credit in fine he that hated his brother before must now love him as tenderly as himself What traveller is there that knowing himself to be in a contrary way and admonished that he must go back again would not return speedily Who but a fool would not consider that the longer he went forward the further he had to go back again the sooner he returned the easier would be his return the longer he went forward the more hard and difficult Why this is the case of every sinner every step he takes the further he is from God How painful then and tedious will that return be which is not speedily undertaken Nay when looking back we shall behold the infinite distance between God and us how can our heart almost but fail us and despair utterly that so long a way can ever be accomplished The Stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed time Ier. 8. 7. the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming Let the wise man be ashamed that knows not the sinner that considers not the time of his Return The second thing proper to a man's returning is to obliterate and tread out his former footing This is also required of every truly repentant sinner that wheresoever any footing remains of his former works he should tread them out for a repentant sinner must return by a line in the very path and tract of his sins Now some sins do vanish in the act and so leave no print behind them and such because they perish in the doing remain not to be undone by repentance But other sins there are which pass not away in the very doing but leave as it were a footing behind them I mean the work of the sin remains when the act is past and these works are to be undone in repentance Of this sort are sins most-what against the eighth Commandment Robbery Cousenage all ill-gotten and ill-withholden gain for in these Restitution is as it were the recalling undoing and treading out the mark of the sin committed He that hath taken a man's purse may give it him again but he that hath blasphemed cannot recal his blasphemy nor the refractary his former disobedience He that hath taken his brother's life cannot give it him again nor he that hath defamed him undo the word he hath spoken In these and such like Restitution hath no place but only God forgive me and doing the contrary hereafter But in Robbery Bribery Cousenage and all ill-gotten goods the goods we have taken from our neighbour remaining in our hand and power there is no repentance no forgiveness no returning without restoring what we have gotten Upon this I will dwell a while because I verily think that many men do not believe it but think it enough to cry God mercy but as for restoring of ought he must pardon them Surely Zaccheus the Publican had never learned this Evasion who to make good his Repentance gave half his goods unto the poor and promised fourfold Restitution of what he had gotten from any man wrongfully But if we will live by Laws and not by Examples hear the express Law of God Levit. 6. 2 c. where the Lord thus speaks unto Moses If a Soul sin in fellowship or dealing or in a thing taken away by violence or hath deceived his neighbour c. or hath found that which was lost and lieth concerning it c. Then it shall be because he hath sinned and is guilty that he shall restore what he hath taken violently or the thing that he hath gotten deceitfully c. he shall even restore the principal and adde the fifth part more thereunto in the day of his trespass-offering The day of our trespass-offering who are Christians is the day wherein we offer Christ unto his Father by a lively Faith for atonement for our sin the day of our repentance or our turning to God If the Iew 's sacrifice could not be accepted without thus doing no more shall a Christian's repentance Neither will it be enough to confess our sins and cry God mercy as we say For Numb 5. 7. where this same law is repeated Those saith the Lord which have thus sinned shall confess their sin which they have done and yet recompense his Trespass too with the principal thereof c. Yea so rigid is the Lord in exacting this that if the man himself who was thus wronged were dead and had no kinsman living yet the party offending was not so excused but was to make a recompence unto the Lord himself by giving it to his Priest as ye may see in the same place v. 8. Hence it is that the Lord Ezekiel 33. 14 15. maketh Restoring a main part of Repentance or Returning unto him If the wicked saith he turn from his sin and do what is lawful and right if he restore the pledge give again what he hath robbed then he shall surely live he shall not die If he will not do this it is easie to imagine what will follow namely that he shall surely die and not live But thou wilt say I am not able to make Restitution Why then shew thy self willing unto thy power for in this case God accepts the will for the deed But take heed thou dissemble not with him that knows thy most inward thoughts for he it is that trieth the heart and reins and nothing can be hid from him upon peril therefore of thy salvation deal truly with him that made thee for he is not as man that thou shouldst mock him or as the son of man that he should be deceived But thou wilt say I cannot do it unless I leave my wife and children to beggery Alas wilt thou venture thy own Soul to perish eternally to save thy house from beggery I must say unto thee as Peter said to Simon Magus Acts 8. 21 23. Thou hast neither part nor lot in the life to come for thy heart is not right in the sight of God Thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity thou preferrest the momentany glory of thy house before the everlasting safety of thy self Thou fool what will it profit thee to win the whole world and lose thy own soul But I shall thou wilt say in so doing proclaim mine own shame unto the whole world What then wouldst thou not be willing to undergo a greater penance than this for thy Soul's safety or how comes it to pass thou art more loth that men should know thy shame than God himself who made thee Lord how hard will it be for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven If men would think of this in their unjust dealing if they would remember this who scrape unto themselves riches by unlawful and ungodly means if those who get by extortion by cousening tricks of Law by bribery by sacrilegious Simony would think of this methinks it should make them pull back their hand For what joy and pleasure
be to be absent from the Lord and to dwell in the body will be to be present with the Lord. Ans. 1. Though death will not then be comfortable in this respect yet it may in other respects as it brings freedom from seducing which afterwards shall be incident to Gog and Magog Ans. 2. As Methuselah lived above 900 years a little before the Floud so in the Restauration of the world why may not men live a 1000 years I speak not of the Saints raised but of those that shall walk in the light of new Ierusalem Quaere 4. Christ's Kingdom shall have no end Luk. 1. 33. Dan. 7. 14. But this Kingdom of Christ shall last but a 1000 years and then Gog and Magog shall prevail so far as not only to invade all the Nations that walk in the light of new Ierusalem but even to besiege the beloved City that is new Ierusalem it self Rev. 20. Ans. 1. But not prevail over new Ierusalem but be forthwith consumed with fire and then Christ's Kingdom continuing still shall be translated from earth to Heaven Ans. 2. Christ's Kingdom shall succeed other kingdoms but no kingdom shall succeed this and in that respect it is said to be everlasting But Christ must resign his Kingdom to his Father that God may be all in all 1. Cor. 15. Quaere 5. Christ's coming is not till the restoring of all things Acts 3. 21. But the restoring of all things followeth after the consumption of Gog and Magog Rev. 20. 11. and Rev. 21. 1. Ergò Christ's coming shall not be till after Gog and Magog's ruine Ergò not a 1000 years before Ans. It is said that before his face that sate upon the throne heaven and earth fled away c. But it is not said that then it began to fly away to wit after the destruction of Gog and Magog Quaere 6. 'T is very strange that Gog and Magog should adventure to besiege new Ierusalem the Devil and his Angels might as well adventure to besiege Heaven Answ. True if Gog and Magog knew the condition of new Ierusalem so well as the Devil and his Angels know the condition of Heaven Quaere 7. Shall all that oppose Christ's truth be consumed with fire at that day Consider Paul opposed the Gospel for a while yet was a chosen vessel of God and many that do not oppose may yet be reprobates Ans. 1. Yet at that day all such to whom the Lord coming in a flaming fire shall render vengeance for not obeying the Gospel of Christ Iesus 2 Thess. 1. 8. shall be none of God's Elect. Ans. 2. But some of God's Elect perhaps may be converted that very day Quaere 8. What shall become of Infants found alive at that day not only of God's children but of others also Ans. 1. If consumed in the same fire with their ungodly parents this will be no more strange than that which fell out in the conflagration of Sodom and Gomorrah Ans. 2. Yet they may be of the number of those that escape if so it please God and hereunto to wit that it should so please God I should rather incline Quaere 9. From heaven we look for a Saviour that shall transform our vile bodies and make them like unto his glorius body Phil. 3. ult Ergò at Christ's coming all the Saints that remain alive shall be so transformed Ans. So they shall before that Day of Iudgment ends for it continueth a 1000 years Quaere 10. They that then are found alive shall be caught up in the air and ever be with the Lord I mean the godly But if there shall be a 1000 years reign on earth what need they be caught up in the air and how ever be with the Lord from thenceforth if they and their posterity after them continue for the space of a 1000 years subject to mortality These were his Ten Quaere's and Answers unto Nine of them with which Contemplations he wrote his heart serv'd him not to acquaint you or to intreat your judgment in the way of correction or confirmation and addition but left it unto me The Father of lights illuminate our hearts with all saving light to his Glory the good of his people and our own comforts in Christ Iesus So I rest 6. Ian. 1629. Yours ever Sam. Meddus EPISTLE XXII Mr. Mede's Answer to the Tenth Quaere about the 1000 years Regnum Sanctorum SIR BY reason of this late indisposition I was not fit for any matter of study till yesterday howsoever I considered than Dr. T. his Answers to the Objections and applaud them finding through them all a right and dexterous apprehension of the thing questioned which many are very uncapable to conceive But because he leaves the last unanswered I suppose it was tacitely reserved to me for Tithe himself having answered Nine I will therefore as well as I can propound what I had before conceived might be answered to such an Objection wherein you shall also perceive in part wherein I differ from the Lutheran 1. Therefore It is not needful that the Resurrection of those which slept in Christ and the Rapture of those which shall be left alive together with them into the Aire should be at one and the same time For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first and then or afterwards may admit a great distance of time as 1 Cor. 15. 23. Every one or all mankind shall rise in their order Christ the first-fruits that is first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afterwards notes a distance of time of above a thousand and a half of years as we find by experience Suppose therefore this Rapture of the Saints into the Aire be to translate them to Heaven yet it might be construed thus The dead in Christ that is for Christ namely the Martyrs shall rise first afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. a thousand years after we which are alive and remain shall together with them be caught up in the clouds and meet the Lord in the Aire and so from thenceforth we shall ever be with the Lord. Thus Tertullian seems to understand it who interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it is in ver 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Martyrs namely such as die propter Christum for Christ by means of Christ through Christ for Christ's sake taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as noting the cause or means of their death So Piscator expounds the like speech Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est propter Dominum for the Lord Beza qui Domini causâ moriuntur which die for the Lord's sake 2. If thus to restrain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seem not so fully to answer the Apostle's scope and intention which seems to be a general consolation to all that die in the faith a fruition
the Sacrifice of Messiah which these Sacrifices represented was to be finished the third day by his rising from the dead ◠and therefore the Type thereof determined within that time beyond which time it was not accepted for atonement of sin because then it was no longer a Type of him Thus far the Law As for the Prophets I find no express Prediction in them for the time of Christ's rising For that of the case of the Prophet Ionah I take to be rather an Allusion than a Prophecy only in general That Christ should rise again is implied both in that famous Prophecy of Esay the 53. and that of Zachary 12. In the former forasmuch as it is said that after he had made his soul a sacrifice for sin he should see his seed and prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand And again that the Lord should divide him a portion with the great and that he should divide the spoil with the strong because he had poured out his soul unto death Which argues that he should not only live again but be victorious after he had died In that of Zachary it is said the Iews should look upon or see him whom they had formerly pierced and that in that day he would pour upon them the spirit of grace and supplication therefore he was to live again after they had pierced him I come to the Psalms where not only his Rising again is prophesied of but the Time thereof determined though at first sight it appears not so namely in that fore-alledged passage of the sixteenth Psalm Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell nor suffer thine Holy One to see corruption All men shall rise again but their bodies must first return to dust and see corruption But Messiah was to rise again before he saw corruption If before then the third day at farthest for then the Body naturally begins to see corruption This may be gathered by the story of Lazarus in the Gospel where Iesus commanding the stone to be rolled from his Grave Martha his sister answered Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four days Also by that Rule given by the Masters of Physick That those who die of the Apoplexie suffocation of the Mother or like sudden deaths should not be buried till seventy two hours were past because within that time they might revive and Examples are given of those who have done so They give also a reason of it in nature Because say they in that time the Humors of the Body make their revolution the Phlegm in one day or twenty four hours the Choler in two days or forty eight hours the Melancholy in three days which is seventy two hours and this to be the reason why an Ague founded in an inflammation of Phlegm returns every day an Ague which comes from Choler every other day an Ague from Melancholy every third day Now if a Body may be kept so long unburied it is supposed it may continue so long uncorrupted namely where a corruption is not begun before death as in some diseases but longer it will not continue When therefore it is so often inculcated in the New Testament that our Saviour should rise again the third day the Holy Ghost in so speaking respects not so much the number of days as the fulfilling of Scripture That Messiah's body should not see corruption but should rise before the time wherein dead bodies begin to corrupt and indeed our Saviour rose again within forty hours after he gave up the Ghost and was not two full days in the grave Therefore if there be any other Scripture which implies Messiah should rise before his Body should see corruption that Scripture whatsoever it be shews he should rise again within three days DISCOURSE XIV EXODUS 4. 25. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the fore-skin of her Son and cast it at his feet and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sponsus sanguinum tu mihi es THEN that is when she saw the Angel of the Lord ready to kill Moses her husband in the Inne because his son was not circumcised she took a sharp stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is she took a knife which according to the custom then was made of stone sharped This we may learn out of Ioshuah 5. 2. where the Lord says to Ioshuah Make thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sharp knives say we according to the Hebrew knives of stones and circumcise again the children of Israel The Chaldee Paraphrast hath Make thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sharp rasors the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stone-knives Thus far all is clear but for the rest we are to seek First on whom the fault lay and what was the reason of this omission of Circumcision then who and what is meant when it is said she cast or made the fore-skin to touch his feet and above all what is meant by Sponsus sanguinum Zipporah is commonly reputed to have been a perverse and froward woman and Moses the meekest man on earth to have had that mishap in his choice which many a good man hath The reason because she not only hindred her child from being circumcised out of some nicety and aversation thereof as a cruel Ceremony but also when she saw there was no remedy but she must do it to save her husband's life yet she did it with an upbraiding indignation telling him that he was a bloudy husband who must have such a thing done unto his poor child But I see no ground either for the one or the other For that the Circumcision of the child was not deferred out of any aversation of hers of that Ceremony may be gathered First because she was a Midianitesse and so a daughter of Abraham by Keturah and therefore well enough acquainted with and inured to that Rite which not only her Nation the Midianites but all the Nations descended of Abraham observed as may be seen in the Ismaelites or Saracens who learned not this Ceremony first from Mahomet but retained it as an ancient custom of their Nation Secondly She had suffered already her elder son Gershom to be circumcised wherefore then should we think she was a verse from the circumcision of this For that this child for whom Moses was now in danger was Eliezer his youngest son it cannot be denied forasmuch as it is evident that Moses at this time was the Father of two sons which by reason as may seem of this disturbance he sent back with his wife unto her Father Iethro as we may read in the 18. Chapter of this Book By which it may be gathered that the cause of this omission of Circumcision was not any averseness in Zipporah from that Rite but rather because they were in their journey when the child was born and so having no convenient time or place to rest in till the wound might be healed and thinking it
nature indifferent the case is otherwise necessity there dispenseth as it did with David in eating of the Shew-bread For the eating of that Bread more than other was not of it self unlawful but only for ceremony sake But Injustice is always Injustice and such a one among other sins is Theft when we take that from another which is his and by no right is ours It is therefore a preposterous plea which Poor men are wont to use therewith to excuse themselves 1. What would you say they have us do the world hath forsaken us we have no friend to help us Alas have men forsaken you and will you make God forsake you too Will no body help you and will you make your selves uncapable of God's help too This is not the way to ease your cross but to procure a curse and to draw a great misery upon your heads Nay if you had not used these unlawful courses but had recourse to God your heavenly Father and trusted upon him who clotheth the grass and lilies of the field he would have provided for you but now you shut the gates of his blessing and mercy against your selves 2. Yea but I am a poor man and he from whom I have taken it is well able to spare it it will do him no harm and me good But who made thee a divider of other mens goods Thou must not look only whether he can spare it but by what means thou comest by it 3. But it is a small thing The more base and abject sinner thou who wilt corrupt thy conscience for such a trifle Take heed he that will serve the Devil for so small advantage if the Devil once mend his wages it is ten to one but he will mend his work This is the first Observation and if we mark it well here will be ground and roomth for another For if it be a sin for a Poor man to steal in his want from those that have enough how much more hainous is it for a Rich man to rob the poor as many do by fraud oppression detaâ—ning the hire of the labourer and the like The poor man's need is a strong temptation to make him steal therefore Agur makes Theft the poor man's danger and not the rich Lest I be poor saith he and steal not Lest I be rich and steal for why should the rich man steal he hath no need as we say he hath no direct temptation thereto as the poor man hath and therefore his sin is the greater And indeed there can be no other reason of his Theft but the rich man's malady He hath forgotten God and saith Who is the Lord and then no marvel if he be ready for any sin The hainousneâ—s and unreasonableness of this Sin may appear by that parable of Nathan wherewith David was so much incensed and convinced 2 Sam. 12. 1 c. There were two men in one city saith he the one rich the other poor The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds But the poor man had nothing save one little ewe-lamb which he had bought and nourished up And there came a traveller unto the rich man and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd to dress for the way-faring man that was come unto him but took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man that was come to him And David's anger saith the Text was greatly kindled against the man and he said to Nathan as the Lord liveth the man that hath done this thing shall surely die and he shall restore the Lamb fourfold because he did this thing and because he had no pity Hence in Scripture for the rich to spoil the poor is accounted a crying sin which kind of sins are in a degree above the ordinary rank of sins viz. such as call for some visible and remarkable judgment upon the head of the committers Iudge of the rest by that which S. Iames saith of one kind of robbing the poor by detaining their wages Little know some men who out of a kind of pride in their own might and contempt of the poor as scorning to acknowledge themselves obliged to them for their service commit this sin little consider they how grievously they offend Behold saith S. Iames. ch 5. 4. the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields which is of you kept back by fraud crieth and the cries of them which have reaped are entred into the ears of the Lord of Sabaâ—th To conclude this observation Men do not despise a thief saith Solomon Prov. 6. 30. if he steal to satisfie his soul when he is hungry yet if he be found he shall restore seven-fold If the poor man's theft be punished seven-fold amongst men sure with God the rich man's shall be punished seventy times seven-fold My third Observation shall be That we must avoid the occasions of sin as well as sin it self Agur prayes not that he might not steal c. but that God would keep him out of that condition which might occasion him to commit those sins This might have been observed from the other part of Agur's reason as well as from this for there he desired God to keep him from that Fulness which might occasion him to deny and forget God but I chose rather to defer it hither Opportunity we say makes a thief It is as true in the general That occasion is a snare whereby a man becomes a prey unto sin Eve by talking with the Serpent was at length caught to eat of the forbidden fruit David by seeing Bathsheba washing her self was tempted to commit adultery with her Peter by intruding himself into the high Priest's Hall out of too much confidence in his own strength came to deny his Master For this cause God commanded his people in the Law not only that they should worship no Idol but that they should demolish all the Monuments of them that they should make no covenant nor affinity with those who worshipped them and all lest they might be drawn by these occasions to commit idolatry with them If this be so we may see hence how much they deceive themselves who think it makes no matter what company they keep or what places they come in they will look to themselves forsooth and mean not to be corrupted but only to observe the fashions either to satisfie their curiosity or as some will pretend for the greater loathing of such abhorred courses This is a dangerous principle to play with the flames as the fly doth If thou wouldst avoid the Sin avoid the Occasion also And let me add one thing more Several sins have their several occasions and their proper gins but Evil company is the Devil's Magazine wherein are contained all Occasions of all sins Now I come to the fourth and last Observation which I gather from the last words of Agur's Reason That the commission of one sin makes way to another Agur thought if he were
Psal. 37. 21. but the Righteous sheweth mercy and giveth and vers 25 Yet have I not seen the Righteous forsaken p. 80 Psal. 40. 6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou bored c. p. 896 Psal. 44. 16. By reason of the Enemy and Avenger all this is come upon us p. 38 Psal. 50. 14 Offer unto God praise and pay thy Vows unto the most High p. 284 Vers. 16. Vnto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes and take my Covenant in thy mouth p. 371 Psal. 51. 16 17. Thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-offering The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit c. p. 353 Psal. 68. 9 10. Thou O God didst send a plentiful rain whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Animalia tua dwelt therein p. 438 594 Psal. 74. 7 8. They have cast fire into thy Sanctuary They have burnt up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the land p. 69 Psal. 89. 18. The Holy one of Israel is our King p. 8 Psal. 104. 4. He maketh his Angels Spirits his ministers a flaming fire p. 28 Vers. 19. He appointeth the Moon for seasons p. 492 Psal. 110. 3. Thy people in the day of thy power shall be a people of free presents p. 115 Psal. 112. 6 The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance p. 80 Psal. 116. 13. I will take the cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. p. 380 Psal. 132. 7. We will go into his Tabernacle we will worship towards his Footstool p. 393 Psal. 138. 1 â— Before the Gods will I sing praise unto thee I will worship towards thy holy Temple p. 394 PROVERBS Chap. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life p. 199. Chap. 8. 10. Receive my instruction and not silver p. 352 Chap. 11. 4. Righteousness delivereth from death p. 81 Chap. 15. 11. Hell and destruction are before the Lord. p. 32 Chap. 21. 16. The man that wandreth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the Congregation of the dead p. 31 Chap. 30. 8 9. Give me neither Poverty nor Riches feed me with food convenient for me Lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain p. 124 ECCLESIASTES Chap. 5. 1. Look to thy foot when thou comest to the House of God and be more ready to obey than to offer the Sacrifice of fools p. 340 Vers 4. 5 6. When thou Vowest a Vow defer not to pay it c. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou before the Angel It was an error p. 345 Vers. 14. he begâ—tâ—eth a Son and there is nothing in his hand pag. 119 CANTICLES Chap. 7. 10. I am my beloved's and his desire is towards me p. 668 ESAY Chap. 2. 2. And it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the tâ—p of the mountains c. and all Nations shall flow unto it p. 135 Chap. 4. 1. Only let thy name be called upon us to take away our reproach p. 5 Chap. 6. 1. I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his Train filled the Temple p. 344 Chap. 7. 14. and shall call his name Emmanuel p. 465 Chap. 8. 12 13. Fear ye not their Fear neither dread ye it Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your Fear and let him be your Dread p. 9 Chap. 9. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quoniam non est obscuratio ei qui angustiae est ipsi p. 457 Vers. 1 2 3. As the first time he made vile or debased the land of Zebulâ—n and the land of Naphtali so in the latter time he shall make it glorious The way of the Sea by Iordan Galilce of the Gentiles the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light c. Thou hast multiplied the Nation and encreased the joy thereof p. 101 457 Vers. 6. And his name shall be called Wonderful Counseller The mighty God c. p. 465 Chap. 11. 15. And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the AEgyptian Sea c. p. 529 Chap. 17. 7. to the Holy one of Israel p. 8 Chap. 19. 5. And the waters shall fail from the Sea p. 463 Chap. 24. 23. The Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Sion p. 448 Chap. 26. 19. Thy dead men shall live my dead bodies shall arise p. 578 Chap. 30. 31 33. Through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down For Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstanc doth kindle it p. 31 Chap. 40. 15. He taketh up the Isles as a very little thing p. 273 Chap. 42. 4. The Isles shall wait for this Law Ibid. Chap. 45. 14. The labour of Egypt and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans c. p. 578 Vers. 20. Assemble your selves and come draw near together ye that are escaped of the Nations p. 915 Chap. 51. 15 16. I am the Lord thy God that divided the Sea whose waves roared And I put my words in thy mouth and covered thee in the shadow of my hand that I might plant the Heavens and lay the Foundation of the Earth and say unto Sion Thou art my people p. 616 448 Chap. 53. 1 2. Who hath believed our report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed For he shall grow as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground p. 38 Chap. 55. 7. Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him p. 206 Chap. 66. 19. I will send those that escape of them unto the Nations and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles p. 915 Vers. 23. From one New-Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me p. 841 IEREMY Chap. 2. 10. Poss over to the Isles of Chittim p. 273 Vers. 11. my people have changed their Glory p. 5 Chap. 8. 20. The harvest is past the summer is ended and we are not saved p. 520 Chap. 10. 11. Thus shall ye say unto them The Gods that made not the Heavens and the Earth even they shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens p. 187 Chap. 34. 18 19. And I will give the man which have not performed the words of the Covenant which they had made before me when they cut the â—alf in twain and passed between the parts thereof I will give them into the hand of
Verse 25. Vntil the fulness of the Gentiles be come in p. 197 Chap. 16. 5. Salute the Church at their house p. 324 I CORINTHIANS Chap. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ p. 25 Chap. 8. 5 6. Though there be that are called Gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be Gods many and Lords many Yet to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we to him and but one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him p. 628 Chap. 9. 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel p. 77 Verse 23. This I do for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I might be partaker thereof with you p. 79 Chap. 10. 3 4. And they did all â—at the same spiritual meâ—t and did all drink the same spiritual drink For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. p. 245 Vers. 5. But with many of them God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness p. 255 Vers. 20. The things which the Gentiles Sacrifice they sacrifice to Daemons and not to God Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the Cup of Daemons p. 636 Vers. 21. Ye cannot be partakers of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils p. 375 Vers. 31. whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God p. 171 Chap. 11. 5. Every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head p. 58 Vers. 10. For this cause ought the woman to have a covering on her head because of the Angels p. 345 346 Vers. 16. But if any man seem to be contentious we have no such custome nor the Churches of God p. 61 Vers. 22. Have ye not houses to eat and drink in or despise ye the Church of God p. 319 Vers. 29. not differencing the Lord's body p. 8 Chap. 13. 5. Charity seekâ—th not her own p. 177 Chap. 15. 23. But every man in his own order Christ the first-fruits afterward they that are Christ's at his coming p. 775 802 Chap. 16. 19. See Romans 16. 5 EPHESIANS Chap. â— 2. the Prince of the power of the Aire p. 23 24 Vers. 8 9 10. By grace ye are saved through faith not of works lest any man should boast For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them p. 112 215 Vers. 14. and hath broken down the partition wall between us p. 20 COLOSSIANS Chap. 2. 8 9. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godbeaa bodily and ye are complete in him p. 628 Chap. 4. 15. See Romans 16. 5. I THESSALONIANS Chap. 4. 16. The dead in Christ shall rise first p. 519 Vers. 17 18. Afterwards we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so we shall ever be with the Lord. p. 775 776 II THESSALONIANS Chap. 2. 3. Vnless that Apostasie come first p. 625 Vers. 7. Only he who now letteth will lett until he be taken out of the way p. 656 Vers. 8. that wicked one whom the Lord shall destroy at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his coming p. 763 I TIMOTHY Chap. 4. 1. Howbeit the Spirit speaketh expresly That in the latter times some shall revolt from the Faith attending to erroneous Spirits and Doctrines of Daemons p. 623 Vers. 2. Through the hypocrisie or feigning of Liers having their conscience seared p. 675 Vers. 3. Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats p. 688 Chap. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the word and doctrine p. 70 Vers. 21. elect Angels p. 42 Chap. 6. 19. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation p. 82 II TIMOTHY Chap. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal The Lord knoweth them that are his And Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity p. 82 TITUS Chap. 3. 5. By the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost p. 62 PHILEMON Vers. 1 2. To Philemon odr dearly-beloved and fellow-labourer And to Apphia our beloved and Archippus our fellow-souldier and to the Church at thy house p. 324 HEBREWS Chap. 1. 6. And when he bringeth again the first-begotten into the world p. 577 Chap. 2. 5. For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the World to come whereof we speak p. 577 Chap. 9. 5. the Cherubims of glory p. 345 Vers. 29. in the end of ages p. 655 Chap. 10. 5. a Body hast thou prepared me p. 897 Vers. 25. as ye see the Day approching p. 664 Vers. 29. and hath counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified a common thing p. 7 Vers. 37. For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry p. 664 Chap. 11. 16. But now they desire a better countrey that is an heavenly p. 801 Chap. 12. 27. This Yet once more signifies the removing of things that are shaken p. 166 IAMES Chap. 5. 3. Ye have heaped up goods for the last daies p. 664 Vers. 7 8. the coming of the Lord. p. 708 I PETER Chap. 3. 14 15. Fear ye not their Fear nor be in dread thereof But sanctifie the Lord God in your heart p. 9 Chap. 4. 7. The end of all approcheth Be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer p. 664 Chap. 5. 13. The Church that is at Babylon saluteth you p. 76 II PETER Chap. 2. 1. But there were false Prophets among the People even aâ— there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them p. 238 Vers. 4. For if God spared not the Angels which sinned but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto Iudgment p. 23 Vers. 6. making them an Ensample unto those that after should live ungodly p. 33 Chap. 3. from vers 3. to Vers. 16. p. 609 c. I IOHN Chap. 1. 9. he is faithful and just to forgive p. 175 Chap. 2. 3. Hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandments p. 303 Vers. 18. Antichrist many Antichrists Chap. 4. 3. 2 Ep. Vers. 7 p. 663 900 IUDE Vers. 6. See 2 Peter 2. 4. Vers. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 914 Vers. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 344 APOCALYPS Besides several whole Chapters and parts of Chapters of the Apocalyps explained from pag. 419. to p. 605. and from pag. 905 to the end there are several passages explained
before they knew of it as to Mr. Boys Mr. Fuller c. And I can never forget with what a Gusto that Brave Sir William Boswell was wont to relate this among the infinite more observable Passages in the Happy Reign of Q. Elizabeth That she gave a strict Charge and Command to both the Chancellors of both Her Vniversities to bring Her a Iust True and Imparâ—ial List of all the Eminent and Hopeful Students that were Graduates in each Vniversity to set down punctually their Names their Colledges their Standings their Faculties wherein they did eminere or were likely so to do Therein Her Majesty was exactly obeyed the Chancellors durst not do otherwise and the use She made of it was That if She had an Ambassador to send abroad then She of Her self would nominate such a Man of such an House to be his Chaplain and another of another House to be his Secretary c. When She had any places to dispose of fit for Persons of an Academical Education She would Her self consign such Persons as She judged to be pares Negoâ—iis Sir William had gotten the very individual Papers wherein these Names were listed and marked with the Queen 's own hand which he carefully laid up among his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now as Sir William pursued this could not be long concealed from the young Students and then it is easie to be imagined or rather it is not to be imagined how this Consideration that their Sovereign's Eye was upon them and so Propitious upon the Deserving among them how this I say would switch and spur on their Industries I end these Additionals to Mr. Mede's Character with that plain ordinary Vote wherein yet I believe I shall have very many joyn with me Sic mihi contingat vivere sicque mori God grant we may all in some proportion live as humbly as faithfully as fruitfully and Christianly and then die as peaceably and comfortably as he did Amen THE END If any one should scruple my Fidelity in relating some speeches of Mr. Mede's because spoken so many years since he may please to satisfie himself with this That it was my Custom presently when I went from Mr. Mede's Chamber to set down in writing what I conceived observable which writings I have yet by me and consulted with them in these my Narratives DIATRIBAE THE FIRST BOOK OF THE WORKS OF The Pious and Profoundly-Learned Ioseph Mede B.D. SOMETIME Fellow of CHRIST'S Colledge in CAMBRIDGE Containing as many DISCOURSES On Several Texts of SCRIPTURE as there are Sundays in the Year Corrected and Enlarged according to the Author 's own Manuscripts August de Doctr. Christ. l. 2. c. 6. in Psal. 140. Praefat. Spiritus Sanctus magnificè ac salubriter ità Scripturas modificavit ut locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem fastidium detergeret Si nusquam aperta esset Scriptura non te pasceret Si nusquam occulta non te exerceret THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST BOOK DISCOURSE 1. â— Page 1 S. Matthew 6. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thus therefore pray ye Our Father c. DISC. II. pag. 4 S. Matthew 6. 9. S. Luke 11. 2. Sanctificetur Nomentuum Sanctified or Hallowed be thy Name DISC. III. pag. 19 Acts 17. 4. There associated themselves to Paul and Silas of the worshipping Greeks a great multitude DISC. IV. pag. 23 2 Peter 2. 4. For if God spared not the Angels which sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ... but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto Iudgment c. so we translate it To which of S. Peter answers that of S. Iude as almost that whole Epistle doth to this vers 6. And the Angels which kept not their first estate or principality but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the Iudgment of the great Day DISC. V. pag. 25 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God DISC. VI. pag. 28 S. Iohn 10. 20. He hath a Devil and is mad DISC. VII pag. 31 Proverbs 21. 16. The man that wandreth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the Congregation of the Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in coetu Gigantum DISC. VIII pag. 34 Genesis 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Iudab nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill SHILOH come and unto him shall the gathering of the People be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DISC. IX pag. 36 Psalm 8. 2. Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained strength â— because of thine Enemies that thou mightest quell the Enemy and the Avenger DISC. X. pag. 40 Zachariah 4. 10. These Seven are the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth DISC. XI pag. 44 S. Mark 11. 17. Is it not written My House shall be called a House of Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all the Nations DISC. XII pag. 46 S. Iohn 4. 23. But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him DISC. XIII pag. 49. S. Luke 24. 45. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures 46. And said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day DISC. XIV pag. 52. Exodus 4. 25. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the fore-skin of her son and cast it at his feet and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sponsus sanguinum tu mihi es DISC. XV. pag. 55. Ezekiel 20. 20. Hallow my Sabbaths and they shall be a sign between me and you to acknowledge that I Iehovah am your God DISC. XVI pag. 58. 1 Cor. 11. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head DISC. XVII pag. 62. Titus 3. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost DISC. XVIII pag. 65. Ioshua 24. 26. And Ioshua took a great stone and set it up there viz. in Sichem under the Oak which was in the Sanctuary of the Lord Alii by the Sanctuary Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DISC. XIX pag. 70. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double Honour especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine DISC. XX. pag. 74. Acts 2. 5. And there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sojourning at Ierusalem Iews devout men out of every Nation under Heaven DISC. XXI pag. 77. 1. Cor. 9. 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DISC. XXII pag. 80. Psalm 112. 6. The Righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance DISC. XXIII pag. 84. S. Matthew 10. 41.
these words ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any hath a Devil or is mad let him not be made a Clergy-man nor let him be admitted to pray with the faithful another of Timotheus sometime Patriarch of Alexandria speaking thus ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any of the faithful be a Daemoniack he ought to partake of the holy Mysteries To reconcile these I say they affirm the former which admits them not to be meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him that is continually and always mad namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. lest one so affected should either by some indecent actions and foul miscarriages of his own or by his daemoniacal clamours disturb the people of God and the Church-service but that of Timotheus that admits them to be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him that is mad but by fits and hath his Lucida intervalla And thus I have acquainted you with what I have observed to confirm me in this opinion and make no doubt but there are more passages yet to be found this way than I have met with DISCOURSE VII PROVERBS 21. 16. The man that wandreth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the Congregation of the Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in coetu Gigantum IT is a question sometimes moved amongst Divines and worth resolving How and by what name the Place and condition of the damned which in the Gospel is called Gehenna was termed or expressed in the Old Testament before the Captivity of Babylon and whilst the first Temple stood For presently after the Return the afore-mentioned name Gehenna began to be frequented as appears both by the second of Esdras the Chaldee Paraphrast and other Iewish writings where that name is often found as also by the Gospel where our Saviour useth it as then vulgarly known amongst the Iews But it is as certain that before the Captivity or second Temple for so the Iews call the time of their state after their return this name was not in use both because it is no where to be found in the Canonical Scriptures of the Old Testament which were all written within that time and especially because the ground and occasion thereof was not till about that time in being which was the pollution of the valley of the sons of Hinnom or Tophet by King Iosiah and the dreadful execution of divine vengeance in that Place Hence it became to posterity to be a Name of execration and applied to signifie the Place of eternal punishment For this valley of Hinnom Gehinnom or as afterward they pronounced it Gehenna was a valley near Ierusalem in a place whereof called Tophet the Children of Israel committed that abominable Idolatry in making their Children pass through the fire to Moloch that is burnt them to the Devil For an eternal detestation whereof King Iosiah polluted it and made it a place execrable ordaining it to be the place whither dead Carkasses Garbage and other unclean things should be cast out for consuming whereof to prevent annoiance a continual fire was there burning Yea not man only but the Lord himself as it were consecrated this place to be a place of execration by making it the field of his vengeance both before and after For first this was the place where the Angel of the Lord destroied the host of Sennacherib King of Assyria and where one hundred and eighty thousand of their Carkasses were burnt according to that Esay 30. 31. Through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down V. 33. For Tophet this was a place I told you in the valley of Hinnom is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it This was also the place where the Idolatrous Iews were slain and massacred by the Babylonian armies when their City was taken and their Carkasses left for want of room for burial for meat to the fowls of heaven and beasts of the field according to the word of the Lord by the Prophet Ieremy in his seventh and nineteenth Chapters The Children of Iudah have built the high places of Tophet which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire which I commanded them not neither came it into my heart Therefore behold the daies come saith the Lord that it shall be no more called Tophet nor the valley of the son of Hinnom but the valley of slaughter For they shall bury in Tophet till there be no place And the carkasses of this people shall be meat for the fowls of heaven and the beasts of the field and none shall fray them away Hence as I said this place being so many wayes execrable for what had been done therein especially having been as it were the gate to eternal destruction by so remarkable judgments and vengeance of God there executed for sin it came to be translated to signifie the Place of the damned as the most accursed execrable and abominable place of all places the invisible valley of Hinnom For such was the property of the Iewish Language to give denominations unto things unseen from such analogical and borrowed expressions of things visible By all which it is apparent that this notion of that name took its beginning after the Captivity and was not in use before Still therefore we are left to seek by what other name and under what other notion this place of the damned was expressed before the word Gehenna or Gehinnom came to be used I answer out of my Text it seems to have been called Domus or Coetus Gigantum Vir qui erraverit à via intelligentiae in Coetu Gigantum commorabitur The man that wandreth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the Giants in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Coetu Rephaim which word Rephaim properly signifies Giants and to that sense is alwayes rendred by the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though we and the later Interpreters both in this and some other places take it for manes or mortui the Souls of the deceased but the ancient I think deserve the more credit especially it being confessed that the word elsewhere so signifies In Coetu Gigantum therefore that is of those Giants and Rebels against God of whom we read Gen. 6. those mighty men and men of renown of the old World whose wickedness was so great in the earth that it repented and grieved God he had made man and to take vengeance upon whom he brought the general Deluge upon the earth and destroyed both man and beast from the face thereof Vir qui erraverit à via doctrinae intelligentiae The man that wandreth out of the way of understanding shall go and keep them
inhabited are Romans Except some of you hope for help from beyond Euphrates thinking that your Countrymen in Adiabene will help you He goes on But they are more wise than to engage themselves rashly in so dangerous a war Nor would the Parthians suffer it if they should be so unwise as to appear in such a quarrel Mark then that they were under the dominion of the Parthians Iosephus himself testifieth as much in his Prologue to his De Bello Iudaico where he informs us that that History of his he had first penned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own Country language for the use of those of his Nation in the East which he thought good also to publish in Greek for the better information of the Greeks and Romans concerning the true gests of that war 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For I could not saith he but judge it to be very unbecoming and no way commendable for me to take all that pains only for the Parthians Babylonians and the remotest Arabians as also those of our Nation inhabiting beyond Euphrates together with those of Adiabene that these through my writings should be made acquainted with the true account of both the rise and end as also the main occurrences and chief events of that War and to take no care at all to inform and undeceive the Grecians and such of the Romans as were not in the War who being abused by the false reports or the flatteries of others know very little of the true story of these affairs Observe here the rehearsal of his Nation Parthians Babylonians Arabians the Mesopotamian Iews or those beyond Euphrates and those oâ— Adiabene Besides he tells us in the same place That the Iews believed that all those of their Nation even those who dwelt beyond Euphrates would have joyn'd with them in their rebellion against the Romans Besides these two Captivities by Salmanassar and Nebuchadnezzar the first whereof never returned again into their own Land and the second but in part there happened a third Captivity and Dispersion in the days of Ptolemaeus Lagi one of the Greek Kings reigning in Egypt who surprising the City of Ierusalem carried many of the People of the Country of the off-spring of those who returned from Babylon Captives into Egypt planting them at Alexandria and the places thereabouts whom many others followed of their own accord partly allured by the King's favour who gave them equal priviledges with those of Alexandria and partly by the fertility of the Country so that this Colony became a very great one These were called Hellenists because they spake the Greek tongue and used the Translation of the Septuagint which was made in Egypt in their Synagogues Of these three principal Dispersions came those lesser scatterings in all parts of the Roman Empire and elsewhere From that of Babylon and Mesopotamia was spread that of Pontus Gallatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia to which S. Peter as an Apostle of the Circumcision writes his two Epistles which may be gathered because in his first Epistle he salutes them from Babylon which was their Metropolis The Church saith he at Babylon elâ—cted together with you saluteth you that is the Church of the Circumcision there From those of Alexandria and Egypt were derived those plantations in Libya and Cyrene and all other Hellenists whatsoever in several parts of the Roman Empire Add to these that many of those of Iudaea it self that could not live well at home upon some occasion or other either alluring them or constraining them seated themselves abroad among the Gentiles and in their Cities being together with themselves under the same Dominion of the Romane Empire Insomuch that King Agrippa in that fore-mentioned Oration of his before that last siege disswading them of Iudaea from rebelling against the Romans in regard of the evil they might bring thereby not upon themselves only but upon their whole Nation wheresoever living among the Gentiles sticks not to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there is no people in the whole world which hath not some part of ours dwelling amongst them Marvel not therefore that S. Luke says in my Text Iews of every Nation under Heaven All this is confirmed out of the New Testament it self forasmuch as before the last Captivity by Titus which was not till almost forty years after our Saviour's Ascension and whilst their Commonwealth in the holy Land was yet standing we read that almost in every City of the Gentiles whither the Apostles came to preach the Gospel they found Iews with their Synagogues in them To which add that S. Iames directs his Epistle To the twelve Tribes scattered abroad or as the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— as I have also before noted that S. Peter doth his unto the Dispersion of Asia This is that I had to speak for the illustration of this Story and Text out of which besides the right understanding of Scripture whereto it conduceth you may observe these four things First The wisdom and providence of Almighty God in so ordering the first publication of the Gospel that the same thereof and of that convincing Miracle which gave authority thereunto might be carried unto all Nations by so many both ear and eye-witnesses of the same as those Iews were Secondly A probable reason why the Apostles were so ignorant at the first as they seem to have been that the Gospel was to be preached unto the Gentiles notwithstanding our Saviour's Commission unto them Go preach this Gospel unto all Nations For it may be they thought this Command might be satisfied in preaching the Gospel to those of the Circumcision only which were of every Nation under Heaven Thirdly The Elogium here given to those who made conscience as we speak or Religion to come unto the House of God to worship they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so saith my Text There were sojourning in Ierusalem Iews devout men c. For there appears no other respect why they are so called but because they came so long a journey to worship God in his House or Temple at Ierusalem Fourthly The blessed opportunities and means for Salvation which they meet with which come thither to worship For had those Iews staid at home as the rest of their brethren did they had not been partakers of such a blessing nor witnesses of so wonderful a Miracle for confirmation of their faith as now they were DISCOURSE XXI I COR. 9. 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MY purpose in chusing this Text is not to make the maintenance of the Ministery under the Gospel the direct aim of my Discourse but only to enquire what is meant by the last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which that we may the more readily and certainly find let us examine and consider a little of the Protasis whereof the words I have now read
are the Apodosis Know ye not saith the Apostle that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that minister about holy things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do eat of the holy thing or as we turn it of the things of the Temple and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they which wait at the Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are fellow-sharers with the Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who were imployed about holy things are the Levites who lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the holy thing or if you had rather it should be a Substantive of the Temple that is of that which belonged thereto namely of the Tithes which belonged to the Temple but were no offering of the Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they who did incumbere or assidere altari wait at the Altar were the Priests whose proper office it was to offer sacrifices thereon and had part of the same for their proper maintenance as the breast and right shoulder before it was burnt and after so much as was reserved from burning so they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks they were fellow-sharers with the Altar the Altar having one part of the Offering they another Thus you see the Apostle in both sutes the maintenance with the Office The Office of the Levites was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be imployed about holy things their maintenance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy thing or the revenue of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they eat of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Office of the Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wait at the Altar their maintenance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to share with the Altar Now then must not the Apodosis answer the Protasis what manner of similitude what analogy will there be else Ergo as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preach the Gospel is the Office of the Ministers of the Gospel so is their maintenance noted by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those therefore who so interpret these words as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last place were taken in no other sense than it was in the first namely to note the Function or Calling of the Ministers as if the sense were no other but that the Ministers of the Gospel whose Calling it is to preach the Gospel should get their living by their Calling of preaching the Gospel make S. Paul the Author of a lame and inconsequent Similitude whose Apodosis answers not unto his Protasis For what a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what an Even so or analogy would this be The Levites lived of the Holy portion or revenue of the Temple as their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or wages Even so the Ministers of the Gospel must live by their Calling and Function The Priests were maintained out of the share they had of the Ofâ—erings of the Altar Even just so the Ministers of the Gospel must live by their Function of Preaching the Gospel May not any one see that the Apodosis answers not the Protasis For that speaks of the wages this of the service for which the wages is due Well therefore as in the Protasis the wages was compared with the work so must it be in the Apodosis too and consequently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must here express the wages as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth the work But now here is the Quaere If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 note not the Function but the wages and maintenance due to the Evangelick Ministers in what notion then is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to be taken and how to be expounded Oecumenius would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this last place to signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the believers of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the meaning to be That those who preach the Gospel should be maintained by those which believe the Gospel But this would make our Apodosis to answer the Protasis little better than the former For that speaks of the wages and maintenance of the Levites and Priests not a word of the maintainers Besides to speak properly 't is not true that the people maintain the Ministers they are not their Ministers but God's and he maintains them out of his own revenue and not at mens charges Quis militat suis stipendiis saith our Apostle at his entrance upon this Argument Who goeth to war at his own charges Now I ask Cujus stipendiis militat qui militat nonne Imperatoris At whose charges is it that any one goes to war is it not at the Sovereign's charges To which purpose note also by the way that it is not said here as we translate it So hath God ordained that those which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel but So hath God appointed or given order to those that preach the Gospel that they should live of the Gospel that is Non dicit Dominum mandâsse aliis ut eos alerent sed mandâsse ipsis ut ex Evangelio viverent But to return again to the interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which others therefore had rather take here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that which in the Gospel is consecrate to God viz. As the Priests and Levites had their maintenance out of that which was offered unto God in the Law so God had ordained that the Ministers of the Gospel should be maintained of that which is consecrate to him in the Gospel And this sense is straight and good But what need we flie to a Trope when the natural sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will serve our turn yea do it much better For howsoever in the New Testament it most commonly signifies good tidings yet in other Greek Writers the more usual signification in the singular number is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praemium quod datur laetum afferenti nuncium the gift or reward wont to be given for good tidings Homer Odyss 14. brings in Ulysses in a poor traveller's disguise stipulating with his servant Eumaeus what his reward should be for the good news he promised to tell him of his Master's life and speedy return 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let this be my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Reward saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A cloak a coat and other good garments To whom Eumaeus answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Neither am I able to give such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Reward neither will Ulysses ever come home again Plutarch in his De gloria Atheniensium relates that the Lacedaemonians to one that brought them tidings of the victory at Mantinâ—a having been no actor but a spectator only sent for an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only a dish of meat from one of their common suppers called Phiditia the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Author within three or four
our Works are the Subject of Reward and the same Merit of Christ makes differing works capable of a different Reward Their other Objection hath a little more likelihood and seems therefore somewhat more difficult to answer It is taken from the Parable Matt. 20. where the Kingdome of Heaven is compared to a Vineyard the Master whereof went out in the morning to hire labourers and agreed with them for a peny a day Three hours after or at the third hour he went out and hired more and so again at the sixth and ninth hours yea at the eleventh but an hour before Sun went down he did likewise And when they came all to receive their wages he gave the last hired as much as he had agreed for with the first to wit every one a peny neither more not less Whence it seems to follow that the reward to come signified by this peny shall not be proportioned according to the difference of works but be one and the same to all I answer First The Parable proves no more but this That the sooner or later coming of men into the Vineyard of the Church for all were not to be called at one time nor in one age shall not make their reward greater or lesser not that the reward shall not be different according to the diversity of our works Secondly I add That this Parable hath respect to the Churches of the Iews and Gentiles not called nor to be called at the same time For the Iews were hired into the Vineyard betimes in the morning the Gentiles not till the day was far spent yet shall they by the goodness of their heavenly Master receive the same reward of eternal life which was promised to the Iew with whom the Covenant was first made and who bare the heat of the day whilst the other stood idle Besides in the new Vineyard of the Gospel the turn is changed for into it because the Iews would not the Gentiles have first been hired though at several hours the Iew being not to come in until the eleventh hour yet when Christ comes to give us wages shall receive his peny that is eternal life as well as we This to be the genuine scope of the Parable may be gathered by that which is presently subjoyned by our Saviour as it were to be the Key thereof So the last saith he shall be first and the first last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for many are called but few are chosen which I understand thus The last that is the Gentiles who came in last shall be the first partakers of Christ's Kingdom The Iews who were first in Covenant and had wrought so long before us in God's Vineyard shall be last in the Covenant of Christ and not converted till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in For though many of them were invited at the first coming of Christ yet few or none obeyed and to the Nation became not of his peculium but stands yet rejected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the like purpose is the same speech used by our Saviour Luk. 13. 29 30. They shall come saith he from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God And behold there are last which shall be first and there are first which shall be last What means this Out of S. Matthew 8. 11 12. where the same passage is related we shall hear it expounded for there the words run thus Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of heaven But the children of the Kingdom that is the whole generation of Israel who received not the Gospel at the Preaching of Christ and his Apostles and all the generations since who have continued in unbelief shall be cast out into outer darkness And here by the way because the Parable useth the notion of a Day to signifie a time of many Ages it will not be altogether unseasonable to note that the Metaphor may appear the easier how that the Scripture often elsewhere calls the whole time of man's pilgrimage in this world by the name of a Day As To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts And Heb. 3. 13. Exhort one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every day whilest it is called to Day Where we see Day to include every day And I believe we are thus to understand Day in the Lord's Prayer in that Petition Give us this day our daily Bread that is the whole time we live in this world For in stead of S. Matthew's This Day spoken after the Hebrew notion S. Luke hath in the same Petition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is every day Therefore S. Matthew's This day must comprehend S. Luke's Every day if the sense of the Petition in both of them be the same as I believe it is Nay more than this The world to come even Seculum aeternitatis or Eternity it self is likewise termed a Day by S. Peter 2 Ep. 3. 18. our Lord saith he and Saviour Iesus Christ to whom be glory both now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to the Day of Eternity A long Day indeed But this obiter Thus having cleared my Proposition in thest or in general That there shall be differing degrees of glory in the Reward to come it remains that I make it good in the hypothesis concerning a Prophet namely That to them who instruct others in the ways and will of God which is the Office of a Prophet there belongs a preeminence of Reward above and besides that which is common to all Saints This preeminence of glory the School-men term Aurâ—ola that is an Additament of felicity to that essential glory in the Vision of God which they term Aurea This Aureola or Coronet to be added to the Crown of glory they ascribe to three sorts of persons to Virgins to Martyrs and to Doctors of Prophets The two first are out of my scope The third of Prophets let us see how it is proved out of Scripture First therefore it is apparent from my Text He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophet's reward Ergo there is some special or peculiar Reward belonging to a Prophet and that to an eminent one otherwise our Saviour's speech will have no enforcement in it as he that considers thereof may easily see The second is Dan. 12. 3. where the Angel prophesying of the Resurrection to be at the end of Time and saying That many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt he addes And those that be wise that is have learned the true wisdom which consists in the fear of God shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament but those that turn many unto righteousness that is the Teachers and Instructers as the Stars for ever and ever
obnoxious to the rage of troublesome times being looked upon aâ— a booty by such as are able and find advantage to seise upon them Only the Mean estate is most free from such perillous Extremities being as below Envy so above Contempt If then our good and gracious God hath given us a convenient measure of means to maintain our condition let us think our line hath fallen unto us in a pleasant place as the Psalmist speaks Psal. 16. 6. and that we have a goodly heritage He that hath once a Competency let him be assured he hath all the Contentment which is to be found in these temporary things and Experience will tell him Though Riches may encrease yet after a Sufficiency once attained Contentment will encrease no more though Riches encrease never so much THUS much of that which Agur requested Now follows The Reason of his Request Lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord c. Out of which before we come to handle them particularly let us make this General Observation That the Rule of our desires and endeavours in the getting and enjoying of these outward things ought to be our Spiritual welfare and the bettering of us to God-ward This was Agur's Rule He desires such a measure of outward means as might neither through fulness make him forget God nor through want tempt him to sin both against him and his neighbour This is the Compass we ought to sail by if we would avoid shipwrack This is the Pole-star and Heavenly mark whereon our eyes in all our thriving courses should be fixed and by it our desires and aims measured That proportion of outward things and provisions for this life which may the besâ— stand with our improvement to God-ward which may the most further and enable us and the least endanger and hinder us in our religious devotions to God and charitable duties to our neighbours this should be the stint of all our worldly desires and endeavours under the Sun More than may stand with this is so far from being wished or sought for that we ought with Agur to pray against it and say Lord lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil But alas we set the Cart before the Horse we make not the Worship of God and our Spiritual advantage the Rule of our aims in getting and enjoying of these Temporal things But on the contrary we use to serve God and keep his Commandments so far as may stand with our profit with our covâ—tous and ambitious desires and no farther And this was Ieroboam's sin who forsooth would serve the God of his Fathers so as he thought might stand with the safety of his kingdom but no farther But alas what would it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his own soul But Ieroboam lost his kingdom too which else God had promised to entail unto his posterity But let us be wiser and as S. Paul bids us whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do else let us do all to the glory of God Let this be the End of all our actions and then we shall be sure to thrive here and be blessed for ever in the world to come So much for the General Observation Now to the particular handling of the words Lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord The words are plain and their meaning of Impiety and Irreligion Give me not Riches lest I become ungodly and irreligious For as to know God in Scripture is to worship and serve him with fear and reverence so to deny him is to be devoid of Religion toward him to live as if there were no God So it is said of the sons of Eli that they were sons of Belial they knew not the Lord that is they acknowledged him not by love fear and obedience but lived as if they had said Who is the Lord Now that men who abound in Wealth and Superfluity are much subject to this malady is so manifest by other places of Scripture that Agur's fear was not without a cause Deut. 6. 12. is a Caution given to Israel when God should bless them with Prosperity When thou shalt have eaten and be full them beware lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Again Deut. 8. 10 c. When thou shalt have eaten and be fullâ— Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his Commandments and Iudgments and his Statutes Lest when thou hast eaten and art full and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein And thy herds and thy flocks multiply and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied and all that thou hast is multiplied Then thine heart be lifted up and thou forget the Lord thy God which brought c. Vers. 17. And thou say in thine heart My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth Whence it appears not only how dangerous Prosperity is to Piety but what it is to forget God which is in my Text to deny him and to ask Who he is namely to break his Commandments Statutes and Iudgments to be unthankful for his Blessings and to attribute all to our own power and wisdom Again in Deut. 32. 15. Moses prophetically sings of Israel Iesurun waxed fat and kicked Thou art saith he waxed fat thou art grown thick thou art covered with fatness Then he forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation Vers. 16. They provoked him to jealousie with strange gods with abominations they provoked him to anger And Hosea 13. 6. the Lord complains of the event of this prediction According to their pasture saith he so were they filled and their hearts were lifted up therefore they have forgotten me Rarae fumant felicibus arae I think it is sufficiently proved and Experience doth every where make it good 1. The cause hereof is the weakness of our Nature through sin not able to wield the Blessings of God if they abound Even as the Physitians say that a Plethora or full state of body is dangerous in respect of health even though it be without impurity of bloud because Nature if weaker then it cannot wield it or if a while she be of equal strength yet is soon and sometimes suddenly overturned Even such is the case here with our life and health spiritual 2. Religious Devotion springs from Humility and Lowliness of mind but Abundance usually pusseth up with pride as the Lord even now complained in Hosea that the heart of his people was exalted and therefore they forgot him So in the quotation Deut. 8. 10 c. Lastly A full belly is unfittest for Devotion and Prayer and therefore in our devoutest Supplications we use Fasting Even as it is in plenteous feeding so is it in the very outward injoyment of plenty whence ye heard even now the Spirit of God to express this Abundance of outward things by Feeding
examine our actions past to amend our lives lest as bad if not a worse thing befal us or ours And if at any time we see an Example of this upon one of God's own children as we heard of David before a man after God's own heart let us learn to fear and tremble and say If such things befal those whom God most loveth what shall become of us if we sin likewise Again when we see God thus punishing sin in the eyes of the world let us acknowledge his All-seeing Providence and say with those Rev. 15. 3 4. Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name when thy judgments are made manifest and with David Psal. 9. 16. and Psal. 11. 7. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth for the righteous Lord loveth righteousness AND thus I come to the second thing I observed namely That God often forbears and defers his punishments As I did long ago saith Adonibezek yea again and again seventy times one after another so long and so often that I thought God had either not seen or quite forgotten me yet now I see he requiteth me How true this Observation is is sufficiently witnessed by their experience who have little less than stumbled and staggered hereat This made Cato a Heathen man to cry out Res divinae multum habent caliginis The disposals of Divine providence are not a little cloudy and dark This made David a man after God's own heart to confess and say My feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipped This made Ieremy cry out from the bottom of an amazed soul Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper why are they happy that deal very treacherously Yea those Martyred Saints Rev. 6. 10. are heard to cry from under the Altar How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell upon the earth Now as these forenamed have stumbled at God's delaying and forbearing his judgments so others there are who have been quite deceived verily believing that with God Quod differtur ausertur what was forborn was also forgotten Such as one was Adonibezek here who having escaped so long thought to have escaped ever And such were those whereof David spake Psal. 10. 6. Who say in their hearts We shall never be moved we shall never be in adversity Such an one is the great Whore of Babylon that sings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I sit like a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow Such an one was Pherecydes Syrius master of Pythaegoras and a famous Philosopher and one that is said to have been the first Philosopher that taught among the Greeks the Soul to be immortal and yet among all his knowledge had not learned this one Principle The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom For as AElian reports he used among his scholars to vaunt of his irreligion after this manner saying That he had never offered sacrifice to any God in all his life and yet had lived as long and as merrily as those who had offered several Hecatombs But he that thus impiously abused the long-suffering of God came at length to an end as strange as his impiety was unusual for so they report of him that he was stricken like Herod by the Angel of the Lord with such a disease that Serpents bred of the corrupt humors of his body which eat and consumed him being yet alive But that we may neither distrust the righteous ways of God nor prevent his unsearchable counsels with our over-hasty expectation let us a little consider of the Ends why God oftentimes deâ—ers and prolongs his Iudgments These Ends I suppose may be referred unto four heads 1. For the sake of godly ones for whom God useth to forbear even multitudes of sinners So had there been but ten righteous persons in Sodom Sodom had never been destroyed I will not destroy it saith God for tens sake So for good Iosiah's sake God deâ—erred the plagues he had decreed to bring upon that people that Iosiah might be first gathered unto his fathers in peace and his eyes might not see all the evil that he was to bring upon that place as it is 2 Kings 22. 20. For as the new wine saith the Lord Esa. 65. 8. is found in the cluster and one saith Destroy it not for a blessing is in it even so will I do for my servants sakes that I may not destroy them all That is I will spare a whole cluster of men even for one or two blessed servants of mine which I shall find therein This is the first End and this is most if not only found in publick judgments and common sins such as concern whole societies of men for in such properly doth God for the sake of godly ones forbear a multitude of sinners 2. The second End is To give time of repentance and amendment For the Lord is long-suffering not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance as it is 2 Pet 3. 9. This is shewed by the parable of the Fig-tree Luke 13. 7. Three years the husbandman came to seek fruit and found none and the fourth year he expected before he would cut it down An hundred and twenty years the old world had given them before the Floud came And Ionah proclaimed not Yet one day but Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed This End concerns such punishments as deprive men of life and of the means of salvation and of amendment of life For such as these only can God be said to forbear to give time of repentance For as for other punishments not the forbearance but the hastening of them rather would cause repentance seeing men then use to remember and call upon God when they are in misery and affliction 3. The third End of God's deferring his punishments is The opportunity of example by them unto others and of manifesting his own glory God is Lord of Times and as he created them so he alone knows a fit Time for all things under the Sun He therefore who knows all occasions when he seeth a fit Time for his Iudgments to profit other men by example and most of all to set forth his own glory then he sends them forth and till then he will defer them 4. The fourth End or Reason hath some affinity with this and it is When God intending some extraordinary judgment suffers mens sins to grow unto a full ripeness that their sin may be as conspicuous unto the world as his purpose is their punishment shall be Thus God punished not the Canaanites in Abraham's time but deferred it till Israel's coming out of Egypt and that as
kingdoms of the countries Vulg. Vt sciant distantiam servitutis meae servitutis regni Terrarum That they may know the difference between my service and the service of the kingdoms of the lands And certainly if we look into the condition of the Church since Christ's time we shall find the way of God's dealing in this case to have been the same The Saracens who spoiled and subdued so great a part of Christ's Church were never heard of till six hundred years after Christ even at the time when Christians began generally to fall to Idolatry and to worship Images Saints and Angels Then God first gave us over to serve other Nations when we began to serve other Gods besides the Lord our God The Turkish fury could never be stayed from casting more and more this yoke of bondage upon our necks until Iudah I mean the now Reformed Churches began to put away her Idols some one hundred years since From that time unto this that God which would have spared Sodom for ten righteous sakes hath spared the remnant of Christendom for their sakes who have turned again to the Lord their God to serve him as he would be worshipped But to go on Solomon when he divided that worship which was due unto the Lord alone between him and the Idols of Zidon Moab and Ammon the Lord to give him the same measure divided his kingdom and that allegeance which was only due to him and his posterity between himself and his servant Ieroboam Because he served God with an imperfect heart God left him an imperfect kingdom Because he bestowed divine honour upon the vassals of the Lord of heaven the Lord also bestowed his honour upon his vassal Ieroboam Nebuchadnezzar who had lived like a Beast in his Palace God made him to eat grass like an Oxe in the field till he knew the most High ruled in the kingdoms of men Dan. 4. 25 32 34. Otho Bishop of Mentz in a time of famine shut up a great number of poor people in a Barn promising to give them some relief But when he had them fast he set the Barn on fire and hearing then the most lamentable and piteous cries and shreekings of the poor in the midst of the flames he scoffingly said Hear ye how the mice cry in the Barn But the Lord the just revenger of cruelty sent a whole Army of Mice upon him which haunted him a great deal worse than the Frogs did King Pharaoh not only coming into his bed-chamber and upon his bed but following him into a Tower which he had built for his last refuge in the midst of the River Rhene never leaving him till they had quite devoured him Soâ—rates hath a memorable story of one Cyricius Bishop of Chalcedon who in a meeting of many Bishops inveighed very bitterly against good S. Chrysostom and amongst other spiteful language called him often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kneeless fellow because in a good cause he would never be gotten to bow and crouch to obtain the favour of men which Cyricius accounted a stubborn and obstinate disposition But when he had thus uttered his malice Marathas another Bishop by chance trod upon his toe which being at the first esteemed as it was indeed a very small hurt yet afterwards so ranckled that for the safety of the rest of the body his leg was fain to be cut off which done the other leg also was in like manner affected and that so that being otherwise incurable it was fain to feel the same remedy the other had done Thus he who called the holy man a kneeless fellow in one sense God made him a kneeless Bishop in another By which and the former Examples we see how God in punishing requites men with that which hath some resemblance with their Sin And so much for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I come now to the third kind which is Conformitas subjecti The Conformity of subject When though we suffer not the same nor perhaps like unto that we have done unto others yet are we punished in that subject wherein and whereabout we have sinned Thus Adam our first Parent sinned in eating the fruits of the earth and he and all his posterity are punished in the curse of the same in that now in sorrow we eat of them all the days of our life Touching God's dealing with Israel in this kind see Wisdom chap. 11. verse 7 13. Korah and his company sinned in offering strange fire unto the Lord and were punished by a strange destruction The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up quick and there came out a fire from the Lord and consumed the men that offered incense Numb 16. verse 32 and verse 35. The Levites wise in Iudges sinned in the Commission of Fornication and therefore died by the same being forced to death by the men of Gibeah Eli by too much indulgence towards his sons sinned against God and was punished in them being slain by the Philistines and the Ark of God taken which they had carried with them David gloried in the number of his people and was punished in the Consumption of seventy thousand of them by the pestilence 2 Sam. 24. 1 15. Hezekiah who sinned in shewing by way of ostentation his treasures and riches unto the Ambassadors of the King of Babylon had his punishment threatned by the same things that all he had thus gloriously shown should one day be carried unto Babylon 2 Kings 20. 13 17. Lastly The Iews who crucified our Saviour by the hands of the Romans had their City and Temple rased by the same hands Now I come unto the last kind of Conformity which I call Conformity of circumstance When the Time and Place of Punishment agrees with the Time and Place of the Sin Of the agreement of Place I find these Examples The first of Ahab and Iezebel in the place where the dogs licked the bloud of Naboth they licked the bloud of Ahab and Iezebel 1 Kings 21. 19. and 2 Kings 9. 36. In the place where Baal's Priests had committed Idolatry were their bones being dead and the bodies of those who were alive flain and burnt by Iosiah upon the Altar of Bethel 2 Kings 23. 16. Examples of concurrence of Time I find these At the same time of the year wherein the Iews crucified Christ hapned that fatal and final siege by the Romans when that heavy curse fell upon them His bloud be upon us and our children The Spies which brought an evil report upon the land had spent forty days in searching it and therefore God for this sin that Time might agree with Time made them wander up and down forty years in the wilderness They are the words of God himself According unto the number of days saith he in which ye searched the land even forty days each day for a year shall ye bear your iniquities Last of all because I will not be tedious
only holy one All the Land of Canaan was the Lord's The Land is mine saith he and therefore it could not be alienate beyond the year of Iubilee and yet for all this there were some parts of the Land specially called Holy unto the Lord. All the increase of corn all the increase of wine all the fruit of the field was the Lord's and yet the Offerings alone were called Holy unto the Lord. God himself calls them his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his inheritance and therefore gave them unto that Tribe alone which alone he had made his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tribe of his inheritance So the offered Tribe lived of God's offerings the holy Tribe on the holy things Again why may we not call our Clergy God's inheritance when God himself calls the Levites his Levites Thou shalt saith he Num. 8. 14. separate the Levites from among the children of Israel and the Levite shall be mine that is my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Clergy Why may not we call the Ministers of Christ his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inheritance when he himself calls them the gift his Father gave him out of the world for so he saith Ioh. 17. 6. I have declared thy name unto the men thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me and again ver 11. Holy Father keep them in thy name even them whom thou hast given me If you say he speaks here of all his Elect the words following v. 12. prove the contrary for those saith he whom thou hast given me I have kept and none of them is lost but the child of perdition Here he plainly affirms he lost one of those his Father gave him wherefore he speaks not of his Elect ones for those no man can take out of his hands Again ver 18. As thou didst send me into the world saith he so I sent them into the world but I hope all the Elect are not sent as Christ was sent by his Father I conclude therefore So long as God in the Law says specially of the Levites They are mine So long as Christ in the Gospel of his Apostles They are mine O Father which thou hast given me out of the world it is neither arrogancy nor injury to stile those who minister about holy things by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inheritance of the Lord. WHAT LEVI was and what is meant by this Title God 's Holy one we have now shewed sufficiently It remains we should come unto the words containing the Blessing it self which is called Vrim and Thummim the words themselves signifie Light and Perfection Illumination and Integrity good endowments certainly whosoever shall enjoy them But because they are not only Appellative words but also Proper names of certain things we must enquire further what is meant by them and that in a twofold consideration First specially and properly as they are names of certain things belonging in special unto the High Priest Then generally as they are applied by Moses unto the whole Tribe of Levi. The first again shall be twofold What they were in the High Priest personally or what they signified in him typically himself being also a Type For the first What is meant by these things as they belong unto the High Priest personally is a matter full of controversie and therefore that we may the better proceed we will first see the Generals wherein all or the most agree and after come unto the particulars wherein they disagree The first wherein all agree is that this Vrim and Thummim was something put in the Breast-plate which was fastned to the Ephod over against the Heart of the High Priest And thus much the Scripture witnesseth Exod. 28. 30. where God saith to Moses And thou shalt put in the Breast-plate of Iudgment the Vrim and the Thummim and they shall be on Aaron's heart when he goeth in before the Lord. And for this cause as most think was the Breast-plate made double that the Vrim and Thummim might be enveloped therein The second thing wherein all agree is That this Vrim and Thummim was a kind of Oracle whereby God gave answer to those that enquired of him and from hence the Septuagint call the whole Breast-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some turn Rationale but might more truly be turned Orationale for an Oracle is as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voice of God though this Voice or Revelation were of divers kinds for at sundry times and in divers manners saith S. Paul God spake in old time to our Fathers The Iews therefore make four kinds of Divine Revelation First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Prophecy which was by Dreams and Visions The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Ghost as was in Iob David and others The third Urim and Thummim which was the Oracle The fourth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Voice from heaven which was usual in the second Temple after the Oracle had ceased as Matt. 3. 17. at Christ's Baptism there came a Voice from heaven saying This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased and Ioh. 12. 28. when Christ said Father glorifie thy name There came a Voice from heaâ—â—â— like thunder saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again But to return again to our purpose That Urim and Thummim was an Oracle of God besides the consent of Iews and others it is plain by Scripture Num. 27. when God had commanded Moses to put his hands upon Ioshua and to set him over the congregation in his stead he addes Vers. 21. And he that is Ioshua shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall ask counsel for him by the judgment of Urim before the Lord. So 1 Sam. 23. when David was to ask counsel of the Lord he called for the Ephod wherein the Oracle was and whereas before he had once or twice asked counsel of the Lord concerning Keilah to prevent the objection how the Lord answered it follows in the next by way of a Prolepsis That Abiathar then Priest when he fled to David to Keilah brought the Ephod with him vers 6. Lastly in the second of Ezra when certain of the Priests which returned from Captivity could not find their names written in the Genealogies it is said vers 63. that the Tirshatha commanded they should not eat of the most holy things till there rose up a Priest with Urim and Thummim that is till God should by Oracle reveal whether they were Priests or no whereby it also appears that this Oracle had then ceased And for more light to that we have in hand it will not be amiss to observe that Teraphim among the Idolaters was answerable to the Urim and Thummim of the holy Patriarchs Both were ancient For Rachel is said to have stollen away her Father 's Teraphim and Urim and Thummim seems to have been used among the Patriarchs
these heavens As the War was long so the Victory was not gotten all at once but by certain degrees as it were beginning with Constantine Anno 300. and ending in Theodosius about as I said the year 390. And though it be hard to pitch the time of this Trophee exactly yet I doubt not but it falleth in some part of the time included in the foresaid limits Thus then have we seen the Truth and Power of God in fulfilling of this Prophecy for so much as is already past and may say with David Psal. 48. 8. As we have heard so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts in the city of our God God will establish it for ever But who would have believed this at the time when the words were spoken when the worshippers of the most high God were at so low an ebbe Hence therefore must we learn to believe the Promises of God be they never so unlikely to humane Reason For he it is that says Esay 46. 11. I have spoken and I will bring it to pass It is he that says Ier. 32. 27. I am the God of all flesh and there is nothing too hard for me Though Abraham be never so old and Sarah's womb be dead yet if the Lord says it he shall be Father of many Though Nations Gideon be the least of the house of Manasses yet if the Lord says it by him shall Israel be delivered from the Midianites Though David follow the sheep yet if God promise he shall be King of Israel Be the famine in Samaria never so extreme that women eat their own children yet if God say it within twenty four hours shall corn be so cheap that a measure of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gates of Samaria Let us take heed therefore we say not with him on whose hand the King leaned If God would make windows in heaven it could not be nor with the Israelites when the spies brought them news of the strength of the Inhabitants of Canaan of chariots of iron and the giant-like sons of Anak let us not say with them we shall not enter For that Lord who set humane reason against the Word and Promise of God never eat of the abundance of Samaria and the Iews which distrusted God never entred the land of Canaan But let us know for a conclusion that God is faithful and true and his Promises yea and amen HITHER TO we have spoken of the accomplishment of this Prophecy for so much as is already past now let us see What that is which we expect as yet to come For though in regard of former times when Ethnicisme was so large and the worshippers of the living God so small a scantling the Extent of the Church be now at this day a goodly and large portion of the world yet if we consider the numbers of nations yet Pagans or not Christians it will seem to scant as yet to be the accomplishment of this and other Prophecies concerning the Largeness of Christ's Kingdom before the end of the world For one hath well observed That Christianity at this day is not above the sixth part of the known world whereas the Mahumetans have a fifth and all the rest are Ethnicks and Pagans So that if we divide the World into thirty parts Christianity is but as five in thirty Mahumetanism as six and Ethnicism as nineteen and so is Christianity the least part of all and plain Heathenism hath far above the one half of the known world and the better part of the other is also Mahumetans And though Christianity hath been embraced in former times where now it is not yet it is now spred in those places where in those times it was not And therefore all laid together we may account Christianity at this day as large I think as ever it was since the Apostles time But that this is not that Vniversal Kingdom of Christ that flourishing and glorious estate of the Church which yet we expect and hope for my Reasons are these First Those frequent places of Scripture which intimate that the Lord should subdue all people all kingdoms all nations and all the ends of the earth unto himself and that all these should one day worship and acknowledge him Psal. 22. 27. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him for the Kingdom is the Lord's and he is governour among the nations And Psal. 47. 1. 2 3. Clap your hands all ye people for the Lord is a great King over all the earth He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet And again v. 7 8. God is King of all the earth and reigneth over the Heathen Psal. â—6 1 c. Make a joyful noise unto God all ye lands Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee All the earth shall worship thee and sing of thee they shall sing unto thy Name The whole 67. Psalm which we read every day is as it were a Prophecy and Prayer for this great Kingdom That the may of God may be known upon earth and his saving health among all nations Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Then shall the earth yield her increase c. God shall bless us and all the ends of the earth shall fear him And Psal. 86. 9 10. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy Name For thou art great and dost wondrous things Thou art God alone And Esay 2. 18. which is a Prophecy of Christ's kingdom it is said that the Idols the Lord shall utterly abolish or as some read the Idols shall utterly pass away So Esay 54. 5. speaking of the Amplitude of the Church of the Gentiles Thy Redeemer saith the Prophet the holy One of Israel the God of the whole earth shall he be called Certainly this constant style of Vniversality implies more than this scantling which yet is it being but one of the least parts of the whole earth Secondly The same conclusion may be gathered from 1 Cor. 15. 25 26. compared with Heb. 2. 8. Christ must reign saith S. Paul in the first place quoted till he hath put all his enemies under his feet The last enemy which shall be destroyed is death Hence it follows that Christ shall subdue all his enemies whereof the Prince of this world is the chief before the last rising of the dead For the subduing of death that is the rising of the dead shall not be afore the rest shall be done the vanquishing of death being the last act of Christ's reigning which done he shall yield up the Kingdom unto his Father In the other place Heb. 2. 8. the Apostle speaking of the same thing alledgeth that
utmost with meditation prayer and practice But on the contrary we must resist and crush every exorbitant thought which draws to sin at the first rising Tutissimum est It is most safe saith S. Austin Epist. 142. for the Soul to accustom it self to discern of its thoughts ad primum animi motum vel probare vel reprobare quid cogitat ut vel bonas cognationes alat vel statim extinguat malas and at the first motion thereof either to approve or else to disallow what the Mind is thinking of and so either to cherish and improve the thoughts and motions of the Mind if goodâ— or presently to extinguish them if evil 3. Lastly Let him that will indeed guard his Heart as it should be take heed of familiar and friendly converse with lewd prophane and ungracious company There is a strange attraction in ill company to poison and pervert even the best dispositions He that toucheth pitch saith the Son of Sirach shall be defiled therewith Can a man take fire in his bosom saith Solomen and his clothes not be burnt For believe it when a man is accustomed once and wonted to behold lewd and ungodly behaviour there steals upon him insensibly first a dislike of sober courses next a pleasing approbation of the contrary and so presently an habitual change of affections and demeanour into the manners and conditions of our companions It is a point that many will not believe but few or none did ever try but to their cost It was wise counsel had it not been in a sinful business which Ieroboam advised If this people saith he go up to sacrifice at Ierusalem then shall the heart of this people turn again to their lord even to Rehoboam king of Iudah and they shall kill me and go again to Rehoboam king of Iudah O that some men would be as wise for their good as he was for his sin THUS I have done with the first part of my Text The Admonition Keep thy heart with all diligence or above all keeping Now I proceed to the Motive For out of it are the issues of life that is All spiritual life and living actions issue from thence All living devotion all living service and worship of God issues from the Heart from those cleansed and loyal affections and dispositions of the Soul and inward man whereof I spake before Where such a Heart is not the Fountain there no action to God-ward liveth but is spiritually dead how gay and glorious soever it may outwardly seem No outward performance whatsoever be it never so conformable and like unto a godly man's action yet if it be not rooted in the Heart inwardly sanctified it is no issue of spiritual life nor acceptable with God Even as Statues and Puppets do move their eyes their hands their feet like unto living men yet are they not living actions because they come not from an inward Soul the fountain of life but from the artificial poise of weights and device of wheels set by the workman So is it here with heartless actions they are like the actions of true Christians but not Christian actions because they issue not from a Heart sanctified with purity and loyalty in the presence of God who tries the heart and reins but from the poise of vain-glory from the wheels of some external respects and advantages from a rotten heart which wrought not for the love of God but for the praise of men As therefore we judge of the state of natural life by the Pulse and beating of the Heart so must we do of spiritual No member of the body performs any action of natural life wherein a Pulse derived from the Heart beats not So is it in the spiritual man and the actions of Grace That lives not which some gracious and affectionate influence from the Heart quickens not Now this Issuing of our works and actions from the Heart is that which is called Sincerity and Truth so much commended unto us in Scripture For this Sincerity and Truth which is said to be in the works and actions of all such as fear and serve the Lord with acceptance is nothing else but an agreement of the outward work seen of men with the inward and sutable affection and meaning of the heart which God and our selves alone are privie to For as our words and speeches have truth in them when we speak as we think so our works and actions are done in sincerity and truth when they are done according to our heart's affection Sincerity therefore and Truth is the life of all our works of devotion and obedience unto God without this they are nothing but a carkase they are dead they live not neither doth God accept them For he desireth truth in the inward parts Psal. 51. 6. that is truth which proceedeth or issueth from the inward parts The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him that call upon him in truth Psal. 145. 18. For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Iohn 4. 24. Whatsoever ye do saith S. Paul Col. 3. 23. do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men Our faith must be unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. that is in truth and in sincerity Also our Love must not be in speech and tongue only but in deed and truth 1 Iohn 3. 18. And this is the highest Perfection attainable in this life for which God accepteth of our obedience as perfect which springeth from it though it be stained with much corruption and full of imperfection That which is wanting in the measure of obedience and holiness is made up in the truth and sincerity thereof If it have not this whatsoever it be it is good for nothing because it wants the Issue of life And such Actions are all the Actions of Hypocrites For Hypocrisie is the contrary to Sincerity and wheresoever Sincerity and Truth is not there Hypocrisie is being nothing else but a counterfeiting and falsehood of our actions when they come not from a Heart sutably affected and therefore is otherwise in Scripture understood by the name of Guile when those who serve God in sincerity and truth are said to be without guile that is without hypocrisie So Nathanael Iohn 1. 47. is called an Israelite indeed in whom there was no guile And of the Virgin-Saints Rev. 14. 5. it is said that in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God that is they served God without hypocrisie in sincerity and truth and therefore God accepted of their obedience as if it were without fault and imperfection as he is wont to do the works of those who serve him in that manner If therefore Sincerity be the life of our obedience and that which makes it graceful in the eyes of God then is Hypocrisie the death thereof which makes him loath and abhor it as a stinking carkase Hitherto have I
spiritually considered his way or walking should be the outward actions of his life which are or may be seen of others And as in the natural man his moving to or fro is the execution of the hidden intendments of his Fancy So in a man spiritually considered To walk is to put in execution outwardly what the Heart conceives inwardly I will not deny but this phrase of walking or treading out a way is in Scripture sometimes taken more largely for the whole course of our Life whatsoever but here the Antithesis of the words following viz. evil thoughts do manifestly imply that the former viz. a wicked man's way is to be taken for an evil Conversation in the sense I have spoken So also in Psal. 1. 1. Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly the collation of walking with ungodly counsel may warrant the like expression that the counsel of the ungodly should signifie evil thoughts and purposes walking in these counsels the practice and execution of them Moreover if I did delight in such subtilties I might confirm this Exposition by the word here used for a wicked man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a laborious sinner a practitioner in sin the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to make a stir to be exceeding busie unquiet or troublesome whence some do expound that Eccles. 7. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be not too wicked for Be not too busie or too stirring Keep not too great a coile namely in things of this world Semblably here Let the wicked man forsake his way is Let him that bestirs himself in the execution of sinful counsels leave his busie practice and in the next place he that hath but evil thoughts or bad desires purge his heart of them also Let the man who walks wickedly in his outward conversation forsake his evil way this is the first step of a Convert But more than this Let him that hath but an evil heart though his actions were outwardly blameless banish even all his evil thoughts and cogitations and this is the second degree of a sinner's conversion This Exposition therefore being taken for a ground now I come to the Observations I collect from thence The first Observation I gather is common to both these degrees of a sinner's conversion and that is from the word forsake For to forsake is an Emphatical word To forsake sin is more than a bare refraining from sin or a withdrawing a mans self from doing wickedness To forsake sin is to give over all acquaintance all dealing with sin or to foregoe it altogether For a man that refrains a friend's company is not by and by said to forsake him no more can he that only refrains from sin be said to forsake it Hence therefore we learn That whosoever retains any one darling sin is no forsaker of sin though he refrain from all other for this is not to break off all acquaintance with sin but rather to make choice of his sin to chuse what sin he will use and what sin he will refuse Thus did Herod in the Gospel he reformed many things at the preaching of Iohn Baptist but still he kept Herodias his brother Philip's wife Mark 6. 19 20. But we must know that he that keeps any one sin hath forsaken none so saith S. Iames chap. 2. vers 10. He that offends in one point he is guilty of all God must have our whole heart or none he will not be served by halfs For that were to say as David said to Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 19. 29. concerning his lands Thou and Ziba divide the lands so we God and the Devil his slave divide our hearts between them What will it profit to guard never so strongly all the other parts of a City walls if any one part be left open for the enemy to enter or what is a Ship the safer though all other parts be strong and sound if but one leaking hole be unstopped will not this sink the whole Ship be it never so sound Even just so will it be with us if we leave any one place in our Soul for any one sin to enter Do we not know that a little crack in one place of a Bell marrs the sound as well as if it were clean through So will any one crack of sin marr the musick of our Souls in the ears of Almighty Do we not know that the laying but a finger upon the edge of a thing which giveth sound damps the sound as well as the whole hand Even so is the Devil lay but his finger upon our heart he damps all our actions of devotion and makes them give but a dead sound in the hearing of the Lord of Heaven How true this is I appeal unto every man's conscience who hears me this day whether he finds not in his own experience that the cherishing of any one Sin makes him dead-hearted toward God dull and heavie in all works of devotion THUS much of this general Observation Now I come to several Observations I gather from the several parts The first whereof was as you may remember The forsaking of wicked ways which I expounded in this place The forsaking of sin in our outward walkings and conversation before men If this therefore be the First degree of Conversion then may we learn That those who want this have not gone the first step of a new life Indeed in the eyes of God who sees that which no body else can see no man appeareth blameless or free from sin But that those who are entred the way of a new and holy life should walk so that men may not accuse them of open crimes this I say is required of every true Convert So it is said of Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1. 6. that they walked in the Commandments of God blameless yea even many Heathen men have come thus far that men could not accuse them and yet they perished everlastingly Let no man therefore deceive or flatter himself Those who fall into open and grievous sins are not yet in the state of a true convert sinner If any man saith S. Iames 1. 26. seem to be religious and bridles not his tongue he deceiveth his own heart his religion is vain What S. Iames saith of wicked speakers may be said of open wicked doers if any man who is a drunkard an extortioner or falls into such open sins if he seem religious he deceiveth his own heart his Religion is in vain Remember therefore what Christ saith in the Gospel and let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Secondly If a Reformed conversation before men be required of every true Convert then are they deceived who think it sufficient if they keep their hearts to God though they apply their outward and bodily actions unto mens liking No matter they think what their
Angel's message from heaven to devout Cornelius was Thy prayers and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God whereupon S. Peter inferred That in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Acts 10. 4 35. In 1 Tim. 6. 17 18 19. saith S. Paul Charge them that are rich in this world That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate Laying in store a good foundation against the time to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut accipiant nanciscantur that they may receive or obtain eternal life Hence it is that we shall be judged and receive sentence at the last day according to our works Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye clothed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me For inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren ye have done it unto me Lord how do those look to be saved at that day who think good works not required to Salvation and accordingly do them not Can our Saviour pass this blessed Sentence on them think they he can If he should they might truly say indeed Lord we have done no such matter nor did we think our selves bound unto it we relied wholly upon our Faith in thy merits and thought we had been freed from such services What do they think Christ will change the form of his Sentence at that great day No certainly If the Sentence for Bliss will not fit them and be truly said of them the other will and must for there is no more Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels For when I was hungry ye gave me no meat c. This must be their doom unless they suppose the righteous Iudge will lie for them And it is here further to be observed That the Works named in this sentence of Iudgment are works of the second Table and Works of Mercy and Charity feeding the hungry clothing the naked visiting the sick all Almsdeeds which men are now-a-days so much afraid of as if they looked toward Popery and had a tang of meriting for now-a-days these costly works of all others are most suspicious But will it be so at the day of Iudgment True it is they merit not the Reward which shall be given them but what then are we so proud we will do no works unless we may merit Is it not sufficient that God will reward them for Christ's sake though they have no worth in themselves And thus much of the second Motive why we should do good works Because howsoever they merit nothing yet are they the means and way ordained by God to attain the Reward of eternal life The third and last Motive to works of righteousness is Because they are the only Sign and Note whereby we know our Faith is true and saving and not counterfeit For 1 Iohn 1. 6. If we say we have fellowship with Christ and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth Chap. 2. ver 3. Hereby we know that we know him viz. to be our Advocate with his Father and the Propitiation for our sins if we keep his Commandments And Chap. 3. 7. Little children let no man deceive you He that doth righteousness is righteous even as Christ is righteous The same almost you may find again Chap. 2. 29. For if every one that believeth in Christ truly and savingly believes that Salvation is to be attained by obedience to God in him and not otherwise and therefore embraceth and layeth hold upon him for that end how can such an ones Faith be fruitless How can he be without works who therefore lays hold on Christ that his works and obedience may be accepted as righteous before God for his sake and so be rewardable It is as possible for the Sun to be without his light or the Fire to want heat as such a Faith to be without works Our Saviour therefore himself makes this a most sure and never-failing Note to build our assurance of Salvation upon Luke 6. 46. where the mention of the words of my Text gives the occasion Why call ye me Lord Lord saith he and do not the things which I say 47. Whosoever cometh to me and heareth my sayings and doth them I will shew you to whom he is like 48. He is like a man which built an house and digged deep and laid the foundation on a rock And when the floud arose the stream beat vehemently upon that house and could not shake it for it was founded upon a rock 49. But he that heareth and doth not is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth against which the stream did beat vehemently and immediately it fell and the ruine of that house was great Whom these three Motives or Reasons will not perswade to good works let not my Soul O Lord be joyned with theirs nor my doom be as theirs must be A SECOND Observation out of these words and near a-kin to the former is That it is not enough for a Christian to live harmlesly and abstain from ill but he must do that which is good For our Saviour excludes not here those only who do against the will of his Father but those who do not his Father's will It is doing good which he requireth and not the not doing evil only This is an error which taketh hold of a great part of men even of those who would seem to be religious He is a reformed man and acquits himself well who abstains from fornication adultery who is no thief no couzener or defrauder of other men who will not lie or swear or such like But as for doing any works of Piety or Charity they think they are not required of them But they are much deceived For God requires some duties at our hands which he may reward not out of any merit but out of his merciful promise in Christ. But not doing ill is no service rewardable A servant who expects wages must not only do his Master no harm but some work that is good and profitable otherwise the best Christian would be he that should live altogether idlely for none doth less harm than he that doth nothing at all But Matth. 25. 30. He that encreased not his Master's Talent though he had not mis-spent it is adjudged an unprofitable servant and cast into outer darkness where is weeping and gnashing of teeth So also Matth. 3. 10. The tree that beareth no good fruit is hewn down though it bore none that was evil The axe is laid to the root of the tree Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Rheginenses who were inhabitants of a City called Rhegium on the Sea-coasts of Italy over against Sicilia but this is too far out of our walk and breaks our Fourth Rule amain by rending Askenaz quite from the house of his father and placing him so far from his brethren and it is against Iosephus his own testimony who saith that the Gomeraei were inhabitants of Asia and I am sure Gomer could be founder of no Nations but those his Sons were fathers of But if I might be bold with Iosephus I would for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and understand the Rhaetii or Rhaetians a German people and so he should agree with the opinion of the modern Iews who call the Germans Askenazim from Askenaz but this must be understood of some ensuing Colonies not of this Original Seat The third and last portion is Pontus and Bithynia which remains for the Third Son Riphath witness Iosephus who affirms that the Paphlagones who dwelt in these parts were called Riphathaei and the Histories of Heathen men place here their Riphaei and Arimphaei and Iunius thinks that the Amazones who were called AEorpatae were a Colonie from these quarters and besides there is a river in these parts called Parthenius corruptly as it should seem for Riphathenius And this portion lies only open to the Euxine Sea in ancient time called Pontus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was unfrequented by the Greek Nations which opportunely shews the reason why of those Three only Riphath is never spoken of afterward because it lay out of the walk either of Iews Tyrians or Egyptians And thus much for Gomer THAT which remains of Asia we must divide between Meshech Tubal and Magog For it is certain out of Ezekiel that Magog was seated in the North because it is said that Gog of the land of Magog shall come out of his Northern quarters and out of the same Chapter we gather that Tubal and Meshech were his neighbours in that he is called chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal and these two Meshech and Tubal are both here and elsewhere always joyned together To Meshech therefore following the received opinion we allot Cappadocia the inhabitants whereof were once called Meschini Moschi Mossyni and Mosynoeci witness Iosephus Epiphanius Pliny and Carmen Argonauticum Also the chief City of Cappadocia was called Mazaca even to Tiberius his time who called it Caesarea and it was afterward the Episcopal See of the learned Basilius Magnus Now for Thubal because he is neighbour to Meshech we must allot that which lies on the South-East of the Euxine Sea which contained the people Albani Chalybes and Iberi who Iosephus saith were anciently called Thebeli and Ptolemy places here a City called Thabilaca And some think that Chalybes is a name corrupted from Thabyles by losing the first letter and after supplying ◠in stead thereof for in Homer's time they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he saith that the Halizones came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Alybe where are mines of silver and from this Alybe I suppose came the name Albania And all this is agreeable to the opinion of most Writers but that some having mistaken the name Iberi in Iosephus will have the Spaniards to be of Thubal but we can yield them no more than this that perhaps the Spanish Iberi were a Colony of the Iberians of Asia And so we come to Magog Whom with the consent of all men we place North of Thubal and make him the father of those Seythians that dwelt on the East and North-East of the Euxine Sea and besides we have this argument from the report of Pliny in that Scythopolis and Hierapolis which these Scythians took when they overcame Syria were ever after by the Syrians called Magog And hence we may soon learn who is that tyrant Gog whereof Ezekiel prophesied namely the Scythian Ottoman of the East who at this day usurps a great part of Israel of our Israel of the Gentiles This is that Gog of the land of Magog chief Prince of Meshech and Thubal As for the name Gog it signifies the very same with Magog for Mem is but an Hemantick letter and it pleased the Spirit of God to take away this first syllable to distinguish between the people and the land of the people calling the people Gog and the land the land of Magog And it is to be marked that he doth not call this Gog Prince of Magog but rather Gog of the land of Magog for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be turned and chief Prince of Meshech and Thubal For those who have done us all this evil were no Princes in the land of Magog but mere Vagabonds and mercenaries whom their Country spewed out because they could not live at home And yet these Savages at the first coming out made themselves Lords of Meshech and Thubal of Cappadocia and Iberia and here they contained themselves long before they attempted the conquest of the rest of Asia witness those who write the History of their beginning I would to God we might live to see that joyful time which the same Ezekiel speaketh of when the Lord shall make him fall upon the mountains of Israel and smite the bow out of his left hand and cause his arrows to fall out of his right hand when he shall send a fire upon Magog and among them that dwell carelesly in the Isles that they might know that he is the Lord our God even the Holy one of Israel There remain yet of the sons of Iaphet Madai and Tiras and of the plot we first laid out Thracia and Macedonia If then the Thracians be of Tyras as it is agreed they are both because the name Thrax is little changed and because they worshipped one Odrysus who was no other than this Tiras then it must needs follow that Macedonia is left for Madai or else we must leave it empty because we can assign it to none of the rest without great inequality of portions nor yet find any other place for Madai Let therefore Macedonia be the lot of Madai witness the ancient name AEmathia as Lucan sings Bella per AEmathios plus quam civilia campos If any man question how AE came in I could ask him likewise how Eu came into Euphrates which the Hebrews and those of Mesopotamia call Perath or how AE into AEgyptus which themselves and their neighbours the Arabians call Cuphti or how AE into Ethiopia which some think to be so called of Theops or Theophi It may be that of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying regio the Greeks formed their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terra and so Aimathia is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Madai the land of Madai and AEgyptus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuphti the land of Cuphti and AEthiopia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Canticles I am wounded with love God's love hath wounded me and the wound of God makes me love him it begins in his love to me and aims at and ends in my love to him For we must remember in this case that which S. Austin well observes That when the godly and the wicked suffer the very same things to outward appearance yet there is a great unlikeness of the sufferers even in the likeness of suffering the one are punished out of God's just displeasure and wrathful vengeance the other are disciplin'd out of mercy that God might fit them and keep them for himself because he loves them And that we may the better understand this let us consider what Effects Afflictions work and what fruits they bring forth in those whom God loveth 1. Afflictions to them whom God loves are Medicinal and thereby they recover their health by repentance from some spiritual disease they are sick of For howsoever the Lord gives the rein loose to the children of wrath and lets them enjoy their hearts desire yet will he hedge with Thorns the ways of those he loveth and will awaken them by some sharp rod or other out of the sleep of security So he taught Miriam by a leprosie to leave her murmuring he wakened Ionah out of his sleep by casting him into the Sea Zacharias his unbelief was cured with dumbness and Blessed is the man whom the Lord this way chastens and corrects Psal. 94. 2. Afflictions are Preservatives to keep them whom God loveth from sin Thus an Angel of Satan must buffet Paul lest he should be exalted above measure 2 Cor. 12. 7. The Earth which is not tilled and broken up bears nothing but thorns and briers Vines wax wild in time unless we prune and cut them Our hearts would be overgrown with evil affections and dispositions as with so many noisome weeds if God by his loving chastisements should not Till and Manure them My Father saith Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Husbandman Iohn 15. 1. 3. Afflictions make the fruitless bring forth fruit beget many Vertues and make God's Graces in us to bloom and bring forth works pleasing unto our Heavenly Father The Prodigal Son in Luke 15. never thought of returning to his Father till he was brought low by affliction Hagar was proud in the house of Abraham but humble in the Wilderness Gen. 21. Ionah sleepeth in the ship but watches and prayes in the Whales belly Sicut Aromata odorem non nisi cum accenduntur expandunt saith Gregory as sweet spices send not forth nor spread abroad their sweet smell untill they be burnt or beaten so neither do the Graces of God's children send forth so sweet so rich a fragrancy as when they are exercised by Afflictions 4. Lastly Afflictions draw men nearer unto God Manasses who lived in Ierusalem as a Libertine when he was bound with chains in Babylon when he was in affliction he besought the Lord and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers 2 Chron. 33. 11 12. In the Gospel we read that Corporal diseases brought many to Christ whereas many who had their health neither regarded nor acknowledged him And thus I have let you see according to Sampson's Riddle Iudg. 14. how that out of the eater comes meat and out of the sowr or sharp comes sweet Out of sowr and sharp or bitter afflictions out of troubles and calamities that sometimes threaten to devour us comes sweetness comfort and refreshment The main use of all is for comfort in all our sufferings and crosses whensoever God sends them For they are Signs of our Son-ship and Tokens of his love So the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews tells us expressly chap. 12. 6. c. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons But if ye be without chastisement then are ye bastards and not Sons Let us then learn to bless God in our afflictions and say with David Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law It is good for me that I have been afflicted for before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy Word Psal. 119. 67 71. My Second Observation is this That if God spares not those whom he loveth much less shall his Enemies escape punishment Surely if God chastises those whom he loves he will break in pieces those whom he hates If thou art God's Enemy as thou canst not expect any of that Favour he shews unto his Friends and children so much less hast thou reason to hope that he will not revenge himself on thee when thou feest him so severe unto his own Let them think on this who live in enmity against God and never yet made their peace with him by casting off the old man and putting on the new but continue still to walk after the flesh in all the ways of sin and cast God's Law behind them Let them not rejoyce at the afflictions of God's children nor laugh at their sufferings but fear and tremble For every lash that the Children of God feel is a Warning-piece to ungodly men and should make them dread those sorer punishments those many and worse stripes Luke 12. 47. the indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish which shall be to every one that doth evil Rom. 2. To conclude consider that in 1 Pet. 4. 17. If judgment must first begin at the house of God what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God AND now I come to the last thing to be observed out of these words viz. That God rebukes before he chastens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I rebuke and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I chasten first admonish and reprove them and convince them of their Sin and then chastise them his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his disciplining goes with admonition It is a part of God's style whereby he proclaims himself The Lord The Lord God merciful and gracious and long-suffering And this appears in that he strikes not a sinner without frequent forewarnings reproofs and convincing him of sin His Word is always the harbinger of his Sword he rebukes and then chastens for he desireth not our misery but our amendment As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he would turn from his way and live And so in Prov. 1. Wisdom first cries out in the streets How long will ye Scorners delight in scorning and ye fools hate knowledge First she calls before she laughs at their calamity before destruction comes upon them as a whirlwind or distress and anguish fall upon them Before the Floud came and overwhelmed the Earth for sin man had given
Apostles And so I leave my first Argument My next Argument why may I not take from that singular Character given to some one above other in the Apostles Salutations as their peculiar Salute such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Church at his house As Colos. 4. 15. of Nymphas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salute Nymphas and the Church at his house To Philemon also ver 1 2. To Philemon our dear brother and fellow-labourer to Apphia our beloved and Archippus our fellow-souldier 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to the Church at thy house See he forgets it not after a Parenthesis neither attributes it to Archippus but as proper to Philemon alone The like he hath of Aquila and Priscilla two several times once sending salutation to them Rom. 16. 3 5. Salute Priscilla and Aquila and the Church at their house again sending salutation from them 1 Cor. 16. 19. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the Church at their house Which I understand not to be spoken of their Families as it is commonly expounded but of the Congregation of the Saints there wont to assemble for the performance of Divine duties that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence if it be granted it will follow First that the Churches then used to assemble not in mutable and promiscuous but in definite and appropriate places Secondly That those who are here saluted with that Appendix were such as in their several Cities had bestowed and dedicated some part or some place within their dwellings to be an Oratory for the Church to assemble in for the performance of Divine duties according to the rule of the Gospel Nymphas at Colosse Philemon at Laodicea for there Archippus who is saluted with him was Bishop saith Author Constit. Apost as Philemon himself was afterwards of the neighbouring City Colosse Aquila and Priscilla first at Rome till Claudius banished them with the rest of the Iews from thence Acts 18. 2. afterwards at Ephesus ver 19. whence S. Paul wrote that first Epistle to the Corinthians I am not the first I think who have taken these words in such a sense Cecumenius in two or three of these places if I understand him goes the same way though he mention the other Exposition also As to that of Aquila and Priscilla Rom. 16. his note is Adeò virtute spectati erant ut suam etiam domum Ecclesiam fecerint Vel dicitur hoc Quia omnes domestici fideles erant ut jam Domus esset Ecclesia He mentions as I said both Interpretations So upon that of Nymphas Col. 4. his words are Magni nominis hic vir erat nam domum suam fecerat Ecclesiam And unless this be the meaning why should this appendant be so singularly mentioned in the Salutations of some and not of others and that not once but again if the same names be again remembred as of Aquila and Priscilla Had none in those Catalogues of Salutation Christian families but some one only who is thus remembred It is very improbable nay if we peruse them well we shall find they had but otherwise expressed as in that prolix Catalogue Rom. 16. we find Aristobulus and Narcissus saluted with their houshold v. 10 11. Asyncritus Phlegon c. with the brethren which are with them v. 14. others with the Saints which are with them v. 15. 2 Tim. 4. 19. The houshold of Onesiphorus This therefore so singular an Appendix must mean some singular thing not common to them with the rest but peculiar to them alone And what should this be but what I have shewed Now because this Exposition concludes chiefly for a Coenaculum devoted to be an House of Prayer let us see if out of a Pagan writer who lived about the end of this Centurie we can learn what manner of ones they were For Lucian in his Dialogue Philopatris by way of derision sed ridentem dicere verum quid vetat brings in one Critias telling how some Christians went about to perswade him to be of their Religion and that they brought him to the place of their assembly being at Hyperôon which he describes thus Pertransivimus saith he ferreas portas aerea limina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multisque jam superatis scalis in Domum aurato fastigio insignem ascendimus qualem Homerus Menelai fingit esse atque ipse quidem omnia contemplabar video autem non Helenam sed mehercle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viros in faciem inclinatos pallescentes So he My third proof is from a Tradition the Church hath had of the Houses of some devout and pious Christians as afterwards so even in the Apostles time converted into Churches or Oratories as the house of Theophilus a potent man in Antioch the same as is supposed to whom S. Luke who was also an Antiochian inscribes both his Gospel and Acts of the Apostles who being converted unto the Faith by S. Peter converted his house into a Church where S. Peter had his first See or Episcopal Residence This Tradition is derived out of the Recognitions of Clemens where it is first found Which though it be an Apocryphal writing yet is of no small antiquity and this passage is of such a nature as it cannot be well imagined to what end it should be devised or feigned The like is reported of the house of Pudens a Roman Senator and Martyr in the Acta Pudentis That it was turned into a Church after his Martyrdom This is that Pudens mentioned by the Apostle in the 2 Epist. to Timothy 4. 21. and coupled with Linus Pudens and Linus saith he salute you All this comes not of nothing but surely argues some such custom to have been in those times I will seal up all my proofs for this Centurie of the Apostles with one passage of Clemens a man of the Apostolical Age in his genuine Epistle ad Corinthios Debemus omnia ritè ordine facere quaecunque nos Dominus peragere jussit praestitutis temporibus oblationes liturgias obire Neque enim temerè vel inordinatè voluit ista fieri sed statutis temporibus horis VBI etiam A QVIBVS peragi vult ipse excelsissimâ suâ voluntate definivit ut religiosè omnia secundùm beneplacitum ejus adimpleta voluntati ipsius accepta essent Here Clemens saith expresly That the Lord had ordained even now in the Gospel as well appropriate Places WHERE as appropriate Times and Persons that is Priests When and WHEREBY he would be solemnly served that so all things might be done religiously and in order Who then can believe that in the Apostles times when this Clemens lived the Places were not distinct for holy Services as well as the Times and Persons were or that Clemens would have spoken in this manner unless he had known it so to have been The Corinthians it seems in that their notorious sedition and discord had violated
Resurrection from the dead as also of the glorious Ascension into Heaven of the same Christ thy Son our Lord Offer unto thy excellent Majesty of thy own Gifts a pure Sacrifice a holy Sacrifice an immaculate Sacrifice the holy Bread of eternal life and the Cup of everlasting Salvation Note here also Memores offerimus Being mindful of or Commemorating we offer Which Ivo Carnotensis explains thus Memores offerimus Majestati tuae id est oblatam commemoramus per haec dona visibilia hostiam puram sanctam immaculatam c. Et hanc veri sacrificii commemorationem postulat sacerdos ita Deo Patri fore acceptam sicut accepta fuerunt munera Abel c. Remembring or being mindful we offer to thy Majesty a pure holy and immaculate Sacrifice that is saith he we commemorate the same offered unto God by these visible Gifts And the Priest accordingly prays that this Commemoration of the true Sacrifice may in like manner be acceptable to God the Father as the Gifts of Abel were accepted of him Thus he Memores therefore in the Latin Canon is Commemorantes which the Greek expresses better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the sense whereof that we may not doubt hear the explication of that great Council of Ephesus in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shewing forth the Death of the only begotten Son of God that is of Iesus Christ as also confessing his Resurrection and Ascension into heaven we celebrate in our Churches the unbloudy Sacrifice or Service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commemorating therefore is Shewing forth and Confessing But unto whom should we confess but unto God To him therefore and not unto our selves is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Commemoration to be made which Christ commended to his Church when he said Do this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for my Commemoration or in remembrance of me In this Council of Ephesus Cyril of Alexandria was chief Actor and President and it is to be noted that the Liturgie of the Church of Alexandria usually called S. Mark 's hath in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the self-fame words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewing forth and confessing which I now quoted out of the Council for an explication of the same which argues as I take it Cyril to have been the pen-man of the Decree of the Council and the Liturgie of his Church to have then run in this form I shall need alledge no more of the Latin Liturgies there is no material difference amongst them so that if you know the form of one you know of all I will add only out of S. Ambrose an Explication following those words of the Institution Do this in remembrance of me exprest in this manner Mandans dicens ad eos Quotiescunque hoc feceritis toties commemorationem mei facietis Mortem meam praedicabitis Resurrectionem meam annuntiabitis Adventum sperabitis donec iterum adveniam Commanding and saying to them As often as ye shall do this ye shall commemorate me declare my Death shew forth my Resurrection express your hope of my Coming until I come again This may suffice for Liturgies Now let us hear the Fathers speak I quoted heretofore a passage out of Iustin Martyr affirming a twofold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Commemoration to be made in the Eucharist the one of our Food dry and liquid as he speaks that is of our meat and drink by agnizing and recording him the Lord and Giver of the same the other an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same Food 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Passion of the Son of God The first of these Commemorations is made unto God for to whom else should we tender our thankfulness for the Creature Ergo the second the Commemoration of the Passion of the Son of God is made to him likewise My next Father is Origen Homil. 13. in Lev. cap. 24. where comparing the Eucharist to the Shew-bread which was every Sabbath â—et for a Memorial before the Lord Ista est saith he meaning the Eucharist commemoratio sola quae propitium facit Deum hominibus That 's the only Commemoration which renders God propitious to men Where note that both this Commemoration is made unto God as that of the Shew-bread was and that the end thereof is to make him propitious to men According to that of S. Augustine l. 9. c. 13. Illa quae in coena Christus exhibet Fides accepâ—a interponi inter peccata nostra iram Dei tanquam satisfactionem propitiationem Those things which Christ exhibits in his Supper Faith having received them interposeth them as a Satisfaction and Propitiation between our sins and Gods wrath My next witness is Eusebius Demonst. Evan. lib. 1. cap. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After all other things done saith he speaking of Christ he made that so wonderful an Oblation and excellent Sacrifice to God for the Salvation of us all appointing us to offer continually unto God a Remembrance thereof in stead of a Sacrifice And again toward the end of that Chapter having cited this place of Malachi which I have chosen for my Text and alluding thereunto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We offer the Incense spoken of by the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We offer Sacrifice and Incense while we celebrate the remembrance of the Great Sacrifice according to the mysteries given to us by him and offer the Eucharist with holy Hymns and Prayers to God for the Salvation of our Souls as also in that we consecrate our selves wholly unto him and dedicate our selves both Soul and Body to his High Priest the Word But above all other S. Chrysostome speaks so full and home to the point as nothing can be more to wit Hom. 17 an Epist. ad Hebraeos upon these words cap. 9. v. 26. But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What then saith he Do not we offer every day He answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We offer indeed but it is by making a Commemoration of his death And this Sacrifice is one and not many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how is it one and not many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because it was once offered not as that which was carried into the Holy of holies That was the figure of this and this the Truth of that And a little after O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is Christ is our High-Priest who offered that Sacrifice which purifieth us The same do we also offer now that then was offered and is yet unconsumed This is done in remembrance of that which was then done For Do this saith he in remembrance of me We offer not another not a different Sacrifice as the Iewish High-Priest did of old but still one and the same or rather we perform the remembrance of a Sacrifice
New Testament is answerable Hebr. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in departing from the living God And which is more near to our purpose S. Paul in his 2 Thess. 2. 3. means no other thing in his Prophecie of the man of sin by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than Christian Idolatry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnless that Apostasie come first that is Unless there be a breach of Allegiance and Faith given unto Christ by Idolatry under Antichrist The like therefore I conclude to be intended in my Text by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely That in the latter times men should break their Oath of fidelity to Christ that in and through him alone they should approch and worship the Divine Majesty And so hath the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught us something or at least it hath wrought an indefinite suspicion of what should befal Christians in the latter times Howsoever we are yet in suspence whether this departing from Christ and the Mystery of Godliness should be Total in not acknowledging him at all or whether Heretical in serving others besides him For the Iews we know when they forsook the Lord most yet did not forsake him altogether but their Apostasie was in not serving him only and alone but others besides him as Calves the Host of Heaven and Baalim LET us therefore see if the next general words will afford us yet further information viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attending to erroneous spirits or as some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirits of errour It would be unprofitable and tedious to tell here of the diverse use of this word Spirit in Scripture Some take in this place for Doctors of spiritual things and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be Doctors of Errors But I had rather take Spirits in this place for Doctrines themselves For so Divines observe it to be used I Iohn 4. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Believe not every spirit i.e. every doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but try the spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they be of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because many false Prophets are gone out into the world and so onward in that Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of Antichrist signifies the false doctrine of Antichrist So if this sense be admitted we are something less in suspence than we were and may guess that this Revolt should not be Total but Heretical For we shall not easily find the word Spirit to be otherwise used but either for the Doctrines or Doctors of Christianity or for Heresies under the same It seems therefore to be some revolt from Christ by Idolatry even in those who would seem to worship him But suppose it be so yet still are we in suspence what these Erroneous and Idolatrous Doctrines might be For Idolatry as we may see in the Iewish Apostasies was of diverse kinds as worshipping the Host of Heaven Baalims and the Gentiles other things besides them But we shall not be long in doubt the next words will clear the case and tell us they shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrines of Daemons not which Daemons or Devils are authors of though that be true as if the Genitive case were active but Doctrines concerning Daemons the Genâ—tive case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being here to be taken passively for the object of these doctrines as in Hebr. 6. 2. we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrines of Baptisms and doctrines of laying on of hands of the Resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment that is doctrines about and concerning all these And the same use may elsewhere be found even with the word Doctrine as Acts 13. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the doctrine of the Lord that is concerning him So Titus 2. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the doctrine of God our Saviour And Gal. 2. 20. we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the faith of the Son of God that is concerning him Semblably in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Doctrines of Daemons or Doctrinae Deastrorum that is The Gentâ—es idolatrous Theology of Daemons should be revived among Christians For I take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all is one not in that worst sense which no Author but the Scripture useth but in the better or more indifferent sense as it was supposed and taken among the Theologists and Philosophers of the Gentiles and as it is also sometimes taken in Scripture as I shall shew in due time CHAP. III. Daemons according to the Theology of the Gentiles were 1. for their Nature and Degree a middle sort of Divine Powers between the Sovereign Gods and mortal Men. 2. For their Office they were supposed to be Mediators and Agents between the Celestial Gods and Men. This proved from Plato Plutarch Apuleius Celsus in Origen and S. Austin The Doctrine of the Mediation of Daemons glanced at and reproved by the Apostle Coloss. 2. 8. The distinction of Sovereign Gods and Daemons proved out of the Old Testament and elegantly alluded to in the New 1. Cor. 8. 5 6. MEAN-while let us first see what the Gentiles and their Theologists understood by Daemons which when you have heard I doubt not but you will confess the Deifying and worshipping of Saints and Angels with other parts of their Idolatry which do this to be as lively an image of the Doctrine of Daemons as could possibly be expressed and such an one as whereby the Apostasie of the latter times is as by a character distinguished from the Heresies false doctrines and corruptions of all other times whatsoever Daemons in the Gentiles Theology were Deastri or an inferiour sort of Deisied Powers as a middle between the Sovereign Gods and mortal men So saies Plato in Symposio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So say all the Platonists and well-nigh all other Sects of Philosophers I am sure the most do for it is a very ancient doctrine insomuch that Plutarch De defectu Oraculorum fetcheth this distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Sovereign Gods and Daemons as far as the antiquity of Zoroafter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They seem to me saith he to have solved great and difficult doubts who have placed the Daemons between the Gods and Men and found out what in some sort uniteth and joyneth us with them whether this be the doctrine of the Magi and Zoroafter or the Thracian doctrine derived from Orpheus or the AEgyptian or Phrygian c. The Sovereign or Highest Gods which amongst them were properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those whom they supposed to be in the Heavens yea in the Sun Moon and Stars whence they called them Dii Superi Dii Coelestes whom they affirmed to
to their devotions by any sign or act whatsoever but whatsoever is made seem to be done by them is done by the self-fame wicked Spirits which heretofore were masked under the names of Daemons and therefore in this regard the one may as well bear the names of Daemons as the other and be as likely to be intended by the use of that word Secondly though the Scripture often useth this word in the worst sense yet follows it not it always should do so Because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it self which the Scripture hath appropriated to signifie Satan the Prince of hell-hounds following therein the Seventy who first gave it this notion nowhere else sampled in any Greek Author yet is this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament it self three several times used in the common sense for a Slanderer or False accuser and that in three several Epistles in both to Timothy and that to Titus And why should the like seem improbable for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay most certain it is so as I now come to make manifest And that first Acts 17. 18. where S. Paul our Apostle having at Athens preached Iesus risen from the dead the Philosophers thus encountred him saying This fellow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate He seemeth to be a setter-forth of strange gods namely Daemon-gods For hearing of one Iesus after death to become a Lord and Saviour and to be adored with divine worship they took him presently according to their own principles in that kind to be some new or forein Daemon for so it follows in the Text that they said thus Because he preached unto them Iesus and the Resurrection Upon the same ground Celsus in Origen lib. 8. cont Cels. calls the same Christ our Saviour the Christians Daemon for whereas the Christians said that they without hurt and danger blasphemed and reproached the Gentiles Gods Celsus replies Nonne vides bone vir quòd etiam tuo Daemoni opponens se quispiam non solùm convitiatur sed terrâ marique illum exigit Do you not see good Sir that some opposing your Daemon do not only reproach him but proclaim him unworthy to be at all in the world Where Origen answers Celsus Qui nullos scit malos Daemones nescio quomodo sui oblitus Iesum vocârit Daemonem He that acknowledges no evil Daemons I know not how he came to forget himself calling Iesus a Daemon But S. Paul thus charged by the Philosophers coming to make his Apology in the Areopagus retorts their accusation Ye men of Athens saith he I see you in all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too full of Daemons already I shall not need bring any more amongst you For thus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Etymology signifies a worshipper of Daemon-gods and was anciently used in this sense and so you shall find it often in Clemens Alexandrinus his Protrepticon not to speak of others though afterwards from signifying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Budaeus speaks it came to be applied to those who were too precise and anxious in their devotions But I saith our Apostle preach no new Daemon unto you but that Sovereign and Celestial God who made the world and all things therein who being Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not as your Daemon-gods do in Temples made with hands neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing as you conceive of your Daemons seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things This God I preach unto you And this place I take to be so unanswerable for the indifferent and common acception of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I care not now though the rest should fail me but let us see what they are In Revel 9. 13 c. the sixth Trumpet from Euphrates brings an huge army upon the Christian world which destroyeth a third part of men and yet those which remained repented not of those sins verse 2. for which these plagues came upon the earth viz. That they should not worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Idols of gold silver and brass and stone and of wood which can neither see nor hear nor walk Is not this a Comment upon the Apostle's Prophecy in my Text The time which it concerns must needs fall in the last times for it is the last Trumpet save one The place must be the Roman Empire or Christian world for that is the Stage of all the Seals and Trumpets And how could it be otherwise seeing S. Iohn at Pathmos saw them coming from the great River Euphrates whatsoever comes from thence must needs fall upon the Territory of the Roman Empire To hold you no longer the best Expounders make it the Ottoman or Turkish invasion which hath swallowed so great a part of Christendom But what people are they who in the Roman Territory do in these latter times worship Idols of gold silver brass and stone and wood Are they Ethnicks there is none such Are they Iews they cannot endure the sight of them Are they Mahumetans nay they abhor it also Then must they needs be Christians and then must Christians too worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for both are spoken of the same men But what Christians do or ever did worship Devils formally But Daemon-gods alas they do and long have done Here therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is again taken in the common and Philosophical sense or at least which is all one for Evil Spirits worshipped under the names of Daemons and deceased Souls Besides my Text there is but one place more in all the Epistles of S. Paul where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used namely 1 Cor. 10. 21. where if there be any allusion to the Gentiles conceit of Daemons then all the places of S. Paul's Epistles are bending that way But some there are saith Stephen in his Thesaurus who think the Apostle in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Cup of Daemons alludes unto that poculum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used amongst the Gentiles And further to strengthen this conceit of the Apostle's Allusion to the Heathenish notion of Daemons the words of the former verse make much For the things which the Gentiles sacrifice saith he to Daemons and not to God Now this was the very Tenet of the Gentiles That the Sovereign and Celestial Gods were to be worshipped only purâ mente and with hymns and praises and that Sacrifices were only for Daemons Vid. Porphy in Euseb. Praep. Evang. Herm. Trismeg in Asclepio Apuleium de Daemonio Socratis He therefore who had given his faith to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Lord to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only Potentate to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the one and only Mediator Iesus Christ must have no communion have no part in the service of those many Mediators Lords or
of Christ then may we give it the largest sense and yet say That it is not needful that the Resurrection of those which died in Christ should be all at once or altogether but the Martyrs first in the First resurrection then after an appointed time the rest of the dead in the Last resurrection afterward when the Resurrection shall be thus compleat those which remain alive at Christ's coming shall together with those which are risen be caught up into the clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and from thenceforth be eternally with him And so the reason why those which Christ found alive at his coming were not instantly translated should be in part that they might not prevent the dead but be consummate with them 3. Both these Interpretations suppose the Rapture of the Saints into the Clouds to be for their present translation into Heaven But suppose that be not the meaning of it for the words if we weigh them well seem to imply it to be for another end namely To do honour unto their Lord and King at his return and to attend upon him when he comes to judge the World Those saith the Text which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him he saith not carry away with him Again They and those which are alive shall be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire to meet the Lord's coming hither to Iudgment not to follow him returning hence the Iudgment being finished Besides it is to be noted that although in the Hebrew notion the Aire be comprehended under the name of Heaven yet would not the Apostle here use the word Heaven but the word Aire as it were to avoid the ambiguity lest we might interpret it of our translation into Heaven If this be the meaning then are those words We shall ever be with the Lord thus to be interpreted After this our gathering together unto Christ at his coming so the Apostle calls this Rapture 2 Thess. 2. 1. we shall from henceforth never lose his presence but always enjoy it partly on earth during his reign of a 1000 years and partly in Heaven when we shall be translated thither For it cannot be concluded because the Text saith the Saints after their rapture on high should thenceforth be ever with the Lord Ergò they shall from thenceforth be in Heaven for no Heaven is here mentioned If they must needs be with Christ there where they are to meet him it would rather follow they should be ever with him in the Aire than in Heaven which I suppose none will admit And otherwise the Text will afford no more for Heaven than it will for Earth nay the words he shall bring them with him make most for the latter 4. I will add this more namely what may be conceived to be the cause of this Rapture of the Saints on high to meet the Lord in the Clouds rather than to wait his coming to the Earth What if it be that they may be preserved during the Conflagration of the earth and the works thereof 2 Pet. 3. 10. that as Noah and his family were preserved from the Deluge by being lift up above the waters in the Ark so should the Saints at the Conflagration be lift up in the Clouds unto their Ark Christ to be preserved there from the deluge of fire wherein the wicked shall be consumed There is a Tradition of the Iews founding this way which they ascribe unto one Elias a Iewish Doctor whose is that Tradition of the duration of the World and well known among Divines Duo millia Inane duo millia Lex duo millia dies Messiae viz. Sex mille annos duraturus est Mundus He lived under the second Temple about the first times of the Greek Monarchy so that it is no device of any latter Rabbies but a Tradition anciently received amongst them whilst they were yet the Church of God I will transcribe it because it hath something remarkable concerning the 1000 years It sounds thus Traditio domûs Eliae Iusti quos resuscitabit Deus non redigentur iterum in pulverem He means of the First and Particular Resurrection before the General which the Iews acknowledge and talk much of See Wisdom chap. 3. ab initio ad finem v. 8. Si quaeras autem Mille annis istis quibus Deus Sanctus Benedictus renovaturus est mundum suum de quibus dicitur Et exaltabitur Dominus solus in die illo Es. 2. 11. quid justis futurum sit sciendum quòd Deus Sanctus Benedictus dabit illis alas quasi aquilarum ut volent super facie aquarum unde dicitur Psal. 46. 3. Propterea non timebimus cùm mutabitur terra At fortè inquies erit ipsis dolori seu afflictioni Sed occurrit illud Esa. 40. 31. Exspectantibus Dominum innovabuntur vires efferentur alâ instar aquilarum The Hebrew words are in Gemara Sanhedrin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tradition of the house of Elias The just whom God shall raise up viz. in the First Resurrection shall not be turned again to dust Now if you ask How it shall be with the just in those Thousand years wherein the Holy Blessed God shall renew his world whereof it is said Esa. 2. 11. And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day you must know that the Holy Blessed God will give them the wings as it were of Eagles to fly upon the face of the waters whence it is said Psal. 46. 3. Therefore shall we not fear when the Earth shall be changed But perhaps you will say it shall be a pain and affliction to them Not at all for it is said Esa. 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles I have no more left Mr. Doctor may adde this to my Placita Iudaeorum Thus with my best respects to your self and him I rest Yours c. I. M. Post-script Adde unto this that of our Saviour Where the body is there shall the Eagles be gathered together EPISTLE XXIII Dr. Twisse his Third Letter to Mr. Mede touching some obscure passages in Daniel Worthy Sir I Am sorry you are offended to have those your learned Discussions of that difficult place in Daniel touching the LXX weeks communicated I confess I travell'd not a little for the gaining of them first at Oxford where I first discovered some track of them then at London by my good friend Dr. Meddus his means first with Mr. Mason my good friend and ancient acquaintance than with Mr. D. What account soever you make of them I assure you I shall make never a whit the less reckoning of your learned pains Good reason your account should proceed according to the exactness of your own judgment in these Studies but to me truly they are rare notions The rather because I perceive your care is equal in maintaining congruity both with the Hebrew Text and
maintain in the spirits perfected And why should it be any discomfort to me that Christ in his Manhood is gone to ruine Antichrist and to reign with his Saints and that I must stay till my turn comes to reign with him I have written to Mr. B. in answer to his Letter wherein he made relation of whereabouts he had written to you and what you answered him whereupon I took occasion to write unto him and to acquaint him with the Praecognita you speak of In one of your former Letters you told me of a Chappel-exercise you had to communicate unto me when I returned that of Gog and Magog which truly I had forgotten in my last to entreat but since perusing your Letters and lighting upon it I resolved the next time I wrote to put you in mind of your promise which whether it be the same you have wrote of concerning Dan. 11. I know not I could not neglect to write unto you with the first to acquaint you with my receit of yours which came to my hands Apr. 4. and to give you many thanks for your love and pains which I shall never requite save with love if that may be a requital as your acceptance may make it I commend you from my heart to the Grace of God and your studies as mine own to the Divine benediction and rest Newbury April 6. 1635. Yours ever in the Lord extreamly obliged W. Twisse Post-script A strange Book came lately to my hands of the variation of the longitude of places on earth by the variation of the Compass which was formerly supposed to be invariable That which 54 years since was found to be deg 11 22 years agoe was found to be but deg 7 and the last year but deg 4. Dr. L. my neighbour desires to be remembred unto you He told me a story of Mr. Selden what he delivered to my Lord Herbert concerning you as namely that you took it unkindly that he would not believe that a Trumpet signified a thousand years I made answer on your behalf as I thought good EPISTLE LI. Mr. Mede's Answer to Dr. Twisse's Fifth Letter expressing the great Candour and Freedom of his spirit as to differences in Opinions and how little affected he was with the report of Mr. Selden's Censure of his Book An Answer to an Exception concerning the State of the Millennial felicity in Seculo futuro A Vindication of Lactantius and others from the calumnies of some Antichiliasts The reason why Hierom was afraid to mention Iustin Martyr where he speaks of the ancient Chiliasts SIR SOME business that calls upon me will make me be short at this time That which I called a Chappel-exercise was a diverse thing from this I last offered to send you namely a little thing for understanding S. Paul's allegation out of Psal. 8. Hebr. 2. concerning the exaltation of the nature of Man to which God hath subjected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This last is a large Discourse upon 1 Tim. 4. delivered first at several times by way of Common-places as we call them in the Colledge and in certain Sermons at S. Mary's but at what time my Notions in the Apocalyps were yet but raw and the Mystery of the Millenary Kingdom not understood So you will find in it many things not consentaneous to my present notions and some other things that my maturer thoughts could now correct or wipe out Well whatsoever they be I send you them both The little one hath another conceit annexed to it which I was not so well aware of viz. of Zipporah's circumcising I would fain but could not tell how to separate it from the other unless I should write it out anew which I had rather than undergo hazard as you see the imputation of Vanity For Mr. Selden he is a Gentleman by whose Writings I have learned much and make no slight esteem of but otherwise utterly unknown unto me I never saw him in my life nor he me nor was there ever any entercourse between us by letter word message or otherwise Nor did I ever hear any Censure of his concerning my Book or any particular therein till now much less replyed to any such thing reported to me or took it unkindly as you say he told my Lord Herbert Surely it was but some scheme of discourse that passed from some body gratis when my Book was discoursed of But the author of that scheme was more deceived in me than he could have been in any man else There are I think few men living who are less troubled to see others differ in opinion from them than I am whether it be a Vice or Vertue I know not So far is it from me to take it unkindly that I should not be believed in a Paradox If any man can patiently suffer me to differ from him it nothing affects me how much or how little they differ from me Which disposition so much the more encreaseth in me as I take dayly liberty to examine either mine own former persuasions or other mens opinions But if I should go on I should perhaps discover too much my indifferency this way Let it pass I am no niggard according to my ability to impart what I know but it is where I find some appetite as you say otherwise my familiarist friends some of them are as ignorant of my Notions as any stranger For if they discover no stomach I use not to examine them no not to offer them and it would be in vain Pauci enim inviti discunt 'T is true that Glorified bodies have no need of inheritance temporal for their maintenance and nourishment but for their mansion and habitation they have need of a place of abode The Creatures upon earth were not all made no not the most of them for mans eating and drinking but for his glorifying the Wisdom Goodness and Power of his Creator in the contemplation of them Such a use is not unbefitting the Sons of the Resurrection And what use should many of them have had but this if Man had continued in the Integrity of his first Creation Like scruples will arise in a mans mind concerning the State of Beatitude in the heavenly mansions as What should a glorified Soul do there with a Body and bodily Senses What Objects are there to entertain them Some body and if I am not much deceived our Mr. Perkins somewhere in his Works I had thought in his Aurea Armilla but now cannot find it in the English nor have I the Latin Copy moving a question To what use the Renovated Earth after the Last Iudgment should serve answers For the solace of the glorified Saints who should sometimes live in Heaven and sometimes on Earth alledging for this conceit that in Apocal. 5. 10. Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on earth Were it not more agreeable to Reason to affirm That seeing Man consists of two parts a Body and a Soul each shall
the Churches of the Orient and in the Latin Church their Mattins and Even-song if of later ages not at it yet always near and toward it Desks for reading Prayers is a new device since the Reformation never in the Church before Whatsoever was spoken to God was spoken at the Altar or towards it whatsoever to the people out of the Ambo or Pulpit and towards them as Readings Sermons Tertul. Exhort Castit c. 10. Si spiritus apud se reus sit conscientia erubescit quomodo audebit orationem dicere ad Altare An Altar is nothing else but a Table to call upon God at whence the Scripture relates so often of Abram and Isaac that they built Altars where they came and there called upon the name of the Lord. 6. If it be lawful to invocate and call upon God at and toward the Altar as Solium praesentiae 't is as lawful to worship him toward it The specification of Christian worship is to adore and invocate the Father through Iesus Christ crucified why should it not then be comely when we address our selves unto him to look toward the place where his Passion is commemorated and the Rites thereof exhibited 'T is but to represent that by our posture which otherwise we express by our tongue when we say Through Iesus Christ our Lord. 7. 'T is the fashion of all Nations and Religions and ever was to use some Reverential gesture when they enter into God's House Our Saviour when he sends forth his disciples to preach the Gospel Matt. 10. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when ye enter into an House salute the same i. e. as S. Luke relates it and the Vulgar and some other Copies have in this of Matth. say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agreeable whereto is that Custome now almost only retained amongst a few of the Vulgar to say when they come into an House God be here Why should not some such Rite be comely when we come into the House of God I am sorry now that I entered at all into this discourse for I see so many things requisite yet for the understanding thereof as of the Nature of Temples and their Holiness of the Christian Sacrifice so much decantated in the ancient Church of the Lawfulness of Rites ordained by men and the like that it would require a Volume to give satisfaction herein But you desired but to know what I thought of Genuflexio versùs Altare and I think I have told you and you see hereby what a mungrel I am I know not how you will like it I know how full of prejudice in these Things most of our Divines are But I am verily perswaded that the Notions of Antiquity hereabout are so far from being followed that they are quite forgotten and unknown I will neither trouble you nor my self any longer but commend you to the Divine protection and so I rest Christ's Coll. May 13. 1635. Your loving Friend Ioseph Mede EPISTLE LVII Dr. Twisse's Eighth Letter to Mr. Mede containing his thankful acknowledgments of Mr. Mede's singular goodness in communicating his Papers and his high esteem of them particularly of his Notions upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as also his Observations upon Mr. Mede's foregoing Letter what he approved therein and what he excepted against Good Mr. Mede and my thrice worthy and dear Friend I Have at length return'd your Manuscripts both the first and latter concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the smaller one containing two Discourses and the Prophetia Tobiae expounded in the belly thereof I am heartily sorry to hear your Labours upon the Revelation published for the common good and opening such Mysteries unto the world have put your self to so much expence and found so little reward in the world I protest I cannot think of it without disdain I have not spared to profess my indignation thereupon before some good friends of quality and shall be ready to do as much upon every occasion But your Reward shall be the greater in Heaven My motion was not to put you to any expence or care about the business I wrote of I nothing doubt but order shall be taken to have it done otherwise if you would but give way But I would not in the least respect abuse your kindness which I account precious as a jewel by doing ought that might occasion any distaste in your self upon any proceedings of mine or others whereunto I should give any occasion Sir I cannot sufficiently express my obligation unto your self for your singleness in communicating such precious commodities For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the construction of it which you make I am clearly of your mind and that Genitivus materiae is nothing strange were there no other incongruity of construction in the Text thereby avoided which yet there is and that foul one The truth is the phrase is unquestionably usual expressed of Things but being expressed of Persons we being apt to understand it of Genitivus Efficientis that use makes the other way seem strange as I found in Dr. S. But so much the more it became the Holy Ghost to express the Mystery of Iniquity in a covert manner not easily and at first sight to be discovered but in good time by serious intention and consideration of all circumstances when the Lord thought it most seasonable to bring it to light And blessed be God that he hath brought it to light and that my self have lived to see such Mysteries of iniquity brought to light and made good by evidence of Scripture and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 testifying so much and that with such evidence that I know not where to parallel it with the like all things considered Long agoe I have entertained an opinion that you are as exact in the right understanding of Daniel Mysteries as of those in the Revelation I saw a touch you gave in a Letter to Dr. Meddus of the years mentioned in Daniel 12. by way of passing your judgment on some parts of Alstedius his Chronologie I would you would be pleased to impart unto me what you think of the beginning of those times mentioned in Daniel 12. 11 12. and what remarkable things fell out at the end of each the rather because I am promised some notions of Mr. G. your friend thereabouts I doubt not but you conceive two seasons of the Abomination of desolation one before our Saviour's coming in the flesh by Antiochus Epiphanes another which our Saviour himself points unto as to be made by the Romans which yet Baronius saith cannot be meant of that by Tirus when he took Ierusalem because at that time it was too late to be warned of flying thereupon and shifting for themselves Your Chappel-Exercises 1. that of Psal. 8. of quelling the enâ—â—y and the avenger 2. the other of Zipporah's speech which I would not for any good you had divided and kept from me not only my self but divers others as Mr.
him Ans. I suppose in the last year of his reign and life and that his ill usage at that time was the occasion of his so miserable death before he was yet gone from Ierusalem And yet perhaps those who came to fetch him went not home empty but carried those 3023 mentioned Ier. 52. 28. though I had rather refer them to Iehoiachin's going which was immediately Object The first deportation of the Iews was in the 7. of Nebuchadnezzar Ier. 52. 28. Therefore not the 4 but the 11. of Iehoiakim's reign Ans. Ieremy intended not a rehearsal of all the Captivities nor of the full number of captives as appears by the smalness of the number It may be those numbâ—rs contain men of particular quality and such as were disposed of in one and the same place But here I am resolved I. M. CHAP. II. The Mystery of S. Paul's Conversion or The Type of the Calling of the Iews 1. 1. PAVL among the sons of men the greatest Zelot of the Law and Persecutor of the way of Christ. THE Iews among the Nations most obstinate Zelots of Moses and the most bitter Enemies of the Followers of Christ. 2. 2. Paul in the height of this his zeal and heat of his persecuting fury found mercy and was converted The Iews though persisting unto the last in their extremity of bitterness and mortal hate to Christians yet will God have mercy on them and receive them again to be his People and be their God 3. 3. Paul converted by means extraordinary and for manner strange not as were the rest of the Apostles by the Ministerie of any Teacher upon earth but by visible Revelation of Christ Iesus in his glory from Heaven the light whereof suddenly surprising him he heard the voice of the Lord himself from Heaven saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me The Iews not to be converted unto Christ by such means as were the rest of the Nations by the Ministerie of Preachers sent unto them but by the Revelation of Christ Iesus in his glory from Heaven when they shall say not as when they saw him in his humiliation Crucifie him but Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord. Whose coming then shall be as a lightning out of the East shining into the West and the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the clouds of Heaven and every eye shall see him even of those which pierced him and shall lament with the Spirit of grace and supplication for their so long and so shameful unbelief of their so merciful Redeemer 4. 4. Those who accompanied Paul at the time of this Apparition saw the light only and were amazed but Paul alone saw the Lord and heard the voice which he spake unto him This Revelation of Christ from Heaven like to be most apparent to the Iews in all places where they are dispersed but not so perhaps to the Gentiles with whom they live The light of his glorious presence shall be such as the whole world shall take notice of but those only to see him and hear his voice who pierced him 5. 5. Paul no sooner converted but was immediately inspired with the knowledge of the Mysteries of Christ without the instruction of any Apostle or Disciple for he received not the Gospel which he preached of Man neither was he taught it but by the Revelation of Iesus Christ. He consulteth not with the rest of the Apostles but after 14 years preaching communicated to them the Gospel which he preached among the Gentiles who added nothing unto him but gave him the right hand of fellowship The Iews together with their miraculous Calling shall be illuminated also with the knowledge of the Mysteries of the Christian Faith even as it is taught in the Reformed Churches without any Instructers from them or Conference with them and yet when they shall communicate their Faith each to other shall find themselves to be of one communion of true belief and give each other the right hand of fellowship 6. 6. Paul the last called of the Apostles The Iews to be called after all the Nations in orbe Romano or in the circuit of the Apostle's preaching 7. 7. Paul once converted the most zealous and fervent of the Apostles The Iews once converted the most zealous and fervent of the Nations 8. 8. Till Paul was converted the Gospel had small progress amongst the Gentiles but when he became their Apostle it went forward wonderfully Till the Calling of the Iews the general Conversion of the Gentiles not to be expected but the receiving of Israel shall be the riches of the world in that by their restitution the whole world shall come unto Christ. 9. 9. The miracle of S. Paul's Conversion the person so uncapable till then a Persecutor and most bitter Enemy of Christians the manner so wonderful as by an Apparition and Voice from Heaven was a most powerful motive to make all those who heard and believed it Christians and therefore so often by S. Paul himself repeated The miracle of the Iews Conversion so much the more powerful to convert the Nations of the world not yet Christians by how much their opposite disposition is more universally known to the world than was S. Paul's and by how much the testimony of a whole Nation living in so distant parts of the world of so divine a miracle as a Vision and Voice from Heaven exceeds that of s. Paul being but one Man 10. 10. Paul reproveth Peter one of the chief Apostles for symbolizing with Iudaism May not the Iews likewise reprove if not more the Church of Rome the chief of Christian Churches for symbolizing with Gentilism S. Paul to Tim. 1 Ep. c. 1. v. 16. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth ill long-suffering for a Pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life CHAP. III. Answer concerning a Discourse inferring from the Septenary Types of the Old Testament and other Arguments That the World should last 7000 years and the Seventh Thousand be that happy and blessed Chiliad I. THE Millennium of the Reign of Christ is that which the Scriptures call The Day of Iudgment the ancient Iews and S. Iude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnus Dies Iudicii or Dies Iudicii magni Septimus Millenarius ab universa Cabbalistarum Schola saith Carpentarius vocatur Magnus Dies Iudicii Comment in Alcinoum Platonis pag. 322. A Day not as our languages commonly import of a few hours but according to the Hebrew notion from whence the name is derived of many years For with them Day is Time and not a short only but a long Time A Day whereof S. Peter speaking 2 Epist. chap. 3. tells the believing Iews his brethren as soon as he had named it vers 8. That he would not have them ignorant that one Day with the Lord was as a Thousand years and a Thousand years
22. 32. I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living p. 801 Chap. 23. 19 the Altar that sanctifies the Gift p. 376 Verse 39. Ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. p. 519 Chap. 24. 14. And the Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world p. 705 and then shall the End come p. 36 Verse 20. Pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath-day p. 841 Verse 29. Immediately after the tribulation of these days shall the Sun be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars shall fall from heaven p. 615 753 Verse 34. This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled p. 752 Chap. 25. 33 34. And he shall set the Sheep on his right hand but the Goats on the left Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom c. p. 841 Chap. 27. 34. They gave him vineger to drink mingled with gall p. 518 S. MARK Chap. 1. 14. Now after that Iohn was put in prison Iesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God pag. 97 Verse 15. And saying The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel p. 106 Chap. 11. 17. Is it not written My house shall be called a House of Prayer to all the Nations p. 44 Chap. 15. 23. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrhe p. 518 S. LUKE Chap. 1. 28. Hail thou highly-favoured one p. 181 Verse 72. To shew mercy or kindness to our Fathers p. 801 Chap. 2. 1. that all the World should be taxed p. 705 13 14. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly Host praising God and saying Glory be to God in the highest c. p. 89 Chap. 6. 12. he continued all night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 67 Chap. 7. 47. Her sins which are many are forgiven therefore she loved much p. 766 Chap. 16. 9. Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness c. p. 170 Chap. 18. 28. Lo we have left all and followed thee p. 120 Chap. 21. 24. Vntil the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled p. 709 753 Verse 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then shall be Signs c. p. 744 753 Chap. 22. 20. This Cup is the New Covenant in my bloud p. 372 Chap. 24. 45 46. Then opened be their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures And said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day p. 49 S. IOHN Chap. 1. 14. And the Wâ—rd was made flesh and tabernacled in us p. 266 Chap. 4. 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain p. 263 Verse 22. Ye worship what ye know not we worship what we know p. 49 Verse 23. But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth p. 46. Chap. 7. 37. As the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water p. 62 Chap. 10. 20. He hath a Devil and is mad p. 28 Chap. 12. 28. Then came there a voice from heaven The people therefore that stood by and heard it said that it thundred p. 459 Chap. 17. 17. Sanctifie them unto or fâ—r thy Truth thy Word is Truth p. 14 Verse 19. And for them I sanctifie my self that they might be sanctified for thy Truth ibid. Chap. 18. 36. My kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight p. 103 Chap. 21. 22. If I will that he stay till I come p. 708 ACTS Chap. 2. 5. And there were sojourning at Ierusalem Iows devout men out of every Nation under heaven p. 74 Verse 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 364 Verse 45. See Chap. 4. 34 Verse 46. And they continuing daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the House ate their meat with gladness and singleness of heart p. 322 Chap. 3. 19. Repent and be converted c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so the times of refreshing may come p. 612 Chap. 4. 34 35. As many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold and laid them down at the Apostles feet p. 127 Chap. 5. 3 4. And Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the holy Ghost and to purloin of the price of the land c. p. 115 Chap. 10. 1 2. There was a certain man in Caefarea called Cornelius a Centurion of the Italian band a devout man and one that feared God c. p. 165 Verse 4. Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a memorial before God p. 164 Chap. 13. 48. And there believed as many as were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to eternal life p. 21 Chap. 14. 15. Who in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways p. 515 Chap. 15. 16 17. After this I will return and will build again the Tabernacle of David which is fallen c. That the residuc of men might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my Name is called p. 455 Chap. 16. 13. And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river-side where there was taken or where was famed to be a Proseucha and Verse 16. It came to pass as we went to the Proseucha p. 67 Chap. 17. 4 There associated themselves to Paul and Silas of the worshipping Greeks a great multitude p. 19 Verse 18. He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Gods because he preached unto them Iesus and the Resurrection p. 635 Chap. 18. 22. And he sailed from Ephesus and when he had landed at Caesarea having gone up and saluted the Church he went down to Antioch p. 323 Chap. 24. 16. ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this cause do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and men p. 871 ROMANS Chap. 1. 23. They changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image c. p. 5 Verse 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie and served the creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 49 Chap. 8. 20. For the creature was made subject to vanity Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God p. 230 812 Chap. 9. 1. my Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost p. 118 Chap. 11. 11 15. Through their fall Salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world p. 455
in some other Treatises in these Volumes viz. Chap. 1. 4 5. Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven spirits which are before his throne and from Iesus Christ. p. 42 Vers. 6. And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father p. 113 Chap. 5. 1. And I saw a Book sealed with seven Seals p. 791 Chap. 9. 20. And the rest of the men repented not of the works of their hands that they should not worship Daemons and Idols of gold and silver and brass and stone and of wood p. 636 Chap. 11. 7. The beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war with them and overcome and kill them p. 766 Vers. 9. They shall see their dead bodies three daies and un half p. 761 Chap. 13. 7. And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them p. â—66 Chap. 15. 2. having the harps of God p. 11 Vers. 3. 4. And they sing the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorisie thy Name for thâ—n only art holy therefore all the Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy Ordinances are made manifest p. 10 Chap. 20. 4 5. and they lived and reigned with Christ a 1000 years But the rest of the dead lived not again until the 1000 years were finished This is the First resurrection p. 771 Chap. 21. 24. And the Nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it p. 772 Vers. â—6 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations into it p. 72 Places of Scripture differently read or pointed from the ordinary Translation GEn. 3. 14. pag. 231 12. 6. p. 65 15. 9. p. 371 49. 10. p. 36 Exod. 4. 25 26. p. 54 Deut. 33. 2. p. 344 1 Chron. 1. 6 7. p. 279 Ezra 1. 10. p. 700 Nehem. 13. 6. p. 701 Esth. 7. 5. p. 116. Psal. 110. 3. p. 115 Prov. 21. 16 p. 32 Eccles. 5. 1. p. 340 351 Isa. 9. 1. p. 101 456 11. 15 16. p. 529 Dan. 2. 45. p. 744 750 7. 9. p. 532 762 12. p. 780 781 24. p. 657 778 9. 25. p. 697 9. 26. p. 704 27. p. 706 c. 11. 35 36 37 38 39. p. 667 797 41 43. p. 674 12. 8. p. 816 Mal. 4. 6. p. 98 Tob. 14. 3 c. p. 579 c. 1 Macc. 12. 31. p. 470 Matt. 11. 25. p. 93 19. 28. p. 85 27. 10. p. 786 Mar. 11. 17. p. 45 Luke 1. 72. p. 801 6. 12. p. 67 Acts 2. 5. p. 74 42. p. 364 46. p. 322 5. 3. p. 117 16. 13 16. p. 67 17. 4. p. 20 24. 16. p. 871 1 Cor. 15. 41 42. p. 85 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. p. 623 624 675 6. 19. p. 216 Heb. 2. 6 8. p. 577 2 Pet. 2. 4. p. 23 1 Iohn 2. 18 22. p. 900 Iude vers 6. p. 23 14. p. 344 Rev. 11. 7. p. 483 760 12. 18. vel 13. 1. p. 420 13. 1 2 3. p. 423 14. p. 506 4. 1. p. 511 5. p. 514 8. p. 517 15. 4. p. 10 910 17. 8. p. 524 The Second TABLE containing the Authors quoted in this Edition A ABarbenel Aben Ezra Aberdoniens Episc. R. Abraham Sebah Achmetis Oneirocrit Acta Pudentis Acta Stephani monachi apud Damascen Surium Adrichomius AElian AEmilius Sura ap Paterc AEschines AEschyli interpres Ainsworth Alâ—azar Aldi N. T. Grac. Alstedius S. Ambrose Ammianus Marcell Andraeas Caesarieus Bp. Andrews Anonymus ap Cassandr Apollinarius Apomasar Apuleius Aretas Arislotle Arnobius R. Asche Asterius S. Athanasâ—us Athenaeus Athenagoras S. Augustine Aulus Gellius Aurelius Victâ—r Aureolus Author imperfecti Operis in Matthaeum B BAlduinus Bale Balsamon Baronius Barthol Georgivez S. Basil Bede S. Benedicti Regula Benjamin Tudelens S. Bernard Berosus ap Ioseph Card. Bessarion ap Meurs Beza Biblioth Patrum Bigneus Bishop of Meath Blondus Flavius Brightman Broughton Bucer Budaeus Busbequius Buxtors C CAEsarius Callimachus Calvin Calvisius Cambden Camerarius Cameron Canon Apostol Carmen Argonaut Carpentarius in Platon Alcinoum Casaubonus Cassander Cassianus Castellio Catalogus Test. Verit. per Illyricum Cato Cedrenus Celsus ap Origen Centuriatores Chalcocondylas Chald. Paraphr Chazkuni Lib. Hebr. Chemnitii Examen Chronic. Alexandrin Chrysologus S. Chrysostome Cicero S. Clemens Alexandr S. Clemens Romanus Cocceius Codex Complutens Codex Regius Concilium Carthaginens 3. Chalcedonens Constantinopol Eliberitan Ephesin Gangrens Hipponens Laodicen Lateranens Nicen. 1. 2. Rhemens Trâ—dentin Constantinus Manasses Constitut. Apostol Continuatio Belli sacri Cosmas Megalianus Dr. Crakenthorp Câ—esias Cujacius S. Cyprian Ejus Vita per Pontium S. Cyrill Alexandr Hierosolym D DAmian a Goes Bp. Davenant De Dieu Diodorus ap Euseb. Diodorus Sic. Dion S. Dionys. Areopagita Dioscorides Dounam de Antichristo Drusius Durant de Rit Eccles. E K. EDward's Catechism Elias in Tishbi R. Eliezar Elmachinus Ennius Ephrem Syrus S. Epiphanius Erasmus Erpenius Euagrius Eucherius Eunapius Eusebius Altkircherus Eusebius Caesariens Eusebius Pamph. Euslathius Eutropius F FAgius Paulus Fasciculus Temporum Fasti Siculi Festus Flacius Illyricus Florus Forbes Forsierus Fox Martyrol Fructuosi decret ap Gratian. Fulleri Miscell Funccius G. GAius ap Euseb. Galatinus Petrus Gelasius Cyzicenus Gemara Talmud Geneva Translat Gennadius Geograph Arab. Gerhard Glassius Gothosredus in Tertull. Gotthish Missal Graserus Gratian Gregentii Disput. cum Herbano S. Greg. Nazianzen Nyssen Gregor Thaumaturg Gregor Turonens Grotius Gualter Brutus ap Fox H HEinsius Helvicus Hemingius Hentenius Hermes Trismeg Herodian Herodotus Hesiod Hesychius S. Hierome S. Hilarie Hippocrates Hippolytus Homer Homilies Horace Hospinian Hyperius I IAlkut Lib. Hebr. Iamblicus Ieremias Patriarch Bp. Iewell S. Ignatius Antioch Episc. Ignatius Antiochen Patriarch ap Scalig. Ioannes Curopalata Ioannes de Nicol Iornandes Iosephus Ioseph Gorionides Ioseph Vicecomes Iâ—anaus Isengrinius Isidorus Hispalens Pelusiot Isocrates Iuchasin Lib. Hebr. R. Iuda ap Drusium Iulius Capitol Iulius Front Iunius Ivo Carnotens Iustin hisioric Iustin Martyr Iuvenal K R. D. K. Imchi Kircheri Concord L LActantius Lampridius Langus interp Iustin. M. a Lapide Latini interpp N. T. Legenda aurea Leo magnus R. Levi Leunclavius Lexicon ret Gr. Lat. Linacer Lipsius Liturgia S. Basilâ— S. Chrysâ—st S. Clementis S. Iacobi Hierosol S. Marci Alexandr Lucan Lucian Luther Lutheranus anonym de Rebus in noviss di Lyranus M. MAcrobius Maginus Maimonides Manuser Alexandr in Biblioâ—h Pâ—lygloâ—t Mâ—râ—ialiâ— Mart. Heracleâ—â— Martiâ—â— Iâ—xic Mâ—rtyriâ—â— Omeritarâ—m ap Barâ—n Martyrolug Roman Masiâ—s Melanchâ—hâ—n Melchiâ—r Canus Mâ—â—der ap Iust. M. Menolog Graec. Methodius Meursius Micyllus Iacob Midrash Teâ—illim â—ib Heb. Mincha Chadascha Lib. Heb. Minutius Felix Miracles of the B. V. â—n Italian Molinaeus de Morte Mosis liber Bp. Morton Moses Bar-Cephas R. Mases de Kotsi ap Drus. Munsler N. R. M. NAchmanides Napier Nicephorus Callistus
forget God 130. the reason of it 131 Protestants the way of procuring peace among them 866 to pag. 875 Providence The method of Divine Providence to usher in the Exaltation of his Saints with some great Calamity foregoing it 760 Psalms The Book of Psalms contains set Forms of Prayer and Praise 2 3 Punishments are either Temporal or Eternal Eternal are inflicted on the Sinner only Temporal either on the Sinner's Person or Posterity 141. The end of Temporal punishments what ibid. why God remits not Temporal punishments here where the Sin is forgivenâ— 142. the Ends why God defers punishments 142 143. God sometimes brands the punishment with the Stamp of the Sin 144 229 829. Conformity between the Sin and the Punishment in 4 particulars 144 c. Pure Heart See Heart Purity of the Primitive Church how long it lasted 588 Purple Purple colour or To wear Purple was an Imperial or Royal privilege 11 911 R. THE Rapture of those alive at Christ's coming into the Air. 776 Rechabites what they were and why they lived in Tents 127 Regeneration the 2 parts of it 106. how figur'd by Baptism 63 Reign of Christ. See Millennium Religion and Honesty not to be severed 219 Reliques See Miracles Counterfeit Reliques 691 Renovation of the World different opinions of the Iews touching it 610. and some Excerpta out of the Fathers concerning the same 618 Rent A twofold Rent or Tribute owing to God Tythes and Alms. 171 Repentance what it is 107. it implies more than a Sorrow for Sin ibid. the 2 parts of it 107 108 Rephaim the Giants or men of the old world 32 Responsories their antiquity 60 Restitution the necessity of it 211 112 Resurrection Christ's proof of the Resurrection from Exod. 3. 6. explained 801. On what Text the Iewish Church built her faith of the Resurrection 797 880. How they proved it out of the Law against the Sadduces 801 579. The First Resurrection is to be taken litterally as well as the Second 572. this farther proved by 4 arguments 770 771. the ground of that Prayer for the dead ut partem haberent in Resurrectione prima 771 842. To grant a Particular Resurrection before the General is against no article of Faith 604 Returning to the Lord what 210 Revelation 4 kinds of Divine revelation 183 Reward That there are different degrees of Reward in the Life to come proved from Scripture 84 85. Objections answered 85 86. 't is lawful to do good works intuitu mercedis 176 177 Riches when they are Blessings when not 129. their danger 131 132. Rich men to defraud the poor an hainous Sin 134 Righteousness sometimes in Scripture signifies Bounty or Alms. 80 Rivers what they signifie in the Prophetick Style 459 Rock sometimes in Scripture put for God 670. Rock in the wilderness how it followed the Israelites 246. how it was a Sign of Christ 248. Two Rocks in the wilderness and which was meant 246 Rome See Babylon Roman and Greek Church how they may be said not to erre in Fundamentalibus Fidei articulis 862 Roman Empire that it is the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel proved by 3 arguments 712 c. this was also believed by the ancient Iews and Fathers 736. the contrary opinion was first broached by Porphyry an Heathen and Enemy of Christianity 743. the Fates of the Roman Empire not so particularly and distinctly revealed to Daniel as to S. Iohn 736 7â—7 why the ancient Christians prayed for the continuance of the Roman Empire 656. the 3 main degrees of its Ruine 658 c. Romans how they charmed or called the Gods from any City when they besieged it 672 S. SAbbath why God commanded the Iews to observe it 55 56. why one day in Seven and that the Seventh day was to be kept 56. when that Seventh day began to be kept for a Sabbath by the Iews 56 57. The Sabbatical year was sacred unto God 123 Sackcloth and Ashes why used in humiliation 160 Sacrament is a Sign of assuring 247. Sacraments both the old and new carry in them the image of Christ 248. Iewish Sacraments how they were the same with ours and wherein they differed 249. what the Iews apprehended to be meant by them 250. Vnworthy receiving of them twofold 256. the hainousness and daâ—ger thereof 257 258. the practice of the ancient Church in the offering of Praise and Prayer at the Sacrament 293 c. Sacred Things 4 kinds of them and how to be used 14 15. That to use them as becomes things Sacred opens not a way for Idolatry 18 Sacrifice defined 370. How a Sacrifice differs from an Oblation or Offering 362. The Christian Sacrifice defined 356. How the Eucharist is a Sacrifice 369 850. That it is only a Commemorative Sacrifice 376 c. That it is an Oblation proved from Antiquity 360 c. an Oblation of Praise and Prayer 362 c. That this Oblation is made through Christ commemorated in the Bread and Wine 365 c. it is Oblatio Foederalis 370. and Epulum Foederale 372. that herein God was the Convivator and man the Conviva 370 372. That Bread and Wine were were first offered to God to agnize him the Lord of the Creature 373 374 c. Sacrifices under the Law the several kinds of them explained 286 c. they were Rites of address to God 365 379. That they were Foederal Feasts wherein God and men did Feast together in token of amity and friendship proved by 4 arguments 371. what was Gods Mess or Portion therein ibid. Sacrifices were not appointed in the Law for all kinds of Sins 353. Sacrifices are in Scripture disparaged in respect of Obedience as being not required by God antecedently absolutely and primarily 352 353. The antiquity or Sacrificing 352 Sacrilege is a Sin against God and a breach of the First Table rather than the Second 120. the hainousness of this Sin 122. Examples of the punishment thereof 123. Sacrilege and Idolatry are near allied 17 Saint-worship when it began 662 679. it began with Monkery 690. how it crept unawares into the Church 641 c. it was promoted by lying Miracles 679 c. by fabulous Legends 681 c. by counterfeit Writings 687. it is derogatory to Christ. 639 c. Samaritan Pentateuch wherein it differs from the Hebrew as to Chronology 895 Samaritans their Original 48. their Worship 49 Sanctuary at Sichem what it was 65 66 To Sanctifie hath a double sense 1 To consecrate 2 To use things Sacred as becomes their Sanctity 7 402 To Sanctifie God and his Name what 9 c. To be Sanctified is either 1 To be made holy or 2 To be used as such 6 Sanctity the nature or true notion of it is Discrimination or Distinction from other things by way of preeminence 6 c. Saracens their strange successes and propagation of Mahometism in a short time 468 Scepter signifies any Power or Majesty of Government under what name soever 35. when it departed from Iudah