meet with this construction but I shall not refuse to take up a Pearl though I finde it in a Dunghil and as I shall never receive so neither will I reject any exposition because of the person that bringeth it Besides him that learned Mr. Mede occasionally speaking of these words conceiveth it to bee the last hour of Daniels seventy weeks and so consequently of the Jews Common-wealth Suitable whereunto is the Annotation both of H. Grotius and Dr. Hammond to whom for their excellent illustrations of many Scriptures this age is and future will bee much beholding The only objection that can lye against this interpretation is that this Epistle was written after the destruction of Jerusalem but this can only be said not proved True St. John out-lived that desolation but this Epistle might bee written before it yea this text renders it very probable and accordingly Mr. Mede conceiveth it might be written in the last of Daniels weeks about which time Jesu Ananiah began that woful cry Woe to Jerusalem woe to the Temple Taking the clause in this construction the emphasis of this word Hour will prompt two things to our meditation That the time of the Jews ruine was a set time and a short time 1 An hour is a measured part of time consisting of a set number of minutes whereby is intimated that the time of Jerusalems ruine was fixed and her years numbred it is that which would be considered in a double reference to wit as the Jews were a Nation and a Church 1 Consider them as a Nation and People and wee may see in them this truth exemplified That to all Nations there is an appointed time how long they shall continue hee that sets bounds to the Sea hithertâ— shalt thou passe and no further sets periods to all the Kingdoms of the earth thus long they shall flourish and no longer The signification of that word Mene which the hand wrote upon the wall concerning Belshazzar God hath numbred thy Kingdom and finished it carrieth in it a general truth concerning all Monarchies Kingdoms States the number of the years for their continuation and the term of time for their expiration is determined by God What is become of the Assyrian Persian Grecian and Roman Empires whose glorious splendor in a certain space of time vanished away Indeed according to the Poets expression Momento permagna ruunt summisque negatum Stare diâ— Though some Nations flourish longer than others yet all have their Autumn as well as Spring Winter as well as Summer and when the time registred in Heaven is accomplished on earth the most potent Politick Kingdoms moulder away in a moment 2 Consider them as a Church and Gods people it lets us see that as Kingdoms so Churches have their periods indeed the universal Church shall not fayl God will have if not in one place yet in another an Orb wherein the light of his truth shall shine though not always with the same clearnesse to the Day of Judgement but still particular Churches have their doleful eclipses yea their dismal settings by the removing of the Sun of the Gospel from them Those seven Churches of Asia are deplorable instances of this Doctrin who though once golden candlesticks holding forth the word of life are now inveloped in Mahumetan darknesse Oh see my Brethren what sin will doe to Nations to Churches for though it is God who determineth yet it is sin which deserveth their ruine That which moveth God to remove the Candlestick from a Church is their contempt of the light That which provoketh God to put a period to a Kingdoms prosperity is their heightned iniquity and therefore when we behold as wee of this Land at this day sadly doe a flourishing Church withered a goodly Kingdom overturned oh let us so acknowledge Gods hand as to blame our own demerits since it is upon fore-sight of a peoples transgression that God prefixeth a time for their destruction 2 An hour is a short space of time there are many parts of time longer days weeks moneths years Jubilees Ages but there is only one shorter to wit minutes nay the shortest time by which men commonly reckon is the hour with its several parts so that where our Apostle saith it was the last hour he intends that it was but an hour that is a very short time and Jerusalem should be destroyed Look as when the duration of an affliction is set forth by an hour it noteth the brevity of its continuance so when the coming of an affliction is measured by an hour it noteth the celerity of its approach in the former sense we read elsewhere of an hour of temptation and here in the latter that it is the last hour Indeed if wee look upon the Jewes at this very time we shall find they were very secure not dreaming of so neer and great a destruction The Characters which St. James giveth of the rich Jewes are that they heaped treasure together they lived in pleasure were wantâ—n and nourished their hearts as in a day of slaughter they indulged to their covetous and voluptuous lusts putting the evil day farr from them and yet those were the last days as that Apostle calls them nay the last hour in our Apostles language In this respect it is that our Saviour speaking of this destruction fore-telleth it should be then as it was in the days of Noah when they ate and drank married and gave in marriage till the day that Noah entered into the Ark as being over-whelmed with a general security when ready to bee over-whelmed with the floud Thus may Judgement be at hand when men think it farre off and the Judge stand at the door when the thief imagines hee is many miles distant when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they cannot escape is the sad threatning which Saint Paul utters against presumptuous sinners wicked men are never more secure than when destruction is nearest and destruction is never nearer than when they are most secure Indeed when men through infidelity contemn it is high time for God to execute his threatnings that by hastening his wrath he may justifie his truth It is but reason that they who will not beleeve should feel and what they would not learn by the Word they should finde in their own sad experience take we heed therefore how wee look at the wrong end of the Perspective which makes the object seem at a greater distance than it is Alas how soon may the brightest skie bee over-cast Voluptuous Epicures saith Job spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment they goe down to the grave When Judgement cometh it cannot be avoyded and too often it surprizeth men before it is expected Whilst the wicked Jewes were encompassed with plenty and promised themselves tranquillity St. John fore-tells their misery and that as approaching It is
the same distemper we would trace the footsteps of divine Power and Knowledg and Wisdome but alas all such indeavours will prove vain and cursed fruitless and sinfull Indeed we find Christs Apostles working miracles but not in imitation of Christ rather Christ wrought signs and wonders by them for the propagation of his Gospell and this was only a personall and that a temporary priviledg 2. Christ as God-Man Mediator undertook many Offices in the exercise of which he was pleased to walk as a Prophet he walked up the Mount and from thence gave Laws and Precepts to the People as a Priest he walked to Mount Calvary whereby suffering Death upon the Cross he merited our Redemption He walked from the Grave to Heaven where he maketh Intercession as King and Head of his Church he walketh in the midst of the golden Candlesticks defending and governing his People conquering his enemies giving Laws conferring guifts And in these walks we are not directed to follow him it is an horrid presumption in the Romanists who make a meer man head of the Church who attribute to Saints and Angels a power of interceding in our behalf and therefore we justly assert with the Apostle Paul he hath given him to wit exclusively to be head And again There is one Mediator namely both of Redemption and Intercession between God and Man he who is God and man the Man Christ Jesus Indeed an Analogicall imitation may here be allowed as Christ is Head of his Church so the King is Head of his Kingdome the Master head of his Family As Christ walketh in the midst of his Church so the King in the midst of his Kingdome and the Master in the midst of his house Christ as a Prophet doth give Laws so his Ministers are Prophets to interpret his Laws to the People and all Superiours must be Prophets to instruct those who are under them as Christ intercedeth in Heaven for us so we must pray one for another on earth As Christ offered a propitiatory reall Sacrifice so we must by him offer gratulatory spirituall Sacrifices Finally to performe the Office of a Mediator he `dying on the Cross rose again from the Grave ascended into Heaven so we must dye to sinne live to righteousness and seek the things which are Above Thus we are allowed nay obliged indirectly and allusively to follow Christ in his walks as Mediator but not directly 3. Consider Christs walks as he was Man and so we shall find the actions he performed reducible to three heads Ceremoniall Circumstantiall and Morall 1. Christ walked in a way of Conformity to the Ceremoniall Law and therefore he is said to be made under the Law On the eight day he was Circumcised and thereby became obedient to the whole Law of Moses but in those walks we must not trace him Though he was pleased to fulfill the Law in himself that it might have an honourable Buriall yet he hath abolished it as to us it is not ought not to be observed and thereby as it were revived by us 2. Many things which Christ did were Circumstantiall in some of which it is unlawfull in others possibly it may be inconvenient and in neither of both it is needfull to imitate him The Duration of time in which Christ fasted to wit forty daies and forty nights is such as being miraculous we ought not to follow we are indeed to fast as he did but not so long since thereby we should be guilty of self-murder though withall it was not imprudently but piously appointed by the Church that so long time as Christ fasted a toto wholy from food we should a tali a tanto from some kind of food and from our usuall measure of eating Christs choosing of such persons as Publicans and Sinners to eate and drink and converse familiarly with inasmuch as he came to call them to Repentance and was not capable of pollution by them is no warrant for us to be familiar with wicked men from whom the best may more easily receive evil then do good to them though yet withall it giveth Ministers leave to Converse with those under their charge though wicked that if by any means they may bring them to God Those circumstances of place and time which Christ observed in Prayer when as one time we read he withdrew himself into the Wilderness to Pray and at another time he Prayed all night though the one direct to choice of private places for private Prayer and the other intimate long Prayer in some cases not to be unlawfull yet nether doth the one oblige us to leave our houses and run into a Wilderness nor the other to debarre our selves of a whole nights sleep for the exercise of our devotion That gesture of sitting which Christ was pleased to use when he Preached to the People would be though not unlawfull yet inconvenient for us his Ministers to follow since whereas he taught Magisterially we but Ministerially and so a more humble posture except in case of necessity best befits us Finally The time at which our Lord Administred the holy Communion Namely in the night after supper The posture in which as it is imagined he participated it to wit That of lying which he used after the common custome at his other meales are no patterns necessarily oblieging us to follow them for as to both the time and gesture it appeareth they were only occasionall it being most suitable that the time of the first Administration of that which was to come in the Roome of should be immediately after the Passover and if he did use which yet no Evangelist exâ—resly affirmeth that gesture the probable reason is because he had used it before at the Pasover and so being neerly inoidentall was not intended for our imitation The truth is this on the one hand if it at all oblige it bindeth not only to a but the table gesture since the custome of a countrey is no dispensation for what is of religions and necessary concernment and so even they who pretend in this to imitate Christ are defective But on the other hand in reallity it doth no more bind Ministers and People to conform to it in that holy Administration then that gesture he used in his Sermons doth bind the Ministers in their Preaching and if as by the practice of all sorts it seemeth to be granted it be more decent for the Minister to stand Preaching though Christ sate I see no reason why it may not be more decent for the Ministers and People to receive kneeling notwithstanding Christ did it in the usuall posture of his meales though to all this it might be added that since the posture there used was humi discumbere to lye down upon the ground this of kneeling cometh nearer to it then either that of sitting or standing In fine the Summe amounts to thus much Christs ceremoniall actions being in conformity to a law abolished are not and his circumstantiall actions being
the Preacher delivereth are either according to Brugensis the new and glorious mysteries of the Gospell in old and common resemblances or according to St Hilary and the Ancients Nova vetera in Evangeliis in lege the Legall and Evangelicall verities according to this is that occasionall note of St Ambrose upon those words of the Spouse At our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits new and old which I have laid up for thee oh my Beloved Teneo mandata omnia novi veteri Testamenti I keep the Commandments both of the old and new Testament for whereas the Jewish Synagogue neither keep the new in the letter nor the old in the Spirit the Christian Church observeth both and instructeth her Children in both Suiteble hereunto it is that this great Apostle of the Christian Church and well instructed Scribe for the Kingdome of Heaven brought forth in his Preaching and here layeth up a writing both old and new chiefly pressing upon us the observance of a command both Legall and Evangelicall Brethren I waite no new but an old c. Again a new Commandment I write unto you 2. Having dispatched the Compellation Brethren we have entred upon the first branch of the commendation drawn from its divine authority and therein the consideration of it as an old Commandment which having been already handled in the Assertion we are now to proceed to the Probation as it is implicitly couched in these words which we had from the beginning and explicitly set forth in those The old Commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning That you may see the strength of the Argument I shall forme it into a Syllogism thus That which you heard and had from the beginning is the old Commandment But This Commandment about which I write unto you is that you heard and had from the beginning Therefore It is not a new but an old Commandment The Conclusion is the Assertion and hath been already handled the Major and Minor containe the Probation and remaine now to be dispatched 1. Begin we with the Major The old Commandment is the word which was heard from the beginning To clear this Be pleased to know That a thing may be said to be old either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some respects only or absolutely That which is not from the beginning and therefore is new in respect of preceding times may yet in respect of following ages be said to be old but only what is from the beginning is absolutely old Antiquity properly referreth to time so that what hath the priority carryeth it in point of antiquity and Id prius quod ab initio saith Tertullian That is first which is from the beginning principium a beginning being Id quo nihill prius that before which nothing is else it could not be the beginning In this sence it is we most justly say that which is true is old for though error may be old truth cannot be new Yea Since as that forementioned Father excellently argueth Falsum est corruptio veri Falshood is nothing else but an adulteration of truth Truth must needs be before Falshood and so the terms are convertible that which is true is old and that which is old is true for no error but is new in respect of that which is from the beginning though it be old in regard of that which followeth Upon this account it is that the same Father disputing with Marcion put it to this issue I say my Gospell is true Marcion saith his is I say Marcions Gospell is false he saith mine is Quis inter nos determinabit nisi temporis ratio ei praescribens authoritatem quod antiquius reperiretur let antiquity end the controversie that which can shew largest prescription of time and so the eldest let it be accounted truest Indeed Christianity stands upon holy antiquity and there is no better way of discovering what is false and reforming what is amiss then by looking back to the beginning Upon this ground it is that we contest both with the Papists on the one and all Sectaries on the other hand as being ready to justifie against both that what we teach is truly old because the word from the beginning 1. As the Gibeonites cheated Joshuah with their old Shooes clouted upon their feet old Garments dry and mouldy Bread So do the Papists delude many poore souls with pretence of the old Commandment and the old Religion It is the calumny they cast upon us Where was your Religion before Luther we are Novelists and but of Yesterday yea that we daily broach new Doctrines That some who are among us but not of us do so we cannot deny but still we are ready to justifie the Doctrine of our Church to be the old Doctrine nor do we desire a better Medium of proving it then this in the Text The old Commandment is the word which was from the beginning Take any or all of those opinions wherein we differ and for which we separate from them such as are Transubstantiation half Communion adoration of Images invocation of Saints and Angels the supremacy and infabillity of the Pope and the like And we shall find even by their own confessions that they were not from the beginning Scotus acknowledgeth that till the Counsell of Laterrane which was almost 1200 Years since Christ Transubstantiation was no Article of Faith Cassander confesseth that for a thousand years the holy Sacrament was administred in both kinds it were easie to instance in the rest but that learned Prelate hath already done it to the full and now let any rationall man judge whether we or they are to be charged with Novelty when as those things wherein they and we disagree have no primitive antiquity to establish them 2. As in this Particuler we vie with the Papists so are we ready to put the differences between Us and the Sectaries upon this triall Do we contend for a Lyturgy in the Church is it not because all Churches Greek and Latine have had their Lyturgies from the first Plantation of Christianity Yea Christ himself hath left a Prayer upon record to be not only a Platform after which manner he would have his Disciples pray but a Set form which they were to say when they did Pray Do we contest for our Hierarchie in the Church is it not because it was so from the beginning St Paul gave Timothy and Titus single persons Episcopall power of ordaining and governing Presbyters Those Angels of the Seaven Churches manifestly appear by the Ecclesiasticall History to be Bishops Yea No Church since the Apostles till Calvins time hath been without Episcopall Government Do we oppose the office of a Lay ruling Elder in the Church is it not because it was not from the beginning We can trace no footsteps of it in antiquity nor yet any such Officer or Office described in holy writ Finally To name no
they made use of these signs partly in regard of the good that they being hereby admonished might bee the better fitted to undergoe the temporal calamity or if Godopen a way provide for their own safety as the Story tells us many of the godly Jewes did by flying to Pella before the City was sacked by the Romans And now my Brethren though we have not nor must expect particular Predictions or Signs given us of destructive Judgements yet a wise observer and comparer of Gods Word and works together may bee able to discern what is likely to come upon the place wherein he liveth it is Solomons general assertion The prudent man foreseeth the evil this being that which every Spiritually wise man may attain to in some measure and accordingly ought to endeavour after Now the best means of obtaining this fore-sight is to observe what have been the signs and fore-runners of Gods Judgements on other Nations especially those in Holy Writ as in particular concerning Jerusalem and if we finde the like to befall in our dayes we may thence if not undoubtedly yet rationally conclude our own destruction to bee at hand Among others there were two very observable signs of Jerusalems destruction the one great warrs and rumours of warres the other multitudes of false Christs and false Prophets and as we have for many years felt the one so who doth not see the other wee need not goe to Rome to find out Antichrist wee have swarms of Antichrists among our selves so that this Age and Land and City of ours is become a sink of filthy and loathsome Heresies yea which is the worst kind of Antichristianism Pseudochristianism is the brand of our Times whilst all these Antichrists pretend themselves to bee the only Christians yea some of them assert themselves to be Christified and Deified nay one of them is so sacrilegiously impudent as to stile himself the Christ What Christian heart bleeds not to hear of these Heresies Blasphemies and that as chiefly because of the dishonour done to Christ so secondarily of that sad presage which they give of the mournful down-fall of this once flourishing Church Kingdome and City But I would not bee a Prophet of misery to my Native Country yea I should be glad to prove a false Prophet and therefore instead of a doleful Prediction I shall close up with an earnest supplication that all these Antichrists may be either reclaimed or suppressed that the Orthodox Faith may be maintained the Church restored our warres ended our sins reformed and so our ruine prevented Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 19. They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us THe Gospel had no sooner ascended the horizon of the Gentiles and dispelled that universal shade wherin they had been be nighted but the Prince of the Air raised the clouds or rather fogs and mists of heresy to obscure the lustre thereof No sooner had those Apostolical Merchants erected factories in several parts of the World for the advancement of Christian Religion but the Devil had his Emissaries in all places to interrupt the trade of truth This our Apostle well knew and therefore armeth those to whom hee wrote both against the peril and the scandal of Antichristian Teachers when the Market is full of Adulterous wares counterfeit coines specious falshoods there is great danger of being deceived and therefore it concerneth us to be so much the more careful what wares and commodities wee take what Doctrins wee receive as true when the brats of ugly errours are laid at the door of the Christian Church Satans design is to bring her in disgrace and men are too apt to fancy her the mother of such monsters great reason there is to take heed we be not offended yea through our â—incogitant precipitancy stumble and fall at this block The prevention of the former of these namely the danger is the design of our Apostle in the precedent verse and now in this verse hee goeth on to remove the scandal letting the Christians know That they went out from but they were not of them for if they had been c. In the words these two particulars are plainly considerable The occasion and the remotion of the scandal The occasion of offence set down in these words They went out from us The Remotion of this as being no just cause in the rest of the words But they were not of us c. Begin wee with that which first occurreth to wit the occasion of the offence They went out from us in which words there is something implyed and something expressed 1 That which these words imply as Calvin Danaeus with others observe is that those Antichristian Impostors had been in the bosome of the Church and imbraced the Christian profession Thus wee read of Simon Magus one of the chief Ring-leaders that hee beleeved and was baptized and Nicolaus was one of those seven Deacons upon whom the Apostles laid hands and Epiphanius affirmeth Cerinthus to have been very conversant with the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem and S. Paul tells the Pastors of Ephesus that men speaking perverse things should arise of their own selves so that in this case that often falls out a mans enemies are those of his own houshold The Churches seeming members prove her worst enemies As a lilly among thorns so is my love among the Daughters saith Christ of his Spouse where it is observed by St. Austin that it is not said among strangers that were no great wonder but among her Daughters even they who profess the Church to bee their mother prove thornes to vex her not onely they who are without to wit the pale of the Church as having never received the Christian Faith such as were Jews and Pagans but many who are within become false brethren not only the wild Boar out of the forrest endeavours to lay waste Gods vineyard but there are foxes within to pluck off and spoil its grapes nay as St. Austin well observes multae foris oves multi intus lupi many without are sheep such as belong to and are at last brought into the fold whiles many within are wolves though in sheeps clothing whose aim is to deceive and destroy Even in Jerusalem that is the Church saith Origon are many Jebusites in Gods field there want not tares sown by the envious man The visible Church is as a net wherein are bad as well as good fish a garden wherein are weeds as well as flowers as Rebecca's wombe in which are two sorts of people strugling to wit as St. Austin moralizeth it spiritual and carnal In one word to use St. Pauls comparison in this house of the Church there are as golden and silver so earthen and
things of God which a natural man may know but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of the Spirit of God to wit the truths which are purely Evangelical hee receiveth not nor is it said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth not finde them out but when they are found out and revealed to him hee doth not receive them nor is it only a reception of them into his will but understanding which is intended for it followeth hee cannot know them nor is it onely said hee doth not but hee cannot it being impossible for him meerly by the help of natural reason to attain the knowledge of them and this because they are spiritually discerned that is the Spirit of God which revealeth them must also inable to discern them Indeed Socinus would explain the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee receiveth not that is hee findeth not out the things of the Spirit of God but this notion of the word findeth no parallel in the New Testament nay is against the nature of the thing for receiving supposeth some thing offered which when it is applied to Doctrins the offering is the revealing them nor is it lesse incongruity to interpret this of St. Paul hee receiveth not that is hee findeth not out than if one should expound that of S. James receive the ingrafted word that is finde it out which will so much the more appear if you observe the reason annexed why the natural man receiveth them not to wit because they are foolishnesse to him and if these things were to bee found out how could the natural man apprehend them to bee foolishnesse I have been so much the longer in the Explication of this Scripture because it is an explication of the Text and the truth in hand For the prevention of those Objections which may bee made against and the further confirmation of this position be pleased to know that 1 The Reasonable Creature is the subject of Evangelical Doctrin this Spirit doth not bestow his Oile upon Trees and Plants Beasts or Birds nor doth hee raise up of stones and blooks children to Abraham all Divine knowledge is grafted upon the stock of Natural Reason 2 By that Native light of reason within us wee may attain the knowledge of many things delivered in the Gospel those I mean which are common to the Holy Scripture with other writings How many things Historical Moral Speculative Practical are there in the sacred books which wee meet with in Heathen Authors Our gracious God would not so over-whelm humane infirmity in the patefaction of Evangelical mysteries that there should bee nothing for reason to fix upon and yet withall hee would not have all things so suitable to reason that there should be no need of faith 3 The litteral sense of the Scripture words may through industry bee attained to by the help of Reason Skill in the Tongues though it was for a time immediately and extraordinary conferred upon illiterate persons by the Holy Ghost yet is such a gift as may bee attained to by common helps and the same industry which renders a man expert in giving the Grammatical sense of other Authors may no doubt inable him to do the like in reading the books of the sacred Pen-men nay more the Spirit of God in Scripture doth not affect that obscurity of Language which some other writers do and so the sense of it may more easily bee gathered 4 The Spirit of God inlightening us to understand those truths which are purely Evangelical maketh use of Reason this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flower of the soul is not blasted but rather the more opened by the blowing of the blessed Spirit when a man commeth to bee initiated into the School of Christianity hee is not commanded to throw away his Reason onely to subjugate it Indeed every Christian must deny his Reason but that is as hee must deny his affections as it is not the extirpating but the moderating of his affections so it is not the casting away but the captivating of his Reason to the obedience of faith which Christian Religion requireth In one word whilest the Spirits grace is acknowledged to bee principium the principal efficient cause I shall not deny Reason to bee instrumentum an instrumental cause whereby wee come to the knowledge of Divine things 5 And therefore lastly this still remaineth as a sure maxim That Natural Reason by what helps soever improved is altogether insufficient without the Spirits grace to the savoury apprehension of those supernatural and purely Evangelical verities which are revealed in the Holy Scriptures It is not unfitly observed that as nature hath its Secrets and Arts their crafts so all Religions have their mysteries which are not known but to them who are brought up in them It were easy to instance in the Persians Indians Syrians Grecians Egyptians Romans who had their mysterious rites which the Devil taught them and accordingly were taken up in imitation of the true Religion which both in the Jewish and Christian Church never wanted its mysteries such as none can comprehend neither can any apprehend but those who are taught by the blessed Spirit This is expresly asserted by Christ himself when hee saith to his Disciples It is given to you to know the mysterys of the Kingdome vobis datum non vobiscum natum this knowledge is not born with you but given to you if then innate reason were sufficient what need it bee given nor is it onely by outward revelation for so it was to those Scribes and Pharisees the wise and prudent from whom yet those things are said to bee hid to wit because their eies were not spiritually inlightened to discern them if you would know what it is that was given to these Disciples let one of them the beloved Disciple inform you and that in this very Epistle where hee saith The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true so that not onely the Revelation of that we are to know but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understanding it self whereby wee know was given by Christ and this as a peculiar grace conferred on some whilest it s denied to others To this purpose tend those metaphors of opening the eies and opening the heart plainly intimating that in the work of Conversion there is not onely an outward but an inward work nor are Evangelical truths onely revealed by the Word but the rational faculties are rectified by the Spirit what more pregnant instance of this truth than Nicodemus to whom the Evangelical Doctrin of Regeneration was preached by Christ himself and yet by whom it was not understood for want of the Spirits illumination no wonder if Gods Promise to his people runs I will give them an heart to know mee without which though hee had showed his Word and Statutes to them they would still have continued ignorant as to any
consists 140 143 Love of the World see World Lust three-fold 338. that which was in us by Creation was not prone to irregularity 432. forbidden as well as the outward act 406. after worldly things many times disappointed and if fulfilled soone glutted 448 Lye threefold 23 580. Lyars the vilest of men 597 M. MAlice see Hatred Marriage may bee unlawfully used 348 Memory apt to forget Divine things 593. wee must not onely hear â—ut remember 640 Ministers how they and the people brethren 79 286. must have a futherly affection to the people 203 c. they are watch-men and shepheards 200. must be faithful and prudent 274. must preach particularly 220 220 387. seasonably suitably to their Auditors conditions capacities 275. make a distinction between hearers 593. warn the people of seducers 597 690. commend what is good in their people 134. must win upon them by expressing love 735. their endeavour shall bee accepted 677. no need of them in Heaven 716. they are instituted by Christ to continue in the Church to the end of the world 719. their teaching cannot avail without the Spirit 717. they must bee constant in the faith 644. their peoples constancy their honour at the last day 753. they must live their Sermons 120 121 Miracles by true ones the Gospel was confirmed 580. the shew of them made a prop of heresy 686 Multitude no note of a true Church 499 N. NAme its several acceptions 249. when changed in Scripture some spiritual gift conferd 615 the names of those whom wee reprove not to be mentioned 257 673 Necessity twofold 647 Neutrality and lukewarmness condemned 425 Novelty a badge of errour affecting it dangerous 91 to 94 100 101 O. OBedience cannot bee without knowledge 22. the way to increase knowledge 4 5. it is according to our knowledge 17. Negative not sufficient 11 474. must bee universal 14 15 464. cheerful 465. by it wee know our interest in Christ 71 72. it cannot be exact 16. a bare command should bee enough to oblige to it 429. it is the best tryal of our love to God 472 473. and perfects it 33 35 Old-men why called Fathers 208. to bee reverenced 209. they had need to bee good 212. not too old to learn 221. ignorance in them inexcusable 269. they must labour to know Christ 267 268 tOvercome in what sense wee are said to overcome the Devil now 285. wee are not compleat victors in this life 286. how it is to be done 283 284 P. PArdon of sin see Forgiveness Perfection twofold 33. perfect Christians compared to Fathers 204. b. Perseverance in adhering to Christ the Church the truth received 641 738. it must bee to the end 740. most commendable in Apostatizing times 635. it is not by our selves but Gods sustentation 529. the doctrine of it upon what grounds built 531 532. no true cause of security 535. an attendant of true grace 633 Play how unlawful 356 Polygamy a lust of the flesh 347 Prayse due to Virtue 134 259 578 Preacher see Minister Predictions the verity of those which are Divine 496. especially concerning Christ 603 604 Presumption of an interest in Christ 74 75. of our own abilities 394 Priviledges the enjoyment of them should not content us 526 Pride loveth to show it self 389. why called pride of life 390. its several kinds 390 to 394 a general sin 402. maketh a man like the Devil 404. it is attended with shame 405 Promises Divine are sometimes matter of precept 736. suitable to our necessities 648. most faithful 666. The promise is Eternal life 663. first promised and then given 665. to them that persevere 670. promised before Christ but not so clearly as by him 665. Humane oft-times larger than their performances 399 661 Protestants injustly charged by the Papists as Schismaticks 512 513 Q. QUakers how irrationally they decry the Ministry and blasphemously they wrest Scripture 721 722 R. REason of what use in Divine things 577 insufficient without an higher light 575. pretended to by Hereticks 686 Regeneration compared to light 131 Remission of sin see Forgiveness Repentance abstaineth from all sort of lusts 406 407. the delay of it dangerous 304 Repetition of one and the same thing frequently used in Holy Writ and why 131 to 135 Reproof ought to bee with expression of love 205. a. and yet sharp against notorious sinners 599. but yet without naming the persons 257 673 Resolution necessary in a Christian to his combat with the Devil 290 Riches when got and kept sinfully 376 to 381 S. SAcrament of the Lords Supper what gesture was used by Christ is not certain if it were wee are not bound to follow it 49 50 Saints their security dignity and felicity by reason of the Annointing 550 Schism the causes of it 508. a great sin 518. un ustly charged upon the Protestants by the Papists 512. justly by us upon the Sectaries 514 Scripture why God would have his Word written 216. man the Pen-man Gods Spirit the Author 219. to bee read by and to all 224 225. with reverence 220. quoted and wrested by the Devil 299. by Hereticks 589 722. a special weapon against seducers 689 Sectaries justly accused as Schismaticks 514 Security greatest when Judgement is neerest 490 Seducers they often prove such who should be Teachers 675. the several wayes of seducing 689. c. Sights wanton forbidden 363. as also such as curiosity prompts to 367 368 Signes three sorts of them 499 Sin God cannot bee the Author of it 433 434. men are apt to transfer it on God 436. it maketh us like the Devil 282 484. it ruineth Churches and Kingdoms 489. How many waies to bee considered 237 238 Sleep when a lust of the flesh 355 Soul no proportion between it and the world 454. hath its diseases as well as the Body 733 Son of God Christ was in such a way as proveth him higher than men nay Angels yea the high God 625 626. hee that denieth Christ denieth Gods Son 617. how much God is offended with it 624 625 Spirit of God compared to Oyl and why 514 c. given by Christ 557 701. the Author of Scripture 219. is not onely illuminating but confirming 731. his grace needful to overcome the Devil 91 his teaching extraordinary and ordinary internal and external 707 708. his inward teaching agreeeth with that in the word 709. it is faithful 727. effectual 729. how hee concurreth to assurance 73 74 Strength spiritual needful to our fight with the Devil 288. wherein it consists 290 strong Christians compared to young-men 210 211 Superfluity what measure of Riches is so 372 373 Superiours ought to bee exemplary 38 T. TEaching see Spirit Ministers Tempting God a great sin 367 Types fulfilled in Christ 579 Truth of the Gospel proved 580 581 V. VAin-glory a branch of pride 396 Victory see Overcome Unction of the sick in the primitive times for another end than that of the Papists 696. in Baptisme ancient but not Apostolical 695. Spiritual is