Acts 2. 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They continued in breaking of Bread and in Prayers As for bodily expressions by gestures and postures as standing kneeling bowing and the like our Blessed Saviour himself lift up his sacred eyes to heaven when he prayed for Lazarus fell on his face when he prayed in his agony S. Paul as himself saith bowed his knees to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ He and S. Peter and the rest of the Believers do the like more than once in the Acts of the Apostles What was Imposition of hands but an external gesture in an act of invocation for conferring a blessing and that perhaps sometimes without any vocal expression joyned therewith Besides I cannot conceive any reason why in this point of Evangelical worship Gesture should be more scrupled at than Voice Is not confessing praising praying and glorifying God by Voice an external and bodily worship as well as that of Gesture why should then the one derogate from the worship of the Father in Spirit and Truth and not the other To conclude There was never any society of men in the world that worshipped the Father in such a manner as this interpretation would imply and therefore cannot this be our Saviour's meaning but some other Let us see if we can find out what it is There may be two senses given of these words both of them agreeable to Reason and the analogy of Scripture let us take our choice The one is That to worship God in Spirit and Truth is to worship him not with Types and shadows of things to come as in the Old Testament but according to the verity of the things exhibited in Christ according to that The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. Whence the Mystery of the Gospel is elsewhere by our Saviour in this Evangelist termed Truth as Chap. 17. ver 17. and the Doctrine thereof by S. Paul the word of Truth See Ephes. Chap. 1. ver 13. Rom. 15. 8. The time therefore is now at hand said our Saviour when the true worshippers shall worship the Father no longer with bloudy Sacrifices and the Rites and Ordinances depending thereon but in and according to the verity of that which these Ordinances figured For all these were Types of Christ in whom being now exhibited the true worshippers shall henceforth worship the Father This sense hath good warrant from the state of the Question between the Iews and Samaritans to which our Saviour here makes answer which was not about worship in general but about the kind of worship in special which was confessed by both sides to be tied to one certain place only that is of worship by Sacrifice and the appendages in a word of the Typical worship proper to the first Covenant of which see a description Heb. 9. This Iosephus expresly testifies Lib. 12. Antiq. cap. 1. speaking of the Iews and Samaritans which dwelt together at Alexandria They lived saith he in perpetual discord one with the other whilst each laboured to maintain their Country customs those of Ierusalem affirming their Temple to be the sacred place whither sacrifices were to be sent the Samaritans on the other side contending they ought to be sent to Mount Garizim For otherwise who knows not that both Iews and Samaritans had other places of worship besides either of these namely their Proseucha's and Synagogues wherein they worshipped God not with internal only but external worship though not with Sacrifice which might be offered but in one place only And this also may seem to have been a Type of Christ as well as the rest namely that he was to be that one and only Mediator of the Church in the Temple of whose sacred body we have access unto the Father and in whom he accepts our service and devotions according to that Destroy this Temple and I will rear it up again in three days He spake saith the Text of the Temple of his Body This sense divers of the Ancients hit upon Eusebius Demon. Evang. Lib. 1. Cap. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not by Symbols and Types but as our Saviour saith in Spirit and Truth Not that in the New Testament men should worship God without all external services For the New Testament was to have external and visible services as well as the Old but such as should imply the verity of the promises already exhibited not be Types and shadows of them yet to come We know the Holy Ghost is wont to call the figured Face of the Law the Letter and the Verity thereby signified the Spirit As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Spirit and Truth both together they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but once found in holy Writ to wit only in this place and so no light can be borrowed by comparing of the like expression any where else to expound them Besides nothing hinders but they may be here taken one for the exposition of the other namely that to worship the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with to worship him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But howsoever this exposition be fair and plausible yet methinks the reason which our Saviour gives in the words following should argue another meaning God saith he is a Spirit therefore they that worship him must worship in Spirit and Truth But God was a Spirit from the beginning If therefore for this reason he must be worshipped in Spirit and Truth he was so to be worshipped in the Old Testament as well as in the New Let us therefore seek another meaning For the finding whereof let us take notice that the Samaritans at whom our Saviour here aimeth were the off-spring of those Nations which the King of Assyria placed in the Cities of Samaria when he had carried away the Ten Tribes captive These as we may read in the second Book of the Kings at their first coming thither worshipped not the God of Israel but the gods of the Nations from whence they came wherefore he sent Lions amongst them which slew them Which they apprehending either from the information of some Israelite or otherwise to be because they knew not the worship of the God of the Country they informed the King of Assyria thereof desiring that some of the captiv'd Priests might be sent unto them to teach them the manner and rites of his worship which being accordingly done they thenceforth as the Text tells us worshipped the Lord yet feared their own Gods too and so did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Chrysostome speaks mingle things not to be mingled In this medley they continued about three hundred years till toward the end of the Persian Monarchy At what time it chanced that Manasse brother to Iaddo the High Priest of the returned Iews married the daughter of Sanballat then Governour of Samaria for which being expelled from Ierusalem by Nehemiah he fled to Sanballat his Father in Law and after his
example many other of the Iews of the best rank having married strange wives likewise and loth to forgo them betook themselves thither also Sanballat willingly entertains them and makes his son-in-Law Manasse their Priest For whose greater reputation and state when Alexander the Great subdued the Persian Monarchy he obtained leave of him to build a Temple upon Mount Garizim where his son-in-Law exercised the office of High Priest This was exceedingly prejudicious to the Iews and the occasion of a continual Schism whilst those that were discontented or excommunicated at Ierusalem were wont to betake themselves thither Yet by this means the Samaritans having now one of the sons of Aaron to be their Chief Priest and so many other of the Iews both Priests and others mingled amongst them were brought at length to cast off all their false gods and to worship the Lord the God of Israel only Yet so that howsoever they seemed to themselves to be true worshippers and altogether free from Idolatry nevertheless they retained a smack thereof inasmuch as they worshipped the true God under a visible representation to wit of a Dove and circumcised their Children in the name thereof as the Iewish Tradition tells us who therefore always branded their worship with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spiritual Fornication Iust as their predecessors the Ten Tribes worshipped the same God of Israel under the similitude of a Cals This was the condition of the Samaritan Religion in our Saviour's time and if we weigh the matter well we shall find his words here to the woman very pliable to be construed with reference thereunto You ask saith he of the true place of worship whether Mount Garizim or Ierusalem which is not now greatly material forasmuch as the time is at hand when men shall worship the Father at neither But there is a greater difference between you and us than of Place though you take no notice of it namely even about the Object of worship it self For ye worship what ye know not but we Iews worship what we know How is that Thus Ye worship indeed the Father the God of Israel as we do but you worship him under a corporeal representation wherein you shew you know him not But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth In Spirit that is conceiving of him no otherwise than in Spirit and in Truth that is not under any corporeal or visible shape For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not fancying him as a Body but as indeed he is a Spirit For those who worship him under a corporeal similitude do beli◠him according as the Apostle speaks Rom. 1. 23. of such as changed the glory of the Incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man Birds or Beasts They changed saith he the truth of God into a lie and served the creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juxta Creatorem as or with the Creator who is blessed for ever v. 25. Hence Idols in Scripture are termed Lies as Amos 2. 4. Their Lies have caused them to erre after which their Fathers walked The Vulgar hath Seduxerunt eos Idola ipsorum Their Idols have caused them to erre And Esay 28. 15. We have made Lies our refuge And Ier. 16. 19 20. The Gentiles shall come from the ends of the earth and shall say Surely our Fathers have possessed the Chaldee hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have worshipped a lie vanity wherein there is no profit Shall a man make Gods unto himself and they are no Gods This therefore I take to be the genuine meaning of this place and not that which is commonly supposed against external worship which I think this Demonstration will evince To worship what they know as the Iews are said to do and to worship in Spirit and Truth are taken by our Saviour for one and the same thing else the whole sense will be inconsequent But the Iews worshipped not God without Rites and Ceremonies who yet are supposed to worship him in Spirit and Truth Ergo To worship God without Rites and Ceremonies is not to worship him in Spirit and Truth according to the meaning here intended DISCOURSE XIII S. LUKE 24. 45 46. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures And said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day OUR Blessed Saviour after he was risen from the dead told his Disciples not only that his Suffering of death and Rising again the third day was foretold in the Scriptures but also pointed out those Scriptures unto them and opened their understanding that they might understand them that is he expounded or explained them unto them Certain it is therefore that somewhere in the Old Testament these things were foretold should befall Messiah Yea S. Paul 1 Cor. 15. 3 4. will further assure us that they are I delivered unto you saith he first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures Both of them therefore are somewhere foretold in the Scriptures and it becomes not us to be so ignorant as commonly we are which those Scriptures be which foretell them It is a main point of our Faith and that which the Iews most stumble at because their Doctors had not observed any such thing foretold to Messiah The more they were ignorant thereof the more it concerns us to be confirmed therein I thought good therefore to make this the Argument of my Discourse at this time to inform both you and my self where these things are foretold and if I can to point out those very Scriptures which our Saviour here expounded to his Disciples Which that I may the better do I will make the words fore-going my Text to be as the Pole-star in this my search These are the things saith our Saviour which I spake unto you while I was yet with you That all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me Then follow the words I read Then opened he their understanding c. These two events therefore of Messiah's death and rising again the third day were foretold in these Three parts of Scripture In the Law of Moses or Pentateuch in the Nebiim or Prophets and in the Psalms and in these Three we must search for them And first for the First That Messiah should suffer death This was fore-signified in the Law or Pentateuch First in the story of Abraham where he was commanded to offer his son Isaac the son wherein his seed should be called and to whom the promise was entailed That in it should all the Nations
of this Great Author did the Reverend Mr. Iohn Alsop publish the first part of his Diatribae being Chappel-Exercises and most of them short Discourses upon Texts of Scripture which yet the Author could have made more full and perfect had he design'd them for the publick view Amongst his Posthuma the largest and which cost him most study was his Treatise about The Doctrine of Daemons c. or The Apostasy of the Latter Times containing several Discourses upon 1 Tim. 4. 1. Of this there were 3 Copies amongst his Papers The first was a shorter Draught of his Thoughts upon this Subject when prepared for the Colledge-auditory The Second was larger and fuller being delivered in several Sermons at S. Mary's before the University Both these were in 8o. A Third in 4 o when formed by him into a larger Treatise and in several places enrich'd with considerable additions And according to this Third and last Draught is this Treatise printed in this Edition wherein also are added some Marginal Annotations of his others that were displaced in the former prints restored to their due and proper places so that the whole must needs be now more significant clear and useful to the judicious Readers as well as render'd more grateful and accommodate for their perusal by being distinguished into Chapters with Contents There were some Friends to whom he had communicated this Treatise that moved him to print it and had it been then published by him in compliance with their desires it would certainly have brought him in a large Return of Esteem and Honour for the multifarious Learning and the many Notions therein not less solid and important than ingenious and uncommon But he being hugely averse from appearing any more in print as may appear from what he writes in Ep. 97. withstood the importunity of that motion alledging for his excuse some Deficiencies therein which his maturer thoughts could correct and that he could mend the Foundation thereof Which expressions of his need not seem strange nor are they to be interpreted to the lessening the due value of that Treatise they being the proper language of his Modesty and usual with him when he was put upon any such occasion of expressing his sense concerning any of his Composures And indeed he was so infinitely curious and so seriously sollicitous that every thing which came from his pen should be exact and accurate that in a Letter of his to the L. Primate of Ireland he thus writes of himself That he should never get through that which is his own without everlasting mending blurring and pausing at every sentence to alter it Smaller matters to so quick and severe an eye as Mr. Mede had for his own Writings would be thought to want correcting and sometimes it may be expunging But this is nothing to the main substantial Notions that influence the whole Treatise for these the Author professedly owns and insists upon in his Commentary upon the Apocalyps which was written after this Treatise and contains his elder and maturer thoughts As for example That grand Notion which runs through the whole Discourse upon 1 Tim. 4. 1. viz. of Daemon-worship revived amongst an Idolatrous sort of Christians he makes use of in his Notes upon Apocal. 9. 20. and refers to his Treatise about The Doctrine of Daemons for the fuller confirmation thereof as also in his Specimina upon Apocal. 17. he makes use of that Notion discoursed of in the fore-mentioned Treatise chap. 8. viz. That Idolatry is the main Character of the Churche's Apostacy But without mentioning any more particulars what in his Apostasie of the Latter Times was consonant to his Clavis Commentationes Apocalypticae was avowed by him and those some things he saith in his Epistles that he could alter were such especially as were not so consentaneous to his Apocalyptical Notions In short although the Foundation and the whole Structure of this Treatise may seem as it now is sufficiently strong and well compact to the eye of others yet he being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wise master-builder says he could have mended it that is have added some more strength to it for to mend the Foundation is not to take it quite away but rather to strengthen it an instance not only of his great Humility when he was forced to pronounce concerning any performance of his own but also of his equal Sagacity and Quick-sightedness in discovering where any the least passage might be mended which yet to others seem'd not deficient and withall an argument of his great Sollicitude for the best satisfaction of others It is not unlikely but some may have an itching curiosity to know if it were possible where he would have either alter'd or added And for answer to such there is a Paper of his own writing with Memorandums to this purpose His Addenda for the farther clearing or confirming of some passages in this Treatise were such as these 1. He would have added a Paraphrastical Exposition upon the last verse of the former Chapter in short this God was manifest in the flesh that is was incarnate Iustified by the Spirit that is testified and witnessed by the Holy Ghost at his Baptism c. Seen of Angels visited by them at his Fasting in the wilderness and at other times c. 2. To what is said in Chap. 2. That daemon-Daemon-worship or Idolatry is the Apostasie meant in the Text and elsewhere in Scripture he would have added for a farther proof hereof That it is so as being a direct Breach of the Vow in Baptism according to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the ancient form of Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to this he would have added that of S. Augustin lib. 1. De moribus Catholicae Ecclesiae c. 34. where he saith Nolite consectari turbas imperitorum qui vel in ipsa vera Religione superstitiosi sunt ut obliti sint quae promiserint Deo Novi multos esse Sepulchrorum Picturarum adoratores 3. To what he hath observed in the second Part of this Treatise about Lies of Miracles he would have shew'd more at large That Miracles out of the Charnels are properly those specified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thess. 2. 9. because Satan ever loved to delude the world in that kind and it appears not that God useth to work Miracles by such means Quaere saith he whether the Charnel-cures are not a-kin to those Magical ointments made of like ingredients As for the Alterations he has a Memorandum to consider whether in his explication of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somewhat may not be cut off or contracted and another Memorandum he hath to alter somewhat in the beginning of his explication of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and withal That the Scriptures of the Singular and Plural number speaking of the Last Time or Times be so fitted that they may leave Dies Iudicii to be a Continued Time for according
of Sabbaoth Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory And because the pattern of God's holy worship is not to be taken from Earth but from Heaven the same Spirit therefore in the Apocalyps expresseth the Worship of God in the New Testament with the same form of hallowing or holying his Name which the heavenly Host useth For so the four Animalia representing the Catholick Church of Christ in the four quarters of the world are said when they give glory honour and thanks to him that sitteth upon the throne and liveth for ever and ever to do it by singing day and night this Trisagium Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come that is the sum of all that they did was but to agnize his Sanctity or Holiness or which is all one to Sanctifie his holy Name When therefore the same four Animalia are afterwards brought in chanting Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and again Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever all is to be understood as comprehended within this general Doxologie as being but an exemplification thereof and therefore the Elogies or blazons mentioned therein to be taken according to the style of Holiness in an exclusive sense of such prerogatives as are peculiar to God alone And according to this notion of sanctifying God's Name which I contend for would the Lord have his Name sanctified Esa. 8. 12 13. when he saith Fear ye not their Fear that is the Idolaters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gods for so Fear here signifies to wit the thing feared neither dread ye it but sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your Fear and let him be your Dread that is your God Again chap. 29. 23. They shall sanctifie my Name saith he even sanctifie the Holy One of Iacob and shall fear the God of Israel The latter words shew the meaning of the former The like we have in the first Epistle of S. Peter chap. 3. vers 14 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Gentilium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Fear ye not their Fear nor be in dread thereof that is Fear not nor dread ye the Gods of the Gentiles which persecute you But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts that is Fear and worship him with your whole hearts For that this passage howsoever we are wont to expound it ought to be construed in the same sense with that of Esay 8. before alledged and the words to be rendred sutably I take it to be apparent for this reason because they are verbatim taken from thence as he that shall compare the Greek words of S. Peter with the Lxx. in that place of Esay will be forced to confess Besides this evident and express use of the word Sanctifie in the notion of religious and holy worship and fear of the Divine Majesty there is yet another expression sometimes used in Holy Scripture which implieth the self-same thing that namely to worship God with that which we call holy and divine worship is all one with to agnize his holiness or to sanctifie his Name Those speeches I mean wherein we are exhorted to worship the Lord because he is Holy As Psal. 99. 5. Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his foot-stool for he is Holy Again in the end of the Psalm Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy hill for the Lord our God is Holy The same meaning is yet more emphatically expressed by those that sing the Song of victory over the Beast Apoc. 15. 3 4. Great say they and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Nations Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that I believe is the true reading not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou only art Holy therefore all the Nations shall come and worship before thee that is they shall relinquish their Idols and plurality of Gods and worship thee as God only For this was the Doctrine both of Moses in the Old Testament and of Christ Iesus the Lamb of God in the New That one God only that made the heaven and the earth was to be acknowledged and worshipped and with an incommunicable worship In respect whereof as I take it these Victors are there said to sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb that is a gratulatory Song of the worship of one God after that his Ordinances were made manifest For otherwise the Ditty is borrowed from the 86. Psalm the 8 9 and 10. verses where we read Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy works All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy Name For thou art great and dost wondrous works Thou art God alone that is Thou only art Holy Compare Ier. 10. ver 6 7. I have one thing more to adde before I finish this part of my Discourse lest I might leave unsatisfied that which may perhaps seem to some to weaken this my explication of the sanctification of God's Name For the word to sanctifie or be sanctified is sometimes used of God in a more general sense than that I have hitherto specified namely as signifying any way to be glorified or to glorifie as when he saith He will be sanctified in the destruction of his enemies or in the deliverance of his people and that before the Heathen and the like that is he would purchase him glory or be glorified thereby I answer It is true that to be sanctified is in these passages to be glorified but yet alwayes to be glorified as God and not otherwise Namely when God by the works of his Power of his Mercy or Iustice extorts from men the confession of his great and holy Godhead he is then said to sanctifie or make himself to be sanctified amongst them that is to be glorified and honoured by their conviction and acknowledgment of his Power and Godhead For although men may be also said to glorifie or purchase honour unto themselves when by their noble acts they make their abilities and worth known unto the world yet for such respect to be said to be sanctified is peculiar unto him alone whose Glory is his Holiness that is unto God THUS we have learned How the Name or Majesty of God is to be sanctified personally or in it self which is the chiefest thing we pray for and ought so to be in our endeavour namely To worship and glorifie him incommunicably according to his most eminent and unparallel'd Holiness and so ô Lord Hallowed be thy Name But there is another Sanctification or
their assembly mine honour be not thou united And thus much of our first Observation There is another Lesson yet more to be learned from this Act of the Angels namely That if they glorifie God for our Happiness and the Favour of God towards us in Christ much more should we glorifie and magnifie his Goodness our selves to whom solely this Birth and the benefit of this Birth redounds If they sing Glory be to God on high for his Favour toward men we to whom such Favour is shewn must not hold our peace for shall they for us and not we for our selves No the Quire of Heaven did but set us in we are to bear a part and it should be a chief part since the best part is ours As therefore the Church in her publick Service hath ever since kept it up so must every one of us in particular never let it go down or die in our hands THUS much of the Quire Now come we to the Amhem or Song it self whose contents are two First The Doxology or Praise Glory be to God on high Secondly A Gratulation rendring the reason thereof Because of Peace on earth Good-will towards men For the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be taken here for a copulative but as Vau is frequently in the Hebrew for a conjunction causal or for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory to God in the highest for that there is Peace on earth and Good-will towards men Or if we retain the copulative sense yet we must understand the words following as spoken by way of Gratulation Glory be to God on high and welcome Peace on earth Good-will towards men Or both causally and gratulatorily thus Glory be to God in the highest for ô factum bene there is Peace on earth and Good-will towards men To begin with the First The Doxology or Praise Glory be to God in the Highest that is Let the Angels glorifie him who dwell on high for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be referred to Glory and not to God the sense being Glorified be God by those on high and not God who dwells on high be glorified This may appear by the like expression in Psalm 148. 1 2. whence this Glorification seems to be borrowed Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens praise him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the highest Praise ye him all his Angels praise ye him all his Hosts And therefore Iunius for Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens hath Laudate eum coelites Praise him ye that dwell in Heaven The Chaldee for Praise him in excelsis hath Praise him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye high Angels In like manner here Gloria in excelsis Deo Glory to God in the highest are the words of the Angelical Quire inciting themselves and all the Host of Heaven to give glory and praise unto God for these wonderful tidings Now therefore let us see What this Glory is and How it is given to God To tell you every signification of the word Glory in Scripture might perhaps distract the hearer but would inform him little Nor will it be to purpose to reckon up every signification it hath when it is spoken of God I will therefore name only the two principal ones And first Glory when it is referred to God often signifies the Divine Presence or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in this Chapter a little before my Text when it is said The GLORY of the Lord shone round about the Shepherds and they were sore afraid But this is not the signification in my Text but another which I shall now tell you For Glory besides signifies in Scripture the high and glorious Supereminency or Majesty of God which consisteth in his threefold Supremacy of Power of Wisdom and of Goodness And as words of Eminency and Dignity with us as Majesty Highness Honour Worship are used for the Persons themselves to whom such Dignity belongeth as when we say his Majesty his Highness his Honour his Worship so in the Scripture and among the Hebrews His Glory or the Glory of the Lord is used to note the Divine Essence or Deity it self As in 2 Pet. 1. 17. There came a voice saith S. Peter from the excellent GLORY that is from God the Father This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Rom. 1. 23. the Gentiles are said to have changed the GLORY of the incorruptible God into the likeness of things corruptible As it is said in Psal. 106. 20. of the Israelites in the Wilderness that they changed their GLORY into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth grass S. Iohn chap. 1. 14. of his Gospel says of the Son We beheld his GLORY the glory as of the only-begotten Son of God According to which sense he is called Heb. 1. 3. The Brightness of his Father's glory and the express Image of his person where the latter words are an exposition of the former Image expounding Brightness and Person or Substance expounding Glory If Glory therefore signifie the Divine Majesty or Greatness to Glorifie or give Glory unto God is nothing else but to acknowledge and confess this Majesty or Greatness of His namely his Supereminent Power his Wisdom and Goodness for in the peerless supereminency of these Three under which all his other Attributes are comprehended his Glorious Majesty consisteth Take this withal That all the religious service and worship we give unto God whether we praise him pray or give thanks unto him is nothing else but the acknowledging of this Glory either in deed or word namely by confessing it or doing some act whereby we acknowledge it To come to particulars By our Faith we confess his Wisdom and Truth by our Thanksgiving his Goodness and Mercy when we Pray we acknowledge his Power and Dominion and therefore the form of prayer our Saviour taught us concludes For thine is the Kingdom Power and Glory In Praise we confess all these or any of them according to that in the Hymn of the Church Te Deum laudamus Te Dominum confitemur We praise thee O God we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All which is evident by those forms of Glorification set down in the Apocalyps which are nothing else but express and particular acknowledgements of the Greatness or Majesty of God and his peerless prerogatives When the four Wights are said to have given Glory Honour and Thanks to him that sate upon the Throne what was their Ditty but this Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created When the Lamb opened the Book with seven Seals the Wights the Elders and every creature in Heaven in earth and under the earth sung Worthy is the Lamb to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Blessing And again Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and
when there is no benefit by it but if it chance to be once beneficial to our selves then we love it Here is the trial of a Loyal heart to God to prefer vertue before vice then when in humane reason vertue shall be the loser vice the gainer This note discovered Iehu who destroyed the worship of Baal with a great shew of zeal but when it came to Ieroboam's Calves he dispensed with them lest it might prove dangerous to his Kingdom if the Israelites should go worship at Ierusalem 4. To conclude A Loyal heart is that which the Scripture calls in the old Testament A perfect heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not perfect in respect of degrees for such a perfection is not attainable in this life but perfect in respect of parts Cor integrum a heart wherein no part is wholly wanting howsoever weak and a great deal short of due proportion 1 Kings 11. 4. when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other Gods and his heart was not perfect with his God as was the Heart of David his Father not because he served not the Lord at all but that he served him not only and intirely Ioshua 24. 14. Now therefore saith he fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in perfectness and truth and put away the Gods which your Fathers served which was as much as to say Serve the Lord wholly and quite renounce all service to others 2 Kings 20. 3. Hezekiah prayes in his sickness Lord I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight He saith not he had done perfect Actions or performed perfect service for who can do such but yet that he walked with a perfect heart that is with a loyal heart before God So 1 Kings 15. 14. it is said That though Asa failed in his Reformation and the high places were not removed nevertheless his heart was perfect that is loyal with the Lord all his dayes THUS much shall suffice to have spoken of the Act Keep and of the Heart the Object of our keeping which are the two first things I considered in this Admonition The Third remains which is the Manner or Means how our heart is to be kept viz. with all diligence or above all keeping saith the Text that is with the best the surest the chiefest kind of keeping which is not only now and then to look unto it but to set a continual guard about it Nature hath placed the Heart in the most fenced part of the body having the Breast as a natural Corslet to defend it If the Heart be in fear or danger all the bloud and spirits in the body will forsake the outward parts and run to preserve and succour it If Nature be so provident for that which is but the Fountain of a natural life what care should the spiritual man have to keep his heart and soul guarded and fortified against all annoiances spiritual The life we lose if this be wounded or poisoned is inestimable the other of Nature is of no great value Yea but perhaps a natural man's heart is liable to more natural dangers than the heart of a man that lives to God-ward is to spiritual annoiances I answer The contrary is true For the Heart we speak of whence the Issues of the life of grace proceed is like a City every moment liable both to inward commotion and outward assault Within the fountain of original Impurity is continually more or less bubbling with rebellion Without the World and the Devil continually either assault it or lye in Ambuscado to surprise it The world batters it with three great and dangerous Engines of Pleasures Riches and Honours wherewith she endeavoureth to lay it waste and rob it of all heavenly treasure The Devil watcheth every opportunity to hurl in his fiery darts to cast all into a combustion and thereby farther to invenome and enrage the already-too-much impoisoned vitiousness and impetuousness of our corrupt nature How needful a thing is it therefore to follow this precept of Solomon to keep our hearts with all diligence or above all keeping to keep them with a continual guard to keep a continual watch and ward left the enemies surprise them Watch and pray saith our Saviour Matt. 26. 41. that ye enter not into temptation Watch in all things saith S. Paul to Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 5. Be sober be vigilant saith S. Peter 1 Pet. 5. 8. because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour If the heart be to be kept with all diligence or above the keeping of any thing else then is this Watch we hear commanded and this Guard of Prayer and this is a strong Guard to be chiefly and above all applied unto it But for a more particular direction of this guarding of the Heart we must be careful to observe this order following 1. As those who keep a City attempted or besieged by an Enemy have special care of the Gates and Posterns whereat the Enemie may get in So must we in this Guard of the Heart watch especially over the Gates and Windows of the Soul the Senses and above all the Eye and the Ear whereat the Devil is wont to convey the most of those pollutions wherewith the Heart is wasted First concerning the Eye David's example may warn the holiest men to the world's end to keep a watchful jealousie over it What a number of Cut-throats did one idle glance upon Bathsheba let in who made that Royal Heart whose uprightness God so much approved to become a sty of uncleanness and robbed it of those heavenly ornaments wherewith it was so plentifully adorned For the Ear take heed of obscene and wanton talk which by those Doors or Windows entring like Balls of Wild-fire inflame the Heart with lust We must beware also of the slanderer's mouth and backbiters tongue whose lying reports and malicious tales if they get in would sow in thine heart the seeds of heart-burning spight and mental murther which in that sinful soil will fructifie very rankly And think them no small sins which make thee guilty of innocent bloud for thine heart and tongue may kill thy brother as well as thy hand 2. As those who keep and defend a City make much of such as are faithful trusty and serviceable and if any such come will entertain and welcom them with much kindness but a Traitor or one of the enemie's party they presently cut short as soon as they discover him So must we make exceedingly much of all good motions put into our hearts by God's Spirit howsoever occasioned whether by the Word of God mindfulness of death good Admonition some special cross or extraordinary mercy any way at any time These are our Hearts friends we must cherish encrease and improve them to the
him 120 years warning so long a space for repentance as the Chaldee Paraphrast expounds that in Gen. 6. 3. his dayes shall be an 120 years to this sense A term of 120 years shall be given them i.e. the men of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evil generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they will return or repent Before Nineveh should be destroyed the Prophet Ionah was sent to cry against it Israel was not carried captive into Assyria before the Lord had testified against them by all the Prophets and by all the Seers saying Turn ye from your evil wayes and keep my Commandments c. 2 Kings 17. 13. The like is said of Iudah in 2 Chron. 36. 15 16. The Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising early and sending because he had compassion on his people But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy The wing of abominations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof Daniel speaks in ch 9. 27. overwhelmed not the City Ierusalem until Christ had long laboured in vain to gather them under his wings as a Hen gathereth her Chickens and they would not Matth. 23. 37. Nay when other warnings have been fruitless and God's chastisements and Iudgments near the very Heavens themselves shall by Comets and other Signs give warning of their approach if at length by our humiliation we would stop them even at the door or at least by our preparation to endure them mitigate them unto us 1. If this then be God's manner of dealing To warn us by reproof of our danger that so we might avoid it before it comes it should behove us not lightly to pass by his warnings his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so often sounding in our eares in the reading or preaching of his Word There is no Evil that hath doth or shall befall us for any sin we commit but there it is foretold and threatned us no one Example there but it is for our learning or instruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15. 4. and for our admonition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10. 11. Nay the Holy Ghost doth so lively pattern by Examples the several cases which may befal men as none scarce ever hath been or in any age shall be which in one Example or other may not clearly read his own case and learn Wisdom The Precepts also in the Holy Scripture are so plentiful and the Threatnings so plain that neither can we excuse our sins by ignorance nor justly say that God's Iudgments took us unawares 2. If God so powerfully warns his Creature before he strikes him how dare we strike our Brother before we warn him For those who deal with men as Experience sheweth are often scorched with the fire before they see the smoak But the reason of this difference is plain God strikes because he loves and would amend us and therefore he first rebukes and warns before he chastiseth But we punish if we have power or procure our Brother to be punished if we have not because we hate him and therefore lie in wait to entrap him He must not be admonished lest he should take heed and grow too wary and so escape our snare and yet we cry nothing but Discipline and Execution of Iustice when our hearts and Consciences tell us it is but the wreaking of our Malice But God gives us a Rule to follow fashioned according to the Pattern of his own Long-suffering If thy Brother trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if again take with thee one or two more and if yet he amend not Tell the Church c. Matth. 18. He that observeth not this Rule little hope is there that ever God will give him grace to make use of his warning who gives no warning to his brother AND thus I come to the Second part of my Text which is our duty We must be zealous and repent Where first as the words lie we will speak of Zeal and then of Repentance Concerning Zeal I will draw all I have to speak unto these two Heads 1. What is this Zeal which is here commanded 2. What Motives there are to urge and command it For the first Zeal is the Intension and Vehemency of all our affections in matters of God and his Service It hath its name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to burn and boil as water over the fire and thence may be styled the Fervency and boiling of our affections Such a one was Apollos as S. Luke in Acts 18. 25. describes him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fervent in Spirit and such S. Paul exhorts the Romans to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fervent or burning in Spirit ch 12. 11. For as burning is the excess or highest pitch of heat so is zeal of our affections The Schoolmen make it an Intension of love which is true if Love be taken as the Scripture useth for it comprehendeth all our Affections under that name all of them spring from presupposing Love No man is ignorant of this that knoweth how in Scripture all our Duty both to God and man is styled Love and Charity But Love is a special affection Zeal is not the Intension of it alone but of the rest also Hatred Ioy Grief Hope Fear c. So he that with David loves the Law of God more than hony or the hony-comb more than thousands of gold and silver he loves zealously He that rejoyceth in God's Testimonies more than they that find great spoil more than his appointed food he joyes zealously He whose eyes gush out rivers of waters and wisheth his eyes were a fountain of tears because men keep not God's Law he grieves zealously He whose eyes fail and whose soul almost fainteth with waiting and longing for the Salvation of the Lord he hopes zealously He who saies my flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments he fears zealously and so of the rest But as in our Bodies we find Aguish burnings as well as the healthful vigour of Natural heat and as Nadab and Abihu offered fire unto God but not the right and holy fire but strange fire which he commanded them not Lev. 10. 1. So are there some counterfeits of zeal as it were false fires abominable unto God and odious unto men All is not gold that glisters no more is all Zeal which seemeth so this zeal which God approves Lest therefore blazing Comets be mistaken for the purer Stars of heaven and Nadab and Abihu's strange fires for the fire of God's Altar let us take a survey of the kinds and characters of false zeal for the better discerning of the true The kinds then of false zeal may be reduced unto Three heads 1. Hypocritical zeal which wants sincerity 2.
it more than the jealousie of God can endure as is manifest by his so strict prohibition and frequent detestation thereof But as for the two other ways of using a creature in the act of God's worship by way of Instrument only or Local circumstance neither of them is impious or unlawful First Not to use it therein as or by way of an Instrument whereby it is performed For then it would be unlawful to use a Table or a Chalice in the celebration of the holy Eucharist or the like to use a Book when we pray sing or give thanks unto God to praise him with Instruments of Musick as David ordained to use a Book to swear upon when we take an oath for to swear is as much an Act or Religious worship and as much appropriated unto God in Scripture as any other worship due unto him Wherefore the Rites used therein as to turn toward lay our hands upon and kiss the Book of the holy Gospels as the Tables of the new Covenant of God with men in Christ if they be well examined will afford much light toward the decision of this Question of posture in our adoration of God in the Church especially if it be considered that the very same Rites for the same purpose have been anciently used upon an Altar But this by the way Secondly Neither is it impious or unlawful in God's worship to use a creature in way of a Local circumstance thereof namely as that whereby the place of our worship is determined for then it would be unlawful to use Temples or Churches to worship God in or to have any designed place there accommodated for the Priest to minister or officiate at But this our practice shews we esteem and acknowledge lawful Now if it be lawful to make use of a creature for the Vbi or place where of the worship we give unto God why not as well for the place WHICH-WARD or which-way we worship him VBI QVO Where and Which-way being both alike differences and relations of Place and the worship of God no more communicated thereby with the Creature whereby we determine the one than whereby we determine the other Indeed the Creature by this means is honoured and dignified but that honour the Creature receiveth lies only in this in being chosen and preferred before any other for such sacred use Which honour I trow is of no other or higher nature than what any Sacred thing according to the fitness and propriety it hath may be respected with Moreover if it should not be lawful in Divine worship to direct our posture towards a Creature and that too in great regard of some special relation it hath to God-ward it would be unlawful to set our faces and lift up our hands and eyes to Heaven in our prayers and invocations tendered unto the Divine Majesty which I know not any that makes scruple of And yet if the determination of our posture only by a creature in Divine worship be Idolatry why might we not justly scruple lest this posture of our hands and faces to Heaven-ward at such a time might make us guilty of worshipping the Host of Heaven that is the Sun Moon Starrs and Planets as the Gentiles and Israelitish Idolaters did But for our warrant herein our Blessed Saviour in that Prayer he hath left unto his Church hath taught us to say Our Father which art in heaven For without doubt if we may without impiety determine the Divine presence thus in our speech we may also yea fit I think we should do the like at the same time with our posture which is no more but to express that visibly by our gesture which we utter vocally wâ—th our mouths For not that which is before us only in our posture but that which is the terminus of our Act is the Object of our Worship Nor to determine our posture only by a creature but to communicate the Worship we give unto God therewith is that which the Divine Law forbiddeth And that this difference must be admitted is evinced by the severe and peremptory prohibition of the one and the frequent examples of the other practised by holy men in Scripture Besides that the admission thereof openeth the true way how to answer our adversaries when they alledge the aforementioned places of Scripture in patronage of their Idolatrous worship Now then to apply all this to the Hypothesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the HOLY TABLE or ALTAR for the difference is but verbal in our Christian Churches answers unto the Ark or Mercy-seat in the Iewish Temple being Solium Christi and in the language of Antiquity the Christian Sanctum Sanctorum where the Book of the Gospels by ancient custom laid thereon parallels the two Tables the holy Eucharist the golden Pot of Manna that is the sacred Monuments and Symbols of the new Covenant those of the old Why may not then a like respect be had to it in the posture of our Christian adoration which the Iews in their worship had not only to the Ark of the Testimony but to the Altars which stood before it yea even to the Temple it self when they could not come to perform their devotions therein and that too as I have already observed when that Ark which Moses made by Godâ—s appointment with those two sacred Symbols the two Tables and Pot of Manna were no more there as in the Second Temple they were not but only the place ordained for them or at the most if that some imitative Ark only with a Roll of the Law put therein such as the Iews at this day are known to have in their Synagogues and to direct their posture toward it when they worship as formerly they did to that in the Temple See Buxtorf Synagog Iudaic. cap. 5. Lastly all Nations and Religions have been wont to use some reverential gesture when they enter into their Temples And our Blessed Saviour in the Gospel would not have his Disciples to enter into a man's house without some salutation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when ye enter into an house salute it Why should we not think it to be a part of Religious manners to do as much when we come into the house of God Now of all Gestures Adoration or bowing of the Body seems to be the most comely and ready for that purpose and of all postures in the doing thereof and some posture there must needs be that which is directed towards that which is the most sacred and of most preeminent relation to God in the Church that namely where he is commemorated and the blessed Symbols of his Body and Bloud reached forth unto us who is our Propitiatory through faith in his Bloud and by whom alone and whose Sacrifice we have access unto his Father the HOLY TABLE or ALTAR What place then so fit to be both in our eye and mind when we make our addresses
the nature and grounds of what they practised lest for want thereof they might cherish some unsafe conceit And notwithstanding I preached for Bowing as you say to Altars yet I have not hitherto used it my self in our own Chappel though I see some others do it If I come into other Chappels where it is generally practised I love not to be singular where I have no scruple But you would not have me have any hand in killing the Witnesses God forbid I should I rather endeavour they might not be guilty of their own deaths And I verily believe the way that many of them go is much more unlikely to save their lives than mine I could tell you a great deal here if I had you privately in my chamber which I mean not for any mans sake to commit to paper Siracusae vestrae capientur in pulvere pingitis As for Bowing at the name Iesus 't is commanded by our Church And for my self I hold it not unlawful to adore my Saviour upon any Cue or hint given Yet could I never believe it to be the meaning of that place of the Philippians nor that it can be inferred thence otherwise than by way of a general and indefinite consequence I derive it rather from the Custom of the World in several Religions thus to express some kind of Reverence when that which they acknowledge for their God is named as we find the Turks do at this day Besides I conceive to do this reverence at the name Iesus only is proper to the Latine Church and it may be of later standing For if some Greeks have not deceived me the custom of the Orient is to bow the head not only at the name Iesus but at the name Christ and sometimes though not so frequently at the name God And if that were the fashion of the elder Christianity that out of S. Hierom would found more to the purpose Moris est Ecclesiastici Christo genu-flectere This is all I can say to this point having had fewer Notions thereabout than about any of the rest That the worship of the Inward man is that which God principally requires and looks at I think no Christian man denies But what then Doth not our Saviour's rule hold notwithstanding in such a comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And consider that the Question is not here as most men seem to make it between Inward worship and Outward worship seorsim for in such case it is plain the Outward is nothing worth but whether the Inward worship together with the Outward may not be more acceptable to God than the Inward alone As for that so commonly objected Scripture in this question Of worshipping the Father in spirit and truth as the Characteristical difference of the Evangelical worship from the Legal I believe it hath a far different sense from that it is commonly taken to have and that the Iews in our Saviour's sense worshipped the Father in spirit and truth But my work grows so fast that I must let it pass and be content with that vulgar answer viz. That under the Old Testament God was worshipped in types and figures of things to come but in the New men should worship the Father in spirit and truth that is according to the verity of the things presignified not that they should worship him without all gestures or postures of Body to which purpose it is wont to be alledged But all this while my mind is upon another matter which at length I am gotten unto viz. your strange construction and censure of the pains I took in opening my thoughts so freely unto you concerning these matters of reverential posture and gesture in respect of that interlaced piece wherein I intimated the Eucharist to have in it ratio sacrificii For 1. Because in the close of my Letter I expressed my fear of some Iudgment to befall the Reformed Churches because out of the immoderation of their zeal they had in a manner taken away all Difference between Sacred and Prophane you will needs suspect I aimed to make the present Iudgments of God upon Christendom to be for neglect of that Sacrifice which I had spoken of a thing I never thought of nor thought so plain an expression of my meaning could ever have been so mistaken I pray let me intreat you to read over those papers once again and then tell me with whom the fault is For why Is not to esteem the Eucharist a Sacrament to account it a Sacred thing unless it be accounted a Sacrifice 2. It seems strange to you that a matter of so great importance as I seem to make this Sacrifice to be should have so little evidence in God's Word and Antiquity and depend merely upon certain conjectures As for Scripture if you mean the name of Sacrifice neither is the name Sacrament nor Eucharist according to our Expositions there to be found no more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet may not the thing be But when you speak of so little Evidence to be found in Antiquity I cannot but think such an Affirmation far more strange than you can possibly my Opinion For what is there in Christianity for which more Antiquity may be brought than for this I speak not now of the Fathers meaning whether I guessed rightly at it or not but in general of their Notion of a Sacrifice in the Eucharist If there be little Antiquity for this there is no Antiquity for any thing Eusebius Altkircherus a Calvinist printed Neustadii Palatinorum 1584. 1591. De mystico incruento Ecclesiae Sacrificio pag. 6. Fuit haec perpetua semper omnium Ecclesiasticorum Patrum concors unanimis sententia Quòd instituta per Christum passionis mortis suae in Sacra Coena memoria etiam Sacrificii in se contineret commendationem Bishop Morton in Epist. Dedicator prefixed to his Book of the Eucharist Apud veteres Patres ut quod res est liberè fateamur de Sacrificio Corporis Christi in Eucharistia incruento frequens est mentio quae dici vix potest quantopere quorundam alioqui doctorum hominum ingenia exercuerit torserit vexaver◠aut è contrà quà m jactanter Pontificii de ea re se ostentent And that in the Age immediately following the Apostles the Eucharist was generally conceived of under the name and notion of a Sacrifice to omit the Testimonies of Ignatius and Iustin Martyr take only this of Irenaeus Lib. 4. cap. 32. Dominus discipulis suis dans consilium primitias Deo offerre ex suis creaturis eum qui ex creatura Panis est accepit gratias egit dicens Hoc est Corpus meum Calicem similiter qui est ex ea creatura quae est secundùm nos suum Sanguinem confessus est Novi Testamenti novam docuit Oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in universo mundo offert Deo c. And chap. 34. Igitur Ecclesiae Oblatio quam
before me Shall not the Observation of our Christian Sabbath continue after Christ's coming with his Saints amongst the Nations that are saved from that Deluge of fire though it be Irenaeus his phrase yet I learnt it from you wherewith the Earth and all the works thereof shall be burnt up And if it be urged that by the same reason the Festivities of the New-moons shall have their place in Christâ—s Kingdom as well as Sabbaths and by consequence the Ceremonies of the Iews be restored I answer it followeth not the words may be rendred From month to month as the Geneva doth If we read it From New-moon c. with our last English yet it is not necessary to understand it of any peculiar Festivity denoted thereby least of all Iewish And we Christians in Cathedrals Colleges and great Towns have our Monthly Communions all the year over And seeing I am upon it what think you of Matth. 24. 20. Pray that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath-day We know Dr. Andrews B. of Winchester as well as Mr. Dod apply it to our Christian Sabbath And to my judgment it is a strange fiction to apply it to unconverted Iews that our Saviour should stir them up to pray who scorned the Gospel whereby alone we come acquainted with such an Admonition and certainly scorned Christ's Instructions and how can we think that God would hear the prayers of such and was it fit that our Saviour should lay such a ground for the countenancing of their prayers yea and their Iewish Sabbath too And now truly Sir there is no Book that I desire to study more than your self I have found great freeness and acceptance with you hitherto I hope I shall do so still I heartily desire God's blessing upon your person and studies as upon my self and mine I shall ever rest Newbury April 5. 1636. Yours in my best respects exceedingly obliged Will. Twisse EPISTLE LXVI Mr. Mede's Answer to Dr. Twisse's 7 Quaere's viz. about the antiquity of Synagogues among Iews the and of Even-song in the Christian Church as also about the meaning of some difficult places of Scripture viz. Matth. 24. 20. Matth. 25. 31 c. Isa. 66. 23 c. SIR I Turned over the leaves both of the Bishop's and D. Heylin's Book when they came newly out that I might see their Principles and the way they went further I am not acquainted with them because I took no pleasure neither in their Conclusions nor their Grounds which if they be urged would overthrow a great deal more than they are aware of 1. If there be any such Author the Dr. opposeth for affirming the Sabbath to have been comprehended under one of the 7 Commandments of the Sons of Noah I suppose it is Godwyn in his Moses and â—aron Lib. 1. cap. 3. 2. That of Aben Ezra upon Exod. 20. 10. seems to me to be very evident for that Opinion For though it be as much as I can do to understand a piece of Rabbinism yet methinks this passage if it be translated will sound thus Ecce non dubium est quin dictio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tu comprehend 〈◊〉 unumquemque qui est silius praecepti Ideirco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Filius tuus Filia tua sunt parvidi quorum requies est super te tibique incumbit officium custodiendi eos ne quicquamfaciant quod tibi vetitum sit Similiter de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Servo tuo Ancillâ tuâ quoniam in potâ— state tua est tui est officii custodire eum neque sinere eum ut serviat alteri Sin minùs tu transgredieris praeceptum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non facies quòd eo spectat ut quiescat Servus tuus Ancilla tua perinde ut tu ipse sunt exposult Moses Dominus noster viâ quam commemoravi Et secundùm hunc Doctorem vovebii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peregrinus qui est intra portas tuas quod non facturus sit opus in Die Sabbati neque in Die Expiationum Propterea scriptum est secundò Peregrinus Similiter atque de praecepto Nuditatis cùm secundùm hunc Doctorem vovebit quòd custoditurus sit praeceptum Nuditatis eodémque modo de Comestione sanguinis This Dominus Moses he here cites I take to be Rabbi Moses Haddarschan who lived an hundred years before him and was Master to R. Solomon Iarchi Maimonides whom Ainsworth cites for the contrary opinion and Aben Ezra were both of an age and contemporaries 3. For Synagogues I am inclined to believe they were before the Captivity and not first taken up there as the more common opinion is But how to evict it against him that shall obstinately maintain the contrary I confess I know not That in Act. 15. 21. Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath-day will not reach so far yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I should allege that of Psal 74. 8. They have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the land they would say as Iunius doth that this Psalm was composed under the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes and indeed that which follows We see not our signs there is no more any Prophet neither any among us that knoweth how long may seem to argue it cannot be meant of that vastation by Nebuchadnezzar for then there were both Prophets and those that knew how long But if this be granted there will arise another difficulty viz. That either this Psalm is no Canonical Scripture or That some part of the Canonical Scripture was written long after Malachy when there was no Prophet and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had ceased And if this why not the first Book of Maccabees There remains but yours Lev. 23. 3. which to me hath appearance of probability but he that were refractory would pick some hole or other either in the word translated Convocation or in dwellings especially in the first See Vulgat and LXX But did not the Levites shall we think teach the people out of Ierusalem in the places abroad where they dwelt And did not the people use to resort to such as could teach them on Sabbath-days and New-moons What doth that of the Shunamite argue else 2 Kings 4. 23 where her husband saith unto her Wherefore wilt thou go to him the man of God to day It is neither New-moon nor Sabbath If this had they not some place where to resort and assemble Besides were there not then Colleges of Prophets and Prophets Sons in Israel In the same chapter we shall find they had and an hundred men in a place vers 43. and in chap. 6. initio that they had Houses where they lived together Did not the Israelites erect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Houses of false worship too may Could they think of building Places to transgress God's commandment
in and never of Places wherein to be instructed in his Law But the Scripture is silent I answer If the silence of Scripture be an argument sufficient to conclude against matter of Fact in the times preceding for the use whereof we have testimony enough in the times following without any express intimation of Novelty then must we not think that the Iews paid Tithes from Ioshua's time to Hezekiah's for there is no tittle intimating they did nor that ever they kept the year of Iubilee for where is it mentioned they did and so of other the like 4. For Even-song publick in the Church there is very little to be produced out of the Monuments remaining of those First Ages That the Monks used it in their Monasteries it is granted because affirmed that it was from their example derived into the Church That in their private Devotions devout Christians observed the ninth hour as well as the first third and sixth in those elder times may be proved out of Tertullian de Iejunio cap. 10. and S. Cyprian de Oratione Dominica But for Vespers in ortu Ecclesiae neither of them mentions them Yet Tertullian in his Apology together with Pliny ad Trajanum hath antelucani coetus and in his Lib. 2. ad Vxorem cap. 4. Nocturnae convocationes But as those seem not to have been properly those we call Mattins so neither these our Vespertinae And in this inquisition notice is to be taken that both Mattins and Even-song were distinct from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or solemn address of the Church to God in the holy Eucharist which they termed Sacrificium Christianum Well the most ancient Testimony to be found of Vespertinae in coetu Ecclesiae is with the Author of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though it be an Apocryphal writing and of a false inscription yet is the most ancient Record of Ecclesiastical Antiquity by way of purposed Collection that is at this day extant and not younger than 200 years after Christ at the most The Author whosoever he were seeming to have gathered this Rhapsodie out of the Customes and Ceremonies he found then in use in the Churches founded by the Apostles and supposing them to have been derived from their institution accordingly fathered them upon them and where there was any singularity or difference brings in that Apostle whose Church he found it in as speaking in Council c It is put by Eusebius in his Catalogue of Sacred Books amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is often quoted by Epiphanius by the name we give it In this Rhapsody Lib. 8. cap. 35. is not only mention but the Form of Evening Prayer with the solemn dismissing at the beginning thereof of the Catechumeni c. as at the Eucharist ascribed to Iames the Brother of our Lord in particular Whence it may seem according to my former supposition not to have been common at first to all Churches but peculiar to that of Ierusalem whereof this Iames was the first Bishop whence also the Liturgy of that Church though the greatest part thereof as now it is were afterward at several times added bears the name of S. Iames his Liturgy The next Testimony for antiquity is that of the Council of Laodicea which if Baronius his arguments be good was before the first Council of Nice the 17. and 18. Canons whereof are Quòd non oportet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalmos contexere sed interjecto inter unumquemque Psalmum spatio Lectionem fieri The next Idem ministerium Precum semper in nonis vesperis fieri debere Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though I cite both Canons yet I suppose not the latter to have reference to the former for what had the Evening to do with the Synaxis but the meaning to be that one and the same Form of Prayer should be used both at the ninth hour and at the Vespers 5. Concerning that in Matth. 24. Pray that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath-day I conceive thus That the believing and Christian Iews even the Apostles themselves were to observe the Rites and Ordinances of Moses and consequently that of the Sabbath together with the Lord's-day until their Temple and Politie founded and constituted by God himâ—elf should be actually and fully dissolved And do we not find they did so yea even S. Paul himself who was so great a Vindex of the liberty of the believing Gentiles that they should be tied no farther than the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Proselytes of the Gate were Therefore Acts 21. it is accounted a slander or calumnie which was reported of S. Paul that he should teach the Iews which were among the Gentiles to forsake Moses and that they ought not to circumcise their children nor walk after the customs For neither he nor any other of the Apostles taught that the Iews should do so either abroad among the Gentiles or at home in Iudaea For the Gentiles indeed they did and S. Paul whose charge they were more zealously than the rest that they should have no such imposed upon them according to the decree of the Sâ—nod Acts 15. Consider it with that Story Acts 21. à vers 20. deinceps This therefore being to be the condition of the believing Iews when their City should be compassed with an Army by Cestius Gallus at which time they were admonished to flee to save themselves with all speed into the mountains of Petraea as soon as Cestius by withdrawing a little his Army should give them that liberty our Saviour saith here Pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath-day For he speaks not of any flight to be when the City should be taken or when it should be once besieged by Titus for both would be too late but of a warning beleaguering to precede it 6. Concerning that in Matth. 25. when our Blessed Saviour shall sit upon his Throne of Royalty to judge the world I conceive a Figure to be in that expression of placing the Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on the left borrowed from the custome of the Iews in their Tribunals to place such as were to be absolved on the right hand where stood the Scribe who took the Votes for Absolution and those who were to receive the sentence of Condemnation on the left hand where stood the Scribe which took the Votes for Condemnation Such a custom of theirs Drusius in his Notes upon that place observes out of Moses de Kotsi That therefore nothing else is meant thereby but that our Saviour should distinguish the world of men into two Orders one of such as should receive the Sentence of bliss and Absolution the other of such as should receive the Sentence of Condemnation That he should first pronounce the Sentence of Absolution upon such as are to be absolved and that once finished