for any more seeds to be sowen in it the smell thereof is so acceptably fragrant to every true believer that the scent of all things else in this world how pleasing soever to flesh and bloud is of no value with him but noisome in comparison If we therefore to use the Apostles words or an Angel from Heaven should trample upon this bed or deface the beauty of it by scattering in it any other seeds which of what nature soever they be will prove in effect to be nothing else but the Tares of the Enemy let him be Anathema But to uncover this bed and to shew what a delectable variety there is in the sweet nature of it to the end that those who take pleasure in beholding it may more and more affect it will I hope be adjudged by those that have judgment to discern to be no faulty compliancy at all with new fangled Opinionists who pretending to novel discoveries of truth root up the foundation There is certainly as in Plants many secrets of nature that are yet unknown so in the Scripture much of the minde of God that former Ages hath not been acquainted with which they that come after may understand more perfectly especially in the sense of those Prophecies which are to have their full accomplishment in the last Times Truth is not now barren as one observeth well although she was prodigal in teaching our Ancestours Etiam quicunque fuere mortalium sapientissimi multa scisse dicuntur non omnia she hath a reserve laid up in her Cabinet for her friends and followers at this day and will ever have till she opens all her treasures unto them at the last day I say therefore as countenance is not to be given to those Masters of Novelties and new-Light Mongers of these dayes who frequently and confidently from the light within them vent most damnable Opinions expresly contrary to the Written Word as the Gnosticks of old did whose Disciples they are though they know it not so should encouragement be given to those who taking along with them the Analogy of Faith and the Analysis of those Places of Scripture which they fix their Meditations upon are so happy as to finde out other interpretations thereof then were before known which may occasion more light also to spring up in the Church to the glory of God and advancement of the Gospel To which glorious ends that all whatsoever is here written in this following Treatise may happily tend hath been and shall constantly be the hearty Prayer of the poor unworthy Authour thereof who is Dear Christian Thy Soules friend and The Churches Servant E. L. A POSTSCRIPT TO THE READER THE Method that is here used is I confess according to the ordinary mode plain and homely without those Logical curiosities florid and subtle insinuations or rhetorical transitions and cadencies Wherein the accurate Writers of these Times do abound which things nevertheless in their right use and genuine appearance no man that is wise will at any time condemn but for their sakes whose Conversion from Sin Conviction of Errour and Corroboration in the Faith this Treatise especially aimeth at is this order observed Which as it hath not been found altogether unsuccessful to such ends and purposes so may it now also through Gods blessing be still useful therein being suted for the most part according to their minde and expectation Wherein I do but follow the Apostles Example who became all things to all men that by all means be might gain some Yet if they should chance to meet with some things here Hard to be understood as even Saint Pauls Epistles which required that all things should be done to Edification had in them by the Testimony of Saint Peter things surpassing the capacity of the unlearned it will be easy for them to pass them by and to spend their time and thoughts upon that which they will finde to be within the ken of their apprehension One thing more I must premise with which I shall conclude this Address In regard I have here presumed to render the sense of some places of Scripture otherwise then they have been commonly interpreted least should thereupon be censured for affecting too much a Digression from the grave and profound Judgement of others that are or have been before me it is thought very requisite to add hereunto a Synopsis of the Names of sundry Authours both Antient and Modern that have been as I said before consulted with in the pursuance of this Subject to whom for the most part as it was meet I have with due reverence yielded a ready and willing compliancy in their sense of Scripture and other their Religious and Orthodox Determinations which I hope will suffice not onely to take off the imputation of a Paradoxal Singularity but free me also from a charge of offering violence to Sacred Theology though Philology lead me sometimes into her private Retirements and put me therein upon new Explorations The Names of some Authours mentioned in this Treatise Alstedius Saint Ambrose Amesius Doctor Lancelot Andrews Lord Bishop of Winton Saint Athanasius Saint Augustine Beda Saint Bernard Beza Brentius Bruno Bucanus Calvin Centurists Saint Charles the First of Famous Memory King of Great Britain c. Saint Chrysostome Doctor Collins Saint Cyprian Doctor John Davenant Lord Bishop of Sarum Master Deering Saint Dionysius Areopagita Doctor Downham Master Dyke Epiphanius Eusebius Doctor Featley Master Fox his Martyrol Gerard Bishop Godwin Comarus Saint Gregory H Grotius Doctor Hammond Doctor Harris Ward of Wint. Col. Doctor Joseph Hall Lord Bishop of Norwich Hospinian Saint Jerome Bishop Jewel Irenaeus Junius Doctor John King Lord Bishop of London Doctor Henry King Lord Bishop of Chichester Peter Lombard Ludolphus Luther Peter Martyr Mercer Doctor George Morley Lord Bishop of Winton Doctor Richard Mountague Lord Bishop of Norwich Musculus Nicephorus Origen Paraeus Pelargus Perkins Philo Judaeus Piscator Polanus Doctor John Prideaux Lord Bishop of Worcester Ravanellus Doctor Edward Reinolds Lord Bishop of Norwich Septuagint Socrates Sozomen Tertullian Theodoret Doctor Twisse Master Vines Master Nathaniel Ward Master Thomas Wilson Zanchy c. Things most remarkable contained in this Treatise I. THE Divine Generation of Jesus Christ is in some poor measure declared II. The Restauration of the Creature after the final Judgement proved III. The glorious estate of the Saints in the life to come described in a way and manner that is not commonly thought upon IV. How the Office of Christs Mediatorship was exercised by him and made effectual from the beginning V. How Jesus Christ shall be the Head of his Church Triumphant after he hath delivered up the Kingdome to God the Father VI. The certainty of the Conversion of the Jewes cleared and a demonstration of the fixed time wherein they shall be called gathered from the Holy Scriptures VII The Blasphemy of Socinians discovered VIII Civil Government vindicated IX The folly of Fift Monarchists and Millenaries made
needs be nauseous unacceptable and to no purpose let all that are yet unsatisfied in that point read over and peruse his late Majesties Arguing about it with those Ministers that attended the Commissioners of Parl at the Treaty in the Isle of Wight M. Marshall M. Caryll M. Vines M. Scaman and if they be disposed to a temper of accepting Reason they will finde cause enough to alter their judgement Once those very Ministers were so farre convinced thereby that though they were very shy and unwilling to discover their mindes in a matter of so great and necessary consequence as to give his Majesty satisfaction in those three Quaeries which he propounded unto them concerning Church-Government 1 Whether there be a certain Form of Government left by Christ or his Apostles to be observed by all Christian Churches pretending that the whole volume of Ecclesiastical Polity was contained therein yet they could not but acknowledge the remarkable Learning of his Reply which was clothed as they write with a singular elegancy of stile wishing that such a Pen in the hand of such Abilities might ever be employed in a Subject worthy of it Yet because it will be expected that somewhat be here also said in answer to this part of the before-mentioned objection Let us take into consideration the main Argument that is used against Episcopacy and with a refutation of it put an end to this Controversie That which is chiefly insisted upon by our Anti-episcopal men is the Identity of Denomination which they imagine the Scripture giveth to Bishops and Presbyters 2 Whether it bind perpetually or be upon occasion alterable in whole or in part from whence they will inferre the Identity of Office viz. That Bishop and Presbyter are not distinguishable in any part of their Authority which the Lord hath given them for the edification of the Church A principal instance hereof they alledge out of the Text of the Apostle Tit. 1.5.7 upon which for brevities sake we will onely fix and which being cleared will help us to interpret aright other places of Scripture of the like nature The words are these 3 Whether that certain Form of Government be the Episcopal Preâ—byterian or some other differing from them both Tit. 1 5.7 For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee For a Bishop must be blameless c. In which place say they the Apostles reasoning were altogether invalid and inconsequent if Presbyter and Bishop were not the same Office as well as they have the same Name But how justly may it be here said Bernardus non videt omnia These men that pretend to know more of the sense of the holy Ghost in Scripture then others and are apt to censure all that are not of the same judgment with them are not so omniscient but that their brethren who come after them may discern somewhat which they could not see I shall therefore take the boldness to tell them my poor judgment concerning that Scripture hoping that I may make use of my liberty as they do of theirs I know well it is no new Opinion that I am about to encounter with but because our late Writers do with a higher confidence then ordinary seem to abound in their sense concerning this matter I shall endeavour their conviction And first I shall premise a Caution by the way yielding in this Controversie as much as may be consistent with Truth I do not undertake to produce any positive Precept from the holy Ghost in this place for the establishment of Episcopacy in the Church it is enough to shew that a Divine Approbation is given of it in describing the qualification of the persons that are to employed in such an Office distinct from that of a Presbyter together with their superiority over Presbyters and how they are to exercise their power in the several parts thereof viz. Ordination and Jurisdiction Which Divine Approbation if we can here finde as I doubt not we shall I hope it will be acknowledge by all to be Tant-amount to a Divine Institution And though it have not any positive Appointment in Scripture but is onely glanced at in some certain places yet that should not create any scruple in the mindes of any about it no more then some points of Faith which we freely profess are scrupled by us though we finde them not expresly commanded in the written Word Is it meet for any to say unto God What doest thou Who alas among us hath known the minde of the Lord Or who hath been his Counsellour to know fully the reason why he doth in such a manner issue out his Precepts Are not Clouds and thick Darkness set about the Pavilion of God Let not silly man then dare to remove them It would far better become us to keep our distance and to be wise according to sobriety then to arraign the pure word of Truth before the bar of our corrupt reason or to call the holy Spirit of God to account for not giving full satisfaction forsooth to our foolish expectation What if Christ being willing to make his Regal Power the more known to the world would onely give some small intimation of his will concerning this matter as he hath done of sundry other things which we need not here mention to try the spirits of men whether they would thereby be subject unto him or no It is ordinary we know with the Princes of the earth to deal thus with their Subjects by a look or a glance of the eye or by a word of the mouth though uttered in an oblique way to give notice of their further intentions so to search into and finde out the Loyalty and ready affections of those about them And shall Jesus Christ be denyed this liberty This being premised let us now come to inquire out the meaning of the Apostle in the afore-cited place and see whether or no his words will allow of such an Identity between Bishop and Presbyter as hath been commonly conceived or rather try whether by deduction we can prove from thence the Divine Right of Episcopacy which is so much contradicted in these days onely let prejudice be forborn till such time as we have put an end to this controversie First it cannot be denied that the Apostle writeth to Titus as to one with whom he had entrusted the sole inspection of that large and spacious Island an Island containing in it an hundred Cities called therefore Hecatompolis wherein his appointed work was Not to gather a Church by converting the inhabitants thereof from their Paganisme and Judaisme to the faith of the Gospel but the manner of governing a Church which was already gathered was prescribed unto him And this is by the Apostle branched out into two things viz Setting in order things that were amiss or wanting or as it is rendred by
was saith Bishop Reynolds to be a middle Person to stand and minister between God and Man in their behalf to be impartial and faithful towards the Justice and Truth of God and not to be over-ruled by his love to Men to injure him and to be compassionate and merciful towards the errours of men and not to be over-ruled by his Zeal to God's Justice to give over the care and service of them And such an high Priest was Christ zealous of his Fathers Righteousness and Glory for he was set forth to declare the Righteousness of God Rom. 3.25 And he did Glorifie him on earth by finishing the things which he had given him to do Rom 3.25 John 17.4 compassionate also towards the errours and miseries of his Church for he was appointed to expiate and to remove them out of the way Col. 2.14 Now since Christ was ordained thus for the good of men Col. 2.14 can it be imagined that he had a care only of that sort of men that came after him into the World and none at all of those that had been before Was Abraham the Friend of God and David the man after Gods own heart of no reckoning with him If so let that accursed Opinion of the ancient Gnosticks the first-born of the Devil have a Licence to pass without controll that no man was saved all went to Hell unto the 15 year of Tiberius Caesar wherein it was from Heaven revealed concerning Christ This is my beloved Son hear him Or was there some other Mediatour before Jesus Christ took upon him our Nature who did execute that Office for 4000 years and then resign'd it up to the Son of God leaving the residue to be done by him in a time which happily may not be half so long Or were all those that lived in that long Tract of time shut up in Limbo when they died from whence they could not be delivered till Christ himself came among them These and such other Carcinomata as Bishop Mountague calls them are rather for Cauteries then curing Salves to work upon we may perhaps meet with some of them hereafter undoubtedly the Lord Jesus Christ was alwaies The man who was is and shall be the Mediatour between God and Man Lastly The high Priest was to offer Gifâ—s and Sacrifices for Sins that so Divine Justice might be satisfied which had been by sin violated Hence it was that as the Apostle saith Heb. 9.22 Almost all things were by the Law purged with bloud Heb. 9.12 and without shedding of bloud is no remission Death was to attend upon Justice as her Executioner but if Justice pass a Sentence at any time and execution follow not upon it Justice vanisheth into nothing and is become a meer Ludibrium for Execution is the very life of Justice Death therefore since he is let into the World by mans sin must do its office that so Justice may live Accordingly did the Priests who were ordained to see that a due satisfaction should be made to Divine Justice and to make an Atonement for the people never come before the Lord without bloud But first they slew the Sacrifice upon the Altar and then took of the bloud Lev. 16.11 15. and brought it before the Mercy-seat within the Veil to testifie the death of the Sacrifice whereupon Sin was expiated and Justice fully satisfied Thus did the Priests under the Law and thus also did Christ without whom all whatsoever they did had been to no purpose their sacrificing of a Lamb had been of no more account with God then the cutting off of a Dogs Neck and there offering an Oblation no better then the offering of Swines bloud Christ therefore I say once for all offered up a Sacrifice which was himself the virtue whereof was alwaies operative to make those former Sacrifices effectual to those ends and purposes before-mentioned and after that by his own bloud he entred into the Holy Place Heb 9 12.10 12. So then Christ it was that was still represented as a slain man in all those Sacrifices of old for a sentence of Death lying upon him through the determinate Counsel and fore knowledge of God made him in all those Ages before Act. 2 23. as good as dead in which regard he is called The Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 And because Justice would have Death for satisfaction else must the whole World have immediately fallen under her displeasure therefore in all likely hood the very first thing that died in the World was Christ in a Figure and consequently a Sacrifice from the beginning He was a Sacrifice ready even for Cain to make use of for his good if he had had Faith to apply it as appeareth by the words which the Lord speaks unto him If thou doest not well sin lieth at the door That is Gen. 4.7 a Sacrifice for sin for so the offering for sin is in Scripture frequently called which Interpretation because it may carry with it a sound of novelty Dr. John Harris Harden of Winchester Col. I shall take leave by the way to tell such that as I finde it owned by a late learned and reverend Divine so upon the examining of the grounds whereupon this Interpretation is built it will I doubt not appear to be very probable First God cometh not to deject Cain lower then he was but to raise him up from his dejection as is manifest both by his deigning to give him an Oracle from Heaven and also by the words wherewith he beginneth his speech unto him Why art thou wrath and why is thy Countenance fallen Secondly If the words Sin lieth at the door intend a sudden judgment to seize upon him what coherence can there be between these and the words following which are spoken concerning Abel viz. And thy brothers desire shall be subject unto thee For to read the place thus If thou doest not well thou shalt certainly be punished and thy brothers desire shall be subject unto thee This if there be any coherence at all were to threaten poor Abel more or at least as much as Cain Thirdly The Original word Chateath it is the aforesaid Authours observation as it signifieth Sin so also doth it the Sacrifice for Sin as Hos 4.8 2 Cor. 5.21 Hos 4 8. 2 Cor. 5.21 do witness And it was the custom according to which Moses speaketh as being best acquainted therewith to lay the Sacrifice at the Sanctuary door Vt populum dirigeret ad mediatorem saith Calvin to teach the people to serve God in Christ who is the true Sanctuary This sense therefore upon these Considerations may seem to be very agreeable with the scope of the Holy Ghost in that place so that a Sacrifice was ready for Cain at that time and what Sacrifice was that but Christ the Lamb then slain who alone taketh away the sin of the World and besides it seemeth to be a sacrifice distinct
Schismatical Covenant p. 229 The Creation the Worke of Christ p 42 The Creatures willing subjection unto Christ p. 53 Of the observation of Christmas p. 198 The Creatures misery under Man p. 65 The excellency of our Creation p. 105 None but the New Creature shall be the Inhabitant of the New Creation p. 107 Against curiosity in searching into those things of God that are beyond our reach p. 19 D. Daniel's seventy weekes interpreted p. 305 The day of the Gospel is a terrible day to all impenitent sinners p. 203 A description of Christs encountring with death p. 78 The Divine Service of the Church of England free from Superstition p. 234 E. The consideration of the Earth may lead us to an admiration of the Glory of God p 49 The great Engagement that lieth upon England above other Churches of the Gentiles to give praise unto God p. 270 Episcopacy proved to be of Divine Right p. 248 Eternity expressed by termes appropriated unto Time p. 6 The force of Example is great to induce likeness of manners p. 2 Examples of Gods Judgements which have fallen upon the enemies of the eternal Deity of Christ p 34 F. Fanatick people make themselves equal with Jesus Christ p. 24 A conviction of those that hold that the object of the faith of the Fathers of old was not Jesus Christ p. 175 To hold that not the object but the act of faith justifieth is a gross errour p. 176 Faith of believers how fixed before the comming of Châ—ist p. 156 A faithful saying uttered in a Sermon at his Majesties Coronation p. 256 How the Father is said to work by the Son p. 43 Of that fire which the Scripture speakes of whereby the Earth shall be burnt up at the last p. 96 To ascribe unto fortune good or ill success is a great sin p. 71 G. The divine generation of the Son of God is a permanent and everlasting generation p. 10 Gentiles instructed p. 268 Gentiles obliged to give praise unto God p. 269 Of the fulness of the Gentiles p. 338 The glory of the life to come described p. 107 How God ruled over man before the floud p. 64 Civil Government is no encroachment upon Christs natural or donative power p 55 Authoritative power or government over men shall be continued to the end of the World p. 66 Government is an ordinance of divine appointment proved both by the written and unwritten Word of God that is by Scripture and nature p 57 The good that ariseth by Government unto mankinde p. 65 H. The several forms of the Heathens enquiring after future events p. 72 That the Heathen did without Christ by the light of nature attain to such a knowledge of God as was enough for their everlasting salvation is a great errour p. 175 The impudent connivence that was given to Hereticks in the time of the late Schism p 37 To consider the Heavens a meanâ— to work in the hearts of men an awful reverence towards the Lord Jesus Christ p 48 The Hypostatical Vnion of two Natures in Christ Divine and humane shall never be dissolved nor the Mystical Vnion between Christ and his Church p. 285 I. Look unto Jesus from the beginning to the end p. 295 Of bowing at the name of Jesus p. 235 The errour of the Jews in following the light of yesterday p. 121 An exhortation to the Jews p. 164 Another exhortation to the Jews p. 262 The calling of the Jews proved p. 299 Of the Jews insurrection under Aelius Adrianus p. 321 The Jews wâ—ful blindness and hardness of heart described p. 335 The Jews continuanâ—e in the World when other great and mighty Nations are utterly extinct p. Ignorance in this day-light of the Gâ—spel condemned p. 202 Of the joy that Christians ought to take in their enjoyment of the Gâ—spel p 184 Julian the Apostate his blasphemy and death p. 34 No justification by the workes of the Law p. 126 K. Government by Kings proved to be the best Government p. 60 King Charles the First commended by those that were his Adversaries p. 248 A saying of his against drunkenness in a Speech at Oxford p. 187 King Charles the Second his zealous forwardness in establishing Religion p. 231 L. The woful effects of pretended liberty of conscience p. 38 New lights not to be regarded p. 188 Of the invincible nature of light p. 182 Of Limbus Patrum p. 170 The Liturgy of the Church of England not taken out of the Romish Missal p 242 The agreement of our Liturgy with the Forms of Primitive Devotion clearly demonstrated p. 244 M. Millenaries and Fift Monarchists refuted p. 103. Miracles not to be expected under the Gospel p. 132 Fift Monarchists may see their errour p. 70 No murmuring ought to be at Divine Providence in disposing the Earth and all that is therein p. 50 Murmurers reproved p. 74 How mutable the children of men are in their workes p. 45 The Mystical Vnion between Christ and his Church shall never cease p. 286 N. The humane nature exalted above the nature of Angels p 32 Gods remarkable judgment on Nestorius p 35 O. The Oracles of the Heathen ceased at the birth of our Saviour p. 266 Oracles from Heaven not to be now under the Gospel p. 129 Order among the Creatures p. 58 P. The errour of the Papists in following the light of yesterday p. 128 The vanity of the Papists in looking unto Jesus in a Picture p. 296 Christian Parents comforted concerning their Posterity p. 281 Prophane Politicians enemies to Christs Sovereignty p. 77 The prophane alarum'd p. 203 Proud persons enemies to Christs Sovereignty p. 77 Poland polluted with Socinianism p. 39 Q. Quakers enemies to Jesus Christ p. 39 Quarrelling against the restoring of lawful Government in this Nation condemned p. 74 R. Our Religion maintained to be the onely true Religion p. 169 An approved remedy to heal the woful distempers and divisions of this Church and Kingdome p. 276 The Creatures future restauration p. 93 Christs Righteousness imputed to us for Justification p. 177 Of the first Resurrection p. 106 The Romish Church guilty of Novelty p. 217 S. Samosatenian Hereticks confuted p. 12 Satan hath no power in the Aire but by permission p. 73 Sectarists justly charged with Superstition p. 231 Consider the wonders of God in the Sea p. 49 Sin of the ungodly is found out by the light of this day p. 207 Sin by the light of this day findeth out the sinner p. 208 Smectymnuus detected p. 253 The cursed blaspemy of Socinians abhorred p. 26 That the Souls of the Patriarchs did not before Christs Ascension ascend into that place of bliss whither the souls of the Saints now ascend is proved an errour p. 174 Of the Suns Eclipse at our Saviours Death p. 266 Of Superstition p. 233 T. The time of the Gospel is a time of light p. 180 A Story of Theodosius p. 30 The godly preserved in the time of trouble p. 80 Of