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
He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward DISC. XXIV pag. 89. S. Luke 2. 13 14. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly Host praising God and saying Glory be to God on high or in the highest and on earth Peace Good-will towards men DISC. XXV pag. 97. S. Mark 1. 14. 15. Now after that Iohn was put in prison Iesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God And saying The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and Believe the Gospel DISC. XXVI pag. 106. S. Mark 1. 15. Repent ye and believe the Gospel DISC. XXVII pag. 115. Acts 5. 3 4 5. But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the holy Ghost and to purloin of the price of the land Whiles it remained was it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thy power why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost DISC. XXVIII pag. 124. Proverbs 30. 8 9. Give me neither Poverty nor Riches Feed me with Food convenient for me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DISC. XXIX pag. 135. Isaiah 2. 2 3 4. And it shall come to pass in the last days that the Mountain of the Lords House shall be established or prepared in the top of the Mountains and exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it c. DISC. XXX pag. 140. Iudges 1. 7. As I have done so God hath requited me DISC. XXXI pag. 150. S. Matthew 11. 28 29. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls DISC. XXXII pag. 157. S. Matthew 11. 29. ... Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls DISC. XXXIII pag. 164. Acts 10. 4. And he said unto him Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a memorial before God or as it is verse 31. are had in remembrance c. DISC. XXXIV pag. 173. Nehemiah 13. 14. Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I have done for the House of my God and for the Offices thereof with Verse 22. Remember me O my God concerning this and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy DISC. XXXV pag. 177. Deuteronomy 33. 8. And of Levi he said Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy Holy One. DISC. XXXVI pag. 187. Ieremiah 10. 11. Thus shall ye say unto them The Gods that made not the Heavens and the Earth even they shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens DISC. XXXVII pag. 199. Proverbs 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above all keeping For out of it are the issues of life DISC. XXXVIII pag. 206. Isaiah 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon DISC. XXXIX pag. 213. S. Matthew 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven DISC. XL. pag. 220. Genesis 3. 13. And the Lord God said unto the woman What is this that thou hast done And the woman said The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat DISC. XLI pag. 228. Genesis 3. 14. And the Lord God said unto the Serpent Because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all cattel and above every beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life DISC. XLII pag. 234. Genesis 3. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel DISC. XLIII Page 238 2 Peter 2. 1. But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction DISC. XLIV pag. 245 1 Cor. 10. 3 4. And they did all eat the same Spiritual meat And did all drink the same Spiritual drink for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. DISC. XLV pag. 251 1 Cor. 10. 3 4. ... And they did all eat the same spiritual meat And they did all drink the same Spiritual drink DISC. XLVI pag. 255 1 Cor. 10. 5. But with many of them God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the Wilderness DISC. XLVII pag. 260 Deuteronomy 16. 16 17. Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse in the Feast of Unleavened bread and in the Feast of Weeks and in the Feast of Tabernacles and they shall not appear before the Lord empty Every man shall give as he is able according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee DISC. XLVIII pag. 265 Deuteronomy 16. 16 17. ... In the Feast of Unleavened bread and in the Feast of Weeks and in the Feast of Tabernacles and they shall not appear before the Lord empty Every man shall give as he is able according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee DISC. XLIX pag. 271 Genesis 10. 5. By these the Isles of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were divided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their lands every one after his tongue after their families 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their nations DISC. L. pag. 276 Genesis 10. 5. By these were the Isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands c. DISC. LI. p. 284 Psalm 50. 14. Offer unto God praise and pay thy Vows unto the most High DISC. LII p. 295 Revel 3. 19. As many as I love Irebuke and chaslen Be zealous therefore and repent DISC. LIII pag. 303 1 Ep. Iohn 2. 3. Hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandments THE FIRST BOOK CONTAINING DISCOURSES ON DIVERS TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE DISCOURSE 1. S. MATTHEW 6. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thus therefore pray ye Our Father c. IT was well hoped after the question about the lawfulness and fitness of a set Form of Prayer had been so long debated in our Church that the Sect of those who opposed
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
native signification thereof being to answer is also used for to sing as in Psalm 147. 7. where we translate Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving sing praise upon the Harp unto our God in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer unto the Lord in thanksgiving sing praise upon the Harp unto our God And Esay 27. 2. In that day sing ye unto her a vineyard of red wine in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer ye unto her And Numbers 21. 17. in Israel's song of the Well Spring up O Well sing unto it in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer unto it And Moses speaking of those that were worshipping the golden Calf Exodus 32. 18. It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery nor the voice of them that cry for being overcome but the noise of them that sing do I hear In the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voice of them that answer one another And so in other places But to put all out of doubt look Ezra 3. 11. where it is expresly said The Levites the sons of Asaph sung together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord Because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Hence was derived the manner of Praying and Praising God in the Christian Service alternis in a Musical way and as it were by way of prophesying and versifying even though we do but speak it only as you know the Poet sayes Amant alterna Camâ—enâ—â— Thus I have taken occasion somewhat to enlarge upon this particular that we our selves might the better understand the reason of what we do and what precedents and whose example we follow therein And thus much of Prophesying I COME now to the Second thing I propounded to speak of namely What was that Fault among the Corinthians which the Apostle here taxeth For the right understanding whereof I say two things First For the Offenders that they were the women and not the men That which the Apostle speaketh concerning men being by way of supposition only and to illustrate his Argument against the uncomely guise of the women à pari This appears because his Conclusion speaks of women only and nothing at all of men Secondly For the quality of the Fault it was this That the women at the time of praying and prophesying were unveiled in the Church notwithstanding it was then accounted an unseemly and immodest guise for women to appear open and bare-faced in publick How then will you say should it come to pass that Christian women should so much forget themselves as to transgress this Decorum in God's House and Service which they observed otherwhere I answer From a phantastical imitation of the manner of the She-Priests and Prophetesses of the Gentiles when they served their Idols as their Pythiae Bacchae or Maenades and the like who used when they uttered their Oracles or celebrated rites and sacrifices to their Gods to put themselves into a wild and extatical guise having their faces discovered their hair disshevelled and hanging about their ears This these Corinthian women conceiting themselves when they prayed or prophesied in the Church to be acting the parts of She-Priests uttering Oracles like the Pythiae or Sibyllae or celebrating sacrifice as the Maenades or Bacchae were so fond as to imitate as that sex is prone to follow the fashion and accordingly cast off their veils and discovered their faces immodestly in the congregation and thereby as the Apostle speaks dishonoured their heads that is were unseemly accoutred and dressed on their head Which he proveth by three Arguments Partly from Nature which having given women their Hair for a covering taught them to be covered as a Sign of subjection the manner of this covering being to be measured by the custome of the Nation Partly by an Argument à pari from men for whom even themselves being Iudges it would be an uncomely thing to wear a veil that is a womans habit so by the like reason was it as uncomely and absurd for a woman to be without a veil that is in the guise and dress of a man And howsoever the Devils of the Gentiles sometimes took pleasure in uncomeliness and absurd garbs and gestures yet the God whom they worshipped and his holy Angels who were present at their devotions loved a comely accomodation agreeable to Nature and Custome in such as worshipped him For this cause therefore saith he ought a woman to have a covering on her Head because of the Angels Lastly he concludes it from the Example and Custome both of the Iewish and Christian Churches neither of which had any such use for their women to be unveiled in their sacred assemblies If any man saith he be contentious that is will not be satisfied with these reasons let him know that we that is we of the Circumcision have no such custome nor the Churches of God For so with S. Ambrose Anselme and some of the Ancients I take the meaning of the Apostle to be in those words Thus you have heard briefly What was the Fault of these Corinthian Dames which the Apostle here taxeth From which we our selves may learn thus much That God requires a decent and comely accommodation in his House in the act of his worship and service For if in their habit and dress surely much more in their gestures and deportment he loves nothing that is unseemly in the one or in the other Which I doubt some of us at least of the younger sort are not so observant of in this place as we should and therefore with those whom it concerns would amend it And thus I conclude my Discourse DISCOURSE XVII TITUS 3. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost THESE words as it is easie to conceive upon the first hearing are spoken of Baptism of which I intend not by this choice to make any full or accurate Tractation but only to acquaint you as I am wont with my Thoughts concerning two Particulars therein both of them mentioned in the words of my Text One from what propriety analogy or use of Water the washing therewith was instituted for a Sign of new Birth according as it is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the washing of regeneration The other What is the proper Counter-type or thing which the Water figureth in this Sacrament I will begin with the last first because the knowledg thereof must be supposed for the explication and more distinct understanding of the other In every Sacrament as ye well know there is the outward Symbole or Sign Res terrena and the Signatum figured and represented thereby Res coelestis In this of Baptism the Sign or Res terrena is Washing with water The Question is what is the Signatum the invisible and celestial thing which answers thereunto In our Catechetical explications of this Mystery it was wont to be affirmed to be the
as well for the maintenance of Deacons as of Priests seeing he omits it not of Widows in the verse going next before this But unless he includes them under the name of Elders he makes no provision for them at all Besides this is not the only place some think where Deacons are comprehended under the name of Elders For the Council of Hierusalem Acts 15. 23. where they inscribe their Synodical Epistle thus The Apostles and Elders and Brethren to the Brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch c. may seem to comprehend the Deacons under the name of Elders or Presbyters otherwise they should omit them which without doubt were part of the Council There is another Exposition which allows also of two sorts of Elders to be here implied but makes them both Priests namely That Presbyters or Priests in the Apostle's time were of two sorts One of Residentiaries and such as were affixed to certain Churches and so did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praesidere Gregi govern and instruct their Flock Another of such as had no fixed station or charge over any certain place but travelled up and down to preach the Gospel where it was not or to confirm the Churches where it was already preached such namely as are elsewhere known by the names of Evangelists and Doctors or Prophets That these were those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that labour'd in the Word and Doctrine spoken of here by the Apostle That both these sorts of Presbyters were to be counted worthy of double Honour as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that ruled well as those that travelled up and down to preach the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but especially these latter because their pains were more than the others This is confirmed from the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Scripture signifies not only corporal labour as may appear in many places but seems to be used by S. Paul even in this very sense we have now given as 1 Cor. 15. 10. where he says comparing himself with the other Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have travelled up and down more than they all as is manifest he did These are the principal Expositions given by the Writers of our Church upon this passage of Scripture which is the foundation and only place whereon they build this new Consistory and are so much in love with it But this being capable as you see of such variety of Exposition how much too weak and insufficient it is to establish any such new Order of Elders never heard of in the Church from the times of the Apostles until this last age any man may judge But give me leave to propound a Fifth Exposition which shall be more liberal to them than any of those yet given For it shall yield them all they so eagerly contend for to be implied in this Text namely That there are not only two sorts of Elders here implied but also that the one of them are Lay-Elders such as have nothing to do with the administration of the Word and Sacraments What would they have more Yet they will be never the nearer for this concession For the Lay-Elders we grant here to be implied may be no Church-Officers but the Civil Magistrates which in Scripture-language we know are called Elders as when we read of the Elders of Israel of the Elders of Iudah of the Elders of the Priests and Elders of the People of Priests and Elders and the like According to such a notion the words may be construed by way of Transit us à thest ad hypothesin as Rhetoricians call it to wit in this manner Cum omnes Seniores sive Reipublicae sive Ecclesiae or Cum omnes Seniores etiam Reipublicae i. Civiles qui bene praesident duplici honore dignandi sunt tum maximè Seniores Ecclesiastici qui laborant in verbo Doctrina As all Elders whether of the Common-wealth or of the Church that rule well are to be accounted worthy of double Honour so especially the Elders of the Church that labour in the Word and Doctrine or thus Let all Elders that govern well of what sort soever be counted worthy of double Honour especially the Elders of the Church which labour in the Word and Doctrine Is not this good senâ—e and doth not the Apostle in the beginning of this very Chapter use the name Elder in the larger and more general sense when he says Rebuke not an Elder but exhort him as a Father and the younger men as Brethren the Elder women as Mothers the younger as Sisters why may he not then do so here And doth not S. Iames in his last Chapter v. 14. call the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders of the Church as it were in distinction from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders of the Commonwealth But it will be objected that this Exposition is too ambitious because it makes the Apostle to prefer the Elders of the Church before the Elders of the Commonwealth that is the Priest before the Civil Magistrate when he says that as all Elders whether of Church or Commonwealth are to be accounted worthy of double Honour so especially those Elders which labour in the Word and Doctrine which are the Presbyters of the Church But here know that the name of Elder is never given in Scripture to the Supreme Magistrate but to the Subordinate only and why the Ministers of the Word and Doctrine should not be accounted as worthy of double Honour as they or more worthy I know not especially if S. Paul here says it Sure I am this Objection is not sufficient to refute my Interpretation Thus I thought good to acquaint you how many ways this place may be expounded without importing any such new Elders neither Priests nor Deacons as they would impose upon us for Church-Officers by the sole authority thereof For though this Disciplinarian controversie of our Church stirred up by the admirers of the Genevian platform were in the heat before our time yet the Sect is not yet dead but ready upon every occasion to surprise such as they find unarmed or not fore-warned AND thus having informed our selves who they are which are here termed Elders come we now to see also What is that Honour which is due unto them which was the Second thing I propounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them be accounted saith the Apostle worthy of or Let them be deign'd double Honour That by Honour here is meant honorarium stipendium or a tribute of maintenance is manifest by the following words which the Apostle brings to inforce it For the Scripture saith Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corn and The labourer is worthy of his hire Who sees not what these proofs infer The first of them he alledges also in the same argument 1 Cor. 9. 9. where he adds Doth God take care for Oxen V. 10. Or saith he it
had provided for his Priesthood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take away from them out of whose labours this maintenance did accrue all occasion of upbraiding those who by Godâ—s assignment were to receive it he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The people were commanded to bring their offerings first to the Temple that thence the Priests might fetch them It being not unworthy God himself in token of gratitude for his infinite bounty and benefits to take some part back again from him upon whom he had conferred so great benefits and seeing himself the Giver of all good gifts stood in need of nothing it pleased him to transfer that honourable maintenance which was so returned him by way of thankfulness upon those that served at his Altar and ministred about holy things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he gives the reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they the Priests might take that their provision without being ashamed as not coming from men but from God the Giver of all good gifts to every one For they are his Ministers and not the people's and therefore to receive their wages from their own Master who imploys them and not from them The stating of the Question thus would make the way to the resolution of the controversie more easie and less invidious whilst we should plead for God and not for our selves For it is not needful that all which is given unto God should be spent upon his Ministers though it be true that their maintenance should be out of his Revenue and that honourable and competent But there are many other uses for the imployment of bona sacra the sacred Revenues if there be more than is competent for them and theirs building of Churches defraying of such as are sent to Synods and imployed upon other occasions of the Church furnishing of treasures for a Holy War the relief of the poor the Orphan the Widow the Captive and the distressed All which belong to Christ's provision Thus much of the First Observation Now I come to the Second That that which is consecrated to God may not be alienated to other uses The Reasons whereof are 1. Because none can alienate but he that hath the propriety and is Owner Dominium transferre non potest qui ipse Dominus non est But in things consecrate to God none hath the propriety but God For certainly a man cannot be said to have given that unto God wherein he still reserves the Title to himself as the Owner He that gives transfers the Dominium from himself unto him to whom the gift is made If therefore that which is given to God be God's then must those who go about to alienate it dispose of that which is none of theirs which whether it be just or not let any man judge 2. To alienate that which is given unto God is a Breach of Vow or Promise made unto him a lying unto him as my Text speaks And if it be a Sin not to perform what was vowed in the purpose of the Heart only as we see it was in this Story of Ananias much more is it to revoke a Vow already performed Nor will it serve turn to say This reason may indeed concern the person himself that vowed that he should not revoke again what he hath vowed but doth not take away from the Commonwealth or publick Magistrate their power to dispose of things subject to them For howsoever it be true That every private person and his goods are under the tuition of the Publick and the interest the Publick hath in either cannot be given away by the sole act of a private person yet in this case that Rule hath place which is given by Almighty God Numb 30. 3 c. concerning a Maiden's vow in her Father's house or a Woman's vow under covert That if the Father or the Husband hear the Vow and the bond wherewith she bound her soul and disallow it not but shall hold his peace then the vow shall stand So when the Commonwealth or publick Magistrate consents to and allows what is done as in this case it is supposed they do the vow and dedication is also irrevocable on their part Hence in Scripture it is made an inseparable property of that which is Sacred or God's not to be alienable As in Ezek. 48. 14. it is said of the portion of land to be laid out for the Levites They shall not sell it neither exchange nor alienate the first-fruits of the land mark the reason for it is holy unto the Lord. This was the reason likewise why a Iew might not sell out-right his possession in the land of Canaan but only for fifty years term or until the year of Iubilee because the whole land was holy and God's land and they but Vsnfructâ—aries So saith God Levit. 25. 23. The land shall not be sold for ever or out-right for the land is mine for ye are strangers and sojourners with me therefore v. 24. in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land Where he saith ye are strangers and sojourners with me the meaning is That as the Gentiles who became Proselytes had no inheritance in the land but dwelt therein as sojourners So was all Israel in the sight of God who would have none accounted Proprietaries of that land but himself having acquired it by his own powerful conquest from the Canaanite For although in the same land some part were yet in a more special manner the Lord's land yet comparatively and secundum quid the whole land was Sacred and His. As all Israel was a peculiar and holy people though the Tribe of Levi were in a more special sort the holy Tribe Now if that which was but in a more general sense holy and the Lord's might not be alienâ—ted what shall we say of that which is holy and His in the most special manner of all I speak all this while of that which is dedicate unto God absolutely and not with limitation or for term of time only for such Dedications I suppose there may be Now if any shall ask me whether this Assertion That things dedicate to God are unalienable admits not of some limitations I answer It may and that in two cases If either it can be proved that the Donation made unto God were a nullity or shewed that God hath relinquished the right which once he had But here the water begins to grow too deep for my wading yet I hope I may say thus much That whosoever he be that shall plead either of these Cases to acquit himself of Sacriledge had need be sure in a point of such moment that his evidence be good and such as he can shew good warrant for out of God's own Book To go upon bare conjectures will not be safe And for direction and caution in this Case I will add further That not every sinfulness of the person who is the Donor nor every default or
God as corporal food enableth the body for the continuance of corporal actions and works And such as this had been the Devil's fare had he not fallen from his first estate by sin whereas now in stead of that Manna he is fain with the Serpent to feed on a food as course and as base as the dust of the earth For as of a glorious Angel he is fallen to be a damned Spirit so is his diet answerable to continue him in that damnable estate namely a food clean contrary to that of the blessed Angels and a very earth to their heaven a most execrable joy and a malicious delight in whatsoever is opposite to the Power the Wisdom the Goodness the Glory of God his Creator this is that he hungreth and hunteth after and nothing but this If there were no sin no confusion no misery of creatures in the world the Devil would be soo◠starved for this is that he preys after this is that carrion he seeks for when he goeth about as S. Peter saith like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour I have read of a people of America that will eat no flesh before it be stinking rotten and then it seems to them most tender and delicate These are of a diet like unto the Devil for nothing but garbage and carrion are his dainties the more rotten with sin the more pleasing to his palate that which stinks most in God's nostrils that smells the sweetest in his Thus much of the second part of this Curse The last part remains I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed c. In which we will first consider The parties who are to be at this deadly seud Secondly The event and success they have one against the other For the first The parties are on one side said to be the Serpent and his seed on the other side The woman and her seed By the Serpent we are to understand Satan the Prince of darkness and Father of Devils The Serpent's seed in the first place are the whole crue of Devils and damned spirits who are fallen from their first estate and condition These are the Serpent's first-born begotten by him not by corporal generation nor as they are Spirits but by spiritual deformation as they are Devils For it is the opinion of Divines That Satan fell first himself and afterward propagated his Apostasie by drawing others after him over whom therefore he worthily deserveth to have the principality and chiefdom in which respect also were there no other yet he might be called their Father and they his sons or seed as we know the use of the Scripture is to call Princes Fathers and Subjects Sons The latter off-spring of the Devil being a second brood are the whole company of wicked and reprobate worldlings for that such as these are the spawn of that foul Fiend it appears clearly by the words of our Saviour to the Pharisees Ioh. 8. 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do And again 1 Iohn 3. 10. The children of God are opposed to the children of the Devil Therefore Christ calls Iudas a Devil Iohn 6. 70. And Paul Acts 13. 10. calls Elymas the Sorcerer a child of the Devil The case is plain And as the Vanguard consisted of the first crue so these latter are the Rere of Satan's Army Now on the other side against this Army of Hell-hounds stand The Woman and the Woman's seed The Woman though only named excludes not the Man who was to be at enmity with the Devil as well as the Woman But the reason of this unusual Trope which call◠the Kind by the name of the weaker and inferior Sex is because o◠the words following of the seed wherein is contained the great Mystery of Christ's Incarnation under whose colours and in whose power alone this Army is both to march and overcome For this great Captain was to be as you know the seed of the Woman only and not of the Man A Virgin should conceive a Son whose name is called Emmanuel Whence it comes to pass that some by seed will have no other seed to be understood but the person of Christ only both because he is alone that seed of the woman which is not the seed of man and because S. Paul Gal. 3. 16. on those words v. 8. In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed expoundeth seed singularly and individually of Christ himself alone But if it be well observed the case here is not the like for the seed of the Woman is opposed to the seed of the Serpent which seed cannot chuse but be taken collectively for Satan and all his regiments of Devils and Hell-hounds And why should not also the seed of the Woman be understood of Christ mystical that is of Christ the Head with all his members who are incorporate into him by Faith into one mystical body For although they are naturally the seed of Man as well as of the Woman yet spiritually by this incorporation they are the seed of the Woman only as is their Head with whom they are one And this it is which makes them of the party against the Serpent for till they once became the seed of the woman only there was no enmity betwixt them The seed therefore of the Woman I expound to be Christ and his Members He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the seed of the woman by nature they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their spiritual engrafment into him Hence appears the difference of these two Armies First In Satan's Army all march under their Father who begot them but Christ's Army sighteth under the Colours of their elder brother the first-begotten seed of the woman Secondly In their ranging Christ and his Army are as one body informed by one Spirit the Devil 's is far more disunited Thirdly In their fighting for in Satan's Army every Souldier useth his own strength and fights with his own weapons but in Christ's Army the whole strength lies in Christ their General all our armour is on his back and our weapons guided by the power of his hand So we may learn out of S. Paul Ephes. 6. 11 12. Put on saith he the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil For we wrastle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places Thus then having seen the marshalling of these two Armies which are at so deadly an enmity let us at last see The success of their skirmishes and of the stratagems which they practise one against the other These are described on the Devil's part very terrible that his head should be mauled but on Christ's side the loss should be very small the Devil prevailing but to the wounding or bruising of his heel But what is this Head of
the Serpent and what the Heel of the Woman's seed Those who understand The seed of the woman singularly of the person of Christ only make his Head to be the Godhead against which the Serpent could prevail nothing but his heel to be the Manhood which the Serpent so bruised at his Passion that the grave became his bed for three days together This indeed is true and no marvel for the Head is as it were the whole Bodie 's Epitome But we who have expounded The seed of the woman collectively of Christ and his Members must also in this mystical Body find a mystical Head and a mystical Heel and so in like manner for the Serpent and his seed The Head therefore or if you had rather Headship is nothing else but Soveraignty The Serpent's head is the Devil's Soveraignty which is called Principatus mortis the Soveraignty of death namely both objectivè and effectivè that is such a Soveraignty as under which are only such as are liable to Death both temporal and eternal and such a Soveraignty whose power consists not in saving and giving of life but in destroying and bringing unto Death both of body and soul. Under the name also of Death understand as the Scripture doth all other miseries of mankind which are the companions of this double Death I speak of This is that damnable Head of the Serpent the Devillish Soveraignty of Satan Now the Sword whereby this Soveraignty was obtained the Sceptre whereby it is maintained or as S. Paul speaks the Sting of this Serpent's head is Sin This is that which got him this Kingdom at the first and this is still the right whereby he holds the greatest part thereof Imperium iisdem artibus conservaâ—ur quibus acquiritur By the same arts and methods is an Empire conserved by the which it was at first obtained This Soveraignty of the Devil which once overwhelmed â—igh all the world the Woman's seed should break in pieces and destroy which according to this Prophecy we see already performed in a great measure and the grounds laid long ago for the destruction of all that remaineth As saith S. Iohn Ep. 1. c. 3. v. 8. The Son of God was manifested for this purpose that he might destroy the works of the Devil And Christ himself said that the time was come that the Prince of this world should be cast out and bade his Disciples be of good chear for he had overcome the world If you would see what a wonderful victory he hath long ago gotten of the Serpent when after a terrible battel he overcame and destroyed the Soveraignty of the Serpent in the Roman Empire see it described in the 12. of the Revelation v. 7 8. where Michael that is Christ and his Angels fought against the great Dragon and his Angels till the Dragon with all his Army was discomfited and their place found no more in heaven that is he utterly lost his Soveraignty in that state whence there was a voice in heaven v. 10. Now is come salvation strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ. And what he will at the length do with the remainder yet of the Devil's Soveraignty you may find in the 19. and 20. chapters of the Revelation For he must reign as S. Paul saith until he hath put all his enemies under his feet until he hath destroyed all power rule and authority adverse unto him And then last of all destroying Death by giving immortality to our raised bodies shall surrender up his Kingdom unto his Father as it is 1 Cor. 15. 25 c. But Satan saith my Text shall prevail something against him for the Serpent shall bruise his heel What is this Heel Those who understood the seed of the woman singularly as I told you made it Christ's Manhood But now we expound the seed Christ's Mystical Body what shall we make the Heel thereof I could say that by it were only meant a light wound or the Devil 's assaulting the Body of Christ ex insidiis at unawares for that is his fashion since the great overthrow which our Michael gave him to work his feats underhand and to undermine our Lord in his members But this though true is not full enough It may seem therefore the fittest to make hypocritical Christians who profess Christ outwardly but inwardly are not his to make these the heel of his Mystical Body for against such the Devil we know prevaileth somewhat and by them annoyeth the rest of the Body with his venome though he be far enough yet from impeaching our Lord's Headship and Soveraignty But will you give me leave to utter another conceit If the Blessed souls in heaven be the upper part of Christ's mystical Body the Saints on earth the lower part of the same may not the Bodies of the Saints deceased which lye in the earth be accounted for the heel For I cannot believe but they have relation to this mystical Body though their Souls be severed from them and yet must that relation be as of the lowest and most postick members of all If you will admit this then it will appear presently what was this hurt upon the heel when Christ had once mauled the Devil's head for the Text seems to intimate that the Devil should give this wound after his head was broken I will hold you in suspence no longer Read the 13. of the Revelation and see what follows upon Michael's Victory over the Dragon what the Devil did when he was down He forms a new Instrument of the wounded Roman Empire by whose means under a pretence of the Honour given to the precious Reliques of the Saints and Martyrs he conveyed the poyson of Saint-worship and Saint-invocation into the Kingdom of Christ with which wound of the heel the Devil coming on the blind side the true Church had been long annoyed and limpeth still DISCOURSE XLIII 2 PETER 2. 1. But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction MANY are the Prophesies in Scripture wherein the Holy Ghost forewarns us of a great and solemn Defection and Corruption of Faith which should one day overspread the visible Face of the Catholick Church of Christ and eclipse the light of Christian Verity and Belief S. Paul 2 Thes. 2. 3. foretels us that there should be an Apostasie or Falling away of Christians and the Man of sin be revealed before the coming of the day of the Lord. The same Apostle 1 Tim. 4. 1. tells us that though the great Mystery of Godliness spoken of chap. 3. 16. were then preached among the Gentiles and believed on in the world yet the Spirit spake expresly that in the latter times some should depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and doctrines of Devils or Daemons S. Iohn tells
one and the other were Spiritual or Sacramental namely in being Signs resembling and assuring Christ with the Spiritual Blessings through him 3. In what sense these Sacraments are said to be the same with ours to wit not in the Signs but in the Spiritual thing signified which is the Soul and Essence of a Sacrament We come now to such Observations as these Words and Explications will afford us The first whereof is That if the Seals and Sacraments under the Law were the same with ours then must they also have the same Covenant of Grace with us for the Sacraments are Seals of the Covenant If the Seals then were the same as our Apostle affirmeth how should not the Covenant also be the same and seeing their Sacraments were differing in the Signs from ours how could they be any way the same with ours but only in what they sealed and signified The Fathers therefore were saved by Grace and through Christ as well as we So true is that the Apostle says Acts 4. 12. There is no other name under Heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved For Iesus Christ as it is Heb. 13. 8. is the same yesterday and to day and for ever that is He was a Saviour of old is still and shall be for ever hereafter This is that which S. Peter yet more expresly affirmeth Acts 3. 25. saying Ye are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our Fathers saying to Abraham And in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Yea not only from Abraham but even from that time when God said The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's head was this Covenant made with men and at length diversly shadowed in the Types and Sacrifices of the Law until Christ himself was revealed in the flesh For the better understanding of this we must know what a Covenant is and what are the kinds thereof A Covenant is as it were a Bargain between God and man wherein God promises some Spiritual good to us so we perform some duty unto him if not then to incur everlasting punishment This Covenant is of two sorts the one is called The Covenant of Works the other The Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Works is wherein God on his part makes us a promise of Eternal life if we on our part shall perform exact obedience unto his Law otherwise to be everlastingly condemned if we fail The Covenant of Grace or of the Gospel is wherein God on his part promises us sinners Christ to be our Saviour and Redeemer if we on our part shall believe on him with a lively and obedient faith otherwise to be condemned The Covenant of Works God made with man at his Creation when he was able to have kept the conditions he required but he through his disobedience broke it and so became liable to death doth Corporal and Spiritual And though the Covenant of Grace then took place as we have said yet was the former Covenant of Works still in force until Christ who was promised should come in the flesh And therefore was this Covenant renewed under Moses with the Israelites when the Law was given in Horeb as Moses sayes Deut. 5. 2. The Lord God made a Covenant with us in Horeb. For all the time under the Law the open and apparent Covenant was the Covenant of Works to make them the more to see their own misery and condemnation and so to long after Christ who was yet to come and at whose coming this obligation should be quite cancelled Yet nevertheless together with this open Covenant there was a secret and hidden Covenant which was the Covenant of Grace that they might not be altogether without the means of Salvation whilst Christ yet tarried This truth is plain Gal. 3. 17 c. where the Apostle affirms That the Covenant of Grace in Christ was four hundred and thirty years afore the Law was given and that therefore the Law could not disannul it or make it of none effect but that the Law so he calls the Covenant of Works was only added to it because of transgressions until the blessed Seed should come v. 19. and that it might be a Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ v. 24. For in the Moral Law of God under whose curse they stood bound they might as in a Glass see their sin their guilt their want of Righteousness and in their Ceremonies and Sacrifices they might again as in Shadows of Heavenly things behold the means of their Reconciliation through his bloud who was to be slain and offered to God for them Now though this Covenant of Grace afore Christ be the same for substance with that under which we are now since his coming yet the circumstances and outward fashion thereof are so varied that the Scripture for this regard makes of this one Covenant two Covenants calling one the Old Covenant for the old manner thereof under the Law and the other a New Covenant for the new manner thereof now the Gospel is revealed Having therefore already seen the agreement and onâ—ness of them for the inward part let us now behold their differences for the outward fashion and so we shall see that as the Fathers ate the same Spiritual meat and drank the same Spiritual drink and yet there was some difference in them so the Fathers were under the same Covenant of Grace with us and yet after a different fashion This difference S. Paul Gal. 4. 1. c. setteth forth thus by a similitude The heir as long as he is a child c. i. e. The difference of the condition of those afore Christ and since is but as the condition of Heirs when they are under age and when they come to full years They are Heirs and Lords of all in both conditions as well in one as the other only the difference is that in the one condition they are in the state of Servants under Tutors and Governors in the other they enjoy the freedom of Sons So the faithful in the Law enjoyed the same Covenant of Grace with us but under the bondage of worldly Elements but we now have the same in a state of freedom as not held under such burthensome Elements and Pedagogies as they were But elsewhere he shews this difference more expresly both on God's part and our part First On our part Heb. 8. and elsewhere thus The Old Covenant which required so many external services is called a carnal Covenant the New wherein no such are required but works of the Spirit only is a Spiritual Covenant whereof God means when he saith v. 10. I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and so he will be their God and they shall be his people For in the Old Covenant he wrote a Law as it were upon their hands and fleshly members in that he required so many fleshly washings and sprinklings and
22. 8. and so he did indeed I shall need gather no more Examples Let no man therefore be discouraged for fear of danger to do his duty in that calling and vocation wherein God hath set him If God hath bid thee hope thou likewiâ—e he will protect thee But if thou neglect his commandment so to avoid what thou fearest be sure then that thou fearest or a worse will come upon thee take heed thou goest not out of God's blessing into the warm Sun Let Saul's example be our warning who to prevent as he thought the scattering of the people from him and the evil which longer delay might occasion if he should stay for Samuel presumed to offer Sacrifice himself but he was called a fool for his labour and made to know at length that Obedience was better than Sacrifice And so shall every one that makes so ungodly an experience find his policy in the end plain foolery and Obedience to God's Commandment better than all the Policy in the world AND thus I come to the third thing considerable viz. The place where every Male was to appear In the place the Lord shall chuse namely in the place where the Ark and Tabernacle of God should be which at the first was at Shiloh in the Country of Samaria and Tribe of Ephraim afterwards at Ierusalem in the Tribe of Iudah where David first pitched a new Tabernacle for the Ark of the Covenant after it had been taken by the Philistins and returned home again and in the same place his son Solomon built that glorious Temple which was the Beauty of the whole earth Of these two places spake the Samaritan woman in the Gospel to our Saviour Iohn 4. 20. Our Fathers said she worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship By Our Fathers she means the old Ephraimites from whom the Samaritans falsly vaunted they were descended upon which ground she likewise calls Iacob Our Father Iacob v. 12. For they were indeed the off-spring of those strange Nations which Shalmaneser transplanted into the Cities of Samaria when he had carried Ephraim and the rest of Israel captives into Assyria as we read 2 Kings 17. 24. By this Mountain she means Mount Ephraim where Shiloh was and the Ark and Tabernacle of God in ancient time had been For when Manasses the brother of Iaddus the High Priest was excommunicated and driven from the Priesthood because he had married the daughter of Sanball at the Horonite as it is in the last of Nehemiah v. 28. he with his faction to vex his own Nation procured a Temple to be built in Gerizim on Mount Ephraim whereof himself was the High Priest and to draw a company of Transgressors like himself from the Temple at Ierusalem unto this it was coloured as if this were the only place which the Lord had chosen because the Tabernacle was first pitched at Shiloh in Mount Ephraim and not at Sion on Mount Moriah and this was the bone of everlasting division and capital hatred between the Iews and Samaritans Thus we have seen where This place was first and last which the Lord had chosen Now let us further consider why it is thus called The place which the Lord shall chuse First therefore these words imply That the place for holy Assemblies was a select place For they were not to assemble in every place as occasion and opportunity served but to have a choice and select place for that purpose Secondly This place for Legal worship was to be one only place and no more and therefore here the singular number is used I say there was but one only place for Legal worship meaning Sacrifices and the Service accompanying them for otherwise they had many Synagogues for heaâ—ing the Law read and expounded Ierusalem it self had four hundred and in those the Scribes bore rule as the Priests did in the Temple But the reason why there was but one Temple and place of Sacrifice and Prayer was for a Type of that one only Mediator Iesus Christ in whom alone our sins are expiated and our prayers and thanksgivings accepted before God So that in the time of the Law to build an holy Altar or offer Sacrifices any where but here though it were unto the true God was a Typical Idolatry because it implied a multiplicity of Mediators of whose Oneness the one only place of worship and the one Altar was a sign which was the reason why it was so unlawful to sacrifice in the high places though it were unto the Lord their God And yet because it was but a ceremonial sin God did in the confused times of that Church sometimes pass by it as it were because of the hardness of their hearts as our Saviour saith in another kind But he that did dispense with an irregularity in figure because of the state of the times will never allow Idolatry in deed such as is that of the Church of Rome who fulfil the very substance of that whereof the Iewish sin was but a Type whose Mediators are so many that they are not easily numbred and though they for excuse subordinate them all to Christ as the chief and derive their Mediatorship from the virtue of his merits yet is this but like unto that of the erring Church of the Law which notwithstanding God's commandment to the contrary had a conceit that they might sacrifice in any high place so it were unto the Lord their God only The third and last thing which these words imply is That this select and only place should be of the Lord 's own chusing The place he shall chuse But how should the Lord chuse it it seems by giving some extraordinary sign of his allowance in accepting their Sacrifice or it may be they did consult him in this case by the Oracle of Vrim and Thummim For of the first place in Shiloh we have nothing expressed but only read Ioshua 18. 1. That the whole Congregation of Israel assembled together at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle of the Congregation there But of the second place in Mount Sion we read That the Angel of God commanded Gad to say to David that he should set up an Altar in the threshing-floor of Ornan and that when David offered thereon burnt-offerings and peace-offerings the Lord answered him from heaven by fire upon the Altar of burnt-offering and that David hereupon designed that place for the Tabernacle and future Temple saying This is the house of the Lord God and this is the Altar of the burnt-offering for Israel 1 Chron. 22. 1. Now to make some application of this to the times of the Gospel The two last circumstances of this place concern us not For that of one place was a Type and so is gone the second of God's immediate choice seems to be so also and to be a figure of that which the Angel Gabriel said to the blessed Virgin
Hamath and of Arpad where are the Gods of Sepharvaim Isay 46. 1 2. prophesieth thus of the taking of Babylon by Cyrus Bel boweth down Nebo stoopeth they could not deliver the burthen but they themselves are gone into captivity In the like strain prophesieth Ieremy chap. 50. 2. Babylon is taken Bel is confounded Merodach is broken in pieces her Idols are confounded c. And again Ier. 51. 44. I will punish Bel in Babylon and I will bring out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up and the Nations shall not flow together any more unto him yea the wall of Babylon shall fall The same Prophet saith of Moah's captivity chap. 48. 7. Thou shalt be taken and Chemosh shall go into captivity with his Priests and his Princes together Moab likewise in his affronts and derision of Israel is said to have magnified himself against the Lord. According to which manner of speech the success and prevailing of the Roman in the advancing his Dominion and subduing every Nation under him is here expressed by his exalting and magnifying himself above every God This I suppose to be the ground of that manner of speech though if any had rather as others do take Gods here for the Kings and Potentates of the earth it will I confess come all to one purpose 4. By the Gods of their Ancestors whom the Roman State should at length cashier and cast off are meant all the Pagan Deities and Heathen Gods which were worshipped in that Empire 5. By the Desire of Women which the Roman also at that time should not regard as he was wont is meant Desire of Wiving or Desire of having Women for the society of life conjugal affection which is expressed Gen. 2. 24 to be such a desire for which a man shall leave father and mother and cleave to his wife and they shall be both one flesh And it might have been translated in this place Desire of Wives as well as Desire of Women for there is no other word used in the Original for Wives above once or twice in the whole Scripture but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here turned women With the like use of the word Desire the Spouse in the Canticles chap. 7. 10. expresseth her wel-beloved to be her Husband I am my wel-beloved's saith she and his Desire is towards me that is He is my Husband for so twice before the expressed her self chap. 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his and chap. 6. 3. I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine So Ezek. 24. 16. the Lord threatning to take away Ezekiel's wife saith Behold I take away from thee the Desire of thine eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and afterward ver 18. it followeth And at even my wife died Yea the Roman language it self is not unacquainted with this speech Cicero ad uxorem Eu mealex meum desiderium This Desire of women and married life the Roman should discountenance when he shook off the Gods of his Ancestors 6. By the Strange and Forein God whom the Roman should at length acknowledge is meant Christ. For though to the Iew every Strange and Forein God were a False God yet to the Gentiles who worshipped none but the Idols the Forein God was the True Therefore the Philosophers at Athens when S. Paul preached Christ unto them said He preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Forein God The want of which consideration hath much obscured this Prophecy this ForeinGod being still supposed to be a False God when to those who worshipped all kinds of False Gods as the Roman did a Forein God whom their Fathers knew not must needs be the True 7. Where it is said With this Forein God he shall honour Mahuzzims these Mahuzzims or Maùzzims are these Daemons we seek for whom the Roman should worship with Christ whom he should embrace For Mahuzzim are Protectores Dii such as Saints and Angels are supposed to be as I shall shew by and by where though I may be new for the particular yet for the general I shall agree well enough with the Fathers who constantly thought that under these Mahuzzim was some Idolmeant which Antichrist should worship and many of our time have taken it for the Mass. But I must first say something of the translation of this 38. verse and then will come to the signification of this word Mahuzzim For the first Whereas the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usually neglected and the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Mahuzzim construed together as one thing viz. God Mahuzzim or as some The God of Forces I express the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and construe God and Mahuzzim apart as Two viz. To or Together with God he shall honour Mahuzzims c. Ad vel juxta Deum Mahuzzimos honor abit c. For the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies the same with it namely an Addition or Adjoyning of things Ad Iuxta Apud and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super propter c. To Besides and Together with as Lev. 18. 18. Thou shalt not take a wise to her sister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is together with her sister By this means the controversie betwixt Iunius and Graserus is taken away For Iunius as should seem seeing no reason why the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be neglected and that by so doing the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was made irregularly and against use to govern a Dative case he expresses the Preposition by Quod ad or Quod attinet ad that is As concerning But the words God and Mahuzzim he sundreth not but turneth them as in statu constructo viz. The God of Mights or Forces understanding thereby the True and Almighty God himself Against which Graserus excepts 1. That to render the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad As concerning savours of a Latinism rather than of an Hebraism 2. That he doth as good as strike out the distinctive Accent Athnach ◠which is a Colon in as much as he makes the sentence being a full member to be imperfect and defective and yet would seem to stand in awe of that smaller distinction Zakeph-katon over the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mahuzzim which yet stands there as elsewhere but for a Nota bene 3. That to expound God Mahuzzim to be the True God against the consent not only of Iews who ever take it for some Idol or other but of the ancient Christian writers who understand by it some Idol of Antichrist yea some the Devil himself and of many of our own who take it for the Idol of the Mass and some otherwise yet for an Idol-deity To expound this of the True and Almighty God without example in Scripture Graserus thinks not tolerable Wherefore himself had rather yield the
construction of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be irregular Iunius himself having admitted it in the next member of the verse and to suppose it to be a mystical Solecism the Spirit intending by the Anomaly and incongruity of the Syntax to signifie an Anomaly and incongruity of Religion But these inconveniences on both sides as far as I can see are wholly avoided by that Translation we have given whereof let the Reader judge I come now to unfold the signification of the word Mahuzzim a word which the most Translations retain the Septuagint calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Ierome or the Vulgar Latin Maozim the Geneva and others Maüzim This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mahuzzim I say is in the Plural number the singular is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mahoz which in the abstract signifies sometimes Strength sometimes a Fortress or Bulwark of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robustus fuit But the Hebrews use Abstracts for Concretes Examples are many in the Old Testament as Iustitia pro Iustis Captivity for Captives c. In the New Testament Principalities Powers and Dominions for Princes Potentates and Dominators So Mahoz Strength or a Fortress for him that strengthens or fortifies that is a Protector Defender Guardian Helper Wherefore the Septuagint five times in the Psalms render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mahoz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Vulgar Latine as often Protector the places are these Psal. 27. 1. The Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Protector of my life of whom should I be afraid Psal. 28. 8. The Lord is their strength and he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MahoZ Ieshuoth the Mahoz of Salvations of his anointed where the Septuagint hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulgar Protector salvationum Psal. 31. 3. Bow down thine ear to me deliver me speedily be thou unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Rock Mahoz Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. in Deum Protectorem Again vers 5. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ki atta Mahuzzi for thou art my Protector the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulgar Protector Psal. 37. 39. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mahuzam their Mahoz in the time of trouble and the Lord shall help them and deliver them from the wicked c. where the Septuagint and the Vulgar render as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Protector How think you now Are not Saints and Angels worshipped as Mahuzzims True Christians have with David in the Psalms before quoted one Mahoz Iehovah Mahoz that is Christ but Apostate Christians have their many Mahuzzims O would they worshipped only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Mahoz of salvations as you heard David even now call him Psal. 28. You may if you please compare with these places of the Psalms that in the first verse of this eleventh of Daniel where the Angel saith he stood in the first year of Darius the Mede to confirm and be a Mahoz to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate to strengthen him By which we may see how fitly this name may be applied to Angels and so to Saints supposed in helping protecting and assisting to be like them Thus you see the concrete sense of Mahoz for an Helper Protector and Defender is not new But what if we take the word passively Force and Strength for Forts and Strong ones Will not then the valiant Martyrs and Champions of the Faith well bear the name of Mahuzzims And these are they whom at the first Christians worshipped only in this sort as an honour peculiarly due uto their sufferings Moreover that you may not think this word and the notion thereof improper to be given unto a Deity observe that the true God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Rock seven times Deut. 32. which the Vulgar turns as often Deus yea in the same place False gods are called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Rocks ver 31. Their Rock that is the Gentiles Rock is not as our Rock even our enemies them selves being Iudges and ver 37. Where are their Gods that is Baalim their Rock in whom they trusted which did eat the fat of their sacrifices c. The like you shall find in Hannah's Song and other places of Scripture See now the parity The True God is called a Rock Baalim and False Gods are also Rocks The True God or Christ himself is often by David call'd Mahoz why may not then False Gods or Plurality of Christs be called Mahuzzim Rock and Fortress are not words of so great difference Thus having cleared the chiefest difficulties in the Text and made the way smooth let us read over the words again and apply the Interpretation unto them CHAP. XVII A particular explication by way of Paraphrase of the forementioned Prophecy in Dan. 11. This further illustrated by several Observations wherein the Events are represented as exactly sutable and appliable to Daniel's Prophecy That at the beginning of Saint-worship in the Church Saints and their Reliques were called Bulwarks Fortresses Walls Towers Guardians Protectors c. according to the native signification of the word used by Daniel Mahuzzim A brief explication of the following verses in Dan. 11. viz. vers 40 41 42 43. Dan. 11. Vers. 36. THen a King shall do according to his will and shall exalt or magnifie himself above every God 36. THat is Toward the end of the Reign of Antiochus Epiphanes the Roman shall prevail and set up the Fourth Kingdom making himself Master of the Kingdom of Macedon and advancing himself from this time forward by continual conquests shall Lord it over every King and Nation Yea against the God of Gods shall he speak marvellous things and shall prosper until the Indignation be accomplished For the determined time shall be fulfilled Yea Christ the God of Gods and King of the Kings of the earth who in those times should appear in the world the Roman shall mock blaspheme and crucifie and by most bloudy Edicts shall persecute and massacre his servants the Christians and yet shall prosper in his Empire until these outragious times be ended that is until the daies of Constantine For the time God hath appointed must be fulfilled Verse 37. Then he shall not regard the Gods of his Ancestors nor shall he regard the Desire of Women no nor any God but he shall magnifie himself above all 37. When that appointed time for the date of his prosperity comes to its period and the time of the ruin and change of his Dominion draws near than this Roman State shall cashier and forsake the Idols and False Gods whom their Fathers worshipped and shall acknowledge Christ a God whom their Fathers knew not At that time the Desire of Women and married life shall be discountenanced and shall not be of that account and regard it
that of Israel's Mora in deserto an estate and condition externally better than what they came from in Egypt but inferiour to that they should in time attain unto Yea besides this general the Allusion is most fit for many particular Correspondencies Moses brought the Israelites out of the Egyptian bondage into the Wilderness a place where they might worship and sacrifice unto the Lord safely where the Law was given Tabernacle built Ordinances both Sacred and Political enacted c. So did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great Constantine deliver the Apostolical Woman and brought her into the like condition wherein she might worship Christ safely the Laws of the Church were established Tabernacles for Christian Worship erected Tâ—thes and Revenues assigned c. And had not this Christian Wilderness a Calf too made of the Ear-rings stoln from the Egyptians Was there not here found a Korah among the Sons of Levi with his partakers men of renown to rebel against Moses and Aaron and to offer strange fire unto the Lord Was there not here a Balaam to deceive and a Baal-Peor to be worshipped was there not a Marah and a Meribah Yea was there not here also as well as there those who brought an evil report upon the Land whither they were to go Farther might not God say of the times of this Christian Wilderness as he did of the abode of Israel there Psal. 95. 10. Forty years long was I grieved c. and Amos 5. 25 26. Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years O house of Israel But ye have born the Tabernacle of your Moloch c. CHAP. 17. 14. and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful i.e. The Lamb and those called and elect and chosen ones which are with him shall overcome the Beast So I understand it These are that Virgin-Company Chap. 14. which follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth and shall now accompany him in this Exploit This therefore will serve for a Character Synchronistical That that Virgin-Company continues in time to the end of Babylon and the Beast and for an intimation of whom that Vision meaneth viz. such as faithfully adhere unto the Lamb while the Beast reigneth and the rest of men admire and worship him CHAP. 19. 15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations So it was prophesied of him by Esay chap. 11. 4. that he should smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips should shay the wicked and in 2 Thess. 2. 8. he shall consume that Wicked one viz. Antichrist with the Spirit of his mouth Christ our General nor fights nor conquers by force of Arms but by the power of his Word and Spirit He does all nutu verbo As it is said Psal. 33. God made the world by his word and by the breath of his mouth in like manner doth Christ overcome his enemies and enables his Ministers to overcome them also Verbo Spiritu oris Agreeable hereunto is that in Hos. 6. 5. I have hewed them by my Prophets and slain them by the words of my mouth CHAP. 20. 6. Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the First Resurrection What is meant by the First Resurrection see in The Remains upon the Apocalyps Book III. pag. 604. and in Book IV. Epistle 20. Vers. 14. And Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire This is the Second Death Nothing is hereby meant but that Death was now quite vanquished and that there should be no more Death of Body or Separation of Soul but only the Second Death As if it had been said Death and Hades were now confined only to the lake of fire which is the Second Death The Death of Bodies in the grave should be no more nor the state of Separate Souls in Hades CAP. XI Commentationes Minores in Apocalypsin CAP. 1. vers 3. Tempus enim prop è est i.e. Iam adest tempus quo verba Prophetiae hujus impleri coeperint indies magìs magÃsque implebuntur Vers. 4. ab eo qui est qui erat qui venturus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eadem habentur verba vers 8. cap. 4. 8 cap. 11. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venturus idem est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Futurus ut ex cap. 16. 5. manifestum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utì locum hunc restituit Beza ex vetusto bonae fidei manuscripto codice Seculum Futurum Haebraeis est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unde Marc. 10. 30. Luc. 18. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Psal. 71. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esa. 27. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venturis sub diebus id est Posthac Imposterum Esaiae 44. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulgat Ventura quae futura sunt Dan. 9. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Populus Principis venturus id est futurus Et à septem Spiritibus qui in conspectu throni ejus sunt Per Spiritus hos intelligit Angelos Aretas in locum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cornelius à Lapide pro eadem sententia Iunium laudat sed fallitur Fortè Drusium dicturus fuisset nam ille sic sentit ad hunc locum ubi inter alia habet Septem Archangelos esse qui stant coram Deo etiam Ionathan prodidit Sed ubi non commemorat Locus est Gen. 11. 7. Dixit Dominus Septem Angelis qui stant coram eo Venite nunc c. Cum istis facit Th. Beza Quòd inquit Septem hos spiritus nonnulli pro Spiritu Sancto acceperunt cujus septiformis ut loqunutur sit gralia manifestè refelli potest vel ex eo quod scribitur infrà 5. 6. Et paulò pòst Vt nemo de hoc possit ambigere iidem isti Septem Spiritus infrà cap. 5. 6. Agni cornua oculi id est ministri dicuntur Accedit quòd in cap. 8. 2. expressè dicuntur Angeli Vidi inquit Ioannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septem Angelos qui adstant coram Deo Confer cap. 4. 5. Septem lampades ante Thronum quae sunt septem Spiritus Dei Cap. 5. 6. Agnum stantem tanquam occisum habentem cornua septem oculos septem qui sunt septem Spiritus Dei missi in omnem terram Zach. 4. 10. Septem isti oculi sunt Domini qui discurrunt per universam terram Videsis etiam Tobiae 12. 15. Ego sum unus ex septem Angelis qui astamus ante Dominum Cypr. adversus Iudaeos lib. 1. 20. Hilar. in Psal. 118 vel 119. Psal. 129. vel 130. Adde Clem. Alex. lib. 6. Strom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Septem quidem sunt quorum est maxima potentia primogeniti Angelorum principes Sed de Septem hisce Angelis