them by bands to whom they yield a most exact obedience It hath been observed by experience that if by his voice he bids them go they immediately swarm if being abroad he dislike the weather or lighting-place they quickly return home again while he cheereth them to the battel they fight when he soundeth a Retreat they retire into their Castle while he is well Rege mortuo maret Plebs non Cibos con vehit non procedit Tristi tantum murmure Glomeratur circa corpas ejus they are cheerfull about their work if he droop and die they will never after enjoy their home but either languish there until they be dead with him or else yielding themselves to the Robbers fly away with them In their work every one hath his office some trimming the Honey some working the Wax divers watching at the Gates to keep out enemies others correcting the Drones some hew others polish and that so artificially that as one saith Daedalus could not with greater art or excellency better dispose the orders measures proportions distinctions joynts and circles In the night they take their rest and when the day is sprung Noctu quiâ—s in matutinum donec una excitat gemino ant Triplies Bombo ut Buccino aliquo Pliny they have an Officer to call them up with humming twice or thrice as with the sound of a Trumpet All this and much more doth Pliny in his Natural History report of these little Birds We may then go to the Bees consider their waies and be wise in this particular viz. That God hath appointed government and order to be amongst his Creatures for their preservation But I have gone too far with this admirable Creature though indeed such is the excellency and sweetness of it that if a man undertook to go with it a mile I cannot see how he could choose but he must go with it twain A Digression I confess but I hope no transgression unless it be in transcribing a little of what some Authours have written and possibly somewhat out of their own experience and observation To return therefore from whence we have digressed if both Scripture and Nature which I call the written and unwritten Word of God do so clearly dictate unto us that Government and publick Authority is an Ordinance of Divine Appointment men had best beware how they trample upon it least they be found fighters against God Yea we may moreover from hence also infer that that form of Government which is most honourable ought to be best esteemed and chiefly desired by men to be set up over them even upon this account that the Ordinance of God might have its due lustre and that the Divine Wisdom in the establishment thereof might be the more magnified before the Sons of men Meet it is that God should be honoured with the best as the purest Oyl the finest I lower the fattest Cattel were of old the fittest for God So in like manner is the best Magistracy And if the Powers that be are not only ordained of God but are his Representatives also to the people as undoubtedly they are then surely that which is the highest and most honourable is the most proper representation of his glorious Majesty that can be of that nature in the World The Regal Power is without all question the most eminent in the World yea it is so in the account of the Holy Ghost himself for when the Lord in the 16 of Ezekiel had reckoned up many blessings wherewith he had enriched his people which though they may carry in them a spiritual sense yet they do withal plainly express that outward splendour and dignity which they had among other Nations at length he brings in that which he judg'd to be the height of their glory in these words Ezek. 16.13 And thou didst prosper into a Kingdom Implying that beyond this they could not aspire neither had he himself ordained for a people upon earth any higher honour Add unto this that Promise which God made unto Abraham viz. That there should be Kings of his Race Gen. 17.6 which no sober minded man will deny but that it was intended for him as one of the greatest temporal blessings that he could be capable of Briefly to insist upon no more because this Point
hath of late been sufficiently cleared by others Mr. Prinn c. Is not the Lord Jesus Christ called the Prince of the Kings of the Earth as being his honour to have those that are of the highest estimation to be Subjects unto him Which being so it should be the desire and ambition of all the people in the world to be ruled by those persons who are entituled to this subjective Regality And when Divine Providence shall with a strong hand and a stretched-out Arm lead them unto it as it hath done us here in this Kingdom and the Nations of our Vicinity for many Generations it will certainly be their sin if they should not submit cheerfully unto it as it was the sin of the people of Israel when they out of a diffidence of Gods care and protection of them and out of an Apish imitation of other Nations would in an unseasonable preposterous and tumultuous manner be catching at it And now all this considered how can a people with any serenity of Conscience profess Godliness and yet speak reproachfully of the Kingly Office yea account it Antichristian as some have done proclaiming open Hostility against it Were it indeed Heterogeneous to the Divine Ordinance of Civil Government or incongruous to the times of the Gospel or prejudicial to the interest of the Saints as it is said to be or an impeachment in the least degree to the Dignity and Prerogative Royal of the Lord Jesus Christ himself either in respect of his Natural or of his Donative Kingdom such persons might proceed upon warrantable grounds to proclaim their dislike in that kind But it may now appear to all the World that the clamour which is raised against Regal Power upon any of these before-named accounts is altogether causeless and of no moment It will not be expedient here to examine them severally for in so doing we should make too large a digression haply we shall meet with them obiter in our way wherein the inadvertency or to say truly the Seditious frowardness rather then the godly zeal of the Authors and Abettors of these Complaints will be made manifest unto all men In the mean time I cannot but protest against that pernicious Paradox which hath been vented by a leading Divine as he was accounted in these late times of Errour and Rebellion amongst us J. O. who in a Sermon preached at S. Margarets Westminster and afterwards Printed saith thus The Lord had of old erected a Kingly Government in the House of David not for any eminency in the Government it self or for the Civil Advantage of that people but that it might be a Type of the Spiritual Dominion of the Messiah and so was a part of their Paedagogy and Bondage as was the residue of their Types every one of them and consequently this form of Government not to be of any use in the time of the Gospel Were this true we then who are now of the Church of God as that people were before us acknowledging this Messiah to be come according to the Promise may indeed have just cause to say of that kind of Government as the Apostle doth of Circumcision If we should allow of it Christ shall profit us nothing the substance being come what should the shadow of a King do unto us But I hope that those who have through the subtlety of Satan been misled into this Opinion will hereafter find cause to retract it when they shall remember that the rule of the Gospel to which they pretend an exact Conformity requires them to pray and to give thanks for Kings which as the Apostle saith is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. 1 Tim 2.1 2 3. However seeing that Wisdom puts forth her Voice crying at the Gates at the entry of the City at the coming in at the Doors saying By me Kings Reign and Princes decree Justice by me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the eâ—rth Seeing I say this sound is heard from Heaven every day in the Consciences of men Wisdom will herein be justified of all her children And let this serve to terminate the first part of my Proposition viz. Government is an Ordinance of Divine Authorization Secondly It is ordained to be subservient unto Christ in the dispensation of his power and providence towards the preservation of Mankind 2. Branch For though Christ be All in all Col. 3.11 as the Apostle speaks Col. 3. yet to shew himself to be the Lord of all he hath ordained means to be subservient unto him in all the works of his Providence and hath accordingly made use of them To this purpose saith the Son of Sirach very pertinently Ec. 38.2 3 4 5. Of the most High cometh healing yet the Physician must be honoured with that honour that belongeth unto him The Lord also hath created Medicines out of the Earth and he that is wise will not abhor them He hath given skill unto men that he might be honoured in his marvellous works with such doth he heal men and taketh away their pains of such doth the Apothecary make a Confection c. Hence it is as the Prophet Jeremy speaketh Jer. 23.25 That his Covenant with Day and Night and the Ordinances of Heaven and Earth concerning their disposition motion order influences virtues and operations are inviolable They continue this day saith the Psalmist according to thine ordinance Ps 119.91 for all are thy servants not as if his Paramount Authority and power were thereby any whit diminished rather it is advanced nor as if he were necessitated thereunto for want of power in himself for we may see the course of Heaven c. hath sometimes been inverted by him Indulgentiae est non indigentiae non efficaciam quaerit sed congruentiam Ex. 14.16 John 3.16 2 Reg. 10.1 Dan. 3.25 But of his own free will in the abundance of his goodness it is that he governeth and preserveth Creatures by Creatures using the ministery of second Causes for in their present poor estate wherein they are in this world his own immediate hand and power would soon prove intolerable unto them Who alas among us here can dwell with devouring fire Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings Goodness then and mercy it is that is the ground of this Dispensation from Heaven towards poor creatures of all sorts but there is no creature under the Sun unto whom the Lord hath so much respect as he hath to Mankind all other indeed have their being and their well-being whatsoever it is from him as hath been said before But Man is his Favourite the Masterpiece of his wisdom power and goodness the work of his Faciamus not barely of his Fiat as other Creatures were in him he challengeth a special propriety accounting him his own in a peculiar manner for in that sense I conceive that place of the Evangelist John 1.11 He
the Lord Jesus Christ in order to the preservation of his Creatures A Doctrine it is that is profitable for Conviction for Encouragement and Instruction For conviction of many sinful practises too frequently appearing in these times to the great dishonour of Christ and his Government over the World and for the encouragement and instruction of all the faithful people of God who desire to walk worthy of that preservation which they enjoy under his Government First then this plainly layeth open the gross blindness that hath come upon many who notwithstanding think they see clearly When men will freely acknowledge this great Jehovah the Lord of all to be the sole Fountain of Being unto all Creatures both in Heaven and in Earth And yet in the several changes and revolutions that come upon the World have their thoughts fixed upon second Causes or such it may be as they have framed to themselves not at all regarding the work of the Lord nor the operation of his hands as if he were now no more then a mean Spectatour and had nothing to do in the various Transactions of his Creatures about him How impiously do some after the manner of the Heathen ascribe unto Fortune that good or ill success which attends upon their undertakings It was my good fortune saith one Si fortuna volet fies de Rhetore Conful si volet haec eadem fies de Consule Rhetor that brought me to this Honour to this Estate wherein now I am It was my hard hap saith another that I met with such a cross and that I am fallen into this misery even as the Poet once said If Fortune Will thou may'st of Poor be Consul made And if that will thou must unto thy former Trade This you 'l say is not as becometh Christians but behold yet more Abominations some there are yea too many who when they go about a matter of any great Import either to free themselves from some sad disaster as they call it or to enterprize a Design which they conceive may be for their advantage will usually like unto Heathens for the Scripture notes it as a part of their Infidelity consult with Astrologers a sort of people who if they will keep themselves within their own Sphere would have the Approbation of all that are wise but being excentrick they are the very Pest of a Common-wealth and when the success appeareth their Stars forsooth must be Idoliz'd as the cause of that which doth befal them And how unworthy alas is this of that Faith which we do profess But behold yet greater Abominations It is an Abomination souc'd in the very dregs of Heathenism when people will in time of any loss danger or distress of what kind soever it be not look up to him who is and alwaies was the great Preserver of men and upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power but consult with Witches and Conjurers for a supply and preservation And this alas is too commonly found amongst those that call themselves Christians As for the Heathen they were not ordinarily wont unless it were the ruder sort in plain down-right terms Acheronta movere Ab Aves Aspiciendo that is to seek to the Devil for help They had their Auspicium which was by flying of Birds to divine of their successes And they had their Aruspicium by looking into the Entrails of Beasts appointed for Sacrifice Ab Aras Inspiciendo Ezek. 21.21 to the same purpose as it is said of the King of Babylon that he looked into the Liver Ezek. 21.21 when he took up a Divination for Jerusalem They had also their Tripudium taking a conjecture of what should befall them by the rebounding of Corn thrown upon the ground to Chickens Quasi terripudium seu terripavium from whence the Southsayer was called Pullarius And their Augurium which was a Prediction from the chirping or chattering of Birds as also by the founds and voices which they heard they knew not whence Ab Avium Garritu All which and many more though abominable enough yet were not so bad as knowingly and willingly to seek for a remedy or supply so directly from the Devil which they do that consult with those who they are assured have for such ends and purposes made a compact with him To all whom it may be said is it because there is not a Divine Providence that ordereth and governeth the World nor a power in Heaven to help and to deliver Or rather is it not because you are faithless and have no confidence in this great Preserver of men that you betake your selves to the Devil and his Angels for help A most wicked and Atheistical Generation who deny the Lord that bought them and run a whoring after Satan to worship him with a most execrable Idolatry For it may well be said such persons they revolt from God to the Devil howsoever they plaister up their impiety with untempered Mortar as that they seek Gods help though by the means of the Magician But terrible is that threatning which the Lord hath denounced against these wretched people Lev. 20.6 The Soul that turueth after such as have familiar Spirits and after Wizzards to go a whoring after them I will even set my face against that Soul and will cut him off from among my people Bishop King upon Jonas Add unto this that common foolish Opinion as a reverend Bishop of our times hath well observed and I shall render it in his own words If ever Tempest arise more then common experience hath enured us unto especially with the havock and loss either of life or limb in our Selves our Cattel or Housings forthwith the judgment is given as if the Lord of Heaven and Earth were fallen asleep and minded nothing there is doubtless some Conjuring And what then is Conjuring A pestilent commistion convention stipulation betwixt men and Devils Men and Devils what are they Look upon the Sorcerers of Egypt for the one they cryed in the smallest Plague that was sent and past their cunning to remove this is the finger of God their power is limited therefore Look upon the Martyrings of Job for the other for though the Circuit of Satan be very large even to the compassing of the whole earth to and fro yet he hath his daies assigned him to stand before the presence of God for the renewing of his Commission And besides Oviculam unam auferre non potuit He could not take one poor sheep from Job till the Lord had given him leave saying Put forth thine hand Nor enter into the Herd of Swine Matt. 8. without Christ's permission To conclude therefore with the same learned Writer Whether Men or Devils be ministerial Workers in these Actions all cometh from him who is the Judge of all as from the higher Supreme Cause whose Judgments executed thereby no man can either fully comprehend or reprehend justly He professeth no less of himself Es 45.7 Es
the power of that insulting Enemy May it not seem to vanish No no stay awhile and mark the issue The Lord Christ the Captain of our Salvation yields himself unto his Adversary who drags him into his Den to triumph over him Never surely was innocency so trodden under foot Never did that Region of Darkness and that Valley of Death receive such a Booty nor swallow down so precious a Morsel before O how did the Devil now applaud himself in that he hath so notably brought to pass his Masterpiece of Malice against the God of Heaven Yea nothing shall now hinder him but that he will enlarge his Dominion over all the World by throwing the whole Posterity of Adam into the dust of Death and after that by entangling them all in the Snares of the second Death But Quantâ de spe c. How much is this Prince of Darkness and the Powers of Hell disappointed in their expectations They have gotten the Prince of Life into their clutches to their own destruction For in the midst of all their Triumph Behold The Breastplate of Christ's Righteousness begins to shine and the Sin wherewith he was wounded appear to be none of his own the Venome therefore of that Sting leesing its force he is by the judgment of Divine Justice it self which sate as Umpire in this Duel restored to his Pristine Estate the Palm of Victory is put into his hand and the virtue of his sufferings transmitted to all those for whom he undertook this Combat Death also is disarmed for he left his Sting in the sides of Christ and is become his Captive Principalities and Powers that were in a Conspiracy against him being devested of all their strength made to wait upon his Triumph and the Devil that great * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apollywn hath his Kingdom utterly subdued Now then seeing the Lord Jesus Christ hath so victoriously prevailed in the behalf of all the faithful people of God and abolishing Death hath as the Apostle speaks brought Life and Immortality to light again offering it unto them and estating them in it in a more perfect manner then our first Parents were while they kept their Integrity why should you now at any time be afraid of Death much more reason surely have you to triumph with the Apostle and say O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory And as Death is not to be feared unless it be by those who voluntarily by their sins metamorphose themselves into the workmanship of the Devil thereby putting themselves out of Christ's protection so neither are the troubâ—es that come upon our selves or fall upon the world in our daies so to be heeded by us as that we be dejected with any despondency of minde at the appearances thereof Whatsoever they be they are ordered by him who ruleth and guideth all things Yesterday to Day and for ever yea they are ordained by him to make his Glory shine the brighter in the preservation of his Works Job 5.6 For Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth Trouble spring out of the ground but Gods hand sends it and mans sin brings it and being thus sent and conveyed it is by the powerful Art of this skilful Opifer per Orbem as Ovid speaks of the Physician this great Preserver of men the Lord Jesus Christ quite turned from its Nature and become a wholesom Antidote to keep the World from more dangerous Paroxysms whereto it is every day inclinable Let Wisdom then be justified of her Children by a quiet submission to whatsoever troubles come upon themselves or the World about them because Jesus Christ is constant and unmovable in the exercise of his power The same yesterday to day and for ever in this great Work of preservation though the course that is taken in the pursuance thereof may seem to our shallow Apprehensions to tend rather to ruine and destruction In the next place 2. Branch what a sure Foundation is this for every true Believer to build his Confidence upon Jesus Christ bears up the pillars of the World without whom the whole Creation Ps 75.3 and all the Inhabitants thereof would certainly be dissolved All things have their dependance upon him yesterday to day and for ever What a blessed estate then is this of a Believer What an impregnable Fort is he immured in Nothing can reach him to do him any hurt For why Jesus Christ hath him under his Wing Ps 91.1 in the secret place of the most High where no evil thing can finde him out because his lodging is under the shadow of the Almighty And as Christ hath the Believer under his care so he hath all his Enemies too under his power insomuch that without him they cannot move a foot and if they go beyond their Tether he hath a Hook for their Nose Es 37.29 and a Bridle for their Lips to order them according to his pleasure yea he upholds his very Enemies And can we think then that he will bring up Birds to pick out his own Eyes Or foster Vipers to eat out his own Bowels Let then your Confidence O Believer be fixed upon this Rock wherein alone true safety is to be found rely upon this Providence that will never fail you As for Creature-supports they will certainly fail Pro. 27.24 Riches or Strength the like may we say of all things else in this World are not for ever for they make themselves wings if none else will do it for them and flee away Pro. 23.5 Neither doth the Crown endure to every Generation A very great uncertainty hath alwaies appeared in the most plausible Refuge that the Creature could afford and he that betakes himself to it shall never be safe When he thinks to be most secure even there he shall be liable to the greatest hazard It was once a notable saying to this purpose of Augustus Caesar Metuendum est esse sine Custode sed multo magis à Custode metuendum est It is a dangerous thing to be without a Guard and yet a Guard is the greatest danger So uncertain is the estate of those people who trust unto an arm of flesh and build their Tranquillity upon such a tottering Foundation It is therefore better to trust in the Lord for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength his compassions fail not Es 26 4. Lam. 3.23 Ps 36.5 Ps 100.5 his faithfulness reacheth unto the Clouds and his truth endureth to all Generations Lastly 3. Branch This may let us see our own nothingness without Christ in Spiritual things how poor and weak and meer Ideots and Nullities we are for if we be not able the least minute of time to hold up our heads in this world so as to continue our Natural being without his manutenency and conserving power how shall we without him abide stedfast in the Faith which is our Spiritual being and above the sphere of
yea and the greater was our sin that after we had some large experience of this great Glory wherein Divine Goodness had put us we should through our absurd folly deprive our selves of it This for the second Consideration arising from the said Doctrine The third brings a Light in her hand to guide us in the first Resurrection and to shew us the Glory of the second First we are hereby taught to fit and prepare our selves against this time of Restauration viz. By raising up our dull heavy and carnal hearts from this present evil World where they are too apt to lie groveling and by setting our Affections on things above and upon this Comfortable time of Refreshing wherein the Lord Jesus will freely and fully manifest his love and faithfulness unto his beloved people And indeed seeing that these things shall be dissolved and again restored What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness Scarce any among us I dare say but do look for new Heavens and new Earth that is expect Salvation in the Day of the Lord. But can we be so deluded as to think that the old Adam should bring us thither A Delusion notwithstanding it is wherewith multitudes are miserably deceived But beloved Brethren let it be remembred that the flaming Sword which keeps the Way to the Tree of Life will never suffer any to enter there under such a Conduct There must dwell nothing but Righteousness neither shall there in any wise enter into it any thing that defileth Rev. 21.27 nor whosoever worketh Abomination or maketh a Lye If therefore we carry our sins along with us we shall certainly stand without amongst Dogs and never be admitted Rouze up thy Soul therefore O poor Sinner and with Indignation shake off whatsoever it be that may hinder thee from having a part in that Glory that shall be revealed For be assured the Lord Jesus Christ will never suffer his new Creation to be sullied with the least spot or stain of Uncleanness He will not have his poor Creature to be ever groaning and when he hath once freed it it shall be freed for ever none but the new Creature shall be the Inhabitant of his new Creation Let all old things then be done away both in our hearts and in our lives and let all things become new I shall conclude this first Branch with that excellent Gloss of Mr. Calvin upon that of the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.10 Non subtiliter de igne procellâ c. Disputare voluit Apostolus sed tantum inde elicere exhortationem quam mox attexit nempe ut enitamur nos quoque advitoe novitatem The Apostle's design is not subtlely to argue about the sire c. that shall be at the last Day but from the consideration of the change that shall then be to draw forth an Exhortation to perswade men to newness of life So say I let us not busie our selves about too curious an inquisition after the manner of that change that shall be made of the Heavens and of the Earth rather it should be our care according to the advice and warning of the Apostle that seeing we look for such things as new Heavens and new Earth 2 Pet. 3.14 to give all diligence that we be found of him who is the faithful Authour of this Change in peace without spot and blameless And thus are we guided by this Doctrine to the first Resurrection Secondly it will shew unto us somewhat of the Glory of the second For according to the Power and Wisdom of the Workman so is the Work to be expected that cometh out of his hands if he be able and expert in his Art whatsoever it be his Work will be answerable Now it is to be presumed that Jesus Christ who is the Wisdom of God and the Power of God will like himself produce a most glorious Work in his Restauration of all things for herein also he will be the same which he was from the Beginning What therefore the Prophet spake in a certain place may very well be applied to this purpose Es 64.4 Since the beginning of the World for in the beginning there was some kinde of resemblance of that Glory which shall be Eye hath not seen as the Apostle renders it nor Ear heard 1 Cor. 2.9 neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The Eye of man hath seen much the Ear perhaps hath heard more but the Heart conceiveth more then Eye hath seen or Ear heard but Eye Ear and Heart are all too narrow to comprehend or describe the exceeding weight and superlative Greatness of that fulness of Glory It may suffice that it is of his wise and powerful ordering who is the same yesterday to day and for ever In the 14 of S. John the Lord speaketh to his Disciples in these words which have a measure that reacheth unto all Believers I go John 14.2 saith he to prepare a place for you a place with himself that where he is there also may his people be Being then I say of his preparation who is the Lord of Glory and of his Prepossession too how can it possibly be but exceeding Glorious Kings do not use to erect Cottages but set forth their Magnificence in sumptuous Buildings How stately then shall that place be which is prepared by Jesus Christ the King of Glory It was as he himself faith elsewhere prepared from the foundation of the World Mat 25.34 Yet after some thousands of years he saith again I go to prepare a place for you Once more behold here by the way how Jesus Christ is still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same that excellent Work which he made and prepared at first and which was afterwards lost and forfeited by man'd Disobedience he will now prepare it again for all those that believe in him for in him there is no variableness nor ever shall be That Preparation therefore that is to be made will be it seems in part the Reparation of that which was made in the Beginning In part I say for it will not become us to mete out or to set Bounds to this great Work of Christ by any Topographical Delineations otherwise then we have the Word to guide us neither indeed can we positively determine what it shall be 1 John 3.2 It doth not yet appear saith the Evangelist what we our selves shall be though for the present we be the Children of God And what the Glory was of our first Creation we are not able in this our low estate to finde out much less do we know what that Glory is which Christ is preparing But notwithstanding this is certain because it is revealed there shall be new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness and where Righteousness dwelleth there must needs be great Glory For if Righteousness here where she is but a Forreiner
and meets with many checks Pro. 14.34 exalteth a Nation as Solomon tells us much more will she Adorn and Beautifie the place of her own Habitation where she shineth without any Eclipse and where she ruleth without any Disturbance or Resistance whatsoever A most Glorious Provision doubtless it will appear to be which will also abundantly satisfie When God was about to bring his people into the Land of Promise he tells them what was prepared for them viz. Great and goodly Cities which they builded not Deut. 6.10 11. House full of all good things which they filled not Wells digged which they digged not Vineyards and Olive Trees which they planted not all should be made ready to their hands against their coming thither so shall there be a preparation made by Jesus Christ for the Saints in the life that is to come of all things whatsoever their Souls can desire And since we have made mention of this Land which the Lord promised to give unto his People when he brought them up out of Egypt and which is indeed a Symbol of the Eternal Inheritance let us proceed a little further in this matter confining our Mediations to a short Parallel between that Land and the Celestial Canaan which shall be given to all that are Israelites indeed for their everlasting Possession In the third Chapter of Exodus Ex 3.8 God tells Moses that he would bring his People unto a good Land and a large unto a Land flowing with Milk and Honey unto the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebuzites Now since that Heaven and Earth as they are prepared by Jesus Christ shall be the Receptacle of the Saints hereafter let us in a short Survey see how they will both answer their Type in the several parts thereof First for Heaven It is surely a good Land to speak of it by way of Allusion the Holy Ghost in Scripture leadeth us herein and that in this very Particular Heb. 11.16 calling Heaven a Country Good in respect of Vicinity for where there are good Neighbours the place is commonly by those that are good the better liked Now in Heaven there dwells Goodness it self a good God and a good Saviour good Angels and good Souls All very Good As it is therefore a part of the Torment which the Damned suffer in Hell to be ever in the Company of evil Angels and ugly Devils so surely is it a great happiness to be ever in the sweet Society of Saints and glorious Angels nay of God himself Good then in respect of good Neighbourhood good also in respect of the abundance of good things that are there flowing I say not with Milk and Honey but with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory There are good things for the Soul and good things for the Body which being largely laid open by others we shall not insist upon them here There is the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good but not of the least Evil whatsoever How good is it to behold the King in his Beauty Es 33.17 1 John 3.2 to see God as he is in his Glory This is the Ne plus ultra of the Soul hitherto she aspires and no further For in his presence is fulness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore This is the Priviledge of that place alone and therefore surely it is very good so good that it is impossible it should be better and impossible also for us that are so evil as yet fully to know it Well was it therefore sung in that Anthem of old Quis Chalcedon Quis Jacinthus Norunt illi qui sunt intus When once we come to taste of this Goodness and to drink of the River of these Pleasures we shall then see that clearly which now we can see but through a Glass darkly It is also a large Land so large that no hand but his that stretched it forth can be able to mete it out though there have been some who have too vainly busied themselves in calculating the Dimensions of it Some have undertaken to set out the extent of it thus As the Element of Water is ten times bigger then the Earth the Air ten times bigger then the Water the Fire ten times bigger then the Air So with the like proportion each Heaven bigger then another And thus do the Grashoppers of the earth skip beyond their Line Es 40.22 who because they can as they think bestride the Molehil of their own Element from whence they were extracted will presume also to take the length of the span of God's right hand But away with this Arrogancy far unbeseeming those that dwell in houses of Clay rather indeed should our thoughts be swallowed up with astonishment when we take into our consideration the largeness of the Place and our affections likewise should be enlarged towards it remembring what our Saviour calleth it John 14.2 His Fathers House wherein as he saith there are many mansions Therefore it must needs be very great We see how it is here in this life according to the greatness of persons so commonly are their houses enlarged Luke 12.18 Even the rich Tool in the Gospel when he perceived the world coming in fast upon him he presently concludes to pull down his Barns and to build up greater And when Nebuchadnezzar grew to be Great in the earth Oh how he prides himself in the sutableness of his Neast Dan. 4.30 Is not this great Babylon saith he that I have built for the honour of my Majesty Thus do filly men stand like Cocks crowing upon their Hillocks applauding themselves in the largeness of their Train and Elbow-room which they have obtained in the world answerable forsooth to the heighth and greatness of their Spirits when yet notwithstanding poor Creatures they are but walking pieces of earth and a small Ell possibly of that ground which they tread upon will one day be big enough to hold them Well then if this be the manner of men to have House and Land here agreeable to their little Greatness how great and large is that place where the great God himself dwelleth And where he will gather his Children together into their Mansions ordained for them Surely it is beyond all expression beyond all admiration We shall indeed come to see and know it in that day when we walk the Round with Jesus Christ who will certainly then shew unto us all the Glory and Beauty of his House which yesterday that is from the beginning he built and created and now again in his faithfulness is gone to prepare for us but till then we must not be too busie in our shallow apprehensions of it Thirdly As it is a good Land and a large so it is the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebuzites that
is the place of the Angels that sinned and which kept not their Principality Jud. v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.4 but left their own habitation as the Apostle S. Jude speaketh whom God threw down into Hell delivering them into Chains of darkness to be reserved unto Judgment I do not nor dare not say as some that one ground of God's election of men unto life was to fill up that place in his Presence which was made void by casting out the reprobate Angels and that such a number of elect Saints shall come in their stead and no more These are but the froathy Conceits of men of corrupt mindes who will be wiser then Daniel Ezek. 28.3 and no secret must be hidden from them But this I say that in this particular also as well as in the former the Parallel holds between the Land of Canaan and the Celestial Inheritance for as God did plant his own chosen people in that good Land Deut 7.1 from whence he drove out the Heathen that were the Inhabitants thereof Nations greater and mightier then they So will he surely bring his Saints into that heavenly Country which he hath promised to give unto them from whence those Angels whose height was like the height of the Cedars in comparison of such a poor shrub as man is were for their Rebellion driven into perpetual banishment Amos 2.9 Moreover as Heaven which God will give unto his people at the last day being purchased and prepared for them by Jesus Christ may in some respect be likened unto Canaan such as hath been mentioned so that new Earth which is also to come may in like manner be resembled unto it It is not safe to speak of what we have not seen nor to make other discoveries concerning this matter then such as the Holy Ghost hath already made This we may say seeing there shall be a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness we may affirm it shall undoubtedly be a good Land Abounding I say not again with Milk and Honey but with such store of Delights as are proper for Glorified Saints who shall stand in no need of any bodily sustenance from the Creature as they do here in this life And what a good Land will this be when there shall be nothing in it that doth offend all the Carkasses of the Reprobate purged out of it and that Curse which God laid upon it at the beginning quite taken away It shall also be a large Land even the whole compass of the Earth shall at that day to the uttermost parts of it be the Saints Inheritance that promise being then perfectly fulfilled Ps 37.11 Mat. 5.5 viz. That the meck shall inherit the earth That which is now the place of the Canaanites and of the Hittites and of the Amorites c. That is to say of all the Wicked and Unbelievers in the World shall be unto the Godly for an everlasting Possession and that in a more noble and more excellent way then it is now unto any whom for the present Mammon dandles upon his knee as his most beloved Darlings Nay further when there shall be no more Sea as it is said Rev. 21.1 which place according to the concurrent judgment of sundry Divines is to be understood literally as well as figuratively That fire whatsoever it may be at the Worlds end possibly drying it quite up this earthly Inheritance will certainly be then much more enlarged far beyond the narrow extent of what hath been before possessed by the Sons of men Behold then O ye Children of men what a Glory is prepared for you by Jesus Christ at that great Day of Restauration Glory in Heaven and Glory in Earth Glory for your Souls and Glory for your Bodies wherein you will have the advantage of the glorious Angels in a special resemblance of Jesus Christ whereof they are not capable Phil. 3.21 for your Bodies though they be vile for the present in regard of their Original shall then be made like unto Christ's glorious Body and your Bodies and his also being Originally taken out of the earth the earth also shall be given you as a measure of Glory above that of the Angels for your Inheritance Go up now to Pisgah and in a Spiritual Rapture take a view of your Inheritance before you enter into it An Inheritance glorious and honourable wherein you shall be Co-heirs with the Lord of Glory an Inheritance safe and sure free from all Intrusions and Encroachments of the World the Works of the Devil being all destroyed 1 John 3.8 2 Pet. 3.10 and the Works of the Earth utterly burnt up that is all the Oppressions Pollutions Snares Insinuations Persecutions of wicked men and Devils which formerly troubled you come to a perpetual end an Inheritance Durante vitâ to hold so long as Eternity it self lasteth where there are many Mansions common to all those that are accounted worthy to obtain that World for Meum Tuum these terms Mine and Thine which make such a strife in this World shall not then be once named amongst them as a Language out of use and improper for that Country which is a place of Glory What shall be mine shall be then Yours that now read what is here written and what shall be yours though you be now Princes of the Earth shall then also be mine though I be now of a lower degree for we shall be all of a Society in this Inheritance Fellow-heirs and Fellow-citizens together and of the Houshold of God united according to a most perfect Pattern by an indissoluble Bond even as the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father John 17.21 yea more united together in them as our Center wherein all the Lines of our Union and Fellowship do meet for so much doth the same Text witness unto us What shall we then say to these things If Heaven and Earth with all that is therein desirable will satisfie us we shall be fully and perfectly happy And now let us admire and adore the Lord for this his constant and unchangeable Goodness and for his wonderful Works which he hath done from the Beginning and will also do to the Worlds end even unto all Eternity for the Children of men Certainly who so is wise amongst us will observe these things and ponder this Superlative exceeding weight of Glory that is prepared for them which whosoever doth with a quiet and holy dependance upon God for it they shall understand more of the loving kindnesses of the Lord far surpassing that which is here but poorly and with a narrow and straitned Spirit revealed unto them But as for the Tools of the Earth that will not leave their folly but most unthankfully like the people of old who despised that good and pleasant Land Ps 106 24 that Land of Desires Psal 106.24 will suffer themselves to be bewitched with this present evil World and putting away from
Gentiles was no prevailing Inducement to us to take your God to be our God we were as willing to keep our Distance in those times of our Ignorance as you your selves could possibly desire we should but such hath been the exceeding goodness of your God and our God as to make himself known unto us in this our day as clearly and fully to say no more as he did unto your Fathers Yesterday and as he was pleased to make a Promise that the time should come Es 11.1 Jer. 23.5 when this root of Jesse should shoot forth a Branch Whose name should be called the Lord our righteousness whom he would give to be a Covenant to the people and a light to the Gentiles and that in him should the Gentiles trust Es 42.6 so hath he made good his word unto us blessed be his Name unto us I say who were a foolish people a people that did neither understand nor seek after him He hath brought us into the bond of the Covenant avouching us to be his People and we have avouched him to be our God yea and He shall be our God for ever and ever and we will have no other God besides him If then there be such a blessed Change in us must there not bee a Change in the divine dispensation of Grace if we own your God for our God Is it not clear that there hath a Light appeared which was not of Yesterday And whence comes it that we who were sometimes Darkness are now Light in the Lord surely flesh and bloud hath not revealed it unto us but we have received it by the hand of that true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World A Light that lightens the Gentiles as saith your Prophets and which alone must be the glory of Israel Now therefore O yee Jews I beseech you be as we are for in the knowledg of the true God according to the Scriptures we are as you are You have not injured us at all rather your I all hath been to our advantage neither will our Breaches be made up among one selves but by your conjunction with us O consider it is the purpose and decree of the Almighty to make you instrumental in bringing to pass his great Work which is the perfecting of his Church in these latter dayes for as your Fathers were not to be perfect without us so neither shall we be Perfect without you Behold this is that will make you as a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord Es 62 3 and as a royal Diadem in the hand of your God which when it is come to pass as it will surely come Oh how shall we flock together unto you Zech. 8.23 and hang upon you Ten of us taking hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Since therefore this honour is reserved for you What will you be still groping in the Dark will you be ever poring upon Yesterday shall the Day be almost spent before your Eyes be opened to see the Light that now shineth and the Glory that waiteth for you And if ever through the good Providence of God this paper may come to your perusal O let the good hand of God go along with it to rouze and quicken you This is not spoken to you with Disdain but with a hearty desire of your Restauration nor with any contempt or abhorrency at the appellation of Jew but with Pity For though the Name and Title of your Nation carrieth with it a reproach among us Gentiles because you Crucified the Lord of Glory yet we know it hath been a Title of the greatest dignity and honour upon earth and shall be so again unless as it is said by the Prophet you be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name Es 62.2 Yea so far is any shadow of scorn from this address unto you that I do here in the behalf of all the Churches that profess the Faith of Christ crucified declare unto you that upon your return unto that great Messiah whom you have hitherto rejected and besides whom it is in vain to seek for any other we will yeild unto you that Preheminence which is your due for though we were in Christ before you yet we must ever acknowledg you to be the First born the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power and as we have been first so we shall be contented according to the order and appointment that is given us to be Last and as you have been the Last so shall it be your lot and honour to be First again In the mean time we must confess that we poor Novices are grown up to be a wanton Generation quarelling and wrangling one with another oftentimes about trifles God knoweth to the blemishing of our holy Profession among those that are without and greiving of that good Spirit of the Lord that dwelleth in us and among us All which would undoubtedly be remedied if we had your Brotherly assistance to make us Wiser We know well what honourable Priviledges God hath of his abundant love graunted unto you Our great Apostle Saint Paul an Hebrew of the Hebrews who as you have heard was at first a bloudy Persecutour of the Disciples of the Lord Jesus yet afterwards even in the heat of his Fury was miraculously converted to the Faith which he before sought to destroy even he in his Epistles hath set us an Example to give you the Preheminence speaking in this manner once and again the Jew first and also the Gentile the Jew first and also the Gentile he hath also given us a Synopsis of your Prerogatives which we with gladness of heart are willing to look upon He hath told us that you are Israelites the noblest Generation in the World Rom. 9.4.5 a People that were wont to prevail like Princes with God himself even as Jacob your Father did whom therefore God was pleased to honour with the name of Israel which name was also by a special indulgence from God devolved upon you as the greatest blessing To you pertained the Adoption being the First born Exod. 4.22 upon whom the name of the Lord was called when we poor Strangers were not under his rule and governance neither were then called by his name Es 63.19 You had the Glory the Ark of the Covenant of your God the Symbol of his glorious presence in the midst of you You had the Covenants even those Tables written by the Finger of God To you was the Law given by the disposition of Angels that is the Oracles of God both Moral and Judicial The service of God was committed unto you which consisted in a Holy Typical use of Divine Rites and Sacrifices prescribed in the Ceremonial Law The Promises also were yours both Legal and Evangelical of this life and that which is to come You are
the Posterity of Abraham the friend of God and of Isaac and Jacob Heires with him of the same Promise and Grace And in fine as the Complement of all the rest From among you was the Messiah to come And in the fulness of time did come the Incarnate Son of God taking his flesh of you that he might though he be God blessed for ever be the Mediatour between God and Man yea suffer Death for you and us likewise that believe in him All this we willingly yeild unto you nay more we will be confident of your Restauration because the Lord hath said it and he will not Repent concerning which we shall God willing speak more largely hereafter in the following parts of this Treatise because our Text which is the ground of the whole Matter hath a special respect unto you above all others Come then in the name of God let us joyn together and go up to the Mountain of the Lord Es 2.3 4 5. to the House of the God of Jacob He will teach us his ways and we will walk as Brethren in his Paths for out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem He shall judg among the Nations and shall rebuke many People They shall beat their Swords into Plow-sheares and their Spears into Pruning-hookes Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more O House of Jacob come yee and let us walk in the light of the Lord. But as for those wretched Apostata's who were once inlightned but now turn their Backs upon this Light denying the Lord that bought them and so Crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open Shame pretending to joyn themselves to you in walking in the Light of Yesterday Wo unto them it had been good for them they had never been born and I doubt not but when you shall come to look upon him whom you have Peirced and to Mourn for him according to the Prophecy of Zechariah as one mourneth for his onely Son Zech. 12.10 that you your selves will abhor them as a People most accursed and so I leave them Another sort that grope after the Light of Yesterday are those that seek to be justified by the Works of the Law who do but lose themselves in the Dark and shall never be able thereby to see the Light of Life True it is the Law was once such a Light which if it had been exactly followed would have been a sure Conduct into the Presence of God but being not observed as it ought to have been it seemed good to the Father of Lights to remove it so as that it is now totally and finally Eclipsed in respect of any Influence in that Point of Justification which was the glory of it in the Beginning And whosoever they be that will now pretend to walk in the Light of it so as to be justified thereby in the Sight of God they shall most assuredly finde it to be a dreadful Blazing Comet that portends nothing but inevitable Ruine and Destruction unto them And yet alas how inconsiderate are many People in fixing their Confidence hereupon Though they cannot but know that Do this and live was the Voice of God Yesterday But Live and do this is the Command of the Lord to Day so expressely contrary is the Light that now is in the manifestations of it to that which was formerly yet such is the Cross-grain'd perversness indeed of us all by nature whereby we are wont ruere in vetitum that we are apt still to thwart God in his Dispensations towards us And because we mist of the Tree of Life by not doing that at first which God commanded therefore being led on by that Appetite which is still in us by Nature after that first Estate wherein we were Created we do contrary to Gods express Inhibition foolishly Endeavour by our own Righteousness to recover it again wherein as hath been said we loose our selves utterly God having now propounded another way to Life But it may be Objected was not the Law given since upon Mount Sinai and if we must not be justified by the works of the Law wherefore was it revived I Answer with the Apostle Gal. 3.19 the Law was added because of Transgressions that is Gal. 3.19 not onely for the restraining of them as it is commonly conceived though that be a chief end of giving the Law but because Transgressions so much abounded in the World when the grace of God had so much appeared In which regard God seeing Men so Unworthy of his Grace he revived the Old Covenant again in giving the Law which was saith the Apostle to continue till the Seed came to whom the Promise was made that so men might thereby as by a Schole-Master be whipped out of their old Forme which being come if any will yet hanker after that old Covenant the Law shall no more be revived for that end as formerly but the Condemnation thereof shall be added for the Contempt of the Gospel Away therefore with all this Homespun Inherent Righteousness let it be accounted in the matter of Justification before God even as in truth it is but a filthy Rag and when we have done all that we can given all our Goods to the Poor and our Bodies to be burned let us say we are unprofitable Servants c. And for the Law let it be a Guide unto us as it ought to be in the way of Holiness and Righteousness all the Dayes of our Lives but we must not make it our Guard to preserve us at any time from Incensed Justice of the Almighty mighty for therein it will certainly fail a good Tutour it is to instruct and admonish us but an idle Advocate to plead for us before God's Tribunal its onely Exercise there being to Accuse and Condemn A Third sort that Unseasonably busy themselves with Yesterday are the Papists who have a long time set up the Ceremonial Law of Moses in the Worship and Service of God who are it seems and still will be Children led on by weak and beggarly Elements which notwithstanding at this time are not any Help unto them at all but rather a Hinderance in respect of any Spiritual Edification and whereas they pretend to promote the Gospel and to advance the Honour of Christ they do in effect by their Conformity to the Mosaical Paedagogy deny and forsake them both To what purpose are their Altars their Priests their Sacrifices their Washings Unctions Shaving Sprinkling Purifying c. To what End I say are these many other the like beggarly Ceremonies but to bring a Vail over the Gospel and to call back Yesterday to which the Lord Jesus Christ hath pronounced a consummatum est And if they be not finished Christ himself hath not yet finished his Work for which he was sent into the World and then where are we There need not much be said
He was Which Primogeniture of Christ's into the Brother-hood as it denotes his everlasting Regal Power and Superiority which we shall presently make appear so notwithstanding his Birth which happened to be afterwards in due time it was often signified in those first Ages of the World by the Precedency that was given to the Younger Brethren above the Elder happily that the People then might also discern somewhat of this Mystery which did so neerly concern them For Example those nine Patriarchs before the Floud who succeeded Adam in their several Generations we may say of them with very great Probability I had almost said with apparent Demonstration from the Scripture and so do writers both Antient and Modern Judge that They were not the Eldest Sons and First-born of their Parents Aug. de Civit. Dei Musculus but onely such Holy Eminent Persons whom God had according to the good Pleasure of his Will chosen out from among their Brethren in a successive uninterrupted Line to be the Progenitours of the Messiah The like is to be said of Sem Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah Pharez Aram David Solomon all Younger then their Brethren yet preferred before them And this I say Ab sit arrogantia verbo might possibly be so ordered by Divine Providence that the people of God might in all the preceding Ages acknowledge one that was to come after them for their Lord and Governour by virtue of his Primogeniture among them Yea John Baptist doth ingeniously acknowledge so much for himself and which may extend unto all Joh. 1.30 After me saith he cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me And in fine all those Types and Figures that were shadows of good things to come were the Praeludiums of his Inauguration to his Office but the effects and consequents of his Primogeniture which was at first given him of the Father The first Begotten then he was from the beginning which argues his Regal Power and Sovereignty that he had over all his Brethren for such Preheminence did belong to the first-born as appeareth in Scripture Gen. 4.7 Gen. 27.29.37 1 Sam. 20.29 And the Apostle saith that the Heir is the Lord of all Gal. 4.1 So S. Peter saith of Christ Act. 10.36 Act. 10.36 He is Lord of all which words are there enclosed with a Parenthesis but the sense and meaning thereof reacheth from the beginning of the World to the end of it Did not Abraham acknowledge Christ to be his Lord when he treated with him about Sodom Gen. 18.3.27.30 31. after he had appeared unto him in the Plains of Mamre And with how low a reverence doth he demean himself in that matter as became a Subject in his Address to his Lord and King Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes And again O let not the Lord be angry and I will speak V. 27.30 Yea again and again with the most proper terms of Homage and acknowledgment of his Power doth he put up his Suit unto him and that it was Christ who then appeared to Abraham is not to be doubted considering the shape wherein he did appear viz. of a man which manner of Apparitions according to the concurrent judgment of Holy and Orthodox Writers was not used by either of the other persons of the Trinity but only by Jesus Christ and was the Prototype to his Incarnation And in regard that Abraham calleth him the Judge of all the World Act. 10.42 which is the Office of Christ For him saith the Apostle hath God ordained to be the Judge of Quick and Dead And because it is so plainly said The Lord that is this Lord who appeared unto and parted from Abraham Gen. 19. Rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord that is as an ancient Council interpreted it who did pronounce an Anathema against all those that affirmed the contrary that Christ the Lord did it from his Father the Lord out of Heaven Thus did Abraham Syrmiensis An. Dom. 356. Cent. 4. cap 9. Ps 110.1 and thus in like manner did David in Spirit call him his Lord as the Lord himself testifieth out of the Psalm when he said The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand that is The Father the Lord said it unto Christ the Lord. If then David and Abraham two eminent persons whom the Evangelist by the Holy Ghost singleth out to be the Coryphaei the principal in the Line of the Progenitours of Jesus Christ did own him in their Generations for their supreme Lord and Governour and that also in a certain way of distinction from the Father though in a subordination unto him it may well be concluded that he was so by all others And let it be observed how Moses saith of himself that he was King in Jeshurun Deut. 33.5 But how could that be Deut. 33.5 1 Sam. 8.9 when the Kingly Government as it is described 1 Sam. 8.9 was not yet set up in Israel I answer this is not to be understood so much with a reference to the Political estate of that People as their Ecclesiastical in respect whereof Israel might in an especial manner be called Jeshurun from a word signifying Uprightness and Righteousness For though their Judicial Law which was the Soul of their Polity was a most righteous Law yet their Ceremonial Law which constituted them a Church was it that made them a righteous Nation before God giving them an interest in the Righteousness of God that is Jesus Christ whose Name is called the Lord our righteousness Jer. 23.6 Now because Moses did the work of a King in giving them this Law he might have the Title of a King given unto him when notwithstanding he was therein but Viceroy to Jesus Christ the supreme Lord of his people in all Ages And so a Viceroy is entituled elsewhere in Scripture as may be seen by comparing 2 Reg 3.9 2 Chr. 21.8 1 Reg. 22.47 Neither indeed was Moses any other for he saith the Apostle Heb. 3.5 was but a Servant in the house Christ was the Son and over his own house Moses had the Pattern given him in the Mount not only of the Form of the Tabernacle but every tittle and Iota of every Law by which that People were to be guided was there prescribed unto him and he was to do all things as became a Viceroy exactly according to that Pattern and Tenour neither adding unto it nor diminishing from it but Christ was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ipse dixit the Legislator of the whole Law that Law I say which did distinguish the Israclites in their Polity from other Nations and Kingdoms viz. the Judicial Law and that Law which made them a Church above all people in the World viz. the Ceremonial Law and that Law which was a Rule of Righteousness not only unto them but to all Mankinde unto the end
manner declare his consent unto that Judgment Thou saith he hast driven me this day from the face of the earth But how could that be Gen. 4.14 But how could that be seeing it is after said of him that he went and dwelt in the Land of Nod and there he built him a City Gen. 4.16 where he became the prime Leader or Patriarch of an Antichristian Church in that Generation a cast-away-company of forlorn Miscreants both he and they giving themselves up to all sensuality Bishop Mountague Dr. Light-foot Jude v. 11 so to sweeten their misery and banishment as their corrupt fancy might suggest unto them which as one saith probably is that way of Cain mentioned by the Apostle S. Jude He was not therefore quite taken off from the earth but from that part of the earth where he had joyn'd with his Parents in the solemn and pure Worship of God as appears in the words following where he saith And from thy presence shall I be hid which clearly implieth that he was excommunicated by Christ out of his Church where the Lord is wont to manifest his Gracious presence among his people in his holy Ordinances After this the Church in process of time having degenerated from her purity by a corrupt Commistion with the accursed Progeny of Cain thereby contracting to it self the Guilt of all that prodigious Villany that was then acted in the world The Lord Jesus Christ as became a vigilant and faithful Governour over his Charge strove and travelled by his Spirit in the Ministry of his Servants to reclaim his people from the errour of their way 1 Pet 3.19 calling upon them to separate themselves from that wicked Generation but finding them to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immorigeri a people that would not be perswaded into Order when he had waited 120 years while the Ark was preparing he did at length like a righteous King and Judge execute his judgment by bringing in the â—loud upon the World of the ungodly 2 Pet. 2.5 so cutting off at one blow the whole Posterity of Cain together with a sort of treacherous Rebels that would not be ruled nor reclaimed by him But I shall not insist upon many Instances that might here be inserted to this purpose Ex. 23.20 take only one more That Angel which God promised he would send to the Israelites to keep them in their way and to bring them into the Land of Canaan was undoubtedly no other then Christ himself For as Pelargus noteth upon that place it could not be Moses according to Caictan's conceit for he did not lead the people into the Land of Promise neither could it be Joshuah for he did not keep the Israelites in the way nor punish their transgressions neither could it be a created Angel for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Adjuncts there specified are not applicable to any such they do only Quadrare i. e. Aptly sute with Jesus Christ Yea the Apostle S. Paul doth testifie so much 1 Cor. 10.9 1 Cor. 10. where it is plainly said of Christ That the Israelites tempted him in the Wilderness Now concerning this Angel God forewarned the people in these words Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions That is he will surely execute his judgment upon you if you rebel against him 1 Cor. 10.9 10. as he did one while by Serpents another while by the Destroyer viz. the destroying Angel Num. 14.37 For saith he Exod. 23.21 My Name is in him that is He is the Lord Jehovah as I am of the same Essence Power Majesty and Authority as one well interprets the place which agreeth with that of the Apostle Col. 2.9 In him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily that is not in Clouds and Ceremonies Col. 2.9 as between the Cherubims but essentially personally So that Orthodox and sound Divine Davenant and therefore it deeply concerned them to stand in awe of him And now to conclude this Point wherein possibly I may be charged with over-much Prolixity but that the advancement of the Honour of Jesus Christ will I hope be a sufficient excuse and plea for me among those that take pleasure in the promoting thereof It is I believe very clear and evident by what hath been here said That the Lord Jesus was the King of his Church Yesterday as well as to Day And therefore when the people of Israel did out of a proud affectation to be like other Nations desire a King to be set over them the Lord saith 1 Sam. 8.7 1 Sam. 8.7 that they had rejected him from being their King that is even Christ the Lord as not contenting themselves with that Church-state wherein by his Spiritual Government over them they were made a people happy and glorious above all other Nations in the world whom preposterously they would now all on a sudden without any direction from God seek to imitate In the next place we are to take into consideration the Priestly Office of Christ for even in this also we shall finde him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ a Priest Yesterday the same yesterday i. a Priest to his Church from the beginning In the pursuance of this Point we shall fix our discourse principally upon two places of Scripture which will I believe make it evident and manifest unto all And first very remarkable is that which the Prophet David speaks of Christ in the 110 Psalm Ps 110.4 Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek In which words we may take notice of two things first the continuance of Christ's Priesthood Secondly the order of it For the continuance it is an eternal Priesthood to last for ever which word for ever comprehendeth in it the whole time and age of the Church from the beginning Or if it be limited to time to come it is to be understood with a reference unto Christ's first entrance upon his Mediatorial Office which was then when the new Covenant passed between God and Christ in the behalf of poor man immediately after the violation of the first as hath been said before And this possibly may be the reason why the Apostle speaking very frequently of Christ's eternal Priesthood Heb. 6 7 Chapters still renders this word for ever in the Singular Number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb 7.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat tum supra legem quam post legem ut Metaphysicâ—â— c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saepe ponitur pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because Christ's Priestly Office was not to take in that time wherein our first Parents stood in the state of Innocency but only that seculum which was to ensue even unto the end of the world If it be objected that Christ was made Priest since the Law because the Apostle saith Heb. 7.28 That the Word of the Oath which was since the
but what saith the Answer of God unto him I will make all my Goodness pass before thee and I will proclaime the Name of the Lord before thee And what could a poor Creature in this World desire more Oh what admirable Honour is this that the Lord vouchsafeth unto his Beloved Favourite what an incomparable Priviledge is This Moses now partaker of above his Brethren But it is the Lord who may do what he pleaseth for so he saith I will be Gracious to whom I will be Gracious and I will shew Mercy on whom I will shew Mercy Nevertheless we may with Modesty enquire how and by what means this glorious Goodness came to be presented unto Moses and that we shall finde to be even by this good old Way which we have here been speaking of viz. the Mediation of Jesus Christ I go not about to wrest this excellent Scripture by forcing upon it a sense which may not agree with the minde of the Holy Ghost therein That be far from me what I have to say concerning it I shall leave to the Judgement of the Wise and Godly First I shall by the way take this for granted because it hath been already proved that Moses had to do with Jesus Christ as the rest of the people had while He and they were together in the Wilderness And it must be confessed that there was as much need of the help and interposition of a Mediatour in this matter that we are speaking of as in any thing els which I say was in great Mercy dispensed unto Moses as is manifest First by the Preparation that preceded this glorious Appearance Secondly by the Form and Method of the Proclamation of the Name of the Lord at the time of that appearance As for the Preparation which is mentioned in the three last Verses of this thirty third Chapter the particulars thereof are very remarkable viz. concerning the place that is said to be by the Lord Ex. 33.21 22 23. and the Lord 's putting Moses into the cleft of the Rock and covering it with his Hand which that we may the better understand and see how apposite they are to our present purpose it will be needful for us to take into Consideration that whole intercourse between the Lord and Moses First Moses prayeth unto the Lord V. 13. in these words Shew me now thy Way What is that Thy Way say some that thou meanest to take with this people in bringing them to the Land which thou didst promise to give unto their Fathers I will not deny but that this might be in the minde of Moses now when the Lord was pleased to admit him into his presence because he was ever zealous for the peoples good But there are some Circumstances which follow that do incline me to another sense at least to joyn another with this both which may be allowed together being not inconsistent each with other but tending both to one and the same end It seemeth unto me that Moses here prayeth that the Lord would reveal himself unto him out of the Cloud in some shape and form as he might be visible unto his bodily sight which he therefore calleth his Way because he had been wont to do so to the Patriarchs before him whom he likewise knew by Name And I do the rather conceive this to be the sense because of the ground and reason of his desire which is added by him in the words following Lord saith he Shew me thy way that I may know thee and that I may find grace in thy sight True it is the Lord promiseth him immediately after this that his Presence should go with him as being an Answer to his request in the behalf of the people the necessity whereof Moses also urgeth and insisteth upon V. 15 16. Yet doth the Lord give him a further Answer in the Words that follow V. 17. as to a thing somewhat differing from that which concerned the people I will saith he do this thing also that thou hast spoken for thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by Name Now since the Lord had before consented that his Presence should go along with him in the Conduct of the people and that Moses had given his Restipulation thereunto resting him fully satisfied with what the Lord had promised to what purpose is this other Consent now superadded and that with a note of difference from what had passed before if it be not this which I have here declared viz. that the Lord would according to his desire Visibly appear unto him out of the Cloud in a humane shape as he had been accustomed to do to others whom he knew by Name which sense being admitted how clear will the Circumstances following that are preparatory to the great discovery of God in the next Chapter be unto us which otherwise will prove very intricate and obscure Behold saith the Lord there is a place by me and thou shalt stand upon a Rock and it shall come to pass while my Glory passeth by that I will put the in a Cleft of the Rock Now what place upon Earth can be said to be neerer to the Lord then another seeing he filleth Heaven and Earth with his presence And what Rock or Cleft of a Rock could be able to secure Moses from the danger of being consumed by that excellent Glory which did appear seeing the Rocks are cloven to pieces Nah. 1.6 and thrown down before him How then could these things be It is in vain now to produce an Anthropopathy and so stretch it so far as to make it level with every Circumstance for doubtless there was a Reality in this matter and every particular of it was done and effected to Moses sense and to the full satisfaction of his expectation so far as might stand with the safety of his Life Granting therefore that Jesus Christ appeared unto Moses as a Man there might then be a place said to be according to the ordinary course of Nature neerer to him in that Mount where the Lord was wont to meet this his servant then another elsewhere he might also put Moses into the Rock and cover him with his Hand to preserve him from the imminent Danger and then take away his Hand that so Moses might see some glimpse of that Glory that passed by Yea more it is said Exod 34.5 that the Lord Descended in a Cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the Name of the Lord and yet in the sixth verse it is said The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed to stand still with Moses proclaiming and to pass by before him proclaiming too seemeth in reason not to hold well together the true meaning therefore undoubtedly is this Jesus Christ who is Jehovah the Mediatour came down upon the Mount in a Cloud and then after he was descended appears visibly unto Moses according to his former Promise and stood with him there to protect him from Danger while
Jehovah that is God the Father who is essentially one with the Son passed by in his Glory proclaiming his Name To say nothing of the Lord's stay and abode with Moses and his converse with him as it is at large declared in the following part of the Chapter Ex. 34 28. and that for fourty days and fourty nights as appears V. 28. after the end of this glorious Vision which did also put a glorious lustre upon the face of Moses which never any of God's former appearances unto him did It is I suppose manifest unto all men that this preparation that was here made doth demonstrate clearly that Jesus Christ was a mediatour to Moses for good and that without him he could never have been able with safety to his Life to have endured that excellent glory Secondly The form or method of that divine Proclamation doth also intimate the same unto us Let us consider it so far as I conceive for the present it hath a pertinency to the point in hand and that is in the order and method of the Names wherewith the God proclaimeth himself viz. The Lord the Lord God Observe first Ex. 34.6 The Lord then The Lord God The first implying one that hath his Being of himself and who is the Authour of all subordinate Beings the second signifying the Lord Strong and Mighty The first sheweth Goodness the second Greatness The first puts the Creature into a relation unto God and gives it a dependance upon him Ex. 6.3 Note Moses his former admissions into Gods presence were grantted unto him by an extraordinary condescension possibly because he was then to be Mediatour of the renewed Covenant of Works wherein Jesus Christ was not to be concerned the second advanceth the Divine excellency above the Creature and beyond the descent of a Correlation unto it in a Word The first conferres a Right upon Believers to and in the Mediatour for it is Jehovah that gives a being to all the Promises Exod 6.3 the second makes the Mediatour himself-subordinate unto God Now therefore behold the Goodness of God presented unto Moses in that The Lord is named before The Lord God had this Proclamation of the name of God been without this preceeding Title I doubt it had not been safe for Moses to have seen any glimpse of all that transient Glory such as never was the like manifested unto him or any other mortal man before and if so what can this argue but the necessity of a Mediatour between God and man without whom never could any of the posterity of Adam since the humane nature was defiled by his Disobedience have the least Acquaintance with the Almighty to their Comfort but must for ever have been kept at a distance from him But it is the Lord that is between Moses and the Lord God which makes all that God saith of himself to be very good And now I do here humbly commend this Interpretation which I have given of this place of Scripture to the whole Church of God being partly led thereunto by the consideration of the different manner which also is observable of the Scriptures speaking of God before the expulsion of our first Parents out of Paradise where the promise of Grace was given unto them immediately upon their Fall from that which is spoken of him afterwards before viz. In the second and third Chapters of Genesis Moses speaks of God with the Appellative Title of The Lord God but after in the fourth Chapter and so forwards he maketh mention of the Lord onely not The Lord God which to my apprehension doth plainly imply that God did not appear unto Man after the Fall as he did before but what intercourse soever passed between God and Man was in and through the Mediation of Jehovah that is Jesus Christ the Lord Not but the Father and the Holy Ghost are called in Scripture Jehovah too even as the Son see Ps 2.2 Ps 110.1 1 Cor. 12.4 5. But wheresoever these two Titles Jehovah Jehovah El. The Lord and The Lord God are set together and distinguisht each from other as in that to Moses before mentioned and in this latter mentioned by Moses there is the Son onely Quatenus Mediatour to be understood by it Clearly then Jesus Christ was the Mediatour Yesterday between God and his people as well as to Day And upon the whole it is manifest that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same or the onely He to his Church in point of Salvation under the Old Testament even as now under the New And let this suffice for the Confirmation of this Doctrine But as we have proved the Truth of it so it is very fit that we should now improve it in making some Use thereof for the furtherance of the Gospel In the first place I shall again take this opportunity to make an Address to the dispersed of the Jews whom I do beseech by all that antient Love that hath been between God and them that they would yet look upon him whom they have pierced And herein I do but exhort you O yee that were once a People Zech. 12.10 yea the onely people of God to that which your selves know well enough is prophecyed of you 1 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and which shall surely be accomplished shortly by you And I beseech you will it not be far better for you that the Prophet's words should be made good in this Generation then in those that come after you Look upon your present estate wherein you stand and see whether that honourable Bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ which your Fathers shed do not lie upon you as a stupendious guilt unto this very Day Look upon all that is written by Moses and the Prophets concerning him and see whether it be not all exactly fulfilled to a Tittle in that our blessed Lord who on Mount Calvary by Jerusalem was with wicked hands crucified and slain Nay have not your selves been instrumental in executing that upon Jesus of Nazareth which was prophecyed should be done unto the Messiah Alas alas will you be still wilfully blinde look up and behold your King Pilate once spake it in scorn or out of a Design of Rebellion against Caesar Joh. 19.14 but I speak it unto you as I said before out of a hearty desire of your Restauration to your former Glory Behold I say your King and behold your Priest and behold your Prophet Your King who watched over you in all your Generations of old to defend and protect you and to deliver you from all your Enemies and whom now also to serve you will undoubtedly finde to be your perfect freedom Your Priest whose Sacrifice did virtually accompany all the Sacrifices of the Aaronical Priest-hood making them effectual for your Good and will fully expiate your great sin in sacrificing that is Crucifying even this your High-Priest who is now in the Holy place at the right hand of his
Father making intercession for you Your Prophet who gave unto your Fathers Statutes and Judgements so righteous that there was no Nation how great so ever in this World that had the like and who will now again teach you the good and the right way if you will hearken unto him Awake Awake therefore O Israel awake awake gather your selves together yea gather your selves together O Nation that art to be desired behold and see how tenderly careful the Lord hath been of you ever since he took you to be his peculiar people Time was when he carried you about as upon Eagle's wings and the time is now come that he would take yee into his Bosome wherein alone you shall after all your unkindnesses finde rest for your Souls He remembers the kindness of your Youth O that you would now consider the kindness of his Age Fortie years long did your Fathers greive him in the wilderness and will you go on to vex him fortie times forty more He then swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest and accordingly it came to pass for their Carcasses all fell in the wilderness but their little ones which they said should be a prey them did he bring into that Good Land which he promised to give unto Abraham be warned therefore betimes for if you will not turn you shall certainly fall and perish as they did but your Children shall surely see that Glory that shall be revealed for the Lord hath sworn in his Love that Jacob shall not be forsaken for ever Consider it is no novelty that we perswade you unto but that which was from the the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our Eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word of Life for the Life was manifested and we have seen it and bear Witness and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that yee also may have Fellowship with us and truely our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Come then I say again and mourn for him whom you have pierced and we also will mourn with you for good cause have we so to do having alas many a time dealt too treacherously with this our great redeemer and put him to an open shame by our frequent swervings and tergiversations from that righteous and holy rule that he hath set us we will abandon this present evil World and all the flattering insinuations thereof our dearest relations shall be of no Value with us in comparison of our fellowship with you and that Brotherly Covenant which shall oblige us both unto our common Lord who hath loved you from the beginning and will love you again more abundantly if you will now turn unto him Return return therefore O Shulamite return return Secondly this may teach us to forbear that Disdain which is commonly found to be in these days against the Ages that have been before us For whatsoever Light hath been in the World at any time it hath been derived from this Father of Lights Jesus Christ And he hath by that tender care which himself had both of the Law and the Fathers who lived under it and before it set us an Example to bear a due respect as becommeth Brethren to that antiquity which hath been enlightned by him in this Day of the Gospel For the Law though it was perverted by such as would not believe in him to a Sinister use even to the utter Abolition of his whole Evangelical institute and was in that respect justly disavowed by his Apostles in their writings yet he professeth the design of his coming was not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it And for the Fathers in their sundry Generations before him who walking in this Light had fellowship with him we have sufficiently seen how he hath owned them Yea and ever since he hath been the leader and supporter of his Church in all the various changes that have come upon it for he is he Everlasting Father of his people Es 9.6 and the Provision whatsoever it was that his family hath hitherto lived upon from the time that he dwelt among us as it hath been as his cost and of his wise and prudent devising so it hath been always ordered and disposed by him How ill then doth it become us in these days to cast forth reproachful speeches against the Light of antiquity or those that walked in it Do we not thereby call into question the Wisdom of Christ himself I speak not here of the unwritten Verities or Traditions of Antiquity as they are called which have neither with them a Catholick Recognition nor any warrant or footstep from the written word That is a Door which hath let in much Corruption into the Church nor of the untrue writings of any Monkish Heterodox Spirits which are the spurious Issue of that man of Sin But that which I do undertake upon this occasion to vindicate is that Holy Venerable Renowned Orthodox Antiquity which hath been alwayes faithful to Jesus Christ and his Gospel which hath borne the burden and heat of the day in maintaining and defending by Writing by Preaching by Living by Dying the Doctrine of Christ crucified against the Prince of Darkness and all his cursed Adherents What though there have been clouds and eclipses of the glorious Light of Truth in former times which notwithstanding have by the brightness of Christs appearance in the Ministery of his old Servants been dispelled scattered and removed What though there have been Differences and Contentions arisen rather about Circumstantials then Fundamentals of the Gospel from which we in this Age are not altogether free Yet since it is so that Jesus Christ hath been the same to them which he is to us we should learn to judge at least more modestly then we do of the dayes that have been before us It is as it hath been observed the common disease of all Ages to applaud themselves above any that have been before them Actions of men being for the most part according to the vogue and sway of times and have onely their upholding by the opinion of the vulgar We deale with Antiquity but as Posterity will with us which ever thinks it self the wiser and that will judge likewise of our errours according to the Cast of their Imaginations Yet I say not but that we have great reason to bless God for those discoveries of his Grace and those Manifestations of his Truth that wee enjoy in these times and I doubt not but God hath some also now that will be valiant for his Truth as there have been ever of old but when we look into the Lives of those who now-a-dayes are most zealous in decrying Antiquity and extolling the present Age and yet finde Spiritual Pride and Censoriousness so common amongst them besides their
compleating of his most glorious design in this day of his power he will most certainly get himself a name in casting it down and having commanded his Light to shine out of Darkness Joh. 1.5 though the darkness of mens hearts will not receive it yet his Commandment still continueth in force and his word runneth very swiftly In a word true and great and marvellous and invincible is the light of this day concerning which much might be spoken from the predictions of the Prophets who prophecyed of this day and much might be added from the triumphant exultations of the Apostles whose eyes were first opened to see the light of this day but there is no need to undertake any further the clearing of the truth of this point for the day it self doth declare it the Sun which is the light and life of this day being not onely risen but ascended and not onely risen and ascended but fixed in his Meridian never more to descend till time be no more Nescit occasum Let us therefore now come to improve it by some close Applications unto us all whose lot it is to live under this Light First Seeing that this time of the Gospel is such a Lightsome day we then that are the Children of the day are to take notice of those Duties which the day requireth of us First whereof is that we rejoyce and be glad in it Truely Light is sweet saith Solomon and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun Eccles 11.7 1. Duty Ec. 11.7 How sweet then and pleasant a thing is it to behold the light of this day wherein the Glory of the Lord is risen upon the Church Es 60.1 as the Prophet foretold it should Es 60.1 That glory which since the beginning of the world was out of the reach and apprehension of any Creature which yet notwithstanding was earnestly longed for by the Holy and faithful Servants of God of old How happy would Abraham Isaac Jacob Moses David Hezekiah Josiah Esaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel c. have accounted themselves to have seen that Glory which is now revealed How full of joy would they have been in the light of this day wherein with open face we behold as in a Mirroir the Glory of the Lord saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 3.18 Nay wherein all flesh seeth the Salvation of God wherein the Word of God comes with power and evidence and Demonstration wherein the Spirit is shed forth abundantly in the hearts of Believers wherein knowledg covereth the earth even as the waters covers the seas so that God's people now need teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother the sense and meaning of the Shadows and Ceremonies of old saying Jer. 31.34 Know the Lord the Lord whom these things do typifie and so far as such carnal Ordinances are able make known unto you for now is fulfilled that which then the Lord promised saying they shall all know me from the least of them to the Greatest of them The whole Mystery of Godliness is now clearly revealed in so much that they who are endued with the Spirit of God know all things yea 1 Job 2.20 Act. 2.17 even Children and Handmaidens people of all sorts and Sexes understand more fully the Doctrine of Salvation then the Prophets and great Rabbies of old could be able to reach into And therefore it is worth our considering how emphatically the Spirit of God in scripture doth found out this word now in reference to the great glory of this day of the Gospel to that very end that all who are I say Children of the Day may see the Light and rejoyce in it Observe some instances Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 Now is manifested the Righteousness of God Rom. 3.22 2 Cor. 6 2. Rom. 3.22 Eph 3.10 Eph. 3.5 Col. 1.26 1 Joh. 2.8 Now is made known the manifold Wisdom of God Eph. 3.10 The Mystery which was hidden from Ages and Generations is now revealed Eph. 3.5 Col. 1.26 The Darkness is past the true Light now shineth 1 Joh. 2.8 Now Now Now implying that now and never before the dawning of this day there was a light in the world to be reckoned of the highest value O blessed and happy Day And for ever and ever blessed be that good Providence of Heaven that hath brought us to see the Light of this Day making it unto us a good Day A Day of good tidings A day of Reconciliation with the God of Heaven A Day of joy and gladness Let us therefore I say again and again rejoyce and be glad in it Let the Children of the World glory some in their carnal wisdom some in their strength some in their riches But let us glory in this that we underl and and know the Lord. Now in this serene and joyful day of his gracious visitation did Abraham with great pleasure and rapture of spirit rejoyce to see this day afar off and shall not we now rejoyce when it is at hand yea when it comes upon us and the Light of it shineth round about us Surely we are not Abrahams Children unless we do the works of Abraham and if herein we do not rejoyce we are not of the Faith of Abraham and consequently shall not be blessed with him Objection But alas you 'll say this day is a day of trouble of rebuke and blasphemy of trouble to the Churches of Christ throughout the world of rebuke for God is angry with the world for sin of Blasphemy the Provocations wherewith God is provoked every day being very great reaching up into Heaven And should we now rejoyce Answer I Answer It is indeed a day of trouble to the people of God and possibly if they had rejoyced more for the consolation which their eyes have seen they had not seen so much trouble upon them as they do this day But nevertheless albeit there be so great and sore afflictions lying upon the Churches which all the Children of the Day must be sensible of yet in the midst of all this sorrow there is cause of rejoycing for why it is not a Night of trouble wherein no succour or comfort can be found but the Light of the Lord so shineth out before his people that they may plainly see his good works which with an out-stretched arme he hath wrought and still doth for their deliverance Ps 112.4 Vnto the Righteous saith the Psalmist Ps 112.4 Ariseth Light in Darkness that is in the darkest times of trouble then hath their light of comfort been wont to arise most And therefore though in some respect the day be somewhat cloudy yet it is not a Dismal Day though the Affliction be great yet the consolations of God are not so small with us but we may glorifie God in this day and rejoyce before him True you 'll say But alas we remember
God and are troubled for his Anger we see is enkindled it smoketh against the sheep of his Pasture By terrible things in Righteousness doth God answer his People now in this day when they call upon him chiding and chastning them very sore should we then make mirth I Answer far be it from us when the Lord God of Hostes calls to Weeping and Mourning c. that we should be of that cross grain'd disposition as to thwart the sad Dispensations of his Providence by giving up our selves to any vain and carnall Delights and when his hand is lifted up to correct and punish that then we should wilfully shut our eyes refusing to see that I say be far from us But I beseech you though this be a day of rebuke Is it not a time also of Love Nay when with rebukes the Lord doth correct his people is there not both love and faithfulness to be found in the bottom of those rebukes which makes them very sweet unto the soul of a Believer Besides can we not distinguish between the sorrowful dispensations of Providence whensoever they come upon us and the glorious dispensations of grace If the former be matter of sorrow the latter are of joy Rejoyce therefore in the Lord alwayes and again I say rejoyce Oh but it is a day of blasphemy And who that hath a tender regard to God's glory and the Churches Welfare can chuse but sigh and mourn to see and hear the Abominations that are so frequent this day How alas doth errour and heresie justle with divine truth Yea trample it under their feet And that which encreaseth the sorrow people that profess godliness love to have it so Some make a mock at Sin That which should be the terrour and amazement of the soul as being most of all contrary to God and a worse enemie to the whole creation then all the devils in Hell Fooles at this day do play and dally with it Others make a mock at Holiness Pro. 14.9 either by a profane Diabolical derision of it or els by a false Pharisaical Profession of it thereby to palliate their abominable wickedness Here are some jesting pleasantly with their Maker as he did who would needs drink a Health to his Patron blasphemously calling him his Maker There others sporting themselves with the Holy Scriptures exercising their scurrilous Wits upon those sacred Oracles whereat they should rather tremble and which the glorious Angels do stoope down to adore Alas alas is not the Air polluted with most execrable Hell-invented oaths and that Vnmanly vice of Drunkenness as our late King of never-dying Memory according to the excellent Wisdom given unto him in a Speech of his at Oxford most properly termed it grown Impudent notwithstanding all the good laws in force against it And such Brothelry commonly belched out by a Brutish Generation who yet live under the light of this day that the very Heathens would abhor it And is this a time then thinke you to Rejoyce I Answer For these things indeed let us be humbled and walk mournfully before the Lord let horrour feise upon us as it was with the Holy Prophet Ps 119.53 Ps 119.136 because of the wicked that forsake the law of the Lord Yea let us as he did for these things even swim in tears Ps 119 136. But we must know that this kinde of sorrow and humiliation is to be manifested in denying our selves that natural and lawful joy and liberty we may take sometimes in the free use of the Creatures not at all in quenching our spiritual joy We rejoyce not in iniquity but we rejoyce in the truth this joy no man nor no Devil should take from us because God hath called us to it and calleth upon us for it All this therefore hindereth not but that we may and ought to rejoyce in the Light of this day though there be much affliction upon the Church rebuke from God iniquity and blasphemy among men to be seen in it Secondly 2 Duty suffer the Light of this day to shine in upon your soules that the beams thereof may have their free and clear penetration into every corner of your inner man If ye be Children of light and Children of the day sprung from the womb of the morning you will be still craving after light ambitious of a Conformity to the nobleness of your extraction yea light is your proper element and the more you are swallowed up in it the more comfortable shall your life be unto you Mis-mean me not I exhort you not now to stand gazing after a Light that is too high for your reach or to break through God's pavilion to that light that is inaccessible There is a knowledge too wonderful for poor man which while he is cloathed with mortality yea and in some respect when his mortality hath put on immortality He shall never be able to attain unto Neither do I call upon you to look after those new lights which the varity and darkness of these times do so much cry up and extol for sure I am that which is new in point of Salvation cannot be true A position though much disliked by some giddy heads may well be maintained against Men and Angels Yea whatsoever may be obtruded upon you as a fundamental Light that shall appear in this Noontide of the Gospel to be of so narrow an extent that it hath not or cannot overspread the whole Hemisphere of the Church is most certainly counterfeit a prodigious comet portending some strong delusions rather then a true fixed light derived from the fountain of light For saith Christ himself Luk. 17.24 As the lightning that lightneth from one part under Heaven shineth to the other part under heaven so also is the Son of man in his day Not onely in the great day of his glorious appearance but even in this his day He is not concluded within the narrow confines of Africa as the Donatists of old would have him Nor in the conclave at Rome as the Papists at this day foolishly imagine Nor in the Desart that is in the separation amongst those that now-a-days forsake the Assemblies Nor in their secret Chambers that is in the Conventicles of Schismaticks But his going forth is from the end of Heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it his Church hath infallibly universally been inlightned by him with that knowledge that is necessary to Salvation unto which whosoever shall add is a Deceiver and to be anathematized by all the Churches of Christ Putting away therefore these vanities Let your soules give entertainment to that Light which this Day presenteth unto you And so much the rather because the Prince of darkness hath raised up many foggie noisome palpable mists to obscure this light with which mists the eyes of a multitude of people pretending to Holiness are miserably blinded And now if it be demanded what this light is I Answer First It is the light of Life not a
dead light Joh. 8.12 as the light of yesterday was which consisted in carnal Ordinances and dead Sacrifices but a living light that is Jesus Christ himself who though he was dead to extinguish the former Light yet being quickned by the Spirit he liveth to establish this new Light that shall therefore undoubtedly continue to the end of the World For behold saith hee I am alive for evermore affixing his Seale with an Amen to note the unalterableness of his present estate Hee I say again is this light of life not like unto other lights that have no Life in them whoso followeth the Sun in the firmament 't is true hath light but it is a Light wanting life when death cometh it cannot give him life because it hath it not to give There is indeed hope of a tree Joh. 14.7.10 when it is cut down that it may live again saith Job and that the tender Branch thereof will not cease but when Man giveth up the Ghost where is Hee Not the sent of water nor the light nor heat of the Sun can be able to revive him But saith Christ Hee that followeth mee hath the light of Life that is my self Who am the Sun of Righteousness having healing in my Wings Mal. 4.2 Joh. 5.26 Joh 5.2 it being given unto me to have Life in my self Joh. 5.25 So that I quicken whom I will Joh. 5.21 And thus saith the Evangelist of him Joh. 1.4 Joh. 1.4 In him was Life and that Life was the Light of Men. So then here you see what is the light of this day that you are exhorted to receive It is Christ Jesus let him come therefore into your souls He will bring both light and life with him light into your understandings whereby you shall get more intimate Acquaintance in the great Mystery of Godliness and life into your Affections raising them above the World and from groveling in flesh and bloud to a spiritual elevation light to direct you in the way and life to quicken you in it light to comfort you in your troubles and life to deliver you out of them the light of the life of grace here and the light of the life of glory hereafter Awake therefore thou that sleepest rise up from the dead and Christ shall give thee Light Secondly The light of this day is the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ 2 Cor. 4.4 shewing to the world such glorious Mysteries which before this day could not be so clearly known such as the Incarnation of God the expiation of sin by his death the freeness of Salvation through faith in a Mediatour remedy against the Curse and mitigation of the rigour of the Law reconciliation with God spiritual Administrations of the New Covenant all which and many more had never been manifested to the Children of Men had not the day sprung from on high even from the Zenith of the Heaven of Heavens visited the Church with this glorious light and therefore is it well worthy to be entertained by us Thirdly It is called the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God then which nothing can to the Saints be more desireable and unto which when the Soul hath in the utmost extent of her Capacity fully attained she is fully satisfied setting up her rest with a Ne plus ultra as the Prophet confessed saying I shall be satisfied when thy Glory shall appear When as therefore this glory now appeareth in some glimpses to the Soule whiles she is shut up in this Corps of Clay such Apparitions being the Praeludium of that perfect happiness that is to come must needs be very welcome Now the Light of this Day sheweth unto the Soule of a Believer so far as it is capable the Glory of God viz. The Glory of his Wisdome the Glory of his Power the Glory of his Grace and Goodness with other his glorious Attributes in the Protection of his people in the fulfilling of his Promises in the propagating of his Gospel yea it filleth the Soule with Joy and Gladness raising it up to a Life Heavenly and Angelical And therefore well worthy of Acceptation Consider I beseech you shall the Glory of the Lord shine round about us and shall not we open our Hearts to let it in Have we a Price put into our Hands to get Wisdome and shall we have no heart unto it God forbid Yea let us not content our selves with that which we have already attain'd 1 Cor. 12.31 but labour to see more and more of this Glory covet earnestâ—y the best things saith the Apostle be still craving Lord shew me thy Glory Let me see thy goings how thou my God and King goest in the Sanctuary in the Dispensations of thy Grace in the manifestations of thy Presence O come into my Soule and let me be Metamorphosed into thine Image from Glory to Glory 2 Cr. 3.18 from one degree of Grace to another till I come in the Light of Glory to see the King in his Beauty beholding him as he is and knowing him even as I am known Thirdly As we must rejoyce in the Light of this Day 3. Duty and receive it into our Hearts so are we to walke in it and by it ordering our whole Conversation according unto it otherwise we are very unworthy of it And here give me leave a while to lead you into that Walke wherein Zachary and Elizabeth a holy couple whose Praise is in the Gospel were wont to walke They Walked saith the Evangelist Lak 1.6 in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord Luk. 1.6 Let us then joyn Hearts and Hands together and go and do likewise First let us walke in the Commandments of the Lord Quid enim est Lex Dei nisi Lux Diei Ps 104.23 doing the work of the Lord in this Day of the Lord. The Day we know is ordained for man to work in Man saith the Psalmist goeth forth unto his work and to his Labour untill the Evening Psal 104. So also is this Day set apart and appointed by God for his people to walk in that is to worke for so is a holy walking before God interpreted in Scripture e. g. I must saith Christ Walke to day and to morrow and the day following Luk. 13.33 Eph. 2.10 speaking of his workes which he wrought at that time And good workes saith the Apostle Eph. 2.10 God hath ordained that we should walke in them This Light therefore must not be consumed in vain not whelm'd under the Bushel of filthy lucre nor hid under the Bed of slothfull Negligence but we must make use of it to shew us our way and to guide us in our worke Let us then arise and walke up and be doing not spend the day in hearing and talking onely as the manner of some is For as the light of the Sun is no help to the Eares and Tongues of men but to their hands and feet to walke
of love which was foretold to be in the last times and is now too palpably to be discerned in the World doth plainly demonstrate the setting of our Sun to be very neere Yea and Satan also hath great wrath because hee hath but a short time to work for his Kingdom knowing well that the end of this day will be concluding of his whole design against the Kingdom of Christ Do not these things I say signifie to us that the day goeth away and that the shadows of the evening are stretched out That our Sun is declining and his race even almost at an end Work therefore now for your lives if ever you will do it the night cometh wherein no man can work Could we speak to the light of this day as Joshua did unto the Sun to stand still and make it slay our leisure we might then take our own time But as all our times so especially this is in the hand of God and as no worldly or infernal power can precipitate this day or cut short the hours thereof so can none protract it beyond that measure which the grave and wise antient of dayes hath appointed unto it The day is his and the night is his saith the Psalmist the day I say of the gospel and the expiration of it as well particular to some Persons and Nations as universal at the end of the World are in his power under his irreversible decree to be ordered according to the good pleasure of his Will and therefore out of our reach to be interrupted in their course by any thing that we can do Arise then and walk Up and be doing least dreadful darkness seize upon you before you be aware It is reported by Historians of Titus Vespasianus entituled by them deliciae humani generis because he delighted to do good unto all that when he had spent a day without doing somewhat whereby the Common-wealth or some private persons might be benefited by him he was wont to say Diem perdidi the day is lost O let us consider the day is well nigh spent and the night is at hand If now we stand idle and will do nothing or if we be slothful in the multitude of businesses Rom. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Lord hath set us not Serving the time with that fervency of spirit as is fit for the day we also may say hereafter when it will be too late Perdidimus diem we have lost the day and are lost in the night without any remedy What therefore the Preacher saith in his sense Ec. 9.10 the same say I in this Whatsoever thine hand findeth in the word to do do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor Knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whither thou goest That being as one saith Seculum Mercedis not Seculum Operis not a time of work but of wages and your wages shall surely be according to your work To Conclude Let us according to the Advice of the Apostle walk honestly Rom. 13.13 that is Decently as in the Day in all the Commandments of the Lord doing that which is good in his sight for this is indeed that honest decency which adorns a believer and sets a beautiful lustre upon his holy profession In which Adviso the Apostle seems to allude to the civil Customes and Manners of people that are modest in the World who are wont both in their apparel and deportment to demean themselves decently in the day time and will while they are in the light be ashamed that any thing dishonest and unseemely should be found upon them or acted by them whereupon he would have us also that believe to learn and remember to bear such a respect unto this day of the Gospel and the light shining about us as to have our Conversation honest and to do nothing uncomely in it No Rioting or drunkenness no Chambering or Wantonness nor other the like dishonest works of Darkness should be seen amongst us which in this day will cover us with shame to the loathing of our persons in the Eyes of God and his Holy angels Away with them therefore and let us walk honestly And now for a close of this Exhortation I shall take liberty to speak a word unto you in season If you be Children of the day beware of the deeds of darkness in this time wherein you pretend to remember the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ It is not my work to argue against the solemnity which Yesterday to Day and some Dayes following is still held up and continued among us neither will I undertake as the manner is to judge any man here present in the freedom of his Conscience for his observing this Anniversary Festival yea though his observation of it be accompanied with a more then ordinary use of the good Creatures of God provided that he doth as the Apostle speakes observe it to the Lord. But I beseech you Is this to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord to run into excess of Riot and to let loose the reins into all manner of disorder and Licentiousness Is this to Commemorate the Birth of Christ to spend the time in gourmardizing and swinish Drunkeness Siccine exprimitur publicum gandium per publicum dedecus Haeccine solennes dies decent quae alios non decent Will you so testisie your publick rejoycing as to make your selves a publick shame Do such things become these festival dayes which are scandalous and unbecoming those that profess the name of Christ upon other days It was the complaint of Tertullian in his time and we have too much reason to make use of it now O my Brethren beware I fay again of the unfruitful works of darkness at this time if you be the Children of the Day And a needful Caveat it is for I think it hath been too truely said God hath been more dishonoured in many places of this land by Rioting and Drunkenness and other Abominations in the twelve dayes then in all the twelve months following Let us therefore I say again walk honestly as in the Day and as becomes Children of the day in all the Commandments of the Lord. I have I confess been somewhat large in handling this subject But the day will not fail us though we take a turn or two more then ordinary in walking this round I mean in meditating upon this holy walk and in exhorting one another while it is called to day to bestir ourselves in it Let us now pass on to the other side of this walk that is the ordinances of the Lord for they indeed are the excellency and glory of this day and methinks it should be our endeavour yea it should be our Ambition to exercise our selves in this walk also more frequently then we do What greater happiness can there be in this world then to walk with God and to hold a sweet correspondency with him To pour out our complaints before him to
make known our requests unto him and to receive instruction and benedictions from him what a priviledge is it peculiar to this day to finde the Lord Jesus Christ in his Regal and Pontifical attire walking in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks that is in the assemblies of his people breathing upon them with his spirit and insinuating himself kindly into their hearts by his word and Sacraments Are not the goings of the Lord the Lord I say our God and our King in his Sanctuary worthy to be traced by us especially when the savour of his Oyntments doth so spread it self that it is sensibly to be discerned What do not the words of God do good to those that walk uprightly Shall God all the day long from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same stretch out his hands unto us filled with the choicest of his blessings that ever he did hold out to the Children of men And shall not we put forth our hands to receive them Is it nothing to have Satan fall down like Lightning before us in the powerful dispensations of Gospel-Ordinances O how happy were we if we knew our Happiness But since I am fallen upon a serious expostulation in this case suffer me I beseech you good brethren that belong unto this Congregation to bring it home to your Consciences by a particular application and without offense bee that speech which is intended not to offend but onely to affect with a clear Truth Yesterday it is like if there had been a Sermon in this place here would have been a full Congregation To day also it appeareth our Assembly is greater then it was wont to be upon these dayes yet yesterday and to day and all our dayes what do we that are your Ministers but work the work of him that sent us preaching peace by Jesus Christ he is Lord of all Whence is it then that our Message is despised That the holy and divine Ordinance of preaching is so much sleighted by your absenting your selves upon such dayes of the week wherein Ministers come freely to impart unto you some spiritual gift such as they have received from the Lord If indeed we did preach any other Gospel then that which the Church of God hath received from the beginning or any other Jesus then him who is the same yesterday to day and for ever ye might have just cause to despise our ministery and to hold us accursed But when we bring unto you no other doctrine of salvation then that which hath been professed and maintained by the Church of God in all Ages sealed and confirmed by the bloud of Martyres yea by the bloud of God himself accompanied also with the mighty operations of the spirit of God to the conversion and salvation of multitudes that hear it how can you without contracting unto your selves an extraordinary guilt in the sight of God refuse as you do to resort to this place at such times when this word is faithfully preached having no lawful lett to hinder you and to keep you from it Do you not hereby openly proclaim unto the world that you have no care of your souls what becomes of them whether they sink or swim whether they saved or damned Pro. 15.32 He that refuseth instruction saith Solomon despiseth his own soul Nay is it not a plain demonstration of too great an impiety as that you care not for God himself that you regard him not fear him not nourishing in your hearts a secret atheism and enmity against him Where there is not a desire of the knowledge of Gods waies there is questionless a slender account made of the majesty of God and a secret if not an open separation from him To this purpose saith Job They that desire not the knowledge of his waies say unto him in their hearts depart from us Nay more Job 21.14 To refuse to hear the word preached when we may and God offereth it unto us at such a time I say to have no minde to it no love to it but disdainfully to turn our backs upon it is a greater sin according to the judgment of Christ himself then the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah Hear what he saith Matth. 10.14.15 And what he speaketh there to his Disciples Matth 10.14.15 he speaks to all his servants lawfully called to the work of the ministery into whatsoever City you enter and they receive you not shake off the dust of your feet Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment then for that City Weâ—l be assured of it when all 's done and the time of reckoning shall come This will be found to be a very great sin It will not boot thee then poor man to say I have been careful to celebrate the commemoration of my Saviours Nativity at the usual time of the year no no thy observation of this Ecclesiastical Constitution will not by ten thousand talents counterpoize thy great sin in disobeying the commandment of thy God by so frequent refusing to hear him as thou doest at other time of the year when he speaks unto thee in the ministery of his word Whereas therefore you will do this from which I will not disswade you Do not leave the other undone which God hath so expresly commanded should be done but to day hear his voice and harden not your hearts There are sundry other Ordinances which the children of the day might here be exhorted to walk in But it will not be expedient now to insist upon them all severally onely let the Sacraments which are together with the word the prime Ordinances of this day have that regard which is due unto them The Lord we know hath commanded that we should walk in them For as he said of old under the Law Lev. 18.4 So hath he in effect spoken it again and again in the Gospel concerning his Sacraments especially Levit. 18.4 ye shall keep mine Ordinances to walk therein I am the Lord your God Observe It is not said to talk and discourse of them onely as the manner of some is now-a-daies much less to keep them closed up and confined within those narrow limits which our late upstart Anabaptistical Projectors have devised with whom there hath been too much tampering and compliancy even almost to the irrepairable ruine of that whole Evangelical Institute under which we have hitherto prospered but to walk in them that is to use them both for our incorporation into his Church and our corroboration in it Since then the Lord hath commanded us this service we had not best stand arguing still about the administration of it and in the mean time leave it quite undone But let Ministers and People look to it betimes least the anger of the Lord smoke yet more and more against them for their disobedience Thus much for that which concerns the children of the day and what
which is Christ Jesus And other salvation can no man expect then that which hath been from the beginning there being no other name given under Heaven nor in Heaven neither whereby believers may ever get to Heaven Via seculi Via Antiqua Ps 139. ult It is the decree of Heaven not to be disanulled till time be no more It is the way everlasting wherein the Wisdome and Power of the Almighty shall be gloriously manifested to the eternal confusion of that grand apostate the Devil and all his Angels whose inveterate malice hath from the beginning been principally bent against Jesus Christ In the handling of this Subject our business should be to consider Jesus Christ in the execution of his Mediatorial Office For that indeed hath been the work of this day And which hath made this day more glorious then yesterday Yesterday 't is true he was as it is said before the onely Mediatour between God and man being ordained of the Father to that high honour but it was by virtue of that which he hath to day actually accomplished both in his life and in his death Whatsoever therefore hath been spoken concerning him must be understood with a reference unto the work of this day whereby all the former mediation in the High Court of Heaven for the Fathers of old is made good and effectual in the Law of God and ratified for eternity And this speaks him still to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same or the onely he who was willing in this day of his power to perfect for ever them that in all the Ages of the Church have been are or shall be sanctified that is consecrated and separated out of the world and dedicated to be vessels of honour unto God We shall not enter into a large survey of that which Christ hath done and suffered nor make any strict search into his office whereby it may in all points be made manifest that he hath now in this time of the Gospel fully perfected the work of redemption and so proved himself to be the same to day which he was yesterday We have spoken somewhat of these things before and therefore shall for bear to speak much of them now and there have been Writers of late who have magnified the Office of Christs Mediatourship therein doing eminent service both unto him and his Church Yet it is but meet that we should for our methods sake take this sweet subject also along with us though it be folded up but in some general termes which being opened particularly would enlarge our discourse too much wherein already I may be judged by some to have gone beyond my bounds In the first of the Revelation we read how the Lord Jesus Christ appears unto his beloved Disciple St. John clothed in his regal and pontifical attire Rev. 1.13 intimating that he is now ready fitted for that whole Oeconomy to which he was designed from the beginning and implying that he is now solemnly inaugurated into and possessed with that honour which did alwayes belong unto his Office Never did he in all his apparitions of old shew himself in such a manner as now he doth This garment was then laid up as I may say in the Cabinet of Gods Purpose and Decree wherein the smell of it was very acceptable to the Father inclining him to give out his blessing to his children who did then by faith according to their capacity lay hold upon it But now since that this our great Lord Advocate and Mediatour the first begotten among many brethren hath been actually called of God unto his office and assumed the right of his Primogeniture he appears vested with it exercising his authority fulfilling the will of his Father and confirming all that he hath done in the preservation of his people and their reception to himself since the World began With which confirmation Divine Justice rests her self fully satisfied and the Pleas of the Law and the clamours of Satan are all husht and silenced Having then thus put on this garment for the execution of his office what doth it argue but that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same which he was from the beginning A Prophet to day as he was yesterday teaching his people the way of God truly and fore-telling them what shall happen to them in the way A Priest to day as he was yesterday wherein he hath offered up a sacrifice for sin and maketh intercession for us A King to day as he was yesterday protecting preserving and providing for his Church ruling in the midst of his people ruling also in the midst of his enemies Precisely and punctually the same as yesterday without any variableness or shadow of turning Yea so far is he now from being defective in any thing that concerns his office that he rather is the same to day in a more transcendent manner then he was yesterday Heb. 6.20 For observe it he is said Heb. 6.20 to be made an High Priest after his entry into Heaven not that he had not been a Priest before for his Church but because it was never so clearly manifested in former times as it was after his ascension when he shed abroad his Grace and powred down his Spirit abundantly upon his Church We shall not multiply Proofes for this out of Scripture some mention having been hereof before Take onely one instance viz. Rev. 1.8 Rev. 1.8 Where the Lord saith I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the Ending which is and which was and which is to come In which last words the order that he useth in the description of himself as Mediatour is to our purpose very observable For mark first he saith I am which is and then followeth which was c. Whereas according to the course and method of time that which was should have had the precedence But here we see It is by Christ speaking of himself with a respect unto his Mediatourship as appears by the 11.13 and 18. verses following he doth put in the second place to note unto us that his present estate in his office is to be preferred before that which was and gives a Being unto it Objection But it may possibly be objected How can this be that Jesus Christ is the Same to day as yesterday when we see a revocation of Divine Ordinances that were of old instituted for the Publick Worship of God and the benefit of his People and others now appointed in their stead Was not the seventh day in the week commanded to be kept Holy to the Lord and is it not now changed to the first Did not God give unto Abraham the Covenant of Circumcision for an everlasting Covenant to him and to his seed adding also a terrible penalty upon the least failing thereof in these words Gen. 17.14 The Vncircumcised Man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not Circumcised that Soul shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my Covenant Yet now
command yet allowed by God and accepted and therefore not to be accounted as superstitious So those Ceremonies c. which have been and are again in use amongst us I mean such as are established by law may indeed be said to be a Will-worship wherein we in this time of the Gospel should rather excell those before us under the Law then to come short of them But to say that they are therefore Superstitious that is Anti-Christian and Idolatrous as some are apt most profanely to traduce them is a Soloecisme proper for those that are enemies unto reason Nevertheless though our Form of Divine Service and Ceremonies be a Will-worship yet we shall ever deny that they sprung out of Babylon that is according to the sense of these quarrelsome people that we received them from Rome It is the Lot it seemes of this poor Church of Christ to have this Cross laid upon her viz. to be on all sides upbraided still with Rome Papists on the one hand checking us that the first Plantation of the Gospel here came from thence and that therefore we are unnatural Children to separate our selves as we do from our Mother that gave us our being Schismaticks on the other hand charging us that we have not as we pretend separated from that Idolatrous Church but to this very day do hold too servile a compliancy with it crying out against us with open mouth as is the Mother so is the Daughter Rome like a false Strumpet hath devised a Superstitious Form of Religious Worship and England like a true Chip of the old Block doth follow her example therein But as Venerable Bede once gave the sense of those four famous and solemne Letters S. P. Q. R. So may we in this case Stultus Populus Quaerit Romam Senatus populusque Romanus foolish people cry out Rome not understanding what they say nor whereof they affirm As to the first of these reproaches if it were not out of our way we might reply that supposing not granting it to be true The people of this Nation received the Christian Faith from Rome We hold not our selves obliged thereby to follow Rome any otherwise then she followeth Christ for we have learned it from the mouth of our Lord himself that who so loveth Father or Mother more then him is not worthy of him But what Logick is this The Planters of the Faith here came from Rome Ergo the people of this Nation were ever after in the worshipping of God to keep the Order of Rome If this argument would hold saith Bishop Jewel then would I reason thus The Church of Rome was first planted by them that came from Graecia or from Jerusalem Ergo Rome is to keep the Order of Graecia or of Jerusalem which consequence I dare say will not down with her that takes upon her to be perpetual Dictatrix to all the Churches of the world But we shall let this pass as impertinent to our purpose neither is there need at any time to insist much upon it for it is sufficiently witnessed saith Bishop Godwin by many Histories without exception that our Island of Britain received the Faith of Christ even in the first infancy of the Church from Jerusalem That which is now before us is to make manifest the folly of these Schismatical Objectours who accuse us of Superstition in our Church-Service because as they say we received it from Rome It would be too large a digression here to undertake a Vindication of our Church in every particular that concerns this matter enough hath been written thereof already by sundry persons both Learned and Godly whose works praise them in the gates yet requisite it is that somewhat be here added to wipe off that aspersion before premised which may be reduced to this Argument Whatsoever Church hath received her forme of Divine-Service from Rome is therein guilty of gross Superistition But the Church of England hath received her form of Divine-Service from Rome therefore is the Church of England in the form of Divine-Service guilty of gross Superstition We will not meddle with the proposition of this argument Let Rome plead for her self against it But as for the assumption we shall by clear and plain demonstration prove that to be utterly false both in respect of the times of old as also of the later since the Protestant Reformation And first We may here by the way upon very good warrant affirm that Non fuit sic ab initio It was not wont to be thus with England in the times of old viz. To follow Rome in the forme of Divine Service The reason of our confidence herein we have from that venerable Authour our Country-man before mentioned who is by all parties acknowledged to be a faithful Witness worthy of an high esteem in the Church Hee I say in his Ecclesiastical History informes us Beda lib. 3 cap. 25. that the Church of this Island of Britain well near until seven hundred years after Christ in the keeping of Easter-day and manner of Baptising followed the order of the Greek Church without any regard therein had to the Church of Rome And when Austin that imperious Monk was sent hither from Rome And when Austin that imperious Monk was sent hither from Rome here were saith Bede at that time one Arch-Bishop seven Bishops Lib. 2. cap. 2. and one and twenty hundred holy and religious Monks about Bangor who lived by the labour of their own hands the Countrey being for the most part Heathenish and as he further avoucheth plures viri doctissimi many moe great learned men that utterly refused to receive any Roman orders or customes from the said Austin in the Service of God though he urged them thereunto by many terrible threats Again Sain Gregory being then Bishop of Rome of whom it is said none of all his successours were for Holiness and Learning worthy to be compared with him when he had sent this Austin hither to preach the Gospel he gave him his instructions in this manner Where you finde any thing that seemeth ☞ better to the Service of God then is in the Church of Rome Choose you the same and do your endeavour to bring into the English Church the best and choicest things Choose out of many Churches for things are not to be loved for the place sake but the place is to be loved for the things that are good By these instances it may appear that this Church in those dayes did not in their publick service of God conform to the order of the Church of Rome neither did that Church impose any such order upon us In process of time indeed it came to pass that there were sundry Orders came here into use especially that of Sarum compiled by Osmund Earl of Dorset and Bishop of Salisbury which continued for above five hundred years till the reign of Edward the sixth In all which time the Romish Superstitions in Divine worship were too
they were all of such venerable Antiquity Howsoever the matter of them being sound and Catholick and because it is not to be imagined that one Osmund though an Earl and a Bishop should be generally owned for Os mundi the Speaker to the whole Church in the Liturgy of it we may safely affirm that the said Collects are of the same pure primitive Original with the rest of our Church-Service The form of Letany in the next place which is most cavill'd at was ordered by Saint Gregory Lib. 9. Indict 4. Epi. 45. while Rome continued in the state of innocency to be used in the Church of Sicily without intermission upon the fourth and sixth dayes of every week which our Liturgy in a conformity thereunto enjoyneth to be said or sung upon the same dayes viz. Wednesdayes and Fridayes Lib 1. De vocatione Gentium And Saint Ambrose who was above two hundred years before him saith That this form of publick devotion in the Church for the substance of it was so generally observed Vt nulla pars mundi sit in qua hujusmodi orationes non celebrentur à populis Christianis That there was no part of the world where these Prayers were not used in Christian Assemblies Non solum pro Sanctis in Christo regeneratis sed etiam pro omnibus infidelibus inimicis crucis Christi pro omnibus Idolorum cultoribus pro haereticis schismaticis c. Even as we do at this day in our Letany not onely praying that God would be pleased to bless and keep all his people but that he would bring into the way of Truth all such as have erred and are deceived Our Versicles and Responds we oftentimes meet with in Primitive Liturgies E. g The Lord be with you And with thy Spirit Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us c. Lift up your hearts We lift them up unto the Lord. Let us give thanks unto the Lord It is meet and right so to do c. Thus saith Saint Chrysostome The Priest in the holy Ministration speaks unto the people In 2. ad Cor. Hom. 18. and the people unto the Priest to quicken their devotion and to testifie their unanimity in the Service of God Neither is our Alternate singing though it be not enjoyned in our Liturgy without good warrant from that Antiquity which we ought to reverence Lib. 2 cap. 24. Theodoret writeth that Davids Psalms were sung in the Church of Antioch by the Quire of Singers one side answering the other in their singing Act. 11.26 Which order it seems beginning there as the Appellative title of Christian did Ad fines orbis terrarum tandem pervenit saith he was at length spread over the world And this saith Sozomen wrought marvellously upon Theodosius Lib. 7. cap. 23. diverting him from his intended purpose of destroying the Citizens of Antioch because of some contempts which they had put upon him For as the said Historian relates it they fearing the Emperours displeasure repented them of what they had done against him much bewailing their near approaching ruine and having prevailed with Flavianus their Bishop to intercede for them took this course according to his directions Some of them when the Emperour sat at his table came into his presence singing Psalms after the manner of Antioch that is Antiphonicws one answering the other wherewith the Emperour being a religious Prince was so taken that he let go his anger was reconciled to their City Phialam quam manu tenebat lachrymis obortis irrigavit The Cup which he held in his hand he watered with his tears and so mingled his drink with weeping In fine Lib. 6. cap. 8. This manner of Antiphone in the Church was saith Socrates occasioned first by a vision of Angels which Ignatius Bishop of Antioch that faithful servant of Jesus Christ who had been conversant with the Apostles had presented unto him whom he heard lauding the blessed Trinity with Responsory Hymns the Pattern whereof he commended to that Church to be ever after observed and practised by them Vnde ad omnes Ecclesias ista traditio promanavit saith the Historian From whence also that order of singing went among all the Churches Many more Instances might be produced to witness that our Liturgy is not of such an upstart Original as to derive its Extraction from Rome since by her Apostatizing she hath chang'd her name into Babylon But we must not extra oleas vagari and these few may suffice to convince gain-sayers of their false and uncharitable accusation of our Church-Service as that it is Superstitious and Idolatrous because Popish and Babylonish which is so unjust a calumniation that as it hath been observed There is not any one Protestant Divine of any note or eminency even among the Reformers of Religion who did ever condemn our Service-Book of the least point of Popery but rather many among them did highly commend it Yea and Sir Edward Cook that Oracle of the Law of England unto whom we have reason for his Gravity Courage and integrity in his place and calling notwithstanding all the oblatrations of Popish Rabshekah's against him to give some heed more then ordinary Such was P.R. in his reckonings with Bp. Morton about Equivocation The like is also a. vouched by D. Ben. Carrier in hit letter to K. James pag. 126. He I say affirmeth with much confidence That Pope Pius Quintus wrote unto Queen Elizabeth a letter about the tenth year of her Reign offering to allow and ratifie the English Service-Book if she would accept it as from him which she refusing to do he did excommunicate her and by his Bull roared out an Inhibition to all his party called Roman Catholicks that they should not from thenceforth go to any of our Churches while the said Service-Book was read though to the hearing of our Sermons a Toleration was granted unto them To conclude Since the Primitive Pattern is thought fit next to the holy Scriptures to be a Standard for Church-Orders in the Service of God throughout the Christian world let our adversaries and friends too but conform unto it in such a manner as we have done since we separated from Rome and I dare boldly say we shall have no just cause in the sight of God to charge one another with Superstition And now that Imputation of Superstition upon the account of our Liturgy being with as much brevity as the matter could well bear yet sufficiently if not satisfactorily to our irrefragable opponents removed We should undertake the vindication likewise of Episcopal Government for that also is by our Objectours brought under the same Censure But concerning this neither need there much be said it being abundantly cleared of late against those that have openly professed themselves enemies to that Government We shall not here repeat the Arguments that have been used in the behalf of Episcopacy such an unsipid crambe must
him with tears to consider the dangerous consequences of such a proceeding and to desist from it whereunto his answer was this I acknowledge it is a very base business but they put it upon me and I cannot avoid it This being witnessed against him at his trial he had not so much confidence then as to deny it Whereby it seems that one while he accounted it a very base business another while after he had gotten preferment by it it was the most Noble and Glorious Act that ever he did in all his life His Indictment also charging him with Malice He replyed that he acted onely as a Counsellour for his fee so that it might be as he said called avaritia not malitia Covetousness not Malice And being told that he demanded judgement against the King He answered His meaning was judgement for his acquittal Yea further when he was in Ireland he did as he said put in a Petition to the Honourable Commissioners that he might have the benefit of his Majesties Declaration at Breda but when he saw his expectation therein to be frustrated by the sentence of death upon him the Case is altered his Death must be a Martyrdom and the Cause for which he suffers the most glorious Cause that ever was agitated for God and Christ since the Apostolical times Just like some sturdy Beggar who at first will seem to be very humble pouring out his prayers for such as will relieve him but if he have not an almes given him according to his asking he presently falls to cursing and banning Let now the best friends this man had judge whether he be to be commended for constancy and fortitude in his Cause or to be condemned for shameful shuffling and halting in it and consequently whether he be a fit pattern for their imitation Had he and the rest of his fellows in iniquity but given testimony of so much self-denial as to have refused that Wealth and Preferment which they gained by their busy actings in their Cause and have kept themselves in that inferiour rank wherein they were before they had brought so much mischief upon us they might possibly not have been so subject to censure as they were but when they coveted feilds and houses and took them by violence oppressed a man and his house even a man and his heritage when they spoiled for themselves as the Psalmist speaketh and like wretched Ahab did kill and also take possession yet in the mean time would be esteemed as the prime patrons of publick liberty and in point of religion Saints of the greatest magnitude in this Hemisphere of the Church Out upon it It was as hateful Hypocrisie as ever was seen under the Sun And I doubt not but those that now justifie it will have their eyes open one day so to account of it Now therefore O foolish people and unwise that are so miserably deluded with vain and empty shadows of holiness and constancy in a pretended cause of Religion be warned betimes and as you love your souls never let them enter into the secret of these men nor be baptised with the baptisme that they were baptised with Away I say with that spirit of Rebellion and Sedition of Division and Delusion that hath too long haunted this Nation Let it from henceforth never be entertained by us any more And if we have not quite lost that antient genuine integrity and goodness of Nature that hath been peculiar to the natives of this Kingdom we will all joyn hearts and hands together to send it packing Consider what hath been said and the Lord give us a right understanding in all things But I hope it is now made evident who they be among us that come neerest to the pattern here presented unto us in the text in being still the same Whether those that have framed the objection which hath caused this dispute or those against whom the objection is framed And now because this Text is in an especial manner intended for the instruction encouragement of the Hebrews to submit themselves to the Scepter of Christ's government I shall out of a friendly zeal for their Conversion make another short Application unto them O yee that were once a people and who shall again we believe be glorious among the Nations be at length informed aright concerning the Messiah whom I hope you will upon a perusal of what is here written if you suffer not prejudice to captivate your judgment account to be this Jesus onely whom your Fathers persecuted and we adore Be wise I say receive instruction concerning his Kingdom here upon earth It is not to be nor ever shall be conformed to the Kingdomes of this world in outward pomp and splendour in expectation whereof you have been hitherto wofully blinded For look what manner of power our Lord exercised over his people yesterday the same doth he to day because he is still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same And whatsoever alteration hath happened therein as it must be confessed some there is and ought to have been upon those termes before mentioned which yet as we have said argueth no inconstancy at all in himself It is a change unto that which is more spiritual and so consequently is his Kingdom at a farther distance from the world then it was before Was it not prophecyed of him that he should be a man of sorrows broken with infirmities Es 53.3 c. And even where his comming is spoken of as a King That though he be just and bringeth Salvation with him yet he is lowly too and should testifie it by the poverty of his appearance not to be mounted in a Princely manner as the Kings of the earth are wont but upon no better steed then a ragged Colt the foal of an asse which surely speakes him to be one that would take no great state upon him And hath not this which is written been this day fulfilled by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this onely Hee Jesus Christ as all else hath been which was yesterday prophecyed of the Messiah why then will you suffer your selves to be deceived by Satan with a fruitles waiting for of I know not what glorious appearance of Another yet to come True it is we also look for another coming of this our great Redeemer and we now call upon one another daily as you have been exhorted heretofore Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand But as it is observed by us from the Holy Prophets and Apostles The Scepter will be changed Bishop King upon Jonas and the government wholly altered from what it was before Then was the Kingdom of Grace now of Glory and Justice Then was the saving now the judging of Souls Then came it in the tongues of Men but hereafter in the trumpet of an Arch-Angel Then with tidings of great Joy to the whole World but that that is to come shall be with Terrour and Amazement to all the kindreds of
the earth Then with glory to God on high and peace upon earth but hereafter with Vae Vae Vae habitatoribus terrae Thrice wo to them that dwell upon the earth Then to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel into the sheep-fold now to sever the Sheep from the Goats Then to embrace both Jew and Gentile now to divide between servant and Servant at the same Mill between man and wife in the same bed between Jacob and Esau in the same womb and to pronounce the one of them blessed and the other accursed Repent therefore we say unto you for this kingdome of God is at hand to deface all kingdomes to root up the nations to consume the earth with her works and the people with their sins This is the kingdome and no other that is now to be looked for and our Lord is gone to receive it for himself But whosoever they be that will not have him to reign over them whiles he swayeth the scepter of his Grace which is so despicable in the eye of the world Luk 19.12 when he returneth he will have such Rebels and Traytours dragg'd into his presence and see them executed before him Oh then let not the Serpent beguile you any longer with the expectation of a sools paradise Rather come I beseech without any further delay O ye children of Israel and children of Judah together and seek the Lord your God Jer. 5.4 5 who hath promised to be found of you Ask the way to Zion with your faces thitherward and we for our parts will give you the best directions we can Say as it is written of you you shall say Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant that shall never be forgotten Too long alas have you been unmindful of the Rock that begat you and forgotten your God that formed you And will you still continue to be a froward Generation children in whom is no faith Is the Lord Christ a stumbling-block unto you because of the reproach that is cast upon his kingdome by a sinful world A world that accounteth the things of the Spirit of God but foolishness which things it cannot know nor receive because they are spiritually discern'd And will you conform your selves to the guise of the world You that have heretofore with so much zeal declared your abhorrency of it Will you now joyn in a confederacy with it to your shame in that which is so contrary to the concurrent predictions of all your Prophets concerning the kingdome of the Messiah Some of whom I confess do speak of his glory and great atchievements but that must be understood in a spiritual sense as that he will bring the world under the power of his grace And those that do resist it he will by his Word and Spirit most righteously condemn Else how will you free those other Prophets from falshood and errour who speak as much of his poor base and contemptible estate under many miseries and afflictions yea of his death and passion As for that dream of two Messiasses to come the one Ben Joseph of the Tribe of Ephraim who is to suffer and undergo those indignities the other Ben David of the Tribe of Judah who must redeem deliver and restore Israel to their former inheritance and gather them together out of all the earth who must vanquish subdue and make tributary all Princes and Potentates of the world who never must dye but live and reign everlastingly in temporal Glory who shall raise again the dead Israelites unto life and amongst them Messiah Ben Joseph It is so sottish an absurdity that I believe you your selves are ashamed of it The Messiah whom you have expected is the Rock of Ages the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending Would you have him then to vary the form of his Government which he hath alwayes exercised over his Church in a spiritual way to a worldly compliancy with the Princes of the earth What a shameful inconstancy would this be unsutable to his Honour and no whit conducible to the work the great work of Messiah in destroying the kingdome of Satan Yea what fruit would thereby redound unto you in carrying you safely through your pilgrimage here that you might sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of God For us We profess this to be our earnest desire in our own behalf and if you be indeed the children of Abraham it would be your ambition to obtain it rather then any earthly glory Did the Lord ever in all the time of yesterday exercise a temporal Power over the Kings and Princes of the earth Where was his Throne erected What mettal was his Crown made of When Pharaoh kept his people in Egypt What armies of men did he muster up for their deliverance When Amalâ—k came out against them Moses his Deputy betakes himself to prayer whilst Joshua fights the Lords battels But what need the one pray and the other fight if the Lord himself who is the Lord of Hosts not onely of his subjects but of his enemies too was to have exercised such a Power And how ill did the Lord take it of your forefathers when they thus mutinied against him saying Nay but we will have a King over us 1 Sam. 8.7 that we also may be like unto other nations They have saith he rejected me that I should not reign over them meaning in his spiritual mediatory Power as I have before observed which though he still in great mercy continued as formerly during that regal Government which they then chose and which should in time have been mercifully establisht among them had they not been so precipitant in requiring it yet was his Spirit grieved at that their rebellion against him Oh know for certain It is a far greater rebellion against the Lord your God that you are this day guilty of In that you do so causelesly out of a vain affectation of conformity to other nations unwarranted by Moses and the Prophets reject the Anoynted of the most high God that he should not be your King according to that form of Government which is devolv'd upon him by the Father But Non obstante your obstinacy against him hitherto he hath reigned and reign he will still as he hath done Malgrè all the gates of hell He is the breath of our nosthrils and the life of our souls under his shadow we do live and rejoyce yea and we will rejoyce more and more And as for you because of your unkinde refusal of him hath not this our Lord according to his oath hitherto with a mighty hand Ezek. 20.33 and stretched-out arm and fury poured out ruled over you Whence otherwise hath it come to pass that so deep a stain hath been brought upon all your excellency and that your glory is thus eclipsed That you are scattered over the world and whereas you were the head you are now become the tail of
all nations as the Lord once threatned you Which being so Whether then it be better to be under his grace or under his wrath judge ye There is no avoyding it will ye nill ye one way or other you shall ever be subdued unto him either as children or as captives as subjects or as slaves for the Lord hath sworn by himself the greatest oath that ever was heard of the word is gone out of his mouth in righteousness and shall not return That unto him every knee shall bow Esa 45.23 every tongue shall swear Esa 45.23 And if ever demonstrations were found among the creatures for the confirmation of any thing there have been such that are most convincing in this matter of subjecting the world to the irresistable power of Jesus according to this oath That these Oracles of the Heathen were struck dumb at that time the writings of the Heathen do sufficiently witness Two memorable occurrents I shall mention in order hereunto that are past all gain-saying First at his birth the Oracles of the Heathen testified of him by their silence not daring once to peep or mutter out an answer to their importunate suppliants after that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Oracle of the Living God once appeared Secondly at his death The Sun in the firmament did also bear witness unto him by a total eclipsing of his light to the amazement of the world far and near In Egypt it was seen and admired by Dionysius Areopagita as appears in his Epistle to Polycarp wherein he desireth Polycarp to enquire of one Apolloohanes who would not it seems be reclaimed from his Gentilisme what he thought of that eclipse which he saw when he was with him at Heliopolis a city in Egypt at the time of our Saviours suffering when he could not but acknowledge that that with other remarkable wonders which they took notice of together were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vicissitudes or changes of Divine works Which Dionysius being at that time also a Heathen and much astonished at the unnaturalness of the said eclipse cryed out as it is reported of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Either the Deity suffereth or hath sympathy with that which suffereth or the whole world is ready to be dissolved Adding withall Deus ignotus in carne patitur ideoqueVniversum hisce tenebris obscuratur concutitur that is An unknown God suffers at this time in the flesh which makes the world to shake under this obscurity But afterwards when the Apostle Saint Paul came to Athens and affirmed Jesus Christ to be the unknown God at whose death the Sun was so obscured the said Dionysius hearing him became a convert to the Christian Faith and all his life time after an eminent servant to Jesus Christ These reports possibly you will not regard howsoever the truth of the eclipse cannot be questioned by you which may let in so much light upon you to make you believe that somewhat extraordinary was then acted in the world which God would have the world to take special notice of And now to conclude What is it O ye miserably blinded people that you stick at If the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Blessed Virgin our Lord and our God hath not exactly fulfilled all that was Prophecied of the Messiah If he hath not done the works that no other man did or can do If you have not hitherto smarted enough under that heavy Curse which your fathers brought upon you when they crucified the Lord Jesus crying out His bloud be upon us and our children go on then still in your pertinacy deny him to be the Lord that bought you look for another that can do more for you then he hath done For us in the mean time we will bewail before the Lord your woful blindeness and hardness of heart and though we cannot converse with you as brethren because of your perversness in your present infidelity yet we will pity you as those who were once a people in whom the Lord delighted yea as those of whom we have good hope upon the return of your Captivity to see you made the glory of Nations a Praise in the earth Which hope as we may be confident it will not fail us in the time and season which the Father hath put in his own Power so may the consideration of those grounds and reasons hereafter specified whereon this hope is built in time prevail with you to bethink your selves of your long estrangement from your God and to quicken your return unto him Lastly Since it is so that Jesus Christ is the Same to day which he was yesterday then have the Churches of the Gentiles good reason to rejoyce in that they submitting themselves to Christs yoke may be sure that the same Divine Love which was of old manifested to the Jews is in as full measure according to their capacity extended towards them What high account was made of Israel heretofore the holy Scripture doth every where tell us How God entred into a Covenant with them was nigh unto them in all that they call'd upon him for esteemed them his Inheritance his Vineyard his peculiar Treasure when all other Nations were rejected as unclean 1 Cor. 9.11 proclaimed Out-laws and cast forth as dogs not suffered to intermeddle with the childrens Priviledge But now since the Holy Ghost hath not onely told us that Jesus Christ the messenger of this Covenant the parchaser of this Inheritance the planter of this Vineyard the great Lord-Keeper of this Treasury hath broken down the wall of Partition that was between Jews and Gentiles Eph. 2.14 making both one but that he is also the Same to day which he was yesterday as able now to save them to the uttermost whosoever they be that come unto God by him and as ready to do the will of the Father in being a Light to lighten the Gentiles according to the Prophecies of old as to be the glory of his people Israel we may therefore be confident in our approaches before the Lord looking for mercy and grace to help in time of need being as much interessed in all the happy Priviledges of the everlasting Covenant of Promise as ever were the Jews there is no difference now saith the Apostle between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Now is the true heavenly sound gone into all lands the Gospel preached to every creature which the Apostles carried about when they had their Commission given them to go into all the world their Line reached to the ends of the earth Psal 19 4 5. insomuch that the Orb or Tabernacle of the Sun so the Divine Spirit of the Psalmist is interpreted by the Apostle was bounded within the limits of their Commission Rom. 10.18 Saint Paul had his circuit from Jerusalem to Spain
and he made it his business to preach the Gospel not where Christ was named Rom. 15.20 24. lest he should build upon another mans foundation So that if one of these Itinerants could run over so great a part of the world we may well suppose that the other twelve might with ease divide the rest of the world among them And now what alas were we mad and desperate Idolaters that God should bring us hitherto That the Lord should say to us who were not his people You are my people and that we should say O Lord thou art our God O what a mercy is it that we the poor and the maimed and the halt and the blinde Mat. 22.9 Luk. 14.21 23. who abode in the streets and lanes of the City yea that we who wandred about in the high-wayes and amongst the hedges should be called to the Wedding-Feast of the King of heaven That unto us who sate in darkness and dwelt in the region and shadow of death Light should spring up Let therefore the name of the Lord be magnified by us poor sinners the Gentiles as the Prophet soretold it should from the rising of the Sun Mal. 1.11 unto the going down of the same And since we are through grace become children of Sion let us take the liberty here to sing one of the Songs of Sion so far as we may be concern'd therein O give Thanks unto the Lord for he is Good For his mercy endureth for ever O give Thanks unto the God of gods For his mercy endureth for ever O give Thanks unto the Lord of lords For his mercy endureth for ever To Him who alone doth great wonders For his mercy endureth for ever Who remembred us in our low estate For his mercy endureth for ever O give Thanks unto the God of heaven For his mercy endureth for ever Let the Redeemed of the Lord among the Gentiles say so whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy and gathered them out of all lands from the East and from the West from the North and from the South not onely to dwell in the house of the Lord here and to see his goodness in the land of the Living but to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of God to all Eternity And let us of this Nation among the rest and above the rest as it is our duty give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name acknowledging his great mercy in that his unchangeable love hath had an extraordinary measure reaching even first unto us Oh how hath the Lord been pleased to send his Gospel upon the wing unto this Nation So wonderfully here prevailing that England hath had this honour in an eminent manner to be the first-born of grace among the Nations Here reigned the first Christian King that ever was in the world King Lucius who submitted to the Law of Christ confirming it by a civil sanction From hence went the first Christian Emperour that put an end to the bloudy persecutions of the primitive Christians Constantine yea and after the general defection from the purity of the faith made by the Romish Church which like the tail of the Dragon threw down to the earth a great part of the Stars of Heaven Here the Reformation of the Christian Religion began first to be established by a Law by the first King that ever cast off the yoke of that Anti-Christian Usurper King Henry the 8. Wherein whether his design was to promote any sinister interest of his own as some imagine or to advance the Kingdom of Christ is not much material for us to know The arme of the Almighty hath hitherto been stretched out for the preservation thereof counter-working all the Machinations of Hell which have been and still are upon the Devil's forge against it Rejoyce therefore in the Lord O England and again I say rejoyce But as it is our bounden duty to ascribe unto the Lord the glory of this mercy and to rejoyce that we are no more strangers and forreiners as the Apostle tells the Ephesians but fellow-citizens with the Saints Eph. 2.19 that is the Jews and of the house-hold of God So we cannot but abhor the treachery of those false brethren among us called Anabaptists who like a brood of Vipers would if it lay in their power but that Gods mercy towards us triumphs over their falsehood disfranchise us of our liberties in the house of our God and rob us of those priviledges wherein the Lord Jesus Christ hath made us free giving us therein equal right with his Israel that was before us because he is still the Same I might instance in sundry of their Anti-Christian tenents tending hereunto But for brevities sake will make mention onely of one that is their Antipaedobaptisme not allowing the Infants of Believers to be admitted into the house-hold of faith by the Sacrament of Baptisme It is not my purpose here to dispute this point at large being out of my way enough hath been written of it already And it hath been found by experience to be a toylsome task to run the wilde-goose chase as a learned divine now with God once phrased it after a well breathed Opinionist they delight in Vitilitigation Mr. Nath. Ward It is an itch as he said that loves a life to be scrubb'd they desire not satisfaction but satisdiction whereof themselves must be judges I shall not therefore say much to this quarelsome people Let them consider how they will answer the Apostle here who avoucheth Jesus Christ to be thee Same to day which he was yesterday Certainly if the infants of the Jews were by virtue of Christs mediatory office to be received into the bosome of the Church and distinguished from those that were without by a Solemn Sacrament of initiation but the infants of Christian parents to whom belongeth the Kingdom of God as as well as to the Jews before must not be allowed to partake of a like priviledge but be reckoned still as dogs as the Scripture calls all that are without Jesus Christ is not the Same according to the Apostles word Neither is his office now of so much use unto his Church as it hath been formerly Of such blasphemy as this not to be mentioned without horrour must this cursed errour be the foundation But let me ask of these deceivers How came it to pass that Christ hath not obtained this priviledge for our Infants as well as he did for the Jews seeing God is not now the God of the Jews onely but of the Gentiles also Surely it must be either because he would not or because he could not To say he would not doth plainly demonstrate his love of us to be less then it was of the Jews which agreeth not with that abundant grace that hath been now revealed in the time of the Gospel To say he could not contradicteth that universal power which the father had given
again rather then to joyn with your Brethren in things that are indifferent It was a sweet and Christian resolution of devour Saint Bernard when he saw differences arise that might cause a breach between him and others with whom he had formerly held a brotherly correspondency He wrote unto them in these Words Adharebo vobis etsi nolitis adharebo vobis et si nolim ipse Epi. 252. I will be of you though you be unwilling I will be of you though I be unwilling my self O if there were in you brethren but this meekness of wisdom to bear and forbear and such a zeal for the publick peace which you are bound in Conscience to promote it would surely more adorn your Christian Profession then all your cariering with Spear in Rest against the established Orders of the Church in Polemical argutations If it be so that you have any peculiar priviledge granted unto you from heaven above others to go in untrodden paths by your selves to disavow that order and government under which the Church hath flourished in former times and to dissolve all ancient bonds of unity and Christian society in the publick worshipping of our God as some by their violent Impulses of spirit others by their Enthusiasms have pretended to have let it be produced that we may believe you But as the Apostle puts the question so may we Is Christ divided How is he then the Same 1 Cor. 1.13 Hath he been with his Church ever from the beginning exercising his Power in the establishment of order and government in it without which I say again it could not well have been so long preserved promising also that he will be with it for that end and purpose to the end of the world And hath he given a countermand or a connivence unto some to separate themselves from the said order and government yea to do what lyeth in them utterly to disanul it Verily it must not it cannot be imagined that he who is the Same yesterdâ—y to day and for ever should at all prevaricate or swerve so diametrally from his purpose and practice wherein he hath always manifested himself to be the Same If the consideration of these things will not bring on a composure of our differences and allay the shaâ—pness of contradicting spirits I know not what will And if when men see what the Lord hath done and hear what God the Lord that is God which is the Lord Psal 85.8 viz. Jesus Christ doth speak who doth use to speak peace unto his people and to his Saints to speak it as a Comforter and to speak it as a Counsellour for it hath always been the earnest desire of his soul to see his people live peaceably one with another they will neither acquiesce in his doing nor follow his counsel What shall we judge of them but that they are willing not onely to turn but to run after folly and that they delight in vain janglings which do minister endless debates rather then godly edifying Lastly this will afford strong consolation for all that do live godly in Christ Jesus both in respect of themselves and their posterity First for themselves When we sinde much uncertainty in Creature-Comforts about us This may be our rejoycing and our refuge that Christ will be the Same unto us for ever Though friends may fail though means may fail though health may fail though heart may sail yet Christ will never fail Look what Peter spake but did not perform Christ hath spoken and will surely make good Though all forsake thee yet will not I. Let therefore that sweet and precious Promise be laid up in the heart of every true believer as a cordial to comfort it in all changes and troubles whatsoever that may arise written not onely by the Apostle Heb. 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.5 but in sundry other places of Scripture for our greater confirmation I will never never never never never leave thee or forsake thee Secondly for posterity We may rejoyce in this that the Lord Jesus Christ will have as tender a care of them as he hath had of us before them because he is the Same for ever He will be the Same to instruct and teach them the Same to defend and protect them the Same to save them from their sins and to bring them to glory Thus argueth the Prophet Psal 102.27 28. Heb. 1.10 Psal 102.27 which the Apostle applieth unto Christ Hebr. 1.10 c Thou art the Same and thy years shall have no end The children of thy servants shall continue under thy protection and provision and their seed shall be established before thee Shortly then Is not this exceeding great comfort to godly parents in all ages That Christ will be a guardian to their children after their decease They shall not be left as we say to the wide world neither shall such parents be like unto him of whom the Psalmist speaketh who should have none to favour his fatherless children But because Christ is the Same for ever he will as he hath done ever take care of his people that are in Covenant with him not onely making his Work appear unto his Servants but his Glory also unto their Children For he remembreth his Covenant for ever the Word which he commanded viz. his Angels to observe in the preservation of his people Ps 105 8. or the blessing which he hath decreed and issued out with such Authority that it shall prevail against all opposition to a thousand generations Leave therefore your fatherless children unto him he will preserve them alive for with him the fatherless shall ever finde mercy CHAP. IV. Sheweth how JESUS CHRIST is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Same unto his Church in her Triumphant estate unto all Eternity HItherto have we seen Jesus Christ the Same unto his Church yesterday to day and for ever in all the Generations that have been are or shall be in this world while she abideth in her Militant estate which hath given occasion of sundry Instructions that may through the good blessing of God be profitable and seasonable for these last times But what then may some say Will Christ forsake his Church when she is in her triumph and cease to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same unto her when he hath finished his whole work and presented all her children before his Father in glory I answer still Jesus Christ will be the Same for ever unto his Church that is to say Not onely in this world but in that also which is to come To this purpose let us briefly consider two things First the full sense and utmost extent of the Apostles words here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Ever Secondly how Christ will be the Same unto his Church in the world to come As touching the First We must know that the Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Always
the first Adam who was made of red earth white in his holiness and red in his bloud and sufferings white in his own immaculate purity and innocence but red in the imputation of our sins which are like scarlet and crimson Es 1.18 White in his goodness and free grace to humble sinners but red and bloudy to all his enemies that will not suffer him to reign over them Worthy is this our Jesus that we should continually look unto him He looks unto us in all our afflictions and supports us in them In all the deadly hazards that we are liable unto through the malice of Satan and preserves us from them In all our backslidings and recovers us out of them In all the duties of Religion and by his spirit enables us unto them In all the works of our callings and commands a blessing upon them Without him we can do nothing without him we are nothing without him we can hope for nothing He looks upon our graces the fruits of his own spirit in us and cherisheth them upon our infirmities and pities them upon the purposes inclinations desires of our hearts towards him and delights in them upon our bodies and souls and will undoubtedly save them Should his eyes then run to and fro amongst us and be still set upon us for good and should not we look unto him again I call you not to an empty speculation of Jesus Christ in a picture according to the manner of superstitious dawbers who paint him out in a Crucifix sutable to their own foolish fancy for who among them can say expresly such was the fashion of his countenance and other parts of his body as we see here in the draught before us and then Pygmaleon-like dote upon it or rather like the Prophets Carpenter as they are well resembled fall down and worship it when they have done Such vanity as this let us leave to those that have their eyes full of spiritual Adulteries Sic ille manus sic ora seâ—ebat whom a deceived heart hath turned aside so that they cannot deliver their own soul nor say when they take hold of their Crucifix is there not a lie in my right hand But beloved Christians I speak as to wise men Judge ye what I say You that have been in the Holy Mount with Jesus I mean that have been conversant with him in his Word and have the anoynting which ye received of him abiding in you whereby you are made able to see him that is invisible you know better how to look unto him 1 Joh. 2.27 that you may draw virtue from him The Wise mans eyes are in his head Ec 2.14 saith Solomon he considereth well what he doth that he may do it to â—he best advantage or he lifteth them upwards saith Saint Ambrose and fixeth them upon Christ his Head sitting at the right hand of God Pro. 17.24 when the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth poring upon vanity to the seeding of his folly but nothing at all to the satisfying of his soul We waâ—k here by faith as the Apostle tells us and not by sight 2 Cor. 5.7 The less therefore there is of sight the more answerable to the Rule will our walk be Let Faith then have its perfect work in drawing the whole soul to look uncessantly unto Jesus as the Authour and Finisher of our Faith and Salvation who hath begun his good work in us and will also perfect it who hath given us grace to believe and will surely continue this grace with us even to the end because he is the Same for ever Faith will make us to see what he hath done for us how he was faithful in fulfilling all Righteousness what he hath suffered likewise how he was faithful unto death yea unto wrath for that which we should have been suffering in hell for ever that did he in the short time of his Passion suffer in our stead it will make us see what he is now doing dwelling in our hearts shedding abroad his love in our souls preserving us out of the hand of the enemy that seeks our destruction appearing before God in our behalf preparing a place for us that where he is there we may be also And what he will do present us before his Father proclaim our Integrity and Sincerity before his Angels crown us with Glory embrace us with the everlasting Arms of his Love continue to own us for his brethren unto all Eternity Oh then let us look unto this Jesus that our souls may be more and more ravished with his love They that thus look unto him here with the eye of Faith when their natural bodies shall become spiritual bodies shall most certainly with their eyes behold this their King in his beauty for ever with joy unspeakable and full of glory Which exceeding superlative eternal weight of glory that we may obtain both I that have here according to the grace that is given unto me written of this Subject and you that with an honest and good heart have read and perused it The Father of Mercies and the God of all Consolation grant unto us through the Mediation of that Son of his love our Lord and our Life Christ Jesus Amen Amen Bern. Serm. 22. in Cantic Currimus omnes post te O Domine Jesu in Odore Vnguentorum tuorum in omnem terram exivit Odor Vitae qui vitalem hanc sparsam ubique fragrantiam non sentit ob hoc non currit aut mortuus est aut putidus AN APPENDIX To the former TREATISE Added because of the several ADDRESSES that are therein made unto the JEWS and proving clearly from Scripture that they shall in time become a people again in whom the Lord will delight BEcause mention hath been made of the great hope that is to be conceived concerning the Jews Restauration it is fit here to shew the reason of this Hope and what good warrant may be produced for our confidence therein The rather because there are some amongst our selves who will because they will be Scepticks in this point being too apt to insult and trample upon this forlorn and desolate people though our Apostle hath given sufficient warning to the contrary Neither will our undertaking herein be impertinent to the matter we have had in hand for it will in the issue plainly demonstrate the Immutability of the Lord Jesus Christ towards this people and that his Covenant which he made with their Fathers is not forgotten but shall inviolably be kept and fulfilled to a titâ—le in this day of his power because even because he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still the Same unto them as ever he was from the Beginning The ground upon which we do in the name of God proceed is this If Moses and the Prophets be of account with the Jews or the Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles of any value with us there may be great hope for
the Jews to expect and good warrant for us to believe their restauration First Hear what Moses saith of this people Deut. 4.30.31 When thou art intribulation as they are this day and all these things are come upon thee Deut 4.30 31. even in the latter dayes remember that if thou turn to the Lord thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice For the Lord thy Ged is a merciful God he will not forsake thee neither destroy thee nor forget the Covenant of thy Fathers which he sware unto them But if God hath now cast away his people in these latter dayes so as that they shall be no more a people hath he not forgotten the Covenant of their Fathers which he sware unto them Possibly it will be replyed That promise was attended with this Proviso If they turn unto the Lord their God and be obedient unto his voice But that will never be because of the hardness of their hearts to which they are given up by the just judgement of God for their contempt of the Gospel when it was sent unto them In answer hereunto hear Moses once again Deut. 30.3 c. If thou return unto the Lord thy God Deut. 30.3 c. then will the Lord thy God turn thy Captivity and haâ—e compassion â—pon thâ—e and wâ—ll return and gather thee from all Nations whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee If any of thine be driâ—en out unto the utmost parts of heaven from then â—e will the Lord thy God gather thee and from thence will he fetch thee And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live You 'll say How doth this take away the premised Objection Hear and consider First These promises doubtless are grounded upon the new Covenant for the old admits of no mercy to be shewed unto any upon the violation of it The condition therefore must be understood in an answerable sense If you return and if you obey that is when thou shalt Return and when thou shalt obey being induced thereunto by that Grace which I will give unto thee Secondly Of whom speaketh Moses this Of some few a Tribe or two of the Children of Israel or of the whole Nation Surely of the whole Nation but hitherto is not the Captivity of the whole nation turned neither hath the Lord gathered them from all those nations and the utmost parts of heaven whither he had in his sore displeasure scattered them Thirdly Circumcision being the Sacrament of initiation whereby this people were separated from the World and solemnly admitted to be a peculiar portion to the Lord the promise here of circumcising their hearts doth not so much imply their confirmation in their obedience during their restored estate as the turning of their hearts even at the time of their re-admission to be the Lords Fourthly This promise hath never yet been fulfilled in any of their former deliverances For Saint Steven speaketh to them in this manner after all that God had done for them Act. 7.51 Yee stiff-necked and uncircumeised in heart and ears ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do yee It remaineth therefore that the accomplishment thereof is yet to come viz. In these latter dayes Thus Moses The Prophets likewise with one Consent do testifie the same First Isaiah is very free and copious in this matter It shall come to pass saith he Es 11.11 12. in that day Es 11.11 12. that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people that shall be left from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the Islands of the Sea that is from all quarters of the World And he shall set up an ensign for the Nations and shall asseble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four Corners of the Earth Let us here also take notice of some considerations very pertinent as I conceive to our present purpose First The Prophet we see speaks of the second time of Gods stretching out his hand for the deliverance of all the posterity of Jacob which second time must be in the dayes of the Messiah as appeareth by the tenth verse Secondly Observe this place is not to be understood of the elect both Jew and Gentile as some will have it For the Prophet had in the tenth verse spoken particularly of the Gentiles Therefore the people here intended are without controversie onely the seed of Abraham according to the flesh Thirdly Consider how the Prophet speaks not of Judah alone or the two Tribes that came out of Babylon after the seventy years Captivity but which is very remarkable not onely here but in sundry other places of Israel and Judah together who never yet were united since their first separation Fourthly This assembling and gathering of Israel and Judah together shall be in those dayes when the Lord sets up an ensign for the Nations that is when the Messiah shall be lifted up in the Ministery of the word For he is the rock of Jesse which should stand for an ensign of the peoples See another Prophecy from the same hand Es 43.5 6. Fear not saith the Lord to Israel for I am with thee I will bring thy seed from the East and gather thee from the West I will say to the North give up and to the South keep not back bring my Sons from far and my Daughters from the ends of the earth And again Es 45.22 2a Look unto mee Es 45.22.25 and be yee saved all the ends of the earth In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Let it be now hereupon considered Hath there been as yet an universal gathering of Israel to the Lord such as is here mentioned Hath the Lord as yet justified all the seed of Israel that is the Nation of them against their enemies Or doth the Nation yet glory in that salvation which hath been wrought in the world now in the time of the Gospel If not then surely these things are yet to be fulfilled If it be objected as some will not stick to do it that these and the like places are to bee understood Synechdochically as putting a part for the whole viz. Israel for the whole Church of God throughout the World that it should be gathered and justified and that all the people of God should glory and make their boast of the Lord. I answer Though it should be so yet the literal meaning here as it referreth to the posterity of Jacob is not to be wholly sleighted for admit that it be an usual form of speech by a Synechdoche to put a part for the whole Yet such a Synechdoche must needs be accounted a violent assault
upon reason and was never before heard of as that a part should signifie the whole when that part which should express the whole is not included but shut out from it doubtless in all Synechdochichal speeches the part set down for the whole must be always a part of it as when Saint Paul said Yee shall see my face no more Act. 20. His face is a part of him And thus must all other Synechdoches whatsoever be understood the part signifying the whole must of necessity be included and contained in it If therefore all the Nation of Israel here be put for all the Nations of Believers in the World as a part of the whole then it must certainly follow that the Nation of Israel according to the flesh was included apart and not excluded from the whole Let us go on omitting for brevities sake what might be more added out of the Prophet Esay to this purpose wherein he hath abounded Consider how Jeremiah keepeth also in the same track For thus saith he in the Name of the Lord. Jer. 3 18. In those dayes the house of Judah shall walk with or to the house of Israel and they shall come together c. And again I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all Countryes wither I have driven them and will bring them again to their folds Jer. 23.3 4. and they shall be fruitful and encrease and I will set up Shepheards over them which shall feed them and they shall fear no more nor be dismayed neither shall they be lacking saith the Lord. Add hereunto Loe the dayes come saith the Lord Jer. 30 3.9 that I will bring again the Captivity of my people Israel and Judah saith the Lord And they shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up unto them The like also is prophecyed by Ezekiel Thus saith the Lord Ezek. 37.21 22 23. c. behold I will take the Children of Israel from among the Heathen whether they be gone and will gather them on every side and I will make them one Nation in the Land upon the Mountains of Israel and one King shall be King over them and they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever Moreover I will make a Covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting Covenant with them and I will place them and multiply them and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore My Tabernacle also shall be with them Yea I will be their God and they shall be my people and the Heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctifie Israel when my Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore Again Jer. 31.1 4. At the same time saith the Lord that is Jer. 31.1 4. in the later dayes as appears Jer. 30.24 I will be the God of all the families of Israel and they shall be my people Again I will build them and thou shalt be built O Virgin of Israel thou shalt be again adorned with thy Tabrets and thou shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry I willingly pass by many other places that might be alledged for it would be too much to insert all that is written thereof But I demand Hath any of these things as yet come to pass When was it that the house of Judah did walk with the house of Israel together since the time they were divided one from the other in the days of Rehoboam Hath the Lord as yet gathered the remnant of his flock out of all Countryes whither he hath driven them or set up shepheards over them to seed or to defend them so as they should fear no more nor be dismayed Do Israel and Judah this day unanimously serve the Lord their God and David their King that is the Messiah David's Son as Interpretersiboth Jewish and Christian expound it of whose government and peace there shall be no end Hath God set his Sanctuary in the midst of them or pitched his Tabernacle among them so as the Heathen do take notice of it that it is the Lord that doth sanctifie Israel If his Sanctuary hath been among some of them it hath been again removed but here it is said his Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore In fine Hath God as yet in these latter dayes declared himself to be the God of all the families of Israel since their defection from him and own'd them again for his people Is this Virgin as yet repayred since she was stript of her ornaments or hath she yet furbisht over and trimmed up her Tabrets that she might rejoyce at her restauration If none of all these things I say be yet come to pass and the word of God cannot be retracted they are yet to be fulfilled and shall in time most certainly have their due accomplishment Yea more that neither their divisions amongst themselves Israel against Judah and Judah against Israel nor their inveterate stubbornnes against the Lord might be any hinderance unto them the Lord promiseth by the Prophet Jeremy in these words Jer. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and of their Children after them And by the Prophet Ezekiel in these words A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them Oh blessed and thrice happy shall this people be when these things are fulfilled I deny not but these promises have a measure reaching to us Gentiles even all among us that are interessed in the new Covenant But I say again the people that are mentioned cannot without violence done to the sense of the Holy Ghost be excluded from them in the dayes of the Gospel I omit what might be further added out of these Prophets to this purpose As the vision of dry bones in the Prophecy of Ezekiel restored to life again And that of two sticks made both one in the hand of the Prophet with sundry other discoveries of the minde of God concerning this truth which upon an unprejudicate perusal even by those that are contrary-minded would appear unto them to carry in them this sense viz. That this first-born of the Almighty this people so entirely beloved of the Lord shall not at this day be quite forgotten as dead men out of minde nor be ever divided one from another as they have been but shall restored again notwithstanding the seeming impossibilitie of it to their pristine glory and shall be happily re-united together into one as becometh brethren In the next place let us try whether the Prophecy of Daniel
will afford us the like Suffrage herein as the other Prophets have done But before we enter hereupon give me leave to premise a word or two It is not my purpose here to launch out too ventrously into this deep I foresee the danger that attends upon it many of late having lost themselves in so doing by a too much confidence of their skill and strength that I may not therefore fall under the guilt of rashnes and inadvertency in this kinde with others who have been peremptory in stating and determining the Epoche's and Periods of times mentioned in this Book and that of the Revelation which have appeared to their shame to be of a larger extent then those limits which they have set unto them I shall onely offer what I have to say to the judgement and examination of the Church not daring to determine in a point of such difficulty and uncertainty as that is which I am now about to insist upon The place which I have singled out for my purpose is in the ninth Chapter of this Prophecy and the twenty fourth verse Where the Angel who is before called the Man Gabriel because he appeared in a humane shape speaks unto Daniel in this manner Seventy weeks as it is translated are determined upon thy people Dan. 9.24 and upon thy Holy City to finish the Transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for Iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the Vision and Prophecy and to anoint the most Holy In the exposition of which words I finde Interpreters do gene rally run upon this foot of account making these seventy weeks as they are called to be seventy times seven years and to begin at one of those four Edicts mentioned in Ezra and Nehemiah that came forth from those Persian Monarchs Cyrus Darius and Artaxerxes for the restoring and returning of the people and for the building of the Temple and City wherein they do much vary one from another and are at a great loss in their computations because not onely the Scripture doth not afford help in this matter not expressing the full years of the reign of those Princes nor yet the series of their succession but those Historians also that have been of old who as a learned Antiquary observeth having so many Bishop Mountague and so great helps at hand which we want of the Persian Babylonian Assyrian Egyptian Writers who at large related the acts of those Princes with whom in their times the state of the Jews did concur and who were abundantly furnished with Histories of the Seleucidan and Lagidan Princes of the Macedonian race with whom the Jews after the Captivity had great negotiations have left unto us so very poor or none at all helps for direction herein in so much that we have little or no cause to thank them for it Upon which consideration I say none of our Expositours before us could nor can any man else to this day conclude precisely upon a certain root of time for the beginning of these years according to this account nevertheless it is the concurrent judgement of writers that at one of these forementioned Edicts must these seventy weeks take their Commencement and Beginning the final Period whereof which must be as uncertain as the Beginning they make to be either at the coming of the Messiah or at his Baptisme or at his Death or at the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple the amounty of which time say they makes up 490 years and are afterwards by the Angel branched out into several parcels where every part hath some Cardinal thing of special remarke fixed unto it that should happen within that time But I shall now crave leave to lay down my conceptions of this Scripture differing from the ordinary interpretation of it believing there is enwrapped in it the whole purpose and determination of God concerning his Israel from first to last beginning at some notable Epoche and to be continued untill the final restauration of that Nation which is yet to come This I confess may seem strange at first sight because of the novelty of it But by that time we have duely considered the words as they are delivered by the Angel it may happily be adjudged not altogether impertinent and may give occasion unto some of a more diligent search and enquiry after a further meaning of the Holy Ghost in this Scripture then as yet hath been thought upon Observe then the Prophet understanding by books as he saith in the second verse the number of years whereof the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem which years were then expired he setteth himself as ver 3. to seek the Lord God by prayer and supplication in the behalf of his people and the Holy City that mercy might at length be shewed unto them in their deliverance Whereupon this answer is presently returned unto him by Gabriel but what answer is it Not punctually positive to his prayer which was for the aforesaid deliverance so much desired by him now after the expiration of the terme appointed for the Babylonish Captivity that seems to be the least part of the Angels errand at this time but because Daniel was a man greatly beloved the Angel hath a matter of greater import here to reveal unto him in which he might be assured that the deliverance which he prayed for should also be included But what is this business of greater import Is it the happy consequents which should follow upon their deliverance Thus indeed hath it been conceived But rather is it not as I have said and which I shall undertake here to prove to be the purpose of God concerning his delivering this people out of all their troubles especially those which they endured in Egypt and Babylon and now also in their dispersion into all Lands where they are scattered to this very day from the very time when they were first brought into a preparatory way of being formed into a Nation As for the Holy City that onely is inserted in this answer because the Prophet had mentioned it in his prayer and the Angel speaks more particularly of it in the verses following This with submission of my judgment of the Holy Catholike Church and of my Mother the Church of England I conceive to be the genuine sense of that Scripture and what I have now to say to it I desire may be considered without prejudice My supputation of the time here mentioned is after this manner These 70. Weekes as they are called I take for 70. Jubilees each of which being 49. years they together make up 3430 years Now if we reckon from the time of Jacobs going down into Egypt which is the Epoche that I six upon the reason whereof I shall shew hereafter there will not at this time want much of compleating these seventy Jubilees For from that time to
that Age and to the apprehension of the Prophet though the Judaical observation of Jubilees was to cease long before the expiration of the time that he was insisting upon But enough of this Let us proceed The time of Jacobs going down into Egypt is as hath been said before very remarkable and may be esteemed a fit Epocha for the beginning of these seventy Jubilees The grounds and reasons of which conjecture I do now here offer to consideration First when Jacob went down into Egypt God promised him to make him a great Nation Gen. 46.3 And withall designed that very place for the performance of his word which was there fulfilled For thus Moses tells the people Deut. 10.22 Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the Stars of Heaven for multitude Whence we may collect this journey into Egypt was the beginning or providential occasion of forming this people into a Nation and whereby God did visibly fore-lay his design of proving himself unto them to be the great Jehovah in giving a being to his Promise made before unto Abraham Therefore very fit to be the Epocha of the Vision and Prophecy concerning this people Secondly Egypt was the place where Israel was first as a Childe trained up under his Fathers discipline and for the sins wherewith they there sinned God made them there to pass under the rod and brought them first into the bond of the Covenant Lev. 17.7 Josh 24.14 Ezek. 23.3 so that in all likelihood there did the time of Jacobs trouble begin which in the purpose of the Almighty was as the Angel here speaketh cut out and pared for this people And as they continued in their undutifulness forgetting the God that formed them so was their trouble also continued afterwards by sundry punishments inflicted on them in their several Generations but especially in the Babylonish Captivity and to this day lengthned out in their present dispersion into all Lands where the Lord hath scattered them And have we not good reason then to suppose that Jacobs going down into Egypt at the commandment of the Lord was eminently subservient to these ends that God might enter upon his work his great work which he had determined concerning this people Somewhat surely there is in it that the Spirit would have us to take special notice of because we find it so often mentioned in the Scripture see Gen. 46.6 Deut. 10.22 Deut. 26.5 Josh 24.4 Psal 105.23 Act. 7 15. It may be said Abraham also went down into Egypt two hundred and sixteen years before Jacob this account therefore of Jubilees may as well begin from that time as from Jacobs going thither A negative answer must hereunto be given For first though Abraham went into Egypt yet it was not at the commandment of the Lord Ps 105.14.15 but as a traveller from one Country to another as his affairs called him and it was but for a short time for he went up from thence again and which is remarkable All that he had he brought away with him Gen. 13.1 But as for Jacob he went not thither but at the express word of the Lord and there he continued till the day of his death and his Posterity removed not from thence till the Lord led them forth with a strong hand and stretched-out arm Secondly when Abraham went thither God had not made known unto him the afflictions that his Posterity should endure in that Land and therefore he might be at his liberty before to go thither or not as seemed good unto him but when once this was revealed unto him Gen. 15. there must then be no more journeying into Egypt by these Patriarchs till the very beginning of that time came which is here by the Angel said to be cut out for this people that is as I have said for their growing up into a Nation and suffering such chastisements which the Divine Wisdome had appointed for them Gen. 26.2 And hence it was very probably that an express inhibition was given unto Isaac that he should not go down into Egypt as his Father Abraham had done though it seems a necessity lay upon him to relieve himself and his family at that time by the plenty of Egypt being put to as hard a strait by reason of a second famine in the Land of Canaan as his Father Abraham was Thirdly Jacobs going into Egypt was a Type of our Saviours going thither one resembling the other in sundry notable circumstances and in that regard is the greater notice to be taken of it To instance First Jacob went thither at the commandment of the Lord so was Jesus carried thither by a Message from Heaven Secondly Joseph was a means of bringing Jacob into that Land so did another Joseph carry Christ into it Thirdly Jacob went down into Egypt that being the Countrey chosen of God for Israels infancy for he grew a lovely Childe there God taught Ephraim to go taking them by their arms Hos 11.1.3 So was the Holy Child Jesus carried into Egypt to be there for a while kept at nurse as I may say with his mother and during his * Sabellicus Historiographus scribit Josephum cum Maria puero Jesu in Aegypto 7. annos exulasse tantum scil temporis debuit implendae Herodis malitiae Minority to have that education as was meet and convenient for him Fourthly Jacob went thither to preserve his life from the Famine Gen. 45.5.7 And Jesus was carried thither to keep him out of harms-way and to preserve his life from those that sought to destroy it Fiftly Jacob and his posterity were to stay there till the time came which the Lord had set for their dismission from thence so Jesus was not to be brought out of Egypt till he was called according to the saying of the Prophet Hos 11.1 Out of Egypt have I called my Son and word brought by the Angel for that very purpose Matth. 2.13.19 These things being so may we not infer that the time of Jacobs going into Egypt was a time of great remark in Scripture and that it is the fittest of all other to make an Epocha from whence these seventy Jubilees are to derive their commencement and beginning Another argument there is yet to be considered for the confirmation of this sense of the Angels words taken from the end or final cause for which these 70 sevens were determined which is here said To finish the transgression and to make an end of sinnes and to make reconciliation for iniquity that is that no unrighteousness of what kinde or degree soever whether that single transgression of Jacob in the sinful manner of supplanting his brother Esau or that unnatural cruelty of his ten sons against their brother Joseph or the numberless multitude of sins whereof they have since been guilty or their most execrable iniquity against the Lord of life and his Gospel sent among them
should remain as a blot upon them to cause any more separation between their God and them and to bring in everlasting righteousness which will consummate the Vision and Prophecy that they may be a righteous Nation and holy People to the Lord above all others so long as the World endureth Hereupon I demand Have these things as yet been fulfilled upon this People Is their iniquity transgression and sin to speak of it first in a general sense finished or purged away Yea is it at all restrained Rather doth it not abound more and more If then these seventy sevens must be limited to so narrow a compass as they have usually been Where is the truth of this Prophecy Where It is in the Messiah say some who by his death hath done all this for them Most true But nevertheless it shall not be effectual unto them till they do believe and receive him for their Messiah For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth saith Saint Paul Rom. 10.4 But withall the Apostle there addeth that which we finde in this people to this very day Rom. 10.16 They have not all obeyed the Gospel For as Esaias saith so may we Who among them hath believed our report concerning this Messiah which hath been carried to the end of the world Yea the same Prophet feareth not in plain terms to say I was found of them that sought me not I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me meaning the Gentiles but to Israel he saith All day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gain saying people This time therefore is not yet expired because their iniquity transgression and sin as yet remaineth Or if that single transgression in Jacob or his sonnes before-mentioned was finished having received a just recompense of reward at their deliverance out of Egypt and the multiplied rebellions since of the Jewish nation wherewith they in their several generations afterwards did provoke the Lord against them were sealed up at their return out of Babylon so as they should appear no more to their shame yet their iniquity in crucifying the Lord of glory is still marked before the Lord and therefore is their present captivity still continued But when these seventy sevens are ended God will surely be reconciled to them for that also It will be objected How doth this Interpretation agree with the words following where these seventy sevens are branched out into a tripartite division and made to expire at the furthest with the destruction of Jerusalem I answer Though mention be there also made of seventy sevens yet I conceive it will not necessarily follow that they must be the same with those before spoken of ver 24. but because the Prophet had in his prayer besought the Lord for the City Jerusalem as well as for the people therefore after that the Angel had made known the minde of the Lord in order to the whole Vision and Prophecie concerning the people he then goeth on to reveal unto him in the following part of the Chapter more particularly what shall befall the City within the compass of another seventy distinct from the former yet included in it wherein also should happen the greatest manifestation of Gods love unto his Israel For in that time the whole Prophecy relating to the Messiah who was to confirm the Covenant made with Abraham and who as the Angel saith did confirm it in one week of that seventy should be fulfilled In regard therefore that this latter is so expressly referred to the City both for the re-edifying and the destruction of it and the former as punctually referred to the people for those ends and purposes there specified as hath been proved it may well be presumed that they are not the same Yea the Angel himself seems to put the difference For when he speaks of the first seventy he calls upon the Prophet to understand the matter and to consider the vision that is the vision which was by the said term of years to be sealed And when he speaks of the latter seventy he again adviseth the Prophet to know and understand implying that he was about to reveal another secret unto him touching his City which would likewise require his best understanding as the other before did And now to conclude Let it be considered whether this sense that I have through the guidance I hope of Gods grace given of this Scripture doth not carry with it a sound of truth according to the minde of the Spirit of God in it which if it do Is it not clear that the posterity of Jacob called here by the Angel Daniel's people because God would not own them during the time of his desertion of them shall shortly be restored to the honour of their Primogeniture and become Gods people again according to the Covenant made with their fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob which Covenant he will not break because he is ' O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same yesterday to day and for ever Much more might be added in the vindication of this sense that I have here given but it is time now Manum de tabula to put an end to this matter in the handling whereof I have already been larger then at first I intended when I entred upon it yet meet it was that I should not onely give the meaning thereof according to my apprehension but to clear up the difficulties of it yea and to answer those objections that might be raised against it I confess there is a singularity that I may possibly be charged with yet I hope I may be excused therein For first in such dark and dubious offertures of the minde of God as this is no man is or ought to be bound up by the sense of another but a latitude may be taken in rendring the construction of them provided that the common Boundaries which the spirit of Truth hath set unto us in this case be not transgressed Secondly I have here with all due modesty declared my opinion after the form of an Hypothesis and by way of Conjecture with submission also to the Church of Christ wherein I do but as becometh a dutiful sonne of the Church Onely let not my humble manner of proposing my judgement create a prejudice in the hearts of any persons to make them to think the more sleightly of what I have here written If it be but a bare conjecture that I have here offered it is but as all other Interpretations have been that hitherto are given of this Scripture Neither indeed was it possible as I have before said that any Expositor could go beyond a conjecture in their Interpretation of it For the variety of their Epoche's do plainly argue much uncertainty in their computations And whereas they generally agree upon one root of time in order to their accounts viz. The going forth of the Commandment though when that should be they cannot precisely
for the whole number But because there are some amongst us who with much pertinacy do affirm that the Jews shall never be a people again so long as the World endures which assertion doth thwart the Doctrine of Christs Immutability which we have here maintained hear therefore what the spirit speaketh of it to the Churches out of the New Testament For even therein also have we a full and clear testimony from the mouth of Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles to assure us of this truth against all Cavils whatsoever First Luk 21.23 24. Then see what the Lord saith Luk. 21.23 24. There shall be great distress in the Land and wrath upon this people and they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away Captive into all Nations and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled See here how in wrath the Lord remembreth mercy saith venerable Bede upon the place Quia non in perpetuum donec tempora Nationum impleantur the judgement here written is not to be perpetuated till time be no more but onely to continue till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled Concerning which times though it be true that the Father hath reserved them to himself as a secret not fit to be imparted to the World in which regard it hath been and will be too much boldness to prescribe the very instant of their expiration yet we may safely say of them the words of our Saviour here importing no less that whensoever they do expire Jerusalem shall be delivered from her bondage and consequently that light and gladness joy and honour shall come upon the Jewish Nation Let us then for this end make a little enquiry into them and consider what is meant by these times of the Gentiles Sundry constructions are given of them by Interpreters nevertheless I doubt not but that which hath a tendency to our present purpose we shall finde to be most genuine Two Expositions I have met with which though the Authours thereof be of great note in the Church are not in my poor judgement to be allowed the one reaching beyond the sense of the Holy Ghost the other coming short of it as it shall here evidently appear First That which goeth too far makes the filling up of the times of the Gentiles to be contemporary with the final Consummation of all things and so consequently holdeth that neither the Jews nor Jerusalem shall ever be restored again Thus the Lutheran Expositors generally understand it But against this it may be Objected First We no where finde in Scripture that the fulfilling of the times of the Gentiles is rendred in such a sense viz. For the end of the World and in such cases the Holy Scripture hath been still wont the wisdom of God so ordering it to explain it self by some reiterations and paralel places to the end that the Church might in a form of sound words fully know the minde of the spirit Secondly It is inconsistent with the Prophecies that went before concerning the Gentiles that in the time of the Gospel they should generally submit unto the Church of the Jews as we have before undeniably proved when Jerusalem shall be again inhabited and made a praise in the earth Thirdly it is plain that our Saviour in this 21 of Saint Luke puts a difference between the desolation of Judea Vide Albertum magnum super locum and the dissolution of the world making the former a portentous omen and sad prefiguration of the latter As therefore the dissolution of the world shall be seconded with an eternity of rest to all Believers so that the type may sute the Anti-type shall the desolation of Judea be also attended with a sweet peace and happy deliverance to Gods antient people the inhabitants of that Land even in this World before the dissolution thereof All which considered this cannot be the meaning of our Saviour in this place The other exposition which I mentioned that cometh too short is given by a late learned and industrious writer amongst us Doctour Hammond by name who affirmeth that the times of the Gentiles here fore-told by our Saviour are already past having had their full end at that last and notable destruction both of the City Jerusalem and the people which was brought upon them by Aelius Adrianus sixty five years after the burning of the Temple by the Romans under the conduct of Titus the Son of Vespasianus All which time of the Romans possessing the City he makes the full extent of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill and will have it reach no farther For then saith he Adrian rebuilt a part of the City and called it by his own name Aelia inhabiting it with Gentiles whereupon it followed that as all the Jews remaining such in opposition to the Christians were utterly banisht the City c. So the believing Christian Jews returned thither again from their dispersions and inhabited it again and joyned and made one Congregation one Church with the Gentiles which had there by that time received the faith also and till then continued a distinct Church from the Jews Thus he But against this novel conceit for so it may Salvo honore Docti defuncti Authoris well be called which as I said cometh short of the sense of our Saviour in the fore-cited place some just exceptions offer themselves to our consideration First If we examine the story upon which the said Authour groundeth his assertion we shall finde that the truth of this Prophecy concerning the treading down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled was so far from receiving its final accomplishment at that remarkable change under Adrian that it might well be thought it did then more then ever before begin most eminently to appear The story of which times related both by Ethnick and Christian Authours in short is this The Emperour Adrian being willing it seems to vex the Jews caused an Idolatrous Temple to be erected in Jerusalem dedicating it to Jupiter and commanding withall a certain number of Romans and other Foreiners devoted to that Idol to dwell in the City that they might resort unto his Temple whereat the Jews who till then had a toleration both for the exercise of their Religion and their abode in that Countrey being thereby much provoked and because as some report the Emperour had issued out an Edict against their Circumcision They brake out into open Rebellion whereunto they were stirred up by a Seditious person who called himself by the name of Barchochebas that is the Son of a Star pretending thereby and making the Jews believe that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent to be as a light from Heaven unto them according to the Prophecy of Balaam and that he would deliver them out of their present bondage To him they are easily perswaded to yeild their Consent being deluded by
not we also grown wanton with our wealth gadding about after vanities that cannot profit us When they were cast out of favour we were reconciled to God who were before strangers yea enemies unto him But have not we also many a time vexed his holy Spirit by our treacherous Apostacies as much as they And how then shall this be remedied Which way shall we have our wants supplyed Our breaches repaired Our hearts more established in the truth Doth not the Apostle who is of counsel with the Almighty in this case and therefore knew best the way of Divine dispensation of grace toward us doth not he I say tell us here plainly how all this shall be brought about to our exceeding great advantage viz. by the reception of this people into favour restoring them again fully to their dignity and preheminence among the Nations Not indeed as a meritorious cause therof that is far from the Apostles meaning but in a way of subserviency to that providence which ordereth all things for the good of Church And now let it be considered How great is that goodness which God hath laid up for his people even before the Sons of Men in the latter dayes May we not then expect a more plentiful effusion of his Spirit in the powerful operations of it upon the hearts of Believers And that all those pestilent heresies wherewith the Christian Churches among the Gentiles have been miserably infested even almost unto death should be thrown to the Moles and to the Bats The jarring and jangling sound of Schisme no more to be heard in their Assemblies and instead thereof both Jews and Gentiles to be united together in a most entire and indissoluble bond of Brother-hood And when this fulness of happiness shall come upon the Gentiles as it will surely happen unto them upon the fulness of the Jews the Apostle himself being witness may it not be reckoned according to the Apostles word as it were a new life from the dead I demand therefore again Are these things so Hath God determined to advance so much the interest of his Church by the Restauration of the Jews and is it meet that we should stand cavilling at it Shall this our Apostle thus magnifie his office and with a paternal care of our good argue so irrefragably in our behalf and should we like a company of wayward children with unkinde Recalcitrations spurn against his office and our own happiness vilifying the one and as much as lyeth in us nullifying the other How these Quaere's may be answered together with many other that might be gathered from the following branches of the Apostles arguing about the facility of the Jews Restauration shall I say be left to their consideration who not onely causlesly call it into question but peremptorily deny that the Nation of the Jews shall ever be reckoned among the Nations of the world any more and so consequently asperse the Lord Jesus Christ with inconstancy towards this his first beloved people as if he would not be ' O' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto them the Same to the end which he hath been from the beginning If any shall say That to put these Quaere's in such a manner is to beg the Question that is To conclude that for a truth which is in controversie whether it be so or no. I must answer If the Apostles arguing hitherto will not satisfie and that neither Possibilities nor Probabilitics heaped together will down with gain-sayers to draw them to a conviction we have a more sure word of Testimony given here in the close whereunto they should do well to take heed least unhappily they be found even to sight against God To the end therefore that no man might in this case plead ignorance which is commonly the mother of arrogance Hear what the Apostle addeth vers 25 26 c. I would not brethren saith he that you should be ignorant of this mysterie lest you should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is happened unto Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved c. I know well that these very words of the Apostle are also wrested by some to another sense as there will not want cavils against the clearest demonstrations of Truth to the worlds end And if we should give an ear to whatsoever may be suggested unto us by opposite parties we shall never be free from hesitancies in the interpretation of any Scripture nor in the asserting of any Doctrines though never so fundamental Let this present Scripture be look'd upon but with an unprejudicate eye and be considered in the most plain and grammatical sense of it and then see whether it doth not precisely determine this point viz. That there is a time approaching wherein the Jewish Nation shall be restored and become a glorious converted Nation again which God will own for his Beloved people notwithstanding all their unkinde rebellions against him To afford some help herein observe First the Apostle speaks of this matter as of a mysterie and therefore should the more diligent heed be given unto it A mysterie indeed it is First in regard of the origination of it being sprung out of the profound abyss of Gods infinite wisdom and knowledge Secondly in regard of the progress of it being much opposed by the infidelity of men who are and will be slow of heart to believe it Thirdly in regard of the unsearchable way and manner how it shall be acted when in the fulness of time it shall be brought to pass in the world however therefore men do sleight it the Apostle it seems makes great account of it Secondly He adviseth the Romans to take special notice of it I would not brethren saith he have you ignorant hereof c. As if he should say beware that you do not out of a fond conceit of your priviledges above the Jews cast this mystery out of your thoughts as a thing impertinent to your cognisance for you are concern'd in it and that which is revealed of it will certainly be required of you Thirdly He procedeth to a description of the mystery so far as it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost Non enim est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod significat nâ—â—tilationâ— alic jus partis sic in oculis coecitatem sigâ—isicat Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quâ—d indâ—atioâ—eâ—n significat a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calluâ— five dâ—â—itâ—es in 〈◊〉 unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. call â—n 〈◊〉 sâ—em 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ungo Blindness as we read it in part is happened unto Israel untill the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved Where first that we may the better poise this mystery let us a little by the way consider the judgement inflicted upon this people which alas alas we finde to be exceeding great So much doth the word
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie for that is not a blindness in the mind onely but a spiritual obduration overspreading the whole soul whereby they are become utterly unsensible of their sin and misery And thus we finde the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred before verse 7. by Beza and others reliqui occaluerunt that is the rest were hardened or covered all over with a brawny thickness Thus also is it written of them Act. 28.27 The heart of this people is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed least they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts c. For why God hath given them in his just displeasure saith the Apostle verse 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A slothful spirit a spirit that luls them asleep in their sin leading them in the dark or as the word may imply A spirit that pierceth them through railing them fast to their infidelity pricking their eyes that they should not see and boring their ears that they should not hear unto this day Hence it is that they obstinately reject all means of their conversion they blaspheme Christ in their Synagogues and whensoever any mention is made of him they cry out Deleatur nâ—men ejus let his name be forgotten and then spit thrice upon the ground in detestation of him they inure their Children from their Child-hood to curse the Lord Jesus and the blessed Virgin his Mother and if any do undertake to refute their errours out of the word they presently stop their ears refusing to hear c. Thereby verifying the Word of the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.15 2 Cor. 3.15 even unto this day when Moses is read the Vaâ—l is upon their Heart In a word as the same Apostle summeth up their wickedness in another place They killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets 1 Thess 2.15.10 and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men Forbidding to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost Surely a very fearful and sore judgement it is that is fallen upon this people And what should we do in this day wherein the avenging hand of God lieth so heavy upon them Should we now forget the brotherly-Covenant and with Edom insult over them in the day of their calamity Obad. v. 12 speaking proudly in the day of their distress That be far from us Rather let us for our humiliation consider so long as they are under so severe a lash of Gods just indignation we that are sinners of the Gentiles shall still have a taste given us of the cup of Gods anger none of all our Churches must look to be delivered from their present troubles they must and shall be still haunted with a spirit of division among themselves and with persecution from the Devil and his Anti-Christ For loe the Lord hath begun to bring evil upon his people and upon the City which is called by his name and should we be utterly unpunished Thus argueth the Apostle Saint Peter 1 Pet. 4.17 18 Whose words we may make use of to this purpose When God had begun to cast off the Jews for of them it is probable the Apostle in this place is especially mindful because otherwise the order which he there observeth that God used in bringing his people under his rod before he poured out his fury upon his enemies was no new or strange matter but had been of old He thus writeth 1 Pet. 4.17 18. The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God and if it first begin at us that is the Jews for these Epistles were written to them whether it be those amongst us that profess the faith or the generality of our Nation that deny it what shall the end be of them viz. the Gentiles who obey not the Gospel of God that is Who when they have received it are not easie to be perswaded by it but are refractory and unruly under it as we all are to this very day And if the righteous such were all the Jews whiles they continued the house of God scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner of the Gentiles appear Whether this be the proper sense of the place or no I will not contend but will leave it to consideration nevertheless our argumentation cannot be refelled if the green tree suffer in this manner shall the dry tree escape If the children the dearly beloved of Gods soul be thus severely punished shall we in the mean time that were strangers reckoned no better then dogs feeding under our Masters table bee without chastisement especially when now grace hath abounded towards us there are with us also even with us sins against the Lord our God The consideration hereof may I say teach us to walk humbly and should put us to our prayers yea to earnest importunities that God would be pleased once again to look upon his antient people with an eye of compassion and the rather should we be willing hereunto because there is hope in Israel concerning this thing for behold here the unspeakable goodness of God in a mystery made manifest by this scripture of the Apostle according to the commandment of the everlasting God this obduration which is upon Israel is but in part till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in Observe first It is but in part that they are thus hardened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In part I say not as if the Jews for the generality had not wholly rejected the grace of God for alas the judgment written in that respect is as it hath been said before come upon them to the uttermost the whole way of God for their salvation being hidden from their eyes but it is in part How because all the Nation hath not fallen under this judgement say some so Saint Austin Ex parte dixit quia non omnes excoecati sunt He saith in part because all are not hardened Epist 59. Tom. 10. Molli locutione significare vellet plurimos non omnes aut non omnino Grotius Ambr. Tom. 5. But if this were the meaning wherein lay the mystery For it was manifest by the Apostle himself and sundry others with him that there was a remnant of Believers among the Jews in those dayes according to the election of grace Rather therefore I conceive with Saint Ambrose He saith in part because this obduration was to be but for a time so that this restriction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not set by the Apostle as Calvin and others would have it to temper the asperity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as to be an extenuation of their sin for that appears still to be exceeding sinful but it referreth to Gods decreed boundary for the time of the worlds continuance implying that
season All which considered I appeal unto all men that are able to discern whether the Apostles words are not hereby clearly confirmed viz. that the gifts and calling of God are to the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word is reported to be rendred unchangeable and not to be repented of For my part I take it to be undeniable and therefore do also infer that undoubtedly there is a time before the end cometh wherein they shall most certainly be restored If it should be yet objected that the Jews are not onely Gods enemies in a passive sense but in an active as not obeying his Gospel nor believing his Son whom he sent among them and thereupon will conclude that there is no hope of their conversion because he that casteth away the remedy makes his disease incurable Sol. The Apostle gives an answer hereto likewise v. 30.31 For as ye in times past have not believed God yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief even so have these also now not believed that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy Which words seem to be written by the Apostle in forme of a Prolepsis to preoccupate the aforesaid objection by a clear demonstration in themselves that should obtrude it being as much as to say Learn of your selves that the Jews Conversion is not altogether hopeless notwithstanding their present enmity against God in their disobedience to his Gospel For if you who were sometimes foolish and disobedient living in malice and envy even as bad as the Jews hating of God and hateful unto him have yet nevertheless obtained mercy why should you doubt but that the Jews though they be now a stubborn and refractory people may obtain mercy with God also especially seeing mercy hath happily come unto you upon the occasion of their contumacy but to them it shall come in a far more excellent way viz. Through your mercy that is by beholding of that mercy which God hath manifested unto you Gods aim and purpose we see is the exaltation of his mercy though men be merciless in judging and condemning one another for saith the Apostle v. 32. God hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all Where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all is commonly interpreted with a reference unto both Jews Gentiles that neither side may have whereof to boast before God but that both these and those may be saved by mercy which sense I willingly subscribe unto as not contrariant to the Apostles scope in this place But I demand may it not be understood as referring to the Jews onely so as that the word of universality all might be taken for all Israel as it is before meaning all the tribes of Israel whom God had shut up in unbelief that he might have mercy upon them all Certain it is the original hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not stand as an idle cypher to signifie nothing but is put as a relative to distinguish this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all from some other and may be as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is said before of the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore doth our English translation bring in the word them God hath concluded them all in unbelief as implying the Jews onely in this argument though from the thing it self the Gentiles are not exempted But I leave this criticisme to the examination of the judicious The conclusion notwithstanding from hence also will follow That the Conversion of the Jewish Nation shall for the magnifying of Gods mercy in due time most certainly come to pass Obj. Some yet do further object that the Jews are so embodied with other people and so mingled with other Nations that there is an utter impossibility that they should ever any more become a Nation distinct from the Gentiles But if there be any found that are distinct they shall not be formed into a Nation but those that are in Spain shall be called Spanish Jews and those that are in Italy Italian and those in Germany Germans c. Sol. I answer Let not impossibilities be objected to the Omnipotent God He that can out of stones raise up Children unto Abraham can easily make good his word which he hath spoken concerning the restauration of his Israel And albeit it were so that they are indeed embodied with other people of the world which yet is not true for the generality of them as we have before shewed yet shall that word spoken by the Prophet Amos be herein verified of them Lo I will command Amos 9.9 saith the Lord and I will sift the house of Israel among all Nations like as corn is sifted in a sieve yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth Amos 9.9 Obj. It is moreover objected that to maintain this Doctrine of the Jews restauration is to put the world into a careless security concerning the end for if this must be before the end cometh will not many people who are too much negligent already in preparing for the great day take occasion thereby to grow more remiss therein and so consequently may that day come upon them unawares as the Scripture often speaketh which if it should finde them in their sins will undoubtedly prove a black and dismal day unto them Sol. I answer First the uncertainty of the time of every mans particular dissolution may suffice to take away all such carnal presumption For as I said before alluding to that of the Psalmist Ps 19.2 Day unto day uttereth speech The day of death gives an infallible testimony to the day of judgement of every mans final estate whether it be good or bad whether it shall be to the resurrection of life or the resurrection of damnation And according to that information so shall the judgment be as death leaves us so judgment shall finde us Secondly We that are Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the manifold grace of God must not be afraid to make known the counsel of God in Scripture least ungodly people should make an ill use of it What ever the consequents be of our sidelity in the discharge of our Ministery we are to leave them to the wisdom and determination of the Almighty who will order all things for his own glory as seemeth good unto him Even in this very case touching the end of the world the Apostle Saint Paul though he had in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians written of the sudden and unexpected coming of the Lord yet when he perceived that some false teachers were like to take occasion by what he had written thereof to make those people believe that the day of Christ was then at hand thinking thereby as it is probable to carry on a pernicious design against the whole doctrine of the Gospel he thereupon tells them plainly in his second Epistle 2 Thes 2.2.3