the nomber a fewnes 2 in obseruatioÌ„ easines 3 in their signification worthines as for Antichristianisme it properly in S. Paul S. Iohns sense consisteth not which to few haue marked either in an Antithesis or opposition vn to christs external order or yet in an opposition to the Iudicial or moral law EueÌ„ such oppositioÌ„s are hainus wicked but do not therefore coÌ„clude Antichristianism al euil euen in the members of christ is condeÌ„nable but they not therfore AntichristiaÌ„ nor it antichri stianisme Antichristianity in the newe testaments sence is an opposition to the newe couenant of Grace called of the apostle another gospel that is glad tydings in som other then in christ And such were they that went out wherof S. Iohn speaketh seking iustifica tion by another meanes then christ as by the obseruatioÌ„ of the moral law or the law of Ceremonies or the like This â—…oint held and it is easie to be held Antichrist being Antikeâ—…nos the layer of an opposite foundation it quasheth to ground all our fanatique spirites that make any thing in our church yea all our Church it selfe to bee Antichristian because of some morall wants or somwhat otherwise euill onely in theyr fancie I woulde they would once smite their hand on their thigh and saye what haue I done But for pressing this one pointe some yeares passed I haue therefore beene pricked in the eyes euer since therefore to God I leaue such saying Heauenly Father forgiue the 〈◊〉 for they know not what they doe for thy Sons sake suffer not thy people to be â—…onger captiued of them 5. The last question may be this when shal ceremonies altogither end I answer wheÌ„ the world is coÌ„sumed the heauens earth analysed or more plainly ceremonies shal cease when Faith ceaseth Faith ceaseth when wee haue fully got the thing we faithed or beleeued for ceremonies bee but as a waggon for conuaiing faith to his iournies end Faith beeing the apprehension of things vnseene for I speake of the most excellent kind of faith when once they and wee come togither into full possession and that is not till wee attaine heauens glory then Faith stinteth Being come to the period or ful point it can reach no further nor hope that held the thing beleued and hoped for And in this respect it is that Charitie in the 1. Cor. 13. is preferred before hope faith they then ceasing but loue towards god and our fellow members continuing for euer And for such continuaÌ„ce eternall it is also that God neuer cal led by name of faith or Hope is called of saint Iohn by the name of Loue or Charitie O God of AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iaakob a god of the liuing that liue vnto thee eternally but more speci ally ô thou the father of our Lord Iesus Christ whome in respect of Adams fall thou didst appoint to be a new and a liuing a way for iustification and saluation vnto all such as shoulde come vnto thee by him Heauenly father wee haue broken thy Lawe actually in our selues so well as originally in our fore-patents and therefore haue deserued that all the curses of the Law should fall vppon vs so far bee wee from beeing able to bee iustified by doing the workes of the Law And therefore flying from all hope of health by that old Law Do and liue we come vnto thee by the newe and liuing way Beleeue and liue eternally We belieue ô Lord helpe our vnbeliefe Increase our faith for apprehension of all the promises sealed vpp in Christ with Yea and Amen for they be all true and hee the waye trueth and life Keepe vs in this wildernesseworlde with our backes vpon slauish sinful AE gypt wherein too long we serued Sathan worse then Pharaoh and giue vs to keepe our face still towardes heauens Rest better theÌ„ CanaaÌ„s rest vntil we attain that new land wherein shall dwel only righteousnes And in falling in this worlde vouchsafe as thou didst to Moses to giue vs sighte from aboue for discerning seuerall lots and inheritaunces in that rest for if there were not seuerall mansions ô Father in thy house thy Sonne would otherwise haue tolde vs but loe hee is gone before to prepare a place for his people Giue vs grace to see and in seeing giue vs to exulte in thee with care of becomming more conformeable vnto thee To that end blesse the Ministrye of thy Sonnes Gospell vnto vs that so his loue may constrayne vs tó loue the dooing of all his commaundementes Blesse Gouernours and Gouerned High and lowe ritche and poore with a divine care to doe not onelye the holye and righteous duties that appertaine to them as they be christians but also as they be christiaÌ„s of such and such places that so thy name may bee more generally bonored amongest vs and in thy sauing mercies sealed vp in Christe Iesus this greeuous pestilence maye bee farre remooued from vs. Heare vs for the sake of thy sonne our sole Sauiour whom in worde and sacrementes thou hast exhibited mercifullye vnto vs. To whome with thee and the blessed spirit three distinct persons but one true and euerliuing GOD bee all kingdome power and glorye ascribed both by Angells and men this time and for euer Amen Faults escaped Page 1. line 10. min reade mind pag 3. lin 6. sheh read isheh page 7. line 16. Noah the read Noah through the floud the c. page 14. lin 1. vah read vaf pag. 15. line 9 Euangel read Euangels pa. 24. lin 1. fourth read and fift pag. 34. lin 19. a read as page 70. line 11. god reade good pag. 93. lin 9. waits read waights pag. 133. line 20. Ma. read Mathe vv pag. 136. lin 15. ar read far pag. 144 lin 10. not suf read not only a suff pag. 169. lin 14. meetnes read meeknes pag. 171. lin 14. liue reade line pag. 178. line 1. meri reade merit pag. 189 line 9. vs read as A reason of this Epistle This certaine were more then now would be knowne for som are turred for meer aduantage 〈◊〉 in coâ—…ners tâ—…ey be mar tins disciples still Som yet in the ministry as Fa'coners do lead the people hood winked they know not whither looking for their day as the Papistes for theyr day hauing one speeche in publique another 〈◊〉 priuate A prety iest â—…o the shame of partiall spi â—…ts Three sondry Sects vnder one Generâ—…ll head of reformation a Iehouah Iebrue oberuaâ—…ions b Adam a Korban b Iehouah c Korban d Gnólah e Tamim f Hebr. The son of the Beef a Gâ—…ólah sheh b Reiaâ—…h â—…icoach c Ièrèk d â—…nólah ishâ—…h a Helr The 〈◊〉 of the pigeon b Kir c The feathers about the mâ—… a Iude 6. Gen. 3. 15. c. Shem liued 600 years Eabâ—…s in his 2. b. 2. 〈◊〉 Exodus 〈◊〉 tâ—…ache Neophâ—…t to noâ—…ber the times better Leuiticus What it in â—…endeth Ceremonial persons Rom. 1. Psal. 19. 1. Nom. 3.
Citizens against mee but also of others in the Country haue they not since been opposite to themselues Then mark They being of the nōber that petitio nated to the King for Reformation not to speake of some then reconciled to the Bishops at least outwardly I beseech you what doe they speak of their Lay-Elders for wee all grant Elders what speake they of their Lay-deacōs for wee all graunt Deacons what say they of their Lay discipline for we all graunt discipline what say they to the King of these matters wherewith they had intoxicate the heads and harts of their hearers They speak not a word not so much as God saue it They onely couet some other by-things and then all is well inough the former Antichristianitie shall be all true or at least tollerable christianity But methinks I heare some say that howbeit they desired not of the King an intertainment of the former discipline yet they neuer the lessewer of the same opinion still but propounded it not for that the King seemed aduerse vnto it I answere it is vntrue for many of them had changed their opinion In somuch as amongst them the case so stood some few did faintly hold that the gouerning Elders as afore were but lay-people in owe in office and anone out as bee church-wardens and Syde-men Some other again did rather belieue that all church-elders and presbiters oughte to bee apte to teache and so to continue assistante◅ to the pastor A thirde sorte with Maister I. B. held and still holde that the gouernmente of the Churche by Bishoppes as with vs in England or by ruling Elders as in other Churches of God that neither of them was prescribed by the Apostles of Christe neither of them repugn◅nte to the worde of God but maye well and profitablie be vsed if more fault be not in their persons then in the callinges themselues Being so diuided into three heade of opinion touching the very Persons that shoulde exercise discipline they coulde not in one petitiō beg al three nor coulde the king graunte moe then one and therefore no one sort propounded But if the diuision be so manifold about the very persons that should gouerne the Churche I beseech you what aboundance of difference would bee found amongst them touching the matter of d◅scipline it self in such and such cases for pro ceeding these that haue conuersed with the Separistes and the◅e proceedinges can beste declare that theire head-lesse petition beeinge gaine saide and so theire affections stirred vp One saith hee sees not But ◅he Brownist did well so to separate as I spoke before some others againe say they do not see that it is good to separate so that is to departe as from a false church but to separate as from a Churche neere wounded to death and very infectious they thinke it good and hye-time so to do as some before them did whome I willinglie leaue namelesse A thirde sorte acknowledge that they see not either of the saide Separations to be good and therefore will await he Lordes pleasure mourning in the very middest of Zion There bee so three heades one sounding a Retreate the other Tara◅ tara to the battaile and of these two to the battaile the one side proclaiming an absolute defiance as against a false Church wherein not any one is a true visible Christian the other houlding that proclamation to be false saying howsoeuer it is not good to come nere vnto Iob being so vlcer◅us yet a liuing soule he is and may be so restored as in time we may draw neerer vnto him meaning the church So amongst themselues they bee diuided And if the trumpet saith the Apostle do giue an vncertaine sounde who shall prepare himselfe vnto the battaile No body Martin mar must first better direct his people For moste absurde it were to march after a Champion eyelesse handlesse If the blind leade the blinde both must ◅umble into the ditche that is into the state of damnation Gentle Reader consider of it soberly and the Lorde giue thee vnderstanding in al things Looke how I taxed them at first they haue made it good at the last But how many of them haue the grace to laie downe their enmitie towards me to confesse their euill and accordingly to make satisfaction well if I haue spoken euill beare witnesse of the euill but if it bee but trueth why still doe they smite mee The trueth is greate and will conquer and better for them to be subdued vnto it then subdued of it As for their followers let them beware they followe them not in euill howsoeuer it be their duety to reuerence their good Be followers of all as they be followers of Christ but not further That many thinges amongst vs neede amendment who knowes not and what honest hearte lamentes not And that it is the duetye of euery soule so farre as calling and meanes extende to labour such amendemente euerye discreet person graunteth But if the lawes of our Land bee truely considered euills bee rather Personall then Legall and the abuse in persons must not condemne the lawfull vse of things Let vs striue in mutuall exhortations daielie while it is called to day but as the Apostle commaundeth Let all our thinges bee done in loue for without loue all our talke of faith hope knowledge will bee but as the noise of a tinckling Cimball a noyse no voice and that will neuer or seldome bringe any edification to the hearers And thus gentle reader hoping that by other mens harms God will giue thee to beware as also the heart of entertaining good counsaile how base poore or otherwise soeuer the counsellor bee I leaue thee to the sequell of diuine Sacrifice which the Lorde make blessed vnto thee In receiuing good by it giue to GOD the praise and for mee to god thy praiers speciallie that it woulde please GOD to giue som timely issue out of my present tentation And so heartilie farewell this seauenteenth of Nouember the memoriall daye of our late blessed Soueraign good Queene Elizabeth whose name be euer honoured in the Catalogue of christian Princes Thine in the Lord He. Cl. The Argument From Tabernacle doth Iehouah speake To Moses and he speakes to Israel And for that Moral iustice was too weake He vnto them doth preach the Euāgell Of Christ in Types he better things doth tel In Beasts birds bread drink-oblatiōs tēdred Is Iesus Christ al his merits rendred A Reduction of the Lawe and Gospell Letter and spirit Shadow and substance vnto Leuiticus 1. Chapter Heauenly father which openest to them that knocke and reuealest mysteries of thy kingdome vnto Babes vouchsafe to remoue all clowds of ignorance from my min that so the shine of thy countenaunce comming more clearely vpon me I may discouer faithfully the sauing sence of thy word and this for the sake of Iesus Christ our Sauiour Amen 1. AND the Lorde cried vnto Moses spake vnto him out of the
Ignorance therefore in the sixt chapter the holy ghost laieth downe a sacrifice for such as haue sinned of knowledg For the opposite vnto ignorance is not willingnes but knowledge Besides that to sin hecousiōs that is with willingnes as is intimated vnto the Hebrews that beste vnderstood the qualities and forms of Sacrifice vnto such there remaineth no more sacrifice f◅r sinnes Willingnes there is a sin cōmitted against knowledg frāckly freely without restraint check of cōsciēce euen as the voluntary sacrifice was to be offred to God with a frank and free mind and pleasing of conscience which indeede is the great sin against the holy ghost represented by such sinnes in Israel as were done not only wittingly but also extensa ma◅u with an hy hand all freedome of strength for which sinne indeede there was no sacrifice ap pointed but the soule that so sinned was to be left vnto the maiestrates sword No◅atus the heretique who denied hope of remission to all such as sinned after baptism and of knowledge hee was therefore for vnder standing so Hebr. 10. 26 as farre wide on the one side as others haue been on the other side that for that verse sake haue denied or at least called into question the authority of that Epistle to the Hebrewes Nor can but many such grieuous errours followe the ignorance of Leuiticall ceremonies howsoeuer som of our Nouelists if they haue not left their euill their diuell will with Ismael flout therat til they haue flowted themselues out of Abrahams familie and the state of grace All the sacrifices thē spoken of in this section ar either offred vp for sin don of Ignorāce or otherwis through infirmitie cōmitted of Knowledge Wherein may be obserued the Lords exceding gratious prouidence towards his Church who for euery soar hath prouided a salue and his Son Iesus he hath made the Physitian Only for such Apostates as are so farre from being sore as they are wholie Become seared in conscience and theresore sinne against knowledg and former feeling spoken of in Hebr. 6. 4. 5. so despise the cōmunion spoken of in heb 10. 25. 38. 39. there remains indeede no sacrifice for that sin which S. Iohn intimates when he saith There is a si◅ne vnto death I say not that thou shouldst traye for it but to such remaines as in Hebr. 10 27 a fearefull looking for of iudgemente and violente fire which shall cousume deuour aduersaries Dallie therefore not with sinne after knowledge least it eat vp all conscience leaue no place for repentance I am not ignorant that manye haue spoken much of this sin against the Holy-ghoste but grounded on their owne surmises not on diuine scriptures Peter Lombard the great master of sentences hath laboured to define it but it stickes as bird-lime on his fingers and needes some wiser then S. Thomas a watering to wash his fingers on it Section 8. THere bee other sortes of sacrifice then these spoken of in the former section as the sacrifice of vowes and Aaronicall installments but al of them beeing bleeding oblations arguing as afore the blood of Christ Iesus cleansing vs from sin in which respect the oblations blud if any drop thereof fell vpon a garment was to be washed out in the holy place so holy the sign of Christs blood was in respecte of the end intended all of them I say being bleeding oblations they are to be referred vnto the former diuision There be also in Gen. 31 54 1 Sam 9 12 1 Kings 1921 speaches of Zebachs which some haue taken for sacrifices as also that the people were feasted with these holy things The worde indeed in Zebach in all the places but not therfore a sacrifice no more thē euery Corbā or Mincha is a ceremonial guift for the two latter places they were Zebachs that is in propriety mactatiōs or slaughters appointed for cōfortable bāquets For as Israell might not sacrifice any where but at the doore of the Tabernacle Leui. 17 3 c so none but the Priestes their males wer to eat of the holy reliques Le. 7. As for that of Iaa◅ob either it must be cōcluded that he sacrificed aparte and afterwardes made a banquet ioyntly of other victualls or els that it was as the former but a common Ze bach or slaughter for mutuall eating togither The sacrifice remayning to bee handled is that in Leuit. 1. which also is a sacrifice for expiation of sinne seeing it draweth blood with it and without blood no remission The matter ex qua whereof it consisteth is Animate creatures and they be of two sorts the first be Beasts the second be byrds The Beasts againe be of two sortes the first of the heard as the Bullock the second of the Flocke as Sheepe and goates As for the Birds they be also of two sorts Turtle-doues Pigeons The whole of this sacrifice was to bee burnt as also the Bullock and Reddish-cowe spoken of elsewhere for the which it is commonlie called of the Greekes Holocauston wholy burnt and in the Text an offring by fire In other kinde of oblations the Priest got somewhat as the remnant of the meat offring after a memoriall thereof had been sent vp to the Lord in fire of other blood sacrifices the shoulder and breast heaued and wagged before the Lord representing the heauing of the heart and the moouing of the Calues of our lips as the Prophet expoūds it and Hannah without noyse of words prac tised but in this oblation All goes to the Lorde And that which is more all is heer burnt within the Tabernacle as a sacrifice peculiar for such as be within the Churche whereas in other burnte-oblations made of the hearde the skyn flesh and excremēt was had out of the hoste and there burnt intimating as the Author to to the Hebrewes spea◅eth in Ch 13 11 12 3 that Iesus to the end he might sanctifie the peopl◅ no doubte also the Na◅s without and that ◅ith his owne blood hee uffred without the gat◅ eaching vs secondlie to ◅oe forth therfore out of the camp bearing his reproch Wherfore this burnt ◅ffring was sēt vp to the ◅ord as also whē it was ◅o be offred I find it not particularly mentioned nor in anye writer well obserued When as a sacrifice intimated some one or moe their particular wants we find it as afore bounded in his form and vse But in this not so It causeth mee therfore to thinke that this oblation intimated not this or that particular need but rather that it was as Noahs sacrifice was offered vp for the generall good of the whole Israel of God like as was the Lambe offred vp euerye day morning and euening and vppon the Sabaoth double the nomber and this for the whole Church of God militāt here in the earth For the time when I take it to be in a sort Arbitrary and left to Israels voluntarye contribution Neither see