openeth the womb shall be called Holy unto the Lord Ergo To be the Lord's and to be Holy are Synonyma's Though therefore the Gentiles Court had no sanctity of legal distinction yet had it the sanctity of peculiarity to God-ward and therefore not to be used as a common place The Illation proceeds by way of Conversion My House shall be called the House of Prayer to all Nations or People Ergo The House of Prayer for all Nations is my Father's House And the Emphasis lies in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators were not so well advised of when following Beza too close they render the words thus My House shall be called of all Nations the House of Prayer as if the Dative Case here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were not Acquisitive but as it is sometimes with passive verbs in stead of the Ablative of the Agent for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which sense is clean from the scope and purpose of the place whence it is taken as he that compares them will easily see and I shall make fully to appear in the next part of my Discourse which I tendred by the name of an Observation To wit That this fact of our Saviour more particularly concerns us of the Gentiles than we take notice of Namely we are taught thereby what reverent esteem we ought to have of our Gentile Oratories and Churches howsoever not endued with such legal sanctity in every respect as was the Temple of the Iews yet Houses of Prayer as well as theirs This Observation will be made good by a threefold Consideration First of the Story as I have related it secondly from the Text here alledged for warrant thereof and thirdly from the circumstance of Time For the Story I have shewed it was acted in the Gentiles Court and not in that of the Iews because it is not credible that was thus prophaned It cannot therefore be alledged that this was a place of legal sanctity for according to legal sanctity it was held by the Iews as common only it was the place for the Gentiles to worship the God of Israel in and seems to have been proper to the second Temple the Gentiles in the first worshipping without at the Temple-door in the holy Mountain only Secondly The place alledged to avow the Fact speaks expresly of Gentile-worshippers not in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only but in the whole body of the context Hear the Prophet speak Esay chap. 56. ver 6 7. and then judge The sons of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the Name of the Lord to be his servants every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold of my Covenant namely that I alone shall be his God Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain and make them joyful in my House of Prayer their burnt-offerings and sacrifices accepted upon mine Altar Then follow the words of my Text For my House shall be called that is shall be it is an Hebraism a House of Prayer for all People What is this but a Description of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gentile-worshippers And this place alone makes good all that I have said before viz. That this vindication was of the Gentiles Court Otherwise the allegation of this Scripture had been impertinent for the Gentiles of whom the Prophet speaks worshipped in no place but this Hence also appears to what purpose our Evangelist expressed the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely as that which shewed wherein the force of the accommodation to this occasion lay which the rest of the Evangelists omitted as referring to the place of the Prophet whence it was taken those who heard it being not ignorant of whom the Prophet spake Thirdly the circumstance of Time argues the same thing if we consider that this was done but a few days before our Saviour suffered to wit when he came to his last Passeover How unseasonable had it been to vindicate the violation of Legal and typical sanctity which within so few days after he was utterly to abolish by his Cross unless he had meant thereby to leave his Church a lasting lesson what reverence and respect he would have accounted due to such places as this was which he vindicated DISCOURSE XII S. IOHN 4. 23. But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him THEY are the words of our Blessed Saviour to the Woman of Samaria who perceiving him by his discourse to be a Prophet desired to be resolved by him of that great controverted point between the Iews and Samaritans Whether Mount Garizim by Sichem where the Samaritans sacrificed or Ierusalem were the true place of worship Our Saviour tells her that this Question was not now of much moment For that the hour or time was near at hand when they should neither worship the Father in Mount Garizim nor at Ierusalem But that there was a greater difference between the Iews and them than this of Place namely even about That which was worshipped For ye saith he worship that ye know not but we Iews worship that we know Then follow the words premised But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth It is an abused Text being commonly alledged to prove that God now in the Gospel either requires not or regards not External worship but that of the Spirit only and this to be a characteristical difference between the worship of the Old Testament and the New If at any time we talk of external decency in rites and bodily expressions as sit to be used in the service of God this is the usual Buckler to repel whatsoever may be said in that kind It is true indeed that the worship of the Gospel is much more spiritual than that of the Law But that the worship of the Gospel should be only spiritual and no external worship required therein as the Text according to some meus sense and allegation thereof would imply is repugnant not only to the practice and experience of the Christian Religion in all Ages but also to the express Ordinances of the Gospel it self For what are the Sacraments of the New Testament are they not Rites wherein and wherewith God is served and worshipped The consideration of the holy Eucharist alone will consute this Gloss For is not the commemoration of the Sacrifice of Christ's death upon the Cross unto his Father in the Symbols of Bread and Wine an external worship And yet with this Rite hath the Church in all Ages used to make her solemn address of Prayer and Supplication unto the Divine Majesty as the Iews in the Old Testament did by Sacrifice When I say in all Ages I include also that of the Apostles For so much S. Luke testifieth of that first Christian society
Acts 2. 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They continued in breaking of Bread and in Prayers As for bodily expressions by gestures and postures as standing kneeling bowing and the like our Blessed Saviour himself lift up his sacred eyes to heaven when he prayed for Lazarus fell on his face when he prayed in his agony S. Paul as himself saith bowed his knees to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ He and S. Peter and the rest of the Believers do the like more than once in the Acts of the Apostles What was Imposition of hands but an external gesture in an act of invocation for conferring a blessing and that perhaps sometimes without any vocal expression joyned therewith Besides I cannot conceive any reason why in this point of Evangelical worship Gesture should be more scrupled at than Voice Is not confessing praising praying and glorifying God by Voice an external and bodily worship as well as that of Gesture why should then the one derogate from the worship of the Father in Spirit and Truth and not the other To conclude There was never any society of men in the world that worshipped the Father in such a manner as this interpretation would imply and therefore cannot this be our Saviour's meaning but some other Let us see if we can find out what it is There may be two senses given of these words both of them agreeable to Reason and the analogy of Scripture let us take our choice The one is That to worship God in Spirit and Truth is to worship him not with Types and shadows of things to come as in the Old Testament but according to the verity of the things exhibited in Christ according to that The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. Whence the Mystery of the Gospel is elsewhere by our Saviour in this Evangelist termed Truth as Chap. 17. ver 17. and the Doctrine thereof by S. Paul the word of Truth See Ephes. Chap. 1. ver 13. Rom. 15. 8. The time therefore is now at hand said our Saviour when the true worshippers shall worship the Father no longer with bloudy Sacrifices and the Rites and Ordinances depending thereon but in and according to the verity of that which these Ordinances figured For all these were Types of Christ in whom being now exhibited the true worshippers shall henceforth worship the Father This sense hath good warrant from the state of the Question between the Iews and Samaritans to which our Saviour here makes answer which was not about worship in general but about the kind of worship in special which was confessed by both sides to be tied to one certain place only that is of worship by Sacrifice and the appendages in a word of the Typical worship proper to the first Covenant of which see a description Heb. 9. This Iosephus expresly testifies Lib. 12. Antiq. cap. 1. speaking of the Iews and Samaritans which dwelt together at Alexandria They lived saith he in perpetual discord one with the other whilst each laboured to maintain their Country customs those of Ierusalem affirming their Temple to be the sacred place whither sacrifices were to be sent the Samaritans on the other side contending they ought to be sent to Mount Garizim For otherwise who knows not that both Iews and Samaritans had other places of worship besides either of these namely their Proseucha's and Synagogues wherein they worshipped God not with internal only but external worship though not with Sacrifice which might be offered but in one place only And this also may seem to have been a Type of Christ as well as the rest namely that he was to be that one and only Mediator of the Church in the Temple of whose sacred body we have access unto the Father and in whom he accepts our service and devotions according to that Destroy this Temple and I will rear it up again in three days He spake saith the Text of the Temple of his Body This sense divers of the Ancients hit upon Eusebius Demon. Evang. Lib. 1. Cap. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not by Symbols and Types but as our Saviour saith in Spirit and Truth Not that in the New Testament men should worship God without all external services For the New Testament was to have external and visible services as well as the Old but such as should imply the verity of the promises already exhibited not be Types and shadows of them yet to come We know the Holy Ghost is wont to call the figured Face of the Law the Letter and the Verity thereby signified the Spirit As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Spirit and Truth both together they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but once found in holy Writ to wit only in this place and so no light can be borrowed by comparing of the like expression any where else to expound them Besides nothing hinders but they may be here taken one for the exposition of the other namely that to worship the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with to worship him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But howsoever this exposition be fair and plausible yet methinks the reason which our Saviour gives in the words following should argue another meaning God saith he is a Spirit therefore they that worship him must worship in Spirit and Truth But God was a Spirit from the beginning If therefore for this reason he must be worshipped in Spirit and Truth he was so to be worshipped in the Old Testament as well as in the New Let us therefore seek another meaning For the finding whereof let us take notice that the Samaritans at whom our Saviour here aimeth were the off-spring of those Nations which the King of Assyria placed in the Cities of Samaria when he had carried away the Ten Tribes captive These as we may read in the second Book of the Kings at their first coming thither worshipped not the God of Israel but the gods of the Nations from whence they came wherefore he sent Lions amongst them which slew them Which they apprehending either from the information of some Israelite or otherwise to be because they knew not the worship of the God of the Country they informed the King of Assyria thereof desiring that some of the captiv'd Priests might be sent unto them to teach them the manner and rites of his worship which being accordingly done they thenceforth as the Text tells us worshipped the Lord yet feared their own Gods too and so did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Chrysostome speaks mingle things not to be mingled In this medley they continued about three hundred years till toward the end of the Persian Monarchy At what time it chanced that Manasse brother to Iaddo the High Priest of the returned Iews married the daughter of Sanballat then Governour of Samaria for which being expelled from Ierusalem by Nehemiah he fled to Sanballat his Father in Law and after his
35 Schism the evil and danger of it 876 Scripture The Holy Scripture is not to be kept in an unknown tongue 190. whether the silence of Scripture be an argument sufficient to conclude against matter of fact 840. an account of some Idioms or Forms of speech in Scripture 161 and 347 349 380 285 and 352 Sea what it signifies in the Prophetick style 462 The Sealing of the 144000 in Apocal. 7. what it means 584 Seed of the Woman meant of Christ's person and Christ mystical 236 Serpent why the Devil took this shape 223 289. the Curse was pronounced upon both the Serpent and the Devil 229. what kind of Serpent was accursed 230. how God could in Iustice punish the brute Serpent 229 230 his Curse was To go upon his Breast and not only on his Belly 231 232. as also To feed on dust 233 234. Enmity between Man and the Serpent 234. The Serpents Seed meant of the Devil and wicked men 236. The Serpents Head or Headship is Principatus mortis 237 Set Forms See Prayer Seven eyes of the Lord are the seven Archangels 41 43 Seven Heads of the Beast signifie both 7 Hiâ—s and 7 Successions of different sorts of Governours 524 Seven Seals in Apocal. 6. what is meant thereby 441 917 c. Seven Trumpets See Trumpets Seven Vials See Vials Seventy Weeks See Daniels Weeks Seventy years See Years Shechinah or Gods special presence in a place is where the Angels keep their station 343 c. Sheep set at Christs right hand 841 Shiloh the name of Messiah 34 it signifies a Peace-maker 35 Silence in holy offices was a point of Religion 458 Simeon Metaphrastes his fabulous Legends 682 c. his design therein 683 c. Sin compared in Scripture to an Heavy Burthen in respect of the Weight of Punishment and of Loathsomness 151. the reason of Sins Loathsomness 152. Conformity between the Sin and Punishment in 4 particulars 144. the hainousness of a Sin to be estimated from the hearts election 350. Commission of one Sin makes way for another 135. what it is to forsake Sin 207. Rules to know whether our purpose to forsake Sin be real 152 153 Sin-offering what 287 Sincerity of Heart what it is how it may be known and attain'd 217 218 Sitting at Gods right hand what it signifies 638 639. that it is a priviledge appropriate to Christ. ibid. Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word doth not always in Scripture imply a small number 648 c. Socinian Tenets censured 869 883 Son of man whence Christ is so called 764 788 Spirit sometimes in Scripture signifies Doctrine 626 Spirit and truth See Worship in spirit and truth Spirits Good or Evil how they appear and converse with men 223 224 Spiritual blessings were veiled in Earthly Promises under the Law 249 250 Stealing is either by Force or by Fraud both forbidden in the 8 Commandment 132. See more in Theft Sun Moon and Stars what they are according to the Prophetick style in the Political world 449 450 466 615 Synagogues how they differ'd from Proseucha's 66. their antiquity 839 Synchronisms what 491. their usefulness 431 581 T. TAbernack of meetingâ— so call'd from God's meeting there with men 343. Feast of Tabernacles wherein it was a Figure of Christ 266. how it was neglected to be kept from Iosua's time to Nehemiah's 268. what this Omission may seem to imply 268 Table sometimes in Scripture put for Epulum or the Meat it self 386. Table of the Lord in 1 Cor. 10. why so called 375. the name Table not used in any Ecclesiastical Writer before 200 years after Christ 860. Table and Altar how they differ 389 Holy Table Name and Thing 844 Temple what the Gentiles Notion of a Temple was 335 336. why the primitive Christians for the most part abstain'd from the name Temple 336 337 Temple at Ierusalem it s 3 Courts in our Saviours time 44 45. it was the Third or Gentiles Court that was prophaned by the Iews and vndicated by our Saviour 45 46. This Temple is called in Scripture Gods Throne 438 439 917. In what respects it was a Type of Christ. 48 407 263 Temples of the Heathen why they are said by the ancient Fathers to be nothing else but the Sepulchres of dead men 633 Ten Horns signifie in Dan. and the Apocal. Ten Kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was shivered 661. that they belong to the Seventh or Vppermost Head of the Beast 499 737 Ten Kings See Ten Horns Teraphim what they were and how they answered to Vrim and Thummim 183 Terumah or Heave-offering defined 288 the Terumoth or Heave-offerings were either First-fruits or Tithes or Frâ—e-will-offerings 290 Theft in no case lawful 133. the trial of it in doubtful cases was in the Iewish Polity by the parties Oath Hence Perjury and Theft are forbidden together in Scripture 133 Three Kings whom the Little Horn should depress to advance himself 779 Throne to be taken up to Gods Throne what 494 Thummim See Vrim Thunder See Bath Kol Time Times and half a Time what 497 656 744. Times of the Gentiles 753. Times put for Things done in time 737 Tithes How the question of the due of Tithes is to be stated 120 Tituls why Houses and Churches were so called 5 327 328 Tobit's prophesie of the Iews Captivity and Restauration explain'd 579 Transubstantiation promoted by lying Miracles 688 Trees what they signifie in the Prophetick style 460 Trespass-offering how it differed from the Sin-offering 287 Tribes why the 12 Tribes are in Apocal 7. reckoned in a different order than elsewhere in Scripture 455 c. Tribute See Rent Trumpets Seven Trumpets their meaning 595 Turks why described in Apocal. 9. by the army of Horsemen 473 Twelve why each of the 24 Courses or Quires of Singers in the Temple consisted of Twelve 3 Typical speeches often true in the Type and Antitype 285. when what is attributed to the Type belongs to the thing typified 468 V. VEspers See Even-song Vials Seven Vials their meaning 585 923. the agreement between the 7 Vials and 7 Trumpets 585 Vintage what it means in the Propherick style 521 c. Visions Apocalyptick whether represented in the Seven-sealed Book to be seen or to be read by S. Iohn 787 An Vnrepentant Sinner is an Insidel 153 Vnworthy receiving See Sacraments Vows The 3 Vows common to all Monks viz. Vow of Chastity Poverty and Abstaining from meats the Fourth Vew viz. of Obedience not common to all nor so old 689 Vrim and Thummim what they signifie 183. they were a Divine Oracle ibid. the Matter thereof and the Manner of enquiring thereby 184 185. How Vrim and Thummim did typisie something in Christ. 185 186 W. WAldenses See Albigenses White To walk in white To be clothed with white raiment what meant thereby in the Apocalyps 909 Whore and Whoredom meant according to the Prophetick style of Idolatry 645 646. Whoe of Babylon in Apocal. 17. why this Vision only of all
acknowledgments for such peculiar knowledge of the Mysterious and Prophetick Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use the words of that Hymn in the Alexandrian Liturgy for the Interpretation of Prophecy is a Grace and Favour as well as Prophecy it self Accordingly those two persons one under the Old Testament the other in the New that were favour'd above all others with the discoveries of the greatest Mysteries were such as were peculiarly dear to God Daniel was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and more fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of desires or greatly beloved and Iohn was the Disciple whom Iesus loved so he is styled five times in Scripture that leaned on his breast at Supper and lay in his bosome and to this his bosome-Disciple did our Lord impart the deepest Mysteries of Prophecy as also of Evangelical Truth whence he was worthily styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Divine a Title more fitly applied to him than of old to Orpheus Linus and Musaeus or any the Divinest Writer among either the Philosophers or Poets of the Gentiles III. His serious diligence in the use of such means as were most proper and instrumental to the attaining of that Knowledge he prayed for Where the most seemingly-earnest Prayer is not attended with as earnest Endeavours it is but a lazy insignificant wish and in some a piece of vain Enthusiasm But our Saviours advice is not barely to ask but to seek and such was that of Solomon not only to lift up the voice for Wisdom and Understanding but to seek her as Silver and search for her as for hid Treasures And of these counsels Mr. Mede was a careful observer who failed not to accompany his Prayers with his best Endeavours And as he was not slight and sudden in any thing but proceeded with the greatest care and caution imaginable in any important argument his Thoughts were fixed upon so was he more especially serious and thoughtful in his endeavours to interpret the Apocalyps and any other Prophetical Scriptures a work to which he was peculiarly design'd and fitted by God and moved to it by some interiour invitation and gracious Instinct of his Spirit as the Author himself does somewhere acknowledge in his Epistles where he also looks upon any abilities he had for interpreting such Scriptures as that particular Talent God had intrusted to him to improve to the best advantage in his service and therefore as became a good and faithful Servant desirous to approve himself to his Master in Heaven whatsoever his hand did find to do herein he did it with all his might And that he might wholly give himself to these studies according to that of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and attend upon them without distraction he prudently made choice of his most still and vacant hours wherein he might be most free from the noise and tumult of other cares and distractive but less pertinent business for he would tell his Friends that he could do nothing in these things but in silence and security of not being distracted by company and business S. Iohn received his Apocalyps in his Solitude at Patmos and our Author found those seasons to be the most favourable and advantageous for gaining any abilities to reveal this Apocalyps when he could be most retired and recollected in his Cell or Study where he might gather in and intend all the Powers of his Mind and possess his whole Soul the Soul never acting so strongly as when its whole force is thus united in such Recollections One Instance and a very remarkable one of his great Diligence and Faithfulness in this Work he mentions in a Letter of his to Dr. T. where acquainting him with the leisurely and deliberate progress he made in his Exposition of Apocal. chap. 14. he adds I am by nature cunctabundus in all things but in this let no man blame me if I take more pause than ordinary and he gives this Reason for it Altius enim hoc animo meo insedit saith he That rashly to be the Author of a false interpretation of Scripture is to take Gods name in vain in an high degree Words worthy to be written to use Ieremy's expression with a pen of iron or with the point of a diamond upon the table of the heart in the most legible and lasting characters Words arguing the Authors most serious and pious spirit full of reverence for the Word of God and most sadly to be considered by the over-confident and superficial Expositors of the Divine Oracles and Mysteries Thus much in general The particular Means whereby he attain'd so great an insight and skill in the Apocalyps and other abstruse Prophecies of Scripture were such as these 1. His accurate and judicious comparing of Scripture with Scripture and observing the proper and genuine use of the like Words and Phrases in several passages of Scripture as they are either in the Original Languages or in the ancient Versions thereof especially the Chaldee Greek and Syriack For he found by good experience that some Scriptures do excellently illustrate others where the like Expressions are to be found and consequently that the Word of God is a Lamp unto our feet and a Light unto our path not only as to the guiding of our life and practice but also as to the directing our progress in the safest and clearest method of interpreting it self and that such comparing of places is as needful for our conduct in the more solitary and dark passages of Scripture as that burning Pillar of fire was to the Israelites in their journeying through a wast and desolate Wilderness which God gave them to be both a guide of the unknown journey and an harmless Sun by night as the Author of the Book of Wisdom does elegantly express it in chap. 18. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Particularly he observ'd that the Style of the New Testament doth frequently imitate the Construction and Propriety of the Hebrew in the Old as also the Greek of the LXX and that the use of many Words in the New Testament was not Vulgar but Hellenistical and agreeable to the use and importance of them in the Greek Bible As for example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apocal. 14. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 16. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15. 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 9. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apocal. 13. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9. 5. Several other examples might be mentioned but it is a Truth so generally acknowledged by those that are but competently acquainted with Sacred Philology that it would be a needless task to produce the very many Instances which might be brought in confirmation thereof 2. His exact skill in History and the Customes both of the Iews and other Nations was a singular aid and advantage to him for explaining the obscurer passages in the Apocalyps and Prophets 'T is
apud Persas aureum caput arietinum pro diademate gestare as appears from Ammian Marcellinus l. 19. The clear understanding of these and many other particulars in those Chapters depends altogether upon History By all which it is manifest how necessary it is for the full understanding of several parts of Scripture to be acquainted as the Author was with the Original Languages ancient Versions the Genius and Idioms of the Scripture-style and also with History and the ancient Customes both of the Iews and others without which it would be a fruitless attempt even for such as otherwise are of good abilities to undertake to give a pertinent and satisfying account of the forementioned and other the like passages of Scripture And as for those who though they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and bring not forth the Fruits of the Spirit would engross the Spirit wholly to themselves as the Iews did the Messias to their Nation to the excluding of the Gentiles and ignorantly despise all humane Learning and means of Knowledge what has been said may abundantly check their vain confidence such Scriptures as I have instanced in and others of the like nature being not to be explain'd without skill in the learned Languages History and Antiquity which is not to be had but by a studious converse with the best Authors except they will say that such skill and knowledge is infused and that the particular Events and Res gestae at large treated of in Books are made known to them by extraordinary Revelation which yet they are so wary as not to pretend to as they are also so wise as not to pretend to the Gifts of Tongues or Interpretation of Tongues those Gifts of the Spirit not unusual in the Apostles Age. 3. His diligent enquiry and happy insight into the Oriental Figurative Expressions and Prophetick Schemes throughout the Scripture For he observ'd that there were especially in the Writings of the Prophets certain Symbols Emblems and Hieroglyphical representations which were no less familiar to those Eastern Nations than our Poetical Schemes and Pictures are to us and that the true meaning of these Symbols was to be found out by some such means as these as 1. By comparing those several places of Scripture where they occur and observing what they use to stand for or what their uniform signification and notion is in such places which may be farther cleared as by considering the fitness and analogy between those Symbols and the Things represented by them so likewise by attending to some Plainer expressions in the Context which are a certain Key to the understanding of those that are Figurative and Emblematical Thus what in Ier. 4. 23. is figuratively describ'd The Earth is without Form and void 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words used Gen. 1. 2 of the old Chaos and the Heavens have no light is the same with what is plainly express'd in the Context The whole Land is spoiled The whole Land shall be desolate And that in Haggai 2. 6 21. I will shake the Heavens and the Earth is explain'd by the words immediately following Thus in Zech. 11. 2. The Cedar is fallen the defenced Forest is come down is no other than that which is plainly set down in the same verse The mighty or the Nobles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are spoiled But in Dan. chap. 7. and ch 8. and in Apoc. 17. much of the Visions is there explain'd and the Symbols therein are render'd out of the Prophetical style afterwards into more easie and familiar sense 2. By observing how these Oriental Symbols are interpreted and render'd into plainer expressions by the Chaldee Paraphrasts who may justly be presum'd to know best what was meant thereby in those Countries as for example when the Prophets frequently speak of the Sun 's being darkned in its going forth the Moon not giving her light and elsewhere of the Stars falling from Heaven upon the Earth a phrase not to be understood Literally the Targum renders these and the like Prophetick strains in words that signifie the diminution of the Glory and Felicity of the State and the Downfal of the Grandees and Chiefs therein Sun Moon and Stars being put according to the Prophetick style for the Higher Powers Princes and Peers those Great Lights shining in the Firmament of the Political World Thus also when the Prophets denounce God's Iudgments to come upon all the Cedars and Oaks Esay 2. and when the Firre-trees and Oaks are bid to howl Zech. 11. the Targum in stead of mentioning these tall and goodly Trees has 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princes of the People and Rulers of Provinces 3. By consulting such Authors as had collected any Fragments and Remains of the ancient Onirocriticks as Apomasar or Achmetes the Arabian published by the learned Rigaltius had of the Onirocriticks of the Indians Persians and Egyptians concerning which I need not enlarge the Author having inserted some pertinent Extracts thereof together with his judgment of their fitness to illustrate the meaning of the Prophetical Representations in his Commentary upon the Apocalyps p. 451. and elsewhere By which Onirocriticks it may appear what the Eastern nations did commonly suppose to be signified by such Symbols 4. His observing things in distant places of the Apocalypse to Synchronize and belong to the same time whence he was well assured That it was a false Hypothesis and a fundamental Error in any Commentators to think That all the Prophecies and Visions in this Mysterious Book are placed in such an order as is agreeable to the order of time wherein they were fulfill'd or That the Events succeeded one another in the same Series and order as the Visions do and consequently for them to frame their Interpretation of the Visions according to that deceitful Hypothesis and not according to that safe guidance and light which the Synchronisms afford must needs expose them to manifold mistakes from first to last and encumber the whole work with such Difficulties Inconsistencies and Incongruities in applying the Prophecies to History and Events as cannot possibly be excus'd and remov'd by all their wit were it greater than it is Of such consequence it is for all that would interpret the Apocalyptick Visions to take heed to the Apocalyptick Synchronisms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use S. Peter's expression as unto a light that shineth in a dark place Otherwise their whole Fabrick of Annotations will be but as a Building without a sure Ground-work and Foundation an House built upon the Sand which is but a fluid and uncertain bottome a Pile of private Fancies slight Conceits and weak Conjectures And though there may be some things therein which may have a shew of Learning and a seeming Concinnity to the injudicious and unskilful in the Prophetick Style yet the main of their performance for want of attending to this and the other means of knowledge mention'd in the foregoing particulars will
Bent of the Times the Rule of his Opinion For being free from any aspiring after Applause Wealth and Honour and from seeking Great things for himself he was consequently secured from Flattery and Temporizing the usual artifice of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that will be rich that are resolved to make it their chief design and business to be great and wealthy in the world their heart is wholly upon it they are dead to the World to come and relish not the things above and are alive only to this present world being as eagerly intent and active about earthly things as if their portion were to be only in this life But such was the excellency of his spirit that he could not but abhor all Servile obsequiousness whatsoever as accounting it a certain argument of a Poorness of spirit either to flatter or to invite and receive Flatteries and withal considering that if those of Power and high degree were men of inward worth and excellent spirits they would shew themselves such in their valuing him not the less but rather more for his not applying himself to those ignoble arts and course policies proper to Parasites and ambitious men who speak not their own words nor seem to think their own thoughts but wholly enslave themselves to the thoughts and words the lusts and humors of those by whom for this pretended doing honour to them they seek to be advantaged Besides he might well think that he should rather undervalue and lessen them if he suppos'd they would regard him the more for those or the like Instances of an officious flattery as if they were not able to discern that Frankness and Openness of Spirit and Conversation Singleness of Heart and a Cordial readiness to serve others in love out of a pure heart is truly Christian Generous and Manly and on the contrary that Flattery and Fawning is Dog-like Base and Mercenary and lasts not long for though Parasites pretend to serve their Masters with great devotion a devotion so great as if they thought themselves rather their Creatures than God's yet in truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they rather serve their own belly and when their Masters cease to be in a capacity of serving them these men also cease to regard them and value them no more than an useless Tool or to use the Prophet's expression a broken Vessel wherein there is no pleasure Other particulars might be added but these may suffice to shew how Free he was from that which is apt to tempt men to judge amiss For it appears from the nature of the things themselves that Partiality Prejudice Pride and Passion Self-love Love of the World Flattery and Covetous Ambition do importunely sollicite men to make a false judgment corrupt their Affections wrong their Understandings enfeeble their Faculties unhappily dwarf their growth in useful Learning and keep them back from such an excellent improvement in Knowledge especially Divine Knowledge as otherwise they might attain And therefore had not Mr. Mede been free from the power of these Lusts he could never have perform'd so well as he hath done in any of his Tracts or Discourses especially upon the more abstruse and mysterious passages of H. Scripture Those therefore that are not of such a free and enlarged spirit but are fondly addicted either to themselves or Parties and are enslaved to Honour Wealth and particular narrow Interests and are under the power of Pride Passion serving divers Lusts and Pleasures they must needs be less excellent less improved in their studies less succesful in their Intellectual adventures than otherwise they might have been had they been established with a Free spirit Nor had some Authors of great reading and fame for Learning ever fallen into such mistakes but their Writings had been freer from imperfections and a greater respect they had secured to their Memories had they been less Passionate less Envious Proud and Self-conceited more Free and unbiassed more Humble and Modest as also more faithful to that excellent Rule of S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is somewhat of that great deal more which might be observed of the Author's Largeness and Freedom of spirit which yet in him was not accompanied with any unbecoming reflexions upon others as if he design'd to lessen the due esteem of what was laudable in their performances much less with any irreverence and opposition to the established Articles of Religion and prejudice to the Peace of the Church or State but on the contrary was an innocent ingenuous peaceable Freedom of enquiring into such Theories only as do not at all clash with the Doctrine established and was ever attended with a sweet Modesty a singular Sedateness and Sobriety of spirit and a due regard to Authority And whosoever would read the Author with most profit and judgment must read him also with a free unpassionate and unprejudiced spirit That Saying Omnis Liber eo spiritu legi debet quo scriptus est is true as well of every useful Book as of the Divinely-inspired Books of Holy Scripture Thus much of the Fourth Help or Instrument of Knowledge I shall mention but one particular more but it is a very weighty and important one of singular use and absolute necessity for the gaining the Best Knowledge wherein I might be as large as in the foregoing but because I would hasten to conclude the Preface I shall dispatch it in fewer lines V. The Fifth and Last Means whereby the Author arrived at such an Eminency of Knowledge was His faithful endeavour after such a Purity of Soul as is requisite to fit it for the fuller and clearer discerning of Divine Mysteries The necessity of such a Purity of Heart and Life in order to this End appears by several express places of Scripture as where it is said The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psalm 25. The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knowledge of the holy ones is Understanding Prov. 9. their way of knowing is Knowledge and Understanding indeed and again The pure in heart shall see God Matth. 5. But none of the wicked shall understand says the Angel to Daniel concerning the Mysteries mentioned in Chap. 12. And agreeable to these and many such passages of H. Scripture is that in the Book of Wisdom chap. 1. Into a malicious Soul Wisdom shall not enter nor dwell in the Body that is subject unto sin The same Truth is plainly acknowledged by the Best and more Divine Philosophers and accordingly they frequently discourse of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purgative Vertues as necessary to prepare the Soul for the knowledge of the most Excellent and Highest Truths as the Mystical or Contemplative Divines speaking of the way to Divine knowledge place the Via Purgativa before the Via Illuminativa and it is a known Maxime of Plato in his Phaed◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implying that
not swerving one jot therefrom as he somewhere professeth in his Epistles Yea so cautious and careful was he not to determine positively where the Scripture was not express that he confessed he durst not so much as imagine that Christ's presence in this Kingdom should be a Visible converse upon Earth He was also well aware that some both of elder and of later times degenerating from the Piety of the most ancient and purest Ages of the Church and swerving from that Primitive sober sense and harmless Notion of the Millennium which the Christian Church generally entertain'd in the days of Iustin Martyr had shamefully disfigur'd and deformed it with several erroneous conceits and idle fancies of their own But herein our Author's name and reputation is not concern'd he had nothing to do with the wood hay and stubble which some foolish builders had built upon the old foundation nor with those unseemly assumenta and disgraceful opinions which some that were miserable bunglers at the Interpretation of Prophecies had fastned upon the ancient Hypothesis He disavow'd with as much zeal as any one the extravagancies of such men and yet he would not in a rash heat wholly reject an ancient Tenet for having some Error annex'd to it for so he might sometime cast away a Truth as he that throws away what he finds because it is dirty it was his own comparison may perchance cast away a Iewel or a piece of Gold or Silver Thirdly and lastly to conclude this argument His Notion of the Millennial State was both Pure and Peaceable and therefore not unworthy of a fair construction Pure and clean it was altogether free from the least suspicion of Luxury and Sensuality It was his express Caution to beware of gross and carnal conceits of an Epicurean happiness misbeseeming the Spiritual purity of Saints If we conceit saith he any Deliciae let them be Spirituales which S. Austin confesseth to be Opinio tolerabilis lib. 20. De Civit. Dei. And therefore he was justly offended with Hierom. who being according to his wont a very unequal relator of the opinion of his Adverâ—aries imputed to the most ancient Fathers of the Church such an Unspiritual notion as this That the Felicity of this State was Beatitudo ventri gutturi Iudaico serviens and in several parts of his Writings he has clearly detected the unfaithfulness and falshood of Hierom in loading those Holy Souls with the charge of Iudaism and Epicurism as foul and undeserved an aspersion as could be imagined And verily such a Sensual State is so contrary to the character of the Kingdom of Christ and the true importance of what is meant by Reigning with Christ that it is no other in reality than the Kingdom of the Devil and a Reigning with him He well remembred that the proper Character of the New Heavens and the New Earth that is of the World renewed is thus described in S. Peter's Prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherein dwelleth Righteousness A greater increase of Piety and Peace than has yet been in the world is that which makes up the Primary notion of Felicity of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or World to come And what hearty Christian does not most affectionately desire that Righteousness and true Holiness Peace on earth and Good will towards men may spread and obtain more universally in the world These things would as naturally make the world Happy as the abounding of Iniquity with the decays of Charity in any age makes the world Miserable Nor was his Notion lets Peaceable and Pure as may partly appear by what hath been already observed He was a true Son of Peace and lived a life of Obedience to the Laws of the Realm and of Conformity to the Discipline of the Church He feared both the Lord and the King and medled not with them that were given to change And his Writings bare the Impress and Character of his Peaceable Spirit and Life for not one clause not a syllable not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that naturally tends to blow men up into such furious heats as threaten publick Disquietnesses and Embroâ—lments is to be found therein as neither in the Writings of Iustin Martyr Irenaeus Cyprian and others of utmost Antiquity whose Doctrine touching this Point as also their Practices were far from any shew of Unpeaceableness far from provoking to any thing but Love and Good works As our Author himself was a man of a cool Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so likewise is his Notion and representation of the Millennium cool and calm and moderate not ministring to Faction and Sedition to Tumults and subversion of all Degrees and Orders of Superiority in the publick And assuredly the Happiness of the Millennial State shall take place in the world without that Disorder and Confusion which some men have extravagantly imagined men of unhallowed minds and consciences who judging of things according to the lusts of ambition and love of the world reigning in them have deprav'd and stain'd this Primitive Tenet the ancient sober and innocent notion of the Kingdom of Christ as likewise every other Mystery with not a few carnal conceits and intolerable fancies of their own And thus unto them that are defiled is nothign pure Nor shall those Tempora refrigerii ever be brought in by hot fanatick Zelots men set on fire in the Psalmist's phrase and ready also to set on fire the Course of Nature as S. Iames speaks such as are skilful only to destroy and overturn Destruction and Wasting are in their ways they are good at making the World a miserable uncomfortable and unhabitable place but the way of Peace they have not known as for Peace and Charity they have no right sentiments thereof and know not what belongs to them And therefore the Temper and Frame of their spirit being perfectly contrary to the Temper and Quality of those Better times they are thereby render'd uncapable either of furthering and hasting the Felicities of the New Heavens and Earth or of enjoying them when the New Ierusalem shall be come down from God out of Heaven and the Tabernacle of God shall be with men For the primary Character of that Future State being as was before observed Vniversal Righteousness and Good will Piety and Peace it naturally follows That they who are men of embitter d passions and of a destroying Spirit altogether devoid of civility gentleness and moderation kindness and benignity towards men and altogether unacquainted with what is lovely decorous venerable praise-worthy equitable and just can have no part nor lot in this matter so gross and course a constitution of spirit as theirs is speaks them unqualified for the Happiness of this Better State Nor can they ever be made meet for the World to come and the Kingdom of Christ till they have got the victory over their Self-love and Love of the world over their Pride and Envy their Wrath and
one Christian may not be limited or regulated by the spirit of another especially the spirit of a particular man in the publick worship by the Spirit of the Church whereof he is a member For doth not the Apostle tell us 1 Cor. 14. 29 30. that even that extraordinary Spirit of prophecy usual in his time might be limited by the spirit of another Prophet Let the Prophets saith he speak two or three and let the other judge If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace Is not this a limiting He gives a reason v. 32. For the spirits of the Prophets saith he are subject to the Prophets Besides are not the spirits of the people as well limited and determined by a voluntary Prayer when they joyn therein with their Minister as they are by a set Form True the spirit of the Minister is then free but theirs is not so but tied and led by the spirit of the Minister as much as if he used a set Form But to elude this they tell us that the Question is not of limiting the spirit of the people but of the Minister only For as for the people no more is required of them but to joyn with their Minister and to testifie it by saying Amen but the spirit of the Minister ought to be left free and not to be limited But where is this written that the one may not be limited as well as the other We heard the Apostle say even now The spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets If in prophesying why not in praying And what shew of Reason can be given why the spirit of a particular Minister in the publick worship of the Church may not yea ought not to be limited and regulated by the spirit of the Church Representative as well as the spirit of a whole Congregation by the spirit of a particular Minister For every particular Minister is as much subordinate to the spirit of the Church Representative as the spirit of the Congregation is to his So much for this Objection There remaineth yet a third which may be answered in two or three words No set Form of Prayer say they can serve for all occasions What then yet why may it not be used for all such occasions as it serves for If any sudden and unexpected occasion happen for which the Church cannot provide the spirit of her Ministers is free Who will forbid them to supply in such a case that by a voluntary and arbitrary form which the Church could not provide for in a set Form And this is what I intended to say of this Argument DISCOURSE II. MATTHEW 6. 9. LUKE 11. 2. Sanctificetur Nomen tuum Sanctified or Hallowed be thy Name ALthough I make no question but that which we so often repeat unto Almighty God in our daily prayers is for the general meaning thereof by the most of us in some competent measure understood yet because by a morefull and distinct explication the knowledge of some may be improved and the meditations of others occasioned to a further search I hope I shall not do amiss nor be thought to have chosen a Theme either needless or not so fit for this Auditory If I shall enquire What that is we pray for in this first Petition of the Prayer our Lord hath taught us when we desire that God's Name may be sanctified For perhaps we shall find more contained therein than is commonly taken notice of The words are few and therefore shall need no other Analyse than what their very number presents unto us viz. God's Name and the sanctifying thereof Sanctificetur Nomen tuum I will begin first with the last in order but first in nature Nomen tuum God's Name By which according to the style of Holy Scripture we are to understand in this place First of all God himself or His sacred Deity to wit abstractly expressed according to the style of eminency and dignity that is Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine Majesty as we are wont for the King to say His Majesty or the King's Majesty and of other persons of honour and eminency their Highness their Honour his Excellency and the like so of God His Name and sometimes with the self-same meaning His Glory as Ier. 2. 11. Hath any nation changed their Gods which yet are no Gods but my people have changed their Glory that is their God for that which is good for nought So Psalm 106. 20. of the Calf made in the wilderness They changed their Glory into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth grass And S. Paul Rom. 1. 23. They changed the Glory that is the Majesty of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man c. Such is the notion but much more frequent of God's Name In a word Nomen Dei in this kind of use is nothing else but Divinum Numen Whence it is that in Scripture to call upon the Name of God to blaspheme the Name of God to love his Name to swear by his Name to build a Temple to his Name for his Name to dwell there and in the New Testament to believe in the Name of the Lord Iesus to call upon the Name of the Lord Iesus these I say and the like expressions have no other meaning than to do these things to the Divine Majesty to the Lord Iesus whose is that Name above every name whereat every knee must bow Accordingly here Sanctisicetur Nomen tuum Hallowed be thy Name is as much as to say Sanctificetur Numen tuum Sanctified be thy Divine Majesty Secondly Under the Name of God here to be sanctified or hallowed understand besides the Majesty of his Godhead that also super quod invocatum est Nomen ejus whereupon his Name is called or that which is called by his Name as we in our Bibles commonly express this phrase of Scripture that is all whatsoever is God's or God is the Lord and owner of by a peculiar right such as are Things sacred whether they be Persons or whether Things by distinction so called or Times or Places which have upon them a relation of peculiarness towards God For such as these are said in Scripture to have the Name of God called upon them or to be called by his Name that is to be His. Thus we read in Scripture of an House which had the Name of God upon it or which was called by his Name that is God's House 1 Kings 8. 43. Ier. 7. 10 c. Of a City upon which the Name of God was called or named to wit the Holy City Ierusalem the City of the great King the Lord of hosts Ier. 25. 29. Dan. 9. 18. Of an Ark upon which the Name of God the Lord was called 1 Chron. 13. 6. 2 Sam. 6. 2. that is the Lord's Ark or the Ark of his Covenant as it is elsewhere named Of a People upon which the Name of the Lord was
Experience which shews us that the Evil spirits are not yet bound with eternal chains having so much liberty of gadding about supplies in the Text vinciendos as if there were an Ellipsis reading it thus Iudicio magni illius Diei vinculis aeternis vinciendos reservâsse He hath reserved them to be bound in eternal chains at the Iudgment of the great Day In that of S. Peter if I understand him he takes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for Dativus instrumenti with chains of darkness but as Dativus acquisitionis for chains of darkness and construes it with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were He delivered them for chains of darkness namely supposing a trajection of the words But for my part I take both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Peter and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Iude to be neither of them Dativus Instrumenti but both Acquisitionis or Finis and governed the one of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the other of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in the Hebrew the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serves both for the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for the Dative Case whose propriety the style of the Greek Testament every where imitates and why not in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for not with chains Nay among the Greek Grammarians we find observed that the Dative Case is sometimes put for the Accusative with the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in this example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more in the sacred Greek which so frequently imitates the Hebrew Construction Next for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Peter it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but once used and so not bound by any use or example to the signification which we here give it to wit casting down to hell I would therefore render it ad poenas tartareas damnavit he hath adjudged them to hellish torments to wit thus Angelos qui peccaverunt cum ad tartari supplicium damnasset catenis caliginis servandos tradidit ad Diem Iudicii Having adjudged the Angels that sinned to hell-torments he delivered them to be kept or reserved in the Aiery region as in a prison for chains of darkness at the Day of Iudgment For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudgment here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Day of Iudgment as S. Iude hath it So also Matth. 12. 42. The Queen of the South shall rise in Iudgment with this Generation that is in or at the Day of Iudgment Or if I would render it not casting down to hell but casting down to hell-ward so the meaning in both places will be That the wicked Angels were cast down from Heaven to this lower Orb there to be reserved for chains of darkness at the Day of Iudgment Which sense the ninth verse of this Chapter of S. Peter plainly intimates by way of reddition Novit Dominus pios in tentatione cripere The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly in temptation as he did Noah and Lot Injustos verò in diem Iudicii cruciandos servare But to reserve the unjust unto the Day of Iudgment to be punished as he doth the wicked Angels Moreover verse 17. where the same hellish darkness is spoken of it is said to be reserved for the wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom that hideous darkness is reserved for ever whence it is probable that S. Peter in the foregoing passage of Angels referred also those chains of darkness to reserving and not to delivering that is not that the evil Angels were now already delivered to chains of darkness but reserved for them at the Day of Iudgment AND thus much for clearing of the words of these two parallel Texts Now what hath been anciently the current opinion about this point And first for the Iews it is apparent to have been a Tradition of theirs That all the space between the Earth and the Firmament is full of Troops of Evil spirits and their Chieftains having their residence in the Air which I make no doubt but S. Paul had respect to when he calls Satan the Prince of the power of the Air. Drusius quotes two Authors one the Book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another one of the Commentators upon Pirke Aboth who speak in this manner Debet homo scire intelligere à terra usque ad firmamentum omnia plena esse turmis praefectis c. A man is to know and understand that all from Earth to the Firmament is full and no place is empty of Troops of Spirits together with their Chieftains and such as are Praepositi all which have their residence and fly up and down in the Air some of them incite to peace others to war some to goodness and life others to wickedness and death By Praepositi I suppose he means such among the Spirits as are set as Wardens over several charges for the managing of the affairs of mankind subject to their power This was the Opinion of the Iews which they seem to have learned by Tradition from their ancient Prophets for in the Old Testament we find no such thing written and yet we see S. Paul seems to approve it Now for the Doctors of the Christian Church S. Hierome upon the sixth of the Ephesians tells us that their Opinion was the same ' T is the opinion of all the Doctors â—aith he that the Devils have their Mansions and residence in the space between the heaven and the earth And that the Fathers of the first 300 or 400 years nor did nor could hold the evil Angels to have been cast into Hell upon their sin is evident by a singular Tenet of theirs For Iustin Martyr one of the most ancient hath this saying That Satan before the coming of Christ never durst blaspheme God and that saith he because till then he knew not he should be damned The same is approved by Irenaeus lib. 5. cap. 26. Praeclarè saith he dixit Iustinus quòd ante Domini adventum Satanas nunquam ausus est blasphemare Deum quippe nondum sciens suam damnationem Post adventum autem Domini ex sermonibus Christi Apostolorum ejus discens mâ—nifestè quoniam ignis aeternus ei praeparatus sit per hujusmodi homines blasphemat eum Deum qui judicium importat It was a worthy saying of Iustin That Satan before the coming of our Lord never durst blaspheme God as not till then knowing he should be damned But after the coming of our Lord he clearly understanding by the Discourses of Christ and his Apostles that everlasting fire was prepared for him by these men Irenaeus means those Hereticks who blasphemed the God of the Law
a creature and of so despicable a beginning to such a power as to grapple with the Enemy and overcome him But behold there is yet something more admirable namely that this should not be done by the strength of his Arm but by the breath and power of his Mouth Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained strength because of thine Enemies c. What Enemies Thine saith the Psalmist and such too as are Vltores Avengers the Enemies of both God and Mankind And who are those but Satan and his Angels those Principalities and Powers of the Air those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Rulers of the Darkness of this world as S. Paul speaks For when Mankind is the one party what can the other be but some Power that is not of Mankind Besides who are the Enemies both of God and Mankind but these and of mankind especially I will put Enmity saith God to the Serpent between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed hence he is called Satan the Adversary or Fiend and the Enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I give you power saith our Saviour to the seventy Disciples Luke 10. 19. to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the Enemy Your Adversary the Devil saith S. Peter And this is he as I conceive who is here called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Enemy and the Avenger man's tormentor which words being found again in the 44. Psalm v. 16. may for ought I know by warrant of this place be taken for the same Enemy and the usual distinction altered and the place read thus By reason of the Enemy and the Avenger all this to wit the Calamity and confusion he spake of before is come upon us that is by the malice of Satan Now that such Enemies as these should be subducd by an Arm yea by a Mouth of flesh is a thing which might justly make the Prophet cry out Lord what is man c. Now that this which I have given is the true meaning of this place may be gathered from S. Paul's inculcating the word Enemy when 1 Cor. 15. 24. c. he demonstrates out of this Psalm that Christ before the end shall abolish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all rule and all authority and power For he must reign saith he till he hath put all Enemies under his feet The last Enemy which shall be destroyed is Death and then he alledges for his proof that Corollary in this Psalm For he hath put all things under his feet But in all this Psalm there is no mention of Enemies or subduing them but only in the Verse I have in hand which unless it be thus expounded S. Paul's allegation from hence will be too narrow to prove what he intendeth HAVING thus cleared the words I chose for my Theme I shall not need spend much time to shew you how directly and literally the purport of them was fulfilled in our Blessed Saviour's Incarnation You have in part heard such Scriptures already as do evince it The sum is this The Devil by sin brought mankind under thraldom and became the Prince of this world himself with his Angels being worshipped and served every where as Gods and the service and honour due to the great God the Creator of heaven and earth cast off and abandoned and all this to receive at last for reward eternal woe and everlasting death To vanquish and exterminate this Enemy and redeem the world from this miserable thraldom the Son of God took upon him not the nature of Angels which might have been the Enemies matches but the nature of weak and despicable Man that grows from a babe and suckling Who saith Esay in that famous Prophecy of Messiah hath believed our report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed namely that works such powerful things by weak means For he shall grow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a tender plant or sucker it is the very word here used in my Text for a sucking child and translated by the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as a root out of a dry ground that is a small and little one This is that whereof S. Paul discourses so divinely in the Epistle to the Hebrews To which of the Angels said he at any time Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak but unto him of whom it is said What is man that thou art mindâ—ul of him c Again We see Iesus who was made little lower than the Angels that is was made man that 's the meaning for the suffering of death crowned with Glory and Honour what can be so plain as this It is the Son of man by whom in part we are and more fully shall be delivered out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve the true God without fear as Zachary sayes in his Benedictus It is the Son of man that delivered us from the power of darkness Col. 1. 13. The Son of man that spoiled Principalities and Powers and made a shew of them openly Col. 2. 15. It was no Angel that did all this but the Son of man even as was prophesied from the beginning when the Devil first got his Dominion that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpent's head Nor is this all For this Son of man enables also other Sons of men his Disciples and Ministers to do the like in his name The seventy Disciples in the Gospel returned with joy saying Lord even the Devils are subject to us through thy name Yea not these only but as many as fight under his Banner against these Enemies have promise they shall at length quell and utterly subdue them yea at that great Day shall sit with their Lord and Master to judge and condemn them Do ye not know saith S. Paul that the Saints shall judge the world know ye not that we shall judge Angels Lastly This victory as for the event so for the manner of atchieving it is agreeable to our Prophecy Forasmuch as Christ our General nor fights nor conquers by force of Arms but by the power of his Word and Spirit which is the power of his Mouth according to my Text Out of the mouth of Babes c. Hence in the Apocalyps Christ appears with a sword going out of his mouth In the 2 Thess. 2. 8. it is said He shall consume that wicked one that is Antichrist with the Spirit of his mouth Esay prophesies Chap. 11. 4. that the Branch of Iesse should smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips should slay the wicked that is he does all nutu verbo by his word and command as God made the world By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Hoast
of them by the breath of his mouth◠Psal. 33. 6. So doth Christ vanquish his enemies and enable his Ministers to vanquish them Verbo Spiritu oris by his Word and the Spirit of his mouth according to that Hos. 6. 5. I have hewed them by my Prophets and slain them by the words of my mouth I come now to the Second thing I propounded namely to shew that our Saviour in the Gospel when he cited this place alledged it for and according to this and no other meaning The Evangelist relates it thus When the chief Priests and Scribes saw the wonderful things that Iesus did and the children in the Temple crying and saying Hosanna to the Son of David they were sore displeased and said unto him Hearest thou what these say how they ascribe the power of salvation which is God's peculiar to thee who art a Son of man Is that solemn acclamation of Save now wherewith we are wont to glorifie God fit to be given to thee Our Saviour answers Yes For have ye not read saith he Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained strength Consider what that means You will wonder perhaps that a thing so plain could be taken in a differing meaning for it is commonly supposed to be alledged only to prove that children should glorifie Christ whilest the great ones of the world despised him And there are two things which have occasioned this mistake and drawn the sense awry The first is because the Seventy according to which the Evangelist reads this place in stead of strength translate here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praise Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained praise Secondly because those that made this acclamation are said to have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children When they saw the wonderful things which Iesus did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Children crying in the Temple To the first I answer Our Saviour alledged not the words of the Psalm in Greek but in Hebrew where it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ◠Strength which is the constant signification thereof through the whole Bible and never Praise nor do the Seventy themselves ever translate it otherwise save as it seems in this place But whatsoever the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be otherwise it must be here regulated by the Hebrew verity according to which our Saviour alledged it and must signifie not simply Praise but Robur praedicandum or Robur laude dignum Robur celebrandum Strength worthy to be celebrated or praised or the like To the second That they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children who made this acclamation of Hosanna to our Saviour I answer Be it so yet I am sure they were no Babes and Sucklings but of reasonable years How then would our Saviour's quotation have in such a sense been pertinent Besides Young children are not properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again the Pharisees found no fault with the speakers but with the thing spoken which they thought too much for a man and therefore our Saviour when he alledged this Scripture answered to that and intended not to apologize for the speakers Fourthly In all reason those who cried here Hosanna in the Temple were the same company that brought him crying Hosanna all the way thither But these saith S. Mark were of the multitude which followed him as S. Luke of the multitude of the Disciples who also tells us that the Pharisees who were offended thereat bad him rebuke his Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore here signifies either Christ's Disciples or the retinue which followed him and brought him up thither as a King Take which you will you shall not fasten upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any notion other than usual I shall not need to tell you that the Disciples of the Prophets are called the Sons of the Prophets that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that Herod's Courtiers Matth. 14. 2. are termed his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is Iohn the Baptist c. DISCOURSE X. ZACHARIAH 4. 10. These Seven are the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth IT is hard to keep a mean which as it appears in many things else so in the Doctrine and Speculation of Angels whereunto men were heretofore so much addicted as they pursued it not only to vain and ungrounded Theories but even to Idolatry and Superstition There were in the Apostles times who intruded into things they had not seen There were then who beguiled men with a voluntary humility in worshipping of Angels Col. 2. 18. What after-times brought forth I shall not need speak That ancient and high-soaring though counterfeit Dionysius describes the Hierarchy of Angels as exactly as if he had dwelt amongst them delivering unto us nine Orders of them out of nine words found partly in the Old partly in the New Testament Seraphims Cherubims and Thrones Powers Hosts and Dominions Principalities Arch-angels and Angels and tells us the several natures distinctions and properties of them all Whereas it cannot be shewn out of Scripture either that some of these names concur not as Angels not to be a common name to all the rest especially to comprehend Arch-angels or that these are denominations of the natures of Angels and not of their offices and charges only yet have these nine Orders passed for current through so many Ages of the Church But we who together with divers Superstitions have justly rejected also these vain and ungrounded curiosities are fallen into the other extreme having buried the Doctrine of Angels in silence making little or no enquiry at all what God in his Word hath revealed concerning them which yet would make not a little for the understanding of Scripture wherein are so many passages having reference to them and therefore questionless something revealed concerning them I shall not therefore do amiss if I chuse for my Discourse at this time a particular of that kind which Dionysius in all his Speculations hath not a word of and yet seems to have strong footing in Scripture It is this The Iews have an ancient Tradition that there are Seven principal Angels which minister before the Throne of God and are therefore called Arch-angels some of whose names we have in Scripture as Michael Gabriel Raphael and in the second Book of Esdras mention is made of Ieremiel the Arch-angel This Tradition we shall find recorded in the Book of Tobit whose antiquity is before the Birth of our Saviour For there the Angel who in the shape of Azariah had accompained his son into Media when he discovers himself speaks in this manner I am Raphael one of the Seven Angels which stand and minister before the Holy Blessed One that is God The Greek hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which present the Prayers of the Saints and go in
and out before the Glory of the Holy One But neither S. Hierome who translated it out of the Chaldee nor the ancient Hebrew Copy set forth by Paulus Fagius and in likelihood translated out of the same Chaldee Original hath any such matter but read as I first quoted And therefore it seâ—ms to be an addition or liberty of the greek Translator who thought their Ministery to consist in presenting the Prayers of the Saints and so translated accordingly This Tradition is farther testified by Ionathan ben Vziel the Chaldeâ— Paraphrast Gen. 11. 7. where the Lord's words spoken in the plural number 〈…〉 go down and let us confound their language are paraphrased in this 〈…〉 spake unto the Seven Angels which stand before him Go to now let us go 〈…〉 Whether rightly or fitly in this place it matters not the Testimony is 〈◊〉 for the Iewish Tradition of Seven Arch-angels that stand before the Throne of God This Tradition Iunius saith is Magical and not a little triumphs therein aâ— an undoubted Argument to evince the Book of Tobit not to be Canonical But whâ—tâ—oever the Book of Tobit be I hope to shew this Tradition to have firm ground and footing in Scripture and not so rashly to be rejected The chief and most clear place is this I have now read which gives us to understand that these Seven Angels were represented by that Candlestick of Seven Lemps which continually burned in the Temple before the Veil over against the Mercy-seat which was the Throne of God For in the beginning of the Chapter the Prophet being shewed this Seven lamped Candlestick in a Vision and two Olive-branches on each side ministring oyl to the Lamps thereof the Angel asketh him ver 5. if he knew what these meant The Prophet answers No my Lord. Then the Angel discoursing a little by way of Preface tells him what they were These Seven saith he that is the Seven Lamps are the seven Eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth that is those Seven Vigils or prime Ministers of his Providence the Seven Arch-angels As for the two Olive-trees on each-side These are saith he the two anointed ones which stand before the Lord of the whole earth v. 14. that is Zorobabel and Iesua the Prince and Priest of that time which should be God's two Instruments on earth whereby his Church signified by the Candlestick should be re-established and his Temple builded and that not by force or strength as he saith in his Preface v. 6. but by the Spirit of God working with them as the Olive-trees here conveyed oyl to the Candlestick not after a natural and usual but a supernatural and secret manner This interpretation of the latter hath the suffrage of the best Expositors both Iews and Christians and so I shall need say no more of it but betake my self to make good the first concerning the words I chose for my Text That those Seven Eyes of God signified by the Seven Lamps are Seven Angels That this is so I prove out of two places of the Apocalyps derived from hence where as well the Seven Lamps before the Throne as the Lamb 's Seven Eyes are said to be the Seven Spirits of God I saw saith S. Iohn Ch. 4. 5. Seven Lamps before the Throne which are the Seven Spirits of God And again Ch. 5. 6. I saw in the midst of the Throne and of the four Beasts as we translate it and of the four and twenty Elders a Lamb as if he had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes which are the Seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth Here first we have Zacharie's very words Seven eyes sent forth into all the earth secondly that these Seven eyes are the Seven Spirits of God thirdly that these Seven Spirits were represented by the Seven Lamps burning before the Throne If this be not sufficient to make my interpretation of Zacharie's good I know not what can be For who can now but think that the Iews derived their Tradition of these Seven Angels from this place of Zachary and the Apocalyps from them both And that indeed the Iews supposed some such thing meant by the Seven Lamps in the Temple appears by the report of Iosephus though depraved and fashioned unto the capacity of the Gentiles For he tells us both in his Antiquities Lib. 3. cap. 7. and in his De Bello Iudaico Lib. 6. cap. 6. Gr. 〈◊〉 that the Seven Lamps signified the seven Planets and the most holy place within the veil Antiq. l. 3. cap. 5. the Heaven of God or Heaven of Glory and that therefore the Lamps stood slope-wise as it were to express the obliquity of the Zodiack Now it is true that the Iewish Astrologians favouring of Gentilisme make these Seven Angels the Prefects of the Seven Planets which they seem to have learned in part from the Greek Philosophy which conceit howsoever it be vain and groundless yet may be as a Key to understand the meaning of this of Iosephus And one thing more If the visible things of God may be learned as S. Paul says from the Creation of the world why may not the Invisible and Intelligible World be learned from the Fabrick of the Visible the one it may be being the Pattern of the other But to let this pass and return again to the Apocalyps Where concerning the places alledged there may be two things objected First That the Seven Spirits there mentioned are and may be expounded of the Holy Ghost thus represented in respect of those seven-fold that is manifold Graces he communicates unto the Church I answer that many indeed have so taken it but besides the uncoâ—thness of expressing one Spirit by seven there is a reason in the Text why they cannot be so taken namely because not only the Seven Lamps are said to be those Seven Spirits of God but the Seven eyes and Seven Horns of the Lamb also to be the same Now it will be very hard and harsh to make the Holy Ghost the Horns and Eyes of Christ as he is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world that is as he is Man Above Angels indeed the Man Iesus is exalted and that too for the suffering of death that is as the Lamb but not above the Holy Ghost This made not only Drusius but even Beza himself in his Notes upon this place to affirm it could not be meant of the Holy Ghost but of Seven created Spirits A second scruple is How if they be created Spirits Iohn could pray for Grace and Peace from them Grace be unto you saith he and peace from him which is which was and is to come and from the seven spirits which are before his Throne and from Iesus Christ the faithful witness c. Would he pray for Grace and Peace from Angels I answer Why not For first He praies not to them but unto God unto whom such
them that trespass against us DISCOURSE XXV S. MARK 1. 14 15. Now after that Iohn was put in prison Iesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God And saying The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and Believe the Gospel THESE words are a Narration of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ his first beginning to preach the Gospel which they describe 1. By the Time when 2. By the Place where 3. By the Summe of what he preached 1. The Time when After that Iohn was put in prison 2. The Place where Galilee Iesus came into Galilee preaching c. 3. Lastly The Summe of what he preached The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel In which Sermon there are also some parts to be considered which we shall more conveniently distinguish when we come to handle it Mean while let us begin with the Three parts or circumstances already named in order And first with the First The Time when After that Iohn was put in prison Our Saviour began not his solemn preaching till his Messenger Iohn the Baptist who was sent to prepare his way was cast into prison This circumstance is elsewhere precisely noted in the Scripture so that we cannot doubt but there is some matter of moment therein For S. Matthew tells us as S. Mark doth Now when Iesus had heard saith he that Iohn was cast into prison he departed into Galilee and then it follows From that time Iesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand So S. Peter Acts 10. when he came to preach the Gospel of Christ to Cornelius was careful to mention this circumstance of Time as well as the other of Place The word saith he V. 36 37. which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Iesus Christ he is Lord of all That word I say you know which was published throughout all Iudaea and began from Galilee after the Baptism which Iohn preached Loe here the Place Galilee and the Time After that Iohn Baptist had done as in my Text. All which argues this circumstance of Time to be one of the marks of the true Messiah as namely That this Iesus was that Lord whom they looked for who was to send a messenger before him the voice of a cryer in the wilderness to usher his preaching and prepare the way of his Gospel as was prophesied by Esay and Malachi and the Iews at that time expected Which was the reason of that scruple of the Disciples in the Gospel when they saw our Saviour and Elias whom they supposed should be his Forerunner appear in glory both together at his Transfiguration Why then say they do the Scribes say that Elias must come first Our Saviour tells them that Iohn Baptist was that Elias the Forerunner of Messiah according to those words of his Father Zachary And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways namely as the Angel told him in the power and spirit of Elias For this reason as our Saviour was not conceived nor born till six months after Iohn so he began not his prophecy till Iohn had done that so the Scripture might be fulfilled and Iohn be his forerunner and messenger both in the one and the other And lastly to conclude the illustration of this circumstance Iohn was not only a Forerunner of our Saviour in his Nativity and Prophecy but also in his Passion and Suffering For so our Saviour himself expresly saith Matth. 17. 12. Elias is come and they knew him not but have done unto him whatsoever they listed even so also shall the Son of man suffer of them Now for the Observation or if you will the Consideration I will make upon this circumstance it shall be this If that Messiah according to Prophecy were to have an Harbinger to prepare the way for his coming and the Holy Ghost in the New Testament thought this circumstance so needful to prove the verity thereof as so curiously to note it in the history of his Nativity Preaching and Suffering It would be considered seeing the coming of Christ is twofold First and Second whether the same Prophecy imply not that there should be an Harbinger as well of his Second coming as of his First as well an Elias to prepare the way for his coming in glory to judge the world as there was at his First coming in humility to preach the Gospel and suffer for the world An Elias I mean to be the Harbinger of Christ to the nation of the Iews before his Second coming as Iohn Baptist was at his First For to the Iews alone is this Elias promised and not to the Gentiles and Iohn Baptist we know the Elias of his First coming preacht to them alone It is well known that all the Fathers unless S. Hierom somewhat staggered were of this opinion and why we should so wholly reject it as we are wont to do I can see no sufficient reason For if the Fathers erred concerning the person and other circumstances of this Elias yet it follows not but the substance of their opinion might be true As we know also they erred concerning the person quality and reign of Antichrist and yet for the substance the thing was true Our Saviour rejected not the Tradition of the Scribes concerning the coming of Elias when the Apostles objected it though it were mingled with some falshood but corrected it only for they looked for Elias the Thisbite but our Saviour admits it only of Elias in Spirit not of Elias in Person so yielding it true for the substance though erring in circumstance So should we do in the like case For he that throws away what he finds because it is foul and dirty may perchance sometimes cast away a Iewel or a piece of gold or silver So he that wholly rejects an ancient Tenet because it hath some Error annexed to it may unawares cast away a Truth as this seems to be of an Elias to be the Harbinger of Christ's Second coming and that for these Reasons First Though the Prophecy of Esaias The voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight alledged by all the four Evangelists and by Iohn himself seems appliable only to the First coming of Christ yet the other out of Malachi expresly quoted by S. Mark and by our Saviour Matth. 11. 14. though elsewhere alluded unto seems by Malachi himself to be applied not only to the First coming of Christ but also to his Second coming to Iudgment For in his last chapter speaking of the coming of that day which shall burn like an oven wherein all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and it shall burn them up leaving neither
a more divine way namely by the power of the Word and Spirit as we see it hath done My Kingdom saith our Saviour is not of this world that is not from this world or to be set up by worldly means as other kingdoms are For if my Kingdom saith he were of or from this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered unto the Iews but now my Kingdom is not from hence Iohn 18. 36. Armies and Swords are not fit means to conquer the Souls of men and therefore Christ was to perform his conquests by a more divine and invisible way And as he conquered them so he governs and keeps them in their allegiance to him not by Garrisons and Armed Troops but by the power of the same Word and Spirit Lastly as he governs his subjects so he fights against his enemies not as the Kings of the earth do but by a divine and heavenly working by divine and heavenly ministers by the ministery of Angels who are all at his command For the Enemies of his Church and Kingdom are chiefly Spiritual namely those Spiritual powers those rulers of darkness the Devil and all his troops of Fiends which cannot be dealt withal nor resisted after a corporal manner but by Spiritual means and Spiritual ministers And though the Arms of flesh and bloud are also lift up against the Kingdom of Christ yet is it always by the instigation and under the conduct of those invisible Fiends As for the men employed in such service they are but the horses in the Devil's battels the Devil and his Angels are the riders and therefore to be repelled by a power and forces suitable unto them In a word the whole world by sin was become the kingdom of the Devil Christ came to recover it from him and to erect the Kingdom of God in place thereof Such a kingdom therefore as the one was such must the other be else it should not match it as by the tenor of â—â—e first Gospel it was to do which saith The seed of the Woman should break the Serpent's head I must add one thing more for the understanding of this Kingdom namely That this Kingdom of Christ which I have hitherto described hath a Two-fold state The one Militant consisting in a perpetual warfare and manifold sufferings which is the present state begun at his First coming when he ascended up into heaven to sit at the right hand of God The Second state is a Triumphant state which shall be at his Second appearing in glory in the clouds of heaven at what time he shall put down all authority power and rule and subdue all his enemies under his feet even death it self as S. Paul tells us 1 Cor. 15. 24. and in that great Assizes of the quick and dead shall render everlasting vengeance to his enemies and those who believed not his Gospel and give rewards of glory to his servants who have kept their faith and allegiance to him And that once done and so his Conquest finished he shall surrender up his Kingdom into the hands of his Father that being subject to him who put all things under his feet God may be all in all as S. Paul tells us In both which estates how fitly this Kingdom is called the Kingdom of Heaven or of God appears in three respects 1. Because the King thereof hath his seat and throne in heaven where he sits at the right hand of God 2. Because the beginning thereof is from heaven and not from earth or by earthly means 3. and lastly Because it is governed and administred by the power of heaven and not by earthly power Is not such a Kingdom rightly and truly called The Kingdom of heaven Thus much I thought good to speak for the explication of this speech The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven because this term is so frequent in the Gospel and not always or perhaps not rightly understood Henceforth let him that readeth understand NOW I come to the Second point namely What was the Time designed and prefixed for the coming and beginning of this Kingdom which our Saviour saith here was fulfilled The time saith he is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand The Time of this Kingdom was by the Prophet Daniel two ways foretold first generally and at large secondly more precisely and punctually The general time designed was That it should begin under and during the Fourth Kingdom or Roman Monarchy which at length it should utterly ruin and destroy For Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babel had a Vision of an Image of four differing metals The head of Gold the arms and breast of silver the belly and thighs of Brass the legs and feet of Iron but the feet mingled with clay While he beheld this Image and surveyed it from head to foot he saw a Stone hewen out of the mountain without hands which Stone smote the Image not upon the head or breast or belly but upon the Iron and Clayie feet whereby the Image and all his other metals being mingled with the Iron vanished away and became as chaff before the wind Then the Stone which smote the Image upon the feet became a great mountain and filled the whole earth This Vision Daniel expounded of four Gentile Kingdoms which should succeed one another in order with great extent of dominion The first compared to Gold was the Babylonian which then reigned The second resembled to Silver should be the Empire of the Medes and Persians which subdued that of Babylon The third figured by the Brazen belly and thighs was the Greek which subdued the Persian The Iron legs the fourth and last was the Roman which subdued the Greek and so became possessed of the riches and glory of all the former three During this last Kingdom was the Stone hewn out of the mountain and smote the Iron feet This Stone saith Daniel was the Kingdom of the God of heaven which should be set up before the days of these four Gentile kingdoms should expire namely under the last of them In the days of these Kingdoms saith he that is while these times of the Gentiles dominions yet lasted the God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed nor lest unto another people as each of the other were but shall break in pieces and consume all those kingdoms namely in the last in which the other three were incorporated as it were and it self shall stand for ever Forasmuch as thou sawest saith he unto the King that the Stone was cut out of the mountain without hands that is without any earthly means and that it break in pieces the iron and the Brass the Silver and Gold mingled with it Now the Roman Empire during which this Prophecy was to be accomplished was in our Saviour's tâ—me come to the height and highest pitch and so next door to a declination and downfall But this
fulfilled or accomplished But it seems to me that the Fulness of the Gentiles and the Fulfilling or Accomplishment of their times should not be the same howsoever they may be coincident It should rather seem that our Saviour hath reference as to a thing known unto the Prophecy of Daniel where the Times of the Gentiles or the times wherein the Gentiles should have dominion with the misery and subjection of the Iewish Nation are set forth in the Vision of a fourfold Image and four Beasts which are the four Monarchies the Babylonian Persian Greek and Roman The first began with the first captivity of the Iewish Nation and through the times of all the rest they should be in subjection or in a worser estate under them But when their times should be accomplished then saith Daniel The Saints of the most High God shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever and ever that is there shall be no more kingdoms after it but it shall continue as long as the world shall endure Three of these Monarchies were past when our Saviour spake and the fourth was well entred If then by Saints there are meant the Iews which we know are called the holy People in that sense their country is still called the holy Land and their city in the Scripture the holy City viz. relatively then is it plain enough what Daniel's and our Saviour's words import namely a glorious revocation and kingdom of the Iews when the time of the fourth Monarchy which then remained should be expired and accomplished But if here by the Saints of the most High are in general meant the Church yet by coincidence of time the same will fall out on the Iews behalf because S. Paul saith that at the time when the Fulness of the Gentiles shall come in the Iew shall be again restored For a conclusion The last limb of the fourth Monarchy is in Daniel The Horn with eyes which spake proud things against the most High which should continue a time times and half a time that is a year years and half a year In the Revelation it is The Beast with so many heads and horns full of names of blasphemy which was to continue forty two months the same period with the former which was expressed by times or years and the same time with a thousand two hundred and sixty days of the Churche's remaining in the wilderness When these Times whatsoever they be shall be ended then is the period of the Times of the Gentiles and of the Iews misery whereto our Saviour seems to refer in the Gospel then by S. Paul shall the Fulness of the Gentiles enter in then saith S. Iohn shall the kingdoms of the earth be the Lord's and his Christ's then saith Daniel in the former place Chap. 7. 27. shall the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey him The Use we are to make upon this long Discourse is Hope and comfortable Expectation Experience saith S. Paul Rom. 5. 4. worketh hope Let therefore our experience of God's Power and Truth in that which is past be as a pledge and pawn unto us of the future We have seen a great part of this Doom of false Gods fulfilled already what though we see not the means of the full accomplishment If thou shalt say in thy heart saith Moses Deut. 7. 17 18. These nations are more than I how can I dispossess them Thou shalt not be afraid of them but shalt remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh and unto all Egypt So if any of us shall say How can this be let us remember what the Lord hath done already in subduing so great a part of the world unto himself which once sate in darkness and in the shadow of death DISCOURSE XXXVII PROVERBS 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above all keeping For out of it are the issues of life EVERY way of man saith the same mouth which uttered this is right in his own eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts Prov. 21. 2. And chap. 16. 2. All the ways of man are clean in his own eyes but the Lord weigheth the spirits Which words have this Discretive sense that Although the eyes of men judge of the rightness of the ways of men by that which appeareth to the eye yet God he is not as man nor judgeth like him but he pondereth the heart and spirit Therefore in Scripture he is styled A God that searcheth the heart and reins Ier. 17. 10. I the Lord search the heart I trie the reins even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings Which words our Saviour useth Rev. 2. 23. in his Epistle to Thyatira I am he which searcheth the reins and the hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your works that is Men esteem of works as they see but I judge and reward them as I see Men punish and reward according to the outside only which comes under the view and stands in awe of men but God judges and rewards according to the Heart or inward man which he only sees and which therefore stands in awe and fear of none but him For as for the outward act it may as well be done for the praise and awe of men as for love and fear of God and therefore by it cannot be discerned whether our obedience be to God or man But the Heart is that divine Touch-stone as that which hath none to fear none to please none to approve it self unto but him who alone sees it and is only able to try and examine it If therefore any Precept any Admonition in the whole Book of God deserve the best of our attention to hear and greatest care to put in practice this of my Text is worthy to be accounted of that number Keep thy heart above all keeping For out of it are the issues of life The words divide themselves into two parts An Admonition and A Motive The Admonition Keep thy heart above all keeping The Motive For out of it are the issues of life that is Even as in the life of nature the Heart is the fountain of living and the well-spring of all operations of life so in the life of grace we live to God through it In the Admonition consider 1. The Act Keep 2. The Object what we are to keep our Heart 3. The Manner and Means how it must be kept with all diligence or above all keeping Of the Act Keep I shall not need say much it is an easie word and we shall not forget it in that which follows but ever and anon have occasion to repeat it Only here observe in general That our Hearts are untrusty
to commit it in God's Temple How impudently contumelious was this Sin therefore which was committed in God's very presence-chamber All these Aggravations are common to both our Parents which all laid together make their Sin as great as ever any was saving the sin against the Holy Ghost for so the best Divines do think But Eve adds one Aggravation more to her weight in that she was not content to sin her self alone but she allured and drew her husband also into the like horrible transgression with her whereby she was not only guilty of her own personal sin but of her husband 's also And this added so much unto her former sum that S. Paul 1 Tim. 2. 14. speaks of her as if she had been the only transgressour Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression So great and horrible a thing it is in the Eye of God to be cause or mover of another's sin Wo be unto them who by any means are the cause of another's fall And justly might God say to Eve for this respect though there had been no more What is this that thou hast done NOW I come to the Woman's excuse The Serpent beguiled me In which words are three things considerable The Author The Serpent The Action Guile The Object Me. Concerning the Author The Serpent two things are inquirable First What the Serpent was indeed Secondly What Eve supposed him to be For the first I think none so unreasonable as to believe it was the unreasonable and brute Serpent For whence should he learn or how should he understand God's commandment to our first Parents and how is it possible a Serpent should speak and not only so but speak the language which Eve understood For though some there be who think that Beasts and Birds have some speech-like utterings of themselves yet none that a Beast should speak the language of Men. It remains therefore that according unto the Scriptures it was that old deceiver the Devil and Satan who abused brute Serpent either by entring into him or taking his shape upon him The last of which I rather incline unto supposing it as you shall hear presently to be the Law of Spirits when they have intercourse and commerce with men to take some visible shape upon them as the Devil here the Serpent's whence he becomes styled in Scripture The old Serpent Now for the Second question What Eve took him to be whether the Serpent or Satan If we say she thought him to be the brute Serpent how will this stand with the perfection of Man's knowledg in his integrity to think a Serpent could speak like a reasonable creature Who would not judge her a silly woman now that should think so and yet the wisest of us all is far short of Eve in regard of her knowledg then Again If we say she knew him to be the Devil I will not ask why she would converse at all with a wicked spirit who she knew had fallen from his Maker but I would know how we should construe the meaning of the Holy Ghost in the beginning of this Chapter where he saith The Serpent was the subtillest of all the beasts of the field which God had made and so implies the woman's opinion of the Serpent's wisdom was the occasion why she was so beguiled otherwise to what end are those words spoken unless to shew that Satan chose the Serpent's shape that through the opinion and colour of his well-known wisdom and sagacity he might beguile the Woman For the assoiling of which difficulty I offer these Propositions following First I will suppose There is a Law in the commerce of Spirits and Men that a Spirit must present himself under the shape of some visible thing For as in natural and bodily things there is no entercourse of action and passion unless the things have some proportion each to other and unless they communicate in some Common Matter So it seems God hath ordained a Law that invisible things should converse with things visible in a shape as they are visible which is so true that the conversing presence of a Spirit is called a Vision or Apparition And Experience with the Scriptures will shew us that not only evil Angels but good yea God himself converseth in this manner with men And all this I suppose Eve knew Secondly I suppose further That as Spirits are to converse with men under some visible shape so is there a Law given them that it must be under the shape of some such thing as may less or more resemble their condition For as in nature we see every several thing hath a several and sutable Phisiognomy or figure as a badge of their inward nature whereby it is known as by a habit of distinction so it seems to be in the shapes and apparitions of Spirits And as in a well-governed Commonwealth every sort and condition of men is known by some differing habit agreeable to his quality so it seems it should be in God's great Commonwealth concerning the shapes which Spirits take upon them And he that gave the Law that a man should not wear the habit of a woman nor a woman the habit of a man because that as he had made them diverse so would he have them so known by their habits so it seems he will not suffer a good and a bad Spirit a noble and ignoble one to appear unto men after the same fashion And this also I suppose Eve knew Now from these grounds it will follow That good Angels can take upon them no other shape but the shape of Man because their glorious excellency is resembled only in the most excellent of all visible creatures the shape of an inferiour creature would be unsutable no other shape becoming those who are called the sons of God but his only who was created after God's own image And yet not his neither according as now he is but according as he was before his fall in his glorious beauty of his Integrity Age and deformity are the fruits of Sin and the Angel in the Gospel appears like a young man his countenance like lightning and his raiment white as snow as it were resembling the beauty of glorified bodies in immutability sublimity and purity Hence also it follows on the contrary That the Devil could not appear in humane shape whilest Man was in his integrity because he was a Spirit fallen from his first glorious perfection and therefore must appear in such shape which might argue his imperfection and abasement which was the shape of a Beast otherwise no reason can be given why he should not rather have appeared unto Eve in the shape of a Woman than of a Serpent for so he might have gained an opinion with her both of more excellency and knowledg But since the fall of man the case is altered now we know he can take upon him the shape of Man and no wonder since one falling star
impregnable Bulwark unto his Elect against the hottest assaults of Sin Satan and Death all the Cannons of Hell can never hurt him who hath gotten this Rock to shield him 3. A Rock is a place of stumbling unto those who look not well to their feet and so was this Spiritual Rock of our salvation unto the proud high-looking Iew a stumbling-block a Rock of offence according unto the Prophecy in the 8. of Esay 14 15. quoted also by our Apostle Rom. 9. and S. Peter 1 Ep. 2. A stone of stumbling and for a Rock of offence unto both the houses of Israel And many among them shall stumble and fall c. But more especially This Rock which our Apostle speaks of resembles Christ in three things 1. As that Rock gave no water before it was smitten with the Rod of Moses so was Christ smitten upon the Cross that out of him might flow that soveraign stream which he who drinketh of shall never thirst any more 2. As the Rock was smitten with the Rod of Moses so was Christ our Redeemer with the Rod of the Law all the curses and penalties due by the same being laid upon him for our sakes For he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray and the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all 3. Lastly As this Rock is said to have yielded water not only to those who were then present at the place where the Rock stood but followed them in all their Stations in the Wilderness unto the utmost ends thereof So that water which gushed out from our smitten Saviour neither served nor stayed with those alone who were present at the time and place of his suffering but it ran and spred into all places of the world where the sons of men had any abiding and followeth them all the days of their Pilgrimage in this Wilderness even from the day of his Passion unto this very hour Ho saith the Evangelical Prophet Esay every one that thirsteth come ye unto the waters yea even he that hath no mony come ye yea come buy Wine and Milk without money and without price In what part of the earth soever thou art in what time of the world soever thou livest Christ our Rock is ever with thee and his water streameth after thee which whosoever drinketh it shall be in him a Well of water springing up into everlasting life Add who knoweth whether the cleaving of the Rocks when he yielded up the Ghost were not for a Sign of the accomplishment of the mystery AND thus much for the second point Now we come unto the third In what sense those Sacraments are said to be the same with ours For the understanding whereof we must chiefly consider two things in every Sacrament the visible sign and the invisible thing thereby signified and confirmed which invisible thing is always double first the Root or Fountain secondly the gracious blessings and promises which spring and flow from it The Root and Fountain is he through whom and by whom we receive all the blessings and benefits we enjoy from God our Father and without whom he vouchsafes us nothing And therefore as God confers no manner of blessing upon us but through Christ so the manner and nature of a Sacrament is to assure and confirm unto us whatsoever it assures us only through him For all Sacramental signs both old and new carry in them the Image and marks of Christ hereby shewing that by signifying him they seal and convey the Promises in and through him For example sake In the Passeover the favour and benefit which God would therein seal and assure was that he would spare and pass by the Israelites when he smote the Egyptians and yet the Sign ordained expressed nothing either of passing by or sparing but of him only in whom and through whom God passed and spared them namely that immaculate Lamb slain before the foundation of the world whose bloud when God beholds upon the posts of their houses he will spare and not destroy them The like we shall find in all their Sacraments and Sacrifices that is their manner by signing the Root and Fountain to assure and convey the Promises which come through it Out of this therefore which hath been spoken we may easily assoil the Question of the agreement of sameness of the Iews Sacraments with ours For it is apparent that the Signs differed and in most they were of a clean differing kind from ours I mean divers kinds of things the bloudy signs of slaughtered beasts and where the Signs of both had more affinity yet was there some apparent difference as appears in the examples our Apostle bringeth here For howsoever a cloud hath some affinity with water yet is it not the same with water we use in Baptism neither was Manna the same thing with bread though in stead thereof nor the water of the Rock the same with wine in the Eucharist It is plain therefore out of our Apostle's own words that he means not they were the same in Signs It follows then they should be the same in the Spiritual thing signified which is as the Soul and spirit of a Sacrament And this is plain in that he saith not simply they are the same Meat and same Drink but the same Spiritual Meat and the same Spiritual Drink and it is past all doubt when he saith the Rock was Christ that is a Sacrament of him which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood of all the rest the Cloud the Sea the Manna all were Sacraments of Christ as well as ours and Seals of the same Spiritual promises whereof ours are all aimed at the same twofold invisible gift the same Fountain through whom Christ Iesus and the same Rivers of Spiritual graces Reconciliation with God Remission of sins and Life eternal through him alone And yet for all this agreement we must know there was some difference even here also For howsoever the things as ye have heard were the same signified in both yet was the manner and fashion of them different they beheld not their Signs the same that ours do For as for the Root of blessings Christ he was signified as future and yet to come which in their ordinary Sacraments was stamped upon the very Sign I mean the Signs had some badge in them whereby might be known that what they signified was future As for example In Circumcision was signified the taking away of the superfluity of sin in and through him who was yet in the loins of his Ancestors as the place circumcised sufficiently implies And this is the reason why S. Paul saith if ye are circumcised Christ profits you nothing Because namely he that received Circumcision did as much as affirm that Christ was not yet come but still hoped for The like we may
ignem quem praeparavit illi Deus Angelis ejus priùs inputeum abyssi relegatus cùm◠Revelatio filiorum Dei redemerit conditionem id est creaturam à malo utique vanitati subjectam cùm restitutâ innocentiâ integritate conditionis pecora condixerint bestiis parvuli de serpentibus luserint cùm Pater filio posuerit inimicos sub pedes utique operarios mali Origenes contra Celsum lib. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interpres hîc non bonâ fide egit Idem in Ierem. Hom. 13. Siquis servaverit lavacrum Spiritûs Sancti i.e. ut paulò antè innuerat qui sanctus est neque post fidem magisterium Dei rursum ad scelera conversus est qui mortale peccaetum non commiserit iste in Resurrectionis Primae parte communicat Siquis verò in secunda Resurrectione servatur iste peccator est qui ignis indiget baptismo c. alludit ad illud Mat. 3. 11. Quamobrem cùm talia post mortem nobis residere videamus Scripturas diligenter simul recitantes reponamus eas in cordibus nostris juxta earum vivere praecepta nitamur ut ante excessionis diem si sieri potest peccatorum sordibus sic vocat leviora peccata seu passiones animae ut paulò antè emundati cum sanctis valeamus assumi in Christo Iesu annon respicit 1 Thes. 4. 16 17 cui est gloria imperium in secula seculorum Amen Quamvis non dubito quin Hieronymus qui in Prol. ad Orig. homil in Ezech. fatetur se vertisse 14 Origenis homilias in Ierem. hîc Origenis sententiam nonnihil immutando emolliverit tamen satìs adhuc remanet quo Origenes cum Millenariis sensisse arguatur Methodius Olympi Lyciae deinde Tyri Episcopus in Libro de Resurrectione contra Originem apud Epiphanium Haeres 74. interloquente Procl Et verò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I. M. THE APOSTASY OF THE LATTER TIMES OR THE GENTILES THEOLOGY OF DAEMONS Revived in the LATTER TIMES amongst Christians in Worshipping of Angels Deifying and Invocating of Saints Adoring of Reliques Bowing down to Images and Crosses c. All Which Together with the Original and Progress of this Grand Apostasy Are Represented In several Elaborate DISCOURSES upon 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 c. Howbeit the Spirit speaketh expressely That in the Latter times some shall revolt from the Faith attending to erroneous Spirits and Doctrines of Daemons Through the hypocrisie of Liars having seared consciences Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats By The Pious and Profoundly-Learned IOSEPH MEDE B. D. sometime Fellow of Christ's College in Cambridge The Fifth Edition enlarged and corrected in sundry places according to the Authors own Manuscript THE APOSTASY OF THE LATTER TIMES A Treatise on 1 Timothy Chap. 4. Verse 1 2 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which I conceive may be thus Translated Howbeit the Spirit speaketh expresly That in the latter times some shall revolt from the Faith attending to erroneous Spirits and Doctrines of Daemons Through the hypocrisie of Liars having seared consciences Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats c. CHAP. I. The dependance of the Text upon the last verse in the foregoing Chapter Why in the Description of the Mystery of Godliness those words Assumed into Glory are set last A view of the several parts of the Text containing the Method and Order of the insuing Discourse The Author 's 3 Reasons for his rendring the Text differently from the Common Translation THE WORDS I have read are a Prophecie of a Revolt of Christians from the Great Mystery of Christian Worship described in the last verse of the former Chapter which according to the division of the Ancients should be the first of this For that last Verse together with the first six Verses of this and half the seventh verse make the seventh Title or main Section of this Epistle expressed in the Edition of Robert Stephen and so are supposed from the grounds of that division to belong all to one argument The Words therefore of my Text depend upon the last of the former Chapter as the second part of a Discrete proposition That howsoever the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mystery of Christian Religion which is God manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels and assumed into Glory though this Mystery was a great one and at that time preached and believed in the world Nevertheless the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaketh expresly That in the latter times there shall be a revolt or departing from this Faith though not in all parts of it yet from a main and fundamental part thereof namely The assumption of this God and Man to the Throne of Glory and incommunicable Majesty in Heaven whereby he hath a Name given him above every Name and whereof no creature in Heaven or in Earth can be capable Which connexion is the reason why the Apostle putteth this Assumption into Glory in the last place of his description which should else in the true order have followed the words justified in the Spirit and been before preached unto the Gentiles and believed on in the world But it is the method of the Scripture sometimes to translate the proper order and to mention that in the last place whereunto it is to joyn and from whence it is to infer the next words that follow after And unless this reason be allowed here there will hardly be found any other reason of this misplacing But more of this shall be both spoken and made better to appear hereafter I come now more near to my Text the words whereof I divide into two parts First A Description of this solemn Apostasie in the first verse Secondly The Manner or Means whereby it was to come to pass in the following verses viz. Through the hypocrisie of Liars who had seared consciences forbade to marry and bade to abstain from meats For the Description of the Apostasie it self we shall find it first Generally and Indefinitely expressed both in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall Apostatize or revolt and in the next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall attend to erroneous Doctrines or Doctrines of errour Then Particularly 1. What these erroneous Doctrines should be for the kind or quality namely new Doctrines of Daemons or a new Idolatry 2. The Persons who should thus apostatize not all but TINE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SOME 3. The Time when it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the latter times 4. The Proof or warrant of this Prophesie it is that which the Spirit hath else-where long agoe foretold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the written word verbatim totidem verbis or in express words For the second part viz. The Means Consider 1. The Manner or Method used viz. By lying hypocrisie or hypocritical lying 2. The quality and description of the
Authors and furtherers thereof they should be such as had their consciences seared who forbad marriage and meats Where before I go any further I must give an account of thus translating these latter words which I make the second part because they are commonly translated otherwise viz. intransitively as referring the words of the two latter verses to the persons mentioned in the first viz. those Some who should Apostatize and give heed to erroneous spirits and Doctrines of Devils as they usually translate it So that the words of the second and third verses should be the expression by particulars of that which was before generally comprized under erroneous spirits and doctrines of Devils which should consist partly in forbidding lawful marriage and partly in commanding abstinence from meats But this interpretation seems very unlikely For first since S. Paul intendeth here to describe that great Apostasie of the visible Christian Church as is evident by the pointing out of the time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the latter times who can believe that he who aimeth at this would instance only in the smaller and almost circumstantial Errours omitting the main and fundamental which the Scripture elsewhere telleth us should be Idolatry or Spiritual fornication Secondly As for Errours about Marriage and Meats they were not proper to the last times but found more or less in the Apostles own times as may be gathered by some passages of their Epistles Why should then our Apostle here speaking of the Apostasie of the latter times instance only in those things which the first times in some measure were never free from Lastly which I take alone to be sufficient The Syntax of the words will not bear it to have them so translated For the persons in the first verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are expressed in casu recto whereas the persons in the verses following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in the genitive now by what Syntax can these be construed intransitively how will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. without breach of Grammar unsampled in our Apostle's Epistles If any say they may be referred then and agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that indeed would be a strange sense and nothing to their purpose to say that Devils lie have seared consciences and forbid marriage and meats But to construe it transitively and to make all these genitive cases to be governed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and take the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie Causam or Modum actionis as is most usual in Scripture this as it keepeth the Syntax true so I hope to make it appear hereafter to be the very meaning and the Event most answerable thereunto when you shall hear proved out of story That the Apostasie of the visible Church came in by lying wonders and all deceiveableness of unrighteousness managed by those who either professed or doted upon Monastical hypocrisie the affectation and errours whereof at length surprising the body of the Church is that which S. Paul 2 Thess. 2. 10. calls not the Apostasie it self but Aâ—not-love of the Truth for which God gave them over to strong delusions that they might believe a lye But this is out of its place only I have anticipated thus much lest you should be too long in suspence of the grounds of this novelty in translating And yet this difficulty concerning the Syntax hath stumbled many of our latter Interpreters as amongst others Beza who solves it only by saying That the Apostle more regarded the matter than the construction which for my part I cannot believe CHAP. II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture imports Revolt or Rebellion That Idolatry is such proved from several passages in Scriplute By Spirits in the Text are meant Doctrines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are to be taken Passively viz. for Doctrines concerning Daemons Several instances of the like form of speech in Scripture I Return now unto the First part of my Text The Description of that solemn Apostasie where I will consider the five parts or points thereof as I have propounded them though it be not according to the order of the words And first in the more general expression as I called it in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as to say They shall make an Apostasie Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture's use when it looks towards a person signifies a Revolt or Rebellion when towards God a spiritual Revolt from God or Rebellion against Divine Majesty whether Total or by Idolatry and serving other Gods For the Seventy whence the New Testament borrows the use of speech usually translates by this word the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rebel and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rebellion both which when they have reference to a spiritual Sovereignty mean nought else but Idolatry and serving of other Gods as may appear Iosuah 22. 19. where the Israelites supposing their brethren the Reubenites and Gadites in building another Altar upon the banks of Iordan had meant to have forsaken the Lord and served other Gods they said unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you have rebelled against the Lord and presently Rebell not against the Lord nor rebell against us where the Seventy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in vers 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rebellion is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the words the Lord God of gods he knoweth if it be in rebellion or in transgression against the Lord. Also Numb 14. vers 9. when the people would have renounced the Lord upon the report of the Spies Iosuah and Caleb spake unto them saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rebel ye not where the Seventy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be not Apostates from the Lord. So Nehem. 9. 26. in that repentant confession which the Levites make of the Idolatry of their Nation they were disobedient say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rebelled against thee where the Seventy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Daniel in the like confession Chap. 9. vers 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have rebelled against him So the Idolatry of Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. and Chap. 29. is by the same Interpreters called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 revolted greatly from the Lord. I will not trouble you with the places where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for Treason and Rebellion against earthly Princes which are many It is sufficient to gather from what we have quoted That Apostasie having reference to a Sovereignty and Lordship betokens a withdrawing of service and subjection there-from which if the Sovereignty and Majesty be Divine is done by Idolatry and service of other Gods as well as if the Majesty of the true God were renounced altogether The use of the
New Testament is answerable Hebr. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in departing from the living God And which is more near to our purpose S. Paul in his 2 Thess. 2. 3. means no other thing in his Prophecie of the man of sin by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than Christian Idolatry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnless that Apostasie come first that is Unless there be a breach of Allegiance and Faith given unto Christ by Idolatry under Antichrist The like therefore I conclude to be intended in my Text by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely That in the latter times men should break their Oath of fidelity to Christ that in and through him alone they should approch and worship the Divine Majesty And so hath the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught us something or at least it hath wrought an indefinite suspicion of what should befal Christians in the latter times Howsoever we are yet in suspence whether this departing from Christ and the Mystery of Godliness should be Total in not acknowledging him at all or whether Heretical in serving others besides him For the Iews we know when they forsook the Lord most yet did not forsake him altogether but their Apostasie was in not serving him only and alone but others besides him as Calves the Host of Heaven and Baalim LET us therefore see if the next general words will afford us yet further information viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attending to erroneous spirits or as some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirits of errour It would be unprofitable and tedious to tell here of the diverse use of this word Spirit in Scripture Some take in this place for Doctors of spiritual things and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be Doctors of Errors But I had rather take Spirits in this place for Doctrines themselves For so Divines observe it to be used I Iohn 4. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Believe not every spirit i.e. every doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but try the spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they be of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because many false Prophets are gone out into the world and so onward in that Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of Antichrist signifies the false doctrine of Antichrist So if this sense be admitted we are something less in suspence than we were and may guess that this Revolt should not be Total but Heretical For we shall not easily find the word Spirit to be otherwise used but either for the Doctrines or Doctors of Christianity or for Heresies under the same It seems therefore to be some revolt from Christ by Idolatry even in those who would seem to worship him But suppose it be so yet still are we in suspence what these Erroneous and Idolatrous Doctrines might be For Idolatry as we may see in the Iewish Apostasies was of diverse kinds as worshipping the Host of Heaven Baalims and the Gentiles other things besides them But we shall not be long in doubt the next words will clear the case and tell us they shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrines of Daemons not which Daemons or Devils are authors of though that be true as if the Genitive case were active but Doctrines concerning Daemons the Genâ—tive case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being here to be taken passively for the object of these doctrines as in Hebr. 6. 2. we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrines of Baptisms and doctrines of laying on of hands of the Resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment that is doctrines about and concerning all these And the same use may elsewhere be found even with the word Doctrine as Acts 13. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the doctrine of the Lord that is concerning him So Titus 2. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the doctrine of God our Saviour And Gal. 2. 20. we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the faith of the Son of God that is concerning him Semblably in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Doctrines of Daemons or Doctrinae Deastrorum that is The Gentâ—es idolatrous Theology of Daemons should be revived among Christians For I take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all is one not in that worst sense which no Author but the Scripture useth but in the better or more indifferent sense as it was supposed and taken among the Theologists and Philosophers of the Gentiles and as it is also sometimes taken in Scripture as I shall shew in due time CHAP. III. Daemons according to the Theology of the Gentiles were 1. for their Nature and Degree a middle sort of Divine Powers between the Sovereign Gods and mortal Men. 2. For their Office they were supposed to be Mediators and Agents between the Celestial Gods and Men. This proved from Plato Plutarch Apuleius Celsus in Origen and S. Austin The Doctrine of the Mediation of Daemons glanced at and reproved by the Apostle Coloss. 2. 8. The distinction of Sovereign Gods and Daemons proved out of the Old Testament and elegantly alluded to in the New 1. Cor. 8. 5 6. MEAN-while let us first see what the Gentiles and their Theologists understood by Daemons which when you have heard I doubt not but you will confess the Deifying and worshipping of Saints and Angels with other parts of their Idolatry which do this to be as lively an image of the Doctrine of Daemons as could possibly be expressed and such an one as whereby the Apostasie of the latter times is as by a character distinguished from the Heresies false doctrines and corruptions of all other times whatsoever Daemons in the Gentiles Theology were Deastri or an inferiour sort of Deisied Powers as a middle between the Sovereign Gods and mortal men So saies Plato in Symposio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So say all the Platonists and well-nigh all other Sects of Philosophers I am sure the most do for it is a very ancient doctrine insomuch that Plutarch De defectu Oraculorum fetcheth this distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Sovereign Gods and Daemons as far as the antiquity of Zoroafter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They seem to me saith he to have solved great and difficult doubts who have placed the Daemons between the Gods and Men and found out what in some sort uniteth and joyneth us with them whether this be the doctrine of the Magi and Zoroafter or the Thracian doctrine derived from Orpheus or the AEgyptian or Phrygian c. The Sovereign or Highest Gods which amongst them were properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those whom they supposed to be in the Heavens yea in the Sun Moon and Stars whence they called them Dii Superi Dii Coelestes whom they affirmed to
hence it is that the Primitive Fathers which write against the Gentiles do so often upbraid them That their Temples were nothing else but the Sepulchres of dead men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Clem. in his Protreptie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were indeed called by the specious and plausible name of Temples but were in truth nothing but Sepulchres that is the very Sepulchres of dead men were called Temples He goeth on speaking to the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be ye therefore at length perswaded to forget and relinquish your Daemon-worship and be ashamed to worship the Sepulchres of dead men To the like purpose Arnobius l. 6. advers Gent. Quid quòd multa ex his Templa quae tholis sunt aureis sublimibus elata fastigiis autorum conscriptionibus comprobatur contegere cineres at que ossa functorum esse corporum sepulturas Nonne patet promptum est aut pro Diis immortalibus mortuos vos colere aut inexpiabilem fieri Numinibus contumeliam quorum Delubra Templa mortuorum superlata sunt bustis Where he tells them that many of their Temples famous for their high and golden roofs were nothing but the Sepulchres of the deceased covering dead bones and ashes and that it was very evident that for the immortal Gods they worship'd men that were dead or that they were guilty of doing an horrible dishonour to the Gods whose Temples were built over the burying-places of dead men I might further add to these Oecumenical doctrines of Daemons that monstrous one of the AEgyptians for which their fellow-Gentiles derided them who worshipped living brute Beasts yea Onions and Garlick and Water it self with Divine worship as supposing some Daemon or other to dwell in them Such were their Cow-god Apis and their Bull-god Mnevis and their Water-god Nilus which it shall be enough to have only named to make the former compleat and that from it and the rest of that kind of abominations we may gather this Conclusion once for all That since the Sovereign and Celestial Gods as you heard before might not be approached nor polluted by these earthly and material things but kept always immovably without change of place or presence their heavenly stations therefore the adoring or worshipping of any visible or material thing for any supposed presence or other relation of a divine power therewith is to be accounted amongst the Doctrines of Daemons CHAP. VI. A Recapitulation or Summary of the Doctrines of Daemons How the Severals thereof are revived and resembled in the Apostate Christian Church That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometime in Scripture taken according to the Theology of the Gentiles and not always for an Evil Spirit That it is so to be taken in the Text was the judgment of Epiphanius an observable passage quoted out of him to this purpose AND thus have you seen the Theology of Daemons 1. For their Nature and degree to have been supposed by the Gentiles an inferiour and middle sort of Divine Powers between the Sovereign and Heavenly Gods and mortal men 2. Their Office to be as Mediators and Agents between these Sovereign Gods and men 3. Their Original to be the Deified Souls of worthy men after death and some of an higher degree which had no beginning nor ever were imprisoned in mortal bodies 4. The way to worship them to find and receive benefits from them namely by consecrated Images and Pillars wherein to have and retain their presence at devotions to be given them 5. To adore their Reliques and to Temple them Now therefore judge impartially whether S. Paul's Prophecy be not fulfilled already amongst Christians who foretold that the time should come that they should Apostatize and revive again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrines of Daemons whether the deifying and worshipping of Saints and Angles whether the bowing down to Images whether of men or other things visible breaden Idols and Crosses like new Daemon-Pillars whether the adoring or templing of Reliques whether these make not as lively an image of the Gentiles Theologie of Daemons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as possibly could be expressed and whether these two words comprehend not the whole pith and marrow of Christian Apostasie which was to consist in Spiritual fornication or Idolatry as appears by that name and denomination thereof given by S. Iohn in his Revelation The Whore of Babylon Is not she rightly termed the Babylonish whore which hath revived and replanted the Doctrines of Daemons first founded in the ancient Babel And is not this now fulfilled which S. Iohn foretells us Apoc. 11. That the second and outmost Court of the Temple which is the second state of the Christian Church together with the holy City should be trodden down and overtrampled by the Gentiles that is overwhelmed with the Gentiles Idolatry forty two months But perhaps I am yet too forward in my Application some things in our way must first be cleared For howsoever the resemblance indeed be evident yet First the Text seems not to intend or mean it because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the Scripture never taken in the better or indifferent sense howsoever prophane Authors do so use it but always in an evil sense for the Devil or an Evil Spirit Now the signification of words in Scripture is to be esteemed and taken only according to the Scripture's use though other Writers use them otherwise Secondly For the charge of Idolatry though much of that wherein we have instanced may be granted to be justly suspected for such indeed yet nevertheless that whereupon this Application mainly relieth namely The praying to Saints glorified as Mediators and Agents for us with God should not seem to deserve so foul a name For suppose it were a needless yea and a fruitless Ceremony yet what reason can be given why this should be more tainted with Idolatry than is the like honour given to Saints and holy men whilst they live on earth whom then to desire to mediate and pray to God for us was never accounted so much as an unlawful matter When these two Scruples are answered I will return to continue my former Application To the First therefore for the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture I say That because those which the Gentiles took for Daemons and for Deified Souls of their Worthies were indeed no other than Evil Spirits counterfeiting the Souls of men deceased and masking themselves under the names of such supposed Daemons under that colour to seduce mankind therefore the Scripture useth the name Daemons for that they were indeed and not for what they seemed to be For no blessed Soul or good Angel would admit any honour which did derogate from the honour of the only true God who made them neither do the glorified Saints in heaven or the blessed Angels though Apostate Christians now invocate and worship them accept of this honour hear their prayers or condescend
Daemon-gods of the Nations for Christ's Monarchical Mediation excludes all other Mediators and Daemons not that the wooden Idol was ought of it self but that the Gentiles supposed there dwelt some Daemon therein who received their sacrifices and to whom they intended their services Thus may this place be expounded and so the use of the word Daemon in the worst sense or directly for a Devil will be almost confined to the Gospel where the subject spoken of being men vexed with Evil spirits could admit no other sense or use and yet S. Luke the best-languaged of the Evangelists knowing the word to be ambiguous and therefore as it were to distinguish it once for all doth the first time he useth it do it with an explication Chapter 4. verse 33. There was saith he a man in the Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having the spirit of an unclean Daemon Thus much of the word Daemonium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture whereby I hope it appears that this place of my Text is not the only place where the word is used according to the notion of the Gentiles and their Theologists But you will say Did any of the Fathers or Ancients expound it thus in this place If they had done so the Mystery of iniquity could never have taken such footing which because it was to come according to divine disposition what wonder then if this were hidden from their eyes Howsoever it may seem that God left not his spirit without a witness For as I take it Epiphanius one of the most zealous of the Fathers of his time against Saint-worship then peeping took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my Text for a Doctrine of worshipping dead men You may read him in the seventy eighth Heresie towards the conclusion where upon occasion of some who made a Goddess of the blessed Virgin and offered a cake unto her as the Queen of Heaven he quotes this place of my Text concerning them saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in English sounds thus That also of the Apostle is fulfilled of these Some shall apostatize from the sound Doctrine giving heed to Fables and Doctrines of Daemons for saith he they shall be worshippers of Dead men as they were worshipped in Israel Are not these last words for an Exposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what will you say doth he mean by the Dead worshipped in Israel I suppose he means their Baalim who as is already shewed were nothing else but Daemons or Deified Ghosts of men deceased yet he brings in two examples besides one of the Sichemites in his time who had a Goddess or Daemoness under the name of Iephtah's daughter another of the AEgyptians who worshipped Thermutis that daughter of Pharaoh which brought up Moses Some as Beza would have these words of Epiphanius to be a part of the Text it self in some copy which he used But how is that likely when no other Father once mentions any such reading Nay it appears moreover that Epiphanius intended to explain the words as he quoteth them as he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Faith by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sound Doctrine and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erroneous spirits by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fables and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving heed to Doctrines of Daemons by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worshipping Dead men Otherwise we must say he used either a very corrupt copy or quoted very carelesly But grant that Epiphanius read so Either this reading was true and so I have enough because then the Apostle with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. should expound himself by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mean the Deifying of the dead Or it was not the original reading but added by some or other for explication sake and so it will follow that those who did it made no question but that the words there contained some such thing as worshipping of the dead Therefore take it which way you will it will follow that some such matter as we speak of was in times past supposed to be in this Text and Prophecy CHAP. VII Why those words in the description of the Mystery of Godliness Received into Glory are set last That praying to Saints glorified as Mediators and Agents for us with God is Idolatry For the proof of this several Grounds are laid down To be prayed to in Heaven and to present our Devotions to God and to deal as an Agent and Mediator between us and him is a Prerogative appropriate to Christ a Flower of his Glory and Exaltation to sit at God's Right hand a Royalty incommunicable to any other That none but Christ our High Priest is to be an Agent for us with God in the Heavens was figured under the Law in that the High Priest alone had to do in the Most holy place and there was to be Agent for the people That though Christ in regard of his Person was capable of this God-like Glory and Royalty yet it was the Will of God that he should purchase it by suffering an unimitable Death This proved from several Testimonies of Scripture Saint-worship is a denial of Christ's Prerogative Bread-worship in the Eucharist to what kind of Idolatry it may be reduced How Saint-worship crept into the Church NOW I come to the Second point to maintain and prove That praying to Saints glorified as Mediators and Agents for us with God is justly charged with Idolatry For this is the hinge whereupon not the Application only of my Text but the Interpretation thereof chiefly turneth For this is that which I told you in the beginning that my Text depended upon the last words of the former chapter and verse Received into glory which were therefore out of their due order put in the last place because my Text was immediately to be inferred upon them The like misplacing and for the like reason see Heb. 12. 23. where in a catalogue or recension of the parts of the Church Christ the Head and the sprinkling of his bloud is mentioned in the last place and after the spirits of just men because the next verses are continued upon this sprinkling of Christ's bloud Ye are come to the general assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect And to Iesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the bloud of sprinkling which speaketh better things than that of Abel whereas the right order should have been◠First God the Iudge of all secondly Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant and thirdly in the last place the Spirits of just men made perfect Agreeably therefore to this dependance of my Text I am to shew That the Invocation of Saints glorified implies an Apostasie from Christ and a denial of his Glory and Majesty whereunto he is installed by his Assumption into heaven to sit at the right hand of God Which before I do I
be the more happy in that day of vengeance and wrath upon our Nation Neither need we wonder that this Desolation should be called the End for our Saviour himself taught them so to speak in his Prophecy concerning it as may appear if we consider that Antithesis in S. Luke chap. 21. 9. Ye shall hear of wars and commotions but the End is not by and by Ver. 20. But when ye shall see Ierusalem encompassed with armies then know that the Desolation thereof is nigh AND thus much I thought to add to my former discourse of Latter Times lest through ignorance thereof we might incline to that little better than blasphemous conceit which Baronius by name and some other of Rome's followers have taken up viz. That the Apostles in such like passages as we have noted were mistaken as believing the End of the World should have been in their own time God of purpose so ordering it to cause in them a greater measure of zeal and contempt of worldly things An opinion I think not well beseeming a Christian. 1. For first whatsoever we imagine the Apostles might here conceive in their private opinions as men yet we must know that the Holy Ghost by whose instinct they wrote the Scriptures is the Spirit of truth and therefore what is there affirmed must be true yea though the Pen-man himself understood it not 2. It was not possible the Apostles should expect the End of the World to be in their own time when they knew so many things were to come to pass before it as could not be fulfilled in a short time As 1. The desolation of Ierusalem and that not till the seventy weeks were expired 2. The Iews to be carried captives over all Nations and Ierusalem to be troden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled 3. That in the mean time the Roman Empire must be ruined and that which hindered taken out of the way 4. That after that was done the Man of sin should be revealed and domineer his time in the Temple and Church of God 5. After all this viz. when the fulness of the Gentiles should come in that Israel should be received again to mercy 6. That Christ should reign in his Church on earth so long till he had put down all rule all authority and power and subjected all his enemies under his feet before he should subdue the last enemy which is death and surrender his kingdom into the hands of his Father 7. That the time should be so long that in the last days should come Scoffers saying Where is the promise of his coming How is it possible they should imagine the Day of Doom to be so near when all these things must first come to pass and not one of them was yet fulfilled And how could the expectation of this Day be made a ground of exhortation and a motive to watchfulness and prayer as though it could suddenly and unawares surprize them which had so many wonderful alterations to forego it and none of them yet come to pass I have spoken hitherto of what was revealed to all the Apostles in general But if we take S. Iohn apart from the rest and consider what was afterward revealed to him in Patmos we shall find in his Apocalyptical Visions besides other times more obscurely intimated an express prophecy of no less than a thousand years which whatever it mean cannot be a small time and must be fulfilled in this world and not in the world to come Notwithstanding all this I make no question but even in the Apostles times many of the believing Gentiles mistaking the Apostles admonitions to the Iews of the End of their State approaching thought the End of whole world and the Day of the Lord had been also near whom therefore S. Paul 2 Thess. 2. beseeches to be better informed because that Day should not come until the Apostasie came first and the Man of sin were revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expresly or In express words CHAP. XVI The Fourth Particular viz. The Warrant or Proof of this Prophecy When the Spirit speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Spirit foretold the Great Apostasy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresly in Dan 11. vers 36 37 38 39. A View of these Verses in the Hebraw Text with an exact Translation of them both in Latin and English The chief Difficulties in these Verses explained and incidentally other places of Scripture The different opinions of Iunius and Graserus about Vers. 38. The Author's Translation free from the inconveniences of both A particular Explication of Mahoz and Mahuzim That hereby are meant Fortresses Bulwarks as also Protectors Guardians Defenders c. How fitly this Title is appliable to Angels and Saints accounted to be such by those that worshipt them NOW I come to the Fourth particular of this Prophecy The Warrant or Proof thereof The Spirit hath foretold it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in express words in some place or other of Divine Writ The Spirit told Peter Acts 10. 19. Behold three men seek thee The Spirit said Separate Barnabas and Saul Acts 13. 2. The Spirit forbade S. Paul to preach in Asia The Spirit said that the Iews should bind S. Paul at Ierusalem Acts 21. 11. But in all these the Spirit spake not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for these things were nowhere written and therefore what it spake it spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only by secret Instinct or Inspiration But that which the Spirit speaks in the Written word that it speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbatim expresly If therefore concerning this Apostasie of Christian believers to be in the Latter times the Spirit speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then is it to be found somewhere in the Old Testament for there alone the Spirit could be said to speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or verbatim in the Apostles time Having therefore so good a hint given us let us see if we can find where the Spirit speaketh of this matter so expresly There are three main things in this our Apostle's Prediction whereof I find the Spirit to have spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in express words and that in the Prophecy of Daniel 1. Of these Last or Letter times 2. Of the new worship of Daemons in them 3. Of a Prohibition of marriage to accompany them As for the first of these the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter times Daniel as you have heard before expresly names them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A time times and half a time being those Last times of the Last Kingdom wherein the Hornish Tyrant should make war with the Saints and prevail against them For the second A worship of new-Daemons or Demi-gods with the profession of the name of Christ you will perhaps think it strange if I should shew it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if I do it was
approbation by him and after that some other Prophecies yet added of his IF you had not put me out by your last Letter which I received on Friday Aug. 7. I was looking into an old Notion concerning our old business of Antichrist a Notion which I had long laid aside but upon a late occasion began to take some new liking thereunto seeing some good use thereof namely That the Prophecy of Antichrist and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein he was to reign should not be understood till many hundreds of years after Christ but remain sealed till the time appointed viz. ad seculum usque duodecimum All this by express prophecy and that therefore the Authority of the Fathers and their opinion concerning this point is of no validity howsoever it be now come of late among our selves to be a main Objection That the Pope is not He. But now I must defer it to more leisure some other business coming upon me and I being unfit for above one thing at once There was something I wrote to you once about the proof of the Resurrection out of Moses and that Demonstration of our Saviour in the Gospel which I never perceived you found leisure hitherto seriously to examine and consider of yet may it have something considerable Thus desiring Almighty God to fill you with all benediction with my best respect I take my leave and am Christ's Coll. August 12. 1635. Yours Ioseph Mede Postscript My Sizer being not yet come with a candle I will transcribe a passage of Eusebius concerning the Christian Sacrifice in his De landibus Constantini He is magnifying the unparallel'd power of our Saviour testified by the wonderful change he had then wrought in the world to which purpose with other passages he hath this Quis alius solo nostro Servatore excepto coepulonibus suis inornenta rationalia Sacrificia precibus arcanâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peragenda tradidit quorum causâ tum Altaria in toto terrarum orbe constituta tum Ecclesiarum dedicationes factae Solique omnium moderatori Deo divina Sacrificiorum solâ mente ratione obcundorum ministeria ab omnibus gentibus exhibita Sacrificia verò sanguine cruore fumo peragi solita vi quadam occultâ invisibili deleta extincta sunt EPISTLE LXII Dr. Twisse's Eleventh Letter to Mr. Mede signifying his high esteem of Mr. Mede's Discourse De Numeris Danielis Chap. 12. 11 12. Right dear and my right worthy Friend THis day a little before dinner came your Letter unto me I have been of late extremely melancholick your Letters inspire chearfulness into me How am I beholden unto you for communicating unto me your Treasures which I esteem beyond the Treasures of the Queen of Sheba You have heretofore blessed me with the Mysteries of Dan. 11. now with the Mysteries of Dan. 12. vers 11 12. The bare discovery of others Errors I should esteem a Iewel and a preservative from engaging our selves in erroneous ways which is worst of all Better a great deal to content a man's self with Ignorance so to keep himself entire for the embracing of Truth when the time of its nativity is come But you go farther and from the Text it self discover whereto those Numbers tend namely for the discovery of Antichrist which gives me wondrous content and all this you crown with admirable accommodation to the Event What a gracious God do we serve that hath so well provided for us in these times and for our consolation so many hundred years ago and as he hath reserved us for these times of light so raiseth up some to open these Oracles unto us What should man be the better for that sweet Dew Hony I mean if the Lord had not provided such a Creature as the Bee by natural instinct to seek after it and gather it for the use of others as well as for themselves I protest unto you if I should lie in prison all days of my life next unto the consolations of God's spirit your Writings would most refresh me They do always dispel melancholy I desire no better Preferment than you can perform and that is to be preferred to acquaintance with your Rarities I make bold to keep your Discourse till the next week for I cannot let it pass from me without copying it out I commend me to your Love as one of them I hold most dear and shall ever from my heart desire that God will prosper your courses and studies and recompense you with himself to be your Buckler and exceeding great Reward I rest Newbury Octob. 12. 1635. Yours ever in the surest bond Will. Twisse EPISTLE LXIII Mr. Estwick's Letter to Mr. Mede touching the Millennium SIR TOuching the Opinion of the Millenaries it was not yet my hap to light of a Book to inform me You shall find me to be a teachable Scholar only this Mora Resurrectionis seems to be confuted in divers places of the Scripture where it is said The dead shall be raised at the sound of the last Trump All they that are Christ's at his coming 1 Cor. 15. 23. in a moment vers 52. and the coming of the Son of man See Matt. 24. 39. and excepting one place I think the Resurrection is said to be of good and bad together How these and the like Scriptures are to be expounded agreeably to the doctrine of the Millenaries I would willingly know Warkton Nov. 4. Yours ever N. Estwick EPISTLE LXIV Mr. Mede's Letter to Mr. Estwick vindicating Lactantius about the Millennium and proving Cyprian to be for the same Opinion with some reflections upon Ierom's want of Candour and Faithfulness in relating the opinion of his adversaries Mr. Estwick YOU would bring me to express my self de modo before you were persuaded de re But soft you there I like not that Method S. Ierom is a man of no faith with me when he describes the opinion of his Adversary which whatsoever it were he would set it forth as odiously as possible could be He was a man that cared not what he said so it might disparage his Adversary This appears sufficiently in the cases of Vigilantius and Iovinian Yea but he lived at the same time Answ. So do we with those we differ from and yet we see the experience daily that scarce any one will relate the opinion of his Adversary candidly Yea but I cannot deny that Lactantius was for ciborum abundantia gulaeque ac ventris ingluvies ea quae sub ventre sunt But what if I can The words of Lactantius are only these Lib. 7. cap. 24. Tunc inquit qui crunt in corporibus vivi he speaks of those who shall be living at Christ's Second coming non morientur sed per eosdem mille annos infinitam multitudinem generabunt erit soboles eorum sancta Deo chara Qui autem ad inferis suscitabuntur that is those who shall
that of Israel's Mora in deserto an estate and condition externally better than what they came from in Egypt but inferiour to that they should in time attain unto Yea besides this general the Allusion is most fit for many particular Correspondencies Moses brought the Israelites out of the Egyptian bondage into the Wilderness a place where they might worship and sacrifice unto the Lord safely where the Law was given Tabernacle built Ordinances both Sacred and Political enacted c. So did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great Constantine deliver the Apostolical Woman and brought her into the like condition wherein she might worship Christ safely the Laws of the Church were established Tabernacles for Christian Worship erected Tâ—thes and Revenues assigned c. And had not this Christian Wilderness a Calf too made of the Ear-rings stoln from the Egyptians Was there not here found a Korah among the Sons of Levi with his partakers men of renown to rebel against Moses and Aaron and to offer strange fire unto the Lord Was there not here a Balaam to deceive and a Baal-Peor to be worshipped was there not a Marah and a Meribah Yea was there not here also as well as there those who brought an evil report upon the Land whither they were to go Farther might not God say of the times of this Christian Wilderness as he did of the abode of Israel there Psal. 95. 10. Forty years long was I grieved c. and Amos 5. 25 26. Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years O house of Israel But ye have born the Tabernacle of your Moloch c. CHAP. 17. 14. and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful i.e. The Lamb and those called and elect and chosen ones which are with him shall overcome the Beast So I understand it These are that Virgin-Company Chap. 14. which follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth and shall now accompany him in this Exploit This therefore will serve for a Character Synchronistical That that Virgin-Company continues in time to the end of Babylon and the Beast and for an intimation of whom that Vision meaneth viz. such as faithfully adhere unto the Lamb while the Beast reigneth and the rest of men admire and worship him CHAP. 19. 15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations So it was prophesied of him by Esay chap. 11. 4. that he should smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips should shay the wicked and in 2 Thess. 2. 8. he shall consume that Wicked one viz. Antichrist with the Spirit of his mouth Christ our General nor fights nor conquers by force of Arms but by the power of his Word and Spirit He does all nutu verbo As it is said Psal. 33. God made the world by his word and by the breath of his mouth in like manner doth Christ overcome his enemies and enables his Ministers to overcome them also Verbo Spiritu oris Agreeable hereunto is that in Hos. 6. 5. I have hewed them by my Prophets and slain them by the words of my mouth CHAP. 20. 6. Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the First Resurrection What is meant by the First Resurrection see in The Remains upon the Apocalyps Book III. pag. 604. and in Book IV. Epistle 20. Vers. 14. And Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire This is the Second Death Nothing is hereby meant but that Death was now quite vanquished and that there should be no more Death of Body or Separation of Soul but only the Second Death As if it had been said Death and Hades were now confined only to the lake of fire which is the Second Death The Death of Bodies in the grave should be no more nor the state of Separate Souls in Hades CAP. XI Commentationes Minores in Apocalypsin CAP. 1. vers 3. Tempus enim prop è est i.e. Iam adest tempus quo verba Prophetiae hujus impleri coeperint indies magìs magÃsque implebuntur Vers. 4. ab eo qui est qui erat qui venturus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eadem habentur verba vers 8. cap. 4. 8 cap. 11. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venturus idem est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Futurus ut ex cap. 16. 5. manifestum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utì locum hunc restituit Beza ex vetusto bonae fidei manuscripto codice Seculum Futurum Haebraeis est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unde Marc. 10. 30. Luc. 18. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Psal. 71. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esa. 27. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venturis sub diebus id est Posthac Imposterum Esaiae 44. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulgat Ventura quae futura sunt Dan. 9. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Populus Principis venturus id est futurus Et à septem Spiritibus qui in conspectu throni ejus sunt Per Spiritus hos intelligit Angelos Aretas in locum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cornelius à Lapide pro eadem sententia Iunium laudat sed fallitur Fortè Drusium dicturus fuisset nam ille sic sentit ad hunc locum ubi inter alia habet Septem Archangelos esse qui stant coram Deo etiam Ionathan prodidit Sed ubi non commemorat Locus est Gen. 11. 7. Dixit Dominus Septem Angelis qui stant coram eo Venite nunc c. Cum istis facit Th. Beza Quòd inquit Septem hos spiritus nonnulli pro Spiritu Sancto acceperunt cujus septiformis ut loqunutur sit gralia manifestè refelli potest vel ex eo quod scribitur infrà 5. 6. Et paulò pòst Vt nemo de hoc possit ambigere iidem isti Septem Spiritus infrà cap. 5. 6. Agni cornua oculi id est ministri dicuntur Accedit quòd in cap. 8. 2. expressè dicuntur Angeli Vidi inquit Ioannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septem Angelos qui adstant coram Deo Confer cap. 4. 5. Septem lampades ante Thronum quae sunt septem Spiritus Dei Cap. 5. 6. Agnum stantem tanquam occisum habentem cornua septem oculos septem qui sunt septem Spiritus Dei missi in omnem terram Zach. 4. 10. Septem isti oculi sunt Domini qui discurrunt per universam terram Videsis etiam Tobiae 12. 15. Ego sum unus ex septem Angelis qui astamus ante Dominum Cypr. adversus Iudaeos lib. 1. 20. Hilar. in Psal. 118 vel 119. Psal. 129. vel 130. Adde Clem. Alex. lib. 6. Strom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Septem quidem sunt quorum est maxima potentia primogeniti Angelorum principes Sed de Septem hisce Angelis
long S. Paul speaking at first to that mixt multitude assembled in the Synagogue consisting partly of Iews and partly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the worshipping Proselytes he compellates them both distinctly in these words v. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye men of Israel and ye that fear God give audience By the former meaning the Iews by the latter the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gentile-worshippers Of this kind of Converts as I have in part already intimated were in our Saviour and his Apostles time very many in every Nation and Citie where the Iews lived and had their Synagogues yea far more in number than of that other sort of Proselytes which were circumcised The reason being because it was the more easie condition and not so prejudicial to their outward liberty as the other inasmuch as they might notwithstanding still live and converse with their friends kindred and Countrey-men bear office and enjoy honours among them as Naaman the Syrian did who was of this kind which the other might not do These impediments being out of the way The hope of the Resurrection from the dead and the Reward of the life to come were powerful Inducements to draw many to the worship of that God who only among the Gods at that time promised this reward to such as worshipped and served him and no other which was the bait wherewith the Iews allured them and that to their own no small emolument this kind as it were to recompence their want of Circumcision seeming to have been very bountiful towards their Nation as may be gathered both from Cornelius who is said to have given much alms to the people namely of the Iews and from the Story of that Centurion Luke 7. 4 5. whom the Iews besought our Saviour so instantly for alledging that he loved their Nation and had built them a Synagogue and therefore deserved that favour they sued for on his behalf NOW out of this Discourse besides the clearing of the passages afore-mentioned we may learn two things One How so many of the Gentiles by the preaching of the Apostles could so soon and so readily be converted to the Faith of Christ It was because they had already embraced the Principles which led thereunto For we are to take notice that the foundation of the Church among the Gentiles was laid of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who had already embraced the worship of the true God had knowledge of his Promises believed and hoped for the life to come For was not S. Peter to whom the Instructions for this Embassage were first given sent first to Cornelius a Centurion a Gentile of this order wherefore but that this might be for a pattern for them with what kind of men they were first to deal in this great work namely with such as were idonei Auditores Evangelii fit and capable hearers of the Gospel those which were puri puâ—i Gentiles mere Gentiles being not so as who knew nothing of the Principles requisite thereto This will appear if we consider well the tenour of the Apostles Sermons to such Gentiles as they converted which we shall observe to presuppose that they already knew the true God and the promise of Eternal life to such as worshipped him and so had no more to learn but the way and means now revealed by God for attainment thereof which was by the Gospel of Iesus Christ. The other thing we may learn is What was the true state of the Question which the Apostles met to decide in the Council at Ierusalem Whether the Gentiles which believed in Christ were to be circumcised or not and so bound to keep the whole Law It was this to resolve that whereas all such as embraced the worship of the God of Israel conformed to one of these two kinds of Proselytes to whether of them the Gentiles which had or should receive the Gospel of Christ were to conform themselves whether to the Proselytes of the Covenant or to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Proselytes of the Gate S. Peter standing up in the Council demonstrates it to be the will of God that they should conform to the latter and not to the first and that upon this ground Because that Cornelius the first Christianed Gentile unto whom himself was sent by Divine Commission was no circumcised Proselyte but a Proselyte of the Gate or a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worshipper only yet received he no Commission to circumcise him yea the Holy Ghost as he was Preaching fell upon him and his houshold being uncircumcised as it did upon those of the Circumcision whereby it appeared that God would have the rest of the Gentiles which embraced the Faith to be after the pattern of Cornelius and to have no more imposed upon them than He had And accordingly the Council defines That no other burden should be laid upon them but only to abstain from pollutions of Idols from bloud from things strangled and from fornication and as some Copies have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to do that to others which they would not should be done to themselves that is they should as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 observe the Precepts of the sons of Noaâ— which here by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are briefly reckoned up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DISCOURSE IV. 2 PETER 2. 4. For if God spared not the Angels which sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but cast them down to Hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto Iudgment c. so we translate it To which of S. Peter answers that of S. Iude as almost that whole Epistle doth to this verse 6. And the Angels which kept not their first estate or principality but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the Iudgment of the great Day THese two places are brought to prove That the Devils or Evil spirits are now in Hell before the Day of Iudgment Which I cannot see how it can possibly stand with the rest of the Scripture which testifies every where that they have yet their mansion in the Air and here about the Earth where they tempt seduce and do all the mischief they can to mankind hence their Chiestain Satan is styled The Prince of the power of the Air that is of the Aiery Dominion or Princedom Therefore hither they were with their Prince exiled from Heaven and no further nor shall be until the Day of Iudgment And of this I shall speak at this time First to clear these Texts which seem to make for the contrary secondly to enquire what was the opinion of the Ancients about this point As for this place of S. Peter and that imitation thereof in the Epistle of S. Iude I can believe the translation of neither Piscator not conceiving how that of S. Iude especially because of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternal could be reconciled with other Scripture and