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
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
been willing to insert to give full satisfaction to those that are Scepticks in this point and for the confirmation of their faith that are sound and orthodox Object 2 Secondly They object that which the Angel speaks to the Virgin Mary Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore that Holy Thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Therefore also say they he was not the Son of God before his Incarnation Unto this also we may answer sundry waies Answ First The inference which the Angel produceth from his premises was to let the blessed Virgin see that the fruit of her Womb should be according to the Prophecy that went of him not of an ordinary Extraction because the Holy Ghost not a mortal man was to be the efficient thereof therefore that Holy Thing that should be born of her should be the Son of God and not of any man yet since the Nature that was produced Non Gene râ—t one â—ed 〈◊〉 benedictione was not after the similitude of the Nature and Essence of the Holy Ghost for Christ was not conceived of the substance but through the power of the Spirit we may conclude infallibly that Christ had not this denomination of the Son of Gost first given him at the time of his Incarnation Secondly Qui pascun ter ex Aqua sp sancto non ided aquae filios eos recte quispiam dixcrit Pet. Lom If it were so the Holy Ghost should by a proper right be called the Father of Christ which he never is in Scripture neither indeed did ever any that truly professed the Christian Faith acknowledge him in any respect to be for he is not the principle of the subsistence of the second person in the Trinity and therefore not the cause of the Divine eternal Sonship neither was there a new person conceived at his unconceivable over-shadowing of the Virgin and therefore he could not be the Father of Christ in respect of any inferiour filiation so that we must seek out some other sense of the Angels words then that which these Dreamers have foolishly imagined Thirdly The words therefore of the Angel may well be conceived to have reference to the Prophecy of Isaiah unto which he seems to have respect in the 31. Verse of this first of S. Luke the words of the Prophet are these Es 7.14 Mat. 1.23 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bare a Son and shall call his name Immanuel which Immanual is being interpreted God with us Implying he shall be called both the Son of God and the Son of man and though the Angel makes mention only of the first of these Denominations V. 35. yet it is not to be taken exclusively of the other for he said before V. 31. Thou shalt call his name Jesus whereby he meaneth that he should be called also the Son of man In a word the Particle Therefore Luke 1.35 wherein the stress of this Objection lieth is not to be referred to the conception of Christ by the Holy Ghost as the cause of his Sonship but to the Prophecy that went before both of the Mother and the Son wherein they were both concern'd viz. That that should be fulfilled Fourthly Whereas it is said He shall be called the Son of God it is to be understood after the manner of the Hebrews Pro vere manifestabitur He shall be truly manifested and declared to be the Son of God as where it is said He shall be called Immanuel it is not meant He shall be called by that name but declared to be such as that name imports and acknowledged to be so among his people so by these words He shall be called the Son of God is meant he should be acknowledged to be the Son of God when he was born into the World not implying a Beginning of what he was not but that then he should begin to be manifested and acknowledged what he was Or else lastly He which was ever the Son of God in respect of his Godhead should now be called the Son of God existing in the Manhood or God manifested in the flesh as the Apostle phraseth it 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Tim. 3.16 Object 3 Thirdly They harp much upon that place of the Apostle Col. 1.15 where Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first born or first begotten of every creature Whence they will infer that he must needs be a Creature for as the first begotten say they amongst brethren is to be reckoned one of their number and of the same nature with them so the first begotten of every creature must also be connatural with the creatures and therefore cannot be begotten from Eternity but is a creature having a temporal beginning of existency even as they Thus do these Christomacho fighters against Christ shew their teeth though they cannot bite and shoot out their bolt wherewith they let fly nothing but their own folly But let them if they will Marcion enjoy their priviledge to be of his brotherhood who deservedly was called Primogenitus Diaboli the first begotten of the Devil In the mean time that their folly may be made manifest unto all men as his also was and that all who love the Lord Jesus Christ may have their faith confirmed and their affections enlarged towards him let these following answers be taken into consideration Answ First It would be observed that Christ is not called here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The first Created as it should indeed be rendred if their sense should pass for currant but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The first begotten of every creature which signifieth that he was begotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Before all the Creation as appeareth by what is presently added by the Apostle V. 16. For by him were all things created which clearly distinguisheth him from those things that are made giving him also the priority before all things V. 17. which must conclude his Generation to be Eternal Secondly If the Apostle must be taken in such a sense as that his words here should make Christ and the Creature Correlatives each to other it will not necessarily follow that he from his original was a creature too And now to make it clear that the Apostles meaning is of a higher aim and strain I shall undertake with all due reverence and sobriety to speak of this great Mystery according as God hath dealt to me the measure of faith and the Lord give us a right understanding therein Saint Paul seems here to be raised up by the Holy Ghost into a spiritual rapture setting forth the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as I may say in all its Dimensions the height and length and bredth and depth thereof The height in that he is the uncreated everlasting Image of the invisible God for in that sense it must be taken in regard he
persons putting them upon this Blasphemy that they poor worms are as well and as truly God as Jesus Christ And why Because they have their Being in God Act. 17.28 are partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and are one with Christ John 17.21.22 c. Now if this were admitted what a sordid profession would Christianity be What in time would become of Satisfaction for Sin Imputation of Righteousness the Purity Dignity Royalty of the Blood of God How ridiculous and contemptible would the pretended terrour of the great Day seem unto the World For a Contest might possibly arise who should be the chief Judge at that time and according to the person and quality of the Judge so would the Judgment be But to these deluded ones we may well say as Moses did to Korah and his Complices Num. 16.9 10. Seemeth it a small thing unto you that God hath separated you Numb 16.9 10. and brought you near unto himself but you will seek the Priesthood also What is it nothing to be as you pretend your selves to be advanced to the knowledge of the true God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord to have the Image of God consisting in Righteousness and true Holiness 2 Pet. 1.4 to be repaired and renewed in you which is the participation of the Divine Nature but that you will aspire like the Devil 1 Tim. 3.6 to be equal with God speaking after the language of him who said in his heart I will ascend into Heaven Es 14.13 14. I will exalt my Throne above the Stars of God I will sit upon the mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North. I will ascend above the heights of the Clouds I will be like the most High Is the iniquity of our first Parents too little for you from which we are not cleansed until this day but that you will rise up and rebel against the Lord even after the same manner as they did What have you been coeternal with Jesus Christ and immutable like unto him Can ye say You are the same yesterday to day and for ever Where were you then Job 38.4 when God laid the foundations of the earth Declare if you have understanding When he prepared the Heavens when he set a compass upon the face of the Depth when he established the Clouds above when he strenghned the Fountains of the Deep Were you then by him Pro. 8.27 as one brought up with him rejoycing alwaies before him Have you known the mind of the Lord Or have you been his Counsellours Were you joyn'd in Commission with Jesus Christ to be his Co-agents in the great Work of Redemption Es 63.3 Did you help to tread the Wine-press in the discomfiting of his Enemies Or to establish a Church so as the Gates of Hell should not prevail against it Look then now on every one that is proud and bring him low and tread down the wicked in their place hide them in the dust together and bind their faces in secret Then will I confess to you that you are free from those Delusions that are charged upon you and unjustly tax'd with Blasphemy whereof otherwise you cannot but be deeply guilty But enough of this The other Project of Hell which is now on foot against Jesus Christ in these our daies is to level him with poor dust and ashes not allowing him a preheminence above the sons of men unless it be such as hath been devised by the Devil for the more close conveyance of his inveterate malice I do not say it is an Egg lately hatch'd by that Cockatrice for it is of an old brood and did exceedingly infest the Church in former times as hath been said before but though it was smitten through and through with the two-edged Sword of Gods word yet there are now again sprung up new Heads of that old monstrous and malicious Hydra who with the faces of Sodom and Gomorah dare publickly tell us that our great Redeemer of whom we make our boast is no other then a meer man I am prone to believe that such as love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity do find their hearts shivering within them at the very mentioning of this horrid Blasphemy but behold yet greater Abominations What an amazement must it be to all the Churches of Christ to read or hear that In A. B. his Exposition of the 17th Chap. of S. John which I have read of Socinus In the reciting whereof there may be some doubt as one said in another case whether you should be desired to open or to stop your ears the speech being so horrible as it is a wonderful patience of God that the Earth opened not her mouth to swallow him up quick yea it may seem strange that the dumb and dead paper did not stand up refusing to take that Ink wherewith such an abominable Blasphemy should be either printed or written which is expressed in these words viz. This Doctrine of Christs Deity is so absurd that the Christian World will one day be ashamed of it and that the word Trinity may be in time as much abhorred as Transubstantiation and the Mass What shall we say to this but as the Angel spake to the Devil Increpet Dominus Es 6.1.3.5.8 John 12.40 41. Psal 102.19 22 23.26 27. Heb. 1.10 11 12. Let the Lord rebuke them whosoever they be that have their Tongues thus set on fire of Hell against Christ and his Glory The Apostle tells us Phil. 2.6 That being in the form of God he counted it no robbery to be equal with God Yet these wretches do in effect say that he is a Thief and a Robber if he shall lay claim to such an equality What Is he the great Jehovah Eternal and Immutable the same yesterday to day and for ever and all this while but a meer man Could a meer man be able to wade into the vast Ocean of the wrath of the Almighty and not be swallowed up everlastingly therein Could he be able to enter into a Plea with Divine Justice and put her to a Non-suit To undertake by his own Righteousness to justifie so many Myriads of Saints and not find to his shame his covering infinitely too narrow to hide the deformities of so great a multitude To encounter with Death and Hell and overcome them in their own Den Surely we must needs say with him in the Gospel If this man were not of God Nay If this man were not God he could do nothing nothing I mean in these great noble and glorious Atchievements For admit that he was perfect in himself both in his birth and in his life the power of the most High when it came upon the Virgin in her Conception stopping up the Current of original sin that it could not pollute him and his own proper power preserving him all his life-time from the least spot of any actual sin yet alas wherein could this single
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
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
them their own Mercies choose Death rather then Life they shall most assuredly reap the fruit of their own Option in the latter end unless they will learn betimes to be wiser and make a better choice For what else can be expected when Christ hath prepared so Glorious an Inheritance for men in whom he professeth to have a peculiar Interest John 1.11 Mat. 25.41 and they shall lightly regard it And when there is a fire an everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels whom his Soul abhorreth and men shall wilfully plunge themselves into it O foolish people and unwise who hath deluded you A wretched Covetousness you will undoubtedly finde it to be in the end to be intruders upon the Devil a wosul ambition to be Usurpers upon Damnation and a folly not to be parallel'd unless it be by the reprobate Angels to leave your own Habitation so Gloriously repaired for you by Jesus Christ who not only Created you but Bought you at a dear Rate everlastingly to dwell in Surely it were much better for you to stand your ground and to preserve your Interest with all your strength preparing your selves against the time when an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into that everlasting Kingdom Rom. 8.23 waiting for the Adoption a Glory above the Creatures expectation viz. The redemption of our body when Body and Soul shall be reunited again and all things shall be ours in their perfectest Beauty purged throughly from that dross and corruption which now sticks upon them This I say should be our chiefest Ambition next unto God's Glory and if we were wise would be our utmost endeavour for then shall we be with Christ which is best of all then shall we experimentally finde the blessed effects of his immutable love towards us unto all eternity then shall the Creature yield unto us not a groaning Subjection but a willing and a cheerful Subjection rejoycing that it hath somewhat in it that shall conduce to the advancement of our Glory O let the consideration hereof work in us a holy Indifferency towards the things of this present life What though some be poor and of low account in the eyes of the world yet let not the hearts of such be troubled at it for our Lord when he comes if he finde them doing his will will make them as well as others who abound in wealth Rulers over all that he hath If Riches encrease Ps 62.10 Pro. 23.5 let us not set our hearts upon them Or if they decrease and take to themselves wings and flie away let us not be guilty of such folly as to let our hearts flie after them Bishop King upon Jonas but as Fabritius the Roman a late learned and laborious Bishop made the Comparison told King Pyrrhus who one day tempted him with Gold and another day terrified him with an Elephant which he had never seen before Plutarchus in vita Pyrrhi Vtimur mundo fruimur Deo Aug. Yesterday I was not moved with thy Money nor to day with thy Beast So whether we be tempted with gain or terrified with the loss of these worldly Commodities we do not trouble our selves either way Knowing that we have in Heaven a more enduring substance Heb. 10.34 And thus have we done with the second Interpretation of our Text viz. That Jesus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same in reference to the whole Creation The Third Interpretation of the TEXT is this Jesus Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever With a more especial Respect unto his Peculiar People Adsis O JESV JEsus Christ is the same unto his Church from first to last that is from the first man that was created to the last that shall be born in this World or from the first Evangelical Promise given in Paradise viz The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head unto the last Sentence that shall be pronounced at the great Day Gen. 3.15 viz. Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Mat. 25.34 The same King and the same Priest and the same Prophet of his Church throughout all Ages the same in his Power over them the same in his Satisfaction and Intercession for them the same in his Doctrine unto them Semper idem alwaies the same And now that we may understand more fully the Sense of the Holy Ghost in this excellent Scripture according to this Third Interpretation of it let us confider distinctly the several Courses or Periods of Time here specified viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Yesterday to Day and for ever And in them all observe the Immutability of the Lord Jesus Christ towards his Church from Generation to Generation By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Yesterday must according to this sense be meant all the time of the Old Testament By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is To day is understood the time of the New Testament By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever the continuance of that time unto the end and that Eternity in order to the fruit and benefit of Christ's Immutability towards his Church when Time shall be no more CHAP I. Of Yesterday and the Benefit that the Church enjoyed by Christ's Oeconomy therein TO begin then with Yesterday which as it is said must in this sense which we are now upon be taken for all he time of the Old Testament that is from the Minority of the Church in her first springing unto her maturity in that fulness of Time when Christ came into the World In which long Tract of time notwithstanding he was the same in the Exercise of his Mediatory Office towards his selected People which he is to Day in the time of the Gospel when he was made Flesh and visibly appeared among us Two things are here to be considered by us 1. The Denomination of the Time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yesterday 2. What is predicated of that time viz. Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The only He or the same Yesterday Both which will afford unto us their several Instructions From the first we may learn that which will be of some use for us to know and that is this The Time of the Old Testament with 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 I say not that the Old Testament it self Quoad scripturam vel spiritualem veritatem as it is a part of God's Revealed Will unto his Church is now at this time quite out of date for even Jesus Christ who is the Sun that shineth gloriously in this our Day was the Doctrine of the Prophets as well as of the Apostles and he commandeth us in the New Testament to enquire of him in the Old Search the Scriptures John 5.39 Luke 16.29 that
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
concerning this matter The affront that is hereby put upon the Lord Jesus Christ is so notorious that it is discernable by all that are not given up to strong Delusions To conclude therefore it is very well noted by one who hath a long time been a laborious Workman in the Lord's Vine-yard that the Lord by Burying the dead Body of Moses in an unknown place did in a kinde signify that he hath so abolished the Legal Ordinances that they must be buried in eternal Oblivion and never to be looked after nor minded any more Whosoever therefore shall now go about to revive any of those Ceâ—emonies of the Law as the Papists do their Work is no other in God's eyes then the raking up of Moses's Dead Body which the Lord hath concealed Such a Censure likewise giveth Saint Augustine when he had spoken of the Jewish Ceremonies that they were to have a Solemn Funeral which would require some time upon which account were the Apostles excusable for their temporary connivence at them He addeth Quisquis nunc c. Whosoever shall now use them as it were raking them up out of their Dust he shall not be pius deductor corporis sed impius violator sepalturae A pious Helper in the Burial but an impious and sacrilegious Wretch that ransakes the quiet Tombs of the Dead In the last place such who now-a-dayes Pretend to Oracles that is Visions and Revelations and wait for Miracles may by this Doctrine be convinced of a woful Delusion wherewith they are Haunted for it will appear that even these also were the Light of Yesterday Indeed when God was letting forth Light by little and little now a part of his Word and then a part of his word he did at that time as hath been said before reveal his Minde sundry ways but now when the Day is not onely Dawned but the Sun of Righteousness is come forth out of his Chamber appearing like a strong man in his Race God doth not use to interpose Heterogeneous Flashes of Light differing from that which he hath in his Wisdom and Goodness set forth to be the Fountain of Light to all the World The Firmament of Heaven cannot endure two Suns yea horrid Confusion would seaze upon the Face of Nature if such a thing were even the Parelii that is Resemblances of the Sun in the Aire usually called Mock Suns are Praemonitours of fearful Prodigies like to ensue and these new Lights differing from the ordinary Light of our Day have not onely Portended but brought on Dismal and Lamentable Disasters upon the poor Church of God Visions and Revelations were the Light of Yesterday and though there were some such Manifestations of it now and then Ps 89.19 when it was in Occasu in the instant of Setting in the Primitive Times as there were Prophecies and Jewish Ceremonies of which we finde some though very rarely were taken up and made use of for after a Shower will come some Drops yet to expect them now or to pretend any need of them at this time when with open Face we do behold the Glory of the Lord and this Glory of the Lord likewise shines clearly unto us in the Face of Jesus Christ what were this but shameful ingratitude It is as if a man should exclaim against the Light of the Sun and call for a Candle to be set up at High-noon Day Objection It may perhaps be Objected if such Revelations were so frequent under the Old Testament and not to be expected now then was the State of the Church better at that time then it is now under the Gospel Solution But this I affirm to be no good Consequence for first we are recompensed by having the Scriptures Perfect and Compleat which they of the Oâ—d had not Secondly they indeed had more ordinary Revelations of matters Personal and Private but of such things as do necessarily concern Salvation we in the time of the New Testament have more evident Demonstration and more full Revelation according to the Prophecy that went before of us Jer. 31.34 Jer 31.34 For Example particular mercies to some of God's special Servants or particular Judgments on his Enemies whether particular Men or whole Kingdoms were often revealed to Godly Men in those Days but Salvation by the Messiah And the manner how the Messiah should save his Church is more fully and †plainly plentifully revealed now then it was in those Days Besides we have the Substance of their shadows and the performance of their Promises In which respects it must be acknowledged our State is far more excellent then theirs From whence we may Collect with a late Writer Mr. Perkins who in his Generation laboured much in the Lord That Revelations of God's Will to be expected now under the Gospel are ordinarily nothing els but these viz. The true Sense and Meaning of Holy Scripture and a discerning of True Scripture from Forged of True Sacraments from Supposed of True Doctrines from False of True Pastours from False Prophers these and such like as far forth as they are necessary to Salvation all true and faithful Believers which out of an humbled Heart do seek it by devout Prayer at God's hand are sure to have revealed unto them from God Ps 25.14 Ps 25.14 But as for other Purposes of God viz. of Personal and particular matters or what shall be his blessings or what his Judgments to these and these Men Families Cities or Kingdoms or when or how he will change States or translate Kingdoms or by what extraordinary means he will have his Gospel propagated or a declining Church or State upholden these we are not now to expect nor easily to believe any that shall say such things are revealed unto them And yet as the said Authour saith well we do not hereby limit the Almighty or tie the Lord in such strait Bonds but he may sometimes extraordinarily reveal his Purpose in some such Cases to some of his selected Servants provided that that Revelation be examined and allowed of by the Church Thus he And the truth is it is but necessary that such restrictions should be in this Case which undoubtedly God doth allow of it being a most certain rule Deus non deficit in necessariis God is not wanting in things necessary Now surely this is needful For though the Holy Scriptures are not to wait upon the allowance of the Church rather let the Church stand or fall to the infallible Judicature of the Scriptures yet this Power hath the Church given unto her of God to judg of extraordinary Revelations whether they be of God or no neither are they to be of any account with the people of God till they have passed the Scrutiny and Censure of the Church otherwise what dangerous Consequences would follow hereupon it is not any hard matter to foresee Here we shall have one cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have Dreamed I have Dreamed as those Impostours
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
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
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
and worke in so is the Light of this Day set up for other ends and purposes then for people to sit and chat by pardon the Word for such in truth is all the Twanging of Religion upon the Tongues end so much affected in these dayes without doing It is the working Believer that is the onely Believer and whosoever shall say the contrary he is a Deceiver saith St. John For he that doth Righteousness is Righteous 1 Joh. 3.7 Let no man therefore make a flourish of his Faith though he could remove Mountains therewith Unless he walke in Love nor say he is a Professour unless he be also a Practitioner of Piety A vain thing it is for a man to boast how far he will walke to heare a Sermon unless he will shew out of a good Conversation how far he will walke to do a Sermon Oh it is doing it is doing that is the Ornament of Religion the Crown of a Christian Profession It is the end and sum of all as we may learn from a good Arithmetician when he had cast up all his Accounts Let us heare saith he Ec. 12 13. The conclusion of the whole matter fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty of man upon which a Reverend Divine of our times glosseth in this manner it is as if he had said I will in two words give you an Abridgement of all that can be spoken A tedious thing it is to write many Books and as tedious to read them but if a man should write a hundred nay read over a thousand This is the upshot and end of all viz. To fear God for his inward Worship and to keep his Commandments for his outward Service Loe this is the end of man the perfection of the creature all that is written tends to this all that 's commanded all that 's promised all that 's threatned all that 's done for or against man in Scripture may be resolv'd into this to stir us up to a holy and upright walking with God and to a working out our own Salvation according to that Light which this Day bringeth unto us And now the better to quicken us hereunto let us take these Perswasions along with us Consider it is the designe First Motive the great designe of the God of Heaven which he hath undertaken this Day against all the Machinations of Hell to save his people from their sins and to rescue them from the common Destruction which the old Serpent called the Devil and Satanas had with deep Subtlety and in the blackest and darkest Caverne of his inveterate malice contrived against the whole race of mankind To bring which glorious design to pass was the Light of this Day with infinite Wisdome formed And being so formed God saw that it was very good good to discover the Counter-workings of the Adversary and Good to guide his people in all their wayes till they have quite escaped the danger and entred into his rest with joy Moreover as he hath begun his design so his desire is very earnest that it might go on and prosper without any let or hinderance from those for whose sakes he undertook it therefore do we finde him very frequently in Scripture calling to this purpose Ps 81.13 Deut 5.29 Luk. 19.42 Oh that my people had hearkned unto me and that Israel had walked in my wayes Oh that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep my Commandements alwayes Oh that thou heast known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace c. Thus all the day long he reacheth out his hand and stretcheth out his voice unto us least by our back-slidings and treacherous tampering with temptations in our way we give advantage to the Enemy to interrupt the Lord in this day of his power in the perfecting his work his great work And now I beseech you brethren If the Lord hath of his abundant mercy been careful with all this care for a Company of poor Creatures that were ready to perish setting up such a light so exceedingly helpful unto them in their way as that without it they could never be able to keep themselves upright but must undoubtedly stumble and fall into utter ruine should they not do well then to take heed unto it that they walk in it And should they not do very ill to turn their Backs upon it thereby so much as in them lieth to frustrate the design of the Almighty for their good Consider shall the Lord the great and glorious God declare the vehement desires of his Soul unto us and shall not we regard them That be far from us For us It is but ask and have with God He bids us open our mouth wide and promiseth that he will fill it When he shall therefore wish and desire a thing of us it is but reason that we should readily grant it The wishes and desires of Kings work mightily upon loving and loyal Subjects No difficulty shall hinder the fulfilling of them as when David did but signifie a desire to drink of the water of Bethleem meaning onely if he could have had it with a wish not requiring or so much as intending that any should fetch it with the hazard of their lives yet immediately three of his mighty men brake through the Hoste of the Philistims and drew of the water and brought it unto him Scipio Africanus being in Sicile preparing for his expedition into Africk when one asked him what made him so confident being a young man to equipp a Navy for the invasion of so great a Countrey he presently shewed 300 of his Souldiers that were before him and pointed likewise to a high Tower whose top was prominent over the Sea saying unto him There is not one of these Couragious and stout fellows that you see but without delay would get up to the top of this Turret and throw himself head-long into the Sea if I commanded him And shall mortal man prevaile more to have his desires fulfilled then the Almighty God who ruleth and governeth all things can have with those people that profess subjection unto him Especially when his desire is towards them for their own good Surely if there were that loyalty in our hearts towards God as there ought to be we could not but give our consent unto whatsoever he shall desire Job 22.3 It was well argued by Eliphaz Job 22.3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art Righteous or is it gain to him that thou makest thy wayes perfect What is there can be added to infinite perfection Rather Pro. 9.12 Phil. 2.12 if a man be wise he is wise for himself And it is our own Salvation that we are called upon to work out so that a threefold Cord is here twisted together to draw us to a diligent walking in the light of this day according to God's Commands viz God's design
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
needs be nauseous unacceptable and to no purpose let all that are yet unsatisfied in that point read over and peruse his late Majesties Arguing about it with those Ministers that attended the Commissioners of Parl at the Treaty in the Isle of Wight M. Marshall M. Caryll M. Vines M. Scaman and if they be disposed to a temper of accepting Reason they will finde cause enough to alter their judgement Once those very Ministers were so farre convinced thereby that though they were very shy and unwilling to discover their mindes in a matter of so great and necessary consequence as to give his Majesty satisfaction in those three Quaeries which he propounded unto them concerning Church-Government 1 Whether there be a certain Form of Government left by Christ or his Apostles to be observed by all Christian Churches pretending that the whole volume of Ecclesiastical Polity was contained therein yet they could not but acknowledge the remarkable Learning of his Reply which was clothed as they write with a singular elegancy of stile wishing that such a Pen in the hand of such Abilities might ever be employed in a Subject worthy of it Yet because it will be expected that somewhat be here also said in answer to this part of the before-mentioned objection Let us take into consideration the main Argument that is used against Episcopacy and with a refutation of it put an end to this Controversie That which is chiefly insisted upon by our Anti-episcopal men is the Identity of Denomination which they imagine the Scripture giveth to Bishops and Presbyters 2 Whether it bind perpetually or be upon occasion alterable in whole or in part from whence they will inferre the Identity of Office viz. That Bishop and Presbyter are not distinguishable in any part of their Authority which the Lord hath given them for the edification of the Church A principal instance hereof they alledge out of the Text of the Apostle Tit. 1.5.7 upon which for brevities sake we will onely fix and which being cleared will help us to interpret aright other places of Scripture of the like nature The words are these 3 Whether that certain Form of Government be the Episcopal Preâ—byterian or some other differing from them both Tit. 1 5.7 For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee For a Bishop must be blameless c. In which place say they the Apostles reasoning were altogether invalid and inconsequent if Presbyter and Bishop were not the same Office as well as they have the same Name But how justly may it be here said Bernardus non videt omnia These men that pretend to know more of the sense of the holy Ghost in Scripture then others and are apt to censure all that are not of the same judgment with them are not so omniscient but that their brethren who come after them may discern somewhat which they could not see I shall therefore take the boldness to tell them my poor judgment concerning that Scripture hoping that I may make use of my liberty as they do of theirs I know well it is no new Opinion that I am about to encounter with but because our late Writers do with a higher confidence then ordinary seem to abound in their sense concerning this matter I shall endeavour their conviction And first I shall premise a Caution by the way yielding in this Controversie as much as may be consistent with Truth I do not undertake to produce any positive Precept from the holy Ghost in this place for the establishment of Episcopacy in the Church it is enough to shew that a Divine Approbation is given of it in describing the qualification of the persons that are to employed in such an Office distinct from that of a Presbyter together with their superiority over Presbyters and how they are to exercise their power in the several parts thereof viz. Ordination and Jurisdiction Which Divine Approbation if we can here finde as I doubt not we shall I hope it will be acknowledge by all to be Tant-amount to a Divine Institution And though it have not any positive Appointment in Scripture but is onely glanced at in some certain places yet that should not create any scruple in the mindes of any about it no more then some points of Faith which we freely profess are scrupled by us though we finde them not expresly commanded in the written Word Is it meet for any to say unto God What doest thou Who alas among us hath known the minde of the Lord Or who hath been his Counsellour to know fully the reason why he doth in such a manner issue out his Precepts Are not Clouds and thick Darkness set about the Pavilion of God Let not silly man then dare to remove them It would far better become us to keep our distance and to be wise according to sobriety then to arraign the pure word of Truth before the bar of our corrupt reason or to call the holy Spirit of God to account for not giving full satisfaction forsooth to our foolish expectation What if Christ being willing to make his Regal Power the more known to the world would onely give some small intimation of his will concerning this matter as he hath done of sundry other things which we need not here mention to try the spirits of men whether they would thereby be subject unto him or no It is ordinary we know with the Princes of the earth to deal thus with their Subjects by a look or a glance of the eye or by a word of the mouth though uttered in an oblique way to give notice of their further intentions so to search into and finde out the Loyalty and ready affections of those about them And shall Jesus Christ be denyed this liberty This being premised let us now come to inquire out the meaning of the Apostle in the afore-cited place and see whether or no his words will allow of such an Identity between Bishop and Presbyter as hath been commonly conceived or rather try whether by deduction we can prove from thence the Divine Right of Episcopacy which is so much contradicted in these days onely let prejudice be forborn till such time as we have put an end to this controversie First it cannot be denied that the Apostle writeth to Titus as to one with whom he had entrusted the sole inspection of that large and spacious Island an Island containing in it an hundred Cities called therefore Hecatompolis wherein his appointed work was Not to gather a Church by converting the inhabitants thereof from their Paganisme and Judaisme to the faith of the Gospel but the manner of governing a Church which was already gathered was prescribed unto him And this is by the Apostle branched out into two things viz Setting in order things that were amiss or wanting or as it is rendred by
he is now and ever hath been unto her in her militant estate during her abode here upon earth Objection It will be objected if it be so how shall we understand the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.24 28. in the before-mentioned place when he saith That Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to God even the Father And that when all things are subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be All in All Now I confess it will be very requisite to be clear and plain in resolving this doubt that we may understand aright the sense of the Spirit of God in this Scripture For it seems to be directly contrary to our present Doctrine which we have propounded and confirmed I shall therefore endeavour briefly the explanation thereof Solution First whereas it is said Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to God the Father it is not to be understood as if Christ should not reign any more or as if the Father did not now reign but that then it should come to his turn when he received the Kingdome from the Son For the Father and the Son are not at so great a distance but that both may reign together Regnat Pater in Filio regnabit Filius in Patre said Musculus well upon the Place The Father reigneth now in the Son the Son shall hereafter reign in the Father The Scepter indeed shall be changed and the form of Government altered but of his Kingdome there shall be no end rather it shall be more glorious then it is now when all enemies being subdued Jesus Christ shall without the Ministery of Angels or men by his own Light Love Life and Power immediately with the Father and the Holy Ghost fill and govern all his Saints for ever Saint Augustine hath above others written very freely and copiously of this matter enough to give satisfaction to any that shall object this scruple It will not be amiss therefore here to render his very words as he hath written them without any alteration In loco supradicto In Evangelio legimus Angelum dicere ad Mariam Matrem Domini quod regni ejus id est Christi non erit finis Et Daniel eadem dicit Tunc exurget regnum in aternum quod nunquam corrumpetur contra Apostolus de Domino cum tradiderit regnum Deo Patri Quomodo regnum habebit quod traditurus Deo Patri In causa Patris Filii id est Dei Christi traditio non abolitio intelligitur Considera enim quomodo Pater tradiderit Filio regnum Ipso haec Domino protestante Mat. 11.27 Omnia mihi tradita sunt à Patre meo Si Pater ergo desâ—it habere seil Regnum cum tradidit potest de Salvatore dici quia cum tradidit amisit Nam Filius postquam traditum sibi à Patre regnum dixit Patrem adhuc praeferens ait Haec est autem vita aeterna ut cognoscant te solum verum Deum quem misisti Jesum Christum Joh. 17.3 That is In the Gospel we finde the Angel telling Mary the Mother of the Lord that of his Kingdom that is Christs there should be no end Daniel also said the same Then shall a Kingdom be set up for ever that shall never be destroyed The Apostle on the contrary speaking of the Lord saith He shall deliver up the Kingdom to God and the Father But how shall be have a Kingdom which he must deliver up to God even the Father In a case agitated between the Father and the Son that is between God and Christ a Resignation is not to be taken for an Abolition For consider how the Father delivered the Kingdom to the Son which thing the Lord himself witnesseth in these words All things are delivered unto me of my Father If the Father did devest himself of power when he made this deed of delivery to the Son then may it also be said of the Son that when he delivereth up the Kingdom again to the Father He himself shall be wholly deprived of it But Absit For the Son after he had said the Kingdom was delivered unto him of the Father he gives the Father notwithstanding the preheminence in these words Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Secundum hunc igitur sensum filius non amittit regnum cum tradidit Accordingly neither shall the Son lose his Kingdom when he maketh a delivery of it to the Father And now consider Is not the judgement of this Holy Antient and light of the Church very clear in this point That though the oeconomy of Christs office in interceding for the Saints shall indeed finally cease yet of his Kingdom there shall be no end If any should yet enquire what it is for the Son to deliver up the Kingdom to the Father I shall again borrow Saint Austin's words to which there need no addition being so pithy and pertinent for herein also he satisfieth the scrupulous inquirer Sed nunc videamus quid sit Filium tradere Patri reguum Hoc est quod dicit Apostolus tunc ipse subjectus erit ei qui subjecit ei omnia ut sit Dens omnia in omnibus Subjectio igitur haec est ipsa traditio regni Itaque hoc loeo interpretatio videbitur necessaria ut subjectus Patri Filius non negetur nihilominns aeternum regnum habere dicatur Hoc est regnum filii quia in Nomine Jesu omnia genua flectentur ☞ tum coelestia terrestria inferna Post quam omnia Christum fuerint confessa sive vi sive voluntate mysterium unius Dei cunctis manifestabitur omnis gratiarum actio referetur à Patre ex quo sunt omnia ut cessante praedicatione unus Deus sciatur in mysterio Trinitatis Cum enim omnes potestates omnes principatus dominationes Christo genu-flexerint tunc Fi'ius manifestabit non se esse à quo sunt omnia sed filium ejus illum in se videri Sed per quem sunt omnia Ambr. haec est subjectio regni traditio Ostendens enim patrem esse à quo sunt omnia subjecit se illi cum de eo se dicit esse Tanta enim majestas claritas in adventu filii videbitur ut omnes potentiae chori Angelorum hunc singularem putent Deum Salvator autem cum se non illum esse dixerit qui dicitur Pater sed Filium ejus regnans traedit regnum Patri in hac re manifestata est subjectio regni traditio quia cum à Patre se profitetur esse quicquid habet Patris confitetur esse omnem summam referens ad eum Thus he sweetly and sufficiently Whose words may be thus translated into our own Idiome Let us now consider
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