since the Ruin of their Commonwealth our Doctor was very Inquisitive after and wisht some Learned Pen would give the World a fair Account of But to prevent the swelling of this Volume it was thought convenient to omit this Piece However for a Taste I cannot but remark to the Reader how that Jewish Author sets forth the Calamities and Unmerciful Destructions that befel that People in the Year 1096. That Year he writes was a Year of Affliction of Jacob. For they were opprest in the Lands of the Christians in all Places whither they were scattered For great and evil Afflictions found them out even such are Written in the Law of Moses and such as are not written in the Book For against them arose up these abominable People the Germans and French Men a Nation strong of Face which respecteth not Persons nor spareth Old nor Young Let us say they avenge the Cause of our Christ upon the Jews that are among us and cut them off from being a People neither let the Name of Israel be remembred any more Or let them Change their Glory and become like to us When the Synagogues which were in Germany heard this headlong Rumour their Heart melted and became as Water Fear took hold of them sorrow as a Woman in Travail They lift up their Hearts to the Rocks They appointed Fastings They put Dust upon their Heads and Girded with Sackcloth And they cryed unto the Lord in their Affliction but he covered himself with a Cloud that their Prayers should not pass Then he proceeded to shew the Massacres and Spoils committed upon the Jews in all or most of the Cities and Places where they had Synagogues as at Spires Worms Mentz Colen Wabzlak Meir Trevir Metz Prague and many other Towns And how their Flights from Place to Place and someâ—imes to the Bishop's House for their safety could not secure them but were pursued and slain with Fire and Sword Whereupon he makes this Conclusion Thus whithersoever they fled the Stone out of the Wall cryed after them to confound and destroy them For God had given Liberty to the Destroyers to Destroy in those evil Days And one Circumstance in these Miseries of the Jews deserves to be more particularly observed which methinks is a singular Evidence of the Judgment of God upon that People who once called for Christ's Blood upon them and theirs that they were not only slaughtered by their Enemies but that no small Numbers unnaturally perished by laying Violent Hands upon themselves and their nearest Relations And this either to avoid being slain with the Sword of their Enemies or to expiate with their own Blood any Compliances they had constrainedly made Thus at Spires he mentioneth a Woman who took a Knife and slew her self refusing to be defiled that is to become a Christian At Worms where Eight Hundred Souls were Massacred in two Days many slew themselves and each one his Brother and Friend and Son and Daughter Bridegrooms and Brides Nay the tender Women slew their Children with all their Hearts saith the Author and all their Souls and the Children said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Hear O Israel Which was the beginning of one of their Prayers when their Soul poured it self into their Mothers Bosom The like was done at Mentz and at Rincona two Men escaped who were forceably defiled one Named Vri and the other Isaac the Son of David Parnes and his Two Daughters were with him but they returned unto the Lord. And Isaac slew his Daughters on the Even of the Feast of Weeks His House also he set on Fire And thus saith this Jew he offered a Burnt Offering unto the Lord. And he and Vri went into the Congregation of the Lord i. e. the Synagogue set on fire it seems by the Enemy before the Ark and Died there before the Lord as the Fire ascended At Wabzlag they slew every one his Fellow lest the Christians should abuse them in the Pools of Water which were round about the City And one Named Rabbenu Samuel who had one only Son this Young Man bared his Neck and the Old Man took a Knife and blessed over the Slaughter and slew him And the Young Man Answered Amen And all they that stood by Answered and said Hear O Israel Much more to this purpose is related there of the deplorable state of that People at this time which he saith he transcribed partly out of the Commentaries of Rabbi Eliezer I have but one thing more to add and so shall conclude this tedious Preface which possibly may not be unacceptable to the Lovers of Dr. Lightfoot and his Studies to be informed of That besides these Tracts now offered to the Publick the last Year several other Posthumous Pieces of his were Printed in Holland in Latin bâ—ing a new Addition to his other Works as was hinted in the beginning These were to the Number of XXI Consisting of Some Learned Thoughts of the Greek Translation of the Bible by the Seventy An Inlet into the Talmud and a Summary of the remarkable Matters contained in it by way of Index Some Remarks of the Places and Towns of the Holy Land A Tract of the Spirit of Prophesie as it was among the Jews and afterwards ceased Some memorable Matters under Ezra and that which was styled the Great Synagogue An History of the Jewish University at Japhne that is Joppa Short Talmudical Notes upon Genesis Exodus Numbers and Joshua Some Annotations to be inserted into his Horae Hebraicae Talmudicae in their proper Places A Sermon in Latin Preached at Ely at an Episcopal Visitation before Bishop Lany in the Year 1674. that is the last Year but one of the Doctor 's Life Some of his Exercises at the Commencement Anno 1655. when he was Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge All these were writ by him in Latin The Pieces following were in English but Translated into Latin viz. A short Tract of the Creation The Motions and Stations of Israel through the Wilderness towards the Land of Canaan A short and plain Exposition of some of the first Chapters of Hosea A Dissertation whether the Supper in which Judas received the Sop were the Passover Supper Another Discourse whether the Revelation was wrote by the Apostle St. John or some other John An Enumeration of the Promises of God collected out of the Old Prophets to be fulfilled to the Jews in the latter Days An Enquiry into St. James's Liturgy Some Fragments of Roman and Christian History for the first Four Centuries Lastly A Collection of Letters of Learned Men and upon Learned Subjects to Dr. Lightfoot among which is a Letter of the Learned John Buxtorph from Basil to Dr. Lightfoot and another from the Doctor to him And thus beseeching God to encrease the Number of such useful and good Men as this Reverend Divine was I commend the Reader and my self to God I. S. It is fit the Reader be Advertised that whereas there be two References noted by
Bondage of Corruption in-the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God AMong the Children of Men there are some Children of God These Words speak something concerning them and their Condition The Prophets speak much of Multitudes to be brought in to be Sons of God Esay xliii 6 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 Ch xlv 11 Thus saith the Lord the holy one of Israel and his Maker ask me of things to come concerning my SONS Hos. i. 10 And it shall come to pass that in the Place where it was said unto them Ye are not my People there it shall be said unto them Ye are the SONS of the living God And Caiaâ—has that prophesied but once John xi 51 Propâ—â—sied that Jesus should die for that Nation And not for that Nation only but that also he should gather together iâ—to one the CHILDREN of God that were scattered abroad Therefore the Holy Ghost in the New Testament sets himself to speak to this thing and to shew who these Sons of God are John i. 12 13. shews who are and who are not But as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God As many as received him those were Sons of what Nation Quality or Rank whatsoever Not born of Blood nor of the Will of Man The Holy Ghost sets the Regeneration in Opposition to natural Generation In natural Generation Men are born of Blood and of the Will of Man but 't is not so in this Or else he sets the true Begetting and Birth of the Sons of God in Opposition to those fancied Ways the Jews thought Men were made Children of the Godly They concluded none were Children but of Israel And if they came to be of Israel then undoubtedly Children So Christ speaks according to their Sense It is not meet to take the Children 's Bread and cast it before Dogs And the Apostle confutes this Arrogant and Erroneous Opinion Rom ix 7 Neither because they are the Seed of Abraham are they all Children but in Isaac shall thy Seed be called that is they which are the Children of the Flesh these are not the Children of God Now they thought they became the Sons of God or Israelites these Ways I. By being born of Blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bloods that is long Descent of Blood of Ancestors even to Abraham or by Bloods of Sacrifice and Circumcision II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Will of the Flesh As they took many Wives and desired many Children accounting all Children of Promise III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Will of Man as the Consessus or Sanhedrin did bring in Proselites and make them Israelites Not this nor that nor that makes a Son but he that is born of God and he is so that receives Christ and believes on his Name The Apostle is speaking of the same Subject in this Chapter ver 14 15 17. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God For ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And if Children then Heirs c. And then he comes on to shew whence these Sons especially should come ver 19. The earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the Manifestation of the Sons of God c. By Creature here and whole Creation ver 22. is meant nothing but the Gentiles or Heathen World A Phrase among the Jews ordinarily put so to signifie Mark xvi 15 Col. i. 23 Now this whole Passage is to this Purpose God had prophesied of Sons to come from the Heathen and the earnest Expectation of the Creature that is of the Heathen waited for this Manifestation of the Sons of God Two or three things there were that might awaken the Heathen World a little to consider of their wretched Case 1. It may be they had the Greek Bible 2. Howsoever the Jews scattered abroad among them might something convince them of their Condition 3. We may conceive that against their Call God had stirred up their Hearts by way of Preparative to be weary of Idolatry and groping in Darkness As against the Reformation by Luther all Christendom desired some Reformation and as against the Coming of Christ the People were in Expectation of the Messias Observe that John iv 35 Lift up your Eyes and look on the Fields for they are white already to Harvest By which Words he hinteth at that Multitude of Samaritans and under them of Heathen that were ready to be reaped by the Gospel So the Earnest Expectation of the Heathen World waited now for the Manifestation of the Sons of God Ver. 20. For the Creature was made subject to Vanity c. Not a few understand this of the Frame of the World made subject to Vanity by Sin But the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vanity means Vanity of Mind So Rom. i. 21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gentiles become vain in their Imaginations Eph. iv 17 The Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their Mind So the meaning is that the Heathen were given up to the Vanity and Folly of their own Mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Made subject put under such a Condition by the just Judgment of God as the Apostle handles it Chap. i. But they are put under in Hope that in time it should be better with them For the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption c. By Corruption is signified here as generally in Scripture sinful Corruption not natural Corruptibility or fading away 2 Pet. i. 4 Having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust. And Ch. ii 19 Servants of Corruption And elsewhere evil Men are stiled Men of corrupt Minds and corrupt Communication Meaning that the Gentiles shall be delivered from their sadly sinful Condition into the Evangelical and Spiritual Liberty from Sin that the Sons of God partake of Some understand it of the Change of the Frame of the World at the end of the VVorld and think Peter speaks of the same thing 2 Pet. iii. 13 He does indeed in some Sense but far from theirs viz. A new State of Affairs in the Church when the Gentiles shall be called This is the new Heaven and the new Earth that they looked for of their Calling the Text speaks which was now in Agitation And of that let us first speak a little partly for the observing of Providence in so great a VVork and partly for the understanding of some Passages in Scripture I. The casting off of the Gentiles was at Babel Gen. xi where there were four Punishments inflicted on them 1. Destroying their Building
Year consisted of Twelve Lunary Months That is one Month full and another wanting or one of Nine and Twenty Days and another of Thirty Which Account came short of a Solary Year Eleven Days Which Eleven Days in Three Years made a Month of Three and Thirty Days So that Year had Thirteen Months and the Embâ—limean or Intercalary Month they set last and called it Veâ—dar See how he Holy Ghost reckons the Year of the Flood answering this Account but makes it a compleat Solar Year III. Their Year had a double beginning Viz. From Tisri from the Creation to the Departure out of Egypt And from this Month the World and the Year of the Flood began At their coming from Egypt their Year began from the first New Moon after the Vernal Solstice And from this beginning they reckoned all their Ecclesiastick Accounts and Feasts but one Viz. the beginning of the great Jubilee which was from Tisri for special Type of good things to come IV. These are the common Names of their Months   Days    Nisan containing 30 Tisri containing 30 Jiar 29 Marheshvan 29 Sivan 30 Cisâ—eu 30 Tammuz 29 Tebeth 29 Ab 30 Shebet 30 Elul 29 Adar 29 Some of them have other Names as Zin Abib Bul Ethanim But where you find these you will find to what Month to lay them Their Agreement with our Months was thus Nisan March April Jiar Zin April May. Sivan May. June Tammuz June July Ab July Aug. Elul Aug. Sept. Tisri Ethanim Sept. Octob. Marchesvan Octob. Novem. Cisleu Novem. Decem. Tebeth Decem. Jan. Shebet Jan. Febr. Adar Febr. March V. Their Festivals appointed by the Law Yearly were but Four their New Moons Beginnings of their Year and Sabbath excepted Viz. The Passeover Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks the Feast of Expiation and the Feast of Tabernacles The two latter were fixed Feasts always upon the same Days As the Expiation Day was Tisri the Tenth the Feast of Tabernacles the Fifteenth of the same Month the reason see after at this mark ¶ The other Two Feasts the Passeover and Pentecost were movable and the latter was moved by the first The Passeover was at the first Full Moon after the Vernal Equinox This considered shews the Eclipse at Christ's Death to be supernatural And it was indifferently upon any Day of the Week but constantly upon the Fourteenth of the Month. The Fifteenth Day was a solemn Day and for that called a Sabbath Lev. xxiii 11 that is a solemn Festival Day as the Chaldee Translation of â—â—kelâ—s and the Chaldee Paraphrase of Jonathan Ben â—zziel render it well The Day after in the Morning betime they offered the Sheaf of first Fruits And thenceforward was all the Corn of the Land as sanctified to them and they might eat it This Day is called the Day after the Sabbath Lev. xxiii 11 that is after the first Day in the Passeover Week as Aben Ezra R. Solomon R. Menaâ—em c. do truly take it And this was on the Sixteenth Day of the Month in the Morning Compare this with Christ. On the Passeover Day he suffered the next Day he lay in the Grave which was a Sabbath indeed And on the third Morning he rose again The first Fruits of those that slept as S. Paul from this Type calleth him 1 Cor. xv 20 From this Day of the First Fruits Offering they began their Seven Sabbaths to Pentecost The first Sabbath was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the first Sabbath after the second Day Viz. in the Passeover Week Luke vi 1 The next Sabbath was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and so to Pentecost See at this mark †VI. Their Harvest was half a Year long Barley Harvest began in Nisan and Wheat Harvest ended in Tisri or before it These and other like things which seem but small yet in reading the Bible presly indeed will prove of singular Use upon Occasion The smallest thing is not to be neglected that will give Instruction VII Things of greater weight will shew themselves Such are the Computations of times from a date but the date uncertain Such is Absalom's 2 Sam. xv 7 of forty years The beginning of which must be fetched from the time of Israel's desiring a King 1 Sam. viii Which Sin is here punished upon Israel in the Rebellion of Absalom Such an one is that 2 Chron. xxii 2 of two and forty years taking date from the first of Omri In whose Line Joram Ahaziah's Father married And therefore his Son's Reign is reckoned from the beginning of that wicked House Such is that Esay vii 8 of threescore and five years which is to be counted backward and will be found to begin from Esay's prophecying at the first Such an one is that Ezek. i. 1 of thirty years beginning from Josiah's Passeover and Helkiah's finding the Book of the Law which put them in mind of Captivity which is now accomplished Here must your Circumspection settle you VIII In casting up the times of the Collateral Kingdoms of Judah and Israel your only way is to lay them in Two Columns one justly paralleling the other and to run them both by Years as the Text directs you But here is Nicety indeed not to see how strangely they be reckoned sometimes inclusive sometimes otherwise for this you will easily find but to find a reason why they be so reckoned Some of them I will here present to you thereby to explain my self IUDAH   ISRAEL Rehoboam made King He reigneth Seventeen Years 1 Kin. xiv 21 1 1 Jerobâ—am made King He reigneth Two and Twenty Years 1 Kin. xiv 20 2 2 3 3 4 4  5 5  6 6   7 7   8 8   9 9   10 10   11 11   12 12   13 13   14 14   15 15   16 16   17 17  Abijam reigns Three Years 1 Kin. xv 1 Asa reigns One and Forty Years 1 Kin. xv 9 1 18  2 19  3 20  2 21 Nadab reigneth Two Years 1 Kin. xv 25 3 22  4   5    6    7    8    c   Here in this Computation which the Text layeth just thus you may see these things to be observed First That Rehoboam's Seventeen Years are counted compleat Secondly That Abijam's Years are current Thirdly That whereas it is said that Jeroboam reigned two and twenty years and his Son Nadab two years you find by this reckoning that Nadab's Two Years fall within the Sum of his Father's Two and Twenty This may seem strange but the Resolution is sweet and easie from 2 Chron. xiii 20 The Lord smote Jeroboam with some ill Disease that he could not administer or rule the Kingdom So that he was forced to substitute his Son Nadab in his Life-time
And in one and the same Year both Father and Son dye Divers such Passages as these you will find in this Story of the Kings if you will but cast it into Annals after this manner as be these Ahaziah Two Years older than his Father 2 Chron. xxii 2 Baasha fighting Nineteen Years after he is dead 2 Chron. xvi 1 Jotham reigning Four Years after he is buried 2 King xv 30 Joram crowned King in the Seventeenth Year of Jehoshaphat 2 King i. 17 compared with 1 King xxii 51 And in the Two and Twentieth Year of Jehoshaphat 2 King viii 16 And after Jehoshaphat's Death 2 Chron. xxi 1 Variety of such strange things are to be found by taking this course which otherwise you can never see nor doubt of For Resolution of such Ambiguities when you have found them the Text will do it if it be well searched Conference with some Man or other learned and practiced in this way will soon resolve and remove all Scruples One Month or two spent thus with a living Guide will profit more than Seven Years Study spent according to the common way of reading the Bible This way attained to will guide you it self in what else is agreeable to profitable reading As in marking those things that seem to be Contradictions in the Text or Slips of the Holy Ghost in which always is admirable Wisdom Parallels of Times Places and Persons c. Which if you once fix sadly to make a Scripture-Chronicle you cannot slip unmarked and it will be enough to me to see you Doubt I know your Doubting will not rest till resolved I have here briefly run before you the Order of Scripture as I conceive the Continuance of the History requires it to lye If you will but settle to make a Scripture Chronicle this is needless for that will search out the Order for you So that you may spare your Labour of reading this that I have written and then I need not to excuse my Confusedness in it for haste Yet if you do read it it may shew you the Necessity of that that I so instantly urge viz. Skill in the Chronicle For if there be whole Chapters and Books laid out of their Places and the reason thereof commonly most sweet what may we expect in smaller Bulk of things as Genealogies Names Speeches Years Quotations c. but strange Variations yet always Divine Admirable it is to see how the Holy Spirit of God in Discords hath shewed the sweetest Music. But few Men mark this because few â—ake a right course in reading of Scripture Hence when Men are brought to see flat Contradictions as unreconciled there be many in it they are at amaze and ready to deny their Bible A little Pains right spent will soon amend this wavering and settle Men upon the Rock whereon to be built is to be sure SECT II. THE Canonical Books of the Bible are Seventy if the Psalms be parted into Five like the Seventy Souls that built up the House of Israel The Apocrypha speaks for it self that it is not the Finger of God but the Work of some Jews Which got it so much Authority among Christians because it came from them from whom the lively Oracles of God indeed came also But the Talmud may be read to as good Advantage and as much Profit and far more Leviathan reserved to be eaten 2 Esdra vi 52 is Judaism in Targ. Jonath in Gen. R. Sol. Elias 〈…〉 of all tastes in Wisd. xvi 20 21. is Jewish R. Sol. in Num. xi Paradise created before the World is Judaism in Targ. Jonath in Gen. ii Pirke R. Eliezer R. Nephtali Bel and the Dragon is a Jewish Parable from Jer. li. 44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon and I will bring forth out of his Mouth that which he hath swallowed up c. 〈◊〉 blessing Simeon for the Slaughter of 〈◊〉 is worse than Jewish Jud. ix 2 c. flat against Jacob who curseth the Fact and against Moses who for it leaves him out of his Blessings Deut. xxxiii Tobit's Chronology is worse than Heathenish Tob. xiv 4 and 15. making the Ruin of Nineveh by Nebuchadnezzar to depend upon Jonah's Prophecy Whereas since Jonah's Prophesie that City had been deâ—â—royed by Arbaces and Belosus and built again and stood the Succession of Seven or Eight Kings and near about Two Hundred Years before it was taken by Nebuchadnezzar So might one censure the rest but Verbum Sapienti Believe not every Spirit SECT III. GENESIS CHAP. I. THE Law begins with the Creation because by the Creature is our first Step to the Knowledge of God Rom. i. 20 Ps. xix It teacheth the end from the beginning the Resurrection from the Creation For if God made Man of Dâ—st he can raise him our Spiritual Union with God in Glory even in our Body by the Union of our Spirit and Body in Creation God not named Jehovah till the Creation be perfect for special Reason The second Days Work not approved but the third twice Heaven and Earth created in one and the same instant as Center and Circumference The First Day The Heavens are made perfect and move as soon as ever they are made and with them are created the Angels But the Earth is unformed and vast all covered over with Water And the Spirit of God by the Motion of the Heavens cherisheth the inferior Creature of Earth and Waters Twelve Hours did the Heavens move in Darkness and then by God's Appointment Light appeared in that Hemisphere in which God had decreed that the Light of Religion should first shine And there it gave Lustre for Twelve Hours more declining by degrees with the Motion of the Heavens to the other Hemisphere where it also shone Twelve Hours So that the first Day to that part of the World was †So long was Joshuah's Day when the Sun stood still and so long was Christ under Death Six and Thirty Hours long The Second Day As soon as ever the Light was gone off from this upper Horizon God commanded that instead of that Vacuity which was between the Waters that covered the Earth and the Clouds which were created full of Water in the same instant with the Heavens the Air should be spread abroad throughout the Universe And in Four and Twenty Hours the Command is accomplished The Third Day The Waters that cover the Earth at God's Command recoil Westward into those Channels which God had appointed them And still as they go away and dry Land appears Herbs Plants and Trees with their ripe Seed and Fruit upon them grow instantly out of the Earth This Day God plants the pleasant Garden of †The Story of Eden Gen. 11. ver 9 10 11 12 13 14. in proper Order should lye between ver 12 and 13. of this Chapter But Moses hath reserved the History of that to be handled at Adam's being placed in it Because he would dispatch his Treatise of Generals before he come
sheweth Affliction by Egypt before his Seed shall enjoy the Land GEN. XVI Which soon beginneth by Egyptian Hagar that gendreth to Bondage GEN. XVII But the Son of the Freewoman must inherit the Promise Which thing Abram believeth and Circumcision is given him a Seal of his Righteousness by Faith And for the more Assurance †From this that Abram hath a new Name given him when the Command of Circumcision is given him after-times used to give Names to their Children at their Circumcision Luk. i. 59 and ii 21 as Christians do now at Baptism his and Sarai's Names are changed The Trinity in visible Form appears to Abraham GEN. XVIII and determines the time of the Birth of the promised Seed Cham's Derision of his Father's Nakedness shews it self in the filthy Nakedness of his Sons of Sodom GEN. XIX whose Flames of Lust are punisht with Flames of Fire and even their Hell comes down from Heaven Lot is delivered from the Ruin but not from the Corruption of the City God that can bring Good out of Evil brings a Mother of Christ according to the Flesh out of the Incest of Lot viz. Ruth the Moabitess Isaac in his Mother's Womb taken by Abimelech as Christ in Mary's Womb taxed by Cesar. GEN. XX. To this Story of Sarah's being taken and kept and released by the Plagues of a Philistin compare the Case of the Ark in the Land of the Philistins 1 Sam. v. 6 Isaac born In his being born above the Course of Nature Abraham seeth the Day of Christ and rejoyceth GEN. XXI and in token calleth his Son's Name Isaac Laughter At Isaac's Fifth Year Ishmael mocketh Then begin the Four Hundred Years Affliction exactly Isaac and the Ram a true Type of Christ's two Natures the one only Suffering and the other not GEN. XXII yet that that suffer'd not giving Validity and Value to that that suffer'd Sarah dieth the only Woman whose Age is recorded in Scripture Abraham hath not a Foot of Land of his own in Canaan but only a Burial Place GEN. XXIII In the last Chapter you have Tidings of Rebecca before the Death of Sarah that one Sun may be ready to rise before another set Isaac having grieved Three Years for the Loss of his Mother is comforted at last with Rebecca his Wife GEN. XXIV Who of Necessity must be barren that the Seed may be of Promise and not of Nature GEN. XXV This Barrenness of Sarah and Rebecca and others and yet having Children at last was as an Harbinger to provide room for the Belief of Christ's Supernatural Birth See Luke i. 36 Jacob and Esau quarrel before they be born Esau loseth his Interest in God in the sale of his Birthright The Genealogy of Abraham and Ishmael their Age and Death are set down here because there is no more to be said of them Howbeit Abraham lived till Jacob was Fifteen Years old and Ishmael till he was Sixty three At Abraham's Death when Isaac is now just Seventy-five Years old the same Blessing is given to him GEN. XXVI that was given to Abraham when he was Seventy-five At the same Age probably Jacob also getteth it from his Father by taking on him to be Esau GEN. XXVII when he was Jacob. And by this means obtains the Blessing of his Father Which Blessing God seconds giving him the same Promise as he goeth to Haran GEN. XXVIII that he gave Abraham to bring him thence But his unlawful Means of compassing his Father's Blessing God punisheth in the same kind GEN. XXIX So that after Seven Years Service he embraceth Leah instead of Rachel as he had pretended Esau instead of Jacob. He serveth for this a Week in earnest that he will serve Seven Years more for Rachel and at the Weeks end he obtains her In Seven Years hard Affliction he begetteth many Children God taketh Care of Payment of his Wages GEN. XXX Types of what should happen to his Posterity His Riches endanger him both to Laban XXXI who seeth with him the Fruit of his Flock and to Esau XXXII who now seeth the Effect of the Blessing gotten from him XXXIII and the Benefit of the Birthright which he had sold. But Jacob is Israel A Prevailer with God before he meets with Esau and he cannot chuse then but prevail with him Jacob's Remisness in the Discipline of his Family causeth the Rape of Dinah Here Leah's tender Eyes have Cause to weep for her Daughter GEN. XXXIV Till now Jacob had hardly held touch with God in the Performance of his Vow The Lord shall be my God And no wonder if his Children miscarry But at Bethel where his Vow was made GEN. XXXV he purgeth his House from Idols and there he again receives a Blessing and is called an Israelite indeed now without Guile Hos. xii 4 He found him in Bethel and there he spake with us That is at this time at Bethel he calls him Israel in Behalf of his Posterity Who while they should be as his Family is here purged from Iniquity they should be Israel powerful with God Upon the naming of him Israel which should concern all his Tribes his Tribes are reckoned upon the Birth of Benjamin when they be now full Now the Story is to fall only upon Jacob and his Children Esau's Genealogy is reckoned GEN. XXXVI for no more is now to be said of him Eight Kings of Edom before Israel had any answerably Eight Kings of Israel kept the Kingdom of Edom. Joseph sold by Judah to Midianites Medanites and Ishmaelites For which Fact Judah is justly punished in the Death of his Children GEN. XXXVII XXXVIII and his own Shame Seek earnestly in this Story and you shall find Judah to have Children at the most at Twelve Years old if not before Joseph sold into Egypt is near ravishing by his black Mistress His Coat is again shewed to colour the Wickedness of this Woman GEN. XXXIX as his bloody Coat was to colour that of his Brethren As for telling of Dreams he is sold so by interpreting of Dreams he riseth to honour when he seeth and telleth GEN. XL. how Plenty and Famine over Egypt should be caused by Nilus XLI And the Famine he knew came as a just Judgment upon Egypt for keeping his Innocence so long in Prison XLII The same Justice is shewed upon Canaan from whence he was sold. Which makes his Brethren to bow to him for Corn as their Corn-Sheaves did to his in his Dream XLIII His Brother Benjamin who had no Hand in his Sale yet is brought also to crouch to him XLIV to fulfil his Dream of his Mother bowing to him for Benjamin cost her her Life XLV When all things according to the fore signification are fulfilled XLVI Joseph reveals himself to his Brethren and sends for his Father who cometh for Egypt And
thing the more Our English in the Text calls him A Noble Man in the Margin A Courtier ver 46. And the Original Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that he was one that belonged to the King one of Herod's Courtiers Now in that Court time was when John Baptist was heard reverenced and followed Mark vi 17 But John did no Miracles shewed no Signs John x. 41 therefore at last John's Head goes to the Block Now the reason why the Jews were so requiring of Signs and Wonders besides their Hardness of Heart that would not believe without a Miracle was because they had not had a Prophet among them of so long a time It was full Four Hundred Years since the Spirit of Prophecy departed from the Nation For since the Death of Zachary and Malachi there had been no Prophet among them till these times no nor any that had taken upon him to be a Prophet therefore it is no wonder if when Christ came among them in the Evidence of a Prophet they require him to shew some Wonders that they might thereby be confirmed that he was a true Prophet and not a false Here now at his first coming into his Temple after his entring into his Publick Ministry by his Baptism he reforms and refines as the last of the Prophets before Prophecy ceased had foretold Mal. iii. 1 3. The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple And he shall sit as a Purifier and Refiner of Silver and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi. He overthrows the Tables of the Money-Changers and whips the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple in the Authority of a Prophet or Messias I say the Jews Dost thou these things so authoritatively I pray thee what Sign shewest thou to prove that thou art either Messias or Prophet Nay Secondly they were so urgent in requiring Signs from him that they require a Wonder when they had newly seen a Wonder nay Wonder after Wonder like him in the Poet's Fiction that stood Chin deep in Water and was still thirsty and seeking after Water Observe but two Passages 1. In Mat. xii 22 there is a Man blind and dumb and possessed with a Devil and Christ heals him Three Miracles in one And to have done any one of them either to have given Sight to the Blind or Speech to the Dumb or to dispossess one possessed had been enough and enough again to have convinced any much more when he wrought all these things at once And yet at ver 38. Certain of the Scribes and Pharisees say to him Master We would see a Sign from thee 2. In John vi at the beginning of the Chapter he feeds Five Thousand Persons with Five Loaves and Two Fishes Who that had seen such a Sign and Miracle but would have said as they do ver 14. This is of a Truth that Prophet that should come into the World And yet some of those very Men that had seen that Miracle eaten of that Miracle and confessed him that of a Truth he was that Prophet c. yet are at it ver 30. What Sign shewest thou then that we may see and believe thee c. Why What would these Men have Can they tell themselves Yes and I will tell you Their foolish and blind Traditions had taught them to look for these two Signs and Wonders from the Messias when he came First That he should raise the old Prophets and the old Holy famous Men from the Dead Secondly That he should bring down Manna from Heaven for them In their old Writings and Records they speak much of these two things of their Expectation And I might shew some Hint in the Gospel that they expected such things Therefore let Christ do never so many Miracles yet they will not be satisfied unless they see him do one or both these things but are still urging and requiring What Sign shewest thou Now they are not so urgent to ask a Sign as our Saviour is backward to satisfie their Curiosity in such a thing And to observe what Return he made to their Demand of a Sign which was a second thing I mentioned to speak to let us consider these two things First That he never did nor never could be brought to shew them a Sign as a meer Sign You remember his own Words A Wicked and Adulterous Generation require a Sign but no Sign shall be given them Mat. xii 39 I call that a meer Sign which is barely a Sign and nothing else A Wonder shewed â—owaâ—d confirming the Doctrine or Authority of him that shews it and it proves no moâ—â— The â—urning of Moses Rod into a Serpent and thâ— Serpent into a Râ—d again was a bare Sign or Wonder to confirm Mâ—seâ— Authority and it was no more Bâ—t the Signs and Wonders that he wrought after in turning Water into Blood bringing Frogs c. were more than Signs for they were also Plagues on 〈◊〉 as well as Miracles So the Miracles and Wonders which our Saviour did healing the Sick cleansing Lepers casting out Devils were more thâ—n meer Signs for they were for the Bodily Benefit of those upon whom they were wrought But meer Sign which was barely a Sign and no more he never shewed never could be brought to shew among them And I remember not more than one meer Sign spoken of in all the New Testament and that was Paul's shaking the Viper off his Hand into the Fire and feeling no Hurt by her Which the Church of Rome might have done well to have considered of before they had made Miracles so great a Sign of their Church as they do Secondly To their requiring of a Sign our Saviour once and again returns an Answer about his own Resurrâ—ction Mat. xii 39 There shall no Sign be given unto it but the Sign of the Prophet Jonas Meaning as Jonas was Three Days and Three Nights in the Whale's Belly and at last cast out of his Belly on the Shoar again so Christ should be Three Days and Three Nights in the Grave and then should be restored to Life again And John ii when they require a Sign he returns a like Answer Destroy this Temple and in Three Days I will raise it up That is this shall be an undeniable Sign to you that I am he that is to come that when you have destroyed this Temple of my Body and put me to Death in Three Days I will raise it up again Which was to be the great Proof and Sign whereby he evidenced himself to be the Son of God or the Messias namely by his Resurrection from the Dead Rom. i. 4 X. An Explanatory Discourse of the Fall and Punishment of Angels WE look not now upon these Creatures in their Brightness and Lustre in the Perfection of their Nature and Nobleness of their Creation Angels Morning Stars Courtiers of Heaven Attendants in God's own Chamber of Presence But are to see them in a clear contrary dismal and dreery Condition
this Building of it was begun and set upon and it was not without the Dispensation of his Providence that it went so slowly on and was hindred What is the Providence of God at Variance with it self It was a Dispensation of Providence that Cyrus the first King makes Proclamation for the setting upon the Building and it was not without the Dispensation of Providence that Artaxerxes the second King made Proclamation for the stopping of the Work begun That great God that could build all the World in Six Days by Word of Mouth could have carried on this Building with a great deal more Quickness could have restrained all the Enemies that stopped it and could have taken away all Stops Therefore it was not without his Providence that it was so long in Building as it was by his Providence that it was begun Dispensations of Providence that seem contrary one to another To speak to this Point we may first fitly begin with that 2 Pet. iii. 19 The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some Men count Slackness Here was a thing of a clean contrary Tenor. The Place we are upon speaks of Building the Temple this of Peter of destroying it the City and the Nation God had promised and foretold of such a thing to come and it was long first and as yet not in Sight to the most Eyes Thereupon ungodly Men begin to mock Where is the Promise of his Coming to do that Work All things continue as from the beginning Here is no Sign no Shadow of any such Matter Well saith the Apostle yet for all this God is not slack of his Promise as you count Slackness So God had promised concerning the Building of the Temple that all Mountains of Hindrance should before Zerubbabel become a Plain and that he should bring forth the Topstone thereof with shouting crying Grace Grace unto it Zech. iv 7 And that greater should be the Glory of that Temple than the former Hag. ii 9 For that the Lord of the Temple himself CHRIST should come unto his Temple Mal. iii. 1 But where was the Performance of these Promises when all the Reign of Artaxerxes the Work wholly ceaseth and not one Stroke done of it all that while Ezra iv 24 And yet the Lord is not slack of his Promise as some count Slackness And how is that that some Men count Slackness As if God minded not his Promise or drowsily and carelesly delayed to perform what he had promised As that wretched Servant in the Gospel My Master delays his Coming and therefore he falls to eating and drinking and being drunk and beating his Fellow-Servants And those wretched ones in Esay v. 19 that make a Mock of the Promise as if it would never be performed because they saw it not performed already they said Let him make speed and hasten his Work that we may see it But God is not slack of his Promise as Men count Slackness God's Work is still going on towards the End promised tho' Men see it not but account him slack because they see it not In that Case that S. Peter speaks of the Promise of his Coming in Vengeance against Jerusalem the Wicked mocked and laughed and Where is the Promise of his Coming Why His Work towards that End was going on as fast as might be He was gathering in his own by the Gospel out of that wicked Generation that they should not perish with them And when that Work is done then his Promise will come with a Vengeance So in this very thing we are upon while the Building of the Temple is hindred God's Work towards the finishing it is going on But to take Notice more particularly of God's Providence and Dispensation in such Cases we shall do it from this Observation that all Times and Events are determined with God That nothing occurreth in the World without his Determination his Predetermination He had determined the Time when the Temple should be finished he had determined all the Events that should interpose before Some have emblemed or resembled God by a Circle And a Circle is so comprehensive that there is nothing in the World but is within the Comprehension of it The everlasting Arms reach to all things encompass all things tho' not all alike by way of Embracing yet by way of Comprehending Divine Providence is like the Universe nothing is on the outside of it but all things within Nothing occurrs without or beyond the Bounds of Providence but all within its Verge and Circumscription I say all Times and Events are determined with God And to give Proof of this in reference to both Times and Events need I to do any more but only to remind you of the Prophesies in Scripture wherein were foretold the Times and Events of Things that should come to pass Hundreds Thousands of Years after Did not God that by his Prophets foretold these things by his Providence determine foredetermine of those things V. How the Face and Backparts of God Exod. xxxiii 20 23. are to be understood GOD is the best Definer of himself And it is very remarkable there where God gives Account of what he is Exod. xxxiii he tells Moses that he cannot see his FACE for none can see his FACE and live But that he would hide him in the Rock and cover him with his Hand while his Glory passed by and when that was past by he would take away his Hand and he should see his BACKPARTS for his FACE could not be seen Now what was this GLORY of God this FACE of God that could not be seen It was the Dread and Terror and Severity of God as he is a Consuming Fire And when that Terror was past and over then upon the Discovery of his BACKPARTS Moses hears this Character of him The Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth Keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin According to that Distinction Chap. xxxiii 18 19. Moses said I beseech thee shew me thy GLORY And the Lord answers him I will make all my Goodness pass before thee His GLORY that is his Dread and Terror is his FACE his FOREPARTS that that is first to be apprehended of us in our Conception of God before we come to conceive of his Mercy We are to look on his Foreparts first before we see his Backparts As in his Discovery to Elias he first came in Fire in an Earthquake in a great Wind and then cometh a still gentle Voice The Terror of the Lord is first to be studied to fit the Heart for the right studying 〈◊〉 â—is Mercy VI. An Enquiry What that first Resurrection is Rev. xx 5 THE Hour is coming and now is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live John v. 25 That this means not the general Resurrection at the last Day is plain enough by this that he saith The Hour is NOW when the
Holy Men that truly fear God Sursum corda then lift up your Hearts First To be affected with the Goodness and good Providence of God that picketh out and preserveth such a Company to himself Not to think of the Church on Earth but to have such a thought also towards Heaven hereat to observe admire and be affected with God's wonderful Goodness in that regard Such are the Apostle's Thoughts upon the Thoughts of the Church He looks on the Church of Corinth once such a People as he describes 1 Cor. vi 9 10. Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effeminate Abusers of themselves with Mankind Thieves Covetous Drunkards Revilers Extortioners But now Washed Sanctified Justified And where are his Thoughts Up toward God 1 Cor. i. 4 I thank God always on your Behalf for the Grace of God which is given you So he looks on the Church of the Ephesians Chap. i. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings c. So on that of the Philippians Ch. i. 3 I thank my God upon every Remembrance of you And so to the Thessalonians 2 Thess. i. 2 We give Thanks to God always for you all And so should a Christian presly thinking of the Church of God have his Heart in Heaven blessing the infinite Goodness for chusing and preserving such a People to himself In the Inundation of Sin and Damnation to pick out a Number for himself to escape Sin and Damnation and in all the Tumblings and Storms of the World to keep a Church undrowned and unoverwhelmed an Handful in Noah's Ark in the midst of the Deluge of Sin and Troubles Secondly To be affected with the Condition and Estate of the Members of the Church He that truly knows that and them cannot but take up that of the Psalmist Psal. cxliv. 15 Happy are the People that are in such a case yea happy is that People who have the Lord for their God When you rehearse this The Holy Catholick Church in the Creed let your Thoughts first recoyl to your Bibles and see how the Holy Ghost pictures them there Lam. iv 2 The precious Sons of Zion comparable to fine Gold Mal. iii. 17 And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in the Day when I make up my Jewels Then that Psal. lxxxiii 3 They have consulted against thy hidden ones They are the Treasure of the Lord's Cabinet laid up with him tho' not minded of Men. Nay yet the Divine Limner lays on more precious Colours Joh. xv 15 I have called you Friends Nay 2 Pet. i. 4 Partakers of the Divine Nature Nay further 1 John iii. 4 We are the Sons of God And that is not all but more if more may be We shall be like to himself Now Christian when thou repeatest this Article write this Exposition of the Word Church in the Margin These are the Lord 's precious Ones His Jewels His Friends His Sons His own Similitude These are His Delight His Portion His Chosen and the very Apple of his own Eye Deut. xxxii 10 And art thou not affected with their happy Condition And affected for thine own Soul's Interest I believe the Holy Catholick Church that is such a Happy Blessed Glorious Company and dost thou not stir O my Soul No Life no Holy Emulation no striving to be like to these A poor miserable Beggar sees the Wealth and Bravery of the great Ones and he may haply envy it but he cannot emulate or hope to equal it But God hath shewn thee a Way that thou mayest be like to these and Partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light and art thou not moved Alexander weeps because He was not so famous as Achilles Julius Caesar because not so famous as Alexander And hast thou not a holy Emulation in thee O Christian Such and such Holy Blessed Dear to God and hast thou no Emulation to be so too Ponder but that Title Friend of Christ and that Title Child of God and do we profess Christ and God And are we not moved at it To be a Child of God carried in the Bosom of his dearest Affections To be a Friend of Christ always in his tender Affections and Remembrances and smiled on by him at the great Day and Heart art thou so lumpish as not to be warmed with such Thoughts This very Hint may answer the Question before us viz. Is every one to believe that he is of the true Church Answer Every Heart here is he not to believe that he should be of this Church that it is not well if he be not so Nay further that he is to strive with all his Endeavour to be of it or else he is not what he should be Set this Church before you in the Picture of it Mat. xxv 33 standing on the Right Hand and Christ smiling upon it Do you not believe you should be of that number Do you not believe you ought to give all Diligence to be of it This it the thing the Article calls to you for when you repeat it And let me be a little further its Interpreter to shew you yet this Church its Meaning I. It would mind you that that is the Church that is a Church for ever The Church of God is that that shall be the Church of God when the World shall be no more I may compare the Church visible and invisible to the Body and the Soul The Body is visible and at last shall come to Dust. But the Soul is invisible and is immortal Visible Churches have died Generation after Generation Where are the visible Churches of Asia Judea c. and time will come when all the visible Churches of Europe must come to nothing But still there was an immortal Soul in those Churches a Company of Holy Ones that go to be a Church of God in another World to praise glorifie and have Communion with God for ever This Church in the World is like the Heart in the Body of Man Primum vivens ultimum moriens The first that lives and the last that dies It began to live in Adam and Eve when they embraced Christ and when it dies the World must die with it When the last Saint is gathered then even the Soul of the World and of the visible Church is gone and they die too The Life of the visible Church is the Word and Sacraments and Ordinances Wheresoever these are there the Church is alive But if these are not rightly administred the Candlestick is removed it hath but a Name that it liveth but is dead And how hath God or may God remove these But the Life of the invisible Church is the Word and Spirit and neither of these are ever to be removed For both are settled in Heaven Observable is that Phrase Jam. i. 21 The ingrafted Word It is fast joyned and growing in the Heart In the visible Church it is in the Hands but to the true Flock of
Particulars I. There is a Communion of Converse and Communion of Affection There may be the former where there is not the latter English Merchants have Communion of Converse with Outland Merchants when they come among them Buy Sell Eat Drink together When the Communion 'twixt them is meerly of Civil Converse rather than of near Affection And there may be Communion of Affection where there is no Converse Nay there is as it were planted in Morality an Affection of one Excellent Person to another A Valiant Man loves a Valiant Man though he never came near him A Scholar loves a Scholar that he hath only heard of Much more is such an Affection planted in true Christianity in an Heart truly Religious be he who he will where he will though he never saw him As Psal. xvi 3 My delight is in the Saints and Excellent on the Earth be they far off or near II. There is Communion in Common Interest where it may be there is not Communion in Common Converse Those that never saw or heard of one another to Converse together yet may have Communion in Common Interest Englishmen meeting beyond Sea that never saw each other before yet will take parts and side together as in the Common Interest of being Countrymen There is a Common Interest of all the Saints in the World though at their never so great Distance and Separation viz. Glorifying God and Loving the Lord Jesus As the Apostle saith 1 John i. 3 Our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. So the Fellowship of the Saints among themselves meets in this Centre of Loving the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. And ask the same Apostle the Exposition of his Words in the same Epistle Cap. ii 14 We know that we have passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren He would tell you It is a sign we Love God and so are passed from Death to Life because we Love the Brethren that Love God This is the special Centre in which Saints meet be they never so far asunder And in this Sense Their Gathering together is to be understood of which there is so frequent mention not into one place but into this one Circle of Loving Fearing Serving God Zeph. iii. 9 That they may call upon the Name of the Lord and serve him with one Consent In the Hebrew it is With one Shoulder As if many were together shouldring up the same weight or burden All in their places jointly putting to their endeavour to bear up the Name Glory and Honour of God East West North South every Saint joyning in this great Work and Meeting in this Holy Point As the Twelve Oxen under the Brazen Sea their Faces to the Four Quarters of Heaven but their Bodies all Meeting to bear up the Weight Now III. They that are all of the same mind all meet in this Common Interest toward God cannot but love one another though they knew not one another Judg. v. 9 My Heart saith Deborah is toward the Governors of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the People Did she know all their Faces and Persons Could she call them by their Names No but she could not but Love them be they whom they would that put to their Hands and Shoulders to that Common Cause We see how Men are ready to Affect any that they hear to be of their Opinion Humour and Mind though they never saw them Much more does a Saint love a Saint that is Partner with him in this Holy Work Though he knew not where to find him or Name him yet if he be for God he must have his Heart and loving God he cannot but love whosoever loves him IV. Accordingly they sympathize one with another 1 Cor. xii 26 Whether one Member suffer all the Members suffer with it or one Member be Honoured all the Members rejoice with it They weep with those that weep and rejoice with those that rejoice They bear one another's burdens It grieves a Saint if it be ill with any Saint in the World and he rejoiceth if it go well with him His Heart is touched with his Case as with his own As we are affected with the well or ill doing of any Englishman in any part of the World for Common Interest of Country sake Neh. i. 4 And it came to pass when I heard these words that I sat down and wept and mourned certain Days and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven Why Nehemiah thou art well enough thou art in place of Honour Pleasure Preferment Oh! but it is ill with the People of God And Psal. cxxxvii 5 6. saith the Psalmist If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my Right Hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee let my Tongue cleave to the Roof of my Mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy I can never forget Jerusalem V. Answerably they have one another's Prayers There is not a Saint in the World but hath the Prayers of all the Saints in the World Any Child of God makes it Conscience to Pray for every Child of God on Earth One Member cannot but do its best for another Gal. vi 16 And as many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God Pray for thy self Paul and for thine own Churches Nay but every Saint where-ever is a Member of the same Body that I am of and therefore I must Pray for them also So Ephes. vi 24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity Why pray so for them Because of that Common Interest that is betwixt all Saints I love Christ and cannot but love and pray for all that love him We may say as Psal. cxxxiii 1 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Unity So how blessed how happy to be thus joyned together in this Common Union If thy Prayers be weak all the Saints in the World pray thee if thy Estate be miserable if thou beest tempted still thou hast the Prayers of all good Men through out the World Oh! happy condition of a true Saint Christ mediating for him in Heaven and all the Saints on Earth Praying for him as Acts xii 5 Peter was kept in Prison but Prayer was made without ceasing of the Church of God for him Chear up poor Child of God why walkest thou so heavily Why The Children of Belial curse me revile me Oh! but all the Saints of God pray for thee And this is the true Communicating of Saints one to another And so much for the Communion of Saints with God and one with another FINIS Advertisement There are in the Press and will all be Published about Midsummer EXpository Notes with Practical Observations upon the Four Holy Evangelists wherein the Sacred Text is at large Recited the Sense Explained Doubts Resolved seeming Contradictions Reconcile and the Instructive Example of the Holy Jesus to our Imitation Recommended Designed for the Instruction of Private Families By William Burkitt M. A. Vicar of Dedham in Essex Folio A Catechetical Course of Sermons for the whole Year Being an Explanation of the Church-Catechism in 52 distinct Discourses on so many several Texts of Scripture wherein are Briefly Contained the most necessary Points of Christian Doctrine Recommended especially for the use of Famimilies By Peter Newcome M. A· Vicar of Aldenham in Hertfordshire In 2 Volumes in Octavo As also the Works of William Bates D. D. in a large Folio and good Paper containing all he Printed in his Life-time To which are now added two Discourses never before Published viz. 1. On Divine Meditation and 2. On the Fear of God Price 25 s. a single Book Unbound They that will Buy Six shall have a Seventh Gratis provided they send in the first Payment some time before Midsummer next