herein f I wonder sacred Fathers that ye demur so long about opening and consulting the Sibyll's books as if ye were treating or debating this matter in the Christians Church and not in the Temple of all the Gods * Hist. Eccl. l. 7. c. 29. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Thus was Paulus with great disgrace cast out of the Church by the Secular power b How shall any one be able to express those infinite multitudes of Christians assembling in every city those famous meetings of theirs in their Oratories or Churches and therefore they not being content with those smaller Churches which before they had those their ancient Edifices not being large enough to receive so great a number took care to erect from the very foundations fairer and more spacious ones in every city * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c The Penitents the Hearers the Catechumens or Learners and Probationers in Christianity and the Believers Wheresoever Ten men of Israel were there ought to be built a Synagogue Maiâ— in Tâ—phillah c. 11. Object 1. Answer Object 2. * No Temples Altars Images a Celsus saith Origen affirms that Christians decline the building or setting up of Altars Images and Temples * Lib. 8. contra Celsum b We do indeed saith Origen decline the building of Temples not for the reason which the Gentiles suppose but because we having learnt by the doctrine of Iesus Christ How God is to be worshipped and served we think our selves obliged in conscience to avoid and abstain from all such things as under a prerence and colour of Piety do make men really impious namely those who have erred and gone astray from the true way of worshipping God by Iesus Christ who alone is the way of worshipping God aright according to that most true saying of his I am the Way the Truth and the Life c Why do the Christians keep such ado to conceal and hide that whatsoever it be which they worship Why have they no Altars no Temples no Images unless that which they worship and keep so close were either worthy of punishment or shameful a Do you think that we conceal what we worship because we have neither Temples nor Altars But I beseech you What Image should I make for God whenas if we well consider it Man himself is the lively Image of God What Temple should I build for him whenas the whole world made by him is not able to contain him And whenas I who am but a man have a large habitation and room enough to be in shall I think to enclose and confine so Great a Majesty within one little House Tell me Is not God better sanctified in our Mind and Heart and where can we better prepare an habitation and consecrate a place for God than in the bottom of our Souls in the inmost of our inward man * Al. laxiú◠* Advers Gent. l. 6. b Herein ye are wont to charge us with most hideous impiety and irreligion viz. That we neither build Sacred Houses or Temples to perform the Offices of religious worship in nor make any Image or Representation of any God nor build any kind of Altars at all * See the Difference between Altare and Ara in the Treatise of Tlâ— Name Altar * See the Difference between Altare and Ara in the Treatise of Tlâ— Name Altar c For what use of the Gods should we desire to have Temples for what necessary purposes do we affirm these present Temples to be built or do ye think Temples should be built anew * Institut adversus Gentes lib. 2. cap. 2. d Why do ye not lift up your eyes to Heaven and invocating the Gods by name sacrifice openly and in publick Why do ye rather look to walls and wood and stone than look up thither where ye believe the Gods to dwell What then can Temples mean what do Images or Altars signifie Answer * Worshipping Places Acts 7. 4â— * According to this notion of Templum Tertull. cap. 15. de Idololatria Si Templis renunciâsti 〈◊〉 feceriâ— Temâ— plum januâ—â— tuam Et de Corona mil. cap. 11. Exâ—ubabit nempe Christiâ—nus pro Templis quibus renaâ—ciavit coeuabit ilâ—â— ubi Apâ—stolo non placeâ— id est in Idoko 1 Cor. 8. 10. a I wonder sacred Fathers that ye demur so long about opening and consulting the Sibyll's books as if ye were treating or debating this matter in the Christians CHURCH and not in the TEMPLE of all the Gods b Let us propound the case and suppose as it often comes to pass that the performance of these different Religions may fall out upon one and the same day wherein thou being a Christian must go to the CHURCH and he thy Husband a Gentile must at the same time repair to the TEMPLES a That he either destroyed the Churches of the Saints or else turned them into Temples b Although the Scythians the Numidians in Africk and the irreligious or Atheâ—stical Seres as Celsus characterizes them besides other Nations yea and the Persians too cannot endure TEMPLES ALTARS and STATUES or IMAGES yet is not their and our averseness from these things founded upon the same Grounds and Considerations And a little after saith Origen Among those that are averse from worshipping the Deity in and by ALTARS TEMPLES and IMAGES the Scythians Numidians and the irreligious Seres and the Persians also go upon other Grounds and Principles than the Christians and Iews who hold it utterly unlawful to worship God after that manner For none of those Nations is averse from erecting and setting up Temples Altars and Images upon this account as being apprehensive of that unworthy Hypothesis and notion of the other Gentiles who supposed that the Demons were enclosed and shut up fast in certain Places viz. Temples and Images being either confined thither by Magical Spells or else having preoccupied such places of themselves where they did greedily feed and feast themselves with the Nidour and Savour of the Sacrifices But now Christians and also the Iews are utterly averse from such things out of a conscientious respect to that in the Law Deuter. 6. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve as also in obedience to that in the Decalogue Thou shalt have no other Gods but me and again Thou shalt not make to thy self any Image c. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * So with Tertullian in the places before alledged in the margin Renunciôsse Templis dicitur qui Idolis * Strabo li. 15. in appeud ad Herodot Theodoâ—et li. 5. c. 38. Yea seâ— de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—naeâ—e in Elymaide Persidis 1 Mac. 6. 2. 2 Mac. 1. 13. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a If there were in you any zeal for your Religion any just indignation against what doth manifestly
openeth the womb shall be called Holy unto the Lord Ergo To be the Lord's and to be Holy are Synonyma's Though therefore the Gentiles Court had no sanctity of legal distinction yet had it the sanctity of peculiarity to God-ward and therefore not to be used as a common place The Illation proceeds by way of Conversion My House shall be called the House of Prayer to all Nations or People Ergo The House of Prayer for all Nations is my Father's House And the Emphasis lies in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators were not so well advised of when following Beza too close they render the words thus My House shall be called of all Nations the House of Prayer as if the Dative Case here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were not Acquisitive but as it is sometimes with passive verbs in stead of the Ablative of the Agent for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which sense is clean from the scope and purpose of the place whence it is taken as he that compares them will easily see and I shall make fully to appear in the next part of my Discourse which I tendred by the name of an Observation To wit That this fact of our Saviour more particularly concerns us of the Gentiles than we take notice of Namely we are taught thereby what reverent esteem we ought to have of our Gentile Oratories and Churches howsoever not endued with such legal sanctity in every respect as was the Temple of the Iews yet Houses of Prayer as well as theirs This Observation will be made good by a threefold Consideration First of the Story as I have related it secondly from the Text here alledged for warrant thereof and thirdly from the circumstance of Time For the Story I have shewed it was acted in the Gentiles Court and not in that of the Iews because it is not credible that was thus prophaned It cannot therefore be alledged that this was a place of legal sanctity for according to legal sanctity it was held by the Iews as common only it was the place for the Gentiles to worship the God of Israel in and seems to have been proper to the second Temple the Gentiles in the first worshipping without at the Temple-door in the holy Mountain only Secondly The place alledged to avow the Fact speaks expresly of Gentile-worshippers not in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only but in the whole body of the context Hear the Prophet speak Esay chap. 56. ver 6 7. and then judge The sons of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the Name of the Lord to be his servants every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold of my Covenant namely that I alone shall be his God Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain and make them joyful in my House of Prayer their burnt-offerings and sacrifices accepted upon mine Altar Then follow the words of my Text For my House shall be called that is shall be it is an Hebraism a House of Prayer for all People What is this but a Description of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gentile-worshippers And this place alone makes good all that I have said before viz. That this vindication was of the Gentiles Court Otherwise the allegation of this Scripture had been impertinent for the Gentiles of whom the Prophet speaks worshipped in no place but this Hence also appears to what purpose our Evangelist expressed the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely as that which shewed wherein the force of the accommodation to this occasion lay which the rest of the Evangelists omitted as referring to the place of the Prophet whence it was taken those who heard it being not ignorant of whom the Prophet spake Thirdly the circumstance of Time argues the same thing if we consider that this was done but a few days before our Saviour suffered to wit when he came to his last Passeover How unseasonable had it been to vindicate the violation of Legal and typical sanctity which within so few days after he was utterly to abolish by his Cross unless he had meant thereby to leave his Church a lasting lesson what reverence and respect he would have accounted due to such places as this was which he vindicated DISCOURSE XII S. IOHN 4. 23. But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him THEY are the words of our Blessed Saviour to the Woman of Samaria who perceiving him by his discourse to be a Prophet desired to be resolved by him of that great controverted point between the Iews and Samaritans Whether Mount Garizim by Sichem where the Samaritans sacrificed or Ierusalem were the true place of worship Our Saviour tells her that this Question was not now of much moment For that the hour or time was near at hand when they should neither worship the Father in Mount Garizim nor at Ierusalem But that there was a greater difference between the Iews and them than this of Place namely even about That which was worshipped For ye saith he worship that ye know not but we Iews worship that we know Then follow the words premised But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth It is an abused Text being commonly alledged to prove that God now in the Gospel either requires not or regards not External worship but that of the Spirit only and this to be a characteristical difference between the worship of the Old Testament and the New If at any time we talk of external decency in rites and bodily expressions as sit to be used in the service of God this is the usual Buckler to repel whatsoever may be said in that kind It is true indeed that the worship of the Gospel is much more spiritual than that of the Law But that the worship of the Gospel should be only spiritual and no external worship required therein as the Text according to some meus sense and allegation thereof would imply is repugnant not only to the practice and experience of the Christian Religion in all Ages but also to the express Ordinances of the Gospel it self For what are the Sacraments of the New Testament are they not Rites wherein and wherewith God is served and worshipped The consideration of the holy Eucharist alone will consute this Gloss For is not the commemoration of the Sacrifice of Christ's death upon the Cross unto his Father in the Symbols of Bread and Wine an external worship And yet with this Rite hath the Church in all Ages used to make her solemn address of Prayer and Supplication unto the Divine Majesty as the Iews in the Old Testament did by Sacrifice When I say in all Ages I include also that of the Apostles For so much S. Luke testifieth of that first Christian society
Acts 2. 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They continued in breaking of Bread and in Prayers As for bodily expressions by gestures and postures as standing kneeling bowing and the like our Blessed Saviour himself lift up his sacred eyes to heaven when he prayed for Lazarus fell on his face when he prayed in his agony S. Paul as himself saith bowed his knees to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ He and S. Peter and the rest of the Believers do the like more than once in the Acts of the Apostles What was Imposition of hands but an external gesture in an act of invocation for conferring a blessing and that perhaps sometimes without any vocal expression joyned therewith Besides I cannot conceive any reason why in this point of Evangelical worship Gesture should be more scrupled at than Voice Is not confessing praising praying and glorifying God by Voice an external and bodily worship as well as that of Gesture why should then the one derogate from the worship of the Father in Spirit and Truth and not the other To conclude There was never any society of men in the world that worshipped the Father in such a manner as this interpretation would imply and therefore cannot this be our Saviour's meaning but some other Let us see if we can find out what it is There may be two senses given of these words both of them agreeable to Reason and the analogy of Scripture let us take our choice The one is That to worship God in Spirit and Truth is to worship him not with Types and shadows of things to come as in the Old Testament but according to the verity of the things exhibited in Christ according to that The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. Whence the Mystery of the Gospel is elsewhere by our Saviour in this Evangelist termed Truth as Chap. 17. ver 17. and the Doctrine thereof by S. Paul the word of Truth See Ephes. Chap. 1. ver 13. Rom. 15. 8. The time therefore is now at hand said our Saviour when the true worshippers shall worship the Father no longer with bloudy Sacrifices and the Rites and Ordinances depending thereon but in and according to the verity of that which these Ordinances figured For all these were Types of Christ in whom being now exhibited the true worshippers shall henceforth worship the Father This sense hath good warrant from the state of the Question between the Iews and Samaritans to which our Saviour here makes answer which was not about worship in general but about the kind of worship in special which was confessed by both sides to be tied to one certain place only that is of worship by Sacrifice and the appendages in a word of the Typical worship proper to the first Covenant of which see a description Heb. 9. This Iosephus expresly testifies Lib. 12. Antiq. cap. 1. speaking of the Iews and Samaritans which dwelt together at Alexandria They lived saith he in perpetual discord one with the other whilst each laboured to maintain their Country customs those of Ierusalem affirming their Temple to be the sacred place whither sacrifices were to be sent the Samaritans on the other side contending they ought to be sent to Mount Garizim For otherwise who knows not that both Iews and Samaritans had other places of worship besides either of these namely their Proseucha's and Synagogues wherein they worshipped God not with internal only but external worship though not with Sacrifice which might be offered but in one place only And this also may seem to have been a Type of Christ as well as the rest namely that he was to be that one and only Mediator of the Church in the Temple of whose sacred body we have access unto the Father and in whom he accepts our service and devotions according to that Destroy this Temple and I will rear it up again in three days He spake saith the Text of the Temple of his Body This sense divers of the Ancients hit upon Eusebius Demon. Evang. Lib. 1. Cap. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not by Symbols and Types but as our Saviour saith in Spirit and Truth Not that in the New Testament men should worship God without all external services For the New Testament was to have external and visible services as well as the Old but such as should imply the verity of the promises already exhibited not be Types and shadows of them yet to come We know the Holy Ghost is wont to call the figured Face of the Law the Letter and the Verity thereby signified the Spirit As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Spirit and Truth both together they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but once found in holy Writ to wit only in this place and so no light can be borrowed by comparing of the like expression any where else to expound them Besides nothing hinders but they may be here taken one for the exposition of the other namely that to worship the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with to worship him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But howsoever this exposition be fair and plausible yet methinks the reason which our Saviour gives in the words following should argue another meaning God saith he is a Spirit therefore they that worship him must worship in Spirit and Truth But God was a Spirit from the beginning If therefore for this reason he must be worshipped in Spirit and Truth he was so to be worshipped in the Old Testament as well as in the New Let us therefore seek another meaning For the finding whereof let us take notice that the Samaritans at whom our Saviour here aimeth were the off-spring of those Nations which the King of Assyria placed in the Cities of Samaria when he had carried away the Ten Tribes captive These as we may read in the second Book of the Kings at their first coming thither worshipped not the God of Israel but the gods of the Nations from whence they came wherefore he sent Lions amongst them which slew them Which they apprehending either from the information of some Israelite or otherwise to be because they knew not the worship of the God of the Country they informed the King of Assyria thereof desiring that some of the captiv'd Priests might be sent unto them to teach them the manner and rites of his worship which being accordingly done they thenceforth as the Text tells us worshipped the Lord yet feared their own Gods too and so did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Chrysostome speaks mingle things not to be mingled In this medley they continued about three hundred years till toward the end of the Persian Monarchy At what time it chanced that Manasse brother to Iaddo the High Priest of the returned Iews married the daughter of Sanballat then Governour of Samaria for which being expelled from Ierusalem by Nehemiah he fled to Sanballat his Father in Law and after his
example many other of the Iews of the best rank having married strange wives likewise and loth to forgo them betook themselves thither also Sanballat willingly entertains them and makes his son-in-Law Manasse their Priest For whose greater reputation and state when Alexander the Great subdued the Persian Monarchy he obtained leave of him to build a Temple upon Mount Garizim where his son-in-Law exercised the office of High Priest This was exceedingly prejudicious to the Iews and the occasion of a continual Schism whilst those that were discontented or excommunicated at Ierusalem were wont to betake themselves thither Yet by this means the Samaritans having now one of the sons of Aaron to be their Chief Priest and so many other of the Iews both Priests and others mingled amongst them were brought at length to cast off all their false gods and to worship the Lord the God of Israel only Yet so that howsoever they seemed to themselves to be true worshippers and altogether free from Idolatry nevertheless they retained a smack thereof inasmuch as they worshipped the true God under a visible representation to wit of a Dove and circumcised their Children in the name thereof as the Iewish Tradition tells us who therefore always branded their worship with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spiritual Fornication Iust as their predecessors the Ten Tribes worshipped the same God of Israel under the similitude of a Cals This was the condition of the Samaritan Religion in our Saviour's time and if we weigh the matter well we shall find his words here to the woman very pliable to be construed with reference thereunto You ask saith he of the true place of worship whether Mount Garizim or Ierusalem which is not now greatly material forasmuch as the time is at hand when men shall worship the Father at neither But there is a greater difference between you and us than of Place though you take no notice of it namely even about the Object of worship it self For ye worship what ye know not but we Iews worship what we know How is that Thus Ye worship indeed the Father the God of Israel as we do but you worship him under a corporeal representation wherein you shew you know him not But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth In Spirit that is conceiving of him no otherwise than in Spirit and in Truth that is not under any corporeal or visible shape For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not fancying him as a Body but as indeed he is a Spirit For those who worship him under a corporeal similitude do beli◠him according as the Apostle speaks Rom. 1. 23. of such as changed the glory of the Incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man Birds or Beasts They changed saith he the truth of God into a lie and served the creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juxta Creatorem as or with the Creator who is blessed for ever v. 25. Hence Idols in Scripture are termed Lies as Amos 2. 4. Their Lies have caused them to erre after which their Fathers walked The Vulgar hath Seduxerunt eos Idola ipsorum Their Idols have caused them to erre And Esay 28. 15. We have made Lies our refuge And Ier. 16. 19 20. The Gentiles shall come from the ends of the earth and shall say Surely our Fathers have possessed the Chaldee hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have worshipped a lie vanity wherein there is no profit Shall a man make Gods unto himself and they are no Gods This therefore I take to be the genuine meaning of this place and not that which is commonly supposed against external worship which I think this Demonstration will evince To worship what they know as the Iews are said to do and to worship in Spirit and Truth are taken by our Saviour for one and the same thing else the whole sense will be inconsequent But the Iews worshipped not God without Rites and Ceremonies who yet are supposed to worship him in Spirit and Truth Ergo To worship God without Rites and Ceremonies is not to worship him in Spirit and Truth according to the meaning here intended DISCOURSE XIII S. LUKE 24. 45 46. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures And said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day OUR Blessed Saviour after he was risen from the dead told his Disciples not only that his Suffering of death and Rising again the third day was foretold in the Scriptures but also pointed out those Scriptures unto them and opened their understanding that they might understand them that is he expounded or explained them unto them Certain it is therefore that somewhere in the Old Testament these things were foretold should befall Messiah Yea S. Paul 1 Cor. 15. 3 4. will further assure us that they are I delivered unto you saith he first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures Both of them therefore are somewhere foretold in the Scriptures and it becomes not us to be so ignorant as commonly we are which those Scriptures be which foretell them It is a main point of our Faith and that which the Iews most stumble at because their Doctors had not observed any such thing foretold to Messiah The more they were ignorant thereof the more it concerns us to be confirmed therein I thought good therefore to make this the Argument of my Discourse at this time to inform both you and my self where these things are foretold and if I can to point out those very Scriptures which our Saviour here expounded to his Disciples Which that I may the better do I will make the words fore-going my Text to be as the Pole-star in this my search These are the things saith our Saviour which I spake unto you while I was yet with you That all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me Then follow the words I read Then opened he their understanding c. These two events therefore of Messiah's death and rising again the third day were foretold in these Three parts of Scripture In the Law of Moses or Pentateuch in the Nebiim or Prophets and in the Psalms and in these Three we must search for them And first for the First That Messiah should suffer death This was fore-signified in the Law or Pentateuch First in the story of Abraham where he was commanded to offer his son Isaac the son wherein his seed should be called and to whom the promise was entailed That in it should all the Nations
the nature and grounds of what they practised lest for want thereof they might cherish some unsafe conceit And notwithstanding I preached for Bowing as you say to Altars yet I have not hitherto used it my self in our own Chappel though I see some others do it If I come into other Chappels where it is generally practised I love not to be singular where I have no scruple But you would not have me have any hand in killing the Witnesses God forbid I should I rather endeavour they might not be guilty of their own deaths And I verily believe the way that many of them go is much more unlikely to save their lives than mine I could tell you a great deal here if I had you privately in my chamber which I mean not for any mans sake to commit to paper Siracusae vestrae capientur in pulvere pingitis As for Bowing at the name Iesus 't is commanded by our Church And for my self I hold it not unlawful to adore my Saviour upon any Cue or hint given Yet could I never believe it to be the meaning of that place of the Philippians nor that it can be inferred thence otherwise than by way of a general and indefinite consequence I derive it rather from the Custom of the World in several Religions thus to express some kind of Reverence when that which they acknowledge for their God is named as we find the Turks do at this day Besides I conceive to do this reverence at the name Iesus only is proper to the Latine Church and it may be of later standing For if some Greeks have not deceived me the custom of the Orient is to bow the head not only at the name Iesus but at the name Christ and sometimes though not so frequently at the name God And if that were the fashion of the elder Christianity that out of S. Hierom would found more to the purpose Moris est Ecclesiastici Christo genu-flectere This is all I can say to this point having had fewer Notions thereabout than about any of the rest That the worship of the Inward man is that which God principally requires and looks at I think no Christian man denies But what then Doth not our Saviour's rule hold notwithstanding in such a comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And consider that the Question is not here as most men seem to make it between Inward worship and Outward worship seorsim for in such case it is plain the Outward is nothing worth but whether the Inward worship together with the Outward may not be more acceptable to God than the Inward alone As for that so commonly objected Scripture in this question Of worshipping the Father in spirit and truth as the Characteristical difference of the Evangelical worship from the Legal I believe it hath a far different sense from that it is commonly taken to have and that the Iews in our Saviour's sense worshipped the Father in spirit and truth But my work grows so fast that I must let it pass and be content with that vulgar answer viz. That under the Old Testament God was worshipped in types and figures of things to come but in the New men should worship the Father in spirit and truth that is according to the verity of the things presignified not that they should worship him without all gestures or postures of Body to which purpose it is wont to be alledged But all this while my mind is upon another matter which at length I am gotten unto viz. your strange construction and censure of the pains I took in opening my thoughts so freely unto you concerning these matters of reverential posture and gesture in respect of that interlaced piece wherein I intimated the Eucharist to have in it ratio sacrificii For 1. Because in the close of my Letter I expressed my fear of some Iudgment to befall the Reformed Churches because out of the immoderation of their zeal they had in a manner taken away all Difference between Sacred and Prophane you will needs suspect I aimed to make the present Iudgments of God upon Christendom to be for neglect of that Sacrifice which I had spoken of a thing I never thought of nor thought so plain an expression of my meaning could ever have been so mistaken I pray let me intreat you to read over those papers once again and then tell me with whom the fault is For why Is not to esteem the Eucharist a Sacrament to account it a Sacred thing unless it be accounted a Sacrifice 2. It seems strange to you that a matter of so great importance as I seem to make this Sacrifice to be should have so little evidence in God's Word and Antiquity and depend merely upon certain conjectures As for Scripture if you mean the name of Sacrifice neither is the name Sacrament nor Eucharist according to our Expositions there to be found no more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet may not the thing be But when you speak of so little Evidence to be found in Antiquity I cannot but think such an Affirmation far more strange than you can possibly my Opinion For what is there in Christianity for which more Antiquity may be brought than for this I speak not now of the Fathers meaning whether I guessed rightly at it or not but in general of their Notion of a Sacrifice in the Eucharist If there be little Antiquity for this there is no Antiquity for any thing Eusebius Altkircherus a Calvinist printed Neustadii Palatinorum 1584. 1591. De mystico incruento Ecclesiae Sacrificio pag. 6. Fuit haec perpetua semper omnium Ecclesiasticorum Patrum concors unanimis sententia Quòd instituta per Christum passionis mortis suae in Sacra Coena memoria etiam Sacrificii in se contineret commendationem Bishop Morton in Epist. Dedicator prefixed to his Book of the Eucharist Apud veteres Patres ut quod res est liberè fateamur de Sacrificio Corporis Christi in Eucharistia incruento frequens est mentio quae dici vix potest quantopere quorundam alioqui doctorum hominum ingenia exercuerit torserit vexaver◠aut è contrà quà m jactanter Pontificii de ea re se ostentent And that in the Age immediately following the Apostles the Eucharist was generally conceived of under the name and notion of a Sacrifice to omit the Testimonies of Ignatius and Iustin Martyr take only this of Irenaeus Lib. 4. cap. 32. Dominus discipulis suis dans consilium primitias Deo offerre ex suis creaturis eum qui ex creatura Panis est accepit gratias egit dicens Hoc est Corpus meum Calicem similiter qui est ex ea creatura quae est secundùm nos suum Sanguinem confessus est Novi Testamenti novam docuit Oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in universo mundo offert Deo c. And chap. 34. Igitur Ecclesiae Oblatio quam
the Apocalyptick Visions is expounded by the Angel 432 582. why she is said to have a golden cup in her hand and her Name written in her forehead 525 Wilderness Israel's being in the Wilderness and the Churche's abode in the Wilderness compared 906 907 Wing signifies in Dan. 9. an Army the fitness of the word to signifie thus 707. Wing of abominations is an Army of Idolarrous Gentiles ibid. How the Roman Army was the Army of Messiah 708 Witnesses why Two and in sackcloth 480 481. the two Wars of the Beast against them 765. their Slaughter how far it extends 760 761. their Death and Resurrection how to be understood 484 Women Why the Corinthian women are reproved for being unveiled or uncovered in the Church 61. how they are said to prophesie 58 59 Works Good Works 3 qualifications of them 217 c. 3 Reasons for the necessity of them 215 c. God rewards our Works out of his mercy not for any merit in them 175 World Heaven and Earth put according to the Hebrew idiom for World 613. That the World should last 7000 years and the Seventh Thousand be the Beatum Milleunium was an ancient Tradition of the Iews 892. World sometimes in Scripture put for the Roman Empire 705 Worship External worship required in the Gospel 47. Four Reasons for it 349 350. The Iews worshipped versus Locum praesentiae 394. That such Worshipping is not the same with worshipping God by an Image 395 To worship God in spirit and truth what 47. 48. The Worship directed to God is Incommunicable and why 638 639 Y. YEars That the Antichristian Times are more than 3 single Years and an half proved by 5 Reasons 598. The 70 years Captivity of the Iews in Babylon whence to be reckoned 658 Z. ZAchary The 9 10 and 11 Chapters in his Book seem to befit Ieremy's time better 786 833 c. Zebach or The bloudy Sacrifice defined 287 Zipporah deferred not the circumcision of her child out of any aversation of that Rite 52. her words in Exod. 4. 25. vindicated from the common misconstruction 53 c. ERRATA Page 481. line 3. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 790. l. 14. for Page r. Figure pag. 495. l. 10. r. Angelo pag. 496. l. antepenult r. legibus pag. 498. l. 1. r. crudelitate l. 41. r. Caesarum imperium A Catalogue of some Books Reprinted and of other New Books Printed since the Fire and sold by Richard Royston viz. A Paraphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New Testament by H. Hammond D. D. in Fol. Third Edition Ductor Dubitantium or the Rule of Conscience in Five Books in Fol. by Ier. Taylor D. D. and late Lord Bishop of Down and Gonnor The Practical Catechism together with all other Tracts formerly Printed in 4 o in 8 o and 12 o his Controversies excepted now in the Press in a large Fol. By the late Reverend H. Hammond D. D. The Great Exemplar or the Life and Death of the Holy Iesus in Fol. with Figures suitable to every Story Ingrav'd in Copper By the late Reverend Ier. Taylor D. D. Phraseologia Anglo Latina or Phrases of the English and Latine Tongue By Iohn Willis sometimes School-master at Thistleworth together with a Collection of English Latine Proverbs for the use of Schools by William Walker Master of the Free-School of Grantham in 8 o new The Whole Duty of Man now Translated into the Welch Tongue at the command of the four Lord Bishops of Wales for the benefit of that Nation By Io. Langford A. M. in 8o. The Christian Sacrifice a Treatise shewing the necessity end and manner of Receiving the Holy Communion together with suitable Prayers and Meditations for every Month in the Year and the Principal Festivals in memory of our Blessed Saviour in 8 o By the Reverend S. Patrick D. D. Chaplain in Ordidinary to his Sacred Majesty A Friendly Debate between a Conformist and a Non-conformist in 8o. Peace and Holiness in three Sermons upon several occasions the First to the Clergy Preached at Stony-Stratford in the County of Buoks being a Visitation-Sermon published in Vindication of the Author The Second preached to a great Presence in London The Third at the Funeral of M rs Anne Norton by Ignatius Fuller Rector of Sherrington in 8 o new A Discourse concerning the true Notion of the Lords Supper to which are added two Sermons by R. Cudworth D. D. Master of Christs-Colledge in Cambridge in 8o. The Works of the Reverend and Learned Mr. Iohn Gregory sometimes Master of Arts of Christ-Church in Oxon. 4o. The Sinner Impleaded in his own Court to which is now added the Signal Diagnostick by Tho. Pierce D. D. and President of St. Mary Magdalen-Colledge in Oxon. in 4o. Also a Collection of Sermons upon several occasions together with a Correct Copy of some Notes concerning Gods Decrees in 4o. Enlarged by the same Author Christian Consolations drawn from Five Heads in Religion I. Faith II. Hope III. The Holy Spirit IV. Prayer V. The Sacrament Written by the Right Reverend Father in God Iohn Hacket late Lord Bishop of Leichfield and Coventry and Chaplain to King Charles the First and Second in 12 o new A Disswasive from Popery the First and Second Part in 4 o by Ier. Taylor late Lord Bishop of Down and Connor The Principles and Practises of certain several Moderate Divines of the Church of England also The Design of Christianity both which are written by Edward Fowler Minister of Gods Word at Northill in Bedfordshire in 8o. A Free Conference touching the Present State of England both at home and abroad in order to the Designs of France in 8 o new to which is added the Buckler of State and Iustice against the design manifestly discover'd of the Universal Monarchy under the vain Pretext of the Queen of France her pretensions in 8o. Iudicium Vniversitatis Oxoniensis à Roberto Sandersono S. Theologiae ibidem Professore Regio postea Episcopo Lincolniensi in 8o. The Profitableness of Piety open'd in an Assize Sermon preach'd at Dorchester by Richard West D. D. in 4 o new A Sermon preached at the Funeral of the Honourable the Lady Farmor by Iohn Dobson B. D. Fellow of St. Mary Magdalen-Colledge in Oxon. in 4 o new THE END * All of them except some few mentioned at the end of this Preface * None of which were number'd among the Errata * Pag. 109. lin 21. ‖ These the Author a little before calls the Two parts of Repentance Aversion from sin the first Conversion to God the second part ‖ See p. 280. lin ult ‖ See p. 276 279 281. * Luk. 6. * Chap. 4. 15. * Chap. 2. ‖ Rev. 10. 9. * See a particular account both of the Enlargements and of the Additiâ—nals at the end of this Preface * See a particular account both of the Enlargements and of the Additiâ—nals at the end of this Preface * See Epistle 97. p. 881. * p.
kind of First-fruit-offering there viz. at the Altar at the time of celebrating the holy Mysteries but Grapes and Corn. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Ep. Antioch b I write unto you and warn you that you use one Faith one Doctrine one Eucharist For there is one Flesh of our Lord Iesus Christ one Bloud of the same our Lord Iesus Christ which was shed for us one Bread broken for us and one Cup distributed to all one ALTAR to every Church and one Bishop with the Presbytery and Deacons my fellow-Servants * P. 236. Exer. 6. in Epist. Ad Ephesios c Whosoever therefore separates himself from these and joyns not with the Council of the Clergy whose office it is to celebrate the Christian Sacrifices nor with the Church of the First-born which are enrolled in heaven Heb. 12. 23. Whosoever is thus in schism and discord with them is a Woolf in a Sheeps skin pretending meekness under that disguise a Reverence the Bishop as ye do Christ as the blessed Apostles have commanded us He that is within the ALTAR is clean and therefore obeys the Bishop and Presbyters But he that is without is he that does any thing without the Bishop Presbyters and Deacons and such a one hath a defiled Conscience and is worse than an Infidel * Yea and in form and fashion too See Maimon apud Ainsworth upon Lâ—â— 19. 30. For both Sanctity and Sanctification consist in Discrimination * 〈…〉 * Chap. 1. 11. Verse 20. Verse 17. Sect. 3. * Except only Siracidâ—s and the 2. Book of Maccab. whose style gentilizeth * al. 62. * De vit Mosis i. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mosâ—s nâ—mpe graecissan◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark here who they are that have turned the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Odyss H. * See Sect. 1. of this Treatise pag. 384. * Or as this part of the Church is termed in a story of the same time in Euseb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name whereby the LXX call the Sanctuary in the Old Test. Hist. Eccles. l. 7. cap. 18. de Marino Martyre Adductum ad Ecclesiam statuit intus prope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Celsus affirms that we Christians decline the building or setting up of Altars Images and Temples b Why have the Christians no Altars no Temples no Images c Herein ye are wont to charge us with hideous impiety and irreligion viz. that we do not make any Image or Representation of any God nor build any kind of Altars at all * Perhaps he adds this by way of correction of his word Altaria d What can Temples and Altars mean what do Statues signifie * According to which style S. Hierome Ep. ad Râ—parium saith de Iul. Apostat Quod sanctorum Basilicas destruxerit aut in Templa converterit Ep. 10. e Worshipping-places Houses of Prayer Churches a Galienus in ed. ap Eus. l. 7. c. 12. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Apud eund Hist. l. 7. c. 1 2. c Eus. de laud. Constant. d Idem Hist. l. 7. c. 3. * See this passage of Arnobius in the Discourse on 1 Cor. 11. 22. pag. 338 Verse 1. * As Isa. 60. 7. 64. 11. Psal. 96. 6. * Verse 19. * Verse 6. 1 Sam. 4. 4. Psal. 132. 7. * Plutarch in Aristide de Paulania Lâ—crymis opplâ—â—us converâ—it se ad â—anum Iunonis maniâ—sque ad coelum tendens precatur Citheroniam Iunâ—nem c. Varro l. 4. de lingua Lat. de Cuâ—io se deâ—ovente Ad Concordia sub aedem conâ—ersul c. Sic emendat Scalig quem vide in Collestaneis quae ibidem ex Livio adducit ad haâ—â— rem facâ—ntia * â— Chron. â— 6. ch 29. â— 27. * See 1 King ch 8 v 31. Iurantes Aras 〈…〉 bant Câ—â—er Plautus Rudent Virg. 12. AEneid Iuven. Sat. 14. Iustin. l. 24. Vid. Pont. p. 3. p. 146. * Orat. Paneg. ap Euseb. Hist. lib 10. cap. 4. Diâ—nys At. ep 8 ad Demophilum * May not our order of setting the Ten Commandments over the Communion Table have had some reference this way See Orders Anno 1565. 7. Eliz. Artic. 7. Matt. 10. 12. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. 25. the name whereby the Mercy-sâ—at is called in the old Testament The Israelites worshipped towards the place of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a Type of ours why may not we worship in like manner toward the place of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Truth of theirs * See the Author Quaest Respâ—â—d orthod in Iustin. Mart Quaest. 118. Clem. Alex. Strom. 7. ants Med. Tertul Apol. c. 16. item ad nationes l. 1. â— 13. Origen Hom. 5. in Numer cap. 4. p. 210. * Dionys. Arcop de Ecclesiast Hier 6. 2. * Lib. 5. Histâ—r Eccles. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Namely that meat no time turned hee back â—pon the Altar that is not so much as oâ—t of the time of worship * Apud Meursium in Not iâ— Pontanâ— ad Protovestiarium Levit. 19. 30. Sanctitatis tripleâ— netio Sanctitatis Relatiâ—e definitio * 2 Chro. 6. 2. * 2 Cor. 6. 16. An Evangelium agnoscat Loca Sacra * Matt. 18. 2â— â—v 11. â—ec diâ—is 〈◊〉 Sâ—mma dictorâ—m Object Cap. 1. 11. * 1 Ep. 2. 8. Sohâ— Cap. 2â— Veneratio definita Veneratio duplex Interna Externa Utraque triplex Religiosa Sacra Civilis Veneratio Sacra definita illustrata Sâ—nctâ—ficatio duplex * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—nfirmatur Venerationis sacrae Defiâ—rio Veneratio sacra duplex Interna Externa Utraque illustrata Externa Veneratio duplex Personatis Realis Uâ—â—aque explicata De Externa Veneratione 4. Consectaria Altera Divisio Venrationis Sacrae scil in Venerationem Personarum Rerum Locorum Temporum Locorum Sacrâ—rum Reverentia explicatur secundùm ejus modos genera Loc. Sacr Reverentia probatnt Ratione Praeceptis Exemplis * Buxtorf Syn. Iud cap. 5. * Bart. Georgivâ—â— de Turcarum moribus Gen. 28. Gr. Nazianz. in Orat. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ultimó dividi tur Loc. Sacr. Rever in Reverentiam Nudâ—m Ornatum Ornaâ—ûs Tâ—mplarâ—â— 2. Species Magnificentia Mundâ—â—â— Malac. 1. Object contrà Templâ—um Magnificentiam solvuntur 1 Chron. 29â— 2 Chron. 2 Dâ—n 3. Pars I. * Nam proculdubio legen dum cum Latinis omnibus Graeâ—o Aldi anno 1518. Syro interprete qui ex Graeco vertit Et stetit non ut hodie habent exemplaria Graeca 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et slâ—â—i In Bibl. Polyglott MS. Alexandrin habet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et stetit Cap. 13. * Cap. 7. 9. * Lib. 5. cap. 28. al. 23. huic quoque lectioni astipulatur tâ—xtus apud Andream Caesariensem in Codice Augustano nec non Syrus Interpres qui nuper editus est Iâ—â—o apud Latinos Primasius illud vidi
does he thank Lud. de Dieu for suggesting to him an easier explication of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apocal. 4. 6. and for acquainting him with his notion about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherub signifying an Oxe from the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherab which is Aravit whereby his observation upon the 4 Animalia in Apocal. 4. 7. was confirmed And with the like affection he acknowledges Mr. Haydock's ingenious conjecture about the form of the Seven-sealed Book Apocal. 5. as also his being better informed about the Number of the Beast 666 by Mr. Potter's Discourse concerning it with which Discovery he was so highly pleas'd that not without some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he affirm'd it to be one of the happiest Tracts that had come into the world and such as could not be read without much admiration In short He did not take himself to be Infallible and therefore was not Unalterable where the change was for the better and the change is ever such where we part with a plausible Mistake or with a specious Probability for solid Truth and clear Demonstration but he was always ready to hear another's Reason and to yield himself a willing Captive to the Evidence of Truth For to be overcome by Truth and Reason makes the conquered a gainer and puts him into a better state than he was in before nor will he fail if he know his own happiness to make one in that joyous acclamation Great is Truth and mighty above all things She is the Strength Power and Majesty of all ages Blessed be the God of Truth Or else men come to be prejudic'd by an undue affection to their Idola specus as the L. Verulam calls them their peculiar Conceits some Notions and Speculations of their own by which they either are or would be known being fondly persuaded that things are so as they imagine them or vehemently desirous that they should be so and therefore it is no wonder if being thus prepossess'd they have lost their taste and wrong'd their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they cannot readily discern between Good and Evil but as the Prophet Esay speaks put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter and are easily brought to fansie that to be True and Right which they passionately will to be such in order to some corrupt design and interest eagerly pursued by them or to the gratifying of those several Lusts wherewith they are led away as the Apostle speaks and are therefore unable to come to the knowledge of the Truth And if they that are thus affected do sometimes for a pretence consult the Holy Scriptures they come so fully possess'd that this or that Opinion and Practice of theirs is True and Right or so strongly resolved to find it so that even the Divine Oracles seem to them to return such an Answer as they promised themselves they should receive and most impetuously lusted after And so it fares with them herein as in another case it did with the Romans who having taken Veii a famous City in Hetruria went into Iuno's Temple and there with great ceremony and affectionateness asking Iuno Velletne cum illis Romam ire to some the Image seem'd annuere to others etiam id ipsum affirmare Upon which story in Livy there is this observation of Machiavel in his Discurs de Repub. Cum tanta veneratione interrogassent visum est ipsis tale responsum audivisse quale se audituros prius pollicebantur The application is obvious But against this other Instance of Pride expressing itself in an over-dear regard that such men have to their own Sentiments and oftentimes for some self-ends and undue advantage to themselves against this I say Mr. Mede was secured by that Universal Alexipharmacum his truly-Christian Humility as also by that Generosum honestum which dwelt and ruled in him the noble Integrity of his spirit that which the Scripture calls the Good and Honest Heart a Principle not less yea more necessary to the right discerning of Divine Truth than the Subtile Head And from this Principle he thus expresseth himself in some of his Diatribae That we should be more willing to take a Sense from Scripture than bring one to it Agreeable to which is that Maxime of his worthy to be written in letters of Gold it was mentioned once before but cannot be too often inculcated that Maxime which he said was deeply impress'd upon his own Soul That rashly to be the Author of a false Interpretation of Scripture is to take Gods name in vain in an high degree How then shall they escape and where shall they appear who being resolved to walk after their own lusts pervert and distort the Scriptures as of old the Prophets complain'd of some that did violence to the Law and wrest them to their own destruction which were designed by God to make men wise unto Salvation There are others that are prejudiced through a servile regard to those Idola fori as the forenamed Lord styles Popular Opinions and Vulgar Perswasions the Opinions of the Many or of such a Party among the Many whose Persons first and consequently their Perswasions they have in admiration for generally these two go together They that do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Iude's language go on also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the respecting of Persons introducing also the respecting of Opinions And herein they shew themselves a kind of Servum pecus receiving for Doctrines the Traditions or Customary Notions of such men without any serious consideration which yet is no other than a blind implicit stupid and irrational respect to persons and Opinions as not being founded upon Knowledge and Iudgment But withall they do hereby oftentimes design to serve their own ends by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all this being done as S. Iude observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for advantage sake And against such Prejudices as these what could better secure the Author than his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use S. Peter's expression his clear and sincere Mind his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Largeness of Heart his Vast Understanding his Free and Ingenuous Spirit those Intellectual and Moral Endowments of his whereof I have already given a brief account in the Second Head of Advertisements 3. As free he was from all Self-seeking Flattery and covetous Ambition as from Partiality and Prejudice each of which has a very inauspicious influence upon any growth in Knowledge and Understanding Accordingly he does more than once observe in his Epistles That Mundus ama◠decipi magis quam doceri and that by constant observation he had found That no man loved any Speculations but such as he thought would advance his profitable Ends or advantage his Side and Faction But for his own part he thus opens his heart in one of his Epistles to a Friend and plainly professeth That he had not made the
Five Directions and Helps prove a succesful labour and therefore far from being excessively hard or incumbred with invincible difficulties so would it likewise be far from vain and useless for these Scriptures as well as the other being written for our learning and use as I have briefly and I think clearly proved in this Preface under the Second Head of Advertisements there would accrue to us this peculiar Advantage besides many others That by a right understanding of the genuine meaning of these Prophetick Visions we should be the better enabled to vindicate the Prophecies from those corrupt Glosses which unlearned and unstable Souls ill-willers also to the stability and peace of Christian States and Kingdoms would force upon them perverting these Scriptures for their own Self-ends to the favouring of their unquiet humors and unpeaceable practices which being rightly understood are the grand Interest and Concernment of Christendome and certainly make for the Support and Encouragement of the Reformed part thereof of which through God's mercy we are Members In the Second sort of Advertisements I have observed some few things of the Author and his Writings and shall not need here to superadd any thing to court the Reader to a due esteem of them His own works will praise him I say not in the Gates as the phrase is Prov. 31. ult but in the private Closets and quiet Retirements of the studious enquirers after Truth if read there with serious attention which is most necessary in the perusing of his Labours upon the Prophetical Scriptures and with a mind as free from prejudice as from distractions It is not to be doubted but that some parts of these Writings may generally please and as the Author of the Book of Wisdom observes of Manna agree to every tast nor is it unlikely but that some other parts though highly pleasing to some may be less grateful to others of a different perswasion as Manna itself was lothsome to some murmuring Israelites But for the better disposing of them to what is fair and ingenuous this may be fit to be added That the Author in his life-time did not affect any dominion over the faith of others as if he were Infallible nor was he ambitious after his death to be Idoliz'd but this was clearly his disposition as he expresseth himself in a Letter to Dr. T. not to be affected how much or how little others differ'd from him and this disposition he said did so much the more increase in him as he took the liberty to examine either his own or other mens perswasions so desirous he was that the Apostle's Rule should in this case prevail Try all things hold fast that which is good And therefore such men would shew themselves very ill-natur'd and ill-bred as well as indiscreet and unmindful of the Fallibility of Humane nature as also unacquainted with ingenuous Learning of which the old Verse is most true Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros if they should unwisely disvalue and peevishly reject the whole for some passages not agreeing to their particular Sentiments or prove so rigid and tenacious as not to afford that Candor and Charity which is but a just respect as well easie as fit to be paid to the Labours of Worthy men highly meriting de Republica literaria And their Rudeness and Incivility would be the greater because Mr. Mede doth propound his sense not with any either magisterial or provoking language but with such modesty calmness and sobriety as may deserve rather a fair reception than any churlish and unkind usage in the world In the First Head of Advertisements I have given the Reader for his fuller satisfaction some account of those long and toilsome labours which I could not think too hard and grievous to undergo both for the honour of the Author's memory and the Reader 's greater benefit chusing though at an humble distance to follow that great Labourer in God's Vineyard Blessed S. Paul who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather than to do this work of the Lord negligently May the Reader with ease and delight with profit and advantage peruse these Writings thus prepared for him with a diligence and industry not very ordinary nor over-easie and therefore not over-hasty and yet not more leisurely or slow than the labour and weightiness of the undertaking together with the urgency of other intercurrent cares did exact HE who is the Father of mercies and the God of all grace that giveth power to the faint and reneweth their strength who wait upon him who worketh both to will and to do and to continue patiently in so doing unto the end to his Name alone not unto me not unto me be the Glory and Praise for his Mercy and for his Power sake The same Father of lights who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shine into our Hearts unveil our Eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of his Law purifie our Souls from Prejudice and Passion from every false Principle and corrupt Affection that we may receive the love of the Truth and know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God that being filled with all wisdom and spiritual understanding we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing To whom be Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power for ever and ever Amen I. W. The Additional Pieces First published by the Reverend and Learned Dr. WORTHINGTON IN Book I. Discourse 49 50 51 53. In Book II. His Concio ad Clerum pag. 398. In Book III. Among his Remains upon the Apocalyps Chap. 4. pag. 589. Chap. 8. pag. 594. In Book IV. Epist. 34 41 51 56 66 67 68 69 71 73 75 85. many of them in answer to some Letters of enquiry from Learned men which for the fuller understanding of the Author's Answers are also published as that large Letter from Lud. de Dieu viz. Epist. 48. and those from others Epist. 55 57 59 62 65 70 72. together with a large Extract of Mr. Potter's Letter about the Number 666. In Book V. Those Tracts that make Chap. 4. Chap. 7. Chap. 10. Chap. 12. In all XXXII Discourses Tracts Epistles enlarged out of the Author's Manuscripts with several Additions IN Book I. Discourse 11 31 32 33. In Book II. The Christian Sacrifice and Disc. upon Ezra 6. 10. pag. 379. In Book III. In Comment Apocalypt are several marginal Notes added by the Author since the first Edition In the Remains upon the Apocal. Chap. 3. Chap. 6. Chap. 9. Paraphrase on S. Peter 2 Ep. Chap. 3. In Book IV. Epist. 43 54 58. whereof almost all in the first and last pages is added Epist. 61. besides several other Epistles with large additions In Book V. Chap. II. Besides the smaller additions of some Words or a few lines in several other parts of these Volumes too many to be here particularly mentioned The Discourses Tracts or Epistles whereof there
wanted the Original Manuscript to examine them by are in Book I. Discourse 40 41 42 43 44 45 47 48 49. In Book IV. Epist. 4 6 10 12 29 34 93 97. THE LIFE Of the Reverend and most Learned Ioseph Mede B. D. 1. IT hath been the practice of the best Historians sometimes in short Characters and sometimes in larger Descriptions to represent the Nature Sayings and Manners of those Persons whose Actions have rendred them Illustrious whether in War or Peace And it is a Custom very commendable for by this means a just Right is perform'd to the Glory of their Memories their Exemplary Vertues are preserv'd in the world by Monuments w ch Time cannot demolish and Ingenuous Readers are highly gratified who are naturally desirous to know as much as they can of those of whom they have heard any thing which is extraordinary 2. The same Reason hath made it a Custom to write the Lives of Authors eminent for their Learning and to annex them to their Works And indeed such Historical Pictures seem no where plac'd more fitly than in the Beginnings of those Books which were design'd by their excellent Authors to promote true Religion and Piety in the world Men being no less prepar'd for a chearful reception of Divine Truth when they see it presented by a Worthy person than they are apt to give an easie credit to good News when they are perswaded of the Integrity of him that brings it We have therefore attempted to give a Faithful though Imperfect Pourtrait of this Excellent Person the Author of the ensuing Discourses that the Reader may know what he was who in so high a degree obliged not only the Age wherein he lived but all succeeding Generations by his excellent Studies and exemplary Life The History whereof is briefly as follows 3. IOSEPH MEDE was born in October 1586. of Parents of honest rank at Berden in Essex and related as the learned Mr. Alsop did particularly remark in his Funeral Sermon to the Family of Sir Iohn Mede of Lofts-Hall in the same County who did much please himself in so worthy a Kinsman to whom also when Fellow of Christ's Colledge he sent his eldest Son to be his Pupil accounting it a singular felicity to have him under the care and conduct of so worthy and accomplish'd a Tutor 4. When he was about Ten years old both he and his Father fell sick at the same time of the Small pox to the Father it proved mortal to the Son very hazardous But Almighty God who designed him for a great Blessing to the world delivered him then out of that and afterwards out of other Dangers of which merciful Preservations he had by him his thankful Memorials the better to excite himself to a due celebration of the Divine Goodness His Mother afterward married one Mr. Gower of Nasing in Essex by whom he was sent to School first to Hodsden and after that to Wethersfield in Essex In which time going to London upon some occasion he bought Bellarmine's Hebrew Grammar His Master having no skill in that Language told him it was not a Book fit for him but he being of the same generous temper with Demonax who as Lucian reports was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would not be discouraged from the perusal of it but setting upon it industriously attain'd no small skill in the Hebrew Tongue before he left the School by these fair Blossoms giving an early assurance to his Friends of those excellent Fruits which he afterward brought forth being planted in a very fertile Soil and one of the most delightful Seats of the Muses in the University 5. His Friends being encouraged by the pregnancy of his Parts his assiduous Industry and Proficiency in Learning the best grounds of Hope sent him in the year 1602 to Christ's Colledge in Cambridge where he was admitted Pupil to Mr. Daniel Rogers Fellow of that Colledge When he had been there three years Mr. Rogers leaving the Colledge Mr. William Addison became his Tutor to whose Pupils after he was Bachelour of Arts he us'd to read as afterward when he was Master of Arts he moderated at Dis's upon the desire of his Tutor one of the then Proctors of the University 6. The Emprovements which he made in a short time by his industrious Wit were so conspicuous that they drew upon him the eyes not only of his own Colledge but of the whole University which could not but be the more observable in him because he wanted that felicity of Utterance which useth to set off slight parts and had so great an Hesitation in his speech as rendred his expression painful to himself and less pleasing to others Which made him decline as much as he might all publick Disputations and other Exercises as not to be perform'd by him without great difficulty his Labour in them as he was wont to tell his familiars being double to that of others in regard he was put to study not for matter only but for words not to express his mind for such words the matter being excogitated do not unwillingly follow and even offer themselves but for words that he could utter yea and to take care to dispose them too in that order that the contexture might suit with his Ability Wherein yet he in time became a rare Example how much a discreet observation of such an Imperfection can work toward the cure of it For by an heedful inspection into the nature of his defect what words he most stuck at either single or in conjuncture and at what times he was more or less free he attain'd so great a mastery over that Infirmity that he was able to deliver a whole Sermon without any considerable Hesitation 7. That also of his own relation is here not unworthy the remembring That not long after his entrance into Philosophical studies he was for some time disquieted with Scepticism that troublesome and restless disease of the Pyrrhonian School of old For lighting upon a Book in a neighbour-Scholars Chamber whether it were Sextus Empericus or some other upon the same Subject is not now remembred he began upon the perusal of it to move strange Questions to himself and even to doubt whether the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Frame of things as it appears to us were any more than a mere Phantasm or Imagination The Emprovement of this Conceit as he would profess rendred all things so unpleasant to him that his Life became uncomfortable He was then but young and therefore the more capable of being abus'd by those perplex'd Notions by which Pyrrho had industriously studied to represent the Habitation of Truth as inaccessible But by the mercy of God he quickly made his way out of these troublesome Labyrinths and gave an early proof that he was design'd for profound Contemplations by falling so soon upon the consideration of subjects so subtil and curious 8. By that time he had taken the Degree of Master of Arts he
Lud. de Dieu a singular Ornament of the University at Leiden famous at home and abroad for his skill in the Oriental Tongues whose Letters to and of Mr. Mede were full of honour and respect and as a testimony of his great respect he presented Mr. Mede betimes with his Comment upon the Acts of the Apostles Dr. Walaeus Divinity-Professor there who being one of the Principal persons concern'd in the last Belgick Translation of the Bible and his care together with some associates being peculiarly imploy'd about translating and illustrating with marginal notes the New Testament no part of which bred him more labour than the Apocalyps did hugely applaud himself in the happiness he had to be acquainted with Mr. Mede's unparrallel'd Commentary upon that mysterious Book The great acceptance and kind entertainment which his Writings found abroad among learned persons might be confirm'd also from not only M. Hartlib â—s but Sr. William Boswell's Letters who professed It was better than Musick to him to hear the innumerable commendations of so near a Friend But because we would not exspatiate in this perhaps invidious argument we shall crave leave only to superadde this That though some at home less affectionate to studies of this nature for Reasons best known to themselves were induc'd to speak somewhat diminishingly and below the worth of his Clavis and Commentary upon the Apocalyps a Prophet and a Prophet's Interpreter wanting sometimes their due honour in their own Country yet Scholars of good note in their Travels beyond the Sea have heard his Name most honourably mention'd for those Works And though he was Anonymus in what he had done upon the Apocalyps yet when Foreiners travelling into England came to visit the University of Cambridge they would carefully seek him out and endeavoured to gain his acquaintance as much as any others then more eminent in place 19. And though possibly it cannot be said that he attain'd to an infallible Solution of every Point in those Prophetick Mysteries they being a Depth which perhaps no Humane understanding can reach till assisted by a more full and clear view of Events yet judicious men who are but in the least candid cannot but say that he proceeded upon grounds never traced by any and infinitely more probable than any lay'd down by those who before him undertook that task and such as though they should not every-where exempt from all possibility of erring in the application do yet afford an incomparable help to the understanding of many things otherwise scarce discernible and in the mean time do strongly convince the over-daring vanity of very many confident but unskilful Expositors So that upon the whole matter we doubt not to affirm and for the truth of it we appeal to judicious and unprejudiced Readers That if Mr. Mede's Method of interpreting the Apocalyps be freely and carefully compared with the elder we may add also the newer methods of any Annotationists whatsoever it will certainly be acknowledged to be the most natural and unstrained most agreeable to the style of the Prophets as likewise to History and Events and in short that his Clavis Apocalyptica if compared with other Keys seems most worthy to be deem'd Clavis non errans 20. Nor is this high but most deserved character of his Labours upon the Apocalyps to be disparaged by one or two Exceptions which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marvellously please themselves in nay one of them they make the petty matter of a poor rejoycing within themselves It is their First Exception grounded upon his Conjecture about the King of Sweden in his Exposition of the Fourth Vial. But there needed not so much noise nor such a-doe to be made about this For be it granted that the King of Sweden is certainly meant there although the Author doth not expresly name him yet consider First He doth not positively and confidently affirm him to be the person whom God designed to perform the business of this Vial but intimates only his hope and wishes in behalf of the afflicted Protestants in Germany that it might be so nay instead of a confident saying it would be so he chose rather to express himself Question-wise which is the more modest and allowable way Annon hic est saith he quem Dominus exercituum ad hujusce Phialae opus exsequendum destinavit Which Ingenuity of his might have disposed the less-kind Reader to some degree of Candour rather than to the indecencies of an hasty and over-severe Censure Secondly And the rather may he seem to merit the most candid and favourable usage because in his Epistle to the Reader before his Commentary he makes it his particular request That the Reader would not over-rigidly censure every passage in his Book but he pleas'd to read him with that civility and candour and those fair allowances not unusually afforded to the Writings of well-meaning men such as are free from arrogancy and imposing upon others and are most ready to express the same Charity and Fairness to other Writers The request is every way Iust and Necessary considering that there are more Depths and Obscurities in the Prophetical Writings than in any other parts of H. Scripture and withal that the best of men are not priviledged from all possibility of erring no not in plainer and less abstruse matters than the Apocalyptick Visions those especially about things future and unfulfill'd And farther how Necessary the request is as well as Iust the Author himself hath prudently observ'd in the fore-mentioned Epistle where speaking of the Interpretation of Prophecies c. he laies it down as a most certain and approved Truth Nist in hisce talibus liberiùs paulò sentiendi imò errandi venia concedatur ad profunda illa latentia Veritatis adyta viam nunquam patefactum iri Thirdly Were this mistake as great a matter as some would make it which yet was in truth a smaller 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and more venial because not express'd positively and confidently but only in the form of a Question yet is there not any just ground from this single instance to disvalue and reject the Author and his Commentary upon the Apocalyps For this Conjecture or rather Quaere of his was no principal or necessary part of the Structure and therefore by its failing as to the Event doth not so much as endanger much less demolish the whole Fabrick His Scheme of Synchronisms upon which is grounded his method of interpreting the Apocalyptick Visions stands firm and entire and is unconcern'd herein Nor is there any other part of his Commentary endamaged hereby the truth and solidity thereof not depending upon this Event Besides let it be consider'd that it would be the extremest Severity the highest Rigour imaginable to condemn the useful labours of Worthy men for some one misapprehension in a particular of little or no importance to the whole And what one Author ancient or modern though never so highly meriting what Book
betwixt them is not in Fundamentals but that they both agree in so much as is necessary to Salvation and therefore That their differing in other matters of lesser import should not so far prevail to the either causing or continuing any uncharitable Disunions as their agreeing in other Points such as are Fundamental and Necessary to Salvation should oblige and perswade them to Charity and mutual Forbearance and the owning each other as Brethren and members of the same Body whereof Christ is the Head And by this means when their Affections were once put into a better temper and the acrimony of their spirits was hereby corrected they would certainly be in a better disposition to judge of the points of difference between them Besides he did not judge it necessary for the procuring and establishing this desirable Union between both parties that there should be a full Decision of all Controversies in every minute particular thereof but rather that both of them should abate of that vast distance which their eager contentions had made not widening the breach not enlarging but lessening their differences as much as might be by their candid constructions fair concessions and condescensions to each other For except each partie would abate and cease to maintain stifly their supposed advantage against the other entire it would be as impossible to attain this Union as for a Ioyner to set two pieces of timber together without paring something from either it was the Author's fit comparison This in general was the way of Peace which he chalked out for those whom the Love of Christ should constrain heartily to seek and pursue the Peace of the Reformed Religion the happy uniting of divided Protestants But as for the more particular methods for carrying on this Pacifick design they are at large discours'd of by three Reverend Prelates of our Church Bishop Morton Bishop Hall and Bishop Davenant and by the last especially who besides his Tract De Pace inter Evangelicos procuranda wrote another intituled Adfraternam Communionem inter Evangelicos Ecclesias Adhortatio Nor was our Author asymbolus and altogether silent for though at first he declin'd upon some prudential considerations to express himself otherwise than in general upon this argument yet after that his Superiors had declar'd themselves he was pleas'd also to communicate his particular Instructions about this affair as appears by several Epistles of his written to Mr. H. and Mr. D. heretofore published wherein the judicious Reader may observe his great Prudence and equal Moderation and that he was clothed as with Humility of which we have given several pregnant Instances so likewise with a meek and quiet spirit a disposition of near alliance to that of Humility and an Ornament of as great price and value in the sight of God as the outward bravery of Iewels gay attire and curious dressings is highly but undeservedly valued and admired in the eyes of men 31. But it is not fit we should so easily go off from what we last intimated it fairly leading us to offer unto the Reader 's observation that which added no small lustre to our Author's Character we mean His prudent Moderation in the either Declaration or Defence of his private Opinions He was never forward in any company to catch at hints of discourse or to take any other occasion to reveal his particular judgment So far was he from the Temper of those men who being puffed up it may be with a small knowledge account it nothing to know unless others know that they do who must talk or burst not so much for benefit to others as to disperse and publish their own praise He knew there was a time to speak and a time to keep silence and he knew how to do both with as much ease as any man living There is that keepeth silence saith Siracides Chap. 20. knowing his time so did he It was a frequent Proverbial speech of our Authors He that cannot hold his tongue can hold nothing and he practis'd accordingly Not that he was a niggard of his Notions or backward to impart to others what himself knew for he was most communicative both of his Notes and Notions but he prudently consider'd the Character of the Persons then in presence and the Temper of the Times nor did he neglect to follow that other Maxime of the Son of Sirach in a more improved sense Shew not forth wisdom out of time He was always more modest and sober than to prostitute his Thoughts to unworthy persons which were to cast pearls before swine But if any were seriously desirous to be informed and did seem out of no ill design to ask his opinion especially if it were in re nova paradoxa to such he was not unwilling to communicate his inward Sentiments privately sine arbitris So the wisest and best Philosophers had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were not publickly and promiscuously imparted to all as were their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to those only who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and prepared for such mysteries Yea our Blessed Saviour himself did speak some things to his Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and taught them as they were able to bear Otherwise our Author was well content and satisfied without even these private communications not caring to impart any of his peculiar Notions but as he would say where he found some appetite nor would he offer them and try whether they had a stomach but they themselves must discover it much less would he go about as he said to cram them So far was he from being obtrusive unto any that even some of familiar acquaintance with him he profess'd knew as little of his Notions as any Stranger whatsoever Nor did his Modesty and Good Temper less appear in the Defence of his private Opinions For he would not be offended with others who were not of his mind not eagerly contend with those who differ'd from him having resolved never to abandon Love in his prosecution of Truth I never found my self prone to change my hearty affections to any one for mere difference in Opinion was a worthy return of his to one who had opposed him with more heat than needed And therefore only as occasion required having fairly propounded his Iudgment and the Reasons of it he ingenuously left every man to judge for himself without expressing the least ambitious zeal to win others to his Opinion To this purpose he express'd himself to a tenacious piece he had once to do with one that would be always replying having found out some shift or other that must go for an Answer It is sufficient said he for a man to propound his Opinion with the strongest evidence and arguments he can and so leave it Truth will be justified of her children He observed also that in most points
chiefly intended in the Text by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. were the main authors and advancers of Saint-worship proved from the Testimonies of Chemnitius S. Austine Gregory of Tours as also Eunapius a Gentile Writer That Monks and Friers were the Ringleaders and chief advancers of image-Image-worship appears in that during the Iconomachicall Controversie in the East the greatest part of the Storm fell upon those of the Monastick profession That the Idolatry of the Mass-God was promoted by the same persons NOW let us see and behold with admiration the truth of this part also of this Prophecie Where first observe that this Singular kind of life began even just at the time when the Doctrine of Daemons was to enter For Paulus Thebaeus and Anthony the first patterns thereof died the former in the reign of Constantine the latter a little before the year 360 whence or near unto which we began our reckoning before of the first entrance of Saint-worship into the Church About that time Monks till then having been confined to AEgypt Hilarion brought them into Syria and presently S. Basil gave them a certain rule to live together in form of a Polity and with the assistance of his brother Gregory Nyssen and Gregory Nazianzen who all entred this new kind of life dispersed them over all Asia and Greece whose encrease was so wonderful that almost in an instant they filled the World and their esteem was so great that there was scarce a man of note but took upon him this kind of life Though therefore it be most true that our Apostle's prophecie will be verified which soever of the two either such as themselves entred the Restraint of a Monastick life or those who approved taught and maintained the holiness of that Profession as the rest did were the Ringleaders and Foster-fathers of this Defection for both come within the verge of such as forbid marriage and command to abstain from meats yet we will not content our selves with so loose an application but see what an hand Monks and Friers themselves chiefly I suppose intended by the Holy Ghost had in this business And first in the first Doctrine of Daemons Adoring of Reliques and Invocation of Saints Where that which I first speak of shall be in the words of Chemnitius lest some more tender of the honour of our Fathers upon earth than of the glory of our Father in heaven might take exception Hear therefore not me but Chemnitius in his Examen Concilii Tridentini About the year of our Lord 370 per Basilium Nyssenum Nazianzenum in publicos Ecclesiae conventus occasione orationum Panegyricarum Invocatio Sanctorum invehi incepit eodem tempore cùm ab iisdem authoribus Monachatus ex AEgypto Syria in Graeciam introduceretur Et videtur saith he haec sive portio sive Appendix Monachatûs fuisse By Basil Nyssen and Nazianzen upon occasion of Panegyrical orations Invocation of Saints began to be brought into the publick Assemblies of the Church at the same time when by the same Authors the Profession of Monastical life was brought out of AEgypt and Syria into Greece and it seems saith he that this was either a part or an appurtenance of Monkery c. Again speaking of S. Ambrose when he had once turned Monk howsoever he was before Non tamen nego inquit Ambrosium tandem cùm Monachatum à Basilio mutuò sumpsisset etiam ad Invocationem Sanctorum inclinare coepisse ut patet ex libro De viduis I deny not saith he but Ambrose at length when he had once borrowed Monkery from Basil began also to incline to the Invocation of Saints as appears in his book De viduis Thus Chemnitius And that you may yet further see how operative Monks were in this business hear S. Augustine De opere Monachorum cap. 28. Tam multos hypocrit as sub habitu Monachorum usquequaquam dispersit Satan circumeuntes provincias nusquam missos nusquam fixos nusquam stantes nusquam sedentes Alii membra Martyrum si tame◠Martyrum venditant omnes petunt omnes exigunt aút sumptus lucrosae egestatis aut simulatae pretium sanctitatis The Devil saith he hath dispersed in every corner such a crew of Hypocrites under the habit of Monks gadding about every Countrey sent no whither staying no where every where restless whether sitting or standing Some sell the limbs of Martyrs if so be of Martyrs and all are asking all exacting either the expences of a gainful poverty or the hire of a counterfeit sanctity These were those surely which occasioned that Rescript of Theodosius the Emperor Nemo Martyrem distrahat nemo mercetur Let no man sell let no man buy a Martyr whereby we may gather what honesty was like to be used amongst them We know Laudat venales qui vult extrudere merces Merchants use to commend their commodities Gregory of Tours who lived and died somewhat before the year 600 tells us this Monachos quosdam Roman venisse ac prope Templum Pauli corpora quaedam noctu effodisse qui comprehensi fassi sunt in Graeciam se ea pro Sanctorum reliquiis portaturos fuisse That certain Monks came to Rome and near unto S. Paul's Church in the night-time digged up certain bodies who being apprehended confessed they meant to have carried them into Greece for Reliques of Saints The same Author l. 9. c. 6. Hist. Franc. relates a Story of another counterfeit a Monk who pretended to come out of Spain with Martyrs Reliques but being discovered they were found to be Roots of certain Herbs Bones of Mice and such like stuffe and he tells us there were many such seducers which deluded the people And he said true there were many indeed and many more than Gregory took for such even those he took for honest men For though it must not be denied but God had some of this Order which were holy men and unfeignedly mortified notwithstanding their errour in thinking God was pleased with that singularity of life yet must it be confessed that the greater part were no better than Hypocrites and Counterfeits and that the lamentable Defection of the Christian Church chiefly proceeded from and was fostered by men of that profession as in part we have heard already And if you can with patience hear him speak I will add the testimony of Eunapius Sardianus a Pagan Writer who lived in the dayes of Theodosius the first about the year 400. In the life of AEdesius most bitterly inveighing against the Christians for demolishing that renowned Temple of Serapis at Alexandria in AEgypt he speaks in this manner When they had done saith he they brought into the holy Places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those which they call Monks Men indeed for shape but living like Swine and openly committing innumerable villanies not to be named who yet took it for a piece of Religion thus to despise the Divinity he means of Serapis For then saith he whosoever
more quiet meditations Nihil affirmo sed propono I had thought when I began to propound something to your further meditations out of the seventh of Daniel But you see I am grown past a Letter and can scarce any longer make my Characters legible and therefore here with my best respect to your self I end desiring God to enlighten us daily more and more in the knowledge of his Truth and so I remain Yours to be commanded in all the duties of Friendship Ioseph Mede Christ's Colledge Nov. 11. 1629. EPISTLE XV. Mr. Mede's Answer to Dr. Meddus touching the Day of Iudgment Worthy Sir I Have now found some little time to make some kind of Answer to your Letter of the last week save one You desire me to point out the particulars wherein I differ from that Lutheran But this I cannot do without making a censure of the whole Discourse which would ask me some labour and besides I have not now the Book by me But by the way the Stationer which told me he had six of them was deceived Indeed he had six Books which he thought to be the same but four of them were Discourses of Law by some error sorted together with them You secondly desire me to point out the places of the Old and New Testament appliable to my Tenet of the Day of Iudgment Where I understand not well whether you mean of the Regnum to be then or of the acception of the word Day for a long space of time even of a thousand years But I suppose you mean the former to which therefore I will say something the rather because I know you will communicate it to Doctor Twisse to whom I had intended some such thing in my Letter I sent by you to him but time would not suffer me to write it then having spent both it and my paper in other discourses before I was aware That which I have to say is this The Description of the Great Day of Iudgment Dan. 7. THE Mother-Text of Scripture whence the Church of the Iews grounded the name and expectation of the Great Day of Iudgment with the circumstances thereto belonging and whereunto almost all the descriptions and expressions thereof in the New Testament have reference is that Vision in the seventh of Daniel of a Session of Iudgment when the Fourth Beast came to be destroyed Where this great Assises is represented after the manner of the great Synedrion or Consistory of Israel wherein the Pater Iudicii had his Assessores sitting upon Seats placed Semicircle-wise before him from his right hand to his left I beheld saith Daniel verse 9. till the Thrones or Seats were pitched down namely for the Senators to sit upon not thrown down as we of late have it and the Ancient of days Pater consistorii did sit c. And subaudi I beheld till the Iudgment was set that is the whole Sanhedrim and the books were opened c. Here we see both the form of Iudgment delineated and the name of Iudgment expressed which is afterwards yet twice more repeated First in the amplification of the tyranny of the wicked Horn verse 21 22. which is said continued till the Ancient of days came and IVDGMENT was given to the Saints of the most High i. Potestas judicandi ipsis facta And the third time in the Angel's interpretation verse 26. But the IVDGMENT shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it to the end Where observe also that cases of Dominion of Blasphemy and Apostasie and the like belonged to the jurisdiction of the great Sanhedrim From this description it came that the Iews gave it the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Day of Iudgment and the Day of the Great Iudgment whence in the Epistle of S. Iude verse 6. it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Iudgment of the Great Day From the same description they learned that the destruction then to be should be by fire because it is said verse 9. His throne was a fiery flame and his wheels burning fire A fiery stream issued and came forth before him and verse 11. The Beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame From the same fountain are derived those expressions in the Gospel where this Day is intimated or described The Son of man shall come in the clouds of heaven The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels Forasmuch as it is said here Thousand thousands ministred unto him c. and that Daniel saw One like the Son of man coming with the clouds of Heaven and he came to the Ancient of days and they brought him or placed him near him c. Hence S. Paul learned that the Saints should judge the world because it is said that many Thrones were set and verse 22. by way of Exposition that Iudgment was given to the Saints of the most High Hence the same Apostle learned to confute the false fear of the Thessalonians that the day of Christs second coming was then at hand Because that day could not be till the Man of Sin were first come and should have reigned his time appointed Forasmuch as Daniel had foretold it should be so and that his destruction should be at the Son of mans appearing in the clouds whose appearing therefore was not to be till then This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Paul whom the Lord saith he shall destroy at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his coming Daniel's wicked Horn or Beast acting in the wicked Horn is S. Paul's Man of Sin as the Church from her Infancâ—e interpreted it But to go on While this Iudgment sits and when it had destroyed the Fourth Beast the Son of man which comes in the clouds receives dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve and obey him verse 14. which Kingdom is thrice explained afterwards to be the Kingdom of the Saints of the most High verse 18. These four Beasts saith the Angel are four Kingdoms which shall arise But viz. when they have finished their course the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom c. Again verse 22. The wicked Horn prevailed until the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom Again verse 27. When the fourth Beast reigning in the wicked Horn was destroyed the Kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven is given to the people of the Saints of the most High c. These Grounds being laid I argue as followeth The Kingdom of the Son of man and of the Saints of the most High in Daniel begins when the Great Iudgment sits The Kingdom in the Apocalyps wherein the Saints reign with Christ a thousand years is the same with the Kingdom of the Son of man and Saints of the most High in Daniel Ergo It also
35 Schism the evil and danger of it 876 Scripture The Holy Scripture is not to be kept in an unknown tongue 190. whether the silence of Scripture be an argument sufficient to conclude against matter of fact 840. an account of some Idioms or Forms of speech in Scripture 161 and 347 349 380 285 and 352 Sea what it signifies in the Prophetick style 462 The Sealing of the 144000 in Apocal. 7. what it means 584 Seed of the Woman meant of Christ's person and Christ mystical 236 Serpent why the Devil took this shape 223 289. the Curse was pronounced upon both the Serpent and the Devil 229. what kind of Serpent was accursed 230. how God could in Iustice punish the brute Serpent 229 230 his Curse was To go upon his Breast and not only on his Belly 231 232. as also To feed on dust 233 234. Enmity between Man and the Serpent 234. The Serpents Seed meant of the Devil and wicked men 236. The Serpents Head or Headship is Principatus mortis 237 Set Forms See Prayer Seven eyes of the Lord are the seven Archangels 41 43 Seven Heads of the Beast signifie both 7 Hiâ—s and 7 Successions of different sorts of Governours 524 Seven Seals in Apocal. 6. what is meant thereby 441 917 c. Seven Trumpets See Trumpets Seven Vials See Vials Seventy Weeks See Daniels Weeks Seventy years See Years Shechinah or Gods special presence in a place is where the Angels keep their station 343 c. Sheep set at Christs right hand 841 Shiloh the name of Messiah 34 it signifies a Peace-maker 35 Silence in holy offices was a point of Religion 458 Simeon Metaphrastes his fabulous Legends 682 c. his design therein 683 c. Sin compared in Scripture to an Heavy Burthen in respect of the Weight of Punishment and of Loathsomness 151. the reason of Sins Loathsomness 152. Conformity between the Sin and Punishment in 4 particulars 144. the hainousness of a Sin to be estimated from the hearts election 350. Commission of one Sin makes way for another 135. what it is to forsake Sin 207. Rules to know whether our purpose to forsake Sin be real 152 153 Sin-offering what 287 Sincerity of Heart what it is how it may be known and attain'd 217 218 Sitting at Gods right hand what it signifies 638 639. that it is a priviledge appropriate to Christ. ibid. Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word doth not always in Scripture imply a small number 648 c. Socinian Tenets censured 869 883 Son of man whence Christ is so called 764 788 Spirit sometimes in Scripture signifies Doctrine 626 Spirit and truth See Worship in spirit and truth Spirits Good or Evil how they appear and converse with men 223 224 Spiritual blessings were veiled in Earthly Promises under the Law 249 250 Stealing is either by Force or by Fraud both forbidden in the 8 Commandment 132. See more in Theft Sun Moon and Stars what they are according to the Prophetick style in the Political world 449 450 466 615 Synagogues how they differ'd from Proseucha's 66. their antiquity 839 Synchronisms what 491. their usefulness 431 581 T. TAbernack of meetingâ— so call'd from God's meeting there with men 343. Feast of Tabernacles wherein it was a Figure of Christ 266. how it was neglected to be kept from Iosua's time to Nehemiah's 268. what this Omission may seem to imply 268 Table sometimes in Scripture put for Epulum or the Meat it self 386. Table of the Lord in 1 Cor. 10. why so called 375. the name Table not used in any Ecclesiastical Writer before 200 years after Christ 860. Table and Altar how they differ 389 Holy Table Name and Thing 844 Temple what the Gentiles Notion of a Temple was 335 336. why the primitive Christians for the most part abstain'd from the name Temple 336 337 Temple at Ierusalem it s 3 Courts in our Saviours time 44 45. it was the Third or Gentiles Court that was prophaned by the Iews and vndicated by our Saviour 45 46. This Temple is called in Scripture Gods Throne 438 439 917. In what respects it was a Type of Christ. 48 407 263 Temples of the Heathen why they are said by the ancient Fathers to be nothing else but the Sepulchres of dead men 633 Ten Horns signifie in Dan. and the Apocal. Ten Kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was shivered 661. that they belong to the Seventh or Vppermost Head of the Beast 499 737 Ten Kings See Ten Horns Teraphim what they were and how they answered to Vrim and Thummim 183 Terumah or Heave-offering defined 288 the Terumoth or Heave-offerings were either First-fruits or Tithes or Frâ—e-will-offerings 290 Theft in no case lawful 133. the trial of it in doubtful cases was in the Iewish Polity by the parties Oath Hence Perjury and Theft are forbidden together in Scripture 133 Three Kings whom the Little Horn should depress to advance himself 779 Throne to be taken up to Gods Throne what 494 Thummim See Vrim Thunder See Bath Kol Time Times and half a Time what 497 656 744. Times of the Gentiles 753. Times put for Things done in time 737 Tithes How the question of the due of Tithes is to be stated 120 Tituls why Houses and Churches were so called 5 327 328 Tobit's prophesie of the Iews Captivity and Restauration explain'd 579 Transubstantiation promoted by lying Miracles 688 Trees what they signifie in the Prophetick style 460 Trespass-offering how it differed from the Sin-offering 287 Tribes why the 12 Tribes are in Apocal 7. reckoned in a different order than elsewhere in Scripture 455 c. Tribute See Rent Trumpets Seven Trumpets their meaning 595 Turks why described in Apocal. 9. by the army of Horsemen 473 Twelve why each of the 24 Courses or Quires of Singers in the Temple consisted of Twelve 3 Typical speeches often true in the Type and Antitype 285. when what is attributed to the Type belongs to the thing typified 468 V. VEspers See Even-song Vials Seven Vials their meaning 585 923. the agreement between the 7 Vials and 7 Trumpets 585 Vintage what it means in the Propherick style 521 c. Visions Apocalyptick whether represented in the Seven-sealed Book to be seen or to be read by S. Iohn 787 An Vnrepentant Sinner is an Insidel 153 Vnworthy receiving See Sacraments Vows The 3 Vows common to all Monks viz. Vow of Chastity Poverty and Abstaining from meats the Fourth Vew viz. of Obedience not common to all nor so old 689 Vrim and Thummim what they signifie 183. they were a Divine Oracle ibid. the Matter thereof and the Manner of enquiring thereby 184 185. How Vrim and Thummim did typisie something in Christ. 185 186 W. WAldenses See Albigenses White To walk in white To be clothed with white raiment what meant thereby in the Apocalyps 909 Whore and Whoredom meant according to the Prophetick style of Idolatry 645 646. Whoe of Babylon in Apocal. 17. why this Vision only of all