example many other of the Iews of the best rank having married strange wives likewise and loth to forgo them betook themselves thither also Sanballat willingly entertains them and makes his son-in-Law Manasse their Priest For whose greater reputation and state when Alexander the Great subdued the Persian Monarchy he obtained leave of him to build a Temple upon Mount Garizim where his son-in-Law exercised the office of High Priest This was exceedingly prejudicious to the Iews and the occasion of a continual Schism whilst those that were discontented or excommunicated at Ierusalem were wont to betake themselves thither Yet by this means the Samaritans having now one of the sons of Aaron to be their Chief Priest and so many other of the Iews both Priests and others mingled amongst them were brought at length to cast off all their false gods and to worship the Lord the God of Israel only Yet so that howsoever they seemed to themselves to be true worshippers and altogether free from Idolatry nevertheless they retained a smack thereof inasmuch as they worshipped the true God under a visible representation to wit of a Dove and circumcised their Children in the name thereof as the Iewish Tradition tells us who therefore always branded their worship with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spiritual Fornication Iust as their predecessors the Ten Tribes worshipped the same God of Israel under the similitude of a Cals This was the condition of the Samaritan Religion in our Saviour's time and if we weigh the matter well we shall find his words here to the woman very pliable to be construed with reference thereunto You ask saith he of the true place of worship whether Mount Garizim or Ierusalem which is not now greatly material forasmuch as the time is at hand when men shall worship the Father at neither But there is a greater difference between you and us than of Place though you take no notice of it namely even about the Object of worship it self For ye worship what ye know not but we Iews worship what we know How is that Thus Ye worship indeed the Father the God of Israel as we do but you worship him under a corporeal representation wherein you shew you know him not But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth In Spirit that is conceiving of him no otherwise than in Spirit and in Truth that is not under any corporeal or visible shape For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not fancying him as a Body but as indeed he is a Spirit For those who worship him under a corporeal similitude do beli◠him according as the Apostle speaks Rom. 1. 23. of such as changed the glory of the Incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man Birds or Beasts They changed saith he the truth of God into a lie and served the creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juxta Creatorem as or with the Creator who is blessed for ever v. 25. Hence Idols in Scripture are termed Lies as Amos 2. 4. Their Lies have caused them to erre after which their Fathers walked The Vulgar hath Seduxerunt eos Idola ipsorum Their Idols have caused them to erre And Esay 28. 15. We have made Lies our refuge And Ier. 16. 19 20. The Gentiles shall come from the ends of the earth and shall say Surely our Fathers have possessed the Chaldee hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have worshipped a lie vanity wherein there is no profit Shall a man make Gods unto himself and they are no Gods This therefore I take to be the genuine meaning of this place and not that which is commonly supposed against external worship which I think this Demonstration will evince To worship what they know as the Iews are said to do and to worship in Spirit and Truth are taken by our Saviour for one and the same thing else the whole sense will be inconsequent But the Iews worshipped not God without Rites and Ceremonies who yet are supposed to worship him in Spirit and Truth Ergo To worship God without Rites and Ceremonies is not to worship him in Spirit and Truth according to the meaning here intended DISCOURSE XIII S. LUKE 24. 45 46. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures And said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day OUR Blessed Saviour after he was risen from the dead told his Disciples not only that his Suffering of death and Rising again the third day was foretold in the Scriptures but also pointed out those Scriptures unto them and opened their understanding that they might understand them that is he expounded or explained them unto them Certain it is therefore that somewhere in the Old Testament these things were foretold should befall Messiah Yea S. Paul 1 Cor. 15. 3 4. will further assure us that they are I delivered unto you saith he first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures Both of them therefore are somewhere foretold in the Scriptures and it becomes not us to be so ignorant as commonly we are which those Scriptures be which foretell them It is a main point of our Faith and that which the Iews most stumble at because their Doctors had not observed any such thing foretold to Messiah The more they were ignorant thereof the more it concerns us to be confirmed therein I thought good therefore to make this the Argument of my Discourse at this time to inform both you and my self where these things are foretold and if I can to point out those very Scriptures which our Saviour here expounded to his Disciples Which that I may the better do I will make the words fore-going my Text to be as the Pole-star in this my search These are the things saith our Saviour which I spake unto you while I was yet with you That all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me Then follow the words I read Then opened he their understanding c. These two events therefore of Messiah's death and rising again the third day were foretold in these Three parts of Scripture In the Law of Moses or Pentateuch in the Nebiim or Prophets and in the Psalms and in these Three we must search for them And first for the First That Messiah should suffer death This was fore-signified in the Law or Pentateuch First in the story of Abraham where he was commanded to offer his son Isaac the son wherein his seed should be called and to whom the promise was entailed That in it should all the Nations
Impure Souls are not admitted to any inward converse with God most Pure and Holy That Wickedness is destructive of Principles is also Aristotle's observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immorality or a Vicious life unfits men for the noblest Speculations so that they can neither know Divine nor Moral Truths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they ought to know and as they might have known had they had a true resentment of Morality and an inward esteem of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that are just pure and lovely and of good report And though such men may sometimes hit upon some Philosophical Notions yet even in the discovering the Mysteries of Nature they had done far better and had excell'd themselves had they been more purged from brutish Sensuality and all filthiness of flesh and spirit I will only add this That for a most clear and undeniable proof of this Assertion That Morality and a Good life affords the greatest advantages to a more excellent knowledge of not only Divine but Philosophical Truths we have in this Age the unparallel'd Works of some eminently-learned and nobly-accomplish'd Writers who really are Virtuosi according to the ancient Latine importance of the word and not merely in the Italian sense which applies only to the Wits and such as are any way Ingenious be they or be they not morally Vertuous But that which I chiefly intended under this last Particular was to acquaint the Reader how deeply sensible Mr. Mede was of the indispensable necessity of a Purified Mind and Holy Life in order to the fuller and clearer discerning of Divine Mysteries This was his firm belief and it obliged him to endeavours worthy of it To which purpose I shall here produce a very observable passage out of a Letter of his to an ancient Friend in Lincolnshire who having received and with great satisfaction read some Papers from Mr. Mede containing his first Essays upon part of the Apocalyps and thereupon writing to him with all serious importunity That he would earnestly pray for and endeavour after a great measure of Holiness to the mortification of Sin more and more that thereby he might be prepared to receive a greater measure of Divine Illumination and be as a Vessel of honour chosen by God to bear and convey his Truth to others with much more of the like import concluding with this request You see how bold I am with you but let love bury that Exorbitancy c. To this his Christian advice Mr. Mede return'd this excellent Answer Sir I thank you heartily for your good Admonitions and am so far from interpreting your Love Exorbitancy that I confess my self to have much need of this and more and therefore desire you to second this your Love with Prayer to God for me that he would vouchsafe me that his Sanctifying Spirit and that measure of Grace which may make me capable of such things as he shall be pleased to reveal and hath in some sort praised be his Name already revealed unto me in the contemplation whereof I find more true Contentment than the greatest Dignities which Ambition so hunteth after could ever have afforded me I have considered what S. Paul saith The Natural and Carnal man is altogether uncapable of the things of God's Spirit neither can he know them c. and what our Saviour saith If any man will do his Father's will he shall then know of the doctrine whether it be of God and I give thanks to Almighty God who hath made the Light of these his wonderful Mysteries to kindle that Warmth in my Heart which I felt not till I began to see them and which have made me that which they found me not This passage out of Mr. Mede's original Letter I thought very worthy to be made publick and inserted here upon so fit an occasion both for that excel-cellent and genuine relish of an humble and serious Piety in every line thereof as also because it is an illustrious Attestation to the forementioned Truth That an Holy Heart and Life is a necessary Qualification to the right discerning of Divine Mysteries agreeable whereunto is that in the Greek Version of Prov. 1. 7. which yet is rather a Paraphrase than a bare Translation there being more in the Greek than in the Original Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AND now I have passed over the Three long Stages of this Preface In the last Head of Advertisements I have acquainted the Reader by what Methods and Helps the Author arrived at so great a measure of skill in the Scripture particularly in the more abstruse and mysterious parts thereof And thus may others also attain to a considerable Knowledge and purchase this goodly Pearl this Treasure hid in the field of Prophetical Scriptures if they are willing to be at the same cost and bid to the worth of it and not ignorantly nor sordidly undervalue it For Wisdom and particularly this kind of Wisdom and Knowledge is not to be had at a cheaper rate it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Pearl of great price and worthy of all that we have to bestow to purchase it They that look as little into the Apocalyps as some do into the Apocrypha and mind the Book of Daniel no more than they do the Apocryphal Story of Bell and the Dragon and therefore exercise not their good parts nor bestow that serious diligence about the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture as they use to do about other kind of difficulties whether in Philosophy or other parts of Learning it 's no wonder they complain the Iewel is too dear when they have no mind to give the full price for it and that all Labour after such knowledge is either excessively hard or useless whenas yet through their delicateness and love of their own ease or for some other reason they never made any due trial But in other things Difficulty is no argument it rather whets and animates men of brave spirits and that all Excellent things are hard is so confess'd a Truth that it has pass'd into a vulgar Proverb The first and least therefore that is to be done by such as are of another spirit and are minded to search these as well as the other Scriptures is by a frequent attentive reading of the Prophetical Visions to fix the main passages thereof in their minds otherwise both the style and matter the great things of the Prophets as Hosea speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great things of the Law will be always counted as a strange thing This being done they must if they would succeed in their search apply themselves to those Five Means and Instruments of Knowledge as Mr. Mede did and prosper'd and by his Writings hath lessen'd the difficulty of these Studies and made the way plainer for others than he found it for himself And as the study of the Prophetick Scriptures would by an heedful attending to those
of Controversie mens passions are vehemently engaged and the Disputants generally argue according to their Interests and therefore when he saw men impetuous in the assertion of their Opinions and peremptory in the rejection of other mens Iudgments he commonly answer'd such only with silence not caring to entertain discourse with them who in stead of a sober and modest Enquiry into Truth were addicted to a disingenuous humour of Disputacity that was his term which in his sense signified To be always resolved for the last word which is the troublesome temper and practice of self-conceited and pertinacious wranglers for after he discover'd any to be such he would give them full leave to have the last word and all because he would speak no more what-ever he thought Nor was he less unwilling to allow them also the last word in writing Witness those Paper-collations between him and Mr. T. H. a great follower of that man of more Reading than Consideration Mr. Hugh Broughton Indeed T. H. had a great opinion of his own performances in this kind and of the much good might be done by such Conferences and accordingly did ply Mr. Mede with one Paper after another who yet was wholly of another mind and plainly told him Of these reciprocations of discourse in writing wherein you place so much benefit for the discovery of Truth I have often heard and seen Truth lost thereby but seldom or never found And for this reason as also because Conferences by writing were tedious and less safe and would take away a great deal of his time he was averse from all such Pen-work as he call'd it desiring him not to make any Reply for he was resolved to answer no more whatsoever he should send and he was as good as his word for though Mr. H. could not hold but would needs send him another large Paper of the same complexion with the former yet could not this provoke him to recede from his fix'd and well-grounded resolution against all multiplying of unnecessary and fruitless Replies So true was he to that expression of his I can with much more patience endure to be contradicted than be drawn to make Reply having little or no edge to contend with one I think setled and persuaded unless it were in something that nearly concern'd his Salvation and withal he added You know as much of my Opinion and my Grounds for the same as I would desire of any mans and I think I perfectly understand yours Why should then either of us spend our time any farther to no purpose 32. But not to dwell only in Generals His Prudent moderation particularly discover'd itself in an Instance of no small weight and importance In short thus When that unhappy difference about the point of Praedestination and its Appendants instead of a more free sedate and Christian-like method of debating it was blown to so high a flame in the Low-Countreys and began to kindle strifes here at home he would often say he wondred that men would with so great animosity contend about those obscure Speculations and condemn one another with such severity considering that as the Wise man saith to whose words he would often allude We hardly guess aright at things that are upon Earth and with labour do we find the things that are before us But the things that are in Heaven who hath searched out But if at any time as it was said of S. Paul at Athens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his spirit was stirred within him it was when he observ'd some to contend with an unmeasureable confidence and bitter zeal for that black Doctrine of Absolute Reprobation upon which occasion he could not forbear to tell some of his Friends That it was an Opinion he could never digest being herein much of Dr. Iackson's mind That generally the Propugners of such Tenets were men resolved in their Affections of Love and Hatred both of which they exercis'd constantly and violently and according to their own Tempers made a judgment of God and his Decrees To the like purpose he express'd himself about two years before his death in a Letter to an ancient Friend of his formerly of the same Colledge It seems harsh that of those whom God hath elected ad media Salutis and calls by the preaching of his Gospel any should be absolutely and peremptorily ordain'd to damnation And afterwards by way of Reply to the objected authority of S. Austin as to some part of the Predestinarian Controversie he added If those were Hereticks which followed not S. Austin the most part of the Fathers before him were in Heresie and a part of the Church after him Zelots are wont to be over-liberal in such charges Thus would he sometimes in private reveal his judgment but in his publick performances he was reserved and did purposely abstaìn from medling with these matters And accordingly we have received this from some old acquaintance with him That in those days when the Controversies between the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants made so great a noise in the world he was wont to bring his Common-places to an ancient Friend and Colleague to be perused by him with a desire that he would expunge whatsoever did but seem to countenance the Positions of either party To which may be added this other Instance of his own relating in a Letter to another Friend about four years before his death viz. That there being great combustions and divisions among the Heads of the University in preparation to the Commencement each party being desirous to get the advantage in the Election of the Answerers and so to fit the Questions to their mind and the more Calvinian party having prevail'd upon this occasion I went not saith he to this week as commonly I use to do for fear of being taken to be of a side These things we have noted particularly to shew with how much Sweetness as well as Prudence the great Learning of this Good man was admirably temper'd 33. But besides his Prudent Moderation there was also to be observed in him that which by the Epigrammatist is made one main Ingredient of an Happy life Prudens Simplicitas a mixture of what our Saviour Christ commends as imitable in the wise Serpent and in the harmless Dove He was not so Imprudent as always to utter all his mind that 's the property of a Fool Prov. 29. or before any company to reveal what new Notion or unvulgar Truth he had discover'd But he was always so generously Honest so Apert and Single-hearted as not to speak wickedly for God or talk deceitfully for him nor would he apply himself to any unwarrantable policies for the promoting or commending of Truth to others Such little crafts and undue practices were below the Nobleness and Integrity of his spirit To this purpose we may fitly take occasion here to remember a serious and excellent passage of his I cannot believe that Truth can be prejudiced by the discovery of Truth
but I fear that the maintenance thereof by Fallacy or Falshood may not end with a blessing Thus did he upon occasion express himself with a just reflexion upon some who pretending to Policy did prudently as they thought advise That for the better securing and advancing some Doctrines men should be born in hand that they were Fundamental and accordingly were to receive them as such But our Author who was a great lover of Truth endeavouring to judge and speak of every thing according to the truth of the thing and who always valued the Iacob-like Plainness and Simplicity of spirit a free Openness and Singleness of heart in any faithful Christian as an high Perfection look'd upon all such Practices with the greatest disgust and abhorrence and so will every one who is an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile And yet though it be a most unworthy it has been nevertheless a too common and usual artifice among some of the divided Churches in Christendom to heighten Speculative Doctrines and such as are less weighty and sometimes doubtful and uncertain into Fundamental Articles especially when it is for the advantage of the party that they should be deem'd such But it had been infinitely better if the Moderation of the Church of England as to Articles of Religion had been imitated in other Churches for want whereof elsewhere Ex Religione Arsfacta est cui deinde consequens fuerit ut ad exemplum eorum qui turrim Babylonicam aedificabant affectatio temeraria rerum sublimium dissonas locutiones discordiam pareret as Grotius complains upon a like occasion in his De Veritate Relig Christ. l. 6. We might also briefly observe another Instance of his Prudence and that was as to the choice of the fittest and most seasonable Time for communicating Truth to others And indeed this was a point of Prudence which he would advise should be most carefully consider'd as being in his esteem half the work otherwise some Useful Notions might because they were Uncommon be rashly condemned before they were well considered and understood and there are none more ready to condemn than the half-learned and half-witted which are not the less numerous nor the less confident sort of men who stear not as he observed by Reason but by another Compass viz. Faction or Interest or Affection c. So true is that of the Comoedian Homine imperito nunquam quidquam injustius Qui nisi quod ipse facit nihil rectumputat Whereasmen of the greatest Reason deepest Iudgment and noblest Accomplishments are also men of the greatest Civility Candour and Ingenuity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 34. And now having advanced thus far in the Description of his Vertues we may not silently or slightly pass over his Charity a Grace that was very eminent and conspicuous in him and so it ought to be in every Christian it being the peculiar Badge and Livery of Christ's Disciples as well as their indispensable Duty and necessary Qualification for their doing good here and their receiving a Reward hereafter And therefore to allude to that in 1 Cor. 13. although our Author had great skill in Tongues and had the gift of Prophecy and understood Mysteries and was also able to remove Mountains of Difficulties so as to make all become plain and smooth particularly as to the understanding of hard passages in the more Mysterious and Prophetical Books of H. Scripture yet notwithstanding all these Accomplishments had he not had Charity he had been nothing better nay he had been just nothing according to those two observable expressions in that fore-named Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Knowledge if alone might have been apt to puff him up but his Charity which accompanied it both disposed and enabled him to edifie and build up others in the most holy Faith in sound Wisdom and Understanding His Charity was of the right kind and could have approved itself such to those that were capable to judge thereof by all those Fifteen Properties mentioned in that Chapter as the sure Marks and proper Characters of the genuine Christian Charity But to insist upon so many particulars would be an unreasonable Excursion and an unmerciful usurping upon the Reader 's Patience And besides it is not very needful some of those Properties having been more or less spoken to already in some foregoing Sections To pretermit therefore his most endearing Sweetness and obliging Affability in converse with others his absolute Inoffensiveness either in words or behaviour towards all men his rare Communicativeness and singular Alacrity in imparting what he knew to those who were of a soberly-inquisitive Genius all which were the fair Fruits and excellent Effects of the true Christian Love we shall select only Two more General Instances whrein he express'd his Charity towards men for of that we are speaking and they were 1. His careful concealing or lessening of others Failings and Imperfections So far was he from making the worst of every thing as some do who without making any favourable allowances are extream in marking what is amiss And 2. His free relieving of the Necessitous So far was he from hiding his face and shutting up his bowels from the poor and needy in the day of their distress He was so perfect in the first instance that he would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak evil of no man much less would he watch for their halting as one that rejoyced in iniquity Nay at such a distance he was from that evil but epidemical humour that he chose rather to speak well of those in whom he had only Hope for a ground of commendation Nor did he only conceal and cover the faults of others even of his Enemies as far as the circumstances would bear and in case it were not a greater Charity sometimes to disclose them but he would also avoid the company of such as he had observed to please themselves or thought to tickle ill-minded persons in passing unworthy censures upon other men And thus sometimes by silence sometimes by rebuke and when it was convenient by withdrawing from the place and company he declared he would have no share in the sin of those who endeavoured to shew their uncharitable wit in either disparaging the parts or vilifying the performances of others As for himself when his own name was concern'd he was signally Patient even another Moses for Meekness vir mitissimus he knew how to bear personal disrespects with an untroubled spirit nobly and meekly and thus according to that of Siracides he glorified his Soul in Meekness An instance whereof appears in his civil Reply to the Strictures of Dan. Lawenus which were not without some angry and unhandsome reflexions upon our Author The man had a long time been poring upon the Apocalyps and seem'd to envy him the praise due to him for his Apocalyptick Labours fearing belike that thereby Mr. Mede would increase and his
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
utmost with meditation prayer and practice But on the contrary we must resist and crush every exorbitant thought which draws to sin at the first rising Tutissimum est It is most safe saith S. Austin Epist. 142. for the Soul to accustom it self to discern of its thoughts ad primum animi motum vel probare vel reprobare quid cogitat ut vel bonas cognationes alat vel statim extinguat malas and at the first motion thereof either to approve or else to disallow what the Mind is thinking of and so either to cherish and improve the thoughts and motions of the Mind if goodâ— or presently to extinguish them if evil 3. Lastly Let him that will indeed guard his Heart as it should be take heed of familiar and friendly converse with lewd prophane and ungracious company There is a strange attraction in ill company to poison and pervert even the best dispositions He that toucheth pitch saith the Son of Sirach shall be defiled therewith Can a man take fire in his bosom saith Solomen and his clothes not be burnt For believe it when a man is accustomed once and wonted to behold lewd and ungodly behaviour there steals upon him insensibly first a dislike of sober courses next a pleasing approbation of the contrary and so presently an habitual change of affections and demeanour into the manners and conditions of our companions It is a point that many will not believe but few or none did ever try but to their cost It was wise counsel had it not been in a sinful business which Ieroboam advised If this people saith he go up to sacrifice at Ierusalem then shall the heart of this people turn again to their lord even to Rehoboam king of Iudah and they shall kill me and go again to Rehoboam king of Iudah O that some men would be as wise for their good as he was for his sin THUS I have done with the first part of my Text The Admonition Keep thy heart with all diligence or above all keeping Now I proceed to the Motive For out of it are the issues of life that is All spiritual life and living actions issue from thence All living devotion all living service and worship of God issues from the Heart from those cleansed and loyal affections and dispositions of the Soul and inward man whereof I spake before Where such a Heart is not the Fountain there no action to God-ward liveth but is spiritually dead how gay and glorious soever it may outwardly seem No outward performance whatsoever be it never so conformable and like unto a godly man's action yet if it be not rooted in the Heart inwardly sanctified it is no issue of spiritual life nor acceptable with God Even as Statues and Puppets do move their eyes their hands their feet like unto living men yet are they not living actions because they come not from an inward Soul the fountain of life but from the artificial poise of weights and device of wheels set by the workman So is it here with heartless actions they are like the actions of true Christians but not Christian actions because they issue not from a Heart sanctified with purity and loyalty in the presence of God who tries the heart and reins but from the poise of vain-glory from the wheels of some external respects and advantages from a rotten heart which wrought not for the love of God but for the praise of men As therefore we judge of the state of natural life by the Pulse and beating of the Heart so must we do of spiritual No member of the body performs any action of natural life wherein a Pulse derived from the Heart beats not So is it in the spiritual man and the actions of Grace That lives not which some gracious and affectionate influence from the Heart quickens not Now this Issuing of our works and actions from the Heart is that which is called Sincerity and Truth so much commended unto us in Scripture For this Sincerity and Truth which is said to be in the works and actions of all such as fear and serve the Lord with acceptance is nothing else but an agreement of the outward work seen of men with the inward and sutable affection and meaning of the heart which God and our selves alone are privie to For as our words and speeches have truth in them when we speak as we think so our works and actions are done in sincerity and truth when they are done according to our heart's affection Sincerity therefore and Truth is the life of all our works of devotion and obedience unto God without this they are nothing but a carkase they are dead they live not neither doth God accept them For he desireth truth in the inward parts Psal. 51. 6. that is truth which proceedeth or issueth from the inward parts The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him that call upon him in truth Psal. 145. 18. For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Iohn 4. 24. Whatsoever ye do saith S. Paul Col. 3. 23. do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men Our faith must be unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. that is in truth and in sincerity Also our Love must not be in speech and tongue only but in deed and truth 1 Iohn 3. 18. And this is the highest Perfection attainable in this life for which God accepteth of our obedience as perfect which springeth from it though it be stained with much corruption and full of imperfection That which is wanting in the measure of obedience and holiness is made up in the truth and sincerity thereof If it have not this whatsoever it be it is good for nothing because it wants the Issue of life And such Actions are all the Actions of Hypocrites For Hypocrisie is the contrary to Sincerity and wheresoever Sincerity and Truth is not there Hypocrisie is being nothing else but a counterfeiting and falsehood of our actions when they come not from a Heart sutably affected and therefore is otherwise in Scripture understood by the name of Guile when those who serve God in sincerity and truth are said to be without guile that is without hypocrisie So Nathanael Iohn 1. 47. is called an Israelite indeed in whom there was no guile And of the Virgin-Saints Rev. 14. 5. it is said that in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God that is they served God without hypocrisie in sincerity and truth and therefore God accepted of their obedience as if it were without fault and imperfection as he is wont to do the works of those who serve him in that manner If therefore Sincerity be the life of our obedience and that which makes it graceful in the eyes of God then is Hypocrisie the death thereof which makes him loath and abhor it as a stinking carkase Hitherto have I
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LATTER TIMES in my Text which must be as I said before a Latter part of that general For the true Account therefore of Times in Scripture we must have recourse to that SACRED KALENDAR and GREAT ALMANACK of PROPHECY The Four Kingdoms of Daniel which are A Prophetical Chronology of Times measured by the succession of Four principal Kingdoms from the beginning of the Captivity of Israel until the Mystery of God should be finished A course of Time during which the Church and Nation of the Iews together with those whom by occasion of their unbelief in Christ God should surrogate in their rooms was to remain under the bondage of the Gentiles and oppression of Gentilism But these Times once finished all the Kingdoms of this World should become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his CHRIST And to this Great Kalendar of Times together with that other but lesser Kalendar of LXX weeks all mention of Times in Scripture seems to have reference Now these Four Kingdoms according to the truth infallibly to be demonstrated◠if need were and agreeable both to the ancient opinion of the Iewish Church whom they most concerned and to the most ancient and universal opinion of Christians derived from the times of the Apostles until now of late time some have questioned it are 1. The Babylonian 2. that of the Medes and Persians 3. the Greek 4. the Roman In which Quaternary of Kingdoms as the Roman being the Last of the Four is the Last Kingdom so are the Times thereof those Last Times we seek for during which times saith Daniel chap. 2. v. 44. The God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed nor left unto another people but it shall break in pieces and consume all those Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever which is figured by a Stone hewen out of the mountain without hands before the times of the Image were yet spent which Stone at length smote the Image upon his Feet of Iron and Clay and so utterly destroyed it that done the Stone that smote the Image upon the feet became a great Mountain and filled the whole earth The meaning of all which is That in the Last times or under the Times of the Last Kingdom the Roman should the Kingdom of CHRIST appear in the World as we see it hath done And this is that which the Apostle saith Hebrews 1. 2. God in these Last days or Last times hath spoken to us by his Son and S. Peter 1 Epist. 1. 20. that he was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these Last times This is that Fulness of time whereof the Apostle speaks Galat. 4. 4. When the Fulness of time was come God sentsorth his Son made of a woman and Ephes. chap. 1. v. 9 10. Having made known to us the mystery of his will That in the dispensation of the Fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ. Agreeable unto all which is that Hebrews 9. 26. Christ hath once appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the end of times or ages to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Where these Last times Fulness of time and Conclusion of ages are nothing else but the Times of the Fourth Kingdom whose Times are the Last period of Daniel's Four the Fulness of the Prophetical Chronology and Conclusion of the Sacred Kalendar During these Times Christ was looked for and accordingly came and reigned whose Kingdom shall at length abolish the brittle remainder of this Romish State according to the other part of the Prophecy when the Fulness of the Gentiles shall come in and our Lord subdue all his enemies under his feet and at the last even Death it self HAVING thus found What Times are termed the Last times in general let us now see if we can discover which are the Latter Times of these Last times or the Latter times in special which are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter Times in my Text which will not be hard to do For if the Last Times in general are all the Times of the Fourth Kingdom then must our Latter times as a part thereof needs be the Latter times of that Kingdom Let us therefore again to our Prophetical Kalendar and survey Daniel's description of the Fourth or Roman Kingdom as it is Chapter 7. from verse 19. where we shall soon find the Latter times thereof to be that Period of a Time Times and half a Time during which that prodigious Horn with eyes like a man and a mouth speaking great things should make war with the Saints prevail against them and wear them out and think to change times and laws until the Iudgment should sit and his dominion be taken away and in him that long-lived Beast finally be destroyed and his body given to the burning flame verse 11. For this Hornish Sovereignty is the Last Scene of that long Tragedy and the Conclusion of the Fourth Beast and therefore the times thereof are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter times whereof the Spirit spake expresly that in them there should be an Apostasie from the Christian Faith CHAP. XIII Two Enquiries concerning the Latter Times I. What durance they are to be of Answ. That the Times of the Antichristian State are to last 42 months or 1260 days That hereby cannot be meant three single years and an half proved by several particulars Enquiry II. When they begin Answ. That they take their beginning from the mortal wound of the Imperial Sovereignty of Rome or the ruine of the Roman Empire This proved from the Apocalypse and 2 Thessal 2. where by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fathers generally understand the Roman Empire The same further proved from Dan. 7. That by the little Horn is meant Antichrist or The man of sin and not Antiochus Epiphanes was the judgment of the most ancient Fathers COncerning these Times thus found we will now further enquire First What durance they may be of Secondly When they take beginning and by what mark their beginning may be known For the First we will make no question but these are the self-same Times whereof S. Iohn speaks telling us That the Church should be in the wilderness a Time Times and half a Time the same with those XLII moneths wherein S. Iohn's restored Beast should domineer and play the self-same reeks which Daniel's Hornish Tyrant doth the same time with those XLII moneths during which the Church is trodden down of the Gentiles lastly the same time with 1260 days during which the Witnesses of Christ prophesie in sackcloth For a Time Times and half a Time or a Year two Years and a half are XLII moneths and XLII moneths make 1260 days If therefore we can find the continuance and beginning of any of these we have found the continuance and beginning of them all For the Duration and Length of them they
be little better than a more pompous solemn and plausible Impertinency and upon the whole matter their Enterprise no other than magno conaâ—u nugas agere with a great deal a-do to do nothing The glory of the First discovering these Synchronisms is peculiarly due to Mr. Mede and upon this score shall the present and succeeding Ages owe a great respect and veneration to his Memory For of these Synchronisms he might justly affirm what Aristotle doth of his Syllogisms the invention of which method of reasoning he challengeth to himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was Mr. Mede's noble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well useful and serviceable as new and curious and it was an argument of his great judgment as to discern the proper Events and Times to which these Visions are to be applied so likewise to discover those Passages in the Apocalyps which though dispersed here and there are Synchronal and Homogeneal there being certain Characters and Intimations secretly couched in this Book of Mysteries whereby as also by considering the nature of the things themselves that are Contemporary the Synchronisms of the Visions may be found out I shall not need to shew how necessary it is for those that go down to this Prophetick Sea to stear by the guidance of these Synchronisms that lightsome Pharos and indeed the only Cynosura to direct those that are upon this great Deep the Author himself having fully and undeniably done this all along in his Clavis Apocalyptica and summarily in the two last pages thereof Nor will the excellency and advantages of this Discovery be doubted of by any that shall with patience and attention peruse what he hath written in a close and concise way agreeably to his Mathematical Genius of the Apocalyptick Synchronisms in that Clavis Thus much for the Third General Means of Knowledge I must be shorter in what follows IV. A Fourth means whereby he arrived at so great a measure of Knowledge was His Freedom from Partiality Prejudice and Prepossession Pride Passion and Self-love Self-seeking Flattery and covetous Ambition 1. How free he was from all Partiality there are many pregnant Proofs in his Writings It is a common yet a most true observation That with many men Maxima pars studiorum est studium partium but with him it was otherwise In some of his Epistles he complains that it was Partiality that undoes all and that Studium partium together with Prejudice is an invincible mischief while it leaves no place for admission of Truth that brings any disadvantage to the Side or party that being the Rule which they examine all by And therefore being sensible and aware of this evil he professeth in Ep. 96. that he endeavour'd as much as possibly he could to subdue himself to such a Free temper of Mind as not to desire to find for this side rather than that And his Endeavours herein being hearty and serious they were consequently through God's blessing successful insomuch that he judged himself highly obliged upon this account to return this grateful acknowledgment to Almighty God in Ep. 56. I thank God saith he I never made any thing hitherto the caster of my resolution but Reason and Evidence on what side soever the advantage or disadvantage fell The singular availableness of such free and unbiassed affections in the pursuit of Knowledge he hath excellently express'd in that clear profession of his in Ep. 96. If I have hit upon any Truth it is wholly to be attributed to my indifferency in such searches to embrace whatsoever I should find without any regard whether it were for the advantage of one side or other This and the forementioned passages are excellent words the genuine language of a Son of Wisdom the lively picture and true character of his and every generous Soul every way becoming a right Virtuoso and member of the Philalethean Academy From this Freespiritedness together with the ingenuous effects thereof were the Bera'ans styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more noble sort of Christians They that are short of this Excellency and Largeness of spirit seldom attain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prove things that differ or to approve things that are excellent seldome rise to what is above mean and vulgar slight and superficial but are condemn'd to what is servile and Pedantick and judge themselves unworthy of the noblest Truths and withal are expos'd to the same Falshood and Mistakes that the Person or Party whom they have in admiration because of advantage or the Vulgus in any rank of men being of the same illiberal and contracted spirit with themselves are liable to For it is a Maxime equally true and generous Suum est cuique Ordini vulgus optima semper paucissimis placuere To which I may fitly adjoyn that pertinent Observation of Seneca Non tam bene cum rebus humanis agitur ut meliora pluribus placeant 2. Nor was he less free from all Prejudice and Prepossession with the attendants thereof Pride Passion and Self-love Men come to be prejudic'd against Truth either by their disgust and disaffection to the person that represents it an argument this is of their little Iudgement but great Passion but from this he was secured by his Charity enlarged to all men and by the cool and calm temper of his spirit he could patiently endure the contradiction of others and reply without passion witness his sober and pacate Answer to Lawenus his hot Strictures Or else they are prejudic'd by their scornful disesteem of others an effect this is of their high Self-conceit and surely Pride and from this he was secured by his great Humility and Modesty whereof there are many clear Proofs in his Writings Accordingly when he had to do with Mr. Hayns about some Tenets of his in reference to several passages in Daniel and the Apocalyps he plainly tells him I profess to you I contemn not your discourses but do diligently and apud conscientiam meam weigh your arguments howsoever it comes to pass I am not persuaded by them and farther so far he was from slighting what was done by those that were eager for the same Tenets that he assures him he had read the most that had or could be said for those Opinions either by the chief Patrons thereof or their followers and so had used all that Diligence that was due in the search of Truth And herein he was Exemplary to every ingenuous lover of Knowledge and contrary to the proud and passionate man that is conceited and resolved upon his Opinion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is therefore impatient to hear or consider any thing that opposes it But Humility affords a very considerable advantage for the clearer discerning what is True and Right while it prepares men to receive any better information from others This effect it had in Mr. Mede and upon this score how heartily
he detects the impertinency of that trivial shift of the Romanists in distinguishing between Idolum and Imago with much more of the like import in that Treatise of his which the Learned Is. Casanbon worthily styles Exactissimae fidei diligentiae Scriptum To conclude It may not be amiss here to add a short story not impertinent to the argument in hand Mr. Mede having lately preached a Sermon at S. Marie's in Cambridge upon Eccles. 5. 1 about the Reverence of Gods House a young Master of Arts took the freedom sometime after to tell him as who might not be free with him a person of such exemplary Humility and Condescensions That from some passages in that Discourse the world concluded that he had changed his Opinion and that he did not now think as formerly that the Pope was the Hoghen Moghen that was his drolling expression No replied Mr. Mede But I do and shall think so as long as I live for all this 42. And here we have a fair occasion to represent another of those worthy Qualities that adorn'd his Character His well-grounded Constancy and Vnchangeableness of Iudgment We say Well-grounded otherwise for a man to persist resolvedly in an Opinion because it has been his Opinion is neither Vertue nor matter of Praise but rather a piece of troublesome Stiffness and Pertinacity usually accompanied with fond Self-conceitedness and a design to secure his fame and some emolument he receives from his easie admirers From which humour none was more free than our Author who would profess That so far as he could judge of himself by experience he was as willing to embrace Truth when he saw evidence for it as any man living as well considering that it is the part of a true Christian as Aristotle observes it to be of a true Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the interest and advancement of Truth to forgoe and quit his own private conceits and speculations how dear soever they were formerly unto him and on the contrary an argument of a low and servile spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be either fondly addicted or enslaved to any Hypothesis and Opinion either of his own or others Our Author was not indeed light of belief nor would be easily take up an Hypothesis But when any new Notion was presented to him by others or offered itself to his thoughtful mind he would first make a stand and pause well upon it strictly examining the Grounds thereof and if upon a serious and due weighing of all that was fit to be taken into consideration he found it to be a solid Truth he was not apt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be shaken from his judgment a right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle both in his Ethicks and Rhetorick styles a Vertuous man or in the Apostles language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stedfast unmovable and established in the present Truth Yea he was ever so impartial and constant a Lover of Truth that nothing but the Holy Scripture and sound Reason could prevail upon him 'T is true To conceal his judgment not to divulge every thing that was Truth to him he was not hard to be perswaded The remembrance of the Apostles Rule Rom. 14. Hast thou faith have it to thy self as also his own Charity Prudence and Peaceableness of spirit did dispose him to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wheâ—e it was convenient But neither Friends nor Interests nor any worldly Allurements whatsoever were of force to corrupt his affections or pervert his judgment much less could they prevail with him unworthily to deny any Truth how unplausible soever it was to some men and therfore disadvantageous to himself For a proof of his constant and unremovable affection to Truth as also of his patient enduring the contradiction of others against himself take this Instance viz. That in the revolution of about twenty years by-past the saying was his own he had by the self-same persons been look'd upon and accordingly reported of as Popish Protestant and Puritane and yet he would protest it as in the presence of God that to his knowledge he had not in the least receded from his very first perswasions So that all the while he was the same without wavering although varied to their appearance because they sailing with the tide and wind varied towards him Thus they in the Vessel under sail being always in motion think the Land moves so it seems to their erring sense which yet is never the less fixed and unmoved for their thinking amiss But our Author as he consider'd that Precept in Siracides chap. 5. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be thou stedfast in thy understanding so he knew likewise that the ready way to attain to this establishment was this according to the counsel in the foregoing verse not to winnow or sail with every wind But we must not indulge our selves the liberty of enlarging upon every thing in our Author which render'd him justly exemplary worthy of praise and imitation Return we therefore from this Digression to what has a near affinity to our former argument In speaking to which and the remaining particulars we must study to be short and take the nearest way to our journeys end left we over-drive the more infirm and therefore the more querulous sort of Readers and wear out their patience otherwise to those that are of sounder and stronger judgments and consequently capable to value and honour and love the Author we doubt not but a larger Narrative than this would seem not tediously long but too short rather as indeed the most enlarged History of his Life his Piety and Learning is in itself and upon a true account a short History too short if we consider the great Worth and manifold Perfections of the Person of whom though we should speak much we shall yet certainly come short if we may here use in an inferior sense what is said of God by the Son of Sirach chap. 43. To proceed then 43. As he abhorr'd Idolatry and Superstition so he likewise abhorr'd Sacriledge and all Profanation of Holy things As for Sacriledge his judgment is well known to those who have read his Works with attention amongst which to omit several passages in his other Discourses there is one Diatriba wholly spent upon the Story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. wherein the nature and proper notion of the Sin there mentioned is clearly explained as also the hainousness and danger of Sacriledge is fully proved from several Examples of special remark in H. Scripture all eminently verifying that of Solomon It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy With the consideration whereof our Author being deeply affected as also of the great disservice done hereby to any Intendment of Pious Charity and the no less dishonour done to Religion when what is devoted to Pious purposes is less secure from the
would direct and assist them as in many other things so in this viz. in their Choice of or Recommending Persons to those Dignities in the Church which do ipso facto make them Convocation-men Because said he as the Convocation is properly the Clergie's Parliament so such Men are the lasting Members of that House and therefore a special care to be had that they be well qualified not only of good Learning and good Life but of good Experience good Temper and of good Repute with the Gentry This last he added and gave good reasons why and then proceeded Although it is possible yea very probable that some who sit high in the Church enjoying the benign Aspect and happy Influence of a Good and Gracious Prince may very much advantage and advance the Church in other respects yet without a great regard had of sit Convocation-men all the rest will be but as building high without Buttresses and it may suddenly tumble down again 8. What opinion Strangers had of Mr. Mede and of some others of our Country-men with a modest Advertisement FOrein Testimonials are held to be the more considerable because they are supposed to be less partial as proceeding rather from right Iudgment than from any byassed Affection I shall not here repeat any thing out of Sir William Boswell's Letters or out of those of Lud. de Dieu and of others but I shall tell you what I have received from the mouths of some Grandees in Repub. Literaria They pronounced him not only a most Iudicious and Profound Divine but a Person Eminent in almost all variety of choicest Learning besides Languages And therefore they did not doubt to rank him with the Lord Verulam and with Mr. Thomas Lydiat To which three Persons I speak still of men of great variety of Learning for otherwise they had an exceeding high Veneration for very many of our Divines and for others of other Faculties but to these three they gave such a Preeminency as was given to David's three first Captains in the List of his Worthies Here I cannot conceal what dropp'd from one of their mouths because I wish good use may be made of it at home Inquiring what Fortunes these men had and understanding they were but ordinary especially that of Mr. Lydiat he burst out into this speech You in England deserve not to have such Brave men among you since you make no more of them That his Zeal for good Worth had been the more excusable had it not exceeded so much as not to suffer his Iudgment to consider what afterwards he was minded of 1. That the L. Verulam was advanced to as high a Place in the State as a Subject is capable of but how he lost his footing no ingenuous man is willing to remember 2. That some men who are very Bookish and Studious usually prefer their Leisure and Liberty before all Preferments whatsoever Which was Mr. Mede's and Mr. Lydiat's case The former of whom mought have been much higher than he was if he had pleased and was as high as he desired to be had he lived to get but a Donative to his Fellowship And in that his Condition such as it was he thrived so well as to become a considerable Benefactor to his Colledge 3. But now concerning Mr. Lydiat for whose sake chiefly that smart speech was uttered here the Difficulty rises higher and grows more perplex'd His great Worth hath been celebrated enough by those his rare Pieces now extant In his many Chronological Disquisitions he conflicted as with Christoph. Clavius and with the whole Colledge of Romish Mathematicians so with that great Goliah of Literature Ioseph Scaliger whom yet he so manifestly worsted as to make him forsake his Weapon and to betake himself unmanly to his Tongue When the news of his Death came beyond Sea I knew a certain great Mecaenas and Patron of Learning there whose Industry travelled very much to collect what of his Papers might be had and to that end employed divers among the rest my self with a Resolution to have them fairly and faithfully printed at his own charges But they were not to be retrieved Now let us see what Favours and Encouragements were afforded to a Person of so great Merits It is true Prince Henry of Famous and Glorious Memory took so much notice of him as to receive him into His Service and to have him read to Him Here questionless he had found a very Bountiful and Royal Master had not that Peerless Prince been cropt just in his Bloom and Blossome But now alas Mr. Lydiat's Hopes saw their own Funeral in that of his Royal Master's Wherefore retiring into a small obscure Living at Alkerton in the Edge and Fringe of Oxfordshire there he solaced himself in his private Study until being unhappily engaged for the Debts of one nearly allied to him he was thrown into Prison where he lay a long time At length partly by the assistance of Sir William Boswell never to be named without very great Honour and partly by the helps of the excellent Dr. Pinke that most worthy Warden of New-Colledge whereof Mr. Lydiat had been sometime Fellow as I have heard and by the noble bounty of some other Friends of that University he was restored to his Liberty and returned to his little Living wherein maugre all the Disasters he had felt before and all that salvage usage he after suffered for his Loyalty in the late Troubles he left behind him at his Death a very neat and substantial Parsonage-house with Barns and Stables Garden and Orchard sutable all which he built and raised from the ground as also a new Chancel of his own building likewise wherein he lies buried as in his own proper Tomb and Monument But to say the Truth when all is said that can be said It were heartily to be wished That Publick Spirits would come up a little thicker in the World It was a memorable Passage of an Italian Ambassador here in England who having taken his leave and being now under sail homeward stood upon the Deck and looked wistly towards our Country as long as he could well discern it and then for a Vale uttered these words O troppo selice Isola c. O too happy Island if thou hadst but some more Publick Souls in thee This I have heard frequently repeated and most feelingly by as great a States-man and as good a Commonwealths-man and as sound a Christian as our Nation hath bred in many Ages It were to be wished again That there were not too much of Truth in a speech that fell from a through-Scholar and Divine Many by their fine Arts and Methods get into Preferments whiles Scholars of good deserts are hard at their Studies It was not the least Ruby or Diamond in that fair Brooch stuck upon the Memory of the ever-Blessed B. Andrews That he sent for men of Note that he thought wanted Preferment and gave them Prebends and Benefices under Seal
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
and cast into the fire Matth. 21. 19. The fig-tree was cursed for having no fruit not for having evil fruit And the Sentence of condemnation as you heard before is to pass at that great day for not having done good works not for doing ill ones Go ye cursed for when I was hungry ye sed me not c. Matth. 25. 41 c. THUS having let you see how necessary it is for a Christian to joyn good works with his Faith in Christ I will now come to shew you How you must do them hoping I have already perswaded you that they must needs be done First therefore We must do them out of Faith in Christ that is relying upon him only for the acceptance and rewarding of them for in him alone God is well pleased with us and with what we do and therefore without saith and reliance upon him it is impossible to please God We must not think there is any worth in our works for which any such reward as God hath promised is due For alas our best works are full of imperfections and far short of what the Law requires Our reward therefore is not of merit but out of the merciful promise of God in Christ which the Apostle means when he says We are saved by grace and not by works that is It is the grace and favour of God in Christ which makes our selves acceptable and our works rewardable and not any desert in them or us Having laid this foundation The next thing required is Sincerity of heart in doing them We must do them out of the fear of God and conscience of his Commandments not out of respect of profit or fear or praise of men for such as do so are Hypocrites Not every one saith our Saviour that saith unto me Lord Lord but he that doth the will of my Father Now it is the will of our heavenly Father that we serve him in truth and uprightness of heart I know saith David 1 Chr. 29. 17. that thou my God triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightness And so he said to Abraham Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou upright or be thou sincere This manner of serving of God Ioshua commended to the Israelites Iosh. 24. 14. Fear the Lord saith he and serve him in sincerity and truth and the Prophet Samuel 1 Sam. 12. 24. Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart This sincerity uprightness and truth in God's service is when we do religious and pious duties and abstain from the contrary out of conscience to God-ward out of an heart possessed with the love and fear of God It is otherwise called in Scripture Perfectness or Perfectness of heart For it is a lame and unperfect service where the better half is wanting as the Heart is in every work of duty both to God and men And therefore it is called perfectness when both go together when conscience as the Soul enlivens the outward work as a Body And indeed this is all the perfection we can attain unto in this life To serve God in truth of heart though otherwise we come short of what we should and therefore God esteems our actions and works not according to the greatness or exactness of the performance but according to the sincerity and truth of our hearts in doing them as appears by the places I have already quoted and by that 1 Kings 15. 14. where it is said that though Asa failed in his reformation and the high places were not taken down nevertheless his heart was perfect with the Lord his God all his days A note to know such a sincerity and truth of heart by is If in our privacy when there is no witness but God and our selves we are careful then to abstain from sin as well as in the sight of men If when no body but God shall see and know it we are willing to do a good work as well as if all the world should know it He that findeth himself thus affected his Heart is true at least in some measure but so much the less by how much he findeth himself the less affected in this manner When we are in the presence and view of men we may soon be deceived in our selves and think we do that out of conscience and fear of God which indeed is but for the fear or praise of men either lest we should be damnified or impair our credit or the like But when there is none but God and us then to be afraid of sin and careful of good duties is a sign we fear God in truth and sincerity and not in hypocrisie The special and principal means to attain this sincerity and truth of heart is To possess our selves always with the apprehension of God's presence and to walk before him as in his eye Wheresoever thou art there is an Eye that sees thee an Ear that hears thee and a Hand that registreth thy most secret thoughts For the ways of man saith Solomon Prov. 5. 21. are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings How much ashamed would we be that men should know how much our hearts and our words and actions disagreed How would we blush that men should see us commit this or that sin or neglect this or that duty What horrible Atheism then doth this argue that the presence of man yea sometimes of a little child should â—â—nder us from that wickedness which God's presence cannot This having of God before our eyes and the continual meditation of his All-seeing presence would together with devout Prayer for the assistance of God's grace be in time the bane of hypocrisie and falshood of heart and beget in stead thereof that truth and sincerity which God loveth Another property of such obedience as God requires is Vniversality we must not serve God by halfs by doing some duties and omitting others but we must with David Psal. 119. 6 20. have respect to all God's Commandments to those of the second Table as well as to those of the first and to those of the first as well as those of the second The want of which Vniversality of obedience to both Tables is so frequent as the greatest part of Christians are plunged therein to the undoubted ruine of their fouls and shipwrack of everlasting life if they so continue For there are two sorts of men which think themselves in a good estate and are not The one are those who make conscience of the duties of the first Table but have little or no care of the duties of the second And this is a most dangerous evil by reason it is more hard to be discovered those which are guilty thereof being such as seem religious but their Religion is in vain Such were those in the Church of Israel against whom the Prophet Esay declaimeth Chap. 1. from the 10. verse to the 17. To what
whosoever shall remember thy name and this my conflict no pestilent disease may enter upon his house nor any other of those evils which may bring damage or troubles to the bodies of men She had no sooner spoken saith he but a voice was miraculously heard from heaven calling her and her fellow-Martyr Iulian to the heavenly pâ—aces and promising also that those things which she had asked should be accomplished In Saint Blasius who suffered saith Baronius under Licinius our Simeon tells us That when a woman came unto him to cure her son who had a fish-bone sticking in his throat he prayed in this manner Thou O Saviour who hast been ready to help those who called upon thee in truth hear my prayer and by thy invisible power take out the bone which sticks in this child and cure him And whensoever hereafter the like shall befall men children or beasts if any one then shall remember my name saying O Lord hasten thy help through the intercession of thy servant Blasius do thou cure him speedily to the honour and glory of thy holy Name Again he tells us That while they were carrying him before the President he restored to a poor widow a Hog her only Hog which a Wolf had taken away from her And when as afterward in sign of thankfulness she brought the Hog's head and feet boiled to the Martyr in prison he blessing her spake in this manner Woman in this Habit celebrate my Memorial and no good thing shall ever be wanting in thine house from my God yea and if any other imitating thee shall in like manner celebrate my Memorial he shall receive an everlasting gift from my God and a blessing all the days of his life When he comes to suffer he makes him pray to God thus Hear me thy Servant and whosoever shall have recourse to this thine Altar he means himself and whosoever shall have swallowed a bone or prickle or be vexed with any disease or be in affliction or necessity of persecution Grant Lord to every one his heart's desire as thou art gracious and merciful for thou art to be glorified now and evermore When he had thus prayed saith he Christ descended from heaven as a cloud and overshadowed him and our Saviour said unto him O my beloved Champion I will not only do this but that also which thou didst request for the widow and I will bless also every house which shall celebrate thy Memory and I will fill their store-houses with all good things for this thy glorious Confession and thy faith which thou hast in me Saint Catharine whom he calls AEcatharina a Martyr of Alexandria under Maximianus he makes to pray thus at her Martyrdom Grant unto those O Lord who through me shall call upon thy holy Name such their requests as are profitable for them that in all things thy wondrous works may be praised now and evermore But above all the rest Marina's prayer whom we Latines call Saint Margaret is compleat and for the purpose she suffered under Diocletian and thus she prayed if you dare believe Simeon And now O Lord my God whosoever for thy sake shall worship this Tabernacle of my Body which hath fought for thee and whosoever shall build an Oratory in the name of thy handmaid and shall therein offer unto thee spiritual sacrifices oblations and prayers and all those who shall faithfully describe this my conflict of Martyrdom and shall read and remember the name of thy handmaid Give unto them most holy Lord who art a lover of the good and a friend of Souls remission of sins and grant them propitiation and mercy according to the measure of their faith and let not the revenging hand come near them nor the evil of Famine nor the curse of Pestilence nor any grievous scourge nor let any other incurable destruction either of Body or Soul betide them And to all those who shall in faith and truth adhere to my house her Oratory or Chappel or unto my name and shall unto thee O Lord offer glory and praise and a sacrifice in remembrance of thine Handmaid and shall ask salvation and mercy through me Grant them O Lord abundant store of all good things for thou alone art good and gracious and the giver of all good things for ever and ever Amen While she was thus praying with her self saith Simeon behold there was a great earthquake c. yea and the Lord himself with an host and multitude of holy Angels standing by her in such sort as was perceptible to the understanding said Be of good chear Marina and fear not for I have heard thy prayers and have fulfilled and will in due time fulfill whatsoever thou hast asked even as thou hast asked it Thus saith Simeon who nevertheless in the very entrance to this his tale of Marina or Margaret complains much forsooth that not a few of these Narrations of the Acts of Martyrs were at the beginning forged yea profaned as he faith more truly than he was aware of evidentissimis Daemoniorum doctrinis Besides he calls I know not what Narration of this Virgin 's Martyrdom in that sort corrupted Dictio Daemoniaca but for his own part he would reject all counterfeit fables and tell us nothing but the very truth Which how honestly he hath performed and what touchstone he used let the Reader judge Baronius I am sure is quite ashamed of him who though he can be sometimes content to trade with not much better ware yet this of Simeon's he supposes will need very much washing and cleansing before it be merchantable CHAP. V. An useful Digression concerning the time when Simeon Metaphrastes lived and the occasion of his writing That his living within the time of the great Opposition against Saint-worship moved him to devise such Stories as made for the credit and advantage of that Cause then in danger A brief historical account even out of the Records left by the Adversaries of the great Opposition in the Greek and Eastern Churches against worshipping of Images and of Saints When it began how long it lasted and under what Emperors Of the Great Council held at Constantinople under Constantinus Copronymus against Idolatry An attempt to foist in two Canons in favour of Saint-worship frustrated Several Slanders and Calumnies fastened upon the Council and the Emperor by the idolatrous faction The Original of these Slanders That they were notorious Lies proved from the Decrees of the Council BUT for the better understanding of this Mystery of iniquity and what necessity there was of such desperate shifts when time was ye shall know that this superstitious Simeon lived towards the end of that time of great and long Opposition against Idolatry in the Greek and Eastern Churches by divers Emperors with the greatest part of their Bishops Peers and People lasting from about the year of our Lord 720 till after 840 that is a 120 years which was not against Images only though they bare
Octob. 8. 1629. from Christ's Hospital London THE ground of the expectation of the coming of Christ and his Kingdom was say you the near expiration of Daniel's Seventy weeks The expectation of Simeon Anna and others of the Magi and them of the East was seventy years before the end of Daniel's Seventy weeks according to your opinion For you hold that the Seventy weeks end at Ierusalem's overthrow which was after Christ's Birth seventy years Therefore it could not be any mark for the looking for of Christ. 2. At the end of the Seventy weeks according to your judgment the City and Sanctuary was to be destroyed sacrifice ended and desolation brought on the Iews Therefore the Seventy weeks according to your Tenet is a mark of other matters not of Christ's or the Saints Kingdom but rather of Vespasian's as Iosephus saith which ensued just upon the end of the Seventy weeks But in truth Daniel's Seventy weeks end at Christ's death and seeing Christ was expected to be King of the Iews all that truly kept account of the Seventy weeks might rightly conceive that Christ about thirty years before the expiration of the Seventy weeks should be born and so about thirty years old which are years fit for publick charge should enter upon that Kingdom Of this reason I forbore to write formerly because I saw that we should differ about the beginning and end of Daniel's Seventy weeks which would bring on a new controversie between us That Christ's Kingdom was as you affirm to be revealed in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Fourth Kingdom I see no Text that proves it nor that Christ's Kingdom should be consummated at the end of the Roman Kingdom At the end of the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel it was to begin Chap. 7. And that it was perfected in Christ Iesus is evident for he overcame the Devil Death Hell and all and teaches that all power is given him in heaven and earth that all things bow to him and that he led captivity captive Further I have good ground for to say that the extirpation of the Fourth Kingdom was one sâ—re mark of Christ's coming and his Kingdom for that only is the mark of the same Chap. 2. and 7. where that Kingdom is mentioned You will not admit the Greeks any Rule after Antiochus Epiph. death because the Holy Ghost ends their Kingdom in him I say the Holy Ghost ends the domineering violence and persecution of the Saints in him but there were to be clayie feet after him Stories shew that many Kings of the Greeks ruled after him and in the end Cleopatra a woman as Iosephus saith of chief Nobility in those times even Caesar at first umpired between her and her brother in matters of difference between them She had the revenue of Iericho and Arabia and other parts she killed all her kindred that might stand in her wayâ— and desired Antonie to do the like by them of chief bleâ—d in Syria that she in right of the Greeks might have all She with the rest after Epiphanes were sufficient to express the clayie legs And that Rule is sufficient and all that I stand for Besides the Stone as cut out not as growing to a Mountain is to fall on the toes So that if by the legs the Romans be understood Christ was not to come in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but at their fall Evident it is that Christ's Kingdom took place as frequent mention of it in the New Testament shews at his first coming and so began at the beginning of the Roman persecutions not at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them they were abundant and manifold afterward The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their Empire hath nothing to do here You hold still that the Roman Kingdom was revealed to Daniel but not according to the distinct Fates and Times as to Iohn I shewed that the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel was revealed to him most distinctly for the original proceeding strength acts persecution sufferings fall All the 〈◊〉 are revealed to Iohn about the Roman Kingdom Now if they should both speak of the Roman Kingdom but in these points 〈…〉 it be true in Iohn that this Book was opened by none as you limit it according 〈…〉 distinct Fates before by Christ Therefore the limitation propounded by you cannot hold I say not that the Iews after the Apostles times brought in or invented the opinion That the Romans were Daniel's Fourth Kingdom but that they endeavoured to perswade it whoever were the brochers of it Ionathan Ben Uziel or any other surely some of their stamp And the rather they then did and now do perswade to it because some Christians by assenting to them give them advantage therein If Porphyrie an enemy to Christians overcome by the evidence of truth confessed it that is a greater confirmation of the truth The Devil confessed Christ to be the Son of the living God though the Devil be a liar commonly yet now he spake that which was most true Besides in S. Ierome it appears that Porphyrie was not alone in that opinion but that divers others held the same And in the eleventh chapter S. Ierome goes along with Porphyrie in most things but addeth this That Antichrist and his doings were there typed And in points in which S. Ierome crosseth Porphyrie his arguments are sometimes but his own bare assertion sometimes weak If you please to set the best edge on them that may be we will try them And Porphyrie had Suctorius his Author To the writing in a different hand You hold Christ's Kingdom to be double First Regnum Lapidis while the times of the Four Kingdoms lasted I say it cannot be in the time of the three former Kingdoms for it was preached by Christ and the Apostles to be at hand in the time of the Romans Antiochus Epiphanes his time whom you make the last of the Greeks being past well-near or full hundreds of years before Besides I object That if Christ's Kingdom be set up in the Fourth Kingdom 's time it must be set up in the three formers time also For it confounded the gold silver brass iron as well as fell on the clayie legs Again if you make the Sâ—one to continue a Stone from Christ's time till ours and some years after God knows how long to smite the feet of the Image you will make the legs and feet of the Image above 1600 years long three times and more as long as all the body The Second Kingdom of Christ you hold to be Regnum montis that shall fill the whole earth to arise when the Image shall be utterly destroyed 1. I say This division of Christ's Kingdom is no where in Scripture plainly expressed though this Kingdom be most frequently handled If such a thing had been it would in one place or other in the various handling of it have been plainly taught 2. The Stone spreads it self over the whole earth presently
the nature and grounds of what they practised lest for want thereof they might cherish some unsafe conceit And notwithstanding I preached for Bowing as you say to Altars yet I have not hitherto used it my self in our own Chappel though I see some others do it If I come into other Chappels where it is generally practised I love not to be singular where I have no scruple But you would not have me have any hand in killing the Witnesses God forbid I should I rather endeavour they might not be guilty of their own deaths And I verily believe the way that many of them go is much more unlikely to save their lives than mine I could tell you a great deal here if I had you privately in my chamber which I mean not for any mans sake to commit to paper Siracusae vestrae capientur in pulvere pingitis As for Bowing at the name Iesus 't is commanded by our Church And for my self I hold it not unlawful to adore my Saviour upon any Cue or hint given Yet could I never believe it to be the meaning of that place of the Philippians nor that it can be inferred thence otherwise than by way of a general and indefinite consequence I derive it rather from the Custom of the World in several Religions thus to express some kind of Reverence when that which they acknowledge for their God is named as we find the Turks do at this day Besides I conceive to do this reverence at the name Iesus only is proper to the Latine Church and it may be of later standing For if some Greeks have not deceived me the custom of the Orient is to bow the head not only at the name Iesus but at the name Christ and sometimes though not so frequently at the name God And if that were the fashion of the elder Christianity that out of S. Hierom would found more to the purpose Moris est Ecclesiastici Christo genu-flectere This is all I can say to this point having had fewer Notions thereabout than about any of the rest That the worship of the Inward man is that which God principally requires and looks at I think no Christian man denies But what then Doth not our Saviour's rule hold notwithstanding in such a comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And consider that the Question is not here as most men seem to make it between Inward worship and Outward worship seorsim for in such case it is plain the Outward is nothing worth but whether the Inward worship together with the Outward may not be more acceptable to God than the Inward alone As for that so commonly objected Scripture in this question Of worshipping the Father in spirit and truth as the Characteristical difference of the Evangelical worship from the Legal I believe it hath a far different sense from that it is commonly taken to have and that the Iews in our Saviour's sense worshipped the Father in spirit and truth But my work grows so fast that I must let it pass and be content with that vulgar answer viz. That under the Old Testament God was worshipped in types and figures of things to come but in the New men should worship the Father in spirit and truth that is according to the verity of the things presignified not that they should worship him without all gestures or postures of Body to which purpose it is wont to be alledged But all this while my mind is upon another matter which at length I am gotten unto viz. your strange construction and censure of the pains I took in opening my thoughts so freely unto you concerning these matters of reverential posture and gesture in respect of that interlaced piece wherein I intimated the Eucharist to have in it ratio sacrificii For 1. Because in the close of my Letter I expressed my fear of some Iudgment to befall the Reformed Churches because out of the immoderation of their zeal they had in a manner taken away all Difference between Sacred and Prophane you will needs suspect I aimed to make the present Iudgments of God upon Christendom to be for neglect of that Sacrifice which I had spoken of a thing I never thought of nor thought so plain an expression of my meaning could ever have been so mistaken I pray let me intreat you to read over those papers once again and then tell me with whom the fault is For why Is not to esteem the Eucharist a Sacrament to account it a Sacred thing unless it be accounted a Sacrifice 2. It seems strange to you that a matter of so great importance as I seem to make this Sacrifice to be should have so little evidence in God's Word and Antiquity and depend merely upon certain conjectures As for Scripture if you mean the name of Sacrifice neither is the name Sacrament nor Eucharist according to our Expositions there to be found no more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet may not the thing be But when you speak of so little Evidence to be found in Antiquity I cannot but think such an Affirmation far more strange than you can possibly my Opinion For what is there in Christianity for which more Antiquity may be brought than for this I speak not now of the Fathers meaning whether I guessed rightly at it or not but in general of their Notion of a Sacrifice in the Eucharist If there be little Antiquity for this there is no Antiquity for any thing Eusebius Altkircherus a Calvinist printed Neustadii Palatinorum 1584. 1591. De mystico incruento Ecclesiae Sacrificio pag. 6. Fuit haec perpetua semper omnium Ecclesiasticorum Patrum concors unanimis sententia Quòd instituta per Christum passionis mortis suae in Sacra Coena memoria etiam Sacrificii in se contineret commendationem Bishop Morton in Epist. Dedicator prefixed to his Book of the Eucharist Apud veteres Patres ut quod res est liberè fateamur de Sacrificio Corporis Christi in Eucharistia incruento frequens est mentio quae dici vix potest quantopere quorundam alioqui doctorum hominum ingenia exercuerit torserit vexaver◠aut è contrà quà m jactanter Pontificii de ea re se ostentent And that in the Age immediately following the Apostles the Eucharist was generally conceived of under the name and notion of a Sacrifice to omit the Testimonies of Ignatius and Iustin Martyr take only this of Irenaeus Lib. 4. cap. 32. Dominus discipulis suis dans consilium primitias Deo offerre ex suis creaturis eum qui ex creatura Panis est accepit gratias egit dicens Hoc est Corpus meum Calicem similiter qui est ex ea creatura quae est secundùm nos suum Sanguinem confessus est Novi Testamenti novam docuit Oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in universo mundo offert Deo c. And chap. 34. Igitur Ecclesiae Oblatio quam
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
herein f I wonder sacred Fathers that ye demur so long about opening and consulting the Sibyll's books as if ye were treating or debating this matter in the Christians Church and not in the Temple of all the Gods * Hist. Eccl. l. 7. c. 29. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Thus was Paulus with great disgrace cast out of the Church by the Secular power b How shall any one be able to express those infinite multitudes of Christians assembling in every city those famous meetings of theirs in their Oratories or Churches and therefore they not being content with those smaller Churches which before they had those their ancient Edifices not being large enough to receive so great a number took care to erect from the very foundations fairer and more spacious ones in every city * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c The Penitents the Hearers the Catechumens or Learners and Probationers in Christianity and the Believers Wheresoever Ten men of Israel were there ought to be built a Synagogue Maiâ— in Tâ—phillah c. 11. Object 1. Answer Object 2. * No Temples Altars Images a Celsus saith Origen affirms that Christians decline the building or setting up of Altars Images and Temples * Lib. 8. contra Celsum b We do indeed saith Origen decline the building of Temples not for the reason which the Gentiles suppose but because we having learnt by the doctrine of Iesus Christ How God is to be worshipped and served we think our selves obliged in conscience to avoid and abstain from all such things as under a prerence and colour of Piety do make men really impious namely those who have erred and gone astray from the true way of worshipping God by Iesus Christ who alone is the way of worshipping God aright according to that most true saying of his I am the Way the Truth and the Life c Why do the Christians keep such ado to conceal and hide that whatsoever it be which they worship Why have they no Altars no Temples no Images unless that which they worship and keep so close were either worthy of punishment or shameful a Do you think that we conceal what we worship because we have neither Temples nor Altars But I beseech you What Image should I make for God whenas if we well consider it Man himself is the lively Image of God What Temple should I build for him whenas the whole world made by him is not able to contain him And whenas I who am but a man have a large habitation and room enough to be in shall I think to enclose and confine so Great a Majesty within one little House Tell me Is not God better sanctified in our Mind and Heart and where can we better prepare an habitation and consecrate a place for God than in the bottom of our Souls in the inmost of our inward man * Al. laxiú◠* Advers Gent. l. 6. b Herein ye are wont to charge us with most hideous impiety and irreligion viz. That we neither build Sacred Houses or Temples to perform the Offices of religious worship in nor make any Image or Representation of any God nor build any kind of Altars at all * See the Difference between Altare and Ara in the Treatise of Tlâ— Name Altar * See the Difference between Altare and Ara in the Treatise of Tlâ— Name Altar c For what use of the Gods should we desire to have Temples for what necessary purposes do we affirm these present Temples to be built or do ye think Temples should be built anew * Institut adversus Gentes lib. 2. cap. 2. d Why do ye not lift up your eyes to Heaven and invocating the Gods by name sacrifice openly and in publick Why do ye rather look to walls and wood and stone than look up thither where ye believe the Gods to dwell What then can Temples mean what do Images or Altars signifie Answer * Worshipping Places Acts 7. 4â— * According to this notion of Templum Tertull. cap. 15. de Idololatria Si Templis renunciâsti 〈◊〉 feceriâ— Temâ— plum januâ—â— tuam Et de Corona mil. cap. 11. Exâ—ubabit nempe Christiâ—nus pro Templis quibus renaâ—ciavit coeuabit ilâ—â— ubi Apâ—stolo non placeâ— id est in Idoko 1 Cor. 8. 10. a I wonder sacred Fathers that ye demur so long about opening and consulting the Sibyll's books as if ye were treating or debating this matter in the Christians CHURCH and not in the TEMPLE of all the Gods b Let us propound the case and suppose as it often comes to pass that the performance of these different Religions may fall out upon one and the same day wherein thou being a Christian must go to the CHURCH and he thy Husband a Gentile must at the same time repair to the TEMPLES a That he either destroyed the Churches of the Saints or else turned them into Temples b Although the Scythians the Numidians in Africk and the irreligious or Atheâ—stical Seres as Celsus characterizes them besides other Nations yea and the Persians too cannot endure TEMPLES ALTARS and STATUES or IMAGES yet is not their and our averseness from these things founded upon the same Grounds and Considerations And a little after saith Origen Among those that are averse from worshipping the Deity in and by ALTARS TEMPLES and IMAGES the Scythians Numidians and the irreligious Seres and the Persians also go upon other Grounds and Principles than the Christians and Iews who hold it utterly unlawful to worship God after that manner For none of those Nations is averse from erecting and setting up Temples Altars and Images upon this account as being apprehensive of that unworthy Hypothesis and notion of the other Gentiles who supposed that the Demons were enclosed and shut up fast in certain Places viz. Temples and Images being either confined thither by Magical Spells or else having preoccupied such places of themselves where they did greedily feed and feast themselves with the Nidour and Savour of the Sacrifices But now Christians and also the Iews are utterly averse from such things out of a conscientious respect to that in the Law Deuter. 6. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve as also in obedience to that in the Decalogue Thou shalt have no other Gods but me and again Thou shalt not make to thy self any Image c. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * So with Tertullian in the places before alledged in the margin Renunciôsse Templis dicitur qui Idolis * Strabo li. 15. in appeud ad Herodot Theodoâ—et li. 5. c. 38. Yea seâ— de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—naeâ—e in Elymaide Persidis 1 Mac. 6. 2. 2 Mac. 1. 13. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a If there were in you any zeal for your Religion any just indignation against what doth manifestly