above another to a Christian that will not be prophane Hee that keeps no day to the Lord gives him thanks that hee is not bound to keepe it either as a Iew in yearely monethly or weekly dayes for the Apostle absolves a Christian from all dayes Colos 2.16 and makes the observation of them to frustrate the Gospel Gal. 4.10 11. I say further or to keepe it as a Christian Iew that is to except as some doe the weekly Sabbath and say by Sabbath dayes Col. 2.16 is meant yearly but not of the weekly Sabbath this is prejudice to Christian Religion that brings full freedome first to make all dayes alike before a Christian can make his choice of any day There must in this point be a full abrogation of the law of days before a Christian be able to observe any other day to the Lord. Estimation of dayes with fulnesse of knowledge to the glory of Christ is first to keep no day against him and then to keep any with thankfulnesse for him that hath redeemed us from the bondage of the Law Our dutie is to serve him and our freedome to make choice of such dayes as may be esteemed to his glory not only the Lords day in every weeke but all other dayes esteemed by Christians above others to the honour of him whose servants they professed themselves He that esteemeth one day above another may be a Iew and obstinate in his ignorance yet a good Christian that holds all dayes alike in the fulnesse of perswasion may likewise in the same hold one day above another and give God glory in both yea greater then hee that is intangled either to prophane a day that is lawfully commanded or to be superstitious in keeping one of his owne will and say it is commanded when he cannot prove it but upon the ground of his own imagination The fourth Commandement once commanded the seventh day in expresse words but never the first in the like termes it alwayes commandeth the duty of a holy day and when all dayes are alike it ceaseth not to command the duties of a holiday which are to be observed according to the determination which God hath left to the Christian Church which hath made the first day of the week above all other dayes what advise he gave the Apostles to begin it we read not their example is warrantable upon two grounds First because Christ made all dayes alike and therefore they had libertie to choose Secondly because he made it lawfull to esteeme one day above another and the assignment hath been to the first day and it were a sinne either to denie the first as a Iew or neglect the second as a prophane person I will conclude with the Apostle Who Gal 4.10 in a full enumeration confirmes our point in hand and takes away time as our Saviour takes away place Iohn 4.21 22. for they are holy alike and common alike so that a man would admire what they meane that plead holinesse of time and implead holinesse of place If God be no where to be worshipped hee is to be worshipped at no time for the solemitie of the one inferres the solemnity of the other and the nullitie of the one the nullitie of the other Time and place are but elements of Religion and in themselves weake and beggarly and commonly the weakest desire them and see not their bondage God knowes how to begin the A B C but hee likes not men should learn no further He compares time with time and tels the Galathâ—ans that once they knew not God but did as it were kindle their owne fires and compasse themselves about with their owne sparkles walke in the light of this fire warmed themselves by these speaks and for reward of their bad service might have lyen downe in sorrow Esay 50.11 But God in mercie altered their condition to know God and that which is more to be knowne of God in obeying the voice of Christ to receive light in him to trust in his Name and stay upon him as their God To this all other things are darknesse and yet as Philosophere teach us non dantur purae tenebrae there is no pâ—â—e darknesse without some mixture of light Their service and their seasons wanted signification Their service unto them which by nature were no gods testified of a duty done to an undue object him whom you ignorantly worship saith Saâ—â—â— Paul I declare unâ—o you Acts 17.23 Their seasons were now out of reason and especially to mix themselves with the Iews and to observe their days that is their weekly Sabbath Monthâ— that is every new Moon Times that is their three Feasts of Easter Pentecost and Tabeâ—macles Yeares that is every seventh yeare and the Iubile And here Saint Augustine must be a guide unto us lest wee take hold of time and turn it quite from God Contra Adamant Manich. cap. 15. Nos quoque dienâ— Dominis um â—n Pascha soleuniter â—e lebitamâ—â— quasliâ— alias Ghristicanas dierum festâ—◠〈◊〉 se◠〈…〉 quo pertioneant non temporae observamus sed quaeillis significantur temâ— poribus Wee keepe the Lords day and his Passeover solemnely and all other Christian Festivals but yet â—ee observe not times but the things signified iâ— them because we understand the ends to which they are appointed Christians having libertie use their time to his glory to whom they owe themselves and as the Apostleâ— kept the Iewish Saboath to gaine them by the opportunitâ— râ—â—tie of the day They kept also the â— ordaiday in marvelous equitie to remember him that had redeemed them and no man will deny that it is most equall that Iesus Christ should have such a part of our time 〈◊〉 Creation move us to yeeld him the last day in the 〈◊〉 Redemption will much move force 〈◊〉 finde him 〈…〉 thy of the first Wednesday and Friday are kept fests and the one is in memory of the treason of Iudas which must be thought of as ours to humble us for Iudaâ— could never have betrayed Christ it our fins had not done it and we cannot remember this but with detestation of ourselves and grieve that wee have done wrong to the most innocent as well as the most holy God Aperpetâ—all fast would never expiate the evill yet to remember it alwayes wayes and by the day to keepe it in memory is a duty no godly man will deny and his service that day may well be the Letanie as very fit in many passages to excite the humble soule to lamentation Friday is the memory of the curse for our treason no malediction had been upon our blessed Saviour if wee had not laid it upon him and sinne and Gods curse and all the causes of our lamentation which as we must never forgeâ— so there will be reason found why the Church chooseth dayes to remember them It is true that Saint Augustine tels us wee observe not times as Iewes and put Religion and confidence in a day
Tabernacle the people at a greater distance Num. 6.2 and as some imagine two Englisâ— miles Their doores were to open upon the Sanctuary and they were to doe their devotion both going out and comming in so that when the Sanctuary was open for service there was a threefold divisioÌ„ into the couit of the people court of the Priests and Court of God when it was shut up the division was three fold the Tabernacle the Campe of the Priests and Levites and the foure Campes of Israel under 4. standats as we shall heare afterwards The Arke the Mercy-seate are often called Gods Footestoole and his Throne Lastly Ezekiel shewing Gods little Sanctuarie in the Babilonian captivitie and destruction of Solomous Temple teacheth the same where we have foure Beasts and over them a Firmament and above that a Throâ—â— Eze. 1. The foure Beasts may well point at the foure Standards of the twelve Tribes To the East was Judah Isachar and Zabulon with the EnsigneÌ„ of a Lyon to the South Ruben Simeon and Gad under the signe of a man in the flagge To the West Ephraim Manasses and Benjamin with the banner bearing the signe of a Bullocke To the North Dan Ashur and Naphtali bearing the Ensigne of an Eagle It s probable that Ezechiel hath this meaning if we marke his standing looking into the North the place of the captivitie of Iudah Ezeck 1.4 the first face that meetes him vers 10. is the face of a man and that 's Rubens quarter to lie upon the South on his right hand is the East and on that side appeares a Lyon where Iudah quartered on the left side the face of an Oxe and that 's the West where Ephraim encamped The North needes no character and that is the face of an Eagle where Dan was appointed to pitch about the Tabernacle so that foure Beasts are characters of the places of Gods people when they forme a part of Gods House or Sanctuary The Firmament or expanse is now the voide place where God may be heard and seene of his people The Beasts let downe their wings and stand in silence and from the Firmament above them a voyce is uttered c. This is the middle space betwixt God and his people Above this appeares the Throne and one in the appearance of a man sitting upon it here is mention of precious stones as in Saint Iohn and of a Rainebow and all together shew our distinction of the place of Majestie Ministery and Auditory and Angells of God as secret spirits to keepe their rounds and guards as God himselfe that guides all pleaseth and that of the Throne of Majestie which God hath alwayes had it in his Church CHAP. IV. Of the seates of the Elders the station of Bishops and Priests that serve at the Altar Sedes Seniorum HAving done with the Throne of the Lambe wee seeke for the Thrones of his servants or seates of such Elders as he selects to fit about him in heaven all Saints sit downe with Christ in glory but their severall seates are higher one than other according to their degrees in grace here none attaining to the seate of Christ which is the Throne of Gods Majestie farre above all principalities c. In the Church militant on earth Christ chuses Ministers to sit downe in seates under him for the government of his Church but it is wrong to the Lord Iesus to lift one man out of the seates of the Elders into the seate of the Lambe and set him above all the rest in such absolute and soveraigne authoritie as is onely due to Christ himselfe who is not absent from his seate but in grace and holy concourse is with his Ministers in their seates to the end of the world where two or three of them are gathered together in his name there is he in the middest of them hee may alluâ—e to the setting up seates for judgment in Israel The greatest number we reade of in that Nation was seventie or seventie one the lesser 23. the least three Duo qui judicant eorum non est judicium when two Judge they have no Judgement because they want a casting voyce yet our Saviour speaks of two agreeing having power to judge and to whom he gives the Keyes Math. 18.16.17.18 19 20. that hee will answer to whatsoever they aske and ratifie their sentences He makes good the seates of his Elders in all places and gives them authoritie to bind and loose remit and retaine all sinnes Wee will inquire further of the number names offices ornaments order of these Elders in Gods House and before his Throne the number of Seates and Elders consists of 24. 1 Chron. 24.4.19 The exposition is easie as Gods House was ordered in the service of it by 24. Orders or courses of Priests so now is it served by the like number of Presbiters yet their honor is greater as having seates and great authoritie Luke in the Acts tells them the Apostles fellowship and holy Ignatius joyning with the Bishops the Presbiters calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Magn. A Synod appointed of God to serve at the seate of his Majestie for his Throne were emptie without them for Bishops with their Elders we have chaires and seates warranted both by Gods Word and the antient practice of the Church see Pauline with his Presbiters at the dedication of the Temple of Tyre and you shall be taught to learne a good lesson against Papists and Schismatickes in our dayes that ding downe with their Axes and Hammers the seates and societies of Gods Elders one Pope must Lord it over all and have a seate above all Bishops In the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship no such thing is to be found and when the Fathers alleadge their seates against Schismatickes they never make one seate the rule of all Our Schismatickes that passe from us and reject the seates of Bishops and set up a lay-eldership and put them into chaires to judge I marvell whence they have it for all the Presbyters in the â—iâ—â—â—it of Saint Iohns Theologie are Priests A strange succession they will make in Gods House and bring into the Apostles fellowship no breakers of bread but Church Canons no Priests to pray to the people but to prate against them and to take the highest place of a seate to judge It s the Fathers wisedome against Heretickes to 〈◊〉 them onely by the Word of God against Schismatickes to condemne them wholly by the Chaires of the Church and sure I am against these seates they cannot stand out and as in Nehemiah 7.64 they that wanted a Register to reckon their Genealogie were put from the Priesthood as poluted so these that contemne the chaires of Bishops and care for no Episcopall succession but will succeede where was never succession As to have Ministers from Magistrates and men never ordained by others is to cast themselves from all communion with the Church which never held any that was not successively from the
living with Saint Iohn might speake that plainly which Saint Iohn expressed mystically yet by his allusion to the Church of the Iewes might let us see our surrogation into their place and cast the forme after that fashion then the which there could not be a better setting apart the types which were fulfilled in Christ for besides them we might serve God upon our holy dayes as they did upon theirs in our holy places as they did in â—heirs Saint John resembled our place of Majestie by theirs our place of Ministery by theirs our place of Auditory by theirs They kept one day in a week so do we they kept Feasts and Festivals so doe we as Easter Pentecost the Nativitie of Christ c. We are Christians in that wherin they were Iews and shew that their shadows are converted into perfect light Revel 12.1 we have that under our feet which was the crown of their head and that upon our whole bodie which they looked for The Sun the Embleme of our Church and the measure of our time and service Their Feasts were all lunary ours solarie and moneths in Saint Iohn are apposed to days and yeers Revel 11.23 12.6.14 13.5 and makes the distinction betweene a true and false company of Christians I say the Sunne is a great ceremony in the Christian Church and so is the East where it riseth as may be seen in the solemnitie of Baptisme which Saint Peter mentioneth 1 Pet. 3.21 Baptisme is the interrogation of a good conscience and saveth the Church from the floud of Apostacie as Noahs Arke did eight persons from drowning Revel 7.1 The foure Winds that shake the foure corners of the earth are barbarous wars sometimes compared to great and mighty waters sometimes to terrible and tempestuous windes these cast downe Kingdomes and cause confusion and there is nothing that can stand these blasts but the sealed societie and Baptisme well understood will reach the meaning as being both the seale of our service and safety with God if we keepe it it will keepe us and bind as well God to us for safetie as it binds us to him in a service as a master The making of our vow in Baptisme is wonderfull solemne if wee search out the ceremonies of speaking and standing at the Font or Fountaine to be baptized The interrogation is Saint Peters expression and it was made to the conscience of the believer abrenuncias abrenuncio Credis Credo more largely thus in the answere of the party to be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I disband my selfe from thee O Satan and from all thy Angels Autors of Idolatry I do bid a farewell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to all thy mediators for me to thee as a deceitfull God and I utterly abhorre all thy pomps and vaine services c. Hereby the way understand how our Ancients made Pagan Playes the renunciation of Baptisme and most damnable to all Christians because they were services to the dead and hellish honours to the infernall fiends foes to Christ Iesus and furtherers of all Idolatry against him The Christians abrenunciation should be remembred as the feale of his service and safety if hee returne againe to false Mediatours hee loseth the benefit of his Baptisme and becomes as it were another mans servant and seeks safety from another master Having made his renunciation he begins again and sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I binde my selfe and binde my selfe for ever to thee ô Christ as my sole Redeemer and Mediatour and will gaine God or go to God by no other but thy selfe and I believe c. reade but the Churches Catechisme and the Churches Baptisme and wee shall finde Saint Peters interrogation and the answere of a good conscience made by the party to be baptized The standing will stirre more the coals of contention but I cannot helpe it to relate to a reasonable man what may well be received In the abrenunciation of the Devill the partie was to look the Devill in the face and set it Westward towards the Devils throne or his Idoll and Altar and testifie his defiance and departure from him and to spit at him in token of great detestation Fie get thee hence what have I to do with Idols pomps and vanities of Satan This ceremonie ended he turns his back upon the enemy and looks into the East and earnestly vowes himselfe to Christ and from hence followes the ceremonie of prayer into the East and placing the house of Prayer ordinarily that way and also placing the holy Table in the East end and making that the Sanctuary The whole Tabernacle and Temple stood in the miâ—â—st of the people of Israel But when they entred the Courts the Court of Majestie in both places was in the West The Church is Gods throne in generall as was the Temple Tabernacâ— and Gods peopled well about it as Israel did both in the Wildernesse and the Land of Canaan But the speciall throne in the Church is the holy Table where we have our perfectest communion with God It begins in Baptisme ends in the Lords Supper and they are the best Saints that are admitted unto it some reason there is of all that is said from the distinction of times The Iewes and Gentiles before Christ by their looking into the West professed the darknesse of their dayes we by looking into the East professe our times to be light It s small wisdom to multiply needlesse questions and as great wisdome to answer them that be profitable To satisfie the weak the wise alike is impossible whiles one man cryes one thing and some another the greater part know not what they doe or wherefore they come together It hath often beene checked in Preachers to speake of needlesse matters but shall that be needlesse which the times make necessary let them aske no questions raise no quarrels with our Church and wee shall count it needlesse to contend with them that are convicted both of our faith and order the only two things in Saint Pauls greatest joy Colos 2.5 we should be glad to preach nothing but faith and the fruits of faith working by charity for salvation but there is a necessitie to preach for order when they that professe to be children of our Church neverthelesse appose her holy Orders This my addition is not to pursue but pacifie the quarrell It s my dutie to stand for the Church and perswade with all the members to be of one minde and mouth He that sayes to mee why is one place more holy then another I may say to him and why is one day more holy then another Shall Saint Paul resolve us in one word upon one ground for one end Rom. 14.5 6. Estimation makes the distinction fulnesse of knowledge must warrant it and the glory of the Lord Iesus must be the end of it In Religion every day is alike to a Christian that will not be a Iew and one day is
more speciall pretence and our greatest communion with Christ It s the highest advancement a Christian hath to be fed at Gods board and with Gods very bod yâ—â— and I see no error to conclude as I have done that the holy Table is Gods Throne first to signifie his Majestie as being the Sanctuary and most holy place in the Church where it standeth It signifies likewise his presence with his people that though they see him not with their bodily eyes yet they may be assured by their faith to finde him where hee fixeth his throne Christ is not absent from his Church no needs he a Vicar to supply his place but hee give us good assurance of his presence and by many testimonies tels us he is with as and in nothing form 〈…〉 really as in his holy Sacrament Lastly for all the names of God they are alike to a Christian except he beâ— Iew and hold one name more ineffable then the rest and yet one narhe may be above another 〈◊〉 a Christian excopt he will be prophane and shew no reverence where hee hath the greatest reason first from Christ himself that meritâ— a name Secondly from all creaturâ—â— which shew it to be better then theirs Thirdly 〈…〉 selves that have no name of God that conâ—ins us and 〈…〉 one which is Iesuâ— Fourthly in respect of God who is best knowne to us by this name First from merit that Christ merits salvation for us 〈…〉 that hee merit â—ought for himselfe is denied by some but in this the Scripture is more then mans authoritie Phil. 2.9 Therfore because he humbled himselfe God 〈◊〉 him a name 〈◊〉 1â—4 which he hath obtained as a Sonne as a Saviour as an heire as a Redeemer Heb. 2.9 Ye see 〈◊〉 for suffering 〈◊〉 with honour and glorie That which Iâ—sus merits alone that is his due but he merits honour at his Fathers hand and therefore his Father will have us give it him and reverence Iesus above all names and whosoever denies it does not his dutie and to him I leave him that will not put up the injury of the stiffe-knee and untamed tongue its merit and therefore must be given to him Thou art worthy to take the Booke and open the Seals thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud Rev. 5.9 worthy is the Lambe that was slaine to receive power riches wisdome strength honour glory and blessing Verse 12. As God he hath this name by nature for who is the Saviour besides the Lord Christ hath by merit of his obedience title to glory and the exaltation of his name which are otherwise and without that of right belonging to him by the prerogative of his divine nature and hypostaticall union but by desert of his humiliation he hath merited that his Deitie should be acknowledged neverthelesse for compunction with our nature that as man he be adored with the honour of God and his Name advanced above all names As man he obtains it by grace not the grace of adoption but of personall union which is peculiar grace in Christ for manhood cannot deserve to be united to God but it is of unspeakable grace to grant such a priviledge to our flesh in the Sonne of God as God and mâ—n his vertues are meritorious and his whole obeâ—â—enâ—â— both active and passive a full purchase of redemption to us and of glory to himselfe His exaltation is the fruit of his humiliation and the lifting up of his head of his drinking of the breake in the way Psal 110.7 Now a name were nothing without the honour and therefore 〈◊〉 his name in his name or to his name it is due both in the subjection of the knee and confession of the tongue and that of all first of those that have righteousnesse and strength in him to be saved Esay 45. â—4 Secondly of them that are incensed against him and which at the day of judgement shall be ashamed that they have been enemies to him and his in this world Esay 45.24 and made no use of his redemption and death for them who as their Lord redeeâ—ing them and raising them will be their judge though they would not have him their Saviour This place is the originall text to which that Rom. 14.11 and that other Phil 2.10 11. are branches which are miserably chopped and cut off from the true sense to be set against our Churches Canon which gives an excellent reason for veneration at his name took from the perfection of merit and from this that all graces and assistances are in him from him no defect in him but in our selves if we be not saved who therefore in naming his sacred name Iesus is with all lowly reverence to be honoured in such ceremony as ancient custome and the authoritie of our Church requires The second is from the names of all the creatures put together which are not for excellency to be compared to this one name that the Sonne of God hath obtained I know Heb. 1.4 the name Iesus is not mentioned and to avoid it our adversaries will not have it so much as to be understood because all is said of the sonne yet I am sure the words immediatly preceding are for Iesus humbled and exalted first by himselfe hee purgeth our sinnes Secondly sits downe on the right hand of the Majestie on high his honour and humilitie go together and the one is the cause of the other Iesus humbled is the cause of Iesus exalted Iesus crucified Acts 2.36 is therefore made Lord and Christ because hee willingly for us suffered so great a reproach and the two titles are not greater than the vertue meriting and the name merited as some have said and written it upon their owne warrant but they are as common attributes to a proper name in which is the reason why they are given as dignities to it Iesus is therefore crucified that he may be Lord of all and declared as the anointed of God in whom there is fulnesse of redemption The name that is better than Angels and so consequently above all creatures is to be worshipped but such is the name Iesus given to the Sonne of God wee need not feare a sound for that is lesse than Angels and if it be Idolatry to worship them then much more to adore a word Iesus is both the name and the thing Phil. 2.9 A name above every name of the creatures and that serves sufficiently for the force of this argument that wee may worship the name Iesus if wee make it better than Angels and therfore no Idolatry to reverence bow or bend in at or to the name for we are not to seek evasions in the varietie of the words used promiscuously in the Scriptures we may not take Gods name in vain and the reverence of his name is the worship of it for Gods name is himself and to say as some doe I dare not that reverence of Gods name and adoration of it are not
as iâ— we had done a great worke and deeply meritorious with God But we know there significations as the Lords day to remember his Refurrection Festivall dayes to rejoyce in the triumphs of his servants and set their examples before us as pat ternes of pietie Fasts to humble our selves for our sinnes and Gods curses vpon us to feeke some speciall blessing upon our selves and such Ministers as the Church ordaineth for us as the quatuor jejunia c. Indeed wee make Ceremonies of substance and substance of Ceremonies Some stand for a day as if it were all their religion Others abhorre their signification as superstition and little use is made of any thing to give God due glory I wish Saint Augustines words were well remembred that Christians observe not times but their godly signification and holy use and so I end for time The same libertie that is purchased for dayes is also obtained for places All places are alike to a Christian that is not a Iew and one place is above another to a Christian that is not a profane person and dare say the Church Table are common when Gods people are not in them The Temple is a type of Christ and therfore but one Temple Christ is come and hath made all places alike and he were a Iew that would defend either the Tabernacle of Moses or Temple of Salomon to take away his comming Iohn 4.21 Wee believe that the houre is come that neither in Mount Gerizim nor Mount Sion but every where God is to be served yet what place soever serves to record his name is above all other common places and holds the Ancient distinction of places in respect of the persons meeting to wit the throne of Majestie the place of Ministery and the place of auditory Neither let it seeme strange that wee speake of the East or of the Altar for both are warrantable by better authoritie then can be brought by him that is set to appose Solomons Temple as the Tabernacle before it had all the honour in the West so had the most ancient Temples of the Gentiles and both are worldly and beggerly rudiments of the times of darknesse in comparison of our times of light A thing I could shew at large but now I will limit my selfe to a few testimonies to declare I speak not without my betters Clemens Alexandrinus l. 7. p. 724. sayes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most ancient Temples looked into the West and that a Christian turning from such Temples and their service did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. stand opposite to Idols that is with his face into the East Hee first renounced the Idoll with his face into the West and then to signifie his conversion looked into the East 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. was taught to turn into the East It is plain that confession of Faith and the prayers of Faith were with faces into the East 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As light shines out of darknesse c. A Pagan looked into the West the place of darknesse so did the Iew upon the same reason though not with the same Religion The one is an Idolater and confesseth blindnesse the other a true worshipper yet looking Westward for want of the Sunnes appearance Satan is Gods Ape and seeks in the Ceremony to abuse God yet may the Iew no more forsake the West then the Christian the East because the Devill will be doing with both Saint Hier. ad c. 6. Antor in mysteriis primum renunciamus eum qui in occideus â—st nobisque moritur cum peccatis sic versi ad erà eutem pactuâ—â— inimus cum Sole justitiae ei nos servituros esse permittimus In the mysteries first we renounce him that is in the West and dies to us with sinne and so turning to the East we enter a covenant with the Sunne of righteousnesse and promise that will we serve him Dyonis l. de Eecles Hier. c. 2. ad occasuminversus Satanam abjurabis rursusque ad ortum te converteris Deum confiteberis being turned to the West thou shalt abjure Satan and againe converted to the East thou shalâ— acknowledge God Ambr. cap. 2. De iis qui mysteriis initiantur ad Orientem converteris qui enim renunciaâ— diabolum ad Christum convertitur illum directa ceruit obtuitu c. Thou art turned to the East for hee who renounceth the Devill is converted to Christ and beholds him withdirect looke Saint Iohn seemes to me to allude to this custome Revel 7.2 The Angell asconds from the East to meet and embrace them that looke towards him and seale them with the safe tie of the Sacrament by which Christians seale their service unto him Saint Chrysostome calls Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very word used by Saint Iohn Saint August calls it regium characterem Nazian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Saint Basil explains it to the sense of Saint Iohn Nisi signatus sit super te vultus Domini nisi characterem in te agnoscat Angelus quomodo pro te pugnabit aut ab inimic is vindicabit Nicet as â—choliastes quin per eum consignuti cujusnam Domini simâ—s agnoscimin at que aâ—â—sidiâ—s tuti conservamur Baptisme is the â—eale and the Angell brings it from the East and at 〈◊〉 day the custome is observed in the Church of 〈◊〉 by the witnesses for children that first looke in to the West and then into the East For an Altar foure arguments perswade me in the Apostles words to take it for the holy Table Heb 13.10 First it is that which Christians have for their communion in opposidon to Iewer Secondly it is such an Altar as we may be partakers of Thirdly this para king must be by earing in opposition to their eating Fourthly this eating is sacramentall and a signe of Christ exhibited as theirâ— was of Christ still to be exhibited and so the sence is the same with partakers of a Table 1. Cor. 10.21 in opposition to a Pagan Altar for the Apostle compares Table with Table and Altar with Altar and is indifferent in the appellation as the Holy Ghost is elswhere Ezek. 41.22 Mal. 17. This because it is the signe of our greatest communion with Christ is also the chiefe signe of his presence and serves to set forth the place of Majestie All men have communion with Christ in the rest of his Ordinances All may come to the word be prayed for but in this only the faithfull are admitted novices to be instructed Penitents to be absolved and Petitioners not yet admitted must all be gone when there comes the celebration of the Sacrament and only the faithfull distinguished from all the rest must draw neere to the holy Table and take from it the holy Sacrament Say not why be not the Pulpit Font Deske c. as holy as the Table you may receive a reason if you will from Gods