than to hold one may be fed by the meat another man eats or be saved by another man's Faith Which were most ridiculous for a man is nourished by his own meat and the just must live by his own Faith Many strong Reasons might be alledged against this so soul a corruption but I will comprise all in three 1. It is against the express commandment of Christ whose words are Eat ye all of this and Drink ye all of this Had the Church of Rome been the true Spouse of Christ she would never have presumed to abolish what he hath ordained and to establish what her self hath devised not only in this but in many other actions which is no less than to advance her self in Wisdom and Authority above the Son of God 2. It is against the nature of a Sacrament which consists in receiving For the main difference between a Sacrifice and a Sacrament is that in the one we give to God in the other God gives to us and we receive of him 3. It abolishes the Mystery of our consolation and that whereby our Faith is strengthened in the use of these Holy Signs that mankind might have an interest in Christ and what he should do on our behalf We know it was required he should be incarnate and take our nature upon him which now he hath done Every one of us can believe that what he hath done is for the behoof of mankind and so some men shall be the better for it since our whole kind by reason of his Incarnation is capable of the benefits of his Passion and the whole work of Redemption But in that though Christ became man yet he took not upon him the nature of every several man hence no man from his Incarnation could apply these Benefits unto himself in special For he might say indeed Christ was made man and so man may be the better for him and have some interest in him but since he was not incarnate into me how should I apply this unto my self Why therefore the All-wise God who knew our weakness hath so ordained in the Mystery of this Holy Sacrament that it is a Mystical Incarnation of Christ into every one who receives it Whence Gregory Nazianzen defines the Eucharist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Communion of the Incarnation of God For in that he affirms the Bread to be his Body and the Wine to be his Bloud by receiving this Body and Bloud of Christ and so changing it into the substance of our Body and into our Bloud by way of nourishment the Body of Christ becomes our Body and his Bloud is made our Bloud and we become in a Mystical manner flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone And as in his conception of the Holy Virgin he took upon him the nature of Man that he might save Man so in his Holy Sacrament he takes upon him the nature of every man in singular that he might save every man who becomes him in the Divine Sacrament of his Body and Bloud His real Incarnation was only in one but his Mystical Incarnation in many and hence comes this Sacrament to be an Instrument whereby Christ is conveyed unto us his Benefits applied and so our Faith confirmed How then do they abolish this Holy Mystery this comfortable Analogy where Christ is offered but those for whom he is offered receive him not but stand as gazing Spectators whilst the Priest alone is the Actor But let us who are so happy above them who come hither as Receivers and not as Gazers let us I say consider how great a Gift it is which God gives us Zaccheus gave a great Gift half his Goods unto the Poor Herod promised a greater unto the dancing Damsel but the greatest of all is that which the prodigal giver offered our Saviour even all the Kingdoms of the World But all these Gifts are faln short and of infinite less value than this transcendent Gift which God gives unto us which makes S. Iohn when he speaks of it to express it with an Emphasis So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life Lo here the greatest Gift that Heaven can yield or the Earth can receive Let us therefore stir up Hearts and Hands to give thanks and praise unto him of whom we receive so wonderful a Gift saying with the Prophet David What shall we render unto the Lord for this admirable benefit AND thus I come to a fourth Observation which these words will lend us namely That the Apostle warrants here by his Example the Illustration of things in the Gospel by the Types of the Law For if the Apostle uses an Example where one would scarce suspect there was a Tppe much more doth he approve an application where a Type is plain and evident and besides seems to insinuate thus much unto us That all the extraordinary actions of God toward his ancient People had in them some Mystery of some things to come as this of Manna in the Wilderness And I make no question but the searching and suting of Allegories in these two kinds were allowable and profitable But this is the errour of Allegorizers They seek Allegories where they are not but where they are they seldom look for them For although the body and verity be of it self more clear and evident than the shadow yet always a Comparison affords more light than a single contemplation Now because the Apostle hath led the way of this practice in the matter of the Eucharist let me have leave to second him in another Instance of the same Argument almost out of himself in the Chapter not in so sublime a kind but in a plain and vulgar Type Amongst all the Sacrifice of the Law there is none either for name or nature comes so near the Sacrament of the Supper as the Eucharistical The Passeover was a special kind hereof where it is so well known that the Fathers ate the same Spiritual Meat we do that I shall not need say any thing of it only it shall suffice to shew the same in the whole kind of Eucharistical Offerings which is not so much observed An Eucharistical Sacrifice or a Peace-offering was a Sacrifice of fire or expiatory a part whereof was burnt upon the Altar as in other Sacrifices but the remainder and greater part was eaten by the faithful people who brought it that so their Sacrifice being turned into their bodie 's nourishment might be a Sign of their incorporation into Christ to come who was the true Sacrifice for Sin So whereas other Sacrifices were only Sacrifices this was also a Sacrament the rest were only for Expiation but this also for application being a Communion of that Sacrifice which was offered Rightly therefore was it added to all other Sacrifices for what profit was there of expiation of Sin unless it were applied
in brief his present Conjectural thoughts which afterwards at better leisure he would bring to the Test and pursue with more accurateness Pitching upon some of these he hath done me the honour to promote me to be his Amanuensis And then first causing me to turn to Texts in the Hebrew Fountain and in the LXX he would Critically give the Importance of the words and here drop many a rich Observation That done he would take down many of the Ancients whether Church-Historians or Fathers Greek and Latin c. and directing me to what places I should turn make me read them to him Upon which again he would by the By give out very considerable Notes and still as he had done with each Author would say You see it holds yet and yet c. So at last one of those Conjecturalls and What Ifs as he call'd them became an adopted Verity And this he called Hunting of Notions At this Sport no less profitable than pleasant we have upon Fasting-days continued from three after Mid-day until the knocking of the Colledge-gates at Night and then he has dismissed me richly laden 3. Of his Advice to young Students in Divinity TO those who intended Curam Animarum he would give among many other these Three Counsels 1. That they familiarly acquaint themselves with and constantly make use of that Golden Observation of Is. Casaubon viz. Vniversam Doctrinam Christianam Veteres distingâ—ebant in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idest ea quae enunciari apud omnes poterant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arcana temere non vulganda It is in his Exercit. XVI ad Annal. Eccles. Which whole Exercitation he would commend to their often reading and indeed the whole Book And here he would sadly complain to the same effect and almost in the same words with the Admired Lord Verulam It is a Point of great Inconvenience and Perill to entitle the People to hear Controversies and all kinds of Doctrine They say no part of the Counsel of God is to be suppressed nor the People defrauded So as the Difference which the Apostle maketh between Milk and Strong Meat is confounded and his Precept That the weak be not admitted unto Questions and Controversies taketh no place Upon neglect of which sage Counsel we have lately seen those Dismal and Tragical Consequences which Mr. Mede did indeed Prophetically presage would be thereupon And for the present he gave some Instances but not without Indignation of them who under pretence of Revealing the whole Truth to the People would make choice of strange Texts in Leviticus and elsewhere and out of them vent such Stuffe as no modest Ear could endure to hear 2. His next Counsel was That with other Practical Doctrines they should not forget to preach and press Charity and this not in a slight perfunctory manner but Studiedly and Digestedly to give the People the true Nature of it the full latitude of it the absolute and indispensable Necessity of having it both Praecepti and Medii and as the L. Verulam hath express'd it to bring down Doctrines and Directions ad Casus Conscientiae otherwise the Word the Bread of Life they will but toss up and down and not break it 3. His last Counsel was When they had some Necessary Truths to deliver against which the present Humour of the Times ran counter that in this case they should go Socratically to work as to lay down at a convenient distance first one Postulatum and then another that will be clearly inferred from the former and so a third and a fourth c. still depending upon and strengthning each other A Truth brought in thus Backward saith he will be swallowed down unawares Whereas if you first shew its Horns there will be such startling and flinging that there will be no coming near with it 4. How far he was from Ambition FOR proof hereof we cannot desire a clearer Evidence or Demonstration then his so constant declining Preferments even then when they sought him out Witness his Answer to the Letter of the Fellows of Trinity Colledge near Dublin And by the way that Election into that Provostship was so firm as well as free that he was desired to make a Formal Resignation before his Successor could be elected and admitted into it which he did as himself hath told me more than once Witness again his Third Letter to the then Lord Primate what time some new hopes began to be raised of his acceptance of the same Provostship upon the remove of Bishop Bedel To all this I can add two more Instances which I believe are not known to many One That divers years after the refusal of the Provostship he received a Letter from a Friend in Ireland assuring him there was then kept for him a Dignity worth at the least 1000â— per ann and staied only for his acceptance To persuade him to which he used many potent arguments among the rest this The great freedom from molestations and incumbrances that place would indulge him in c. This Letter he was pleased to communicate to my self when freshly received concealing indeed the Name subscribed though that was not hard to guess at But here again his Modesty proved inflexible The other Instance is this When he newly related to his then Grace of Canterbury and now glorious Martyr neither of whom I believe had seen each others face in all their lives I am sure he told me so not long before his death he desired me to tell him freely what I heard men say concerning his Chaplainship c. The sum of my Answer was That I perceived he was looked upon as a Rising man and that many rejoyced at it because of his known merits c. To the latter part of my Answer he replied I am much beholden to my Friends for their good opinion of me c. But no man knows my Defects so well as my self And this was but the native Language and Dialect of his innate Modesty But when he came to reply to the former part which spake him a Rising man here he used more than ordinary Solemnity and with a grave composed countenance uttered these words At to my Rising come now I will make you my Confessor I can safely appeal to that Infinite Majesâ—y who hears me which words were accompanied with a gesture of great Reverence that if I might obtain but a Donative sine cura sine cura he repeâ—ted it which I may keep with my Fellowship I would set up my staffe for this World And the reason why I desire this is that I mought be able to keep a Nag for my Recreation sometimes in taking the air and in visiting my friends in the Countrey since this my Corpulency then growing upon him makes me unwieldy for walking In pursuance of this discourse I chanced to smile at a Conceit then coming into my mind which he quickly observed and was very earnest to know the reason of it
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselyti Portae or Proselyti inquilini of which sort there were many in all Cities and places of the Gentiles where the Iewes had Synagogues and used to frequent the Synagogues with them though in a distinct place to hear the Law and the Prophets read and expounded But in the New Testament they are found called by another name to wit of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Worshippers so often mentioned though not observed in the Acts of the Apostles For first these are those meant in that of Acts 17. 4. alledged at my entrance into this Discourse where it is said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A great number of the worshipping â—reeks believed and adhered to Paul and Silas which the Vulgar rightly translateth de colentibus Gentilibus multitudo magna a great multitude of the worshipping Gentiles taking the name of Greeks here as elsewhere in the New Testament to be put for Gentiles in general And this place will admit of no evasion For that they were Gentiles the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betokeneth expresly being given them by way of distinction from the Iews then and there present also That they were worshippers of the true God the God of Israel their coming into the Synagogue their name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their capableness of S. Pauls discourse which was to prove out of the Scriptures that Messiah was to suffer death and that Iesus was he argue sufficiently yea abundantly For who could have profited by such a Sermon as this but those who already had knowledge of the true God and believed the reward of the life to come This place therefore may serve as a Key to all the rest of the places in this Book where these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are mentioned To that in the same Chapter ver 17. where it is said that S. Paul in the Synagogue at Athens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— discoursed to the Iews and the worshippers To that in Acts 16. 14. where S. Paul preaching the Gospel in the Iews Proseuchae or Oratory at Philippi a woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the City Thyatira 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Proselyte-worshipper was converted unto the faith and baptized with all her houshold In like manner to that in Acts 18. 4. when S. Paul is said at Corinth to have reason'd in the Synagogue every Sabbath and to have perswaded the Iews and the Greeks For these Greeks were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what did they in the Synagogue else so regularly every Sabbath-day True the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here wanting but it presently follows when the Iews opposed Paul there testifying Iesus to be the Christ and blasphemed that he shook his raiment and said Your bloud be on your own heads from henceforth I will go to the Gentiles And he departed thence saith the Text and entred into the house of one Iustus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gentile-worshipper whose house joyned hard to the Synagogue But above all that narration Acts 13. deserves our consideration and attention There vers 43. it is said that S. Paul having preached the Gospel in the Iews Synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia there followed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many of the Iewes and worshipping Proselytes and v. 42. that when the Iews were gone out of the Synagogue the Gentiles that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—esought the Apostles that the same things might be preached unto them the next Sabbath which being accordingly done and many of the other Gentiles who were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the same of such a new Doctrine unwontedly assembling with them it is said that the Iews when they saw the multitude were filled with envy contradicted and blasphemed v. 45. that then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken unto you but seeing you put it from you and judg your selves unworthy of eternal life lo we turn to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles c. v. 46 47. that when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there believed as many as were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to eternal life v. 48. that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were already in procinctu and in the posture to eternal Life The Iews blasphemed the rest of the Gentiles were uncapable only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were already Candidati vitae aeternae having been instructed in the worship of the true God and hoping for the reward to come they believed Yet perhaps not all of them neither the words require not so much but that none but such And it follows v. 50. that the Iews found out some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worshipping women such as were of fashion who yet perhaps had not been at the Apostles Sermon by whose mean they stirred up the chief men in the City and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas This I take to be the true and genuine meaning of this passage upon which no charge of Pelagianisme can be fastned nor needeth it any spinous Criticisms for its explication The use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de acie collocatione militum de ascriptione in ordinem vel classem as it relates to an army the disposing or marshalling of souldiers the being listed or enrolled into such a rank or company in which signification the Passive is most frequent is well enough known According to which sense and notion the words might be rendred Crediderunt quotquot nomina sua dederant vitae aeternae or per Ellipsin Participii qui de agmine classe fuerant sperantium vel contendentium ad vitam aeternam otherwise qui in procinctu stabant ad vitam aeternam or most fitly sensu modò militari non destinationis quotquot ordinati fuerant ad vitam aeternam The sense whereof is in brief this There believed as many as had listed themselves or were of the company of those that did hope or earnestly labour for eternal life or were in a ready posture and disposed to or for eternal life De re tota judicent viri docti à studio partium alieni Besides it will not be impertinent as a Mantissa to these quotations for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to note That the same persons are otherwise namely twice characterised by the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that fear God As first of Cornelius concerning whom there is no question but he was a Gentile-worshipper the Text saith There was a man in Gaesarea called Cornelius a Centurion of the Italian Band. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pious man and one that feared God i. the God of Israel Again in that 13. of the Acts whereon we have dwelt so
long S. Paul speaking at first to that mixt multitude assembled in the Synagogue consisting partly of Iews and partly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the worshipping Proselytes he compellates them both distinctly in these words v. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye men of Israel and ye that fear God give audience By the former meaning the Iews by the latter the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gentile-worshippers Of this kind of Converts as I have in part already intimated were in our Saviour and his Apostles time very many in every Nation and Citie where the Iews lived and had their Synagogues yea far more in number than of that other sort of Proselytes which were circumcised The reason being because it was the more easie condition and not so prejudicial to their outward liberty as the other inasmuch as they might notwithstanding still live and converse with their friends kindred and Countrey-men bear office and enjoy honours among them as Naaman the Syrian did who was of this kind which the other might not do These impediments being out of the way The hope of the Resurrection from the dead and the Reward of the life to come were powerful Inducements to draw many to the worship of that God who only among the Gods at that time promised this reward to such as worshipped and served him and no other which was the bait wherewith the Iews allured them and that to their own no small emolument this kind as it were to recompence their want of Circumcision seeming to have been very bountiful towards their Nation as may be gathered both from Cornelius who is said to have given much alms to the people namely of the Iews and from the Story of that Centurion Luke 7. 4 5. whom the Iews besought our Saviour so instantly for alledging that he loved their Nation and had built them a Synagogue and therefore deserved that favour they sued for on his behalf NOW out of this Discourse besides the clearing of the passages afore-mentioned we may learn two things One How so many of the Gentiles by the preaching of the Apostles could so soon and so readily be converted to the Faith of Christ It was because they had already embraced the Principles which led thereunto For we are to take notice that the foundation of the Church among the Gentiles was laid of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who had already embraced the worship of the true God had knowledge of his Promises believed and hoped for the life to come For was not S. Peter to whom the Instructions for this Embassage were first given sent first to Cornelius a Centurion a Gentile of this order wherefore but that this might be for a pattern for them with what kind of men they were first to deal in this great work namely with such as were idonei Auditores Evangelii fit and capable hearers of the Gospel those which were puri puâ—i Gentiles mere Gentiles being not so as who knew nothing of the Principles requisite thereto This will appear if we consider well the tenour of the Apostles Sermons to such Gentiles as they converted which we shall observe to presuppose that they already knew the true God and the promise of Eternal life to such as worshipped him and so had no more to learn but the way and means now revealed by God for attainment thereof which was by the Gospel of Iesus Christ. The other thing we may learn is What was the true state of the Question which the Apostles met to decide in the Council at Ierusalem Whether the Gentiles which believed in Christ were to be circumcised or not and so bound to keep the whole Law It was this to resolve that whereas all such as embraced the worship of the God of Israel conformed to one of these two kinds of Proselytes to whether of them the Gentiles which had or should receive the Gospel of Christ were to conform themselves whether to the Proselytes of the Covenant or to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Proselytes of the Gate S. Peter standing up in the Council demonstrates it to be the will of God that they should conform to the latter and not to the first and that upon this ground Because that Cornelius the first Christianed Gentile unto whom himself was sent by Divine Commission was no circumcised Proselyte but a Proselyte of the Gate or a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worshipper only yet received he no Commission to circumcise him yea the Holy Ghost as he was Preaching fell upon him and his houshold being uncircumcised as it did upon those of the Circumcision whereby it appeared that God would have the rest of the Gentiles which embraced the Faith to be after the pattern of Cornelius and to have no more imposed upon them than He had And accordingly the Council defines That no other burden should be laid upon them but only to abstain from pollutions of Idols from bloud from things strangled and from fornication and as some Copies have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to do that to others which they would not should be done to themselves that is they should as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 observe the Precepts of the sons of Noaâ— which here by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are briefly reckoned up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DISCOURSE IV. 2 PETER 2. 4. For if God spared not the Angels which sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but cast them down to Hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto Iudgment c. so we translate it To which of S. Peter answers that of S. Iude as almost that whole Epistle doth to this verse 6. And the Angels which kept not their first estate or principality but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the Iudgment of the great Day THese two places are brought to prove That the Devils or Evil spirits are now in Hell before the Day of Iudgment Which I cannot see how it can possibly stand with the rest of the Scripture which testifies every where that they have yet their mansion in the Air and here about the Earth where they tempt seduce and do all the mischief they can to mankind hence their Chiestain Satan is styled The Prince of the power of the Air that is of the Aiery Dominion or Princedom Therefore hither they were with their Prince exiled from Heaven and no further nor shall be until the Day of Iudgment And of this I shall speak at this time First to clear these Texts which seem to make for the contrary secondly to enquire what was the opinion of the Ancients about this point As for this place of S. Peter and that imitation thereof in the Epistle of S. Iude I can believe the translation of neither Piscator not conceiving how that of S. Iude especially because of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternal could be reconciled with other Scripture and
Prophet in the name of a Prophet yet behind namely such as rob and spoil them of their livelihood and daily bread and not only themselves give nothing to enable and encourage them the better to perform their Ministery but take from them several ways that which the Piety and Bounty of their Ancestors hath allotted them yea to many if not to the most no gain or theft is more sweet than that which is gotten out of the Priest's portion But whether it will prove so at that day when the just God shall reward every man according to his works may be greatly feared I told you a little before that the reason why he that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall be partaker of a Prophet's reward is because he that supports and enables a Prophet to do his duty hath thereby an interest in his work and consequently in the reward due to the same If this be so what can they look for who by subtracting their daily bread from them hinder and disenable them from the free and chearful performance of their duty by distracting them with the cares of providing for their bodily life Do they not derive upon themselves the guilt of whatsoever impediment comes hereby to the propagation of the Kingdom of Christ Shall not the loss of every Soul that perisheth for want of due provision to maintain an able Minister be cast to their account at the last day I will speak nothing now of the burthen which Sacriledge it self as being a robbing of God carries with it See Prov. 20. 25. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy and after vows to make enquiry nor of those dreadful execrations which the Donors of such things were wont antiquo ritu to lay upon the heads of all such as should divert them to prophane uses wherewith these men willingly and wilfully involve themselves I will I say not speak of these for the present occasion calls upon me and tells me that I came not hither to curse but to bless I therefore change my note and say Blessed be God our heavenly Father who notwithstanding the malignity of many hath not left us destitute but in every Age hath raised up some to shew kindness unto the Prophets and to provide entertainment for them Witness the goodly Buildings and liberal Endowments in our two Seminaries for the entertainment and education of Prophets and Prophets Sons more particularly the Bounty of those Worthies the fruits of whose Piety and Devotion we our selves here assembled by the Divine goodness enjoy Whose blessed names therefore as their deserts challenge at our hands let us remember with all due honour and thankfulness After the mention of the Names of the College-Benefactors this followes in the Authors own Manuscript These are the Names of our pious Founders and Benefactors let their Memory be blessed for ever And when Christ our Lord shall come in his Glory to render every one according to his works and their Bones flourish again out of their graves let all the benefit and enlargement which shall redound to the Church of God by this their Bounty be cast in their account and we with them and they with us hear that comfortable voice Come ye blessed inherit the Kingdom prepared from the foundation of the World DISCOURSE XXIV S. LUKE 2. 13 14 And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly Host praising God and saying Glory be to God on high or in the highest and on earth Peace Good-will towards men AT the Creation of the world when God laid the foundations of the Earth and stretched out his line thereon the Stars of the morning as God himself describes it Iob 38. 7. sang together and all the Sons of God that is the holy Angels shouted for joy This in my Text is so like it that a man would think some new Creation were in hand nor were it much wide of truth to affirm it for if ever there were a day wherein the Almighty Power the incomparable Wisdom the wonderful Goodness of God again the second time appeared as it did at the World's Creation it was this day whereof S. Luke our Evangelist now treateth when the Son of God took upon him our Flesh and was born of a Virgin to repair the breach between God and man and make all things new The news of which Restauration was no sooner heard and made known to the Shepherds by an Angel sent from heaven but suddenly the heavenly Host descended from their celestial mansions and sung this Carol of joy Glory be to God on high and welcome Peace on earth Good-will towards men A Song renowned both for the singularity of the first example for until this time unless it were once in a Prophetical Vision we shall not find a Song of Angels heard by men in all the Scripture and from the custom of the Church who afterward took it up in her Liturgy and hath continued the singing thereof ever since the dayes of the Apostles unto these of ours Yet perhaps it is not so commonly understood as usually said or chaunted and therefore will be worth our labour to enquire into the meaning thereof and hear such Instructions as may be learned therefrom Which that we may the better do I will consider First the Singers or Chaunters The heavenly Host Secondly the Carol or Hymn it self Glorid in excelsis Deo Glory be to God on high c. For the First The Heavenly Host here spoken of is an Army of holy Angels For the Host of heaven in the language of Scripture is twofold Visible or Invisible The Visible Host are the Stars which stand in their array like an Army Deut. 4. 19. Lest thou lift up thine eyes saith the Lord there unto heaven and when thou seest the Sun Moon and Stars even all the Host of heaven shouldst be driven to worship and serve them The Invisible Host are the Angels the heavenly Guard according to that of Micaiah 1 King 22 19. I saw the Lord sitting upon his Throne and all the Host of Heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left So. Psal. 103. 20 21. Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his Commandments Bless the Lord all ye his Hosts ye ministers of his that do his pleasure Where the latter words do but vary that which is expressed in the former From this it is that the Lord Iehovah the true and only God is so often styled the Lord or God of Sabaoth or of Hosts that is King both of Stars and Angels according to that Nehem. 9. 6. Thou art God alone and the Host of Heaven worshippeth thee By which Title he is distinguished from the Gods of the Nations who were some of the Host to wit of the Stars or Angels but none of them The Lord of Hosts himself For the same reason and with the same meaning and sense in
God in him which is a Faith whereof there is no Gospel A true Faith is to believe Salvation to be attained through obedience to God in Iesus Christ who by his merits and satisfaction for sin makes our selves and our works acceptable to his Father A saving and justifying Faith is to believe this so as to embrace and lay hold upon Christ for that end to apply our selves unto him and rely upon him that we may through him perform those works of obedience which God hath promised to reward with eternal life For a justifying Faith stays not only in the Brain but stirs up the Will to receive and enjoy the good believed according as it is promised This motion or election of the Will is that which maketh the difference between a saving Faith which joyns us to Christ and that which is true indeed but not saving but dogmatical and opinionative only And this motion or applying of the Will to Christ this embracing of Christ and the Promises of the Gospel through him is that which the Scripture when it speaks of this Faith calleth coming unto Christ or the receiving of him Come unto me all ye that are heavy-laden and I will ease you Matth. 11. 28. See Iohn 5. 40. and chap. 6. 37 44 45. So for receiving Iohn 1. 12. As many as received him to them he gave power or priviledge to be the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name where receiving and believing one expounds another Now if this be the Faith which is saving and unites us unto Christ and none other then it is plain that a saving Faith cannot be severed from good works because no man can embrace Christ as he is promised but he must apply himself to do them Would we then know whether our Faith be true and saving and not counterfeit This is the only sign and note whereby we may know it if we find these fruits thereof in our lives and conversations For 1 Iohn 1. 6. If we say we have fellowship with Christ and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth Ch. 2. 3. Hereby we know that we know him namely to be our Advocate with the Father and the propitiation for our sins if we keep his Commandments And ch 3. 7. Little children let no man deceive you He that doth righteousness is righteous even as Christ is righteous For if every one that believes in Christ truly and savingly believes that Salvation is to be attained by obeying God in him and so embraces and lays hold on him for that end how can such a ones Faith be fruitless DISCOURSE XXVII Acts 5. 3 4 5. But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the holy Ghost and to purloin of the price of the land Whiles it remained was it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thy power why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost IN the 110. Psalm where our Saviour is Prophetically described in the Person of a King advanced to the Throne of Divine Majesty glorious and victorious The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool c. amongst other Kingly Attributes and Graces it is said if it be translated as it should be That his people in the day of his power should offer him Free-will-offerings that is bring him Presents at the day of his Inauguration or Investment as a sign of their Homage For so was the manner of the East to do unto their Kings and therefore when Saul was anointed King by Samuel it is said of those sons of Deâ—ial which despised and acknowledged him not that they brought him no presents But of Messiah's people it is said Thy people in the day of thy power that is the day when thou shalt enter upon thy power or the day of thy Investment shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people of free presents or shall bring thee Free-will-offerings It is an Elliptical speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rightly expressed in the Translation of our Service-Book Thy people shall offer or bring the Free-will-offerings This we see fulfilled in the Story of the foregoing Chapter when after our Saviour's ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of God which was the day of his power or Inauguration in his Kingdom assoon as this his Investment was published by sending of the Holy Ghost presently such as believed in him that is submitted themselves to his power and acknowledged him to be their King dedicated their goods and possessions to his service selling their lands and houses and laying down the money at the Apostles feet namely to be distributed as were the sacred Offerings of the Law partly to the maintenance and furnishing of the Apostles for the work whereabout they were sent and partly for the relief of the poor Believers which belonged to Christ's provision According to this Example one Ananias with Sapphira his wife consecrated also a possession of theirs unto God and sold the same to that purpose but having so done covetousness tickling them they purloined from the price and brought but a part of the summe and laid it down at the Apostles feet Then said Peter according to the words I have read Why hath Satan filled thine heart that is made thee so daring to lie unto the Holy Ghost and to purloin from the price of the field c The words I have read contain two things Ananias his Sin and his Punishment therefore His Sin in the third and fourth verses his Punishment in the fifth Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost Concerning his Sin as appears by the relation I have already made it was Sacriledge namely the purloining of what was become holy and consecrate unto God not by actual performance but by vow and inward purpose of the Heart For as it is well observed by Ainsworth on Levit. 7. 16. out of Maimonid in his Treatise of offering the Sacrifice Chap. 14. Sect. 4 5. c. In vows and voluntaries it is not necessary that a man pronounce ought with his lips but if he shall be fully determined in his heart though he hath uttered nothing with his lips he is indebted And this is no private Opinion of mine the Fathers so determine it S. Augustine that Ananias was condemned of Sacriledge quòd Deum in pollicitatione fesellisset because he had deceived God had been false to him in what he had promised him And in another Sermon Ananiam detraxisse de pecunia quam voverat Deo Ananias purloined and kept back part of the money he had devoted to God S. Chrysostome in his 12. Homily upon this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The
whosoever had at any time committed such and such misdemeanours should have his estate confiscated or suffer some grievous and exquisite torments as a Traitor unto his Prince if I should see a man deeply liable unto all this who could hear of such a Proclamation securely without trouble and astonishment that could sleep quietly and be no whit dejected or cast down therewith might I not justly think either he believed himself not guilty of any of the crimes there mentioned or took it for a counterfeit or only some scare-crow never meant to be put in execution I know your selves would think so How then is it possible that a man should firmly and seriously give credence to the Law of God and the Threats contained therein and yet his Heart never smite him his Soul be never touched with remorse No without doubt this Legal faith for so I call the belief I speak of is yet a weak one a superficial and unsetled perswasion perhaps but no grounded or firm impression Wouldst thou amend it wouldst thou drive it deeper Rub thy Heart continually with a fixt and frequent meditation of the severity of God's Law of the number and greatness of thy transgressions of the dreadfulness of wrath and vengeance due for the same Never cease doing this untill thy Heart shall yield and thy bowels melt within thee One drop of water weareth not a stone but continual dropping will do it Gutta cavat lapidem c. If one meditation will not melt thy Heart yet a continuance therein will do it Those who let bloud will rub the Vein often to make it swell so must thou rub thy Heart often to make it bleed A hard skin with often grinding and fretting will at length grow thin and tender I COME now to the Second thing I propounded in this Invitation The thing invited to which is double Coming unto Christ and Taking his yoke upon us I begin with the first This coming unto Christ is the approaching to him by Faith which is manifested by those places of Scripture where coming and believing are interchangeably used as one and the same thing He that cometh to God saith S. Paul Heb. 11. 6. must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him Iohn 6. 35. I am saith our Saviour the bread of life He that cometh to me shall never hunger he that believeth on me shall never thirst Here coming is expounded by believing Ver. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out In Iohn 1. 12. it is called a receiving of Christ But as many as received him to them gave he power or priviledg to become the Sons of God even to them that believed on his Name Here therefore observe That a Saving Faith a Faith which makes Christ our own and hath promise of ease by him in a word that Faith which gives us an interest in Christ Iesus is more than a bare assent or perswasion that the Gospel is true which saies that Christ is the Son of God and the Redeemer and Saviour of mankind It is a coming Belief a coming Faith that is an assent inclining the Soul to Christ to be made partaker of the Benefits through him Not a bare Speculative assent which remains in the Brain and proceeds no farther but such an assent as rests not there but worketh a motion in the Will to seek and embrace that which is believed Such an assent as not only believes the Promises made in Christ but goes unto him relies upon him clings unto him for them Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will ease you To believe the Gospel is true that Christ Iesus is the only means of Salvation ordained by God I grant it to be a Faith though it go no farther But it is an insufficient Faith an imperfect and impotent Faith which is usually called Historical Faith which I make no question but you all have But if you stay here the Devil believes as much as you do But a Saving Faith though it begins with this yet it staies not there It stands not only gazing upon Christ but is effectual and powerful upon the Soul to make it apply and betake it self unto him This height of Faith the Devils have not nor can have They can believe as well as we that Christ is a Saviour but never so far or so much as to have any hope affiance or confidence in him For if a King should proclaim a general pardon to a number of known rebels and vow execution without mercy upon some principal offenders who had cunningly and maliciously seduced the rest both of them might equally believe the Proclamation to be true yet the one would be encouraged to relie upon the King's clemency and to sue out his pardon but the other would be utterly disheartned as being uncapable Such altogether is the case of men and wicked Angels in the Proclamation of the Gospel Men hearing Christ took the woman's Seed are encouraged with hope of pardon the Devils knowing he in no wise took the nature of Angels the better they believe his Incarnation the less are their hopes of their own redemption Come we therefore to application He that cometh unto God saith S. Paul must believe that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that seek him So say I He that cometh unto Christ must believe that he is and that he is the Easer of them that seek unto him He that believes this sufficiently cannot but go unto Christ. You therefore that labour and are heavy laden with your sins do you believe that Christ is and that he is the Easer of them that being weary of their sins seek unto him How can your Soul then but fly unto him with trust and confidence in him Yea but will some men say I believe that Christ is and that he is the Easer of them that seek him yet for all this I can put no trust and confidence in him Yea but dost thou believe it so well as to find thy Soul on wing toward him to seek and sue for pardon If thou findest this thou hast some trust and confidence in him more or less For didst thou quite despair of Ease from him thy Heart could never seek to him for where a man utterly despairs to obtain he will not so much as stir a foot to make a suit The motion or flight of the Soul is Desire He that out of a true sense and feeling of his sin for no other can do it in good earnest desires Christ he goes unto him And Christ thou â—eest requires no more but that all those who are weary and heavie laden should thus come unto him and he will ease them And this is the first degree of a Faith which is Iustifying and gives interest in Christ Iesus For this Faith is not barely Historical and in
the Creation of the world Why do ye saith he these things we are also men of like passions with you and preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God which made heaven and earth and the sea and all things that are therein As it is with diverse Sects in Religion so is it with divers sorts and conditions of men an Argument or Motive sutable to one sort is altogether unfit for another All Vessels are best handled by their ansae or ears on what part soever they stand he that handleth them otherwise handleth them but aukwardly So it is with mens minds there are in every man's opinion or affections certain ansae or ears whereon a wise perswader should lay his hold to draw men unto him For this cause Aristotle in his Rhetoricks describes the several dispositions of several sorts of men of men of women of young of old of rich of poor of noble and ignoble that a Rhetorician might sute his motives accordingly A Dog is toll'd with a bone a worm is a bait to catch a fish a pigeon brings the hawk unto the Falconer's lure So must every wise fisher of men every wise angler of souls make choice of Motives according to the several dispositions and conditions of the hearers according to that of S. Paul 1 Cor. 9. 20 21 c. Vnto the Iews I became as a Iew that I might save the Iews to them which are without the Law as without the Law that I might gain them that are without the Law To the weak I became as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some And thus much shall suffice for this first Observation My second Observation from these words is this That the true God may be known by the Principles of Nature or the Creation of the Heaven and Earth For that which is a character or note of false Gods must needs likewise imply an argument for the true Rectum est index sui obliqui If those who made not the Heaven and the Earth are false Gods he then that made them is the true This is that which some call Natural Theologie others the Ascent of the Soul to God by the Scale of the creatures the steps whereof are to be ordered as followeth 1. All men by God do understand some Person or a living and Reasonable Essence 2. All men will grant that which is God to be the most excellent of all Persons or Living Essences 3. The Perfections of a Living and Reasonable Essence are threefold In the Understanding In the Will and In the Faculties of working In the Understanding is Wisdom In the Will Goodness In the Faculties Power Whatsoever therefore hath a Soveraignty in these three is the most excellent of Living and Reasonable Essences All men therefore if they want not the ordinary use of Reason will assent That under the name of God they mean Him to whom belongs a Soveraignty of Wisdom a Soveraignty of Goodness and a Soveraignty of Power and Might Thus far we agree and walk together But the error of the Nations hath been in the Application namely To whom belonged this Soveraignty and whether it belonged to many or to one alone But howsoever the Gentiles in this Application became vain in their Imaginations and transformed the glory of this incorruptible Soveraignty into the image of corruptibility yet as the Apostle saith God left them not without a witness in that those invisible things of him are seen by the creation of the world For a workman is known by his work The greatest work and the goodliest work that ever was is the Creation of the world He then that made the Heaven and the Earth is he alone to whom this threefold Soveraignty belongeth He alone is Almighty He alone is All-good He alone is All-wise What greater Power can there be than to make the Heaven and the Earth of nothing what Might so mighty as that which made whatsoever else is mighty even so many millions of powers as are in the Heavens above so admirable variety of faculties as are found in the Earth below Is there any Wisdom like unto his who in so manifold a work made nothing superfluous or vain but all things for their end who ordered and appointed such means for every end as better could not be devised who settled so goodly an Order and gave to every thing a Law and Rule which it should observe What Goodness so unspeakable as to have bestowed upon every thing some portion of goodness and to have sufficiently furnished them with endowments to attain and preserve the same What Goodness can be like unto that which he hath shewn unto us in making and ordaining all that ever he made for out use and service Thus we see the admirable Power the incomparable Wisdom and unspeakable Goodness of him that made the Heavens and the Earth He therefore is the true and living God and lives for ever Those Gods which made not the heavens and the earth are no Gods and shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens Thus have I let you see one part of The Scale of the creatures by which the Soul ascends unto God But there is another half yet behind to make a compleat Iacob's ladder For the Ascent of the Soul unto God by the comtemplation of the creatures is either the Ascent of the Vnderstanding to know him or the Ascent of our Will through obedience to worship him The first is that which I have hitherto spoken of The second though it be not here used and applied by our Prophet yet it is implied by his example in the former in that he hath therein taught us what use to make of the consideration of the creation of the world and creatures of God The Ascent therefore of the Will consists in its conformity and the conformity of all our Affections and Actions to the Will of God so far as it may be seen in the works of the creatures For God in that he hath given them a Law hath as it were stamped in them the character of his Will which is the Law and Rule they observe in working By this Ladder we may ascend two ways either by express Example or by Analogie By express Example where the Law which the Creatures observe in their workings is the very same which we ought to express in our actions By Analogie when the properties or actions of the Creatures especially if they be otherwise unsutable unto our nature are emblematically and by way of resemblance applied to admonish us of our duties To this kind belong Parable-similies framed according to the will of the applier whereof we shall find examples in the Scripture But because the Ascent by Example is the firmer and surer I will only shew some few Examples of it We see all Natural agents neglect their private good and
the clean contrary we fear man more than God those that can but kill the body above him that hath power to cast both body and soul into hell-fire Who would not be loth to break a King's laws in a King's sight and yet for God's Laws who fears though our most secret thoughts be always in his sight In the outward work which men see we are careful to restrain our hands and tongues from slipping lest man's Law might take hold of us but the thoughts of our heart we with all security let run at random and never once curb them What is this but to account the Laws of God as cobwebs the Laws of men as chains of Iron or openly to profess that of men we have some little fear where they command with God but where God commands alone no fear at all Even as those wicked ones whereof David speaks in the 94. Psalm v. 7. who say The Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Iacob regard it But he that planted the ear saith David v. 9 10 11. shall he not hear he that formed the eye shall he not see He that teacheth man knowledg shall he not know yes The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man c. Who then art thou to use the words of Esay that art afraid of man who shall die and of the son of man who shall be as the grass and forgettest the Lord who made thee who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth The last thing I mean to observe from these two first degrees of a sinner's conversion is Wherein the life of a true Convert doth exceed the works both of the heathen and the hypocrite Glorious things are spoken of Aristides of Scipio of Socrates But their best works are but like unto counterfeit coin the outside glistering with gold but the inside lead or worse metall their hands their feet their walk like the Gate of an Israelite but their heart was uncircumcised like the heart of a Philistine for they wanted the purity of the heart seasoned with the love of God they wanted these cleansed thoughts these holy affections and therefore were their best works no better than glorious sins Even as statues and puppets do move their eyes their hands their feet like unto living men and yet they are not living actions because they come not from an inward soul the Fountain of life but from the artificial poise of weights and wheels set by the workman Even such were the vertues of the heathens very puppet-plays like unto the actions of Christian men but not Christian actions because they came not from a pure heart which gives life unto a Christian but from the poise of vain-glory from the wheels of corrupt affections from a rotten heart which wrought not for the love of God but for the praise of men â— And no better are the works of Hypocrites â—ay worse for they knew not that the heart was to be cleansed or how it should be cleansed but these know that God requires the heart and yet their works are nothing but shews unto men Such were the Pharisees of whom Christ saith Matth. 23. 27 28. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye are like unto whited sepulchres which indeed appear beautiful outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all uncleanness Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquity and v. 25. ye make clean the outside of the Cup and platter but within ye are full of extortion and excess But if we are loth as who would not to share our portion with the Gentiles or to have our lot fall with the Hypocrites let our righteousness then exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees let us remember that God challenges the heart and inward man as his peculiar due Let us not therefore only forsake the walk and external gate of wickedness but even bad thoughts and evil motions with all the occasions of them Let us I say with Solomon Prov. 4. 23. Keep our heart above all keeping for out of it are the issues of life But the joy of the hypocrite saith Zophar Iob 20. 5. is but for a moment v. 6. Though his excellency mount up unto the heavens and his head reach unto the clouds v. 7. Yet shall he perish for ever like his own dung Having spoken of the two first degrees of Repentance I come now to the third which is Returning unto God It is not enough to forsake the works of wickedness or the heart to forgoe the thoughts of unrighteousness but this is more required of a sinner than he should return unto the Lord. He that hath gone out of his way and knows it will not only make a stop and go no farther in the wrong way but if he means to arrive at the place he desireth will seek the new and right way and follow it for he that standeth still will never come at his journies end Even so must every sinner do in his journey of Repentance The putting off the old man we heard before now come we to the putting on of the new In the two former steps we had eschewing of evil in this we have doing of good and without this the other is altogether vain That tree is not called a good tree which bringeth forth no ill fruit but that is a good Tree which bringeth forth good fruit and Every Tree that bringeth forth no fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire But for the better understanding of this we will consider two things proper to a man that returneth 1. To go away clean contrary to the way he went before 2. To out-tread and obliterate his former steps Both of these every one must perform who truly returns unto God by Repentance First I say He must go a way clean contrary to his former way Many men think that the way to Hell is but a little out of the way to Heaven so that a man in a small time with small ado may cross out of the one into the other but they are much deceived For as Sin is more than a stepping aside viz. a plain and direct going away from God so is Repentance or the forsaking of sin more than a little coasting out of one way into another crossing will not serve there is no way in the world to come to the place we seek but to go quite back again the way we came The way of pleasure in sin must be changed for as extreme a sorrow for the same He that hath superstitiously worshipped false Gods must now as devoutly serve the true the tongue that hath uttered swearings and spoken blasphemies must as plentifully sound forth the name of God in prayer and thanksgiving the covetous man must become liberal the oppressor of the poor as charitable in relieving them the calumniator of his brother a tender guarder of his
But the third sort which do not only call Christ their Lord but do the will of his Father these are the only true Christians for these there is hope but for none other Not every one saith our Saviour that saith unto me Lord Lord c. Our Saviour foresaw there would be among those who believed on his Name such as would think their Faith sufficient c. that as for Works they might be excused having him for their Lord and Captain of their Salvation who himself had both undergone the punishment due for their sins and fulfilled that obedience which they should have done so that now there remained nothing on their part for to obtain Salvation but to trust and rely upon him without any endeavour at all to please God by Works as being now become unuseful to Salvation If ever there was a time when Christians thus deceived themselves that time is now as both our practice sheweth plainly by a general neglect of such Duties of Piety and Charity which amongst our fore-fathers were frequent as also our open profession when being exhorted to these works of Piety to God and of Charity towards our brethren we stick not to alledge we are not bound unto them because we look not to be saved by the merit of works as they but by faith in Christ alone As though Faith in Christ excluded Works and did not rather include them as being that whereby they become acceptable unto God which of themselves they are not Or as if Works could no way conduce unto the attaining of Salvation but by way of merit and desert and not by way of the grace and favour of God in Christ as we shall see in the handling of this Text. We greatly now-a-days and that most dangerously mistake the error of our Forefathers which was not in that they did good works I would we did so but because they knew not rightly the End why they did them nor where the Value of them lay They thought the End of doing them was to obtain eternal life as a reward of Iustice due unto them whereas it is only of Grace and Promise in Christ Iesus They took their Works to have such perfectness in them as would endure the Touchstone of the Law of God yea such Worth and Value as to merit the Reward they looked for whereas all the Value and acceptableness of our works issues from the Merits of Christ and lies only in his righteousness communicated unto us and them by Faith and no otherwise But setting aside these errors of the End and of the Value of works we must know as well as they That not every one that saith unto Christ Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of his Father which is in Heaven Now for the Explication of the Words To call Christ Lord is to believe in him to acknowledge him to look for Salvation by him or as the Scripture expresseth it Luke 6. 47. to come unto him Every one saith our Saviour there explaining this very Text we have in hand that cometh unto me and heareth my words and doth them I will shew you who he is like where To come unto Christ is put in stead of that which in the former was To say unto him Lord. The doing of his Father's will is the doing of those works of obedience which his Father hath commanded in his Law and now committed to his Son whom he hath made the Head and King of his Church to see executed and performed by those he bringeth to Salvation But how and in what manner we shall see by and by The Text consists of two parts The one negative Not every one that saith unto Christ Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven The other affirmative But those who do the will of his Father shall only enter thither But these are so nearly linked together that they cannot be handled asunder And the Observations which I shall draw thence depend on the whole Text. The first and chiefest whereof is this That Faith in Christ without works of obedience and amendment of life is not sufficient for Salvation and consequently not that Faith whereby a Christian is justified For if it were it would save us If it be not sufficient to save us it cannot justifie us This floweth directly from the Text and cannot be denied if ye remember what I said before That to call Christ Lord is to believe in him For the better understanding of this you must take notice that there is a threefold Faith whereby men believe in Christ. There is a false Faith there is a true Faith but not saving and thirdly there is a saving Faith A false Faith is To believe to attain Salvation through Christ any other way than he hath ordained as namely to believe to attain Salvation through him without works of obedience to be accepted of God in him which is a Faith whereof there is no Gospel A true Faith is To believe Salvation is to be attained through obedience to God in Iesus Christ who by his merits and righteousness makes our selves and our works acceptable to his Father A saving and justifying Faith is To believe this so as to embrace and lay hold upon Christ for that end To believe to attain Salvation through obedience to God in Christ so as to apply our selves and rely upon Christ for that end namely to perform those works of obedience which God hath promised to reward with eternal life For a Iustifying Faith stayeth not only in the Brain but stirs up the Will to receive and enjoy the good believed according as it is promised This motion or election of the Will is that which maketh the difference between a saving Faith which joyneth us unto Christ and that which is true indeed but not saving but dogmatical and opinionative only And this motion or applying of the Will to Christ this embracing of Christ and the promises of the Gospel through him is that which the Scripture when it speaks of this â—aith calleth coming unto Christ or the receiving of him Iohn 1. 12. As many as received him to them he gave power or priviledge to be the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name where receiving and believing one expound another So for coming Come unto me saith our Saviour Matth. 11. 28. all ye that are heavy laden and I will ease you This last is very frequent Iohn 5. 40. Ye will not come to me saith our Saviour that ye might have life And Chap. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me Ver. 44. No man can come unto me unless the Father draw him 45. Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me and such like All which express the specification of a saving Faith which consists in the embracing receiving and applying of the Will to the thing believed What this embracing receiving or applying
Basil Ephrem Syrus Moses Bar-Cephas and many others affirm that the Serpent had feet namely some short ones beneath the navel For feet are not essential to the nature of a thing as appears by the lame who can live without them and by others sometimes by the defect of nature born without them And those who can believe the wonderful change of Man by his fall of an immortal creature to become mortal of one to have been born with all glorious endowments both of body and soul now to be brought into the world the most unfurnished of all the creatures those who believe the great alteration of the Earth it self when it was accursed for man's sin the diminution of the time of man's life and of his stature ever since the floud can any who believe these things think it so incredible for the Serpent once to have had some small feet and afterward to have had none being a creature wherein God intended to leave a monument for ever But of this I will determine nothing neither doth my assertion simply depend upon it but may well enough consist without it But because possibility is not sufficient of it self alone to infer a probability I have therefore one thing to add more thereto namely the reason and cause even in nature supposing still God's abasing of the Serpent's first creation of this alteration of the posture of the Serpent's gate from that it was at the beginning First We know the more excellent and sublime the nature of a creature is the more it raiseth it self upward the more ignoble and base the more it falls downward This we see in the Elements themselves the Fire the most excellent and operative of the four raiseth it self above the rest the Earth the basest and most unactive of all is also of all the most dejected Secondly As there is this difference in the Elements so there is in the mixed bodies some consisting of a more sublime and excellent temper others of a more base and ignoble mixture and that as in other so amongst such creatures as live and move upon the earth Thirdly This their nobleness within discovereth it self in the Body without by advancing them naturally in their gate and gesture whence Man being of all creatures living upon the earth of the most excellent temper and sublimed condition of nature is therefore of all other the most advanced in body Pronáque cum spectant animalia caetera terram Os homini sublime dedit c. Ovid. Metamorph. l. 1. And whereas others see with down-cast eyes He with a lofty look did man indue And bad him Heav'n's transcendent glories view Yea experience will tell us that even amongst men themselves those who are of a more exalted nature either by heroick temper or predominancy of heat are also more advanced in the posture of their bodies Among Beasts themselves the basest is the most creeping the noble Lion advanceth his head and breast so far as the frame of his body is thereof capable and so the rest and of all creatures we may observe besides that those creatures have the most sagacity who come most near to walk upright as Man doth If therefore the Serpent were of so sublime a nature at the first as thereby it was more subtle than any beast of the field which God had made how could so excellent a temper the ground of so much sagacity but advance the body thereof as far as the frame and shape thereof could admit On the contrary if afterward the Serpent became the most abased and accursed of all the beasts of the field how should not this alteration of his former temper and disposition of nature make the gesture of his body also sutable by stooping and groveling upon the earth Who knows not that the natural position of Man is erected agreeable to his excellency above other creatures having life and motion and yet notwithstanding so much hath the dejection of his primitive nature for sin weakned in him this propension that were it not for education it is supposed yea and by experience confirmed that he would walk upon all four like a beast And shall we wonder that the malediction of the Serpent exceeding that of Man's should produce as much as this So then to conclude this first particular of the Serpent's curse I understand it from the ground aforesaid as insinuating the cause by the outward and sensible effect according to the manner of the Scripture namely the abasement and fall of the Serpent's whole nature from his primitive perfection discovered by the fall of his once advanced body thenceforth to go groveling upon the earth even as the despoiling of the nature of Man of the inward indowments of perfection is by the same sacred Trope insinuated by his outward nakedness that is the obscuration of that glorious and celestial beauty which he had before his sin The difference whereof was so great that he could not endure afterward to behold himself any more but sought for a covering even to hide himself from himself And now I come to the second particular Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life The coursest diet that any living creature hath allowed him None of the Beasts of the field with whom he is compared are thus poorly provided for nay not any other unless the base Earthworm not worthy to be named among the creatures Even with this vilest of creatures is now ranked that once so noble a creature the Serpent Which yet is not so to be understood as though the Serpent did not sometime eat something else for they sometime devour birds frogs and such like but that this is the ordinary fare which God hath provided him and if at any time he getteth any other he goeth beyond his limits Whence Esay 65. 25. among the blessings of the new Ierusalem this is reckoned for one that the Serpent should eat dust that is be made to be contented with the diet God had appointed him and not to encroach upon the food appointed for others But why did God appoint him this Food I answer Even to continue him in that accursed and vile condition to which he had dejected him For Food is for the repairing and preservation of nature and the goodness or badness thereof doth make the temper of the body better or worse Hence according to the degrees of excellency in the creatures their Food is finer or courser Plants suck the moisture of the earth Beasts live most upon plants but Man of the flesh of cattel fowl and fishes Since therefore the Serpent was to have no better fare than the dust of the earth as it argues the baseness of his nature which can with such food be nourished so doth it necessarily imply his continuance in that his dejection and vileness whereas otherwise it were not impossible because his nature for the essence is still the same it was if his diet were as it had been for him to
evermore But now lest that which hath been spoken concerning Assurance of Salvation might disquiet the weak conscience of some who cannot feel this Assurance in themselves let them know That this Assurance doth not always continue in like measure but is often shaken with the assaults of mis-belief and overcast with clouds of distrust We know that though the Sun be risen upon the earth she doth not always shew her self in full brightness but sometimes is overcast with clouds and shadowed from our sight and yet she always giveth so much light as thereby we may discern the day from the night Even so although the Sun of comfortable Assurance be risen in our hearts yet it doth not always shine forth with brightness or shew it self in full strength and vigour but is sometime overcast with fear and distrust and yet when there is least there is so much light that a man may discern day from night and know the children of God from the sons of Darkness Despair not therefore though fear sometimes disquiets thee Distrust not the Lord thy God though he seems sometimes to hide his Countenance from thee but when thou feelest a combate in thy soul pray then and say with the Father of that child in the Gospel Lord I believe help thou my unbelief AND thus I come unto the second part of my Text which contains the Means whereby we come to this Certainty of knowing Christ and this Assurance of Salvation and that is By keeping God's Commandments for saith my Text Hereby we know that we do know him if we keep his Commandments To know Christ I told you is to believe in him to be assured we know him is to be assured our Faith is a right and a true Faith which Faith whosoever knoweth he hath cannot chuse but know certainly he shall be saved But hereby saith my Text may we know that we know Christ aright and believe in him truly and savingly if that we keep his Commandments From whence I observe First That though it be true That whatsoever good thing we have cometh from God and that it is his Holy Spirit that worketh all heavenly graces in our hearts yet he doth it not immediately without means but by blessing those helps and motives to us which he hath ordained for us to attain such graces and such favours by For it is true That Assurance of Salvation is the work of God's Spirit and yet S. Iohn saith here That it is the keeping of God's Commandments whereby we are assured we know Christ to be our Redeemer that is The Spirit of God by this keeping of the Commandments and by obedience to the will of God doth assure us as by an argument or evidence that our Faith is a true Faith a living Faith and that therefore we may assure our selves that the Spirit of God dwelleth in us and that we shall enjoy a Crown with Saints and Angels in the life to come So likewise Faith is the work of the Spirit of God and yet S. Paul saith that Faith cometh by hearing and how should men believe unless they hear the Word preached It is God that saveth us and Christ who purchased eternal life for us and yet the use of the Sacraments must be as means to bring us to this happiness So saith Christ Every one that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and S. Peter 1 Ep. 3. 21. calleth Baptism the figure whereby we are saved And throughout the Scripture we shall find that God bestows his blessings and favours by the use of means and to those who use the means which he hath appointed If Abimelech will have God to heal him and to forgive his sin he must have Abraham to pray unto God for him so saith the Text Gen. 20. 7. Restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and thou shalt live So if Iob's friends will have God to forgive their sin in censuring Iob so uncharitably they must use the means which God commanded them Iob 42. 8. Take unto you saith God seven bullocks and seven rams and go to my servant Iob and offer for your selves a burnt-offering and my servant Iob shall pray for you and I will accept him If Cornelius will have the will of God revealed to him he must send to Ioppa for Peter to preach unto him Acts 10. 5. If Naaman the Syrian will have the God of Israel to heal him of his Leprosie he must use the means commanded to wash himself seven times in the River Iordan 2 Kings 5. 10 14. Again Though God had promised Iacob that he would be with him that he would do him good when he was to return unto the land of Canaan and though Iacob depended only upon God to deliver him from the fury of his brother Esau yet he knew that God would require of him the using of the means and therefore he sent a Present to his brother and when he came unto him he used all humble and submiss behaviour toward him Lastly Though Hezekiah in his sickness had received a Sign and a Promise from God that he should recover I have heard thy prayer saith the Lord 2 Kings 20. 5. I have seen thy tears behold I will heal thee on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord yet for all this he did not neglect the means for according to the counsel of the Prophet Esay he took a lump of figs saith the Text ver 7. and laid it upon the boil and he recovered Thus then you see the manner how God bestows his graces and favours upon the sons of men He is the chief and principal worker in all things which are done and yet he worketh not without the means for so he should always do Miracles for Miracles are nothing else but the works of God without and against the ordinary means but he worketh by blessing of the means to those who have and use them Here is therefore a Lesson worthy to be learned of those who when you tell them of the perverseness and corruption of their hearts and exhort them to seek to be at peace with God to amend their lives to eschew evil and do the works of righteousness answer presently That all the thoughts of man's heart are by nature evil and that of our selves we are not able so much as to think one good thought much less to do any good deed we have no free will in these things but are dead in sin we cannot turn to God unless he turns us first unto him we cannot mend unless God first amend us we cannot believe unless he give us Faith we cannot of our selves do any good untill it pleaseth God to enable us And after this manner as S. Peter saith those who are unskilful and unstable wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction But do you not know also that it is God that giveth us our daily
advanced viz. Through the Hypocrisie of such as forbid marriage and command to abstain from meats Who are these The wonderful correspondence of the Event makes me verily believe that the Holy Ghost intended here at least chiefly to decypher unto us Monks and Doctors of Monkery by two such marks as are the chief points and grounds of that Singularity of life For Prohibition of marriage and Difference of meats are inseparable Characters of Monastical profession and therefore common to all that crew of Hypocrites whether Solivagant Eremites or Anchorites which live alone or Coenobites which live in Society And if we take them joyned together as our Apostle doth I think they can befit no other kind of men by way of Rule and Precept but these alone 'T is true all Antichrist's Priests are forbidden marriage generally and absolutely but meats they are not but only upon certain daies and times which is not their case alone but the people also partake with them in the like restraint But Monks are bound by the vowed Rule of their profession to abstain from both absolutely and perpetually Concerning the first hear S. Chrysostome speak Hom. 7. in Matth. Nobis Monachis saith he omnia mandata Legis sunt communia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Commandments of God's Law are common to us with Monks besides Marriage Wherefore in the Council of Chalcedon is an express Canon cap. 16. Vt nec Deo dicata Virgo nec Monachus nubant That no Nun or Monk should marry i. e. they might not forsake their profession For the second the Abstaining from meats S. Bennet can tell us best who is the Father and founder of well-nigh all the Monks of the West His Rule which they all bind themselves to observe saith A carnibus omnes abstineant Let all abstain from flesh Again Carnium etiam quadrupedum omnino ab omnibus abstineatur comestio Let all abstain altogether from the eating of flesh even of four-footed beasts Hence is that Decree of Bishop Fructuosus in Gratian Dist. 5. Carnem cuiquam Monacho nec gustandi nec sumendi est concessa licentia No Monk hath leave granted him to take or so much as to tast a piece of flesh And these were the two principal observations of the first Monks before they came to be gathered into a Society of a common life under certain set Rules Paulus Thebaeus the first pattern of this kind of life abstained as from Marriage whereof there is no question so from all meats save bread and dates Anthony the next ate nought but bread and salt and both drank no other drink but water Epiphanius in his Anchorato tells us of differing observations in this kind Some ate no flesh but fish some neither of both but only fruits and herbs some are flying creatures but abstained from all besides But if you will take Meats in this place in a larger sense you shall have a full Definition of Monkery and take in that other Monastical principle of Renouncing possessions and having no propriety in any thing which they account the Second fundamental principle next to the Vow of chastity or single life Now may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meats be expounded in this sense We know the word Bread in Scripture signifies all things needful for maintenance of life omnia vitae subsidia and therefore we ask them all in the Lord's prayer under that name Give us this day our daily bread Mark the words of David to Ziba 2 Sam. 9. 10 Thou and thy Sons and thy Servants shall till the land for him Mephibosheth and thou shalt bring in the fruits that thy Master's son may have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Food to eat Here Bread or Food is taken for Mephibosheth's whole maintenance the whole profit of the Lands which Ziba tills Matth. 10. 9 10 Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses Nor scrip for your journey neither two coats nor shoes nor yet staves for the workman is worthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his meat Here gold silver brass clothes and staves and all come under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is meat In stead whereof S. Luke chap. 10. vers 7. putteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his hire Prov. 30. 8. Agur saith Give me neither poverty nor riches Feed me with Food convenient for me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By all which appears that Food and Meat in Scripture is often taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Iames speaks chap. 2. vers 16. for all provision of things for the use of the body and this life maintenance revenue estate possession Why may not then Abstaining from meats in this Prophecie mean or include Abstaining from possessions Votum paupertatis the Vow of Poverty and renouncing of the world as the Hypocrites call it to which the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are every way as pliable as to the stricter sense and may be read thus which God hath created to be injoyed with thanksgiving of them which c. Let us hear S. Bennet's Rule speak for all Nemo aliquid proprium habeat nullam omnino rem neque codicem neque tabulas neque graphiarium sed nihil omnino Let no man have any thing proper or as his own no kind of thing neither book nor writing nor Inkhorn nor any thing at all And those who had once imposed upon themselves this law were prohibited for ever to return to the world again Monachis non licere ad seculum redire saith the Canon of a great Council Hear a Story out of S. Hierom Epist. ad Eustochium A certain Monk being dead was found to have been so good a Husband as to have had lying by him an hundred Solidi which he had gotten by weaving of linen hereupon great doubt there was what it should be done withal whether given to the poor to the Church or to what use But Pambo Isidorus and the other Fathers of the Monks laying their heads together decreed it should be buried with him with this blessing Pecunia tua sit tecum in perditionem Thy mony perish together with thee The like sentence gave Gregory the Great against Iustus a Monk for the like fault Dial. l. 4. c. 55. I conclude therefore That these words are a Description of Monkery by such notes as are fundamental which way soever we take them either containing Single life and Discrimen ciborum the Differencing meats or the two Vows of Chastity and Poverty or all three of them Chastity Poverty and Abstaining from meats As for that other Vow of Obedience it was not from the beginning nor common to all not to Eremites and Anchorites but such as lived in common under an Head And these are the men through whose Hypocrisie and by whose means the Doctrine of Daemons should be brought in and advanced among Christians in the Latter times CHAP. VIII That Monastick life and Saint-worship began much about the same time That Monks and Friers
the nature and grounds of what they practised lest for want thereof they might cherish some unsafe conceit And notwithstanding I preached for Bowing as you say to Altars yet I have not hitherto used it my self in our own Chappel though I see some others do it If I come into other Chappels where it is generally practised I love not to be singular where I have no scruple But you would not have me have any hand in killing the Witnesses God forbid I should I rather endeavour they might not be guilty of their own deaths And I verily believe the way that many of them go is much more unlikely to save their lives than mine I could tell you a great deal here if I had you privately in my chamber which I mean not for any mans sake to commit to paper Siracusae vestrae capientur in pulvere pingitis As for Bowing at the name Iesus 't is commanded by our Church And for my self I hold it not unlawful to adore my Saviour upon any Cue or hint given Yet could I never believe it to be the meaning of that place of the Philippians nor that it can be inferred thence otherwise than by way of a general and indefinite consequence I derive it rather from the Custom of the World in several Religions thus to express some kind of Reverence when that which they acknowledge for their God is named as we find the Turks do at this day Besides I conceive to do this reverence at the name Iesus only is proper to the Latine Church and it may be of later standing For if some Greeks have not deceived me the custom of the Orient is to bow the head not only at the name Iesus but at the name Christ and sometimes though not so frequently at the name God And if that were the fashion of the elder Christianity that out of S. Hierom would found more to the purpose Moris est Ecclesiastici Christo genu-flectere This is all I can say to this point having had fewer Notions thereabout than about any of the rest That the worship of the Inward man is that which God principally requires and looks at I think no Christian man denies But what then Doth not our Saviour's rule hold notwithstanding in such a comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And consider that the Question is not here as most men seem to make it between Inward worship and Outward worship seorsim for in such case it is plain the Outward is nothing worth but whether the Inward worship together with the Outward may not be more acceptable to God than the Inward alone As for that so commonly objected Scripture in this question Of worshipping the Father in spirit and truth as the Characteristical difference of the Evangelical worship from the Legal I believe it hath a far different sense from that it is commonly taken to have and that the Iews in our Saviour's sense worshipped the Father in spirit and truth But my work grows so fast that I must let it pass and be content with that vulgar answer viz. That under the Old Testament God was worshipped in types and figures of things to come but in the New men should worship the Father in spirit and truth that is according to the verity of the things presignified not that they should worship him without all gestures or postures of Body to which purpose it is wont to be alledged But all this while my mind is upon another matter which at length I am gotten unto viz. your strange construction and censure of the pains I took in opening my thoughts so freely unto you concerning these matters of reverential posture and gesture in respect of that interlaced piece wherein I intimated the Eucharist to have in it ratio sacrificii For 1. Because in the close of my Letter I expressed my fear of some Iudgment to befall the Reformed Churches because out of the immoderation of their zeal they had in a manner taken away all Difference between Sacred and Prophane you will needs suspect I aimed to make the present Iudgments of God upon Christendom to be for neglect of that Sacrifice which I had spoken of a thing I never thought of nor thought so plain an expression of my meaning could ever have been so mistaken I pray let me intreat you to read over those papers once again and then tell me with whom the fault is For why Is not to esteem the Eucharist a Sacrament to account it a Sacred thing unless it be accounted a Sacrifice 2. It seems strange to you that a matter of so great importance as I seem to make this Sacrifice to be should have so little evidence in God's Word and Antiquity and depend merely upon certain conjectures As for Scripture if you mean the name of Sacrifice neither is the name Sacrament nor Eucharist according to our Expositions there to be found no more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet may not the thing be But when you speak of so little Evidence to be found in Antiquity I cannot but think such an Affirmation far more strange than you can possibly my Opinion For what is there in Christianity for which more Antiquity may be brought than for this I speak not now of the Fathers meaning whether I guessed rightly at it or not but in general of their Notion of a Sacrifice in the Eucharist If there be little Antiquity for this there is no Antiquity for any thing Eusebius Altkircherus a Calvinist printed Neustadii Palatinorum 1584. 1591. De mystico incruento Ecclesiae Sacrificio pag. 6. Fuit haec perpetua semper omnium Ecclesiasticorum Patrum concors unanimis sententia Quòd instituta per Christum passionis mortis suae in Sacra Coena memoria etiam Sacrificii in se contineret commendationem Bishop Morton in Epist. Dedicator prefixed to his Book of the Eucharist Apud veteres Patres ut quod res est liberè fateamur de Sacrificio Corporis Christi in Eucharistia incruento frequens est mentio quae dici vix potest quantopere quorundam alioqui doctorum hominum ingenia exercuerit torserit vexaver◠aut è contrà quà m jactanter Pontificii de ea re se ostentent And that in the Age immediately following the Apostles the Eucharist was generally conceived of under the name and notion of a Sacrifice to omit the Testimonies of Ignatius and Iustin Martyr take only this of Irenaeus Lib. 4. cap. 32. Dominus discipulis suis dans consilium primitias Deo offerre ex suis creaturis eum qui ex creatura Panis est accepit gratias egit dicens Hoc est Corpus meum Calicem similiter qui est ex ea creatura quae est secundùm nos suum Sanguinem confessus est Novi Testamenti novam docuit Oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in universo mundo offert Deo c. And chap. 34. Igitur Ecclesiae Oblatio quam
But enough of this You long you say to hear my Answer to the particulars of your Letter Which do you mean I suppose chiefly that of Fundamental Articles But if such great Prelates and learned Doctors as you mention detrect the defining of the Ratio of a Fundamental Article or designing the Number of them as a matter not only difficult but inconvenient and dangerous Quid ego miser homuncio facerem I confess I am in part guilty of advising Mr. Dury to urge men to think of such a Definition as a ground to examine the points of difference by of what nature they are But I intimated withal how likely they would be to detrect it and wherefore namely lest by that means they might either declare some darling Opinion of their own not to be Fundamental and thereby prejudice their own cause or else exclude out of that number some Articles formerly determined by the Church and so incur a suspicion or be liable to be upbraided with favouring some condemned Heresie But what if to avoid the aforesaid Inconveniences we should go this way to work Make two sorts of Fundamental Articles Fundamentals of Salvation and Fundamentals of Ecclesiastical Communion one of such as are necessarii cognitu creditu ad Salutem simply and absolutely and therefore no Christian soul that shall be saved uncapable to understand them another of such as are necessarii creditu ad Communionem Ecclesiasticam in regard of the predecision of the Church The first not to be of such Truths as are merely Speculative and contained only in the Understanding but of such only as have a necessary influence upon Practice and not all those neither but such as have necessary influence upon the Act and Function of Christian life or whereon the Acts without which a Christian lives not necessarily depend Such namely as without the knowledge and belief whereof we can neither invocate the Father aright nor have that Faith and reliance upon him and his Son our Mediator Iesus Christ which is requisite to Remission of sins and the hope of the Life to come How far this Ratio of a Fundamental Article will stretch I know not but believe it will fetch in most of the Articles of the Apostles Creed And by it also those two main Errors of the Socinians the one denying the Divine Nature the other the Satisfaction of Christ may be discerned to be Fundamental For without the belief of the first the Divine Majesty cannot be rightly that is incommunicably worshipped so as to have no other Gods besides him For he that believes not Christ to be Consubstantial with the Father and yet honours him with the same worship worships not the Father incommunicably which is the Formalis ratio of the worship of the true God from whom we look for eternal Life And without the belief of the Second the Satisfaction of Christ there can be I suppose no saving Faith or reliance upon Christ for Forgiveness of sin After this manner may other Articles be examined Thus much of the first sort of Fundamental Truths measured by the necessitude they have with those Acts which are required to Salvation Concerning the second sort of Fundamentals viz. necessary ad Communionem Ecclesiasticam It is not fit that the Church should admit any to her Communion which shall professedly deny or refuse their assent to such Catholick Truths as she hath anciently declared by universal Authority for the Symbol and Badge of such as should have Communion with her And this sort of Articles without doubt fetches a greater compass and comprehends more than the other as being ordinate and measured by another End to wit of Discipline and so contains not only such Truths the knowledge whereof and assent whereto is necessary unto the being of Christian life but also to the well-being thereof and therefore not needful to be understood of every one distinctly and explicitely as the former but implicitely only and as far as they shall be capable or have means to come to the knowledge thereof This is the Sum of my thoughts concerning Fundamentals If I have not expressed my self so dilucidly as I should I pray help it with some intention of your conceit in the reading For the Book you speak of I like it not I knew by hear-say much of the Author and his condition some years before the High-Commissiâ—n took notice of him and wondred he escaped so long For in every company he came he took an intolerable liberty of Invectives and Contumelies against the Ecclesiastical State when no occasion was offered him Such Books as these never did good in our Church and have been as disadvantageous to their Party who vent them as they have been prejudicial to the common Cause I durst almost affirm that the alienation which appears in our Church of late from the rest of the Reformed hath grown for a great part from such intemperancy and indiscretion as this is and will be still increased more and more if those who seem to be the chief favourers of them go on in this manner He hath too ready a Faculty in expressing himself with his pen unless he would employ it better For who can excuse him from a malignant disposition towards his own Mother thus to publish her faults in Latin of purpose to discover her shame to strangers and to call her Sisters to see it as Cham did his Brothers Think what kind of crime it is for a man that is Civis and a Member to traduce the Rulers of his people among foreiners and what little good affection they are like to expect from ours who are made partisans in such a kind Thus with my best affection I rest and am Your assured Friend Ioseph Mede Christ's Coll. Febr. 6. EPISTLE LXXXIV Mr. Mede's Letter to Mr. Hartlib expressing his Opinion touching Mr. Streso's Book and his distinguishing of Three sorts of Fundamentals Mr. Hartlib I Read over your Streso with some attention and find many learned and considerable passages and discourses therein But for my Animadversions which you look for it were against my Genius for I am one that had rather give my opinion by much though the world hath taught me even there to be somewhat nice than censure another man's But in general I conceive his way to be somewhat ambiguous and intricate more than needs He distinguisheth Three sorts of Fundamentals One he calls Fundamentum ipsum The other two he measures by their relation to it either à parte antè and such he terms Sub-fundamentales or à parte Pòst which may be called Super-fundamentales The one of such Truths quae substernuntur Fundamento the other such as follow by immediate consequence from the same This I take to be the Sum of his opinion Now for that which is his Fundamentum ipsum or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I make no doubt but the acknowledgment of the truth thereof is Fundamental ad Salutem So I believe also are his
Ante or Sub-fundamentals though the most of them not proper to Christianity but common to it with Iudaism For the Church of the Gospel is built or graffed upon the Iewish the common Foundation remaining the same in both But as for the third sort of Fundamentals or Super-fundamentals which he makes such as are by immediate or necessary consequence deducible from the Fundamentum Salutis I make some question whether all such are necessaria cognitu creditu ad Salutem simply First because the necessity of such consequence may not be apprehended by all who hold the Fundamentum Secondly because I am not yet perswaded that to deny or be ignorant of a Truth which is merely Speculative such as some of these Consequences may be is damnable but only of such Truths the knowledge and acknowledgment whereof hath necessary connexion with some practical requisite unto Salvation I mean whereon depends necessarily the acquiring of some Act necessary or the avoiding some Act repugnant to Salvation So that still it seems to me the readiest and easiest way for resolution in this matter is To enquire and examine what those Acts are wherein consists our Spiritual life or that Union and Fellowship which we have with the Father and his Son our Mediator Iesus Christ. That which is necessarium cognitu creditu unto these is Fundamental ad Salutem i.e. cujus agnitioni Salus tanquam Fundamento innititur That which is not so is not Fundamental ad Salutem For example He that comes unto God saith S. Paul must believe that God is So likewise He that comes unto Christ or unto the Father by him as every one must do that will be saved must believe that Christ is and that he is constituted the Mediator between God and us He that comes unto and relies upon Christ for remission of sin must believe that Christ suffered and was offered a Sacrifice for the sins of men and thereby purchased that power to confer remission unto all that should repent and believe in his Name He that bids a true farewel to sin and savingly buckles to the works of a new life must believe there is a life to come and a Day wherein God by the Man he hath ordained shall judge both the quick and dead and give unto every one according to his works according to that of S. Paul Acts 24. 15 16. I have hope towards God that there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust For this cause do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men According to these examples you may examine more The difference between Mr. Streso's way and mine is this He measures his Fundamentals by their relation to one Fundamentum I measure all by the relation they have to Eternal life in regard of those Acts and Dispositions whereby we are capable thereof Take this Similitude In a Creature indued with animal life are many Members or Organs whereof though none can be wanting hurt or wounded without some deformity defect or detriment of the whole yet all are not essential unto the Life of the Body but such only from whence those Faculties and Functions flow whereon Life necessarily depends such as are Respiratio Nutritio Gustus Tactus Pulsus Somnus and the like Therefore the Organs whereon these depend can neither be wanting nor notoriously hurt or wounded but the Body presently dieth Without Legs Arms Tongue Eyes Ears Nose a man may live though a most pitiful ugly and loathsome spectacle and more fit for the Spittle than the publick society of men But without Head Heart Lungs Stomach and the like he cannot namely because these Members and the sound and good temper of them in some degree are necessary to those Faculties and Functions which are requisite unto Life Apply this and improve it by your Meditation Vale. Yours Ios. Mede February 27. EPISTLE LXXXV Mr. Mede's Letter to Mr. Hartlib touching the Acta Lipsiaca as also touching a Confession of Faith and the way of determining Fundamentals that it should be short easie and evident Worthy Sir I Have received the Acta Lipsiaca but if I could have given you notice in time I would have saved you that labour and borrowed of Dr. W. for he had promised to lend me his When I had read it over Lord me thought what little differences are these to break communion for viz. for one or two Speculative Subtilties for some Logical or Metaphysical Notion So I believe much of these disputes when the wisest and moderatest of both sides have expounded themselves is I will not say mere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For your Extracts I read them presently and laid them by and to confess the truth some business following presently took me so much up that I had almost forgot I had them till your admonition put me now in mind of them That George Francis his way Degradibus necessitatis dogmatum Christianorum quibus Fidei Spei Charitatis officia reguntur methinks by the Title should come somewhat near that fansie 'T is true that he says Some men have such an unhappiness of Logick that by an affected following their methods and Technological artifices they make things more obscure and intricate which in the true use of Logick should be made more easie and perspicuous I have not yet attentively read Mr. Dury's Consultation which I will do and then send it back For mens minds here are so remote from thoughts of this nature that it is to little purpose to communicate it to many The way to determine Fundamental Articles must be made very short easie and evident or it will breed as many Controversies as are about the Points themselves in question I can gather that by what I sometimes meet with It is not fit that a Confession which concerns all that will be saved to know and remember should be any long or tedious Discourse The Ten Commandments given by God are an Epitome faciendorum The Lord's Prayer is Summa or Epitome petendorum According to which Pattern the Confession we seek for should be but Summa credendorum Thus with my prayers and best affection I rest Christ's Coll. Iuly 24. Your assured Friend Ios. Mede EPISTLE LXXXVI Mr. Mede's Letter to Mr. Hartlib touching the defining of Fundamental Articles Mr. Hartlib I Have received yours It seems strange to me that men should hold that those who erre in Fundamentals cannot be saved and yet maintain it scarce possible to set down the Ratio of a Fundamental Article or any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby to know them What though Fundamentum Fundamentalia be Metaphorical terms yet may they soon be turned into proper ones namely Articuli cognitu creditu necessarii ad Salutem Here is no Metaphor Whether therefore may there any Ratio or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be given to discern these I believe not that Canon
him Ans. I suppose in the last year of his reign and life and that his ill usage at that time was the occasion of his so miserable death before he was yet gone from Ierusalem And yet perhaps those who came to fetch him went not home empty but carried those 3023 mentioned Ier. 52. 28. though I had rather refer them to Iehoiachin's going which was immediately Object The first deportation of the Iews was in the 7. of Nebuchadnezzar Ier. 52. 28. Therefore not the 4 but the 11. of Iehoiakim's reign Ans. Ieremy intended not a rehearsal of all the Captivities nor of the full number of captives as appears by the smalness of the number It may be those numbâ—rs contain men of particular quality and such as were disposed of in one and the same place But here I am resolved I. M. CHAP. II. The Mystery of S. Paul's Conversion or The Type of the Calling of the Iews 1. 1. PAVL among the sons of men the greatest Zelot of the Law and Persecutor of the way of Christ. THE Iews among the Nations most obstinate Zelots of Moses and the most bitter Enemies of the Followers of Christ. 2. 2. Paul in the height of this his zeal and heat of his persecuting fury found mercy and was converted The Iews though persisting unto the last in their extremity of bitterness and mortal hate to Christians yet will God have mercy on them and receive them again to be his People and be their God 3. 3. Paul converted by means extraordinary and for manner strange not as were the rest of the Apostles by the Ministerie of any Teacher upon earth but by visible Revelation of Christ Iesus in his glory from Heaven the light whereof suddenly surprising him he heard the voice of the Lord himself from Heaven saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me The Iews not to be converted unto Christ by such means as were the rest of the Nations by the Ministerie of Preachers sent unto them but by the Revelation of Christ Iesus in his glory from Heaven when they shall say not as when they saw him in his humiliation Crucifie him but Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord. Whose coming then shall be as a lightning out of the East shining into the West and the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the clouds of Heaven and every eye shall see him even of those which pierced him and shall lament with the Spirit of grace and supplication for their so long and so shameful unbelief of their so merciful Redeemer 4. 4. Those who accompanied Paul at the time of this Apparition saw the light only and were amazed but Paul alone saw the Lord and heard the voice which he spake unto him This Revelation of Christ from Heaven like to be most apparent to the Iews in all places where they are dispersed but not so perhaps to the Gentiles with whom they live The light of his glorious presence shall be such as the whole world shall take notice of but those only to see him and hear his voice who pierced him 5. 5. Paul no sooner converted but was immediately inspired with the knowledge of the Mysteries of Christ without the instruction of any Apostle or Disciple for he received not the Gospel which he preached of Man neither was he taught it but by the Revelation of Iesus Christ. He consulteth not with the rest of the Apostles but after 14 years preaching communicated to them the Gospel which he preached among the Gentiles who added nothing unto him but gave him the right hand of fellowship The Iews together with their miraculous Calling shall be illuminated also with the knowledge of the Mysteries of the Christian Faith even as it is taught in the Reformed Churches without any Instructers from them or Conference with them and yet when they shall communicate their Faith each to other shall find themselves to be of one communion of true belief and give each other the right hand of fellowship 6. 6. Paul the last called of the Apostles The Iews to be called after all the Nations in orbe Romano or in the circuit of the Apostle's preaching 7. 7. Paul once converted the most zealous and fervent of the Apostles The Iews once converted the most zealous and fervent of the Nations 8. 8. Till Paul was converted the Gospel had small progress amongst the Gentiles but when he became their Apostle it went forward wonderfully Till the Calling of the Iews the general Conversion of the Gentiles not to be expected but the receiving of Israel shall be the riches of the world in that by their restitution the whole world shall come unto Christ. 9. 9. The miracle of S. Paul's Conversion the person so uncapable till then a Persecutor and most bitter Enemy of Christians the manner so wonderful as by an Apparition and Voice from Heaven was a most powerful motive to make all those who heard and believed it Christians and therefore so often by S. Paul himself repeated The miracle of the Iews Conversion so much the more powerful to convert the Nations of the world not yet Christians by how much their opposite disposition is more universally known to the world than was S. Paul's and by how much the testimony of a whole Nation living in so distant parts of the world of so divine a miracle as a Vision and Voice from Heaven exceeds that of s. Paul being but one Man 10. 10. Paul reproveth Peter one of the chief Apostles for symbolizing with Iudaism May not the Iews likewise reprove if not more the Church of Rome the chief of Christian Churches for symbolizing with Gentilism S. Paul to Tim. 1 Ep. c. 1. v. 16. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth ill long-suffering for a Pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life CHAP. III. Answer concerning a Discourse inferring from the Septenary Types of the Old Testament and other Arguments That the World should last 7000 years and the Seventh Thousand be that happy and blessed Chiliad I. THE Millennium of the Reign of Christ is that which the Scriptures call The Day of Iudgment the ancient Iews and S. Iude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnus Dies Iudicii or Dies Iudicii magni Septimus Millenarius ab universa Cabbalistarum Schola saith Carpentarius vocatur Magnus Dies Iudicii Comment in Alcinoum Platonis pag. 322. A Day not as our languages commonly import of a few hours but according to the Hebrew notion from whence the name is derived of many years For with them Day is Time and not a short only but a long Time A Day whereof S. Peter speaking 2 Epist. chap. 3. tells the believing Iews his brethren as soon as he had named it vers 8. That he would not have them ignorant that one Day with the Lord was as a Thousand years and a Thousand years
22. 32. I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living p. 801 Chap. 23. 19 the Altar that sanctifies the Gift p. 376 Verse 39. Ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. p. 519 Chap. 24. 14. And the Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world p. 705 and then shall the End come p. 36 Verse 20. Pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath-day p. 841 Verse 29. Immediately after the tribulation of these days shall the Sun be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars shall fall from heaven p. 615 753 Verse 34. This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled p. 752 Chap. 25. 33 34. And he shall set the Sheep on his right hand but the Goats on the left Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom c. p. 841 Chap. 27. 34. They gave him vineger to drink mingled with gall p. 518 S. MARK Chap. 1. 14. Now after that Iohn was put in prison Iesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God pag. 97 Verse 15. And saying The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel p. 106 Chap. 11. 17. Is it not written My house shall be called a House of Prayer to all the Nations p. 44 Chap. 15. 23. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrhe p. 518 S. LUKE Chap. 1. 28. Hail thou highly-favoured one p. 181 Verse 72. To shew mercy or kindness to our Fathers p. 801 Chap. 2. 1. that all the World should be taxed p. 705 13 14. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly Host praising God and saying Glory be to God in the highest c. p. 89 Chap. 6. 12. he continued all night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 67 Chap. 7. 47. Her sins which are many are forgiven therefore she loved much p. 766 Chap. 16. 9. Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness c. p. 170 Chap. 18. 28. Lo we have left all and followed thee p. 120 Chap. 21. 24. Vntil the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled p. 709 753 Verse 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then shall be Signs c. p. 744 753 Chap. 22. 20. This Cup is the New Covenant in my bloud p. 372 Chap. 24. 45 46. Then opened be their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures And said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day p. 49 S. IOHN Chap. 1. 14. And the Wâ—rd was made flesh and tabernacled in us p. 266 Chap. 4. 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain p. 263 Verse 22. Ye worship what ye know not we worship what we know p. 49 Verse 23. But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth p. 46. Chap. 7. 37. As the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water p. 62 Chap. 10. 20. He hath a Devil and is mad p. 28 Chap. 12. 28. Then came there a voice from heaven The people therefore that stood by and heard it said that it thundred p. 459 Chap. 17. 17. Sanctifie them unto or fâ—r thy Truth thy Word is Truth p. 14 Verse 19. And for them I sanctifie my self that they might be sanctified for thy Truth ibid. Chap. 18. 36. My kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight p. 103 Chap. 21. 22. If I will that he stay till I come p. 708 ACTS Chap. 2. 5. And there were sojourning at Ierusalem Iows devout men out of every Nation under heaven p. 74 Verse 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 364 Verse 45. See Chap. 4. 34 Verse 46. And they continuing daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the House ate their meat with gladness and singleness of heart p. 322 Chap. 3. 19. Repent and be converted c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so the times of refreshing may come p. 612 Chap. 4. 34 35. As many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold and laid them down at the Apostles feet p. 127 Chap. 5. 3 4. And Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the holy Ghost and to purloin of the price of the land c. p. 115 Chap. 10. 1 2. There was a certain man in Caefarea called Cornelius a Centurion of the Italian band a devout man and one that feared God c. p. 165 Verse 4. Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a memorial before God p. 164 Chap. 13. 48. And there believed as many as were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to eternal life p. 21 Chap. 14. 15. Who in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways p. 515 Chap. 15. 16 17. After this I will return and will build again the Tabernacle of David which is fallen c. That the residuc of men might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my Name is called p. 455 Chap. 16. 13. And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river-side where there was taken or where was famed to be a Proseucha and Verse 16. It came to pass as we went to the Proseucha p. 67 Chap. 17. 4 There associated themselves to Paul and Silas of the worshipping Greeks a great multitude p. 19 Verse 18. He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Gods because he preached unto them Iesus and the Resurrection p. 635 Chap. 18. 22. And he sailed from Ephesus and when he had landed at Caesarea having gone up and saluted the Church he went down to Antioch p. 323 Chap. 24. 16. ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this cause do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and men p. 871 ROMANS Chap. 1. 23. They changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image c. p. 5 Verse 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie and served the creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 49 Chap. 8. 20. For the creature was made subject to vanity Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God p. 230 812 Chap. 9. 1. my Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost p. 118 Chap. 11. 11 15. Through their fall Salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world p. 455
dishonour it ye ought rather to burn those Books and Writings of your Poets so full of prophane fables and fictions of your Gods and to throw down those Theatres wherein the Gods are every day openly dishonoured by your Poets shameful tales and contumelious fictions of them But as for our Sacred Writings i. the Books of Scripture how did they deserve to be burnt and why were our Meeting-Places so furiously demolished wherein the most High God was prayed unto Peace and Mercy was prayed for in the behalf of all men Magistrates Armies Kings Friends Enemies those that are alive and those that are loosed from the bonds of these gross earthly Bodies * Liturgiae Christianae desâ—â—ipiâ—â— b There are a sort of men in the Church that believe and have faith in God that assent to all Divine precepts who are also very officious toward the servants of God and are ready to serve them yea and are exceeding ready and forward to the adorning of the CHURCH and the service thereof But yet all this while as to their actions and the course of their lives and conversations they are altogether engaged and entangled in sin and filthiness they care not at all put off the old man with his deeds Col. 3. 9. but keep on their old dress and habit their old sins and filthinesses just as these Gibeoconites came to Iosua with their old shooes on their feet and in their old garments Now these men setting this aside that they profess to believe in God and seem to be devoutly affected towards the servants of God and the adorning of the CHURCH what do they do even nothing at all towards inward reformation and real amendment of their lives And a little after saith Origen But here we are to know that which we are taught from what is shadowed out by these and the like Figures and Types in the Old Testament particularly from this History of the Gibeonites That if their be any such Christians among us whose Faith signifies only thus much and goes no further than this viz. That they come duly to the CHURCH and bow their heads to the Priests perform their duties honour the servants o God and withal contribute something to the adorning of the ALTAR or the CHURCH and yet do not seriously endeavour to reform and amend their lives and actions and leaving off their former vices to follow after chastity and purity nor labour in good earnest to subdue their anger their covetousness and that ravenous disposition in them unsatisfiedly and greedily catching at more and more still If I say there be any such let them know this and consider it That as for all such Christians as these who mind not to amend their ways to reform themselves but even to their old age continue in their sins our Lord Iesus of whom Iosua was a Type will give them their part and portion with the Gibeonites * Iâ—â— 2. 1◠〈◊〉 a As to what we have written upon Iosua the son of Nave or Nun as also upon the Book of Iudges and upon Psal. 36 and 37 and 38. we have simply expressed every thing therein as we found it in Origen whose Comments upon these parts of Scripture we translated without any great labour b As I was teaching Oratory in Bithynia whither I was sent for and called to that end at which time also it fell out that the Temple of God was thrown down there were two then upon the place that infulted whether more proudly or importunely I know not over the Christian Verity then in a low and afflicted condition This Sermon was preached at S. Marie's in Cambridge on S. Manâ—ias's day Anno 1635 6. Eccles. 5. 1. * Note that our Copies of the LXX here corruptly read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 23 24. * Heb. 9. 4. Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 24. Al Evagâ—â—â— Mâ—tt 5. 17 18. Phil. 4. 3. * Hermes Trism in Afclepio Athenag Legat. pro Christ. Origen contra Cels. l. 7. 3. Euseb. Praepar Ev. lib. 5. c. 15. * Exod. 20. Gen. 28. 16 17. Exod. 19. 16 18. Matth. 16. 27. Mark 8. 38. * That â— came unto them â—esling upon 〈◊〉 Compare Psal. 68. vers 17. or 18. * De Bello Iud. lib. 2. cap. 16. * To whom some think that voice may be referred before the destruction of the Temple Migremus hinc Let 〈◊〉 depart â—â—nce Vers. 4 5 6. * As tree for trees leaf for leaves Gen. 3. 2 7 c. * Exod. 26. 36 37. chap. 1 Kings 6. * Exod. 26. 36 37. chap. 1 Kings 6. * Exod. 26. 36 37. chap. 1 Kings 6. * In Morali◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it was the sense of the Ancient Church That Christ is offered in the Eucharist by way of Commemoration only see it proved in the following Treatise of The Christian Sacrifies Chap. 9. a Doubt not but an Angel is present when Christ is present when Christ is offered Eccles. 5. 1. Accordingly the Vulgar Latin hath ingrediens Domum Dei Entring into the House of God Apud â—â—â—blich Proâ—reâ—â—â— 21. Edit Paâ—â—is pag. 95. â—â—xâ—d 2. 5. * Vide Damianum a Goes De AEthiopum motibus * Eadem planè Iudaeorum magistrâ— prohibent à ◠suâ—â— in Synagogis fieri apud Maâ—nomdem Msuae Part. 1. l. 2. Trac 7. Debenedictionibus consecr per preceâ— quae in Templo olim observari solita Et Greg. Nazian in Orat. â—un pro patre laudat matrem suam Nonuam quòd in Templo Dei ne vocem quidem emittert nisi de rebus mystieis diviniâ— neque unquam tergum altari obverteret aut sacrum pavimentum conspaâ—ret De quibus Lector pro prudentia sua statnaâ— an quousque nobiâ— imitari conducat Epist. 92. * Seneca lib 7. Nat. qq c. 30. Intramus Templa compositi ad sacrificium accessuri vultum submittimus togam adducimus in omne argumentum modestiae fingimur We enter our Temples with a composed gesture coming to sacrifice we let fall our Countenance draw in our Gown are framed to all shew of Humility * Gen. 28. 16. * Obedience is better than the Sacrifices of fools 1 Sam. 15. 22. Exod. 20. 23 24. Exod. 3. 18. 5. 1. 3. 8. Exod. 8. 27. Ioel 2. 13. Matt. 19. 20. Ver. 11-18 Ver. 2 3. Matt. 23. 23. Luke 11. 42. Mal. 1. 11. * LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or Through the Sacrifice of Iesus Christ upon the Cross. * or first offered to God to agnize him * psal 24. 1. * Deut. 16. 16. * Revel 8. 3. * Esay 66. 3. Qui recordâ—â—tur thure Levit. 24. 7. Ecclus. 45. 16. * Apol. 2. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constant in Orat. ad Sanctos 〈◊〉 c. 12. apud Euseb. * Pure prayer that is Prayer not defiled with shedding of
bread that he giveth us meat to eat and cloaths to put on and yet which of you all will not use the means to get these things because else you cannot look that God should give you his blessing Do you not know when you are sick of a bodily disease that if you be healed God must heal you God must restore you to your former health and yet which of you all will not seek unto the Physician and use all means that can be gotten Do you not know when you are in danger that God must deliver you and yet would you not laugh at him that in such a case should sit still and say God help me and never stir his finger to help himself Are you thus wise in these outward things and will you not be as wise in things spiritual It is needful you should use the means to obtain God's blessing in things concerning your Body and is it needless in things concerning the good of your Soul It is true indeed that of your selves you are not able to turn from your evil ways unto the Lord your God but you are able I hope to use the means whereby God's Spirit works the conversion of the heart This Sun the Lord makes to shine both upon the evil and the good this Rain he showres down upon the just and unjust What though thou canst not believe of thy self yet thou canst use the means of believing What though thou canst not of thy self will or do the thing which is good yet mayest thou use the means whereby God gives the grace of willing and doing good Wouldest thou then have God to enable thee with the grace and power of his Spirit use the means wherein the Spirit of God is lively and mighty in operation sharper than any two-edged sword and entreth through even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit Meditate continually in the Law of God be diligent to hear the Word both read and preached attend to Exhortation to Instruction and as Ioab said unto his army going against the Aramites Be strong and let us be valiant for our people and for the cities of our God and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes so say thou unto thine own Soul I will firmly resolve and with all the power I have endeavour to use the means appointed by our God and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes Nay then fear not thou shalt see the salvation of the Lord he will give thee a new heart and put a new spirit within thee he will take away thy heart of stone and give thee an heart of flesh that thou mayest walk in his statutes and keep his Commandments and thou shalt be one of his people and he will be thy God Observe in the second place That a true and unfeigned Faith in Christ which is the knowing him here mentioned brings forth obedience to his Commandments Christ we must know is not only a Priest to reconcile us but also a King to be obeyed by us These two as they are inseparable in him a Priest but a Kingly Priest a King but a Priestly King so must the acknowledgment of them be in his servants Whosoever therefore receives him as a Priest for atonement of his sin must also submit unto him with loyal obedience as a King We can never truly acknowledge him the one but we must also yield him the other For Christ will not be divided by us we must if we will have him take him whole otherwise we have no share in him at all This is that Faith we say justifies and no other but such a Faith as this which adheres unto Christ Iesus both as a Priest and as our Lord and King And therefore do our Adversaries most unworthily and wrongfully charge us That we condemn Good works or hold a man may be in Christ or in the state of grace though his life be never so wicked because we hold as S. Paul does we are justified by Faith and not by the works of the Law Gal. 2. 16. Observe thirdly That the Act of Faith which justifies is the Receiving or Knowing of Christ not as some erroneously conceive an Assurance or Knowing we know him For Assurance of being justified is no way a Cause or Instrument but a Consequent of Iustification A man must be first justified before he can know or be assured he is justified For this Assurance or Certification you may see in my Text comes in the third place not in the first wherein you may observe these three things to have this order 1. Knowing or owning Christ which is Faith 2. Keeping his Commandments which is the Fruit and evidence of a true Faith then in the third place comes Assurance For by this we are sure we do know him if we keep his Commandments The Object must be before it can be known the Sun must be risen before she can be seen So hath every one his interest in Christ before he can know he hath it Nay he may have it long before before he knows he hath it For it is not only a consequent but a separable consequent neither presently gotten and often interrupted For though it be necessary the Sun should be risen before she can be seen yet she may be long up before we see her and often clouded after she hath shined This I observe for the comfort of those who are troubled in mind and tempted to despair because they see not the light of God's countenance shining in their hearts My fourth Observation and the chief in the Text is this That he that walks in the ways of God and makes conscience to keep his Commandments may hereby inâ—allibly know he knows Christ that his Faith is a true Faith and that he shall be saved everlastingly This is the main and principal Scope of the Text and so plainly therein expressed that it needs no other confirmation But the Reason is plain For Good works are the fruits of Faith and a Godly conversation is the work of God's holy Spirit Whomsoever Christ accepts as a Servant he gives the token of his Spirit the Grace which enlivens and quickens the Heart and Will to his Service in a new and reformed conversation Even as the heat of the Fire warmeth whatsoever comes near unto it so the Spirit of Christ kindles this Grace in every Heart that Faith links unto him the Fruit whereof is that infallible Livery whereby every one that wears it may know himself to be his Servant A Tree is known by its fruit the workman is known by his work whosoever them shews these works and brings forth these fruits hath an infallible argument that the Spirit of God the earnest of his Salvation dwells in his heart that his Faith is a true and saving Faith that his believing is no presumption no false conceit no delusion of the Devil but the true and certain motion of God's own
Spirit The rising of the Sun is known by the shining beams the Fire is known by its burning the Life of the Body is known by its moving Even so certainly is the presence of God's Spirit known by the shining light of an holy conversation even so certainly the purging Fire of Grace is known by the burning Zeal against sin and a servent desire to keep God's Commandments even so certainly the Life and liveliness of Faith is known by the good motions of the Heart by the bestirring of all the powers both of Soul and Body to do whatsoever God wills us to be doing as soon as we once know he would have us do it He that hath this Evidence hath a bulwark against Despair and may dare the Devil to his face He that hath this hath the Broad Seal of Eternal life and such a man shall live for ever But on the contrary He that walks not in the ways of Obedience to God's Commandments whatsoever conceit he hath of God's favour toward him without all doubt he knows not Christ to be his Redeemer he hath not nor cannot have any Assurance of Salvation for how should a man be assured of that which is not His Hope is Presumption his Faith is nothing but Security his Comfort if he feels any a mere imagination His Hope his Faith his Comfort are all delusions of the Devil For if we say saith our Apostle chap. 1. ver 6. that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we are lyars yea and the Devil the Father of lies is in us Here therefore is a good Caveat for us all Let us not deceive our selves without Holiness no man shall see God Beware of Presumption for Presumption sends more to Hell than Desperation Let us never think we have Faith to be saved by or acknowledge Christ throughly till we may see and know it by keeping his Commandments For hereby we know that we know him c. But you may say Alas this is an hard saying If none have true Faith or know Christ aright but those who keep the Law of God who then can be saved For what man is he who hath such a Faith For there is no man living which sins not and who can say his Heart is clean the best of us all hath need to pray unto God daily and hourly Lord forgive our trespasses 1. I answer It is true that an absolute and perfect Obedience to the Law of God is not attainable in this life For the best that are though not in a current and constant course yet ever and anon offend both in doing what they ought not and omitting what they should do yea some mixture of infirmity and imperfections will cleave unto the face of the fairest action So incompatible is an uninterrupted and unstained purity with this unglorified state of mortality 2. All this is true and cannot be denied For our Apostle himself saith chap. 1. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us But the same Apostle in chap. 3. 8. of this Epistle saith also That he which commits sin is of the Devil There is therefore some measure of holiness and obedience and that more than ordinary required of those who are the Sons of God That ours may be such we must know the requisites thereof are three To be Cordial Resolved and Vniversal 1. It must be Cordial that is Conscionable and Sincere it must be internal proceeding from the Heart not external only in the appearance of the outward work God looks for fruit and not for leaves therefore the Fig-tree in the Gospel which had nothing but leaves we know was accursed But blessed are they saith David that keep his Testimonies and seek him with their whole heart For true Faith not only restrains the actions of the outward man for that Humane laws and other respects may do but it purifies the Heart also from the reigning allowance of any lust or lewd course of sin There is abhorring as well as abstaining loathing as well as leaving for else a chained Lion though he abstain from devouring hath his Lionish nature still 2. It must be Resolved that is out of a full and setled purpose to conform our selves to the Law of God That howsoever we often fail in the execution yet this Root may still keep life within us For good actions which come only by fits and occasions are no part of true Obedience nor where such a Resolution is are failings and slips more a sign of a disobedient child than the missing of a mark argues he that shot never aimed to hit it but only is a sign either of weakness want of skill or good heed or some impediment 3. It must be Vniversal I say not absolute and perfect for no man can keep the Law of God absolutely and perfectly yet it must be Vniversal that is to one Commandment as well as to another True Obedience knows no exception no reservation nor can any such stand with a true Faith and allegiance to Christ our Lord. First therefore there must no darling no bosome sin no Herodias be cherished such a dead fly as this will marre the whole box of ointment For how should he take himself for a faithful servant of Christ who still holds correspondence with his Arch-enemy the Devil It were treason in an earthly subject to do it how serviceable soever he might otherwise be unto his Prince One breach in the walls of a City exposeth it to the surprise of the Enemy one leak in a Ship neglected will sink it at last into the bottom of the Sea the stab of a Pen-knife to the Heart will as well speed a man as twenty Rapiers run through him If thou hedge thy close as high as the middle region of the Air in all other places and leave but one gap all thy grass will be gone If the Fowler catch the Bird either by the head or the foot or the wing she is sure his own So in the present case If Satan keep possession but by one reigning sin it will be thine everlasting ruine If thou live and die with allowance and delight in any one known sin without resolution to part with it thou art none of Christ's servants thou as yet carriest the Devil's brand he hath thereby markt thee out for his own Secondly An Vniversal obedience submits not only to Prohibitions of not doing evil but puts in practice the Injunctions of doing good Many think they keep the Commandments well so they do nothing which they forbid But the not doing good is a sin as well as the doing of evil Dives fries in Hell not for robbing but for not relieving Lazarus The unprofitable servant was cast into outer darkness not for spending but for not bestowing his Master's talent The five foolish Virgins were shut out of doors not for wasting but for not having oil in their Lamps And the wicked shall be
first Council of Nice took Sacrificium purum as appears Can. 5. where they expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pure Gift or Oblation to be that which is offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omni simultate depositâ all malice and hypocrisie and the like instances of an unworthy and ignoble spirit being laid aside But according to this Exposition the Purity of the Christian Sacrifice will not be opposite to the pollution of the Iewish in the same kind as it would if more generally taken but in another kind and so the sense stands thus You will not offer me a pure offering but the Gentiles one day shall and that with a purity of another manner of stamp than that my Law requires of you And thus I have told you the two ways according to which the Ancients understood this Purity and I prefer the latter as I think they did 3. But there is a third Interpretation were it back'd by their Authority which I confess it is not which I would prefer before them both and I think you will wonder with me they should be so silent therein namely that this title of Purity is given to the Christian Mincha in respect of Christ whom it signifies and represents who is a Sacrifice without all spot blemish and imperfection This the Antithesis of this Sacrifice to that of the Iews might seem to imply For the Iews are charged with offering polluted Bread upon God's Altar whereby what is meant the words following tell us If you offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evil and if you offer the lame and sick is it not evil and in the end of the Chapter Cursed be the deceiver who hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing Now if the Sacrifice of the Gentiles be called Pure in opposition to this is it not so called in respect of that most perfect unblemisht and unvaluable Sacrifice it represents Iesus Christ the Lamb of God I leave it to your consideration CHAP. IV. Six Particulars contained in the Definition of the Christian Sacrifice The First viz. That this Christian Service is an Oblation proved out of Antiquity How long the Apostles Age lasted or when it ended Proofs out of the Epistles of Clemens and Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how distinguished in Ignatius The Christian Service is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but improperly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the strict and prime sense of the word THUS having absolved the Two first things I propounded given you a Definition of the Christian Sacrifice and explained the words of my Text I come now to the Third and longest part of my task To prove each particular contained in my Definition by the Testimonies and Authorities of the ancient Fathers and Writers of the first and purest Ages of the Church The Particulars I am to prove are in number Six 1. That this Christian Service is an Oblation and expressed under that Notion by the utmost Antiquity 2. That it is an Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer 3. An Oblation through Iesus Christ commemorated in the creatures of Bread and Wine 4. That this Commemoration of Christ according to the style of the ancient Church is also a Sacrifice 5. That the Body and Bloud of Christ in this Mystical Service was made of Bread and Wine which had first been offered unto God to agnize him the Lord of the Creature 6. That this Sacrifice was placed in Commemoration only of Christ's sacrifice upon the Cross and not in a real offering of his Body and Bloud anew When I shall have proved all these by sufficient Authority I hope you will give me leave to conclude my Definition for true That the Christian Sacrifice ex mente antiquae Ecclesiae according to the meaning of the ancient Church was An Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer to God the Father through the Sacrifice of Iesus Christ commemorated in the Creatures of Bread and Wine wherewith God had first been agnized Let us begin then with the first That this Christian Service is an Oblation and under that notion expressed by all Antiquity The names whereby the Ancient Church called this Service are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oblation Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eucharist a word if rightly understood of equipollent sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sacrifice of Praise a reasonable and unbloudy Sacrifice Sacrificium Mediatoris Sacrificium Altaris Sacrificium pretii nostri Sacrificium Corporis Sanguinis Christi the Sacrifice of our Mediator the Sacrifice of the Altar the Sacrifice of our Ransome the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ. It would be infinite to note all the Places and Authors where and by whom it is thus called The four last are S. Augustine's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are to be found with Iustin Martyr and Irenaeus whose antiquity is the Age next the Apostles But you will say the Fathers even so early had swerved from the style of the Apostolick Age during which these kind of terms were not used as appears by that we find them not any where in their Epistles and Writings But what if the contrary may be evinced That this language was used even while the Apostles yet lived For grant they are neither found in the Acts of the Apostles nor in S. Paul's and S. Peter's Writings yet this proves not they were not used in the Apostles times no more than that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not whose case in this point is the same with the other But know that to confine the Apostles Age within the limits of S. Paul's and S. Peter's lives is a general mistake For the Apostles Age ended not till S. Iohn's death Anno Christi 99. and so lasted as long within a year or thereabouts after S. Paul's and S. Peter's suffering as it was from our Saviour's Ascension to their Deaths that is one and thirty years And this too for the most part was after the Excidium or Destruction of Ierusalem in which time it is likely the Church received no little improvement in Ecclesiastical Rites and Expressions both because it was the time of her greatest increase and because whilest the Iews Polity stood her Polity for its full establishment stood in some sort suspended This appears by S. Iohn's Writings which are the only Scripture written after that time and in which we find two Ecclesiastick terms of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word for the Deity of Christ and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord's day for the first day of the week neither of both seeming to have been in use in S. Paul's and S. Peter's times and why may we not believe the like happened in others and by name in these now questioned Which that I may not seem only to guess I think I can prove by two witnesses which then lived the one Clemens he whose name S.
Paul says was written in the Book of life and the other Ignatius Clemens in his undoubted Epistle ad Corinthios a long time missing but now of late come again to light In this Epistle the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is three times used of the Christian Service Pag. 52. All those duties saith he which the Lord hath commanded us to do we ought to do them regularly and orderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Oblations and divine Services to celebrate them on set and appointed times And a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They therefore that perform their Oblations on set and appointed times are acceptable to God and blessed for observing the Commandments of the Lord they offend not The other Ignatius in his Epistle ad Smyrnenses hath both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non licet saith he absque Episcopo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not lawful without the Bishop either to baptize or to celebrate the Sacrifice or to communicate Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he calls in a stricter sense the first part of this sacred and mystical Service to wit the Thanksgiving wherein the Bread and the Wine as I told you were offered unto God to agnize his Dominion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he calls the mystical Commemoration of Christ's Body and Bloud and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the receiving and participation of the same For know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are sometimes used for the whole Action and sometimes thus distinguished Of the genuineness of this Epistle the learned doubt not but if any one do I suppose they will grant that Theodoret had his genuine Epistles Let them hear then a passage which he in his third Dialogue cites out of the Epistles of Ignatius against some Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do not admit or allow of Eucharists and Oblations because they do not acknowledge the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Iesus Christ which suffered for our sins Here you see Oblations and Eucharists exegetically joyned together And so I think I have proved these terms of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have been in use in the Church in the latter part of the Apostles Age. But what if one of them namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were used sooner even in S. Paul's and S. Peter's time In the first Epistle of Peter chap. 2. 5. You are saith he speaking to the Body of the Church an holy Priesthood to offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual Sacrifices to God by Iesus Christ. In the Epistle to the Heb. 13. 15. By him that is through Christ our Altar let us offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice of praise to God continually Why should I not think S. Paul and S. Peter speak here of the solemn and publick Service of Christians wherein the Passion of Christ was commemorated I am sure the Fathers frequently call this sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice of Praise And in some ancient Liturgies immediately before the Consecration the Church gives thanks unto God for chufing them to be an holy Priesthood to offer sacrifices unto him as it were alluding to S. Peter Thus you see first or last or both the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were no strangers to the Apostles Age. I will now make but one Quaere and answer it and so conclude this point Whether these words or names were used seeing they were used properly or improperly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the subject we speak of I answer briefly This Christian Service as we have defined it is an Oblation properly For wheresoever any thing is tendred or presented unto God there is truly and properly an Oblation be it spiritual or visible it matters not for Oblatio is the Genus and Irenaeus tells me here Non genus oblationum reprobatum est oblationes enim illic oblationes autem hîc sacrificia in populo sacrificia in Ecclesia sed species immutata est tantúm For Offerings in the general are not reprobated there were Offerings there viz. in the Old Testament there are also Offerings here viz. in the New Testament there were Sacrifices among the people that is the Iews there are Sacrifices also in the Church but the Specification only is changed But as for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrifice according to its prime signification it signifies a Slaughter-offering as in Hebrew so in Greek of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 macto to slay as the Angel Acts 10. 13. says to S. Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peter kill and eat Now we in our Christian Service slay no offering but commemorate him only that was slain and offered upon the Cross Therefore our Service is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 improperly and Metaphorically But if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be Synecdochically taken for an Offering in general as it is both in the New Testament and elsewhere then the Christian Sacrifice is as truly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHAP. V. The Second Particular That the Christian Sacrifice is an Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer proved from Iustin Martyr Tertullian Clemens Alexand c. The Altar or Holy Table anciently the place of the publick Prayers of the Church Prayer Oblation and Sacrifice promiscuously used by the Fathers when they speak of the Christian Sacrifice The Conjunction of Prayer and the Eucharist argued from Acts 2. 42. and from Ignatius ad Ephes. The three parts of which the Christian Synaxis consisted NOW I come to the Second particular contained in my Definition To prove that the Christian Sacrifice according to the meaning of the ancient Church is an Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer My first Author shall be Iustin Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Iew where to the Evasion of the Iews labouring to bereave the Christians of this Text by saying it was meant of the Prayers which the dispersed Iews at that time offered unto God in all places where they lived among the Gentiles which Sacrifices though they wanted the material Rite yet were more acceptable unto God in regard of their sincerity than those prophaned ones at Ierusalem and not that here was meant any Sacrifice which the Gentiles should offer to the God of Israel to this Evasion Iustin replies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Prayers and Thanksgivings made by those that are worthy are the only Sacrifices that are perfect and acceptable unto God I do also affirm for these are the only Sacrifices which Christians have been taught they should perform If you ask where and how he tells you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that thankful remembrance of their food both dry and liquid wherein also is commemorated the Passion which the Son of God suffered by