reap For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting 5. The aim therefore of the Apostle is not to extenuate or discountenance real Vertue and Righteousnesse but to point us to it and shew us where it may be had Not in dayes or years not in New Moons or Festivals not in Circumcision nor in the dead letter of the Law but in Christ and the Spirit of God in the renewed Image of God in the new birth in the new life in the second Adam from Heaven in the new Creature But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world For in Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature Which the Apostle elsewhere cals the new man That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man that is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the Spirit of your minde And that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse that is not in external Ceremonial holiness or outward sanctimonious shew but in the regeneration of the inward Spirit to a new life from the very heart And again Colos. 3. vers 9. Lie not one to another seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him where there is neither Greek nor Iew circumcision nor uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but Christ is all and in all 6. This new Creature then is nothing else but the Image of God in the Soul of man So witness both these Texts The new man which after God is created in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness The very same that Plato speaks at once in his Theaetetus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be like God is to become Holy Iust and Wise. But because most men even the old Adam in us take themselves to be holy just and wise it will be seasonable here to see what Iustice Holinesse and Wisedom this is that is in the new Creature 7. And who can tell it so well as he that is it Matth. 5. Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement But I say unto you that whosoever ◠angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement and whosoever shall say unto his brother Racha shall be in danger of the Councell but whosoever shall say Thou fool shall be in danger of hell-fire Ye have heard that it was said by them of old Thou shalt not commit adultery But I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Again it was said of old Forswear not thy self But I say unto you Swear not at all but let your communication be Yea yea and Nay nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of evil Ye have heard it also said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth But I say unto you Resist not evil Ye have heard also Thou shalt love thy neighbour but hate thine enemy But I say unto you Love your enemies Bless them that curse you Do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you Behold the exact and unblameable Righteousnesse that is in the regenerate Soul far above the doctrine or thoughts of either the Legal Pharisee or mere Moralist External Righteousness in the outward man or to be internally just as far as corrupt Reason suggests is but filthy rags in respect of this Righteousnesse Christ requires of us and the new Creature doth bring into us once grown up to its due stature in us Let every man examine himself by this Rule 8. And as this Iustice is far above yea sometimes contrary to the Justice of the Natural man for with him to hate his enemies to recompense evil with evil is just so the Holiness is far transcending the Holinesse of either the ancient or modern Scribes and Pharisees and Zelotical Ceremonialists For all outward Ceremonies of Time or Place of Gesture or Vestments Rites or Orders they are all but Signes and Shews but the Body is Christ. Lastly that the natural man phansie not himself Wise as who is not of all precious things the most forward to appropriate that to himself that he phansie not himself Wise before he be Holy and Iust let him examine his Wisedom by that square in the third Chapter of S. Iames's Epistle Who is a wise man and endowed with knowledge amongst you Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of Wisedom But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lye not against the truth This wisedom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual and devilish For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work But the Wisedom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality without hypocrisie The Righteousnesse then of the new Creature is a Righteousness far above the letter of Moses's Law though exactly performed it 's Holiness more resplendent then the Robe of Aaron and all his Priestly attire or whatsoever Ceremonies else God hath instituted or man invented it 's Wisdome far above all the thin-beaten subtilties of either the wrangling Sects or disputacious Schools without contention or bitter contradiction 9. So that it is plain from the constant scope of the Apostle both in this Epistle and every where else That he does not vilifie true Vertue and Morality but drives at an higher pitch and perfection thereof and that the Righteousness of Faith which he prefers before the Righteousness of Works is not by way of exclusion of Good Works out of the Righteousness of Faith but of urging us to exacter and more perfect works of Righteousnesse then could be performed under the dispensation of the Law How wicked a treachery therefore is it against the Church of Christ and how impudent a piece of boldness in those false Teachers that would bear men in hand That this doctrine of the being approved in the eyes of God by a dry and dead Faith devoid and destitute of all real sanctity and holiness is not only a Christian truth but the most choice and principal doctrine in all Christianity when there is not any footstep of any such thing in all the Instructions and Informations of either Christ or his Apostles CHAP. VII 1. That no small measure of Sanctity serves the turn in Christianity 2. As appears out of Scriptures already alledged 3. Further
then by any other way conceivable For those words of so great sound and of no less import namely the Millennium the Reign of the Saints the New Jerusalem and the like to them that are not very wild or ignorant can signifie nothing else but the recovery of the Church to her ancient Apostolick purity wherein nothing shall be imperiously obtruded upon men but what is plainly discoverable to be the Mind of Christ and his Blessed Apostles There shall be nothing held Essential and Fundamental but the indispensable Law of the Christian life and that Doctrine that depends not upon the fallible deductions of men but is plainly set down in the Scripture other things being left to the free recommendation of the Church ensnaring no mans Conscience nor lording it over the flock of Christ. 14. Which certainly they do that call those things Antichristian that are not and thereby make more Fundamentals then Christ or his Apostles which Errour is the very Essence and Substance of Antichristianisme and of the grand Apostasy of the Church As methinks should appear plainly to any man that considers it from the description of the New Jerusalem whose Foundation and whole Fabrick runs so upon Twelve For truly it seems to me very unsafe and over-near the brinks of reproach to the Spirit of God to conceit that Wisdome which dictated this Prophecy so shallow and trifling as to mean nothing by that so industriously inculcating the number Twelve but the Churches proceeding first from the preaching of the Apostles a Truth that no man never so destitute of the spirit of divination could misse of or possibly think otherwise Wherefore the meaning of the Prophecy questionless is That after the Church has added false Fundamentals to the Christian Faith and as bad Superstructures the time will come when it shall be again restored to its former purity and That as the root Twelve is the Embleme of the pure Church so there is also a root of a number that will discover that Church which is the Mother of this great Apostasy as really in my judgement Mr. Potter in the number 666. has ingeniously demonstrated But it is manifest that all the zealous Corrivals for the Government of this Nation by either decrying things for Antichristian that in themselves are innocent and of an indifferent nature or by obtruding Opinions that are worse then indifferent have but shewed themselves Branches of that great Stock of Apostasy and are too far removed from the reputed merit of either being or beginning of a Church that is purely Apostolical 15. This Honour therefore seems to have been reserved by Providence for the eternizing the happy Reign of our Gracious Soveraign and all the parturient Agonies and zealous presages of the people of this Nation as if there was an approach of some extraordinary Good to be revealed suddenly to the World to have been nothing else if they knew their own meaning but a less explicite presensation of the return of CHARLES the Second to the rightfull Government of his Kingdomes And truely it will be the greatest Miracle to me in the world if he can frustrate our expectation For whether we consider the excellent Qualifications of our Gracious Prince whom Providence has so long time disciplined in the most effectual method of Prudence and Vertue besides the express Declaration of His own Royal inclinations this way or whether we look upon the Reasonableness of the thing it self it being not onely recommended to us both by Precept and Prophecies but also offering so irrefragable evidence from its own nature of the indispensableness of the duty there being no other possible means to reduce the World to a right Christian tenour of Spirit and to recover it to a due strength and soundness of complexion but by shearing off those large excrescencies of either useless or scandalous Ceremonies and Opinions the foments of strife and palliations of Hypocrisy men seeking by these to be excused from the most weighty Precepts of the Gospel or lastly we take notice of the great Interest the wise and reverend Clergy of this Nation cannot but discover herein even in reference to themselves it is almost impossible to doubt of either endeavour or success in this so important affair For certainly nothing can so well secure their peace and make them impregnable as the using of their Power and exercising their Discipline in the behalf of such Truths and Rites as are plainly and confessedly Apostolical and the being more facil and easie in additional circumstances and cutting quite off all useless and entangling Opinions For hereby will their Opposers be manifestly found to fight against God and his Christ while they contest with his Ministers who urge nothing upon the People but what was plainly taught and practised by himself and his Apostles whose Waies and Doctrines are so sacred that they ought to be kept up with all lawful severity Which one plain and generous Rule of Government if faithfully kept to is the most effectual means imaginable of making the world good and for both the Unity and Enlargement of the Church infinitely above all those many fine artifices and small devices of the most professed Politicians in the Church of Rome provided we be not course and sordid but reverent and comely in our publick Worship 16. But to return In the third and last place Although the exigency of the Times which then urged me to write thus carefully touching the Quakers and Familists is now God be thanked changed into a more safe Scene of things and the resettlement of our Gracious Soveraign in his Throne doth again secure the Scepter of Christ to his Church yet I thought it fit not to exâ—unge what I had wrote concerning these Sects For for the present It cannot but contribute considerably to an unfained composure of their Spirits and peaceful acquiescence in the known Christian Truth their minds being more at leisure now better fitted to consider what is true then they were before when the heat of Enthusiastick hopes of I know not what great success inflamed them and blew them up so high that the voice of sober Reason could not well be heard in that fanatick storm and Bluster nor an Errour easily let go which seemed a pledge of the sudden approach of so great advantages to the entertainers of it And then for the future So fundamental a discovery of the unsoundness and madness of these Sects cannot I think but be very effectual for the preventing their spreading hereafter that it will not be any longer in the power of their false Teachers to befool well-meaning men with fine words and make them unawares countenance a Faction the deepest Arcanum whereof is absolute rebellion against the Person of Christ and an utter abrogation of Christian Religion Which task though others heretofore have undertaken and I question not but with like faithful and zealous regard to the good of the Church yet their discovery
could not be so perfect they not living in an Age of such liberty which has tempted all sorts of men to shew themselves in their own colours Besides that what they wrote being onely concerning this Sect of Familisme in Pamphlets apart by themselves the matter was not of such general concernment as to invite or engage men to read But the Subject of this present Treatise being of so Universal and so Weighty importance it cannot fail to prove a more effectual Monitour to the World of the deadly danger that lies under that fair enticing Title of The Family of Love 17. Nor ought my earnest diligence against Familisme embolden you to think me partial or defectuous in that you observe me so eagerly opposing no other Sect for the design of my Discourse leads me not to such Particularities as are controverted amongst Christians that still hold the Fundamentals of our Religion against whom I profess my self eager in nothing so much as in hearty Exhortation that they would not make their Difference of Opinion any breach of Friendship but an exercise of their Christian Charity and tender forbearance one of another not insulting over one anothers supposed ignorance nor forcing one another to external compliance and profession of what they do not believe by harsh Antichristian compulsions but by calme reasoning and kind treating one another with mutuall love and patience which is an exercise more pleasing in the sight of God then the exactest Uniformity of Opinions and Worship that the greatest Formalist can propound or desire This is all that I find my self bound in conscience to be earnest in against such like Sects as these But Familisme is no such Sect nay to speak properly and to yield them their own boast they are no Sect at all I mean of Christians but a totall Apostasy from Christianity as you may easily understand out of what I have writ in the following Discourse And therefore my present purpose being The Demonstration of the Solidity of the Fundamentals of Christianisme as it is apparently comprehended in the Holy Writ it was proper and unavoidable for me to deal with all such as did oppose or undermine those undispensable Truths of our Religion and therefore I had been wanting to the Cause if I had not thus industriously set my self against this dangerous and mischievous Mystery of Unbelief which is ordinarily called Familisme And as I have not spared them so there is no Sect that has stoln away any one Essential of Christianity whether appertaining to Life or Speculation but I have bid them battel and I hope rescued the prey out of their hands and led them Captive into the Truth at least they have not escaped their share of chastisement for their committing of so hainous a crime And this is all that I could in reason attempt unless I would break all the Lawes of Method and make useless Excursions beyond the set limits of my Discourse 18. My forbearing therefore to squable with every petty Sect I hope will be accounted no part of defectuousness But there are other Omissions I must confess that may seem more justly liable to that imputation As for example in that I have not endeavoured to clear the Prophecy of Daniel's weeks to that accuracy as to bring the Passion of our Saviour to the middle of the last week as the Prophecy seems most naturally to imply but have contented my self with that Chronological account of Funccius that suffers it to fall in the last day of the week But as I have already intimated in the place there may be that latitude of the meaning of the middle of the week that it may signifie any time of the week begun and not yet expired In which sense Funccius his account is within a year or thereabout of the exact completion of the Prophecy Which is so near the matter that one may easily suspect that it is some mistake in their computations that it does not happen just according to the Prophecy so little time being easily misreckoned in so large an account Besides it was sufficient for my purpose onely to take notice and to make evident That this Prophecy of Daniel is understood of the Messias and That the weeks are long ago expired For by this alone we may demonstratively conclude That he is already come which was the onely thing pertinent to my present Subject And lastly for thy further satisfaction as the task thou expectedst had been too laborious for me to performe so thou thy self wilt hold it needless when thou shalt understand with what accuracy and solidity it is already perfected by the learned Master of our Colledge Dr. Cudworth in his publick Lectures in the Schools wherein he has undeceived the world misled too long by the over-great opinion they had of Joseph Scaliger and taking Funccius his Epocha has demonstrated the Manifestation of the Messiah to have fallen out at the End of the sixty ninth week and his Passion in the midst of the last in the most natural and proper sense thereof Which demonstration of his is in my apprehension of as much price and worth in Theologie as either The Circulation of the Bloud in Physick or The Motion of the Earth in natural Philosophy as I have already noted in its proper place 19. Again I may haply seem unto thee defectuous in that I have so expressely professed my hope and expectation of Better times in the Church and yet not gone about to produce that copiousness of Arguments that might have befitted the management of so desirable a Truth But I have to answer for my self That that subject was too big for my hands especially being as full already as they could grasp and That the Theory also was not essential to the scope of my present Discourse and lastly That certain friends of mine whose more then ordinary skill and happy rellish of the best and choicest things has made them fit undertakers of so usefull a design will I hope ere long gratifie the world with their excellent performances in that subject The promotion of which Opinion cannot but be profitable to the Church of Christ provided the case be rightly stated namely That these good Times which we expect and hope for will not be the exaltation of this or that Sect. For the childish conceit of some is that the future prosperity of the Church will be nothing but the setting up this Forme or that Opinion and so every Faction will be content to be Millennists upon condition that Christ may reign after their way or mode that is in Calvinisme in Arminianisme in Papisme in Anabaptisme in Quakerisme in Presbytery in Episcopacy in Independency and the like But the true happiness of those days is not to be measured by Formalities or Opinions but by a more corroborated Faith in Christ and his Promises by Devotion unfeigned by Purity of Heart and Innocency of Life by Faithfulness by common Charity by comfortable provisions
a right choice of the Object of this Church-discipline which is to comprehend nothing but what is sound and purely Apostolicall that is the indisputable Truths of our Religion such as we are sure to be the mind of Christ and his Apostles namely the generally-acknowledged Articles of the Christian Faith and plain and indispensable Duties of Life For these are such as deserve to be held up with all possible care and strictness other things so gently recommended that no consciencious man may be pinched thereby That nothing can conciliate more authority to the Church nor more assured peace and tranquillity then to deal bonâ fide with the People and not to make them more foolish and superstitious then they would naturally be and then to pride and please our selves in the sweet rellish of that false satisfaction we find in feeling our power over them and in fansying our selves such marvellous Church-polititians that we can by crafty delusions lead about those whom we should make it our business to undeceive and free from all vain mistakes and set before them the naked Truth and pure light of the Gospel whereby they may become really good and therewith bear a more unfeigned respect to the Ministery and shew more sincere obedience to the Church then they can by being kept to that blind way of admiring outward Formalities and useless Opinions and Ceremonies out of which cannot arise so natural a tie of love and honour to the Priest as by his discovering his faithfulness to his Charge in shewing them the very truth and substance of the Religion he ministers to them and by being instrumental in deriving of the same Christian spirit upon them which he ought to have in an higher measure himself That they may well hazard goodly Structures of Truth by building them upon doubtful and controvertible Foundations such is the setting such a kind of Episcopacy or Presbytery upon the Basis of a Divine right besides their making themselves thereby obnoxious to the suspicion of a design of unmerciful riding and galling the people when they have once by this device so safely lockt themselves into the saddle As if that were not true which I noted before That the exactest platforme of Church-Government by directing or using of it to other Ends then it was instituted by Christ did become thereby the more perfectly Antichristian That Episcopacy simply in it self is not Antichristian as appears even out of that Book which Fanatick Hot-spurres so much abuse to the disturbance of the Church I mean the Apocalypse compared with the acknowledged Church-history concerning this ancient Government which was in use when the Church was most exactly Symmetrall And therefore if this or that Forme of Government were essential to the purity of a Church Episcopacy would not have obtained in that State when she was most pure if it had been Antichristian From whence it also necessarily followes That Presbytery is not jure Divino That if any Mode or Platforme of Church-government be jure Divino I should sooner venture upon Mr. Thorndike's way then any which in my apprehension he has made out with much solidity and freedome of judgement and is not onely truely serviceable to the design of Church-government in generall but also very accommodate to the present constitution of things it being such a mixture of Episcopacy and Presbytery together as may justly if they would be modest and ingenuous satisfie the expectation of both parties That upon an account of Reason and of the nature of the Thing it self Episcopacy joined with Presbytery is better then Presbytery alone forasmuch as it is easier to find one man fitted for so sacred an office then many And there is more ingenuous shame and sense of honour in a single person then in a multitude whose number makes them more bold and daring to pass any thing such as if it were in the power of one single person to stop he could not in point of reputation and self-security fail to use his Negative voice But where the power is in a Multitude without any restraint there cannot but be the hazard of very gross transactions they bolstering up one another by reflexion upon their numerosity and every man in shuffling off the odiousness of the miscarriage to the rest of the lump conceits himself to bear a very inconsiderable share of either the shame or danger of whatever is voted Wherefore there must be a great deal of either Ignorance or Malice to style that Function Antichristian that is thus recommended to us both from the practice of the Primitive Church and the light of Reason 22. Nor can I understand why an ample and honourable Revenue should be accounted Antichristian especially by those whose ordinary ambition and endeavours are to grow rich And for Honour it self it seems to me a symptome of secret Atheisme and Prophaneness in the minds of men while they are so prone to think a man less honourable by being in a more special and nearer manner the Servant of God and of his Son Iesus Christ who is Lord over all Wherefore whosoever has not a very venerable esteem of these peculiar Servants of Christ ought to suspect himself that he is also guilty of some latitant averseness or enmity to Religion it self unless that he can clearly deprehend that his disrespect or disgust arises from the over-long continued fraud and Histrionical imposture of such Functions in the Apostatized Church the gayest Idol being more odious and contemptible then the rudest and most unpolished piece of Timber that pretends to be nothing but what it is Which yet will not excuse him from doing his outward respect to such personages much less encourage him to personall revilements a disorder that S. Paul to an high Priest in a Religion superannuated could not allow himself in Otherwise where they are not Idols but fill out their titles I think no man unless it be out of envy or want of judgement will conceive their Dignities and Revenues ill placed For supernatural Miracles having ceased there is but this one moral Miracle left that I know to awaken the world into a serious belief of the Truth of Christian Religion namely a Bishop refulgent with honour and overflowing with wealth and yet exemplarily humble meek and temperate not thinking himself over-great for the personal discharge of his Office he is intrusted with nor so lull'd asleep in ease and affluency as to let fall the Scepter of Christ out of his hands to be taken up by such as cannot wield it with that paternall affection and judgement that a true Bishop and carefull Watcher over the Souls of men would be sure to do Wherefore to speak out plainly and at once if I had said any thing of Ecclesiastick Policy I should not have forborn to pronounce That such a Bishop as I have hitherto described and that rules his own family well not allowing any scandalous servants to attend him but being a pattern in
and what he utters concerning the Spirit chap. 16.14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you Wherefore I say the Fathers being every way so fairly invited to bring the Platonick Notion of the Trinity into the Church assuredly if themselves had been Platonists and had fetched the Mystery from that School they would not have failed to have done it 7. Secondly Admit that the ancient Fathers were Platonists and brought the Mystery of the Trinity into the Church of the Christians it does not straight follow That it is therefore a Pagan or Heathenish Mystery Pythagoras and Plato having not received it from Pagans or Heathens but from the learned of the Iews as sundry Authors assert the Iews themselves in long succession having received it as a Divine Tradition and such is Platonisme acknowledged to be by Iamblichus who sayes it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And assuredly if there had not been some very great reason for it men so wise and profoundly knowing as Pythagoras Plato Plotinus and others would never have made so much adoe about it 8. Thirdly and lastly I say it is not only impious but vain and foolish to asperse that Mystery with the reproch of Paganisme that is so plainly to them that be not prejudiced set down and held forth in the Holy Scripture For the very Forme of Baptisme prescribed by our Saviour evidently enough denotes Three Divine Hypostases Of the Father there is no question Concerning the Divinity of the Sonne we shall speak more fully in the Second point we proposed That the Holy Ghost is not a mere Power Property or Attribute of God but an Hypostasis one free enough from being swai'd by Tradition or Authority of any Church and as himself conceits a very close and safe adherer to Scripture does grosly enough acknowledge while he makes it some created Angel that bears the sacred Title of the Holy Ghost and undergoes those Divine functions that are attributed to him But we need not maintain Truth by any mans Error it being sufficiently able to support it self and therefore we will make use of no advantage but what Scripture it self offers us And this Forme of Baptisme affords us something to the evincing that the Holy Ghost is not an Attribute but an Hypostasis For sith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to give up a mans self to the Discipline Government and Authority of this or that Person it is the most natural sense to conceive that all Three mentioned in the Forme are Persons we being so well assured that two of them are But there are other passages of Scripture that will make the point more clear Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost Now if the Holy Ghost were but a Power not a Person what a ridiculous Tautology would it be for the sense would be through the power of the holy power Again John 16.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are very ill Syntax were it not that there is a Personality in the Holy Spirit which by what follows is most undeniably evident For he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak To receive of one and communicate to others by way of hearing and speaking what can that belong to but a Person or Hypostasis To this you may adde also Mark 13.11 Whatsoever shall be given you in that hour that speak ye for it is not you that speak but the Holy Ghost Now that this Hypostasis is not a created Angel amongst other Reasons the Conception of Christ may well argue it being more congruous That that spirit that moved upon the waters and created the world should form that holy Foetus in the womb of the Virgin then that any created Angel should apply himself to that work for he had not then been the Son of God but of an Angel as in reference to his birth in time 9. Besides this one Individual Spirit in Scripture in represented as every where ready to sanctify to regenerate to distribute various gifts and graces to the Church to have spoke by the mouth of the Prophets to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a discerner of the thoughts of the heart Baptisme also and Benedictions are imparted in his name he is also called to witness which is a piece of Divine worship all which seems more naturally to be understood of him whom we properly call the Spirit of God then of any particular created Angel whatsoever 10. We shall onely adde one place more which will put all out of doubt to them that do not doubt of the Text it self 1 John 5.7 There are three witnesses in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are One What can be writ more plain for the proof of the Triunity of the Godhead But for those that suspect the Clause to be supposititious I shall not trouble my self to confute them that task being performed so solidly and judiciously by a late Interpreter that nothing but Prejudice and Wilfulness can make a man depart unsatisfied with so clear a demonstration Wherefore secure of this Point Concerning the Trinity we go on to the next concerning The Divinity of Christ. CHAP. V. 1. That the natural sense of the First of S. Iohn does evidently witness the Divinity of Christ. 2. A more particular urging of the circumstances of that Chapter 3. That S. Iohn used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Iewish or Cabbalistical notion 4. The Trinity and the Divinity of Christ argued from Divine worship due to him and from his being a Sacrifice for sin 5. That to deny the Trinity and Divinity of Christ or to make the Union of our selves with the Godhead of the same nature with that of Christ's subverts Christianity 6. The uselesness and sauciness of the pretended Deification of Enthusiasts and how destructive it is of Christian Religion 7. The Providence of God in preparing of the Nations by Platonisme for the easier reception of Christianity 1. THat Christ is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a mere Creature but a divine Hypostasis or truly really and Physically not Allegorically and Morally joyn'd with that Divine Hypostasis which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if men would not bring their own sturdy preconceptions but listen to the easy and natural aire of the Text the Beginning of S. Iohns Gospel would put out of all controversy For I 'le appeal to any supposing the Union of Christ's Humanity with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be true in what fitter more significant or better-becoming way could it be expressed then already it is in the Beginning of that Gospel Wherefore to interpret it in any other sense is to delude themselves and to abuse the Scripture through the prepossessions of their
were not asleep at so concerning a Sermon 6. Again 2 Cor. 5. v. 8. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly intimates a going out of this Mortal Body not a change of it into an Immortal one therefore we may safely conclude that this courage and willingness of the Apostle to die implies an enjoyment of the presence of Christ after death before the general Resurrection Else why should he rather desire to die then to live but that he expects that Faith should be presently perfected by Sight as he insinuates in the foregoing verse But assuredly better is that enjoyment which is onely by Faith then to have no enjoyment at all as it must be if the Soul cannot operate out of this Body 7. A like Proof to this and further Confirmation of the Truth is that of Philipp 1.21 22 23 24. where the Apostle again professing his courage and forwardness to magnifie Christ in his body whether by life or by death uses the like Argument as before For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain But if I live in the flesh it will be worth my labour yet what I should chuse I wote not For I am in a strife betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you 8. The genuine sense of which Place is questionless this That while he lived his life was like Christ's upon Earth innocent but encumbred with much hardship and affliction bearing about in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus but if he died he should then once for all seal to the Truth of his Martyrdome and not onely scape all future troubles which yet the love of Christ his Assistance and Hope of Reward did ever sustain him in but which was his great gain and advantage arrive to an higher fruition of him after whom he had so longing a desire But if to be with Christ were to sleep in his bosome and not so much as to be sensible he is there it were impossible the Apostles affections should be carried so strongly to that state or his judgement should determine it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so exceedingly much better especially his stay in the flesh being so necessary to the Philippians and the rest of the Church and what he suffered and might further suffer in his life no less a Testimony to the Truth then Death it self 9. Fourthly Those phrases of S. Peter 2 Pet. 1.13 Yea I think it meet so long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up and put you in remembrance Knowing that I must shortly put off this Tabernacle c. And so vers 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all likelyhood alludes to the same as if his Soul went out of the Body as out of a Tabernacle All these Phrases I say seem to me manifestly to indicate that there is no such necessary Union betwixt the Soul and the Body but she may act as freely out of it as in it as men are nothing the more dull sleepy or senseless by putting off their cloaths and going out of the house but rather more awakened active and sensible 10. Fifthly Hebr. 12. There God is called the Father of Spirits the Corrector and Chastiser of our Souls in contradistinction to our Flesh or Bodies and then vers 22. lifting us up quite above the consideration of our Corporeal condition he brings us to the Mystical mount Sion the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the Universal assembly and Church of the first-born which are inrolled in heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect Now I demand what Perfection can be in the Spirits of these just men to be overwhelmed in a senseless Sleep or what a disproportionable and unsutable representation is it of this throng Theatre in Heaven made up of Saints and Angels that so great a part of them as the Souls of the Holy men deceased should be found drooping or quite drown'd in an unactive Lethargie Certainly as it is incongruous in it self so it is altogether inconsistent with the magnificency of the representation which this Author intends in this place 11. Sixthly Matth. 10.28 The life of the Soul separate from the Body is there plainly asserted by our Saviour Fear not them that kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell i. e. able if he will to destroy the life both of Body and Soul in Hell-fire according to the conceit of those whose opinions I have recited in my Treatise Of the Immortality of the Soul Book 3. chap. 18. or else miserably to punish or afflict both Body and Soul in Hell the torments whereof are worse then Death it self For as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perire signifie to be excessively miserable so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perdere may very well signifie to make excessively miserable But now for the former part of the verse but are not able to kill the Soul it is evident that they were able if the Soul could not live separate from the Body For killing of the Body what is it but depriving it of life wherefore if the Soul by the death of the Body be also deprived of life it is manifest that she can be killed which is contrary to our Saviour's Assertion CHAP. X. 1. A pregnant Argument from the State of the Soul of Christ and of the Thief after death 2. Grotius his explication of Christ's promise to the Thief 3. The meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. How Christ with the Thief could be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Paradise at once 5. That the Parables of Dives and Lazarus and of the unjust Steward implie That the Soul hath life and sense immediately after death 1. WE have yet one more notable Testimony against our Adversaries Our Saviour Christ's Soul and the Thief 's upon the Cross did subsist and live immediately upon the death of the Body as appears from Luke 23.42 43. And he said unto Iesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome And Iesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise As if he should thus answer Thou indeed beggest of me that I would be mindfull of thee when I come into my Kingdome but I will not deferre thee so long onely distrust not the unexpected riches of my goodness to thee For verily I say unto thee That this very day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And there is no evasion from this Interpretation the Syriack as Grotius noteth interpointing betwixt I say unto thee and Today and all the Greek copies as Beza affirmes joyning
that this History should be recorded as well as transacted that the Church might have the more strong Faith in the Son of God who even while he was in the flesh had such Noble victories over the Powers of the dark Kingdome putting to flight many thousands of Devils at once 5. The truth whereof was very handsomely assured by Christs permitting what these unclean Spirits desired which was to goe into a heard of swine which the Text saies was about two thousand which was a very fair pledge of their numerosity to them that will not cavil these impure Spirits as both Trismegist and Psellus have observed pleasing themselves to dabble in the bloud of Brutes as well as of Men and therefore to lodge themselves in their Veins and Arteries And Malice being as sweet to them as the refreshing of their other foul appetite every souldier of this dark Regiment would be very nimble at seizing of his prey and so they dividing their booty amongst them every one reaped the satisfaction of his own foul and malicious mind by entring the swine and hurrying them into the midst of the Sea which they indeed had not been able to doe had not Christ permitted them But Christ was not at all overshot in this concession or permission to effect their project For though they desired it for mischief sake that they might incense the Gadarens against him yet he plainly outwitted them in their project it being more serviceable to him then to them 6. For hereby was the foulness and mischievous virulency of the Devils more plainly demostrated Whence his mercy to the possessed was the more fully illustrated and by the loss of the Swine the Temper of the Gadarens was also discovered the Mosaical abstinence seasonably coutenanced against the Apostate Jews of that Country the swinish nature of men aenigmatically perstringed and the Divine power of Christ as I said who alone could deal with such numerous troops of Infernal Spirits manifested to the world and the mouth of such frivolous Allegorists stopped as would make the Devils that Christ is said to cast out of the possessed to be no Essential Spirits but only deprav'd Affections as Calvin observes upon the place Wherefore there is nothing of Levity Injury or any Extravagancy in the whole Story but all Circumstances therein are sober just and usefull 7. For Christ was not bound to hinder the loss of the Swine their perishing being for so publick a good and of so great importance as to assure us of the vast power he has who shall one day be Judge and do final vengeance upon all the Infernal powers at once and that though he be so full of compassion towards Mankind as to lay down his life for the World that through belief in him he may save them from eternal destruction yet no softness or effeminacy of Spirit or unseasonable pity to the brute creatures shall hold his hands from doing execution upon unbelieving and obdurate persons but that as here the Devils and the Swine were plunged together into the bottom of the Sea so a deludge of fire shall be poured out upon the Earth at the Last Judgement wherein all terrestriall Animals together with the Devils and the Damned shall burn in flames unquenchable CHAP. VIII 1. Of Christ's turning water into wine 2. The Miraculous draught of Fish 3. His whipping the Money-changers out of the Temple 4. His walking on the Sea and rebuking the Winde 5. His cursing the Fig-tree 6. The meaning of that Miracle 7. The reason why he expressed his meaning so aenigmatically 8. That both the Prophets and Christ himself as in the Ceremonies he used in curing the man that was born blind spoke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Typicall Actions 9. The things that were typified in those ceremonies Christ used in healing the blinde as in his tempering Clay and Spittle 10. A further and more full Interpretation of the whole Transaction 11. Some brief touches upon the Prophesies of Christ. 1. BEsides those Miracles which are referrable to the Four general heads we noted there be also other Single Examples of different natures such are His turning water into wine The Miraculous draught of Fish His driving the buyers and sellers out of the Temple His walking on the Sea and his rebuking of the Winds To all which it is common with the rest That they were not done out of any Vanity or Ostentation but out of a Principle of Love and kind affection being alwaies invited by some present exigency to shew his wonder-working power As in that of turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee which he did at the solicitation of his Mother though with some reluctancy because of the Envy of the Pharisees that sought to kill him as also out of a principle of Humanity they being at a loss for Wine more company its likely for Iesus his sake coming to the Marriage-feast then was expected nay I may say out of a frame of Spirit becoming the Divinity of his Person For what is more Divine or God-like then himself being utterly exempted from the pleasures of this life and the knowledge of the Nuptial bed yet wholly laying aside all superciliousness and exprobrations to others to countenance necessary Marriage gratifying their lawfull desires who could not well be disentangled from these things in the ordinary and natural enjoyments of the Body 2. The miraculous draught of Fish Simon pulled up after he had cast his net at our Saviour's appointment it was partly a compensation of their long toil all night when they caught nothing and partly a prefiguration of Peter's excellent success when he was become a fisher of men 3. That Miracle of whipping the Money-changers out of the Temple for so Grotius will have it to be esteemed Christ performing it as he writes nullâ vi externâ solâ divinâ virtute venerabilis though it seem full of unwarrantable passion or fury yet the Provocation was very just and the Principle from whence this fit of Zeal did flow the best that could be viz. a dear regard to the despised Gentiles whose Atrium or place of worship the Jews did thus contemptuously prophane and a just indignation against the Iews who out of a fond pride and conceit of their being the seed of Abraham though they prov'd themselves the sons of the Devil scorn'd and despised the poor Gentiles for whom Christ was to die and it was an Act full of Love and Heroical affection to right them thus while he lived 4. His walking on the Sea it was to come to his Disciples that were toiling and rowing against the winde and the stream he having in all likelihood not the convenience of taking boat any where to come unto them And lastly His rebuking the Wind and the Sea in a mighty storm necessity plainly extorted that Miracle the Ship being covered with waves and his disciples as they conceived ready to be cast away which made them awaken him crying
that they that obey it not shall be damned That Christ knew the very thoughts of mens hearts that he raised the dead that he healed men of incurable diseases that he gave sight to the blind and made the dumb to speak That the Apostles of Christ Matthew Peter and Paul healed one Habib Anaiar of the Leprosie at Antioch and raised the King's daughter from the dead as also gave sight to a childe that was born blinde And lastly three Preeminences the Alcoran gives to Christ which it gives not to any other Prophet to Abraham Moses no nor Mahomet himself The first is That he was carried up to Heaven bodie and soul where it is expresly added in Zuna that he shall return from thence to judge the world with righteous judgment The second That he shall be called The Word of God The third That he should be called The Holy Spirit of God These things you may read more at large in Iohannes Andreas his Confusio Sectae Mahometanae as also in others out of whom you may also add that the Turks have so venerable an esteem of S. Iohn's Gospel that they wear it next their bodies as an amulet when they goe to war to keep them from gun-shot 8. This I thought worth the noting partly that that Honour which is due to Christ may not be given to Mahomet of whom the best that can be said is only this That he did not so utterly pervert and deprave the mystery of the Gospel by either his ignorance political tricks or fanatical humours and whimsies but that there was so much of the substance and virtue thereof left as being seconded with the dint of the Sword was able enough to hew down the more gross Heathenish Idolatry chastise the disobedient Hypocritical Christians and ruine the external dominion of the Devil in the World and partly that we may discern what great hopes there are that in due time when the chief scandals of Christendome are taken away they being so far prepared already in their reverend opinion concerning our blessed Saviour the whole Turkish Empire may of a sudden become true Christians that which is vain and false among them having no better prop then the foolish and idle Visions false pretended Miracles and groundless fables of a mere wily phansifull and unclean Impostour whenas the pure Christian Religion comprehended in the Gospel is so solid sincere rational that no man that is master of his wits but may be throughly satisfied concerning the truth thereof CHAP. XIII 1. The Triumph of the Divine Life not so large hitherto as the overthrow of the external Empire of the Devil 2. Her conspicuous Eminency in the Primitive times 3. The real and cruel Martyrdoms of Christians under the Ten Persecutions a demonstration that their Resurrection is not an Allegorie 4. That to allegorize away that blessed Immortality promised in the Gospel is the greatest blasphemy against Christ that can be imagined 1. YOU see then how large the Success or Event of our Saviour's coming into the World is in reference to the external overthrow of the Kingdome of the Prince of this World that old Usurper over the sons of men If you demand of me how great the Triumph of the Divine Life has been in all this victory I must answer I could wish that it was greater then it is that it had been larger and continued longer but something has been done all this time that way too 2. For Faith in God through our Lord Jesus Christ and a firm Belief of a Life to come and the Effect of this Faith which is the very nature and Spirit of Christ dwelling in us consisting of Purity Humility and Charity this sound constitution was very much in the Church in the Primitive times even then when they had no succour nor support from the hands of men nay when they were cruelly handled by them they chusing rather to be banish'd imprisoned tortured and put to any manner of death then to deny him who had redeemed them with his most precious Bloud and had prepared a place of Eternal happiness for them with himself in Heaven 3. Here Faith and the Divine Life was very conspicuously victorious and triumphant in that in the eyes of all the world it set at nought all the cruel malice of the Devil and the terrour of death it self in the most ghastly vizard he could put on as you may see innumerable Examples in the Ten bloudy Persecutions under the Heathen Emperours Which History must needs make a man abominate such light-headed and false-hearted Allegorists that would intercept the Hopes of a future life by spirituallizing those passages in Scripture that bear that sense into a present Moral and Mystical interpretation as if the Gospel and the precious Promises therein conteined reached no further then this life we now live upon Earth 4. Which is the highest reproach and blasphemie that can be invented against Christ Iesus as if he were rather a Betraier then a Saviour of Mankind and that he was more thirsty after humane bloud then those Indian Gods we have spoken of who were so lavish thereof in their sacrifices and as if it were not Love and dear Compassion towards us that made him lay down his life but hatred and a spightfull plot of making myriads of men to be massacred and sacrificed out of affection to him that thus should betray them Wherefore whosoever interprets the New Testament so as to shuffle off the assurance of Reward and Punishment after the death of the Body is either an arrant Infidel or horrid Blasphemer CHAP. XIV 1. The Corruption of the Church upon the Christian Religion becoming the Religion of the Empire 2. That there did not cease then to be a true and living Church though hid in the Wilderness 3. That though the Divine life was much under yet the Person of our Saviour Christ of the Virgin Mary c. were very richly honoured 4. And the Apostles and Martyrs highly complemented according to the ancient guize of the Pagan Ceremonies 5. The condition of Christianity since the general apostasie compared to that of Una in the Desart amongst the Satyrs 6. That though this has been the state of the Church very long it will not be so alwaies and while it is so yet the real enemies of Christ do lick the dust of his feet 7. The mad work those Apes and Satyrs make with the Christian Truth 8. The great degeneracy of Christendome from the Precepts and Example of Christ in their warrs and bloudshed 9. That though Providence has connived at this Pagan Christianism for a while he will not fail to restore his Church to its pristine purity at the last 10. The full proof of which Conclusion is too voluminous for this place 1. WE have given a light glance upon the condition of the Primitive Church before Christianity became the Religion of the Empire what change would be wrought then a man might
gross Parachronism For it is plain this Spouse is to be married to Christ after the destruction of the City by fire as it appears both by the order of these Visions and by chap. 19. v. 2 3. But the burning of Rome by Totilas was after Constantine's time The beginning of the Millennium Grotius affixes to an Edict of Constantine's which Eusebius speaks of and wherein there is mention made of the Ligation of Satan This makes a pretty shew as also his interpreting the reign of the Martyrs with Christ of that honour they had done them at their Monuments But it is to be considered in how short a time that honour was turned into Idolatrous reproach as also how the thousand years according to his account are expired above three hundred years agoe from whence commences the Devil's being let loose Which we cannot term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little time in respect of the Millennium it being no less then a third part and it is no good sense if it be not understood in respect of it But which is still worse while he interprets the Devil's being let loose of the invasion of the Ottoman Family upon Christendome he reminds us of the great victories the Saracens had who were as very Devils as the Turks and yet had vexed the Christian world much before the year 800. So that according to this account the Devil was let loose in the midst of the Millennium and has been loose almost a Millennium already which therefore in respect of the Millennium cannot be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon this false Hypothesis hangs the conceit of the Turks besieging Constantinople to be the begirting of the holy City by the numerous armies of Gog and Magog For the Greeks themselves styled Constantinople New Sion as Grotius has noted But it is plain the Exposition is a mere hallucination because the holy and beloved City in the Prophecie is not taken God interposing by fire from Heaven and sweeping all away by that finall judgement But the Turks have taken this Sion and have peaceably possessed it these two hundred years I shall conclude with the new Ierusalem the Lambs Bride adorned for her husband which Grotius interprets of the Catholick Church made now more splendid with outward ornaments by the care and cost of Princes Which in my apprehension is no good sense Marriage rather signifying the bringing in some people to Christ that were not united to him before or at least the appearing of a people that was before hid then the external adorning of them that were already the known and professed people of Christ. Besides that the times that Grotius points at are the most unlike that new Ierusalem which is the Church recovered to her Apostolical Symmetry again and to be measured by the golden reed of the Angel and which runs all upon Twelves to shew that it is purely Apostolick and has no other foundation nor structure then Christ and his Apostles For the whole solid Content thereof Length Breadth and Height is twelve thousand furlongs the breadth of the wall also and the height thereof is measured by Twelve So that there is nothing in this new Ierusalem but what is pure and Apostolical which is not so in the garishly-adorned Church that Grotius looks at Besides that it is said there was no Temple there whenas every Church is a Temple under the Roman Hierarchie 10. I might have examined his Expositions of the Vials also with other passages wherein I could have discovered the like errours and mistakes But what I have instanced in already is sufficient to shew upon what unnatural distorted nay I may say impossible applications they are cast that would attempt the interpreting of the Apocalypse without the guide of Synchronisms taken from the innate Characters of the Visions themselves but by the benefit of that Guide how easie and natural sense is made of every Vision and how perfectly answerable to History and Events as is manifest in the Expositions of Mr. Mede Whom I have not preferred thus before Grotius out of any ill will or disrespect to that Miracle of his Age for Learning and Ingenuity but merely out of love to the Truth as I am verily perswaded Grotius has framed his Interpretations but withall which is a further commendation of him out of a very deep sense of the advantages of Peace and out of a Spirit of Sweetness Candor and Humanity for which I do believe him singular and eminent And verily if I were not conscious to my self that the very same spirit did in some measure act me in this discovery of his mistakes that did him in committing of them I mean the sense of Peace and Common good of the Church I had rather be in his Errors accompanied with Humanity and Kindness of Spirit then be in a Truth that must needs be attended with Salvageness Ferocity and Fury But as the Truth I stand for is above Grotius's mistakes so I hope the good of my design will not appear inferiour to his after you have considered the Benefit of Mr. Mede's interpretations of the Apocalypse as well as the Truth thereof CHAP. XVII 1. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not implie That most of the matters in the Apocalypse appertain to the Destruction of Jerusalem and to Rome Heathen 2. The important Usefulness of this Book for the evincing of a Particular Providence the Existence of Angels and the ratification of the highest points in Christianity 3. How excellent an Engine it is against the extravagancy and fury of Fanatick Enthusiasts 4. How the Mouths of the Iews and Atheists are stopped thereby 5. That it is a Mirrour to behold the nature of the Apostasie of the Roman Church in 6. And also for the Reformed Churches to examine themselves by whether they be quite emerged out of this Apostasie with the Author's scruple that makes him suspect they are not 7. What of Will-worship and Idolatry seems still to cleave to us 8. Further Information offered to us from the Vision of the slain Witnesses 9. The dangerous mistakes and purposes of some heated Meditatours upon the Fifth Monarchy 10. The most Usefull consideration of the approach of the Millennium and how the Time may be retarded if not forfeited by their faithlesness and hypocrisie who are most concerned to hasten on those good daies 1. AND truly the Benefit of the Apocalypse so interpreted as Mr. Mede has expounded it is invaluable For the Visions are so perfectly patly applicable to acknowledged History this way that he goes that he that will not believe the Prophecies fulfilled in those things he produces cannot believe the fulfilling of any Prophecies at all whenas on the other side if the Applications were no more weighty nor clearer and fitter then they are Grotius's way this Book of Prophecies would be utterly Useless it being in the power of no man that is not extremely credulous to be satisfied with
such lame imperfect nay as I said impossible Interpretations Wherefore the Vindication of the Method of Mr. Mede in interpreting this Book is really the rescuing of the Book it self into that power and use it ought to have in the Church For it is a standing Light to all Ages thereof and the greatest to the last Nor do those Expressions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all infringe the Truth we have declared or import that all the matters in the Apocalypse appertain to either the Destruction of Ierusalem or to Rome Heathen For as for the former it seems very needless to spend many Visions upon it our Saviour having prophesied of it so clearly before and with all usefull circumstances that could be desired How vain therefore is it to imagine so many Visions spent thereupon in this Book that are not only obscurer then our Saviour's Prophecie but so obscure that they are now not tolerably applicable to the known Events and therefore must be utterly useless to the Church because they could neither forewarn them of any thing before the Event nor be a Record of God's foresight and Providence after it And for the latter I say there are Visions plain and express enough concerning Heathen Rome and her bloudy persecuting the Church in the battel of Michael and the Dragon The first six Seals also appertain to that time while Rome was Heathen the Sixth whereof signifies the mighty change of things to the advantage of the Church the Empire becoming Christian. Wherefore there is no want of Visions for Heathen Rome nor any but what were very significant and usefull as all the six Seals and the Vision of Michael and the Dragon are Which encourage the Church to be patient under those Ten bloudy persecutions in assurance that at last they should have the victorie over their persecuting enemie And what could they desire more to be signified then this in such general Prophecies as these Nay I say further they might have counted the nearness of their deliverance by the posture of the Beasts that were the Praeco's of the four first Seals observing from what quarter such Emperours came as bore the greatest similitude with the Riders of the red black and pale Horses and when the Persecution was the highest their Hopes were the clearest and the Event nearest as appears from the easie meaning of the Fifth and Sixth Seal So that there are Visions enough concerning the Romane Empire while it was Pagan so far forth as it concerned the Church And why should there not be Visions that concern the Empire when it was turned Christian and Paganized again under Christianity and in this Apostasie cruelly oppressed and persecuted the true members of Christ Why should not this State of things be prophesied of as well as the former To this there are but these two Answers to be given Either that the Church is not apostatized or that those Phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do plainly signifie that the scope of the Apocalypse reaches not so far The former answer I could wish were solid but have no leisure here to dispute it The latter I conceive is very weak and unsatisfactory and from an inference as ridiculous as his would be that upon the report that such a Comedy or Tragedy was to be acted half a quarter of an houre hence which I think is very quickly should conclude that all the Acts and Scenes thereof would not be a quarter of an hour long And to make use of the suffrage of our very Adversaries Grotius himself interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of the whole series of Visions but of some of them only and particularly of the Destruction of Ierusalem and othersome they are fain to expound of such Events as have hapned but two hundred years ago and of such as are not to come to pass before the End of the World Which is a demonstration of the insolidity of this Exception against Mr. Mede's method of interpreting this Book Whose meaning for the general we having cleared from all possible prejudices let us now consider the important Usefulness thereof 2. In the first place therefore in my apprehension it is the clearest and plainest conviction that can be offered to the Understanding of a man That there is a special Providence over the Church of God and That there are Angels the Ministers of this Providence to consider how there has been the communication of Prophecies concerning the affairs of the Church and Family of God by the ministry of Angels appearing to his Servants the Prophets from Abraham's time the Father of the faithfull to this very age and onwards the truth of the Events plainly lying before our eyes either in things that still continue or are to be read in undoubted History Which is a sign that those Prophets who said they did commune with Angels did not commune with their own Fancies but had real conference with those Celestial Inhabitants As Abraham certainly had Gen. 18. where the Angel tells him That in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed namely by Christ who was of his seed Nor did Daniel when he was by the River Ulai talk with his own shadow as the truth of the Event proves but with an Angel As also Gabriel was who imparted to him the Prophecie of the Seventy weeks then which nothing can be more accurately answering to the Event To which you may add those Angels that appeared to him on the banks of the River Hiddekel the Event of whose predictions are partly come to pass and partly now fulfilling under the Time and Times and half a Time which also are almost expired and are the Period of the latter times pointed at by those numbers 1290 daies and 1335 daies mentioned by the Angel on the banks of the river Hiddekel as Mr. Mede has I think very solidly interpreted Which general intimations in Daniel's Prophecies are more particularly and more fully set out in the Apocalypse of S. Iohn who also plainly professeth himself to have had conference with Angels and his Visions suting the Events so punctually it is a demonstration of both the continued Providence of God over his Church and of the Existence of those Angelical Beings Which is the First great Fruit and Use of this Book of the Apocalypse that he that reads and rightly observes the exact applicableness of the Visions to the Event cannot doubt of the Existence of God and of his Holy Angels nor of his Special Providence over the Church I might add also nor of the Souls Immortality Christ appearing so plainly to Iohn and speaking to him in these words I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the Keys of hell and death that is of raising men at the last day c. To which you may
we needed to charge this Prophecie with though it be probable enough it is contained in it There are sundry other places that serve for the proof of this seventh Character but because it is sufficiently enough demonstrated already and little or no controversie made of it I pass to the eighth 7. Which is the Messiah his abolishing the Superstition of the Gentiles that is such worship as they had no divine warrant for they being so grosly mistaken in the Object This is so plainly included in the two last Characters that I need add no other proof But if there were need that in the 2 and 110 Psalms might further confirme it Where he is constituted a new King and Priest and therefore implies new Religion and Laws and such as the heathen were ignorant of before but such as they must obey upon pain of high displeasure 8. The last Character is the long Duration of the Messiah's Kingdome Psalm 89. v. 35. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lye unto David His seed shall endure for ever and his throne as the Sun before me It shall be established for ever as the moon and as a faithful witness in heaven Also Psalm 45. v. 6. Thy throne ô God is for ever and ever the sceptre of thy Kingdome is a right sceptre c. Which Prophecie makes good the former and shews how it is to be fulfilled in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Messiah See also Psalm 72. which the Hebrew Rabbins do acknowledge to be understood of the Messiah Also Daniel 2.44 and 7.27 This Character is so clear that I need not insist any longer upon it 9. These are the main Marks and Characters of the Person of the Messiah by which we may infallibly find out who he is And who indeed can he be according to these Characters but Iesus whom we Christians worship For what competitor for the Messiahship but he was being a Iew rejected by the Iews and crucified Who is it that arose from the dead and ascended into Heaven but he Who ever delivered so pure Doctrine to purge the World from wickedness and to enlighten the Nations as he It is he therefore whom the Nations waited for and have received It is he for whose sake they parted with their old vain and impure Superstitions by whose Doctrine they are brought to the knowledge of the Eternal God And lastly it is he whom for his bitter sufferings God has exalted above Angels and Archangels and all the host of Heaven and has set him at his own right hand to be a Priest and King over his Church for ever CHAP. IX 1. The peculiar Use of Arguments drawn from the Prophecies of the Old Testament for the convincing the Atheist and Melancholist 2. An Application of the Prophecies to the known Events for the conviction of the Truth of our Religion 3. That there is no likelihood at all but that the Priesthood of Christ will last as long as the Generations of men upon Earth 4. The Conclusion of what has been urged hitherto 5. That Christ was no fictitious Person proved out of the History of Heathen Writers as out of Plinie 6. And Tacitus 7. As also Lucian 8. And Suetonius 9. That the Testimony out of Josephus is supposititious and the reasons why he was silent concerning Christ. 10. Julian's purpose of rebuilding the Temple at Jerusalem with the strange success thereof out of Ammianus Marcellinus 1. WE have now made a very considerable Progress in the proof of the Reality of Christian Religion That it is more then a mere Idea Let us here make a stand and breath a while and contemplate with our selves the peculiar Use and advantage of this present Argument for the stopping the mouths as well of the bold Atheist as the suspicious Melancholist For indeed it is too true and every good man could wish it were not so that the latter Ages of the Church have not dealt faithfully with the World but beyond the bounds of all modesty and conscience obtruded upon the people fond Legends and forged Miracles as if they were given up into their hands onely to be imposed upon and abused Which consideration does cast some men into an unchangeable misbelief of the whole business of Christianity and makes them look upon it all as a mere Fiction and Fable For they measure the Genius of the Primitive Church by what they see practised before their eyes now-adayes and look upon the whole Tribe of the Priests as Impostors Which censure though it be most unjust yet it will be very hard to convince these Censurers but that it is very true unless by some such Argument as now lies before us viz. That the ancient Prophecies in the Old Testament could not be forged by the Christian Priests and that the Jews would not forge them against themselves Nay they that know any thing of the Jews will acknowledge them so religiously addicted to the Letter of these holy Writings that knowingly and wittingly they durst not alter a tittle Wherefore all those Prophecies we have alledged are real and we have made good they clearly foretel That the Messiah should come many hundred years ago therefore it is plain he is come 2. I therefore demand of either the Prophane or Melancholick who is this Messiah if Iesus be not he Nay I appeal to them if the very Characters of his Person be not certainly to be known by their own Senses agreeably to the Prediction of those infallible Oracles The Prophecies have said He should be rejected of his own Ask the Iews they will acknowledge they have rejected him The Prophecies foretold he should be cut off be killed by them Ask the Iews they will not deny but that they did condemn him to death but deservedly as they contend for their own excuse The Prophecies foretold his Doctrine should enlighten the Gentiles Ask thine own eyes if the Gentiles be not turned from their vain unwarrantable Superstitions to the knowledge of that one God that made heaven and earth and of Iesus Christ whom he hath sent The Prophecies prefigured his rising from the dead and his ascending up into Heaven and ask thine own Conscience if thou dost not believe that this was alwaies the belief of the Christians and consult with thine own Reason if it had been possible that the Death of Christ could have drawn all the World after him if it had not been seconded with his Resurrection Certainly those that believed on him before had deserted him after his death if he had not risen from the dead but of that more fully hereafter Lastly the Prophecies foretold that the Messiah should be worshipped as a divine Person and receive divine Honour and that God would make him a King and Priest for ever Ask thine own senses if thou dost not find it so How many thousand Temples are there consecrated to his name in how many Nations and Kingdomes of the earth is he
that Iustice Meekness and power of working of Miracles were deriv'd upon our Saviour from the Natural influence of the Configuration of the Heavens at his Birth and as if he did not willingly lay down his life for the World as he himself professes but were surprized by Fate and lay subject to the stroke of an Astrological 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sidereal Interfector As also to meet with that enormous Boaster and self-conceited Wit the prophane and giddy-headed Vaninus a transported applauder and admirer of that wild and vain supposition of Cardan upon which he so much dotes that it is the very prop and master-piece of his impious Writings the both Basis and Finishing of all his villainous distorted doctrines against the Truth and Sacredness of Christian Religion To which two you may add also Apollonius though long before them a high pretender to divine Revelations and hot Instaurator of decaying Paganism but withall a very silly affected of Astrological predictions by which it is easily discoverable at what a pitch he did either divine or philosophize And methinks it is a trim sight to see these three busie sticklers against Christianity like three fine Fools so goodly gay in their Astromantick Disguises exposed to the just scorn and derision of the World for their so high pretensions against what is so holy and solid as the Christian Faith is and that upon so fond and frivolous grounds as this of Astrology BOOK VIII CHAP. I. 1. The End and Usefulness of Christian Religion in general 2. That Christ came into the World to destroy Sin out of it 3. His earnest recommendation of Humility 4. The same urged by the Apostle Paul 1. WE have no finished the Third part of our Discourse and have sufficiently proved That Christianity is not only a Reasonable and Intelligible Idea of something that may be worth Providence's setting on foot some time or other or as a seminal Form lurking unactive in the seed under ground but that it has shot it self into Real existence and is as a grown Tree that spreads its arms far and wide It remains now that we consider the Branches and Fruit thereof And I dare boldly pronounce that this is the Tree whose leaves were intended for the Healing of the Nations not for a Pretence and Palliation for Sin and that the Fruit thereof to the true Believer is Life and Immortality This is a brief comprehension of the glorious End and great Usefulness of the Gospel But we shall be something more explicate in a matter of so mighty importance You may understand out of what has been said in the First part concerning the Nature of the Mystery of Godliness that the Gospel is a kind of Engine to raise the Divine life into those Triumphs that are due to it and are designed for it from everlasting by the all-seeing Providence of God Let us now consider how fit the Dispensation of the Gospel is for this purpose that is to say Those things that are testified in it or prophesied of it or intimated by it how all these things aim and conspire to this End partly by affording the most effectual means imaginable for the re-installing the Soul into an higher state of Righteousness here then any other Dispensation that has yet appeared in the World and thereby more certainly transplanting her hereafter into a blessed state of immortal Life and partly by exhibiting such warrantable grounds of doing Divine Homage to the Lord Jesus Christ in whom this Life we speak of resideth so plentifully he being anointed therewith far above the measure of his fellows So that in this respect though the other design has taken so little effect in the World yet we cannot but acknowledge that the Divine life has not been disappointed of all her exteriour Pomps and Triumphs We shall begin with the former kinds of the Powers of this Engine 2. The First wherof consists in this In that it is so plainly and clearly declared in the New Testament That the great End of Christs coming into the World was to remove Sin out of it and to purifie mens Souls from all uncleanness and wickedness as is apparent from sundry places As 1 John chap. 3. He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Again Tit. chap. 2. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people Zealous of good works Also Ephes. ch 5. v. 25. Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish I might add several other places but I shall content my self with but one ratification more of this truth from the mouth of our blessed Saviour who professes he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it that is to set it at an higher pitch as appears by the whole scope of his Sermon upon the Mount The observance of which Precepts he does seriously require of his disciples and followers as appears from that Similitude he closes his discourse withall where he pronounces that they that kept and practised his sayings should be safe as one that builds his house upon a Rock but those that heard and practised not should be as he that built on the Sand that is upon a false and deceitfull foundation And a little above he does plainly protest even against such that may have prophesied cast out Devils and done Miracles in his name which yet are greater matters then either the making or hearing of long Praiers or long Sermons because they kept not this Law of Righteousness he there propounds he does protest that in the day of Judgment he will not know them but bid them depart from him as Workers of Iniquity This is sufficient to demonstrate That the End of the Gospel is to renovate the Spirits of men into true and real inherent Righteousness and Holiness which in counter-distinction to the Animal life which had domineered in the World so long not only in the prophane Actions but also in the very Religious Rites of the Heathens as I have already shewn at large I have denominated the Life Divine and numbred out those Three parts
rightly either Morall or Divine only tumbling out a Rhapsody of swelling words distorted Allegories and slight allusions to the History of Scripture intermingling them or strinkling them ever and anon with the specious name of Love though there be no motive nor reason that urges the thing it self all the while would give out himself such a Master of this Mystery as that Christianity must be super-annuated and all the devotionall Homage due to our Saviour laid aside all his Offices silenced his Passion slighted nay derided his visible Return to Judgement anticipated and eluded his Resurrection and Ascension misbelieved and the promise of Eternal Life swallowed up in the present glorious enjoyments and enrichments of them that will give up their soundness of judgement and reason to be led about with the May-games and Morrice-dances of that sweet Sect that have usurped to themselves the Title of the Family of Love Whenas the Authour of this Faction as I am well enough informed was more likely to prove a Pimp or second Sardanapalus then a true Instructor of the World in so holy a Mystery being infamous for having suspected Females in his House and living splendidly and deliciously above his rank noted for his crimson-Satten doublet and other correspondent habiliments as also for his large Looking-glass wherein he often contemplated his whole begodded Humanity and composing his long beard and stroaking down his Satten sides might strut in admiration of himself that he found the World so favourable to his false Impostures and lastly ridiculous for his women-Scribes and other such like soft doings not to say impure and obscene All which to any man that has but a moderate nasuteness cannot but import that in the title of this Sect that call themselves the Family of Love there must be signified no other love then that which is merely Natural or Animal though the Preacher of this Love-mystery bears himself so aloft and is so high upon the wing that he cannot phansie himself any thing lesse then that Apocalypticall Angel flying in the midst of Heaven and preaching the everlasting Gospel to the Inhabitants of the World And truly this Gospel of Henry of Amsterdam is likely to be as lasting as the generations of men and I may adde as universall as both Men and Brutes 3. Hear O Heavens and hearken O Earth while I pleade the cause of the just one and despised against the rebellious Hypocrites Thus saith the Lord God Behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tried stone a precious corner-stone a sure foundation and he that believes thereon shall not be ashamed Iudgement also will I lay to the line and righteousness to the plummet and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lyes and the waters shall overflow their hiding-places That this corner-stone and sure foundation is Christ that suffered at Ierusalem we are infallibly informed by those that were truly inspired the blessed Apostles That the refuge of lyes and hiding-place is most naturally applicable to this skulking Family is apparent in that the summe of their Religion is nothing but a bundle of lying Allegories and Canting Terms whereby they deal falsly with men and under the pretence of fine Mystical speeches would thrust out of the World the choicest and most beneficiall Truth that ever was imparted to the Sons of men I mean the Truth of the Gospel in the plain simplicity thereof whereby we are so clearly taught what we are to be to do and to expect And the Storm that shall overtake them and the Deluge that shall fall in upon them in their hidden dwellings shall be those Torrents of Reason and that irresistible conviction from the sincere and true-hearted followers of Christ. Tell me therefore O ye conceitedly-inspired whose phancies have blown you above Gospel-dispensations why do you run into the errour of the Jews and refuse this precious corner-stone this sure foundation and build upon disunited Sand and rotten Quagmires that will bear no weight Why do you lay aside Christ in the truth of his History the most palpable pledge of Divine Providence of God's Reconciliation to men and of future Happiness that ever was exhibited to the World and chuse for your Guide a mere Allegorical Whisler an Idol-Puppet dressed up in words and phrases filched out of the Scripture but perverting and eluding the main scope and most usefull meaning thereof Why have ye forsaken the only-begotten Sonne of God and given your selves up to the deceivable conduct of a mere carnall man and wholy destitute not only of true faith in God and Christ but of all substantial Knowledge and Reason Why are you so rash and giddy as to believe one that only testifies of himself and is so impudent a Plagiary as to offer you no wares but such as he has stolne from you if you pretend to be of the Christian Church and those so poisoned and adulterated that you cannot receive them without the danger of being struck into a misbelief of the truth of Christs Gospel and of revolting from him to whom so many illustrious Prophecies of old so many Miracles done by himself to whom his wonderfull Resurrection from the dead and audible voices from Heaven while he was living gave ample testimony that he was indeed the true Son of God 4. What indearing evidence or argument has this Mercer of Amsterdam given you of true compassion and love to mankinde that you should vaunt him so transcendent a Mystagogus in so divine a Mystery that you equalize him to nay exalt him above Christ and his Apostles Did he not live a lazy easie soft life as other rich Shop-keepers do whenas not only our Saviour himself but also his Apostles lived an hard Asketick life full of dangers and afflictions also from without Let S. Paul speak for the rest for they were in a manner all of them in the same case and might justly expostulate with these high fanatick Pretenders in the same words Are they Ministers of Christ I speak like a fool I am more in labours more abundant in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in deaths often Of the Iews received I fourty stripes save one thrice was I beaten with rods once was I stoned thrice I suffered shipwrack a night and a day have I been in the Deep in Iourneyings often in perils of water in perils of Robbers in perils by mine own Countreymen in perils by the Heathen in perils in the City in perils in the wildernesse in perils at the sea in perils among false brethren in wearinesse and painfulnesse in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakednesse c. To all which you may adde very despightfull and torturous deaths which most of them underwent at last and all this out of a faithfull love to their Lord and Master Jesus Christ and a dear regard to the good and Salvation of mankinde But what was it wherewith this H. N.
Spirit in us that was in him here on Earth And therefore there will be in our very Souls an high Sympathy and ineffable pleasure and liking of that Nature and Spirit that breaths in all the actions and speeches recorded of our Saviour and a transporting delight in all the Precepts of the Gospel whether delivered by himself or his holy Apostles they will be sweeter then the honey and the honey-combe and more desirable then thousands of gold and silver as the Prophet David speaks 5. Wherefore we are never to be quiet till we find our selves fully enamoured on the very Character and Genius as I may so speak of our blessed Saviour and find our selves so affected as he was affected in the world And therefore we are to adde to our external profession fervent Prayer to God not only to resist temptations or to doe outward good works but that he would also wholly renew our nature in us that our Regeneration may be perfected and that we may be entirely transformed into the lively Image of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And this not only at set times but continually as we have opportunity and vacancy from the throng and urgency of worldly affairs For then should we commune with our hearts and meditate on that divine Image and Character The Life of Christ and observe wherein we are most wanting and to what part thereof our affections are the most cool and so with serious and earnest ejaculations to God implore the help and assistance of his Spirit to compleat the good work that he has begun in us and so we shall fulfill that Precept of the Apostle Pray continually that is whether upon the emergency of some temptation or upon self-examinations and devout Meditations 6. And as we are to pray continually so we are to watch continually that is to pass from one transaction to another with circumspection making our very converse with men and affairs in the world an advantage to our main design of improvement in the Divine Life For coming thus out into company and emploiment we have thereby a present exercise of that Grace that is in us and can find thereby the better our own inabilities and defects as also what strength we are of and what proficiency we have made in the way we have chosen And so what we have will be thereby corroborated and what we want being discovered to our selves we know the better to ask it at the hands of God 7. Thus will the work assuredly go on by perpetual Meditations Prayer and Watchfulness And while thou art thus taken up with thy self take heed how thou meddlest with other men And particularly beware of despising the publick Ordinances of thy Church For thou mayst hear the same advice given thee in the open congregations that thou hast assented to as true in thine own Conscience from a faithful and knowing Ministry Which if thou beest what thou pretendest to will delight thy heart both in that it is a Testimony of the Truth and that it may take effect in others by God's blessing as well as in thee Wherefore it is no sign of a New-Covenanter but of a proud and carnal mind and of a wicked designer to vilifie these things 8. Moreover thou art to take this Advertisement along with thee concerning thy converse with men That first thou censure not any man for external matters of an indifferent Interpretation in Diet Apparel or Civil behaviour whether he be more courtly or plain in carriage whether more chearfull or more sad whether he drink wine or refrain from drinking whether he wear good clothes or goe in a meaner dress and so of other things of like nature Thou oughtest I say to passe no censure no not so much as in thy tacit thoughts about these things but esteem every man from what is truly Christian or Unchristian in him And then secondly Thou art carefully to take heed that the just liberty of another lead thee not into any inconvenience by tempting thee to imitate him But thou art strictly to keep to what thou knowest in thine own Conscience to be most for thine own safety that the good work may goe on in thee and that Righteousness may have its firm rooting and full growth But in the mean time thou art to look after thy self as a tender child or sick person who are rightly forbidden such things as grown men and in health take their liberty to make use of These two Cautions will prevent all Scandal whereby thou maiest either harm thy self or be injurious to others 9. Lastly I shall more particularly and expresly recommend to thee the frequent Meditation of these three branches of the Divine Life Humility Charity and Purity together with their deepest Root Faith in God through Iesus Christ. For if this be not taken in thy progress in the Second Covenant may degenerate into a mere accustomary or complexional frame of Morality and have nothing in it that is really Divine I am sure it will not be of that nature as to fit thee for that Eternal salvation that is promised to those that are true Believers And as concerning those Three branches of the Divine Root I would have thee to place them ever in thine eye and examine all the motions and excursions of thy Spirit into outward actions how sutable they are to these and closely observe when thou thinkest thy self so zealously carried out by the moving of one of these Principles if thou dost not run counter to another Nay it may be thy Enthusiastick Heat may carry thee so far as to sin against that very Principle that thou thinkest thy self to be moved by 10. Thus whilst thou affectest too extravagant expressions of thy Humility the discreet and knowing in Religion will thereby find out thy Pride As if thou shouldest not be content to entertain the poor at thy table but thou wilt also wait upon them with a trencher in thy hand bare-headed and doe all the offices of a Servitour to them as if thou wert celebrating the old Saturnalia Look to thy self that there be no touch of Vain-glory in it and that thou dost not desire to be talked of Consider also if it be not an offence against Charity and a scandalizing those that are without who if they can fansie thee sincere will be forcibly invited to deem thee very fanatical and melancholick and that all Religion is nothing else But true Charity doth nothing unseemly 11. When the desire of Purity also puts thee upon the chastisement of thy body doe it so hiddenly that thou maiest not offend against Humility by thy Pharisaical ostentation Wherefore if thou dost give thy mind to the mortification of the flesh shew it not to men in thy sordid clothes nor in thy sour face and hard looks but keep it to thy self as secret as thou canst that he that seeth in secret may reward thee openly 12. Art thou warmed with the sense of Charity which thou
making Christian Religion recommendable to them that are without 7. As also he does herein against the third Rule in no small measure For by spoiling Christ of his Divinity and of being acknowledged in very truth the Son of God all those condescensions of his which he stooped to for our good the esteem of them is much slackned and relaxed and will not stick the mark so strongly as upon this ancient and universal Hypothesis of the Church of Christ who did acknowledge that he was really the Son of God which must needs enhance the esteem of his Sufferings exceedingly and therefore more effectually melt our affections into the greater remorse for Sin and stouter resolutions to mortifie and kill all inordinate motions and desires all perverse and corrupt suggestions of our Natures be it never so harsh to us and bring them under the scepter of the crucified Jesus Which this Sect so little considers that they very hardly are drawn to acknowledge Christs death a Sacrifice for sin and so by their dry harsh and rash reasonings expunge one of the chiefest Powers and choicest Artifices of the Gospel for the making men good CHAP. VII 1. Imputative Righteousness Invincible Infirmity and Solifidianism in what sense they seem to complie with the second and last Rule and how disagreeing with the third 2. The groundlesness of mens Zeal for Imputative Righteousness 3. And for Solifidianisme 4. The conspiracy of Imputative Righteousness Solifidianism and Invincible Infirmity to exclude all Holiness out of the Conversation of Christians 5. That large confessions of Sins and Infirmities without any purpose of amending our lives is a mere mocking of God to his very face With the great danger of that Affront 1. THE last Examples of applying and examining of Opinions according to the Rules we have set down shall be in Imputative Righteousness in Perfection and Infirmity in Iustification by Faith alone and in the Reign of Christ upon Earth And as for Imputative Righteousness Infirmity and the Opinion of the Solifidians I must confess they seem to pretend much to the exaltation of the Person of Christ and to make men sensible of their great need of him and seeming to promise ease and security to careless sinners may also make the Gospel more passable to those that are without that have a minde to enjoy this world as well as that which is to come and is as plausible to such kinde of people as Roman Indulgences and Pardons Absolution upon slight Penances and the like To which kinde of errours and miscarriages I cannot but impute a great part of the degeneracy of Christendome at this day Nor can I imagine how the more perfectly Reform'd Churches could have failed of proving generally excellent Christians indeed if these Opinions of Imaginary Righteousnesse Empty Faith and the Invinciblenesse of Sin had not stept into the room of those Follies and Errours they had fled from Whence it is apparent how highly they transgress against the third Rule and consequently how cautious men should be of either receiving them or communicating them to others 2. For as for Imputative Righteousness it is very suspicious seeing the Scripture is silent therein that it is the suggestion of Hypocrisie and Deceit to undermine that due measure of Sanctification whereunto we are called For otherwise this invention is utterly needless the Sacrifice of Christs Passion being sufficient to expiate whatever sins we fall into from any pardonable Principle Which Sacrifice were utterly needless if the perfect Righteousness of Christ were so imputed to us as that we might reckon it our own For then were we as righteous as Christ for he has no greater Righteousnesse then his own whereby he is righteous And this Righteousness consisting as well of abstaining from sins as doing acts of Righteousnesse it is plain that all this is imputed to us and that therefore hereby we are to be accounted of God as never to have sinned and therefore there wanted no Expiation for sin and so Christ died in vain For the imputation of his Righteousness will serve for all Wherefore an opinion so absurd one cannot imagine why any should be so well pleased with unless they intended it a shelter for sin and to excuse themselves from real Holinesse and Righteousnesse 3. Neither do I know to what end but this men should so zealously press the Opinion of being saved by Faith alone in such a perverse sense as some do not meaning thereby a living Faith working by Love but we must be justified by Faith prescinding from Charity Obedience and whatever is accounted Holy and Just. But it is plain that unless a man will say he is justified by a dead Faith which is no more true Faith then a dead corps is a man that real Sanctity will as surely accompany Faith as Light does the Sun and that the controversie is as ridiculously raised of Faith whether it alone justifie as if one should move a question whether the Sun alone makes it day For if they mean the Sun without the raies it is evidently false but if they mean the Sun alone without the Moon or Stars it is as evidently true But by prescinding life from Faith and contending that it justifies is as incongruous as to assert that the Sun without Light makes day and as mischievous as to insinuate that inward Sanctity is not necessary to Salvation And therefore when they talk of Faith alone they ought to explain themselves so as that they may not be understood to exclude Christian Holiness but Iudaicall and what other needless imperfect and superstitious Principles of Justification men have stood upon in the world and withall to urge an operative Christian Love which is the fulfilling of the Law 4. To this Imputative Righteousnesse and Iustifying Faith from which they would fain disjoyn real Sanctity they adde Christian Infirmity whereby they would insinuate the Invinciblenesse of Sin So that two of these Opinions suggesting That that due degree of Righteousness we have spoken of nay indeed any degree thereof is needlesse and this other That it is impossible what can this tend to but an utter neglect of all Holiness in Christian Conversation The profession of which frame of Religion though some take it to be a great piece of service of God yet that Apostle whose expressions they too often abuse declares that it is a mere mocking of him as if they did naso suspendere adunco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be not deceived God is not mocked as a man sows so shall he also reap For this abuse and perverse application of the Mystery of Christianity to lewdness and secure wickedness is a mere deluding and mocking of the benigne counsel of God in Christ. It is to flear in the face of Heaven and under pretence of extolling Christ really to subvert his Kingdom upon earth 5. Is not this a mere mocking and confronting of the Divine Majesty whenas he has sent Christ into the World on
Christian Magistrate if he can supply himself with those that are 3. That the Christian Magistrate is to lay aside the fallible opinions of men and promote every one in Church and State according to his merit in the Christian life and his ability promoting the interest of the Church of Christ and the Nation he serves 4. That he is to continue or provide an honourable and competent allowance for them that labour in the word and doctrine 5. That the vigilancy of the Christian Magistrate is to keep under such Sects as pretend to Immediate Inspiration unaccountable and unintelligible to sober Reason and why 6 That the endeavour of impoverishing the Clergy smels rank of Prophaneness Atheisme and Infidelity 7. That the Christian Magistrate is either to erect or keep up Schools of Humane Learning with the weighty grounds thereof 8. A further enforcement of those grounds upon the fanatick Perfectionists 9. The hideous danger of casting away the History of the Gospel upon pretence of keeping to the Light within us 1. TO come to a Conclusion therefore and to touch the Point we have aimed at all this time What a Christian Prince or the Supreme Magistracy may contribute to the advancement of the Gospel of Christ From these general Principles we may inferre First that he is to give Liberty of Conscience to all such as have not forfeited it namely such as I have last of all described especially if they be Natives of the place were it possible for them to be of any Religion then Christian. But withall to require a publick and solemn account of their change of Religion wherein it may appear whether it be Conscience or Design or humour that makes them Apostatize Which either fraud or giddiness shall make the party obnoxious to such rebuke and penalty as may probably deterre the people from the like causeless revolts But if the person be of a serious life and shall be found to have changed his opinion upon such grounds of Reason as though false yet may possibly mislead a wel-meaning man yet for sureness he shall be put upon his Oath Which test though it be abused to over-petty matters yet certainly must not loose its due use in causes of so solemn importance In which kind of cases if any refuse upon a pretended scrupulosity of swearing at all and in an affectation of seeming more precisely holy then others without question it is not Religion but some fathomless depth of knavery that lies at the bottom and they may justly be suspected of some treasonable and treacherous design against the Religion and Government under which they live Wherefore before they should have liberty to profess themselves of another Religion they should be required to take a solemn Oath with a deep Imprecation of Divine vengeance upon Soul and Body that nothing moves them thereto but mere conviction of Conscience and that they have no secular design at all in their change nor desire any more liberty then what they think themselves bound in conscience to allow to others Which publick Examination and Oath is very useful also and justifiable upon mens relinquishing of the publick worship of God in the Churches though they do not professedly declare themselves to be no Christians For not to joyn with them in publick worship is the next door to that Apostasy This practice would be of infinite advantage for the Truth of Christianity For hereby the Priesthood will be more cautious how they clogge the Gospel with unwarrantable trumperies and those that would revolt by this calling them to an account first shall be forced to feel the strength and solidity of that Religion they would bid adieu to and their secret designes prevented by the solemnity of an Oath And lastly the Christian Magistrate by giving this liberty after these due circumstances which assuredly he will have very seldome occasion for by reason of the Evidence of our Religion will avoid the justifying the iniquity of other Religions who not by power of Reason and Conscience but by outward Force hinder their Natives from turning Christians 2. But Secondly Though these serious people shall not be deprived of their Liberty Lives or Estates nor any way impaired in their private fortunes yet they shall be disabled from bearing any Office of trust in the Commonwealth especially if there be of the Christian Religion that will manage them with equal skil and fidelity For it is plainly unnaturall if not impossible that a man that is serious in his Religion should not prefer one of his own Faith before a Stranger if in other things they be equal Besides that the Lawes of Caution and Prudence cannot fail to suggest so reasonable a choice which are very much to be listned to in things of this nature For present possession of power is better assurance then the Oath of well-meaning but withall of temptable and lapsable Mortals 3. Thirdly The Christian Magistrate is to give no assistance of his power nor countenance any further then Christianity it self is concerned that is to say He is to give that assistance which is due from a Magistrate for the defending and promoting of our Religion so far forth as it is plainly discoverable in the written Word of God in the Literal and Historical meaning thereof For to cant onely in Allegories is to deny the Faith of Christ. And as for Opinions though some may be better then othersome yet none should exclude from the fullest enjoyment of either private or publick Rights suppose there be no venome of the Persecutive spirit mingled with them But every one that professes the Faith of Christ and believeth the Scripture in the Historical sense thereof let his Opinions be otherwise what they will he is according to his life worth and ability every where to be preferred in either Church or State Which is absolutely the most advantageous way for the advancing of the Gospel and making the World good that the Wit of man can find out And External Force being so unfitting in it self and most of all unbecoming the Christian Magistrate in matters of Religion what one might fancy lost in laying aside Persecution would in as great a measure be regained by countenancing this free and naked Representation of the Beauty and Perfection of the Gospel quite rid of all pretended Traditions and whatever obfuscations and entanglements of humane Invention For then the Truth of God would be like an unsheathed sword bright and glittering sharp and cutting and irresistibly convincing the rational Spirit of a man Whenas now our Religion is wrapt up in so many wreathes of hay and straw that mo man can see nor feel the edge of it 4. Fourthly Being Compulsion is not to be used nor Prudence excluded For it is the same fanatical madness to exile Prudence out of affairs of Church and State as to exclude Reason and Mathematicks out of Philosophy it is very plain that the Christian Magistrate is engaged to adde to Liberty
of Christ and mournful and melting Tunes proper to these Songs composed by the Church Which Passion-songs would be also usefull upon Communion-dayes they containing in them Devotional desires and resolutions of crucifying our affections and lusts and of faithful love to Christ and to one another which are the Great things that the Passion of Christ points us to and would enforce upon us Wherefore the Morning-singings on a Communion-day may very well be supplied by these Passion-songs But at the Receiving of the Communion while the Bread and the Cup pass about some Psalmes of David that appear most proper and that declare the great Goodness and Mercies of God or some Songs of the Churche's composing appropriate to the purpose full of thankfull acknowledgments and holy resolutions may be sung all the time in more chearful Tunes such as the Ascension-songs and Resurrection-songs are sung in All which Songs of the Church are to urge duty upon men and press on holiness upon considerations naturally flowing from the belief of the things we do solemnize If to the singing of these skilfully-composed Songs and choice Psalmes there were added also the help of an Organ for the more certain regulating of this singing part of Devotion and the more affectionate performance thereof it will not be easie to imagine what is wanting to a due and unexceptionable filling up of all comely circumstances of that Publick worship that is fit to be practised by professed Christians unless you would bring in also Images and Pictures 17. But to speak my sense and judgment of things freely The mere placing of Images or Statues in a Church is a very bold and daring Spectacle but the bowing towards them or praying with bended knees and eyes devoutly lift up to them is intolerable if Pagan Idolatry be so nay in some regard worse that is more irrationall and ridiculous forasmuch as these Statues are not supposed to be the Receptacle of the Spirit of him they pray to So that their way of Devotion is utterly groundless senseless and sottish as well as impious and Idolatrous Pictures I must conâ—ess are a more modest Representation and the consideration of the vile reproaches some foul mouths have heretofore and do sometimes still cast upon the crucified Iesus may tempt the devotional Lovers of his Person to a conceit that if there were a Representation of his Crucifixion in picture and that they bowed to it at their coming into the Church it were but an innocent satisfaction to themselves so publickly to do their homage to their Saviour in that Representation that he is most scorned and reproached in and but a just compensation to him for the reproaches that vile and wicked persons cast out against him But to this I answer first That the determining our Worship to any part of the Church would look like the turning of our Christian Meeting-Houses into Temples contrary to what is written I saw no Temple there And then in the second place Though the fetches of mans Wit are very fine and subtile in these cases yet it is expresly said that God is a jealous God and there are many scrupulous and jealous men as well in Christendome as out of Christendome and therefore a practice that is not right in it self and so exceeding scandalous to others ought by no means to obtain in the publick Worship of Christians If there be any permission of Pictures therefore in the Church it must not be for worship but for ornament which they will scarce be without considerable cost nor that cost again well placed unless there be some Edification by them And therefore I doe not conceive how they will be tolerable at all without some proper Inscriptions also adjoyned As upon the Picture of the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ some such Inscription as that of Saint Paul If you be risen with Christ seek those things that are above Upon the Picture of the Passion of Christ some such as these When I am lifted up I shall draw all men unto me Those that are of Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Greater love hath no man then this that he lay down his life for his friends This is my commandement that as I have loved you so you would likewise love one another And thus every Piece which are not to be many should have their proper Inscriptions without which they should not be permitted in the Church as being fit for nothing but to amuze the sight But now they are no sooner seen but they set a mans Mind awork and cause him to think of the most important meaning of the chief passages of the History of Christ. Of which none are more effectuall then that of his Passion which together with the Passion-songs and Tunes and Organs may wound the Heart of a man and let out more corrupt bloud at one touch then the faint hackings of a dry Discourse of an hour or two long Which helps and ornaments of Publick worship will fill up all the numbers of all warrantable splendour and comeliness and keep out if precisely kept to all shadow and suspicion of either Superstition or Idolatry But if any should be so weak or scrupulous as to take offence at so unexceptionable use of Pictures in the Church and particularly if our Religion should be the less recommendable thereby to either Iews or Turks whose conversion we are not onely to desire but with seriousness and faithfulness to apply our selves to at least to remove all scandals and stumbling-blocks out of their way rather then any such dispensable Punctilios should hinder the enlargement of Christs Kingdome in the essential Soveraignty thereof comprehended in the express Precepts of the written Word a full Pencil of white directed by Charities own hand should wipe out all these well-meant delineations and Inscriptions and to compensate the loss that one of S. Paul should succeed If any man seem to be contentious we have no such custome neither the Churches of God 18. To conclude Such is the Truth and Simplicity of Christian Religion that if the authority of the Church think good to recommend any Additional circumstances of divine Worship they must not be for ineffectual Pomp and Show but for real Use and Edification affecting such a beauty and comeliness as Nature does in living Creatures whose pulchritude is the result of such a Symmetry of Parts and tenour of Spirits as implies vigour and ability to all the functions of life And truly there should be no more Ceremony in the Church then the Use thereof may be obvious to understand and the Life and Power of Holiness may throughly actuate that our Minds may not be amused lost sunk in or fixed upon any Outward things here but be carried from all Visible pomps to the love and admiration of our Blessed Saviour in Heaven and of that Heavenly and Divine Life that he came into the world to beget in
Three main Effects of Christ his sending the Paraclete foretold by himself Iohn 16. When the Paraclete shall come c. 2. Grotius his Exposition upon the Text. 3. The Ground of his Exposition 4. A brief indication of the natural sense of the Text by the Author 5. The Prophesie of Christ fulfilled and acknowledged not only by Christians but also Mahometans 6. That the Substance of Mahometism is Moses and Christ. Their zealous profession of one God 7. Their acknowledgment of Miracles done by Christ and his Apostles and of the high priviledge conferred upon Christ. 8. What Advantage that portion of Christian Truth which they have embraced has on them and what hopes there are of their full conversion 164 CHAP. XIII 1. The Triumph of the Divine Life not so large hitherto as the overthrow of the external Empire of the Devil 2. Her conspicuous Eminency in the Primitive times 3. The real and cruel Martyrdomes of Christians under the Ten Persecutions a demonstration that their Resurrection is not an Allegorie 4. That to allegorize away that blessed Immortality promised in the Gospel is the greatest blasphemy against Christ that can be imagined 167 CHAP. XIV 1. The Corruption of the Church upon the Christian Religion becoming the Religion of the Empire 2. That there did not cease then to be a true and living Church though hid in the Wilderness 3. That though the Divine life was much under yet the Person of our Saviour Christ of the Virgin Mary c. were very richly honoured 4. And the Apostles and Martyrs highly complemented according to the ancient guize of the Pagan Ceremonies 5. The condition of Christianity since the general apostasie compared to that of Una in the Desart amongst the Satyrs 6. That though this has been the state of the Church very long it will not be so alwaies and while it is so yet the real enemies of Christ do lick the dust of his feet 7. The mad work those Apes and Satyrs make with the Christian Truth 8. The great degeneracy of Christendome from the Precepts and Example of Christ in their warrs and bloudshed 9. That though Providence has connived at this Pagan Christianism for a while he will not fail to restore his Church to its pristine purity at the Last 10. The full proof of which Conclusion is too voluminous for this place 168 CHAP. XV. 1. Grotius his reasons against Days signifying Years in the Prophets propounded and answered 2. Demonstrations that Days do sometimes signifie so many Years 3. Mr. Mede's opinion That a new Systeme of Prophecies from the first Epocha begins Chap. 10. v. 8. cleared and confirmed 4. What is meant by the Three days and an half that the Witnesses lye slain 5. Of the Beast out of the bottomless pit 6. Of the First Resurrection 7. The conclusion of the matter in hand from the evident truth of Mr. Mede's Synchronisms 173 CHAP. XVI 1. Of the Four Beasts about the throne of Majesty described before the Prophecie of the Seals 2. Of the Six first seals according to Grotius 3. Of the Six first seals according to Mr. Mede 4. Of the inward Court and the fight of Michael with the Dragon according to Grotius and Mr. Mede 5. Of the Visions of the seven Trumpets 6. The near cognation and colligation of those seven Synchronals that are contemporary to the Six first Trumpets 7. The mistakes and defects in Grotius his interpretations of those Synchronals 8. Of the number of the Beast 9. Of the Synchronals contemporary to the last Trumpet 10. The necessity of the guidance of such Synchronisms as are taken from the Visions themselves inferred from Grotius his errours and mistakes who had the want of them The Author's apology for preferring Mr. Mede's way before Grotius's with an intimation of his own design in intermedling with these matters 182 CHAP. XVII 1. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not implie That most of the matters in the Apocalypse appertain to the Destruction of Jerusalem and to Rome Heathen 2. The important Usefulness of this Book for the evincing of a Particular Providence the Existence of Angels and the ratification of the highest points in Christianity 3. How excellent an Engine it is against the extravagancy and fury of Fanatick Enthusiasts 4. How the Mouths of the Jews and Atheists are stopped thereby 5. That it is a Mirrour to behold the nature of the Apostasie of the Roman Church in 6. And also for the Reformed Churches to examine themselves by whether they be quite emerged out of this Apostasie with the Author's scruple that makes him suspect they are not 7. What of Will-worship and Idolatry seems still to cleave to us 8. Further Information offered to us from the Vision of the slain Witnesses 9. The dangerous mistakes and purposes of some heated Meditatours upon the Fifth Monarchy 10. The most Usefull consideration of the approach of the Millennium and how the Time may be retarded if not forfeited by their faithlesness and hypocrisie who are most concerned to hasten on those good daies 200 BOOK VI. CHAP. I. THree chief things considerable in Christ's Return to Iudgment viz. The Visibility of his Person The Resurrection of the Dead and the Conflagration of the World 2. Places of Scripture to prove the Visibility of his Person 3. That there will be then a Resurrection of the dead not in a Moral but a Natural sense demonstrated from undeniable places of Scripture 4. Proofs out of Scripture for the Conflagration of the world as out of Peter the 3 Chap. of his second Epistle 5. An Interpretation of the 12 and 13 verses 6. A Demonstration that the Apostle there describes the Conflagration of the World 7. A Confutation of their opinion that would interpret the Apostle's description of the burning of Jerusalem 8. That the coming of Christ so often mentioned in these two Epistles of Peter is to be understeod of his Last coming to Iudgment 9 10. Further confirmation of the said Assertion 11. Other places pointed at for the proving of the Conflagration 212 CHAP. II. 1. The Fitness and Necessity of Christ's visible Return to Iudgment 2. Further arguments of his Return to Iudgment for the convincing of them that believe the Miraculousness of his Birth his Transfiguration his Ascension c. 3. Arguments directed to those that are more proue to Infidelity taken out of History where such things are found to have hapned already in some measure as are expected at Christ's visible Appearance 4. That before extraordinary Iudgments there have usually strange Prodigies appeared by the Ministry of Angels as before great Plagues or Pestilences 5. As also before the ruine of Countries by War 6. Before the swallowing down Antioch by an Earthquake 7. At the firing of Sodome and Gomorrha 8. And lastly before the destruction of Jerusalem 217 CHAP. III. 1. The Resurrection of the dead by how much more rigidly defined according to every circumstance and punctilio delivered by