at once and in a moment but there were distinct several days of their being created which Order should not be confounded but well observed as one good help to profitable Meditation on Aelohim's Works Particularly the sixth day must not be forgoten as the day of Man's creation and as preparatory to his remembring and sanctifying of the seventh day as the weekly Sabbath-day There was a separate Creation of things on several days that man might with more stayedness of Spirit and prosperingness of Soul consider of them distinctly And now Jehovah Aelohim declares that this shall be the absolute perfecting in the whole and in every part of them of those Heavens and of this Earth and of all the congregated Military Host of them in their Order Place and Function Thus do all the Creatures both in the Heavens and in the Earth stand as an Army in Order or an Host in Battle array ready to serve their Makers their Creators who is their Commander in chief he is the LORD of Hosts and the Empire over them is his They go forth or come in at the word of their Head-Captain Jehovah Christ as he will arm and commission them for his Friends or against his Enemies In the order of my pursuit after the refining and raising of useful Arts and profitable Knowledges I am now led to that day the seventh which is the last Day in the first created Week which first Week is the just standing measure of all after Weeks in their successive courses by the established Law of the Creation on which seventh Day Aelohim the Creator himself did Sabbatize on this Day he rested to contemplate his own Works For having now framed and disposed the glorious Fabrick and the goodly Structure of the whole Universe and having put it into its beautious oeconomy and regular Government he closeth the whole of his Work with a Day Blessed above all the other foregoing Days of the Week The Great Design of this Treatise being the Advancement and Augment of useful Arts and of profitable Sciences in a Scripture-way I shall propound some serious Inquiries to ingenious studious Believers to ingenuous diligent Saints Especially to such faithful humble Ones as have through Mercy and Grace attained to larger growing measures of holy Skill in the Original Languages and of excelling eminence in Inner Religion about the improvement of Experimental Christianity Inquiries concerning Jehovah Aelohim in Father Son and Holy Spirt Q. WHat is the true proper significancy of this great and glorious Name Jehovah And whether ought it not to be used And what is there in those Prophesies and Promises that do speak of the freer acknowledgement of this Name in the later days And how may a discerning Believer improve this Name as for many other holy uses and ends so particularly to make his presence more real and sensible for continuedness to the Believer Q. What is the true import of all the other Names of God in the Scriptures particularly of Aelohim And how may those be particularly improved Q. What are some of the most clear Testimonies and convincing proofs of the Doctrine of Father Son and holy Spirit and the Old Testament which is so fully and frequently taught in the New Q. What are the visional appearances and manifestations of Jehovah Aelohim in Father Son and holy Spirit in Heaven And how may these be improved by a Believer Q. Whether may the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit be distinctly prayed unto And if so how should a Believer suitably make his application to each of them distinctly and to all of them joyntly Q. What are the several Offices of the Father as Father of the Son as Son of the holy Spirit as holy Spirit with relation to the Covenant-people of Jehovah Aelohim and whether is a Believers Union and Communion to and with the Father and the holy Spirit as well as to and with the Son and how is this and which way may it be better improved Q. VVhat is the holy Spirits indwelling in a Believer and what are the Believers Dwelling in God and how are these more improveable Concerning the LORD Jesus Christ Jehovah-man the Mediator Q. WHen was it that Christ did first pass into his Mediatoral Office and after what manner was it and of what good use is it to find out and improve this Q. How may a Believer so injoy Christ's Jehovah-presence here on Earth as withal at the same time to injoy his Man-presence above in Heaven Q. Whether may a Believer actually resort in his spirit unto Christ's humane glorified Nature in any certain definite circumscribed local Place in the highest Heavens Q. How is the humane glorified Nature of Christ a fitted Instrument when quickned by the Power and Life of the Eternal Spirit for the actual conveyance of all suitable good to Believers according as their cases and capacities are And how may Believers apply what is in Christ's Spirit Soul and Body to their own spirit soul and body for proper supplies Q. How may a Believer so walk with God in Christ here as if Christ were visibly corporally present on Earth with the Believer and how may a Believer clear up and improve a mutual in-being in-living in-dwelling and in-abiding between Christ and him Q. How is a Believers Life hid with Christ in God and how may the Believer injoy and improve this for his natural spiritual and eternal Life Q. What are all Christ's Names as Mediator in the Old Testament as well as in the New And how may this be improved Q. How was Christ the first born of every Creature or of the whole Creation and the beginning of the Creation of God Q. What is there improveable by a Believer in the order and connexion of those four things when Christ is of God made to a Believer Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption Q. Whether this be not one great truth of the present Age that Jesus Christ is the one and the only LORD and Lawgiver over and to the Spirits Souls and Bodies of his people Q. Whether are not these amongst others some of Christ's Royal Prerogatives by his Mediatoral Authority to grant and to pass acts of Grace to seal and to deliver particular Pardons to speak Peace and to give Comfort and how may this be practically improved Concerning the Word of God the Word of Christ. Q. VVHere is the true Authograph or the Divine own first Writings of the Original Scriptures and where is the exact Apographs or transcribed Copies of this And what Scriptures are there that do foretel and promise the restoring of this wholly uncorrupted And whether were not this a noble Work well becoming the greatest holiest Prince to search out this that he may write him out a complete Copy of its Law Q. In what Language was the New Testament originally spoken and written Q. How may the Original Scripture-Language be made the Universal Character all the inhabited Earth
in Shops he was to be skilled in the Military-art for the charge was given to Aaron the high Priest as well as unto Moses the Superiour Magistrate to number with careful inspection according to the Hosts of the several Tribes of Israel to muster the Army and to give orders for their Incamping and Marching according to their Ranks and Bodies who were to be in the Van and who in the Reer and so for the disposal of the Battel and the manner of fighting and the giving of the exhortation to encourage the Soldiers he was to be a spiritual Nightingal for modulation an expert Musician both for Voice and for Instruments a Singer a Trumpeter a Corneter an Harper a Violist a Lutenist an Organist a Cymbalist a Psalterist he was to approve himself an Artist in Architecture to see workmanships appointed to be framed exactly according to the platform'd Ideas and work-patterns of the Tabernacle and Temple were there need more might be added How learned an Artist in conference and in arguing should a Minister of Christ be by Scripture-arguments to stop the mouths of Philosophical gainsayers sometimes deceptory affectation of Humane Wisdom doth bewray it self in opponents by being carried beyond due limits when it would be judging of such cases and things according to the ordinary course of Nature and the power of a finite Agent which are to be determined and resolved by such Principles of Theologie and of Christianity as are far above and beyond those as if the question be Whether this World were from Eternity or Whether created in time Empty and fallacious Philosophy will affirm That this World was not created in time but that it was from Eternity deceiving and being deceived by this colour and shew of carnal Reason that out of nothing can nothing be made thus it doth mis-judge because the contrary affirmation is besides the common Agency and the usual efficacy of Natural Causes but the holy Scriptures do otherwise declare rightly informing us that all these things were spoken and made into a Being which had no existence before by the Omnipotency of Jehovah the Being of beings that All-glorious Self-being only by his own powerful Word So as the things we see were not made of things that do appear Faith acted aright doth take in this discovery By the word of Jehovah or in him who is the Word Jehovah the LORD Jesus Christ the heavens were made and by the breath of his mouth or in the Spirit of him who is the Fathers mouth to his people all the host of them he commanded and they were created Aelohim saith There shall be light and there was is and will be light who was it that did help the Spirit of Jehovah or the Spirit Jehovah or as a man of his Counsel gave him knowledge silly weak Creatures cannot work without some stuff and materials they must have their tools and other instruments to further what they are about to do and to form but the Almighty One doth not need any such foregoing matter or assisting help it is not impossible that that should be which before was not though the Believer only can rightly understand this here Humane Reason must stoop and Carnal Imagination must submit to Word wisdom and to Scripture-learning which has this mysterious secret treasured up in it the meanest proficient in Christ's School has more discerning in this than the learnedest Teachers and wisest Professors in such corrupt Philosophy If the question be Whether three Persons can be one in Essence who yet are each of them distinct Subsistences in themselves and Whether one in being can be three distinct several persons humane wisdom and the vain affecters of it will return this answer That a person is a living-understanding-nature subsisting by it self a prime or singular individual subsistence which is neither said of any subject neither is in any subject and therefore some of these Philosophets have affirmed that there are multitudes of Gods Whereas the Scriptures of Truth will inform us concerning this great Mystery that there is but one God for there can be but one only Being infinite eternal unchangeable perfection it self one only to exist of himself and by himself who gives existence unto all other things these undoubted Oracles of holy Scriptures will tell us that Jehovah the adored Almightiness of his people in Father Son and holy Spirit is one Jehovah he says of himself See now that I am be and there is no God with me Who saith the Psalmist is God besides Jehovah as long as it can be said as yet ever as yet so long Jehovah and he alone and no other but himself is such We know that there is no other God but one for albeit there be that are called Gods both in Heaven and upon Earth as there be in the vain wrong conceits of men who do seign such Idol gods and as some Creatures in some cases have somewhat of this honorary Title ascribed to them so far as by their Office and Call they do or shall represent the true God There is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we for him and one LORD Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him but in all in every one this knowledge is not it is specially revealed in the Word to and in such Believers and it is one of the greatest mysterious Truths of the Christian Doctrine There is one LORD one Faith one God and Father of all He that sets up many Gods doth withal set up many Faiths for every God would be calling for peculiar Faith to be given to him and every one would be severally believing in his several God In this most simple Essence and single Being there are three truly subsisting whereof every one is another from the other There are that do witness in heaven and they are three the Father the Word and the holy Spirit and these three are one If it be queried Whether one and the same person can be two distinct Natures of different kinds and Whether two such Natures can be in one Person Empty cheating Philosophy will wrongfully state this question and mis-resolve it thus That those things which are of disparate kinds cannot be predicated of one another nor united in the same suppositum whereas true pure Religion in the written Word doth give us to know that two distinct Natures as the Deity or Godhead and the Humanity or Mankind may be both of them united into one Christ In this wonderful one were both these inseparably knit together and yet they each one remain distinct from the other having several Natures Properties and Operations both making up one LORD Jesus Christ This word was made flesh this God hath been manifested in the flesh to the Godhead Christ took the seed of Abraham for so was he born according to the flesh as to his Humane Nature
doth delight himself in teaching of his people the useful knowledge of the Works of Creation in his written Word for every Creature should lead us to him and leave us with him and by his holy Spirit in the Scripture he doth often set out Spiritual Truths and things by Created Beings and Natural Powers teaching by Similitudes and Parables by which under some apt resemblances by things incurring into the outward senses and such as were familiarly and well known amongst men somewhat of an higher nature and meaning was propounded figured and represented Christ's teaching was much after this manner of Parables Thus were the hidden Mysteries of Christ's Spiritual Kingdom made the more easily intelligible to plain understandings and the greatest Truths became familiar to mean capacities of profiting Disciples who were taught two Lessons at once O how much do the Wisdom and the Goodness and other glorious Excellencies of Jehovah Aelohim shine forth in his Works â— He garnished the Heavens and replenished the Earth and stored the Seas with all manner of variety and good things fit for the use of Man and then he created Man bringing him into a well-furnished habitation where man found all ready prepared to his hand whatsoever was requisite both for necessity and for delight that by all this the LORD might draw up the heart of man to himself and keep it fixed in Communion there whither every creature called it up whilst Adam and Eve stood firm in integrity The Christian Religion should pass into our particular Callings so that even in these we should abide with God when we are employed about common matters and earthly things How often hath the LORD confirmed his Covenant of Grace to his people by such natural Existences fetching instances and giving probations of the reality and truth thereof for the confutation of Atheism and of Infidelity from the Heavens above and from the Earth beneath and from all the Host of both from Sun from Moon from Stars from the successive courses of Night and Day from Winter and from Summer from Heat and from Cold from the Height above and from the Deep below from things present and from things to come that which way soever man cast his eye on either of those two Books of Scripture and of Nature of word and of works in this great School the Disciples of Christ might still be learning of somewhat profitable What was that method and means and way which Jehovah Aelohim did take for the convincing and humbling of Job but by an holy reasoning and friendly expostulating with him about the Works of Creation and it had an answerable suitable good effect upon him The true knowledge of Natural things is laid down in the perfect word by the All-wise God as one great foundation of Theology and of Christianity and by these visible Witnesses will the righteous Judge of all leave the condemned world without excuse at that last great day Errours in Philosophical Learning are greatly dangerous unto Professors of Christian Religion the corruptions in that have caused so many Heresies and continued so many Controversies so that if we could search after the Foundations and Principles from whence most mistakes about Religion have their Spring and Origin we may find them laid in Humane wisdom by its vain Affecters such as the pretended power of Nature and freedom of will in fallen man as to Spirituals and Eternal the asserted Dictates and Placits of the Understanding as the ultimate undenyable resolvers in all Cases with a great number of such like Some whole Societies of corrupt Professors are but Philosophick Sects received and called by another name as those that make the instincts of their own Souls the impulses of their own Spirits and the motions and imaginations of their own hearts to be their only Rule by which they measure their judgement concerning good and evil and the fixed constancy of their belief or the wavering doubtfulness of their perswasions to be the measure of duty or of sin whence sprang this but from that sort of Philosophers who placed their happiness in silencing of all disputes of the mind and in smothering of all scruples of Conscience affirming Good not to have any inherent chuseable Being in it self and Evil not to have any such constant fixed Malignity in its own Nature but all their actions they thought to be condemnable when they did somewhat which they had any inward relunctancy against and aversness from and to be commendable when they were clearly resolved and fully determined in their minds and wills to do this or that But no more at present of this It is Scripture-Learning only which through the teachings of the holy Spirit can instruct us in the right use and holy improvement of the knowledge of Natural Things so that the growing Believer is Holy and Spiritual even in his trading with those Talents and whilst he is exercised about these his Scripture-wisdom doth commend it self in its own excellency and in its preferableness above and beyond all meer Humane Understanding for the many good and choice fruits and effects thereof being first pure in it self and in its efficaciousness or chaste then pacifick or peaceable modest obsequent or well swasible full of Mercy and of good Fruits not contentious or void of wrangling disception and not hypocritical or void of simulation Whereas some have made the observation that these who are so deeply conversant in the secrets of Nature do generally degenerate into Atheists not acknowledging an Aelohim as the first Causer but ascribing all beings and productions to natural causalities this where it is found to be so is to be understood only of the Ethnick Philosophy which doth take those who are Students in it off and doth carry them away from Christ and from his Word not of that Scripture-wisdom which doth so directly lead Disciples to Christ and to his Word for this saving sound knowledge doth produce a quite contrary effect even to make them most Saints and most Believers passing them wholly out of self and off from Creatures to resolve all into and to refer all unto the Being of beings the Cause of causes the Eternal first Essence the chiefest choicest Good the truest best Happiness the main ultimate End Jehovah Aelohim blessed for ever When men of Faith and of Experience do wisely observe the whole frame of this created World and all the parts thereof to run their course with continued chearfulness and without wearisome tiredness to discharge those Offices which their Creators Will hath assigned and enjoyned them unto This consideration doth stir up in them high and honourable thoughts of the Maker and Disposer of all these things and the serious Meditation that the Creation shall be renewed and refined and restored to its integrity and perfection of Estate and appear yet once again in its pure cleanness and in its purged â—xcellency is a Call unto the Saints to shine
himself fore-seen and acknowledged whether now the only prevention and remedy in this case which is otherwise so full of just fears of real doubts of endless dissatisfaction and of perplexing difficulties be not to bring all sorts of necessary knowledges to the Pan-sophie the Alness of Wisdom in the Scriptures of Truth where none of the forementioned Scriptures have any ground to set their foot on in regard that Word-Revelations about Natures Secrets are the unerring products of infinite Wisdom and of universal fore seeingness which are always uniform and the same in their well-established order and stated ordinary course without any variation by an unchangeable Law of the All-knowing Truthful Creator and Governour and Redeemer Wise Solomon himself was much in the dark and altogether at a loss whilst he studied the Nature of many things only in the way of Pagan Philosophy he experimented it to be a vain attempt of his foolish imagination to get in that way the perfect knowledge of the Essence of Creatures and of Causes and of Effects the Created Works of the Six Days in their first Origine and continued Being it was far from him he evidently discovered when he had made some proof of that kind of study and scrutiny Many Creatures were aâ—â—a far distance from him some above him as the North-heavens and their Lights which mere Humane Astronomies could not sufficiently inform him in others were below him deep deep such were the hid Treasures of the Earth the Abyss the Gulph and Hell he went round these subject matters in his thoughts but could not get through them into the exact knowledge of them by all his industry and search no private studying nor open converse could fully inform his understanding what the proper Existence the true Reason and the solid Art of the Mysteries of Nature as well as of Grace were till he was entred a Disciple in Christ's School where he was better taught by the Spirit of the LORD in those two great Books of Scripture and of Nature The vain Affectation of Creature-Knowlede in the Apostate Angels and of Humane Wisdom in fallen Man has all along been endeavouring to corrupt and to pervert both the pure Word of Aelohim and his Created Works whereby they are misrepresented to the Rational-intellect in wrong shapes WE may pass some judgement upon one of the first great Sins of Apostate Angels by that Method of Temptation which the old Serpent did use in assaulting Eve and Adam by Eve which was a vain Affectation of Creature Knowledge and of self-invented Wisdom They would find out a new Philosophy suited to their own proud concepts of things setting up of self and of Creatures as the great Idol seeking out some other way of Science and of Worship than what was formed in them by Created Principles and was put into Natural Existences and both these discovered in some Word They sought out many Inventions to see if they could find a chief Good in the Creature they would make and try Experiments what might come out of them The Tempter had high conceits of his own abilities and he would have Man to excogitate other Reasons and Causes of things than were in Created Nature and in Word-Revelation Hence it is that this caution is given us Let no one deceive you with sublime discourse touching the worship of Angels pressing into that he knows not It is the design of those evil Spirits to raise up in the mind of man such high opinions of them as to extol them to be for knowledge far above the degree of a mere Creature and to raise a mans knowledge much farther than he hath any good warrant for and for the prosecuting this hellish design they would engage man in converse with them to draw man into a discipleship under them that man might go to School to these revolted Spirits as if these could and would teach man higher and better than the LORD or his Word and VVorks have done By these stratagems and illusions to beguile man into a Veneration of them for their Scientifick Excellencies And thus did these degenerate Angels and impure Spirits prevail over Mankind at the first And this is the cause of all the prohibited black Arts of Judiciary Astrology Diabolick Magick Hellish VVitchcraft and such like forbidden Sciences and Satanical depths under the gaudy Title of profound Mysteries whereby many do lose the prize that is ready and prepared at the Goal while they yield themselves to be drawn aside with such Sophistick Seductions These hellish imposters under a specious shew of colourable Religion would bring in dangerous and damnable Errors and Heresies against the pure simplicity of the Evangelical Doctrine and they imployed under them such seducers as did much corrupt and deceive many of the ignorant and credulous fetching their Doctrines not from Scripture Revelation but from Humane Reason adulterated holding forth some curious speculations taught in the Philosophick Schools namely the worshiping of Angels as middle intercessors between God and men arrogating unto themselves without any just right a power of judging and assigning the reward of Eternal Life unto none but such only as would subscribe unto their new and false doctrines defining and determining the causes of Faith and of Religion at their own will and pleasures and not according to Christ in his Word and all this under a pretext of Humility and of demission of mind which is the Romish usurpation and Anti-christian Tyranny at this day And this is a sort of Wisdom which is therefore called Demoniacal because it has the Devil for its Author By which Satan would be reputed the learned Master of Arts and the Reverend Doctor of Sciences And would have men to enter themselves as Pupils under his Tutorship in his College And therefore in that forementioned place to the Colossians cited in the Margin Paul warn'd them not to suffer any one not the Devil himself to lord it over them to abuse his power and subtilty upon them by pretending that he will give a great Prize of Honour and of Reputation to them if they would deliver themselves over to his will in instructing them For thus he fallaciously argues in his Philosophy that men should so walk in humility as not to go directly unto God or unto Christ but should first resort unto Angels for their Instruction and should make Angels such glorious Creatures to be as Mediators between God and them for the negotiating of all their Affairs which is a piece of Platonick Anti-Theology and Anti-Christianism still maintained and practised in Ethnick and Papistick Philosophy Satan would have them to climb up and to thrust themselves into sublime points of hidden Wisdom as if they were profound Mysteries of refined Speculation above the vulgar capacity which yet are but phantastick devices and groundless imaginatious in the disquisition where of he would have them to pride and to please themselves as if they had learn â— some rare
to them that trust in him when those who have either added to or taken from his words shall be reproved and be found to have been lying ones And I do hope there will be a pure every way uncorrupt Autograph or Apograph of the Scriptures of Truth Neither am I without some Words of the LORD upon which to bottom Faith Expectation and Prayer concerning this matter a great and a glorious Work highly and fully worth the most serious and diligent search after by Christian Princes by Learned Men and by Eminent Believers Spiritual Discerners should know how to take and to improve this hint which I had rather they themselves would industriously pursue than at present put me upon any further opening of my thoughts with the grounds of those my apprehensions in such an Age of quarrelsome jangling of endless contentiousness and of lips of folly In the mean time till there be this glorious appearing of Christ and of his Book according to Prophetical Revelations I bless his Name for himself and for his Word and for any gracious Work of his Word upon my heart having felt a day of his Power there whereby he has made me willing to stand in some holy awe of him and of his Word and to dispense it in some growing measures as I have received it in uprightness as of God in the presence of God so speaking it in Christ If any will so sell this Word of God as to falâ—â—e it by corrupting it any ways by dealing deceitfully with it by playing the Hucksters with it adulterating and sophisticating of it by mingling of Philosophick Errors and Humane Inventions and Unwritten Traditions with it Thus to make the market of their own private gain upon some ignorant deluded soul by their crafty handling and covetous dispensing of it by false glosses and counterfeit garnishes giving forth wrong senses and making undue applications of it raising false Doctrines and inferring ill uses from thence let such consider in the fear of Jehovah how they will answer it at that last Great Day when they shall be judged to their Eternal Estate by that Word which they have so much wrested and wronged O how great cause have they to inlarge in Jehovah's praises who having in their younger years taken in much of the Philosophick taint were afterwards by his Spirit and Grace cured of its gross mistakes and dangerous errors that a Moses escaped from out of Egyptian Astrology Sorcery and such other superstitious diabolical Arts That a Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah got so well off from Chaldaick Books so full of vain Arts and of Idolatrous Sciences that Aelohim gave them Knowledge and Understanding to discern Truth from Falshood whereby to convince and to confute Ethnick Errors and Paganish Tenets and that they were so kept from prohibitell Magick and such black Arts That the new converted Christians were preserved and antidored by the Principles and Laws of their true pure Religion from and against the poysonous disputes of Epicureans Stoicks Libertines Gnosticks and such other Philosophers That a Paul so 〈◊〉 up in several corrupt 〈◊〉 was afterwards so savingly inlightned so sound in Scripture Learning so skilful so useful so successful a Preacher O what special matter of great thankfulness was there here Vain man would be wise above and besides and against what is written although Wo be threatried against those who are wise in then own eyes The wisdom of such shall perish There is a knowledge that is vain which a wise a man should not utter The worldly wise ones of Philosophers do irride the Christian Religion and of Polititians do hate it O the blessedness the happy goings on with a straight foot of them who are made Wise to Salvation It has been in all Ages of the Church the device and the attempts of Saran and of his Disciples to abuse men by paralogisms by such false reasonings as by a shew and colour of Truth do circumvent the unskilful and unexperienced in the Word of Righteousness And their assaults have been mainly made against the Churches and People of God under specious shews of Reason and of Religion to introduce somewhat that is quite contrary to the Nature Purity and Simplicity of the Christian undefiled Doctrine Hence have they endeavoured to thrust in the worshiping of Angels and of Saints departed by invocating of them by dedicating of Temples and of Altars to them by making vows to them with many other uninstituted Observations of humanely-invented Ceremonies and divers Philosophical trifles which are no authorized warranty nor legitimate argumentation from the Word of God nor from sound Reason judiciously informed thereby Oh how daring bold is humane curiosity that will adventure to be wise beyond due bounds of sober knowledge when men will presume to be Doctors not understanding what they speak nor of what they affirm The Schoolmen with the Papists and others who have trod in the steps of those Scholastick Doctors have generally greatly erred herein by obtruding upon others many Forgeries and falshoods for Articles of Christian Faith which were taught themselves only by the dark discoursings of their own blind minds such as are their Scientia media their free-will their inherent Righteousness their meritorious Works their creature-idolizings with such like dogmatical decrees and received opinions of proud men which they fetched out of the Metaphysicks of Philosophers and out of the Ethicks of Pagans from whose corrupt Principles they would deduce the great Truths and the saving Mystesteries of the Christian Religion bottoming their unsound conclusions upon their own sandy opinions thus subjecting Theology to Philosophy and Christianity to Sophistry Those Books which are commonly called Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy or the Book of Moses and of his Writings there have the approving Testimony of those true faithful Prophets that did follow after him as also of the LORD Jesus Christ himself and of his Apostles and the History of the Creation and of the Works thereof in the Beginning of the Bible is true in the literal sense and was intended and recorded so to be understood and all those Philosophical Allegorical and Mystical Senses which any do give thereof that are contrary unto this are to be avoided and rejected THis is the first revealed and written Word the most Ancient Book by which all Humane Treatises where they err must be corrected I exclude not any other part of Holy Scriptures but do own all through as a perfect Summary of all useful Learning and do bring them in for the confirmation of Truths only the Reader is to remember and consider that one great part of my present Design is to propound some such particular inquiries concerning the Works of Creation in the several Days of the first Week of the World and to give such a Scripture Judgement upon some special Cases as may restaur and advance true profitable Knowledges and Arts. Christ in his Word hath put his
do these therefore greatly err because they know not the Scriptures nor the power of God A. There is no ground in Scripture nor in Nature to affirm three Regions of the Air lower middle and higher as vain Philosophers do in their Physicks as if then immediately above that were the Region of Fire next under the Orb of the Moon Such a partition of the Air into three several Regions I find not either in the original Text or in created beings As also neither is there such an enumeration in the word or works of Christ as ten coelestial Spheres or Heavens The Sun Mars Jupiter Saturn the Starry Heaven the Christalin Heaven the first Mover It is an humane Figment this The Scriptures do inform us of a third which is the highest Heaven and in this discovery must we acquiesce Jehovah Aelohim has builded his stories and hath planted his lofts in the Waters But those Waters are such as are above all these visible Heavens above this blew Expanse over our Heads which our eyes do sometimes behold and the place of these upper Waters is over the North part of the Heavens This visible expanded is Diacritical or Distinctive between the upper and lower Waters This extent or well compacted firm out-spread was made much for this end dividingly to separate between these two Waters so as that they might not be joyned together in one It was and is an intermediate orderly disposed distinction between them between somewhat that was above and somewhat that was below which therefore also is not the very highest and utmost boundary of the created World as divers of the Ethnick Sophists asserted who would have it their Super-AEther or Coelum Daemoniacum where they did place the chiefest of their Idols which were the Planets and Stars thereof because they seemed to them to be the highest and greatest and most glorious of all visible created beings Whereas it is but a middle partition From above this doth the Rain come The higher Heaven doth give it down it doth descend from hence A Call must be given to the Heaven above to give down Rain to Aelohim there He sometimes makes the higher Heaven as Iron and Brass He shuâ—s the Heaven when he doth hold back the Rain It is he that doth open or shut the Cataracts of Heaven There are Aelohim's upper Chambers There are the inner retiring Rooms His lofts are planchered in those upper Waters There are the Waters bound There is Aelohim's Tabernacle extended These Waters are some of his Treasures which he openeth when he gives down rain There are the Treasures of Snow and of Hail Man on earth cannot reach them with his eye There is a Gate of the Heavens there are bottles of Heaven above this expanded is the Throne of Aelohim Hence is the Water distilled It is from the ordination and command of Aelohim that this is So that all the watry clouds and bottles do come down first from above the Azure Expanse So that Rain is water distilled from the Waters above the extended What I have here written about Rain is also applicable to Snow Hail Dew and such like under the general comprehensive name of Waters It is Jehovah Aelohim who is the causer of the Rain None can cause it but himself not the vanities of the Heathens none of the Ethnic Idols not Sun or Moon or Stars neither can the Heavens of themselves give showers Who but he can cause it It is an immediate gift from him Why has not Egypt rain ordinarily if there were such natural causes of it as men pretend Rain comes down from the Heaven but it doth not return thither It is spoken of the higher not of the lower Heaven If the Sun did draw it up again then it would return thither again Which Jehovah himself doth expresly deny It so cometh as the word cometh originally out of his mouth who speaks from out of Heaven It is the Rain of Heaven The Heavens drop it down when it doth water the earth It is a visit from Jehovah Aelohim and how sweet would that meditation be were it spiritually improved Did we so receive it as a token of his special love when it is sent in mercy to us and not in a way of Judgement The new creature might be much aedified by the old creation Rain-water is not River-water neither is it Sea-water It has differing properties different causalities and different effects It comes not originally from these here below but from the River of God above It comes from his Throne and what a raised contemplation is that to an experienced Believer that has free converse with Christ in the Spirit It comes in his errand with a message from him It is he that sends it Jehovah Christ will come down as Rain that is from out of Heaven The Chambers of these Waters are above whence showers cannot be given down till the LORD open the Heavens The Flood-gates of Heaven are opened when Rain comes down though sometimes these are opened more as they were in Noah's days and as they are when they are longer and greater showrings in a vindictive or chastising way Although ordinarily it do distil in drops which is a wise careful good providence to quench the thirst of every herb and grass yet some Seamen who do take long Voyages do speak that there are seasons when they meet with spouts of water which do much endanger great Ships The small and the great Rain are both of them Jehovah's strength He puts forth his Almighty power in this creature His own arm is here made bare This is one of those marvellous things he doth which we cannot so fully comprehend If any carping Reader be secretly framing an exception or objection against this discovery from one or two mis-understood Scriptures in our English Translation he should consider that there is a sweet harmony and good agreement in the whole Scripture thou must so interpret one Scripture as that it may not clash with the rest what doth seem obscure in one or two places must receive light from the many others which are clear upon a deep research into this matter I find a pleasant concord And therefore this question has been propounded not to minister occasion to any quarelsome objector or angry contender or wrangling opposer For men of such Spirits and Frames are not promoters of useful Sciences nor advancers of profitable learning but to put such as are of humble inquiring Spirits upon further searchings after the mind of Christ about these sort of knowledges The Rain hath no created natural Father Aelohim and he alone is the Father of it These water-courses are from above from on high The waters are poured from the same place that the holy Spirit is that is from the Throne above For thus these waters do set out the gifts and graces of that good
all these suited to his particular constitution This would make him observe in experience what food is hurtful and what is healthful for him This doth put an healthful soundness in saving Faith in wholesome Doctrine in a renewed mind The pardon of Sin is set out by its having an healing Virtue in it upon the pardoned The LORD Jesus Christ hath born the diseases of his people and there is a spiritual skill in laying of these upon him so as to draw healing Virtue from his humane glorified Body when quickned by the Spirit by a touch of Faith Ungoverned passions are Distempers and Diseases which the holy Spirit and Graces from him acted aright either doth prevent or remedy How many are those precious promises in which the LORD hath ingaged himself unto his dutiful Children that walk orderly in his Family and are always found doing of that which is well-pleasing unto him all which are to be pleaded with him by a Spirit of Faith with the Prayer of Faith in the Word of Faith as the Case doth call for and as the Matter doth require as otherwise sicknesses and diseases are threatned against the unperswadable How often in the Scriptures doth the cure of Diseases follow upon the remission of sins with which it is joyned Many Examples it doth afford us of this Converting Grace doth dispossess Satan who through the sufferance of God hath inflicted doth and still can inflict Diseases Hence infirmity or sickness has somewhat of his Name as a spirit of infirmity Intemperance Gluttony and Drunkenness do cause multitudes of Distempers which would not be did Grace exercised keep within due bounds of Moderate Sobriety The Spirit Soul and Body in man have a mutual influence upon each other and it is often well or ill with the one as it is well or ill with the other Physicians many times cannot heal because Jehovah is not sought unto Patients now and then do suffer much from them and do waste their substance to little or no good effect so that they are Physisicians of no value A wise Comforter is called a Physician in the Word of God there is an healing Virtue going along with his savoury seasonable suitable counsel A deliverer has the same name when Jehovah doth save his hands are said to heal his saved Ones do know and injoy the meaning of this healed ones are counselled in order to the continuance and further enjoyment of their health to avoid sin for time to come A thankful frame is preservative of health when all the glory of a cure is given unto Jehovah and when the end of a Cure is attained by a return with thankfulness and diligence to the function of our Office in our Place and in our Calling an eye of Faith towards Christ has been found to be actually healing Thus also sweet sensible satisfying Communion with God is of a nourishing Virtue and of an healing efficacy Spiritual Senses have Spiritual Objects suited and Heart Senses have Heart Objects fitted and outward Senses have outward Objects prepared The New Creature hence has its way of inward reviving and restoring The Spirit and Soul sees hears smells tasteth and the sensitive part has its congruous refreshments and all these have a tendency to Health This was Job's Food and Physick And O how sweet were these to the Psalmists pallat This Word of God has a purging curing efficacy so also has the Grace of God How healing are his comfortings to an wounded spirit and to a broken heart The Ministery of good Angels is sometimes used both in inflicting of Diseases and of Death as also in curing of Distempers It is a great sin in case of sickness to consult Dunghil-idols and not the God of Israel for cure and for health National sins do give Names to natural Diseases As the Botch of Egypt There is a Talio sometimes in some Diseases carrying along with them the resemblance of the provoking deserving cause of them the whole body sinning may be struck all over or some one particular member may be more smitten and pained when it is more in trespass Some Diseases are ineurable by any Medicinal Art until there be repenting and returning No Disease is so deadly but that Aelohim can cure it if he will prove his Skill and put forth his Power Healing would be a gift in the Churches of Christ were Churches more rightly constituted more regularly gathered and more orderly walking The perturbations and passions of the Heart are Morbifickcauses hurtful to the Body as well as to the Soul by operating causality When joy doth exceed the Heart forgets its Limits and leaps beyond its bounds and so loosneth it self that the spirits too frolickly fly out whereupon weakning fainting swooning and sickning do ensue Whereas joy moderated doth revive the heart chear the spirit quicken the body and comfort the whole man Over-sadness and undisciplin'd fear doth oppress the Heart and streighten the Spirit and imprison the Soul and weaken the whole Man so cooling natural heat and so freezing the radical moisture that the Limbs will tremble and the Heart palpitate the Appetite doth flat the Digestion is disturbed the the Distribution impeded kindly Motion is hindred distant Members are chilled and the whole man is distempered The flesh is dryed the strength is broken the Senses are weakned the Mind is darkned the Imagination is clouded and frighted the Blood is congealed and the Spirits are stupified It has many sickning affects upon the whole man Saving and sanctifying Graces and holy heavenly frames have a Specifick Remedy against distempered Passions I often find the sick Psalmist thus fetching in a timely cure A large Treatise might profitably be published upon this Subject It would be an Honour put upon the Learned in the Medicinal Knowledge if their Profession and Practice might no longer be only a conjectural Art a probable Doctrine of vain Philosophy but now at length an ascertaining Science of Scripture Verity For a further Advance and Augment of useful Science let it be inquired from the fourth Days Work Q. Whether the Celestial Phaenomena of the glorious Luminaries can ever be reduced to any certain satisfactory Art or improved into an advanced restaured Science by vain Philosophy Or must this be attained only by Scripture-Discovery in its pursued Light and followed Directions A. VAin Philosophy can never teach it it is only learn'd in the Scripture School Precious time will be prodigally wasted in fruitless Disquisitions whilst vain affecters of Humane Wisdom are our Teachers who would Dogmatize over us and impose their peremptory assertions upon the easie credulity of their hood-winck'd Disciples who have no wings to fore high enough for a confutation of their New Worlds in the Moon and in other Luminaries by a close ocular Demonstration to the contrary And thus they are hardened into a confidence of their
Whether one sick may live or die what their Disease is and when recover Oh what bold daring attempts are these thus to intrude into the hidden Secrets of the Soveraign LORD Magnonem and Megnonenim were Planetaries such as by the contemplation of the Planets professed that they could know and foretel future things The Israelites were not to tolerate such from hence came in the idolatrous worshipping of the Planets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Jugler a deluder of the eye-sight Cosheph by a transposition of the Letters is Auspex Auspicium a Sooth-sayer Sooth-saying and hence by conversion of the radical Letters is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fascino fascinum to transform or disfigure figure by Enchantment to Bewitch These do exercise Jugling and by Magick Arts they do mischievous acts changing somewhat natural to the beholding of the eye that it may appear somewhat else than it is Cocceius on this word doth confidently affirm that without doubt by these were noted the Prophets of Devils amongst the Heathen boasting of society and instinct or such as under the name of Natural Science did exercise diabolical Arts Exorcists Witches devilish Artizers They are expresly condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one who doth prophesie and tell things to come by a devilish spirit that is in him swelling with it like a bottle when he uttereth his Oracles one that has an evil spirit speaking inwardly from his Belly Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Serpent the Devil speaking in the Serpent so it was in his tempting of Eve this is a kind of Divination or a sort of Magick Art when a man had an evil spirit in him giving forth answers whom some did worship as their God when the Devil out of a swollen big Belly gave forth answers to those who asked him concerning some past present or future things These Magicians or Witches being possessed by an evil unclean spirit spake his Oracles with an hollow voice as out of a Bottle sometimes in Statues othertimes in Caverns Dens or hollow places of the Earth and in the swollen bellies of men or in the joynts or armholes or armpits making the Devil to come up out of the Sepulchres of the dead or some underground place This is condemned in Scripture the Hebrew Pethen is Python Asp a kind of a very venemous Serpent which cannot be perswaded by Inchantment Those Monthly Prognosticators spoken somewhat of and against before do very much impose upon the credulity of the ignorant and superstitious such are the foretelling Almanakers The word Almanack in Low Dutch is said as it were Al-maen-acks that is a consideration or observation of all the Moons of an whole year or according to the opinion nf some others is said to signifie in the Arabick Chaldean and Hebrew Tongues a Number or Numeration Joseph Scaliger affirmeth that the Arabians called a Calendar so adding their Article Al for some are perswaded that it is not a mere Arabian word but only received into custom with the Arabians Calendries though Nicholas Fuller doth apprehend it to be more ancient from the Egyptians who were famous for Astrology The Roman Senators and Nobles were so bewitched by these Astrological devices that they would scarce do a common action without scrupulously consulting their Ephemeris about the Signs Planets and Stars and the Christian Emperours ran into the same guilt who would not attempt any change without first asking counsel of the Stars in their publick and private affairs resorting to the luminary Tables of Astrologers The Judiciary Astrology or Divination by Stars hath so far extended its prognosticating black Art as that it undertakes to determine not only probably but also certainly every man's Lot Portion Fortune as they Paganishly speak issues events and ends whereas there are no true necessary causes of these to be found in the Stars so that implicitely at least the practitioners therein do oblige themselves to the Devil and daringly fight against plain prohibions in Scripture How can they answer that expostulation of Jehovah with Job knowest thou the Ordinances of Heaven Canst thou dispose the Dominion thereof in the Earth These Artists do not know the certain moment of a man's Nativity at so great a distance of years when they were not present at it the arising of the Signs has a Latitude and a small difference in time they themselves do acknowledge doth make a great difference and some Astronomers do affirm that the same Aspect of Stars hath scarce returned from the beginning of this World Astrologers are yet at an uncertainty among themselves how the Houses are to be divided how far their influencing forces do reach and what Signs they should use How great a variety is there amongst them about the diffance of Planets between themselves with much more that might be added though Gaffarellus hath feigned an Hebrew Alphabet in the Coelestial Figures and that the putting of Letters together gives a certain meaning Thus the Devil abuseth them to whom as to a Doctor and Interpreter Judiciary Astrologers do apply themselves This consulting with such Diviners is very pernicious both in respect of its Original which is wicked as also of the event which doth often torment and vex men before the time for if evil be foretold shall befal a man the fears of it do sadden the spirit and make him miserable before the evil actually come and if it be some good that is promised the frustrating vain disappointing expectation thereof doth so bind up their deceived imagination that it leaves them in a sluggish distemper and they do not make out after better things and however what is so foretold doth sometimes come to pass yet it should be remembred that often times they miss Divers by the perspicacity of their Nature and by long experience may conjecture many things which they would have their disciples to ascribe to Stars Planets and Signs and the force of imagination is such that those who ask counsel of Astrologers do sometimes fall into the evil they fear and sometimes attain the good they pursue Sometimes the LORD in just judgement doth suffer Satan to inflict such evils as he foretold should come to pass Sometimes it is merely providential as to God and wholly conjectural as to men Thus some young men feigned themselves to be Mathematicians and they conjectured and foretold what was true and came to pass ◠and if they sometimes so fall out to be as is divined such consultings therefore are the more to be avoided for where there is neither institution in Scripture nor causality in Nature there is the greater suspicion of some latent diabolical fraud The Pythoniss in the Acts was a true Witness in that particular yet was she possessed with a spirit of divination Society and compacts with Devils both explicit and implicit are very formidable and altogether to be abhorred Consulting with such evil spirits is full of dangerous curiosity of tormenting
solicitude and of deadly slavery To consult the Devils Oracles in doubtful cases is Apostacy from and denying of the true God and to resort for divining unto one that hath a Familiar is a seeking to and a worshipping of the Devil So is Sorcery and Necromancy where the Devil is sought unto in the form of some dead man the Devil appeared in the likeness of Samuel it was not the true Samuel but mere illusion of Satan for God had refused to answer Saul by Prophets such as Samuel was Saul is said to have died for his Transgression principally in that he sought and asked counsel of a familiar spirit Sooth-saying by the flying and noise of Birds is also condemned usually the care of persons in this case is to avoid the seeing or the hearing of such kind of ominous signs which would signifie nothing as to good or evil in themselves in this matter were it not for the consent of the observer they have no force efficacy or operativeness at all this way were it not for the superstitious conceits of the mind when it is diligently bended and intentively turned to them whereby divers things do befal divers men according to the diversity of their thoughts and imaginations Of the like Nature is divination by looking into the entrails of Beasts so did the King of Babel who consulted with Idols and looked into the Liver so is star-gazing charms mumbling of words for such an end casting of Figures for this purpose and the like There should not be any found among us that useth witchcraft or is a regarder of times or a marker of the flying of Fowls or a Sorcerer or a Charmer or that consulteth with Spirits or a Sooth-sayer or that asketh counsel of the dead To a seeking unto these the holy Spirit doth oppose a Prophet as the only lawful Minister of God to know his Will by To ascribe such a special foreknowledge or foretellingness indicated by the positure of Stars which might rule over the consciences and wills of voluntary Agents is contrary to that Soveraign Authority which the LORD doth exercise over the wills of men bowing and bending moving and directing them which way he pleaseth and therefore such a power is not to be arrogated by any mere Creatures Angels themselves whether good or bad have not such an innate Light in them as of themselves to know future particular contingents before hand neither can the intellect of man so foreknow Astrologers therefore not having their pretended prescience and prognosticating skill either by Divine Revelation or by Natural Causalities they have it by diabolical suggestion That knowledge of determinate future things which any really have by Divine Revelation is Prophesie and not Divination Such prying curiosity as has neither Scripture or Nature to bottom upon is experienced and bewrayed to be the common disease of the vain itching mind of fallen unquiet man from hence has sprung this troublesome question about Judiciary Astrologers who would bind men to fatal Stars as if the body of man were composed and fashioned according to the twelve Signs of Heaven as if the Moon had dominion in man's body under the twelve Zodiacal Constellations placing Aries in the Head and Face Taurus in the Neck and Throat Gemini in the Arms and Shoulders and from thence running through the other Signs into the other parts of the body even to the very soles of the Feet which they ascribe to Pisces Did the Authority of Christ and of his Word take more sensible hold of mens hearts they would tremble more and not dare to adventure upon those prohibited evils which the LORD hath so dreadfully threatned with such sore judgements that the soul which turneth it self unto Diviners and Prognosticators shall be cut off from the midst of his people Man or Woman when there is in them a familiar Spirit or that is a Wizard they shall be surely put to death they shall stone them with stones their bloods shall be upon them their death shall be upon their own head their own sin is the just cause of it and the Statute Law of England doth make many of those practices to be Felony which yet are commonly used in this Nation In the day when the LORD will honour himself by reviving of his Judicial Laws and by raising up of such as Josiah was a None-such for reformation in this kind to put those Laws in due execution when these evils are espied out one such Example in such an age of speculative and practical Atheism and Infidelity may be a more forcible argument with some than ten Scriptural reasons now are The certain knowledge of future particular contingents is that by which the true God is differenced distinguished from Idols The LORD doth nippingly touch and sharply check the vanity of this Art and the cheatingness of its Arrists and the ignorance and credulity of those who do yield themselves to be deluded thereby He doth sttaitly charge and sorely threaten such confident boasters of their Astrological skill In the Apostles time when the Doctrine of the Gospel did more obtain and prevail these black Arts were condemned and the Books that treated of them were burnt Those kind of evil practitioners are described by a Syriack word and so is the word in Chaldee and Samaritan too which doth designate and denote not only such Magicians as are plainly and evidently given to diabolical arts but also to such arts of Inchantment of Jugling deceiving by slight conveyance deluding the eye-sight with Legerdemain such curious illusory Arts which though to the ignorant and vulgar may seem to be otherwise yet really are wicked Artifices such are the feigned devices of Planetaries and Casters of Nativities and the Constitutions of some of the Christian Emperours have ordered that such Books of such Astrologers should be burned A large Volume might be quickly written on this subject matter but if the Word of the LORD be not submitted unto Who am I that I should think to silence these Adversaries by the force of my reasoning with them I therefore leave it with the LORD to plead his own cause in his own way in his own time If I have Instanced in some evil Arts which the Reader may apprehend do not so properly belong to Judiciary Astrology let him consider that this black Art doth spread it self wide and far and besides when I was upon this I was willing to bring in my Testimony against all that evil which sought for some protection from Judiciary Astrology and had some ways a Relation to it I now proceed to the Scripture discovery The Darkness Evening and Night were divided more generally before as to Time Place and Nature from the Light Morning and Day in their created Beings and successive courses and now they were further specially distinguished and pointed out by the Heavenly Luminaries Time was not first measured by the Sun for there was
this Soveraign LORD doth bottom upon a general belief of his Truthfulness So also are particular Acts of this Subjection where they are distinct and clear built upon some particular Belief of that Truthfulness as this veracity and goodness of Word Revelations do include and teach direct and hold forth The more we recover and are restored to those endowments which were concreated principles in Adam the more shall we discern and acknowledge the exactest obedience to be the highest equity and the best dutifulness to be the rightest reason Whether Adam's Faith whilst he continued and stood in his uprightness had or could have any eye to a Messiah for the rendring of his obediential Acts acceptable to Aelohim is one of those deep things which it may be even the most learned among Believers are not yet gone to the bottom of However this be the discovery here doth evidence the vanity insufficiency and unprofitableness of Ethnick Philosophy which doth run so many of its empty notions into unpractical Theories Whereas Word-Revelations in the most mysterious of its credibles is influential upon obedience and doth pass into Active doingness Which the Philosophick Schemes of Ethnick Systems have been are and will be defective in There is another Hebrew Word describing the Law of Jehovah taken from a root which doth signifie he took or he did receive and its proper meaning is Doctrine Perception Reception Discipline or a Law received which the Disciples of the Messiah sitting at his Feet do receive from him teaching them thier duty in his own words Let this be further improved by the diligent and discerning The fruitful propagating of Mankind by conjugal generation is still a fruit and effect of this first blessing from Aelohim upon Adam Holy Marriage being the lawful conjunction of one Man and of one Woman into one Flesh that there may be a seed of Aelohim was instituted by Christ himself This World was created much for the good and for the use of Man the lower Earth and Seas whereof are more subjected to him especially for the good of the chosen and believing That Royal Dominion by large free grant from Aelohim which Adam had by gracious Donation was over the whole Earth Jehovah hath given this Earth unto Adam and unto Adam's Sons Adam as an invited called guest found suitable provision prepared for him Amongst the rest he had Herbs seeding seed and Fruit-trees which did direct him and it doth still direct us in our choice of this kind of Food For there was a third sort of somewhat different kind created on the third day a sort of green buddings not so growing by sowing their seed or by Planting which is more properly the Food of other Animals This should be well considered that Man may well understand his Grant and may discern what is fit food for him of the Creatures made on the third day as well as those made on the fifth day For even living creatures mentioned before whether they were appointed not also to be Meat for Man many of them so they were need in a Scriptural orderly way their lives and bloods being first regularly taken from them and so prepared for meet Aliment as well as Herbs and fruit so that both these are to be taken into this grant of Food some Animals being naturally in their created essence clean wholsom Food as others are naturally in their created being unclean unwholsom food though otherwise useful for the good of Man yet not proper nutriment for him This also doth call for further search after it in the Scriptures As Aelohim would 〈◊〉 have Mankind propagated so also he would have individuals of that kind to be conserved For which end he appointed unto Adam suitable sustenance and well-agreeing nourishment Which singular Providence and special goodness of his is thankfully to be acknowledged and duly to be considered Seeing that they are not these creatures only that Man liveth by but by every word proceeding out of Aelohim's mouth His Word of power giving forth a command to such creatures to be nourishing unto the Religious Rational creature and his Word of promise speaking this Covenant blessing over the hearts of the believing ones And therefore before our Meals we should seek him in the Word and Prayer to bless and sanctifie his good creatures to our use And after our Meals we should close with Thanksgiving unto this God of Bounty to the Father who has freely given us their use to the Son who has dearly purchased this and to the Holy Spirit who sealingly applyeth this When Aelohim took a view of all that which he had made on this sixth day made adornedly really to exist as preparedly perfected he beheld it as good greatly abundantly vehemently validly good The Universal particle All seems here to be put for the number not of multitude of kinds so as to comprehend all and every of the several sorts of Creatures but of Unity relating to that one special eminent kind of Creature Adam all which in the singular Number as appears by the Adjective of the Singular Number good This being in the Singular Number not Plural Number There was much said and done on this sixth day yet all this Universal is restrained to Adam that excelling one of Creatures Who of us knows the all of that which was created in and con-created with Adam There is a great deficiency amongst us in this Science about Man So little do we understand of our selves Neither are we likely to grow any thing considerably in this knowledge of our selves as to our make either our first created-make or a new created-make as long as there is a reforting to vain Philosophy and its Ethnick Schoolmasters to be taught the knowledge thereof Although the Doctrine of Adam of Man as Man have but one peice and part of the created Works of Aelohim for its subject-matter Man being the product of the sixth day only and so as to days but one part and work of six a small portion of whole created Nature Yet this Man Science this Anthropological Art or the knowledge of a Man's self is one of the great designs of all other useful knowledge they do much aim at this and they have a tendency towards the promoting of this and without this how can other Sciences receive an advance by Man How is he in an hopeful way of improving of other sort of Learning who has not as yet attained to any considerable growth in the knowledge of himself The more we know of our selves the more shall we know of Jehovah Aelohim and of his Word and Works and then will these have reflexive Influence upon that for the more that we know of these the more shall we know of our selves And therefore let not the Reader misjudge this to be a subject too low for a Minister of Christ to treat of For we are commanded and required to examine our own
according to those Scriptures Let the principle be admitted and pursued and then much more would be discovered As for the conservation of health the Learned in the Medicinal Art should search the Scriptures about the use of some and about the forbearing of other creatures for Food about the kinds of bodily exercises about the choice of Aromaticks of Spices of Olys of Wines and many more about the Regiment of passions and of affections with more directions that might be given Such as the actings of suitable graces the enjoying of proper comforts the improving of Holy Fellowship with Jehovah in Father Son and Holy Spirit and more might be added if advice from so mean a one be received in the Colledge of Physitians There is a further part of the Medicinal Art which doth respect the prolongation of days and the lengthning along of Life of which there is much in the Scriptures both by way of direction and of promise He that will industriously seek out where and how often in the Word that expression of length of days or prolongation of days or long of days and such like phrases that do set out this is used and will wisely observe to whom and in what way this is covenanted may find much to this purpose and end Then how should we be under Christ beholden unto such wise and faithful Physicians as would direct their patients for a cure to word prescriptions where we might pursue and follow their counsels in obedience and saith expecting Aelohim's blessing thereunto and therefore for the augment and advancement of this kind of Learning let it be yet farther inquired by men skilful in the Original and acquainted with the Giver of his Word how that knowledge may be perfected by a Scripture-discovery which doth respect the body of Man For hereby many other useful Arts would receive a great increase as the Art of Medicine for the prolongâ—ng of the days of man and for continuing on of his life in the conserving of his health and in the preventing or curing of Diseases the Art of Chirurgery the Art of the Apothecary and Compounder the Art of Opticks and Perspectives the Art of Sounds the Art of Gust the art of Odors the art of Tangibles to mention no more which a discerning eye may look somewhat deep into at the very naming of them Let a more narrow research also be made into the Soul of man Its Essence and Nature Its Substance and Operations Its Offices and Products How great its specifick difference from the Soul of Beasts Let the Spirit of Man be more studied in the Word of Truth What its proper Existence is what its specifick Difference what its Faculties what the Objects of those Faculties wherein differenced from the Soul whether separable from the Soul for some time yet so as the Body still lives what its work is what are the peculiat seats in Man for all the Faculties of the Soul and Spirit How many those Faculties are what their Original what their connaturalness what all the inward parts of Man are what their league of amity and friendly commerce is one with another and all together with the whole compositum and a multitude of other rare parts of this great Knowledge I wait if the LORD give me to live to see this glorious design to be received promoted and improved by others If so I expect that he will give men an heart willing to contribute what this way may be judged useful by such abler undertakers who would severally labour in a distinct handling of some particular Art and Science O how rare is the skill how choice the Priviledge so to improve this part of Experimental Christianity as even here to pass more into growing beginnings of that blessed State of the heavenly Glory by a more holy and healthful transforming likeness to the Humane Nature of Christ in Spirit in Soul and in Body In every one of these to feel a suitable conformity in Holiness unto Christ as our great Exempar It is a great thing to believe aright that the Humane Nature of Christ is then and not till then actually profiting when quickened by the Spirit making Christ's Words to be Spirit and Life How great an Honour hâ—th he put upon Man and how highly hath he advanced the Nature of Man who has laid hold on the Seed of Abraham and taken that to his Godhead He is one in Nature as to his Humanity with Believers he has had experience of all the Cases of Believers sin only excepted There is that in him that is suited to all the parts of Believers in his Spirit in his Soul in his Body in his Nature in his Life for their Regeneration Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification Redemption Acceptation Strength Joy Comfort and every other Good and his Humane Nature is a fitted Instrument of conveyance of this spiritual suitable good to Believers when so quickned by the Spirit There was a proper a peculiar Testimony given by the Creator to the Work of the sixth day a special owning and commendation of that excelling Master-piece Adam Therefore there is a significant word added to Good here whereby is set out the singular Good of this Part of the Creation If this particular approbation were given to all the Works of the Creation in common to all the six days put together then the formation of Man will want its distinguishing Honour and its signal Remark This special note of singular observation here doth affirm and confirm it as spoken of that which is well known and evidently manifest As in all the Creatures both singly and apart collected and put together there was an excellency of Perfection in them according to the capacity of their Natures and for the usefulness of their ends so more particularly and especially in man There is an emphatick Note of Demonstration prefix'd to this Sixth day pointing out the Work of that Sixth day to be somewhat more remarkable and that the adored Almighties had perfected all his Works which he propounded and purposed to create in the foregoing six days of this one Week of the created World It doth shew a thing known and signally illustrious and commendable and that that day only was the sixth day in the weekly Revolution and no other day of the Week And that the weekly Sabbath must be reckoned in order of created Time the immediately next succeeding day after that sixth which weekly Sabbath day was when created the seventh the last day of the week that and no other day of the same week which note of demonstration is remarkable in other Scriptures to point out the certian weekly Sabbath-day in all the following Weeks of the World in the successive courses of Weeks even the seventh which is the last for there is but only one seventh day in one Week progressively going on in the due order and according to the established Law of the Creation All the Creatures were not made
the inner part of experimental Christianity And how may a Believer be led into it and abide there Q. Whether is there not something in the cases of an experienced Believer which doth more or less directly answer to all the cases all the World over And if so how may this be improved Q. How may a Believer rightly distinguish and wisely difference between the motions of the holy Spirit the impulse of his own spirit and the suggestions of the evil spirit Q. What is the right method of mutual Espousing and Covenanting between Christ and the Believer Q. What is the holy Art and the Skill of Believers through submission to and contentful acquiescence in the Soveraign Will of our LORD when the Believer is much oppressed by a body of Death and by indwelling sin and is held somewhat short under greatly inlarged desires and very importunate endeavours after abounding measures of excelling Graces and after eminent serviceableness and after the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Q. Whether that Wisdom Righteousness and Sanctification which the LORD Jesus Christ is made of God unto Believers be not specially specifick and of a distinct kind from that which was concreated with and in the first Adam and from what is but the common work of the Spirit of Grace now And how may this be improved Concerning saving-Grace and the sound evidences thereof Q. HOw may it be yet further cleared and proved that saving and sanctifying Grace in believing Christians doth specifically differ from the common vertues of the civilized Heathen And how is this to be improved Q. What is the spiritual Science of putting of saving Graces upon contributing of mutual help to each other And how doth this call for all diligence to be brought over unto it And what is the distinct Office and the proper Work of every such grace in a Believer What is the manner of their Influence upon each other What their Order Goverment and Discipline Q. How should Graces wisely and suitably act towards Christ and towards the Word of Christ Q. Whether is it not enough for the clear sound evidencing of an holy State of saving and of sanctifying Grace that we love nothing in preference in predominancy before Christ or in equality with Christ unless also we love not any Creature at all inordinately though inferiourly as to any the least competition with Christ So that there must be a loving of the LORD with our whole Mind our whole Soul our whole Heart our whole Strength and so too that he may not only have all our Love our Loves but we must also hate whatsoever else it be that would take off or hinder our through Discipleship to Christ Q. Whether to chuse God alone for our God above all and to chuse Christ for our only LORD and Saviour which are very great and largely comprehensive Truths Duties and Acts have all other evidences of Grace resolved only into them seeing that they both are properly but a part of one even the first of the ten Words Q. Whether is there any other general comprehensive sound satisfying evidence of Grace but only an universal holy growing conformity in Knowledge and Obedience in all things for more continuedness to an whole Christ and to the whole VVord of Christ Q. VVhen is Grace in its exaltation and triumph And how should a Believer get it up to this high pitch and there keep it use it and advance it Q. How may and ought a Believer still to grow up into Grace here as the glorified Saints are above who are perfected into Grace And will there be every Grace in Heaven someways acted and exercised And what is that obedience which will be to every one of the ten Words in Heaven Concerning Heaven and its Glory Q. HOw may a Believer on Earth converse in his Spirit in Heaven with the glorious inhabitants there as if he were actually there Q. How may a Believer be in a continued readiness and preparedness for Death and for Judgement and for the coming of Christ And how is he as to his Spirit and Soul to be directed in his passage into the other World after that these do depart from out of the Body Q. How hath a Believer eternal Life now in this life actually in possession And how may he and ought he to improve this Q. How may a Believer through Grace and Mercy so work up his spirit soul and body here into that transformation unto more of an holy healthful likeness of the Spirit and Soul of glorified Ones and as the Body will be at the last Resurrection and as the Spirit Soul and Body of Christ is Q. How may the purer Churches of Christ on Earth walk in that order here as the glorious Church in Heaven doth Q. How may a Sabbath be so kept on Earth as the Sabbatism is in Heaven Concerning such Scripture-Principles which if admitted and improved might have a direct tendency towards the healing and uniting of the broken and divided Churches and People of God Q. VVHether LORD Jesus Christ be not one and the same and the only Head of Peace and of Purity Q. Whether the holy Scriptures of Truth be not one and the same and the only Rule of Peace and of Purity Q. Whether the Christian Religion for sum and for substance be not one and the same both under the Old and New Testament administrations of Grace the Difference only in the manner of dispensing being duly observed Q. Whether should not the whole Scripture be brought as profitable for Doctrine for convincing Reproof for Correction for Instruction Q. Whether the Law of the Ten Words be not a standing unalterable Rule of Faith Worship and Life commanding all good forbidding all evil under the several dispensations of Grace Q. Whether the Analogy of Faith under the New Testament must not have somewhat proportionably answering to it out of the Old And must not all and every of the Types under the old pass into the Anti-types in the New Q. Whether perfecting work be to be asserted promoted and practised especially as to those six Principles Heb. 6. 1 2 and particularly as to the perfecting of Baptism in grown Believers Q. Whether the purer Churches of the later days should conform to the Prophetical Pattern shewn to Ezekiel and to Christs Directory in his Epistles sent to the seven Churches of Asia revealed to John as that which will make way for the fulfilling of other Prophesies and Promises Q. Whether Christ always had now have and still will have a Church and People somewhere or other in this World on Earth Q. Whether there be not different ages degrees forms sizes in the same state of saving Knowledge sanctifying Grace and holy Experience And whether therefore those who are in this holy State must not be received though they be not as yet come up to the height of others Q. Whether it be enough barely to be a true Church Or should we not work
their spirits are tender Truly-logical-Art is that which is really word-Art not a Disputative Knowledge or Syllogistical form of mens inventing generous Spirits those that are indeed such will conform their Reason to Faith and their Faith to Spirit-inspired Revelation This word-Declaration and written-discovery is perfect in its self and perfective in those who grow in it here the noble excellencies of rational Souls may be advanced to somewhat of their highest dignity in their utmost capacities here are the full Originals and the over-flowing Springs of useful Knowledge here the believing Trader with his spiritual Talents may increase his stock of sanctified Learning somewhat near in its approaching step to one of the Royal Priviledges of the Heavenly Glory which is unmixed clearness and perfect cooâ—mmateness of all profitable Sciences Philosophical Notions are idle stories and when they pass into vain janglings they are frothy talk and unâ—dâ—â—ying chat they fill the fancy with dreaming speculations and make the mind sick and weak whereas the Scriptures do afford such a kind of Learning as is sound and healthful in its own innate constitution and in its causal efficiencies here the intentive Reader is still held in a continued dependency on a spiritual Teacher of those necessary Lessons which are never well learn'd but in Christ's School and where he may get great skill with little cost in a short while This would make skilful Practitioners in ordinary Affairs and in the common Matters and Actions of Life which Philosophers do miscount to be beneath souly rationalists Students in Christianity when throughly seasoned with the in-working-knowledge of Holy Precepts and of practical Truths are more awed into an observance of what is taught in Scriptures Pew they are instructed in Duties and informed in Manners whilst they inquire into Arts and pursue Sciences Where the savingness of knowledge is suck'd in betimes all growing discoveries if they work kindly are improved towards the firm securing of a never-ending-felicity Faith and Fear and Love and other Graces as they widen the Understanding and compose the Mind and fix the Heart still to be taking of more so they also refine the Spirit and reform the Life The Eyes of the wisest men in the World can never see themselves truly represented so as that the direct beams may have a right incidence but in the Glass of God's Word and he is not as yet in a preparedness to take in other Learning who has not hitherto attained to the true knowledge of himself A growing Artfulness in Scripture-Science will commend it self where it is in any though the commender of this unto such court not their applause but seek their profit though I be forgotten who write this yet Christ and his Word will still have a living name in such for all Treasures of Learning there being here full instruction for all necessary Employments and complete Subsidaries for all practical Conversation Let not the judicious ingenuous Reader expect from me a System of Sciences or Platform of Arts with their proper Rules and Methods To handle these throughly in an exact tractate is too great and long a task for my little parts and short day it were an undertaking worthy of some Christian King to imploy the learnedest and holiest of mankind about that either love or promotion could procure or kindness or reward ingage or helps and materials incourage though in some few instances I may a little lead others the way with a Scripture Light in my hand I owed a great duty to the intellectual World of precious Souls and I had no other way to make such a publick payment of it the good of Communion must out balance any private concern of my own he that would consult his own reputation and quiet amongst men in this age would have concealed his apprehensions in such a day when many are so self-seeking and so angrily confident by strengthned preconceptions and fortified prejudices and radicated resolves against any discoveries that might convince and shake them What is done is subjected to Scripture-examination by spiritual discerners When received Opinions have got the Peoples Applause and Leaders Authority and Men's interest in this World he had need bring some clearness of demonstration who would have others to leave their former ways to which they have been so used that they may come into a Scripture-path It would be next to incredible in a mans self to perswade belief in others who are so far gone in prejudice and prepossession were there not a Prophesie and Promise that in the later days they who err in spirit shall know understanding and the murmurers shall learn instruction for the deaf shall hear the words of this Book of the Scriptures of Truth and the Eyes of the Blind shall see passing out of the obscurity and darkness when they will blush to consider how Truth had scarce any door to enter in at what by innate ignorances and attracted wilfulnesses and indulgent weaknesses I arrogate nothing to my self of being a first Inventer of Arts but do refer wholly unto that word which would illustrate and brighten adorn and amplifie Sciences The LORD may therefore have laid me low and left me despicable in the eyes of the reputed Learned that Christ and his Word 〈◊〉 be set the higher Careless neglects have given countenance to such 〈◊〉 errours as now by long prescription would pass into a common uncâ—â—â—ollable Law of Arts and of Sciences like the idle tales and fabulous stories and fictitious narrations which old wives filled our heads withal when we were little Chrildren and a traditionary credulity would still keep alive the memory of them till old age and so would transmit the frame of them to posterity Had I not Jehovah and his Word on my side there were little expectation of any considerable success in ingaging this Scholastick War where so many opposers are all up in arms against me and are so confident of Victory were it not for this the controversie would stare me in the face with so many frighting difficulties that my time about this that little of it which I can be master of to redeem it from the unavoidable intercurrences of other necessary work would scam to be mis-spent and my industry mis-employed and the powers and strength of my mind wasted I had else soon been dis-spirited whilst the chief scope of so many men's aims studies and indeavours is either to defend or execute other mens mistakes or to justifie and commend their own however if hereby the reputation of the Scriptures may revive after my death and if the just esteem and the good opinion of God's Word may be built up though on the ruines of my credit for the present I bless that Jehovah who has used me to trust him with hereafters wherein one of the greatest trials of our spirit and frame is and if this only means of improving so fertil a ground of knowledges be dislik'd
and rejected by this Generation the springing Race in after-times will rejoyce when they shall reap and gather in use and injoy the good fruit of these honest labours Wordly advancement and a flattered name is the consulted project and the fore-casted contrivement of a low debased mind unbecoming that princely spirit in a Believer which has nobler designs and higher aims If this tractate be not exact yet the subject matter is excelling the Scripture-cause of word-learning is such that he who objecteth against it doth quarrel with the Author of it who wil have a time to make such to know whose word shall stand whether this of him or that of them when it will be manifest in the hearts of such that this design is not the product of a discontented mind or of humoursome censoriosness or of a grave affection or of a splenetick windiness Vulgar Prizers are no just valuers for Scripture-Truth though all be sold for it is never bought too dear and though all the World could be had for it yet would be sold too cheap it is well worth thy dealing for whatever it cost thee Scripture-Learning has an operative influence to correct and rectifie to change and renew to reform and refine hearts and lives to affect the Soul with a due sense of its own noble excellencies and widened capacities that it may be holy and happy wise and prudent for ever to make the conscience feel the weight of present Duty and of future felicity with the kindliest tyes and strongest obligations O how excellent are the Virtues how efficacious the Powers that do flow from hence The Patrons of this Book are Christ and his Word Truth and Good Reason and Religion Scripture and Nature Spreading untruths have gotten a name of Antiquity and Reputation and popular Opinion has kept up their credit and still it doth them reverence but they are all falling before the Scriptures of Truth for rather than fail the Christian verities and the rare knowledges contained in them shall be yet further confirmed by such Miracles as are beyond the Powers of Nature and the Arts of Man The seeming impossibility of all profitable Learning in one Book will in time be removed out of the way and off from the thoughts by a sound belief of the infinite wisdom of the Author of it The true uniform voice of holy Scripture and of created Nature is with me and for me though the common votes of the mistaking world cry me down although such ill habits have been acquired through the power and energie and effascination of Philosophy as no ability or skill of man can remove yet Almightiness and All-wisdom can work Students off from it If I publish my own imperfections and proclaim my own ignorances and bewray my own follies yet let not the Reader forget that I am a pleader for the most righteous cause in the judgement of the best Law the evidence is clear for it and the sentence of approbation is already pronounced that the holy Scriptures of Truth are the best the perfect Platform of all useful Scientificks Christ is the Head-Captain of created Hosts and he will triumphingly Conquer his Truth is strong and it shall prevailingly overcome Scripture-knowledge especially in the savingness of its Science and in the Sanctifyingness of its Art doth speak enough for it self within the breast of every spiritual discerner as having an incomparable excellency in it above and beyond all other Skills and Wisdoms in the World I need not urge many arguments to convince those Readers of this great useful Truth who have felt the living power of it upon their renewed hearts for when it came there it brought in its own self evidence and left a sensible demonstration and wrote a sealed Testimonial under its own hand there I have though this also much in my aim to praise it more unto such and to press them to make some higher advance in this best Learning as being a nearer approach unto intuitive perfection in visional Glory and that which raiseth the spiritual Reason and the inlightned Faith of the Saints here below in this Intellectual World into a resemblance of Angelical Wisdom yet I say I have somewhat further in my present design which is to win upon those who are under impetuous temptations and violent assaults to be Atheists and Infidels both speculative and practical by a prevailing insinuating of this astertion if the LORD will say so too that word-Science and Scripture-Art is the Science of Sciences and the Art of Arts every way most and best corresponding to the capacities suited to the cases fitted to the necessities and promoting the felicities of rational Beings so that this discovery has its great usefulness to all even the most knowing and the most holy as for others who may be far gon in this spiritual distemper of scorning of and of scoffing at the asserted sufficiencie and fulness of the Scriptures that which they so much slight and so storm against must be the means of their cure unless they be such as will neither hear their disease nor endure a remedy but are obstinate to all healing prescriptions I take the causes of Atheism amongst many others to be as an afraidness of the convincingness and of the condemningness of the holy Precepts and righteous Judgements declared in the Scriptures and an unbelief of its glorious rewards so also this in particular ignorance of the excellency of Scripture-knowledge and although those who do fall below Religion will also sink beneath Reason too yet I am not altogether without hope but that when Jehovah Aelohim shall make his Word-light to shine forth more in its beautious glory it will allure the eyes and draw the heart inform the judgements and incline the wills of men of intellect to see and to acknowledge to adore and to admire that only wise God who has put so much into so little and has given us a pocket-Book of such absolute fulness The Antichristian party by their paper plots would blow up all belief of the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures as hoping that if they can once prevail with a people to be of no Religion they will then be of their Religion and the Anti-scripturarians have but too many followers in this day who if they be so bold as to assert this imperfection of the Word in the necessary matters of Salvation no marvel if they deny its conprehensiveness as to the other knowable things Arise Jehovah plead thou thine own plea and magnifie thou above All thy Name thy Word all the Kings of the Earth shall confess Thee Jehovah when they hear the words of thy mouth and they shall sing in the ways of Jehovah for great is the Glory of Jehovah In Thee Aelohim thy Saints will praise thy Word and a second and a third time they will praise thy Word this they know that thou and thy word for them Thus have I given thee Reader some accompt of