Know preceds but to Wil coms orderly Gods Decrees folow his Wil continualy Novit ab aeternâ— Deus omnia tempore danda Aâ—iâ—tâ— Postea dâ—crevit quae fabricare velit God knew eternaly al in time to be And Decreed after what he would frame free Ordine Naturae Omnisciens prius omnia vidit Alâ—aâ— Quà m quid decrevis mente creare Deus Al-knowing God did al in Nature see Yer he in Mind did to creat Decree An lapsu praeviso Elohim praedestinet Adae Aut mâ—ro ex libito lis gravis orta fuit Sâ—â—â—â— Whether God predestind knowing Adams Fal Or of meer Pleasure great strif did befal Simpliei in intuitu certo omnia praesciit antâ— Sive Quam statuit Mundum fabrificare Deus In simple intellect God al foreknew Yer he would make the World what would insu Antea quâ—m Decreta feâ—at Deus omnia praescit 〈◊〉 Progreditur constans ordine namque suo God foreknows al before he doth decree For he proceds in 's order constantly Quos Deus aeternum praescit praedestinat hosque Aut. Eligit aut reprobat pro bonitatâ— sua God foreknows and foredooms eternaly And elects or rejects for 's clemency Vulâ— salvare aliquos reliquos damnare Jehovah 〈◊〉 Sed cur sic voluit non bene causa patet God som wil sav and th' rest damn to Hel But why he wil the caus appeers not wel THESIS III. Verum Ecclesiae Regimen The Churches tru Polity T Is a known verity That Paternity was the prime Hâ—story val Polity among the Protopatriarchs both in sacred and secular matters as Adam is said to be ordained a Priest by God becaus Cain and Abel only brought their offerings til they were ordained to that office by their Father and so in succession one from another Which form continued in the Postpatriachs til their Progeny becam a Nation under Moses and Aaron who promulged Laws by divine dictat both for Civil and Spiritual causes For the Israelits had distinct Courts of different persons one for Church matters â—aled an Ecclesiastic Consistory another for Common-wealth causes termed a Temproal Judicatory Moses speaks of both in general He that wil not hearken to Deut. 17. 1â— 2 Chr. 19. 5. or obey the Priest or Judg shal dy but Jehosophat put a more precise difference who appointed through al Cities secular Judges wherof Zebadiah was chief and at Jerusalem a Spiritual Court of Levits Priests and Elders over whom Amariah high Priest presided so Jeremy was condemned by Jer. 26 8 16. the Priests Consistory but acquited by the Princes Judicatory Yea tho by Antiochus tyranny and the Jews slavery under sundry Nations no evident distinction appeers in the new Testament yet som prints of both remain specialy wher the chief Priests and Elders are cited as two divers Courts the Mat 21 23. Mat. 26. 3. secular caled a Council the spiritual stiled a Synagog For the Ecclesiastic was to discern things holy and unholy clean from unclean and to determin Appeals in difficil debats being as a representativ Church Hence Christ said Dic Ecclesiae Mat. 1â— 17. becaus excommunication pertained to them In civil Courts of seventy Judges being the suprem Sanedrim two sat chief viz. the Nasi as Lord chief Justice and Abbethdin as Father of the Senat so in the Consistory the high Priest and his Sagan or secund like a Bishop and his Suffragan as suprem but the high Priest was not necessarily chosen Nasi unles for eminent worth and extraordinary Wisdom For they had two civil Courts 1. The grand Sanedrim or suprem Senat 2. The lesser or inferior which in after ages had subordinat branches whence Christ said Who ever is angry with Mat. 5. 12. his Brother causlesly shal be culpable of Judgment meaning the lesser Court who cals him Racha in scorn shal be liable to a Council or chief Consistory but he that cals him fool malitiously shal be guilty of Hel-fire The Sanedrim excelled the rest 1. In number of Judges being seventy besides the Exod. 24. 〈◊〉 Nasi or Prince as God at first institution said to Moses Gather to me seventy Elders Rulers of the People and let them stand at the Tabernacle with thee implying seventy besides him but the lesser consisted of twenty three at Jerusalem and three only in smal Cities 2. In place for the seventy sat within the Temple-court in the paved Chamber or Pavment John 19. 1â— wher Pilat gav Judgment 3. In power for the Sanedrim received Appeals from al but from them was none 4. In causes to be tried For the seventy Judged al matters of life and death yea a whol Tribe the high Priest and fals Prophets but the twenty three lighter crimes and thos of three only pecuniary mulcts whippings and pety punishments Many make doubt whether in Christs dais they had power of life and death sith they said Wee cannot doâ—m any to death John 1â— 31. Late Jews say al capital censure was inhibited forty yeers before the Temples destruction which is about Christs Baptism but Josephus saith Herod suppressed the Sanedrim before L. 14 Antiq. c. 17. yet thos words to Pilat prov not as if they had no such power for he bids them take and judg him according to their Law Yea they pressed or pleaded we hav a Law and by it he ought John 19. 7. to dy but the holines of the time being the Passovers vigil and preparation of the Sabbath made it unlawful to meddle with matters of blood Indeed the Romans bereaved al power to judg civil capital crimes but suffred them to try transgressions against Moses Law as Blasphemies or the like and such they cried that Christ committed in caling himself the Son of God but with Barabas and the two Theefs they had nothing to doo For Gallio when Paul was brought before him said If it were a matter of wrong or wickednes O ye Jews reason Acts 18. 14. would I should hear or bear with you but being a question of words or names in your Law look ye to it Distingue res seu causas Concordabunt Scripturae Among them who were Gods chosen People and sole Church were three orders of Ministers in the temple over whom the high Priest being Aarons first born was chief 1. Priests Aarons younger Progeny 2. Levits Levies posterity 3. Nephenims who hewed wood and drew water being Gibeonits doomed to that drudgery by Josua for their craft or cunning At 〈◊〉 9 〈◊〉 Consecration the high Priest was annointed with Chrism 〈◊〉 8. 〈◊〉 â—0 powred on his head which ran down his beard and borders of his robe but the Priests only sprinkled with this oil and blood of the Sacrifice At ministration in the Sanctuary the high Priest wore eight sorts of raiments which the Rabbins cal golden Vestments but the Priests only four They differed also in office For the high Preist entred the Holy
as they approved may be set over them which was somtime granted somtime not but to ordein of themselfs Saul and Vzziah had so much right to offer Incens as they to doo it Al humble Christians look to the rock whence they were hewen and pit wherout they were digged who did not make Ministers but they sent by Christ made People Christians Such as sat in darknes had light brought them and were found of God by his Ministers sent as Shepherds to the lost Sheep which sought not God So ther is no caus for People to embrace that fury folly and faction which would lay al in common sith Levellers can allege nothing to repeal the divine approbation of Ministry which hath continued a peculiar peaceable possession to Church Officers by Christs Institution for sixteen Centuries without cessation in a constant successon of Ordination We grant People in a particular Parish or Congregation may desire a special Man to be their Prelat or Pastor as thos of Milan did St. Ambros but cannot chus by their proper power much less Ordein as Souldiers may petition the General for one to be their Captain but cannot chus creat or constitut any without Commission They may so wel set up a new Christ or new Gospel as new Ministry or new Ordination which Christ hath doon once for al times and places to the Worlds end without Peoples interest A wise Spaniard said 'T is better in a State to prefer corrupt Men then silly Sots the one like a Theef in a Vinyard wil only take ripe Grapes til he be satiat but the other as an Ass eats ripe and green treads down al with his heels and being filled tumbles in it to spoil al such is the unskilful Vulgar in Church affairs Quest Som scornfully ask what can Bishops confer in Ordination more then other Men what charm is in their praiers or imposing of hands to invest Church power or how can they giv the Graces of the holy Ghost why doo they claim to be caled Clerics as peculiar to that Tribe and contemptuously cal others Laics sith al the Lords People are the lot of his Inheritance being spiritualy annointed to be Kings Priests Prophets Answ Thes Scarrows are soon repelled 1. Touching the term or title of Clergy and Laity which captious Critics imput as pride in Ecclesiastics to incens People against them this distinction was ever used ab initio as al antient Fathers Councils and Histories ratify nor is the one upbraided as a badg of vainglory to the Ministry nor the other aspersed as a brand of infamy to the People but only to difference both calings as 't is in our Laws and Language Nor is it avers to Scripture sens which cals them Pastor and Flock Doctor and Disciple Ruler and Ruled yea al Faithful in general are stiled Clerus a Church or portion of the Lords heritage but Ministers in special Clerus Ecclesiae a lot given by the Lord to his Acts 2. 6. Acts. 13. 2 3. Church as consecrat apart to his service So the Apostles chos Matthias by lot and the holy Ghost after said Separat Barnabas and Paul for the work wherto I hav caled them who having fasted praid and layd on hands sent them away Gods Ministers disdain not to be counted or caled his People as Children of one spiritual Father and brethren of the same Family of Faith Nor wil humble Christians covet to be clyped Clerics or scorn the appellation of Laics to avoid confusion of Calings who accompt or acknowledg tru Bishops and Ministers as their Fathers Overseers and Instructers Men may so wel bogle at the words Trinity three persons and Sacraments which are not found in the letter but truth and sens of Scripture Nor is Logomachy or word-war fit for wise Men being a meer Sciomachy or shadow-fight like stumbling at straws and syllabical scruples No Religion bars convenient compendious terms to distinguish degrees but thes word-Carpers hav a malitious meaning to make People abandon both Name and Thing even the Office and Ordination 2. To the demand what charm is in Bishops hands or praiers to confer the holy Ghost more then in others so wel or better gifted It may so wel be asked as Atheists and Apostats use what virtu is in Baptism water to wash away sin regenerat sinners confer Grace or represent Christs blood more then in other as proud Catabaptists contested Or what efficacy in Bread and Wine at the Lords Supper more then in the same Elements at usual Tables or Taverns How doth the form of consecration by using Christs words ad or alter them At this rate of carnal reasoning Men may cavil at Christs Deity and Humanity for the outward poverty of his life and death which made many doubt or deny him to be the tru Messias So this fond futilous frivolous question fals to ground with its own weight or weaknes as if there were more light in lat modern Meteors then in the great Lamps Sun Moon and Stars of Scripture Church and antient Christians who with the same holy humble Faith as they beleev Jesus to be the promised Messias maugre al which blind Jews and babarous Infidels obtrud doo also religiously reverence al his holy Orders and Ordinances how poor or plain soever setled in his Church Nor doth the means of outward appeerance weaken their duty or devotion who liv by Faith see with the ey of Faith and act with Faiths hand in al divine mysteries For God makes foolish things effectual by his spirit and Grace to thos high holy ends for which they were ordeined So 't is not any Magic charm which makes common Accedit Verbū Elemento fit Sacramentum Elements becom Sacraments being consecrat by Ministers nor in Bishops hands and praiers to ordein them but his powerful Word and Spirit who commands the duty confirms the Order and givs a blessing to Ministerial Ordination so wel as to al other Ordinances The result is That Ordination makes nothing to Ministers Natural Moral or Spiritual endowments nor doth it confer any Physical power no more then the Office of a Judg Ambassador or martial Commander to their personal abilities but invests them alone with authority to exercise thos Functions which none els may presum to perform who hath not that order of Office consigned to him Nor can any power in Men make a Gospel Minister though never so gifted to consecrat holy duties sav only such as are set apart or separat therto by du Ordination The benefits therof are manifest and manifold 1. For Gods glory and salvation of Mens Souls by beleeving tru Ministers testimony that Jesus Christ is sole Saviour of the World who began this Ordinance and sent som special witnesses to proclaim him by a constant continual succession in al ages and places til his secund coming 2. It evidenceth the Churches care and fidelity both in preserving the divine Oracles and in celebrating holy Mysteries as Seals to confirm
Thes are compared to three famous Pairs in the old Testament viz. Moses and Aaron in the Wildernes who turned Waters into Blood Elias and Eliseus under the Baalitic Apostacy who shut Heaven from rain and Zerobabel with Jesua at the captivity who recovered the Jews liberty The great City spiritualy caled Sodom and Egypt afterward Ibid 〈◊〉 8. great Babylon and the Whore wher our Lord was crucified is Rome in whos Street or Province for so street is often taken they shal be slain as our Saviour also suffred The Woman travelling with Child clothed with the Sun of Rev. 12 v. 1. c. Righteousnes having the Moon the lawish Pedagogy and Ethnic Idolatry under hir feet and on hir head a Crown of twelv Stars is Gods tru primitiv Church then in continual parturition of spiritual Children The great red Dragon with seven Heads and ten Horns and Ibid. v. 3. 4. seven Crowns on his heads whos Tail cast a third part of the Stars to Earth watching the Woman to devour hir Child is Heathen Rome worshiping the Devil which subjected three parts of the then known World to hir rule or Empire whos rednes denots hir embruing in Saints blood laying wait for the Child as Pharaoh did for Israel and Herod for Christ The Manchild who was to rule al Nations with a rod of Iron Ibid v. 5. is mystical Christ or Son of the Church formed in his Members as shal be shewed The Womans Child caught up to God and his Throne is not Identice v. 5. Christ Theanthropos the Virgin Maâ—ies Son as many mistakingly maintain who is properly and personaly lift up to Gods Throne sitting at his right Hand but mystical Christ or annointed Son of the Church analogicaly advanced to the imperial Throne as al higher Powers are of God which is meant and realy fulfilled by Constantine and his Christian Successors The Angel Michael who with his Angels fought against the Ibid. v 7. Devil and his il spirits is not Christ as som suppose but one of the chief Princes or seven Archangels specified by Daniel caled the great Prince which stands for the Children of Gods People being a principal Patron or Protector of the Faithful against Satan whom he here overcam to whos honor the primitiv Church consecrated September 29. day The great Eagle whos two Wings were given the Woman to Ibid. v. 14 15. fly into hir place in the Wildernes to be nourished for a time times and half is the Roman Empire divided into East and West which protected hir in an Erimitical estate from the Dragons fury in perfect tranquility for 1260. annal dais but tossed with a flood of Heresies cast from the Serpents mouth to seduce hir The Beast rising out of the Sea with seven Heads and ten Rev. 13 v. 1 2. Horns having on his Horns ten Crowns and on his Heads the name of Blasphemy is the secular Empire which had Blasphemous new devised Idolatry on his seven Heads at Rome which was shared into ten Kingdoms or dominions and al worshiped the Dragon becaus he gav his power seat and great authority to this Beast for worshiping or serving him The Beast coming out of the Earth which had two Horns like Ibid. v. 11 12 a Lamb but spake as a Dragon is the Spiritual Roman power or whol Papacy whos two horns of a Lamb signify as Mr. Mede opines the power of binding and loosing but as others aver the two Keis and two Swords born before the Pope to typify his spiritual and temporal Jurisdiction which seems properer and probabler but his Doctrins are the voice of the Dragon The Image of the ten-horned Beast which was wounded and did Ibid. v. 14 15. liv or reviv is the West Empire or seven headed Beast of Rome which lay suppressed long but restored by Pope Leo 3 who ereated Charlemaign Emperor and his Successors enjoied it for six descents til it was translated into Germany The Beasts mark or name which is al one as 't is after caled Ibid. v. 16. 17. the mark of his name Rev. 14. 11. without which none could buy or sel is Papal Anaâ—hema or Excommunication as Master Mede maintains which excluds Men from civil Commerce company and communion but this by his leav is a prohibitiv brand to exclud such as hav it not permissiv to admit such as hav it and repel only thos that hav it not Nor can it be applyed as a name or mark Why not rather Roman Catholic being a name which al the Beasts Folowers arrogat as their peculâ—ar mark or badg nor can any sav such communicat The number of his name 666 being the number of a Man Ibid. v. 18. becaus set in numeral letters is the two horn'd Beast whos name wherin that number is infolded is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which grew up when Theodosius divided the Empire into East caled Greecs and West clyped Latins or Rome which name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subducting the letters of number as Hebrews Greecs and Latins use in Chronograms by fatal instinct make 666. Vicarius Dei generalis in terris subtracting the Roman numeral letters import 666 but this is a periphrastic title no personal name as the other The Lamb standing on Mount Sion and with him 144000 Rev. 14. 1 c. undefiled Virgins having his Fathers and his name writen in their foreheads who folow the Lamb wherever he goeth is the Lord Jesus and his impolluted Church which hated spiritual whordom or Image-worship and continued constant in the tru Faith amidst Papal pâ—rsecution as a pure Virgin under Babylon being the Apostleâ— genuin Progeny The name or marke of the Lamb and his Father is the sign of Idenâ—ice the Cross in Baptism as a Seal of their Faith and Ensign of Christian Profession to discern them from Infidels maugre the malice of al Snarlers Scoffers or Slanderers The Harvest ripe to be reaped into which the Son of Man Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrust his Sickle is the cutting down of mystical Babylon or destruction of the Romisâ— Beasts whol dominion The Vintage or Winepress of Gods wrath without the City Ibid. v. 17. ad finem from which cam blood to the Horsbridles by the space of one thousand six hundred furlongs is the final fatal perdition of the Beast and fals Prophet with al their Complices Comrads and Confederats which shal be acted or accomplished with horrid slaughter at the battle of Armageddon one thousand six hundred furlongs or two hundred miles without the City but whether in Palestine or the Popes Territory is not reveled The seven golden Phials of Gods wrath which seven Angels Rev. 15 v. 7. having the seven last Plagues received from one of the four Beasts are so many degrees of punishments preceding the Antichristian Beasts ruin even as it grew up gradualy to greatnes as ther must be a paralel proportion in al things The three unclean Spirits of