Impure Souls are not admitted to any inward converse with God most Pure and Holy That Wickedness is destructive of Principles is also Aristotle's observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immorality or a Vicious life unfits men for the noblest Speculations so that they can neither know Divine nor Moral Truths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they ought to know and as they might have known had they had a true resentment of Morality and an inward esteem of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that are just pure and lovely and of good report And though such men may sometimes hit upon some Philosophical Notions yet even in the discovering the Mysteries of Nature they had done far better and had excell'd themselves had they been more purged from brutish Sensuality and all filthiness of flesh and spirit I will only add this That for a most clear and undeniable proof of this Assertion That Morality and a Good life affords the greatest advantages to a more excellent knowledge of not only Divine but Philosophical Truths we have in this Age the unparallel'd Works of some eminently-learned and nobly-accomplish'd Writers who really are Virtuosi according to the ancient Latine importance of the word and not merely in the Italian sense which applies only to the Wits and such as are any way Ingenious be they or be they not morally Vertuous But that which I chiefly intended under this last Particular was to acquaint the Reader how deeply sensible Mr. Mede was of the indispensable necessity of a Purified Mind and Holy Life in order to the fuller and clearer discerning of Divine Mysteries This was his firm belief and it obliged him to endeavours worthy of it To which purpose I shall here produce a very observable passage out of a Letter of his to an ancient Friend in Lincolnshire who having received and with great satisfaction read some Papers from Mr. Mede containing his first Essays upon part of the Apocalyps and thereupon writing to him with all serious importunity That he would earnestly pray for and endeavour after a great measure of Holiness to the mortification of Sin more and more that thereby he might be prepared to receive a greater measure of Divine Illumination and be as a Vessel of honour chosen by God to bear and convey his Truth to others with much more of the like import concluding with this request You see how bold I am with you but let love bury that Exorbitancy c. To this his Christian advice Mr. Mede return'd this excellent Answer Sir I thank you heartily for your good Admonitions and am so far from interpreting your Love Exorbitancy that I confess my self to have much need of this and more and therefore desire you to second this your Love with Prayer to God for me that he would vouchsafe me that his Sanctifying Spirit and that measure of Grace which may make me capable of such things as he shall be pleased to reveal and hath in some sort praised be his Name already revealed unto me in the contemplation whereof I find more true Contentment than the greatest Dignities which Ambition so hunteth after could ever have afforded me I have considered what S. Paul saith The Natural and Carnal man is altogether uncapable of the things of God's Spirit neither can he know them c. and what our Saviour saith If any man will do his Father's will he shall then know of the doctrine whether it be of God and I give thanks to Almighty God who hath made the Light of these his wonderful Mysteries to kindle that Warmth in my Heart which I felt not till I began to see them and which have made me that which they found me not This passage out of Mr. Mede's original Letter I thought very worthy to be made publick and inserted here upon so fit an occasion both for that excel-cellent and genuine relish of an humble and serious Piety in every line thereof as also because it is an illustrious Attestation to the forementioned Truth That an Holy Heart and Life is a necessary Qualification to the right discerning of Divine Mysteries agreeable whereunto is that in the Greek Version of Prov. 1. 7. which yet is rather a Paraphrase than a bare Translation there being more in the Greek than in the Original Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AND now I have passed over the Three long Stages of this Preface In the last Head of Advertisements I have acquainted the Reader by what Methods and Helps the Author arrived at so great a measure of skill in the Scripture particularly in the more abstruse and mysterious parts thereof And thus may others also attain to a considerable Knowledge and purchase this goodly Pearl this Treasure hid in the field of Prophetical Scriptures if they are willing to be at the same cost and bid to the worth of it and not ignorantly nor sordidly undervalue it For Wisdom and particularly this kind of Wisdom and Knowledge is not to be had at a cheaper rate it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Pearl of great price and worthy of all that we have to bestow to purchase it They that look as little into the Apocalyps as some do into the Apocrypha and mind the Book of Daniel no more than they do the Apocryphal Story of Bell and the Dragon and therefore exercise not their good parts nor bestow that serious diligence about the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture as they use to do about other kind of difficulties whether in Philosophy or other parts of Learning it 's no wonder they complain the Iewel is too dear when they have no mind to give the full price for it and that all Labour after such knowledge is either excessively hard or useless whenas yet through their delicateness and love of their own ease or for some other reason they never made any due trial But in other things Difficulty is no argument it rather whets and animates men of brave spirits and that all Excellent things are hard is so confess'd a Truth that it has pass'd into a vulgar Proverb The first and least therefore that is to be done by such as are of another spirit and are minded to search these as well as the other Scriptures is by a frequent attentive reading of the Prophetical Visions to fix the main passages thereof in their minds otherwise both the style and matter the great things of the Prophets as Hosea speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great things of the Law will be always counted as a strange thing This being done they must if they would succeed in their search apply themselves to those Five Means and Instruments of Knowledge as Mr. Mede did and prosper'd and by his Writings hath lessen'd the difficulty of these Studies and made the way plainer for others than he found it for himself And as the study of the Prophetick Scriptures would by an heedful attending to those
that I found they were both inserted by the Author partly into his Discourse on Eccles. 5. 1. intituled The Reverence of God's House and partly into that Epistolary Tract of his touching The Holiness of Churches nor is there any thing in them but what is incorporated into those Tracts except this one Notion in the beginning of that forementioned short discourse upon Genes 28. 16. Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not where the Author hath this Observation They are the words of Iacob when he awoke out of the Vision he saw at Bethel He dream'd he saw a Ladder reaching from Heaven to Earth and the Angels of God ascending and descending thereon Above it stood the Lord himself saying I am the Lord the God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac the Land whereon thou liest to thee will I give it and to thy seed I will multiply thee and in thy seed shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed I mean not to expound the Vision unto you it would be besides my scope but only will tell you thus much that the Author of the Book of Wisdom Chap. 10. 10. calls it a Vision of the Kingdom of God meaning as I suppose the Kingdom of Messiah which is here promised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shewed him saith he relating this history of Iacob the Kingdom of God and gave him knowledge of holy things Which passage I think so much the more worthy to be observed because the term of Kingdom of God so frequent in the New Testament is no where to be found save in this place only This Observation I thought good to preserve by inserting it here upon this occasion There are several Texts of Scripture set down in the beginning of a thin Paper-book in Quarto which the Author it's likely intended to discourse upon but whether he perfected his intentions or only laid in some general materials for such a purpose in some other Papers some such thing seems to be intimated appears not to me from any Papers of his that have come to my hands Howsoever it may not be amiss but rather a gratification to some to set down here those Passages of Scripture which he had made choice of as fit objects for his deep-searching Thoughts to be exercis'd upon And they are these Acts 7. 43. Ye took up the Tabernacle of Moloch and the Star of your God Remphan c. Gen. 2. 9. The Tree of life in the middle of the Garden Iam. 5. 14. Is there any sick among you let him call for the Presbyters of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord And the prayer of Faith shall save the sick c. Gen. 14. 18. And Melchizedek King of Salem brought forth bread and wine and he was the Priest of the most high God Gen. 20. 7. For he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and thou shalt live Matth. 12. 39. And there shall be no sign given to it but the sign of the Prophet Ionas 2 Sam. 21. 1. It is for Saul and his bloudy House because he slew the Gibeonites 1 Sam. 8. 7. And the Lord said unto Samuel They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them 2 Cor. 3. 6 7. Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life But if the ministration of Death written and engraven in stones was glorious How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious Matth. 2. 18. A voice was heard in Rama lamentation and weeping Rachel weeping for her children c. 1 Cor. 8. 10. For if any man should see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the Idol's temple c. Ioh. 16. 8. And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than Cain 2 Ep. Ioh. v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ios. 22. 19. If the land of your possession be unclean then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the Lord wherein the Lord's tabernacle dwelleth c. Nehem. 8. 6. And all the people answered Amen Amen with lifting up their hands c. 1 Cor. 11. 16. But if any man seem to be contentious we have no such custome nor the Churches of God These Seventeen Texts of Scripture together with that Title of several Psalms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I found set down in the beginning of that Paper-book the rest is wanting and these it seems he designed for the matter of his Chappel-exercises and if any such Diatribae or Discourses perfected by him upon these Scriptures be in the possession of any worthy persons for the Author was very communicative of his Papers it is both desired and hoped that they would impart them for the common benefit 5. That upon the View of all the Author's Writings it seem'd most accommodate for the Reader 's benefit that they should be digested into Five Books The First Book to contain his Discourses on several Texts of Scripture and of a different importance All of which were delivered in publick either in the Colledge-Chappel or in some greater Auditory except that one only Discourse upon Esay 2. 2 3. which was dictated by the Author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the satisfaction of a Friend of his who desired his opinion touching that Prophecy and as it was related by the Author's Friend the original Paper is thus subscribed More time and more leisure might have afforded you better but for this you are beholden to your Cousin B. whose pains in writing was more than mine in dictating Vale. Yours I. M. The Second Book to contain such Tracts and Discourses on several Texts of Scripture as were of the like Argument and design viz. about Churches and the worship of God therein There are among the first 21 Discourses in the foregoing Book some Diatribae of the like import but those being published by the direction or with the liking of the Author's Executor I would not break the order in which they are so dispos'd The Third Book to contain his Treatises upon Prophetical Scriptures viz. The Apocalypse S. Peter 's Prophecy concerning The Day of Christ's second Coming S. Paul 's Prophecy touching The Apostasie of the Latter Times Tobie 's Prophecy De duplici Iudaeorum Captivitate Statu Novissimo And Three Treatises upon some obscure Passages in Daniel The Fourth Book to contain his Epistles to several Learned men whose Letters are also published otherwise his Answers to them had been less intelligible There are several large and learned Epistles of his added in this Edition besides some elaborate Letters of others as that of L. De Dieu not heretofore published but there is nothing
Bitterness their enormous Affections and the Lusts that war in their members howsoever they may vainly conceit and fansy themselves to be upon easier and cheaper terms Kings and Priests to God fit and worthy to reign with Christ though they never suffer'd with him nor was their old man crucified with him that the body of Sin might be destroyed as the Apostle speaks Rom. 6. And thus we have seen that our Author's Notion of the Millennium was both Pure and Peaceable and consequently right and genuine these being the two first Properties of the Wisdom from above in S. Iames's account As for any other representation of it which is Earthly Sensual Devilish the three Properties of the Wisdom from beneath our Author had nothing to do with it nor with the Patrons thereof his Soul came not into their secret And therefore if any ill-temper'd persons men of wild Principles and Practices should abuse his name to the countenancing of any bad purposes and selfish designs as Antinomians have in like manner abused the names of some ancient Protestant Worthies to the gracing of their unwholsome Opinions if any unlearned and unstable souls wrest S. Iohn's Apocalyps and the Prophetical Scriptures as well as some did in S. Peter's time the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Paul's Epistles and do so still they shall bear their own condemnation they do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their own destruction But in the mean while S. Iohn S. Paul the Prophetical Scriptures are holy harmless and without fault nor ought our Author and those Protestant Writers to bear the blame of other mens either misapprehensions or misdoings but let every man bear his own burthen It is no new thing but is and hath been an usual artifice of worthless men to derive some reputation to their Opinions and Practices from the pretended authority of some worthy and excellent Writers and we are the less to wonder at it since they have not spared in the same kind to abuse the divinely-inspired Prophets and Apostles Yet should not this or the like abuse of S. Iohn's Apocalyps and other Prophecies be deem'd a sufficient ground to disswade from the study of the Prophetical Scriptures no more than the abuse of some passages in S. Paul's Epistles to Antinomianism and evacuating of the Law should be of force to take men off from the study of S. Paul's Writings Nay rather should all serious and judicious persons out of an holy indignation against such wrongful perverting of the Holy Oracles of God excite and oblige themselves unto a more studious enquiry and diligent search into the genuine meaning of those Scriptures that thereby they may be the better enabled to detect the falshood of those Glosses which men of corrupt minds have for their own ends put upon them and by discovering the true importance and scope of such Prophecies put to silence those men of Noise and Confidence rather than of Reason and Iudgment And certainly this would be the happy effect of such studious diligences For they should find that S. Paul's Epistles afford no favourable countenance to Antinomian principles nor do in the least disparage the indispensable necessity of internal Righteousness and uniform obedience to the Divine Law It would also appear to them that S. Iohn's Apocalyps contains nothing that may in the least encourage to disobedience and disorder but on the contrary represents Christian Kings and Princes those that are Defenders of the Holy Apostolical Faith under a fair Character as Friends to the Holy and Beloved City the New Ierusalem but Enemies to the Whorish City the mystical Babylon which they shall hate and make desolate They shall do it not the People without their Princes but Kings with the help of their Subjects so hard a work requiring many hands and the concurrence of several aids These Three Considerations and more such might have been added may amount we hope to a full Answer to the second Exception And these severals being laid together may be available through God's blessing to recover some from their inward malady of an Uncharitable Censorious humour and to sweeten others who have some disgust against the Author and particularly upon the score of this Exception Nor was this an unnecessary Digression if any Digression at all it being of so grand importance for the vindicating of the Author in whose Story and Character we are now concerned as also of those Holy and most Ancient Fathers of the Church and withal of their sober and harmless Notion of the Millennium yea and for the vindicating of the Holy Scriptures themselves from all unworthy misconstruction 23. Having thus somewhat largely though not without good cause evinced both the great Exquisiteness and the no less Usefulness of Mr. Mede's Labours in that Master-piece of his his Key and Commentary upon that mysterious Book of the Apocalyps a well-chosen Object for his great Understanding to exercise itself upon we proceed now to observe to the Reader That besides these his Endeavors were happily employ'd in other though neither easie nor ordinary undertakings For his noble Genius leading him on to encounter difficulties he ever seem'd most delighted with those studies wherein he might strain the sinews of his brain And as if he accounted them but Half-scholars that did only ex commentario sapere and knew only so much as taken up from others they held in memory he was not wont to take Expositions of Scripture upon the credit of any Author how great or plausible soever nor to look upon their Resolves as if they were Hercules's Pillars with a Nè plus ultrà upon them And therefore he used as occasion offer'd itself to set upon those difficult places of Scripture which seem'd to be of more use and concernment and much time did he spend that way to give light to those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dark places in Holy Writ so that scarce could the question be propounded to him about any obscure and knotty passage therein whereabout he had not bestowed many serious thoughts before-hand He was taken notice of by many for his singular faculty in this kind and sent too by several Learned men for his resolution of such Doubts which was usually so clear that there was no person who loved Truth and was not addicted to jangling but would be satisfied with his Answers if not as certain and unquestionable yet as ingenious and very probable insomuch that Strangers of other Universities who had never seen him gave him this high Elogy That for assoiling of Scripture-difficulties he was to be reckoned amongst the best in the world It is agreeable to this which the learned Mr. Alsop spake of him in his Funeral Commemoration before the University That if he had been encouraged to write in difficiliora loca Scripturae and that God in mercy to the world had been pleased to lengthen out his days assuredly he would have out-gone any Author then extant and
he detects the impertinency of that trivial shift of the Romanists in distinguishing between Idolum and Imago with much more of the like import in that Treatise of his which the Learned Is. Casanbon worthily styles Exactissimae fidei diligentiae Scriptum To conclude It may not be amiss here to add a short story not impertinent to the argument in hand Mr. Mede having lately preached a Sermon at S. Marie's in Cambridge upon Eccles. 5. 1 about the Reverence of Gods House a young Master of Arts took the freedom sometime after to tell him as who might not be free with him a person of such exemplary Humility and Condescensions That from some passages in that Discourse the world concluded that he had changed his Opinion and that he did not now think as formerly that the Pope was the Hoghen Moghen that was his drolling expression No replied Mr. Mede But I do and shall think so as long as I live for all this 42. And here we have a fair occasion to represent another of those worthy Qualities that adorn'd his Character His well-grounded Constancy and Vnchangeableness of Iudgment We say Well-grounded otherwise for a man to persist resolvedly in an Opinion because it has been his Opinion is neither Vertue nor matter of Praise but rather a piece of troublesome Stiffness and Pertinacity usually accompanied with fond Self-conceitedness and a design to secure his fame and some emolument he receives from his easie admirers From which humour none was more free than our Author who would profess That so far as he could judge of himself by experience he was as willing to embrace Truth when he saw evidence for it as any man living as well considering that it is the part of a true Christian as Aristotle observes it to be of a true Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the interest and advancement of Truth to forgoe and quit his own private conceits and speculations how dear soever they were formerly unto him and on the contrary an argument of a low and servile spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be either fondly addicted or enslaved to any Hypothesis and Opinion either of his own or others Our Author was not indeed light of belief nor would be easily take up an Hypothesis But when any new Notion was presented to him by others or offered itself to his thoughtful mind he would first make a stand and pause well upon it strictly examining the Grounds thereof and if upon a serious and due weighing of all that was fit to be taken into consideration he found it to be a solid Truth he was not apt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be shaken from his judgment a right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle both in his Ethicks and Rhetorick styles a Vertuous man or in the Apostles language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stedfast unmovable and established in the present Truth Yea he was ever so impartial and constant a Lover of Truth that nothing but the Holy Scripture and sound Reason could prevail upon him 'T is true To conceal his judgment not to divulge every thing that was Truth to him he was not hard to be perswaded The remembrance of the Apostles Rule Rom. 14. Hast thou faith have it to thy self as also his own Charity Prudence and Peaceableness of spirit did dispose him to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wheâ—e it was convenient But neither Friends nor Interests nor any worldly Allurements whatsoever were of force to corrupt his affections or pervert his judgment much less could they prevail with him unworthily to deny any Truth how unplausible soever it was to some men and therfore disadvantageous to himself For a proof of his constant and unremovable affection to Truth as also of his patient enduring the contradiction of others against himself take this Instance viz. That in the revolution of about twenty years by-past the saying was his own he had by the self-same persons been look'd upon and accordingly reported of as Popish Protestant and Puritane and yet he would protest it as in the presence of God that to his knowledge he had not in the least receded from his very first perswasions So that all the while he was the same without wavering although varied to their appearance because they sailing with the tide and wind varied towards him Thus they in the Vessel under sail being always in motion think the Land moves so it seems to their erring sense which yet is never the less fixed and unmoved for their thinking amiss But our Author as he consider'd that Precept in Siracides chap. 5. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be thou stedfast in thy understanding so he knew likewise that the ready way to attain to this establishment was this according to the counsel in the foregoing verse not to winnow or sail with every wind But we must not indulge our selves the liberty of enlarging upon every thing in our Author which render'd him justly exemplary worthy of praise and imitation Return we therefore from this Digression to what has a near affinity to our former argument In speaking to which and the remaining particulars we must study to be short and take the nearest way to our journeys end left we over-drive the more infirm and therefore the more querulous sort of Readers and wear out their patience otherwise to those that are of sounder and stronger judgments and consequently capable to value and honour and love the Author we doubt not but a larger Narrative than this would seem not tediously long but too short rather as indeed the most enlarged History of his Life his Piety and Learning is in itself and upon a true account a short History too short if we consider the great Worth and manifold Perfections of the Person of whom though we should speak much we shall yet certainly come short if we may here use in an inferior sense what is said of God by the Son of Sirach chap. 43. To proceed then 43. As he abhorr'd Idolatry and Superstition so he likewise abhorr'd Sacriledge and all Profanation of Holy things As for Sacriledge his judgment is well known to those who have read his Works with attention amongst which to omit several passages in his other Discourses there is one Diatriba wholly spent upon the Story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. wherein the nature and proper notion of the Sin there mentioned is clearly explained as also the hainousness and danger of Sacriledge is fully proved from several Examples of special remark in H. Scripture all eminently verifying that of Solomon It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy With the consideration whereof our Author being deeply affected as also of the great disservice done hereby to any Intendment of Pious Charity and the no less dishonour done to Religion when what is devoted to Pious purposes is less secure from the
yet they cannot be retrived notwithstanding all imaginable diligence has been used of which they were well worthy as containing not mere lines of Ceremony and Complement such as usually pass between Friends nor little matters of News or of private concern but what is of greater importance Instructions and Advices about the study of Theology the Arts and History and from one who was versatissimus and excellently accomplish'd in them all And for the attaining a rare perfection in that which was last named History he had a singular advantage from his great Memory without which all studies of this nature would signify but little His Memory was so officious and faithful to him that he relyed much upon it and made little use of Common-place-Books Accordingly in the Catalogue of his Manuscripts written by his worthy Executor the learned Mr◠Iohn Alsop then Fellow of Christ's College are set down Two thick Paper-books in folio prepared by the Author when he was a young Student but withal this note is there added That little or nothing was written in them Yet did he not wholly trust to his Memory for he had a lesser Paper-book wherein he wrote down besides what he had briefly observed out of the Ancients and others some short Notes of his present Conjectures and Thoughts upon either some obscure Text of Scripture or some other difficult argument That he had some such Repository for his Notions and it were well if those that are more knowing and Contemplative would be thus commendably provident is intimated in the Appendix to the Author's Life By other Letters of his if they could be had might farther appear his equal skill in the History of Nature and Philosophy they being written in answer to several Enquiries of Sr. W. Boswel an excellent Philosopher and Mathematician some De motu Gravium Levium as likewise touching the Equality of Natural Motions with some reflexions upon the common opinion of their being velociores in fine quam in principio others about the Nature of Comets particularly about that Comet in 1618. its figure and Disposition c Besides several other ingenious Quaere's mention'd in Sr. W. Boswell's Letters as to name two or three about Shooting or managing the long Bow as also about the possibility and best methods of teaching the Deaf and Dumb from birth to cast accompts with other Mathematical calculations to know moneys and the use thereof to understand by sight of others writing and express by their own whatsoever may pass for civil life and conversation For the Languages particularly the Oriental although his Modesty would not permit him to speak otherwise of himself than in such an humble strain as this In Hebraicis modicum forte possim as he writes in one of his Ep. to L. de Dieu yet that his knowledge herein was more than mean and ordinary yea such as shew'd him to be a man of a rare perspicacity in the Genius and Proprieties of the Sacred Language may be sufficiently evinced from the many useful Criticisms and Observations upon several Words and Phrases of Scripture scattered throughout his Writings and particularly to omit other Instances from his clear and smooth rendring and explaining that difficult Paragraph in Dan. 11. 36. c. about Mahuzzim c. and from his unexampled accuracy in translating and glossing upon that which is the most important of all the Prophecies in the Old Testament for the interest of Christianity I mean Daniel's LXX Weeks in chap. 9. from vers 24. to the end Concerning which not to meddle with his Epocha of the LXX Weeks wherein perhaps he did not fully satisfie himself for he was unwilling his Papers about this subject should be imparted otherwise the most communicative of his Notions of any man living this is to be observed That those expressions in vers 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and those in vers 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are very intelligible and there is scarce any tolerable sense made of them in some other Versions but in his Translation and Notes the importance of them is very easie and natural and agreeable to the mind of the Original whereby is verified what he in a Letter of his to L. de Dieu observes of himself Eo ingenio sum delicatulo an moroso ut nisi ubi interpretatio commode absque salebris eat nunquam ntihi satisfacere soleam And indeed his singular ability for interpreting the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and clearing the Obscurities of the Holy Scriptures was out of those Great Accomplishments which were most illustrious in him His insight into the inmost Recesses of these Sacred Writings was so quick as well as sure that it was a most true Elogium which Sr. Will. Boswel gives of him in one of his Letters That Mr. Mede did discern Day before others could open their eyes Nor might that Cognomen be unfitly applied to this Ioseph which was given to the Patriarch Ioseph I mean that Egyptian name Zophnath-paaneah which is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Revealer or Interpreter of hidden things according to Philo Iosephus both the Targumists Ionathan and Onkelos several Hebrew Writers and to name only one more but one whose judgment is the more considerable because of his peculiar skill in the Coptick language Athanas. Kircherus And from this famous Parallel between the two Iosephs which lies more open to every ones observation I might take occasion to adorn this Preface with several other not less memorable though less obvious Resemblances betwixt them But I must not give way to a Digression that would take up more room than I can well spare in the Preface especially having several other Memorials to bring in that are more useful and proper to the design thereof which I shall dispatch with all convenient brevity The most Mysterious of all the Books of Scripture is the Apocalyps and yet though it be more mysterious and dark than the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was as well as the rest of Scripture written for our learning for our comfort for the encouragement of our Patience Faith and Hope and therefore written to be understood Otherwise the Promise of Blessedness to them that read that is that read with understanding and hear and keep the words of this Prophetical Book and the things written therein would be but a Mock-promise of a Blessedness promised upon a condition impossible after the use of all endeavours to be perform'd and withal promised to a blind obedience or to the keeping and observing they know not what Which to imagine and affirm were an unworthy reproch and high dishonour done to the Divine Wisedom and Goodness In the Interpretation of this Book of Mysteries as also of Daniel's Visions how well the Author hath quitted himself let others judge such as are of a free and discerning spirit and not
acknowledgments for such peculiar knowledge of the Mysterious and Prophetick Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use the words of that Hymn in the Alexandrian Liturgy for the Interpretation of Prophecy is a Grace and Favour as well as Prophecy it self Accordingly those two persons one under the Old Testament the other in the New that were favour'd above all others with the discoveries of the greatest Mysteries were such as were peculiarly dear to God Daniel was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and more fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of desires or greatly beloved and Iohn was the Disciple whom Iesus loved so he is styled five times in Scripture that leaned on his breast at Supper and lay in his bosome and to this his bosome-Disciple did our Lord impart the deepest Mysteries of Prophecy as also of Evangelical Truth whence he was worthily styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Divine a Title more fitly applied to him than of old to Orpheus Linus and Musaeus or any the Divinest Writer among either the Philosophers or Poets of the Gentiles III. His serious diligence in the use of such means as were most proper and instrumental to the attaining of that Knowledge he prayed for Where the most seemingly-earnest Prayer is not attended with as earnest Endeavours it is but a lazy insignificant wish and in some a piece of vain Enthusiasm But our Saviours advice is not barely to ask but to seek and such was that of Solomon not only to lift up the voice for Wisdom and Understanding but to seek her as Silver and search for her as for hid Treasures And of these counsels Mr. Mede was a careful observer who failed not to accompany his Prayers with his best Endeavours And as he was not slight and sudden in any thing but proceeded with the greatest care and caution imaginable in any important argument his Thoughts were fixed upon so was he more especially serious and thoughtful in his endeavours to interpret the Apocalyps and any other Prophetical Scriptures a work to which he was peculiarly design'd and fitted by God and moved to it by some interiour invitation and gracious Instinct of his Spirit as the Author himself does somewhere acknowledge in his Epistles where he also looks upon any abilities he had for interpreting such Scriptures as that particular Talent God had intrusted to him to improve to the best advantage in his service and therefore as became a good and faithful Servant desirous to approve himself to his Master in Heaven whatsoever his hand did find to do herein he did it with all his might And that he might wholly give himself to these studies according to that of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and attend upon them without distraction he prudently made choice of his most still and vacant hours wherein he might be most free from the noise and tumult of other cares and distractive but less pertinent business for he would tell his Friends that he could do nothing in these things but in silence and security of not being distracted by company and business S. Iohn received his Apocalyps in his Solitude at Patmos and our Author found those seasons to be the most favourable and advantageous for gaining any abilities to reveal this Apocalyps when he could be most retired and recollected in his Cell or Study where he might gather in and intend all the Powers of his Mind and possess his whole Soul the Soul never acting so strongly as when its whole force is thus united in such Recollections One Instance and a very remarkable one of his great Diligence and Faithfulness in this Work he mentions in a Letter of his to Dr. T. where acquainting him with the leisurely and deliberate progress he made in his Exposition of Apocal. chap. 14. he adds I am by nature cunctabundus in all things but in this let no man blame me if I take more pause than ordinary and he gives this Reason for it Altius enim hoc animo meo insedit saith he That rashly to be the Author of a false interpretation of Scripture is to take Gods name in vain in an high degree Words worthy to be written to use Ieremy's expression with a pen of iron or with the point of a diamond upon the table of the heart in the most legible and lasting characters Words arguing the Authors most serious and pious spirit full of reverence for the Word of God and most sadly to be considered by the over-confident and superficial Expositors of the Divine Oracles and Mysteries Thus much in general The particular Means whereby he attain'd so great an insight and skill in the Apocalyps and other abstruse Prophecies of Scripture were such as these 1. His accurate and judicious comparing of Scripture with Scripture and observing the proper and genuine use of the like Words and Phrases in several passages of Scripture as they are either in the Original Languages or in the ancient Versions thereof especially the Chaldee Greek and Syriack For he found by good experience that some Scriptures do excellently illustrate others where the like Expressions are to be found and consequently that the Word of God is a Lamp unto our feet and a Light unto our path not only as to the guiding of our life and practice but also as to the directing our progress in the safest and clearest method of interpreting it self and that such comparing of places is as needful for our conduct in the more solitary and dark passages of Scripture as that burning Pillar of fire was to the Israelites in their journeying through a wast and desolate Wilderness which God gave them to be both a guide of the unknown journey and an harmless Sun by night as the Author of the Book of Wisdom does elegantly express it in chap. 18. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Particularly he observ'd that the Style of the New Testament doth frequently imitate the Construction and Propriety of the Hebrew in the Old as also the Greek of the LXX and that the use of many Words in the New Testament was not Vulgar but Hellenistical and agreeable to the use and importance of them in the Greek Bible As for example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apocal. 14. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 16. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15. 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 9. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apocal. 13. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9. 5. Several other examples might be mentioned but it is a Truth so generally acknowledged by those that are but competently acquainted with Sacred Philology that it would be a needless task to produce the very many Instances which might be brought in confirmation thereof 2. His exact skill in History and the Customes both of the Iews and other Nations was a singular aid and advantage to him for explaining the obscurer passages in the Apocalyps and Prophets 'T is
Bent of the Times the Rule of his Opinion For being free from any aspiring after Applause Wealth and Honour and from seeking Great things for himself he was consequently secured from Flattery and Temporizing the usual artifice of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that will be rich that are resolved to make it their chief design and business to be great and wealthy in the world their heart is wholly upon it they are dead to the World to come and relish not the things above and are alive only to this present world being as eagerly intent and active about earthly things as if their portion were to be only in this life But such was the excellency of his spirit that he could not but abhor all Servile obsequiousness whatsoever as accounting it a certain argument of a Poorness of spirit either to flatter or to invite and receive Flatteries and withal considering that if those of Power and high degree were men of inward worth and excellent spirits they would shew themselves such in their valuing him not the less but rather more for his not applying himself to those ignoble arts and course policies proper to Parasites and ambitious men who speak not their own words nor seem to think their own thoughts but wholly enslave themselves to the thoughts and words the lusts and humors of those by whom for this pretended doing honour to them they seek to be advantaged Besides he might well think that he should rather undervalue and lessen them if he suppos'd they would regard him the more for those or the like Instances of an officious flattery as if they were not able to discern that Frankness and Openness of Spirit and Conversation Singleness of Heart and a Cordial readiness to serve others in love out of a pure heart is truly Christian Generous and Manly and on the contrary that Flattery and Fawning is Dog-like Base and Mercenary and lasts not long for though Parasites pretend to serve their Masters with great devotion a devotion so great as if they thought themselves rather their Creatures than God's yet in truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they rather serve their own belly and when their Masters cease to be in a capacity of serving them these men also cease to regard them and value them no more than an useless Tool or to use the Prophet's expression a broken Vessel wherein there is no pleasure Other particulars might be added but these may suffice to shew how Free he was from that which is apt to tempt men to judge amiss For it appears from the nature of the things themselves that Partiality Prejudice Pride and Passion Self-love Love of the World Flattery and Covetous Ambition do importunely sollicite men to make a false judgment corrupt their Affections wrong their Understandings enfeeble their Faculties unhappily dwarf their growth in useful Learning and keep them back from such an excellent improvement in Knowledge especially Divine Knowledge as otherwise they might attain And therefore had not Mr. Mede been free from the power of these Lusts he could never have perform'd so well as he hath done in any of his Tracts or Discourses especially upon the more abstruse and mysterious passages of H. Scripture Those therefore that are not of such a free and enlarged spirit but are fondly addicted either to themselves or Parties and are enslaved to Honour Wealth and particular narrow Interests and are under the power of Pride Passion serving divers Lusts and Pleasures they must needs be less excellent less improved in their studies less succesful in their Intellectual adventures than otherwise they might have been had they been established with a Free spirit Nor had some Authors of great reading and fame for Learning ever fallen into such mistakes but their Writings had been freer from imperfections and a greater respect they had secured to their Memories had they been less Passionate less Envious Proud and Self-conceited more Free and unbiassed more Humble and Modest as also more faithful to that excellent Rule of S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is somewhat of that great deal more which might be observed of the Author's Largeness and Freedom of spirit which yet in him was not accompanied with any unbecoming reflexions upon others as if he design'd to lessen the due esteem of what was laudable in their performances much less with any irreverence and opposition to the established Articles of Religion and prejudice to the Peace of the Church or State but on the contrary was an innocent ingenuous peaceable Freedom of enquiring into such Theories only as do not at all clash with the Doctrine established and was ever attended with a sweet Modesty a singular Sedateness and Sobriety of spirit and a due regard to Authority And whosoever would read the Author with most profit and judgment must read him also with a free unpassionate and unprejudiced spirit That Saying Omnis Liber eo spiritu legi debet quo scriptus est is true as well of every useful Book as of the Divinely-inspired Books of Holy Scripture Thus much of the Fourth Help or Instrument of Knowledge I shall mention but one particular more but it is a very weighty and important one of singular use and absolute necessity for the gaining the Best Knowledge wherein I might be as large as in the foregoing but because I would hasten to conclude the Preface I shall dispatch it in fewer lines V. The Fifth and Last Means whereby the Author arrived at such an Eminency of Knowledge was His faithful endeavour after such a Purity of Soul as is requisite to fit it for the fuller and clearer discerning of Divine Mysteries The necessity of such a Purity of Heart and Life in order to this End appears by several express places of Scripture as where it is said The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psalm 25. The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knowledge of the holy ones is Understanding Prov. 9. their way of knowing is Knowledge and Understanding indeed and again The pure in heart shall see God Matth. 5. But none of the wicked shall understand says the Angel to Daniel concerning the Mysteries mentioned in Chap. 12. And agreeable to these and many such passages of H. Scripture is that in the Book of Wisdom chap. 1. Into a malicious Soul Wisdom shall not enter nor dwell in the Body that is subject unto sin The same Truth is plainly acknowledged by the Best and more Divine Philosophers and accordingly they frequently discourse of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purgative Vertues as necessary to prepare the Soul for the knowledge of the most Excellent and Highest Truths as the Mystical or Contemplative Divines speaking of the way to Divine knowledge place the Via Purgativa before the Via Illuminativa and it is a known Maxime of Plato in his Phaed◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implying that
touching the Necessity and Contingency of these Subordinate Causes That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coeli does beget in man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temperamenti and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temperamenti begets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ingenii in the way of direct and natural subordination But that here the Chain is broken off because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ingenii does beget or produce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actionis in man only contingently and without any necessity And thus è contrà That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coeli does beget 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temperamenti and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temperamenti begets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ingenii This naturally as before But that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ingenii should beget 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actionis this is from no necessity because it is in mans power and liberty who is naturally ill-disposed yet through the emprovements of Art and especially by the Grace of God to become good or better as the Divine Goodness shall minister opportunity Which is as much as can be said in so few words and might determine the question to all judicious and knowing men concerning the power of the Stars and those Celestial Influences into and upon this inferior world where their Operations are genuine and natural and properly efficient and where they have their stint and their Nè plus ultrà nothing at all to do unless by a remote disposition which is properly no Cause at all This is enough also to vindicate Man born to Liberty and to command the Stars from that supposed vassalage whereunto the jugling Astrologers of our days would fain subject him and cast the credulous world into a Trance of blindness to believe Lies and Follies and gross Vanities for very Truth 16. But leaving the hot pursuit of Astrological fancies the busie idleness of some even to their old age he applied himself to the more useful study of History and Antiquities particularly to a curious enquiry into those Mysterious Sciences which made the ancient Chaldeans Egyptians and other Nations so famous tracing them as far as he could have any light to guide him in their Oriental Schemes and Figurative expressions as likewise in their Hieroglyphicks not forgetting to enquire also into the Oneirocriticks of the Ancients Which he did the rather because of that affinity which he conceiv'd they might have with the language of the Prophets to the understanding of whom he shew'd a most ardent desire His Humanity-studies and Mathematical labours were but Initial things which he made attendants to the Mysteries of Divinity and though they were Preparatives as he could use them yet were they but at a distance off and more remote to his aim for he had more work to do before he could be Master of his design A well-furnish'd Divine is compounded of more Ingredients than so For Histories of all sorts but those especially which concern the Church of God must be studied and well known and therefore he made his way by the knowledge of all Histories General National Ancient and Modern Sacred and Secular He was a curious and laborious searcher of Antiquities relating to Religion Ethnick Iewish Christian and Mahumetan the fruits of which studious diligence appear visibly in several of those excellent Treatises which have pass'd the Press particularly in his Apostasie of the Latter times The Christian Sacrifice his Discourses upon Daniel his Paraphrase and Notes upon S. Peter's Prophecy and in his great Master-piece those elaborate Commentaries upon the Apocalyps where the Fata Imperii i.e. the Affairs of the Roman State there predicted are to admiration explain'd out of Ethnick Historians and the Fata Ecclesiae illustrated with no less accuracy out of Ecclesiastick Writers His Writings best speak his eminent skill in History yet it may not be amiss to superadde upon this occasion the Testimony of a very judicious person and one of long and inward acquaintance with Mr. Mede and his studies we mean that forementioned ancient Collegue and Consocius of his Mr. W. Chappell who before his going into Ireland was heard thus to express himself That Mr. Mede was as judicious a man in Ecclesiastical Antiquities and as accurately skilled in the first Fathers of the Church both Greek and Latin as any man living 17. Unto Histories he added those necessary attendants which to the knowledge of the more difficult Scriptures must never be wanting viz. an accurate understanding of the Ichnography of the Tabernacle and Temple the Order of the Service of God therein performed as also of the City of Ierusalem together with an exact Topography of the Holy Land besides other Iewish Antiquities Scripture-Chronology and the exact Calculation of Times so far especially as made for the solving or clearing of those difficulties and obscure passages that occur in the Historical part of Scripture which the vulgar Chronologers have perplex'd and the best not fully freed from scruple And how great his abilities were for the Sacred Chronologie may appear to omit other proofs from that clause in a Letter of the then Archbishop of Armagh to him I have entred upon the Determination of the Controversies which concern the Chronology of the Sacred Scripture wherein I shall in many places need your help That great and laborious Work which this equally Learned and Humble Prelate was now entred upon was his Chronologia Sacra wherein he intended to confirm those dispositions of Years and accounts of time he had set down in his Annals of the Old and New Testament lately published by him This Work had exercised his industry for many years and he labour'd in it to the last minute of health he enjoy'd but he lived not to finish it Yet that the fruit of all his travels herein might not die with him so much as he had elaborated was published by the Learned Dr. Barlow Provost of Queen's-Colledge in Oxford whose great care and industry herein did deserve in this place an express celebration For such useful Labours justly entitle a man to the honour of being a Benefactor to the world 18. By the fruit of these Studies particularly by his happy Labours upon the Apocalyps and Prophetical Scriptures what honour our Author purchas'd abroad besides what he gain'd at home among men studious in this way and therefore capable of judging is evident by the many Letters sent him from Learned men in several parts expressing their own and others high esteem of his Writings As the above-mention'd Primate of Ireland Archbishop Usher who also acquainted Mr. Mede with the great esteem that another Archbishop in Ireland had for his accurate labours upon the Apocalyps The judicious and moderate Paulus Testardus Pastor of the Reformed Church at Blois in France who was so highly pleas'd with his Clavis Commentationes Apocalypticae as to take the pains amidst his other pressing labours to translate them into French designing the printing of them for the benefit of his Countreymen
writings must proportionably decrease in same and reputation Nor could any one that look'd upon our Author his parts or pains with an evil eye speak so meanly and diminishingly of him as he would of himself innocently revenging their great Envy Passion or Prejudice with his as great Modesty and Meekness Thus was he a rare Pattern of Patience when himself was touch'd But otherwise which was his Vertue and Honour justly Impatient he would be when any especially worthy persons were reproached and unworthily dealt with in his presence Which may be verified by this remarkable and illustrious example among many others After many invitations both by Letters and otherwise he purposed to give a visit to the famous University of Oxford and particularly for the sake of his much honoured and much obliging friend Dr. Iackson President of Corpusâ—Christi Colledge whose Piery and Learning together with the great Candour and Benignity of his spirit are eminently conspicuous in the lasting Monuments of his elaborate Works published partly by himself and partly by the unwearied industry and care of the Religious and Learned Mr. B. Oley There he was entertain'd together with some of his quondam Pupils who attended him from Cambridge very civilly and nobly by the fore-mention'd Doctor whose Courtesie was most observable in this to omit other particulars That some choice and eminent men of the University were desired by the Doctor to accompany Mr. Mede during his stay in Town It chanced at dinner one day that the Theme of their discourse was displeasing to this Good man for by the liberty which was taken some were criticizing upon and speaking as he thought but unduly or at least not up to the worth of their Learned and worthy Professor Dr. Prideanx afterwards the R. Reverend Bishop of Worcester Mr. Mede could not hold but as some then present have made the report brake out into these or the like words Gentlemen I beseech you desist the man of whom you now speak deserves far better words It was his infirmity let it be admitted in this to be overseen But he hath Vertues and great Accomplishments far more than enough to make up this defect That he is both Learned and Pious it may not be questioned and one Infirmity amidst so many Perfections is not to be regarded nor ever made mention of by one Christian towards another Let me therefore take the boldness to crave this at your hands that you would desist from this discourse and fall upon some other more profitable argument A noble example and most worthy of imitation Proceed we to that other instance of his Charity 35. As he was thus Christianly careful to conceal or lessen the Failings and Imperfections of others so he was no less diligent to express his Charity in relieving those Wants which could not be concealed For as to his Temper he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inwardly sympathizing and affected with the tenderest of Compassions towards others in their streights and difficulties as feeling in himself their very griefs and resenting their calamities and hardships as his own And agreeable to this Temper was his Practice For as became him that was so Christianly affected and was therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he forgat not to do good and to communicate upon all just occasions And he was the more exactly careful to observe all the due seasons and objects of Beneficence because he look'd upon Charity and Alms-giving not as an arbitrary thing left to mens choice or discretion to be done or omitted under which Notion too many consider it for what ends it is easie to guess but as a necessary and indispensable Duty It was an ingenious observation of his to this effect That the word for Alms in the language which our Saviour spake was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports Righteousness and consequently carries an Obligation with it And farther he considered Alms under the Notion of a Lords-rent and Tribute of Thanksgiving which God the Lord of all whose is the Earth and the Fulness thereof justly requires from us that thereby we may testifie our acknowledging of God as our Great Landlord and our selves his Tenants that hold all we have of him And thus He that hath mercy on the poor honoureth his Maker and He that giveth Alms sacrificeth praise Moved therefore to this great Duty of Charity by these and other Considerations as that it is expresly commanded and earnesty inculcated in very many places of H. Scripture and withall enforced from that Equity and it is the greatest Equity imaginable which shines out in that Royal Law Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self as also from some peculiar Motives which the Gospel propounds whereby a Christian's obligation to this Duty is rather increas'd and heightened he persever'd and was not weary in doing good even unto all men as he had opportunity or ability wisely contriving to proportion and suit his Charitable reliefs answerably to the Necessities of others Nor would he be discouraged and taken off from such acts of merciful Beneficence by the unworthy returns he sometimes met with from some disobliging persons One instance whereof it may not be amiss here to insert There was one in Cambridge to whom Mr. Mede had shewed favour in lending him money at a time of need but he being put in mind of his engagement instead of making due payment repay'd Mr. Mede only with undue words to this effect That upon a strict and exact account he had no right to what he claim'd No right answered he No no right it was told him because he was none of God's children for that they only have right who are gracious in God's sight Ungracious and Unthankful Sectary His name might be mentioned but let him be Anonymus as fit to be numbered only among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Iob doth express men of a vile character The Story was related by Mr. Mede upon the occasion of some Intelligence received from London That there was at that time a more strict examination there of those who came to take Holy Orders concerning that strange Position Dominium temporale fundatur in gratia at which one then in company being astonished as supposing none would be so impudent as to assert it Mr. Mede replied that he had particular experience of the evil effect and consequence of such Doctrine as in the fore-mentioned Story Yet notwithstanding such unworthiness which some perhaps would have made a gain of as fansying themselves thereby excus'd from Charity he was not slothful not tired out in well-doing but as became a Follower of God the Highest Pattern of Charity who is kind even to the unthankful and to the evil he continued patiently in doing good chusing rather to overcome evil with good than to be overcome of evil Other Charities seem'd to him but low and easie and common such as
at Thessalonica and proving out of the Scriptures that Messiah or Christ was to suffer and to rise again from the dead and that Iesus was that Christ it is said that some of them which heard believed and that there associated themselves to them a great multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the worshipping Greeks Of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is elsewhere mention in the Acts of the Apostles more than once but what they were our Commentators do not so fully inform us nor can it be understood without some delibation of Iewish Antiquity The explication whereof will give some light not to this passage only but to the whole Story of the Primitive Conversion of the Gentiles to the Faith recorded in that Book We must know therefore that of those Gentiles which embraced the worship of the God of Israel commonly term'd Proselytes there were two sorts One of such as were circumcised and took upon them the observation of the whole Law of Moses These were accounted as Iews to wit facti non nati made not born so bound to the like observances with them conversed with as freely as if they had been so born neither might the one eat drink or keep company with a Gentile more than the other lest they became unclean They worshipped in the same Court of the Temple where the Israelites did whither others might not come They were partakers with them in all things both divine and humane In a word they differed nothing from Iews but only that they were of Gentile race This kind the Iewish Doctors call◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselytes of Righteousness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselytes of the Covenant namely because they took upon them the sign thereof Circumcision In the New Testament they are called simply Proselytes without addition Of which Order was Vriah the Hittite Achior in the Book of Iudith Herod the Idumaean Onkelos the Chaldee Paraphrast and many others both before and in our Saviour's time But besides these there was a second kind of Gentiles admitted likewise to the worship of the true God the God of Israel and the hope of the life to come which were not circumcised nor conformed themselves to the Mosaical rites and ordinances but were only tied to the observation of those Precepts which the Hebrew Doctors call The Precepts of the sons of Noah namely such as all the sons of Noah were bound to observe These Precepts are in number Seven recorded in the Talmud Maimonides and others under these following titles First the precept of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to renounce Idols and all Idolatrous worship Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worship the true God the Creator of Heaven and Earth Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blood-shed to wit to commit no Murther Fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 detectio nuditatum not to be desiled with Fornication Incest or other unlawful conjunction Fifthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rapine against Theft and robbery Sixthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning administration of Iustice The seventh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Membrum de vivo so they call the Precept of not eating the flesh with the bloud in it given to Noah when he came out of the Ark as Maimonides expresly expounds it and adds besides Whosoever shall take upon him the observation of the Seven precepts of the sons of Noah he is to be accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the pious men of the nations of the world and shall have a portion in the world to come Note that he saith one of the pious men of the nations of the world or of the pious Gentiles for this kind were still esteemed Gentiles and so called because of their uncircumcision in respect whereof though no Idolaters they were according to the Law unclean and such as no Iew might converse with wherefore they came not to worship into the Sacred Courts of the Temple whither the Iews and circumcised Proselytes came but only into the outmost Court called Atrium Gentium immundorum the Court of the Gentiles and of the unclean which in the second Temple surrounded the second or great Court whereinto the Israelites came being divided there-from by a low wall of stone made battlement-wise not above three Cubits high called saith Iosephus from whom I have it in the Hebrew Dialect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Lorica close by which stood certain little pillars whereon was written in Greek and Latin letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In atrium sanctum transâ—re alienigenam non debere That no alien or stranger might go into the inner or holy Court. And this I make no question is that which S. Paul Ephes. 2. 14. alludeth unto when he saith that Christ had broken down the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the partition-wall namely that Lorica which separated the Court of the Gentiles from that of the Circumcision and so laying both Courts into one hath made the Iews and Gentiles Intercommoners whereby those that were sometime far off were now made nigh and as near as the other unto the Throne of God But in Solomon's Temple this Court of the Gentiles seems not to have been but in the second Temple only the Gentiles formerly worshipping without at the door and not coming within the Septs of the Temple at all This second kind of Proselites the Talmudists call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselytes of the Gate or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselyte-inhabitants namely because they were under the same condition with those Gentile-strangers which lived as Inquilini in the Land of Israel For all Gentiles dwelling within the Gates of Israel whether they were as servants taken in war or otherwise were bound to renounce their false Gods and to worship the God of Israel but not to be circumcised unless they would nor farther bound to keep the Law of Moses than was contained in those Precepts of the sons of Noah These are those mentioned as often elsewhere in the Law so in the fourth Commandment by the name of the Stranger within thy gates whereby it might seem probable that the observation of the Sabbath-day so far as concerneth one day in seven was included in some one or other of those Precepts of the sons of Noah namely in that of worshipping for their God the Creator of Heaven and earth and no other whereof this consecration of a seventh day after six days labour was a badge or livery according to that The Sabbath is a sign between me and you that I Iehovah am your God because in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day See Exod. 31. 16 17. Ezek. 20. 20. But this obiter and by the way From the example of these Inquilini all other Gentiles wheresoever living admitted to the worship of the God of Israel upon the same termes were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
he blaspemes that God who brings that punishment upon them Eusebius lib. 4. Hist. Cap. 17. cites the same out of both with approbation So doth Oecumenius upon the last Chapter of the first of S. Peter Epiphanius against Heresie 39. gives the same as his own assertion almost in the same words with Iustin and Irenaeus though not naming them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Before the coming of Christ the Devil did not dare to speak a blasphemous word against his Lord for being in expectation of the coming of Christ he imagined he should obtain some mercy I will not enquire how true this Tenet of theirs is but only gather this that they could not think the Devils were cast into Hell before the coming of Christ For then how could they but have known they should be damned if the execution had already been done upon them Saint Augustine as may seem intending to reconcile these places of Peter and Iude with the rest of Scripture is alledged to affirm that the Devils suffering some Hell-like torment in their Aiery Mansion the Air may in that respect in an improper sense be called Hell But that the Devils were locally or Actually in Hell or should be before the Day of Iudgment it is plain he held not and that will appear by these two passages in his Book de Civitate Dei First where he saith Daemones in hoc quidem aere habitant quia de Coeli superioris sublimitate dejecti merito irregressibilis transgressionis in hoc sibi congruo velut carcere praedamnati sunt Lib. 8. Cap. 22. The Devils indeed have their habitation in this Air for they being cast out of the highest heaven through the due desert of their unrecoverable apostasie and transgression are fore-condemned and adjudged to be kept in this Aiery region as in a prison very congruous and fit for such transgressors The other in the same Book chap. 23. where he expounds that of the Devils Matth. 8. Art thou come to torment us before the time that is saith he ante tempus Iudicii quo aeternâ damnatione puniendi sunt cum omnibus etiam hominibus qui eorum societate detinentur before the time of the last Iudgment when they are to be eternally punished together with all those men who are entangled in their society The Divines of latter times the School-men and others to reconcile the supposed Contrariety in Scripture divide the matter holding some Devils to be in the Air as S. Paul and the History of Scripture tell us some to be already in Hell as they thought S. Peter and S. Iude affirm'd which opinion seems to be occasioned by a Quaere of S. Hierom's upon the sixth of the Ephesians though he speaks but obscurely and defines nothing But what ground of Scripture or Reason can be given why all the Devils which sinned should not be in the same Condition especially that Satan the worst and chief of them should not be in the worst estate but enjoy the greatest liberty It follows therefore that these places of S. Peter and S. Iude are to be construed according to the sense I have given of them namely That the evil Spirits which sinned being adjudged to Hellish torments were cast out of Heaven into this lower Region there to be reserved as in a prison for chains of darkness at the Day of Iudgment DISCOURSE V. 1 COR. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God A Man would think at first sight that this Scripture did exceedingly warrant our use of the word Minister in stead of that of Priest and leave no plea for them who had rather speak otherwise Howsoever I intend at this time to shew the contrary and even out of this Text that we have very much swerved herein from the Apostles language and abuse that word to such a sense as they never intended nor is any where found in Scripture I favour neither superstition nor superstitious men yet truth is truth and needful to be known especially when ignorance thereof breedeth errour and uncharitableness My Discourse therefore shall be of the use of the words Priest and Minister wherein shall appear how truly we are all Ministers in our Apostle's sense and yet how abusively and improperly so called in the ordinary and prevailing use of that word I will begin thus All Ecclesiastical persons or Clergy-men may be considered in a Threefold relation First to God secondly to the People thirdly one toward another In respect to God all are Ministers of what degree soever they be because they do what they do by commission from him either more or less immediate for a Minister is he qui operam suam alicui ut superiori aut domino praebet who serves another as his Superior or Master In respect of the People all are Bishops that is Inspectores or Overseers as having charge to look unto them But lastly compared one to another he whom we usually call Bishop is only Overseer of the rest Inspector totius Cleri Deacons are only Ministers to the rest Ministri Presbyterorum Episcoporum and in that respect have their name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are properly but two Orders Ecclesiastical Presbyteri Diaconi the one the Masters Priests the other the Ministers Deacons The rest are but diverse degrees of these Two As Bishops are a degree of Presbyters of divine ordinance to be as Heads Chiefs and Presidents of their Brethren So Subâ—deacons Lectors and indeed any other kind of Ecclesiastical Ministers whether in Ecclesia or Foro Ecclesiastico I mean whether they attend divine Duties in the Church or Iurisdiction in Ecclesiastical Courts are all a kind of Deacons being to the Presbyters either single or Episcopal as the Levites were to the Sacerdotes in the Old Testament namely to minister unto or for them Thus when we say Bishops Presbyters and Deacons we name but two Orders yet three Degrees These grounds being forelaid and understood I affirm first That Presbyters are by us unnaturally and improperly called Ministers either of the Church or of such or such a Parish we should call them as my Text doth Ministers of God or Ministers of Christ not Ministers of men First Because they are only God's Ministers who sends them but the People's Magistri to teach instruct and oversee them Were it not absurd to call the Shepherd the Sheeps Minister If he be their Minister they surely are his Masters And so indeed the People by occasion of this misappellation think they are ours and use us accordingly Indeed we are called Ministers but never their Ministers but as you see here God's Ministers Christ's Ministers who imployeth us to dispense his Mysteries unto his Church There are Three words in the New Testament translated Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—the first is most frequent but not one of them is given to the Apostles
Levites meaning the chief in both sorts This honourable name the Apostles gave as a name of distinction to the Evangelical Pastors whereby they dignified them above those of the Law whose name in the Hebrew as I said before is but a denomination of Ministry And we have rejected the name of Dignity of Fathership of Eldership and assumed in stead thereof a name of under-service of subjection of Ministery to distinguish our Order by I say to distinguish our Order for in a general sense and with reference to God we are all his Ministers and it is an honour unto us so to be more than to be other mens Masters as our Apostle in my Text intimates Fourthly In the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas there is a worse Solecism by reason of this misapplied speech They have a kind of Officers who are the Pastors assistants in Discipline much like to our Church-wardens these they call Elders we style them Lay-Elders These are but a kind of Deacons at the most and of a new erection too and yet these are dignified by the name of Elders and Presbyters who are indeed but Deacons or Ministers and the Pastor himself is called a Minister who in the Apostles style is the only Presbyter or Elder For so they speak The Minister and his Presbyters or Elders To conclude it had been to be wished that those whom the term of Priest displeased as that which gave occasion by the long abuse thereof to fancy a Sacrifice had rather restored the Apostolical name of Presbyter in the full sound which would have been as soon and as easily learned and understood as Minister and was no way subject to that supposed inconvenience But the mis-application of the word Presbyter in some Churches to an Order the Apostles called not by that name deprived those thereof to whom it was properly due Howsoever when they call us Ministers let them account of us as the Ministers of Christ and not of men not as deputed by the Congregation to execute a power originally in them but as Stewards of the Mysteries of God DISCOURSE VI. S. IOHN 10. 20. He hath a Devil and is mad IT is a matter of greater moment than perhaps every man thinks of under what notions Things are conceived and from what property or Character the Names we call them by are derived For hereby not seldom it comes to pass that the same things presented to us under different notions and names derived therefrom are not taken to be the same they are Even as he that meets a man well known unto him in an exotick disguise or antick habit takes him to be some other though he knew him never so well before For example a man would wonder that a Comet as we call it being so remarkable and principal a work of the Divine power and which draws the eyes of all men with admiration towards it should no where be found mentioned in the Old Testament neither there where the works of God are so often recounted to magnifie him whenas Hail Snow Rain and Ice works of far less admiration are not pretermitted neither by way of allusion and figured expression in the Prophets predictions of great calamities and changes whereof they were taken to be presages especially when we see them borrow so many other allusions both from heaven and earth to paint their descriptions with Should a man therefore think there never appeared any of them in those times or to those Countries It is incredible Or that the Iews were so dull and heedless as not to observe them That is not like neither What should we say then Surely they conceived of them under some other notions than we do and accordingly expressed them some other way As what if by a Pillar of fire such a one perhaps as went before the Israelites in the Wilderness Or by a Pillar of fire and smoke as in that of Ieel 2. 30. I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth Bloud and Fire and Pillars of smoke Or by the name of an Angel of the Lord whereby no doubt they are guided according as it is said of that Pillar of Fire which went before thâ—â—â— raclites that the Angel of God when they were to pass the Red Seaâ— came and â—â—ood between them and the AEgyptians when that Pillar did so And who knows whether that in the 104. Psalm v. 4. may not have some meaning this way He maketh his Angels Spirits or winds and his Ministers a Flame of fire to wit because they are wont to appear in both It comes in in the Psalm among other Works of God in a sit place for such a sense both in regard of what goes before and follows after These I say or some of these may be descriptions of those we call Comets which because they are disguised under another notion and not denominated from Stellâ— or Coma hence we know them not Now to come toward my Text alike instance to this I take to be that of the Daemoniacks so often mentioned in the Gospel For I make no question but that now and then the same befals other men whereof I have experience my self to wit to marvel how these Daemoniacks should so abound in and about that Nation which was the People of God whereas in other Nations and their writings we hear of no such and that too as it should seem about the time of our Saviour's being on earth only because in the time before we find no mention of them in Scripture The wonder is yet the greater because it seems notwithstanding all this by the Story of the Gospel not to have been accounted then by the people of the Iews any strange or extraordinary thing but as a matter usual nor besides is taken notice of by any forein Story To meet with all these difficulties which I see not how otherwise can be easily satisfied I am perswaded till I shall hear better reason to the contrary that these Daemoniacks were no other than such as we call Mad-men and Lunaticks at least that we comprehend them under those names and that therefore they both still are and in all times and places have been much more frequent than we imagine The cause of which our mistake is that disguise of another name and notion than we conceive them by which makes us take them to be diverse which are the same That you may rightly understand this my Assertion before I acquaint you with the Reasons which induce me thereunto you must know That the Masters of Physick tell us of two kinds of Deliration or aliâ—nation of the Understanding One ex vi morbi that namely which is from or with a Fever called Delirium or Phrenitis the latter being a higher degree than the former Another kind sine Febre when a man having no other disease is crased and disturbed in his wits And this they say is either simple dotage proceeding from some weakness of the Brain or Intellective
a creature and of so despicable a beginning to such a power as to grapple with the Enemy and overcome him But behold there is yet something more admirable namely that this should not be done by the strength of his Arm but by the breath and power of his Mouth Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained strength because of thine Enemies c. What Enemies Thine saith the Psalmist and such too as are Vltores Avengers the Enemies of both God and Mankind And who are those but Satan and his Angels those Principalities and Powers of the Air those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Rulers of the Darkness of this world as S. Paul speaks For when Mankind is the one party what can the other be but some Power that is not of Mankind Besides who are the Enemies both of God and Mankind but these and of mankind especially I will put Enmity saith God to the Serpent between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed hence he is called Satan the Adversary or Fiend and the Enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I give you power saith our Saviour to the seventy Disciples Luke 10. 19. to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the Enemy Your Adversary the Devil saith S. Peter And this is he as I conceive who is here called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Enemy and the Avenger man's tormentor which words being found again in the 44. Psalm v. 16. may for ought I know by warrant of this place be taken for the same Enemy and the usual distinction altered and the place read thus By reason of the Enemy and the Avenger all this to wit the Calamity and confusion he spake of before is come upon us that is by the malice of Satan Now that such Enemies as these should be subducd by an Arm yea by a Mouth of flesh is a thing which might justly make the Prophet cry out Lord what is man c. Now that this which I have given is the true meaning of this place may be gathered from S. Paul's inculcating the word Enemy when 1 Cor. 15. 24. c. he demonstrates out of this Psalm that Christ before the end shall abolish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all rule and all authority and power For he must reign saith he till he hath put all Enemies under his feet The last Enemy which shall be destroyed is Death and then he alledges for his proof that Corollary in this Psalm For he hath put all things under his feet But in all this Psalm there is no mention of Enemies or subduing them but only in the Verse I have in hand which unless it be thus expounded S. Paul's allegation from hence will be too narrow to prove what he intendeth HAVING thus cleared the words I chose for my Theme I shall not need spend much time to shew you how directly and literally the purport of them was fulfilled in our Blessed Saviour's Incarnation You have in part heard such Scriptures already as do evince it The sum is this The Devil by sin brought mankind under thraldom and became the Prince of this world himself with his Angels being worshipped and served every where as Gods and the service and honour due to the great God the Creator of heaven and earth cast off and abandoned and all this to receive at last for reward eternal woe and everlasting death To vanquish and exterminate this Enemy and redeem the world from this miserable thraldom the Son of God took upon him not the nature of Angels which might have been the Enemies matches but the nature of weak and despicable Man that grows from a babe and suckling Who saith Esay in that famous Prophecy of Messiah hath believed our report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed namely that works such powerful things by weak means For he shall grow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a tender plant or sucker it is the very word here used in my Text for a sucking child and translated by the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as a root out of a dry ground that is a small and little one This is that whereof S. Paul discourses so divinely in the Epistle to the Hebrews To which of the Angels said he at any time Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak but unto him of whom it is said What is man that thou art mindâ—ul of him c Again We see Iesus who was made little lower than the Angels that is was made man that 's the meaning for the suffering of death crowned with Glory and Honour what can be so plain as this It is the Son of man by whom in part we are and more fully shall be delivered out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve the true God without fear as Zachary sayes in his Benedictus It is the Son of man that delivered us from the power of darkness Col. 1. 13. The Son of man that spoiled Principalities and Powers and made a shew of them openly Col. 2. 15. It was no Angel that did all this but the Son of man even as was prophesied from the beginning when the Devil first got his Dominion that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpent's head Nor is this all For this Son of man enables also other Sons of men his Disciples and Ministers to do the like in his name The seventy Disciples in the Gospel returned with joy saying Lord even the Devils are subject to us through thy name Yea not these only but as many as fight under his Banner against these Enemies have promise they shall at length quell and utterly subdue them yea at that great Day shall sit with their Lord and Master to judge and condemn them Do ye not know saith S. Paul that the Saints shall judge the world know ye not that we shall judge Angels Lastly This victory as for the event so for the manner of atchieving it is agreeable to our Prophecy Forasmuch as Christ our General nor fights nor conquers by force of Arms but by the power of his Word and Spirit which is the power of his Mouth according to my Text Out of the mouth of Babes c. Hence in the Apocalyps Christ appears with a sword going out of his mouth In the 2 Thess. 2. 8. it is said He shall consume that wicked one that is Antichrist with the Spirit of his mouth Esay prophesies Chap. 11. 4. that the Branch of Iesse should smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips should slay the wicked that is he does all nutu verbo by his word and command as God made the world By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Hoast
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our Regeneration which from the beginning stirred our hearts gives that great and powerful lift which doth the deed Here and not before now that Faith in the Gospel which applies and reaches hold of Christ first comes in to give life unto Repentance as a Soul unto a Body Which union of Faith and Repentance as I said in the beginning of this Discourse makes the Regeneration of a spiritual man as the union of the Soul with the Body makes the generation of a natural man And as in natural generation the Soul is not infused at the first conception but after the Body hath been in some measure fashioned and formed So in our Regeneration or generation spiritual Iustifying Faith or that Faith whereby the Soul flies unto and relies upon Christ hath no place till Repentance be come to the last degree of Contrition For then our Saviour inviteth a sinner to come unto him and not till then Come unto me saith he all ye that labour and are heavie laden that is all ye that are contrite and groan under the burthen of your sins and I will ease you Till then he invites them not as being not till then fit to be eased For the whole hath no need of the Physician but the sick I speak not of an Historical faith whereby a man believes in general that Christ is the Saviour of mankind nor of a Legal wherewith a man believes the punishments and threatnings of the Law for these may be yea are before Repentance but of a Saving faith which applies Christ as a salve to a sick and wounded soul. BUT now to dwell no longer upon the connexion of the two parts let us see what are the degrees also of this second part namely of Turning and Living unto God by a new and reformed life answerable to the degrees of the former part which was Dying and Turning from sin Where first we are to know that because Turning to a thing and Turning from a thing are motions of a contrary nature therefore the degrees of our Turning unto God are to be ranked in a clean contrary order to those of our Turning from sin For the first degree here is the Act of the Will which as it concluded our Turning from sin by resolving to forsake it so it begins our Turning unto God by a firm purpose of Heart to serve him thenceforth in newness of life After this the Affections begin to act their parts answerably and as it were to eccho the good choice the Will hath made First Love when a man begins to find himself affected and enamoured with this change of life After Love comes Delight when the Penitent takes some pleasure in doing the duties whereby God is served and finds joy and comfort in his favour From whence in the third place springs Hope of the reward namely to be partaker of the glory and life to come promised unto all those who unfeignedly turn to God and set themselves to do his will But we must know that these Affections appear not all at once nor in like measure but according as a mans growth and proficiency in Conversion is more or less Howsoever the inseparable Effects of this second part of Repentance are good works or as the Scripture calls them works worthy of or meet for or beseeming Repentance that is works of Religion towards God and of Righteousness towards men I shewed saith S. Paul Acts 26. 20. first to the Iews and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance Without such works he that saith he is turned unto God and yet doth them not is a lier and deceives his own soul. THUS much of the second part of Repentance I will conclude this whole Discourse with these two excellent descriptions of Repentance in the Prophets Esay and Ezekiel which contain the Sum of what I have hitherto spoken concerning the same For thus saith Esay chap. 1. 16. Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from mine eyes saith the Lord cease to do evil This is the first part of Repentance V. 17. Learn to do well seek judgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless plead for the widow This is the second part Ezek. ch 33. v. 14 15. thus When I say unto the wicked saith the Lord Thou shal◠surely die if he turn from his sin there is Contrition the first part and do that which is lawful and right If he restore the pledge give again that he had robbed walk in the Statutes of life without committing iniquity here ye fee the fruit of a New life the second part he shall surely live he shall not die Believe the Gospel THUS much shall suffice to have spoken of Repentance the first part of our Regeneration I come to the second Faith in the Gospel Repent and believe the Gospel Where first I will shew What this Gospel is secondly What it is to believe it or What is that Faith concerning it which our Saviour here requires For the First The Gospel is the glad tidings of Salvation to be attained by Christ who by taking away of sin reconciles us unto his Father that through him we might turn unto God and perform service and obedience acceptable unto eternal life Before I prove every part of this Description out of Scripture and explain the same as shall be needful for your understanding we will first speak of the Antiquity of this Gospel and shew when these glad tidings were made known to the sons of men Know therefore that albeit the Fulfilling and solemn publication thereof were not until our Saviour's coming yet the Promise of the same was from the daies of old even as ancient as the time of man's sin and afterwards continued and repeated all the time of the Covenant of the Law until the Mediatour of the New Covenant came in the flesh For when the Devil abusing the shape of a Serpent had seduced our first Parents unto sin and so had gotten dominion over them and theirs by this title the Gospel or Promise of a Redeemer that they might not be without all comfort was given them in these words The seed of the woman shall break the Serpent's head The Serpent's head is Satan's soveraignty which is Principatus mortis the soveraignty or principality of death a Soveraignty that whosoever is under is liable to death both temporal and eternal the power thereof consisting not in saving and giving life but in destroying both of body and Soul The Sword whereby this dominion is obtained the Sceptre whereby it is maintained or as S. Paul speaks the Sting of this Serpent's head is Sin This is that which got this dominion at the first and the title whereby he still maintaineth the remainder of his jurisdiction in the world This Soveraignty this Headship of the Devil One to be born of mankind the Seed of the woman which is Christ our
And thus far we have in a manner yielded to our Adversaries for a time That the time of fulfilling this Prophecy hath already been for we would deny them no favour willingly which we could lawfully yield them Nevertheless I verily believe that this Prophecy hath never yet received his full accomplishment nor is to do Vntil as S. Paul saith Rom. 11. 25. the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved For we shall find in the Prophecies of the Scriptures that there are two Sorts and Times of the Calling of the Gentiles The first is that which should be with the rejection and casting off of the Iews and as S. Paul saith to provoke them to jealousie such a Calling as should be in a manner occasional that God might not want a Church the time the Iews were to be castâ—out for this is that which S. Paul means Rom. 11. 15. That the casting away of the Iews is the calling of the Gentiles or reconciling of the world whence we may see that the Apostles were not to preach Christ to the Gentiles until being first offered to the Iews they refused him And this is that Calling of the Gentiles which hitherto hath been for many Ages But there is a second and more glorious Calling of the Gentiles to be found in the Prophecies of Scripture not a Calling as this is wherein the Iews are excluded but a Calling wherein the Iews shall have a share of the greatest glory and are to have a preeminence above other Nations when all Nations shall flow unto them and walk in their light For the calling of the remainder of the world which is not yet under Christ is reserved for the solemnizing of the Iews restitution This is that Calling and that Time which he calls the Fulness of the Gentiles I would not brethren saith he have you ignorant of this mystery that blindness in part is hapned to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved This is that Time whereof he speaks that if the present fall of the Iews be the riches of the world and their decay the riches of the Gentiles how much more shall their fulness be the fulness of the Gentiles This is that glorious Time which the Prophecy of this Text principally if not altogether intended For if the fulness of the glory and inlargement of the Church be here described then it must needs be that the time hereof hath never yet been because as yet the Fulness of the Gentiles whereof S. Paul speaks is not come in While the Romans and Iron part of Nebuchadnezzar's Image was yet standing a Stone was hewn out of the mountain without hands This is the First state of the Kingdom of Christ and Calling of the World which hath been hitherto But at length this Stoneâ— when the time of the Image's brittle feet came smote the Image upon those feet so that the wind blew the whole Image away and there was no more place found for any part thereof which was no sooner done but the Stone which smote the Image swelled into a great Mountain and filled the whole earth This is the Time of the Fulness of Christ's Kingdom the Fulness of the Gentiles This is the Time when the Mountain of the Lord's House should be established upon the tops of the Mountains namely when the small Stone of Christ's Kingdom which is now in being shall smite the brittle feet of the last Remainder of the Roman State now subsisting in the Popedom in whom the divided Toes of too many Kingdoms are in a sort though but brittlely united together and so that great seven-hilled City still Ladies it over the Nations of the Earth DISCOURSE XXX IUDGES 1. 7. As I have done so God hath requited me THESE are the words of Adonibezek one of the Kings of Canaan whom the sons of Iudah and Simeon having taken prisoner in war they cut off the thumbs of his hands and great toes The justness of which punishment so evidently sampling his fore-past sin forced him though with a heavy heart to give glory unto God and say Threescore and ten Kings having their thumbs and great toes cut off gathered their meat under my table As I have done so God hath requited me These words without any longer Preface may be considered two ways either simply or abâ—olutely in themselves or with reference to him who spake them In themselves they are an Affirmation or Historical narration That as Adonibezek had done so God requited him If we consider them with reference to the speaker they are a Confession as being spoken by him who did the fact and suffered now the punishment Adonibezek himself it is who saith As I have done so God hath requited me In the First Consideration I observe four things 1. That God punisheth sin with temporal punishment in this life as well as with eternal in the life to come Thus this miserable King here feels the hand of God fall so heavy upon him while he was yet in the world that it makes him bitterly cry out I have done cruelly and God hath even here requited me 2. That God doth not always presently inflict his Iudgments while the sin is fresh but sometimes defers that long which â—e means to give home at the last So saith our King here As I have done not as I did even now but as I did long ago and thought by this God had forgotten me yet now I see he requiteth me 3. That these Divine Iudgments by some conformity or affinity do carry in them as it were a stamp and print of the sin for which they are inflicted So saith this unhappy King As I have done even just as I have done to others now I suffer my self Seventy Kings thumbs in my cruelty I cut off and in my pride made them to feed like dogs under my table now the measure which I mete unto others is measured unto my self for just as I have done so God hath requited me 4. That the Profit and Pleasure which men aim at when they commit sin will not so much as quit cost even in this life For if God's punishments be requitals certainly the profit we have gotten by sin he will make us lose in the punishment the pleasure we hope to find and seek after in sin will be over-poised in the pain we are sure to feel when the just hand of the Almighty shall requite us And thus have you heard already the Summ of what I mean to speak of in the First consideration of these words Now I will return again and speak more largely of them all and that in the same order I gave them out The first Collection therefore which I made was That God punisheth the sins of men with temporal punishment in this life as well as with eternal in the life to come This verity to use the words
God was this good office done to his Prophet appears by the double miracle he wrought for her both in giving her a child when her husband was now so old she despaired and in raising him again to life when he was dead Both in the same Chapter But let us come now to the New Testament and see whether the like be not to be found there lest otherwise any might think as some are prone enough to do the case were now altered And first also to begin here with the provision of a place for Gods worship the story of that Centurion of Capernaum in S. Luke's Gospel is worthy our consideration Who when he heard of Iesus saith the Text sent unto him the Elders of the Iews besecching him that he would come and heal his servant The Elders came to Iesus and besought him instantly saying He was worthy for whom he should do this Why so For say they he loveth our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue Luke 7. 3 4 5. Then Iesus saith the Text v. 6. without any more ado went with them namely as well approving of their Motive that he who had done such a work deserved that favour should be deign'd him Also concerning provision and entertainment for his Apostles and Ministers Are they not our Saviour's own words and promise when he sent them forth He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophet's reward Nay He that should give them but a cup of cold water should not lose his reward According to which S. Paul speaking of the Philippians bounty and communication towards him I have received saith he of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing unto God And 2 Tim. 1. 16 18. concerning the like good office done him by Onesiphorus he speaks in this manner The Lord saith he give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day Which is not much unlike this of Nehemiah in my Text if it had been spoken in the first person by Onesiphorus himself as it is in the third by S. Paul Howsoever who will deny but it implies the samething Now then if this be so as I think we have proved what shall we think of the times we live in when men account them the most religious to God-ward who do or would unfurnish the House of God most who rob his Priests most But they have an excuse sufficient to bear them out and what is that The Priests they say have too much If this excuse would serve turn some of themselves perhaps might soon have less than they have for sure some body else as well as the Priest have more than they need and might spare some of it But whether the Priests have too much or not will not be the question Suppose they had hath God too much too For these men consider not that the Propriety of such things as these is God's and noâ— the Priests and that to change the Propriety of what is Sacred by alienating thereof to a proâ—ane and private use I say not by diverting it from the Priest's livelihood to any other holy use in case the Priest have more than needs is to rob God himself yea God tells us so much Malach. 3. 8 9. Will a man saith he rob God as if it were a thing intolerable and scarce ever heard of yet ye saith he have robbed me But ye say Wherein have we robbed thee In Tithes and Offerings Ye are cursed with a curse because ye have robbed me For that 's the burden that goes with things consecrated Cursed be he that alienates them This Malachi lived at the same time with Nehemiah and the Iews say 't was Ezra whence this exprobration of his and this fact of Nehemiah in my Text may justly seem to have relation one to the other And thus much of my first Observation My Second is That God rewardeth these and so all other our Good deeds and works not for any Merit or Worthiness that is in them but of his free Mercy and Goodness Remember me O my God saith Nehemiah and wipe not out my good deeds Why is there any Reward due to them of Iustice No But remember me O my God and spare me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the greatness or multitude of thy mercy Thus he expounds himself And S. Paul taught us even now the self-same thing in his Votum or Prayer for the House of Onesiphorus for the like good service done to the Offices of God's House The Lord saith he grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day that is the day of Iudgment which is Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The time of rewarding when every one shall receive according to his work The controversie therefore between the Romanists and us is not Whether there be a Reward promised unto our Works We know the Scripture both of the Old and New Testament is full of Testimonies that way and encourageth us to work in hope of the Reward laid up for us We know that in keeping of God's Commandments there is great reward Psal. 19. 11. And that unto him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward Prov. 11. 18. We know our Saviour saith Matt. 5. 11 12. Blessed are ye when men revile and persecute you for great is your reward in heaven Also that He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophet's reward and whosoever shall give a cup of cold water only to one of his little ones in the name of a Disciple shall not lose his reward Matt. 10. 41 42. Again we read Luk. 6. 35. Love your enemies do good and lend and your reward shall be great and ye shall be the children of the Highest We know also what S. Iohn saith 2 Ep. v. 8. Look to your selves that ye lose not those things which ye have wrought but that ye may receive a full reward But the Question is Whence this Reward cometh Whether from the Worth or Worthiness of the Work as a debt of Iustice due thereto or from God's Mercy as a recompence freely bestowed out of God's gracious Bounty and not in Iustice due to the Worth of the Work it self Which Question methinks Nehemiah here in my Text may determine when he saith Remember me O Lordâ— for my good deeds according to thy great Mercy and the Prophet Hosea ch 10. 12. when he biddeth us Sow to your selves in righteousness and reap in mercy and S. Paul Rom. 6. 23. where though he saith that the wages of sin is death yet when he comes to eternal life he changeth his style But saith he eternal life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gracious gift of God through Iesus Christ. For as for our Works
Ashteroth the Gods of the Sidonians Rimmon the God of the Aramites Where is now Dagon of the Philistines Milcom of the Ammonites Chemosh of Moab and Tammuz of the Egyptians Even these also whose names we hear so frequent in Scripture are perished with their very names from this earth and from under these heavens And the Nations which once worshipped them worship now the great God Creator of heaven and earth once all of them and yet the most of them truly and savingly in Christ Iesus the Saviour and Redeemer of the world The beginning of this strange and wonderful Change was about the Birth and Incarnation of Christ our Saviour at which time the Gods of the Gentiles grew speechless in their Oracles or if at any time they answered it was to testifie the nearness of that time wherein they were to be cast out and the presence of him who should do the same As it is reported of Augustus who consulting the Oracle of Apollo who should reign after him received this answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning whereof is this The Hebrew child which rules the blessed Gods bids me leave this house and presently pack to hell From henceforth depart thou with silence from our Altars Whereupon it is said that Augustus reared an Altar in the Capitol with this Inscription ARA PRIMOGENITI DEI The Altar of the First-begotten of God Porphyrie though an enemy of Christians reports three farewel Oracles of Apollo The first whereof is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In English thus O wo is me lament ye Tripods for Apollo is gone he is gone he is gone For the burning light of heaven that Iupiter which was is and shall be O mighty Iupiter he compels me Ah wo is me the bright glory of my Oracles is gone from me And to the Priest which last consulted him his demand being Which was the true Religion he answered in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In English thus Thou unhappiest of the Priests oh that thou wouldst not have asked me being now at my last of the Divine Father and of the dear begotten of that famous King nor of the Spirit which comprehendeth and surroundeth all things For wo is me He it is that will I nill I will expel me from these Temples and full soon shall this dividing seat become a place of desolation And if at any time he were extremely urged by inchantments and exorcisms to break off this uncouth silence he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apollo's voice is not to be recovered it is decayed through length of time and locked up with the keys of never-divining silence but do you as ye were wont such sacrifices as it beseemeth Phoebus to have The ceasing of Oracles in ancient times so frequent made the Heathen wonder what the cause should be for being grown very rare as the coming of Christ drew near and at the time of his being upon the earth the chiefest of all the Oracle of Delphos grown speechless as Strabo living at that time witnesseth before the end of that Age all the Oracles of the world in a manner held their peace Plutarch as ye all know at that time writ a Tract of the decay of Oracles wherein he labours to find the cause of their ceasing and after much search and many disputes he concludes the Reason partly to be from the absence of his Demoniacal spirits who by his Philosophy might either die through length of years or flit from place to place either exiled by others more strong or upon some other dislike and partly from the alteration of the soil where Oracles were seated which might not yield such Exhalations as in former times they had done This is the Summe of the Reasons in that Discourse But as we embrace this Testimony of Plutarch for the use and decay of Oracles so we are better enabled to give a true reason thereof than he was or could be namely As Meteors and smaller lights vanish and appear not when the Sun begins to rise So did these false lights of the Heathen vanish when the Sun of righteousness Christ Iesus arose unto the world As Dagon fell down when the Ark of God was brought into his Temple so when the true Ark of God Christ Iesus came into the world all the Dagons of the Nations fell down The time was come when as our Saviour saith Iohn 12. 31. the Prince of this world was to be cast out The night was past and the day was come and therefore such Bats and Birds of darkness as these were not any longer to play such reaks as in times past they had done Now began that War in heaven between Michael and the red Dragon whereof we read in the Revelation Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and his Angels that is Christ our Lord and his undaunted souldiers fought with the Devil and all his Ethnick forces led by the Roman Emperors Which War though it lasted long and cost the bloud and lives of many a thousand valiant Martyrs yet in the days of Constantine the Dragon received so great an overthrow that he never could recover it and though in the days of Iulian he made head again and kept the field a while yet was he soon fain to quit it and leave the victory unto Michael's army Which defeature of his was accompanied with an ominous sign of his utter overthrow his Throne or Temple at Delphos with earthquakes thunder and lightening being utterly ruined For as by the rending of the veil of the Temple was signified the abolishment of Legal worship so by the prodigious destruction of the chiefest Temple the Devil had in all the world was as it were sealed the irrecoverable overthrow of Ethnicisme which in the Event immediately following proved true For though he retained some strength under Valens in the East by still enjoying his wonted sacrifices yet in the days of Theodosius he was utterly and finally vanquished when his last champion Eugenius who threatned to be another Iulian and to restore Ethnicisme again with his whole Army was discomfited by the prayer and prowess of Theodosius about the year of our Lord three hundred and ninety For after this time Ethnicisme was never publickly maintained in the Roman Empire nor any open attempt made for restoring it again whereby it seems the red Dragon was cast down to the earth and that now was perfected the Triumph of Michael's victory when the Gods that made not the heaven and the earth were fully perished as concerning their Empire from the earth and from under
is infected This poison saith the Scripture was the breach of God's commandment in Paradise by eating of the forbidden fruit for which Adam being called to an account by the great Iudge and laying the fault upon the Woman which God had given him for an helper God vouchsafes as ye hear in my Text to examine the Woman saying What is this that thou hast done And she answers The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat These words contain in them two parts First God's Inquisition accusing Secondly The Woman's Confession excusing her fact The first in the first words And the Lord said unto the woman c. The second in the last words And the woman said The Serpent beguiled me c. For the first words which God speaks being considered absolutely are an Indictment for some crime as they are Interrogative they are an Inquisition concerning the same and therefore I call them an Inquisition accusing So the second are a Confession as the Woman says I have eaten but with an excuse when she says The Serpent beguiled me and therefore I call them a Confession excusing In the Inquisition are two things to be considered First The Author and Person who makes it which is the Lord God himself so saith my Text And the Lord God said unto the woman Secondly The Inquisition it self What is this that thou hast done In the Person who comes and makes this Inquest being the Lord God himself we may observe and behold his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his wonderful Goodness and unspeakable Love to mankind which here reveals it self in four most remarkable Circumstances First In his forbearance And the Lord said When said the Lord namely not till Adam had accused her she who was first in the sin was last questioned for the same and that too because her husband had appealed her God knew and observed well enough the first degree and every progress of her sin he needed no information from another yet as though he were loth to take notice thereof as though he were loth to find her guilty yea as though he were loth to denounce the punishment which his Iustice required he comes not against her until now and that as though he were unwilling to come at all If we look back into the Story we shall yet find a further confirmation thereof How long did God hold his hand before he stripped the woman especially of that glorious beauty of her integrity and made her with opened eyes to see her shameful nakedness She had at the first onset of her Conference with the Serpent sinned a sin of Vnbelief of God and yet God spared her In the progress she sinned more in her proud Ambition of being like to God himself and to be wise above what was given her and God yet spared her She sinned when she coveted and longed once to eat of the forbidden fruit when it began to seem more pleasing and desirable unto her than Obedience to God's Commandment and God yet spared her At last she takes and eats thereof and so came to the height and consummation of her sin and yet behold and see the Clemency and Longanimity of our good God he paused yet a while until she had given unto her husband also and then and not till then he opened their eyes to see their woful misery A Lesson first to us men if so be we think the Example of God worthy our imitation to bear long with our brother as God bears with us to admonish him as it is in the Gospel the first second and third time before we use him like an Heathen or a Publican to forgive him seven times yea as Christ says to Peter if he repent and ask forgiveness seventy times seven Secondly This may be a cordial of spiritual comfort unto us sinners Though we make a shift to keep our selves from the execution of sin yet we find our hearts full of sinful thoughts ungodly desires and unclean lusts and such like sinful motions from the infirmity of our flesh which notwithstanding we cannot ever expel or be rid of yet let us hope that God out of his mercy will bear with our weakness and pass by our infirmities who bore with the sin of our first Parents until it came to execution The second Circumstance is The temper of his Iustice in that he vouchsafes first to enquire of the offence and examine the fact before he gives Sentence or proceeds to execution The like example we have Gen. 11. 5. where it is said The Lord came down to see the City and Tower which the children of men had builded afore he would confound their language or scatter them abroad from that ambitious Babel upon the face of the earth Again Gen. 18. 20 21. the Lord says Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grievous I will go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me and if not I will know He from whom no secrets are hid he that formed the heart of man and knows all the works we do he that trieth and searcheth the heart and reins even he will first examine the fact will first hear what miserable man can say for himself before his Sentence shall pass upon him not out of ignorance of what was done for how should the omniscient God be ignorant but out of his wonderful clemency and unspeakable moderation towards Man I say towards Man for to him alone he shews this favour for as for the Serpent we see he vouchsafes nor to ask him one question nor to expect what he could say for himself but presently without examination proceeds to judgment against him Doth the great God the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth deal with so unspeakable temper with his creature and is vile man a base earth-worm so austere unto his brother It was the height of Eve's whole ambition to be like unto God but her off-spring's ambition is to be most unlike unto him He glories in mercy and clemency we in rage and rash austerity He hears his creature speak before he condemns him we condemn our brother before we hear him speak Be wise be instructed ye Iudes of the earth let this great Example of God be the pattern of your imitation yealet no private man condemn another rashly until he hath heard what he may say foâ— himself as God himself here vouchsafed to go before us The third Circumstance is God's condescent unto man in that he sends neither Angels nor Ministers to examine our first Parents and to make inquisition of their offence but he coâ—â—s himself in person to take notice thereof When men are offended especially great â—en they will not deign to look upon or to admit into their presence those that have offended them How great therefore is this indulgence of Almighty God who deigâ—s here his presence to our most wretched and most naked
the Serpent and what the Heel of the Woman's seed Those who understand The seed of the woman singularly of the person of Christ only make his Head to be the Godhead against which the Serpent could prevail nothing but his heel to be the Manhood which the Serpent so bruised at his Passion that the grave became his bed for three days together This indeed is true and no marvel for the Head is as it were the whole Bodie 's Epitome But we who have expounded The seed of the woman collectively of Christ and his Members must also in this mystical Body find a mystical Head and a mystical Heel and so in like manner for the Serpent and his seed The Head therefore or if you had rather Headship is nothing else but Soveraignty The Serpent's head is the Devil's Soveraignty which is called Principatus mortis the Soveraignty of death namely both objectivè and effectivè that is such a Soveraignty as under which are only such as are liable to Death both temporal and eternal and such a Soveraignty whose power consists not in saving and giving of life but in destroying and bringing unto Death both of body and soul. Under the name also of Death understand as the Scripture doth all other miseries of mankind which are the companions of this double Death I speak of This is that damnable Head of the Serpent the Devillish Soveraignty of Satan Now the Sword whereby this Soveraignty was obtained the Sceptre whereby it is maintained or as S. Paul speaks the Sting of this Serpent's head is Sin This is that which got him this Kingdom at the first and this is still the right whereby he holds the greatest part thereof Imperium iisdem artibus conservaâ—ur quibus acquiritur By the same arts and methods is an Empire conserved by the which it was at first obtained This Soveraignty of the Devil which once overwhelmed â—igh all the world the Woman's seed should break in pieces and destroy which according to this Prophecy we see already performed in a great measure and the grounds laid long ago for the destruction of all that remaineth As saith S. Iohn Ep. 1. c. 3. v. 8. The Son of God was manifested for this purpose that he might destroy the works of the Devil And Christ himself said that the time was come that the Prince of this world should be cast out and bade his Disciples be of good chear for he had overcome the world If you would see what a wonderful victory he hath long ago gotten of the Serpent when after a terrible battel he overcame and destroyed the Soveraignty of the Serpent in the Roman Empire see it described in the 12. of the Revelation v. 7 8. where Michael that is Christ and his Angels fought against the great Dragon and his Angels till the Dragon with all his Army was discomfited and their place found no more in heaven that is he utterly lost his Soveraignty in that state whence there was a voice in heaven v. 10. Now is come salvation strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ. And what he will at the length do with the remainder yet of the Devil's Soveraignty you may find in the 19. and 20. chapters of the Revelation For he must reign as S. Paul saith until he hath put all his enemies under his feet until he hath destroyed all power rule and authority adverse unto him And then last of all destroying Death by giving immortality to our raised bodies shall surrender up his Kingdom unto his Father as it is 1 Cor. 15. 25 c. But Satan saith my Text shall prevail something against him for the Serpent shall bruise his heel What is this Heel Those who understood the seed of the woman singularly as I told you made it Christ's Manhood But now we expound the seed Christ's Mystical Body what shall we make the Heel thereof I could say that by it were only meant a light wound or the Devil 's assaulting the Body of Christ ex insidiis at unawares for that is his fashion since the great overthrow which our Michael gave him to work his feats underhand and to undermine our Lord in his members But this though true is not full enough It may seem therefore the fittest to make hypocritical Christians who profess Christ outwardly but inwardly are not his to make these the heel of his Mystical Body for against such the Devil we know prevaileth somewhat and by them annoyeth the rest of the Body with his venome though he be far enough yet from impeaching our Lord's Headship and Soveraignty But will you give me leave to utter another conceit If the Blessed souls in heaven be the upper part of Christ's mystical Body the Saints on earth the lower part of the same may not the Bodies of the Saints deceased which lye in the earth be accounted for the heel For I cannot believe but they have relation to this mystical Body though their Souls be severed from them and yet must that relation be as of the lowest and most postick members of all If you will admit this then it will appear presently what was this hurt upon the heel when Christ had once mauled the Devil's head for the Text seems to intimate that the Devil should give this wound after his head was broken I will hold you in suspence no longer Read the 13. of the Revelation and see what follows upon Michael's Victory over the Dragon what the Devil did when he was down He forms a new Instrument of the wounded Roman Empire by whose means under a pretence of the Honour given to the precious Reliques of the Saints and Martyrs he conveyed the poyson of Saint-worship and Saint-invocation into the Kingdom of Christ with which wound of the heel the Devil coming on the blind side the true Church had been long annoyed and limpeth still DISCOURSE XLIII 2 PETER 2. 1. But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction MANY are the Prophesies in Scripture wherein the Holy Ghost forewarns us of a great and solemn Defection and Corruption of Faith which should one day overspread the visible Face of the Catholick Church of Christ and eclipse the light of Christian Verity and Belief S. Paul 2 Thes. 2. 3. foretels us that there should be an Apostasie or Falling away of Christians and the Man of sin be revealed before the coming of the day of the Lord. The same Apostle 1 Tim. 4. 1. tells us that though the great Mystery of Godliness spoken of chap. 3. 16. were then preached among the Gentiles and believed on in the world yet the Spirit spake expresly that in the latter times some should depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and doctrines of Devils or Daemons S. Iohn tells
concerning Tyre to whom it was a near neighbour witness also the whole Sea upon that coast called Tarshish because the Sons of Tarshish were Lords of that Sea For Lucan and others report the Cilicians were great pirats and domineer'd in all the Sea near them whom afterward Pompey subdued and brought to better order so that of that Victory he saith Itque Cilix justâ jam non pirata carinâ Lastly for thus placing of Tarshish we have the consent of Iosephus and other ancients As for the Septuagint who often translate Tarshish the Carthaginians they keep never a one of our Ten Rules and therefore we must needs reject them especially if they mean of the original Seat of Tarshish But as for their Colonies we will see afterwards The Second portion contains Caria Lycia and part of Pamphilia and this fell to Cittim or to the Cittaeans for it is a name of the plural number and so a name of a People the singular would be Ceth or Citti who is like to have been their founder Reasons for placing the Cittaeans here are 1. from Cetis a country in this tract spoken of by Ptolemy 2. a people called Cetii by Homer in Odyss δ who thinks they were so called of a river Cetius in the same quarter 3. because there can be no other place assigned them in all the portion of Iavan as we shall see and lastly because their often naming in the Scripture argues they were not far from Palaestine The Third part of this division contains Achaia and part of Peloponnesus and this was the lot of Elishah Witness a great part of this tract called Ellas the river Elissus or Ilissus the Elysii campi Eleusis a city near to Attica wherein was worshipped the Goddess Ceres and hereof named Ceres Eleusina witness likewise Elissus a city of Arcadia Elis a city in Peloponnesus and AEoles a colony of Achaia all of them so named of Elishah and to this in some agrees Iosephus and the other ancients though some of them restrain our Elishah to the AEoles who it is certain were but a colony from Achaia There remains the Fourth portion for the Fourth son of Iavan which contains all Epirus and part of Peloponnesus and here we must place the Dodanim or the Dodanites For this also is a name of the plural number Now to place this people here we have two special Reasons 1. Because they are never spoken of after in any place of the Bible whereby it seems they dwelt far off from Palaestine and out of the Iews walk and knowledg now the other Three are all spoken of Tarshish and Cittim very often because they were very near Elishah but once in Ezekiel because he was farther off but Dodanim never because he was little known and farthest off So that the common opinion which places him in Rhodes incurs many unlikelihoods For Rhodes is an Island whereas it is certain the Main was inhabited before the Islands Again Rhodes is a very small Isle nothing answerable to the portions of the rest And lastly Rhodes is near and obvious to Iudaea and yet this people we never here once named among the Prophets But the occasion of this Errour grew from the changing of Daleth for Resh in the first Book of Chronicles where is read Rodanim ch 1. 7. as also for our Riphath there is read Diphath in v. 6. which out of doubt was the Scribe's fault at the first and never after amended The other Reason for placing this people here is the Remainder of the very name in a City called Dodona and the famous Oracle of Iupiter Dodonaeus who was no other but this Fourth son of Iavan who was the Saturn of the Graecians and all his sons the Ioves of their several families This was the Inheritance of Iavan whom his sons the Grecians for his wisdom and providence called Prometheus who as Hesiod saies was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iapetus his good Son THE other whose sons are named by Moses is Gomer and to him therefore we must allot the next Regions most accessible and fit to have commerce and traffick with Palaestine And these will be those parts of Asia which lie upon the AEgean Sea and Hellespont Northward And this agrees well with Ezekiel who terms Gomer and Togarmah inhabitants of the sides of the North 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it is manifest that the Iews called the lesser Asia the North and the Kings thereof in Daniel the Kings of the North. We may therefore assign to these Gomerians all the North-East part of this Asia containing Phrygia Pontus Bithynia and a great part of Galatia and this will be a portion answerable to that of Iavan And this Iosephus will not deny us who affirms the Galatians to have been called Gomeraei and Herodotus will tell us that a people called Cimmerii dwelt in this tract who sent a Colony to Palus Maeotis and gave name to Cimmerius Bosphorus And Pliny speaks of a town in Troas a part of Phrygia called Cimmeris Which all have their name from this Gomer This tract then we must divide into three parts between the Three sons of Gomer viz. Askenaz Riphath and Togarmah The First shall be Phrygia major and some part of Galatia which following the opinion of Iosephus and others we assign to Togarmah of whom the Phrygians saith Iosephus were called Tygrammenes As for the opinion of Iunius who places Togarmah in Armenia minor because of their Kings called Tygranes and their Cities Tygranokartae this cannot stand because Armenia minor is too far out of our tract and therefore he breaks our Fourth Rule in placing the Son of Gomer out of the lot of Gomer and rending him from the house of his father And that Togarmah should be the Author of the Turks is a Iewish toy lately devised But it pleaseth Ionathan the Chaldee Paraphrast by likeness of the name to turn Thogarmah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Germania and some go farther and would have Thogarmah to be quasi Thegarmens or The germans But this opinion breaks the most and chiefest of our Rules and therefore cannot be approved unless they mean of after-Colonies of which we will see afterward The Second shall be Troas or Phrygia minor wherein was the renowned City of Troy and this we allot to Askenaz because of the river Ascanius and part of the tract called Ascania and the name Ascanius used in those parts witness Homer in his 2. Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Phorcys led the Phrygians and divine Ascanius who came from Ascania And it is as like the Greeks should turn Askenaz to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Coresh to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Darjavesh to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that for the termination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man need doubt Iosephus would have Askenaz to be father to a people called
this we are not in the right nor was it so from the begining Whatsoever is dedicated unto God in general or to speak in the phrase of Scripture whatsoever is called by his Name that is is His by peculiar relation ought to be used with a different respect from things common and God's House as you have heard hath something singular from the rest Should we then come into it as into a Barn or Stable It was not once good manners so to come into a mans house For our Blessed Saviour when he sent forth his Disciples to preach the Gospel Matt. 10. 12. said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when ye enter into an house salute it Why should we not think it a part of religious manners to do something answerable when we come into the House of God that is to bless the Master thereof you know how far that word extendeth and if not to say God be here which hath been the form and is somewhere still when we enter into a mans House yet to say with Iacob at Bethel God is here and to testifie in some manner or other as the Saints of God were wont to do that we acknowledge it and that both at our first coming thither and while we continue there for the one follows from the other And because I paralleled before that Oriental rite of Discalceation whereunto I supposed the words of my Text to have reference with ours of Vncovering the Head by the name of a leading ceremonie if any shall therefore ask me what other Gesture I implied thereby as fitting to accompany this in the case we speak of I answer That belongs to the discretion of our Superiours and the authority of the Church to appoint not to me to determine For here as in other Ceremonies the Church is not tied but hath liberty to ordain having respect to the Analogy of the Old Testament what she shall judge most sutable and agreeable to the time place and manners of the people where she lives But if I may without offence or presumption speak what I think then I say That Adoration or Bowing of the body with some short ejaculation which the Church of Israel used in their Temple together with Discalceation and which the Christians of the Orient use at this day and time out of mind have done at their ingress into their Churches is of all other the most seemly ready and fitting to our manners which yet I submit namely according to that of the 132. Psal. v. 7. Introibimus in Tabernacula ejus incurvabimus nos scabello pedum ejus We will go into his Tabernacles and worship before or toward his Footstool that is the Ark of the Covenant or Mercy-seat which you shall find thus styled 1 Chron. 28. 2. and according to that Psal. 5. 7. I will enter into thine House in the multitude of thy mercies in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy Temple i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they stood in the Courts when they worshipped which is the Form the Iews use at this day when they come first into their Places of worship and so might we too for any thing I know The ordinary form among the Greeks is that of the Publican God be merciful to me a sinner yet sometimes they premise this of the Psalm before it SECTION IV. AND thus have I done with the First part of my Text which for distinction sake I called The Admonition I come now to the Second which I termed A Caution Be more ready to obey than to offer the Sacrifice of fools as much as to say Prefer not the Secondary service of God before the First and Principal Our Translation hath Be more ready to hear than c. whereby some have taken occasion childishly to apply this Scripture against that custom of a short and private Prayer at our first coming into the Church before we joyn with the Congregation For we should say they rather hear and listen to what the Minister is reading or speaking as Solomon here bids us than at such a time to betake our selves to any private devotion which say they is but the Sacrifice of fools But I would themselves who thus argue were as wise as they should be For if they were they would consider both that Solomon according to the time wherein he spake must needs mean of another kind of Sacrifice than what so loose a notion importeth namely of such as were then used in the Temple he had built and besides that this sense of theirs directly thwarts the purport and meaning of the words going before which is that we ought to use some sign of reverence when we come into the house of God such as according to the custom of the West is this But though none of these things were yet would this Text be nothing to their purpose Forasmuch as by Hearing in this place is not meant auricular hearing but practical that is Obedience to God's commandments according as the Vulgar hath Melior est obedientia quà m victimae stultorum For it is the same with that Proverbial sentence of Scripture Obedience is better than Sacrifice which Samuel used in that bitter reproof of King Saul for sparing Agag and the best of the spoil of the Amalekites upon a pretence of sacrificing to the Lord in Gilgal Hath the Lord saith he as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams The word here twice rendered obey is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same which is in my Text and it is an ordinary signification thereof in Scripture The case is clear But was not the offering of Sacrifice will some man say part of the obedience due unto the divine Law How come they then to be thus opposed one to the other Give me leave therefore before I give my full explication of this passage to enquire and consider of some others of much more difficulty in this respect yet their meaning conducing to the understanding of this There are divers places in Scripture disparaging and villifying Sacrifices yea so far as if Sacrifice were a service which God neither appointed nor approved As Psal. 51. 16 17. Thou desirest not Sacrifice saith David else would I have given it thee but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Hosea 6. 6. I will have mercy and not sacrifice Micah 6. 6. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the most High shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old 7. Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams and with ten thousands of rivers of oyl Shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and
thereof might as by way of pledge be certified of his acceptation into Covenant and fellowship with his God by eating and drinking at his Table S. Augustine comes toward this Notion when he defines a Sacrifice though in a larger sense Quod Deo nuncupamus reddimus dedicamus hoc fine ut sanctâ societate ipsi adhaereamus That which we devote dedicate and render unto God for this end that we may have an holy society and fellowship with him For to have society and fellowship with God what is it else but to be in league and covenant with him In a word a Sacrifice is Oblatio foederalis For the true and right understanding whereof we must know That it was the universal custom of mankind and still remains in use to contract covenants and make leagues and friendship by eating and drinking together When Isaac made a covenant with Abimelech the King of Gerar the Text saith He made him and those that were with him a Feast and they did eat and drink and rose up betimes in the morning and sware one to another Gen. 26. 30 31. When Iacob made a covenant with Laban after they had sworn together he made him a Feast and called his brethren to eat Bread Gen. 31. 54. When David made a league with Abner upon his promise to bring all Israel unto him David made Abner and the men that came with him a Feast 2 Sam. 3. 20. Hence in the Hebrew tongue a Covenant is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To eat as if they should say An eating which derivation is so natural that it deserves to be preferred before that from the other signification of the same Verb which is To chuse And this will suffice for the custom of the Hebrews Now for the Gentiles Herodotus tells us the Persians were wont to contract leagues and friendship inter Vinum Epulas in a full Feast whereat their wives children and friends were present The like Tacitus reports of the Germans Amongst the Greeks and other Nations the Covenantees ate Bread and Salt together Unto which comes near that Ceremony some-where used at Weddings that the Bridegroom when he comes home from Church takes a piece of Cake tastes it then gives it to his Bride to taste it likewise as a token of a Covenant made between them The Emperor of Russia at this day when he would shew extraordinary grace and favour unto any sends him Bread and Salt from his Table And when he invited Baron Sigismond the Emperor Ferdinand's Ambassador he did it in this form Sigismunde comedes Sal panem nostrum nobiscum Sigismond you shall eat our Bread and Salt with us Hence that Symbol of Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Break no bread is interpreted by Erasmus and others to mean Break no friendship Moreover the Egyptians Thracians and Libyans in special are said to have used to make leagues and contract friendship by presenting a cup of Wine one to another which custom we find still in use amongst our Western Nations And what is our â—le pledge you but I take it as a pledge of league and friendship from you Yea it is a rule in Law that if a man drink to him against whom he hath an accusation of slander or other verbal injury he loses his Action because it is supposed he is reconciled with him Such now as were these Covenant-feastings and eatings and drinkings in token of league and amity between men and men such are Sacrifices between Man and his God Epulae foederales Federal feasts wherein God deigneth to entertain Man to eat and drink with or before him in token of favour and reconcilement For so it becomes the condition of the parties that he which hath offended the other and seeks for favour and forgiveness should be entertained by him to whom he is obnoxious and not è contrá that is that God should be the Convivator the entertainer or maker of the Feast and man the Conviva or Guest To which end the Viands for this sacred Epulum were first to be offered unto God and so made his that he might entertain the offerer and not the offerer him For we are to observe that what the Fire consumed was accounted as God's own Mess and called by himself the meat of his Fire-offerings the rest was for his guests which they were partakers of either by themselves as in all the Peace-offerings or by their proxies the Priests as in the rest to wit the Holocausts the Sin and Trespass-offerings The reason of which difference was I suppose because the one was ad impetrandum or renovandum foedus for the making or renewing the Covenant with God where therefore a Mediator was needful the other to wit the Peace-offerings ad confirmandum consignandum for the confirming the Covenant only wherein therefore they addressed themselves before the Divine Majesty with greater confidence If any shall object That the Holocaust was wholly burnt and consumed and so no body partaker thereof I answer It is true the Beast which was slain was wholly burnt and so all of it as it were God's Mess But there was a Meat-offering and Drink-offering annexed thereunto as a part of the holy Feast of which a handful only was burnt for a memorial the remainder was for the Priests to eat in the holy place Besides Burnt-offerings were regularly accompanied with Peace-offerings as you shall find them in Scripture ordinarily joyned together now in these the people that offered had the greatest share In a word That those who offered Sacrifice both among Iews and Gentiles were pertakers of the same is a thing to be taken for granted as appears by the warning God gave the Israelites Exod. 34. 12 15. That they should make no covenants with the inhabitants of the land Lest when they went a whoring after their Gods and offered a sacrifice unto them they might call them and they also eat of their sacrifice Also by that Psal. 106. 28. They joyned themselves to Baal-Peor and ate the sacrifices of the dead By that of S. Paul Heb. 13. 10. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve at the Tabernacle So that of this there need be no question It remains only that we prove That these sacred Epulae were Epulae foederales Federal Feasts and so our Definition will stand good Now this will appear first in general by that expression of Scripture wherein the Covenant which God makes with Man is expressed by eating and drinking at his Table Luke 13. 26. Those to whom the Lord opens not plead for themselves We have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets c. Chap. 22. 29 30. Our Saviour tells his Disciples I appoint you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom Apocal. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the
interpreted pag. 593 CHAP. VIII Mr. Mede's Answer to six Enquiries about some difficult passages in the Apocalyps pag. 594 CHAP. IX Five Reasons demonstrating That the Antichristian Times are more than Three single years and an half pag. 598 CHAP. X. A Discourse of the Beginning and Ending of the 42 Months or 1260 Days Rev. 11. 2 3. wherein Alstedius his Four Epocha's are examined pag. 600 CHAP. XI Of the 1000 years mentioned in Apocal. 20. with some Reflexions upon Eusebius and S. Hierom. pag. 602 CHAP. XII A Censure by way of Correction returned to a Friend concerning a somewhat exorbitant Exposition of his of Apocal 20. pag. 603 V. A Paraphrase and Exposition of the Prophecy of S. Peter 2 Ep. Chap. 3. pag. 609 VI. The Apostasie of the Latter Times PART I. CHAP. I. The dependence of the Text in 1 Timothy Chap. 4. verse 1 2. upon the last verse in chap. 3. Why in the Description of the Mystery of Godliness those words Assumed into Glory are set last A view of the several parts of the Text containing the Method and Order of the ensuing Discourse The Author 's three Reasons for his rendring the Text differently from the common Translation pag. 623 CHAP. II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture imports Revolt or Rebellion That Idolatry is such proved from Scripture By Spirits in the Text are meant Doctrines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are to be taken Passively for Doctrines concerning Daemons Several instances of the like form of Speech in Scripture pag. 625 CHAP. III. Daemons according to the Gentiles Theologie were 1. for their Nature and degree a middle sort of Divine Powers between the Sovereign Gods and Men. 2. For their Office they were supposed to be Mediators between the Gods and Men. This proved out of several Authors The Distinction of Sovereign Gods and Daemons proved out of the Old Testament and elegantly alluded to in the New 1 Cor. 8. pag. 626 CHAP. IV. Daemons were for their Original the Souls of men Deified or Canonized after death This proved out of sundry Authors Baal or Bel or Belus the first Deified King Hence Daemons are called Baalim Another kind of Daemons such as never dwelt in Bodies These answer to Angels as the other to Saints pag. 629 CHAP. V. The manner of worshipping Daemons and retaining their presence viz. by consecrated Images and Pillars The worshipping of Images and Columns a piece of Daemon-doctrine as was also the worshipping of Daemons in their Reliques Shrines and Sepulchers pag. 632 CHAP. VI. A Summary of the Doctrines of Daemons How these are revived and resembled in the Apostate Church That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometime used in Scripture according to the Theologie of the Gentiles That it is so used in the Text was the judgment of Epiphanius an observable passage quoted out of him to this purpose pag. 634 CHAP. VII Why those words in the description of the Mystery of Godliness Received into Glory are set last That praying to Saints as Mediators and Agents for us with God is Idolatry To be prayed to in Heaven and to deal as an Agent between us and God is a Prerogative and Royalty appropriate to Christ. How this was figured under the Law by the High-priest's alone having to do in the most Holy place That Christ purchased this Royalty by suffering an unimitable Death That Saint-worship is a denial of Christ's Prerogative How it crept into the Church pag. 637 CHAP. VIII That Idolatry is the main Character of the Churche's Apostasie proved by Three Arguments pag. 643 CHAP. IX That Pagan-Idolatry is not here meant nor can the Saracen or Turk be the Antichrist meant in Scripture An Answer to an Exception viz. That Antichristianism cannot be charged upon those that acknowledge the true God and Christ. That Antichrist is a Counter-Christ and his Coming a Counter-resemblance of the Coming of Christ shewed in several particulars pag. 644 CHAP. X. The Great Apostasie was to be a General one That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some does not in the Text and several other places imply a Few or a Small number Wherein we and the Papists differ about the Churche's Visibility In what respects our Church was Visible and in what Invisible under the Reign of Antichrist pag. 648 CHAP. XI That the Last Times in Scripture signifie either a Continuation of Time or an End of Time That the Last Times simply and in general are the Times of Christianity the Last Times in special and comparatively or the Latter Times of the Last Times are the Times of the Apostasie under Antichrist pag. 652 CHAP. XII A more particular account of the Last Times in general and of the Latter Times of the Last Times That Daniel's Four Kingdoms are the Great Kalendar of Times That the Times of the Fourth or Last Kingdom viz. the Roman are the Last Times meant in Scripture That the Latter Times of the Last Times are the Latter Times of the Fourth Kingdom wherein the Great Apostasie should prevail pag. 654 CHAP. XIII The Duration and Length of the Latter Times viz. 42 months or 1260 days That hereby cannot be meant three single years and an half That the Latter Times take their beginning from the ruine of the Roman Empire That the ancient Fathers by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thessal 2. understand the Roman Empire and by the little Horn Dan. 7. Antichrist or the Man of sin pag. 655 CHAP. IV. Three main Degrees of the Roman Empire's ruine The Empire divided into 10 Kingdoms Who are those Three Kings whom the little Horn or Antichrist is said Dan. 7. to have deprest to advance himself pag. 658 CHAP. XV. That Daniel's 70 Weeks are a lesser Kalendar of Times That these Phrases in the Epistles to the converted Iews viz. The Last Hour or Time The End of all things The Day approaching c. are meant of the End of the Iewish State and Service at the expiring of the 70 Weeks That the Apostles were not so mistaken as to believe the End of the World should be in their days proved against Baronius and others p. 663. CHAP. XVI That the Spirit foretold the Great Apostasy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Dan. 11. vers 36 37 38 39. These Verses exactly translated and explained That by Mahoz and Mahuzzim are meant Fortresses Bulwarks Protectors Guardians c. How fitly this Title is appliable to Angels and Sain's pag. 666. CHAP. XVII A Paraphrase and Observations upon Dan. 11. v. 36 37 38 39. That at the beginning of Saint-worship in the Church Saints and their Reliques were called Bulwarks Fortresses Walls Towers Guardians c. according to the prime sense of the word Mahuzzim pag. 670. PART II. CHAP. I. The Author's Reasons for his translating the Text differently from the Common Versions That the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text signifies Through or By. The like it signifies in other places of Scripture pag. 675.
Scripture speaks there is no one word to express that Compages of the superior and inferior bodies which we call Mundus but those two words Heaven and Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned and put together only So that when S. Peter saith The World which then was perished by water but the Heavens and the Earth which are now are reserved to fire he might as well have said according to his meaning The Heavens and the Earth which then were perished by water as the World that now is shall by fire For the words Heaven and Earth joyned imply no more in the one according to the Scripture's notion than the single word Mundus or World doth in the other being applied to the history of the great Deluge As also a New heaven and a New earth is the same notion with that in our expression when we say a New World that is to say Nova rerum facies nova rerum conditio which we otherwise apply to very small and even particular and domestical changes when we say Here is a new World which the Hebrew would or might express Here is a new Heaven and a new Earth 2. That it is not like that any other World or Heaven and Earth shall perish by Fire than such a one as heretofore perished by Water For so the Antithesis imports viz. The World or Heaven and Earth which then was perished by water the Heaven and Earth which now is is reserved for a destruction by fire Now the World which perished by water was no other than the sublunary World the Heaven whereof is that which we call Aire but the Scriptures Heaven which sublunary Heaven together with the Earth was marred by that general Deluge and the creatures belonging to them both either wholly destroyed or marvellously corrupted from that they were before Such a World therefore and no other Heaven and Earth shall undergo this second deluge of Fire for restauration which before suffered the deluge of Water for corruption 3. Observe also for the better understanding of S. Peter's meaning That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we in this place are wont to turn Elements is not like to be understood in the notion of the Greek Philosophy whose terms and notions the Scripture useth not but otherwise divideth the World Nay further in this place it cannot be so understood for that the Hebrew division of the World into Heaven and Earth is here expressed and these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distinguished from them both But when the whole World is divided into Heaven and Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Earth is meant the Earthen Globe which S. Peter saith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the Water and Earth are both included in the sole name of Earth in Heaven the Air is included Thus three of the Philosophical Elements are bestowed The fourth is the Fire but this is that which is to burn the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so none of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be burnt And if any of these Elements could be exempted from this division into Heaven and Earth besides the Fire as namely the Air yet could not that nor any one of them alone be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Peter for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes more than one It must needs therefore be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here meaneth something else Let us see if we can find out what it is Mark then S. Peter's order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which correspondence it should seem that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be some furniture belonging to Coelum as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the buildings and whole furniture of Creatures belonging to Terra which furniture of both but especially that of the Heaven the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the host of them Gen. 2. 1. The heavens and the earth were finished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all the host of them LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. Ornatus eorum Nay seeing the whole World is nothing else but the Heaven and the Earth and what is contained in them i. e. exercitus eorum and seeing Heaven and Earth are both here distinctly named and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for the host of the Earth it must needs be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 named as a distinct thing from all three should note the host of heaven and so the meaning of S. Peter should be when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heavens and the host thereof or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Earth and the works therein But how will some man say should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come to have this notion I answer thus The Hebrew verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth in ordine militari sto incedo and so answers to the Greek verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in ordine militari incedo Vide Scap. ex Etymolog Accordingly the LXX render the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in procinctu sto instructâ acie sto Now if the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie the same with the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why may not the Hebrew Noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we turn exercitus be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hellenists or Greekish Iews as in other words so here following the Etymology from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and having an eye more to their own native language than to the use of Greece It would be long to shew in how many words they and the Greek Scriptures written according to their Dialect use notions which the Greeks used not namely respecting some conformity or other in their own tongue The works of the learned in sacred Criticism are of late full of such observations whereby many difficulties and obscurities in Scripture become clear and easie Nevertheless the Gentile Greeks themselves use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which come of the same verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same sense we plead for viz. for ordo militaris Military array Why may not then the Hellenists so the Greek Iews are called do the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being for the Etymology every way as fit seeing also they are otherwise wont to permute significations from vicinity of sound For a further confirmation of this notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I contend for I will add what I have met with to that purpose Schickardus a learned professor of the Oriental tongues at Tubing in his Bechinath happeruschim pag. 44. hath discovered out of Ramban's or R. Moses ben Nachman's Preface in Perusche hattorah two passages taken out of the Chaldee copy of the Wisdom of Solomon which that Rabbi had seen whereby the said Schickardus proveth against S. Ierome that the Greek is not the Original
a Daemon â— yet spake not of and yet a Daemon to sit as God in the Temple and Throne of Christ with the keys of Hades and death to deliver them What stronger presumption can there be of this than the Event and that the errour of Purgatory had so long been working before the Devil seemed to know how to make this use of it which at length he spied out and plied lustily with Signs and Wonders If all this be true then it follows still that it is Spiritual Fornication which the Holy Ghost in Scripture intendeth and the Event hath marked out for the Soul of Antichristian abomination and impiety But of the matter of Miracles and lying wonders more in the Second part of my Text which is the proper place thereof 3. And lastly The Great Apostasie is a thing proper to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latter times which I will shew when I come at it to be the last times of the Fourth Kingdom of Daniel Dan. 7. 25. alibi But amongst all other Corruptions only the Spiritual fornication of the Church and Spouse of Christ will be found proper to these times CHAP. IX Two Exceptions against the foregoing Assertion Except I. That Idolatry should rather be laid upon the Pagans This answered and proved That Pagan Idolatry is not here meant nor can the Saracen or Turk be the Antichrist meant in Scripture Except II. That Antichristianism cannot be charged upon those that acknowledge the true God and Christ. The Answer to this wherein is interwoven the Author's serious and pathetical Expostulation with the Church of Rome That Antichrist is a Counter-Christ and his Coming a Counter-resemblance of the Coming of Christ shew'd in several particulars BUT you will say if Idolatry and Spiritual fornication be the matter why should not this rather be laid upon Paynims and Turks and Saracens who acknowledge not Christ rather than upon Christians who do I answer S. Paul and S. Iohn prophesied of a thing to come not of that which was in being when they prophesied But Ethnical and Paynim Idolatry at that time overwhelmed the whole earth yea and persecuted and made war with the Saints and no time hath yet been when this Idolatry was not to be found It must needs be then some other Whoredom for Whoredom it was to be which was prophesied of to come Again neither Saraâ—en nor Turk the greatest unchristian States since Christ neither of these I say can be the Antichrist we speak of nor their Blasphemy that Mystery of iniquity foretold by the Apostles and Prophets For there are two unquestionable Characters of that Mystery which will neither of them without doubt not both of them agree to Turk or Saracen namely First That it should sit in the Great City which in S. Iohn's time reigned over the nations of the earth Secondly That it should be an Apostasie from the Christian faith once embraced But the Turk whatsoever he be is no Apostate being of a Nation which never was Christian Nor was the seat of the Saracen Empire whilest it stood either in the Old or New Rome or near unto either For I would seem to yield for this time that New Rome or Constantinople would serve the turn though I am far enough from believing it Nor will I allege that Mahumet himself and his Nation were both Paynims when they began their blasphemie for you would tell me that Sergius the Monk taught him to make the Alcoran Nor will I question now whether the Christian or the Mahumetan be the greater Idolater though the doubt might soon be resolved seeing it is well known that the Mahumetans worship no Images But I have alleged nothing but what is without exception That both these Characters I speak of cannot be applied either to Turk or Saracen though I believe that neither can be When I spake of Paynims and Mahumetans I would have you remember that there were some blasphemous Sects in the first Ages of the Church which are no more to be accounted of as Christians than Mahumetans and Paynims are nay Mahumetanism is nearer Christianity than many of them were For amongst whom the Christians Deity is not received and worshipped those though they spring up in imitation of Christianity I account but new Paynim-blasphemies and not Christian Heresies Such were the Cerinthians Marcionites Saturnians Valentinians and Manichees c. Which neither professed the same Deity nor acknowledged that Divine Word which we Christians do whereas yet the Mahumetans worship the same God with Iews and Christians God the Creator of Heaven and Earth the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob howsoever they conceive otherwise of his Nature and Properties than Christians do But this by the way lest it might put a rub in our discourse of Spiritual fornication But you will still allege for her behalf who seems all this while to be charged That Antichrist and the Man of sin is set forth in Scripture as the most hateful and execrable thing that can be in the eyes of God Almighty But how can such a thing be said and comparatively to be where the true God with Christ his Son God and man are in any sort acknowledged and worshipped Lord that the whole strain of Scripture in the Prophets especially and the example of the Church of Israel should not cure this web and take this filme from the eyes of men Doth not the Lord say of Israel that he had chosen them to be a special people to himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth Deut. 7. 6. You only have I known saith he of all the families of the earth Amos 3. 2. And is not Christ the Lord of Christians and is not the Church his Spouse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Paul Ephes. 5. 32. This is a great Mystery No marvel then where this Mystery is not considered if the Mystery of iniquity be not understood Alas poor Church of Israel thy case it seems should have been a very hard one For what Nation in the world ever suffered so much rebuke so many plagues so much wrath as thou hast done Yet couldst thou say for thy self thou never forsookest the true God altogether but wast still called by his Name only thou wouldst fain worship him in Calves and Images as other Nations thy neighbours did their Gods thou wouldst needs follow the fashion and this was thine errour Thou never meantest to cast off thy Iehovah altogether but still wouldst have him to be thy God and thy self to be his people yet thou tookest this liberty to have other Gods besides the Lord thy God viz. thy Baalims and Daemon-Gods of other Nations about thee and yet hopedst that Iehovah the God of heaven thy only Sovereign God would not be offended thereat since thou retainedst him still in chief place and honour with thee Why was thy God then so unkind and cruel unto thee to call thee Whore and Prostitute Whore
one step nearer laying this for a second ground of our discovery That these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter times whereof S. Paul speaks and means were Times not then present but afterward to come For the words of the Text are not a Narration of things present but a Prediction as I have already admonished of what should beside the Christian Faith in after-times Yet notwithstanding were the Times wherein S. Paul lived and all the Times of Christianity the Last times and so styled in Scripture even by our Apostle himself as by some of the forecited examples evidently appeareth Wherefore it must needs follow that the Times here meant and mentioned in my Text are not the Last times in general and simply but the Last times in special and comparatively that is the Latter times of the Last times That as the Last times in general were the times wherein CHRIST the Sun of Righteousness was to be revealed and his Kingdom founded in the World so the Latter times of these Last times should be the times wherein the Apostasie of the Christian Faith should prevail and that Wicked one usurp the Throne of Christ. Before therefore that we can know what are the Last times comparatively that is the Latter times or the Last of the last we must first understand what are the Last times simply and in general why so called whence reckoned and how limited For then will these Latter times in my Text which are the Last part of them be easily found and in a manner demonstrated As for the Last times therefore in general most use to describe them only thus To be the times of the Kingdom of CHRIST which began at his Passion to continue unto the end of the World which in respect that it succeds the Legal worship and no other shall succeed it is therefore the Last time In like manner the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 allotted to the Man of sin are as I take it usually no otherwise described than to be the Times wherein the Apostasie should appear which in that it should immediately precede the Second coming of CHRIST is therefore to be esteemed the Last times of all But these descriptions are obscurum per magis obscurum they declare an obscure thing by that which is or was more obscure than it and therefore come short of making good the intent of the Holy Ghost in his so often mention of the Last times especially in the New Testament For the Last times or fulness of time were both a ground of the Iews expectation of CHRIST when he came and are without doubt so often propounded and alledged by the Apostles for a confirmation of the truth of his coming But if the Last times could not be known but by his coming how should his coming be known by them So also the Holy Ghost in my Text mentions these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter times for an argument or sign of the Apostasie to fall out therein or for a note and mark of time wherein we should look for and therefore as fore-warned beware of being carried away in that Defection But if these Times cannot be known nor described any other way than by the Defection to fall out in them we should be never a whit the nearer and this mark of time which the Holy Ghost gives us would stand us in no stead at all Let us therefore now take this as a Truth to be supposed That the Times are set out unto us to be as Marks to inform us when that should come to pass which was to fall out in them and not the Things which were to befall intended for Signs to know the Times by And therefore we are not to doubt but that the Holy Ghost hath somewhere else by some other mark and ground of Computation made known unto us when to reckon both the Last times wherein was foretold that Christ should be anointed and these Latter times of them when the Christian Apostasie should be revealed that so we might have a sure belief in the one and a certain and sufficient mark when to beware of the other The Prophanation of the Legal Sanctuary and trampling down the holy people by Antiochus Epiphanes was marked out in Daniel's prophecy by the like circumstance and determination of time as is this Apostasie here in our Apostle's prediction Dan. 8. 23. In the latter time or latter end of the Kingdom of Graecia a King of a fierce countenance shall stand up viz. He who should magnifie himself against the Prince of the Host of Heaven and take away the daily Sacrifice c. as it is in the Vision which was foreshewed of him Verse 10 11. Where it would be preposterous to think that this Latter time or End of the Greek Kingdom could not be defined otherwise than by the Event to fall out therein and not rather conceive that this determination of time being such as might otherwise well enough be known was therefore intended for a Character to observe the Event by For when was this Latter end of the Greeks Kingdom to be taken notice of but then when they should see that Kingdom begin to be given unto another people when the Fourth Kingdom the Roman State should once begin to incroach upon the Third especially when they should see the Head-Province thereof Greece it self to come under their obedience when they should see this then were they to prepare themselves for the abomination of desolation was now at the door And surely the Event was most punctual For this Roman incroachment having been some 28 years together manifestly attempting and advancing was at length accomplished when AEmilius the Consul having quite vanquished Perseus the King of Maccdon all Greece came under the Roman obedience 166 years before the Birth of Christ which no sooner was come to pass but the very self-same year within less than three months after Antiochus sets up the abomination of desolation in the Temple of Ierusalem Why should we not then believe that the Holy Ghost intendeth here to give us as sure a Watch-word when to beware of the Man of sin by this circumstance of Latter times in my Text as we see he gave the Iews to look for the Persecution and Prophanation by Antiochus CHAP. XII A more particular account of the Last Times in general and of the Latter Times of the Last Times That the Four Kingdoms of Daniel are the Great Kalendar as the LXX weeks the lesser Kalendar of Times That the Times of the Fourth or Last Kingdom that is the Roman are the Last Times meant in Scripture That the Latter Times of the Last Times are the Latter Times of the Fourth Kingdom wherein the Great Apostasie should prevail THEREFORE without any more preambles I come now directly to resolve what was before propounded viz. First What is meant by LAST TIMES in general Whence and How we are to reckon them And then in the Second place What are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LATTER TIMES in my Text which must be as I said before a Latter part of that general For the true Account therefore of Times in Scripture we must have recourse to that SACRED KALENDAR and GREAT ALMANACK of PROPHECY The Four Kingdoms of Daniel which are A Prophetical Chronology of Times measured by the succession of Four principal Kingdoms from the beginning of the Captivity of Israel until the Mystery of God should be finished A course of Time during which the Church and Nation of the Iews together with those whom by occasion of their unbelief in Christ God should surrogate in their rooms was to remain under the bondage of the Gentiles and oppression of Gentilism But these Times once finished all the Kingdoms of this World should become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his CHRIST And to this Great Kalendar of Times together with that other but lesser Kalendar of LXX weeks all mention of Times in Scripture seems to have reference Now these Four Kingdoms according to the truth infallibly to be demonstrated◠if need were and agreeable both to the ancient opinion of the Iewish Church whom they most concerned and to the most ancient and universal opinion of Christians derived from the times of the Apostles until now of late time some have questioned it are 1. The Babylonian 2. that of the Medes and Persians 3. the Greek 4. the Roman In which Quaternary of Kingdoms as the Roman being the Last of the Four is the Last Kingdom so are the Times thereof those Last Times we seek for during which times saith Daniel chap. 2. v. 44. The God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed nor left unto another people but it shall break in pieces and consume all those Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever which is figured by a Stone hewen out of the mountain without hands before the times of the Image were yet spent which Stone at length smote the Image upon his Feet of Iron and Clay and so utterly destroyed it that done the Stone that smote the Image upon the feet became a great Mountain and filled the whole earth The meaning of all which is That in the Last times or under the Times of the Last Kingdom the Roman should the Kingdom of CHRIST appear in the World as we see it hath done And this is that which the Apostle saith Hebrews 1. 2. God in these Last days or Last times hath spoken to us by his Son and S. Peter 1 Epist. 1. 20. that he was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these Last times This is that Fulness of time whereof the Apostle speaks Galat. 4. 4. When the Fulness of time was come God sentsorth his Son made of a woman and Ephes. chap. 1. v. 9 10. Having made known to us the mystery of his will That in the dispensation of the Fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ. Agreeable unto all which is that Hebrews 9. 26. Christ hath once appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the end of times or ages to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Where these Last times Fulness of time and Conclusion of ages are nothing else but the Times of the Fourth Kingdom whose Times are the Last period of Daniel's Four the Fulness of the Prophetical Chronology and Conclusion of the Sacred Kalendar During these Times Christ was looked for and accordingly came and reigned whose Kingdom shall at length abolish the brittle remainder of this Romish State according to the other part of the Prophecy when the Fulness of the Gentiles shall come in and our Lord subdue all his enemies under his feet and at the last even Death it self HAVING thus found What Times are termed the Last times in general let us now see if we can discover which are the Latter Times of these Last times or the Latter times in special which are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter Times in my Text which will not be hard to do For if the Last Times in general are all the Times of the Fourth Kingdom then must our Latter times as a part thereof needs be the Latter times of that Kingdom Let us therefore again to our Prophetical Kalendar and survey Daniel's description of the Fourth or Roman Kingdom as it is Chapter 7. from verse 19. where we shall soon find the Latter times thereof to be that Period of a Time Times and half a Time during which that prodigious Horn with eyes like a man and a mouth speaking great things should make war with the Saints prevail against them and wear them out and think to change times and laws until the Iudgment should sit and his dominion be taken away and in him that long-lived Beast finally be destroyed and his body given to the burning flame verse 11. For this Hornish Sovereignty is the Last Scene of that long Tragedy and the Conclusion of the Fourth Beast and therefore the times thereof are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter times whereof the Spirit spake expresly that in them there should be an Apostasie from the Christian Faith CHAP. XIII Two Enquiries concerning the Latter Times I. What durance they are to be of Answ. That the Times of the Antichristian State are to last 42 months or 1260 days That hereby cannot be meant three single years and an half proved by several particulars Enquiry II. When they begin Answ. That they take their beginning from the mortal wound of the Imperial Sovereignty of Rome or the ruine of the Roman Empire This proved from the Apocalypse and 2 Thessal 2. where by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fathers generally understand the Roman Empire The same further proved from Dan. 7. That by the little Horn is meant Antichrist or The man of sin and not Antiochus Epiphanes was the judgment of the most ancient Fathers COncerning these Times thus found we will now further enquire First What durance they may be of Secondly When they take beginning and by what mark their beginning may be known For the First we will make no question but these are the self-same Times whereof S. Iohn speaks telling us That the Church should be in the wilderness a Time Times and half a Time the same with those XLII moneths wherein S. Iohn's restored Beast should domineer and play the self-same reeks which Daniel's Hornish Tyrant doth the same time with those XLII moneths during which the Church is trodden down of the Gentiles lastly the same time with 1260 days during which the Witnesses of Christ prophesie in sackcloth For a Time Times and half a Time or a Year two Years and a half are XLII moneths and XLII moneths make 1260 days If therefore we can find the continuance and beginning of any of these we have found the continuance and beginning of them all For the Duration and Length of them they
more quiet meditations Nihil affirmo sed propono I had thought when I began to propound something to your further meditations out of the seventh of Daniel But you see I am grown past a Letter and can scarce any longer make my Characters legible and therefore here with my best respect to your self I end desiring God to enlighten us daily more and more in the knowledge of his Truth and so I remain Yours to be commanded in all the duties of Friendship Ioseph Mede Christ's Colledge Nov. 11. 1629. EPISTLE XV. Mr. Mede's Answer to Dr. Meddus touching the Day of Iudgment Worthy Sir I Have now found some little time to make some kind of Answer to your Letter of the last week save one You desire me to point out the particulars wherein I differ from that Lutheran But this I cannot do without making a censure of the whole Discourse which would ask me some labour and besides I have not now the Book by me But by the way the Stationer which told me he had six of them was deceived Indeed he had six Books which he thought to be the same but four of them were Discourses of Law by some error sorted together with them You secondly desire me to point out the places of the Old and New Testament appliable to my Tenet of the Day of Iudgment Where I understand not well whether you mean of the Regnum to be then or of the acception of the word Day for a long space of time even of a thousand years But I suppose you mean the former to which therefore I will say something the rather because I know you will communicate it to Doctor Twisse to whom I had intended some such thing in my Letter I sent by you to him but time would not suffer me to write it then having spent both it and my paper in other discourses before I was aware That which I have to say is this The Description of the Great Day of Iudgment Dan. 7. THE Mother-Text of Scripture whence the Church of the Iews grounded the name and expectation of the Great Day of Iudgment with the circumstances thereto belonging and whereunto almost all the descriptions and expressions thereof in the New Testament have reference is that Vision in the seventh of Daniel of a Session of Iudgment when the Fourth Beast came to be destroyed Where this great Assises is represented after the manner of the great Synedrion or Consistory of Israel wherein the Pater Iudicii had his Assessores sitting upon Seats placed Semicircle-wise before him from his right hand to his left I beheld saith Daniel verse 9. till the Thrones or Seats were pitched down namely for the Senators to sit upon not thrown down as we of late have it and the Ancient of days Pater consistorii did sit c. And subaudi I beheld till the Iudgment was set that is the whole Sanhedrim and the books were opened c. Here we see both the form of Iudgment delineated and the name of Iudgment expressed which is afterwards yet twice more repeated First in the amplification of the tyranny of the wicked Horn verse 21 22. which is said continued till the Ancient of days came and IVDGMENT was given to the Saints of the most High i. Potestas judicandi ipsis facta And the third time in the Angel's interpretation verse 26. But the IVDGMENT shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it to the end Where observe also that cases of Dominion of Blasphemy and Apostasie and the like belonged to the jurisdiction of the great Sanhedrim From this description it came that the Iews gave it the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Day of Iudgment and the Day of the Great Iudgment whence in the Epistle of S. Iude verse 6. it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Iudgment of the Great Day From the same description they learned that the destruction then to be should be by fire because it is said verse 9. His throne was a fiery flame and his wheels burning fire A fiery stream issued and came forth before him and verse 11. The Beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame From the same fountain are derived those expressions in the Gospel where this Day is intimated or described The Son of man shall come in the clouds of heaven The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels Forasmuch as it is said here Thousand thousands ministred unto him c. and that Daniel saw One like the Son of man coming with the clouds of Heaven and he came to the Ancient of days and they brought him or placed him near him c. Hence S. Paul learned that the Saints should judge the world because it is said that many Thrones were set and verse 22. by way of Exposition that Iudgment was given to the Saints of the most High Hence the same Apostle learned to confute the false fear of the Thessalonians that the day of Christs second coming was then at hand Because that day could not be till the Man of Sin were first come and should have reigned his time appointed Forasmuch as Daniel had foretold it should be so and that his destruction should be at the Son of mans appearing in the clouds whose appearing therefore was not to be till then This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Paul whom the Lord saith he shall destroy at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his coming Daniel's wicked Horn or Beast acting in the wicked Horn is S. Paul's Man of Sin as the Church from her Infancâ—e interpreted it But to go on While this Iudgment sits and when it had destroyed the Fourth Beast the Son of man which comes in the clouds receives dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve and obey him verse 14. which Kingdom is thrice explained afterwards to be the Kingdom of the Saints of the most High verse 18. These four Beasts saith the Angel are four Kingdoms which shall arise But viz. when they have finished their course the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom c. Again verse 22. The wicked Horn prevailed until the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom Again verse 27. When the fourth Beast reigning in the wicked Horn was destroyed the Kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven is given to the people of the Saints of the most High c. These Grounds being laid I argue as followeth The Kingdom of the Son of man and of the Saints of the most High in Daniel begins when the Great Iudgment sits The Kingdom in the Apocalyps wherein the Saints reign with Christ a thousand years is the same with the Kingdom of the Son of man and Saints of the most High in Daniel Ergo It also
observable Gloss upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Tim. 4. 1. 636 Ethnicisme when and by what degrees it fell in the Roman Empire 195 Encharist That Christ is offered there not Hypostatically but Commemoratively only proved from ancient Liturgies and Fathers 376 c. See Christian Sacrifice Even-song its antiquity enquired into 840 F FAith A threefold Faith 214. Saving Faith described 154 155. no True Saving Faith that is without fruits of Obedience 156 Fast why the Iews used to fast upon the 4 5 and 10 moneths 890 Fear is sometimes in Scripture put for God 9 Feasts The three solemn Feasts viz. the Passeover Pentecost and F. of Tabernacles 265. That they were both Commemorative and Figurative 265 266. the Presents and Offerings at these Feasts 268 c. Fire-offering why so called 290 First Sinner â—any kind most severely punished by God 122 Foedus percutere ferire whence the phrase 371 Fonts See Baptisteriâ—s Food convenient in Prov. 30. what meant thereby 124 125 Footstool God's Footstool what 393 Forgiveness of injuries the necessity thereof proved by four arguments 95 c. Form of Prayer See Prayer Fulness of the Gentiles what 139 197 Fundamentals their Ratio and distinguishing Character fit to be enquired into and stated 868 873. the reason why men are shye of doing this 868 869. Lutherans and Calvenists differ not in Fundamentals 866 876. and therefore should tolerate each other 866 875. Two sorts of Fundamental Articles viz. Fundamentals of Salvation and Fundamentals of Ecclesiastical communion 869. a farther explication or Fundamentals of Salvation 870 871. The way of determining Fundamentals should be short easie and evident 871. Fundamenta Theologicarum veritatum not the same with Fundamenta Salutis 872 Furlongs 1600. in Apocal. 14 20. what may seenâ— to be meant thereby 593 G. GAlilee described 130. Galilee of the Gentiles why so called ibid. Galilee the most despised part of Palestine 102. Christâ—s ordinary residence was in Galilee 100. and this was according to Prophecy 101 Gehenna when and how it came to signifie Hell 31 General or Catholick Epistles why so called 663 Gentiles Calling of the Gentiles twofold and at distant times 139 453. c. their first Calling 164. they are God's surrogated Israel and represented in the Apocalyps under the notion of Israelites or Iews 454. Why the Apostles were at first so ignorant that the Gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles 77 Gerizim The Temple at mount Gerizim built by whom and why 48 Glory when it refers to God what it signifies 92. To Glorifie or give glory unto God what 92 Goats set en Christs left hand what meant thereby 841 God How the Understanding and Will ascend to God by the Scale of the Creatures 191 192 Gods House the condition and property of it 340 c. the manner of God's presence therein 343 c. Vindicated twice by Christ from prophanation 44 Gods To serve other Gods is sometimes meant Politically for being servants to such as served them 668 Gog and Magog in the Apocalyps his conjecture touching them 574. not the same with Gog in Ezekiel 605. where Gog was prophesied of before Ezekiel 796. why prophesied of by Micah in chap. 5. under the name of the Assyrian 796 797 Cospel the description of it 110. this description explained 112. the Gospels antiquity 110. the gradual discoveries of it under the Old Testament 111. how it includes Repentance 113 Goths when they received the Christian Faith 842 Gothick Liturgy its antiquity ibid. Grebner's Prophecy censured 878 Greek and Eastern Churches opposition against image-worship and Saint-worship when it began and how long it lasted 683 c. Greek Kingdom not extended in the holy account beyond Antiochus Epiphanes 749 797 Gregentius a Christian Bishop his famous dispute with Herbanuâ— a Iew with the issue thereof 767 H. HAdes the place of separate Souls 605 Hail what it signifies in the Prophetick Style 460 Hallowed See Sanctified Harvest a twofold signification thereof in the Prophets 520 Mr. Haydock's ingenious conjecture about the form of the 7 Sealed Book applauded by Mr. Mede 791 Heart Cleanness or Purity of Heart what 200. an effectual means to this is the apprehension of God's presence 201. Loyalty of Heart to God what 202. Perfect Heart what ibid. Sincerity of Heart what 204. why and how the Heart is to be kept and guarded with all diligence 199 200. From the pure and sincere Heart are the issues of Spiritual life 204. Five issues of Spiritual life 205 Heave-offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 described and distinguished 288 Heaven is sometimes in Scripture put for God 102 103. where in Scripture God was first styled The God of Heaven and why 90. Heaven in the Political world what it signifies according to the Prophetick Style 615 616 Heavens 3 Heavens mentioned in Scripture 614. the Sublunary Heavens only shall suffer in the great Constagration 615. Hebrew Text of the Old Testament the differences between it and the LXX the various readings c. 785 805 c. 808. Lud. de Dien's judgment of the Keri and Ketif 806 807 Hell why called Coetus Rephaim 32. and the Lake of fire and brimstone 33. and Gehenna 31 Heresies brought into the Church privily 240 Hierom his unequal relating the opinions of his adversaries 602 836 899. why he never mentions Iustin Martyr where he speaks of the Chiliasts 813 High priests going into the most Holy place what it figured 639 Hills See Mountains Holiness twofold 1 Original Absolute and Essential in God 2 Derived or Relative in the things which are his 8. a threefold notion of Holiness 1 Essential Holiness 2 Holiness of Integrity 3 Relative Holiness 823. Things relatively holy under the Gospel 11 399. Objectioâ—s answered 400 401 See more in Sanctity Holy one of Israel why God is so called 8 Holy-days the observing of them nor forbidden by the fourth Commandment 267 Honour sometimes signifies Reward or Maintenance 72. See Double Honour Horn The Little Horn in Dan. 7. is not Antiochus Epiphanes 737. but Antichrist 714. according to the sense of the ancient Fathers 656 657 how the Little Horn rose up behind the Ten Horns 778 Host of Heaven twofold 1 Visible the Stars 2 Invisible the Angels 90. The Lord of Hosts why God is so called ibid. House of God See God's House Humility or Lowliness described 158 Humblest nature and condition fittest for Religion 159 Hysteropotmi who 64 I. IAcob the reason of his name 226 Iaphets Sons 5 Rules to find out their original seats after the dispersion of Babel 275. 5 other Rules 277 Iavan the Father of the Grecians 278 Idolatry and Sacriledge near allied 17. the main Character of the Christian Apostasie 643. the Church of Israel Idolatrous though she renounced not altogether the true God 645 c. 651. Idolatry is a denying of the Lord that bought them 244 Idols in Scripture called Lies 49. and Abominations 514 707 Iehoiakim's years disposed according to
the Events in Scripture 889. Iehoiakim not carried captive into Babylon Pag. 890 Ieremy's Prophesies not digested in order 834 Iews had a Second tender of Christ and upon their refusing it were cast off 164 though some of them believed yet the Body or Nation of the Iews rejected Christ and was therefore rejected 750. the manner and external means of their Conversion to be by Vision and Voice from Heaven 761. This argued from the manner of S. Paul's Conversion 761 891. and from the story of a miraculous conversion of many Iews as a Praeludium to their General Conversion 767. why God gave the Iews peculiar Rites and Observations 181 Ignatius his Epistles 327 Images were at first made for Daemoâ—s to dwell in c. 632 Image-worship brought in and promoted by lying stories 687. the great Opposition in the Greek and Eastern Churches against it for the space of 120 years 683 c. Impotency pretended doth not excuse us from our duty 308 Iohn Baptist a forerunner of Christ in his Nativity Preaching and Suffering 97 Isaac a Type of Christ. 50 51 Islands not taken always in Scripture for Countries encompassed by the Sea 272. Countries divided from the Iews by Sea were called Islands ibid. c. what they signifie in the Apocalyps according to the Prophetick style 450 Iudgment The description of the Great Iudgment when Christ shall sit on his Throne 841. a farther description of the Great Day of Iudgment 762 c. whence Christ and his Apostles received that term 754. the precise time thereof not to be known 895. K. KEri and Kerif See Hebrew Text King or Kingdom sometimes in Scripture put for any State or Polity 667 711 911. Kings of the East in Apocal. 16. 12. who are meant thereby 529 Kingdom of God or Heaven sometimes in Scripture signifies the Kingdom of Messiah 103. why it is so called 104. whence the Iews gave this term to the Kingdom of Messiah 103. a twofold state of Christ's Kingdom 104 the first state thereof called Regnum Lapidis the second Regnum Montis 743. the Time designed and prefixed for the coming and beginning of Christs Kingdom 104. it was to be set up in the Times of the Fourth Kingdom 745 754 c. That the Kingdom of Christ and the Saints in Dan. 7. is the same with that of 1000 years in Apocal. 20. 763. a twofold Kingdom one whereby Christ reigns in his Saints the other whereby they reign with him 573 Kingdoms 4 Kingdoms represented by Nebuchaduezzars Image of 4 sundry metals Dan. 2. and by 4 Beasts Dan. 7. the purport of them 743 c. why these 4 are singled out 712 713. That the Fourth is the Roman proved by 3 Arguments from p. 712 to 716. That these 4 Kingdoms are a Prophetical Chronology and the Great Kalendar of Times 654 The Kiss of Peace why so called 96 Kissing of the Pax whatâ— ibid. L. LActantius vindicated from the Antichiliasts 812 836 Lake of Fire and Brimstone why Hell so described 33 Lamps That the 7 Lamps in the Temple signified the 7 Archangels 833 Larvati why Mad-men so called 29 Last hour or time the End of all are meant of the End of the Iewish State and Service and not of the End of the World 664 Last times a twofold acception of them in Scripture 652. That the times of the Fourth Beast or Roman Kingdom are the Last times 654 c. their Epocha or beginning 656. their duration and length 655 Latter times of the Last times are the times of the Apostasie under Antichrist 653 655 Law may be considered either 1 as a Rule or 2 as a Covenant of works how Believers are not under the Law 114 In what respects the Law is dissolved or not dissolved by Christ 12 How Gods Law alone binds the conscience 208 209 Lawenus his Stricturâ— in Clavem Apocal. 541. the occasion of his writing them 783. his way of interpreting the Apocalyps 754 782. a full answer to his Stricturâ— 550 Law-giver why Christ so called in Genes 49. and what is meant by that phrase Law-giver from between his feet 35 Lay-Elders See Elders Legends Fabulous Legends their grosseness and the design of them 678 681 c. Levi what the name signifies 178. why Levi was chosen for the Priesthood 179 180. why called Gods Holy one 180 181. his Favoured one 181 Locusts what they signifie in the Prophetick style 467 c. Lords-day why observed by Christians 57. a Testimony for it out of Euseâ—ius 851 Lords-prayer twice delivered by Christ 2. intended not only for a Pattern but a Form of Prayer ibid. Lords-supper See Christian Sacrifice Lying unto the Holy Ghost what is meant thereby 118 M. MAgog See Gog. Mahuzzim in Dan. 11. the word signifies Fortresses Bulwarks Protectors Guardians c. That Saints and their Reliques were so called at the beginning of Saint-worship 673 c. Manna why so called 245. how it differed from the Apothecaries or the Arabian Manna 245 246. how it was Spiritual meat and a Type of Christ. 247 Mark To have the Mark of the Beast in the right hand or in the forehead Apocal. 〈◊〉 what it means 509 511 Marriage the Roman laws for it discountenanced by Constantine 672. Prohibition of Marriage a character of Monastick profession 688 Martyrs their privilege to riâ—e first 604 771 775. their Reign misinterpreted to an Idolatrous sense 759 why Christians anciently kept their assemblies at their Monuments 679. Martyrium Omeritarum 768 Mass Reasons against the lurching Sacrifice of the Mass wherein the Priest receives alone 253 254. In the Mass the ancient Offering of Praise is turned into an Offering of Expiation 293. How the Oblation of the ancient Church differed from that in the Mass 295. The Blasphemous Oblation in the Mass justly taken away 376. That the ancient Church never intended any Hypostatical oblation of Christ. 376 c. Meat put in Scripture for all necessaries of life 689. Abstinence from meats a character of Monastick profession 688 Meekness in the Scripture-use is of a larger signification than in Ethicks 161 Melancholia and Mania how they differ 29 Memorial why that which was burned upon the Altar was so called 342 Memorial of Gods Name what 341 Merit the word abused and in what sense tolerable 176 Messiah the Prince in Dan. 9 meant only of Christ. 700 Methodius Bishop of Tyre a passage out of him touching the Millennium 843 Michael in Apocal. 12. who 495 Middle estate or a Competency the best and safest condition 129 Millennium or the 1000 years Reign of Christ not to be understood in any gross carnal sense 603 836 837. to be asserted modestly and warily so as not to clash with any Catholick Tenet of the Christian Faith 603. to be propounded generally not particulatim seu modatim 571. a General description of it 603. no necessity of asserting Christs visible converse upon Earth Ibid. this Opinion of Regnum Christi Sanctorum was universally held by the
35 Schism the evil and danger of it 876 Scripture The Holy Scripture is not to be kept in an unknown tongue 190. whether the silence of Scripture be an argument sufficient to conclude against matter of fact 840. an account of some Idioms or Forms of speech in Scripture 161 and 347 349 380 285 and 352 Sea what it signifies in the Prophetick style 462 The Sealing of the 144000 in Apocal. 7. what it means 584 Seed of the Woman meant of Christ's person and Christ mystical 236 Serpent why the Devil took this shape 223 289. the Curse was pronounced upon both the Serpent and the Devil 229. what kind of Serpent was accursed 230. how God could in Iustice punish the brute Serpent 229 230 his Curse was To go upon his Breast and not only on his Belly 231 232. as also To feed on dust 233 234. Enmity between Man and the Serpent 234. The Serpents Seed meant of the Devil and wicked men 236. The Serpents Head or Headship is Principatus mortis 237 Set Forms See Prayer Seven eyes of the Lord are the seven Archangels 41 43 Seven Heads of the Beast signifie both 7 Hiâ—s and 7 Successions of different sorts of Governours 524 Seven Seals in Apocal. 6. what is meant thereby 441 917 c. Seven Trumpets See Trumpets Seven Vials See Vials Seventy Weeks See Daniels Weeks Seventy years See Years Shechinah or Gods special presence in a place is where the Angels keep their station 343 c. Sheep set at Christs right hand 841 Shiloh the name of Messiah 34 it signifies a Peace-maker 35 Silence in holy offices was a point of Religion 458 Simeon Metaphrastes his fabulous Legends 682 c. his design therein 683 c. Sin compared in Scripture to an Heavy Burthen in respect of the Weight of Punishment and of Loathsomness 151. the reason of Sins Loathsomness 152. Conformity between the Sin and Punishment in 4 particulars 144. the hainousness of a Sin to be estimated from the hearts election 350. Commission of one Sin makes way for another 135. what it is to forsake Sin 207. Rules to know whether our purpose to forsake Sin be real 152 153 Sin-offering what 287 Sincerity of Heart what it is how it may be known and attain'd 217 218 Sitting at Gods right hand what it signifies 638 639. that it is a priviledge appropriate to Christ. ibid. Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word doth not always in Scripture imply a small number 648 c. Socinian Tenets censured 869 883 Son of man whence Christ is so called 764 788 Spirit sometimes in Scripture signifies Doctrine 626 Spirit and truth See Worship in spirit and truth Spirits Good or Evil how they appear and converse with men 223 224 Spiritual blessings were veiled in Earthly Promises under the Law 249 250 Stealing is either by Force or by Fraud both forbidden in the 8 Commandment 132. See more in Theft Sun Moon and Stars what they are according to the Prophetick style in the Political world 449 450 466 615 Synagogues how they differ'd from Proseucha's 66. their antiquity 839 Synchronisms what 491. their usefulness 431 581 T. TAbernack of meetingâ— so call'd from God's meeting there with men 343. Feast of Tabernacles wherein it was a Figure of Christ 266. how it was neglected to be kept from Iosua's time to Nehemiah's 268. what this Omission may seem to imply 268 Table sometimes in Scripture put for Epulum or the Meat it self 386. Table of the Lord in 1 Cor. 10. why so called 375. the name Table not used in any Ecclesiastical Writer before 200 years after Christ 860. Table and Altar how they differ 389 Holy Table Name and Thing 844 Temple what the Gentiles Notion of a Temple was 335 336. why the primitive Christians for the most part abstain'd from the name Temple 336 337 Temple at Ierusalem it s 3 Courts in our Saviours time 44 45. it was the Third or Gentiles Court that was prophaned by the Iews and vndicated by our Saviour 45 46. This Temple is called in Scripture Gods Throne 438 439 917. In what respects it was a Type of Christ. 48 407 263 Temples of the Heathen why they are said by the ancient Fathers to be nothing else but the Sepulchres of dead men 633 Ten Horns signifie in Dan. and the Apocal. Ten Kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was shivered 661. that they belong to the Seventh or Vppermost Head of the Beast 499 737 Ten Kings See Ten Horns Teraphim what they were and how they answered to Vrim and Thummim 183 Terumah or Heave-offering defined 288 the Terumoth or Heave-offerings were either First-fruits or Tithes or Frâ—e-will-offerings 290 Theft in no case lawful 133. the trial of it in doubtful cases was in the Iewish Polity by the parties Oath Hence Perjury and Theft are forbidden together in Scripture 133 Three Kings whom the Little Horn should depress to advance himself 779 Throne to be taken up to Gods Throne what 494 Thummim See Vrim Thunder See Bath Kol Time Times and half a Time what 497 656 744. Times of the Gentiles 753. Times put for Things done in time 737 Tithes How the question of the due of Tithes is to be stated 120 Tituls why Houses and Churches were so called 5 327 328 Tobit's prophesie of the Iews Captivity and Restauration explain'd 579 Transubstantiation promoted by lying Miracles 688 Trees what they signifie in the Prophetick style 460 Trespass-offering how it differed from the Sin-offering 287 Tribes why the 12 Tribes are in Apocal 7. reckoned in a different order than elsewhere in Scripture 455 c. Tribute See Rent Trumpets Seven Trumpets their meaning 595 Turks why described in Apocal. 9. by the army of Horsemen 473 Twelve why each of the 24 Courses or Quires of Singers in the Temple consisted of Twelve 3 Typical speeches often true in the Type and Antitype 285. when what is attributed to the Type belongs to the thing typified 468 V. VEspers See Even-song Vials Seven Vials their meaning 585 923. the agreement between the 7 Vials and 7 Trumpets 585 Vintage what it means in the Propherick style 521 c. Visions Apocalyptick whether represented in the Seven-sealed Book to be seen or to be read by S. Iohn 787 An Vnrepentant Sinner is an Insidel 153 Vnworthy receiving See Sacraments Vows The 3 Vows common to all Monks viz. Vow of Chastity Poverty and Abstaining from meats the Fourth Vew viz. of Obedience not common to all nor so old 689 Vrim and Thummim what they signifie 183. they were a Divine Oracle ibid. the Matter thereof and the Manner of enquiring thereby 184 185. How Vrim and Thummim did typisie something in Christ. 185 186 W. WAldenses See Albigenses White To walk in white To be clothed with white raiment what meant thereby in the Apocalyps 909 Whore and Whoredom meant according to the Prophetick style of Idolatry 645 646. Whoe of Babylon in Apocal. 17. why this Vision only of all
dishonour it ye ought rather to burn those Books and Writings of your Poets so full of prophane fables and fictions of your Gods and to throw down those Theatres wherein the Gods are every day openly dishonoured by your Poets shameful tales and contumelious fictions of them But as for our Sacred Writings i. the Books of Scripture how did they deserve to be burnt and why were our Meeting-Places so furiously demolished wherein the most High God was prayed unto Peace and Mercy was prayed for in the behalf of all men Magistrates Armies Kings Friends Enemies those that are alive and those that are loosed from the bonds of these gross earthly Bodies * Liturgiae Christianae desâ—â—ipiâ—â— b There are a sort of men in the Church that believe and have faith in God that assent to all Divine precepts who are also very officious toward the servants of God and are ready to serve them yea and are exceeding ready and forward to the adorning of the CHURCH and the service thereof But yet all this while as to their actions and the course of their lives and conversations they are altogether engaged and entangled in sin and filthiness they care not at all put off the old man with his deeds Col. 3. 9. but keep on their old dress and habit their old sins and filthinesses just as these Gibeoconites came to Iosua with their old shooes on their feet and in their old garments Now these men setting this aside that they profess to believe in God and seem to be devoutly affected towards the servants of God and the adorning of the CHURCH what do they do even nothing at all towards inward reformation and real amendment of their lives And a little after saith Origen But here we are to know that which we are taught from what is shadowed out by these and the like Figures and Types in the Old Testament particularly from this History of the Gibeonites That if their be any such Christians among us whose Faith signifies only thus much and goes no further than this viz. That they come duly to the CHURCH and bow their heads to the Priests perform their duties honour the servants o God and withal contribute something to the adorning of the ALTAR or the CHURCH and yet do not seriously endeavour to reform and amend their lives and actions and leaving off their former vices to follow after chastity and purity nor labour in good earnest to subdue their anger their covetousness and that ravenous disposition in them unsatisfiedly and greedily catching at more and more still If I say there be any such let them know this and consider it That as for all such Christians as these who mind not to amend their ways to reform themselves but even to their old age continue in their sins our Lord Iesus of whom Iosua was a Type will give them their part and portion with the Gibeonites * Iâ—â— 2. 1◠〈◊〉 a As to what we have written upon Iosua the son of Nave or Nun as also upon the Book of Iudges and upon Psal. 36 and 37 and 38. we have simply expressed every thing therein as we found it in Origen whose Comments upon these parts of Scripture we translated without any great labour b As I was teaching Oratory in Bithynia whither I was sent for and called to that end at which time also it fell out that the Temple of God was thrown down there were two then upon the place that infulted whether more proudly or importunely I know not over the Christian Verity then in a low and afflicted condition This Sermon was preached at S. Marie's in Cambridge on S. Manâ—ias's day Anno 1635 6. Eccles. 5. 1. * Note that our Copies of the LXX here corruptly read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 23 24. * Heb. 9. 4. Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 24. Al Evagâ—â—â— Mâ—tt 5. 17 18. Phil. 4. 3. * Hermes Trism in Afclepio Athenag Legat. pro Christ. Origen contra Cels. l. 7. 3. Euseb. Praepar Ev. lib. 5. c. 15. * Exod. 20. Gen. 28. 16 17. Exod. 19. 16 18. Matth. 16. 27. Mark 8. 38. * That â— came unto them â—esling upon 〈◊〉 Compare Psal. 68. vers 17. or 18. * De Bello Iud. lib. 2. cap. 16. * To whom some think that voice may be referred before the destruction of the Temple Migremus hinc Let 〈◊〉 depart â—â—nce Vers. 4 5 6. * As tree for trees leaf for leaves Gen. 3. 2 7 c. * Exod. 26. 36 37. chap. 1 Kings 6. * Exod. 26. 36 37. chap. 1 Kings 6. * Exod. 26. 36 37. chap. 1 Kings 6. * In Morali◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it was the sense of the Ancient Church That Christ is offered in the Eucharist by way of Commemoration only see it proved in the following Treatise of The Christian Sacrifies Chap. 9. a Doubt not but an Angel is present when Christ is present when Christ is offered Eccles. 5. 1. Accordingly the Vulgar Latin hath ingrediens Domum Dei Entring into the House of God Apud â—â—â—blich Proâ—reâ—â—â— 21. Edit Paâ—â—is pag. 95. â—â—xâ—d 2. 5. * Vide Damianum a Goes De AEthiopum motibus * Eadem planè Iudaeorum magistrâ— prohibent à ◠suâ—â— in Synagogis fieri apud Maâ—nomdem Msuae Part. 1. l. 2. Trac 7. Debenedictionibus consecr per preceâ— quae in Templo olim observari solita Et Greg. Nazian in Orat. â—un pro patre laudat matrem suam Nonuam quòd in Templo Dei ne vocem quidem emittert nisi de rebus mystieis diviniâ— neque unquam tergum altari obverteret aut sacrum pavimentum conspaâ—ret De quibus Lector pro prudentia sua statnaâ— an quousque nobiâ— imitari conducat Epist. 92. * Seneca lib 7. Nat. qq c. 30. Intramus Templa compositi ad sacrificium accessuri vultum submittimus togam adducimus in omne argumentum modestiae fingimur We enter our Temples with a composed gesture coming to sacrifice we let fall our Countenance draw in our Gown are framed to all shew of Humility * Gen. 28. 16. * Obedience is better than the Sacrifices of fools 1 Sam. 15. 22. Exod. 20. 23 24. Exod. 3. 18. 5. 1. 3. 8. Exod. 8. 27. Ioel 2. 13. Matt. 19. 20. Ver. 11-18 Ver. 2 3. Matt. 23. 23. Luke 11. 42. Mal. 1. 11. * LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or Through the Sacrifice of Iesus Christ upon the Cross. * or first offered to God to agnize him * psal 24. 1. * Deut. 16. 16. * Revel 8. 3. * Esay 66. 3. Qui recordâ—â—tur thure Levit. 24. 7. Ecclus. 45. 16. * Apol. 2. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constant in Orat. ad Sanctos 〈◊〉 c. 12. apud Euseb. * Pure prayer that is Prayer not defiled with shedding of
whole Orthodox Christian Church in the Age immediately following the Apostles 771. a passage out of Iustin Martyr to this purpose vindicated which had been corrupted as other passages to the like purpose were expunged out of Sulpitius Severus Victorinus Petav. and others of the same judgment 533 534. nor was it anciently denied but by Hereticks and such as denied the Apocalyps 534 602. Other Testimonies for it as out of the Council of Nice 813. and a Carechism set forth in K. Edward the sixth his Reign 813 815. That this Millennium follows upon the expiring of Antichrist's reign 603. this clearly proved by the Synchronisms 429. That the 1000 years of Satans being bound began not at Constantine 427 880. S. Hierome's misrepresentation of the sense of the more ancient Fathers detected 899. Doubtful whether Cerinthus held any part of this Opinion though in a wrong sense 900 Mincha what 357 826. in marg The Purity of the Christian Mincha explained in three particulars 358 359 Minister how the word is sometimes used improperly 27 517. Four Solecisms from the improper use thereof ibid Ministers are not the peoples Ministers but God's 26. and are maintained out of Gods revenue 77 78 120. their maintenance is not of the nature of Alms 73. To make provision for God's Ministers and Worship a work highly pleasing to God 174 Miracles No noise of Miracles done by Reliques of Martyrs in the first 300 years after Christ 679 680. The design of the pretended Miracles in after-ages 681 c. Monks and Friers the chief promoters of Saint-worship 690 691. and of Image-worship 691. The two characters of Monastick professors 688. a third character 689. Monkisn poverty no point of Piety 126 c. Months The 42 Months in Apocal. 11. 2. the same with 1260 Days in vers 3. are to be taken for Months of years and are more than three single years and an half 598. their beginning and ending 600. why the profaning of the holy City by the Gentiles and the continuing of the Beast is number'd by Months Apocal. 11. 2. ch 13. 5. but the Prophesying of the Witnesses and the Woman's abode in the Wilderness by Days ch 11. 3. ch 12. 6. 481 492 Moses the Rites and Ordinances of Moses observed for some time after Christs ascension by the Apostles and believing Iews 841 Mountains and Hills what they signifie in the Prophetick style 135 462 Mountains and Islands 450 N NAme written in their foreheads in Apocal. 14. 1. what meant thereby 511 Name of God Hereby is meant 1 God himself 2. what is his by a peculiar right 4 5. Gods Name to be called upon a thing what is imports 5. Gods Name how it is sanctified or hallowed 9. how it is prophaned or polluted 14 Names of men in Apocal. 11. 13. what 489 490 Nations or Gentiles put in the Apocalyps for the Apostate or false Christians 574 908 Nazarites their Vow and Law abrogated by the Apostles and therefore no ground for Monkish orders 128 Nebuchadnezzar's Vision of an Image of Gold Silver Brass and Iron explained 104 105 743 744 New Heavens and New Earth what meant thereby 613 New Ierusalem what meant thereby 772 877 914 Nicene Council See Council Noah The seven Precepts of the sons of Noah 19. these Precepts were briefly included in the Apostles decision at the Council in Ierusalem Acts 15. 165. whether the observation of the Sabbath-day was included in any of these Precepts 20. The division of the Earth by Noah's Sons was not confused but orderly 274 Number of the Beast 666 why he differs from Monsieur Testara's conjecture about it 795. Mr. Potter's Discourse upon it highly approved by him 877 Numbers of Times when Definite and Indefinite 597 656 Numbers Distributive or Divisive wanting in the Hebrew Text and how supplied 700 O OBedience to Gods Commands the best protection against dangers 262. a more necessary and acceptable duty than Sacrifice 351 c. Three qualifications of true Obedience 1 Cordial 2 Resolved 3 Vniversal 310 Offerings were either Eucharistical or Euctical and Vâ—tal 285. a description of these 289. They are due to God naturally and perpetually 286. That they were not Typical and Ceremonial but Moral in their end and nature proved by four arguments 288 289. That they are required of Christians 291. the three degrees or parts thereof 290 Offerings and Sacrifices wherein they differ 369 The two Olive-branches in Zech. 4. explained 833 Oracles The Heathen Oracles began to cease at the birth of Christ. 193 194 Oratories See Proseucha's P. PAlestine See Canaan Passions 4 Rules for the governing of them 227 S. Paul's Conversion a Type of the calling of the Iews 891 Peace on Earth Luke 2. what is meant thereby 93 94 Peace-offerings and other Sacrifices were to be eaten before the third day and why 51 Penitents 5 degrees of them according to the discipline of the ancient Church 331 Pentecost why called the Feast of Weeks 265. and of harvest 269. why the Gospel was first published and in such a miraculous way at Pentecost 76. That those First Converts to the Christian Faith at Pentecost were not Gentiles but Iews 74 75 Perfect Heart See Heart Perjury upon Theft a more dangerous Sin in the Iewish State 133 Persecutions Which were the greatest and longest of the 10 Persecutions 334 S. Peter his Second Epistle why and by whom questioned 612 Pillars and Images why at first erected 632 The Pontifical Stole and Title first refused by the Emperour Gratian. 601 Poverty its dangers and evils 132 133 Prayer why God requires it of us 170. why not always heard 168. how God often hears our Prayers when we think he doth not 169. A set Form of Prayer proved to be lawful 2. Objections against set Forms answered 3 4. To be prayed to in Heaven and to present our Prayers to God is a Right and Privilege proper to Christ 639. and that Christ purchased it by his death 640 Presents The Oriental Custome to bring Presents to their Kings 115 Priesthood why confined to one Tribe only under the Law 178 179 Prophecies so foretel things to come as yet to instruct the present Church 285 Prophesying hath a fourfold sense in Scripture 58. in what sense it is attributed to Women 58 59 A Prophet's Reward is a special and eminent Reward 87 Prophetical Schemes familiar and usual to the Eastern Nations 616 759 Proselytes two sorts of them 1 Proselytes of the Covenant or Righteousness 2. Proselytes of the Gate 19 20. these are called in the Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Worshippers and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that fear God 20 21. why there were more of this sort of Proselytes 21 22. how these became so ready for the Gospel and Faith of Christ. 22 Proseuchae or Places of Prayer their use among the Iews and how they differed from Synagogues 66 67. where they are mentioned in Scripture 67. their Antiquities 68 69 Prosperity is apt to make men
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