the beginning made heaven and earth Mathe. Why may not one think that this world came by a revolution of things or else by some fatall necessity or else by chance Phila. Because there is no reason to ground such thoughts upon for till something was made out of nothing by creation there were no things to be the subject of revolution or if there were yet revolution runneth to confusion without a disposer to order those things Nor by fatall necessity for who should determine or impose that fatality but God who hath done what he pleased both in heaven and in earth and for whose pleasure all things are and were created Rev. 4. ult Nor did the world come by chance for no man can impute erection or making things to chance but rather destruction as death not birth Every house is builded by some man but he that made all things is God Heb. 3.4 For God first made the common matter of all things included in the first words of Moses Gen. 2.2 In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth and the Earth was without form and void which the Poets called Chaos and the Philosophers The first matter Chehn Vabobu This was made by the effective word of God who is Being it selfe Heb. 11.3 who gave this fusion by his word which Chaos or fusion had no power in it selfe to produce any thing no more then an egge can make it selfe a chick without some heat added thereunto Therefore the Spirit of God moved or coured on the waters Gen. 1.3 who by its vertue made a perfect digestion of this heape bringing that into act which was before only in possibility by giving it life and form as an Hen by sitting on an egge produceth a living creature Omnia sub uno igne genita sunt Trisme For as he first made the universall matter so next he made out of that first things more generall as the elements then things more imperfect as things without life before things with life that the things that had life might feed on them which had not as beasts on the herbs and Adam on the fruits Mathe. What did God make first Phila. The Mahometans say the first thing that God made was a pen A simple conceit it may be their Prophet put in that to make them beleeve God have him a transcript of his mind for them This pen surely was his wisedome and power by which he did expresse his mind by his works and his first work was light not to give him light with whom is no darknesse but to give light to his works that they reflecting one upon the other might all glorifie him whose light is the life of men John 1. By this light contracting or dilating it selfe the evening and morning was measured till God on the fourth day made the light to know its center the Sun as he did make every herb before it grew in their center the earth Gen. 2.5 From whence come such divers occult qualities though many of them grew upon one turfe Mathe. When were the Angels created and in what numbers Phila. Their number no doubt is innumerable as Dan. 7.10 a thousand times ten thousand ministred to God And they were no doubt created with the third heavens Philo in Peri-Cosmo Job their habitation and that was made the first day Gen. 1.1 And therefore Job cals them the morning stars and the sons of God shouting for joy at the beginning And the Apostle cals them Angels of light 1 Cor. 12. And of these no doubt some were superiour some inferiour as may be perceived by their severall names in Scripture Isa 6.2 Gen. 3.25 1 Thes 4.16 Colos 1.16 Seraphims Cherubins Archangels Angels Thrones Principalities Powers Dominions none of which he made to help him in creating the world as Simon Magus and Cerinthus and other hereticks have taught and so brought in the worshipping of Angels confuted by St Paul Col. 2.18 But surely God made them the first witnesses of his works and to administer to the Church of God and hath imploied them in the highest matters of the Church except in matters of his own prerogative viz. the justification and sanctification and the donation of grace and the like And so the Law was given by the ministration of Angels Gal. 3.49 Dan. 12.1 Zach. 12.1 Drusius Zeza in Rev. 1.4 and Michael the Archangel stands for the Jewes Dan. 10.21 And Zachary tels us there were seven eies set upon one stone i. some say seven spirits watching and guarding the new Temple of which Zorobabel laid the first stone So Gabriel is sent to instruct Daniel in the Vision and to Zacharias about John Baptists birth Luke 1. and to the blessed Virgin Mary concerning Christs conception and birth So Raphael accompanied Tobias and Jerechmiel instructs Esdras Tobit 5.4 These were elect Angels not only by predestination but eminence Mathe. But all the Angels continued not in their created estate how came that Phila. In their fall appeared first the effect of Gods foreknowledge and decree for many of them kept not their first estate and so brought in the first mutability Their sin was pride rebellion and envy Pride in seeking to stand by their own created perfection Heb. 1.6 without dependency on the grace of the second person Col. 1.15 whom they were to worship as Gods first born The chiefe of these is shadowed out in Scripture under the name of Lucifer and his glory by Nebuchadnezzer and the King of Tyrus Isa 14.12 He drew to his faction many others who liked not the said dependency Zanc. de laps Angel And to this they were moved by envy say some finding either by diligent inspection into Gods work or else by revelation that Gods first born would be a medium of uniting a more inferiour creature then an Angell to himselfe 1 Tim. 3.16 seen of Angels and that all the Angels of God must worship that glorious Union Upon this they fall into rebellion against whom stood up Michael and his Angels and by the power of the highest drove them down to these lower regions where they are reserved in chains of darknesse in a dim and uncomfortable knowledge of God against the judgement of the great day In the mean time he ruleth as a Prince in the aire especially in the hearts of the disobedient for whom is prepared the blacknesse of darknesse for ever Mathe. How do you gather that this was their sin Phila. Because he not only continueth in the same but also hath endeavoured to draw men into the same sins of pride envy and rebellion as our first parents to be as gods and to envy to God their obedience and to rebell against Gods commandement Beside we see that he hath alwaies kept up the same sin among men by making men to set up Idolatry some to aspire to be worshipped and called Elohim or Lords some to debase God to the
not plainly declare it only it saith such a place there is prepared for the devill and his angels called an Abysse and bottomlesse pit but whether it be under the waters where the old Rephaims or giants buried in the deluge of which is spoken Pro. 21.16 a man that wandereth from the way of understanding shall remain or in any subterraneous fires Pro. 21.16 which break out in divers places of the world Surius Hecla Aeina which fires I take to be not subtile enough to torment such spirits But that there is a place of torment to which they are reserved is typed forth to us by a place under the waters where the dead lie sighing Which place of hell is naked before God without any covering which is called also Job 26.5 6. Abaddon Prov. 15.11 the place of destruction And such a place seems to be under the earth from which Esay eloquently saith Esa 14.9.10 that the hell from beneath is removed to meet the King of Babylon after his ruine saying to him in an upbraiding manner art thou become like one of us So the vallie of Hinnom is a type of it from which hell was called Gehenna after the captivity from the detestable use of that where they burnt their children in Tophet to the Idol Moloch for which God made it a place of abomination First by the burning of 185000 of the dead Assyrians there whom the Angel slew 2 Kin. 19.35 prophecied of therefore Esa 30.33 and there likened to hell And 2 ly by King Josiah who made it a common lay-stall Jer. 7.22 And thirdly by buring the bodies of the Jews there who were massacred by the Babylonian army when Jerusalem was taken till no place was left to bury there therefore afterward called the vallie of slaughter Jer. 19.6 all which together with the burning of Sodom with fire and brimstone argueth such a dreadfull place to be reserved but where it is or whether yet it is till all these lower places be dissolved is doubtfull Mathe. Where are these evill spirits Phila. About the earth and the aire Therefore St Paul cals Satan the Prince of the power of the aire Hieron in Ephes 6. O ig in Num. cap. 22. 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude ver 6. And all the Doctors for the first 400. years held the same opinion Indeed the devill durst adjure Christ not to torment him before the time whereby it seems they were not as yet cast into hell but as St Jude saith and Peter also they were cast downward and are reserved in chains or for chains of darknesse to the last judgement when they shall be confined by the divine workman when the mystery of God is finished to their terra damnata the Abysse of blacknesse of darknesse for ever Mathe. What doth or can this knowledge profit me Phila. Very much As 1. Ovid. rudis indigest moles Since God first made a rude Chaos as a subject to work upon though he could have made all rightly formed at first but to shew how he intended to work upon us whom he foresaw would make our selves a deformed lump namely that his spirit must move upon us and that he would call light out of darknesse that we might become children of light for the Creation was a type of our recreation and the first Adam of the second and making all so excellent as he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a prototype of what he meant to do by his personall and declarative word by whom and for which all things were created 2. Out of light he made the highest heavens the place of the blessed for them to dwell in a light never to be extinguished that we might know there is a rest for the people of God and therefore not to set up our rest here nor mind things below but above to have our conversation in heaven and seek another City whose builder and maker is God 3. He began with light not that he needed it but to teach us not to doe the works of darknesse but walk in light and to begin our works with the light of true understanding not with blind affection or rashnesse 4. Because some of the Angels of light fell because they would not stand by the way God had determined as by his grace power or order but rather by their own devise and so fell from heaven Take heed of desiring to be independent which God hath granted to nothing in this world for all depends on Gods power or love or grace or order Jude Ep. that he hath set except such as will fall by envy pride or rebellion into destruction especially men if they go in the way of Cain or the gainsaying of Corah or love with Balaam the wages of unrighteousnesse they must needs fall with the apostate Angels Mathe. What order did God observe in creating the world Phila. 1. He made the generall and more imperfect creature as the elements under the name of heaven and earth 2. Things composed of them some with life as trees herbs beasts birds fishes some without life as stars meteors stones and minerals with which when he had furnished the world like a fair house then he made man and put him in possession of all 3. He made some in actuall being Homers Chain as the vegetative and chiefe sensitives some only in potentiality of being as those many creeping things which heat and moisture is apt to produce 4. In this great work he hath ordained certain midling natures by which as by certain links of a chain we may be led to the highest natures As 1. Water and earth is coupled by slime air and water by vapors fire and air by exhalations So chrystall is a middle nature between water and the harder sort of precious stones So Quicksilver between water and mettals Corall between roots and stones so some vegetals are of a middle nature between a plant and a living creature as the Mandrake and the Zeophytes so some sensitives as the Amphibions are creatures of a middle nature between fish and flesh such are Crocodiles Seals and Sea-Morses so Estriges are a middle nature between a beast and a foul a Bat between a creeping thing and a bird an Ape between man and beast Hermaphrodites between man and woman a man between a bruit and an Angell an Angell a middle nature between an intellectuall and rationall spirit Christ a mediator uniting God and man together Mathe. Whether had God no coadjutor in this work of Creation Phila. He had none For God is the sole cause of creation and Being is the first effect of creation and nothing can come between the first cause and the first effect but a meer nothing and therefore God had no instrument or coadjutor to assist him No not Angels for they can do nothing in an instant as God doth in creation by an efficacious word only which doth distinguish him from all false gods and heathen vanities as Jer. 10.11
your gods that made not the heavens and the earth shall perish Mathe. Of what did he make the world Phila. Of nothing and that not of nothing privatively as an Idol is said to be nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8.4 i. hath no divinity in it Nor of a comparative nothing as Esa 40.15 The whole world is nothing in comparison of God but he created all of nothing negatively and simply i. he had nothing to make all but his word only And he only can bring a thing to nothing when he pleaseth to substract his divine influx as Psal 90.3 So he can only turn one substance into another without naturall preparation as water into wine John 2. and Lots wife into a pillar of salt Gen. 19. Therefore Satan to trie Christs divinity would have him to turn stones into bread So God only can give forms to things Gen. 1.2 3. to which purpose his spirit was said to move upon the waters So he only gives life preserves and restores it Therefore to God we attribute three creations 1. To make all of nothing 2. When he makes that good which was perfectly evil Gen. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 51. Create in me a new heart 3. When he shall restore all men at the Resurrection Mathe. In what form did God make the world and into what parts Phila. Certainly round so Psal 93.1 He hath made the round world so fast that it cannot be moved And this roundnesse is sphericall not like a round trencher but like a ball as appeareth now by experience though thought otherwise in former times The parts in generall are heaven and earth the one including the other For the earth and sea making one globe hangeth in the aire upon nothing Job 26.7 Not as the Poets think weighed with its own weight But because as Job saith God stretched out the North upon the empty place By North Ovid. Metam lib. 1. Thahava understanding not so much the Northern part but that magneticall vigor which God hath impressed upon that vast circumference in which the earth hangeth which vigor figuratively is called the North because though it attracted all the parts of the Chaos to the center of the North and South Poles yet the North Pole hath the more magnetick vertue which vertue is of such power in both Poles that if the earth could be remembred from them yet it will thither again like a needle removed from the Load-star Thus God hath hung this huge globe upon no basis nor sustentation for the sea runs in the earths channell and the earth hangs meerly by a magnetick attraction and meridionall projection without any prop at all Mathe. Whether might not the world have been made better Phila. Not in respect of the totall though in regard of some parts for every part was good though not one part so good as another but all being made God saw that it was so very good as it could not be mended So in respect of some particular men it were better they were born Noble or rich yet in regard of the totall corporation of men in which all cannot be alike it is better for them to be as they are It is sufficient that God makes all good though not all in the same height of goodnesse Mathe. To what use is the heaven and the stars Phila. For the nourishing of the inferiour creatures in the aire earth and sea by their influences For God therefore hath included the inferiour globe in the heavens upon whose highest extream circle he sitteth Psal 68.32 and by his providence in nature nourisheth this great egg causing a perpetuall generation and production of creatures therein The stars serve to give light to measure time by their motion to divide seasons to give life to plants as say some of the Hebrew Doctors that every herb hath its mazal or star Mathe. Have they not power in mens Nativities and Fortunes Phila. The Scriptures deliver to us no such thing save what is said And it is fit we rest therein and not to thrust our selves into things of uncertainty as Colos 2.18 some did about the worship of Angels for what power can they have more then over the bodie of man as to encline his mind to this or that since man is endued with free will and subjected to education which is more powerfull then stars as we see in some Socrates marked out by nature to some vices which good tutoring preventeth Therefore surely as judiciall Astrology is doubtfull so it cannot be lawfull 1. Because it imputes that to the stars which God hath not endowed them withall 2. Because it hath no evidence of divine writ 3. The authors of it were men of no sound judgement or Religion as the old Aegyptians Chaldeans Babylonians or Arabians Nor doth God any where in Scripture commend it to his people either for knowledge or practise and yet were it fit for them surely God would not grudge it them as the devill insinuated to Eve about the tree of knowledge But we find it forbidden under the names of a planetary or an observer of times as if one day were good and another bad Deut. 18.10 and God hath denied his people to consult with Astrologians and punished them for being furnished with sooth-saiers from the East and proclaimed himselfe to be one that frustrateth the tokens of the lyars and maketh the Diviners mad and chargeth his people that they should not be afraid of the signs of heaven as the heathen were Hor. Ode babylonios tentare numeros And indeed some of the ancient heathen Poets have thought it ridiculous to cast figures or to try nativities And the Primitive Christians in token of their conversion to Christ burnt their books of curious Arts. Beside some of great knowledge in it yet will not practise it and they that have done it have run into high presumption As he that supposed that Christs disputing so young with the Doctors was caused by the Planet Jupiter being in his ascendent and Libra the cause of his justice and righteousnesse Thus they make Jacobs star subject to Planets which if he were he had needed no other star to be created purposely for his nativity Beside Mat. 2. it renders the providence of God but vain to be depended upon if the influence of the stars necessitates us to good or evill Also it makes void the crosse of Christ if a man could be exempted from it by the benignity of his stars So it prevents our devotion and waiting on God by faith and hope which God requireth in all those that are in covenant with him Besides stars are things meerly materiall consisting of light and heat and not things spiritually animated by either Angels as Trithemius and others thought who counted seven elect Angels to be the praefects of the seven planets The old Poets like the heathen before them thought Philo. Biblius Diodorus Plat. de defect Orac. that the
cry so bitterly my God my God why hast thou forsaken me which internall sorrowes were as neer infernall sorrowes as the innocent surety of our salvation was capable of which no mention was made in the Creed but only by this Article or that by the efficacy of his death he did pierce into hell i. wheresoever the cursed spirits have their residence despoiling them of their power and confirm their damnation and to signifie the deliverance of his people from their captivity Ephes 4.8 And it seems to me that David intended this sense Psal 16.10 thou wilt not leave my soule in hell i. in sorrow and anguish nor suffer my body to know corruption All which should work in us sorrow for sin which put Christ to so much and make us to descend in all humility under the hand of God as he did that with him we be exalted in due time Also to shun despair since God can bring us from the sorrow of hell it selfe as he did our blessed Saviour Mathe. But I pray tell me the benefits obtained by his resurrection Phila. It is said Phil. 2.9 that for his sufferings God hath highly exalted him so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and earth and under the earth and that every tongue should confesse that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father Now this exaltation consisteth 1. In his Resurrection 2. In his ascension 3. In his session at the right hand of God 4. In the outward and inward adoration of the intellectuall and rationall creature 5. In his comming to judge the world Mathe. Foure of these I agree to but the bowing at his name I doubt of as I doe also of many other gestures which have been used in the Church assemblies Phila. I know this outward gesture hath been much controverted But when I consider that God alloweth of outward visible as well as of the invisible worship and that St Paul saith we must glorifie God in our bodies as well as in our spirits and that this posture of bowing the knee is founded upon the glory of God in Christ Phil. 2.10 It may be practised by Christians yea Chrysost ad popu Antioch hom 61. and ought to be at certain times of devotion as a token of the same and to testifie our submission to Jesus Christ whom God hath so highly exalted and assigned him this worship as a part of his reward for suffering Theodo in Phil. 2. that by our humility he may be exalted who was exalted for his humility even to have him honoured in his name when absent in reference to his person I know that many objections are made against it As first that all things that are here spoken of have not knees as Angels below and above I answer nor have they tongues therefore shall not they confesse him The meaning then is that all in their severall manner shall willingly or unwillingly be subject to Christ whom God hath exalted by manifesting him to be the eternall son of God So that as we that have knees are to bowe them to the person that owns that name Jesus so shall all others do first or last willingly or forcibly to the same person and his power For the bowing to the name as a word or at the naming thereof alwaies I do not understand the text intends it but that Christians in old time did use to uncover their heads at divine service when this name was pronounced in signe that they did acknowledge his deity Zanc. in Phil. c. 2. against the blasphemy of the Jewes and Arrians who would not acknowledg his Godhead is plainly to be found Hiero. in Isa 45.23 and that they bowed the knee also which the Jew in pride would not doe which in time did degenerate to superstition Yet sure as it may be superstitiously used so it may be irreligiously neglected since that Christ hath said he that honoreth the Son honoreth the Father and that he will have all men worship the Son as they worship the Father and that God hath included his own name in Jesus I am Isa 43.11 and beside me there is no Saviour and therefore being Jesus the Savior he must be Jehovah too our righteousnesse Jer. 23.6 Upon this ground I beleeve our Church hath injoined this gesture as may be seen in the 52. injunction of Queen Elizabeth and in the eighteenth Canon But antiquity is antiquated and the Church authority disalowed and so Gods worship disanulled Mathe. Now I pray declare the manner and the benefits we have by his Resurrection and Ascension and his session in heaven and his comming to judgement Phila. First ye are to know that only Christs body can properly be said to rise because that only died although the soule and it were never disunited from the person of the Son of God though the soule was divided in death from the body of which rising there was testimony enough both of Angels and men The time of his rising was the third day neither sooner nor later And that first to fulfill both his type of Isaac who was taken alive from the altar the third day after he was destined for death Gen. 22.4 which receiving was in a figure Heb. 11.19 i. of Christs resurrection and also of that prophecie Hos 6.2 the third day he will raise us for by him we shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.22 Againe he rose this day as it were to give a new beginning to the world He died the day of the week that Adam was created and rose the first day of the week on which God began the world by which he enlightned Heaven and Earth with the grace and joy of his resurrection Also he rose with the sun to shew that he was the true Sun of righteousnesse that was to rise with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 to enlighten the new Christian world after so long a night of dark legall shadowes spoken of Cant. 2.17 and Rom. 13.12 bringing life and immortality to light through the Gospell 2 Tim. 1.10 2 Tim. 1.10 The manner of his rising was admirable As first by his owne power John 2.19 dissolve this temple meaning the temple of his body and I will raise it up again the third day So John 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it up againe this he did as he was God He did it by himselfe from the Father through the eternall spirit Again he rose by such a way as never any man did before namely as the Prince of life as the first born of the dead as the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15. He never saw corruption nor ever was to die any more as Lazarus and others He rose in the same body that was buried Luke 24.39 and in despight of his keeper as the Church shall do in despight of all opposers and with an earthquake to shew how he will shake
expounders thereof The next sign is the reviving and publishing the everlasting Gospell and profession of the reformed religion from superstition prophecied Rev. 14.6 which hath been set on foot by the Protestant religion in these latter times The next sign will be the fall of spirituall Babylon which in all likelihood is Rome by the martiall power of Princes Rev. 17.16 17. The other signs will be a generall corruption of manners Then the calling of the Jewes great alterations in heaven and earth but how is not set down But at last shall be seen the sign of the Son of man comming in the clouds Mat. 24.30 but what kind of sign this will be is uncertain Some say it will be the appearance of the Crosse and instruments of Christs passion Lyranus as the spear and nailes that pierced him and the other altogether Others say that a sword shall suddenly fall from heaven to signifie to all true beleevers Lactant. l. 7. c. 1 that the Captain of the Lords host is comming Others think that Christ shall appear with his Crosse carried before him Damianus de moribus Aethiop and a sword in his hand as ready to be revenged on the ungodly that have crucified him and of the enemies to his Crosse Others think the sign of the Crosse shall be carried before him in the clouds Chrysost in Mat. Muscul in Mat. as a testimony that it was he that was crucified or that it shall be the fignall of his triumph against the devill and the world whom by it he hath conquered Col. 2.15 Others say that this signe shall be the body of Christ appearing with all the marks of his wounds about him Dr wilket Calv. Pet. Mart. but whether they shall appear in his glorified body I know not Others say that this sign of the Son of Man shall be his celestiall power and glory with all the eies of the world to him and this is likely to be the sign even himselfe in glorious appearance as Luke 21.27 and Mark 13.19 who names no sign but himselfe Mathe. But how shall men be tried Phila. No doubt but by sufficient law and evidence They that have sinned without law shall perish without law Aug. in Rom. i. those that have sinned by nature without the law moral shall be judged by the law of nature with the law morall and those that sinned in the law shall be judged by the law Beside there shall be sufficient evidence to judge them by for we read of books that shall be opened Rev. 20.12 As first the book of nature and herein the creatures that we have abused shall testifie against us Jer. 17.1 Next the book of Scripture which we have disobeied Luke 12.48 Thirdly the book of Conscience which as a thousand witnesses shall convince us when it shall be awakened which is now asleep Then the book of Gods remembrance for the comsort of good men Mal. 3.16 and the terror of the wicked when God himselfe shall be a swift witnesse against them Lastly the book of life full of the names of Gods children Phil. 4.3 and also Rev. 20.12 yea rather then faile the heavens and the earth shall declare our iniquity and stand up against us Job 20.27 Mathe. What shall be the last issue of this day of judgment Phila. The godly shall have the possession of 1 Thes 4.17 where they shall have First the vision of God which is the very life of the sonle as the Sun is of plants Secondly their own natures perfected 1 Cor. 13.12 2 Cor. 3.18 their faces shall shine like the Sun their bodies active like spirits and shall have health without the least weaknesse their souls full of knowledge and their heart of perfect holinesse their company Angels and the spirits of just men Heb. 12.23 among whom shall be perfect love and amity Secondly the wicked shall be thrust into hell among the devils where they shall be deprived of the comfortable sight of God and heavenly glory excepting so much as Dives saw to the increase of his own griefe Also a worm of conscience shall ever be gnawing upon them by a remembrance of their sins with the unspeakable torments of fire unquenchable and the horrid presence of devils of which horrid troubles they shall never find ease nor end so that they shall loath the life they have and shall never find that death they desire And then shall follow the creation of new heavens and earth not in substance but in quality for as the old world was not annihilated by the deluge no more shall this by fire but they shall be melted and cast into a new mold as St Peter doth well expresse that though the inferiour heavens shall passe away with a noise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. and the elements shall melt with fervent heat and the earth with the works there in shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 Yet though all these things shall be dissolved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 12. ver 11. and 12. and melted neverthelesse we look according to Gods promise for new heavens and earth wherein shall dwell righteousnesse In which also the creature shall have a restitution as appeareth Acts 3.21 and 8.23 from bondage to liberty i. from the bondage of corruption and mutation and the service of wicked mens humors not that all that ever was shall be so but every sort of creature that are then alive at the last day which God made in their severall kinds at the creation shall be restored and for ought I know reserved at the pleasure of God as the examples of his wisedome and power in the creation And last of all then shall Christ deliver up his Kingdome to God the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 not his glorious and eternall estate which he ever did and must enjoy with the Father but his temporall government which was delivered to him with all power by the Father Luke 10.22 to rule in the Kingdome of grace by holy means and ordinances by which he having now subdued all enemies fulfilled all truth and delivered his elect from all sin and punishment and brought them to eternall happinesse he gives up this Kingdome to the Father to rule them in glory not excluding him lse but as the Father ruled by him in the Kingdome of grace so he now in and by the Father in the Kingdome of glory for ever Amen The end of the first Part. A CHRISTIAN DIALOGVE between PHILALETHES and MATHEIES Part 2. Mathetes CHrist being thus plainly set forth in the Old Testament how came the Jewes not to beleeve upon him Phila. 1. By their own hardnesse of heart not beleeving the Prophets but also persecuting of them and refusing to hear them Jer. 6.17 2. By the just judgement of God who therefore laid a stumbling block before upon which the father and the sons fell together ver 21. And Christ became to them a stumbling and a rock
before Jesus Christ Next they divided into fourteen The first sort called the Muncerians of Muncerus of whom I have spoken before An old Sect 130 years ago Secondly Apostolikes because they wandered about without staves shooes or mony They washed each others feet and left houses wives and trades They grew chargeable to the common purse they put away their wives when they pleased at last were excommunicated by the rest of the brethren as idle vagabonds The third were Separatists because they sequestred themselves from the world and brave cloaths marriage meetings feasts and musick and arms looked sad and sighed much The fourth were called Catharists because they pretended purity without sin and said children had no originall sin and denied them baptisme and would not say the Lords Praier The fifth were Silentes because they seldome spake The sixth were called Enthusiasts who said the gift of prophecy by dreams came to them and therefore would lie much in trances like Mahomet when he was in a paroxisme or fit of the falling sicknesse or like our Quakers They said Anabaptisme was holy but childrens baptisme came from the devill The seventh were called Liberians or Libertines who misunderstanding the liberty of Christ to be worldly and carnall thought themselves free from paying rents tributes or tithes though Christ paied tribute to Caesar and also took liberty to commit all uncleannesse The eighth were called Adamites because they thought themselves in the state of innocence and therefore accounted cloaths to be a sign of the curse and therefore went naked as did the old Adamiani 300 yeers after Christ in their Conventicles or Hupocausta under ground caves which were warmed by secret furnaces or stoves in which place they stood naked men and women The ninth sort were called Hutites from their author Iohn Huta These denied Christs divinity with the Arrians The tenth were called Augustinians who conceived there was no entrance into Paradise till Augustin the Bohemian opened it forgetting that Christ said to the thiefe on the crosse this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The eleventh was the Beuckeldians who said that it was an holy thing to have many wives at once forgetting Mal. 2.14 where it is called trechery against the wife of thy youth of which covenant God is the witnesse The twelfth was the Melchiorists who of one Melchior Hoffman their Prophet at Strausborough whom they look for to come with Elias at the day of judgement and hold that Christ was not conceived and born of the blessed Virgin Mary but only passed through her as water through a conduit in which they agree with the old Eutychians The thirteenth were the Georgians so called of David George the originall of the Familists who thought himselfe a greater Prophet then Christ and that he would rise three yeers after his death and restore the Kingdome of Israel but he was never heard of since The fourteenth were Menorists so called of one Menor a Frisian by whose name for a certain time they were generally called These differed not in doctrines from the rest no more then did the Muncerians and Hutites Some were founded as I have shewed upon ancient heresies some of them hold the same opinions with the rest but have added more to them Many others there were as the Henerobaptist Gastius de Ana. Exord p. 20. that baptized himselfe daily if the weather were temperate Others did follow Servetus who not only denied baptisme to children but denied the deity of Christ who was burnt at Geneva in the year 1553. Hist of Anab. p. 53. Others sottishly abusing Christs words except you become like children you cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven would turnble and battle in their own dung and play like children and innocents and lie with one another but I beleeve not very innocently Calv. contra Libert Some denied the resurrection of the body Deukius held Origens error that in time the devils and wicked men should be saved Others set all Christian duty in praier like the old Euchytae Others so left all things to God that they neglected the means God appointed Vid. Hezychi Stephan Budaeum Others held that all that were not plunged in water were not rightly baptized whereas the Greek word in the New Testament for baptizing signifieth washing or sprinkling as well as plunging as Mark 7.3 and Heb. 9.10 And if the Scriptures gives a word of divers interpretation no doubt but it was that the Church might use such a form in baptizing as the word admits or as the region and weaknesse of the party baptized permitteth Mathe. But do our Anabaptists now among us hold such hereticall opinions Phila. I beleeve all do not hold alike but take them together or severally you shall find all or some either to have a tincture of old heresies or else newly dipped into other colours divers from the truth Mathe. I pray make that appear Phila. Some of them hold that Christ shall come from heaven 1000 years before the generall judgement and shall raign with the Saints upon earth and shall destroy all the wicked viz all that are not of their sect And this before Christ come they have endeavoured to put in practice and so they prove Millenaries and somewhat worse Others hold that they are the communion of Saints and that all those that have been notorious sinners and excommunicate may not be restored again upon their repentance and so they be Novatians Yet this is but a pretence for I find their practice contrary for they do either account their own sins none or else favour them in the punishment Others say that in the true Church there are no scandalous livers and if so it wil be hard to prove their Church to be true though they say the Church is bounded in their societies and therefore separate from all other Christian assemblies therein shewing themselves Donatists Some again of them hold that Christ took not his flesh of the Virgin Mary And so held also the Priscilianists Others of them hold that it is lawfull for the people to lay violent hands on the magistrates and depose and slay them how supreme soever they be and so are plain Jesuits Some of them hold that election is of foreseeen faith and that man hath free will of himselfe to refuse or accept Gods grace and that a true beleever may fall away totally and finally from grace and so are Pelagians contrary to St Johas tenet 1 John 3.9 Others say that there ought to be a parity in the Church of ministers contrary to St Paul who saith that without all contradiction the lesse must be blessed of the greater Heb. 7.7 and therefore left Titus in Creet to ordain Elders i. ministers in every City Also that Church Service and Ceremonies are superstitious and that the Church of England is no true Church and therefore must be left and in this they be Brownists Mathe. How came these into England Phila. After this
the unrepentant yea sins before they are committed yea they say it is lesse dangerous to break Gods Commandements then the Popes as to break the Sabbath rather then an holy day or the Lent fast and flesh eaten on Friday is more punished then theft or adultery Again he maintains the doctrine of devils by forbidding marriage and meats 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3 and maintains heathenisme for true Religion by commanding the worship of images and the adoration of dead Saints which was the practice of the heathens in worshipping of their Daemons Beside this Antichrist doth equall if not prefer the blessed Virgin Mary before Christ as may be seen by the titles they give unto her as the Turks set Mahomet above Christ And farther his religion is patched up of other petty Antichrists and therefore certainly he is the great Antichrist For as the Valentinian hereticks and Marcion when they were confuted by Scripture they said that the Scriptures were insufficient obscure and of no authority so do the Papists Aug. cont Pelag. Epipha her 42. So as the Pelagians held free will to remain in man fallen for the choosing of any spirituall good so do the Papists So the Marcionite held women might baptize so do the Papists Iren. l. 1. c. 13. The Carpocratians denied to Lay men the reading of the Scriptures so do the Papists that their mystery of iniquity may not be discovered The Manicheans held the body of Christ to be but imaginary so do the Papists in that they tell us of the body of Christ in the Sacrament without its true proprieties Aug. haer 71. And as they gave only the bread in the Sacrament so do the popish Priests The Tassiani did forbid Priests marriage so doth the Pope Euseb lib. 5. eccl hist c. 17. Montanus invented lawes for fasting so did the Papists The Collyridiani worshipped the Virgin Mary whom Epiphanius cals idolaters haeres 79. The Marcionits preferred virginity above all things Epiph. haeres 2. so do the Papists The Carpocratians had images of Christ to worship so have the Papists And the hereticks called Apostolici admitted none into their fraternity unlesse they deprived themselves of their goods and renounced matrimony so do the popish Monks and Friers The Armeni worshipped the crosse so do the Papists And also in many other things the Pope licks up the vomit of old heathenisme and heresie and differs from the true Christian Religion in sixty and odd severall points But beside the papacy appeareth to be the great Anrichrist because he denieth Jesus to be Christ not in words 1 John 2.22 but in effect because he denieth the person of Christ and his office For in his doctrine of transubstantiation in the Lords Supper he denieth the proprieties of Christs humane nature and by consequent his Mediatorship So he makes void his Propheticall office as if he had not perfectly revealed the will of his Father John 15.15 and therefore the Pope deviceth other doctrines as necessary to salvation So he disanuls Christs Priestly office by setting other Priests to offer a sacrifice of the masse for quick and dead Heb. 10.14 and annihilates his sole Mediatorship and intercession 1 Tim. 2.5 by appointing the mediation of Saints Also he abrogates Christs Kingly office by assuming to himselfe all power in heaven and in earth Concil Lateran sess 10. yea arrogates to himselfe power over soules departed to send them to purgatory and fetch them out at his pleasure Clem. 6. in sua bulla Rev. 13.13 Nicol. Lyra. in cap. 4. Daniel or to canonize them Saints as he thinks fit Again he useth false signs and lying wonders 2 Thes 2.9 pretending to cast out devils and make images to sweat weep or smile which kind of wonders if they had any semblance of truth yet are not to be expected in these latter times however they were necessary in the first planting of the Church Greg hom 19. in Eâ—ang and ministers are rather to be judged to be true because they do none rather then otherwise saith Chrysost in 49. hom on Mat. for they were necessary that the world might beleeve yet after men do beleeve Aug. lib. 22. de civil dei it were strange to expect miracles But beside the Pope exerciseth the power Civill and Ecclesiastick as Rev. 13.12 whereby the power of the first beast is meant in authentique Writers the power of the Roman Empire which was much wounded and weakned Rev. 13.12 but healed by the Popes taking on himselfe the authority thereof and so becomes rich and potent being adored with gold and silver and adorned with purple and scarlet Rev. 17.4 And farther you may know this beast by his marks of cruelty and therefore as the first beasts bodily shape is likened to a Leopard Rev. 13.2 his mouth like a lion and his feet like a bear as if all the cruell properties of Daniels beasts were met in him together with the blasphemous tongue of Antiochus Epiphanes whom Polybius cals Epimanes the mad man So the Popes cruelty and tyranny is set forth in the second Beast Rev. 13.11 like a lamb but spake like a dragon exercising it on true Christians as it is foretold Rev. 13.15 17. that all that would not worship the first beasts image that is the Pope himselfe should be killed and that none should buy or sell but such as bore some mark of his obedience Otto the first to Pope John the twelfth 942. as the mark of the Beast by his ordination of Priests and oath taken of Emperours and Princes or that bore his name by imposition on the people called Papists of Papa Grat. distinct Q. 3. the Pope or Roman Catholicks or else that had the number of his name by subjecting themselves to the soveraignty of the Latine Church as Michael Paleologus was fain to promise to Gregory the tenth 1273. at Lions in France that he would subject himselfe and his people to him till which time he would suffer no aid to go out of the West to relieve the Christian Greek Churches in the East And thus he sits in the Temple of God as a politick tyrant that is in their consciences whom he hath seduced and commanded to serve him who would seem to be the true Church and Temple of God and yet are in the mean time but the Citizens of spirituall Babylon which is interpreted to be Rome by St John built on seven hils It is true that he speaks of two beasts Rev. 17.9 Rev. 13.1 11. the first is generally taken to be the successive heathenish estate of the Roman Empire which persecuted the Christians openly the other the successive estate of Popes after the apostacy from the Gospel-truth who by idolatry superstition and persecution and Seat in Rome became the image of the first Beast It is simple to think that Antichrist is one man as it were to say that Israel were the name of one man only whereas
upon the soule to which at first he gave being and making man the instrument to produce it in the seed Mathe. I pray give some places of Scripture to prove the production and some reasons drawn from thence for many places seem against it Phila. Some seem against it but are not so as Exod. 21.22 c. that a man if he hurt a woman with child and her fruit depart from her and yet mischief or death follow not i. upon the mother then the punishment shal be but a fine or mulct but if mischiefe or death follow then he shall pay life for life Now if this mischiefe or death be understood of the woman this place argueth nothing to the souls production by propagation If it be meant of the child then it must have life and how a reasonable creature can have life without the form of it viz. a reasonable soule I know not therefore the judgement surely was to be made upon the child quickning and so life was to answer for life but whether the soule be not infused before even at the conception is still questionable So Numb 27.16 he is called the God of spirits yet is he not also the God of our bodies yes sure as 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your bodies for they are Gods But Eccles 12.7 seemeth to make a greater difference for the body is said there to return to the dust but the spirit to God that gave it yet this proves only the soules immortall estate after death not any immediate creation of it except he relates to Adam whose creation was immediate of dust and his soule immediate from God but our bodies are not so and the question still remains whether the soule be not conveied by Gods speciall concurrence in propagation So Isa 57.16 it is said of God I will not alwaies contend lest the soules that I have made faile before me but that is meant by the generall life of all creatures Beside who knoweth not that God makes us we teach our children so to answer us in their Catechisme because God did it originally and doth it still by his benediction of parentall seed yet we know also that the parents beget the children So Ezek. 18. it is said all souls are mine but that is all persons So Zach. 12.1 It is said God formeth the spirit of man within him which no man will deny but the question is still of what whether of nothing or of the parents substance corporall and spirituall Indeed that place of Zachary intends the first mans forming as we see by his alledging Gods stretching forth of the heavens and laying the foundation of the earth which was at the creation or if he meaneth the souls of men since the creation then by forming cannot â—e understood creating of nothing But you will say that God is called the Father of Spirits in opposition to the fathers of our flesh but the opposition is not made there between God and man or soule and body but between naturall life and casuall correction and spirituall but be it meant of God and naturall parents yet it proves nothing to the souls production for he is the God of our body as well as of our spirits Mathe. But if the soule be of a spirituall substance and nature how can it be propagated in generation Phila. Because it is not propagated after a bodily manner though the whole man begets the whole man for the soule consisting rather of power then parts the propagation of it is by promotion rather than decision nor is the soule so spirituall as to be simply simple for only God is so but hath a spirituall composition though not elementary which the God of spirits can blow up to a flame which kindles presently upon fit matter by vertue of his first word given to the nature of man saying increase and multiply and by his continuall assistance to mans generation Mathe. But generation of souls argueth a corruption of souls and so it is not immortall Phila. It followeth not for the corruption of the soule in propagation is only a mutation from power to act and so is not corrupted by putrefaction but advanced by perfection it is the same as it was but not in the same manner as it was and so the soul propagated is not corrupted nor is the soule propagating corrupted for it is neither divided nor diminished no more then the flame of a lamp is by lighting another Mathe. But if it passe in propagation then if conception faile a soule is lost in the emission of seed for want of conception Phila. Not so for the soule is never procreated but in conception namely when the seed of male and female meet in one together with the efficient power of God concurring with all naturall causes for the production thereof therefore when conceptions faile the soule continueth as it was so in unlawfull copulations with other creatures God not conferring his power no rationall creature is brought forth but the soule remains without communication of it selfe Mathe. But if the soule be so traduced from the parents then from one of them or both and I see not how one soul can be divided nor yet how one soule can be made out of two Phila. It cannot be from one for the seed of neither male nor female alone conteins the matter and form of the creature to be produced but two do make one two in number and sex being united make a third and this is Gods ordinance in nature that mankind should be distinguished into two sexes and by their uniting again the whole kind should be preserved neither is the soule divided because it consists not of parts but powers and therefore the propagation of the soule is not done by decision Zanch. de tribus Elohim p. 2. l. 3. cap. 7. but by operation whereby the same power is effected in another which the soule hath in it selfe yet it is neither annihilated nor diminished because it is a spirituall nature as we understand God to beget his Son and communicates to him his whole essence and yet the Father retains his whole essence And this need not trouble us since we see the forms of other creatures are indivisible as well as mans soule and yet they beget their like without any division of their essentiall forms And for the making of one soule out of two you are to conceive how two in act may make one for man and wife is not only one flesh carnally but their very soules do so cleave together like Jonathan and David that they would become one which because they cannot do they by the assistance of God conspire with the fitnesse of other causes to produce another creature like themselves Athanas de var. p. 16. as flint and steel smote together begets fire which is the next creature that a fervent motion can beget Mathe. When do you judge the soule to be thus traduced Phila. At the first conception no doubt and
mankind from the wrath of God the slavery of Satan and the dominion of sin and death which rightly to know and beleeve leads to life eternall Mathe. How may one attain this knowledge Phila. By right understanding the holy Scriptures in its propositions and consequences Now the Scripture tels us that the first man sinned and so incurred the wrath of God upon himselfe and all his posterity Rom. 5. yet he so graciously promised him that the seed of the woman should break the serpents head i. ruine the policies and works of the Devill wrought in and against man Now from whence commeth this doth God intend to put up this wrong and passe it over then how can his justice be satisfied or if infinite justice must be satisfied by some suffering for that sin then who must undergo it If we look upon God as absolutely one without distinction then the offended must mediate with himselfe and so put up this offence yea the Father God must be the sufferer without any mediator Gnosticks or Patrispassiani But this cannot be for a mediator is not of one but God is one Gal. 3.20 yet infinite justice must be satisfied by an infinite person The scriptures therefore declare that in the Godhead there be three persons Father Son and holy Ghost Now though we cannot so well apprehend how the essence divine can mediate to it selfe for man yet we may conceive how one person can mediate to another and so that the Son who lay hid in the bosome of the Father before all time did consult and mediate with the Father about it We must therefore understand first That God made man as perfect as a creature rationall could be made saving only that he gave him not immutability which is a portion beyond created nature For the very Angels that stood once were yet mutable in themselves and they that stand now are not immutable in themselves though they be in their estate and the reason is they that fell chose to stand by their own naturall power without dependency upon God they that stood chose to stand by dependency upon the Archangell the Son of God the first born of every creature Colos 1.15 and of whom the whole family of heaven and earth is named Eph. 3.15 these were the elect Angels Now as they stood by love so man must be recovered by faith in him Aug. Servans hos salvens illos that is the same Archangell and Son of God Jesus Christ who is the head of men and Angels Col. 1.18 creating both but preserving them and saving us from all the bitter effects of sin and leading us to eternall selicity by grace on earth to glory in heaven This is the way to felicity first To know God Then secondly my selfe and miserable condition and thirdly The remedy in Christ Mathe. How come men to wander so much in the seeking of it Phila. The reason of it is first The sin of Adam and Eve who sought to find the chief good in that which God the chiefe good prohibited Mans soule is troubled with a vertigo ever since and running round in a maze is not able to find the right object and if any time we come neer it yet like the Sun comming to his verticall point in the tropick we turn back to the old course Some men know nothing of felicity yet they aime at something they fansie to be good for them yea at a kind of immortality as in writing building or to practise Arts or Arms or purchasing and conquering all which are but shadowes of felicity and may keep our names alive while the soule may be damn'd as the body is dead Some are worse that place their felicity in carnall delights as in cating drinking Phil. 3.19 and wantonnesse which ends commonly in bitternesse shame and death Now though that felicity is thus divorsed by mans mistakings 〈…〉 ing round in a large circumference of mans vain apprehensions yet by serious consideration it may be reduced to one centrall point for when we have wearied our selves like Noah's Dove we must return to the Ark at last for rest and safety for only in God the soule takes rest Aratus for as we are the off-spring of God Acts 17.27 28. so he is not far from any of us and we may find him by nature if we would grope after him but especially by Scripture which teacheth us to know God in Christ for none can come to the father but by him otherwise we know not felicity at all or not rightly for as no man can divide a circle till he have found the center so neither the circumference of true felicity till we fix the foot of our affection in God like one foot of a compasse And as a man may find the center of a circle though he seeth it not so may one find God in the circumference of his works though he never saw him and felicity in Christ though he never yet knew it before Mathe. The knowledge of God being mans felicity it is not amisse to prove there is a God for he that commeth to God must beleeve that God is therefore I pray you prove to me there is a God Phila. I suppose you urge not this question because you doubt it but because you would have reason to satisfie others therein Therefore that there is a God fit to be known of all men I shall prove by reason for though Scriptures be enough to prove it to us that beleeve yet not to them who beleeve not therefore reason in this point is needfull for many will not beleeve unlesse their understanding be over-powred by miracle or revelation or by some extraordinary energeticall operation of God upon the soule they will not beleeve except their reason be convinced of the truth of Scriptures that they are of God and of divine revelation otherwise he thinks that his faith is but implicit or folded up in other mens beleefe or a weak yielding to antiquity or authority of Lawes and Customes without examination of their analogy and agreement with pure and primary reason and I beleeve if pure reason were not clouded by idlenesse ignorance or wilfulnesse it would prove a more impartiall judge of truth than the Pope himselfe who beleeves the Scripture by the ground of antiquity and forceth his conclusions drawn therefrom upon mens consciences by his own authority which men being made his vassals yield to any thing for quietnesse sake though themselves have no satisfaction therein From whence it is that most Christians profession of Religion is but either forced by fear of authority or voluntarily resigned up to another mans judgement or setled upon ones obstinate wilfulnesse neither which is saving faith For though we give some assent to Scriptures at first being moved by the authority of the Church to whom we owe respect and reverence as the people of Samaria first beleeved for the womans sake John 4.42 yet at last they beleeved
were called to their Images and took cognisance of their cases and then like patrons sollicited them before the gods or spirits of the stars above whose dwelling was not with mortals as said the Chaldean Astrologers to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2.11 â—esiod For the soules of these men they thought to be preserved to be Tutelaries and Patrons to defend their States Cities or Countries yea their houses which spirits or daemons they called Lares or Penates Cicero de Nat. Deor. of all which we find some footing in holy Scriptures but among heathen writers many thousands Mathe. I pray shew me some instances of them Phila. First I have shewed you those before the flood and some after it Now as their languages were divided so their Colonies were collected and then dispersed themselves about the world which division of languages and dispersion to remote places occasioned divers Religions The next you find are Penates the houshold gods of Laban the Syrian Gen. 31.30 whom some think that Rachel stole that her father might not enquire of them to follow Jacob. The next you find are those that were found in Israels travels towards Canaan Numb 25.3 Israel joined himselfe to Baal Peor Psal 106.28 and did eat the offerings of the dead i. of those sacrifices that were offered to the Idols of the dead men whom the Midianites worshipped for gods The next you read of is Michals Teraphim Images set in his house to worship in the shape of a man which by the help of a spirit gave them answers Zach. 10.2 Judg. 17. The next are such as the Jewes borrowed of the heathens in their apostacy from God as Moloch Vid. Aben Ezra in Gen. 31. Levit. 18.21 Amos 5.26 whose tabernacle they took up and carried about as their Priests did the Ark of God and Chiun and Rempham and Ashteroth which were types of the Sun and Moon as was Tamuz also taken for the Sun for whose departure to the winter Tropick they foolishly wept Procopius in Esa 18. Ezek. 8.14 and at his return as wantonly rejoiced You may take them all in a summe 2 Chro. 33.3 Manasses worshipped the whole hoste of heaven i. their superiour gods and set up altars to Baalim i. their inferiour lords or Idols representative And thus you see they had gods many and lords many 1 Cor. 8.5 as you may find them reckoned up by Rabshecheth 2 Kin. 18.34 upon severall nations Rab. Jarchi in 2 Kin. 17. and more particularly in 2 Kin. 17.30 where their Idols be named and signifie birds and beasts as the Jewish Doctors say So you read of Nisroch the god of Niniveh and of Rimmon the god of Syria 2 Kin. 5.18 and in the New Testament of Diana of the Ephesians 2 Kin. 18. Macrob. Satur. lib. 1. cap. 18. Origen contra Celsum lib. 6. fol. 76. col 3. Thus their sin robbed the true God of his titles Lord and God Gen. 1.2.3 chapters and gave it to the creatures as Jehovah to Jove turning the glory of the invisible God into vain similitudes Rom. 1. Which may teach man to bewaile his wofull estate as Henoch did three hundred years the fall of Adam by whose fin his progeny is ignorant of that God with whom he was familiar so it may teach Christians to beware of Idolatry lest we apostate as the Jewes did whom God forbad all such worship by commanding them to have a God and him for that God and none but him Exod. 20.3 So Christ in his Gospell saith as much that we must have a Mediatour and him for that Mediatour and none but him And therefore to abhor papistry which sets up the old heathen Religion by teaching that Saints are to be our mediatours and their Images may be worshipped which if they be not animated by the soules of Saints they do worse then the heathen to worship them If they be yet it is but heathenish to trust to their mediation as the heathens did who by this did but prove there was a God to be worshipped but knew not who nor how And therefore as the heathens set up the images of men departed to be the protecting patriots of such Cities and Country so have the Papists set up Saints for divers places as the Lady of Lauretta instead of their Minerva and St Dunstan for Vulcan and many others Mathe. What other reason is there to prove a God Phila. There needs no other nor can there be any more demonstrative than practise from natures principles among all men of all nations in all ages who beleeving there was one but could not find him did adore the creature for him and lest they should misse him they multiplied their gods as the stars of heaven and the species of things in the earth and yet doubting whether they had him or no they would make use of other mens gods as well as their own Gen. 31.53 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor be witnesse So Jonah 1.5 The mariners cried to their God and Jonah was roused to call upon his God So the heathens were wont to close their praiers thus All ye gods and goddesses Ser. in Georg. Giraldus Syntag 17. Theophylact in act 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucian in Philop. Herodot lib. 8. help us And the Arabians built Altars to the unknown God and so did the Athenians Act. 17.23 From whence the Countries adjacent to it swore by him that was unknown at Athens Beside though God allowed no such worship yet he suffered avenging Angels to punish Atheists as they that neglected the oblation made to Geryon were struck with some disease as saith Diodor Siculus lib. 5. Lucian who barked against Christ was devoured by dogs So one Artabanus a Persian Generall contemming Neptune was drowned by an inundation with a great part of his army These things God suffers to shew that though he love no false gods yet he likes not that they who have no Religion should contemn any Religion But another reason that proveth there is a God is this because all things in nature are bounded in place and operation beyond which they cannot passe be their apperites never so large as the Sun though it soften wax it cannot soften clay because it is limited by the nature of the subjection which it worketh Indeed one thing is bounded to another Prosp lib. de provid p. 181. from the center to the highest heavens 2 Esdras 4.14 15. Therefore there must be some principle who set these bounds or else all nature by vastnesse of desire would be in an uprore and confusion one thing striving to exceed another Claudian in 4 Consul Honorii 186. Arist lib. 1. de anima c. 2. top 1. p. 786. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist lib. de mundo top 2. top 2. p. 1572. And therefore Anaxagoras said there was a thing called a Mind which infinite Spirit gives limits to all things in the world this name he gave to God
And Aristotle saith there is a certain infinite thing which is the beginning of all things and containeth all things One called it a mind the other nature i. such a Nature as doth naturate all things else and limits all things in nature therefore he cals God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. in Hym. Dion Halic Antiq. Rom. lib. 2. circumspection And I conceive upon the same grounds the Greeks worshipped a god called Jupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jupiter the limiter And so did the Romans worship Jovem terminalem the bound-setting god all which sheweth that God is the bounder of nature and that which boundeth nature is God And indeed if there were not such a limiter as God is mans appetite naturall sensitive and intellective nature could never be satisfied for all the labour of man is for his mouth Eccl. 6.7 and yet the soule is not satisfied with good why because such a man looks not in using the creature upon the chiefe good which is God For the righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soule because he makes Gods glory the end of his eating but the belly of the wicked wanteth true content Nor could mans sensitive appetite be ever satiated Pro. 13.25 not the eie with seeing nor the ear with hearing nor the heart by having what it desireth Alexander hearing Democritus pretend more worlds grieved that he had not conquered one Nor can our intellectuall appetite or our desire of knowledge be satisfied in the search of things since the place of wisedome is not found either in height or depth and that the son of Syrach saith Job 28.14 Eccles 24.21 that he that eateth of wisedome shall have the more hunger for the more we know the more we see something we know not so that to read much is a wearinesse to the flesh and that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow therefore there must be something above all naturall science to satisfie this desire or such desires are given in vain Again there must be a God because there must be a cause of things for nothing can make or beget it selfe without something that was in actuall being before which must be a selfe essence or being and that is God or nothing and of nothing comes nothing Mathe. The being of a Godhead being so evident and plain how came Atheisme or the denying of a God into the world Phila. By neglect of naturall principles which manifests a godhead to resist which is not only foolish but impious So Rom. 1.21 when they knew God they did glorifie as God 2. By setting wit above wisedome and disputing against principles which may not be denied though being prime truths they cannot so easily be proved no more then we can give reason why fire should burn rather then water though we know it doth so and he that will not beleeve it because one cannot prove it should even be burnt to convince him 3. By mistakes of men who writing against the heathen gods have been thought to deny all Godhead So Diagoras rather denied the Athenian gods than denied the true God So Theodorus said that he was misunderstood because he delivered his words with the right hand but his auditors took them with the left Morn c. 1. de Relig. And Protagoras rather voided the disputing of the question then denied a God to be I beleeve there have been as bad if not worse Atheists then they As those that fall into Antatheisme making their belly their god Phil. 3.19 or their pleasures Eurip. 2 Tim. 3.4 and some pretend there is neither God nor Devill heaven nor hell like the Poets Cyclops Arnob. lib. 8. cont genti who wil not leave their impudence til they be thunder-struck or be transfixed by the darts of the divine wisedome and vengeance Yet there are some closer Atheists who say that policy first brought in Religion And this too many children have by rote by reading Poeticall Tragedies and some other books and so suck in that while they are children which they ruminate on too much when they be older As Euripides brings in one Siphysus relating that men being full of vices the wiser sort were fain to make Lawes to bridle their exorbitancies but yet could not suppresse their secret evils at last a crafty man told them the way was to put into the peoples head that there was one called God Lue. in Treg who heard saw and understood all things This man was a close and cunning Atheist like Lucian who brings in a carping Cynick and an Epicure disputing against Jupiter as if he had no hand in it himselfe And I beleeve there be many who will not denie God in publick Tull. de Nat. deor l. 1. Sen. lib. 2. nat Q. c. 24. who yet are content among weak and witty men to consent to it Some learned Romans thought Religion but a witty invention to keep men in awe and it may well be said so of their Religion and such as their Numa set up by the help of the Nymph Aegeria But these men understood nothing of the Jewish or Christian Religion set forth of God and his Son Jesus Christ Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 2. c. 2. And therefore as the Romans refused to receive Christ as God in open Senate in the time of Tyberius so God gave them up to worship Simon Magus a conjurer for a god in the time of Claudius Let no man therefore think Religion a fiction lest he think God also a figment Mathe. As there is a God so I pray tell me is there no more but one Phila. If there be any God at all he can be but one for these reasons 1. Because whatsoever is God must be the chiefest good from which word good the word God is derived Now there cannot possibly be two chiefs or superlatives nor more then one superiour from whence the Great Turk takes his Axiom one God in heaven and one Sultan upon earth yea the Pope would have but one Catholick Bishop and one Catholick King which is but a tyrannicall usurpation For God that is one above all in heaven and earth never gave any such dignity to any either in heaven or earth but only to the Son who is one with the Father 2. Whatsoever is God must be the first of all things Now there can be but one first and so but one god for what is first is but one Now nothing cannot be first for then nothing must be second and so consequently no world no creatures But such seconds there are and therefore there must be a first thing sprung of it selfe making all but made of none no not himselfe i. not the subject matter of himselfe and so framed of some other being but this one ariseth from himselfe and can be resolved no farther then into himselfe 3. If there were more gods then one then one must differ from the other in some essentiall property and so one God must have that
charity which is the end of them though not the exact severity So many holy men had dispensation in those times which is not competent with us Abraham to make his halfe sister his wife Iacob to have many wives which is not competent with other ages Mal. 2.15 and therefore reproved by the Prophet So neither are those actions imitable which many were agitated to by zeal and fervour of spirit for Gods cause as that of Moses to excite one brother to slay another nor that of Phineas in transferring Zimri and Cosbi for what actions are exorbitant from common Law are not to be made exemplar Mathe. What may we judge of those that are called Apocryphall books Ph. We are to think them as helps to understand Scripture in many places especially Solomon Wisd and Eccl. Judith Tobie Esdras Mac. and to know the State of the Jewes before the Prophet Malachies time in their captivity and after it also And so neither to contemn them nor yet to build our faith upon all things there written as the Church of Rome injoineth people to do under penalty of a curse as we are to beleeve the Canonicall Scriptures Conc. Trid. but to trie what analogy they hold with truth and so make use of them as in Heb. 11.35 takes an instance of faith from the mother of seven sons 2 Machab. 7.7 Mathe. Some make doubt of the Scriptures Canonicalness because they say there be more books in the world then we have inserted in our Bibles and all that we have in our account Canonicall are not thought to be so Phila. You need not trouble your selfe with that but rather make an holy use of that we have by building our selves up in our holy faith and thank God that he hath reserved for us by his Church a copy of sacred writ sufficient for our salvation which is written that we may beleeve and the rest lost or left out John 21.25 that we may not look after more then is necessary The Jewes reckoned but 22 books of the old Testament we find more Joseph cent Appion Vid. Concil Lao. de lib. Canon Magd. cent 4. fol. 838. c. 4. yet they contained as much as we have but their compiling differed from ours And these were consigned by Ezra the scribe after the return from Babylon in the time of Hagge Zachary and Malachy all in Hebrew Which tongue though it be a good signe of Canonicall Scripture yet it is not the only signe for many of the Apocryphall books were so written at first as Ecclesiasticus seems to be by the Preface a book of great worth and next sure to the Wisedome of Solomon So Tobit and the fourth of Esdras but rather the consignation of the Jewish Church and their continuall receipt of them for such Atha in Synop. So some write of more Psalms of David then 150. but if we should admit of more I feare it would encourage many selfe conceited men to make Psalms too under pretence that they had the spirit of God as well as David as did some in the Councill of Laodicea Conc. Lao. ut supra c. 59. and urged for it Ioel 2. your sons and daughters shall prophecy which Council excludes or at least omits the Epistle to the Colossians and the Apocalyps yet it reckons 14 Epistles of St Pauls of which that to the Colossians must be one or else there is but 13. Kirstonius in Arab. notes on the Evangel Calv. vid. Bod. method hist c. 7. And why the Apocalyps was left out it may be was because more lately written and divulged except the Councill were of their minds who reckoned it Apocrypha or theirs who slighted it as Ambrese did Persius the Satyrist because of its obscurity We read also of the Gospell of St Thomas and St Bartholomew all which is nothing to us so long as we know that our old Testament and the Jewes agree together still and are the same they were in the time of Christ And for the New Testament we have those that have been generally received as Orthodoxall by the Church and for 1300 years together consigned as Canonicall by the Councils as Nice Laodicea and Carthage Mathe. But whether have not the Iewes corrupted the old Testament Phila. 1. Aug. They would not certainly out of envy to the Gentiles rob their own posterity of the truth Philo. Beside they held it as a sin inexpiable so to do Polanus leb 1. cap. 37. and would die an hundred deaths rather then change one jot of them They know also that the world was created for the Scriptures sake and therefore the world would be turned to a chaos ere they should be altered and so they were faithfull trustees Rom. 3.2 But 2. They could not do it for there was so many Copies dispersed by reason of their dispersion over the world that it was impossible to corrupt it Bellarm. Beside certainly God would not suffer that to be corrupted by which he meant to save the world and therefore Christ said Luke 16.17 that not one iota should perish till heaven and earth passed away Mat. 5.18 And 3. They did not for then they would above all other places expunged or altered those that related to Christ as Esa 7. ver 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive Gnalemah Bethulah not a young woman for that had been no wonder nor worth the world Behold So Esa 9.6 To us a child is born and a Son is given called Wonderfull c. Nor did they deface his passion though they deformed him foreprophecied so clearly Esa 53. Bellarm. Which words in their own language do more forcibly convince the Jewes then the Vulgar Latine doth as in Psal 2.12 Kisse the Son Nesheku Bar. i. embrace Christ not Discipline And therefore certainly the Old Testament was not corrupted by the Jewes 4. Our Saviour never charged them with corrupting the Text but only with misunderstanding or mis-interpreting nor any of the Fathers in their writing against them Just Marr. except one for wronging the Septuagints translation So that it is void of corruption however in the reading there may be some variation yet no deprvation of the Copy Mathe. But methinks they deliver things impossible and some things contradictory and some things in them seem doubtfull in regard of difference of text and margent in the old Testament and diversity of readings in the new Phila. Not things impossible to him whose word it is who to his works requires our faith more then our understandings else his works did not exceed magitians 2. Nor is there any contradictions in them if you observe the rule of contradictions which must be a assertion of the same thing at the same time according to the same part notion or apprehension You must know therefore that there is a vast difference between Scriptures and other books For they do not omit somethings out of mis-knowledge as other books
he is infinitely willing to do right as to reward the good and punish the evill So his mercy because he is infinitely willing and ready to pitty the miserable Jer. 33.11 So his wrath because he is inclinable in his will to punish sinners So his purity sheweth his will is bent to love holinesse but to hate all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit 4. His power sheweth that he is infinitely endowed with efficacious faculty to do whatsoever he will for there is no limit to his power but his will Therefore we cannot doubt of his promise or despaire in adversity Psal since his will is to help and his power followeth his will Mathe. How may we consider of God before the world in which he revealed himselfe to man Phila. God before the world lay hid both in his essence and subsistence yet being a Trinity coessentiall in Unity with afflux but determined in time to shew himselfe to be Unity in Trinity by emanation and by energeticall operations in nature grace and glory the Father appearing as the fountain of nature the Son as the fountain of grace and the Holy Ghost of glory both in giving the earnest of it and then working us to the consummation of it so that God is to be considered absolutely in essence and unity relatively in subsistence and coessentiality In consideration of which subsistency I conceive that the world by these divine persons was contrived the being preserving and translating of nature which nature consisted of intellectuall creatures as Angels and of rationall creatures as men and of bruits as the sensitive of vegetatives as plants and of other entities and realities that have neither of the former faculties Now those things that wanted those faculties of Will and Understanding they needed nothing but his providence to preserve them in being or to change them as they waxed old But as he determined to make natures intellectuall and rationall consisting of will and understanding so he determined that either he must be made absolute to stand by their own innate power which none can do but the Creator or else they must be forcibly supported by his power to stand against the naturall liberty of their will and this had been to stand whether they would or no which had not been an estate competible to an intellectuall rationall and voluntary service requisite to such a creature Therefore the most wise God intended before the world to make Angels and men Bern. Non in tuto sed in cauto not in a secure but cautionary estate not in absolute stedfast glory but in designation to it i. conditionally they kept their created estate but foreseeing that this cautionary estate must necessarily depend upon the freewill of that creature and that freewill would sway them to depend on themselves or somewhat else beside the Creator for happinesse he consults how some of them at least might be saved to glorifie him and be glorified of him This consultation was concluded by the eternall Son of God by an eternall covenant with the Father 1 Pet. 1.20 that those intellectuall and rationall creatures which shall depend upon his grace and favour shall be preserved in their estates as they were created or else redeemed if they fall from it This stipulation is accepted of the Father and he is set as the first born of every creature Colos 1.15 not that he was first created himselfe as Arrius thought but set so in regard of excellence of priority by eternall generation Colos 1.16 and of superiority the whole family of heaven and earth depending upon him for creation and the creature intellectuall and rationall for adoption So Rom. 8.29 he is called the first born among many brethren Now the Covenant being made and the whole family of heaven being created by him and for him he is first proposed to the Angels for their worship and dependency Lucifer and his complices and faction Heb. 1.6 liked independency better and chose rather to stand by their own created perfection From whence arose the battell of Michael and his Angels Revel against the Dragon and his Angels which St John saw had been and would be to the end of the world in a mysticall sense and that in time he should be cast out of the heaven of the Church as he was once out of the heaven of the blessed The other Angels stood by depending on favour and grace and doing to him as to their chiefe Lord sute and service and these are called the Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 because God in his Son elected them to be conserved by him These Angels are at his disposition and therefore are said to be sent forth as ministring spirits to the heirs of salvation Heb. 1.24 Mathe. Whether are all Angels of one and the same degree Phila. No for they have divers names given them Col. 1.16 thrones dominions principalities and powers So Angels and Archangels Cherubins and Seraphins which argueth divers degrees or offices Trithem Cor. Agrip. Some learned men have written that God hath committed the ordering of the world to seven chiefe Angels especially as he hath subjected natural bodies to the seven planets in chiefe Indeed we read of such in Scripture Dan. 10. Luke 1. as Michael and Gabriel who saluted the blessed Virgin Mary And St John in Rev. 1. wisheth the Church welfare and peace from the seven spirits before Gods throne which doth not lead us to worship them but only that we may wish health to the Church from God Drus Beza Not. in N. T. and all the instruments he useth to that purpose Mathe. What determined God of man before the world Phila. Surely as the Son of God did stipulate with the Father to be the conservator of Angels so also that he would redeem mankind if he fel. This was the mystery hid from ages Col. 1.26 and Rom. 16.25 from the beginning of the world performed toward the end of the world when Christ in due time died for the ungodly which St Paul tels Titus was the hope of eternal life Tit. 1.2 which God who cannot lie hath promised before the world began If you ask to whom God could then promise it I say it was promised reciprocally of the Father to the Son by acceptation of the Sons offer of himselfe to satisfie for those that were elected according to the foreknowledge of God the Father 1 Pet. 1.1 Mathe. What use may we make of this knowledge Phila. To labor to know God who knew us before we were and gave us so full a perfection in Adam as a creature was capable of and foreseeing that we being left in the hands of our own will we would chuse our own way yet he before the world by an eternall covenant with his blessed Son in his bosome ordained a means to save us by a full and plenteous redemption that so if we could not be happy by obeying yet we might by
election Psal 42.11 and for assurance leave it to God to give it thee as a comfort and crown of all thy labors as he did to Henoch before he was translated Heb. 11.5 So when thou hast endured the staggerings of David the sufferings of Job and the buffetings of Paul then God will tell thee his grace is sufficient for thee Let others boast they have it do thou use all diligence for it and let patience have its perfect work James that when you have done all you may find it at last 3. Do not dispute with God why he would not elect these but those but rest in St Pauls rule Prosp de vocal Rom. 9. that God was willing this way to reveal his goodnesse and justice If God hath ordained any to life it was graciously if any to punishment it was judicially and what you cannot comprehend do not reprehend lest God reprove thee as Job 38.2 But know God is just in all his waies and holy in all his workes 4. Labour to answer the temptations that arise from predestination and reprobation 1. From predestination as thus I am elected then I may live dissolutely and despise ordinances as being above them Not so for God did insure Ezekiah fifteen years of life will he therefore not eat or be carelesse of himselfe God forbid So neither must we for then election is not a decree absolute but dissolute 2. From the conceit of thy reprobation thou shalt be abetted in that conceit thus It is true thou art called but many are called which were never chosen thou canst not prove thy selfe to be one of the few yes if I come in at the call for I dare not think that God will deceive me by inviting me to bread and giving me a stone or giving me a stomack and means to starve me Beside I am bound upon my allegiance to God to beleeve that if he hath called me then he hath elected me till for my offending him or to try me he withdrawes the comfort thereof from me by making me to suspect my selfe by examining me how I came in not having on a wedding garment 2. Another temptation may arise in thy heart saying God by his revealed will would have all men to be saved but by his concealed will many are reprobated Now consider therefore God hath not two wils but in his word he expresseth his well wishing to all that they may be saved but foreseeing they will not all be saved he positively determines that all shall not be damned and therefore resolveth to give the Antidote of his saving grace to some without preventing any of sufficient means to be saved though he give them not the same efficacy to the means to draw them to faith and repentance as he doth to the elect 3. Another temptation to know thee desperate is this That though God offers the means of faith and repentance yet he intendeth that the major part of men shall not beleeve nor repent In this case bid Satan avoid for I have not to do with Gods secrets I am content to believe that he would have me do what he bids me do and therefore come of it what will I will trust God and exercise my selfe to keep a conscience void of offence toward God and man and so in well doing I will commit my selfe to him as to a faithfull Creator and hope to find my name at last in this book of Gods secret internall operation through Jesus Christ whom he hoth sent Mathe. What are those works of God called externall wherein the whole Trinity have also an equall hand Phila. These are the executions of his internall purposes or operations in his secret decrees For as God purposed before time so in his beginning to measure time he produced a world of visible and invisible creatures Polanus lib. 1. c. 37. all which were made for the Scriptures sake though written afterward that the will of God expressed in Scriptures might have an evident declaration by the works made before they were written Mat. 5. and before one jot of this word fail heaven and earth must vanish Now with the work of creation began time which God pleased to make the measure of his works and the beginning of his own revelation Psal 90 2. Aegyptians monas solitaria who was God from everlasting yet but like a solitary unite or a point which by creation was deduced into lines or like the top of a Pyramid which from one small point spreads in the basis to a great circumference Or as indeed the Jewish Cabalists say God was at first before creation a dark letter that could not be spelled nor read but by himselfe and so was a God that lay hid as in secret Isa 45.15 as saith the Prophet but by creation and the work of redemption became lucid and apparent by communicating himselfe in his wisdome and works And this time began 5605. years agoe reckoning backward from the present year 1656. by common account of Astronomers who differ somewhat among themselves The Scripture account is best which reckons the worlds age to be about 5721. But no Astronomers do so differ as to give occasion to men to think the world to be eternall or without beginning or that it was before Moses account as the Zabii who pretend that one Janbosher was Adams Tutor and our Praeadamites who dream of a world before the world and so would make us think to no end that the world will have no end as well as no beginning Mathe. Where were all these things before the Creation Phila. They were in God as notions in our mind by representation or as flowers in their roots in the winter invisibly or as Idea's in our minds before they be brought into act Mathe. But now God being an internall mind and pure act why not the world eternally produced God being neither sedent nor cessant Phila. Because if the world were coeternall with God it must be a Deity and then the visible creature might be worshipped as well as the invisible God nor then can the world have any end but must be a perpetuall motion of generation and corruption which were easie to beleeve if we had not an infallible revelation to the contrary for great learned men have thought so Osellus Lucianus Aristotle But the holy Scriptures tell us that the world was made Gen. 1. and that Wisedome was before the earth or heavens Prov. 8.23 And as they were made so they shall perish Psal 102.26 As it did in 1656. by a Dropsie so at last by a burning Feaver when Gods determined week is finished in whose account a thousand years is but as one day 2 Pet. 3.7 to the 12. when the elements shall melt with fervent heat Beside we never did find any authentick writer mention a world before Moses account Therefore let us not be wise above what is written but rest in Scripture which saith God in
souls of their great Heroes were placed there and so called them after their names as Saturn Jupiter Mercury and then worshipped them for gods and called the daies of the week after their names and so made their superstitions more permanent Mathe. Why do we still retain these superstitious names to our daies and months Phila. By custome that ancient Tyrant which loveth no alteration although for the best otherwise we might find out twelve Apostles to name the months by and the first six Deacons if Nicholas be not liked to name the daies and as many noble martyrs to name the daies by and as many images of notable men actions and things named in Scripture Duhartas to configure with the celestiall constellations on the sphere better then Icarius Dog or Europa's Bull Hercules Hydra or Theseus Trull Since the whole world was made for the Scriptures I conceive it would conduce much to the honour of Christian Religion as it did to Rome to cal some months by the name of their Emperors as July and August But how much more if some parts of Scripture were turned into the text Latin and Greek of Poets and Orators and read in schools instead of the more vain prophane authors surely it would be a means to state verity in the place of vanity and so season tender years that so they might read those prophane books in riper years and not be infected Thus heaven and earth might meet together in one symphony without discord And to add one thing by the way Certainly as this being done would make Religion more setled in mens minds so if the memorable Feast of Christs Nativity had been fastned to the Lords day which by the account of some Chronologers hapned that year to be the 25. of December on which Christ was born the celebration would have been more certainly continued and yet this change could have altered no more the calculation then the difference of Astronomers among themselves about the Epoche of Christs birth some of them differing from others * Mercator Christianus Jos Scalig. Sethus Calvisius against the Quarte decemani 1 2 3 4 5. years Or then the alteration of Easter hath from the time of Constantine the Great who in the great Councill of Nice caused that Easter should be generally kept upon the Lords day and not on the 14. of the month Nisan and therefore made a new Decem novall or Golden number differing from the Roman This constitution continued not above seven years But the contention between the Latin and Greek Churches about it lasted 200. years Then about the time of Justinian the Emperor one Dionysius Abbas drew the Paschall tables which were confirmed by the Councill of Chalcedon that none should keep Easter but according to the Roman account and statute but should be accounted an Heretick and this held till the year 1582. yet they finding that the Equinoctium went back from the 21 of March to the eleventh the Romans corrected their Calender and so there is sometimes 28 daies difference between them and us as 1557. and sometimes 25. daies as in the year 1565. So they reformed their Paschall tables and appointed the Feast of Easter according to the Councill of Nice in Pontus 322. to be celebrated the Sunday after the first full moon that should happen after the Sun entred Aries we see still difference between us and them but yet all conclude it on the Lords day And indeed the very just day of either the Nativity or Resurrection is not much to be stood upon so the Feast be kept 1 Cor. 5.8 Mathe. God having made the world what did he next Phila. He made man of the earth and woman of man and then made them Lords of all he had made as Isa 45.12 I have made the earth and created man upon it And this we know by Scriptures the ground of that most excellent science called Divinity which leads us to the knowledge of God that made us Plutarch in the life of Theseus speaks of some such people called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least we should imagine our selves sprung up of our selves though many will give more for a Parrat then a Preacher and to a Painter for the picture of their face then to one that can delineate their souls I suppose the reason is because Divinity is no flattering science it shewes our moules and spots where they are As Alexanders Limner did who drew his finger upon his face which he laied there to hide a skar It is the corruption of man that will make more of him that shapes his body in cloths though he deform it than of him that shewes him the God that made his soule and body Like Crates Laertius who gave in his Testament ten talents to his Parasite to his Harlot one 2 Talent is 375. l. to his Cook ten pound to his Physitian a groat and to his Philosopher but three halfe pence And why so little to the best science but because rich men know not the want of philosophy Diogenes though Philosophers know the want of monie They think with Laodicea they be happy enough but consider not that science which shewes them how to live when they are dead Mathe. Doth God immediately make all men Phila. He made the first man immediatly by himselfe and the first woman of the man but all other mediately by them two 1 Cor. 11.12 as the woman is of the man by creation so the man is of the woman by generation by the speciall concurrence of Gods providence It was impossible he should make himselfe any more then the world could For if it were nothing before it was something how could something come out of nothing Nor could any creature make him Pythag. ex nihilo nil fit he being above them both in eminence and excellence consisting of an heavenly and earthly nature his form is a reasonable soule his body upright beholding the heavens Ovid. Metam lib. 1. this body is more curiously made then any other creatures Psal 139.14 15. like unto rich Arras work The anatomy of it convinced Galen of a Godhead It was made in number weight and measure in weight that the earthy body might balast the light and nimble soule in number by the four qualities or temperaments of hot cold moist and dry in measure because at first each of them kept their several proportions though since the fall one invading the other breeds severall diseases A rare body it was being composed of so mean a matter as earth shewing thereby the most excellent skill of the workman Lecham is Lechem But now our flesh is become the bread of worms as Herod Agrippa's body proved not giving glory to God Acts 12.23 Mathe. Wherein doth it appear more excellent then other creatures Phila. Surely as Adams body was more excellent then other mens being Gods immediate worke so no doubt our bodies are more excellent then the common creature Adams
move Acts 17.28 and have being but especially the godly who are effectually baptized into those names which are three in one as the three rooms in one Ark. The divers creatures in the Ark shew the mixture of the Church visible consisting of reasonable and unreasonable clean and unclean wheat and tares good and bad And in that there were seven couples of clean and but one couple of unclean it shewes that reprobates have little to do in Gods true Church and though some yet are they nothing in comparison of those that are out of the Church visible So Noah being Master and Lord of all these might well type forth Christ under whose feet God hath put all things in subjection Psal 8. Mathe. What signification of Christ and his Church had Moses Tabernacle and Solomons Temple Phila. Very great and lively For 1. Moses Tabernacle was a type of the Church Catholick as it is militant wandring in this world and discontinuing from the Lord. Bed de tab lib. 1. c. 1. Chrys in Psa 5 And by Solomons Temple the Catholike Church triumphant in heaven which Churches though two in number are but one in Christian faith Both these viz. Tabernacle and Temple typed Christ First the Tabernacle did because Christ is said to dwell or pitch his Tabernacle as the Greek word signifieth in Joh. 1.18 so did the Temple too Beza in John 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore he said dissolve this Temple and I will build it again in three dayes meaning the Temple of his body Joh. 2.19 21. well so called being the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Col. 2.9 even as the Tabernacle and Temple was sometimes filled with the glory of God Exod. 40.34 and 1 Kin. 8.10 And as these typed out Christ so they did the Church both in the whole body and the members of it 1. In the whole called the house of God 1 Tim. 3.15 and Rev. 21.3 Now Jerusalem is called the Tabernacle of God because he meant to dwell with men by the Gospel ruling in their hearts as once he did in the Temple of old Jerusalem 2. In the members of it Therefore Eph. 2.21 they are called a Temple and ver 22. an habitation of God by the spirit and a Temple of the Holy Ghost Haymo in Rev. 21. 1 Cor. 6.19 whose greatnesse though the world cannot contain yet he is content to dwell in a contrite heart But beside if we consider the place where Moses received the platform of the Tabernacle it will be more clear Moses received it in Horeb which signifieth a drie desart as Sinai or Seneh a bush in which God at first appeared to him The dry desart signified the world wherein the Law of God is given The burning bush the fiery afflictions of the Church in this land of thorns The man Moses that was faithfull in all the work of the Tabernacle having received it from God did well represent Christ who received from the bosome of his Father what things he delivered for the rearing up of his Church and so was as Moses a Mediator between God and his people Exod. 35.30 34. The chiefe workmen typed out the Apostles that had their gifts by infusion as Bezaleel and Aholiab of Judah and Dan signifying praise and judgement and were indeed Arch-builders as 1 Cor. 3.10 and so to be esteemed of all men Those that were subordinate to them might prefigure out inferiour ministers of which every one must prove faithfull 1 Cor. 4.1 So the people offering typed forth those in after times under the Gospell that should freely give themselves first to God and then of their goods liberally for the upholding Gods Church and service so often prophecied of Psal 45.12 Psal 110.3 Psal 72.10 11. and Isa which was fulfilled by the Eastern Magi Mat. 2. and by the Primitive Converts Acts 2. And so also by the many indowments of the Church given by Princes and others who beleeved the Gospell Besides the time of setting up the Tabernacle and Temple had relation to Christs comming Exod. 24. for as that was set up by Moses in the seventh month and the Temple by Solomon in seven years 1 Kin. 6.37 38. and in the seven sevens of years the second Temple was finished So after seventy sevens of years Dan. 9.25 from the Angell Gabriels speech to Daniel Christ the Messiah came from heaven and took up an earthly temple of our nature laied it down by death for our sins and raised it up again for our justification upon which doctrine he hath built his Church of which the Jewish was but a shadow This may further be understood by the triple division of this Tabernacle and Temples rooms which were three Fist the Court. Secondly the holy place and the most holy The most holy place was divided from the holy by a vaile Heb. 9.3 Heb. 10.20 This vaile typed Christs flesh which like Moses vaile hid his glorious appearance from our dull sight But when his flesh was rent upon the crosse the vaile of his divine power appeared by renting the vail of the Temple making as it were a way for us to come to the mercy seat Heb. 9.5 for within this vaile it stood Mathe. What signification had the matter of the utensils of that house to the Church Christian Phila. Very much being shadowes of things to come Col. 2. Rab. Maurus in Ex. l. 3. c. 10. For the matter of the boords and pillars being either Shittim wood incorruptible by nature it typed forth Christs body which never saw corruption and the body of beleevers too to whom sin shall not be imputed and from whom at last all corruption shall be removed 1 Cor. 15.53 The silver sockets may figure faith which joineth Christ and the Church together The coverings Christs protection under which the Church doth alwaies shroud her selfe Mathe. And what may the rooms signifie Phila. Surely the most holy place might well figure out the heavens for in them is the true mercy seat and glorious cherubins Orig. in Exod. Bed de tab l. 2. c. 13. into which Christ entred once for all to appear before God for us Heb. 9.12 24. In type whereof the High Priest in the Law entred once a year but Christ once for ever to take possession for us till the vaile of the earth rent to give way to our bodies at the resurrection to take possession of the heavens most holy place The holy place signified the Church on earth Orig. in Lev. 16.12 who must here offer up praier and praise in the name of Christ till he come again and our sacrifice of obedience taught us by word and sacraments which requires us to offer our selves a living sacrifice to God Rom. 12.1 for which he hath made us Priests as well as Kings Rev. 1. ◠to suppresse our rebellious corruptions In regard whereof the Church is called holy as the heavens is the most
bring both to passe 1. His salvation being he was born to be a King a Priest and a Prophet by which three offices he could effect all that belonged to mans salvation To deliver as a King to instruct him as a Prophet Acts 4.12 to purge him from sin as a Priest 2. To bring him to peace with God above him and to peace about him with Angels and men to peace within him in his conscience and to peace belowe him for hell cannot hurt him though it would all which may be gathered from the Angels song Luke 2.14 But to the wicked it brought judgement even to make them stumble and fall Luke 2.34 because he brought light and men loved darknesse rather John 3.19 Beside nothing about his birth but had some effectuall signification for he was born at Bethelem the house of bread to shew that in effect he should be the bread of the houshold of faith So born in the fulnesse of time when the Church was at the lowest ebbe and no hope on earth was left for it to effect faith in the Church that God could help when all help in man was past So he was born poor and thereby not only made us rich but also taught us with him to trample upon world pomp and glory since by lying in the manger he procured us an heavenly mansion And the very publishing of his birth unto the wisemen and simple shepherds to Gentiles and Jewes to Anna as well as Simeon shewed that his birth should take effect on Jewes and Greeks learned and simple male and female and all should be one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.21 Mathe. I pray tell me how could Christ suffer being God and man 2. Why he so suffered and what is the effect of it upon us Phila. For the first Quere how Christ suffered We understand that though the sufferings of Christ belonged to his whole person and so is attributed to both natures yet only to the humane nature sensibly and to the divine relatively For the divine nature cannot suffer being immutable nor die being immortall yet as his person consisteth of both natures his sufferings belonged to both For the word divine was not severed from the humane nature neither in his birth nor suffering Nor was the nature inviolable hurt by the sufferings of the nature passible no more then the beams of the Sun that shineth on a tree is wounded by the Axe that felleth the tree And thus we are to understand those phrases Acts 20.28 that God redeemed the Church with his blood and 2 Cor. 2.8 the Lord of Glory was crucified 2. The reason why he suffered for us as it was not casuall but by divine providence the drops of his cup were measured by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God And this was so 1. That the Scripture might be fulfilled Luke 24.26 27. and God found true of his word just in all his waies not sparing his own Son being but surety for us how can wilfull sinners expect to escape Gods wrath 2. That he might revive the pattern of patience almost decaied and lost and leave it to us to imitate 1 Pet. 2.21 That we might be consecrated by affliction as he the Prince of our salvation was 3. That he might deliver us from the bondage of the ceremoniall Law Gal. 3.13 Also that he being made sensible of our sufferings might become a more mercifull High Priest to us and more apt to succour us in temptations Heb. 2.17 and 4.15 Beside he suffered that he might reconcile us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 by being made an expiation for us and condemning our sins in his flesh Isa 53.5 and Rom. 8.3 For if one died for all then are all dead to that fault for which he died so that our disease of sin is cured by the mediation of his passion and by the speciall vertue of his Ordinances operating in us by the Holy Ghosts application of Christs sufferings to us Lastly that we might being sprinkled with his blood enter within the vaile namely into heaven the Holy of Holies from whence for sin we are shut out as well as out of paradise Mathe. What use may we make of this Phila. 1. It teacheth that those sufferings have relation only to the Son not to the Father nor to the Holy Ghost 2. To wonder at this gracious work that the Son of God should be condemned by the sons of men that righteousnesse it selfe should be condemned by the unrighteous that the God of order should be corrected with rods that the nower of God should be weakned salvation wounded and life killed Also to think on the hatefulnesse of sin that brings God to suffering and to be pitifully affected with the sufferings of such an eminent person yet to wax strong in faith because such an one hath made satisfaction 1 John 3.7 and to be ready to suffer from wicked men because he did so Heb. 12.3 and 1 Pet. 2.18 And farther to distinguish rightly for whom he suffered It was not for all but for all the elect therefore Mat. 26.28 it is said his blood is shed for many for Christ will not know some Mat. 7.23 Nor did he pray for the world but for those that God gave him out of the world So he gave his life for his sheep not for goats nor swine for his righteousnesse extends to all them that beleeve Rom. 3.22 As those were only cured that looked on the brazen serpent and turn from transgression in Jacob Isa 59.20 and are ruled by the voice of this Shepherd and are conformed to his Image by afflictions and that dedicate their lives and services to him that died for them 2 Cor. 5.15 All which should make us 1. To be affected with his love which was never paralleld The just died for the unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 whereas few or none will die for a just man Rom. 5.7 but he for us which were ungodly yea his enemies Rom. 5.10 and never sought to him for any kindnesse much lesse thought of such a kindnesse that Piety would be scourged for impious man Wisdome derided for fools â— Truth denied for lyars Justice condemned for unjust men Life to die for dead men 2. To be ready to suffec for him or for one another 1 John 3.16 And 3. To plead his sufferings before God against our sins and satans accusations and not to feare but that seeing such a price is paid for our reconcilement that God will save us being reconciled Rom. 5.10 And 4. Being this sweet Passeover is sacrificed for us to purge away the old leaven of malice and wickednesse and all corruptions and become a new lump full of sincerity and truth 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Mathe. How can the suffering of one satisfie for the sins of many and how is it just in God to punish the righteous for the unrighteous Phila. His suffering is a sufficient satisfaction for all because of the dignity of his person God and Man which made
the world first by the power of his word preached and next by the power of his last comming to judgement Mathe. What benefits have we by his resurrection Phila. Surely very many as first the confirmation of our faith in Christ that he was the Son of God because he raised himselfe from the dead and that we are justified from our sins or else why is our surety let out of the prison of his grave but that Gods justice is fully satisfied Rom. 4. and the last verse Again it causeth a twofold resurrection in us first from sin to a new life of grace Rom. 6.4 Secondly of our bodies from the grave 1 Thes 4.14 so it gives us an hope of heavenly inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. The reason whereof is because Christ sustained our persons in himselfe and so we have our part both in his death and resurrection Rom. 8.11 Therefore this doctrine ought ever to be remembred 2 Tim. 2.8 not only in our head but in our life by standing up from the dead Eph. 5.14 lest if we have no part in the first resurrection we lose also our part in the second And remembred it ought to be the rather because it may comfort against the most sad afflictions Esa 26.19 from whence Christ can raise us So against the fear of Gods wrath because it is fully satisfied from which baptism a type of the ark and of our rising with Christ above the deluge of Gods justice doth now save us 1 Pet. 3.21 and against the power of death Rom. 8.11 which by vertue hereof is so subdued that it shall not alwaies suppresse us Mathe. For what end or purpose did Christ ascend into heaven Phila. To fulfill what was foreshewed in legall types and shadowes of him As the high Priest of the Jewes entring into the most holy place Heb. 7.26 which was a type of heaven as he himselfe was of Christ So to shew that he fulfilled all things on earth which concerned our redemption and reconciliation and therefore now ascended in triumph leading captivity captive as Abraham did the forces of the four Kings Psal 68.18 and as Barack did the Midianites and so enter into his glory prepared Iohn 17.5 through the gates of heaven intimated Psal 24.7 and so demonstrate that Angels and principalities and powers were made subject to him 1 Pet. 3.22 Also that in Heaven he might make intercession for us Heb. 9.24 who yet are in this world as in the outward court of the most holy place where the Jewes stood when the High Priest entred to make an attonement for them he being sprinkled with blood having the holy censer with sweet incense in his hand by which means he hath opened a way for us into heaven Heb. 10.10 as he had promised and now performed it John 14.2 3 Eph. 2.6 by carrying our flesh into heaven as a pledge that we should all follow that beleeve in him also that we might place our mind where our treasure is and not misplace them on earthly things Col. 3.1 nor to dream of his bodily presence in this world as if we would know him still after the flesh This doctrine of Christs ascension should make us to forsake sin and satan not be subject to that slave which Christ hath led captive So to be willing to die that we may go to the place which Christ hath entred for us and therefore not to mourn immoderately for the dead in Christ who are seized of heaven already Mathe. What is meant by Christs sitting on Gods right hand for I conceive not God to have either right or left hand nor how Christ is tied to any such posture Phila. You are to understand that sitting so importeth in Scripture abiding or habitations as Luke 24.49 sometime judiciary power as Solomon was said to sit on the throne of his Father though he was not alwaies tied to that posture 1 Kin. 2.30 So by right hand is understood power and help and glory Psal 44.3 Sometimes therefore as man is said to be helped by Gods power and protected when he standeth on his right hand Psal 16.8 or holdeth by his right hand Psal 73.23 So one is exalted when one is said to be on Christs right hand Psal 45.29 which is spoken of the Church So Christ by his sitting is understood to rest in felicity from all his labor and pain and on Gods right hand having dignity imperiall and power judiciall so that we are to understand by his sitting on Gods right hand that he doth not only rest in joy and felicity but hath obtained the highest dignity above all men and Angels Eph. 1.28 and that he is copartner with his father in his Kingdome and therefore he hath power over all things in heaven and in earth Mat. 28.18 not that God the Father ceaseth to rule but that he pleaseth to administer his Kingdome by his Son yet he also makes Christs enemies his footstool Psal 110.1 till which time Christ must reign by and in the Kingdome of grace 1 Cor. 15. but then he shall deliver up this Kingdome to God the Father i. the rule which he exerciseth now by Gospell means shal cease when his enemies are subdued and the elect fully gathered and glorified not that his Kingdome by which he is equall with God shall cease for of that his Kingdome shall be no end but of that Kingdome by which he governeth by means and holy methods of Word and Sacraments and mysteries of godlinesse Now then who can be ashamed of Christs service who is so great a potentate but rather to submit to his government with all reverence and conscience of his greatnesse and power that so we may shew our selves worthy subjects and servants to him lest we cause that blessed name to be blasphemed by which we are called And who can choose but trust in him for provision in all wants and deliverance in all temptations of satan or any adversity since our Saviour hath an universall power by sitting at the right hand of God Mathe. Whether is this the uttermost degree of Christs honor and exaltation Phila. No for he shall come from thence to judge the world In which we are to consider many things for the terror of some and the comfort of others Mathe. What need or why must there be a judgement day Phila. First for the confusion of wicked men who have mocked at it 2 Pet. 3.3 whom he confutes in that chapter first of being ignorant that the world was made by the Word of God and that he destroied once by water Gen. 7.11 in the 600. year of Noahs life and that the world which is now is reserved for fire unto the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men foretold by Isa 66.15 Dan. 7.10 Mal. 4.1 and threatning a fire that shall consume the wicked both root and branch Secondly he shewes the reason why God deferreth it not that he is slack in his purpose but
of offence for though Isaiah had foretold them that he should be as a root out of a dry ground and they see no beauty in him to delight the sense yet they looked for him as one to come in outward glory and to be a worldly King and deliverer which God intended not 3. His birth was poor and private little taken notice of so that he escaping with his parent into Egypt by the warning of an Angell to avoid the massacre of Herod and returning afterward into Galilee and dwelling in Nazareth they had easily forgot that he was born at Bethelem and out of Nazareth they expected no good John 1.46 neither any Prophet 4. When he appeared among them because he was no sectary as Pharisee Sadducee they all envied him and slandered both his doctrine as if contrary to Moses and his miracles as if done by the power of the devill And so by their malice and the unjust judgement of Pilate brought him to the ignominious death of the crosse so unwittingly fulfilling the determinate counsell of God 5. Acts. Epiph. l. 1. tom 1. H. 15. They set the traditions of the Elders above Scripture 6. Some of them abolished Moses Law or his five books so did the Nasorites Some studied to add to the Scriptures as the Chasidim after the captivity Joseph antiq 1. â—â— c. 15. Luke 10.57 and would be holier then the Law required From these did spring the Pharisees some rejected all the Scriptures save the books of Moses as did the Sadducees and denied both Angels Spirits and the Resurrection and therefore confuted by Christ not out of the Prophets Jansen concor in Mat. 23. Eman. Sâ— in hunc locum Maldonat Ferus Aug. in tract 46. in Joh. but of those books they held for Canonicall Mat. 22.32 Thus heresie crept into Moses chaire as the Pope hath brought into Peters yet Christ saith because the Scribes and Pharisees sate in Moses chair he bids the people do as they say that is so far as they teach Moses for by Moses chair is meant his doctrine not his office and the people had a rule to try it by for the Jews kept the Old Testament entire Mathe. What punishment did God inflict upon them for this Phila. He took away from them Scepter and Myter Kingship and Priesthood and the very face of a Commonwealth about forty years after Christs death by Vespasian and Titus with their Roman army as was foretold by Daniel Dan 9.26 27. The occasion whereof was they having been conquered by the Romans and governed by their Deputies and they carrying an hard hand upon them they rebelled as Florus who succeeded after Faelix Festus and Albinus was so avaritious that he took out of the treasury of the Temple sixteen talents of silver and when the Jewes murmured at it he permitted the souldiers to slay and spoil the Citizens of Jerusalem at pleasure and scourged and crucified Jews of noble birth Here their refusing Christ and chusing Barabbas a murtherer began to be revenged and the scourging and crucifying Christ to be retaliated and his blood to fall upon their children This was the ground of that war that ruined Jerusalem at last But not only this was the cause but God gave them up to an obstinate mind for their malice against Christ and the prophecie began to take upon them Zac. 11.9 which Zachariah foretold I will not feed you that which dieth let it die and that that is to be cut off let it be cut off and let the rest eat the flesh of each other Zach. 11.15 The two staves of beauty and bands were broken and the instruments of a foolish shepherd were assumed The Ecclesiastick offices were disposed according to the pleasure of the Roman Deputies Valerius Gratus Pontius Pilate and Vitellius in the reign of Tiberius in whose eighteenth year Christ was crucified Againe to hasten their ruine Caius Caligula succeeding Tiberius would have his image set up in the Jewes Temple which though the Jewes zealous of their Religion would rather die then suffer yet it excited the Emperors malice the more which though it was unjust in him yet was it just with God to make him an instrument to punish them who were more afraid to defile their Temple of stone then to destroy the body of Christ in whom dwelt the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily After him succeeded Claudius in whose time 20000. of them were slain by crouding and treading one another in narrow places for fear of Cumanus souldiers who came but to keep the peace because they began to murmure much and the insolencie of a souldier which shewed his privities in the porch of the Temple After him succeeded Domitius Nero Joseph antiq l. 20. c. 6. in whose time a certain Egyptian feigning himselfe to be a Prophet drew four thousand men after him whom Faelix Hensen killed and scattered Acts 21.34 In this Emperors daies Florus aforesaid much pilled and oppressed them After this Domitius divers contended for the Empire as Galba Otto Vitellius Vid. Orati Reg. Agrip. contra Rebel in Joseph who were soon cut off and Vespasian chosen Emperour In whose time the Jewes refused to offer sacrifice for Caesars happinesse formerly and usually done Now began this calamity to grow apace for 50000. of them were slain at Alexandria 10000. at Damascus Joseph de bellâ— Jud. Prodigious signs appeared both in heaven and earth foreshewing desolation A comet like a sword hung over Jerusalem a years space A clear light about the Altar at midnight and the great brazen gate of the Temple opened of it selfe Chariots of fire were seen compassing Towns Voices were heard in the Temple admonishing people to be gone The Jewes notwithstanding were hardned Euseb l. 3. c. 3. but the Christians there departed as corn separated from the chaffe before the fire of destruction came Vespasian with his son Titus with an army of 60000. having first subdued many of the Jewes rebellious Towns at last gave order to besiege Jerusalem which he left to his son Titus to subdue and himselfe returned to Rome Titus besieged it at the time of the Passeover when the City was most full of people who being terrified by the sword of the Roman without and the seditious within the City was brought to great misery by famine and contagion of the dead wanting buriall women were forced to eat their children At last the City was taken and the Temple ruined the people some crucified others ript up in hope to find gold in their bellies others sold as slaves for thirty a penny as they valued Christ but at thirty pence others carried captive and devoured by wild beasts at the triumphs of Vespasian Thus God rewarded them that regarded not his Son so that destruction came on them to the uttermost for since that time they never had the face of a Church nor State but are scattered and hated of all nations And in token
who will suffer none to meddle with the administration of holy things without constitution Against whom St Bernard speaks well saying They become masters of the unlearned before they have been schollers of the learned and so are more ready to speak then to hear and apt to teach that they never learned and pour out before they have any thing poured into them It is true that it is prophecied Joel 2.28 I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh yet that was not meant upon all alike for when it was fulfilled in Acts 2.15 it was not given to all but to the Apostles only yet there was under the Gospell a greater measure of knowledge given to teachers and hearers then under the Law yet it followeth not that all sheep should be shepherds So we read of some extraordinarily called as Amos was an Herdsman but such things cannot be brought into ordinary imitation no more then souldiers can expect to batter down wals with rams horns or rout their enemies with breaking of pitchers as Gideon did the Midianites But if Anabaptists calling to preach be ordinary let them prove it by Scripture if immediate from God by a miracle Mathe. I remember for the fifth Question about an oath you have in some measure satisfied me yet I shall be willing to hear farther of the lawfulness of it Phila. Surely if it be a part of Gods worship as I have proved then sure it may be taken 2. It may be and ought to be the end of controversie saith St Paul God commands it Heb. â— â—â— Deut. 6.13 and the 10.20 and rewards are promised for so doing in truth righteousness and judgement Jer. 4.2 See Jer. 12.16 and Psal 63.11 It is Christ saith Mat. 5. swear not at all but that is meant by ordinary and customary swearing common in those times not religious oaths Calvin instr cont Anab. but swearing by the creatures I know the chief they deny is called ex officio whereby in a criminall businesse one is bound even to betray himselfe yet God imposed this upon the Jewes Exod. 22.11 and Christ obeied it before the High Priest Mat. 26.63 c. It is meant that by law no man is bound to betray himselfe true but that is to go to the Magistrate and accuse himselfe but if he be brought to him and urged by oath to clear or else to betray himselfe I know not how he can refuse it Mathe. Concerning the lawfulness of taking upon a man the office of a Magistrate which is the sixth Question hath been declared before except you please to add any thing more Phila. I say no more but I think with St Peter and St Iude that such are presumptious and selfe-willed and under a shew of humility and declining authority Calv. instr adv Anab. do despise government and dominion because as they despaire to attain dignity themselves they would have them despised that have it but such saith St Iude shall perish in their own corruptions Deut. 17.8 For Magistracy was ordained of God to decide controversies to punish the evill and maintain the good Rom. 13. and we have as much need of them among Christians as the Jewes ever had because the same lusts do strive in our members whereby we should be too apt to transgresse both Law and Gospell by avenging our selves Rom. 13. if there were not a magistrate appointed to be the avenger of wrath Beside we find God to abet magistrates both by his title given to them Gods and also by his providentiall presence among them Psa 82.1 6. and by his direction of them in the execution of their office saying you judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in judgement 2 Chron. 19.6 7. As also by a blessing promised to the Church by them Isa 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and to want magistrates hath been threatned as a great judgement to a land as Iudg. 17.6 Isa 3.2 Hosea 3.4 and though the Anabaptists would perswade you that the reason of magistrates being over the Jewes was because they were a stubborn people yet if you examine the Anabaptists seditions and tumults you will find them to have as much need of governors as any people for their commotions in Germany have been the death of one hundred and fifty thousands Portanus Catal. Heres and at any time if they got any peace or security even nature and reason leads them to set up a superior Lamb. Hort. p. 31. and so Iohn of Leyden was made King of Zion by themselves and one Cniperdolling and Tuscocuver false Prophets And beside we find the authority of Magistrates though heathens established by the Gospell Tit. 3.1 and Christians charged to pray for them 1 Tim. 2.1 and therefore certainly their office is lawfull since we must pray for them that we may live a godly and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty And therefore much more may Christians have and pray for their proper magistrates Psal 2. and Christian men may entertain the office of a magistrate and be not only subject to Christs scepter but also may be a great means to advance the Kingdome of Christ And though Christ say my Kingdome is not of this world yet he means only that his Kingdome is spirituall ruling in the hearts of men or glorious in heaven not on earth not by that speech intending that Kings should have no temporall government no more than he intends that Christians should have neither houses nor lands because the Foxes had holes and the birds had nests but he had not where to lay his head And what though Christ refused to be made a King so to be a Judge between brethren nor to condemn the woman taken in adultery yet those acts of Christ warrants no man to refuse magistracy For first Christ refused to be made a King because the Messiah Kingdome was not to be temporall and also because Iudea's Kingdome by Gods permission was swallowed by the Roman conquest and turned into provinces Likewise if he had accepted of it the people had no power to perform it but he had made himselfe and them guilty of sedition and so brought scandall upon the Gospell and the peoples lives to danger if not destruction Beside he came to be as a servant not a King and therefore in accepting Kingship he had overthrown his own design so he refused to judge between the two brethren Luke 12.13 because he was not called thereunto for saith he who made me a judge or a divider not but that it was a blessed office to make peace Mat. 5.9 and warrantable enough to end controversies in St Pauls judgement 1 Cor. 6.2 But Christ was not sent to that end and therefore refused to do it teaching us ministers especially to follow our calling and all men not to meddle in secular affairs without lawfull commission And again he refused to judge the woman taken in adultery
The politie of the Jewes being contained in the Law of Moses Deut. 21.19 it was necessary the Judges should be assisted by those that had the most skill in that Law 3. This preeminence followed the same family by inheritance and birth-right so not with us yet the order that God set for some to rule over others is not lightly to be refused since God saw it was the best order rather then to leave them to a generall equality of Priests therefore the Sanhedrim it selfe consisted not of all that would come in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of seventy choice men But it is plain that the Leviticall discipline doth set a form of divers degrees among Ministers by the evident wisedome of God which may justly be imitated by the Christian Churches rather then parity which God never approved Mathe. But Christ used no such way of superiority himselfe nor setled any such as we read of Phila. It is true Christ used none such himselfe for he came to serve and give his life for the world Mat. 20. yet at that time he was head of the Church and was a King to rule a Prophet to teach and a Priest to clense But his Kingdome was not worldly and therefore he would not reign over his Church by his bodily presence So he was the disciples Lord and Master even then John 13. and all power in heaven and earth was his then but he did not challenge it til his resurrection Then he took the Scepter and Kingdome declaratively which he only exerciseth by inward and spirituall power and grace but leaves the externall government to others and keeps the spirituall effectuall and celestiall Kingdome in his own hand which by his spirit in his ordinances he conveieth into the hearts of his people and this Kingdome belongs only to the person of Christ and they that think that any man or corporation of men whether the Pope or the Presbytery succeeds Christ in this Scepter they be highly deceived And for the externall government he left it to the Apostles who had the mind of Christ and they did as I have shewed you They were 1. Greater then others in Christs favour alwaies hearing him 2. In gifts of the spirit far above others Acts 2. and in doing miracles 3. They received their abounding measure immediately from the Holy Ghost others received their measure mediately from their preaching baptizing or imposition of hands They shewed their superiority also by charging 2 Thes 3. commanding to Timothy and Titus ordaining contributions 1 Cor. 16. threatning 2 Cor. 13. so St John doth Diotrephes and their delivering up to Satan they that followed them durst not be so bold though the Pope is Ignat. ad Romanos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Ignatius saith I enjoin nothing to you as Peter and Paul did they were the Apostles of Christ but I the least So in another Ep. ad Trallianos he saith I command not as an Apostle but I keep my selfe within my measure Yet the Apostles after they had trained up men by their doctrines letting them accompany them in their travels they then left some in one place as Timothy at Ephesus Titus at Creet and gave them authority to ordain ministers and govern the Church and therefore they were superiour to others for equals have no power over their equals Mathe. But I find Christ forbidding superiority Mark 10. and the Apostles associating others with them in electing to offices Acts 6. and assembling Councils Acts 15. and imposing hands 1 Tim. 4. and in excommunicating Phila. It is true that upon the two brothers request to be the chief favourites in his Kingdome which they supposed would be an earthly dominion and being rejected the other disciples disdaining them the Lord tels them that they should not use civill jurisdiction over one another as the Gentiles did but he doth not deny degrees or diversity of administrations to them but he thereby instructeth them how to use the authority given of God 2 Cor. 10. not for subversion but edification so that hereby he forbids them compulsive dominion or violent jurisdiction over their brethren but to leave that to the secular power Also to be ready to humble themselves to the meanest and of the lowest degree to win them to the Gospell but that all ministers are by that place proved to be equall I understand not and that because as I have said they used power and authority above others which they would not have done if Christ had forbidden it yet I conceive the Apostles among themselves were of equall authority and towards the brethren they carrried themselves more like fathers than Lords or Masters Now for their associating other with them It is true that many places of Scripture seem to make for it viz. that they had the concurrence of Presbyters and others called a Presbytery in their severall dispensations which will not be found so if well examined For first in the choice of Matthias Acts 1. it is not expressed that the Church intermedled only Peter acquainted the rest that one must be chosen in the room of Judas but whether all the Disciples or the Apostles only named Barnabas and Matthias is not fully expressed for it is said they appointed two and praied and cast lots which actions are most likely to be performed by the Apostles who were led thereto by the spirit of God for certainly an Apostle might not be chosen by men however they might put men in election for it therefore God shewed which he had chosen viz. Matthias and he was accounted with the twelve Apostles I beleeve Peter and the rest might have chosen whom they pleased but then it would have seemed partiality and beside they had not yet the Holy Ghost poured upon them and therefore rather committed the choice to Gods providence Acts 6.2 So the seven Deacons by appointment of the Apostles were chosen by the multitude but approved by the Apostles ver 6. which men were at that time only confirmed in that office of trust to distribute the Churches stock impartially to the Grecists and Hebrew widowes not to teach or baptize and though Philip did so at Samaria yet he did it as an Evangelist not a Deacon so here is not any appearance that these were appointed by such a Presbyterie We grant that the people did use to shew their consent in elections by holding up of hands which was never held mysticall or sacred as imposition of hands and ordination is Socrat. l. 4. c. 30 as appeareth in the peoples choice of Ambrose to be Bishop of Millane who was before Lievetenant of the Province for that he had by good perswasions quieted the tumult that was made by the people about chusing a Bishop After which both the Emperor and they desired the Bishops to lay their hands upon him so that it is evident the people nor lay-Presbyters were associated in ordination or in imposition of hands So
the Father was acknowledged by his creation and providence so the Son of God might be worshipped for his redemption and the Holy Ghost be known by his operating in us the blessed ends that God intended in our creation and the effects of Christs redemption that so the office of Christ as a King Priest and Prophet may be set forth by our faith and obedience to the same Of this holy and orderly state God made Israel a type Esa 51.15 16. when he did that which Esay makes repetition of saying I have covered thee in the shadow of my hand namely I kept thee in thy going through the wildernesse to Canaan that I might plant the heavens and lay the foundation of the earth that is that I might make thee a state consisting of superiours and inferiours as a body politick and say to Sion thou art my people And as he made them into Prince Priest and people under the Law so certainly he did not intend to leave the Gospell people to disorder and confusion and therefore he made Kings nursing fathers and Apostles Bishops and Presbyters to instruct and people to be ruled and instructed as I have already declared it remaineth to shew what effects in the mystery of godlinesse the blessed spirit worketh on Christs redeemed people called the Church Mathe. That I desire to know Phila. First it worketh in Christs Church people outward and inward holy worship The outward consisteth in places utensils and gestures fit for divine service The inward consists in an holy heart and life answerable thereunto which is wrought in us by the operation of the Holy Ghost the third person in the most holy Trinity Mathe. What am I to conceive and beleeve of the Holy Ghost since I find little speech of him in the Creed save only in one article or two at most Phila. Though you find little speech of him as you do of the name of the Father and the Son yet all those Articles of the Creed that follow from beleeving in the Holy Ghost do relate to him and to his operations upon the object thereof which is the holy Catholick Church which he sanctifieth by making in it the communion of Saints and sealing to it the remission of sin and bestowing upon it the power of the blessed resurrection and the felicity of eternall life And insomuch as we are taught to beleeve in the Holy Ghost as well as in the Father and the Son that word in doth intimate to us 1. That he is God as well as the Father and Son or else we may not beleeve upon him But we find that we are to be baptized into his name together with the Father and the Son Mat. 28.29 2. That he proceedeth from the Father and the Son and therefore called the Spirit of the Father and the Son Of the Father John 15.26 and of the Son Rom. 8.9 and procedeth from the Son in that he breathed him upon his disciples John 20.22 and yet is a distinct person from them both as appeareth Mat. 3.17 where the Father speaketh and the Holy Ghost descended and the Sun submitted his humane nature to baptisme and yet he is equall to the Father and the Son and therefore divine worship is due to him as to them Therefore it is fit that we know him in his nature and operations Mathe. I pray declare them to me Phila. I shall first he is eternall and was before the world Gen. 1.2 and cannot alter his nature and condition So secondly he is immense and so every where present Psal 139.7 and therefore he is at hand alwaies to give us his help and assistance Again he is omnipotent Rom. 15.19 all wonders and miracles were done by him and therefore he is able to deliver us and make us for ever most happy as well as he is omniscient knowing all our wants Acts 10.19 1 Cor. 2.10 Now for his effects they are either common or proper common to all creatures or all men To all creatures as in the creation when the spirit of God cowred on the waters and earth mixed together not yet separated as an hen sitting on egs thereby qualifying that chaos to take severall forms Gen. 1.2 which spirit also garnished the heavens Job 26.13 and is still sent forth to continue the creature by production and generation Psal 104.30 which kind of operation is common also to all men Job 33.4 the spirit of the Lord hath made me and not only so but the same spirit giveth inventions to men of Arts and Sciences as to Bezaleel and Aholiab Exod. 31.3 so to write excellent things for the common use of men so to qualifie Ministers with the gifts of prophecy and preaching and tongues yet not all with saving grace mat 7.22 So many men have illumination to discern of some doctrines of faith by drawing off the vaile that hangs before other mens eies though without application to themselves or correspondent practice of such knowledge Heb. 6.4 5. they have a taste but no delight nor digestion for it neither takes them from the love of the world nor makes them the more to love God or goodnesse yea and in other men he works restraining grace to forbear some foule sins as Abimelech to forbear Sarah Gen. 20.6 yea and to do some laudable actions contrary to their disposition 1 Sam. 10.10 when Saul prophecied which was so strange to the people that it became a proverb Is Saul also among the Prophets This restraining grace God giveth the wicked not sur their own but for the Churches sake who would by them otherwise in their lusts be basely defiled or utterly destroied Now there be other operations and effects of the spirit proper to the elect and some of them are generall and some particular the generall are the conception of Christ and the qualification of his humane nature to make it fir for the great work of redemption of the elect Isa 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach glad tidings c. which spirit he received without measure John 3.34 The second generall work is his dwelling in the elect by which they are made a temple for God 2 Cor. 6.10 and built together for Gods habitation Eph. 2.22 Also regeneration of them whereby they are washed and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 Then next he uniteth the elect into one mysticall body by faith and love in the bond of peace Beside Eph. 4.3 he hath particular operations in the singular persons of the elect as first he works in them liberty from the power of sin and ability to subdue the corruption in nature which neither naturall reason not morall prudence can do but where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.13 because the law of the spirit of life hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 And this the spirit doth by exercising of us in
First to men so that is honor we prefer before our selves those whom we ought and as much as we ought and so by humility candor and modesty we destroy pride and hypocrisie So we must be ready to benefit all men out of the sincere affection of charity Heb. 13.1 2. because the end why God gives his benefits is that they may be bestowed for the common good of the Church as God bestoweth his providence in common among good and bad and we know not fully who are good and who may not be made good by our charity they all bearing outwardly to us the same image of God and the similitude of Christs members Now secondly the deniall of our selves in relation to God standeth in these two things First in an equanimity and a fair construction of mind in all actions and state of life Secondly in bearing the crosse aright The first of these appears in our being subject to Gods will in all things and in shunning ambition and covetousnesse and expect prosperity only from God depending only upon him and not desire riches or honours without him or out of him and therefore to follow no wicked arts to compasse them but to cast all the burden and care of them only upon him and so not envy any mans prosperity but commit all accidents of life to Gods will as afflictions diseases and poverty and the death of friends and to bear all with patience Secondly the deniall of our selves in relation to God stands in the right carriage of the cross and a moderate bearing of that adversity which God sends upon us by what hand soever it be outwardly afflicted Mat. 5.4 and so obtain the blessing of the mourners comfort which causeth us though troubled yet not distressed though perplexed yet not in despaire persecuted yet not forsaken cast down but not destroied 2 Cor. 4.8 9. This is done first by considering how the glory of God is illustrated by freeing his people from it as 2 Tim. 4.17 18. and how we are taught to hate both sin the devill the world and the flesh John 15.19 and to serve God not for worldly pleasure and advantage but for his own sake Rom. 5.5 And secondly it is done by considering the comforts of the crosse which are First that God hath purposed and appointed all the sufferings of the Church and neither men nor devils can add to them one jot more then he hath determined John 19.11 Acts 4.28 And secondly that our sins are forgiven us in Christ with whom and for whom we suffer 2 Tim. 2.12 if we suffer for a good conscience which makes the event of the crosse happy 1 Pet. 4.13 14. and gives us hope of an eternall reward by the example of Christ Phil. 2.9 and of the Saints Heb. 11.2 who by faith and patience obtained a good report because they suffered for righteousnesse Mat. 5.10 The next businesse of a Christian life is to meditate on the life to come as those that behold things promised afar off and seek another country beside and above this world Heb. 11.13 14. This meditation includeth a contempt of the world as of riches honours pleasure and of death which like physick doth evacuate many evill humours by considering the various afflictions of this life and that all the joy and pleasures of it are but momentany and yet hinder us from imploying the mind about heaven though themselves have in them neither continuance nor contentment they neither satisfie nor sanctifie us but are like painted reeds gay vanities without but hollow within though we run after them as children after butter flies and get a fall by following and some hurt by heedlesse pursuing them And this contempt of the world would be the more seriously performed if we consider that here we are exiles from home i. from heaven 2 Cor. 5.9 and therefore we should have a most serious and joifull desire of the life to come which would make us either value death as nothing or else look upon it as Christ hath made it namely an entrance into life and a freeing us from our step-mother the world by delivering us to the heavenly Jerusalem which is the mother of us all Indeed if we do not thus the common creature shames us who sigh and grone to be delivered Rom. 8.19 And the heathen wise men and Philosophers thought it their glory to contemn death yet I do not say that this life or the things thereof are altogether to be detested for they are the blessings of God and testimonies of his good will to help through this wildernesse of sin but so far to contemn them as they make us obnoxius to sin Therefore the third part of a Christian life is to make a right use of those that God hath afforded us in this life In this case we must mark the right use and abuse of those things The right use is to make them serve our necessity not superfluity and to increase our delight in and praise to God Psal 104.1 15. and so tasting thou maist see how good the Lord is The abuse when first we exceed our measure and incline to extreams God makes our cup overflow and we make it overflow us Or secondly when we are too abstemious in denying to our selves the lawfull use of the creatures which God hath given us to lead us to acknowledge the bounty of the Creator The one way we make our belly our God Phil. 3.19 The other are too superstitious as were the Essens Col. 2.21 the one through too much love of the creature doth extinguish the meditation of the life to come and the other doth frustrate the favor of God offered to him in this life of both which faults we must give an account especially we being of the true Catholick Church which teacheth the right use of these things and are well understood by those that are of the communion of Saints Mathe. What mean you by the Catholike Church and whether is it alwaies in the same state Then I desire to know what the communion of Saints is and next what kind of government this Church hath alwaies had and allowed Phila. By the Catholick Church I mean that which is intended in the Creed which I beleeve to be though I beleeve not in it as I do in the holy Trinity yet that it is and ever will be while the world endureth notwithstanding all the power of Satan Mat. 16.10 And of this Church we are to beleeve that we are members and professe our selves to be joined thereunto and to live and die members thereof Now this Catholike Church is the City of the living God or a company of holy men who by the free election of God are called to union with Christ God and man to life eternall as well those soules that are triumphant in heaven as those people that are militant here on earth Col. 1.18 of all which Christ is the head for I reckon not Angels to be of the Church but
of Christ Lactant. de errore Orig. lib. 2. cap. 16. anno 300. for we are not to make images of things in heaven to worship them Therefore the most ancient religious men have set themselves against pictures and images in Churches as did Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus anno 390. as appeareth in his Epistle to John of Jerusalem Epist ad Joan. Jerusal concerning whom see Trip. hist lib. 9. cap. 4. But worst of all is their adoration of the reliques of Saints which hath not any shew of warrant in Scripture nor antiquity but is a meer will-worship Col. 2.23 We find it given neither to Patriarch nor Prophets nor Apostles whose bodies no doubt were more honorable then others till the Church began to be corrupted by idolatry and superstition which they borrowed from heathens and hereticks as Carpocrates who with his Marcellina carried about them little images of silver and gold of Pythagoras Plato Aristotle and also of Christ all which they worshipped Epipha cont Haeres or else from some filthy dreamer Jude ver 8. such an one as Eguainus of the order of Benet an English Monk sware in the Council held in London anno 712. that the Virgin Mary appeared to him in a dream and told him it was her will that her image should be set up in the Churches to be worshipped It was therefore concluded it should be so by Pope Constantine the first and Boniface his Legat then here in England and so images were set up in England It is written Amb. lib. de morte Theodosii that Hellen the Empresse found Christs Crosse but yet she worshipped only him that died upon it But these images and worshipping of reliques might the more easily be obtruded upon the people after that Libraries were destroied by the invasion of the Goths and Vandals by which means ignorance and negligence crept into the Church Much lesse is the signe of the Crosse then to be worshipped as a thing that either sanctifieth or puts the devill to flight as the Papists say for that belongs to the efficacy and merit of Christs death nor have we any command or example in Scripture for so doing It is true that the sign of the Crosse hath been anciently used by Christians as a mark of distinction that they were neither Jewes nor heathens but for worshipping of it or attributing vertue or merit to it I read nothing though I find it used by the confession of Fathers 1400 years agoe even at baptisme Cyprian ad Demet. prop. â—â—nem nor thought unfitting by our modern and protestant divines as Bucer Zanchius Zuinglius and others Nor do I think that daies ought to be dedicated to Saints now in the Church triumphant nor to be celebrated in regard of any mysterie inhering to them nor are they more holy then other daies nor the keeping of them a part of divine worship farther then an holy duty done upon that day extendeth it selfe though I know it is lawfull for the Church by a common consent without superstition or idolatry to appoint certain daies for divine duties as to hear the word of God and to pray for the turning away of Gods judgements Aug Epist 128. ad Jan. and to give thanks for benefits received spirituall and temporall As Mordecai appointed the Feast of Purim and Judas Machabeus the Feast of the Dedication But these and all other festivals in the old Testament was set up for the honor of God and so those in the New Testament to the honor of God in Christ one morall in the place of the Jewish Sabbath called the Lords day the other are Ecclesiasticall appointed by the Church in remembrance of what Christ hath done for us But to appoint Holy daies for other use then to God and his worship or to place merit of grace and favor of God in keeping them In vigilis Ap. in fâ—st com Martyrum as the Papists do as appears in their praiers at those times is superstitious so it is also to dedicate such daies to Saints departed I know that some daies of old time hath been kept in the memory of some holy Martyrs for the confirming of Christians in those places where they have suffered but are now out of use Hieron apud Eusebium lib. 4. cap. 14. yet they then did only remember their suffering and gave thanks to God for their constancy in the faith Mathe. What do you count the Church militant to be Phila. That company of faithfull people here upon earth who are governed by one certain head and under his banner do fight against the world flesh and devill and all afflictions in spirituall armour Eph. 6.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. In regard of which battell it comes to passe that the Church militant is not alwaies in one happy state to outward appearance but as Israel and Amaleck one prevailing and sometimes the other like the moon waxing and waining or Noahs Ark sometime tossed on the flood and sometimes resting on the mountain or like Christs ship now in a calm anon in a storm or a lilly among thorns or a childing woman sometimes groaning and anon rejoicing The reason hereof is that God may be known and feared by his Church as a correcting father Pro. 3.13 who will chastise his children for their offences 1 Cor. 11.32 that they may not be disinherited nor condemned with the world the main end whereof is that God may be glorified in delivering of his Church as he was in delivering Israel out of Egypt and from Pharaohs pursuit of them Exod. 15.1 and from the captivity of Babylon Psal 126.2 and that they may learn to hate sin which causeth God to bring afflictions Isa 63.10 and to serve God more sincerely Jer. 31.18 19. by hearty zeal and repentance Rev. 3.19 also that the Church may give an evidence to their profession of the truth Mat. 10.22 and be confirmed to Christ their head Rom. 8.29 who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession 1 Tim. 6.13 and so be distinguished from hypocrites who in time of trouble fall away not understanding that by the crosse the Church is propagated and by dissipation increased and that the blood of martyrdome is the seed of the Church to whom the promise of a better life is made but it must be expected to be performed by hope Mathe. Who is the head of this Church militant Phila. He that is the head of the Church Catholike generally God in Trinity but more particularly Christ who is the Churches mysticall head and she is his body and kingdome Eph. 1.22 and the 4. cap. ver 15 16. and he governeth as her head principally by the scepter of his word and spirit Phil. 2.13 Now thus Christ hath a kingdome naturall or dispensatorie His naturall headship or kingdome is that whereby he reigneth in unitie of essence with the Father and the holy Spirit from all eternity which shall never have an end The
they would have given him other titles than they did Pius 2. Ep. 301. as might become one of so high degree This swelling title of head of the Church and Christs Vicar and Universall Bishop was a forerunning signe of Antichrist as said Gregory the great who was Pope in his seventh Book Greg. M. lib. 4. Ep. 36. and Epist 39. to Mauritius the Emperor and therefore he much declined and waved such titles Mathe. I pray what think you of Antichrist what or who is he Phila. You know St John tels you there were many Antichrists in his time 1 John 2.18 that is some that were contrary to the Gospell of Christ in faith or manners or both Jerom. in Mat. 24. Some account all the heads of Heresies to be Antichrists Others say that they be such as overthrow all good manners and so one describes the state of the Church of Rome saying that the Princes and Judges are the beasts seale Papa Honorius in dial de libero arbit the Clergy his pavilion the Monasteries his Tabernacle the Nunneries his bedchamber and the people to bear his image This he spake of the second Beast Rev. 13.11 And Bernard the Abbot saith plainly Bern. ad Gaufrid Lorat Epi. 125. who writ about 546 years since that the Beast in the Revelation to whom a mouth is given speaking blasphemies is he that sits in Peters chair The other Beast is more subtle as this is cruell yet both joine against Christ So many other conclude the Pope and Papacy to be that man of sin and son of perdition that hath laied an opposite foundation to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes 2.3 4. politickly pretending Christian profession and yet overturning his truth Indeed if one would be lead by Chronograms or the numerall letters in the word Lateinos Pet. Mart. in 2 Reg. 4. Iren. l. 5. c. 25. or Ecclesia Italica or in the Hebrew word Romiith or in Maometis one may find the number of the Beast Rev. 13.18 which is 666. about which time after Christ the Pope was made supreme and universall Bishop in the West and Mahomet chiefe Prophet in the East And though I will not build my faith on numbers in names nor do I think that all names be imposed inevitably by the influence of the stars yet this is not altogether to be despised since Nimrods name included his nature i. an apostate rebell and Cyrus his name in Hebrew was like himselfe wh was an head to the people and in the Persian language a glorious Sun This Antichristianity is called the mysterie of iniquity 2 Thes 2.7 for it is a secret wickednesse in the name and nature of it for Antichrist may signifie one that is a vicegerent for Christ As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Deputy or a Lievetenant for him and thus the Pope would be thought Christs Vicar because he sitteth in the Temple of God or a part of the Church visible corrupted and exalts himselfe above all earthly power that hath given to it the title of God or Lord and shewing himselfe as God 2 Thes 2.4 both in placing and displacing Kings and forgiving sins So is the nature of his doctrine opposed to Christ very subtilly namely because faith must appear by works therefore to set up works to justifie our persons which works the popish writers call also the works of faith not of the law though they be but works of mens inventions and so they prefer works before the formall righteousnesse of Christ imputed to man for justification Mahomet speaks also very well of Christ but he enjoins externall works of his own collection by which men must be saved So the Pope and Mahomet join in one against Christ in this and also in holding that the holy Scriptures are not sufficient for salvation but their canons and rules of obedience have more attributed to them for performance then the obedience of faith which devices are like the locusts that came out of the bottomlesse pit of their inventions Rev. 9. having the face of a reasonable creature but a scorpions sting which gives no rest to the soule but poisons it yet if hue and cry were made after the Pope and Mahomet a man might justly stop the Pope upon suspicion of being the more proper Antichrist for these reasons First because the name of Antichrist agreeth most properly to him and his seat yea all the descriptions of Antichrist in Scripture doth so likewise But by the Pope we mean not every Bishop of Rome from the Primitive times for many of them were Confessors and Martyrs till the time of Sylvester neither was Antichrist discovered much till Boniface the third took from the Emperor Phocas the name of Universall Bishop and his See of Rome to be called the supreme head of all Churches After this we find in the Pope and Church of Rome all the marks of Antichrist for he sets in the Temple of God like an Hornet in a Bee hive driving out the labouring Bees and devouring their hony The popish writers make this an argument of their Church being the true Church and Temple of God because Antichrist sits there It is true that they have the name and shew of a Church Christian but have neither true Doctrine nor Sacraments in their simplicity as the Scripture sets them forth and hath delivered them to the Church so that they have only the name of a Church as Sardis had that she was living but indeed was dead Rev. 3.1 And in this Church Antichrist sitteth as a usurping Tyrant over Gods ordinances abusing them and changing them at his pleasure and over all authority Ecclesiasticall and Civill that beareth any similitude of Elohim even as St Paul foretold 2 Thes 2.3 4. And this may be proved from their own writers some of them saying that it is not lawfull for any man to reprove what the Pope approves for all men ought to be judged by him Zodericus Zamorra lib. 2. cap. 1. but he by none and that he hath all power in heaven and earth so assuming to himselfe the right of Christ as well as his title King of Kings and Lord of Lords which made him so bold as to let Emperors kisse his feet Alexand. pap 3 and to set his foot upon the neck of the Emperor Frederick abusing the 91 Psalm saying thou shalt tread upon the Lion and the Dragon as also Pius the fift did when he deposed Queen Elizabeth abused Jer. 1.10 Behold I have appointed thee this day over Nations and Kingdomes Beside is not he right Antichrist that arrogates to himselfe power over Gods word and his law and saith Gratia in gloss that he can dispense with the law of nature and contrary to the Apostles and therefore hath dispensed with Princes to marry their brothers wives which St John Baptist would not allow to Herod and make parricides saints and forgives sins to
and notorious sinners are not of the Church militant because they fight not against sin but subject themselves to it having not the spirit that lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5.17 whereas in the members of the Church militant Christ liveth by the holy spirit deriving to them sense life and spirituall motion Nor do we number hypocrites to be of the Church militant though in the visible Church by partaking of the doctrine and Sacraments because they want those vertues and graces which proves one to be a member of the mysticall body of Christ as faith to apprehend Christ the head and foundation and to be united to him and therefore can bear no fruit in him but must be taken away Iohn 15.2 though they be in Church visible which Church the Papists only acknowledging may well hold that the true Church is alwaies visible Mathe. Why is it not so Phila. You are to consider that the tearm or word Church is diversly understood First for the universall company of beleevers and so it is invisible and therefore it is said in the Creed I beleeve the holy Catholike Church now faith is the evidence of things not seen Secondly Church is taken for a company of men in particular places professing one and the same true religion and so it is visible Again if you take the Church in the externall form of it namely for a company of men met together to perform Church duties so the Church is visible but if you take it in its internall form consisting in efficacious calling and faith so it is invisible for it is hard to judge who hath these graces Therefore certainly neither the whole Catholick Church nor all that part of it called militant is visible But some part of the Church militant hath and is but yet is not necessary to be alwaies visible but may possibly lie hid and unappearing at some times Aug. in lib. 5. cont Donat. c. 17 Rev. 13.13 14 In which regard the Church is called a garden inclosed and a fountain sealed Cant. 4.11 and the weapons of her warfare to be spirituall 2 Cor. 10.4 When Antichrist reigned over the world where was then the Church visible surely fled like the woman Rev. 12.16 into some solitary place as Eliah was forced to do by Iesabel 1 Kin. 19.10 Indeed there hath been and I fear will be again when our Sun will be darkned and her Moon will not give her light and our Stars fall from the Churches heaven And when you see the abomination of heresies schisme and libertinisme set up in Gods Temple let him that is in Christianity fly to the Scripture for there you shall only find what the true Church is namely certain people called at divers houres some at the first some at the second others at the third So at the beginning middle and end of the world and not all alike at all times sometimes clouded sometimes more resplendent so that it is not alwaies visible nor alwaies alike visible Mathe. Whether is the visible Church subject to defects or errors Phila. Yes for Adam and Eve fell in Paradise and afterward the world was so wicked that the Church remained only in Noahs family And after God had chosen the people of Israel to be his Church they worshipped the golden Calfe and for that and other sins we find them left without Religion Priest or Law 2 Chron. 5. and their Temple ruin'd and themselves dispersed Christ saith that faith shal hardly be found on the earth 2 Thes 2. and St Paul prophecieth of a generall apostacy So in the time of Athanasius the Christian world was over-run with Arianisme only Athanasius stood for Christ that he was of the same substance with the Father But he was but one man and one man could not make a Church so that the Church as well as the Moon may suffer an eclipse especially when the sword shall awake against the shepherd Zach. 13.7 and he shall be smitten and the sheep scattered So likewise the visible Church may erre not the Church Catholick and universall for truth could not be found then upon earth nor any visible militant Church for then they have no truth to fight for But the visible Church as it consisteth of its outward matter and form namely of a company of men exercised about Ecclesiasticall matters may erre and so it did before the Law in the time of the Patriarks and under the Law as the Church of Israel and since the Law For the visible Church of the Jewes persecuted the Christians and the Disciples were all offended and stumbled at Christs sufferings and hardly beleeved at first his resurrection yea and after it erred about his Kingdome Acts 1.6 which they thought should be earthly So they doubted a while about the calling of the Gentiles Acts 10.20 cap. 11.2 So we find the Church of the Corinths full of division 1 Cor. 1.11 and schismes and doubts of the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15. and the Church of Galatia falling back to Judaisme by circumcision Gal. 5.1 2 3. Yea all the Eastern Churches as wel as the seven Churches of the lesser Asia have had their errors and remaine in some as the Papists say even till now Yea generall Councils have not been free for one hath disallowed what the other hath allowed and both cannot therefore be true As the Councill of Franckford broke down the Images in Churches Aug. lib. de unita Eccles c. 3. which the second Councill of Nice restored and so many others did one contradict another which sheweth the Churches imperfection and that it stands not with her nature to be free from error for then if she did once erre she could be no longer a Church Therefore the Church of Rome if it be a visible Church can chalenge no such prerogative especially since Antichrist sitteth there as chiefe governor Hier. in Epist Rustic since which time by avarice the Law is perished from the Priest and vision from the Prophet Mathe. I pray tell me the notes of a true visible Church Phila. I suppose you mean particular Churches in severall nations For the universall Catholike Church is rather to be beleeved then seen as is implied in that Article of the Creed I beleeve the holy Catholike Church There be therefore three notes of a true visible Church First a sincere preaching of the Word Secondly a pure dispensation of Sacraments And thirdly a right administration of discipline These are the notes of a true Church though all of them are not sound alwaies and at the same time in a Church As the Jewes for forty years in the wildernesse wanted circumcision so sometime some ministers may possibly through ignorance infirmity or fear or to please greatnesse depart from sincere doctrine and so by the dragons taile many stars are cast to the earth and by some of them the waters are made bitter Rev. 8.11 yet may it be a true Church so long as
holy Between which there being no receptacle for souls named you may conceive Limbus patrum and purgatory to be papisticall inventions The outward Court where all the people assembled might well signifie that part of the Church visible on earth which have not yet attained to that true measure of holinesse which others have yet are in the Churches pale by admission into it by circumcision and baptisme and so are in the Churches suburbs which is troden even by profane people Rev. 11.2 but none entreth into the holy state of the Church but the upright and worker of righteousnesse Psal 15. Mathe. What signification have the adjuncts and vessels of these rooms Phila. The utensils and vessels in generall may well signifie holy persons or holy gifts 1. Holy persons whether Ecclesiastick or Civill as 2 Tim. 2.20 21. In a great house are vessels of gold and silver Raban on Exod. wood and stone some for honour and some for dishonour If a man purge himselfe from them of dishonour he shall be a vessell of honor sanctified and meet for the masters use and prepared to every good work Which vessels may be sometime captived as those of the Temple by Babels King and Romes Antichrist yet they shall still remain Gods vessels and be returned to their right use by reformation in due time 2. As they be taken for gifts they set forth those divine graces by which God is served in his Church which graces may sometime be captived like Gods Ark by the Philistins 1 Sam. 4. but yet shall be received and returned to Gods service again by true zeale and repentance Mathe. I pray declare the signification of the particular utensils Phila. Those in the Sanctum or Holy place were The Altars the Laver the Table for Shew bread and the Candlestick 1. The Altars which were two of redemption which was that on which creatures were offered by fire and signified our redemption effected by the bloodshedding of Jesus Christ Gen. 4.4 Num. 28.3 John 2.29 1 Pet. 1.18 Exod. 40.6 Lev. 23.24 who was slain virtually from the beginning of the world and actually in the last age of the world he was slain for redemption of his people This Altar stood at the door of the sanctum without side to shew that none can have fellowship with the holy God or his people that makes not entrance into the Church by the sole sufficient sacrifice of Christ Next was the Altar of perfume for perfume was offered thereon every morning it stood neer the mercy seat but a vaile of the most holy place was between Exod. 30.6 7. signifying the praiers and intercessions of Christ for us as may be collected from Ephes 5.2 where Christ is called a sweet smelling savour for so he was in his death and in the devotion of his life Heb. 5.7 for he was heard for himselfe of him that is able to save And so he is for us by his mediation making our devotion acceptable by the sweetnesse of his intercession as Rev. 8.3 who is the one only Mediator betwixt God and man 1 Tim. 2.5 either for redemption signified by the bloody Altar covered with brasse or for intercession signified by the Altar of perfume which was covered with gold typing that in heaven Rev. 8.3 And therefore it is profane Idolatry to set up any other Chem. contra Trid. Co. as the Papists doe in their Rosary and also in their Manual of praiers chapt 1.11 and in many other of their tracts to that purpose Also these two Altars may well set forth a Christians offering up of himselfe to God by a reasonable sacrifice Rom. 12.1 as also our devotions in praier and thanksgiving related to by Malachie cap. 1.11 In every place incense shall be offered to my name Tertul. adv Marcion Hieron in Mal. 1. Rupert on Malac. Justin Martyr Cam. Triphon even a pure offering i. of praier and praise such as St Paul intimates 1 Tim. 2.8 willing the Gentiles to lift up pure hands in all places and to give alms which is a sacrifice of a sweet smell Phil. 4.18 and very acceptable to God as was that of Cornelius Acts 10.4 Mathe. What might be signified by the Laver Phila. It was made of brasse for endurance to hold water and of glasse Exod. 30.18 Exod. 38.8 that the Priests who were to wash therein before they went to the Altar might discern their cleannesse or foulnesse It was called a molten sea 2 Chron. 4.6 This might signifie the Laver of our new birth Eph. 5.23 and Tit. 3.5 namely Baptisme wherein we are purged by the blood of Christ through the eternall spirit and also our faith by whose operation hand and heart head and foot affection and action is to be cleansed Jam. 4.8 when we draw neer unto God and that we may lift up pure hands 1 Tim. 2.8 and look to our feet when we enter into the house of God Eccles 4.17 And to monish us hereof the Church thought fit in ancient times to set the font for baptisme at the entrance of the Church as this Laver stood at the entrance of the Holy place that as they so we might be cleansed before we offered our selves to God at the Altar of praier or praise and to examine our selves by the glasse of the word Jam. 1.23 as the Priests by the Lavers glasse placed in the foot thereof observe their spots or their purity And as our selves so our devotions are to be washed and cleansed also as the sacrifices were in the Temple in the ten Caldrons 1 Kin. 7.38 so our devotions to the equity of the ten Commandements though for the perfection of them we trust only upon the Lamb of God by whose merits we come boldly to the throne of grace This Laver and Solomons sea 1 Kin. 7.23 was answered by the sea of glass Rabanus in Rev. and Bale on that place Rev. 4.6 and the glasse of one and the chrystall of the other might well represent the clear word of God which God hath joined to the Sacraments by which through his spirit Aug in John tract 17. Bed in Rom. 10 the Sacraments are made efficacious And thus we are made clean by the word also which Christ hath spoken to us Mathe. What signified the Table of Shew-bread Phila. This table with the bread and frank insence set thereon prefigured divers things in the New Testament Orig in Lev. 24. The table might the holy Scripture and the bread of proposition the Ministers because the table was never to be removed but the bread was every seventh day Bed l. 1. c. 7. and new set on upon the Sabbath So the Ministers having finished their course are taken off by death and others come in their place But more properly the Table of the Lord named 1 Cor. 10.21 by St Paul and is never called an Altar by the ancient writers but only because there is a sacramentall seale of Christs body